《Shrouded Seascape》


 Chapter 1. Captains Diary

    <h4>Chapter 1. Captain''s Diary</h4>


    <i>June 14, 8th Year of Cross Over, Clear Weather</i>


    <i>Lately, the vague murmurs in my ear have returned. Those voices that didn''t sound like voices. They were chaotic and chilling. This wretched ce is really not meant for humans.</i>


    <i>First Mate Old John told me that I should try his method of resolving those sounds by finding the fresh girls at Red Lips Tavern. I admit that the thought did cross my mind, but ultimately, I resisted. I can''t afford to waste my hard-earned Echo Coins in that ce. For my dream of returning home... I cannot relent.</i>


    <i>Humans are a species meant to be living above the ground. The humans in this underground sea are living proof that there is a way back up. I must definitely find it!</i>


    <i>I dreamed of my family again yesterday. I miss them... but I''m starting to not remember what they look like...</i>


    The sudden rocking of S.S. Mouse interrupted Charles Reed from penning his next words.


    The old oilmp next to the diary illuminated the face of its owner. Charles had the typical Asian appearance with ck eyes and ck hair. However, his face was so pale that it almost looked transparent, like a vampire in a movie.


    ording to modern beauty standards, Charles could be considered somewhat handsome. Yet, at this moment, his extreme fatigue was apparent from his heavy and weary expression.


    He stood for a brief moment by the window and listened to the sea waves crashing against the steamship''s hull. Unable to pinpoint anything unusual, he picked up his pen and continued writing.


    <i>I don''t need those special services workers. Journaling can also help to alleviate those auditory hallucinations. I''ve been able to get a good solid 5 hours of sleeptely. It''s been a long while since I''ve had such a peaceful sleep.</i>


    <i>Of course, learning from the lessons of my predecessors, I purposely wrote in anguage that only I can understand, Chinese.</i>


    <i>Screech.</i>


    Charles was interrupted once more by the grating sound of metal from outside of the window. It sounded as though something was constantly scratching the boat''s hull with very sharp nails.


    <i>Snap!</i>


    With furrowed brows, Charles mmed his diary shut and headed for the circr porthole.


    He stretched his neck out the window and found that the scene outside was a duplicate of what he had seen eight years ago. An unlit sky intertwined with the inky-green expanse of the sea painted a tapestry of darkness in the distance.


    Darkness ruled everything outside, and within its depths, something monstrous seemed to be lurking. All thaty beyond invoked a sense of foreboding and bone-chilling dread.


    In this shrouded seascape, there were no stars or moon illuminating the sky. The endless darkness prevailed in this ce. Yet, the same darkness defined normalcy.


    As he stared at the seemingly normal view outside of the window, Charles'' brows were further pressed together. His years of voyaging experience sounded the rm: something was definitely amiss. He decided to investigate further.


    Charles opened the bedside cab, revealing hundreds of gleaming golden bullets. They rolled back and forth in eerie harmony with the undting waves.


    Drawing the revolver holstered at his waist, Charles expertly loaded it with the ammunition and made his way to the pilot house.


    "Captain, why are you so early today? It''s not time for your shift yet."


    In the pilot house, a scruffy, stubble-faced, fat old man had his hands on the steering wheel. Slumbering beside him on the left seat was a young man, no more than seventeen or eighteen years old. His sailor uniform was a testament of his role on the ship. Despite their countenances bearing traits of those of Eastern European descent, they shared a ghastly resemnce to Charles, devoid of blood.


    "First Mate, S.S. Mouse seems to be a little rocky. Are we still on track?" Charles inquired, his gaze fixed on John. He then strode over and nted a firm foot on the chair''s leg, jolting the youngd from his slumber.


    When the youngd saw that it was the captain himself, he hurriedly wiped the drool off the corner of his mouth and scrambled to get up from the seat.


    "Heheh. I reck it''s ''cause them critters below the waters caught a whiff ¡®a food. Ye know, deep in the waters, there''s more disgustin'' stuff than fish, I tell ye. But worry not! S.S. Mouse is a sturdy ol'' iron vessel. Ain''t nothin'' gonna break ¡¯er!" The big-bellied old man took a step back and relinquished the helm to his captain.


    Despite hearing his first mate''s response, the sirens were still ringing in Charles'' head.


    In this dreaded ce, humans no longer reigned at the top of the food chain. Caution was the only key to survival.


    Charles pressed a button on the old dashboard and a spotlight lit up the scene ahead of them. His eyes scanned back and forth across the surface of the sea, peering through the transparent ss.


    Between the sea and the helm, the deck was piled high with cargo. The ship looked to be smaller in size, stretching a mere thirty meters or so in length.


    "The route to Coral Archipgo has been traversed by cargo ships many times. Those things couldn''t possibly havee to court their own deaths. Something''s amiss," Charles mused, his hand gripping the polished helm, its reflective surface mirroring his furrowed brows.


    Old John was taken aback. "No way, did we deviate from the course? Nah. Look, ye can still see the beacon right there." He pointed at the faint dim light in the distance.


    In the subterranean depths of the ocean, devoid of any stars to lead the way, thepass and luminous beacons marking navigational routes were the only guides. As long as these beacons remained in sight, their light signified a path established by exploratory vessels¡ªa route deemed safe, in other words.


    It was precisely at this moment that Charles, with his gaze fixed upon the sea''s surface, felt his pupils shrinking to the size of a needle point. Gulping down his saliva with much difficulty, he asked, "That... That beacon... How long have you been looking at it?"


    "A few minutes, I reck. Me eyes were on it, not a single move...ment..." Old John''s volume gradually lowered toward the end of his sentence and a tinge of terror shed across his chubby face.


    They had sailed for such a long time and had yet to pass this particr beacon. Evidently, that beacon itself was moving at the same speed as the steamship. That was not what it was supposed to do!


    With sudden urgency, Charles snapped into action like a tightly wound spring. His hands spun the helm furiously, veering hard to the left.


    Apanied by the creaking sound of metal, the steamship began to change direction. Thankfully, a smaller boat could turn swiftly, and S.S. Mouse started to distance itself from the enigmatic beacon.


    But before Charles could even catch his breath, the youngd beside him pointed a trembling finger at the ss window behind them, his eyes wide as though he had seen a ghost.


    "Cap... Captain! That thing is closing in on us! It''s so fast!! It''s catching up!"


    "Damn it!" Charles bellowed, his voice tearing through the space, directed at a nearby pipe. "Engine room! Push the boilers to maximum load! Something''s chasing us!"


    "Aye, Captain!" a sturdy voice resonated from within the iron pipe.


    Thick, pitch-ck smoke billowed from the ship''s smokestack as the steamship''s speed began to escte.


    "It''s still closing in!! It''s too fast! It''s almost upon us! My god! What monstrosity is that!"


    The youngd''s voice soared several octaves higher, his body trembling like a sieve as if he was on the brink of shock.


    "Dipp! Close your eyes!!" Charles'' nerves were already stretched taut, and he dealt a kick to Dipp''s lower limb, sending thetter toppling to the ground.


    Nearby, Old John forcefully pressed his hand on Dipp''s head, holding it against the ground. His face was flushed as he frantically shouted, "See nothin'', hear nothin'', think nothin''!! Captain will lead all ''a us back."


    Before the echo of his words could fade, a thunderous boom reverberated through the cabin, causing the two on the ground to roll into a tangled heap. Charles only managed not to be thrown overboard by clinging tightly to the helm.


    "Captain, it has struck us!"


    Charles'' face turned an ashen shade, his cheeks slightly bulging from the clenching of his teeth. He brought his mouth close to the pipe and bellowed in a hoarse voice, "Engine room!! Overload the boiler for thirty seconds!!"


    "Captain! That won''t do! This vessel''s too old!! She might explode!"

 Chapter 2. Monster

    <h4>Chapter 2. Monster</h4>


    "Just follow my orders! I know my ship better than anyone else!!" Charles shouted at the pipe that was connected to the boiler room. He then lowered his head to meet Old John''s gaze. "John! Unload half of the cargo!"


    Charles knew that hesitation was not an option in crucial moments; one''s life was more important than anything else.


    "Aye!" The stout old man kicked the door open and exited the pilot house.


    Charles felt a pang in his heart as he listened to the sound of the cargo sshing into the water. Fortunately, the series of measures taken proved effective. After enduring a few more collisions, the nimble S.S. Mouse began to pick up speed and gradually left the pursuing entity behind.


    When Charles finallyid his sight upon the real navigation marker appearing at the bow, he released his grip on the helm, his body in cold sweat.


    The trembling youngd on the ground crawled to Charles'' side and clung tightly on thetter''s thigh.


    "Ca-Captain, I-I just... I just saw..."


    Charles immediately grabbed the boy¡¯s face in one hand to stop him from talking.


    "Before we boarded the ship, what was the third thing I told you?"


    "Don''t look at the monsters in the sea. Don''t even think of them. Unless theye close to our ship, don''t even utter a word even if we see them..."


    "Very well. Now stand up, drop the anchor, and notify everyone to gather on the deck. I want to do a headcount." Afterpleting his sentence, Charles let go of Dipp and left the pilot house.


    The deck was inplete disarray, with water pooling everywhere. Ropes that were used to bind cargo in ce were floating aimlessly on the water''s surface.


    Wading through the seawater that reached his calves, Charles made his way to the stern. The spindle-shaped aft section had a deep indentation, as though it had been struck by a massive hammer. The entire stern was also covered in an unknown ck substance, and it gave off a foul odor.


    The aftermath alone gave a vivid impression of the size of the creature that had collided with the ship just now. However, after going on countless nautical expeditions for eight years, Charles had grown ustomed to such encounters, so his curiosity had been eroded over time. At this moment, he was preupied with other thoughts.


    "Fixing this will cost a bomb again..." Charles muttered, frustration mounting within him. He was another step away from his dream.


    Just then, the murmurs in his ear sounded again, echoing from the depths of the surrounding darkness.


    "ph...nglui mglw...nafh...."


    "Fuck!" With his brows pressed together, Charles clenched a fist and repeatedly struck his forehead with the back of the fist. The physical pain helped to momentarily drown out the unsettling whispers guing him.


    When he saw that the rest of the crew had started to gather on the deck, Charles ceased his self-inflicted punishment and made his way over to them.


    Upon seeing their captain approaching, the group of men of varying heights hastily lined up in a row. Their appearances differed, but their pale faces were of the exact same shade as Charles'', devoid of that healthy crimson hue.


    "John. Position: First Mate. Duty: To assist the Captain in organizing work ns and responsible forpiling the cargo loading schedule. Helmsman covering the 1200 to 2400 shift!" The stout old man was the first to recite his duties.


    Standing beside Old John was a tall and robust figure. His blue attire was smeared with traces of grease. Without skipping a beat, he swiftly added his own introduction.


    "James. Position: Second Engineer. Duty: Maintaining the proper functioning of the engine room. Overseeing the propulsion system, auxiliary equipment, boilers, lubrication, cooling, and fuel."


    Next to James was a skinny man, tall and thin like a utility pole.


    "Frey. Position: Cook. Duty: Preparing crew''s meals."


    Following the cook was a visibly distressed Dipp. He appeared unsteady on his feet, still trying to recover from the recent events.


    "Di-Dipp. Position: A.B. . Duty: Maintaining and repairing the deck, as well as handling the anchor, ropes, and loading and unloading equipment."


    Charles swiftly scanned the four individuals in front of him and immediately noticed that one person was missing.


    "Where''s the boatswain?"


    The four individuals exchanged nces with each other but none could provide an answer.


    "AHHHHHHH!!" Suddenly, a horrifying scream echoed from below the deck.


    "Something hase aboard! Grab your weapons!" Charles eximed, leading the group as they rushed toward the source of the disturbance.


    When they arrived at the dimly lit crew''s quarters, the sight made them feel a chilling sensation up their spine.


    In the shadowy premises, there were only two figures present. One of them stood upright. It was the boatswain of S.S. Mouse, and his face was filled with terror.


    The other figurey sprawled on the floor, and his face could not be discerned due to hispleteck of skin. Every time this mysterious person moved, the exposed flesh touching the floor caused him excruciating pain, making him tremble in agony. The bloodied figure let out pitiful cries and struggled in despair; his breath grew weaker with each passing moment.


    "Jim! Ask who he is!" Charles swiftly retrieved the revolver holstered to his left waist.


    Trembling with fear, the boatswain crawled over to the mangled head, leaning in to listen intently.


    A few secondster, he turned around, his face tinged with apparent panic. He pointed a trembling finger at Charles and said, "C-captain... He... He said he''s you!"


    "Me?"


    Hearing the flustered footsteps of the crew members behind him, Charles speedily pointed his gun at the boatswain.


    "Charles. Position: Captain. Duty: Safe transportation and administrative management of the vessel. Ensures the utmost safety of the ship and crew''s lives and property. Decisively and prudently handle all affairs in case of emergencies. Helmsman covering the 0000 to 1200 shift! Boatswain! Report your position this instant!"


    "Quick! Kill him! He''s not your captain!" the boatswain eximed in terror, his trembling finger still pointed at Charles.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Charles pulled the trigger and a bullet pierced through the boatswain''s forehead, leaving a bloody hole. Yet, it was not blood that oozed out of the wound, but rather a semi-solid, dark yellow substance.


    Now that his identity had been exposed, the body of the injured boatswain started to contort and change. His mouth opened all the way to the back of his head, and his limbs rapidly bulged. With an eerie animalistic growl, the monstrosity charged toward Charles.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Bullets rained onto the contorted boatswain, and the human skin on the creature was torn apart like a bup sack, revealing the convoluted, ckened, decaying torso within that resembled a diseased toad.


    Even after taking six bullets, the creature was still alive. It spread out its four limbs as it lunged at the human standing in front of it.


    Seemingly unfazed by the situation after many simr encounters, Charles rolled to the side just in time to evade the monster''s attack.


    Wasting not a single second, he hurriedly reloaded his revolver with another six rounds and fired them at the monster.


    Under the onught of twelve bullets, the monster''s disjointed legs gave way, and it copsed weakly onto the ground.


    Panting heavily, Charles took a brief nce at the nauseating corpse before turning to look at the terrified crew members standing behind him.


    "Don''t just stand there. Throw this damn thing overboard," Charlesmanded and walked toward the motionless bloodied corpse at the side.


    Ignoring the overwhelming stench of blood, he used his hand and turned the corpse¡¯s head for a better look. When he saw the missing front tooth in the mouth, he knew that this was the real boatswain, while the one earlier was an imposter, a sea monster using his crew member''s skin as its disguise.


    A pained expression briefly shed across Charles'' countenance, but he quicklyposed himself. He retrieved a couple of bullets from his pocket and left the crew''s cabin to patrol the ship and search for any lingering threats.


    ***


    Dipp struggled alongside First Mate John as they carried the corpse.


    The youngd was astonished and eximed, "The captain is so amazing."


    "Haha. ¡®Course he is. That''s why he''s the capt''n, and yer just a lowly sailor. Truth be told, when he first stepped aboard, he was just like ye."


    "Really? What was Captain Charles like when he first became a sailor?"


    "That be a tale of the ages, aye. ''Bout seven or eight years ago, I was still servin'' as a third mate on another ship. That was when Charles appeared driftin¡¯ on the waters. When I first met ''im, he couldn¡¯t say a single word, can ye believe that?"


    "Really? Then how did he be the Captain?"


    "The ol'' capt¡¯n took pity on ''im, and allowed ''im to follow the ship from a distance. When we reached the harbor, we figured he was no monster and let ''im stay as crew. He learned to talk while learnin'' the ways of a sailor. When he finally learned how to speak, he announced his gran'' ambition¡ªto captain a ship and lead all o'' humanity back to thend o'' light. We all thought he''d gone mad, ye know."


    "And what happened after?"


    "After, he went from A.B. to boatswain, an¡¯ then to third mate. We recked he¡¯d climb again to be second mate, but he surprised us all. He actually saved enough to buy ''imself a second hand cargo ship. Aye, this very vessel we''re on, matey. S.S. Mouse."


    1. A.B. stands for able seaman

 Chapter 3. Relic [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 3. Relic [Bonus Image]</h4>


    <i>My boatswain is killed again by those monsters. How much longer must I endure all this? I''m getting so tired. Sometimes, I wonder if I have actually died and this is hell. But then I realized that it''s not possible. Those devils in hell are much more endearing than these creatures. Everything here defies logic, and that includes other humans. </i>


    <i>When I first arrived, I thought this ce was in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution. Butter, I discovered that they have dabbled in mysterious technologies as well.</i>


    <i>Despite all those advancements, it is all futile. Humans are like ants in this world, struggling to survive. There are too many deadly beings in the darkness, and we are not the only civilization in this realm.</i>


    The knocking sound on Charles'' door stopped his pen in its tracks.


    "Captain, we are reaching the Coral Archipgo," Dipp reported from outside the cabin.


    Charles walked to the bow of the ship and stared at the distant lighthouse that appeared and disappeared in the darkness. He breathed a sigh of relief now that they had finally arrived at their destination.


    As S.S. Mouse drew closer, a grand ind behind the lighthouse gradually came into focus.


    The predominant color of the ind was a pale gray that resembled that of coral rocks. The various human dwellings on the ind shared the same color theme.


    The harbor of Coral Archipgo seemed busy with steamships of different sizesing and going. Weathered and rugged seamen were waving their hats in jubilee to celebrate their survival.


    Coral Archipgo was a newly developed ind; an ind that was deemed fit for human habitation could not solely rely on coral. It needed resources from other inds, and that necessity resulted in the appearance of supply ships like S.S. Mouse.


    As one passed through the crowd on the pier, one would instantly notice that many of them had ears that curled inward. That was a distinctive trait of the locals of the Coral Archipgo. Only those who had lived on the ind for more than five years would have their ears inexplicably curl inward for unknown reasons. To date, no one could exin this phenomenon.


    However, such a deformed physical trait did not deter people from eagerly wanting to migrate to the Coral Archipgo. Compared to the troubles of other inds, ear deformation was an absolutely minor side effect.


    After swiftly settling the administrative matters with the pier''s administrator, Charles walked out of the dock with a troubled expression.


    As expected, with more than half of the cargo gone, he had incurred a significant loss instead of making a profit. The past two months that he had spent out in the waters were all in vain.


    It would take some time for the dock to arrange supplies for the next expedition, thus providing a brief respite for the crew of S.S. Mouse.


    A cluster of buildings of varying heights was at a close distance to the dock. Some were taverns providing a ce of rest for seamen, but arger number of them were recreational venues.


    Along the bustling streets, ragged beggarsy or sat as they mumbled words that only they themselves could understand.


    These were sailors driven mad by their experience at sea. No one knew what they had experienced, but everyone understood one thing¡ªthe iron-d rule of the sea: See no evil, hear no evil, think no evil.


    These people were considered lucky ones, as in most cases, sailors who encountered maritime disasters disappeared along with their ships.


    Pushing open the doors of Bat Tavern, a group of burly men cast unfriendly nces toward Charles as thetter entered the brightly lit hall. The empty bottles on the counter clearly showed that they had been drinking.


    Yet, the moment they caught a whiff of the sea-scented odor emanating from Charles, they nonchntly shifted their gazes away. They knew that those who could survive the treacherous seas were not to be trifled with.


    "I''ll be staying for five days. Bring some food to my room," Charles informed the staff.


    "That will be 630 Echo for five days. Mushroom soup with bread would cost 30. The total will be 660 Echo."


    In the damp room, Charles slowly savored his lunch. The food in this subterranean realm was far from exceptional. He tore the darkened bread into pieces and dropped them into the viscous mushroom soup.


    Even when soaked in soup, the bitter taste of the charred bread lingered in his throat, but he had grown ustomed to it.


    Charles whipped out a handphone from his pocket and absentmindedly swiped his finger across the cracked screen as he munched on the bitter bread. The scratched disy remained as dark as the sky outside.


    Only slow chewing sounds could be heard in the room.


    "Cap''n, are ye in?" Old John''s voice suddenly sounded from outside the room.


    Charles quickly put the phone away before responding, "Come in. The door isn''t locked."


    The first mate of S.S. Mouse cautiously entered the room, his face showing a tinge of remorse. "Capt''n. I wanna let ye know. I wanna quit."


    Charles'' brows were pressed together. "Why? Haven''t you gotten used to these things?"


    Whenever a crew member died on an expedition, Charles had always mentally braced himself that a fellow crewmate would quit. He had expected that it would be Dipp who would throw in the towel since thetter had almost pissed in his pants in fear. It had never crossed his mind that it would be Old John who had apanied him since the very beginning.


    Old John waved his hands repeatedly andmented, "I''m too ol'' now. There were times when I fell asleep at the helm. I wanna be away from the sea."


    Charles''s mood worsened, but he didn''t try to persuade Old John to stay. He wanted to part ways on amicable terms. cing a stack of bills on the table, he said to Old John, "This is your share."


    Old John received his payment but did not turn to leave. He remained in ce, seemingly hesitant about something.


    "Is there something else?" Charles asked.


    "Heh heh, Capt''n. Ye know, I did save up some money, but I''ve spent most of it on thedies. This ain''t enough for me for the rest ''a my life."


    "What? You are not asking me to sponsor you, are you?"


    "Nah, ''a course not. I know that''s impossible. I have somethin'' good that I n to sell to ye. Since I won''t be sailin'' no more, I have no use for this weapon anymore," Old John said as he pulled out a short, ck saber that was as long as his forearm. To be fair, it actually resembled arger dagger than a saber.


    Charles looked at the stout old man before him in confusion. Yes, this was indeed his first mate''s weapon, but he did not need another melee weapon.


    "Capt''n! Don''t underestimate this knife. It''s a relic!"


    Charles had heard about these mysterious artifacts, but he had nevere into contact with one himself.


    Many spected about the origins of these relics. Some imed that these items came from the depths of the sea, others believed they originated from the legendary Land of Light, and there were those who said that the relics were discovered on unexplored inds. Regardless of their origins, one thing was certain: these objects possessed special powers.


    The nature of these items with special powers varied greatly, and using them came at a cost. And the cost differed depending on the powers they unleashed.


    He had once witnessed a ring that went on auction on Albion Isles. The starting bid was 580,000 Echo. It granted the user the ability to be invisible temporarily, but the price to pay was an unbearable itch that afflicted the entire body.


    "What''s so special about this de?" Charles asked.


    Old John immediately perked up and exined, "This de is very sharp, incredibly sharp!" Taking the long dagger in his hand, he eagerly scanned the room as he tried to find something for demonstration.


    "No thanks. I think I would prefer my gun."


    Relying solely on his revolver did feel a bit inadequate, and Charles did think of getting a few relics for self-defense. However, he did not want something that would be of little use.


    Although the technological advancements in this subterranean realm were a bit skewed, some of therger inds already had electricity running. What use was a mystical item in a world where there were guns and cannons? And they even had side effects to boot!


    Sensing Charles'' reluctance to purchase the relic, Old John grew anxious. "Capt''n. It has another special power too. Just holdin'' on to it will enhance yer healing capabilities."


    "Two powers? Then what''s the side effect?"


    Relics were peculiar in the sense that their benefits and drawbacks were not always equal. Sometimes, the drawbacks outweighed the minimal benefits that they provided. Some drawbacks might even make the user experience what it was like to be in a living hell.


    "It''s not particrly severe. Ye might feel the urge tomit suicide if ye hold it for a long while. Just don''t hold it all the time, yer be fine."


    Taking the dagger in his hand, Charles found it to be surprisingly light. It did not seem to be made of iron but rather felt like stic to him.


    He then made a cut across his palm with the de''s tip, and indeed, the wound slowly began to heal, albeit not as dramatically as he was expecting it to. It was, at most, three times faster than usual.


    "The side effect is eptable. Its powers seem alright too. Since I don''t have a doctor on my ship, I guess this relic can partiallypensate for it."


    Charles decided to purchase the knife, knowing that being prepared was always for the best. After all, some money had to be spent if it was deemed necessary.


    Both parties understood each other''s circumstances and eventually closed the deal at 160,000 Echo.

 Chapter 4. Fhtagn Covenant

    <h4>Chapter 4. Fhtagn Covenant</h4>


    Holding the stacks of Echo bills in his hand, Old John was visibly ted. He turned and headed for the door. However, just when he pushed the room door open and was about to step out, he pondered for a moment before turning around again, seemingly experiencing emotional distress.


    Staring at the man standing before him, who was only partially illuminated by the dim light in the room, Old John hesitated but eventually spoke.


    "Capt''n, I be leavin''. To be honest, why don''t yee ashore too? Ye''ve scraped enough money to buy yerself an explorin'' ship, but what good will it do ye? The Land of Light... it doesn''t exist."


    "It does," Charles retorted in a calm tone, but his eyes were shining with resolute faith.


    "There be somethin'' hangin'' in the sky, bigger than any bloomin'' ind. It gives us light and warmth just like that, drives the darkness away. How in zes is that possible, eh? It''s all made up by them Divine Light Order to fool folks like us."


    Charles'' silence prompted Old John to let out a sigh. "Back when I firstid me eyes on ye, even though ye couldn''t speak a word, ye had such spirit, such confidence. I thought to meself, what a fine youngd ye be! If I had a granddaughter, I''d surely introduce ye to ''er.


    "No need to keep it a secret from me, Capt''n. I know ye been hearin'' the voice of the divine for days now. Carry on like this, and ye''ll be drivin'' yerself mad, I tell ye. Give it up."


    Charles remained expressionless as he walked to the door. He gently pushed Old John out and closed the door on thetter with a "thud".


    "Boy, yer too obsessed." Old John grumbled. His footsteps gradually faded away down the corridor, and silence returned.


    "<i>Am I </i>too obsessed?" Charles leaned against the room door and mumbled to himself. His expression slowly distorted.


    "What''s wrong with wanting to go back?" Charles suddenly shouted with a pained expression.


    "I haven''t done anything wicked or uwful! Why do I have to deal with all this shit! Why!!"


    "Eight years! It''s been a whole eight years!! Why do I have to endure this kind of torment?! I just want to go home, is that too much to ask?!" Charles roared loudly.


    "glui mglw...na..." The murmurs in his ear rang again, adding to his annoyance.


    "Fuck you!!" In a burst of rage, Charles whipped out his revolver and pressed it against his temple.


    Just as he was about to pull the trigger with his trembling fingers, a muffled protest from the guest living in the room next to him interrupted.


    "What''s with that noise! Keep it down!"


    The agitated Charles suddenly calmed down. He holstered the revolver back at his waist and carefully wrapped up the de in a piece of cloth.


    That night, Charles dreamt of many things, but when he woke up, he could not remember a single thing.


    <i>Knock, knock, knock.</i>


    Someone was knocking at the door.


    Charles opened the door and saw a bald man with an octopus tentacle tattoo on his face.


    "Are you Captain Charles of S.S. Mouse? They call me Hook. Pleased to meet you."


    Charles cautiously assessed the man before him. His face was rather ordinary and had deformed ears that curved inward. It was an indication that he was a native of the Coral Archipgo. The octopus tentacle tattoo on his face was an evident disy of his faith.


    "What do the followers of Fhtagn want from me? I don''t suppose you are trying to get me as a sacrifice to your almighty god, do you?"


    Despite Charles'' hostility, which was readily apparent in his words, Hook remained unfazed.


    "You might not have the caliber to be a worthy offering to the Great One. I came for something else, Captain Charles. I heard that you are in need of money."


    Charles was not surprised. This was not the first time that someone like Hook hade to look for him.


    "I don''t smuggle illegal stuff," Charles replied and was about to close the door on the man.


    Actually, Charles was lying. As long as the money was enticing enough, he would asionally take on smuggling jobs. However, in this case, he had firmly declined as he did not want too much involvement with these cults.


    To him, the only difference between the Fhtagn cultists and the madmen on the streets was that the former could speak coherently. No sane person would actually worship a sea monster as their god.


    Just as the door was about to close fully, Charles heard a number being whispered from the other side of the door.


    "One million Echo."


    Looking at the captain''s dark eyes through the crack of the partially open door, the bald man shed a confident smile.


    "Mr. Charles, thispensation is more than enough to aid your financial situation. With it, you can buy an exploration ship with state-of-the-art equipment. Think about it, if you discovered a new ind, you''d be its governor, with thend at your disposal. Women, power, money¡ªthey would be all yours."


    Charles had no idea how the Fhtagn Covenant knew of his ns but his firm determination was wavering. With that amount of money, he would be arge step closer to returning home.


    However, he did not let his guard down. The Fhtagn Covenant was no charity organization, and such a massive reward surely meant extreme danger.


    "What do you need me to smuggle?" Charles asked in a cautious tone.


    "We don''t need you to smuggle goods. Rather, we would like your help in finding something. Pleasee with me. Our high priest will give you the details."


    After a few seconds of contemtion, Charles opened the door and followed Hook out onto the streets.


    The two men walked through the fishy-smelling port, leaving the port district and heading further ind to the residential area of the ind.


    The residential area was slightly less chaotic, with an added sense of vibrancy. If not for the grayish-white coral rock buildings, Charles felt as if he was walking on the streets of mid-19th century London.


    Banks, hospitals, clothing stores, theaters, and various modern facilities¡ªthe ind had it all. If not for the locals'' deformed ears and ghastly white skin, everything would have appeared perfectly normal.


    The ind was like a city itself, and the street was bustling with activities. There was a mix of both the rich and the poor, as evidently seen from their clothing. Though, everyone seemed busy with their own affairs.


    "Grilled spider crab leg! 4 Echo!


    "Daddy, I''m so tired. I can''t walk anymore...."


    "Extra! Extra! Major news! Governor Nico is set to marry his sixth husband in six days!"


    "Excuse me, sir. Could I have a moment of your time? Let me introduce you to our Heavenly Father and Savior, the All-knowing and All-powerful Great One, Fhtagn Sawito."


    The serenity and peace did not sit well with Charles. No matter how peaceful everything appeared, they were just as fragile as a bubble. Though extremely rare, there had been instances of an ind inhabited by millions of people simply sinking into the depths one day.


    The duo maneuvered through the gray-white buildings until they eventually arrived before a massive cathedral. As they entered the cathedral, the bustling sounds from the streets instantly quietened down.


    A colossal stone sculpture that could be vaguely considered a humanoid stood upright in the middle of the hall.


    Rather than a human, mutated or otherwise, its features resembled more of a decaying octopus standing upright. Its red scales and the countless eyeballs covering its entire body sent creeps and difort to those whoy their eyes on it.


    Devotees d in ck robes stood in neat lines as they softly recited in anguage devoid of consonants. Charles found the chants oddly familiar; they reminded him of the auditory hallucinations he had experienced.


    "The high priest is in the confessional. Please follow me."


    Hook then led Charles through the crowd and further inside.


    The security behind the main hall got increasingly stricter. At every corridor turn and doorway, there would be a ck-robed follower standing guard. Even though none of them spoke a word, Charles could clearly sense their gazes on him.


    They arrived at a dimly lit room, and Charles finally got to meet the high priest of the Fhtagn Covenant. The figure donned in a crimson robe was in prostration.


    Hook performed a religious gesture before he took a step back and left the room.


    The high priest slowly stood up. Without turning back to look at Charles, he spoke, "Captain Charles. Our covenant needs you to find something. It''s a sacred artifact that belongs to our Lord."

 Chapter 5. Fhtagn Covenants High Priest

    <h4>Chapter 5. Fhtagn Covenant''s High Priest</h4>


    The high priest''s voice sounded old and thick. It was as though his throat was covered with a viscousyer of phlegm. His voice made Charles feel extremely ufortable.


    "Where is the artifact?" Charles asked.


    "It''s not far. It''s on a newly discovered ind to the left of the Coral Archipgo."


    Charles continued inquiring, "Why me? There are many others that are stronger than I am and with an even better ship."


    The high priest let out a chuckle, "The ce is <i>a little </i>dangerous. We need a cautious captain."


    Charles certainly did not believe the high priest when thetter said it was only a little dangerous. A little danger would not justify a reward of one million Echo.


    "I''m surely not the only person you have spoken to. What happened to the others?"


    "Captain Charles, didn''t you proim that you will be buying an exploration ship? If you are afraid of even this little bit of danger, I''m doubtful that you could be a hero who can expand the territories of humanity," the high priest replied, his voice stained with contempt.


    Judging from the fact that the crimson-robed figure before him did not directly answer his question, Charles knew that his predecessors must have met an unfavorable fate. That ce was definitely very dangerous. He contemted for a few moments before he finally decided to bite the bullet. Fortune favored the bold, and he did not want to dy his trip home any longer.


    As for the danger? No expedition was actually safe now. As long as they got out at the sea, where creatures lurked in the depths, no ce was truly secure.


    "Alright. But how can I guarantee that you will keep your word?"


    The high priest seemed understanding and replied, "I can deposit the reward into Albion Bank. They can be the witness." He paused for a few seconds. "I have a question, though. Captain Charles, why are you so eager to buy an exploration ship? Is it for power? Money? Or perhaps, honor?"


    Charles had no intention of concealing his ultimate goal. "For the Land of Light."


    Hearing Charle''s reply, the robed figure trembled as his aged voice croaked with a hint of panic.


    "For the Land of Light. Are you by any chance a follower of the Divine Light Order?"


    "No."


    The high priest let out a sigh of relief. "That''s good. If you were really one of those heretics, then I would have to reconsider our transaction. Don''t get involved with thoseplete lunatics. They are an evil cult!"


    Charles could not help but find it amusing that a follower of the Fhtagn Covenant that enjoyed offering live human sacrifices would say such words. This was the perfect example of a pot calling the kettle ck. ording to the surface society''s standard, all religions in this subterranean sea were cults. All of their religious rituals were as anti-human as they could be.


    After Charles walked out of the confessional, Hook entered the room once more. This time, he was holding a goblet of blood, and he respectfully ced it behind the high priest.


    "Go and finalize the contract with him now. Get him to leave as soon as possible."


    Hook nodded and carefully chose his next words.


    "Your Holiness, do you think this trip will be a sessful one?"


    A ck tentacle reached out from under the high priest''s robe sleeve, curling itself around the goblet before retracting inside.


    "We can take things slowly. This is only the 9th one. Be patient. The artifact of the Lord can only belong to us."


    Wasting no time, Charles and Hook then headed for thergest bank in the Coral Archipgo.


    The moment he saw the bald man pen ''Fhtagn Covenant'' on the contract, Charles felt relieved. The legality of the agreement had now been endorsed by the Governor of the Coral Archipgo. The Fhtagn Covenant could never go back on their word because the price to pay for doing so would be way more than one million Echo.


    "Captain Charles. I heard that your first mate has resigned, is that true?"


    "Does that have anything to do with our transaction?" Charles tucked the contract into an inner pocket of his clothes.


    "Of course not. We just want to ensure that you canplete the mission as soon as possible. The Fhtagn Covenant has specifically chosen a first mate for you. He has extensive sailing experience, so please do not turn down our offer of assistance."


    Charles furrowed his brows and stared at the bald man. "Is this to keep an eye on me?"


    "No, no. He''s only there to guide you. That ind is rather secluded, and we are worried that you might not be able to find it."


    To be honest, Charles did not really mind. They both shared a mutual interest for this trip, and no matter how crazy those cultists might be, they would not send someone to deliberately hinder things.


    "I''ll set sail in three days at six in the morning."


    <strong>Three dayster.</strong>


    The docks were already bustling with activity in the early morning. Teams ofborers were loading and unloading goods like diligent worker ants.


    Charles stood at the bow of his ship as he waited. The other crew member stood on the deck, engaged in casual conversation. Among them were two new faces¡ªtwo newly hired A.B. Meanwhile, the former A.B. Dipp had been promoted to Boatswain.


    The freshly promoted youngd seemed excited. He had his hands sped behind his back as he educated the neers as though he had many years of sailing experience under his belt, despite them being older than him.


    The second engineer and the cook beside Dipp looked less carefree. They knew this mission was more than what met the eyes.


    "James, I thought you might leave like Old John did,mented the bamboo-thin cook, Frey.


    "The captain saved my life. I will follow him wherever he goes. Besides, the captain said that the mission rewards are generous. Once I receive my share, I can propose to Mosa," the tall man replied with a beaming smile as he imagined the wedding scene.


    "What if you die? This isn''t a simple transportation mission. Exploring inds is a task meant for Explorers."


    "I''m not afraid. It''s not too bad if we all get to die together," James answered. He then turned to look at hispanion and asked, "What about you, Frey? Why did youe along?"


    "You know my personality. I''m toozy to go elsewhere," Frey answered as his calm gazended on Charles'' back.


    In truth, Frey had chosen not to leave because, a few years ago, he had caught a glimpse of Charles taking out a rectangr object in the privacy of the Captain''s cabin. That item could y music like a phonograph and could even put on a ghostly theatrical performance.


    Although he had no idea what that object was, he had a strong feeling that it was some sort of powerful relic, and he suspected that tears were the price the user had to pay. Because on that day, he had also witnessed the usually rational captain crying like a child.


    From that moment on, Frey felt that he ought to follow this captain till the end of his sailing career. His safety was assured if his captain had such a powerful relic in his possession.


    What mattered most on an expedition was staying alive. The rewards or the workload were insignificant inparison.


    Again and again, his choice was proven to be correct. Those who had started their sailing career around the same time as him were mostly dead, but here he was, alive and well.


    Standing at the ship''s bow, Charles suddenly squinted his eyes. In the distance, he could see a group of ck-robed figures being led by Hook as they made their way through theborers toward the dock.


    "Where is he? Hurry up. I don''t have time," Charles remarked impatiently.


    Hook smiled and pped his hands together. A person behind him stepped forward in response.


    When Charles saw the man''s appearance, he thought he was looking at a mummy. The individual was wrapped uppletely in khaki-colored bandages with not an inch of skin exposed.


    "You can call him Bandages or any other name you prefer. He used to be a first mate and knows the location of that ind. He''ll be a great help to your current expedition."


    "Is the thing inside alive?" Charles inquired, his voice filled with caution.


    "Haha. Don''t worry. He''s human. Alive and kicking," Hook replied. He then took out a dagger and shed the face of the bandaged man. The bandage loosened and revealed ck skin while crimson blood flowed out from the cut wound.


    "A ck person? They exist in this world?" Charles took a closer look and realized he had been overjoyed for nothing. The man''s skin was not of the shade that was distinctive of a certain race from the surface, but rather it was ink-ck from the tattooed letters that densely covered his entire body. Charles'' yearning had him jumping at anything that could remotely hint at a potential route back home.

 Chapter 6. The Target Island [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 6. The Target Ind [Bonus Image]</h4>


    Charles pointed at S.S. Mouse beside him and turned to walk down the flight of stairs.


    Bandages paid no attention to the bleeding wound on his face. He performed a Fhtagn gesture toward Hook and followed Charles.


    Just as the duo were about to board the ship, Hook turned and plunged the bloody dagger in his right hand into the chest of the follower standing on his left.


    "AHHHHH!!" A blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the docks.


    Despite therge number of onlookers, no one dared to interfere upon recognizing the Fhtagn cultists for their trademark ck robes. They lowered their heads and continued with their own tasks.


    Charles had turned back upon hearing the scream and a look of disgust appeared on his face in that split moment. This was precisely why he had been really reluctant to get involved with those Fhtagn cultists. He turned to Dipp, who hade to see what was going on, and shouted, "Stop looking and raise the anchor! We''re setting sail!"


    With a firm tug of the dagger, Hook retrieved a pulsating heart impaled on the dagger''s tip in a grotesque disy. He plucked the quivering heart off the tip and cradled it delicately in his left hand as he approached S.S. Mouse. He began to smear something onto the hull while his lips moved in a silent incantation.


    "Get away from my ship! Don''t you dare touch her with that repulsive thing!" Charles bellowed as he brandished his revolver and aimed it at Hook''s head.


    "Captain Charles, with this, your ship will be protected by the Great One." Hook''s voice carried an eerie calmness


    "I don''t need it!" Charles'' voice dripped with resolute determination as his finger tightened around the trigger.


    Realizing that Charles was not joking, Hook smiled faintly and took a small step back, offering a slight bow. The heart continued its rhythmic throbbing in Hook''s hand the whole while.


    "Captain Charles, we, the devout followers of the Great Fhtagn, always strive to speak with courtesy and treat others kindly. Why do you continue to harbor prejudice against us?"


    Charles couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin as he stared at the blood-drenched heart in Hook''s hand that was gradually beating slower.


    Under the watchful gaze of Hook, dark smoke began to billow from the smokestacks of S.S. Mouse as the ship slowly headed toward the depths of the enigmatic ocean.


    "Dipp! Take the helm for me!" Charles shouted at his newly promoted boatswain before making his way to the captain''s cabin with Bandages.


    A yellowed sea chart was spread out on the table. The chart was not detailed, withrge sections of ckness broken only by sporadic inds marked on it.


    This was the best nautical chart avable at the port, as the more detailed maps are in the safekeeping of the Explorers Association.


    "Where is the thing located? How far is it from the Coral Archipgo?" Charles inquired.


    A right hand tightly wrapped in bandages reached out to point with precision at a spot in the darkness where no markings could be seen.


    "Uncharted territory..." Charles was mentally prepared for this answer. Explored inds would not offer such a lucrative reward.


    "What does the sacred artifact look like?" Charles asked.


    Bandages paused for a long moment before he stuttered, "A statue... of Great Fhtagn... made of gold."


    Charles found Bandages'' voice to be surprisingly youthful even though thetter talked really slowly. He sounded like a teenager going through voice changes.


    "Is this artifact a relic?" Charles continued his questioning.


    Bandages remained silent.


    "What dangers lie on the ind?" Charles pressed on.


    Bandages offered no answers, despite Charles'' further inquiries.


    "Take the helm now. Your shift is from 1200 to 2400. If you need to use the restroom or anything, Dipp can take over for a while. I''ve taught him how to steer," Charles instructed.


    Bandages silently stood up and made his way outside.


    Charles continued to ponder, his finger tapping on the table as he tried to gather his chaotic thoughts into some semnce of order. On the surface, it seemed like a simple mission: Find the object and bring it back. But if it were truly that simple, the Fhtagn Covenant would not have sought the assistance of outsiders.


    The ind was definitely dangerous, and the fact that the new first mate from the cult could offer no hints meant one of two things. Either they genuinely did not know of the dangers, as everyone they sent had all met their demise at the bottom of the sea and was unable to ry any information; or the danger was so extreme that they had instructed Bandages to deliberately withhold information in order to prevent Charles from backing out. Both possibilities were unfavorable, and Charles had no other choice but to proceed cautiously and adapt to the situation.


    The sea was oppressive, and the crew''s area of activity was confined to the small and shabby S.S. Mouse. Fortunately, everyone, apart from the two new sailors, had grown ustomed to this limited space.


    At first, Charles was wary of this new first mate and kept a watchful eye on him. But after several days of interaction, Bandages showed no sign of unusual behavior apart from his slow and peculiar manner of speaking.


    Bandages disyed steady and skilled control when taking the helm. That somewhat lowered Charles'' guard against him, but it did notpletely dissipate his wariness.


    As the navigation buoys disappeared from view, S.S. Mouse slowly sailed into uncharted territory.


    With no distant beacons to guide them, the crew''s atmosphere grew increasingly tense. There was a saying in this ce: When a ship ventures into unexplored waters, the abyssal depths have already imed possession over her crew''s souls.


    Days went by. There were no fierce battles as Charles had anticipated. Instead, the waters were as calm as ake. Looking down from the bow, the sea surface was as still as ink. However, this serenity offered no sce, but rather it felt like the calm before a storm; the atmosphere was so oppressive that it stifled the crew''s spirits.


    Charles remained on high alert as he patrolled the deck tirelessly, day and night. He feared that something from the abyss might climb on board.


    The ship''s searchlights pierced the darkness like beacons. The short range of vision provided a semnce of security for the crew.


    <i>July 1, 8th Year of Crossing Over, Clear Weather</i>


    <i>Today, everything remains normal. The suffocating atmosphere is so oppressive that it''s driving my crew to the brink of madness. Thatd, Dipp, spends every single free moment he has on his knees on the deck, praying to various deities.</i>


    <i>I stopped him. The gods of the Subterranean Sea aren''t easily appeased. Careless words may incur their wrath.</i>


    <i>Thankfully, the chef found a nest of mice in the storeroom to distract everyone''s attention. Watching them feed the little creatures with tender care, I feel a pang of nostalgia.</i>


    <i>They havepanions now. But what about me? Why did I have to cross over to this world alone? Solitude is an agonizingpanion. If only I had someone by my side.</i>


    Charles waited for the ink to dry out before closing his diary and cing it back into the cab.


    From the lowest shelf, he took out a rectangr ss bottle, about the length of an arm, with a brown liquid inside. He tilted his head back and took a sip, allowing the dizzying sensation to wash over him and rx his mind.


    Charles had never understood why people enjoyed drinking alcohol before. He found the bitter taste to resemble horse urine. But now, he understood. A tired mind craved the numbing effects of alcohol. However, Charles fought the temptation to drink more. A few sips for rxation was eptable, but indulgence in excessive alcohol would dampen his determination to return home.


    Just then, cheers erupted from outside. Charles was startled briefly. He soonposed himself, quickly ced the bottle back into its location and rushed toward the deck.


    Dipp approached Charles in a state of excitement and gesticted wildly. His face was flushed, and he seemed to be struggling to articte his words.


    Charles'' gaze shifted beyond the ship and into the distant darkness. Under the illumination of the searchlights, a gigantic structure emerged before S.S. Mouse¡ªan ind.


    They had arrived.


    The cheers faded as the steamship got closer to the shore. Eight steamships,rge and small,y along the ind''s coastline. Judging from the decay of the ships, the oldest ship might have been abandoned there two or three years ago.


    The ships remained motionless, like coffins floating on the surface of the sea.


    "Why... Why are there so many ships? Where are their crews?" Dipp''s trembling voice disyed his apparent unease. Yet, no one could answer his question.


    When their gazesnded on the ind again, they felt their heart sink.


    Charles was not in a hurry to get on the ind. Taking Dipp and James with him, they jumped onto the nearest steamship.


    There was neither blood nor signs of chaos. Fuel and food were also in abundance. Everything appeared normal, except for one ring absence¡ªthe crew.


    Suddenly, a thought came to Charles'' mind. He forcefully broke into the captain''s cabin and rummaged through the drawers until he found the captain''s hidden diary.

 Chapter 7. The Unseen Entity

    <h4>Chapter 7. The Unseen Entity</h4>


    <i>January 11, Year 435</i>


    <i>We have finally arrived. All honor belongs to the Great One. Once I bring the sacred artifact back, I will be able to go through baptism and be a true servant of our Lord!</i>


    This was thest diary entry. Judging from the contents, it was clear that the captain was a follower of the Fhtagn Covenant. It was not hard to guess that the Fhtagn cultists had sent their own members before seeking assistance from Charles.


    Charles then instructed his crew to search the other ships, and the situation was more or less the same. The captains'' diaries all recorded theirst moments of excitement.


    Just as Charles was stumped and could not figure out this weird situation, the skinny chef, Fred, handed him a diary¡ªthest piece of the puzzle.


    "Captain. Take a look at this. It''s a little different."


    Taking the diary in his hand, Charles flipped the pages, and his pupils shrunk to the size of a needlepoint. Disordered words filled the pages of the cream-colored diary.


    <i>Careful! Don''t go to the ind! Own crew!! They are not human! They want to eat us! I don''t want to be eaten! I want to go back to the ind! Safe! Ind!</i>


    The illogical phrases mixed in a chaotic manner indicated the writer''s abnormal state of mind. Everyone who saw the diary entry felt a chilling sensation down their spine as they wondered what this captain could have experienced.


    <i>Gulp.</i>


    Dipp swallowed down his saliva and retracted his head. He warily scanned hispanions whom he had spent days and nights with. The diary spoke of dangers from their own crew. Did that mean there were monsters lurking among them now?


    Charles knew what Dipp was thinking and tapped thetter''s head with the diary. "Don''t overthink things, we haven''t even set foot on the ind."


    "Captain, are we still going?" Dipp''s voice wasced with hesitation.


    "Of course." Charles'' expression became resolute. No matter what dangers awaited them on the ind, they could not block his path home. Even if he had to face death, he would rather die on the way back.


    S.S. Mouse slowly approached the sandy beach, and the rusty anchor was thrown into the water. The ck smoke from the smokestacks slowly dissipated.


    After lowering the wooden pinnace into the water, the seven men on board steered it toward the ind.


    As they approached the increasingly ominous ind, Charles opened a wooden crate and distributed flintlock rifles and revolvers. At the bottom of the crate were bundles of tightly wrapped gunpowder packs.


    He had specially procured more firearms in preparation for this mission. With the weapons in their hands, everyone felt moreposed.


    The seven muscr men armed with weapons leaped off the boat and walked across the beach toward the distant forest.


    Well, they called it a ''forest,'' but that was only forck of a better word. There was no single green leaf in sight. The gnarled branches seemed to be covered with a thickyer of rust, and the tree trunks appeared swollen and diseased in ces, with some bulging out while others abruptly caving in. Walking through it gave them the eerie sensation that they were traversing the inside of a human body.


    The crew members knew that their mission objective was a golden Fhtagn statue. Using the fire torches in their hands as illumination, they searched tirelessly for anything that glimmered in the surroundings, but to no avail.


    After walking for some time, they came across a scattered trail of footprints. The sight eased their anxiety slightly. After all, a traveled path meant a safer path.


    Perhaps their instincts were right. The group of seven walked for nearly two hours without any unusual urrences.


    Feeling hungry, they decided to stop and fill their stomachs first. They gathered a bunch of branches and lit a campfire. The tense atmosphere gradually eased.


    The smell of toasted white bread filled the air as the crew members ate and spected about what might have happened to the missing individuals.


    "Do you think monsters ate them? Monsters like those in the sea?"


    "Doesn''t seem likely. Some of those on the ship are Fhtagnists. You know as well, creatures from the sea rarely attack them. I think it''s something on this ind itself."


    Charles did not join the discussion. Rather, he was on guard and vigntly scanning the surroundings. This strange forest was incredibly peculiar. Apart from the sounds they produced, it was absolute silence. Not even the chirping of insects or the calls of birds could be heard.


    The absence of any danger was also strange in itself. Charles had read many recorded ounts from Explorers. They all shared the same understanding: <i>There is not a single safe ind in the Subterranean Sea</i>. The current inds inhabited by humans had been conquered and secured by eliminating the inherent dangers with great effort.


    Taking the Coral Archipgo, for example¡ªwhen humans first came into contact with the archipgo, they realized that it was a living ind. More than twenty exploration ships formed a fleet and waged a fierce battle against the gigantic coral. Stories had been passed down that many lives were sacrificed in the war before they managed to kill off the ind.


    "Enough talk. Hurry up and finish eating, and we continue our search. The longer we stay here, the more dangerous it bes."


    Hearing Charles'' words, the crew members ceased their idle chatter and hastened their eating speed. After a brief respite to regain their strength, Charles and his group resumed their journey.


    Dipp ran up to Charles and asked in a low volume, "Captain, I heard that when we get back, we will be getting a bigger ship. Really?"


    "Yeah."


    "Awesome! Then I can be like the boatswains on other big ships and be in charge of dozens of sailors. No more being in charge of less than half a sailor like now."


    Charles threw a smirk at the enthusiastic youngd. How great to be young when one could always envision the most positive oue in every situation.... But indeed, he ought to recruit more sailors when he returned. S.S Mouse was a small ship, but it was still rather absurd for her to have no sailors at all.


    Charles and his party continued on the same path that seemed to stretch with no end in sight. If not for the ever-changing patterns of the scattered footprints, Charles would have thought that they had been going in circles.


    After another nearly three hours of walking, just as their legs were growing sore from fatigue, the forest suddenly cleared and revealed a stone structure entangled in brown vines before them.


    The building appeared dpidated from the outside, making it difficult to discern if it was a shrine or a church. The wooden door that should have been there was nowhere to be seen, with only a dark hole in its ce.


    Charles pulled Bandages over and pointed at the gloomy entrance.


    "Is it in there?" Charles asked.


    Bandages hesitated for a brief moment before answering with a nod, "It... should be... I''m not... certain... Sorry... My memory is not very good..."


    Regardless, Charles decided to enter and take a look. At the very least, the footprints on the ground led straight to the entrance and were not the least bit sporadic. That was an indication of the absence of danger.


    He turned to his second engineer and chef and said, "Let''s go. The four of us will go in to take a look." James and Frey nodded simultaneously as they followed Charles'' lead into the building.


    The light from their torches illuminated the interior of the building. Compared to its run-down exterior, the inside was contrastingly clean and spacious. Not even a speck of dust could be seen on the smooth, red floor. However, the things on the walls sent shivers down one''s spine.


    The walls were adorned withyers of grotesque relief that depicted unimaginable, amalgamated creatures with their twisted forms entwined. These bizarre entities seemed to be a crossbreed between a starfish and an octopus, with a deformed body and one single eye.


    From the bodynguage conveyed through their contorted limbs, they seemed to be engaged in some sort of worship.


    However, these nightmarish stone reliefs did not capture the trio''s attention. All their gazes were fixed upon the golden statue ced in the middle of the room. The strange humanoid statue with tentacles was clearly Fhtagn, the god of Fhtagnists.


    1. Light auxiliary boat attached to arger ship.

 Chapter 8. All By Myself

    <h4>Chapter 8. All By Myself</h4>


    "Found it! This is it!!"


    Charles'' excitement surged as heid eyes upon the item he had been seeking. It had seemingly been abandoned in this ce without any guards or watchers nearby. Now, he just needed to bring it back to the Coral Archipgo, and his mission would be aplished!


    Just when he was about to take a step forward to reach for the golden artifact, a sudden thought stopped him in his tracks. <i>Isn''t this a little too simple? If it was this simple, why didn''t his predecessors take it away? Instead, they have all vanished.</i>


    While Charles was caught up in his thoughts and unable toe to a decision, Bandages moved forward and swiftly picked up the Fhtagn statue.


    He then returned to Charles'' side and spoke in his usual slow manner, "Let''s... go back... The High Priest is waiting..."


    Charles was really bothered that something felt amiss, but he did not have the luxury of time to dwell on it. With the mission objective in their hand, Charles gestured and led the party to swiftly depart from the building.


    "That thing seems heavy, so let''s take turns carrying it every thirty minutes."


    Walking next to Charles, Bandages and James nodded in agreement. They backtracked on the same path and hurried along toward the beach.


    Even with the rotation, the heavy weight of the statue was still taxing on their already tired bodies. Thus, halfway through their trek, Charles decided to stop for a brief respite. They couldn''t afford to exhaust themselvespletely, for they needed to remain vignt and ready to react to any unforeseen circumstances.


    Seated by the crackling fire, Charles''s gaze scanned the darkness that surrounded them. If there were any potential danger, it would most likely manifest itself on their journey back, and he couldn''t afford to let his guard down.


    After resting for fifteen minutes or so, Charles turned and spoke to Bandages, "For the remaining journey, we cannot stop. We need to press on until the end."


    Bandages nodded and paused. He then looked to his left, and looked to his right before turning back to Charles and replied, "I... I seem to have... forgotten something..."


    "As long as we have the statue with us, everything else doesn''t matter. Let''s hurry," Charles replied with a hint of impatience. He held the idol tightly in his arms and forged ahead.


    Bandages fell silent and followed after him without uttering a word.


    The eerie forest flickered in and out of view under the illumination of their fire torches. Apart from their own footsteps andbored breathing, it was absolute silence.


    When Charles finally caught a glimpse of S.S. Mouse on the distant beach, his sweat-soaked face disyed a smile of relief.


    "Sess! Once I''m back, I can give this thing to those cultists, buy my exploration ship, recruit a crew and embark on my journey back home."


    However, the moment he stepped foot on the sandy ground and was about to sprint toward S.S. Mouse, his foot froze mid-air, and the smile faded from his face. A perplexing question had suddenly entered his mind.


    "I sailed a ship of this size to this ce all by myself?"


    A sense of inexplicable dread enveloped Charles as he retraced his memories.


    "The Fhtagn cultists requested for me to search for their sacred artifact. I set sail on S.S. Mouse by myself, prepared food in the kitchen by myself, fueled the engines by myself, cleaned the deck by myself, patrolled the deck by... myself... I take the helm by... myself on a 24-hour shift?"


    Charles clutched the golden statue in his arms and paced back and forth along the sandy beach.


    "I used to have a crew. I sailed alongside First Mate Old John and Boatswain Jim. It was just the three of us. But on the previous trip, Jim was skinned alive by the thing from the waters. Old John resigned after we reached the Coral Archipgo. After that, I''m the only one left aboard S.S. Mouse. That''s correct!!"


    Agony was visible on Charles''s face. Despite his memories being vivid and clear, the reality before him made him realize how irrational and illogical his memories were.


    "This is not possible! I''m not Superman, how could I have done all of this by myself? There''s something wrong!!"


    As Charles''s gaze absentmindedly swept across the ground, he froze in ce.


    Staring back at him were seven sets of footprints, clearly imprinted on the sand. There was no mistaking it¡ªthey were fresh, proof that these footprints had been left recently.


    Charles hastily threw the status aside and removed his own boot. He thenpared the boot''s outsole with one of the shoe prints on the ground.


    "The pattern, size, curvature... this is my footprint! I didn''te here all by myself; my memories have been tampered with!" Charles eximed as a cold sweat formed on his brow.


    His eyes darted toward the several empty boats near S.S. Mouse. Now he understood why there were no people on those vessels.


    Taking a deep breath, Charles forced himself to calm down and tried to piece back his original memories. "The evidence suggests that I am not alone; I have crew members who disappeared. They disappeared in reality and were also wiped off from my memories. I must find them. I can''t return on my own."


    However, a new challenge presented itself before Charles. How was he supposed to find six individuals he did not recognize, individuals who seemingly did not exist? Who were they? What were their names? Were they men or women?


    Just then, a figure emerged from the shadows and stepped into the glow of the torchlight.


    The moment Charles caught sight of the individual''s appearance, his pupils contracted. He whipped out his revolver and pointed it at thetter''s head.


    It was a humanoid figure wrapped in tattered, yellowed bandages that barely concealed the dark skin beneath.


    "Stop right there! State your name!" Charles demanded.


    "I... I am Bandages. No, wait, I''m not... I''m not Bandages. Who are you? I feel like I know you... Do you know me?" the figure replied with a stutter.


    Quickly ncing at the mummified feet wrapped in bandages, Charles searched among the seven sets of footprints for one that matched. Much to his disbelief, this person indeed appeared to be one of his crew members.


    Lowering his revolver, Charles quickly exined the situation to Bandages.


    "Is... is that so? I can''t remember. Who am I? Do you... know who I am?" Bandages spoke in uncertainty.


    "We''ll discuss all of thatter. Where did you escape from, and are there others there?" Charles pressed for answers.


    "In... in the trees. The trees didn''t like me... They let me go. There are others there."


    Charles could not fullyprehend what this bandaged individual was saying, but it seemed like he knew where the others might be.


    "Hurry, show me the way. We need to rescue them," Charles urged.


    Charles imprinted the remaining five shoe patterns deeply into his mind before taking Bandages with him back into the peculiar forest.


    The misty woods remained as silent as ever. With Bandages leading the way, they returned to the path marked by the numerous footprints.


    With the previous realization in mind, Charles began to notice something amiss. The footprints on the ground dwindled as they moved forward. Clearly, his crew members had disappeared one after another while they were walking toward the building.


    Perhaps it was a psychological effect, Charles started to feel as if something in the forest was watching him.


    After half an hour of walking, Bandages suddenly veered toward the adjacent forest. Now Charles understood why his bandages were so tattered.

 Chapter 9. Awakened Tree

    <h4>Chapter 9. Awakened Tree</h4>


    Charles reached out his hand to grab Bandages and pulled thetter to stand behind him. He unsheathed the ck knife attached to his boot and used it as a machete to hack through the branches entwined with bandages ahead.


    The thorny branches broke easily under Charles'' relentless strikes, yet the cut ends revealed nothing but emptiness.


    The duo ventured deeper into the forest, and soon, Charles caught sight of the other individuals Bandages had mentioned. The scene before him left him in shock.


    A peculiar dwarf tree stood before him, its trunk adorned with long spikes entwined with the bodies of the unconscious youths. Unconscious humans were suspended in mid-air, and they resembled hanging bs of cured meat, swaying gently like the tree''s strange fruit.


    The tree bore not just one "fruit," but multiple such "fruits" hung from its branches.


    "Save them," Charles ordered, tightening his grip on the ck knife as he charged forward.


    One of the young men fell to the ground with a plop. The pain woke him from his unconsciousness. He stared at Charles who was frenziedly hacking at the branches. In a daze, he asked, "Who are you? Have you seen our captain?"


    Charles could not afford the time to answer his questions. With every swing of his knife, he severed the branches and rescued all the captives. But this time round, something was stirring within the hollow branches. A cluster of short, quivering pink tentacles protruded from the cross-section of the wood.


    <i>Crack! Crack! Crack!</i>


    The trunk of the dwarf tree trembled, attracting everyone''s attention as their gazesnded on the tree.


    The rust-colored trunk slowly split open. A few gazes peered out from the crevice andnded on their target¡ªCharles.


    A thought shed through Charles'' mind. <i>This thing is alive?</i>


    The dwarf tree''s movements intensified. The crack widened to reveal twisted flesh and a yellow-brown eyeball brimming with boundless fury.


    "Run!" Everyone immediately sprinted. Even if they couldn''tprehend the situation fully, their instinctpelled them to run for their lives.


    Before they could take a few steps, they heard a deafening explosion from behind them. The dwarf tree had burst apart and the contorted, fleshy creatures crawled out.


    At first nce, they resembled starfish covered in ayer of ck hair. Upon closer inspection, the ck hair were actuallyyers of dark tendrils. Right in the middle of their bodies was an orange-yellow eye and arge mouth brimming with sharp fangs.


    The monstrous creatures opened their gaping maws, their tendrils iling wildly as they relentlessly pursued their fleeing prey.


    Fortunately, Charles had cleared a path beforehand, and the distance between the two parties continued to widen.


    <i>Crack! Crack! Crack!</i>


    All the tree trunks in the vicinity trembled and split apart. It was as if Charles and his party had triggered some hidden mechanism. A variety of grotesque beings seemed to have been rudely awakened from their slumber as they stretched out their nauseating flesh appendages.


    They swayed and released piercing, headache-inducing screeches. Their appearance instantly turned the entire ind into a living hell.


    The malevolent gazes from all directions sent an icy chill down the humans'' spines, and their limbs froze in response.


    "Quick! Faster!!" Charles supported the young man as they tried to outrun the horrors in pursuit of them.


    They seemed to have run for a long while, but their situation had actually grown increasingly dire. Apart from the newly appearing fleshy abominations behind them, even the peculiar trees ahead of them started quivering.


    Just then, a writhing mass of tentacles intertwined to form a vast in front of them. They were now encircled!


    At this critical juncture, Charles suddenly recalled something. He reached into his waist and felt for a hard object¡ªthe explosives he had brought with him.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    With a thunderous boom, the force of the st unleashed a grotesque, crimson shower of blood and pieces of flesh. The grisly aftermath revealed a now-unblocked path in front of them.


    Using the explosives, Charles led the party straight ahead. However, their supply of explosives was limited and dwindled with every explosion. Their faces grew grim as they had yet to catch any sight of the sandy beach.


    Just when Charles was going to throw thest packet of explosives in his hand, the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore reached their ears. The beach was just ahead!


    Everyone understood what this meant and hastened their sprint. They squeezed out every remaining ounce of strength from their tired bodies.


    Thest packet of explosives was ignited and thrown. The hard, solid ground had now been reced by soft sand. They were finally out.


    The party of seven rushed frantically toward the wooden pinnace on the shore. Meanwhile, the fleshy monsters were in hot pursuit.


    In his peripheral vision, Charles caught a glimmer of gold¡ªit was the Fhtagn statue that he had discarded earlier.


    Charles took a few quick strides, scooped up the statue, and leaped onto the wooden boat. The others desperately grabbed the oars. Just before the lumps of flesh could catch up with them, they had returned to the embrace of the sea.


    Seemingly afraid of the seawater, the monsters recoiled upon contact with it and slithered back.


    Once the group had returned on board S.S. Mouse, they collectively heaved a sigh of relief. All of them copsed on the ground and gasped for air like exhausted dogs.


    Although all of his muscles protested, Charles forced himself through the soreness to stand up. The danger had not yet been fully averted¡ªthey needed to leave this ind.


    "Second Engineer, fire up the engine. Sailors, hoist the anchor. First Mate, take the realm. We are leaving this cursednd."


    "Aye, Captain!" the crew answered in cohesion.


    As he watched the crew members swiftly carrying out his orders, Charles felt a sudden sense of unease. Something felt off. He quickly ran through his memories and was astonished to discover that with the return of all his crew, he could also now call them by their names.


    It seemed that, whether it was the ind itself or the monsters that tampered with their memories, their memories would be restored the moment they left that wretched ce.


    Leaning against the ship with both hands on the railings, Charles looked into the distance where the ind was slowly fading into the darkness. The grotesque monsters appeared rather blurry now, but he could make out their writhing tendrils. They were swaying rhythmically as if performing some sort of ritual. The eerie backdrop of darkness further intensified the creepiness of the sight.


    Under Charles'' watchful eye, the smokestacks of S.S. Mouse billowed with ck smoke once again, and the group gradually distanced themselves from the peculiar ind.


    It was only until mealtime that Charles got to exin the events that transpired. Only then did the crew membersprehend the situation and were shocked and bewildered.


    "Goodness gracious, an uncharted ind is really this dangerous? No wonder the exploration ships have such a high disappearance rate."


    "My memories were wiped and restored? Captain, you''re not pulling my leg, are you?"


    After taking a sip of soup, Charles cleared his throat, and the murmurs quieted down. He scanned each person''s face and said, "Everyone, report your names and positions. Let''s cross-check our memories and see if there are any inconsistencies."


    The mysterious ind had him on high alert again. It could silently make the crew vanish and erase everyone''s memories. Its power was deeply disturbing and unsettling to Charles.


    "Bandages. Position:... First Mate. Duty: To assist the Captain in organizing work ns... and responsible forpiling... the cargo loading schedule. Helmsman covering the... 1200 to 2400 shift!"


    "James. Position: Second Engineer. Duty: Maintaining the proper functioning of the engine room. Overseeing the propulsion system, auxiliary equipment, boilers, lubrication, cooling, and fuel."


    "Frey. Position: Cook. Duty: Preparing crew''s meals."


    "Dipp. Position: Boatswain. Duty: Guide sailors in the maintenance, repair and handling of the anchor, ropes, and equipment. Lead sailors in tasks such as painting, rigging, and high-altitude work."


    "Walter. Position: A.B. Duty: Steering and watch duty, as well as routine deck maintenance."


    "Jack. Position: O.S.. Duty: Handle mooring lines, deploy gangways, and also various deck operations."


    "Anna. Position: Ship''s Doctor. Duty: Treatment of crew members'' illnesses and routine medical check ups."


    After cross-referencing their memories and finding no abnormalities, Charles finally breathed a sigh of relief. His concerns had been unfounded, and the ordeal was finally behind them.


    1. O.S. stands for Ordinary Seaman

 Chapter 10. Doctor Anna

    <h4>Chapter 10. Doctor Anna</h4>


    <i>July 2, 8th Year of Crossing Over</i>


    <i>Ind exploration turns out to be even harder than I imagined. I had initially thought that an uncharted ind would, at most, be upied by powerful creatures. But yesterday''s events taught me a lesson. </i>


    <i>The dangers on an ind are not merely physical; they are mysterious and strange in ways unimaginable to humans. I never thought I would encounter creatures capable of tampering with human memories.</i>


    <i>But I won''t give up. No matter the difficulties ahead, I am going to see the sun again.</i>


    <i>Luckily, I am not alone on this journey back home¡ª"</i>


    Just as Charles was about to continue jotting down his thoughts, a pair of soft, fair feet stepped onto his back.


    "I have told you so many times, don''t disturb me when I''m writing my diary." Charles casually brushed the feet aside.


    "Tsk. Back during summer vacation in our elementary school days, the teacher made us write daily diary entries as homework. You even copied mine just to submit them on time. Now that we''ve been transported to this miserable ce, you suddenly decide to be diligent and studious?"


    Charles turned around and looked at the woman lying on the bed with a sense of helplessness. It was Anna, the ship''s doctor. Her well-proportioned figure, as shey on her side, presented a sight that was nothing short of captivating. The gentle curves on her body enhanced her allure. With every movement, her mature charm radiated from her being, stirring the imagination of any man whoid his eyes on her.


    But for Charles, it had be amon sight.


    "What do you want now?" Charles asked.


    Anna''s smile grew more radiant upon hearing Charles'' question. With her right hand, she lightly pulled down the strap of her dress, allowing it to drape diagonally. Her left hand gracefully slid up her milky-white thigh.


    "Come~ let''s have some fun~ We have plenty~ of time~ after all~" she purred seductively.


    Looking at hispanion from his former life, a bitter smile appeared on Charles'' face.


    "Can you give me a break? We just escaped, and we''ve been running on that ind for so long. Aren''t you tired?"


    Anna''s expression changed, and she lightly kicked Charles on the back. With a tone filled with resentment, sheined, "When we first arrived here, you were so eager to get me into your room whenever we had a spare moment. And now? Is this the seven-year itch people speak of? Do you find me not appealing anymore? You asshole!"


    Charles let out a sigh and sat by the side of the bed to pull her into his embrace. He gently patted her and said, "Jiajia, please understand me. There is nond that cannot be cultivated, only tired oxen who die from exhaustion."


    "If you don''t satisfy my needs tonight, don''t even think about getting close to me for the whole month!"


    The oilmp in the room was extinguished as Anna continued her grumblings. The diary was left open on the table. Under inertia, the previous page slowly flipped over and revealed the previous day''s entry.


    <i>They havepanions now. But what about me? Why did I have to cross over to this world alone? Solitude is an agonizingpanion. If only I had someone by my side.</i>


    The next day, Charles'' body clock woke him up. He naturally leaned in to Anna and nted a light kiss on thetter''s fair cheek.


    "I''m going to take the helm."


    In her half-asleep state, Anna grouchily pushed Charles'' face away. "Go away! Don''t kiss me without shaving, it''s prickly!"


    Charles let out a chuckle and pecked her cheek once more before getting out of bed and got dressed.


    Feeling refreshed, Charles arrived at the pilot house and saw Bandages meticulously steering the ship. He patted Bandages'' shoulder and asked, "How are things? Any abnormalities?"


    Having gone through a near-death experience together, Charles hadpletely let go of his guard against Bandages. If Bandages hadn''t escaped from that weird tree, Charles might not have been able to find the others. Bandages might look mysterious, but at least, he harbored no ill intentions.


    "No..." Bandages showed no abnormal reaction to Charles''s affectionate gesture.


    "Alright, go get some rest. I''ll take over." Charles took hold of the helm.


    Bandages followed his usual routine, politely performing the Fhtagnist gesture towards Charles before leaving the helm.


    Charles steered the ship with a sense of contentment. Despite the pitch-ck darkness outside and the absence of any scenery, he felt a level of happiness he hadn''t experienced in a long time. His mood had significantly improved.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The door swung open, and Dipp entered the room with a displeased expression. He appeared indignant and frustrated.


    "Captain! Walter ispletely unfit for this ship! I suggest we fire him! He was in charge of the mice, and now they''re gone."


    "Is it worth arguing with arade over a bunch of mice? Maybe they ran away themselves," Charles sighed as he felt his head throbbing. As the captain, he had to resolve conflicts among the crew members.


    "It''s impossible. I searched everywhere, and there''s no way the mice could have jumped into the sea!"


    Just then, Walter, the sailor in question, burst into the room. He was pretty agitated and tried to defend himself. He imed that the mice had indeed disappeared, but it had nothing to do with him.


    The two of them continued arguing with Charles in the middle of their crossfire. In the end, Charles managed to divert their attention by letting them in on the rewards promised for this voyage.


    Initially, Charles thought the matter would just blow over. Unfortunately, trouble arose once again, and this time, it involved a crew member.


    "Captain! Walter is missing!" Dipp reported.


    Hearing his words, Charles'' brows furrowed together. Crew members were different from mice. The ship was not that big, so how could someone disappear without a trace?


    Charles ordered everyone on board to search for the missing sailor, but despite thoroughly scouring every corner of S.S. Mouse, Walter was nowhere to be found.


    The joy and ease that had filled the air afterpleting their mission werepletely reced by a somber atmosphere. When they gathered for their 6 o''clock meal, shadows hung over every individual''s face as they nibbled on their tasteless food.


    Observing his crew members'' expressions, Charles knew that as the captain, he had toe up with a n. The best case scenario was that something from the sea had just climbed aboard and dragged the sailor into the depths. However, he feared that this was just the beginning and the crew''s disappearances would continue.


    "From now on, everyone must move in pairs, even when using the restroom. And everyone must carry their weapons with them at all times."


    "Aye, Captain."


    "Understood, Captain."


    With a grave expression, Charles lowered his head to eat his meal. Just then, a fair hand reached out and lightly patted his arm.


    A gentle voice whispered in his ear, "Don''t worry. We''ve experienced so much and overcame all of them all this long while. This time will be no different."


    Charles''s anxious mood eased slightly as he forced a smile at Anna, who was seated beside him.


    "No need tofort me. It''s just a minor issue. And you, don''t wander around alone for the next few days. Remember to stay by my side at all times."


    "Okay. Just don''t find me annoying then," Anna replied cheekily. She lightly brushed her index finger on Charles''s face before seductively putting her finger with bread crumbs clinging to it in her mouth.


    As Charles continued to eat, he couldn''t help but notice Anna resting her chin on her hand, her eyes fixated on him with an intense gaze.


    "Why aren''t you eating?"


    "I had some snacks earlier, so I''m not hungry right now."


    "Where did you get snacks on the ship? You''re not trying to lose weight again, are you? You''re not even overweight. Starving yourself isn''t good for your health."


    "Alright, alright. Mind your own business, Captain. I''ll find something to eat if I get hungry."

 Chapter 11. Bandages Assaulted

    <h4>Chapter 11. Bandages Assaulted</h4>


    After the meal, Charles began his patrol on S.S. Mouse to ensure everyone''s safety. In the face of an invisible adversary behind the disappearances of the sailors, he had no choice but to resort to such a cumbersome method.


    The atmosphere on the ship had reverted to the state that it had been in when they were on their way to the uncharted ind. Everyone was on their toes and stuck to another crew member. They were afraid that they themselves would end up vanishing without a trace.


    Whether it was the effect of Charles'' measures or the departure of the elusive entity, the following days aboard S.S. Mouse were remarkably peaceful.


    Four dayster, Charles stood at the bow as he gazed out into the dark expanse of the sea.


    "Only three more days before S.S. Mouse returns to a navigational course. By then, we should be safe."


    Charles roughly estimated the time remaining until they reached the Coral Archipgo and then turned to look at Anna, who was seated on the anchor winch.


    "Let''s go and take a look at the engine room," Charlesmented.


    "I don''t want to. I''ve had enough of wandering aimlessly with you day after day. What''s there to see in this small and tiny space anyway? If you want to go, go by yourself," Anna responded. Her impatience and annoyance were apparent on her face.


    "Don''t let your guard down. It''s dangerous to be alone," Charles approached, reaching for Anna''s arm, only to be shrugged off.


    "Oh,e on! I already said I don''t want to. Why are you so annoying? Besides, that mummy is up there keeping watch. What danger could there possibly be?"


    Charles looked up and saw Bandages firmly gripping the helm through the transparent ss of the pilot house.


    "Alright. Sit around and take a rest. I''ll be right back."


    Charles opened the hatch and made his way down to the lowermost level, the turbine chamber.


    As the pulsating heart of the steamship, the turbine chamber was suffocatingly hot. Upon entering, Charles spotted a topless, sweaty James fueling the boilers with First Mate Dipp apanying him. Thetter was drenched in sweat and sticking his tongue out, panting like a dog.


    "Captain, I can''t take it anymore. Switch me upstairs. This ce is toooooo hot," Dippined to Charles with a frown.


    "Endure a little more. It''s for the safety of everyone."


    "Even if there''s some man-eating monster, it wouldn''te down here. This ce is so hot, who can bear it except for this dude?"


    Charles walked over to James and patted his sturdy shoulder. "You''ve been working hard. The new ship will have better instion."


    James chuckled and replied with a smile, "I''m used to it. Apart from the heat, the work down here is quite easy."


    "When we get a new ship, you won''t be able to handle everything alone. You''ll be the chief engineer then, managing the second engineer, third engineer, and fourth engineer."


    James seemed startled by Charles'' words and took a step back while waving his hands as if to dispel the words.


    "No, no, no. I can''t manage people. Let someone else do it. I''ll just handle the fueling, really, I mean it."


    With a smile on his face, Charles was about to reassure his crew member when suddenly a loud noise erupted from the nearby pipe. S.S. Mouse let out a mournful groan as everything around them tilted to a 75¡ã angle.


    Charles stumbled to the ground but swiftly caught on to the situation. The ship tilting unexpectedly surely meant that the helmsman had encountered a problem. He crawled to themunication pipe on his four limbs and shouted into it, "Bandages! Respond! Quick!"


    But all Charles could hear was the sound of flesh being torn and Bandages'' pained grunts.


    "Damn it!" Charles drew his revolver from his waist and hurriedly crawled toward the staircase as he braced himself against the swaying of the ship.


    "You two,e with me! Something happened in the pilot house!"


    As soon as Charles arrived at the deck in a state of urgency, he saw a frantic Anna rushing toward him. Her eyes were red and brimming with tears as she stuttered, "That mummy... that mummy!"


    The four of them hurried to the pilot house and were met with nothing short of chaos and horror. Dark red blood was sttered across the once pristine cabin, turning it into a nightmarish canvas.


    The helmsman, Bandagesy sprawled on the ground in a pitiful sight. His body resembled a torn and discarded ragdoll. Grotesque wounds covered his body, and even his right leg had been brutally severed and was nowhere to be seen.


    Charles dashed toward the battered figure. His hands trembled with uncertainty as he struggled to find a suitable ce to touch Bandages. After hesitating for two seconds, he reached out and tore away the bandages that concealed Bandages'' face. He then carefully extended his fingers toward Bandages'' nose, feeling for the faintest signs of life.


    A wave of relief washed over Charles when he sensed the faint rhythm of Bandages'' breath. He let out the breath he had been holding, and in a swift motion, he retrieved the ck de from its resting ce within his boot. He ced the relic into Bandages'' hand, hoping that the de''s healing ability could salvage thetter''s life.


    "Anna! Don''t just stand there, quickly stop the bleeding!"


    Charles'' urgent shout snapped the ship''s doctor out of her daze. With bloodshot eyes, she nodded in rapid session as she swiftly dashed toward the door. "I... I''ll get the hemostat!" she eximed before disappearing outside.


    "Don''t give up, buddy. You''ll be fine. Don''t you dare give up," Charles whispered urgently into Bandages'' ear to offer him encouragement in the midst of chaos.


    Momentster, Anna returned in despair. She called out in a wavering voice, "Charles, my medical kit is gone!"


    Charles looked at Anna and was startled for a brief moment before he quickly reacted, "Go to the captain''s quarters. Look in the bottom drawer. I''ve stocked some medications there! Dipp, go and gather everyone! Hurry!"


    In the midst of the disarray, the remaining six anxious figures stood before the unconscious form of Bandages in the ravaged pilot house. Their uneasy gazes fixated on Charles as they tried to find some form of assurance. The weight of their expectations pressed heavily on him, but in this critical moment, he knew he had to remainposed as the captain of the ship.


    "Anna, did you see what attacked Bandages?"


    "I didn''t see anything. The ship suddenly tilted, and I fell to the ground," Anna replied.


    "That creature is still on board. It will strike again," Charlesmented.


    "But Captain, we''ve searched everywhere, and there''s nothing. Could it be that the monster can make itself invisible?" Dipp questioned with a furrowed brow.


    The Subterranean Sea was home to countless monsters. One that had an invisibility ability was not unimaginable.


    "That should be quite unlikely. If it had the ability to turn invisible, there wouldn''t be a reason for it to wait this long," Charles reasoned.


    Charles knew he had to take action. He couldn''t allow his crew to suffer any more attacks. If things continued in this manner, the entire S.S. Mouse would be a steel coffin, and everyone would be buried in this endless sea.


    But what could he do in the face of this unknown threat?


    After contemting for a moment, Charles then pursed his lips and spoke, "James, turn the engines up to the maximum. We need to return to the Coral Archipgo at the fastest speed possible, even if it means scrapping S.S. Mouse."


    "Dipp, take Jack with you and lock all the cabin doors. Frey, gather all the food from the kitchen that can be eaten without cooking and bring it to the engine room and pilot house. The rest of the crew should only stay in these two areas," Charles continued with his instructions.


    Since they couldn''t find the hidden enemy, then they had no choice but to give up on finding it and huddle together until they reached the harbor.


    "But what about using the restroom?" Anna whispered softly.


    Charles tapped his finger against the transparent ss in front of him and replied, "On the deck, facing outward."


    As the crew began to concentrate in these two locations, the atmosphere on board S.S. Mouse grew increasingly oppressive.


    In the pilot house, Dipp stood at the wheel. Anna tended to Bandages, who was lying in a suspended bed, while Charles sat on a stool, holding his diary and continuing to write.


    The only sound that broke the silence was the scratch of Charles'' pen against the paper.

 Chapter 12. Its All Fake

    <h4>Chapter 12. It''s All Fake</h4>


    <i>My first mate was attacked by an unknown creature and remains unconscious. His condition doesn''t look too good. It''d be a miracle if he can survive this ordeal with all those injuries. I''m not sure if he''ll ever wake up.</i>


    <i>Click. </i>


    Charles capped his pen and slipped it back into his pocket. Letting out a sigh and the helplessness of the situation, he then picked up his diary and flipped through it casually. But when he came across a particr page, his breath caught in his throat, and his heart raced.


    At that moment, he regretted ever reading that page.


    Closing the diary, he let out a psychotic chuckle and shook his head.


    "What''s so amusing?" Anna, standing a distance away, curiously asked.


    Charles stared at her for a few seconds before walking over to Bandages and took the ck de from his hand. With a finger, he gestured for Anna to step outside.


    "Didn''t you say it''d be safer if we all stay together? Why are we going out again?" Anna asked as she walked out of the pilot house.


    Charles cupped her fair face in his hands and nted a gentle kiss on her lips. Anna''s eyes widened slightly in surprise.


    As Charles pulled away, Anna''s cheeks were slightly flushed. She yfully tapped his chest with a fist and purred, "What''s gotten into you all of a sudden?"


    "Jiajia, we''ve been childhood friends. Have you only liked me all these years?" Charles leaned against the ship''s wall with a calm expression.


    Anna snuggled into his embrace and replied affectionately, "Of course, silly. I''ve liked only you ever since you handed me a shovel in the kindergarten sandbox."


    Charles tenderly held her as he gazed into the darkness beyond. "Jiajia, you''re such a perfect wife. Beautiful, elegant, loyal."


    With a smile, Anna reached up and wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck. "I love these cheesypliments. Keep theming."


    "Do you remember the brands of those lipsticks you own?" Charles asked.


    "Why are you asking that? It''s been so long, how would I remember?" Anna replied in a slightly annoyed tone.


    "Yeah, of course you don''t remember. Because I''m a clueless guy, so I don''t remember any brands," Charles said, his mouth twitching slightly. Suddenly, tears welled up in his eyes. His left hand reached for his waist, and a revolver appeared in his grasp. The dark barrel pointed steadily at Anna''s t abdomen.


    "Gao Zhiming, what are you doing?" Anna''s face disyed a hint of displeasure.


    "You even know my real name, so why did you have to be fake! Why?!" Charles'' contorted face twisted further as he forced himself to pull the trigger.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    The impact of the sessive shots forced Anna to stagger back, and dark green blood sttered in all directions. Her eyes widened in disbelief.


    With a slight tremor, Anna slowly lowered her head. When she saw the tentacles wriggling and extending from her abdomen, she began to w at her own hair in a state of despair. She couldn''t seem to be able to ept the reality.


    "What is this? Why is this thing inside me? Gao Zhiming, save me! Please!" she pleaded.


    As soon as the words left her lips, her delicate features copsed like a melting candle. A twisted, grotesque creature covered in yellow-green slime emerged on the deck of S.S. Mouse. It resembled the same species found on the ind¡ªcontorted pieces of flesh, horrifying, with seven or eight uncontroble tentacles iling about, akin to a deformed octopus emerging from the water.


    Staring at the creature before him, tears streamed down Charles'' face. His trembling hand held firmly to the gun. It was all fake. Everything in his memories about Anna was a lie.


    The next second, the monster opened its grotesque maw and roared as it charged toward Charles.


    Charles rolled to the side to narrowly avoid the creature''s attack. His gaze grew resolute and his hands skillfully reloaded the bullets.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Every shot thatnded on the monster was apanied by a stter of green blood. However, such injuries were futile in stopping it. With a deafening roar, a tentacle covered in fine ck tendrilsshed out and struck Charles'' hand, sending the gun out of his grasp.


    "Why?!" Charles clenched his teeth as he swiftly retrieved his ck de and shed the tentacle. The severed tentacle writhed incessantly on the deck.


    The fleshy abomination let out a furious roar and retreated. In pursuit, Charles lunged forward with his de in hand.


    As soon as the bow of the ship, they shed once more. The monster''s hair-thin, ck tendrils on its tentacles suddenly unfurled like a fishing. Its sudden counterattack tightly ensnared Charles.


    The constricting tendrils tightened around his body, Charles seemed to hear the anguished cries of his own bones.


    <i>Crack! </i>His ribs began to break one by one. The intense pain made Charles groan in agony.


    At the brink of desperation, the ss of the helm shattered abruptly as a bullet pierced the monster''s colossal yellow eye, causing it to burst like a watermelon.


    With a wretched howl, the monster immediately released its grip on Charles and darted toward the side of the ship in an attempt to escape.


    The sound of gunfire erupted, as the others from the engine room rushed out with their firearms.


    Despite possessing great strength, the fleshy monster was still made of flesh and blood. Under the onught of bullets, its grotesque body was torn apart like a tattered sack.


    As the gunfire subsided, the once overconfident monstery in a pool of its putrid, foul-smelling blood. Its remaining tentacles trembled and writhed weakly.


    Pressing one hand against his throbbing abdomen, Charles approached the monster.


    Just as he lifted his revolver, and aimed it at the creature''s mouth, the front end of the fleshy abomination reshaped itself into the face of the ship''s doctor, Anna.


    Anna''s expression twisted into a sorrowful smile, and greenish-ck blood dripped from the corner of her eye. "Gao Zhiming, I''m sorry... I didn''t even know I was fake..."


    Those words pierced Charles'' heart like a dagger as a pained expression appeared on his face. He would much rather the monster cursed andshed vulgarities at him.


    The others gathered behind Charles with solemn expressions.


    "I can''t control it. I''m just its bait. It''s buying time. Aim below its eye, that''s its weak spot," Anna said.


    Looking at hispanion and recalling the countless memories in his head, he felt the weight of the revolver in his hand increase a thousandfold.


    "Gao Zhiming! Hurry up! It has strong regenerative abilities!" Anna urged.


    Growing anxious at Charles'' hesitation, Anna turned toward Dipp and said, "Boy, you do it."


    Just as Dip hesitated, Charles clenched his teeth, raised his gun, and pulled the trigger.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    As the bullets struck her, a sorrowful smile crept across Anna''s face. "Thank you... I really wanted to go home with you..."


    As her words faded, her face began to melt and merged into the lifeless body of the fleshy monster.


    Charles suddenly erupted into maniacalughter. He rushed forward, grabbed the creature''s corpse and hurled it with all his might into the sea.


    "Don''t try to deceive me again! I won''t fall for it anymore! You monsters who alter memories! It''s all fake! All fake! Fake!"


    Charles''s abnormal behavior worried James. He looked at the captain with a sense of concern and carefully chose his words. "Captain, are you alright?"


    "I''m fine, hahaha! How would I be not alright? The crisis is over, the flesh-eating monster is dead! That''s cause for celebration! Chef, prepare a feast. Dipp, work with Jack to clean up this ce. I''ll take the helm!"


    For the rest of the day, the crew of S.S. Mouse tiptoed around their captain. They were fearful that they might identally trigger him.


    But Charles appeared to bepletely normal. He steered the ship and ate his meals as usual. Only his behavior was noticeably different. He seemed overly animated.


    After finishing his food, Charles retreated to his quarters. Despite the darkness in his cabin, he didn''t turn on the lights. With a bitter expression, he retrieved the liquor bottle at the bottom shelf. Sitting on his bed, he drank one mouthful after another.


    "Anna, why do you have to eat humans..."


    "If you hadn''t eaten my crew, I could have pretended not to know..."

 Chapter 13. Back to the Docks

    <h4>Chapter 13. Back to the Docks</h4>


    On the pitch-ck sea surface, the creature''s lifeless body drifted with the waves. Just as it was about to sink into the depths, a steamship, two-thirdsrger than the S.S. Mouse, sailed past it.


    Arge with barbed hooks was thrown from the deck and effortlessly enveloped the creature.


    "Boss, look! I''ve caught a giant cuttlefish! Look! Its tentacles are still moving," eximed one of the crew members.


    "Cuttlefish? Pete, are you blind? Boss, I think it''s a starfish!"


    "Disperse now. Enough with the fuss over a giant octopus. Mmm... It looks quite appetizing. Pete, take it to the kitchen and ask the chefs to cook it."


    "Aye, boss!"


    ***


    When Charles woke up once again, he had a piercing headache. It felt like there were thousands of needles pricking his brain. He released his grip, and the empty bottle crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces.


    Ignoring the shards of ss scattered around on the ground, Charles pushed open the cabin door and walked out.


    The crew members of S.S. Mouse breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw Charles'' indifferent expression once again. The captain''s current demeanor gave them a sense of assurance.


    "Captain, we''ve returned to a safe course. At our current speed of 15 knots, we''ll be at the harbor soon," reported Dip, who was at the helm.


    "How''s Bandages doing?" Charles asked.


    "His wounds are healing rapidly, and his fever has subsided. Although he''s still unconscious, he should pull through."


    Upon hearing this news, Charles''s somber mood lifted ever so slightly.


    "Don''t let your guard down. I''ll go check on him."


    Among the entire crew of S.S. Mouse, only the captain had a private cabin. The first mate, Bandages, lived in the crew''s quarters, just like everyone else.


    When Charles entered the cabin, he saw Bandages slowly opening his eyes. Charles hurried over to him.


    "Don''t move, lie back down. Your injuries haven''t fully healed yet," Charles said and restrained Bandages as thetter struggled to sit up.


    "Captain... Anna is a monster... She wanted to eat me..."


    Hearing Bandages'' words, Charles felt a pang in his heart. He forced a faint smile and reassured his first mate, "Don''t worry, that thing is dead. It''s all in the past now."


    "Th-That''s great..." Bandages breathed a sigh of relief and slowly settled back down.


    "Rest well. We''re almost home, and you canplete your mission."


    ncing at the empty space below Bandages'' bandages where his leg used to be, Charles knew that his seafaring career hade to an end. No matter how skilled he was at the wheel, no ship would be willing to have a first mate with only one leg.


    "Okay..." Bandages fell silent.


    Charles wanted to offer somefort, but he wasn''t particrly skilled at it. In the end, he patted Bandages'' shoulder and left.


    The rest of the journey proceeded without any further incidents, and S.S. Mouse safely returned to the Coral Archipgo.


    It seemed like the Fhtagnists possessed some kind of irvoyance. Before the ship even docked, Charles saw Hook and arge group of followers waiting at the harbor.


    "Captain Charles, did you retrieve the sacred artifact?"


    When the golden statue of Fhtagn was taken out of the wooden crate, Hook couldn''t contain his excitement. He danced and cheered before bowing down to the statue with the other devotees.


    "Where''s my payment?"


    Brimming with excitement, Hook quickly stood up and took out a piece of paper from his pocket with a trembling hand.


    "This is the original copy of the contract! Quickly! Give me the sacred artifact!"


    Charles took the paper, verified its authenticity, and then tossed the golden idol over to Hook.


    Seeing Hook''s ecstatic expression as he hugged the statue and was going to leave just like that, Charles furrowed his brow. "Hey, haven''t you forgotten something?"


    A towering figure emerged from the back. It was James as he stepped forward with Bandages in his arms.


    "Assistant Priest... I have...pleted the mission..." Bandages reported to Hook in a weak voice.


    Ignoring Bandages'' words, Hook''s gaze fell upon his leg. "What happened to your leg?"


    "It... it was devoured by a... a monster..."


    Hook raised his chin to gesture to two followers behind him. They approached Bandages, wanting to take him away.


    "Well done, Bandages. On the next Prayer Day, you shall have the honor of bing a sacrifice."


    "T-thank you, Assistant Priest..."


    "What? A sacrifice?!" Expressions of horror appeared on the faces of the S.S. Mouse''s crew members.


    Suddenly, Charles raised his hand, halting the two followers. He locked eyes with Hook and asked, "Is this how the Fhtagn Covenant treat their own people?"


    Charles didn''t wish to interfere with the affairs of these lunatics, but having fought side by side with Bandages, this stuttering individual had be somewhat of a friend. He couldn''t stand by and watch hisrade being cast into the sea as fish food.


    "Captain Charles, within our religion, it is considered an honor to be chosen as a sacrifice."


    "If it''s such an honor, why don''t you be a sacrifice too? Bandages is my first mate, and for now, he cannot leave. There are some handover matters that we need him for." Charles signaled to James with a nce, and the burly man stepped back with Bandages in his arms.


    Hook appeared somewhat restless, but it seemed like the statue held greater importance than anything else. After giving Charles a meaningful look, he hastily turned around.


    "A mere cripple. If Captain Charles desires him, he is all yours."


    As soon as the Fhtagnists were out of sight, Dipp, who had been standing nearby, rushed over to Bandages.


    "Mr. First Mate, what were you thinking? He was nning to throw you into the sea and feed you to the fish, and you thanked him?!" Dipp eximed in disbelief.


    Bandages remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ground.


    "Do you even understand what it means to be sacrificed to Fhtagn? Why did you agree to it?" Charles asked as he approached Bandages.


    If Bandages uttered any nonsense from the Fhtagn doctrine, Charles was prepared to send him to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.


    "I... I don''t know. It''s like... I yearned to be sacrificed. I have forgotten many things... I don''t remember..." Bandages replied. His unexpected response surprised everyone.


    Charles paced back and forth for a moment beforeing to a halt. He looked into the eyes hidden behind the bandages. "Enough said. My new ship needs a first mate. Will you join me?"


    Bandages remained silent for a few seconds before he said, "But I have no legs..."


    "You''re just missing one, it''s not a big deal. You can still steer from a chair."


    A smile of contentment appeared on Charles'' face when Bandages responded with an affirmative nod.


    With the new first mate recruited, Charles lifted his head to address his crew. He contemted for a moment before speaking. "You know it by now, but we''re getting an exploration ship, muchrger than S.S. Mouse. A significantlyrger exploration ship!"


    The Captain''s announcement had everyone excited. Beyond the benefits of discovering inhabited inds, the sry alone would be nearly three times higher for the same position on an exploration vesselpared to a cargo ship.


    As for the risks that came with such significant gains, those who chose a seafaring career were no strangers to danger.


    "So, Captain, should we head to the shipyard now?" Dipp asked eagerly. However, Charles shook his head.


    "I''ll handle the ship matter. I have tasks for all of you. James, you will be the chief engineer of the new ship. During this time, find a way to recruit a second engineer and a third engineer."


    Clearly intimidated, the burly man shook his head repeatedly. "I can''t, Captain. I really can''t¡ª"


    "Don''t tell me you can''t do it. The port has specialized agencies. Just go there and choose. That''s your task."


    Charles didn''t bother listening to James'' exnation and turned to the restless youth beside him. "Dipp, you are the boatswain. Recruit four sailors."


    The idea of managing so many sailors didn''t daunt the young man; instead, it thrilled him. "Now I''ll be in charge of five people! How exciting!"


    "Frey, with so many people, you can''t handle the galley alone. Find an assistant cook."


    "No problem, Captain."

 Chapter 14. Explorers Association [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 14. Explorers Association [Bonus Image]</h4>


    The party dispersed at the port, and each of them went about with their own assigned tasks.


    After depositing one million Echo into his bank ount, Charles hurried towards the shipyard. His heart raced along the way; he hadn''t experienced this feeling in a long time. It was akin to the excitement of confessing to a crush for the first time.


    Inside the steel-d shipyard, Charles was greeted by an old man with two attendants. The man was the owner of the shipyard.


    "Good day, sir. What can I assist you with?" the old man asked.


    "I need an exploration ship," Charles replied.


    Upon hearing that Charles wasn''t looking to purchase a cargo or fishing vessel but an exploration ship, a look of astonishment surfaced on the old man''s face.


    "Sir, are you sure you want an exploration ship? Have you applied at the Explorers Association?" the old man sought confirmation in hesitation.


    "Not yet. Do I need to apply before purchasing a ship?"


    Picking up on the customer''s slight displeasure in his words, Woode quickly exined, "No, no, of course you can. I just wanted to make sure. Adventurous spirits like yours are bing rarer these days."


    Discovering an ind meant immense profit, but behind those sessful ventures were thousands of failures. The advent of steam engines allowed humans to venture into unknown seas and search for new homes more efficiently. They once believed they could conquer the vast ocean.


    Unfortunately, humans were not the protagonists here. The truly exploratorable inds were few and far between, while the majority of those inds consisted of extreme dangers. The enigmatic natives and the depths of the sea delivered mankind a resounding blow.


    More and more exploration ships went missing. More and more people lost their husbands and children to the sea. Death cast a chilling pall over humanity and gradually extinguished their fiery spirits. Slowly, people no longer regarded exploration ships as heroes. Instead, they whispered behind closed doors, branding the crew of those on exploration ships as foolish daredevils seeking their own demise.


    In Woode''s memory, thest time someone bought an exploration ship was five years ago, and that person, as expected, died at sea.


    "Sir, what kind of ship do you need? Please tell me," Woode asked.


    "Not toorge, with a length of up to 70 meters. The propulsion system must be the Radiant Turbine Engine, and the bow chaser cannon should be rifled, with a caliber of 125 millimeters," Charles rattled off his requirements in rapid session.


    He had been preparing for this moment for such a long time that he had engraved the configurations of various exploration ships in his mind. It was all in the pursuit of returning home.


    The transaction proceeded swiftly, and an hourter, Charlesid eyes on his new ship''s exterior.


    The streamlined white hull was adorned with neatly aligned rivets, its body several times thicker than that of S.S. Mouse. The broader smokestacks testified to the formidable power of the turbine.


    At first nce, one could even mistake it for an upgraded version of S.S. Mouse. However, the presence of the aesthetically pleasingrge cannon on the foredeck immediately set it apart from the realm of second-hand cargo ships.


    With a length of 65 meters, a width of 10 meters, and a draft of 5.5 meters, it appearedrger at the front and smaller at the back.


    "This ship was originally reserved for the Governor''s Navy, but they''re in no hurry. If you need it urgently, I can let you have it first," Woode exined.


    "This one will do. When will it be ready?" Charles asked.


    "Some of the facilities you need inside the cabin are not yetplete. If we expedite the process, it will still take about two weeks. The total price is 3.5 million Echo," Woode stated.


    Charles silently calcted the amount. <i>I have just enough in my ount. If I sell S.S. Mouse, it will cover the expenses for the next exploration.</i>


    "Alright. Get it ready as soon as you can. I''lle to im the ship in two weeks," Charles instructed.


    After leaving the shipyard, Charles headed straight for the Explorers Association. Now that his new exploration vessel was on the way, joining the association was the next logical step. The Explorers Association was a loose organization present on every human-inhabited ind, consisting of ship captains of exploration vessels.


    Joining the association wasn''t mandatory, but Charles saw the benefits the Association offered and found no reason not to be part of them. As an Explorer, he would gain ess to a vast collection of sea charts provided by the association free of charge. These charts were typically expensive to obtain elsewhere. Besides the charts, there were additional perks Charles had thoroughly researched and knew about.


    Of course, being an Explorer had its responsibilities as well. Each year, Explorers were required to explore at least one ind. Failure to meet the exploration quota would result in the revocation of their Explorer status. However, for Charles, this downside was virtually nonexistent since his goal was to explore inds to begin with.


    The Explorers Association was not far from the pier. The white stone building was eye-catching. Charles nced at the ship emblem disyed at the top of the structure and stepped inside.


    The interior was spacious and echoed with each step Charles took. Apart from a few counters in the distance, there were only scattered men and women sitting on sofas to the left. The triangr caps resting on the tables indicated that they held the same status as Charles.


    As Charles observed them, they curiously assessed the unfamiliar face that had just entered the premises. Charles quickly identified the words above the counters and made his way toward the leftmost one. As he filled out the application form with a feather pen, a pale arm wrapped around his neck.


    <i>Whoosh.</i>


    Charles instinctively reached for his waist. The next moment, the barrel of his revolver was already pressed against the abdomen of the person behind him.


    A slightly husky female voice whispered in his ear, "Rx, neer. This is not the open sea. There''s no danger here."


    The person released Charles'' neck, pulled up a chair, and sat down beside him. She crossed one leg over another and exuded an air of confidence. She was a seductive woman with bright white hair, long and straight legs, and a revealing top that did nothing to hide her alluring curves. If one disregarded her imposing height of nearly two meters, any man would desire to be close to her.


    Setting aside her captivating beauty, Charles was more interested in the wooden staff she had by her waist, which seemed to be her weapon. Women venturing out to sea were rare in the first ce; those who not only survived but thrived on the ocean were far from being ordinary individuals.


    "Do you need something?" Charles retracted his gun.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve seen a neer. Let''s get acquainted. I''m Elizabeth, captain of the ck Rose. And you, my dear, what''s your name?" the giantess asked with a mischievous smile. Her voice dripped with a hint of yfulness.


    Charles didn''t answer her and focused on filling out the application form. The harsh conditions at sea had dampened his interest in socializing with strangers.


    However, the woman beside him seemed undeterred and unwilling to leave.


    A sweet fragrance wafted through the air as Elizabeth leaned in. She unabashedly stole a nce at Charles'' application form.


    "Charles? That''s a nice name. Ah, the location doesn''t matter much. Just write something down," Elizabeth remarked with a nonchnt attitude.


    A muscr man seated on the sofaughed out loud. "Elizabeth, you weren''t this enthusiastic when I first came here."


    Elizabeth nced at him disdainfully and rolled her eyes. "You''re not like him, and I have no desire to sleep with you. Why should I help you?"


    The muscr man wasn''t the least offended. He pped his thigh as he and hispanion burst into a heartyugh.


    <i>Pft.</i>


    Charles had punched a hole in the application form with his pen. He had suspected that the woman had ulterior motives, but he had never expected it to be <i>that</i>. Indeed, women who could survive on the open sea were...something else.


    Ignoring Elizabeth beside him, Charles quickly finished writing and handed over the form.


    The staff member received the application and skillfully operated the machine in front of them.


    Elizabeth remained unfazed by the man''sck of attention and continued showering him with her words.


    "Charles, it''s your first time here, so let me give you an introduction. The role of the Explorers Association is quite simple: to assist the Association in finding new inds. Of course, there''s no free lunch in the world. Once a captain joins the Association, they must establish an Explorer Association Branch on their ind if they be a governor."


    Charles interrupted her, "Thank you for the reminder, but I already know all of this. There''s no need to remind me."


    "Hmm? It seems that our Mr. Charles has done his homework beforeing here. Do you have some timeter? Would you like to visit my ship?" Elizabeth proposed, undeterred by Charles'' response.

 Chapter 15. Explorers

    <h4>Chapter 15. Explorers</h4>


    "Thank you, I''ll visit when I have time," Charles replied. However, as soon as he finished speaking, his expression turned sour. It had nothing to do with Elizabeth, but rather, the auditory hallucinations in his ears started ringing again.


    Charles'' expression contorted as he started hitting his forehead with his wrist. Each strikended heavier than thest.


    Elizabeth immediately noticed Charles'' distress, and her eyes widened in surprise. "My dear Adonis, how long has it been since you had a rest?"


    She reached into her chest and pulled out a green jelly-like substance, handing it over. "Eat this quickly; it can provide relief."


    Charles hesitated for a moment as he looked into her eyes. He ultimately epted the offering and swallowed it in one gulp.


    A cool sensation slid down his throat, and while the murmurs in his ears remained, the irritability began to dissipate.


    "Thank you, what is this?" Charles looked at Elizabeth with a much friendlier gaze.


    Elizabeth let out a light chuckle. "You''re wee. I don''t know what it is exactly, but I know it can alleviate the whispers of the Fhtagn god. If you need more, you can dig some from Redwood Ind. Just don''t consume too much; you might get addicted."


    <i>Redwood Ind...</i> Charles silently noted the new location in his mind.


    The muscr man with bulging muscles from before appeared behind them without notice. He patted Charles on the right shoulder and said, "Neer, if the whispers of the Fhtagn god are already affecting you so much, you should have a good rest."


    Most of Charles'' guard was now gone. Although he didn''t know why, he could sense the goodwill from these people. It had been a long time since he had felt such obvious kindness.


    Elizabeth nced at the staff who was still busy with the machinery. She then grabbed Charles and headed toward a nearby sofa. "Come with me; I''ll tell you some things that most people don''t know."


    Charles was about to refuse, but the burly man wrapped his arm around Charles'' shoulder and guided him forward.


    "Don''t be shy. As the saying goes, if you want to survive at sea, you have to make more friends," the burly man chuckled.


    Before Charles could react, he found himself being pressed onto the sofa. He was encircled by seven or eight entric-looking captains who were scrutinizing him. Their gazes held both curiosity and skepticism, but there was no hostility.


    Elizabeth plopped down right beside Charles and leaned toward him, her supple curves pressing against his arm.


    "Do you find us too overly friendly? Hehe, the sea is already dark enough. When onnd, we should be kinder," Elizabeth spoke up.


    "It''s quite unexpected. It''s not quite what I researched from the museum," Charlesmented in a rxed tone.


    Upon hearing Charles'' words, a chubby man widened his eyes and shouted loudly, "What do those books say about us? A bunch of legal pirates? Crazy lunatics who care only about money and not their lives? Those who speak such words should be thrown into the sea to feed the fish!! If I be a governor in the future, anyone who speaks such words shall have their tongues cut out!!"


    Elizabeth shot a fiery re at the chubby man and then turned to Charles with a smile and said, "This is the gathering ce for the Coral Archipgo''s Explorers. From now on, you can participate in information exchange here."


    Charles understood. This was the gathering ce for exploration ship captains.


    "What kind of information is traded here? Ind intelligence?" Charles inquired.


    "All kinds of information. Inds, routes, relics¡ªany useful information can be shared. You might encounter something you can''t handle, but others may have a solution. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. We will be able to answer them for you."


    Her words marked the spot; Charles did have one question burning in his mind.


    After pondering for a few seconds, he asked, "Do any of you have any clues about the Land of Light in the North?"


    The power behind Charles'' question exceeded his expectations. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor echoed through the room as everyone instinctively distanced themselves from him, as if he carried a contagious gue. Even Elizabeth, who had been pressing herself into him, swiftly retreated to the other end of the sofa. Her eyebrows furrowed with concern. "You''re not a follower of that sun god cult, are you?" she asked.


    Letting out a nervous chuckle, Charles answered, "No. I don''t believe in any deities."


    Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief and patted her ample chest. "Good to know that. You don''t strike me as one of those lunatics."


    The tense atmosphere immediately eased, and conversations erupted from all corners of the room.


    "You scared me there. I don''t want anything to do with those crazies. Why are you inquiring about the Land of Light?"


    "If you''re asking about that legendary folk song, I''ve heard it before. It goes something like, ''Nestled on the ind in the north~ A stairway to the light, shining forth~ Eternal brilliance and...'' something. Hmm, I''m sorry, I forgot the rest of the lyrics."


    "That a thing of the legends. How could we possibly know about it when we are not gods."


    "Mr. Neer, you sure have a sense of humor."


    A tinge of disappointment crossed Charles'' face. He had hoped that these seasoned Explorers would have some clues, but it seemed that the human inhabitants of this subterranean sea had been separated from their true homnd for far too long. Their once familiar origins had transformed into distant legends.


    While everyone continued their discussions, a woman behind the counter approached with a stack of books in her hands.


    With a smile, she said, "Mr. Charles, you are now a qualified Explorer. Please keep this certificate as proof. Now, let me introduce you to the details of your mission."


    She opened the books in her hands. They revealed pages filled with dense text and intricate sea charts.


    "For any exploration task you undertake, the Association will reimburse you for provisions, fuel, and other necessary supplies. The rewards vary based on the level of danger in each uncharted region."


    Charles epted the sea charts and carefully examined them. Along the edges of the explored areas, the uncharted dark regions were divided into several smaller sections with white lines, resembling slices of a cake. Each section was marked with a corresponding reward amount.


    To Charles'' surprise, scattered inds within the unexplored seas were also marked, including the ind with the golden statue that he had previously visited.


    A fair hand reached over and pointed at the sea, and Elizabeth''s seductive and maic voice resonated in his ear. "Charles, as a neer, I advise you to spend a few years exploring the seas. Get familiar with the environment first before venturing to the inds"


    Although her advice had some truth to it, Charles had a different perspective. He pointed at that golden statue ind and asked, "What does this number mean?"


    The ind was marked with a vivid red number ''4''.


    The chubby man next to him chimed in, "That''s the danger level. Newly discovered inds have a default danger level of 0, but every time an explorer fails to return, the danger level increases by 1. For a Level 4 ind like this, it''s best for a neer like you to stay away. Spend a couple of years exploring the sea first."


    Elizabeth nced at him and whispered into Charles'' ear, "Ignore him. I think you have great potential. You can probably explore this ind within a year, at most."


    "I have been to this ind," Charlesmented nonchntly. The room fell silent, and everyone stared wide-eyed at the young man standing before them.

 Chapter 16. The Narwhale

    <h4>Chapter 16. The Narwhale</h4>


    "What did you say?!... You''ve been to that Danger Level 4 ind?!" The chubby man''s voice trembled with surprise, and his expression was a sight to see.


    The other captains were equally astonished. Just moments ago, they had been warning him against going to the ind and meeting his doom, and now he imed to have explored it already?


    "Why is the ind only marked with a danger level and no reward amount?" Charles asked.


    "Don''t change the subject! When did you go to that ind? What''s on it?"


    Charles slightly leaned back with his brows furrowed. He barely avoided the sttering saliva from the plump man. "The Fhtagn Covenant asked me to retrieve something from the ind. What''s the problem? Isn''t that how everyone explores an ind?"


    Even Elizabeth, who had beenposed until now, showed signs of agitation. A faint blush tinted her fair face.


    "Charles, as a neer, you might not be familiar with the steps involved in exploring an ind. The tasks of explorers are divided into many types. First, we have to explore the sea route, followed by assessing the danger level of the natives, and finally, conquering the ind. In the Association, the rewards vary for each type of task."


    "And as a neer, you have directlypleted several previous steps. Now, you only have toplete the final task of ind conquest! The entire ind will be yours! You''ll be the next fortunate one, the next esteemed governor!"


    <i>So that''s how it worked. No wonder there are no rewards listed for the inds on the sea chart. </i>Charles silently noted in his mind the intricate stages of exploring an ind.


    "Enough talk about that. Newco... Charles, are there any resources on that ind? Is it dangerous?"


    After pondering for a few seconds, Charles concluded that the ind held no significant value, and he proceeded to share the information about the ind with the others.


    As soon as they heard that the indcked food and fresh water, and instead harbored creatures capable of tampering with human memories, a sense of disappointment appeared on everyone''s faces.


    "s, another dead ind. I had hoped to witness history and see with my own eyes the rise of the fastest man to date to be governor," one captainmented.


    "If that ind just had a tiny bit of resources, we could have assembled a conquering fleet for the next step," another concurred.


    While the others were engaged in discussion over this topic, Charles pointed to the Level 5 ind on the northernmost part of the sea chart. He said to the female staff beside him, "My ship will set sail in half a month, and I need to explore this ind."


    Elizabeth opened her mouth as if to offer advice, but in the end, she remained silent. The strength of this guy before her was truly unfathomable. He was no ordinary neer.


    Once the staff finished registering the task, Charles scanned the room of captains, who had fallen into silence. "Excuse me, does anyone know of any channels for acquiring weapons?"


    The previous expedition had taught Charles a lesson. He needed to enhance thebat capabilities of his entire crew; relying solely on a revolver was insufficient.


    "If it''s just ordinary weapons, ask them," the burly man pointed to the personnel behind the counter. "The Association also facilitates weapon trading. As long as the price is right, they can get you anything."


    The considerate staff chimed in, "Please wait a moment. I''ll bring you the weapons inventory list."


    Charles suddenly felt that the founders of the Association were true business geniuses. Their words about working for the betterment of humanity were just a fa?ade, and the real truthy in the explosive profits from the lucrative arms trade.


    Very soon, several introduction brochures were ced in front of Charles. The prices for bullets were also helpfully indicated underneath the various models of firearms.


    The technological level of the Subterranean Sea was somewhat skewed. Most firearms were outdated weapons from the First World War. Charles was not sure if more advanced weapons were unavable or simply not listed.


    "Charles, these things may look good, but they''re not very useful. Besides, many things on the inds can''t be dealt with using bullets."


    The words of the muscr man brought Charles back to a state of calm. His words were right. In the face of the inds'' various abnormalities, straightforward violence had limited effectiveness.


    Charles didn''t believe that recing his revolver with other firearms would make a fundamental difference when it came to confronting the ind with the golden statue. Firearms couldn''t stop the tampering of memories.


    "Then, what do you guys use?" Charles asked.


    "Human lives," a hoarse voice came from the side and turned the enthusiastic atmosphere among the crowd down a notch.


    The speaker was a middle-aged man with a darkplexion and a hooked nose. Leaning forward, he stared at Charles with his gray irises.


    "I know what you want to ask. You were hoping that we seasoned explorers have some secret techniques for exploration, right? Well, indeed, each of us possesses different abilities," he said as he raised up a single hand, and a blue me flickered in his palm.


    "But even if we have relics with peculiar powers, the mortality rate among Explorers is still rmingly high. Behind every sessful governor, there are thousands of deaths. You were lucky thest time that you managed toe out unscathed. But don''t me me for speaking the truth. Reality is cruel."


    Hearing his words, Charles actually felt somewhat reassured. The Subterranean Sea never showed mercy to humans.


    He addressed the other captains before him, "Everyone, we can chat another time. I need to prepare the supplies for my next expedition."


    The moment Charles walked out the door, the burly man expressed his confusion, "What do you think he''s going to do up north? Is he really going to search for the Land of Light?"


    No one answered his question, and silence consumed the hall.


    For the next half a month, Charles was far from idle. Apart from gathering provisions, he devoted himself to physical training and honing his marksmanship.


    The Subterranean Seascape was merciless, but he would not abandon his convictions.


    The days onnd passed quickly, and before he knew it, half a month had gone by.


    The sleek, brand-new exploration ship quietly rested at the dock. Its streamlined hull, ck deck guns glinting in the opposite light, and the sturdy structure captivated Charles the moment his gazended on it.


    "She''s truly beautiful, don''t you think?" Charles spoke with excitement and anticipation in his voice.


    "Captain, what''s her name? Please don''t tell me it''s still S.S. Mouse," Dipp asked. He had four sailors standing behind him.


    Looking at the massive steel cannon with a caliber of 125mm, Charles pondered for a moment before answering, "Narwhale. Let''s name her Narwhale!"


    With the new ship''s name decided, Charles turned to face the unfamiliar faces. The Narwhale was not like S.S. Mouse, a cargo vessel where it didn''t matter how many people were on board. As an exploration vessel, it needed a full crew, and not a single crew position was left unfilled.


    There were 13 crew members in total: a boatswain, four sailors, a first mate, a second mate, a chief engineer, a second engineer, a third engineer, a chef, an assistant chef, and a captain.


    The crew members varied in age, height, and background, but they were all men. Some of them were locals bearing the distinctive trait of deformed ears.


    While Charles observed them, the crew members also looked at him with curiosity in their eyes.


    Being on a ship was different from being onnd. Once at sea, the entire ship became a closed environment, and the captain was the king on board. He held the fate of everyone in his hands. If a captain was unreliable, he could bring doom upon all the crew members.


    When they saw Charles''s face, their worries eased a bit. Although this captain with ck eyes was young, many recognized him to be an experienced captain.


    "I believe all of you know what we are here for. I won''t deceive any of you. The current mortality rate for exploration ships is one in five. If anyone wishes to back out, you still have a chance."


    Not a single person in the group made a move. No one standing here was a first-timer. They knew the risks of this expedition and also understood the potential benefits that woulde from sessfully exploring a new ind.


    If the captain became the governor of a new ind, even lowly crew members like them would rise to great heights. Going to sea was a gamble with their lives, so why not take a bigger risk?


    "Very well, crew, all aboard!"

 Chapter 17. Island

    <h4>Chapter 17. Ind</h4>


    Charles and his crew boarded the Narwhale. Compared to the dpidated S.S. Mouse, the Narwhale was undoubtedly much more spacious and clean. She was a sight to behold.


    Charles ran through each cabin and inspected every corner meticulously to ensure nothing was amiss. As a captain, he had to be as familiar with every part of the ship as he was with his own body.


    After confirming that everything was in order, Charles returned to the bridge. With a gentle wave of his hand, thick ck smoke began billowing from the Narwhale''s smokestack, and the ship slowly set sail toward the deep sea.


    As the Coral Archipgo gradually shrank from his view, Charles walked up to themunication pipe and shouted, "Chief Engineer, how does the new ship feel?"


    After a few seconds, James'' low voice echoed through the pipe, "Captain, the ship is in great condition! The steam ising out fast, and it''s not hot at all down here; it''s only 39 degrees."


    "Engage the turbine at maximum capacity. Let''s test its speed."


    "Aye, Captain!"


    As ck smoke continued to pour out of the smokestacks, the Narwhale''s speed began to climb. When it reached its peak, Charles felt as if he were driving a speedboat as he took the helm.


    Charles estimated that the Narwhale was at least three times faster than S.S. Mouse.


    Just then, he noticed something white on the surface of the water from the corner of his eye. "Chief Engineer, slow down!"


    The speeding Narwhale gradually slowed, and the figure came into clear view. It was the corpse of a giant. It should have been lying in the water, while fish devoured it. But instead, its eerily still body stood on the water surface, while its eyes were fixated on the Narwhale.


    Charles wasn''t curious about the origin of this creature. He had witnessed even more bizarre things at sea. He simply wanted to provide a target for his new cannon.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    The recoil of the deck cannon jolted the ship.


    Although Charles wasn''t a skilled gunner and his uracy was bad, after firing a dozen shots, the bloated corpse was obliterated by a string of explosions.


    Whatever divinity it was that made it rise again, the cannonballs would make it lie back down.


    Charles was certain that if he had been on the Narwhale when he encountered the navigational marker monster a while back, the oue would have beenpletely different.


    After testing the performance of the variousponents on the new ship, Charles directed his gaze to the nautical chart on the wall. It was provided by the Explorers Association, and it was a crucial tool along with thepass for finding their destination.


    "Let''s follow Route 6 for now, and when we reach Marker 68, turn south towards our destination," Charles said, sliding his finger across the chart.


    "Understood, Captain!" responded the helmsman, Second Mate Conor. The redhead seemed somewhat excited as his eyes scanned the surroundings.


    "Your name is... Conor, right?"


    "Yes, Captain. That''s my name. My mother chose it. Captain, is it true what Frey said? Have you really explored an ind before? Can those creatures really alter someone''s memory to create a non-existent person? How did you manage to realize the creatures'' scheme back then?"


    Charles slightly furrowed his brow. The second mate''s words brought back an unpleasant memory. "Just focus on steering the ship. The first mate will take over when your shift is over."


    Conor was confused as he watched Charles walk out of the room. "Did I ask something that I shouldn''t have? I have even prepared words of ttery and all."


    Days passed at sea, and the old and new crew members gradually got closer with each other. Apart from Dipp, who couldn''tmand deference from the other sailors due to his young age, the rest of the crew got along well with each other.


    The Narwhale''s speed was impressive, and within a mere seven days, they arrived in the vicinity of their target ind.


    Bright beams of light swept across the pitch-ck sea in search for the elusive ind.


    The nautical chart andpass could only provide a general location, so they would have to rely onborious methods like this to pinpoint the exact location.


    At the bridge, Conor looked to Charles who was standing next to him.


    "Captain, I''ve heard that some people at sea have special methods to locate inds. It''s much easier than what we''re doing. It seems to be some kind of magic. Do you know how to do it?"


    "Stop the nonsense and just focus on steering the wheel," Charles replied. He found Conor''s loquaciousness a little excessive.


    ""I... I have a method," interjected Bandages, who was sitting on a stool.


    When both gazesnded on him, Bandages continued slowly, "Our... Covenant... has a ritual... to invoke the help of God Fhtagn. It requires a... human sacrifice."


    Charles looked at Bandages withplex emotions. It seemed like his first mate had yet topletely free himself from the doctrine of the Fhtagn cult. Hopefully, time would lessen the indoctrination''s influence on him.


    "Forget about those disgusting things. We don''t need those."


    "Captain! Look!" Charles'' gaze followed Conor''s finger toward the direction it was pointing at. In the distance, a blurry ind came into view. They had found it.


    The crew members gathered in excitement on the deck as they stared at the distant ind.


    Having learned from past experiences, Charles didn''t rush to get onto the ind. Instead, he ordered the Narwhale to circumnavigate the ind for observation.


    The limited brightness of the ship''s lights only allowed them to see the periphery of the ind. It was argendmass, and the Narwhale took three hours toplete one full circuit.


    In the dim light, the ind appeared deste, and was dominated by peculiar and misshapen rocks. Some were as tall as three or four floors, while even the smaller ones were half the height of a person. The rocks were scattered in a seemingly patterned manner. For a moment, Charles had the misconception that he had arrived at a quarry.


    "Can people actually live in this ce?" Dipp asked hesitantly. However, it was a question that no one could answer.


    Charles knew that regardless of whether the ind was habitable or not, it surely possessed certain dangers. After all, it was ssified as a Danger Level 5 ind. That meant that five exploration ships had tried to explore this ind but had never returned.


    "Throw some live fish ashore and see if there are any carnivorous creatures on the ind."


    Under Charles''mand, some sea fish were thrown onto the beach. The crew had even deliberately shed the fish to create wounds and the scent of blood permeated the air.


    Everyone watched in anxiety.


    Deprived of water, the sea fish died soon enough. After half an hour, Charles suddenly saw a pair of eyes gleaming amidst the rocks.


    <i>Squeak squeak squeak!!</i>


    It was an ordinary mouse, with ck fur, a slender tail, and small ck eyes the size of mung beans.


    Under the watchful gaze of everyone, the mouse scurried over to a dead fish and began gnawing at it.


    Expressions of joy crept onto everyone''s faces. The appearance of a normal creature was good news. If mice could survive on this ind, it suggested that humans could too.


    However, before they could celebrate, more eyes appeared from the rocks. Those beady eyes shone with anticipation and hunger. Waves of mice then surged towards the dead fish, transforming the white sandy beach into a nket of ck-brown fur.


    The sounds of gnawing echoed along the shoreline, sending shivers down the spines of those on the ship.


    "That''s...That''s... a lot of mice..." Second Mate Conor mustered a forced smile as he looked at Charles.

 Chapter 18. Mice

    <h4>Chapter 18. Mice</h4>


    Charles''s mind raced with thoughts. Mice were typically at the absolute bottom of the food chain. With such arge mice poption, there would surely be other predators on the ind. He had no idea what those predators were. One thing was certain, though¡ªthey were not cats.


    While Charles was consumed by his thoughts, the mice retreated. Within a few moments, not even a single trace of fish bone could be seen on the yellowish-white sand.


    "Sailors, drop the anchor! Prepare your weapons and explosives, get ready to disembark!" Charlesmanded, and the crew sprang into action.


    Charles had prepared more explosives for this exploration. While gunpowder was not always effective, it was better than nothing. If the only danger on the ind was therge poption of mice, the explosives would certainlye in handy.


    Two wooden boats were dropped on the water. With the exception of the disabled Bandages, who was left behind to guard the ship, the remaining crew disembarked. Each of them had a strip of cloth tied around their shoulders. Their names and positions were written on the cloth. This was to ensure that when they returned to the ship, no one would be missing, nor would there suddenly be an additional member.


    The group slowly made their way toward the rocks. Having experienced such expeditions before, the seasoned sailors remained rtively calm. However, the newer crew members were feeling more fluctuating emotions. They got startled by even the slightest movement or rustle of leaves.


    As they ventured deeper into the ind''s rocky terrain, the rocks became less stiff in ce and were tilted at angles. Remains of various animal skeletons started appearing, scattered haphazardly across the ground.


    A hint of disappointment flickered across Charles''s face. It seemed that the passage to the surface was not on this ind.


    Just as Charles was hesitating about whether they should continue further inward, a streak of red light shed between the distant rocks.


    Charles instinctively ducked behind a massive boulder and whispered to the rest,"Quick, extinguish all the mes!"


    Though the others were unsure of the reason, they followed their captain''smand without question.


    With the torches extinguished, the distant red glow became more distinct. The bright color shimmered between the rocks, appearing in intervals as it got closer to where they were.


    As the mysterious glow drew nearer, its source finally appeared in everyone''s vision.


    The creature resembled an oversized locust, and by estimation, was about five meters long. The red glow emanated from the luminous spots beneath its translucent skin. They flickered on and off in a spine-chilling manner.


    Despitecking wings, the locust seemed to be able to fly freely in the air. It seemed to be searching for something; its six eyestalks at the front of its body constantly swiveled and scanned the surroundings.


    The humans huddled behind the rocks barely dared to breathe. Some of the more timid ones even closed their eyes and were trembling.


    Charles locked his gaze on the creature, and observed its eyestalks. It was clear that this being was far from peaceful. Its predatory appearance urged Charles to avoid any unnecessary confrontation.


    Suddenly, someone''s stomach growled unexpectedly, and the rumbling sound reverberated like thunder in the silent environment.


    In an instant, the creature''s eyestalks swiveled toward the direction the humans were in with a swift motion. Its spiked mouthparts emitted a terrifying low growl. Then, with a slight shimmer of its translucent body, it vanished right before their eyes.


    "Damn it! That thing can turn invisible, and it''sing!" Charles eximed.


    Clutching the explosives at his waist, Charles stood tense and resolute, as he braced himself to face the creature head-on when it reappeared.


    The other crew members tightened their grip on their weapons, while their hearts raced with anticipation.


    Charles silently counted down the seconds in his mind. Just when he was about to throw the explosives, the pitch-ck environment was suddenly illuminated by a red glow. The creature materialized above arge boulder, its eyestalks peering into the distance.


    <i>Squeak squeak squeak!</i>


    The sound of mouse squeals echoed from that direction and grew louder and louder. It sounded as though they had intentionally orchestrated their calls to distract the creature.


    The engorged locust writhed its swollen body and rapidly floated toward the source of the noise. The red glow slowly faded into the distance.


    In the dark, Charles wiped the cold sweat from his brow and let out a sigh of relief. He had never expected to be saved by mice.


    Just as he was about to turn to speak to the person next to his left, Charles was startled to discover a pair of eyes emanating an eerie, ghostly green glow.


    But that was just the first pair, and not thest. One by one, pairs of eyes began to glow, their luminous gazes intensifying and multiplying with each passing moment. The sight was overwhelming; theyers uponyers of eyes sent shivers down their spines.


    Charles struck a match against the rock wall, and the fire illuminated the surroundings.


    Mice.


    An endless swarm of mice were packed together like towering stacks of dominoes. They had encircled Charles and his party.


    "Hello there! I''m Lily! Nice to meet you!" A sudden female voice disrupted the silence, and everyone froze in their tracks.


    After a quick assessment, Charles identified the speaker¡ªa white mouse standing amidst the horde. This white mouse behaved and moved differently from its kin. Its eyes shimmered with a spark of intelligence.


    The white mouse seemed to have realized that Charles was the leader of the party. She hopped forward and tilted her head upward to meet his gaze.


    "Hi, I''m Lily. What''s your name?" She introduced herself once more.


    Charles nced at the mice surrounding him and whispered, "Charles."


    Just as soon as they finished their brief customary conversation, a roar echoed from the direction where the flying locust had left.


    "Oh dear! Hurry, my friends could only dy it temporarily. That thing ising back. I''ll take you to my home," the white mouse eximed as she led the other mice in a swift retreat.


    Seeing the red glow resurfacing in the distance, Charles dared not stay in ce and hurriedly followed along with his crew.


    Compared to that monster, at least there was a possibility ofmunication with these mice.


    In the darkness, Charles and hispanions scrambled after the mice as they navigated through a chaotic path. Eventually, they arrived at the entrance of an underground hole that was slightly over a meter in height.


    Charles and his party entered the cavern with their torches in hand. In the shadows, pairs of eyes locked onto the humans entering their cave as rustling sounds filled the air.


    The dozen torches were lit and the fire illuminated everything with the cavern. The cave was about the size of a football field, and countless brownish-ck mice were staring intensely at them.


    The mice themselves were nothing unusual. What was peculiar was that some of them held tools made from bones; they resembled humans in a certain way.


    In the cave, there were some neatly arranged low-domed structures. Charles even spotted arger mouse teaching a bunch of small mice how to count! He felt as if he had entered and of miniature beings.


    The white mouse had brought a toy-sized stool from somewhere and ced it before Charles. She jumped onto it and sat down.


    "Can you bring me home? I miss my mom," Lily pleaded.


    A swarm of mice approached the party of humans and ced a bowl of brownish liquid in front of each human as if to wee them.


    <i>Home?</i> Charles scanned the peculiar mice cave around him. "Isn''t this your home?" Charles asked.


    "Of course not! I''m not a mouse! I''m human!" the white mouse insisted. Its fur bristled with agitation as it tried to defend its im.


    "Human?" The crew members stared wide eyes at the tiny mouse before them. They struggled to find any trace of human resemnce.


    Noticing their disbelief, the white mouse, Lily, began her exnation.


    "I truly am a human. My parents took me on a boat to visit my grandfather on the Isle of Whereto, but we encountered a whirlpool. I fell into the sea, and when I woke up, I became like this. I have no idea why or how it happened."

 Chapter 19. 096 [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 19. 096 [Bonus Image]</h4>


    Even after the mouse''s exnation, Dipp''s skeptical expression didn''t change.He asked once again, "Little one, where''s your home? How many people are there in your family?"


    The white mouse ced its paws on its hips and answered, "I live on Unit 158, East District 12, Coral Archipgo. My dad''s name is Oliver and he''s a doctor. My mom''s name is Olivia. I''m 11 years old, a girl! Hmph! So, do you believe me now?"


    Boatswain Dipp was about to say something but Charles stretched out a hand to hold him back. Charles couldn''t care less about the origin of this little creature. At this moment, he was more concerned about the danger outside.


    "Lily, I can bring you back. But first, you have to tell me what those things were."


    The white mouse, Lily, shook her head. "I don''t know. Uncle Mouse and the other mice have no idea either. I call them ''fat worms''. If you encounter them, make sure to run away in different directions. They are dangerous. Not only can they turn invisible, but they also spit venom. None of my friends who were caught by them ever returned."


    "Are there many of them?"


    "Many, many. There''s a mountain beyond the rocky terrain. And the whole mountain is filled with them." Lily opened her mouse paws and gestured frantically.


    After specting the strength of both sides, Charles fell into contemtion. There seemed to be no need to further explore this ind. There was no way to the surface, and dangerous creatures were plentiful.


    "Lily, we are going back to the Coral Archipgo now. If you want to go home, you cane with us."


    Charles could sense the friendliness of the white mouse. On top of that, he could also empathize with her longing to return home.


    Charles turned around, wanting to leave. Squeaking sounds echoed as arge group of mice bared their fangs and blocked his path.


    "Wait! Uncle Mouse and the others need your help too. Can we leave after helping them?"


    Charles shook his head. He didn''t want to get involved with matters on this ind unnecessarily. "Sorry, I''m afraid we can''t be of much help. Ask them to make way for us."


    With her innocent mind, Lily didn''t seem to have understood Charles'' roundabout way of turning the mice down. She purred coquettishly, "Oh please, won''t you help? That thing is really important to Uncle Mouse and the others. Look. Uncle Mouse ising out now."


    The crew members turned their heads, and saw a giant mouse, about the size of a small puppy, crawling out from the shadows. Its bright yellow eyes scanned the humans up and down with a hostile re. This giant mouse was clearly less friendly than Lily.


    <i>Squeak!</i>


    The giant mouse suddenly squealed and the surrounding mice surged forward with their fangs and ws bared. They looked as though they were ready to devour Charles and hispanions.


    Charles and his group swiftly drew their weapons and pointed them at the mouse king.


    Seeing the tension between both sides, an expression of anxiety crept onto the furry face of the white mouse. She hurriedly ran up to the giant mouse and squeaked incessantly. It sounded like they weremunicating.


    After a while, it seemed that Lily and the giant mouse reached a consensus. With a hint of apology, Lily said, "I''m sorry, Uncle Mouse says that he has ordered the mice to seal off the beach. If you don''t help him, he won''t let you board the ship..."


    Charles let out a light snort. He never thought there would be a day that he would be threatened by a mouse.


    <i>Hiss!</i>


    The fuse of a small cotton-sized explosive was ignited.


    Lily recognized the object in Charles''s hand. Her fur instantly stood on end. She quickly shouted, "Don''t ignite it! Uncle Mouse will reward you! A treasure, a valuable one!"


    Charles pinched the burning fuse with his fingers to extinguish it. "What kind of treasure?"


    He didn''t want to get caught up in a futile confrontation with the mice. However, if the reward was enticing enough, he would consider it.


    Immediately, two rats dragged two objects over and swiftly ced them before Charles. One was a clown mask, and the other was a piece of paper.


    Charles picked up the paper and read the text written on it. His eyes widened in surprise. The content on the paper intrigued him.


    <i>Project ID: 096</i>


    <i>Project Name: Clown Mask</i>


    <i>Containment Level: Level 3. Currently contained in Lab 3</i>


    <i>Description: 096 appears as a white clown mask with a red nose and a manically joyous expression. It was discovered in the Red Tree Ind''s [Data Purged] Circus. The previous owner of 096 has gone insane. After psychological evaluation, it was noted that the 27-year-old female subject exhibited significant personality changes and dissociative identity disorder.</i>


    <i>Experiment Log 1: Subject 654 wearing 096.</i>


    <i>After wearing 096 for ten minutes, Subject 654''s body became unusually flexible and agile. Subject 654''s strength also significantly increased, with all measurements approaching the limits of the human body. Subject 654 demonstrated proficiency in all acrobatic skills, including but not limited to aerial acrobatics, blindfolded knife-throwing, and contortionism.</i>


    <i>After wearing 096 for thirty minutes, Subject 654''s mood became somewhat exhrated. She tried tomunicate with Dr. [Data Purged], who was observing her from outside the st-resistant ss. She attempted to tell poor jokes to amuse the doctor.</i>


    <i>After wearing 096 for one hour, Subject 654 started to talk to herself, engaging in a self-ming dialogue with the other personality within her. The conversation was apanied by manicughter.</i>


    <i>After wearing 096 for three hours, Subject 654 attempted to use her nails to sh her own windpipe. Security personnel administered anesthesia and removed 096. Three dayster, Subject 654''s physical and mental abnormalities persisted. Subject 654 was deemed nonviable and subsequently terminated.</i>


    The contents of the document appeared to be a report. It hinted at an experiment by certain individuals to unravel the mysteries surrounding the relic known as the Clown Mask through scientific means.


    Charles shifted his gaze away from the paper and toward the mask resting on the back of a distant rat. It was unmistakably the Clown Mask described in the document.


    After a moment of hesitation, Charles picked up the mask and ced it on his face. In an instant, he felt as if his body had be weightless; it felt as thought he was walking on cotton. With a gentle push of his feet, he effortlessly somersaulted in the air,pleted two and a half rotations andnded gracefully.


    "Damn, this thing is fucking incredible! With this, I could go back and sweep gold medals at the Olympics!" Charles eximed, his voice sounding overly excited.


    The next moment, Charles hurriedly removed the mask from his face. He stared at the pale, grinning visage. A wave of unease washed over him as he recalled the words he had spoken moments ago. Even though they were spoken from his own mouth, the tone or key sounded nothing like his usual self. It was as if he had momentarily transformed into someone else entirely.


    Lily jumped onto Charles'' foot and tugged at his pants, shaking the hem vigorously. "What do you say? Will you agree? I spent a long time persuading Uncle Mouse," she pleaded.


    After a moment of contemtion, Charles picked Lily up in his palm and replied, "Why do they need our help? These mice seem highly intelligent. They should be more capable than us, right?"


    "We don''t have hands," Lily responded. "The item is kept in a room. Uncle Mouse said that it requires a hand to open it. Don''t worry, it''s easy andpletely safe. I''ve been there several times."


    Charles lowered his head in thought and after a brief moment, finally said, "Alright, I agree."


    Although the mask was peculiar, its usefulness was significant as long as the usage time was controlled. Whether for escaping or battling, it could prove to be a valuable asset.


    Even if he wasn''t going to use it, he could sell it to other captains.


    Upon hearing Charles''s positive response, Lily bounced with joy. "That''s great! I knew you were a good person!"

 Chapter 20. Laboratory 3

    <h4>Chapter 20. Laboratory 3</h4>


    "Quick! Follow me then. Once you help Uncle Mouse find the treasure, we can return home. Hurry up!" Lily jumped off Charles'' hand and raced toward the cave entrance. A swarm of dark brown mice trailed after her.


    Once they got out of the mouse cave, Lily led Charles and the others swiftly through the rocky terrain. Every now and then, they would catch glimpses of the red glow emitted by the flying locusts. During those moments, Lily would send a mouse to distract the attention of those creatures.


    After running and hiding intermittently for about half an hour, the irregr rocks began to thin out, and a smooth wall suddenly appeared before Charles. Due to the darkness, he couldn''t discern whether the b before him was a cliff or a colossal man-made wall.


    The group walked along the base of the wall for a few more minutes before a high-tech metal door emerged abruptly before their eyes. Before Charles could speak a word, the mice speedily stacked themselves into a tower, and with a pull of the rodent leader at the top of the stack, the door handle was yanked, and the door swung open with a <i>''click''.</i>


    When Charles followed the mice into the door, he was instantly awestruck. A straight and spacious corridor weed him. Despite the thickyers of dust and scattered debris, the minimalist style of the surroundings gave him a sense of being transported to a hospital of his time.


    <i>This architectural style can''t possibly have been created by those things outside.</i> Charles formed an initial assessment in his mind.


    "Lily, are you sure the item is here?" Charles asked. He didn''t believe those flying locusts were the beings behind such a structure. He couldn''t shake off the feeling that the Mouse King''s mission was not as simple as it seemed on the surface.


    The white mouse didn''t answer him. She looked left and right before she hurriedly dashed into a room and dragged out arge piece of paper. Charles touched the paper with his hands and found the material to be hard; it felt like stic. The paper depicted a simple map with various areas marked with the text used in the Subterranean Sea: Control Room, Lounge, Canteen, etc.


    Lily hopped onto the map and stomped her tiny paw once on the east side of the map before darting to the west side of the map and stomping once again on a spot marked with a ''Forbidden'' symbol. "We are here, and the item is over here. Let''s go and get it quickly."


    As Charles observed the map, a faint suspicion began to form in his mind. However, now was not the time to dwell on such thoughts. This ce seemed unsafe, and it was best to find the item and leave as soon as possible.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Suddenly, a figure appeared at the end of the corridor. Its sudden appearance startled Dipp enough to let out a loud scream.


    Charles quickly pressed down Dipp''s gun barrel and said, "It''s okay. It''s just a dead person."


    The group approached, and the fire from their torches illuminated the figure. It was a desated corpse that knelt on the ground. Its mouth was wide open, and its arms stretched wide apart as if it was screaming.


    However, Charles noticed some details on the corpse. There was a metallic badge hanging from the right breast pocket of the suit-like clothes the corpse was wearing.


    Charles crouched down and pinched the badge to get a closer look.


    "Dr. Dott, Lab 3 Deputy Director," Charles read aloud. Charles''s pupils constricted as he realized something. He immediately took out the paper that records the details of the clown mask.


    <i>Containment Level: Level 3. Currently contained in Lab 3</i>


    <i>So this is Lab 3... and the mice stole the mask from here. But who established Lab 3? Who are these people? </i>Charles'' findings answered one doubt but spurred more questions in his head.


    Lily clung onto the hem of Charles'' pants, urging them to move forward quickly. "Let''s go quickly! Once we are done helping them, we can go home."


    Charles had expected numerous dangers along the way. However, Lily''s words proved to be true. Apart from the disorderly environment and asional corpses, there was no immediate danger.


    They cautiously got closer to their destination.


    "Look! We are here!" Lily eximed as she stopped before a metal door and then hopped up and down in excitement. "There''s a small panel at the door. Press your hand on it and the door will open!"


    Looking at the familiar object on the door, an ominous feeling crept over Charles. He pressed his hand against it, but as expected, the door remained stubbornly shut. There was no electricity, and his finger prints certainly wouldn''t match the system''s. How would the door even open? This door was clearly locked with a biometric lock!


    "Eh? Why isn''t it opening? Uncle Mouse said the door would open as long as a human ced their hand on it." Lily tilted her head in confusion.


    Mice, no matter how clever, were still mice. Those mice must have witnessed humans opening the door with their fingerprints and assumed that any human touch on the panel would suffice. In actuality, it wasn''t that simple.


    Charles knocked on the door with his fist and realized that it wasn''t very thick. He immediately took up an explosive, lit the fuse and threw it at the door before retreating to a safe distance.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A deafening explosion reverberated in the area and a wide opening stood in ce of the door.


    Charles stepped through the opening and discovered a ck sk sitting quietly on a table in the middle.


    "This is it! We can go home now!" Lily''s furry face beamed with joy.


    Charles didn''t linger a second longer. He grabbed the sk and dashed out. The explosion had been quite loud and he was afraid it might have attracted unwanted attention.


    However, as fate would have it, just as Charles and his party was halfway through their journey back out, a flying locust emerged from around the corner ahead. Its bloated body blocked the entire pathway.


    <i>Roar!!</i>


    The flying locust let out a blood curdling roar and charged toward the group.


    Seeing there was no escape route, Charles instantly raised his revolver and began firing rapidly.


    "Shoot!" Charles instructed.


    Bullets struck the locust and sounds of leather being pped echoed incessantly. The impact from the bullets forced it to stagger backward.


    Letting out another roar, the flying locust twisted its bloated body. With a shimmer of the red glow under its translucent body, the creature vanished.


    "Don''t stop! Keep shooting ahead! It can turn invisible. Empty your magazines!" Unfazed, Charlesmanded.


    Bullets rapidly struck the distant walls and riddled them with holes.


    Just when the gunfire momentarily ceased, and Charles was about to give the order to evacuate immediately, the locust''s massive head suddenly materialized right in front of him. Its mouthpart with sharp teeth was less than ten centimeters away from his head.


    As the mandibles of the locust rotated and opened, its sharp teeth were revealed. The creature''s mouth aimed at Charles'' head like a bloodthirsty predator.


    Just as the locust''s jaws were about to mp down on him, Charles felt a tremendous tug from his waist and he was forcefully pulled back. Charles looked downward and realized that it was Dipp who had pulled him back and saved his life.


    Gunfire erupted once more, and the locust was forced to retreat with each roar it emitted. But with a twist of its body, it vanished once more.


    Charles hurriedly stood up. Without a moment of hesitation, he took out the mask and ced it firmly over his face. In times of crisis, there was no time to consider the consequences.


    His left hand reached for his leg and the ck knife appeared in his hand. Behind the mask, an exhrated smile appeared on Charles'' face.


    The moment he wore the mask, he could feel that his strength and reflexes had been instantly enhanced. The surroundings became instantly bright, and it was not a psychological effect. He could now see things in the dark.


    "Boys, stop shooting! Bullets won''t harm that thing. Let me~ your dear leader~ put on a show for you!"


    The sharp ck de trembled in Charles''s grasp as it danced through the air, leaving a trail of afterimages in its path.

 Chapter 21. An Eccentric Charles

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


    "Captain! Captain! Come back!"


    "Mr. Charles, where are you going?"


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


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


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


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


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


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


    "Hahaha! Money! Shower me with monehhh!"


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 Chapter 22. 1068

    <h4>Chapter 22. 1068</h4>


    Watching the sharp teeth inched closer to his head, Charles swung the cloth sack in his grasp with all his might in his moment of desperation. The force of the recoil thankfully propelled him out of danger''s way.


    However, the impact had allowed the creature''s sharp teeth to bite onto the cloth sack.


    <i>Rip!</i>


    The cloth sack tore apart as the countless relics within spilled on the ground with a cacophony of tinkling sounds.


    Among the scattered relics, the ancient oilmp trembled slightly before it suddenly emitted a radiant burst of light and illuminated the entire corridor, turning the entire area to be as bright as under daylight.


    The flying locusts seemed to be startled by the sudden burst of radiance and convulsed as if jolted by an electric shock.


    With such an opportune moment to escape, Charles had to seize it. Without a moment of hesitation, he held onto the remaining handful of relics in the torn cloth sack and made a dash for the exit.


    Charles pushed his body to a human''s limits and sprinted for nearly five minutes straight. He only came to a halt when he was certain that none of those flying creatures had followed him.


    Panting between breaths, he counted the few relics left in his possession. His heart sank. The torn cloth sack now held only four relics.


    "Fuck! You wretched bugs! Just you wait! Once I be rich, I''ll return and turn all of you into food!"


    After releasing all his pent up frustration, Charles stood up and surveyed the dimly lit surroundings. If the previous ce reminded him of a hospital, the current ce he was in was more akin to a military base. The walls were no longer pristine white tiles, but rather, thick steel panels.


    He had never been to this section and it seemed like he had stumbled here in his attempt to escape.


    "Hello? Anyone there?" Charles'' voice echoed through the air.


    He cautiously moved along the wall as he ventured deeper. Not long after, a massive circr iron door that was nearly five meters in height appeared before him.


    Despite the door having a thickness of half a meter, it bore visible signs of damage¡ª a long crack that cleaved the door into two.


    Charles carefully put his head through the crack and peered within to discover a vast space beyond.


    Suddenly, a distant cough echoed from within and startled Charles.


    "What the...? There''s a living human within?" Charles muttered to himself.


    Casting a quick nce behind him, Charles carefully stepped through the crack and entered the space beyond.


    The moment he entered the space, the scene that greeted him left him astonished. It was a long tunnel resembling an air-raid shelter, with iron doors spaced every hundred meters.


    The nearest door had been dislodged from its hinges and was embedded into the ceiling.


    <i>Cough! Cough!</i>


    The sound of coughing echoed from a distance. It was unmistakably the cough of an elderly person.


    Charles slowed down his pace and carefully moved toward the source of the sound. Very soon, Charles came face to face with the origin of the coughing sounds.


    In the room behind Door 4, a gatewayposed of gruesome elements¡ªshattered organs, congealed blood, lifeless eyes, withered limbs, and a mutted brain¡ªstood in the center. A flowing purple liquid filled the frame of the fleshy door, and at the bottom left, a bloodied upper body was embedded into it. It was the origin of the coughing sounds.


    The bloodied figure opened its eyes and stared at Charles, who was standing at the entrance of the room.


    "Ah...096, you have finally found another host? Come closer, my friend. Ever since I have been sent to this wretched ce, I haven''t seen you for a long while. Let''s catch up."


    <i>He knows me? Wait, no. He recognizes the mask on my face?</i>


    Charles''s gaze scanned the room and fell on the record book on the wall.


    <i>Project ID: 1068</i>


    "Haha, I was thinking who could it be, and it turns out to be you, 1068. Long time no see, my old friend. Yeah, I''m 096." Charles responded with feigned familiarity as he approached the meaty gateway.


    The bloodied corpse scrutinized Charles for a few seconds before it shook its head and remarked, "No. You are not 096. You have yet to be it."


    Realizing that he couldn''t deceive the being, Charles abandoned his pretense and questioned, "You. Do you know where''s the exit?"


    "Asking an immobile old man for directions... Isn''t that too impractical? Have humans degenerated into idiots after so many years?"


    <i>Years? This thing has been around for years? Will it perhaps know something about the surface world?</i>


    After pondering for a brief moment, Charles decided to ask him about information regarding the surface world.


    "Ah... the sun. Of course I know about it. It''s that thing that hangs in the sky. It''s been a while since I have basked in its warmth. Can you move me outside and let me enjoy some sunlight?"


    Hearing such an exhrating news, Charles leaped toward the creature like a monkey. Holding the bloodied corpse''s head in his hands, he asked in excitement, "When did you see it? How long ago was that?"


    "Damn it! Don''t pull my head! I still have my sense of touch!"


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Charles unsheathed the ck de attached to his calf and held it against the being''s face. He threatened it with a stern tone, "Stop the crap! Speak up!"


    A tinge of fury appeared on 1068''s bloodied face.


    "The door attached to my body! Pass through the door and you will be able to see the sun."


    "The door?" A sudden thought emerged in Charles''s head as he approached the door and reached for the record book hung on the wall beside it.


    A few secondster, Charles stormed toward the fleshy corpse in rage and swung his knife at its neck.


    "How dare you lie to me! It clearly states here that your door leads to other worlds. No living creature that entered has evere out!"


    As 1068 let out a scream of agony, the entire fleshy gateway convulsed as if in pain.


    "You piece of trash that is only fit for wiping one''s arse! I curse you!" 1068 dropped its pretense andshed out at Charles.


    "Cut the crap and start talking! Any more nonsense and I''ll chop your head off!"


    Faced with the imminent threat of the de, 1068 eventually relented.


    With a dejected expression, it started, "I can''t recall the exact time, but thest time I saw the sun was when they brought me aboard a ship. I was on the ship for a very long while."


    "Hahaha!" Charles let out a manicughter as he ecstatically did a few somersaults in the air.


    "I knew there must be people who hade down from the surface! I knew it!! If they have a way down, then I can surely use the same way up!" However, Charles'' joy was short-lived as a familiar red glow illuminated the area outside Door 4.


    "Argh! Those wretched bugs are here again!" Charles looked left and right for a ce to hide, but to his dismay, he realized that aside from the fleshy gateway, there was no cover at all.


    Charles'' mind raced and a sudden idea emerged in his head. He dashed toward a corner of the room and like a lizard, he rapidly scaled the wall and reached the upper left corner.


    Pressing his limbs tightly against the walls with his formidable body control, Charles wedged his entire body into the corner.


    Just as he was done positioning himself, three flying locusts floated into the room. Their translucent bodies shimmered with a red glow.


    The locusts didn''t seem to notice Charles and directly approached 1068. They began regurgitating and disgorging a stream of half-dposed rats into the ck door.


    <i>They... they are feeding 1068? But why?</i>


    Just when Charles was feeling puzzled, 1068 started talking again. "Dr. Tina, you''re still as beautiful as ever."


    <i>Who is it talking to? </i>Another doubt formed in Charles'' mind.


    Just then, he saw 1068 tilting his head to look at him. A smug grin appeared on its contorted grotesque face. A sense of foreboding washed over Charles.


    "Dr. Tina! 096 has escaped!! It''s currently hanging at the upper left corner of the room! Contain it quickly!"

 Chapter 23. Whistleblower [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 23. Whistleblower [Bonus Image]</h4>


    Hearing 1068''s tipoff, the three flying locusts which were still regurgitating rats suddenly turned around. Their eighteen eyestalks turned onto Charles who was wedged into the corner.


    "You bloody son of a¡ª!!"


    Charles immediately unlodged himself and made a dash for the door. His left hand reached for his revolver.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Just as he was about to exit the room, he fired his weapon and half of the 1068''s bloodied head was obliterated in a grotesque disy of exploding flesh. Amid 1068''s screams and curses, Charles charged out of the room and sprinted for his life.


    This time, the locusts no longer engaged Charles in closebat. The three airborne monsters gathered in the distance and continuously aimed their corrosive venom at Charles. Charles contorted his body to swiftly maneuver through the "rain of bullets" as he made his escape.


    However, this was just the beginning. More and more locusts pursued Charles, and for the first time in a long while, the silent Laboratory 3 was lively once again.


    With the flying locusts in pursuit, Charles found his way back to where he hade from.


    As he struggled to get out of theboratory, a blinding red light emanated from behind him. Horrified, he turned around to see that the entire wall had been illuminated in red. The creatures roared as they emerged from the walls, their eyestalks fixated on him with an angry re.


    Hundreds, if not thousands, of flying locusts twisted their bodies and vanished into thin air.


    An instant chill coursed through Charles'' body. He speedily turned around and dashed toward the coastline with all the strength he could muster.


    "Fuck. Did I try to sleep with your wife? How in the world do I deserve this pursuit?" Charlesmented as he jumped from one stone to another to ascend a three-meter-high ledge. With his exceptional body control, he skillfully jumped from rock to rock.


    Armed with enhanced night vision, Charles ran at an incredible speed. However, he felt no sense of assurance. He scanned the surroundings in a tense expression for fear of the sudden appearance of those invisible locusts.


    Just then, he spotted the bright searchlight of the Narwhale in the distance.


    <i>If the lights are turned on, it means the crew have boarded the ship. I just need to make it back to the beach to be safe! </i>With this thought, Charles quickened his pace.


    <i>Buzzzzzz</i><i>.</i>


    The buzzing sound of the flying locusts echoed throughout the area as they revealed themselves. A vast expanse of red light blocked Charles'' path, forming a pocket formation as they closed in on him.


    "I''m so honored to have you guys think so highly of me to even use tactics to deal with just one measly me," Charles said with a smirk while standing on top of a boulder to catch his breath.


    Observing the sea of red light, Charles couldn''t help but remark, "How beautiful. Even a drone performance pales inparison."


    "But you know what. Compared to you glowing insects, I''d much rather see some drones." Charles tightly held onto the few remaining artifacts in his possession. With a kick, he charged toward the wall of red light in the distance.


    <i>Plop, plop, plop!</i>


    All the flying locusts began to spit their corrosive liquid and the illuminated red sky started to pour with acid rain.


    Once again, Charles dived into thebyrinth of rocks. He nned to make use of the boulders as cover to make his way to the coastline.


    The sound of sizzling echoed above as the acid corroded the stones. Charles used the remaining ground as a foothold to push himself forward. He was closing the gap between himself and the coastline.


    The locusts seemed to have anticipated Charles'' actions. Countless mouthparts with sharp teeth emerged from the ground and aimed for his legs.


    Unable to gain leverage, Charles forcefully pushed off the wall to return to the top of the rock, only to be greeted by another shower of acid rain.


    Despite his agility, Charles'' acrobatic maneuvers in mid-air were ultimately futile.


    The corrosive venom riddledrge and small holes on his clothes, and the viscous acid came into contact with his skin, emitting puffs of white smoke.


    <i>Hiss~</i>


    Charles could feel the burning sensation on his body growing more intense and slowly expanding its territory. He was trapped in despair and knew he couldn''t hold on much longer.


    "Is this the end?"


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Suddenly a thunderous explosion sounded in the distance and arge section of red light overhead faded.


    Standing on a small patch of open ground on one foot, Charles wore an expression of ecstasy behind his mask. "That''s the deck cannon of the Narwhale! My crew is here to save the day!"


    No matter how many the flying locusts numbered, they were still nothing more than fleshy beings before cannonballs.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Another chunk of the red curtain was torn off. The locusts seemed to be thrown off and became disoriented. They didn''t know if they should run or continue in pursuit of Charles.


    With the pressure greatly reduced, Charles sprinted at top speed and arrived at the beach.


    He leaped into the seawater, the icy sensation temporarily soothed the burning pain he felt all over his body. His limbs thrashed wildly as he swam toward the Narwhale.


    The first words that escaped his lips as he climbed up the ropedder onto the deck were, "Set sail now!"


    Already fully prepared, the Narwhale revved its engines and swiftly departed the ind.


    Lying on the deck andpletely exhausted, Charles turned to look at the few damp relics lying next to him. He suddenly burst into a maniacugh, "Hahaha! You bugs! See this? I''ve taken your things and even escaped! I''ve won this time!"


    Dipp nervously ran up to Charles and helped him out. He then quicklymented, "Captain, quickly take off that mask."


    A sudden realization struck Charles.


    <i>How long have I been wearing this mask?</i>


    Before he could fully process this thought, a sudden foreign voice sounded in his head.


    <i>"God knows. Probably an hour or two. At least."</i>


    Charles quickly removed the mask from his face. In that instant, his surroundings instantly dimmed by several degrees of brightness, and the pain coursing through his body intensified several-fold.


    However, Charles'' focus was on that voice in his mind. He continuously questioned it for its identity.


    Seeing his captain standing still in a daze, Dipp extended a hand and waved it before Charles'' eyes.


    "Captain, are you alright? What''s wrong?" Dipp asked.


    Charles ignored the boatswain and sat on the ground as if waiting for something. Once he realized that the voice in his head had vanished after he removed the mask, he finally let out a heavy sigh of relief.


    Soon after, a sense of unease washed over Charles.


    "Thank goodness. If I had kept the mask on for a few more minutes, I''m afraid I would be fighting with my other personalities over control of my body at this point in time."


    "I need to be cautious about wearing this mask next time. The benefits are great but its drawbacks are equally rming. Though I don''t resist taking off the mask, I seem to be very impulsive," Charles continued.


    Seeing that their captain had returned to normal, the crew members also breathed a collective sigh of relief. They hurriedly carried Charles and rushed him to the captain''s quarters.


    After a flurry of activity, Charles'' acid-corroded wounds were finally bandaged. Currently, Charles looked more like a mummy aspared to Bandages.


    In his weakened state, he propped himself up to sit against the bedrest. He scanned the circle of crew members surrounding him and asked, "Who fired the cannon just now?"


    If not for the assistance of the deck cannon, he would never have made it back.


    "Me! Me!" Lily, the white mouse, climbed up the bedsheets and positioned herself before Charles.

 Chapter 24. Battle Loot [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 24. Battle Loot [Bonus Image]</h4>


    Looking at the white mouse''s proud expression yearning to be showered withpliments, Charles found the situation to be extremely bizarre. "You mean you can operate the deck cannon?"


    He initially thought it was Chief Engineer James who had fired the turret, but it turned out to be the mouse, Lily.


    "My friends and I operated it together. Aren''t we amazing?" Lily let out a couple of squeaks and arge group of brown rats swarmed onto Charles'' bed.


    Seeing the bed full of mice, Charles felt extremely repulsed. "Get them off my bed. Aren''t you going back alone? Why did you bring all these mice with you?"


    "I promised them that I would invite them to my house to have a taste of the sweet fish soup cooked by my mom. Promises cannot be broken," Lily asserted eloquently.


    Charles said a few more words of reassurance to Lily before he turned to look at Second Mate Conor.


    The young man with red hair seemed to know what Charles wanted to ask and answered, "Don''t worry, Captain. We''ve checked everyone. We don''t have anyone missing nor any extras."


    "That''s great... That''s great..." Charles muttered to himself.


    With all the dangers resolved, a sudden drowsiness consumed Charles. The exhaustion of the wounds all over his body and the intense sprint had his body sounding the rms.


    "Don''t let your guard down. Get back to the safe route as soon as possible. Please leave. I''m a bit tired."


    Before the others could even leave the room, Charles closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


    When he woke up, he had no idea how much time had passed.


    "I should really buy a pocket watch."


    Despite feeling recharged, Charles didn''t get off the bed. A faint smile appeared on his face as he leaned against his pillow.


    All along, he had been worried about one thing¡ªwhether he was still on Earth or not. If he weren''t, even if he got back onto the surface, he would still not be able to return home.


    However, the fleshy gateway, 1068, had confirmed one thing through its words. The world outside of this subterranean sea had a sun. And if there were a sun, he was surely on Earth and there was a high probability that his house was still where it was.


    With renewed determination, Charles was about to get off his bed when his gazended on the collection of relics that he had retrieved from the depths of Laboratory 3. They were neatly stacked into a pile on the cab.


    The sight of these objects stirred something within him.


    Although he was the one responsible for all the events that had transpired in that ce, presently, Charles felt a strange sense of detachment from the person he had been when he was there.


    That version of him had been driven by an insatiable desire for the relics, much like a cat drawn to a scratching post. Acting on impulse, he had ventured in to steal the relics while remaining oblivious to the dangers involved.


    Looking at the relics before him now, Charles could onlyfort himself that Lady Luck had been on his side. He had managed to seize all these items with a body full of injuries, but it was a trade-off that undoubtedly seemed worthwhile.


    Charles began to carefully examine the items he had acquired¡ªa knife covered in rust, a quill as thick as a forearm, a purple crystal in the shape of a miniature pyramid. Not to forget the silver ring that looked like interwoven tentacles, which he was now wearing on his ring finger.


    He had retrieved four artifacts and they all looked extraordinary. However, Charles hesitated to experiment with them.


    His encounter with the locusts had resulted in the loss of some of the apanying documentation, and when he had jumped into the sea, a few records had been soaked and ruined by the water.


    He was now left with only the documentation of two relics, one of which was the ring on his finger.


    <i>Project ID: 168</i>


    <i>Project Name: Tentacle Ring</i>


    <i>Description: 168 is a ring made of 925 silver. It is crafted to resemble three octopus tentacles intertwined. It was discovered by Dr. Tina in the essory shop [Data Purged] during her vacation at Newbound City.</i>


    <i>Addendum 1: Due to Dr Tina immediately detecting its anomalous properties and promptly reporting it, the Foundation decided to directly contain 168. The description of its anomalies will be included in Addendum 2 through interview records.</i>


    <i>Addendum 2:</i>


    <i>"Dr Tina, could you please describe how you encountered 168?"</i>


    <i>"My husband took me to choose a wedding ring. The moment Iid my eyes on 168, I immediately put it on. I only realized something was amiss when I returned to my apartment. I came to possess a certain special ability."</i>


    <i>"Please exin what you mean by special ability."</i>


    <i>"Erm... My hand can transform into three invisible tentacles. It feels really strange. It was like the tentacles were naturally an extension of my body.</i>


    <i>"I know what you''re going to ask next. The tentacles have a strong gripping power, equivalent to the strength of two adult males. They are also incredibly flexible and can extend up to five meters when fully stretched. As for the drawbacks, the ring tempts humans to subconsciously wear it; once worn, it will tighten over time. The wearer needs to periodically take it off for it to return to its usual size."</i>


    <i>"That''s it? Just that simple?"</i>


    <i>"Yes, it''s that simple. It''s really a straightforward little item. If only the other projects were as well behaved as this one. Sophie, the one under my care, 1068, is manageable as long as it has enough food and doesn''t cause trouble. But 641 is a headache.</i>


    <i>"Oh, Tina, I''ve heard about that one. It''s indeed difficult to deal with. If it fails to be contained, the whole ind is at risk of being assimted by it. But if we want to talk about danger, I still have that 134 under my care¡ª"</i>


    <i>"Ahem! Ladies, it''s working hours now. We can chatter. Please be mindful of the situation."</i>


    <i>"Sorry, sorry."</i>


    <i>The interview concluded at 11:41pm.</i>


    "Transform into tentacles?" Charles pondered for a moment before raising his hand. Something extraordinary happened. He could feel his fingers rapidly extending and thickening. Yet to the naked eye, his hand remained the same.


    Suddenly, the drawer of the table in the distance was pulled open and a bottle of alcohol floated into the air. The scene was incredibly eerie.


    Charles started experimenting with the new relic within the room. Various small objects flew in the air.


    After getting ustomed to the relic, Charles decided to keep it for his own use. While it could notpare to the Clown Mask or ck Knife in terms of its direct offensive aspect, it could be quite useful if utilized well.


    What made Charles waver was that this little item had the most limited side effects he had encountered among the relics.


    Caressing the ring, Charles'' gazended on another piece of paper¡ªthe documentation of the purple pyramid.


    <i>Project ID: 434</i>


    <i>Project Name: Purple Pyramid</i>


    <i>Description: 434 is a crystal pyramid measuring 10 centimeters in length, 10 centimeters in height, and 10 centimeters in width. It was transferred to the Foundation due to the chaos it caused, as reported by the Shadow Ind Police Department.</i>


    <i>Experiment 1: Subject 13 was instructed to hold 434 and silently recite the phrase ''I am powerful'' in his mind.</i>


    <i>Experiment Result: The subject''s body underwent a sudden transformation and increased in size proportionally. His height reached 2.5 meters, but his ability to articte diminished significantly. After testing, it was revealed that his intelligence had reduced to 80.</i>


    <i>Experiment 2: Subject 13 was instructed to hold 434 and silently recite the phrase ''I am powerful'' in his mind three times.</i>


    <i>Experiment Result: The subject''s height increased to 3 meters while his intelligence further decreased to 60.</i>


    <i>Experiment 2: Subject 13 was instructed to hold 434 and silently recite the phrase ''I am powerful'' in his mind four times.</i>


    <i>Experiment Result: The subject''s height increased to 4 meters while his intelligence plummeted to 40. Because of the subject''s significantly reduced intelligence, he was unable toprehend further instructions and the experiment had to be terminated. The subject returned to normal approximately 30 minutes after being separated from 434.</i>

 Chapter 25. The Mouses Home

    <h4>Chapter 25. The Mouse''s Home</h4>


    "Hmm..." Charles'' brows furrowed together as he stared at the relic in his hand.


    It was difficult to judge if a relic that traded intelligence for physical size was good or bad. If the usercked even basic cognitive abilities, even having Hercules'' strength would be of no use.


    Furthermore, if his body grewrger, he would not be able to use the other three relics in his possession. Comparatively, his overallbat power might even decrease.


    Charles quickly realized the biggest utility of this relic. <i>Although I can''t use it, I can give it to my crew.</i>


    Adventures ahead would only get increasingly dangerous, and relying on his strength alone would not suffice.


    Thebat power of all crew members on board the Narwhale needed an upgrade as well so that they wouldn''t end up as liabilities in times of battle.


    The figure of a certain individual with bulging muscles shed through Charles'' mind. He had found a new owner for the relic.


    Disregarding the slightly stinging pain in his body, Charles lifted the covers and headed out of his cabin with the relic in hand.


    Thirty minutester, Charles stood on the deck and shouted at the four-meter-tall Chief Engineer, "James! Put the relic down! Put! Down!"


    The other crew members who had nothing to do had gathered around and were watching the spectacle in excitement.


    The erged James sat himself down on the deck, and the entire Narwhale swayed with his every move. After about three seconds, he finally unballed his fist, and 434 fell on the deck.


    "The decrease in intelligence is greater than I imagined," Charles muttered to himself as he stared at the Purple Pyramid in his hand.


    After testing it out, he realized that the growth in physical size enhanced one''s strength exceptionally as well. However, the decrease in intelligence was extremely detrimental. Someone would need to constantly direct a dim-witted James, or he would just simply stand in ce and y with his fingers.


    "Captain, can I have a go at this thing?" Dipp approached Charles with a curious expression and a group of sailors tailed him.


    Charles pondered for a moment before tossing 434 to Dipp. "All of you go ahead and give it a try. See who is more suited for this thing."


    In an instant, the crew members on the deck cheered and shouted. Watching them frolicking around while treating 434 as a toy, Charles didn''t stop them as well.


    Humans weren''t machines, after all. And opportunities to rx like this were rare in the subterranean world.


    After giving a few instructions, Charles headed towards his cabin. The pain in his wounds started to intensify once again.


    Time flew past at sea, and Charles'' corroded wounds were also rapidly healing. The asional minor mishaps on their journey back were also perfectly resolved by the crew. Finally, he was able to enjoy the privileges as a captain, and need not personally attend to every matter anymore.


    When they caught sight of the lighthouse on the Coral Archipgo, the entire Narwhale seemed like it would nearly capsize from the cheers of her crew. They had once again returned alive.


    As soon as the ship docked, everyone received their pay from Charles and dashed off to release their pent-up emotions.


    With the two remaining relics in his possession, Charles nned to make a trip to the Explorers Association. He didn''t know their uses or drawbacks, so he wanted to see if the other captains had any clues.


    As he was getting off the ship, Charles spotted Lily standing on the pier and realized that she hadn''t left. She was surrounded by a crowd of brown mice.


    Charles approached her, and as he got closer, he noticed that she was holding her head down and her ears were droopy.


    "Why are you still here?"


    His question startled Lily, and she turned around anxiously. "Mr. Charles..."


    "What are you doing standing here? Why aren''t you going home? Weren''t you longing to return home?" Charles asked as he picked Lily up by the tail.


    "But I''ve turned into a mouse, will Mommy recognize me? What if she chases me away with a broom?" Lily asked in a pitiful whimper.


    Charles understood her fears right away. After all, Lily was still just a child. It was normal to be scared after undergoing such a tremendous transformation.


    "Don''t worry. Parents don''t stop caring for their children. Even if you''ve turned into a mouse, they won''t disdain you," Charlesforted Lily.


    "Really?" Lily''s ears perked up upon hearing Charles'' words.


    "Yes. Really." Looking at the white mouse before him, Charles was somehow reminded of his own younger sister.


    Lily shook her body excitedly and chirped, "Mr. Charles, you are right. Mommy won''t forget me. I''ve been away for so long, she must be missing me a lot."


    Charles ced the white mouse back down on the ground and was about to leave when thetter held onto his finger and requested, "Mr. Charles, can you take me home?"


    Just as he was about to turn her down, Charles saw the pitiful expression on the little mouse''s face.


    Charles let out a sigh and gave in, "Alright, I''ll take you back home."


    For some unknown reason, the little girl before him had been turned into a mouse and it remained uncertain if she could return to her human form. It was the least he could do to help someone in such a pitiful situation.


    Soon enough, an unusual sight appeared at Pier 3 of Coral Archipgo. A man with ck eyes paraded through the crowd with arge group of mice trailing after him.


    He had to fork out four times the price and repeatedly assure the driver that the mice wouldn''t nibble on the seat cushions before a steam-powered car driver agreed to transport them.


    Lily''s home was nearly an hour''s drive from the harbor. The closer they got to their destination, the more excited she became.


    <i>She should be really happy now, right? Will I be able to experience this some day? </i>Charles wondered as he watched the white mouse scurrying in circles on his thigh. His eyes glimmered with envy.


    "Sir, we''ve arrived. Dr. Oliver''s house is just around the left corner. He has a lovely little girl, so it''s best not to bring these mice with you. It might scare her," the driver warned.


    Unable to contain her anticipation, Lily couldn''t wait for the car to stoppletely and jumped off. Leading the group of mice, she sprinted toward the corner at full speed.


    However, her petite frame froze as if she had been struck by lightning the moment she reached the corner.


    "Hmm?" Charles sensed something amiss and approached.


    As they turned at the corner of the street, they saw an elegant two-storey vi standing gracefully above a protruding rock. In the front yard, a gentle woman sat with her daughter as they sipped tea and chatted.


    Although the girl looked to be only eleven or twelve years of age, she resembled the brown-haired girl in the first of that famous wizard film series. Her captivating charm hinted at her future beauty that might even surpass her mother''s.


    "Lily, do you have a sister?" Charles asked in hesitation. He had observed that the woman didn''t seem to exhibit any signs of grief.


    Charles'' words jolted the frozen Lily out of her frozen state, and she let out a piercing cry.


    "Ahhhhhh! That Lily is a fake! I am Mommy''s real daughter! She must be the witch the fairy tales speak of! She turned me into a rat and stole Mommy''s love from me! I''ll bite off that face of hers!!"


    The moment Lilypleted her sentence, she bared her fangs and ws. The mice behind her followed suit and they made a dash for the vi.


    With a raise of his left hand adorned with the ring, Charles swiftly lifted Lily into the air.


    "Calm down!" he shouted.


    Seeing that their leader was trapped, the swarm of mice swiftly turned around and bared their sharp teeth at Charles. Their gazes held a glint of murderous intent.


    Just as Charles'' tried to reach for the Clown Mask with his other hand, Lily squeaked to stop the mice from attacking.


    Suspended in mid air, she started bawling, "<i>Sob, sob, sob. </i>Mr. Charles, I can''t go home anymore...Mommy doesn''t want me anymore... What should I do??"

 Chapter 26. The Fake Lily

    <h4>Chapter 26. The Fake Lily</h4>


    Charles'' peculiarity had attracted the attention of onlookers. It was hard to miss a man apanied by a group of mice, and soon, a crowd began to gather as they pointed and whispered among themselves.


    "Stay calm," Charles said with his brows pressed together. He then led Lily toward the next street.


    "Are you sure that''s your home? And that girl there is what you used to look like?"


    "Of course! That''s how I originally looked. And that woman is definitely my mother," Lily answered, her voice tainted with sorrow.


    "Tell your mice friends to disperse first. We don''t want to cause any trouble."


    Lily squeaked twice and the mice around them scattered. A wave of shrieks sounded from the female onlookers.


    Charles brought Lily for a brief walk around the streets before they returned to the vi.


    Lily''s mother was no longer seated in the front yard. Only "Lily" was left there, silently reading a book.


    "Don''t speak a single wordter. Let me handle it," Charles instructed.


    After scanning the surroundings and finding nothing unusual, Charles pushed open the wooden gate and walked straight toward the girl.


    "Lily?" Charles called out.


    The girl reading the book looked up with a puzzled expression. The moment she saw Charles, her expression instantly changed into one of panic. She swiftly ced the book down and ran toward the house.


    "Hmm?" Charles lifted his left hand. Three invisible tentacles swiftly coiled around her.


    Just when Charles was anticipating that the girl before him would revert to her original form, "Lily" simply struggled and cried out desperately, "Mommy! Mommy! Save me!!"


    Witnessing the girl''s reactions, Charles was slightly taken aback and doubt crept onto his face. He had encountered a fair share of shapeshifting monsters but he had never seen one that responded this way.


    Charles brought "Lily" before him. Taking out his ck knife, he made a sh across the girl''s arm and crimson blood started to flow. He then brought the de to his lips and licked it. To his astonishment, it was indeed human blood.


    Just then, the vi''s door swung open and Lily''s mother emerged. Holding a flintlock pistol in her trembling hands, she aimed it at Charles, "Release my daughter this instant! I have already called the police!"


    Ignoring the woman''s harmless weapon, Charles calmly looked at the girl before him and asked, "Why did you run when you saw me?"


    The girl appeared extremely frightened but swiftly answered, "Because you smell of the sea. Daddy said that anyone who smells like the sea is a bad person."


    "You liar!! That''s my daddy!" Lily, the white mouse, was about to pounce onto the girl.


    Charles swiftly caught the white mouse by her tail. He then released the girl and went off with the mouse in his grasp.


    Everything about "Lily" appeared perfectly normal and she didn''t show any signs of pretense. Charles was feeling rather perplexed at this point.


    "Take it easy. Let''s investigate first." Charles said as he patted the white mouse''s head to soothe her anxiety and restlessness.


    Charles brought Lily back to the harbor. They navigated through various turns until they arrived before a secluded storefront.


    After confirming that there was no one else around them, Charles knocked on the door and whispered, "I''m looking for you boss, Small Ears."


    The door opened silently and Charles entered with Lily.


    Inside, it was a disorderly warehouse and a group of tattooed men were ying cards.


    When they saw Charles entering with a group of mice, a scar-faced skinny man stood up.


    "Aye, Captain Charles. It''s been a long while. Are you here to make a cargo deal again? I heard that you got yourself a <i>huge</i> ship. You can probably transport a lot of goods," the scar-faced man said.


    Charles couldn''t be bothered with pleasantries and handed over a stack of Echo bills.


    "I need some information on Doctor Oliver."


    Since there were no visible leads he could get from directly approaching the target, Charles thought it was worth a try to ask the local underground figures. They might have useful information.


    The scar-faced man shed a smile and reached out his right hand, which was missing two fingers, to receive the money. "No problem. There''s no news on the Coral Archipgo that the Sea Serpent Gang can''t find out."


    ***


    Not long after, a piece of paper scribbled full of words was slid through the crack of Charles''s door in Bat Tavern. Picking the paper up, he carefully read through the contents before he turned to look at the white mouse on the floor with aplex expression.


    "Lily, you said you were on your way to see your grandfather and then turned into a mouse after being caught in a vortex?"


    "Yes, that''s right," Lily replied.


    "But... ording to the information gathered by those guys, your parents have been on the ind for the past few years and have never been out at sea."


    Silence engulfed the room instantly.


    Three secondster, disbelief filled Lily''s gaze as she muttered, "So... So that means..."


    "That means that the other Lily is real. She is the real daughter of Doctor Oliver and his wife, and not an imposter."


    Since Doctor Oliver had never been out at sea, then he couldn''t have encountered a maritime disaster, and it was even more unlikely that their daughter would have fallen overboard and got caught in a whirlpool.


    "If she is real... then who am I?" Tears flowed down from the white mouse''s eyes.


    Charles carefully chose his words before replying, "Lily, this might be a little hard to ept, but memories don''t always reflect reality."


    "No!! I''m Lily! I''m not a mouse! I''m the real Lily!!" the white mouse shouted hysterically.


    Hearing Lily''s cries, the brown mice swiftly gathered around her, squeaking in concern.


    "Get away from me! I''m not of your kind! I''m human! I''m human!" The brown mice reluctantly took a few steps back but still surrounded the bawling white mouse.


    Charles was at a loss for words as well. He had imagined many possible scenarios, but he hadn''t predicted this particr one.


    However, on deeper thought, it seemed strangely fitting in the context of the desperate and deste situation in the subterranean world.


    Half an hourter, Lilyy motionless on the floor with the brown mice still surrounding her.


    "Mr. Charles, do you think I am really just a mouse?" Lily asked lifelessly as though her soul had been drained.


    Sitting on a stool, Charles remained silent. He didn''t know how he should answer in such a situation.


    Unable to get any answers, the disheartened white mouse slowly rose to her feet and walked toward the door. The brown mice followed closely behind.


    "Where are you going?" Charles asked.


    "I don''t know... But since I''m a mouse, perhaps I should live in the sewers. Mr. Charles, thank you for taking care of me all this while. You are a good person," Lily answered, her voice carrying a sense of resignation.


    The mice surged forward and formed a stack to easily toggle the handle to open the door. They then followed the white mouse into the dimly lit corridor.


    Watching the mice depart, an expression of annoyance appeared on Charles'' face.


    "Are you giving up already? Are you nning to live in the sewers and survive on trash for the rest of your life?"


    With her ears dropped, Lily turned around and stared at Charles in a daze.


    "Since you believe that you are human and it''s the Subterranean Sea that turned you into this form, then you should get into the sea and reim everything that''s supposedly yours! Don''t run away!" Charles'' voice grew louder.


    "Humans have no say over our destinies, but we can decide our response in the face of adversity. Come back! My ship needs a gunner."


    Tears welled up in Lily''s eyes once more. Sobbing between nods, the white mouse replied, "Mr. Charles, thank you. Why are you helping me like this?"


    Charles wasn''t a particrlypassionate person, but when he saw Lily heading out, lifeless and filled with despair, he instinctively felt resistance. As a fellow unfortunate soul who couldn''t return home, he feared that her fate could easily be his own in the future.

 Chapter 27. Elizabeth

    <h4>Chapter 27. Elizabeth</h4>


    Charles was alone on his way to the Explorers Association. He had left Lily behind at the tavern. The young girl was still in low spirits and he hoped that time would alleviate her pains.


    The moment Charles entered the Association, his gaze instinctively fell upon the corner sofa. This time, there were fewer captains present, four to be exact. And one of them was the beautiful giantess, Elizabeth.


    "My dear Charles, I''m here." Elizabeth waved enthusiastically.


    Charles didn''t approach her, but pointed to the counter instead. He wanted to settle some administrative matters first.


    "Here''s the information about that ind." Charles handed over his written records to the staff behind the counter.


    "Did you... Did you really go there?" the female staff behind the counter asked in disbelief.


    "Hurry up, I don''t have time to waste," Charles impatiently urged the unfamiliar staff before him.


    "So-Sorry! It''s my first day at work. Please wait a moment while I consult my supervisor."


    Soon enough, a middle-age man wearing round sses and a suit approached. He shed a smile at Charles before picking up the piece of document and carefully examined the contents. He even retrieved a few books in his possession andpared the document with them.


    After a while, he left out a sigh of relief and said respectfully, "Thank you for your tremendous contribution to the Association. We have managed to disperse the fog over a portion of the unknown mysteries of the Subterranean Sea."


    "How much is mypensation this time?"


    "For the exploration of a Danger Level 5 ind, along with the detailed report you have written, your totalpensation is 1.6 million Echos. After deducting the taxes imposed by the Governor, you will receive a final amount of 1.45 million Echo."


    Honestly speaking, Charles was astonished by the figure the man gave. He had never expected that exploring an ind would be so lucrative. With that amount, he could easily buy a two-story house with a front yard on the Coral Archipgo.


    However, at the thought of the numerous life-and-death crises he had faced on the ind, he felt that he truly deserved such arge amount of money. After all, he had risked his life for it.


    "Mr. Charles, you provided us with your bank ount information when you previously filled up our application form. We will directly deposit the amount into your bank ount, would that be alright with you?"


    "Alright," Charles replied and turned toward the direction of the sofa. He had other matters to attend to today.


    "What happened to your eye?" Charles asked as he pointed at a ck eyepatch that was over Elizabeth''s left eye. It made her look like a pirate.


    "I lost an eye. <i>Phew.</i> That ind is too dangerous. It''s already fortunate enough that I managed toe back. It was terrifying." Elizabeth naturally leaned closer to Charles. Despite her words, there was no sign of her fear on her visage.


    "Why are there so few people here today?" Charles nced at the other three unfamiliar faces.


    "The captains usually dock on Saturday afternoon and would gather here after. During other times, it''s mostly just a few of us. Hmm? Why are you wearing a ring on your ring finger? Did you get married? Oh, my heart is breaking." Elizabeth yfully traced her finger over Charles''s ring.


    Charles raised his left hand and waved it before Elizabeth''s face. "It''s just a piece of relic. Elizabeth, how are relics traded among Explorers?"


    Hearing Charles'' words, the other three captains immediately turned their curious gazes toward him.


    "Usually, the trading takes ce on Saturday afternoons, when everyone is gathered. But you can take them out now for us to have a look. If they are valuable, I can offer an appropriate price," said the disheveled young man. He held a bottle of hard liquor in his hand and had a gloomy expression. His clothes were stained with spilled liquor, and even from two meters away, Charles could detect the acrid stench emanating from him.


    Charles took out the remaining two relics and ced them on the table.


    The group of four, including Elizabeth, carefully examined the relics. After a while, the intoxicated young man spoke up.


    "Unappraised relics usually don''t have a fixed price, but let''s be friends, <i>hic~ </i>Three hundred thousand Echo for each relic. I want them both."


    It was a huge gamble of sorts. After all, no one knew the uses or drawbacks of both relics. If the price to pay for using the relic was too huge, it was equivalent to spending money to buy trouble home.


    "The price is reasonable," Elizabeth whispered into Charles'' ear. Her red lips were almost touching his earlobe and Charles could feel her breath.


    "Alright, deal." Charles shifted aside.


    "My name''s William. We can deal again next time. When you have more relics." The intoxicated young chap then took out a packet of red powder and poured it into the bottle before tilting his head back to consume it.


    William then started convulsing, much to Charles'' puzzlement. He turned to look at Elizabeth.


    "Don''t worry. It''s just Joyfruit powder. He has been taking that thing for half a year."


    <i>Is that some kind of drug? </i>A suspicion shed through Charles'' mind when he saw William''s nose and eyes stream with tears and mucus.


    However, he didn''t concern himself too much with the affairs of other captains. He turned to the towering beauty next to him.


    "Do you still have some of the jelly to eliminate auditory hallucinations? I need to buy some," Charles asked.


    Though the urrence of his auditory hallucinations was not frequent, they were still bothersome when they happened.


    "I still have some, but eating that stuff can be addictive. If you stop eating it, you will die a terrible death," Elizabeth warned.


    "Do you have any other way to alleviate this nuisance?"


    "Yeah," Elizabeth responded swiftly. "As long as you stay onnd, the problem will be resolved."


    Charles immediately dismissed this solution from his mind. No matter what, he would never resort to staying on an ind forever.


    After conversing with the other captains for a while, Charles nced at the clock and stood up. "Miss Elizabeth, please bring some on Saturday. I will purchase it from you. It''s gettingte, we can chat next time."


    The moment Charles stepped out of the door, Elizabeth stood up and followed him. An enigmatic smile appeared on her visage.


    Standing at the pier and watching theborers busily moving goods in the distance, Charles didn''t know what to do next.


    "Right, I need to buy a pocket watch."


    By the time Charles returned to his room in the tavern, there was already a gleaming golden pocket watch nestled inside the inner pocket of his coat.


    He pushed the door open to be weed by a chaotic swarm of mice scurrying about.


    "Mr. Charles, you are back..." The once bright and lively Lily was now lying soullessly on the bed.


    Charles gently patted Lily on the head before he walked to his desk and started writing his diary.


    In her curiosity, Lily dragged herself over to take a peak, but she quickly grew disinterested. She couldn''t decipher any of those circled and squared characters on the page.


    <i>Knock, knock, knock!</i>


    The sound of knocking echoed through the small room.


    Charles threw a hinting nce at Lily, and the mice scattered in an instant and scurried into all corners of the room. In a mere few seconds, Charles was now alone in his room.


    The moment Charles opened the door, he was greeted with a voluptuous bosom that bounced before him. He lifted his gaze and saw the towering beauty, Elizabeth.


    "My love, why are you staying at a ce like this? The soundproofing here is not that great," Elizabeth said, her tone carrying a hint of sexual suggestion.

 Chapter 28. Elizabeths Demand

    <h4>Chapter 28. Elizabeth''s Demand</h4>


    Charles pretended to be oblivious to the underlying meaning of Elizabeth''s words and calmly took a seat.


    "Miss Elizabeth, what''s the matter?"


    "You said you needed the jelly. You seemed rather urgent about it, so I brought it here," Elizabeth replied and took a small box from behind her.


    "Thank you. How much is it?" Charles inquired.


    Elizabeth pushed the box directly into Charles''s arms.


    "Why the formality? It''s a gift; it''s not worth much anyway."


    Elizabeth then entered the room and scanned the dimly lit space. "My love, why don''t you find someone to keep youpany? It can be quite lonely being all alone."


    Before Charles could respond, Elizabeth closed the room door behind her and sat down by the edge of the bed.


    Watching her actions, Charles felt a jolt in his heart. Staring at the pairs of eyes underneath the bed, he let out a cough and walked to the table to set down the box in his hand.


    "Name a price please, I don''t like to owe people favors."


    The corners of Elizabeth''s lips raised into a mischievous smile. A flush appeared on her face as desire glimmered in her eyes. "In that case, why don''t you give yourself to me?"


    "W-What...?" Charles stammered.


    Before Charles could utter another word, Elizabeth raised the short wooden staff in her hand and tapped it against the oilmp on the table. The oilmp shattered instantly and darkness engulfed the room.


    In the next moment, Charles caught a whiff of a fragrant scent as a supple figure pressed against him.


    "Rx, my love, You must learn how to rx. It''s already quite stifling out at sea," Elizabeth whispered into his ear like a seductress.


    Charles''s breathing grew rapid. Before he could say anything, in the darkness, a mass of softness pressed against his lips.


    Even though Charles hadn''t fully understood the situation, he wouldn''t be considered a man if he felt nothing considering the circumstances. A lustful fire ignited in Charles'' heart as he eagerly reciprocated.


    When the air-stifling softness finally withdrew, rapid gasps sounded in his ears.


    Just when Charles couldn''t hold it in any longer, a squeak sounded from beneath the bed. The squeak felt like a bucket of cold water being poured over him, and instantly extinguished the lust in him. If it were any other matter, it might have been manageable. But the room was filled with a horde of light bulbs.


    With a raise of his left hand, the invisible tentacles swiftly coiled around Elizabeth and pushed her away.


    "Miss Elizabeth, I''m sorry, but I''m not really feeling up to it today."


    In the darkness, her expression turned bitter. Being decisively rejected like this made her doubt her own allure.


    Her voice turned icy as she questioned, "Charles, aren''t you too much? Don''t tell me it''s that time of the month or something."


    Charles took a deep breath and opened the door, allowing the light from the hallway to seep in. "I''m sorry, but I''m really not feeling up to it today."


    "At the Association, I''ve always been there to give you advice and help but yet you show not a single ounce of gratitude. How heartless," Elizabeth muttered as she adjusted her disheveled clothes before walking toward the corridor with a calm expression.


    Before the towering beauty left, she left her final remark, "You wouldn''t happen to have a preference for men like the governor, would you?"


    A wry smile formed on Charles'' face. The friend he had worked so hard to befriend might be a stranger once more. Although her motives were impure...


    Lily was still in the room. She might just be a mouse but fundamentally she was an 11-year-old girl.


    In the dark room, Charles fumbled through the cabs to retrieve a candle and lit it. He contemted his words for a moment before he said, "Lily, actually, just now¡ª"


    A voice from under the bed cut Charles off. "I know what you were doing. My father is a doctor, and he taught me about these things. Mr. Charles, did I get in your way?"


    "Erm...."


    The next morning, Lily was still asleep, curled up on the pillow. As she opened her eyes and was about to greet Charles with a "good morning," she found the bed to be empty.


    "Jumpy, is Mr. Charles in the bathroom?" Lily asked.


    A brown mouse scurried out through the door gap and quickly darted in again. He squeaked a couple of times toward Lily on the pillow.


    "Mr. Charles left so early in the morning. He must surely be busy," Lily muttered to herself and stretched on the pillow before sitting up.


    After pondering for a moment with her head tilted, Lily looked at the mice under the bed, "Let''s go out to y, shall we?"


    Hearing the brown mice''s enthusiastic response, a smile appeared on Lily''s furry face as she leaped from the bed.


    Ignoring the screams and shrieks around them, Lily led the mice as they darted through the bustling streets within the inner ind.


    They encountered women in fancy dresses, screaming with a hand over their mouth, stray dogs barking, olddies brandishing their brooms, and even drivers who mmed on their emergency brakes. From the mice''s perspective, everything lookedrge and were a novelty.


    But with the increasing hostile res gathering on them, Lily hurriedly led the rats into a nearby alleyway.


    The secluded alley had fewer people than on the main street. Lily leisurely strolled around with the mice tailing behind her.


    "Woah! Look at how big that bread is. I can even sleep in it. Jumpy! Don''t go near it! It belongs to someone else!"


    "Don''t touch the meat either! You will get Mr. Charles in trouble!"


    Just as Lily was wandering aimlessly through the streets, she spotted a familiar figure from afar. It was the muscr man working in the turbine chamber on the Narwhale.


    Lily was about to approach James to greet him when she realized that thetter was now dressed in a tightly fitted suit when he was usually covered in grease. He even held an expensive bouquet of flowers in his hands.


    He appeared nervous and the back of his suit was already damp with sweat.


    "Let''s quietly follow him and see what he''s up to," Lily suggested.


    James navigated through a series of twists and turns in the alley before arriving before a bakery.


    Just then, a graceful woman in a dress emerged from the shop. James took out a small box from his pocket and knelt down on one knee. The crowd in the bakery erupted into apuse.


    "Wow! It''s a proposal!" Lily shouted in excitement.


    Witnessing the woman tearfully nodding and hugging James, a sweet smile lighted up Lily''s face.


    "How sweet," Lily remarked.


    Watching them enter the bakery, Lily continued her path forward. Just then, her stomach growled loudly.


    "Since Mr. Charles said I''m his crew member, he ought to give me a sry. Then I will be able to buy food for everyone."


    The mice around her squeaked in agreement.


    Scanning her surroundings, Lily noticed a grand clock tower in the distance. She then turned to the mice around her and said, "Everyone, my house is not too far from here. Let''s go see my mother and then we can go back and ask Mr. Charles for food."


    Lily then dashed off with the group of mice tailing her. This time, she learned her lesson and chose secluded corners to avoid startling others.


    Once again, they arrived before the vi. The brown mice skillfully formed a tower for the white mouse to stand at the top to look through a window.


    Pressing against the ss, Lily gazed intently at the family of three eating their meal at the table.


    "Daddy knocked off so early today?" Lily wondered aloud.


    Watching theughter and conversation inside the house, tears welled up in Lily''s eyes. She stood by the window until lunch ended. Upon seeing her mothering out to dispose of the trash, Lily quickly hid to avoid being seen.


    Lily continued to stare at her mother in longing. It was only when the woman entered the vi that Lily jumped into the garbage bin and searched for leftover scraps of food.


    She picked up a fishbone and devoured the remaining fish meat off it. The brown mice rushed in and swiftly cleaned up all avable food scraps.


    Just then, Lily heard the joyful cheers of a little girl from within the house.


    "Mommy and Daddy! Thank you for the birthday gift! I love you!"


    Holding the fishbone in her trembling paws, the white mouse raised it up and showed it to the mice around her.


    With tears streaming down her face, she sobbed, "See, I was right, wasn''t I? Mommy''s sweet fish soup is really delicious."

 Chapter 29. The Eye in the Sky

    <h4>Chapter 29. The Eye in the Sky</h4>


    "Where did you go?" Charles asked as he raised his gaze off the nautical chart and looked at the mouse that just came in through the door.


    "I went out to y," Lily replied in a dejected tone.


    "Are you hungry yet? There''s some food on the table."


    "Let the other mice have it. I''ve eaten," Lily, looking seemingly dispirited, climbed onto the bed andid down on the pillow.


    Seeing the unusually moody mouse, confusion was written all over Charles'' face. He couldn''t figure out what had gotten into her. Hadn''t the previous incident blown over?


    However, he couldn''t be bothered to indulge in her sulking. Grabbing her by the tail, he ced her on the table.


    "I found a few books about operating a cannon for you. Swiftly go through them. I will bring you to the harbor for practice tomorrow."


    Lily stared at the towering stack of books and felt an instinctive rejection toward them. "I don''t want to read them. And I already know how to operate a cannon!"


    "Cut the nonsense. Bing a qualified gunner is not so simple. Since you are a member of my ship, I have to make sure that you meet the benchmark. The sea is filled with all sorts of anomalies, your slight deficiencies could cost everyone their lives."


    Charles opened one of the books and tossed it toward the white mouse.


    Under the captain''s oppression, Lily began to reluctantly consume books that were beyond her age.


    However, under such high-pressure circumstances, Lily''s frustration and sadness were quickly overshadowed. A cheerful Lily soon re-emerged and was constantlyining to Charles all day long.


    Being pestered by the white mouse all day long, the usually quiet Charles also started speaking more. For the first time, the atmosphere in the room felt slightly livelier.


    Half a month soon passed and Lily hadpleted her basic training. Charles, along with the rested crew, were ready to embark on a new mission.


    Since the Danger Level 5 ind they had explored previously was the farthest one on the edge, this time Charles imed the mission to explore the northernmost sea region.


    Under usual circumstances, exploring the open sea was considered more safe than stepping foot onto an unknown ind. However, things were hard to predict in this subterranean sea.


    The crew was surprised to see that the white mouse, Lily, had returned to join them. With Charles'' subtle hinting, however, no one dug too deep into the matter. They only knew one thing¡ªmouse or not, the Narwhale had a new gunner.


    ck smoke billowed from the smokestacks of the Narwhale once again, and her magnificent silhouette gradually disappeared under the watchful eyes of the dockworkers.


    Life at sea was as calm as usual, with the exception of asional creatures climbing aboard. But those were also swiftly dealt with.


    Entering uncharted waters for the second time, the crew seemed to be much moreposed than before. The absence of casualties in their previous mission definitely contributed to a higher morale and enthusiasm among the crew.


    Even though they had only rested for half a month, every crew member exuded confidence. Second Mate Conor even wanted to refer his cousin to join them and earn some fortune.


    The crew often spected in private on how long it would take before they discovered a new ind and could enjoy prosperity under the wings of their captain.


    At the bridge, Charles held a pen in his hand. He was calcting the ship''s current position on the nautical chart based on her speed and direction. This was supposed to be the job of a navigator, but he had personally taken on the role for now. Precision was crucial, since any slight discrepancy in the measured coordinates could result in a significant error when determining the ship''s location.


    After triple confirmation that their coordinates were urate to the decimals today, Charles turned around and headed toward his quarters, wanting to write in his journal about today.


    However, as soon as he stepped out the door, he felt an unexinable unease.


    Standing at the door, Charles turned around and his eyes scanned the bridge.


    At the size of half a ssroom, the Narwhale''s bridge was considerablyrger than that of S.S. Mouse.


    At the moment, Boatswain Dipp was manning the helm while First Mate Bandages was overseeing the navigation from the side. The two were engaged in conversation.


    "First Mate Bandages, have you heard? James actually secretly got married! He didn''t even invite us to his wedding! Say, don''t you think he''s a terrible friend?" Dippined.


    "Steer 15 degrees to port... Increase speed by 5 knots..." Bandages instructed nonchntly, seemingly unaffected by Dipp''s grievances.


    As his gaze scanned the room, Charles finally found his source of unease. He directly approached Bandages and tore off the bandages on his amputated leg.


    Much to his surprise, a portion of Bandages''s thigh that had been previously bitted off by Anna had regenerated. The newly regrown section was a striking juxtaposition of pale, fair skin against his original ink-ck tattooed skin.


    Dipp had clearly noticed the miraculous situation and his eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh my gosh! A severed leg can actually grow again? Are you an octopus from the sea?"


    "Don''t stare around when manning the helm!" Charles shouted and the inquisitive sailor quickly retracted.


    Pointing at Bandages'' regrown thigh, Charles asked, "Can you exin what happened? I''ve not heard of Fhtagnists possessing the ability to regenerate lost limbs."


    "I... I don''t know... My memories are a mess... I''ve been to many ces...and encountered many things, but my memories will disappear..."


    Bandages held his head in his hand with a pained expression. "I don''t think my name is Bandages... But I''m not sure..."


    <i>This guy seems like he has a story too.</i> Charles signed inwardly and patted Bandages on the shoulder reassuringly. "It''s okay. If you can''t recall the past, then don''t dwell on it. You only need to remember that now, you are the first mate of the Narwhale."


    Seated on the stool, Bandages raised his head and the corners of his lips raised into an awkward smile, "Thank...you, Captain."


    With that, Bandages then took out a ck, long needle and started skillfully pricking away on his newly regrown thigh. A row of small letters appeared: Captain Charles can be trusted.


    "Bandages, actually, you don''t have to¡ª"


    "Captain! There''s a situation! Look out the window!"


    Hearing Dipp''s flustered shouts, Charles immediately turned his gaze toward the window.


    Bright yellow kes swirled and fluttered down. The scene reminded Charles of falling snow on Earth. However, the subterranean sea didn''t even have a sky, so how could there be snow?


    Confronted with such an anomaly, Charles swiftly gave orders in his capacity as a captain.


    "Everyone, retreat to the cabins and evacuate from this area at full speed."


    Bright yellow "snow" umted rapidly on the deck and the atmosphere on the Narwhale grew increasingly tense.


    With a muffled roar, the smokestacks started emitting thick, ck smoke.


    Charles stared intently at the dark expanse of the sea, his senses heightened, and he couldn''t even afford to blink.


    <i>Woosh~ Woosh~ </i>


    A howling sound echoed through the air, and the once calm waters churned with waves.


    <i>Is this... Is this wind? There''s wind in the subterranean sea? Could it be that we are nearing a passageway to the surface? </i>A ludicrous thought shed through Charles'' mind.


    Suddenly, Charles realized something and his pupils contracted to the size of a pinpoint. He seized the red lever and pulled it with all his might. Above the bridge, where the searchlights were supposed to illuminate the sea surface, the lights swiftly turned upright and pointed towards the sky.


    Charles dashed out of the room and looked upward. In that instant, his entire body trembled inexplicably as an indescribable fear engulfed himpletely.


    Directly above the Narwhale, a gigantic eye that covered half the overhead expanse was staring straight at him.

 Chapter 30. Divinity

    <h4>Chapter 30. Divinity</h4>


    Charles stood frozen in ce for three seconds before he was jolted back to reality by Bandages'' earnest prayers.


    He lowered his gaze to see that his first mate had somehow appeared beside him, and was kneeling before the colossal eye while chanting prayers.


    Gritting his teeth, Charles dragged Bandages and stumbled into the pilot house.


    Pale with rage, Charles didn''t utter a single word as he mmed the door of the pilot house shut. He swiftly operated the instruments and controls and the light above the Narwhale dimmed out. The ship immediately blended into the darkness.


    Just then, Second Mate Conor''s voice sounded from themunication pipe. "Captain, did something happen up there, why did you activate the¡ª"


    The next second, Conor''s voice was tainted with horror, "Oh my gosh, did we run into the god of the darkness? We are screwed, it''s all over!!"


    "Second Mate! Shut up!" Charles roared into themunication pipe. The veins on his face were visibly bulging.


    Beside him, Bandages was trembling non-stop. Wrapped up in bandages, he was curled up on the floor as he mumbled incoherent prayers.


    Charles rushed over and covered Bandages'' mouth with a hand. He whispered, "That''s not your god Fhtagn! Can''t you see that thing in the air?"


    Darkness engulfed the cabin and a tense atmosphere permeated. Other than rapid breaths, no other sound could be heard.


    After a few minutes, Dipp''s low voice sounded from beside Charles. He seemed to be suppressing his emotions.


    "Captain, what kind of divinity did you witness just now? Why don''t we pray to it? I heard that as long as we offer sincere prayers to those ''divinities,'' they will let us off."


    Charles kept quiet. He didn''t know what the hell that thing was, and neither did he want to know. He now only wished for that thing to leave as quickly as possible.


    <i>Hum...</i>


    A low resonance emanated from the dark expanse above.


    The sound sent shivers down the spine of everyone on board and made their scalps tingle with unease. As the sound subsided, strange noise could be heard instead from the decks, and the noise grew louder and more frequent with each passing second.


    "Damn it! Something got on the boat."


    Charles''s heart clenched instantly. He knew they couldn''t sit idly by any longer. If they continued like this, everyone on the ship would perish.


    Gathering all his determination, he dashed toward the controls and instantly switched on all the light sources.


    Beyond the window, blobs of writhing red flesh were squirming around on the deck and devouring the bright yellow "snow". He had no idea where those things came from.


    "Chief Engineer! Overload the turbines! Quickly evacuate from this wretched ce!!"


    The dormant Narwhal emitted a low hum as its speed rapidly escted.


    Witnessing the abominations on the deck jumping overboard, Charles felt not even a hint of relief. That entity in the air was the true danger. He didn''t dare to look up to see if it was still there. If an eyeball was enough to cover half the vast expanse above them, he couldn''t fathom the size of its owner. Now, the only thing he could do was give his absolute best to escape.


    Suddenly, the Narwhale jerked violently, and Bandages and Dipp were flung forcefully against the wall. Immediately after, a cacophony of noise and screams emanated from themunication pipe linked to the turbine chamber.


    "Captain! Something has prated the turbine chamber! The Third Engineer is dead!"


    A harsh metallic scraping sound echoed as several huge pirs resembling fingers descended from above and seized hold of the ship''s hull beyond the pilot house¡¯s window.


    Immediately, Charles realized that the Narwhale was rendered immobile and was even slowly rising in height. She had been caught by something!


    "Fuck! This is my transport home! Don''t you ever think of taking it away unless you cross over my dead body!" Infuriated, Charles couldn''t care about anything else. He yanked the searchlight upward and dashed onto the deck.


    Upon arriving at the deck, Charles lifted his gaze and finally got to see the rest of the entity above them. It was a monstrous gigantic butterfly that was several timesrger than the Narwhale.


    Its insect legs held the Narwhale captive, and the "eye" he had seen earlier was actually a marking on the butterfly''s wing. As the monster fluttered its wings, specks of bright yellow scales showered down.


    Despite the oppressive aura of the colossal monster before him, a smirk crept onto Charles'' face.


    Screw that nonsense crap. What divinity? He had almost fallen for that bullshit. A mere monster, no matter how huge it was, was still nothing more than a mere monster.


    A low-frequency hum resonated through the space again as the giant butterfly''s other legs lunged at the searchlights. It seemed to really abhor bright lights.


    Charles speedily darted toward the deck cannon and shouted, "Lily! Load the cannonballs!"


    By the time the ammunition had been loaded, the Narwhale was already seven to eight meters above the sea surface.


    <i>I can''t let it hold onto the ship any longer!</i> Charles aimed the cannon at the giant insect leg that was embedded into the side of the vessel.


    "Hold on tight!" With a thunderous roar, the insect leg armored with ck chitin instantly burst apart, and red and green bug juice sttered in the air.


    The Narwhale crashed forcefully onto the water''s surface, causing towering waves. If the Narwhale were a wooden ship, it would have already split apart.


    Ignoring his bleeding chin, Charles shouted in the direction of the bridge, "STUFF THAT BOILER! MOVE!"


    "Captain! Behind you!" At the bridge, a visibly panicky Dipp was gesturing frantically behind the ss.


    Charles turned back to see the giant butterfly, now with a missing leg, in front of the ship''s bow. Its two antennae quivered atop its head and emitted a low rumble that increased in volume with each passing second. It sounded like it was in rage from the provocation.


    "So you want more, huh? Sure! Let''s do this!" Sounding slightly crazed, Charles adjusted the cannon''s aim toward the monstrous insect head.


    Just when the tense atmosphere hit its peak, a massive pir of water that was three timesrger than the giant butterfly surged up from the sea between the two parties.


    The column of water burst apart to reveal a gigantic translucent hand adorned with eerie patterns. It was as huge as a mountain.


    At the sight of the hand, Charles immediately heard deafening whispers echoing in his ears. Everything in front of him began to warp, and his self-awareness rapidly dissipated.


    With a violent gale, the colossal hand descended upon the butterfly. As the palm met the water''s surface, the resultant towering waves crashed upon the Narwhale like a tsunami.


    In a daze, Charles caught a glimpse of a colossal being that traversed between heaven and earth. Its entire body was green and it had massive wings extending from its back. Countless tendrils sprouted from his soft head and its forelimbs resembledid ws. Its grotesque mouth, dripping with slime, stretched from its chin to its belly.


    <i>Boom!!</i>


    The overwhelming waves crashed on the desk and swept Charles into the sea. Witnessing this from the bridge, Dipp swiftly jumped into the waters.


    "Captain! Wake up! Captain!!"


    Charles slowly opened his eyes and found himself back in the captain''s quarters.


    "Phew..." Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief when Charles opened his eyes. Lily even burst into tears from her overwhelming emotions.


    Ignoring the pain in his head, Charles turned to look at Conor and asked, "Are we safe now? Where are we?"


    A bitter smile appeared on the redhead''s face as he answered, "We are safe for now, but as for where we are exactly...that, I don''t know."

 Chapter 31. Freshwater

    <h4>Chapter 31. Freshwater</h4>


    Charles threw off the covers and tried to stand up. The moment his feet touched the ground, a piercing ringing sounded in his ears. The murmurs overwhelmed him like a surging wave.


    This time, his auditory hallucinations were much more severe than any of the previous times. Charles even began to experience hallucinations. He witnessed the bodies of his crew members decaying and sprouting bizarre, misshapen tendrils as they transformed into monstrous abominations.


    Ignoring any possible consequences, Charles swiftly took out the box that Elizabeth gave him and swallowed arge piece of the green jelly within.


    The murmurs in his ears gradually grew softer and faded. At the same time, the distorted crew members also returned to their normal appearances.


    Drenched in cold sweat, Charles stood at a distance from the rest and panted heavily.


    Disregarding all concern for him, Charles instructed between gasps, "Notify everyone to gather in the captain''s quarters."


    Shortly after, everyone on the Narwhale had gathered in the captain''s quarters for an emergency meeting.


    "What is our exact location now?"


    "Well...It can''t be confirmed as of now. The huge wave seemed to have tossed us quite far off course. Fortunately, we managed to not capsize due to our First Mate''s extensive experience."


    "What about our casualties and loss of property?"


    "We lost two sailors, presumably swept overboard. Our Third Engineer was pierced by the butterfly''s w and died. Chef Frey''s left arm is dislocated," Second Mate Conor reported.


    As soon as he finished his report, Chief Engineer James spoke, "Captain, the creature''s foreleg directly prated the turbine chamber. We have sealed the hole for now but the turbine''s power has been severelypromised. The Narwhale can only achieve a fifth of its previous speed now."


    Hearing one piece of bad news after another, Charles could feel the weight of responsibility growing heavier upon him.


    He took a deep breath and addressed the crew. "First Mate, readjust the crew''s shifts to fill up the vacancies. Abort the original mission. We will head south for now, where there are more human settlements. There''s a higher chance of encountering the safe inds."


    The crew members gave an affirmative response and the paralyzed Narwhale finally started moving again.


    After the crew left the captain''s quarters, Charles grabbed the liquor bottle from the bottom cab and took a huge mouthful. His previousposure waspletely gone and was reced with extreme fear.


    A colossal armrger than a mountain¡ªwas it the same as the giant from his dreams? What exactly was it?


    He had heard tales of the divinity in the subterranean sea. Regardless if the tales were true or not, he remained indifferent to them. However, today, when heid his eyes upon the divinity, for the first time in his life, he realized how insignificant humanity was.


    "Is this ce still on Earth? There''s no way Earth can harbor such colossal creatures! Gravity itself would have crushed it!!"


    For a brief moment, the thought of selling the ship and spending the rest of his days on an ind crossed Charles'' mind. However, vague images of his family shed through his mind and his gaze gradually became resolute.


    "I cannot give up! Not even a god can stand in my way!" Charles proimed.


    Charles took another swig of the liquor bottle before putting it away. He then put on his cold demeanor once more and headed out of the room.


    As time passed, the atmosphere on the Narwhale grew calm once more under Charles''smand. Even though they were still not out of danger, at least, their morale had stabilized. Some of the crew members even had the luxury of time to collect the yellow "snow" in an attempt to brag to those on the Coral Archipgo when they returned.


    However, everyone seemed to be in an unspoken agreement to not bring up the giant hand that had emerged from the sea. They treated it like it was a taboo topic.


    "Mr. Charles, Dipp bullied me!!"


    In the canteen, the white mouse Lily stormed toward Charles in a rage and interrupted his meal.


    "That guy said that if we run out of food, he''s going to eat my friends!"


    Hearing the mouse''sint, Dipp tried to stifle hisughter and lifted his gaze to meet the Captain, "Captain, I was just teasing her. Also, mice aren''t tasty."


    "Stop being so childish, we are not even out of danger yet." Charles scolded the boatswain before he looked down at Lily who was on the floor.


    "We have enough food. Even if we don''t, we can cast a to catch fishes. We won''t have to resort to eating your friends."


    Hearing Charles'' words, Lily felt reassured and jumped before Dipp to confront him once more.


    Although Charles showed no signs of nervousness on his face, he was anxious deep inside. They did have enough food, but their supply of freshwater was running low.


    If they couldn''t find a new ce to dock before their freshwater supply ran out, everyone on board would die of thirst.


    Seemingly aware of Charles'' thought, First Mate Bandages approached him while munching on a piece of bread. "Captain...I have a solution..."


    Charles grew interested as he asked, "What''s the solution?"


    "Sacrifice...just three... souls. God Fhtagn will lead us to..."


    A trace of disgust appeared on Charles'' face as heshed out, "Throw those disgusting thoughts out."


    Bandages grew silent for a brief moment before he stared at the sailors standing in the distance andmented, "The freshwater on board canst us for another month. If we draw lots to be sacrifices... the survivors can drink the blood of those...In the worst scenario, three of us can endure up to half a year..."


    Charles abruptly turned to look at Bandages. His eyes narrowed into slits. It felt like this was the first time he was actually getting to know his first mate. That man was far from harmless, contrary to his outer appearance.


    "Sorry...It''s a contingency n...I''ve encountered a simr situation before...I ate my captain..."


    "Enough!! Just eat!" Charles roared. His sudden loud voice startled everyone.


    The next day, the crew noticed that freshwater on the ship was being rationed. No one objected to the action, but they seemed to dawn upon a realization as the smiles on their faces noticeably diminished.


    As the supply of freshwater dwindled with each passing day, Charles even took out his alcohol to be rationed.


    When the day arrived that everyone could only have a cup of water a day, someone finally snapped. He felt desperate and deste about the situation and wanted to jump overboard but was held back by other crew members.


    Bandages once again proposed the idea of offering a life sacrifice. Just when Charles was feeling wavered, a faint white beam of light swept through the darkness from above. It was the light from a lighthouse.


    Surrounded by the cheers of his excited crew members, Charles let out a sigh of relief as a wave of assurance washed over him. The hellish scenario that he feared had been averted.


    As the Narwhale slowly approached the light source, a strange ind appeared before their eyes. If other inds were described as a t pancake, this ind resembled an egg.


    At the bottom of the egg, there was a crack where various steamships, adorned with red gs, were able to enter and exit.


    As they had lost track of their coordinates, Charles didn''t know the name of this ind. From his memory, this ind was not marked in any of the nautical charts he had chanced upon either.


    However, since it was a human settlement,munication should be possible. The Narwhale followed the other ships and entered the giant egg.


    A giant city sat within the egg. Gothic-style buildings were neatly lined up. Perhaps due its cave-like structure, bats often flew overhead.


    "Boatswain, check with the locals if there''s a shipyard. The Narwhale needs to rece her turbines."


    "Aye!" Dipp held two small green gs and stood at the bow and gestured.


    A momentter, Dipp returned with an awkward expression on his face. "Captain, they seemed to be using a different gnguage. I couldn''t understand it."

 Chapter 32. Locals

    <h4>Chapter 32. Locals</h4>


    Watching the distant figures at the pier, Charles subconsciously licked his parched lips. "Let''s dock first, we can ask the locals when we get off."


    The moment Charles and his crew disembarked from the Narwhale, a crowd had already surrounded them. The onlookers stared at them with an intense gaze and didn''t even blink.


    Charles was starting to feel uneasy from the constant stares when two middle-aged men dressed in what seemed to be the uniform of custom officers pushed through the crowd and approached them.


    One of the men with deep smile lines on his face asked, "Who is the captain? Where did your shipe from? Don''t you know foreign vessels are not allowed to dock here?"


    Charles stepped forward and exined the situation in detail. He also enquired about the presence of a shipyard on the ind.


    After Charles finished his piece, a long moment of silence followed. The two middle-aged men before him seemed to be frozen as their intense gazes were fixated on him.


    After a few seconds, they finally came around and their expressions grew visibly more amicable than before. "Yes, there is, sir. If you steer your ship to the east, you will find a shipyard there."


    Second Mate Conor leaned in to Charles and whispered, "Captain, don''t you feel that the reactions of the people on this ind are a little slow?"


    Charles wasn''t sure either, but it was just a minor issue. The crisis for them was finally over.


    When Charles steered the Narwhal into the shipyard, he was informed that it would take a month to rece the turbine. Despite the long wait, they had no other choice. After all, the turbine was akin to the heart of the ship. Without well functioning turbines, the Narwhale wouldn''t be able to make it back to the Coral Archipgo.


    Upon paying the deposit and walking out of the harbor, Charles noticed that the locals were still staring at them as they remained motionless.


    Charles and his crew were too preupied by their parched lips to pay much attention to the locals and their weird intricacies. They hurriedly made their way into a deste inn and indulged in a hearty meal.


    After ensuring that his crew was full as judging from their satisfied expressions and contented belches, Charles then addressed them, "It''ll take a month to rece the turbines. The locals don''t seem weing so please take care and avoid unnecessary troubles."


    The crew members leaned back against their chairs and replied with nods and affirmations.


    However, the moment Charles said he was going to distribute theirpensation for this trip, everyone perked up with renewed vitality.


    Holding the stack of Echo bills in his hand, James hesitantly said, "Captain, the mission was a failure and the Narwhale even needs her turbines reced. Why don''t you for¡ª"


    "It''s alright. Everyone deserves their pay, so enjoy this time off and rest well," Charles interrupted.


    Charles was frugal before to save up to buy an exploration vessel. Now, he couldn''t care less about money. After experiencing such a catastrophe, if some banknotes were enough to pacify the crew, it was considered a worthwhile investment.


    With the money in their hand, the crew members couldn''t sit still anymore. Smiles spread across their faces as they walked out, shoulder to shoulder.


    Seeing their expressions, Charles knew exactly where they were going. For men who made their living at sea, this was the customary way to unwind whenever they got on an ind. On the contrary, Charles was considered an oddball but not indulging in it and remaining thrifty.


    That night, Charles had a weird dream. He dreamed that he was sinking into the deep waters again, and that colossal and horrifying humanoid creature turned to face him. He screamed and shouted and finally opened his eyes. He waspletely drenched in cold sweat. There was no underwater abyss nor monster, but only the slightly peeling ceiling of the inn before him.


    "Mr. Charles, did you have a nightmare?" Lily asked as she jumped onto his chest.


    Charles set up and took out his pocket watch. He realized he had slept for a solid eleven hours and that had never happened for him before.


    Just as Charles got up to go to the washroom, he noticed an envelope at the doorstep. He opened it and found beautiful cursive characters on the paper.


    <i>Mr. Charles:</i>


    <i>Life on an exploration vessel is too dangerous for me. I can''t take it anymore. I decided to stay on shore. Please forgive me for not being able to bid you farewell in person.</i>


    <i>Your Former Sailor,</i>


    <i>Sniffler</i>


    Charles let out a sigh as he crumpled the letter into a ball and tossed it into the nearby garbage pile.


    "It seems like money alone can''t buy their loyalty. Some of them arepletely scared out of their wits."


    Charles didn''t experience any sort of emotional roller coaster. After all, he had anticipated that some of his crew members would leave after going through such an experience.


    Calcting the time, Charles figured that it should be night time now and he headed out with Lily.


    The difference in the harbors between inds weren''t that apparent but the moment Charles entered what the locals named the Crown''s District, he immediately noticed a stark contrast.


    From the architecture down to the locals'' fashion, everything was different from that of the Coral Archipgo. Every man they passed by on the streets wore tailored suits with leather cors and carried canes. Meanwhile, thedies were dressed up in fancy garments and exuded elegance in their every action.


    Charles wondered if it was just his own illusion but it seemed like the ind''s residents seemed to score higher on the visual appearance scale, with many more handsome men and beautiful womenpared to the average ind.


    However, regardless of their attractive appearances, their habit of staring at others remained.


    Feeling bothered that he was being treated like an animal in an enclosure, Charles stopped a man and asked, "Excuse me, may I know where''s the Explorers Association? I couldn''t find it in the harbor area."


    "Explorers Association? What''s that? I''ve never heard of it," the man answered.


    <i>He hasn''t heard of it?</i> Charles looked visibly surprised. ording to his knowledge, most inds in the subterranean world were discovered by Explorers.


    Although the Association was a loosely organized group, it was thework of symbiotic rtionships between governors of the various inds and had a major influence in human settlements.


    If this ind didn''t even have an Explorers Association, could it be that this ind had no contact with other inds and was an isted ind?


    While Charles was consumed by his thoughts, the person he had questioned had already turned and walked away.


    After pondering for a brief moment, Charles headed for the library nearby. Soon enough, he found various nautical maps within the books and afterparing them with each other, Charles managed to pinpoint the position of the ind.


    Drawing a line with his finger on the nautical chart, Charles had a rxed expression as he remarked, "Great. Although this ce is not recorded, it''s not too far from the Coral Archipgo. Once the ship is repaired, at the fastest speed, we will be able to get back in 15 days."


    Charles then purchased various new and old nautical charts and left the library.


    Standing on the bustling streets, he momentarily froze. The ship had been sent for repairs, their coordinates had been confirmed. Now, Charles was at a loss on what to do.


    If it was previously, Charles would have probably continued training his physical fitness in preparation for his future adventures. However, the thought of his increasingly severe hallucinations made him wonder if he had pushed himself too hard all these while. After all, he hadn''t rested a single moment since arriving here in this subterranean world.


    <i>I should learn to rx. It might be helpful in relieving those hallucinations.</i>


    At this thought, Charles turned to Lily who was perched on his shoulder and said, "Let''s explore the ind."


    "Yay!" Lily perked up as soon as she heard that they were going to y.


    Towering spires, vivid reliefs, and stained ss windows caught their attention. Though Charles might becking in the artistic aspect, he could still appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship of these buildings. They were not something that a new ind like the Coral Archipgo couldpare with.


    "Mr. Charles, what''s that? It looks delicious!"

 Chapter 33. A Blind Artist

    <h4>Chapter 33. A Blind Artist</h4>


    Hearing Lily''s remark, Charles turned his gaze toward the direction she was pointing at.


    A bustling town square could be seen at the end of the street, about dozens of meters ahead of them. It was crowded with people and there were also several street food stalls, and some resembled barbecues.


    "Is this considered the food street of the Subterranean Seascape?" Charles walked toward the square. He bought a bag of cream-stewed oysters for Lily and entered the lively square.


    It seemed to be the local marketce with all sorts of delicious food and entertaining performances. Lily was overwhelmed by the sight.


    Just when Charles unconsciously strolled to the edge of the square, a blind mind with a disfigured face and sunsses appeared before them. His face was marred by the fusion of flesh and skin; its appearance resembled some kind of burn injury. His horrifying visage stood out among the sea of handsome men and beautiful women.


    A sign was ced at the blind man''s feet. It wrote: Oil Painting, 100 Echo each.


    Observing the tattered cloak on the blind man, Charles could roughly guess that his business was not doing well. But that was expected¡ªafter all, who would seek a blind painter?


    The blind man cowered next to his painting easel. His pitiful figure was unfitting of the lively environment.


    Just then, three young men, arms locked, walked to the side of the road and one of them kicked the easel, causing it to crash to the ground. The trio burst into boisterousughter as they watched the blind man crouching over and desperately picking up his scattered belongings.


    Charles noticed that everyone around was oblivious to what just transpired; they didn''t even bother to spare a nce. He knit his brows. <i>Not only are the locals strange, they are also incredibly indifferent.</i>


    Unable to bear the sight, the kind-hearted Lily led her group of mice over and helped the blind man with his art supplies.


    Feeling someone had rendered him assistance, the disfigured blind man burst into tears. "Why!! Why am I so unfortunate!!"


    Charles approached him and after pondering for a moment, he said, "Stop crying. Paint something for me."


    With business knocking on the door, the blind man set aside his sorrow and wiped the tears and snot off his face before he stood up. "Sir, please take a seat here," the blind artist said as he clumsily retrieved a folding chair from behind his easel.


    Curiosity bred in Charles'' heart as he watched the blind man deftly mixing colors. How could a blind man paint when he couldn''t even see?


    Just when Charles was about to pop the questions, the blind man ced his palette down and reached out toward Charles'' face with both hands.


    <i>Painting by touch? </i>The thought surfaced in Charles'' mind. The blind man then picked up his paintbrush and started drawing. This piqued Charles'' interest even further. He was eager to witness the skills of this blind artist.


    A few minutester, the blind artist ced the paintbrush down and carefully removed thepleted artwork from the easel. He then respectfully presented it before Charles.


    <i>nk!</i>


    Startled, Charles kicked over the folding chair as he took three steps back. His right hand instinctively reached for the gun holstered at his waist.


    It wasn''t Charles that was depicted on the canvas, but rather, a lifelike portrait of Anna!


    The sound of the folding chair crashing to the ground caught the attention of the blind artist. With a look of panic, he immediately reached out his hand to try to touch Charles.


    "Sir, does it not look like you? Please don''t go. I haven''t eaten for three days. Please at least spare me some change. Show pity to this pitiful man."


    Withplicated emotions, Charles received the painting. He then took out a couple of hundred Echo notes and ced them into the hands of the blind artist.


    Feeling the touch of the notes in his hand, a look of ecstasy appeared on the blind man''s horrifying visage. He deeply bowed toward Charles and said, "Sir, thank you for showingpassion to a pitiful soul like me. May the Mother bless you."


    "You have the ability to read minds?" Charles asked as he held the painting in his hand.


    "Not really. It''s just some useless ability that emerged after I became blind," the blind man humbly replied in a pacifying demeanor as he retreated back into the corner.


    Charles'' finger gently traced the outline of Anna''s face on the painting, and the fictional memories started emerging in his mind.


    <i>"Gao Zhiming, I like you, can I be your girlfriend?"</i>


    <i>"Gao Zhiming, stop ying games! I''m much more entertaining than any game."</i>


    <i>"Don''t worry, isn''t it just a subterranean world? It''s not a big deal. Together, we will definitely make our way back up!"</i>


    Charles'' expression contorted as he tightened his grip on the edges of the painting, his veins bulging due to the force he exerted.


    Lily hopped onto Charles'' shoulder and asked, "Mr. Charles, who is thisdy? She''s so pretty."


    Just as the man and mouse were engaged in conversation, the blind man lifted his chin and continuously sniffed the air.


    Eventually, Charles couldn''t gather the resolve to tear the painting. He rolled it up and tucked it away into his embrace. With a tinge of mncholy on his visage, he said, "Let''s go, Lily. We''re heading back."


    The blind man behind them raised his hand wanting to stop Charles but ultimately hesitated and didn''t utter a word.


    On their way back, Lily could clearly sense that Mr. Charles was distracted. She instantly suspected that it must have something to do with that painting.


    <i>Could it be like in a y, thatdy and Mr. Charles shared a passionate love story, and after that she heartlessly abandoned him? </i>The white mouse spected in her mind.


    When Charles returned to the inn, he saw three envelopes ced at his doorstep. This time round, two sailors and the assistant chef said they wanted to quit.


    With the addition of those deceased during their journey, almost half of the crew on Narwhale was gone.


    "Aren''t they too impatient? They resign the moment we are on shore and safe. Why don''t they wait till we are back at the Coral Archipgo?" Feeling annoyed, Charles pushed the door open and entered his room.


    He lit the oilmp and took out the painting from his embrace. Staring at it intently for a solid few moments, he then clipped the painting securely between the pages of his captain''s diary.


    He then pulled out the pen from his breast pocket and started writing in his diary. Before he could pen a few characters, another envelope was slipped in through the gap under the door.


    "If you want to leave, say it to me in person!" Charles shouted.


    However, his shout was met with silence. Charles'' expression turned grim as he walked to the door and opened the envelope


    When he saw that the letter was signed off with Dipp''s name, his expression turned serious instantly.


    "Lily,e with me," Charles instructed and the white mouse hopped onto Charles'' shoulder once more. Her army of brown mice followed after them, forming a carpet-like trail.


    "Mr. Charles, why are we heading out again?" Lily asked, unable to hide her curiosity.


    "Something''s amiss. Dipp is in danger," Charles replied.


    "Huh?" Lily''s eyes widened in surprise.


    Charles waved the letter before Lily''s face and remarked, "There''s no way he wrote this. That kid is an orphan. He can hardly read, so how would he know how to write a resignation letter? Someone forged the letter."


    As the realization dawned upon him, Charles also noticed the suspicions behind the previous resignation letters.


    If the crew members wanted to quit, most of them would just leave directly. If they shared a better rtionship, they would resign in person like how Old John did. Only in extremely rare cases would they write a resignation letter.


    Moreover, the elegant cursive handwriting didn''t seem like what seafarers who lived a rough and tough lifestyle would be capable of writing.


    As they walked on the streets, Charles felt a strong sense that something was amiss as he observed the inders around him. He instructed Lily who was perched on his shoulder, "Send your mice out to find and gather every crew member that they can."


    "Alright!" Lily squeaked twice and the brown carpet of mice instantly scattered away.

 Chapter 34. Vampires

    <h4>Chapter 34. Vampires</h4>


    "Captain! Did something happen?"


    The crew members of the Narwhale followed the mice and gathered. Most of them had put on their clothes hastily and their breath had a hint of alcohol. The cors of their shirts were also stained with various lip imprints.


    "Do any of you know where Dipp wentst night?" Charles asked.


    The skinny cook, Frey, immediately answered, "I do, Captain. Second Mate took the kid with him yesterday. He said he wanted to bring him to a fancier ce and let him have a taste of being a man. It''s not far from here, just straight ahead."


    "Bring your weapons and follow me!" Charles instructed immediately.


    <i>Did they get into trouble with a local gang? </i>That was the first thought that entered Charles'' head. After all, such industries were usually under the control of specific groups. But that didn''t really make sense either. A gang wouldn''t take someone away and even follow up with the hassle of sending resignation letters. Such an action was a deliberate attempt to keep the others unaware of their disappearance.


    Soon, they arrived at a tavern draped with red curtains. Even a few feet away from the entrance, the scent of a seductive fragrance that stirred the lust of men permeated the air.


    <i>Bam!</i>


    Charles kicked the door open and dashed in. Entwined in each other''s arms, the couples in the hall instantly turned their gaze onto the sudden intruder.


    A muscr figure that towered close to two meters stood up with a grim expression. Behind him stood dozens of his subordinates.


    "You bastard! How dare you cause trouble in our terri¡ª!" A short man shouted but the burly man sent him flying to the wall with a single p.


    With his visage adorned by rippling, meaty features, the muscr man approached Charles and looked downward at him.


    "Someone told me that my crew members are here," Charles said as he remained unflinching and stared into the man''s eyes.


    Facing Charles'' provocative action, the burly man appeared ratherposed. "Your two crew members are not here with me. Perhaps they have gone elsewhere."


    A cold smirk appeared on Charles'' visage as his eyes narrowed into slits. "Did I ever mention that it was <i>two</i> crew members?"


    The burly man''s expression immediately contorted with a mix of embarrassment and frustration. He had never thought that a human could outwit him. Realizing that he could no longer conceal the truth, he gestured with his hand.


    The henchmen around him started to chase the guests out of the tavern. Shortly after, the lively tavern had grown eerily quiet.


    "I know that those from the sea are not to be trifled with. But since you are here, why don''t you just... stay here?" With those words, the burly man stuck out his scarlet red tongue and licked his lips. He chuckled. "Blessed be the Mother, luck seemed to favor little old Durant to have this batch of humans fall into my hands."


    Hearing Durant''s ominous words, Charles didn''t hesitate for even a single second.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Charles pulled out his revolver and aimed it at Durant''s towering figure. The other crew members also swiftly brandished their weapons.


    In the next moment,ughter erupted from the opposing side as though Charles had just told the most uproarious joke.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Bullets struck Durant and blood sttered.


    Yet to everyone''s surprise, the bullet wounds on Durant''s body rapidly healed and within a few seconds, there was no wound to be seen.


    "It seems like... you have yet to realize what you''ve encountered... Humans." The corners of Durant''s lips curled into a horrifying sneer.


    <i>Snick!</i>


    Two sharp fangs protruded from his upper lip. The pale expanse of his eye sockets was slowly reced with a crimson hue reminiscent of freshly spilled blood.


    "A vampire." Charles'' pupils contracted.


    "Your blood is mine!" With a forceful push of his feet, Durant lunged at Charles. An instantter, Charles was pressed to the ground by a massive force and Durant''s sharp fangs pierced into Charles'' neck.


    The moment Durant made his move, the other vampires also sprung into actions. They shed their disguises and revealed their fangs as they pounced on the crew members.


    As Durant was feeding, he started to feel that something was amiss. The human before him with ck eyes showed no sign of resistance, which was strikingly contrary to the norm.


    <i>Huh. Did I just scare this guy silly?</i>


    Just as that thought crossed Durant''s mind, a white mask with an ecstatic expression covered Charles'' face.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    A gleaming glint shed and the ck de was firmly lodged into Durant''s chest. He was forced to take a few steps back.


    "Tsk, I was still thinking it would be something worthwhile. But hah, vampires. What a pathetic excuse of existence, a miserable joke!"


    "Ahhhhh!" Behind them, James stood close to four meters tall. He roared as he grabbed hold of a vampire and tore the being into two halves by sheer arm strength.


    The mice swarmed on a vampire and their squeaks echoed in the enclosed space. The trapped vampire''s agonized screams could be vaguely heard from underneath the furry onught.


    The other crew members joined in on the attack as well. They might have shown fear before the colossal butterfly, but supernatural beings like vampires held no power to intimidate people who had a close encounter with a "divinity."


    "You!" Durant red furiously at the man in white mask before him. Things had taken an unexpected turn.


    His sharp ws streaked through the air, leaving afterimages in their path, as they threatened to shred Charles'' face.


    Charles''s neck muscles drew taut as he pulled his head back, narrowly avoiding the menacing ws as they grazed past his smooth mask.


    "You like biting, don''t you? Have a taste of this then!"


    Raising his blood-stained ck de, Charles forcefully stabbed it into Durant''s mouth, and the tip emerged through the back of thetter''s skull.


    Enraged, Durant tried to resist, but with a twist of the hilt, Charles exerted force and pushed the de forward, splitting the monstrous visage with perfect uracy. He then withdrew the de and plunged it into the vampire''s heart.


    The creature that had been behaving oh-so-arrogantly a few moments before convulsed and fell to the floor. Soon after, it turned motionless.


    With grim determination, Charles pieced both parts of the bloodied head back together. He then executed a wless backflip and joined in the battle happening behind him.


    Witnessing how Charles had effortlessly ughtered their own kind like how he was chopping vegetables, the remaining vampires could endure no longer and frantically made a dash for the windows in an attempt to escape.


    "What the hell... Pathetic creatures. All that hype for such insignificant existence," Charles scoffed in disdain as he watched them flee.


    Charles'' ears twitched. Leading his crew members in tow, they crossed the wreckage-strewn hall to arrive before a wooden door.


    The door was pushed open and Charles was greeted with the sight of Dipp and Conor hanging on inverted crosses like dried meat. Deep gashes marred their wrists, and droplets of blood dripped into a wooden basin ced beneath them.


    Their faces had turned ashen, and it seemed that if Charles hadn''t arrived in time, they would have bled to death.


    Upon spotting Charles, the two men hanging on the frame thrashed about wildly.


    Charles didn''t release them from their restraints immediately. He approached Dipp and used the ck de in his hand to tap against thetter''s face. "Well? So did you enjoy the taste of a female vampire?"


    With his mouth gagged, the youngd couldn''t utter a single word but his eyes pleaded with despair as he made muffled cries.


    A white glint shed and the chains restraining the two men snapped apart.


    Ignoring the pitiful duo, Charles walked to the side and examined the various bloodletting instruments that wereid out. This seemed to be the ce where the vampires extracted blood from their victims. Evident from the crimson liquid with the towering ss jars that were the height of two adult men, Charles knew that Dipp and Conor weren''t their only victims. There were likely many more.


    The other crew members that disappeared weren''t here. It was highly possible that this wasn''t the only ce where vampires gathered.


    "Mr. Charles, what should we do next?" Lily curiously asked


    "Isn''t it obvious? We killed so many vampires, we have to report it to the authorities."

 Chapter 35. The Entire Island

    <h4>Chapter 35. The Entire Ind</h4>


    Shortly after, the inders witnessed a truly shocking scene on the streets of the harbor area. A giant towering close to four meters was parading through the streets while dragging the lifeless body of a vampire wrapped in a pink curtain. The dark red blood seeping through the curtain left a chilling "red carpet" on the stone pavement.


    The onlookers on the streets swiftly made way for the party and stood by the side of the street as they watched with rmed expressions. A few in the crowd even averted their eyes and hurriedly turned to leave.


    Spotting those in the crowd, Charles gave a cold smirk in response. Those people were undoubtedly spies sent by the vampires. This was the effect he wanted to achieve through the parade. So what if they were vampires? They were mere child''s ythingspared to those horrors lurking in the subterranean sea.


    The red carpet on the ground stretched all the way from the brothel to the police booth at the harbor.


    "Hey! You lot are really bad at running this ind. So many of these creatures have infiltrated the ind and yet you didn''t realize. Are you even working?" With his mask on, Charles chided the police as though he was someone of higher authority.


    The two police officers on shift stared at the disarrayed corpse on the floor as cold sweat beaded on their faces.


    "Are you guys feeling hot?" Charles pressed his masked face against them.


    "No... It''s not hot!" The slightly plump police officer instinctively cowered back.


    "Now that I have taken care of this mess for you, shouldn''t you show some appreciation? I suspect there are still more vampires hiding in the harbor. You''d better find them quickly. I still have a few missing crew members."


    Staring at the pile of bodies at the entrance, the two officers dare not utter a word. They could only earnesty promise to report it to higher authorities immediately.


    The moment Charles left the police booth, the portly officer urgently urged his colleague, "Quick! Inform the chief! Those neers have killed Durant!"


    ***


    "Captain, will those people help us find the others?" Conor asked as he clutched onto his wrist.


    "If I were the governor of this ind, I''d never allow other races to freely feed on my kind in my territory."


    Removing the Clown Mask, Charles wore a solemn expression as he continued, "But that''s not the key issue. Judging from how brazenly those vampires revealed themselves, it seemed like this ind is far from peaceful. We need to leave as soon as possible. Let''s head to the shipyard now."


    "Sir, why are you here? Didn''t I tell you that the repairs would take a month?" The moment Charles and his party entered the shipyard, the manager approached them with blueprints in his hands.


    "Can you expedite the process? Money is not an issue," Charles said. He didn''t want any further incidents. Now, he only wanted a functioning turbine that could get him back to the Coral Archipgo. Once he was back in his own turf, he could take his time to change a new turbine and still feel at ease about it.


    Hearing Charles'' words, the manager seemed to sink into a dilemma, "This really puts me in a difficult position..."


    Just before he couldplete his sentence a worker approached him and whispered into his ear.


    The manager''s expression instantly changed as he looked at Charles with a fearful gaze. "S-Sir! Three days. I will have the best turbine here installed for you. Just three days."


    Charles couldn''t figure out what the worker had told the manager but he clearly sensed a shift in the manager''s attitude. Now that he had achieved his objective, Charles didn''t spare any more time. He left a few instructions and left the shipyard.


    "Prepare the supplies. We depart immediately once the turbine is ready."


    "What about Jack and the rest?" Dipp inquired about the other missing crew members.


    "We can''t worry about them now. If the ship is fixed and the police still can''t find them, it''s highly likely that they have met their demise."


    Just as Charles was conversing with his crew, Lily who was sitting on his shoulder suddenly eximed, "Mr. Charles! Look! It''s that artist!"


    Charles lifted his head and saw the disfigured blind artist before him. The blind man was stumbling toward them, sniffing the air as he approached.


    Instinctively, Charles felt that the man was looking for him.


    "Is something the matter?" Charles approached the blind artist and asked.


    Charles'' sudden question seemed to have jolted the blind man, but a trace of joy soon appeared on thetter''s visage.


    "Sir, I finally found you. I have wanted to tell you this back at Helen Square. But there were too many people there, I¡ª"


    "What is it? Please get to the point," Charles interrupted the blind man.


    Hunching his neck and lowering his voice, the blind man said, "Sir, I have crucial information that concerns your safety. I want to use this piece of news in exchange for a spot on your ship to leave this wretched ce. I can''t stand it here anymore. Everyone bullies me."


    Though Charles was unsure what secretive crucial information the blind man had, he readily agreed to the unfair trade since he needed more information from a local anyway.


    "Tell me more."


    "I know you are formidable but please leave this ce as soon as possible. The police had reported the news of you killing Durant upward to higher authorities. They had dispatched two nobles to deal with the aftermath. If they arrive, you won''t be able to escape!"


    "Nobles? What are you talking about?" Charles'' brows were pressed together.


    Seeming agitated, the blind man gestured wildly with his hands. "Those vampires you killed aren''t the only vampires!! In fact, the entire ind, every single local is a vampire! This is the vampires'' stronghold¡ªDark Crystal Ind!"


    The revtion shook everyone. Disbelief and shock were written on their faces and their eyes widened in surprise as they stared at the inders around them.


    "All of them?"


    "Yes, all of them, including me."


    As if to prove the authenticity of his words, the blind man then opened his mouth to reveal his sharp vampire fangs glistening in the light.


    Charles'' expression turned extremely grim. A few vampires wouldn''t pose a significant threat, but if it was an entire ind of vampires, then they were likembs to ughter. He had thought that they escaped the insect''s ws of death, only to find himself wandering into a den of vampires.


    <i>If they are all in cahoots, then earlier...</i>


    The sudden thought shed through Charles'' mind and his expression changed. He hurriedly returned to the shipyard with his crew.


    The moment he entered the shipyard, he bumped into the manager who was heading out.


    "Didn''t you say that you will expedite the repairs of my ship? Why do you still have the time to head out?" Charles questioned. The crew members wore menacing expressions as they stood behind their captain.


    "Erm... I... I..." the manager was at a loss of words.


    Charles couldn''t be bothered to hear his excuses and directly ordered his crew members to seal off all the exits and gather everyone inside the shipyard.


    Watching the manager before him with fear and uncertainty written on his countenance, Charles said, "Drop the pretense. He has already told us. So you are in league with the others outside, aren''t you? I dare say that none of you had actually touched my ship at all."


    "You traitor!" the enraged manager revealed his sharp fangs and pounced at the blind man. But before he could reach the blind man, a blood-stained ck de was interposed between him and his target.

 Chapter 36. Nobles

    <h4>Chapter 36. Nobles</h4>


    Observing that the vampire workers were getting restless, James swiftly transformed into his giant form. With one hand, he grabbed a steel bar as thick as a bowl and stood behind Charles. His overwhelming presence immediately quelled themotion.


    Charles turned to look at the blind man next to him and asked, "When will those two nobles you mentioned arrive?"


    "Under normal circumstances, they are in the mausoleum located at the center of the ind. It will take around half a day for them to reach here," the blind man answered.


    "Alright."


    Charles then pointed at the Narwhale and turned his gaze onto the vampire shipyard manager.


    "You have three hours to get the turbine installed. Otherwise, the same fate as Durant awaits every single one of you here."


    A scruffy-bearded vampire among the workers stepped forward and in an agitated tone, he eximed, "That''s impossible! Do you have any idea how troublesome it is to change a turbine?"


    "Chief Engineer."


    The moment Charles called upon James'' title, a steel bar whistled through the air from behind him and ttened the scruffy-bearded vampire. His ttened form attempted to heal, but the giant holding onto the steel bar relentlessly pounded him with the bar again and again, reducing him to a pulp of minced meat.


    Blood sttered onto the other vampires, and fear crept onto their faces.


    "Do you think that I can be easily pacified with lip service, you blood-sucking monsters? Get to it now!" Charles'' words wereced with anger.


    The shipyard manager''s lips trembled as he shakily raised a hand to wipe off the bits of blood and flesh on his face. Leading the other vampires, they turned and walked toward the Narwhale.


    "Second Engineer, you are familiar with the turbines. Keep an eye on them. Beware of these creatures trying anything suspicious."


    "Aye, Captain." The Second Engineer of the Narwhale followed after the group of vampires.


    Initially, the task would have been assigned to the Chief Engineer. However, presently, the Chief Engineercked the intelligence to handle such work. Said Chief Engineer stood motionless in his spot, his only task to intimidate all the vampires.


    <i>Creak~</i>


    The metal gate of the shipyard opened to reveal a crack as Dipp''s gaze scanned the environment outside.


    After a brief observation, he turned to Charles, who was seated on a crate, and said, "Captain, those people outside seemed to have noticed us. Many of them are staring in our direction."


    "Audric, will they rush in?" Charles asked the blind man as he wiped his ck de.


    The blind man shook his head and replied, "They won''t. They wouldn''t darey their hands on the prey marked by the Nobles. Besides, you lot are not ordinary humans either. They are a divided bunch, so they wouldn''t dare act."


    Charles immediately understood the situation. It seemed like their previous disy of power still had its effects. Even if the vampires outside knew they were nning their escape, they didn''t dare act recklessly without a higher authority to lead them.


    "How powerful are the Nobles?" Charles inquired, trying to gather more information about his iing enemies.


    "The power of the Blood n is ssified based on age. The older one is, the more experience they have and the more power they possess. One needs to be at least five hundred years old to be a duke. By then, they are already fundamentally different from us. As long as they wish, they could easily ughter thousands of ordinary vampires," Audric exined.


    <i>Five hundred years old?</i> Charles was somewhat surprised. If they were that old, they might perhaps have knowledge about the Land of Light.


    Charles shared his spection with Audric, but thetter shook his head in response.


    "Only the Mother would know about this. Every vampire on this ind originated from her bloodline, and she was the only one who has ever seen that cursednd. I''ve only heard that that ce is filled with light, and the slightest touch of it could burn us, vampires, into ashes. I have no idea how the Mother survived in that ce."


    "How did the Mothere to this ce?" Charles inquired further.


    "Ah. I''ve heard about it. Legend has it that an entity told the Mother about a ce where there was no sunlight to harm vampires and also, humans were in abundance."


    Charles was startled. He had never anticipated that this was how the vampires came to be in the subterranean world.


    The blind man, Audric, couldn''t see Charles'' expression and continued, "But that entity lied to the Mother. Not only were humans in abundance, there were also many more existences that were more powerful than our kind. Even survival proved to be tough for vampires in this ce. The Mother holds great resentment toward that entity."


    At the mention of existence being more powerful than the Mother of Vampires, Charles was instinctively reminded of that colossal hand that had emerged from the sea. Its presence left no room for resistance.


    "Then how much do you know about the previous world the Mother lived in? Which country is she from? How many suns are there in the sky?" Charles fired a series of questions. He hoped that through the answers, he would be able to deduce the current era and environment of the surface world.


    A wry smile appeared on Audric''s face as he answered, "Mr. Charles. I''m only 124 years old, which is considered quite young for a vampire. And you can clearly see my position within the vampire society. I have no way of knowing the answers you seek."


    Charles let out a sigh and walked toward the Narwhale with a tinge of mncholy in his eyes. Actually, he had expected that answer from Audric. If he wanted to know the answer, he would have to directly confront the Mother. However, that was impossible unless he grew tired of living.


    Lily had been intently listening to the conversation between the two men. The moment Charles walked away, she approached Audric curiously and asked, "So, your mommy came to this ind to escape from the crisis? How pitiful."


    "No, it was to hide from humans. Their power had grown increasingly formidable, and the conflict between humans and vampires had escted. The Mother foresaw an impending decisive battle and decided to leave with her n. In truth, vampires and humans have a symbiotic rtionship. If they were to perish, we wouldn''t be able to survive without our food source as well."


    "What about your food source? Do you eat mice?"


    "We have a human-rearing farm at the northernmost part of Dark Crystal Ind. The farm provides a constant supply of blood weekly. But it''s too expensive. Normally, we can only endure the disgust and consume human food," Audric answered.


    Time ticked away, and the number of vampires wandering outside the shipyard gradually increased with each passing second.


    They had shed their disguises and revealed their two sharp fangs. The bloodthirst in their eyes was apparent as well.


    Although they hadn''t rushed in, the sight of the increasing number of vampires ced immense stress on Charles.


    "How much longer will it take? Hurry up if you don''t want to die!" Charles'' roar echoed in the shipyard.


    "Almost there, almost there! We''re punching the rivets in!" The manager frantically urged his subordinates as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.


    Just then, the sound of wings pping outside the door reached the ears of everyone in the shipyard.


    Charles speedily dashed to a window and peered outside. He witnessed arge swarm of ck bats approaching from the sky. Spotting the bats, the vampires on the ground erupted in ecstatic cheers.


    The bats swiftly descended onto the ground and transformed into billowing cloaks with a ck exterior and red interior. The cloaks revealed two figures¡ªa man and a woman¡ªfrom within their folds.


    "Fuck!" Charles cursed in annoyance. He didn''t need anyone to tell him the identities of the two individuals. "Didn''t you say they would take half a day? Why are they already here in two hours?"

 Chapter 37. Battle

    <h4>Chapter 37. Battle</h4>


    "Didn''t you say they would take half a day? Why are they already here in two hours?"


    The blind vampire, Audric, became flustered upon hearing Charles'' question. He didn''t know how to respond to Charles'' question and muttered something incoherent under his breath.


    Charles gestured to his crew members with a wave of his hand andmanded, "We can''t wait any longer. All aboard!"


    ***


    The vampire duchess, Akasha, looked at the locked shipyard ahead as a hint of amusement shed through her eyes. The corners of her lips curled into a smile and revealed her pearly white pointed fangs.


    "How interesting. These humans seem to be somewhat capable. Armand, won''t you let me have a taste of them this time? It''s been a while since I had some fresh blood," Akashamented.


    The vampire duke next to her shook his head. "My love, that won''t do. We had an agreement."


    "You are just like your sister¡ªstingy." Akasha replied with a sneer. Her disdain was apparent as she approached the locked doors.


    Standing at the height of only 150 centimeters, the petite vampire stuck her fingers into the gap between the thick metal doors and effortlessly pulled them open.


    The metal doors grating against the floor produced an ear-piercing noise. Half a secondter, the half-foot thick steel yielded like flimsy paper under her strength.


    However, the sight that weed the two vampire nobles was beyond theirprehension. They were startled to find a heap of explosives on the spacious ground in front of them, and a dwindling fuse right at the top of the pile.


    Before they could even react, a deafening explosion erupted and towering mes engulfed the shipyard.


    Amidst the billowing smoke, a charred corpse emerged from the sea of mes as she watched the Narwhale moving into the distance. The body swiftly regenerated to reveal Akasha, this time stark naked.


    "Well well. A powerful prey is more delicious," Akasha remarked, her voice tinged with a sinister delight.


    As soon as she spoke herst word, ck fur started growing all over her fair skin as she rapidly transformed. Within moments, a half-human, half-bat monster standing at a towering height of three meters appeared in her spot.


    <i>Screech!</i>


    The deformed creature disintegrated into groups of smaller bats, and they swarmed toward the Narwhale.


    From within the ck smoke, another group of bats took flight and followed in pursuit.


    Observing the rapidly approaching bats in the air, Charles turned toward Lily, who was positioned at the deck cannon, and roared, "Lily! Strike them down!"


    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>


    The continuous roar of cannon fire echoed. Fragments of bat carcasses torn apart by the projectiles rained down into the water. However, their numbers were overwhelming, and the firepower of the Narwhale was insufficient.


    As they got closer, the sound of their pping wings was like the song of death; its melody tightened around the hearts of everyone on board as they felt a sense of dread.


    Very soon, the bats were in close reach and they regathered in mid-air to form the half-human, half-bat monstrosity. Leaving afterimages in its flight, therge creature swooped toward the deck and its sharp ws swiped mercilessly at the brown mice manning the cannon. The sttered blood and flesh had Lily screaming in horror.


    Akasha stared at the scurrying mice with her crimson eyes as she summoned a ball of fire in her palm.


    Just as she was about to throw the fireball at the mice, Charles had already appeared beneath her with the Clown Mask over his face.


    With his razor-sharp ck de, he drew a horizontal sh across her arm. Akasha'' right limb that still held the summoned fireball fell onto the deck.


    "Hello, pretty~ Did you drop this hand?" Charles taunted.


    "That smile on your face is so infuriating." With a kick of her feet, she lunged at Charles and the two swiftly engaged in battle.


    Meanwhile, the other half-bat monstrosity had also arrived at the deck. Standing at a height of four meters and with snoot flowing from his nose, James weed it with a steel beam in his hand. The remaining crew members stood at a safe distance with various weapons in their hands to provide support.


    With a backflip, Charles narrowing avoided Akasha''s sharp front ws. With the ck de in his right hand, he retaliated with a swift sh.


    The man and vampire weaved and shed with fluid and precise momentums. Charles executed another backflip andnded gracefully on the ship''s rail.


    Akasha chose not to chase after Charles. She stood in ce and stared at the human before her with her crimson eyes.


    Upon seeing that the monster before him had fully regenerated its severed limb, Charles couldn''t help but curse in his mind.


    <i>What the bloody hell. That''s hacking the system!</i>


    "Young man, that thing on your face looks pretty interesting. Where did you get it from? It''s a pity that it has followed the wrong owner."


    Having be more spontaneous and lighthearted upon wearing the mask, Charles immediately seized the opportunity and replied, "How about I give it to you, and you let us go?"


    Akasha covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she let out a chuckle. "Do you think that''s possible? It''s okay, I''m not in a rush. We can take our time to talk."


    "Ahhhh! Hurts!! It hurts!!" Hearing James'' cries from behind him, a sense of urgency gawed at Charles'' heart. The situation didn''t seem favorable on the other side, and if things dragged on, he might soon find himself facing two half-bat monsters instead.


    He turned to Audric who was cowering in the pilot house and shouted, "Hey! Blind man! Do you know the weakness of these blood-sucking tampons?"


    Feeling apprehensive, Audric immediately revealed, "Her heart is her only weakness. You must thoroughly crush it to stop her from regenerating."


    "Hmph!" For the first time, visible anger was disyed on Akasha''s terrifying face. With a p of her gigantic wings on her back, she charged toward the bridge. The betrayal of one''s own kind was more detestable than an enemy.


    With a resounding crash, the window of the pilothouse shattered into pieces as Akasha easily caught Audric in her ws. Thetter had no chance of escaping. With her sharp fangs, she bit down fiercely and tore off half of Audric''s neck. A gruesome scream instantly pierced the air.


    Just as she was about to devour and swallow the traitor, Charles stealthily appeared behind her. A ck de glinting coldly in the spotlights pierced through her chest.


    The creature pped its wings, forcing Charles to do a couple of backflips in retreat. Lowering her gaze toward the wound on her chest, a look of menace appeared on Akasha''s face.


    "I''ve changed my mind. I will send you humans to the bottom of the sea!"


    She reached behind her with her left hand and took out a round mirror that was the size of a palm. The moment the mirror appeared, the air filled with an increasingly strong, blood-sweet scent.


    "Fuck! She actually has a relic too!" Charles was about to push off against the ground to charge at her but Akasha soared into the air as her wings extended.


    Under the illumination of the Narwhale''s searchlight, her grotesque body underwent yet another metamorphosis. From a half-human, half-bat monster, she transformed into a colossal five-meter-long pig-nosed bat.


    Parting its beastly maws, the pig-nosed bat emitted an ear-piercing screech like a haunting melody from hell.


    Instinctively, everyone, including the transformed Armand, covered their ears with their hands in an attempt to block out the screech. In just a few moments, blood began to seep from their ears.


    In the midst of all this, Charles witnessed another chilling sight¡ªa crack had appeared along the rail of the Narwhale and was rapidly expanding downward.


    The Narwhale was made of steel! The duchess'' sonic attack was not only effective on living creatures but also dealt huge damage to the ship. If he allowed her to continue with her sonic attack, the Narwhale would probably disintegrate!


    Scanning the chaotic environment around him, Charles jumped onto James'' wounded chest. He then pointed to the bat in the sky and then at his own hand.


    James remained motionless, and his gaze waspletely nk. Charles had no choice but to p him across the face, waking him from his stupor. The giant then grabbed Charles by the legs and hurled him into the air.


    Charles crashed into the bat like a projectile flying out of a cannon, and the excruciatingly painful sonic screech in the air came to a halt.


    Driving his de as deep as he could into the bat''s body, Charles exerted all his strength and bellowed, "Lily! Fire the cannon!"

 Chapter 38. Hint of Sunlight

    <h4>Chapter 38. Hint of Sunlight</h4>


    Watching the cannon''s muzzle gradually move toward her, Akasha''s panic grew. She scrambled to escape but Charles didn''t give her the opportunity to.


    As he raised his left hand, the tentacle ring was instantly triggered and an invisible tentacle coiled itself around the pig-nosed bat. Although the bat managed to get out of the tentacle''s grip in less than a second, it was less than a second toote.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    In a blink of an eye, half of the monstrous bat''s body exploded into a sttering mist of blood and entrails that rained down on the Narwhale. Disbelief was written on the bat''s grotesque face.


    As Charles was freefalling toward the waters below, a sudden sh of white light blinded him. Instinctively, he reached out and closed his fingers around the light source. It was the mirror that had fallen from the giant bat.


    With a ssh, the icy water embraced Charles. When he emerged onto the water surface, he witnessed the other half-human, half-bat monster fleeing toward the port. Clearly, he had no intention of avenging its fallenrade.


    "Coward! I dare you to not run!" Charles taunted while peddling in the waters.


    The death of the duchess seemed to have intimidated the vampires. No bat came into their vicinity even until Dark Crystal Ind had reduced to nothing but a speck on the horizon.


    Drenched, Charlesy sprawled on the deck. He was extremely exhausted. Though the Clown Masked allowed him to unlock the maximum potential of a human''s body, it couldn''t negate the exhaustion that apanied the power. Now, he didn''t feel like even lifting a finger.


    Having escaped from doom, the crew members erupted into cheers and hoisted him into the air.


    The next day, Charles woke up. Half-rejuvenated, he ignored the painful protest of his muscles as he dragged himself to the deck.


    Upon arriving at the deck, Charles saw his First Mate, Bandages, the sole sailor repairing the boat. He let out a sigh. Their casualties had been significant for this journey. During their encounter with the giant butterfly, they had lost two sailors and the Third Engineer. At Dark Crystal Ind, another two sailors and the assistant cook had be vampire food.


    Also, the new and pristine Narwhale was now scarred and battered. Theirtest mission of exploring a new maritime area could thus be considered a disastrous failure.


    Charles'' only gain had only been a relic in the form of a mirror and a blind vampire.


    Taking out the round mirror, Charles gazed at his own reflection within it, but realized that the mirror was so hazy that he could hardly see himself. A sudden thought emerged in Charles'' head and he headed toward the crew''s quarters. If there were anyone who might know the use of this relic, it would be the only native of Dark Crystal Ind on the ship.


    The moment Charles entered the crew''s quarters, he was hit by the coppery smell of blood. The blind vampire, Audric, was feeding on a blood-soaked bandage. Meanwhile the owner of the bandage, James, was sleeping on the hammock beside and snoring loudly.


    The neck of the blind painter squirmed ceaselessly as fresh buds of flesh interweaved unceasingly. It looked like it wouldn''t be long before his neck healedpletely.


    Hearing the familiar footsteps, Audric stood hastily and called out, "Captain Charles, you''re here."


    Charles took out the ck Knife and ced it in James'' hand. He had suffered severe wounds from having to use his physical body to fight head-on with the bat beast. Fortunately, when his physical size increased, the thickness of his skin, fat, and muscles would also increase correspondingly. Most of the injuries were thus external and did not affect the internal organs.


    Feeling James'' forehead for fever and relieved that he wasn''t running one, Charles then turned to Audric and pushed the mirror into his hands.


    "This relic belongs to that Duchess. It seems like this granted her the ability to be that giant bat. Do you know how to use it?"


    The blind man''s fingers traced the surface of the mirror for a brief moment before he answered, "This... This should be the relic of Duchess Akasha, the Bat Mirror. Smearing blood on it would allow the user to be a giant bat with highbat power."


    Audric''s words reminded Charles of the formidable aerial beast. A spark of desire ignited in his heart when he recalled the powerful sonic attack. However, he didn''t let himself be blinded by the ability the relic granted to forget about the potential adverse effects of it.


    "Are there any side effects?" Charles inquired.


    "Yes. After using this mirror, the bloodlust of the user intensifies. Frequent use would cause the user to be a ve to its power and be an actual beast. Its previous owner, Viscount Lance, is still hanging upside down on Dark Crystal Ind."


    Charles stared at the mirror and started thinking. <i>The side effects are rather severe. It seems like this relic can only be used in emergency situations and can''t be used anytime like the Clown Mask.</i>


    Audric seemed to have suddenly sensed Charles'' gaze and hurriedly offered the mirror back to Charles. He might not be able to see, but he was clear of his ce.


    By now, Audric''s neck had already regenerated to its original state. The vampire''s regeneration abilities stirred a deep sense of envy in Charles.


    He took the mirror from Audric and tucked it into his own pocket. His curiosity got the better of him and he asked, "Since vampires have such incredible healing powers, what''s with the scar on your face? Was it caused by something special?"


    A trace of horror appeared on Audric''s face.


    "It was an ident," Audric began. "Mypanions and I raided a pirate ship. We stumbled upon a box in their hidden cabin. We thought it would contain some sort of treasure but it ended up being a box that contained sunlight."


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat the instant he heard the word ''sunlight.'' However, he soon realized something amiss in the vampire''s narrative.


    "Wait, what? Sunlight? How would sunlight be contained in a box? Are you sure?"


    "Yes. It''s definitely sunlight. The moment it shone, my brethren were reduced to ash. I was only spared due to being quite a distance away from the box. But even so, I paid a terrible price."


    Audric then removed his dark sses to reveal his bulging eyes that looked like coddled eggs. Apanied by the red, swollen veins surrounding them, his eyes appeared rather horrifying.


    "Can you see this? My eyes are still aching from that incident. Only sunlight could inflict such torment."


    Feeling rather restless, Charles paced around the cabin. Even being pursued by vampires yesterday had not unsettled hisposure, but now, he was thoroughly shaken up.


    "Perhaps... Perhaps it could be some other light-attribute weapon?"


    The idea of sunlight being encased in a box sounded ludicrous to him. How could sunlight that was devoid of a physical form be captured and stored in a box?


    Audric shook his head. "There were still some pirates who survived the battle with us. They remained unaffected while we ended up dead or critically injured. If it was any other kind of weapon, they couldn''t have possibly escaped unscathed."


    Charles'' heart raced as his face lit up with excitement. This could be a crucial clue to find the entrance back to the surface world.


    "Where did those pirates get the sunlight?"


    "I''m not too sure. But those pirates are from the City of Chaos, Sottom. They probably got it from there. Mr. Charles, do you need sunlight?"


    "City of Chaos, Sottom..." Charles reiterated the name to himself as a rare smile etched on his face. He then patted Audric on the shoulder before he turned and left the cabin.


    Regardless of whether the box truly contained sunlight, he was determined to find it out himself.


    Hearing Charles'' footsteps fading into the distance, Audric stealthily retrieved a half-corpse from a nearby barrel. If Charles were present, he would immediately recognize that the corpse belonged to the vampire duchess that he had fought with earlier.


    The blind vampire embraced the and greedily fed on it. In the darkness of the cabin, the sounds of gnashing teeth intermingled with James'' snoring.

 Chapter 39. A New Vampire Comrade [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 39. A New Vampire Comrade [Bonus Image]</h4>


    By the time the Narwhale returned to the Coral Archipgo, a month had passed.


    With new clues leading to the surface world, Charles was itching to set sail immediately to the City of Chaos, Sottom. However, his crew members were barely holding on.


    A giant butterfly, the otherworldly divinity, bloodthirsty vampires. They had been through so much and the fatigue was apparent on their faces.


    Charles didn''t want to push them further. He knew that no one was a superhuman and they all needed a well-deserved rest. In fact, the Narwhale needed a break too.


    The hastily installed turbines were pushed to their limit, and apanied with the damages caused by the sonic attack, the Narwhale was overdue for some major repairs.


    Standing aboard the battered vessel, Charles gently caressed her worn railing and muttered under his breath, "You''ve done well, my girl."


    "Mr. Charles. It seems like your expedition had been rather...tumultuous. What dangers did you encounter for your ship to be so heavily damaged?" A voice sounded from behind Charles. It was Woode, who had sold the Narwhale to him.


    Woode was pretty surprised to see the Narwhale again. He had never anticipated that he would be able toy his eyes on her again. After all, he thought that the ship had sailed to Davy Jones'' locker.


    Just then, a sudden premonition appeared in his mind. Perhaps, this young man before him truly had the potential to be the Governor of an ind.


    "How much are the repair costs?" Charles cut to the chase; he didn''t want to waste his time engaging in small talk.


    Woode hurried passed him the invoice and exined, "The total cost for recing the turbines and refitting the entire deck adds up to 1.21 million Echo."


    After signing off his name on the invoice, Charles did a rough calction of his remaining cash reserves in his mind. Subtracting the repair costs and the crew''s wages from the original 1.6 million Echo, he was left with a paltry sum of 150,000.


    150,000 might sound like a significant amount, but it was dangerously low as the fund to be used for an exploration vessel''s expedition. If they fail to yield any ie during their next expedition, the Narwhale would be trapped in a financial quagmire.


    For his next expedition, Charles was nning to head to Sottom. Since it was for a personal reason, the trip would surely yield no ie. Charles found himself in a dilemma between his own goal and the crew''s well-being.


    He continued pondering as he walked toward the exit of the shipyard. The moment he exited the ce, he spotted a familiar figure waiting by the roadside. It was Audric with his distinctive pair of sunsses.


    Charles approached Audric and asked, "What are you doing here?"


    "Mr. Charles," Audric''s voice trembled slightly from his emotions as he bowed his head in the direction of the footsteps he heard. "Do you need additional manpower on your ship? I wish to join your crew."


    "I''m sorry. My crew''s at full capacity." Charles didn''t hesitate for a single second and immediately turned Audric down. He walked past Audric and headed toward the distant docks. He held no discrimination against Audric for being a vampire. Rather, his dismissal was borne out of the fact that no ship would need a blind artist on board. What was he supposed to do, draw obituary portraits of the crew?


    Before Charles could take a few steps, an anxious Audric caught up with him. "Captain Charles. I''m not a burden," he pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation. "I''ve ascended and gained new powers."


    Audric''s dark cloak rippled around his body and in a mere couple of seconds, he transformed into a ck bat and circled Charles.


    "Captain Charles, I''m now a Baron with the ability to shapeshift. When I''m in my bat form, I can navigate even without my vision."


    Looking at the bat in front of him that was norger than his forearm, Charles shook his head. With a swift flick of his right hand, his revolver appeared in his hand.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    As a gunshot rang out, the bat instantly fell to the ground and reverted into its human form. Audric winced in pain as he clutched his left shoulder.


    "If you wish to live, you''d better off being an artist," Charles remarked in a cold voice as he kept his revolver away.


    Hearing the fading footsteps, Audric hesitated for a brief moment before he suddenly called out, "Captain! Aren''t you heading to Sottom to search for sunlight? I''ve been there forty years ago! I can guide you there!!"


    "I don''t need your help. I have my ways."


    Anxiety filled Audric''s face as he tried to further persuade Charles, "Mr. Charles, I can be a powerful asset to you. I may be blind but I''m still a vampire. Mybat power surely far exceeds any of your crew members!"


    Silence engulfed the air before Charles'' voice sounded next to Audric''s ears. "Aren''t you afraid of sunlight? Why do you want to join me?"


    A bitter smile appeared on Audric''s face and he answered, "You might find this hard to believe, but your crew earn more from one expedition than what I can scrape together in several years. I''m jealous of them. I don''t have any desires or lofty ambitions. I just want to have a job that can assure me a stable and peaceful life."


    Staring at the vampire before him, Charles had aplex expression. This was the first time he had encountered a vampire as hapless as Audric. Also, he seemed to have a very weird concept of what a stable and peaceful life entailed.


    "Captain Charles? Are you still there?" Audric''s uncertain voice shattered the silence.


    "You are now a sailor of the Narwhale."


    "Thank you, Captain!"


    <i>August 3, 8th Year of Cross Over</i>


    <i>My crew and I safely arrived at the Coral Archipgo three days ago.</i>


    <i>The blind vampire, Audric, has joined the crew. He seems to be rather timid; this personality trait is something I''m not particrly fond of. However, he should manage fine as an ordinary sailor. His shapeshifting ability could prove useful if I have him work as a watchman.</i>


    <i>Vampires also have strong regenerative powers. The previous batch of sailors have all perished. I need to find some that won''t die that easily.</i>


    <i>Next, I n to head to Sottom to search for the sunlight contained in a box. If it is truly sunlight, then there must be a way leading to the surface.</i>


    <i>Click.</i>


    The sound of the door being pushed open interrupted Charles'' scribbling in his diary. He turned toward the direction of the sound and saw Lily entering the room with her ears dropped and a cluster of mice trailing after her.


    "Where have you been?" Charles asked.


    The dejected Lily mbered up the nket on the pillow and then plopped down onto it with apparent despair.


    "I''m not telling you..." Lily muttered.


    Charles shook his head and closed his diary with a quiet thud. He then stood up and said, "I''m heading out for a while. Watch the ce while I''m gone."


    The white mouse perked her head up atop the soft pillow and asked, "Mr. Charles, where are you going?"


    "It''s Saturday, the day where the captains gather at the Explorers Association. I''m going there to see if I can gather some information."


    "That sounds interesting! Take me with you too!" Lily squeaked in excitement.


    "Stay here and guard the room," Charles replied with an icy expression and walked out, shutting the door behind him.


    As she watched the door being heartlessly closed on her, Lily punched the pillow in a childish fit of fury.


    "Mr. Charles is so mean!" Lily cried out and delivered a few more punches toward the pillow. She then plopped down on it. "Hmph. Since you don''t want to take me along, I''ll just sleep. And I''ll annoy the hell out of you when you try to sleep tonight."


    Time unknowingly trickled away as Lily slept. However, a sudden knock roused Lily from her slumber.


    As the knocking on the door persisted, Lily grew flustered.


    "Wh-Who is it! There''s no one here!"


    With a loud <i>snap,</i> the door handle was forcefully twisted downward and an unsightly, terrifying tentacle monster stood at the door.


    Lily let out a piercing shriek the moment sheid eyes on the convulsing tentacles and its giant eyes filled with intense rage. The brown mice immediately surrounded Lily and bared their sharp fangs at the intruder.


    Staring at the screaming white mouse, the grotesque tentacle creature underwent a rapid transformation and a sexy woman materialized in the room.


    Lily''s eyes widened in surprise at the beauty before her. She recognized the woman before her to be the one that the blind artist had painted.


    "I see, it''s just a mouse. You gave me quite a scare, little thing. I heard a woman''s voice and thought Gao Zhiming was cheating on me behind my back." Anna shed a gentle smile at the mouse.

 Chapter 40. Divine Light Order

    <h4>Chapter 40. Divine Light Order</h4>


    The moment Charles entered the Explorers Association, he was startled by the sight before him. The usually deserted hall was filled with people.


    Couches and coffee tables were ced randomly. Men and women donned in various maritime attire were huddled in groups and their spirited chatter filled the hall.


    Among the crowd, there were some who were clearly not sailors. They hovered around the captains and were whispering to each other.


    Making his way through the crowd, Charles headed to the counter to report the findings of his mission. The chatter he overheard revealed that those particr individuals were here to request the Association to post missions on their behalf.


    "Hey! Charles! Over here!" An unusually excited William waved a liquor bottle in the air. He was surrounded by a few captains whom Charles recognized.


    The moment Charles'' gazended in their direction, Elizabeth let out a snort and turned her head the other way.


    As soon as Charles approached the group, William enthusiastically slung an arm around the former''s shoulders.


    "My friend, that knife of yours is awesome!" William eximed.


    The stale stench on William caused an uneasiness in Charles'' stomach. He pushed William''s arm away and asked, "Is it a powerful relic?"


    Thest time they met, he had sold two unappraised relics to William. Judging by William''s expression, it seemed like he had won the gamble.


    "Mhmm. So, so powerful! It can''t get any better! I <i>identally</i> gave that knife to my enemy, and guess what? He somehow ended up killing everyone on his ship. Hahahaha!!!" William erupted into a manicughter and a chill traveled down Charles'' spine.


    <i>Relics can be used in such a way?</i>


    A chubby man sided up to Charles and nudged him with an elbow. "I heard that you went out to the sea again. Did you encounter anything interesting? Do share."


    Charles subconsciously recalled that giant hand emerging from the deep waters. With a forced smile, he replied, "Nothing worth mentioning. I lost a few sailors, and failed the mission."


    "Come on! Share with us. What''s the point ofing here if you won''t exchange information? You might as well spend the time at the casino and try to win a big one."


    Charles couldn''t fight their logical argument and recounted everything that transpired¡ªthe giant butterfly, the huge hand, and Dark Crystal Ind.


    Hearing Charles'' narrative, the other captains couldn''t help but marvel at his luck. Having encountered such harrowing circumstances and still being alive to talk about it was nothing short of a miracle.


    "Sigh... Stark isn''t as lucky," the chubby man mentioned as a passing remark.


    "Who''s Stark?" Charles asked.


    "If that boy knows that you can''t even remember his name, he will probably resurrect from the frustration. He was the one who dragged you here with Elizabeth previously. Does it ring a bell now?"


    Charles was instantly reminded of the burly man with a jovial personality. His pupils contracted as he questioned, "He''s dead?"


    The chubby man nodded as he grabbed a blue fruit. He took a bite out of it before he continued, "Isn''t dying a usual urrence? In fact, it''s not too bad this month. We''ve only lost seven."


    Charles scanned the expression on everyone''s faces but couldn''t detect any trace of sorrow. They were chatting as though nothing had happened.


    The understanding that every death could dispel the fog over a part of the sea sunk deeper into Charles.


    After a moment of silence, he then brought up the question that had been burning in his mind. "Guys, how much do you know about Sottom City?"


    This was why he hade to the Association today. He had heard of Sottom in name but he needed more information on that city.


    The moment his words fell, everyone''s gazes turned onto a middle-age man seated at the corner. He had a gloomy expression and a hooked nose.


    "Charlie used to be a pirate. You can ask him," William exined and took a swig from his bottle.


    "I can only tell you that it''s a really chaotic and uwful ce. Don''t venture there without a good reason. Anyone that''s not fully confident in their strength is just courting death if they wander there." Charlie''s voice was low and gruff.


    "Then have you ever heard of sunlight being sold there?"


    Hearing Charles'' question, Charlie shook his head.


    "You haven''t?" Charles'' voice quivered as anxiety started pooling in his heart.


    "I''m not sure. Maybe there is, maybe there isn''t. At Sottom, as long as the price is right, they can get you anything. When you''re in Sottom, go to Anchor Pub and ask for the bartender. Tell her that Seadog sent you. She''s my friend."


    "Thank you." Charles looked upon Charlie with gratitude in his eyes. The average person would not know of such information and it was a gesture of goodwill for Charlie to be willing to share it to him.


    The chubby man next to Charles nudged him with an elbow. He leaned in and whispered, "He sees potential in you. Someone who encountered a <i>divinity</i> and returned alive, right? Your future is bright."


    Charles let out a dry chuckle. No one could predict one''s fate, especially in a wretched ce like this. No one could even ensure their own survival, much less that of others. He was just an ordinary man risking his life just to survive.


    The lively atmosphere returned. Charles continued mingling with the party as they drank alcohol and shared snacks. Their bond strengthed as time passed.


    Charles picked up a round cake from the table and took a bite. The soft cake coupled with the sweet, milky cream tasted surprisingly delicious. Ever since his arrival into this world, it was his first time he had tasted an exquisite delicacy like this.


    As he finished his cake and was thinking of returning for the day, an ordinary-looking young man approached him.


    "Captain Charles?"


    Charles turned around and inspected the neer. He was dressed in a long red robe and his forehead bore a bright, white triangle. His attire was a stark contrast from the other captains present.


    "You are?"


    "My name''s Sonny. I''m also an Explorer, like you."


    Having ignored Charles all the while, Elizabeth suddenly feigned a cough as she dipped her index finger into her drink and drew a few horizontal strokes on the table.


    Charles recognized that Elizabeth had used the nautical signs to spell "Danger, keep away," and his guard was up instantly.


    "I heard that Mr. Charles is seeking the Land of Light. Why haven''t I seen you at the church''s services?"


    <i>The Divine Light Order?</i>


    Charles couldn''t be bothered to fake a front anymore and immediately stood up, hoping to leave.


    With swift movement, Sonny moved to block Charles'' path of retreat.


    "Mr. Charles, are you one of the extremists that believe in the new doctrine? Actually that''s wrong. You guys have misconstrued the Sun God''s words. The only truth lies in the old doctrine. The Land of Light is nothing but a facy, and cannot be found. We must pray faithfully and hold frequent rituals in order for the Sun God to return."


    Hearing Sonny''s ludicrous speech, Charles didn''t know how tomunicate with him. He had no idea where these believers got their religious text from but he was very certain that it definitely wouldn''t be from that burning ball of gas in the sky.


    "Excuse me, I don''t belong to your church. Please move away."


    A look of surprise appeared on Sonny''s visage. "If you are not a believer of the Divine Light Order, why do you seek the Land of Light?"


    "I''m no longer seeking it. Bye." Dropping hisst words, Charles then bypassed Sonny and headed for the exit.


    The white triangle on Sonny''s forehead glowed and a semi-transparent gel substance emerged from under his robe to swiftly envelope Charles.


    "How about we take this discussion somewhere else?" Sonny asked.


    Charles'' face hardened and in an instant, he had his revolver pointing at Sonny''s head.

 Chapter 41. Zhao Jiajia

    <h4>Chapter 41. Zhao Jiajia</h4>


    The sailors around the duo quickly backed away and formed a circle around them. The hall buzzed with excitement as everyone looked forward to a duel.


    Just then, a man dressed in a tailored suit that resembled the staff uniform of the Explorers Association hastily ran toward the two men.


    "Both captains are contracted Explorers of the Association," the man reminded them. "Committing any act of violence within the Association will not only lead to expulsion, but also a bounty on the perpetrator''s head issued by the Governor himself."


    Sonny nodded with a smile and the semi-transparent gooey fluid on Charles receded into his robe.


    "Mr. Charles, I mean no harm," Sonny tried to offer pacifying words.


    "What do you want?" Charles'' brows were pressed together. He had an intuition that if he didn''t settle things with Sonny today, that man would persistently pester him in the days toe.


    Sonny pointed to the edge of the hall and gestured for Charles to follow him.


    Getting away from the revelry and raucousughter and into the quiet corner of the hall, Sonny shed Charles a smile and said, "Captain Charles, how much do you know about us?"


    "Only rumors. For example, I heard that to be part of your church, there''s an initiation ceremony where steel needles are pushed through the initiate''s temples and be into their brain. Supposedly, that''s how one can receive the blessings of the Sun God," Charles answered in an icy tone.


    "Mr. Charles, don''t you think such rituals are practical? In this cursed sea, humans'' greatest danger is the fear within our own minds. As long as we received His blessings within the church, we would no longer feel fear. That''s the reason why the followers of the Sun God have the highest survival rate among all Explorers."


    "Then why don''t you talk about the mortality rate of the ceremony itself? Is it actually a blessing or a curse? And your Sun God... I''m asking you, do you even know what the Sun looks like?"


    "Of course." Sonny pointed at the marking on his forehead. "That''s the appearance of our Lord."


    Staring at the white triangle, Charles struggled to not let out augh. "Are you telling me that the Sun is triangr?"


    "How could it not be? That''s the answer from the religious text," Sonny was quick to retort.


    "The Sun is a fucking circle, you idiot!" Charles'' volume went a notch higher.


    "Have you seen it? How are you so certain?" Sonny challenged the authenticity of Charles'' words.


    "I..." Charles opened his mouth, wanting to reveal his origin but managed to swallow the words at the tip of his tongue back into his stomach.


    Sonny dismissed Charles'' argument with a wave of his hand. "It''s fine. Since you are not one of us, I don''t want to debate with you over our teachings. I came to offer you a mission."


    "A mission?" Charles raised a brow.


    "It won''t take too much of your time. Since you are heading to Sottom, I hope that you could also help me to deal with some people. They are also followers of the Divine Light Order but they share different ideals from us."


    "How do you know that I''m heading to Sottom?" Charles'' voice wasced with annoyance. He didn''t like the feeling where his every thought and n was being out in the open.


    Sonny merely smiled. "Unique individuals would certainly receive more attention. If you are willing to show your sincerity, Mr. Charles, there will be more chances for us to cooperate in the future. I''m sure you could use some extra funds now, don''t you?"


    "What if I refuse?" Charles retorted with a sneer.


    "I believe that you will agree, Mr. Charles. After all, you were willing to take amission from those freaks of Fhtagn Covenant. This is a win-win situation for both of us, so why would you turn down our proposition?"


    "Ha. Ha." Charles let out a derisiveugh and touched his nose. "At the very least, the Fhtagn Covenant has one advantage over you¡ªthey know how to show some respect."


    Throwing down his final words, Charles then turned and left without sparing a backward nce.


    Rationally speaking, he should have epted the deal; he really needed the extra funds. However, one, he found the guy''s attitude distasteful, and two, he wanted no involvement in the internal strife of a cult.


    The moment Charles returned to his lodgings, his sharp senses were quick to pick up that someone had entered the room when he was away.


    A suspicion bloomed in his mind and he dashed to the drawers and retrieved his diary. Flipping through the pages, indeed, someone had tampered with it.


    "Lily?" Charles called out to the white mouse. There was a hint of nervousness in his voice. "What happened after I left?"


    "Not long after you left...she came..." A tear-choked voice sounded from under the bed.


    Feeling slightly relieved, Charles asked, "What did she look like? Was there a marking that resembled an inverted triangle on her forehead?"


    Lily wriggled out of her hiding ce, looking visibly shaken. The fur over her body was tousled.


    "It''s that big sister you are acquainted with."


    "Which big sister?"


    "The one from the painting in your diary."


    "Anna?!" Charles'' pupils shrunk to the size of a needle''s tip. He quickly approached Lily and held her in his palm.


    "Are you sure it''s her or it''s just someone who looked like her?"


    "It''s really her. She even left you a message on the back of the painting. Mr. Charles, why didn''t you tell me that that big sister in the painting is a monster and not a human?"


    Charles threw the white mouse onto the bed and darted back to his diary on the table. He retrieved the painting and turned it over to see neat rows of Chinese characters on the page.


    <i>I never thought you''d draw a portrait of me. I already told you I''m not real, but yet you''re still thinking of me.</i>


    <i>Actually, I was rather pleased to see this portrait. To know that the man I love was still thinking of me, even after my death...</i>


    <i>Gao Zhiming, I''m not real. The feelings between us are not real as well. All the memories were created by the Diois tribe.</i>


    <i>I know what you are thinking. You don''t care that I''m not real and will think of a way to free me from the monster''s control, am I right?</i>


    <i>But you are wrong about this. I''m the monster, and the monster is me. We are one entity.</i>


    <i>The Monsters of the Diois blood have no brains. We survive entirely on instinct. When we need to think, we create a consciousness, and I am the consciousness that I created.</i>


    <i>I miss you so much, and wish to always stay by your side. I believe that you feel the same. But we both know that even these feelings of longing are not real.</i>


    <i>I came here today, hoping to have a passionate breakup sex with you but it''s a pity that you aren''t around.</i>


    <i>I don''t wish to be controlled by false emotions. I n to travel the sea to seek the meaning of my existence. Don''t look for me, focus on finding your way back to the surface world.</i>


    <i>Zhao Jiajia</i>


    <i>P.S. By the way, if you fall in love with another woman, don''t even let me find out. Else, I really won''t be able to stop myself from eating them.</i>


    With his mind thrown into a chaotic mess, Charles hurled the paper to the side. With his eyes burning red, he turned to the white mouse, "How long ago did she leave?"


    "About half an hour ago."


    Without uttering a word, Charles dashed out of the room. He bit hard on his thumb and smeared the blood on the round mirror in his other hand. His body rapidly transformed as he morphed into a bat, flying out through the tavern''s window and glided across the air.


    Meanwhile, in a gloomy alley, Anna in a dazzling red dress looked up at the giant bat in the sky. Yellow-green tears dripped down from the corners of her eyes.


    Just then, a burly arm slung over her fair, exposed shoulders. "Pretty, how much do you charge for a night?"


    Wiping the tears off her face, Anna turned to face the drunken lout. "Two hundred Echo for a round, eight hundred for the entire night."


    Mesmerized by Anna''s angelic face, the drunken man was stupefied. He soon returned to his senses and fumbled with his belt excitedly. "Eight hundred it is! I''ll have you for the whole night!"


    Anna approached him with a gentle smile etched on her face. As she moved, the fair skin on her back had split apart as ck tentacles gradually extended.

 Chapter 42. Dipps Relic

    <h4>Chapter 42. Dipp''s Relic</h4>


    "Look! There''s a giant bat in the air!" An rming cry from outside the pub caught Dipp''s attention. Apanied by the other sailors attempting to drown their sorrow with booze, he dashed out to witness the spectacle.


    "Hmm, why does this bat look so familiar?" Dipp held a bottle of liquor in his hand and scratched his neck with the other.


    As the bat disappeared into the distance, the sailors gradually returned to the pub. Only Dipp remained outside. He suddenly recalled the blind vampire''s words about the captain having acquired a new relic that granted him the power to transform into a huge bat. That bat in the air was highly likely to be his captain, Charles.


    "Is Captain experimenting with his new relic? How cool. I want a relic of my own too..." Dipp muttered under his breath, his wordsced with envy. It was hard to not feel envy especially when Dipp watched his captain utilizing various powers due to the relics he possessed.


    Just then, a lightbulb lit up in his head as he sped his hand together in excitement. "I have saved up some Echo, didn''t I? I can buy a relic too!"


    ncing at the cacophony of noiseing from the bustling pub next to him, Dipp rushed in once more. A heat wave washed over him. He was once again surrounded by the loudughter and bragging of drunken sailors and scantily d women brushed past him. The atmosphere was extremely lively.


    Dipp jumped onto a wooden table and shouted over the noise, "Hey! Does anyone know where I can buy relics in the Coral Archipgo?"


    Silence took over for a moment before a fat, red-nosed old man with a toothless grin let out a chuckle and words of mockery. "Look, a young brat who can''t even grow a proper beard wants to buy a relic. You must be tired of living. Hahahaha!"


    The pub erupted into fits ofughter and the atmosphere heightened. At a table in the corner of the room, where the crew of the Narwhale was seated at, they stood up with a loud ng of their bottles, instantly silencing the mockingughter.


    The onlookers swiftly turned their gazes back onto the wine cups in their hand. After all, no one dared to find trouble with those from an exploration vessel.


    Sensing that the atmosphere had dropped to an icy low, Dipp snapped his fingers in the direction of the bartender, "Buddy, a round for everyone. On me!"


    The sailors in the pub erupted into cheers as they raised their sses, wanting to offer a toast to the youngd who had been the butt of their jokes.


    A topless sailor took a huge swig from his ss and loudly said, "My friend. Try your luck in the Hooded Alley. Some items that could never see the light of the day would be sold there. But watch out for the police dogs. Transactions there are illegal."


    "Thank you!" Dipp jumped off the table in excitement. He waved to hispanions in the corner before he rushed out of the pub.


    "Should we follow that kid? He''s not going to get into trouble again, right?" Conor asked the others.


    "Nah, it''s fine. He survived that trip to Dark Crystal Ind. What''s there to be afraid of here? If anyone dares to find trouble with him, we will just off them and toss ''em overboard," Frey answered nonchntly and flirtatiously caressed the hostess serving their table on her butt.


    The other crew members nodded in agreement as they continued indulging themselves in the pub.


    ***


    Dipp was already pretty familiar with the harbor area of the Coral Archipgo. Enduring the potent fishy smell, he made his way through the fish drying area, and arrived at the eerily quiet Hooded Alley.


    Like its name suggested, everyone in the alley wore ck robes with a hood over their head. Dressed in his sailor uniform, Dipp stood out like a sore thumb.


    He swiftly squeezed into the crowd and watched with interest as the hooded figures retrieved hidden assets from underneath their robes and engaged in hushed conversation.


    "Hey, does anyone have relics? Is anyone selling relics?" Dipp''s shout immediately caught the attention of the others in the alley.


    A petite figure approached Dipp and whispered in a low voice, "Kid, how much do you have?"


    "Erm... 30,000 Echo?" Dipp revealed his savings.


    The hooded figure turned and left immediately as he spat hisst words, "Trying to buy a relic with 30,000 Echo? Do you think they are like fish in the sea?"


    Dejected, Dipp scratched his neck. He had arger saving initially but the vampires at Dark Crystal Ind had robbed him when they kidnapped him.


    "Do you want a relic?" A voice suddenly sounded from behind Dipp.


    Startled, Dipp turned to see a plump, hooded figure standing behind him.


    "I mean, I wanted to. But I only have 30,000 Echo."


    "It''s a deal. 30,000 Echo it is." The hooded figure took out a silver bracelet with a thickyer of calcification from his robe.


    "Really? You are willing to sell it to me for 30,000?" Dipp was taken aback. The previous hooded figure had scoffed at him, saying that it was far from sufficient.


    "Do you want it or not? If not, I''m leaving."


    As the figure pretended to walk away, the sixteen-year-old Dipp didn''t think too much into his actions and hastily agreed to the transaction. "Yes, yes, I''ll take it! But first, tell me what the powers of this relic are."


    "Upon wearing it, your strength increases. The tradeoff is that you get thirsty easily."


    After testing the relic out and finding the hooded figure''s words to be true, Dipp coolly paid for the item. His heart was brimming with joy that he had gotten himself a good bargain.


    The hooded figure left immediately upon receiving the money. Navigating through the twists and turns within Hooded Alley, he then knelt down on one knee before a door. "High Priest, the item has been delivered. I confirm that he''s a member of Charles'' ship."


    The wooden door opened as Sonny walked out with a smile. "After they set sail, give the other bracelet to that man. Since he isn''t willing to be on my side, I''ll make sure that he can''t work for Kord either!"


    ***


    "Captain! Captain! Are you in there?" Dipp relentlessly knocked at Charles'' room door in excitement.


    <i>Creak.</i>


    The door opened. It was one of Lily''s brown mice.


    Dipp''s gaze instantly fell on Charles who was sitting on a chair in silence. He was shaking, his expression twisted and his fists were clenched as though he was trying to hold back from something.


    "What''s the matter?" Charles'' voice sounded unusually hoarse.


    Dipp might be young but he was far from being stupid. Clearly, this situation was unfitting for him to show off his new relic.


    "No-nothing. Please have a good rest." The moment Dipp wanted to turn to leave, a bat flew into the room with a crimson packet in his maws.


    The bat rapidly transformed into Audric as he nervously held the bag of blood before Charles. "Captain, this is from the hospital."


    With trembling hands, Charles swiftly snatched the packet from him. He sank his fangs into the packet and greedily sucked on its contents. Crimson blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. Currently, his appearance made him look more vampiric than Audric, an actual vampire.


    Dipp crept toward Lily who was standing at the corner. Unable to hide his curiosity, he asked. "What''s the matter with Captain?"


    Fear was evident in Lily''s voice as she answered, "Captain went to find that big sister... When he came back, he was like this. He almost bit me just now too."


    Just then, Dipp noticed a pained expression appearing on Charles'' visage and his lips were quivering as though he was muttering something.


    Charles pushed Audric away and stumbled to his desk. He pulled the drawer open, fished out a gooey green jelly and stuffed it into his mouth.


    Drenched in cold sweat, Charles'' breathing slowly returned to normal. Looking utterly exhausted, he gestured at his crew members. "I need to rest. Please leave."


    Dipp and Audric immediately exited the room. Looking at the closed door behind them, Dipp turned to Audric. "Why is the Captain always so depressed? He already has an exploration vessel at this age, what could possibly upset him? If I had a ship of my own, I would beughing even in my sleep."


    Audric shook his head as he tried to move by feeling the route with his hands on the walls. "Who knows. But if Captain continues on like this, he might not be able to withstand it much longer. Don''t you think he''s starting to resemble those lunatics on the streets?"


    Dipp shot a re at Audric. "What nonsense are you spouting! Captain Charles is formidable so that''s not possible! If you keep belittling him, don''t me me for being mean!"


    Saying his final words, Dipp turned and briskly walked toward the staircase.

 Chapter 43. Wooden Ship

    <h4>Chapter 43. Wooden Ship</h4>


    A month flew past quickly, and soon, it was the day to set sail again.


    ck smoke rose again from the smokestacks of the Narwhale. Apanied by his newly recruited sailor, Charles got onboard.


    "Bandages, assign the shifts to the new crew," Charles instructed the First Mate next to him.


    Bandages nodded silently and strode away with his newly regenerated leg, while the new sailors trailed after him.


    Meanwhile, Charles brought Audric to the ship''s bridge and unfurled his newly purchased, huge nautical map on the table. Inds, dangerous zones, and unexplored zones were all detailedly marked out.


    "Where is Sottom? Mark it out on the map," Charles said to the vampire before him.


    "Erm, I can''t see. Please show me where''s Dark Crystal Ind."


    Charles guided Audric''s finger onto a thumbtack pinned on the map, which indicated the location of Dark Crystal Ind.


    Starting from Dark Crystal Ind, Audric traced an arc across the map and then gently poked a point with his sharp nail.


    "Here," Audric said.


    Much to Charles'' surprise, Sottom wasn''t as far as he had anticipated it to be.


    "Sottom is here? It''s that close?"


    "It''s here at times. On the 6th and 25th of the month, it will appear here," Audric answered.


    Charles was taken aback. "Appear? It''s not an ind? It can move?"


    "Yes, Captain. To be exact, it''s a fleet of ships. A massive vesselplex that was created by chaining together the ships they plundered."


    Staring at the marked location, Charles quickly calcted the necessary travel time and provisions in his head.


    Even though Audric spoke with certainty, his information was from forty years back. If they really arrived there and found nothing, at least they would have enough provisions to cover them for the return voyage.


    "Do we have enough sma packs?" Charles asked.


    Audric swiftly nodded, "Yes. I''ve prepared sixty days'' worth."


    "Keep some of them as our reserves. I might need it if a high-intensity battle urs."


    "Understood. But Captain Charles, that''s a vampiric relic after all. Please use it sparingly."


    "I understand. You may leave now."


    Audric bowed before he morphed into a bat and flew out.


    While they were still in the near-ind waters, Charles deliberately slowed the ship''s pace so that the newly joined members could limate themselves to the work on board and build rapport with the older ones. Most of the new recruits this time were locals of the Coral Archipgo, and some of them even had personal encounters with Charles before. It didn''t take long for a harmonious atmosphere to envelop the ship.


    On the eighth day of departure, the Narwhale was closing in on her destination. Visible changes could be spotted on the surface of the still, dark waters.


    "Captain, there''s a ship ahead!"


    "I see it." Charles peered through the ss at the distant vessel.


    It was clearly not Sottom. The ship was too small, only half the size of the Narwhale, and it was even made of wood. Wooden ships were rare in the subterranean world. Under usual circumstances, ces with trees would be ttened to be used to grow edible crops.


    As the wooden ship sailed closer to them, Charles could make out more details of it. Unlike the Narwhale, which was powered by turbines, that wooden ship was actually powered by sails. This was terribly odd considering that there was hardly any breeze in the subterranean sea, and even if there was, relying on whatever mini-zephyr for speed was akin to courting death.


    "Captain, what should we do?"


    "I will man the helm. Go out and signal to them to follow the custom: port to port."


    This was an established basic nautical practice to avoid any collisions due to theck ofmunication.


    "Aye!" With the silver bracelet on his wrist, Dipp grabbed the gs and ran out.


    The young man gestured with the red gs in his hand, and the wooden ship started to change its course. It seemed to have understood the gnguage.


    As the two boats brushed past each other, a trace of doubt crossed his mind as he stared at the old wooden ship. <i>Is it heading to Sottom too?</i>


    <i>Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!</i>


    Just then, a crisis ensued as the ps on the wooden ship''s port side flipped open to reveal menacing cannons aimed at the Narwhale.


    Immediately on alert, Charles rapidly turned the ship''s wheel wildly, trying to face the cannonballs with only the smallest area possible. Despite his swift response, some of the projectilesnded on the deck. However, the expected explosion sounds didn''t follow. The cannonballs seemed to be soft and stuck to wherever theynded. A dark purple smoke then began to emit from the cannonballs, and soon enough, the entire Narwhale was engulfed in the smoke.


    "Lily! Fire back!!" Hearing Charles''mand, the mice on the deck speedily ran toward the gun turrets and aimed the 125mm cannons at the wooden ship.


    Meanwhile, silhouettes began to emerge from the dark purple fog. Their bodies were as thin as paper. Where their head was supposed to be, they had no distinguishable facial features, and they held weapons made of the same material¡ªpaper.


    The moment the eerie Papyrians steadied themselves, they dashed for the deck cannons and brought their weapons down on the mice, hacking at them frenziedly. The movement of the cannons was brought to a stop.


    The crew members quickly opened fire at the Papyrians, but the bullets merely passed through them, leaving a hole in their bodies but did nothing to impede their movement.


    Charles frowned. He didn''t dare to waste another second. He took out the mirror, wanting to smear blood on it. Such childish ghostly tricks didn''t scare him. That wooden ship in the distance was the key; he had to stop it.


    Just when he bit down on his finger, he felt a sudden pain ring from his stomach. Shocked, he looked down to see the tip of a bloody de poking out of his torso.


    Without a second thought, he pulled out his revolver and turned around to aim at the figure behind it. He was just about to pull the trigger when he froze.


    It was the boatswain, Dipp. A sinister smile was etched on his face as a chilling voice called out, "Fire...Shoot me..."


    The next moment, Charles took a deep breath. Ignoring the extreme pain, he pped the Clown Mask onto his face.


    The moment the Clown Mask was on his face, Charles pulled the trigger and Dipp fell to the floor.


    Controlling his internal muscles to mp down on the wound, Charles stumbled out of the pilot house.


    Outside, his crew members were already engaged inbat with the Papyrians. They were clearly at a disadvantage, save for James, who had transformed into a giant. The attack from the others seemed to have no effects.


    Pressing onto his wound, Charles grabbed the Bat Mirror and tossed it toward the bat in the air.


    "Blindy! Shatter that ship with your sonic scream!"


    With the mirror in its beastly maws, the bat speedily flew toward the wooden ship.


    No sooner had he finished speaking, a Papyrian appeared behind Charles. With its gleaming weapon, it was ready to sh down on Charles'' head.


    Charles strategically retreated and crashed into it. With swift movements of his ck de, he shed the Papyrian into thin paper shreds.


    "Tsk. Is that all?" Charles let out a snort. With his trustworthy knife in his hand, Charles was about to sprint into battle when he suddenly froze. Blood had started seeping from his wound again. He didn''t dare make any reckless movement as his physical body was in a precarious position. If he made any movement, he might just die from severe blood loss.


    Charles soon found another solution to the situation. He slowly squatted down and retrieved a bunch of steel nails from a wooden barrel beside him.


    He hurled a nail like a dart, and it urately struck a Papyrian, pinning it to the ground. But this was just a stopgap measure.


    The Papyrians kept increasing in numbers. There seemed to be no end to it, and Charles'' vision was starting to blur.

 Chapter 44. Deaths Retaliation

    <h4>Chapter 44. Death''s Retaliation</h4>


    Just as the Narwhale was close to being overrun by the Papyrians, a ear-piercing screech echoed from the distance as the paper silhouettes halt in their tracks.


    Charles focused his gaze and looked into the distance. Audric had already transformed into a gigantic bat and hovered in the expanse above the wooden ship. The waxen sails shook fiercely under the bat''s sonic assault and the entire wooden ship trembled.


    Seeing that the tides had turned, Charles couldn''t endure any longer. His strength faded from him as he slid down against the ship''s hull and fell to the ground.


    The captain''s abnormality instantly caught the attention of his crew. They gathered with tense expressions on their faces.


    "Cap-captain! Who did this?" Second Mate Conor stared at the protruding de on Charles'' chest. His face was filled with panic.


    "Never mind me...Quick. Get rid of those paper..." Charles spoke in fading whispers as the world around him seemed to grow increasingly darker.


    Conor nodded vigorously and hurried off. He led the sailors to charge at their disoriented enemies.


    Charles'' vision was cking out, and the sounds around him became muffled noises.


    As the torches were lit across the deck, a sudden thought emerged in Charles'' mind. <i>Am I going to die?</i>


    Suddenly, he felt as if his world was getting brighter and brighter. The pain he felt was also slowly fading away. In the face of his impending death, Charles realized he was more calm than he''d imagined himself to be. <i>Ah, I''m finally dying...I wonder if I will be able to return back to my old body..."</i>


    The First Mate who was nowhere to be seen just now pushed through the people surrounding Charles to reach him. He was dragging two figures with him. One of them was a novice sailor with a gash on his neck, and the other was Dipp, who had been shot. Both injuries weren''t lethal. The cut on the novice missed his vital arteries, while Charles had avoided aiming at any vital organs when he shot Dipp. Hence, they were both still alive.


    Charles could vaguely make out the two men to be saying something to Bandages with evident fear. However, he couldn''t hear a word they were saying.


    Bandages set the two men down side by side on the deck. He threw a profound look at Charles before taking the ck knife from thetter''s hand.


    Charles wanted to ask Bandages what he was nning to do but his bloodless lip merely trembled and couldn''t move to mouth any words.


    With the de, Bandages swiftly drew a trident blood array on the wooden deck. In the spaces of the array, he inscribed twisted glyphs.


    A momentter, he turned around, and the sharp de pierced the chest of the novice sailor. Disbelief and shock filled the eyes of Charles and the crew surrounding them.


    Bandages then dragged the sailor''s corpse to the center of the array before he raised the dagger up once more. This time, his target was Dipp.


    <i>Swoosh.</i>


    A ship nailnded on Bandages'' hand that was wielding the de.


    Noticing Charles'' eyes burning with fury, Bandages silently put the de down. He then crouched over the deck and muttered incantations under his breath.


    As Bandages chanted, the blood of the sailor seeped into the array etched on the deck.


    A transparent tentacle made from seawater extended from over the ship'' hull. Bandages¡¯ chanting grew louder.


    The tentacle briefly tapped on the sailor in the middle of the array. The body, with its eyes wide open, slid through the liquid tentacle and out into the sea.


    Dyed red from the blood, the appendage then swiftly turned toward Charles beside. It manifested into a pool of bloody water and sshed over Charles.


    The sudden drenching had Charles letting out a gut-wrenching scream when he had barely been holding onto life just a moment before.


    Wisps of white smoke emitted from his body as he writhed and contorted like a snake. The knife lodged in his back was rapidly expelled and the wound began to heal.


    At this moment, Charles felt as though thousands of knives were stabbing into him. He felt like he was going to faint from the excruciating pain.


    A couple of secondster, Charles looked as though he was never injured as hey in the pool of seawater.


    Bandages approached him calmly and helped the drenched Charles to his feet. "Captain...We only paid half the sacrifice...Your wounds are notpletely healed."


    Gasping for breath, Charles looked at Bandages withplex emotions. He didn''t utter a single world and turned his attention back toward the ongoing battle in the distance.


    By now, the sonic screech had already faded. What remained was Audric flying in mid-air while being assaulted by a horde of inky paper-thin figures. His body was already battered with wounds.


    Charles dashed toward the deck cannons and took aim at the wooden ship. He fired without hesitation. However, due to the distance between them, his shots consecutively missed the target.


    Charles turned toward his crew, "Bandages, man the helm! James, overload the turbines! Everyone else, take your weapons! We have to get it!"


    Everyone sprang into action and the bustling atmosphere returned to the Narwhale.


    Charles''s dark hair fluttered with the wind. Behind the mask, he had an icy expression as his gaze burned with visible hatred.


    Seeing the Narwhale closing the distance between them, the wooden ship wanted to escape. However, it was at a disadvantage when it came to speed. The gap between both ships rapidly narrowed.


    Under Charles'' control, the deck turrets were tilted once more as projectiles rained down around the wooden ship. Geysers of water shot up into the air when the cannon balls missed their target.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The mast of the wooden ship was hit and it copsed onto the deck with its sail. The speed of the wooden ship deteriorated even further.


    "Don''t slow down! Ram into them!" Charles'' roar of fury echoed from the deck.


    The Narwhale''s speed increased by another notch. Under everyone''s gazes, the ship''s prow plunged into the hull of the wooden ship like ance.


    With no regard for the silhouettes on the wooden ship, Charles turned the cannon to fire away at its deck. The deafening sound of cannon fire filled the air and projectiles rained on the ship, riddling the ship''s body with holes while bloody tissues exploded and sttered everywhere.


    Charles was certain that he just needed a few more hits to sink the ship. However, he restrained himself. He had to find out who was behind this ship.


    "Jump aboard!" Leading his crew, Charles leaped onto the opposite deck.


    Making their way across the hole-riddled deck, Charles and his crew arrived at the cabin entrance.


    The moment they descended the stairs, a cold glint sliced toward Charles'' face. With a swift duck and movements, he used the ck de in his hand to swiftly cleave the Papyrian into shreds.


    But this was only just the beginning. An incessant swarm of the ck paper-thin figures surged toward them. They were like mad dogs, attacking with frenzied fervor.


    "These things seemed to be controlled by someone. Hold them back! Let me pass through and get rid of their puppeteer!"


    Charles shouted and dashed toward the Papyrians. Like a slippery eel, he rapidly slid through the paper crowd while evading their attacks.


    Seemingly desperate, the Papyrians swarmed toward Charles, trying to stop him from moving forward. Charles was like a small boat in the middle of the vast turbulent ocean, on the edge of capsizing but never did. As the number of enemies increased, his human agility was pushed to its limits but was even more effective. Due to the number of Papyrians in the small area, they often end up striking at their own kind the moment they swung their weapons.


    After a couple of seconds, the area before him cleared. In the dimly lit cabin, a human donned in a ck captain''s uniform was chanting to himself. Four azure candles flickered next to him.


    The moment the man saw Charles with his mask, a look of fear appeared on his face. He swiftly blew out the candles and darkness consumed the cabin. He then tried to follow along the cabin''s edge to run toward the nearby window.


    Unfortunately, his tricks were futile before Charles, who possessed night vision when he wore the Clown Mask. He raised his revolver and pulled the trigger.


    Blood sttered from the man''s limbs. Before he could even react, Charles'' de was already pressed against his throat.

 Chapter 45. A Tiny Being

    <h4>Chapter 45. A Tiny Being</h4>


    "Alright, if you still wish to keep your head, you''d better not move. Speak. Who sent you to kill me? Don''t give me any pirate bullshit. I''ve met my fair share of them. They don''t act like you do." Charles spoke in a yful tone, but the gaze behind the Clown Mask was nothing but icy.


    "If...If I tell you, can you spare me?" the man whimpered. His eyes were filled with fear.


    "I can consider it."


    "It''s... It''s..."


    Just when Charles thought the man was going to spill the beans, the man stretched out his neck and slid it across the sharp de, effectively severing his own head.


    Fresh, hot blood sttered on Charles'' mask, instantly dyeing it a crimson hue. He was stunned for a couple of seconds before he stood up and cursed under his breath. He then turned to leave the cabin.


    As the sound of footsteps faded into the distance, the head on the ground opened its eyes. A smirk appeared on its face and added to the eeriness of the dark cabin. It tried to roll toward its body.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    A ck de stuck into the ground and blocked its path. The human head turned in terror. The masked man who had supposedly left was back again, and was tilting his head while looking at it.


    "I already knew you dabble with arcane spells, so why wouldn''t I have my guard up?" Charles dashed forward and sent the head flying with a kick. It hit hard against the wall and bounced back toward him.


    "So you are still alive even after decapitation? Great, let''s have some fun! Looking at you now, I am overwhelmed with inspiration! Say, if I throw you into a cauldron and boil you, will you survive?" Charles asked, as he put a foot on the head and used it as a stepping stool.


    "Sir, dear sir. I was wrong. Don''t cook me. I''ll tell you everything," the head begged with a sorrowful face. Suddenly, its right eye popped out and dropped on the ground. A tiny being crawled out of the empty eye socket.


    At first nce, the tiny being resembles an underdeveloped infant. It was translucent with a pinkish hue. Coupled with its bloating body and malformed limbs, its appearance made others feel unsettling.


    Its voice was pitchy like that of a mosquito. Trembling, it prostrated on the ground and said, "It''s Priest Sonny who instructed me to control your crew member to attack you. It was also him who sent me to kill you."


    The corners of Charles'' lips lifted into an exaggerated grin. "So it''s that kid, huh. Well, that sure cuts off all cordiality between us, I tell you."


    "Mr. Charles! I''m an innocent party too! Sonny conquered our ind, and forced me to work for him. I already told you everything I know, so please, spare me."


    "Spare you? After you tried to kill my people? You are sure having quite the daydream."


    A sudden thought seemed to emerge in the mind of the flustered tiny being. It immediately stood up and pointed at a cab in the corner. "There''s a secretpartment within. All thepensation Sonny gave me is in there, you can have it al¡ª"


    <i>St!</i>


    With a soft squelch, Charles'' boot cut off the tiny creature''s plea.


    "You said you were forced, and now there''spensation?" Charles rubbed the sole of his boots against the floor to rid any sticky remains of the creature. He then walked toward the cab.


    Pushing the cab aside, Charles spotted a keyhole on the floor. One effortless, swift movement of his dark deter, the hidden door was neatly and easily opened.


    Shimmering gold bricks were piled up neatly to fill the small space. Charles roughly estimated that there were several kilograms of gold in the cache. Whether above the surface or under the surface, it was quite a fortune.


    "Tsk tsk tsk. I didn''t even know I was worth this much," Charles remarked as he picked up a gold bar. He tried to bite it to check if it was real gold but he couldn''t do so because of the mask.


    Feeling a little disappointed, he stood up and headed for the staircase.


    The moment he reached the cabin''s entrance, he came face to face with his crew members who were preparing to head in. The Papyrians that had been attacking them frenziedly earlier were all lying motionless on the floor. Evidently, they had been under the control of that tiny human earlier.


    "Any casualties?" Charles asked as he removed the mask from his face.


    Second Mate Conor ignored his question. Rather, he was too excited and replied, "Captain! Sottom has appeared!"


    When they were back on the ship''s deck once more, the sight before them left them awestruck.


    Before them was a mountainous structure assembled from an assortment of chaotic ship hulls. Tiny flickers of light danced between the "peaks," where silhouettes moved like specters in the dim light.


    The "peaks" weren''t stationary; they were slowly drifting ahead with resoluteness. This was the infamous stronghold of the Subterranean Pirates¡ªSottom.


    "Captain, Sottom is here. Let''s go over," Conor said to Charles.


    However, Charles remained rooted to the spot in silence. A trace of confusion appeared on Conor''s visage and he gently tapped Charles on the shoulder.


    Instantly, it was as though Conor had triggered some switch and Charles'' healed wound split apart once more. Crimson blood sprayed from his body and reached several feet away.


    Hearing his crew members'' cries fading away, Charles'' consciousness plummeted into darkness.


    When Charles regained consciousness, he realized that he was not on his ship. He scanned his surroundings and saw nothing but darkness. Suddenly, a light shone from below. He saw his younger self standing in a wooden boat with an oilmp in his hand and scanning the area with an anxious gaze.


    He recognized the scene: it was him when he had just crossed over. Knowing the events that would unfold, his breathing grew rapid.


    The young Charles leaned over and looked into the water. In the depths of the dark waters, a green, glowing object, the size of a ping pong ball was moving slowly. The ping pong ball halted for a brief moment before it suddenly ascended. In an instant it expanded and the giant ball hugged the surface of the water. Its ghostly glow illuminated arge portion of the ocean.


    If the glowing ping pong ball was the size of a ser field, then Charles was like the ser ball ced in the middle of the field.


    A ck spot appeared in the center of the ghostly green halo. It wasn''t a ping pong ball; it was the eye of some creature!


    Under the creature''s gaze, Charles watched his younger self starting to distort grotesquely.


    Writhing tentacles, trembling innards, horrified faces, razor-sharp nails and teeth, and disgusting organs multiplied all over his body. Charles could only watch helplessly as his younger self morphed into a grotesque fleshy abomination.


    An indescribable wave of fear consumed Charles. He wanted to close his eyes but he found himself incapable of doing so.


    Just then, the eyeball in the water suddenly turned its gaze onto Charles in the air.


    <i>It saw me! It saw me!!</i>


    "Ahhhhh!" Charles jolted up in cold sweat.


    Charles'' cries woke James out of his nap and he immediately rushed over with a worried expression. "Captain, are you okay?"


    Coming back to his senses, Charles observed his surroundings. He was lying on a filthy wooden bed. Various bottles and jars filled with peculiar items surrounded the room. The air was thick with the stench of decay mixed with medicinal herbs.


    "Where are we?" Charles pulled open his top to find that his wound had been wrapped up with bandages.


    "Captain, we are at Sottom. You almost scared us half to death. We thought you really died. Luckily, there was a doctor here," James exined as he handed Charles a cup of water.

 Chapter 46. Doctor

    <h4>Chapter 46. Doctor</h4>


    With beads of cold sweat on his forehead, Charles took a sip of water. He turned his gaze toward his crew member, "Thanks, James."


    The burly man, James, shed his usual good-natured smile. "That''s what I should do anyway. You are our captain after all."


    "Please gather the others. We need to discuss our next steps."


    "Alright," James answered and exited the room.


    <i>We are finally in Sottom...</i> Charles slowlyid himself back down on the bed. A hint of relief crept onto his exhausted visage. Putting the process ahead, he was one step closer to home now.


    <i>Cough!</i>


    A sudden coughing sound prompted Charles to instinctively reach for his revolver holster.


    Propping himself up on the bed, he turned to see an old man at the doorway. He donned a dirt-stained white coat and was holding a wooden cup in his metal prosthetic arm.


    Butpared to his countenance, the rest of his entric appearance was nothing but normal.


    A myriad of scars etched deep on his originally wrinkled face. It looked as though a piece of mirror had been shattered and pieced back together. On this nightmarish visage, two yellowed eyes move incessantly. His gaze looked entric too.


    The old man seemed oblivious to Charles'' move toward his weapon as he limped toward the bed with a rhythmic clicking sound. It was then that Charles realized that even his left leg was a metal prosthetic limb.


    "Drink it, don''t chew." The old man instructed briefly in a voice fitting of his appearance as he ced the cup in his hand down on the bedside table.


    Charles picked up the cup and peered into its contents. There seemed to be some living creature wriggling within the ck liquid.


    "Were you the one who saved me? Thank you. I thought I was going to die from that severe injury." Charles expressed his gratitude before he lifted the cup to his lips, tilted his head back, and downed the contents in one shot.


    Instantly, a bitter taste that was even more bitter than the infamous Chinese herb, the Chinese goldthread, flooded Charles'' mouth. The living creatures within the concoction seemed to have a prickly surface. They brushed against his throat, leaving a harsh sting, as they went down his gullet. He felt like he had just swallowed a stone wrapped in sandpaper.


    "Your physical injuries are nothingpared to the damage in your head." The old man turned around and squatted down. Using his metal hand, he seemed to be searching for something from the jars lying around.


    "Are you referring to the auditory hallucinations?"


    "Hah! Auditory hallucinations? If it were just hallucinations, I''d chop off my other hand right now!" The old man''s voice wasced with mockery.


    Charles had to admit that the old man was spot on. His auditory hallucinations had worsened to be visual ones, with everything living around him morphing into grotesque monsters. Charles had no idea what would happen if his condition worsened further, but he was certain it wouldn''t be pleasant.


    The old man didn''t mince his words, but Charles could understand the underlying meaning behind them. "Do you have a cure? Money is not an issue."


    The old man turned and approached charles. Staring at Charles with his trembling eyeballs, he asked, "What''s your name?"


    "Charles."


    "Last name?"


    Charles leaned back to widen the gap between him and the old man. "Just call me Charles."


    The old man extended his metal arm and said, "Laesto Hermann. I don''t appreciate people younger than me calling me Laesto. You can call me Doctor."


    Charles extended his right hand and took the cold metallic hand into a firm grip. "Thank you. Regarding my auditory hallucinations¡ª"


    Before Charles couldplete his sentence, Doctor interrupted him. "I can treat your condition. In the entire Sottom, my healing methods are the most effective. As for thepensation, I don''t need Echo. I want that ck mirror in your breast pocket. "


    Charles instantly understood what he was referring to. He fished out the smartphone that ran out of battery out of his breast pocket.


    "Do you mean this?" Charles asked.


    The moment Laestoid his eyes on the smartphone, his gaze shone with undisguised desire. "Yes. That''s it. Such a well-preserved item is a rarity. I want it!"


    Charles looked down at the device and his own reflection in the darkened screen. "Why do you want it? Do you know what this is?"


    "No, I don''t. But my intuition is telling me that it''s special. My sixth sense is usually urate."


    Charles hesitated. This was the only item that came along with him when he was transported to this world. It contained photos of his family members.


    He wasn''t particrly attached to the smartphone, but he had heard rumors that the arcanists could curse someone through their belongings. Who knew what this old man would do to his phone?


    While Charles was deep in contemtion, the room door was pushed open. The crew of the Narwhale flooded into the room in excitement. Lily even directly leaped onto Charles.


    "Captain! You finally came around!"


    "Mr. Charles!"


    "Captain, it''s great to see that you are fine."


    Charles''s gazended on Laesto Hermann who was slowly making his way out through the crowd.


    "Doctor, let me think about it. I''ll let you know after I''ve decided," Charles said as he ced his smartphone back into his breast pocket.


    Laesto scanned the room before he limped toward the doorway.


    "Better make a decision soon. I don''t really care either way but your mind won''t hold out much longer."


    Charles then turned his gaze on Bandages at the edge of the room.


    "First Mate, report the casualties," Charles said.


    "Two sailors dead... One... sacrificed. Second Engineer lost a limb. Others... various degrees of injuries. Captain almost dead..."


    The situation was better than what Charles anticipated. He thought he would have to rece half of his crew after that battle.


    Looking around the room, Charles asked in doubt, "Where''s that kid, Dipp? He''s not dead, right?"


    The crew''s gazes turned toward the wooden door in the distance. A silhouette stood outside of the door.


    "Dipp,e here."


    Dipp stepped through the door. His face was battered and bruised and he was also wrapped up in bandages.


    "What happened to your face?" Charles asked.


    "I beat him up. The kid deserves it," Chef Frey spat as he lifted his arm as though he wanted to strike Dipp again.


    With his eyes red, Dipp knelt on the floor. Remorse was written all over his face.


    To Dipp, Charles was almost like half a father. But yet, he had nearly killed this fatherly figure of his. Sorrow and guilt weighed down heavy on his heart. If Charles had died because of him, he would never have been able to forgive himself.


    "You won''t be paid for this mission. Case closed."


    Dipp looked up in astonishment. He thought he would be kicked off the Narwhale and had to return to roaming the streets once again. The Captain decided to let him off that easily?


    "Remember this lesson. Don''t let anyone make use of you again."


    Charles had his own ns. Dipp might be somewhat gullible, but after all, he had shown Dipp the ropes from the first day thetter embarked on his seafaring journey. Dipp held utmost loyalty toward him. Also, death wasmon among sailors, so it was crucial to have loyal ones.


    Not having a loyal crew was an extremely terrifying thought. If his crew had all been disloyal ones, they would have thrown their dying captain overboard when faced with the same situation. After that, they could sell the ship and split the gains.


    Tears flowed down Dipp''s cheeks as he nodded vigorously. He made a silent vow to himself that he would never allow such a thing to happen again.


    Charles'' gaze turned from Dipp and onto Conor. "Have you moved the gold from the wooden ship?"


    "Yes. There''s a ce in Sottom that buys wrecked ships. I sold the wooden ship too. After settling everything, we got 1.54 million Echo. That old dude took three hundred thousand for the treatment cost. Also, we found something else in the ship apart from the gold."

 Chapter 47. Anchor Bar

    <h4>Chapter 47. Anchor Bar</h4>


    Conor took out the few books that he had prepared earlier. Their red covers had worn down to an indistinguishable blur, while their yellow pages bore testament to their age.


    Taking the books in his hands, Charles flipped through the pages to find them filled with an array of unfamiliar characters written in a bold, crimson ink. They resembled cuneiform writing, but the strokes clung together as well, resembling a cohesive script. Crude drawing of arcane circles and monsters apanied the text.


    Charles couldn''tprehend the contents on the pages, but judging from their systematic arrangement, the books seemed to be a chronicle of something.


    <i>Could this be the arcane book that the tiny creature used to summon those paper figures? </i>The thought emerged in Charles'' mind and refused to leave.


    If his suspicion was spot on then these books would be worth more than gold. If they managed to learn the ability within these books, it could significantly bolster the fighting strength of the Narwhale.


    After contemting for a few moments, Charles passed the books back to Conor.


    "Hold on to these for now, and find out more clues about them in Sottom. If we can find someone to trante the text, then we can get one of our crew to learn it."


    "Aye!"


    "Well then, that''s all." Charles sat up from his bed, reached for his coat by the side, and draped it on himself.


    James'' eyes widened in astonishment as he asked in a nervous voice, "Captain, what are you doing?"


    "Did wee to Sottom for a vacation? I have very important matters to attend to."


    rmed, James immediately spread his arms apart to block Charles'' path.


    "That won''t do, your wounds are not fully healed. You shouldn''t be up and around," James retorted.


    Lily squeaked and the mice rallied forward, trying to pin Charles back onto the bed. The others also joined in on the persuasion.


    Despite Charles repeatedly assuring them that his body was fine, and he didn''t feel any pain, his words fell onto deaf ears.


    The crew''s voices of concern fueled the annoyance in him. The murmurs in his ears sounded again as the familiar faces of his crew began to morph into various monsters.


    "Enough!" Charles'' growl silenced everyone. The mice on him retreated as well and trembled.


    Fishing out a piece of spare gooey jelly from his coat, Charles stuffed it into his mouth and swallowed it. Everything began to revert to its former state.


    "First Mate, procure fresh water, food, and fuel. Second Mate and Audric, follow me. The rest, get back onboard!"


    No one dared to defy the orders of the captain and went off with their tasks obediently.


    Charles let out a sigh as he watched their departing figures. He knew his crew members had his best interest at heart, however they wouldn''t be able to understand his current feelings.


    The clues to return home were so tantalizingly close that every passing second felt like a torture. He really didn''t want to wait any longer.


    Upon leaving the doctor''s chaotic room, Charles found himself on a bustling street.


    Humans'' creativity was limitless. Even though everything around was fashioned from ships, the hulls and decks were pieced together into continuous paths. An assortment of gas and oilmps illuminated the ce like a ghastly ghost market.


    Dressed in all kinds of outfits, pirates paced the streets. Their gaze was sharp and their guard was up. A hint of tension could be felt in the air.


    Charles moved forward, and threw a question to Conor, who was trailing after him.


    "Where did you find that doctor?"


    "When we arrived at Sottom, you were barely breathing. A guy at the port mentioned a skilled doctor here, so we brought you over."


    Charles pondered over Conor''s words briefly before he turned to look at thetter.


    "Go and gather information about him. I want to know if his background is clean."


    "Aye. Leave it to me," Conor said and disappeared into the crowd.


    "Captain, what about me?" Audric asked from the side.


    "Haven''t you been here before? Do you know the way to Anchor Pub? Bring me there," Charles instructed.


    Audric nodded in response. The cloak on his back unfurled as he morphed into a bat and soared into the air.


    The bat briefly assessed the surroundings before it flew eastward. Charles followed after in a hurried pace, so as not to lose sight of it.


    Beyond the current street he was walking on, an expanse of ships of all sizes stretched out into a scrapyard. There was no suitable footing for him to continue ahead.


    Watching Audric disappear into the distance, Charles pped on the Clown Mask without hesitation. With the nimbleness of a gymnast, he leaped between the rusty husks of ships.


    Keeping pace with Audric, Charles got a glimpse of the vicissitudes of life on Sottom. Sottom truly lived up to its notorious reputation as the city of sin. Illicit goods were aplenty, and even shabbily clothed men and women were openly traded on the streets.


    In the darkened alleys where light didn''t reach, abhorrent acts happened from time to time. The infamous port district seemed saintly inparison.


    After traversing close to half of Sottom, the bat finally descended andnded before a pub with neon lights gracing its exteriors.


    Slick with perspiration, Charles slipped a hand under his clothing the moment he came to a stop. Indeed, blood was seeping from his wound again.


    With the leads back home right before him, Charles ignored his bleeding wound and entered the pub with Audric right behind him.


    Upon entering the pub, the dim environment gave way to unexpected brightness. The pub was illuminated by electric lights that were not even technically adopted in the Coral Archipgo.


    Several women dressed in garments that did not leave a lot to the imagination danced on the tforms, swaying to the rhythm of the music. The dance floor was a cacophony of music and chatter. Charles felt that this ce looked more like a nightclub than the traditional pub that he was used to.


    Weaving through the dance crowd, Charles reached the edge of the bar counter. A female bartender with a skull tattooed on her face caked with makeup leaned forward toward him. "What do you want, handsome?"


    "Seadog referred me here. I have some things to ask," Charles answered as he rested his elbows on the bar counter.


    The bartender''s hand movements didn''t halt as she skillfully juggled and flipped bottles, concocting cocktails.


    "Even if you are Seadog''s referral, you still have to pay like everyone else. 5000 Echo per question."


    "Alright. Do you know where I can find sunlight in Sottom?" Charles'' heart raced in anticipation after he popped the question.


    "Sunlight? What''s that? I''ve never heard of it."


    Charles'' heart sank. Suddenly a thought appeared in his head. He turned to Audric and instructed, "Draw the box that contains sunlight."


    Audric nodded and pulled out a piece of parchment and a charcoal pencil. His hands made swift movement and before long, a lifelike image of a six-sided mirror box sat on the parchment.


    Just as Audric was about to add additional details to the sketch, the female bartender pulled the paper over and scanned it.


    "Ah. So you are looking for it. I know about this. It''s a weapon that can deal with creatures of the dark. However, we don''t call it sunlight around here, we call it a Mirrorbox. Sunlight? Really? Who came up with such a stupid name?


    "Where can I buy one?" Charles asked. His anticipation rising up once more.


    "The Mirrorbox business belongs to ''King''. Every fortnight, he will release a batch from his hoard. You can try your luck but prepare enough Echo. After all, it''s in high demand. Selling them on the other inds could make you a fortune."


    "I don''t need that many. I just need one."


    "Just one? Do you think you are buying a child''s toy?" The skull tattoo bartender stared at Charles with a hint of suspicion in her eyes.

 Chapter 48. Releasing the Sunlight

    <h4>Chapter 48. Releasing the Sunlight</h4>


    "You do know that thing is just like a bullet, don''t you? It''s gone after a single use."


    "I only need one. Can you get one?" Charles'' voice wasced with urgency.


    The skull tattoo bartender folded her arms across her chest and contemted. "Hmm...If you only need one... Let me think..."


    A few secondster, she sped her hands together. "Ah, I heard that Sharky intercepted a shipment recently and there were Mirrorboxes among the goods. If you urgently need one, I can sell you one at a marked up price of 40,000 Echo. Don''t think that I''m trying to cheat you, these things aren''t cheap to begin with."


    "Not a problem! Please get me one immediately."


    Seeing Charles agreed so readily to the price, the bartender cursed inwardly. She should have quoted an even higher price.


    "Luna, keep our friendpany. I''ll be right back." The moment the skull tattoo bartender turned to leave. A young woman in a gauzy outfit crawled across the bar counter top toward Charles.


    As tempting and alluring the woman before him was, it was anxiety that upied most of his mind. He was consumed by unease.


    Normally, only sunlight could incinerate vampires into ashes. However, sunlight was not a matter that could be contained in a box. The illogicality in this subterranean world had presented Charles many surprises. Now, he wasn''t too sure about the facts of the surface world anymore.


    "Hey~ Why are your legs trembling so much? Are you...<i>restraining</i> yourself?" The woman in sheer garments cooed as she leaned in closer, aiming to lie in his embrace.


    In his annoyance, Charles lifted his hand with the tentacle ring and pushed her away.


    Seeing the opportunity, Audric swooped in and ensnared her in his cloak. With a hand over her mouth, he revealed his vampire fangs and sank them into her fair neck. Her bare feet outside the cloak writhed nonstop.


    The waiting game felt like an eternity to Charles. He felt like every passing second was like days.


    The skull tattoo bartender returned half an hourter with a Mirrorbox in her hands. It was an exact replica of the sketch on the parchment paper.


    Charles couldn''t wait to open it.


    "Wait! Captain! Let me get out of here first!" With his lips stained with blood, Audric bolted toward the exit.


    With trembling hands, Charles held down the lid of the box as his breathing grew rapid.


    "You want to open it now? Are you really treating a treasure worth 40,000 Echo as a ything?" The skull tattoo bartender widened her eyes in surprise.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The box was opened, and a blinding light filled up the pub. The light within was not like the harsh sun of summer. Rather, it felt like a winter''s sun, warm,forting, and bathed people in drowsiness.


    The moment he was bathed in the light, Charles'' anxiety melted away and serenity took over. He enjoyed the feel of the sunlight caressing his skin. He had never felt so close to home before.


    The piercing light came and went. Itsted for a mere three seconds. The brightness in the pub then returned to its previous state.


    Silence engulfed the room for only a split second before the noisy atmosphere returned.


    A faint smile appeared on Charles'' lips as he took a whiff of the scent of dead dust mites on his clothes. A drop of tear trickled from the corner of his eye.


    Indeed, the box contained genuine sunlight, light sourced directly from the sun itself. It was also the guiding beacon for Charles'' homeward journey.


    "Seadog''s friend is sure rich to treat a Mirrorbox as a toy. Hey, do you need a woman? How about you consider me?" The skull tattoo bartender returned to her spot and continued mixing cocktails.


    With the Mirrorbox in his hand, Charles sniffled and asked, "Where is this from?"


    "Didn''t I answer that earlier? ''King'' would release a batch of them every fortnight."


    "No, I mean, where does the thing inside the boxe from?"


    The bartender halted the rocking of the shaker in her hand as a somber look crossed her face. "What are you nning to do? Those who had tried to snatch ''King''s'' business were skewered and fed to sharks."


    "I don''t wish to snatch his business. I just want to know the source of this sunlight," Charles exined.


    "Isn''t that the same? Would you tell others if you were in his shoes? Do you know how much money ''King'' made from this business? Since you are Seadog''s friend, I advise you to not seek death."


    However, Charles was unyielding and asked, "When does he usually appear?"


    The skull tattoo bartender signed and answered. "''King'' usually makes an appearance at the auction. The next one is a fortnightter."


    Charles'' fingers drummed rapidly against the counter top. "Is he the king of Sottom? Does he own all of Sottom?"


    "Yes. And not just Sottom. His influence is vast. He owns a dozenrge ships of over a hundred meters, and even the pirates of the Northern Sea must obey him. Even ind governors have to tread carefully around him."


    With a serious expression on his face, Charles was lost in his thoughts.


    "Stop dawdling and pay up," the skull tattoo bartender demanded with her hands on her hips.


    ***


    Assisted by Audric, Charles was back on his bed. The pain from his wound was not enough to distract him from his doubts.


    If this "King" really had a way to the surface, why didn''t he go up? Why did he choose to stay in this sunless subterranean world? Was he trying to exploit the resources from the surface to easily be one of the upper echelons in this subterranean world? Or perhaps, that sunlight didn''t actually originate from the sun itself?


    Regardless of what it was, Charles decided to meet up with "King". After all, that was his only clue now.


    Just as his mind was consumed with various thoughts, Second Mate Conor burst into the room.


    "Captain, I''ve obtained some intel about the old man from the locals!" Conor eximed.


    "What did they say?" Charles propped himself on the bed.


    Conor hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Captain, digging up this information cost me quite a bit. Could you possibly reimburse me?"


    "Not an issue. Speak."


    "Alright. The locals said that the old man has been here for a long time. No one knows when he arrived. When most pirates got here, he was already here healing the sick and injured. He can cure all injuries no matter how severe they are. That''s all there is to him. He''s a doctor and none of the pirates dare to mess with him. After all, no one can be certain that they will never get injured."


    "I see..." Charles mused.


    "Captain, why are you investigating his background? Isn''t he just a doctor?" Conor asked out of curiosity.


    "Don''t you think that we are missing a ship''s doctor aboard the Narwhale?"


    Conor''s mouth fell open in surprise. "You mean you want to¡ª"


    The sound of the door being pushed opened interrupted Conor frompleting his sentence. Laesto limped into the room and instructed in a t tone, "Undress. Time to change the dressing."


    Receiving Charles'' hint through his gaze, Conor swiftly left the room.


    With his iron hand, Laesto mped down on the bandages around Charles'' chest to reveal his wounded torso. Blood was seeping from the wounds that should have been healing.


    "Running around with such severe injuries. Are you trying to help the grim reaper out?"


    Laesto evenly spreaded a ck powder over the wound. He then pulled off the iron hand to reveal a tool that resembled a stapler. He pressed the tool against Charles'' wound.


    <i>Pop! Pop! Pop!</i>


    The wound was stapled shut. Charles didn''t feel any pain. His eyes only held a strange fascination as he watched his flesh being bound together by metallic staples.

 Chapter 49. Ship Doctor

    <h4>Chapter 49. Ship Doctor</h4>


    "I agree to the deal," Charles said to Laesto who was riveting his flesh back together.


    Laesto''s hands halted its movement as the corners of his scar-riddled lips curved up into a terrifying smile. "Really? Excellent. I''ll definitely give you the best medicine to cure your brain to full health."


    "However, I need to change one of the terms. I can give you the smart...ck mirror, but you need to be my ship''s doctor."


    If Charles had to answer that had he learned from his previous battles, that would be the importance of having a doctor onboard. If they had one skilled medic during theirst fight, then they would have had less casualties.


    Laesto lowered his head and his hands continued moving. "You are not the first to request for me to be a ship doctor. The others haverger vessels and their crew are also more powerful. Why should I board your ship?"


    "Because I have what you want. Since you value the ck mirror so much, you probably not only want it but also find out about its origins, am I right? It so happens that I know of its origins. If you be my ship''s doctor, I can tell you everything you want to know about the ''ck mirror''. Assuming that you will trust what I say."


    After riveting the flesh back together, Laesto took a step back and stared at Charles'' visage as though trying to glean thetter''s intentions.


    "Let me have a look at the ck mirror again."


    Charles tossed the smartphone over. Laesto tenderly caressed the ck screen. A look of gentleness that was starkly out of ce appeared on his harsh features.


    Watching the doctor, Charles was burning with curiosity.


    <i>Could he have had a smartphone before as well?</i>


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Laesto mmed his metal hand on the bedside table.


    "Two years! I''ll stay on for two years. Tell me everything you know."


    "Deal! That thing is yours now. Once you are on board, you can ask me anything about it anytime."


    With Laesto onboard as the Narwhale''s doctor, Charles was assured that the smartphone would not end up in the hands of others. Also, two years was more than enough time for him to understand the man better and n his next steps.


    <i>nglui mglw...nafh...</i>


    The murmurs in Charles'' ear sounded again. The doctor before him rapidly distorted into a grotesque creature. Charles'' hallucinations seemed to have be more severe this time. He felt as though his consciousness had been thrown into a washing machine, tumbling ceaselessly and threatening to tear apart at any moment.


    With trembling hands, Charles reached to his clothes pocket for the gooey jelly. The moment he fished it out, the grotesque monster immediately used its tentacle to swat the jelly out of his hand. The tentacle then coiled around a cup filled with some concoction and offered it to him.


    Staring at the creature before him then continued morphing, Charles was still clear that it was Laesto. His hands shaking, he received the cup and gulped its contents.


    The monster then left the room, but it soon returned with more potions, pills, and poultices.


    The array of peculiar vors washed over Charles'' tastebuds again and again. It was to the extent that he felt he was losing his sense of taste.


    "Doctor! How much longer is it going to take?" Charles roared in pain and clutched his throbbing head. The remedies showed no immediate effect.


    The six mouths that resembled that of amprey fish on the creature''s belly moved to reply. However, the chanting in Charles'' ears drowned out any other sounds.


    Just then, the area of effect of the twisted reality Charles was experiencing started to shrink. Laesto Hermman''s scarred face appeared before him once more.


    "Is it over?"


    Laesto''s countenance was filled with anxiety. Scratching his head of half-white hair with his metal hand, dandruff kes were sent flying. "Impossible! How could Silence Salt not work!!"


    Looking at Laesto, Charles was clear about one thing¡ªthere wouldn''t be an easy cure for his auditory hallucinations.


    Laesto suddenly charged toward Charles in a maniac manner and stared into thetter''s eyes. Charles instinctively tried to avoid his gaze, but the doctor held his head firmly in ce.


    "Don''t move!" Laesto instructed.


    After a few seconds, Laesto finally put down his hands and fired away in a rapid breath that sounded a little crazed.


    "Have you seen something extraordinary at sea?"


    "The Divinity? Twice. Eight years ago and again recently."


    Charles'' reply seemed to have triggered Laesto as his body trembled, and he stamped his metallic leg on the ground in agitation. "I knew it! I should''ve guessed it! There''s nothing wrong with my medicine. Nothing wrong at all!"


    "Is my condition rted to the Divinity?"


    "Divinity?"


    Laesto let out a scoff and continued. "I don''t know what kind of damn divinity that thing might be. I only know that those who cross paths with it have a pretty miserable fate."


    "Can you cure this illness?"


    "It''s not an illness, do you get it? It''s a curse! That damn thing! Just a single nce at it could cost you your life! Divinity my ass! Hmph!"


    Laesto''s monstrous face leaned in again with his trembling eyes fixated on Charles.


    "I can suppress the symptoms you are experiencing. However, that''s only temporary. If you wish to live, you need to figure out a way to lift the curse. That''s not my area of expertise."


    Recalling the auction that would take ce a fortnightter, Charles made a decision in his heart.


    "Help me suppress it for now. I need to attend to some personal matters first."


    He had reached a critical juncture in his search for the way back to the surface. He didn''t want to be distracted by anything else at this point. As long as he could get back to the surface, everything was a done deal.


    Laesto retrieved a bottle from under the bed and seized a fist-sized sea spider from within. He then walked to the table and started to prepare a concoction.


    "Just so we''re clear, Captain. If you die before the end of our two year deal, that still counts as me fulfilling my end of the deal."


    "Of course. As long as you don''t try to poison me just to end the deal earlier."


    "Poison!? That''s an insult to me as a medical professional!"


    Over the next ten days or so, Charles continued to take all sorts of weird remedies concocted by the old man.


    Despite their abysmal taste, Charles could feel that his condition got slightly better. Even when those murmurs sounded, they were just like the buzzing of the mosquitoes in summer. Also, he didn''t experience another episode of visual hallucinations.


    Moreover, with the augmenting power of the ck Dagger, Charles'' wound had also rapidly healed, and his physical condition was back at its peak.


    ***


    "Captain, are you sure about having him as our ship''s doctor? That day, I saw him adding gunpowder to the pills you are taking," Second Mate Conor asked with a worrisome expression.


    Charles halted his writing in his diary for a moment before he continued journaling. "Just focus on your own duties. How''s the crew doing?"


    "They''re fine. Knowing the notoriety of this ce, they knew better than to roam around. Captain, how long do we have to stick around here?"


    "Not much longer." As soon as Charles'' words fell, a bat burst through the door and shapeshifted into Audric.


    "Captain, the auction is starting soon!" Audric reported.


    Charles donned his captain''s coat and strode toward the exit of the captain''s cabin.


    With Audric guiding the way, Charles soon arrived before a sprawling wooden ship. The ship wasid horizontally, and what should have been its keel had been hollowed out to serve as an entrance. This was the auction venue in Sottom.

 Chapter 50. "King"

    <h4>Chapter 50. "King"</h4>


    Pulling out the invitation he purchased from the skull tattoo bartender, Charles entered the auction venue.


    The inside of the ship wasrge but with just a few pieces of furniture. A simple stage was erected in front of the audience area, and it was nketed in a blood-red carpet.


    Naturally, pirates couldn''t care less about decorum and were drowning in debauchery. There were those drinking alcohol, some feeding on Comfort Fruit, and even a bunch sniffing powdery substances. The stale air in the auction venue was a blend of various smells.


    Amid the hushed whispers of pirate leaders, Charles'' being alone seemed rather conspicuous. He hadn''t let Audric follow him. He knew the pirates had vast experiences and was worried that they might notice that Audric was a vampire and the potential troubles it might bring.


    As the hall gradually filled up, the oilmps illuminating the surroundings were dimmed to the lowest.


    <i>Snap!</i>


    A spotlight shone down on the center of the stage. Dressed in ostentatious clothes, a dwarf bounced onto stage.


    "Wee, everyone, to the 157th Sottom Auction! We''ve got quite a number of amazing items today! Have you brought enough Echo with you?"


    The crowd was unresponsive. Most of the pirates in the audience seat didn''t even spare a nce at the host.


    The dwarf wasn''t affected by the dull atmosphere as he sped his hands together and said with a smile, "And now, please wee our most esteemed, invincible ''King''!"


    As soon as the dwarf''s words fell, the spotlight shifted toward a nearby cabin door.


    A behemoth of a man who looked as though he weighed a ton was pushed out on a wooden cart. His unusually greasy face was marked byrge boils. Coupled with his stomach that was nearly scraping the ground, "King" of Sottom was a startlingly hideous figure.


    "King" paid no attention to the audience. His attention was solely fixated on the mountains of meat on either side of his cart.


    Watching "King" chow down the food, asionally exposing his rotten teeth and all, Charles felt a wave of nausea. Frankly, King''s appearance was far from what he had anticipated.


    However, the pirates seemed to think otherwise. Their previous defiance was now gone and reced with deference and respect as they rose from their seats and bowed to "King".


    "King" spared no word. He waved a greasy hand nonchntly to signal to the dwarf to proceed.


    The spotlight once again shone down on the dwarf. He offered a deep bow in the direction of "King" before he loudly announced, "The auction shall begin now! Our first item is a woman!"


    The curtain behind the dwarf lifted to reveal a young girl in avish dress as she was pushed onto the stage.


    "Everyone, she isn''t a mere ything. She is the recently missing daughter of the governor of Isle of Whereto. Once you buy her, you can cut off a part of her daily, send it to the governor and ckmail him for money! Look closely! She''s not a woman, but a cash cow!! The starting bid is five hundred thousand, with incremental bids of hundred thousand! Starting now!! This captain has bid one million! Two million!! Good! Now six million!!"


    Charles was oblivious to the pirates'' bids. All his attention was on "King". That man had the clues he needed to return to the surface. His mind relentlessly ran through strategies on how he could get the nautical map from "King".


    Meanwhile, the governor''s daughter had been purchased by a pirate. With a distraught expression, she descended the stage. It went unnoticed that she was closing the gap between her and "King".


    Just when she was merely three meters away from "King", her tear-streaked face twisted menacingly. Making swift movement, her left hand reached under her ruffled, leaf-trimmed skirt and pulled out a pistol before aiming it at "King" and frantically pulling the trigger.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Bullets buried into "King''s" obese body and blood sttered with bits of sickly yellow fat.


    <i>Squelch.</i>


    Arge boil on "King''s" face burst open as a palm-sized creature that resembled a facehugger emerged from it. It lunged toward the woman while leaving an afterimage in its path. The next second, the tearing of flesh sounded and the woman''s decapitated body slumped lifelessly onto the floor.


    "King" remained seated in his spot nonchntly. His greasy hand grabbed the scattered pieces of flesh, his own, and stuffed them into his mouth. He seemed oblivious to the fact that he had been struck with bullets.


    After several seconds of stunned silence, the dwarf hurried tried to smooth things over, "Haha, yet another delusional fool seeking death! All glory to our "King"! Our "King" is invincible! Now, let''s move on to our second item!"


    Charles watched as the worm on the ground crawled back to its dwelling¡ªthe burst boil. He came to the realization that the entity that could control the whole of Sottom couldn''t possibly be a simpleton.


    He was certain that "King" hadn''t disyed even a fraction of his true strength, which ought to be terrifyingly immense.


    Soon, Charles'' thoughts shifted back onto himself. With such a formidable adversary, how was he supposed to extract information from him?


    Talk things out? This was the first option that Charles struck out. The hideous being did not appear to be someone open to negotiations. Also the skull tattoo bartender was right¡ªhe would never share knowledge that would affect his monopolizing business.


    Taking a forceful approach was even more impossible since "King" was far more powerful, and his men greatly outnumbered Charles. Charles was thrown into a predicament.


    The auction was nearing its end, but Charles still didn''t have a n. He stared at the corpulent, round figure stuffing meat into his mouth from a distance. A sense of annoyance was gnawing at his heart.


    <i>Cough.</i>


    The sound of someone clearing their throat from beside Charles broke Charles out of his intense gaze. "Don''t stare at "King" so intensely. He might take it as a challenge."


    Charles turned and nearly jumped out of his seat when he saw the white triangle on the stranger''s forehead.


    His eyes burned with hostility as he looked at the follower of the Divine Light Order. "Sonny must be surprised to see that I''m still alive, isn''t he?"


    Out of his anticipation, the follower showed genuine surprise. "Sonny? I''m sorry, but I don''t know him well. He is an orthodox believer, whereas I follow the new faith."


    Charles eyed the man with suspicions. He couldn''t figure out the neer''s intentions.


    "There''s no need for suspicions. As you know, we followers of the Divine Light Order can never lie."


    It was only then that Charles left his doubts aside. As far as he knew, it was indeed as the stranger said. Once followers of the Divine Light Order underwent their initiation rites, they not only lost the capacity to feel fear, but also the ability to lie.


    Charles carefully studied the appearance of the follower before him. He seemed to be on the older side, about sixty years of age, with graying hair and small round sses on his nose. Coupled with his long, yellow, robe, he almost looked like an amicable grandfather.


    "I''m Kord. I''m a Sacred Acolyte of the Divine Light Order. Nice to meet you. Captain Charles."


    The name triggered a memory in Charles'' mind. He recalled that Sonny had requested for him toe to Sottom to exterminate other followers from his religion. Was Kord the intended target?


    "Do you know me?"


    Kord shed a smile. "Of course, I do. When you mentioned that you were seeking the Land of Light in the Explorers Association, we received word. Captain Charles, may we have a chat?"


    A flick of interest ignited in Charles. The enemy of his enemy could be a friend, and this man might be useful.


    "Sure, let''s talk aboard my ship."

 Chapter 51. The Sun Gods Divine Light

    <h4>Chapter 51. The Sun God''s Divine Light</h4>


    "Why are you guys watching me?" Charles posed the question to Kord, who was seated at the opposite end of the table. Behind Kord, the Divine Light''s cultists stood in a row.


    "It''s not just you," Kord replied. "We look out for anyone who seeks the Land of Light. It''s a sign that these people are being called upon by the Sun God."


    Charles could barely hold himself back from making a mocking remark upon hearing the words of the abnormal religious fraud before him.


    "Mr. Charles, I earnestly implore you to join us. It is by His will and grace that you have managed to survive your previous adventures. In these dark waters, blessed individuals like you are rare," Kord continued.


    Charles let out a chuckle and waved his hand dismissively. "Let''s put aside the impossible for now. I happen to have a question for you, a so-called believer of the Sun God."


    Kord gestured with his left palm open. "Please ask."


    "You should know of the Mirrorboxes in Sottom, don''t you?"


    "Of course. Some captains of our faith have even requested for me to help them procure a few."


    Charles leaned forward to study the old man''s expression as he asked, "Don''t you think that the light in the Mirrorboxes bears a striking resemnce to the light from your Sun God?"


    Kord smacked his hand against the table as he let out a light chuckle. His old visage was brimming with confidence.


    "Captain Charles, you might not understand since you have not joined our Order. Our religious texts detail everything about the Sun God. The Sun God''s divine light manifests in a spectrum of colors, seven colors to be exact. It can soothe one''s heart and also provide warmth. The light in the Mirrorbox has only a singr color and is far too ring. There is nothing simr to bepared between the two."


    "Are you so certain?" Charles leaned forward even more as his eyes narrowed into slits.


    "Captain Charles, we admire your intention to seek the Sun God''s radiance. However, yourck of understanding leading to the spouting of misconceptions reflects nothing but ignorance. As the Sacred Acolyte of the Divine Light Order, I am far more knowledgeable about the Sun God than you. If His divine light were to appear before me, I would surely recognize it."


    Charles burst outughing, which he rarely did ever since he came to this subterranean world. "Thank you for that joke. It''s been a while since Iughed this hard."


    A trace of fury appeared on Kord''s countenance. He stood up, seemingly wanting to leave, but after a brief moment, he sat down again.


    "Mr. Charles, I know you are resistant to the idea of joining our Order. It''s alright, we can start with a coboration first. You have already evidently disyed your talent as the captain of an exploration vessel. I can provide you with the coordinates of the ind that has the highest chance of housing the Divine Ladder. Our Order will cover all your expenses incurred for the expedition."


    If it were Charles from before, he would have agreed without hesitation. Despite being used as a pawn, thepensation for being one was extremely lucrative. However, now that he had found a clue back to the surface world, there was no way he would agree to Kord''s proposition.


    Looking at the old man before him, Charles calcted his next move. The way to the surface world was being controlled by "King". Currently, his crew''s strength was insufficient, and he needed additional support. The man before him might be of help.


    "Mr. Charles, what do you think?"


    "What if I told you now that I already have the clues leading to the Land of Light?"


    Annoyance crept onto Kord''s face as he retorted, "Captain Charles, if you insist on talking about these unrted topics, that''s a clear disy of insincerity."


    "What''s the criterion for determining the divine light again? A spectrum of colors, correct?" Charles snapped his fingers, and a group of mice dragged in a Mirrorbox from outside the room.


    He opened the Mirrorbox to reveal just a little slit and ced a prism over the opening. A rainbow light refracted onto Kord''s astonished face.


    "Ah, seven colors. There you have it." Charles then casually ced the prism in Kord''s hand.


    Holding the prism in his hand, Kord had an incredulous look. He held the prism to the Mirrorbox and experimented with it himself. With each try, it only served to amplify his astonishment until the sunlight in the box waspletely exhausted.


    The prism effect was something that even an elementary school student would have learned inter times. However, in this Subterranean Sea, when people had no sunlight to experiment with, no one would know that sunlight was actuallyposed of various monochrome lights.


    "Charles, what...what exactly is this?" Kord asked, his expression agitated with a trace of tion. He felt as though he hade to learn about some forbidden existence.


    Seeing Kord baffled, Charles seized the opportunity to strike while the iron was hot. He rose from his seat.


    "The light in the Mirrorbox is the divine light that belongs to your Sun God. "King" of Sottom knows the location of the Land of Light. As long as we can get him to hand over the sea chart, we will be able to find the Land of Light!"


    Both Charles and Kord discussed for a long time after. But by the end of it, Kord still hadn''t given a clear response and left dejectedly.


    The Divine Light Order had arge following in the Subterranean Sea. Charles'' intention was to get Kord to spread this news to all their believers and draw all of them to Sottom. Even "King" of Sottom wouldn''t be able to deal with such arge number of people.


    What could a fierce and powerful pirate dopared to these fearless cultists?


    Three dayster, Kord came knocking on Charles'' door again. With a bitter expression, he said, "I''m sorry, Captain Charles. The telegram from the Archbishop has arrived. They find this information nonsensical."


    Charles leaned back against his chair and let out a sigh. Indeed, a few words alone wouldn''t convince such arge organization. He would need to find some other way.


    After a few moments of silence, Charles looked at Kord, who was standing before him. "What about you? Do you believe it?"


    "I..." Kord''s dilemma was apparent on his face. He could understand the Archbishop''s feelings. A stranger suddenly imed that what they had been seeking for centuries was currently right before them. Anyone would be skeptical.


    However, the thought of that spectrum of lights wavered his heart once again. But what if Charles'' words were the truth?


    "What use would it be even if I believe you? The Archbishop in the Northern Sea wouldn''t send any Holy Warriors over. Our mere few hundred cannot defeat ''King''."


    "We don''t have to defeat him." Charles'' words stunned Kord.


    Charles didn''t continue but rather gestured for the people behind Kord to leave the room.


    ¡°Everyone, go out and guard the door. Don''t let anyonee close," Kord instructed.


    After the other cultists had left the room, Charles continued, "Our goal is not to take over Sottom. We only need to find out where the sunlight from the Mirrorbox originates from. As long as we get hold of this clue, we will be able to find the Land of Light."


    "Do you have a n?" Kord asked in a slightly shaking voice.


    "''King'' usually resides in the pce in Central Sottom. The sea chart marking the Land of Light must be in there. As long as you can distract the ''King'' and his guards, I can sneak in. I don''t even need to steal the chart. I only need to take a nce. This way, we can avoid any direct confrontation."


    Kord didn''t give an immediate positive response. Looking torn, he said he needed more time to consider.


    Days flew past, but Charles hadn''t heard any words from Kord. He was starting to feel slightly disappointed.


    If this n didn''t work, he could only return to being an Explorer captain and methodically upy inds, be a governor, and expand his power and influence before eventually using his formidable position to force "King" to reveal the location of the Land of Light.


    However, that would take too much time, so much so that Charles wasn''t even sure if he''d live that long.


    "Captain! That old cultist is back again! He brought a big, tall guy with him this time!"

 Chapter 52. Beginning

    <h4>Chapter 52. Beginning</h4>


    "Jerald," the burly man introduced himself before Kord could. "I heard that you want to coborate with Kord to deal with that fat pig. I admire your guts."


    Charles remained silent and turned his gaze onto Kord.


    Augh escaped Kord''s lips as he exined, "It would be hard to deal with ''King'' with our numbers. So I went to find Captain Jerald. His strength will be of aid to us."


    "The fat pig raided my goods and even took my ship away! I''ve got a score to settle with him that willst a lifetime!" Traces of simmering rage were evident on Jerald''s face.


    A flicker of understanding appeared on Charles'' face. It seemed like Kord had sought the aid of "King''s" enemy. It was good news, though¡ªMore heads meant more strength.


    "Cut the chit-chat. I know this ce better than you two. I will formte a n," Jerald stated curtly as he demanded control of the coborative operation.


    "Five dayster, Sottom will reach the vicinity of a new ind. Most of that pig''s fleet will leave to plunder the docks. This is an opportunity for us. My men will draw out the pig, Kord will send his followers to intercept his underlings, as for you..." Jerald''s words trailed off as his gazended on Charles.


    "I will infiltrate ''King''s'' residence, keep some of his men busy, and at the same time search for the thing that Kord and I want," Charles continued.


    "But I seriously doubt your capabilities. Will you be of use there? I can hardly smell the scent of blood on you; you probably haven''t killed many," Jerald remarked with his arms folded across his chest as he stared at Charles with skepticism filling his gaze.


    Charles looked at the man indifferently and replied, "Even if I went there and died there, it would still serve our purpose."


    Jerald shrugged in response. "That''s true indeed. But whatever. You are just an additional manpower, after all. It''s Kord''s men that I truly need. That pig has been sitting in that position for far too long."


    Acting like the pacifist he was, Kord stood up with a chuckle and said, "Great, we all get what we want from this coboration. That will be the best oue."


    However, the moment Jerald left the room, Kord''s smile gave way to a look of solemnity. He looked at Charles and said, "He''s no match for ''King''. You better find that sea chart before he dies."


    Charles scoffed inwardly. Even with a part of the neuralworks in his brain destroyed, the cunning old fox before him was no pushover, letting others risk their lives while he sat back and reap the benefits.


    "Do you have any information to aid in the infiltration? Perhaps a map of ''King''s'' residence? Or where he might ce important items?" Charles asked.


    "I''m sorry I can''t be of much help in this. No one truly understands ''King'' as no one had infiltrated his residence ande out alive. I can only tell you that it''s extremely dangerous inside."


    "Hmm..." Charles''s brows were pressed together. Heading straight in there without any information would undoubtedly be like searching for a needle in a haystack.


    "You still have a few days to do the necessary preparations and intelligence gathering. I hope you seed, and I sincerely hope that your words hold truth. Our disciples in Sottom will be sacrificing a lot for this operation," Kordmented.


    ***


    <strong>Three dayster.</strong>


    Fully armed and ready to take action, Charles stood atop the Narwhale''s deck. He looked at Bandages standing before him and said, "I''ll take two hours at most. If I''m not back by then, you¡ª"


    "Then... we will... go find you..." Bandages offered the backpack in his hands to Charles.


    Charles chuckled lightly and epted the backpack without further ado. He gave his first mate a gentle pat on the shoulder before disembarking the ship. At the same time, a lone bat soared into the expanse above the Narwhale.


    Sottom was bustling with activities today. Walking among the crowd, Charles overheard the pirates engaged in chatter, discussing the haul that "King''s" fleet could plunder this time round. Those pirates were like jackals surrounding a lion, scavenging off the remains the lion didn''t deem worth its time.


    Charles walked nonchntly ahead until he reached the giant ship that stretched several hundreds of meters. He happened to witness "King" being pushed out on a cart. Fishing out his pocket watch to check the time, Charles waited for the signal to move. In the meanwhile, he double-checked the relics in his possession. They were all he could rely on this time around.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    The st in the distance was apanied by a sh of bright light. Charles closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes once more, he had already ced the Clown Mask over his face.


    As a crowd started to gather due to themotion, Charles wriggled through the throng of people and arrived at the rear of the giant ship. He retrieved a grappling hook with an attached rope from his backpack and expertly tossed it upward.


    The moment he climbed aboard andnded on the deck, Charles was stunned by the grandeur of his surroundings. The deck had been transformed into a mini garden. The delicate flowers blooming within were a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding beyond the ship.


    Carefully observing his surroundings and assured that he was alone, Charles swiftly moved toward a cabin door.


    The interior of the cabin was even more magnificent. The crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling illuminated the room. Gold and red hues were the predominant colors of the interior, with silver and jade ornaments adorning the corners. From the corridors down to the furniture within, the decor screamed of subdued luxury.


    "What the... a pirate head''s living better than aristocrats...To think that the fatso has such refined tastes..." Charles muttered to himself as he descended the stairs to reach the lower levels of the ship. He bypassed the kitchen and living areas. The likeliest ce that "King" would hide a sea chart would be somewhere like the Captain''s quarters.


    Initially, Charles was still fearful that he might get caught and remained cautious. But after he jimmied open door after door to find no soul in sight, he grew bold and rapidly rummaged through room after room.


    Contrary to the quiet interior, Charles'' acute hearing could pick up the escting chaos outside. He knew he had reached a crucial juncture. It was getting chaotic outside, and he had to find the sea chart before "King" returned.


    Just as Charles pulled open a drawer, he felt a sudden breath of warmth on his neck. It was as though someone was breathing down his cor.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    With a swift movement, Charles fished out his de in a backhand grip and shed against the air behind him before he executed a backflip tond atop a table.


    There was not a single soul to be seen in the room that was in utter disarray from his earlier rummaging.


    Puzzled, Charles slowly turned around and continued his search.


    <i>Screech.</i>


    The wooden chair beside him suddenly moved an inch. This time, Charles acted as though he heard nothing and continued with his task.


    Without any forewarning, the door suddenly mmed shut with a bang, and the click of the lock sounded. Charles was now trapped in the room.


    "Hoho. A haunted ship, huh? This wretched ce is so dangerous and yet you ghosts dare to join the party?"


    With a pulled-out drawer in his hands, Charles turned around and stared at the locked door. He retrieved a bomb from his bag, lit the fuse, and tossed it toward the door.


    As though influenced by some mysterious force, the dynamite suddenly made a U-turn mid-air and flew back toward Charles.


    With a swift motion of his de, he cleaved the bomb in half. In that instant, every sharp object in the room levitated into the air and flew toward Charles.


    <i>Plop! Plop! Plop!</i>


    The raised wooden table blocked the trajectories of these objects. Charles pushed the wooden table aside before he lunged forward toward the door. With the ck de in his hand, he plunged it into the lock, traced the internal mechanism, and burst open the door andnded in the majestic hallway.


    Suddenly, the exquisite pottery in the hallway shattered into pieces, and the sharp shards levitated into the air.

 Chapter 53. The Human Aboard [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 53. The Human Aboard [Bonus Image]</h4>


    Flustered by the situation, Charles scampered wildly within the confines of therge ship. At this moment, he felt as though life had been imbued into the vessel.


    Every single object seemed to hold hostility against him. Every item with the capacity to kill wanted his life. Now, he finally understood why there was no need for any living human to guard this ce.


    He could sense the presence of things he couldn''t see. They were standing in his vicinity, observing him with a nonchnt gaze.


    In the midst of his desperate flight, Charles'' anxiety was rising. <i>This won''t do. I need to get rid of those entities no matter what they are.</i>


    With a sudden sharp turn, Charles resorted to his tried-and-proved method: scaling the wall, nting his de into the wall and suspending himself like a fly in the corner.


    Beneath him, the levitating shards in pursuit turned the corner as well and then went straight ahead, down the corridor.


    Charles remained perched in the corner of the corridor until those killer shards werepletely out of sight. He leaped down from his ce of hiding. His forehead beaded with cold sweat. "Damn, that fatso not only kept bugs, he even cultivated ghosts?"


    Charles mumbled to himself and turned around. His body stiffened instantly when he came face to face with a little girl dressed in a Gothic-style ck dress.


    Her long silver hair, coupled with her rosy cheeks and a teardrop mole above her eye, made her endearingly cute. However, the presence of a cute Lolita under such circumstances sent a shiver down Charles'' spine.


    Their gazes locked. Charles instantly sprinted toward her and pressed his dark de against her neck. He held a hand over her mouth to stop her from making a noise. Relief washed over him when he felt her warm breath on his hand¡ªa living being.


    <i>Drip. Drip.</i>


    The girl''s tears pattered onto Charles'' hand, and her long eyshes drooped in a pitiful manner.


    "Little girl, rx. Tell me where''s the sea chart, and I''ll let you go," Charles coaxed.


    Charles eased his grip over her mouth, but the girl remained silent with a sorrowful expression on her visage.


    After a brief contemtion, Charles decided to take her with him as a hostage. Judging from her demeanor, she seemed to be a significant figure to "King". If he encountered those apparitions from before once more, perhaps he could use her as a bargaining chip.


    Charles had barely taken two steps when the girl began to kick her little feet d in leather boots. She seemed to want to be set down.


    Charles released his grip. The moment the girlnded on the floor, she bounced forward like a young fawn.


    After traversing two flights of stairs, the girl opened a cabin door and darted in. The moment Charles wanted to follow into the room, the girl re-emerged with a bunch of red fruits in the cradle of her dress.


    <i>Is she trying to bribe me with fruit so that I will release her?</i>


    When Charles fixated his gaze on the fruits once more, his pupils shrunk to a needlepoint. The fruits bore no resemnce to any of those he had seen in the subterranean world. Rather, they looked exactly like cherry tomatoes from the surface world.


    Charles picked one up in his hand and asked, "This... do you eat these often?"


    The girl nodded in an adorable fashion. Her response invoked a tremble in Charles'' heart.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A sudden explosion suddenly echoed from the lower levels, and a human''s scream soon followed.


    Hearing themotion, the girl held her index finger to her lips. She tugged Charles by his finger and sprinted forward.


    <i>Where does thisss want to bring me to?</i>


    Staring at the back of her head, Charles ced the cherry tomato into his pocket and bent slightly as he followed after her.


    The ship was gargantuan, with room after room, level after level. Charles felt like he was going to get dizzy from thebyrinth.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    The wall before them suddenly burst apart, and "King" entered through the opening. He was covered in blood and held a human head in his hand¡ªJerald''s head!


    The moment he recognized Jerald''s head, Charles'' expression grew extremely grim. Evidently, that ally''s n had not only failed but had also ended far too early.


    Just as Charles was about to draw his weapon for a death showdown with "King", a look of fear appeared on "King''s" fat visage. His corpulent body plopped onto the ground as he covered his face with his hands and let out howling sobs like a wounded animal.


    The little girl released her grip on Charles'' hand and approached "King". Her cherry lips which had not spoken a single syble since before slowly parted to reveal jagged teeth like that of a shark.


    "Useless trash! What are you doing! We have an intruder!"


    The chandelier in the hallway crashed down upon "King". The next moment, a rusted rebar from the wall snapped free and impaled itself through "King''s" body. King''s howls heightened a notch higher.


    "What the fuck!" Charles whirled around and bolted without a second thought. He was willing to try his luck fighting one but dealing with two was just asking to meet the Grim Reaper.


    The girl lifted her slender fingers, and the impaled rebar was extracted from "King''s" body and floated in mid-air. The rebar then flew forward toward his left eye and then retracted with "King''s" eyeball stuck to the end of it.


    "Capture him! I want to eat him alive! If he escapes, you can forget about eating anything this month!" the girl snarled.


    Charles sprinted desperately down the corridor. It had never crossed his mind that the little girl was an even more savage character than "King". However, he didn''t have the luxury to dwell on this discovery for so long as he noticed bugs of various shapes, seemingly from "King", were hot on his heels.


    Despite running with every ounce of his strength, the bugs were still rapidly closing the gap. Their speed was unnerving and surpassed even that of his when wearing the Clown Mask had already pushed him to a human''s limits.


    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>


    Charles could hear the grinding sound of their jaws and mouthparts.


    Just when the bugs arched their bodies to leap, Charles''s mind raced for a n. He swiftly ripped a few rivets from his flesh with his left hand and shot it toward the light source around.


    <i>Tink! Tink! Tink!</i>


    The light bulbs in the hallway shattered, and darkness engulfed the area. The bugs were instantly disoriented as they had no idea which direction they should be attacking.


    The bugs were blind in the darkness, but Charles could see everything clearly with his enhanced night vision. He swiftly drew his pistol and fired rapid shots like a machine gun. The bugs'' malformed heads exploded one after another as green bug juice sttered on the ground.


    Despite momentarily averting a crisis, Charles didn''t dare to linger around. "King" had returned, and the mission was a failure. Now, he had to leave as soon as possible.


    Everywhere he went, Charles would shatter the lights. He felt much safer in the dark as he desperately sought an exit.


    Gradually, a gentle song sounded in his ears. The melody was incredibly beautiful, making Charles feel as if a weight had been lifted from his bones.


    However, the situation soon turned for the worse as he felt his hair growing rapidly and the bones under his skin erging to cause abnormal protrusions.


    The worst was still waiting. A violent cramp suddenly hit his stomach, and Charles stuck a finger down his throat to induce vomiting.


    What came up wasn''t bits of undigested breakfast but rather writhing brown nt tendrils and mushrooms that wilted and bloomed in quick session.


    "Damn it!" Charles staggered to his feet, only to feel a sudden itch on the back of his hand. Lifting it, he saw dark green moss growing rapidly.


    The song seemed to hold some sort of magical power to revitalize everything around. Charles knew that if he couldn''t figure out a solution soon, the onught of the burgeoning life within him would tear his body apart.

 Chapter 54. Nautical Chart

    <h4>Chapter 54. Nautical Chart</h4>


    The relentless music continued assaulting his ears. Even with his hands over his ears, it did little to curb the metamorphosis sweeping through his body. His hands now resemble those suffering from gout¡ªdeformed and swollen.


    Charles staggered to his feet and scanned his surroundings. He dashed toward a cab by the hallway and picked up a pair of silver utensils. With a couple of swift shes of his dark de, the utensils were fashioned into sharp silver spikes.


    With a spike in each hand, Charles took a deep breath and ruthlessly plunged them into his eardrums. The searing pain of the punctured eardrums brought Charles to his knees, but a look of relief appeared on the face behind the mask. The music was gone; the incessant metamorphosis had also ceased.


    Brushing off the moss that had grown on his skin, Charles pressed forward. The immediate danger was averted, but escaping from this giant ship seemed to be much more challenging than entering it. Navigating the array of identical corridors and rooms seemed to have cast a dizzy spell over Charles.


    <i>Should I just st the walls? But would the explosion sounds attract those two?</i>


    Just as he was deep in contemtion, he halted his footsteps as his gazended on the sign on a door that read: Captain''s Quarters.


    Without sparing a single moment of hesitation, Charles pushed the door open. If there were anywhere that would hold a map, this would be it!


    Upon entering, the sight of the little girl from before weed him. She sat idly on therge wooden table, her legs swinging idly as she parted her monstrous mouth, seemingly singing.


    The extremely perilous situation couldn''t stop Charles from looking toward the wall. It was a nautical chart! And the chart marked a vast region beyond that of any ordinary chart!


    In a swift motion, Charles threw the Dark de at the little girl while he made a mad dash for the nautical chart simultaneously.


    Closing the distance, Charles was able to pick up further details from the map, and he rapidlymitted the new knowledge to his memory. Just then, his Dark de did a U-turn and shed across his face.


    Blood flooded Charles'' eyes, and his covered vision halted him from studying the chart further.


    When he finally managed to remove the de from his face and wipe off the blood, the little girl was already standing behind him with a smile on her face. She parted her lips, but Charles, now deaf, could hear nothing.


    Behind the Clown Mask, the corners of Charles'' lips raised into a smirk. "So that fatso is not the real king. You''re the true ruler of Sottom, aren''t you?"


    With an ability akin to telekinesis and the power to animate and revitalize anything with her singing, Charles was certain that she was more than just a six or seven-year-old girl. And those were just two of the cards that she had revealed.


    With a nonchnt lift of her hands, Charles found himself levitating in mid-air.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Charles'' left forearm was contorted into an unnatural twist. Yet the sharp pain coursing through his body couldn''t avert his gaze from the nautical chart. He was still making mental notes with all that he could muster.


    A tinge of fury appeared on the little girl''s face, and with a slight pinch of her hands, Charles'' body contorted even further to an extreme angle. It was as if every bone in his body shattered in an instant. He fell onto the ground like a broken puppet.


    Just then, "King" barged in, his body covered in blood, and he was panting heavily. Staring at Charles''s pitiful sprawled figure on the floor, a murderous intent glimmered in his eyes.


    <i>Thud, thud, thud.</i>


    "King" approached the fallen man.


    However, just as "King" was about to bend down to scoop Charles up, thetter suddenly jumped up and dashed out of the room with the agility of a cheetah.


    "Wahahaha! Didn''t see thising, did ya! Wearing this mask, I gain extreme flexibility! Try to catch me now, idiot!" Charles taunted.


    The moment he got out of the room, he wasted no words. He fished out some explosives on him, lit them and tossed them over his shoulders. The resultant explosion propelled him even further. Uninterested in the aftermath of his shenanigans, Charles quickly emptied his bag of explosives and ced them at a nearby corner.


    He had memorized the map. Now, he just had to escape for his mission to beplete!


    <i>Boom!</i>


    With a thunderous explosion, the world spun around him. A gaping hole was blown into "King''s" dwelling. Beyond the hole, Charles could see the squalor of Sottom''s residential ship cabins. Ignoring the towering height of the ship he was on, Charles took a bold leap into the open air.


    Mid-air, Charles'' body rapidly erged, and he shapeshifted into a giant bat with a wingspan of nearly five meters. pping his wings vigorously, he sped toward the harbor.


    Standing behind the gaping hole left by the explosion and watching the bat fly away, the little girl''s face darkened with rage. "Pass down the orders! Notify all pirates at home! Whoever kills him will get a reward of ten million Echo!" the girl ordered.


    The disheveled "King" nodded hastily and leaped out of the damaged opening.


    Soon, Charles realized that the skies were far from safe. When he reached the midpoint of his journey, he noticed that every single cannon in Sottom began swiveling, and he was their target.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A projectile whistled through the air toward him. With a swift maneuver in the air, Charles barely dodged it. However, the cannonball exploded next to him, and the resultant shockwave forcefully shoved him off course by several meters.


    Retracting his wings as he continued flight, Charles dipped lower and hugged the rooftops and ship masts in an attempt to evade the ruthless barrage of cannonballs.


    Without the assault of cannonballs, other dangers started to present themselves.


    The chattering of gunfire sounded, and a volley of bullets had Charles'' left wing peppered with holes.


    Beneath him, the pirates on the ground seemed to be madly crazed. They held every usible form of weapon as theyunched attacks on Charles in a frenzied manner. Judging from their faces, flushed red with excitement, Charles could make a rough guess: "King" had surely ced a massive bounty on his head.


    Apart from the regr gunfire, other unimaginable attacks also sought to bring Charles down. There were fireballs and lightning strikes. Some pirates even managed to soar into the air using some method unknown to Charles.


    Under the barrage of assault, injuries began to umte on Charles despite his agility.


    A RUM bullet left a gaping hole in Charles'' lower body. An overwhelming sense of fatigue washed over him, and he found his consciousness fading out.


    A few secondster, his path ahead cleared. The pirates were all gone, and the dock filled with ships was right before his eyes.


    But before Charles could even feel a tinge of tion, a yellow blur from the ground leaped up and mmed into him. His battered body couldn''t withstand the heavy impact, and he plummeted toward the sea.


    Mid-fall, Charles turned with much difficulty to see "King" clinging onto him and gnawing on his flesh with crazed bloodlust.


    <i>Ssh!</i>


    Both of them plunged into the icy waters.


    In the darkness of the sea, Charles struggled violently to shake "King" off. Just as he was about to seed, dozens of centipede-like creatures sprang from "King''s" body. Using their hooked feet, theytched onto Charles and secured him and "King" together. Their mingled blood slowly stained the sea red.


    Amid his relentless gnawing, "King''s" rotten teeth rapidly crumbled away to be reced with sharp, ink-ck fangs. He resembled a voracious ogre as he tore away at Charles'' flesh, chunk after chunk, in an attempt to devour thetter alive.

 Chapter 55. Escaped

    <h4>Chapter 55. Escaped</h4>


    "No! I''m so close to home! I cannot die here!" Charles roared. In his bat form, he opened his monstrous mouth, and ear-piercing sonar waves rippled through the icy depths.


    A trace of pain appeared on "King''s" face. His fat, stubby hands reached out, trying to tear Charles'' jaws apart. At this moment, Charles reverted to his human form, and the bugs from King instantly lost their grip on him.


    The next moment, "King''s" bloated stomach exploded, and a torrent of bizarrely deformed parasites surged through the sinking chunks of meat toward Charles. Charles was thrown into a perilous situation once again.


    Cornered, Charles once again returned to his bat form and released another round of sonar attacks. The worms in the water trembled under the sonic attack and froze in ce.


    <i>My chance! </i>Charles switched back to his human form and dived downward in an attempt to escape.


    But as he dived, a massive mouth was already waiting for him beneath. It was "King". His mouth had stretched to an abnormal size beyond that of a human. He looked more like a hideous caricature of a ghost.


    This time, Charles didn''t run. The excessive blood loss had fogged his mind, and he was also out of strength.


    With a kick of his legs, Charles plunged directly into "King''s" mouth. At the same time, he triggered the tentacle ring to prop open "King''s" jaw.


    "Die!" A vigorous stream of bubbles emerged from Charles'' mouth. He lifted the Dark de in his hand and did a circr sh.


    The de pierced through the thickyer of fat and out of the skin, and Charles shed along the grain with a swift moment. "King''s" head was cleaved off.


    Charles watched as the bloated body sank into the abyss of the deep sea. His vision cked out as he felt his strength seeping away. His injuries were too severe.


    Suddenly, a shadow darted through the waters. It was a shark that was lured over by the scent of blood!


    The shark opened its ferocious jaws, and its rows of jagged teeth mped down on Charles. Charles was dragged deeper into the waters by the shark''s jaws.


    "Captain! Captain!" Dipp shouted in distress. He paced anxiously on the deck as he looked at the blood-stained sea.


    However, the sea offered no response and only silence. A few secondster, a few dead bugs rose to the water''s surface. Unable to wait any longer, Dipp took off his top and ced a dagger between his teeth, ready to plunge into the waters.


    Bandages, who had been silent all this while beside him, stopped him. He reached for a bag on the deck and opened it to reveal several humans with various expressions of confusion and fear. Their mouths were stuffed with gauze, and regardless of their gender, they were all skin and bones dressed in tattered and worn rags.


    After doing a headcount, Bandages pulled out a dagger and pointed it at his chest. The de slowly pierced into his flesh, and crimson blood soon stained the bandages on his body.


    The other crew members watched in silence. They seemed to have a vague idea what the First Mate was nning to do, but no one dared to stop him.


    A trace of disgust surfaced on Laesto''s hideous face. He took a swig of liquor from an iron kettle and turned his back to the scene.


    <i>Tap, tap, tap!</i>


    Suddenly, a series of knocks jolted everyone out of their daze. Second Mate Conor rushed to the side of the ship and stuck his neck out to look downward. A look of tion appeared on his face.


    "It''s Captain! Captain''s back!! Doctor, quick! He''s gravely injured!"


    The crew hurriedly pulled Charles out of the waters. The timid Lily was so frightened by the sight that she burst into tears.


    There wasn''t a single part of Charles'' body left untouched. His body was covered in gruesome wounds, the epidermis skinyer around his wounds had been washed clean by the sea and was now pale and turned outwards. She could even catch glimpses of his internal organs through the deep gash on his abdomen.


    With trembling hands, Dipp tried to remove the Clown Mask from Charles'' face. However, Charles'' twisted arm halted the youngd''s movement.


    "Don''t... take it... off... I won''t... make it... Get out first..." Charles stuttered.


    Overwhelmed by his anxiety, Conor nodded frantically and dashed toward the helm.


    Ignoring the voices of concern around him, Charles stared at Lily, who was sobbing uncontrobly.


    "Lily... My diary..." Charles called out.


    By the time Lily the mouse appeared before Charles once more with his diary in her grasp, Charles was already lying on Laesto''s surgery table.


    Fishing out his pen, Charles exerted everyst ounce of strength that he had to carefully transfer the nautical chart in his memory onto the pages. The moment he put down his pen, his consciousness went out.


    When Charles came around once more, he found himself being bandaged like a mummy and lying on his own bed. His previously deaf ears could faintly register sounds again.


    When he noticed the diary on the bedside table, a faint smile appeared on Charles'' face.


    <i>Now that I''ve found the nautical chart. I just need to find that ind with the stairway to return home.</i>


    <i>"Yeah! That was tough! I almost died over a few lines on a piece of paper!"</i> A voice of ridicule sounded in his head.


    A chilling sensation instantly shot up Charles'' spine. Trembling, his hands reached for his face and realized that he wasn''t wearing the Clown Mask. He remained silent, and the room was also eerily quiet.


    "Why are you not gone?" Charles could barely force out the words.


    Immediately, his lips parted again, but this time, his voice held a different tone.


    "Hey! How coincidental! I was thinking about that too!"


    <i>Creak!</i>


    At this moment, Laesto pushed the door open and entered the room. Looking at the old man, Charles hurriedly asked, "How long have I been wearing the mask?"


    "The whole surgery. It works quite well. Wearing it, your blood loss is significantly reduced."


    A trace of pain appeared on Charle''s face beneath the bandages. Despite his precautions, he had failed to prevent the worst. The dreaded 096 had created another personality within his mind. 096 was really a dangerous item.


    "Bro! You gotta thank me, ya know! If I hadn''t taken off your mask while you were unconscious, there would be enough of us to have a game of mahjong or maybe even enough yers for a full-on basketball game."


    "So, having one additional personality instead of multiple in my body is a blessing now?"


    "Hey, what do you mean <i>''your''</i> body? We might have different personalities, but we are both still Gao Zhiming."


    Laesto''s face was etched with confusion as he watched the captain argue with himself.


    <i>Is there something wrong with his brain? Wasn''t his injuries only physical?</i>


    Just as the two were getting heated up in an argument, Laesto jabbed a metallic syringe into Charles'' arm.


    "Old man, what''s in this?" Charles asked.


    "A sedative. Let''s get your physical injuries healed first. We can deal with your brain issuester."


    The next moment, Charles'' eyes closed, and both personalities in his mind lost consciousness together.


    When Charles came around once more, he had no idea how much time had passed. His wounds were beginning to itch, which was a sign of healing.


    Charles took a deep breath, and after a few seconds of silence, hemunicated to the alter ego in his brain.


    <i>"Hey, let''s have a talk."</i>


    <i>"You call me ''Hey''! That''s not my name. That''s not my name."</i>


    <i>"When will you stop this nonsense!"</i>


    <i>"Ah, I''m just joking~Why are you so worked up for? Come, let''s have a heart-to-heart talk."</i>

 Chapter 56. Richard

    <h4>Chapter 56. Richard</h4>


    Hearing his second self''s nonchnt tone, Charles struggled to suppress the boiling annoyance within him. With his patience wearing out, Charles picked up his revolver and fired a shot at the window.


    <i>"What the hell are you doing?"</i>


    <i>"Calling the doctor over. Maybe he will have a way to deal with this."</i>


    Hearing Charles'' words, his second self was immediately tensed up.


    <i>"I''m warning you! Don''t try to erase me, Your memories are mine too! If you try any tricks, I''ll take you with me."</i>


    Suddenly, Charles'' hand that was holding the gun moved and the barrel of the gun was pressed against his chin. It was at this moment that Laesto entered the room.


    Despite the sight of the captain contemting suicide, Laesto appeared indifferent.


    "If you want to die, sure. But tell me what you have promised first before you die."


    "Later. I have a bigger problem right now." Charles then let Laesto in on the details of the new personality within him.


    "To think that there''s a relic that can induce split personalities ...Interesting," Laesto remarked as he scrutinized Charles like he was an intriguing specimen.


    "Do you have a solution?"


    "Doctor, I think I''m fine being like this. You may leave."


    The two personalities had two different pleas.


    A few secondster, the visibly intrigued Laesto pulled out the Clown Mask from a coat hung at the side of the room.


    "Is this that relic?"


    Charles nodded. Without another word, Laesto turned and left the room with the mask in his eyes.


    As soon as the door closed, Charles'' second self interjected, "Forget it. That old man doesn''t seem reliable. I guess it''ll be you and me from now on."


    Charles took a deep breath. At this point, there was no other thing that could be done. Since he couldn''t get rid of this alter ego for now, the best would be toe to a mutual consensus.


    "Firstly, we have the same goal, and that is to return home to the surface. At crucial moments, I have thest say. Don''t be a burden."


    "Why should you be in charge? I''m Gao Zhiming too!"


    "Because you are too impulsive. We almost died in Laboratory Three because of you."


    "Hey, wasn''t it because of <i>me</i> that we seized so many relics and managed to significantly increase ourbat power in such a short time? That was <i>my</i> achievement!"


    "You were created by 096! I am the original!"


    "Nonsense! Your memories are mine too! You are just a twin who appeared a few seconds earlier!"


    The two personalities started another round of heated argument that even came close to having a physical confrontation. However, a resolution had to be reached. And after a long negotiation, the two finally reached the consensus to live peacefully with each other.


    They decide the shifts where each personality had control over the body. Not only that, they even decided on the rules for other matters such that they could avoid a crisis if they had conflicting opinions during a crucial moment.


    Staring at the diary filled with their densely written agreement, Charles, under the control of his alter ego, pursed his lips.


    "All these pointless rules that don''t even address the most important issue. What if Anna changes her mind andes back one day? Do we make her wear a mask to create another alter ego for her? Does the mask even work on her?"


    "Don''t bring her up. She won''t being back." Charles closed the diary and began to remove the bandages from his face.


    "Tsk. What''s the point of lying to yourself?"


    "It''s my time now, shut up."


    "Hold on, we haven''t decided on how we should address each other. We can''t both be Charles. I''m saying this first, I won''t be called Number 2."


    "I''m One. You''re Two."


    "How boring. Hold on... let mee up with a cool name. Hmm... How about Richard?"


    Charles couldn''t be bothered to reply. Picking the diary up, he casually tossed it at the table beside him. To his surprise, the notebooknded upright on the table.


    Charles stared at his hands in surprise. How had he done that?


    A sudden thought shed across Charles'' mind. Removing a metal rivet from his flesh, Charles flung it at the wall and urately hit and pinned a tiny bug to the surface.


    He swiftly extinguished the oilmp on the table and realized that he could see perfectly in the pitch-ck darkness. He was certain about the situation now.


    Charles was in a dilemma if this was a blessing or a curse. Due to the new alter ego created, he could now maintain the enhanced capabilities granted when wearing 096 around the clock, even when he was not wearing the mask.


    <i>"OMG! It''s a blessing of course, bro! We are the shit now!"</i>


    Hearing the voice in his head again, Charles felt that if he were given a choice, he would rather not have such a "blessing".


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The door was pushed open with a loud bang. Laesto had returned after a not-too-long moment. He reced the emptied IV bag with a new one.


    "Lie down, take the drip," Laesto instructed.


    "Where''s my relic?"


    "Don''t worry. Let me do some experiments in the meantime. Psychology is aplex field, but I might be able to find a solution."


    "When will my injuries bepletely healed?"


    "Two months."


    "Can''t it be faster?" Charles tried to bargain.


    "No! Do you have any idea how gravely injured you were? Two months is already the earliest you can fully recover. Just to let you know, I had to use some potent medicine to pull you back from Hell. Because of their side effects, you might not live past forty."


    The shocking news was so rming that Richard immediately seized control of Charles'' body and questioned, "Are you nuts? You halved my life just to treat some mere injuries?"


    "Halving your life? If I didn''t save you, you wouldn''t have half to even speak of. If it were another doctor on board, you would be dead by now!"


    Charles epted the news more readily than his alter ego. He wrestled back control from Richard and asked, "Doctor, how long has it been since we left Sottom?"


    "About two weeks. In order to avoid the pirates, they n to take a detour back to the Coral Archipgo," Laesto answered and turned to leave.


    Feeling the throbbing pain from the wounds on his body, Charles knew he needed immediate rest. However, there was still one thing he needed to sort out.


    Shakily, he jumped off his bed. and flipped open his diary to the page where he had drawn the nautical chart. He thenpared it to the other one he had in his possession.


    "Here''s Albion, and this is Whereto. The bearing defined by the angle between these two inds leads straight to the waters with sunlight. So that old sea shanty was wrong all along. The Land of Light is not in the north; it''s actually to the south," Charles'' voice was filled with determination.


    On the nautical chart, the darkened regions in the south had been marked out by Charles. Various pins that resembled inds were marked out urately on the map.


    In the newly charted sea region, inds were scattered like stars in the sky. There was arge distance from one ind to another.


    "Bro, this is gonna be tricky. Look at how far that unexplored farthest ind is from an existing human habitat. Given the capacity of the Narwhale, we''ll be out of fuel halfway."


    "If the Sottom pirates can get there, so can we. There must be resupply points between these inds. We just need to find them to explore the further inds."


    "Alright! We can finally go back now! When we are out of this ce, I''ll publish a book. I even thought of the title already: Twenty Thousand Miles in the Subterranean Sea. It''s sure to be a top seller!"


    Charlesid back on the bed. He hardly moved much, but blood was seeping from his wounds again.


    <i>"All of that doesn''t matter. I just want to go home."</i>


    <i>"Yeah... Home... It''s been eight long years. I bet our sister is all grown up now, huh?"</i>


    As Richard chattered away, Charles slowly closed his eyes.

 Chapter 57. Margaret

    <h4>Chapter 57. Margaret</h4>


    The chilly wind woke Margaret out of her slumber. With her hair disheveled, she opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings. Nothing had changed. She was still trapped on the same unfamiliar ship deck.


    Looking through the ss of the pilot house, she could see a man wrapped up in bandages manning the helm. His appearance sent a shudder of fear through her entire body. He was the man who bought them.


    Margaret initially thought that she had finally escaped from hell and was on her way back home. But then, she realized that the man had purchased them to be used as sacrificial offerings. If not for the ship''s captain returning on his own ord, she might have already sunk to the depths of the dark waters.


    Her father''s words had been spot on: Every man at sea is bad. They had no regard forw or life. To them, human lives were as good as the fish.


    <i>Father, where are you? Save me... If you can get me out of here, I promise to stay in Whereto and never ever leave the ind again. </i>Tears trickled down Margaret''s cheeks at the thought of her father.


    Just then, a flurry of noises traveled into her ears. The sailors were up for their deck cleaning duties. Their conversation didn''t go unheard either.


    "Are we just going to keep those ves? ve trade is not allowed in the Coral Archipgo, so what use is there for us to bring them back? Might as well dump them overboard."


    Hearing the sailor''s words, a look of terror appeared on the faces of the ves. They huddled closer to each other like cornered rats.


    "The First Mate bought them with his own money, so they''re his personal property. Do you have the guts to throw them?"


    "Ehhhh. No way! Besides Captain, who dares to mess with him? If I happen to incur his wrath, he might offer me a sacrifice the next time around."


    "Cut the crap. Can''t you see him manning the helm up there? You''d be dead if he heard you."


    Watching the sailors'' boots slowly approaching them, Margaret hurriedly buried her head into her filthy gunny sack.


    <i>Thwack!</i>


    The mop dripping with dirty water struck the ves.


    "Do you have eyes? Can''t you see I''m mopping the deck? Scram to the other side!"


    The ves, huddled into a corner, hurriedly stood up and scurried across the deck like a bunch of mice.


    Margaret stood up, wanting to follow the crowd, but a tall and muscr sailor blocked her path. Hisrge, thick fingers with callouses reached out to pinch her chin and lift her face upward.


    "Look, this female ve is quite the beauty," the sailor remarked with a lustful sneer on his face.


    Encircled by the three sailors, Margaret trembled with fear. Her gaze was filled with terror as she desperately tried to retreat, but her back was already against the ship''s railings. She had no escape route.


    A bucket of water was thrown over her, and it washed the grime off her. Her milky white skin was revealed, and a pair ofrge eyes framed by longshes blinked on her delicate and petite face.


    The sight of Margaret''s unveiled beauty had the sailors breathing heavily as lust consumed them. It had been a long while; their deprivation had made them hungry and yearning for release.


    Subjected to the trio''s invasive and relentless gaze, Margaret struggled and screamed in terror. She had seen the same thing happening to other girls in Sottom.


    "Get off me! I''m the daughter of the governor of Whereto! You can''t do this to me! Father! Help!" Margaret wailed between sobs.


    "What are you doing?" A weary voice sounded from behind the trio. The sailors shuddered in fear at the newly arrived presence. They hastily grabbed their mops on the floor and lined up in a single file. "Reporting to the Captain! We''re cleaning the deck, sir!"


    "Why are there ves on my ship?" the young man questioned.


    "Captain, the First Mate bought them at 4000 Echo per ve. They were meant to be offered as sacrifices to save you!" A sailor answered.


    Margaret turned to look at the young man who had just appeared on the deck. He had jet-ck hair and wore a deep-blue captain''s uniform. The diagonal scar across his cheek added a dash of ferocity to his face.


    Seeing the sailors trembling under the man''s authority, Margaret threw herself at the young man. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she looked up at him and pleaded, "Please save me. I want to go home. I''ll never be out at sea¡ª!"


    Before Margaret couldplete her sentence, she felt an unseen entity coiling itself around her and pushing her away.


    Margaret struggled to sit up and found herself face-to-face with the young man. Seeing his handsome visage up close, something stirred in Margaret''s heart.


    "You say you''re the daughter of the governor of Whereto? Do you have any proof?" the captain asked in an icy tone.


    The young man''s words jolted Margaret out of her fearful state as she hurriedly fished out a fishbone token from her pocket.


    "My father gave this to me. You just have to show it to him, and he''ll know that I''m here."


    The young man took the token in his hand and examined it. Meanwhile, Margaret waited anxiously for his verdict. After all, her life hung in the bnce of his decision.


    Just then, she suddenly noticed something chilling about the young man before her. One of his eyes was looking at her, but his other eye was studying the fishbone token.


    Horrified, Margaret hugged herself tight as she bit her lip in trepidation.


    "How did you escape?" The man''s sudden question startled Margaret.


    "They kidnapped me to Sottom and locked me up for a long time. But one night, a woman rescued me. I don''t know who she is, but she wore the same clothes as me and disguised herself to look exactly like me."


    Upon hearing Margaret''s answer, the young man''s brows were pressed together as if recalling a previous memory.


    Margaret continued her desperate pleas, "Sir, can you please take me back? If you take me back, my father will reward you generously."


    "Sure, I was waiting for those words. Now we have secured funding for our adventures."


    Before Margaret could make sense of the situation, she was taken to wash up and changed into loose-fitting garments.


    When she emerged from the bathing area once more, her original beauty was on full disy. She could keenly sense thescivious gazes of the ship''s men.


    Margaret instinctively hastened her steps to return to the young man''s side. Despite his icy demeanor, she felt a sense of security beside him.


    "Can you write?"


    "Yes..."


    "Good. Pen a letter to your father."


    Thinking that she had found a savior, an expression of joy blossomed on Margaret''s face. However, the young man''s next words drenched her emotions almost instantly.


    "Tell him that a kind stranger saved you and that you''ve promised me five million Echo as a form of gratitude."


    Margaret took the pen from him and started writing. No matter the circumstances, she was on the way back home, back to that ce of warmth that she knew.


    After finishing her letter, she respectfully handed it to the young man. When he instructed her to leave, an instinctive sense of fear washed over her.


    "Sir... can I stay around you?" Margaret asked. She had no idea who this young man was, but she knew that she would be safe as long as she stayed next to him.


    Just then, her stomach rumbled in starvation. Margaret''s face flushed a deep red as the young man''s gaze fixated on her.


    ***


    Seated in the messroom, Margaret was close to tears at the sight of the most basic food ced before her. Ever since she was kidnapped, she had never felt so sated.


    Suddenly, a thought shed through her mind. She stole a nce at the young man beside her before she stealthily slipped some bread into her pocket.


    After the meal, Margaret secretly ran onto the deck and emptied the various food from her pockets. The starving ves frenziedly snatched up the food.


    It wasn''t as if the sailors would give them good food. It would be good if they had given them enough to survive.


    "Why did you give them food?" A voice echoed from behind her. Margaret hurriedly turned around to realize that it was the ship''s captain.


    "Because being hungry feels awful. I''m full, but they''re still starving."


    "If you ask your father to give me arger reward, I can make sure they have better meals."


    "Really? Sir, you are a good man." Margaret eximed.


    "A good man? Haha, perhaps."


    Just when Margaret was rejoicing over the fact that no one had to go hungry anymore, she noticed a speck of light appearing on the sea horizon.


    The dot quickly approached to reveal a colossal ship almost a hundred meters long. Its hull bore a giant white triangle.

 Chapter 58. Dealing Once More

    <h4>Chapter 58. Dealing Once More</h4>


    The ship''s horn sounded as therger steamboat approached the Narwhale.


    Spotting the white triangle emblem on the ship''s hull, Charles had no doubt of the identity of the neers.


    Not long after, a wooden nk was set between both ships. Kord scampered across the wooden nk with a tense expression on his face.


    "Where''s the nautical chart? Did you find it!" Kord asked, his voice held a hint of anticipation.


    A crazed look of joy blossomed on his face the moment he saw Charles nod in affirmation.


    "All glory to the Sun God. We finally found the Land of Light after so many years! Quick! Let me have a look."


    Charles remained silent as he stared at the agitated old man before him. He had no intention of retrieving the nautical chart.


    "Captain Charles! What are you doing standing there? Hurry and bring the sea chart!" Kord''s voice wavered with growing urgency.


    "What rights do you have to look at it?" Charles snapped. "Your men didn''t act that night and that was why Jerald failed that quickly. Actually, you lied, didn''t you? Your n all along was to have us risk our lives for you. If we seeded, great. If we failed, you''d lose nothing as well. How scheming."


    Kord''s expression flickered between a few emotions before he let out a defeated sigh. "I really sent my men. You''ve got to believe me."


    "Do I look like a fool to you? One of my men happened to be a vampire, and I especially instructed him to morph into a bat that day and keep an eye on Sottom from up above that day. Even up till the end of the operation, he saw no Divine Light Order followers!"


    Disdain filled Charles'' eyes as he red at Kord. He had considered the off chance that Jerald might back out of the n. But to his surprise, it was Jerald who fought till his death, and Kord had chosen inaction. He should have known better than to trust this religious hypocrite.


    "Are you going to give the map to me or not!" Kord''s amicable facade disappeared and was reced with a fierce snarl.


    "Hah. Are you gonna fight me for it?" Charles raised an index finger. His helmsman Bandages saw the signal and immediately sounded the horn. The entire crew of the Narwhale emerged with their weapons brandished.


    The atmosphere was instantly thick with tension. The gunners on both ships immediately swiveled their cannons toward the other vessel while the Divine Light Order followers also drew their weapons in response.


    "I might have suffered heavy injuries, but I still have enough in me to kill you." Charles dered as he took off his captain''s coat. The Dark de that was hidden in his boot had already appeared in his grasp.


    Kord''s expression went through a myriad of changes before he let out a sigh of resignation. "My men obviously disguised themselves! If they had paraded in the open, our Order wouldn''t be able to stay in Sottom anymore! What do you want for you to give me the nautical chart?"


    "Simple. Compensate me for my losses. Because of you, I almost died in Sottom," Charles retorted.


    Kord waved his hand to signal to the cannons behind him to reorient themselves.


    "What do you want?" Kord asked. "Relics? Echo? A special skill to enhance yourbat power?"


    "Help me kill Sonny," Charles stated.


    "Are you nuts! He''s a fellow believer! How am I supposed to help you?" Kord shouted.


    "Please. Don''t act as if you two are close. You said that you''re of the new doctrine, and he''s of the old. You two barely know each other. Moreover, he even requested for me to kill you back when I was still at the Coral Archipgo." Charles scoffed in response.


    "Fine! I agree! Let me have a look at the nautical chart first!" Kord''s face was flushed with desperation.


    Charles looked at him with an amused expression. He had been tricked by this old man once, and he had no intention of falling for it again.


    "If you don''t show me the map now, how would I know if you are deceiving me? Perhaps you hadn''t even found the map in the first ce?" Kord roared in frustration.


    Charles couldn''t be bothered to argue with the old man. He turned and walked toward his resting quarters. "Bring me Sonny''s head. Else, you can forget about getting the nautical chart from me. Of course, you can also try to snatch it, but we''ll see if you are faster at stealing it, or I''m faster at destroying it."


    Inside his cabin, Charles listened as the sound of waves gradually faded into the distance. The corners of his lips lifted into a smile. Kord had silently consented to his terms.


    The ambush by Sonny was like a thorn in Charles'' heart that he couldn''t let go of. Since Sonny had the guts to ambush him, then he had every right to repay the same in multifold.


    <i>"Bro, that was the perfect opportunity to ckmail him for a huge sum of Echo! What a lousy deal."</i>


    Hearing Charlie''s voice in his mind, Charles shook his head. "No. Sonny must die. After this, it''s a crucial period where we search for the entrance to the surface world. If he remains alive, he will mess with our ns sooner orter."


    "Moreover," Charles paused briefly as he turned his gaze toward the young girl who had just entered the room. "As long as it''s true, we won''t face any financial issues."


    Charles then started to undress. His sudden action startled Margaret, and she was ready to run out of the room. However, the thought of the sailors''scivious re left her in a dilemma with her hand frozen on the doortch.


    "Don''t just stand there. Come over and help me to apply this ointment," Charles instructed.


    Hearing Charles'' words, Margaret shakily moved toward him. When she saw the extensive wound stretching across his back, she gasped aloud.


    Blood was seeping from the wound, forcefully riveted together with metal rivets. The criss-cross pattern of gashes and rivets covered almost his whole back in a hideous sight.


    Margaret couldn''t fathom the level of pain Charles had to deal with from these serious injuries. She felt that even if just one of them were inflicted on her body, she would surely die of the pain.


    "Don''t just stand there in a daze. Clean the blood first, then apply the ointment along the sides of the wound," Charles said as he pushed the bottle of medication into Margaret''s hands.


    Actually, the task belonged to Laesto, but Charles couldn''t expect any gentleness from his metal hand. Every time Laesto applied medication to him, he felt like he was going through a new round of torture.


    As her hand traced the firm muscles on Charles'' back, Margaret''s face grew a deeper shade of red, and her heart beat frantically against her ribcage.


    "How did the daughter of the Whereto''s governor end up in the hands of the pirates?" Charles asked.


    Margaret''s hand trembled, and she answered, "I read some novels... They said adventures at sea were fun and exciting. So I sneaked out, but it was all lies..."


    "Your life was what others dreamed of. Yet, you decided to abandon it."


    "I realize that now. The sea is too dangerous. After I return, I will never venture into the sea again. Every man at sea is bad! Sir, I don''t mean you. You''re a good person."


    A bitter smile appeared on Charles'' visage, "Yeah, you are right. Every man at sea is bad. Don''t return. Continue applying the ointment."


    Time at sea flew past. By the time Charles and his crew arrived at the Coral Archipgo, a month had already passed. By then, Charles'' wounds had healed significantly. At least he no longer bled at the slightest movement.


    The same sight greeted them at the port district of the Coral Archipgo. It was still chaotic and dark. As they walked through the muddy and fishy-smelling street, Margaret instinctively stuck close to Charles.


    With her soft body and curves pressing onto his arm, Charles couldn''t deny that he was wavered. However, weighing it against five million Echo, he felt that thetter was much more appealing.


    After Charles had Margaret settled down in the room next to his in the tavern, he returned to his room. He had barely sat down before he heard a knock on the door.


    It was Laesto standing outside the door. His hideous visage was devoid of his usual crazed and wildly animated expression. Instead, his lips were pursed together in apparent anxiety as he held the dead smartphone in his hands.

 Chapter 59. The Doctors Item

    <h4>Chapter 59. The Doctor''s Item</h4>


    "Can you tell me everything about this device now?" Laesto asked in a low, husky tone.


    Charles nodded as he said, "Come in." He then stepped aside for Laesto to enter the room.


    Sitting opposite Laesto, Charles slowly shared everything he knew about a smartphone. Laesto listened in silence as his right hand traced circles on the phone.


    "This device can be used formunication, entertainment, and also work. I couldn''t live a day without it in the surface world..."


    As Charles recounted his life story, images of his peaceful past filled his mind. He had always taken the mundanefort of those times for granted, but the chaos of his current life in this subterranean sea had him yearning and cherishing those times even more.


    "So that means this device is a tool formunication, like a telegraph?"


    "You could say that."


    Laesto remained silent for a brief moment before he spoke, "Actually, I have something like this too."


    Charles nearly choked on his water from the unexpected revtion. Did he actually hit the hammer on the nail? That old man really had another smartphone?


    Laesto reached into the insides of his worn-out coat and retrieved a cloth-wrapped rectangr object. Uponying his eyes on the item beneath the fabric, Charles stood up in astonishment. It was a t, ck device that resembled a tablet.


    The device''s back cover had been removed, and its internal green circuit boardid bare under their gaze.


    Looking at the item that was definitely not of this primitive subterranean world, Charles blurted, "Is this yours? Are you from the surface world too? What year was it when you ended up here?"


    The first thought that entered Charles'' head was that Laesto was just like him¡ªa man from another ce and time.


    "This is not mine. It belongs to my great-grandfather," Laesto answered, his hideous features softening as he recalled memories of the past.


    "I know nothing about him. He passed on early, and this was the only thing he left behind for me. My father told me to keep it safe. But he had never told me what this was. The mystery behind this item had always been gnawing at my heart. I''ve asked many, but no one knows what it is."


    <i>Could it be that his great-grandfather was transported into this ce like me? </i>Charles immediately dismissed the idea. Given Laesto''s age, his great-grandfather would certainly be even older. The advent of tablets and mobile phones was rtively close in time, so it seemed unlikely they would have been transported here at the same time.


    With these thoughts in mind, Charles took the tablet from Laesto and closely examined it. Very soon, he noticed the stark differences between this device and the sleek, lightweight tablets he was familiar with from the surface world. This device was bulky and crude byparison.


    With a weight of two pounds, Charles was certain that this item was not manufactured from the surface world that he knew of. Any manufacturer who had made a device like this would surely go out of business.


    "Do you have a way to fix this? I probably won''t have a child to pass this on to, neither do I want to pass this on. All I want is to know what my great-grandfather intended us to keep." Laesto''s gaze remained fixated on the tablet.


    "I''m sorry, I can''t be of much help." Repairing electronic devices was not Charles'' expertise.


    "You mentioned earlier that this ck mirror could light up again with electricity. Does that mean we could charge it, and it would work?" Laesto asked, his voice tainted with a tinge of hope.


    "I''m not sure about the voltage used on the Coral Archipgo, but I''m very certain that it wouldn''t match the tablet''s needs. A reckless attempt might destroy it beyond salvation," Charles warned.


    A trace of disappointment flickered across Laesto''s face.


    However, Charles was pulled further into his thoughts. If this tablet didn''t originate from the surface world, then it must have been created by the people of the subterranean world. Since they already have the technology advanced enough to create tablets, then why was the current level of technology in this subterranean world akin to that of the 18th or 19th century? It didn''t make any logical sense to Charles.


    Suddenly, Charles was reminded of the ind that housed Laboratory 3. If there were someone in the subterranean world capable of creating a tablet, it would be the humans from Laboratory 3. After all, they had already created and used fingerprint recognition technology.


    <i>Could Doctor''s great-grandfather be an ex-staff at theb?</i>


    However, the same questions remained unanswered. Those humans possessed advanced technology and also arge number of powerful relics. But where were they now? The mystery in Charles'' mind deepened.


    "No matter what, thank you," Laesto voiced out, breaking Charles'' train of thought. "I finally know what my great-grandfather left behind. I will try to make it light up again. Our agreement still stands." He picked up the tablet and headed toward the door.


    As the room door swung open, Margaret, who had been eavesdropping from outside, was visibly startled. She hurriedly ran toward Charles and hid behind him as she stole a timid nce at Laesto.


    Laesto turned to look at Charles and asked, "Do you need her to forget everything she had just heard? I have a method for that."


    "It''s okay. Forget it."


    Charles had previously recounted his story of how he came from the surface world to every person he had encountered. However, everyone had taken him to be a lunatic, and no one believed him.


    Charles finally understood when he saw the Divine Light Order cultists describing their Sun God to be a triangle. Humans wouldn''t believe the truth unless it was ced right before their eyes. However, humans could also be so ignorant at times that they only believed what they chose to believe.


    Laesto turned and limped his way down the hallway and down the dimly lit stairs.


    With only Margaret and Charles left in the room, Margaret said in a trembling voice, "Sorry, I didn''t mean to eavesdrop. I thought my father had arrived."


    "He won''t be here so soon. I''ve sent your letter and the fishbone token to Whereto. The earliest they would reach him would be two weekster."


    Margaret pondered over Charles'' words before her head drooped down, and she absentmindedly scuffed the wood beneath her with her toes.


    "Sir, can I stay in your room? The other room is too dark, I''m a bit scared..."


    "Suit yourself, just keep quiet," Charles responded in a nonchnt tone. He pulled out his diary and started jotting histest entry.


    A rosy blush appeared on Margaret''s cheeks as she watched the young captain before her, engrossed in writing.


    Compared to life onnd, Charles preferred life at sea. Despite the dangers and hardships, he felt as though he was making actual progress toward his goal. While he was onnd, he felt as though he was wasting every passing second.


    Now that he had the nautical chart and his vessel, Charles still couldn''t embark on his journey. His wounds had not fully healed, and he was still waiting for Sonny''s head and that reward of five million Echo.


    Over the next couple of weeks, Margaret and Charles spent their time together. Since Margaret lived next door, if she made any attempt to escape, the mice would report it to Charles. However, the young girl showed no sign of wanting to escape. On the contrary, she seemed to be enjoying her new circumstances and even going as far as expressing her desire to stick right next to Charles.


    However, such peaceful days didn''tst for long. One early morning, Charles spotted the Coral Archipgo''s governor''s cruiser chasing away fishing boats from the nearby waters. It was a sign that a huge event was happening today.


    The gates that connected the port and the inner city were rarely opened. But this day, it swung wide as a grand procession of vehicles rolled out from the inner city.


    With his excellent vision, Charles caught a clear glimpse of the man sitting inside one of the vehicles. After all, his heavy, mboyant makeup was hard to miss. Charles had seen his photos in the newspapers¡ªNico, the governor of the Coral Archipgo.

 Chapter 60. The Governors

    <h4>Chapter 60. The Governors</h4>


    Despite having a scant interest in current affairs, Charles often heard tabloid gossip about the governor, Nico. In conclusion, Nico was a man who held a preference for other men. Of course, there was totally nothing wrong with liking someone of the same gender. However, the atrocity of him wedding not one but six husbands seemed to border the boundaries of propriety.


    Fortunately, beyond his scandalous private life, Nico''s governance of the Coral Archipgo seemed to be worthy of praise. The locals found himpetent in managing their welfare and administrative matters, which added to their satisfaction.


    The dazzling gold vehicle pulled up alongside the bustling docks, yet Governor Nico made no move to alight. He seemed to be waiting for something.


    Just then, rows of policemen in their ck uniforms swarmed into the docks. They numbered around a thousand. They rapidly dispersed the crowd that had gathered. Laborers and fishmongers were forced to scatter, and the bustling pier instantly fell into silence.


    When a burst of light illuminated the horizon, where the ck sky melded seamlessly with the dark sea, Charles finally figured out who Governor Nico was waiting for.


    One. Two. Three. Three behemoth steamships, each rivaling the length of the Titanic, red their sirens and loomed oppressively toward the shore.


    Standing before the window, Margaret instantly recognized the gs upon the ships. She couldn''t contain her excitement as she eximed, "Mr. Charles, that''s my father''s ship! He''s here to take me home! I can finally go home!"


    Nico finally alighted from his vehicle. His mboyant fluffy white cape was hard to miss. As he watched the approaching ships, the corners of his lips curled up into a faint smile, and he pped his hands. At his signal, from the side of the pier, ten battleships armed to the teeth raised their cannons to aim at the three menacing titans.


    The gigantic steamships were halted just outside the harbor and couldn''t approach further. Disregarding the sailors'' frantic g signaling, the battleships remained in ce, their silent disy of power was an apparent refusal of passage.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A distant cannon roared, and a shadow hurtled toward the dock. As the projectile approached, Charles managed to get a closer look, and his eyes narrowed into slits. It was not a cannonball but a man¡ªa burly man with a mustache and a protruding belly.


    The forceful impact mmed the man hard onto the ground. However, the man bounced back up almost immediately and stood upright as though nothing had happened.


    <i>Indeed, those who can be a governor surely have some tricks up their sleeves. To think he used his body as a cannonball...</i> Charles remarked to himself in awe.


    "Let''s go," Charles said as he sped the hand of the girl beside him. They jumped out of the window andnded on the adjacent roof. Stepping across the chimneys and roof tiles, the duo ran toward the docks.


    "Nico! What is the meaning of this!" Daniel shouted, fuming with rage as he confronted the Coral Archipgo''s governor, Nico. Hepletely disregarded the myriad of guns pointed at him from every direction.


    Hearing the Isle of Whereto''s governor''s roar of fury, Nico nonchntly started to file his nails with a glittering golden nail file and retorted, "You arrived at my ind with three Royal Titan ships, and you are asking me what this means?"


    "I told you in my telegram! I''m here for my daughter!" Daniel''s wrath wasparable to that of a provoked lion.


    "Hmph~ Didn''t you say the same thing to little Arthur six years ago? In the end, his ind became your ind after that."


    A series of warning whistles from the police interrupted the heated argument between the two governors. Both men turned in the direction of themotion. Darting between rooftops with the agility of a capuchin monkey, a ck-haired young man with a jagged scar on his face appeared in their line of sight. A young girl was with him. They managed to reach Nico and Daniel within moments.


    As the two suspicious individuals neared the governors, the police in the vicinity were about to draw their guns.


    "Father!" Margaret cried out as her emotions overwhelmed her. She wanted to run to her father immediately, but Charles grabbed her back in time.


    Nico blinked his eyes smudged withyers of eyeshadow at the neers. "Lower your weapons. I think I remember this handsome youngd."


    "Bastard! You kidnapped my daughter!" Daniel clenched his fists in fury and was ready to charge at Charles.


    "Father! It''s not what you think! Mr. Charles is a good man! He saved me!" Margaret was quick in resolving the misunderstanding. She hastily exined the events that transpired to her father, who was brimming with rage.


    After hearing Margaret''s ount, Daniel cast an icy nce at Charles, "Since it''s a misunderstanding, release my daughter immediately!"


    Before Charles could open his mouth to speak, Margaret reminded him, "Father, did you forget? You agreed to give Mr. Charles a reward of five million Echo for saving me."


    Daniels'' thick lips quivered at his own daughter''s "thoughtful" reminder. Eventually, he chose not to speak a single word and fished out a cheque from his pocket. He scribbled a few words on it before throwing it to the ground.


    Just before the chequended on the ground, Charles lifted his hand, and the cheque flew toward him instead.


    "Father!" Margaret cried out as she dashed into Daniel''s embrace. Her tiny arms wrapped around his pot belly; the size juxtaposition was aical sight to see.


    "Are you alright? Did anyone treat you badly? Tell Father! I''ll avenge you!" Daniel asked anxiously as he turned his daughter around and inspected her for any signs of injuries.


    "I''m okay. It''s all thanks to Mr. Charles. He saved me."


    Daniel briefly nced at Charles. He didn''t even try to mask the hostility in his re. Grabbing his daughter by the hand, he walked toward the sea.


    "Let''s go home. Your mother has been crying her eyes out over you."


    "Wait! I want to say a few words to Mr. Charles."


    "What''s there to say to someone like him? Let''s go. Now."


    Before Margaret could say another word, Daniel hoisted her up and walked away.


    Under the gazes of everyone, the governor of Whereto strode across the water surface toward the titan ships in the distance.


    Perched on her father''s shoulder, Margaret looked with apparent longing at the young man standing at the dock. She was expecting him to say something, but he didn''t even speak a single word.


    Observing his calm expression, memories of their time together shed across her mind. She felt a sudden urge to persuade her father to stay at the Coral Archipgo for a little longer. But in the end, she didn''t do so.


    "Mr. Charles! Goodbye! I''ll send you a telegram!" Margaret cried out as tears slid from the corners of her eyes.


    Hearing her words, Daniel''s face turned a shade darker, and he hastened his pace.


    "You sure have got brains to be able to swindle money out of Daniel. But you aren''t ruthless enough. If it were me, I''d have demanded a way higher price." Nico slid up to Charles, the strong smell of his perfume assaulting thetter''s nostrils.


    Charles silently retreated two steps back. "Governor Nico, you must be joking. For a small fry like me, five million is more than enough."


    Asking for five million was just Charles'' way of giving a light p on Governor Daniel''s pride. If he had really tried to ckmail arger sum, he might have ended up with the money but with his life in exchange.


    Nico regarded the young man before him with apparent interest. "So it was you who stirred up a storm in Sottom? Even ''King'' had to eat a humble pie?"


    Charles''s heart skipped a beat. The governor sure had his information-gathering channel to know about the incident so quickly.


    "Yes, I killed ''King''."


    However, Nico''s next words stunned Charles.


    "No, you didn''t kill him. If he could be killed that easily, he wouldn''t be the ''King'' of Sottom. As far as I know, no one in the entire Subterranean Sea can kill him."


    The image of the sinking corpse resurfaced in Charles'' mind. <i>He isn''t dead even with half of his head cut off? Is he even human?</i>


    "Youngd, you are impressive. Come to my ce for tea when you have time. We can get to know each other <i>deeper</i>."


    Nico then turned and headed toward his dazzling gold vehicle.


    Charles instantly turned down the offer in his mind. He had no intention of bing the man''s seventh husband.


    Staring at the five million Echo cheque in his hand, Charles let out a breath of relief. This series of events had finallye to an end. With these Echo in hand, he wouldn''t have to worry about funds for a while.


    Charles chucked the cheque into his pockets and nced around. Spotting a white mouse in the curious crowd, he instructed, "Lily, gather the crew. Vacation''s over. Time to set out again."

 Chapter 61. "Stars"

    <h4>Chapter 61. "Stars"</h4>


    "Fuck! This guy is so noob. He can''t even aim his disables. I died again!" the teenage boyined and tossed his smartphone onto the couch in frustration.


    The girl beside him had her eyes glued to the television as she pursed her lips together and scoffed, "You are the noob one, aren''t you?"


    Just then, the scene of an agitated king kong thumping its chest appeared on the television screen. The boy nced at the screen and jibed, "Look, you are on TV again."


    Enraged, the girl picked up a cushion by the side and aimed it at the boy. "Gao Zhiming! Take this!"


    In an instant, their yful banter escted into a cushion fight.


    "Enough, both of you. Come and have dinner," a woman''s voice called out from the living room and effectively put a forced truce between the two siblings.


    At the dining table, the woman wearing an apron addressed her son, "You''re not a kid anymore, can''t you be nicer to your younger sister?"


    "Why should I? She was stronger than me when we were younger, but she never went easy on me then."


    Digging into her food, a grimace appeared on the girl''s face, and she lifted her right foot to kick the boy under the table. The boy immediately retaliated with a kick.


    Seeing the fight going on under the table, the woman shook her head and gave up on being the mediator. Her two children had been like this since they were young, and she had already grown ustomed to it anyway.


    After eating a few more mouthfuls of rice, the woman spoke to her son again, "Why do you insist on taking a ship instead of a train to go out with your friends this time? Traveling by water is so much more dangerous."


    "Mom, what era do you think we are in now? What''s so dangerous about ships? Moreover, the ship belongs to Li De''s father. It will be fine." Gao Zhiming reassured his mother as he continued stuffing food into his mouth with his chopsticks. Meanwhile, the foot-fight with his sister under the table was still ongoing.


    "Didn''t a ship sink a few years ago in Korea? You should take a bullet train instead."


    "We''ve already bought the tickets. Don''t worry! Nothing will go wrong," Gao Zhiming confidently reassured his mother once more.


    Just then, he felt a chill on his ankle. Looking down, ayer of inky ck water had flooded the floor and was rapidly rising.


    By the time Gao Zhiming jolted out of his panic and wanted to stand up, the water had already reached his head, drowning him. A thought suddenly shed across his mind¡ªhis sister couldn''t swim.


    As Gao Zhiming struggled against the water, he tried to reach out his hands to his family members. A look of pain was etched onto his sister''s face. Something seemed to be pulling her away as the distance between them increased, and she drifted further and further away. He turned around to seek his mother to realize that she was already nowhere to be seen.


    Gao Zhiming frantically searched for them in the waters, but he couldn''t find even a strand of hair. As the air in his lungs depleted, a choking sensation hit him. Just before he closed his eyes, he saw a grotesque mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth swallow him whole.


    "Whew!" Charles jolted out of his sleep, his eyes widened in terror. Hearing the sound of the waves crashing against the hull and feeling the rocking of the ship, he realized it was all but a dream.


    <i>"Bro, a nightmare? What did you see? Do share for my amusement."</i>


    Ignoring the taunting of his alter ego, Charles raised his head and scanned his surroundings. He realized he was not in his captain''s quarters but rather lying on the deck in only beach pants. He held a transparent wine ss in one hand and wore a pair of sunsses. He was dressed as though he was headed for a beach vacation.


    "Why am I sleeping here?" Charles muttered to himself.


    <i>"It''s my time now. I''m enjoying my suntanning session."</i>


    Speechless, Charles looked up at the dark expanse above him.


    <i>"Are you crazy? Suntanning in this darkness?"</i>


    <i>"You don''t understand. Embrace the beach with your heart, and anywhere could be Maldives. It''s not about the ce but the state of mind."</i>


    <i>"How''s the journey so far?"</i> Charles seized control of his body and stood up.


    <i>"Same old. Not a trace of that ind on the nautical map. I worked, alright? I checked our supplies before my suntanning session. If we still can''t find the ind in ten days, we''ll have to turn back."</i>


    Charles ced his hands on the ship''s railing and leaned outward, staring into the inky ck sea. He was confident about the map''s markings. However, he had been in a perilous situation when he chanced upon the map. Regurgitating the information from his memory in his half-dead state wasn''t easy either. He couldn''t say with certainty that there was no error throughout the process.


    <i>"Lighten up, bro! If we can''t find it this round, there''s alway the next. It''s so tiring being you. Do you need a cheer-up pill? Why don¡¯t I tell you a joke?</i>


    Charles ignored the voice and turned back. Lifting the ss in his hand, he intended to down its contents. However, just as soon as he tilted his head back, his peripheral vision caught sight of several distant dots of white light flickering in the sky.


    <i>"Stars? Are there stars underground? Or are we back on the surface?"</i>


    A couple of secondsters, the stars started twinkling more rapidly. Almost immediately after, they abruptly extinguished and blended back into the pitch ck darkness. Even with his enhanced night vision, Charles couldn''t spot them.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Suddenly, a small pebblended on his face out of nowhere.


    Charles'' eyes narrowed into slits. He seemed to have noticed something as his face paled and he roared at Conor, who was behind the ss in the ship''s pilot house, "Second Mate! Full starboard! Full throttle!"


    As the ship turned sharply, the stones were already showering down over them like a heavy hail storm.


    A p of thunder sounded and under Charles'' horrified gaze, a stctite as huge as a mountain peak descended and crashed violently onto the spot where their ship had been just a moment ago.


    Apanied by a roaring crash, the stctite''s colossal impact against the water ignited a cascade of violent waves. They crashed toward the Narwhale like a tsunami, rocking the vessel wildly from side to side.


    On the deck, Charles had hastily secured himself with ropes and didn''t get swept away by the turbulent waves.


    <i>"What the hell! Since when are stars so bad tempered? We just took a few nces and they''re raining down on us?" </i>Richard made a couple of snarkyments.


    Spitting out the bitter seawater, Charles replied, "They''re not stars. Whatever they are, they are alive. They saw us and sent the rock showers."


    <i>"Fuck! There are things living up there? How the hell do they stick up there and not fall? Are they geckos?"</i>


    "That''s not our concern now. Look! The stars are shining again!"


    Overhead, the blurry white dots lighted up once more but swiftly dimmed into oblivion within a few seconds. Another mountain-sized stctite hammered down, forcing the Narwhale to make a hasty retreat.


    Another colossal wave crashed into them and Richard shouted, "This won''t do! Those things are hot on our heels!"


    As the stars illuminated the dark expanse once more, Charles quickly pondered over the situation and instructed to switch off the searchlights.


    Plunged into darkness, Charles was left with nothing but the sound of his frantic breathing filling his ears. When he realized that the rain of stones was no longer showering down upon them, he let out a long, drawn-out breath of relief.


    No matter what it was up there, it relied on the Narwhale''s lights to locate them. As long as they turned off the lights, that thing¡ªor those things¡ªwouldn''t be able to locate the ship.


    In the dark, Charlesmunicated with his crew.


    "Second Mate, don''t stop. Keep moving ahead. We''re not out of danger yet."


    "But Captain, I can''t see anything."


    "I can. I''ll navigate for you."


    Shrouded in imprable darkness, the Narwhale continued ahead. Charles stood on the deck with the nautical chart in his hands. With a tense expression on his face, he tried to discern their direction and ensure they stayed on course.


    Half an hourter, just as Charles lifted his head again to survey the sea before him, an excited cry from Richard filled his ear.


    <i>"An ind! It''s an ind! We''ve found it!"</i>

 Chapter 62. It Came Alive

    <h4>Chapter 62. It Came Alive</h4>


    As the searchlights of the Narwhale illuminated the darkness ahead, an ind teeming with lush vegetation appeared before the crew''s eyes. The good news washed away their residual fear from the recent ordeal. Excited, Charles quickly cross-referenced their location with the chart.


    Once he had established the coordinates of the first ind, tracing the other inds along the way would be much easier. This was also proof that the markings on the nautical chart were authentic.


    The Narwhale started to circle the ind for a preliminary observation. After making one round around the ind, Charles found thendmass to be on the smaller side and gauged it to be around half the size of the Coral Archipgo.


    He reasoned that there was a rather slim possibility of there being an entrance to the surface world on this ind. But no matter how small the probability, he was determined to venture onto the ind to investigate.


    Following their standard procedure, Charles instructed his crew to throw some fish onto the shore. Seeing no signs of any living creatures, he then sent his first party of sailors ashore as a cautious measure in case there was something waiting to annihte their party whole. The closer he was to home, the more cautious he became.


    After about two hours, the first party of sailors emerged from the ind''s woods. They stood at the beach andmunicated with the crew on board using gnguage.


    "No threat," Charles deciphered and then instructed, "Drop the anchor! Kill the engines!"


    Two wooden boats were then lowered, and all crew members approached the ind.


    Dipp, who was in the first party of sailors tond, appeared visibly excited. "Captain,e quickly. I''ve found a run-down building."


    Without a word, Charles followed Dipp into the woods. Walking along a trail in the thick woond that had been cleared with knives, they arrived at a small, three-story building shrouded in thick vines. The building was so dpidated and full of cracks that Charles suspected that the only reason it hadn''t copsed was because of the entwining vines around the architecture.


    "Captain, there''s no one inside. No corpses either," Dipp reported.


    Cautiously, Charles led his party into the building. Everything within was nketed with ayer of dust, an irrevocable proof that this ce had been forsaken by history.


    "Spread out and search. Inform me if you find any traces of text." At the captain''s orders, the crew members scattered and began rummaging through the structure. Plumes of dust were dislodged from their dormant state and swirled up into the stale air. The billowing dust cloud had the crew members erupting into incessant coughing fits.


    Charles randomly picked up a cup made from an unidentifiable material. But it instantly crumbled into dust with the slightest touch.


    "Ahhhhhh!"


    <i>Bang, bang, bang!</i>


    Suddenly, screams of terror followed by rapid gunfire pulled Charles out of his thoughts. He hurriedly dashed toward the source of themotion.


    When he entered the room where themotion was, he saw four sailors huddled together and pointing their guns nervously around the room.


    "What did you see? Why did you open fire?"


    "Captain! It was there! We saw something small scurry by!" A sailor pointed his gun at the deepest part of the cluttered room.


    Charles pulled out his Dark de and dashed toward the indicated direction. He tossed aside the pile of debris in his way, but he found no traces of life.


    Charles'' gaze then fell upon a corner of the wall¡ªan opening. There was also a trail of small footprints. He crouched low and peered into the crack to see a human eye with a blue iris sh past.


    "There''s something in there!" Charles shouted and stood up immediately. He darted into the adjacent room but found no trace of the eye''s owner.


    He returned to the previous room and carefully examined the trail of footprints on the ground once more. The footprints measured barely half a centimeter wide and were pathetically small. Charles estimated that their owner was at most five centimeters tall.


    <i>"Could it be an ind native?"</i> Charles instantly recalled the mini human that had emerged from the skull. However, he soon dismissed the idea. The eye that he''d glimpsed earlier was evidently that of a full-sized human. But now, an illogical facy had presented itself: how could a regr-sized person fit through an opening no wider than a finger?


    "Captain! What happened? I heard gunfire!"


    "Did something happen?"


    "What happened just now?"


    The rest of the crew had arrived and were throwing questions.


    Charles stood up and offered them the exnation they wanted. He then ended his exnation with a warning. "There''s a living thing on this ind. Everyone, keep your guard up."


    Seeing the tense expressions on their faces, Charles added, "Don''t be too worried. No matter what that thing might be, it''s currently hiding from us now and not the other way around."


    Immediately after, Charles asked, "Did you find any clues in the other rooms?"


    A trace of disappointment appeared on Charles'' face when the crew shook their heads in response. On second thought, he found the situation to be within expectations. After all, Lady Luck seemed to not be on his side, and it was unlikely that he would find his path home on the first ind.


    Under Charles'' guidance, the party exited the building and continued to explore the inner ind.


    The path through the forest was hard to navigate, with creeping vines and branches cluttering the area. They had to hack their way to make a path for themselves.


    After walking for about two hours, Charles estimated that they probably hadn''t even walked a mile. Turning around and seeing his crew panting for breath, he called for a break.


    "Doctor, do you recognize any of these nts on the ind?" Charles asked the old man, who was munching on a piece of stale bread.


    "Do you think I''m a walking encyclopedia? How can I possibly recognize the nts on a deserted ind? I can only tell that they probably won''t eat us."


    Richard interjected directly, <i>"Bro, there''re so many trees here, which means the soil should be fine. Which means crop cultivation is possible. If we can find fresh water, this ce can be a new human habitat!"</i>


    <i>"It''s not that simple. There are only nts here, but no animals."</i>


    Just as the two were engrossed in their mental conversation, Laesto suddenly copsed onto the ground with a pained expression. Charles hurriedly rushed over and helped him up.


    "Doctor! What happened? Say something!"


    With his face twisting out of agony, Laesto wed at his own chest with his iron hand.


    "Damn it! Something''s biting me! Get it off quick!" Laesto cried out.


    Charles swiftly unfastened Laesto''s outer coat and spotted a circr, pancake-like entity squirming rapidly beneath the blood-stained shirt.


    Not wasting a second of hesitation, he lifted the ck dagger in his hand and dislodged the creature with a couple of swift upward slices. Laesto let out a pained grunt as the wrapped creature was flung a dozen meters away.


    Charles looked down toward Laesto''s chest, and the sight of the gruesome wound had him taken aback. Arge chunk of flesh on the left side of Laesto''s upper abdomen was gone and revealed the stark skeletal ribs underneath.


    "OMG! What did you put in your clothes?"


    "I didn''t put anything! It was your mask!" Bearing the pain, Laesto pulled out a bottle of powder and poured it over his wound with his trembling hands.


    "096?" Charles'' gaze turned toward the ground to see a white clown mask emerging from under the torn fabric with a chunk of bloodied flesh in its mouth.


    "The mask came alive?" Someone questioned as everyone''s eyes widened in disbelief at the absurd sight before them.


    Before anyone could react, 096 shed a terrifyingly sinister smile at the group before it rolled into the forest like a car''s wheel.

 Chapter 63. 096s Revenge

    <h4>Chapter 63. 096''s Revenge</h4>


    Three seconds after the Clown Mask rolled and disappeared into the woods, chaos broke out in the camp.


    "Mother of vampires! The captain''s mask is actually alive!" Audric cried out in shock.


    "Should...Should we turn back?" another sailor voiced out in a whimper.


    "Mr. Charles, can I hide in your pocket? I''m a bit scared."


    "Quiet!" Charles'' voice suppressed the whispers. With his brows pressed together, his gaze scanned across his crew members. "What''s the ruckus over? It''s just a mask that moves. After all the ordeals you have been through, you are afraid of a mere mask?!"


    After themotion quelled down, Charles looked at his pocket watch with an aloof expression. He thenmanded, "Break''s over! We move now!"


    The silent crew members didn''t dare protest and followed after their captain. Despite their silence, their faces were visibly tense as they tightened their grip on their weapons.


    As he led the group, Charles was pondering over the same question as them: Why had 096 suddenlye alive?


    That relic had been with him for a while now, and he had worn it countless times. It had never shown any traces of life.


    <i>Could it be this ind? Could it be rted to something on this ind? </i>Charles mused as he peered into the darkness beneath the trees. However, the forest provided no answers.


    <i>"In my opinion, I think it''s a good thing. This means we''re in the right ce. The weirder a ce is, the more rewards there are. If a ce poses no dangers, there are no benefits to be reaped there."</i> Richard''sment interrupted Charles'' thoughts.


    Charles ignored the voice and turned toward Laesto, who was being supported by Dipp and Frey.


    "Doctor, are you feeling alright? How''s your wound?"


    "Hmph, if you are really concerned about me, you should have let me stay on the ship. When I agreed to your proposition then, you never mentioned anything about needing me to explore inds," Laesto retorted as he took out a metal sk and downed a big mouthful of its contents.


    Hearing Laesto''s robust voice, Charles was assured that his injuries were nothing serious.


    As the party trudged through the woods, their surroundings began to change. The cluttered vines and branches grew sparse, and the towering trees became shorter. The path soon opened up to ruins overrun with thickets of weeds.


    The ruins covered an extensive area akin to a small town. The walls covered withrge nkets of extensive vines painted a deste scene.


    The crew could only see a part of the ruins illuminated by their torches. However, Charles could see more with his night vision. In the darkness, the dpidated buildings were like sprawling spiders watching their every action.


    Regardless of their former glory, traces of human activities within had been gradually covered by the growing weeds and trees over the passage of time.


    Charles halted his footsteps briefly before he pressed on ahead. No matter who the previous inhabitants of these ruins were, time had taken all of them away.


    "I seem to hear the sound of water. Can you hear it?" Charles suddenly asked. However, the confused expressions on his crew''s faces dampened his mood. He kept silent and trudged ahead.


    "Mr. Charles! There''s really water! My friend and I can smell it!" Lily scampered onto Charles'' shoulder and sniffed the air with her petite nose. "And it''s fresh water!"


    Hearing the words "fresh water," the entire crew was visibly excited. They understood the underlying meaning behind this information.


    Following the growing sound of flowing water, Charles soon arrived at the heart of the ruins. A pile of old machinery covered with dark brown rust appeared before him. The sound of water seemed to be from beneath the machines.


    "Give me the explosives," Charles instructed.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    With a thundering boom, the long-decaying machinery exploded into pieces. Everyone peered curiously into the dark pit that took its ce.


    A fire torch tumbled into the pit. Under its illumination, a flowing underground river appeared before their sight.


    Dipp couldn''t hold back his excitement as he hastily drank from the water they''d retrieved. With a look of exhration, he shouted, "Captain! It''s really fresh water! This ind is a livable ce!"


    Hearing the news, the entire crew erupted into cheers. Their fiery enthusiasm seemed to be able to push back against the surrounding darkness.


    They had left their peaceful lives behind, joined an exploration vessel, and risked their lives. It was all for this day.


    With a new ind discovered, their captain would be the governor, and every one of them would get a government position. They didn''t need to go out to sea anymore. They would be part of the upper echelons and live like the nobles in the heart of the inds.


    On the contrary, Charles didn''t share their tion. After all, he had a separate goal from the rest of his crew. Finding a livable ind was only incidental.


    Observing their excitement, Charles decided it was best to rest up for the day first to give them some time to digest the news and also readjust themselves. An increased morale was great, but too much excitement could lead to recklessness and cause idents.


    In a corner bounded by two barely intact walls, a bonfire was lit. The crew could hardly sleep due to their excitement. Everyone was chattering about their better lives in the near future. In the end, Charles directly ordered Laesto to administer a sleeping draught to those not on watch duty.


    Charles had trouble sleeping, so he also took Laesto''s medicine and soon entered dreand.


    After what felt like a long time, a strange sound jolted Charles out of his slumber.


    <i>Hiss¡ª</i>


    The sound reminded him of gas leaking from a canister.


    <i>Hiss¡ª</i>


    The same sound rang out again. His mind snapped to full alertness as his expression grew tense. He recognized that sound¡ªthe wheezing of a severed windpipe.


    Charles immediately stood up and spotted a petite figure wielding a rusty de against James.


    Hearing themotion behind it, the figure turned. Under the flickering firelight, Charles could make out the white mask with its distinctive red nose¡ªit was 096.


    Almost instinctively, Charles reached for his revolver and opened fire. He emptied his magazine on 096''s host.


    Thenky body was knocked back by the impact of the bullets. However, the moment the gunshots ceased, the body scrambled away on all fours like a cheetah into the darkness.


    "Dipp! Get Doctor to save him!" Charles kicked the boatswain, who was still scratching his neck. His eyes were bleary, and his mind was still in a daze.


    Leaving his instructions, Charles then chased after 096 with his Dark de in hand.


    Watching the retreating figure, Charles'' expression grew solemn. Whatever reason it was that caused 096 toe alive, it clearly held a grudge against them now. He had to get rid of 096, or it would return to cause more havoc.


    The two figures sprinted through the weeds-covered ruins. Even the most impossible terrains seemed like t ground beneath their feet. From the perspective of an outsider, it was akin to watching an impressive performance of parkour.


    <i>"Richard, whose body is 096 using now? How can it still run so fast after being shot in the chest?"</i>


    <i>"How would I know? That old dude''s medicine knocked me out too."</i>


    The pair were evenly matched in speed, and none could outrun the other. 096 swiftly ran to the edge of the dense forest and plunged into its darkness without hesitation.


    Charles gritted his teeth and followed suit.

 Chapter 64. Body

    <h4>Chapter 64. Body</h4>


    The branches continuouslyshed out at Charles'' face. However, his gaze remained locked on 096''s back.


    Theplex weave of branches couldn''t hinder the pair with enhanced physiques as they moved fluidly between the spaces and leaped from tree to tree.


    "Hahahahah!!" 096''s manicughter erupted incessantly.


    <i>"Bro, this won''t do. Our speeds are the same. If we continue in pursuit, god knows where it will bring us."</i> Richard''s voice sounded in their mind.


    <i>"Shut up. I know that!"</i>


    Charles kicked off against a huge tree trunk. The revolver in his hand was already reloaded with bullets. This time, he didn''t aim for 096''s vital spots but targeted its lower limbs.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A gunshot echoed through the forest, and splinters flew as a chunk of bark near ''096''s right leg was torn off by the bullet. Their rapid speed and the hindrance of tree branches had Charles struggling to aim despite his extraordinary vision.


    <i>"I''ll do the running, and you do the shooting." </i>Richard then seized partial control of their body.


    A gunshot rang out once more. After several missed shots, a stter of blood suddenly burst from 096''s left limb. It had been struck.


    Staggering, the figure continued running, but its speed had clearly decreased.


    Charles immediately lunged at it like a cheetah pouncing on its prey. With a swift circr sh of his Dark de, the entity''s head was sent flying through the air.


    Disregarding the spraying blood from the corpse, Charles triggered his Tentacle Ring, and transparent tendrils quickly coiled around the severed head and drew it to him.


    The moment he saw the face on the head, his ck eyes narrowed. The corpse didn''t belong to any of his crew members. And the Clown Mask was nowhere to be seen, leaving only a horrifying face.


    There were only four perfect, pitch-ck holes where the eyes, nose and mouth should have been. The head resembled more like a skull with an eerie strangeness.


    Charles turned and scanned his surroundings but couldn''t spot any traces of the mask. Clearly, 096 had slipped away during the chase.


    <i>"Bro, did that mask develop some new skills? It could even eat the host''s facial features?"</i>


    <i>"I''m not sure. Let''s return first. In case it has deliberately lured us away."</i>


    Without wasting another second, Charles used the Tentacle Ring to bind the corpse and swiftly returned to their campsite.


    Upon returning to the ruins and spotting James'' gigantic figure by the campfire, Charles saw that his entire crew had awoken.


    Noticing their captain''s return, the sailors hurried forward. Charles swiftly did a headcount and double-checked against the bands on their shoulders. Indeed, no crew member was missing. The corpse didn''t belong to any of them.


    <i>Could this be the corpse of an ind native?</i>


    Ind natives varied in appearances, so Charles wasn''t certain either. After pondering for a few seconds, Charles dragged the corpse over to Laesto, who was administering treatment.


    Hearing the footsteps behind him, Laesto didn''t even lift his gaze from the wound he was stitching up. "Don''t worry. Most victims with ruptured tracheas choke on their own blood. They won''t die with me around."


    Charles'' gazended on Second Mate Conor, who was lying on the ground. A thin tube that was barely the size of a pinky was protruding from his Adam''s apple, and it whistled faintly in rhythm with hisbored breathing.


    Laesto turned to look at Charles and asked, "What about you? Did you manage to catch that thing?"


    "It escaped, but I brought its host back. Take a look and see if you find any clues."


    "Hmph. Being your ship''s doctor is surely tough," Laesto grumbled as he stared at the corpse on the ground.


    With a slight twist of his metal pinky, a sharp, surgical de popped out. As Laesto began his post-mortem examination, Charles ran his fingers over the corpse''s ck garment. The material was smooth, like a diver''s wetsuit, but it bore traces of its age. It started to tear even with a gentle tug.


    "No clues on the clothes," Charlesmented as his gaze fell on Laesto standing next to him. He was engrossed in examining the corpse with a ravenous gaze.


    "Hmph? This is impossible!" Laesto eximed in doubt.


    "What is it?" Charles asked.


    "Come and have a look yourself. There''s nothing within. No organs, nothing. Are you sure this thing could move just now?"


    Hearing Laesto''s words, Charles squatted next to the body, used his hand to spread the incision made by the doctor, and peered within.


    Indeed, it was hollow. The abdominal and thoracic cavities were devoid of any organs that should have been present. Charles was certain that the being had been alive when he severed its head.


    "I''m more interested in finding out who made this. Look here. Touch it with your hand."


    Laesto''s finger poked into one of the cavities in the skull and swiped along its edges.


    "No scars. Clean cut. Even I can''t perform such a feat. If this body were man-made, it would be considered a perfect masterpiece."


    Without any leads, Charles stood up in disappointment as he dusted off his hands. Apart from adding to the enigma in his mind, the corpse was of no assistance.


    By this point, the crew waspletely awake, and all stared at Charles in unison as they awaited his next orders.


    "Can''t sleep anymore? Let''s move on then," Charles said.


    Holding half a piece of bread in her hands, Lily approached Charles with a nervous expression, "Mr. Charles, what if that thinges again?"


    A cold glint flickered across Charles'' eyes as he reassured her, "Don''t worry. There won''t be a next time."


    Hearing the Captain''s order, everyone started packing their belongings, and a cacophony of noises erupted at the makeshift campsite.


    "Big guy, keep your socks properly. How did they end up in my bag?"


    "Damn it, did anyone see my wine sk?"


    While the ruins posed their own challenges for its trespassers, it was still better than the forests. Charles and his party stood up and trudged deeper into the ind.


    Charles kept himself busy while moving too. His hand flew across his notebook as he speedily sketched out a rudimentary map of the ind.


    Charles led his crew to move rapidly toward the heart of the ind. Since there were traces of human activity on this ind, then surely there was a high chance of uncovering valuable information at the ind''s center.


    Just then, a flicker of white shed past behind the crowd. Shrouded in the darkness, 096 had taken control of another body and its sinister gaze was locked onto Charles'' figure.


    By the second night, Charles and his crew had already explored more than half the ind. Apart from 096 unexpectedlying alive, there didn''t seem to be anything abnormal about the ind. It was like a perfectly ordinaryndmass.


    A cleared area had been established as their makeshift camp, and apart from those staying up for night watch duties, the rest had fallen asleep.


    Dipp, who was on duty, started at the campfire as he imagined his future.


    "If I be a center inder, I want to get ten wives! And one of them must be a vampire."


    "Can you handle so many?" Chef Frey jested from beside him.


    "Why can''t I?" Dipp hurriedly defended himself.


    "Nevermind, once we are back, I''ll bring you somewhere, and you''ll find out."


    "No thanks! I was captured by a vampire the previous time because of you."


    The light from the bonfire cast a shadow of Dipp that elongated and blended into the darkness beyond.


    With a rusty de in his hand, 096 made use of the man''s shadow as his cover. Silently and stealthily, it moved on fours like a spider and crawled toward the makeshift camp.

 Chapter 65. Another Facility

    <h4>Chapter 65. Another Facility</h4>


    Just when 096 was barely two meters away from Dipp, a piercing screech echoed in the vicinity.


    The bright white mask looked up abruptly to see a massive bat hanging upside down on a tree branch. Its presence was akin to that of a Grim Reaper.


    Controlling its host, 096 tried to escape. But the giant bat unfurled its wings, and its massive body descended with the ferocity of a missile.


    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>


    The disconcerting crack of breaking bones incessantly sounded as 096''s host was crushed under the bat''s weight and paralyzed. Realizing that it wouldn''t win the direct confrontation, 096 hastily gave up on its host and shed away from the face. It turned and tried to scuttle away.


    Just then, Dipp, who had been sitting next to the bonfire, turned around sharply and cast the in his hands, effectively trapping the Clown Mask. The crew members feigning sleep immediately sprang into action with brandished weapons and pounced upon the caught 096.


    It had been a trap, an ambush to capture 096.


    Reverting to his human form, Charles approached the. His four vampiric fangs had already grown out as his handsome face twisted and contorted into that of a horrifying bat. The blind vampire next to him hurriedly rushed over with a sma pack. Sucking the contents, the abnormalities happening to Charles soon vanished.


    "Captain, that relic is a vampiric one, after all. Please don''t use it anymore. Look, your fangs have already grown out," Audric gently reminded.


    Charles extended his index finger into his mouth and felt the sharpness of his canine teeth. Indeed, they had be longer and sharper than before.


    However, Charles had other important matters that demanded his instant attention. His gaze redirected to the captured 096.


    Currently, the Clown Mask was firmly nailed to a thick wooden board and rendered motionless.


    "How did youe alive?" Charles questioned.


    "Disgusting, lowly humans! Vile creatures, I''ll kill all of you!" 096 squirmed against the board as it cursed vehemently.


    "Where did you find those hosts?" Charles continued his questions but received only curses in response.


    Realizing that he would get no answers from 096, Charles didn''t want to waste his breath any longer. He raised his gun and fired.


    Much to his surprise, a metallic ng resounded when the bullet hit the mask.


    A manic smile appeared on 096''s hideous face.


    "I''m made of the hardest substance in the world! Your pitiful tricks can''t hurt me. You won''t be able to fathom the greatness of those who created me!" 096 proimed.


    "Really? You are made of the hardest material? I happened to have a de here that could easily slice through steel. I''d love to find out which is harder, you or my de."


    As Charles pulled out the Dark de from his boot, it seemed to have drenched 096''s bravado. The expression on its porcin white face morphed rapidly.


    <i>Screech~~</i>


    As the Dark de scraped across 096''s surface, a resulting sound akin to nails scratching a chalkboard apanied the sprinkle of white powder that fluttered into the air.


    "Human, you win. I found those bodies underground in the forest to the east." A rare expression of fear appeared on 096''s face.


    Without a word, Charles grabbed 096 with it and headed eastward with his crew members swiftly in tow.


    Throughout their journey, Charles wasted no time. He continued questioning 096 about how it came alive, but thetter still offered no answers. Or rather, it had no answer to give even when Charles threatened it with his Dark de. It only said that it suddenly acquired consciousness and, with it, an inexplicable hatred for humans.


    Charles remained rather skeptical about 096''s im. There was the possibility that the mask had been sentient all along and had been lying low and waiting for a chance.


    While engaged in their conversation, they arrived at the eastern forest. Under 096''s guidance, they found a squat tree hole with an eerie red glow seeping out from within.


    Richard seized control of their body and asked, "Are you sure it''s here? You aren''t nning to ambush us with a trap, are you?"


    "You can choose not to believe me. Anyway, I found those two bodies here."


    Charles pondered for a few seconds before he turned to the white mouse on the ground. "Lily, get your mice friends to go in and have a look."


    There was no need for him to risk exploring a potentially dangerous ce personally. Moreover, mice were far better suited for these narrow confines.


    <i>Squeak, squeak, squeak!</i>


    Lily let out a few squeaks, and four brown mice scurried into the hole.


    They didn''t wait for long as the mice soon returned and surrounded Lily, squeaking incessantly.


    The white mouse gestured with its tiny ws as she tranted their squeaks, "They said the inside is so red, so huge, and so long!"


    "What are they describing? A thing? Can they be more specific?"


    Lily scratched her head with a tiny paw as she continued her squeaky discussion with the mice. A few secondster, she turned and said, "They said the ce looked simr to the ce that houses those giant bugs that like to eat them."


    "The ce that houses those giant bugs? Lab Three!" Charles eximed in surprise.


    <i>Could this hole lead to anotherb? </i>Charles wondered. He suddenly felt that it could be possible. Since there was Laboratory Three, there would surely be Laboratory One and Laboratory Two. The organization behind theseboratories wouldn''t just upy a single ind.


    Regardless, Charles decided to venture in to take a look. Apart from searching for leads about the surface''s entrance, Laesto''s tablet had also sparked his curiosity. Where had all the humans that built these things disappeared to?


    "The ce is rather cramped. Lily and I will go. The rest of you stay put here. The First Mate will be inmand in my absence."


    As it witnessed Charles leading the swarm of mice into the hole, a sinister grin appeared on 096''s face despite it being nailed to the wooden board.


    Descending down the tunnel with the entwining tree root as his support, Charles came across a twisted hallway that had been ruptured by roots.


    The d¨¦cor and scenery brought back a sense of familiarity. His doubts had been resolved. He was certain that this ce was another facility simr to Laboratory Three.


    As for the red glow, it originated from the box-shapedmps hanging haphazardly from the ceiling. Their intermittent flickering seemed to be a portent of impending dangers.


    <i>"Damn it, bro! We''re rich! Lab Three had so many relics, there are surely a ton of them here too."</i>


    Charles ignored Richard''s voice and continued along the hallway.


    The supposedly straight hallway had been distorted by encroaching roots, leading to a series of mingled narrow gaps and widening spaces. Charles had no choice but to climb over roots or duck under them as necessary to proceed ahead.


    Just as he crawled over a tree root, a head with four dark holes appeared right before his eyes.


    Charles'' left hand suddenly moved on its own ord and shed the Dark de in its grasp at the head.


    Just when the de was a mere centimeter from the terrifying head, it halted.


    "Don''t move. It holds no hostility." Charles said to his other ego. Slowly he moved his face away from the head to see a brand new corpse standing motionless before him.


    The corpse was an empty shell of human flesh and bones. It remained rooted to the spot and made no response despite Charles waving his hand in front of it. He touched its face with his finger to find it surprisingly warm.


    As unbelievable as it seemed, this empty shell of a human was living despite theck of organs.

 Chapter 66. Pale Gray Mass

    <h4>Chapter 66. Pale Gray Mass</h4>


    "Mr. Charles, let''s leave quickly. I''m a bit scared of this thing," Lily muttered with her ears drooping as she shrunk back into Charles'' pocket.


    "Shhh."


    <i>Pop!</i>


    The motionless body suddenly stood upright and startled Lily to let out a shriek.


    <i>Tap, tap, tap, tap.</i>


    It turned and walked deeper into the hallway.


    Charles pondered for a brief moment before following it. Regardless of what that thing was, it lived here, so it should know this ce better than him. Perhaps he could find more clues by following it.


    <i>"Bro, do you think that thing had received some sort of blessing here?"</i>


    <i>"I''m not sure. Judging from the ruins outside, this ce has surely been forsaken for hundreds of years. If this thing was an ex-staff, how old would it be?"</i>


    <i>"Who knows in the damned ce? Maybe it traded its heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and everything else for longevity."</i>


    Just then, Charles sensed movement from the corner of his vision. He pointed the revolver in his hand in that direction. Unbeknownst to them, an elongated, white creature was inching its way across the corner. The snake-like creature ignored Charles'' threat and slowly slid forward.


    Charles carefully approached and used his Dark de to lift the creature up. The elongated creature was far more agile than the empty husk of a body. Its slender body rapidly darted away.


    "Mr. Charles, it''s getting away," Lily voiced out from within Charles'' pocket.


    Staring at the husk retreating further into the darkness, Charles hurriedly got up and followed the creature.


    At the same time, his mind raced to identify the long creature. He was certain that no such creature existed on Earth. However, he also found the entity oddly familiar. Yet, the more he tried to think about it, the memory seemed to dance further out of his grasp.


    As Charles ventured deeper into the hallway, the prevalence of roots began to dwindle. Following the body around a corner, Charles was greeted by a spacious, circr hall.


    Observing the cracked, striped floor, Charles could only imagine the grandeur of this ce at its peak. Strangely, there was no other furniture or decoration in the vast space. Not even a piece of trash. It was as if the former inhabitants had enlisted a movingpany before their departure.


    Charles followed the body through the hall when he suddenly stepped on something and slipped.


    Wiping the thickyer of dust off with his hand, Charles stared at the rust-free metal que before him. It looked like some sign affixed to a door for identification. However, only the first half of it was visible, and the second half seemed to have been erased for some unknown reason.


    "Grade E4 Subject Interaction¡ª"


    "Subject interaction? Were they experimenting with relics?" Another question added to the enigma in Charles'' mind.


    Thrown into a deeper mystery, Charles tossed the sign aside and stood up, wanting to leave. But the next moment, a chilling sight unfolded before him. The que discarded on the ground rose on its own.


    Wobbling, it used its two sharp corners as its legs to move forward.


    As the gue slowly inched forward, Charles hastened his steps after it. A mere object like a que couldn''t scare him off.


    As Charles ventured deeper, more and more items started to gather from the various linked hallways.


    Amongst them, there were unidentifiable chunks of flesh, and also things that were supposedly non-living such as a wallet and a shoe.


    The path they took was the same as the organless body. Watching them, Charles felt that these things were very much like pilgrims heading to their Holy Land.


    Theypletely disregarded Charles; Charles didn''t attack them either. For the time being, it was an oddly harmonious atmosphere.


    However, the moment a pair of human lungs scuttled past Charles'' feet, Charles slowed down.


    A lightbulb suddenly lit up in his mind. He realized the identity of that elongated thing from earlier¡ªa human''s small intestine! All the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle finally came together. The empty body was organless because all its organs had escaped their confines.


    Charles'' body started trembling, but it wasn''t from fear. He didn''t know why his body was shaking by itself, but he couldn''t make it stop.


    Despite not sensing any immediate threat from his surroundings, his eight years of seafaring experience sounded the warning bells: This ce was dangerous, leave immediately. However, he wasn''t willing to retreat now.


    Just then, all the animated objects in the distance entered a room. Faint voices echoed from within.


    <i>"Bro, we''re already here. Let''s just take </i>a<i> peek. Just one nce and we''ll run. What if there''s something valuable?" </i>Richard tempted Charles.


    After a brief contemtion, Charles continued ahead.


    Up to this point, the animated objects seemed to hold no hostility toward him. What if, just what if the entrance to the surface worldy within this facility?


    Following the parade of organs into the room, the sight before Charles stunned him speechless.


    The room was as huge as a football field, and a water tank took up two-thirds of this expanse. The animated items from the various ces gathered in front of the tank and moved their bodies rhythmically as if performing some religious ritual.


    Charles'' gaze turned to the tank. A pale gray mass continuously trembled and expanded within its confines. Creeping, wriggling monstrosities split off from the mass and swiftly crawled out of the tank. Yet, whenever they were close to getting out, they were swiftly reabsorbed by the mass.


    <i>Gulp.</i>


    Charles swallowed dry saliva and slowly started to back away. No matter what that lump of mass was, the entrance to the surface world was definitely not in this ce.


    Suddenly, the gray mass in the tank congealed to form a human male head with a terrified expression. The head screamed at Charles in desperation, "Help me! Kill me, please. I''m in so much pain. I can''t take it anymore."


    Charles froze in his spot. He had anticipated many scenarios, but this was definitely not one of them.


    <i>"Bro, this thing looks dumb. Try to bamboozle him and see if you get any benefits."</i>


    However, Charles didn''t share Richard''s mindset. This ce was totally out of his control, and staying here unsettled him.


    The moment Charles tried to leave, Richard seized control of their mouth and questioned the unknown entity in the water tank.


    "Who are you?"


    The moment his words fell, the animated objects around the water tank instantly swiveled to face him. Their synchronized timing sent chills down Charles'' spine.


    "I can''t take it anymore. It''s so painful. Please! My body is melting. Pity me as a fellow human and end my suffering now!" the human head pleaded before it once again copsed into a pale gray mass.

 Chapter 67. 1002 [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 67. 1002 [Bonus Image]</h4>


    "What do I need to do to help you? What are you giving me in return?" Richard continued asking.


    The gray mass congealed into a human head once more. With a look of pain, it answered, "Over there, 487 on the table. Use it on me to end my life. Quick! I''ve been enduring this pain for too long."


    The numerous animated objects surrounding the water tank rapidly cleared out a path as a table with four legs approached them from a distance.


    <i>"487?! That sounds like a relic," </i>Richardmented internally and was about to reach out for the item when Charles forcefully wielded back control of their body.


    <i>"Are you going to risk your life over a mere relic!! We need to retreat immediately. There''s something wrong with this ce!"</i>


    Charles controlled his legs to make a dash for the door. He could feel the trembling of his body intensifying, and he didn''t have a good feeling about it.


    <i>"Ehhhh, what''s the rush? This dude seems rather reasonable. What''s wrong with helping him?"</i>


    <i>"It''s my time now!"</i>


    <i>"How about this? I''ll borrow it from you and return it to you in interest tomorrow." </i>Richard proposed.


    Inside theboratory, a peculiar scene unfolded. Under the gazes of the various bloodied flesh and organs, a young man alternated between advancing and retreating. Beside them, the giant head in the water tank oscited between a lump of pale gray mass and a human head. It continued its pained wailing.


    "Ahhhhh! Ahhhhhhhh! Hurry up!" The head in the water tank suddenly roared, and the bloodied flesh and organs surged toward Charles in an encirclement. Although most of them had no eyes, Charles could clearly sense their palpable rage.


    Seeing that their escape route had been blocked, Charles and Richard ceased their argument and turned to the crawlies on the messy table. Among them, Charles spotted a short staff that resembled a lightning bolt.


    <i>"So this is 487? Is it powerful?" </i>Richard questioned as he picked up the object and examined it closely.


    One end of the staff slightly bent toward Richard, as though studying the human that was holding it.


    Charles'' eyes swept across the table, and controlled his other arm to reach out to a shaking logbook.


    <i>Experiment Name: Initialization (Experiment Dawn Sub-Project 1/3)</i>


    <i>Date: July 12th, XX74</i>


    <i>Objective: To test the preservation of the sanity of by-product 041-1 of Subject 041 under the activation radiation of Subject 074.</i>


    <i>Materials: Subject 074, Subject 041, Grade D extrarge tank.</i>


    <i>Method: Cut off a part of 074. Instruct 041-1 to touch it with its front fin for ten minutes.</i>


    <i>Results: When handling the experiment, Scientist Foss fell into the tank by ident. The experiment seeded in an unconventional manner. The created unknown substance perfectly absorbed Foss''s cognitive perception and emotion. Unfortunately, it also absorbed the initialization radiation of Subject 074. Further optimization is needed. The ID of the product created is set to 1002.</i>


    <i>Conclusion: Dr.[Data Purged] theory is right. We are one step closer to sess.</i>


    <i>Even though this ce is extremely bizarre, one day, like how our Homo sapiens predecessors conquered the surfacend, we will rule this incredible seascape.</i>


    <i>I have an inkling that the wealth of knowledge in this seascape could advance human development by another dimension. This will be the second technological boom in human history.</i>


    <i>(The proposal involving the use of humans as experimental subjects has been submitted by Dr. [Data Purged] to the Washington Foundation Headquarters.)</i>


    The scribbled contents in the notebook got Charles'' heart fluttering with a strange excitement. It provided him glimpses into information that he had never known before.


    Firstly, the organization, named the Foundation, was evidently devoted to unraveling the mysteries of the Subterranean Sea via scientific methods and using their findings to progress human development further.


    Secondly, their headquarters was located above ground. That meant they came down from the surface world. Also, they constantly kept in close contact with those above! They would surely know the way back up, no, perhaps they were the ones who engineered the path downward to this subterranean space.


    "Are you going to help me or not!" A booming roar originating from the water tank interrupted Charles'' train of thought. The water tank started shaking as 1002 fluctuated within its confines, alternating between disintegration and congtion.


    "I''ming! I think I''ve figured out how to use this thing," Richard remarked as he raised the short staff in his hand.


    A brilliant arc of electricity burst from the tip of the bolt-shaped rod and onto the water tank.


    As soon as the bolt of lightning struck the water tank, Charles'' body also started spasming as though he had been electrocuted. Due to the high voltage, his dark hair stood on end. By the time Richard stopped channeling his will into the relic, wisps of smoke were trailing from his body. His entire body was numb and tingling, and he felt extremely ufortable.


    <i>"Fuck, the side effect of this relic is sure... simting."</i>


    Disregarding Richard''s sarcastic remark, Charles caught a whiff of charred flesh. It made him nauseous.


    Lifting up his head, he noticed the water in the tank boiling violently. The pale gray mass within had already turned white and floated to the water''s surface.


    <i>"This...Does it mean wepleted the job? Usually, we are the ones being chased; this is the first time someone begged us to kill them. So we get to keep this fancy little rod as our mission reward, right?" </i>Richard wondered.


    Staring at the animated objects around them being frozen in ce, Charles controlled his numb body to inch toward the door slowly.


    <i>"Let''s get back to the Coral Archipgo first. Organize a fleet to clear out these things. We can slowly explore again after we conquer the ind."</i>


    But just when they were halfway to the door, the floating white substances turned pale gray once more. They came together again, and the colossal head reappeared before Charles.


    Its moans of torment rang out in theboratory once more.


    "Who are you? Whoever you are, help me! Kill me, please. I''m in so much pain. I can''t take it anymore!"


    <i>"It seems like its memory has reset to when we first arrived." </i>Charles was quick to pick up the situation.


    <i>"Then what should we do? Electrocute it again? That thing is so resilient. I will probably be dead before it dies from electrocution."</i>


    <i>"Let''s try again first. This time, once we discharge the rod, we immediately bolt for the door." </i>Charles raised the trembling rod once more.


    Just as Charles was about to discharge the electricity from 487, he suddenly heard a squeaking sound from beside his feet. He looked downward to see one of Lily''s mice copsed on the floor and convulsed.


    <i>Pop! Pop!</i>


    The mouse''s two eyeballs popped out of their sockets. Yet, this was just the beginning. The other organs soon followed suit. In just a few moments, all that remained was an empty mouse husk of fur and skin.


    Charles felt a shiver of dread as he watched the mouse''s organless body crawl up like a zombie.


    <i>"Could this be the ''initialization radiation'' that is mentioned in the experimental logs? A continuous exposure will lead to initialization? Does that mean I..."</i>


    Charles'' thoughts were cut off abruptly as he felt his vision warping. His right eyeball was fidgeting in its socket and bulging outward.


    Charles instantly felt a chill down his spine. His intuition was right!


    He forcefully closed his right eye shut and bolted through the empty bodies and animated organs, aiming for the exit.


    "Where are you going?! Come back now!! Quick! Kill me!" 1002''s roars echoed behind Charles.


    Charles would never want to turn back. If he were to spend even an additional second next to that thing, all the organs in his body would probably start to develop their own will.


    "Catch him! My suffering must end!" 1002''s order echoed within the chambers.

 Chapter 68. Elizabeth?

    <h4>Chapter 68. Elizabeth?</h4>


    Hearing 1002''s crazed roars from behind him, Charles hastened his speed. No matter who or what 1002 was giving orders to, it could only spell disaster for him.


    The surroundings blurred past him as Charles retraced his original path. Just as he reached the spacious hall, countless objects swarmed out from the linked hallway. The disgusting organs squirmed and wriggled their attached blood vessels; the other animated objects rocked their bodies. But they all had one goal: block Charles'' path.


    Charles was just about to retreat when he realized that the creatures in pursuit from behind had also entered the hall.


    "Bro, say the word. Let''s do it. I''ll control 487 with our left hand," Richardmented.


    Charles''s face was visibly a few shades darker. Any talk was toote now. With his right hand, he gripped his Dark de in a reverse hold. The mice on the floor also bared their sharp teeth.


    Just as Charles was bracing for a final showdown with the organs, a door to his left suddenly opened up. A fair hand reached out to grip his shirt and yanked him inside.


    Charles could have never guessed the owner of the hand: Elizabeth! Her tall, attractive figure pulled him along in a dash outward.


    "Don''t freeze, keep running! Those things know about this hidden passageway too. They will catch up soon enough!" Elizabeth spoke as she expertly and speedily navigated thebyrinth-like tunnel.


    "Why are you here?" Charles shouted at the towering beauty leading them.


    "It''s not the time for that now. You must get back to your ship immediately. You don''t have much time. The longer you stay here, the more your body will be assimted by them," Elizabeth quickly exined with a grim expression.


    Charles ceased his questioning. At least, he was certain that the maiden before him was an ally. They could leave the details to when they were back on board the Narwhale.


    Elizabeth seemed extremely familiar with the ce. Regardless of which direction the animated objects emerged from, she always found a path to escape.


    Just as Charles was sprinting toward the tree hole, the tip of his left cor tapped his face and pointed downward. Charles'' pupils contracted. His clothes had alsoe alive. Seeing no response from Charles, his left cor pped him on the face and pointed downward again.


    Charles looked down this time and was instantly taken aback. The pocket where Lily was in was swelling up.


    Gulping down his saliva, he opened up the pocket with a trembling hand. What should have been a living white mouse was now reced with various animated organs. They were crawling around within the pocket space and trying to get out. Lily''s entire body had beenpletely initialized.


    A bitter expression appeared on Charles'' face. He was just about to say something when his right ear, along with the cochlea, detached from his body.


    A fair hand reached out and caught the ear. Elizabeth handed the ear back to Charles and exined, "Charles, don''t worry. As long as you get out of the range of that relic''s radiation, everything will revert to its original state."


    "Anything that has been initialized?"


    "Yes. Just don''t let the detached parts stray too far."


    "Thanks!" Charles expressed as he sprinted. His heart settled down in relief.


    He pressed a hand down over the squirming pocket. If it was as per Elizabeth''s words, then Lily still stood a chance.


    <i>t!</i>


    The mice running alongside Charles began to suffer from the same initialization as their organs started to separate from their bodies.


    Charles had no idea if they could understand him, but he instructed, "Take all your organs with you! They will return to normal once we''re back on the ship!"


    The mice seemed to haveprehended his words. Those that were less initialized helped the mice that had been highly initialized to drag their organs with them. Despite them, there were some mice who were beyond salvation as their bodies had copsed instantly, and their organs had scattered away on the spot.


    However, Charles was in no position to care about others now. He felt an itch in his throat as though something inside was yearning to crawl out. Without speaking another word, he followed Elizabeth''s lead at full speed.


    The two emerged from a tunnel, and the oppressive red glow of the building vanished. However, Charles didn''t see any of his crew members. He swiftly surveyed his surroundings and realized that this was not the tree hole he had entered through.


    "Where did you park your ship? Get back on the ship first," Elizabeth urged in concern.


    "Wait, I need to find my crew first," Charles replied as he quickly took out apass to determine the direction. He then made a slight cut on his finger with his de and smeared the blood on the Bat Mirror.


    A giant bat extended its wings and soared into the air with Elizabeth and the mice on its back.


    As their altitude increased, Charles felt his tremors gradually subside. He knew he had finally left the range of 1002''s initialization radiation.


    In his bat form, Charles opened his monstrous maws and let out a subsonic wave that was beyond human''s hearing range. The waves spread and bounced off the ground. He soon confirmed the location of his crew.


    As he rapidly drew closer, he could see that their situation was grim. Sounds of explosions and gunshots continuously traveled to his ears. Various animated objects had emerged from the tree hole and were pouncing toward them despite the heavy gunfire.


    Charles swiftly descended and reverted back to his human form when he was two to three meters above the ground. Pointing 487 at the iing wave of animated objects, a cracking arc of electricity instantly lit up the dark ind. Struck by the electricity, the organs curled up and darkened as spasms coursed through them.


    With his body tingling from the side effects, Charles struggled to stand up. His crew was already rushing toward him in excitement. The moment his eyesnded on Chef Frey, who was at the forefront of the crowd, Charles pounced on Frey. Charles'' eyes had already turned red as he opened his mouth to expose his sharp fangs and sank them into Frey''s neck, and sucked thetter''s blood vigorously.


    The crew members were stunned by the sudden turn of events.


    "Hey! What are you doing! Let go!" Elizabeth rushed forward and hurriedly pulled Charles off the man.


    A hint of rity returned in Charles'' gaze, and he released Frey in panic. He nced at the visibly frightened Elizabeth before turning to his crew. Without offering any exnation, he instructed, "Get back to the ship! Quick!"


    As soon as his words fell, Charles supported a visibly weakened Frey as they rushed toward the distant ruins. The remaining crew members exchanged nces before they hurriedly followed suit.


    "Captain, who is thisdy?" Second Mate Conor asked out of curiosity as he stared at the sprinting Elizabeth.


    "Cut the nonsense. Just run." Charles'' stern tone squashed Conor''s curiosity instantaneously.


    With his brows pressed together, Charles kept his lips tightly sealed. He didn''t know why he had instinctively bit Frey. It felt like an automatic response, one that he hadn''t consciously decided on.


    <i>"Bro, I think we should stop using that mirror so often. If we be a full-fledged vampire, we can never return to the surface."</i> Richard warned.


    Charles nodded in silent agreement. He was just about to apologize to a disoriented Frey when he felt the tremors coursing through his body again. A dull buzz echoed through his mind as he came to a realization: 1002 didn''t necessarily have to remain within its tank.


    "Look! Those things are here again!" Dipp''s cries had everyone turning their heads around in unison. An onught of squirming, living entities was unleashed from the tree hole like a flood gate had been opened.

 Chapter 69. The Narwhale

    <h4>Chapter 69. The Narwhale</h4>


    Watching the endless stream of animated objects stream out of the tree hole, the crew of the Narwhale finally realized the severity of the situation. They summoned every ounce of their strength and sprinted after their captain.


    The next moment, a desperate cry sounded from behind them.


    "Don''t go! Please just kill me! I beg you! I feel like a de is slicing through me every passing second! Why!! Why am I the only one that has to endure such pain!!"


    As the voice rang out in the air, Charles'' freshly attached left ear started twitching once more.


    In the brief lull as they ran, Charles took a brief nce over his shoulder. Supposedly in the water tank, 1002 had got out of its confines. It congealed into a sphere and was rolling toward them. Any animated object in its vicinity would be instantly absorbed if it came into contact with the round object.


    With every entity it absorbed, the ashen-gray sphere grewrger.


    Without a second thought, Charles reached into Dipp''s backpack and fished out an explosive. He lit it up and hurled it behind him.


    However, the lit explosive rolled around on the ground and snuffed out its fuse before standing up wobbly. It had been initialized by 1002 as well!


    This was just the start of a disaster. All non-living objects on the crew members started twitching as they developed their own sense of will.


    Charles knew that they couldn''t go on like this. If things continued as it was, none of them could escape. Gritting his teeth, he turned and charged straight at 1002.


    "Charles! Come back!"


    "Captain! What are you doing!"


    Amidst everyone''s screams, Charles was barely a dozen meters away from 1002. His facial features twitched as they started to detach themselves. His face was already bearing some simrities to those organless human husks.


    Mustering all the strength he could, Charles whipped out the lightning bolt staff and pointed it at 1002. A crack of electricity lit up the dark ind once more as 1002 became a sphere of charred flesh and was rooted to its spot.


    Trembling, Charles copsed to the floor. Taking three electric shocks in a row hadpletely overwhelmed his body.


    Several pairs of strong hands reached out and supported Charles back on his feet. It was his crew. They hadn''t taken the opportunity to escape, but rather, they turned back to help their captain.


    "Captain, you are so formidable! Why didn''t you use such a powerful relic earlier?" Second Mate Conor asked in excitement.


    "We need to move now! That thing can''t be killed. It''lle around again in a while!" Charles spat out through his gritted teeth as he endured the pain coursing through his body.


    Hearing Charles'' words, Conor turned his gaze onto the ckened sphere with a horrified expression. Immediately, he supported the numb Charles to retreat swiftly.


    Luckily, the ruins were not considered huge, and before 1002 could resurrect, Charles and his crew had already reached the forest.


    Following the path that they had hacked earlier, the group sprinted toward the shoreline.


    They didn''t pause for even a single moment. Everyone was pushing themselves to their limits to flee.


    To gain speed, they even discarded anything that could weigh them down.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Drenched in sweat, Laesto tumbled to the ground withbored breathing. Blood was already oozing out from the ce where his metallic limb connected his flesh.


    Charles rushed to Laesto''s side and helped him up. "Don''t give up! We''ll be there soon!"


    Laesto red at the young man supporting him before he took out a pill from his pocket and swallowed it. He pushed Charles away and swiftly caught up with the rest as he shouted, "I''m not that old yet!"


    The narrow forest path seemed to stretch endlessly as the group pushed forward with every ounce of energy in them. Just as they thought that they could push on no further, the sound of sea waves traveled into their ears like a song of divine salvation.


    With ecstatic expressions on their faces, the crew stumbled toward the wooden boats on the coastline, ready to leave this wretched ind.


    Charles was also panting heavily. Despite being enhanced by 096, the series of high-intensity activities had worn him down.


    "Who are you? Whoever you are, kill me quickly! I''m in so much pain!!"


    Charles turned around, and his face contorted with dread. A gigantic airborne entityposed of various bloodiedponents was hovering above the treeline. It was hurtling toward them at full speed.


    It was 1002, but not exactly it. All sorts of human parts¡ªeyes, mouths, and organs¡ªfloated around its pale gray body. It was a truly nauseating sight that could induce vomiting.


    Presently, 1002 had grown nearly five timesrger than it was when it had been in the water tank. It hovered in the air like a giant airne.


    Feeling the twitches intensifying all over his body, a hint of despair emerged in Charles'' mind. The range of 1002''s initialization radiation had grownrger.


    He could feel something stirring in his throat, and wanting to get out. His body was about to be initialized. His crew members had also dropped to their knees in pain.


    Just when all hope seemed lost, an explosion rang out. 1002''s monstrous body exploded into fragments and dropped into the forest. The despairing tremors that they felt instantly abated by arge margin.


    "Quick! Move!"


    Making use of this opportunity, Charles and his crew frantically paddled and navigated the wooden ships toward the Narwhale. The shelling continued ceaselessly and provided them cover from above.


    "Captain, did we leave anyone on the ship? Who''s firing the cannon? Their aim is spot on!" Conor shouted in excitement.


    <i>Hoooonk!</i>


    The steamship''s horn sounded as the Narwhale that was parked in the distance inched toward them. The projectile had been from the Narwhale''s deck cannon.


    Charles paused for a moment before he said, "There''s no one on the ship..."


    Conor was taken aback. "If there''s no one on the ship, then who fired the cannon?"


    As the Narwhale swiftly approached them, Charles patted the vessel on her smooth hull with a gratified gaze.


    "Our ship fired on her own. She''s also one of us."


    As though it heard and understood Charles'' words, the Narwhale let out a low honk. She had also been initialized by 1002.


    Standing on the deck, Charles watched as 1002 emerged from the forest, wailing for oblivion. The anxiety which had gripped his heart began to dissipate slowly. Atst, it was all over.


    "No, it''s not over yet," Charles muttered to himself as his gazended on his pocket¡ªit was still and motionless.


    Charles reached out a hand to take it back again. He was afraid that it might be a dreadful sight that greeted him.


    His pocket rustled first, and a cute white mouse poked her head out with a confused expression.


    "Mr. Charles, how did we end up back on the ship? What happened just now?"


    Heaving a sigh of relief, Charles gently rubbed the mouse on the head and said, "It''s alright, everything''s over now."


    Just as Charles was about to console his little gunner, Elizabeth approached him with a tense expression.


    "After our first meeting, have we slept together after that?" Elizabeth asked.


    The abrupt question caught Charles off guard. Reading the room, Lily retreated back into Charles'' pocket.


    Under Elizabeth''s insistent gaze, Charles averted his gaze first, "Why are you asking such a question? You have yet to exin why you were alone on that ind."


    Elizabeth remained silent. She seemed to be suppressing her emotions as her expression turned more tense. She looked even more anxious than she had been on the ind.

 Chapter 70. Eyeball

    <h4>Chapter 70. Eyeball</h4>


    "Did something happen to you on that ind?" Charles asked, a trace of doubt evident in his voice.


    Shouldn''t she be happy that they managed to escape from that ce? Why was Elizabeth wearing such an expression?


    "Answer me," Elizabeth urged once more.


    "No," Charles answered as his hand stealthily reached for his revolver.


    Disappointment crept onto Elizabeth''s face as she muttered in a self-deprecating manner, "You''re so useless, what are you waiting for?"


    "What are you talking a¡ª"


    Before Charles couldplete his sentence, Elizabeth suddenly spread her arms and lunged at him. Charles'' gun instantly aimed at her midsection.


    However, Elizabeth''s next move halted Charles'' finger that was hovering on the trigger. She leaned in and nted her soft lips on his.


    Witnessing the scene before them, the other crew members on the deck exchanged amused nces before they quickly dispersed.


    "What on earth happened to you?" Charles wanted an answer. He knew of Elizabeth''s feelings toward him, but was this really an appropriate time for something like this?


    "Charles, you know? When I firstid my eyes on you, I was already... interested," Elizabeth spoke in a gentle voice. "Don''t be fooled by my seemingly skilled seductions. I''m really not that adept at dealing with emotions. Perhaps, I mighte off as too blunt and direct."


    <i>"Bro, what''s with thisss saying all of this out of the blue? Why does it sound like she is saying herst words?" </i>Even Richard could sense that something was amiss.


    With his brows furrowed, Charles pulled Lily out of his pocket and instructed, "Lily, call Doctor over."


    As the white mouse scurried across the deck toward the sleeping quarters, Charles turned back to Elizabeth and questioned, "If you''re facing troubles, tell me. I''ll find a way to help you."


    Elizabeth merely shook her head as her gaze drifted toward the ind that was rapidly vanishing into the distance. A mix of urgency and helplessness shed across her eyes as her speech became increasingly hurried.


    "I have no time to exin. When you get back, remember to return me my belongings. Also, if you don''t hate me, find me and let''s try to see if we work out. It''s too dangerous out at sea. I don''t know how much longer I''ll survive. I want to find apanion before I die. Charles... goodbye."


    As her words fell, Elizabeth''s towering figure started turning transparent as she fell toward the floor. Without a moment of hesitation, Charles had spread his arms in an attempt to catch her.


    Amid a flurry of glittering dust, Elizabeth''s form vanished within the confines of Charles'' embrace. From where her figure was, two small objects tumbled down toward the deck.


    Charles swiftly caught the two items in mid-air and held them tightly in his grasp. Opening up his palm, a delicate woman''s earring and a human eyeball with tiny hands and feet appeared before him.


    Staring at the blue iris brought back memories of the eye he had glimpsed through the crack of the wall when he firstnded on the ind.


    Immediately, the memory of Elizabeth wearing an eyepatch and the words she said then shed across his mind.


    <i>"I lost an eye. Phew. That ind is too dangerous. It''s already fortunate enough that I managed toe back. It was terrifying."</i>


    The shimmering luster on the eyeball soon dissipated. Its tiny white hand gently stroked Charles'' hand for a brief moment before it swiftly withered and dried up. Before long, the eyeball had turned into a non-living entity.


    Charles stared at the eyeball, deep in thought. He seemed to haveprehended the situation somewhat.


    "Captain, are you looking for me?" Laesto approached him.


    Charles remained silent for a short while before he handed the eyeball to Laesto and asked, "Is it possible to reinsert this into its original owner''s eye socket?"


    Laesto picked the eyeball up with his metal hand and examined it briefly before answering, "Not possible. This eye had been detached for too long."


    Charles let out a long sigh of disappointment as he received the eye back and gently held it in his fist.


    "Don''t worry about it. Let''s head back now."


    ***


    Margaret''s eyes fluttered open. Lying beneath her plush downforter, she stared in a daze at thevish crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling.


    She had returned to her own home for a while now, but it still felt surreal to her. Was she really back?


    "Miss Margaret, your outfit for today is ready," a maidservant entered the room with a long silk gown upon noticing that the young mistress was awake.


    Margaret''s eyes narrowed into slits as she did azy stretch and gracefully jumped off her bed.


    Having been waiting patiently since the crack of dawn, the team of maidservants stepped forward, wanting to help her change.


    "It''s alright, I can do it myself," Margaret gently turned them down.


    At her words, the head maidservant gestured to the others to stand down. Such instances had happened several times since Margaret''s return. The way she treated the household staff had already changed dramatically.


    Before, she had been kind, but her affection was mostly directed to kittens and puppies, and she remained indifferent to those who served her. But now, she seemed to have undergone a 180-degree change. She would show concern toward the servants and would even exchange pleasantries with them.


    An elegant silhouette, a charming visage, minimal yet perfect makeup, a silver maxi dress that shimmered under the lights, and sophisticatedly crafted high heels¡ªthebination of these elements enveloped Margaret in an air of gracefulness, propriety and elegance. The pearl of the Isle of Whereto had returned.


    Her delicate and peerless countenance captivated even the women who served her.


    Staring at herself in the mirror, Margaret yfully twirled around as a faint smile appeared on her face.


    "If Mr. Charles were to see me now, his jaw would surely drop in surprise," Margaret remarked with a soft chuckle.


    The maidservants exchanged nces. Ever since their young mistress came back, she would often mention a man named Charles. They had no idea who was this fortunate man that had caught the attention of their young mistress, but they were certain that the plethora of suitors on the ind would be fuming with jealousy if they ever found out.


    "Gina, how did you injure your hand? Take the day off. If the head butler asked about it, just tell him I said so." With that, Margaret then picked up the hem of her dress and pranced toward the living room.


    "Good morning, Mother!" Margaret greeted as she lovingly hugged a beautiful woman.


    Kalytha gently stroked her daughter''s long silky hair andmented, "You''ll be turning seventeen in three months. Why are you still sleeping in, my darling?"


    "No matter how old I am, I''ll always be your darling girl," Margaret said endearingly with a smile on her beautiful countenance.


    "Hurry up and have your breakfast. I made it myself," Kalytha guided Margaret to the adjacent seat next to her.


    Margaret shed a warm smile at her mother before she gracefully lifted the silver spoon in the bowl of milk to her lips.


    With condensed milk added to the mix, the sweetened milk tasted delicious and brought an involuntary smile to Margaret''s face. After taking a few sips, she turned her attention to the rest of the breakfast spread on the table.


    Baked beans in tomato sauce, sausage sandwiches, and warm sunny side-ups. With every mouthful of food, Margaret experienced immense happiness.


    Tears welled up in Kalytha''s eyes as she watched the actions of her previously fussy daughter. How much must her poor daughter have suffered that she was eating a simple breakfast like this as though they were gourmet food?


    Noticing her mother''s sorrowful expression, Margaret swallowed the food in her mouth before she held her mother''s hands in hers andforted, "Mother, don''t be sad anymore. See, I''ve returned safe and sound, haven''t I?"

 Chapter 71. Margarets Morning

    <h4>Chapter 71. Margaret''s Morning</h4>


    "Right. I shouldn''t dwell on the unhappy things. Here, have some more, I''ll apany you," Kalytha replied to her daughter''sforting words.


    Margaret shed her mother a sweet smile and picked up the silver cutleries as she indulged in the delicious breakfast spread once more. After a few morsels, she paused and turned to Kalytha, "Mother, where''s Father?"


    "He and your brother are attending to some ind affairs. They''ll be here soon."


    "This early? I''ll go get them," Margaret said as she wiped her lips with the napkin. Ignoring her mother''s protest, she darted toward the Governor''s Office of Whereto.


    Traversing through the hallway with dazzling crystal lights, Margaret arrived at the family''s garden. Her father''s study was on the other side of it.


    Not many flower species could adapt to the subterranean environment, but in this ce, a vibrant array of precious, rare flowers blossomed, each more beautiful than thest.


    The Governor''s Residence perched atop the highest peak of the ind and overlooked the scattered lights that came from the inders'' homes.


    As the thirdrgest ind in the Subterranean Sea, Whereto covered a vast area equivalent to half of China''sndmass. Despite straining her eyes, Margaret could only vaguely make out the glow of the harbor district when she looked outward from the viewing point.


    <i>There''s a harbor district on Father''s ind. Maybe I can send a telegram to invite Mr. Charles over. I will get the chance to see him then. </i>Margaret mused to herself.


    A rosy blush crept onto her cheeks as memories of the young man with ck irises surfaced in her mind.


    Their interactions hadn''t been smooth sailing when they were together. He would rather discuss ship cannons and stuff with his talking mouse than pay her any attention.


    asionally, he would summon her just to help him apply ointment. The thought of that particr memory sparked fury in her. She was a governor''s daughter, and he actually treated her like a maidservant.


    Despite all that, for some unknown reason, she couldn''t help but think of him.


    Leaning against the railings, Margaret let out a sigh. She gazed out into the distance, not realizing the time that passed. As she got engrossed in her thoughts, a cocktail of emotions flitted across her face. At times, it was a look of joy and at times an expression of sorrow.


    Ten minutester, a middle-aged man in a well-tailored suit appeared behind the young girl. He bowed deferentially and cautioned, "Young Mistress, it can be dangerous here. Please be careful."


    The abrupt voice jolted Margaret out of her thoughts. Flustered, she turned around to realize that it was the family''s butler.


    She sheepishly poked out her tongue, "I''m sorry, Mr. York. I got a bit distracted."


    "Are you here to admire the flowers, Young Mistress? Kindly don''t linger too long. You have etiquette lessonster before lunch."


    The butler''s words startled Margaret as she was reminded of what she was here for. She frantically scooped up her skirt and darted out of the garden.


    <i>Oh no! I came out to fetch Father for breakfast.</i>


    Arriving at the entrance to the Governor''s Office, she was greeted by the rows of guards armed with weapons as they stood to both sides of the door.


    Slightly quelling herbored breathing, she lifted her hand and was about to knock when a resounding bang erupted from behind the door.


    "Useless! Trash! Rubbish! Is this how you deal with matters? If you can''t settle it, then SCRAM!"


    Hearing her father''s furious roar, Margaret''s hand recoiled as a puzzled expression appeared on her visage.


    "Father sounded rather angry. Did something happen?" Margaret muttered under her breath. After a brief contemtion, she cautiously pressed her ear against the solid wood door.


    The guards standing guard at the entrance remained stoic and motionless, seemingly indifferent to Margaret''s actions.


    "You''re the Chief of Police of the entire Isle of Whereto! Now, you are telling me that you can''t find a living, breathing human! I''m warning you! He''s the biological grandson of the Minister of Finance, Pitt! He''s not some random trash wandering the harbor district!"


    Governor Daniel''s roaring tempest of rage was so loud that Margaret''s ear tingled ufortably.


    "Governor, sir, I''ve used every method. I even sought the help of the lunatics from the Fhtagn Covenant, but he''s nowhere to be found. It''s like he has vanished into thin air."


    "I don''t want any excuses!! My family lives on this ind, and I will not let them be in danger! Three days. You have three days to resolve this mess. If anything happens to my daughter again, I will crush your head! Now GET OUT!"


    Suddenly, the solid wooden door swung open as a middle-aged man with a balding pate appeared with his head drenched in cold sweat. When his eyesnded on Margaret, he gave a respectful bow before he hurriedly scurried away.


    Margaret cautiously entered the room, and her gazended on Daniel''s figure behind therge table.


    "Father, did something happen?" Margaret asked meekly.


    His daughter''s presence seemed to have melted away all of Daniel''s wrath instantly as his voice turned several degrees softer.


    "It''s nothing. Just a minor issue. What brings our precious darling here?"


    "Mother sent me to fetch you for breakfast," Margaret answered as she made her way toward the desk.


    The next moment, her eyes fell on a couple of photos on the cluttered, disorganized table. Particrly, one of the photos with a sexy and beautiful woman attracted her attention. It wasn''t her beauty that captivated Margaret, but rather the all-too-familiar pair of ck pupils that were identical to her Mr. Charles.


    "Father, who is thisdy? She''s so pretty," Margaret asked as she picked the photo up.


    "That''s the new wife of the man who just died. Such a pity. He just wedded such a pretty bride, and he died right after. He probably didn''t even get to bed her," a voice echoed from behind Margaret.


    A young man who bore a striking resemnce to Daniel entered the room and snatched the photo out of Margaret''s hand in one fluid movement.


    Daniel shot a warning re at his own son, "Do you think it''s appropriate to say such things in front of your younger sister?"


    The young man shrugged, indifferent to his father''s fearsome aura. "With that fellow dead, this new widow would be getting half of their family''s inheritance."


    "It won''t be that simple. Pitt is a miser. He would never allow his wealth tond in the hands of an outside inder that easily."


    "Father, the marriagew was established by our founding fathers."


    "That''s for themoners! Making someone disappear is not that hard for Pitt."


    The young man let out a sarcastic chuckle, "That doesn''t sound like words that an ind''s ruler should say."


    "Regardless, that''s reality."


    Margaret sat in silence and confusion as she listened to the conversation between her father and older brother. She had no idea what they were talking about.


    Seeing his daughter''s befuddled expression, Daniel patted her on the head and said, "Go back first, sweetheart. I''ll just have a word with Jack and we''ll join you."


    "Alright, make it quick." Margaret obediently nodded before she turned and headed toward the door.


    The moment Margaret left, Daniel turned toward his son with a grim expression, "How did it go? Did you find them?"


    "Yes. It''s a gang of pirates who lurk around the Paradise Whirlpool. They are infamous for raiding fishing and cargo ships. Margaret was abducted by them."


    "Great, dispatch a Royal Titan. Kill every single one of them. They ought to pay the price for messing with Whereto!"


    ================================================


    TL: Seems like Anna is back?

 Chapter 72. Taking a Break

    <h4>Chapter 72. Taking a Break</h4>


    Inside the captain''s quarters of the Narwhale, Charles had his full focus on the nautical chart spread out on the table. He had already marked out the locations of the inds that housed the Subject Exchange Interaction project and Laboratory Three, as well as jotted down the anomalies of these two ces. His eyes remained fixated on the two as he tried to figure out the connection between them.


    "Could it be that they brought down the humans that now existed in the Subterranean Sea?" Richard suggested.


    Charles shook his head in response, dismissing the possibility. "If that was the case, why would there be no traces of them in historical books or even legends? Even the Book of Revtion in the Divine Light Order''s religious text only mentioned the Sun God that reigned supreme in the sky. There wasn''t even any mention of an apostle or divine messenger."


    "Who knows? I would just ignore them. Who cares about their identity? They are dead anyway," Richard retorted.


    "This doesn''t make logical sense. The Foundation possesses advanced technology and also arge number of relics. It couldn''t have possibly lived silently. I have a strong feeling that the entrance to the surface world must be somehow rted to them."


    "Well, if we go by your lines of thoughts, why not imagine something crazier? For example, a disastrous, world-ending catastrophe happened in the surface world, and they brought the remaining humans with them underground as theirst thread of hope to survive. Sounds familiar, ain''t it? Ah-ha! Noah''s Ark from the Bible!"


    Charles could feel the annoyance rising with him. Coupled with that, the long-forgotten chanting started ringing in his ears again and was growing increasingly louder.


    Just then, the door was pushed open with a creak as Dipp carefully poked his head in with a te in his hands.


    "Captain, the sailors and I caught a phosphorescent giant crab. I brought you the best meat from its pincers."


    Pieces of elongated white strips were ced in a pile on the te in Dipp''s hands. Indeed, the crab meat looked extremely tender.


    "ce it on the table. Knock before entering next time," Charles instructed, his gaze remained fixed on the nautical chart.


    Just as Dipp was about to leave silently after cing the food down, Charles called out to him. When Dipp saw Charles handing a mask toward him, his breathing grew rapid.


    "Didn''t you want a relic? Take this," Charles said as he extended the now motionless Clown Mask to the youngd.


    A look of ecstatic joy appeared on Dipp''s face. He had seen the power of this object and had never expected the captain to actually give the relic to him.


    In his excitement, Dipp was about to receive the mask from Charles when thetter retracted his hand. With a solemn gaze, he looked at Dipp and exined the rules of using the mask. He wanted a capable assistant, not a psychopath with his head clouded with multiple personalities.


    After hearing Charles'' words, Dipp appeared visibly hesitant. But eventually, he stretched out his hand to receive the mask. Holding 096 in his hand, Dipp assured him, "Captain, I''ll be careful."


    "Good. You may leave. Also, call Doctor in," Charles instructed as he massaged his temples.


    "Hey, you are giving the mask to that kid just like that?" Richard asked as he seized control over his body, grabbed a piece of crab meat and stuffed it into his mouth.


    "That item is not of any use to us anyway. Giving it to him can increase our collective strength," Charles said as he swallowed the crab meat in his mouth and continued staring at the nautical chart.


    Not long after, Laesto staggered in with his prosthetic leg.


    "You looking for me?" Laesto asked in his gruff voice.


    "Give me some more medicine. The auditory hallucinations worsened again," Charles looked up at the old man.


    "Worsened?" Laesto muttered under his breath. With a puzzled expression, he proceeded to do a series of checks on Charles.


    The checkssted but quite a while, and finally, Laesto ced his metal hand on the table. He pondered for a brief moment before he spoke, "You know that I can only suppress the curse of the divinity, don''t you?"


    "Of course, you''ve mentioned it before," Charles responded.


    Laesto then continued, albeit hesitantly. "I do have a medicine that can eradicate your hallucinations. However, it would significantly shorten your lifespan by a huge extent if I used it."


    "Aren''t there any other ways?"


    "You can either stay on an ind and rest for a couple of months, and I will help you recuperate with different drugs, or you can find someone to undo the curse of the divinity," Laesto answered immediately.


    Before Charles could utter a word, Laesto continued, "I advise you to choose the first option. I''ve been in this seascape for years and never encountered someone who could undo the divinity''s curse. Also, your current affliction is an amalgamation of the curse and the mental corruption caused by the sea. The easiest way to alleviate the symptoms is to recuperate onnd."


    Staring at the marked inds on the nautical chart, a hint of hesitancy appeared on Charles'' face. The entrance to the surface was hidden amongst these inds. Calling him to pause his mission now felt worse than death itself.


    Laesto seemed to have read Charles'' mind and leaned closer. His horrifying features shadowed in the dim light as he said. "I know you aren''t afraid of death and would risk even your own life for your goal. However, can''t you spare a thought for your crew members? The Chief Engineer came to me that day for treatment a few days ago over his auditory hallucinations as well. It is rather severe, but he was afraid of causing dys to your mission and chose not to tell you."


    Charles'' heart sank as he asked, "Apart from James, who else is suffering from the auditory hallucinations?"


    "Apart from the handful of fresh recruits, nearly everyone is affected to varying degrees. I can treat their auditory hallucinations, but I can''t relieve the stress and tension they are experiencing. Don''t you feel that we''ve been pushed too hard recently? I''ve never seen an Explorer Captain this diligent."


    Charles'' finger rhythmically drummed against the table as he fell into silence. After a few seconds, he lifted his head and said, "Understood. Once we return this time, I''ll let everyone have a break for a while."


    A rare smile appeared on Laesto''s face as he patted Charles on the shoulder.


    "Remember, when I mean to rest, I mean to really rx. You''re still young. Don''t push yourself too hard," Laesto advised. With that, the sound of his metallic leg hitting the floor echoed as he limped out of the room.


    Their journey back to the Coral Archipgo was normal and without any incidents. About a fortnightter, the light from the lighthouse of the ind swept across the Narwhale, illuminating the dark expanse above them. They were home.


    At the sight of the familiar bright harbor lights, an excited smile appeared on all the crew members'' faces. All except Charles.


    After they had docked, Charles gathered everyone on the deck and notified them of the temporary halt of their exploration voyage.


    "Take this chance to rest up well. When we resume our voyage, I''ll get Lily''s mice to inform everyone. Dispersed for now."


    The unexpected news lit up the crew member''s faces as a wave of joy washed over them. Although they earned quite a fair amount of wages being part of the Narwhale, time ashore was scarce. This time, they could finally have the chance to rest and take a break.


    After the crew left, Charles alone steered the Narwhale to the shipyard for maintenance and repairs. Just as those onboard needed a break, the ship needed one as well.


    Charles watched as the shipwrights diligently stripped off the barnacles clinging to the ship''s hull. After a brief moment, he turned to the hoisted Narwhale and raised a hand in farewell before he turned to leave.


    Heading out of the shipyard, Charles made his way straight to the Explorers Association. There was still one thing left undone.


    The moment he stepped into the hall of the Association, he was greeted by a hubbub of noise and activity. Groups of Explorer Captains were engaged in conversation, exchanging relics and also intelligence.


    Charles'' days at sea had him lose track of time. It was a Saturday. He delved into the ground as his eyes rapidly scanned the sea of faces in search of one woman. Very soon, he found Elizabeth with her arm over a young maiden. She was happily chatting away with a group of familiar-looking captains.

 Chapter 73. Compensation For Her Assistance

    <h4>Chapter 73. Compensation For Her Assistance</h4>


    "Aye! Charles! Long time no see, where have you been?" William raised up the wine ss in his hand in greeting. He was just like how Charles remembered him to be¡ªintoxicated and disheveled.


    Charles'' eyesnded on the ordinary-looking young woman next to Elizabeth and asked, "This is...?"


    "Charlie''s daughter. He died, so she took over her father''s ship and became the new Explorer Captain," the enthusiastic chubby man by the side answered.


    <i>Charlie? </i>Charles instantly recalled the grim-faced, middle-aged man with his distinguishable hawk-like nose.


    "How did he die?" Charles asked with a stunned expression. Despite being an Explorer for so long, he still couldn''t get ustomed to others dying so easily.


    William belched as he let out a light chuckle. "He''s dead. Period. Does it matter how he died?"


    Charles was struck by a pang of sorrow. It was all thanks to Charlie and his acquaintance that he was able to acquire the leads to Sottom and also the sunlight. He had wanted to express his gratitude when he returned, but little did he know theirst meeting would be their final one.


    Turning to the young woman, Charles carefully chose his words before he said, "I was a friend of your father. If you ever run into any difficulties, don''t hesitate to find me."


    Since her father had assisted him selflessly, it was only fair for him to look out for the daughter.


    The portly man winked at the girl andmented, "Lass, Charles is a formidable dude. You could ask him for a livable ind, and he might be able to get you one."


    Charlie''s daughter shed a shy smile to Charles and said, "Thank you. My father had mentioned you."


    Seeing her pure and innocent smile, Charles felt an impulse to dissuade her from bing a seafarer. God knows what the cursed subterranean sea could do to torment her. However, it was not his ce to interfere since this was her decision to make.


    Charles then turned his gaze onto the towering beauty on the couch. She was the reason for his visit today.


    "Can we step outside for a moment?" Charles asked.


    Elizabet''s lips curled up for a split second before she forcefully turned them back down. Feigning an indifferent expression, she answered, "Not today. I''m not feeling up to it."


    William and the few other familiar faces burst out intoughter. Their heartyugh echoed in the hall. They had long sensed the awkward rtionship between Charles and Elizabeth.


    Without uttering a single word, Charles fished out a woman''s earring and waved it before Elizabeth before he headed straight for the door.


    At the sight of the earring, Elizabeth''s expression turned solemn instantly. She promptly let go of the young girl and caught up with Charles.


    As the pair left their sight, the remaining captains started their spections.


    "What do you reckon their rtionship is?"


    "What else could it be? Surely it''s <i>that </i>kind."


    "Didn''t Elizabeth fancy women? When has she taken a liking to men? I thought they were just having a fling."


    "Who knows? Perhaps she wanted a taste of something else?"


    "Such arge woman. That brat Charles sure has it tough at night, doesn''t he?"


    "True, dealing with one Elizabeth is like bedding two ordinary ones."


    ***


    Meanwhile, the two subjects of spection stood at the entrance of the Association.


    "Why is my Illusory Earring with you?" Elizabeth asked with a somewhat grave expression.


    Charles remained silent and returned the earring to Elizabeth. He then reached out a hand to lift up her eyepatch. Indeed, the ck void beneath it was identical to those of the human husks back on the ind.


    Elizabeth swatted his hand away impatiently. "Answer my question. I lost this relic on an extremely dangerous ind. How did it end up with you?"


    Charles'' gazended on the bustling port in the distance. After a few seconds of silence, he calmly recounted the events that transpired on the ind to Elizabeth.


    Charles paused briefly before he continued, "I do not hate you. To be honest, I feel d to be favored by a beautiful woman like you. But I''m really sorry. I have something important that I need to do, so I can''t give in to what you want."


    Elizabeth adjusted the strand of tinum blonde hair that fell out of ce and let out a dryugh, "I see... So my eye helped you, and you feel guilty toward me now, huh?"


    Her expression turned icy instantly as she turned to walk back into the hall. "You don''t need to. Those were the words of my other eye, but it doesn''t represent my thoughts. You can just pretend that nothing ever happened."


    Charles triggered the Tentacle Ring to halt Elizabeth in her steps. He then pulled out a stack of papers from his chest pocket and handed them to her.


    With a confused expression, Elizabeth unfolded the paper and scanned the contents. With every page that she read, her eyes widened even further in surprise.


    "That ind has freshwater?!" Her voice had even turned a note sharper out of extreme surprise.


    "I''ve explored more than half of the ind. There aren''t other issues; the most dangerous matter to deal with would be 1002. I''ve jotted all the detailed information about it here. If you can find a way to deal with it, then this ce will be a new livable ind."


    Holding onto the stack of papers, Elizabeth''s hand trembled. She hadn''t expected the man before him to present her with the ind''s intelligence. The value of the information in her hands was unimaginable. All captains of exploration vessels risked their lives for a livable ind, and yet Charles had provided one that casually.


    "If... If you are giving me this aspensation for the assistance my eye rendered, then I can''t ept it!" Elizabeth tried to return the papers to Charles. However, her hand remained frozen in ce.


    "Just take it. It''s not of much use to me. Our goals are different. Also, younded on the ind first. So, it should be yours." With that, Charles then turned and headed toward the busy harbor district.


    Elizabeth stood in a daze as she watched Charles disappear into the distance. Her emotions wereplicated.


    <i>"Right, look at how generous we are. A livable ind is nothing. I can give it away without batting an eyelid."</i>


    Charles could sense the underlying sarcasm in Richard''s words and retorted.


    <i>"Elizabeth saved us on that ind. I don''t like being in her debt. As for us, we only need a ship to explore the inds."</i>


    <i>"You can repay your debt toward her with your body! Do you think you are some billionaire CEO? Gifting an ind with the snap of your fingers? It''s an ind! A freaking livable ind!"</i>


    <i>"1002 isn''t that easy to deal with. We don''t have the time to waste on that. Don''t forget that our goal is to return to the surface world and not to be some overlord in this cursed ce."</i>


    <i>"Aren''t you being too hasty about it?"</i>


    <i>"Then what do you suggest? Get it back from her?"</i>


    Richard fell silent for a moment before he resigned, <i>"We''ve already given it to her. Asking it back from her would be so... disgraceful."</i>


    Just then, Charles felt an odd sensation. His left hand shot out and snagged the weasel-eyed figure behind him and threw him onto the muddy ground.


    His transparent tentacles extended to retrieve the stolen wallet from the thief''s hand. Then, a tentacle grabbed the thief''s right hand and lifted it up. Charles then raised his feet and stomped down hard on the thief''s forearm.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The bone snapped and twisted into an odd L-shape. The thief''s agonized cries rang out.


    The onlooking crowd stared at the unfortunate man with horrified expressions before they swiftly distanced themselves from the sprawling figure on the ground.


    After tossing the thief aside, Charles aimlessly strolled on the streets. He encountered fishermen with theirs over their shoulders, arrogant gang members, and clusters of sailors. Everyone seemed to be busy with their own matters. Walking amongst them, Charles felt like a reef in a rushing riverpletely out of ce.


    Laesto had instructed Charles to rest, but he had no idea how to go about doing it. The concept of rxing entirely had be foreign after all this while.


    Ironically, taking aplete break seemed even harder than exploring an ind.

 Chapter 74. Cream Oysters

    <h4>Chapter 74. Cream Oysters</h4>


    <i>"How about you let me take over for this period? You may have nothing to do, but I have plenty that I wanna do." </i>Richard''s voice suddenly rang in Charles'' ears.


    After a brief contemtion, Charles willingly relinquished control over his body. He was also curious about what his alter-ego would do under such circumstances.


    In an instant, Charles'' lost expression was reced with one of exaggerated tion. With a swift kick against the ground, he leaped into mid-air and used a nearbyborer''s shoulder as a stepping stone to further his jump andnded on the rooftop.


    Jumping from one rooftop to another, Richard speedily crossed several streets before he arrived at a bar decorated with neon lights. It was called "Party Night," thergest watering hole in the entire harbor district.


    Diving himself into the partying crowd, he navigated through the throng and arrived at the bar counter. He pulled out his Dark de and lightly tapped it against the metallic bar on the tabletop.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    The bell''s chime echoed through the hall and attracted the attention of everyone present. The veterans of this ce knew exactly what that sound signified.


    "Everyone, all drinks are on me today!! Let''s get this party started!!"


    Richard''s promation induced cheers so loud from the sailors that they almost tore the roof off.


    Letting out a heartyugh, Richard slung an arm over a scantily-d waitress and downed the shots of alcohol on the tray she was holding.


    Compared to the aloof Charles, the affable Richard seemed to have a knack for making friends. Even though he was a new face in the crowd, it didn''t take long before he had grown familiar with everyone in the bar.


    Richard''s jokes had the patrons roaring inughter. His coin magic tricks also won gasps of astonishment from those around him. In an attempt to show off, he even casually disyed his relics to others. His charisma further elevated the atmosphere in the bar, and it was an understatement to say that he was the center of attention.


    Controlling his left eye, Charles calmly watched himselfughing through the reflection on the wine ss. The smile on his reflection was twisted and somehow looked like he was crying. For the first time, Charles felt a sense of empathy for Richard. After all, they were both Gao Zhiming yearning to return home, but with different responses to the same situation.


    "Hahaha!!" Charles burst into an uproariousugh as if he came to some amusing enlightenment. pping his thigh with abandon, Charles continued his hystericalughter until tears streamed down his face.


    The reflection of Charles on the wine ss was lifted, and the contents were emptied into a ck void. One ss after another, Charles''s consciousness slowly faded under the influence of alcohol before the worldpletely cked out.


    After an unknown period of time, Charles woke up with a splitting headache. His vision was still slightly blurry, but fortunately, it returned to normal after he tapped the left side of his head with the back of his fist.


    Looking around, he realized he was hanging on a rope and beneath him were passed-out patrons and also toppled chairs and tables.


    Using the rope as leverage, Charlesnded on the ground. He unintentionally stepped on a few sailors as he made his way out of the bar.


    Charles licked his parched lips and asked in his mind, <i>"So? Do you find it useful?"</i>


    <i>"Shut up! I''m tired! Let me sleep!"</i>


    <i>That dude''s method doesn''t seem useful. </i>Charles thought as the corners of his lips curled up into a smile. He stepped into the flow of the crowd as thoughts ran through his mind.


    <i>How did I rest when I was up there? Scrolling endlessly on my phone? Mobile games? Quarreling with my sister? </i>Charles questioned himself as he reflected on his past.


    <i>When I first came here, I used to join the others at the bar and indulge in alcohol and socialize with them. Everything was so new and a novelty to me then. Since when did I be so edgy and impatient?</i>


    Charles lifted his gaze and stared at the overhanging ck expanse above him.


    <i>It seems to be that time when I realized that I wasn''t some chosen hero, that I could actually die here, and that my hopes of returning home were diminishing as time passed. That inner torment added to my anxiety.</i>


    <i>But it''s better now. I''ve found the way back. But... would the world out there still be the same as before?</i>


    Charles hurriedly shook his head to dismiss the thoughts from his mind. He was out to rx today. These self-contemtion questions could be left for another day.


    When Charles looked around him once more, he realized that he had followed the crowd out of the harbor district and was on the bustling inner ind.


    At the sight of the bonfires lining the sides of the streets, Charles suddenly remembered that it was the Landing Festival of the Coral Archipgo. Each ind would mark the day that they conquered their ind as a major celebratory event, and for The Coral Archipgo, today was the day.


    It was a joyous festival. The inders were dressed in their finest as they came out and gathered in celebration. The cheery atmosphere was infectious, showering everyone with joy, as evident from their light and lively footsteps.


    Musicians with their instruments lined the streets. There were those ying violins, while some blew trumpets and others beat the drums. For the onlookers who could dance, they started dancing, while those who couldn''t watch those who could with enthusiasm and admiration.


    Charles followed the crowd and moved forward, allowing himself to immerse in the festive atmosphere. Hearing theughter and merry chatter, it seemed as though their infectious cheerfulness had begun to rub off on him.


    The festival reminded him of Chinese New Year back home, albeit without the red and the firecrackers.


    <i>Rumble~~</i>


    Charles'' stomach protested with a growl, interrupting Charles'' train of thought. He had been drowning himself with alcoholst night and hadn''t had a morsel of food. Now, he was feeling a little hungry.


    He approached a street vendor and bought a spider crab leg for four Echo. Cracking open the shell, he savored the sulent, chewy meat. The grilled crab meat was extremely tender. The moment he bit down on the snow-white flesh, the rich, sulent taste of crab filled his mouth.


    Though there wasn''t much meat on a single crab leg, it was enough to whet Charles'' appetite. His eyes scanned the surroundings in search of his next target.


    Very soon, his nose picked up a milky aroma wafting through the air. Following the fragrance, Charles arrived at a small stall where a portly old man with a white beard was rapidly stirring fresh milk and oysters on an iron te.


    Recognizing the familiar face, Charles said, "I would like a serving, please."


    "Aye! Comin'' right up!" Old John made swift movements with his hands. A couple of secondster, he suddenly realized the familiarity of that voice. He looked up, and an ted expression immediately appeared on his face.


    "Ahoy, Captain! It''s been a while!"


    Charles looked at his previous First Mate and pointed at the small stall. "Didn''t you say you were going to retire onnd?"


    Old John let out a sigh and replied, "Ye know how I am. Barely had me hands on me retirement money ''fore they ended up in gamblin'' dens an'' wenches'' pockets. But don''t ye be belittlin'' this little stall o'' mine. I''ve done me sums, I''m rakin'' in more than I ever did on the high seas!"


    Charles stole a brief nce at the patches on Old John''s pants but decided not to bring it up. He nodded and replied, "That''s great, then. At least you wouldn''t need to risk your life."


    Old John let out a hearty chuckle before he asked, "I heard ye really got yerself an exploration vessel. Any room for more hands? I ain''t need the money, but the call o'' the sea still sings sweeter. Life on this ind is a real bore. The inders all looked down on me when they learn I''ve been out to sea ''fore. Shiver me timbers, I were out as a sailor, not as some bilge rat pirate!"


    Charles hesitated for a second before he shook his head, "I''m sorry, but we have a full crew already."


    He didn''t want Old John to risk his life at sea again. Perhaps he might be poorer if he stayed onnd, but at least he could live out his days and die of old age.


    A trace of disappointment flickered across Old John''s face. But he soon masked it with a carefree smile as he said, "No worries, ''twas jus'' a bit o'' idle chatter. Hold yer horses. Yer cream oysters be almost ready for the feastin''."

 Chapter 75. Break

    <h4>Chapter 75. Break</h4>


    The oyster shells hitting against the sizzling iron te resulted in ongoing clinking sounds. Very soon, a cup of piping hot cream oysters was served before Charles.


    Charles was about to fish out his Echo to pay for the meal when Old John waved him off dismissively. "This round be on me, matey. The Landin'' Festival''s been bringin'' good fortune to me business. I can shoulder this one."


    Charles took out an Echo bill from his wallet, and with a flick of his left hand, the money flew straight into the cash box.


    "Next time. I happen to have some spare change."


    Before Old John could utter another word, Charles had picked up his cup of creamy oysters and rapidly disappeared into the crowd.


    "Blimey, that youngd''s all flush with gold now, ain''t he? If only I''d stayed aboard that ship..." Old Johnmented as he reached his hand into the cash box and fumbled around. Much to his surprise, he found that the bill Charles had thrown had half a gold piece neatly wrapped inside it.


    As Charles savored the creamy richness of the oysters, his gaze wandered around at the roadside performances. In an attempt to gather a crowd, the nearby theater had set up a stage on the main street itself. Dressed in an array of costumes, the actors were delivering an enthusiastic performance of a new y. It seemed to be a love story of the Coral Archipgo''s Governor.


    The audience watching the show by the side shook their heads in disappointment after several minutes. Every local was all too aware of Governor Nico''s reputation for being fickle and insincere in love, and he chased after one pretty boy after another. He would never ever have toe to a life-or-death decision for love. The portrayal of him being a man like this seemed ludicrously far-fetched.


    As he meandered through the festive crowd, Charles gradually blended in with the cheerful inders.


    "Daddy! Look! That''s the uncle who shed me that day!"


    Hearing a child''s voice, Charles swiftly turned around to see Lily''s family standing across the street and staring at him with terrified expressions.


    <i>How coincidental to see them here. </i>Charles thought to himself. Infected by the cheerful atmosphere, Charles nodded at them in greeting.


    The sight of Charles seemed to spook Oliver and his wife. Without uttering a word, they quickly scooped up their daughter and rushed toward the makeshift police station nearby.


    Charles let out a light chuckle as he continued ahead. A circus troupe weed him. The rarely-seen lions let out a ferocious roar within their cages, sending the inders into frenzied screams.


    A variety of performances unfolded before Charles. There were acrobats swinging in the air, clowns on unicycles, lions leaping through hoops of fire and other performances. It was only then that he realized the diversity of entertainment avable on the ind.


    Although he didn''t know if his day out had any actual effects, Charles found his spirits significantly lifted after participating in these festive celebrations.


    Spending his entire day outside, he had amassed various delicacies, from the inexpensive grilled spider crab leg to the expensive roasted beef knuckles. He carried the treats in his hands as he headed home.


    The food was all meant for Lily. He might have eaten his fill at the festival, but there was still a mouse back at home waiting to be fed.


    "Lily, I brought you some¡ª" Charles'' sentence was abruptly cut off when he opened the door to find an unexpected visitor in his room.


    Dressed up specially, Elizabeth threw herself at Charles the moment he entered the room.


    Charles wanted to say something, but his lips were promptly hushed as Elizabeth''s soft lips stopped him. Her enthusiasm was far beyond his expectation.


    "Wait... the mice," Charles mumbled between gasps.


    "I''ve chased them out," Elizabeth whispered. Their faces were so close that as she spoke, her sweet, delicate scent wafted over to Charles. He felt like he was intoxicated on fine wine as he turned light-headed and dizzy.


    With a swift kick of his left leg, Charles closed the door behind him with a loud thud.


    Some timeter, Charlesy in bed as he stared up at the ceiling. Feeling the soft curves of Elizabeth''s naked body pressed against him, his head was starting to ache again. He thought that things were over between him and her, but to think they had entangled themselves into aplicated situation again.


    "Elizabeth, actually I¡ª" Before Charles couldplete his sentence, a soft hand covered his mouth.


    Elizabeth gazed deeply into Charles'' eyes and said, "This doesn''t mean anything. I have no intention of clinging to you. Go and do what you need to. Come back whenever you feel tired. You''ll always hold the rights to half of the Governor''s seat on my ind."


    Currently, Elizabeth didn''t disy her usual domineering person. Rather, she exuded a gentle, girlish charm. Hearing her words, Charles felt like he had no reason to refuse her any longer. If he were to continue to turn her down, he would look down on himself as well.


    After nting a lingering wet kiss on Charles'' lips, Elizabeth left reluctantly. She was the new governor of a livable ind, and she needed to gather a fleet to conquer the ind.


    Charles exhaled as he got out of bed and headed for the washroom.


    When Charles emerged from the washroom feeling refreshed, he spotted the white mouse, Lily anxiously scurrying around the room in circles.


    <i>"Thatss has got a keen nose. She hasn''t sniffed out something, has she?"</i>


    Charles hurriedly walked to the windows and opened them. Just when he turned around and wanted to speak, the sight of a torn red brassiere on the floor had him wincing, and his words were caught in his throat.


    Lily seemed oblivious to all that as she rushed up to Charles and urgently cried out, "Mr. Charles! Big Guy''s been arrested by the police!"


    Charles'' face turned solemn instantly as he asked, "James has been arrested? What happened?"


    "A talldy gave me many Echo to buy myself some food. So I went to the grilled fish stall, but the fat guy wouldn''t sell it to me and even hit me with a broom. Then I¡ª"


    "Get to the point!" Charles instructed as he threw on his coat, grabbed Lily and jumped out of the window.


    "I went to the bakery where Big Guy''s wife was, wanting to buy bread. But when I arrived there, there was so much blood. Thatdy was sobbing on the floor. I asked what happened, and she told me that Big Guy had been arrested by the police."


    "Do you know which district?"


    "Yes. District 7. My friend snuck into the ce where they held people captive. Big Guy was inside, and someone was hitting him with a stick."


    Taking a steam vehicle, Charles soon arrived at District 7''s police station. The ebony-colored, four-story building stood out among its surroundings. Men and women dressed in their signature ck uniforms moved in and out of the building.


    Charles entered the building and quickly found his way to the Chief''s office.


    Pushing the door open, he was met with the sight of an elderly man dressed in a police uniform. His head was bowed as he scribbled on paper.


    Charles pulled a chair and sat directly across from the elderly man. "Have you just arrested a man called James?"


    Judging from the young man''s attire and the distinctive smell of the sea emanating from him, Chief Reynold''s face turned a shade darker.


    He had always dreaded dealing with sea folk. Regardless of their status, they seemed to treat life lightly. Theypletely disregarded thew or the police. If theymitted murder, they would flee to other inds in their ships afterward.


    Reynold waved a hand, and the armed policemen at the door retreated.


    "May I know who you are?" Reynold asked.


    "Charles. You arrested my crew member. How much do you want for you to release him?"


    "Your crew member was arrested for murder. How could I just release him?" Reynold''s eyes widened in shock.


    "Do you think this is my first time on the Coral Archipgo? How many times have you guys apprehended Small Ears from the Sea Serpent Gang, only for him to pay his way out? Name the price. Of course, I have my ways to resolve this if you remain insistent on not releasing him."

 Chapter 76. The Razor Cartel

    <h4>Chapter 76. The Razor Cartel</h4>


    "If I may ask, who are you?" Reynold''s voice was tainted with caution.


    "I''m the captain of an exploration vessel. The man you arrested is my chief engineer," Charles answered as he stroked Lily''s back tofort the visibly anxious gunner. Reynold''s face took on a distinct look of difort and indecision as he faced a dilemma.


    Dealing with those from the sea was a difficult task, dealing with those on exploration ships was much worse. These people possessed skills that allowed them to explore those dangerous inds. He was just a man in charge of dealing with the crimesmitted by normal civilians, how did he even get tangled up in this mess? Usually, the Governor''s navy would handle any problems stirred up by these difficult individuals.


    After contemting for a brief moment, Reynold shuffled to the door and closed it. With a bitter expression on his face, he returned to his seat and said to Charles, "If he had killed a nobody, I would''ve let him go for your sake. However, your crewman killed the younger brother of the Razor Cartel''s leader. If we release him, we will be in big trouble."


    "Where''s my crewman? I wish to see him," Charles demanded.


    "He''s in the holding cell. I''ll bring you over right now," Reynold stood up and scurried to open the door.


    Under the watchful gazes of the armed ck-uniformed police, Charles entered the detention area.


    The moment James caught sight of Charles entering the area, he struggled against the chains that he was hanging from.


    Triggering the Tentacle Ring, Charles tore the dirty cloth gag from James'' mouth and asked, "What happened?"


    "Captain! That guy tried to tear off Mosa''s clothes right in front of me! I... I couldn''t stand it!" James roared with bloodshot eyes.


    With a swift sh of his Dark de, Charles cut off the handcuffs binding James, and therge man fell to the ground.


    "Sir, you cannot...!" Reynold protested as he looked visibly flustered.


    "If anyone finds trouble with you, mention my name. I''m staying on the third floor of Bat Tavern in the harbor district."


    Leading James out of the police station, Charles'' sharp senses clearly picked up the countless eyes watching him. Certainly, the Razor Cartel had sent their men to keep an eye on the development.


    "Bring your wife with you to my ce," Charles turned and instructed James in a calm tone.


    "Captain, I... I killed someone...What should I do? I don''t want to end up in jail. Mosa needs me," James asked, his face etched with uncertainty.


    "Just do as I say, don''t panic, this will all blow over soon." Charles reassured the burly man with a pat on thetter''s shoulder.


    James tried to regain hisposure and nodded before rushing off toward Mosa''s bakery.


    Very soon, Charles'' room at the tavern had be rather crowded. Dipp was squatted on the ground, gnawing on a cold beef knuckle. Meanwhile, Audric stood in the corner of the room, swirling a ss filled with red liquid.


    "Captain, isn''t your ce a little too small? Why don''t you buy a house instead?" Dipp asked after swallowing a mouthful of beef.


    Dismissing his boatswain''sints, Charles turned to Lily and asked, "Why did you gather everyone here?"


    "I was afraid that it might be dangerous. Strength in numbers! I also got my friends to get the others; they should be on their way here."


    "No need. Tell them to all go back. It''s just a minor issue that will be resolved soon."


    sping his wife''s hands in his, James bowed deeply to Charles. "Captain, I''m sorry, I was too impulsive."


    "You were not. If you couldn''t even protect your own woman, I''d truly lose respect for you," Charles replied as his gaze turned onto James'' wife.


    The woman wasn''t strikingly beautiful but she had a pleasant face with an unpretentious demeanor. Her presence made one at ease.


    Just then, a cacophony of noises sounded from outside. Dipp stood up and pushed the window open. Looking out, he reported, "Captain, some guys are clearing the streets."


    Charles walked over to the window and saw arge group of menacing individuals chasing the street crowd away. They were armed with various guns but each one sported the same dagger tattoo around their necks.


    A burly man with tattoos on his face emerged from the party. He opened his mouth to reveal a set of decayed teeth.


    "Motherfucker! Well done, you dare to mess with my men, and now you came to the harbor district to seek your own death. I''ll get my brothers to take turns raping your woman right before your eyes today! Come out now!"


    Taking in their arrogance, Charles wasn''t the least bit interested. They were nothingpared to those creatures at sea. He lifted the revolver in his hand.


    <i>Bang! Bang!</i>


    A couple of shots extinguished the street''s gasmps and oilmps, plunging the area into darkness.


    Dipp ced the Clown Mask over his face and leaped out of the window. Instantly, screams of pain echoed from below.


    At the same time, Audric morphed into a bat and swooped down after Dipp.


    Inside the room, Mosa was startled by the sounds outside. Her face paled as she clung tightly onto her husband with her eyes tightly shut.


    James gentlyforted his wife. The gentleness in his gaze was a stark contrast to his burly appearance.


    Standing at the side, Charles felt out of ce. He ced a hand on the windowsill and vaulted himself off with a push to join his crew below.


    With the captain also joining the fray, James felt a pang of anxiety and wanted to help his fellow crewmates as well. However, he couldn''t just leave his wife by herself.


    "What... What exactly are you working as? Previously, you told me you were a normal sailor on a fishing boat. Does your captain look like a fisherman to you?" Mosa questioned her husband, her eyes visibly red from the crying.


    A bitter expression etched onto James'' visage as he gently wrapped his arms around his wife. "My dear, I''m sorry. I lied to you. But if Captain didn''te to our aid today, we''ll probably not be able to make it through this ordeal. We should be thankful to him."


    With his night vision, Charles had an unhindered view of the unfolding carnage. Under the coordinated assault of Dipp and Audric, the so-called Razor Cartel were swiftly defeated. The very gang members who were brimming with arrogance earlier were now pulling their triggers in panic, firing shots into the darkness as terror consumed them.


    Dipp calmly weaved through the storm of bullets and arrived before the gang''s leader. A cold glint shed through the air, and the man''s gun-toting right hand fell to the ground with a thud.


    The leader of the Razor Cartel recoiled, a cry of torment tearing through the air as he clutched his gushing, wounded wrist.


    "Are you ind trash so ignorant? You dare to even mess with those on an exploration ship?" the masked youth tilted his head and asked. His voice wasced with a hint of pride.


    Seemingly sensing the dangers, the gang leader stammered, "I... I have no idea. It''s not my fault! The big guy never said that he was working on an exploration ship. If my brother had known, he would never dare to provoke¡ª"


    Before the man could finish his sentence, a ck de flew through the air and pierced into his throat. Crimson blood sttered into the air as disbelief filled the man''s eyes before he took his final breath.


    "Captain, you could''ve let him finish hisst words~" Dipp yfullyined before he left the scene with a graceful backflip.

 Chapter 77. The Narwhales Crew

    <h4>Chapter 77. The Narwhale''s Crew</h4>


    Just as Charles was about to yank the Dark de from the lifeless corpse, a gruff voice sounded, "Does killing help alleviate your symptoms? How interesting."


    Charles turned around to see Laesto beside him. The old man was holding onto a notebook and jotting down something.


    "What brings you here?" Charles asked.


    "Your pet mouse dragged me here in such a rush. I thought we ran into some huge crisis, and this is it?" Laestomented as he casually stepped into the pool of red blood with his metal leg.


    He fished out a packet of powder and scattered the contents onto the bodies on the ground. With a fizzling sound, the corpses rapidly disintegrated.


    Soon after, the crew returned to Charles'' room, smelling heavily of fresh blood. Dipp couldn''t stop toying with the Clown Mask in his hands. An excited glint flickered in his eyes as though killing a few lives was insignificant. Moreover, those individuals were not even worth acknowledging.


    Overwhelmed by his emotions, James stood up and bowed deeply to everyone.


    "Thank you to everyone for helping," James said.


    Charles helped him up with his transparent tentacles.


    "Couldn''t you have dealt with them yourself?" Charles asked, his voiceced with curiosity.


    With the power of the Purple Pyramid, James had the ability to deal with the Razor Cartel or the police who arrested him. Charles had been curious why his Chief Engineer had waited for them to intervene.


    "I...." James had no answer, and his face turned beet red.


    Charles knew James'' personality all too well by now. To phrase it nicely, he was kind-hearted, or if harshly, he was a little wooden. He never joined the other crew members to indulge in drinks and women. He strictly followed histe mother''s instructions and saved up all his money to buy a house and get married.


    People risked their lives aboard an exploration vessel, but James treated it like a nine-to-five job.


    "We might not pick fights, but that doesn''t mean we allow others to take advantage of us. Remember, we are not civilians on the Coral Archipgo. We are not bound by themonws established by the Governor."


    For those who disregarded their lives, they couldn''t possibly value the lives of others. This was why the inders held both discrimination and fear toward seafarers.


    Aplicated expression appeared on James'' countenance upon hearing Charles'' meaningful words. He had always thought of his job to be the same like any other on the ind. In the same manner, he tradedbor for money. But from the way it seemed, it waspletely different.


    "Captain...would killing so many people get you into trouble?" James hesitantly asked.


    "It''s alright. We''re in the harbor district and it''s just some useless trash that died. They won''t disturb those in the central ind over such a small matter. The matter''s over now. Take your wife and head home," Charles said as he patted the burly guy on the shoulder.


    James awkwardly bade his crewmates farewell and left the room with his wife.


    "Wait," Charles called out.


    James stopped immediately.


    "Find a cksmith. Make an armor and a weapon for your erged form. That will greatly boost your attack and defense in battle."


    "Al-alright." James nodded with a strained smile on his visage.


    On the deste streets, Mosa and James walked side-by-side. They remained silent, each harboring heavy thoughts in their mind. The recent transpired events had dealt them a huge shock.


    Mossica cast a nce at her husband and spoke softly, "Can you leave the crew? My bakery can sustain us, you can¡ª"


    A look of hesitation appeared on James'' face and he immediately shook his head. "Captain has saved my life. Unless he chooses to not voyage anymore, I will never resign."


    Seeing how her usually submissive husband turned down her request with resolute, Mosa dropped her gaze. After being together for so long, she knew that her husband had a gentle temperament but was obstinate. Once he made a decision, there was no swaying him.


    "Then...Is your job dangerous?" Mosa asked, her voiceced with apparent worry.


    Sensing a hint ofpromise in Mosa''s words, James hurriedly exined, "No. It''s not dangerous at all. I just operate the turbines, there''s nothing risky about that."


    James then pulled Mosa into his embrace. Mosa didn''t resist his disy of affection and reciprocated by wrapping her arms around his sturdy body.


    "I don''t care what you do. I just want you toe back safely every time. Our child can''t be without a father..." Tears trickled down from the corners of Mosa''s eyes.


    "Okay, I promise," James whispered as he leaned his face in.


    <i>ng!</i>


    Suddenly, James was jostled by a man from the back.


    "Get a room if you want to kiss! What are you trying to do on the streets?" Laesto grumbled with a wine sk in his hand. He shot them an icy re as he limped past them toward the inner ind.


    The matter with the Razor Cartel seemed like a small episode that caused no disruption to the peaceful equilibrium of the ind. Not that it would matter to Charles. Even if the incident had blown up, he could always move to another ind.


    But of course, there were still changes. Whenever he stepped out now, he could feel the fearful gazes from those around him. When he walked on the streets, people around would instinctively keep their distance from him.


    After the incident had concluded, Charles was gued with the same question once more: how to rest. The Landing Festival didn''t happen daily.


    In the end, he decided to relinquish the control of his body to Richard and let thetter do whatever he wanted.


    Initially, Richard was ecstatic. He visited every entertainment venue avable, but after a week, he also got tired of them. He spent his days rolling around in bed andined about his boredom.


    After all, both of them were Gao Zhiming. Despite their different personalities, both yearned to return home and didn''t want to spend their time in this ce.


    As he contemted his options, Charles suddenly recalled the acquaintances he made at the Explorers Association. He immediately turned and headed in the direction of the Association. He was also hoping that they might know how to lift the curse of the divinity.


    ***


    "What? They have all gone out?"


    Seeing the startled expression on Charles'' face, the staff at the Association nodded. "Captain Elizabeth of the ck Rose found a livable ind. She invited all captains she knew to form a fleet to conquer the ind. They''ve all left."


    Charles exited the Association with a scowl of frustration on his face. The feeling of helplessness was utterly vexing.


    <i>"Hey, do you have any ideas?" </i>Charles asked his alter-ego in his mind.


    <i>"Let''s go find the old man. He said rest was the best medicine for the hallucinations. Since he''s a doctor, he should be clearer on his treatment instructions."</i>


    Charles concurred with Richard''s point of view and veered towards the heart of the ind. Laesto had once told him an address. Very soon, he found where the old doctor was at¡ªan old inn.


    Laesto appeared rather annoyed at Charles'' presence. Holding a couple of wires in his hand, he grumbled with visible irritation, "What is it now?"


    "Are you trying to charge the ck mirror?" Charles asked.


    "None of your business. Why are you here?" Laesto threw the wires aside.


    "How much longer do I need to rest? I think I''ve rested enough."


    Laesto leaned his hideous face closer and observed Charles'' eyes for a brief moment. Then, he fished out a b of smelly, viscous slime from his pocket and instructed, "Swallow this."


    Charles inhaled a deep breath and swallowed the thing whole. Instantaneously, murmurs filled his ears like deafening bells, and everything around him began to distort and warp.


    The situation persisted for three minutes before his surroundings gradually returned to normal. Laesto shook his head as he watched Charles panting heavily.


    "No, you haven''t rested enough. Continue resting. In a week''s time I''ll go and find you with some conditioning concoctions."


    "Old man, what counts as rest? I can''t figure out how to rest! I want to get back out there!" Richard raged, having taken control over the body.


    "As an Explorer Captain, you don''t know how to y? Joyfruits, alcohol, gambling, women, hallucinogenic mushrooms, or you can even be like that blind vampire and paint daily. Stop bothering me, I''m busy!"


    The door mmed shut in Charles'' face.

 Chapter 78. Painting

    <h4>Chapter 78. Painting</h4>


    Charles sat at the pier as he watched a cargo ship being unloaded in the distance. Picking up a paintbrush, his hand moved across the nk canvas before him.


    He started sketching an outline before filling in the colors and followed up by adding shadows and reflections. As time passed, a uniquendscape watercolor painting came to life on the canvas.


    Charles had never expected that the enhanced physical abilities by 096 would actually aid him in his artistic pursuits.


    <i>"How does it look?" </i>Charles asked his alter ego residing within his mind.


    <i>"Looks fine. But isn''t the ambient colors a bit dark?" </i>Richard said. The hand holding the paintbrush then started moving on its own ord to add a few details to the painting.


    Initially, Laesto had merely brought up painting as a passing remark. However, after carefully considering his options, Charles decided to paint as a form of stress relief.


    Charles was just nning to do some idle doodling, but when he recreated scenes from his mind onto the canvas, he gradually found a liking to this art form.


    Disregarding the aesthetic pleasure of his paintings, portraits of his family,ndscapes from the surface, and towering skyscrapers, came to life under Charles'' paintbrush. To be able to create artworks that reflected an idea in his mind was intrinsically fulfilling.


    No matter what, Charles had achieved his goal. With this newfound hobby, he no longer yearned to be out at sea all day long. He could quietly stay on the ind and wait as time washed out the mind contamination caused by the sea.


    Three months flew past. As Charles honed his painting skills, the exhaustion and haggardness that always stained his face began to fade.


    Just as Charles and Richard were engaged in discussing their artwork, a group of sailors approached with their arms draped around each other in camaraderie.


    Among the group, a middle-aged sailor with a distinctive mole on his forehead noticed Charles deeply engrossed in his painting.


    He leaned closer and then eximed in astonishment, "Look! This gentleman is painting our ship! It looks the same!"


    The other sailors gathered around in excitement.


    Charles didn''t like being the center of attention and took his canvas, wanting to leave. But just as he rose to his feet, the man with a mole on his face requested with an appeasing grin, "Sir, could you paint something for me?"


    Charles raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"


    "Do you know the Spider Inds governed by the Governor of Whereto? Our cargo this time is spider silk from there. My son has always been curious about what that ce looks like, so I was hoping you could paint it out to broaden his horizons. He had never been to another ind."


    Being at the end of the sailor''s expectant gaze, Charles pondered briefly before he sat back down.


    "Alright then," Charles agreed and expertlyyered color blocks on the corner of the canvas.


    "Wonderful!! Let me describe the ce to you. It''s really terrifying, with white spider silk covering everything, from trees to the rooftops. Also, the spiders are enormous... evenrger than a human¡ª"


    "You don''t have to borate," Charles interrupted the sailor as his brush slid deftly over the canvas. As details were gradually added in, a white ind port took shape.


    The buildings were tightly clustered, set against a disorienting backdrop of an intricatebyrinth of spider webs. Minute specks of crimson glowed within the maze of spider silk¡ªthey were the eyes of the spider. Looking closer, one could even make out the monstrous form of the spider that wasrger than a building.


    "Wow...this is so urate! It''s almost like the real deal! Sir, have you been to that ind before?"


    The Spider Inds supplied arge number of clothing materials for the humans in the subterranean seascape. Having captained a cargo ship for years, Charles had indeed navigated the route leading to the ind many times.


    "Thank you. My son would be pleased to see this." The sailor received the painting and scampered off toward the dock''s exit.


    Emboldened by the sess of their colleague, the other sailors crowded around Charles.


    "Sir, can you draw me a painting of the Isle of Whereto? I''ve never been there, but I heard that it''s the most prosperous ind in the Northern Sea. I want to know what it looks like."


    "Sir, do you draw portraits? Can you draw me? I''m afraid that if I die at sea, my daughter will forget what I look like."


    A low bellow of a ship''s horn abruptly drowned out the sailors'' voices as it entered the nearby waters.


    Staring at the appearance of the ship approaching from the distance, Charles¡¯ normally impassive expression tightened into a frown. A white triangle emblem was emzoned on its hull. It was a ship belonging to the Divine Light Order.


    Charles made his way through the chattering sailors and headed for the docks. With his eagle vision, he immediately spotted Kord standing at the ship''s prow. The old man''s usual affable demeanor waspletely gone and reced with that of an addicted gambler¡ªhaggard with a trace of craziness.


    Without waiting for the ship to anchor, Kord lurched his way down the shaky woodendder. He held a box about the size of a watermelon in his hands.


    "Take it! Give me the nautical chart! Now!" Kord demanded as he violently threw the box at Charles.


    Charles opened the box to reveal Sonny''s severed head, preserved in lime. The man''s eyes were wide open. Even though he''s dead, Charles could still pick up the trace of malice and madness in his eyes.


    "You must''ve gone through quite a bit to kill him, didn''t you?" Charles remarked casually as he lifted the head by the hair.


    "Give! Me! The! Map!" Kord spat through gritted teeth as his expression twisted in desperation. He looked as though he would swallow Charles alive if Charles denied him the nautical chart.


    "Calm down," Charles said as he cradled the head and turned in the direction of his tavern. Kord''s face turned a shade darker, and followed after Charles with a gaggle of his minions trailing after them.


    "No signs of surgical alterations on the face, a singleyer of skin, steel pins of the Divine Light Order in his brain. Seems like the real deal," Charles muttered to himself as he confirmed the authenticity of the head. Immediately after, he tossed the head into a nearby heap of reeking garbage.


    Seeing Sonny dead elicited little emotional response from Charles. Sonny had wanted to kill him, so it was only right for him to respond to the provocation. He was merely removing an obstacle to his journey back home through Kord''s hands.


    The door to Charles'' room pushed open with a creak. cing down the pencil on her shoulder, Lily hopped off the table andnded on the floor. "Mr. Charles, you''re back from your sketching so soon today?" she asked with a curious tilt of her head.


    Charles scooped her up in his hand and stroked the silken fur on her back. He took a nce at Kord before turning back to Lily and instructed, "Gather the crew, we''ve rested long enough."


    "Alright," Lily responded. She stole a nce at Kord before scampering along the corner of the wall and exited with a parade of mice in her wake.


    With a thud, the diary page that depicted the nautical chart was disyed before Kord''s eyes. The Sacred Acolyte of the Divine Light Order reached out his trembling hands toward the notebook, then shrank back, seemingly in fear. He frantically gestured to one of his subordinates.


    A follower of the Divine Light Order that was standing beside hurriedly approached with a metal rectangr box. As the follower operated the box with a series of clicking sounds, Charles finally realized the identity of the box¡ªan antique camera.


    After taking the necessary photos, Kord finally epted the diary in his hands. His entire attention was on the pages as he scanned the contents, not willing to miss out on a single detail.


    After what felt like an eternity, Kord lifted his gaze from the book and looked at Charles. "Have the coordinates been calibrated?"


    "I''ve been to this ce," Charles said as he pointed at the ind that housed 1002. "ording to its coordinates, we can easily extrapte the positions of the other inds."


    "Great! Excellent! Wonderful! I''m going to find the Land of Light very soon!! Hahahaha!" Kord burst into jubntughter as he pounded on the table like an overjoyed child.

 Chapter 79. Collaboration

    <h4>Chapter 79. Coboration</h4>


    Gradually, a savage joy twisted Kord''s features. He turned around and stared at Charles'' face with an intense gaze.


    "Captain Charles, how very kind of you to share the nautical chart so readily. Thank you so much..."


    A Divine Light Order follower standing guard in the hallway entered the room with an expressionless face. He had his gaze on Charles.


    In the face of the veiled threat, Charles was seemingly unbothered as he looked at Kord with a calm, indifferent face.


    "So? You n to take down all the remaining thirty-three inds all by yourself?"


    "As long as I have the nautical chart, I can get other captains to coborate with me! I must be the first to discover the Land of Light!" Kord dered, and the followers reached into their robes and pulled out firearms.


    In response, Charles'' left hand suddenly moved on its own and reached for the lightning staff hidden inside his coat.


    <i>"Stay down, it''s all bluster," </i>Charles said in his mind, effectively halting Richard from retaliating in aggression.


    Charles looked at Kord once more and said, "Are you afraid that I would discover the Land of Light first and abduct your Sun God? Don''t be so narrow-minded. We share the same goal in this respect."


    Charles extended his right hand and looked at the old man before him with a calm gaze.


    Kord lunged at Charles, his hands frantically grabbing Charles'' cor. With his neck veins bulging under his skin, Kord questioned, "Why should I coborate with you? Toplete the task you requested, I''ve marshaled all the power I could ess! If the Archbishop and his men discover what I did, I will surely be dragged to the Divine Light Grand Cathedral to face judgment!"


    "Are you possibly afraid?"


    A hint of panic shed across Kord''s eyes, and his expression cracked under Charles'' question.


    An understanding smirk appeared on Charles'' face, and he suddenly changed the topic, "In that case, wouldn''t you need an experienced Explorer Captain even more? After all, there''s no real bad blood between us, do we? You tricked me once, I tricked you once; we''re even."


    The wrinkles on Kord''s face twitched, and he abruptly released his grip on Charles. His gaze fell back onto the nautical chart drawn on the diary pages.


    "I currently have three exploration ships at my disposal. Including your ship, that''s four in total. If each ship explored one ind every two months, we could locate the stairway to the Land of Light within two years at the quickest!"


    Watching the disciples of the Divine Light Order lower their gun barrels, Charles walked to the other side of the table and sank into the seat.


    "No, it''s not as simple as you think. Exploring an unknown ind is gued with dangers. Are you sure your three exploration ships can survive until the end? Apart from us, ''King'' of Sottom knows of that ce as well," Charles retorted.


    "It has to work out no matter what! I''ve risked it all! Even if I were to die, I would die in the Land of Light. Only by dying there can I enter the kingdom of our divine Sun God!!" Kord roared with a trace of madness in his eyes.


    Hearing Kord''s words, Charles couldn''t help but feel a pang of pity toward the old man. The old man was aplete lunatic.


    "Isn''t there anyone else in your Order? Perhaps they can lend us a hand," Charles proposed to Kord, hoping that he could seek outside help.


    "Didn''t you hear what I said earlier? If they find out what I''m doing, I''ll be dead! Also, those obstinate old men at the main cathedral wouldn''t believe a word of your nonsense!" Kord barked, his voiceced with apparent irritation.


    Letting out a sigh, Charles leaned forward and tapped a finger on the nautical chart.


    "Regardless, let''s start the exploration. Tell me the target of your three ships. We wouldn''t want to waste our time on the same ind, would we?"


    Kord pulled out a quill from a nearby inkwell and circled three inds on the map.


    "We shall meet back here in two months to exchange intelligence," Kord said before turning on his heel and heading toward the door.


    <i>"Hah! This dumb twat doesn''t seem to be having it easy either," </i>Richard remarked sarcastically in Charles'' mind.


    <i>"Ignore him. The more pious these cultists are, the easier it is to manipte them." </i>Charles responded before his eyes scanned the map on the table. He then circled one of the inds on the chart.


    "This will be our next target."


    With the help of Lily the mouse, the crew was rapidly gathered. After going through three months of maintenance, the Narwhale was once again ready to take on the waters.


    Their voyage this time was slightly different because James'' wife, Mosa, had personallye over to send them off. After the true identity of his job had been revealed, James no longer had the reason to hide anything from his wife. Watching the couple affectionately bidding their farewells incurred the envy of the group of bachelors on board.


    Laesto staggered toward Charles and fished out the same jelly-like slime. "Let''s see how you fare after all this time."


    With a frown on his face, Charles tilted his head back and swallowed the gel. The ringing in his ears sounded once more, but it was much softer than before. At least, Laesto hadn''t distorted into aplete monstrosity before him. He could still make out some humanoid features of the old man.


    Three minutester, the anomalies disappeared. This time, Laesto nodded in satisfaction as he fervently jotted down notes in a small notebook.


    "Whatever you''ve been doing, continue with it. It''s helping to purge your mental contamination. If you keep it up, I assure you that you''ll make it to 30 despite the divinity''s curse."


    Charles ignored the old doctor''s assurance that sounded like a curse, "Did you manage to repair the ck mirror? Better not to use electricity on it directly. That thing''s delicate."


    Without even raising his head, Laesto replied, "That thing is mine now, I have my way. You don''t have to bother."


    "If you manage to turn it on, let me know," Charles said. He was also curious about the contents of the tablet.


    Without giving any response, Laesto turned on his heel and left.


    Life at sea was as uneventful and dull as ever. They hadn''t encountered any anomalies. Yet.


    The door to the bridge swung open with a thud. Second Mate Conor was on duty to helm the ship at this time.


    "Captain, don''t worry. We''re still on a safe route. What could possibly happen?" Conor assured.


    "Don''t let your guard down. Even things can happen on a safe route at times," Charles retorted as he peered at the distant navigational buoy. Fortunately, the buoy was a normal one this time that steadily approached their position as the Narwhale steered ahead.


    "Captain, have you ever heard of Volcano Ind in the Southern Sea? I was born there," Conor tried to engage his captain in a conversation.


    "I see," Charles responded nonchntly as he examined the nautical chart pinned to the wall. He really found his second mate to be rather chatty.


    "Have you heard of the ind''s specialty? Apart from its iron and copper mines, the ce''s famous for its leviathan whale oil. Besides its usage as a lubricating oil, it can also be used to manufacture candles and soap. The leftover residual can even be a source of fuel. Perhaps, the fuel we are burning in our turbine chambers now is from my hometown," Conor continued with a hint of pride in his voice.


    Charles was aware of the things Conor mentioned. In the early days of Earth''s Industrial Revolution, whale oil, especially from the sperm whales in the Pacific Ocean, was an essential industrial material before the discovery of petroleum.


    "Then how did you end up in the Northern Sea? It''s at least a half-year journey from Volcano Ind to the Coral Archipgo, isn''t it?" Charles questioned.


    A helpless look appeared on Conor''s face as he replied, "Actually, my father was the captain of a whaling ship, and he had wanted me to inherit his ship. But I didn''t want to. Leviathan whales are at least a hundred meters long. Every year, there would be ships capsizing because of the whales and sailors perishing within these creatures'' bellies.


    "So you decided to venture out because of the potential dangers? Honestly,ing aboard my ship wasn''t the best choice, then," Charlesmented wryly.


    Conor shook his head. "I''m not afraid of danger, but I fear for my children to have to follow my footsteps in such dangerous work. I wanted to change."


    Brimming with hope, Conor continued, "You know, Captain, on my tenth birthday, my father took me to the central ind as a birthday treat. That trip changed my life. I realized that the central inders were really happy. Every one of them owned theirnd and didn''t have to work at all. They merely live on collecting Echo from those who rented theirnd. They lived in bliss merely because they were sailors on the governor''s ship when the governor first settled on the ind."


    "Don''t worry, one day, you''ll have your ownnd," Charles assured Conor.


    "When that dayes, I will bring over my entire family and let them be central inders." Suddenly, Conor seemed to be reminded of something, and a shadow of pain flickered in his eyes.

 Chapter 80. Marshland

    <h4>Chapter 80. Marsnd</h4>


    <i>Jan 2, 9th Year of Crossing Over</i>


    <i>We have been at sea for more than twenty days now. The target ind for exploration is slightly further. Resources are running low on the Narwhale.</i>


    <i>If the ind that houses 1002 bes a new ind, resupplying there would be significantly easier.</i>


    <i>When we set sail, I deliberately went close to that ind to have a nce. Judging by the wreckage on the shoreline, it seems like the battle between Elizabeth and 1002 hasn''t been smooth. Developing the ind won''t be easy.</i>


    <i>It''s a given, after all. 1002''s peculiar power isn''t that easy to deal with. I hope everything goes well for them.</i>


    <i>Kord has also set sail. Regardless, everything is progressing in a positive direction. I wonder where''s Anna now... perhaps she...</i>


    After the ink had dried up, Charles closed his diary and headed toward the deck to start his daily inspection of the ship.


    Just as he was about to push the galley door open, an excited Dipp rushed past him with a fishing rod in his hand. A creature that resembled a jellyfish hung from the hook.


    "Frey! Look! I''ve caught a crystal jellyfish! Do you know how to make soup out of it?" Dipp called out.


    A fury growl sounded from the galley as Chef Frey roared, "Get lost! Stop reeling in some random creatures on board. If you want to cook something out of them, do it yourself! I''m not doing it!"


    Charles entered the kitchen and walked past the two of them. He inspected the inside to make sure there were no abnormalities.


    "Frey, weevils have started to infest the salty crackers. Watch out." Charles'' words interrupted the conversation between the two crew members.


    Frey hurriedly ran over to Charles and assured him that he would fix the situation soon. He also specially made it clear to Charles that the infested crackers were meant for the sailors and that the captain''s food would be absolutely fine.


    "What do you mean, for the sailors? Aren''t sailors human too?" Dipp started an argument with Frey once more over the welfare of his subordinates.


    Charles didn''t intervene. Compared to the tense and fearful atmosphere that shrouded the crew when they had first entered the unchartered waters, they now had the mood to quarrel over mundane matters. Indeed, humans had a remarkable capacity to adapt.


    Exiting the galley, Charles made his way to the otherpartments in the ship. Patrolling the ship wasn''t merely to inspect if any unwanted creatures had climbed aboard, he also had to examine all other factors that could possibly affect their journey. Be it their food supply, fuel resources, or the mental states of the crew, a single gap in any of them could turn the ship into a floating coffin, and death would im all lives on board.


    Charles meticulously inspected each area¡ªdeck, cockpit, turbine chamber, crew quarters, kitchen, cargo hold, and water tank. Other captains might have different rules, but on his ship, Charles preferred to do the inspections himself. Details determine sess or failure, and his meticulousness was the trait that had kept him alive at sea for so long. These tasks, simple and tedious yet crucial, made up the bulk of a captain''s duties.


    "Captain! There''s an ind!" Charles froze momentarily in surprise while he was doing the stocktake on their fuel supplies. ording to his calctions, they should still be three days away from their destination.


    He hurriedly rushed to the deck, and his eyes picked up the faint silhouette of an ind in the distance under the illumination of the Narwhale''s searchlights.


    Unlike the past few inds they had encountered, this ind was "tall" in the sense that it resembled a t-topped mountain more than an ind. Its surrounding rock walls were bare and devoid of any vegetation. They couldn''t get a good look at the t summit either because of its imposing height.


    Looking up at the ominousndmass ahead, Charles gestured for the sailors to drop the anchor. He then turned to his vampire sailor and instructed, "Audric, fly up there and take a look."


    Audric nodded in affirmation before morphing into a bat and soaring into the air.


    While Charles was waiting for Audric to return, Dipp approached him with a puzzled expression.


    "Captain, the anchor''s not reaching the seabed," Dipp reported.


    "But we are right beside the ind. How is that possible?"


    Following Charles'' lead, they arrived before the anchor machine and confirmed that the entire chain had been lowered into the abyss.


    The Narwhale''s anchor chain measured over a hundred meters, and it couldn''t even reach the seabed.


    <i>What exactly is the structure of this ind? A vertical telegraph pole?</i>


    After pondering for a brief moment, Charles decided and said, "Then don''t anchor. When we go ashoreter, Frey and the sailors can stay on the ship."


    Audric returned soon but with an odd expression.


    "Captain, it''s a marsh up there."


    "A marsh?" Charles questioned. Audric''s words caught Charles by surprise. He had never expected a marsh to be on top of the ind. "Regardless, let''s go take a look. Perhaps, this ind is a resupply point for ''King''."


    Under the assistance of the flying Audric, a ropedder was quicklyid against the rock wall. Charles and his party of sailors carefully scaled the wall and ascended to the summit. It was indeed as per Audric''s words¡ª a marsnd sat upon the top of the ind.


    This marsh differed from those found in forests. There were no trees, flowers, or any sign of life. Only damp soil, stale water, and a thickyer of fog greeted them. There were, however, rocks of various sizes scattered within the sludge.


    They threw some fish meat into the mud, but there were no signs of any living creatures that surface to feed on it.


    Charles carefully walked toward the sludge and realized that it wasn''t deep. The deepest part reached only to his thighs. Pressing his right foot down, he discovered that the ground was solid underneath the mud.


    <i>"Bro, don''t you think this ce resembles a hot pot? Look, those stones are just like meatballs floating in the broth!"</i>


    Charles ignored Richard''s ridicule about the ce. He scooped up a handful of the muddy water and ced it close to his nose to take a sniff. The distinctive scent of the sea hit him first before a stench of decay assaulted his nostrils.


    The water in this marsh was just seawater with no value for use.


    Charles gestured to his crew to follow him. Everyone''s brows were pressed together. No human liked filth. Walking through the sludge felt like stepping into a sewage pit.


    Lily''s party of brown mice had all turned as ck as coal nuggets the moment they stepped into the muddy water. Witnessing this, Lily clung onto Charles'' neck tightly, refusing to let even a speck of ck stain her white fur.


    Despite his enhanced night vision, the thickyer of white fog obscured Charles'' line of sight. He could barely see anything in this ce.


    The environment reminded him of the first ind they had explored. He was determined not to let history repeat itself. In periodic intervals, Charles would do a headcount of his party and cross-check with the number written on his armband. This was to ensure that no one had mysteriously appeared or vanished.


    The torches in their hands pushed back against the fog like a dragon''s mes as they trudged toward the ind''s center.


    The murky water held an unnatural chill. They had walked for barely half an hour, but Charles could hardly feel his toes by then.


    Not willing to take any risks, Charles instructed his crew members to find rocks to stand on. They would resume their journey after everyone could feel their toes once more.


    With an opportunity for a brief respite, the crew members stuffed their mouths with food. Even if they weren''t hungry, they needed to eat to fuel themselves with energy.

 Chapter 81. Disappearance

    <h4>Chapter 81. Disappearance</h4>


    The atmosphere was tense with a hint of foreboding, but the crew''s morale remained rather stable. Their current circumstances were considered dreadful physically, but they paled inparison to the other inds they had explored.


    Perched on a rock, Charlesmunicated with Richard in his mind.


    <i>"Hope seems rather small here. This ind doesn''t seem to have sunlight."</i>


    <i>"Duh! Can''t you smell how stinky it is? Even if I were a plumber, I would never take on a repair job for this filthy ce."</i>


    <i>"Let''s make a judgment again after we fully explore this ce. There''s an off chance that ''King'' purposely disguised his resupply point to look like this."</i>


    <i>"Hmm... If they have really been here, does that mean there are relics here too?"</i>


    <i>"Stop fooling around. Haven''t you learned your lesson the previous round?"</i>


    <i>"When did I fool around? Wasn''t it to increase our strength? Haven''t we survived so far by relying on the power of relics?"</i>


    <i>"Every relic has potent side effects. Simply possessing more relics doesn''t corrte to more strength."</i>


    Just then, Dipp''s voice interrupted the two''s mental discourse. Both Charles and Richard simultaneously controlled their heads to turn in the youngd''s direction and found him pulling out a cylindrical object from his backpack.


    "Ah-ha! I brought this here. I thought I left it behind," Dipp announced as he held the object up high.


    Under his colleagues'' expectant gazes, Dipp continued with a sense of triumphant, "It''s a new little gadget from the Albion Isles. Now, watch."


    Dipp pressed a red button on the object, and instantly, a blinding beam of white light pierced through the fog ahead. "They call this a shlight; it''s a movable electricmp. Haven''t seen one, have ya? Captain, why are youughing? Also, the beam''s width can even be adjusted!"


    As Dipp meddled with the shlight''s aperture, the brilliant beam converged into a glowing sword-like column.


    Dipp''s yful side emerged as he swung the shlight around as though he was wielding a glowing lightsaber that could cut apart the fog.


    As Charles watched the glowing light, the grin on his face was reced with a look of contemtion. Perhaps the shlight would really be of use. After all, it was better than fire torches in terms of durability and storage capacity.


    Moreover, it could prate dense fog with stronger effectiveness. He made a mental note to include the gadget in the list of supplies to be procured for their next journey.


    "AHHHHH!" A shrill squeak pierced the silence. It was Lily. She tightened her hold on Charles'' neck.


    "What''s wrong?" Charles asked as he moved the white mouse to his front.


    "O-o-over there. There''s a face! When the light swept past, there was a face there."


    Instantly, Charles kicked against the rock he was on and dashed toward the direction Lily pointed. The sound of bullets being loaded followed him as the crew members joined in the pursuit.


    They speedily rushed through the fog and found the face Lily had mentioned. However, it wasn''t a real person, but rather a drawing on a wall.


    To be exact, it resembled more like a child''s doodle than a portrait. Despite the artist''s inadequate drawing skills, they managed to clearly convey their intent behind the drawing.


    The drawing depicted a naked man clutching his neck in apparent agony. His pained expression, coupled with the rough brushstrokes, made the painting look even more sinister.


    "Mr. Charles, who drew this??" Lily asked as she buried her tiny head into his cor.


    "Rather than the doodle, I''m more interested in finding out who built this wall," Charles voiced out as his fingers brushed across the solid structure before him. The dense fog obscured his vision, forbidding him from making out the actual height and breadth of the wall.


    He tried scratching it with his Dark de and found the wall to be substantially solid, with its hardness rivaling that of concrete.


    <i>What kind of person would arbitrarily construct such a wall in the middle of a foul-smelling marsh? Judging from the pale yellow hue, it doesn''t resemble the style of the Foundation... Could it be "King"? </i>Charles thought to himself.


    "Let''s go. We''ll follow along the wall," Charlesmanded and led his crew into motion once more.


    As the illumination of their fire torches faded from the painting, the horrifying features of the man began to distort.


    Immediately after, more appalling sketches surface from within the wall. Their mouths were stretched wide open in silent screams, and they gradually entangled with each other. Soon enough, they filled up the entire wall as the wall blended into the darkness.


    Following the wall, Charles and his crew walked for close to two hours before they finally reached its end and arrived before a wide opening. The expanse beyond the opening was shrouded in fog, obscuring whaty within.


    Fortunately, Charles hade prepared with some new toys. He pulled out a Mirrorbox from his backpack. After instructing Audric to fly to a safe distance and being assured that his vampire sailor was beyond the item''s range, Charles opened the box.


    Blinding sunlight burst forth and scattered the fog. Everyone was rendered speechless by the sight that was unveiled before them.


    Beyond the opening, numerous walls intersected each other in the distance, creating an enormousbyrinth within the humid fog.


    The walls were immensely tall and wide, as though the maze was constructed for giants measuring a hundred meters. Merely standing in its presence sent trembles coursing through their bodies.


    The warm glow slowly faded, and the walls were shrouded in the fog once again.


    After some time, an ear-piercing scratching sound echoed as Charles carved an arrow into the wall next to them with his Dark de.


    "Let''s move!" He strode forward into the fog.


    The atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive. The apparent danger was clear to all, and no one wanted to die here. As such, everyone was on extreme alert.


    Although Charles and his crew had braced for the worst when they entered thebyrinth, they had not encountered any unusual situations despite venturing into the maze for quite some time.


    However, theck of any anomalies hinted at an impending danger that had yet to show its fangs. Charles really despised the suspense, and his nerves were strained taut.


    Within the maze, there were no stones for the party to take any respite. Charles'' feet gradually grew numb from the chilling water. Taking out his pocket watch, he discovered they had been navigating thebyrinth for nearly two hours.


    Casting a nce at the murky waters that surrounded them, Charles etched another arrow onto the wall. He then turned to his crew members and said, "We''ll explore another half an hour. If we still can¡¯t find anything, we''ll return to the ship for today to rest and thene again."


    Hearing Charles'' words, everyone, including Laesto, heaved a collective sigh of relief. This ce was anything but pleasant.


    As time trickled away, they were soon close to the half-hour mark. The Dark de in Charles'' hand suddenly flew away and plunged into the water, leaving an afterimage in its trail.


    Charles'' feet immediately kicked off of the ground to propel him forward in the direction of his weapon. He grabbed the handle and pulled with all his might but found nothing at the end of the de.


    It wasn''t Charles himself who initiated the series of actions, but Richard.


    <i>"What did you see?" </i>Charles questioned his alter-ego in his mind.


    <i>"I noticed a sudden ripple on the water''s surface and thought there was something in there. How strange... Am I seeing things?"</i>


    Charles poked around the water with the Dark de but found nothing apart from heaps of sludge.


    He stood up and checked the time once more. "Let''s move back. Half-hour up. We''ll rest ande backter."


    A burden seemed to be lifted off everyone''s shoulders as they turned to depart. However, upon doing another headcount, a drip of cold sweat trickled down Charles'' face.


    "Everyone, wait!! Bandages is missing!"


    1. I''m totally imagining star wars lightsabers here XD

 Chapter 82. Nose-walking Natives

    <h4>Chapter 82. Nose-walking Natives</h4>


    Upon hearing Charles'' words, the others scanned their surroundings to find that theirpanion, wrapped in his distinctive bandages, was nowhere to be seen.


    A ripple of dread surfaced on their faces. How did theirrade vanish without a trace?


    "When was thest time anyone saw Bandages?" Charles asked in a calm tone as he tried to suppress the rising anxiety within him.


    "I saw him." James raised his hand in hesitation before he continued. "Five minutes ago, he was right in front of me."


    "I don''t think so. I haven''t seen him since at least ten minutes ago," Lily interjected and poked her head out of Charles'' cor.


    The crew had varied ounts, but they could collectively infer that Bandages had disappeared within thest ten minutes.


    Studying the thick mist that surrounded them, Charles'' brows subconsciously pressed together, and he turned to Audric. "Turn into a bat and follow the arrows I inscribed on the walls. See if Bandages lost his way somewhere."


    Audric nodded affirmatively, and his cloak billowed out as he shapeshifted into a bat. Bats could use their echolocation to navigate, and the thick fog did nothing to obstruct them.


    Very soon, the vampire returned. Audric''s despondent shake of his head confirmed Charles'' worst suspicions¡ªBandages'' disappearance had something to do with this ind.


    Leaning against the wall, Charles frowned as he thought of countermeasures.


    Charles disliked this kind of situation more than battling horrifying monsters.


    At least with monsters, they could still fight the creatures head-on, but against an unseen and unknown threat like now, no amount of strength could offer them a solution.


    Just then, a resounding boom echoed from within the fog, startling everyone.


    Charles immediately opened a Mirrorbox, and the sunlight from within prated the mist once more. However, there was nothing to be seen where the sound hade from.


    Following the series of events, the thick fog around them started to thin. However, Charles felt that the change was malicious rather than kind.


    Under everyone''s intense gaze, Charles instructed, "Let''s get out of here first."


    Frey immediately protested, "Captain! But we haven''t found First Mate Bandages!"


    "Do as I say. We''ll get out first and discusster." With that, Charles led the group to move out immediately. Although he felt sorry for Bandages, Charles was the captain, and his duty was to prioritize the crew''s safety. If one could disappear, another could follow.


    Until they found out the reason behind Bandages'' disappearance, staying put wasn''t the most rational decision. Charles couldn''t risk the lives of everyone else for one crewmate. Moreover, Bandages was a devout Fhtagnist with strong regenerative powers. He wouldn''t fall that easily.


    They could also devise a rescue n once they were out.


    Under Charles''mand, everyone followed the arrows etched on thebyrinthine walls and speedily retraced their steps back to the exit.


    The glow from their fire torches pierced through the thick fog; the squelching sound of their footfalls in the mud was the only sound that echoed in the air.


    But as the crew lit up their second batch of fire torches, Charles'' face grew increasingly grim. They had been running for quite a long while, enough to be reaching the maze''s exit, but why did he see no opening in sight?


    "Wait!" Charles called out for his crew to stop. He then turned to the arrow carved on the wall and carefully examined it. After a meticulous inspection, he confirmed that the hidden lines he had deliberately ced within the arrow were all in ce. The arrow was definitely his work, and no one had tampered with it.


    But yet, with the markings, they couldn''t get out of the maze. A wave of befuddlement washed over Charles. What was the deal with thisbyrinth? Was it alive and could shift and change?


    Fortunately, before Charles entered the maze, he had considered this possible scenario. His Dark de shed across his finger, and he smeared the blood on the Bat Mirror. ck fur sprouted on his face while fleshy membranes rapidly grew from under his arms.


    As his face gradually turned into a monstrous bat, he turned to his crewmates and instructed, "Stay put. Once I find the exit, I''ll return and take everyone out."


    No matter how intricate abyrinth might be, it was only a two-dimensional problem. As long as he carried the crew on his back, they could directly soar into the air and get out of this maze.


    After a few seconds, Charles hadpletely transformed into a giant bat. The pping of his bat wings sent ripples across the muddy surface beneath them. With a push of his feet, Charles soared into the air.


    The monstrous bat opened its gaping maw and released ultrasonic waves that were beyond a human''s hearing range. As the waves bounced back due to objects in their path, Charles could conjure a mental map of his surroundings.


    Even though he had seen theplex structure of the maze earlier, he was still struck with awe when the entire structure formed in his mind. The multiple twisted and intertwined intersections were dizzying. Ignoring the twists and turns, Charles soared upward.


    As he pped his wings faster, Charles immediately noticed something amiss. No matter how high he ascended, thebyrinth walls rose with him like a shadow.


    Three minutester, Charles halted in mid-air and sent an ultrasonic wave downward. However, the expected echo didn''t return. He was at least a thousand kilometers away above ground.


    The current situation clearly defied logic. Charles still remembered the appearance of the ind. Even with the fog obscuring his vision, he was certain that the ind was not this high.


    Seeing no result from further ascension, Charles decided to descend.


    "Captain, how did it go?" Dipp asked anxiously as Charles drank from a sma packet.


    "It doesn''t work. I flew a thousand kilometers up, but the walls kept rising with me."


    Charles'' reply cast a gloom on everyone''s faces. They couldn''t find an exit despite following the arrows, and the walls stretched more than a thousand kilometers high. They were evidently trapped.


    "Don''t panic. We have another way." Charles fished up a packet of explosives from James'' backpack.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A spray of rubble erupted as thebyrinth wall was blown open. With the illumination of their fire torches, they could make out the other side of the wall that was shrouded in fog.


    If they couldn''t find the exit, they could simply make their own exit. Straight lines were always the quickest way through any maze.


    As continuous sts rang out, the crew moved swiftly through each opening. Charles initially thought that they would soon return to the marsh.


    However, reality didn''t progress as per his expectations. As they emerged from another hole, the distant pitter-patter of water droplets hitting the water''s surface reached their ears.


    The drip-drop sound rapidly grew in frequency and volume and very soon echoed like rain on a silent night.


    With his guard up, Charles looked in the direction of the noise. A peculiar group of creatures moving toward them gradually came into view.


    The beings looked like hairless rats standing on their forelegs. Every organ on their bodies was deformed and elongated. Their noses resembled elephant trunks, curved as they tapped on the water''s surface rhythmically. They were walking with their noses.


    The pitter-patter sound from earlier was created as these creatures navigated through the murky waters.


    The near-meter-tall nose-walking oddities were multitudinous. Clustered together on the ck, murky waters, they looked like corn stalks densely packed in a field. Encountering such creatures in such a cursed ce was definitely unsettling.


    Dipp drew a dagger from his boot; the weapon''s design was simr to Charles'' Dark de. Swallowing a gulp, he turned toward his Captain as he awaited instructions.


    "Hold on. Let''s see what they''re up to," Charles ordered as he pressed down on the gun barrel of one of his crewmates.


    1. I think Mr.Author forgot about the vampire...Let''s just assume Audric is hidden safely or outside of the Mirrorbox''s AOE.

 Chapter 83. Humans

    <h4>Chapter 83. Humans</h4>


    The creatures seemed to be natives of the ind. Charles recalled the information he had previously researched at the library. Not all natives of wild inds were malicious. Some of them were open tomunication or even trading.


    "We mean no harm, can you let us out?" Charles slowly voiced out each syble of thenguage used in the Subterranean Seascape.


    The nose-walking creatures stood still. They seemed unable to understand humannguage as they remained in the distance like lifeless beings.


    Looking at the eerie sight before them, Charles gestured to his crew to retreat. Sincemunication had broken down, it was best to leave.


    The moment Charles lifted his foot in an attempt to step away, the nose-walking creatures'' noses twitched and leaped forward. ck ws extended out from their dry, withered torsos.


    "Attack!"


    Gunfire erupted as a shower of bullets rained down on the nose-walking creatures. They tumbled into the water as the projectiles struck them, but their numbers seemed to never diminish as they continued surging forward.


    Chaos surrounded both parties, and the murky waters were gradually dyed purple with the creatures'' blood. Regardless of their growing number of casualties, however, they did not retreat.


    Watching these bizarre creatures closing in on them, Charles whipped up the lightning-shaped staff.


    <i>Bzzt!</i>


    A massive arc of lightning swept toward the nose-walking creatures, and they convulsed and fell into the water.


    The creatures'' death offered nofort to Charles and his party. With their feet immersed in the murky water, they all became conduits for the powerful electric charge. They stood far from the source, but the residual energy from the discharged power still coursed through them, causing involuntary spasms.


    Charles was the first to recover. He lifted his gaze to find that the nose-walking creatures before them were all floating on the water''s surface. They were finally all dead.


    Leaning against the wall, Charles panted heavily. Even though the relic was powerful, its disadvantages were equally distressing to bear.


    Anyway, no matter what these creatures wanted, the crew''s problem was temporarily resolved.


    "We''ll rest for three minutes, then continue sting the walls," Charles'' deep voice echoed through the empty maze.


    No one knew if there were more of these creatures. They had to leave this ce as soon as possible.


    Just then, a tube, almost level with the water''s surface, silently floated toward them.


    The thing underwater seemed unwilling to disturb anyone as it slowly approached the corpses of the nose-walking creatures. However, Charles saw the being all too clearly with his night vision. Lifting his gun, he aimed at the tube and fired.


    The tube rapidly sank, and crimson blood bubbled onto the surface. The pool of red swiftly turned and moved into the distance.


    Regardless of what it was, Charles had no intention of letting it escape. Lifting his right leg from the mud, Charles kicked against the wall and lunged forward. Mid-air, he brandished his ck de and plunged it into the blood-stained water.


    With a ssh, the Dark de pierced the entity beneath the water. Red blood soon filled the vicinity. Charles ruthlessly yanked the dagger upward and pulled the entity to the surface.


    It was a human, a blind old man with white eyes. His face was twisted into an expression of sheer pain from the wound on his naked body. Despite the agony, the old man made not a single sound as his trembling hands held onto the hilt of Charles'' de and pushed it out with all his might.


    Realizing that the entity was a fellow human, Charles ceased attacking and turned to his crew. "Doctor! Come and treat him, don''t let him die."


    Everyone gathered around as they stared at the old man with curious gazes. No one had expected to find a living person in such a ce.


    "Can you understand me?" Charles asked the old man as Laesto worked on riveting his wounds.


    The old man was startled, and he hurriedly put a finger to his lips. "Shhhhh. Be quiet. Torment will hear you!"


    Charles examined the strange old man before him.


    He was thin, incredibly so, as though a skeleton had been draped in human skin. With his neck shrunk back, he appeared fidgety and fearful, as though he was prepared to flee at any moment.


    Richard''s voice rang out in Charles'' head, <i>"Bro, doesn''t he remind you of Gollum from Lord of the Rings? Ya know, the one that bites off the protagonist''s finger at the end?"</i>


    <i>"Shush."</i>


    By this time, Laesto had already treated the old man''s external wound and limped toward Charles.


    "I''ve thoroughly examined his body. He''s indeed a human. Judging from his teeth, he''s around forty years old. He suffers from severe malnutrition, and his skin bears the traces of being submerged in water for a long time. He must have been living in these horrendous conditions for quite a while," Laesto reported.


    Laesto''s words struck Charles. <i>Does that mean there are native inhabitants on this ind?</i>


    "Do you know where the exit is?" Charles asked the old man the most important question.


    At the question, a look of joy crossed the old man''s grimy face. "You guys just arrived, didn''t you? Do you have food from outside?"


    Not wanting to waste time, Charles instantly pressed his Dark de against the old man''s throat and threatened, "You only need to answer my questions, understand?"


    Sensing the murderous intent in Charles''s voice, the old man stiffened and nodded hastily.


    "Who are you, and why are you here?"


    "My name''s ke. I came here because I heard your battle with the Styx. I wanted to steal some of the Styx''s bodies to feed on. Don''t worry, you can have all of them. I don''t want a single one."


    Charles cast a nce at the corpses of the nose-walking creatures. They were probably the <i>Styx</i> that he had mentioned.


    "Where''s the exit of thisbyrinth?" Charles continued asking.


    "There''s no exit. Those who enter have never left," ke responded.


    "Never? Not even a single one?"


    "I don''t know for sure, but I''ve been here for over twenty years, and I¡¯ve never seen anyone leave."


    "<i>Torment</i>? What¡¯s that?"


    "It''s a monster, the most powerful one here. It can''t be killed. If it catches us, it will burrow itself into our mouths and torture us from within our stomachs. They thrive on our agonized screams."


    "How big is thisbyrinth?"


    "Massive. No one has ever reached its edges. It''s at leastrger than the Albion Isles."


    By this point, Charles'' brows were already furrowed. Before approaching this ind, he had certainly checked its size. He was certain that thendmass was smaller than the Coral Archipgo, so how was it possible for the maze to berger than the Albion Isles? Albion Isles was thergest ind in the Northern Sea, and it had a poption of nearly seven million.


    Coupled with the fact that the walls were over a thousand kilometers tall, Charles felt increasingly uneasy about thebyrinth.


    Staring at the trembling, blind old man before him, Charles instinctively felt that the man wouldn''t deceive him.


    "How many people are trapped here like you?"


    "Several thousand... no, tens of thousands. I''m not too sure. Torment held most of them captive. A few have escaped. The ce where I stay has over a hundred people."


    "Have you seen a man covered in bandages around here?" Charles asked, trying to find clues to his missing first mate. Perhaps his disappearance might be connected to the humans here.


    "Band... Bandages? I can''t see, so I don''t know if I¡¯vee across someone like that here. But half an hour ago, I did hear something moving in the direction of my dwelling."


    Charles scanned their empty surroundings before he turned ke around and nudged him forward. "Let''s go, show me to your ce of dwelling."

 Chapter 84. Scarface

    <h4>Chapter 84. Scarface</h4>


    With the peculiar old man leading them in tow, Charles and his crew made their way toward thebyrinth junction that stretched out in the distance.


    Just when they set off, a doodle of a man entirely swathed in bandages slowly surfaced on the wall. His hand stretched out as if trying to prevent something, but to no avail.


    Despite being blind, ke seemed to have another method of navigating through theplex maze. His neck was crooked at an angle, and his back hunched, but the peculiar posture didn''t hinder his speed.


    "Mr. Charles, the old grandpa is so pitiful. Let''s offer him some biscuits," Lily whispered into Charles'' ear.


    Charles shook his head in disapproval. Without making clear the other party''s background, it was not rational to expose their food supply.


    Silence engulfed them as they trudged through the sludge. After walking for about half an hour, a human settlement suspended on the walls appeared before Charles.


    To avoid the filthy, murky waters, they carved numerous pockets of varying sizes into the walls. Dozens of humans sat within these cavities, either chatting or resting. Their physical appearance mirrored ke''s emaciated form, and their eyes were the same white.


    However, the moment Charles'' gazended on the bones dangling from the walls, an unsettling dread unfurled in his heart. Among them, he recognized the skeletal remnants of humans, and the sheer quantity was rming.


    Charles quickly scanned the settlement but found no traces of Bandages.


    The murmurs of the crowd grew louder, and ke approached the human settlement in excitement. The moment his hand touched the wall, a malicious grin spread across his face as he looked at Charles.


    "Boss! Look! I brought you some fresh blood, and I also heard ady mentioning biscuits."


    A man upying the highest cavity rose to his feet at ke''s words. Disregarding the drop of more than ten meters, he leaped straight into the muck below.


    A look of extreme eagerness appeared on his face, marred by various scars. "A woman? Finally, a woman! Hahaha! I''ll be sure to cherish this one!"


    ke approached the scar-faced man with a servile smile. "Boss, when you are done with her, can I have a turn?"


    As the blind humans rapidly converged in their direction, Charles raised his revolver and fired a warning shot into the air. It was a disy of deterrence.


    Upon hearing the gunshot, Scarface froze for a brief moment before he burst into heartyughter, seemingly unafraid.


    "Hahaha, how interesting. It seems like our neers have guns. I''m <i>sooooo</i> scared! Hahaha!"


    Sensing the malicious taunting underlying his words, Charles couldn''t be bothered tomunicate. He lifted his revolver and fired directly at Scarface.


    The captain''s aggression signaled the others to spring into action, and theyunched their offensive. However, the moment the shots rang out, the humans before them swiftly plunged into the waters and disappeared beneath the sludge.


    Bullets collided with the water''s surface, stirring up nothing more than a smattering of muddy droplets with no traces of blood in sight. As the gunfire ceased, tranquility reimed the surface, and those humans had already vanished. This ce was their home ground, after all.


    "Watch the wat¡ª" Before Charles couldplete his warning, the calm surface burst apart as sharp ws tainted with foul mud aimed at his neck.


    With a swift backflip, Charles barely avoided the assault. His right hand aimed the revolver at the enemy before him and fired sessive shots. A shower of crimson blossomed over the man''s bare chest.


    Suddenly, a crisis manifested behind Charles. Scarface had somehow managed to reposition himself to appear at Charles'' rear. With a malevolent grin, his sharp nails lunged for Charles'' heart from the back.


    At this critical moment, arge hand intervened and swatted Scarface aside. It was James'' erged hand.


    Rapidly regaining his bnce, Charles used James'' giant knee as a springboard, vaulting himself onto his crewmate''s broad shoulder. Standing on a high vantage point, Charles could survey the scene of the chaos below as his crew was under siege from the blind humans amidst the muddy waters.


    Without wasting another second, Charles took aim and started picking off those who dared to breach the surface, ensuring that they stayed floating atop the murky water.


    Initially, the crew had been caught off guard by the unexpected underwater attacks. However, they quicklyposed themself and retaliated. After all, they were all humans, so there was nothing to be afraid of.


    James swatted the enemies away with his enormous palm as if they were mere flies.


    Lily''s mice dived beneath the surface, and pools of crimson soon emerged from underneath.


    Dipp wielded his dagger and swiftly dispatched foes bycerating their throats.


    Charles was caught by surprise when his Second Mate, Conor, held a lit blue wax candle and muttered an inscrutable incantation. Two Papyrians had emerged out of nowhere and stood on the water''s surface to protect him.


    As bloodied flesh stained the dark waters scarlet, the ferocious battle gradually died down.


    Eyeing the number of corpses on the water''s surface, Charles knew that the battle was far from over. There were only a dozen or so, which fell woefully short of the initial seventy to eighty people he had estimated.


    "Your aim''s pretty good, but that''s all there is to it." Scarface''s voice suddenly echoed from Charles'' left nk.


    Charles quickly turned and fired a shot, but the bullet disappeared as it hit the water''s surface.


    Immediately after, the same voice echoed from his right nk. "What a shame. You guys are probably not even at Level 2, you can''t fight me. Hand over your woman and food, and I can perhaps consider letting you join us."


    Realizing that the bullets were ineffective, Charles ceased firing and asked with caution, "Level 2? What are you referring to?"


    "Hahaha!" the voiceughed with apparent mockery. "It seems that not only you¡¯re new here, but you¡¯re also new out there. You don''t even know the power ranking system."


    Hearing Scarface''s words, Charles recalled some fragments of knowledge he had learned at the library. The man was referring to the power ranking among the crews of battleships.


    Governors didn''t live in harmony. Whenever they warred with each other, those battleships woulde into y. Judging from the man''s words, Charles could infer that he was once part of the crew of a battleship.


    "I''m a captain of an exploration vessel. I don''t care about your power hierarchy between battleships," Charles retorted and gestured to his crew at the same time. With his other hand, he pulled out the Lightning Rod.


    Seeing the lightning-shaped staff in Charles'' hand, the crew paled instantly, and they hurriedly sought refuge next to the giant James. The memories of their previous encounter with this tool were still seared into their minds. It was an unforgettable experience they had no wish to repeat.


    "An exploration vessel? <i>Pfft! </i>Only those incapable of securing a spot on a battleship would demean themselves to such a measly vessel, wandering aimlessly around inds, practically courting death," Scarface scoffed.


    "Is that so? Then why would such a <i>powerful</i> existence like yourself be trapped in this ce?" Charles retorted.


    "Don''t get too high on your horses. Wait till I catch you, I''ll make sure you¡ª"


    <i>Now!</i>


    Charles thrust his lightning staff forward, and a brilliant arc of electricity cackled toward the direction of the voice.

 Chapter 85. Bandages Location

    <h4>Chapter 85. Bandages'' Location</h4>


    A streak of electricity zapped through the air and surged through the air before diving into the water. As wisps of white smoke sputtered, twitching bodies bobbed up to the surface.


    Charles himself was also numbed by the powerful electric discharge. With trembling hands, he stashed the staff back into his coat. It was exactly this moment when he noticed an arrow and an exmation mark appeared on the wall before him.


    Instantly, he felt a wave of murderous intent crashing down from above. He mustered all the strength he could to move to his left, but his paralyzed body couldn''t cooperate.


    The quick rhythm of breaths echoing from just beneath him sparked a wicked smirk on Scarface''s visage. He had deliberately engaged Charles in incessant chatter to confirm thetter''s exact location.


    He was fully aware that Charles was the leader of the group. Eliminating him would effectively disperse the group. When that happened, the woman and all their food would be his to take.


    Just as Scarface felt his nails pierce flesh, three giant tentacles suddenly coiled themselves around him and yanked him away. Charles had triggered his ring.


    "Damn it! What is this?!"


    Scarface shed at the tentacles with his nails, but a second had already passed. A second was long enough to do many things. For example, Dipp, with his dagger in hand, had already rushed to stand before Scarface.


    The two swiftly engaged in battle. However, Scarface had clearly been robbed of his advantage and was losing the fight of numbers.


    In a sh of cold light, his arms were severed and tossed away. Letting out a pained scream, Scarface dived into the murky waters.


    With the Clown Mask on his face, Dipp wanted to follow Scarface and behead him. However, Charles stopped him before he could follow.


    "Wait, don''t kill him. He''s still of use to us."


    Seeing that his boss had been apprehended, ke, who was underwater, spun around and swam into the distance in a state of panic. He had severely underestimated the power of these neers. He didn¡¯t expect them to be such a tough nut to crack.


    But halfway through his escape, he suddenly felt something furry crawling onto his back. Terrified, he tried to surface, but pain instantly coursed through him. Lily''s mice gnawed at his flesh with great ferocity.


    Once Charles'' body had returned to normal, he lifted Scarface out of the water. Despite having both his arms severed, the man still wore a defiant expression on his face.


    With a cold sneer on his face and eyes filled with contempt, he remarked, "Impressive relics. With those, you can barely be considered Level 3. But that''s as far as you''ll go. If you had encountered me in my prime, you would have died long ago!"


    Charles had no intention of wasting his breath on Scarface. Receiving the rope from a crewmate, he tied the man securely and turned to approach the wall.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for the warning signal that had abruptly appeared on the wall, Charles would have been done for. Just as Charles approached the wall, a crude doodle of a man in bandages surfaced. Despite the rough lines, Charles could clearly recognize it to be his first mate, Bandages.


    So, Bandages had been trapped within the wall. No wonder they had been unable to find him.


    Charles dragged Scarface over and pointed at the graffiti on the wall, "You''ve been here for a while, so you should know this ce well. My crewmate is trapped within the wall; how do I get him out?"


    Scarface let out a scoff, clearly unwilling to say a word.


    A cold glint flickered across Charles'' eyes, and the Dark de in his hand pierced the severed stump of Scarface''s right arm.


    "Speak!"


    Amidst his scream of agony, Scarface cursed, "Bastard! Kill me if you''ve got the guts!"


    Just then, Bandages on the wall shook his head, and a string of jumbled words appeared next to him.


    <i>"tfel eht morf gnimoc s''erutaerc A. evaeL" </i>


    Charles was baffled by the cryptic message, but he soon realized that the text was mirrored. Bandages was warning him.


    Even though he didn''t know what was behind him, Charles chose to trust his first mate. He immediately turned around and shouted, "We have to leave now! Something¡¯s fast approaching!"


    Everyone followed Charles into a spring. The graffiti of Bandages flickered in and out of view as he guided the way for them.


    Thebyrinthine corridors twisted and turned with various intersections, but Bandages navigated them as though he knew the way and led them in a frantic dash.


    After running for close to five minutes, a look of terror appeared on Scarface''s visage when he had remained fearless in the face of death. "What are you doing? Stop! We can''t go that way!"


    Charles took a nce at Bandages on the wall and hastened his steps. Compared to the man who had just tried to kill him, he had more trust in his first mate.


    Upon turning a broad corner, a piercing scream echoed from the distance. It was a heart-wrenching cry that paralyzed everyone.


    "What''s ahead?" Charles carved into the wall.


    "Exit." A simple one-word answer surfaced.


    "Impossible! That''s not the exit; don''t believe in his nonsense! That''s Torment''s territory! If a human gets caught there, their lives would be worse than death!"


    With that, Scarface struggled and ran in the opposite direction. Charles lifted his revolver and aimed at the back of his head, "Stop! Or don''t me me for pulling the trigger!"


    However, in his mad dash, Scarface turned and smashed his head hard against the wall. In an instant, the yellow wall was sshed with red. He would rather die than go to that ce.


    At the receiving end of his crewmates'' gazes, Charles'' brows were knitted together as he was caught in a dilemma. There was danger up ahead for sure, but Bandages had been insisting that it was the exit. One wrong decision and the lives of his entire crew would be in danger.


    Charles pondered for a brief second before he carved a question into the wall with his Dark de.


    "Which limb of yours did Anna eat?"


    "Right leg."


    Reading the text that surfaced, Charles was certain that it was indeed his first mate, Bandages.


    "Why do you know the exit is up ahead?" Charles carved into the wall once more.


    "No time!!!"


    The sight of the three exmation marks baffled Charles.


    "Why do you mean by no time?"


    "The ind is sinking. If you don''t get out now, you never will!"


    As the text appeared on the wall, a sudden realization struck Charles. He slowly looked up and gazed at the endless wall above. Suddenly, it all made sense.


    It wasn''t Bandages who was trapped in the wall; they were the ones trapped in the wall.


    The searchlight of the Narwhale cast a beam of light into the water, illuminating the underwaterbyrinth along with the graffiti resembling Charles and his crew of about a dozen men on the walls.


    Chef Frey anxiously watched from the deck as Bandages surfaced and dived down again and again.


    "First Mate! Is Captain not out yet? I just checked. The ind is sinking at an astonishing speed!"


    Bandages shook his head. He took a deep breath and dived down once more. As he watched the graffiti of hisrades spring into action, Bandages held his breath and kicked his legs, rapidly following after them.

 Chapter 86. Torment

    <h4>Chapter 86. Torment</h4>


    Within the dampbyrinth, a grim-faced Charles led his crew in a mad sprint.


    "Mr. Charles! My friends can''t keep up!" Lily cried out anxiously as she stood on Charles'' shoulder.


    "Get them to climb onto James! Quick!" Charles ordered.


    The brown mice rapidly scurried up the back of the giant James. Despite his figure gradually shrinking back to normal, therge number of mice on his broad back looked as though he were draped in a cloak of darkness.


    "Ahhhhh!"


    "Ahhhhh!"


    "Ahhhhh!"


    The pained screams ahead grew increasingly louder as they echoed through the twisted passages. However, they did nothing to slow Charles down.


    If Bandages'' words were true and he indeed saw the ind had already sunk below the surface from the outside, they would all sink into the abyss with the ind if they didn''t escape in time.


    Regardless of whaty below at the seabed, the deep waters were definitely not a ce humans could tread.


    An oppressive atmosphere loomed over the wet air, and anxiety was painted on everyone''s faces. However, with Charles leading the way and their core resolve unshaken, none of them panicked.


    Following the guidance of Bandages, the crew darted to and fro within the maze. The screams of agony grew nearer and nearer. Suddenly, as Charles turned a corner, the scene of torment was revealed before them.


    The area ahead was unexpectedly illuminated with light. However, the events that unfolded within the light were truly hair-standing.


    The expanse that measured the size of a football field, was filled with naked humans¡ªmen, women, old and young. They were clutching their throats as they let out agonized howls and wails and writhed in mud. Their pained expressions mirrored the graffiti the crew had seen earlier on the wall.


    The humans were surrounded by a dense number of palm-sized ck insects that resembled centipedes with spider legs.


    Like water spiders, these creatures stood on the water as they circled the humans. Their bodies quivered rhythmically with the volume of the scream, seemingly enjoying the humans'' suffering.


    Seeing the scene before that, a realization dawned on Charles. These creatures were Torments. Scarface had been truthful, this was the creatures''ir.


    When Charlesid his eyes on the Torments, the creatures had seen him as well.


    The Torments began to move. Some even crawled out of the mouths of the screaming humans. They advanced toward Charles and his crew, determined to make these neers one of their victims of agony.


    Gathering in droves, the Torments looked like a vast ck carpet surging toward Charles and his crew.


    Terror surfaced on the crew''s faces as the monsters neared. Charles speedily carved on the wall.


    "Bandages! The Torments areing! Where''s the exit you speak of?"


    But it was at this crucial moment that Bandages disappeared from the wall once more.


    "Damn it!" Charles exhaled a deep breath and pulled out the Lightning Rod from within his coat. It was the only relic he had at his disposal that could deal with a horde of enemies.


    <i>Bzzt!</i>


    A brilliant crack of electricity shot forth andnded in the group of Torments. The discharged power leaped and danced between the creatures.


    But then, a scene of despair unfolded before them. Even with enough power to kill 1002, the cosmic horrors before them remained unaffected by the Lightning Rod''s high voltage.


    The Torments surged forward. One of them climbed up Charles'' clothes and into his mouth. Instantly, a pain so intense that reached his bones coursed through his body. Charles nearly passed out from the agony. An involuntary scream of pain emerged from his throat.


    The other crew members suffered the same fate as they writhed and echoed the terrified cries.


    Just then, Charles noticed that Bandages had appeared on the wall again. He drew a box on the wall and made the gesture of opening something.


    <i>Box? Mirrorbox!!</i>


    With trembling hands, Charles reached for James'' backpack. However, the excruciating pain made even thinking difficult. His hands instinctively clutched at his throat, as it seemed to be able to alleviate the suffering.


    "Mr. Charles, let me help you!" Lily''s mice swiftly jumped into James'' backpack and retrieved a Mirrorbox.


    The Torments seemed to only see humans as their victims and ignored therge number of small rodents around them.


    Despite being overwhelmed with pain, the vampire, Audric, buried himself in the mud. His fear of the sunlight allowed him to momentarily ovee the agonizing pain.


    <i>Snap!</i>


    The mice opened the Mirrorbox, and dazzling light pervaded the entire space.


    Under the bright sunlight, the Torments around them swiftly melted away like snowmen, leaving not a single trace. Bathed in the light''s warm glow, the searing pain had also rapidly vanished.


    Weak from the assault, Charles gasped for air as he cast a nce at Bandages on the wall. A sudden thought appeared in his head. <i>How does he know that sunlight works against those creatures?</i>


    Just then, the doodle of Bandages disappeared once more as his real figure poked out from a hole in the mud nearby.


    "Captain... here!"


    Under the mud, a flickering, hazy white light shone next to Bandages. It was the spotlight of the Narwhale. The exit was just right there!


    Charles squeezed through the muddy hole, and he was instantly enveloped by the bone-chilling seawater as the water washed away the filth covering him.


    Surveying his surroundings, Charles realized that the t-topped ind was now several meters beneath the sea''s surface.


    He didn''t surface immediately but waited at the exit. He did a headcount of his crew members as they emerged from the hole.


    Lily, Conor, Dipp... One after another, the crew members exited from the hole and swam to the surface.


    But very soon, Charles realized that he was missing one man. His Chief Engineer, James, had yet to crawl out.


    Charles rushed back in to find James rooted to the spot with a bitter expression.


    "What''s the matter? Hurry up!" Charles shouted.


    "Captain, I''m too huge, I can''t get in." Despair was apparent on James'' face.


    A pang of fear struck Charles'' heart. It was only then that he realized James'' body had yet to shrink to its original size. Standing at a height of three meters, there was no way James could fit into the hole.


    Trembling, James presented the Purple Pyramid before Charles. His voice cracked as he said, "Captain, please tell my wife that I... I love her forever."


    Seeing the sight of James being like a man imparting hisst words, Charles pped the hand holding the purple crystal before him back at James.


    "Tell her that yourself. How much longer before you return to normal?"


    "I... I estimate another five minutes. Captain, we don''t have that much time," Jamesmented.


    "Then, we''ll wait five minutes. Calm down, I''ll be with you." Charles fished out the pocket watch from his coat and waited.


    Time ticked away slowly. With each passing second, more and more seawater poured in through the hole. As the mud started to float upon the water, Charles finally understood how the marsnd was formed.


    Just when James had shrunk back to two and a half meters, Charles noticed that the edges of the bizarre exit were twitching and undting. The exit was starting to close!


    "We can''t wait any longer. Move now!" Charles shouted and pushed James''rge figure toward the exit.


    But as expected, James got stuck. The edges of the exit contracted and caved in on his skin.

 Chapter 87. Arm

    <h4>Chapter 87. Arm</h4>


    Charles mustered all the strength he could to push James out of the hole. But James remained stuck.


    "Move!" Charles bellowed and leaped into the air. He thennded on James'' feet with tremendous force. The sound of ripping flesh reverberated through the air as James'' flesh tore away at the waist, and the man was propelled through the narrow hole.


    Charles immediately followed right after, but just as soon as he appeared on the other side of the hole, the exit suddenly closed, trapping Charles'' left arm within thebyrinth.


    Gritting his teeth, Charles kicked against the wall and pulled with all his might, but he couldn''t dislodge his arm. James floated next to him and grabbed him by the waist, pulling hard as well.


    Charles smacked him once and pointed to the water''s surface. However, therge man shook his head and continued to tug with more force.


    The water around them churned more violently. Charles could feel that the ind was sinking even faster now. As the water pressure built on them, growing increasingly unbearable, Charles knew that he had to make the decision now, or he and James would die under the water''s weight.


    With gut-wrenching resolve, Charles took out his Dark de and shed across the edge of the exit. Scarlet blood instantly spurted out of his severed arm, but their descent had fortunately halted.


    Charles subconsciously looked downward into the dark waters. To his astonishment, not one but dozens of inds were sinking at the same speed.


    And beneath them all, Charles could vaguely make out a mass of writhing darkness. It was so huge that the ind they had been trapped on was the size of a fingerpared to it.


    <i>No. Wait. Could that ind perhaps be its index finger?</i>


    A sudden realization struck Charles. All the inds were part of the same entity. They were all parts of that looming mass of darkness.


    A massive blood-red eye suddenly appeared in the midst of the writhing mass. Immediately afterward, a second eye and then a third eye appeared.


    The chanting echoed in Charles'' ears once more, and Charles quickly shut his eyes. He focused and used all his remaining strength to swim up the surface with James next to him.


    On the deck, the soaked and shivering crew watched anxiously.


    Their captain and chief engineer had yet to surface.


    Lily ran frantically down the railings and back up again as tears welled up in her eyes.


    "What if something happened to Mr. Charles? What am I supposed to do? Where can I go? No! Mr. Charles will be fine! He''s so powerful! He''ll be fine!"


    Just when Lily was about to burst into tears, she suddenly noticed the figures of Charles and James supporting each other as they floated to the surface. A sense of relief washed over her, and she almost wanted to jump into the waters to wee them.


    The duo ascended the softdder and finally returned to the deck with pale faces.


    "Captain, your hand¡ª" The crew members instantly noticed Charles'' missing left arm.


    Staring at his crew members'' concerned faces, Charles parted his lips, wanting to offer assurance. However, before he could speak, a torrent of bright red blood spurted from his mouth.


    At the same moment, James dropped onto one knee and mirrored the same symptom.


    The unexpected scene caught everyone by surprise and momentarily froze them to their spot. Almost a secondter, they called for Laesto in a frantic haste.


    Laesto speedily examined both Charles and James. After what seemed like an eternity, he let out a breath of relief. "They''re fine. It was dpression sickness from ascending too quickly from the depths. You there, carry them to the medical room I prepared. I need to treat them."


    Within the sterile white medical room, Laesto administered an assortment of bitter potions to the pair. Feeling as if his lungs were weighed down by stones earlier, Charles felt like his breathing had eased a little after treatment. James, lying in the bed next to him, had the same sentiments.


    Staring at Charles'' empty left sleeve, an expression of guilt and pain crept onto James'' face.


    "Captain, I''m sorry. If it weren''t for me¡ª"


    "There''s no need for you to apologize. I gave you the relic and expected you to use it. You did nothing wrong," Charles interrupted, his voice firm but gentle.


    Looking at his now missing limb, a thought crossed Charles'' mind. Was a man''s life more valuable? Or was his own limb more valuable? Very soon, Charles found the answer. If he wanted to achieve his goal, he could never do it alone. He needed a crew that would brave the storms with him.


    The sacrifice of his arm was a small price to pay if it meant saving James and getting back up to the surface world. The thought of having to personally deliver the news of James'' death to his wife was unbearable to Charles.


    Charles knew that he had made the right choice.


    <i>"It''s nothing, it''s just an arm. At least you didn''t lose the love of your life," </i>Richard teased in Charles'' mind.


    Charles shook his head and closed his eyes. He wanted to rest, and his brain felt weary. But before he could fall asleep, Laesto flung open the door of the medical room with a loud bang and stormed in. He went up to Charles with an annoyed look.


    "Did you see something again? Why has your mental contamination worsened?"


    "I identally caught a glimpse," Charles confessed. "The ind seemed like a limb of something muchrger."


    "As a captain, don''t you know the rules of the Subterranean Sea? Let your gaze wander around some more, and you will be dead soon!" Laesto''s voice dripped with disdain as he handed over a cup of bubbling ck liquid.


    Receiving the cup, Charles tilted his head back and downed the contents. A metallic taste instantly filled his mouth, but it was effective in slightly alleviating the symptoms in his head.


    With his mental state a little better, Charles wasn''t in a rush to rest any longer. He ced the metal cup on the wooden table beside and said to Laesto, "Can you get the First Mate toe over? I have some questions for him."


    There were various pieces of evidence that pointed to a strange and unsettling fact: Bandages seemed familiar with this ominous ce.


    Not only did he know where the exit was, but he even knew how to deal with the Torments. Moreover, he had immunity against thebyrinth and could prevent himself from being drawn into the walls.


    But then, an illogical contradiction presented itself. If Bandages knew that the ce was dangerous, why hadn''t he warned everyone beforehand?


    If his intention was to send everyone to the ind to trap them, why had he gone through such great pains to rescue them, then?


    Silently, Bandages soon appeared at the doorway. In response to Charles'' questions, Bandages shook his head and slowly answered, "I... I don''t know... I think I''ve been here before...And even stayed for a long time inside...Only when I saw you all trapped in the walls... then I remembered..."


    "Can you remember how you didn¡¯t get pulled into the walls? And there''s something else I find strange. It happened as well back on the first ind. Those creatures that devour memories had you in their grasp. Why did they let you go?"


    This time, Bandages finally had an answer. He unwound the bandages from his back to reveal aplex tattoo of dark purple text arranged in a twisting, arcane pattern on top of his other ink-nk tattoos.


    The characters seemed to writhe and pulsate as if they were alive. Charles felt dizziness washing over him despite only staring at the strange tattoo for a brief moment


    "I think...it''s this that protected me...Don''t ask me... where it''s from... I don''t remember..."


    Charles had no intention of probing further as well. Bandages probably wouldn''t have any answers and would only say that he couldn¡¯t remember.


    <i>"Say, would the other tattoos on him hold any other clues?" </i>Richard wondered.


    Charles'' gaze returned to the ck tattoos that covered Bandages'' entire body.

 Chapter 88. Anna

    <h4>Chapter 88. Anna</h4>


    Charles propped himself up on the bed and instructed Bandages to unravel all the bandages wrapped around his body. As the wrappings fell away, a chaotic maze of tattoos revealed itself. Charles leaned in and studied the text in detail.


    "Help! I''m stuck in this body, and I can''t get out. A demon has taken my ce! Don''t believe a single word he says!"


    Just reading the first line of text was enough to send a chill down Charles'' spine, and a plethora of thoughts crossed his mind. He stole a nce at Bandages, who remained silent. Charles kept quiet and continued reading.


    "Don''t believe Ginny! She''s not your daughter!"


    "Don''t search for anything, your current life is the dream you have been living out.¡±


    "Your name''s Freud. You have it all now¡ªwomen, money, honor. You are lucky! Don''t think of anything else!"


    "Never go out to the seas. There''re no answers there."


    "Remember, your life''s goal is to kill Sika! It killed my wife Ginny!"


    "Find the ck Crystal. It''s poisonous. Eat it and see if it has any use."


    "I am tired, I want to offer everything to the almighty and all-knowing Fhtagn god."


    "Find the light of the sea! It''s behind our curse!¡±


    The tattoos were contradictory ramblings and nonsense scattered all over Bandages'' body. Charles couldn''t find a thread of relevance between each line of text. Useful information was sparse.


    Apart from knowing that Bandages'' original name was Freud, Charles only faced arge number of nouns, and he had no idea what to make out of them.


    "I''ve looked at them... but they''re useless... I don''t remember... when I got them..." Bandage murmured.


    Charles let out a sigh. Indeed. If these tattoos had useful information, Bandages wouldn''t have been in his current state.


    "Hmm? What''s this?" Charles''s finger reached toward a raised bulge on Bandage''s skin.


    "Don''t... Don''t touch it!" Bandages swiftly halted Charles. He seemed to be really sensitive over that swollen piece of skin. "I also... don''t... know why, but... I... feel... it''s... important... to me."


    Hearing Bandages'' exnation, Charles withdrew his hand.


    "Alright, you may leave. If you remember anything, let me know," Charles instructed.


    No matter what was Bandages'' previous identity, his only role now was the First Mate of the Narwhale.


    Charles pulled out his diary and drew a bold cross over the coordinates of the ind that they had just escaped from.


    Regardless of whether that ind was indeed an extension of that writhing mass in the water, it yielded nothing of value. It was certainly not an ind that "King" had used as his resupply point.


    Charles'' pen hovered across the remaining ind. Excluding the three inds that Kord was exploring, there were only a few left within their steamship''s range.


    As long as they could find a resupply point, they could venture further to explore the distant inds.


    ***


    "Father! Why did you intercept my telegrams?! No wonder Mr. Charles had never responded to me. He never received them!"


    Dressed in an exquisite white gown, Margaret was fiercely questioning her father, Daniel, who sat behind a long wooden table. The Governor of the Isle of Whereto was usually fearless, but he could feel his head pounding from his daughter''s outburst. His lips pursed as he attempted to calm her.


    "Do we really have to talk about this during your birthday banquet? Everyone is waiting for you. Why don''t you join your friends now? We¡¯ll discuss this tomorrow."


    "No!" Margaret was firm about getting to the end of the issue. "This is way more important than any birthday party! You''ve surely read those telegrams that I sent, haven''t you?"


    "Sweetheart, I''m doing this for your own good. I cannot allow you to put yourself in danger once again." Daniel''s voice wasced with concern and frustration.


    "How can you do this?! Mr. Charles is my friend! He''s not dangerous!" Margaret''s cheeks were flushed with anger.


    Daniel''s forehead bulged with veins, and his daughter''s actions tipped his rage over the edge. He brought down his left fist on the long table, splitting the solid wood into two halves. His roar filled the room, reaching even the ears of the guards standing outside the room.


    "Enough! I''ve told you that you are forbidden from keeping in touch with him! Both of you are from different worlds! If you continue such actions, don''t me me for sending someone to end that greedy lunatic!"


    Margaret was struck speechless by Daniel''s words, standing frozen in shock for a brief three seconds before tears began to flow down her pale face. She bit her lips tightly and dashed out of the room, but not before hurling her words back at him with a mixture of anger and sorrow.


    "Father! I hate you!!"


    Watching his daughter''s retreating figure, Daniel was left in the room, quaking in fear. He looked around, and his gaze finallynded on a bronze statue nearby. His hand reached out and grabbed the statue. The cold metal twisted and crumbled in his grip, but it did nothing much to quell the fury in him.


    Meanwhile, Margaret had run to the cold and deserted garden. She threw herself onto a bench and sumbed to her tears as she wept uncontrobly.


    A woman slowly approached her. She was Margaret''s mother, Kalytha. She knew all too well the fiery tempers of both her husband and daughter and had anticipated this oue. Dressed in an elegant evening gown, she sat next to her daughter.


    "Your father is like that," Kalytha gently consoled Margaret. "Wait until he has calmed down and talk to him nicely once more. We''re all family, after all. There''s no need to make things so ugly between us."


    "I hate him," Margaret muttered as she sorrowfully plucked petals from a flower in her hand.


    "Darling, it''s your birthday today. Come back and cut the cake. Everyone''s waiting for you," Kalytha coaxed.


    "Mother, I don''t want to go. Just leave me alone for a while," Margaret said and turned her head away in a clear demonstration of her obstinacy.


    "Is this Charles really that important to you?" Kalytha asked.


    The mention of Charles'' name brought a flush on Margaret''s cheeks, and she lowered her head. "No... I just want to thank him once more. If he hadn''t helped me, I could have failed to make it back."


    Observing her daughter''s behavior, Kalytha shook her head in a mixture of understanding and helplessness. Having been young once herself, she couldn''t fail to recognize the signs of her daughter''s blossoming affection for the man.


    "My darling, I know what you might be thinking. But you know as well. He''s an Explorer, a ship''s captain. You two are notpatible."


    "So what if he''s an Explorer? Our ancestors were explorers, too! Without them exploring the sea, there would have been no Whereto!" Margaret retorted in defiance.


    Kalytha let out a sigh as she exined, "You don''t get what I mean. You know how dangerous that life might be. Do you want to be a widow at such a young age? Like Anna?"Before Margaret could protest, a soft cough sounded from behind them.


    Both Margaret and Kalytha turned to see a stunning woman standing behind them, wearing a ck hat that was ented by a veil.


    The woman''s high-slit, low-cut ck silk gown clung to her body and emphasized her graceful curves. Her exquisite beauty radiated an entrancing charm that was impossible to ignore.


    Kalytha''s face flushed with embarrassment. Talking bad behind someone''s back only to have them overhear was awkward.


    She hurriedly stood up and said, "Miss Anna. I didn''t mean what I said in that way. I was only trying tofort my daughter."


    "Lady Kalytha, I understand, and I''m not angry. Why don''t you let me speak to Miss Margaret instead? We are of a simr age and might find moremon ground."


    Seeing her daughter still lost in her sullen mood, Kalytha gave a gentle nod and turned to leave. Perhaps her daughter needed to hear this woman''s firsthand ount of the grief and pain that came with losing a husband.


    The garden grew quiet again as Kalytha''s footsteps faded into the distance.


    Meanwhile, Anna gracefully sat next to Margaret.

 Chapter 89. Prosthetic Arm

    <h4>Chapter 89. Prosthetic Arm</h4>


    "Don''t worry, I won''t try to persuade you to give up as your parents did. Can you tell me more about this Charles you speak of? How did you two meet?"


    Margaret initially had no intention of revealing anything. However, her bottled-up emotions eventually burst forth, and the moment she started talking, she found herself unable to stop.


    She recounted everything about her rtionship with Charles, and her face alternated between glowing with happiness and darkening with sadness as she spoke.


    However, she was too absorbed in her memories to notice the cold glint in Anna''s ck eyes.


    After a while, Margaret finally stopped.


    She smiled at Anna seated next to her and said, "Thank you for listening, Anna. I feel much better after sharing my story with you. By the way, have they found your missing husband?"


    Anna turned her head to the side as a hint of feigned sadness surfaced on her visage. "It''s been so long, and he''s still not back. I guess they probably can''t find him. <i>Sigh...</i>"


    Seeing Anna''s sorrowful expression, Margaret quickly reached out to support her shoulders. In an apologetic tone, she said, "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to touch a sore spot."


    Anna shook her head and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Seemingly suppressing inner pain, her voice cracked as she replied, "It''s alright, I''ve gotten used to it."


    Under the hem of Anna''s ck dress, two ck tentacle-like appendages slowly extended and crawled toward the white hem of Margaret''s dress.


    "Anna, can you tell me what it feels like to have a loved one leave you? Does it hurt a lot?"


    The tentacles underneath the wooden bench halted as Anna silently observed the innocent young girl before her.


    Anna suddenly looked up and peered into the darkness. "It''s hard to describe... It feels like an ufortable ache in your heart. Are you sure you really like him? Or is it just gratitude for him saving you?"


    Uncertainty appeared on Margaret''s countenance as her features twisted into a frown. Fiddling with thece of her dress with her pale fingers, she truthfully answered, "I don''t know if I really like Mr. Charles. I just want to see him again... I want to see him again very, very much. Anna, you understand how I feel, right?"


    A momentary struggle shed across Anna''s eyes.


    Margaret was oblivious to it and continued musing aloud. "Once Ie of age, Father will grant me arge estate and other assets. Maybe I can give all of them to Mr. Charles so he doesn''t have to risk his life at sea anymore."


    Anna''s lips curled up into a faint smile upon hearing the girl''s proposition.


    "You could write him a letter first and see if he agrees to it. Perhaps he would be agreeable and happilye to Whereto," Anna suggested.


    Margaret''s eyebrows lifted in hope but quickly fell again. "That won''t do... My father won''t allow me to contact Mr. Charles."


    "No worries, you can give the letter to me, and I''ll deliver it for you. Mr. Pitt has been unwelltely, and I have been helping him to handle some of his work. There''s a shipment heading to the Coral Archipgo soon."


    Margaret''s beautiful face froze for a second before she excitedly embraced Anna. "Anna, that''s so kind of you! I have so many things to say to Mr. Charles. And I also want to send him a recent photo of myself and..."


    Anna''s slender arms wrapped around the young girl and gently patted her on the back. The tentacles that had slowly crept out from beneath the dark folds of her gown retreated unseen.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Charles sat atop the anchor machine on the deck of the ship as he silently watched the navigation buoys slowly drift backward on the water''s surface.


    Even though it remained pitch ck ahead, he could sense a slight change in the aroma of the air. Thending of a fly on the deck was the telltale sign: they were nearing the Coral Archipgo.


    Suddenly, the remnant of his severed limb twitched of its own volition as Richard''s voice sounded in his head.


    <i>"Say, should we get a pet falcon after we return?"</i>


    <i>"Stop fooling around. Losing an arm will greatly reduce our strength. We need to find a way to get our arm back."</i>


    <i>"What can we do when our arm is already severed? The severed part is still on the ind. What, do we wait for the ind to reemerge and then go in to retrieve it?"</i>


    <i>"Of course not. I mean to find a way to rece it."</i>


    Their mental conversation was suddenly interrupted by Laesto''s angry shouts from the crew cabin. Apparently, someone had been pilfering the doctor''s liquor.


    Charles rose to his feet and headed toward the cabin door. A n had hatched in his head. Laesto happened to have the thing he needed.


    "What? You are asking about my prosthetic arm? You want one too?" Laesto scoffed.


    Charles nodded. "It seems to work well for you."


    Laesto unfurled the metallic fingers of his prosthetic hand and then gripped the air before nodding in agreement. "Indeed, it works marvelously, but the price is steep. Can you afford it?"


    "How much is it?"


    "Three million, just for this hand alone."


    Charles''s eyes widened in disbelief. He hadn''t anticipated a prosthetic limb to be this expensive. He had procured Narwhale, the current ship they were on, for just three and a half million! Yet, the small item he was enquiring about nearly cost as much as a vessel.


    Meanwhile, Richard was pondering over something else.


    <i>"Yooo~ this old man is dressed in tattered rags, but he''s actually richer than us! Quite a shady one, ain''t he?"</i>


    "Three million is worth every echo. This is no ordinary prosthetic. I heard that they had cast some enchantments on it," Laesto exined and popped the shell off his metallic arm to reveal the intricate interlocking gears of various sizes beneath.


    Each gear meshed together perfectly, and as Laesto unclenched and clenched his fist, they produced a symphony of clicks and whirls while spinning at various speeds.


    With his keen sight, Charles could make out faint purple inscriptions that glowed as the gears turned.


    "I don''t know how they managed to achieve this. But aside from theck of sensation, it works just like a real hand. If you need, they can even add some additional functions to it."


    Charles'' heart wavered. If he had this prosthetic, a missing arm would no longer be a hindrance.


    "After we return to the port, help me contact them. If possible, I''ll need one installed," Charles instructed.


    Laesto nodded and replied, "It''s possible as long as you have the money. They usually operate in the Western Sea, but I believe they have a contact point on the Coral Archipgo."


    "Have them do it quick, I''m short on time."


    "Short on time? How long do you n to rest once we return?"


    "I''m not sure. It depends on Kord''s situation. If they are already back, we''ll exchange information and set sail immediately after."


    "You should stay onnd longer if you wish to survive. You''re lucky to be only losing a limb this time. Your carelessness next time might cost you your life."


    Just then, a jubnt cheer erupted from the deck. Charles and Laesto stepped out onto the deck together.


    The beam of light from the Coral Archipgo''s lighthouse gently swept over the Narwhale, casting a glow over the dark void above them. Once again, they had made it back alive.

 Chapter 90. A Letter

    <h4>Chapter 90. A Letter</h4>


    The same sight weed them at the harbor area of Coral Archipgo¡ªa bustling chaos. After parting ways with the rest of the crew, Charles and Lily made their way to their usual ce of lodging, the Bat Tavern.


    Even though Charles had umted enough money to buy a house in the harbor district, he always felt that he wouldn''t be staying in this Subterranean Sea for long. As such, squandering money on something permanent¡ªlike a house¡ªwas not necessary in his eyes.


    Upon stepping into the tavern, Charles immediately noticed something amiss. The usual scruffy fellow behind the reception desk was gone. He had been reced by a middle-aged man whose appearance seemed entirely out of ce with the surroundings.


    Wearing a neatly pressed white shirt,plemented by a ck overvest, and with a meticulously groomed haircut, the man did not at all appear like someone who would be working in the harbor district.


    "Mr. Charles, did the Bat Tavern have a change of ownership?" Perched on Charles'' shoulder, Lily regarded the new face with curiosity.


    Charles pondered briefly before approaching the man. "I''m staying for a month this time. Room 303 on the third floor. And bring two servings of food to my room."


    "Certainly, sir. Your room has already been prepared for you."


    As Charles was on the verge of handing over a pile of Echo bills, the man gestured with a wave of his hands, indicating that it wasn''t necessary. With a respectful smile, the man exined, "Mr. Charles, you don''t have to pay. The tavern belongs to you now."


    "It belongs to me?" Charles asked as he studied the face of the man before him but was unable to draw any useful information. "Who are you? Who sent you?"


    "My boss has left a letter for you in your room. All will be clear once you''ve read it."


    epting the keys from the man, Charles headed to his usual room with a look of confusion. He unlocked the door and realized that the interior had changedpletely.


    The peeling walls had been re-stered and adorned with ssical carvings and wallpaper. The old furniture had also been reced with new, vintage-style pieces. Thick pure wool carpets covered the floors while artistic paintings adorned the walls.


    Charles found everything to be extremely unfamiliar. The most startling change in the room was the addition of a firece. Not only did the burning fire illuminate the entire room, but it also drove away the room''s damp chill.


    Charles exited the room to take a double look at the door number. He hadn''t entered the wrong room; this was indeed the room that he had been staying in all along. However, the current d¨¦cor and furnishings made him feel as though he had entered a Governor''s room.


    "Woah!!" An excited Lily jumped off Charles'' shoulder and crawled onto the bed. Rolling about on the bed, she eximed, "Mr. Charles,e join me! This bed is so soft andfortable!"


    Charles ignored Lily''s thrilled cries. He recalled the man''s words earlier, and his gaze fell on the table. A square envelopey right smack in the center of the desk.


    Who would write me a letter in this ce?


    A faint silhouette entered Charles'' mind, and his heart raced. He rushed forward and tore the envelope open. A folded drawing fell out. It was a portrait of Anna making a silly expression.


    Charles stared at the drawing for a few seconds before flipping it over. As expected, he found Chinese characters written on the back.


    Gao Zhiming, have you managed to find the exit? Any clues yet? I''ve some happy news for you. I''ve gotten married. But don''t worry; I didn''t cheat on you. That man is rather delicious.


    I dropped by recently because I have matters to attend to. It''s clear how rugged you men must be to endure staying in such a room. I took the liberty of cleaning up a bit. No need to thank me, and don''t read too much into it; it doesn''t mean anything.


    Charles read the message several times over. Time stretched for a long while before he finally ced the drawing down. His thoughts were chaotic. Why did Anna do all of this?


    "Tie up the guy downstairs, and we might get a clue on Anna¡¯s whereabouts. Are we going to go find her?"


    Richard was unusually serious for once and didn''t make his usual sarcastic remarks.


    "You want to go?"


    "Hey, don''t try to put this on me. You surely echo my thoughts. You want to find her, yet you don''t want to."


    "So what if we find her? Don''t forget what she is. If she sticks around us, can you endure watching her eat humans daily?"


    "Hey, you''re Gao Zhiming. I''m Gao Zhiming, too. If you can ept it, I certainly can as well."


    Charles let out a sigh as his brows furrowed slightly. He ced the drawing on the desk and sank slowly into the soft leather couch near the firece.


    He subconsciously rubbed his temples with his right hand. The soft leather sofa and the warmth from the firece could ease his physical fatigue, but they did nothing to alleviate the turmoil in his heart.


    Anna lingered in his memories as his childhood sweetheart. Despite understanding that those cherished recollections were nothing but fabrications, he still regarded them with great value.


    Yet, even the profound connection they shared could not negate the horrifying truth: Anna was a human-eating monster.


    Charles stared at the flickering mes in the firece for a while before he finally spoke, "Since the Subterranean Sea doesn''t conform to usual logic, do you think there might be a way¡ª"


    Richard immediately cut him off.


    ¡°A way to turn Anna into a human being? Bro, that idea is surely wild. Let''s not even consider whether that tentacle monster will consent to the idea. If we change our goal to helping it, what bes of our search for the exit home? What''s more important, the girl or going home?"


    Charles fell into silence. Just as his mind was in a war of emotion and reason, a small box on the ground caught his attention. There seemed to be something within. He bent down and pieced the two halves together.


    Sender: Margaret Jane Cavendish


    Recipient: Mr. Charles


    Margaret? Charles was reminded of the innocent young girl who was as timid as a rabbit. Charles nced at Anna''s silly expression on the table and back at the torn letter in his hand. Doubt appeared on his face.


    Since Anna has torn this letter apart, why did she throw it here for me to find it?


    After a moment of contemtion, Charles put the two halves of the letter together and gripped one end with his teeth.


    With a forceful pull of his right hand, he tore the damaged letter into four pieces.


    With a resolute flick of his wrist, he cast the fragments into the trash bin before making his way towards the washroom.


    Remembering how Margaret had secretly provided food for the ves, Charles recognized her innate kindness.


    However, no matter what she had written in the letter, he was determined to avoid any further involvement with her.


    His life in this world was already fraught withplex rtionships, and he had no desire to add another one to the mix.


    Charles'' mundane life on the ind was short-lived. Just half a month after he had resumed his painting hobby to purify his mind from the sea''s corruption, he spotted the weather-beaten exploration vessel of the Divine Light Order arriving at the harbor.


    Inside Room 303 of the Bat Tavern.


    "How did it go? Did you manage to find a resupply ind?" Charles questioned Kord, who sat opposite him with an extremely dark expression.


    Charles didn''t bother to ask Kord about finding the stairway to the Land of Light. Knowing Kord''s fanatical devotion to the Sun God, Charles knew that his expression would have been entirely different if he had truly discovered the ind.

 Chapter 91. Kords Return

    <h4>Chapter 91. Kord''s Return</h4>


    With dark circles under his eyes, Kord shook his head vigorously andmented, "No...They were all dead inds. I lost many of my men; what about you?"


    Charles lifted his empty left sleeve in response. "The ind I explored wasn''t a resupply point either."


    Exasperated, Kord''s gaze shifted back to the nautical chart spread across the table. "Then, we are only left with these few inds. One of them surely houses the stairway to the Land of Light or an ind that ''King'' uses to replenish his supplies."


    Standing by the side, Lily hopped on the chart and stomped her tiny feet on the furthest chain of inds. "Mr. Charles, do you think they might have a really, really huge ship, and they don''t need to resupply before reaching these inds?"


    Having a short fuse, Kord shoved Lily aside. "What would a mouse know? That''s impossible."


    He pointed at two inds that were far apart from each other.


    "Look at the distance between these two inds. There''s no existing steamship in our world capable of making such a long voyage. Not even the Royal Titans can travel this far. They must have a resupply point."


    Lily''s fur bristled noticeably in response to the way Kord treated her. After settling Lily''s agitation, Charles passed a pen to Kord. "Enough of this talk. Let''s choose our inds again. Same rules as before; you go first."


    Kord drew crosses over the two inds that he had previously circled before he drew circles over another two new inds. He then returned the pen to Charles.


    "Then what about this ind?" Charles pointed at one of the inds that Kord had circled out in the previous round without a cross.


    "There''s something amiss about that ind. My ship never came back. Let''s leave these tough nuts forter and explore the easier inds first," Kord said.


    Charles thought for a brief moment before he drew another circle on the uncrossed ind.


    Kord was stunned. He hadn''t expected Charles would choose this ind. Then, a smile surfaced on his wrinkled face. "Great, I admire Captain Charles'' courage."


    "Rewards are proportional to the risks involved. Moreover, ces that are more dangerous are often more likely to contain valuable clues."


    "It''s decided then. Set off as soon as possible, and try not to die again."


    With that, Kord stood up, wanting to leave. However, he was stopped by Charles, or rather, Richard.


    "Wait, old man, do you have any more relics? Share some with me."


    The inds they were set to explore would only be increasingly perilous. The more powerful his crew, the better their odds of survival on an ind. If there was a sheep ready for shearing right beside him, why shouldn''t he take advantage of it?


    "I don''t. My crew needs relics, too. If I gave them to you, what would they use?" Kord replied.


    "Then do you Divine Light followers have any other ways to enhance one''s strength apart from using relics?" Richard didn''t really care about the method as long as it could improve their strength.


    A look of hesitation appeared on Kord''s face. Something seemed to be weighing down on his mind.


    Richard leaned in with a yful smile and slung his right hand over Kord''s shoulders.


    "Come on~ You¡¯re still holding back at this point? Don''t forget that we''re all in this together now. Increasing my strength is beneficial for both of us~"


    Kord shook his head. "It''s not because of that. The Divine Light Order does have a way to enhance amon person''s strength. But there''s a prerequisite: they must be a follower of the Sun God.


    ¡±If they undergo the ceremony as a non-believer, they would be consumed by the sacred fire."


    Richard''s persistence remained undeterred. "Is there really no other way?"


    Kord fell into silence for a brief moment before he spoke again. "Your crew are all ordinary people, right? They haven''t used anything else to enhance their strength, have they?"


    "No," Richard confirmed.


    "Alright, I remember having something on hand that might be useful to you and your crew. I''ll bring it over to you."


    A smug smile appeared on Richard''s visage as he pridefully gloated to Charles in his head. <i>"See that, bro? I know how to shear the sheep, don''t I? If you don''t take advantage of a situation, you''re a loser~"</i>


    Before long, Charles caught sight of what Kord had fetched¡ªa collection of bottles, each containing something that looked like a squirming egg yolk.


    "Our order managed to bid this at the Sottom Auctions. Eating it would enhance an ordinary human''s constitution. I lied that a cargo ship had gone missing and kept these for myself. My original n was to sell them to get funding for future explorations. They are yours now."


    "Are there any side effects?" Charles was slightly wary.


    "They are not relics, so why would there be any side effects? If you don''t believe me, you can ask around. Many seafarers have consumed this before."


    Grabbing the great opportunity, Charles immediately instructed the mice to gather the Narwhale''s crew. Each of them consumed the substance in the bottles. Even Lily and her mice managed to get a portion of it.


    "<i>Huff~! Huff huff~</i>" With excitement shining in his eyes, Dipp raised his fists and swung them through the air. A noticeable wind could be felt.


    Besides him, the other crew members tested their enhanced physiques. After experimenting around a few times, Conor turned to Charles with surprise and eximed, "Captain, this stuff really works! You should try it out, too."


    Charles clenched his fist and struck the air.


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    The sound generated from Charles'' punch was different from the others. When he swung his fist, faint afterimages trailed before. Charles could even feel a slight heat gathering at his knuckles.


    With the physical enhancements from 096 and the empowerment from the substance Kord gave, the overall strength of the Narwhale had risen by another level.


    "Not bad. Merely hitting the Level 3 bar," Kord judged from the side.


    "What determines the battle levels of a warship''s crew?" Charles asked.


    "It''s not determined by anything specific. Rather, it''s just a general standard among the various warships in the Subterranean Sea. If you want to advance in level, the fastest way is to kill someone of a higher level."


    "What''s the level of Sottom''s ''King''?" Charles questioned immediately as the image of the corpulent figure emerged in his mind. He was the most powerful enemy Charles had faced to date.


    Kord shook his head. "Hard to say. Under normal circumstances, his physical strength is at Level 4. However, he attained his status as ''King'' by relying on other things."


    <i>Other things? Could it be referring to that little girl or his seeming immortality? If ''King''s'' physical ability is ssified as Level 4, and I''ve defeated him once, does that ce me at Level 4 as well? </i>Charles wondered to himself.


    The warship power ranking had intrigued Charles. Previously, he had only been concerned about exploration ships and hadn''t paid much attention to the warship hierarchical system in the Subterranean Sea.


    "Who is the strongest individual at sea now?" Charles asked.


    "Governor Julio of the Cat Ind in the Eastern Seas. His strength is rated to be Level 15. Rumors have been circting that he alone can defeat a fleet of thousands."


    Hearing Kord''s reply, a question emerged in Charles'' mind. He raised it up as well. "If he''s so powerful, why isn''t he exploring the inds?"


    Kord looked at Charles'' question with a strange twinkle in his eyes. "Why would he need to explore? Julio already possesses thergest ind in the Subterranean Sea. Why would he court death? Besides, in terms of ind exploration, he might be of a lower level than you and me."


    Charles'' thoughts quickly shed to the different inds he had explored.


    Indeed, as per Kord''s words, physical strength was merely a rtive advantage when measured against other humans.


    In the face of the sea''s enigmatic and bizarre creatures, mere physical power might not confer much of an edge.


    "Don''t concern yourself with those misguided fools. They are all ignorant mortals, driven by their desires like lowly creatures despite the meager strength they possess. Only by finding the Land of Light and stepping into the divine kingdom of the Sun God can we¡ªhumans¡ªattain eternal serenity and bliss," Kord asserted.

 Chapter 92. Teddy Bear

    <h4>Chapter 92. Teddy Bear</h4>


    "Don''t concern yourself with those misguided fools. They are all ignorant mortals, driven by their desires like lowly creatures despite the strength they possess. Only by finding the Land of Light and stepping into the divine kingdom of the Sun God can we¡ªhumans¡ªattain eternal serenity and bliss," Kord asserted.


    For once, Charles found himself nodding in agreement with Kord''s views. Regardless of one''s strength, they were all trapped on these inds that could sink at any given moment. They were only able to tolerate the darkness because they had never seen the light.


    After exchanging information with Charles, Kord immediately left the tavern and ventured into the waters on his ship once more. Watching Kord''s anxious mannerisms, Charles felt like he was seeing a past reflection of himself.


    As his hope of returning home grew closer, his initial urgency had strangely diminished.


    The next morning, Charles opened his eyes to find himself sprawled across an unknown bar once again. Two scantily-d bunny girls were sleeping soundly in his embrace. He shook his somewhat dizzy head and staggered out of the bar.


    "Don''t waste Echo on ces like this. Don''t forget, we still need to fork out three million for our new arm," Charles said to the alter-ego in his mind.


    "It wouldn''t even cost a dent in our pockets to rent out this whole ce. Quit nagging, I''m tired."


    Charles looked around before he headed for the Bat Tavern that belonged to him. He nned to retrieve his sketchpad and continue painting to reduce his mental contamination.


    Upon reaching home, he opened the door to find an unexpected visitor on the couch¡ªDr. Laesto Hermann.


    "How did youe in? I don''t remember having given you the key."


    "Your mouse opened the door."


    Standing on a cushion, Lily nodded vigorously with an expectant gaze, begging to be praised.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Laesto hopped off the couch and limped toward the door. "Follow me. I''ve contacted the prosthetic dealers. They wish to see you."


    Hearing Laesto''s words, Charles immediately ced his sketchpad down. Nobody liked the idea of a missing arm, and he was no exception.


    Following Laesto, the duo boarded a car and headed toward the inner ind.


    The Coral Archipgo was neither too vast nor too small. The car navigated through various alleys and boulevards for over an hour before finally arriving at the bustling heart of the ind.


    The central district was a world apart, a stark contrast to the chaotic harbor area. Here,vish electricmps confidently adorned the avenues. Instead of beggars, lunatics, and roaming street children, one would see polite gentlemen,dies strolling with their dogs, and a continuous flow of personal vehicles.


    Harmonious tunes emanated from the gramophones of upscale stores lining the streets. Out of the corner of his eye, Charles noticed a pair of sky-blue leather shoes showcased behind a shop''s ss pane.


    Sharks ¨C Men high boots: 35,000 Echo


    Dressed in tattered rags, Laesto walked on the streets with the one-armed Charles. Their discordant appearance seemed entirely out of ce. Against the backdrop of the opulent surroundings, they drew attention almost instantly.


    Beep¡ª! Beep¡ª!


    Two authoritativew enforcement officers in their signature ck uniforms strode forward, their whistles piercing the air.


    "Hey, you two! Halt! Those with an unkempt appearance are prohibited from entering the central ind district! Imagine the distress of the elites if they saw you in such a condition!"


    With an alcohol sk in hand, Laesto took a step back and allowed Charles to take the lead. Charles didn''t bother to utter a single word and fished out his Explorer''s credentials instead.


    Recognizing the anchor emblem of the Explorers Association on the badge, the disdain on the officers'' faces immediately turned into apprehension with a hint of fear.


    "I...I''m warning you, don''t cause any trouble here. The high-ranking officials of Governor Nico''s warship reside nearby."


    With that, the two officers turned and left in a hurry. However, their hushed whispers didn''t escape Charles'' keen ears.


    "Why did those madmen from the seae here? Damn it! Why must it have to be when it''s on my watch!"


    "Enough. Get someone to keep an eye on them. We¡¯re dead if they cause trouble!"


    With the minor interlude behind them, Laesto continued forward with Charles in tow. After traversing the bustling streets for close to ten minutes, they eventually stopped in front of an upscale cafe in the heart of the ind.


    As they swung open the cafe door, the vibrant ss chimes tinkled, announcing their arrival in a brightly lit and pristine space. Ignoring the bewildered stares of the well-dressed guests in the ce, Laesto headed straight for the kitchen at the back.


    In the kitchen, the pastry chef was diligently decorating a set of cupcakes and didn''t seem to care about the intruders.


    "Why would the prosthetic dealers choose to meet here of all ces?"


    "Hmph, that''s only one part of their operations. They''re involved in much more than what meets the eye."


    Beyond the humid kitchen was an apparently vacant room. In its midst stood a rocking chair, upon which an elderlydy was engrossed in a newspaper.


    Dressed in a flowery gown and peering through half-framed sses, her appearance was the gentle image of a doting grandmother.


    "Hey, Wulun called us here," Laesto gruffly informed the old woman.


    The old granny eyed Charles'' empty sleeve and nodded in understanding before standing up from the rocking chair. She then slowly made her way to the kitchen.


    "She''s the one making my prosthetic?" Charles whispered.


    Despite hearing Charles''s question, Laesto didn''t turn back. He whipped out his tin sk and took a deep swig before he answered, "No. Wulun of Duskleaf Ind will be making your arm."


    "Duskleaf Ind? The journey from there to the Coral Archipgo will take three months. I can''t wait that long."


    "Impatient as ever. Calm down and just watch. If they have the capability to expand their business across the entire seascape, then they surely have their ways," Laesto said with a smirk.


    At that, Charles remained silent. Curiosity wed at him like a cat. He wondered how they would fit him with a prosthetic without even being present in person.


    The kitchen door opened once more, and the old woman reentered the room with a simple cloth sling bag in hand.


    "Both of you, step back," the old woman instructed with a nearly toothless smile.


    After Charles and Laesto had obediently retreated to stand against the wall, the old woman gently lowered herself to the ground. Delving into her bag with her weathered right hand, she pulled out a thick, ck substance.


    Using it, she started drawing intricate symbols and characters on the floor. The dark, unfamiliar script was tightly packed to culminate a mystic arcane formation of a circle epassing an upside-down triangle.


    A tattered teddy bear was ced at the heart of the circle. Next, the old woman positioned several dark candles around the bear in a peculiar arrangement.


    Then, a chilling, arcane chant emerged from her lips. A hair-tingling eeriness immediately enveloped the entire room.


    The chant started slowly, then steadily picked up speed. With the rising pace, the elderly woman''s voice grew louder and more forceful. Then, suddenly, at its peak, the incantation halted.


    The wavering candlelights simultaneously snuffed out at the same moment as the teddy bear wobbly stood on its feet. Its eyes, fashioned from ck seeds, swiveled and scanned every individual in the room.

 Chapter 93. New Arm

    <h4>Chapter 93. New Arm</h4>


    "Laesto, thanks for referring a new client to me," the teddy bear sounded as it toddled between the now-extinguished candles to stand before Laesto. It gave a nod, its head revealing patches where cotton peeked through, just as Laesto took a sip from his metal sk.


    "Cut the crap and get it done quickly," Laesto replied with visible annoyance. He then limped toward the old woman''s rocking chair and slumped down into it.


    The teddy bear turned its head to Charles. "Young man, can you squat down? How am I supposed to measure you when you''re so much taller than me?"


    Being measured by a stuffed toy was undoubtedly a first for Charles. He had never expected the Arcanists to use their magic in this manner. It now made sense why Laesto had mentioned that this mysterious individual could craft him a prosthetic arm despite not leaving Duskleaf Ind.


    For a start, the teddy bear produced a pair of scissors from within its soft belly and snipped open the empty sleeve of Charles'' left arm. It then took out a measuring tape.


    "I heard you managed to get Laesto onto your ship. How did you manage to do it? He doesn''t seem like the type to easily leave his haunt," the teddy bear chattered away as it measured Charles.


    "You guys are acquaintances?"


    "Of course we are! See those scars on his face? My handiwork. If you want to know anything about him, ask me. I know <i>everything</i> about him."


    <i>Ahem ahem!</i>


    Laesto feigned a cough from his seat.


    Charles cast a fleeting look at Laesto and chose not to continue the dialogue with the teddy bear.


    Several minutester, the teddy bear was done with his measurements. Putting the measuring tape back into its stomach, it looked at Charles once more and asked, "Since you are the captain of an exploration vessel, do you need any weapon augmentations for your prosthetic?"


    The teddy bear''s words sparked a memory in Charles of Laesto''s prosthetic hand, which housed a unique surgical tool in each finger.


    "Withoutpromising dexterity, what can be added?"


    "Oh, so many things¡ªfirearms, poison gas, a universal lock picker. Name it, and I''ll probably have it. Of course, modificationse at an extra charge. Just make sure you have enough Echo."


    After briefly understanding the cost of the variousponents that could be added, Charles eventually decided to incorporate a chainsaw and a grappling hook into his prosthetic. They weremon elements but yet most suited for his current needs.


    Charles had considered the other options as well, however, the hefty price tag deterred him. The arm itself, without any modifications, already cost three million, stretching his five million Echo savings thin.


    If he were to splurge on his arm, he might not even have enough to procure fuel for the Narwhale''s next expedition.


    The teddy bear epted the check from Charles with its fraying paw. It carefully counted the number of zeroes on the check multiple times before it tucked the piece of paper away into its stomach.


    "Great, your prosthetic will be delivered soon."


    "How long will it take?" Charles asked.


    "I have gotten your measurements, and I happen to have a left arm in stock. I''ll make some adjustments and have it sent to you right away. Laesto told me about you. Since you are his friend, you are considered my friend, too. I definitely have to do the best for a friend."


    With that, the teddy bear then slumped over andy motionless on the floor.


    The elderly woman approached and ced the now-lifeless teddy bear into the bag. She then proceeded to scrub the arcane array off the floor using a short-handled mop made of tattered cloth.


    After ensuring no trace of the previous array remained, the old woman began drawing a new array. This new array seemed even more detailed than its predecessor and spanned a noticeablyrger area. She then ced a small, unassuming box in the middle of the array.


    Remembering the teddy bear''s earlierments, Charles steadied himself and waited with quiet anticipation. Given the recent events, he had formed a rough guess about the method of his prosthetic''s delivery.


    A chant, harmonious yet distinct from the previous one, reverberated throughout the room. The arcane array shimmered with a soft radiance, and its designs writhed as if infused with a life of their own.


    When the elderly woman was done with her chanting, the anomalies within the room faded as though they had never happened. She opened the box, retrieved the silver arm within and walked toward Charles.


    Much like how many young boys were inexplicably drawn to toy guns, Charles fell in love with the prosthetic limb the moment heid his eyes on it.


    Unlike Laesto''s prosthetic, this onecked a metallic casing. Delicate gears of varying sizes and pistons were exposed to the air, and they glistened with a silvery sheen. It radiated a distinct steampunk charm. The arm''s tip was adorned with several hollow, threaded metallic spikes.


    "Extend your arm. Why are you standing there in a daze? This thing''s heavy," the elderly woman grumbled.


    "Bear with it," Laesto warned out of a sudden and looked up from the rocking chair.


    Taking a deep breath, Charles positioned the remnants of his arm against the prosthetic. Almost immediately, the metal spikes began to spin, embedding themselves into his flesh as though driven by their own desire. A sharp, piercing pain surged through him, making him shudder uncontrobly.


    Once the prosthetic ceased its movement, droplets of sweat glistened on Charles'' brow. He attempted to raise his new left arm, but the metallic hand stayed still.


    "Young man, what''s the hurry? There''s something still missing," the elderly woman chided as she calmly took out two ss jars from her bag. A swirling, blueish smoke could be seen in both jars.


    Seeing the confusion on Charles'' visage, the old woman grinned mischievously and gently shook one of the jars. The blueish smoke morphed to reveal what seemed like a screaming, ghostly face.


    "Hehe, ever seen a human''s soul? This is to link your soul to the arm."


    With a soft pop, the jar''s lid was released, and the azure mist swiftly drifted into the prosthetic. As the mist fully melded with the metallic limb, the inner gears sprung into action. The engravings on them emitted a gentle purple luminescence, and Charles regained sensation in his left arm.


    He flexed and clenched his new hand; the prosthetic responded in perfect sync with his thoughts.


    The elderly woman handed a small booklet to Charles like a grandmother offering candy to a child.


    With an amicable demeanor, she said, "Here you go. This is the manual. Remember to lubricate it with whale oil as instructed. If you have any issues with the hand,e see me. I''ll help you get it sent back for repairs."


    Charles took the booklet, and his eyes briefly nced toward the empty ss jar she had been holding earlier. His expression was a mixture of gratitude and unease. With Laesto, who had risen from his seat, they walked to the exit.


    On the bustling streets of the harbor district, Charles began testing the capabilities of his new left hand.


    <i>ng!</i>


    A jagged chain-saw de shot out from Charles¡¯ wrist. The de began to spin rapidly with a mere thought from him. He could tell from its astonishing speed that its cutting power might even surpass that of the Dark de.


    <i>Click, click, click¡ª</i>


    Charles'' left palm whirred open, and a grappling hook tethered to a chain sprung forth and embedded itself into a chimney of a building across the street.


    With a thought, the gears inside his prosthetic whirred, and the chain retracted, drawing Charles toward the rooftop.


    With such a tool at his disposal, he could now move with ease, even if he ended up in ces devoid of support or grip.


    However, that wasn''t what surprised Charles the most. It was the remarkable agility of the prosthetic that truly astounded Charles. With seamless movements, he manipted the Dark de between his mechanical fingers, leaving behind a cascade of shimmering afterimages.


    Indeed, this prosthetic was worthy of three million Echo; it was even more nimble than his original hand.

 Chapter 94. Lilys Cooking

    <h4>Chapter 94. Lily''s Cooking</h4>


    Laesto cast a fleeting nce at Charles, who was trying to get ustomed to his new hand. He cautioned in a deep voice. "Don''t be too impressed by that thing. As a doctor, I must remind you that a new body part is never quite as good as the original."


    Charles ced his prosthetic hand down and pondered over Laesto''s words for a brief moment before he asked, "This doesn''t seem to be purely mechanical, is it?"


    "Hmph. That kid went to great lengths to modify his entire body into a machine. He dares to mingle with all sorts of people. You''d better keep a distance from him. We know each other, but that doesn''t mean we''re close."


    Just when Charles wanted to respond, Richard wielded control.


    "Souls were incorporated into creating these prosthetics. Could it imply that these magic users have acquired knowledge of the soul dimension?"


    "Most of those that dabble in the arcane arts are based in the Western Seas. I''m not too sure. Why do you ask?" Laesto asked in a slightly defensive tone.


    Charles echoed the same sentiments. "Yeah, why are you asking about that?"


    "Bro! It''s magic, yo! It''s such an interesting novelty. Shouldn''t we try it out?" Richard eximed with a hint of mischief in his eyes.


    Laesto shook his head. "You can forget about that. They are extremely insr and only teach those within their own ns. And magic isn''t as useful as you think it might be. If it were so useful, they would have conquered all the seas by now instead of barely surviving on a handful of inds."


    "I see, what a pity. I thought I could pick up a new skill," Richardmented and retreated back into the depths of Charles'' mind.


    Just then, Charles'' expression suddenly twisted in anguish as he clutched his head and froze to the spot. His odd behavior drew the attention of the nearby onlookers. Laesto ced his tin sk down and did a quick examination. He then chose to stand by and did nothing.


    Several minutester, the ringing in Charles'' ears faded. With his face a shade paler, he turned and looked at the old man standing to the side.


    "You have to try enduring those hallucinatory whispers. Come and find me again if you start seeing hallucinations. Same advice: stay onnd if you don''t wish to suffer."


    Charles ced his hand down. Without uttering a word, he continued toward the Bat Tavern.


    Creak~


    The door of Room 303 was pushed open. The moment Charles entered the room, he saw that the table wasden with dishes that couldn''t be described in words. Lily scuttled between the dishes.


    "Mr. Charles, you''re back! Woah! You''ve got a new arm!" The white mouse, Lily, excitedly scampered up his pants.


    "Where did you get these from?" Charles plucked her from his pants and pointed at the table.


    Perched on Charles'' palm, Lily raised her chin confidently and answered, "I cooked them. Try it, they''re delicious!"


    Charles'' stomach churned at the sight of mice darting between the dishes. However, staring into Lily''s expectant gaze, he couldn''t bear to turn her down and approached the table spread.


    "Why did you decide to cook for me out of the blue?" Charles asked.


    "Mommy was at home today and taught the other me how to cook. Mommy said that ady should be adept in the culinary arts. I hid by the side but still managed to pick up a few tricks. Quick, try this! It''s my mommy''s signature sweet fish soup."


    Lily then hopped energetically off Charles'' hand onto the table. She crouched beside a bowl of soup, her tail wriggling with excitement as she looked at Charles with a tinge of anticipation in her eyes.


    Charles briefly nced at the white mouse before scooping a spoonful of soup and tasting it. Instantly, an overpowering sweetness burst forth his mouth. It felt as though the broth was made from melted sugar without even a single drop of water added.


    "How much sugar did you put in this?" Charles asked after he struggled and swallowed the overly sweet concoction. He then ced the spoon down.


    "Does it taste bad? But Jumpy and the others said it was delicious." Lily''s small ears dropped in disappointment.


    Feeling sorry for Lily, Charles picked up the fork and knife after a moment''s contemtion. He then sliced a dark piece of meat on the te next to the soup. After chewing on it a few times, Charlesmented, "The fish soup is a miss, but this meat is pretty good."


    "Really? That''s great! I made that, too!" Lily''s ears perked up immediately at the positivement, and she bounced joyfully around the table.


    Just then, Richard started talking in Charles'' head. "Quickly spit it out! If you want to kill yourself from ingesting charcoal, don''t drag me down with you!"


    "Shut up." With resolute determination, Charles swallowed the food in his mouth and continued cutting away at the meat.


    "Mr. Charles, will you leave me one day?" Lily asked out of a sudden, taking Charles by surprise.


    "Why do you ask?"


    "I just feel that Mr. Charles doesn''t seem to like this ce. It seems like you are always ready to leave at any time." The white mouse sprawled on the table, her tiny paws supporting her chin in a human-like gesture of contemtion.


    "Maybe. But you can''t follow me forever, either. You have to return home someday."


    "But I''m a mouse now. My family doesn''t want me. Mr. Charles, can''t you stay?" Lily leaned closer and cuddled up against Charles'' hand.


    Charles ced his fork and knife down. He gently stroked the fur on Lily''s head as a hint of tenderness appeared in his gaze. Lily was more than just a crew member. In the span of a few months, their bond had deepened, akin to two solitary souls finding familialfort in each other''spany.


    "I do n to leave this ce. However, if you are willing, I can take you with me to my world. It''s a huge ce; a mouse won''t take up too much space."


    "Mr. Charles, where are you going? What is that ce like?"


    "It''s my home. There is so much food there beyond your wildest imagination. Just a few taps of your finger, the food will be sent to your house. And there are many things to see, do and y..."


    As Charles recounted the incredible things of his world, Lily''s eyes sparkled,pletely absorbed in his tales.


    The Narwhale''s respite was brief this time around. As soon as Charles gotpletely ustomed to his new prosthetic, he eagerly informed the crew to gather at the dock to replenish their supplies and prepare to set sail.


    Inhaling the breeze that smelled of the sea, Charles'' spirit stirred alive. He only felt truly alive when he was on his ship and making progress.


    "Captain, is your hand working well?" Dipp asked as he stared at Charles'' prosthetic limb with an intriguing expression.


    Charles pointed at the ropes nearby and instructed, "Focus and don¡¯t think of other things while you are working. Get the sailors to promptly rece these worn-out ropes."


    With that, Charles turned and headed for the captain''s quarters. Flipping open his diary, the tip of his fountain pen glided smoothly over the parchment, leaving a trial of Chinese characters in its path.


    February 24, 9th Year of Crossing Over


    The new arm worked better than my expectations. I''m d that my strength hasn''t diminished with the loss of an arm.


    The Narwhale has set sail once more. Our current course is set for another ind on that ind chain.


    Kord''s men ventured to that very ind but never returned. The risks are undoubtedly high. Considering the limited number of inds left that are essible via a steamship, I have a gut feeling that we will make a significant discovery during this voyage.

 Chapter 95. The Footprints on the Ship

    <h4>Chapter 95. The Footprints on the Ship</h4>


    An ind.


    Andmass that was several timesrger than the Coral Archipgo appeared before Charles and his crew. A pensive mood shrouded the crew as the ind took shape on the horizon. They were all acutely aware that the next leg of their journey held the greatest peril.


    This ind was different from the other inds that they had encountered. A formidable wall encased its edges, effectively concealing its interior and leaving everyone guessing about the mysteries it held within.


    The walls were pale white and seemingly appeared to be made of cement. Their nk surface was devoid of any distinguishing markings or symbols. It remained uncertain if the walls were constructed by humans.


    "Captain! Look, there''s a ship there!" shouted one of the crew members.


    "I know, I see it too," Charles responded curtly.


    The brilliant searchlight cast its glow ahead, revealing a steamship significantlyrger than the Narwhale. The distinguishable white triangle emblem on its hull denoted its owner. Unmistakably, it was the ship of the Divine Light Order that had failed to return.


    "Ready your weapons. Steer closer to the ship," Charles instructed. He hoped there would be clues on board for them to avoid the same fate as the disappeared crew.


    As the Narwhale grew closer to the ship, more details were presented before Charles. The ship''s anchor hadn''t been hoisted; that indicated the crew had willingly anchored the ship here.


    Everything was arranged orderly on the deck, suggesting that the Divine Light followers hadn''t engaged in any sort of physical conflict on board.


    However, the moment Charles stepped on the deck, he realized that ayer of dust had settled in. Judging from the thickness, he estimated that the ship had been abandoned here for close to two months.


    The steamship showed signs of wear from the sea breeze and neglect due to the absence of a crew to maintain it.


    "Let''s head to the captain''s quarters first," Charles suggested. He believed that the captain''s voyage diary would offer the fastest insight into the events that had transpired.


    The group proceeded with caution and opened the door to the ship''s interior. Inside, theyout mirrored that of the Narwhale: a slender hallway nked by doors on both sides.


    Just when Dipp was about to take the lead, a metallic hand extended and halted the young man in his path.


    "Captain, what''s the...?"


    Charles slowly crouched down and lowered his volume. "Shhh, look at the floor."


    Everyone''s gazes lowered and fell upon the clear trail of six-toed footprints in the dust. Someone¡ªor something¡ªhad been here.


    Charles and his team carefully followed the footprints as they delved further into the ship.


    At every door they encountered, they softly nudged it open, scanning the room with both their shlights and the barrels of their guns. Yet, the ship remained eerily quiet. All they found were ordinary items with no hint of life in sight.


    Finally, thest door appeared before the group. Charles'' ears twitched; his keen hearing had picked up on some faint sounds from within the room.


    "Be careful, there''s something inside," Charles whispered.


    Conor nervously gulped down a hard lump in their throat. With trembling hands, he took out a blue candle from his bag.


    The door was abruptly pushed open with a loud bang as seven or eight gun barrels immediately pointed into the room. However, the gun wielders were immediately disappointed by the sight.


    They found themselves in the ship''s galley, where the noise originated from a handful of rats munching on stale biscuits. rmed by the abrupt intrusion, the skittish creatures abandoned their treats and scattered away into the darkness.


    The kitchen looked like the rest of the ship. Apart from the decayed food chewed apart by rodents, there were no apparent anomalies.


    The crew quickly dispersed,bing through different parts of the ship for clues. Meanwhile, Charles was lost in thought as he rested his chin on his prosthetic hand.


    <i>How can there be no one? If there''s no one here, where did those footprintse from?</i>


    Just as he walked past a silver kettle, the reflection on its shiny surface caught Charles''s attention. His pupils constricted in rm, and he looked up.


    A grotesque, purple creature that resembled a massive toad hung upside down on the ceiling. Realizing that Charles had spotted it, it pushed off of the ceiling with its strong hind legs and pounced at Charles with its mouth full of razor-sharp teeth agape.


    At this pivotal moment, Charles lifted his left arm.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The grappling hook shot out and pinned the creature back to the ceiling. With a swift, powerful yank from Charles, the creature crashed to the ground. The crew members finally reacted and opened fire at the monster. When the gunfire ceased, the creature had be an unrecognizable mess.


    Charles half-squatted and inspected the remains before concluding, "It seems like the creature is from the sea. It probably climbed on board recently in search of food."


    Dipp heaved a sigh of relief. "I was worried that it would be something else. So, it was this creature that left those footprints?"


    Charles'' gaze shifted to the creature''s webbed limbs, and he shook his head. "No, it couldn''t have made those prints. Something else left those footprints."


    At Charles'' words, a palpable tension once again settled among the crew members.


    "Let''s continue our search somewhere else," Charles continued.


    Very soon, Charles and his crew had done a thorough search of the ship but found no clues. Even the captain''s expedition diary was nowhere to be seen.


    <i>"Maybe those from the Divine Light Order don''t even keep a diary? I mean, which normal person would write a diary?" </i>Richard voiced out in Charles'' head.


    Charles ignored the voice in his head and continued pondering. There was a nagging feeling that they had overlooked something important, but he couldn''t really pinpoint it.


    Just as one of Lily''s mice scampered past him, a sudden idea bloomed in his head.


    "Lily, can you gather the rats on the ship and ask them what happened?"


    "Sure thing! Wait a moment," Lily answered.


    The white mouse then let out a high-pitched squeak, and the ck and brown mice scurried away in all directions. Shortly after, a trembling gray rat was nudged forward by the horde. A series of squeaks alternated between Lily and the gray rat.


    "Mr. Charles, it said that every so often, something would board the ship to take something and then return to the ind."


    "What entity? Is it a human? A creature?" Charles asked.


    Lily turned to exchange a few more hurried squeaks with the gray rat. With a tinge of annoyance in her voice, she then reported, "This rat is so dense. It can''t exin properly."


    Charles didn''t want to ce too much expectation on a mere rodent. However, from its words, he could deduce that there was some living entity on the ind, and those entities periodically ventured on board to retrieve items.


    Thinking of the towering walls, a fleeting thought sparked in Charles'' mind: Could the beings that the rat had witnessed be the Sottom pirates?


    However, he immediately dismissed the notion. If the unknown entities were the pirates, they wouldn''t have left an exquisite ship like this untouched. It didn''t match their modus operandi.


    As he exited from his thoughts, Charles realized that everyone''s gaze was on him.


    "Captain, what''s our next step?" a crew member asked.


    Charles gazed at the imposing walls on the ind and instructed, "Drop the anchor, ready the dinghies. We''re heading ashore."


    No matter what, they had to explore the ind. There had to be something concealed behind those towering walls.


    Standing at the base of the towering walls, an oppressive aura weighed heavily upon the crew. They felt as if they were approaching a slumbering titan. Their voices became hushed whispers as they instinctively feared that any slight noise might rouse whatever dwelled beyond.

 Chapter 96. A Fake City

    <h4>Chapter 96. A Fake City</h4>


    Charles initially thought that they would have to use tremendous efforts to scale the walls. However, after a brief search, he found several doors at the base of the walls.


    It appeared that these towering walls were not meant to keep humans out.


    Charles slightly waved his hand, signaling his crew to follow him as they ventured into the ind that was structured like a fortress.


    The moment Charles and his crew emerged from the tunnels that burrowed through the walls, they were taken aback by the sight before them.


    If he hadn''t just been at sea a few minutes ago, he would have thought that he had returned to the surface world.


    On the other side of the wall, an array of modern buildings were neatly arranged in rows. Apart from towering skyscrapers, there were also fast food joints, cellphone shops, fashion boutiques and other usual shops that could be seen in a city.


    It was an entire city beyond the walls¡ªan entire modern city devoid of any humans.


    Time seemed to not flow in this city as there were no signs of wear and tear on the buildings. The streets and buildings were sparkling clean. There was not even a speck of dust that could be seen on the ground.


    This was definitely impossible under normal circumstances. The abandoned ship parked at the shore was covered in a thickyer of dust after just two months. God knew how long this city had been constructed, but there was no way that it would be this immacte.


    <i>"Bro, Don''t you find this architectural style familiar?" </i>Richard asked as he pressed his face against the transparent ss of a supermarket.


    <i>"The Foundation." </i>Charles thought.


    Charles was reminded of the ruins on the ind that housed 1002. Judging from the structure of this ce, if the ruins were intact, it would probably resemble this.


    The Foundation was from the surface. There was a high possibility that the exit would be in this city.


    A city like this had even managed to catch Charles by surprise, let alone the crew of Narwhale. Ever since the moment they stepped into this ce, their mouths had been wide agape.


    Everyone was dumbstruck as they stared at the eerie buildings shrouded in darkness. Their grip on their weapons alternated between firm andx.


    Charles grasped the handle of a supermarket door and pushed the door open.


    The interior was eerily simr to Walmart, but it had a stark contrast to a bustling superstore¡ªthe absence of shoppers.


    "Mr. Charles, is this theputer you mentioned that can y animations?" Lily asked curiously as she hopped onto the cash register.


    Charles remained silent. Instead, he swiftly approached the register behind the counter to inspect it. Soon, he found something weird about the register. Despite its appearance looking like that of a typical cash register in a supermarket, it was not connected to any data cable.


    <i>Woong!</i>


    With a buzzing sound, a rapidly spinning chainsaw emerged from Charles'' prosthetic limb. He brought the chainsaw down and sliced the cash register into two.


    Upon dissecting the machine, Charles found that itcked the usualputerponents. This thing was just an empty shell.


    <i>"Thoughts?" </i>Charles asked in his mind as he scanned the other cash registers at the different counters. If his intuition was right, they should all be mere props, just like that one he had sliced apart.


    <i>"You¡¯re asking me? Then, who should I ask? Who could be so bored to actually build a fake supermarket out of boredom?" </i>Richard manipted his prosthetic limb to reach out for the coin slot and gave a strong tug.


    Various bills and coins that none of them had seen erupted from the machine that Richard had forced open.


    Charles picked one up in his right hand and examined it carefully. Although its appearance resembled a particr currency he was familiar with, the texture of the paper bill he was holding was oddly coarse. Just like how the cash register was a fake imitation, so too was this currency.


    A sudden thought struck Charles'' mind, and he dashed deeper into the supermarket. He rapidly inspected the various goods ced on the shelves. Indeed, they were as per his expectations.


    From a kitchen utensil down to a piece of clothing, each item was a mere semnce of the real thing, but none of them were functional. Moreover, any ce that should have disyed text or markings was a distorted blur.


    <i>"Why does it feel like I''ve stepped into a life-sized supermarket mock-up made by some affluent individual? Could it be the deity from the sea? Quite the hobby for a deity, no?" </i>Richard mused to himself.


    Hearing Richard''s thoughts, Charles shook his head. <i>"I don''t think so. Remember those footprints on the ship? There are living creatures here. They may have made these things."</i>


    <i>"But why did they create a fake supermarket? To show off their capabilities?" </i>Richard questioned.


    Charles ced the mock can of food he had been examining and looked out of the ss doors toward the streets.


    "I fear it''s not just a fake supermarket..." Charles muttered to himself.


    Eventually, under Charles'' lead, the group entered the towering skyscrapers.


    Observing the contemporary interior designs, Charles felt a wave of nostalgia, as if he had been transported back to the present day. The building even boasted elevators.


    But upon closer inspection, the illusion was shattered. Using his prosthetic limb, Charles sliced open the elevator doors only to find a solid block behind them, devoid of any mechanical workings or shaft.


    Charles led the group to ascend the stairs to the second floor.


    "Everyone, search the rooms for clues. If you find anything with text or pictures, bring it to me immediately. We¡¯ll regroup in thirty minutes. Fire a warning shot if you run into any danger."


    Charles was paired with Laesto. They entered a room that resembled an office and started rummaging through the cabs and shelves.


    Five minutester, Charles exited the room with a look of disappointment and entered the adjacent room. Looking into the corridor, he observed his crew members moving in and out of various rooms. He deduced they were alsoing up empty-handed in their search for clues.


    After scouring another room with no sess, Charles was growing impatient. He was ready to order a retreat when a sudden wave of pain gripped him as he stood up. He clutched his head as his face twisted in agony. The chanting sounds were ringing in his ears again and at a louder volume than before.


    Holding his head, he stumbled into the adjacent room in search of Laesto.


    He barely took two steps when he saw a humanoid creature covered in fleshy growths walking directly toward him.


    The creature, on its gore-streaked legs, approached Charles and offered support with its malformed limbs.


    Charles nced at the fleshy robe on the monster and groaned in pain. "Doctor, something''s amiss. My hallucinations are back. Do you have any meds to help me suppress it?"


    The creature''s grotesque lips moved as though uttering words. It then retrieved a squirming mass of pale flesh from beneath its crimson cloak.


    Charles epted the flesh from the creature. He ced the fleshy blob into his mouth and bit down. Instantly, an overpowering metallic taste of blood exploded in his mouth.


    Charles had to fight down the wave of nausea that threatened to ovee him and strengthened his resolve to swallow every mouthful.


    Just then, a silhouette appeared at the doorway, and a familiar face entered the room¡ªit was Laesto!


    Laesto''s tin sk slipped from his grasp with a clink as Laesto''s face was painted with horror.


    "Good gracious!! Charles, what are you eat¡ªwait, what is THAT thing beside you?"


    Charles lifted his gaze in shock to lock eyes with the creature''s peculiar cross-shaped pupils.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, a chainsaw de emerged from Charles'' prosthetic limb and spun with deadly intent.


    Just as he was ready to bring down the chainsaw on the monster, he was struck by dizziness. The sensation sapped away his strength and willpower in a split second.


    As Charles copsed onto the cold floor, he caught a glimpse of an elongated foot bearing six toes and covered in scales. It matched the very footprints they had seen on the ship. Darkness then consumed his world.

 Chapter 97. Imprisoned

    <h4>Chapter 97. Imprisoned</h4>


    After an unknown amount of time, Charles slowly regained consciousness. The first thing he did uponing around was to scan his surroundings with vignce.


    The humanoid creature had disappeared, and he was now in a different location. He seemed to be held captive in a cell that was barely ten square meters in size. The room was bare, apart from the heavy iron door in the distance.


    Everything had been confiscated from him; his wallet, relics, and clothes were all gone. He was stark naked.


    Charles even noticed the blood was subtly seeping out where his prosthetic limb connected to his body. It appeared that someone had tried to detach his prosthetic limb while he was unconscious but had ultimately failed to do so.


    With all this information, Charles rapidly pieced together and assessed his current circumstances. His conclusion was that those bizarre creatures had taken him captive.


    Though he was reluctant to admit the fact, he found a glimmer of hope in the situation. His captors had only imprisoned him instead of killing him. That meant they were open tomunication.


    After thinking some things through, Charles stood up and called out in his empty room, "Anyone here? What do you want? Where are my crew members?"


    However, the room remained silent. There was no response, apart from his own breathing sounds that surrounded him.


    Charles approached the heavy iron door and peered through the narrow gaps between its bars. There seemed to be another cell directly opposite him.


    Just as Charles was about to call out to inquire about the identity of the person being held in the other cell, a grotesque face suddenly obstructed his view. The creature gazed into the cell with yellow, cross-shaped pupils.


    The iron bars formed only a small, confined square, so Charles couldn''t make out the creature''s full appearance. However, his instinct was alerting him that this creature was likely allied with the monster that had pretended to be Laesto.


    "Perhaps there is a misunderstanding between us. I have no ill intentions, I want to talk with you," Charles exined to the pair of eyes with a slow but clear artiction.


    <i>nk!</i>


    A sheet of iron blocked Charles'' visionpletely. Whatever this entity was, it had no intention ofmunicating with Charles.


    Staring at the iron door before him, which was not particrly thick, Charles raised his prosthetic limb only to lower it again. In all honesty, if he were intent on escaping, a door like this wouldn¡¯t be enough to contain him.


    But in this uncertain situation, where friends and foes were indistinguishable, acting rashly could potentially unleash a storm of trouble.


    Leaning against the wall, Charles slowly sank down into a seated position. He could only wait now.


    Six hourster, a window at the foot of the door opened, and a metal tray measuring half a meter in diameter slid through. On ity a gruesome and unidentifiable mass of flesh and blood.


    Charles wasn''t sure if this was meant to be his meal or something else. However, looking at the appearance of the fleshy lump, he would rather starve than eat that abomination.


    An hourter, another metal tray glided into his cell, carrying a different offering. This time, it held dead fish. Judging from the vividness in the fish''s eyes, Charles could tell that these creatures were freshly caught and had been alive just a short while ago.


    He surmised that the creatures had changed his food after realizing that he hadn''t touched the first tray. From this detail, he got more information. Since they knew he was not eating, then his cell was definitely under surveince.


    Facing the dead fish, Charles remained unmoving.


    Very soon, the next tray slid through the window.


    This time, when Charles saw whaty upon this tray, he was taken aback by shock. It held half a human face, below which a set of lungs were connected to a trachea.


    He dashed over and picked up the human face. He instantly recognized the man. He was Chef Frey''s sous chef, a crew member of the Narwhale.


    Rage bubbled within Charles. Not only had they killed his crew member, but they even presented his remains to him, the captain, as food! Charles wanted nothing more than to dash out and immediately ughter every single monstrous entity outside his cell door.


    However, he knew that he couldn''t be so reckless. Doing that was akin tomitting suicide. He needed to endure and wait patiently. Only by enduring and waiting could he find an opportunity to save his remaining crew and bring them out of this wretched ce.


    Gritting his teeth, Charles picked up the dead fish on the tray beside him and took a forceful bite. His eyes were fixed on the door as they burned with hatred.


    After Charles was done eating the fish, no more peculiar trays were sent in.


    Not long after, a skeletal arm reached in to remove the tes. While the entity was clearing the tes, Charles tried tomunicate with the creatures outside, but his attempt was in vain. They still showed no willingness to have a conversation.


    Charles'' first day of imprisonment passed just like that.


    Throughout the day, Charles also noticed other details. His sharp hearing allowed him to discern the monsters'' shift changes outside his door. They seemed to change shifts every twelve hours.


    From this, Charles could conclude that the monsters were highly sociable beings. However, this wasn''t good news to him. If these creatures lived in groups, God knew how many of them were lurking beyond his cell. Escape would then be an insurmountable challenge.


    However, no matter the difficulty, Charles had no thoughts of giving up on his n to escape.


    The next day, as soon as the sound of footsteps faded, Charles swiftly grabbed a fish bone he had prepared earlier and flicked it across the expanse and into the cell across from him.


    "Hey, I''m Charles. Respond if you hear me? Who''s being confined there?" Charles called out.


    He received an immediate response from the cell opposite. A semi-transparent tentacle resembling that of a jellyfish oozing with green slime extended from the cell across and reached out toward Charles. It crossed the distance between the two cells and arrived in Charles'' cell.


    Charles stared at the tentacle before him. After a brief moment of hesitation, he ced his prosthetic limb on it.


    However, the moment he came into contact with the tentacle, the tentacle split open and transferred into a gaping mouth filled with sharp teeth. It bit down on Charles'' prosthetic arm and yanked forcefully.


    The tentacle was extremely strong, its strengthparable to that of several grown menbined. It had tugged so hard that Charles'' entire body was pressed against the door.


    The chainsaw of Charles'' prosthetic arm was instantly activated, and the semi-transparent tentacle was cleaved apart. A bestial roar sounded from the cell across as the severed appendage desperately retreated.


    Holding the still-writhing fragment of a tentacle in his hand, another thought entered Charles'' mind. They were not the only species being held captive in this dreadful ce.


    Soon, the grotesque creatures guarding the cells returned. Charles didn''t dare to make any rash actions. He had to seek the perfect opportunity.


    On the third day, the iron door was pushed open. However, Charles wasn''t presented with fish this time. Rather, several malformed creatures entered. Observing their appearance, Charles was certain that they were of the same species as the one he had encountered before.


    He didn''t manage to get a good look earlier, but now, he could finally see the creatures¡¯ appearances in detail.


    Their fish-like eyes contained cross-shaped yellow pupils, and their melting faces were adorned with soft, elongated lips that measured at least twenty centimeters long.


    Their flesh appeared to be a mess of flesh intermingled with blood. It was as if their skin had been forcefully ripped off, turned inside out, and worn once more.


    Despite their horrifying appearance, each of them was draped in a filthy leather robe.


    "Who are you? What do you want?" Charles questioned with clear caution.


    The monsters'' elongated lips trembled swiftly, emitting sounds reminiscent of radio static as channels switched.


    It appeared as though they were attempting tomunicate with Charles, but unfortunately, theirnguage was unintelligible to him.

 Chapter 98. Meehek

    <h4>Chapter 98. Meeh''ek</h4>


    "How many times must I repeat myself? I can''t understand a single word you said!" Charles iterated, his voiceced with clear frustration at the humanoid creatures before him.


    The three monsters remained unfazed in the face of Charles'' angryshing. They seemed to be unable toprehend Charles'' words either.


    <i>"Fuck! Why bother talking to this bunch of idiots? Let''s just break out!" </i>Richard wrestled for control over Charles'' body as he itched for action.


    <i>"Stay calm!" </i>Charles forcefully suppressed the chainsaw that had sprung out of his prosthetic limb. It was painfully clear that this was not the opportune moment for a confrontation.


    <i>"Why! Do these things look like they are open tomunication? If they hadn''t drugged us earlier, we wouldn''t even have been captured!"</i>


    <i>"They had managed to capture us even with the crew''s resistance. Their strength cannot be underestimated. Acting recklessly would cost everyone''s lives."</i>


    While Charles argued with Richard in his mind, the creatures retreated from the room and closed the iron door behind them.


    <i>"Look! All because of you, we lost a good chance to escape!" </i>Richard grumbled incessantly in Charles'' mind.


    "Shut up! It''s my time now!" Charles snapped back in anger. Finally, silence and peace returned to his mind.


    Charles let out a sigh and crouched down. He yearned to leave this cell, too, but acting rashly would likely result in disaster.


    They only had one chance. If they failed, only death awaited them.


    He could not afford to die here.


    Initially, Charles was expecting the day to pass uneventfully after the creatures'' previous entrance. However, the iron door ominously swung open once more half an hourter.


    A creature was pushed into the room. Its appearance was simr to its fellow species, minus the fleshy robe.


    Charles rose to his feet and stared at the neer. He was puzzled. Why would these creatures send one of their own kind into his cell at such an odd timing?


    Soon, an unexpected expression appeared on the creature''s face. Although its facial features were distorted, Charles could clearly see the apparent fear on its face.


    <i>It''s afraid of me? </i>Charles was befuddled.


    "Hey, who are you?"


    Hearing Charles'' question, the humanoid creature flinched and jolted away. It frantically pounded at the iron door with its limb, showing no intention tomunicate with Charles at all.


    A series of rapid, jumbled noises emerged from its elongated lips, seemingly conversing desperately with its kind outside the door.


    Sensing no hostility from the being, Charles approached it.


    However, just when he had narrowed the distance between them by half, the monster let out a mournful wail and copsed to the ground.


    By this point, Charles was drowning in confusion. Just who was the prisoner and who was the captor here?


    <i>"Perhaps this one is of a different tribe from those outside?" </i>Richard interjected into Charles'' thoughts.


    Charles didn''t dismiss the possibility. After a brief hesitation, he pointed at his chest and slowly articted, "Charles."


    He was trying tomunicate. Regardless of the neer''s species, the enemy of an enemy was a friend. He might be able to gain some intelligence from this creature.


    "Charles."


    "Charles," Charles reiterated his name three times. His incessant efforts finally solicited a response. The creature stared at him with a vignt gaze for a few seconds before it raised its twisted and withered limb to pat its own gruesome, flesh-mottled chest.


    "%*#;&;#..." Its long lips emitted a series of rapid sounds that the human vocal cords would struggle to replicate.


    "Meheck...losh...craig?" Charles tried to mimic the creature''s speech, but his pronunciation was way off from the original.


    <i>"Bro, just leave the talking to me," </i>Richard said as he seized control of Charles'' body.


    He moved closer to the being and half squatted. With a friendly smile, he met the trembling humanoid creature eye to eye.


    "Friend~ I''m going to call you Meeh''ek, okay? You, Meeh''ek."


    "%*" Meeh''ek patted on its chest in response.


    "Aye! So smart! Yes, you are Meeh''ek! Do you know what those things outside the door are? Out. Side. Door."


    Looking at Richard''s finger pointed at the door, Meeh''ek repeated the same series of sounds from before. "%*#;&;#..."


    "Seriously, mate? Your name is Meeh''ek, but they are Meeh''eks as well? How convenient for your parents... Speaking of which, do you have parents?"


    "Enough, let me handle it," Charles interrupted Richard''s digression from the issue at hand. He started probing for answers once more, but regardless of what he asked, the Meeh''ek before him would only respond with the same iprehensible phrase.


    A sudden thought entered Charles'' mind. The string of sounds might not be its name at all.


    <i>"Bro, this guy is like a dimwit. Could it be the runt of their litter?" </i>Richardmented.


    "This method ofmunication is too inefficient." Charles then used his prosthetic limb to swiftly sketch something on the floor.


    His drawing skills finally disyed their usefulness here. In no time, a few stick figures appeared on the floor. Charles first drew two figures representing him and the Meeh''ek. He then drew a square that enclosed them to symbolize their current situation.


    Charles then pointed at the stick figures of his crewmates that he had drawn beside the square and enquired the Meeh''ek about their situation.


    "%*#;&;#..." The Meeh''ek made the same series of jumbled noises once more and drew a square around each crew mate with its withered limb.


    <i>They are not dead. They have been imprisoned, too.</i> The weight on his chest was lifted temporarily.


    Just as Charles was about to ask for more details, a long, crimson needle shot out from between the bars and pierced the Meeh''ek.


    Its long lips quivered, and its cross-shaped pupils quickly reddened. Apanied by the sound of cracking bones, its body rapidly ballooned.


    Charles took a step back with his brows pressed together. There was something sinister about that long needle.


    "%*#;&;#...!!" The Meeh''ek''s earlier timid demeanor from earlier had vanished. Its limbs thrashed wildly, and it charged at Charles with a bestial roar.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    With a swift kick, Charles sent the creature flying toward the wall. However, it seemed impervious to pain. It rose up once more and pounced at Charles.


    As Charles dodged the Meeh''ek''s attacks, he could see eyes peering through the gaps in the iron door''s bars.


    <i>Are they treating us like some monkeys putting on a show? </i>Anger surged within Charles.


    Just then, Meeh''ek lunged at him again. It seemed to havepletely lost the ability to think; he had no reason to hold back either then.


    <i>Woosh! </i>


    The grappling hook shot out of his prosthetic limb and embedded itself into the Meeh''ek''s head. With a fierce tug, the creature was pulled toward Charles.


    <i>Bzzzzztttt</i>


    The chainsaw spun rapidly as fireworks of flesh and blood sttered across the room. The Meeh''ek''s head was cleaved into two halves. Its body went limp and slumped to the ground.


    Covered in blood, Charles turned to look at the eyes beyond the door with an icy gaze.


    Seeing that one of their own kind had been violently ughtered, the owner of those eyes showed no emotion. It pulled out a notebook as though recording something.


    Once it was done writing, a metal te slid down to obscure Charles'' view of the outside world once again.


    <i>"Well, seems like those guys outside aren''t keen on engaging with us. By the way, let''s just refer to these creatures as Meeh''ek from now on. What do you think?" </i>Richard remarked.


    <i>"What do you think they were doing?"</i> Charles'' focus was on something else.


    <i>"What were they doing? Sending someone to kill us. What else could it be?" </i>


    <i>"No, they had all the time on hand to kill us when we were unconscious."</i>


    <i>"Then what do you think they were doing?"</i>


    <i>"They are conducting an experiment," </i>Charles suggested.

 Chapter 99. Relics

    <h4>Chapter 99. Relics</h4>


    <i>"Experiment? What kind of experiment?" </i>Richard asked with apparent confusion.


    <i>"I''m not sure. But the behavior of documenting our actions and clearly jotting down the fact that we killed a Meeh''ek is conclusive evidence of one thing. Whatever experiment it is, we are their experimental subjects now."</i>


    At the thought, Charles was reminded of the severed face of the sous chef. Did he die as a result of a failed experiment?


    <i>"Say... do you think those guys were once people from the Foundation?" </i>Richard suggested.


    His words sparked a lightbulb in Charles'' mind. Memories of 096''s experimental log surfaced in his head.


    The Foundation had once made a test subject wear 096 and observed its response to the relic.


    If they applied that scenario to their current circumstances, then the Meeh''ek that had just died was a test subject, and he, Charles, was ying the role of 096. Suddenly, the missing puzzle piece seemed to have fallen into ce.


    It could exin why they had sent one of their kind into the cell, why there were other creatures held captive here and why they hadn''t killed him and his crew members.


    "What the fuck? Those idiots outside are treating us as relics? Are they fucking out of their minds? Can''t they see that I''m a living human? What''s with this bullshit experiment!"<i> </i>Richard cursed and swore with fuming rage.


    "Stop shouting! They don''t even understand you. No matter what they had gone through, they are no longer humans now," Charles replied.


    <i>"So what''s our next step?" </i>Richard decided to save his breath.


    <i>"Wait. Since they see us as relics, they will surely conduct their next experiment soon. We''ll be able to gain more intelligence from the next test subject."</i>


    <i>"What a waste of time. I have another n. Wanna hear it out?" </i>Richard asked.


    <i>"I know what''s in your head! Stay put, and don''t you dare make a move!"</i>


    <i>"Fine. Fine. I''ll listen to you. How boring." </i>Richard''s grumbling sounds then vanished in Charles'' mind.


    Their second day of imprisonment passed by quickly. Charles had initially nned to probe more about their circumstances on day three, but a certain incident interrupted his ns.


    In a daze, Charles was awakened by uncontroble movement. He realized his body was moving without his input. Currently, he was sprinting down a narrow hallway. He had escaped from his cell!


    <i>"Richard! What are you doing!"</i>


    <i>"Hahaha! What else! Escaping, duh! Do you n to retire here or something? Bro, hesitation leads to failure!" </i>Richard chided.


    <i>"We have zero intelligence. Where can you run to? Do you know our exact location? And you break out just like that?" </i>Charles''s voice was tight with suppressed fury.


    <i>"I don''t know. But I know those monsters were once humans, so what''s there to be afraid of? I killed the few guarding the door. Pathetic weak asses."</i>


    A sense of frustration and annoyance washed over Charles. He hadn''t expected the other ego in his mind to take matters into his own hands while he was asleep.


    However, the situation didn''t allow Charles the luxury to argue with Richard. Since they had broken out of their cell, they needed to see the n through to the end.


    <i>"Where''s the crew? Did you check the cells?"</i>


    <i>"Do you really need to ask? Of course, I did. They locked up all sorts of weird creatures in the cells. The crew must have been confined somewhere else. Let''s get out of here first, then figure out how to rescue them."</i>


    Charles let out a sigh. Heposed himself and rapidly scanned his surroundings. They were in a corridor with neatly arranged doors lining the walls on both sides. His peripheral vision caught glimpses ofputers and fax machines within the rooms.


    Looking at the modern machinery, a premonition struck Charles'' mind.


    A piercing siren wailed from an indeterminate location, and the overhead lights began to pulse in a rhythmic, rming red.


    Charles clenched his teeth and hastened his pace. The Meeh''eks had noticed that they had escaped from their cell.


    "Look! There''s a map here!" Richard eximed as he ripped off a chart off the wall.


    The texture of the paper was familiar under his fingers, as was the recognizableyout of the ce depicted on it. Charles'' finger traced over the printed text on the map: "Laboratory 2"


    Charles'' earlier intuition had been spot on. If those things were supposedly staff from the Foundation, then this ce that they were held captive in would surely be one of theboratories.


    However, Charles didn''t have the time to ponder over this discovery. He swiftly confirmed the location of the exit on the map before he discarded the paper and sprinted to his destination.


    Laboratory 2 upied a vast area withyers of interwoven hallways and passages. Fortunately, Charles was pretty fast after the physical enhancement his body had gone through.


    He rapidly took care of the Meeh''eks he encountered on their way and soon arrived at the exit.


    Sadly, Lady Luck seems to have turned her back on Charles. Just as they were going to dash out, dozens of Meeh''eks surged into the corridor from the exit. Armed with an array of firearms and cold weapons, they red menacingly at Charles with their cross-shaped yellow eyes.


    Words were unnecessary at this moment. Charles gritted his teeth with firm resolute. His bare foot kicked off of the floor, and he lunged at the Meeh''eks up ahead.


    Gunfire erupted instantly. Charles swiftly angled his body to dodge a bullet. Without wasting a second, he pointed his prosthetic limb at a Meeh''ek at the forefront.


    <i>Woosh!</i>


    The chain started rotating, and a grappling hook shot out, piercing the creature in the chest. Taking critical damage, the wounded Meeh''ek let out a piercing scream that seemed to cause the air to vibrate.


    With a forceful tug, Charles pulled sharply on the chain. It retracted swiftly, and the creature''s body violently mmed into his own. Charles then swiftly yanked his prosthetic limb out of the Meeh''ek. A gruesome sound of tearing flesh resonated through the air, and the creature''s scream abruptly ceased.


    Bullets continued to rain down on them, but Charles had turned the towering figure of the dead Meeh''ek into a shield for himself. Bullets struck the corpse but failed to prate it tond on Charles safely tucked behind it.


    Gripping the dead Meeh''ek with both hands, Charles charged toward the enemies crowding the exit.


    With a low growl, Charles dashed into the group of Meeh''ek and hurled the corpse at them. Without missing a beat, he swung the chainsaw in his prosthetic limb with all he could and cleaved the head of the monster next to him.


    The other Meeh''eks surrounding him tried to attack with their guns, but in this closebat situation, Charles'' agile body could be utilized to its fullest extent.


    Whenever a gun was pointed at him, he would swiftly sidetrack to stand close to other Meeh''eks. They would then be hesitant to shoot for fear of hitting their own kind.


    When they gave up their guns in exchange for cold weapons, Charles couldn¡¯t have been happier. When it came to closebat, Charles'' enhanced body had never met its match.


    He weaved between the Meeh''eks like a slippery eel. The creatures were utterly helpless in dealing with his enhanced agility.


    Richard''s words had been true; these Meeh''eks were far from strong. Even if they had be monsters, their physique was simr to that of a grown adult.


    In no time, the Meeh''eks fell to the ground one after another while Charles remained unscathed.


    Charles had assumed that he would be able to quickly defeat every single one of them. But then, a Meeh''ek dressed in a ck robe suddenly emerged from the crowd. In its withered hand, it held a miniature hourss.


    The moment the Meeh''ek turned the hourss upside down, the sand started to flow downward. Charles instantly felt himself slow down.


    <i>"That''s a relic! These Meeh''eks can use relics, too!" </i>Richard warned in Charles'' head.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A gunshot sounded from the left, and blood sprayed from Charles¡¯s left thigh.


    He had been shot.


    Charles quickly rolled onto the ground. By the time he got back to his feet, he was already holding a revolver.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Three sessive gunshots rang out as Charles fired at the ck-robed Meeh''ek. However, this Meeh''ek was more agile than his fellow Meeh¡¯eks, and it managed to evade Charles'' bullet.


    Fortunately, Charles¡¯ objective was achieved. He was no longer sluggish.

 Chapter 100. 134

    <h4>Chapter 100. 134</h4>


    Seizing the opportunity, Charles lunged at the ck-robed Meeh''ek. He couldn''t afford for the creature to use that hourss relic once more.


    "%*#;&;#..." The ck-robed Meeh''ek uttered rapidly. His fellow monstrous brethren scrambled to form a wall between it and Charles as they desperately tried to widen the gap between the two.


    Watching the ck-robed Meeh''ek in the crowd raising the hourss once more, Charles gritted his teeth in determination. He used the Meeh''ek right in front of him as a stepping stone and kicked off of it,unching himself into the air.


    His vision widened, and he instantly spotted the ck-robed Meeh''ek. However, at this vantage point, he was also vulnerable to the guns below.


    Underneath him, several gun barrels pointed upward. As long as the creatures wielding the guns pulled the trigger, Charles would immediately turn into Swiss cheese.


    At this crucial moment, the grappling hook shot out of Charles'' prosthetic limb and pierced through the palm of the ck-robed Meeh''ek in the distance.


    The hourss slipped from the creature''s grasp and bounced with a tinkle before ity still on the ground.


    With a forceful yank of the grappling hook, Charles was rapidly pulled toward the ck-robed Meeh''ek. Gunshots rang out as bullets struck the ceiling behind him.


    Charles'' prosthetic limb lifted, and with a downward movement, the protruding chainsaw cleaved through most of the ck-robed Meeh''ek''s neck.


    As blood rained down on Charles, he slowly turned around, his gaze burning with hostility as he stared at the stunned Meeh''eks.


    Looking at the human male before them, the Meeh''eks'' cross-shaped pupils were filled with apparent fear.


    <i>Whirllllll!</i>


    The chainsaw revved to life once more. Charles then pounced on them like a ferocious tiger. What transpired afterward needed no description. Without the ck-robed Meeh''ek that could use a relic, the remaining Meeh''eks were mere cannon fodders.


    Ten minutester, Charles stood gasping for breath and soaked in fresh blood. He was surrounded by a ring of lifeless Meeh''ek bodies.


    He looked at the gunshot wound on his lower leg. Biting down hard on his cheeks, he poked his right index finger in and forcefully dug out the embedded bullet.


    <i>"Wait, this thing might be useful," </i>Richard said as he controlled Charles'' body to pick up the hourss from the pool of blood.


    Leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints, Charles headed toward the exit. It was a flight of stairs, indicating that Laboratory 2 was actually underground.


    The outside world seemed bright, and there was a distant cacophony of noises. It felt like the sounds of a bustling summer evening in a za.


    When Charles emerged from the exit, the sight that greeted him tainted his face with despair.


    In frustration and rage, Richard flung the hourss on the floor and cursed, "Fuck! What''s there to fight when there are so many of them?! If they had told us they were this many, we would''ve just obediently stayed put in the cell!"


    Emerging from the exit, they found themselves in a vast square that upied the area of four football fields.


    Within the square, close to ten thousand Meeh''eks were crafting various human tools while a few hundred ck-robed Meeh''eks stood guard around the perimeter. Each of them held relics of varying sizes.


    The moment Charles appeared, the creatures'' gazes immediately turned onto them. Their pupils were void of emotions, but the immense pressure from their collective gazes was too much for Charles to bear.


    Richard let out a wry smile and said, "Bro, if we go back now and lock ourselves back in, would they let us off?"


    "What''s the use of saying this now? It''s all your fault!"


    "Sigh, I know I was wrong. If we survive this ordeal, I''ll surely listen to you next time."


    Charles suppressed the fury in his heart and peered into the distance.


    He saw the fake city where they hade from. Hope was slim, but as long as he reached that city, he could escape from the creatures'' pursuit.


    "It''s do or die!" Charles eximed. Ignoring the Meeh''eks'' gazes, he hobbled desperately in the city''s direction with his wounded leg in tow.


    In a split second, the Meeh''eks in the square moved. Pandemonium broke out as the creatures scattered away from Charles.


    A look of surprise flickered across Charles'' face before wild tion took over.


    He sprinted toward the city. However, one of the ck-robed Meeh''eks raised the relic in its hand. Charles suddenly stiffened, and he fell to the ground like a petrified stone statue.


    With sluggish movements, Charles turned his eyes onto the ck-robed Meeh''eks that were slowly encircling him. He could only watch with his eyes wide open as they forced a mangled, bloody blob of flesh into his mouth, yet he was powerless to stop them.


    His consciousness faded, and darkness soon obscured his vision.


    When Charles came around this time, the ring overhead light above him had him instinctively squinting his eyes into narrow slits.


    When he had gotten ustomed to the brightness, he scanned his surroundings and realized that he was trapped in a vast, white room.


    This time, he was treated with much more <i>hospitality. </i>He was bound to a steel frame, his limbs were shackled, and even his torso was wrapped tightly with multiple chains.


    He could see a massive ss wall in front of him and several Meeh''eks on the other side of it. They were operating various electronic devices as though they were actively monitoring Charles.


    Richard let out a sigh of relief. <i>"Well, bro. At least we are still alive."</i>


    A trace of anger shed across Charles'' eyes. His alter ego was too rash and reckless, but he didn''t want to start an argument at this time.


    Just then, the door to the side of the room swung open, and a Meeh''ek draped in a robe entered. It held a whip with barbed wires in one hand and a bucket filled with ck liquid in its other.


    The Meeh''ek briefly submerged the whip into the dark liquid of the bucket before swiftly drawing it out andshing it toward Charles.


    With a brutal snap, the whip made contact with Charles¡¯ flesh. The searing, agonizing pain that followed forced a pained grunt to escape involuntarily from his lips.


    After more than a dozen strikes, Charles'' flesh was left frayed and raw. The Meeh''ek then left with its whip.


    Charles thought that was all to his punishment. However, the pain from a physical whipping was just the beginning. As time passed, the wounds felt as though they were crawling with ants, and the insects were gnawing incessantly at his flesh.


    The intense pain sent involuntary shudders rippling through Charles'' body. Despite his formidable resolve, the unbearable agony caused him to release piercing screams.


    His cries of torment resonated throughout the stark room, intermittently punctuated by Richard''s harsh curses and bitter words.


    After two strenuous hours, the agonizing torment finally subsided. At this point, Charles was left quivering from the residual agony. Each breath he took came in ragged and heavy gasps.


    The iron door swung open with a resounding nk, and another Meeh''ek entered the room. This Meeh''ek didn''t bring any instruments of punishment. Instead, it held a pot of mushrooms in his hands. It ced the mushrooms down before Charles and left the room.


    Charles was confused. He understood the punishment and the torture they inflicted on him, but what was the meaning of this pot of mushrooms?


    Time trickled past. Charles tried his absolute best to ignore the pain searing through his body as he processed the intelligence he had gathered so far. Even if the Meeh''eks numbered many, and the odds were against him, he refused to give up on escaping.


    Two hourster, two Meeh''eks entered the room. The one in the lead was draped in a white robe, and the one following behind held a notebook in its hand.


    "&*@$¡ê....." the white-robed Meeh''ek uttered a string of rapid, cacophonous sounds with its elongated lips.


    "How many times must I repeat myself? I can''t understand a single word you say!" Charles struggled to spit out his words. His energy had been snapped away by the torment earlier.


    The white-robed Meeh''ek ignored Charles and continued speaking in an inscrutable, cryptguage. The Meeh''ek behind it feverishly scribbled away on the notebook with the pen in its hand.


    Charles looked up and strained his neck slightly to get a glimpse of the notebook. However, he couldn''t make heads or tails of the scribbled text. They looked like chaotic clusters of small ck dots that reminded him of the text that he had seen on the goods in the fake city.


    Just as Charles was pondering what the two Meeh''eks before him were doing, a deep chant resonated in his ears again.


    A pained expression appeared on Charles'' visage, but there was nothing he could do in his current situation.


    He could only grit his teeth and endure it while waiting for the time to pass.


    But then, at that very moment, he detected an oddity within the cacophony.


    The murmurs in his ears seemed to meld harmoniously with the speech of the Meeh''eks.


    A familiar human voice with a low register sounded in his ear. He was stunned to realize that he suddenly understood what these Meeh''eks were saying.


    "134, I hope you cease your futile attempts to escape. We have obtained your previous records. You are the instigator behind the 517 Insurrection. If you continue your ways, we can only resort to extreme measures," said the voice.

 Chapter 101. Imitation

    <h4>Chapter 101. Imitation</h4>


    Hearing the Meeh''ek''s words, a whirlwind of thoughts spun in Charles'' mind. Why could he suddenly understand what they say? How were they rted to the murmurs in his ears? And who was this mysterious 134 that it spoke of?


    The entric Richard couldn¡¯t care less. He hurriedly interjected to defend himself, "Hold on! I have no intention to rebel. The misunderstanding earlier was because we couldn''tmunicate with each other. And what do you mean by insurrection? We haven''t met before this."


    Richard thought that he could finallymunicate with these creatures, but the white-robed Meeh''ek remained impassive and continued its monologue.


    "Stop trying to act like a pitiful human girl and shed crocodile tears. Your disguises are useless now. Do you know how many people died from the insurrection you instigated? Laboratory 3 became totally out of control and had to be abandoned."


    <i>"Bro, what in the world is this guy talking about? We are not even crying, and what the fuck is he going on about some pitiful human girl? Can''t it see our splendid manhood down there? Is it blind?"</i>


    <i>"Shhh, keep quiet. it doesn''t seem to be talking to us. it sounds more like it is regurgitating something." </i>Charles could infer some unsettling hints from the Meeh''ek''s words. Something felt amiss.


    "134, your singing has a catalytic effect on flora and fauna, and it is very valuable in the field of gically modified nts." the Meeh''ek continued, its voice rigid without any hint of emotion.


    "If you''re willing to cooperate with us, you''ll be spared from the torment earlier. The Foundation will provide you with anything you need, and it includes allowing you to reunite with your parents as well as an endless supply of toys and sweets," added the Meeh''ek.


    "Rest assured, my authority within the entire Foundation is at D3. As long as you cooperate with us, I can definitely deliver my promise. We have many subjects that have decided to coborate with the Foundation; you''re not the first. Think about it, I''lle backter."


    With that, the white-robed Meeh''ek turned on its heel and left, leaving Charles behind with an astonished expression.


    <i>"Bro, doesn''t this 134 that it describes ring a bell? A little girl who can sing, and her voice has a catalytic effect on nts and animals. Isn''t that the sinister loli we saw at Sottom? So, she''s actually a relic from the Foundation? Man, I wonder just how old is that little brat!"</i>


    <i>"No," </i>Charles interrupted Richard''s train of thought. <i>"That''s not what we should be focusing on right now. There''s something off about the Meeh''eks'' behavior."</i>


    <i>"What''s off? Don''t it all fall into ce? You said they were once employees of the Foundation, and see, they are indeed carrying out their work."</i>


    <i>"No, we guessed wrongly."</i>


    With his brows pressed together, Charles peered through the ss and carefully observed the Meeh''eks as they expertly operated the various machinery. His expression grew increasingly unsettled as time passed.


    <i>"Look at the guy on the left. It seems to be operating the machine, but its actions are repetitive."</i>


    Richard focused his eyes, and they soon widened in shock. He had noticed something else that was amiss. <i>"Eh! You¡¯re right! Look, those equipment aren''t even connected to any power supply!"</i>


    Making the connection with the fake city outside with all its mock goods and the Meeh''eks that scattered instantly at the square, an epiphany struck Charles. Everything suddenly made sense. He finally could figure out the kind of entity that needed an entire fake city.


    <i>"They are not employees of the Foundation that had mutated. They are purely imitating. Imitating the tools, the buildings, and even the behaviors!" </i>Charles'' voice echoed with realization.


    <i>"That means..." </i>Richard was still confused.


    <i>"We have been thinking in the wrong direction from the start. They were nevermunicating with us, nor were they using us as experimental subjects. They were purely imitating themunication that had happened between the Foundation staff and the relics in the past. And we¡ªwe are nothing more than just props in their pretend game."</i>


    The chilling truth sent a shiver down Charles'' spine.


    In a fake city, thousands of monsters congregated, meticulously reenacting the lives and events of humans from centuries past. Why would they do that? Were these creatures mere ythings in the hands of some divinity?


    Just as Charles'' mind was a disarray of tangled thoughts, the white-robed Meeh''ek entered the room again.


    "134, your resistance is disappointing. I didn''t want to have the insects of 704 feast on your flesh, but your continual refusal leaves me without a choice," it said in an icy tone.


    The white-robed Meeh''ek turned to the Meeh''ek, which was jotting down notes and instructed, "Bring it to Experiment Site 42 and initiate the cross-execution experiment between 134 and 704."


    Two Meeh''ek draped in ck robes stepped in. They removed Charles from his bindings and dragged him toward the door.


    Under the oppressive force of ten ck-robed Meeh''eks, Charles was escorted and thrown into another room.


    Sprawled on the floor, Charles ignored the pain and propped himself up. He swiftly drew his own blood to draw something on the ground.


    <i>"What are you doing?" </i>Richard asked.


    <i>"Stop with the questions and help me recall the information on the map. I need to know our current location."</i>


    With the help of his alter ego, a rough sketch of Laboratory 2 soon appeared on the floor.


    "We are here right now," Charles said and pointed at their current location. He then moved his finger across the ground and pointed at another room. "This was where we were held captive."


    With the help of the map, Charles swiftly pinpointed their current location.


    "The exit is here. Beyond that is the square where many Meeh''eks have gathered. It doesn''t matter what they''re doing, but if we want to escape, we need to seek another route."


    Just as Charles was formting another escape n, another door in the room swung open, and a faint silhouette appeared at the door.


    The man was also equally naked. His head was bare as well, and a distinct white triangle branded his forehead. He was clearly one of Kord''s men.


    Recalling previous intelligence, Charles knew that this man was forced to y the role of the relic designated as 704.


    The moment the man saw Charles, a look of surprise and delight appeared on his face. He dashed toward Charles and eximed, "Captain Charles, why are you here?"


    However, the joy on his face quickly turned into one of worry.


    "Did they capture you as well?"


    Seeing the man''s expression, a hint of relief flickered across Charles'' face. He hadn''t expected there to be survivors from the previous exploration crew. This meant that he had additional strength to rely on in his escape n.


    "How many of you are still alive?" Charles quickly questioned.


    "Not many of us. The others have been taken away by those creatures. They take my crew members away, scald them with boiling water, burn them with fire... Under their torment, only three of us are remaining."


    Abruptly, a memory seemed to have struck the bald man. With a sense of urgency, he dug two fingers into his throat, inducing his gag reflex. He doubled over, convulsing as he retched uncontrobly.


    Charles hurriedly supported him and asked, "What''s wrong? Are you okay?"


    With a final heave, the bald man forcefully expelled a fragment of flesh marred with several holes from his mouth.


    With a solemn expression, he pointed at the marred holes and implored, "Captain Charles, you must take this to the Sacred Acolyte. We''ve found the map. Look, here''s the resupply ind and here is the location of the Land of Light!!"

 Chapter 102. Nautical Chart

    <h4>Chapter 102. Nautical Chart</h4>


    "Captain Charles, you must take this to the Sacred Acolyte. We''ve found the map. Look, here''s the resupply ind and here is the location of the Land of Light!!"


    Hearing the man''s words, Charles'' breath almost came to a halt. He snatched the piece of skin out of the man''s hands and scanned the details on it with his eyes wide in excitement.


    Charles examined the markings on the map. The marred holes represented the location of the inds. It was a nautical chart that was far moreprehensive than any map he had evere across on ¡°King''s¡± ship.


    Two of the holes on the ind chain had also been deliberately erged.


    The bald man pointed at the furthest hole and exined, "Look, the further one is the Land of Light." He then pointed at the one closer and continued. "And this is the resupply ind. We just need to stock up our supplies here, and we can continue on our way to the divine realm of the Sun God!¡±


    Charles swallowed a dry gulp with much difficulty, and with a trembling finger, he caressed the round hole that represented the Land of Light on the piece of skin.


    "A-are... are you sure?" Charles stammered in disbelief.


    The Divine Light Order believer nodded vigorously. "We can''t understand the monsters'' writtennguage, but the map is self-exnatory. On their map, the area surrounding this ind is significantly brighter, and there are many notes scribbled next to it. This is definitely the entrance to the Land of Light."


    Charles'' mind raced. <i>This was the Foundation''s Laboratory 2. The real map must have gone missing after so many years. The map they found is surely a duplicate that the Meeh''eks have replicated. That means it''s highly reliable.</i>


    With this conclusion, Charles'' heart pounded strongly against his ribcage.


    They had finally found their target destination.


    The door outside was abruptly swung open with a loud nk, snapping them back to the harsh reality of their captivity.


    Charles could hear the cacophony of hurried and frantic sounds produced by the Meeh''eks from outside the room. However, the murmurs in his ears had faded, and he could no longer discern what they were saying.


    Charles turned his gaze from the iron door back to the bald man before him.


    "What''s your name?" Charles asked.


    "Salin. My name''s Salin."


    "Salin, is the scale of this map urate?" A nautical chart was unique, and even a single mistake could mean thousands of miles of difference in reality.


    "Captain Charles, don''t worry. Those of us in the Divine Light Order who have been chosen to be part of an exploration ship have received extensive training at the Nautical Academy. We¡¯re skilled in cartography. Look at this. We have drawn the scale on the edge, so the proportions are definitely correct."


    As the mor outside the door grew increasingly urgent and near, Charles controlled his limb to eject the grappling hook out. He handed it to Salin and turned his uninjured back toward thetter.


    "Quick, carve this map into my back. Hurry!" Charles instructed.


    Without a moment of hesitation, Salin used his elbow as a makeshift ruler and started etching the map into Charles'' back as fast as he could.


    It was painful, but the pain sent a wave of joy throughout Charles.


    Each painful sting represented a signpost guiding him back home.


    The pounding noises from outside the room intensified, bing both louder and more relentless. Simultaneously, Charles noticed that the sharp stings on his back seemed to focus increasingly on one particr area.


    "Don''t panic. You must be precise. They won''te in that soon."


    "I know," Salin replied.


    Cold sweat dripped down from their faces, but both men had no time to be concerned over such a thing.


    "How did you guys find this map in the first ce?" Charles tried to divert his attention away from the pain.


    "My crew and I tried to break out. We were eventually caught, but my boatswain saw this map in a room filled with books. We each made a copy so that it didn''t matter if the rest of us died. As long as one of us manages to survive and get out of here, our mission is considered a sess."


    Charles was taken aback by the unwavering resolve thatced Salin''s words. Indeed, only a true heretic with no fear could speak of death with such disconcerting nonchnce.


    "Break out? How did you manage to do that?"


    "We were kept together with various sea creatures. We set them loose to cause amotion and tried to escape when it was chaotic, but there were too many of those humanoid creatures, so our escape n failed."


    <i>"Bro! That''s a brilliant idea. Why didn''t I think of that when I was escaping? If I had set all those sea creatures free, it would have been pandemonium in theb!" </i>Richard''s voice echoed in Charles'' mind.


    As Charles nodded in agreement, beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and sttered softly against the floor. It was indeed a usible strategy against arge number of Meeh¡¯eks.


    <i>Bang! </i>


    The iron door burst open, and the white-robed Meeh''ek from before stormed into the room with a group of ck-robed Meeh''ek in tow.


    "&@#*!!" The white-robed Meeh''ek barked exasperatedly.


    "They are here. How much longer?" Charles asked anxiously as he remained still.


    "Almost done, almost!" The pain in Charles'' back significantly intensified.


    The moment the white-robed Meeh''ek finished its words, it raised its withered hand and gestured with a wave. The ck-robed Meeh-ek standing next to it immediately approached Charles, seemingly intending to separate them.


    <i>St!</i>


    A semi-transparent substance that resembled sticine shot out from behind Salin and pounced on a ck-robed Meeh''ek, engulfing the creaturepletely.


    Charles recognized it almost instantly. Sonny had used something simr before. It appeared to be abat tool utilized by followers of the Divine Light Order.


    "@'';@**!" The white-robed Meeh''ek shouted with apparent rage.


    A group of ck-robed Meeh''ek charged into the room with various peculiar relics in their hands. Under the sessive assault of their relics, the sticine-like blob soon liquified into a stagnant puddle on the floor.


    As the Meeh''eks closed in on Charles with menacing gazes, Charles let out a sigh of relief. The pain had subsided; the map was now etched into his back!


    "Captain Charles, may our Lord protect you!" Salin proimed. He then picked up the piece of skin, crumpled it and swallowed it whole.


    "If we make it out alive,e on my ship. We need more hands," Charles smiled at Salin and patted him on the shoulder.


    For the first time, Charles saw the followers of the Divine Light Order in a new light. They were zealous and fanatic about their faith, but it turned out that there were still decent people among them.


    Just as Salin responded with a warm smile and a nod, the ck-robed Meeh''ek closed in on Charles. They seized him by the limbs and dragged him toward the door.


    Just then, the sound of tearing flesh and breaking bones resonated from behind Charles.


    Charles'' pupils shrank to the size of a needle tip as he struggled and quickly turned around to find a horrible sight. The lower half of Salin''s body remained on the floor while his upper half was flung into mid-air. Salin''s eyes were wide in shock and disbelief.


    <i>Thump!</i>


    Salin''s bloody upper bodynded on the ground like a torn sack. A fragment of the map, which he hadn''t been able to fully swallow, protruded from his mouth. His eyes, wide and unyielding, remained locked onto Charles.


    There seemed to be a hint of lingering in Salin''s gaze, but as his pupils slowly dted, the sort of emotions hidden within those eyes gradually faded.


    The weapon that killed Salin was a sharp, fang-like relic in the hands of the white-robed Meeh''ek. The Meeh''ek swung the relic once more, and Salin''s remains were torn into smaller pieces.


    "@#*#@!!" The white-robed Meeh''ek shouted angrily as it stood next to the bloody remnants of Salin. Livid, it delivered a savage kick at the lifeless corpse.


    Charles realized that the relic designated as 704 hadn''tid a hand on 134 even in the past.

 Chapter 103. Suffering

    <h4>Chapter 103. Suffering</h4>


    In the brightly lit corridors, the ck-robed Meeh''eks held Charles in their tight grasp and moved forward. The captain of the Narwhale wore a calm expression tainted with a hint of mncholy.


    He never expected that they would kill Salin just like that. It wasn''t Salin''s death that saddened him but rather the indifference the Meeh''eks showed toward their lives.


    Their survival in this ce was solely dependent on the roles they were assigned and the fates they met hundreds of years ago.


    <i>"Phew, lucky we got the script of 134. If we had gotten the role of 704, we would have probably ended up in dismembered pieces," </i>Richard mentally muttered to himself in relief.


    The corners of Charles'' lips lifted into a cold, icy smile as he asked, <i>"Do you consider this to be some good news?"</i>


    <i>"What''s so good about this? We need to find a way to get out of here. If this continues, who knows where we will end up dead in their pretend game!"</i>


    Charles'' gaze darted toward the ck-robed Meeh''eks that were dragging him forward. He could deal with the two holding him in their grasps, but killing them might cause more trouble than it was worth. He had to devise a different strategy to escape.


    <i>"Keep a mental note of our path. I will confirm our location on the map and try to identify where the Foundation keeps all the test subjects captive," </i>Charles instructed Richard.


    Since Salin had managed to break out with such a strategy, he could definitely replicate it with the same result. Moreover, he had an advantage over Salin. He had experience in Laboratory 3 and was also in possession of the map of Laboratory 2. This was his golden opportunity.


    "Fine, do your thing," Richard grudgingly responded.


    One after another, Charles pinpointed the locations where the test subjects were held captive in his mind and matched it with the map''s details in his memory.


    Charles wanted to physically mark down the location, but the reality of his circumstances afforded him of no such luxury.


    <i>nk!</i>


    Charles'' limbs were shackled to the steel frame once more, and cold iron chains bounded his body again.


    Looking at the Meeh''ek behind the ss, Charles let out a resigned sigh. He had a rudimentary n in mind, but there was no way he could execute anything in his current predicament.


    Fortunately, he didn''t need to worry about his death in the short term. The real 134 was still in Sottom. If she had survived so many years till date, the Foundation clearly didn''t execute her when they were still around.


    The white-robed Meeh''ek entered the spacious room, and its robe now speckled with droplets of blood. It stood next to Charles and mumbled some monologue.


    Without needing to guess, Charles knew that it had to be threatening 134. With a cold glint in his eyes, he watched the silent drama that had unfolded in the past.


    "@*%&;!!" The white-robed Meeh''ek''s tone suddenly escted into agitation. 134 had to have said something that infuriated it, and it turned to instruct its subordinate next to it.


    A Meeh''ek stormed into the room with a whip in its hand. Charles instantly knew what awaited him. He clenched his teeth and took a deep breath.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The whip drenched in ck liquid struck Charles¡¯ healing wounds. Crimson blood seeped out and dripped to the ground.


    After receiving dozens ofshes, Charles was reduced to an unrecognizable bloody mess. The excruciating pain that followed made him wince and groan involuntarily.


    The pain intensified as time passed, but he had already experienced this one, so the experience had gotten bearable.


    However, the white-robed Meeh''ek seemed to have no intention of letting Charles off. With his head heavy and in a daze, Charles noticed a ck-robed Meeh''ek approaching him. The Meeh''ek held a monstrous worm as thick as a forearm and was covered in dark, velvety fur.


    The bug was ced on Charles. As it writhed across Charles'' skin, it shed its fur and fell into Charles'' wounds. The moment the velvety fur came into contact with fresh blood, they seemed to havee alive as they quivered and burrowed themselves into the wounds.


    Charles felt an itch spreading from his painful wounds.


    Initially, it felt like a mere tickle, but in a few seconds, it escted into an unbearable, crawling itch that engulfed his entire body.


    The unbearable sensation was driving him crazy.


    "AHHHHHHH!!!" Charles'' face contorted in excruciating agony as he strained against his restraints, and his veins throbbed prominently. He tried to w at his own skin, but the chains held him immobile. The intolerable itch was more tormenting than the severest pain; the sensation was worse than death itself.


    Just then, the Meeh''eks surrounding him abruptly staggered as they clutched their ears and copsed onto the floor.


    The white-robed Meeh''ek stuffed a ball gag into Charles'' mouth, effectively turning his pained screams into muffled whimpers. The creatures then steadied themselves.


    It wasn''t Charles'' scream that they were fearful of. They were merely reenacting the scene where the employees of the Foundation had been affected by 134''s haunting melody. Every one of them was living in the past.


    The agonizing torturested for two relentless hours. Charles was left battered and broken, both mentally and physically. His frenzied struggles against his restraints had been so violent that they had torn away the skin and flesh on his limbs, leaving his bones exposed.


    Despite his condition, the Meeh''ek seemed to have no intention of sparing Charles. A capsule was forced into Charles'' mouth, and the gruesome wounds on his body rapidly healed.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    A fresh whip mark appeared on Charles'' torso.


    A new round of misery had begun.


    Charles had no idea how much time had passed since the misery started. The excruciating pain and itch had consumed his mind, and his consciousness had plummeted into chaos. Only one conviction remained¡ªHe would not die here. He would definitely survive and escape.


    After a full day and night, the white-robed Meeh''ek was evidently exhausted and helplessly waved its hand. Charles was released from his bindings, and another capsule was forced into his mouth. He was then dragged away by a ck-robed Meeh''ek.


    While in a daze, Charles was jolted awake by the sound of a p.


    <i>"Hey! Wake up! Stop sleeping. Time to get down to work. They¡¯ve stopped tormenting us." </i>Richard controlled his right hand to repeatedly p his right cheek.


    "Where is this..." Charles scanned his surroundings and found himself lying on a soft, pink wooden bed.


    An array of plush toys was within the room. There was even a brand-new princess dress on the small table in front of him.


    <i>"They seemed to have realized that a harsh beating on 134 won''t work and changed to a softer approach," </i>Richardmented.


    Charles examined himself and realized that his wounds were all gone. Clearly, the Meeh''eks had used something on him topletely heal his wounds.


    134 had relentlessly hunted him down, but he briefly felt a pang of sympathy for the little girl. The torment was unbearable for him, even though he was a grown man. He could only imagine how much worse it had been for a child.


    Charlesposed himself and leaned on the bed.


    "Do you know our exact location?"<i> </i>Charles asked.


    "I figured it out earlier. I was still conscious when they were moving us here. Look at this," Richard eximed as he lifted the bedsheet up. The soft nket underneath had been violently torn apart, and a detailed map of Laboratory 2 had been drawn on the fabric beneath it.


    "We are here," Richard said as he pointed to a corner on the map. "It''s not too far from where we were previously held. If we don''t run into any obstacles, we¡¯ll get there in five minutes at full speed."


    Charles scanned the map carefully. He couldn''t afford to wait any longer. God knew what the white-robed Meeh''ek had in store for 134 to force her into submission. The temporary freedom was a rare and precious opportunity.


    "Here, here, and here." Charles pointed at a few spots on the map before saying, "ording to the map, these are where the test subjects are held. If we want to escape, we have to set them free."

 Chapter 104. Escape

    <h4>Chapter 104. Escape</h4>


    "Are you sure those test subjects can cause enough of amotion? I think the number of Meeh''eks is definitely beyond what we saw at the square. I fear that they actually upy the whole ind," Richard said worriedly.


    "Did you see what happened at the square? A majority of Meeh''eks were ying the role of a meremoner. They don''t seem to be armed, too. It should be enough if we set all test subjects free," Charles replied.


    <i>Click.</i>


    Charles'' back muscles tensed up at the noise that hade from the door.


    He swiftly retreated and scrambled back onto the bed. The white-robed Meeh''ek entered the room slowly and approached him as it muttered something under its breath.


    A cold, steely light shed in Charles'' eyes.


    He knew the monster before him was merely mimicking the behaviors of the humans from a past era¡ªa deep, burning desire stirred in him. He yearned to reduce it into ashes for the murder of Salin and the torment it had inflicted on him, then scatter its remains to the winds as if it were mere dust.


    <i>"Let''s find a chance to kill this bastard," </i>Richard said through gritted teeth in Charles'' mind.


    <i>"The chance will present itself. Let''s get out of here first."</i>


    "@*#&;~" The white-robed Meeh''ek picked up the pink princess dress on the table and shook it teasingly in front of Charles. The corners of Charles'' eyes twitched in response. He clenched his prosthetic hand tightly. It took immense restraint for him not to hurl a punch at the Meeh''ek''s face.


    With a swish, the white-robe Meeh''ek produced a palm-sized photograph from its pocket. It depicted a silver-haired little girl lying in the embrace of her mother with a happy smile and posing with a yful peace sign.


    Indeed, Charles was right. 134 was the little girl he had seen on ¡°King''s¡± ship in Sottom. The photograph bore no traces of her hideous expressions. Rather, she looked adorable with an innocent sweet smile on her face.


    The Meeh''ek''s tone softened a notch as it gently ced the photograph into Charles'' hand.


    Brushing his fingers over the glossy surface of the photograph, Richard muttered under his breath, "This looks like a move to cate her, but it''s actually still a threat, no? Aren''t they subtly reminding 134 that her parents are in their hands?"


    Charles was silent as he stared at the white-robed Meeh''ek before him with a solemn expression.


    Charles had always regarded the Foundation with a neutral stance.


    However, Charles struggled to maintain even a tinge of goodwill toward the organization due to the actions of the creatures before him, even though the organization was no more.


    "@#*&$;" The white-robed Meeh''ek continued for several more minutes. In the end, it patted Charles on the head with its withered hand before it turned on its heel and left the room.


    Taking this opportunity, Charles spotted several fully armed ck-robed Meeh''eks lined up outside through the open door. Clearly, it would be hopelessly futile if he just charged out. He had to devise a different strategy.


    <i>Click.</i>


    The door was shut. Charles rose to his feet immediately. Regardless of what fate awaited 134, he had to leave. Charles looked around to seek an escape route.


    Yet, this little girl''s bedroom, despite its cozy design,cked even a single window. Apart from the door, there were no other openings.


    <i>"Don''t be too obvious. They''re most likely monitoring us,"</i> Richard warned.


    Charles picked up a whiteb on the table and threw it at the ceiling. In an instant, darkness engulfed the room.


    Just then, Charles noticed the beautiful overhead chandelier. A sudden idea struck his mind. He lifted his prosthetic limb and activated the grappling hook gun. The sharp tip easily pierced through the ceiling.


    "It''s an empty space above. We''ll go through there!" Charles eximed.


    Nimbly pushing his hands against the wall, he flung himself through the frail ceiling and mbered upward. Dust coated the empty expanse within the ceiling, but that was the least of his concerns at this point.


    Like a gecko, he crawled forward in a mad escape.


    Very soon, Charles found the venttion duct and promptly crawled into it. But before he could get far, a warning siren red through the air.


    <i>"Bro! They realize that we''re gone. There''s surely a night cam in that room!"</i>


    <i>"Don''t get distracted. Match our location with the map and report periodically while I control our body to move. We can''t afford to get caught again! This is our only chance!" </i>Charles instructed. His hands and feet never ceased moving as he rapidly crawled ahead in the venttion duct.


    The seamless coordination with Richard allowed Charles to multitask skillfully, and he found himself approaching the first holding point.


    A fluttering sound pronounced by the pping of wings suddenly echoed from behind Charles. He whipped his head around to see a multicolored dragonfly clinging to him, its tail pulsating with a sinister red glow.


    There seemed to be more of them as more red dots flickered and gathered in the dark tunnel. Charles had no idea what these insects were, but they definitely didn''t spell good news.


    "How much longer?" Charles shouted.


    "Go straight a hundred meters, then turn left at the first corner! If there''s no path, make one," Richard''s voice instructed.


    The rustle of fluttering wings intensified. As their numbers increased, they started to cling onto Charles'' body as if they were transferring the luminescent markings from themselves onto him to track his position.


    "We''re here! Below us!" Richard cried out.


    At Richard''s cue, Charles lifted his prosthetic limb¡ªwhich had transformed into a chainsaw¡ªand forcefully thrust it below him. The ceiling was smashed apart, and Charles fell through the gaping hole along with the insects.


    During his descent, Charles spotted two ck-robed Meeh''eks that were about to lift their heads due to the noise.


    <i>St!</i>


    The harpoon shot out and pierced one of the ck-robed Meeh''ek''s heads.


    Swiftly triggering the chain, Charles rapidly plummeted toward the creature.


    The other ck-robed Meeh''ek scrambled to react with its relic, but Charles was much faster. He raised his prosthetic arm and brought it downward. A panicked scream echoed as a severed arm holding a relic fell to the ground.


    Charles shed out with his chainsaw and finished the job. He then turned to look at the caged test subjects beyond the iron bars as thick as a bowl''s diameter.


    Over a dozen humans, bound with handcuffs and shackles, sat captive. Stark naked, they stared at the unfolding chaos beyond the bars, struggling to process the sudden turn of events.


    In the crowd, Charles spotted his first mate and chef. Without sparing a single second to greet them, he activated his chainsaw. The screeching sound of metal grinding filled the air as sparks danced incessantly.


    <i>nk!</i>


    The iron bars were sawed apart, and the people trapped in the cage surged out.


    "Captain! I knew you woulde to save us!" Chef Frey eximed as he rushed before Charles with an expression of maniac joy.


    Taking in their condition, Charles didn''t want to indulge in idle chatter. He bolted toward the exit. <i>This mere handful is not enough. I need more.</i>


    The Meeh''eks hadn''t anticipated that Charles would actually escape in such a manner. Compared to the ce where he was held, the security here was rtively morex.


    With the group in tow, Charles got rid of the scattered Meeh''eks they encountered on the way and arrived at the second holding point.


    Here, he found his remaining crewmates and the two survivors of the Divine Light Order. Unfortunately, the people here numbered even fewer than before; there were only nine of them.


    Charles'' face turned a shade darker as he wordlessly continued toward the next holding point.

 Chapter 105. Living Subjects Containment Site

    <h4>Chapter 105. Living Subjects Containment Site</h4>


    Lily cowered within a ss jar. Trembling uncontrobly, tears fell from her eyes as she pressed her small paws tightly against her ears to block out the agonizing cries of her micepanions.


    "I''m sorry... I''m so useless and can''t save you guys," Lily whispered, her voice breaking between sobs.


    The tormented cries of the mice abruptly ceased, and the lid overhead was unscrewed.


    "Help!! Let go of me! Help!!" Lily cried out as she struggled in the grasp of a Meeh''ek draped in a white coat.


    The stack of transparent ss jars next to Lily housed her mice followers. They frantically flung themselves against the walls of their confinement Despite their actions drawing blood, not even a single fissure marred the sturdy ss jars.


    Lily was forced to lie spread-eagle on a small tform. A Meeh''ek with a blue mask over its face approached her with a writhing ck leech in its hands.


    Lily''s chest heaved rapidly as tears cascaded down her cheeks. "I... I don''t want to die. I want to go home..."


    Just as the leech neared Lily''s chest, the door beside was flung open with a loud bang. Charles stormed in with arge group in tow.


    His grappling hook gun was instantly activated, and the sharp tip impaled the Meeh''ek''s head. The creature was ruthlessly pulled toward the ground.


    Charles carefully removed his gunner from her shackles.


    "Lily, are you alright?" he asked softly.


    Without speaking a single word, Lily clung onto Charles'' finger and burst into a loud wail. It had been an overwhelmingly terrifying experience.


    As Charles stroked Lily''s fur to calm her down, he surveyed the room.


    The ce seemed to be a containment room for animals. An array of creatures, such as mice, geckos, and even bats, were contained within the ss jars that filled the room.


    "Release them all," Charles instructed.


    The group took action immediately and shattered the ss jars, releasing all the creatures within them.


    With the addition of Lily''s mice, Charles'' group significantly swelled in numbers. However, it was far from enough. Charles needed more allies.


    Just when Charles was preparing to move toward the next holding point, Lily hopped onto his shoulders. With her sniffles punctuating her intense crying, her voice came out strained and choked as she whispered, "Mr. Charles, everyone''s belongings are in the room next to the next room."


    A surge of joy ignited within Charles at the good news. Gently lifting the white mouse to meet his eyes with both hands, he tenderly nted a kiss on her head. Without missing a beat, the group swiftly darted in the direction of the room that Lily had pointed out.


    When Charles and his party stepped back into the corridors bathed with the pulsating glow of red warning lights, they had their clothes on and were fully decked out in their relics and equipment as well. A fierce determination was apparent on everyone''s face.


    Armed once again with their weapon, everyone''sbat strength had increased exponentially. The scattered, lone Meeh''eks failed to put up any resistance. Moving from one holding point to another, Charles took care of each room one at a time.


    If they found a monster, they would set it free. If they ran into a human, they armed the neers with the weapons of Meeh''eks and weed them into their group.


    By the time Charles and his party breached thest holding point, the wide and spacious corridor was getting a little crowded.


    Apart from two sailors and a sous chef, all members of the Narwhale crew had been located. The remaining humans were all new faces.


    "Captain! Do we make a straight run for it now?" one of the sailors asked.


    "Sir, you rescued us. What''s our next step? We''ll follow your orders."


    "We can go home after this? My ship has sunk; how am I supposed to get back?"


    Their eyes were burning with hope as they stared at the savior who had just rescued them. However, none of them couldprehend the immense pressure weighing on Charles at this moment.


    Charles wore a grim expression. He had released all the imprisoned creatures, and everymunicable human had joined his ranks.


    However, their forces were painfully thin and barely numbered two hundred. Even with the freed monsters wreaking havoc, their numbers seemed pitifully small against the tens of thousands of Meeh''ek outside.


    <i>"Bro, even after rounding all the test subjects, there are only so few of us. No wonder Salin''s rebellion ended up in failure," </i>Richard remarked.


    With his harpoon, Charles sketched out the map of Laboratory 2 on the floor. With his brows pressed together, his eyes darted back and forth on the map. He needed a n, and he needed it fast.


    <i>Da-da-da! </i>


    Gunfire abruptly erupted from outside the door.


    The Meeh''eks had started moving.


    Charles lifted his gaze from the map and turned to Bandages.


    "Bandages, take some people with you and try to hold them off for a while."


    Without uttering a single word, Bandages nodded and left the room with a few men trailing after him.


    Time ticked away, and as the gunfire outside grew increasingly intense, Charles'' gaze settled on a particr area of the map. A spark of hope shed across his eyes.


    Pointing at a section of the map on the eastern corner, Charles asked, <i>"Richard, do you find this area familiar?"</i>


    <i>"Read the room and cut the suspense, man. Just speak."</i>


    <i>"Did you forget? This is where Lab 3 keeps its living relics. If there''s a ce like that in Lab 3, there''s surely one in Lab 2 as well, right? Our allies are not restricted to our own kind. Those living relics inside there are our allies, too!"</i>


    Richard''s voice grew excited as well. <i>"If we release all the monsters inside. Oh boy, it''s gonna be a hell of a party in Lab 2!"</i>


    <i>"Let''s do this!" </i>Charles drew a decisive circle on the section of the map that he had pinpointed. He then stood up and marched out under the stares of the group.


    Charging ahead at the forefront of the group, Charles got rid of the Meeh''eks that tried to stop them and guided everyone toward the living relics containment site.


    Their journey was far from safe as more and more Meeh''eks closed in on them, each wave stronger than the previous. The peculiar abilities of the various relics in their hands caught Charles and his group off guard every single time. Casualties began to appear among the humans.


    <i>St!</i>


    Covered in blood, Charles lifted the Dark de in his hand and thrust it into the neck of a ck-robed Meeh''ek.


    The prolonged battle had left him feeling exhausted and on the verge of copsing. But when his eyes fell on the familiar, thick, steel door before him, he knew he had arrived.


    "Captain, I have explosives." With his face obscured by the Clown Mask, Dipp tried to rush forward with the explosives in his grasp.


    However, his advance was blocked by the outstretched arm of a female believer from the Divine Light Order. Using the wall as a support, she turned toward the steel door and started vomiting profusely.


    Calling the action mere vomiting would be an understatement¡ªit was more akin to a forceful, projectile expulsion of vomit.


    As soon as the dark green liquid that spewed from her mouth came into contact with the steel, a sharp, corrosive hissing sound erupted, and a pungent, biting odor instantly filled the air.


    The acidic fluid swiftly ate into the steel door and left a gaping hole in its wake. The female follower was the first to confidently step through the newly formed passage.


    This kind of steel door was designed to be opened easily from the inside. Charles ordered his crew to swing the steel door wide open. He already knew his next move.


    He didn''t let everyone enter and made them wait in the next nearest room.


    There was a high possibility that whatever creature emerged from within could not distinguish friend from foe. He had no intention of letting both his forces sh.


    Charles moved to the first door within the containment site. Just before he could reach for the handle, Dipp charged forward.


    The youngd firmly affixed the explosives to the door frame and swiftly retreated while not forgetting to pull Charles with him.


    <i>Boom!!</i>


    An earth-shaking explosion rang out, and a monstrous roar sounded from behind the shattered door.


    The green monster stared at Charles for a couple of seconds, then swiftly inverted itself and clung to the ceiling.


    With startling agility, it then scurried away.

 Chapter 106. 157

    <h4>Chapter 106. 157</h4>


    As Charles watched the green-hued creature scurry away, a faint smile appeared on his visage. It appeared that these living relics harbored a deeper hatred toward the Meeh''eks aspared to himself.


    "Onward, quick!" Under Charles''mand, explosives were systematically affixed to the door frames.


    As each door was blown apart, various monsters were let out of their cells. Some of them were so grotesque and bizarre that Charles struggled to find descriptions for their appearances.


    He wasn''t particrly interested in finding out what these creatures were or the special abilities they possessed. As long as they spelled trouble for the Meeh''eks, they would be allies for the time being.


    Of course, not every living relic was as amiable as the green monster. A few immediately pounced on Charles and his party upon their release.


    Fortunately, Charles and his group were a formidable force. Faced with two hundred fully armed humans, any monster with a semnce of intelligence would swiftly try to avoid a sh.


    When Charles realized that the Meeh''eks that should have arrived by now had yet to arrive, he knew that his n was working. Chaos had surely erupted elsewhere.


    Approaching the thirdst door, Charles was about to affix explosives when, much to his surprise, the door swung open from within.


    It was a human, a stark naked little boy. Contrary to Charles, the shade of his skin was far from ghostly pale.


    "Who are you?" Charles questioned as caution painted his face.


    In response, the child copsed and started screaming frantically.


    As the boy let out chilling cries of pain, his body started to swiftly mutate. His skin began to invert as his flesh withered away. His pale lips rapidly elongated like a bird''s beak. In a matter of seconds, the boy was gone, and in his ce, a new Meeh''ek climbed onto its feet.


    It parted its elongated beak and uttered a series of sounds. It then lifted his right leg with six toes and headed for the exit.


    "This is how the Meeh''eks are created?" Charles mused to himself as he stared at the metal door before him. After a brief moment of hesitation, he carefully pushed the open door wider with his Dark de.


    A massive, ash-gray, slimy blob appeared before his eyes. The matter pulsated at odd intervals, and its shape bore a vague resemnce to an amorphous toad.


    Plop!


    The mass before Charles spat out a naked woman from within it. She calmly rose to her feet as she stripped off the residual slime on her body.


    With a sorrowful expression, she looked at Charles and spoke words he could understand, "157, stop begging me. I''d love to help you, but your matters fall under the jurisdiction of Dr. Pede. I have no say."


    I can understand her? Charles thought as his eyes widened in shock.


    Before Charles could reply, the woman underwent the same mutation as the boy. She let out a gut-wrenching cry as her body morphed rapidly. Soon, a new Meeh''ek came to life right in front of Charles.


    When the Meeh''ek parted its lips, the once gentle female voice had turned into a series of iprehensible static sounds.


    "It looks like the Meeh''eks were really once humans. What happened to them, though?" Richard was curious.


    Swiftly finishing off the incessantly chattering Meeh''ek before him with a single sh, Charles extended his hand and felt around the wall on the left. Soon, he found the experimental log.


    Project ID: 157


    Project Name: Yesterday''s Theatre


    Description: 157 appears as a miniature drama stage, scaled down by five times. On August 14, 1875, due to an idental death caused by 157-1, 157 caught the attention of the Foundation member ¨~¨~¨~¨~. Eventually, 157 was found in the attic of ¨~¨~¨~¨~ at Edinburgh.


    Tests revealed that whenever 157 is moved, it will replicate all information about its surroundings in a fixed time frame. If a change happens in its environment that is inconsistent with its information, 157 will produce 157-1 from behind its crimson curtain.


    157-1 resembles humans found within the replication zone. 157-1 possesses human intelligence but shows cognitive anomalies. 157-1 will spontaneously use all avable materials to restore the environment to match the information held by 157.


    If hindered or attacked, 157-1 will turn hostile. 157-1 retains all abilities of the copied individual, including but not limited to weapon handling,bat techniques, and relic project operations.


    If the surroundings have been fully restored, 157-1 will periodically repeat the actions of the copied individual within the environment. Tests discover the cycle to be 6 days.


    If a being possessing intelligence enters the controlled radius of 157, 157-1 will assimte them to be a member of the environment and assign it a role.


    If the being resists, it will be captured by 157-1 and be forced to y the role. Excessive resistance results in escting punishments, potentially leading to death. Upon the being''s death, 157-1 will harvest their remains to be used as material as part of the environment.


    Containment Measures: 157 must be contained in a 4m x 4m Grade H chamber. Due to the nature of 157-1, a special task force has to be on standby 24-7. Once 157-1 makes its appearance, the special task force is to terminate it immediately.


    Appendix A: The proposal to use 157-1 as food for other projects has been submitted by Dr. Pede and attained the Foundation''s approval.


    Reading the contents of the experimental log hung on the wall, realization finally dawned on him. It finally all made sense¡ªthepletely mock city outside and the Meeh''eks'' behaviors of reenacting what happened in the past.


    These Meeh''eks were one of the relics being held captive by the Foundation.


    "Doesn''t seem right, though. It''s stated here that 157 is a drama stage. Does that look like a stage to you?" Richard asked as he pointed at the grotesque blob before them.


    "Remember how we could only understand the Meeh''ek when we were suffering from auditory hallucinations?" Charles asked as he recalled their past experience.


    "You mean..." Richard''s words were interrupted as 157 spat out another human. Within a couple of moments, a new Meeh''ek was born.


    "It seems like the voices from the sea not only affect humans. Even living relics are influenced," Charles remarked with his brows pressed together.


    This would then be able to exin the current appearance of 157 and its actions of producing humanoid creatures rather than humans.


    "Hah, if 157 could talk, it''d beining. It''s already weird enough, but to think it would encounter something that surpasses it here."


    "Captain, are you alright?" Dipp poked in through the door frame, his face tinged with concern.


    Charles cast a wary nce at the writhing 157 before he left the room and closed the door behind him.


    Unfolding the ind''s secret didn''t help his circumstances. He had to escape from this nightmarish ce as soon as possible.


    "How many doors are left?" Charles turned to Dipp and asked.


    "Two more, but the final door looks different from all the other doors," Dipp answered.


    Very soon, Charles arrived before a blood-red metal door. Layer uponyer of shimmering chains inscribed with arcane glyphs sealed the door.


    "Quickly, set the explosives. Once we release this one, we leave immediately."

 Chapter 107. Leeches

    <h4>Chapter 107. Leeches</h4>


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A deafening explosion rang out. As the billowing smoke dispersed, Charles stared in disbelief at the door before him. There was hardly a scratch on it or the chains. The strength of those binding chains was beyond his expectations.


    "We don''t have time to waste or care whether the door can be sted open. Pile all our explosives here, light the fuse, and we¡¯ll leave immediately," Charles uttered with anxiety in his voice.


    A deliberately extended fuse was lit on the floor.


    Charles then led his group into a sprint for the exit.


    The group of humans dashed through theboratory.


    With the chaos caused by the freed creatures, they were moving faster than ever. However, the closer they got to the exit, the more Meeh''eks stood on their path. Even if they were just ying the role ofmon civilians, they were still challenging opponents.


    Charles and his group were akin to a fragile wooden boat navigating through treacherous tides. A single misstep and the boat would capsize.


    Gunshots, angered roars, pained cries and the incessant static sounds produced by the Meeh''eks¡¯ converged into a cacophonous symphony of chaos.


    Just then, the sound of rushing water added a new dimension to the chaotic orchestra.


    Finishing off the Meeh''ek standing before him with a sh of his Dark de, Charles turned around toe face to face with leeches. A torrent wave of inky-ck water teeming with countless leeches surged toward them.


    Any living creature, even a Meeh''ek or a living relic, would meet their creator if they were consumed by the tide.


    Seeing the ck tidal wave rushing toward them, Charles'' face turned a shade whiter with terror. He realized that he might have released something too catastrophic from that red door.


    "Chief Engineer! Stop fighting them! Charge straight ahead!!" Charles yelled at the erged James.


    With a roar of fury, the towering figure of James grew a sizerger. He bulldozed toward the Meeh''eks ahead like a tank.


    Charles and the others followed closely behind. Those Meeh''eks that were pushed out of the way tried to attack the group from the rear, but they were swiftly swallowed by the leech tide.


    The Meeh''eks ahead seemed to be oblivious to the impending danger as they blindly charged toward the group of humans and the tide of leeches behind them. Charles and his group were like a boat going upstream and struggled in their journey forward.


    Weaker members of the group rapidly fell behind. They were either dragged away by the Meeh''eks or engulfed by the ck leech wave. The group around Charles started to shrink.


    Just when all hopes seemed lost, and the dark tide behind them was about to close in on them, a familiar flight of stairs appeared before the group. It was the exit.


    At this critical moment, Charles could no longer consider the drawback and lifted the Lightning Rod. In a crowded ce like this, the relic''s AOE ability was maximized. The arcs of electricity bounced from one Meeh''ek to another, and those at the front lines copsed to the ground.


    Seizing the opportunity, two of the Narwhale''s crew members supported a paralyzed Charles and sprinted up the steps. They arrived in a ss hall fully packed with Meeh''eks. The moment they saw the humans, they charged toward thetter.


    With a trembling hand, Charles grabbed Dipp the moment thetter tried to charge in. Pointing to the clock tower visible through the ss wall on the left, Charles said, "Don''t fight them! Go to the side!"


    The moment Charles and his group moved away from the exit, the passageway instantly turned dark. Inky ck water surged out from the exit like a fountain.


    The moment the leeches in the ck water made contact with the Meeh''eks, they would sink their maws into the humanoid creatures and then squirm into their bodies. The victims fell to the ground one after another, and their bodies rapidly dissolved into a ck liquid.


    "AHHHHH!" James'' towering figure lunged at the ss wall to the side with all his might. The entire wall shattered instantly into countless small fragments with a resounding crash. They were out.


    There was a road right outside of the hall. Barelying out of his paralyzed state, Charles rapidly identified the direction and led the group in a desperate sprint toward the Narwhale.


    There were still Meeh''eks on the streets; they numbered fewer than before and didn''t pose much of a threat to Charles and the group.


    Just then, Charles noticed a white-robed Meeh''ek leading a group of ck-robed Meeh''eks toward them.


    Even though all Meeh''eks had the same appearance, Charles instantly recognized this particr Meeh''ek as the tormentor that had subjected him to inhumane torture. Upon seeing his adversary, Charles'' eyes burned with fury and gnashed his teeth in seething anger.


    He immediately led the group to charge toward the Meeh''eks.


    As the human crowd rushed toward them, the ck-robed Meeh''eks raised their relics in defense. However, Charles was no longer alone this time. More than a hundred of them pulled the trigger on their weapons.


    Although the earth suddenly arched and formed a ramp to block most of the bullets, a few unfortunate ck-robed Meeh''eks were struck and dropped dead.


    The human crowd pushed forward. With their overwhelming numbers, the Meeh''eks were rapidly overpowered and pushed back.


    Just as the white-robed Meeh''ek used the relic with serrated edges and split a strong man into two, Charles flung his Dark de toward it. The Dark de flew through the air, leaving a trail of afterimage before embedding itself into the creature''s arm.


    Kicking off against the ground, Charles lunged forward and yanked out the Dark de only to plunge it deep into the Meeh''ek''s chest. With his eyes burning with intensity, Charles roared, "This is for Salin!!"


    Looking at Charles'' face from mere inches away, the white-robed Meeh''ek''s trembling lips parted and uttered a series of iprehensible sounds before its head tilted back and took itsst breath.


    Charles slowly exhaled as he finally let go of the resentment in his heart.


    <i>Crash!</i>


    The sound of shattering ss sounded from behind Charles.


    When he spun around, the sight before him turned his face pale. The ss hall that upied the area of half a football field had filled up with writhing leeches.


    The dark wave of leeches pushed against the ss and shattered their wall boundaries to expand even further beyond.


    The sheer volume of leeches was clearly abnormal.


    Their numbers were growing exponentially.


    <i>"Oh my god... What the hell are those things?" </i>Richard muttered, his voice slightly trembling from terror.


    "Forget about it, just run!" Charles shouted as he led the crew into a desperate dash for their lives.


    Before long, Charles and his team found themselves in the city''s heart. The streetsy eerily empty and exuded a false sense of tranquility.


    However, everyone was acutely aware of the gravity of their situation, and they dared not reduce their speed.


    They sprinted by opulent banks, barber shops adorned with the iconic red, white, and blue stripes, and radiant essory stores. The scenery around them whirled past in a blur until they found themselves in front of the familiar supermarket they had previously ventured into.


    "Press on! We''re almost there!" Charles shouted at his crew.


    The decision to enhance his crew''s stamina with Kord''s help had paid off. While others were panting for breath and had slowed down, the Narwhale''s crew still had the strength to push on.


    <i>Plop!</i>


    A strange sound suddenly rang out overhead.


    Puzzled, Charles turned, and his jaw dropped in disbelief.


    A rising mound of darkness squirmed and swelled.


    They were leeches, an endless swarm of them.


    With a resounding st, the mountain suddenly erupted like a vtile volcano. The dark sky was overshadowed by a sinisteryer of ck as a lethal rain of leeches descended upon them.

 Chapter 108. Boarding the Ship

    <h4>Chapter 108. Boarding the Ship</h4>


    A droplet of inky water with a leech withinnded on the Third Engineer of the Narwhale. He stumbled to the floor and reached out a desperate hand toward Charles. However, it was a fruitless struggle as his body rapidly disintegrated into a ck, viscous liquid.


    The horrifying sight sent a chill down everyone''s spine. Driven by primal survival instincts, the humans dashed into the nearby market to take cover. Almost simultaneously, the dark rain finallynded.


    Everything outside was covered in ayer of ck. The writhing leeches crawled across the streets. Charles knew that they couldn''t wait here for long. The leeches multiplied at a rate beyond their imaginations. They had to leave this cursed ce as soon as possible.


    Charles scanned the interior of the supermarket and arrived at the clothing aisle. He reached out to feel the clothes. They looked like regr clothes on the outside, but the texture reminded him of stic.


    "Put these clothes on! Bring multiple hats with you, too! Quick!" Charles roared.


    With a resounding crash, the humans, wrapped in multipleyers of garment, charged through the ss doors and sprinted toward the towering wall in the distance.


    Despite theyers of protection, the leeches would score another victim every now and then and leave a ck puddle of liquid in their ce. At this point, no one dared to stop¡ªStopping here meant dying.


    Three hundred meters.


    Two hundred meters.


    One hundred meters!


    The persistent dripping overhead ceased as Charles led the exhausted group of humans into the passageway of the massive wall.


    The colossal wall shielded the party from the ck rain. They were finally safe. Without even taking a breather, the humans swiftly removed all their protective clothes, just in case the leeches hitched a ride and squirmed into them through the seams of the garment.


    "Take half of the people to your boat! I''ll take the other half to mine. Hurry!" Charles shouted to the female follower of the Divine Light Order.


    Even in their extreme fatigue, everyone efficiently boarded the wooden boats and skillfully handled the oars. Filled to its full capacity, the boat steadily approached the Narwhale.


    With the echoing sound of the Narwhale''s horn, the once-stagnant ship began on her journey once more.


    Catching his breath on the deck, Charles leaned against the railings. His intense gaze was fixed on the ind in the distance.


    Under the illumination of the bright searchlights, he watched the ck leeches scale the colossal walls, consuming everything in its path like a devil''s hand.


    The various events on the ind shed past in Charles'' mind like watching snippets of a movie. He had only been on the ind for a few days, but it felt like an eternity.


    "This ind is gone; the Meeh''eks within have been annihted as well. They won''t be able to capture anyone for their twisted opera anymore," Richard parted his lips and said.


    Charles ignored his alter ego. He had another important matter to attend to. Grabbing Dipp next to him, he dragged the youngd into his captain''s quarters.


    The oilmp flickered to life with a click. Charles tossed a notebook, ruler, and pen into Dipp''s hands while thetter wore an expression of confusion.


    Charles proceeded to remove his jacket with trembling hands.


    "Sketch the map of the wounds on my back, hurry!" Charles ordered as he turned his naked back toward his boatswain.


    "But Captain... there are no wounds on your back," Dipp remarked.


    "What?!" Charles felt an invisible hand clutching his heart. He frantically reached out a hand to trace where the scars should have been to find that the inscriptions Salin had left on his back hadpletely healed.


    He was instantly reminded of the strange capsule that the white-robed Meeh''ek had forced him to ingest. It seemed to be a drug that could heal all wounds.


    <i>Were my efforts all in vain?</i> Charles instantly felt a wave of destion washing over him, and his knees buckled under the weight of it.


    "Captain, there are no wounds on your back, but there are some scars," Dipp continued. He had no idea how close he was to receiving a harsh beating from Charles.


    Charles sent a furious re toward Dipp.


    He turned around and instructed, "Draw ording to the scars. Hurry up."


    Soon, a replicated nautical chart was ced into Charles'' trembling hands.


    Matching the details with the one imprinted in his mind, Charles suddenly let out augh. Hisughter grew louder and heartier, much to the difort of Dipp.


    "Captain, are you alright?" Dipp asked, his face tinged with worry.


    "I''m alright, absolutely alright!" With a delightful glee, Charles abruptly hugged Dipp before he opened the door and forcefully pushed the youngd out.


    Closing the door behind him, Charles'' gaze was fixated on the map in his hands.


    "We found the exit! We can finally go home!" Charles muttered to himself.


    No matter how much torment he had suffered or how much despair he had undergone on this journey, he found it all worthwhile when he stared at the map in his hands


    <i>"Ah! I''ve yet to start writing my book ''Twenty Thousand Miles into the Subterranean Sea.'' I''d better start on it immediately, or it would be toote once we get back up there." </i>Richard''s voice resonated in Charles'' head.


    Hearing Richard''s voice, the smile on Charles'' face slowly faded. He carefully ced the nautical chart away between the pages of his diary.


    "Now that things havee to an end, we should have a proper talk about the mess you got us into," Charlesmented.


    ***


    Lying on the plush bed, Anna hummed along to thetest melody from the phonograph. It was thetest hit popr track in the Isle of Whereto. With her svelte figure exposed for all to see, she supported her head with one hand as she flipped through an art book filled with illustrations of grotesque monsters.


    The bathroom door opened with a click as a muscr young man emerged from within. His modesty was shielded by a mere towel wrapped around his waist. His voice quivered with a hint of excitement as he said, "Miss Anna. I''m done with my bath."


    Anna cast a nonchnt nce at him. "Did you wash yourself properly?"


    "Ye...Yes! I made sure I covered every spot. You can check for yourself," the young man answered as he enthusiastically moved toward the bed.


    He was just a mere hooligan wandering the harbor area, so being taken in by a renowned socialite of the Isle of Whereto was a reality beyond his wildest dreams.


    He couldn''t even dream of it happening. If he boasted about his one-night endeavor with thedy, hisrades would surely die of envy.


    With lust washing over him, he eagerly reached out his left hand toward Anna''s porcin skin while his right hand removed the towel around his waist.


    Almost immediately, thescivious grin on his face morphed into one of sheer terror, and his blood-curdling screams echoed in the room.


    The tentacle monster swallowed its prey whole while standing in a pool of blood before reverting to the beautiful Anna as if nothing had happened. She pped her hands softly, and three women dressed in ck and white maid uniforms entered the room.


    They silently and meticulously cleaned up the aftermath and reverted the interior to its previous pristine state.


    Annay down on the bed again and resumed her distracted perusal of the art book.


    "Any news from the Coral Archipgo?"


    "No, my mistress," her head maid answered with a deferential bow.


    Anna let out a sigh and yfully twirled a strand of her hair. She rolled to the other side of the bed, where a portrait of Charles was ced on the nightstand.


    Her left hand turned into a tentacle and wrapped around the photo frame to bring the portrait closer to her.


    "Mistress, who is he?" her head maid asked.


    "Him?" The corners of Anna''s lips curved into a smile. A hint of wistfulness shed across her eyes. Tenderly caressing the ss over Charles'' portrait with a tentacle, she answered, "He''s my man."


    <i>Ding dong!</i>


    A doorbell chime interrupted her thoughts. Without moving, Anna signaled with a slight tilt of her chin for the maid to open the door.


    The head maid swiftlyid out the carpet and rushed to answer the door.


    "Mistress, it''s the Governor''s dau¡ª"


    Before the maid could finish her words, Margaret eagerly dashed in with her gown trailing behind her.


    "Anna, has Mr. Charles replied?" Margaret asked.

 Chapter 109. Conflict

    <h4>Chapter 109. Conflict</h4>


    Within the dimly lit confines of the Narwhale, Dipp and Lily stealthily made their way to the captain''s quarters.


    "What do you think Mr. Charles is doing? Why has he cooped himself up in his room ever since he got on board?" Lily asked in a quiet whisper.


    "You are usually the one closest to Captain. How would I know if even you don''t know?" Dipp replied with a hint of annoyance.


    "He doesn''t allow me to share a room with him these days, so how would I know? And <i>shhhh...</i> Mr. Charles has sharp ears; be quiet, or he¡¯ll hear us."


    As they approached the captain''s quarters, they could hear muffled voices from within. They pressed their ears on the solid, wooden door and tried to decipher the fragmented conversation they heard.


    "Why did you... so rash! From now on, the body''s control... to me!"


    "Why should I? Just because you''re.... you''re right every time!"


    "Isn''t this all... you! Don''t you have... can''t you think before you...!"


    "Fine, I don''t have a brain. But I am... If I don''t... you..."


    "Do you think... nothing to you?"


    "Sure, you have your ways. Kill me, then! See... who... whom! Do you think I''m...?"


    Hearing the muffled argument from within the room, Lily and Dipp turned to look at each other with confused expressions.


    Lily muttered in a hushed whisper, "Seems like Mr. Charles is quarreling with himself again."


    "Has he always been like that?" Dipp asked as he subconsciously traced his fingers over the Clown Mask in his chest pocket.


    Charles'' abnormal mental state was an open secret on the Narwhale. Charles hadn''t addressed the issue, but the entire crew found out that there was another person living in the captain''s head based on their daily interactions.


    However, Charles had always tried to maintain a normal front before them, so the crew had collectively decided not to mention it.


    Lily shook her head. "No, he does mumble to himself from time to time, but a full-blown argument like this is the first."


    "What should we do? Should we intervene?" Dipp''s voice wasced with hesitation.


    "How? They¡¯re both Mr. Charles, no? Who should we help?"


    Suddenly, the door swung open, and Charles stood at the door with a gloomy expression. He stared at the youngd and the mouse and asked, "What are you doing here?"


    "<i>Uh...</i>Erm...I came looking for Lily. Right, Lily?" Dipp stammered and turned to his fellow crewmate. Lily hurriedly nodded in agreement.


    Before Charles could utter a word, Dipp grabbed the white mouse on the ground and made a mad dash for the deck.


    Once they arrived at the bustling deck, the two exchanged relieved nces before letting out a sigh of relief.


    "That was terrifying," Lilymented as she patted her chest with her tiny paw.


    Catching sight of the man and mouse duo, Conor, who was smoking by the side, approached them and asked, "How''s the Captain doing?"


    "<i>Sigh,</i> still the same," Dipp answered in a helpless tone as he stretched.


    "Should we get Doctor to take a look?" Conor took thest puff before throwing the cigarette butt into the sea.


    Lily tilted her head upward and said, "I asked Grandpa Doctor earlier. He said there''s nothing he can do."


    "It''ll all turn out fine. He had gone through so much; something minor like that won''t bring our captain down."


    "Yes, Mr. Charles is the toughest!" Lily agreed in a positive tone.


    Despite their optimistic words, the crew couldn''t help but notice something amiss about their captain during dinner time. He disyed a severeck of hand-eye coordination, and his hands seemed to be frequently spasmed.


    Worse, his lips even muttered inaudible whispers as his features contorted and twisted as though two opposing forces were fighting for control over his facial expressions. It was a terrifying sight to the onlookers.


    Eventually, Laesto could take it no longer and limped toward Charles. He gave a firm thump on Charles'' back and remarked, "Hey! Both of you should settle down! Everyone''s counting on you!"


    Noticing the uneasy gazes on him, Charles took a deep breath to regain hisposure.


    With a gloomy expression, he wolfed down his meal with fervor.


    After stuffing himself full with food, Charles ced his soup spoon down and rose from his seat to head back to his quarters. He still had unfinished business with Richard.


    Just as soon as he took the first step, a sailor rushed in from the deck.


    "Captain! The First Mate is asking for you. Those Divine Light lunatics got into a brawl!"


    The Narwhale was not too far away from the ship of the Divine Light Order. Standing on the deck, Charles could see the tumultuous crowd on the other ship.


    Using both arms, Charles semaphored to Bandages at the bridge, and the Narwhale slowly inched toward the other ship.


    The moment Charles stepped onto the deck of the Divine Light Order''s ship, he noticed Linda, the female believer of the Order, lying sprawled on the ground as several men tried to strip her of her robes.


    Everyone was united when they were fleeing from the wretched ind.


    Now that the crisis was over, dissent had erupted.


    "What''s going on?" Charles'' arrival brought an instant halt to the chaos.


    A muscr man standing at a height of 2.2 meters stood up.


    He thumped furiously at his chest, which was covered in dark hair.


    "How can I only get so little water considering my size? Does she think she''s feeding cats?"


    "The rationing was my decision. That''s the only way to ensure none of us die of thirst. Do you have a problem with my instructions?" Charles looked at the towering man with an icy re.


    The giant hesitated for a brief moment and took a half step in retreat. He was well aware of Charles'' strength. However, the weight of hisrades'' expectant gazes from behind him spurred him to reaffirm his stance.


    "Charles, I''m not saying I''ll defy your orders. However, humans need water. You have to ensure my survival. We are all captains, and we should be flexible about this thing. My previous ship was muchrger than yours."


    "<i>Oh?</i> And who were you before this?" Charles asked as he supported Linda up on her feet.


    Charles¡¯ gaze darkened upon seeing the fresh bruises on her skin.


    They clearly wanted more than just water.


    The giant grinned smugly and boasted, "I was a pirate, but we managed to escape together, so we¡¯re allrades now. Don¡¯t worry, I won''t harm you."


    "Are they your crew members?" Charles questioned as his gaze scanned the group of men standing behind the giant with defiant expressions.


    "Not exactly, but they listen to me now," the giant answered with a smirk.


    "Great," Charlesmented and pointed to the inky expanse outside the ship. "Jump."


    "Wh-what?" The giant''s arrogant expression instantly froze in disbelief.


    "I said jump!" Charlesmanded, and the Narwhale''s crew standing behind him collectively took a step forward. A heavy silence weighed down oppressively on the ship.


    A sh of panic appeared on the giant''s face, and he waved his hands frantically. "No, no, no, Mr. Charles. There¡¯s a misunderstanding here. I have no intention to challenge your authority. I-I just wanted another cup of water."


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Charles sent a bullet into the giant''s chest. Under everyone¡¯s gazes, Charles dragged the lifeless corpse and hurled it overboard before turning to look at the remaining men.

 Chapter 110. Sunken Island

    <h4>Chapter 110. Sunken Ind</h4>


    Traces of panic stained the faces of the remaining mutineers as they watched their leader being thrown overboard so easily. Their voices ovepped as they tried to justify their behaviors.


    However, Charles remained unmoving to their exnations. Unyielding, he pressed on and demanded the men to jump into the dark waters.


    As the captain, he needed to wield absolute control over the ships. It was his privilege, as well as his duty.


    The worst of human nature was amplified in a confined space.


    He recognized this incident to be the first of many, a test of boundaries. If he failed to nip an event like this in the bud, the rest would be emboldened to join in and eventually push the boundaries even further. Today, they demanded water, but tomorrow''s request would not be something that simple.


    Thenky man who stood at the edge was driven into frustration by Charles'' hard-pressing demand. His features contorted in wrath, and he lifted his gun to aim it at Charles.


    Before the man could even pull the trigger, a barrage of gunshots sounded from behind Charles. Several mutineers convulsed and copsed to the ground.


    Shocked by the scene before them, terror painted the faces of the remaining survivors. They hadn''t expected Charles'' resolve to be that irond.


    With an indifferent gaze, Charles watched as his crew threw the remaining troublemakers overboard.


    "If you can, kill all my men. Otherwise, it''s my ship, my rules. Try me again, and I won''t hesitate to feed more food to the creatures in the waters," Charles proimed like the majestic lion he was.


    Suppressed by the weight of his words, the others on board instinctively averted their gaze.


    Whether it was Charles'' stern words or the increased water rations due to the death of the few troublemakers, the rest of the journey was serene.


    No one stirred any more trouble, and the two ships sailed peacefully toward the Coral Archipgo.


    February 31st, 9th Year of Crossing Over, Clear Weather


    Ah~ Such clear skies without a trace of clouds. It''s the perfect day for an energetic quarrel. But Charles and I decided to call it quits today. After being at each others'' throats for days, we are both drained. Our mouths and throats are tired, too. We can''t get rid of each other anyway, so we reluctantly came to apromise.


    In the future, he will make all crucial decisions. Of course, topensate for my losses, he had to give me an additional half-hour each day. Also, the rule is to only act when the other is asleep.


    Sigh...he can be such a nuisance.


    Finding the map should have been a cause for celebration, but he had to sour things. No wonder he has no friends or confidantes in this stupid ce. Sharing a body with him is such torture.


    Bang!


    A sudden jolt caused Richard''s pen to scratch a long line across the diary page.


    "What the fuck!" Richard cursed as he mmed the diary shut. Picking up the Dark de, he dashed out of his quarters.


    "Which bastard is causing trouble now? I''ll pound him into minced meat!"


    Reaching the deck, he saw his crew on the deck stretching their necks outward as they peered into the waters below.


    "Captain! There''s a small ship below blocking our path," Dipp promptly reported upon seeing "Charles."


    "Oh my... Scammers even in this ce?" Richard sheathed the Dark de back into his boots and moved closer to the ship''s railings to gaze into the waters below.


    His gazended on a dpidated old ship. Though Dipp called it a small ship, it was not exactly small but ratherparable in size to S.S. Mouse. Its low sides hinted that the boat was only meant for shallow waters.


    Squinting his eyes, Richard could see those on board trying to pull theirrades out of the water. Clearly, the impact from hitting the Narwhale must have been hard.


    cing his hands on the edge of the Narwhale, Richard pushed himself off and leaped onto the smaller ship.


    He swiftly approached a bald middle-aged man who seemed to be the captain and flicked him on the forehead with his finger.


    "What''s the matter? Can''t you see a ship thisrge? Sure gutsy of you to man the wheel when you''re blind."


    The middle-aged captain was humble in the face of Richard¡¯s aggressiveness.


    He smiled sheepishly and picked up a crate of fruits next to him.


    "Captain, it must have been hard at sea. Look, our ck vine fruits are really fresh. It''s only 800 Echo per crate. Do you want some?" he asked.


    Richard frowned and said, "It would take a day''s journey to reach the Coral Archipgo. You sailed all the way out here to peddle goods?"


    "Your crew have been out at sea for so long. The water in your water tank must''ve surely gone stale. Fresh ck vine juice tastes much better than that. Buy now and enjoy a refreshing drink. Dear sir, please buy some."


    "Do I look like a fool to you? Move your wreck out of the way, or I''ll sail right over you."


    Richard instantly lost interest upon knowing that the man was just an ordinary goods peddler. He grabbed onto the softdder next to him and prepared to leave. He would have to return the body''s control to Charles in another thirty minutes, and he didn''t want to waste his time here.


    However, the balding captain wrapped his arms around Richard''s legs and wailed desperately, "Please, sir, please buy some. Our ind sank, and I rented this ship. My wife and my children depend on me to live. If I can''t make any money, we can only jump into the sea to end our lives."


    Richard released his grip on the softdder and studied the captain and the three crew members behind him. There was no sign of deformity on their ears. Indeed, they were not locals of the Coral Archipgo.


    "Your ind sank? Wasn''t thest ind sinking over a century ago? You could''ve cooked a better lie," Richard''s voice wasced with doubt.


    Wiping off the tears and snot on his face, the balding captain hurriedly exined, "It''s true, sir. You must be unaware because you''ve been at sea all this while, but the Shadow Ind sank not too long ago."


    "Shadow Ind..." Richard murmured as a rough map surfaced in his mind. It was an old ind that was rtively close to the Coral Archipgo.


    As he observed Richard''s look of hesitation, the middle-aged captain continued with his desperate plea. "Sir, it was catastrophic. Tens of thousands screamed as the waters dragged them into the deeper depths.


    ¡±The creatures from beneath swarmed in to drag those that had barely managed to stay on higher ground. It was like an apocalypse. I have to spend all my savings to get a position on this boat. Please, take pity on me."


    Richard rubbed his chin as he sank into his thoughts. With a decisive wave of his hand, he said, "Fine, consider it charity, then. Take five crates to each ship for my crew to quench their thirst."


    Hearing Richard''s words, the balding man jumped up in excitement and said, "Thank you! Thank you so much! May our Goddess bless you."


    "Don''t bring up any goddess. I don''t know what you are praying to, but if you bring up any god or goddess, you can take your fruits back with you." With that, Richard ascended the softdder and returned to the Narwhale.


    As the Narwhale neared the Coral Archipgo, they met more and more merchant boats. Theypeted with each other as they desperately tried to sell their wares to any ship approaching the harbor.


    It was a chaotic mess in the shallow waters.


    The faces on the boats were tainted with anxiety and desperation. They pleaded continuously for passing ships to stop and purchase their goods.


    Their behaviors were actually very dangerous and risky as therger vessel with looming prows could easily overlook these small boats.


    However, these merchants seemed unconcerned and were willing to risk even their lives for a few extra Echo.

 Chapter 111. All Beings Suffer

    <h4>Chapter 111. All Beings Suffer</h4>


    The chaos was overwhelming evidence that Shadow Ind had truly sunk. These refugees were those who had managed to escape on boats. Many unfortunate ones without boats suffered the same fate as the ind¡ªdevoured by the dark waters.


    It wasn''t merely the loss of one or two lives but the annihtion of millions. Charles had never thought of himself to be part of this Subterranean Seascape, but the vast tragedy and the immense loss of human lives weighed down on his heart.


    Besides the merchant ships peddling their goods in the shallow waters, the influx of Shadow Ind''s refugees brought about new dynamics.


    When the Narwhale finally managed to dock, Charles noticed an increase ofborers at the harbor, and most of them bore the distinct features of another ind. They were all refugees from Shadow Ind.


    The moment the Narwhale had docked, all of them swarmed toward the vessel with expectant faces. Upon realizing that it wasn''t a cargo ship with supplies, they dispersed with looks of disappointment.


    However, there was nothing Charles could do in this situation. He still had other matters to deal with. He gathered the people that he had saved from the ind with the Meeh''eks.


    Scanning each face, Charles said, "Now that we are ashore, let''s part ways here. Perhaps fate will allow us to cross paths again."


    Traces of joy appeared on their faces, and the moment Charles'' words fell, they immediately sprinted into the inner ind. They had returned alive.


    Of course, there were also several with good manners. A small man donning a duckbill cap stepped forward and bowed respectfully toward Charles. "Mr. Charles, you''re a great captain. May you find a new ind soon."


    Charles let out a dry chuckle. "Do you consider me great even after throwing people overboard?"


    The man shook his head. "As long as you bring your crew safely back to the harbor, you are considered a great captain. Those troublemakers were merely being served their just deserts."


    Soon, the group had dispersed, leaving only the Narwhale''s crew, Linda, and another disciple of the Divine Light Order. They were all Charles'' men.


    "Linda, check if Kord has returned. If he has returned, tell me."


    "As you wish." Being a woman of few words, Linda crossed her hands over her chest in a Divine Light Order gesture.


    She and the other disciple then turned and headed toward the harbor exit.


    Charles watched as the two left before turning back to address his crew. Every one of them looked at him with a hint of expectancy and excitement in their eyes.


    Skipping the formalities, knowing his crew had little patience for it at the moment, Charles immediately began handing out their wages.


    With every sailor walking away clutching stacks of Echo bills, their expressions were alight with happiness. Nothing felt better than the feeling of being alive and receiving one''s due payment.


    Just as Charles was distributing the crew''s wages on the deck, a man with a pipe dangling from his lips was waving his hat excitedly from a nearby dock.


    Jack, a sailor on the Narwhale, scampered down thedder with the stack of bills in his hand. Their joyous conversation drifted into Charles'' ears.


    "Yo, Jack, my friend! you''re finally back! Come, let us celebrate!"


    "Stop with this, man. Do you expect me to foot the bill again? You do this every, single, time!"


    "My dear cousin, don''t say that. I''ve some good news for you. I heard that some freshdies have arrived at Rouge Alley. They''re from Shadow Ind. They''re not only stunning but also quite reasonably priced. If we''re lucky enough, we might even get a central inder.


    ¡±Just imagining the same snobbishdies who once looked down on us having to serve us on the bed is... enough to get me going."


    "Is that true?" Jack eximed.


    "Of course! Those women are refugees from Shadow Ind. They¡¯re penniless and desperate."


    "My oh my... then I should definitely patronize and help these poordies."


    "Matey, I''m a little tight on cash today, could you perhaps...."


    "Alright, alright. It''s on me this time."


    "My dear cousin, your heart is as magnanimous as the vast ocean."


    Charles'' hand paused briefly while distributing the wages. However, he quickly dismissed the conversation and started calcting thepensation of the deceased crew members.


    He couldn''t concern himself with everything he came across.


    All beings suffer in the Subterranean Seascape, after all.


    After paying the necessary fees to the harbor authorities, the Narwhale and Salin''s Divine Radiance were anchored ashore.


    With weariness evident in his stride mixed with a hint of relief, Charles made his way to the Bat Tavern that belonged to him now.


    The streets saw a rise in waifs d in grimy, worn-out clothing. The faces of adults, too, were strained with worry.


    The harbor area was originally home to the struggling lower sses. With the arrival of the Shadow Ind refugees, their hardships intensified further.


    However, a specific group of people seemed to embrace the arrival of these refugees. Evangelists from various religions lined the streets and handed out pamphlets. In turbulent times, humans instinctively sought sce in a higher power.


    "Mr. Charles! Long time no see!" Hearing a familiar shout, Charles turned around and came face to face with Small Ears from the Sea Serpent Gang.


    "What have you been busy with? I haven''t seen you around for a long while," Small Ears asked as he approached with a few subordinates. His left hand was wrapped in bandages.


    For some reason, Small Ears seemed notably more amicable toward Charles, almost as if he was attempting to win Charles'' favor.


    "Just some trivial matters. What happened to your hand?" Charles asked.


    Hearing Charles'' question, Small Ears'' features twisted into a hideous expression, and he spat vehemently onto the floor. "The doing of those bloody trash from Shadow Ind! They attacked me with knives. How dare they try to encroach on my territory!"


    Small Ears wiped his anger off his face and leaned toward Charles. "Let''s not talk about that. Someone approached me to give you an offer to do a dirty job for them, will you do it? The pay''s really good, and I won''t take a cut."


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Charles shook his head and rejected Small Ears. He didn''t want to cause unnecessary trouble at this point. "Sorry, I don''t take such jobs."


    A tall,nky man next to Small Ears interjected with a hint of annoyance. "Charles, show some respect to our boss. Our boss is kind enough to¡ª"


    Before the man couldplete his sentence, Small Ears took out his revolver and struck the man in his face with the handle.


    "Who are you to bber your mouth here? Shut your mouth!!"


    After reprimanding his underling, Small Ears turned around with a sheepish smile on his face. "It''s okay. No hard feelings. I was just asking, anyway. Doe to my territory and have fun whenever you have the time. You''re always wee."


    Charles calmly looked Small Ears in the eyes before he turned and left with the group of mice in tow.


    The moment Charles'' silhouette disappeared into the distance, Small Ears turned to the tall,nky man andshed out in exasperation, "Are you stupid?! How dare you provoke someone like him? Haven''t you heard how he wiped out the Razor Cartel?"


    "Wasn''t he just Charles who ferried goods in that dpidated cargo boat a year ago? He even transported contraband for us previously," the tall underling replied in a defiant tone.


    Small Ears looked toward the direction that Charles had disappeared into. With a trace of envy in his gaze, he remarked, "Don''t you get it? He''s no longer the same as before. He''s not one of us anymore..."

 Chapter 112. Assistance from the Western Seas

    <h4>Chapter 112. Assistance from the Western Seas</h4>


    "Mr. Charles, will the Coral Archipgo sink as well?" Lily asked as a tinge of worry shed across her eyes.


    Charles remained silent and patted Lily on her furry head in response. Pushing open the ornate doors of the Bat Tavern, he headed straight for his room.


    Evidently, he had no answers for her. Logic had no ce in the Subterranean Seascape. Even mere survival was considered a luxury. The only way to escape and live without fear was to find the entrance to the surface.


    Their problems would be resolved once they found the entrance.


    The moment Charles sank into the plush sofa in his room, the weight on his shoulders seemed to have melted away. With the gentle glow of the firece bathing the room, Charles drifted into sleep.


    After an unknown period of time, Charles was suddenly jolted awake by a nightmare.


    He noticed Linda standing beside him, but he had no idea how long she had been waiting. He took the pocket watch out and realized that he had slept for four long hours.


    "Mr. Charles, thisdy arrived two hours ago. I wanted to wake you up, but she told me not to and insisted that I let you sleep," Lily said as she stood perched on the windowsill, her eyes never leaving the world outside.


    Charles kept his pocket watch and addressed Linda, "How''re things? Has Kord returned?"


    Linda shook her head. "The Sacred Acolyte has yet to return to the branch chapel."


    A trace of disappointment surfaced on Charles'' visage. However, he had also expected the same. Another dreaded waiting game was ahead, and he really hated the wait.


    "Does Salin have any family?" Charles asked. After all, they were allies, and if Salin''s family were in need, he would do whatever he could to assist.


    "Yes, I''m his wife." Linda''s calm tone took Charles by surprise.


    "You are his wife? Then why aren''t you the slightest bit sad over his death?" Charles raised an eyebrow in doubt.


    Linda answered in an indifferent tone as though she was discussing the death of a stranger. "Why do I have to be sad? Couples are matched in the Divine Light Order. I don''t hold much feelings for him, and it''s the same for him."


    Charles carefully studied the bald woman before him, seemingly to verify the authenticity of her words before saying, "You may go first. If Kord returns, notify me immediately."


    Linda nodded in affirmation. She turned and wordlessly left the room.


    Days felt like years as Charles earnestly and anxiously waited for Kord''s return. He had tried to alleviate his anxiety through painting, but it hadn''t been much of a distraction.


    It was undoubtedly a torture in itself that he already had his hands on the nautical chart, but he had to wait for someone else. If not for Laesto''s warning that his mental contamination needed treatment by staying ashore, he would have abandoned Kord and headed for the ind himself.


    However, the arrival of someone soon provided some distraction from his anxious thoughts.


    Lying stark naked on the bed, Charles let out a deep breath. Massaging his temples, he asked, "Didn''t you form a fleet to conquer the ind? Why are you back?"


    With her cheeks flushed red, Elizabeth emerged from under the nket and ced her head on Charles'' chest. With a faint smile on her face, she felt his rapid heartbeat echoing from within him.


    "We encountered some issues on that ind."


    "You haven''t gotten rid of 1002 yet?"


    Elizabeth''s long locks swayed across Charles'' chest as she shook her head.


    "Yeah, that thing''s quite a foe. Explosions, corrosive acid, freezing, we tried them all. Even after we destroyed it and reduced it to the size of a fingernail, it swiftly regenerated. We¡¯re wondering if it can even be considered a living being."


    Memories of the creature that could animate everything surfaced in Charles'' mind. It was truly a formidable adversary. However, the fact that they still hadn''t conquered it after months was unexpected.


    "Does that mean the ind is a lost cause?"


    "Not quite. The Gunther Family of the Western Seas reached out to me recently, iming that they have ways to deal with it."


    "The Western Seas? Those arcanists have ways to deal with 1002?"


    "Yes. The Gunthers are a renowned family of sorcerers in the Western Seas. Rumor has it that their patriarch can even easily modify a human''s soul and even alter their memories, consciousness, and cognition."


    Charles frowned. "I doubt that will work. Even if he¡¯s powerful, how can he alter 1002 when he can''t even get close to it? And it remains debatable whether that thing has a soul or not."


    "I''m not sure of the specifics, but they assured me that they will surely take care of 1002. But in return, they demanded twenty percent of the ind''snd aspensation. What do you think?" Elizabeth asked.


    "Why are you asking me about this? It''s your ind, and it''s your sole decision to make."


    Elizabeth lifted her head from Charles'' chest and stared at him with her deep blue eyes. "Have you forgotten? I told you half of the ind belongs to you. Surely, I would need to consult you over such a significant matter."


    "It doesn''t matter to me, so you can make the decision," Charles remarked. He really couldn''t care less about that ind.


    "All right, I''ll agree to their conditions then."


    Just then, Charles suddenly propped himself up as a wave of suspicion washed over him. He stared at Elizabeth in the eyes and asked, "Your memories haven''t been altered by them, have you?"


    Once bitten, twice shy. Ever since the incident with Anna, he had grown exceedingly cautious about such matters.


    Elizabeth let out a chuckle and said, "Rest assured, they haven''t. They had tried controlling a few governors in the past, but after those people came to their senses, the Gunthers suffered a dire bacsh.


    ¡±They wouldn''t dare let history repeat itself in the Northern Seas, especially with many eyes watching them."


    Elizabeth traced a slender, fair finger across the jagged scars on Charles'' chest. In a soft whisper, she purred, "My dear, you have umted more scars."


    "Just some minor injuries. I got grazed by something in the water." Charles answered nonchntly and stood up to put his clothes on.


    Two soft arms draped over his shoulders from the back and encircled Charles'' neck in a loving embrace.


    "Charles, can''t you reconsider? Once the Gunthers deal with 1002, that ind will be ours. We can build our new home soon, and the whole ind will belong to us," Elizabeth whispered seductively into Charles'' ear.


    Charles gently removed her arms from his shoulders and continued putting on his clothes. "I still have my own matters to deal with. Once I''m done, if you still wish to be with me, you cane along."


    Staring at the broad back in front of her, a glint of sorrow reflected in Elizabeth''s gaze. Was the legendary "Land of Light" more important than a habitable ind?


    Charles stood by the window and peered downward. He watched as Elizabeth left with an entourage in tow. She had yet to be a governor, but there was no denying the aura of authority and power she exuded.


    The gentleness she disyed earlier was gone and had been reced with confidence and determination on her delicate visage. The captain of the ck Rose was back in her element.


    The door behind Charles creaked open, and Lily scampered in with her group of mice trailing behind her.


    Charles'' gaze darted around the room to make sure that there weren''t any traces of his lovemaking with Elizabeth before he approached the gunner.


    "Back so soon? Didn''t you go out to y?"


    Lily nimbly climbed up from Charles'' pants to stand on his shoulder. With a look of hesitation, she then asked, "Mr. Charles, can I discuss something with you?"


    "What''s the matter?" Charles picked up the furry white mouse and gently cradled her in his palms.


    "The other crewmates receive wages, right? As a gunner, shouldn''t I receive wages as well?" Lily''s question hung in the air.

 Chapter 113. A Noble Lily

    <h4>Chapter 113. A Noble Lily</h4>


    Charles was taken aback by Lily''s question. This was the first time she had asked him for a sry, despite the long time they had spent together.


    "Haven''t you always just dragged me around whenever you wanted to buy something before?" Charles inquired with a hint of curiosity in his gaze.


    Lily''s ears drooped as she recounted what happened. It turned out that she had seen James'' wife giving out stale bread to the pitiful refugees from Shadow Ind, and she wanted to do the same.


    "Mr. Charles, can we help them? They are so pitiful. I saw some of them were starving to the extent that they would rummage through trash heaps to fill their stomachs with scraps that even mice would ignore," Lily implored and tugged at Charles'' finger like a child asking for a treat.


    "With so many refugees, can you even help them all?"


    "But... even if I can assist one, it would mean a lot to them. Starvation is a horrible feeling. Jumpy also mentioned that there''s an increase of dead bodies in the sewers."


    Charles contemted Lily''s words for a brief moment before he scribbled down an amount on a check and handed it over to the white mouse. "Here''s your sry. Don''t withdraw it all in one shot. Get Dipp to set up a bank ount for you."


    "Thank you, Mr. Charles! You''re the best!" Lily excitedly received the check and scurried out of the room with her furry friends.


    <i>"Are we even in the position to be so generous with our money? And letting a brat squander the money away." </i>Richard''s voice sounded in Charles'' head.


    "Those are her just wages. It''s none of our business how she decides to spend it. Besides, we won''t be staying here for long, so that amount of Echo can be overlooked." Charles took out his sketchbook and started drawing.


    Richard''s voice suddenly disappeared in Charles'' mind, but his prosthetic arm abruptly moved without his conscious control. It picked up another brush, and both hands worked in tandem.


    As the two brushes danced across the sketchbook, a warm and cheery depiction of a family of four appeared on the paper. However, only the visage of the young man stood out clearly, with the other three countenances shrouded in ambiguity.


    Charles believed that the situation with Lily had been resolved, but to his surprise, she returned that evening, deeply upset and sobbing uncontrobly.


    "What''s the matter?" Charles asked as he ced the brush down.


    Lily wiped off a drop of tear with her tiny paw and answered with a sniffle, "They... They stole my bread. I asked them to line up, but they wouldn''t listen. They even... even tried to rob me..."


    "Are you okay?" Charles immediately picked Lily up by the tail and turned out 360 degrees to check if she had any wounds.


    Hanging upside down by her tail, Lily responded, "I''m fine. My friends bit them. But why, Mr. Charles? I was trying to help them."


    Relieved that Lily was unharmed, Charles gently ced her down on the floor. "Not everything in life needs an exnation. Don''t go there anymore. Save the money and buy some treats for yourself."


    Hearing Charles'' words, Lily''s eyebrows knit together in confusion. She settled down onto the carpet and yed with her tail absentmindedly. Despite her best efforts, she couldn''tprehend why they treated her with such aggression and snatched her bread when she was just trying to help them.


    As time trickled by, the brown mice beside her had curled up and fallen asleep on the carpet. However, Lily remained perplexed and deep in thought.


    Noticing Lily''s knitted brows, Charles shook his head. He ced his brush down and picked her up to cradle her in his hand. He then approached the window.


    "Are you thinking that they should have been grateful to you because you empathized with them and helped them?¡±


    "Yes. They were hungry, so I gave them food. Shouldn''t they thank me? That''s what good people do."


    "Who told you that pitiful beings are always good people? Some would discard all morals for the mere sake of survival. Living bes their sole focus."


    Peering out into the streets, Charles gently prompted Lily to watch the unfolding scene. A young boy, seemingly no older than seven or eight, was cutting into a sailor''s pocket with a knife.


    The sparkle of innocence typically found in a child''s eyes was absent and had been reced with a ring hunger for money.


    In an instant, the sailor caught on to the boy''s theft. Grabbing the boy dressed in ragged clothes, he hurled him violently to the ground. Without any consideration for the child''s tender age, he raised his right foot and delivered a crushing blow to the young thief''s chest.


    The onlookers were indifferent to the harrowing scene and merely took a step away to avoid being sshed by the blood gushing from the child''s mouth.


    Spitting out blood, the young boy struggled as he crawled toward an elderly man smoking nearby. His bloody lips parted in what seemed like a plea. The old man cast him a cold nce before flicking his cigarette butt into a nearby grimy puddle close to the boy. He then left without a word.


    "Living in this world, we can only protect ourselves, or at most, those close to us. We can''t be too concerned about other people''s business. They are pitiful, but who in this universe isn''t? Existence in itself is suffering," Charles advised as he gently stroked the soft fur on Lily''s back.


    The white mouse on Charles'' palm clenched her tiny paws with her gaze fixated on the young boy on the ground, forsaken by all.


    Just when Charles thought that his message had gotten through to his gunner, Lily let out a series of squeaks. The brown mice on the carpet were roused from their sleep and dashed out.


    Soon enough, Charles witnessed the mice swiftly dragging the injured boy to the corner or a nearby alley.


    Pushing Charles'' hand away, Lily turned around and looked up at Charles. She shook her head and said, "Mr. Charles, you''re wrong. Daddy said that a person lives not just for themselves. Humans have to help each other to make this world a better ce!"


    Lily jumped down Charles'' hand andnded on the ground. With passion burning in her eyes, she proimed, "Even if they don''t thank me, I''ll still help them! Mr. Charles, don''t you stop me!"


    Seeing Lily''s agitated appearance, Charles let out a chuckle. "I won''t stop you. Do what you wish to do. Remember to buy some fish and mushrooms for those people. You''ll be able to help more of them. Bread is too expensive, and even the cheapest ck flour requires freshwater."


    Lily was stunned, but she soonposed herself and vigorously nodded in understanding before darting out of the door.


    Observing the bustling streets from the window, Charles exhaled a deep breath. Undeniably, Lily was much more virtuous than him.


    The events of that day soon faded from Charles'' mind. He didn''t really intervene with Lily''s work in aiding the refugees. As long as it brought a smile to her face, that was all that mattered.


    As time passed, a legend began to circte in the harbor district. The legend spoke of "Angel Mice," who were the guardian angels of homeless children and beggars. These angelic creatures would bestow food to the hungriest of kids.


    "You''ve done well this time," Charlesmented. In the warm room, his gazended on the white mouse who was munching on an oyster with a satisfied look.


    Lily let out a giggle and replied, "I waited till they had fallen asleep and sent the food one by one. That way, everyone would get something to eat, and no one would starve."


    Charles picked up his paintbrush and continued his work.


    The joy in Lily''s eyes meant that the money was well-spent.


    "Mr. Charles, what were you doing by the seaside when it''s sleeping time, though?"


    Charles'' paintbrush halted in mid-air upon hearing Lily''s question. "You saw me heading toward the seaside? When was that?"


    "Yeah," Lily answered as her tiny head nodded. "My friends saw you a couple of times, leaping from rooftop to rooftop toward the sea."

 Chapter 114. Potion

    <h4>Chapter 114. Potion</h4>


    <i>"Where did you go at night?" </i>Charles asked inwardly. He hadn¡¯t been to the seaside, so Lily definitely saw Richard rather than him.


    <i>"Heh, you know I''ve taken a liking to fishingtely. So I used my own time to indulge in my new hobby. Do you have a problem with that?" </i>


    Charles remained silent at Richard¡¯s response and continued painting.


    Time passed by, second after second. Atst, the final stroke was added to the painting. Charles retrieved his pocket watch and looked at the time. He relinquished control of his body; it was now time for his alter ego.


    Humming a tune, Richard took out a fresh journal and started writing his outline for his work titled<i> "Twenty Thousand Miles into the Subterranean Sea."</i>


    The scratch of the pen against the dry paper sang a monotonous tune and left a fluid script in its path.


    The story spoke of the tales of a young boy by the name of Mirey and his whimsical adventures in the Subterranean Sea. The chapters were filled with various humorous quips and yful anecdotes, and as Richard wrote, he asionally burst out inughter at his own jokes.


    It had only been four hours, but Richard was already halfway through his incoherent novel.


    "Heh, bro, what do you think of this joke? One day, Mirey identally let out a series of loud farts at home. His grandma, who was knitting by the side, abruptly stood up and said, ''Kid, quickly open the door; your second uncle is back with a tra¡ª<i>pffft! Hahahaha!</i>"


    Richard doubled over inughter and pounded his fist on the desk before he could even deliver the punchline.


    After a few minutes of Charles''ck of response, Richard''s hystericalughter gradually subsided, and a satisfied grin spread across his face.


    Tossing the pen aside, he pushed the window open and leaped out. Draped in a deep blue captain uniform, he nimbly jumped across rooftops like a seasoned acrobat.


    Richard leaped effortlessly, executing a graceful spin beforending on the docks lined with vessels. His gazended on a colossal ck and red steamship that was twice the size of the Narwhale.


    Just as he was about to make his way over with a spring in his steps, he retracted his foot almost instantly. "No, no, he doesn''t walk like that."


    Richard ced his hands over his face and massaged his features.


    After a couple of seconds, he lowered his hands. The defiant and scornful expression of Richard had vanished. In its ce, the perpetually stoic expression with a hint of weariness was unmistakably Charles.


    Clearing his throat with a cough, Richard¡ªchanneling Charles¡ªadjusted his voice by pinching his throat with his prosthetic hand before walking toward the ship.


    The moment he boarded the ship, Elizabeth approached him. Dressed in a crisp, white captain''s attire, she looped her arm through his and asked, "Charles, why are you sote today?"


    "<i>Hmm...</i> I got held up by some matters. How are things progressing?" <i>Charles </i>asked with a cold expression.


    "He''s in the cabin. I heard that he achieved some breakthrough progress concerning the task you assigned. What have you been up to? You cooped yourself up in the room with him whenever you are here. How secretive..."


    "It''s nothing much. I''ll let you know once it''s resolved." Richard then brought Elizabeth to a nearby cabin.


    The ship was massive, with its interior divided into three expansive decks. Each level boasted a unique design ir. The individuals aboard deviated from the appearance of a typical sailor. Most of them donned lengthy violet robes and were crowned with conical soft hats.


    When they looked at Richard, their gazes were respectful with a hint of curiosity. Lately, this man had been coborating closely with their leader, but no one knew the exact nature of their dealings.


    Under their watchful eyes, Richard and Elizabeth arrived at the lowest deck.


    The lowest deck was a library of books. Volumesy haphazardly strewn about in dense clusters without any discernible organization.


    Seated behind a table overflowing with ancient tomes, an elderly man with deep wrinkles etched to his visage was engrossed in his reading.


    The sound of approaching footsteps had him lifting his gaze. Peering through his reading sses, a faint smile appeared on his wrinkled face. "Ah, Mr. Charles! I''ve good news regarding the eradication of your other¡ª"


    Richard suddenly burst into a coughing fit to interrupt the elderly man.


    The old man paused and nced at Elizabeth. He immediately went silent.


    "Leave first," Richard said as he pulled his arm out of Elizabeth''s grasp.


    She curiously nced at the two before nodding. "Alright, carry on with your work. I''ll be outside."


    As the distinct click-ck of Elizabeth''s heels grew fainter, Richard dashed toward the old man in excitement and inquired, "How''s it going? Any progress?"


    The old man nodded and turned his gaze onto a pile of books next to him. With a graceful lift of his left hand, the disorderly books spread their pages and fluttered away like birds to reveal a secret door.


    The door swung open with a creak, and Richard followed the old man into the chamber.


    The space was rtivelypact, roughly the size of a bedroom and a half. Amidst the array of bottles and jars arranged around the room, a man was confined, and his face was concealed behind the mask, 096.


    His four limbs were firmly bound with iron chains. No matter how vigorously he shook his head, the Clown Mask remained fixed on his face.


    "Look." The old man beckoned with a lift of his left hand. A green-hued translucent figure detached itself from the man''s body.


    Pointing at the translucent figure, the old man exined, "With regards to this relic you handed to me, I did a considerable amount of research and finally discovered how it creates new personalities in its host. It alters the rotational count of the soul''s astral pathways. Moreover, it¡ª"


    "Wait, I don''t want to know the mechanism behind it. I just want to know how to get rid of one personality without affecting the other." Richard interjected with a hint of impatience in his tone.


    The old man looked at Richard with a probing gaze. "Mr. Charles, perhaps have you used this relic? Then, may I know which personality I am talking to now?"


    "It''s none of your concern if I have used this relic. You just have to resolve this issue for me, and Elizabeth will grant you an additional five percent of her ind," Richard answered with a cunning glint in his eyes.


    The old man stared intensely at the young man before him for a long moment before he let out a chuckle.


    "I''ve already discerned the relic''s effects on the soul. Now, I just need to concoct the potion. Don''t worry. When ites to the knowledge of the soul, no one is more adept at it than the patriarch of the Gunther Family."


    "Great. How long will it take?" Richard''s eyes were filled with urgency.


    "As a show of sincerity in regards to our coboration, I''ve already prepared the Soul Congealing Potion. I know that you are in urgent need of this," the old man said. He lifted his wrinkled hand, and a palm-sized ss bottle floated out from the depths of his robe''s sleeve and hovered before Richard.


    Richard sped the bottle and gave it a gentle sway.


    The bronze fluid intertwined with ck streaks danced mesmerizingly inside the bottle.

 Chapter 115. Pull the Trigger

    <h4>Chapter 115. Pull the Trigger</h4>


    Richard''s lips slightly quivered as his gaze was fixated on the vial before him. Unable to control his excitement, he burst into a heartyughter.


    "Mr. Finn, you are truly deserving of being the patriarch of the Gunther Family. Your expertise in the realm of souls ismendable."


    The old man''s face glowed with pride. "You tter me, Mr. Charles. We''re just helping each other out."


    Richard forcefully pulled out the cork and was about to consume the contents within when his grip faltered, and the ss vial fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.


    Both Richard and Finn froze as they stared at the iridescent bronze liquid flowing down the floor.


    Hearing the sound of shattering ss, Elizabeth entered the room.


    "Charles, what happened?" Her voice was thick with concern.


    Richard suddenly stirred and awkwardly scratched his head while looking around with feigned bewilderment. "<i>Hmm?</i> Did anyone see my fishing rod? It was still beside me just now. I was about to go fishing. I¡¯ll lose my usual spot if I''mte."


    Charles'' face contorted into a furious expression in an instant. His angry roars echoed throughout the cabin. "You dare to try and erase me?!"


    Realizing that Charles had really roused from his sleep, Richard decided to drop the pretense. He made a desperate attempt and lunged at the spilled bronze liquid, trying top it up.


    But before he could crane his neck, a forceful grip pressed on his neck and thrust his forehead into the liquid.


    "You bastard!! I must be blind to have agreed to share my body with you! You bloody replica created by 096!"


    On the ground, Charles'' body started convulsing violently.


    "I''m Gao Zhiming, and so are you! If I''ve put this thought into action, do you dare say the thought has never crossed your mind? I only struck first because I was more attentive to details when you were blinded by your lust!"


    The two personalities started a fierce battle to seize control over their physical body. Their enhanced physical strength and flexibility contorted the body into unbelievable, inhumane positions.


    Elizabeth watched in panic and distress. She wanted to intervene, but she had no idea how. Her gaze then turned to Finn.


    "What is going on? What happened?"


    As Charles'' body writhed and twisted, his revolver slipped from its holster andnded on the ground with a thud.


    Seizing the right hand, Richard picked up the revolver and pointed it at his temple. "Move again, and both of us can meet our creator!!"


    Charles sneered and let out a sarcasticugh. "Do you think I''m afraid of you?"


    He decisively pulled the trigger.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A gunshot rang out.


    However, it didn''t send Charles'' head exploding like fireworks. The moment the bullet left the muzzle, it hovered momentarily in a state of void before re-solidifying on the other side of Charles¡¯ head and hitting the steel wall with a spark.


    The miraculous happening was the work of Elizabeth. The short rod in her hand emitted a faint glow.


    While both personalities were confused and astonished as to why they were still alive, Elizabeth ran over. Lifting her high-heeled boot, she kicked the revolver out from Charles'' grip


    Finn Gunther also stepped forward to help. With a gentle lift of his hands, Charles'' body levitated off the ground. The next moment, both Charles and Richard could no longer feel their limbs, effectively bringing their physical fight to a standstill.


    Her eyes bloodshot with worry, Elizabeth cupped Charles'' face and asked, "Why would you do this?"


    Two different voices emerged from Charles'' lips.


    "It''s none of your concern. Put me down."


    "It''s a men''s issue. Stay out of it, woman!"


    <i>p!</i>


    With a deft motion, Elizabeth grabbed Charles by the cor and pped him hard. It was the first time that the captain of ck Rose had shown this side of her before Charles.


    Her silver-white hair red like a lion''s mane, and her remaining deep blue eye red at Charles with evident fury.


    "None of my concern? What do you see your life as? Some disposable trash, Charles?"


    Looking into Elizabeth''s eye, Charles'' twisted expression gradually returned to normal. He parted his lips but eventually decided to remain silent.


    Releasing her grip on Charles, Elizabeth then approached Finn Gunther with an icy look on her visage.


    "What''s going on here? You''d better not withhold any information from me, or our coboration ends here!"


    A hint of nervousness instantly crept onto Finn''s face, and he began his detailed exnation.


    The promised quarter of the new ind was the new residential location that he had chosen for the Gunther Family. If their coboration fell through, it would spell a massive headache for them.


    Meanwhile, the mental argument between Richard and Charles continued in their head.


    <i>"You crazy nutcase! Did you actually just attempt suicide? Have you forgotten our mission? We¡¯ve ovee so many hardships to reach this point! What would our past nine years of efforts be if we end up dying in our own hands!"</i>


    <i>"So? Even if I were to die, I would never, ever let you have control of my body for another second. Never, ever!"</i> Charles'' voice wasced with hatred and hostility.


    <i>"Fine, I admit I was in the wrong. I even betrayed myself. I deserve to be skinned alive. But I just wanted us to be sane again. Wouldn''t our mom be sad if she saw that her son¡¯s arm was missing and he had be mentally ill?"</i>


    <i>"Ha. Ha. Ha. I suppose I should be thanking you instead?" </i>Charles responded with a hint of sarcasm.<i> </i>


    <i>"We¡¯vee to a resolution, no? Are we just going to waste time here? Have you forgotten our ultimate goal? The ultimate goal is to return home¡ªreturn to the surface world! So, why don''t we just put this behind us and move on?"</i>


    <i>"You spent so much time and effort trying to kill me. Now, you are telling me to put this behind me and move on. Wow. How considerate of you."</i>


    <i>"How about this? As punishment, I can only take over when you are asleep. At all other times, you have full control of the body, deal? We can discuss the rest when we return to the surface world."</i>


    Charles shook his head, and his gazended on Finn Gunther, who was engaged in conversation with Elizabeth.


    <i>"Have him brew me a potion that will erase you. That will settle our score."</i>


    Richard clearly scorned the idea. <i>"Why should I? What if you down the drink while I''m asleep? I will be gone forever!"</i>


    As the two personalities continued their heated argument in their mental space, Elizabeth approached them with Finn Gunther next to her. She had now learned of Charles'' story.


    With a delicate hand, she tenderly stroked Charles'' face. She never knew that another personality resided in Charles'' mind and wondered if she had never understood him as much as she believed she did.


    Noticing Elizabeth''s expression, the argument in Charles'' mind ceased.


    "It''s not a big deal, just something minor. Don''t worry too much," Charlesforted.


    "What''s with the long face? Smile~ His words are true. It''s just some minor trifle between us. You''ve just not seen much. This is our usual way of interaction," Richard followed up.

 Chapter 116. Subscribe!!

    <h4>Chapter 116. Subscribe!!</h4>


    "Do you take me for a fool? If I hadn''t intervened, you would have been dead by now. And you call it a minor trifle?" Elizabethshed out.


    Her biting remarks left Charles and Richard speechless.


    Breaking the silence, Finn approached them and said, "Mr. Charles, I thought of a way that might end the scuffle between you two."


    As Charles and Elizabeth turned their gazes on him, Finn continued. "I can concoct two potions. Each will cause one of you to disappear. You just have to randomly pick one and drink it. The problem will be solved then."


    "Russian roulette, huh? Why should I gamble my existence with that guy? This body belongs to me in the first ce!"


    "Bro, let''s just take both potions first and get out of this cursed seascape. Maybe the psychiatrists up there have a solution to merge us. Then none of us will have to die, right?" Richard hurriedly intervened with a tinge of urgency in his voice.


    "<i>Hah.</i> Your words greatly differ from your previous actions," Charles spat out in rage.


    "Fine, I am a shameless hypocrite, alright? But do we have to bicker in front of ourdy? Answer this: do you want to return to the surface? Or do you want to waste time over this and bring it all to a standstill?"


    Charles turned and saw Elizabeth''s expression of worry. He momentarily suppressed the wrath in his heart.


    Sensing Charles''promise, Richard hurriedly instructed, "Make those potions. as fast as you can."


    Finn got to work immediately upon hearing Richard''s words. He was indifferent to the fate of either personality; his main interest was securing that additional 5% stake.


    As an unfamiliar incantation left Finn''s lips, Finn started rhythmically moving his hands in the air. The various bottles and jars nearby started moving on their own. Liquids of various hues flowed and merged within interconnected ss vials. It was an oddly aesthetic sight.


    At this point, Charles had struggled out of Finn''s influence andnded on the ground. With a stoic expression, he walked to the nearby revolver and bent down to pick it up.


    "Bro, something''s amiss. You''re not one to give up so easily, so why were you so impulsive just now?" Richard questioned.


    "Shut up!"


    "Fine, fine, fine! I''ll shut my mouth. You''re the boss now."


    With an icy look, Charles walked next to Elizabeth and watched as Finn mixed his potions.


    After a few seconds, Charles wordlessly stripped the clown mask from the writhing individual close by. He swiftly drew the Dark de from his boot and used the figure''s coat to envelop the mask.


    Simultaneously, a bronze-hued liquid shimmered in the ceremonial bowl. Finn took out a golden piece of paper from his pocket. From which, a white magic matrix materialized and hovered gracefully over the bowl.


    Finn''s incantation deepened in tone, and the white magic matrix swiftly encased the liquid within the bowl. A piercing noise echoed, and the bowl contorted into a ss bottle, reminiscent of the previous one that had shattered.


    Stowing the two identical potion vials that levitated toward him into his pocket, Charles turned and left without uttering a single word.


    After they disembarked from the purple-hued colossal ship, Elizabeth trailed behind Charles in silence.


    The silence was stifling.


    Staring at the broad silhouette in front of her, Elizabeth hesitated briefly before she parted her lips, "Who has been the one that I have been talking to?"


    "It has always been me. The other guy is just a counterfeit produced by a relic," Charles replied.


    "Then how do I distinguish between the both of you?" Elizabeth continued probing.


    "You don''t have to. This doesn''t concern you. I''m surely the one who will survive this ordeal," Charles answered curtly. For once, Richard didn''t add his piece.


    Charles and Elizabeth continued their stroll on the dimly lit pier. Just as they were nearing the exit, Charles questioned, "When will you and Finn depart for that ind?"


    "Tomorrow. We''ve nned to set sail earlier, but your other personality requested for us to wait."


    "Once you¡¯ve seeded, try to relocate as many refugees from Shadow Ind there as possible."


    Elizabeth was momentarily stunned by Charles'' words.


    How was that even rted to what just happened?


    "Bon voyage. Bye," Charles bade his goodbyes before propelling himself up with a strong push against a wall and onto a rooftop. Stepping from roof to roof, he made his way back to the Bat Tavern.


    For the following days, Charles continued his usual mundane routine ashore. However, the shift in the atmosphere was so evident that even Lily, who had no idea what happened, could sense it.


    The recent betrayal had set the two personalities starkly against each other. While they once held mutual contempt due to their differing natures, they had now be sworn adversaries despite residing in the same body.


    Perhaps out of guilt, Richard rarely appeared. True to his words, he seemed intent onpensating Charles for his losses.


    However, Charles had other thoughts. Apart from the ultimate goal of returning home, he now had another one: to eradicate his alter ego and regainplete control of his body.


    The recent incident could be regarded as a major event, and Charles believed it would take him a considerable amount of time to trulyprehend its impact on him.


    However, the arrival of another event soon distracted him from the betrayal.


    Kord had returned.


    The once affable elder appeared rather haggard. His dark circles were hanging so low that not even his reading sses could mask them. His eyes shed with obsession.


    Staring at the nautical chart on the table, Kord seemed thrilled. He glided his trembling hands over the parchment. Suddenly, he lifted his gaze to meet Charles. "Is... Is this real? Is this ind the one that housed the stairway to the Land of Light where our Divine Light God resides?"


    "There''s a ny percent chance that it is real," Charles remarked.


    Hearing Charles'' promation, Kord suddenly burst into tears like a child. He reached out both hands and clutched the nautical chart close to his chest


    Charles couldprehend Kord''s response, but he couldn''t help but grimace in disgust when thetter rubbed his snot all over the nautical chart.


    "Alright, stop crying. We need an exploration ship to explore the resupply ind first. Should your men go, or I?"


    "No... We have to go together this time. Strength lies in numbers. We''ll set sail directly from here," Kordmented as he tapped a finger on the marked location of the resupply ind.


    "Are you sure?" Charles raised an eyebrow in doubt. "It''s highly likely that the pirates of Sottom resupply at this very ind. Rushing in could spell deep trouble for us."


    Kord''s features contorted in frustration, and he pounded a fist on the nautical chart. "I have no other choice! The Archbishop in the Western Seas has noticed the anomalies here.


    ¡±I suspect that he has already sent ships over to investigate. If he finds out what I did to the base in the Coral Archipgo, I''m as good as dead!!"


    "Calm down. Don''t let paranoia consume you." Charles frowned as he stared at the crazed lunatic before him.


    Hardly taking Charles'' words in, Kord lunged at Charles and grabbed him by the cor.


    "You think you''ll fare any better if I die? The Archbishops show no mercy to their enemies, even if they do show a modicum to their allies. If they get their hands on you, remorse will be a luxury you can''t afford!"

 Chapter 117. Heading Out to Sea

    <h4>Chapter 117. Heading Out to Sea</h4>


    Slightly crazed, Kord suddenly released his grip on Charles'' cor. He lunged again toward the map. His eyes burned with a maniacal desire as he stared at the ind marked as the Land of the Light.


    "The Sottom pirates have no time for us. It hasn¡¯t been that long since Shadow Ind sank. They¡¯re busy raiding the refugees stranded at sea, who are looking for a ce to relocate."


    Charles'' heart pounded with joy. The intelligence Kord offered was timely indeed. If Kord''s information were true, it was the perfect opportunity served on a silver tter.


    "Are you sure?" Charles wanted to reconfirm.


    "I''m a follower of the Divine Light Order. We can''t lie. So are youing? If not, I''ll just take my men with me."


    "How many exploration ships do you have left?"


    "Including the one you brought back, three. But don''t worry. I can sell all the properties of the Divine Light Order on the Coral Archipgo.


    ¡±I''ll alsomand all disciples to donate their possessions. With that, we will be able to recruit more exploration vessels. With such a fleet, there shouldn''t be any problems."


    Hearing Kord''s words, which echoed the desperation of a gambler going all-in, Charles arched an eyebrow and asked, "Have you thought about whates after your return?"


    Kord suddenly burst into a maniacughter. "Return? <i>Hahaha!</i> Are you crazy? Why would I return once I¡¯ve reached our Lord''s divinend?"


    Witnessing Kord''s crazed demeanor, Charles suddenly found the guy''s obsession with the surface world surpassed his own.


    "So, are you joining the voyage, or are you going to drop out?" Kord''s intense gaze bore into Charles as he awaited thetter''s response.


    "I''m in," Charles answered. It was a given. He had tolerated this cursed ce for nine years; there was no way he would drop out now.


    "Great! You truly deserve your title as the fearless Captain Charles! You¡¯re not a disciple of the Divine Light Order, but I''ll earnestly implore our Lord to grant you entry into his kingdom once we¡¯ve arrived at the Land of Light!"


    The corners of Charles'' lip curved up into a meaningful smile, and he gently patted Kord''s shoulder. "Don''t worry. Once we''re out, I''ll send you and your crew to a better hospital for treatment. I''ll cover the expenses."


    "What do you mean?" Kord asked in confusion.


    Without offering an exnation, Charles stomped, and a brown mouse emerged from under the bed.


    "Get Lily to gather the crew. The Narwhale is sailing off again."


    With Charles'' confirmation, Kord wasted no more time. He mentioned meeting at the port in another six hours before he rapidly put the map away and left with his underlings.


    Charles finished packing his belongings and was just about to leave his room when a thought emerged in his mind. He tore off a page from his diary. He picked up his fountain pen and scribbled away.


    A few minutester, Charles descended the stairs. He handed a letter to the gentle and polite bartender.


    "Send this to Anna," Charles instructed.


    "Understood. How long will you be gone this time, Mr. Charles?"


    "Not too sure. I might not return."


    The bartender was startled by Charles'' words. His gaze followed the young captain as his silhouette disappeared beyond the tavern''s doors.


    As the mice made their rounds to call upon the crew, the sailors soon gathered on the deck of the Narwhale. Traces of confusion were evident on everyone''s faces. After all, they had just docked recently. it was unusual for them to set sail again this soon.


    "I sense the question in all your minds. You''re all wondering why our break is so short this time around. To make up for it, I''ll be doubling your pay for this voyage. And you''ll receive it in advance!"


    A group of mice by the side brought forth arge chest. Charles lifted the heavy lid to reveal a mesmerizing sheen of seaweed-green Echo bills. He swiftly distributed the stacks of bills.


    The amount of money in the chest was more than what Charles'' savings could ount for. He had mortgaged the Bat Tavern to the bank to acquire a portion of the funds. Since he was leaving for home, the tavern''s fate mattered little.


    Charles'' deration turned the crew''s confused expressions into ones of joy. If there were anything that could beat the tion of receiving one''s due wages, that would be double the due wages.


    "This is just the beginning. I, Charles, promised upon my honor that by the end of this voyage, each of you will obtain more than these!"


    Charles'' pep talk instantly increased the crew''s morale. Praises of his generosity echoed throughout the deck.


    Laesto limped forward on a prosthetic leg. His face was devoid of any joy.


    "Do my words mean nothing to you? I told you to rest ashore, but now you are at it again? Do you have a death wish?"


    "This is really thest time. Help me, please. Once we aplish this, I''ll definitely cooperate with any treatment you have. And once we finish our voyage, the secret within that thing of yours can be unveiled as well!"


    Hearing Charles'' words, disdain was apparent on Laesto''s countenance. He scoffed, "You''ll be the death of yourself one day."


    Charles'' gaze turned toward his jubnt crew once more. "Six hours! Six hourster, we shall gather and depart! Whether you wish to give this money to your loved ones or squander it all, get it done soon and gather again!"


    The crew swiftly dispersed. ted, they rushed toward the port exit with the stacks of bills in their arms.


    The sight of the green currency made the dock workers'' eyes gleam with envy. A hint of malicious greed flickered in their eyes, but their desire was instantly quelled the moment they saw the weapons hanging from the sailors'' belts.


    These sailors risked their lives to earn such high returns. Even if they stood on the same quay, their realities were worlds apart.


    Compared to Charles, Kord''s actions stirred more ripples. The Divine Light Order''s disciples on the Coral Archipgo swiftly liquidated all their assets.


    They kept not a coin, not even a single penny for tomorrow''s breakfast, and donated all of it to their Sacred Acolyte.


    Spection stirred among the many different factions over the unexpected major movement.


    However, Kord remained unconcerned about the flying rumors and spections. He was only concerned about converting all his resources into Echo and leveraging these funds to hire more exploration vessels.


    He was somitted to his n that he was even willing to deal with his previous nemesis, the Fhtagn Covenant.


    "Great. Hand me the payment, and this cathedral will be yours from now on," Kord said as he stood before the Fhtagn Covenant''s High Priest, who was draped in a crimson robe.


    Standing by the side, Hook had already written down the amount on the check and handed it over to Kord.


    "Heretic, are you nning to leave the Coral Archipgo?" the High Priest questioned. His voice sounded as unpleasant as ever.


    Kord stared at the Fhtagnists. His gaze was dripping with disdain as if he were looking at pitiable fools.


    "What would you abominations know? Repent humbly while I bask in eternal life in our Lord''s holy kingdom. You lot can only suffer forever in these cursed waters!"


    Grabbing the check, Kord led his subordinates away with an ecstatic look on his face.


    As Kord disappeared into the distance, Hook made no effort to mask the pure animosity in his eyes. "High Priest, why deal with such a person?"


    "Acquiring such arge cathedral at half the market price. Why would I turn down such a deal? And don''t concern yourself with people like him. Can''t you see? The voice of our Lord has driven him to the brink of madness. His death is imminent."

 Chapter 118. Feeling Sick

    <h4>Chapter 118. Feeling Sick</h4>


    The time that Charles and Kord had settled upon soon arrived. Close to fourteen exploration vessels of various sizes crowded at the dock.


    With such a fleet, the Explorers Association seemed to have been emptied out. Charles found most of the captains to be unfamiliar, not having seen them before. But it was expected, as those whom he was familiar with had left with Elizabeth to conquer the ind where 1002 resided.


    The presence of arge number of ships attracted the attention of the inders. Some crew members mingled with the inds and stood in the distance, engaged in conversation and spection. Perhaps someone had stumbled upon a new ind again.


    "This number is enough for us to even take down an ind, let alone explore one. We''ll surely seed!" Standing next to Charles, it seemed as though Kord was trying to bolster not only Charles'' confidence but also his own.


    Staring at the ships before him, Charles brought up the most crucial question.


    "Let''s make things clear first. Who''ll bemanding the fleet? I don''t want disputes over authority when we are out in the open sea."


    "I hired them with my money, so I''ll be inmand. What''s there to talk about?" Kord said as a matter of fact.


    "Are you sure? Are you sure that with your current mental state, you can lead us to the Land of Light? I remember you haven''t been on shore for a long while. Aren''t the chants ringing in your ears?"


    Charles cast a doubtful eye on Kord''s unusually exhausted face. He was unwilling to entrust his life to someone like that.


    Kord red at Charles. "What do you want then? Do you want tomand the fleet?"


    "Thank you. Since you offered, I''ll ept."


    Before Kord could regret it, Charles issued his firstmand.


    "Dipp, semaphore all ships to set sail!"


    With a low bellow of her horn, the Narwhale sailed out into the pitch darkness under the watchful gaze of the other crews.


    At the sight of the Narwhale''s movement, the other exploration ships instinctively thought that their employer was aboard that very ship and had given themand to sail.


    As such, they activated their turbines and followed closely.


    ***


    In a picturesque garden adorned with blossoming flowers vying for attention, Anna was perched on a swing, her legs tucked beneath her. A gentle smile danced on her lips as she held a creased piece of paper.


    "To think that despite Gao Zhiming''sck of dating experience, he''s so good at coaxing a woman. My heart is overflowing with warmth. Sigh, if only I were a real woman."


    After thoroughly feasting her eyes on the contents of the letter, she carefully folded the paper away and tucked it into her bosom.


    "How''s the preparation?" Anna asked the maidservant next to her.


    With a respectful bow, the maidservant answered, "There has been an increase of Shadow Ind''s refugees at the harbor district these days. A few disappearances daily won''t raise much suspicion. We are close to gathering the number of sacrifices we need.


    ¡±But Mistress, are you really sure about this? If we cause such a hugemotion, the inders will surely suspect you. There are also some powerful individuals on Whereto."


    "Will they not suspect me if I don''t hold the sacrificial ceremony? Ever since that old man Pitt fell ill, they had ced more and more eyes around me.


    ¡±Whatever, I''m tired of this ind anyway. I want to go somewhere else for a change. Let''s go. Charles has set sail again. I must give him some protection."


    The moment Anna ced her feet down on the ground, she heard the soft pattering of footsteps hurriedly closing in from behind.


    A trace of annoyance and impatience shed across her peerless visage upon recognizing the owner of the footsteps. However, she swiftly adjusted her expression and turned around with a faint smile on her lips.


    "Dear, why are you here so early today?"


    Margaret hurried toward Anna with her skirt lifted slightly to avoid tripping. With an expectant gaze in her eyes, she asked, "Sister Anna, is there any news from Mr. Charles today?"


    "No, my dear. I will let you know if he did."


    The anticipation on Margaret''s face was reced with disappointment.


    "No news again? Did Mr. Charles really receive my letter?"


    "Perhaps that Mr. Charles of yours have no time to pen a reply. Where did you go so early in the morning?" Anna asked.


    Hearing Anna''s questions, Margaret quickly kept her disappointment away. "I went to the harbor district to distribute food today. Sister Anna, there are so many starving people there."


    "Really? How pitiful..." Anna held a hand over her overflowing bosom, feigning concern.


    "Why don''t youe with me to distribute food together? Then fewer people would have to starve," Margaret suggested.


    Anna slightly shook her head. "My dear, as much as I pity them, it is better if you stay away from such chaotic and dangerous ces. Especially someone like you..."


    Anna reached out a right hand and gently traced a finger over Margaret''s soft, white corbone.


    "...So supple, delicate, and fragrant. Not just those ugly men, even I, would want to... devour you," Anna whispered and swallowed the saliva in her mouth.


    Margaret''s cheeks flushed red, and she gently pushed Anna''s finger away.


    Taking in the girl''s embarrassment, a sly smile suddenly surfaced upon Anna''s lips. She abruptly leaned in and nted a soft kiss on Margaret''s cheek.


    "Sister Anna... please stop teasing me like this. I-I''lle to see you again tomorrow," Margaret stammered as she ran off like a startled deer.


    As Margaret''s silhouette faded into the distance, the smile on Anna''s face gradually disappeared.


    ***


    Charles'' eyes fluttered open, only to find himself submerged in the deep waters and surrounded by an abyss of darkness. He desperately swam upward, but the surface was never in sight.


    The increasing sensation of suffocation made him feel as though his lungs were two red-hot coals, aze with fervor.


    <i>Gurgle, gurgle.</i>


    A series of bubbles floated up in front of Charles. They instantly attracted his attention, and Charles mechanically turned his head and peered downward. In an instant, a wave of despair caught his ankles and swiftly spread throughout his body.


    Beneath him, a colossal monster stood erect. Its form was as massive as a peak, with octopus-like tentacles extending from it. Its red scales, coupled with eyes that nketed its body, induced a feeling of unease to anyone who dared toy their eyes on it.


    The moment Charles noticed the creature, the creature had also discovered Charles'' presence. All of its eyes suddenly opened wide and looked upward collectively. In that split second, Charles'' consciousness faded out.


    "Mr. Charles, are you alright? Mr. Charles! Are you okay? Should I call Grandpa Doctor?"


    The innocent tone of Lily''s voice roused Charles from his slumber. A splitting headache hit him, and his surroundings seemed to whirl past him. Despite the dizziness, he could vaguely discern that he was in the captain''s quarters.


    He rolled off the bed andnded on the floor with a thud. Trembling, he struggled to crawl to the ship''s window. Upon reaching it, his stomach violently ejected its contents.


    As the little amount of food in Charles'' stomach was emptied out, the feeling of faintness subsided just a little.


    "Lily, get Doctor here. I think I''m sick."


    "Got it!" The white mouse swiftly darted out of the door.


    Soon, Laesto staggered into the captain''s quarters and conducted a series of rough examinations on Charles.


    "How are you feeling?" Laesto asked.


    "Dizzy, nausea, weak, and cold."


    "What did you eat earlier?"


    "The same as the others. Fiverge salt crackers, two ck vine fruits, and a bowl of mushroom soup."


    "Did you dream of anything just now?"


    Charles ced a hand on his forehead and tried to recall. After a few seconds, he shook his head and said, "No, I didn''t dream of anything."

 Chapter 119. Imprint

    <h4>Chapter 119. Imprint</h4>


    "Did you figure out the issue?" Charles asked Laesto.


    "Not too sure. At the moment, there doesn''t seem to be anything wrong with your body," Laesto answered.


    "But my head hurts..."


    "You¡¯ve made that bed, so you bettery on it. A headache is the least of your worries. If anything happens again, let me know immediately. I don''t see any anomalies at the moment, so I''m leaving. Nice tattoo, by the way," Laesto said as he rose to his feet and headed toward the door.


    Hisst sentence sent a shiver down Charles'' spine.


    "I have a tattoo on me? Where?"


    Laesto observed Charles closely as thetter inspected himself, trying to find the tattoo with genuine confusion. It didn''t look like he was feigning it. Laesto lifted a finger and pointed at the intersection between his neck and corbone.


    "Are you saying you didn''t get this recently?"


    Charles hurriedly grabbed a mirror from a nearby drawer and stared into his reflection. He immediately spotted the new addition to his skin.


    The imprint was ck and resembled a curled-up dead spider. However, the spider''s legs had a spiral pattern and looked slightly crooked. Rather than calling it a tattoo, it felt more like his skin had been corroded by something. Its texture was simr to uneven sandpaper.


    "Are you sure you didn''t get this tattoo?" Laesto asked. He took out a small scalpel and slightly scraped it against the ck imprint. The ck marking seemed to be part of the skin itself, as Laesto couldn¡¯t scrape it off.


    "Why would I get something like this for no reason? Could it be some sort of skin disease?"


    "It doesn''t seem like it. Is there any itching or pain?"


    "Not really. My head is hurting, but there¡¯s nothing else."


    "The...Great One... has noticed you."


    Charles and Laesto turned their attention to the door collectively. A figure wrapped in wet bandages stood at the doorway and stared into the room with an intense gaze.


    "Do you recognize this thing? Why are you drenched?" Charles set up. He had recovered a portion of his strength.


    Bandages silently nodded and slowly walked in.


    "This is... the imprint... of the Great One. I saw His gaze... directed at us...earlier. I... thought He... was here for me. I went to find Him... but it wasn''t me...He was looking for you..."


    "The Fhtagn God? Why would Fhtagn''s imprint be on me? Did someone ce a curse on me?" Charles went beyond pallid as he stared at the reflection of the strange marking in the mirror.


    "No... It''s a... blessing. Captain... Do you also believe in the Great One?"


    "No way." Charles never imagined that there woulde a day when he would be associated with such an evil cult.


    "Then why... Why did you... receive this blessing? In our faith... it''s a great honor... to undergo this ritual. Only those anointed...will have the chance...to receive such a blessing."


    "What''s the use of this thing?" Charles asked as he touched the imprint. Since it was a blessing, there ought to be some benefits, right?


    "Your soul... now belongs to God Fhtagn..."


    "Is that supposed to be a good thing? Are there more materialistic benefits?"


    Faced with Charles'' question, Bandages remained quiet and stood motionless.


    A sudden thought struck Charles. He reached out a hand to pull off the bandages around his first mate''s neck, only to find that thetter didn''t have such a mark.


    "Such a blessing... is precious. I don''t have one... but I''ve seen the ritual... the main officiator... has to sacrifice a part of their body... arge part, and also offer many other...sacrifices to please our Lord."


    "Do you know anyone from that cult? Why would someone randomly ce this imprint on you for no reason?" Laesto asked and took a swig from his tin sk.


    Charles shook his head. "That''s impossible. I don''t know any of them. Thest interaction I had with them was a long time ago when theymissioned me to go to this strange ind to find them a¡ª"


    Charles'' pupils suddenly contracted. He suddenly recalled the murals in the shrine that depicted the twisted tentacle monsters worshiping Fhtagn. A thought emerged in his mind.


    "Can monsters without self-awareness have faith?" he asked.


    "What''s wrong? Did somethinge to mind?" Laesto asked.


    "It''s nothing. You both can leave now."


    Charles''s sudden change surprised both Laesto and Bandages.


    However, they silently left the room.


    The me in the oilmp next to him swayed with the motion of the Narwhale, casting a fluctuating shadow on Charles'' face.


    "Mr. Charles, what''s wrong?" Lily asked as she jumped into hisp and looked up at him.


    Charles remained silent. He caressed Lily''s fur absentmindedly while retrieving Anna''s picture from his diary with his other hand and staring nkly at it.


    "Mr. Charles, are you thinking about this monster sister?"


    "Yes."


    "Then why don''t you go find her? And be with her?"


    "Because I can''t..."


    "Why not? That sister likes you, too. Why can''t two people with mutual affection for each other be together? Is it because she''s a monster? Mr. Charles, do you only want to be with humans?"


    "Yeah...Why not?" Charles ced Lily on the table next to him. Lifting the nket off him, he walked toward the deck.


    Charles felt refreshed as the cool breeze swept past his face.


    "Is it you? Do you still care for me?" Charles muttered. A mix of emotions painted his face as he stared at the inky dark expanse ahead. Of course, there was no one in his vicinity to answer his words. The only response he got was the sound of waves breaking against the ship''s bow.


    Touching the tattoo on his neck, a flurry of images yed in his mind. As they came to an end, Charles'' eyes shone with apparent resolve.


    "Why not? Perhaps it''s possible. Wait for me. I''ll go and pick you up once I find the exit!" eximed Charles. A sense of relief immediately washed over him. The dilemma that had been troubling him for a long while had finally been resolved.


    Lily was right. Since they harbored feelings for each other, there was no need to harp on anything else. His journey in the Subterranean Seascape wasing to an end, and he didn''t want to leave with any regrets.


    As for Anna''s physical condition, Charles decided that they could find a solution together after they got out. Even if they couldn''t find a cure, it wouldn''t be a huge problem if she could change her diet.


    As he imagined the bright future ahead, Charles felt his spirits lifting gradually. A faint smile appeared on his lips, and he even felt like humming a tune.


    <i>Ssh!</i>


    An unusual sound rang out from below the ship''s bow.


    Charles swiftly drew his revolver in response.


    "Mr. Charles, it''s me, the captain of the Wave Razor sailing behind you."


    A drenched figure crawled on board, and the figure was holding a dark object in his mouth. Upon closer inspection, Charles realized that it was a sea turtle.


    The most striking feature of the man who had just climbed aboard was his seaweed-like dark green hair. His appearance was far from pleasant, however, due to his withered features.


    "Hello, hello! My name''s Feuerbach. I introduced myself earlier. I''m pleased to be part of this voyage. Are you our leader? You look really young."


    Without waiting for Charles'' response, Feuerbach took out a dagger and started getting rid the barnacles attached to the turtle''s shell.

 Chapter 120. Feuerbach

    <h4>Chapter 120. Feuerbach</h4>


    The sound of the de scraping against the barnacles emitted an ear-piercing screech. However, the sound didn''t bother Feuerbach, and he got enthusiastic and engrossed in the act with each passing second.


    "Captain Charles, do you wanna try? It''s quite satisfying," Feuerbach remarked and extended the bloodied turtle to Charles.


    "No need. Why did youe here?" Charles asked as he ced his revolver back into the holster. He remembered seeing this fellow once at the port. He was indeed one of the captains that Kord recruited.


    "<i>Ah... </i>It''s like this. The guy from the Divine Light Order told us that our mission this time is to find the legendary Land of Light."


    "What''s with it? Do you suspect that he is lying to you?"


    "<i>Heh. </i>Actually, there''s no need for him to lie to us. Since we epted his request, we willplete the mission regardless of the dangers involved. So please be frank with us and tell us what''s our actual mission."


    Charles felt a little smothered for Kord.


    He told the truth, but no one believed him.


    "Do the other captains share the same thoughts?"


    "They didn''t say, but I can see that they all have the same concerns. But since they aren''t willing to bring it up, I decided to ask on everyone''s behalf."


    "Whye at all if you guys have concerns?"


    "That guy offered us an amount that is too attractive. Afterpleting this mission, I can even take a break for a few years," Feuerbach answered with a serious look.


    "Our mission this time is to explore two inds. One of them is likely a stronghold of the Sottom pirates, so there may be some dangers involved. But not to worry, we don''t n to conquer that ind. We only need to acquire enough supplies from there to travel to the second ind. Your mission is consideredpleted once we reach the second ind," Charles exined.


    Feuerbach nodded in understanding. "I see... I understand now that you¡¯ve phrased it that way. If we are going by that guy''s words, we really don''t have the faintest idea of what is going to happen."


    Feuerbach then threw the clean turtle back into the sea. He twirled the dagger in his hand, and it dangerously danced between his fingers before he kept it away. A hint of curiosity shed across his eyes, and he looked at Charles.


    "Mr. Charles, I heard that you are acquainted with Governor Elizabeth. Can you introduce me to her? The youngds on my ship are all capable fighters, and they would be of assistance if they join in to conquer the ind."


    Charles regarded the man before him with suspicion. He had a feeling that the question earlier was just a disguise and the current one was the actual purpose behind his climbing on board.


    "Elizabeth has departed. If my guess is right, she would have captured that ind by now."


    Hearing Charles'' words, Feuerbach let out a sigh and squatted on the deck. "I should''vee here earlier. There are indeed more opportunities on fringe inds."


    Charles looked at Feuerbach''s ears and realized that they were normal with no sign of deformity.


    "You are not an Explorer of the Coral Archipgo, are you?"


    "I''m not. I was originally an explorer of Ordinance Ind, but the ind has been around for a long while, and all inds in the vicinity have been explored. The danger levels of the remaining unexplored inds are very high, so seeking a habitable ind amongst them is basically suicide.


    ¡±So I went to the Coral Archipgo to try my luck, even though it¡¯s at the furthest edge of the Northern Seas."


    Feuerbach appeared rather talkative and would even reveal many more things about himself¡ªthings that Charles didn''t even ask.


    "If there are no inds to explore, then just stay ashore. It''s not as if exploring inds is something great, so why do you have to be so focused on ind exploration?" Charles advised as he leaned an elbow on the ship''s railings and peered into the darkness.


    Feuerbach let out a chuckle and asked, "Then Charles, why did you be the captain of an exploration vessel?"


    Charles'' eyes narrowed into slits but offered no answer. If it were a few years back, he would have excitedly revealed his ultimate goal. However, the closer he was to home, the more he didn''t want to talk about it anymore.


    No one had ever believed him, after all.


    Taking in Charles'' silence, Feuerbach continued. "I share the same dream as you. I dream of bing the governor someday and owning an entire ind of my own. Why can others do it, but I can''t? I will definitely seed!


    ¡±I want those who look down on me to have a good look that I, Feuerbach ude, will definitely be one of the upper echelons!"


    Feuerbach clenched his fist, and a look of resolve painted his face.


    Looking at him, Charles asked, "How many inds have you explored?"


    A trace of embarrassment shed across Feuerbach''s face as he muttered, "Only one."


    An awkward silence descended upon them.


    Feuerbach hurriedly changed the topic.


    "Mr. Charles, though it''s my first time meeting you, I''ve heard of you at the Explorers Association. They all said you are a crazy guy, but you don''t seem like it."


    "What did they say about me? I don¡¯t care about my life? If one really cherished their life, they wouldn''t have be an Explorer."


    "No. They said your indifference is different from theirs. It feels more like you are deliberately seeking death. They said they had never seen any Explorer so desperate about finding an ind. By the way, Mr. Charles, there are rumors that Governor Elizabeth''s ind belonged to you. Is that true?"


    A slight frown appeared on Charles'' visage as he cast a nce at the man next to him. He was uncertain of Feuerbach''s intention in constantly bringing up Elizabeth.


    Charles couldn''t bring himself to show any favor toward someone with impure motives. After perfunctorily saying a few words, he left and headed for his sleeping quarters.


    With a smile on his face, Feuerbach scratched his deep green hair. He stood on the empty deck and pondered for a brief moment before he lifted an arm and bade goodbye to Conor, who was manning the helm, before jumping straight into the sea.


    Days soon flew past, and the fleet gradually entered unchartered waters.


    Compared to their usual tens of men, the group was muchrger and more imposing this time. With more people, the oppressive fear that usually weighed down on them at sea seemed to dissipate significantly.


    Even the newly recruited sailors didn''t feel a hint of fear.


    However, the sea was always merciless. Soon, subtle changes could be spotted in the sea waters. The sailors who had been joking around earlier immediately tensed up.


    The waters began to flow steadily in a specific direction. It was as though something beneath the waters was dragging them forward.


    "Notify the other ships to follow the Narwhale''s lead and swiftly leave this area. There''s something amiss," Charles instructed Dipp, as he personally manned the helm.


    As the resonant bellow of the horn sounded, the other ships soon began to elerate and followed the Narwhale closely.


    Fortunately, things didn''t take a worse turn. They managed to escape the area as nned. It felt as though the incident earlier was not the slightest bit dangerous.


    Charles carefully studied the nautical chart before he turned the wheel. He nned to take a detour to avoid unnecessary troubles.


    However, just as he was maneuvering the ship, his keen eyesight spotted something approaching them from above the water''s surface.


    <i>Is that a...fin?</i>

 Chapter 121. Not Fins

    <h4>Chapter 121. Not Fins</h4>


    "Captain, is that a shark?" Curiosity sparkling in his eyes, Dipp grasped the door handle with one hand while leaning most of his body outside to scrutinize the sea illuminated by the Narwhale''s searchlights.


    Charles swiftly estimated the distance between the Narwhale and the unknown entity. From this, he judged that the fin was nearly two meters in length. However, he couldn''t discern the size of the underwater entity due to his vision being obscured by the dark waters.


    "Just keep an eye on it. Ignore it if there aren''t any anomalies," Charles instructed as his grip on the wheel unconsciously tightened.


    If it was just a giant man-eating shark, there was nothing to fear. Compared to other things in the sea, natural, logical creatures were all too adorable.


    Just as Charles thought they would simply pass by each other without any issues, more fins suddenly emerged from the waters.


    They gathered and closed in on the ship like a herd of sheep. As they approached, the densely packed fins stirred a wave of unease among the crew on board.


    The fins gradually narrowed the distance, and the towering ship''s edge obscured Charles'' view.


    "Dipp, steer the wheel," Charles instructed and quickly walked to the edge of the ship. He looked out and peered into the waters.


    The fins halted their approach. Instead, they started to circle the Narwhale. It wasn''t just the Narwhale that received such a <i>treatment.</i> Charles turned to his left and saw another exploration ship being circled by a cluster of fins.


    <i>"Since when do sharks hunt in groups? I thought only dolphins like to be in groups and follow ships."</i>


    Richard¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in Charles'' head after a long period of absence. Nothing felt worse than having someone who had attempted to kill you hiding inside your mind.


    "Scram! You promised!" Charles'' abrupt roar startled Dipp.


    Trembling, he turned to look at Charles and asked, "Captain? What''s the matter? Did something happen?"


    Richard went silent.


    Charles turned toward Dipp with a dark expression. "Tell the Chief Engineer to overload the turbines to the maximum. We have to get out. We don''t have time to y with these things, no matter what they are."


    Thick ck smoke, tinged with sparks, billowed from the Narwhale''s smokestacks. The ship elerated, and Charles'' sleeves fluttered under the intense wind.


    The fins seemed to want to keep up, but their speed clearly couldn''t match that of the Narwhale. The steel hull of the ship mmed into them with arge impact.


    An ear-piercing screech, akin to nails scraping a ckboard, resonated from below the waters. Everyone on board instinctively covered their ears.


    Contrary to their anticipation, the scene of flesh being ruptured by steel did not happen. Rather, the Narwhale jerked violently.


    Despite the somewhat tumultuous process, Charles'' objective was achieved, and the Narwhale broke through the encirclement of the fins.


    "How can those fins be so hard? What the hell is under the water?"


    Charles dashed to the stern and stared at those fins in pursuit. The moment heid his eyes on the silvery metal fragments on the fins, a chilling guess emerged in his head.


    Meanwhile, the fins circling another exploration vessel in the distance started rising. The ck, gigantic body attached to the fins soon appeared above the water''s surface and was revealed before Charles.


    A mass of ck covered in barnacles connected the rows of fins. As the ck creature moved, the <i>fins </i>moved in unison.


    The realization struck Charles instantly. Those were not fins; they were the teeth of some sea monster!


    The waves parted as a monstrous mouth,rger than an exploration vessel, opened wide and appeared above the surface.


    <i>nk!</i>


    The teeth mped down and pierced into the ship''s hull. The giant mouth held the steel ship in its bite and prepared to drag the vessel down with it into the deep abyss.


    "Damn it! It wants to swallow that ship!"


    Charles dashed into the ship''s bridge and steered the Narwhale toward the direction of the endangered ship.


    "Lily, ready the cannons! Fire away at the thing in the water!"


    "Got it! I''m pretty skilled at this!"


    As Lily and her mice swiftly controlled the ship''s cannons, a barrage of cannonballs rapidly flew toward the distant monstrous maw that had emerged from the waters.


    As the projectile struck its target, dark purple blood speedily stained the waters.


    However, the monster seemed unwilling to let go of its prey. It stubbornly clung onto the ship and tried to drag it into the water. But in the face of Lily''s cannonballs, it soon lost its chance to give up.


    The explosive sts ripped apart the massive maw, and before long, a shredded, sack-like remnanty lifeless atop the water''s surface.


    Charles sounded the horn for the freed ship to follow its lead to assist other ships. The orange-hulled exploration ship quickly responded with an affirmative.


    With an exploration ship in tow, Charles embarked on his rescue mission. Soon, the number of ships around him increased.


    Of course, not every ship required Charles'' assistance. Explorers were no pushovers. Several exploration vessels managed to kill the monstrous mouths with unknown methods. And one of them was Feuerbach''s Waverazor.


    Ultimately, all seventeen ships escaped danger. They left the waters stained dark purple by the creatures'' blood and continued their journey forward.


    The sailors on board every ship erupted into cheers. A wave of relief washed over them as they survived yet another dangerous ordeal.


    While the crews were immersed in their joy, the captains had more on their minds. They hadn''t anticipated running into such major trouble before they even arrived at their destination.


    Though not a single ship sank, some unfortunate ships suffered heavy damage from those monstrous mouths. Several also lost considerable supplies during the battle when the cargo fell into the sea.


    Charles stared at the distant ships as he sank into deep thought. After a moment of contemtion, he turned and instructed his vampire sailor, "Audric, notify the other captains to meet me in the captain''s quarter of the Narwhale. I need to know the extent of their losses."


    Audric nodded and unfurled his cloak. With a kick against the railings, he morphed into a bat in mid-air and flew toward the closest ship.


    One by one, the exploration ships drew near. The captains, dressed in diverse fashions, soon gathered in Charles'' captain''s quarters.


    As they settled into the stools that had been readied for them, the cabin suddenly felt somewhat cramped.


    Charles didn''t convene this meeting for no reason. At sea, the supplies of others affected the survival of oneself. Those who made their living at sea had a rtively flexible moralpass.


    In dire circumstances, where food or fuel ran low, betraying one''spanion was an inevitable choice to ensure one''s own survival.


    If evenpanions would backstab each other in desperate times, things would be much uglier for their hastily assembled fleet.


    "Let''s start with you, young man. How much freshwater and fuel did you lose?" With a notebook in one hand, Charles pointed his fountain pen at thergest and most intimidating captain in the room.


    "Charles, show some respect. I''m twice your age," the addressed captain replied with a trace of annoyance in his voice.

 Chapter 122. Commanding Rights

    <h4>Chapter 122. Commanding Rights</h4>


    The singled-out captain disyed a visage marked by harsh and intimidating features, coupled with a thick beard. A glinting golden hook served as a substitute for his left hand, and he rose to his feet wearing a somber expression.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Charles mmed his prosthetic limb on the table. He stared straight at the captain and made no effort to mask the provocation in his gaze. "I don''t like it when people stand while talking to me. Please sit back down."


    Captain Golden Hook''s eyes widened in shock. His beard quivered due to a stirring wrath. In an instant, the atmosphere in the cabin grew tense.


    However, Charles had no intention of backing down. He maintained his provocative re. In fact, it was a calcted move of Charles; he needed to use this opportunity to seize absolute power over the fleet.


    On paper, Charles was themander of the hastily assembled fleet, but the other captains treated him as just another employer. And Charles didn''t want it to continue that way. He wanted to be the absolute leader of the fleet.


    At the critical moment between life and death, an employer would only be mercilessly abandoned by these guys.


    Only by being their actualmander would these captains be his true support. Otherwise, he would rather not have their assistance.


    It was like how a king was chosen among the lions. Humans were animals as well, and some of their habits were no different from other species.


    If they were all somewhere else, perhaps Charles would have chosen a softer approach. However, they were at sea, so a direct and crude method was the way to go.


    Seated next to Charles, Kord looked haggard with the visibly dark circles under his eyes. He knew what Charles was doing, and as his ally, he wouldn''t want to intervene and spoil Charles'' n at this point in time.


    "You don''t like it when people stand while talking? I don''t like it when people sit while talking, either!" Captain Golden Hook walked up to Charles and stared down at him with a condescending gaze.


    "Charles, right? I''ve heard of your name and that you''ve explored numerous inds. But as your senior, I want to remind you that I allowed you tomand the fleet mainly because I was toozy to fight for it. After all, the employer has thest say. But if you think¡ª"


    Just as he spat out his words with a disdainful look on his face, his eyesnded on the strange, ck imprint peeking out from behind Charles'' cor.


    Instantly, the disdain disappeared from his face. As if he had glimpsed something terrifying, a shudder coursed through his towering figure. Looking visibly flustered, he retreated and sank down into his seat.


    "Report...Reporting to Captain Charles. Freshwater can easily go bad. We have mushroom wine stored in our water tank. The creatures earlier did not cause any damage to my ship. As for the crew..."


    Hearing Golden Hook offering up information to Charles so readily took the other captains by surprise. Even Kord was equally puzzled.


    It seemed as if a fight was imminent between the two earlier, but Golden Hook actually backed down just like that.


    Charles scribbled away on his notebook as Golden Hook ounted for the situation on his ship. He had no idea why the man suddenly gave in, but either way, his objective was achieved.


    After recording all the information, Charles turned to the gloomy-faced young man next to Golden Hook. "It''s your turn. Speak."


    Being on the receiving end of Charles'' intense gaze, the youngd instinctively looked away and started to report in a soft and gentle voice.


    Having dealt with the initial troublemaker, things progressed smoothly afterward. Apart from the Narwhale, Charles had acquired various information about the other sixteen ships.


    "Armig, your ship has the most freshwater. Share some with Monzi, he lost a bit."


    A look of unease appeared on Captain Armig''s face upon hearing Charles'' instruction, but he still nodded in agreement.


    "Great. That''s all. Everyone can return. Keep your guard up at all times. I hope that everyone will make it back alive," Charles concluded the meeting.


    The captains left one by one, and in the end, only Feuerbach stayed behind. With a warm smile on his face, he said, "Mr. Charles, be rest assured. If they try to do anything funny, I''ll report it to you immediately."


    Charles cast a nce at the green-haired man. "Are you very close to them? How else would you immediately know if they are plotting something?"


    "<i>Heh,</i> I love making friends. My father once told me that one additional friend is one less enemy. I''ve been mingling with them for a while now, but not to worry. No matter how familiar I am with them, I''m still on your side," Feuerbach said casually.


    Charles looked him in the eye and asked, "Have you really only explored one ind? You are rather capable. I remember your ship got out of the earlier crisis by yourself."


    "<i>Hahaha.</i> It was all mere luck. Good luck. By the way, Mr. Charles, when I was swimming over just now, I noticed that the bottom of your ship''s hull was slightly damaged. I happened to have a skilled repairman among my crew. Do you need him to¡ª"


    "It''s fine. My crew can handle a minor issue like that." Charles turned Feuerbach down with a curt response.


    Seemingly sensing Charles'' wariness against him, Feuerbach stopped talking. He smiled and bowed before leaving after saying his goodbyes. The incident soon passed, and the fleet continued on their journey. However, there had been noticeable changes among the ships.


    The ships typically moved in a dispersed formation. But ever since the recent episode, they began to spontaneously align themselves in a single file behind the Narwhale.


    On top of that, rumors started to circte among the ships that Captain Charles was a key figure in the Fhtagn Covenant.


    Furthermore, the fleet was jointly established by the Divine Light Order and the Fhtagn Covenant. Anyone unwilling to end up as a sacrifice should wisely and obediently adhere to their employers''mand.


    Charles wasn''t the least bit concerned about the whispers that yed in his favor. Rather, he was more concerned about that man named Feuerbach.


    Feuerbach was too overly enthusiastic. He would frequently visit his ships to try to get into his good books and also discreetly pass on various intelligence from the other ships.


    Yet another morning, a note had been ced on Charles'' desk. It wrote that an underwater creature had climbed aboard Kord''s ship the previous night.


    They had promptly disposed of the creature, but a follower of the Divine Light Order had lost an arm in the battle.


    "Mr. Charles, does he have a crush on you? Why is he penning letters to you daily?" Lily asked innocently as she held a piece of broken cracker in her tiny paws.


    Charles'' pen stopped in its tracks on the diary. He looked up and stared at his gunner with a quizzical expression. "Why would you think that? Where did you learn that from?"


    "I sneaked into the theater and watched a y. That''s how the plot unfolds."


    Charles gently flicked the white mouse''s forehead with a finger. "Go to the mess if you want to eat. Don''t drop crumbs everywhere."


    He doubted Feuerbach was acting out of such a trivial motive. That man probably had other underlying intentions, but judging from current evidence, it seemed unlikely that he would sabotage his ns.


    "I don''t like to eat crackers. I''m just using them to grind my teeth. Otherwise, they would grow really, really long." Lily parted her tiny mouth and showed her grain-sized, pearly white incisors to Charles.


    Ignoring his gunner''s antics, Charles took out the nautical chart and started to calcte the remaining journey.


    As they neared the resupply ind, he would be lying if he said he was not the least bit anxious. However, he couldn''t afford to show it. If he showed any signs of anxiety, the jitters that the crew was feeling would intensify.


    Charles ced his thumb and index finger on the chart. His thumb was on the position of the fleet, while his index finger was on the Land of Light. A resolute glint shed across his eyes.

 Chapter 123. Kevin

    <h4>Chapter 123. Kevin</h4>


    April 2, 9th Year of Crossing Over


    It''s our 29th day at sea. We are getting closer to the resupply ind. Ever since the incident with the fins, we haven''t run into any major crisis.


    As the journey progressed, expectedly, insomnia visited me once more. Doctor''s meds were enough to keep me in bed, but they couldn''t stop me from having dreams.


    It wasn''t a typical nightmare. In fact, it can be considered a nice dream. I dreamt that I returned to the surface and could soak myself in the sunlight once more. I found my family. They hugged me ecstatically. They thought I had been dead for a long time.


    Lying on the couch and feasting on the various fruits in the surface world, I told them about my unusual encounters in the Subterranean Seascape.


    Anna was next to me. Elizabeth, too. They followed me up.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    A series of knocking sounds came from the door of the captain''s quarters.


    "What''s the matter?" Charles called out.


    "I... discovered... something. Come... and take a look..." Bandages slowly articted from outside the cabin.


    Charles didn''t dash out immediately. He quickly scribbled away with his fountain pen.


    My first mate seems to be looking for me. I hope it''s something good.


    Having written a proper concluding sentence for his diary entry, Charles shut the notebook and walked over to open the door.


    "Fill me in on the details as we move. What did you discover? Are we in any danger?" Charles pulled Bandages along toward the deck.


    "A... ship... A really strange ship..."


    Charles arrived on the ship, and his eyes immediately picked up on the ship Bandages was talking about. Right ahead of the Narwhale, an old dpidated iron ship was drifting along with the currents and heading toward them.


    The absence of gun ports on the fore and aft decks indicated that the strange ship was neither an exploration vessel nor a warship.


    With his excellent vision, Charles spotted the fishings on the deck of the small ship. "Who would be so bold to fish in unchartered waters?"


    Under normal circumstances, fishing boats would only operate in well-explored safe zones. Casting one''s in unexplored areas was forbidden as it was unknown if the humans would be the predator or the prey by doing so.


    "Captain, why don''t we just ignore it and leave? What if it''s a ghost ship?" Second Mate Conor suggested.


    "Might not necessarily be the case. We are already in the waters near the supply ind. There''s a possibility that the fishing shipes from that ind. Audric, fly over and have a look."


    If the ship was indeed from the supply ind, perhaps he could gain some intelligence of the supply ind from it. At least he wouldn''t be blindly rushing into that ce.


    The vampire morphed into a bat and flew toward the ship. It quickly circled around the vessel before returning.


    "Captain, there''s a living person on that ship," Audric reported.


    "A living person? Are you sure?"


    "Yes, I''m very sure. As a vampire, there''s no way I would mistake food."


    "Steer the ship closer. Notify the other ships to be on guard."


    Soon, the Narwhale was next to the small fishing boat. The deck was a haphazard mess of messy fishings and ropes piled upon one another.


    A thickyer of iron shavings covered the anchor machine. They indicated that the ship had not been maintained by its sailors for a long while.


    But judging from the appearance, the vessel was no different from a regr fishing boat used by humans. Boats like this were amon sight as they entered and exited the port of the Coral Archipgo on a daily basis.


    "Where is that living person you spoke of?" Charles inquired.


    "In the cabin. I used my sonar and detected him sneaking a peek at me from behind the door."


    Leading his crew, Charles headed straight for the door. With a forceful kick, the door flew open. Charles saw a trembling figure flusteredly running toward the far end of the cabin.


    Bang!


    A gunshot rang out, and the figure copsed to the ground.


    Dipp and his sailors rushed forward and apprehended the middle-aged man. He appeared to be in his forty or fifties, was dressed in disheveled robes, and had a gaunt face.


    "Don''t kill me! I didn''t kill them! It was the other ves!! I''m not involved!!"


    Being on the receiving end of the ring torchlight, the man shielded his eyes with his hands and vehemently denied any involvement.


    "Speak clearly! Who are you?"


    Hearing Charles'' deep voice, Kevin Carl slowly lowered his hands. Uponying his eyes on the attires of the group before him, he trembled slightly, and tears started flowing uncontrobly. A deep, echoing cry burst forth from the man.


    "You guys are not pirates!! You are not pirates from there. I can go home!! I can finally go home!"


    "Stop crying for now. Who are you? And where is this ship from?"


    Staring at the young man with umon ck pupils, Kevin wiped the snot off his face and stood up. His extreme nervousness impeded his speech as he offered an incoherent answer. "You can definitely take me home, right?


    ¡±I used to be a really wealthy jewelry trader. I have arge house where I came from. As long as you take me back, the house is yours.¡±


    "Answer me first. What is your role on this ship, and where is this ship from?"


    As he recalled his experiences on the ship, a wave of sorrow washed over Kevin. Suppressing his grief, he recounted his tale.


    "I''m a ve on this fishing boat. Those pirates beat me daily and made me work eighteen hours a day. Sometimes, I even have to work 40 hours straight without any rest. I''m so tired, really tired."


    Hearing the man''s irrelevant response, an infuriated Dipp wanted to lunge at him and teach him a lesson, but Charles stopped him.


    "Let him speak."


    In the dimly lit cabin, everyone was all ears as the ve spoke of his tragic experience.


    "Do you know? The ropes in the sea absorbed the saltwater and swelled to the thickness of a man''s wrist. They are usually at least a hundred meters long. To prevent them from getting entangled, we need to manually wind these dozens of hundreds of meters of rope neatly onto the winch and then use our hands to turn the winch to pull the fishes up."


    "Many people were so dizzy out of exhaustion that they were identally dragged into the sea by the ropes. Then, they were gone."


    "Being perpetually tired and in danger was one thing, but it was another when they pped me or even kicked me for no reason. They made me lie down on the ground and kicked me in the head.


    ¡±The more they kicked, the louder the voices grew in my head. We aren''t even humans to them; we are just mere animals in their eyes!"


    "Eventually, a group of ves couldn''t take it anymore. They resisted, but the pirates had firearms and weapons. We only have knives used for cutting squid. Many people died. Really, so many died. They¡¯re all dead. I''m the only one left."


    Finishing his recount, Kevin burst into tears again. Sprawled on the ground, he appeared rather helpless.


    "Are they the pirates from Sottom?" Charles asked with a slight frown.


    134 was tormented by the Foundation in the past, and now she started torturing other humans. When would this vicious cycle ever end?


    Kevin nodded vigorously. "Yes, them. ves that they couldn''t sell would be sent back to Skywater Ind and be sent out to fish. Captain, sir, you can definitely take me home, right?"


    "Where are you from? As long as you tell me everything you know, I can definitely take you home."


    "No problem. Just ask, and I will answer to the best of my ability. My home is on Shadow Ind."

 Chapter 124. Skywater Island

    <h4>Chapter 124. Skywater Ind</h4>


    <i>The supply ind is called Skywater Ind.</i>


    Charles stared at the crudely drawn indyout n before him, courtesy of Kevin.


    Due to his status as a ve, he had been locked up in a cage ever since he stepped foot on Skywater Ind. As such, he didn''t have much useful intelligence to offer. Regardless, little information was still better than none.


    He learned that the ind, which was half the size of the Coral Archipgo, had beenpletely upied by the pirates.


    Thendmass was shaped like a crab, and the dock was situated right between the ind''s two pincers. The name <i>Skywater </i>originated from the fact that freshwater flowed down from the sky.


    On top of that, there were many pirates on the ind. From the moment he alighted the ship up till he was sent into his cage, Kevin had seen at least thousands of them.


    They were no meremoners but pirates skilled at plundering ships. Basically, every single one of them could contribute significantly to a battle.


    Charles didn''t believe in the off chance that none of those pirates was more powerful than him. It would be a difficult battle, but in the face of such a perilous situation, Charles felt more calm than he initially expected.


    At the very least, inparison to those bizarre and unpredictable unexplored inds, their enemies on Skywater Ind were just fellow humans.


    No matter how powerful their mortal enemies were, they were still much easier to deal with than unpredictable creatures.


    They could at leastmunicate with each other as well.


    The door swung open with a loud nk as Dipp barged into the room. Looking slightly embarrassed, he scratched his nape and said, "Captain, the vemitted suicide..."


    "What?! Didn''t I pass down the instructions not to let him know that the Shadow Ind has sunk?"


    Avoiding Charles'' gaze, Dipp defended himself with a look of grievance. "I don''t know which asshole leaked it out! If I find out which big-mouthed bastard it was, I''ll make him wash the toilet for a month!!"


    Charles let out a helpless sigh. "Get Doctor to take a look and see if he can be saved."


    "Definitely can¡¯t be saved. His brain juices are scattered all over the floor. He suddenly snatched Carre''srge-caliber flintlock and shot himself in the forehead. He was too fast and was determined to die." Dipp shrugged.


    "Then get the sailors to hold a simple funeral for him and bury him in the sea," Charles said and gestured for Dipp to leave the room.


    Charles wouldn''t say he felt sad over Kevin''s death; it hadn¡¯t been that long since they met, after all. However, he felt a tinge of sympathy for the man. And he felt especially so when he recalled how Kevin talked excitedly about his children, whom he hadn''t seen in years when he got on the Narwhale.


    However, this was Kevin''s choice, and he was in no position to judge others'' decisions. Clearing his thoughts, Charles ced his attention back on the crude map on the table before him.


    The ind was extremely dangerous, but it wasn''t as if Charles didn''t stand a chance. After all, conquering the ind was not his goal; he just needed to get enough fresh water and fuel.


    Food was also scarce, but it was not essential for them to resupply it on Skywater Ind. After all, their entire fleet wasposed of exploration vessels, and the crew could easily handle most creatures in the water. They could certainly get by by catching fish from the sea.


    Even if anyone got scurvy due to theck of vitamins, they could endure for a short period of time. Everything would be resolved once they reached the Land of Light.


    Fresh water and fuel might sound like simple objects, but finding them was a challenge. Seventeen ships needed a significant amount of them. It was absolutely impossible for them to just barge in through the ind''s port and grab the supplies.


    They needed to pinpoint the location of the freshwater and where the fuel was stored.


    As he looked back at the simple map before him, Charles felt a throbbing headache. Finding things based on this map was indeed difficult.


    "It seems like we still need to send people to infiltrate the ind and gather intelligence..." Charles mumbled to himself.


    Half an hourter, a meeting was convened on the Narwhale once again. The captains gathered and listened to Charles as he exined the next step of the n.


    "That''s the specific circumstances. We need to form a small team and infiltrate the so-called Skywater Ind and find out the exact location of the fresh water and fuel. Do you have any crew members to rmend for this mission?"


    "Me! I''m in!" As per Charles'' expectation, Feuerbach was the first to volunteer.


    "I''m a good swimmer, and I know some tricks to control the water flow. If you bring me along, I can help everyone sneak in by going underwater," Feuerbach continued.


    Although Charles had no idea why Feuerbach was so enthusiastic, he readily agreed for thetter to join in.


    "Alright, you are in. Who else?" Charles looked at the other captains.


    "I have a sharpshooter on my team with a hundred percent hit rate. Do you need someone like that?" one captain asked.


    "I can join. My ability is hard to describe, but ording to the warships'' ranking, I''m considered Level 4."


    "My woman has the Charm ability and can extract information from the pirates."


    The captains were quick to offer their services or nominate a crew member. After all, this mission concerned everyone''s lives. The absence of one of their own in the reconnaissance team left them with little faith in the intelligence that would be collected.


    Soon, Charles confirmed the lineup of the reconnaissance team: himself, Lily, a Divine Light Order disciple with a relic that granted brief invisibility, a woman who could charm others, and finally, Feuerbach.


    Since it was an information-gathering mission, the fewer people, the better. Each selected individual also had abilities that could be utilized for the task.


    They certainly couldn''t steer seventeen ships in broad lighthouse light. As a lighthouse beam swept overhead, Charles instructed the team to get on board a small wooden boat.


    "ording to the n, I''ll be back in a day. I''ll leave the fleet to you."


    "Go ahead, I''ll hold the fort here," Kord said with a serious expression as he stood on the deck.


    For the first time, the alliance between both of them seemed truly solid.


    When the wooden boat carrying four people and a bunch of mice was ced onto the water''s surface, the Divine Light Order disciple by the name of Ritchie skillfully operated the gear-filled machine at the boat''s rear.


    The bow of the boat slightly lifted, and the rapidly spinning propeller pushed them toward the lighthouse.


    A solemn look settled on Charles'' visage. However, Feuerbach seemed not even the least bit pressured. He leaned closer with a warm smile stered to his face.


    "Mr. Charles, can I ask you a question? Which ind are you from? Is it one of the inds in the Northern Seas?"


    "I don''t know what you''re trying to dig out, but now''s not the time for that!"


    Chastised by Charles, Feuerbach shed a sheepish smile. He then turned to the woman wearing a ck leather jacket. "Hey, pretty~ You are so beautiful. If possible, I would love to wake up next to you in the morning."


    Charles couldn''t be bothered by Feuerbach''s nonsense. His eyes remained fixed on the blurry lighthouse in the distance.


    As the distance slowly closed, the vague outline of an ind appeared before them. They also noticed the sparse number of ships entering and leaving the port.


    Apart from the specks of lights on the ind, the one thing that caught Charles'' attention the most was the various white streaks descending from the sky¡ªit was fresh water falling from above.


    <i>"Looking at the flow, there¡¯s probably argeke above!" </i>Richard made a sudden remark in Charles'' mind.


    Just as Charles was about to retort in annoyance, a blinding beam of light swiftly swept toward them from the side. It was a searchlight from another ship!

 Chapter 125. Freshwater And Fuel

    <h4>Chapter 125. Freshwater And Fuel</h4>


    "Get down! Under the canvas!" The moment Charles''mand sounded, a green canvas of the same hue as the seawater engulfed the entire boat. Under the canvas, they remained motionless.


    The bright beam of searchlight swept over them. Unable to detect any anomalies, the ship then steered in another direction.


    Charles let out a sigh of relief and lifted the canvas draping over them. His gazended on the ship to which the searchlight belonged. It was a warship armed to the teeth. Not only were there a fore deck and aft deck, but even the sides of the ship''s hull were lined with gun ports.


    Its speed was rming, and it moved without making a single sound. If they had been discovered earlier, the entire mission would have been aplete failure.


    As the propeller rotated once more, the wooden boat was gradually pushed toward the ind.


    Throughout their journey, they encountered the searchlights of other various ships. But thanks to their prepared canvas and the boat''s small size, they were able to remain undetected.


    As they drew closer to thendmass, the appearance of Skywater Ind slowly came into view.


    If one had to describe Skywater Ind in geographical terms, it was a hilly terrain with low-lying hills formed by the umtion of dark rocks. They remained below a hundred meters, and there was no vegetation on the slopes.


    Coupled with its crab-like appearance, an aerial view of the ind would reveal a crab shouldering several low hills on its back. The multiple waterfalls falling from the sky continuously washed over the crab''s back while rivers meandered through the hills.


    The group didn''t head directly for the port between the ind''s two pincers. Instead, they moored toward the left of the crab-shaped ind.


    "Hide the boat well. The port is just ahead. We''ll slowly walk over so as not to alert them," Charles instructed upon climbing ashore.


    "No problem, you''re the boss. What you say goes." As usual, Feuerbach was always the first to offer his enthusiastic response.


    Charles and the team slowly moved forward along the boundary between the rocks and the sea. Not long after, a river appeared before them. It was a tributary of a distant waterfall.


    Charles squatted down and scooped up a handful of water. He brought it close to his nose and inhaled deeply. It was odorless. He had one of Lily''s mice try it and confirmed that it was indeed freshwater. Moreover, it was high-quality freshwater as the river water was crystal clear.


    Excited at their discovery, Feuerbach jumped into the water and did a couple of backstrokes. "Captain Charles, this was so easy! We resolved our freshwater problem. It''s my first time seeing so much freshwater."


    Charles looked up at the waterfall. Despite his keen sight, coupled with night vision, he couldn''t discern the source of the water.


    <i>"It''s either argeke or underground water. But considering this vast space below, groundwater seems more likely,"</i> Richard abruptly chimed in again.


    <i>"Scram!"</i>


    <i>"Come on, bro, you are still holding a grudge after such a long while? What good does it do to you if I go crazy from being cooped up for too long? Yes, I know, I wanted to get rid of you, but now you''re thinking of getting rid of me, too. That being said, aren''t we even now?" </i>Richardmented in a nonchnt tone.


    Charles didn''t want to start an argument at this point. His face was a shade darker as he led the team forward.


    After crossing the freshwater river and walking for another hour, they were finally close to the center of Skywater Ind.


    Contrary to the Coral Archipgo, where the ind''s heart was literally the central region, the pirates of Skywater mostly crowded around the bustling coastlines, effectively making it the epicenter of the ind.


    A densely packed hillside town was positioned right opposite two circr water bodies. The flickering lights from the mountain residents illuminated the hillside. From below, it looked like a terraced coastal city.


    The dock of the Skywater Ind was situated right at the foot of the hillside town. There wasn''t anything special about the docks.


    Clearly, the pirates of Skywater were adept at utilizing local materials.


    Both the hillside town and docks were constructed from various ck rocks. In fact, every architecture on the ind was built from rocks. Thendscape exuded a unique, exotic charm.


    However, even the most distinct architectural style couldn''t change the fact that the locals were a bunch of ruthless pirates.


    On the bustling streets in the harbor area, rows of ves dressed in tattered rags were tied up with ropes and being led like cattle.


    Various goods and firearms, the sale of which was ouwed on other inds, were openly sold on the streets.


    <i>"Damn, look at these criminals. I have to give it to them for their urban nning, though. Wow, look at those streetlights¡ªlook at how bright they are. Yo, look at these clean streets with not a single madman or beggar in sight.</i>


    <i>¡±Hey! Look at how dedicated these prostitutes are. They showed up for work even when they didn''t have time to put clothes on!"</i>


    Ignoring Richard''s crazy ramblings in his head, Charles led the others and walked along the streets in the harbor area.


    Entering the harbor area from the side was evidently less conspicuous. The fierce-looking pirates paid no attention to Charles and his group and only cast a few nces at Lily''s swarm of mice.


    On most inds, the customs were responsible for the sale of fuel. However, such an organization typically didn''t exist in ces where pirates gather.


    "It''s your turn to shine. Find out where they buy their fuel from," Charles instructed the beautiful woman standing next to him. Her name was Lenise.


    Lenise flicked her ash-gray hair, and a seductive smile appeared on her visage. "No problem. I can get information out of any man."


    She looked around for a target and then swayed her slender waist and approached a pirate reeking of alcohol. Pressing her body against him, she whispered into his ear. Charles had no idea what she said, but soon, the drunk pirate followed Lenise into a nearby alley.


    Not long after, Lenise emerged from the alley with a look of triumph.


    "Follow me," she said.


    They walked through the crowded streets and finally stood beside a three-story ck building that towered over its surrounding architecture.


    Lensie pretended to admire the harbor scenery while quietly reporting to Charles. "That man said this is it. The sale of fuel is being controlled by ¡®King,¡¯ and this is the only ce where fuel can be procured."


    "Mission sess! Easy-peasy, we can go back now!" Feuerbach looked rather delighted.


    Charles'' gaze turned onto the several gun turrets erected on the distant <i>crab pincers.</i> Shaking his head, he said, "No... Attempting to steal fuel from here is as good as suicide."


    Putting those turrets aside, the dozens of warships anchored at the docks were enough to ensnare them on the ind.


    "Then what should we do?"


    "They probably don''t deal here. Ritchie, go inside and find out where they store their fuel. Check the security there, too."


    With a ck hood covering his face, the Divine Light Order disciple silently nodded. He then took out a tuning fork-shaped object and pressed it against the white triangle on his forehead. Before three seconds had psed, his body turned transparent, and he vanished.


    Charles rhythmically drummed his fingers against the rough wall as he patiently waited for Ritchie''s return.


    Since there was fuel at the docks, this barren ind surely had a fuel production line. With such arge number of ships, there was no way they had been relying on imports alone.


    If they couldn''t get their hands on the finished product, they could consider the semi-finished products. It would serve the purpose as long as they could be burned.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    A series of gunshots jolted Charles out of his thoughts. The sound hadn''t caught only his attention. Everyone on the street simultaneously turned their gaze to the ck building.

 Chapter 126. Tobba

    <h4>Chapter 126. Tobba</h4>


    Amotion erupted when a group of burly pirates, donned in ck and white striped short sleeves, emerged from the building and dragged a bloodied Ritchie behind them.


    Charles'' face turned a shade darker, and he pounded his fist against the rock wall. His teammate had been discovered.


    "What do we do? Do we go save him?" Feuerbach turned to Charles and asked.


    Before Charles could give a response, Ritchie, who had been motionless as though he was dead, suddenly lifted his head and cried out hysterically, "Run! It''s a trap! They''ve discovered us!!"


    The instant Ritchie''s voice sounded, Charles'' entire body tensed up. He and Richard each controlled an eye to simultaneously scan the crowd in divergent directions.


    <i>"Two on the left. What about your side?" </i>Richard''s voice rang out in Charles'' head.


    "Run!" Charles dropped themand and instantly kicked off against the ground, dashing into the crowd. Feuerbach and Lenise reacted a secondte and quickly followed suit.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Gunshots continued to ring out. Under the barrage of gunfire, the reconnaissance team swiftly retreated.


    <i>nk!</i>


    A bullet struck Charles'' prosthetic limb and invoked a few sparks.


    In a fluid motion, Charles spun around. With a quick flick of his left wrist, he had drawn his revolver and started firing away at the pirates.


    His aim was spot on; blood spurted from the pirates'' foreheads. In an instant, the pirates'' assault on them was temporarily halted.


    However, Charles'' response hardly resolved their problem. Rather, his actions caught the attention of other pirates on the streets.


    They weren''t intimidated by Charles'' attack. A ferocious expression painted their faces as they drew the various weapons tied around their waists. Cursing and swearing, they lunged at Charles and his party. The situation escted quickly.


    <i>ck, ck, ck¡ª</i>


    Charles'' grappling hook pierced through a nearby rooftop andtched onto a rock wall of the hillside town.


    "Everyone, grab on to me!"


    He quickly retracted the grappling hook, pulling everyone along as they soared forward.


    Theynded on a narrow street in the hillside town. Ignoring the onlookers'' bewildered gazes, Charles led his two remainingrades into the narrow alleys in an attempt to shake off the pursuing pirates.


    Yet, for some reason, the pirates seemed to have a way of tracking them and stuck close behind. No matter how hard Charles tried, he couldn¡¯t shake them off.


    As the number of pirates in pursuit increased, powerful individuals soon joined in the ranks.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Suddenly, several barbed rock spines protruded from a nearby rock and flew toward them.


    With nimble movements and extreme flexibility, Charles dodged the spines as though he had no bones.


    Unfortunately, Lenise wasn''t as lucky. The sharp spines pierced through her voluminous figure. Even in herst moments, her alluring eyes were filled with disbelief.


    "Damn it!" A frustrated expression appeared on Charles'' visage. However, his present circumstances didn''t allow him the time or mental space to grieve over a fellow teammate. He continued his rapid dash forward.


    But very soon, pirates appeared ahead, armed with weapons, and a menacing glint shed in their eyes.


    They were surrounded!


    Just then, a filthy old man suddenly dashed out of a low rock house nearby. "Feuerbach! Come in, quick!!"


    Recognizing that the old man addressed the green-hairedd by his name with familiarity, Charles didn''t waste a single moment of hesitation and rapidly entered the house.


    Rather than a house, it would be more apt to describe the ce as a room being used as a garbage dump. Layers uponyers of greasy and dirty items were scattered all over the floor.


    Charles had anticipated there to be an escape route or sort that they could take to evade the pirates hot on their heels. However, the old man just distributed several paper crosses that had turned yellow with age. Charles instantly noticed the grime under the elderly man''s fingernails.


    "Here, take it. One for each of you. ce it here, like this. Quick! Do it, and they won''t be able to see you."


    The old man instructed and demonstrated by sticking the cross to his face.


    Staring at the elderly man''s crazed antics, Charles turned to Feuerbach and asked, "Why is he so weird? Is he really reliable?"


    A look of confusion appeared on Feuerbach''s face. "How would I know? I don''t know him."


    "You don''t know him? Then, why does he know your name?" Charles'' heart beat furiously against his ribcage.


    Just then, the dpidated wooden door was kicked down with a bang. A group of menacing pirates stormed in.


    "Whatever, we''ll just have to make do with it!" Richard muttered and controlled his hand to stick the paper cross onto his face. The mice around him gathered in a tight group behind him and the paper cross.


    The pirates suddenly froze.


    Meanwhile, Charles could feel their piercing gazes directed straight at him. <i>The pirates can see me! There''s no way this thing can turn me invisible!</i>


    Just as Charles was prepared to have a final showdown with the pirates, the vicious expressions on the pirates'' faces disappeared as they lowered their weapons.


    Then, they turned around and left as if they hadn''t seen anything in the room<i>.</i>


    A few secondster, the crowded alley right outside the house was emptied out. It was as though the past few minutes that transpired was nothing but an illusion.


    "This thing really works, huh? <i>Hehe.</i> We got ourselves a new relic," Richard said.


    Just as he was going to stash the paper cross into his pocket, Charles intervened. He quickly studied the item and turned it around multiple times to conclude that it was just a cross pieced together with old paper fragments.


    "It''s not this thing that works but that guy."


    Charles then turned toward the elderly man who was carefully putting away the cross in his hand.


    "Why did you help us?" Charles inquired.


    The elderly man smiled, but just when he was about to speak, a look of horror crossed his face. He crouched down and started to scuttle around the cramped room like an ape.


    "Something came for me! They saw me! Oh my god, that''s so scary."


    Watching the absurd situation before him, Feuerbach scratched his head in befuddlement. "What the hell are you doing? Captain Charles, is this guy mad?"


    Before Charles could offer any response, the elderly man lifted a finger and pointed it at Feuerbach with a terrified expression.


    "They are watching you now. Oh no, they''re watching me again! So many of them! I got to find a way to avoid them!"


    The elderly man rummaged through the trash and eventually dug out a half-rotten, moldy rat from the rubbish heap. He ced it on his head and let out a sigh of relief.


    "<i>Phew,</i> thank goodness they are afraid of dead rats. They find it disgusting. They don''t dare to watch me now."


    "Who are <i>they</i>?" Charles questioned.


    "I can''t say. If I say it out, I''ll be gone. All of us will disappear!" the old man answered with dramatic hand movements.


    Watching his crazed antics, Charles asked another question.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Tobba, right, the name''s Tobba." The elderly man shed a silly smile as a dead rat sat atop his head like a crown.


    "Why did you save us? Have we met before?"


    "I... I knew you would being. I''ve seen all of you in my head. I have known... since thirty years ago. I even prepared some wee gifts for all of you."


    The old man then rummaged through the haphazard pile of trash. In a few moments, he dug out a dirty ragged doll with a missing limb and offered it to the white mouse on the ground.


    "Here''s for you, little one. I remember I had a little girl, too. But she''s younger than you."

 Chapter 127. Story

    <h4>Chapter 127. Story</h4>


    "Grandpa, how did you know I''m a girl? Everyone else thinks I''m a mouse," Lily asked as she tilted her chin and looked at the elderly man who handed her a doll.


    Lily wasn''t the only one pondering over this question; Charles was curious as well. How was the old man so certain that Lily was a human-turned-mouse and not a mouse with human memories?


    "Then do you know how to turn me back to human?" Lily asked with apparent nervousness in her voice.


    However, Tobba ignored her question and stuffed the doll into the group of mice before he continued rummaging through the rubbish heap.


    "Here, this is for you," Tobba said as he pulled out half of a tattered book and dangled it before Feuerbach.


    The green-haired youth, who had never disyed a single hint of anxiety before Charles, suddenly darted out of the room like a mouse that had seen a cat.


    "Throw that thing away! NOW!!" Feuerbach''s eyes widened in shock, and his lips went pale.


    "What''s wrong?" With his sharp vision, Charles noticed that the book didn''t have a cover, and he could discern the content within.


    Mushroom Soup (for 3 servings)


    Ingredients A


    Hard ham 1 stick


    White silk mushrooms 200g


    Ingredients B


    Condensed milk 5g


    Kelp 25g


    Cooking oil 5ml


    Chicken stock powder ...


    Charles took the book from the old man and casually flipped through the pages. Food illustrations that were stained with grim appeared before his eyes.


    "It''s just a cookbook. What are you so nervous about?"


    Feuerbach stared at the cookbook. A forced, wry smile appeared on his visibly tense visage.


    "Heh, my bad. I thought it was...." Feuerbach trailed off and left his sentence unfinished.


    Seeing that Charles had taken the cookbook away, Tobba thought that Charles was trying to snatch his gift meant for Feuerbach.


    "Stay patient. Don''t snatch his gift. I prepared one for you, too. Hmm? Where has it gone?"


    "Stop searching for now." Charles grabbed Tobba over and straightened him up to look him in the eye. "Who are you? Why are the pirates afraid of you?"


    "They are not afraid of me. I turned invisible. They just couldn''t see us," Tobba answered proudly as he took out his cross and brandished it on his forehead once more.


    Charles dismissed the answer. After all, he certainly felt all the piercing gazes on them just moments ago, so it was impossible that they had been invisible.


    Knowing that he wouldn''t be able to have propermunication with the crazy old man before him, Charles didn''t want to waste time continuing with his questions.


    "No matter what, thank you. I owe you one. I''ll repay the favor if I ever have the chance."


    With that, Charles turned to leave. He didn''t have the luxury of time to engage in meaningless chatter with a madman, even if the madman seemed more capable than what he portrayed himself to be.


    His actions had already alerted the pirates of their presence. He had to find out where the fuel was being kept before the pirates regrouped and came after them once more.


    "Are you looking for something on the ind? I can help you! I''ve been on this ind for a long while." Tobba shed a silly smile, revealing his gum line with only a handful of teeth remaining.


    Charles was just about to step out of the door when he turned around with a look of surprise. "You know where the fuel is stored on this ind? You are not joking, are you?"


    "I really know! Fuel, right? The thing that ships eat. I know where theye from. I can also let you know where to find them. But ording to the standard steps, you have to pay me first."


    Hearing that he wantedpensation, Charles felt a wave of relief washing over him. As long as he could get the information, a small price was nothing.


    "How much Echo do you want?"


    Tobba shook his head and hands vigorously. "No. No. No. I don''t want money. I want a story. Tell me a story, a story that I''ve never heard before."


    A story? What kind of weird request is this? Charles was feeling rather puzzled.


    Just then, Richard wielded control over their body and eximed, "I''ll do it! Let me. Practice makes perfect. Let a fellow madman speak to another."


    "What story do you wanna hear? Have you ever heard the story of The Little Red Riding Hood?" Richard spoke as though he was trying to cate a child.


    "Once upon a time, there was a little girl. She''s a pretty girl. On her birthday, her grandmother gave her a red riding hood made of velvet..."


    Within minutes, Richard was done telling the brief bedtime tale. Sitting nearby, Lily had listened intently and enjoyed the story. However, squatting on a heap of trash, Tobba shook his head vigorously with a frown on his face.


    "No. I don''t want to hear this story. I''ve heard of this story. Not this story, tell another one."


    "Then what do you want to hear? You can foresee the future, can''t you? Since you could predict our arrival, weren''t you able to predict the story that I would tell you? Just tell me which story it is, and I''ll just repeat it to you," Richard proposed as he scratched his head in frustration.


    "I don''t know! I only know you will definitely tell me a story, and it is a really interesting one. I was very happy after I listened to it."


    "Argh, this old man..." Richard''s eyes narrowed with hostility as he sized up Tobba. He was mentally calcting the chances of sessfully extracting the location of the fuel from him by using force.


    However, he hesitated when he recalled how Tobba had intimidated the pirates earlier. He wasn''t sure if Tobba was really crazy or just feigning it. He could actually be hiding his actual strength.


    "I happen to have a story," Charles said as he snatched back the body''s control. Taking in a deep breath, he spoke calmly. "A long time ago, there was a man who lived in his world. He was just a normal person living a normal life.


    ¡±One day, an incident, a disaster, fell upon him. The sea swallowed all his ssmates but brought him to a strange world. In this new world, the sea was everywhere in sight, and light didn''t exist...."


    Charles'' narration was calm and steady, without any ounce of emotion. However, squatting on a heap of trash, Tobba listened with his full focus.


    Unbeknownst to them, Feuerbach, who had exited into the alley earlier, had entered the room again. Listening to the story, a thought emerged in his mind as he stared at Charles'' back.


    "After nine long years and enduring countless hardships, he finally found the way home. But now, the ship he needs to return home has run out of fuel. He needed fuel, and only an old man knew of the location. Whether he could return home or not was dependent on the old man''s willingness to help."


    "This story is great! So awesome!" Tobba pped in excitement and jumped up and down like a monkey.


    "Ah, this story is too good. I have to write it down somewhere, or I''ll surely forget it again."


    Tobbabed through the trash and dug out a yellowed notebook. He picked up a ck rock and furiously scribbled away on the yellow pages.


    Tobba didn''t seem like he could actually write as he drew various lines in a chaotic manner across the pages. In a few seconds, the yellow pages were covered with random ck lines.


    "All right. I''m done recording! Let''s go. I''ll take you guys to go look for the fuel, and then you can go home," Tobba said with a satisfied grin and stuffed the notebook into his bosom. He then stood out and walked out of the room.


    Receiving Lily and Feuerbach''s questioning gazes, Charles offered no exnation. He motioned the two to follow along as he trailed after Tobba.

 Chapter 128. The Other Side of the Mountain

    <h4>Chapter 128. The Other Side of the Mountain</h4>


    Charles trusted Tobba for the time being. The man acted like a madman, but judging from his assistance earlier, he probably wasn''t hostile toward them. If he were on the enemy''s side, he would have just stood aside and let the pirates capture them.


    Walking along the rocky passageway, Charles cast his eyes toward the far-off docks. The pirates appeared norger than tiny ants, while the warships resembled diminutive toy boats.


    The passageways in the hillside town were rather narrow, and asionally, a pirate would brush past them. However, the pirates showed no intention of attacking.


    They merely stole a nce at Tobba and then carried on with their business.


    It was as if the cross Tobba had stered on his forehead was truly working.


    "Mr. Charles, have we really turned invisible? Why are they not attacking us?" Lily asked as she stood perched on Charles'' shoulder. Out of curiosity, she even reached out a tiny paw and scratched the clothes of the pirate next to her.


    "No."


    Charles was certain that they were not invisible. However, he was pondering over the same issue. How did the old madman in front of them manage to get the pirates to totally ignore their presence?


    Trailing behind Tobba, they navigated the passageways and alleys in the town for a good half an hour before they arrived in front of a low cave entrance.


    "You''ll see what you are looking for once we pass through this cave," Tobba happily said. He bent over and entered the cave.


    "Are you telling me that the fuel you speak of is buried in this mountain?" Charles asked Tobba.


    If the fuel was really buried deep in the mountains, it would have been much easier if he had taken a group of men and stormed the ck building earlier.


    At least, there would be a glimpse of hope if they had robbed the ce.


    However, if he had to transport fuel from inside the mountain back to the ship, they would have been surrounded by the pirates before they could even make it halfway back.


    "Nope, it''s on the other side of the mountain. The fueles from there," Tobba''s voice echoed from within the cave.


    The cave was low and stifling. An average-sized adult would have to walk in a half-crouch, and the journey felt extremely suffocating.


    After walking for ten minutes in such an environment, Charles was holding up well due to his enhanced physical endurance. Even the mice found it rather endurable due to their small stature. However, Feuerbach was struggling.


    As the panting behind him grew increasinglybored, Charles asked, "Are you alright?"


    Feuerbach wiped the sweat off of his forehead with his sleeve. "I''m fine, it''s just a little suffocating. I think the vast sea is more of my element."


    Fortunately, their difort didn''tst for too long. Another five minutester, they emerged from the other side of the mountain.


    Thendscape before them suddenly opened up. Standing halfway up the mountain, Charles peered downward. Buildings of various sizes nestled in a scattered formation in the valley.


    However, it wasn''t those structures that caught Charles'' attention. His gaze was drawn to the distant shoreline, where the attention-seeking remnants of a gigantic circr facility stood.


    The colossal industrialplex was almost asrge as the surrounding mountains. Although time had weathered it into a state of considerable decay, Charles still found the building rather impressive.


    "<i>Woahhh! </i>The pirates probably aren''t capable of building such a huge thing. It should be the work of the Foundation, no? Those guys seem to be everywhere." Richard suddenly appeared again.


    "There. That''s where the fueles from," Tobba said and pointed to a cluster of buildings below the circr facility.


    Tobba was pointing at a ck shed upying the area of four football fields. Despite having an eagle-eye view, Charles couldn''t discern what was within it. He could only see the several tall towers that were erected around it, and their searchlights illuminated the entire area. Security seemed extremely tight.


    From his elevated vantage point, Charles also noticed some finer details. Right behind the factory, there were several tracks arranged in a disorderly manner.


    They weren''t railway tracks but tracks meant for mine carts. Loaded carts regrly appeared on the tracks and moved toward another mountain on the ind. Due to the distance, Charles couldn''t make out what was on those carts. He could only see that they resembled ck stones.


    "Let''s go down," Tobba said cheerfully as he started to descend the steep rocky path.


    "Is the fuel here coal, or is it the residue of whale oil refinement?"


    Charles didn''t even bother asking if the fuel was in the form of charcoal. In a world where grass struggled to thrive, there was no way there would be charcoal, which was made from lumber.


    "Coal? Whale oil? What is that? I have no idea. We call them <i>ck balls</i>. We have been burning them for as long as we have been here." Tobba scratched his head with an index finger.


    Charles pondered over Tobba''s answer. <i>That sounds like coal. It seems like this ind has rich coal resources.</i>


    After descending from the mountain, they carefully approached the giant facility. After quietly walking along the edges of the circr structure for a few minutes, they were now very close to the ck shed. Charles could even see the white mist exhaled by the pirates patrolling on the high tforms.


    Tobba was about to stride openly toward the buildingplex''s ck steel gates when Charles pulled him back.


    "What are you doing?" Charles questioned in a hushed whisper.


    "It''s fine, I can turn invisible. No worries! They can''t see us." Tobba confidently patted his chest and retrieved the crumpled cross from his pocket once again.


    Charles couldn''t afford to let him continue with his bizarre antics at this point.


    Perhaps Tobba did possess some special powers, and it wouldn''t matter if they were up against normal pirates. However, they were definitely at an important location on the ind, and surely, there would be more powerful and skilled pirates guarding theplex.


    Just the slightest mistake from Tobba could ruin Charles'' entire mission. Compared to letting this lunatic rush in, he had a better option.


    "Lily, get your friend to scout the way," Charles said to the white mouse on his shoulder.


    The small rodent was clearly the best candidate for infiltration and reconnaissance tasks. This was also why Charles had brought Lily with him.


    <i>Squeak~ Squeak squeak!!</i>


    A dark brown mouse hopped up and down for a brief moment, and soon, four mice scurried along the dark corners toward the buildingplex.


    "Mr. Charles, rest assured. I''ve taught them many things previously. Jumpy will definitely do a clear report this time!" Lily assured.


    Charles nodded with a grave expression on his face. As long as they could confirm that the building was a fuel factory, their reconnaissance mission on this ind would be consideredpleted.


    As time ticked away, Charles grew increasingly anxious. Every now and then, Charles would take out his pocket watch to check the time. He had never felt that time was passing this slowly.


    <i>"Bro, why don''t we sneak in and take a look?" </i>Richard controlled an eye to look at the giant circr structure next to them.


    "Stop finding trouble. Haven''t you caused enough chaos?" Charles gumbled through gritted teeth.


    <i>"How is that considered trouble? Look at this building. It''s so broken that it doesn''t even have a roof. How dangerous can it be? And look, there are spider webs everywhere."</i>


    Charles remained unpersuaded. He stood rooted to the spot and frequently checked his pocket watch.


    <i>"How boring. This facility belongs to the Foundation. What''s the harm in taking a look? They are from the surface world. What if there''s key information on how the entrance back up?"</i>


    <i>"Cut the bullshit. I don''t want to argue with you now."</i>


    <i>"Why don''t we find a middle ground? We let Lily''s mice go in and have a look. That should be fine, no?"</i>

 Chapter 129. The Mice Returned

    <h4>Chapter 129. The Mice Returned</h4>


    Charles cast a nce at the buildingplex; there was still no sign of the mice. Reluctantly, he gave in to Richard''s proposition. He really didn''t want to keep arguing with Richard over such a trivial matter.


    Soon, the mice to be sent out on the scouting mission in the circr structure were swiftly selected. Controlling Charles'' body, Richard wore a smile on his face and patted the two mice on their heads.


    "My two littlerades. I''ll be entrusting this crucial task to you. Remember, if you see anything that has text or looks valuable, try to drag them out if you can. If they can''t be dragged out,e out and let us know, and we''ll go in and get them. Now, Lily, make sure you trante properly," Richard instructed.


    As the two mice scurried away into the circr structure, a smug expression appeared on Richard''s face.


    "Indeed, humans always prefer topromise. For example, if A said the room is too dark, and we need to make a window, everyone will surely object. But if A then proposes to remove the roof for the moonlight to enter, suddenly, the others willpromise and agree to make a window. Don''t you agree?"


    "Shut up," Charles snapped and wielded control over his body once more.


    Everyone stayed quietly in the darkness as they awaited the return of the two groups of mice. Much to Charles'' surprise, the group of mice that entered the circr facility was the first to return.


    One of them was dragging a metal te, while the other dragged a small metal box the size of a matchbox.


    "Mr. Charles, Furry said that it''s huge inside, but everything is so run down. There''s nothing much in there apart from garbage. They only found these," Lily provided interpretation for the two mice''s squeaks.


    Charles looked at the far-away buildingplex once more, but there was still no sight of any mice. He took the metal te from the mouse in front of him.


    Nuclear Fusion Reactor Group C


    Charles'' scalp tingled with terror the moment he saw the text on the metal te. With a terrified expression, he turned to see that Lily was curiously examining the small box.


    Richard sensed something amiss as well. With a slight tremble in his voice, he asked, "Hey, hey, hey, this thing isn''t radioactive, is it?"


    The next moment, Charles swiftly grabbed the small metal box and threw it as far as he could.


    "Mr. Charles, why did you throw it away? Furry worked so hard to drag it all the way here," Lily asked as she tilted her head in puzzlement.


    Ignoring Lily''s question, Charles lifted her up by the tail. cing her on one palm, he carefully checked her two tiny paws with apparent nervousness. It was only after finding no signs of redness or ckening that he could finally exhale a sigh of relief.


    "It should be fine. If there were really nuclear radiation, the mice wouldn''t have been able to drag both items out. They would''ve probably died on the way."


    "Isn''t it all your fault? Can''t you just stop stirring trouble!" Charles didn''t want tomunicate with Richard any longer. cing Lily in his coat pocket, he continued to stare at the ck gates in the distance.


    Seconds passed. Minutes passed. Soon, two hours had passed. Not only was Charles growing restless, but Tobba, sitting next to him, was also unwilling to wait any longer.


    "It''s so pointless staying here. Are you going in or not? If not, I''m going in myself," Tobba said in a dejected tone and stood up.


    "Wait, they''ll be back soon," Charles said as he reached out to grab Tobba. He couldn''t afford to let the lunatic leave just yet. Tobba knew of his ns, so it would spell trouble if anyone managed to extract information from the old man.


    "Then... Then you have to tell me more stories."


    "Alright. Not a problem. Once we get out of this ind, I''ll tell you as many stories as you want."


    After sessfully pacifying Tobba, Charles squatted down again and continued to look toward the buildingplex. Just as he was contemting if he should send a few more mice, Richard''s voice sounded in his head.


    "Bro, something''s not right. That circr facility is a nuclear fusion reactor, not a nuclear fission reactor. Fusion reactors use deuterium atoms as fuel. That thing isn''t radioactive."


    "How does it concern us whether it''s radioactive or not? It''s just a facility that the Foundation used for power generation. They are gone now, and the facility has also been abandoned. Keep quiet."


    However, Richard didn''t stop. Instead, his voice continued with a strange hint of excitement.


    "No! This is very critical information!! Do you remember what we learned about nuclear power in school?


    ¡±The uranium required for a nuclear fission reactor not only emits arge amount of radiation that is detrimental to human health, but the waste produced also persists for millennia and is challenging to handle.


    ¡±On the other hand, the radiation from nuclear fusion is almost non-existent, and the fuel for fusion is virtually inexhaustible!"


    "What are you trying to say?"


    "Don''t you get it? Nuclear fusion is an advanced technology that requires high temperatures close to a billion degrees Celsius. That is only ever possibly achieved during a nuclear explosion.


    ¡±At the point in time when we had crossed over to this world, no country has ever achieved that technology.


    ¡±If the Foundation managed to build a nuclear fusion reactor, that means their technology might have already surpassed that of the surface world!"


    Charles'' mind went silent. Both he and Richard didn''t utter a single word as the realization sank in.


    Charles suddenly recalled the information written in the experimental log of Project 1002.


    I have an inkling that the wealth of knowledge in this seascape could advance human development by another dimension. This will be the second technological boom in human history.


    Charles lifted his head and stared at the colossal circr structure next to him in shock. It seemed like the Foundation had indeed achieved its goal.


    Their vision was a grand one. If they hadn''t disappeared and brought this technology back to the surface world, then the technology of his original world would have gone through a drastic transformation.


    Imagine humanity having ess to inexhaustible, infinite energy. What would the world be like?


    "Mr. Charles, look! Jumpy and the others are back."


    Lily''s cry jolted Charles out of his thoughts. He spotted the four mice running toward them, dragging something in tow.


    No matter how the Foundation managed to build a nuclear fusion reactor, it was not relevant to him.


    Whether he would share this astonishing news with those above the surface after he got out would be a question for another day.


    Compared to advanced technology that benefited humanity, Charles urgently needed most right now was fuel to go home.


    The mice returned and crowded around Charles in excitement. They squeaked incessantly to Lily as she poked her head out of Charles'' pocket.


    "Oh my, one by one, please. I can''t hear clearly with all of you speaking at the same time." Lily said as she climbed down Charles'' leg.


    Charles crouched down and picked up the object the mice had brought back and carefully examined it.


    It was a dark blue spherical object that was the size of a fist. It had a little hand with three fingers. The texture felt somewhat soft, like a balloon filled with jelly.


    As Charles kneaded the object, the tiny hand naturally gripped his finger.


    "Lily, what''s the situation inside? Why did they bring this out?" Charles squatted and asked the white mouse.


    "Jumpy and the others said that there''s arge hole inside,rger than... three of our shipsbined."


    The Narwhale measures sixty-five meters. Three Narwhales lined up would be close to two hundred meters. A hole with a diameter of two hundred meters... Charles did a quick mental calction.


    "There were some ck creatures with big heads and taller than two humans floating out of the hole."

 Chapter 130. Floating Monsters

    <h4>Chapter 130. Floating Monsters</h4>


    "There were some ck creatures with big heads and taller than two humans floating out of the hole."


    The moment Charles heard Lily''s report, the word <i>native</i> emerged in his head. He had never expected that there would be space beneath the ind and there were even indigenous creatures living within it.


    The mice continued squeaking for a few moments before Lily turned her head and started interpreting for her friends.


    "Those pirates threw many, many fishes into the hole. Those floating ck monsters then chased this thing out of the hole." Lily then paused and pointed at the soft and ck ball-shaped object in Charles'' hand.


    "There are so many of these things inside. So, so many, enough to fill up several ships. Then, some people in tattered clothes will carry them out on iron carts. Those dressed in tattered clothes are probably ves."


    Charles cast a doubtful nce at the dark blue creature in his hands. <i>Could this be the fuel traded between the pirates and the native creatures?</i>


    Tobba leaned forward and pointed at the ball-shaped object in Charles'' hand. With a cheerful smile, he said, "That''s it. Feed it to the ships, and they go super fast!"


    Looking at the small hand that continuously grabbed at his finger, Charles still found it rather unbelievable that this thing could be fuel.


    "Who cares if it burns or not? Since we got our hands on a finished product, shouldn''t we just test it out? Bro, did you bring a lighter?" Richard interrupted and looked at Feuerbach.


    Receiving the lighter from Feuerbach, Charles peered at the guard tower in the distance. He carefully turned his back to the tower before lightly flicking the me across the object.


    <i>Whoosh.</i>


    Bright mes rapidly spread across the <i>ck ball,</i> and it soon turned into a ball of mes.


    "No doubt about it; this is definitely the fuel the pirates are using." A hint of excitement appeared on Charles'' visage even as he felt the searing pain of the mes burning his palm.


    With this information, his mission on the ind wasplete.


    However, things took an unexpected turn. The next second, the ignited spherical creature started to struggle violently and let out an ear-piercing shrill scream.


    In the open canyon, the scream echoed far and wide, immediately attracting the attention of the pirates standing guard at the watchtowers. A cacophony of noisy and fuzzy broadcast sounds rang out.


    "Who''s there?! The rear mountain is out of bounds!"


    Immediately after, bright beams of searchlights rapidly swept toward Charles'' direction.


    Charles quickly snuffed out the burning ball of me in his hand and led the others into a sprint toward the circr structure behind them. Just when he thought they had escaped the pirates'' searchlights, a silly and smug voice sounded from behind him.


    "You can''t see me~ You can''t see me~~" Tobba taunted.


    Charles swiftly whipped his head around to see a silly Tobba standing at his original spot under the illumination of a circr light beam. The same cross was stered to his forehead.


    Time seemed to freeze at that very second as everyone collectively turned their gaze toward Tobba. They weren''t sure if Tobba''s ability worked, but the pirates on the watchtowers seemed rather befuddled.


    But just then, one of the searchlights suddenly shifted, and its beam of lightnded on Charles.


    "Intruders!! Iing enemies!!"


    The steel gates in the distance opened with a loud clunk. Pirates with menacing gazes emerged from within the gates and charged directly at Charles and his group.


    "Fuck!!" Charles sprinted out from the light beam''s illumination. After quickly discerning the direction, he led the group in a mad dash toward the coastline.


    <i>Ratatat!!</i>


    A series of gunshots sounded from behind them. But clearly, the pirates'' aim was totally off in the darkness. Charles quickened his pace.


    Both groups ran at almost the same speed as they raced toward the sea.


    Just when they heard the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore, Charles felt a sudden tingle in his scalp. It was his senses warning him of extreme danger. Instinctively, he grabbed Tobba and rolled quickly to the left.


    <i>Thud!!</i>


    A huge stone club descended from the air and smashed heavily against the ground where they had been. The fragments of stone from the impact flew and struck Charles in the face, leaving a stinging pain.


    Ignoring the pain, Charles dragged Tobba and continued their sprint forward.


    While he ran, Charles turned his head slightly, and in his peripheral vision, he caught a glimpse of the wielder of the stone pir.


    It was a floating humanoid creature standing close to three meters. It had a translucent air sac above its head that was the size of a round table.


    The four limbs attached to its towering figure were swollen, and its strange body was shrouded in a long, ck robe. Its facial features seemed to be covered underyers andyers of entwined cobwebs, making it impossible for Charles to make out its expression.


    But even without seeing its expression, Charles could clearly feel the creature''s hostility toward himself. The Levitating Fiend lifted the stone pir once more and swung it rapidly toward Charles.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The massive stone pir grazed Charles'' clothes before smashing into the ground. The ground cracked, and rock fragments flew in all directions.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang! </i>


    Charles aimed his gun at the Levitating Fiend and pulled the trigger in rapid session. However, when the bullets struck the creature''s ck robe, it felt as though they had hit against a steel te as they bounced off with a tinkling sound andnded on the ground.


    <i>"Aim at the air sac!"</i> Richard''s voice sounded in Charles'' head, and Charles rapidly adjusted his aim upward.


    Gunshots rang out once more, but this time, the bullets seemed to have struck a slick surface when they hit the air sac. The bullets created a few dents in the air sac before they bounced off and slid down the surface.


    The attack was ineffective.


    <i>"What the fuck are these guys made of? Bullets can''t even pierce through them!!"</i>


    Charles had no time to pay attention to Richard because the massive stone pir was swinging toward him again with an apanying howl.


    Gritting his teeth, he folded his incredibly flexible body at a ny-degree angle and dodged the attack.


    Taking advantage of the moment when the stone pir justnded, Charles pressed his prosthetic limb against the pir for support.


    With all this strength, his muscles tensed up, and he flipped from the bottom of the pir to the top of the pir.


    His legs propelled him forward with a burst of speed as he ascended the stone pir. His target? The head of the Levitating Fiend.


    <i>Whirr¡ª</i>


    The chainsaw in his left arm was instantly activated. Before the Levitating Fiend could retaliate, Charles swung his prosthetic arm across its neck. Bone fragments and transparent fluids sttered haphazardly into the air.


    With a loud crack, the chainsaw severed through the giant head of the Levitating Fiend.


    As a hissing sound of air escaping came from the severed neck of the floating creature, the leaking air sac carried the head of the Levitating Fiend upward before swiftly disappearing into the air.


    Using the falling corpse as a support, Charles kicked off of it and performed a series of rolls tond steadily on the ground.


    At this point, he couldn''t ponder over the bizarre physical structure of the creature because he saw more of those ck Levitating Fiends flying toward them with colossal stone pirs in their hands.


    Dozens of three-meter tall ck-robed Levitating Fiends were quickly drifting across the air toward them. It felt as though they were a group of Grim Reapersing to im lives.


    Charles knew that if they continued to flee, the creatures would soon catch up with them as these monsters were much faster.


    Charles took out the Bat Mirror and grazed his right hand over the chainsaw of this prosthetic limb before smearing the blood onto the mirror.


    "Run. I''ll hold them off and catch upter!" Charles instructed hispanions in the distance as his body started to transform.


    The next moment, a giant bat spanning over five meters soared into the sky and charged toward the monsters.

 Chapter 131. Tricks

    <h4>Chapter 131. Tricks</h4>


    Staring at the Levitation Fiends in the air, Charles knew that their bodies were tough and they were also incredibly strong. As such, he decided not to engage with them directly. pping his wings, he propelled himself toward a nearby slope.


    The gigantic bat immediately caught the attention of the Levitation Fiends, and they changed their target of pursuit.


    Charles initially thought that everything was going ording to n. However, in the midst of his flight, a glimmer of light shed ahead of him, and a Levitation Fiend suddenly materialized in front of him.


    A man with his face covered in skull tattoos was perched on its shoulder. A smug smirk appeared on the man''s countenance as he adjusted his single-lensed brass sses. It seemed like the Levitation Fiend''s sudden materialization was his doing.


    At this point, it was toote for Charles to dodge. The heavy stone pir swung toward him and struck him with a heavy impact.


    Charles spat out arge mouthful of blood as he spiraled toward the ground. He was instantly thrown into a stage of crisis. During his descent, he noticed the Levitation Fiends swarming toward him in all directions. He knew that if he didn''t save himself now, he would die here.


    He clenched down hard on his teeth and pped his wings vigorously to suspend himself in mid-air once more. By this point, the Levitation Fiends had encircled him and raised their stone pirs, ready to strike.


    Charles inhaled a deep breath and opened his monstrous maws to let out an ear-piercing screech.


    The Levitation Fiends drifted away in an attempt to dodge the sonar attack. One of them was slightly slower than the rest and suffered the consequences¡ªits air sac burst instantaneously.


    A flicker of hope ignited in Charles'' heart. He seemed to have found the creatures'' weakness.


    However, he didn''t have time to exploit it as the pirates had already caught up. One of them even took out a Mirrorbox.


    Spotting the ring light leaking out from within the Mirrorbox, Charles instinctively felt a wave of terror washing over him. He turned and retreated at full speed.


    However, his diversion had been sessful. Using the time that he bought, he saw that his two humanpanions and the mice had already reached the seaside.


    At the same time, he received bad news, too. He noticed several spots of light approaching from the sea¡ªthey were the searchlights of the pirate ships!


    Charles swiftly descended toward hispanions. Turning back into a human, he took out a sma bag and fed on its contents.


    "We need to get back to our ship immediately. The pirates'' warships areing!"


    "We probably won''t make it if we were to retrace our way back. We should just swim back from here," Feuerbach suggested as he pointed to the sea.


    "Are you crazy? Do you know how far it is?"


    "Don''t worry, Captain Charles. Please trust me. The sea is my turf. Also, I don''t wish to be captured by the pirates either," Feuerbach said and shed a brilliant smile at Charles.


    Seeing the lights on the sea drawing nearer and nearer to them, Charles gritted his teeth and plunged into the water.


    It was dark and oppressive under the water. With his night vision, Charles could vaguely discern something swimming toward them in the darkness.


    Just then, Feuerbach''s deep green hair swiftly red and swayed with the water as though they had transformed into aquatic nts.


    Using his hands, Feuerbach signaled with a g semaphore for Charles and Tobba to wait. His lips then parted as if singing a tune. Sound didn''t really travel well in water, so Charles couldn''t hear anything.


    A few momentster, the water surface above them brightened. The pirate ships had reached overhead.


    Just as Charles was signaling with g semaphore to Feuerbach to ask what he was doing, the dark waters stirred. Something was causing ripples as it charged toward them.


    Under the illumination of the lights overhead, Charles quickly recognized the creatures. They were six giant sharks with dark red skin and measured almost seven meters long.


    Feuerbach gently caressed the fins of one of the sharks before turning to Charles to sh a triumph thumbs-up.


    Seeing that something was entering the water from above, Charles swiftly climbed onto the back of one of the sharks.


    Once everyone had a firm grip on their mounts, the sharks swayed their powerful tails and propelled forward at an extraordinary speed.


    The immense water pressure distorted Charles¡¯ facial features. The shark was astonishingly fast. He felt as though he was riding a high-speed torpedo.


    About a minuteter, Charles struggled to open his eyes and saw that the illumination overhead had disappeared. Within such a short time, they had already left the coast behind.


    Charles noticed Lily with bubbles escaping from her mouth. Her face twisted in agony as she struggled to breathe.


    Charles grabbed her and stuffed her into his mouth before signaling to Feuerbach to ascend to the water''s surface.


    "Are these your fish?" Charles asked Feuerbach as he panted from the quick burst of oxygen.


    The green-haired youngd nodded with a smug grin. "I told you, I have some tricks up my sleeve when ites to the sea. These little guys are named <i>Tricks.</i>"


    After briefly surfacing to the surface for air, they submerged into the water again, and the sharks carried them further into the dark waters.


    As the coastal lights slowly faded into the distance, darkness soon enveloped them. The water''s temperature seemed to have significantly dropped as well. Just then, Charles'' senses warned him that something was approaching.


    The next moment, a ck, viscous, humanoid mass lunged at Tobba''s thigh from below. However, two sharks swarmed in from the side. Their fearsome jaws dug into the mass and violently tore at it.


    The mass was shredded into pieces in no time.


    Charles stared at Feuerbach''s green hair in the distance. He was now certain that the man was lying. Anyone capable of taming so many ferocious sharks could not possibly be a novice.


    Regardless of Feuerbach''s true intentions, at least he was on their side, for now.


    After another thirty minutes, Charles emerged to the water''s surface for oxygen again. This time, he spotted ships on the sea. It was his ship, the Narwhale.


    Dragging Tobba, whose eyes were turning white and was continuously spitting out water, Charles swam toward the Narwhale.


    By the time he climbed the softdder andnded on the deck, the captains from the other ships had heard of the news and gathered on the Narwhale. Right at the forefront was, as usual, the agitated Kord.


    "How did it go? Did you find any clues to the resources?"


    epting the towel from Dipp, Charles dried his wet hair as he walked toward his resting quarters.


    In the dimly lit captain''s cabins, everyone watched with apparent nervousness as a drenched Charles rapidly sketched a map of the ind on the paper with both hands.


    Soon, a detailed map of Skywater Ind appeared on the paper. Charles tapped on the left edge of the ind with the tip of his pen.


    "This is where they get their fuel. ording to my investigation, there''s enough fuel for all of us."


    Charles then dotted several dashed lines across the map.


    "I''ve marked a few freshwater waterfalls. The closest one to the fuel point is about five kilometers to the left. We can replenish our freshwater supply on the return trip while transporting the fuel back."


    "Great! We shall proceed with that!" Kord then rose to his feet, ready to leave the cabin.


    "I''m not done yet! Why the hurry?" Charles immediately called out to call Kord.


    "Now, I''m going to talk about the enemy pirates''bat formation," Charles said as he drew a circle around the docks of Skywater Ind.


    "Arge number of warships are docked here. Based on my previous encounter, they¡¯re extremely fast at providing reinforcements. If they obstruct our path while we are replenishing our supplies, every single one of us will meet our end on this ind."


    1. Scientifically speaking, sound travels faster in waterpared to air. However, human ears are not good at picking up sound in the water as we evolved to pick up sound in the air.

 Chapter 132. Surprise Attack

    <h4>Chapter 132. Surprise Attack</h4>


    "We have to find a way to stall time and keep the pirates busy at the docks for a period of time."


    "That''s easy!" Kord looked visibly agitated as he snatched Charles'' pen and drew a couple of arrows pointing at the docks on the map.


    "We just need to send three ships tounch a direct assault on their port and attract as much attention as possible. This assault team doesn''t need to keep them upied for too long; about twenty minutes will do."


    "Disregarding whether this approach will work or not, how are the three ships going to make it out alive?" Charles questioned Kord''s proposition.


    "Why do we need to consider their return?l" Kord''s words instantly turned the atmosphere in the cabin several degrees colder.


    Golden Hook, the burly man who had previously picked a fight with Charles, stood up and roared in fury, "I''ll never agree to such a n! Myrades will not join you in your suicide mission!!"


    A hint of despise flickered across Kord''s face as he sized up Golden Hook. "Don''t worry, I won''t be using your men. Who knows if they will cower in their fear and run away during the mission? My brethren, the time hase for us to sacrifice for the glory of our Light God!"


    The moment Kord''s words fell, three individuals collectively stood up from among the captains.


    All three of them spotted the same trademark white triangle on their foreheads. They were the captains of the ships belonging to the Divine Light Order. They wore a look of nonchnce on their visages as though they weren¡¯t afraid of facing their imminent death.


    A satisfied grin spread across Kord''s face as he approached the three captains and gave them an affectionate pat on their shoulders.


    "Rest assured, you and your crews are the harbingers in the search for the Land of Light. Your sacrifice is a disy of your utmost faith in our Lord. When I arrive at His holy kingdom, I''ll implore Him to guide your souls into His sacrednd!"


    "All for the glory of the Light God!"


    "All for the glory of the Light God!"


    "All for the glory of the Light God!"


    With determined looks on their faces, the three brought their hands together to form a triangle and pressed it on the white triangle on their foreheads.


    Meanwhile, the other captains wore a peculiar look on their faces. Even though they had gotten ustomed to death at sea, seeing the entire crew of three ships willingly march toward their demise had their guts twisting in an unexinable manner.


    Charles swiftly recalled the pirates'' distribution of forces at the port and shook his head. "Three ships aren''t enough. They wouldn''t be able to buy us that much time. They would probably be sted and sink under enemy fire as soon as they entered the area."


    The corners of Kord''s lips curved up into a smug grin. "Rest assured. The power of the Divine Light Order is way beyond your imagination. If I say they would do it, they would definitely do it!"


    With that, Kord took out a key from within his sleeve and handed it to one of the Divine Light Order''s captains.


    "Go and get the items from the third-floor cargo hold of the Divine Radiance. You all know how to use them," Kord instructed.


    The three captains turned and left in unison upon receiving Kord''smand. Once they left the cabin, Charles turned his gaze onto the remaining captains in the room.


    "Everyone, I know all of us have some hidden tricks up our sleeves. But now is the critical juncture of our mission; please disy the full extent of your prowess. Once we¡¯vepleted this mission, the rewards we¡¯ll reap will be way beyond your imagination!"


    Soon, the turbines of all the ships started burning and billowing ck smoke emerged from the smokestacks.


    Each crew member had been notified of the imminent peril, and tension was evident on everyone''s faces.


    However, they were far from panicky. After all, every one of them had survived many incredibly dangerous situations when exploring the inds. Compared to the various kinds of weirdness and bizarre entities they had to face, a bunch of pirates and some indigenous creatures were nothing.


    Charles nced to his left and saw Kord performing some sort of ritual for the Divine Light Order disciples who would be part of the suicide team.


    Of course, Charles had no intention to stop them. The ind was overflowing with pirates, and only by putting a certain number of people in mortal danger could the rest have hope to find a way out.


    Looking at the excited and fervent expressions of the Divine Light Order''s disciples, Charles understood that, at least at this very moment, they were willing to die for their illusory Light God.


    But just then, Charles spotted two familiar figures among the crowd. It was Linda and another Divine Light Order disciple who had escaped from the ind of Meeh''eks with him.


    The face of Salin, right before he took hisst breath, shed across Charles'' mind. His brows were slightly furrowed, and he activated his grappling hook to swing over to Kord''s ship.


    "Kord, I need these two," Charles said and pointed at them.


    A look of surprise appeared on Kord''s face. "Why?"


    "I''m short of two men on my ship. I think both of them seem to be a good fit," Charles fabricated a random, ridiculous excuse.


    A mocking glint shed across Kord¡¯s eyes as he stared alternatingly between Charles and Linda. "Sister Linda, <i>Aragh,</i> your mission has been canceled at thest minute. Go and stand by on Charles'' ship."


    However, Linda seemed ungrateful about Chales¡¯ goodwill. Her face turned red with fury, and her breathing got noticeably faster.


    "Sister Linda, follow my orders,¡± repeated.


    Linda red at Charles with an icy look before she turned and walked toward the cabin.


    Charles didn''t care whether Linda felt grateful toward him or not. He just wanted to repay the favor to the deceased Salin.


    In fact, Charles found himself rather selfish. He didn''t care if countless strangers died. However, if one of them was someone he knew, hispassion would surface from a secluded corner of his heart.


    Once all preparations had been made, Charles took the helm himself. Seeing the distant lighthouse''s beam in the air, he inhaled a deep breath and pressed down on the horn of the Narwhale.


    <i>Wooooong¡ª!</i>


    All seventeen ships started moving in unison and carried their excited crews in the direction of Skywater Ind.


    They weren''t far from the ind to begin with. Soon enough, Charles could spot the vague coastal lights of Skywater Ind.


    At that moment, the three Divine Light Order ships began to break apart from the fleet and headed straight for the docks without any hesitation.


    Under the dim illumination, Charles could vaguely see the disciples on the ship eating something.


    Charles quickly turned the wheel and led the other exploration vessels toward the fueling point. Soon, the Narwhale returned to the coast where Charles and his reconnaissance team had escaped from.


    All the thirteen boats were slowing down with the exception of one ship. The captain on board was dressed in a crisp, ck military uniform. Holding a thin sword in his hand, he pointed at the fuel factory in the distance andmanded the ship toward the shore.


    "Captain! Won''t he run aground doing that?" Dipp asked Charles worriedly.


    "Just focus on your job. These guys must surely have some skills to survive till now."


    <i>nk¡ª</i>


    A dull thud rang out as the ship''s hull collided with the rocks. However, the grounding that Dipp had expected didn''t happen.


    The barnacle-covered tracks at the bottom of the ship spun rapidly and pushed the boat ashore.


    "My god! That ship can actually move onnd, too!" Dipp eximed with his eyes wide and mouth agape.


    The pirates clearly saw the impressive disy of aggression.


    Far off, the siren bells sounded at the buildingplex of the fueling point. Personnel were also mobilized for defense. ck Levitation Fiends emerged from within the buildingplex as well.


    Charles wiped his blood across the Bat Mirror before jumping off the deck.


    "Move out!" Charles shouted.


    The amphibious ship''s deck cannon aimed directly at the steel gate and fired. With a deafening explosion, the gate of the fuel factory, along with the pirates standing behind it, were annihted.

 Chapter 133. Sottom

    <h4>Chapter 133. Sottom</h4>


    The Levitation Fiends raised the stone pirs in their hands, wanting to strike the amphibious exploration vessel. However, Charles clearly wouldn''t let them act as they wished. He pped his bat wings and surged forward.


    An ear-piercing screech tore through the air, and the Levitation Fiends hastily retreated.


    Within the fuel factory, a pirate stood defiantly on the shoulder of a Levitation Fiend. With a Mirrorbox in his hands, he looked ready to provide reinforcement. Unfortunately for him, Charles was no longer alone this time.


    A series of gunshots rang out, and bullets pierced through the pirate''s mortal frame. With blood spewing from his mouth, he copsed to the ground.


    Following right behind the amphibious ship, several hundred sailors surged forward as they brandished various weaponry. At the forefront of the group was an erged James. His towering figure was dressed in full armor, and he even had an ominous ck cannon barrel resting on his shoulder.


    Brown mice scurried up and down his gigantic frame, and the next moment, the fuse on the cannon was ignited. With a deafening boom, a watchtower within the distant fuel factory crumbled.


    Under the furious roars and howls of the sailors, the colossal steel ship rammed into the buildingplex. Crew members poured out of the ship as their battle cries filled the air.


    "No cannon fire!! It might ignite the fuel!!" Charles warned as he swooped down from the air.


    Under the group''s meticulously nned assault, the pirates were quickly overwhelmed. Corpses of theirrades were left behind as they fled with their tails between their legs.


    The ck Levitation Fiends were desperately trying to flee from Charles'' relentless pursuit. Their air sacs might be resilient against physical damage, but they were clearly vulnerable to sonar attacks.


    Not long after, the crew had infiltrated the fuel factory and seizedplete control of the ce.


    Instructions had been conveyed earlier aboard the ship. ording to the n, the stronger crew members were to stand guard while the weaker ones would start transporting the fuel onto the ship.


    Before they attacked the ind, the galley and crew''s resting quarters of the amphibious ship had been cleared out and filled with all kinds of wooden barrels. The containers had dual purposes: to act as siege weapons and transport containers.


    The wooden barrels were quickly loaded, and the squishy ck balls were rapidly transferred to the ship. Everything was operating wlessly like clockwork.


    Once the amphibious ship was fully loaded, it made its way to the coastline at full speed. Those who remained behind had another task to fulfill. With the leftover empty barrels, they rushed to the nearby waterfall.


    They worked together to lower the one-meter-high barrels under the cascading waterfall. They then collectively heaved the barrels up and hurriedly sealed them.


    At the side, Kord shouted out words of encouragement, "Faster! Move like you''re pounding them pussies! Afterpleting this mission! You''ll get everything you desire!! I swear in the name of our Lord!!"


    Above them, Charles hovered in the air in his bat form. He was on constant watch over any unexpected threats that might emerge.


    Just then, a dark silhouette swiftly approached them. Charles remained motionless as he recognized the form to be his vampiric sailor.


    "Captain! Those Divine Light Order disciples actually managed to hold the warships back at the docks! Sweet Mother of vampires, you wouldn''t believe it! Their bodies mutated into some kind of monster that not even cannon fire could st through them!"


    "Continue to keep an eye on the docks. Report immediately if you spot any anomalies."


    "Aye, Captain!" The smaller-sized bat then quickly fluttered off toward the distant mountain range.


    Charles was slightly reassured after hearing his sailor''s report. Kord hadn''t been lying this time. His men had managed to hold those pirates back.


    When the amphibious ship returned after offloading the fuel, the crew members quickly transported the barrels filled with freshwater onto the vessel. The ship, with all personnel aboard, soon retreated toward the coastline.


    Everything proceeded so smoothly; such situations were so rare for Charles.


    The moment the amphibious ship with the filled water barrels entered the sea, the other thirteen ships turned around and started their course toward the Land of Light.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A sudden deafening explosion rang out, and the Narwhale jerked violently due to the tremors.


    Ignoring the ship''s violent swaying, Charles stood up on the deck and scanned his surroundings. The ship that had been just beside him was obliterated into a sted wreck. Emitting plumes of ck smoke, the remnants of the vessel sank into the ocean''s depths.


    Charles mechanically turned his head toward the left. In the dark abyss, several massive shadows punctuated with an intermittent glow edged closer with an oppressive aura.


    A blinding array of lights suddenly illuminated their vision, and an ind made of scrap ships appeared before them.


    A massive cannon, measuring seventeen to eighteen meters long, with a two-meter caliber, extended from the ind''s belly. A ghostly, blue smoke slowly ascended from the cannon''s barrel.


    Charles'' eyes turned bloodshot. He grabbed Kord by the cor and red at thetter with a menacing glint. "You said that the Sottom pirates had gone to raid the refugees of Shadow Ind!! Tell me, what are those things there!!"


    Kord flung Charles'' hand away and shouted, "Quit yapping and leave now! If it catches us, none of us can escape!"


    Charles dealt a brutal knee thrust into Kord''s stomach before he made a mad sprint toward the bridge. He wrenched the steering wheel from Dipp''s grasp and spun it frantically.


    Standing off against the massive cannon, all mystical relics or arcane sorcery paled in significance, and only the range of its cannonballs mattered.


    Never had Charles felt so insignificant, but he had no intention of giving up. He bellowed orders into the turbine chambers to overload the turbines.


    While Sottom''s cannon had an impressive range, its fire rate was slightlycking. After another three more ships sumbed to the artillery''s damage, Charles'' fleet finally got out from the range of that lethal cannon.


    However, 134 and ¡°King¡± were not going to let them get away so easily. Dozens of pirate ships detached themselves from the main ind, Sottom, and embarked on a relentless pursuit.


    The distance between the Narwhale and Skywater Ind was steadily increasing. However, the aggressive pirates refused to give up as they doggedly pursued from behind.


    Sottom trailed closely behind the dozens of pirate ships. If the Narwhale were to be momentarily held back, that devastating artillery would rain down upon them.


    Leading the armada of pirate ships was a wooden ship. It appeared aged and rotting, and its hull was infested with moss and mold. Surprisingly, a decrepit ship like this skimmed the water''s surface at an unbelievable speed and charged at them.


    As the wooden ship closed the distance, Charles took out his telescope to scrutinize the vessel. The girl, 134, was perched at the prow. She was staring in their direction with a cial re. Her sharp and jagged teeth gleamed menacingly in the dark.


    However, it wasn''t 134''s presence that rattled Charles. Rather, it was the ship''s figurehead.


    Typically, ship figureheads were ornate carvings or depictions of deities that graced the prows of ships. Steamships seldom boast such embellishments, yet the wooden ship 134 was an exception.


    Not only was there a figurehead, but it also bore a haunting resemnce that Charles found unsettlingly familiar.


    ¡°King¡± of Sottom was grotesquely affixed to the prow. Its mouth opened wide to bare its dark, sharp fangs and continuously emitted furious growls.


    When Charles closely examined the point of connection between ¡°King¡± and the hull, a chilling sensation rippled through him. ¡°King¡± wasn''t merely affixed to the prow. ¡°King¡± had seamlessly melded into the vessel to be one with the ship.

 Chapter 134. Maggots

    <h4>Chapter 134. Maggots</h4>


    Soon enough, the wooden ship had caught up with the Narwhale. The two vessels raced side by side on the vast inky expanse. At such a close distance, Charles thought he could faintly hear the anguished roars of ¡°King.¡±


    Suddenly, a series of thuds echoed in the air as the panels to the side of the wooden vessel flung open and dark, ominous cannons extended from within.


    A grave look appeared on Charles'' visage, and he sharply turned the wheel to shift the Narwhale to a ny-degree angle where her bow now faced the approaching enemy.


    His tactical maneuver decreased the chances of them being struck to the minimum. On top of that, his gunners were positioned tounch a counterattack as well.


    The next moment, pandemonium sank in. The deafening roars of cannon fire filled the battleground. Apart from the explosions, Charles could hardly hear anything else.


    Suddenly, the Narwhale jerked violently. Charles'' face turned a shade darker. They had been hit!


    The billowing smoke on the deck obscured Charles'' vision from within the bridge. Pushing open the door of the bridge, he ran out of the cockpit.


    Upon arriving at the deck, he saw that the Narwhale''s bow had distorted and now resembled a cracked open mouth from which the smoke was pouring out.


    Fortunately, it seemed like the turbine chambers had remained intact, and the ship could still move.


    However,pared to the immediate threat of the wooden vessel right opposite them, a functioning turbine chamber provided littlefort.


    Eight cannon muzzles were pointed at the Narwhale. 134 was also perched at the bow of the wooden vessel.


    She grinned malevolently as she said, "Interesting... When my men reported a giant bat on the ind, I knew it was you. I didn''t pursue you, but here you are, daring to provoke me. You escaped once, but your luck has run out. You are not getting away this time."


    Faced with 134''s threats, Charles remained unexpectedly calm. In fact, a slight smirk appeared on his face. "I know you are strong, but do you think one ship can match the might of several exploration vessels?"


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Cannon fire continued to echo in the air. Under the barrage of cannon projectiles, the wooden vessel began to catch fire. With a sorrowful cry, 134 was engulfed in mes and pluming smoke.


    Their reinforcements had arrived. The dozens of ships that had departed earlier had returned to provide assistance.


    Seeing that the pirate ships were closing in on them, Charles didn''t dare to waste another moment. He immediately sounded the horn to instruct everyone to retreat at full speed.


    A few swift pirates managed to catch up and climb on board, but their insignificant numbers couldn¡¯t hinder Charles and his fleet from escaping.


    Just as the battle raged on, an abrupt, hauntingly beautiful song drifted over the battlefield.


    Hearing the tune, Charles felt his weariness rapidly dissipating. At the same time, an itchy sensation spread over his skin.


    Charles had experienced the effects of 134''s singing and was well prepared for it. He grabbed a nearby screwdriver and tightened his grip on it. If the transformation ever got too overwhelming, he would pierce his eardrums.


    But this time around, nothing abnormal happened to Charles. Rather, the abnormalities manifested on the burning wooden ship.


    As the singing intensified, branches sprouted relentlessly from the mes and intertwined as they grew in height. Before long, a lush forest had appeared on the inky, dark waters. The pirates behind halted their chase. Their attention turned to the growing forest as they erupted into ecstatic cheers.


    Witnessing the scene, a trace of anxiety emerged in Charles'' heart.


    Kord was standing next to him, and he muttered, "It''s alright. Without a ship, they can''t catch up." No one knew if he was trying to reassure himself or Charles.


    Suddenly, the haunting melody ended. Following it, the entire forest split asunder like a cocoon, and a bloated creature with pallid flesh crawled out from within.


    If ¡°King¡± was likened to an obese human previously, the monstrosity he had turned into now resembled a disgusting white maggot, magnified tens of thousands of times.


    Various insectoid limbs wriggled and burrowed in and out of ¡°King''s¡± bloated form. Beneath him, rows of contorted insectile feet were prominently disyed.


    Taking in his current appearance, Charles finally knew why that "man" had been crowned the King of Sottom. He had no idea if ¡°King''s¡± current form was the result of 134''s song or if his original form had always been nested within the ship, but he was certain of one thing: the entity was not to be trifled with.


    <i>Roarrrrrrr!</i>


    The monstrous head of King let out a growl of fury. Its multiple insectile feet rapidly writhed and thrashed in a forward movement. Brimming with lethal murderous intent, the mutated King charged toward Charles and the Narwhale.


    Lily''s mice scampered across the deck and fired cannons at the abomination.


    Cannon fire rained down on ¡°King,¡± and explosions tore through the monster''s flesh. However, ¡°King¡¯s¡± speed remained unchanging despite the injuries.


    From within the gashes, the beige fatty tissues squirmed like maggots and swiftly healed the wounds.


    ¡°King¡± was extremely fast, and in less than a few minutes, he had closed the distance with the Narwhale once more. A heavy realization weighed down on Charles; if the fleet got entangled with him, everything would be over for them.


    "Kord! Command them to continue ahead! I''ll hold it back!" Charles shouted and bit into his gums. Smearing the blood onto the Bat Mirror, he soared into the sky.


    He quickly positioned himself right above King and opened his monstrous maws to let out an ear-piercing screech.


    However, 134 had a response to his attack. A mellifluous song sounded from beneath him to neutralize his high-frequency sonar attack. On top of that, Charles'' muscles and bones started swelling as well.


    Seeing that his body was morphing uncontrobly, Charles gritted his teeth, tucked his wings in, and hurled himself toward King.


    As he shrunk rapidly back into his human form, he swiftly drew out the Lightning Rod just before he collided with King.


    Brilliant electric arcs danced atop King''s body. Its insectile legs convulse erratically, while its pallid flesh charred to ckness whenever an electric joltnded. A nauseating scent of burning flesh filled the air.


    ¡°King¡± halted in his tracks. But at the same time, Charles was in a dire situation. Several insect legs from below King''s body shot up and trapped Charles in a deadly embrace.


    d in a pristine purple princess gown, 134 drifted toward Charles.


    In the face of an approaching enemy, Charles was paralyzed and rendered motionless, but he disyed not even a hint of panic on his countenance. It was as if he had a trump card up his sleeve.


    Just when the distance between the two had narrowed to about five meters, an abrupt voice broke the silence. "Oh dear, what are you doing? Stop it. What''s with the fighting?"


    It was Tobba.


    Panting between breaths, he crawled up using one of ¡°King''s¡± insect legs.


    "I''m so tired. Lend me a hand," Tobbained grudgingly. The moment his words fell, a charred part of King''s flesh split open and an insect leg extended from within.


    Without hesitation, Tobba yanked the leg out and used it as a makeshift cane. With a silly smile on his face, he walked toward 134.


    "Isn''t this little Mith? Long time no see! Where have you been?"


    Tobba reached out a hand, wanting to pat 134 on the head. However, 134 pped his hand away and using some unknown power, she pinned Tobba to the ground.


    Staring at the grimy old man, the little girl''s face contorted into extreme disgust.


    "177! Someone came to invade our ind! And you actually chose to aid them?!"


    A pained innocence appeared on Tobba''s face. "They wanted to go home. I just wanted to help... And I saw that even without my help, they¡ª"


    "You useless piece of trash! Ever since you went crazy four hundred years ago, your mind hasn''t had a single lucid moment!!" 134 shouted.

 Chapter 135. Photograph

    <h4>Chapter 135. Photograph</h4>


    Hearing their conversation, Charles was startled. He hadn''t expected Tobba to know 134, and judging from their words, their rtionship went back four centuries.


    Casting a nce at the Narwhale, which was in the distance, Charles swiftly activated the chainsaw on his prosthetic limb and shed beneath him.


    The insect legs holding him captive were severed with sshes of green blood. Bouncing off the soft, supple flesh of King, Charles lunged at 134 like a cheetah.


    134 was in the midst of her tirade with Tobba, but she reacted fast enough. Without even looking back, she lifted a left hand, and Charles was suspended in mid-air with the psychic force he found familiar.


    <i>Clink-clink-clink!</i>


    The gears within Charles'' prosthetic arm spun rapidly, and the sharp grappling hook shot directly toward 134''s petite frame.


    134 nimbly floated upward and dodged Charles'' attack. However, she lost her psychic grip over Charles.


    Charles definitely wouldn''t allow such a perfect opportunity to go to waste. His right hand reached out for his revolver hung at his waist, and in a slick motion, he aimed it at 134 and fired sessive shots.


    Under the assault of bullets, 134 found it hard to defend for the moment. Charles'' aim was strikingly urate, and each shot was timed to intercept her counter-attack. Her few attempts to close the gap between them were thwarted.


    However, her visage showed not the slightest trace of panic. Rather, amusement started painting her face as if she were a cat toying with a mouse.


    "Listen to me, please. Why do we have to do this? Can''t we just sit down and talk things out?" Tobba interrupted with a frustrated look on his face.


    However, his words fell on deaf ears.


    Charles continued firing, and one of his bullets left a tiny hole in 134''s pretty purple dress.


    A hole-riddled bone flute suddenly sprouted from the fleshy mass below. It first struck the revolver out of Charles''s next and then pierced Charles in the abdomen the next second.


    Charles looked downward at the ground, his eyes widening in disbelief. A dark, humanoid mist floated out of ¡°King''s¡± body.


    Its ethereal hand grabbed the bone flute embedded in Charles. The mist condensed for a split moment, and with a tug, the hand yanked the flute out.


    Blood gushed out of the walnut-sized, round wound left behind in Charles'' abdomen.


    "My god! What are you doing? What''s with all this blood?!"


    Tobba hurriedly climbed off the ground and rushed to Charles'' staggering form. He pulled out some grimy scraps of paper and hastily pressed them to Charles'' wound in an attempt to stem the bleeding. However, the blood gushing out of the wound easily washed the paper scraps away.


    The items in Tobba''s hands were as useless as ever.


    The dark mist ceased its assault on Charles. It enveloped Tobba in its smoky embrace and carried him along toward 134. Putting Tobba down, it then hovered behind 134 like a loyal servant waiting for her nextmand.


    Charles'' face had turned as pale as a sheet with the excessive blood loss. His gaze alternated between the strange mist, 134, and Tobba. A realization then dawned upon him.


    Pressing his hand on his wound, he winced in pain and said, "You, ¡°King,¡± Tobba and this mist, all of you escaped from Laboratory 2, didn''t you?


    ¡°Actually, the King of Sottom isn''t referring to a single individual but to you four living relics, right? No, perhaps there are more. There are more than four of you?"


    "<i>Heheheh,</i> you seem to know quite a bit about us," 134 replied as a sly grin appeared on her face. With a bounce in her steps, she hopped over to the revolver on the ground and picked it up.


    The juxtaposition of the hefty gun and her delicate, porcin-like hands was deeply unnerving.


    Charles'' eyes rapidly scanned his surroundings. When he noticed a fleeting red hue in the distant sea, a soft chuckle escaped from his lips.


    "Why are youughing? Is your impending death amusing to you?"


    Checking the bullet chamber, 134 saw that there were still three brass bullets within. She reloaded the gun and, with one eye closed, aimed the barrel at Charles.


    "I''mughing at those pirates. Laughing at the fact that a horde of humans is being led by four living relics," Charles mocked as his gazended on the distant pirate ships chasing after the fleet.


    134 let out a cackle. "Us? Relics? You are as ignorant as those in the Foundation. We are the chosen ones of this world. As for you, inferior humans, you are all mere pitiful insects!"


    "I''ve been to Laboratory 2 and have also witnessed the torment the Foundation inflicted upon you. But aren''t your words too harsh? Don''t forget, you were once human as well," Charles stared at the little girl before him.


    Charles'' words seemed to have brought back horrible memories as 134''s face twisted with rage. "How long have you been there to even dare act like you understand me? A day? A week? A month? Do you know how long I had to endure living in that hell?! Thirty long years!! Every human is born with an abhorrent sin! They are not my kind!"


    <i>Crack!</i>


    134''s adorable face fragmented like shattered ss. Behind the dark cracks, a vertical pupil overflowing with hatred stared at Charles. Her current appearance resembled a vengeful specter.


    The monster-like 134 raised the revolver at Charles, and a cruel smirk appeared on her face. Letting out a mischievous cackle, she said, "The sight of a bullet piercing through your head would surely be amusing."


    Beside 134, a look of anxiety painted Tobba''s face. He fumbled through his pockets and fished out a piece of trash. He motioned the item at 134 in an attempt to stop her but to no avail. He discarded the item to the side, fished out another piece of trash and repeated the cycle repeatedly with every item he had.


    However, his items were just normal trash and held no power or abilities.


    Suddenly, Tobba froze. Letting out a sigh of relief, he turned to the ck mist next to him with a silly smile on his countenance. He then reached out both hands and grabbed the bone flute in a tight grip.


    "Gomma, long time no see. Your flute is such a stunning masterpiece. Let me have a go at it."


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    A series of gunshots echoed in the air as three bullets were expelled from their chambers, and they hurtled straight toward Charles.


    The moment 134 pulled the trigger, Charles rapidly rolled to the right and flung an object toward her.


    <i>St!</i>


    A ssh of crimson erupted from Charles'' left shoulder. He had only managed to dodge two of the three bullets. Charles could feel his vision darkening. He was losing too much blood. However, giving up was not in his dictionary, and he stumbled toward the sea.


    The shadowy mist standing behind 134 was just about to dash over to block Charles'' escape but found its bone flute being held in Tobba''s tight grasp.


    Looking up and meeting the ck mist''s downward-looking gaze, Tobba audaciously swung both his legs onto the bone flute and hung onto it like a ko.


    134 stood rooted in ce. She didn''t follow up with another attack. In her hands, she clutched the photograph that Charles had thrown her way. She looked at it with a distant gaze, and the fissures on her face slowly healed.


    The photograph depicted a family of three. It was the very picture that the Meeh''ek had handed to Charles before. A bullet had left a hole in the child''s head, and on either side of the bullet hole, the couple had a bright smile on their faces.


    134 stared at the picture, finding it oddly familiar as she tried to dig through her memories. Gradually, the malevolence on her face faded. Beads of tears welled up in her eyes before they fell like a broken pearl ne and dripped on the photograph.


    <i>Ssh!</i>


    In the distance, Charles had plunged into the icy waters.


    134''s lips quivered as she tried to hold in her emotions. However, she soon relented and allowed them to pour out. Like an actual six-year-old, she burst into tears and bawled.


    Hearing 134''s cries, Tobba let go of the bone flute and rushed to her side. Holding her in his embrace, he gently patted her on the shoulder and consoled her, "Sh... Grandpa''s here. Grandpa''s here."


    From the ground, white fleshy lumps emerged and gently pressed against 134''s petite form to offer herfort.

 Chapter 136. Departing Again

    <h4>Chapter 136. Departing Again</h4>


    "The enemy ship''s approaching! Be on guard! Beware of pirates boarding!" Dipp shouted to his subordinates on the deck.


    He had no choice but to raise his voice as the seascape had turned into a chaotic battlefield. As expected, their fleet had been bogged down by the faster pirate ships. The only reason they were still alive was theck of a leader on the pirates'' end.


    The sight of the Sottom pirates swarming in on them felt as though their imminent doom had been destined. However, due to some unknown reason, the leading vessel had halted in its tracks.


    As the pride of the remaining pirates didn''t allow them to bow down to each other, Dipp and the rest got a breath of respite.


    Suddenly, the looming bow of a vessel charged toward them. Manning the deck cannon, Lily let out a frantic shriek. The cannon swiveled and aimed at the approaching ship.


    Boom!


    The cannon fired at point-nk range. Due to the proximity, the resultant shockwaves caused the Narwhale to sway violently.


    Despite having their immediate threat averted, tense expressions painted the faces of the Narwhale''s crew. After all, they hadn''t gotten out of their dangerous situation. Meanwhile, Bandages expertly steered the Narwhale to avoid iing projectiles.


    All of a sudden, Audric swooped down andnded on the deck. Folding his wings behind him, he eximed with apparent anxiety, "The encirclement to the east has been breached. The other vessels are evacuating in that direction!"


    Surrounded by some translucent goo, Kord responded with excitement, "Great! Let''s quickly follow them!"


    "No! Captain is not back yet!" Dipp voiced his objection immediately.


    "If he could return, he would have returned by now! Why are we still waiting for him?!" The moment Kord''s words fell, he could feel the sudden hostile gazes from around him.


    Dipp retorted with a murderous look on his face, "If you dare say another ill word about our captain, I''ll throw you overboard, your identity be damned!"


    "Are you going to wait for your doom here if he doesn''te back?! Open your eyes and see what''s happening around us!"


    Swoosh¡ª


    A whistling cannonball flew overhead and crashed into the sea, sending a column of water skyward.


    "I''m not going anywhere without Captain!" Dipp roared.


    "YOU...!!!"


    Kord was now silently regretting his decision to remain on the Narwhale.


    Just then, a crimson shark head emerged from the waters. On its back was Charles, who was on the verge of death.


    "It''s the captain!"


    Without a moment of hesitation, Dipp jumped overboard and dived into the water. He swiftly hoisted Charles onto the deck. Charles'' abdominal wound was no longer bleeding, but the circr gash had turned pale from the seawater.


    "Doctor! Where''s the doctor!" Dipp cried out desperately as he stared at Charles'' abdominal wound. There was nothing he could do.


    "Spread out! Don''t crowd around him! Give him some air to breathe!"


    With a limp, Laesto pushed his way through the crowd with an array of pre-prepared potions and salves. He had foreseen this scene when he saw Charles charging recklessly toward the ship where 134 was located.


    "Move... Move out now..." Charles spat out with all the strength he could muster.


    "Move out!! Quick! Your Captain is back!!" Kord shouted and gestured frantically toward Bandages, who was manning the helm.


    ck smoke billowed out of the Narwhale''s smokestacks as the ship''s speed picked up rapidly.


    Hearing the deafening echoes of cannon fire around him, Charles looked up at Laesto, who was attending to his wounds and asked, "Do you have a potion that can restore my strength to battle?"


    Laesto red at Charles in return. "Restore your strength? You still want to be a hero in your current state? Do you want to die that badly?"


    With that, Laesto pressed down harder on Charles'' wound, ignoring thetter''s wince. "I need two men to carry him in. I need to perform surgery on him!"


    Dipp knelt down on one knee and looked at Charles. An unwavering resolve burned fiercely in his eyes. "Don''t worry, Captain. Leave the rest to us."


    Charles was ced on a stretcher, and two sailors swiftly carried him into the cabin. Even as he was fading in and out of consciousness, he could hear the rallying cry of Dipp from the deck. "My brothers! Captain Charles has done his part! It''s our turn to protect him!"


    A unified affirmation echoed across the deck.


    While Lateso performed surgery on Charles, the sound of roaring cannon fire and deafening explosions continued relentlessly. But true to their words, the crew blocked all danger from entering the surgery room.


    As the chaos and cacophony of cackling mes and explosions began to dwindle, Charles'' wound had also beenpletely stitched up.


    When Charles was ced in a wheelchair and wheeled out by Laesto onto the deck once more, he realized that the pirate ships were nowhere to be found¡ªthey had retreated.


    The moment the captains of the other vessels spotted Charles on the deck, they removed their tricorn hats and saluted him with utmost reverence.


    They had all witnessed how Charles had singlehandedly thwarted the advance of that monstrous ship. If it hadn¡¯t been for his bravery, they couldn¡¯t have made it out in time.


    Charles had used his actions to earn the respect of everyone in the fleet. On the other hand, Kord couldn''t contain his excitement and rushed toward Charles. Rubbing his hands together in glee, he said, "Charles, we did it! We can now head toward the Land of Light!"


    The corners of Charles'' lip curled up to form a radiant smile. It was genuine joy from the bottom of his heart¡ªa feeling that he hadn''t experienced ever since he ended up in the Subterranean Seascape.


    "Yeah, we did it," Charles echoed Kord''s words.


    ***


    On the inky dark waters, a three-story luxury cruise set forth from the Isle of Whereto. Within one of the cabins, Anna lounged on a plush couch as she enjoyed a soothing massage from her maidservant, Martha, while she casually read the day''s newspapers.


    April 30th


    BREAKING NEWS


    In an rming development from Whereto, Finance Minister Pitt was recently reported paralyzed and confined to his bed. Significant assets from the national treasury have been siphoned off under suspicious circumstances. Mounting evidence suggests the involvement of Anna, Pitt''s daughter-inw and a former socialite of the ind''s high society. An outraged Governor Daniel has issued a ten million Echo bounty for her apprehension. In tandem with this, the local police department has drawn connections between Anna and a concerning series of disappearances. The police believe that...


    Anna tapped the picture of herself in the newspaper. "The drawing captured my likeness quite well. I might have to wear a veil whenever I go out now."


    A look of curiosity appeared on Martha''s face as her fingers continued kneading away at Anna''s shoulders. "Mistress, didn''t you mention that you have the ability to change appearances? Why don''t you change to a new face?"


    Anna tilted her head and pondered briefly over Martha''s suggestion before she responded, "Hmm... I don''t fancy that idea."


    Martha cast a knowing nce at Charles'' portrait by the side. She then continued massaging Anna''s shoulder without uttering another word.


    Flipping through another few pages of the newspaper, Anna''s left hand subconsciously reached out to Charles'' portrait. Picking it up, she studied it for a short moment before she mmed it downward on the table in a fit of irritation.


    "Martha, put it away."


    Martha nodded obediently and kept the portrait away in a nearby cab. She knew that it wouldn''t be long before Anna would request for it to be taken out again. After all, it had already happened multiple times.


    "Mistress, why are we heading to World''s Crown? Even if we can no longer stay on Whereto, there are still other bigger inds we can go to. I heard that despite the ind''s grandiose name, they have a small poption, and the ind isn''t particrly hospitable. Some even call it a backwater vige."


    "Inrger ces, there would be too many eyes belonging to the countless powers. We would need to be very mindful of our every action.


    ¡±On the contrary, a small ce meant less attention and far less scrutiny. Now that the money''s secured, it''s time for me to do something grand," Anna responded with a smile.

 Chapter 137. Anna

    <h4>Chapter 137. Anna</h4>


    Martha ced the newspaper onto a nearby table and returned to her task of massaging Anna''s shoulders.


    "Mistress, may I ask what your ns are?" Martha asked.


    "I don''t really like the design of this ce. I''m trying to see if I can mold this world into what I like. Yes. Right, that''s what I want to do at this point. I should stop pondering my existence over those disorienting false memories."


    At this, Anna rosenguidly from the couch and asked, "How much longer until we dock?"


    "ording to a sailor''s previous report, the next stop would be World''s Crown. We would be arriving in another hour or two," Martha responded.


    "Great. Get the others in the cargo hold to get ready. I''ll go grab a bite, and we all disembarkter."


    The cabin door swung open, and Anna stepped out into the corridor. Her svelte figure was entuated by a tight-fitting ck gown with frillces.


    To prevent unwanted attention, she wore a semi-transparent veil over her visage, but it added an enigmatic allure to her rather than diminishing her charm.


    Anna gazed into the dark expanse ahead. She stretched her arms into the air and slightly arched her back as she did so. Her voluptuous silhouette attracted the attention of several men in the corridor. And soon enough, one of them put his bravery into action.


    <i>Thud. Thud. Thud.</i>


    The polished man-heels of a middle-aged in a crisp suit echoed in the hallway as he strode toward Anna with overflowing confidence. The thin mustache adorning his upper lips moved as he spoke, "Excuse me, my fairdy. May I have the honor of inviting you to the masquerade ball this evening? If you were to grace the ball with your presence, you would undoubtedly be crowned the Belle of the Ball."


    Anna cast a nce at the man and sized him up and down before shaking her head gracefully. "I would really love to go, but it''s not wise for me to be in the public spotlighttely." With that, Anna then turned and headed into another hallway.


    Undeterred, the man hurriedly followed after her. He continued asking with a radiant smile on his face, "Where might you be headed? I''m familiar with this vessel and can guide you around."


    "I''m going to the lower decks," Anna responded as her ck heels clicked melodically against the vessel''s wooden nks.


    Hearing her words, the man''s expression turned sour, and he tried to dissuade her. "Why would someone of your status venture there? That ce is for the lower ss. For someone as beautiful as yourself to be there would be akin to casting a priceless jewel into the gutter."


    Anna let out a light chuckle.


    "My fairdy, I''m not kidding. It''s a den of chatans and criminals down there. It''s very dangerous for a prettydy like you," the man continued his persuasion.


    "Is that so? In that case, shouldn''t a gentleman like yourself escort and protect a fragiledy like myself to a ce that''s so dangerous?" Anna responded with a hint of mockery.


    The man stood motionless, and his expression changed several times as he pondered over Anna''s challenge. After much deliberation, he eventually chose not to follow her.


    Anna descended the metallic steps from the luxurious VIP rooms to the deck. Dismissing the sailors'' warnings, she headed straight for the lower decks.


    With each flight of steps down, the bright electric lights were reced by dim oilmps, and an unsettling odor began to permeate the air.


    Upon arriving at the lowest deck, an overcrowding sight with bodies pressed tightly against one another appeared, and it was reminiscent of the concentration camps where the fascists had detained the Jews.


    Perhaps due to theck of windows, the air was stale, stifling and reeked of an overwhelming scent of sweat. Most men were stripped down to only their underwear, while a few women wore as little as possible. People were packed so tightly that they could only sit and had hardly any space to even lie down.


    A troubled frown appeared on Anna''s visage as she muttered to herself, "The splendor in the upper cabin rivals even the Titanic, but why is it so strikingly different down here? They have no privacy or dignity."


    In a ce like this, a presence like Anna, dressed in a pristine gown, stood out ringly like a sore thumb. A few topless men stared down at her with fervent heat in their gaze, but they only watched from afar and didn''t dare to approach her.


    Anna slightly leaned forward to a boy who looked about fourteen to fifteen years of age and asked, "Excuse me, may I ask¡ª"


    Before she could evenplete her sentence, the boy recoiled toward the wall in apparent fear. It was as though the seductive woman before him was more horrifying than any other monster. When one had been reduced to such levels of despair, even anything nice would stir an innate fear within them.


    Taken back by the boy''s reaction, Anna nced down at herself, half-expecting that she had identally revealed her original form.


    Eventually, a woman with a child asked, "Excuse me, ma''am, can I help you?"


    "Erm...I''m here to look for someone. His name is Charles. But never mind. It seems that he''s not here," Anna responded before turning to ascend the stairs again.


    Much to her surprise, the woman was overly helpful and shouted to the crowd, "Thisdy is looking for someone named Charles. Is there anyone by the name of Charles!!"


    The once silent crowd erupted into chatter and murmurs as they tried to find out if there was a Charles amongst them. Seeing the scene unfold before her, Anna felt like she had missed her chance to leave.


    Aside from the woman who had offered her assistance, a girl with short hair craned her neck to admire Anna''s silky, long gown. With a hint of awe, shemented, "Miss, you are so beautiful."


    No woman wouldn''t like beingplimented for their beauty, and Anna was no exception. Crouching down, she patted the young girl on her head and said, "And one day, you''ll be just as beautiful."


    The girl shed a sweet smile in response, "Miss, where are you heading to?"


    "World''s Crown."


    "Really? Mommy and I are heading there, too!"


    "Oh? And why are both of you traveling there?"


    "Because those at sea said that the governor of the World''s Crown is very generous. If you travel there, he will give you a plot ofnd. With that plot ofnd, we will then be able to grow our own ryegrass and need not spend money to buy bread anymore," the girl exined earnestly.


    Anna turned toward the girl''s mother and said, "That ce is hardly hospitable. Do you really want to take your daughter to such a ce?"


    A rueful smile broke out on the woman''s countenance. "Her father went out to sea and didn''t return. We don''t have many options. No matter what, at the very least, we would be able to survive there."


    Anna gently cradled the girl''s face and stared into herrge eyes, brimming with innocence. For a brief moment, Anna contemted something.


    "Miss, why are you headed to the World''s Crown? Are you going there to farm as well?"


    Hearing the bluntness of her daughter''s words, she hurriedly pulled the girl back and exined in an embarrassed tone, "I apologize for her. She''s young and doesn''t think before she speaks."


    Anna shook her head with a soft smile to show that she hadn''t taken any offense.


    Just then, a rustle was heard, and the sea of people parted as an emaciated, balding old man walked forward. "My name is Charles. Are you looking for me?"


    Uponying eyes on the man and ovepping it with the image of Charles in her head, Anna covered her mouth with a hand and let out a heartyugh. Herugh echoed in the cabin while everyone else exchanged confused nces.


    "Hahaha!! Gao Zhiming, will you have such a terrible demeanor once you grow old?¡± Anna remarked.


    Herughter went on for a few more seconds before it subsided. Anna crouched down once more and gently embraced the young girl. She turned to the girl¡¯s mother and advised, ¡°Once you¡¯ve reached the World''s Crown, just return to where you came from. The ce is hardly fit for the living, and it will be chaotic there soon."


    With that, Anna turned and ascended the flight of stairs.


    The old man named Charles remained confused as he returned to where he was seated.


    The stifling atmosphere was alive with whispers once more as everyone spected about the appearance of the veileddy.


    Totally tensed up, the girl sidled into her mother''s embrace and whispered, "Mommy, look." She cautiously opened her tiny palm to reveal a dazzling diamond-encrusted earring.

 Chapter 138. Worlds Crown

    <h4>Chapter 138. World''s Crown</h4>


    <i>Wooong¡ª</i>


    The shrill cry of the ship''s horn pierced through the air. However, it did nothing to distract Anna''s focus as her attention was fixated on the peculiar ind sprawled before her.


    A colossal mushroom the size of a towering mountain sat in the center of the ind. Its massive canopy shimmered with a faint blue glow that was a stark contrast to the surrounding darkness.


    Anna leaned forward; half her figure was beyond the railings as she stared at the mushroom. "Such a spectacr sight. If only I had a phone; I would have been able to take a great selfie."


    Just as she mused in her own thoughts, amotion roused from beneath her. She nced downward to see that people from the lower decks had already begun disembarking.


    Anna turned around to face her entourage and said, "Prepare our belongings. We are disembarking as well."


    The line of above average-looking women, numbering more than ten, stood at attention. They echoed in unison. "As youmand, Mistress!"


    Not many guests on the ship disembarked at World''s Crown; there were only those from the lower decks and Anna.


    In contrast to the bustling and vibrant port at the Coral Archipgo, the harbor area in World''s Crown seemed rather still and unsettling. There weren''t many dockworkers in sight as well.


    Anna''s numerous,rge chests of belongings were enough to upy all the avable dockworkers.


    "Be careful with those! What¡¯s inside those chests are expensive items! You won''t even be able to pay the damages even if you sell yourself off as a ve!" Anna''s maidservant, Martha, warned the dockworkers in a stern tone.


    "Rest assured, our esteemed customer. It''s rare for us to get work. We''re more anxious about the task than you," a man responded genuinely. Cloth masks obscured the faces of the workers, and they handed the cargo with extra care.


    As the crowd on the ship slowly entered the harbor area, a sporadic bout of coughing fits erupted. Initially, it was a few isted cases, but soon enough, a chorus of coughing sounds echoed incessantly among hundreds.


    Within the crowd, a young boy clutched the hem of his mother''s sleeve and cried, "Mommy, my throat is itchy... It¡¯s really itchy."


    Just then, a few merchants with their hands full of thick gauze and masks sprinted into the crowd. Their voices ovepped as they eagerly hawked their wares.


    "Face masks at 35 Echo each! Masks at 40 Echo each! Buy now if you need one! Inhaling too much of the spores in World¡¯s Crown is detrimental to your health!"


    "Indeed! There''s a saying in the World''s Crown that you can leave your house without wearing any clothes, but a mask is an absolute necessity!"


    The poor passengers from the lower deckscked the means to buy any form of protection. A few parents bought masks for their children, but most people just pulled out clothes from their baggage and covered their mouths and noses with the cloth.


    A merchant approached Anna with a mask in his hands. shing a bright smile, he persuaded, "Ma''am, the veil you have is a little too thin. Why don''t you try mine? It consists of threeyers of spider silk sourced from Spider Inds. It''s guaranteed to filter away at least 90% of the spores."


    Anna gracefully removed the veil that obscured her visage. Her stunning beauty was revealed in full bloom, stunning the merchant into a momentary silence.


    Closing her eyes, she inhaled a deep breath, and the corners of her lips rose into a smile. "<i>Mmm...</i> Such a sweet scent. I''m starting to fall in love with this ce."


    "Sweet? How would it be sweet?" Confused, the merchant lifted his face mask and took a deep breath of the same air. Instantly, he erupted into a sneezing fit, and after it finally subsided, he hastily adjusted his face mask back into ce.


    Walking beyond the docks, they arrived at the harbor district. The houses looked dpidated, with mushrooms sprouting above the roofs and wall corners. There were only a handful of people on the streets; it was a stark contrast to the crowded poption on other inds.


    The appearances of the inders on World''s Crown were no different from those in other ces. The only thing that stood out was that every person had a face mask or mask that covered their noses and mouths.


    Just as the poor from the lower decks seemed rather lost and unsure as they stood motionless on the streets, a middle-aged man d in a blue uniform approached the crowd. His entourage of more than ten men trailed behind him.


    Lifting the brass megaphone in his hand to his lips, the pot-bellied man''s voice boomed through the tool, "I know that many of you might have heard of the marvels of the World''s Crown on other inds. Indeed, the flyers are true.


    ¡±As long as you are willing to work, Governor Tucker will loan you the tools and seeds for cultivation. When the ryegrass is ripe for harvest, half will go toward tax, and the rest is all yours!"


    Excited chatter erupted among the crowd, and many eagerly surged toward the middle-aged man to im their plot ofnd.


    "Don''t push! Line up, one after another."


    Standing next to Anna, one of the maidservants held a gauze over her nose and mouth.


    "Mistress, I thought they were just paying lip service, but they are actually giving outnd? There are actually such nice people in the world?" the maidservant remarked in awe.


    Anna shook her head elegantly and replied, "Naive girl, such generosity doesn''t exist. Look over there."


    The maidservant''s gaze traced along Anna''s delicate finger that was pointing at thend beyond the harbor distract. Neat rows of fields stretched out, and masked farmers were hunched over as they toiled among the crops with an oilmp in hand. The sight resembled fireflies twinkling within a dark forest.


    "Wow, the ryegrass grows so tall here! The yield must be great," the maidservantmented.


    "The fertile soil is due to that mushroom called the Crown. But its existence is a blessing and a curse at the same time. The Crown''s spores can enrich the soil, but at the same time, they are deadly to humans," Anna said as she walked on the road leading to the fields.


    "The longer the humans stay here, the deeper the spores will settle in their lungs. Once their lungs cease to function, then that''s the end of their lives. The bountiful ryegrass is nourished by the blood of these inders..." Anna paused. She chuckled softly before saying, "As a Diois, I merely enjoy my food, but when ites to exploiting and preying on one''s species, humans outdo us every single time."


    <i>Cough! Cough!</i>


    A series of hacking coughs interrupted their conversation. An old man by the street crouched over in an intense coughing fit. He pulled down his mask and desperately tried to gulp down some fresh air. Unfortunately, the spores in the air infiltrated his lungs and worsened his cough.


    Seeing the man''s face turned red from suffocation, a hint of terror appeared on the maidservant''s face.


    "Do you regret following me to this ce now?" Anna asked.


    Hearing her words, her head maidservant, Martha, hurried forward and shook her head with a determined look on her face.


    "Mistress, I''ve been by your side since I was young. My life is dedicated to serving you. Wherever you go, Martha will follow! Even if you wish to consume me, I''m willing to offer myself!"


    The corners of Anna''s lips curved upward into a faint smile. Reaching out a hand, she caressed Martha''s silky, long hair. Her gaze was akin to an owner looking at a cherished pet.


    "Why would I ever want to eat you? You have been with me for so many years that you are almost like family to me."


    Martha looked visibly moved by Anna''s words and replied with a bow, "Rest assured, Mistress. I''ll serve you with all my heart until the day my lungs give in to the spores in this ce."


    Anna helped Martha up, and they continued on the path leading toward the fields.


    "Don''t worry. It¡¯s difficult to find someone like you. I won''t let you die from these spores. There''s a ce on World''s Crown that''s unaffected by the tortuous spores. And that is our final destination."


    With that, Anna tilted her chin slightly upward at the zenith point of the Crown''s cap. Intermittent lights flickered in the distance.

 Chapter 139. Crowns Top

    <h4>Chapter 139. Crown''s Top</h4>


    "Despite the sparse poption on this ind, there are still some nobles who live here. And they live atop the cap of that massive mushroom. From there, they oversee the masses of peasants below the mushroom''s gills. They also live off the taxes of the lower ss," Anna exined to her attendants as they walked along the street dotted with various fungal growth.


    "So they profit all the lives of those farmers? They¡¯re people!"


    Anna nodded. "Correct. They are quite a nefarious bunch. A ce as lucrative as this should be mine to manage."


    With her attendants in tow, Anna continued walking down the streets. There were people offering trishaw rides at the harbor district, but she chose to walk. She wanted to measure her potential territory in her own footsteps.


    It wasn''t all fields under the Crown''s gills. While the fields stretched on, modest dwellings were built between fields. They were the humble abodes of the farmers.


    Anna entered one of the houses to find the interior deste save for the mushroom overgrowth in the corners of the building.


    The asional faint coughing from some of the houses was a chilling reminder that the ce was not an abandoned vige.


    Exiting the vige area, Anna continued on her path toward the end of the road.


    The ind was ratherrge. After about three hours, Anna finally arrived at the base of the Crown. A sizeable wooden basket was attached to the mushroom''s cap by a robust rope.


    "I need to go up. I have some matters to discuss with your Governor," Annamanded with an air of authority to the guards guarding the elevator-like contraption. She also presented a badge with the marking of the elite ss in Whereto.


    Judging from Anna''s regal demeanor and the entourage behind her, the guards d in ck uniforms didn''t dare to obstruct her. They promptly allowed her onto the elevator.


    Several muscr men to the side erupted into a rhythmic chant as they turned the winch. The wooden basket which Anna and her entourage were on was slowly hoisted upward.


    Emerging from a hole carved into the Crown''s cap, the basket slowly reached the top of the mushroom''s cap. The sweet scent that had captivated Anna was absent here.


    The Crown''s cap seemed to have some sort of arcane power. It shielded the upper realm from the spores, and it also demarcated the poverty and suffering beneath the cap.


    A tranquil town appeared before Anna''s eyes. Under the illumination of the bright street lights, she saw the denizens dressed in crisp, clean clothes. It was an antithesis to the deste viges below.


    Just then, a fluffy puppy ran toward Anna and stopped by her feet. Its big eyes stared at Anna with curiosity. Soon after, a little boy with a bow tie on his neck sprinted over. He apologized for his pet''s behavior before putting a leash on the puppy and leading it away.


    "Goodbye, Miss," the boy bade his farewell.


    As she watched the pair leave, Anna closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath.


    "What a wonderful ce with brimming vitality. I''m getting hungry," Anna mused.


    Casting her nce across the entirendscape, she pondered for a brief moment before she began walking toward the grandest structure within the town. It was the Governor''s Residence.


    Anna''s aura of nobility achieved her desired effect. She was soon escorted to avish drawing room.


    She scanned the ostentatious decor surrounding her and shook her head in slight disappointment. "I''m not fond of this shy design. Martha, note it down. Rece everything in this room."


    "Understood, mydy. I''ve jotted it down," Martha replied in deference.


    Their conversation was interrupted by an elderly butler whose hair had silvered with age. "Governor Tucker is avable now. I''ll bring you over," he said.


    Anna was led into a bedroom and was greeted by the sight of Tucker casually reclining on his bed while enjoying a ss of milk.


    Tucker was a tall and muscr young man, but surprisingly, his facial features looked rather delicate. Smelling the familiar fishy scent in the air and noting the messy state of the bed linens, Anna''s brows furrowed slightly in recognition.


    "Which ind are you from? If you''re here for grain, you can negotiate with my subordinates. What is so urgent that you have to see me personally? Be quick about it, I have other things to attend to, as I¡¯m busy," Tucker said with apparent impatience in his tone. He didn¡¯t spare even a nce at his guest.


    He quickly finished his milk and ced the empty ss on the nightstand before sinking back beneath the nkets.


    "I''m here to discuss matters concerning Your Excellency''s ind, not grains," Anna spoke.


    Upon hearing the alluring tone of a female, Tucker''s interest was evidently piqued as he propped himself up andid his eyes on Anna for the first time.


    Captivated by her seductive eyes peeking above her veil, his gaze intensified with a fiery desire.


    "Name your price. I want you to stay on my ind," Tucker offered instantly.


    A hint of amusement flickered across Anna''s eyes. "As long as you agree to my request, I''ll agree to yours."


    "Oh?" Tucker''s interest was further ignited. Throwing back the covers, he boldly strode toward Anna, stark naked yet utterly unabashed. "Interesting. It''s been a long while since someone from another ind hase to seek me out. Who are you working for?"


    "Governor, the matter we will be discussing will be of utmost importance. Don''t you think there are too many people here?" Annamented as she cast a hinting nce at the servants and guards in the room.


    With a nonchnt wave, Tucker ordered everyone out. Anna''s attendants behind her also exited the room.


    Anna''s gaze morphed rapidly, and her voice turned stern and unyielding. "Do you think it''s appropriate for you to present yourself like this before your elder sister?"


    A glint of confusion flickered across Tucker''s eyes. However, a red shimmer emanated from the ring on his left thumb seemed to clear his head almost instantly. "Are you tampering with my memories?"


    Suddenly, a wooden spike as long as a forearm, shot out with blinding speed from under the bed and impaled Anna in the chest while leaving a ghostly trail in its wake.


    Anna''s elegant visage crumbled instantly to reveal a giant tentacle monster. Letting out a writhing cry, the creature tried to make a mad dash for the exit.


    The next moment, dark silhouettes emerged from the shadows of the room and chased after the monstrous being.


    Hearing the mor of battle and the monster''s pained screams from outside the room, a look of disdain appeared on Tucker''s face. He turned and made his way back to his bed.


    "Seriously, some random nobody dares toe and find trouble with me now. The World''s Crown is small, but it''s still a habitable ind. Did they really think I wouldn''t be on guard?"


    As his words fell, a rustling sound responded from behind him. He turned around and recognized the face of the intruder. His face twisted into visible annoyance as he roared, "Sis! What''s the big deal about me having fun with a woman?! Must you always watch over me like a hawk?"


    "Have you forgotten your promise to Father? What have you been doing all these years!" Anna stood rooted, unharmed. She stared at him with visible disdain.


    "What of it? Father has been dead for five years!! I''m the incumbent governor of this ind now! Now get out!" Tucker roared in rage.


    "Continue your ways, and one day, you will find yourself dead in the hands of a woman," Anna spat out and left with a look of resentment on her face.


    "That''s none of your business! You old, unwed spindler!!" Tucker shouted after Anna as he iled his hands animatedly. He had failed to notice the fine crack that had formed on the ring he was wearing.


    The moment Anna stepped out of the room, she saw her attendants busy moving lifeless bodies. They had been unarmed earlier, but now, they were wielding an array of peculiar relics.


    Among the corpses, there were Tucker''s former servants as well as some individuals draped in ck cloaks. Their eyes were frozen with a mix of shock and fear, a reflection of what they had faced in their final moments.


    "Mistress, congrattions! This ind is now yours," Martha approached with a radiant smile on her visage.


    Anna slightly arched her back to stretch her muscles and shook her head, "Not yet. An ind''s governor has too many ties with others. To upy someone''s territorypletely, we have to take it one step at a time. <i>Sigh.</i> I wonder how things are on Charles'' side."

 Chapter 140. Kords Secret

    <h4>Chapter 140. Kord''s Secret</h4>


    In the deste ins, Charles staggered forward without any sense of direction. His crew members were nowhere in sight. He was utterly alone.


    He no longer had a grasp on time. How long had he been walking? How much longer did he have to walk? He had absolutely no idea. All he felt was some mystical forcepelling him to continue onward.


    All of a sudden, a red door appeared before him. An inverted <i>Fu</i> character was prominently disyed in its center. He instantly recognized it¡ªthe door to his home.


    Excitement spread across Charles'' stiff face as he lunged at the door.


    "I''m going home! I found it!" Charles eximed.


    The door swung open, but there was nothing beyond it. Not even an expanse of darkness. Only an endless void stared right back at him.


    A terrifying shudder ran through Charles'' body, and he was jolted out of his nightmare.


    Waking up, he found a book ced before him, and his hand was clutching a fountain pen while furiously scribbling away on the pages.


    "Bro, another nightmare? Hold on. Let me finish up this chapter, and I''ll return the body to you," Richard remarked.


    When Charles regained control of his body, Charles pushed open the door of his cabin and headed toward the deck. Staring at the dark, inky expanse, there was still no sight of any life ornd. They were still on their journey toward the Land of Light.


    Charles let out a deep sigh. He understood the root source of his nightmare. He hadn¡¯t felt any dread during the countless dangerous encounters he had experienced. But now that he was getting close to his home, an unexinable fear was stirring within him.


    What if there was no exit at the location that was indicated on the chart? What if a whole new worldy beyond the exit? Various thoughts flitted through his head, further escting his stress and distraught.


    <i>"Shtunggli grah. Nn fhhui Y!"</i>


    An abrupt whisper sounded in his ears. The acute pain in his eardrums caused by the chanting distracted Charles from his thoughts.


    "Fuck!" Charles cursed.


    His veins on his forehead were bulging from the intense pain. He violently pounded his forehead with his prosthetic fist, hoping that the physical pain could negate the illusionary pain and his frustration from the chanting.


    After just two consecutive strikes, a gash appeared on his forehead, and blood trickled down from the wound. Just as he readied tond another blow on his forehead, an iron hand reached out from the side and held Charles'' fist in its grasp.


    It was Laesto''s prosthetic hand.


    Laesto handed him a cup filled with a dark green liquid.


    Without uttering a word, Charles tilted his head back and downed the concoction. The extreme bitterness had Charles'' face scrunching up in response. However, the medicine was effective. The whispers in his ears had gone softer.


    "Thank you," Charles said as he returned the empty cup to Laesto.


    "Just a word of reminder. This is thest dose that I can concoct for you. Your sanity is breaking down. I¡¯m a doctor, but your condition is beyond my knowledge. I don''t know how much longer you can hold on," Laesto said with a solemn expression.


    "Our journey is ending soon. Just three more days. Three more days, and I''m saying goodbye to the ocean."


    "Hmph," Laesto snorted in disbelief. "I don''t care even if you set sail again. Some of the crew are showing mild signs of scurvy. If that wretched ind you are looking for doesn''t have any supplies, everyone on this ship will perish.


    ¡±Don''t forget that you are a Captain. You are responsible for the lives of your crew."


    Before Charles could say a word, Laesto limped away into the ship cabins.


    Suppressing the unease in his heart, Charles started his routine inspection of the Narwhale. The crew could sense their captain''s evidently tense emotions, so they worked diligently at their tasks in fear of the wrath of their leader.


    One day passed...


    Two days passed...


    Three days passed...


    As they inched closer and closer to their supposed destination, there were no visible changes. It was still a never-ending darkness that they were sailing in. With each passing second, Charles felt his patience wearing thin.


    On the final day, Charles was in his resting quarters and drawing andscape painting. However, the more he drew, the uglier the canvas seemed to him. Charles'' face twisted in frustration.


    <i>nk!</i>


    The easel was hurled against the wall. The various paint colors on the palette sttered and stained the floor with their vibrant hues. He snapped his paintbrush in two and threw it violently on the floor.


    With his brows furrowed, he stood up and loaded his revolver. He nned to do another round of patrol. However, his ns were interrupted by a certain individual.


    "Have a drink with me?" Kord proposed and held up the two bottles of alcohol in his hands. The deep shadows beneath his eyes and his wearied expression spoke of his exhaustion.


    Charles and Kord were never friends, to begin with. Their rtionship was one of mutual benefit. Yet, if there were anyone on the ship who could truly empathize with Charles, it would be this elderly man standing before him.


    "Alright," Charles replied and took a bottle from Kord.


    As they stood on the deck and gulped their drinks, Kord broke the ice.


    "Charles, do you know? I''ve barely slept the past few days. I''m feeling rather uneasy."


    "I can see that."


    "The Land of Light... it exists, right, Charles?" Kord''s bloodshot eyes carried a hint of doubt.


    "Why are you asking that question? That doesn''t seem like something a devout believer would doubt."


    Kord parted his lips to speak but paused as though he was taken aback by his own thoughts. After much deliberation, he finally said in a low whisper, "What if there''s no Land of Light? What if there''s nothing there? What if the nautical chart is a ruse?"


    "It exists," Charles responded with his gaze fixed on the dark expanse ahead of him. "I''ve been there. In fact, Ie from that very ce."


    Kord stared at Charles'' profile for a good moment before he erupted into a hearty chuckle. "Charles, I believe you. Cheers!"


    Charles tipped his head back and downed another mouthful of alcohol. The burning sensation dulled the chaotic thoughts in his mind.


    The pair traded swigs, and soon enough, each had emptied half of their bottle. No one knew if Kord was truly inebriated or feigning it for other purposes, but looking intoxicated, he leaned toward Charles and clumsily tapped his hand on Charles'' prosthetic limb.


    "Charles, I have a secret," Kord slurred. "I''m telling you, but you can''t tell a soul."


    "Speak."


    Kord leaned conspiratorially close. His breath reeked of alcohol as he whispered into Charles'' ear, "Actually, thirty years ago, I saw so many people die during the Blessing Ceremony at the Divine Light Church. I was scared, so I found a way to hide, and I never went through the ritual."


    Charles remained silent and took another swig from his bottle. Kord took it as the signal for him to continue.


    "Just imagine. The pain when three thick steel nails are driven into the skull. Those screams... they still haunt me to this day. Say, only a fool would submit to such torment, no? I''m clever, and cleverness among fools has its advantages. Why would I ever want to be a fool?"


    Charles tapped Kord''s bottle with his own before remarking, "You didn''t have to confess. I knew it for ages."


    "Impossible!" He waved his bottle in denial, but in his stupor, he almost struck Charles. "I-I''ve kept this secret hidden for years. How could you have possibly¡ª<i>burp</i>¡ªknown!"


    "How many times have you deceived me ever since we met? Ever since you first lied to me in Sottom, I''ve found it suspicious."


    From his peripheral vision, Charles noticed a writhing dark shadow in the distant waters. He naturally averted his gaze.


    Kord slid down the sides of the deck and copsed on the ground like a drunkard. His boisterous voice echoed far and wide in the open sea.


    "No matter how devout those fools are....What good do their disgusting ceremonies serve? In the end, <i>I¡ª</i>amoner untouched by their <i>blessings¡ª</i>discovered the Land of Light! When I return, I''ll pry open the eyes of those obstinate old zealots and make sure they have a good look at who is the most devout disciple of the Light God!!"


    1. <i>Fu</i>(¸£) means blessing. In Chinese beliefs, the <i>Fu</i> is pasted upside down because <i>fu dao</i>(¸£µ¹ lit. blessing upside down) is a homonym for<i> fu dao</i> (¸£µ½ lit. blessings are here).

 Chapter 141. Dawn

    <h4>Chapter 141. Dawn</h4>


    "Yes, yes, of course. You will seed," Charles uttered a perfunctory agreement to Kord''s crazed words.


    Taking another swig from his bottle, Kord suddenly stood up in a hurry. With a crazed look in his eyes, he stared at Charles and asked, "What do you think... will the Light God abandon me since I¡¯ve never gone through with the ritual? Will He forbid me from entering His kingdom?"


    "Don''t worry, your Light God isn''t that petty. Especially toward a disciple as devout as you," Charles replied with a smirk.


    "Yes... You''re right. I prayed fervently daily and stuck to it for over thirty years. No one in the entire Order is as devout as me. He surely won''t hold something so minor against me..." Kord reiterated Charles'' words to reassure himself.


    Charles turned toward Kord with a hint of inebriation in his gaze. "Do you want to know what the Land of Light looks like? Beg me, and I might share."


    "You...<i>burp! </i>Tell me." Kord''s face was already flushed red from the alcohol, and he could hardly stand steady on his feet.


    Staring into the inky expanse of the sea, Charles started recounting his memories of the surface world. Getting into the mood. Charles even brought out his old drawings of his world and shared them with Kord.


    "No... No... The Land of Light can''t possibly look like this. This ispletely different from the New Testament! You must be drunk!"


    Seated on the deck, Kord shook his head and vehemently denied Charles'' description of the surface world. He then threw his empty bottle aside and seized the bottle in Charles'' hand.


    He tilted his head back and gulped another mouthful before he began with an air of superiority.


    "Allow <i>I,</i> the Sacred Acolyte of the Divine Light Order, to enlighten you on the appearance of the Land of Light, the very realm of our Light God. That''s our Lord''s holy kingdom, a purifiednd free from all taint and darkness. There, every desire will be fulfilled. Devout disciples will attain immortality as they bathe in His divine radiance. And¡ª"


    Kord stopped all of a sudden as though he had forgotten his lines.


    Lounging on the ground with one leg crossed over the other, Charles erupted in chuckles. "Continue your story, won''t you? Why did you stop?"


    However, Kord started trembling as he lifted a finger and pointed toward the horizon.


    "Am-am-am I seeing things? I-I-I-I think I just saw a glint over there," Kord stammered.


    "What?!" Charles was instantly half-jolted out of his stupor. He sprang onto his feet and looked toward where Kord pointed.


    A faint yellow hue glimmered at the edge of the horizon, just like breaking dawn.


    As the Narwhale closed in, the yellow glow grew brighter.


    "What...What''s that? Charles, answer me. What''s that?" Kord grabbed Charles'' shoulders, shaking him fervently. His gaze was a mix of fear and anticipation as he stared at Charles for an answer.


    Charles remained frozen to the spot, his eyes unwaveringly fixed on the yellow glow on the horizon. Apart from the thunderous rapid beating of his heart, he could hear nothing else.


    Soon, the peculiar glow on the horizon caught the attention of the crew. They rushed to the deck as they pointed and spected about the mysterious light.


    Just as they were engaged in a fervent discussion, a pained cry echoed in the air.


    The scream stirred Charles out of his stunned state. He turned around to see wisps of white smoke emanating from his vampire sailor.


    "Mother of Vampires! <i>AHHHH!</i> My skin is melting! The pain!! <i>AHHHHH!</i>" Audric shrieked as he staggered into the ship''s cabins to take shelter from the light.


    Kord erupted into a maniacalugh. "It''s sunlight! That''s the Land of Light. It''s the Land of Light that repels all creatures of darkness, including vampires!! We''ve made it! We''ve arrived at the Land of Light!!"


    Everyone on the deck heard Kord''s words loud and clear. Expressions of wonder and shock painted the faces of the crew members. Kord hadn''t been lying all this while. Seeking the Land of Light was the true mission all along.


    <i>p! p! p!</i>


    Dipp kept pping himself on the face, hoping to rouse himself from what he thought might be a dream.


    "Big guy, I don''t have enough strength. Hit me."


    Standing next to him, James grinned and wrapped an arm around Dipp''s neck before delivering a punch into the young sailor''s face. In an instant, blood poured from Dipp''s nose.


    "Does it hurt?"


    "Yes. I guess it''s real then."


    Various sights started urring on the ships. Some began bawling, while some erupted into crazedughter. However, most of them had the same reactions as Dipp, pping themselves to check if they were dreaming.


    As the fleet closed the distance, a dazzling beam of light pierced into the inky dark waters like a divine sword of light.


    At the heart of the illumination was an ind bathed in sunlight. It was covered in a green canopy and brimming with verdant life.


    Soon, the detailed appearance of the ind became visible. It was a tropical ind with mountains in the distance. Judging from thendmass, it seemed to berger than the Coral Archipgo by at least fifty percent.


    Unlike other inds in the Subterranean Seascape, Charles immediately noticed the familiar flora. The trees on the ind were familiar species of the surface world.


    Charles stared at the majestic palm trees, the banana trees with their unmistakable broad leaves, and also the coconut trees heavy with their round, husky fruits. Their presence across thendscape evoked a sense of nostalgia in him.


    In the face of the legendarynd, all rationale fell away. The moment the ships anchored, everyone, consumed by their excitement, made a mad dash toward the pristine white beach.


    The first thing they did was to lift their heads skyward and search for the light source. Even Charles was no exception.


    The sunlight was blinding. Staring directly into the sun, tears streamed down Charles'' eyes from the ring rays. However, he couldn''t bring himself to close them. He feared that the moment he closed his eyes, the radiant beam of hope would suddenly vanish.


    Charles noticed that the source of light wasn''t directly above the ind. Rather, it was slightly off-center. The life-filled sun rays pierced through a crack in the vast expanse overhead.


    He stared at the fissure in a daze, but all of a sudden, his mouth moved on its own ord.


    "Bro, it''s so high up there. How do we get up?" Richard asked aloud.


    "Yeah, how do we get up?" Though it was posed as a question, Charles'' voice contained apparent exhration as a broad smile surfaced on his visage.


    <i>Thud.</i>


    Beside him, Kord suddenly copsed to the ground. Both his index fingers pointed to the white triangle on his forehead as tears streamed down his cheeks.


    Charles lowered his chin to look at Kord. His vision was hazy and speckled with dark spots. However, he remained unflustered. He knew it was the aftermath of gazing directly into the sun for an extended duration, and the bright rays had left imprints on his retinas.


    "Hey, Kord, stop staring at the light, or you will get cataracts," Charles approached the elderly man and lightly nudged the yellow-robed figure with his foot.


    "I have never felt such peace in me... I feel... I feel that our Lord hase for me..." Kord murmured with his face streaked with tears.

 Chapter 142. Sunlight

    <h4>Chapter 142. Sunlight</h4>


    Watching Kord''s crazed antics, Charles couldn''t concern himself with the elderly man. He turned and approached the others who stood rooted to their spots like wooden stakes.


    He snatched the telescope from his second mate, Conor, and lightly tapped him on the head with the tool. "Well, what a brilliantd. You are surely the first to try staring at the sun with a telescope," Charles remarked sarcastically.


    "Captain, wh-what''s that thing?" Conor asked in a stammer as he pointed toward the sky.


    "The sun. What else could it be?" Charles replied nonchntly and pushed the telescope into Conor''s arms. He crouched down and picked the frozen white mouse up from the ground. cing her in his open palm, he patted her head andmented, "Stop staring, or you''ll turn into a blind mouse."


    "Mr. Charles, is your home up there? Is that the ce with the televi or was it aputa?" Lily''s voice trembled with excitement as she popped her head out between Charles'' fingers.


    Charles smiled slightly and yfully tossed the white mouse into the air. He caught her once more amidst her squeals.


    "Little Lily, you''ve guessed correctly. That''s my home."


    In a joyous mood, Charles had barely finished speaking when a heavy thud from behind him indicated something had struck the sand.


    "<i>Hmm?</i>" He turned around to see Kord, who had been seated upright moments ago, was now lying face-first in the sand.


    Charles instantly felt that something was amiss. Grabbing Lily with him, he rushed toward the elderly man and pulled Kord back into a sitting position.


    "Hey, what happened? Speak to me!" Charles roared.


    However, Kord seemed unresponsive to Charles'' cries. A cid smile remained frozen on the elderly man''s visage.


    A cold dread consumed Charles, and he gradually extended a finger and ced it under Kord''s nose. Kord was no longer breathing.


    <i>Thud. Thud. Thud.</i>


    The chilling sound of bodies copsing onto the sand resonated around him. Despite being in the warm embrace of the sun rays, Charles felt a numbing cold coursing through him.


    He swiveled around to witness sailors copsing one after another,nding face-down and remaining motionless in the sand.


    The joy within him instantly dissipated without a trace. With trembling lips, Charles shouted hysterically, "Back to the ship now! Everyone, get back! The sunlight is deadly!"


    Charles'' sudden shouts snapped everyone back to the grim reality and the demise of their fellow crewmates. A brief pause of uncertainty flickered across their ecstatic faces, which swiftly morphed intoprehension, then sheer terror.


    A mass movement ensued. They ran toward their ships at a speed even faster than when they were running toward the shore. Some stumbled and fell in the midst of their sprint. Unfortunately, those who struck the sand never climbed back to their feet again.


    With his enhanced agility, Dipp was the first to make it back to the deck of the Narwhale. Standing at the ship''s edge, he hurriedly helped hisrades aboard. As he did the headcount, he noticed an unsettling absence.


    Dipp''s gaze turned toward the shore to see the figure of his captain, Charles, standing at the intersection of the light and darkness. One half of his body was illuminated by the radiant sun rays, while the other half was shrouded in the darkness of the Subterranean Seascape.


    "Captain! Come back quickly! It''s dangerous!" Dipp anxiously called out in desperation.


    As the crew''s frantic shouts echoed, Charles turned toward them and signaled for them to wait using g semaphore. He then took a step back and allowed the sunlight topletely envelop him.


    He began to shed his upper garments and revealed his torso marred with scars. Bathing in the brilliant rays, he stood still with his arms open wide as if embracing the light. His eyes shone with unwavering determination.


    He knew the most logical course of action was to return to the ship and figure out what went wrong. However, Charles had no more patience for that. He couldn''t endure it any longer. If the sunlight from the surface were truly deadly, he would rather face it head-on and be killed by it now.


    One minute, two minutes, and three minutester. Charles felt nothing else aside from the sun¡¯s warmth.


    Gazing at the light filtering through the fissure, a smirk tugged at Charles'' lips. He had been right. Having spent countless hours under the sun in the world above before his nine-year hiatus in this subterranean realm, how could the sunlight possibly be unfamiliar to him?


    Charles ced his arms down and turned his gaze toward the Narwhale shrouded in the darkness. Looking at the myriad of faces aboard the vessel, a mix of emotions welled up in him.


    Kord''s previous words echoed in his mind. The elderly man had described the Land of Light to be the sacred domain of the Light God, and it banished all impurities and darkness.


    Charles had no idea who made such tales up, but judging from the current situation, it seemed like the sunlight''s aversion was not only limited to vampires.


    The sun seemed to shun the humans in the subterranean realm as well.


    "Perhaps the humans here have dwelled in the darkness for too many generations that they have evolved and can no longer survive under sunlight," Charles mused to himself.


    After standing in the sunlight for a few more moments, Charles started gathering the lifeless bodies on the beach. Doing a swift tally, he counted seventy-nine deaths, including one of the captains, Kord.


    It was a tragic loss.


    Previously, Charles had been perplexed as to why hadn''t the Sottom pirates imed this paradise even when their leader, ¡°King,¡± knew of this ce. But now, his question had been answered.


    With a heavy heart, Charles gently closed Kord''s widened eyes. ncing at the piercing sun rays for thest time, he turned and swam toward the Narwhale.


    The moment he climbed aboard the Narwhale, he saw that the remaining captains and crew from the twelve ships had already gathered and were awaiting him. No one uttered a word, but their eyes were fixated on Charles.


    A mix of emotions filled their gazes. Wasn''t this the Land of Light? Why had so many perished? Why was Charles unharmed? What was the true nature of their mission? A flurry of questions swirled in their minds.


    Taking the towel from Dipp, Charles briskly wiped his body before he turned to address the crowd. "I won''t dwell on unnecessary words. As you guys have seen for yourself, Kord hadn''t been lying. Our mission had been to seek the Land of Light from the very beginning. But this isn''t the legendarynd. The true Land of Light is beyond that fissure in the sky.


    Whispers erupted among the group, but they ceased the moment Charles continued with his speech.


    "And I¡¯m from there... the very fact that I remained unharmed from the sunlight is proof of it."


    Charles had made the same im countless times for the past nine years in this subterranean realm. However, this was the first time that no one responded with a mockingugh.


    "Our next goal is to find a way to get up there."


    "But the divine light from the Light God will kill us all. Why should we get up there? The Divine Light Order''s tales were deceptive lies! It''s nothing but lethal light up there. There''s no way anyone can live in the Land of Light!" A voice from the crowd retorted Charles.


    "No, no, no. You lot still don''t get it. Yes, the sun is lethal; it''s indeed a tough obstacle to ovee, but there''s surely a way to resolve it. If we can''t find answers down here, there are plenty of smart people above, and they will find a solution.


    ¡±Even if it means wearing protective suits around the clock or only being able to venture out in the night, the world up there is still way better than this cursed realm. Tenfold, hundredfold, thousandfold better!" Charles tried to appeal to the group as he swept his gaze across them.


    "Every one of you is surely aware of the sinking of Shadow Ind. Do you n to live in perpetual fear of these inds sinking at any moment? Let me tell you¡ªup there..." Charles pointed at the radiant crack in the sky. "In that legendary Land of Light lies a continent greater than the entire subterranean seascape. Not only are thends incredibly fertile, but they also never sink!"

 Chapter 143. The Way to Get Up

    <h4>Chapter 143. The Way to Get Up</h4>


    "What do you desire? To upy an ind with fresh water? Mark my words: in the Land of Light, freshwater is as abundant as the sea. People there even bathe in it."


    "You mean... like the central inders?" Conor asked with a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.


    "Yes. Once we reach the Land of Light, each and every one of us no longer need to struggle to survive in this mad ocean. We can live like central inders."


    Charles''s tempting persuasion seemed to diminish their fear of death as animated discussions erupted among the group. Those who had chosen a seafaring career were known for their brazen disregard for life. After all, those who lived by fear would never join the crew of an exploration vessel.


    However, not everyone was naively optimistic. Dressed in a ck military uniform, the captain of the amphibious vessel calmly stared at Charles and posed a question, "Captain Charles, even if the paradise above is as great as you imed, how are we supposed to get up?"


    <i>Right, how do we get up?</i>


    Charles was troubled over the same problem. As far as he knew, the Subterranean Seascape was severelycking when it came to aerial transport.


    "Is there anyone among your crew with the ability to fly?" Charles posed the question to the captains.


    The various captains exchanged nces before, in unity, their gazes settled back on Charles.


    "Mr. Charles, don''t you possess a relic that can turn you into a giant bat?" asked one of the captains.


    Charles pulled out the Bat Mirror, but after a brief moment of thought, he tucked it back into his coat again. "I''m afraid this thing won''t do. Its previous owner was a vampire, and vampiric items fear the sunlight even more."


    "How will we know if we don''t try? Mr. Charles, let me try!" A young man with a prosthetic eyeball emerged from the crowd with apparent eagerness.


    Charles cast a nce at the youngd before he tossed the Bat Mirror to him without uttering a word.


    Sadly, the result was devastating. The moment the giant bat soared into the air, it erupted into a ball of mes and was soon reduced to mere ashes, scattering into the wind.


    Charles furrowed his brows and bent down to pick up the mirror, which glimmered under the sunlight from its spot in the sand. He thought he would be able to leave as soon as he found the exit, so he had never expected the exit to be suspended in the air.


    "Yeah, the sun is so bright. How are we supposed to get up? What if it''s always sunny like in Africa? We''d been stuck here forever," Richard quipped.


    Hearing Richard''sment, a sudden thought struck Charles. He had briefly been ensnared in an oversight of understanding. Having spent too much time in this subterranean space, he had nearly overlooked the fact that in the surface world, the sun didn''t shine incessantly.


    Richard instantly understood Charles'' train of thought. "Bro! You''re a genius to remember that the sun doesn''t shine in the night. That means, in another twelve hours, at most, we will be able to return to the surface!"


    Charles nodded in agreement. A hint of excitement painted his countenance as he stared at the Bat Mirror in his hands.


    This was promising news, and he immediately shared it with everyone.


    Hearing the exhrating news, a tidal wave of jubtion washed over the faces of every individual present. This meant that they would soon be able to reach the fablednd.


    It was impossible for anyone to remain calm in the face of news of this magnitude. The emotional rollercoaster of the day was unprecedented for the sailors, and their facial muscles for the past few hours had been put through a rather challenging test.


    While the sailors reveled in celebration with whistles filling the air, First Mate Bandages discreetly spat a mouthful of blood into the sea.


    His action didn''t go unnoticed by Charles'' keen observation. He immediately approached Bandages.


    "What happened? Are you injured?" Charles'' voice was tainted with apparent concern.


    Bandages shook his head and opened his mouth for Charles to have a look.


    The flesh within his mouth was bloodied.


    "It''s nothing... I ate too much fish... There''s some decay in my mouth..."


    Charles immediately understood. Bandages was likely suffering from scurvy due to a deficiency in Vitamin C. He recalled Laesto''s words from earlier and surmised that other crew members were mostly likely suffering from the same disease, albeit with different levels of severity.


    Gazing at the brightly lit tropical ind in the distance, Charles pondered for a brief moment before he patted Bandages on the shoulder and said, "Wait here."


    Charles returned to the ind and started exploring the dense forest. The forest was a tapestry of greenery with an abundance of nt species. Soon enough, Charles caught sight of some familiar fruits.


    There were bananas measuring nearly tens of centimeters in length and pineapples the size of a fist.


    Most fruits are rich in Vitamin C, and these tropical fruits could easily resolve the issue at hand. As for the task of testing these fruits for toxicity, Lily''s mice would serve as the perfectb mice.


    As Charles continued to gather the fruits, he noticed a sense of oddity. The concentration of fruit-bearing trees on this ind was unusually dense and deviated from the pattern of any typical forests he had encountered.


    Scaling a tree trunk, Charles reached the upper branches. As his eyes settled on the overgrown ruins in the distance, the source of the ind''s peculiarity became immediately clear to him.


    Charles headed toward the ruins. Despite the building''s decayed state, he could still discern the minimalistic architectural style of the Foundation.


    He didn''t find it any surprising to find a structure on the ind tied to the Foundation. Given their knack for seizing every avable chance, it was unlikely they''d overlook an exit to the surface world.


    Among the ruins, a series of lengthy ss edifices caught Charles'' attention. Broken ss shards littered the ground while a pristine steel framework stretched into the forest like a colossal insect''s exoskeleton.


    "A greenhouse?" But the moment he saw a steel chamber, he immediately discarded the idea.


    "The Foundation is sure fucking incredible," Richardmented as he tilted his head skyward to view the gaping crack in the terrain overhead. "They manage to build an elevator to reach such a height."


    The metallic chamber functioned as the elevator space, and the steel beams served as the framework to transport the elevator from the ground through the overhead fissure. It was an architectural marvel created by the Foundation.


    Charles wasn''t sure if other exits existed elsewhere, but he theorized that this was certainly one of the main passageways between the Foundation and the surface world.


    "We''re heading back now." Clutching an armful of fruits entwined with vines, Charles leaped from one tree to another like an agile monkey and made his way to the shore.


    Most of the fruits that Charles brought back were rathercking in the taste department. The small green pineapples were tingling to the tongue and tasted rather astringent. The bananas, despite theirrge size, didn''t have a hint of sweetness. Their seeds were also unusuallyrge.


    Among the three fruit species, only the coconuts had a somewhat decent vor. Regardless, they served their purpose to provide the crew with the necessary Vitamin C.


    Most fruits with high water content were usually heavy. After multiple trips, Charles was visibly exhausted. It was an inconvenient situation, but currently, he was the only one who could move under sunlight.


    Donning the sunsses he had acquired from Audric, Charles reclined on the beach and savored the sun''sforting warmth as he took asional sips of coconut water from the fresh coconut next to him. After experiencing sunlight once again, he was reluctant to return to the shadows.


    <i>Squeak¡ª</i>


    A series of squeaks sounded to Charles'' left. Perplexed, he sat up and looked over to see Lily, along with her group of rodent pals, gnawing on a coconut he had just plucked.

 Chapter 144. Halted Rotation

    <h4>Chapter 144. Halted Rotation</h4>


    Charles felt as though a vice grip had clenched his heart. He sprinted over, scooped Lily up, and turned his back toward the sun to shroud the white mouse in his shadow.


    ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Charles, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine. The sunlight doesn¡¯t seem to be lethal against mice.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true! Furry and the others even secretly tailgated you into the forest just now.¡±


    At Lily¡¯s words, Charles turned toward the mice beside them, which were gnawing joyfully on the fruits. Seeing that each and every one was alive and kicking, he let out a sigh of relief.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if it was due to the difference in anatomical structure between mice and subterranean humans, but it was evident that the sunlight dealt no harm to these rodents.


    ¡°No wonder they said that rodents and cockroaches are the most adaptable creatures on Earth,¡± Charles mused as though he had stumbled on the most usible exnation.


    Lily scratched at the various scratches and cuts crisscrossing Charles¡¯ body with her tiny paws and quipped, ¡°Really? Mice are that amazing?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Our Lily is exceptionally amazing,¡± Charlesmented while patting the white mouse on the head. Lying back down on the warm, sun-kissed beach, a hint of drowsiness crept onto him. Unable to fight off the <i>zzz</i> monster, he slowly closed his eyes.


    ¡°Lily, I¡¯m sleeping for a little while,¡± Charles muttered and drifted off to dreand.


    He had a great rest, uninterrupted and free from any nightmares. Finally waking up after some time, Charles felt incredibly refreshed both physically and mentally.


    He also found his body to be buried in sand; only his head remained above the surface. Several makeshift, crooked sandcastles were built atop him. Noticing the clear rodent footprints on the buildings, Charles was certain that Lily was the artist behind these masterpieces.


    ¡°She¡¯s really still a kid, after all,¡± Charlesmented with a chuckle as he sat up and dusted the sand off his topless torso. Very soon, he spotted the owner of the artwork standing not too far off with her group of rodent pals.


    In the distance, Lily was directing the mice to bury the bodies. Each grave was even thoughtfully marked with a twig sticking out to resemble a makeshift tombstone.


    ¡°Mr. Charles, can you host a funeral for them?¡± Lily asked with pleading eyes as she tilted her head up to look at Charles, who had approached them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to,¡± Charles replied as he pulled the pocket watch out of his pants.


    ¡°Come on, just say a few words. Hosting a funeral is rtively simple. People pass away all the time in my father¡¯s hospital. You just need to stand in front of their graves and...¡±


    Lily¡¯s words trailed off as she noticed Charles¡¯ rxed expression gradually contorting into a mix of dread and anger.


    ¡°Mr. Charles, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lily asked with a hint of caution in her tone.


    ¡°Lily, how long did I sleep?¡± Charles asked. His hand clutching the pocket watch was trembling visibly.


    ¡°About half a day. Mr. Charles, is your pocket watch broken? Doesn¡¯t it show the time?¡±


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Charles violently flung the pocket watch into the sand. Shocked by his outburst, Lily recoiled in fear and sought refuge beside her rodent friends.


    As she watched Charles cursing and swearing in thenguage she had heard before but couldn¡¯t understand, Lily¡¯s eyes were gradually consumed by worry and concern.


    ¡°Jumpy, do you think Mr. Charles has gone mad?¡± Lily whispered to a brown mouse next to her. Her words dripped with evident sorrow.


    The brown mouse responded with a couple of squeaks before Lily reached out a paw and gave it a light p on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t you say that about Mr. Charles! How could he always have been mad?¡±


    Soon enough, Charles'' frenzied gestures ceased, and he became especially quiet. Hey sprawled on the white sand and panted heavily.


    Gazing at the steamship shrouded in the distant darkness, Lily cautiously approached and asked in a soft whisper, ¡°Mr. Charles, are you alright?¡±


    <i>Swish!</i>


    Charles¡¯ hands shot out at an extreme speed, leaving a trail of afterimages. Snatching Lily up in a tight grip, he stared at her intensely with his bloodshot eyes and roared, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the sun set? It has been thirteen hours, but the sky is still bright! Do you understand what that means?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Charles... you¡¯re hurting...me,¡± Lily whimpered as she desperately wed at his hands in an attempt to free herself.


    ¡°It means the fucking Earth has stopped spinning! It means something catastrophic has happened up there! It means everything above is no longer the same! It means even if I can get back up there, my home is no longer there!¡± With each sentence, Charles¡¯ grip tightened a little further without his conscious knowledge of his action.


    <i>Squeakkkkk!</i>


    Realizing Lily¡¯s plight, the mice swarmed at Charles and frantically bit down on his hand to make him release his grip on their friend.


    Jolted back to his senses by the physical pain, Charles dropped Lily to the ground and stood frozen like a statue.


    Uponnding on the white sand, Lily burst into tears. Her cries were not just from the physical pain due to dropping from a height but also out of the fear she felt from Charles¡¯ erratic behavior.


    Squeaks echoed incessantly in the air as the swarm of mice carried a crying Lily toward the Narwhale.


    Upon the mice¡¯s return, the crew gathered around the white mouse trying to find out what went down on the shore. Whimpering between sobs, Lilyined about Charles¡¯ actions.


    After hearing Lily recount her tale, the crew collectively turned to stare at the still silhouette of the man on the beach. A tinge of worry crossed Second Mate Conor¡¯s face, and he looked at Laesto, ¡°Doctor, is Captain inflicted with some sort of ailment?¡±


    Shaking his head in response, Laesto tilted his head back and took a swig from his tin sk. ¡°No idea. This isn¡¯t a symptom caused by the cursed whisperings at sea. Probably gotta continue monitoring him to find out.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? Are you a sham? Is that something a doctor should say?¡± Conor retorted.


    Laesto shot an icy look and Conor before he roared in frustration, ¡°He¡¯s standing in the sunlight that¡¯s lethal to <i>us</i>! What am I supposed to do? Dash to his side and offer my life to the light? I¡¯m old, but I still want to live out my years!¡±


    Minutes ticked past. The crew was starting to get a little restless from the wait. Anxiety painted the faces of everyone as they waited for their captain¡¯s return.


    Standing at the corner of the deck, Bandages had been silently watching Charles. Knowing that they had no time to waste, he moved toward the deck cannon without uttering a single word.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    An explosion rang out as a cannonball shot out of its barrel andnded on the beach, leaving a crater in its wake.


    Themotion jolted Charles out of his daze. He cast a fleeting nce at the Narwhale before he walked toward the sea and swam toward the vessel.


    Ascending the softdder, Charles got on board. For some reason, Charles¡¯ calm expression struck the crew with a deeper sense of worry and concern,


    ¡°Dipp, gather the other captains. I have something to announce.¡±


    Feeling a sense of slight unease in his heart, Dipp nodded in affirmation. He entered the cockpit and sounded the ship¡¯s horn.


    ¡°Charles, what happened just now?¡± Laesto walked up to Charles and carefully observed thetter¡¯s face for any traces of anomalies.


    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    With that, Charles approached Lily and knelt down on a single knee. ¡°Lily, I¡¯m really sorry for identally hurting you just now. I apologize.¡±


    Lily¡¯s furry face still bore evidence of her tear streaks. Ignoring the apology, she retreated into the swarm of brown mice. Only her pink tail remained visible to Charles.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Charles continued to coax the white mouse. ¡°Just now, I realized that a huge catastrophe had urred in the world up there, and I lost it. Please forgive me.¡±


    Hearing Charles¡¯ exnation, Lily hurriedly poked her head out of the sea of brown mice. In a concerned voice, she asked, ¡°Then what about your home, Mr. Charles? Will you be able to return home?¡±


    Charles extended an open palm, allowing the white mice to climb onto it. Stroking her on her tiny head, he said, ¡°Yeah...I might not be able to return home, but no matter what happened up there, I still want to go up and have a look. If my family is still around, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to find them and save them. If¡ª¡±


    Charles paused just as his next thought struck him. He slightlyposed his emotions and continued, ¡°If my family and my home no longer exist, I will still stay there and rebuild a new home there!¡±

 Chapter 145. Other Ways

    <h4>Chapter 145. Other Ways</h4>


    After hearing Charles'' exnation, Lily nuzzled her furry face against the former''s open palm. "Alright then. I''ll forgive you this time. I''ll help you to build your new home, Mr. Charles. But, you must promise not to pinch me again. It really hurts..."


    "I promise," Charles said and reached out his other hand to gently stroke her head.


    Just as Charles wasforting his gunner, a hand wrapped in bandages suddenly rested on his shoulder. Only one person among the Narwhale crew was dressed in such attire.


    Charles turned slightly and met the gaze of his first mate. Bandages didn''t speak a single word, but Charles could clearly feel his strong concern.


    "I''m fine. Don''t worry. I''ve weathered through so much all these years. A little setback like this won''t break me," Charles offered his assurance.


    "Can...you... share with me... about... your past?" Bandages asked with his words drawn out as usual.


    Charles stared at the face covered with bandages for a few seconds before he nodded. "Sure."


    He stood up and recounted his story to the subterranean world. As he dived into his memories over the past nine years and narrated them, it suddenly dawned on him how deeply intertwined he had gotten with this realm. His footprints were everywhere.


    When Charles finished his tales, Bandages remained silent for a few seconds before he cautiously asked, "Captain...Are you...sure that... the world above... is your world?"


    "I''m sure!" Charles replied with absolute certainty. "Not just because I fell into the sea when I arrived here. Even the Foundation''s records hold crucial evidence. They mentioned names of ces that exist in the surface world. For instance, Edinburgh is where they found 157, the relic that replicates everything. And 1002, that gray mass, had mentioned that the Foundation''s headquarters on the surface is in Washington. Those ces aren''t where I live, but they¡¯re in the world where I¡¯m from!"


    Bandages looked up toward the fissure above as a profound confusion stained his gaze. "Then... do you think...perhaps... I might be from above... like you?"


    Charles was taken aback by Bandages'' question. As he recalled the mysteries surrounding Bandages, it seemed to be a usible hypothesis.


    Charles smiled and patted Bandages on the shoulder. "When we get up there, take a look around, and perhaps familiar sights might trigger your lost memories."


    Bandages turned to look into Charles'' eyes. "Alright...Let''s find a way... up."


    "Yes."


    The moment their conversation ended, Charles found himself in an unusual silence. He turned around and realized that the other captains had already arrived and were quietly listening to his conversation with Bandages.


    Charles cleared his throat and instructed, "Let''s head to the captain''s quarters. There''s been an intelligence glitch, and I need to discuss the countermeasures with everyone. Linda, join us too."


    With that, Charles headed toward the cabin, and the other twelve captains swiftly followed after. With the captains gone, the deck suddenly felt rather empty and spacious.


    ***


    "So that''s the story. Because Earth has stopped spinning, some sort of change has happened to the world above, and it will probably never turn dark. We''ll need to find other ways to get up."


    Feuerbach raised his right hand, seeking permission to speak.


    As Charles'' gazended on him, Feuerbach rubbed his nose before he parted his lips. "Mr. Charles, you im to be very familiar with the Land of Light. But do you truly know it that well?"


    "What do you mean?" Charles frowned.


    Feuerbach took a step forward, distancing himself from the group of captains. "I don''t mean to doubt you, but I am merely curious about something and was hoping that you could enlighten me."


    He took a breath and continued, "Just like in this world, no one can im to have explored and know about every ind within the four seas. You mentioned that the Land of Light is much vaster than below. Perhaps there''s a ce that you aren''t aware of where it never turns dark?"


    "How would there be a ce on Earth where the Sun¡ª"


    Charles was quick to retort instinctively but abruptly stopped. A sudden realization dawned on him. It hadn''t urred to him earlier, but Feuerbach''s question had reminded him that such ces existed on Earth


    The Arctic and Antarctic regions experienced the phenomenon of the Midnight Sun. If the fissure above them led to the Arctic or Antarctic regions, then there might be a chance that the Earth hadn''t stopped spinning.


    A wave of hope surged within Charles. If that was the case, then everything above was still functioning as normal and modern society still existed.


    <i>"Bro, I doubt so. The sun was so warm and bright. The Arctic and Antarctic are sooooo cold. How would they have such warm sunlight?" </i>Richard sounded ever skeptical.


    <i>"How are you so sure? Have you been to the Arctic?"</i>


    Richard rolled his eyes. <i>"Are you really asking me that question? We haven''t even left our province before. How would we know what the Sun is like in the Arctic and Antarctic regions?"</i>


    Feuerbach''s inquisitive gaze remained on Charles, forcing thetter to push aside the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind.


    "Perhaps. But that''s not our main concern right now. Regardless of what causes this perpetual sunlight, we have to find an alternative solution for it. Anyway, the Bat Mirror can''t be used because of the sunlight."


    Hearing no response, Charles continued. "Our main concern now is finding a way to get up. Once we reach the realm above, all our doubts will be resolved. However, time isn''t on our side. The Sottom pirates mighte over at any moment to collect sunlight."


    While it was possible that the fissure above could lead them to either the north or south poles, the Sottom pirates were not going to offer Charles the luxury of time to wait for the shift from perpetual day to night. After all, waiting out the phenomenon would take six months. Even then, the Midnight Sun was just a spection.


    Hearing Charles'' final sentence, a solemn atmosphere descended upon the group. Before they arrived at this new ind, they had ambushed Skywater Ind, which was upied by the pirates. If they were to have another encounter with those pirates, it would be a disaster for them.


    "You''re the leader now. What''s our next step?" Golden Hook asked while staring at Charles.


    With his brows pressed together, Charles drummed his fingers against the tabletop rhythmically. He was in a bit of a difficult situation. He had trouble going up, and he couldn''t make the return journey either. On top of that, the Sottom pirates were a ticking time bomb.


    The ship''s cabin was thick with tension, and everyone''s gaze was locked onto Charles. As the leader of the fleet, he felt the burden of having to take a direction.


    "Do any of you have a special means tomunicate with other inds?" Charles finally broke the silence.


    A captain, with his expression still and cold, stepped forward. "I do. However, it''s too far out here. If my ship sails three hundred nautical miles to the west, I can establish contact with my father, who is on the ind."


    "Will you be able to transfer items?" Charles asked as his right hand rested on his prosthetic limb.


    "Yes, but only small items. There''s also a chance that they might go missing during transmission."


    "Will your father be able to send these items to the main ind of the Divine Light Order?"


    "Yes. He''s not too far from the Divine Light Cathedral."


    "That works. Linda, I remember that Kord has a camera, doesn''t he? Is it still on the ship?"


    Thinking that she would just be acting as a backdrop in the room, Linda was startled by the sudden question thrown at her. She hadn''t expected there to be a task for her.


    "Yes, he brought it. It''s stored in the secret room within the Divine Radiance," Linda answered.


    "Great. Bring me that camera. I would need to take a few photos of this ind."


    Charles had devised a n for them to get out of their predicament.

 Chapter 146. Photos and Charcoal

    <h4>Chapter 146. Photos and Charcoal</h4>


    The soft click of the camera rang out in the room. Linda emerged from under the ck cloth that shrouded her and the camera and handed the freshly captured photo to Charles, who was waiting by the side.


    Unprocessed, the raw image was a vast expanse of white and had nothing to be seen.


    Charles turned over the photo to reveal the ck side on the back. Taking out a ruler and pen, he sketched a detailed nautical map using the Coral Archipgo as the anchor point.


    A small pile of photos was already stacked up on the table next to him. Each and every one of them had the same detailed map drawn on the back. As long as anyone from the Divine Light Order got their hands on any one of these photos, they would be able to find this ind of hope bathed in sunlight.


    While he could delegate the task of drawing the map to someone else, Charles preferred to do it personally since he trusted his own hands above all.


    "Captain, we''re running out of film," Linda remarked in a calm tone.


    "Hold on." Charles picked up the sunsses next to him and swiftly removed both lenses. He thenyered them atop one another and ced them over the camera''s lens.


    "Aim for that crack above and use up all the remaining film," Charles instructed.


    He refused to believe that the Divine Light Order cultists would y dumb if such irrefutable evidence were ced before them.


    Charles decided to give those fanatics irrefutable evidence; he aimed to tell them that the Land of Light that they had been yearning for was right here. If they wished to see their revered Light God, they bettere over as soon as possible.


    If there was any organization in the subterranean realm that was more desperate than Charles to find the Land of Light, it had to be the Divine Light Order that worshipped the Sun as their God.


    The Order had vast influence in the Subterranean Seascape, and their intervention could dramatically change Charles'' current predicament.


    Putting aside the idea of building nes, should the Order offer their assistance, given their goal of reaching the Land of Light, they would likely mobilize all their forces to build a massive tower piercing the skies.


    It was a trivial feat to them, and reaching that fissure could be aplished much faster than Charles working alone.


    Moreover, once the Divine Light Order disciples arrived, the threat of the Sottom pirates would naturally be resolved. In a face-off where both sides were on par in numbers, pirates were no match against fervent cultists.


    Moreover, the number of Divine Light Order followers greatly outnumbered the pirates.


    After finally finishing thest of his nautical sketch on a photo, Charles carefully stacked them together and handed the pile to the solemn-looking captain standing next to him.


    "Monti, take these. I don''t know your means of sending them, but these pictures carry the fate of us all. Make sure your father hands these photos to the lunatics at the Divine Light Cathedral and tell them that Kord is here and he has found the legendary Land of Light. These photos are the evidence."


    The captain, Monti, received the photos, holding them with utmost care. However, he didn''t leave and remained at his spot. Looking up at Charles, he said, "Three hundred nautical miles is a long journey. My ship doesn''t have enough fuel to get us there. If webine the remaining fuel from all thirteen ships, I might be able to make it."


    "We can''t have your ship going alone. Your vessel needs escorting, and we must ensure your safety," Charles asserted.


    "How do we deal with theck of fuel?" Monti asked.


    Charles'' gazended on the distant verdant forest standing under the warm sunlight.


    "Theck of fuel? All of <i>that</i> is our fuel," Charles replied with a smirk while pointing an index finger at the forest.


    Monti and Linda exchanged nces before Monti voiced out, "But none of us can go there except for you."


    "There are many ways to block out the sun. Are we going to let the tail wag the dog? Even if there''s no clever way, we can surely find a brutish one," Charles answered with a chuckle.


    Soon enough, all thirteen exploration vessels ced their wooden pinnaces into the waters, and the crews rowed steadily toward the shore.


    As they approached the boundary of sunlight, they plunged into the waters and overturned their boats to hold them above as they shuffled toward the shore. It was a surreal scene, as thoughnd-bound submarines had sprouted legs and were walking onto the pristine white sand.


    By the time they reached the shore, Charles had already set up a makeshift straw shed. Most boatmen aboard the ships dealt with the repairs and maintenance of a vessel on a daily basis; as such, constructing a pavilion that could block out the sun didn''t pose much of a challenge.


    Using the timber, palm leaves and banana leaves that Charles transported back, the shaded area was expanded rather swiftly.


    In no time, a shaded area covered by leaves was established on Hope Ind, and it was rapidly expanding.


    Once the working area was set up, the crew got down to work. Making use of their <ind-bound submarines,</i> they felled tree after tree and swiftly gathered the tough wood.


    Simply transporting the fresh timber to the ships to be used as fuel would be pretty inefficient. So, it was imperative to turn them into charcoal.


    Transforming timber into charcoal was a rtively simple task. First, they had to dig a pit in the ground. Then, they had to stack wood interspersed withyers of dry grass within. The final step was to seal the pit with wet mud.


    They then lighted the bottom-mostyer of dry grass through the opening at the bottom of the charcoal pit kiln, and white smoke started billowing from the vent. Under ipletebustion, the wood would be swiftly carbonized and turned into high-quality fuel.


    Under the shelter, charcoal kilns of various sizes were ignited. In less than forty-eight hours, the lush forestry had been scarred by Charles'' ambitious project.


    The once majestic and serene canopy had been reduced into bare stumps.


    Environmental protection was far from Charles'' consideration. His only concern was on maximizing the fuel output.


    On the third day, the first batch of charcoal was ready and cooled down.


    Charles eagerly dug apletely carbonized wood from the hardened mud.


    Breaking it apart, he found that the charcoal piece had been thoroughly scorched. Its fractured surface had clear lines, and the color was a consistent jet-ck throughout.


    Charles was no charcoal specialist, but he could still discern that the produced charcoal was of good quality.


    "Test them out in the turbines," Charles instructed as he handed the two pieces of charcoal in his hand to James.


    The burly man nodded curtly before he gathered the charcoal into a sack and turned to head back to the ship.


    By now, the straw shelter they had erected had extended into the waters. They could now directly walk from the ind into the darkness.


    Charles continued checking on the quality of the charcoal from the other kilns.


    Just when he was checking on the third kiln, his peripheral vision caught sight of a silhouette dashing out from under the shelter to grab something from the nearby shrub and sprinting back into the shadows.


    He recognized the individual in question to be his boatswain. He strode over and pped Dipp on the back of his head. "What do you think you''re doing? Do you want to die that badly?"


    Only then did Charles notice the rusty piece of machinery in Dipp''s hands. Judging from the item''s appearance, it seemed to be something left behind by the Foundation.


    A mischievous smile appeared on Dipp''s face as he rubbed the back of his head. "Captain, it''s fine. We tested it out over thest few days. Staying in the light for just a short while won''t kill us."


    Charles let out an exasperated sigh. He had always been wondering if Dipp had a few neurons short of a full brain. What was the point of risking his life to test out something like that? Just one mistake and his life would be cut short.


    After sternly cautioning Dipp and giving the youngd a piece of his mind, Charles turned and walked toward the left of the shelter. He saw the twelve captains walking toward him, seemingly with something they wanted to discuss.


    As usual, it was the ever-enthusiastic Feuerbach who spoke first. "Mr. Charles, my men have spotted freshwater nearby."


    "And?" Charles raised an eyebrow. Given the lush greenery in this area, freshwater was undoubtedly present. Plus, the remnants of the Foundation could be found here as well.


    The faces of the other captains lit up with ambition and greed. One of them quipped, "Can we talk about who will be the owners of this ind?"

 Chapter 147. Governor of Hope Island

    <h4>Chapter 147. Governor of Hope Ind</h4>


    Noting the burning greed in their eyes, Charles immediately knew their intent.


    "Is this the right time to be discussing about this?" Charles'' brows were slightly furrowed in irritation. Despite their current predicament, they still had the time and thoughts to want to negotiate their rights to the ind?


    Feuerbach stepped forward with a radiant smile on his face. Looking at Charles, he said, "Everyone knows youmand the fleet, and the nautical chart belongs to you and Kord. So it''s a given that you will be the governor of this ind. However, we have also risked our lives alongside you on this mission. Surely we deserve a stake as well, no?"


    The captains standing behind Feuerbach hurriedly nodded in agreement. Once they saw that a simple makeshift hay shed could ward off the deadly sunlight, they grew restless. The ind''s richness in resources was evident to everyone unless they were blind.


    It was no barren wastnd.


    With habitablend and fresh water, people could definitely live here.


    Captain Golden Hook stepped forward and added, "Everyone risked their lives back at Skywater Ind during the fuel raid. ording to the age-old maritime traditions, we have the right to pledge allegiance to you."


    Feeling uneasy, he observed Charles'' expression and continued in a softer tone. "Of course, we would ept a smaller stake too."


    Charles was well aware of the old traditions.


    Anyone who rendered assistance to a governor in conquering a livable ind was entitled to a portion of it. The stake didn''t merely serve aspensation for the conquest, but it was also payment for future protection. Only when everyone was bound by a shared interest would they be more inclined to help the governor in managing the ind.


    And that was how ind governors started out and formed their initial governing team...


    They needed to form alliances to ensure that their ind wouldn''t be invaded and overtaken by other governors.


    Overhearing the captains'' conversation, the surrounding crew members ceased working. Their eyes turned to Charles, and a tense silence descended upon the area.


    Their fates hung in bnce. If Charles agreed, they would then be central inders regardless if they eventually reached the Land of Light.


    Sensing the heavy gazes weighing down on himself, Charles knew that they would probably not be in the mood to do anything else if he were to refuse.


    "All right, if it''s just an oath of allegiance, sure, I''ll sign it. Get it over and done with, and get back to work."


    Wild grins of triumph appeared on the captains'' faces. They eagerly produced their already-prepared oaths from within their garments.


    "It seems like everyone came well prepared, huh?" Charlesmented as he uncapped his fountain pen.


    As usual, Feuerbach was the first in line. He handed a crimson parchment with golden text to Charles. "Actually, most exploration ship captains keep two pre-written contracts in their captain''s quarters. One is to submit to the Explorers Association as proof of governorship. The other is an oath of allegiance to a governor."


    Taking the contract from Feuerbach, he scanned through the contents and found them to be of the standard temte. Without hesitation, he signed his full name in the designated nk for the governor.


    Charles Reed


    ording to the maritime rules, each surviving captain was entitled to a 3% stake in the ind. With twelve captains, they collectively ounted for 36% of the ind''s rights. The remaining 64% would then belong to the newly conferred governor, Charles.


    Having a stake in the ind was equivalent to having shares. As long as taxes were collected, those with shares would never starve¡ªthey would be able to live off the taxes as the primary beneficiaries of the ind.


    Swiftly signing all twelve oaths of allegiance, Charles capped his pen.


    "All done. Get back to work." Annoyance was evident in his tone. In his opinion, he found all thesepletely unnecessary. They were going up to the surface world, so there was no point in being distracted by these trivial formalities.


    Feuerbach shook his head and replied, "There''s one more thing, Governor Charles."


    Anticipating the next step, every crew member stopped their tasks at hand and swiftly formed a circle around the captains. Their faces lit up with the thrill of witnessing such a historical moment.


    Under the gazes of their crews, the twelve captains lined up in a single row before Charles. Going down on one knee, they ced their left hand on their right shoulder while they held the oath of allegiance in their right hand.


    With a stern and solemn look, they pledged in unison, "We swear eternal loyalty to the governor. We will never betray or deceive!"


    "We swear to courageously reply against all external threats against the ind and defend our territory to thest inch!"


    "We, and our lineage, swear eternal loyalty to the Reed Family till the day the ind sinks!"


    Reading out each deration one by one, their voices grew louder with each promation.


    Upon reciting the final vow, the twelve captains collectively bowed and said, "Governor, please name the ind."


    Charles looked toward the brilliant sunlight outside the shelter with mixed emotions in his eyes. He then dered, "Hope Ind."


    The moment his words fell, ecstatic cheers erupted in the shelter. Their identity and status had been transformed. They were no longer sailors risking their lives at sea but esteemed central inders.


    Looking at Second Mate Conor, who was walking around with a spring in his steps and a wide grin, Charles struggled to understand the man''s tion. Inparison to the surface world, what was so joyous about owning a stupid barrennd?


    Feuerbach leaned in with the usual smile on his face.


    Sensing Charles'' confusion, he exined, "Governor, thend you spoke of is extremely enticing¡ªso enticing that it felt out of reach. They care more about what is tangible. In other words, what''s right in front of them."


    Charles turned to Feuerbach and asked, "Is this your goal, too?


    "Of course," Feuerbach had a matter-of-fact expression. "I am the captain of an exploration vessel, too. My dream is to be a central inder as well. Can''t you see how happy I am?"


    Charles was rather skeptical of the words of the green-haired man before him, but for now, he didn''t seem to bear any harmful intentions.


    "Enough of this useless chatter. If we don''t send these photos out, none of us are going anyway," Charles instructed.


    Soon, he also realized that there were some positive benefits to the deration ceremony. The crews'' morale had evidently soared, and every face was brimming with anticipation of a brighter future. True to its name, Hope Ind instilled hope in every individual.


    With renewed passion, the crews moved fast and in no time, the fuel storage of all twelve ships had been filled up.


    Standing in the ship''s bridge, Charles'' brows were furrowed as he stared at the nautical map adorning the wall. Three hundred nautical miles wasn''t too far for a steamship stocked full of fuel.


    However, Hope Ind was situated at the edge of humans'' explored territories. No one knew whaty beyond those uncharted waters.


    To ensure that nothing would go wrong, Charles had decided to have all twelve ships escort Monti in his mission.


    He was rather reluctant about returning to the sea, but he didn''t really have a choice in this matter. He scanned his fleet and observed a dozen searchlights piercing through the darkness.


    He took a deep breath andmanded, "Start the engines. We move out!"


    Next to him, Bandages nodded and started turning the wheel.


    Hope Ind''s sunlight gradually disappeared beyond the horizon as the Narwhale, apanied by the twelve exploration vessels, ventured into the darkness once more.

 Chapter 148. Upper Echelons

    <h4>Chapter 148. Upper Echelons</h4>


    "What''s our current speed?" Charles inquired as he stared at the nautical chart adorned on the wall on the ship''s bridge.


    "15 knots, Captain," Conor reported. He turned to Charles with the light of anticipation in his eyes. "Captain, we¡¯re going to rest for a long time after this journey, right?


    ¡±You¡¯ve imed a habitable ind for yourself, so my goal is considered aplished as well. I would like to take leave to make a trip to Volcano Ind and bring my family over."


    "Alright," Charles nodded. "After the Divine Light Order disciplese over, you can tag along on their ships to return home. Once I''ve settled down up there, I will send someone to fetch you."


    Conor''s grip tightened on the helm. Staring at Charles'' back, he hesitated if he should say his next words.


    Hearing no response, Charles urged, "If you have something to say, out with it."


    "Captain, if the Land of Light really exists, you wouldn''t stay with us on Hope Ind, would you?" Conor inquired.


    Charles turned to cast a fleeting nce at Conor. Without uttering a word, his gaze returned to the nautical chart on the wall.


    Conor let out an embarrassed and awkward chuckle. "Actually, everyone can sense your longing to return. Doctor said you were never attached to this seascape, and you have been yearning to escape."


    Charles took out his pocket watch to check the time before he drew a dashed line on the map.


    Observing Charles'' expression, Conor hesitated for a moment before he continued. "Captain, if you get up there, there''s no need for you to send someone for me. Even if the Narwhale never sets sail again, I will forever regard you as my captain."


    "You are not going to the surface world? Why?" Charles turned to look at his second mate with a genuine expression of astonishment.


    "Captain, just as your world is up there, <i>this </i>is my world. I''ve fulfilled my dreams, and I n to live out the rest of my life on Hope Ind."


    "Haven''t I told you about the world above? Why would you still prefer to stay in this god-forsaken ce?"


    "Because I''ve already be a central inder. I also don''t want to work so hard anymore."


    "Everyone up there lives like a central inder."


    "And that''s exactly why I don''t want to go up there!" Conor''s volume suddenly went a notch higher. In between rapid pants, angerced his voice as he shouted, "I finally became one of the upper echelons after going through so many hardships! I don''t want equality!


    ¡±I want to enjoy the privileges of being a central inder! I want to live the life they live and the freedom to do whatever I want!!"


    Charles stared at Conor. A whirlwind of thoughts struck him, leaving him feeling rather confused. He hadn''t expected this to be the reason for thetter''s reluctance to go up to the surface world.


    <i>Has it been my wishful thinking all along? Perhaps the surface is a paradise only to me, but it''s not as enticing for them.</i>


    A tense atmosphere engulfed the ship''s bridge. "Captain, why don''t you just stay and be the governor? You can have everything you want. Why would you¡ª"


    "Enough. I don''t wish to continue this conversation with you. Steer the ship closer to Monti''s. I want to see how things are going on his side." Charles interrupted in a firm tone.


    Since Conor was unwilling, so be it. He should not impose his dreams on others. Everyone had their own aspirations, after all.


    Conor swallowed down his word at the tip of his tongue and silently turned the wheel.


    When the beam of the searchlight from Monti''s ship pierced through the darkness andnded on the Narwhale, Charles emerged from the ship''s bridge. He lifted his prosthetic limb and aimed it at the exploration vessel.


    A grappling hook shot out andtched onto Monti''s ship. Activating the mechanism with his thoughts, the chains retracted, and Charles was whisked over effortlessly.


    Watching Charles'' figure disappearing from the Narwhale, Conor took out a pendant from his chest pocket. His intense gaze bore into it for a couple of moments before he put it away again.


    With slightly bloodshot eyes, he muttered to himself, "Misha, rest assured. Now that I''m a central inder, I''ll be able to snatch you back from them."


    Meanwhile, Charles hadnded on Monti''s ship. The moment he got on the deck, he saw Monty cradling a ss bottle that contained a purple crystal the size of a grapefruit.


    Noticing Charles, Monti immediately took a few steps forward and weed him. "Governor, the crystal glowed for a brief moment earlier. I believe if we venture a little closer, we''ll be able to establish contact."


    Charles pointed an index finger at the crystal and questioned, "This relic of yours is not going to fail us at the critical moment, will it?"


    "There''ll be absolutely no problem. This Transmission Crystal is a family heirloom. My great-grandfather discovered it in the stomach of a giant fish, and we have been using it for close to a century. It has saved us a couple of times as well."


    Charles scrutinized the crystal, and he felt weird. He felt like the crystal was staring at him as well.


    ncing at Monti, whose face was perpetually gloomy, Charles took a step back. The potential drawbacks of this relic were probably more serious than he thought.


    Before Charles could question what were the side effects of using the crystal, Monti''s eyes suddenly narrowed into slits as he peered into the distance. "Governor, look over there. Something''s approaching."


    Charles whipped around and followed Monti''s gaze. He soon spotted a vague, white shape looming under the distant waters.


    "Don''t look at it. Pretend it''s not there. Signal to the Narwhale to divert course," Charles gave the most logicalmand. No matter what it was, he wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble.


    Bright yellow gs were swiftly waved, and the fleet promptly changed direction and distanced themselves from the chilling apparition.


    Just when Charles thought that this minor event had blown over, the ghostly white shape appeared once again; this time, it was much closer to them for Charles to even discern the barnacle-covered deck.


    It was a steamship, a ghostly steamship that was sailing beneath the waters.


    The ship was covered in a thickyer of barnacles and coral. Their ghostly luminescence mirrored the cold glow of the moon, rendering the ship ringly visible.


    Indeed, trouble always brewed at the most critical moments. Charles'' face turned a shade darker.


    He knew that the ghost ship had him in its sight. Without sparing a moment of hesitation, Charles issued the order to attack.


    Cannons roared, and columns of water shot skyward. However, when the turbulence settled, the ghostly ship seemed unharmed. It was as though it was a mere reflection on the water''s surface.


    Seeing that cannon balls were of no use, Charles took out the Lightning Rod from within his coat.


    Just then, the spectral vessel rapidly rose to the water''s surface. A nauseating stench of rotting mire immediately filled the air. A translucent, luminescent figure in shimmering green emerged from the cabins.


    It seemed to be a specter. He wasn''t d in the typical attire of the captains in the Subterranean Seascape. Instead, he donned a crisp, sharp, navy uniform.


    The crew stared in horror, but out of their expectations, the ghost offered a military salute to Charles from the distance.


    "Greetings, sir. I''m the captain of the cargo vessel D134. We have lost our way. Could you kindly direct me to Eastford?"


    Scrutinizing the strange specter, Charles quickly made a calction in his mind. He responded with caution, "I''m not familiar with the location of this Eastford that you mentioned."


    No matter what the figure was, he didn''t want to provoke this spectral captain.


    Upon hearing Charles'' words, a hint of confusion crossed the ghost''s translucent visage. "You don''t know where it is? How could that be? It''s that ce with an esctor leading to Newbound City. Have you not heard of it?"

 Chapter 149. Transmission

    <h4>Chapter 149. Transmission</h4>


    <i>Esctor? Newbound City? Is Eastford referring to my imednd, Hope Ind?</i>


    Charles was deeply engrossed in his thoughts. Studying the ship''s model, he had reasons to believe that the ship had been from the time when the Foundation still existed. In that case, the specter''s questions made sense.


    All these years, the vessel had been wandering in the ocean''s depths in search of a lost city.


    After a moment''s consideration, Charles slowly lifted his hand and pointed the specter in the opposite direction of Hope Ind. His eyes remained fixated on the apparition, wary that it would make any sudden aggression.


    Surprisingly, the ghost showed no signs of attacking. He politely expressed his gratitude and then started making his way to the helm.


    "Did that thing reallye to ask for directions?" Charles muttered to himself as a whirlwind of thoughts stirred in his mind.


    Just as the specter was about to enter the ship''s cockpit, Charles suddenly spoke again. "How are things on the surface now?"


    The ghostly man turned around. Confusion was evident in his translucent eyes. "What do you mean? The surface is just... the usual old?"


    Thinking back of the perpetual sunlight shining through the fissure overhead, Charles pressed on. "Did Earth stop spinning? Or has some catastrophe befall upon us?"


    Charles held his breath in anticipation. Every muscle in his body tightened as he fixed his gaze on the spectral figure. If there were anyone in this subterranean space who held the knowledge of the surface world''s state, it would undoubtedly be this ghostly figure from a bygone era.


    "What bullshit are you spouting? I''m sorry, but I''m on a tight schedule. I''ve got to leave now." Seemingly frustrated, the apparition then turned and moved toward the ship''s bridge.


    He then lifted his hand in the direction that Charles had pointed out. "Cargo Vessel D134, full speed ahead! We must reach our destination and deliver this batch of cargo by the sixteenth!"


    An eerie horn sounded in the air as the ghastly ship rapidly submerged.


    Its luminescence fizzled out like bubbles being consumed by water. In a mere couple of seconds, the sea around the fleet returned to its usual pitch darkness.


    The waters had regained tranquility, but Charles'' mind was far from that.


    <i>"What does he mean by usual old? So what is it like?"</i>


    <i>"Bro, didn''t you see his reaction? He didn''t show any signs of sorrow. If the Earth had stopped spinning, that''d be considered a global cmity. There''s no way he would have been so nonchnt about it."</i> Richard chirped.


    Seeing no response from Charles, he continued. <i>"That means everything''s fine up there! The Earth hasn''t stopped spinning, and there''s no global disaster! We can return home!"</i>


    <i>"Perhaps..." </i>Charles'' brows were pressed together. A growing, worse suspicion was wing at his mind. Perhaps Earth had really stopped spinning, and the surface world was no longer habitable for humans.


    As such, the Foundation relocated people to this underground seascape, just like how Noah''s Ark had saved the animals in the Bible.


    It was a theory that would exin the strange expression of the ghost captain earlier if proven true.


    "Captain! The crystal is glowing!" Monti''s voice jolted Charles out of his thoughts. Charles turned around to see a faint purple glow emanating from the crystal.


    "Quick, send them over!" Charles instructed as he hurriedly walked toward Monti. He hadpletely put aside the ghost''s words.


    Regardless of what had happened, his current goal was to get through the fissure in the terrain overhead. To get up there, he had to make contact with the fanatics from the Divine Light Order.


    For a test, Monti took out a piece of white paper and carefully ced it above the crystal. The paper hovered over the crystal on its own ord. Then, he positioned his hands on either side of the crystal and rhythmically moved them.


    A tangible beam of purple line shot out from within the crystal. The moment it came into contact with the paper, the paper instantaneously turned into dust. The next moment, the dust swiftly retracted into the crystal and vanished without a trace.


    Monti emphatically nodded. "The transmission is sessful. That was the test paper. Now, we just need to wait for confirmation from my father''s end. After that, we can start sending the photos."


    Momentster, a cluster of dust congealed above the crystal before it rapidly formed a tangible paper ball. Monti grabbed the paper ball and unraveled it with hurried movement.


    Uponying their eyes on the item within, their gazes trembled.


    A severed finger was wrapped within the piece of paper. Right below the Divine Light Order''s triangr emblem on the top left corner of the paper was a line of text written in blood.


    <i>Where is the traitor Kord?</i>


    "This..." Monti''s voice trembled as he muttered, "This is my father''s finger."


    Upon seeing the white triangle emblem, a grim smile surfaced on Charles'' visage. Clearly, Kord''s doings were no longer a secret, and the Divine Light Order was already hot on their trail. That was better news for him, as it eliminated an intermediary step in rying the message.


    "Governor, this is my father''s finger," Monti reiterated with an indecipherable emotion in his eyes.


    "Quickly, send the photos over, quick!" Charles urged.


    Monti kept the finger away, and with his trembling hands, he selected a few photos from the ready-prepared stack and ced them on the crystal relic.


    However, the situation turned out differently this time. The moment the crystal''s light touched the photos, a sudden burst of mes incinerated the photos with a loud pop sound.


    "Did it fail? It''s okay, try again," Charles encouraged Monti.


    Monti forced himself to calm down and took a few photos in his hands. But before he could ce the photos on the crystal, another tightly wound paper ball was transmitted over.


    Charles hurriedly unraveled the ball to find a bloodied partial palm with a missing finger.


    <i>Captain Monti, tell your employer that it''s over. The Cardinal knows of his deceit. No matter where he tries to hide, he will be dragged back to the Divine Light Grand Cathedral to face final judgment!</i>


    "Continue," Charles instructed.


    Without uttering a word, Monti''s lips were pressed together in determination as he once again attempted to send the photos. They finally seeded this time. The light shot out from the crystal, and the photos vanished seamlessly.


    After the photos had been sessfully transmitted, the response from the other end seemed to have ceased. No more human fragments were being sent over.


    Their messages had ceased, but Charles had no intention to stop. He ordered Monti to send all of their photos.


    Charles paced anxiously on the ship''s deck. He knew that the news of the sun would be enticing for these zealots, but at this critical moment, doubt started to w at his heart. What if they didn''t believe him?


    The tension in the airsted for several minutes before it was shattered by a sudden flutter of paper that had been transmitted over.


    From the crooked script on the paper, Charles could clearly feel the writer''s turbulent emotions.


    <i>Esteemed Sacred Acolyte, your spirit''s radiance rivals that of the Sun God''s rays. Your valiant deed will be etched on the walls of the Divine Light Grand Cathedral. The news that you have found the Land of Light has been dispatched to the main ind at the fastest speed. We implore you to wait patiently!</i>


    As he read the message contents, a triumphant smile appeared on Charles'' countenance, and his eyes sparked with hope.


    <i>It worked.</i>

 Chapter 150. The Cavendish Family

    <h4>Chapter 150. The Cavendish Family</h4>


    <strong>Isle of Whereto.</strong>


    Governor Daniel was seated in his office as he examined the intelligence reportsid out on his desk.


    With a trace of perplexity in his eyes, he muttered, "What are these lunatics up to now?"


    It wasn''t just in Whereto. All Divine Light Order''s disciples based in the Northern Seas were stirring and makingrge movements. It seemed as though they were preparing for some major event.


    "Are they nning to wage a war against the Fhtagn Covenant again after so many years of peace? Damn it."


    The very possibility induced a headache in Daniel. If these two religious powers were to sh, the entire Northern region would be implicated. And his years of intricate nning would be disrupted as well.


    <i>Creak.</i>


    The door swung open, and a handsome young man entered the room. It was his son, Jack.


    "What have you been busy with?" Daniel inquired.


    "I told you," Jack repliedzily as he sank into the plush sofa by the side.


    "Are you nning on taking over those people from the Police Headquarters'' District 7 Team?"


    A sneer of disdain surfaced on Jack''s countenance. "No way. Father, it seems that you are unaware, but some of them think they can just smooch off the system and get paid for doing nothing just because their ancestors were the ind¡¯s pioneers I think they''ve probably never even touched a relic before. Whereto really needs a brand new District 7 team."


    Daniel''s face grew stern. "Indeed, it''s high time we move. District 7 ought to be restored to its former glory. I''ll pass a decreeter. There''s no room for negotiations. If anyone stands in the way, disregard their backing and deal with them!"


    Jack could tell that his father was truly serious this time. Their recent misstep had sullied their reputation. They had yed into the hands of a woman. And ever since that debacle, the Cavendish Family had been reduced to aughingstock among other governors.


    "Why did you call for me? If there''s nothing else, I''m heading back. I still have a mountain of matters to handle."


    Daniel''s expression returned to normal. Clearing his throat, his voice wasced with a tinge of embarrassment as he said, "Put those matters aside first. I called you over because I hope that you can talk to your sister about <i>that</i>."


    Jack''s eyes widened in surprise. "Why should I be the one to tell her about it?"


    "You are her brother."


    "So, your daughter is ignoring you, and you came to me, hoping that I will y the bad guy? Is that so, my dear father?" Jack replied.


    Daniel grabbed the bronze cannon sculpture from the side table and hurled it at Jack. "Cut the crap and go now!"


    With a soft resonance, Jack effortlessly caught the bronze sculpture, which weighed several kilograms, with one hand, "Father, you owe me big time for this."


    Exiting his father''s office, Jack strolled through the garden outside. He plucked a random flower from the bushes before heading toward his sister''s room.


    Before Margaret''s maidservant could announce his presence, Jack silenced her with a gesture. He then directly pushed the door open and entered the room.


    "Brother, what brings you here?" Visibly flustered by Jack''s sudden entrance, Margaret hastily shoved a stack of papers into a drawer before turning around to face her brother.


    "This is the most beautiful flower that I have found after searching through all of Whereto. Only a flower as beautiful as this is befitting to the princess of our Cavendish family," Jack said as he held up the flower.


    "Not again? You just picked this from the garden on your way here, didn''t you?" Margaret exposed him with a look of disdain.


    Jack then delicately tucked the flower behind Margaret''s ear. "<i>Ah,</i> my sister is surely smart. I came to talk. The son of Ebony Mist Ind''s governor will be visiting Whereto tomorrow. Would you want to meet him? I remember you two used to y really well together when you were kids."


    Margaret''s face twisted in frustration as she swiftly removed the flower. "Father sent you over, didn''t he? I already said many times I don''t want to see them!"


    Staring at the zing fury in his sister''s eyes, Jack rapidly sidestepped over and rested an arm on her shoulder in an attempt to pacify her. "Come on, don''t be mad at me. That old man forced me toe. I didn''t have a choice."


    "Get out now. I don''t wish to speak to you," Margaret said and turned her head to the other side, not wanting to cast another nce at her brother.


    "Don''t worry, baby sis, I''m actually on your side." With a yful grin on his face, Jack nudged her with his shoulder.


    "Really?"


    "Of course! Look, whatever little secret it was, I''ve already heard about it. Just some boy, right? Let me think of a way. Do you like him a lot?"


    "What are you even talking about?" Margaret''s face flushed a scarlet red instantly as she shyly looked down at the ground.


    "What''s there to be shy about? Tell me, do you want my help?"


    Margaret''s face grew redder with each passing second. Fiddling the hem of her skirt, she finally mustered a meek, "Yes..."


    Jack released his hold on her and began to pace around the room, seemingly engrossed in thoughts.


    After a few moments, he halted and said, "Okay, I''ve thought of a few ways. Have a thought on which is more suitable. Option one: have him marry into our family and help us to strengthen the Cavendishes'' influence and power. If you agree to this, I will help you to persuade Father."


    ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Margaret immediately shook her head and said, "Mr. Charles won¡¯t agree to it."


    Jack continued. "Option two: put him aside for now and wait for him to conquer an ind, then have hime to Whereto to ask for your hand in marriage."


    "How long would I have to wait¡ªand that''s so dangerous." Margaret''s face showed her evident disapproval of this proposition.


    "All right then. Option three: I''ll send someone to kidnap him, lock him up in a room and let you have your way with him. Once you''ve had your fill of him, you won''t like him as much as you do right now anymore," Jack said with a mischievous grin.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    In a fit of rage and embarrassment at Jack''s suggestionced with sexual insinuation, Margaret lifted a hefty book and swung it at Jack.


    "Get out! Now!"


    Jack chuckled and raised his hands defensively. "Don''t worry! As ady of the Cavendish family, you could sleep with a man or several men, and there''d still be a line eager to wed you."


    Books kept on flying toward Jack, but he chuckled and dodged them effortlessly while retreating toward the door.


    Seeing her brother standing at the doorway with a mischievous grin, Margaret huffed angrily and turned her back toward him before plopping down onto the ground. Tears welled up in her eyes.


    "Liar! You''re just toying with me!" Margaret''s voice quivered.


    Staring at his sister''s forlorn silhouette, Jack wiped off the smile on his face. Pulling a cigar out from his pocket, he ced it in his mouth and lit it with a lighter.


    "Don''t smoke in my room!"


    As the cigar''s end glowed a fiery red, a swirling haze of white smoke obscured Jack''s face.


    "Margaret," Jack began. "You''re already seventeen this year. It''s high time you grow up and realize that the world isn''t as wonderful as it seems. Father has been shielding you from all its darker sides. You have to think of him, too."


    Receiving no response, Jack pressed on. "Your wilfulnessst time cost us greatly. Do you have any idea how much losses we incurred when Father had to search every corner of the sea for you?


    ¡±Should the Cavendish name lose its prestige, that worthless Captain Charles of yours wouldn''t even spare you a second nce."


    Margaret wanted to retort that Charles was not the type that Jack portrayed him to be. However, she was slightly intimidated by the uncharacteristic sternness and iciness in her brother''s voice.


    "Baby sis, discard those unrealistic fantasies. Reflect on your role and responsibilities as a governor''s daughter. You have to help Father stay in his position as Governor; that¡¯s the only way you can retain your status as the pearl of Whereto.¡±


    By the time the lingering scent of the cigar had faded in the air, Margaret, with downcast brows, slowly turned around and realized that her brother had left her room.


    She walked toward the cab earlier and pulled out a piece of paper from one of its drawers. It was a vivid portrait of Charles that she had secretlymissioned an artist to draw.


    Gazing at his countenance, the corners of her lips drooped into a sad frown, and her demeanor was filled with sorrow as she muttered, "Why...Why, when I like someone¡ªwhy do all of you want to keep us apart..."

 Chapter 151. Shining And Shimmery

    <h4>Chapter 151. Shining And Shimmery</h4>


    Golden sunlight bathed Hope Ind. In a shed erected above a gentle rise, a topless Charles studied a detailed map of the ind in his hands.


    "This plot ofnd can be designated as a residential area, this section for the harbor district, and this fairly t terrain can be used for cultivation," Charles pondered as his hands added quick sketches on the map. "However, the ryegrass of this subterranean space will surely wither under such intense sunlight. We''ll need to find more suitable crops to cultivate."


    Drawing maps was of no challenge to Charles. Soon enough, he hadpleted the blueprint of the entire ind. While ind nning was typically a task for experts, unfortunately, theycked someone like that on the ind, so the responsibility was naturally thrust upon Charles.


    It had been a month since they had sent the photos out. With ample time on his hands, Charles started working on his duties as the governor of Hope Ind.


    However, his actions weren''t solely because of his new title. He had another intention. If he did find his family and the surface world was not habitable, then he would be able to bring them down to Hope Ind as a n B.


    With the structured map in his hands, Charles emerged from the shed.


    Surveying the expanse before him, the ind was peppered with makeshift shelters erected by the crew members. From an aerial view, the arrangement resembled a sprawling, chunky centipede nestled within the forest.


    On such a picturesque ind, the crew was no longer content to stay under the shelters. Many could be seen running around withrge leaves acting as makeshift sun umbres. They sampled an array of fruits found on the ind, and despite having been poisoned several times, they remained undeterred.


    Their adventurous spirits led them to explore every nook and cranny of the ind, and at the same time, they also gathered essential information for Charles.


    Hope Ind was vast, its area stretching slightly beyond Charles'' expectations. Measuring 63 kilometers in length and 42 kilometers in width, the ind''s shape resembled an irregrly shaped polygon.


    Forests and shrubs covered most of the terrain, and thend was predominantly t without any significant peaks. The most ideal construction site was the Foundation''s ruins. Charles nned to establish that area as the central ind district.


    Just as Charles was admiring his territory, he noticed the sailors chopping down trees once again in the far distance. His brows furrowed in disapproval, and he sprinted toward them.


    Arriving at the scene, he found a topless Dipp with an oversized leaf umbre overhead. The young man was enthusiastically shouting orders.


    "Stop! Did I not explicitly say no more logging?" Charles barked.


    Dipp turned with a grin stered on his face and said, "Captain, we n to build a governor''s office for you! The Waverazor''s carpenters are really amazing! We''ll definitely construct the most magnificent mansion in the entire world just for you!"


    "The mansion can wait. No more cutting down of trees. I''m not joking about it. This is an order," Charles stated firmly.


    Felling trees was simple, but renting them proved to be much more challenging. Charles didn''t want his ind to turn barren in such a short span of time.


    As Dipp trudged back dejectedly toward the makeshift shelter, Charles called out to him. He knew he had to find something productive for the restless young man to do to upy his time.


    "Dipp, gather a team and log every nt species on the ind. And make a detailed note on the edible ones."


    Trading coal was clearly not an option. Beyond its radiant sunlight, the true treasure of Hope Indy in its distinctive fruits. This could very well be the ind''s golden business opportunity.


    <i>"Sir, reporting to request an additional two hours of activity time," </i>Richard''s yful voice suddenly sounded in Charles'' head.


    <i>"What''s your purpose this time?"</i> Charles asked.


    <i>"I have to prepare gifts for our sister. We''ve been out for so long; we can''t possibly return empty-handed, right? We ought to bring back some local specialties," </i>Richard tried to justify himself.


    "So your trip to the shorest night was to gather these <i>local specialties </i>as well?" Charles retorted, and Richard fell silent instantly.


    Charles didn''t press on. He already knew what his other persona was thinking, and asking any more questions would be a waste of time. Both of them were bound to have a showdown someday, but that day wasn''t today.


    Just when Charles turned back and was about to return to the shed and add more details to his ind''s blueprint, a sudden cacophony of ship horns caught his attention.


    Not just one, but dozens of ship horns red in perfect unison. ording to themon code, that meant to be on the highest alert.


    <i>Why would the guarding ships sound the highest alert? </i>In an instant, the oppressive shadow of dread, Sottom, emerged in Charles'' mind.


    Moments ago, the crew members had been basking in joy. But now, they raced frenziedly under the shelter toward the coast.


    However, when they arrived at the sandy beach, they froze in their spots. What seemed like another sun was rising from the southern horizon.


    Snatching the telescope from a nearby sailor, Charles glimpsed into it and discerned the true identity of the <i>sun.</i>


    The colossal ship gleamed a shimmery gold and spanned a staggering four hundred meters. The dazzling beams of light bounced off the mirrors on the ship and pierced through the surrounding darkness.


    A surge of relief flooded Charles as he noticed the distinctive white triangle emblem on the ship''s hull. They weren''t pirates of Sottom but disciples of the Divine Light Order.


    Ships of various sizes surrounded the gigantic ship belonging to the Divine Light Order.


    The armada sailing toward Hope Ind was a spectacr sight. Charles felt as though he was witnessing a grand naval parade.


    If Charles was overwhelmed by the spectacle before him, those onboard the ships were even more so. Their reactions were simr to how Charles and his fleet had been when they first arrived. They either stood motionless in awe or continuously pped themselves to confirm their reality.


    As the fleet drew nearer and was close to running aground, Charles hurriedly gestured to the Narwhale to st the horn as a warning.


    Immediately resting, the shining and shimmery golden ship rapidly released smallnding boats, which darted toward the shore. Some impatient souls who couldn''t get onto the boats jumped overboard and swam frantically toward the beach.


    Witnessing their crazed behaviors from the beach, Charles gathered his men and shouted in urgency, "Stay out of the sunlight! It''s deadly! Walk under the shelter!"


    Even though Charles had reacted timely, a dozen or so individuals fell face-down onto the sand. Serene smiles graced their visages as though they had returned to their mother''s embrace.


    The multitude disembarking from the ship in batches soon crowded the makeshift shelter constructed by Charles and his men. They were in a state of fervent excitement as they scanned their surroundings while their voices merged into a continuous hum.


    The ovepping of voices made it hard for Charles to even single out someone for conversation.


    Just as Charles was on the verge of a headache from the surrounding din, an eagerly-looking man with a monocle and a neat mustache approached him.


    "Mr. Charles, I''m George, the branch manager of the Coral Archipgo Explorers Association. Please sign here, and your ownership of this ind will be registered with the Association."


    Taking the paper in his hand, Charles replied, "I don''t recall notifying the Association."


    He had noticed earlier that apart from the glimmering golden ship, the passengers from the other smaller ships were not disciples of the Divine Light Order. So, he couldn''t understand their unbridled excitement in rushing over.


    Clearly distracted by the wondrous nature around him, the bearded man responded absentmindedly, "We''ve coborated with the Divine Light Order in the past. When they told us that they had found the Land of Light, we found it ridiculous. Yet here it is; it really exists."

 Chapter 152. Those Who Went Up

    <h4>Chapter 152. Those Who Went Up</h4>


    Charles tapped George on the chest with the signed document. "Hey, stop looking around. I''m done filling it up. There''s nothing else, right?"


    George blinked as if waking up from a dream and hurriedly epted the pieces of paper.


    "My apologies. This ind is just so beautiful and mesmerizing. By the way, Governor Charles, as per your previous agreement with the Association, you''ll need to allocate a parcel ofnd for our new branch building here. Of course, we''ll pay the necessary taxes."


    Charles spoke a few perfunctory words and dismissed it. It was just a trivial matter to him. The more important task at hand was to find the head of the Divine Light Order.


    He had hardly taken two steps when a shout pervaded the air, "The Governor is here!"


    A throng of people surged forward and surrounded Charles.


    "Sir, do you need an ountant? I''ve been in this field for many years and have much experience. I''ve absolutely no problem when ites to calcting figures.


    "Sir, do you need an ind nner? I graduated from Albion Isles'' Maus Design Academy."


    "Sir, I belong to the District 7 police team on the Isle of Whereto. I have rich experience in solving all kinds of cases. The moment I heard that you¡¯ve found an ind, I immediately resigned toe and assist you."


    Their faces gleamed with hope and desperation as they scrambled to catch Charles'' attention.


    A hint of annoyance crossed Charles'' gaze as he stared at the crowd before him. <i>I understand it was the Association, but how do these people even get wind of this? Are the disciples of the Divine Light Order all bbermouths?</i>


    As the crowd before him swelled in numbers, Charles'' eyes hurriedly looked around and found Bandages, who was standing silently in the corner. He pointed at the bandaged silhouette and announced, "For all matters concerning the ind, look for him. He''s in charge of personnel."


    The eager mass instantly diverted their attention and swarmed toward Bandages, who was seemingly frozen from having received the sudden assignment.


    Charles'' gaze shifted back to the assembly. Each of them had a distinctive white triangle on their foreheads. He felt a budding headache hitting him. They remained in a state of bewilderment, and their faces disyed sheer tion or were streaming with tears.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    The bullets tore through the roof and left a few holes in their trails. With everyone''s attention drawn onto him, Charles spoke, "I''m Charles, Governor of this ind. Who is your leader?"


    Amidst the briefmotion, a regal figure with silvery-white hair and d in a golden silk robe emerged from the crowd. His face still bore traces of his uncontained excitement.


    "Where is Kord?" the elderly man asked.


    "Kord has died. He died under the divine light of your Light God."


    To Charles'' surprise, the elderly man before him exhibited not even a hint of sorrow. A gratified smile filled his lips. He formed a triangle with his index fingers and thumbs, and ced it against the white triangle on his forehead. The other disciples followed suit, and prayers filled the space.


    A few minutester, the elderly man ced his hands down and approached Charles. "I''m Cardinal Bishop Hunn of the Albion Isles. Are you the captain who discovered the Land of Light alongside Kord?"


    Charles didn''t get them over to exchange pleasantries. Jumping straight to the topic at hand, he pointed at the shelter overhead and said, "You''ve seen the photos, haven''t you? Have the Order figured out a way to get up?"


    Hunn nodded in response and muttered a few words to the attendant behind him. Shortly after, a petite elderly woman, measuring only 1.4 meters tall, glided gracefully toward them while hovering inches above the ground.


    Charles shook his head. "She won''t make it even if she can fly. The sunlight can easily take her life."


    Stroking his beard, Hunn shed a confident smile. "Don''t worry, Governor Charles. The Order possesses an array of equipment for ind exploration. This time, we''ve brought everything for the Land of Light."


    Swiftly, the elderly woman donned a cktex suit that resembled a raincoat. She then put on the two thick, dark lenses that were positioned around her head.


    With the lenses shielding her eyes, the woman ventured into the sunlight. Wandering around for several minutes in her peculiar attire, she showed no signs of distress; the suit was effective.


    "Remember. Upon arriving at the Land of Light and standing before the Almighty Lord, bow in deep reverence and pray. Plead for His mercy upon us lostmbs and beseech Him to lift the punishment from His divine radiance.


    ¡±We, as sinners, should stand ready to face judgment in His holy kingdom," Hunn instructed the woman in a solemn voice.


    Charles raised an eyebrow in doubt. He highly doubted that the zing orb up there could provide the woman with any response. He stepped forward and advised, "When you get up there, observe thendscape around you. See if it''s a vast iceyer, and look out for any creatures. Remember their features and report everything when you return."


    The elderly woman nodded and floated away from the shelter. Under the watchful gazes of everyone, she floated toward the fissure in the terrain overhead.


    Standing under the sunlight, Charles watched as the woman drew closer and closer to the crack and gradually merged into it. He couldn''t discern any further details due to the elevation and the light''s brilliance.


    "Governor Charles, how are you able to stand under the divine light and remain unharmed? Do you possess a special relic?" Hunn asked as his eyes stared at Charles with a hint of surprise.


    Charles remained silent. Wiping the tears that resulted from the bright sun ray''s sting, he retreated into the shelter.


    He was not in the mood to offer any exnation. His heart was beating with palpable anticipation and excitement at the prospect of finally being able to unveil the events on the surface world.


    Whether the Earth had stopped spinning or some other catastrophe, it would all be revealed soon.


    Word about the exploration of the Land of Light rapidly spread like wildfire across Hope Ind. The people buzzed with excitement and spections about what might lie beyond the rift.


    <i>Tick tock, tick tock.</i>


    As the second needle on Charles'' pocket watch ticked away, the murmurs of conversations began to wane before they eventually died down, and a building tension enveloped them all.


    A few hours passed by, and the elderly woman was still nowhere to be seen. It was as though the sunlight had absorbed herpletely.


    A look of distress clouded Hunn''s features. He gathered several other disciples, and an impassioned discussion ignited among them. Their attires suggested that they likely held high positions within the Order as well.


    Looking at the grilled fish and coconuts that his crew had presented to him, Charles found himself without an appetite. With brows furrowed, he emerged from the shelter once more and squinted as he looked up at the rift above.


    <i>What''s happening up there?</i>


    Another three hours psed. Still seeing no signs of the elderly woman, Hunn devised another n. This time, he chose two young men, each had a fishing line tethered to their waists.


    "Watch over each other. No matter how enticing the world above might be, you must return with news! All our brethren await your information. You cannot merely indulge yourselves," Hunn implored in a severe tone as his eyes locked onto the pair.


    "Do you have any offensive relics? Equip them with something. Perhaps there might be dangers lurking above," Charles cautioned.


    "What dangers could there be in the Lord''s domain?" However, his actions belied his words. He handed a bracelet and a squirming clump of brown muck to the pair.


    As the two young men began their ascent, the almost transparent fishing line attached to them was also slowly lifted up. Everyone waited with bated breath, and palpable tension filled the air.


    Just seconds after the pair had disappeared into the sunlight, the fishing line halted its ascend and then jerked violently. Onlookers erupted into gasps of shock at the sight before them.


    Charles dashed forward and grabbed the line, trying to gauge the force exerted from above. At this point, the line was taut, as though something on the other end was trying to pull the youths upward.


    However, the situation didn''tst for long. Soon, the line ckened and plummeted down at full speed.


    When the leading end of the line became visible to the crowd, it was no longer transparent but now entirely stained with a chilling, crimson hue.

 Chapter 153. Airship

    <h4>Chapter 153. Airship</h4>


    Everyone widened their eyes in shock at the sight of the haunting shade of red on the fishing line.


    Earlier, they could console themself with the thought that there might be other exnations for the elderly woman''s disappearance. However, the blood-stained fishing line was irrefutable evidence that shattered theirforting illusions.


    It was clearly dangerous¡ªno, deadly¡ªup there, beyond the rift.


    Picking up the fishing line, Charles turned to Hunn and inquired, "How strong are those two youngds?"


    "Level 2. Level 3 with those relics."


    Charles reyed the earlier scene of the fishing line in his mind. In a mere two seconds, it jerked, snapped taut, and then abruptly went ck. This suggested that thebat power of whatever was lurking on the other end far surpassed that of the two young men.


    They were overpowered so swiftly that they couldn¡¯t even retaliate.


    As Charles'' brows knitted together in frustration, the Divine Light Order disciples around him were seized by mounting panic. Their once unshakeable faith was beginning to crumble.


    "Has our Light God abandoned us?"


    "No wonder the legends speak of the divine light''s warmth being lethal. Our Light God has forsaken us! He forbids us from entering His Kingdom!"


    "My Lord, are we not worthy to live in Your holy kingdom?"


    As doubts and usations swelled in a morous din, an abrupt thunderous roar silenced all voices in its wake.


    "Enough!"


    It was Cardinal Bishop Hunn''s voice. Gone was his aged demeanor, reced by a raging aura so palpable that his silvery white bread and hair seemed to tremble in the air.


    Taking the staff handed over by his attendant, he surveyed the gathered believers before him.


    "We''ve finally found the Land of Light after searching for so many years," Hunn''s voice boomed loud with authority. "Are we going to give up just because of a minor setback?"


    Cardinal Bishop Hunn''smanding presence was undeniable as it immediately quelled the pervasive panic within the disciples.


    "Brethren! Where is your unwavering faith in our Light God? What have you been praying for all this time? Even if our Lord denies us, as true believers, we must do everything in our power to stand before Him and beg for His forgiveness!"


    Noticing the unwavering resolve in Hunn''s eyes, Charles couldn''t help but wonder how they would respond when they trulyy their eyes on the sun.


    <i>Perhaps the firmer their resolve now, the greater their despairter?</i>


    <i> </i>


    Seeing that the crowd had been pacified, Charles approached Hunn. "I think sending more people up would be futile, too. Do you have any other ns?"


    Hunn stroked his silvery white beard and replied with an air of confidence, "Governor Charles, fret not. A minor challenge like this is not a problem to worry about. Holy warriors, bring forth the Sky Battler."


    A group of towering, burly individuals emerged from the crowd and sprinted toward the glimmering golden colossal ship anchored to the shore.


    Soon enough, Charles saw the true identity of the Sky Battler. It was a vessel about the size of S.S. Mouse, spanning about thirty meters in length. Though its appearance resembled a cargo ship, it was evidently light enough such that a hundred men could easily carry it ashore.


    Having built the makeshift shelter with much time and effort, the entrance of the Sky Battler had crushed them all under its immense weight.


    Charles held his tongue as he stared at the vessel ced before him. He knew that Hunn wouldn''t bring a normal cargo ship onto the ind for no reason.


    The next moment, arge mass of white leather that resembled a deted balloon was thrown from the ship''s deck. Several Divine Light Order disciples approached the white bundle.


    They hastily swallowed something before they hurriedly made a small incision in the leather and then profusely vomited into it.


    The sharp tang of stomach acids permeated the air. However, as the balloon began to inte, Charles recognized their n: The Sky Battler was an airship.


    As the airship began to wobble and levitate off the ground, Hunn rapidly selected a group of over twenty individuals to board. While their heights and genders varied, each one of them sported a white triangle on their forehead. A formidable-looking woman was appointed the leader of the group.


    Charles intuitively sensed that the assembled group possessed significantbat strength.


    Wielding his staff, Hunn touched it against the white triangle on each of their foreheads. "Remember, my brethren," Hunn said. "The information from above is more valuable than your own life. Even if you perish, you have to bring news back down."


    "Understood, Your Eminence!" They chorused and bowed with a hand ced on their forehead.


    Under the silent gazes of thousands, they donned the ck leather suits and formed an orderly line to board the Sky Battler.


    Just as the followers on the ground were preparing to cut the ropes that kept the airship from ascending, Charles suddenly raised a hand to stop them.


    "Wait. I''m going with you guys this time."


    Charles'' sudden deration left everyone stunned as they wondered if he had gone crazy. He clearly knew how dangerous it was up there, yet he still chose to face them.


    The Narwhale''s crew members were the first to voice their objections.


    "Mr. Charles, you can''t go. It''s too dangerous up there."


    "Captain, why not I go in your stead? What will be of this ind if something happens to you?"


    Anxiety crossed the faces of everyone. They really didn''t want Charles to risk his life. Only Laesto remained silent, for he knew that no amount of persuasion would change Charles'' mind.


    "First Mate, Second Mate, take care of things down here and wait for my return," Charles instructed before he took a running leap, kicked against the ship''s hull, and propelled himself onto the Sky Battler.


    Charles felt an intrinsic need to personally witness whaty beyond the rift.


    The agony of waiting on the ground for news was too much to bear. He also believed that his modern knowledge would be invaluable, whether the danger presented itself in the form of the Foundation''s defense measures or as any terrestrial threats.


    Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the airship gradually ascended and floated toward the blinding bright light shining through the rift. As their altitude increased, the sunlight grew ever more intense. Even though Charles came prepared with his sunsses, he still found the light piercing.


    However, the piercing light wasn''t an issue. The critical concern in Charles'' mind was the rising temperature.


    If the temperature on Hope Ind was moderate at about 25¡ãC, it was now quickly climbing toward 40¡ãC.


    Beads of sweat started to pool on Charles'' forehead before trickling down his face. A gnawing anxiety twisted in his guts.


    It was already this hot down here, so how high would the temperature be above the earth''s surface?


    Any fantasies Charles harbored about prndscapes bathed in the perpetual glow of the midnight sun were ruthlessly shattered by this point. It was impossible that the Arctic or Antarctica could radiate such intense heat. Clearly, some cmity had befallen the surface world.


    When the airship was just mere dozens of meters away from the fissure, something in the distance caught Charles'' attention.


    He squinted to get a better look, only to discern that it was half a corpse of the elderly woman gruesomely embedded into the dome''s rocky terrain.


    Her cktex suit was torn to shred, and her body was mangled like a discarded rag doll.


    Charles wasn''t the only one who saw it. The other Divine Light Order followers on the deck caught sight of it as well. Their grips on their weapons and relics tightened in preparation.


    Just as the airship was about to prate through the crack, a shadowy figure shot out from the side. The next moment, the airship jerked violently as the unmistakable sound of escaping air hissed from above.

 Chapter 154. Mantises

    <h4>Chapter 154. Mantises</h4>


    As the hissing of the escaped air continued to sound overhead, the airship swayed precariously, teetering on the edge of plummeting downward.


    "Quick! Get up there and repair the airbag! We¡¯ll fail our mission if it fails!" The leader instructed, her voice piercing through the chaos. At hermand, five members on the deck swiftly took flight toward the air balloon.


    It didn''t take long before the hissing sound ceased.


    While they had narrowly escaped the immediate threat of plummeting to their deaths, Charles knew the crisis was far from over.


    Clutching the ropes anchoring the vessel to the air balloon, he perched on the ship''s edge and daringly leaned out to survey the surroundings. The blinding light pollution painted everything around him in a stark, bleached white. He couldn''t even pinpoint where their earlier assant had struck from.


    "Damn it. What in the hell was that?" Every muscle in Charles'' body tensed up in preparation for the impending battle.


    Suddenly, a dark shadow fleeted overhead. Before Charles could even react, the bloodied half-corpse of a disciple plummeted past him and continued its grim descent toward the ground.


    By the time Charles had scaled the rope and climbed atop the balloon, the enemy had vanished, and only four disciples remained.


    Wiping the sweat off his brow, Charles cast a questioning nce at the remaining disciples, "Did any of you catch a clear look of that thing?"


    "It''s huge... like an insect."


    Before Charles could pose another question, the Sky Battler lurched violently. The creature had moved downward.


    Charles gracefully leaped off the balloon.


    As gears whirled, a grappling hook shot out from his prosthetic limb and secured itself into the ship''s deck. Using the chain''s momentum, he swung beneath the airship. There, he finally came face to face with their monstrous assant, which was hanging upside down from the hull''s underbelly.


    The mammoth creature measured six meters in length, and it bore a striking resemnce to a mantis. Sharp barbs covered its body, and its swollen abdomen and scythe-like forelimbs mimicked that of a mantis. However, instead of a head, a peculiar bud-like structure took its ce.


    Despite seemingly having no eyes, the creature could sense Charles'' presence. Reacting at an rming speed, it charged at Charles.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Gunshots rang out incessantly, and purplish blood spurted out of the round wounds on its body. However, the creature seemed undeterred and continued moving.


    Suddenly, its bud-like head unfurled to reveal not a mouthpart but a shapeless mass of grayish-white, slimy pustules.


    The chain swiftly retracted, and Charles vaulted upward, narrowly avoiding the creature''s pustules.


    <i>nk!</i>


    The creature''s razor-sharp forelimb descended with a downward sh. It effortlessly sliced through the chain connected to the deck and then continued its trajectory toward Charles.


    Everything happened so fast that before Charles could even blink, the gleaming scythe was already rmingly close to his face.


    At the critical moment, Charles moved his right finger slightly to trigger the Tentacle Ring. A translucent tentacle shot out and reached for the de.


    Hearing a phantom <i>snap</i> in his head, Charles could also feel the same phantom pain of a severed finger from his hand.


    The invisible tentacle was cut down quite easily, but its brief resistance offered Charles a split second to reposition himself, and the de only managed to take away a small lock of hair from Charles'' fringe.


    As soon as its attack ended, Charlesunched a counterattack. He clutched the blunt side of the scythe and swung it downward with his weight. Just when the de neared the creature''s bulging abdomen, Charles pushed off against the scythe and propelled himself toward the monster''s belly.


    He mmed his left palm on the insect shell, and the sharp spines immediately pierced his hand, anchoring him in ce. Using this agonizing grip as leverage, Charles swiftly whipped out the Lightning Rod with his right hand and thrust it toward the creature''s underbelly.


    <i>Bzzzttttt!</i>


    The tip sparked, and electric arcs danced over the monstrosity. Charles wasn''t spared either, as wisps of white smoke emitted from both him and the creature.


    Overwhelmed by the immense electrical attack, the creature sumbed to its injuries. The insectile legs released their grip on the ship, and both the creature and Charles tumbled toward the inky dark sea below.


    Of course, Charles had no intention of perishing alongside the monstrous insect. The creature was fighting alone, but Charles had allies.


    The disciples on the Sky Battler descended rapidly. They caught Charles in mid-air and soared back toward the airship.


    Upon returning to the deck, the lingering aftermath of the earlier battle engulfed him. He recognized what a close call it had been, and a single wrong move would have him cleaved into two halves.


    "Well, it didn''t end too badly. No matter where that thing came from, at least it has been taken care of," Charles mused as he staggered to his feet and looked around at the group.


    To his left, a male disciple fared much worse than him. His left leg was bubbling grotesquely and rapidly decaying while violent spasms coursed through his body.


    Charles surmised that the man had probablye in contact with the monster''s strange appendage.


    Watching the decay spread to the man''s chest, Charles turned to the disciple attending to the injured and whispered, "Don''t prolong his suffering. Shall you do it, or shall I?"


    As the disciple turned his head away from the injured, Charles aimed his revolver at the injured man''s head and ended his agony.


    He then took a quick headcount and realized that their group had also suffered a significant loss in the battle. Three disciples had perished, and two were incapacitated.


    "I hope the path ahead will be smoother, or we won''t have enough lives to sacrifice."


    The disciples soon gathered their emotions and rapidly attended to their fallenrades. The Sky Battler then continued its ascent into the rift.


    The moment they entered the crevice, the luminance overhead radiated with a stronger intensity.


    Under the bright illumination, Charles noticed that the surrounding rock walls weren''t smooth. They were dotted with craters and crevices intermingled with some underground constructions and tunnels. The design reminded Charles of modern-day underground car parks and train tunnels.


    After observing for a short while, Charles decided not to look anymore and shut his eyes. The overwhelming brightness stung. Even with his eyelids closed, a searing red obscured his vision.


    As Charles gently massaged his eyes to alleviate the difort, a voice sounded out nearby.


    "Priest, what is that?"


    Charles'' eyes snapped open upon hearing the question and turned toward where the voice indicated.


    A massive white flower, spanning more than thirty meters, was adhered to the wall. Its luminescence throbbed rhythmically, alternating between dim and bright.


    The priest shook his head, "I''m not too sure. Perhaps in the Land of Light, all flowers look like this."


    As the airship continued its ascent, the walls surrounding them spotted more and more giant flowers.


    "Are my eyes seeing things? Why does it seem like those things are moving?"


    Charles shook his head. "No, those things <i>are </i>moving."


    Scrutinizing the flowers that flickered, Charles was struck with a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. He found them so familiar and felt like he had encountered them before.


    As he sifted through the memories of his past adventures, his pupils suddenly shrank sharply upon realization. He recalled this rhythmic twinkling.


    These were not flowers! There were living creatures! They were the <i>stars</i> living on the underside of the rocky terrain overhead!


    At the same time, the vast petals around them were swiftly enveloped by cyan, spiky insect shells. The monstrous creature rapidly turned around to reveal their previously hidden menacing scythe-like forelimbs and peculiar bud-like heads.


    Just as Charles braced himself for the iing assault, the mantises fluttered their transparent wings in unison. The various rhythms of their wingbeats intermingled and melded into a chilling message in thenguage of the Subterranean Seascape.


    "Surface dwellers, leave! Your presence above will only bring cmity!"

 Chapter 155. Descent

    <h4>Chapter 155. Descent</h4>


    Wiping his sweaty palms on his shirt, Charles'' mind raced.


    <i>A cmity? What cmity can there be on the Earth''s surface? Unless mankind caused this intense heat?</i>


    "Surface dwellers, leave! Your presence above will only bring cmity!"


    The gigantic mantises fluttered their wings and reiterated the same warning.


    Surveying the area and noting that the six-meter-long monstrous mantises had them surrounded, Charles knew that their immediate priority was to avoid provoking them.


    He contemted his words before posing the question, "Who are you? Why won''t you let us go up?"


    Since these creatures couldmunicate, Charles thought that perhaps he could coax some intelligence out of them. However, the mantises disyed no intention to converse. Their wings fluttered more rapidly and at an increased volume.


    "Surface dwellers, descend immediately! The past cmity was caused by your kind! The pact has ended! We''ll never believe another word from your kind. Ever!" Each and every one of the mantises unsheathed their scythes.


    "What cmity are you talking about? What happened on the surface?! I don''t know which human youst contacted, but I''m not with them!" Charles roared, his voiceced with clear desperation.


    The buzzing of wings ceased instantly. The mantises gathered into a circle and resembled statues suspended on the cliff. Time seemed to have frozen at that moment as both humans and the monsters remained still.


    Just then, Charles felt the sunlight overhead further intensifying. Grabbing the rope with both hands, he swiftly ascended onto the balloon like a nimble monkey.


    He stood still and looked upward with squinted eyes. Roughly three hundred meters away, a hint of blue with a corner obscured by the sun''s silver brilliance entered his vision.


    It was the surface world¡ªwhere he originally belonged.


    At the same moment, the mantises spread out their terrifying wings with a resonating buzz and menacingly lunged at Charles and his party.


    Their sharp, scythe-like forelimbs pierced into the air balloon like slicing through tofu. As the sounds of tearing leather and cracked wood echoed incessantly in the air, the Sky Battler was soon torn apart. Some of its crew suffered the same fate in the process.


    However, for some unknown reason, the mantises didn''t target Charles. They clung to the surrounding cliffs and aimed their bud-shaped heads at Charles as he plummeted.


    Charles rapidly twisted in mid-air. He was waiting for the Divine Light Order disciples to save him. However, he had made a miscalction this time. The other survivors of the Sky Battler didn''t fall with him. With unwavering determination, they flew toward the perilous tunnel.


    "We mustplete the mission entrusted by His Eminence! Long live the Sun God!"


    From Charles'' perspective, their current actions were akin to moths hurling themselves toward the fire.


    As he fell out of the crevice, he looked toward the blinding light and saw a massive swarm of mantises descending upon the disciples.


    At this point, Charles didn''t have the luxury of time to worry about others; he was in free fall. From his altitude, even if hended in the waters, it was no different from crashing into concrete.


    Charles'' hair rustled violently due to the forceful wind that howled past him. His mind raced in desperation for a way to save himself.


    As the vast sea beneath him rapidly magnified, Charles took out the Bat Mirror and swiped his bloodied right hand over the ss surface.


    A grotesque bat creature rapidly unfurled its wings and pped with a fierce intensity to decelerate its rapid descent. Just when Charles was twenty meters away from the sea''s surface, his descent was sessfully halted.


    Yet in the next moment, without warning, he was consumed by a sudden burst of red mes. The intense pain felt as though countless needles pierced every inch of his body.


    Sunlight was the nemesis of vampires. A few seconds was all it needed for Charles to meet his end, not from a fatal fall but from a burning fire.


    In his panic, Charles retracted his wings. Turning back into his human form, he plummeted directly into the icy cold waters.


    Witnessing something falling from the rift above into the sea, distress gripped the heart of every individual on Hope Ind. Those proficient in swimming immediately dashed toward the waters to save the fallen.


    Soon, Feuerbach returned, supporting a barely conscious Charles into the shelter.


    Leading a group of disciples, Hunn was the first to approach Charles. With evident nervousness underlying his voice, he asked, "What happened up there? Did you see the Light God?"


    With his skin charred into an unnatural shade of ck, Charles waved a hand feebly. "No. We were attacked by the creatures that dwell at the top of the cavern. They are blocking us from going up."


    "What do they look like? Were there many?" Hunn continued with his questions.


    However, any hope for a response vanished as Charles'' head drooped to the side, and he sank into unconsciousness.


    After an unknown period of time, Charles finally stirred and regained consciousness. He found himself lying on a pristine wide bed, and his body wrapped in thickyers of white bandages.


    Even the slightest movement sent a ripple of pain coursing through his entire self.


    "Don''t move," Laesto''s gruff voice sounded from Charles'' left.


    Mustering all the strength he could, Charles strained himself to turn his neck toward the voice and saw Laesto mixing some concoction. His gaze thennded on Bandages, who was seated at the side.


    "Didn''t I tell you not to move?" Laesto reached out to grab Charles'' head and repositioned it such that thetter faced the ceiling once more.


    "How long have I been out?"


    "Seven days. Or maybe eight. You sustained severe injuries this time. Arge portion of your skin has been burned.


    Charles let out a weak chuckle. "That bad, huh? I guess I''ll be sporting a few more scars then."


    Hearing Charles'' rather rxed tone, a hint of confusion crossed Laesto''s hideous visage. "For someone who suffered such serious injuries, you seem to be in a good mood."


    The corners of Charles'' lips slightly lifted as he recalled the alluring hue of azure blue he had glimpsed. For the first time in nine years, he saw the outside world. He couldn''t discern it clearly because of the blinding light, but it was so breathtakingly beautiful.


    "As long as I survived. It was worth it."


    A scornful scowl appeared on Laesto''s face. "Sure. Continue your ways. One fine day, you won''t make it back, and then, I can finally alight from this damn ship."


    Charles had no time for idle chatter.


    He needed to immediately share what he had learned of the rift with the Divine Light Order disciples. Since those mantises were merely living creatures, dealing with them became much easier. They only needed to find a way to dispose of them to clear the path heading toward the surface world.


    "Doctor, call Hunn over. I need to speak to him."


    "Shush. You''re in no state to meet anyone. Rest up first."


    With that, Laesto then plunged a syringe containing a ck liquid into Charles'' arm. Before Charles could even retort, his eyelids drooped, and he fell back into a slumber.


    Laesto hobbled out of the ward. At the door, a Divine Light Order disciple, who had been waiting for a long while, stood up immediately.


    "Has Governor Charlese around?" the disciple asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.


    "Why the rush! He''s still out!" Laesto roughly pushed him aside and walked away.


    Exiting the cramped corridor, Laesto stood on the Narwhale''s deck. Gazing at the distant Hope Ind bathed in bright sunlight, he took a swig from his tin sk.


    "Why... didn''t you... tell them... that... Captain has...e around?"


    Laesto''s eyes remained fixated on the ind despite hearing the slow voice from behind him.


    "Let him rest. Right now, the sick bed is the only thing that can make him stay still," Laesto answered before taking another gulp of alcohol.

 Chapter 156. The Pope

    <h4>Chapter 156. The Pope</h4>


    Wrapped up in bandages like a mummy, Charles could only lie still on the bed and stare at the pristine white ceiling over him.


    To others, he would look like he was daydreaming, but his mind was reying the brief conversation he had with the mantises. He was trying to make sense of them.


    Those creatures had only uttered a few words, but the implication behind them was gravely significant. They had mentioned a cmity caused by mankind. Judging from the insects'' current situation, it seemed like they had also been victims of the same disaster.


    Secondly, their second sentence revealed that they had interacted with a group of humans before and entered some sort of pact with them. It was highly likely that the group of humans were the representatives of the Foundation.


    However, what perplexed Charles the most was the first issue. If a major catastrophe had befallen humans, why had there been no records of it in the history of the Subterranean Seascape?


    When he had just arrived in this space, he had scoured the seascape''s history for clues to the exit. Before the advent of steam turbines, there were only records of inds sinking or sovereign disputes. There was no mention of any disaster or how humans came to be in this underground realm.


    <i>Could it be some major catastrophe on the surface world? But how would a surface disaster affect the mantises that live in the subterranean space?</i>


    Just as Charles wrestled with his own puzzlement, the door was pushed open. Two men entered the room. Laesto had a stern expression on his face, while Hunn looked visibly excited.


    "Governor Charles, all praises to the Light God that you are awake. We feared that you might nevere around," Hunn said.


    Charles cast a nce at Laesto, and his eyes transmitted the message. "Haven''t I woken up a long time ago?"


    "Quick, tell me. What are those creatures that live at the top of the cavern? Did you see what the Land of Light looked like?" Hunn pressed on.


    Adjusting the bandages on his itchy left shoulder, Charles propped himself up on the bed and recounted everything he had seen.


    "The bugs... there were many of them... based on what I saw, there were at least several hundred. The rift leading to the Land of Light seemed to be theirir. If we want to reach the Land of Light, we would have to get rid of them. How many of those Sky Battlers do you have at the moment?¡±


    "We still have two of them on the Resurrection. But we¡¯ve run out of the protective suits that can resist the divine light. Those were intended for underwater use, so we didn''t prepare too many of them," Hunn responded.


    Charles shook his head. "Even if we have the suits, two ships would be far from enough. They are far too powerful. We need far greaterbat power to fight against them."


    "<i>Hmmm...</i>" Hunn lowered his head and pondered for several moments before he finally lifted his gaze to meet Charles''. "Please wait. I can''t make this decision on my own. I would need to consult His Holiness the Pope."


    With that, Hunn stood up and exited the room. The earlier excitement on his face had been erased without a trace and reced with a knitted brow.


    Several hundred six-meter-long monsters... If they had been on the ind, their existing forces would be enough to easily take them out. However, those creatures were battling in their home ground, where the deadly divine light shone, which made the issue much trickier and more challenging to tackle.


    As for the cmity the mantises spoke of, Charles chose not to mention it to Hunn. He had sought the Divine Light Order here for one purpose, which was to help him return to the surface world. If he abruptly mentioned other matters, it might cause unnecessary distraction.


    Things should be settled one after the other. Charles'' goal had remained singr and unwavering¡ªto return to the surface. He would only consider his next move upon reaching the surface world.


    "I feel like I''m nearly back to normal now. Can I move about now?" Charles asked shamelessly despite being wrapped head to toe in gauze.


    Laesto let out a snort and responded, "You suffered from severe burns and want to move around so soon? You may try if you have the courage to." He took a swig from his tin sk and leaned nonchntly against the wall as he awaited Charles'' next movement.


    As Charles shifted, he felt a stinging sensation as though thousands of tiny needles were pricking him. Casting a side nce at Laesto, Charles began to unravel the bandages on him. Upon reaching thestyer, he realized that the gauze had fused with the blood scab on his skin.


    <i>Rippppp!</i>


    With a swift yank of the bandages, an excruciating pain coursed through Charles, and he jolted in response. Gritting his teeth, Charles continued peeling the bloodied bandages.


    "Enough! You can endure the pain, but watching you is distressing for me." Laesto approached Charles with a look of disdain and swiftly wrapped up the freshly exposed wounds once again. "Hold onto that ck de of yours that can elerate healing. Keep the bandages on for five days. After that, you can perhaps take a few steps."


    Just as Laesto finished securing the bandages on Charles'' arm, Hunn pushed the door open and entered the room once more. "Governor Charles, His Holiness would like to meet you."


    "Now? How?"


    Charles'' bed was hoisted by several burly men and ced on a wooden boat. The boat then swiftly glided toward the massive vessel shimmering with golden hues by the side.


    Soon, Charles found himself in avishly decorated room and met the so-called <i>Pope.</i> Standing at three meters, the towering statue resembled an elderly man.


    The statue''s empty hands stretched up with its palms facing upward. The only piece of clothing on it was the stony kilt tied around its waist.


    As tiny bits of debris fell off the statue, it pivoted, and its pupil-less eyes stared at Charles, who was lying on the bed. It emitted a hollow and hazy voice that sounded like a distant echo.


    "Hello, young man. I''ve heard of your story and your deeds in service to the Light God. Your actions shall receive their due reward."


    "Why do you wish to see me? I''ve already told Hunn everything that needs to be said," Charles responded.


    The statue let out a chuckle before it requested, "Please repeat what you said to me, Governor of Hope Ind."


    Charles stared in bafflement at the statue before him.


    <i>What the hell is the Divine Light Order up to?</i>


    Despite his confusion, Charles reiterated everything about the cavern and the insects to the statue once again.


    The statue went silent for a brief moment before it spoke, "I''m not sure what you are hiding, but it¡¯s clear that you haven''t lied about a single thing."


    Charles felt an invisible hand gripping his heart.


    <i>This thing can detect lies? No! Not only can it detect lies, but it seems that it knows that I have concealed some of the mantises'' words!</i>


    As though it had read the tumultuous whirlwind of doubt in Charles, the statue chuckled and said, "Please forgive us. This matter is of great importance to our Order. We have to be cautious."


    Charles'' features contorted with unease. He found it deeply unsettling for his thoughts to beid bare and scrutinized so intrusively.


    "Since you have verified the authenticity of my words, what is the Divine Light Order¡¯s decision? From what I''ve seen, those creatures live in groups. If we don''t act promptly, no one can assure that they won''t multiply further."


    "Young man, have you forgotten my words? Don''t try to intimidate me with false intelligence. I can see through deceit. Don''t worry, Hunn has merely bought the vanguard forces over.


    ¡±Soon, I will redeploy the entirety of our Northern Sea forces to set sail for Hope Ind so that we can get to the Land of Light in the shortest time possible."


    As Charles was carried out of the room, Hunn prostrated before the statue; his forehead, marked with a white triangle, was stered to the ground.


    "<i>Hmmm. </i>Hunn, I see many unfamiliar sights and wonderful scenery on the young man. He doesn''t seem to be from our world."


    Hunn lifted his head to look at the statue. "Then, Your Holiness, our n¡ª"


    "Proceed as intended. We have to go to His holy kingdom. As the emissary of the Light God in this mortal realm, I can sense our Lord''s immense anguish. We have to render assistance."


    "As you wish, Your Holiness."

 Chapter 157. Islands Personnel Appointment

    <h4>Chapter 157. Ind''s Personnel Appointment</h4>


    Five days were neither too long nor too short. They passed by in the blink of an eye. Charles could now gingerly stroll on the pristine white sand and bask in the warmth of the sun''s glow, albeit still wrapped inyers of gauze.


    But every time he ventured out to the beach, Charles felt the strange, scrutinizing gaze of his First Mate.


    "Captain, that''s normal. If someone were to dress up in the same attire as me daily, I''d be pretty peeved too," Dipp whispered to Charles as he handed thetter a cup of fresh coconut drink.


    "Never mind him. How are things progressing on your end?" Charles asked as he rested against a tree trunk and under its shade.


    "Sigh, Captain, spare me, please. I''m really not cut out to be a police officer. When I was a beggar, they were like the bane of my existence."


    "Just learn. Didn''t I provide you with a couple of mentors? You''re only seventeen; what''s there to be afraid of? If you fail, then just try again. If you can''t pick it up in a year, then do it in two years¡ªor even three years. Key positions on Hope Ind have to be held by one of our crew."


    Looking utterly burdened, Dipp scratched his head in anxiety and said, "But I might wrongly arrest many people! Why do I have to do this? Didn''t the Second Mate want this job?"


    "Conor has his own te full. You''re young and adaptable. And your role as a boatswain isn''t that far off from that of a police. Now that we have fewer people on the ind, it''s the best chance for you to try your hand at it.


    ¡±When the poption on the ind grows, it would be much more difficult for you to pick it up by then," Charles exined calmly.


    "Captain, are we really not setting sail again?" Dipp asked as he sprawled out on the ground, extending his arms and legs to form arge<i> X.</i> His voice was tinged with a hint of mncholy.


    Charles took a sip of the sweet and refreshing coconut juice before he answered, "Perhaps." He had already found the surface world. In other words, the Narwhale''s mission wasplete. Perhaps his sailing days might trulye to an end.


    "The thought that I would be spending the rest of my life on an ind...I suddenly feel that being at sea is morefortable," Dipp mused.


    "Isn''t it better to live a longer life ashore than to risk it on the sea? Wasn''t this what everyone aimed for when they joined an exploration vessel?"


    "That was what I thought, too, but I¡¯m not as happy as I thought I would be when the day finally arrived. I still think that it''s much more thrilling to be venturing the seas with you, Captain."


    Mock disdain surfaced on Charles'' countenance as he cast a nce at his boatswain on the sandy ground. If it weren''t for his injuries and the bandages restricting him fromrge movements, he would have dashed over and delivered a yful kick to Dipp.


    <i>How could you not appreciate the good times and only yearn for hardships? </i>Charles'' eyes narrowed into slits as he continued to look at Dipp.


    Feeling a gaze on him, Dipp abruptly said, "Captain, do you still remember how we met? I was fighting with other beggars for a piece of fallen ck bread. I was too frail and weak, and I lost the brawl. I even got beaten up back then. The wounds I suffered back then were so painful I can still remember them.


    "Then I ran into you, and you asked if I wanted to have a full belly. I nodded, and you brought me aboard S.S. Mouse," Dipp continued, sounding nostalgic.


    "It wasn''t much. One of our sailors died then, and you happened to be there when we needed a recement."


    Dipp let out a chuckle. "Whatever the reason, you still saved my life."


    Just as Dipp fidgeted and stretched like a cat waking up from its slumber, Charles caught a glimpse of a stark ck marking at the nape of his neck.


    "What''s that on your neck?"


    Dipp sat up immediately. With palpable excitement, he pulled down on his cor to reveal his corbone. "I saw your tattoo and thought that it was pretty cool, so I got a simr one."


    Charles finally got a clear nce at the tattoo¡ªit was a curled-up, lifeless spider.


    <i>Thwack!</i>


    Charles flung the now-empty coconut husk at Dipp, and it struck thetter right on the head. His voice wasced with icy rage as he chided the young boatswain, "You don''t even know the significance of this marking, and yet you dare to tattoo it on your body? Get rid of it, now!!"


    Markings like these were the symbols of cults. Who knew what malevolent side effects it might bring after etching it on oneself?


    "Captain, it''s just a tattoo, no biggie," Dipp remarked with visible nonchnce.


    Just as Charles stood up and was about to move to confront Dipp, he noticed a group of individuals holding makeshift umbres and approaching them from the shelter. His first mate, Bandages, was leading them.


    "See... if you want to... use him... He wants to... see you," Bandages reported in his usual slow manner of speech and pointed to an individual next to him.


    Charles'' gaze followed Bandages'' finger andnded on a handsome young man with piercing blue eyes and silvery white hair. His attire¡ªa pristine white shirt, ck pants, and a blue jacket¡ª was oddly out of ce with the ind''s scenery.


    "Good morning, esteemed Governor. I''m aware that you are ted to have found and upied a new ind, but yet you are at a loss on how to deal with personnel, like who to hire or how much you should bepensating them. And that''s where my expertise wille into y." The moment the young man started speaking, he immediately seized control of the conversation.


    "Who are you?"


    "I am Leonardo. With all due respect, and forgive me for my bluntness, it''s unprofessional to entrust all trivial affairs of the ind to an amateur. At this rate, the ind will be consumed by chaos, like the mess of a thick mushroom soup.


    Charles immediately realized Leonardo''s intent. After all that talk, he was merely aiming tond a position.


    "If he''s an amateur, are you an expert then?" Charles inquired.


    "Indeed. I was once the Minister of Administration on Shadow Ind. My expertise can efficiently and effectively aid you in resolving the issues. I don''t demand much for mypensation.


    ¡±I''m just asking for a small house, measuring five hundred square meters and located at the ind''s heart. Of course, I also seek a weekly sry of 30,000 Echo," Leonardo answered.


    Charles approached Leonardo and stared into Leonardo''s blue eyes with a calm gaze. "The Minister of Administration on Shadow Ind is a young man?"


    "Sir, do you judge an individual''s capabilities by their age? A beggar, regardless of their age, they are still a beggar," Leonardo replied with a confident and calm glint in his eyes.


    Charles ced a hand on Leonardo''s shoulder. "I''ve been to several inds, and Shadow Ind happens to be one of them. I don''t recall the Minister of Administration being you."


    "Governor, when was thest time you visited Shadow Ind? Personnel changes," Leonardo replied, unfazed.


    Charles'' intense gaze bore into Leonardo''s blue eyes as he leaned in and said, " You''re aware that all governors were ouws before they climbed to their existing positions, don''t you? Should I ever find out that you''ve deceived me, you know what will happen to you, right? Former Minister of Administration of Shadow Ind?"


    A drop of cold sweat trickled down the side of Leonardo''s forehead as he looked into the pair of icy and emotionless eyes of the bandaged individual before him and felt the man''s firm and unyielding grip on his shoulder.


    Leonardo clenched his hands into fists and forced a confident grin onto his face once more. "There''s no reason to doubt me, Governor. I had indeed held the position before. You can confirm that with any resident of Shadow Ind.


    Charles gradually released the pressure he ced on Leonardo and turned his attention to Bandages. "All right. He will be Hope Ind''s Minister of Administration from now on. Handover and brief him on some of the affairs you have on your te."


    "Understood..." Bandages nodded and led Leonardo away to a distant thatched shelter.


    Charles didn''t know if it was his imagination or not, but he suddenly noticed that Bandages seemed to be walking with a renewed bounce in his steps.


    "Captain, you''re appointing him just like that? Isn''t that too hasty of a decision? What if he has other ulterior motives? Or what if he''s a conman?" Dipp eximed as his eyes widened in shock.


    "That''s your responsibility from now on, Chief Dipp. You know what to do next; I don''t have to teach you, do I?" Charles settled down, back under the shade of a tree.


    With a conflicted expression, Dipp stared alternatingly between Charles and the pair who had just left and eventually let out a resigned sigh. He then turned and ran after the pair as he muttered fiercely, "If that guy ends up being a con artist, Imma string him up as shark bait!"


    "Remember to get rid of the tattoo!"


    "I know, I know!"

 Chapter 158. Minister of Administration

    <h4>Chapter 158. Minister of Administration</h4>


    In a shabby-looking wooden shack, Leonardo sat at the table with an expression of utmost seriousness on his countenance. His piercing blue eyes stared into the pair of brothers seated before him on the other side of the table.


    "I''ve heard that both of you have previously worked in the Ministry of Administration on other inds," Leonardo stated.


    "Yes, sir," the brothers replied in unison.


    One of them continued, "Both of us were responsible for managing the public administration documents on the Spider Inds. We can definitely handle other administrative tasks as well, aside from documentation."


    Leonardo then inquired, "Let me test your knowledge then. What are the primary duties of apetent Minister of Administration?"


    The Joseph brothers exchanged gazes. There was a hint of surprise in their eyes. They hadn''t anticipated this question in the hiring process.


    "Well? You don''t have an answer? The door is right there; help yourself out. Hope Ind has no room for con artists," Leonardo continued; his voice was icy, and his expression was cold.


    Hearing Leonardo''s words, the brothers were visibly panic-stricken. They had journeyed so far and spent arge amount of money to reach here. If they were to be turned away here, they wouldn''t be able to afford a ticket back.


    "I know! Of course, I do. The Minister is responsible for executing the Governor''s orders. He has to ensure seamlessmunication between the involved ministries and provide timely feedback and report to the Governor," the elder Joseph answered.


    His younger brother quickly added, "Yes, yes, yes. In ordance with the Governor''s intents and strategic development n for the ind, the Ministry will have to draft the work ns, annual work summaries, and other important documents.


    ¡±They also lead or assist other ministries in their nning and research."


    In a rush to solidify their credibility, the Joseph brothers started pouring out knowledge after knowledge and revealed everything that they knew.


    Leonardo nodded and jotted down words as the Joseph brothers spoke.


    When the brothers were done regurgitating what they knew, Leonardo posed another question, "Second question. If you were the Minister of Administration, given the ind''s current state, what would you do first?"


    The two brothers engaged in a brief whispered conversation before the elder Joseph hesitantly replied, "<i>Erm...</i> The priority is to establish the structural framework of the various ministries on the ind? Is that right?"


    Leonardo''s expression hardened. "Who''s the recruiter here?"


    The brothers were clearly taken aback by Leonardo''s response and fell silent.


    "You may leave. Return tomorrow for my decision. But don''t keep your hopes up. The Governor has very high requirements."


    The moment the brothers left the room, the calm expression on Leonardo''s countenance swiftly crumbled. Feeling slight relief, he tugged at his cor and took inrge breaths of air.


    "Dammit. Finally found two that could be of some use," Leonardo mused as he stood up and walked toward the window. His cautious gaze was fixated on the bandaged figure standing on the sandy beach in the distance.


    The man looked like a patient with limited mobility, but Leonardo knew otherwise. After all, the entire ind belonged to that individual named Charles.


    Recalling Charles'' icy gaze that seemed to stare right through his soul, a shiver went down Leonardo''s spine. However,pared to the fear of death, Leonardo was burning with a desire for authority and power.


    Indeed, Leonardo was a con man. The moment he learned that there was a newly found ind, he knew this was his golden opportunity and decided to do this grand scheme of his.


    He was no Minister of Administration from Shadow Ind, but he was confident that those seafaring lunatics who had been risking their lives at sea wouldn''t have any idea what the real one looked like.


    Since they were ignorant, he could easily be the Shadow Ind¡¯s Minister of Administrator by just proiming that he was one. As long as he managed to pull this scam off, his status would be upgraded from a small-time con artist in the port district to an elite of an ind!


    Just as Leonardo envisioned the grandeur of his future, he felt a sudden chilling gaze on him. The governor, Charles, had turned his head and was staring in his direction.


    With a right hand ced on his left shoulder, Leonardo immediately bowed before returning to his seat and continuing with the recruitment.


    A growing civilization needed order. Hope Ind started off chaotic, butws and societal norms slowly took shape under the establishment of the Governor''s Office.


    Awful society started to form on the ind.


    "Governor Charles, this is the six-month n that I have drafted for the ind''s development. Please take a look at it," Leonardo said as he presented Charles with a notebook filled with written text over every single page.


    With an air of confidence, Leonardo continued, "Sir, we have abundant food and fresh water on the ind. I suggest we put out a resettlement announcement in other inds. We could use arger poption."


    While Charles appeared to be engrossed in the pages he was methodically turning, his thoughts were actually preupied with something else entirely.


    "You''ve done well for the past few days," Charlesmented.


    "Naturally. I told you earlier, I am an expert," Leonardo replied with a smirk on his face.


    Charles raised an eyebrow and stared into Leonardo''s eyes as he asked, "Really? You mean an expert con artist?"


    The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees instantly. The smirk on Leonardo''s face seemed to freeze up in anxiety. "Sir, I''m not sure what you mean."


    "You''ve been cautious, I''ll give that to you. You didn''t show any signs of ws before my men. However, it happens that one of my crew members isn¡¯t a human."


    At that, a white mouse scrambled onto Charles'' shoulder and poked her tongue out at Leonardo.


    "A mo¡ªmouse?" Leonardo took a step back in fear, only to feel that he had stepped on something furry. His heart raced as he turned around in terror. Dark brown mice were huddled together right behind him, blocking his exit.


    "These creatures are my crew members as well. They understand human speech, too. They¡¯ve heard every single word you''ve said."


    A chill coursed through Leonardo''s body, and his heart raced as a cold, hard object was pressed against the back of his head.


    At this moment in time, he was utterly regretful of his choice. Governors were never ordinary people. He had to have been out of his mind to even think and actually attempt to scam a governor.


    <i>Is this the end? </i>Just as Leonardo braced himself for the pain, the hard object pressing against his skull disappeared.


    "All right, we will go with your n."


    Leonardo turned around while visibly trembling. He stared at Charles with a look of disbelief in his eyes. "You are not killing me?"


    "Why would I kill you? You did a good job of nning for the ind''s affairs. I need apetent Minister of Administration like you right now. Why are you still standing here? Get to work."


    Unable to control his fear, Leonardo stumbled out of the room. The moment the door closed behind him, he copsed to the ground and gasped for air.


    "Mr. Charles. Why did you not punish him? He lied to you," Lily inquired, her beady eyes wide in curiosity.


    "Someone has to do the job. Since he is doing it well, I might as well let him continue with it. Weck a suitable recement at this time as well."


    Feeling a sudden itch, Charles scratched at the bandage circling his arm.


    "But aren''t you worried that he¡¯ll secretly do something bad?" Lily asked with an adorable tilt of her head.


    "The knife is in my hand, and it¡¯s up to me when I cut something down. You''ll understand when you grow older," Charles smirked.


    But the next moment, the itch on his arm intensified. His scratching became more vigorous, and the abrasive sound of dead skin scraping came from beneath his bandages. Unable to withstand the itch anymore, Charles stood up and started to unwrap his bandages.


    Perched on the table, Lily hurriedly ced her tiny paws before her eyes, pretending not to watch. However, she couldn''t resist but to peek through the tiny slits between her fingers.


    The bandages, marred with dried blood and dead skin, were thrown onto the floor, and Charles stood before the mirror. He studied his naked reflection. His body''s recovery rate was much faster than he expected.


    There weren''t any ghastly, ying scars like the one his vampiric sailor had. Apart from a few burn scars and wrinkled skin, most of his skin had healed, but there were still patches of pink and pale white.


    Full recovery would still take some time.


    Naturally, he was now devoid of hair. Sliding his hand across his bald head, Charles grimaced at his strange, new appearance.

 Chapter 159. The Streets

    <h4>Chapter 159. The Streets</h4>


    "Tsk." Charles pressed his face closer to the mirror and scrutinized his reflection. He seldom checked his own appearance in the mirror, but he still felt as though a stranger was staring back at him.


    "Why is the change so drastic? I don''t remember looking like this..." Charles muttered to no one in particr.


    "Mr. Charles, what did you look like before?" Lily suddenly voiced out.


    "I don''t quite remember, but I believe I didn''t look so... fierce," Charles answered as he put on his clothes again.


    After what seemed like an eternity of observing himself in the mirror, Charles turned toward Lily, who was perched on the table, and said, "Come, Lily, let''s go for a walk on the streets."


    "Yay!" Lily chirped as she excitedly nodded her tiny head.


    The human and mouse duo emerged from the captain''s quarters and onto the deck of the Narwhale. Standing on the deck and peering at Hope Ind, Charles noticed that the previous simple shelters had been transformed and now had a higher ceiling while covering arger area.


    If the previous shelter structure resembled a writhing centipede, the current infrastructure was like a huge octopus sprawled across the ind. Its tentacles stretched out in every direction to cover the expanse of the ind in ordance with the inders'' needs.


    In the distance, individuals wore wide-brimmed hats and moved in and out of the <i>octopus</i> like diligent worker ants.


    As Charles and Lily got onto the sandy shore, they finally got a glimpse of the street hidden under the shade of a <i>tentacle.</i>


    Low houses lined both sides of the street. As Charles had passed a decree against felling trees, most of the homes were made from stones. Due to the structure''s instability, most of the housescked a roof to prevent any copsing incidents.


    However, even such simple and rudimentary infrastructure managed to amplify the bustling atmosphere on the street.


    Cradling Lily in one hand, Charles strolled leisurely on the street. He eyed the various goods disyed on the stone counters in the shop and noticed that the impressive variety of goods in the shops could easily rival those found on the Coral Archipgo.


    "Mr. Charles, I want to try that!" Lily squeaked excitedly as she leaped off Charles'' palm and dashed toward a drink stall.


    "Banana liquor? Is this brewed from bananas? Charles asked as he pointed at the light brown liquid in arge pot.


    "Yes, sir. It''s made of that very fruit that the governor had bestowed the name <i>banana.</i> It''s exclusive to our ind. Do you want to have a taste?" the vendor replied with visible enthusiasm.


    Perhaps due to the drastic difference in Charles'' appearance, the vendor failed to realize that the governor he spoke of was standing right before him.


    Charles nced at the price tag of the liquor and was taken aback to find that a single cup cost 300 Echo; it was a rather hefty price.


    "Sir, bananas can only be purchased from the Ministry of Agriculture at a fixed price, and the supply is very limited. I only managed to get these after much difficulty," the vendor exined.


    Charles didn''t utter another word and handed over the required money. After all, he had been the one who had passed the decree to implement price control.


    Among all fruits, bananas had the highest starch content, making them one of the most suitable crops to serve as a staple food.


    He had tasked Frey to assemble a team and till somends to test if a banana ntation could be sessfully established. Dependence on imported food would pose significant challenges to the ind''s sustainability.


    While it would take almost ten months for bananas to go from nting to harvest, the abundant yieldpensated for the long wait. A single tree could produce over a hundred bananas. The output couldn''tpare with that of rice fields, they could surely rival corn crops.


    As for storage, bananas could be dried under sunlight to be banana chips, especially since theycked significant sugar content.


    Lily''s eyes glimmered with anticipation as she clutched the drink. She dipped her head into the cup and took a sip before she turned to Charles and nodded with palpable excitement. "Mr. Charles, bananas taste bad, but the liquor brewed from it is really delicious! Do you want to have a sip?"


    An amused but unreadable expression surfaced on the vendor''s visage. Charles couldn''t figure out if it were disdain at the thought that a mouse was drinking from his shop''s cups or shock that the same mouse could speak.


    "If it''s tasty, then drink more," Charles said as he patted Lily on the head before turning to the portly man next to him, who was buying alcohol.


    "Friend, is this street safe?" Charles asked.


    "<i>Erm...</i>" the man hesitated to answer as a hint of difort crossed his face.


    "What''s the matter? Are there any issues?" Charles was taken aback. Had someone really disrupted the ind''s newly establishedw and order so soon?


    "To be fair, it''s safe. But I feel that the young police chief with the mask is excessively harsh. Anyone who dares to steal will have their hand severed, and being caught for daylight robbery meant an immediate execution on the streets. People are on eggshells because of him," the man answered.


    "I see..."


    "Yeah... to be frank. The governor clearly has little regard for human lives for him to hand over such immense authority to a greenhorn who hasn''t seen much of the world."


    Hearing the man''s words, Lily stuck her head out of her cup. nting her tiny paws on her hips, she shot an angry re at the vendor. Charles promptly finished his drink and returned the empty cup to the vendor.


    "Perhaps... but at least it eliminates the kinds of problems that gue other inds," Charles said before he picked Lily up and ventured deeper into the crowd.


    In his perspective, Dipp was impulsive and hasty. However, if he were allowed time in a position of responsibility, he would soon find a way to most effectively carry out his duties.


    As he continued his way forward, Charles encountered sights that he knew he would never find elsewhere. Whether they were disciples of the Divine Light Order, crew members of exploration ships, or early settlers, each person radiated an unmistakable energy and zeal.


    Hope Ind was in its initial development stage with boundless opportunities. Supporting oneself wouldn''t be a challenge; as long as one was quick-witted, money could be made in no time.


    As Charles progressed further, a vast square soon appeared before him. Staring at the expansive shelter overhead, he discerned that this was the heart of the <i>octopus.</i>


    A massive bulletin board was hung up in the center of the square, and it was surrounded by arge group of people.


    Charles went closer and could hear a voice from the crowd. Someone was offering exnations for the new decree that had just been passed to those who couldn''t read.


    "The gist of this mess of a message is that Hope Ind is now sellingnd. As long as you have money, you can buy a plot ofnd and be a permanent residence. <i>Oh,</i> there''s also an additional use that your descendants would have to pay an inheritance tax for thend," a man said.


    "Does the notice mention the price?" asked someone in the crowd.


    "The price differs based on the proximity of thend to the ind''s center. The cheapest plots are priced at two million Echo."


    "Oh my Sun God! Think about the amount ofnd on this ind and how many Echo it could be worth! No wonder they say that once you be a governor, you''ll never have to worry about money again," a Divine Light Order disciple in the crowd gasped in disbelief.


    "I don''t care what you guys think, but I''m definitely buying a plot. Living on this ind is surely way better than any other ce."


    Lily tilted her head upward and stared at Charles. "Mr. Charles, you are so rich now."


    Patting Lily on her head, Charles quickly scanned the faces in the crowd. People were engaged in fervent discussions and debate if they should purchase a plot ofnd, and if they were to do so, they were calcting which district would offer the best value for their money.


    However, Charles realized that no one mentioned the Land of Light that would offer them virtually unlimitednd.


    "Hey." Charles tapped a man on his shoulder and asked, "Didn''t the governor mention that the Land of Light is just right above us? He said that there''s unlimitednd there, so why is everyone creating a fuss over thend on Hope Ind?"


    The man eyed Charles with apparent disdain in his gaze. "Are you a child? Why do you naively believe everything you hear? Even if the Land of Light truly exists, the governor will surely guard the entrance and collect tax frommon people like us."

 Chapter 160. Goals

    <h4>Chapter 160. Goals</h4>


    "Rest assured, the governor wouldn''t do something like that," Charles told the man standing before him.


    "How would you know? What, are you the governor?" the man sneered with a look of disdain at Charles, who had no eyebrows.


    "Of course, he¡¯s¡ª" Lily was about to retort when Charles silenced her with a gentle pat on the head.


    "Let''s go and take a look elsewhere." Charles turned and left the square. There was no point arguing with the man. He would soon understand when the new decree was posted on the bulletin board.


    With Lily settled in on his open palm, they navigated through streets and pathways before they arrived at the ind''s central district.


    Naturally, due to theck of construction materials, the central district didn''t look any better than other areas. However, the people were dressed in more fashionable pieces.


    The only residents of this area were the staffers who served the Governor''s Mansion and the crew members who had explored and found the ind alongside Charles.


    The sparse poption contributed to the significant emptiness in this area. Apart from a few standalone houses, some empty parcels ofnd had also been dotted with stones.


    "What''s this?" Charles asked as he picked a stone up and found a carving on it.


    John #3


    "Mr. Charles, I know about this! Jumpy told me that people are using these stones to mark theirnds. Once the shipping routes have been established and opened, they would then build many, many houses here and then rent them out," Lily answered.


    Charles let out a chuckle.


    "That''s my first time seeing this," he said and ced the stone back to its original spot.


    As Charles rose to his feet, he noticed a familiar face approaching him. It was Frey, the cook on Narwhale. nked by two voluptuous women, theyughed and joked as they walked toward him.


    It was an amusingly incongruent sight to see the tall andnky Frey being sandwiched between two curvaceous women.


    "Mr. Cook!" Lily shouted out and instantly caught Frey''s attention.


    Spotting Charles, a look of surprise crossed Frey''s face.


    He hurried over and asked, "Captain? Have your wounds healed?"


    "I feel much better now," Charles answered and pointed to the women beside Frey. "And who might these two be?"


    A grin stretched across Frey''s visage. "When I arrived home four days ago, they were waiting at my doorstep and begged to be my wives. Where else could I stumble upon such good fortune? I naturally agreed to it."


    "Interesting... So they came to be with you after knowing that you became a central inder?"


    "Exactly? But isn''t that such a blessing? Captain, you have no idea. Their skin is so soft and supple. Much softer than those you can get in the brothels. Wanna have a touch?"


    "Can''t you see that Lily is here? Watch your words," Charles chided as his brows slightly furrowed.


    Frey finally noticed the white mouse in Charles'' hand. Frey flushed slightly red in embarrassment. "Ah, Lily, I apologize. I''m sorry."


    "What''s the progress with your tasks? Are there any issues?" Charles inquired.


    "Are you referring to the financial department within the Governor''s Mansion? Don''t worry, Captain. I''m working hard on it," Frey assured. He then hesitantly added, "Captain, we¡¯ve known each other for a long while now. You know me; other than cooking, I don''t know anything else. It''s better if you consider someone else for such a key position. I''m afraid that I''ll mess up."


    "Then what are you nning to do if not that?" Charles probed.


    Frey''s eyes widened in bewilderment. "Captain, why do we have to do something? What''s wrong with chilling and having fun every day? I mean, isn''t the whole point of being a central inder to sit back and enjoy a good life?"


    "Then what about the Land of Light? You have no ns to go there, too?"


    Frey let out a light chuckle. "Captain, if it''s as per your words, then life down here doesn''t really fall short of the life above. And there might not be beauties who would throw themselves at you up there, right?"


    Charles''s unwavering gaze was fixated on Frey and sent a shiver down thetter''s spine.


    "Captain, did I do something wrong?" Frey asked with slight apprehension.


    "Nothing. You''re doing fine," Charles replied and left with Lily.


    Charles strolled along the streets and visited the residences of each and every crew member on the Narwhale. He realized the ind''s corrupting allure had a far more significant impact on his crew than he expected.


    Most of them had eagerly adopted their new roles as central inders.


    Witnessing their lives ofvishness and excess, only two words surfaced in Charles'' mind: nouveau riche.


    Of course, there were some who hadn''t sumbed to the ind''s seduction. Laesto spent his days hiding in his room, working on something unknown to Charles. Meanwhile, Bandages was fullymitted to the establishment of the Hope Ind Navy.


    Finally, Charles found his chief engineer, James, amidst a banana ntation.


    With an oversized hat on his towering stature, James was meticulously inspecting the leaves of the banana trees.


    Spotting Charles waving to him from afar, James approached the former with a warm and sincere smile on his face. "Captain, how are your injuries? And hello, lil'' Lily."


    "I''m feeling better. You seemed quite meticulous in your inspection. Do you have experience in agriculture?" Charles asked.


    "Yes. My grandfather has taught me how to grow ryegrass. However, he fell ill after and that employer didn''t want to keep him. I had no choice but to be a sailor," James answered truthfully.


    "I see... Did any woman try to climb onto your bed?"


    "Captain! What are you talking about? I''m married, and my wife is even pregnant."


    At the mention of his unborn child, James'' face lit up with visible bliss. "I really wish I could see them right away. She should have given birth by now. I wonder if it''s a boy or a girl."


    Watching James'' expression, Charles pondered for a brief moment before he asked, "To have your wife and child by your side... Is that your only wish?"


    James sheepishly scratched his head as he let out an embarrassedugh.


    Momentster, his hand hurriedly fell to the side, and a solemn look appeared on his face as he eximed, "Mr. Charles, don¡¯t worry! If you ever need me, I can leave everything behind and get aboard the Narwhale again!"


    Charles shook his head. "There''s no need. Once everything is over, stay on the ind and live well. If you truly wish to help me, focus on improving the agriculture of Hope Ind."


    Without waiting for James'' response, Charles turned and walked away. This time, he didn''t return to the shade of the sheltered areas but walked in the sunlight.


    Bathed in the sun''s golden rays, Charles seemed to be entirely separated from the others who lived in the shadows of darkness.


    Lily could feel the change in Charles''s mood and raised her tiny head to look at him.


    "Mr. Charles, are you unhappy?"


    "Why would I be? I''m just feeling a little emotional. Everyone looks so happy and free, and they no longer have to fear for their lives at sea."


    Charles had always thought that he and his crew shared the same vision, the same insatiable desire for the surface world. But it finally dawned on him that they were, after all, not from the world above. They couldn''t share orprehend his yearning thirst to return.


    Women, family, money¡ªthey had already found what they desired.


    The Land of Light had be an optional journey for them.


    Charles turned his gaze onto the endless dark waters next to him. Suddenly, he felt as though everything that had happened in the past nine years had been nothing but a fleeting dream.


    "Mr. Charles, don''t worry! I''ll follow you wherever you go!" Lily grasped Charles'' sleeve and nuzzled her little head against his hand.


    Charles stroked Lily''s fur in response as he looked up at the rays piercing through the overhead crevice.


    "This dream is finallying to an end."

 Chapter 161. Flying Again

    <h4>Chapter 161. Flying Again</h4>


    <i>August 14, 9th Year of Crossing Over</i>


    <i>My auditory hallucinations have been worseningtely, but Doctor said that there''s nothing much he can do about it.</i>


    <i>Fortunately, it hasn''t caused much problems. It will pass over if I endure for a little while and I don''t experience any visual hallucinations.</i>


    <i>It has been two months since my conversation with the Pope of the Divine Light Order. Hunn has informed me that their reinforcements will be arriving in the next day or two.</i>


    <i>Also, I asked Hunn how they train their disciples to fly. If the others could acquire this ability, the mantises would have no chance of stopping us.</i>


    <i>Sadly, he said that the skill was incredibly difficult to learn or master. He said potential Skywalkers were sent to one of their inds from a very young age and raised by the local natives of that particr ind to acquire the power to levitate.</i>


    <i>I''ve thought of an alternative approach. I''ll experiment with it when their supplies have arrived. We are very much handicapped and at a disadvantage without the ability to move freely in this battle.</i>


    <i>The ind is flourishing; the docks are being constructed with full manpower. The banana trees are sprouting, too. With the abundant fertilend here, I believe we will have a bountiful harvest next year.</i>


    <i>HOOOONK.</i>


    The low hum of the ship''s horn sounded across the ocean. Charles'' heartbeat elerated in anticipation.


    <i>Are they finally here? </i>Charles thought. Dropping his pen, he rushed out of the captain''s quarters and made his way to the aft deck of the Narwhale.


    The majestic sight before him had his eyes widened in disbelief. The sea before him was covered in ships of various sizes. The sixteen massive ships in the heart of the naval congregation stood out with their golden hue glistening under the sun''s rays.


    They were all vessels of the Divine Light Order.


    Due to the absence of a proper dock, the colossal vessels had no other choice but to anchor themselves further out in the deeper waters. The crew boarded the smaller boats and rowed their way toward the ind.


    Every disciple of the Divine Light Order reacted in the same manner upon seeing the sun. Charles was well prepared this time, and he managed to save the neers from dying under the lethal rays.


    As the extreme fervor of the disciples started to subside, Charles spotted the leader of the fleet¡ªthe Pope. He looked exactly like the lie-testing statue.


    "Governor Charles, we meet again. You didn''t expect I''d actuallye, did you?" the Pope said as let out a chuckle. His entourage of aides and advisors trailed closely behind him.


    "Indeed. Weren''t you at the Divine Light Grand Cathedral? How did you get here so quickly?" Charles asked.


    The Pope let out another chuckle. "The Order''s true power is way beyond your imagination. We have our ways. By the way, do you remember those pirates on Skywater Ind?"


    Charles was momentarily stunned by the question before he responded, "What about them?"


    "You don''t have to worry about them attacking you anymore. The ind belongs to the Divine Light Order now."


    <i>They actually conquered 134''s ind?!</i>


    Charles knew that it was no easy feat to take on 134, who was the ruler of Sottom. And who knew how many "Kings" they had? For the first time, Charles felt that he had gotten a true glimpse at the staggering might of the Divine Light Order.


    <i>No wonder the pirates haven''te to find trouble with us. They¡¯ve been eradicated...</i> Charles thought, but that wasn''t the most important issue at hand. "Enough sidetracking. Have you thought of a way to deal with the mantises above?" Charles asked out loud, his expression taut with tension.


    "Don''t worry. In order to return to our Lord''s kingdom, the Order has mobilized all our resources to this mission. And to aid us in our journey upward, I''ve specially invited Governor Swann of the Albion Isles," the Pope said and gestured to an ostentatiously dressed, corpulent man standing next to him.


    The man greeted Charles with an air of arrogance, subtly lifting his chin. "Nice ind here, kid. If not for the Explorers Association''s three-year ban on forcibly seizing inds, I¡¯d take this ce for myself."


    The moment his words fell, res of fury from the crew standing behind Charles showered upon the man. This ind was their sanctuary¡ªtheir most treasured possession.


    The audacity of this man to tantly proim his intention to snatch away their new home was an affront they couldn''t endure.


    Charles calmly stared at Governor Swann. He knew that the man''s ind, Albion Isles, was an ind with a long, standing history and was also known as the Ind of Machinery. It wasn¡¯t thergest ind, but it was the most powerful ind in the Northern Seas.


    The first steam turbine in the Subterranean Sea was invented by a resident of Albion Isles. Despite all that, Charles couldn''tprehend why the Pope had invited this man over for their journey toward the surface world.


    After Charles voiced his confusion, a prideful smirk appeared on Governor Swann''s countenance. "Just wait and see. This is thetest invention from our ind''s Academy of Sciences.


    ¡±I was nning to use this weapon in our future battle with Whereto, but since the Pope has personally invited me here, I''ll offer it to assist you first."


    The Pope chuckled in response. "Please be rest assured, Mr. Swann. Help us out this time, and you¡¯re free to ask our Order for any favor in the future."


    Swann nodded with a smile. He lifted his right hand and snapped his fingers.


    Momentster, a thundering roar echoed from a distant steamship. Soon enough, Charles saw the true identity of the so-called <i>weapon</i> that Swann spoke of.


    It was a helicopter¡ªno, a rudimentary version of a helicopter.


    Swann scanned the surprised crowd with a smug look. He found that their jaws were agape, and their eyes were wide in disbelief. Even he had been taken aback when he firstid his eyes on the machine, let alone those from less technologically advanced inds.


    However, he soon spotted Charles'' unimpressed expression among the sea of awestruck faces, and it was a sight that particrly irked Swann.


    As the machine gradually drew closer, Charles noticed further details with his keen vision. To reduce the overall weight, the helicopters'' outer shells had been discarded.


    While the internal framework and structure appeared crudely assembled, the inclusion of mounted rotary machine guns on the helicopter significantly enhanced the vessel''sbat power.


    Charles nodded in approval. He had been skeptical about fighting those monstrous mantises with the airships. However, their odds of sess had just skyrocketed thanks to these helicopters.


    One after another, the airships belonging to the Divine Light Order were unloaded on the beach, and throngs of disciples started donning their dark rubber suits.


    While preparations were underway, Charles didn''t stand idly by either. He approached Hunn and asked, "Did you bring what I asked for?"


    Hunn nodded, and arge ck rubber suit was soon presented before Charles. It was noticeably different from the ones the Order''s disciples were wearing. The one presented to Charles was oversized and with wings.


    The moment Charles noticed them inting the balloons for the airships, he took the suit and plunged into the sea. Momentster, a grotesque bat d in a ck rubber suit emerged from the water.


    Charles flew into the sunlight; instantly, sizzling sounds like meat on a hot griddle apanied the agonizing pain searing through his body. But unlike before, he didn''t burst into mes. The suit was working, somewhat.


    As the airships levitated one after another, the expanse above Hope Ind grew increasingly congested. At least fifty to sixty helicopters and hundreds of airships were hovering overhead.


    "These forces will be under mymand. No issues about that, right?" Charles asked the Pope.


    A smile appeared on the elderly man''s visage as he looked at the monstrous bat before him. "Child, that won''t be a problem. With such a formidable fleet, the oue would roughly be the same regardless of who''s in charge.


    ¡°However, I have another question, and I hope you¡¯ll enlighten me."


    "What is it?"


    "I heard that you hail from the Land of Light. Is that so?"


    "Would you believe me if I said I am from the above world?"


    "Of course, I would. Have you forgotten? I can discern between truth and deceit."


    At that moment, Charles felt a subtle trembling in the air next to his ear.


    "Scatter! Danger!" Charles shouted a warning at his crew as he simultaneously retreated swiftly.


    Most managed to heed the early warning and scattered before a meteoric boulder the size of a small hill rained down from the sky. It crashed into two airships, tore through a thatched shelter and finally crushed the unfortunate individuals who couldn''t escape in time.

 Chapter 162. Aerial Battle

    <h4>Chapter 162. Aerial Battle</h4>


    A colossal boulder smashing into the ground from such a significant height created an earthquake. The thatched shelters in the vicinity copsed, and without any shelter to shade them from the lethal rays, those who couldn''t flee in time fell face-down into an eternal slumber.


    Charles looked up. He saw a familiar false <i>star</i> twinkling overhead through the blinding rays.


    The star''s light vanished.


    Momentster, a massive bouldernded on the ind.


    Charles soared into the air and screeched, "Everyone, follow me!! Those monsters up there know that we''re nning an assault! They possess significant intelligence. We need to stop them now!"


    With a powerful p of his bat wings, Charles ascended toward the rift. The fleet of airships and helicopters trailed closely behind him.


    As he drew closer to the rift, Charles could see the false stars for what they truly were. The mantises clung to the rocky terrain in a flower-like formation. Their abdomen radiated a flickering, luminescent light.


    As their glow pulsed faster, it abruptly dimmed, and the area they encircled broke free from the terrain. The massive chunk of rock then thundered toward the ind.


    The scattered mantises gathered once more in an attempt to drop another boulder, but there was no way Charles would allow them another free shot.


    A massive bat swooped under the mantises and opened its monstrous maw to let out a piercing screech.


    The sound interrupted the mantises'' actions as they hurriedly shielded their glowing abdomens with their carapaces. Brandishing their razor-sharp scythe-like forelimbs, they lunged at Charles.


    Charles immediately ceased his beastly cry and retreated. However, the mantises moved much faster than him. Just as they were about to close in on him, a barrage of bullets sprayed from below.


    <i>Dadadadada!</i>


    Sparks flew incessantly as the helicopters aimed their guns at the gigantic insects and unleashed a rain of bullets in their direction.


    Despite their agile speed, several mantises didn''t manage to dodge the projectile assault and were struck. The minigun''s firepower far surpassed that of any hand-held pistol, its bullets ripping through the insects and leaving a gruesome aftermath.


    With the sound of a breaking twig, Charles sank his razor-sharp fangs into thest surviving mantis and swiftly ripped its head off.


    "Continue!" Charlesmanded as he hung upside-down from the rocky terrain and gestured toward the crevice with a wing. The airships and helicopters adjusted their courses and moved toward the direction he indicated.


    Clearly, the mantises wouldn''t stand by and allow the humans'' ascent. They emerged from the rift like hos bursting out of a hive and charged at Charles and his group.


    As they broke through the line of machine-gun fire, the first aerial battle in the history of the Subterranean Sea kickstarted over the expanse of Hope Ind.


    A helicopter fired a hail of bullets at an iing mantis and sessfully tore through the insect''s exoskeleton.


    Just as it seemed victorious, a dark shadow abruptly loomed behind the aircraft. With a swift glint of cold light, the steel machinery was cleaved into two halves as effortlessly as ripping a sheet of paper.


    Before the mantis could even savor its sessful ambush, a solid projectile shot out from the cannon of a nearby airship and sted more than half of its body away.


    With the air overhead turned into a battlefield, fallen and wounded creatures rained down to the earth below. Chaos reigned; a symphony of gunshots, anguished cries, artillery explosions and the buzzing of helicopter des filled the air. It was a brutal interspecies conflict of epic proportions.


    Nheless, when it came to the final battle over numbers, the humans held a slight advantage; the appearance of new mantises from the rift started to dwindle.


    With ecstasy painting his beastly visage, Charles led thest of the aerial fleet toward the rift. Just when they arrived right at the rift''s entrance, the piercing light suddenly dimmed out.


    Charles looked up just in time to see a boulder asrge as a house hurtling directly toward him. The force of the impact sent him spiraling toward the waters below.


    Ignoring the pain from the collision, he used his sharp ws to propel himself away from the gravitational pull of the boulder and soared back into the air.


    The others weren''t so lucky.


    Shrieks echoed as the cacophony of splintering wood and screeching metal apanied the descending boulder. The rock and the doomed vessels, along with their crew, crashed into the waters.


    Charles managed to grab one of the fallen humans with his hind ws and dodged to the side. When he ascended toward the terrain overhead once more, he looked down to realize that the man''s head was caved in¡ªhe was beyond salvation.


    Left with no choice, Charles released his grip and let the lifeless body drop toward the waters. He then turned his gaze onto the crevice once more.


    Neither the airships nor the helicopters had a viable solution against the onught of falling rocks. The mantises held the high ground. Coupled with the ring sunlight, cannons and miniguns were practically ineffective at targeting the insects.


    Charles cautiously crawled his way toward the edge of the crevice. Poking his head out, he peered upward through the amber tint of his protective sses.


    The rift opened up to a tunnel spanning forty meters in diameter. Hundreds of mantises surrounded the other end of the passageway in a near-perfect circle.


    Launching an attack from the bottom was a mountainous challenge. Also, they couldn''t afford to prolong the battle. The airships could hover, but the helicopters would run out of fuel.


    "Hold your positions. The moment you hear an explosion, that''s the cue to move in. Understood?" Charles barked as he hung upside down with barrels of explosives in hand.


    Seeing the affirmative nods, Charles gripped the barrels of explosives and matches between his teeth and started to scale the rocky crevice in an inverted position.


    Stopping briefly at the entrance, he took a deep breath and counted in his heart. At the count of three, his muscles tensed up. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he began his ascent.


    The mantises noticed Charles. Boulders of various sizes started raining down from above. With uncanny agility, Charles leaped from one cliff face to another as he avoided the falling rocks. Initially, he could still dodge the rocks with ease.


    However, the higher he climbed, the more treacherous the journey became.


    With a thunderous boom, a table-sized b of rock grazed the cliffside and crashed against Charles'' right shoulder. A sharp pain shot through him, and he felt his right w go limp from the impact.


    "No one¡ªnothing¡ªcan stop me from returning to the surface!" Charles let out a primal roar of conviction as he struck a match against the rocky cliff.


    Staring at the mantises looming just barely twenty meters above him, he lit the explosives, and with a kick, he propelled himself off the cliff face and soared upward.


    Boulders rained down on him as he ascended, but in a final gambit, he hurled the ignited explosives upward with all the strength he could muster in his right paw.


    Just as Charles fell out of the crevice alongside the falling rocks, a deafening explosion roared overheard.


    With almost half of the bones in his body shattered from the ordeal, Charles barely managed to catch onto an ascending airship with one hand.


    A Divine Light Order disciple approached to help Charles climb overboard.


    However, the moment the disciple was within reach, Charles opened his mouth and sank his fangs into the man''s neck, fervently feeding on thetter''s blood.


    With the ingestion of fresh blood, Charles'' injuries and wounds started healing at a remarkable speed. He released the now pallid disciple from his grasp, and with blood dripping from his lips, he turned to the four other humans before him.


    "I need one more," Charlesmented with his eyes glowing red.


    The four disciples aboard exchanged nces before a brawny man stepped forward and volunteered himself as tribute.


    Upon returning to full health and soaring back up through the crevice once more, Charles saw that the mantises were close to being defeated; their formation was in tatters, and they were battling in ast-ditch effort.


    Without any geographical advantage to aid their smaller numbers, the humans rapidly finished them off.


    Charles'' eyesnded on the barely visible patch of blue at the end of the tunnel; a terrifying smile surfaced on his ck, furry face.


    However, his smile was swiftly wiped away as an unknown living entity gradually obscured the hue of blue.


    As the light overhead slowly dimmed, those aboard the helicopters widened their eyes in disbelief. Some even began to tremble uncontrobly at the appearance of a new opponent.

 Chapter 163. Tunneling Shield

    <h4>Chapter 163. Tunneling Shield</h4>


    Clinging to a cliff face for a brief respite, Charles'' eyes widened in terror as he watched the monstrous entity descend. The creature''s size rivaled that of a tunnel-boring machine.


    As the entity grew closer, Charles picked up more details. An amalgamation of ck chitinous tes, purple tendons, and viscous, bloodied tissues, the creature bore a striking resemnce to a colossal tunnel-boring machine


    Insectile legs the size of small houses protruded from its sides and gripped the surrounding rock walls as the Shielder scaled downward. Below its mass,pound eyes glowed like spotlight beams at the bottom of a fathomless abyss.


    The remaining surviving mantises arched their glowing abdomens upward and formed a lotus-like formation as they clung to the leviathan creature.


    A quivering, whale-like hum sounded from the web of living tissues on the Shielder. Charles could feel the emotions underlying the sounds. The entity was mourning over the death of the mantises.


    <i>Gulp.</i>


    Charles swallowed a mouthful of dry saliva. The neer had yet to make a move, but an icy chill raced down his spine whenever itspound eyes scanned over him.


    The appearance of the Shielder didn''t just physically shroud them; the dread it imposed also loomed over the hearts and hopes of everyone present.


    "Governor, didn''t the Divine Light Order mention that there were only some indigenous flying creatures? What in the world is that thing?" a terrified helicopter pilot shouted at Charles.


    The same question gued Charles'' mind. Why had this creaturee out to hinder their advance just when they were so close to the surface?


    However, Charles knew it wasn''t the time for him to question andment over his circumstances. Regardless of what that thing was, he had to get it out of the way. If they retreated now, no one knew how long it would take to assemble another sizable aerial fleet to make their ascent.


    He had waited far too long¡ªhe was done waiting.


    "Everyone, ascend!" With a p of his wings, Charles surged upward toward the Shielder.


    Just when the distance between Charles and the Shielder had decreased to twenty or so meters, the mantises clinging to the surface of the leviathan monster fluttered their transparent wings once more. The vibrations of their wings morphed into an understandable subterraneannguage.


    "Surface dweller, haven''t you caused enough disaster upon all species?"


    Charles stopped mid-flight and hovered. "I don''t know what you''re talking about! I live above! I''m just going home!''


    "Surface dweller, you can''t be from above. Your kind above has vanished with the disaster!"


    "Stop it with all these riddles! What disaster are you talking about? What happened above?! Fucking talk in humannguage!" Annoyed and frustrated, Richard suddenly burst out.


    The mantises offered no response. Instead, they swiftly scattered and brandished their scythe-like forelimbs and stared at Charles.


    With the sight before him, Charles knew that there was nothing else left to be said. He bellowed downward, "Fire!!"


    A cacophony of gunshots and cannon fire roared once again. Purple blood sttered across the Shielder''s fleshy surface, only for the wounds to heal in the blink of an eye. Its regenerative powers were astoundingly strong.


    The Shielder quivered, and its whale-like hum sharply increased in pitch. Its insectile legs anchoring it to the cliffs retracted synchronously. Like a free-falling elevator, its colossal mass plunged downward at a terrifying speed.


    No one had expected such an attack. Charles and his aerial fleet plummeted downward upon impact with the monster.


    The rotating helicopter des sliced against the Shielder, sending sprays of blood and living tissue into the air. However, the monster appeared unfazed and showed no reaction. Perhaps it couldn''t feel pain.


    Fortunately, the remaining dozens of airships yed a crucial role at this critical moment. The buoyancy of their air balloons greatly offset the Shielder''s assault and stopped the fleet from being mmed into oblivion.


    Realizing that it was halted mid-descent, scythe-like appendages, resembling those sported by the mantises, sprang from beneath the Shielder.


    Unlike the mantises, where their razor-sharp scythes were attached to their forelimbs, these scythes were attached to long tendrils speckled with ck dots.


    The tendrilsshed out like a whip, shing through the air and piercing through the airships'' air balloons. Anything that was in its path, be it human or machine, was cleaved into two.


    Charles attempted to lead the group in a counterattack, but it was futile.


    Any wounds caused by bullets or cannon projectiles healed within seconds. Faced with the tentacle attacks of the relentless disc-shaped creature, the remaining forces had no choice but to retreat.


    Once again, they were pushed out of the crevice.


    For some reason, the Shielder halted its advancement upon reaching the tunnel''s entrance. It seemed unable or unwilling to pursue them beyond the rift. Stuck at the entrance of the rift, its tendrils iled aimlessly like a jellyfish.


    With his brows furrowed together, Charles observed the monster lodged at the entrance of the crevice. He knew that he had to eliminate it toplete his ascent.


    After observing it carefully for several moments, a n sparked in Charles'' mind, and he immediately issued orders to the remaining fleet.


    "Divide into three groups. Focus fire on its left first. Its body is supported by those six thick legs. If we destroyed those legs, it wouldn''t be able to hold up its massive weight."


    The disciples on the airships nodded in affirmation. However, the helicopters ignored Charles''mand and started to descend.


    Charles darted toward the nearest helicopter and roared in fury, "What are you doing?! We''re at the most critical juncture, and you''re fleeing?"


    The roar of the spinning rotor des drowned out most other sounds. Over the din, the pilot shouted at the top of his lungs, "Look below! Governor Swann had signaled for us to retreat. We have to turn back!"


    Hearing the pilot''s words, Charles looked down and noticed the steamships beneath had formed the semaphore for retreat with their searchlights.


    While Charles was questioning the helicopter pilot before him, the remaining helicopters had already descended. Now, all that was left hovering near the crevice''s entrance was him and twenty over airships.


    Sess had seemed usible earlier, but with their diminished numbers, it appeared to be a suicide mission if they were to take the monstrous being head-on.


    Under normal circumstances and a reasonable assessment of their current state, the mission could be considered a failure.


    However, Charles was unwilling to give up.


    He parted his monstrous maws and roared to the airships hovering around him. "Your Pope has ordered you to follow mymands. Will you obey without questions?"


    "Yes!" The disciples erupted in a unified voice.


    Charles struggled with his next step. There was one final, riskden strategy he had devised. Yet, it was one that he found hard to impose on the aerial fleet to carry through.


    However, the thought of the surface world being just within reach further steeled his resolve. A look of unwavering determination settled into Charles'' eyes.


    "Gather all explosives. The n is...."


    Several minutester, the remaining fleet of twenty-odd airships started to move and inched toward the edge of the rift.


    A brutal aerial battle unfolded. The Shielder''s scythesshed out and punctured any air balloon within its reach and sent the attached vessels plunging disastrously to the waters beneath.


    The disciples had prepared themselves for the impending attack. Every crew member aboard the airships held a barrel of explosives in their hands, their gazes eyeing the Shielder''s thick, column-like legs as they drew near.


    The creature''s scythes danced in the air, seeking to sh anything within their reach.


    However, the disciples had deliberately shortened the fuses on the explosives. The moment a tendril ventured too close, they would decisively detonate the explosives without hesitation.


    Every explosion sent a shudder through Charles. Each st was a reminder that a life had been lost¡ªa death that wasmanded by him.


    "I don''t care! I''m too close for me to turn back now! I have to return! I''ve waited long enough!" Charles screamed hysterically, his eyes aze with an intense¡ªalmost maniac determination.

 Chapter 164. No Longer Important

    <h4>Chapter 164. No Longer Important</h4>


    The Divine Light Order disciples were fearless in the face of death. Despite witnessing the fragmented living tissues of theirrades raining downward into the waters below, they continued their advancement upward.


    Hanging upside down from the terrain, Charles held a barrel of explosives in his maw. He was waiting for an opportunity.


    Just as the intensity of explosions had reached its climax, he spread his wings and soared toward the crevice.


    At this point, the fleshy Shielder didn''t have many tendrils left.


    Most of them were sted to mere stubs while its massive body was riddled with craters as sunlight shone through the open wounds. Three of the six insectile legs that supported its weight had been destroyed. Its overpowered healing capabilities were taking effect, but the rate of regeneration had evidently slowed down.


    However, most of the Divine Light Order disciples had sacrificed themselves for such a result. Only two airships remained, and they hovered perilously in the air.


    Sensing hope of reaching the surface, Charles pped his bat wings and shot toward a gapingrge hole in the Shielder''s body.


    The moment he emerged through the other side of the fleshy passageway, a blinding light greeted him. The sun''s rays enveloped him, and a stinging sensation coursed through him. He had made it.


    Just then, Charles felt a sudden sharp pain in his foot. He looked downward and saw a white mini-mantis covered in what seemed like slime. The creature had punctured his calf with its scythe-like forelimb.


    With a furious kick of his left leg, he sent the creature flying and surveyed his surroundings.


    His eyesnded on the back side of the Shielder that had remained unseen all this while. Clusters of white eggs quivered rhythmically, and several tiny white mantises were crawling toward him. So this leviathan creature served as their hatching ground as well!


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    A sudden burst of mes ignited on Charles'' calf, and Charles'' heart dropped.


    <i>Dammit. My protective suit is torn!</i>


    Watching the eager mes rapidly spreading over his body, Charles didn''t dare to waste another moment.


    He reverted to his human form andnded on the Shielder¡¯s back.


    Uponnding, he swiftly whipped out his Dark de and carved off the burning flesh, sessfully averting the immediate crisis of burning into ashes.


    Charles scanned his surroundings, and with the barrel of explosives in his hand, he limped toward the nearest remaining leg of the Shielder.


    The Shielder had exceptional regenerative powers. He had to eliminate it once and for all. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to ascend in peace.


    Seemingly sensing Charles'' intention, the eggs on the Shielder''s back hatched one after another. A swarm of malformed baby mantises surged toward Charles.


    However, these underdeveloped monsters were no match for Charles.


    Dozens of them died with a sh of Charles¡¯ de.


    <i>Hissssss.</i>


    The fuse was ignited. With his prosthetic limb and Dark de in his other hand, Charles hurriedly scaled the cliff.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    With a ground-shaking explosion, the fourth leg of the Shielder was blown away. The two remaining legs could no longer support its heavy weight and were dislodged from the tunnel walls.


    Just as its massive body tilted, a barbed tentacle that was as thick as a telephone pole shot out from its body, aiming straight for Charles'' heart.


    Charles'' keen hearing picked up the dreadful sound behind him. Mustering every ounce of strength in him, he dodged to the left. However, he was just a moment toote. Like a sharp spear, the tentacle pierced and lodged itself into his prosthetic arm.


    A gut-wrenching force yanked Charles downward as he trailed after the Shielder''s descent.


    As he watched the patch of blue above him getting further and further away, Charles gritted his teeth in determination. With a firm gaze, he plunged his Dark de into the cliffside.


    His body jerked to a stop. Apanied by the sound of tearing flesh, a searing pain erupted from his left arm. His prosthetic limb was forcefully torn from its socket.


    With only his right hand clutching the Dark de, Charles hung precariously against the cliffside.


    Charles moved deftly and flipped himself upward. His feet rested on the hilt of his lodged weapon.


    His trembling hand removed his belt, and he used the belt to apply a tourniquet to the wound on his shoulder.


    <i>Huff... Huff...Huff...</i>


    Leaning against the jagged cliffside, Charles'' breathing was heavy and erratic. He looked up to see that the hue of blue remained in sight. A crazedughter, tinged with hysteria, escaped his lips.


    Charles had intended to take a brief respite before resuming his ascent when an airship with a half-deted air balloon unexpectedly floated up from below.


    Half of the deck had been blown off, and three figures remained standing on what remained of the vessel. Charles locked eyes with them before he kicked off against the Dark de and leaped onto the deck.


    He grabbed one of the remaining survivors and fed on his blood before pointing skyward and instructing them to continue the ascent.


    After having his bloodthirst satiated, Charles slumped against the airship''s railing and took deep breaths.


    "Governor, so many of us have lost their lives. Is this worth it?" asked one of the two remaining disciples.


    Charles cast a nce at the disciple, but due to the protective suit they were wearing, he couldn''t discern their facial features or gauge their expression.


    "Don''t worry. It''s all worth it. Once we reach the Land of Light, I''ll implore the Light God to guide their souls back to His divine kingdom," Charles responded.


    Silence ensued. The airship continued its slow ascent. As they drew closer, the patch of blue overhead expanded, and Charles could even make out the contours of white clouds.


    "The weather¡¯s nice weather today," Charlesmented; his smile had never left countenance ever since he finished off the Shielder.


    Nearing the other end of the tunnel, Charles noticed what seemed to be a city beyond the exit. The skeletal remains of skyscrapers jutted out around the cave''s perimeter. They partially blocked out some of the sun''s rays, but Charles could already catch a glimpse of the scorching ball in the sky. Such familiarity and warmth.


    The airship continued its ascent, but it didn''tst. Suddenly, a hissing sound echoed above them¡ªthe balloon was leaking.


    "Quick, head for the building!" Charlesmanded.


    In ast-ditch effort, the airship sent them into an opening along the wall of a jutting skyscraper.


    The four individuals disembarked to find themselves in a dustden stairwell.


    "Follow me." Charles led the group as they stumbled toward the rooftop.


    As they climbed the tilted staircase in the leaning building, Charles felt his heart pound more intensely in anticipation with each floor number they passed.


    Suddenly, he halted. Barely three meters in front of them stood a red door that led to the rooftop. The door wasn''t locked. He just needed to push it open, and he would be back to the surface world.


    He extended a trembling hand only to retract it again.


    An indescribable fear surged in his heart.


    A sudden urge seized his thoughts. His subconscious was beckoning him to return to the subterranean world¡ªto get back on Hope Ind and be with his crew once more.


    <i>"Bro....we''re already here. It''s fine. There''s nothing to be afraid of. Let''s go together."</i> Richard''s trembling voice sounded in Charles'' mind.


    Charles took a few deep breaths and ced his hand on the door handle.


    <i>"Wait!"</i> Richard suddenly halted Charles. He pulled out a gem-encrusted crown from his breast pocket and took a brief look before putting it back.


    <i>"What''s this?"</i>


    <i>"A souvenir for our sister. I bought it with Echo on Hope Ind."</i>


    <i>"What kind of gift is that? Would anyone wear that?"</i>


    <i>"Rest assured. She loves anything with value. Let''s go. Three, two, one!"</i>


    Both personalities controlled their arm in unison to turn the door handle.


    The door opened with a creak, and a ring light assaulted Charles'' vision. However, when his eyes had adjusted, he was taken aback by the sight before him.


    What he saw in the sky wasn''t the sun at all.


    Instead, it resembled a massive ring made from a material simr to that of the sun. Within the center of this ring were floating blocks, much like Tetris pieces. They interlocked with each other to create a giant white triangle.


    The three disciples of the Divine Light Order who trailed after Charles rushed forward and fell to their knees. Bursting out into tears, they wailed one after another.


    "Oh, Great Light God, Your lost sheep have finally found You!"


    "Almighty God, please ept my soul and let me join Your kingdom!"


    It wasn''t the sun.


    It resembled the depiction of the Light God worshiped by the Divine Light Order.


    Charles looked around in a daze. The walls surrounding them were painted in blue with asional clusters of white clouds. The blue he had seen was merely paint.


    This wasn''t the surface world. This was merely a hollowed-out cavity at the top created by the Foundation for a habitat. He was still underground.


    His knees gave out, and he copsed to the ground. An indescribable emotion filled his eyes as his expression slowly contorted. A guttural noise emerged from deep within his throat.


    It was more of a stifled whimper than a cry, as if Charles were struggling to keep his emotions in check. However, his feelings couldn''t be contained any longer, leading to a violent coughing fit.


    Grasping his throat, his face flushed a deep red.


    At that moment, his repressed sobs burst forth, erupting into a heart-wrenching wail reminiscent of the final cry of a dying bird on a freezing winter night.


    "Why¡ªWhy! What do you want from me?! I just want to go home! Why!"


    With each outburst, his tears mingled with his saliva and dripped to the grime-caked rooftop.


    Suddenly, Charles'' body moved. He pulled out a gem-encrusted crown and violently flung it to the ground. Immediately afterward, he pulled out a ss vial from within his jacket pocket.


    It was the elixir meant to erase either one of them.


    "<i>Hahaha!</i>" Richard let out a bitterugh. "Perfect! Charles, you can rot in this wretched ce. I''m done!" With that, he tilted his head and downed the contents within the vial.


    He had only consumed half of it when the hand clutching the vial drooped.


    Charles felt emptiness within him as if something had vanished.


    With tears streaming down his cheeks, Charles let out a bitter chuckle. He reached for the other vial in the same pocket.


    Amidst the group of Divine Light Order disciples prostrating on the ground, Charles rose to his feet. Using his teeth, he skillfully unscrewed the cap of the second vial.


    He lifted the vial towards the massive, glowing ring in the sky as if offering a toast.


    "I can''t be bothered about what you are anymore. Cheers! Long live the Sun God! May my next life be a better one."


    The ring shimmered, and a soft female voice echoed.


    "Dawn One reporting the time for citizens of Newbound City. It is now exactly 12:00 PM."


    A manic smile spread across Charles'' countenance. Just as he tipped his head back to drink it, his hand suddenly went limp, and the bottle fell to the ground. It shattered upon impact, spilling the contents within it to the ground.


    <i>"Phnglui mglwnafh R''lyeh wgah''nagl fhtagn..."</i>


    The chanting sounds invaded Charles'' ears once again. Charles looked down amidst the murmurs and saw his own fingers morphing into octopus-like tentacles, with each tentacle covered in eyes.


    Various amorphous organs began to sprout all over his body. There were appendages resembling those of crab ws, ballooning orbs of dark matter, and even triangr deformed dead fish-like eyes.


    "<i>Heh, heh.</i> How interesting. So you decided to join the party, too?" Charles cackled maniacally as he moved toward the edge of the rooftop. It loomed over the dark tunnel from which he had juste from.


    Without any hesitation, Charles hurled himself into the void below.


    The wind howled in his ears. Every eye that had sprouted over his body flicked open in unison. Scenes from both the subterranean world and the surface world shed past before his eyes.


    But at this moment, they were no longer important...


    1. Don''t ask me how it can support his weight... I have no idea D:

 Chapter 165. Home

    <h4>Chapter 165. Home</h4>


    "Gao Zhiming! Gao Zhiming! Move over, you are lying on my hair."


    A familiar feminine voice traveled into Charles'' ears. He opened his eyes and took in the familiar energy-saving white electronic light affixed to the ceiling.


    It was the exact energy-saving light in his bedroom. There was no mistaking it. It was the same light he had for over a decade in this very room. He was absolutely certain of it.


    "Why are you staring at the ceiling? I said you¡¯re lying on my hair," the same voice called out again as a delicate hand reached out and lightly pinched Charles.


    Charles turned to his side to see Anna lying next to him. Her face tinged with slight annoyance and impatience. d only in her underwear, she let out a yawn.


    With a swish, Charles sprang out of bed and scanned his surroundings. He was back¡ªback in his bedroom on the surface world. Every piece of furniture remained where it had been; nothing was changed.


    "Why are you acting so crazy this early in the morning?" Anna mumbled as she got off the bed and started getting dressed.


    Visibly agitated, Charles rushed to his study desk and randomly picked out a book. It was <i>One Hundred Thousand Why</i>s, a book that his father had bought for him. Flipping it open, he saw that the book had the same doodles he had drawn during his childhood days.


    "Honey, we need to get a bigger bed. How can two of us sleep in a single bed? Seriously? Just wait until Elizabeth joins us; there won''t even be any space to roll over," Annamented.


    She then moved toward the desk and sat down on the chair before it. Picking up the lipstick next to the pencil holder, she uncapped it and began applying her makeup.


    Charles mmed the book down in exasperation and dashed toward Anna.


    Gripping her by her shoulders, he shook her vigorously.


    "Anna, what the hell happened? I should be dead! Why am I here?"


    Anna pursed her lips to even out her freshly applied lipstick before nting a firm kiss on Charles'' lips as if she were marking her property.


    Just then, the door creaked open, and a young girl with a ponytail and a golden crown stood in the doorway.


    Witnessing Anna and Charles locked in a passionate kiss, she feigned a gag and turned around, wanting to leave.


    "Gao Suling!" Charles called out as he spotted the girl out of the corner of his eyes. He sprinted toward her like a madman and pulled her into a suffocating embrace. His eyes instantly welled up, red and raw with surging emotion.


    "Wh-What are you doing? Incest is a crime, you know," Suling struggled half-heartedly, as any sibling would.


    Charles lifted his head and reached out a trembling hand to caress Suling''s face. He couldn''t control his emotions any longer, and tears started streaming down his cheeks.


    Taken aback, the girl turned her gaze toward Anna and said, "Hey, your husband''s gone mad."


    Anna took off the men''s slippers on her feet and changed into a pair of red heels. She walked over to take Charles by the arm and led him out of the room.


    "Your head is in a mess again. Come. Let me show you something," Anna said.


    Charles then followed Anna''s lead into the living room, where he was pressed onto the sofa. As his eyes surveyed the room, which appeared untouched and precisely as he remembered it, confusion clouded his mind.


    Anna switched on the wall-mounted LCD TV, and it instantly lit up with a news broadcast. The screen showed a massive ck hole situated in a desertndscape and seven or eight helicopters circling above it. The area surrounding the ck hole was filled with various pieces of equipment.


    "With the assistance of our allies from the Subterranean Sea, our scientists have sessfully reached their destination and acquired a primary understanding of much of the technologies found in the Foundation''s ruins.


    ¡±This discovery will advance our nation''s technology to a whole new level," the newscaster reported.


    "Indeed. And all credit goes to an anonymous individual who refused to reveal his identity. He''s a true benefactor to all humanity. Our dear viewers, please join us in extending our deepest gratitude to this enigmatic hero," the co-newscaster continued.


    Anna leaned closer, her red lips barely touching Charles'' ear and whispered, "Have you forgotten? Just when you plunged into the waters, the Sun God exploded and left a hole in its ce. The hole in Newbound City leads right out to the surface world."


    "After returning to the surface world, you came down again and brought me up with you. And then, here we are. It''s that simple. And good news for you: I don''t eat humans anymore. I can survive on the diet of a normal human as well," Anna continued.


    Charles stared at the news on the screen in shock as his mind raced to absorb the flood of new information. He could only sit there stunned and lost for words.


    <i>Click.</i>


    The crimson front door swung open, and Elizabeth entered the living room. Her cheeks were flushed from the sweltering heat. Fanning her face with a hand, she grumbled, "My god, it''s scorching hot outside. I think it''s at least forty degrees Celsius."


    When she turned and caught sight of Charles, her eyes twinkled. She immediately raced over to the other side of the couch and snuggled up to him.


    "Charles, I''m so sorry. The Governor of the Land of Light kept requesting to see me, and I''ve been so tied up with all those meetings. I''m finally done with them now and finally have time toe and visit you. Did you miss me?" Elizabeth cooed.


    However, Charles only stared nkly at her.


    Confused, Elizabeth sent Anna an inquisitive nce.


    "Nothing much. His mind''s a little jumbled up right now. Probably because of what happened..." Anna exined with a sigh.


    "I see... Then, I think it should be fine," Elizabeth responded. With a trace of excitement on her visage, she leaned closer to Charles.


    Charles suddenly felt a wet sensation on his earlobe as Elizabeth''s sultry voice echoed in his ear. "You''re mine tonight. Why don''t we try something different?"


    "That won''t do!" Anna interjected and ced a leg over Charles''p. "We made an agreement when we just came up."


    "Hold on for a moment. I-I''m really confused," Charles said, cing a hand on each woman to gently restrain them and prevent the situation from escting.


    Just then, a rhythmic nking sounded from the kitchen.


    Charles turned his gaze toward the kitchen to see his father tapping the spoon in his hand against a dish.


    "Son, lunch is almost ready. Set the table."


    Charles rose to his feet in a tremble. Just when he was about to sprint toward the middle-aged man, Anna and Elizabeth quickly restrained him.


    "Calm down. You''ll scare Father."


    After another bout of confusion, Charles finally calmed down and sat at the dining table. His gaze darted around the room as he scrutinized his surroundings.


    Unfazed by her brother''s fric behavior, Gao Suling sat off to the side, engrossed in her mobile game. The same crown adorned her head, and she seemedpletely indifferent to themotion around her.


    Soon, an array of dishes was brought out. There were sauteed intestines, sweet-and-sour fish, stir-fried spinach, and braised pork. They were simple home-cooked fare, but they looked scrumptious.


    "Mom, let me help," Charles said as he stood up and reached for one of the dishes.


    His mother shook her head; her expression was tinged with emotion as she said, "If it means having you back, don''t even mention bringing out the dishes, I''d do anything just to have you back. Do you have any idea how much I missed you all these years? I thought you were gone forever."


    "Mom, it must''ve been hard on you," Charles responded, sounding guilty.


    "Let''s not talk about unhappy things. Now that you are finally home, rest up. Take a seat. There''s still soup, I''ll bring it out now," his mother said as she gently pushed Charles back into his seat.


    Just then, Elizabeth passed a full bowl of rice to Charles.


    "Elizabeth, thank you," Charles said as he took the bowl.


    "Don''t mention it, I''m yourwful wife, after all."

 Chapter 166. Lunatic

    <h4>Chapter 166. Lunatic</h4>


    Sitting next to Charles, Anna tugged at Charles'' cor.


    "Gao Zhiming, where did the tattoo on your neck go?"


    Charles put down his bowl of rice and yanked his shirt cor aside. Indeed, as per Anna''s words, the tattoo that resembled a dying spider had really vanished.


    Charles lifted his gaze and asked, "Jiajia, wasn''t this tattoo your doing?"


    "What? Me? Don''t be absurd. I would never do something like that," Anna retorted.


    As the two bickered, all the scrumptious dishes were soonid out on the table. The family of six started feasting in bliss.


    With every bite he took, Charles savored the intense vors and chewed with relish. He had never imagined that even such modest, homemade dishes could taste so divine.


    <i>If only my crew members were here.</i> Charles suddenly thought.


    The very next moment, the doorbell chimed. Charles stood up and went to open the door.


    The door swung open to reveal his entire crew from the Nawhale. The radiant smiles on their faces matched the warmth of the sunlight shining down on them.


    "Dipp, Bandages, James! How... How did all of you get here?"


    "Captain! We came up to find you!" Dipp eximed and pulled Charles into a bear hug.


    "Mr. Charles, you''ve been gone for so long, and we really missed you! Is this your home? It looks so pretty!" Lily chimed in and excitedly scurried up Charles'' leg.


    With such arge crowd, their existing small dining table was clearly insufficient to seat everyone. Luckily, they had arger, round table at home, which they promptly set up to make room for all the guests.


    Laughter echoed throughout the space as people took turns to offer congrattory toasts to Charles'' miraculous escape from the Subterranean Sea.


    Faces all around were adorned with joyous smiles. Charles had never been happier as he was enveloped by the warmth of his family, friends, and loved ones.


    <i>Snap!</i>


    Suddenly, a leg of Charles'' stool gave way, sending him tumbling to the floor.


    The room fell into immediate silence.


    All eyes turned onto Charles. Finding himself the center of attention, Charles quickly waved a dismissive hand before hoisting himself back up with the same hand. He chuckled and said, "I''m fine. The stool''s just a bit flimsy. Let''s carry on! Suling, please bring me a bottle of c."


    The reunion dinner promptly resumed. Lily leaped to stand before Charles and tilted her head upward. With twinkling eyes, she asked, "Mr. Charles, can you take me out to y after we are done with dinner? I want to watch a movie, and oh, I want a mobile phone too!"


    With a warm smile on his countenance, Charles affectionately tousled the hair on her tiny head. "Not a problem! We''ll have all the fun you want! As for a mobile phone, I''ll get you as many as you wish!"


    ***


    At the fringe of the Whereto Harbor district, a weary woman in her forties with a weathered face etched with lines of worry leaned against the doorframe of her decrepit house that barely stood a meter tall. Her gaze was filled with unease as she looked out toward the distant docks.


    In the room behind her, a teenage brother and sister duo, who appeared to be around fourteen years old, were skillfully weaving a fis. Despite the multiple cuts from the roughting, their pace never faltered.


    "Mom, it seems like Big Brother won''t being back again today," the older sistermented as she set aside the she''d been working on to look at their visibly worried mother.


    The woman let out a sigh; the lines on her face appeared to deepen even further. She turned around and entered the room to join her children in their tasks.


    "Mom, what should we do with all these shark meat? It''s already the third day; it will definitely go bad if we leave it overnight," the younger brother piped up in a slightly youthful voice.


    The woman hesitated for a couple of seconds before she walked over to the table.


    "I''ll give it to those madmen around the corner. It''s still food, after all; throwing them away would be such a waste."


    The woman picked up the te of fish meat that had already attracted a handful of buzzing flies. Hunched slightly, she made her way out the door.


    With the te in hand, she walked several hundred meters down the road.


    In a neglected corner, several lunatics were huddled together in a squatting position while babbling iprehensible nonsense to themselves. The pedestrians around them paid no mind


    As soon as the woman tipped the fish meat onto the ground, the madmen swarmed toward it. Their filthy, grime-caked hands wed at the food in a frenzied scramble.


    The woman had kept one piece of fish meat in her hands. She looked around and spotted an individual cowering in the darkest and filthiest corner.


    She approached the man and offered him thest piece of fish.


    "Eat up. You never fight for food. How are you still alive...?"


    Dressed in torn rags and with his hair wild and unkempt, the disheveled madman extended his remaining right hand to ept the fish meat.


    "Elizabeth, thank you."


    The woman sighed as she watched the madman before her gobble down the meat. "I don''t even understand what you''re saying. I guess we are all struggling souls in this world. Taking life one day at a time is all we can do. After all, staying alive is better than death."


    Just as she spoke, something caught her attention. She pulled aside the cor of the lunatic before her to reveal a ck tattoo on his neck that was caked with grime.


    It seemed to resemble a living creature that was a hybrid between a spider and an octopus. Some of its tentacles stretched out and extended upward onto the madman''s face and squirmed as he chewed.


    "What is this?"


    Suddenly, the madman stopped chewing and lifted his gaze.


    He looked at the woman and asked, "Jiajia, wasn''t this tattoo your doing?"


    Letting out another sigh, the woman stood up. "Stop with your gibberish. Eat up. Finish it all before the others snatch them from you."


    "Dipp, Bandages, James! How... How did all of you get here?" The madman stood up with an expression of astonishment.


    With aplicated gaze in her eyes, the woman stared at the madman before her. "They say that you madmen can see things others can''t. Then, are you able to see the ghost of my husband, Kevin?"


    The madman rambled on, "Here, this table won''t do for so many of us. We have arger table in the room. Let''s bring it out."


    "If you see Kevin, ask him why he had to go out to sea and leave us behind. It has been so many years; why hasn''t he sent any word? Does he not know how hard it is for me to raise three children on my own?" the woman''s voice wavered, choked by emotion, as tears started to fill her eyes.


    Just then, a young man in his early twenties dashed out from the side and dealt a forceful kick that sent the madman sprawling through the air.


    "How dare you bully my mother! You must be tired of living!" he shouted with evident fury.


    The madman pushed himself up from the ground with a single hand. ¡°I''m fine. The stool''s just a bit flimsy. Let''s carry on! Suling, please bring me a bottle of c."


    "Weister! What are you doing?!" the woman hurriedly grabbed her eldest son, who seemed ready to lunge over to continue his assault on the lunatic.


    Weister anxiously examined his mother. "Did that madman do anything to you?"


    "What are you talking about? I was just sparing some fish meat that was going to turn rancid to these poor souls," Weister''s mother replied.


    Weister let out a sigh of relief and cast a nce at the madman, who was still feasting on the piece of fish meat in his hand.


    "Mother, let''s go home. I have something to show you," Weister said as he held his mother by the hand and led her toward their shaky house.


    As they walked away, they could hear the dwindling voice of the madman calling out from behind them.


    "Lily, watch out for cars!"

 Chapter 167. Weister

    <h4>Chapter 167. Weister</h4>


    "Come in quick. Close the door, too," Weister uttered nervously the moment he stepped into their dwelling.


    His mother, Elena, ced the empty te she was holding on the table before turning toward Weister. "Where have you been the past few days? Are you hungry? Should I cook you something to eat?"


    Disregarding his mother''s questions, Weister turned up the wick of the oilmp to brighten the room. He then pulled his younger brother and sister, who were diligently weaving a fis, closer to him before taking out two fist-sized pieces of white bread and stuffing them into their hands.


    "Eat up. I specially went to the residential area and got them."


    Holding the two loaves of white bread in their hands, his younger siblings didn''t take a bite. Instead, a hint of concern and worry filled their eyes as they turned their gazes toward their mother.


    A nervous expression crossed Elena''s visage as she eyed the pristine packaging with skepticism.


    "This must''ve been expensive, right?" Elena asked.


    Weister replied nonchntly, "It''s alright. It¡¯s only 50 Echo each. I got them from the Crown District. We can still afford this small amount."


    With that, Weister then fished out a stack of Echo bills from his pocket and handed them to Elena.


    However, Elena''s face showed no signs of happiness. Instead, anxiety settled into her furrowed features.


    "Did you go out stealing again? How many times have I told you not to do things that vite thew?! What if the police catch you?"


    Weister pushed the stack of bills into Elena''s hands with a smile on his face.


    "Don''t worry. I didn''t steal anything," Weister assured.


    "Tell me, where did this moneye from, then?" Elena''s stern gaze bore into her eldest son.


    "I...I found a wallet today. I think it belongs to one of the central inders. There''s a lot of money inside," Weister stuttered as he shifted his gaze away in guilt.


    "Don''t lie to me. Where did this moneye from?" Elena''s voice trembled slightly.


    Sitting next to them, Weister''s younger siblings exchanged nces before quietly cing the bread in their hands back on the table. Without uttering a word, they resumed weaving the fis.


    Pushed to the edge, Weister could only reveal the truth. "It''s really nothing much. The Shark Gang asked for my help, and this is thepensation I got in return."


    Elena''s pallid lips trembled as she replied, "Have you forgotten how Timmy died? He also went to <i>help, </i>but when they sent him back, half of his body was gone!"


    Elena''s eyes were filled with intense fear. Street gangs often targeted people like them, who lived in the impoverished harbor district, for a specific purpose: to use them in experiments involving bizarre relics.


    Many who had gone to <i>assist</i> them in their experiments were sent back as lifeless corpses. It was a deadly gamble that only desperate souls would dare to partake. She couldn''t understand why her own son had decided to get involved in such a perilous activity.


    "Mom, it''s fine. I''m only doing this once. Look, aren''t I back in one piece? I''ll be going on a long trip soon for several months. I have to leave some money for the family."


    Weister then walked over to his younger siblings and pulled them up, stopping them from their weaving. Picking up the bread loaves from the table, he pressed them into their hands once again.


    "Several months? Where are you going?" Elena''s voice quivered as she spoke.


    Weister knew that what he was about to say next would incur his mother''s wrath, but he could only tell her the truth.


    "There''s a cargo ship short of a sailor. I''m going to join the crew."


    Elena seemed to be set off by Weister''s words. She abruptly stood up, marched toward him, and delivered a p to his face with her left hand.


    "Have you lost your mind? That''s suicide! Have you forgotten how your father disappeared? You''re not allowed to go out to sea!"


    Elena raised her hand for another strike, but Weister caught her by the wrist in mid-air. His voice surged with emotion. "Mom, isn''t it just death? What''s there to fear about it?


    ¡±If I die, so be it. What''s the point of living such a miserable life?!"


    "Even living in poverty is still better than death! As long as we''re alive, things will get better one day!"


    "How will it ever get better? It''s been three years since Shadow Ind sank! And I''ve been hauling cargo around for three whole years! And what''s next?" Weister gestured toward his younger siblings. "Will my brother end up a manualborer like me when he grows up?


    ¡±Will my sister marry anotherborer after that? Aren¡¯t we all doomed to keep scraping by in this harbor area? Is this what you call <i>things getting better</i>?"


    Unable to restrain his emotions, Weister continued, "Two days ago, I spotted you picking up shark meat scraps that others had peeled off and discarded at the fish market.


    ¡±Even beggars wouldn''t touch those parts that are tinged with the heavy smell of ammonia, but it appeared on our table. How can life ever <i>get better</i>?"


    Bombarded by the truth behind her son''s questions, Elena had no response. She could only bow her head as tears streamed down her weathered face.


    Looking at his mother''s reaction, Weister''s voice softened a notch. "I remember the days when Father''s jewelry store was still around. They might not remember because they were still young, but I remember that we could shower with fresh water.


    ¡±We even get to eat delicious cuisine every day and even live in arge house in the central district. That''s what it means to have a better life and not like this... living like rodents in sewers."


    A heavy silence engulfed the room for a long while. The me in the oilmp flickered, and Weister broke the silence. Stuffing the wad of bills into Elena''s hand, he said, "Rest assured. I will make sure we return to those good days. I promise!"


    With that, Weister sprinted out of the house and onto the bustling streets, ignoring Elena''s anguished cries from behind him.


    After he navigated through twists and turns to lose his mother, Weister halted and exhaled deeply. He then approached two young men who were smoking in the distance.


    "So, how did the discussion go?" asked one of them.


    Weister nodded firmly, "Yes, I decided to get on board."


    The young man with a scar trailing from the corner of his mouth thumped Weister''s shoulder enthusiastically.


    "You''ll be proud of this decision you made today, mate! Begging for food onnd is for spineless cowards. Real men live on the sea. Let''s hit the bar. Drinks are on me today," he said.


    Weister smiled and ced an arm on the shoulder of his newrade.


    "Are you sure the captain would agree to have me on board? I have no sailing experience."


    "Don''t worry. You''re just joining as a sailor. As long as you have two good arms and legs, you''ll be fine. Besides, I''m very close to the boatswain. Just get him a few packs of smokes, and he''ll definitely agree to it."


    As the trio sauntered ahead, arm in arm, they found their path blocked by a dark-uniformed policeman.


    "What a buzzkill. Why are these damn ck dogs blocking the way?" the scar-faced young man grumbled with a look of impatience.


    "Look over there. It seems like some bigshot is arriving," Weister said as he gestured toward the adjacent dock.


    Bright searchlights prated the darkness as an oppressive colossal ship inched its way toward the pier.


    "That''s the governor''s Royal Titan," one of the onlookersmented.


    Shortly after, Weister spotted several cars elerating from the docks toward them. One of the cars had its windows rolled down, and a stunningly beautiful face shed past them. Her peerless beauty left the men in the crowd spellbound.


    "The Princess of Whereto remains breathtakingly beautiful no matter how many times you see her."


    "It''s really her! It''s Miss Margaret!"


    "She''s so beautiful!"


    The scar-faced youth licked his lips as a lustful glint flickered in his eyes. "If I could have her under me for just one night, I''d willingly trade my life for it."


    "Hey! Punk! What did you just say?! Get over here!" the nearest police officer shouted, his face contorted with fury as he raised his ck baton menacingly.


    The situation was turning bad, so the trio swiftly eluded the crowd.

 Chapter 168. The Princess of Whereto

    <h4>Chapter 168. The Princess of Whereto</h4>


    Seated in the car, Margaret peered out of the window as the ever-changingndscape blitzed past her. After three years, the youthful naivety that once graced her face was gone and reced by an ethereal beauty that further entuated her charm.


    But presently, her alluring visage held a hint of fatigue.


    Thest two months at sea had been exhausting. All she wanted to do was to get home as quickly as possible, enjoy a warm bath, and replenish her beauty sleep.


    As the scenery whizzed by her, she finally caught sight of the steel gates of the Governor''s Mansion. Finally, she was home.


    "My dear, how was your tour of the inds? Was everything smooth?" Kalytha approached Margaret with a radiant smile on her visage.


    "It went rtively well. I''m just tired from the long voyage. Mother, I''d like to take a bath."


    "Of course. The bathwater is already prepared and awaiting you."


    With her hair coiled up into a bun atop her head, Margaret sank into the ivory porcin bathtub. Enjoying the embrace of the warm water, she closed her eyes and allowed her wearied mind to unwind.


    "Darling, Martin sent numerous telegrams while you were away. I''ve ced them in your room; you may want to read them when you have the time," Kalytha''s voice sounded.


    Margaret''s beautiful arched eyebrows instantly furrowed. "Mother, please let me enjoy my rest. Perhaps we can save this talk for tomorrow?"


    "Darling, there''s no need to choose further. Among all your suitors, I can feel that Martin is the best candidate for you. He''s the eldest son of the Governor of Ebony Mist Ind and is also quite handsome. Also, I can see that he truly likes you."


    "Yeah, yeah..." Margaret gave a cursory response; her mind was clearly elsewhere.


    Kalytha shook her head in resignation and turned around to exit the bathroom.


    "It''s not necessary, but if you married him, that would certainly be a great assistance to your father''s current predicament."


    With a soft click, the door was closed. Margaret was then left alone in the spacious, steam-filled bathroom.


    She opened her eyes as she stared at the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Aplex expression appeared on her delicate countenance.


    Three years ago, she had been ted when she heard that Mr. Charles had be the governor of an ind.


    The news kept her awake the whole night. After all, this meant that her father would no longer object to them being together.


    However, just as she started to fantasize about their rosy future ahead, she received devastating news: The Governor of Hope Ind had perished. He had fallen from a great height and plunged into the waters. His body disappeared into the depths and was never found.


    His crew offered hefty rewards for news of their lost captain, everyone knew that those who had fallen into the depths of the ocean had never managed to return. The waves would take them away and present them to the divinities.


    She remembered crying for a long, long time then. She also sank into a depression for an extended period of time. But as time moved on, so had she.


    She was turning twenty this year. ording to normal circumstances, marrying a man she didn''t despise seemed like the most sensible choice, but whenever she tried to convince herself to settle down for someone else, a strange feeling would gnaw at her soul.


    "Mr. Charles, what do I have to do to forget you?" Margaret muttered to herself. Yes, Charles had indeed saved her back then. But they hadn''t spent much time together, and he didn''t seem that keen to even talk to her. Why couldn''t she forget him?


    Margaret unknowingly drifted off to sleep while thinking of many different thoughts. However, the thoughts didn¡¯t abandon her, even in her dream.


    When Margaret finally roused from her slumber, she found herself in her plush bed.


    "Miss, you fell asleep in the bathtubst night," said Gina, her head attendant.


    She had been waiting on Margaret since early morning.


    "Thank you, Gina. I must''ve been really exhausted," Margaret said as she arched her back to stretch before getting up.


    "Good morning, Father," Margaret greeted with a smile as she entered the dining room. Her pot-bellied father, Daniel, was seated at the breakfast table with a sullen expression. He was holding a fork in one hand and a document in the other. His hands trembled as he scanned the document.


    Margaret''s greetings appeared to fall on deaf ears as Daniel mmed the piece of parchment paper onto the table.


    "That brat Swann has crossed the line! I''m still alive and kicking! Does he really think he owns the Northern Seas?!" Daniel roared. He then stood up in a fury and stormed out of the room.


    "Brother, what''s gotten into Father?" Margaret asked.


    Over the years, Daniel had adopted a new appearance, and now his mustache quivered slightly. He simply gave Margaret a nce and shrugged before digging into his bacon once more.


    Margaret saw that and decided not to press on further as she sank into her seat.


    Breakfast was as usual¡ªbacon, eggs, and beans¡ªbut Margaret finished them all.


    Rubbing her bloated belly, Margaret hesitated on what to do next. ording to her initial n, she had intended to just rx for a couple of days upon returning to Whereto.


    However, she still hadn''t thought about what she should do to rx.


    After pondering for several moments, she stood up and turned to her head attendant. "Gina, let''s go out to y."


    Very soon, Margaret changed into a flowing dress and boarded the car. The vehicle swiftly drove out of the Governor''s Mansion.


    "Where would you like to go, Miss?" asked the burly driver.


    "I''ve no idea. Anywhere will do. Let''s just drive around."


    The Isle of Whereto was vast; even if one were to drive a car, it would take a long time to travel around. Margaret continuously peered out of the windows. She felt like the ind had changed again during her absence.


    And before she knew it, morning had turned into noon.


    "Stop the car!"


    Hearing the urgency in Margaret''s voice, the driver stomped on the emergency brake.


    Margaret then rushed out of the halted car and sprinted to a cotton candy stall.


    "Mister, I''d like a pink one, please!" she eximed.


    The machine whirred and came to life. Soon, a pink cotton candy was handed over to Margaret.


    Margaret strolled ahead while savoring the cotton candy.


    Everything edible she came across would pique her interest.


    As the cotton candy rapidly diminished in size, the view of the chaotic harbor district that was previously obscured by her treat soon entered Margaret''s sight.


    Stuffing thest bit of cotton candy into her mouth, Margaret pointed at the harbor district. "Let''s go check it out."


    A hint of apprehension mixed with hesitancy crossed Gina''s face. "Miss, isn''t that area a little dangerous? Perhaps we should go somewhere else."


    "It''s fine. Brother''s men are with us," Margaret reassured Gina and gestured toward the burly driver, who had been following them. She then grabbed Gina''s hand and pulled her toward the harbor area.


    With her stunning beauty and her exquisite, white flowing dress, Margaret stood out like a dazzling spotlight on the crowded streets.


    Sensing the lingering gazes from all around her, she swiftly made a detour into a second-hand clothing shop around the corner.


    People subconsciously trailed after her and gathered at the shop''s entrance.


    The driver didn''t follow Margaret into the shop but stood guard right outside.


    Soon enough, a beggar shuffled forward with a bowl in his hands.


    "Make sure those trash know their ce. They¡¯re doomed if even a single hair on the young miss is harmed."


    "Understood," the beggar replied and scurried off.


    Inside the second-hand clothing shop, Margaret quickly changed out of her white dress into an ensemble of older clothes. She exited the shop and saw Gina waiting for her while wearing simr clothes.


    Margaret took a moment to take in Gina¡¯s appearance before covering her mouth to stifle herughter.

 Chapter 169. Search

    <h4>Chapter 169. Search</h4>


    Having changed into her new outfit, Margaret sauntered along the bustling streets of the harbor district. With people passing by her without sparing a second nce, her spirits lifted, and she started humming a jovial tune.


    Taking in her surroundings as she strolled, her sensitive nose suddenly picked up the scent of charred delights.


    "Gina, look! There''s a stall selling charcoal-grilled mackerel. Let''s have a bite."


    Grabbing Gina by the wrist, the duo sprinted toward a food stall in the distance. The driver had also changed into a modest outfit and was vigntly observing their surroundings.


    His tense expression only rxed ever so slightly when he caught sight of a dark silhouette on the rooftop where light didn''t reach.


    The officers from District 7 had arrived. The harbor would be safe for now.


    With a grilled mackerel skewer in hand, Margaret continued on her path forward. The people around her weren''t particrly clean and well-groomed, and the ground had asional puddles of murky water and strewn litter, Margaret felt happy walking down such streets for some inexplicable reason.


    The harbor district was ever so lively, bustling and chaotic.


    Everyone was hustling for their daily lives.


    Ships of varying sizes crisscrossed the waters, and numerous steamboats were anchored at the docks to load and unload cargo. Sturdyborers, drenched in sweat, tirelessly transported goods to and fro.


    Gina covered her nose as she sidestepped to avoid a group of sailors smoking cigarettes. "Miss, are you really having fun here? I heard that the Tuna Theatre had released a new romantic y. Shall we go there instead?"


    Margaret shook her head and said, "Those ys are all the same, portraying how love will ovee all odds and receive a happy ending. The new y is just the same plot line repackaged with new identities for the male and female protagonists. Reality is far from that."


    Unswayed by Gina''s suggestion, Margaret continued her exploration of the harbor area. At the sight of any tantalizing food or intriguing activities, she wouldn''t hesitate to stop and give it a go herself.


    As they ventured deeper, the street grew narrower, and a pungent smell started to fill the air. A couple of deranged figures could also be seen around the corners.


    Spotting these disheveled madmen, Margaret let out a sigh.


    She knew she wouldn''t be able to do much for them.


    Even if she were to send this group that she saw to the asylum, a fresh wave would rece them soon enough. They were the ever-present specters of the district, appearing and vanishing without a trace.


    Margaret walked past them and continued her way. Before long, she had arrived at the outskirts of the harbor district.


    A shabby hut stood by the seaside. Apart from a young boy munching on his food at the doorway, there was no one else in sight.


    Intrigued, Margaret approached with a smile on her face. "Hey, your food looks delicious. What are you having?"


    rmed by Margaret''s sudden appearance, the young boy quickly hid the ck bread egg sandwich behind him and darted into the hut, not forgetting to bolt the door behind him.


    A light chuckle escaped Margaret''s lips. She was just saying hello. Did he really think that she would steal his food?


    Seeing that her attempt to strike a conversation had failed, Margaret briskly walked toward the shoreline and peered toward the vast, inky expanse before her.


    "Miss, it''s gettingte. We should go back now," the burly driver-cum-bodyguard reminded as his eyes warily scanned the dark waters.


    He could handle any potential threats on the streets, but fending off an attacker from the waters was beyond his capability.


    Margaret allowed her gaze to linger over the waters for another silent moment before she turned on her heel. "This little outing has been more refreshing than any y of afternoon tea. Let''s head back now."


    As they retraced their steps, a familiar voice made Margaret stop abruptly, especially when they were just passing the gathering of madmen.


    "Anna, wait for a moment. Let me finish this round."


    Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately turned around to seek the source of that voice among the disheveled figures. She couldn''t understand thatnguage, but that voice was all too familiar.


    "Miss, what''s wrong?" Gina inquired with curiosity.


    Margaret''s eyes darted about the grimy throng but failed to find the person she sought. Hesitantly, she said, "It''s nothing... Let''s go."


    The three then traversed through the bustling streets and soon reached the residential district. With a thud, the car door was shut. Seated in the car, Margaret''s brows were pressed together as her thoughts consumed her.


    The tires started rolling, and the vehicle embarked on its journey from the residential area toward the Governor''s Mansion.


    However, before the car could travel far, an anxious voice called out, "Stop the car! Right now!"


    The car screeched to a halt. With visible anxiety on her face, Margaret hurriedly flung the door open and sprinted toward the harbor district.


    In her hurry, she stumbled, and the white heel of her shoe snapped off. Without regard for the dirty ground, she discarded both her shoes and dashed forward, her sheer stockings the only barrier between her feet and the street.


    "Miss, whatever it is that you want to do, tell me. I''ll do everything in my power to assist you," the driver said between gasps as he ran to catch up with Margaret.


    This was the first time he had ever seen their young mistress so frenzied.


    Margaret ignored her driver''s words and pressed on ahead. The moment she spotted the congregation of madmen in the distance, she hastened her pace.


    With a maniacal intensity, she dashed into the crowd and scanned every single face she came across. nk stares adorning dirt-smeared visages blurred past her, but she failed to find the face that she had been desperately yearning to find.


    Suddenly, the familiar voice echoed once more. "Lily, press here to turn it on."


    Margaret pivoted, and her eyesnded on the madman who had just spoken. Standing in the gutter, he held a decaying rat in his hand while he mumbled off in an iprehensiblenguage.


    She reached out a trembling hand to wipe the filth of the lunatic''s face. At the sight of that distinctive scar that marred his face, her emotions crumbled. She threw herself into his embrace and burst into tears.


    In the Governor''s Mansion, the pristine ivory tub was swiftly tainted ck from all the grime, only to be rapidly rinsed away by warm water.


    With reddened eyes, Margaret tenderly wiped the dirt off Charles'' face with her own face towel.


    Gina, her head attendant, stood agape and watched in disbelief.


    <i>The young mistress actually refuses to let me help and insists on bathing this lunatic herself?!</i>


    Gina was well aware of her young mistress'' innate aversion to men. However, she was tending so affectionately to a madman.


    <i>Who in the world is he?</i>


    When theyers of filth were washed away, Charles'' visage was presented before Margaret. A thick beard covered most of his lower face, his unkempt hair tumbled wildly about, and there was a certain weariness in his eyes.


    The ck ink from the tattoo on his neck had crawled up to his face, making him nearly unrecognizable from the man she had known three years ago.


    Margaret''s fingertips gently traced over the scars that crisscrossed his chest, tears welled up in her eyes.


    <i>How much have you suffered all these years? How did you end up like this?</i>


    "Mr. Charles," Margaret softly called out. "Do you remember me? I''m Margaret."


    Charles'' eyes stared nkly into space; Margaret''s words had failed to attract his attention.


    Margaret lowered her head as an array of emotions¡ªpain, worry, anxiety, and heartache¡ªwelled up within her.


    "<i>AAAHHH!</i>" A sudden sharp cry pulled Margaret out of her grieving state.


    "Gina, what''s wrong?" Margaret asked.


    "Miss, look at his amputated shoulder...." Gina''s voice trembled with a tinge of terror.


    Margaret''s gaze turned toward the stump of Charles'' missing arm to find it infested with writhing white maggots. They wriggled and burrowed eagerly into the flesh.


    "Mr. Charles, wait here! I''ll get a doctor right away!" Panic consumed Margaret as she dashed toward the bathroom door.


    Just as she flung the door open and turned, she crashed into a solid, muscr chest.


    She lifted her gaze to meet the eyes of her brother, Jack.


    "Where are you going?" Jack asked with a calm expression.

 Chapter 170. In the House

    <h4>Chapter 170. In the House</h4>


    "I-I..." Margaret stammered as she faced her elder brother.


    Noticing the unease on her visage, Jack shoved his younger sister aside and barged into the bathroom. The moment his eyesid sight on the disheveled, bearded man in the bathtub, they went wide in disbelief.


    He had thought of various situations, but <i>this</i> was not one of them.


    "What is this?" Jack inquired as his brows furrowed together. He reached out a hand, wanting to brush aside Charles'' unkempt hair.


    Margaret immediately dashed over and pped away her elder brother''s hand. She extended her arms wide to stand between Jack and Charles.


    "No!"


    She didn''t know what Jack would do if he discovered Charles'' identity, but she knew it wouldn''t be something good.


    Jack stared momentarily at the visibly nervous Margaret before he shrugged. "In that case, I guess I''ve no choice but to let Father know of this. You know his temper as well. If he finds out that you¡ª"


    "Brother, I''m begging you. Please don''t let him know," Margaret implored.


    "Then you''d have to tell me who he is. I can''t let some unknown stranger stay in our house."


    "He''s a good man, someone I''ve known for a long time. Help me just this once and keep his existence a secret, please? You promised you would be on my side," Margaret pleaded.


    Meeting his sister''s desperate gaze, Jack rubbed the scruff on his face before he let out a deep sigh. He then turned around and gestured with a flick of his hand. "Take him ande with me."


    "Where are we going?" Margaret asked.


    "You''ll find out when we are there. Of course, you can choose not to follow, but I¡¯m really looking forward to Father''s reaction when he discovers <i>him</i>."


    Margaret hurriedly supported Charles up and instructed her head attendant, "Gina, quick, fetch a bath towel over."


    The siblings exited the Governor''s Mansion. Chauffeured by Jack''s driver, they navigated through twists and turns for several minutes before the car pulled up to a serene two-story house with its own garden.


    Alighting from the passenger seat, Jack promptly shut the car door and entered the building.


    "This is a pretty quiet ce. Not many peoplee around this area as well. It''s best suited for your needs."


    "Brother, where is this?" Margaret asked as she supported a rather dazed Charles into the house.


    The interior was designed in an elegant and minimalistic style and exuded a unique charm. ck marble tiles lined the floor, while the cream-colored leather sofa added a touch of sophistication.


    The interior predominantly featured a monochrome palette of ck and white, with asional hints of blue to strike a bnce. The overall design evoked a sense of sleek lines and crisp freshness.


    "Originally, I got this ce for my... female acquaintances, but now, I''m lending it to you to keep your gentleman. Aren''t I the most amodating and generous brother?


    ¡±I used to think our personalities were nothing alike, but now, it seems we might be more simr than I thought," Jack answered with a yful smirk.


    Margaret pursed her lips and swallowed the retort that had reached the tip of her tongue. She helped Charles to a nearby sofa, and they both sank into it.


    "Brother, can I bother you to get a doctor over? Ch¡ªhe''s injured," Margaret asked.


    "Alright. I''ll send one overter," Jack said as his gaze darted between the two figures before him.


    "Brother, please go now. I''m begging you. His injuries are really severe." Margaret''s voice wasced with urgency.


    "Hey, this is <i>my </i>house. Can''t I linger a little longer?" Jack arched an eyebrow.


    Eventually, under Margaret''s insistent pleas, Jack stood up helplessly and headed toward the door.


    Letting out a feigned sigh, hemented, "I feel like I''m just a tool. Used and then discarded."


    The door closed with a thud behind Jack, leaving only Margaret and Charles in the house. She moved closer to Charles. Observing his countenance at a close distance, her heart raced.


    With a hint of unease, Margaret stole a nce out of the window to make sure that Jack had indeed left. Then, she reached out somewhat stiffly to hug Charles and buried herself in his embrace. After several moments, she lifted her gaze and stared at Charles.


    "Mr. Charles, don''t worry. I''ll definitely find a way to cure you, no matter what."


    Charles only offered a nk gaze in response.


    Staring at the familiar yet foreign visage before her, past memories they shared shed past in Margaret''s mind.


    Suddenly, she leaned in and pressed her lips onto his. In that instant, it was as though the whole world had gone silent. A wave of dizziness hit her as though she was intoxicated, but yet it was equallyforting.


    Outside the house, Jack''s brows were pressed together as he leaned against the side of the wall and smoked his cigar.


    Just as he was about to be done with his second one, he muttered to the seemingly empty air to his left, "Find out everything about that man as soon as possible. I want to know who he is and how he got acquainted with Margaret."


    A gentle breeze blew past his ears, but there was no one visible around him offering a response.


    ¡°And..." Jack trailed off. He threw his cigar on the ground and crushed it under his boot before continuing. "Send a few men to keep a watch on him. If he ever shows the slightest indication of harming my sister, end him and throw him into the waters."


    The next morning, Margaret''s face was brimming with delight as she clutched a small basket in her hand and rushed out of the Governor''s Mansion.


    However, just as she stepped out, she ran into her father, Daniel, who had just alighted from his car.


    "My little princess, where are you going?" Daniel asked with a smile on his face as he spread his arms wide open for an embrace.


    Seizing the duration of the embrace, Margaret cooked up an alibi. With a sweet smile, she answered, "Father, Mary invited me to see the new y at the theater. I won''t be back for lunch."


    Daniel eyed his daughter with skepticism as she left thepounds.


    Something about Margaret today seemed... amiss.


    After some time, Margaret arrived at the quaint two-story house. Pushing open the bedroom door, she was greeted by her head attendant, Gina, whose visage held a hint of fatigue.


    "How was he doingst night? Did anything happen?" Margaret inquired.


    Gina stifled a yawn and shook her head. "Nothing much happened. He was quiet throughout the night. But asionally, he''d speak in some iprehensiblenguage."


    "All right. You should head back to rest. I''ve already helped you apply for leave with the butler. "


    "Miss, are you sure about being alone with him? Would it..." Gina hesitated about leaving her young mistress alone with some unknown man.


    "I''ll be fine. Hurry up, go back and rest." Margaret urged as she gently pushed Gina out of the door.


    After watching Gina leave through the front gate, Margaret returned to the room and delicately propped Charles up on the bed.


    She then took out the dishes that she had personally prepared from the basket and ced them before him.


    A warm, contented smile bloomed on Margaret''s visage as she watched Charles take one bite after another. As she continued to feed him, her soft voice rang out in the room.


    "Mr. Charles, the doctor told me yesterday that your shoulder wound is healing well. Your brain injury is ratherplex, but don''t worry. There''s still hope of recovering. And once you''ve fully recuperated, perhaps we can...." Margaret trailed off as her cheeks flushed red.


    She continued feeding Charles without uttering another word. After Charles had finished his meal, she sat anxiously for a few minutes, her cheeks still burning with a deep rose color.


    She then leaned in and draped herself across Charles. Lying against his chest and hearing the rhythmic thud of his heartbeat, the corners of her lips curved upward into a faint smile.


    After a couple of seconds, she decisively took off her shoes and joined Charles in bed, nestling herself closer into his embrace.


    Meanwhile, Jack was seated behind his desk in the office within the Governor''s Mansion. His expression was solemn as he dealt with official paperwork.


    Just then, a deep voice rang out beside his ear.


    "I''ve found information regarding that one-armed man. He''s the missing Governor of Hope Ind, Charles."


    Jack was momentarily stunned by the news.


    However, a look of tion soon appeared on his face.


    "Are you certain?" Jack wanted re-confirmation.


    "The young mistress gave him a haircut and shaved his beard today. His clean-shaven face matched the portrait issued by Hope Ind."


    A maniacalughter escaped Jack''s lips as he muttered, "Oh, my dear sister. You''ve truly outdone yourself. To think that you would pick up such a prized catch and even bring him back."

 Chapter 171. Rescue

    <h4>Chapter 171. Rescue</h4>


    Within the Governor''s Mansion on Hope Ind, powerful figures who held authority over major decisions of the ind were seated around an ornate table.


    A note was being passed around. As each of them scanned its contents, an array of expressions could be seen on their faces. There was excitement, surprise, uncertainty, and even some indecipherable.


    <i>m!</i>


    Dipp pounded his fist onto the table. The golden earring that dangled from his left ear swayed back and forth due to his sudden movement.


    "Since we have received news of Captain, why are we still hesitating? We should quickly go over and bring him back!"


    Seated next to him, Leonardo shook his head in disagreement. "Based on the information sent over by Whereto, it seemed highly imusible. Their demands are excessive as well. Thirty percent of our fruit supply and unteral military support as well?"


    Spotting a receding hairlinepared to three years ago, James countered, "What if Captain is truly in their hands? His life is worth more than those demands."


    "I am concerned about Governor Charles'' safety as well, but as the Minister of Administration of Hope Ind, I have to consider the circumstances of the ind. If we agree to their demands, it would disrupt all our ns for thetter half of the year.


    ¡±I suggest we should establish a connection with the message''s sender first to find out the details, and we can discuss further after knowing their exact situation," Leonardo retorted.


    "Enough with all that irrelevant bullshit!" Dipp suddenly stood up and pointed usingly at Leonardo. "You''ve never been truly concerned about Captain. You cowardly outsider who joined halfway!


    A trace of anger shed across Leonardo''s face. Every time Dipp ran out of logical arguments to support his stance, he would always resort to bringing up the fact that Leonardo had never been a crew member on the Narwhale and insinuating that he would always be an outsider.


    Having gained a noticeable amount of weight since then, Conor cleared his throat and said, "I agree with Leonardo''s proposition. The sender sent us a message like this so casually. We shouldn''t mobilize until we get an actual understanding of the situation."


    The heated debate continued. There were both voices of agreement and disagreement, and neither side could be convinced. Eventually, they stopped, and their gazes turned to the figure seated at the center of the table¡ªBandages.


    With his hands wrapped in bandages, the man picked up the note and meticulously read the text, his eyes void of anyprehensible emotions.


    Leonardo stood up and offered a respectful bow in Bandages'' direction.


    "Mr. Bandages, please consider this matter carefully. Your decision holds profound implications for Hope Ind," Leonardo said and then suddenly adjusted his cor.


    Immediately, a portly man beside him stood up.


    "I arrived on this indte and don''t know who Governor Charles is, but I feel that Governor Bandages is the finest governor ever. Perhaps Governor Bandages should continue leading everyone?"


    His words drew instant dark res as Charles'' old crew members arched an eyebrow in disbelief. This was an apparent attempt to sow discord.


    Just as Dipp''s hand moved menacingly toward the dagger on his belt, Bandages slowly lifted his gaze from the piece of paper. With a firm resolute in his voice, his words flowed out slowly.


    "I am the... First Mate... of the Narwhale...Narwhale, prepare to...set sail... Let''s bring...our Captain...back."


    ***


    <i>Click!</i>


    Margaret ced the freshly-trimmed nail on a nearby table. With her delicate and slender fingers, she held Charles'' rough right hand. Every time she snipped off a fingernail, she would trace her fingertip over the callous on his wrist, gently pressing on it.


    The hardened texture oddly provided her with aforting sce.


    After trimming all of Charles'' nails, Margaret took out a dainty nail file and carefully smoothed the edges of each fingernail.


    After shaping them all into perfect crescents, she took out a bottle of clear nail polish from the box next to her.


    Her hesitant gaze fleeted between the bottle and Charles several times.


    Eventually, she ced the nail polish back into the box.


    She stored away her tools before she tenderly cradled Charles'' muscr right arm, and instinctively, she nestled against him as she had grown ustomed to doing.


    A peaceful silence engulfed the room. Margaret rubbed her delicate face tenderly against Charles'' shirt as the soft purr of a contented kitten escaped her lips.


    "Mr. Charles... Perhaps it''s not so bad if you remain like this... If you never wake up, you''ll never leave me, right?" Margaret muttered under her breath.


    Charles offered no response, as usual.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Charles. I shouldn''t be having such thoughts. Don''t worry. I''ll definitely try my best to find a way to heal you. And after that, I''ll let you know my feelings. If you ept them, we can then live happily ever after, just like them in those theater ys."


    "And if you don''t..." Margaret continued. "I''ll continue chasing after you relentlessly until you ept my feelings. Just like how the male characters do in those stories."


    With that, Margaret fell silent again. Draping herself over Charles'' body, she allowed herself to enjoy this serene moment.


    Time slowly ticked by. Just as Margaret felt a hint of drowsiness creeping onto her, she nced up at the clock on the wall.


    "What?! It''s already sote! Oh no! Gina, where are you? You should have arrived to change shifts with me by now," Margaret eximed as she rushed to the door in a panic.


    Just as she was about to push the door open, she stared at the distant street lights and halted in her tracks.


    "It''s sote already...Maybe I should..." she muttered as a hue of red gradually surfaced on her peerless visage.


    Lowering her head, she cast a furtive nce at the seated Charles.


    "Mr. Charles, it''ste and time for bed. Let me help you to the bedroom," Margaret whispered shyly.


    The moment she entered the bedroom and caught sight of the heart-shaped, plush bed, she inwardlympooned her elder brother repeatedly.


    "<i>Uh...</i>Erm... Mr. Charles, let me help you onto the bed."


    "Mr. Charles, let... let me help you undress."


    When Charles'' muscr body was unveiled before Margaret''s eyes, she was stunned for several minutes. A flood of feelings struck her, and they were much more intensepared to when she was helping him bathe. She felt her body heating up, and her heart echoed louder as it raced with anticipation.


    On the heart-shaped bed, Margarety beside Charles, wearing nothing but a chemise. Her heart thumped furiously against her ribcage.


    <i>Next... we... </i>Scenes from those forbiddenics that she had once stolen nces of shed in her mind. A warm blush spread across her face and extended up to the tips of her ears.


    "Anna, do you want some milk tea?" Charles'' sudden statement halted Margaret''s actions.


    Taken aback, she jerked upright. She couldn''t understand what Charles had said, she clearly recognized that he mentioned a name: Anna.


    However, Anna was typically a female name, so who was he calling out to?


    "Elizabeth, which one do you want?" Another name emerged from Charles'' lips.


    <i>Why is there another Elizabeth? Who is she?</i>


    Another popped up in Margaret''s mind.


    She had never paid any attention to Charles'' delirious rambles, but the emergence of these two feminine names drove a bolt of insecurity and caution through her heart.


    She drew closer and keenly listened to Charles'' continuous rambles.


    His voice varied in pitch and intensity as he uttered words in an unfamiliarnguage. Unable toprehend any of it, she concentrated intently on identifying any names within his speech.


    The next morning, her head attendant, Gina, burst through the front doors of the quaint two-story house. She had wanted toe over the previous night, but the butler was watching her closely, and she couldn''t slip out.


    The moment she realized that Margaret hadn''t returned the entire night, her heart almost leaped out of her chest in fear.


    "Miss! Miss! Where are you?" Gina''s frantic cries echoed in the house.


    The next moment, her ears picked up a faint whimpering from the bedroom. Immediately, she dashed into the room.


    The sight that greeted her had her trembling in fright. Her young mistress was seated on the bed, hugging her knees and silently sobbing. Meanwhile, the madmany stark naked beside her.

 Chapter 172. Arrival

    <h4>Chapter 172. Arrival</h4>


    "Miss, please don''t scare me. What happened?" Tears welled up in Gina''s eyes and were threatening to spill forth.


    Margaret''s tears had already dampened hershes, with the lower ones resting softly against her face. Without uttering a word, Margaret quietly took her neatly folded clothes by the side, put them on, and walked toward the door.


    Memories of Charles'' delirious ramblesst night filled her mind. He had even mentioned that man whom she remembered was wrapped in bandages, but he had never brought up her name, even once. Her tears uncontrobly flowed once again.


    <i>What am I to him? Am I so insignificant in Mr. Charles'' heart that I can''t even match up to a crew member?</i>


    With a dejected mood, Margaret slowly walked back to the Governor''s Mansion. The moment she entered the main door, a mischievous whistle sounded from the side. Jack, her elder brother, stood there with his arms folded and a yful smirk stered on his countenance.


    "My dear sister, it seems like spending the day together isn''t enough that you even sleep together at night?"


    Margaret gritted her teeth in frustration and clenched her fists. Her punches continuously rained down on Jack as he feigned pain and cried out for her to stop.


    Afternding one final hefty punch on his arm, Margaret turned and stormed toward her room.


    Staring at her graceful silhouette, Jack called out, "Don''t worry. I covered for your absencest night. Remember! I''m always on your side!"


    The moment Margaret''s figure turned the corner, the yful smile on Jack''s face faded.


    "Have they responded?"


    "Those from Hope Ind have agreed to your terms and areing over as quickly as possible. Their assistance will be a great aid to the Governor''s current predicament," a voice whispered into his ear.


    As he continued listening and yed with his fingernails, a chilling glint shed across Jack''s eyes.


    "Indeed, it is proving to be a profitable transaction, but how dare he make my sister cry...I am feeling thispelling urge to end his life."


    Momentster, Jack let out a light chuckle.


    "Don''t... I was just kidding. Have the navy be on standby. They''re likely sending more than one ship."


    Meanwhile, Margaret secluded herself in her room for the entire day. Whispers among the staff suggested that the Princess of Whereto was clearly upset.


    Holding a te of dessertden with exotic fruits from Hope Ind, Gina gingerly pushed open the door to Margaret''s bedroom.


    "Miss, perhaps you would like a bite of this?" Gina asked.


    Everything had finally clicked for her after a while. The scenario she had imagined when she first stepped into that bedroom in the morning wasn''t what had transpired the previous night.


    The bed was tidy, and there was no unusual or off-putting scent in the room.


    The madman had merely upset her young mistress.


    "I''m not hungry," said Margaret as she sprawled across a table. Her voice wasden with mncholy.


    "Miss, just have a bite or two. You will feel unwell otherwise," Gina persuaded as she approached Margaret.


    "I said I''m not hungry!" Margaret burst out.


    Sensing Margaret''s firm stance, Gina ceased her persuasion. She let out a sigh and turned to leave. But just before she could leave the room, Margaret called out. "Wait."


    Gina turned around, and a slight smile appeared on her lips as she returned with the dessert tray once more.


    "Has Mr. Charles eaten today?"


    A look of disdain crossed Gina''s face.


    "Miss, why bother to feed that lunatic after what he did to upset you? I''ve already tied him up and nned to starve him for the next few days."


    "How could you do that?! What if he starves and bes unwell?" Margaret berated and hurriedly dashed out of her room.


    Her behavior puzzled Gina as she stood rooted to her spot.


    <i>What''s the meaning of this?</i>


    Returning to the two-story house, Margaret found Charles tied up with ropes in the bedroom. Her heart ached at the sight of his predicament, and she immediately moved to untie him.


    Picking up the food that she had brought with him, she began to feed him, one mouthful at a time. After the meal, Charles started his rambles again. Without muttering a word, Margaret turned and left with her heart broken into pieces.


    She hadn''t slept a wink the previous night, but Margaret still suffered from insomnia. She tossed and turned, but sleep avoided her.


    <i>Perhaps I misunderstood Mr. Charles? Maybe those women are his sisters?</i>


    <i>But what if they¡¯re his lovers? Is Mr. Charles that fickle, just like other men?</i>


    <i>And why did he not mention my name? What am I to him?</i>


    Thoughts like these raced through her mind before she finally fell into a restless sleep at six in the morning. When she woke up, it was already three in the afternoon.


    Shey in her plush bed and pondered for several moments before making a decision. She decided to never step into that ce again. She would leave Mr. Charles in Gina''s care. Everything she had done for the past few days had been merely for her self-gratification.


    Charles didn''t care an ounce about her and was only concerned about some woman named Anna or Elizabeth.


    From that day on, Margaret returned to her usual daily routine. She filled her time with salon visits, music, painting, ys and various other activities. But as days passed, anxiety started to sprout in her heart. She found herself often ncing toward the direction of the small house where Charles resided.


    Eventually, her resolve crumbled when she heard that Charles suffered a burn on his calf. All her uneasiness, worry and anxiety turned into urgency and pushed her forward at the fastest speed to his side.


    The moment she came face to face with Charles, who sat motionless on the couch, again, Margaret lunged at him with her arms spread and held him in a tight embrace.


    Nestled in theforting warmth of his embrace, her restless heart could finally find tranquility.


    She muttered, "Mr. Charles, perhaps you don''t like me, but I truly like you a lot. I don''t know why, but I just like you. I could even die for you."


    From that moment on, Margaret reverted to the days when she took care of Charles. In the day, she would personally tend to him, and whenever time allowed, she would seek sce in his arms.


    She had no idea of Charles'' thoughts, but to her, she felt happy and content as long as she could be by his side.


    ***


    Staring at the brightly lit Isle of Whereto on the distant horizon, Dipp was visibly ted on the Narwhale''s deck.


    He cupped his hands around his mouth, mimicking the shape of a trumpet''s mouth and shouted toward the ind, "Captain! Wait for me! I''ming for you!"


    Following suit, Lily jumped onto Dipp''s head and made the same gesture. "Mr. Charles!! Me too! I''m here to take you home as well!"


    Juxtaposed to this lively scene, James was patting the back of Conor as thetter was vomiting his guts out from his seasickness.


    "Are you okay? It has only been three years since yourst voyage. How are you already seasick?"


    With an apparently distressed visage, Conor waved him off with a gesture. "I... I''m just a little tired. I''ll go and rest in the cabin. Let me know when we dock."


    James turned toward Laesto, who was nonchntly sipping on some liquor by the side.


    "Doctor, don''t you have any medication for seasickness?" James asked.


    Laesto let out a snort. "A sailor getting seasick? That''s surely unheard of. Who knew what he had been up to for the past years? Let him vomit. He just needs to get ustomed to it. That''s better than any medicine.¡±


    James approached Laesto with a smile as he regarded the old man before him. The past three years had etched deeper lines on the elderly man''s visage.


    "Thank you foring. I thought you wouldn''te since it''s passed the agreed duration you had with Captain," Jamesmented.


    Laesto shook his head and said, "I discovered some things, and I have questions for him."


    With that, Laesto took out a ck mirror from his coat pocket. It was Charles'' smartphone. Emitting a harmonious melody, the phone was powered on. Laesto expertly navigated the interface and essed the photo gallery.


    "Look at these lifelike portraits and thendscapes in them. That kid wasn''t lying. He''s really from the Land of Light, and his origin is anything but ordinary."


    Scrolling through those magical images, James was taken aback and rendered speechless.

 Chapter 173. Disembarking

    <h4>Chapter 173. Disembarking</h4>


    With a veil masking her beautiful visage, Margaret tightly gripped Charles'' hand with apparent anxiety. With her gaze on the white-coated elder before her, she asked, "Doctor, how is he? Has Mr. Charles'' condition improved?"


    The old man let out a sigh and shook his head. "I''m sorry. I''ve tried every conventional method of treatment, but there isn''t the slightest improvement. Can you let me know what caused your husband''s illness?"


    A hint of distraught crossed Margaret''s face; she suddenly realized how little she knew about Charles.


    Observing her expression, the doctor ceased his questioning and said, "ording to what you said, he was a sailor. I suspect that he''s suffering from something else rather than a psychiatric condition."


    "Doctor, do you mean he''s not suffering from a mental issue? What could it possibly be then?"


    Seeing Margaret''s worried expression, the doctor removed his reading sses and said, "All hope is not lost. I might not be of help for his condition, but you can try to deal with it from another perspective with alternative treatment methods."


    The elderly man then produced a violet-colored business card from his coat pocket and respectfully handed it to Margaret with both hands.


    "As you know, even the most skilled doctor can only resolve issues within their expertise. For issues beyond the medical realm, thisdy might be able to offer her assistance. She''s from the mysterious Western Seas and is particrly adept in matters of the soul realm."


    Receiving the card in her hands, Margaret noticed the embossed image of a crucible and crystal ball on the front, and the contact information was written on the reverse side.


    "Thank you. But my husband is feeling quite tired today. I''ll invite thisdy over tomorrow to have a look." Margaret then stood up to escort the doctor out.


    The doctor smiled with a nod before picking up his medicine case and leaving the room.


    A hint of distress crossed Margaret''s visage as her gaze descended andnded on the card in her hand. She had already sought the assistance of this woman prior to getting the doctor over. However, she hadn''t been of help.


    "Mr. Charles, just what on earth happened to you..."


    ***


    <i>Hooooooonk! Hooooooonk! </i>


    The Narwhale''s ship horn bellowed repeatedly to signal the Whereto Navy ahead to clear a path. However, the Navy remained stationary, blocking the Narwhale''s advance toward the dock.


    With growing impatience, Dipp stood at the ship''s edge and frantically waved his hands to gesture with g semaphore.


    "What''s the problem with those Cavendishes? They invited us over, and now they are blocking our passage! What the hell are they trying to do?"


    Beside him, Bandages cast a nce at the newly established Hope Ind Navy trailing behind them. He remained silent and waited patiently.


    Before long, a small cargo vessel departed from Whereto''s docks and approached the Narwhale.


    The crew onboard ryed that there wasn''t enough docking space for the entire Hope Ind fleet and requested for Bandages andpany to send only a select group of representatives ashore.


    The remaining warships had to wait in the waters beyond.


    Witnessing his fellow crew members boarding the cargo vessel without hesitation, Second Mate Conor immediately persuaded, "Hey, wouldn''t it be enough to send just one person? What if all of us go, and they suddenly turn hostile against us? What then?"


    "Whereto is recently at odds with Albion Isles. They wouldn''t dare to find trouble with us now. The Cavendishes stand to lose everything if they do that, but they virtually have nothing to gain,¡± said Dipp before he gracefully leaped off the Narwhale andnded on the cargo vessel on the water''s surface.


    "But, what if?" Conor retorted with a hint of hesitation on his face as he grabbed the softdder.


    "Our captain is in their hands. There are no what-ifs! Are youing or not?" Dipp berated with evident impatience.


    Conor hesitated for several seconds before he descended thedder.


    "Stop rushing... Major decisions like this require more contemtion and thought..." Conor muttered under his breath.


    Just as the wooden boat was about to steer toward the dock, Bandages gave instructions to Linda, who remained on the Narwhale.


    "If we... haven''t returned... in three hours... lead... the warships... to attack Whereto''s dock. Even if they... use us as hostages... continue the assault."


    Linda quietly formed a triangle with her fingers and ced it against the white one on her forehead rather than replying with words.


    Hearing the tant threat in Bandages'' words, a theatrical mix of expressions flickered across the face of the liaison from Whereto.


    The moment the group docked, they found over ten sleek ck cars parked and awaiting their arrival.


    "Please board the vehicles. Mr. Jack is awaiting your arrival at the Governor''s Mansion," the silver-haired butler remarked, his attitude neither too servile nor too arrogant.


    Everyone swiftly boarded the vehicles, but Lily faced a minor issue. Her swarm of brown mice had already upied three cars, but there were still more than half of the squad who had yet to get into a vehicle.


    "Lily, why did you bring so many mice with you? We are not heading for battle. Just a few will do! Hurry up!" Dipp urged earnestly.


    The convoy of ck vehicles drove toward the Governor''s Mansion, disying a majestic sight. However, a tense atmosphere surrounded the crew. Not only were they vignt and cautious about Whereto, but they were also anxious about Charles'' current condition. It had been three years, and they didn''t know what to expect of his current state.


    Conor reached out a hand and patted Bandages on the shoulder.


    "Hey, First Mate. What''s your next step after finding the captain? Are we really going to continue the search for the Land of Light?"


    Seated in the passenger seat, Bandages replied, "We''ll... follow...what the captain... says...."


    Seated next to Conor, Laesto was focused on toying with the smartphone in his hand. His voiceced with disdain, he remarked, "Enough. Even if Charles really decides to set sail again, he wouldn''t bring along someone like you who only knows how to pretend to be seasick. Just stay on the ind in peace."


    An embarrassed expression flickered across Conor''s face, but he hurriedly attempted to exin his behavior. "I''m saying this all for Captain''s own good. Those fanatics from the Divine Light Order imed that he jumped off the building on his own ord. His mental state isn''t fit for nautical exploration."


    Laesto turned his head the other way, and he couldn''t be bothered to listen to Conor''s pretentious justification.


    The scenery outside the car zipped past in a blur, and the crew soon arrived in the central district of the Isle of Whereto. With a troubled expression, Jack had been standing at the grand entrance of the mansion, waiting for their arrival.


    As the crew disembarked from the car, he approached with a smile on his countenance. "May I know who among you is Mr. Bandages from Hope Ind?"


    Bandages stepped forward and immediately asked, "Where''s...our captain?"


    Jack''s hands gestured in ordance with the cadence of his words. "Gentlemen, please allow me to exin. The Cavendish Family genuinely wishes for a coboration with Hope Ind. However, there has been a minorplication, and we would like to seek your kind understanding."


    Bandages reiterated, "Where''s...our captain?"


    Jack''s brows furrowed as he sifted through the words in his mind to find the right ones to exin theplex situation.


    Just then, Lily''s mice suddenly let out a chorus of squeaks and broke the silence.


    Lily swiftly leaped off James'' shoulder and darted down an alleyway on the left.


    "Here! They picked up Mr. Charles'' scent over here. Hurry up!"


    The Narwhale crew members exchanged nces before they hurriedly trailed after Lily.


    Watching their figures disappearing into the distance, Jack swung his fist violently against a nearbymppost out of frustration. The metal structure let out a creak before it crashed down on the car parked right next to it.


    Having vented his displeasure, Jack quickly followed after them.

 Chapter 174. Illusions

    <h4>Chapter 174. Illusions</h4>


    "Mr. Charles, what do you think of this dress? Does it look good on me?" Margaret''s delicate voice sounded out. With a joyful smile on her face, she held up a sky-blue long dress against herself and posed before Charles.


    Despite not getting any reply from Charles, she draped the down over her arm and turned to head to the bedroom.


    "I''ll take it that silence means agreement. I do agree that this gown will match my shoes," Margaretmented.


    Soon enough, she emerged from the bedroom, now dressed in the sky-blue gown. She made a graceful twirl before Charles. Then, she reached for a set of pristine men''s clothingid out nearby.


    "Mr. Charles, you must be tired from being cooped out in this ce. Let''s go out for a walk. Perhaps it would aid your recovery."


    Just as Margaret removed Charles'' outer coat, her ears picked up the faint sound of chaotic footsteps from outside the house.


    <i>Hmm? What''s with the noise? Did Brother bring someone over?</i>


    ***


    Under the lead of the mice, the crew members quickly navigated through streets and alleys. Not long after, a quaint, serene, two-story building appeared before them.


    "He''s in there!" Lily pointed a tiny paw at the wooden door.


    Just as they were about to charge in, figures materialized out of thin air. Each of them wore the same red-sleeved gloves with a weapon in hand. An icy chill filled their gazes.


    "Get out of the way!" A steely glint flickered across Dipp''s eyes as he brandished the revolver that hung on his waist. His fellow crewmates drew their weapons as well.


    Just as the tension in the air grew increasingly thick and near to the point of shattering, a voice echoed from behind the Narwhale''s crew.


    "Stand down. Let them in."


    The voice belonged to Jack.


    Hearing their leader''s instructions, the red-gloved figures vanished without a trace, clearing the path ahead for the crew.


    Disregarding everything, Dipp rushed in with burning excitement.


    However, as they entered the house, they were taken aback to find thevish interior turned upside down inplete disarray.


    A beautiful young girl sat amidst the destruction and held a man''s coat in her embrace as she whimpered in tears.


    "Where''s the captain?! Where''s Captain Charles!" Dipp roared in fury.


    With her eyes as red as a rabbit from all the crying, Margaret lifted her gaze and said between whimpers, "A... a monster took Mr. Charles away two hours ago."


    ***


    On the inky waters, a small fleet sailed ahead at full speed.


    Amidst the vessels, there were conventional steamships with dark clouds billowing out of their smokestacks and also unusual ships whose hulls were crafted from massive turtle shells.


    However, despite their stark differences in appearance, they all shared a simrity. They were extensively damaged, evidence of a recent tough navy battle they had possibly escaped from.


    An imposing vessel that spanned over two hundred meters in length spearheaded the fleet. It used to be the personal vessel of the World''s Crown''s Governor. However, it already belonged to someone else.


    Panting in short gasps, Anna climbed off the man under her andy down on the plush bed. She was dressed in nothing but sheer chemise lingerie. It took her quite some time before her breathing returned to normal. She turned her gaze to Charles, whoy stark naked beside her.


    "That youngss just won''t do... Even after finding you, she probably just gave you shy hugs or innocent pecks on the lips. Does she really think of you as a teddy bear? Men¡ªespecially real men¡ªshould be used in other, more befitting ways, don''t you agree, Gao Zhiming?"


    Charles'' gaze remained transfixed on the ceilingmp that swayed with the ship''s gentle rocking. His face remained stoic, and he uttered not a single word.


    Anna lightly brushed away the hair that stuck to her sweaty skin and then yfully traced circles on Charles'' scarred chest with a fingertip.


    "I found out what happened to you three years ago. They said you jumped off yourself. I was still waiting for you toe and fetch me, and that was what you gave me in return? Jerk!"


    "Just look at you now," Anna continued. "If I hadn''t used the trick up my sleeve on you, your corpse would have gone missing."


    "And when did you lose that left hand? Why didn''t you tell me about that in your letters?"


    Anna cradled Charles''s head against her chest as she softly recounted stories from the past three years. All the while, Charles continued his delirious mumbles. Their voices ovepped, but their topics never truly connected.


    Thirty minutester, Anna sat up. The corners of her lips arched upward into a seductive and coquettish smile. She bent over, and her scarlet-red lips marked its territory over every inch of Charles'' neck.


    Her limbs then swiftly elongated and transformed into tentacles with ashy tendrils. Compared to before, her tentacles were now even thicker and longer.


    "Halftime is over. Let''s continue the game."


    The tentacles writhed and slowly wrapped themselves around Charles'' head. As more and more of them sprouted out of Anna''s body, they soon enveloped his entire head into what looked like a ball of squirming tentacles.


    Lounging on the pristine white sand, Charles was enjoying a sun tanning as he painted


    The warm light caressing his skin feltforting, but soon, it seemed to have grown too intense.


    Charles stopped his brushstrokes and looked up at the scorching ball of mes overhead. "It''s a little too warm. If only the temperature is a little lower."


    As if the sun had heard his words, it swiftly repositioned itself back to where it was at dawn, where the temperature had been perfect.


    "Yeah, that''s much better," Charles muttered to himself with an affirming nod before he continued with his painting.


    With each stroke of his brush on the canvas, the image of a man began to emerge. The abstractly drawn figure was hunched on the ground and appeared to be screaming hysterically in terror.


    "Perfect," Charlesmented in satisfaction. He then took the frame, which stood upright in the sand, and encased his artwork within it.


    <i>Swish, swish.</i>


    His brush strokes resumed with fervor on a new canvas.


    Soon enough, his second work wasplete.


    The backdrop was inky ck. With deliberate strokes, faint tentacles seemed to peek through the darkness. One of the tentacles even held a grotesque, bloated creature in its grip, and the creature appeared to disy traces of its once-human features.


    After framing his second masterpiece, Charles moved on to his third artwork.


    This time, the entire canvas was first covered in a crimson hue. Charles soon added details to fill up the red backdrop¡ªruptured eyeballs, shattered bones, and torn tentacles.


    Uponpleting his third painting, Charles stood up and hung the three paintings side by side on a white wall next to him.


    As he admired his newest creations, Charles'' eyes turned to the row of artworks adorning the walls around him. They were all drawn by him.


    They differed in artistic style, but most of them echoed the same theme of despair, oppression, and madness.


    As Charles strolled down the line of artwork, he suddenly halted in his tracks before one particr piece. The unfamiliar piece depicted a lone tentacle with ashen tendrils. He was certain that he had never painted something like this.


    Just then, a sudden voice from the side disrupted his thoughts.


    "Bro, why are you painting stuff like this? Why can''t you paint something more... mainstream, something men would actually enjoy seeing? You know... like this..." Richard yfully gestured two half circles in the air and then the shape of an hourss. "And this. What do you think?"


    He ced his elbow on Charles'' shoulder and leaned on thetter.


    Pushing Richard''s arm away, Charles retorted, "What would you know? This is real art. If you want those... objectifying happy things, paint them yourself."


    "<i>Tsk.</i> Painting is not my thing. I finally managed to return after going through <i>soooo</i> much. I''m gonna attend that grand feast at sea. Catch yater," Richard waved and headed out of the gallery exit next to him.


    Pointing a middle figure at Richard''s departing back view, Charles sank into the gaming chair next to him. Grabbing the VR headset perched beside him, he slipped it over his eyes.


    The sight before him transformed swiftly. A barren in with no end in sight entered his sight. In the distance, a group of figures were engaged in animated chatter as they battled creeps.


    Those were his crew mates. They were all ying this virtual game. Holding his magic staff in one hand, Charles approached them and said, "Sorry for keeping your guys waiting. Let''s head to the next dungeon."


    The towering, giant dragon that stood at least ten stories tall was swiftly subdued by their party. An array of colorful equipment exploded around them¡ªthe drops from ying the dragon.


    Charles excitedly distributed the spoils with his party mates.


    He picked up an axe and ced a sleek silver helmet on his head.


    However, something on the wall of the dragon''sir caught his attention. He walked closer and realized that it was a tentacle. It was squirming, seemingly alive. His brows furrowed together as he muttered, "What''s going on? Is this some kind of a bug in the game?"

 Chapter 175. Tentacles

    <h4>Chapter 175. Tentacles</h4>


    Staring at the protruding tentacle on the rocky wall, Charles hesitated for a brief moment before he reached out a hand to touch it.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Instantly, the tentacle squirmed to life and extended out of the wall. It curled itself around Charles and forcefully tugged him toward the hole it came out of.


    "Someone help! Quick!" Charles cried out desperately. But hispanions in the distance couldn¡¯t recognize his predicament. They were still engaged in animated conversations and were dividing the loot among themselves.


    Charles mustered all the strength he could and struggled against the tentacle''s grasp to no avail. It didn''t take long for half of his body to be dragged into the hole that had turned into the size of a cave.


    <i>Crash!</i>


    In his frantic struggle, Charles tore off his VR headset and threw it against the wall. He was still trembling uncontrobly from the tentacle encounter as he stared at the shattered lenses on the ground.


    Just then, a chill traveled down his spine. His peripheral vision had caught the tentacle in the painting twitching for a fraction of a second.


    "No, something''s amiss. I don''t like this. Go away!" Charles shut his eyes and clutched his head in anguish.


    When he finally opened his eyes once again, he found himself back in his cozy bedroom.


    His younger sister, Gao Suling, lounged on the couch. Her hands were busy with a mobile game while her gaze alternated between her phone''s screen and the television.


    "Are you watching TV or ying your mobile game?" Charles asked as he sank into the sofa. He picked up the remote control and flipped through the channel.


    The familiar surroundings around him calmed Charles'' racing heart. He swiftly switched between the channels to find something that was entertaining.


    Soon, a scene from a first-person view appeared on the screen. It was his tenth birthday. He and Suling were smearing whipped cream on each other''s faces.


    Suling lifted her gaze from her mobile phone and toward the TV screen.


    Charles leaned back against the couch and silently watched the scene y out.


    But as he watched, he caught something wriggling in the corner of the scene. It seemed like a squirming tentacle.


    With his annoyance gradually building up, Charles quickly pressed the remote to change the channel.


    "Why did you change the channel? Wasn''t that show just now pretty nice?" Sulingined and turned her attention back onto her mobile phone.


    As the images rapidly transitioned from one to another, a cacophony of noises red from the speakers as well.


    "Wee to news at 12:30¡ª"


    "Sir, regarding this¡ª"


    "Mom, I want to take this¡ª"


    "The spring is¡ª"


    As Charles switched through the channels at an increasing rate, the sounds blended into a jarring, discordant noise, eventually forming a sonic tapestry of chaos that threatened to engulf him.


    Throwing the remote control aside in frustration, Charles stood up and walked toward the balcony.


    Modernized, towering buildings filled his sight. The picturesque view was nothing short of breathtaking. As he soaked in the beautiful cityscape before him, Charles felt the tempest raging within him subsided just a little.


    Just then, a tentacle burst through the rooftop of a distant building. Dancing in the air, it headed toward Charles'' direction.


    "What the hell is going on? Where are those thingsing from?" Charles tensed up as he felt an oppressive dread washing over him.


    Hearing her brother''s shout from within the living room, Gao Suling came out with her phone in hand.


    "Brother, what''s wrong?"


    Charles clutched his head in apparent pain. Just as he was about to reply, the terrifying sight before him stole his words away. A tentacle identical to the one he had just seen was growing out of his sister''s face.


    "No! Noooooo! This shouldn''t be it!" Charles lunged at her and tried to tear the tentacle off her face.


    However, his actions proved to be useless. The more he tugged, the more the tentacles multiplied. And soon, the tentacles engulfed Gao Sulingpletely before turning into a ball of writhing flesh.


    Horror filled Charles'' gaze as he clutched the mass of flesh and shook it violently. "This is not it! Turn back to before! Quick!"


    However, reality was cruel. His surroundings started changing, but in a way that he disliked. Every household item and piece of furniture decayed like rotting corpses. The previous tranquil atmosphere had vanished, and a nightmarish hellscape took its ce.


    Piercing headaches assaulted Charles. It felt as though someone was continuously stabbing rods into his head and stirring the brain juices within.


    "<i>AAAAHHH!</i>" Charles clenched his head and let out a primal roar.


    "Gao Zhi... Quick... wake up..."


    "Gao Zhiming! Wake up!"


    As a familiar voice echoed in his ear, it grew increasingly clearer with every call of his name. The apanying pain intensified as well.


    "Go away! Get lost! Just let me be by myself!" Charles cried out as he wrapped his arms around his head and curled into a fetal position. Suddenly, his surroundings shattered like fragile ss, and an endless void of darkness churned rapidly around him.


    However, a pair of delicate arms cradled him amidst the darkness.


    The owner of the delicate arms hummed a soft tune.


    It was a luby in the deepest corners of his memories. It was a song that he had long forgotten, a song from his infancy.


    Charles slowly opened his eyes to stare into Anna''s alluring visage.


    He extended his arms. Receiving the silent message, Anna let out a light chuckle and leaned in, their bodies tightly pressed against each other.


    Charles hugged Anna with a fierce intensity, as though he was trying to meld their two forms into one.


    "It''s okay now... It''s all over," Anna offered words of constion as she gently caressed Charles'' back. Her tone was as soothing as how one wouldfort a crying baby.


    The turbulent waves around them seemed to freeze at this moment. They were suspended mid-motion like transparent sculptures made of ss.


    After what felt like an eternity, Anna tenderly stroked Charles'' hair and leaned her red lips close against his ear. "Gao Zhiming, it''s really time to wake up. You know it deep down as well. Everything here isn''t real," she whispered.


    Charles'' eyes fluttered open.


    A mix of raw emotion and confusion fleeted across his eyes.


    "Your condition is tooplicated. I can''t help much. It already took a great deal of effort for me to reach you here. If we want to solve this, we have to work together. Quick. I hate men with avoidance issues."


    As Charles stared at the chaos that surrounded them, the painful memories flooded back into his mind. The despair and distraught he felt then shattered the haze that had clouded his senses.


    He stood rooted to the spot.


    He lowered his head and buried it into Anna''s embrace.


    Tilting his head up to force him to meet her gaze, Anna¡¯s gaze was piercing as she asked, "Gao Zhiming, look at me. Do you really want to stay here forever?"


    A bitter smile surfaced on Charles'' visage. After much hesitation, he replied, "Perhaps that''s not a bad option. At least I have everything I want here..."


    Their surroundings morphed rapidly.


    The shattered pieces of <i>reality</i> pieced themselves together, and they were once again in the familiar living room. Gao Suling kneeled on the couch, and she stared curiously at the two engaged in conversation.


    "But everything here is just an illusion."


    "What''s real? What''s not? Is that so important? Even you are not real," Charles retorted.


    A letter then appeared in Anna''s hand. With a mix of frustration and passion, she pped it onto Charles'' chest.


    "You wrote this. What did you tell me back then? Where did that Captain Charles go?"


    A hint of struggle emerged in Charles'' eyes. As his thoughts raced, the room mirrored his mind and alternated between calm and chaos.


    A piercing pain overwhelmed him. Clutching his head in agony, he sank to his knees. "Why do I have to return to that hopeless world? Maybe there''s no surface world above us. Maybe it''s not even our world."


    Anna crouched down next to him. Watching him with a calm gaze, she softly whispered, "Regardless of whether it''s Earth or not above us, you''ve still got me."

 Chapter 176. The End of a Dream

    <h4>Chapter 176. The End of a Dream</h4>


    Staring into Charles'' nk gaze, a soft smile appeared on Anna''s visage. She reached out and grabbed Charles'' forearm.


    "Let''s go. Follow me out. We can build a new home together outside."


    The world around him started crumbling once again. Anna''s words seemed to have triggered a raw nerve in his heart.


    "A new home?" Charles muttered to himself.


    "Hurry up ande out. I even prepared a gift for you to celebrate your return."


    Looking at his childhood sweetheart, Charles muttered, "Anna, let me have a look at your original appearance."


    Anna was stunned in ce. She couldn''t understand why Charles would make such a request.


    "I just want to have a look," Charles continued. His voice was suddenly unusually calm, as though he had never exhibited a crazed behavior.


    Anna''s alluring figure soon melted away to reveal a grotesque tentacled creature. A monster with writhing gray tendrils, bright yellow eyes, and a massive maw with barbs stood before him.


    Charles reached out and patted one of its tentacles.


    "Can I trust you, Anna?"


    <i>Anna''s</i> towering form bent slightly in acknowledgment.


    Charles let out an abrupt chuckle. At this moment, it felt as though a weight had been lifted from his heart.


    "Let''s go, Anna. Let''s get out of here."


    The moment his words fell, his surroundings shifted dramatically. Colors swirled and shed past him. When he finally regained his senses, he found himself suspended in a glob of greenish slime. An excruciating pain pierced his head.


    Instinctively, he reached up toward his head, and it didn''t take him long to touch what felt like a tentacle. A tentacle that was continuously drilling into his head.


    "Don''t pull it out," a sudden feminine voice called out, and Charles'' hand halted in its tracks. He recognized it to be Anna''s voice.


    <i>Pop!</i>


    The slime bubble that engulfed Charles burst. Like a cracked egg, the slime and Charles spilled out onto aplex, eerie, green patternposed of wedges on the ground.


    It was a vast magic array. Giants standing at three meters tall donned white triangr hats andrge cloaks as they silently stood around Charles in some sort of structured formation.


    However, Charles couldn''t see any of that. Currently, everything in his sight presented itself as decaying organs. Pieces of fragmented flesh rapidly swirled around him, and his vision was upside down.


    "Drink this quickly. Your mind is still unstable," Anna said as she offered Charles a bowl of squirming liquid.


    Without uttering a word, Charles tipped his head back and drank every single drop.


    As the boiling fluid slid down his throat, passing through his gullet and into his stomach, the grotesque, fragmented body tissues around him swiftly reverted to their original form.


    While everything returned to normalcy, Anna remained next to him in her monstrous tentacle form. After all, the very tentacle embedded into Charles'' mind had sprouted from her.


    Charles slowly turned his head and looked around. Just as his gaze shifted away from the tentacled creature, it speedily morphed back into the stunningly beautiful Anna.


    With a flick of her left wrist, the gray tentacle was severed. Like a serpent, it wriggled its way into Charles'' brain.


    After getting ustomed to his surroundings, Charles walked past the towering giants and picked up a mirror from a nearby table.


    From his reflection, he saw that his scalp had been peeled back, and there was a gaping hole in his skull. Through the hole, Charles could see his brain silently pulsating and the writhing tentacle lying atop it.


    "What is that?" Charles asked as he ced the mirror down.


    "My tentacle. What else could it be?" Anna replied as she approached Charles with the circr bone piece cut out from his skull.


    "What is it for?" Charles sat on the ground to make it easier for Anna to ce the missing piece of his skull back into ce.


    "To suppress the Divinity''s Curse that has been driving you mad. Without this tentacle, there''s no way you would havee around. However, the tentacle''s effect has a limited duration. We still need to find a long-term solution," Anna said as she ced the round bone piece back into its original position.


    She pped, and a group of figures in whiteb coats and masks entered the room with a hospital bed in tow. They carefully hoisted Charles onto the bed before they expertly stitched the wound on his head.


    The steel needle pierced through his flesh, with a thin thread following its path. In no time, his separate flesh was sewed back together. Stinging pain like this had be nothing to Charles a long time ago.


    After the figures in whiteb coats were done with their task, they offered a deferential bow to Anna before leaving the room. The giants followed right afterward.


    In the blink of an eye, Charles and Anna were left alone in the vast hall.


    Charles sat up on the bed, but before he could speak a word, Anna shot him a piercing nce.


    "Who is Elizabeth?" Anna asked in an icy tone.


    "Are you jealous?" Charles chuckled softly.


    "I asked you a question." Anna folded her arms across her chest as though she had caught him in bed with someone else.


    Charles spread his arms open and pulled her into his embrace.


    "A girlfriend," he answered.


    As if triggered by his answer, she struggled out of Charles''s arms. Her high heels clicked angrily against the ground as she headed toward a distant exit.


    Charles hurriedly chased after her and then walked next to her.


    Charles soon realized that the ce they had been in was merely a basement. The floor above was much more spacious. It seemed to be the grand hall of a building, and its interior wasvish and exquisite.


    "You must be hungry. Let''s go get something to eat," Anna suggested as she pulled Charles by the arm and led him out of the main entrance.


    The moment he stepped outside, he was taken aback by the sight before him. If it weren¡¯t for the asional sensation of the twitching tentacle in his brain, he would have thought that he was still in his dream.


    A modernized street was outside. The shops that lined the street bore signboards identical to those he remembered from his neighborhood.


    "How did you manage to do all this?"


    "As long as you have money, nothing is a problem," Anna said with a yful smirk. She led Charles into a nearby restaurant with a signboard that said¡ª<i>Lanzhou Noodles.</i>


    Even everything in the restaurant was strikingly simr to his memory of the one back at home.


    Anna took a napkin and carefully wiped the seat before sitting down. She raised a hand to make her order, "Two bowls of beef noodles, please. Onerge and one small."


    The shop owner made swift work pulling the noodles and cooking them. Shortly after, two steaming bowls of beef noodles were set down before Charles and Anna.


    Picking up a slice of beef with his chopsticks, Charles scrutinized the meat that was so thinly sliced it was almost translucent. He turned his gaze to Anna seated next to him and nodded in approval. "Impressive. The mirroring is spot-on."


    "Eat up, or it will turn soggy," Anna remarked. She picked up the beef slices from her bowl and ced them into his bowl.


    Charles hungrily slurped down the noodles. To his surprise, the taste was identical to that in his memory.


    "Is this the little gift you mentioned?" Charles asked as he ced the empty bowl down.


    Anna rested her chin on her hands, and with her head tilting slightly in an adorable manner, she asked, "What do you think of this ce? How about living here with me?"


    Charles cast a nce at the noodle shop owner, who was visibly tensed up. He then shook his head. "Everything in my head is an illusion. And this world you''ve created... is the same."


    "So, you wish to return to Hope Ind and resume your role as its Governor? That works, too; I can move there."


    "No. I want to return to the surface."


    Charles'' gaze no longer contained his usual determination that bordered the boundary of madness.


    His voice was extremely calm, but Anna could discern that Charles was prepared to forsake everything to achieve that goal.

 Chapter 177. Departure

    <h4>Chapter 177. Departure</h4>


    "Why?" Anna asked with her brows pressed together. Her tone wasced with a hint of displeasure.


    Staring at the empty bowl on the table, Charles slowly expressed his thoughts. "All those nine years, there wasn''t a single moment that I wasn''t questioning the heavens. Why me? Why not someone else? I risked my life to sail the seas, madly searching for the Land of Light. Sometimes, I don''t even know whether I was trying to find a way home or seeking my own demise."


    A trace of sadness shed across Anna''s eyes. Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her hair, and gently leaned against Charles.


    "Now, I''ve suddenlye to terms with it," Charles continued. "There are no <i>whys </i>in this world. Everything is predetermined¡ªit¡¯s fate."


    Anna toyed with Charles'' fingernails with her slender fingers and said, "Since you''vee to terms with it, then why continue? Wouldn''t it be better to settle down on an ind in the Subterranean Sea?"


    A firm determination burned in Charles'' eyes.


    "I refuse to be the subject of ridicule. Whoever it was who threw me into this ce, I will let them know that I, Gao Zhiming, will never yield to this fate! I choose the path to return to the surface world. Even if I were to die, I''d rather die on my way home!"


    Anna''s lips curved up into a gentle smile upon hearing Charles'' deration.


    "I knew that you would make this decision. That''s the Gao Zhiming I adore, the indomitable Charles."


    Charles pondered for a brief moment before he turned to look at the peerless beauty next to him. "Regarding your diet¡ª"


    "<i>Shhhh.</i>" Anna ced a slender finger against Charles'' lips. "I know what you want to ask. However, I can''t change my diet. When I eat a human, I''m not just eating their physical flesh, but also ingesting their souls."


    A sh of disappointment flickered across Charles'' eyes. "Really? Then what did you and your kind feed on on that ind?"


    Anna straightened up. "It''s better for you not to know. I know that you find it disturbing, so I''ve only been consuming bad guys recently."


    Charles smiled sarcastically and said, "Thanks. That surely makes me feel much better."


    Anna rose to her feet and took Charles by the hand to pull him out of the noodle shop. "Let''s not talk about it. Let''s go have a stroll to help digest."


    With their fingers interlocked, they walked on the deste streets.


    Anna cast a side nce at Charles and broke the silence, "Since you are set on finding the exit, what''s your next step?"


    Charles thought for several minutes before he replied, "I n to go have another look at Newbound City first."


    All the clues he had gathered pointed toward the fact that the Foundation knew the location of the exit to the surface world. Moreover, there was a high likelihood that it would be in a vast city like Newbound City.


    The <i>Light God </i>that hung in the sky with the ability to talk was also bizarre.


    Anna shook her head. Tracing her fingertip over the stitches on Charles'' head, she said, "That''s something forter. Right now, we need to deal with the issue in your brain."


    "My brain? What''s wrong with it? Hasn''t it been resolved?" Charles was taken aback.


    "How could it be that simple? Your mind corruption originated from not just one Divinity but two of them. It took me a long time just to suppress their effects."


    "<i>Oh.</i>" Charles sounded extremely nonchnt.


    "What do you mean by <i>oh?</i>" Anna was surprised by Charles''ckadaisical reaction.


    "It means I understand that I don''t have much time left, and I have to move as quickly as possible."


    Anna rolled her eyes at Charles and shook off his hand. She strode ahead in frustration and said, "Rest assured, I haven''t been idle the past few years. My friends have a lead. They''ll send me a message once they find a solution. Then, you can make your way there to eradicate the Divinities'' Curses."


    "Really? It''s that simple?" Charles hastened his steps to chase up.


    "It''s definitely not that simple. I''ve heard that it''s a little dangerous at the ce they mentioned. But I''ll make the trip with you at that point."


    "Please don''t. I can handle a minor problem like this by myself," Charles implored. He was unwilling to put Anna at risk.


    Anna cast him a questioning gaze but didn''t offer any words of retort. Instead, her lips curled up into a sweet smile. "All right then. I have some matters to attend to anyway. Once they find a solution to remove the Curses, I will send a letter your way. Meanwhile, your mind can live in harmony with my tentacle."


    The couple continued their stroll as they chatted. Eventually, they reached the outermost border of the World''s Crown. The vertical expanse of the mushroom cap was beyond the fence.


    Staring at the twinkling lights at the docks, Charles traced his fingers over the tattoo on his neck.


    "Thank you," he said, "If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to return."


    Anna threw a side nce at Charles. "Why are you thanking me? You''re my man, after all. How could I possibly harm you?"


    The atmosphere grew slightly awkward the moment Anna''s words fell. Charles turned his gaze toward Anna. Her hair was fluttering in the breeze. At that moment, he found her to be extremely gorgeous.


    "Anna, I love you," Charles proimed.


    A rare blush surfaced on Anna''s cheeks. She leaned in and encircled her arms around his neck.


    "Go on, don''t stop," she seductively whispered.


    Drawn by her scarlet red lips, Charles leaned in and pressed his lips on them.


    Three minutester, their lips separated, and a silvery thread connecting them lingered for a fraction of a second in the air before splitting into two.


    Anna''s breathing was slightly rapid. She lightly bit down on her lower lip and stared at Charles with a teasing smile. She whispered in a seductive voice, "Come with me. Let''s see if I have the skills to make you stay."


    Charles hugged her tightly and met her lips again, but this time with more passion and desire.


    Three dayster, Charles was lying on the plush bed as he casually picked up a book from the bedside table and flipped through it.


    He couldn''t really describe its contents. Rough ck lines were scribbled across the pages with no visible pattern. Charles wasn''t really sure if he was looking at some doodles or some form of text.


    As he continued flipping the pages, he seemed to hear an eerie, barely audible chuckleing from the back of his mind.


    A fair, slender hand reached out and took the book out of his grasp. "Stop reading. This is not meant for humans."


    Charles admired the naked back that was as white as snow before him. He instinctively pressed himself against it and whispered, "What is it then?"


    "Study materials. One can never know too much in this world," Anna replied without even turning around.


    Understanding the implied meaning of her words, Charles didn''t press further about the origin of the book. He got off the bed and started to dress.


    "I''m leaving now. It seems like your skills weren''t enough to make me stay."


    Anna lifted the nket off herself and moved gracefully toward the wardrobe, her curvesid bare for Charles'' adoration. She picked a sexy, deep purple gown that exposed her midriff and slipped it on.


    "I''ll see you off," she offered.


    They boarded the car, waiting at the foot of the mushroom, and it sped through the streets. Soon enough, they arrived at the docks, where a brand-new warship was docked and awaiting their arrival.


    Feeling Anna''s lingering stare, Charles gently ran his fingers through the flow of her hair on her back.


    "If you run into any trouble, seek me out on Hope Ind. And wait for me. Once I find the surface world, let''s go there together."


    Anna gently nudged him forward. "Alright. Enough with those red-g promises. Now, I''m actually worried you won''t return."


    Just as Charles was about to board the colossal warship, a passenger ship glided into the dock beside. His gaze alternated between the two vessels, and eventually, he walked toward the older-looking passenger ship.


    After arge group of refugees disembarked, the ship horn sounded, and the older vessel began its slow departure.


    Standing at the pier, Anna waved tirelessly at the vessel with a gentle smile on her visage. As the passenger ship receded into the horizon, Anna ced a hand on her t belly and caressed it tenderly. In a gentle voice filled with overflowing affection, she whispered, "Little one, Daddy has left~"

 Chapter 178. Hope Island

    <h4>Chapter 178. Hope Ind</h4>


    <i>May 4, 12th Year of Crossing Over</i>


    <i>To think I have gone mad for a startling three years. And I only found out about this from others. Why didn''t Anna tell me? Or was this some dark humor of hers, hoping that I would discover the truth myself?</i>


    <i>So much time has passed. I hope my crew is still waiting for my return. But many things could happen in these three years. I''m feeling rather insecure and uncertain. What has be of Hope Ind now?</i>


    <i>As for the leads in Newbound City, I don''t feel a desperate urgency to act as swiftly as I did before. It would be good if the city held clues, but if it doesn''t, then I will just sail the waters again to find the exit. I suddenly realized that my experiences over the past three years had caused a great change in my personality. I''m no longer as impulsive and impatient as before.</i>


    Charles set down his fountain pen.


    After the ink had dried, he closed the rustic, brown-leathered diary. He then pulled out his pocket watch to check the time. Pushing open his cabin door, he headed toward the restaurant on the passenger ship.


    The restaurant was located on the highest floor of the ship. The moment Charles set down, a waiter dressed in his crisp uniform immediately approached him with a menu.


    The waiter was briefly taken aback upon seeing Charles¡¯ missing arm, but he quicklyposed himself and offered the menu before saying, "Sir, what would you like to order?"


    Charles took the menu and scanned the offered selection. He then pointed at a few dishes and said, "I''ll have the ckleaf fruitmb stew, beetroot soup, royal cream chicken. As for dessert, the Isle of Whereto pudding."


    "Noted, sir. Please wait for your food," the waiter responded and left with the menu.


    Charles carefully tucked the white dining napkin into his cor and waited patiently. It was his first time in a setting like this. In the past, he had often preferred settling his meals quickly and had considered dining leisurely in a ce like this to be a waste of precious time.


    However, he had decided to take his time basking in the atmosphere, so he observed the diners around him. They were engaged in animated chatter andughter. Charles had never felt so grounded in reality.


    The whetting aroma of the scrumptious food wafted into his nostrils. As he thought about the few dishes he had ordered earlier, Charles unconsciously swallowed a gulp of saliva as he waited in anticipation.


    Soon enough, his meal finally arrived. Themb was extremely tender without even a tinge of gaminess. The creamy chicken was also deliciously sweet, and the meat was juicy.


    Having eaten his way through the hearty meal, Charles felt his soulforted by the delicious food. He had the sudden urge to visit the restaurant a few more times before he disembarked.


    The entire meal stretched over an hour. With a satisfied stomach, he slowly made his way to the deck.


    There was a sizable crowd on the deck, and everyone''s faces were visibly excited. From their conversations, Charles learned that most of them were first-time visitors. They came onto the deck just to catch a glimpse of the mysterious light that shone down on Hope Ind.


    Just as Charles settled into a spot, he heard the inquisitive voice of a young man.


    "Lance, I heard that it''s very bright on Hope Ind. Does that mean we no longer have to buy oilmps or candles? If that''s the case, we could save quite a bit of money."


    "Why are you thinking of saving that little amount of money? You penny-pincher. Hope Ind is and brimming with hope and possibilities. Since we are going there, we should aim to make some grand aplishments."


    "Grand aplishments? Angus, what do you have in mind?"


    "I n to be a farmer. The soil there is rich and fertile. They will definitely need someone like me. I''m an expert in crop cultivation."


    Charles looked in the direction of the voices and saw a group of young men, all in their early twenties. Judging by their patched-up clothes, they didn''t seem to be from well-off backgrounds.


    "So that''s the grand <i>aplishment</i> you are speaking of? And here I was thinking that you''d join an exploration ship just like the Governor of Hope Ind."


    "I''m not out of my mind to do something as foolish as that. I''m only twenty-five! I don''t wish to die that early."


    "Stop talking. Look over there!" shouted one of them.


    The gazes of everyone on deck turned toward the pulsating red glow in the distance. It was a mesmerizing sight even for Charles, who had already seen it before, not to mention those who were seeing it for the first time.


    The people on the deck erupted into cheers, and excited chatter filled the air.


    Someone even knelt on their knees and whispered a prayer.


    When the sun-kissed Hope Ind finally appeared before everyone''s eyes, silence descended on the crowd. The ind''s beauty was unparalleled.


    The thatched shelters that formed the shape of an octopus three years ago were gone and reced by colorful rooftops and corridors that traversed the entire ind.


    In terms of architectural uniqueness, other inds boasted more exquisite structures than Hope Ind. However, even the most beautiful buildings followed a dark color scheme.


    Regardless, even a humble shack on Hope Ind appeared vibrant underneath the radiant sunlight.


    The Subterranean Seascape had subconsciously reshaped human aesthetics where high brightness equated to beauty.


    It was only when the passenger ship docked did everyone snapped out of their awe. Animated chatter quickly spread across the deck.


    Charles followed the crowd and descended the ship''s ramp. The moment he stepped on the pier, his attention was caught by a massive signboard nearby.


    It bore a simple message written in the subterraneannguage.


    Charles chuckled to himself. He had no idea who ced the sign here.


    However, if it had been here on his first visit, perhaps Kord wouldn''t have died.


    Trailing after the throng of people along a corridor, he had just stepped off the pier when he noticed that the changes in the surroundings were even greater than he had imagined.


    Three whole years had transformed the ind''sndscape. The once simple, makeshift shelters were no longer in sight. Multi-storied buildings stood in their ce.


    As expected, a range of entertainment venues, such as taverns and brothels, crowded the vicinity of the piers. Evidently, the public security here was much better than any harbor districts Charles had visited. At the very least, he didn''t spot any street urchins or beggars darting around.


    "Hiring for a banana ntation! Anyone skilled in farming? Amodations and meals provided, with a handsome sry!"


    "Me! I know how to farm!" A young man beside Charles eagerly raised his hand as he darted toward the recruitment booth.


    "Anyone without fear of death? Hope Ind Navy is recruiting! As long as you dare to fight, owning a house in the Central District is no longer just a dream!"


    "Anyone literate and good with numbers? My shop needs an assistant."


    Hearing all the recruitment calls, the crowd around Charles surged forward. After all, this was what they came for¡ªa hope for a better future.


    Charles squeezed through the crowd and headed toward the ind''s core. Along his way, he walked past a vast, bustling square, neatly arranged residential districts, livelymercial streets and spotted an array of other structures.


    What had seemed like a fledglingmunity three years ago had now transformed into a thriving ind.


    After walking for about half an hour, a grandeur building reminiscent of a royal pce appeared before him. It was the Governor''s Mansion.


    "Even if we have the money, isn''t this too excessive?" Charles muttered under his breath as he headed toward the grand entrance.


    However, just as he got closer to the gates, the two soldiers on guard immediately raised their rifles and pointed them at him.


    "How dare you intrude on the Governor''s Mansion. Do you have a death wish?" one of them said.


    Just as Charles was about to exin himself, a slightly shaky voice called out from behind him.


    "Captain?"


    Charles turned around to see a familiar face.


    "Dipp, it''s been a while. You seem to have grown taller," Charles remarked.


    "Captain! It really is you!" Dipp rushed at Charles in tion as tears of joy streamed down his face.

 Chapter 179. The Crew

    <h4>Chapter 179. The Crew</h4>


    First Mate Bandages, Second Mate Conor, Boatswain Dipp, Chief Engineer James, Gunner Lily, Cook Frey, Sailors Audric and Linda, Ship Doctor Laesto, and finally Captain Charles.


    Once again, the crew of the Narwhale had regrouped in the grand conference room of the Governor¡¯s Mansion on Hope Ind.


    With a radiant smile, Charles studied the appearances of his crew, who had undergone many changes.


    Dipp had grown taller; his awkward teenage frame had spiked and transformed into a sturdy young man. d in his dark uniform, he could even pull off the role of a dashing dark knight.


    The once honest and simple-minded look on James¡¯s face was gone. The two faint, nasbial lines gave him an air of authority.


    Laesto had gotten even older. The constetion of scars on his face was now apanied by sporadic age spots.


    Conor had put on more than a few pounds, enough to sport a new double chin.


    The ones with the least changes were Bandages, Lily and his vampire sailor, Audric.


    "Mr. Charles, where have you been these past three years? I missed you so much!" Lily pounced before Charles and tilted her head upward with an inquisitive gaze.


    Instead of answering, Charles ran his hand through her bright yellow fur.


    "Why did you dye yourself this color?" he asked.


    "It looks good! I can even choose other colors, too. White is sooooo boring," Lily exined as she rubbed her fluffy head against Charles¡¯ palm.


    Charles turned his gaze onto Bandages, who disyed no emotions. He knew that the peace and stability of Hope Indrgely owed itself to this silentrade.


    A livable ind like this was nothing but arge, juicy catch. If no one had kept the ce in check, this ind would have already fallen into the hands of someone else.


    "Thank you for the past three years."


    "It''s nothing...The maritime rules state that...when the captain... is absent... the first mate...assumes all of... the captain''s duties," Bandages replied slowly as usual.


    Charles didn''t utter another word and reached out his hand, while Bandages reciprocated by reaching out his right hand. A firm p on the back of Bandages'' hand conveyed all the words Charles wanted to say to him.


    Just as James was about to speak, Leonardo, who was standing next to him, interjected with a bootlicking tone.


    "Captain, you are finally back! Most of our residents probably don''t know or recognize you. I suggest we throw a grand banquet and announce your return. What do you think?"


    A look of surprise shed across Charles'' face as he looked at the man in front of him¡ªthe Minister of Administration of Hope Ind. To think that the small-time swindler of the past could actually excel in his role.


    "Sure. Let''s proceed with your suggestion," Charles replied.


    With that, Leonardo discreetly took a step back and did not participate in the crew''s conversations with Charles as they fondly revisited their shared past.


    He knew that no matter what he did, he would always be an outsiderpared to the crew that had been through life-and-death situations with Charles.


    <i>To win the Governor''s trust, I have to proceed one step at a time.</i>


    Just as the crew was busy chatting away with Charles and reliving old times, a series of urgent knocks abruptly disrupted the harmonious atmosphere in the room. It was the sound of a steel prosthetic limb pounding on the wooden table.


    "Hey, hey, hey! We can leave the catching up and other things forter. Settle my issue first!" Laestoined. His temper was still terrible, as usual. Neither did his face disy a trace of joy at Charles'' return.


    The old man retrieved something from within his coat and slid it across the sleek table toward Charles.


    When Charles picked the time up, his expression shifted for a moment. It was his cell phone, and it was fully charged.


    Sliding his finger across the screen, the animation lock screen lit up. He stared at the six empty boxes and the numeric keypad and was stunned for a moment. It had been twelve long years; he couldn''t remember his passcode all of a sudden.


    "Don''t bother. It''s 588134. You wrote it in your diary," Laesto said with a hint of disdain underlying his tone.


    Charles arched an eyebrow at Laesto before he input the code. The familiar yet foreign interface presented itself before him.


    After a brief hesitation, he clicked on the <i>Videos</i> icon. The content inside was pitifully sparse. Apart from the short clip that came with the phone to test its functionality¡ªa Tom and Jerry animation¡ªthere were only two short clips, eachsting less than twenty seconds.


    He clicked on the first short clip. It was taken in the bustling shop when he had just bought the phone. It recorded the cacophony of background noise within the shop, and it also caught a fleeting glimpse of a younger Charles in a mirror.


    A smile appeared on Charles'' lips as he asked, "You actually managed to charge it. How did you manage to do it?"


    "Professor Smith of Albion Isles was of great help. Charging it was the easy part. Thergest problem was trying to find the number to your damn ck Mirror. It took me over two years to find the number to unlock it."


    "Thank you." Charles then clicked on the Tom and Jerry animation before passing the phone over to Lily. He then returned his gaze to Laesto.


    "I assume you want to talk about more than just this phone. Are there other pressing matters?"


    Laesto limped toward Charles with his prosthetic leg. Snatching the phone away from Lily, he expertly navigated to the phone''s gallery and disyed the spread of photos before Charles.


    With his trembling gaze locked on Charles, he asked, "Where are these taken? Is it the Land of Light?"


    Charles let out a chuckle. "Haven''t I told you before that Ie from the Land of Light? Why are you asking again?"


    "Because if these images here are taken in the Land of Light, then what is that ce beyond that overhead crevice? I''ve been up there; the surroundings look nothing like those in your pictures."


    "I would like to know the answer to that question as well. If I knew the answer, I wouldn''t have jumped into the waters three years ago," Charles replied, remarkablyposed given the gravity of the event he was discussing.


    Laesto was clearly dissatisfied with Charles'' reply. He pressed on, "I don''t care about that. But answer me this. Do you still intend to set sail in search of the Land of Light?"


    Staring at Laesto''s expression, a hint of realization struck Charles'' mind. "Perhaps. Are you thinking that the Land of Light holds the clue to your ck mirror?"


    The only thing that Laesto could be so concerned about was probably that thick, ck tablet of his.


    Laesto swiftly swiped his finger on the screen to scroll through the gallery before clicking on an image. It was a selfie of Gao Suling¡ªCharles'' sister¡ªon a busy street right outside their neighborhood.


    Zooming in on the screen with a pinch of his fingers, Laesto revealed more details in the image. Behind his sister''s digitally enhanced face, Charles noticed Old Man Liu from next door. He was sitting under a tree, engrossed in an online game of Chinese chess on a tablet¡ªa gift from his daughter.


    "The ce you came from has those things as well, right? Mine can be fixed if I go there," Laesto said.


    "Professor Smith of Albion Isles could charge my phone but couldn''t repair your item?"


    "Yeah, he said something inside was broken."


    Charles wasn''t surprised by Laesto''s answer. After all, who knew when that tablet was manufactured? The fact that it was still holding together to this day after so many years already spoke volumes about its robust quality.


    "Indeed. If we can get back to the surface world, fixing an outdated tablet model wouldn''t be an issue. You are still obsessed with finding out what''s within it?" Charles inquired.


    "I''m a doctor. I know I don''t have much time left. Now, my only wish is to know what my father wanted me to safeguard. Answer me: What''s your identity now? Governor Charles or Captain Charles of the Narwhale?"


    The room''s atmosphere abruptly shifted and turned dense with tension and gravity. Second Mate Conor found himself swallowing nervously, his throat suddenly parched.


    Charles'' answer would determine the direction of Hope Ind''s development.


    "I''m Captain Charles of the Narwhale. I¡¯ve told you, that ce is my home. A man has to return home someday."


    The moment Charles'' words fell, a variety of expressions surfaced on the faces of the crew.


    A hideous grin surfaced on Laesto''s lips as he mmed the cell phone into Charles'' palm. "Great. I''ll prepare my belongings. As long as I''m still alive, the Narwhale will always have a doctor."


    With that, Laesto staggered out of the room without even ncing at anyone else.

 Chapter 180. Light God [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 180. Light God [Bonus Image]</h4>


    The moment Laesto left the room, a vibrant atmosphere returned to the conference hall.


    "Does Doctor not take on any major positions on Hope Ind?" Charles turned to Dipp and asked.


    Dipp shook his head. "Nope. First Mate Bandages had established a hospital and offered the old man the role of Chief Surgeon, but he cursed and threw the First Mate out of his house."


    Charles nodded in understanding. Ah, he was indeed a man who was self-reliant on his master.


    "C-Captain, are you really nning to set sail again? If there''s something you are seeking, why don''t we hire someone else to go look for it?" Unwillingness painted Conor''s face.


    Observing some of the expressions among his crew, Charles knew what was on their minds. Staying on Hope Ind and living a safer and morefortable life was far more enticing than the perils of the deep seas.


    "If any of you are not willing to join the expedition, let me know now. I won''t hold it against you."


    Two people immediately raised their hands. One of them belonged to Chef Frey and the other one to Second Mate Conor.


    The two men bowed their heads in shame under everyone¡¯s gazes.


    Conor exined softly, "Captain, my wish had always been to be a Central Inder. I have finally achieved it. You can call me a coward, and I admit that I''m one. Not everyone is as fearless as you when ites to death."


    Charles'' gaze was locked on Frey and Conor. A few secondster, Charles said, "All right. As I said, anyone who speaks now is free to leave the Narwhale. After all, we need someone to hold the fort on Hope Ind, too."


    Chef Frey nodded vigorously. "Captain, don¡¯t worry. I''ll definitely keep Hope Ind in perfect order while you''re away."


    Charles turned his gaze to the others and said, "Let me reiterate. I don''t know where the destination is for our uing expeditions. Neither do I know what exactly we are looking for. I only know that it will be a dangerous voyage ahead, and more so than any of our previous expeditions.


    ¡±Are you sure you want to follow me?"


    "I''ll go wherever you go, Captain! I''m so sick of this stupid ce," a fearless Dipp dered.


    "Me too! I''ll help Mr. Charles get back home!" Lily chimed in, her tail wagging so energetically that it thumped against the tabletop.


    Next to her, Bandages didn''t utter a word. However, Charles saw the firm determination in his eyes.


    James stood up in enthusiasm from his seat and immediately made his intentions clear through action. "Captain, the Narwhale needs an overhaul. I''ll go to the shipyard and ce an order for the parts."


    Charles waved a dismissive hand. "It''s okay. Take the time to hand over your duties to someone else first. Hope Ind is our base. We can explore with peace of mind only if it''s stable and secure. No hurry. Let''s proceed steadily."


    The crew exchanged confused nces. Their typically always-in-a-hurry captain actually told them to take their time? What had happened in the past three years for him to undergo such a dramatic change?


    "By the way, Bandages. What''s the situation up there now? Have those zealots from the Divine Light Order seen their god yet?"


    Even since Charles returned to Hope Ind, a question had been gnawing at his heart. The alleged Light God resided right above the rift, but why was there no ripple of fanaticism down here?


    He had also encountered a few followers of the Order on his way to the Governor''s Mansion. However, none of them disyed any signs of extreme zeal.


    Bandages leaned slightly toward Charles. "I''m not too sure... about this... Those Divine Light Order disciples....haven''t been actively spreading word ...about their god above... they...seem to be hiding something."


    <i>Hmm? </i>The puzzling behavior of the Divine Light Order had left Charles thoroughly perplexed. Whether or not these fanatics had managed to uncover the true nature of the entity known as Dawn One, their current actions simply didn¡¯t make sense.


    "How do they ascend now?"


    "They use their... Sky Battler...The Divine...Light Order forbids anyone from approaching their divine realm above....But if we wish to go...we may...We are considered...allies now."


    "Where are they? I want to go up and have a look," Charles said. After all, his primary purpose of returning was to search for clues of the surface world in Newbound City.


    Seemingly growing impatient from Bandages'' slow and drawn-out replies, Lily interjected, "Mr. Charles, they live on the eastern side of the ind. Let me take you there."


    Under Lily''s guidance, Charles walked down a tiled corridor and eventually arrived before a gleaming gold cathedral.


    Upon being notified of the arrival of Hope Ind''s Governor, Hunn came rushing to wee him with a throng of fervent followers trailing right behind.


    "All praises to the Light God. Governor Charles, you''re still alive!"


    Charles didn''t have time for nostalgia or empty pleasantries with Huen. After all, they were hardly acquainted with each other and were merely allies of convenience.


    After learning of Charles'' intent to visit Newbound City, Hunn nodded with a smile. "Of course. If it weren''t for your help back then, Governor, we wouldn''t have reached the sacred realm of our Light God."


    The Sky Battler, a floating airship, was soon prepared. Led by Hunn, a group of devout disciples began to chant hymns of praise for the divine light as they ritually bathed themselves.


    Watching their borate religious ritual before the ascension, Charles was subtly grinding his teeth in annoyance. There hadn''t been such pomp and show when he ascended into the rift back then.


    The airship gained altitude rapidly and headed toward the bright crevice overhead.


    The moment Charles was out of sight, Hunn''s smile faded from his visage. He turned and retreated into a chamber. Within the confines of the room, he sank onto his knees before the statue of the Pope.


    "Your Holiness, Charles has returned."


    "I am aware. He was destined to return. I''ve seen many things about him."


    "Is it alright to let him ascend just like that?"


    "Don''t worry. Remember my words, my child. Mortals can never threaten gods. No one can."


    The moment he stepped through the rift, Charles saw that thendscape had undergone a total transformation. Cliffs that had once been scarred from past battles were now adorned with grand murals, each illustrating scenes from the Divine Light Order''s sacred Book of Revtions.


    As the ship hovered past a gigantic painting of the Light God that spanned over several dozen meters, a thought shed through Charles'' mind.


    <i>Are there no clues about this so-called Light God in the ruins above? Why haven''t these zealots caught on that their Light God is made by someone?</i>


    While Charles pondered on this thought, the ship had already unknowingly passed through the tunnel, and he came face to face with the <i>Light God</i> once again. Just like how it was three years ago, it floated perfectly still in mid-air without any support, like some sort of divine miracle.


    But Charles knew very well that it was no divine miracle.


    After all, no true miracle would serve as a cuckoo clock for mortals.


    Disembarking from the airship, Charles was just about to approach the Light God when several disciples dressed in whitetex suits blocked his path.


    "Step back. No mortals should defile the Light God''s Holy Presence."


    Charles stared at the followers before him with a calm gaze. "Oh? Did you really think <i>that</i> <i>thing</i> is solely a property of your Order now? If we were to go by thews of the Subterranean Seascape, I own half of your Light God."


    "Governor! Please be careful with your words!" A man dressed in a goldtex suit emerged from within the crowd. "Our faith has been in blessed harmony with your ind for the past few years, Governor Charles. I implore you to revere our Most High God and refrain from uttering words of sphemy. Should He be incited to wrath by your sacrilegious speech, all life in this subterranean realm may be swept into eternal oblivion!"


    Ignoring the man''s words, Charles retorted, "I don''t care how you worship it. I need to find some clues on it."


    The face of the man before him was obscured by his suit, Charles could hear the underlying tone of smugness through his words.


    "Sir Governor, if you seek knowledge, why not beseech the all-knowing, all-powerful Light God and ask for His divine enlightenment?"


    Charles'' pupils narrowed ever so slightly. "Are you telling me <i>that thing</i> in the air canmunicate?"

 Chapter 181. Dawn One

    <h4>Chapter 181. Dawn One</h4>


    Picking up the astonishment in Charles'' voice, the gold-robed man let out a chuckle. "Of course. As the spokesperson for the Light God, His Holiness, the Pope has found a way tomunicate with His Divine Being. Please follow me, the altar is this way."


    Charles'' eyes narrowed into slits. <i>What in the world is that Pope up to? Does he really consider this thing as the Light God?</i>


    The Pope''s wise gaze surfaced in Charles'' mind. At the same time, a suspicion rose in his heart¡ªthere was something more nefarious at y.


    Charles followed the Divine Light Order disciples as they navigated through thebyrinth of tilted skyscrapers. The worn asphalt underfoot was still visible, but now, after three years, it was oveid with a variety of religious symbols.


    He felt both strangely out of ce and unsettled as he stepped through the sea of eerie triangr shapes.


    The journey was short. Soon after, Charles found himself standing at a wide intersection with zebra crossings. On the road where no vehicles were in sight, a pyramid made almost entirely of gold dominated his field of view.


    Gazing at the towering religious edifice, which stood nearly five stories high, Charles marveled at the opulence of the Divine Light Order. The amount of gold used in the structure could easily purchase an entire ind in the subterranean realm.


    Charles noticed two disciples, garbed in redtex, standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid. They appeared to be guarding something, and he assumed that the peak was likely the location formunicating with the Light God.


    Just as he was about to move toward the golden flight of stairs, a disciple moved forward and halted him in his tracks. "Sir, please wait, though the Light God has anointed you as the Chosen One, you would still need to undergo a ritual before you receive His oracle."


    <i>Chosen One? What kind of title is this? </i>Despite all his thoughts, Charles decided to remain silent and stood waiting by the side.


    Very soon, a disciple d in a cktex robe stepped forward. She started singing a hymn in praise of the Light God. As she sang, she climbed up the glimmering golden steps to the tform at the peak of the pyramid.


    The song was melodious and pleasing to the ears. It clearly disyed the singer''s extraordinary mastery of music.


    Charles wiped the beads of sweat forming on his brows. In this scorching 40-degree Celsius heat, not even the most beautiful music could pacify the rising annoyance in him.


    The song came to an end, and the singer had also reached the top of the pyramid. Just when Charles thought this macabre y was over, the singer stripped off her suit and exposed herself to the lethal sunlight.


    "My Lord! All praises belong to You! Please take me to Your eternal kingdom!"


    With her hands sped in prayers, she sank onto her knees. Then, she made no other movements. The sunlight had taken her life.


    Under Charles'' gaze, the two red-robed figures to the side brandished daggers and rapidly dissected the corpse. He finally understood why their suits were red.


    "Mr. Charles, the ritual isplete. This way, please," one of them said and moved aside to clear the path ahead.


    Not even bothering to mask the look of disdain and disgust on his countenance, Charles ascended the steps toward the pyramid''s apex. He had cooperated with the Divine Light Order for so long that he almost forgot that these zealots were deranged cultists.


    As Charles reached the summit, he found himself staring at the grisly skeletal remains of the singer. Like some sort of gory art piece, her bones were arranged on an altar; fresh blood still clung to them. In the grasp of her skeletal hands was her freshly harvested heart, seemingly presented as an offering to the luminescent ring hovering in the sky.


    Charles shook his head in incredulity. He looked upward and narrowed his eyes as he stared at the colossal, glowing ring in the air.


    "Dawn One, can you hear me?


    The massive triangle within the ring halo started changing and emitted an unsettling buzzing sound like tinnitus. Immediately after, a majestic voice boomed overhead.


    "It is I¡ªthe Light God. Mortal, what is your request?"


    Hearing its response, tidal waves of surprise washed over Charles. He couldn''t fathom that an artificial lifeform capable of such fluentmunication was actually man-made.


    <i>Has the Foundation''s technology advanced so much that they could create something like this?</i>


    However, Charles quickly calmed his thoughts and emotions. He noticed that the entity was using a different self-reference aspared to three years ago.


    <i>Light God? </i>Charles was very certain that when he first ascended into this ce, that thing hanging in the air was just a talking clock. How in the world had it be the Light God now?


    Charles turned his head toward the disciples at the bottom of the pyramid and yelled, "What in the world have you lunatics taught it over the past three years?"


    Seeing that the disciples beneath seemed to harbor no intention of replying to him, Charles turned around and faced the halo in the air.


    He pondered for a brief moment before he started, "Fine. Light God it shall be. Do you know where the people who created you are?"


    "Mortal, I''m the God of Light, the creator of anything under the light. I exist in the past, present and future. No one can create me."


    Hearing Dawn One''s response, a wry smile tugged at Charles'' lip. He arched an eyebrow and said, "I''m not interested in hearing all your cosmic mumbo jumbo. Since you possess the intelligence, you should know well what I''m driving at. What happened to the Foundation? Have they all returned to the surface?"


    As soon as Charles'' words fell, a melodious music sounded from his pocket.


    Charles was stunned for a split second before he reached into his pocket to pull out his cell phone and confirmed that it was indeed his ringtone.


    He pondered for a moment before he answered the call with a thumb swipe and held the cell phone to his ear.


    "Hello? Who''s this?"


    Dawn One''s imposing voice resonated through the phone''s speakers. "Who are you? Are you a descendant of the Foundation survivors from the cmity back then?"


    Staring at the colossal halo in the sky, a surreal wave of disbelief surged within Charles.


    <i>Am I really having a phone conversation with the Light God?</i>


    "Answer my question first, and I''ll answer yours. What is this cmity that you speak of?" Charles spoke into the phone.


    The mantises had also mentioned a disaster before. Yet, at that point, Charles had assumed that it referred to a cmity on the surface world. Now, it seemed that it was specific to the Foundation itself.


    "You cannot be a descendant of a survivor from the Foundation. Otherwise, you would certainly know of that cmity. It stands to reason that no one from the Foundation would have survived that disaster."


    Charles felt as if he were being dragged into a vortex of confusing words. That thing in the air had been evasive and talking in circles but had never addressed his questions directly.


    "What''s your name?"


    "I have many names. In my self-perception, I''m a living fusion reactor. In the past, they called me Dawn One. Now, I''m known as the Light God."


    "Light God?" Charles let out a sarcasticugh. "Was that what those lunatics taught you?"


    "No. They teach me nothing. I just find it rather amusing to see them prostrate before me and worship me. You, as a human, should know how incredible it feels to be blindly adored and idolized. I like this feeling."


    Charles cast a fleeting nce at the bloodied skeleton before him and couldn''t help but feel sorry for her. However, he immediately readjusted his emotions and posed the most crucial question he hade here for.


    "Do you know where the exit to the surface is?"


    After a brief pause, Dawn One replied, "Why should I tell you?"

 Chapter 182. Experiment Dawn

    <h4>Chapter 182. Experiment Dawn</h4>


    "Why should I tell you?"


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat upon hearing Dawn One''s reply. "So you know?"


    "Make a guess."


    Growing increasingly agitated, Charles shot back at the artificial intelligence in the air, "Tell me. What do you want from me?"


    "I have no requests. I''m no human, after all. How about you tell me your story? I''m very intrigued by your background. You''re clearly not from the subterranean world."


    Charles considered his options for a brief moment before he recounted his entire journey of how he came from the surface world to the underground realm. He spared no details since there wasn''t really anything to hide.


    "I see... No wonder I get a different feeling from you aspared to my worshipers," Dawn One mused.


    "Can you tell me where is the exit to the surface now?" Charles asked again.


    "I''m sorry, but I still can''t release this information to you."


    A wave of frustration and rage surged within Charles. He felt like he had been yed. He couldn''t be bothered to talk in riddles with the artificial intelligence any longer and turned his gaze onto the towering, twisted skyscrapers around him.


    "Fine if you are not willing to speak. There are bound to be other clues within Newbound City. I''ll surely find them if Ib the area in detail," Charles dered.


    With an entire city sprawled out before him, searching for clues would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. However, he was certain that they surely existed.


    "If you take another step, I''ll double the speed of my nuclear fusion reactor. I wonder how long humans can survive with a surface temperature of 91 degrees Celsius."


    Dawn One''s menacing threat made Charles freeze in ce. The stifling atmosphere thickened with tension.


    "Is the sun in your world huge? Is it perhaps as huge as I am?" Dawn One''s voice echoed from the phone''s speaker.


    After a rapid bout of mental calctions, the weight that had been hovering in Charles'' heart settled back down.


    "You''re bluffing, aren''t you? If you could randomly increase the temperature to kill, there was no way the Foundation would hang you up here in Newbound City."


    With that, Charles took a step forward. One step. Two steps. Three steps. It was as per his deduction¡ªhis surrounding temperature remained in the forties. It was hot but still bearable. Dawn One was indeed bluffing.


    In modern society, the safety and security levels of nuclear reactors were always set to the highest. Since the Foundation had created Dawn One, they would have made such countermeasures as well.


    "How smart. Yes, those people have imposed restrictions upon me. My actions are very limited. However, finding the clues to the surface won''t be as easy as you think it may be."


    <i>Beep¡ª</i>


    Charles hung up the call. Since Dawn One was unwilling to help, he would have to find the clues himself.


    Under the sweltering heat, Charles rapidly darted through the buildings. It was a modernized cityscape, yet it was different from those he had seen on the surface. He also noticed some rather unique facilities at the city''s perimeter.


    Amongst them, a colossal circr structure caught his attention due to its familiarity. He had seen something like this before back on Skywater Ind. It was a nuclear fusion reactor. However, this one was farrger and far more expansive than that one.


    Charles gazed upward and noticed the gaping hole at the top of the circr building. His eyes then darted toward Dawn One, hovering in the air. Matching up the pieces, he instantly arrived at the conclusion that the colossal building was designed to house that artificial intelligence.


    He cast a nce at a sign on the wall before kicking aside the rusted fence before him and stepping through. Just as he was about to pass through the shattered ss doorway, a sudden memory struck his mind.


    <i>Wait. I''ve seen that name somewhere before.</i>


    Charles swiftly backtracked and reached out to touch the words¡ªExperiment Dawn¡ªon the signboard.


    The contents of 1002''s experimental log surfaced in his mind.


    <i>Experiment Name: Initialization</i>


    Charles'' eyes shot upward, and his gaze locked onto the faux sun in the air.


    All this time, he had been wondering how that entity gained sentience. As memories of the reactor on Skywater Ind surfaced, thest elusive piece of the puzzle suddenly clicked into ce.


    Both Dawn One and 1002 were initialized by the same Subject 074. However, the struggling 1002 on that ind was a failed experiment, while Dawn One was the sessful output.


    <i>I can''t believe those guys actually did it. Is this the infinite energy source they spoke of?</i>


    After sorting his thoughts out, Charles turned and headed deeper into theboratory.


    One of his questions had been answered, but it provided little information in the grand scheme of things. To find a way back to the surface, he needed either a nautical chart with the path charted or a way to control Dawn One.


    Just like how there was a control room in a nuclear power nt, there would surely be a ce that could control Dawn One. Since that thing was alive, then it could surely be threatened and manipted.


    Charles darted into Experiment Dawn Laboratory. His face grew darker by the minute as hebed room after room.


    Every scrap of recorded information had been taken away, down to the hard drives from decrepitputers that had long since decayed into uselessness.


    After a quickparison of the dust in the gaps where the hard drives used to be, Charles deduced that they had been taken away only in thest few years.


    Who would clean up the Foundation''s items? It was clearly abnormal. He could understand if only the documents had vanished. However, the person or group in question had even taken away all the hard disks, which meant that they had a more profound understanding of technology.


    As Charles recalled the conversation he had with Bandages, where he was told of the Divine Light Order''s attitude toward Newbound City, Charles could only conclude that they were the ones who had pulled it off.


    Standing before the Divine Light Cathedral on Hope Ind, Hunn wore a cordial smile on his countenance as he watched Charles disembark from the Sky Battler.


    "Governor Charles, has the Almighty Light God enlightened you?"


    Charles replied with a cid expression, "I need to speak to your Pope."


    Soon enough, Charles found himself in a confessional chamber within the cathedral and face to face with that familiar giant statue of the Pope.


    "<i>Ah,</i> my child, it''s been such a long time. What have you been through in the past three years? You seemed to have changed immensely."


    Charles had no time for the superficial pleasantries. Getting straight to the point, he asked, "You instructed your disciples to remove all the files and hard drives in Newbound City, didn''t you?"


    "Yes, it was my doing," the Pope admitted readily without hesitation.


    "Why?" Charles demanded and took a step forward.


    The statue of the Pope gestured what looked like a prayer, and wisps of dust floated off him.


    "The All-knowing, Almighty Light God has spoken to me. Those things conceal a grave threat. Letting them be known would lead to irreparable doom."


    "Stop lying! Dawn One is just a giant power generator and not your so-called Light God!" Charles roared.


    The smile faded from the Pope''s face as Charles bluntly exposed the truth.


    "Governor Charles, I hope you understand one thing¡ªI never lie. The entity above is not the Light God, but He does truly exist."


    "I don''t care what kind of divine chit-chat you''ve had with that thing up there, and I don¡¯t care about your faith and beliefs as well. I only want to know the exit to the surface. I just want to go back! It''s that simple!" Charles unconsciously raised his voice.

 Chapter 183. The Pope

    <h4>Chapter 183. The Pope</h4>


    "Hmm... I understand, Governor Charles. I know of your wish. As your ally, I would also like to offer my assistance. However, I cannot let you have those things now," the Pope said.


    "Why?"


    "As per my earlier words, our Light God has spoken; the items¡ª"


    "Stop. I don''t need you to reiterate. Don''t try to brush me off with such frivolous words," Charles interrupted. His patience was wearing thin.


    Facing Charles''s skepticism, the Pope wasn''t angered in the slightest. He lowered his head and calmly met Charles''s gaze.


    "Oh? Then how do you suppose that I, a denizen of the Subterranean Seascape, would know about the hard drives in theputers that are being used to store data? And how would I know of the great danger in Newbound City?"


    Charles was stunned by the Pope''s words. He scrutinized the statue before him as a whirlwind of thoughts swirled in his mind.


    "There''s no need to conceal anything from me. I can see all the doubts in your heart. Firstly, I''m not from the surface world like you. Secondly, neither am I a descendant of some Foundation. And Dawn One wasn''t the one who told me about it. All knowledge I possess originates from the All-knowing, Almighty Light God," the Pope continued.


    "What Light God are you talking about? That thing hanging in the sky in Newbound City can''t even move! If the Light God truly exists, why has He not revealed Himself?" Charles retorted.


    "He truly exists," the Pope said and raised a right hand before Charles could interrupt. "Don''t be in a hurry to retort. Listen to my story first before you say your piece."


    The Pope then began, "When I was eight, my father was lost at sea. My mother got addicted to joyfruit powder and abandoned me. Left with no other choice, I had to beg on the streets just to get a bite to eat.


    "Thanks to my golden locks, I managed to find work in the harbor district and no longer have to wander on the streets."


    Charles was slightly puzzled upon hearing the Pope''s words. <i>What work in the harbor would require golden hair?</i>


    "Prostitution," the Pope immediately answered Charles¡¯ question.


    "The sailors who returned from the sea needed a channel to relieve their mental stress. However, not all of them liked women. Some of them preferred men, or rather, boys. And that''s my job¡ªto satisfy their desires."


    "Life was miserable for me back then. Every morning, I''d make the most humble wishes: that today''s clients would pull my hair a little less harshly and that they''d pay me without trying to cheat me. I thought my life of misery would stretch on endlessly like that," the Pope continued. His voice was as calm as water, as though he was recounting someone else''s childhood.


    However, his voice abruptly rose, and his eyes lit up with a burning passion.


    "But soon, my circumstances changed. The year I was eleven. I remember it was in July. I hadn¡¯t had any clients for several days, and I was starving. I tried to steal some food, and unsurprisingly, I got caught. They beat me up until I was barely breathing and left me in a trash heap. It was then that a voice echoed in my mind."


    "His voice was incredibly gentle and kind. I felt as though a tender hand was caressing my hair and face. He was the Light God. I received his calling. He healed my wounds, and out of countless others, he anointed me as the Chosen One."


    "Under His guidance, I left my demeaning work behind and joined the Divine Light Order, which was being oppressed by the Fhtagn Covenant back then. I stood at the helm of our order and helped it grow using the divine knowledge He had bestowed upon me."


    Charles stared at the Pope with a bewildered look. <i>Why does it feel like I''ve read this plot somewhere before?</i>


    "How are you so sure that the voice belongs to the Light God?" Charles questioned. "What if it was something else? A random old man, perhaps?"


    The Pope shook his head in disagreement. "Because the voice told me that He is the Light God."


    "And you believe everything the voice is saying?" Charles countered.


    "Yes. I believe every single word He said. He lifted my status from a miserable, lowly prostitute to the Pope of the Divine Light Order. No matter who He is, He is the one and only God I will forever revere."


    The Pope then continued with unquestioned devotion, "When I first arrived in Newbound City, He instructed me to immediately erase all records in the city. And so, I carried out His orders."


    Charles'' brows furrowed together. He was uncertain if he should believe the old man before him.


    After all, anyone could lie, and Kord had already warned him in the past about how some disciples in the Order didn''tplete the initiation ritual.


    "Governor Charles, do you perhaps still hold doubt toward my words? Lies meant betrayal. As a disciple of the Light God, I can never lie. How old do you think I am now?"


    Charles carefully scrutinized the statue before him.


    "Ny? A hundred?" Charles made a guess.


    The Pope shook his head. "The Light God has bestowed His blessings on my mortal body. I am a hundred and thirty years old this year. If you are still doubtful, then how about this? Are you going to remain doubtful after this?"


    With that, the statue stretched his arms wide to the side. His gentle voice suddenly escted in volume and turned into a tumultuous blend of male and female tones.


    The three-meter-tall stone statue levitated, and cracks appeared in its gray form; soft white light seeped out of it as well.


    "Light God, You are the Alpha, and the Omega, the Beginning, and the End! You create all, and You are all-knowing! All thingse into being through You! All things meet their end in You!"


    A resonance apanied the palpable and oppressive aura that burst forth from the Pope. Charles was overpowered by the force and was pushed back.


    Despite being subjected to such an invasive aura, Charles couldn''t find a hint of resistance in his heart. But soon enough, an unsettling feeling began to ripple through him. His lips trembled slightly as though he was joining the Pope in singing praises of the Light God.


    <i>Hissssssss!</i>


    A creeping sound echoed in his brain as he felt the tentacle within starting to writhe and squirm violently, as though it was reacting in fear.


    The sensation faded as soon as it came. Dumbstruck, Charles stared at the statue before him. It had already reverted to its original form. but Charles'' thoughts were far from settling down.


    Before visiting the Pope, he had thought that Dawn One was the Light God, but it seemed like he had been making the wrong assumption all this while.


    <i>Perhaps the Light God truly exists? </i>Charles'' conviction started to waver. A faint smile appeared on the Pope''s lips as he observed Charles'' stunned expression.


    He was certain that Charles had finally realized how ignorant he had been.


    "The Light God truly exists. It''s an irrefutable fact," the Pope emphasized to Charles once again. "If He deems something to be dangerous, then it is dangerous. That is irrefutable as well."


    Charles shot a piercing re at the Pope as his expression darkened. He then turned to leave, but he had barely taken a step when the Pope called out.


    "Wait. Aren''t you searching for the exit to the surface? Our goals happen to align."


    Charles pivoted on his heel and looked at the Pope again. "Don''t you think you are mixing up the flow of the conversation?"


    "No, no, no. I said I can''t hand over those things to you. But I''ve never said anything about not being able to give you information about the surface world. The Light God is searching for the exit as well."


    The weight of the Pope''s words was immense. Charles had no clue about the actual identity of this Light God, but he was certain about one thing: even this omnipotent existence couldn''t locate the exit.


    "If your Light God is all-knowing and almighty, why can''t He act on it Himself?"


    The Pope shook his head. "Indeed, if He intervened, He could effortlessly bring us to the surface. However, He is currently bound by His own powers, and as such, He is unable to wield His divine strength extensively. He is in immense suffering at the moment, and He needs our assistance."

 Chapter 184. Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 184. Banquet</h4>


    Men and women convened inside the grand banquet hall of the Governor''s Mansion on Hope Ind. d in extravagant garments and essories, they sipped from their wine-filled sses as they engaged in conversations.


    Amongst them, there were nobles who held authoritative positions on Hope Ind, visiting rich merchants for fruit procurement, and also socialites. They had all gathered for one singr purpose tonight¡ªto celebrate the return of the ind''s governor.


    Dressed in a crisp ck and white suit, Conor raised his ss to take a sip. A smile then surfaced on his countenance as he turned to the friend standing before him.


    "This wine is delectable; it''s smooth and low in acidity, yet rich in both fruity notes and a luxurious texture. I''m guessing that it''s a blend of Shadow Ind''s rare porcini mushroom wine and our ind''s signature banana liqueur," Conormented.


    "Mr. Conor, you are truly a master wine connoisseur for being able to discern this much from a single sip."


    Conor chuckled softly at the ttering remarks. "It''s merely a simple passion of mine. Anything that you dedicate yourself to will surely bear fruits."


    Just as the two were engrossed in their jovial conversation, a young woman in an exquisite, off-shoulder gown approached them. She whispered an apology to the guest before gently pulling Conor away to the side.


    "Misha, what''s the matter?" Conor asked.


    "Since the banquet today is held in honor of the governor, should we go and offer him a toast?" Misha asked as she gestured toward Charles, who was standing alone in silence by the balcony with his gaze fixated on the scenery outside.


    Conor gently tugged his wife''s arm as his expression turned slightly tensed. "Don''t go. He''s not suited for asions like this."


    "Why? Isn''t he the Governor of this ind?" A look of confusion appeared on Misha''s face.


    "Don''t probe too much. Let''s go to the other side," Conor replied and led Misha away and further from Charles.


    Misha wasn''t the only one who felt the weight of Charles'' presence. In fact, many guests were casting furtive nces toward the real Governor of Hope Ind. As the true wielder of power, every action that Charles took sparked spections among those observing him.


    "This Governor seems even more aloof than Governor Bandages. I hope he''s easier to deal with."


    "Look at that scar on this face. But knowing that he''s the Governor, I can''t help but think that adds to his alluring charm. Should I approach him to strike up a conversation, or would that be unfitting for a youngdy?"


    "Why isn''t Governor Charles speaking to anyone? Could it mean that there will be a great haul in the power dynamics of Hope Ind?"


    Meanwhile, Charles was oblivious to the undercurrents of gossip and nces from around him. His mind was reying yesterday''s conversation that took ce between him and the Pope.


    "My men are currently sorting through the nautical charts we found in Newbound City. I will send the information about the surface world that you''ve requested as soon as possible. In return, my request is very simple. I want a detailed ount of the various urrences you encounter during your expedition."


    The Pope then continued, "And please refrain from spreading information about Dawn One. Our Order needs a divine miracle at the moment. Its existence has allowed us to rapidly expand our influence. If you ruin the n, I''ll be in a difficult position."


    Charles mulled over the conversation and the various clues he had gathered.


    Firstly, since the Pope already possessed the nautical charts, why was he giving them to Charles when the Order had so many disciples? He could easily employ a swarm strategy and upy every ind on the charts.


    Secondly, why did this <i>Light God</i> need to locate the exit to the surface? The Pope said that the Light God would be freed once they found the exit. However, Charles remained skeptical of the old man''s words.


    Lastly, and most importantly, it was the identity of the <i>Light God.</i> Charles remained deeply unconvinced. Even after the Pope had shown him a divine sign, his doubts persisted.


    The being imed to be the all-knowing almighty Light God, but yet the statement was a facy in itself. If He was all-knowing, how would He not know that He would end up imprisoned? If He was almighty, why couldn''t He escape?


    Charles had encountered his fair share of underwater Divinities. This Light God seemed almost trivial inparison. He instinctively felt that the Light God was no match for those bizarre entities.


    Harboring such skepticism toward the Light God, Charles inevitably found it hard to trust the Pope, too. If He were in the Pope''s position, he would never share the full n with an outsider. His instincts were gnawing at him that the Pope was hiding things from him.


    Perhaps the Pope really couldn''t lie, but he could deliberately withhold some truth to mask his actual motives.


    Despite fulfilling his goal of finding the clues for the surface''s exit, a slight heaviness weighed down on his heart.


    While Charles'' brows were pressed together as he was deep in thought, a young man with vibrant green hair approached him. He was d in a naval uniform and held a wine ss in his hand.


    "Governor, this banquet is held in your honor. Yet, you have been standing here for an hour. That''s hardly appropriate, don''t you think?" the young man said.


    Charles gathered his thoughts together and turned his gaze onto the face that he hadn''t seen for a long while.


    "Feuerbach, It''s alright. They¡¯ve already seen me."


    Feuerbach shed a cheeky smile before performing a yful salute. "You are the Governor, your word is thew."


    Noticing his naval uniform, Charles pondered for a second before he asked, "What is your role on Hope Ind?"


    Feigning a heartbroken look, Feuerbach replied, "<i>Ah,</i> you don''t even know... It seems like I have no ce in your heart. Currently, I serve as the Deputy Admiral of Hope Ind''s Navy. I oversee the warships that protect us from foreign threats. Of course, I report to the Grand Admiral Bandages."


    Charles'' gaze dropped onto his wine as a thought rapidly flickered through his mind. "How many ships do we have now?"


    "Apart from the thirteen exploration steamships that we''d used to upy this ind, I acquired another twenty to thirty exploration ships. We also purchased two 40,000-ton Sea Lion-ss battleships from the Albion Isles.


    ¡±We have been testing them for over six months. They are essentially battle-ready," Feuerbach reported with a hint of pride in his tone.


    Charles pondered for a brief moment before he instructed, "Keep on expanding our fleet. We are not strong enough."


    Feuerbach seemed to be caught off guard by Charles'' response. "Governor, who is our potential enemy? We''re too far away from other inds. Anyone who wants to reach us will have to resupply at Skywater Ind, which is currently upied by the Divine Light Order. Given our current rtionship with them...."


    Feuerbach''s words trailed off as a realization sank in. His expression changed instantly. "Captain, are we trying to defend ourselves from the Divine Light Order? If that''s the case, I don''t think it would be necessary. Our coboration is too close-knit. They would incur significant losses as well if they were to attack us."


    "Just do as I say. There''s no harm in umting military strength."


    Feuerbach ran a hand through his seaweed-green hair and answered, "Understood, dear Governor. I''ll get to it immediately. Actually, if you are worried about the security of the ind, you should consider forming an alliance with other ind governors. The weaker ones survive using that method."


    "An alliance..." Charles muttered to himself. Suddenly, the visage of Elizabeth crossed his mind.


    "How''s Elizabeth''s ind doing?"


    "Elizabeth? Who? Who is she?" Feuerbach was confused.


    After Charles rified the coordinates of the ind, Feuerbach nodded in understanding and said, "<i>Ah...</i>So you are referring to that new up-and-rising governor. I''m aware of her. She''s quickly bing a key yer in the Northern Seas. I''ve heard that she possesses some kind of skill that could animate ships to autonomously defend against enemies."

 Chapter 185. Equipment

    <h4>Chapter 185. Equipment</h4>


    "Animate ships?" The chilling form of 1002 shed across Charle''s mind. He had initially assumed that Elizabeth managed to find a way to get rid of that cursed being. However, Feuerbach''s words made it seem like not only had Elizabeth avoided its ensnarement, but she even managed to take advantage of it.


    "Have you seen any of those animated ships? How effective are they?" Charles questioned.


    "I''m not sure. That female Governor is extremely secretive about this technology. We only managed to acquire snippets of intelligence from the pirates who''ve battled her. Because of this particr technology, many powers want to force an alliance with Elizarles Shores, but she turned all of them down."


    Charles pondered briefly before he gestured to a waiter in the distance. epting the paper from the waiter, Charles whipped out his fountain pen and swiftly wrote a message in the subterraneannguage.


    "Send this via telegram. Elizabeth will ept our alliance proposal," Charles said as he handed the paper to Feuerbach.


    Apart from the alliance request, he had also inquired with his former lover about the details of initializing a ship. If there weren''t major side effects, he was considering initializing the Narwhale. After all, it was also part of the crew.


    The Deputy Admiral of Hope Ind received the paper with a mischievous grin on his countenance. "I see that the rumors about the two of you are true after all. No wonder she searched everywhere for you when you went missing previously."


    "What rumors?" Charles asked.


    "They said she''s your woman, and her current ind is a gift from you. That''s why she named it <i>Elizarles Shores.</i>"


    Charles didn''t refute Feuerbach''s words and raised his wine ss instead. "It''s fine. Ignore those gossip and rumors. Prepare the exploration ships in the Navy fleet. I might need to use them soon."


    "Cheers!" Feuerbach said as he clinked his ss against Charles''. "Your wish is mymand, Governor."


    They both tilted their heads back and down the contents of their sses. Instantly, Charles'' brows were furrowed together, and he set his ss down.


    "What''s this? I can''t taste any alcohol. It tastes so bad," Charles remarked.


    Feuerbach let out a heartyughter, "The taste is secondary. To celebrate your return, they surely brought out the most expensive liquor on the ind."


    Charles left his ss on the balcony and turned toward the hall. "Honestly, I very much prefer tequ to this."


    As the banquet came to an end, word quickly spread that Charles would be heading out to sea again.


    Everyone was baffled. Why would Charles still venture into the waters even after bing a Governor? What was this mysterious Governor that had disappeared for three years thinking?


    Shouldn''t he be enjoying a life of luxury and leisure after having reached his current post? Even if he was innately diligent, then shouldn''t that energy be directed to developing the ind and expanding his territory by conquering other habitable inds?


    Why would he be thinking of exploring new inds?


    Out of the hundreds of Governors in the Subterranean Seascape, Charles was the first to make such a movement.


    Charles couldn¡¯t care less about circting rumors. He was focused on preparing for the uing expedition.


    A mechanical prosthetic arm bearing the shades of industrial design was presented before Charles. He grasped it with his right hand, and with a determined gaze, he firmly anchored it into the socket of his left shoulder.


    The numerous metallic prongs from the prosthetic limb spun rapidly and pierced into Charles'' flesh. The chubby man by the side rushed forward and speedily imbued a soul into the connection.


    The sound of gears clicking resonated in the room once more. Charles first flexed the fingers of his metallic hand before clenching them into a tight fist.


    His left hand was back.


    Putting on the clothes that Dipp handed him, Charles took out his relics from the past and re-examined them.


    "Where did Bandages go?" Charles asked Dipp as he fiddled with the Tentacle Ring. "I haven''t seen him aroundtely."


    "The First Mate is recruiting explorers from the Explorers Association. He said that since we are going to set sail again, he believes it would be more economical to send those people out as cannon fodder to scout the routes first," Dipp answered.


    Charles'' hand paused before he nodded in agreement. He then arranged his own relics in the most convenient locations for easy ess and turned to the chubby man who had fitted his prosthetic.


    "Has Governor Elizabeth contacted you about sending anything?" Charles questioned.


    The chubby man immediately straightened up. He was clearly aware of the significance of the man before him.


    "I''ve reached out to our branch, but Governor Elizabeth said that they would need some time to prepare the initialization vessel. It will be sent in a few days."


    Charles gave a nod before shifting his attention to another table adorned with an assortment of relics. He methodically scanned the diverse collection as he took in their varied sizes, forms, and colors.


    All these relics were ones he had ordered his men to assemble at the quickest they could. As the Governor of an ind, he had more than enough wealth to procure any relic he wanted.


    They each had beneficial effects, but Charles couldn''t possibly bring every single one of them with him. Moreover, their ovepping side effects would incapacitate him before he could even take three steps.


    After rapidly assessing andparing the benefits and drawbacks of each relic, Charles eventually settled on a translucent ring that could grant temporary invisibility and a revolver made from bones and flesh.


    The ring of invisibility would undoubtedly be incredibly useful when exploring an ind. Its only side effect is a simple itching all over the body, which is entirely bearable.


    As for the flesh-revolver, itpensated for Charles''ck of long-range attacks. It fired bullets of the same material as teeth. ording to its previous owner, the bullets could even deal damage to entities that were usually immune to physical attacks.


    Most importantly, the flesh-revolver was near-silent whenever it was fired. In other words, Charles would never have to deal with that hassle of attracting unwanted attention from the echoing bang of a traditional gun.


    Regarding the downside, the weapon had to be immersed in calcium-rich water for a minimum of ten hours each day. Failing to meet this requirement would result in the revolver gradually consuming the wielder''s bones.


    Charles found the drawback manageable.


    The revolver¡¯s frame was forged from bones and crafted with flesh, blood and fragmented tissues.


    Charles picked the revolver up and started practicing his aim. It had been three years since hest wielded a gun, so his marksmanship had grown rusty.


    Minutes, hours, and days ticked by. Charles had expected a considerable dy for the nautical charts. But after only four days, dozens of Divine Light Order disciples carried the statue of the Pope and arrived at his doorstep.


    "The charts are ready?" Charles asked as he looked up to meet the gaze of the towering statue.


    "Of course, my child," the Pope replied. "Here are the charts. It marks the inds that had once been upied by the Foundation. I believe that the exit to the surface lies in one of them,"


    The Pope gestured to therge chest in Hunn''s arms.


    "Why are you only providing me the charts? Shouldn''t the other documents hold clues regarding the location of the surface''s entrance a well?"


    "Since He ims that such knowledge poses a great threat, who are we to question His wisdom and gaze upon it? Of course, we reduced them all to ashes," the Pope spoke with fervent conviction.


    Charles wasn¡¯t convinced. He was more inclined to believe that the Pope had thoroughly scrutinized the documents'' content but was unable to find any useful information from them.


    Standing next to Charles, Dipp approached Hunn to receive the chest of nautical charts, but thetter stopped him.


    With a slight smile on his countenance, the Pope asked, "Hold on for a moment. Governor Charles, may I know how you n to carry out your exploration?"

 Chapter 186. Narwhale! Embark!

    <h4>Chapter 186. Narwhale! Embark!</h4>


    "How else? We check how many inds are there on the charts and dispatch the appropriate number of scouting ships ordingly. If they fail to return, then I will check out the ind personally."


    Since Charles had the backing of the entire Hope Ind, he would naturally take full advantage of it.


    However, his reply didn''t sit well with the Pope. The statue shook his head and said, "No. Only you can explore those inds. No one else should tread onto thosends."


    "Why?" Charles'' brows knitted together in confusion.


    "The Order has received a new sign from the Light God. We can only hand over the map to you if you agree to follow His instructions," the Pope exined.


    Truth be told, Charles was getting annoyed by this Light God whom the Pope was always bringing up as some justification. He refused to believe that he wouldn''t be able to find the surface''s entrance without the assistance of the Divine Light Order.


    "I can''t abide by the term you just stated. Either hand over the map or forget it. I''ll find my own ways," Charles responded with a firm tone.


    A look of surprise appeared on the Pope''s visage. The very same Captain Charles, who would risk everything to seek the Land of Light, had just resisted the temptation of the map. Per his expectations, the fiery youth standing before him was supposed to readily ept his conditions.


    Realizing that Charles wasn''t joking, the statue parted its lips, "Alright. I can tell you why the Light God had decreed this. Instruct your men to leave the room. This is a matter of utmost importance and is meant for your ears only."


    Charles snapped his fingers, and everyone exited the room.


    With the other Divine Light Order disciples in tow, Hunn retreated swiftly as well. Before leaving the room, he dropped a sphere onto the floor. Instantly, Charles and the Pope were encased in a bubble-like entity.


    Within the protective bubble, the man and the statue moved their mouths in conversation, yet not a sound could be heard from outside the bubble. Charles'' expression was initially calm before it quickly transformed into shock. He then seemed to be vehemently rebutting something, and finally, his face turned grim.


    The bubblested for less than half an hour and vanished. The Divine Light Order disciples moved the stone statue away, leaving Charles in solitude with the chest containing the map at his feet.


    With his brows furrowed together, Charles sat down and massaged his temples. His crew quickly gathered around him.


    Unable to contain her curiosity, Lily leaped onto his leg and asked, " Mr. Charles, what did he say?"


    Gently stroking her sky-blue fur, Charles shook his head and didn''t utter a single word. After almost a minute, he seemed to have figured something out. He turned toward Bandages.


    "First Mate, void the contracts we have with the recruited explorers. Return the gathered exploration ships to the Navy. For this expedition, we will set out on our own," Charles instructed.


    "Captain, why?!" Disbelief registered on everyone''s faces. There was a significant difference between a single ship venturing into unknown waters and exploring a new ind and an entire fleet. Safety and efficiency would be greatly amplified with others helping to scout the routes.


    To ditch a swarm strategy and set sail alone was as good as risking their very lives.


    Scanning the intense gazes of his crew, Charles exhaled a deep breath before he asked, "Guys, do you trust me?"


    As they nodded, Charles continued, "I can''t reveal much, but I swear with my life that there''s enough justification for us to make this trip by ourselves."


    "But Captain, what exactly is the reason behind this? You can''t even share it with us?" Dipp questioned with a puzzled look.


    "I cannot. It''s a grave matter. I''ve got to keep my lips sealed."


    Seeing the expressions of the crew gradually settled, a faint smile appeared on Charles'' visage. "Thank you all for understanding. Let''s take a look at the map; it holds our destination within."


    The chest creaked open to reveal a massive nautical chart. Being thrice asrge, its size dwarfed the one the Explorers Association had made public.


    Laboratory Two, Laboratory Three, Newbound City, and every ind that belonged to the Foundation were marked out on the chart.


    Originally, Charles'' Hope Ind was known as one of the outermost explored inds. But to his astonishment, the map depicted a multitude of inds further north. The inds were strewn across the northern section like stars in the night sky.


    With his brows pressed together in thought, Charles studied the map before him in search of his next destination.


    The Foundation came down from the surface, so one of these inds would surely house an entrance upward. Yet, with so many inds to consider, which one would be the most likely location?


    Without any clear leads, Charles felt lost and was uncertain about which direction to take next.


    Just as Charles'' brows were furrowed in deep contemtion, the chubby man who had installed his prosthetic arm entered with a box in his hands.


    "Governor, we have received the item from Elizarles Shores."


    Under the watchful gazes of everyone present, the pillow-sized box was opened. A metal case inscribed with intricate arcane symbolsy within the box.


    "Please....please....Kill....kill..." an almost inaudible whisper echoed from the metal case.


    <i>Don''t tell me that a fragment of 1002 is in there...</i> Charles thought. He then noticed the letter next to the case.


    <i>Charles, it''s been a long while. Where did you go the past three years? I''m really worried about you. I''m on my way to your ind now. Wait for me. Here are the instructions on how to use the Initialization Box. First, carve out a hole in the center of the ship''s lower hold. ce the Initialization Box within the hole and seal itpletely by welding. After that, snap the rod toplete the Initialization.</i>


    <i>A stick?</i>


    Charles nced around and finally noticed a rod that was as slender as an index finger next to the Initialization Box.


    "Mr. Charles, what''s this? Is it edible?" Lily asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.


    Charles cast a nce at Lily before he picked up the Initialization Box and headed out.


    "Let''s head to the docks," he said.


    In the shadowy lower hold, Charles got to work under the soft glow of an oilmp held by Bandages. Wielding his Dark de, he swiftly carved a small hole into the ship''s steel underbelly and ced the Initialization Box within.


    Momentster, the intense re of the welding subsided, and the box waspletely sealed and entombed forever.


    "Step back," Charles instructed.


    As his crew watched from afar, Charles took out the slender wooden rod and broke it with a resounding snap.


    Immediately, the deep echo of an old man''s chant resonated from the rod. And a humming sound soon filled the lower hold.


    James'' eyes widened in shock as he eximed, " Captain! The turbines... they¡¯ve fired up on their own!"


    Hearing the rhythmic hum reminiscent of the ship''s breathing, a thrilled smile graced Charles'' face. "Let''s head up and reunite with our old friend."


    As soon as Charles got onto the deck, the Narwhale emitted a rhythmic whistle.


    Watching the deck cannons swivel into position, Charles could almost feel the pulsating emotions of the Narwhale.


    Running his hand over the ship''s railings, a soft smile emerged on Charles''s visage. "Friend, it''s been a while."


    A nearby rope yfully nuzzled Charles'' leg as the ship''s horn sounded once more. Charles seemed to have understood its message.


    Gently patting the rope, Charles took the nautical chart from Dipp. After a quick nce, he pointed to the coordinates closest to Hope Ind with his index finger.


    "This is it," Charles tapped the spot. "Narwhale! Pull the anchor! Embark!"

 Chapter 187. Whirlpools

    <h4>Chapter 187. Whirlpools</h4>


    <i>Tap. Tap. Tap</i>


    The rhythmic drumming of Charles'' fingers on the nautical chart echoed through the captain''s quarters. With a deep crease in his brow, Charles fixed his gaze on the specific ind he had chosen.


    The ind was not too far away; it formed an equteral triangle with Skywater Ind and Hope Ind.


    As the ship sailed, Charles could sense that his crew seemed to have grown rusty at handling the pressure at sea. They appeared excessively tense.


    He and his crew had been away from the sea for three years. Over this extended period, they had grown somewhat out of touch with the ocean. Choosing the nearest ind seemed reassuring, as it would provide a quicker escape should situations deteriorate.


    "I hope there will be clues on this ind..." Charles muttered to himself, but he knew all too well that it was just a hopeful wish. After all, hope was a scarcemodity in the Subterranean Seascape; destion was the norm.


    The door to the captain''s quarters creaked open as a colorful entourage of mice entered the room. At the helm was Lily, her fur a striking fluorescent green today. Her tiny paws firmly gripped onto Charles'' cell phone as she hauled it behind her.


    "Mr. Charles, the mirror on your phone has turned ck."


    epting the phone from Lily, Charles swiped his thumb across the screen and ced it into his pocket.


    "You have used up all the battery."


    Lily''s tiny ears drooped slightly. "Huh... such a pity. I wasn''t done watching."


    "It''s just a fifteen-minute short clip; was it that entertaining? Enough for you to watch it that many times?" Charles asked.


    "Yeah! It was so, so entertaining! I love that mouse; he''s so clever," Lily chirped as the colorful pile of mice gathered and formed a tower to boost Lily up onto the desk.


    Standing on the map, Lily looked at it for a brief moment before she turned her gaze up toward Charles. "Mr. Charles, can I sleep with you tonight? It''s been so long."


    Charles shot her a side-eye nce. "If you were still human, you''d be fourteen now, right? Do you really think that''s appropriate?"


    "But I''m no longer human; I''m a mouse! Are mice supposed to care about proprieties, too? I don''t even know if I can ever turn back to a human," Lily countered as she rolled around on the back of Charles'' hand.


    "Have you returned to the Coral Archipgo to visit your parents recently?" Charles picked her up to ce her in his palm and gently toyed with her tail.


    "Nope! I requested Mr. Bandages to offer a handsome sry to recruit Daddy over to Hope Ind. Oh, Mommy''s pregnant again. I wonder if I''ll be getting a younger brother or sister," Lily answered as she nuzzled her furry face against Charles'' fingers.


    Despite the tiny mouse'' continuous spirited chatter, Charles offered no response. Lily looked up again and found a grim expression on Charles'' countenance.


    <i>Thud-thud-thud.</i>


    Charles'' boots struck the ground in rapid session as he hurriedly headed for the round window and craned his neck out to get a better view.


    "Mr. Charles, did something happen out there? What''s the matter?" Lily scurried along the window edge and peered outward. However, she couldn''t notice any anomalies.


    "Something''s amiss... the ship''s speed is increasing," Charles remarked with a grave expression. He then swiftly grabbed Lily and ced her into his coat pocket.


    "Dipp, what''s happening? Didn''t I specify to advance at twenty knots? Why are we hitting at least twenty-five knots now?" Charles asked as he dashed into the ship''s bridge.


    A look of genuine surprise appeared on Dipp''s face as he steered the wheel. "Huh? I didn''t elerate. Ask the big guy if you don''t believe me."


    After confirming the situation with the Chief Engineer in the turbine chamber, Charles realized that the Narwhale had indeed maintained the same speed. If the ship weren''t the issue, then the waters would be the only alternative exnation. He had to urgently discern the circumstances.


    "Audric! Survey the surroundings! See if there''s anything amiss in the surrounding waters."


    At Charles''mand, a massive bat soared into the inky expanse overhead.


    Charles didn''t dare to risk the Narwhale picking up speed even further and hurriedly ordered the ship to drop anchor.


    However, another problem manifested. The anchor failed to touch the seabed.


    The situation triggered some unnerving memories in Charles'' mind. His expression grew more grim as seconds ticked by. He was certain that something sinister was at y.


    Soon, the vampire returned, but with dire news.


    "Captain, at the ship''s nine o''clock, there''s a colossal whirlpool about two nautical miles away. It''s causing our unusual eleration. Its massive size is almostparable to the size of Dark Crystal Ind," Audric reported.


    Upon hearing his words, a palpable tension descended among everyone present on the bridge. If the Narwhale were to be caught in a whirlpool that enormous, it would surely be torn asunder in mere seconds!


    Snatching the wheel from Dipp''s hands, Charles spun it rapidly.


    "Chief Engineer, load up the turbines! We need to break free from the whirlpool''s pull!" Charles shouted into themunication pipe.


    Apanied by asional sparks, plumes of ck smoke billowed from the smokestacks as the Narwhale elerated.


    As the ship''s bow adjusted its course, the sound of the roiling waves crashing against the hull intensified. The tug-of-war between the propellers and the underwater force of the whirlpool sent vibrations coursing through the vessel.


    Fortunately, they detected their perilous situation early enough to take countermeasures. After about half an hour, the underwater force started to wane.


    Observing the waters slowly calm under the illumination of the searchlights, there was a collective sigh of relief. It seemed that they had averted the crisis.


    Charles handed the wheel back to Dipp and instructed, "Stay vignt. We are in an uncharted region. These waters may be a little treacherous."


    Dipp grumbled in response, "Understood. If I hadn''t been spending the past three years arresting people on the ind, I would''ve long detected the anomaly."


    Just as Dipp was about to grab the wheel, the Narwhale sounded a mournful groan from its horn. Immediately after, the vessel suddenly tilted, and Charles flew toward the open cabin door.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    A whip-like sound hissed through the air as a rope shot out and wrapped itself tightly around Charles'' right ankle.


    Suspended in mid-air, Charles couldn''t afford the luxury of time to express his gratitude to his ship. As he gazed at the waters, a chill coursed through his body.


    The roar of the surging waves surrounded him as his eyes locked onto a massive whirlpool spanning kilometers in diameter. It was rapidly pulling the Narwhale toward its inky center. Also, the whirlpool was moving!


    Instantaneously, Charles'' muscles tensed up. He grabbed hold of the rope, and with a fierce yank, he swung himself back onto the deck.


    "Overload the turbines! NOW!" Charles dashed into the pilothouse and shouted into themunication pipe.


    "Stop standing around! Boatswain, take your sailors to lighten the load! First and Second Mate, inspect the cabins for any water breaches! MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!"


    At Charles'' series ofmands, the entire crew of the Narwhale sprang into action. For the safety of their lives, everyone onboard gave their utmost.


    The tug from underneath the waters continued to intensify, and the next moment, the Narwhale emitted a creaking sound to signal the strain of its metallic form.


    Charles gritted his teeth as he held on to the wheel with all the strength he could muster.


    The rapidly spinning propellers inched the Narwhale closer to the edge of the whirlpool. But just as escape seemed within reach, James'' voice echoed from themunication pipe.


    "Captain! We can''t fire up the turbines any further! It''s about to explode!"


    "Keep doing it! Don''t stop!" Charles cried out in response before giving the wheel an encouraging pat. "Hang in there, buddy. You can do it, we are almost there! Hold on a little longer for all of us!"


    Charles'' heart raced with anxiety as though he was going to get a heart attack. If the turbines were to fail, everyone would be doomed.


    Twenty seconds, thirty seconds, and forty seconds...


    Charles felt an abrupt jerk. They had escaped from the whirlpool.


    Charles clutched the wheel tightly as he breathed heavily.


    One by one, the crew members convened in the pilothouse. Seeing the relieved expressions on their faces, the corners of Charles'' lips curved up into an exhrated smirk.


    "Seems like we have gotten quite an appetizer. Everyone feeling alive now?"


    "Yes!" the crew echoed in unison.

 Chapter 188. A Mountainous Island

    <h4>Chapter 188. A Mountainous Ind</h4>


    After the two perilous whirlpool encounters, Charles didn''t dare to let his guard down. Periodically, he would instruct Audric to assume his bat form and patrol from overhead while alsomanding the sailors to constantly test the ship''s speed.


    Despite Charles'' vignce, the Narwhale still had a couple of close calls with disaster. Unpredictable whirlpools riddled the current region they were in. There was no pattern to them, and their appearances always caught the crew off guard.


    Fortunately, they were drawing close to the ind''s coordinates.


    Charles was asleep in the pilothouse, yet his eyes darted around rapidly underneath his closed eyelids. Evidently, he was deep in a dream, but the deep crease of his brows indicated that it was a less-than-pleasant one.


    All of a sudden, a startled cry sounded, jolting Charles out of his slumber. His eyes shot open, and he quickly leaped off his hammock and darted toward Dipp, who was manning the helm.


    "What happened? Another whirlpool?" Charles asked.


    "Captain, I can''t see very clearly. But... is that an ind? Dipp questioned.


    Squinting his eyes, Charles strained to see as far as the searchlights would allow. The entity''s shape was nothing like any ind he''d seen. Instead, it resembled a giant lotus leaf floating on the water''s surface.


    "That looks... man-made," Charles muttered. He then turned and nced at the nautical chart on the table. They were getting close to their target ind.


    After sending Audric out on a quick reconnaissance to ensure there was no danger, Charles navigated the Narwhale to cautiously approach the structure.


    As they drew nearer, Charles was able to make out finer details. From a distance, it hadn''t appeared so, but up close, the sides of the lotus leaf stood towering at hundreds of meters tall. As the Narwhale sailed past it, an oppressive atmosphere loomed over them.


    Creating something so massive probably wasn''t much easier than creating an entire ind throughnd remation.


    "Captain, there''s another there!" Dipp shouted.


    Charles followed Dipp''s pointing finger with his eyes. His night vision enabled him to identify another massive y formation to the left. If his suspicions were right, there would be more of such structures in the vicinity.


    <i>Could they be designed to ward off the whirlpools? </i>A thought struck Charles'' mind.


    As Charles remained perplexed about the identity of these structures, the Narwhale steered away from them and continued on its path forward. With the previous structures acting as a point of reference, Charles wasn''t particrly surprised when the searchlights cast their glow and revealed a newndmass before them.


    The Narwhale circumnavigated the ind for Charles to gather preliminary information. The ind was round, and he spotted no signs of flora or fauna. Also, the ground was perfectly leveled, as though it had been done deliberately.


    Apart from a scatter of buildings, there was only a solitary, towering peak.


    It was umon to see tall mountains on inds, and the one looming in front of them was exceptionally rare.


    They did their usual procedures¡ªtossing fish meat as well as sending out the bat and mice for reconnaissance. There were no anomalies. As such, Charles ordered everyone to disembark.


    As he watched his crew carry out their preparations, Charles started to brief them, "Before we disembark, there''s one very important matter: If you find any records or texts on the ind, don''t open them. Pass it to me to have a look first. This is of utmost importance. Remember."


    The crew exchanged confused nces. They couldn''t understand the rationale behind the rule their captain had just imposed on them.


    "Has this... got to do...with that Pope?" Bandages asked in his slow manner of speech.


    Charles shot him a nce with aplicated expression, but he ultimately remained silent. With a wave of his hand, he signaled the sailors to lower the rowboats.


    Armed to the hilt, the crew drew closer to the shore. As they set foot on the unfamiliar ind, each member of the crew inhaled sharply and shone their torchlights around with heightened alertness.


    First, they investigated the group of structures lining the coast. Unlike the designs on other inds, the architect of thisnd seemed to favor reinforced concrete. While sturdy, the resulting edifices resembled fortresses rather than residence dwellings.


    "Lily, send the mice out to scout. If they encounter anything amiss, warn us immediately."


    "Okay." Lily nodded and let out a couple of high-pitched squeaks. The mice around her swiftly dispersed.


    Charles was the first to venture into one of the fortresses. But soon, he emerged from within. Its interior was eerily empty; there weren''t even any corpses.


    Charles searched one room after another to no avail. Unlike the chaotic disorder they had encountered in other ces, it appeared that the previous inhabitants of the ind had calmly packed their belongings and departed.


    Charles couldn''t decide whether this was good news or bad news.


    The meticulous packing indicated that the chances of finding any leads here were slim. However, it also meant that the ind was probably devoid of dangers.


    The buildingplex was huge, and it took Charles and his crew more than half the day to thoroughly look through each room. During the entire process, they encountered neither danger nor any signs of life.


    Charles ordered a respite. They would continue their search once everyone had taken ample rest. Soon enough, a campfire was lit up.


    A short, portly man diligently heated up canned food over the open me. He was the Narwhale''s newly recruited chef, and he had taken Frey¡¯s ce.


    "Chief Dipp, here''s yours," he said with a smile so wide that his squinted eyes almost disappeared into his plump face as he offered the warmed and opened can of meat to Dipp.


    "Are you blind?" Dipp smacked him on the head. "Can¡¯t you see Captain sitting here?"


    The chef nodded vigorously and redirected the can in his hands toward Charles.


    Instead of receiving the offered can from the chef, Charles reached into the mes with his prosthetic arm to retrieve the Dark de. With a deft sh of his Dark de, he pried the lid open.


    "Everyone here has hands; they can help themselves to the food. And there''s no Director or Agriculture Minister here. Focus on your own tasks," Charlesmented.


    The chef nodded with a sheepish smile. "Yes, yes, yes."


    Watching the chef''s cowering figure, Charles suddenly missed thenky silhouette of Frey. Most of the time, the bond betweenrades went beyond just spoken words; it was the shared silences and unspoken understandings. However, three years had definitely changed many things.


    The sound of gulping and masticating surrounded the campfire. Halfway through his meal, Charles paused and tapped the back of his fist against his forehead before he resumed eating.


    "What''s wrong? Another hallucination?" Laesto inquired.


    Feeling the writhing sensation of the tentacle in his head, Charles answered, "Just a minor one. Still tolerable."


    "Have you secretly seen another doctor? Given your condition, you should have been long gone."


    "Yeah, her method is rather... peculiar. However, she said that it was a temporary stop-gap measure and requires follow-up treatment."


    "Interesting. Introduce her to me sometime. I''m curious how she managed to do it."


    "Alright," Charles agreed and picked up a piece of bread. He then soaked up thest bits of meat gravy from his can.


    <i>Squeak!!!</i>


    Suddenly, a shrill mouse squeak resonated from the left. Charles instantly dropped both the bread and the can and rose to his feet.


    Lily, who was munching on some dried bananas, hurriedly swallowed thest bite and remarked, " Mr. Charles, calm down. They''ve just discovered a body."


    "A body? Let''s go take a look." Charles then dashed in the direction of the sound.


    Soon enough, the body that Lily had mentioned appeared before Charles. Despite calling it a <i>body,</i> a skeleton would be a more urate description. It was a skeleton that was half-entombed in the damp earth.


    Upon inspecting the bones briefly, Charles noted that everything seemed normal except for a distinct golden incisor amidst the ivory skeletal remains.


    <i>Could he be from the Foundation? But would they have a gold tooth? </i>Charles pondered.


    "Captain, look at his pelvic bone; it''s a male. Also, his leg was broken at some point," Dippmented as he crouched next to the skeletal remains.


    Charles cast a surprising nce at Dipp. "You know about these things?"


    Putting on a sheepish smile, Dipp replied, "Given my role, isn''t it necessary to learn a few tricks so others don''t take advantage of me?"


    "Let''s move on. It''s just a corpse. We continue forward," Charlesmanded.


    With that, the lights from their torchlights moved away, and darkness shrouded the body once more.


    An hourter, Charles suddenly manifested next to the body. Removing the translucent ring from his finger, he reached a hand in to scratch the itch beneath his clothes.


    "It hasn''t moved. I guess it''s indeed an ordinary corpse."

 Chapter 189. DE1344

    <h4>Chapter 189. DE1344</h4>


    The other crew members gathered around with their watchful gazes locked onto Charles as he crouched to inspect the skeleton in further detail.


    Every feature seemed ordinary¡ªexcept for the golden tooth that stood out like a sore thumb. Charles pried it out and held it to his eye level to examine it closely. He noticed some sort of a pattern on the shimmering gold surface. Brushing his finger against the carving, it seemed to be the engraving of a naked woman.


    "Do any of you recognize this mark?" Charles questioned as he held the tooth up for his crew to take a better look.


    The crew craned their necks forward and exchanged nces. A newly recruited sailor raised his hand eagerly and answered, "Governor, I know. It''s¡ª"


    "Call me Captain!" Charles snapped.


    Startled, the sailor slightly cowered back and quickly corrected himself. "Captain, I recognize this mark. It''s the symbol of a notorious pirate group. I heard from the victims of their raids that a golden tooth with such an engraving like this was their distinctive trait."


    "Pirates,<i> huh... </i>Which area are they usually active in?"


    "They are long gone, and no one knows how. But there are rumors that they offended the Governor of Whereto, and he wiped out these golden-toothed pirates a few years ago," the sailor replied.


    The information held little value. Charles discarded the golden tooth on the ground with a flick of his wrist.


    "Let''s move. We continue our search," Charlesmanded and led the group ahead.


    Within the dark and gloomy buildingplex, Dipp expertly twirled a dagger with his left hand while using his right to scratch an itch on his neck. The terrifying surroundings had little effect on him. He even had the time to tease thepanion walking next to him.


    "Big guy, Mosa is actually willing to let youe on this voyage?"


    "I call the shots at home," James said as he rasped his fist against the solid walls to check if there were any hidden chambers.


    "<i>Tsk, </i>the whole of Hope Ind knows about your family situation. Drop that act~"


    James'' face turned a shade darker, and he remained silent, refusing to engage in further conversation with Dipp.


    "Let''s go, it''s empty here as well." Dipp then rose to his feet and headed toward the exit.


    Soon enough, the entire crew gathered once more on a smooth, paved path. Puzzlement filled their faces. They had searched every nook and cranny of the ind, but they had found nothing. In their long history of ind exploration, an experience like this was the first.


    "Stay calm. We''ve got one ce that we''ve yet to explore," Charlesmented. All gazes followed him to peer at the looming, oppressive mountain in the distance.


    As they approached the mountain, its details were gradually revealed before them. It looked nothing like a natural formation. The rock face was unnaturally smooth, as though a giant being had used a de to carve and shape it with precision.


    "Captain, there''s a door on the left face." A bat swooped in with the message.


    Constructed out of solid iron and covered in ayer of dark oxide, the door stood four meters tall and six meters wide. It eerily resembled the gaping maw of the mountain, if it had one.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    An explosion rang out. Yet, after the dust had settled, there was just a slight dent on the door''s frame.


    Silently, Linda stepped forward. After chewing for a moment, she forcefully ejected her stomach acid. A pungent, nauseating smell assaulted everyone''s nostrils.


    As Charles watched the thick liquid begin to corrode the iron door, a thought crept into his mind. <i>Why would the Foundation upy such an ind? The surrounding whirlpools mean that this ind is hardly habitable. Although, it would seem like a good location to keep prisoners. </i>


    <i>But these are all mere spections. I can''t seem to figure out the motives of those guys. Could the Pope''s words really be true?</i>


    Just then, a sudden silhouette materialized beyond the sizzling white smoke. Instantly, everyone tensed up and drew their weapons in synchronized haste.


    With a rapid flourish of his cape, Audric dispersed the smoke. A mummified corpse appeared before their eyes.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    With a clicking sound, the chain of Charles'' grappling hook retracted, dragging the mummy out with it.


    "Lily, send your friends in to have a look," Charles instructed.


    With a flurry of squeaks, seven or eight mice jumped through the corroded opening and swiftly vanished into the darkness beyond.


    Making use of the time as he waited for the mice''s return, Charles knelt down to closely inspect the mummified remains.


    The attire on the body was unmistakably that of a sailor. Despite the desated skin, Charles could clearly perceive the raw despair etched on the face before the entity took its final breath.


    The fingers were twisted to mimic the form of a w. The nails had long fallen off, an indication that in his final moments, the man had frantically wed at the steel door in a desperate attempt to escape.


    Charles pried open the corpse''s mouth and retrieved a golden tooth for a closer examination. The same engraving of a naked woman adorned it.


    "This fellow has a golden tooth, too. He''s with that pirate."


    Casting a nce at the dark passage ahead, Charles turned to the blind vampire next to him. "Audric, are there any exits in this mountain?"


    Audric shook his head. "No. I''ve circled and checked several times. This is the only one. Eyes can be deceived, but sonar never lies."


    <i>This iron door is at least half a meter thick. How did he even get in there?</i>


    Just as Charles was pondering over this question, a cacophony of squeaks echoed from within the doorway and soon, a colorful pack of mice emerged.


    "Mr. Charles, there are many empty rooms in there. No signs of threat, not even a fly," Lily tranted the mice''s squeaks.


    "Any documents or nautical charts?" Charles inquired.


    Lily turned to her mice, and after a brief exchange with them, she returned her gaze to Charles and nodded. "Yes, there''s a wall inscribed with some text."


    "Let''s go, have them lead the way."


    Charles then followed after the mice with brisk steps and his crew members in tow. The interior was just as the mice had described. Theyout resembled a vast office space but devoid of any furnishing or bodies.


    The surrounding walls were made from thick concrete, reminding Charles more of a military facility than anything else.


    "Where''s the text inscription you mentioned?" Charles asked Lily.


    "Over here," Lily cried out. "There are stairs leading to the 10th floor."


    Their footsteps echoed through the dark, expansive stairway as they ascended.


    Second floor, third, fourth...


    Charles wiped his slightly sweaty palms against his clothes. Strangely, he would very much prefer to have some creature leaping out at them than to have this unnerving silence.


    "Everyone, keep an eye on each other. Report immediately if you sense something amiss, or if someone''s missing or if there''s someone extra," Charles instructed.


    The crew''s acknowledgment echoed in the stairwell.


    Not long after, they arrived at the 10th floor.


    Charles'' eyesnded on the text on the wall.


    <i>V12 Containment Site Safety Precautions</i>


    <i>Any experiments involving Project DE1344 require the authorization of four doctorate-level scientists of rank A or higher.</i>


    <i>Communication with any entity, termed 1344-1, that emerged from DE1344 is strictly prohibited. An exception applies only to negotiation specialists. The specialist must persuade 1344-1 to return to DE1344. If persuasion fails, a special task force should be promptly dispatched to eliminate 1344-1.</i>


    <i>In the event of an AK-level apocalypse, DE1344 is the Foundation''sst hope. All members at the V12 Containment Site shall serve as seeds of the Foundation and must proceed into DE1344. </i>


    A strong sense of unease weighed down on Charles'' heart as he read the ominous words, especially the mention of an <i>AK-level apocalypse.</i> Previously, he had been skeptical of the Pope''s gibberish nonsense. Now, a seed of belief had started to sprout within him.

 Chapter 190. Charles

    <h4>Chapter 190. Charles</h4>


    <i>Relic DE1344? Or perhaps the Foundation refers to them as Projects?</i>


    ording to the inscription, the ind they were on was seemingly designated to contain whatever this 1344 was. Though from the vague description, Charles could hardly fathom what DE1344 might be.


    "Lily, what''s on the floor above us?" Charles asked.


    If there was nothing else, Charles had decided to retreat. With the ce being cleared so thoroughly by the Foundation, there was no need to continue exploring the area.


    Lily remained silent as she scanned her surroundings with a confused look on her face. It seemed as though she was trying to recall something.


    "Lily, what''s on the floor above us?" Charles iterated.


    Charles'' words snapped Lily back to reality. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and answered, "There''s a massive iron door upstairs that''s locked. My friends couldn''t get in."


    Charles let out a sigh of defeat. "Let''s leave then. Recall the mice you positioned on the other floors for surveince. We''re heading back."


    Charles hypothesized that the so-called DE1344 would be behind that door. However, his curiosity was not the least triggered.


    Just as Charles and his crew entered the stairwell, he caught a flickering glint of gold from above them.


    "Who''s there?!" Charles instantly activated his grappling hook and aimed it at the wall diagonally above. Controlling the hook with his thoughts, the chain retracted and yanked him upward at an astonishing speed.


    At the entrance to the eleventh floor, a shadowy figure stumbled toward a door. The moment the figure pushed the door open, Charles pulled the trigger with his right hand¡ªa bullet embedded itself into the figure''s leg.


    Charles darted toward the figure and pinned the man down with a knee on his back. Pressing the gun barrel against the man''s head, he warned, "Stay still! I''ll blow your brains up if you move!"


    In the face of Charles'' violent threats, the figure showed no reaction. His bodyy motionless on the ground like a puddle of muck.


    "<i>Hmm?</i>" Charles rapidly flipped him over to see a gaunt man with hollowed eyes and dted pupils¡ªhe was dead.


    The other crew members swiftly caught up. Horror tainted their eyes when they spotted the body.


    "Captain, look at his teeth. He''s one of those pirates," Dipp remarked as he pointed at the glimmering golden tooth.


    "No... something''s amiss." Charles seemed to have noticed something. His expression tensed up, and his eyes quickly darted around to scan their surroundings.


    It was a vast, deste floor, and there was nothing apart from the cement walls. Right opposite them was another lonesome stairwell.


    "Captain, what''s wrong?" Affected by Charles'' tense mood, Dipp''s voice was tinged with urgency and anxiety too. He immediately drew his weapon and looked around with heightened alertness.


    "Look at his face. This guy looks exactly the same as the desated corpse earlier!"


    All gazes collectively turned onto the face of the lifeless body. The next moment, their eyes widened in disbelief, and gasps echoed in the hallway.


    Indeed, the mole on the face of the body before them was identical to the one on the desated body.


    "If my hunch is right, the skeleton we saw earlier is probably the same guy."


    A look of disbelief and bewilderment surfaced on Dipp''s visage. "Captain, that can''t be. The skeleton had an injury on its leg. This man, he...."


    Dipp''s voice trailed off as his eyesnded on the bullet wound Charles had just inflicted on the body moments ago. The horror in his gaze intensified.


    "Retreat immediately. We need to leave now," Charlesmanded and turned to lead his crew away.


    But just as he reached the bottom of the stairwell, Lily leaped off his shoulder and ran upward toward the vast, empty floor.


    "Damn it!" By the time Charles arrived at the door on the eleventh floor, he saw Lily sprinting toward the staircase on the opposite side of the hallway.


    Gritting his teeth, he charged after Lily, intending to grab her and make a swift retreat. However, his body suddenly froze. The cold, sharp edge of a de was lightly pressed against the major artery in his neck.


    "Go back, you shouldn''t be here," a familiar, deep voice sounded from behind him.


    Charles attempted a furtive nce over his shoulder but saw nothing. Whatever was threatening him was invisible.


    "Captain! What''s wrong? Did something happen?" Dipp and the others were about to dash in to intervene.


    "Wait! I''m fine. Stay where you are!" Charles warned in a raised voice.


    Hearing that the footsteps behind him had ceased, Charles whispered, "Who are you? What do you want?"


    The de pressed closer against Charles as the same familiar voice sounded once more, "Don''t ask. Back off. The information you seek about the surface isn''t here."


    "Alright, I''ll back off," Charles said, and he slowly withdrew toward his crew. Just as he retreated, his gaze was fixated on James'' backpack.


    Catching Charles'' gaze, James subtly nodded in understanding and stealthily took out two Mirrorboxes. Upon seeing the boxes, a pure look of terror appeared on Audric''s face, and he quickly retreated into the safety of the stairwell''s shadows.


    Just as Charles reached the midpoint of the vast floor, a blinding light filled the room.


    As the surroundings lit up, Charles abruptly lurched backward. His prosthetic left hand shot up to grab hold of the invisible de at his throat.


    Having narrowly escaped imminent danger, Charles tossed Lily into his coat pocket while his other hand reached for the revolver holstered at his waist.


    Guided by memory rather than sight, Charles fired in rapid session toward a particr direction. However, the metallic echo of bullets striking the walls indicated that he had missed the target.


    A sudden gust of wind rang in his left ear. Instinctively, Charles drew his Dark de to face the invisible enemy.


    <i>ng! ng! ng!</i>


    Their metallic des shed thrice. Then, simultaneously, they both lifted their right leg to send a fierce kick in each other''s direction.


    When the blinding light from the Mirrorbox finally faded, Charles managed to steady himself. However, when his gazended on the man before him, his pupils shrank to the size of a needlepoint.


    It was a mirror image of himself. Not only that, behind "himself," he saw a double of Dipp, James, and Laesto. There was a duplicate of every crew member, except for Lily, standing opposite them.


    "Captain, what in the world is going on? Why are there two of you?" Dipp eximed in disbelief as he stood next to Charles.


    "Those opposite are termed 1344-1, entities that came out from DE1344."


    "Those opposite are termed 1344-1, entities that came out from DE1344."


    Both Charles spoke in unison as though they had rehearsed their lines beforehand. A hint of annoyance marked their brows as they frowned at each other''s descriptions of themselves.


    Carefully choosing his words, Charles addressed his doppelganger, "Let''s leave this ind at the same time, alright?"


    The other Charles remained silent. With a grave expression, he signaled the crew behind him to follow as they slowly retreated toward the distant staircase and disappeared into its darkness.


    "Move, quick!" A tense Charles led his crew toward the staircase and rushed to descend.


    Every so often, he would sh his torchlight overhead in fear that the other him would suddenly change his mind to pursue them. Thankfully, nothing of that sort happened.


    When he finally emerged from the corroded iron door at the ground level and spotted the dried-up corpse, realization dawned upon him.


    This corpse and the one above were replicas made by 1344. It all made sense how the same person could appear dead thrice in different ces.


    <i>What exactly is this 1344 that can clone living beings? Why didn''t I see it? Or could it be..."</i> At this thought, Charles turned his head and allowed his gaze to settle on the towering mountain. <i>Could it be that </i>that<i> entire thing is DE1344?</i>


    Even after returning to the Narwhale and settling into the chair in the captain''s quarters, Charles remained restless and couldn''t find his inner peace for a long time.


    Though he might not know what <i>DE</i> stood for in DE1344, he had gained a new understanding of the enigmatic nature of relics.


    "Mr. Charles... I''m sorry. I was wrong," Lily''s remorseful voice resonated from Charles'' pocket.


    Taking Lily out and cing her on the desk, Charles lowered himself to her eye level. With his stern gaze on her, he questioned, "Why did you suddenly run like that? Who knows what''s on the other side? You could have failed to return!"


    Lily''s tiny ears drooped as a forlorn look painted her face. "I don''t know... I felt like I had been there before... I feel like something was calling out to me on the other side."


    "If there''s anything next time, discuss it with me first. Such reckless acts could risk the lives of everyone."


    With that, Charles pulled out his diary and started to pen down the recent events.


    Sitting atop the desk, Lily silently wept as tears trickled down her cheeks.


    However, Charles didn''t spare her a nce. As a member of an exploration ship, her action was a grave error¡ªthis was a lesson she had to sear into her memory.


    As minutes ticked by, Lily''s silent tears evolved into choked sobs.


    A sequence of harsh knocks resounded in the room.


    "Come in," Charles instructed.


    The door creaked open, and Bandages entered the room.


    "What''s the matter? Did something happen?" Charles looked up from the diary pages to meet Bandages'' gaze.


    Bandages slowly lifted anguid hand and pointed at the fluorescent green figure of Lily on the table.


    "Captain... where did... that mouse...e from?"

 Chapter 191. DE1344-1

    <h4>Chapter 191. DE1344-1</h4>


    "Captain... where did... this mouse...e from?"


    A question mark popped up above Charles'' head upon hearing Bandages'' words.


    "She''s Lily, our gunner. Don''t you remember her?" Charles asked.


    Bandages stood motionless and slowly lifted a hand to clutch his head as if trying to sift through his memories.


    "Is...that so? I''m sorry... My memory seems to be failing...I think... I''m starting to... forget things again."


    "Memory loss? How can that be?" Charles rose to his feet with a worried expression. Bandages was his right-hand man and most trusted aide. It would be catastrophic if Bandage lost all his previous memories.


    Charles approached Bandages and grabbed him by the arm. "Let''s go. We need to go see Doctor." He then pulled Bandages toward the door.


    With a soft thud, the cabin door closed behind the two men, and Lily was left alone in the captain''s cabin.


    With her eyes red and swollen from crying, Lilymented with overflowing sadness, "Jumpy, why does Mr. Charles seem to care more about Mr. Bandages than me?"


    Only a haunting silence answered Lily. A wave of panic washed over Lily as she scurried to the edge of the table and peered into the shadowy corners of the room.


    "Jumpy?"


    ***


    "You are saying that he lost his memory? Hasn''t he always been a little.... scatterbrained?"


    Despite Charles'' exnation of the situation, Laesto leaned back into his chair and disyed no intention to get up.


    He leisurely poured himself a cup of alcohol, took a whiff under his sweat-streaked armpit, and then downed the ss in one go.


    "It''s different this time. Take a quick examination now. At the very least, we need to ensure that he doesn''t lose any more memories," Charles pressed on.


    Laesto mumbled under his breath. With a heavy sigh, he reluctantly got out of his chair and began treating Bandages. With each intimidating steel needle inserted into Bandages''s head, the visible expression of anguish on his face deepened.


    Word spread quickly, and soon enough, the other crew members flocked to the infirmary and peered inside with a look of concern.


    "There''s nothing to see here! Return to your posts!" Charles shooed them away with his authoritative aura.


    "Take this medicine, one dose a day. It might help," Laesto instructed and pushed arge jar of ck liquid into Bandages'' arms. He then resumed his strange antic of pairing liquor with his own musk.


    "Bandages is ourrade. Please take this more seriously," Charles intoned gravely.


    Laesto let out a disdainful snort. "You think I haven''t treated him all these years? I know his condition far better than you do. There''s only so much I can do. I''m a doctor, not some god."


    Charles turned around and looked at Bandages with a concerned gaze.


    "Are you still unable to recall anything about Lily at all?"


    Bandages shook his head in response. Charles gave the First Mate a reassuring pat on the shoulder before he turned to exit the infirmary.


    Bandages sat on the operating table in silence. His brows furrowed together as he tried to recall who Lily was, but nothing surfaced.


    He removed the lid of the medicine bottle and was about to tilt the contents into his mouth when Laesto''s aged voice sounded from the side and halted his actions.


    "Who is Lily? Your old me?"


    Meanwhile, with a forced calm expression, Charles returned to his quarters and pushed the door open.


    Upon entering and closing the door behind him, his countenance crumbled into deep distress.


    From the side, Lily scampered toward him with tears pooling in her eyes. "Mr. Charles, Jumpy and Furry, they''re not¡ª"


    Before Lily couldplete her sentence, Charles scooped her up and ced her into his pocket. He then darted toward his desk and frantically flipped through his navigational diary.


    Finally, hended on the entry he was looking for.


    <i>August 24, 8th Year of Crossing Over</i>


    <i>My first exploration mission has concluded sessfully. An uncharted ind is perilous indeed. Thend was inhabited by unusually intelligent mice and giant locusts that hovered in mid-air.</i>


    <i>Though it was a challenging journey, the gains were worth the effort. We lost only a handful of sailors, and Dipp sustained a minor arm injury.</i>


    <i>I believe that we are nearing home. I can almost feel it.</i>


    <i>On the ind, I acquired a mask. It was powerful yet dangerous...</i>


    Charles flipped the pages of that particr entry back and forth and scrutinized the written contents. His actions betrayed his rising anxiety.


    "<i>Shhhhh!</i>" Dropping the journal, Charles hurried toward the door, opened it slightly, and peered through the narrow crack. After confirming that the hallway was vacant, he swiftly closed the door as a mix of emotions surfaced on his countenance.


    "Mr. Charles, what''s the matter?"


    Charles retrieved Lily from his pocket to ce her on his palm and lifted her to meet his urgent gaze.


    "Lily, we are in deep trouble. This isn''t our ship. Those outside aren''t ourrades either! They are all 1344-1! We are now trapped in DE1344!"


    Until now, Charles had been perplexed about the identity of 1344. His imagination had been limited by his past experiences, leading him to believe that DE1344 was some sort of relic that could clone humans.


    It was only now that he realized that DE1344 wasn''t another tangible relic like those he had encountered. It was an entirely different world! This could then exin why the Foundation had to contain it on an ind surrounded by dangerous whirlpools.


    It finally dawned on him why Bandages wouldn''t recognize Lily.


    Charles had never encountered Lily in this world.


    Lily''s eyes widened in disbelief. "How is this possible? We clearly descended from thatrge mountain."


    Charles swiftly retraced the events in his mind. "It should be when we shed under the sunlight. Me and my counterpart from this world switched ces unknowingly during that fight. That guy''s probably in our world at the moment."


    "Then... Mr. Charles, what should we do now?" Lily asked in a trembling voice.


    Suppressing the panic in his heart, Charles knew he had to find a resolution to his current predicament. Fortunately, the situation didn''t seem too pessimistic at this point.


    "Shh~ Stay quiet in my pocket and don''t make a sound. I''ll bring us back to our original world."


    cing Lily into his coat pocket, Charles took a deep breath before he pushed open the door and stepped out into the hallway.


    "Dipp, how far are we from the ind we have just left?" Charles asked as he entered the pilothouse.


    With his hands on the helm, Dipp nced at the various navigation instruments and replied, "Not too far. Probably just a few dozen nautical miles. After all, we''ve only been sailing for two hours."


    A slight sense of relief coursed through Charles; the situation was not considered terrible. "Change course. We head back to the previous ind."


    Dipp''s eyes bulged in surprise at the instructions. "Captain, why? That cursed ce has nothing but those replicas!"


    "This is an order! Do it now!" Charles'' tone grew sharper, and Dipp could onlyply obediently.


    The Narwhale swiftly made a U-turn and advanced toward the Foundation''s V12 Containment Site. The streamlined metal ship sped through the waters like a speedboat.


    In his peripheral vision, Charles noticed that the golden earring that usually adorned Dipp''s ear was missing. Though this world was bizarrely simr to his own, there were still subtle differences.


    He remained silent as his gaze was fixated on the inky ck expanse ahead. A tense, oppressive atmosphere nketed the pilothouse.


    <i>Hissssssss~</i>


    Suddenly, the writhing sensation in Charles'' head intensified, and his head pounded with escting pain.

 Chapter 192. Exposed

    <h4>Chapter 192. Exposed</h4>


    "Damn it! Why must it be now out of all times!" Charles leaned back slowly against the nautical chart pinned onto the wall. He then pressed his metallic index finger and ring finger against his throbbing temples.


    His surroundings started to subtly warp. The various devices and instruments in the ship''s bridge began to decay like rotting flesh.


    Beside him, Dipp was morphing as well. Shiny, golden metallic scales appeared on his skin, and his once bright eyes turned a fish-like gray and bulged out. Raised ridges lined with scales formed on his back, and fluttering green gills appeared. Between his fingers, webbing grew, and before Charles knew it, Dipp had turned into an amphibian creature with a hideous appearance.


    Inparison, Charles'' transformation wasn''t any better.


    ck tentacles with barbs and eyes slithered out from his chest as his torso swelled. His face melted away to be reced with seven or eight scarlet eyes pushing and shoving each other for their own space.


    "Captain, are you okay? Should I call for Doctor?" Dipp asked with a look of concern as Charles convulsed involuntarily.


    A look of pain was etched on Charles'' visage as he dismissed the proposition with a wave of his hand and signaled to him to keep steering.


    It wasn''t a wise move to involve others now. He needed to return to his own world before these DE1344-1 realized that he was not their captain.


    The tentacle in his brain continued to squirm, and with every movement, the world around him would undergo a massive warp. It felt as though a colossal hand was kneading reality itself.


    Fortunately, this hallucination episode didn''tst for long. Thirty minutester, his vision returned to normal. Drenched in cold sweat, Charles removed his hand from his temples.


    At the same time, he spotted the blurry outline of the ind in the distance. He heaved a sigh of relief¡ªhe was almost there.


    <i>Crash!</i>


    The iron door of the ship''s bridge flew open, and a massive hand wrapped in iron armor reached in, aiming straight for Charles.


    The confined space left little room for fighting. Almost instinctively, Charles pushed off against the giant hand with his left foot and threw himself at the forward ss to head for the deck.


    The impact shattered the ss, and in mid-trajectory, he didn''t have any leverage to react. Just then, a dark shadow swooped in from the side. Sharp fangs punctured Charles'' neck in the next moment.


    As the sucking sound echoed, Charles felt his blood being drained away and his strength rapidly waning along with it. His prosthetic limb sprung into action with a buzzing sound, and he plunged the spinning chainsaw into the entity behind him.


    Amidst the flying flesh and fragmented tissues and anguish grunts, the shadowing figure dislodged its fangs and retreated hastily.


    Regaining freedom, Charles plummeted onto the deck. As he made contact with the surface, he skillfully performed a roll, swiftly regaining his bnce and standing tall.


    Staring at the group before him, Charlesshed out in a stern tone, "What are you trying to do? Attacking your captain? Are you plotting a mutiny?"


    The colossal hand had belonged to the erged James, while the one who''d just bitten him was the vampire sailor, Audric.


    By now, the other crew members had also rushed out of their cabins. With hostile expressions, they brandished their loaded weapons and aimed squarely at Charles.


    Bandages stepped forward. "You... are not... our captain. Speak... Where is... our captain?"


    Charles'' heart sank. They had discovered the situation. However, he still wanted to give it onest shot.


    "Bandages, what''s gotten into you? I''m Charles! I saved you!"


    In a slow yet resolute manner of speech, Bandages shook his head and said, "You...are not. You...and the mouse...in your pocket... I thought.... I remembered wrong... but I didn''t... The others... don''t know any Lily...You are from... that side..."


    Realizing that his ruse waspletely exposed, Charles dropped the pretense.


    "Yes, I''m from that side. So send me back to that side, and your captain will be able to return. He''s on the other side now."


    "Maybe what you said is true. But no matter what, we have to detain you first," Laesto said as he took a menacing step forward.


    "Why? There''s no need to do this between us," Charles argued as he cast a fleeting nce at the approaching ind. Thendmass was drawing closer with each passing second.


    "We have no assurance how your crew might treat our captain. So we have to capture you for leverage."


    "That won''t happen!" Charles decisively refused. There was no way he would leave his fate in someone else''s hands.


    "If we can trust each other as per your ims, why wouldn''t you agree to it?"


    Charles remained silent. They were right; he didn''t trust them, and neither did they trust him.


    Even if they looked exactly the same as hisrades, they were not the people he had spent years with. They were their counterparts in another world.


    With a swift motion, Charles whipped out the Bat Mirror. However, Bandages immediately brandished a Mirrorbox. Clearly, they were well-acquainted with Charles'' relics.


    As the atmosphere thickened with tension, Charles swiftly retreated a few steps and in a deft flip, he leaped off the ship''s edge.


    Mid-flight, Charles quickly slid the Invisibility Ring onto his pinky. Instantly, a strong itch spread throughout his body. Upon paying the price, the results manifested: Charles vanished from sight.


    With a ssh, Charles plunged into the freezing seawater.


    Under the water, Charles'' prosthetic limb shot out a grappling hook and embedded itself into the hull of the Narwhale. Like a suckerfish that clung beneath whales, hetched onto the vessel and used its momentum to move toward V12.


    Hearing all the hubbub from the deck above, Charles forced himself to endure the itch and remain still. He nned to stay hidden until he reached the ind and returned to his world.


    Despite Charles'' intentions, even the best ns could never ount for changes.


    With the ring sound of a ship''s horn, a thick rope descended and pointed in Charles'' direction. The initialized Narwhale had detected his presence.


    Before he could even shift his position, Dipp had already descended down the rope with a dagger in hand.


    The sharp ng of metal against metal echoed as the two briefly shed. At the end of the sh, one stood above while the other was below, and their eyes locked. This time, Charles had the upper hand as a thin line of blood appeared on Dipp''s cheek.


    Charles tried to shake off the tingling sensation in his right hand. With furrowed brows, he questioned Dipp, who clung to the rope.


    "Impossible! You''re not wearing 096. How can you keep up with me?!"


    Dipp offered no answer. Instead, with his dagger raised, he released his grasp on the rope and plummeted downward with the deadly intent of a hawk swooping in on a rabbit.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Charles fired a series of shots directly at Dipp''s chest.


    Dipp managed to deflect a couple of teeth bullets with his dagger, but three slipped past his defenses and pierced into him.


    Despite the life-threatening injuries, Dipp had utter disregard and lunged directly at Charles with unwavering resolve.


    A hint of murderous intent flickered across Charles'' eyes. He titled his wrist and aimed the gun barrel at Dipp''s forehead. But at that critical moment, a pair of hands shot out from the waters next to him. Its scarlet red nails plunged directly into his abdomen.

 Chapter 193. Exchange

    <h4>Chapter 193. Exchange</h4>


    Fresh blood trickled down the pair of pale hands and stained Audric''s hideous face.


    With a swift motion, Charles brought his Dark de down with chilling precision and severed both of Audric''s hands. The vampire let out a sheer shriek of agony and morphed into a bat to soar out of the waters.


    The crippling pain radiating from Charles'' abdomen forced him to hunch over. However, he couldn''t afford to rest. From above, Dipp was already diving down with clear, murderous intent.


    Hoisting his prosthetic limb upward, the sharp de at its end left a deep cut on Dipp.


    Noticing the crazed madness in Dipp''s eyes, Charles had no intention to engage. With a fluid twist, he plunged into the icy waters.


    The icy chill of the water enveloped Charles, and the blood seeping out of his abdomen gradually dyed the area around him in crimson red.


    The sound of gunfire echoed from the deck above. The crew on the Narwhale unleashed their firepower toward the scarlet-hued waters.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    All of a sudden, four-meter-long leathery wings stretched out from beneath the waters and glided along the surface. In the next moment, Charles soared into the air in his bat form and sped toward the distant V12 ind.


    A piercing sunlight emerged from behind him, and Charles felt as if a searing iron was pressed against his back. Foreseeing the impending danger, Charles folded his wings and dove back into the frigid waters, using the cold depths to counteract the sun''s scorching touch.


    After the sunlight had dissipated, Charles found another spot to emerge from the waters again. As he repeated the process a couple of times, he soon umted countless injuries. However, his eyes burned with increasing determination.


    He knew the crew as well as they knew him. As a qualified captain, Charles was well aware of the supplies aboard the Narwhale. They didn''t prepare that many Mirrorboxes for this voyage, and he discerned that there weren''t many left.


    By his fifth resurface, Charles was sure the crew had exhausted their supply of Mirrorboxes. Without any hesitation, he sped toward the ind that was now only a kilometer away.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    The deck cannons roared to life to disy their fearsome power.


    With deft agility, Charles twisted and turned mid-flight and expertly avoided the barrage of cannon fire. As he neared V12, the bombardment from the cannons intensified. Despite his attempts to remain as low as possible as he glided across the waves, he couldn''t avoid their projectiles.


    Then, just as Charles soared into the airspace above V12, a cannonball struck his left wing and exploded. His vision spiraled as he plunged downward toward thend beneath.


    Disregarding the risk of grounding itself on the shores, the Narwhale charged forward. Dipp was the first to jump down the vessel, and searching through the darkness, he managed to spot the blood stains on the ground.


    "Here! He''s badly injured! He couldn''t have gone far!" Dipp shouted.


    The crew mobilized and followed the trail of blood toward the distant mountain peak.


    In the dimly lit stairwell, Charles gasped for air as he gripped the railing with one hand and held onto his injury with the other.


    The prolonged escape attempt had consumed most of his energy. Coupled with his injuries, he had never felt that climbing a flight of stairs could be so taxing.


    "Mr. Charles, are you alright? I''m sorry. If it weren''t for me, you wouldn''t have suffered such serious injuries," Lily''s soft voice sounded as she poked her head out of Charles'' pocket. Her tiny ears drooped in guilt.


    Droplets of seawater fell from Charles'' hair as he shook his head.


    "I''m... I''m fine," Charles reassured her as he tried to catch his breath. "We''re almost... there."


    First floor, second floor, and the third floor... Charles was getting closer and closer to the exit to the eleventh floor. His eyes already picked up the light glimmering through the crack underneath the door. It seemed to be from a shlight.


    Just then, a sharp pain shot through Charles'' calf. A dark shadow darted toward him from below and pinned him against the stairwell''s wall.


    Charles'' prosthetic arm sprang to life, readying the chainsaw for a counter-attack. But before he could retaliate, arge hand seized the chainsaw and immobilized his left arm. The hand belonged to James.


    The Narwhale''s crew members swarmed up from below. Their hostile res were fixated on Charles.


    "Hey! If you don''t want this guy''s head on the floor, release our captain NOW!" An arrogant voice suddenly echoed from above them.


    Everyone''s gazes turned upward collectively. At the doorway of the eleventh floor stood the same faces from the Narwhale. A bruised and battered Charles was in their custody.


    The voice earlier belonged to Dipp. His de was pressed on the neck of the other Charles.


    It was a mirrored standoff as two groups of almost identical beings faced each other.


    After a tense moment of silence, Charles tilted his chin toward his counterpart above and spoke in Chinese. "A hostage exchange, then? There is no conflict of interest between us per se."


    Previously, they had shed because they didn''t trust each other and resorted to violence as thest resort. But now, with both of them caught, things had be simpler.


    The other Charles, now distinguishable by a deliberate vertical scar on his face, answered in a grave tone, "Alright."


    "Release him."


    "Release him."


    As both Charlesmanded simultaneously, their corresponding crew members loosened their grip. A shuffling of footsteps echoed in the stairway as the two men, one ascending and the other descending, slowly approached each other.


    Both crews watched the hostage exchange situation with bated breaths. Meanwhile, both Charles had their fingers ced over their weapon triggers in case of any unexpected surprises.


    Fortunately, the process proceeded smoothly. With mutual wariness, the two Charles slowly swapped their positions.


    "Captain! You''re finally back!" Dipp eximed in tion and pulled Charles into a tight embrace.


    A wave of relief washed over Charles as he reunited with his rightful crew.


    "How did you guys realize that he was 1344-1?"


    "When we returned to the ship, we realized that Lily was missing from his pocket. We knew something was amiss immediately. You care so much about her. You wouldn''t have been so indifferent about her disappearance," Dipp replied with a face full of smiles.


    Charlesmended Dipp with a pat on his back and to also loosen his grip on him.


    Charles then turned to look at the group on the stairs just a floor below. He caught sight of his doppelganger, who was animatedly conversing with his crew.


    "Hey, your crew has a sharp sense of alertness," Charles remarked.


    "<i>Hmph, </i>yours isn''t too shabby either," the other Charlesmented. With that, he then descended the stairs with his crew in tow.


    As the illumination from the shlight grew dimmer, Charles readied himself to leave. He took Lily out of his pocket and gently stroked her furry head.


    "Lily, we''re back. Everything''s fine now," Charlesforted.


    Hearing Charles'' words, a sweet smile blossomed on Lily''s face, "Yes. Mr. Charles is so formidable!"


    However, a hint of confusion appeared on Lily''s furry visage in the next second.


    "Mr. Charles, do they really belong to another world?"


    "Don''t concern yourself with them. Even if they are from another world, they are no match for us. We have you, but they don''t," Charles said with a chuckle.


    "Yeap!" Lily eximed as she nuzzled Charles'' hand with her head.


    Watching Lily''s adorable rodent features, the corners of Charles'' lips curved into a faint smile. He transferred her onto his shoulder and was ready to return to his original ship.


    However, as soon as he reached the center of the vast hallway, he halted in his tracks. He swiftly pivoted on his heel and sprinted toward the stairwell he had juste from.


    "Everyone, catch up! I''ve just figured out something!"

 Chapter 194. A Choice to be Made

    <h4>Chapter 194. A Choice to be Made</h4>


    In the dark stairwell, Charles slightly stumbled as he charged downward with his crew trailing behind him. A look of anxiety with a trace of urgency was etched onto his face.


    <i>Click!</i>


    The sound of someone disengaging the safety of a firearm echoed, and a gun barrel peeked out from below the stairs. Charles immediately halted in his tracks.


    The group below had their eyes on him, and their gazes were overflowing with potent hostility. If Charles took just one more step, they would pull the trigger.


    The Charles with a vertical scar red at his doppelganger and warned in a stern tone. "I don''t care whether you are some derivative replica from 1344 or another Charles from a parallel timeline. This is my world; please return to yours."


    Panting between breaths, Charles held up his hands as a sign of his non-aggression. "I only have one question. I''ll leave immediately after."


    Charles ced Lily on his palm and disyed her toward the Scarred Charles. "Have you ever seen a talking mouse like her?"


    Scarred Charles slowly shook his head. "No."


    "Okay. Audric, give me the paper and pen on you," Charles instructed.


    epting the paper and pen from the vampire, Charles held the paper against the adjacent wall. But as soon as he ced the pen tip on the paper, his hand paused briefly. He cast a nce at Lily perched on his shoulder, and with newfound resolve, he swiftly started sketching.


    Dipp cast wary gazes at Scarred Charles, who was on the lower flight of stairs and whispered to Charles, "Captain, if you want to draw, let''s do it when we''re back on the ship. It''s dangerous here."


    "Quiet!"


    With a serious look, Charles quickly finished his drawing, crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it toward Scarred Charles.


    Scarred Charles uncrumpled the paper, and a mix of confusion and surprise fleeted across his face when he looked at the sketch. It was a simple sketch of a cute little girl.


    "Have you ever seen this girl at the Coral Archipgo?" Charles asked, his voice tainted with nervousness.


    Scarred Charles studied the drawing for a brief moment before handing it to his crew members to have a look. Finally, it was James who managed to provide some information. However, his impaired intelligence had reduced his sentence phrasing to that of a child, but his words were still understandable.


    "Seen her. A madman gave a photo of her at Mossica''s shop. He said he was looking for his daughter. He stoppedter. Someone said she fell into the sea."


    Upon hearing James'' words, Charles'' pupils contracted ever so slightly. This was the crucial piece of the puzzle. Everything finally made sense.


    Bringing Lily up to his eye level, he gazed into herrge eyes and asked, "Do you want to go home?"


    Lily tilted her tiny head to the side and responded, "Of course. But there''s already a Lily in my home."


    Charles shook his head. "That Lily is real, but you are the Lily from their world."


    Lily turned around slowly, and her gaze settled on Scarred Charles on the lower flight of stairs.


    With a trembling voice, she asked softly, "I''m the Lily from their world?"


    Charles nodded affirmatively. This would exin why the Narwhale from Scarred Charles'' world didn''t have a Lily. Their Lily hade to <i>his</i> world and became the gunner for <i>his</i> Narwhale.


    The Lily he had encountered on the Coral Archipgo was the real Lily in his world, while the mouse Lily hade from a parallel world.


    A hint of skepticism glimmered in Scarred Charles'' eyes. He had no idea about the intentions of the other him, and neither could heprehend the words he was spouting.


    Lily''s tiny paws balled into fists, and hesitation and turmoil were evident on her face. "Mr. Charles, what... what should I do now?"


    Charles took a deep breath and stared at her with a calm gaze. He then gently said, "It''s your decision. I respect your choice. If you want to go home, then go with them. Your parents are waiting for you on the other side. Follow them, and you''ll be able to go home."


    As soon as the words left his lips, a shadow of envy roused in Charles'' heart.


    Lily lowered her head, and her face was etched with confusion. The sudden revtion was beyond her expectations and left her uncertain about her next move.


    "Then... If I go back, will I still be able to see you, Mr. Charles?" Lily asked.


    Charles shook his head. "If you really decide to go back, don''te back here anymore. DE1344 is very dangerous. Try to stay away."


    "But Mr. Charles....I can''t bear to leave you," Lily clutched Charles'' finger as tears flowed freely down her cheeks.


    "Don''t cry. There''s a Charles on the other side, too," Charlesforted her.


    "That''s not the same...."


    "Hey! What exactly are you trying to pull?" Scarred Charles called out, his voice tainted with impatience.


    Charles ced Lily in the middle of the flight of stairs and retreated to give her space.


    In the dimly lit stairwell, two sets of people, mirror images of one another, positioned themselves above and below. Between them, a neon-green mouse took center stage. The scene seemed to echo those famous paintings that utilized symmetry.


    Dozens of gazes bore into Lily. The weight of their stares felt like mountains pressing down on her toes. To choose one side meant to lose the other.


    After what felt like an eternity of suffocating silence, Lily took a hesitant step before breaking out into a spring toward Scarred Charles.


    Watching her, a pang of inexplicable loss tugged at Charles'' heart. However, this was Lily''s decision to make. He didn''t want to interfere because she was arade, and he should be happy that she could now return home.


    "Let''s go," Charles said as he turned around and led his crew up the stairs.


    "Captain, is it really okay to leave Lily with them?" Dipp voiced his concern.


    "It''s fine," Charles assured Dipp. "Because that''s me, and I know myself. I might not trust another version of myself, but I would never harm a small mouse. If I had the heart to bring Lily out from Laboratory 3, then the other me would surely take her back to the Coral Archipgo."


    Scattered footsteps echoed through the space as Charles and his crew made their way back to the eleventh floor. They passed through the vast and unsettling empty hallway and headed back toward their world.


    Standing at the entrance of their world''s stairwell, Charles cast a lingering nce at the doorway across from him. Memories of his times with Lily shed through his mind.


    <i>"I''m Lily. What''s your name?"</i>


    <i>"Mr. Charles, you''re back! Here, try this new dish I made!</i>


    <i>"Mr. Charles, where have you been these past three years? I missed you so much!"</i>


    <i>"Mr. Charles, can I sleep with you tonight?"</i>


    Gazing at the dark exit toward the other world, a sigh escaped Charles'' lips. "Let''s go."


    A formerrade had left just like that, and a tinge of mncholy etched onto everyone''s faces. Enveloped in a somber mood, the group silently made their way out of the mountain, passed through the ind''s buildings and arrived before their ship, the Narwhale.


    A swarm of mice surrounded Charles, squeaking continuously. Their sounds conveyed a clear sense of anxiety.


    Just as Charles was pondering how to exin Lily''s absence, his sharp hearing picked up a faint sound¡ªthe pattering of mouse paws against the ground.


    Charles turned around and saw a speck of neon green speeding toward them from the distance.


    It was Lily, and her face was drenched in tears.


    The neon green mouse dashed toward Charles and then leaped up into Charles'' arms. Nestling herself in his embrace, she rubbed her face against his inner shirt. "Mr. Charles, I can''t bear to leave you! I really can''t!"


    "Don''t you miss your parents? Why did you return?"


    "Because I''m a mouse now," Lily responded between sobs. "If I returned like this, Daddy and Mommy would be even sadder. I... I n to go back after I can return to my human form," Lily forced out a slightly clumsy excuse.


    Holding Lily tenderly in his hand, Charles'' lips curved up into a gentle smile. He lovingly stroked her head and said, "Alright. Stay as my gunner for the time being, then. The Narwhale needs you, and I need you, too."

 Chapter 195. Anomalies and Return

    <h4>Chapter 195. Anomalies and Return</h4>


    <i>Day 86 I tri to rite like Captain.</i>


    <i>Mornin we eet biskits and otmill. Lurnch we eet meet can and mushrum feesh soup. Nite we eet fry fish and fry banana.</i>


    <i>I y game with sailers and lost 2400 to litel Jak. I rite here.</i>


    <i>Captain is sick today. I paatrol for him.</i>


    Dipp held his breath and concentrated intensely as he wrote each letter. Once he inked the final dot on his diary entry, a sigh of relief escaped his lips.


    The letters on the page were crooked, and the words differed in size, but it was a notable achievement for Dipp, who had never received formal education.


    "Writing is so hard. It''s way harder than exploring inds," Dipp grumbled.


    After locking away the diary that looked strikingly simr to Charles'' own, Dipp turned around and waved through the group of gambling sailors. He stepped into the narrow corridor and began his daily patrol of the ship.


    Heeding Charles'' instructions, Dipp meticulously inspected every nook and cranny of the Narwhale¡ªfrom the kitchen to the fuel and waterpartments and the deck. This was the task that Charles had entrusted to him, and he had toplete it to his best ability.


    Afterpleting his rounds, Dipp arrived at the captain''s quarters, and he gently pushed the door open to enter the room.


    "Captain, the daily patrol''s done," Dipp reported with a hint of pride as he addressed Charles, who was clutching his forehead with a pained expression.


    "Thank you. I should be better by tomorrow," Charles answered in a raspy voice.


    Dipp hurriedly waved the gratitude away and replied, "It''s alright. No worries. We''re just a few days away from Hope Ind. Feel free to leave the daily patrolling of the ship to me. Rest well, Captain."


    Just as he turned to leave, a weak "wait" echoed from behind him.


    Dipp turned around and aided a frail Charles to sit up on the bed. Looking into Charles'' bloodshot eyes, Dipp asked, "Captain, what''s the matter?"


    Charles remained silent for a moment before he questioned, "Have you allowed 096 to create a persona in your mind?"


    The corners of Dipp''s lips twitched slightly in guilt before they curved upward into an awkward smile. "No. How is that possible? You know I¡ª"


    "Enough," Charles interrupted. "Stop pretending. You can''t hide it from me. When did it happen?"


    Realizing that there was no way he could keep up the act, Dipp rubbed his neck sheepishly and admitted, "It''s nothing much. A band of rogues showed up on Hope Indst year with ns for a major heist. During our sh, I might have kept the mask on a little too long."


    Charles gave Dipp a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Elizabeth knows someone who can concoct an elixir capable of erasing persona. Seek them out when we get back."


    Before Dipp could utter a word, his expression swiftly turned icy, and his eyes burned with a mix of fury and desperation.


    "Captain, do you really want to erase me? He''s Dipp, and so am I!"


    "No, you are not. You are merely a byproduct of that relic," Charles'' voice wasced with an icy coldness.


    Taken aback by the bluntness of Charles'' words, Dipp''s eyes widened in disbelief. After a moment of silence, he said, "Alright, Captain. If that''s yourmand, then I''m willing to follow through with my life!"


    Hearing this, Charles gritted his teeth. Dipp''s alternate persona was still Dipp. It made him feel like he was ordering the death of his own crew member. His headache, which had slightly eased, started to intensify again.


    Dipp''s expression then returned to normal before he hurriedly exined, "Captain, we can discuss this againter. I actually get along pretty well with Walker and Jim."


    Charles let out a soft, incredulousugh. "So, there''s actually more than one."


    He now deeply regretted entrusting the 096 to the young sailor. Even though he had previously warned the young man to handle the relic carefully, it still led to the currentplications.


    "Captain, this is just a minor issue; the three of us can handle it. But what should we do about your current condition?"


    Charles let out a weary sigh. "I''ll manage. You may leave."


    Dipp''s concerned gaze lingered on Charles until he left the room. As the door closed behind the young sailor, Charles mustered all the strength in him to stand up. He then made his way unsteadily to the mirror on the cabin wall.


    His haggard reflection stared back at him¡ªan unkempt beard and bloodshot eyes that were a testament to the countless sleepless nights he suffered.


    Ever since he left that V12 ind, there had been something wrong with his mind.


    It started with the return of those haunting murmurs that had eluded him for so long. Soon after, excruciating headaches and auditory hallucinations began to gue him.


    Charles was no expert in mental mdies, but he could still discern that Anna''s tentacle wouldn''tst for much longer. Just the previous day, he had almost lost himself to that enticing illusion again.


    "I''m still a little too impulsive," Charles muttered to himself. "Perhaps I should have resolved this problem before embarking on another voyage."


    He initially thought that Anna''s tentacle would be the cure. But evidently, the Divinities'' Curses weren''t easily resolved. While his symptoms might have been manageable onnd, they intensified significantly when he was out in the vast waters for a prolonged duration.


    Just then, Charles'' surroundings started to warp again. Clenching his teeth, he braced himself to endure the distortion. He repeatedly reminded himself that it would onlyst for half an hour. He only had to ride out the thirty minutes, and everything would return to normal.


    Inside his skull, the squelching noise of the tentacle reverberated, its tempo alternating between fric and sluggish as if evading some unseen foe.


    Suddenly, a sharp, tearing pain emanated from deep within Charles'' left ear. A ck tentacle wriggled its way out of the depths of his ear.


    It was Anna''s tentacle. The tendrils on it were covered in a pale-gray translucent coating. With a swift flick, the tentacle flung the translucentyer away; its raw, pockmarked scars beneath were now disyed before Charles.


    What was once a tentacle covered in gray tendrils now had only a few remaining. It was scarred and battered as though something in Charles'' brain had been relentlessly gnawing at it.


    After shaking off the gtinous substance, the tentacle slowly retraced its initial path and burrowed its way back into Charles''s skull. The moment it settled within the confines of his skull, the torment in his head dissipated instantly. The only sound remaining in the room was Charles''sbored breathing.


    However, Charles was far from feeling relieved. Staring at the jelly-like substance on the floor, he muttered. "Damn it. What in the world is happening inside my head?"


    ***


    The docks of Hope Ind buzzed with activity. The ind''s de facto leaders stood in a single file and waited in silence.


    Only one reason could elicit such a grand wee: the anticipated return of the ind''s Governor on his exploration vessel. Under the watchful gazes of everyone, the Narwhale majestically entered the dock.


    With a dark expression, Charles leaped off the ship. Leonardo and his entourage hurried forward to wee him.


    "Governor," Leonardo began. "Upon hearing of your return, the various inds have already sent their envoys over. They have been waiting for quite some time and are eager to meet with you. Should I¡ª"


    "Have them wait. Let''s talk after I''m done with the important matters," Charles cut Leonardo off without breaking his stride and headed directly toward the Divine Light Order''s cathedral.


    Leonardo turned around to see Dipp descending the ship''s nk. He immediately inquired, "The Governor doesn''t seem too pleased. Did you guys run into some trouble on the trip?"


    Dipp arched an eyebrow and gave him a sideways nce. "Don''t be nosy. Captain had issued a gag order. Anyone who dares to utter a word will be thrown into the sea to feed the sharks."

 Chapter 196. Lover

    <h4>Chapter 196. Lover</h4>


    In thevish prayer chamber of the Divine Light Cathedral, all that could be heard was the soft rustling of papers as the Pope flipped through the document in his hands.


    A few momentster, the statue of the Pope ced the papers down andmented, "Hmm... It seems like this ce doesn''t have what we''re looking for."


    "But its very existence proves the validity of the Light God''s decree. Not only do the Foundation study relics, but they also possess some extremely dangerous items. A mere slight mistake could jeopardize the lives of all humanity in this seascape. We can only entrust the ind exploration to trustworthy individuals."


    Folding his arms across his chest, Charles'' face was clouded in gloom as he leaned against the chamber''s stone wall.


    DE1344 didn''t seem to pose an immediate threat, but upon deeper reflection, there was a chilling aspect to it. Passing through that hallway would lead one to another world, a mirror image of their current one. It meant double the poption, resources, and inds.


    Human greed was boundless, and it was further exacerbated by the scarce resources and the random sinking of inds. If one world were to wipe out the human poption in the other world, the survivors would gain ess to double the resources.


    Thankfully, DE1344 was surrounded by deadly whirlpools, and such a horrifying scenario remained as a mere figment of Charles'' imagination for the time being.


    "They named the ind V12. Does that imply that there are eleven other anomalies of the same scales at DE1344?" Charles questioned.


    The Pope statue remained silent. Instead, he lowered his head and offered Charles a benevolent gaze.


    Staring upward at the age-worn face, a wave of frustration surged within Charles. He could clearly discern that the Pope wanted something from him. Dropping all pleasantries, he directly interrogated, "You know something, don''t you? What''s that AK-level apocalypse that was recorded on the wall?"


    A suspicion surfaced in Charles'' mind. <i>Did the Foundation send all these dangerous entities to the subterranean realm to prevent them from causing world destruction?</i>


    The more he pondered over the text on the wall, the more he felt that it bolstered his theory.


    "Governor Charles, I truly don''t know. Don''t forget, we share the same goals. If I had crucial information, I would share it with you without hesitation," the Pope responded calmly.


    Charles'' eyes slightly narrowed as he studied the Pope. Everything that the Pope had done so far was perplexing. They were currently in a coborative rtionship, but Charles felt a deep-seated distrust toward the old man.


    "Child, trust me. I have nothing that I''m hiding from you. Every word that I''ve spoken is the truth. If I held an ill intent toward you, I could easily take over this ind and use your people as leverage to force you to explore the inds. And you know that I have the means to do so."


    "Then what about your men?" Charles shot back. "Why don''t you let them explore the inds? To think you even call yourself the Pope of the Divine Light Order. Do you not possess a single disciple who is truly loyal to you?"


    The Pope remained silent for a moment before he replied, "While the disciples are fearless in the face of death, it doesn''t mean that they don''t feel greed. People without greed are rare. In this matter, I trust only you."


    The Pope then continued. "I''ve reviewed every record of information about you over the past decade. Be it Echo, women or inds, they meant nothing to you. You only live for one purpose, and there are few who possess such pure dedication like yours."


    Charles remained stoic at the Pope''s deliberate high praise. He turned to leave the chamber.


    "Governor Charles," the Pope called out. "It seems like there''s some discontent among your people. Do you need my assistance in resolving these trifle matters?"


    "No need. I have my own ways to maintain order." With that, Charles turned and exited the chamber.


    As he silently walked down the hallway and toward the Governor''s Mansion, Charles felt a growing frustration brewing within him.


    The Pope had refused to disclose even a single piece of information. Without any cards, Charles had no leverage over the old man in their negotiation. He needed to find a way to regain the upper hand, or he could only follow whatever the Pope said.


    Lost in his thoughts, Charles unknowingly arrived at the grand entrance of the Governor''s Mansion. He barely acknowledged the saluting guards nking the door as he walked past them.


    Just as Charles was engrossed in strategizing his next move, a pair of delicate feet in white high heels halted him in his tracks.


    "Mr... Mr. Charles...."


    Hearing a melodious voice that sounded like the chime of a windbell, Charles looked up to meet the gaze of a stunning young beauty. She stood before him, her posture reminiscent of a delicate willow.


    Staring at her features, Charles thought she looked familiar.


    ***


    Margaret''s ears had turned a shade of pink from the swelling joy within her heart as she stood before the Governor of Hope Ind. Her hands nervously toyed with her pristine white dress as she waited eagerly for his response.


    The moment she saw Charles'' eyes lit up and his step toward her, her heart thudded wildly as if threatening to break free from her chest.


    Yet, her hopes shattered the next instant when Charles walked right past her and headed toward another woman nearby.


    The woman stood impressively tall. Her ck eye mask, adorned with purple roses, added an elegant touch to her captivating allure.


    Margaret bit down on her meticulously applied lipstick as tears formed at the corners of her eyes before they trickled down her cheeks.


    "He...he doesn''t recognize me at all.... He has forgotten me...."


    ***


    With palpable excitement, Charles greeted the beautiful masked woman. "What brings you he¡ª"


    Before he couldplete his sentence, he felt a soft figure lunging herself at him. Oblivious to the eyes around them, Elizabeth pressed her lips onto his as she wrapped her arms around him.


    Basking in the intoxicating scent of Elizabeth, a yful glint shed across Charles'' eyes. He returned the embrace, and his hands gently caressed Elizabeth''s back.


    Time seemed to stretch, and for what felt like an eternity¡ªthough only three minutes passed in reality¡ªthe two parted. Elizabeth''s cheeks were a hue of rosy pink, and her breath came in short, ragged gasps.


    "I miss you," she whispered.


    "I missed you, too," Charles replied. He then took her supple,rge hand in his and the pair headed toward the staircase that led to the second floor.


    The moment they were out of sight, the envoys from the other inds immediately erupted inmotion.


    "So it''s true! They really are in love! Two governors who are head over heels for each other. This is too astonishing!"


    "I knew it! The rumors were true!"


    "I have been wondering why Governor Elizabeth would personally make this trip. I finally got it now."


    Meanwhile, Margaret sat silently on a plush sofa by the side. A gray veil of sorrow draped over the visage of the former princess of Whereto.


    Gina, her head attendant, wrapped an arm around her young mistress as she watched the scene with a look of sympathy. "How could he do that after everything you''ve done, Miss? You were the one who saved him and tended to him day and night, regardless of how filthy he was. How could he!"


    "Gina, look. This is an apple," Margaret said in an attempt to change the topic. "It''s the newest specialty from Hope Ind. I haven''t tried one before."


    Margaret then picked up the red fruit and took a bite. With every bite, she crunched down hard on the sweet and juicy flesh before swallowing it.


    Just as she took another bit of the apple, a butler d in a crisp ck suit entered the hall and announced, "Apologies,dies and gentlemen. The governor is upied today. Kindly return tomorrow."


    With a sharp crunch, Margaret bit down harder than intended and identally pierced her inner cheek. The coppery taste of blood mixed with the apple''s sweetness and stained the flesh a deeper red.

 Chapter 197. Elizabeth

    <h4>Chapter 197. Elizabeth</h4>


    "Darling, there''s more scars on you now..." Elizabethmented as she traced her fingers painted with dark red nail polish across Charles'' chest.


    Charles grabbed Elizabeth''s hand in his. "It doesn''t matter how many wounds there are if they can be healed over time. It''s the ones that won''t heal that are troublesome."


    "And your left arm..." A look of heartache surfaced on Elizabeth''s visage as her gazended on Charles'' new prosthetic limb. He seemed to have endured countless hardships in the past three years that they didn''t meet.


    "It''s alright," Charles assured Elizabeth as he flexed his new arm to disy its might. "And these prosthetics are more functional than the limbs we are born with. You should inquire if they have something simr for your eye."


    Elizabeth gently shook her head and lifted the eye patch over her left eye. Beneath her long ckshes, an eye with ck sclera and a crimson-hue pupil stared directly at Charles.


    "What is this? Is it a relic that can rece normal vision?" Charles asked with apparent astonishment.


    Although technology in the subterranean realm might not match up to that of the surface world, they possessed strange things that could achieve what modern society deemed impossible.


    "It''s from the Eastern Seas. It''s rare but very effective." As Elizabeth exined, the circle of red in her eye quivered slightly before the <i>eye</i> slowly crawled out of its dwelling.


    It was a creature that resembled a spider with more than eight legs. It made several rounds on Elizabeth''s face before settling back into her eye socket.


    "Is it a little too terrifying? Are you repulsed by me?"


    "Never," Charles whispered as he leaned down and gentlynded a kiss on her lips. With their lips locked in a passionate kiss, their bodies pressed into each other. After a while, they finally pulled apart, and Charles lifted his gaze to meet hers.


    "Thank you for sending the Initialization Box over. It has been very useful for my explorations."


    The corners of Elizabeth''s lips curved up into a soft smile. Wrapping her arms around Charles'' neck, she rested her head on his chest. "Why the formality? You own half the share of my ind."


    As he gently stroked Elizabeth''s silvery-white hair, Charles was unable to hold back his curiosity and asked, "How did you manage to control 1002? I never imagined that you would be able to even harness its powers."


    Pride painted Elizabeth''s visage. "It''s all thanks to Finn. His seal array could perfectly control and contain 1002''s radiation. It was the right call to offer him thirty percent of thend to make him stay. He also created the Initialization Box."


    The image of the elderly mage, Finn, flickered through Charles'' mind. He nodded in understanding. While the arcane abilities of the Western Seas appear antiquated next to the modern steel cannons, they retained significant worth in certain situations. Perhaps he should think about adding such a talent to his crew.


    Elizabeth gazed up at Charles, her eyes shining with admiration.


    "Charles, when you spoke of searching for the Land of Light, everyone at the Association thought you were just fooling around. Yet, you actually did the impossible and found it. You are truly remarkable," Elizabethplimented.


    Charles tenderly patted Elizabeth on her pale and delicate back. "I don''t care what others think. I''m just doing what I want to do."


    A trace of emotion flickered across her eye. She hesitated for a brief moment before she whispered, "Now that you''re back and are also the new Governor of an ind, why don''t we..." Elizabeth''s words trailed off as she hugged him tighter; Charles could even feel her racing heartbeat.


    Charles grasped the words she left unsaid. Yet, with a solemn look on his face, he shook his head. "I''m sorry. I can''t settle down just yet. This ind we are on is not the true Land of Light. I haven''t found the ce I''m seeking."


    A glint of disappointment surfaced in Elizabeth''s gaze. "Where is this ce you''re searching for? Is returning to that ce truly better than the life of a Governor?"


    Charles pulled Elizabeth close; sliding his hands over her smooth and delicate shoulders, he drew her into his embrace. "No more words. Let''s cherish this moment."


    On the opulent, disheveled bed, the two souls who had known each other for a long timey. With their eyes closed and their bodies entwined, they savored this fleeting moment of tranquility.


    The next morning, Charles and Elizabeth enjoyed avish breakfast in the Governor''s Mansion. As they dined, they swiftly settled on the terms of cooperation between their inds.


    Due to their intimate rtionship, both parties hardly haggled over the involved benefits.


    There were some other minor matters, but most of the discussion centered around the trading of Hope Ind''s coveted fruit liquors and Elizarles Shores'' Initialization Boxes. Those were the two keymodities of mutual interest. As for the rest, the two inds couldplement and coborate with each other as deemed fit.


    After breakfast, for the first time in ever, Charles began his official duties as governor. And his first task of the day was to meet the envoys from the other inds.


    The ind envoys brought greetings and well-wishes from their respective governors. Many uttered flowery words of ttery, which Charles found rather ufortable since he wasn''t ustomed to such disys.


    "Actually, all of them are just spouting nonsensical courtesies. They are just here to show their stance," Elizabethmented as she leaned gracefully against Charles'' desk.


    Massaging his temples, Charles asked, "Considering how far my ind is from theirs, do they really need to go to such lengths to gain my favor?"


    "Hey, hey. Don''t underestimate your ind''s strength. Its significance is way beyond what you are thinking. The unique crops from the Land of Light are highly sought-after products on the other inds," Elizabeth remarked with a knowing smile. "Besides, regr interactions between governors can be advantageous. If you keep to yourself, who''s to say others won''t band together and conspire to seize your ind?"


    Charles turned to Leonardo. "How many more are there? Can we meet all of them together?"


    Leonardo skimmed through his ledger and replied, "Sir, the envoy from Isle of Whereto is the only one remaining. However, for some unknown reason, she left hastilyst night."


    Actually, Leonardo could have delegated his current task to his subordinates. However, he had always believed in seizing any opportunity to gain more face time with the governor.


    Having concluded the meeting of the envoys, Charles let out a sigh of relief.


    "That''s all then. You may leave."


    One more or one less made no difference to Charles. After all, they were just here to offer cursory pleasantries.


    "Sir, there are some pressing matters concerning the ind that I have to¡ª"


    Before Leonardo couldplete his sentence, Charles interjected, "Handle it as you see fit. That''s what I hired you for." With a wave of his hand, Charles signaled for Leonardo to exit the room.


    Witnessing the scene, Elizabeth''s nicely arched brows furrowed slightly. "You can''t be so hands-off like this. It''s better for you to be directly involved in crucial decisions regarding the ind."


    "Don''t worry. I have my own way of managing the ind," Charles said with a smirk and gently tapped his desk.


    Instantly, several mice scurried out from underneath the desk and darted out of the room.


    Soon after, a swarm of mice, with a prominent red one leading the way, flooded into Charles'' office.


    Their gray beady eyes gleamed, their soft, furry bodies moved with agility, and their noses twitched as they explored. It didn''t take long for the mice to quickly fill every avable inch of space in the expansive, ssroom-sized office.


    The sight of the rodents nketing the floor sent shivers down Elizabeth''s spine. Although she had the means to dispatch them effortlessly, some fears were deeply ingrained and beyond reason.


    The moment the scurrying creatures had entered the room, Elizabeth had quickly pulled her feet up and rested them atop Charles'' thighs.


    Charles let out a chuckle and gave a reassuring pat on her slender legs. "It''s okay. They are my crew."


    "All of them?!" Elizabeth eximed in disbelief, her pitch rising a notch higher than usual.


    The mice stacked themselves to elevate the red mouse onto the desk. She tilted her head up at Elizabeth.


    "Hi, Miss Elizabeth. It''s been a while," Lily greeted in a tiny, squeaky voice.

 Chapter 198. Respite

    <h4>Chapter 198. Respite</h4>


    "You''re that white mouse from before?!" Elizabeth eximed in astonishment upon recognizing Lily. "And you gave birth to so many?!"


    Lily was evidently upset by Elizabeth''s remarks. cing her tiny paws on her hips, she stomped and retorted, sounding indignant. "I''m still a young girl! I''ve never even held hands with a boy, let alone have children! They¡¯re the children of my mouse friends!"


    "Alright, alright. Back to the actual matter at hand," Charles interrupted the two. He hadn''t summoned Lily to bicker with Elizabeth.


    Lily turned around and let out a series of high-pitched squeaks to address the mouse crowd before her.


    A cacophony of mouse squeaks echoed back in response. Elizabeth''s innate fear inflicted a crack in herposure. Her brows furrowed, and she moved slightly closer to Charles forfort.


    Soon, the mouse chatter died down, and Lily picked up a nearby pen in her tiny paws. She then started scribbling letters on a piece of paper.


    Holding a pen was a rather challenging task for a small creature like her, but her handwriting was surprisingly much more legible than the entries in Dipp''s journal.


    Elizabeth leaned over, and her eyes widened in surprise. Lily had made detailed notes about the suspicious activities of the key members on Hope Ind.


    Charles affectionately stroked Lily''s furry head. "Lily, fetch Dipp over."


    One of the mice scurried away. Not long after, Dipp entered the room with a yawn. Scratching his neck irritably, he let out yet another yawn before he said, "Captain, why are you still awake? Why did you wake me up at such an early hour? Didn''t you say that we would have a long rest this time?"


    Charles handed over the note that Lily had just written. "Resolve this, then you may continue sleeping."


    A look of confusion appeared on Dipp''s face as he epted the note. As he read the contents, a shade of unmistakable anger clouded his face.


    He immediately turned and stormed toward the door. But before he stepped out, he abruptly U-turned. "Captain, there are some navy personnel listed on this, too. Should I deal with them as well?"


    "Do as I''ve previously instructed. Carry out your duties."


    "Got it. These treacherous snakes! I will show you what I''m capable of!" With that, Dipp stormed out of the room with brimming rage.


    Genuinely impressed by the spectacle, Elizabeth remarked, "It never crossed my mind that you could use your mouse crew like this! No wonder you aren''t worried about betrayal. You have your eyes on everyone on the ind!"


    Charles let out a chuckle. It was Lily''s mouse surveince that gave him the assurance to venture to other inds. With her help, he could maintain order and control. Otherwise, trouble would surely brew over time. Hope Ind was his main base, after all, and he had to ensure that it would remain stable even while he was gone.


    "Darling," Elizabeth purred with a yful smile as she moved to sit on Charles''p. "How about giving me some of these mice?"


    Charles gently held Elizabeth by the waist and gazed into her eyes. "I''m afraid not. They are all managed by Lily."


    "Really? Not even with this...." Elizabeth''s words trailed off as her alluring visage inched closer to Charles. Just as their lips were about to meet, they felt an intense gaze from the side, and they halted the affectionate moment.


    They both turned their heads simultaneously to find Lily perchedfortably on the desk. Her huge eyes stared at them intently with anticipation as if watching a top-rated drama.


    "Oh, Mr. Charles, am I interrupting? Please, ignore me and continue," Lily chirped with feigned innocence.


    Elizabeth could hardly control herself and let out a chuckle. She yfully swatted Charles'' chest and remarked, "Your little crew member is surely adorable."


    Taking Elizabeth''s hand in his, Charles led her toward the office door. "Come, let''s go take a stroll outside."


    Upon leaving the Governor''s Mansion, he declined the services of the waiting chauffeur and walked out with Elizabeth by his side. Rows of neatly arranged houses with pointed roofs stood outside the mansion. It was like stepping back in time into the Victorian era.


    "Charles, I must say, your ind is far more exquisite than mine. Perhaps thisnd has truly been blessed by the Light God," Elizabeth mused as she took in the quaint scenery.


    "Perhaps," Charles replied with a chuckle.


    The pair wandered through the exquisite and elegant Central District and arrived at the outskirts where the inders resided. In the vast square, the inders were enthusiastically gathering wood and piling them into a bonfire.


    Witnessing the anticipation and excitement on their faces, Charles was slightly surprised. Despite being the ruler, he had no idea what the event was.


    Stopping a woman, who appeared to be in her thirties and was holding her young daughter''s hand, Charles inquired, "Excuse me, ma''am, may I ask what is this bonfire for?"


    A look of astonishment appeared on the woman''s visage. "It''s the ind''s Landing Festival tomorrow! How do you not know about this major event?"


    Charles looked upward at the canopy overhead. "It''s so bright outside, though. Is a bonfire still necessary?"


    "Of course!" The woman nodded enthusiastically with a blissful smile. "It''s a tradition where we honor the Governor for discovering and establishing this beautifulnd. Burning a few logs is the least we can do to show gratitude. It''s all thanks to him that we get to enjoy this tranquil life.¡±


    "When did you arrive here? How has life been on the ind?" Charles asked, his voiceced with apparent curiosity.


    "I came here with my daughter three years ago. Our initial n was to head to World''s Crown, but we managed to secure some unexpected funds on our way. So we decided toe to this new ind to take a look. Looking back, I''m so d that I made that decision then," the woman answered, her eyes glimmering with joy and her expression devoid of any trace of regret.


    "I see... Is life on the ind <i>that</i> great?" Elizabeth pressed on as she was slightly surprised by the response.


    "Here, I can earn enough for bread, rent a ce to call home, and we''re free from harassment. All I wish for is a peaceful life for my daughter and me."


    Hearing this, Elizabeth, as the governor of another ind, couldn''t resist chiming in, "The essentials you mentioned can be found on other inds as well, like Elizarles Shores, to name one."


    The woman gently shook her head. "It''s not that easy to secure a job on other inds. And thews there are often just mere decorum. The Central Inders can freely vite thew and then buy their way out of the punishment.


    ¡±But that''s not the case on Hope Ind. Here, even the elites are held to the same standard as everyday folks."


    As Charles bid the woman farewell, an unexpected joy surged in his heart. He had never thought that a single, unintentional act of his could make such a profound difference for another.


    Laws that were passed ought to be abided by. However, it felt as if the people of the Subterranean Seascape were hearing this simple truth for the first time. Charles suddenly felt that perhaps being a good governor wasn''t that difficult after all.


    Due to the uing Landing Festival, the ind was bustling and lively. Charles and Elizabeth were influenced by the contagious festive mood. They drank sweet banana liquor, feasted on sulent crab legs, and even enjoyed an outdoor y.


    Elizabeth snuggled up to Charles, her fingers wrapped tightly around his arm. A warm glow of happiness illuminated her face as she remarked, "How wonderful. I wish we could stay like this forever."


    As Charles turned toward her, she yfully pressed onto Charles'' lips to silence him.


    "I know. You don''t have to exin. My stance remains the same: I don''t have the intent to cling to you. Go and do what you have to. But if you ever feel tired, I want you to know that you can alwayse back. I''ll always be waiting for you."


    Initially, Charles had thought that their bond was primarily out of gratitude for the ind he had gifted her. However, it seemed like their rtionship wasyered with moreplexities than he had imagined.


    Ever since that day, Charles let go of his responsibilities and traveled around Hope Ind with Elizabeth. To satisfy her curiosity, he even brought her up to Newbound City to take a look.


    The prolonged period of rxation seemed to ease the tense mental state of Charles'' mind. He wasn''t sure if it was due to being on the ind or the gentlepanionship of Elizabeth, but the frequency of his hallucinations or headaches had significantly decreased.


    However, their peaceful days soon took an abrupt turn as a peculiar ship slowly made its way into Hope Ind''s harbor.

 Chapter 199. Guests

    <h4>Chapter 199. Guests</h4>


    Within the Governor''s Mansion on Hope Ind, Elizabethy in Charles'' warm embrace. Holding the cell phone in her hand, she curiously flipped through the images in the phone''s gallery.


    "The Land of Light looks so enchanting. No wonder you yearn to return," Elizabeth remarked in wonder.


    Charles rested his chin atop her head as he inhaled the sweet fragrance of her hair.


    When he first arrived in this subterranean realm, he had believed that his smartphone would be his cheat system, the game-changer that would be of use at the most critical moments. Now, it seemed like its most fitting role was its original one: a way to pass the time.


    After exploring the contents of the phone in silence for some time, Elizabeth suddenly looked up.


    "Darling, why haven''t you been rushing to set sail again? That''s so unlike you," she asked with a doubtful gaze in her eyes.


    Charles shook his head. "Not yet. I''m waiting for someone."


    Indeed, he was waiting for news from Anna on how to break the curse that the Divinities had ced on him. The previous anomalies of his mind had made him realize that if he were to continue his ind exploration with a wounded mental state like his, he would eventually sumb to it.


    He didn''t want to break. He wanted to stay alive to find the way back to the surface.


    Of course, Charles wasn''t solely waiting for news from Anna. On his end, he had also been making use of his authority and power as a governor to search for alternative solutions.


    However, the oue was disheartening. Despite the massive bounty offered, not a single soul came forward with a cure. Not even a swindler tried their luck. It was as though no one in the entire subterranean world knew how to break the curse.


    <i>What has Anna been up to? Why hasn''t she sent any word after all this time? She didn''t even respond to the telegram I sent from Skywater Ind.</i> Charles was lost in his thoughts as he held Elizabeth close.


    Flipping over, a yful grin appeared on Elizabeth''s visage. "How perfect. You are all mine for the meantime."


    As she leaned in for a kiss, Charles yfully tilted his head upward to dodge her advance. "You are the governor of an ind. Are you sure your home is going to be fine if you stay here for a long time?"


    Elizabeth''s recent clinginess had allowed Charles to see her softer and more vulnerable side.


    "It''s alright. My people are watching over the ind. And even if anything happens, I will borrow your navy to reim what''s mine," Elizabeth responded. With graceful agility, she positioned herself atop Charles. Sitting astride, she adjusted Charles'' head before leaning down her face to his.


    Just as their faces inched closer to each other, a voice from a maidservant sounded from outside the bedroom. "Governor, you have guests."


    Seeing Elizabeth flutter her eyshes enticingly, Charles responded, "Ask them to wait. I''m... preupied at the moment."


    "Sir...you might want to see them. The guests are slightly different. They are unusually tall," the maidservant persisted.


    Charles arched an eyebrow. "Unusually tall? Did they mention where they''re from?"


    "The World''s Crown."


    The ind''s name stirred something within Charles, and he hurriedly rose to his feet. Adjusting his disheveled clothes, he then briskly exited the room.


    As Charles entered the reception hall, his face fell with disappointment, not finding the familiar silhouette he''d hoped to see. Instead, he was met by several imposing figures, each standing a towering three meters in height.


    Draped in white robes, the guests concealed themselvespletely, save from the pair of eyes that peeked out from beneath their triangr hoods.


    Standing next to Charles, a hint of panic shed across Elizabeth''s eyes when she saw the terrifying visitors. However, she cast a fleeting nce at Charles and decided to remain silent and observe the situation.


    One of the visitors presented a wooden box and a folded piece of parchment before Charles.


    Stepping forward, he cast a quick look at the box before opening the letter. The message inside was penned in delicate feminine script and was written in Chinese.


    <i>Gao Zhiming, do you miss me? It''s me. I missed you so much, so so much that I''m losing sleep over it. </i>


    <i>Oh, by the way, the way to break the curse of the divinities that you are seeking? My friend found it. Did you receive the box? Ask the tall fellows for further details. They know about it.</i>


    <i>Loving you forever, Anna</i>


    "Where''s Anna?" Charles asked the visitor standing at the forefront of the group.


    "She couldn''t make it," the figure replied in a raspy voice. It was the first time Charles had heard these giants speak. Their voice resembled the harsh grating of an old saw against metal.


    Holding the metallic box-like object in his palm, Charles inquired, "How do I use this?"


    "Head toward Shattered Isles in the Misty Waters of the southern region. The prophet on the ind will guide your way."


    A trace of joy spouted in Charles'' heart. His troubles might soon be resolved.


    "Thank you. How should Ipensate you?" Charles asked.


    The giant shook his head in response. "No need. That Dioite has settled the payment."


    The speaking giant then lowered hisntern-like massive head and sized up Charles with his eyes, which had ck pupils against a dark blue backdrop. After giving Charles a once-over, he turned around and led the others away. It seemed as though they had traveled all the way here just to deliver these two small items to Charles.


    <i>Shattered Isles in the Sea of Mist. </i>Charles mentally jotted down the name. This was the key to curing the anomalies guing his mind.


    The moment the towering figures left the room, Elizabeth rushed forward. Her earlier calmness had disappeared and was reced by visible anxiety.


    "Charles, how did you get acquainted with those guys? Stay away from those madmen! Never ever interact with them!"


    "Do you know them?" The moment the words left his lips, Charles'' gazended on Elizabeth''s stature, and a realization seemed to dawn upon him.


    With a flustered look that Charles had never seen, Elizabeth continued, "Promise me, Charles. Don''t get involved with them. And don''t go to the Sea of Mist."


    "Can you tell me why? My n requires me to head there," Charles asked, his voice deep and unwavering as he stared at the box in his hand. He didn''t want to abandon the n that had been set in motion. Presently, this was the only method to break the Divinities'' Curse. And it pointed him in one direction: the Sea of Mist.


    Elizabeth hesitated for a moment before she let out a soft sigh of defeat. "As you can see, my height is unlike others. It''s from them; my grandfather was one of them."


    "How are they rted to you? You originate from the same n?" Charles probed.


    "No!" Elizabeth was quick to retort. Her eyes brimmed with unmistakable disgust as she continued, "I''ll never be! They are a bunch of revolting lunatics, a deranged bunch worse than the Divine Light Order or even the Fhtagn Covenant."


    Charles was slightly taken aback by Elizabeth''s outburst. He collected himself before pressing on, "Who exactly are they? Why do you detest them so much? Because of their height?"


    A cold, mocking smile appeared on Elizabeth''s visage. "Where did you think they got their height from? Those guys are merely the dwellers from the outer regions of the Sea of Mist. The vile and nasty events within the inner circles of the Sea of Mist are beyond your wildest imagination."


    Charles remained silent. His gaze remained fixed on Elizabeth, urging her to go on.


    A sudden memory seemed to have struck Elizabeth as the disgust in her eyes intensified.


    "My grandfather once told me about their secrets. They have a special method that allows their kind to breed with the local natives and produce offspring. Originally, they were just humans. As for their height? Who knows which ind''s native they slept with to achieve that."

 Chapter 200. Embark!

    <h4>Chapter 200. Embark!</h4>


    Hearing Elizabeth''s words, Charles'' pupils constricted ever so slightly. Despite the twelve years¡ªor, to be exact, nine, after discounting those three years¡ªthis was the first time that he had heard something as shocking as this.


    As he recalled the appearances of the various natives he had encountered, obscene graphic images of how they could possibly copte with humans raced through his mind.


    "Charles, you must trust me. In the Sea of Mist, giants that tower over three meters are just the most ordinary existence. The deeper you venture, the more grotesque and unimaginable beings you''ll find. They can''t even be considered humans anymore!" Elizabeth''s voice was filled with distress.


    "Why would they do that?" Charles'' brows furrowed together.


    "I don''t know. Perhaps it has to do with the bizarre gods and deities they worship. My grandfather once saw them worshiping something."


    Elizabeth stepped closer and clutched Charles'' arms. Staring him in the eyes, she pleaded, "Never ever get involved with them. Their atrocities don''t end there. They dabble in ve trading, too, and no one knows what they do with the humans they buy. I doubt they are merely buying the humans to offer as sacrifices."


    The atmosphere thickened with a weighty silence. After a pause, Charles spoke in a soft yet firm tone, "I''m sorry, but I have to go there. That ce has what I seek."


    "What could you possibly want? You''re a governor now! Tell me, we can search for it together!" Elizabeth''s visage was colored in desperation. She could fathom why Charles wouldn''t heed her words.


    "There''s no need. I just need to personally make the journey to the Sea of Mist just once."


    "What if they are lying to you? What if they capture you? They don''t care whether you are a governor."


    Charles cast a fleeting nce at the letter in his hand. He then firmly shook his head. "That won''t happen. Just to be clear, I don''t trust them; I trust the person who connected me to them."


    "Why do you have to go there?!" Elizabeth shouted in apparent frustration. She had alreadyid out the risks involved so clearly, and yet Charles remained stubborn about his ns.


    "The Curse. I have been cursed by the Divinities. I have to go there to break the curse. Otherwise, I won¡¯t have much time left."


    Elizabeth froze at the sudden revtion. As a former exploration vessel captain, she knew all too well the gravity behind Charles'' words. Chewing on a long fingernail, she paced the room with evident nervousness. Abruptly, she stopped and turned toward Charles before saying, "I''ll go with you then."


    Without a moment of hesitation, Charles shook his head and said, "No. Elizabeth, return to your ind. This is my own problem, and I have to deal with it on my own."


    Elizabeth tried to convince Charles, but she was eventually dissuaded. In the end, she departed the ind. It wasn¡¯t that strange, as she was preparing to depart the ind, anyway.


    Elizabeth described the Sea of Mist to be extremely dangerous, but this particr voyage was arranged by Anna. As such, Charles didn''t believe that there would be any real danger. If he had to pick one person he could trust in the whole of the Subterranean Seascape, it was Anna¡ªthe one who shared his memories.


    Moreover, if Anna had really wanted to harm him, there was no reason for her to save him when he was lost in his fantasies and had lost his sanity.


    Soon enough, the news of Governor Charles'' imminent voyage spread rapidly across the ind. The crew of Narwhale quickly made their preparations.


    Regarding the sudden impromptu trip, Charles felt the need to exin the situation to his temporary allies.


    "No worries. Take your time, child. I''m in good health, and I can wait till the day you find the exit." As usual, the Pope sounded ever so amicable and devoid of any hierarchical airs.


    Just as Charles was about to leave, he recalled Elizabeth''s words. He turned around once more to face the Pope''s stone statue and asked, "How much do you know of the Sea of Mist in the southern waters?"


    "I''m sorry, but most of the Order''s influences are in the Northern and Eastern Seas. We know little about the southern region, apart from the fact that those towering beings are somewhat xenophobic."


    Seeing that he wouldn''t be able to acquire any valuable information, Charles turned and left the Divine Light Cathedral.


    Left alone in the room, the Pope reverently removed the triangr mark on his forehead. He then brought it to his lips andnded a soft kiss on every corner.


    "O Almighty God of Light, everything is going ording to Your divine prophecy. They''ve begun to act, but rest assured. I''ll soon find and liberate You. Just wait a little longer... Just a bit more..."


    ***


    A distraught-looking Margaret plopped onto her bed, her vacant eyes gazing at the chandelier overhead.


    Wearing a sympathetic look, Gina, her head attendant, approached with a bowl of egg custard. "Miss, please take at least a bite. You haven''t been eating much ever since you came back. You''ll starve yourself at this rate."


    Margaret shook her head. "I don''t have any appetite. Leave me be. I want to be by myself."


    "Miss, forget about him. Why don''t we request Governor Daniel to conquer his ind? And we can get rid of him then." Gina suggested.


    Margaret tightly gripped the bedsheet in response but remained silent.


    Suddenly, the door swung open with a resounding ng, and an agitated Jack stormed in. His left arm was encased in fresh bandages, hinting at a recent injury.


    "You''re back? How did it go? Did you tell him that you were the one who rescued him then?" Jack immediately fired a series of questions.


    Margaret shook his head. "I''m less significant than a passerby to him. No wonder I don''t even have a ce in his dream. All along...I was merely just a hostage to be exchanged for money."


    "And so?" Jack''s voice grew louder with evident frustration. "What about the trade coboration between Whereto and Hope Ind? And the alliance proposal? What did you promise me before making the visit?!"


    Margaret remained silent, her heart seemingly shattered from her recent encounter with Charles. Gina rushed over, her face painted with concern. "Mr. Jack. Miss is already very upset. Please don''tsh out at her further."


    Jack forcefully shoved Gina aside and stormed toward his sister. Grabbing thece cor of Margaret''s dress, he violently yanked her off the bed and onto the ground.


    "Do you have any idea of the precarious situation we are in now?! Our Cavendish Family might be totally wiped out at any moment! And here you are, ying the miserable damsel who lost her love?? Love?! How the fuck does love matter now?!"


    The vein in Jack''s forehead pulsed with rage as his face contorted with anger. His usual jovial and humorous demeanor was nowhere to be seen.


    ***


    Meanwhile, on the inky dark expanse of the sea, Charles sailed after a convoy of cargo ships along a well-charted route. This time, he didn''t set sail alone. The route toward the Southern Seas had been well explored, but traveling with merchant vessels would spare him from unnecessary trouble.


    Standing by the window, Lily stared in amazement at the colossal cargo ship sailing alongside them. "Mr. Charles, don''t we have a huge ship, too? Why are we not taking that?"


    Charles lifted his gaze from the nautical map he was reading. "Therger vesselsck agility. They are too slow and hence unsuitable for exploring inds."


    "Then, we can just increase its power!"


    Charles let out a chuckle. "Perhaps you can try to invent a vessel like that. As per the current technology in the Subterranean Seascape, this is as fast as we can get."


    The Governor''s Navy boasted a diverse fleet of ships, many serving as floating fortresses and packing considerable firepower.


    However, they weren''t particrly useful when it came to exploring inds. Additionally, arger ship demanded arger crew, which would inevitably increase the potential for chaos and conflict.


    "Mr. Charles, look! There''s a light above!" Lily suddenly squeaked.


    Charles approached the window and saw a lighthouse beam cutting through the darkness. They had arrived at the Southern Seas.

 Chapter 201. Southern Seas

    <h4>Chapter 201. Southern Seas</h4>


    The solitary sound of the Narwhale''s horn cut through the silence as the ship navigated into the docking area of the ashen ind ahead.


    Ships from the Southern Seas disyed a striking contrast to their Northern counterparts. Amidst steel and steam, they carried an archaic charm; their chilly metallic shells were enveloped in a structure of ivory-like whalebone.


    "Mr. Charles, what are those white things on the ship?" Lily asked as she perched atop Charles'' shoulder.


    "If I''m not mistaken, they''re likely Leviathan whale bones. Conor had once mentioned that those creatures are representative of the Southern Seas."


    "I see..." Lily stared in wonder at the ships that were entering and leaving the docks.


    The anchor chain rapidly cascaded down with an asional spark dancing in the air.


    When the ship was properly anchored, the crew finally disembarked.


    "To save time, we shouldn''t spend too much time on this ind," Charles began. "Cooks, gather fresh water and provisions. Engineers, replenish fuel and engine oil, and the boatswain should take the sailors to rece all the ropes on the ship. We''ll set sail as soon as everything ispleted."


    "Aye, Captain!" the crew echoed in affirmation and dispersed to carry out their tasks.


    Amidst the flurry, Charles'' gazended on Dipp and found something off about thetter. His usual zest was nowhere to be seen; instead, he looked rather listless and drained.


    "What happened? Did you not sleep a winkst night? Get a hold of yourself," Charles said as he grabbed Dipp by the shoulders and shook him gently.


    "Captain...I think I dreamt of my mother," Dipp mumbled with a look of confusion on his face.


    "Aren''t you an orphan? How would you know what she looks like?"


    With a hint of longing in his voice, Dipp answered, "Although I couldn''t see her face clearly, the warmth andfort she gave me in the dream.... That must be what a mother feels like."


    The corners of Charles'' eyes twitched slightly as he thought to himself, <i>What in the world is thisd talking about? Has he never felt the touch of a woman?</i>


    "Alright, get back to work. We can continue deciphering your dreams once we¡¯ve returned to the ship," Charles said half in jest and gently prodded Dipp onward. He then turned and made his way toward the building of the Explorers Association that was located nearby.


    The crew had their duties, as did the captain. For all these years, Charles had remained in the Northern Seas and had never acquainted himself with the South. To truly gain a grasp of these waters, he would have to seek information from the locals.


    Compared to the spaciousness and emptiness of the Coral Archipgo branch, the local branch of the Explorers Association was a hive of activity. The room was crowded with seven or eight low tables. Captains with tricorn hats atop their heads huddled around the tables, either engrossed in their card games or leisurely enjoying their beers.


    The arrival of a new face attracted everyone''s attention and drew inquisitive gazes from every corner.


    Adjusting his cor slightly, Charles briskly made his way to the counter.


    He presented his Explorer''s badge to the uniformed woman and requested, "I need a detailed nautical chart of this region."


    "Alright. Just a moment, please."


    Soon enough, stacks of maps were piled before him. Charles quickly scanned through them andpared the information against his knowledge of the Northern Sea maps. Apart from some minor discrepancies, there were no significant differences.


    Charles failed to spot the Sea of Mist that the towering beings had told him about.


    "Hello, may I ask where the Sea of Mist is? Why isn''t it marked out on these maps?" Charles asked.


    The Association employee then pulled out Map E from the pile and pointed out, "Take a look at Map E. Thisrge forbidden area marked out in red is the Sea of Mist. Because of the Haikor Tribe''s exclusionary nature, coupled with their im over the inds in that area, the Association has no records of the information within."


    "So, does that mean that there''s no Explorers Association on those inds as well?"


    "Correct. Before the Association was established, the inds within the Sea of Mist had already been imed by the Haikors. We had tried sending people to negotiate with them, but they''ve shown no interest in any cooperation."


    "I see." Charles nodded in understanding. Previously, he was still confused as to why he couldn''t locate the so-called Sea of Mist on the maps from the North. It turned out that the Association had no records of it at all.


    The employee seemed to have picked up Charles'' intent, and with a knowing smile on her face, she suggested softly, "Governor, if you want to find out more about the Sea of Mist, perhaps you can talk to the other captains. They tend to know far beyond our records."


    Charles turned around to survey the captains behind him, each d in various attire. He then decided on one of the tables and approached it directly.


    "What game is this?" Charles feigned curiosity as he took a seat by the table.


    "Fish Cards. Ain''t seen it before, kid? You''re not from around here, huh?" the woman with a silver nose ring grumbled as she ced down a pair of cards with the same shark image on them.


    Sensing the mood was still alright, Charles then got straight to the point, "Excuse me, but would any of you know the location of Shattered Isles within the Sea of Mist?"


    "Shattered Isles? You mean Shattered Heart Isles? Why are you asking? It¡¯s not a ce an outsider like you should barge into."


    "Why so? Is it dangerous?" Charles pressed on.


    While cing down another pair of cards, the nose-ringed woman replied, "The danger is rtive to your intentions. The trade dealings with the Haikors have already been divided up. If you''re there just for leisure, it''s safe. But if you''re after someone else''s livelihood, then it''s truly dangerous indeed."


    Just then, the image of Elizabeth''s unusually anxious face shed across Charles'' mind. After some deliberation, he voiced his question, "By Haikor Tribe, are you referring to those towering figures over three meters tall? Are they dangerous?"


    Hearing Charles'' question, the few at the table exchanged bemused nces.


    "Dangerous? Them?" they echoed.


    Doubt welled up within Charles. Why were their words so different from Elizabeth''s fervent warnings? Who was speaking the truth?


    However, Charles soon cast aside these doubts. His purpose here wasn''t to find out more about those towering beings. Even if they enjoyed mating with the natives, it didn''t concern him.


    "I need a map of the Sea of Mist. Name your price."


    The moment Charles'' offer left his lips, he could feel the intense gaze from around him. No one disliked Echo.


    Seated right in front of Charles, the burly man with a flowing beard was the first to stand up. "I have the map. And I''ve also been there; if you¡ª"


    As he was about to borate, he stopped short. From his elevated vantage point, he spied the strange mark on Charles'' neck. Instantly, his previous cheery expression chilled to an icy stare.


    He then whispered urgently to his neighbor. And soon enough, hostile and guarded stares circled Charles.


    "Please leave. The servants of the Giant Bird of Suffering refuse to deal with Fhtagnists," the woman with the nose ring spoke icily. All traces of her previous amiability were gone.


    <i>Giant Bird of Suffering? What religion is this now? Do they have a feud with the Fhtagn cult?</i>


    Charles contemted for a brief moment and attempted to rify, "There seems to be some misunderstanding. I''m not a disciple of the Fhtagn Covenant."


    However, the group before him seemed intent on not listening to his exnation.


    In fact, it wasn''t only the table he was seated at. Word spread quickly throughout the hall, and soon, all eyes were on him.

 Chapter 202. Gavin

    <h4>Chapter 202. Gavin</h4>


    The captains refused to engage in further conversation with Charles. Their icy res spoke volumes of their unwillingness, and their silence was a clear disy of their hostility toward the outsider.


    Perplexed, Charles rubbed the mark on his neck as he stepped out of the Association. He seemed to have unknowingly gotten himself tangled in a struggle between cults.


    <i>Giant Bird of Suffering? What in the world is that?</i>


    Looking at the bustling port before him, Charles was suddenly at a loss. The map of the Sea of Mist didn''t seem to be some highly valuable, coveted secret here. However, the religious tension had addedyers ofplication to the matter.


    <i>Perhaps I should look for it in the ck market or have Lily''s mice steal a copy. This should be a trifling issue.</i> Charles pondered as he descended the steps of the Explorers Association.


    However, it didn''t take long for Charles to notice something amiss. Every individual in the harbor, from the hardworking dock workers to the policemen ensuring order, shot him covert, unweing looks.


    They made no attempt at hiding their hostile gazes.


    <i>Does the entire ind poption worship the Giant Bird of Suffering? Isn''t the news traveling too fast? </i>Charles thought. His sense of unease intensified, and he quickened his pace toward the Narwhale.


    Just as Charles was approaching the docks, a shadowy figure darted out from the dark alley. The figure grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the shadows.


    With a swift flick of his right hand, Charles had his flesh revolver pressed against the figure''s abdomen.


    "Fhtagn. They who enter an eternal slumber are not dead. As time stretches beyond our understanding, even death finds its own ending."


    Hearing the figure''s hurried, cryptic phrase, Charles froze and stopped himself from pulling the trigger. This sounded like a street code of sorts.


    The figure, d in a ragged hood, led Charles through the twists and turns of alleys before they finally stopped in a cramped space between crowded buildings.


    Pulling back his hood, a bald young man who looked no older than seventeen stood before Charles. He then smeared something on his face and vigorously rubbed it in. It didn''t take long before Charles spotted the octopus tentacles tattooed across the youth''s face.


    The youth looked extremely excited as he reached out a hand toward Charles'' neck before he hesitated and retracted.


    "Sir, I beg you to please let me have a look. Just one nce will do," the youth implored.


    "Do you recognize this? Who are you?" Charles asked as he pulled down his cor to disy the tattoo to the youth.


    However, the moment the youthid his eyes on the inked tentacle, he convulsed violently. His eyes rolled back as though he would pass out at any moment.


    Charles'' brows furrowed upon witnessing the youth''s bizarre reaction. He was utterly baffled by the thought processes of these cultists.


    After a few moments, the youth finally regained hisposure. Suppressing his overwhelming emotions, he knelt down on one knee before Charles. "Sir! Your disciple, Gavin, is at yourmand!"


    Charles cast a doubtful look at the youth but offered no exnation to rectify the situation. "Do you have any way to get me a map of the Sea of Mist?"


    Since the youth believed him to be a high-ranking member of the Fhtagn Covenant, perhaps he could make use of this to his advantage.


    "Yes!" the youth affirmed readily, much to Charles'' surprise.


    "Sir, please follow me. It''s not safe here," Gavin said as he cast a wary nce toward the window above that was slightly ajar.


    The two navigated through the cramped alleys before they stopped before a decrepit hut right next to a heap of trash.


    Charles stooped to enter the low doorway of the hut, which was barely 1.5 meters tall. The space within was norger than eight square meters. It would be more appropriate to describe the ce as a box rather than a dwelling.


    The furniture, as worn as the walls themselves, took up much of the room. In one corner, a boy, seemingly seven or eight years old, sat huddled against the wall with a tattered ck leather book in his hands.


    A bag of broken biscuits was neatly ced in front of Charles, alongside several bags of dried fish of various sizes. Judging by Gavin''s careful manner, these items seemed to be the best he had to offer.


    Taking in the squalor of the ce, Charles suddenly regretted following Gavin to this beggar''s den. This Fhtagnist seemed to be having a really tough life on this ind.


    "Did you say you could get a map of the Sea of Mist?"


    "Yes, sir. Rest assured. I''ll definitely find it for you. I''ll get to it right now! Just wait here."


    With that, Gavin whispered some instructions to the young boy before darting out in hurried steps, leaving Charles no room to second-guess his decision.


    <i>Groooooowl.</i>


    A sudden growling sounding from the corner of the room broke the silence. It was the boy''s stomach protesting in hunger.


    Looking at the dry snot on the boy''s grimy face, Charles pushed the small bag of broken biscuits toward him.


    The boy shook his head in refusal. "Big Brother said that it''s for you, sir. I can''t eat it."


    "But If I were to instruct you to eat it?" Charles asked.


    Hearing Charles'' words, the boy''s face lit up with joy. He ran over and eagerly stuffed the biscuit crumbs into his mouth.


    Taking the book from the boy''s hands, Charles flipped through the pages and realized that they were filled with hymns of praise to Fhtagn.


    "Is your brother a Fhtagnist? Why does he believe in this god?"


    "Because the Giant Bird of Suffering took away our parents but didn''t grant our wishes. It''s fake, so we decided to change our faith."


    "What is this Giant Bird of Suffering?" Charles asked. This was the second time he had heard of the name today.


    "ording to the temple staff, if one torments their physical bodies for a long time, the Giant Bird of Suffering would eventually show miracles and fulfill any wish of the faithful."


    Charles understood immediately¡ªit was yet another obscure cult.


    The oil in themp was gradually diminishing, and judging from the boy''s inaction to refill it, Charles surmised that this impoverished household likely had no spare oil left.


    Possessing night vision, Charles wasn''t really bothered by theck of light. Rather, he was curious if that youth, Gavin, would actually be able to procure the map.


    As the minutes ticked by, Charles'' patience was running thin. He had countless ways to acquire the map, and there was no need for him to rely on a Fhtagnist and waste so much time.


    However, just as Charles was about to leave, a battered and bloodied Gavin stumbled in. The young man then deferentially piled the maps before Charles.


    "Did you steal these maps?" Charles questioned as he eyed the blood streaming down Gavin''s face.


    "It''s nothing! It''s my honor to have been of help to you, sir!"


    Charles slowly shifted his gaze from Gavin''s wounded face to the charts.


    Unfolding one of them, he found it significantly different from those he got from the Association.


    The area that was previously nk and colored red on the Association''s copy was now marked with symbols denoting inds. Additionally, several dotted lines encircled these inds. Charles recognized what they represented immediately¡ªocean currents.


    The map wasn''t detailed and merely highlighted the inds on the outskirts of the Sea of Mist. However, with the inclusion of the Shattered Heart Isles marker, this map would be more than enough to serve its purpose.


    Scooping up the charts, Charles fished out a check from his pocket. He scribbled a series of numbers and handed it to Gavin. "Take this. It''s your reward."

 Chapter 203. Sick

    <h4>Chapter 203. Sick</h4>


    Gavin''s eyes widened in surprise. Glee painted his face as he mentally counted the number of zeroes written on the check. However, he immediately shook his head and waved his hands in rejection. "No, no, no. It''s my honor to serve you, sir, who bears His divine mark. I don''t need thepensation."


    Charles didn''t try to argue or persuade. Instead, he assertively pressed the check into Gavin''s hand. "Take this and get your wounds treated. I don''t like owing debts."


    Then, Charles looked at Gavin again and questioned, "How much do you know about the Sea of Mist?"


    Gavin promptly replied, "Sir. That region is called the Sea of Mist because it is shrouded in a perpetual fog. It''s the territory of the Haikors. Those towering beings usually show no aggression unless they are provoked. They can be quite formidable if that happens."


    Charles'' brows slightly furrowed. Gavin''s words mirrored the words of that captain from the Association.


    <i>If the so-called Sea of Mist is not as dangerous as rumored, then why is Elizabeth so concerned about me taking this trip? Is she lying? No, that can¡¯t be; she has no reason to lie.</i>


    "Sir, if you need detailed information, I can search the library for travelogs on the Haikor Tribe''s inds," Gavin offered, his words breaking Charles'' thoughts.


    Charles shook his head and headed for the door. Having procured the map, it was time for his departure. With most of the poption regarding him with hostility, staying any longer on this ind than required could be perilous.


    When Charles appeared at the bustling docks again, he had a refined ck gentleman''s hat atop his head and a muted gray scarf draped around his neck. With the change in his appearance, he could feel a drastic decrease in the prying eyes that once followed his every move.


    Gazing at the Narwhale docked in the distance, Charles suddenly halted in his tracks. Without even turning his head, he said, "State what you want. Be quick. I have no time for games."


    He had noticed the footsteps behind him for a very long while. That Fhtagnist, Gavin, had been tailing him.


    d in his ragged hood, Gavin rushed forward. With fervent zest, he exined, "Sir, I mean no harm. It''s just my first time meeting a true Chosen One, blessed with the Divine Mark. I just wish to linger by your side a little longer in hopes that God Fhtagn might actually see me and bestow His grace upon me."


    After a slight pause, Gavin continued, "Sir, I''ve heard that those blessed with the Mark are protected by the seas. The waters protect them like a mother with her child. Is that true?"


    With a hint of annoyance creasing his brow, Charles turned to face him, "Why are you so obsessed with gods? Isn''t living a good life with your brother more important than Fhtagn?"


    Gavin seemed to have received a tremendous shock. "Sir, how could you say that? The scriptures clearly state that God Fhtagn is omnipotent and omniscient. The Great One deemed faith to be more important than all else. Only those who listened in earnest to His voice can receive His blessings and attain eternal life."


    Charles was genuinely perplexed. <i>How did these cults manage to brainwash their followers with such tant lies?</i>


    "You truly are a lost cause..." Before Gavin could respond, Charles hastened his steps toward the distant Narwhale. Meanwhile, Gavin stood frozen in ce as he watched Charles leave.


    Within the brightly lit captain''s quarters of the Narwhale, Charles spread out the newly acquired map. Picking up a ruler, he and First Mate Bandages began plotting their course on the map.


    With thebined efforts of the two, it didn''t take long for a serpentine dashed line to appear on the map. This was the course they intended to follow.


    "Our destination, Shattered Heart Isles, is here," Charles said as he ced his index finger on the marked ind. He then traced a nearby dashed line, "If we catch this current, we''ll reach the ind in fifteen days at the earliest, give or take. However, we have never sailed these waters, and we need to be wary about going off-course."


    "Alright...How''s your...mental state... holding up?" Bandages'' concern wasn''t unfounded. Charles'' uncharacteristic reactions on the return trip during theirst voyage had raised rms.


    "I''m fine. I can endure it. My condition is better now after resting onnd for quite a while. I can hold on until we reach the ind that can break the curse."


    Charles then turned to Dipp, who was dozing off beside them. "Hey, wake up."


    He had summoned Dipp to participate and confirm the route, given that Dipp was also at the helm. Yet, from the moment Dipp entered the room, he had been constantly nodding off as though he hadn''t slept a wink the previous night.


    In an instant, the lethargic expression on Dipp''s face was wiped off, and apletely different demeanor took over. "Captain, don''t worry. He isn''t listening, but the two of us haven''t been idle."


    Charles had no interest in finding out the name of this particr person. Tapping on the chart, he instructed, "Tell your sailors to raise the anchor. We''re setting sail."


    The Narwhale let out a deep, resonant bellow as she slowly moved out from the dock and ventured into the darkness beyond.


    With the detailed chart in his hands, Charles soon located the maritime <i>highway</i>¡ªthe current that would hasten their journey.


    Despite theck of visual cues at sea, and the crew felt no change, measurements confirmed that the current had indeed significantly increased their speed.


    The ocean current seemed to have insted all dangers. Ever since the Narwhale entered it, not a single incident had urred. The peace for the next couple of days felt a bit excessive.


    However, under such circumstances, an unexpected event happened¡ªDipp had fallen sick.


    "Doctor, what''s wrong with the kid?" Charles asked with a look of concern. His gaze was fixated on Dipp, who was lying on the sickbed, clutching his throat and coughing violently.


    Standing before an array of ssware, Laesto meticulously mixed various peculiar liquids. Hebined concoctions and intermittently added an assortment of strange ingredients.


    Finally, Laesto brought the resultant potion to his lips and tilted his head back to drink it all.


    After savoring the vor in his mouth for a moment, Laesto turned to Charles and said, "No worries. He''ll survive. The cause remains unknown. But his current symptoms are mild¡ªjust a slight drop in body temperature. I''m treating it now."


    Looking at Dipp''s pallid face that was devoid of even a trace of healthy hue, Charles felt that it was no minor problem.


    Dipp''s coughing slowed, and he looked visibly weak. In a hoarse whisper, he said, "Captain, I dreamt of my mother again. Her embrace... is so warm."


    Charles recalled Dipp''s recent behavior and turned to Laesto. "Could he be seeing hallucinations, auditory or visual, because of the sea''s chantings?"


    "Impossible. The boy''s been onnd for three years. Any mental contamination would have been purged by then. You''re not even dead yet, so how could he experience hallucinations? Go and man the wheel. He won''t die under my watch."


    Giving Dipp a reassuring pat on the shoulder, Charles then left the infirmary with a gloomy expression.


    It was Bandages'' shift at the helm, so Charles didn''t have to be at the bridge. He returned to his quarters. Opening his diary, he started to pen a new entry.


    <i>May 12, 12th Year of Crossing Over</i>


    <i>I had thought that the voyage to the Southern Seas would be simple and straightforward. But it seems like no sea bears safe passage in this subterranean realm.</i>


    <i>My boatswain has fallen sick. Even Doctor was unable to diagnose his condition. I''m worried.</i>


    <i>All I can do is leave my Dark de with him and hope that he¡¯ll endure until we reach Shattered Heart Isles. Most dangers on the sea can be resolved once we''re back onnd. I hope that applies to Dipp''s condition as well.</i>

 Chapter 204. Sea of Mist

    <h4>Chapter 204. Sea of Mist</h4>


    Charles passed through the dimly lit corridor to reach the spot above the Narwhale''s water hold. Twisting open the wooden lid, he shone the shlight within.


    As the captain, this was one of his daily inspection tasks: to ensure that their freshwater supply was untampered.


    Just as he was about to seal the hold again, he felt a sudden prying gaze from the circr porthole next to him. Charles showed no traces of panic. He slowly fitted the lid back into ce and pretended to leave. However, the moment he stood up, the flesh revolver was already in his grasp.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    He fired a series of gunshots. The sound of shattering ss from the porthole broke the silence. At the same time, a green, webbed hand was torn asunder by the bullets. Charles rushed to the window to discover nothing but a mutted half-palm and repulsive purple blood left by the intruder.


    "Have these strange creatures started to emerge now that we have left the safe route?" Charles muttered to himself.


    Suddenly, Charles felt a presence behind him. He swiftly whirled around and aimed his gun at the figure.


    "Stand down! State your role and name!"


    "Dipp. Position: Boatswain. Duty: Guide sailors in the maintenance, repair and handling of the anchor, ropes, and equipment. Lead sailors in tasks such as painting, rigging, and high-altitude work," Dipp reported with a haggard expression as he stood in ce.


    Feeling relieved, Charles lowered his weapon and approached the youngd. "What are you doing here? Weren''t you told to rest?"


    "Captain, I''m fine. It''s just a little cold. But with your scarf, I feel much better now," Dipp answered. d in a thickyer of clothes, he slightly adjusted the gray scarf around his neck.


    "That''s good to hear. You had us worried." Charles let out a sigh of relief. A few days ago, when Dipp''s health deteriorated and he fell unconscious, Charles had thought he was going to lose his boatswain.


    "Captain, you can rearrange the helming shifts. I''m ready to take the wheel again," Dipp stated.


    "Don''t concern yourself over it. You''ve just recovered and should rest more. Bandages, and I can manage it," Charles said as he gave a reassuring pat on Dipp''s shoulder before ascending thedder.


    Within the pilothouse, a sailor was steering with visible anxiety. Meanwhile, Bandages silently observed the dark waters under the searchlight.


    "It''s my shift now. Go and take a break," Charles said as he patted his first mate''s shoulder.


    With a silent nod, Bandages pushed over the door and passed by Dipp on his way out.


    With a jovial grin on his face, Dipp entered the pilothouse and snatched the wheel from the sailor.


    "Captain," Dipp began. "I''m really fine. See, I''vepletely recovered." He then expertly checked the various instruments before him to prove his capability to helm.


    Charles sighed. He knew the youngd was never one to stay still. He pulled up a stool and sat down. "Okay, you can take a four-hour shift for today. If you feel any sign of difort, tell me immediately."


    "Okay. No worries. Lying in bed every day and only being able to stare at Doctor''s wrinkled face is driving me crazy," Dippined with a nonchnt attitude.


    "Your spirited nature really never changes. Perhaps you should settle down with a woman and have children to tame that personality of yours," Charles remarked.


    Dipp let out a sheepish chuckle in response.


    "Have you still been dreaming about your mothertely?" Charles asked.


    Dipp paused for a brief moment before he answered, "No. She seems to have not appeared in my dreams for some time."


    "That''s good. Random existences that appear in dreams usually don''t bring good news. Perhaps that might be what caused your illness."


    "But Captain, the warmth I felt in that dream was so real. It really reminded me of my mother," Dipp said, his eyes shining with a hint of longing.


    Their conversation flowed naturally, and soon, the topic shifted to the Land of Light that Charles was seeking.


    Charles told him about the various wonders of modern civilization while Dipp listened intently. As the conversation deepened, Charles couldn''t tell whether he was speaking to Dipp or musing aloud to himself.


    "Captain, I heard from Doctor that you don''t have much time left?" Dipp suddenly interrupted Charles'' story.


    Charles left out a soft chuckle. "Ah, yes. He did mention I wouldn''t make it past forty. Wait, what age am I turning this year?"


    A trace of dilemma flickered across Dipp''s face. "Captain, then shouldn''t we prioritize finding a cure for you? You need to live on to be able to find the Land of Light you speak of." Charles shook his head. "I don''t have time for that. To me, searching for the exit to the surface takes priority. And...Don''t be so pessimistic. Perhaps I might die at sea even before I reach forty."


    Uncharacteristically, Dipp remained silent. His eyes were fixed intently on the outside through the ss as his hands clutched the steering wheel tightly.


    <i>Screech!</i>


    The stool scraped against the floor with a jarring noise. Charles stood in astonishment at the sight before him. Under the illumination of the searchlights, tendrils of mist wrapped themselves around the ship and thickened with each passing moment.


    They had arrived at the Sea of Mist.


    The sound of crystallization echoed as frost formed on the outside of the ss; the temperature plummeted abruptly.


    In the face of this exhrating news, the crew''s faces lit up in excitement. Life at sea was oppressive and ufortable, but having reached the Sea of Mist meant that they weren''t far from the return trip home


    However, their excitement onlysted till the fifth day. And after that, a sense of unease took over.


    Only an inky dark expanse greeted them at the supposed coordinates of the Shattered Heart Isles. The Narwhale had lost its target.


    In his bat form, Audric swooped into the pilot house. Hended before Charles and reverted to his human guise. "Captain, I''ve scoured the area. There''s no sign of an ind. It''s probably not a map error."


    Charles''s expression darkened.


    <i>Damn it, was that map fake? </i>Charles pondered.


    He swiftly reyed his interactions with Gavin in his mind but deemed it highly unlikely that the boy had any malicious intent.


    If Gavin had wanted to harm him, there would have been no need to provide him with the wrong map. With ample supplies on board for the Narwhale to make the return trip to the previous ind, doing so would aplish nothing apart from wasting Charles'' time.


    He felt that the boy wouldn''t risk his life just to pull a prank on him.


    <i>Where did it go wrong?</i>


    Charles'' brows furrowed together as various spections surfaced in his head. However, there was no clear theory that stood out.


    Just as Charles was lost in thoughts and feeling perplexed, Bandages next to him pointed at a circr frame on a nearby device. Inside it was apass. "Captain... something''s... wrong with that..."


    Charles darted over and pried out thepass with his Dark de. His pupils contracted in fear as he spotted the small ma tucked at the edge.


    Thepass had been tampered with a ma; their ship had veered off-course to an unknown location.


    Clutching thepass tightly, Charles instructed Dipp in a grave tone, "Notify everyone to gather. There''s a saboteur onboard!"

 Chapter 205. A New Plan

    <h4>Chapter 205. A New n</h4>


    The distinct sound of reloading bullet chambers echoed through the deck. The Narwhale crew were gathered together, their faces taut with tension.


    The thick sense of anxiety in the air weighed down on them. Seasoned sailors knew all too well the grave implications of a tamperedpass.


    Without any stars to guide the way, thepass was the sole tool of navigation on the open sea.


    With thepasspromised, it implied that their navigation data had been inurate since some undetermined moment in the past. They were adrift at sea without a reliable bearing.


    Losing one¡¯s direction at sea was more terrifying than any lurking creatures in the water. Their ship had be, in essence, a floating iron coffin.


    "Dipp, Bandages, James, Linda, Audric..."


    With a somber expression, Charles verified his crew against the recorded names in his diary. The count was correct. There was no extra headcount or missing ones. After doing a roll call, where each member announced their name and role, he also became certain that there were no impostors among them.


    Under the captain''smand, the crewmenced an exhaustive search of the vessel. They probed every passageway corridor and entered each room, leaving no nook or cranny unchecked for the unseen adversary.


    Sailing on the waters, the Narwhale was a confined space. Unless the culprit plunged into the sea, there was no other way of escape.


    Every cupboard was emptied, every nook scrutinized. Yet, after aprehensive search, they found no traces or anomalies.


    Charles was baffled. Thepass was clearly sabotaged, yet there were no traces of an intruder.


    <i>Could it be that they possess the ability to be invisible?</i>


    He strode onto the open deck and called out, "Buddy, have you noticed anyone or anything climbing aboard from the waters and then returning after?"


    Even if the intruder had deliberately avoided the crew, they likely wouldn''t have anticipated a sentient Narwhale. Perhaps she might know something that all of them had missed.


    A rope slithered him like a snake. It then rose up before Charles and swayed from side to side; the Narwhale indicated that she had no idea either.


    Just then, Lily scurried toward Charles with a throng of mice behind her. Her fur had already returned to its original white color. She tilted her head upward and reported, "Mr. Charles, my mice friends searched all spaces that they could possibly infiltrate. They found nothing unusual."


    Charles'' heart sank. Even the Narwhale and Lily found nothing. How did the saboteur aplish this? It was utterly baffling.


    The situation ended in a deadlock. If they couldn''t find the perpetrator, they would remain stranded without a way to ascertain their position. The Narwhale would then be potentially trapped on the sea indefinitely.


    All eyes turned onto Charles. His experience was being put to the test in such circumstances. Any word from him could lead them all either to salvation or to doom.


    Charles stroked his chin as he contemted. After a moment, he carefully chose his next words, "Everyone who has touched the helm ever since we entered the Sea of Mist, step forward."


    Dipp, Bandages, and another familiar-looking sailor stepped forward in response.


    "Try to recall," Charles instructed. "When was thest time thepass functioned correctly in your memory?"


    Thepass was frequently used during navigation, so that ma couldn''t have been there for so long, or the crew would have surely noticed.


    "I''ll answer first," Dipp broke the silence, his expression strained. "I took the morning shift three days ago. During that shift, I adjusted our course by 20 degrees. I remember very clearly that thepass was working then."


    "Three days ago...then we still might be in time to correct this. The three of you,e with me." Charles then darted into the pilothouse and started studying the jumbled nautical charts on the wall.


    Picking up a pencil, he did some rapid calctions on a nearby te. He then stabbed at a point on the line that charted Narwhale''s intended course.


    "This was our position three days ago. We haven''t encountered significant waves, so the drift should be minimal. If we retrace our steps to this location, we may be able to rediscover our original route."


    While this meant that he would have to put his n of breaking the Divinities'' Curse on hold, navigating through the current crisis took precedence.


    "Captain...What...about the perpetrator...who tampered with... thepass? They could... still be... onboard," Bandages asked in his slow manner of speech.


    "That would be easy to deal with. Regardless if they could turn invisible or whatever ability they may have, we''ll have round-the-clock surveince on critical areas like the kitchen, water tank, and fuel store.


    ¡±Now that they''ve slipped up, it would be much easier for us to stay vignt. And we have Lily''s mice. Unless they¡¯re nning on hiding forever, we¡¯ll catch them once they appear."


    With the new n in ce, the crew sprang into action. No matter what the n was, having a n was better than having none. The Narwhale reversed her course. Following the new strategy, she started backtracking.


    Lily''s mice came in handy at this point. They scattered throughout the ship like awork of CCTVs. At the slightest sign of anything unusual, they were ready to emit a sharp squeal to notify the crew.


    As the days passed by, the turbulent chaos onboard gradually settled down. Tranquility and calmness returned on the Narwhale.


    On the inky dark expanse, the Narwhale advanced forward.


    Three dayster, Charles peered anxiously through the window at the sea. If things had gone ording to n, the Narwhale would have returned to their previous position. However, without anyndmarks to confirm, he wasn''t certain if they had indeed returned.


    He made a mental note in his mind to secure a navigational relic if he ever encountered one. The overwhelming sense of helplessness from being adrift at sea without coordinates was intolerable.


    Dipp entered the pilot house with a metal cup in his hands. He had gloves on, and aically round hat sat atop his head.


    "Captain, it''s getting colder. I asked the cook to prepare you some hot apple soup," he said, his breath visible in the chill air.


    Charles handed the helm to his boatswain. epting the offered cup, he settled onto a nearby stool before he brought the rim to his lips and took a sip.


    The warm, apple-infused thick broth slid down his throat; his chilled body felt slightly warmer.


    As he sipped the broth, Charles pondered over the recent events. The saboteur clearly possessed intelligence if they thought to use a ma to disrupt thepass. However, there was one thing Charles couldn''tprehend: What was their motive?


    If their intent were to trap the Narwhale at sea, by extension, they would be joining the crew''s demise.


    In recent days, neither the mice nor the crew spotted anything unusual.


    <i>Could the culprit have really killed themselves by jumping into the waters?</i>


    "Captain, why don''t you go back and get some rest? You haven¡¯t been sleeping recently," Dipp persuaded.

 Chapter 206. Deep Dwellers

    <h4>Chapter 206. Deep Dwellers</h4>


    Charles shook his head and said, "I can''t sleep in this situation. How are the other crew members holding up?"


    "They are doing fine. Everyone''s a seasoned sailor now; they know well enough that they cannot afford to panic in a situation like this."


    Charles'' tension was slightly relieved. Fortunately, he had a reliable crew. With the right crew, they could weather the harshest storm.


    He kept drinking the hot broth and felt the heat radiate from his stomach to the rest of his body. As he finished over half of the cup, growing sleepiness started to tug at his eyelids.


    Charles shook his head in a feeble attempt to dismiss the drowsiness. However, it clung to him and grew heavier with each passing second. Feeling the weight of his eyelids, he nced at Dipp and said, "I''ll take a short nap. Wake me in half an hour."


    "Aye," the boatswain readily agreed.


    Charles then closed his eyes, rested his head against the wall and gave in to the Z monster. He slept well; when he woke up, he felt thoroughly refreshed, both mentally and physically.


    ncing to the side, Dipp was still manning the helm. The same darkness outside the ss remained unchanged as before.


    As Charles was about to stretch and stand, his gaze caught the wall clock. The hour hand showed that nearly nine hours had passed.


    "Dipp, didn''t I tell you to wake me up in half an hour?" Charles grumbled in dissatisfaction. Though he knew Dipp probably intended for him to rest a little more, their current predicament didn''t offer him the luxury of oversleeping.


    Faced with Charles'' question, Dipp said nothing and only chuckled lightly


    Before Charles could continue the conversation, a sudden movement on the deck caught his attention. The deck cannon suddenly swiveled on its own ord and fired into the open sea.


    "Something''s amiss! The Narwhale must have detected something!" Charles swiftly directed the searchlight toward where the cannon projectile hadnded.


    Under the bright illumination, he saw a rugged ck rock column crashing into the waters at an inclined angle.


    Charles yanked the steam whistle hard. Grabbing his flesh revolver, he charged onto the deck.


    "Dipp, halt the ship! Our previous path didn''t have all this shit!"


    Hearing the ship''s whistle, the crew assembled on the deck in a hurried tter. Without any need for Charles''mand, Audric rapidly transformed into a bat and soared into the air to scout the perimeter.


    He returned soon enough but with dreadfully bad news.


    "Captain, the surrounding waters are filled with jutting ck spires. We haven''t returned to our charted course. We strayed further."


    "Fuck!" Charles shouted as he crashed his prosthetic arm against the ship''s railing with a resounding ng. His devised n should have been wless. How did they end up in their current location?


    Just then, a twinkling of green glow underneath the waters caught Charles'' attention. There was something moving in the dark waters. Unease washed over him. He had no desire to know what lurked below. His only wish was to escape this bizarre ce.


    "Dipp! Set sail! Now!" Charlesmanded.


    The anchor chain rattled and spun rapidly. With a mighty crash, the heavy anchor that weighed close to a hundred tons plunged into the water.


    "Have you lost your fucking mind!" Charles roared as he advanced furiously toward Dipp. "Is this the ce to anchor?"


    Just then, Charles stopped in his tracks, and his eyes widened in disbelief.


    "It was you?" The revtion suddenly hit him like a gust of icy wind. That exined why the Narwhale and the mice hadn''t detected anything amiss. If the perpetrator was from within their ranks, it made sense they hadn''t raised an alert.


    Charles raised the skeletal gun and aimed it at Dipp''s head. "I''ve checked your identity myself! Who are you?! And where is Dipp!"


    "Captain, I''m not some imposter. I''m really Dipp, your boatswain," Dipp replied calmly as he brushed off his hands.


    Bang!


    A gunshot rang out, and a bullet pierced a bloody hole in Dipp''s foot.


    However, Dipp didn''t retaliate. Dragging his wounded leg toward the ship''s edge, he said, "Captain, I''m sorry for lying to you. But it was all for your own good."


    "Who in the hell are you?! My boatswain would never betray me!"


    Another gunshot echoed; Dipp staggered and fell to the ground.


    Hissssssss.


    An ominous hiss, simr to that of a venomous snake flicking its tongue, rose from the depths of the sea, sending instinctual shivers through everyone on the ship.


    "Your boatswain would never betray you!" Dipp cried out while sprawled on the ground. "You are like a father to me. I don''t want you to die. I want you to live on, to live for a longer time. Mother said she could help; she could grant you immortality."


    Charles didn''t want to engage in further conversation. He had to get his crew out of this wretched ce immediately.


    "James! Hoist the anchor. Dipp''s been ensnared by something!"


    Responding to Charles''mand, James'' physical frame erged. He seized the winss and spun it rapidly. Yet, after only a few rotations, the chain grew taut and began retracting back towards the depths. It seemed as though an unseen force beneath the surface was yanking the anchor downward.


    t!


    A wet, green, webbed hand clutched the side of the ship. Charles recognized it immediately¡ªthe very hand he had previously shot and the disembodied half of it.


    This was only the beginning. One after another, bizarre green hands appeared on the ship''s edge.


    Charles felt a sudden sensation and rapidly turned around. Perched on the ship''s railing, numerous grotesque green creatures crouched motionless as if they were statues. Their skin was a muted green except for their pale underbellies. Their bodies shone with a wet sheen, and they sported scaly crests along their spines.


    Their appearance bore a vague resemnce to humans, yet their heads were distinctively fish-like. They hadrge, bulging eyes that never closed, and the gills at the sides of their necks quivered ceaselessly.


    "Everyone, don''t be afraid. They won''t harm you. Really," Dipp reassured.


    "Who is your leader? Why did you control my crew member to deceive me here?" Charles demanded in a raised voice while he stealthily pulled out the Bat Mirror.


    His adversary seemed to possess intelligence, so perhaps there was a sliver of hope that they could negotiate.


    Just then, one of the creatures came closer. Extending its right hand, with a significant chunk of flesh clearly missing, it helped Dipp up.


    "Captain, they didn''t control me. Rather, I''m one of them."


    Dipp then unwound the scarf around his neck, revealing three pairs of evenly spaced gills¡ªthe source of his incessant scratching over the years.


    "I didn''t believe it initially until I witnessed the changes in my body. Only then did I realize that I''m one of them. I''m a Deep Dweller. If I had remained in the North, perhaps I would have lived out my whole life as an ordinary human. But we came to the South. My Mother found me; she awakened me."


    Dipp''s eyes bulged out all of a sudden to resemble that of a fish. His voice also started to turn exceedingly unpleasant.


    "But don''t worry, Captain. This is not a curse but a gift. If you join us, not only can you live past forty, but you can also have eternal life. At that point, Mother and I will help you find the way back home."

 Chapter 207. No

    <h4>Chapter 207. No</h4>


    "Deep Dweller? Eternal life?" Charles regarded his oncerade with overflowing alienation in his gaze. He struggled to ept this unexpected turn of events and the transformation going on before his very eyes.


    His trusted aide was the very one responsible for leading the Narwhale off-course, and it turned out that he wasn''t human.


    Sharp needle-like fangs sprouted Dipp''s gums, pushing his human teeth out of the way. The ivory teeth tainted with streaks of blood fell to the floor like scattered corn kernels.


    Dipp peeled off his gloves to reveal his hands, now scaled and sporting webbing between the fingers. His appearance grew more and more like the grotesque creatures that surrounded them.


    "Captain,e quickly. Look here," Dipp called out as he perched atop the ship''s railing and waved ceaselessly with an unsettling joy in his voice.


    By now, the Deep Dwellers in the surrounding waters had scaled the hull. They stood in silence like revolting green statues; the foul odor of decayed fish permeated the air.


    The Deep Dwellers before Charles cleared a path forward. Charles took a deep breath and made his way toward Dipp.


    "Captain, look under the water," Dipp said as he took out a Mirrorbox and tossed it into the water.


    The gentle sun rays illuminated the depths like a miniature sun. A scene of grandeur appeared before Charles.


    Beneath the Narwhaley a sprawling underwater metropolis. Its architecture consisted of gargantuan green stones that couldn''t possibly be a matter of Earth.


    Towering monoliths, majestic statues, and borate carvings decorated the city. Against such a backdrop, the submerged cityscape radiated a palpable sense of malevolence.


    "Captain,e. Join us," Dipp implored. "We are a noble race blessed by God Fhtagn. We are not forsaken. We can live in this beautiful city until God Fhtagn awakens, and¡ª"


    Dipp''s sentence was cut short. However, it wasn''t by choice. Rather, it was because Charles had pulled out his flesh revolver and aimed it at him.


    Hissing sounds resonated in the air as the Deep Dwellers fluttered their fins. Their protruding eyes, overflowing with murderous intent, red at Charles; they seemed ready to pounce on him at any moment.


    "Are you Dipp?" Charles asked, his voiceced with resolve.


    "Yes, I am Dipp, the little beggar you picked up on the streets back then," Dipp replied in a calm and steady manner, even in the face of death.


    "Alright." Charles nodded curtly. "Get your kin to retreat. Mark our current coordinates. I have no intention of joining your kind, and the same goes for my crew."


    There was no way he would agree to turn into some half-human, half-fish monstrosity. If he did, he wouldn''t be able to ascend to the surface world even if he managed to find the exit.


    Moreover, he found Dipp''s ims dubious. Looking at Dipp''s current odd appearance, Charles could no longer find it in himself to trust his former boatswain.


    "Captain, if you don''t go through the ceremony, you really won''t have many years left," Dipp continued his persuasion.


    "It doesn''t matter. I don''t care how long I live. If you are truly Dipp, order them to leave immediately."


    Dipp''s gaze remained fixated on Charles. A firm resolute flickered across his eyes, and he slowly shook his head. "No, I can''t let you leave. You must undergo the ritual. I cannot let you die. The High Priest is already on his way."


    With that, Dipp opened his maw full of sharp fangs and let out several hoarse growls.


    The Deep Dwellers narrowed the encirclement; the pungent stench of fish grew increasingly overpowering.


    Charles suddenly took a step forward and pressed his revolver against Dipp''s throat.


    "Order them to back off!" Charles demanded.


    "Captain, I''m not afraid to die in your hands. I owe you my life. I only wish for you to live," Dipp responded with overwhelming sincerity in his voice.


    Staring at the monster before him, Charles'' brows slowly furrowed together. "No, you are not Dipp. Dipp never had such a disposition."


    He suddenly noted the unfamiliar light in Dipp''s eyes, and he blurted his suspicions aloud. "You are that boy''s other persona, aren''t you?!"


    Dipp''s personality was something he understood thoroughly; he could nevermit such an extreme act.


    "Captain, no matter which persona I am, it doesn''t change the fact that I''m acting in your best interest. We must hurry, the High Priest has arrived."


    Dipp then reached out a webbed hand to grab Charles by the sleeve. He tried to pull him down the ship.


    <i>t!</i>


    Charles stomped on Dipp¡¯s left foot and stepped on the belly of a Deep Dweller on his right in an attempt to propel himself into the air.


    The creatures around him immediately kicked with their frog-like feet. They leaped into the air and rushed toward Charles in a swift, coordinated assault. Charles was instantly surrounded by the Deep Dwellers.


    Just as Charles was being restrained and rendered immobile by seven to eight limbs, he craned his neck upward and roared, "Narwhale! Engage full throttle!"


    With a fierce belch of sparks and smog from its smokestacks, the Narwhale started moving. Since the anchor had been cast, she didn''t sail forward. Instead, she rapidly orbited around her anchored point.


    The ship spun like a colossal top; her powerful centrifugal force sent everything unsecured on the deck flying. Fortunately, the crew members were securely tied down to the deck by the writhing ropes and were spared from being flung overboard.


    Amidst the dizzying whirl of his vision, Charles hollered to his crew, "Sever the anchor! Break the chain!"


    Linda inhaled a deep breath and spat a stream of green acid toward the anchor machine. The corrosive substance fizzled on contact and emitted a sharp hissing sound. Pungent white fumes emerged as the acid rapidly corroded the machine''s metal.


    With a loud ng, the anchor chain snapped.


    Due to inertia, the Narwhale was flung outward and mmed into a protruding ck pir with a resounding crash. The Narwhale let out a metallic screech of agony as the metal crumbled.


    "Buddy, hang in there! We''re counting on you!" A desperate Charles urged his ship.


    In the surrounding waters, dark green fish heads emerged to the water''s surface and rhythmically bobbed with the waves¡ªan extremely unsettling sight.


    Momentster, the Narwhale began to move as its propellers stirred the water.


    But just then, a two-meter-wide octopus tentacle burst forth from beneath the waves and pped onto the deck with a wet smack.


    This was merely a prelude; in rapid session, several more writhing tentacles erupted from the depths andtched onto the Narwhale.


    The ship rocked violently in the clutches of the tentacles, with a looming risk of capsizing.


    Charles yelled over his shoulder, "Get the explosives! Blow these tentacles off! Move! Fast!"


    Unfortunately, their enemies had no intention of making things easy for the crew. With a sinister hiss, the Deep Dwellers scaled the ship using their tentacles.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Charles drew his revolver and fired at their heads in session. The other crew members also joined the retaliation. Soon, the deck of the Narwhale became a chaotic battleground.

 Chapter 208. Plight

    <h4>Chapter 208. Plight </h4>


    A cacophony of gunshots, curses, and the rocking of the ship filled the air. The atmosphere was thick with tension as the crew engaged with the half-human, half-fish Deep Dwellers.


    The Deep Dwellers countered the Narwhale crew''s gunfire with an assortment of bizarre weapons fashioned from coral. Most were predominantly designed for closebat, though a few were capable of reaching distant targets.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    A whizzing sound cut through the chaos as a harpoon shot through the chaotic battlefield and embedded itself into a sailor''s abdomen.


    The rope tethered to the end of the harpoon snapped taut and dragged the poor sailor, with his intestines gruesomely unraveling, toward the Deep Dwellers.


    The next moment, however, the rope went ck. The Deep Dweller pulling on the rope had its head blown clean off by Charles'' urate shot.


    The Deep Dwellers'' appearance was hideous, but their strength was not particrly formidable whenpared to the other indigenous creatures Charles had encountered.


    For a moment, both sides were equally matched in the battle. However, the equilibrium of the sh soon began to shift unfavorably for Charles and his crew. The Deep Dwellers emerged endlessly from the waters beneath while each wounded sailor diminished their dwindling forces.


    Charles knew they couldn''t prolong the fight. Kicking away the creature in front of him, he darted toward the cannon on the deck and started loading it.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    With a thunderous boom, the cannon roared, and a thick tentacle that had ensnared the ship was split cleanly in two. The Narwhale heaved upward from the released tension.


    The cannon assault continued, rapidly severing all the tentacles and freeing the Narwhale from their grasp.


    "Buddy, move now! Get us out of here!" Charles shouted.


    The Narwhale immediately picked up speed. Like a speedboat, she sliced through the water above the submerged city of the Deep Dwellers.


    Meanwhile, Charles and his crew continued to dispose of the remaining Deep Dwellers on the deck. Without any reinforcements, the creatures began to falter.


    Just as Charles fired a bullet through the heart of a Deep Dweller, a dark shadow lunged from his lower left. Almost instinctively, he swiveled and pulled the trigger.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    The bullet was deflected by the dagger in the creature''s hand. An average, ordinary Deep Dweller wouldn''t possess such agility; it was Dipp.


    The former boatswain charged at Charles. Seizing Charles, Dipp barrelled them both through the air in an attempt to hurl both of them into the churning sea beside them.


    "Captain! Trust me just this once! I''m really doing this for your own good!" Dipp yelled.


    Looking at the creature before him that was familiar yet alien, Charles gritted down hard on his teeth. He aimed his gun at Dipp''s chest and pulled the trigger.


    Despite the critical injury, Dipp refused to let go. With a pleading gaze, he looked at Charles. "Captain... trust me..."


    "Get off me!" Using his prosthetic limb as a massive hammer, Charles smashed it down hard on Dipp''s face. He coiled his legs beneath him and then sprung apart, propelling himself away from Dipp, and sent thetter into the icy depths.


    Quick as lightning, Charles shot his grappling hook to the side of the Narwhale. The gear clicked into action, reeling him back to the safety of the ship with a rapid tug of the chain. As Dipp hit the water with a ssh, the Narwhale had already put significant distance between them.


    Just as Charles thought that they had sessfully averted the crisis, ck filth started bubbling before the ship''s bow. A humanoid creature with tentacles for a face rose from the foam and hovered above the water''s surface.


    "Lily! Fire!" Charlesmanded.


    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>


    Cannon sts thundered in quick session; the initial shots plunged into the ocean, sending up towering columns of water. However, the final shot found its mark and struck the creature.


    The ck smoke dispersed quickly, but the creature was unharmed.


    Charles'' pupils contracted to the size of a needlepoint. "How is that possible?! What in the world is that thing made of? Even cannonballs don''t work?!"


    Just then, the octopus-head creature lifted a grimy, slime-covered finger and pointed at the bow of Charles''s ship.


    Even without any overt act of aggression, an oppressive tension and unease settled heavily upon all those aboard.


    The suffocating sensation grew stronger as the Narwhale inched closer. All of a sudden, the tense atmosphere dissipated. The vessel and the creature passed by each other without any contact.


    Charles met the gaze of a pair of eyes on one of the tentacles. He was certain that the creature was staring intently back at him.


    It seemed as if that creature''s appearance was their final assault. The Deep Dwellers around them began to retreat and dived back into the waters.


    The Narwhale continued to sail at a high speed. They didn''t know where they should be heading, but whichever direction it was, getting far away from their previous battlefield was their safest bet.


    Looking at the chaotic aftermath on the deck, a deep sense of loss surged within Charles. It had never crossed his mind that his formerrade would betray him.


    He inhaled a deep breath to steel his emotions. This was not the time to be brooding. His crew needed him.


    The crew swiftly cleaned up the battlefield. Some gathered and rearranged the supplies, while others attended to the wounded.


    The Narwhale crew suffered heavy losses this time. There were three casualties¡ªthe Third and Fourth Engineer and one sailor, while four other crew members were severely injured. It was fair to say that none of them had emerged from the battle unharmed.


    Seated in the pilot house, Charles'' visage was clouded with gloom. His agitation wasn''t rooted in sorrow over the loss of his crew members, but rather, it stemmed from an entirely different matter that had him on edge.


    If they had a reasonable chance of finding their way back home before, they were now utterly lost without any direction after that battle with the Deep Dwellers.


    Staring at theplex sea chart before him, Charles had no idea of their location. In fact, moving in any direction seemed wrong.


    "Do you have any solutions?" Charles asked his first mate with his arms folded across his chest.


    "Sacrifice..."


    Charles let out a sigh. "Let''s ration our fresh water supplies for now. Unless absolutely necessary, let''s not resort to such a cruel choice; we don''t have many crew members left."


    "Or... we could... bring a few... ves on board... in the future... That''s what... the Fhtagnists... always do when...they go on voyages..."


    Charles remained silent and lowered his head at Bandages'' reply.


    From that moment, the Narwhale began its long, aimless drift on the open sea. They were heading south without any specific destination in mind.


    As soon as the order to limit and ration freshwater was being passed down, the crew understood the gravity of their situation. No one objected, and they continued to silently carry out their duties.


    A vaguely tangible sense of oppression weighed down on the Narwhale. Charles abhorred this feeling; he could feel an imminent pounding headache.


    "Mr. Charles, please have this water," Lily offered a cup to Charles, who was penning an entry in his nautical journal.


    "Where is this from?" Charles asked and licked his chapped lips to moisten them.


    "My friends and I saved it from our ration. We mice can withstand the thirst. We can just drink the swill from the kitchen.


    Charles tenderly picked Lily up and ced her in his palm. He knew all too well that the littless was just lying to him to make him feel better. With their freshwater supplies running low, how could there possibly be leftover swill in the kitchen?


    He picked up the cup and took just a tiny little sip before returning it to Lily. "I''m not thirsty anymore. Drink up," Charles insisted.


    Holding the cup in her tiny paws, Lily didn''t drink the contents. Instead, a worried expression appeared on her furry face. "Mr. Charles, will we die of thirst? There seems to be only a shallowyer left in the water tank."


    Charles turned to face Lily. "Don''t talk anymore. Finish the water in the cup."


    "Mr. Charles, you can have it. I''m not thirsty," Lily assured.


    The raspy dryness in Lily''s voice didn''t go unnoticed; it pricked at Charles'' heart. He rose to his feet and brought Lily with him toward the kitchen.


    When Charles appeared in the kitchen, he had a bucket of water in his other hand.


    "Mr. Charles, that''s seawater. We could die from drinking it."


    "There''s a way to turn seawater into freshwater. Perhaps we could then endure a little longer."

 Chapter 209. Leviathan Whale

    <h4>Chapter 209. Leviathan Whale</h4>


    "Mr. Charles, what are you doing?" Lily stood atop the stove and stared in a mixture of curiosity and awe as Charles fiddled with a tin pipe.


    With a deep exhale, Charles lit up the stove. White stream traveled through the cooling pipes and condensed into droplets of water before dripping into a cup.


    Boil seawater over a furnace to get fresh water. It was a straightforward process: heat the seawater to produce steam, cool it, and condense it to get pure water.


    Lily''s eyes sparkled upon tasting the distilled water. "This is so refreshing, Mr. Charles! You''re amazing; you could even turn seawater into freshwater!"


    However, Lily¡¯s perked ears drooped the moment she saw Charles'' gloomy expression. "Mr. Charles, we have water now. Why do you look so upset?"


    Charles gently ran his palm over her fluffy head. "It''s not that simple."


    Distition was easy. It wasn''t something that only Charles knew of; everyone in the Subterranean Seascape knew it as well. However, there was a fundamental reason why they hadn¡¯t been using it extensively.


    There was an abundance of seawater, but the distition process required a vast amount of fuel. Their ultimate goal wasn''t to have water to drink but to escape from their current predicament. Unfortunately, the Narwhale''s fuel storage was running low, too.


    Burning fuel for fresh water was akin to a desperate barter of the hand to save the foot. Without fresh water, the crew would die of thirst, but without fuel, the Narwhale wouldn''t be able to move, and they would still have to face the same parched doom.


    "So...should we...?" Bandages'' voice sounded from the kitchen doorway.


    The atmosphere in the kitchen instantly tensed at his words as a palpable gloom settled over the room. Lily seemed startled, her ears trembling ever so slightly.


    Charles offered no response and turned to walk out of the kitchen door. Bandages silently followed after him.


    Reaching the deste deck, Charles peered into the inky dark expanse ahead. The surrounding darkness was suffocating like a colossal lid sealing their demise.


    "Even if we swap all our fuel for fresh water, we can onlyst up to 16 days. Without any more water, we can probably survive another three. The likelihood of finding an ind within 19 days is too low..." Charles muttered under his breath as he gazed at the dark waters.


    "You... have yet to...answer my...question."


    A look of reluctance appeared on Charles'' countenance. However, it seemed like this was the only solution under these pressing circumstances.


    "Can you tell me what''s the oue of that method? Can God Fhtagn instantaneously teleport our ship back to the docks of Hope Ind?" Charles asked, his voiceced with a hint of skepticism.


    "The Great One... will ept our gifts... His servants... will guide the way..."


    Charles tightened his grip on the ship''s railings. He was just wasting a question. He hadn''t dared to ask the most crucial question: There were ten of them aboard; who would be this gift?


    As if sensing Charles'' inner thoughts, Bandages broke the silence. "I...have chosen the targets... The cook... Linda... and another sailor... We can wait... for them... to fall asleep... in the night... before we act."


    "There''s no need," Charles instructed. His brows were furrowed together in deep contemtion. He didn''t want to act on this solution unless it was absolutely imperative.


    The lives of the crew weighed heavily on his shoulders. Charles parted his lips to speak but closed them again without being able to say a word. As he was hesitating, a trembling low hum traveled from the distance.


    "There''s something ahead. I''ll go steer." Charles turned and made his way to the bridge. Even till the end, he left Bandages'' question unanswered.


    The Narwhale slowly shifted and avoided the unseen obstacle. She continued its aimless drift on the dark waters.


    Dark circles hung under Charles'' eyes. He hardly slept a wink in recent days. And he could feel that the symptoms in his mind had returned.


    He knew they were at a critical juncture where he had to make the decision: to offer the sacrifice or not. If they dyed any longer, they would be trapped at sea for eternity.


    The crew stood in line on the deck as they watched First Mate Bandages drawing a mysterious circle on the deck with his own blood.


    An indescribable mix of emotions painted their faces. They didn''t need to ask; they understood what was going to happen.


    Charles''s gaze swept over their faces, meeting eyes that swiftly turned away. His lips felt as though they weighed tons.


    The strange low hum sounded again from afar.


    Charles raised his hand. The Narwhale understood the instructions and shifted her course slightly.


    Just as Charles was about to deliver the harsh news to his crew, his pupils suddenly widened in realization as a sense of familiarity washed over him. He turned his head in the direction of the sound.


    "Wait, perhaps there''s another way after all!" A trace of excitement crept onto Charles'' face.


    The crew hurriedly returned to their posts as the Narwhale''s propeller churned, and the vessel steered toward the source of the sound.


    The white mist ahead parted, and a circr mountain-like structure appeared before them. The immense size sent a shiver through everyone whoid their eyes on it.


    Lily was so frightened that she even retreated into Charles'' coat pocket. Peeking just her eyes out of the pocket, she squeaked, "Mr. Charles. Let''s leave now. We need to leave! That''s a Divinity!"


    "No. That''s not a Divinity," Charles answered with confidence.


    As soon as his words fell, a spout of water erupted from the center of the mountain peak, and droplets of water descended for the first time upon the Narwhale''s deck.


    "That''s a Leviathan Whale, our hope of survival!" Charles announced with a newfound vigor. The whale''s colossal body was a treasure trove of blubber that could serve as a source of fuel. They just needed to capture it to solve their dire fuel supply.


    Just then, a giant fin descended upon the water''s surface, and the whale began its slow descent into the abyss.


    "Quick! Move! We can''t let it escape!" Charles shouted.


    <i>Boom! </i>A roar of cannon fire resonated through the air and sent a re that burst brightly upon impact with the whale''s back.


    Jolted by the st, the whale trembled violently as it let out a haunting cry that crescendoed into a vengeful pitch. Enraged by the projectile, it swished its gigantic tail and lunged at the Narwhale with the ferocity of a tempest.


    Up against a colossal fish that dwarfed the Narwhale, Charles dared not take on the attack directly. He swiftly spun the helm to steer the ship away from the whale''s destructive trajectory.


    Just as he thought that the Narwhale had narrowly dodged the assault, a giant tail whipped through the air and mmed against the ship with a resounding boom. The vessel rocked violently from the impact; her crew tossed into the air like rag dolls beforending on the deck with a thud.


    Apanied by creaks, the nk of the Narwhale caved inward.


    Disregarding the chaos, he clung to the wheel with a death grip to steady the ship from capsizing.


    "Lily, don''t stop! Keep at it!"


    The mice swiftly steadied themselves and scampered toward the deck cannons.


    The thundering sound of cannons soon rang out as a relentless bombardment descended upon the distant whale.


    It didn''t take long before the Leviathan Whale''s hide was marred by craters with blood gushing forth. However, the whale pressed on despite its battered and bloodied form. It opened its massive maw and let loose a deafening bellow that threatened to rend the very sky.

 Chapter 210. Skeletal Ship

    <h4>Chapter 210. Skeletal Ship</h4>


    The Leviathan Whale''s massive tail crashed down upon the water''s surface. Its battered form attempted to dive into the water and attack from below. However, it was toote for its descent.


    Cannonfire rang out once more, unceasing and relentless, until the cannons'' mouths glowed red-hot. Only then did Lily order her mice friends to cease fire.


    The mammoth form of the Leviathan Whale stretched across the surface of the water like a floating ind. Its mangled flesh and the blood flowing out of its wounds tainted the air with a pungent metallic stench.


    Expressions of awe and shock painted the crew''s faces as they stared at the whale in the distance. They struggled toprehend that their captain had so effortlessly vanquished such an immense creature.


    Charles had only taken decisive action because he remembered what Conor had once told him. Since Conor''s father had sessfully hunted Leviathan Whales, it suggested that the whale was nothing more than an ordinary animal in the sea and didn''t need to be feared.


    Charles slowly steered the Narwhale toward the whale. But as they drew close, the whale''s gigantic eye, which was the size of a small house, snapped open¡ªit wasn''t dead!


    The mammoth creature abruptly arched its back and lunged toward the Narwhale like a missile.


    Staring at the shadow overhead, Charles'' heartbeat raced at its fastest pace. If the whale''s bulk weightnded on them, that would spell doom for everyone aboard!


    "Engineers, overload the engines! Max speed! Hurry!"


    A deep red me belched from the Narwhale''s smokestacks as her speed tripled instantaneously.


    Despite their swift reaction and retreat, it was still a fraction of a second toote. While the ship''s center dodged the assault, the stern was not spared. The Leviathan Whale''s colossal form struck the Narwhale''s rear, pitching the ship upward in a precarious vertical tilt.


    Under Charles'' frantic maneuvering, the ship violently crashed back onto the water with a massive ssh and narrowly avoided capsizing.


    Panting heavily with a face drenched in cold sweat, Charles gasped for air. It had been a narrow escape. If they had been a hair slower, their ship would have capsized.


    He steadied himself and gave the helm a reassuring pat before trudging toward the chaotic mess at the stern. His gazended on the whale''s colossal form behind them.


    The hundred-meter Leviathan Whale floated silently on the water''s surface. It was motionless. The beast''sst desperate attack seemed to have drained its final vestiges of vitality.


    Charles was not the least afraid that the whale could stir again. After all, he had caught sight of the semi-solid, transparent fluid seeping through cracks in the creature¡¯s skull. And that was what he had been aiming for.


    By shifting that substance between its liquid and solid state, the Leviathan Whale could control its buoyancy to rise or dive.


    Blubber was a prized resource and was typically used as a lubricant in various industrial factories, while the residual oil would then be used as fuel for steamships. It pained Charles to think that such a luxurious material was about to be burned directly as fuel for their ship.


    The moment the oil left the whale''s body, it rapidly solidified into a whiterd-like mass. Charles instructed his crew to act with urgency to collect as much oil as they could manage. It would be their fuel and freshwater sources in the near future.


    After filling up the fuel storage to the brim, Charles even emptied a couple of cabins to store even more of the candle-like, ivory blocks of whale oil. Soon enough, the entire ship was filled with the strong, unique odor of blubber.


    "Does your God Fhtagn take offerings like this?" Charlesmented jovially as he kicked at the Leviathan Whale''s corpse.


    Bandages responded to Charles''ment with silence. He continued to carry the blubber into the ship''s cabins.


    After almost emptying the whale''s entire brain cavity for its valuable oil. Charlesmanded his crew to sail away from the carcass.


    "Mr. Charles, there''s so much meat though. It''s such a waste to leave it all behind," Lily suddenly remarked. There was no mistaking the tinge of regret in her voice.


    Charles patted her on the head with a smile. "Don''t feel bad about it. We can''t possibly drag such a massive corpse along with us, can we? The strong stench of blood could attract unnecessary trouble. Come, let''s go make some fresh water."


    In the galley, Charles let out a sigh of relief as he watched the crew jovially squabbling over the umted distilled water. They had avoided a crisis¡ªfor now.


    <i>June 13, 12th Year of Crossing Over, Clear Weather</i>


    <i>It''s Day 37 at sea today. We are still adrift in the Southern Seas.</i>


    <i>Thankfully, we are no longer facing an immediate supply crisis.</i>


    <i>The blubber from a Leviathan Whale shouldst the Narwhale for at least three months if we use it sparingly.</i>


    The tentacle in my mind hasn''t stirred for a long while now. I''m worried. Anna said if it disappeared, I would end up in my illusionary dream again. I hope I can endure until then.


    As a series of harsh coughs erupted from his throat, Charles was forced to stop writing. He ced his pen down and reached a hand into his mouth.


    In a swift motion, he peeled away arge swathe of mucous membrane


    The numerous ulcers within his mouth cavity were tormenting, but he had no great solution at the moment. This was just the beginning of a vitamin deficiency. If he couldn''t think of a way to replenish their vitamins, scurvy woulde next.


    He had considered harvesting some seaweed, but the thought of the myriad of bizarre creatures underwater had him thinking of employing that strategy as ast resort.


    He had no idea how long their life adrift at sea wouldst, but he was no longer panicking. No matter how hard the path ahead, he was determined to find his way back.


    Suddenly, a horn''s wail echoed through the air. Charles snapped to attention and hurried toward the deck. He recognized the sound to be a signal of alert.


    The moment he reached the deck, he saw a skeletal ship swiftly sailing past the Narwhale''s port side.


    Before he could even ponder over the power source of such a vessel, seven to eight giant worms surfaced before it. Thick chains had bound each worm to the ship''s skeleton frame.


    Charles swiftly regained hisposure. Those were all secondary matters. The pressing matter at hand was whether they could escape their current predicament, and it all depended on this ship.


    The Narwhale sounded a bellow and immediately attracted the attention of the skeletal ship. As the skeletal ship inched toward them, Charles could finally discern the stark difference between his ship and theirs.


    The ship towered over them, its size rivaling that of the dead Leviathan Whale. Or rather, it would be more urate to say that the vessel was crafted from the skeletal remains of that colossal beast.


    Seven or eight giants, each towering nearly three meters tall, stood by the ship''s edge. Their gazes peered downward at the Narwhale below.


    Charles hurriedly recounted their plight and even promised a wealth of rewards in return for their assistance. However, these so-called Haikors remained indifferent to his pleas. One by one, they retreated from the ship''s edge.


    Panic washed over Charles. If they refused to provide aid, the sea might really be the grave of the Narwhale and her crew.


    Suddenly, a thought struck his mind. He fished out the box that Anna had sent to him. "My wife had made a deal with your tribesmen. Surely, you recognize this?"


    Indeed, the box worked its magic. Among the crowd, a giant with a red pointed hat atop his head spoke, "Follow our ship. We will take you to the Shattered Heart Isles."


    A wave of tion surged through Charles. They were finally out of their dire circumstances. "Thank you, mate. We are really lucky to have met you. Otherwise, we would have perished at sea."


    "You are not as fortunate as you believe yourself to be. A presence under the water has drawn us here," one of the towering figures replied.


    "A presence under the water?" Charles echoed.

 Chapter 211. Shattered Heart Isles

    <h4>Chapter 211. Shattered Heart Isles</h4>


    The Narwhale swayed gently as she sailed forward. Standing on the deck, Charles gazed at the hazy lights in the distance. A weary yet relieved smile appeared on his countenance. Despite all the hardship, they had finally arrived at the Shattered Heart Isles.


    "All praise...to the Great One...for His protection... His servants... saved us..." Bandages mumbled and went down on his knees. With devout faith, he bowed solemnly toward the sea.


    Meanwhile, Linda pressed her hands against the white triangle on her forehead and muttered her own prayers. Clearly, she had her own interpretation of the entity who had saved them from their crisis.


    However, Charles felt that it was no divine intervention. The giants had mentioned that something in the water had drawn them to the Narwhale.


    Moreover, it was something that swam swiftly in the waters, and it managed to hide its identity from the giants. Whatever it was, Charles was certain it was no messenger of any god. After all, the gods of the Subterranean Seascape were never known for their benevolence.


    As the Narwhale inched toward the shore, Charles finally understood why it was called the Shattered Heart Isles.


    Unlike any ind they had encountered before, this location wasn''t a singlendform. It consisted of multiple smaller inds, each resembling fragments of a shattered ceramic te.


    The Narwhale entered a shipyard; her battered form was in urgent need of repair.


    The shipyard of Shattered Heart Isles was strikingly different from any other. The most notable feature was its enormous scale. Not only was the shipyard muchrger in size, but everything¡ªthe chairs, tables, blueprints, and even the various machines¡ªwas nearly twice asrge as normal. Even the people as well!


    Thankfully, whether it was the bone-hoisting dockworkers or the blueprint-wielding engineers, they paid no attention to Charles and his crew. The crew''s anxious hearts were slightly eased.


    Inside the shipyard, the giants shed their robes and revealed their entire physiques. Beyond their towering height, they bore distinct features unlike that of typical humans. Their skin was a pale blue hue, and their chins jutted forward prominently. The eyebrows over their two eyes were joined together in a unibrow, giving them an ancient, almost Neanderthal-like appearance.


    Moreover, Charles noticed something else: the absence of machinery in the shipyard. The ce felt prehistoric and was a stark contrast to the technological advancements on other inds.


    As Charles observed the shipyard, a giant with a pencil tucked behind his ear approached. "Do you want to repair your ship?"


    "Yes," Charles answered. "Can you repair a steamship? It''s mainly the outer shell that needs fixing."


    The giant circled around the Narwhale before responding that repairing the steamship wouldn¡¯t be a problem. A standard repair session would take thirty days, but Charles could get his ship in five days if he opted for an expedited service.


    Of course, Charles decided on the expedited service. He certainly wouldn''t want to waste his time here. However, a problem arose when he had to put down the deposit. The giants neither epted bank checks nor Echo.


    Just as Charles was stuck in a tough spot, the Haikor shipwright mentioned that there was no need for him to worry since he had a solution in mind.


    Soon enough, the shipwright returned with a scrawny man trailing behind him.


    The man shed an unattractive grin; the gap between his lips exposed several missing teeth. "Hello, I''m Gordon. Don''t worry. I offer the best rates in the harbor district for the exchange of Echo into Goldkrons. I only charge a two percent conversion fee."


    "What''s a Goldkron?" Charles asked.


    "You don''t know? And you darede here to try and hit it big?" Gordon then produced a fist-size golden disc that resembled arge coin.


    "See this? The hard currency in this ce. The tall guys only deal with these. Echo is not in cirction here."


    Observing the intricate patterns on the golden coin, Charles wanted a closer looker when Gordon swiftly pocketed it once again. "So, do you want to exchange?"


    Charles'' gaze shifted from the coin onto Gordon''s face. With a calm look, he inquired, "You live on this ind?"


    "Of course. Not only do I live on these inds, but I was also born here. I know the Shattered Heart Isles like the back of my hand. If you need supplies whatsoever, you can count on me. I have connections for everything." Gordon boasted with an air of confidence.


    Charles pondered for a brief moment and answered, "I can do an exchange. But I''m not familiar with this ind, so I''ll need you to be my guide. I''ll pay you three hundred thousand Echo for the job."


    Hearing Charles'' words, Gordon couldn''t hide the joy lighting up his visage. "No¡ªnot a problem at all! Esteemed sir, please bring out your Echo; we can do the exchange on the spot."


    As Charles'' crew brought out chests of Echo, one after another, Gordon''s face lit up with unmistakable, growing excitement. He swiftly exchanged the chests of Echo for Goldkrons, and the Haikor shipwrights immediately got to work.


    Charles watched them hoist the Narwhale onto the ship bridge with chains before he stepped out of the ce with a visibly excited Gordon.


    The harbor district was right outside the shipyard. Just like the shipyard, everything in sight was massive, leaving the crew awestruck with wonder. Standing on the streets, they felt like they had entered thend of giants.


    Taking in the appearance of these massive buildings, an odd sensation stirred in Charles. Soon enough, he recognized where it stemmed from.


    The architecture here was far more primitivepared to his own Hope Ind. If the inds in the Northern Seas were at the technological level of the 18th or 19th century, Shattered Heart Isles were several centuries behind without any trace of industrialization.


    "Sir, this way, please. I''ll bring you to an inn first," Gordon proposed.


    "Are there many humans on this ind?" Charles inquired.


    "Several thousand, at least. The Haikor Tribe still needs to maintain interaction with the outside world, after all," Gordon said as he smiled and nodded at the passing giants, even though they ignored his friendly gestures.


    As Charles strolled through the orderly environment, a surreal feeling washed over him. Was this really the extremely dangerous ce Elizabeth had warned him about?


    Elizabeth described the Haikors to be repulsive lunatics¡ªa group even more fanatical than the disciples of the Divine Light Order or the Fhtagn Covenant.


    However, Charles noted that there was nothing overtly unusual about them aside from their tall stature and slightly aloof expressions. Even the harbor district was much cleaner than other inds he had visited.


    Wanting to know more, Charles asked Gordon about the Haikor Tribe.


    Gordon was quick to respond. "Well... there are indeed rumors that they''re a hybrid of humans and the native inhabitants. But who cares whether it''s true or not? It doesn''t affect us. We just want to make money, and that''s all that really matters."


    "Dangerous? Nonsense. They''ve been interacting with humans for hundreds of years without any major incidents. And they¡¯re mostly vegetarian.


    ¡±You outsiders really shouldn''t judge others based on their appearances. Of course, don''t walk too close to them, or they might identally step on you."


    "Their religion? I''m not too sure. It''s a chaotic mess. But I feel that they aren''t deeply devout to their gods anyway."


    "Previously, there was this guy who identally smashed the statue of one of their gods. If it was any other religion, he could forget about making it out alive.


    ¡±However, these tall folks simply charged him double to rece the statue. They bought a new one and resumed their prayers as if nothing happened."


    With each answer Gordon provided, Charles gained a new level of understanding of the Haikor Tribe. With their mysterious veil lifted, his wariness towards the towering inhabitants lessened considerably.


    Indeed, if they were truly the lunatics Elizabeth imed, they couldn''t have built such an orderly city.

 Chapter 212. The Prophet

    <h4>Chapter 212. The Prophet</h4>


    Soon enough, Gordon led Charles and his crew through a bustling alley. The human presence was notably more pronounced. It seemed as though this was their entertainment hub. There were inns, bars, brothels and casinos.


    As they passed by a brothel that emitted a thick perfume fragrance, a perverted smirk crept onto Gordon''s face. "Friend, would you like to try the specialty of the Shattered Heart Isles?"


    "What specialty?" Charles asked.


    "What else?" Gordon let out a chuckle. "Obviously, the women of the Haikor Tribe. Imagine boasting in the bars about having fucked a three-meter-tall woman. All men would look up to you in admiration!"


    Charles covered Lily''s ears almost instantly. Unamused, he said, "Enough with the nonsense. Take us to the inn now. I''ve got important matters to attend to."


    Seeing that Charles had no intentions of entering the brothel, Gordon sighed in defeat and muttered, "You''ll regret turning down such a great chance."


    Soon, they arrive at a massive inn. Gordon energetically negotiated with the Haikor man who ran the ce. The man looked Charles and his crew up and down before handing Gordon several keys asrge as palms.


    "Let''s go. Here¡¯s the key," Gordon said and tapped on the table before turning to Charles."


    For their safety on foreignnd, Charles deliberately asked for just one suite so that quick assistance would be possible if anyone ran into an emergency.


    "Here, try this Shattered Heart Isles'' special gray tea," Gordon offered enthusiastically as he held a gigantic ss teapot in his hands. "It''s great for sailors just returning from sea."


    As the crew eagerly drank the tea, Charles turned to Gordon and nodded in approval. "You did well."


    "Well, you paid me for my services, so there''s no need to thank me. Please have some tea," Gordon replied and offered Charles a cup of the gray liquid.


    Charles simply looked down at the cup without drinking it. He asked, "Where''s the Prophet of the Haikor Tribe? Take me to him."


    He had sessfully arrived at the Shattered Heart Isles, so it was time for him to seek the Prophet to get rid of the Divinity''s Curses once and for all.


    Gordon¡¯s expression darkened upon hearing the word prophet. Regarding Charles with uncertainty, he carefully asked, "You¡¯re acquainted with the Prophet?"


    "No, but I came to seek their help."


    Gordon breathed a sigh of relief and settled down his cup. "That was such a scare. It''s easier that you don''t know the Prophet."


    As soon as Gordon''s words left his lips, the Narwhale''s crew members copsed to the floor.


    <i>ng!</i>


    The windows burst open, and a horde of menacing humans and Haikors jumped through, instantly surrounding Charles and hisrades.


    "Kid. Don''t trust strangers so easily next time, especially when you are in a foreign territory," Gordon gloated, his expression shifting to one of smug satisfaction as his cohorts filled the room. He recognized the cash cow before him and was certain that he had struck gold.


    The corners of Charles'' lips curved up into a slight smile, and a cold glint flickered across his eyes. He nudged Bandages, who was lying next to him, with his foot.


    Previously lying prone on the ground, the Narwhale''s crew members suddenly rose to their feet with emotionless expressions and brandished their weapons.


    A hint of disdain surfaced on Laesto''s countenance as he lifted his cup for another sip. "Such a strong scent of the herb, and to use it so tantly... Amateurs."


    With a roar, James grew into his erged form and lunged at their adversaries. In an instant, gunshots and screams echoed incessantly throughout the room.


    In less than a quarter of an hour, the chaos subsided. Gordon stood to the side; his face was as pale as a ghost as he watched the Narwhale''s crew members clean up the bodies. Even with no one standing before him or keeping him bound, he didn¡¯t dare to make even a single movement.


    <i>St!</i>


    Charles'' hand heavilynded on Gordon''s shoulder and sent a shudder through thetter''s body.


    "Take me to the Prophet," Charles instructed.


    Terrified to the bones, Gordon struggled to respond and eventually stuttered a word¡ªokay.


    Charles had his guard up ever since Gordon approached him. Warm greetings from strangers in unfamiliarnds usually bode ill.


    After leaving the inn, Gordon swiftly led Charles back to the docks and pointed to a parked boat in the distance.


    "The Prophet is on another ind. We need to take a boat over."


    All of a sudden, Charles kicked Gordon hard in the back and sent him sprawling to the ground. He lifted his revolver and fired several shots at Gordon''s left arm. Apanied by a brutal disy of exploding flesh and sttering blood, Gordon''s entire left arm was severed.


    Gordon let out a blood-curdling scream as he clutched his severed limb, and his entire body trembled violently. The next moment, his screams ceased as Charles pressed the gun barrel to his mouth.


    "If you are thinking of deceiving me again, you''re dead!" Charles warned, his eyes filled with thick, murderous intent as he met Gordon''s gaze.


    Gordon nodded frantically, in fear that Charles might pull the trigger if he reacted just a fraction of a second slower.


    The ship left the dock and ferried the crew toward another ind. The journey was short, and soon Charles arrived on a deste ind.


    Compared to the previous bustling atmosphere, this ind appeared rather empty. Apart from a massive, t-topped temple made of ck rocks in the distance, he spotted no other building.


    The Haikors he spotted were once again d in their tightly-concealing robes and wielded long spears. They stood guard around the temple like statues.


    "That''s where the Prophet is, but they won''t allow us entry. That''s the forbidden grounds here," Gordon exined as he pressed down on his wound.


    The next moment, Charles aimed his revolver at Gordon''s head and pulled the trigger.


    "I''ll be right back. Wait here," Charles instructed his crew and strode toward the distant square-shaped temple.


    As expected, the towering figures stopped him from advancing further. Staring at the towering figures with spears over five meters long before him, Charles took out the box again.


    The moment their eyesnded on the box, the Haikors sheathed their weapons and resumed ignoring Charles'' presence.


    Charles examined the box in his hands and inspected it from all angles. However, no matter how much he turned the box, it still looked like an ordinary wooden box to him. He couldn''tprehend why the Haikors had disyed such a huge change in attitude upon seeing it.


    He ascended the smooth steps and entered the ck rock temple.


    Contrary to Charles'' expectations, the room was bathed in a deep, blood-red hue. The color was so intense that it made Charles'' eyes ache after a while. The interior was minimalistic; there was a pool at the center, and numerous red candles encircled it.


    Suddenly, a stark naked Haikor woman emerged from the pool. She was unlike the other Haikors Charles had encountered. Her body was etched with twisting, long tattoos.


    She approached Charles and took the box in his hand. She then walked back to the pool and poured some of the powder within the box into the water.


    "The Prophet awaits you below," she said before kneeling on the floor. Those were her first andst words, as she didn¡¯t speak anymore.


    An unsettling anxiety rose in Charles as he observed the bizarre scene. It seemed like she was asking him to jump into the pool.


    However, who knew whaty beneath it? In his mind, he had imagined the Prophet to be an old man with long white hair. But now, he wasn''t quite sure whether the Prophet was human or something else entirely.


    After a brief moment of contemtion, Charlesid his wariness aside and approached the pool. He hadplete trust in Anna. If she said there was a solution to his problem, then she certainly wouldn''t harm him.


    There was a ssh as Charles jumped into the pool.


    The moment he entered the water, he opened his eyes to survey his surroundings but saw nothing. Before he became confused, however, a shimmer of colors glimmered below him.


    Swirls of rainbow hues floated up toward him, but for some reason, they reminded him of a collection of deceased rainbows.


    It was only when they drew closer that Charles realized that they were semi-transparent, multicolored jellyfish.


    As Charles pondered over the strange happenings, an ethereal voice sounded in his mind.


    "Hello, Charles. I have been waiting for you for a long time. Don''t need to stare elsewhere; I am these jellyfish."


    <i>The Prophet was a bloom of jellyfish?!</i>


    Charles parted his lips to speak, but the air escaping from his mouth instantly turned into bubbles that floated up the surface.

 Chapter 213. The Cure

    <h4>Chapter 213. The Cure</h4>


    <i>"You don''t have to speak out loud. Just think; I can hear you,"</i> an ethereal voice echoed in Charles'' mind. As Charles floated amidst the colorful, translucent jellyfish swirling around him, he couldn''t help but be overwhelmed in astonishment.


    <i>"These jellyfish are all me. Your surprise is shared. You''re neither the first nor will you be thest to react this way,"</i> the voice continued. The glowing jellyfish then gathered together to form the hazy silhouette of a round face with feminine features.


    Despite his shock, Charles had been hardened by his many experiences. He swiftlyposed himself. The reason the Haikors worshiped these jellyfish as their Prophet was of no concern to him. He was here purely to get the information he needed.


    Staring at the jellyfish for a brief moment, Charles carefully chose his words before he posed his question. <i>"My wife said that you have a way to break the Divinity''s Curse?"</i>


    <i>"No, no, no. I don''t have a way to break it,"</i> the voice answered instantly. <i>"However, I do know of an existence that can resolve your troubles. Just go to it. And you are one lucky man. All these years, I''ve never seen someone survive after being cursed by both Teluning and Edikth."</i>


    <i>Teluning and Edikth?</i> Charles pondered over the two names. This was the first time he heard of the Divinities'' names. Moreover, the Jellyfish Prophet seemed to possess a deep knowledge of them.


    Memories of receiving the two powerful curses shed through his mind. One was when he first arrived in this world and witnessed a colossal eye as vast as a football field. The other was from the chaotic vision of a semi-transparent hand that wasrge enough to grasp a gigantic butterfly.


    He had no idea which of these entities was Teluning or Edikth, but he knew that both were formidable enough to drive a sane man mad with just a nce.


    <i>"Are you familiar with them? Have you seen them?"</i> Charles asked another question.


    <i>"No, no. Jellyfish have no organs meant for sight. We can''t see. Also, I would advise against looking at them directly; it''s not a great idea. We have the special ability to sense what they emit involuntarily.</i>


    <i>¡±Those things are much like the air humans exhale. Hmm? You bear Fhtagn''s Mark, too? How interesting... The average human usually doesn¡¯t get such treatment."</i>


    Charles frowned at the Prophet''s words and instinctively touched the tattoo on his neck. The jellyfish possessed vast knowledge. It was no wonder the Haikor Tribe regarded them as their Prophet.


    Suddenly, a thought struck his mind. If the Prophet knew about the Divinities, it might also know the location of the surface''s exit! His heart raced at the possibility.


    After Charles posed the question, the colorful human head in the water rapidly morphed into a rainbow dolphin. After it circled him a few times, the ethereal voice echoed in his mind again.


    <i>"In the passage of time, many have asked me the same question. The most recent one is a Dioite. And yes, she paid for your inquiry."</i>


    <i>Anna was here?! </i>Charles hurriedly asked, <i>"And what was your answer?"</i>


    <i>"My answer has always been the same: I do not know and do not wish to know. I do not wish to witness such a cmity again."</i>


    Before Charles could even attempt another question, the dolphin suddenly dispersed and reverted into a group of flickering jellyfish. A fluorescent blue jellyfish brushed past him and left a sting on his cheek.


    <i>"Charles, you¡¯ve asked enough questions. It''s time for you to leave,"</i> the ethereal voice sounded.


    Anxiety rose within Charles. He had yet to ask the solution to breaking the Divinity''s Curses!


    <i>"I can''t directly tell you the location, or it will be alert. However, I can guide you to it. When you find it, state your request. I''ve taken care of its trouble for you; you won''t run into any danger."</i>


    Suddenly, a bone-chilling cold jolted him, and a stifling sensation overwhelmed him. His eyes shot wide open, and he found himself suspended in pitch-ck seawater.


    The jellyfish were nowhere to be seen. The icy seawater entered his mouth, and his consciousness was slowly fading out. He was on the brink of dying from suffocation!


    Charles burst from the pool with a ssh, crashing onto the blood-red floor with a resounding thud. Soaked and disoriented, his body acted on pure survival instinct and coughed up the seawater he had swallowed.


    The naked Haikor woman from earlier knelt next to him and gently patted him on the back with her massive hand that spanned over half a meter long.


    Gradually, Charles'' mind returned to normal. He shook his head to expel the water from his ears.


    The giant woman said, "You''ve been down there for too long. The Prophet usually doesn''t keep visitors for too long of a duration."


    Charles wiped off the remnants of the seawater on his lips. He struggled to stand up and walked toward the pool. The Prophet had yet to answer his question. However, when he reached the pool, he realized that it was empty and was reced by a dark, ck hole.


    Just then, Charles suddenly turned around to walk out of the scarlet hall. Strangely, he felt a mysterious pull from a distant location. He couldn''t exin this feeling; it felt as though an internal GPS had been activated in his brain.


    Charles then turned and regarded the deep hole with a look of astonishment. Recalling the Prophet''s words earlier, he realized that he already had the answer he sought. That was the direction he needed to follow to break the Divinity''s Curses.


    He acknowledged the Haikor woman with a nod before he left the crimson room. As he descended the temple steps, his crew members swarmed around him as they bombarded him with questions of concern.


    "All right, I''m fine. We''ve achieved our goal. Now, we just need to reach the next coordinates to consider this voyage a sess," Charles spoke with a sense of ease. He trusted the jellyfish that it wouldn''t lie. Anna seemed to have met with it and had also struck a deal with it.


    Charles and his crew returned to the bustling port. Of course, they wouldn''t return to their previous lodging. Without getting a guide, Charles directly led his crew to thergest inn in the area.


    The towering innkeeper paid no extra attention to Charles'' request and treated him and his crew just like any other regr guest.


    To avoid any further trouble, Charles and his party stayed exclusively in the inn for the next five days. Apart from the two Haikor police officers who came in to briefly talk to them, they didn''t interact with anyone.


    It was ironic that in a foreignnd, other species were actually much safer than their own kind.


    Charles entered the vast shipyard with his crew in tow. The moment they entered, they were greeted by the sight of the Narwhale dangling beneath the ship bridge.


    The dented hull had been mended, and the damaged stern was reced with a mix of rugged white bones and crude timber. Despite the stylistically mismatchedponents, the ship looked evidently robust.


    <i>HOOOOOOONK!</i>


    The Narwhale let out a deep horn st as if cheering at Charles'' arrival. A slight smile appeared on Charles'' visage as he patted the ship affectionately. "Old buddy, don''t worry. We''re back."

 Chapter 214. Destination

    <h4>Chapter 214. Destination</h4>


    In the safe house of Whereto''s Governor''s Mansion, Margaret sped her hands to her chest as the incessant roar of cannon fire sounded from the direction of the docks.


    With each deafening st, an involuntary tremble coursed through her. Her father and brother were fighting there. Every explosion could mean their demise.


    "What can I do? What can I do to help them?" Margaret muttered with tears threatening to spill. Her anxiety and fear were near breaking point.


    Her mother, Kalytha, grabbed her hands and guided her to sit.


    "Don''t worry. Your father will handle this. We need to trust him. He is one of the greatest governors of Whereto, after all."


    "Mother, why would the governor of Albion Isles attack us?" Margaret asked.


    Kalytha let out a silent sigh. "It''s a matter between men. Who can say for sure?"


    As the two women waited anxiously, the bombardment outside gradually ceased. Escorted by servants, Margaret followed her mother out of the safe house and returned to theirvish mansion.


    Soon after, Margaret saw her father, Daniel, and her brother, Jack, descend from a car.


    Staring at their battle injuries and weary expressions, Margaret wanted to rush toward them but halted when she noticed more individuals¡ªthe ind''s administration¡ªalighting from the other vehicles. Everyone had grim expressions, and they all followed her father into the office.


    Soon enough, the familiar roars of her father and the sound of fists mming on tables resonated from within the office.


    It continued for two whole hours before the doors flung open, and the attendees rapidly dispersed.


    After making sure that everyone had left, Margaret dashed in.


    "Father! Brother! Are you alright?" she asked, her voiceced with apparent concern.


    Jack took a puff of the cigar in his hand and replied in an irritated tone, "Of course we are. Would we be here otherwise?"


    Kalytha entered the room and approached her husband to gentlyy a hand on his clenched fist. "Why don''t you and Jack stay behind in the next battle? Other governors don''t risk themselves as you do."


    Daniel''s voice boomed like a loud trumpet, "I don''t care what others do! The Cavendish''s creed must not be vited! A Cavendish man must be on the front line! What good is a governor if he cowers from death!"


    Kalytha''s worried gazended on her son before she turned back to her husband. "Is it all over then?"


    Daniel shook his head. "Impossible. That Albion dog actually dared tounch a surprise attack on the port. This is war! No way it''s going to end just like that!


    "Why would they attack for no reason? We didn''t even provoke them," Kalytha asked.


    A cold sneer appeared on Daniel''s face. "My spies had gathered intelligence. Ever since that dog acquired industrial technology from the Divine Light Order three years ago, his navy''sbat power has increased significantly. He''s obviously aiming to outdo me and monopolize the entire Northern Seas."


    "Is there no way to resolve this? What about negotiating peace? We can give up our position as the overlord of the north region," Kalytha proposed, her face painted with worry.


    "Woman! Stop meddling in men''s affairs with your ignorant ideas. Is this the time for peace talks? It''s clear that he intends to break the strongest opposition first so that the smaller governors will obediently submit to him.¡±


    "Can''t you keep your volume down a little? I''m just worried about you," Kalytha''s voice softened in aggrievement.


    Standing by the side, Margaret watched her parents'' conversation with a mix of sadness and frustration on her visage. Troubles seemed to follow one after anothertely with no respite.


    Suddenly, she felt a searing pain at the tip of her little finger and quickly withdrew her hand. She realized that her elder brother had burned her with his cigar.


    Jack motioned with his mouth toward the door and exited the room.


    "What do you want?" Margaret asked as she stepped out.


    Jack attempted to put an arm around his sister, but Margaret shrugged it off immediately.


    "Come on, you aren''t upset, are you? I admit I was a little anxious and gave you attitude earlier, but please show some more understanding to my predicament," Jack tried to reason with Margaret.


    "I''m not upset. It''s my fault. I shouldn''t have acted impulsively and run back," Margaret answered in a somber tone, her head lowered, and her gaze fixated on her toes.


    "Well~ As long as you''re not upset. I need your help with something."


    Margaret looked up at her brother and instantly knew what he wanted her to do.


    "It''s useless," Margaret remarked. "He doesn''t even remember me. Charles won''t help us."


    "I know better whether it would be useful or not. Sometimes, it takes a man to know another man. The Governor of Hope Ind has more influence than you think. Just do as I say.¡±


    Margaret pondered for a brief moment before she nodded in agreement, "I can agree to your request, but I have my conditions. I''m tired of waiting in the rear. Teach me how to fight, how to battle! I want to fight for the Cavendish name as well!"


    Jack stared at his sister''s peerless beauty for a few seconds before he took a puff of his cigar. He then wrapped his strong arm around her slender neck and shook it gently. "Not bad! You''re a true blue Cavendish, indeed! Let''s protect our home together!"


    ***


    Charles was lying on the bed in the pilothouse of the Narwhale. He clutched his head in agony as the ceiling above him began to warp and twist. It was happening again.


    Not only did he have to deal with visual and auditory hallucinations, but sharp, sporadic pains shot through his brain every so often during such episodes.


    Beside him, Laesto sat on a stool and sipped from his tin sk. He showed zero concern for Charles'' distress.


    "I wasn''t part of your previous treatment. Using medication recklessly might cause unintended side effects. You''ll have to endure it."


    Charles closed his eyes to avoid the distorted visionpletely.


    "Bandages," Charles called out. "Turn five degrees to the left and advance at full speed. I can feel that we''re getting close."


    Manning the helm, Bandages silently carried out the captain''smand.


    Laesto pressed down on a bulging vein on Charles'' forehead. "Can you really navigate in this condition? Are you sure you are not leading us to get lost at sea again?"


    "Shut up!" Charles snapped back furiously with his eyes still closed. A harsh tone like this was so rare that it made Bandages wonder if the crazed version of Charles had returned again.


    Silence engulfed the cabin instantly, save for the ticking of a quartz clock on the wall.


    As he faded in and out of consciousness, Charles lost track of the time until suddenly, the excruciating pain in his brain ceased. He opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings to notice Laesto and Bandages staring out of the ss window.


    "What happened? Have we arrived?" Charles asked as he climbed out of bed and joined them.


    The silhouette of a brightly litndmass emerged in the distance amidst the dark sea expanse.


    "Captain...Is this... the ce?" Bandages asked.


    Charles nodded in excitement. "Yes, this is it! The solution to breaking the Divinity''s Curses is on this ind."


    At least, that was what the GPS in his mind was telling him.


    The Narwhale soon approached the ind. It was a strangend with not a single vessel in sight at the dock. Not even a fishing boat.


    The crew dropped anchor and disembarked. As soon as they stepped ashore, they immediately noticed the harbor''s odd atmosphere. The portcked the usual bustle and unsavory establishments.


    Instead of the typical seafarer trifecta of brothels, bars, and gambling dens, there were atypical buildings¡ªtheaters, circuses, and doll shops.


    Charles even spotted a jewelry store that wasvishly decorated.


    Opening a jewelry shop in the harbor district? Are they trying to donate to the poor?


    Compared to the out-of-ce infrastructure, the ind''s inhabitants were just as odd.


    Lily, now dyed orange, scratched her fluffy cheek with her tiny paw and remarked, "Mr. Charles, they... they all look sozy."

 Chapter 215. Mr. Tree

    <h4>Chapter 215. Mr. Tree</h4>


    Charles and his crew were presented with the sight of a group of seven or eight men with different appearances lounging idly on the hard stone bs of the pier.


    They were engrossed in their own activities. Some were drinking, while others were ying cards. However, they all shared one thing inmon¡ªthere was a contented and rxed smile on their faces.


    Judging from their attire, they were probably seafarers, yet strangely, there wasn''t a single boat in sight.


    Audric took a step forward and sniffed the air. "Captain, they''re definitely human. I can smell it. But something''s off about their mental state. There might be something wrong with this ind."


    Even without his vampire sailor''s reminder, Charles had also noticed the odd behavior. Typically, those living in the harbor district were poor and hustled daily in order to survive. If they were to spend their dayszing around, they would have died from starvation long ago.


    "Stay alert, everyone. Don''t let your guard down. No matter what''s the issue with the inhabitants here, we''ll proceed with our usual procedure of exploring unknown inds," Charles instructed.


    The crew nodded in affirmation and brandished their weapons. They were veterans of many voyages and disyed not a hint of panic despite the peculiar scene before them.


    No matter how odd the inhabitants were, they were still humans. They couldn''t be more dangerous than those creatures on unexplored inds, could they?


    "Hey! Are you here to see Mr. Tree?" a man with a long beard shouted out cheerfully as he picked at his toes.


    Before Charles could respond, the man continued, "Head to the center of the ind. That big tree there, that''s it. It''ll help you."


    Charles'' brows furrowed together, and he cast a wary nce at the man before he continued on his way with his crew in tow.


    As soon as they left the dock area, they noticed more people sitting along the streets. Their behavior was simr to those they encountered earlier but on a muchrger and... <i>expressive</i> scale.


    Perched on Charles'' shoulder, Lily''s eyes widened in surprise, and her jaw dropped as she stared at the intertwined naked bodies engaged in lewd acts. Charles quickly grasped her and ced her into his coat pocket.


    <i>I hope the Prophet was not lying about having resolved the dangers here. This ce doesn''t seem safe, no matter how I look at it. </i>Charles thought as he led his crew ahead with caution.


    They followed along the spacious street toward the center of the ind. As they walked past the infrastructure with varying appearances, the crew stared at their strange surroundings in astonishment.


    Just like the shops at the dock, the buildings further ind feltpletely out of ce, too.


    The ind''syout followed no urban nning logic. There was nomon construction material for the buildings; neither was there any noticeable pattern to the arrangement of various shop types. They even spotted a bar sandwiched between two restrooms.


    There were buildings made of wood and some of stone. Charles also saw one particrly striking vi made of gray-white coral rock. It stood out to him as he had only seen such architecture on the Coral Archipgo, where they had abundant coral rock for construction.


    The further ind they ventured, the behavior of the inders gradually appeared more normal. They were trading, working, and dining like normal people. However, they wore the same serene smiles on their faces. And their eerily simr rxed smiles sent a chill down everyone''s spines.


    Fortunately, the ind''s inhabitants paid no attention to the vignt crew. They continued with their own activities.


    After walking for half a day, Charles and his group finally arrived at the ind''s heart. Diverging from the norm of other inds that typically housed a Governor''s Mansion in the middle of the ind, a colossal moss-covered elephant tree towered over thirty meters tall here.


    Just as Charles was feeling hesitant about approaching the tree, an elderly man who was reading a newspaper in a rocking chair by the side spoke, "Looking for Mr. Tree? Go ahead, hug it. Mr. Tree will fulfill all your requests."


    "Hug it?" Charles asked as a puzzled look appeared on his face. "Did all of you hug it before?"


    "Of course. Why else would youe here?"


    Looking at the man''s contented smile, Charles'' heart skipped a beat. It seemed that this giant tree was the key to breaking the Divinity''s Curses. However, his instincts screamed a stark warning of danger.


    After a brief moment of contemtion, Charles instructed his crew to tie a rope around his waist and to pull him away from the tree immediately if anything unusual were to happen. To prevent any sort of mind control that might cause him to attack his ownrades, Charles even handed all his relics to his crew.


    After making sure all preparations wereplete, Charles turned his gaze back onto the tree. He took a deep breath and wrapped his hands around the mossy trunk of the gigantic tree.


    The delicate chime of a bell resonated next to his ears. Then, a voice sounded from the leaf canopy.


    "Request?"


    Realizing that the giant tree was capable ofmunication, Charles was slightly relieved. However, it did not mean that the tree was not dangerous. Still, it soothed the unease in him just a little.


    "I need to break the Divinity''s Curses on me. I was told you could help," Charles said.


    "Okay."


    The next second, Charles felt his perception changing, and his surroundings dramatically transformed. It was different from the malignant visual hallucinations caused by the curse; rather, it was a fundamental change in vision, as if his eyes had suddenly received an upgrade and had evolved.


    Currently, Charles could see his own body, every inch of his skin, and the flesh and blood beneath it. Then, he saw some kind of non-matter floating out of his body. It was a boiling mass of ck substance interspersed with threads.


    The bizarre matter began to peel away from his body and drifted far away.


    Charles pivoted to watch where the unknown matter floated toward, and he realized that there were no limits to his sight; he could see thousands of kilometers away.


    Then, his vision halted thousands of kilometers away when he saw <i>something</i> chilling.


    It was a spindle-shaped mass of flesh, but he struggled to find the words to describe it. It didn''t seem to be entirely solid and appeared to be shrouded under a watercolor filter.


    Yellow eyes of various sizes covered the entirety of the trembling mass of flesh. Between these eyes, distorted mouths dripping with ck viscous fluid jostled and roared incessantly.


    Suddenly, one of the eyes on the <i>thing</i> turned and met Charles'' gaze. That yellow iris was hauntingly familiar... A memory struck him¡ªit was the Divinity he had encountered upon arriving in this strange world!


    The instant the eyended on him, Charles felt his body liquefy into water. In unimaginable agony, his liquified form dispersed and spread across the ground.


    Charles wanted to avert his gaze, but he couldn''t even manage a blink. A change was happening in his consciousness, and his mind was flooded with incessant, indescribable whispers.


    Just as he felt like his sanity was at its breaking point, a beam of soft white light shot at him. His nearly shattered consciousness rapidly turned into a blur.

 Chapter 216. Comfort Zone

    <h4>Chapter 216. Comfort Zone</h4>


    He wasn''t sure how much time had passed when Lily''s worried voice sounded in his ears. It sounded hazy at first, but it grew clearer as time went on.


    "Mr. Charles, Mr. Charles, are you okay? Please wake up; you''re scaring me."


    Charles'' mind was a blur, but he soon came to his senses upon hearing Lily''s voice. He opened his eyes and saw the canopy of a big tree above him. He looked around and found that his crew members had surrounded him and were staring at him worriedly.


    "Look at my hand; how many fingers am I putting up?" The cold-faced Laesto held up two fingers and waved them in front of Charles.


    Charles struggled to sit up. He was about to say something when he abruptly froze and muttered, "Why did wee here?"


    Laesto cast a doubtful gaze upon Charles. "Didn''t you say that there''s a way to eradicate the curses of the Divinity here? Have you lost your memories?"


    "Ah, right. I remember now," Charles pped his forehead and stood up. "I''m here to eradicate the curses of the Divinity."


    He had just stood up when he froze and went quiet. Charles had just discovered that a huge chunk of his memory was missing.


    He could still remember that he was from the surface world, but he could no longer remember what happened after the old captain had rescued him. It felt like a huge void had appeared in his brain.


    Likewise, he could no longer remember what happened after his fight against the giant butterfly. A massive chunk of his memory had gone missing as if an eraser had gone over it.


    Charles turned to look at the giant tree next to him, and that was when he understood¡ªthe giant tree had cast its ability on him and erased his memories of encountering the Divinities.


    <i>The Divinity''s Curses were broken just like that?</i>


    Charles turned to Laesto and said, "Doctor, help me check if there''s still something wrong with my brain."


    Laesto handed over a ball of smelly, viscous slime.


    Charles ate it and experienced nothing. It felt like he had just eaten an ordinary piece of jelly.


    Laesto examined the giant tree next to them. He sounded surprised as he said, "It actually did it? There''s actually an existence that can break the Divinity''s Curses?"


    The reality finally struck Charles upon hearing Laesto''s words, but it still felt too surreal. He couldn''t quite believe that the curses of the Divinity that had been following him for over a decade now were finally gone.


    Charles wasn''t sure whether it was just an illusion or not, but he felt like his mind had be much clearer than before.


    "Hahaha! Let''s go! We''re going to celebrate!" An overjoyed Charles rushed into one of the ind''s most luxurious restaurants. His crew members followed suit.


    "Mr. Charles, do we really have to eat to celebrate?" Lily asked while holding a fork.


    "That''s just how celebrations are done on the surface." Charles ruffled Lily''s furry head.


    A variety of dishes were soonid out on the table. Charles couldn''t recognize some of the dishes, but they all looked very tempting.


    Charles picked up a knife and fork before skillfully cutting himself a piece of what looked like a tender steak in front of him. The meat was covered in a glistening ck sauce, and Charles'' eyes widened when the meat finally entered his mouth.


    Charles wasn''t someone with a discerning pte, but he still couldn''t help but be awed by the taste of the steak. It wasn''t strange at all. It was his first time eating such a delicious dish, after all.


    The fragrant aroma of food pervaded the air above the dining table. The crew members sat next to each other; their dinner tes produced loud clinking noises as they boisterously chattered andughed with each other.


    Everyone looked so rxed; their mission was finallyplete.


    "Waiter! Do you have any alcohol there? Bring the best that you have here!" Laesto mmed his prosthetic limb on the table and ignored the strange looks that had converged on him.


    Charles gulped the food in his mouth and shouted, "I want alcohol as well! I want the strongest!"


    "Me, too!"


    "I want alcohol as well."


    Bottles of alcohol were quickly served. Charles cracked open the lid and downed a bottle of liquor. The strong alcohol made Charles feel as though his stomach was on fire, and the heat sobered him up. All of a sudden, he felt like this wasn''t the time for them to celebrate.


    "Mr. Charles, try this one. Their pickled fish roe is really delicious." Lily pushed a small te over to Charles.


    The alcohol btedly struck Charles, and he felt ecstasy all over him.


    <i>We''vee all the way here, and we''re already eating. I can''t just be a wet nket. I''ll just wait for them to finish eating, and then we''ll leave immediately.</i>


    At that thought, peace returned to Charles, and he continued feasting and drinking. He drank until his consciousness grew hazy and eventually faded to ck.


    When Charles opened his eyes once more, he found himself lying in an unfamiliar room of an inn.


    Charles stood up and stretchedzily before checking his pocket watch. A quick nce told him that it was already afternoon.


    <i>I actually slept that long? No wonder I feel so energized. </i>Charles copsed to the bed. He knew that it was about time for him to leave, but he didn''t feel like doing anything today.


    "Mr. Charles, I think the restaurant where we atest night can deliver food to us. Can we eat their food again today? Their food was so delicious," Lily said. She was curled up into a ball of fur on the pillow, and her voice soundednguid.


    Charles licked his lips. "Sounds great. I''m hungry as well. Let''s just leave once we''re done eating."


    The pair proceeded to partake in a sumptuous meal. Charlesy on his back on thefortable bed while leisurely picking at his teeth with a toothpick. He had never felt so at ease.


    He turned and found a ball next to him. The ball was Lily, and he gently squeezed her with his left hand.


    "The food is great here, so why don''t we stay for a few days? We''re still going to rest once we''re at Hope Ind, anyway. It feels morefortable to rx here than elsewhere," he said.


    "Mmmhm! I''m willing to stay here for the rest of my life. It feels great to stay here," Lily said while nodding repeatedly.


    Both human and mice revealed peaceful smiles, and their smiles were no longer much different from the smiles of the other inders.


    A strong wave of drowsiness abruptly struck Charles, and he slowly crawled beneath the covers with his arm around Lily. He wanted to take a nap.


    Just as he was about to enter dreand, the diagonal scar on Charles'' face throbbed sharply.


    The pain was so intense that it vanquished all traces of sleepiness in him. Charles gnashed his teeth and covered his face before running toward a nearby mirror. There was nothing wrong with his face; his face was still marred by a scar born from a wound that had healed long ago.


    <i>But why does it hurt so much? Should I go to Doctor and have him take a look?</i>


    The thought had juste to Charles'' mind when he was struck by a more powerful wave of pain. It was excruciating; the pain was so extreme that Charles'' figure quivered involuntarily.


    Charles flipped his right hand over, and the Dark de appeared in his hand. He raised the Dark de and cut open the diagonal scar on his face.


    However, Charles saw not blood but a bright purple light from the wound he had carved open. A beautiful purple light poured out of the wound, and the light was only getting stronger. Soon, a fist-sized translucent jellyfish burrowed out of the wound. It was the Prophet.


    There wasn''t any water, but the jellyfish seemed to be swimming as it hovered in mid-air before rapidly orbiting Charles.


    "You have to go, Charles. Stay here for too long, and you''ll be stuck here forever."

 Chapter 217. 041s World

    <h4>Chapter 217. 041''s World</h4>


    Subjected to the Prophet''s light, Charles'' mind abruptly cleared up. He turned to Lily lying on the bed with a contented smile. Cold sweat beaded his forehead, and goosebumps broke out all over him.


    <i>What''s wrong with me? This is clearly a dangerous ce, so howe I stayed here for such a long time?</i>


    With unsettling anxiety, Charles headed for the window and looked out. The visages of the people outside wore frozen smiles. The thought that that very same smile had just been on his face sent a chill down Charles'' spine.


    <i>What the hell is going on here? Could it be that the tree has the same radiation effect as 1002?</i>


    Charles felt that he had no time to waste. He rushed over to Lily and picked her up. "Lily, wake up!" He shouted while shaking her. "Tell your friends to call the crew members here. We have to leave right away."


    "Give me a minute, Mr. Charles. Let me get some sleep first," Lily replied while rubbing her bleary eyes with her little paws.


    Charles was anxious. He wanted to say something, but the Prophet appeared in front of him and said, "Don''t worry about your friends for now. You just have to get out of here, and they will be safe.


    "If you get stuck here, it''s meaningless even if they somehow managed to get out. I can''t keep this up for a long time. Go to the docks and leave."


    Charles gnashed his teeth in determination. With Lily in his coat pocket, he jumped out of the window and dashed toward the docks.


    The Prophet followed closely behind Charles while emitting a purple glow. There were people on the streets nearby, but not a single personid eyes on them as though they were invisible.


    "You must have known that this ce is dangerous, so why did you not tell me beforehand?" Charles asked as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop.


    "I couldn''t tell you. If I had, 041 would have immediately noticed that piece of memory in your brain, and you wouldn''t have been able to make your way to this ce. The Divinity''s Curses on you wouldn''t have been broken."


    The Prophet floated over to the other side of Charles before continuing. "So, on the contrary, I hide it from you until you''ve sunk deep enough into 041''s world. I would rescue you when that happened. It was the safest method, and as I said, I will resolve the crisis you will encounter here. This is included in the deal I had with that Dioite."


    "041? Are you talking about that giant tree? Is it the culprit behind all the abnormalities here?" Charles asked. The Prophet''s naming convention felt inexplicably familiar to him.


    However, the Prophet didn''t reply. Instead, it picked up its pace, leaving Charles behind it. Charles could only grit his teeth and pick up his pace as well.


    They were from the middle of the ind, and it was quite a distance away from the docks.


    Charles ran as fast as he could, but the gap between his starting point and destination was narrowing ever so slowly. Even so, he was surprised to find that he didn''t feel tired at all despite running at his maximum speed. However, the tension in Charles'' heart was hardly eased. No one was chasing after him, but he felt a sense of oppression that he couldn''t quite describe.


    Ever since he roused from his dreamy state, the lustrous and dazzling ind had been getting stranger and stranger to him.


    Just then, Charles noticed subtle changes in the scenery. He turned and found what looked like eyes on the roof beneath his feet. He tried to take a closer look, but they had already disappeared.


    "Are you sure that 041 still hasn''t discovered us? I feel like there''s something wrong with our surroundings," Charles said as hended on a chimney. He kicked off of it and jumped onto the next street.


    "It didn''t only discover us; it already knew what was up the moment I appeared; it just doesn''t care. Where do you think that tranquility you felt hade from? It was from none other than 041.


    "041''s current emotion is assimted to those who are in its world. It''d be wise not to anger it, as the scene you''ll witness once its indifference changes to fury is beyond horrifying."


    Hearing that, Charles kicked his speed up by a notch. As the minutes started ticking away, he was close enough to the docks to see the Narwhale''s smokestack.


    However, Charles abruptly came to a halt. A modern-looking building standing next to him made him stop in his tracks.


    It was a modern-looking condominium, but it was covered in green creepers. Charles looked into a particr unit through its floor-to-ceiling windows and found a man wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. He wore the same contented smile and waszing on a couch.


    Neither the man''s outfit of the day nor his behavior was the important matter at hand. Charles'' eyes were unwittingly transfixed on the identity tag lying next to the messy clothes on the ground. The identification tag was familiar to Charles, as it was the Foundation''s one. The man was a member of the Foundation!


    Charles'' heart quivered. He didn''t expect to meet a member of the Foundation in such a hellish ce. He had been in quite a few run-ins with the ruins belonging to the Foundation, but it was his first time seeing a living member of the Foundation.


    "Prophet!" Charles turned to the jellyfish in the air and asked, "How much time do we have left?"


    "Fifteen minutes. You''d best hurry up if you don''t want to stay here forever."


    Charles made a sidelong nce at the docks. He pondered briefly and firmed his heart in determination. Regardless, he turned to the jellyfish once more and said, "Give me a minute."


    With that, Charles leaped off the roof and lunged at the target unit. Shattering the floor-to-ceiling windows of the house, he rushed over to the man wearing nothing but a pair of boxers.


    Despite Charles'' intimidating, scarred visage and his sudden infiltration, the man stared indifferently at Charles and saidzily, "Who are you? This is my house; please leave.


    Charles agitatedly grabbed the man by the cor and asked, "Where''s the exit to the surface?! Answer me!"


    However, the man had no intention of answering. He slumped to the sofa as if he were melting.


    "I''m tired; let me lie down for a while..." he muttered listlessly, even though Charles'' Dark de was already pressing against his neck. It was a clear threat to his life, but the man didn''t care. It seemed like all he cared about was lying down on the sofa.


    The anxiety in Charles was growing with each passing second. There was a high chance that the man knew where the exit to the surface was located, and if he could make the man spit out the location of the exit to the surface world, Charles would undoubtedly save a lot of time.


    "Prophet, can you wake him up?" Charles asked the Prophet that had floated in through the window.


    The Prophet had brought him back to his senses, so it could probably do the same to others. The man had to regain his senses; otherwise, effectivemunication wouldn''t be possible between them.


    "I can, but the time we can spend here will be halved. Are you sure you want to proceed?"


    "I''m sure." Charles nodded vigorously.


    Without saying a word, the Prophet quietly orbited the man and the purple glow it was emitting dimmed considerably once it was done.


    The man''s contented smile vanished, and panic instantly painted his face. He grabbed Charles'' arm and rushed toward the door.


    "Run, run, run! Zone A has suffered a containment breach!"


    Panting between gasps, Charles pped the man, causing thetter''s cheek to swell.


    Charles hurriedly asked, "Where''s the exit to the surface world?! Hurry up and answer me!"


    Charles'' p seemed to have brought the man back to his senses. He looked around in a daze and muttered, "W-where am I? I-I''m in my house...? W-Who are you?"

 Chapter 218. 003

    <h4>Chapter 218. 003</h4>


    The man wearing nothing but a pair of boxers ignored the paining from his cheek. He stepped on the broken ss and rushed over to the balcony. He looked around and was stupefied by the scenery before him.


    The buildings before him were constructed with many different architectural styles. Shock and terror gradually filled his eyes and intensified with each passing moment.


    "Oh my lord...I''m not in my house. We''re in 041''s World."


    A shrill noise echoed as a bullet made from white bone grazed the man''s cheek, leaving a line of blood.


    "Where''s the exit to the surface world?!" Charles said through gnashed teeth and with his finger on the trigger of his flesh revolver.


    The man turned to Charles, and the fear in his eyes was so thick that it was palpable.


    "How long has it been? How long have I been here?"


    Charles was beyond furious. The man had never once even attempted to answer his question, and the desire to pull the trigger and blow the man''s head off burned fiercely in Charles'' heart.


    However, Charles had also never bothered to ask about the man''s affiliations. The man had just inadvertently made it clear that he was a member of the Foundation.


    Keeping his gun away, Charles grabbed the man and slung him over his shoulders before charging toward the docks.


    The man was clearly not going to answer his questions anytime soon. With that in mind, Charles had decided to just carry the man with him to the Narwhale. He could take his time then, and he would definitely get an answer to his question regardless of whether through violence or coercion.


    "Put me down! Hurry up and tell me! How long have I been here?! And who the hell are you?" the man roared and struggled fiercely.


    "Shut up if you want to get out of this hellhole! Also, the Foundation was already gone for many many years ago," Charles replied. His reply instantly elicited a response from the man. Thetter stopped struggling and deted like a balloon.


    However, Charles couldn''t care less. He hastened his speed and rushed madly to the docks. They were getting very close to their destination.


    Charles had just leaped past another rooftop when a bitter-sounding voice echoed next to him. "It''s no use; put me down."


    How would he possibly carry out the man''s request? He decided to just ignore it outright. He was certain the man held important information.


    "Really, put me down. I can no longer get out of here. You won''t get what you want even if you bring me out. You''re looking for the exit to the surface world, right? I can tell you."


    Charles finally came to a halt. He put the man down and stared intently at him. The man appeared to be extremely familiar with 041.


    The man ran his hand on Charles'' Captain''s uniform. He looked serene, as though he had epted his fate.


    "The clothes you''re wearing should have been enough hint for me to realize that Doctor K9 failed in her experiment and that it must have resulted in the worst XK-level scenario."


    "It is really quite ironic. I should have departed with my colleagues, but I ended up surviving for such a long time because of 041. s, I have no idea whether this is a good thing or not."


    Charles nced at the Prophet and saw that the light it was emitting had dimmed considerably. He turned to the man once more and said, "I have no time to listen to your nonsense. I''m running out of time. Either you tell me where the exit to the surface world is located, or I will bring you with me to the ship and take my time with you there!"


    A bitter smile appeared on the man''s face. He opened his hands slowly, and more than a dozen sheets of paper appeared in his palms out of thin air.


    Charles'' pupils constricted.


    <i>How did he manage to do that? Was it his special ability?</i>


    However, the man didn''t care about Charles'' thoughts as he handed the sheets of paper to thetter.


    "Head over to the Foundation''s main ind. 319 must be there. It will be able to extract all this information from your brain. You want to return to the surface world, right?


    ¡±Once you''ve reached the main ind, you can submit an application to return to the surface world to the site members there."


    "Did you not hear what I said just now? The Foundation is long gone. The world outside contains nothing but the ruins of the Foundation!" Charles eximed.


    "No, the Foundations will continue to exist so long as mankind exists. We''ve prepared many contingency ns appropriate for each scenario. As a fellow human being, I implore you to send these experimental logs to the Foundation.


    ¡±This is rted to the survival of mankind. We can''t allow history to repeat itself, so we must let the future generation know about what happened to us."


    Charles epted the sheets of paper. However, when his gaze fell on the first page of a document, his mind buzzed as though he had been struck by a hammer.


    <i>K902 Experimental Material Report/1</i>


    <i>Project ID: 003</i>


    <i>Project Name: God Fhtagn</i>


    <i>Special Containment Procedure: Due to its astronomical size and its special anatomy. 003 cannot and may not be contained. No structure on Earth is capable of withstanding and containing 003''s strength and enormous size.</i>


    <i>003''s exact location is unknown, but submarine radar analysis and research on Earth''s abnormal orbit show that 003 is likely to be beneath the Indian Ocean.</i>


    <i>Description: 003 is a difficult-to-describe colossal humanoid creature located in inessible depths. (TBC)</i>


    <i>The reportspiled from interview records of Type 091''s crew members reveal that 003''s appearance varies greatly from person to person. </i>


    <i>However, the general consensus is that 003 is a humanoid creature riddled with tentacles. It has reverse scales all over its torso and eyes all over its body. </i>


    <i>53% of the crew members reported seeing a pair of giant wings on 003, while the remaining 47% imed that they didn''t see a pair of giant wings on 003.</i>


    <i>Captain ¨€¨€¨€ and his crew members were on their way in Type 091 Submarine to the vicinity of the ¨€¨€¨€¨€ Trench (coordinates ¨€¨€¡ã¨€¨€''S ¨€¨€¡ã¨€¨€''W). When using 732 for a project capture mission, they detected 003.</i>


    <i>It is estimated that 003''s height is between 2000 kilometers and 3500 kilometers. No other simr sample has been found. 003 is a unique creature, and almost nothing is known about its habits, reproductive capabilities, food sources, and its origin. </i>


    <i>003 hardly moves. An earthquake would ur every six months in the trench where it is located, causing slight changes in the trench. It is suspected that the subject is "breathing," and the Foundation suspects that the subject is dormant.</i>


    <i>A psychiatrist''s examination of all crew members of the Type 091 submarine that had initially detected 003 revealed that they all had varying degrees of cognitive dissonance. They are also reportedly suffering from the same auditory hallucinations of the same frequency. </i>


    <i>Captain ¨€¨€¨€¡¯s symptoms were worse than the others. It was reported that he was also suffering from visual hallucinations. He became paranoid, impulsive, and irritable. He has also shown an abnormal obsession with certain things. When questioned, however, he seemed to be unable to recognize anything unusual about himself.</i>


    <i>The captainmitted suicide by shooting himself a year after the incident.</i>


    <i>In the end, not a single crew member of the Type 091 submarine was spared; they suffered 21 suicides and 15 mental breakdowns.</i>


    <i>Addendum 1: Three yearster, Crew Member ¨€¨€¨€ admitted to the Newbound City Mental Hospital inexplicably recovered from his mental breakdown and started iming that 003 was the Creator. He used every means necessary to convince everyone to worship his god. ¨€¨€¨€ was then eliminated by one of the task forces.</i>


    <i>Addendum 2: Many different religions that worship 003 as their god spread like wildfire throughout the residential areas of the Foundation. The Foundation has named the phenomenon a D4 Memetic Event. All members of Task Force 3 were deployed to deal with the incident. It is unknown how the information leak about 003 came about despite the information blockade. Dr. K9 deduced that a few core members of the Foundation must have been affected by the D4 Memetic Event.</i>


    <i>Addendum 3: The rtionship between 003 and 002 is currently unknown. The Subject Interaction Experiment is still pending approval from the Foundation headquarters.</i>

 Chapter 219. Aaron

    <h4>Chapter 219. Aaron</h4>


    "Hey, stop looking. It''s time to go. Otherwise, you would bepletely assimted by 041, just like me. Here''s a map of the main ind. Hurry and remember it!" the man instructed.


    Charles looked up and found a three-meter-wide holographic nautical chart in mid-air. It looked simr to the nautical chart he had obtained from the Divine Light Order, but the nautical chart before him was more in-depth; it had more inds marked on the chart.


    The man raised his left hand, and the holographic nautical chart zoomed in on one of the inds; it was muchrger than its surrounding ind and was glowing with a red light.


    "Memorize this chart. This is the main ind, and the exit to the surface world is here."


    "Can''t you conjure a physical copy like those papers and give it to me so I can take it away?" Charles asked.


    "You can''t take these things away physically. The information I''ve told you will remain in your subconscious, and every piece of information has to be extracted through 319," the man replied; his words sounded iprehensible to Charles.


    Charles took a closer look at the nautical chart and determined the distance between the nearest inds and the main ind. He then gave the man a deep look before taking away the remaining pieces of paper and turning around to rush toward the docks.


    Left all alone, the man stood quietly and watched as Charles'' departing figure grew distant with every passing second. Eventually, he sat down on the roof tiles and looked around with a sense of loss.


    "041 will soon assimte me once more, right? How should I spend my brief respite?"


    The man pondered briefly before he slowly raised his right hand and ced his palm over his left chest. Soon, the man''s gaze turned resolute.


    "I''ve never really liked shouting slogans, so I truly didn''t expect that the slogan would be thest thing I''d like to leave as myst words," the man muttered.


    Meanwhile, Charles gritted his teeth in resolution as he rushed to the docks with the papers in hand. The Prophet''s light next to him had grown so dim that it was almost transparent, but it still urgently notified him of what he had to do. "Hurry up! Faster! Get out of here now!"


    Just then, Charles'' keen ears picked up a trembling shout from behind him.


    "We fight in the dark so people can live in the light! We fight to protect mankind from anomalous entities!"


    "They say our experiments are cruel and inhumane, but our endeavors are necessary for mankind''s survival!"


    "Our beautiful emotions are the foundation of our sublime faith! We must press on to protect them! We are humanity''sst line of defense against anomalous entities! We must win this war, not just for our sake, but for the sake of humanity as well!"


    "I...!" The trembling of the voice from behind Charles intensified.


    "I, Aaron Lee Hotchner, do solemnly swear that I will be absolutely loyal to the Foundation as a Foundation''s Rank C personnel! I will obey orders, remain disciplined, and be tight-lipped! We secure! We contain! We protect! For mankind''s sake!"


    Theplex emotions contained within Aaron''s voice stirred up something deep within Charles. He was suddenly reminded of how little he knew of the Foundation.


    The knowledge he had of the Foundation was that it was an organization that researched relics and made use of them for their own gain.


    His first impression of the Foundation couldn''t be further from pleasant as well, and he all thought they were cruel due to the reys from the Meeh''eks.


    Charles would never know if Aaron''s words just now contained not a single lie, but at the very least, his words sounded like they had alle straight from the heart.


    Just then, the Prophet floated in front of Charles, and its ethereal voice sounded, "You''ve wasted too much time, and it''s toote. You can''t go back anymore. I''m sorry I couldn''t be of more help."


    A popping noise echoed, and the Prophet disappeared as if it had been just a mere bubble.


    "What?!" Charles felt a shiver down his spine. He cast his gaze onto the Narwhale and found that she was just two hundred meters away from him. Charles threw all caution to the wind and ran like a cheetah toward the distant Narwhale, leaving afterimages behind him.


    A hundred fifty meters, a hundred meters, eighty meters, fifty meters...


    Just when the distance between Charles and the Narwhale was nothing but a mere fifty meters, he slowed down dramatically until he came to a halt. All of a sudden, he felt that his quest to return to the surface wasn''t that important anymore. It felt nice to stay here. There was food and drink; he would also be perpetually safe.


    He looked down at the papers in his hands and pondered over letting them go. He was just about to let go when the tranquility in his heart eased just a little.


    Charles immediately took advantage of the moment of rity to flip his hand, turning his metal prosthetic arm into a chainsaw.


    The chainsaw rumbled noisily and plunged into his left waist; the sharp pain sobered him up instantly. Charles then decisively ran and jumped into the sea in one fluid motion.


    The cold seawater assaulted Charles'' senses. Momentster, however, Charles abruptly stood up. He exhaled sharply and looked around.


    The docks had vanished, and he found himself standing on the Narwhale''s deck. However, he wasn''t alone. The crew members were sprawled all over the deck with their eyes closed. Their breathing was steady, seemingly asleep.


    "What... what just happened? Where is that bizarre ind?" Charles muttered to himself as he peered over the ship''s railing. He failed to find even a single ind in the vicinity.


    However, the Narwhale was surrounded by unmoving steamboats that seemed to be just drifting along with the currents. Their rusted appearances made it evident that they had been here for many years.


    "Is someone there?" Charles stared intently at the deck on the steamboat to his left, and he soon found humanoid figures that didn''t look human.


    Their hair was missing, their hands had fused into fins, and they were emitting a faint glow. Their facial features had vanished; clearly, the humans on the steamboat were in the process of turning into some kind of aquatic creature.


    A ssh abruptly echoed from behind. Charles pulled out his gun and swiftly turned to where the sound hade from. The sound hade from another decrepit steamboat. Rounded, eyeless "dolphins" writhed and tumbled over the rusty railing into the water.


    Just then, Charles noticed that the ocean was brighter than usual. He turned and looked down at the ocean from over the railings, and then he went agape at the iprehensible sight.


    It was Charles'' first time seeing light in the depths of the inky waters.


    A circle of light that spanned roughly five miles was at the seafloor, and it was created by a myriad of <i>eyeless dolphins. </i>The <i>eyeless dolphins</i> swam smoothly and slowly as if they were sardines, and they had encapsted a figure emitting a dim light.


    Charles squinted his eyes and found that the figure looked like a... bird?

 Chapter 220. 041

    <h4>Chapter 220. 041</h4>


    The bird was massive, and every part of it emitted a dim glow¡ªincluding its crown, wings, and even its beak.


    It was curled up as tightly as possible, and its chest heaved gently, seemingly in deep sleep.


    The eyeless dolphins orbited it quietly. It was such a picturesque sight that Charles wondered if he were dreaming.


    The abyss-like depths of the boundless ocean had contained nothing but disgusting monsters so far, so it was his first time seeing such an incredible sight.


    Charles felt at ease, the same familiar feeling he felt previously as he stared at the unfolding scene. It dawned on him at this point. The ind never existed. Everything Charles had seen was a dream realm constructed by 041.


    Staying for too long in its illusionary realm meant bing a permanent resident of its world and transforming into an eyeless dolphin.


    Aaron''s words finally made sense when he said that it was already toote for him to leave.


    "Since it was all a dream, then..." Charles looked around before examining himself. His injuries had vanished, and the papers he had obtained from Aaron had disappeared as well. "No, I think everything is still in my head.


    "Aaron definitely knows everything there is to know about 041. He was a member of the Foundation, after all. There must be a reason why he told me to take those papers out with me."


    Just then, Charles remembered Aaron''s words earlier.


    <i>"??Head over to the Foundation''s main ind. 319 must be there. It will be able to extract all this information from your brain."</i>


    Charles fell into deep contemtion over his next course of action when he noticed something off about the Narwhale. He couldn''t see any thick, ck smokeing out of her smokestack, but she was sailing away from 041.


    "Is that you, buddy?" Charles called out. However, the mooring ropes remained stationary, still seemingly trapped in 041''s world.


    Charles rushed to the bow and saw a rusty chain pulling the Narwhale away. The other end of the chain was submerged in the jet-ck waters.


    041''s control over him had weakened somehow while he was rushing over to the docks earlier. Charles deduced that this movement had to be rted to it.


    Charles'' prosthetic arm transformed into a chainsaw. Sparks flew as he hacked at the chain, and it was easily severed.


    Soon, the <i>thing</i> that was pulling the ship floated up to the surface.


    It was just a fish''s head, but Charles recognized the identity of the creature upon seeing the familiar golden earring on the left ear. It was none other than his former boatswain, Dipp.


    "You saved me? Were you the one who lured the skeletal ship here back then?" Charles asked the young man who hadpletely assumed the appearance of a Deep Dweller.


    Dipp''s fish-like eyes blinked rapidly as he said, "Dipp will never betray you, Captain."


    With that, his figure covered in green scales vanished into the depths.


    Charles'' face darkened. He clenched his fists and headed for the engine room. They were in a dangerous ce, and they had to get out of here before anything else.


    ***


    Hope Ind was as sunny as always, and the former Second Mate of the Narwhale, current Hope Ind''s Minister of Finance, opened his eyes to another day. Conor took a moment topose himself before turning and seeing his wife sleeping soundly next to him.


    He gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead before picking up the bell on the bedside table and shaking it lightly.


    Soon, women dressed in maid uniforms rushed into the room with toiletries in hand. Conor then washed up and changed out of his pajamas before heading for the dining room.


    The cooks had already been waiting for Conor, and they brought out the many different delicacies, including specialty foods of Hope Ind.


    Conor used a fork to pierce a slice of apple drenched in milk. He took a bite and nodded in delight as the vors of both apple and milk pervaded his tongue.


    "Here is today''s newspaper, sir," a maid said and opened the newspaper for Conor to read.


    Conor proceeded to enjoy his breakfast while reading today''s news.


    As always, the front page article was that the ind''s esteemed Governor had yet to return andmented how the inders were missing their Governor.


    The media outlet even dedicated the entire bottom half of the page to praising Charles'' fearlessness and bravery.


    Conor paid nothing but a mere nce at it before moving on. Actually, he knew that Charles had never really been the type to read newspapers, and he had also told the ind''s media outlet so.


    Yet, they seemed to always be walking on eggshells when it came to matters concerning the Governor; they did the same thing every single day and were afraid that the Governor would find even a single fault with them.


    Everyone''s reaction was understandable, however, as Dipp''s recent actions had scared everyone out of their wits. He had urately singled out the dissenters and skewered them all using steel spears before hanging their mangled corpses at the docks.


    Incredibly, Dipp had been so precise with his skewering that his targets didn''t die on the spot. They survived for quite a while, and their miserable wails would haunt the dreams of those who had heard them for a while.


    Charles'' decisive and thunderous decision proved that he was the true master of Hope Ind.


    Of course, some found Charles'' ruthlessness and the cruel and unusual nature of his chosen punishment to be quite simr to the ways of the dreaded pirates.


    However, none of those who thought so dared to express their opinion out loud, even up till the day Charles returned to the sea.


    Conor skimmed the sycophantic articles and found a few informative articles.


    An article from the Department of Agriculture said that they had discovered a new edible nt species, and Conor''s mood improved drastically upon reading it. A new source of food meant another source of ie that would fill up the coffers of Hope Ind.


    Hope Ind was quite remote and distant from other inds, but many merchant ships had been painstakingly visiting the ind because of its variety of food sources blessed by the Light God.


    "This ind is truly favored by the Light God," Conor remarked as he enjoyed his breakfast.


    He was just halfway through his breakfast when the butler approached him and said, "Mr. Conor, Mr. Pete has returned. He''s waiting for you in your study."


    Conor dabbed his mouth clean with a napkin before walking away. Crisp noises echoed from his shiny leather shoes with every step he took toward his study.


    After passing through the bright and spacious hallway, Conor soon arrived at his study where a red-headed young man was waiting for him. The red-headed young man was cing sugar cubes into his cup of coffee non-stop.


    "That''s enough. Are you trying to drink coffee or sugar water? Anyway, how was the voyage?" Conor said. He sat down from across the red-headed young man and poured himself a cup of coffee.


    "No one is brave enough to offend Hope Ind, so we''re doing pretty well in the Northern Seas. Ah, right. Two creatures managed to hop on board, but the Battle Captain fought and made quick work of them. However, we lost three sailors."


    "I see. Anyway, now that you havepleted this voyage as a First Mate, you should have amassed enough experience. The next time, you can be the captain of your own ship and use the rtively safe shipping routes of Hope Ind."


    "Yes, Big Brother, I understand. And a few more yearster, I will then be a Fleet Captain! By then, all of Hope Ind''s shipping routes will be under our Rothschild Family''s banner."


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Conor mmed his hand on the table. His furious gazended on the red-headed young man. "What are you talking about?! This is all for the Governor''s sake!"


    "Yes, yes, yes..." the red-headed young man hurriedly nodded, and his expression changed as he said, "This is all for the Governor''s sake. It was just a joke; don''t be mad."


    Conor took a sip of his hot coffee and said, "Go back and rest. I don''t want to hear you say that again."


    The red-headed young man nodded obediently and got up to leave.


    Conor remained seated and savored his coffee. Eventually, he picked up a sugar cube and ced it in front of the mouse hole in the corner of the study.

 Chapter 221. New Objective

    <h4>Chapter 221. New Objective</h4>


    The oilmp in the Captain''s cabin flickered with the waves, and the sound of the waves crashing against the Narwhale''s hull proved the choppiness of the nearby waters.


    Charles'' brows were slightly furrowed as he stared at the paper in front of him, which had all kinds of chaotic and disorderly information written in Chinese.


    <i>041, the Foundation''s Main Ind, 003, God Fhtagn, Doctor K9, XK-level scenario.</i>


    His encounter with the Foundation staff, Aaron, was brief, but Charles had obtained a ton of information from the former. Charles believed he would find useful clues from the information Aaron had given to him.


    <i>"The clothes you''re wearing should have been enough hint for me to realize that Doctor K9 failed in her experiment and that it must have resulted in the worst XK-level scenario."</i>


    Those were Aaron''s original words. Coupled with the mantises'' words about how the presence of the surface dwellers above would only bring cmity, and the existence of Project God Fhtagn, Charles felt a foreshadowing of ominousity.


    "Could... Could those guys be researching God Fhtagn like how they are researching the relics? Are they dabbling in the realm of Divinities? " The Foundation''s disappearance finally made sense to Charles. "XK-level scenario... it must have been an absolute nightmare of a disaster."


    Just then, a terrifying thought popped up in Charles'' mind.


    The Foundation''s connections had to be terrifying; it had to have been an extraordinary organization with support from the major powers on the surface. With that in mind, just how did they fail to ovee the Divinities?


    Charles had once seen the cataclysmic might of a hydrogen bomb. Charles couldn''t imagine a creature surviving such a destructive force. However, if the Divinities were capable of withstanding such power, were they perhaps truly divine?


    Charles staggered; his pale demeanor briefly became visible beneath the swaying light. The appearance of God Fhtagn''s statue and that ball of flesh covered in eyes fleeted across his mind.


    What exactly are the Divinities? What does their existence mean to us humans?


    "G¡ª"


    Charles flinched at the noise that suddenly echoed in his ears. He rose to his feet with a terrified expression and panted heavily. He listened closely and soon discovered that it was a knocking noiseing from beneath the ship. The maddening murmurs hadn''te back.


    Charles set his thoughts aside. He crushed the paper in his hand and hurled it out the window.


    His thoughts were nothing but wild guesses. He had to go to the Foundation''s main ind to uncover the truth. No matter the identity of 319, he needed it to extract the information in his brain, and everything woulde to light by then.


    Charles''s gazended on the desk; Aaron''s nautical charty quietly on the left side. The nautical chart was filled with many inds, but one ind in particr was marked out in red. The ind was his next destination.


    <i>The Foundation''s main ind is in the Northern Seas. Since their main ind is there, it means the Foundation''s activities were conducted primarily in the Northern Seas.</i>


    Picking up a pen and a ruler, Charles was about to etch their new route, but his hand came to a halt in mid-air. He hurriedly took out the nautical chart that he had received from the Pope andpared it with Aaron''s nautical chart.


    Soon, he realized that the Pope''s nautical chart didn''t contain the Foundation''s main ind. The words "main ind" alone were enough evidence to prove that the ind was markedly more important than the other inds, so how would it be possible that there was no information on it from Newbound City?


    Was it because they truly had no idea of the main ind''s existence, or had the Pope deliberately refrained from giving him such information?


    Charles had always been suspicious of the Pope and his motives, and now, that suspicion had grown deeper.


    <i>I can''t let him know of this nautical chart</i>, Charles thought and his heart steeled with a decision. The Pope was clearly hiding something from him, so wouldn''t it be fair for him to hide something from the former as well?


    Having made a decision, Charles focused on the task at hand and started etching their new route into the nautical chart as the lights flickered along with the choppy waves. With Charles'' expertise as a captain and a painter, he soon finished up. He then stood and walked toward the pilot house with the nautical chart in hand.


    "This is our next route. Take a look at it for me, and tell me if there''s anything that needs to be addressed," Charles said to Bandages before handing over the nautical chart.


    Assisting the Captain in the voyage nning was one of the First Mate''s jobs.


    "It''s good," Bandages replied, "But...we...need...more crew...members."


    "Yeah, we do need more crew members." Charles nodded in agreement and said, "We''ve suffered such a heavy loss this time."


    There were three casualties and one deserter. To make matters worse, the deserter was his most trusted crew member.


    "Captain...have you... seen Dipp?" Bandages asked without moving his hands away from the helm.


    Instead of answering his First Mate, Charles returned a question, "How did you know?"


    "I saw... Deep Dweller''s...footprints... while patrolling... it came on board and didn''t attack...it must''ve been him..."


    "Mmhm..." Charles cast his gaze at the pitch-ck waters as a certain emotion twirled quietly in his eyes.


    A deafening silence enveloped the two until Bandages shattered the ice by asking, "Should we... take him... back...?"


    "Take him back? How? He''s no longer human. And have you forgotten what he did?"


    "He did it...for... your sake."


    "For my sake? He tried to change me into a disgusting monster for my sake? I watched him grow up, and now that he''s gotten a bit older, he actually dares to make decisions for me? It''s that brat''s fault that three of our crew members died!"


    The thought of Dipp''s betrayal suffused Charles'' face with fury, but he quickly suppressed it. He soon continued in a low voice. "I don''t think those Deep Dwellers are willing to help others unconditionally. Now that he''s a Deep Dweller, there''s a possibility that his personality might have changed as well."


    In this seascape, aside from fish, there had never been anything good beneath the surface of the sea.


    "So...should we go back...and go on to recruit another boatswain? Or...wait...?" Bandages asked.


    Hesitation shed briefly in Charles'' eyes upon recalling the recent few times when Dipp had lent him a hand. He pondered briefly before saying, "Let''s go back and see if there''s a way to turn him back.


    "If we manage to turn him back and get rid of the two personas in his head, perhaps we''ll be able to get him back."


    Charles was furious at the betrayal, but Dipp had been with him for so many years to the extent that thetter had be like a son to him.


    The chances were slim, but he wanted to give it a try.


    Moreover, they were in the seascape, where everything seemed possible. Charles also thought that perhaps Anna had a way or two to turn Dipp back to human.


    Bandages nodded and asked, "How''s...your mental condition... holding up?"


    "I''m doing fine. I haven''t experienced any auditory hallucinations recently, and I''ve been having the best sleep these days, so I should be fine."


    "That''s... great."

 Chapter 222. Turtle Shell

    <h4>Chapter 222. Turtle Shell</h4>


    Charles and Bandages were talking about various mundane topics when Bandages felt something, prompting him to turn to his left.


    Amidst the jet-ck darkness of the sea, Bandages managed to make out a semi-elliptical silhouetterger than the Narwhale drifting over toward them.


    Bandages got ready to steer the Narwhale away, but Charles pressed down on the steering wheel.


    "That''s not a creature of the sea. I''ve seen that before. It''s a ship of the Haikor Tribe."


    The two watched as the vessel approached the Narwhale. A minuteter, the turtleshell ship had drifted next to the Narwhale. Charles frowned while staring at the derelict ship. She had clearly suffered from some kind of attack judging from the holes and tears on her sturdy turtleshell side ting. It cut a sorry figure through and through.


    "This...might...be a...dead ship..." Bandages muttered.


    Dead ships were usually referred to as ghost ships, but for rity''s sake, real ghost ships couldn''t be called dead ships.


    Charles stared at the ship with his brows furrowed. Caution was advised when approaching a dead ship in the middle of the sea during nighttime.


    In fact, most people would agree that it was a very reckless thing to do. However, Charles knew how to repay gratitude with gratitude.


    The Narwhale would have be a dead ship if it weren''t for the Haikor Tribe, so Charles found it hard to just sail away and leave those indifferent giants to their fates upon seeing that they were in trouble.


    "Audric, fly over and take a look," Charles instructed.


    A giant bat took off to the skies. It circled the turtleshell ship a couple of times and returned promptly.


    "Captain, my sonic waves couldn''t prate its thick side tes, but I couldn''t feel any single movement from inside of it. I think the ship has either been abandoned, or the upants are dead," Audric said.


    <i>Is it really a dead ship?</i> Charles pondered briefly. Eventually, he walked over to the cockpit and yanked the steam whistle hard.


    The Narwhale''s whistle fleeted across the pitch-ck sea.


    It was incredibly dangerous for a ship to sound its steam whistle in the middle of uncharted waters. After all, it was unknown just what kind of creature would get lured over by the loud noise.


    Charles stared intently at the turtleshell ship. It drifted quietly amidst the cid waves. Charles waved his hand and gave the signal to depart.


    He had done his best for the sake of justice and to repay his debt of gratitude. This was the most he could do, as sending his crew over to take a look inside the derelict ship was too dangerous of an endeavor.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    A dull thud echoed just as the Narwhale was about to set sail. A square side ting on the port side of the ship was flung open, and a shriveled arm resembling a mummy emerged from the hole.


    "Water..." Charles'' sharp ears captured the weak murmur.


    Audric grabbed a few iron sks filled with fresh water and hurled them toward the ship.


    Charles was several meters away, but he could hear the ravenous gulping of the people on the ship.


    It seemed that there was more than one person inside of it.


    Beneath the bright searchlight, an emaciated giant soon poked his head out of the hole. He stretched his hand out and squeezed the following words out of his parched throat as well as his cracked and bleeding lips.


    "Water, give me water..." he muttered.


    This time, Audric flew over with a huge bucket of fresh water. The gulping noises that soon followed had gotten louder; clearly, the upants were desperate for water.


    Audrded next to Charles. His nose twitched, and then he whispered into Charles'' ears, "Captain, I can smell corpses inside the ship. The smell is thick; it seems that quite a few of them have perished."


    "It''d be a surprise if none of them had died, seeing how desperate they are for water," Charles said. His eyes remained fixed on the turtleshell ship. Soon, a head stuck out of the hole once more, and the emaciated giant beckoned at Charles and the others, asking for more fresh water.


    Bandages was about to give the order to fetch more fresh water, but Charles stopped him and asked the emaciated giant, "How many people are there on your ship?"


    He was willing to help, but he had to consider their circumstances, too. The Narwhale also needed fresh water, and Charles had to prioritize his own crew before others.


    "Five, no six... The others are dead. We''ve been lost at sea for quite a while."


    The cogs in Charles'' brain turned, and he made quick calctions using the estimated remaining days they would have to spend at sea along with the estimated amount of water his crew member needed every day.


    Eventually, Charles turned to the emaciated giant and asked, "How much fresh water does a Haikor Tribe member need per day?"


    "Three liters is enough for us to get by."


    "Very well, then. I will give you twenty liters of fresh water every day. We have enough fresh water on board tost us until we reach the Shattered Heart Isles."


    The emaciated giant''s face was that of relief as he eximed, "Thank you, Captain! We''ll report your selflessness to the King of the Shattered Heart Isles. He will surely reward you then!"


    Charles merely nodded in response. He didn''t care whether there would be a reward or not. He had done this all for the sake of repaying a debt.


    "Can your ship still move? Otherwise, we''ll have to tow you," Charles asked.


    Soon, an incredulous scene unfolded on the pitch-ck sea.


    A streamlined steamship ended up towing a huge turtleshell ship.


    For the sake of preventing any idents, Charles told Audric to keep watch by hanging upside down on the stern of the Narwhale. It was better to be safe than sorry.


    Charles wanted to save them, but he wasn''t convinced that they were good people. Perhaps these Haikor Tribe members were pirates. Of course, no one could truly say for sure.


    The first few hours of their voyage together went swimmingly. However, the emaciated giant from earlier made a strange request during mealtime.


    "Captain Charles, do you happen to have any extra sea salt on board? I need some salt."


    "Do you need food?" Charles asked the emaciated giant named Aguino.


    "We have enough food; we just need sea salt. We can also buy it with Goldkrons."


    It was just a bit of salt, so Charles couldn''t care less and had Audric send a bag of salt over to the turtleshell ship.


    There wasn''t anything unusual in the next few days, but on the fifth day, Charles started hearing a strange noise in his sleep. The noise sounded like a creaking noise, but it was unique and apanied by a vibrato. Obviously, it wasn''t a noise that a human being could make.


    At first, Charles thought that he was experiencing auditory hallucinations again, but it turned out that he wasn''t alone. The other crew members had heard it as well, and all suspicions fell on the turtleshell ship.


    Charles didn''t beat around the bush and decisively asked Aguino about it.


    "Don''t worry about it, Captain Charles. You won''t hear those sounds anymore. The noise you''ve heard won''t cause you any issues as well."


    Charles was silent at Aguino''s reply. He stared deeply at Aguino before turning around and leaving.


    Aguino sighed in relief. He shrank back into the turtleshell ship and crawled between thepartments that resembled honebs.


    Shortly after his departure, the towing rope connecting the two ships sagged slightly for some reason.


    Eventually, Aguino reached the darkest corner of the ship and prostrated toward the darkness


    He sounded extremely respectful as he muttered, "Esteemed Apostle, the humans ahead of us have heard your voice in their dreams. I implore you to please keep it down."


    <i>Creak!</i>


    A creaking noise and a low rumble echoed. Soon, a sinister creature with mirror-like skin crawled out of the dark. Its sucker withrge protruding lips resembled a trumpet, and its physique resembled a lizard, while its limbs were bent stiffly with its elbows touching the floor.


    It seemed Aguino had understood the meaning behind the strange noise as he exited the space with a respectful demeanor.


    Soon, he returned with a half-decayed corpse in tow. The corpse''s features made it clear that the deceased was a member of the Haikor Tribe.


    Aguino proceeded to rub salt all over the corpse before presenting it to the deformed creature in the dark.

 Chapter 223. Apostle

    <h4>Chapter 223. Apostle</h4>


    "I''m sorry, Esteemed Apostle. This is all that we have," Aguino said.


    The lizard-like creature crawled toward the corpse, and Aguino did not dare to look up as he remained prostrated on the floor.


    The creature opened its protruding sucker, exposing its milky white teeth covered in sticky, viscous saliva. Its sucker engulfed the rotting corpse''s head, and it moved ever so slowly downward until it had engulfed the three-meter-tall corpse.


    However, the creature abruptly came to a halt, seemingly startled. It moved quickly, and its mirror-like skin turned pitch-ck. Its sucker spat out the corpse it had engulfed, and its tail''s bone spurs quivered incessantly as if it were showing its dominance over some existence.


    The eerie noises it emitted got lower and lower in volume; the monster seemed to have discovered something.


    Still prostrated on the ground, Aguino turned his head behind but saw nothing. There was no one in the space apart from him and the lizard-like creature.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    A beam of light fleeted across the darkness, and it struck one of the room''s dark corners, scorching it in an instant.


    "Esteemed Apostle?" Aguino asked, sounding baffled.


    <i>Grooooowl.</i> The monster sensed no abnormalities, and its sucker soon engulfed the salted corpse once more.


    A minuteter, the towing rope between the two ships sagged slightly once more.


    Charles'' figure appeared, and a sour expression painted his visage. Putting a hand into the inside of his clothes, he scratched hard with his nails. He felt itchy all over, but the itch was iparable to the fear that had gripped his heart. What was that creature? Aguino had even referred to it as <i>Esteemed Apostle.</i>


    If the Apostle looked so hideous, how could its god look any better? The Subterranean Sea truly had a variety of weird religions.


    "That creature looked dangerous. I''m not going to let that disgusting creature follow us," Charles muttered to himself. He had made up his mind, but he was quickly met with another dilemma. How should he go about cutting ties?


    Should he tell them that they wouldn''t tow them anymore, or should he cut the towing rope and leave them to a horrible demise without saying a word?


    Charles'' gazended on the turtleshell ship. Just then, a Haikor Tribe member poked his head out and looked around vigntly. His rugged visage revealed a faint smile upon seeing Charles, and he nodded lightly in acknowledgment.


    Charles returned the gesture in kind.<i> It''s not wise to act rashly. If I end up provoking them without any ns in mind, they might look for a way to snatch our fresh water and fuel. It should be better to maintain the status quo. </i>


    Having made up his mind, Charles returned to the Captain''s cabin and summoned everyone. Soon, the Narwhale''s crew members were gathered in one ce, and Charles didn''t beat around the bush; he recounted what he had discovered earlier.


    "I''ve dissected them before. Aside from their physiques, they aren''t much stronger than us, especially without weapons. There are only five people on their side, so I don''t think we have to worry. We should just cut the towing rope and go full speed ahead," Laesto said.


    Charles suddenly recalled Anna''s previous coboration with the Haikors, and he shook his head and said, "I don''t think it''s that easy. I think some of them possess special abilities, and we also don''t know the true strength of those five giants.


    "The so-called Apostle on their ship also managed to sense me despite my invisibility, so it must be strong."


    The crew members debated about it for a while, but none of them came up with useful suggestions.


    In the end, Charles steeled himself and stood up. They were in uncharted waters, far from civilization, so he didn''t want to wait any longer.


    He was the Captain of the Narwhale, and he was responsible for the lives of his crew. He wouldn''t feel relieved until the creature that posed a significant risk to his crew was disposed of.


    Just as Charles opened his mouth to speak, a right hand wrapped in yellow bandages was raised in the air.


    "Captain...I think we...should...just...continue...as it is...we....may not...be...in danger," Bandages said.


    "How can you say for sure? It didn''t look harmless to me at all. Who can say for sure that it won''te for us next once it has consumed the corpses on their ship?" Charles asked.


    Bandages lowered his head, and his eyes shone with a tinge of confusion. He seemed to be pondering over something, which astonished Charles, prompting him to approach the former and give him a pat on the shoulder.


    "Did you remember something?" Charles asked.


    The confusion in Bandages'' eyes lingered for quite a while. Eventually, he pulled out Charles'' Dark de and began carving a figure on the table.


    Soon, a hideous creature was drawn; it had deformed joints, a protruding sucker resembling a trumpet, and a long tail covered in bony spurs. The creature was none other than the so-called <i>Apostle</i> on the turtleshell ship.


    "Does it...look... like this?" Bandages asked.


    Charles'' pupils constricted. "What is this? Have you seen it before? Do you remember what it is?"


    Bandages shook his head and muttered, "I''ve seen... it before... a long time ago... it... is probably... not dangerous."


    Charles was rendered speechless at his First Mate''s words. Bandages'' words weren''t convincing at all, as he had said it based on a feeling rather than on hard, concrete evidence.


    "Captain," the Chief Engineer chimed in. "I don''t think they have any intentions of harming us. Otherwise, they would have harmed us long ago if harming us were their goal all this while."


    "I also don''t think that taking action, considering our current circumstances, is the right thing to do. If we provoke them, and they go all-out at bringing us down with them, then we''ll end up getting trapped here and suffering a horrible demise."


    Under the gazes of his crew members, Charles looked down and gestured at the nautical chart on the table. Arge circle on the nautical chart represented the entire Sea of Mist.


    There were three dots in the circle¡ªone of the dots was on the Shattered Heart Isles'' location, the other was where they had stumbled upon 041, and the remaining dot was where they had encountered the turtleshell ship.


    Based on where they had encountered the turtleshell ship, it seemed that the turtleshell ship hade from the depths of the Sea of Mist rather than from the periphery on the right.


    Recalling the "Apostle''s" hideous appearance, Charles sunk into contemtion.<i> Was Elizabeth not lying to me? Could that creature be the offspring of humans and natives?</i>


    <i>Perhaps that creature was once human? </i>Charles felt ufortable at the thought that his assumption was most likely correct. Perhaps the Haikors had customs and practices that outsiders found uneptable.


    Complicated thoughts filled Charles'' head until he finally made up his mind.


    "Gather yourselves together, guys. We''ll keep towing them, and let''s hope that our First Mate''s intuition is correct. Still, I want you to keep your weapons on you at all times, just in case something unusual happens," Charles said.


    The Haikors on the turtleshell ship had been docile so far, so Charles decided to adopt a wait-and-see approach. For some reason, he felt a bit relieved at the possibility that the hideous creature he had seen was once human.


    At the very least, it seemed that a part of that creature was <i>human</i>.


    Having received their Captain''s orders, the crew members returned to their posts. The air about the Narwhale felt strange, but she continued on towing the turtleshell ship.


    The daily rations also continued, and the Haikors showed no signs of dissatisfaction. In fact, they seemed interested in having a deep conversation with Charles, but Charles feigned ignorance to their attempts.

 Chapter 224. Return

    <h4>Chapter 224. Return</h4>


    "Captain, they went into the waters yesterday. They seemed to have caught something, and they brought it back up with them when they returned," Audric said. He didn''t sound garbled despite the blood bag in his mouth.


    Charles was staring at the nautical chart. Upon hearing Audric''s report, he asked, "Did you see what they caught?"


    "Based on the feedback I received from my sonar, it seemed to be a humanoid. I think those guys are catching sea creatures to feed their Apostle," Audric replied.


    "Hm, it''s good news if that''s the case," Charles said. He sounded like he was in a good mood, but nothing worthy of celebration had happened. He was in a great mood simply because they were nearing the Shattered Heart Isles.


    It seemed the ambush that Charles had been worried about didn''t and wouldn''t happen, and the Haikors on the turtleshell ship were still on their best behavior. The eerie noise they had once heard had disappeared as well.


    This was great enough news for Charles, and it would be great if either side remained amicable, causing not a single trouble to each other.


    Just then, amotion from the outside reached the Captain''s cabin. Charles'' heart clenched almost immediately. Did those guys really make a move, even though they were at thest leg of their journey?


    Charles walked out of the Captain''s cabin with Audric, and they saw an incredulous sight. Dozens of skeletal ships and turtleshell ships had surrounded the Narwhale, baffling the crew members on board the vessel.


    The Haikors standing at the bow of every ship that had surrounded the Narwhale abruptly fell to the ground and prostrated in Charles'' direction. Of course, Charles instantly realized that their respectful gesture wasn''t aimed at him.


    He turned around, and his gaze fell upon the turtleshell ship. Soon, the turtleshell ship''s entryway was opened, revealing Aguino waving excitedly at his tribesmen.


    The skeletal ships and the turtleshell ships drifted over to Aguino, and the Haikors went over to Aguino and the other crew members of the derelict turtleshell ship.


    They hugged each other tightly before entering the inner space of the turtle shell.


    "Mr. Charles, where are they going?" a blue Lily asked with a hint of curiosity tainting her voice.


    "They''re probably going to visit their Apostle. I''m sure it''s an esteemed creature in the eyes of the Haikors," Charles replied while stroking Lily''s furry head. It wasn''t that difficult to deduce. It was an Apostle, so it had to be a clergy of the Haikor''s religion, which meant that it had a high social status.


    Charles noticed something amiss, and he made a sidelong nce at Lily. He held her gently in his palm and tugged at her blue fur with his other hand. He sounded surprised as he asked, "Where are you getting your dyes, and why are you changing colors so often? I''m pretty sure I''ve been seeing you change colors every day."


    "Hehe," Lily sniggered. She sounded proud as she exined, "I bought these dyes with my own sry. They are special dyes from the distant Western Seas.


    "They''re very easy to use, they dye fast, and they make me smell nice, too. I bought many boxes of the same dye, just in different colors."


    Just then, the Haikors emerged from the derelict turtleshell ship and returned to their ships. More than a dozen worm-like creatures that resembled giant pythons were tied at the bow of the derelict turtleshell ship.


    Incredibly, it became capable of moving once more with the help of those strange worm-like creatures.


    Aguino stood at the helm of the turtleshell ship next to the Narwhale. He walked over to Charles and patted thetter''s shoulder with a smile.


    "Mr. Charles, the Apostle is thankful that you have decided not to abandon us. Otherwise, we would have been forced to take drastic measures for the sake of preserving our lives," Aguino said.


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat at that remark. <i>The Apostle knows that I''m wary of it? Did it really just sense me, or was I visible in its eyes despite my invisibility?</i>


    Aguino noticed Charles'' surprise, but he didn''t say anything. Soon, he departed along with the other Haikors.


    Tranquility returned to the sea once more, and the Narwhale was left all alone.


    Charles pondered over Aguino''s words. The fact that the Apostle hadn''t made a move despite being aware of Charles'' wariness made it obvious that it was quite intelligent.


    If the Apostle had injured him at the time, Charles'' crew wouldn''t have let it go. It seemed the Apostle was aware of that as well, as it only sent a warning shot in Charles'' way.


    Charles had been a bit skeptical of Elizabeth''s words, but now, he was starting to get convinced. If the Apostle were just a simple creature of the sea, it wouldn''t have taken into ount so many variables at once before making a decision.


    Minutester, Charles set aside the messy thoughts in his mind. The matter was over, and there was a high chance that they wouldn''t see each other once more.


    The Apostle''s origins were irrelevant to his goal.


    "Wake up. They''re gone, so we should go as well. Chief Engineer, burn as much fuel as possible; we''re going full speed ahead," Charles said. He carried Lily with him as he walked toward the Captain''s cabin.


    A dayter, the Narwhale finally returned to the Shattered Heart Isles'' docks. The anchor was dropped, and Charles could finally look around the docks. He saw the derelict turtleshell ship in the distance. It seemed the Apostle had returned before them.


    Seeing the exhausted demeanor of his crew members, Charles instantly knew what they needed the most¡ªthey needed rest. The crew members had been under immense pressure while they were exploring uncharted waters.


    "Three days. We''ll stay here and rest for three days. Afterward, we''ll embark on a return journey to Hope Ind. Rest well, and I''ll see you then," Charles said.


    The crew members broke out into excited grins at Charles'' remark.


    After checking in to their amodations, Charles looked out the window of his room and saw the crew members walking shoulder to shoulder toward a certain ce. It seemed that they were nning on enjoying the Shattered Heart Isles'' <i>special </i>services.


    The recent two encounters he had with the Haikors made Charles look at them in a new light. His wariness of them had lessened drastically, so he wasn''t all too worried about something untoward happening to his crew members.


    "Mr. Charles, we should go out and y as well. Just now, I caught a whiff of grilled meat, and it smelled really great!" Lily said.


    Charles pondered briefly before nodding. "All right. Let''s take a walk around the ind and take a look at their local specialties and delicacies."


    He had already recovered, and he wanted to rx as well. Of course, it wouldn''t just be for enjoyment''s sake; it was also to prevent any rpse.


    Charles brought the thrilled Lily out of the inn. Lily''s keen nose was Charles'' guide as they walked down the streets and eventually found themselves before a street stall.


    Charles stepped on a stool as a booster to take a look at what the vendor was selling. Quite a few things were for sale. Slices of what looked like white jelly on top of ice cubes were on one side, while on the other side were tiny pieces of meat resembling ribs. The meat smelled great and appetizing while it was being grilled.


    "It looks like you''re an outsider. You''ve never seen these before, right? The white ones are the fin cartge of the Leviathan Whale, while the meat I''m grilling here is from its lower body. Do you want a taste? I can cut it into bite-sized pieces for you," the Haikor vendor said.


    Charles ordered a serving of each and ate them with Lily. Unfortunately, they didn''t taste as great as they looked. The fin cartge tasted like wood ear mushroom, which meant that it was almost vorless.


    Meanwhile, the red meat smelled great, but its texture was hard and dry. Charles felt like he was eating overcooked duck.


    "You''re not supposed to eat them separately," the Haikor vendor said. He took a few pieces of the fin cartge and meat before dunking them in the ck sauce served on the side. He then proceeded to eat the cartge and meat at the same time.


    "It''s like eating both ice and fire at the same time..." the Haikor vendor muttered, seemingly enjoying thebination.


    Charles decided to do the same and was surprised by the mouthfeel that both the cold cartge and the freshly grilled red meat bestowed upon him. However, the ck sauce had surprised Charles the most, as it turned out to be spicy.


    A cacophony of vors burst in Charles'' mouth, and Lily''s contented whimpers next to him made him rate the meal a ten out of ten.

 Chapter 225. The Gods of the Haikor Tribe

    <h4>Chapter 225. The Gods of the Haikor Tribe</h4>


    "Did you use chili peppers for this sauce?" Charles asked the Haikor vendor.


    "Chili peppers? What is that? I used Redheart Leaf," the Haikor vendor replied. He took out a red leaf the size of a lotus leaf. The leaf''s margins were ck and serrated.


    Charles epted the leaf and tore it into two. The leaf was spicy, and the spiciness instantly coated his tongue. However, it tastedpletely different from chili peppers, as it had a bitter aftertaste. It seemed that the Haikor vendor had used another ingredient to neutralize the bitterness of the leaf.


    The dish was called Shuker. Charles and Lily ate until they were half belly full before leaving. Of course, it wasn''t like they had gotten fed up with the food; Lily''s keen nose had caught a whiff of another enticing aroma around the corner.


    Charles and Lily walked down the streets along the docks, and they ate any food that caught their eye as they headed deeper into the heart of the ind.


    Charles enjoyed the unique variety of sights that the huge ind had to offer. The food they had eaten tasted great, but the serving sizes were massive. In addition, the vendors weren''t willing to sell Charles half a serving.


    Fortunately, Charles didn''t have to stuff himself full, as Lily''s mice friends ate the leftovers. Every single mouse ate until their bellies were round, and they all looked like bowling balls.


    Just like that, Charles and Lily continued on their journey to enjoy what the Shattered Heart Isles had to offer. Unbeknownst to Charles, they had ventured into the ind''s central district.


    Charles realized upon arrival that regardless of which ind, there was a clear demarcation line between the poor and the central inders.


    Snow-white bones arranged neatly in a straight line formed the demarcation line that kept the poor away from what was considered the more upscale central district.


    The shops on both sides of the street were built in a different stylepared to the buildings outside. It was Charles'' first time seeing traces of industrialization on an ind he considered primitive.


    There were sses and watch shops; the Haikors on the street were dressed in more fashionable pieces as well.


    "They don''t look that unique anymore, aside from being really tall," Charles muttered.


    Of course, buying anything here was out of the question, as the goods in the shops were custom-made to fit the Haikors; everything was the opposite of miniature.


    If he were to buy a pocket watch here, it would be a wall clock back home.


    <i>Snap!</i>


    Lily whipped out the cell phone and took a photo of the street.


    "Don''t y with it. It''s a bit of a pain to recharge," Charles said and took the cell phone from Lily''s hand. They took one photo after another until the cell phone''s battery was half depleted.


    Charles was about to put his cell phone away when a terrifying and hideous-looking monster appeared on the screen. Charles calmly put his phone away and looked up to see where he had seen the monster. The monster was inside one of the shops, and it was a five-meter-tall statue.


    The statue was in a half-squat. Its forelimbs were riddled with pitch-ck holes of varying sizes, and its fingers were thin and long. Its face looked like melting wax, and its three ck eyes were drooping; on the cusp of falling to the ground.


    A few thin tentacle-like green strands of flesh were dangling beneath its head, while its hind limbs were also covered in jet-ck holes of varying sizes. However, they were twisted, seemingly broken.


    "Is that the God of the Haikors?" Charles muttered.


    It seemed like his guess was spot on. The Apostle looked so hideous, so Charles expected their god to look as equally hideous or perhaps even more repulsive-looking than the Apostle.


    Gods worshiped by humans were usually modeled after humans, just like the gods on the surface world. Charles reckoned that since the God of the Haikor Tribe looked vastly different from the Haikors, it had to be a creature of the Subterranean Sea.


    Just as Charles was engrossed in his deductions, the wooden door next to the statue was flung open. A hunchbacked old Haikor with a missing left leg walked out.


    "Would you like toe in and take a look? I have quite the selection inside," the hunchbacked Haikor said, sounding hoarse and hurried.


    Charles looked around briefly before entering the shop. The dim room behind the wooden door was filled with all sorts of bizarre statues, and Charles was surprised to find even a statue of God Fhtagn.


    "You sell something like this as well?"


    "Well, someone paid me for it. Why shouldn''t I make money when there''s money to be made?"


    Charles swept his gaze across the statues, and he soon noticed one crucial detail. The statues were strewn about haphazardly and casually, which was considered sphemy.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    A dull thud echoed as a half-meter-tall blood-red statue of a monster was ced roughly in front of Charles.


    The statue''s appearance was exactly that of what he saw at the disy unit, just that this particr piece was red. Also, it had more intricate details as though it was living.


    "I just made this thing with red coral. You should buy one and take it home with you."


    Charles took one nce at the monster''s bizarre and hideous appearance before decisively shaking his head.


    Of course, the monster''s appearance wasn''t the only reason he declined to buy a statue. It just wasn''t a great idea to buy statues of unknown existences in the Subterranean Sea.


    Charles had heard far too many stories about people inviting cmity upon themselves after buying ominous objects from strange inds, and he didn''t want to deliberately bring trouble upon himself.


    The hunchbacked Haikor lost all interest in Charles upon seeing that thetter had no interest in buying a statue. He casually carried the statue over to one side and started smoking using a brown pipe.


    "You have no eye for a good deal. A coral with such a vibrant color is rare, and it''s definitely going to fetch you a handsome sum outside," the hunchbacked Haikor said with a sigh.


    "Isn''t this your god? Howe you''re treating your god like amodity? Are you not afraid of divine punishment?" Charles asked.


    The hunchbacked Haikor stared at Charles as if he were a strange man and said, "I made all these gods by myself. Do you expect me to attend to all of them by myself?"


    Charles chuckled wryly to himself. The hunchbacked Haikor knew how to differentiate between faith and livelihood. Perhaps these statues were just goods that he had to sell rather than objects of devotion.


    "Are you going to buy one? I''ll give you a discount."


    "How much is a statue going to be?"


    "Cheap. Thirty Goldkrons each."


    Charles instantly turned around to leave. Goldkrons were valuable, and it seemed the statue was worth as much as its weight in actual gold. Charles had a lot of money, but he wasn''t foolish enough to buy clearly overpriced items.


    Charles was about to push the door open when he abruptly came to a halt.


    "What? Changed your mind?" the hunchbacked Haikor asked and put his pipe down.


    Charles walked up to the vibrant red statue and picked it up. He weighed it in his hand and asked, "What will I gain if I kneel and worship this god sincerely?"


    "Nothing. It''s a dead god. This statue is tomemorate its existence."


    Charles was taken aback by the remark. He had a fair share of encounters with cultists, and they had all imed the same¡ªtheir gods were both omniscient and omnipotent.


    It was Charles'' first time hearing someone say that their god was dead. Could a dead god be even considered a god?


    "How did it die?"


    The hunchbacked Haikor pointed at the statue in Charles'' hand with his pipe. "Buy it, and I''ll tell you."


    "Fine."


    Joy suffused the hunchbacked Haikor''s demeanor, but he quickly suppressed it as he turned around and fetched a wooden box.


    He carried the wooden box over to Charles and started packaging the statue while saying, "The Apostle said that this god named Pede perished long before we were born, but He was a great god.


    "If it hadn''t been for Him, we wouldn''t have been born along with the gods after him. In other words, He was the beginning of everything."

 Chapter 226. Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 226. Banquet</h4>


    As Charles watched the hunchbacked Haikor carefully pack the statue, a ludicrous thought emerged in his mind.


    <i>The death of one Divinity leading to the birth of other existences and different Divinities? Why does this background story sound eerily simr to that of Pan Gu? </i>


    Charles pondered for a brief moment before he posed the hunchbacked Haikor another question. "What''s the name of your current god?"


    "Paiper," the hunchbacked Haikor answered. It was yet another unfamiliar name to Charles.


    "Do you have a statue of it here?"


    The old man lifted his finger and pointed it at one corner of the shop. Following the hunchbacked Haikor''s finger, Charles'' gazended on a sinister worm-like statue that was twisted into a donut twist. Charles had expected its eerie and bizarre appearance. However, there was one thing that caught Charles off guard.


    The statue was split into two colors¡ªhalf of it was jet ck, and the other half was transparent; it looked like a fusion of ss and obsidian.


    Charles rified his doubts with the hunchbacked Haikor, and thetter exined, "God Paiper''s existence is unique. His physical body cannot fully reside in this world. When He''s not around, the other Divinities had to assist Him."


    "<i>Ah...</i> a polytheistic system,¡± Charles mused. He was slightly confused about how religion worked here, but he decided not to delve deeper. No matter how bizarre the Haikor Tribe''s religious practices were, it didn''t really matter to him. After all, he probably wouldn''t be interacting with these giants again.


    "You are from beyond the Sea of Mist; there''s no need for you to understand our god. Previously, a group of outsiders secretly ventured into the depths of the Sea of Mist, and our god had them remain there for eternity."


    As the hunchbacked Haikor finished his word of advice, he finished wrapping the red coral statue and secured it in a wooden box. He turned around to collect payment from his customer but realized that the bald young man was nowhere to be seen.


    In less than three seconds, vulgarities unique to the Haikor Tribe filled the shop.


    Meanwhile, Charles strolled leisurely toward the inn. He felt quite satisfied with today''s adventures.


    He had no intention of buying the statue in the first ce. After all, he ought to heed his own advice against recklessly acquiring such artifacts to avoid inviting trouble.


    Lily looked exceptionally excited. It had been a while since she had so much fun. Leading her mouse friends behind her, she scampered ahead of Charles and excitedly snapped photos with the cell phone in her hand.


    <i>It has already been three years. By human age, I think Lily is fifteen now. Despite that, she¡¯s still as yful as a child. </i>Charles mused to himself; the corners of his lips raised into a warm smile as he watched over his boisterous gunner in the distance.


    Just as the two of them reached the street their inn was on, Lily scurried toward Charles with a look of rm. "Mr. Charles! Look! There are so many people at the inn''s entrance."


    Charles'' brows slightly furrowed. He had also noticed several individuals d in ck uniforms standing at the door of the building. Observing the reverence and envy in the eyes of the other inders, Charles discerned that these individuals held high positions on Shattered Heart Isles.


    "What''s the matter? Did our crew stir up trouble at the brothel?"


    Contrary to his assumption, as soon as they confirmed Charles'' identity, the officials respectfully presented him with a hefty, gold-embossed invitation.


    "Captain Charles, as a token of gratitude for your assistance to our people, King Caesar would like to invite you to attend tomorrow''s morning banquet," the envoy conveyed. They hadn''t been here to cause trouble; rather, they were here to deliver an invitation.


    Charles was slightly taken aback. He didn''t expect his good deeds would be rewarded in this ce. Initially, he was inclined to turn down the invitation to avoid further entanglements. However, he hesitated upon the thought that the Haikors were natives of the Sea of Mist, and they might have insights about the Deep Dwellers.


    "I ept the invitation," Charles said.


    "Thank you. I''ll send a carriage for you tomorrow morning, Captain," the giant envoy said with a slight bow before he left.


    The next morning, Charles woke up punctually and wore his old captain¡¯s uniform for the banquet. The moment he stepped out of the room, he felt a weight on his coat pocket. He reached his hand in and pulled Lily out.


    "What are you doinging along?" Charles asked.


    "Mr. Charles, let me go with you. I want to have a look, too. The giant''s banquet must be really fun. I promise not to make a noise," Lily pleaded with her eyes glimmering innocently.


    Amused by her behavior, Charles couldn''t bear to turn her down and tucked her back into his coat pocket. Instantly, he could hear her cheer of happiness from within the pocket.


    Stepping outside, Charles saw a carriage already waiting by the door.


    The horses pulling the Haikors'' carriage were tall and robust. They were unlike any breed he knew, and he wondered how this particr species was bred.


    Charles had initially thought that the horses would head toward the ind''s heart. But to his surprise, they pulled the carriage toward the docks.


    With a thunderous ssh, the carriage entered the waters and transformed into a boat.


    Seated within the spacious carriage, Charles looked out of the window and admired the waterline; he felt like he was on a cruise.


    The Shattered Heart Isles'' royal pce wasn¡¯t far. The carriage weaved through several smaller isles before climbing ashore to a resplendent ind.


    The carriage Charles was on wasn''t the only one on the ind. Soon, more carriages emerged from the water with other guests.


    As Charles walked down the green carpet, he saw the servants busy with the banquet preparations. Some guests were already seated, and among them, he was surprised to spot a familiar face¡ªAguino.


    The man who had been on the brink of death due to thirst was now d in a blue robe. If not for Charles'' keen observation, he wouldn''t have recognized the giant he had saved.


    Aguino noticed Charles as well. He pointed at the adjacent seat as a gesture of invitation.


    "I thought you wouldn''te. I hadn''t expected to see you here," Aguino remarked. His tone clearly sounded different now that he was freed from his previous predicament.


    "It''s just a banquet. What would I have to fear?" Charles replied, unfazed by Aguino''s remarks.


    "Though you had hesitated along the way, Captain Charles, you did help us after all. For that, His Majesty the King has prepared a gift for you," Aguino said.


    "Thank you; I''m looking forward to it."


    As the guests slowly took their seats and filled up the hall, King Caesar of Shattered Heart Isles assumed his ce. His appearance bore the same distinctive features of the Haikors¡ªa unibrow and a slightly protruding chin.


    As King Caesar began his toast, Charles realized that the banquet wasn¡¯t solely held in his honor. Today was thememoration of the death of their god, Pede, and he was just an incidental guest.


    Seizing the moment while the King was speaking, Charles scanned the room. The various colored robes of the Haikor seemed to be an indication of their specific ranking, but he couldn''t discern the order of the color ranking.


    However, a few figures among the guests caught his attention. It wasn''t their faces that he remembered, but their familiar attire: white robes topped with triangr hats. They wore the same outfit as the giants who hade with Anna to break him out of the world in his subconscious.


    "Who are they?" Charles asked Aguino in a hushed whisper.


    "They are servants of the temple. They have met our God and have received a portion of His miraculous powers."


    "Met your God?! Are they not afraid of going mad?" Charles asked, his eyes staring wide in disbelief.


    "Why would they go mad? Anyone who receives a divine oracle is graced with an audience with God," Aguino exined.


    "Then won''t¡ª" Charles stopped midway in his sentence. He realized that he might have misunderstood something. Perhaps the god that the Haikor Tribe worshiped was different from God Fhtagn.


    "How tall is your god?"


    "About seven meters. I''ve had the honor of seeing Him once from a distance," Aguino replied.

 Chapter 227. The Haikor King

    <h4>Chapter 227. The Haikor King</h4>


    "Seven meters? And you''ve even met him before?"


    Charles quickly understood that the beings the Haikors referred to as gods might just be a group of natives of thend rather than what he had originally assumed them to be.


    It now all made sense why the shop owner with a missing leg had said that a god had died.


    Despite this, Charles was clear that even if these Haikor deities weren''t of the level of the Divinities, they still held some power. Otherwise, they couldn''t have established a foothold in the Subterranean Sea. However, the stature of the Haikor deities plummeted in his mind upon knowing that they were less than immortals.


    Sitting next to him, Aguino seemed to have been attuned to Charles'' thoughts. He shed a faint smile and whispered, "Captain Charles, do you find that our gods differ greatly from those in the Northern Sea?"


    Charles remained silent, with his gaze fixated on his wine ss. He considered those <i>gods</i> as just mere natives and had no interest in debating with Aguino about their gods. After all, he was on their turf and saw no point in antagonizing them over a mere ideological dispute.


    "I know that there are gods in the Northern Seas¡ªthe Light God, Fhtagn, Giant Bird of Suffering, Eye of Truth, and countless others. But so what if they hold grand titles and are supposedly omnipotent?


    "Do their followers get to meet them? Or should I say, does their faith even matter to their gods?" Aguino pressed on as he took a nce at King Caesar, who was still going on with his wee speech.


    "Our gods may not be omnipotent or immortal, but they are with us, they care for us, they show uspassion."


    "Are they really considered gods, then? Shouldn''t they be considered just another group of ordinary ind natives?" Charles inquired.


    Aguino posed a philosophical question in response, "What, in your mind, Captain Charles, is the definition of a god?"


    The question was beyond Charles''s usual scope of thought, so he remained silent.


    Taking the hint, Aguino continued. "Gods should be a higher-level concept, not merely a belief born out of fear. To regard unknown entities in the water as some godly figure seems foolish to me.


    "You may not understand now, but once you see our gods, you will understand."


    Charles regarded the giant before him with a questioning gaze. <i>Is a man capable of such philosophical thinking really a brainwashed cultist?</i>


    Aguino ceased his exnation as the king''s speech concluded.


    Charles also reined his thoughts back in and looked toward the direction of the king.


    Raising his golden cup, the king toasted, "To our first god, Pede. May He rest in peace in another world."


    Charles joined the others in raising his ss and took a sip from the cup. He found it unexpectedly familiar¡ªit was the banana wine from his very own Hope Ind.


    "Captain Charles, this wine is a rare import from distant Hope Ind, and it is very expensive. It is said to be equivalent to flowing gold in the Sea of Mist," Aguino remarked.


    A muffled chuckle escaped from Charles''s pocket.


    Charles hurriedly ced a hand into his pocket and tapped Lily on the head. He then raised his ss to Aguino. In acknowledgment, he said, "Indeed, the taste profile is rather unique."


    As the banquet continued, the king, dressed in a mboyant outfit, chatted with the few guests seated around him and disyed no intent of conversing with Charles.


    Charles remained unfazed and continued to dine. He would be more concerned if the king had ced overly excessive attention on him, as though there was a hidden agenda to the banquet.


    He also found it interesting that while most ind banquets were held in the evening, Shattered Heart Isles held theirs in the morning, which was rather unusual.


    The feast concluded amid the clinking of sses, but Charles stayed behind. He was certain that the king had invited him for more than just a meal.


    The servants quietly came forward to begin clearing the long table. After the table that stretched over thirty meters was cleared, Charles finally caught King Caesar''s gaze for the first time.


    King Caesar''s first remark caught Charles by surprise. "Captain Charles, the wine from your ind is rather exceptional and tastes rather unique. The price is rather steep, though."


    <i>He knows that I''m the Governor of Hope Ind?</i>


    Charles kept hisposure and replied calmly, "You tter me. All credit goes to the special ingredients. If you need, I can send a shipload to you."


    King Caesar let out a customary chuckle and replied, "There''s no need for that. Despite the price tag, I can still afford it as the ruler of an ind. But I do have a question. As the king of a prosperous ind, why did you venture all the way to the Sea of Mist?"


    "You can ask the Prophet about that. It knows of my purpose." Not wanting to lose control of the conversation, Charles continued. "Your people mentioned wanting to thank me with a gift. On that note, I''d prefer to exchange the gift for a question if Your Majesty permits."


    King Caesar fidgeted with the red ring on his hand and inquired, "What is your question?"


    "It''s about the Deep Dwellers. They live rather close by, so the Haikor Tribe must have extensive knowledge about them, right?"


    "Indeed. Those wretches are a constant threat to all Haikors. They are a menace we''ve battled for centuries. We''re well-acquainted with their nature and brutality."


    "What if a human suddenly turns into a Deep Dweller? Is there any way to turn him back?" Charles asked.


    Surprise painted King Caesar''s visage. He hadn''t expected such a question.


    "There''s no need for you to pose this question to anyone else. I can answer it: no, it''s impossible."


    Charles'' heart sank. <i>So that punk Dipp will nevere back?</i>


    "But why not? If it''s possible to turn from a human into a Deep Dweller, shouldn''t the reverse be possible as well?"


    "You''re mistaken. No one<i> turns</i> into a Deep Dweller; they''ve always been Deep Dwellers, just in different stages of life. The juvenile form of a Deep Dweller resembles a human. At a certain point, or under specific stimuli, they metamorphose into adult Deep Dwellers.


    "Just like how sturgeons migrate from the Southern Seas to specific regions in the Northern Seas to spawn, those wretched creatures lurking in the sea rely on humans to reproduce.


    "If a pregnant woman escapes, it''s possible for a juvenile Deep Dweller to end up being adopted by humans."


    The revtion struck Charles with a wave of dismay. It meant that Dipp could never be human once more.


    Dipp''s eternally spirited face fleeted across Charles'' mind, and Charles unknowingly clenched his hands into fists. His previously good mood turned sour in an instant.


    This wasn''t just about losing a powerfulrade. In his many years in this subterranean world, Dipp had been one of the few whom he could truly connect with.


    "Captain Charles, you have a friend who became a Deep Dweller? That is truly unfortunate."


    Charles shook his head and rose to his feet. "Your Majesty, thank you for the rification. Since the banquet is over, I shall take my leave."


    "Hold on, Captain. I did mention a gift for you. Since you''re here, you might as well take it."

 Chapter 228. Cavendish

    <h4>Chapter 228. Cavendish</h4>


    King Caesar raised his right hand, and immediately, a servant approached Charles with a tray. A pair of ck high boots etched with enigmatic inscriptions was on the tray.


    "These will allow you to tread anywhere you wish. I believe they will be of use to you, Captain Charles," King Caesar exined.


    "A relic? What are the side effects?" Charles asked.


    "It''s not exactly a relic. Consider them a divine gift," King Caesar replied.


    King Caesar smiled in satisfaction when Charles epted the boots.


    "Captain Charles, you have earned the respect of the Haikor Tribe. From this moment on, let''s consider ourselves friends."


    Charles nodded in agreement and left. Shortly after his departure, King Caesar rose to his feet and calmly turned his gaze upward. A monstrous, hideous creature was clinging upside down from the ceiling¡ªit was the Apostle from before.


    The creature flipped mid-air andnded heavily on the long table with a loud thud and emitted a rapid gurgling sound.


    Aguino stepped forward and offered a deferential bow to the Apostle.


    "He bears the mark of the God Fhtagn, but when I deliberately spoke ill of the Fhtagnist faith, Charles disyed no trace of anger. He''s unlikely to be a follower of Fhtagn."


    Flicking its long tail, the creature leaped from the table and circled the spot where Charles had been seated. It seemed to be deep in thought for a few moments before it made the same gurgling sound again.


    "Understood. As per your request, Esteemed Apostle, I''ll gather as much information about him as possible for you to present to our god."


    Meanwhile, King Caesar stood immobile and seemingly oblivious to the exchange between Aguino and the Apostle.


    ***


    Margaret stood within the pilot house of the colossal Royal Titan.


    However, her situation was far from ideal.


    A thunderous boom rang out and Margaret clung desperately to her chair bolted to the floor. She tried to stand up, but her legs were trembling uncontrobly; she had clearly underestimated the brutal reality of naval warfare.


    She nced out the window at another massive ship. The sound hade from there. She wasn''t certain if the turbine chamber was hit, but the once invincible steel behemoth was now a massive fireball.


    The mes dyed the inky dark waters a fiery red, with wisps of white vapor beginning to rise from the water''s surface.


    Tears streamed down Margaret''s face; she couldn''t even understand why she was crying. She had never imagined that just observing a battle would be this overwhelming.


    Arge hand reached under her armpit and pulled her up to her feet.


    "Don''t cry. Tears are useless on the battlefield. You made this choice. Watch and learn how Imand the fleet. Realbat is the best learning experience."


    Margaret bit down on her lower lip with a steeled resolve. She turned to look at her brother, Jack, and nodded vigorously.


    Bringing herself together, she watched Jack swiftlymand the battle through telegraph.


    <i>I''m not a burden! I can do this!</i>


    "Commander! Three enemy ships oing from three o''clock! They¡¯re fast!" a frantic voice came through themunication port.


    They were three steamships bearing the g of the Albion Isles. Their slender bodies allowed them to cut swiftly through the water toward the Whereto''s navy fleet.


    Cannon fire from the Royal Titans roared continuously, efficiently taking down the enemy to one remaining ship. However, the lone ship continued to approach with no fear.


    While arge ship had its advantages, it also had its drawbacks¡ªonce smaller ships got close enough, the giant cannons would be rendered useless.


    The smaller ship soon inched close enough, and grappling hooks were flung upward. The enemy began scaling the ropes. They seemed to be well aware that this particr vessel was the mainmand, the brain of the Whereto''s naval force. And they aimed to take down the leader.


    "Battle team, prepare to engage!" Jack bellowed into a nearby pipe.


    ck-uniformed soldiers streamed out from the cabins and rushed toward the invaders climbing the ship''s sides. A brutal melee ensued as soon as they shed on deck.


    Bullets were the main weapons. As soon as various relics were brandished, the violence escted exponentially. Soon, a crimson red dyed the deck.


    Margaret tried her best to block out the chaos andmotion outside. She diverted her full attention to her brother''smand strategy. But suddenly, she saw Jack turn toward her with a serious expression.


    "You said you wanted to join the fight, right? Now''s your chance."


    Margaret observed the pandemonium outside and nodded with a newfound resolve.


    "Great," Jack said and proceeded to slice his arm open to remove a peanut-sized ck stone. He then cut open Margaret''s skin and inserted the stone into her.


    Instantly, Margaret felt lighter, and her skin tingled with an unfamiliar tension.


    "There aren''t many of them outside; draw some blood first."


    Pushing a dagger into Margaret''s hand, Jack grabbed her by the wrist and hurled her through the ss window toward the fray.


    Margaret''s shrieks pierced the air as she crashed through the ss and fell from a towering height of four to five stories onto the deck.


    She staggered to her feet, her vision slightly hazy. Before she could evenprehend her situation, an invader next to her fired at her at point-nk range.


    <i>It hurts...so much...</i> Margaret thought as she lifted a hand to touch her wound. To her surprise, there was no blood, and her eyes widened in disbelief. It seemed like she had gained the same near-inhuman defensive strength her father and brother had.


    Shots were fired, and bullets whizzed past again. Margaret instinctively curled up in fear. Unfortunately, the enemy showed no mercy to her apparent vulnerability, and a cowering young girl was an easy target.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    A smoking grenade was lobbed right toward her pristine high heels.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    mes engulfed Margaret, and she was sted away by the explosion.


    Tears found their way down her cheeks once more. But this time, she stood up despite the tears streaming down her face. Covered in soot, she gripped her dagger with all the strength she could muster. With a hysterical cry, she charged into the chaos of the battlefield.


    An invader attempted to block her path. However, Margaret lifted the dagger and thrust it into the attacker''s back with all her might.


    A sickening noise echoed.


    The man''s spine had shattered under Margaret''s immense force.


    "AHHHHHH!!" Margaret let out a battle cry as she lunged at her second target.


    The fight soon ended.


    A disoriented Margaret pushed the pilot house''s door open and stumbled into the room. The moment she stepped into herfort zone, she copsed to the ground and started retching.


    The violent scenes of her recent actions shed through her mind; the blood and gore felt like they would haunt her for quite a while, even if she wanted to forget them.


    Jack helped her up and seated her on a nearby stool.


    "Not bad, you took out six," Jackmended.


    Margaret''s lips quivered. She burst into tears and clung to her brother, seekingfort and constion.


    Seeing her crying so miserably, Jack patted her back affectionately. "How about I get someone to send you back to the ind? Honestly, this ce might not be for women."


    Margaret immediately released her grip on Jack and shook her head vigorously. "No! I am a Cavendish! I won''t run away!"


    Jack smiled at that and patted her head. "That''s my sister. No Cavendish is a coward!"

 Chapter 229. Spider

    <h4>Chapter 229. Spider</h4>


    "Governor, although the current war is happening on home turf, the enemy''s strength is too overwhelming. They have weapons we''ve never seen before. Our navy is barely holding on. We only have three Royal Titan ships remaining."


    As Governor Daniel listened to his subordinate''s report, his hands clenched tightly into fists, and the flesh on his jowled face twitched ever so slightly.


    He had anticipated this day from the moment the first cannon was fired, but it had arrived much earlier than expected.


    He had rather skilled men, but there was nothing they could do to defend themselves against the enemy''s flying machinery.


    When a conflict escted to a full-scale war, individual prowess mattered little unless one possessed strength on par with Julio, the Governor of Cat Ind.


    "Hire those guys from the Explorers Association and conscript every fishing and cargo ship. Recruit every able-bodied man on the ind. ording to the intercepted enemy telegrams, they''re also struggling. It''s a battle of reinforcements now."


    "Governor, there are some debates going about on the ind... Some believe we should surren¡ª"


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Daniel smashed the wooden table, effectively cutting off his subordinate''s words. His roar echoed through the room.


    "Tell those cowards that as long as I live, the Isle of Whereto will never surrender!"


    Daniel''s chest heaved with emotion. Had those shortsighted people lost their heads after living a good life for so many years? If surrender were useful, he would have already done it.


    In the Subterranean Sea, the rule had always been the winner takes all. Any benefits earned through subservience would be easily stripped away by the victor.


    "Who''s there?" Daniel suddenly looked up toward the door. When he saw Margaret entering the room, his stern expression instantly softened.


    "<i>Ah,</i> my precious daughter. I heard from Jack that you have been doing exceptionally well at sea these past days."


    Margaret''s face disyed less naivety and more determination. The harsh realities of the brutal war had surely left a profound impact on her.


    "Father, Brother asked me to bring this to you," the young woman handed a file to Governor Daniel.


    "Alright, understood. Remain vignt in guarding the eastern part of the ind. I''ll hold the front. They''ll never take over the Cavendish inds," Governor Daniel assured as he took the file from Margaret.


    "I believe in you, Father. You are invincible!" Margaret nodded her head in agreement.


    "That''s my good daughter," Daniel said with a pleased smile.


    A trace of bitterness appeared in Margaret''s eyes. "When I was younger, I was disobedient and have often angered you, Father. But now I understand. The only ones who truly care for me in this world are my own family."


    Daniel looked at his beautiful daughter before him, and a contented smile appeared on his countenance. "Our princess has finally grown up."


    The once tumultuous father-daughter rtionship seemed to be warming up again. But just then, a soldier rushed in with a scroll in hand.


    "Governor, the enemy had just sent a letter over."


    Daniel unrolled the scroll, and his smile grew even brighter as he read the contents.


    "Hahaha! Today''s good news just keepsing!" Daniel remarked


    "What does it say, Father?" Margaret asked, her toneced with curiosity.


    "That kid Swann can''t hold out any longer. He''s requested to negotiate tomorrow morning at sea," Daniel answered. Such a request usually signified a concession.


    Early next morning, the remaining warships of Whereto lined up at the frontlines. Governor Daniel, with his children by his side, stood on the deck of the Royal Titan in the middle.


    Jack leisurely smoked away on his cigar and tapped the ash over the ship''s side. "It''s finally over after so long. I need a good rest when we get back."


    "Don''t rx yet! If Swann doesn''t give us a satisfactory answer, this isn''t over!" Daniel''s voice held suppressed fury.


    Minutes ticked by, but the fleet of Albion Isles was still nowhere in sight. Daniel was growing impatient with every passing second.


    "Is that punk trying to fool me?! What''s the point of this!" Daniel roared.


    Margaret''s voice was tinged with worry as she inquired, "Father, could he be diverting our attention here and nning a sneak attack elsewhere?"


    Jack shook his head in response. "That''s unlikely. I''ve arranged fast ships to patrol the other parts of the ind."


    Despite saying this, Jack still sent one of his men to double-check the situation. News returned soon: There were no signs of any enemy ships within fifty kilometers of the ind.


    "Hmph! Maybe that guy is too scared even to negotiate now. If this gets out, how will he ever hold his head up in the Northern Sea again? Let''s go back. Your mother hasn''t seen you both for a long time."


    As soon as Daniel finished his sentence, he began to walk toward the cabin. Just a few steps in, he noticed his children rooted in their spots, their gazes fixated on the horizon behind him.


    He turned around, and his eyes widened in surprise. A hazy, white light appeared on the previously dark, inky expanse.


    As the light grew increasingly closer, everyone on board gaped in shock. It wasn''t the searchlight of a vessel. Rather, it was a mechanical city spanning two to three kilometers in diameter.


    ck smoke billowed endlessly from the chimneys on the high buildings. Complex metal gears formed the city''s base, and ten gigantic metal legs stretched out from beneath the base into the dark sea.


    The entire city resembled a massive spider. Hundreds of ships followed this enormous spider as it slowly advanced toward the Isle of Whereto.


    In the face of this monstrous spider, the Royal Titan seemed nothing more than a mere toy.


    "What... what in the world is that?! Even the most advanced turbines wouldn''t be able to power a machine this size!" Jack shouted, his voice tainted with terror.


    Daniel''s neck creaked like a rusted bearing as he slowly turned to face his son. His face was painted with despair as he instructed, "Take your sister and run! Now!"


    With a sharp thud, a brass box with a ck lens dropped from the sky andnded right before Daniel.


    "Heyyyyy. Isn''t this the once overlord of the Northern Seas, Mr. Daniel? What''s up with the pale look? Are you perhaps feeling unwell?" Swann''s arrogant voice sounded from the brass box.


    Daniel picked up the box and choked out his words with much difficulty. "Swann, you''ve won. The Isle of Whereto and the other two inds are now yours."


    "HAHAHA! I''m so happy to hear that from you. I almost wanted to let you off," Swann replied with evident glee.


    The lens of the box retracted slightly before turning toward Margaret. "Daniel, your daughter is such a beauty. I had nned to keep her for my own personal use, but unfortunately, she''s a Cavendish. Looks like I''ll have to send your whole family on your way together."


    <i>Bzzzzz.</i>


    A tube extended from the lower part of the mechanical city. A white light appeared at the tube''s mouth and glowed brighter and brighter with each passing second.


    "Have you forgotten the rules of the Explorers Association?! I''ve surrendered the inds! You must spare my family!" Daniel roared.


    "The rules of the Explorers Association don''t need to be followed anymore. They have lived way past their time. You have no idea of the marvelous technology I''ve acquired. With these devices, the sea is mine!" Swann dered triumphantly.

 Chapter 230. Collapsed

    <h4>Chapter 230. Copsed</h4>


    Listening to the wordsing from the brass box, Daniel clenched his hands and crushed the device into fragments. Staring at the white light''s growing intensity, he hurriedly grabbed a life raft hanging on the ship''s edge, tossed it onto the deck and pulled both siblings toward it.


    "Remember! Survive! Don''t seek revenge for me!" Danielmanded before spitting out seven or eight red stones mixed with blood onto the raft.


    Before a tearful Margaret could respond, Daniel''s muscles tensed up, and he hurled the lightweight raft like a paper airne, flinging it far into the sea.


    Daniel didn''t wait for the raft to hit the water. He turned toward the control tower and roared, "Charge! For Cavendish!"


    With a re of the ship''s horn, the ps over all the gun ports on the three remaining Royal Titans opened. The warships advanced toward the <i>spider up </i>ahead with its propellers spinning furiously.


    "Brother! We can''t let Father charge to his death like this!" Margaret cried out in desperation.


    Jack remained silent. With a pained expression on his countenance, he carefully gathered the blood-stained red stones on the raft and pocketed them.


    A blinding dazzle of light illuminated the entire sea region. The Cavendish siblings squinted their eyes instinctively. When the ring light faded, the Royal Titan that Daniel was on came to a gradual halt.


    <i>Thump! Thump!</i>


    Margaret could hear the sound of her racing heartbeat in her ears.


    <i>No... It can''t be! Impossible! Father is invincible!</i>


    Apanied by the creaking and screeching of metal, the Titanic-sized ship slowly split down the middle into equal halves. The two sections crashed into the sea and churned giant waves that pushed the life raft even further away.


    As he watched the dramatic, majestic downfall of the Royal Titan unfold on the ck-and-white screen, Swann let out a joyous whistle as he loungedfortably on his leather couch.


    "Though it took a full three years to build this, it was indeed worth the effort, don''t you think so, Your Holiness?" Swann asked as he turned to the enormous stone sculpture next to him.


    The statue nodded in agreement. "Your mechanical engineering skills are truly impressive. I thought you would need an even longer time."


    Swann let out a heartyughter. "Mechanical engineering is the foundation of the Albion Isles; it was necessary. I invest a lot in those universities every year, all for this purpose."


    Swann lifted his ss and downed the contents in one mouthful. He then looked at the Pope with a hint of curiosity in his gaze. "I''m still rather intrigued. Where did you get all these technical blueprints and the actual items?"


    The Pope''s eyes narrowed into slits, and he shook his head. "There''s no need for you to know. As long as you aplish your mission, I''ll reward you with benefits beyond your imagination."


    "<i>Oh? </i>It seems like you have quite a few treasures, Your Holiness. Let me guess, they must be from inside that overhead crack on Hope Ind, aren''t they? Won''t your Light God get angry over you taking these things so casually?"


    The smile slowly faded from the Pope''s face and was reced with a cold re. He directed his re at Swann.


    Swann, who was sipping on his second ss of wine, suddenly sprayed his drink onto the screen in front of him. He frantically lifted his hands and clutched his throat. Choking sounds escaped from his mouth as he realized that he couldn''t breathe.


    His face turned pale to crimson and then to a deathly gray.


    The indomitable Governor of the Albion Isles just mere seconds ago was nowhere to be seen. Now, he was kneeling on the ground and kowtowing to the Pope for mercy like a pitiful dog.


    Just as Swann''s eyes turned white and his consciousness faded, the suffocating sensation disappeared.


    Lying on the ground, Swann gasped for air rapidly.


    He had never appreciated the preciousness of ordinary breathing more than this moment.


    A cold, murderous intent flickered across Swann''s eyes, but he quickly suppressed it before anyone could notice. He lowered his head and groped around his neck.


    Cracks had appeared all over the Pope''s stone sculpture, and specks of light could be seen within the fissures. He leaned forward and looked down with an oppressive gaze at Swann.


    "I don''t care how much you hate me. But if you dare to disrupt or dy my ns, I''ll make sure you suffer a hundred, a thousand times worse than what you had just experienced!"


    With his head bowed, Swann returned to his seat and watched the still-resisting vessels on the circr screen. He pulled out a brass horn and shouted through gritting teeth, "Spare none of them! Kill them all! And I want to see the bodies of all Cavendish! Every single one!"


    ***


    By now, Margaret and Jack had already changed their vehicle and gotten onto a speedboat. Disregarding the distant sky aze with artillery fire, Jack steered the vessel toward the docks of Whereto.


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    A bright firework exploded in the sky.


    By the time Jack and Margaret reached the harbor, a car was already waiting for them. Jack dragged his sister, whose eyes were red from crying, and hurried into the back seat of the vehicle.


    Margaret trembled involuntarily as she leaned against her brother, trying to seek some semnce offort. However, Jack had no intention of consoling his sister. He pulled out a dagger and swiftly began extracting small red stones from underneath his skin.


    When the car stopped at the entrance of the Governor''s mansion, Jack already gathered a handful of these stones. He pocketed them all and pulled his sister along through the main entrance.


    "Jack! What''s with all this blood on you? Where''s your father? How did the negotiations go?" their mother, Kalytha asked as she approached them with an anxious look on her visage.


    Jack offered no reply. Instead, he grabbed Kalytha by the wrist and pulled her along toward the study.


    Upon reaching the room, he expertly pressed down on a book on the left side of the study and a secret passage opened up before them.


    Leading his mother and sister down the spiral staircase, they soon arrived at a spacious underground river. A steamboat of the same size as S.S. Mouse floated upon the water''s surface.


    "The ship has everything needed for escape. After getting out of here, seek refuge in the other regions. The Northern Seas would be far from peaceful for a long while," Jack advised before jumping off the ship.


    Margaret seemed to have realized something and reached out a hand frantically. "Brother, hurry up and get on board!"


    Jack grabbed her hand and gently kissed the back of her pale hand.


    "I can''t. I''m the eldest son. If I were to disappear, they would definitely do everything they could to find me."


    With that, Jack pulled out a small packet of stones wrapped in cloth from his pocket and tossed it to her.


    "This is the Cavendish Family''s heirloom. Take it. I can''t protect you on the journey ahead, Margaret. It''s time for you to grow up."


    "Then, I won''t leave either!" Margaret dered in an agitated tone and was ready to leap off the ship.


    But before she could do so, a hand reached out with a ss vial and swiped it under her nose, and she copsed on the deck.


    "Please take good care of my sister. Thank you all," Jack said to the five individuals who had materialized from thin air.


    "Understood!" the five echoed in unison with a salute.


    Jack watched the ship vanish into the darkness before he turned and walked leisurely back up the stairs. He seated himself in his father''s office and picked up a family photo from the desk.


    He gently traced his fingers over the four smiling faces in the picture. A tender smile appeared on his face as he reminisced about the happy memories.


    He wasn''t sure how much time had passed when he heard themotion outside growing louder.


    "Time sure flies..." Jack muttered as he pulled out several red orbs the size of ping-pong balls from the drawers and stuffed them into his mouth.


    Swallowing them as they were was painful and unbearable, but Jack showed no hesitation. He endured the pain in his throat and shoved all of them down into his stomach.


    Just as he felt that the red orbs were almost piling up to his throat, he finally stopped. He lit a cigar and waited for his <i>guests</i>.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The door was kicked open. The moment Jack saw the intruders d in the navy uniforms of the Albion Isles, disappointment flickered across his face.


    "Where''s Swann?! Tell Swann toe see me!"


    The soldiers ignored his demand and raised their guns at him.


    Jack''s face broke into a self-deprecating smile. He opened his mouth and inhaled deeply on the lit end of the cigar.


    A deafening explosion echoed across the Isle of Whereto. The bewildered inders turned their gazes onto the source of the sound. It hade from the Governor''s Mansion¡ªthe Governor''s Mansion had copsed.

 Chapter 231. A Letter

    <h4>Chapter 231. A Letter</h4>


    <i>August 7, 12th Year of Crossing Over</i>


    <i>I''ve managed to return to my ind. The voyage to the Southern Seas was a long journey. Laesto told me that most of the crew members were suffering from auditory hallucinations. They''ve received treatment, but they still needed plenty of rest. </i>


    <i>I also need to rest. I don''t want to hear those murmurs again, and I don''t want to experience that feeling of unease ever again.</i>


    <i>On the return trip back, I was nning on bringing Anna back to Hope Ind, but I couldn''t find her when we passed by World''s Crown. She said she had some things she had to handle, so she''s probably away to take care of those things.</i>


    <i>I left her a letter, and it contained information I had recently acquired. I asked her to let me know that she''s safe once she''s back. I wonder what she''s up to recently. For some reason, I feel like she''s hiding something from me.</i>


    <i>Is it perhaps rted to those Haikors wearing triangr hats? I''m not sure, but the possibility was high, as their god is a monster. </i>


    After writing his entry, Charles allowed the ink to dry before closing the diary. He was using a new diary, as his old diary had run out of pages.


    "Lily, tell your friends to visit the Divine Light Order. I want you to ask if the Pope finally has time," Charles said. He had been wanting to ask about his next destination, but he was told that the Pope was at the Divine Light Grand Cathedral, busy with many things.


    Charles wondered just how busy a 120-year-old elderly man could be.


    Lily nodded and put down her pen. She squealed twice at the mice next to her, and a few of them soon rushed out.


    "Charles, my mom gave birth. What gift do you think I should give her?"


    "Well, you can''t go and see them, so how about you tell your mice friends to send some gold over to them?"


    "But my dad''s sry has increased, so I don''t think theyck money. What if I give a toy gun as a gift? Boys like guns, after all," Lily asked.


    Charles was no longer listening to Lily. He had just picked up a few documents on the table, and he was now reading them.


    The documents were prepared by the financial department, and they contained detailed reports about the events that had transpired on the ind during his absence.


    Most of the reports were the usual affairs and figures such as revenue, the ind''s poption, and the estimated resource requirement to achieve the next ind''s next development milestone.


    Charles had to admit that he wasn''t great when it came to numbers. His head soon started throbbing as he skimmed through the numbers. He forced himself to read every single document, as he was the Governor of the ind.


    When he was done, he stood up and walked over to the sunny balcony next to him. The only ce that had a balcony with direct sunlight on Hope Ind was the ce where Charles lived, and it was made especially for him.


    Charles took a deep breath and looked around. The dense, towering buildings ahead of him stood beneath custom-made canopies despite their heights.


    The Subterranean Seascape''s technology had finally reached the level of building <i>towering</i> skyscrapers. Unfortunately, the canopies that were necessary to block out the sun meant that Hope Ind could only expand horizontally.


    Charles continued looking around and realized that more houses had been constructed in his absence. None of the passersby noticed Charles'' gaze from above, and they were all looking down, minding their own business.


    There were quite a few people talking to each other in groups of three or five, each had a newspaper in hand.


    Charles turned to the other streets and found that the security guards weren''t chasing away those who were dressed humbly. It was all because of thew Charles had passed down; the city center was open to everyone.


    Anyone could enter and exit the city center anytime they wished, but it wasn''t like Charles was being kind. He had first-hand experience of being driven away, and he disliked the feeling; that was all.


    Charles swept his gaze across the buildings and the passersby, and for the first time, Charles thought that he was indeed the master of this ind.


    Just then, Charles'' eyes caught the figure of a man wearing a ck suit. His clothes differed from the passersby, so he stuck out like a sore thumb. Charles recognized the man; only his vampire sailor Audric could do such a thing, after all.


    The sunlight wouldn''t reduce Audric to ashes so long as he avoided direct sunlight, but even the faintest ray of sunlight was enough to scorch the vampire and inflict excruciating pain.


    Audric had to wear thick clothes that would cover every part of his body if he were to remain on Hope Ind. Among the crew members, it was unfortunate, but Audric was the only one whose life hadn''t improved that much.


    Audric seemed to have sensed Charles'' gaze. He looked up and gesticted with his hands, indicating that he was about to go drink before walking into a tavern.


    The door creaked behind Charles, and a man walked in. He was the governor''s steward, and Charles had actually forgotten his name.


    However, Charles remembered that the man was a professional whose job was to handle the Governor''s Mansion''s affairs in an orderly manner.


    "What''s wrong?" Charles asked.


    "A letter from the Isle of Whereto arrived during your absence, Governor," the man said. He handed over a letter to Charles and quickly walked out of the sunlight after doing so.


    <i>Jack Cavendish? Cavendish? This surname sounds familiar. I feel like I''ve heard it somewhere before. </i>Charles emerged from his thoughts and opened the envelope. He took out the letter and started reading it.


    <i>To Mr. Charles Reed, the Governor of Hope Ind.</i>


    <i>My name is Jack, and I''m Margaret''s brother. Perhaps you''ve forgotten her, so let me give you a hint that will help you remember her¡ªyou used her to extort five million Echo out of my father. </i>


    <i>When you went mad, she found you in the midst of lunatics and took you home. It was my first time seeing my sister taking care of someone else; she fed you meals by hand, and she personally washed away the filth on your body. She took meticulous care of you, but you actually forgot her?</i>


    <i>I despise you as a fellow man¡ªI despise you a lot. Where have your manners as a gentleman gone? If you don''t believe me, you can ask your crew members and the first person you saw upon waking up.</i>


    <i>For the sake of winning over allies, my father is forcing Margaret to marry a seventy-year-old man. Are you really willing to let the young woman who had saved your life suffer and cry helplessly beneath the crotch of an old man?</i>


    <i>If you still have even the tiniest vestiges of shame in your heart, then pleasee to the Isle of Whereto as soon as possible. Ah, bring Hope Ind''s navy fleet with you.</i>


    <i>Jack Cavendish</i>


    There were a few photos that apanied the letter, and they were shots taken surreptitiously. The photos depicted a beautiful young woman carefully feeding water to the bearded Charles, and her big, clear eyes were full of warmth and concern. A few photos also depicted the beautiful young woman smiling while helping Charles onto a wheelchair.


    Charles'' brows furrowed as he stared at the young woman. He finally remembered seeing her standing in front of him when he returned to Hope Ind for the first time in years.


    However, Charles found it hard to believe that the beautiful young woman in the photos was the same young woman he had met back then. Thetter at the time was as timid as a little bunny, so the incongruity made Charles frown.


    <i>Why did Anna hide this from me? Wait, no, considering Anna''s personality, she had already done Margaret an exceptional favor by not swallowing that young girl whole.</i>


    Charles turned to the mouse that had climbed onto his shoulder and was peeking at the letter in his hand.


    "Lily, tell the crew members toe over here. I want to ask them something," he said.

 Chapter 232. Response

    <h4>Chapter 232. Response</h4>


    The crew members gathered quickly in response to the Captain''s summons.


    Upon hearing Charles'' concern, Second Mate Conor spoke before anyone else, "Yes, someone from the Isle of Whereto told us that they had found you while you were missing. We went there after oveing great difficulty, but we didn''t find you.


    "I remember seeing a young woman crying over your disappearance, saying that a tentacled monster had taken you away."


    "Howe no one told me about this?"


    "Well, we thought they lied to us since we didn''t find you, so we decided to just return to Hope Ind. We forgot about the matter entirely because you soon returned to Hope Ind by yourself."


    Charles'' brows furrowed slightly as he crumpled the letter in his hand. It seemed that the contents of the letter were true¡ªMargaret had truly saved his life.


    Recalling the crisis Jack had mentioned in his letter, Charles'' heart raced. He turned to the silver-haired steward and said, "Send a telegram to the Governor of Whereto."


    The silver-haired steward was slightly taken aback at the instruction. His mouth fluttered open, and it seemed that he had something to say but was hesitating.


    In the end, Laesto sitting on a sofa while reading a newspaper said, "There''s no more Governor of Whereto. It''s been a while since he died. Whereto now has a new owner."


    "What? When did he die?" Charles muttered, but he immediately realized that this wasn''t the time for him to think about such things.


    He turned to the silver-haired steward next to him and said, "Send a telegram to the Albion Isles. Ask about the ransom for the daughter of thete Governor of Whereto."


    "It shall be done, Governor," the silver-haired steward said before walking away.


    While Charles was stewing in his own anxiety, Laesto limped over to him and gave him a newspaper.


    "I had no idea that you were unaware. Read these newspapers and catch up on the current affairs," Laesto said.


    Charles took the newspaper and flipped it over to the first page. The emboldened words on the first page immediately caught his attention.


    <i>Governor Swann has sessfully taken over the three inds of the Whereto. He advances toward Ebony Mist Ind with his mechanical city, Ronker. The Governor of Ebony Mist Ind has surrendered. From today, Governor Swann helms eleven inds and has be the undisputed King of the Northern Seas with the most inds under his jurisdiction!</i>


    The article included a photo depicting what looked like a spider made out of iron with the docks of Whereto as its backdrop. The writer was obviously shilling for Swann, but Charles couldn''t care less; his eyes were unwittingly transfixed on the massive mechanical city.


    Charles reckoned that such a monstrosity didn''t exist even on the surface world, so howe they managed to build something so enormous with the technology of the Subterranean Seascape?


    "The Subterranean Sea will soon be chaotic. You should worry about how you''re going to keep your position as the governor of Hope Ind," Laesto said before limping over to the sofa and sitting down.


    Laesto''s words had affected not only Charles, but even the crew members. Their faces were as dark as the bottom of a kettle. It was understandable, however, as Hope Ind had be their most precious asset. Everything they had was bestowed upon them by the ind, so depriving them of the ind was a fate worse than death in their eyes.


    A deafening silence hung about the room until it was shattered by a letter addressed to Charles. The letter''s content reeked of arrogance, instantly reminding Charles of Governor Swann''s fat face.


    <i>You''re looking for Margaret? Have you taken a liking to her? Want to buy her and have some fun? Well, I would have considered it if I had her, but the issue is that the so-called pearl of Whereto is missing. </i>


    <i>Maybe she has fallen into the hands of pirates?</i>


    <i>Anyway, I have something to say. Soon, some guys who don''t know what''s good for them wille looking for you to establish an alliance against me. I suggest you pay them no heed. I absolutely won''t touch your ind if you agree to my condition. </i>


    Charles'' face turned a shade darker at the content of the letter. The letter was short, but there was a lot to unpack from it. First of all, Margaret had disappeared. It was yet to be seen whether Swann had lied or not, but it was bad news.


    Secondly, Governor Swann had made his ambitions clear in the letter: his n was to dominate the entire Northern Seas¡ªno, perhaps his ambition is greater than that, and he might be nning on conquering the entire sea!


    "Who is in charge of the navy''s intelligence department? I want him to gather as much information as he can about the Governor of Albion Isles'' recent exploits! I need a lot of information!" Charles eximed.


    They stood before a major crisis, and his goal was to ensure that Hope Ind wouldn''t get engulfed by the waves. He had to see to it that Hope Ind would remain in his hands for the sake of achieving his goal of finding the exit to the surface.


    Charlespletely dismissed Governor Swann''s promise in the letter; he was well aware of Governor Swann''s personality, and he knew that every word out of thetter''s mouth had to be treated as though they were farts.


    "I''m in charge of the intelligence department whenever Bandages isn''t around," Feuerbach said, standing up.


    Charles nodded and said, "Feuerbach, Bandages, stay here. Everyone else is dismissed."


    With that, the crew members walked out of the room with grave expressions.


    "What do you think will the Captain do?" the former cook Frey asked. He finally had the physique of a cook after spending quite a long while on Hope Ind.


    "Do you even have to ask? Think about our Captain''s personality. If Hope Ind gets attacked, our Captain will go all-out to fight them. Hasn''t that always been the case?"


    "I think that''s too risky of a route to take. Didn''t Swann say that he''s not going to attack our ind so long as Captain does what he says? We''re also too far away, so he might not be interested ining all the way here in the first ce?"


    Hearing that, the honest James couldn''t take it anymore and said, "What if he changes his tune after a few months of peace? He can attack us whenever he wishes, after all. He just needs to say it."


    "Let''s go to my ce and drink," Leonardo chimed in.


    "Is this even the time for us to be drinking?" James asked with a face full of worry.


    "The Governor decides; we simply follow. Getting worried here won''t do us good," Leonardo said and led the two away.


    The atmosphere about Hope Ind''s Governor''s Mansion was so tense that it was palpable, and people d in blue navy uniforms were seen hurrying into the Governor''s Mansion.


    Soon, the Governor of Albion Isles'' recent exploits were presented to Charles.


    Governor Swann had started the ndestine operation of building the mobile mechanical city, Ronker, three years ago. It had immediately set out for a battle during its maiden voyage, and it defeated the strongest naval fleet of the Northern Seas¡ªthe Whereto''s navy.


    The metal structure was like an aircraft carrier, capable of carrying hundreds of helicopters that could beunched at any time to perform a devastating air raid on an ind.


    Needless to say, it was an invincible force in the Subterranean Seascape, as no ind could withstand the siege of such terrifying armament. Every ind on its path had either surrendered on sight or had suffered a horrible fate beneath its fatal beams of light.


    Charles had a few guesses in mind about the so-called <i>fatal beams of light</i>, but those weapons weren''t supposed to exist here, not to mention attached to Ronker.


    A monstrosity powered by turbines was actually using <isers</i> as weapons. The denizens of the Subterranean Seascape were none the wiser, but Charles found it bizarre. It felt like he was staring at a monkey climbing off the tree whipping out and wielding an AK.


    <i>There is absolutely no way he invented that thing by himself. There''s a step-by-step process to everything; you can''t just go straight to flying when you don''t even know how to crawl.</i>


    Charles continued on reading, and his pupils constricted when he saw Swann advocating for the Divine Light Order on the inds he had conquered. Upon recalling how the ndestine construction had started three years ago, everything made sense to Charles. He finally knew how Ronker was born.

 Chapter 233. James

    <h4>Chapter 233. James</h4>


    "<i>Hup!</i>" Conor put down the ss in his hand on the ss table before him before leaning against the exceptionally soft sofa behind him. His face was flushed, clearly inebriated. "You guys don''t think we''re actually going to fight the Governor of Albion Isles, do you? We stand zero chance against him."


    "Why should we be afraid? If we really can''t win, we can just escape and abandon the ind. What''s so scary about starting over? I know many people even in the territory of those pirates," Laesto said. He picked up the ss and poured the alcohol into his tin sk.


    "Sure, you can do that since you don''t have any family, but I have four sons. Am I supposed to take them there and let them be pirates?" the former cook Frey argued.


    The crew members were in a luxurious living room, but their expressions betrayed opulence and debauchery as they stewed in their own anxiety.


    Of course, the vampire sailor Audric wasn''t among them. He had no ties to the ind, unlike the other crew members, so he was the epitome of calm andposed; his scorched face looked rxed.


    "What''s up with that look, Vampire? Do you really think that Dark Crystal Ind can escape the same fate of being conquered by the Governor of Albion Isles?"


    Audric smiled coldly at the remark. His sunsses hid his eyes, but it wouldn''t be difficult for anyone to deduce what he felt about the remark.


    "The Mother''s power is unimaginable. Do you really think that an iron lump can conquer Dark Crystal Ind? Stop dreaming; do you have any idea just how many Archdukes are on that ind?"


    "Oh, you''re acting like a denizen of Dark Crystal Ind now? That''s not what you said a few years ago when you became a crew member."


    "What are you talking about? I simply abhor those who bullied me; I''ve never turned my back on the Mother!" Audric eximed.


    Just then, Leonardo put down the ss in his hand and said, "That''s right. The matter isn''t that simple. It''ll be difficult for the Albion Isles to conquer the entirety of the sea. He has Ronker, yes, but he only has <i>one</i> Ronker. He''s not strong enough to disregard everyone."


    The crew members nodded in agreement. Indeed, the religious cults scattered throughout the vast expanse of the sea and the Explorers Association couldn''t be underestimated.


    "Hope Ind is also on the periphery. He still has to consolidate his power on the inds he had just conquered, so there''s no way he''lle for us anytime soon. In the meantime, we just have to wait and see.


    "Anyway, how was the harvest from your recent voyage?" Leonardo asked.


    The crew members nced at each other, but they didn''t say anything in response.


    "Come on, it''s not like we''re strangers. Besides, the Captain must have only told you not to divulge any details about the voyage. I believe it''s fine if you just tell me the result. You guys went to cure the Captain''s illness, right?" Leonardo asked.


    "There''s nothing much to say. Something happened in the middle, and the Captain''s Divinities'' Curse was lifted," Laesto said.


    "Oh, that''s great." Leonardo nodded and said, "Anyway, how''s life on the ship? Isn''t it exciting to be on a ship? I mean, you''ll get to explore the unknown."


    "What''s exciting about it? The slightest mistake can mean death, just like Dipp. I guess he''s nevering back," Laesto replied.


    The atmosphere in the room changed drastically at the mention of Dipp. Every crew member''s expression wasplicated as they exchanged gazes with each other.


    "He was like a son to the Captain, so I''m sure he must be sad about Dipp''s departure."


    "Who knows? The Captain has never really been the type of person to wear his heart on his sleeve."


    <i>Clink!</i>


    James put down the ss in his hand and stood up.


    "It''s been a while since we got together like this, and you''re leaving so soon? Come on, join us to have fun at Golden Fairyter," Conor said.


    "Sorry, but I promised my wife that I''d be back before lunch," James said. He decisively ignored the jeering of his fellow crew members and walked out of the door.


    James'' house was in the central district of Hope Ind, and it was just a few steps away from Leonardo''s house. After nodding at the soldier standing guard at the gate, he entered and found a little girl running toward him.


    "Daddy, you''re back so early today," the little girl said with eyes wide open in astonishment. She walked over to James and hugged his knees before saying, "Can you keeping back this early daily?"


    James grinned and ced both of his palms on the little girl''s cheeks. He rubbed noses with her before bringing her over to the three-story building that looked more like a pce in the distance.


    A slender-framed woman noticed James'' arrival and said, "You''re back? Come, let''s eat."


    She was none other than James'' wife, Mosa.


    "Why don''t we get a maid and a chef? That way, you won''t get tired doing all this," James suggested.


    "It''s not that exhausting to cook for three people. I really don''t have anything else to do here, so I''ve also been cooking to pass the time. Anyway,e here and sit down," Mosa said.


    Just as James took a sip of the mushroom soup, Mosa spoke up.


    "What did the Governor call you for? Are you going out on a voyage again?"


    James shook his head and said, "Don''t worry. It has only been a few days since we got home, so there''s no way we''ll go back to sea so soon. I think the earliest voyage might happen in a month."


    Mosa''s furrowed brows loosened. She ate a few bites of her food before looking up at James and saying, "Honey, have you told the Governor about <i>it?</i>"


    James ate as if he hadn''t heard Mosa.


    Mosa let out a sigh and continued eating. The atmosphere in the dining room was a bit tense, but they managed to finish their meal without any hups.


    However, Mosa had no intention of letting the matter go. Once her daughter was asleep, she walked over to James with a worried look.


    James put down the newspaper in his hand and said, "I didn''t tell him."


    "Why? Do you want Nini to lose her father when she''s still so young?"


    "I just operate the turbines; there''s nothing risky about that, so don''t worry," James said.


    "Where''s Dipp, then? Tell me where Dipp went. You guys came back missing quite a few people; do you really think I''m blind?" Mosa''s voice went slightly higher at the end of her sentence.


    James'' expression showed a tinge of impatience. Evidently, this wasn''t the first time he had heard of his wife''s nagging. Ever since he became a crew member once again, his wife had been nagging him to stop going on voyages.


    "If you can''t say it yourself, I''ll go to the Governor and tell him myself!"


    "Stand right there!" James bellowed and stood up. Hisrge frame towered over his wife, but he instantly deted upon seeing the tears in his wife''s eyes. In the end, he hugged her gently and stroked her back while saying, "Mosa, we''ve made a promise back on the Coral Archipgo, and you owe your life to the Captain, too."


    "Does your Captain really need you? You''ve spent more time with him than me since you started going on voyages. Is he your wife, or am I your wife? Can''t your Captain just find a recement for you? Hope Ind has many people, and there are bound to be those who are stronger and more skilled than you."


    "Prowess isn''t the most important thing at sea¡ªit''s loyalty. I can''t betray the Captain''s trust. The good life we are enjoying right now is all thanks to the Captain, and I can''t just leave him when he needs me the most."


    "I''d rather throw this life away if I have to keep living it in constant fear of losing you! I''ll reopen the bakery and raise Nini myself."


    Mosa''s words hadn''t even finished echoing through the dining room, but she had already struggled out of her husband''s embrace and made a beeline for the bedroom.


    <i>m!</i>


    James stared at the tightly shut door and grabbed his head with his hands. He crouched halfway down with thoughts inscrutable before sighing deeply to himself.

 Chapter 234. Turn of Events

    <h4>Chapter 234. Turn of Events</h4>


    Charles visited the church of the Divine Light Order on Hope Ind and came face-to-face with the Pope. Charles scrutinized the statue before him before asking, "The technology used to build Swann''s mechanical city must havee from Newbound City. At least the power system and thoseser weapons must havee from there, am I right?"


    "I thought you didn''t care about those things? Those aren''t directly rted to the surface''s exit that you seek," the Pope replied.


    "Of course, they''re rted. It is aplete waste to use such a huge mechanical city to conquer inds. Why not give it to me? I''m sure I''ll find the exit to the surface world faster using that thing."


    The statue of the Pope chuckled. "Haha, do you really think that using such an enormous thing in uncharted waters won''t inadvertently awaken those unique existences in the sea?"


    Charles went silent at that. Indeed, the seascape contained a vast amount of inscrutable mysteries. Piloting such a massive city on uncharted waters was tantamount to seeking death.


    In the eyes of the inders, the Ronker was an invincible behemoth made out of steel, but if it attracted the attention of the Divinities...


    "My child, this is part of the n. Don''t worry, our goals are the same. Your task at the moment is to find the exit to the surface world. As for the rest, I will handle them for you," the Pope said.


    However, Charles didn''t truly believe the Pope. <i>This guy''s definitely lying to me again. He wouldn''t have erased the main ind on that nautical chart if he really wanted me to find the exit to the surface world.</i>


    Just then, the statue of the Pope frowned. The statue''s gaze fell on Charles, seemingly puzzled. "Whatnguage was that? I''ve never heard of it. Is it anguage from above ground?"


    "I just realized that I haven''t been using it for quite a while. I''m afraid I''ll forget how to speak thatnguage by the time I reach the surface," Charles responded. Of course, it was just an excuse. He was aware that the Pope could read minds, so he deliberately used his mother tongue while thinking so that the Pope wouldn''t know that he already knew the location of the Foundation''s main ind.


    "I repeat, you don''t have to worry at all. We''re allies. Be rest assured and do your job; we''ll eventually reach the win-win oue we''ve been aiming for. Please believe in me."


    Charles nodded at that and walked out. As soon as he emerged from the church, he issued orders opposite to the Pope''s wishes. After all, Charles believed in his own navy fleet more than the Pope.


    Charles'' orders spread quickly, and every shipyard on Hope Ind was requisitioned by the navy to build ships at the fastest speed possible. Compulsory conscription was also imposed on males within a certain age range. Charles contacted Elizabeth using telegram and told her to prepare for war.


    The resources of the two inds seemed insufficient against Governor Swann''s Ronker, but Charles was aware that he wasn''t the only one dissatisfied with Swann''s recent actions. Hope Ind didn''t belong to Charles alone; it belonged to his crew members as well, so he had to protect it.


    Charles established contact with the Governor of the Coral Archipgo. The preparations were going swimmingly, but an unexpected news brought him to aplete stop.


    <i>BREAKING NEWS!</i>


    <i>Governor Julio of Cat Ind''s invincible fleet has made a beeline for the Northern Seas!</i>


    <i>Governor Julio has dered that Governor Swann''s massacre of the members of the Explorers Association was tantamount to trampling on the rules of the sea, and his conquest of other inds is fueled by his shameless greed!</i>


    <i>Governor Julio has decided to lead his fleet against Governor Swann. He has vowed to avenge those who have perished! Let us cheer for Governor Julio''s noble spirit!</i>


    Charles frowned deeply at the news. He had everything nned out. The governors of the Northern Seas just had to gather and establish an alliance against Governor Swann. Charles had already ounted for either defeat or victory.


    However, Governor Julio''s appearance had just made the situation appear more delicate than it should have been. Charles was certain that it wasn''t whatever bullshit noble spirit that motivated the so-called strongest governor''s to make a move. Was Governor Julio afraid that Governor Swann''s Ronker would threaten his position, or was it because he had a share in the loss incurred by the Association?


    "I think it''s not yet time for us to appear in this drama. What do you think? Am I right?" Charles asked Bandages sitting on a stool in front of him. However, Bandages was both unmoving and silent; he seemed unwilling to speak.


    Charles pondered briefly before continuing, "I have no ns of revoking the naval expansion order. I''ll have the financial department cooperate with your side. No matter the turn of events, I want you to keep our bottom line in mind."


    Bandages nodded at that and stood up. He turned around and started walking away.


    "Wait," Charles called out and said, "I''m not done yet. I want you to ask our intelligence department to look for someone. She''s probably still in the Northern Seas at the moment, and she''s beautiful, so it shouldn''t be that difficult to find her."


    Charles handed over the photos that Jack had sent over to him in a letter to Bandages.


    "Your... woman?" Bandages muttered.


    "No, but I owe her one, and I don''t want to keep on owing others," Charles replied.


    Bandages stuffed the photos underneath his yellowed bandages before turning around to leave.


    The preparations were going smoothly, but the situation was both delicate and unclear, so Charles had no choice but to postpone his goal of finding the exit to the surface world.


    He had to make sure that Hope Ind was safe before anything else. Of course, he was also afraid that if he were to go on a voyage, Hope Ind would have a new master by the time he returned.


    Charles took advantage of the momentary respite to do his job as the Governor of Hope Ind by dealing with the ind''s affairs. It didn''t take him long to realize that being a governor was as hard as exploring unknown inds. He was clumsy at his work, but he was getting things done, which was what mattered the most.


    At the same time, Charles paid much attention to the uing naval battle that would surely be one for the history books. He couldn''t go out of Hope Ind and watch it for himself, but he could send someone to gather information.


    As long as there were any developments, Charles would immediately receive a telegram with details about the events. The governors of the other inds had also made contact with Charles, but the frequency of their telegrams soon decreased; clearly, they were all waiting for something.


    Charles was on the same boat as them, and that was when a letter from an unexpected individual was handed over to him.


    The letter hade from Anna, and it was apanied by a photo depicting a haggard-looking Anna showing the middle finger to the camera with a disgruntled expression.


    <i>Does this mean that she''s mad at me? Why?</i> Charles opened the envelope and started reading the letter.


    <i>Ahem, Gao Zhiming, it''s me. It''s been a while. Have you been missing me? I''m back on the ind, and I heard that you came to pick me up? Don''t bother; distance makes the heart grow fonder, you know?</i>


    <i>You''ll miss me a lot if you can only see me a few times a year, and I''m sure you''ll soon get tired of me if you were to see me eat people in front of you every day. Anyway, I have a question that I want you to answer. You''re looking for the exit to the surface world because you want to reunite with your loved ones on the surface world, is that right?</i>


    <i>Then, I want you to answer this: what if you have gained loved ones here in the dark Subterranean Sea? How would you choose then?</i>

 Chapter 235. James Retirement

    <h4>Chapter 235. James'' Retirement</h4>


    Charles leaned back in his chair with his eyes transfixed on the letter in his hand. <i>What did she mean by loved ones? Was she talking about herself? </i>


    It wasn''t the first time he felt this way, but he truly couldn''t figure out Anna''s thoughts. Charles knew that she wouldn''t harm him, but Anna had always been an independent woman with her own thoughts and ideas.


    Charles opened the drawer on the left and ced the photo inside of it.


    The drawer was where he ced his valuable items like his cell phone and wallet. He picked up a piece of paper and started writing his reply to Anna.


    After expressing how much he had been missing her, he immediately asked her to strengthen the World Crown''s navy as much as possible.


    The Subterranean Sea''s current affairs had be ambiguous, so he told Anna toe to him and regroup if the defenses of the World''s Crown were breached.


    Naturally, Charles didn''t encode his message as doing so would attract attention, and he was nning on sending someone to personally hand over his reply to Anna. Fortunately, Chinese characters were the best way to encrypt his messages here without using telegram codes.


    Once everything was done and settled, Charles emptied his mind and focused on his tasks as the Governor of Hope Ind.


    He had already handled the documents that required only a customary peek. Now, it was time for him to deal with those unafraid to engage in ndestine, illegal dealings. Charles was in awe of those who thought that they could hide from mice so long as they were stealthy enough.


    Did they also think that those dried-up corpses hanging from trees were fake?


    Charles highlighted a few names and extended the paper in his hand to the mouse next to him. "Give this to Dipp. He knows what to do with it."


    Charles'' hand hung in mid-air for quite a while without anyone taking the piece of paper away. He turned and found colorful mice staring at him while tilting their heads in confusion.


    "Mr. Charles, have you already forgotten?" Lily said, her ears drooping as she continued. "Dipp became a monster, and he''s gone."


    Charles froze and went silent. Eventually, he sighed softly and retracted his hand.


    "Mr. Charles, are you sad?" Lily hopped over to Charles and asked, "Does your heart hurt a lot?"


    Charles nced at his gunner and said, "He''s not my woman, so why would I be sad? I just think it''s a shame. Anyway, who''s in charge of the police department in Dipp''s absence?"


    "The two deputy chiefs of the police department are currently in charge; they''re both Dipp''s subordinates, but one of them is on the list you''ve made," Lily replied hesitantly.


    Charles nced at the piece of paper and found the name Lily had mentioned. This was a bad sign. He had to make sure that the police department and the navy weren''t rife with internal issues and maintained absolute loyalty to him; that was his job as the Governor of the ind.


    The navy was fine, as it was filled with a bunch of ship captains who had gone through simr hardships as Charles, but Dipp''s absence in the police department meant that Charles would now have to find someone as trustworthy as Dipp to take control of it.


    However, Charles was thrown into a dilemma. He didn''t have many people he could trust. That also meant that he hardly had any influence on the administration side of Hope Ind.


    "I have to find a suitable candidate soon," Charles muttered.


    Lily hesitated briefly before suggesting, "How about the big guy? My friends said that the big guy and his wife had a fight. His wife doesn''t want him to go out to sea anymore. I think he can stay here and be the chief of the police department."


    Charles'' eyes widened slightly in astonishment, but he quickly realized why James'' wife no longer wanted him to go out to sea. It made sense; no wife would want their husband to live such a dangerous life.


    The reason people would sign up to be crew members of exploration vessels was tantamount to a gamble. They had nothing, but they wanted to change their fate, so they decided to gamble with their lives.


    They had seized ownership of a prosperous ind, so Charles could understand his crew members'' and their families'' preference to stay here rather than to keep going out to sea and risking their lives.


    Charles stared deeply at the list of names in his hand before saying, "Tell James toe over here."


    The mice moved at once, and James soon appeared before Charles.


    "You called me, Captain?"


    The wide-brimmed hat on James'' head caught Charles'' attention.


    "Where were you?" Charles asked.


    "I had nothing to do today, so I decided to visit the Ministry of Agriculture to take a look. I also heard that they discovered a new nt," James replied.


    Charles took a closer look at his chief engineer and noticed just how much thetter had changed. He sighed to himself and said, "Dipp''s noting back, and I want you to take over his job on the ind."


    James was startled, but he nodded and said, "Sure, I can try it while we''re resting onnd."


    Charles shook his head and said, "I want you to retire and oversee the operations of Hope Ind''s police department."


    James was instantly anxious at that instruction, and he hurriedly said, "Did Mosa say something, Captain?"


    "Your wife didn''t tell me anything, and she''s not involved here. Dipp is gone, and it has created a power vacuum in Hope Ind''s police department. I need you to take over his job," Charles exined.


    Veins bulged in James'' neck as he stepped forward and eximed, "I know why you''re doing this, Captain! However, you''ve saved my life twice, so I absolutely won''t leave your side when you need me the most."


    "Calm down." Charles gestured with his hand and said, "Things are no longer the same as before."


    "Nothing has changed! I''m still going to be the Chief Engineer of the Narwhale!" James insisted.


    "Things are truly no longer the same; we''re no longer desperate fugitives. You also have a child; are you sure you want your child to lose her father at such a young age?" Charles asked.


    James went stiff and silent; aplicated look fleeted across his face.


    Charles stood up and approached him to pat his shoulder. "Hope Ind needs you. This is our home, and I want you to take good care of it when I''m out at sea."


    "But..." James said hesitantly, "I don''t know if I can handle being the police chief."


    "Even that rash kid, Dipp, could handle the position. You can''t possibly be worse at it them him. You''ve been great at your position as the Minister of Agriculture, the difference can''t be that huge. I mean, it''s just management," Charles replied.


    James hesitated for a long time before he finally agreed and left the Governor''s Mansion.


    Charles felt despondent for some reason as he stared at James'' departing figure. He hadn''t been making it obvious, but the retirement of his long-timepanions at sea had taken a toll on him.


    Still, he acknowledged that everyone''s situation would not remain the same forever.


    The crew members of an exploration ship had signed up for the sake of finding a habitable ind and living their lives as central inders. The crew members of the Narwhale had already achieved their goals, so Charles couldn''t force them to stay.


    The same went for him¡ªhis journey woulde to an end once he returned to the surface world.


    Charles tapped his prosthetic fingers on the table as he recalled the faces of his remaining crew members.


    First Mate Bandages'' goal was to discover his true identity, while Laesto only wanted to have his tablet repaired to discover what his predecessors had tried so hard to preserve.


    The vampire sailor Audric only wanted to have blood to drink, and he preferred staying on the ship rather than staying on the perpetually sunny Hope Ind. Meanwhile, Linda seemed like she was still following thete Kord''s orders.


    Charles soon realized that he didn''t have to rece his remaining crew members; they each had their own motive for staying on the ship.


    However, James'' retirement and Dipp''s disappearance, along with those who had perished in the recent voyage, meant that the Narwhale had lost half of her crew members.


    In other words, it was time for him to recruit new crew members.

 Chapter 236. Recruitment

    <h4>Chapter 236. Recruitment</h4>


    Charles now needed to recruit five crew members: a Chief Engineer, a Second Engineer, a Second Mate, a Boatswain and an O.S. However, he wasn''t in a rush since he couldn''t set sail anytime soon, which gave him ample time to carefully make his selection.


    The moment the recruitment news broke out, it stirred up a buzz among all seafarers on Hope Ind.


    The Explorers'' Association hall sizzled with excitement, with everyone engaged in chatter about the opportunity presented to them. There was no closer chance to sess than with a Governor who had discovered a habitable ind. If he could find one, surely he could find another.


    To Charles'' surprise, the first applicant he came face to face with was a familiar face.


    "Governor, let me join you. There''s nothing more exciting than exploring unknown inds," said Feuerbach. He still sported his distinct green hair as he stood in front of Charles.


    "You?" Charles eyed him with a look of surprise. "Aren''t you assisting Bandages in managing the navy? Why are you still interested in joining the Narwhale?"


    "To be honest, being part of the navy is rather boring." Feuerbachined. "There''s no war yet. And though we''re building more ships, we mostly just patrol the waters around Hope Ind. We are located at the extreme fringe that even pirates don''t show up. I think exploring unknown inds with you would be much more interesting."


    "Have you gotten tired of your life of luxury on the ind that you are so eager to risk your next with me?"


    Feuerbach chuckled sheepishly. "I guess I''m just too lucky to find a habitable ind on my second voyage. That''s nothing like what I had imagined. I think my sea adventures should be more thrilling."


    Charles stared at Feuerbach at a loss of words. He wondered what would those explorers who were still struggling in search of a livable ind think of the green-haired man''sment.


    "What can you do?" Charles asked.


    "I''m quite versatile. My little tricks underwater are excellent inbat, and having been the captain of an exploration vessel before, I can definitely handle being a Second Mate on your ship."


    Observing Feuerbach''s enthusiastic expression, Charles pondered for a brief moment before he said, "Let me think about it."


    "Alright. Captain Feuerbach of Waverazor is always ready to serve!" Feuerbach proimed before he turned to leave.


    Charles leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes to think about the matter at hand. After a moment, he opened his eyes and turned to Lily. "Has he shown any abnormalities in the past three years?"


    "Not at all," Lily answered. "Green Head loves to go into the sea to y with his sharks. Other than that, there''s nothing unusual. And, oh, he loves to brag in the bar. He really exaggerates a lot."


    "Did he start a family on the ind?" Charles asked another question.


    "Yes, he has a son with green hair, too. The kid always has a runny nose; yucks."


    After careful consideration, Charles eventually decided to let Feuerbach join the crew. He still wasn''t sure of Feuerbach''s motives, but three years had passed, so he seemed like a safe bet. Moreover, Feuerbach now had a family, which meant he had ties and responsibilities.


    Charles had expected the recruitment process to be slow, but to his surprise, more people had shown up than he anticipated. It didn''t take long for a long line to form in front of the Governor''s Mansion.


    Seeing the turnout, Charles couldn''t send them away, so he started the recruitment process inside the mansion. The recruitment wasn''t a task he could delegate to someone else. As the captain, he needed to assess each candidate personally.


    A voluptuous woman with alluring curves entered the room. The moment Charles met her seductive gaze, he waved her off immediately.


    Most ships didn''t have women onboard for a reason. A presence like the woman before him could stir unnecessary resentment among the crew. It was a significant risk in the confined space of a ship, and as the captain, he had to take it seriously.


    The woman cooed in a soft and melodious tone, "Governor, I''m <i>highly skilled</i>. I can make sure everyone gets to rx their bodies and souls."


    "Leave!" Charles dismissed her firmly.


    The recruitment went on. Numerous explorers were interviewed by Charles, yet each left the room in disappointment.


    Despite the number of candidates, Charles found no suitable one among them. There were a skilled few, but their personalities were wed, so he didn''t allow them to join.


    Unknowingly, three hours had passed. Lily, who had been watching by the side, had already crawled into a drawer for a power nap. Apart from taking in Feuerbach as his Second Mate, Charles hadn''t found suitable members for the other positions.


    Another young man entered the room, looking slightly nervous.


    "What position are you applying for?" Charles asked.


    "G-Governor! I¡¯m here to apply for the position of O.S. I have rich sailing experience and I''m really fast at coiling ropes. I also clean the decks very well," the youth stammered.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Governor, my name is Weister." With great nervousness, Weister looked up for the first time. Looking at the renowned Governor of Hope Ind, he was struck by a strange thought¡ªthe governor bore a slight resemnce to the entric man who once lived near his house.


    "Take off your shoes."


    "W-What?" Weister was caught off guard.


    "I said, take off your shoes."


    "Oh... okay." Fumbling, Weister hurriedly removed his shoes.


    The moment Charles took a quick nce at Weister''s feet, he knew¡ªthis youngd was no experienced sailor. True sailors, ustomed to regrly washing the decks, generally preferred to go barefoot on board, and their feet wouldn''t be so delicate.


    "You can leave now, next," Charles said dismissively.


    Hearing Charles'' words, Weister got desperate. He pleaded, "Governor, please let me join your ship. I have siblings at home, and I really need this job. I assure you, if I''m on your ship, I''m willing to do anything, even risk my life."


    This was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity everyone was talking about, and Weister sure didn''t want to miss it.


    Charles barely spared Weister a nce and waved his hand dismissively. Soldiers armed with guns approached, seizing Weister and dragging him toward the door.


    Just when Weister thought that all hopes were lost, he suddenly heard Governor Charles calling out to the soldiers to halt.


    Charles approached Weister and eyed the youngd with a curious glimmer in his eyes.


    "Have we met before?" Charles asked.


    Under Charles'' scrutinizing gaze, Weister averted his eyes submissively. "No, Governor. A person of your stature wouldn''t possibly know a nobody like me."


    After pondering for a brief moment, Charles nodded. "You''re hired."


    Weister''s face lit up with ecstatic disbelief. He hade merely to try his luck, and by some stroke of miracle, he had seeded!


    "I won''t be setting sail in the short term. Use this time to learn everything you need to know. I need apetent sailor, not a half-baked one."


    "Yes, Governor! I will work hard!" Weister replied with fervent determination.


    As the overjoyed Weister left with his cheeks flushed with excitement, the silver-haired steward approached Charles and said, "Governor,pared to the other sailor candidates, the young boy doesn''t seem to possess any advantages."


    "Indeed. But I find him rather familiar. Plus, he has one good quality¡ªhe wears his heart on his sleeve. A in, ordinary sailor is all I need."


    Charles resettled into his chair and resumed the recruitment for the Narwhale crew. Hearing footsteps, he casually asked the new entrant, "And what position are you applying for?"


    "<i>Heh, heh, heh,</i> I''m here to apply as the Captain<i>~heh heh heh~</i>"


    The guards dashed forward, ready to hustle away the seemingly delusional individual, but Charles was quick to stop them.


    He recognized the man.


    He was Tobba of Sottom. Yes, he was that entric old man.

 Chapter 237. Tobba

    <h4>Chapter 237. Tobba</h4>


    "Charles! Long time no see! You''ve changed so much, I almost didn''t recognize you!<i> Woaaahhhh, </i>your house is <i>soooooo</i> huge! Can I sleep here from now on?" Tobba greeted Charles in his usual carefree manner. He was covered in grime as if he had just crawled out of a garbage heap and clutched a dirty sack riddled with holes.


    Peeking through the gaps, Charles could faintly make out the old man''s so-called <i>treasures.</i>


    Suddenly, Tobba''s expression shifted, and he began shouting frantically. "Oh no! They are looking at me again! So many people! They''re here! Lie down."


    With that, Tobba then pulled out a half-rotten rat, dripping with putrescence, and ced it atop his head.


    "They can''t stand the disgust. They won''t dare to look at me now," Tobbamented and shed Charles a radiant smile.


    Meanwhile, Charles was baffled at Tobba''s presence. As one of the kings of Sottom, shouldn''t he have remained on that moving ind of sin?


    Charles voiced out his doubts, in which Tobba clutched his stomach, and a pitiful expression painted his countenance.


    "Do you have any food? I''m starving. I haven''t eaten in a long time," Tobba said, and his stomach growled on cue as if rehearsed.


    Charles nced at the clock on the wall and turned toward the silver-haired steward. "That''s all for today. Get everyone else to go ande back tomorrow."


    "As youmand, Governor," the steward responded and cast a disdainful nce at Tobba before leaving the room.


    "Follow me. I''ll get you something to eat," Charles said as he rose to his feet.


    Seated at the long rectangr table, Lily and Charles watched as Tobba devoured the food. The green mouse had her mouth agape and eyes wide in disbelief as she stared in astonishment.


    "Mr. Charles, does he know magic or something? He''s so.... amazing! He eats even more than my friends!"


    True to Lily''s words, Tobba was eating as though he hadn''t had a meal in days. His eyes almost glowed green at the sight of the food spread before him.


    He grabbed at any food his hands could reach and shoved them incessantly into his mouth. He ced an apple the size of a fist into his mouth and had barely taken two chews before he forcefully washed it down with cream soup.


    A roast chicken, steaming and thered in brown sauce, didn''tst more than thirty seconds in his hands.


    "I don''t know if he knows any magic, but I doubt even a real magician could eat like him," Charles whispered to Lily.


    Charles had originally intended to have lunch as well, but watching Tobba devour his meal was already filling enough.


    Just as Tobba was hugging an empty te and licking it clean, Charles broke the silence. "How did you end up here? What about your friends?"


    He had never thought he would encounter Tobba again.


    Hearing Charles'' question, Tobba''s weathered face dropped, and he lowered his head. "They scolded me and said it was my fault that the ind vanished. I didn''t want to stay with them, so I left."


    The corners of Charles'' lips lifted into a slight smirk. Indeed, without Tobba''s assistance, it wouldn''t have been <i>that </i>easy for him to acquire fuel and fresh water on Skywater Ind.


    "Where are they now? Did they switch to another location and continue their pirate way?"


    "I don''t know. They have been bullied very badly by those people with a white triangle on their foreheads. Little Mith was even injured, very, very badly."


    "Who is Mith?"


    "You''ve met her, don''t you remember? The little girl you gave the photo to."


    Charles understood immediately. Tobba was referring to 134, the living relic who could sing.


    As Tobba resumed licking the te again, Charles pondered for a brief moment before he offered, "Alright, in that case, you can stay on Hope Ind. I won''t let you starve when I''m still around. Take this as repayment for your help before."


    Charles felt that taking care of an entric old man wouldn''t be too much trouble, and it was totally within his means.


    Just as Charles stood to leave, Tobba reached out a hand covered with grease and sauce and grabbed the former. A hint of disgust rose in Charles; he felt as though a lump of oily fat had surrounded his wrist.


    "Wait!" Tobba said. "I came to apply for a job. You can hire me."


    "Quit fooling around."


    "I''m not fooling around! I can be your captain. Really. I''ve steered ships before."


    Charles ignored Tobba''s absurd ims and effortlessly slid his right hand out of Tobba''s grasp. Grabbing the old man by the cor and hauling him like a cat, Charles headed out of the room.


    "I really can be useful to you. Didn''t you get lost at sea recently? I can find the way to an ind anywhere at sea."


    Tobba''s words had Charles halting in his tracks. Charles eyed the old man with a raised eyebrow; his gaze was a mix of skepticism and curiosity.


    "How did you know I was lost at sea recently?"


    Previously, Charles had also been equally puzzled. How did Tobba know with such uracy that he would arrive at Skywater Ind and have even prepared gifts for them in advance?


    <i>This guy is a living relic like 134. Could it be that his special ability is to foresee the future?</i>


    "I just know. Whenever I want to know something, images just pop up in my head. Sometimes they appear very clear, but they can also be blurry at times."


    This was the first time Charles gained an insight into Tobba''s abilities. If he harnessed it correctly, the old man''s power could prove to be invaluable for his voyage.


    However, the problemy with Tobba''s state of mind. Thest thing Charles wanted was to be distracted by a madman while exploring uncharted inds.


    "I''m not mad! If I were, how would I remember you? Just let me join your crew. I''ll help you as the captain."


    Charles hesitated for a couple of seconds before he turned his gaze on Tobba again. "Can you really find inds in the sea without coordinates?"


    He didn''t really care if Tobba''s prophesying abilities were reliable or not, but the old man''s imed navigational skills were exactly what he needed at this point in time. If Tobba truly possessed this unique ability, it would be immensely beneficial in his sea voyages.


    No longer would the Narwhale ever be stranded in the dark sea, devoid of fresh water and fuel.


    "Yeah, of course! I can find my way back to the ind even with my eyes closed."


    Of course, there was no way Charles would take Tobba''s words at face value. Previously, the old man had also imed to have the ability to turn invisible, but it had turned out to be a figment of his imagination.


    Charles immediately called for Feuerbach and instructed thetter to take Tobba out for a spin at sea to verify the authenticity of his im.


    As for whether Tobba harbored malicious intent, Charles deemed it highly unlikely. Back at Skywater Ind, Tobba had been so lost in his madness that he was leading the way for enemies. The idea of being a scheming figure seemed too far-fetched for someone like Tobba.


    Soon enough, Feuerbach returned with Tobba behind him. Astonishment painted the visage of the green-haired youth.


    "Captain, this old guy really has the ability that he ims. No matter how many turns we took at sea, he could urately pinpoint the direction back to Hope Ind. Where did you find a guy like him?" Feuerbach reported.


    Hearing Feuerbach''s words, Charles approached Tobba and extended his right hand. "Wee aboard the Narwhale."


    Tobba took a fleeting nce at Charles'' right hand before he rummaged through his sack. He retrieved a dead rat and ced it in Charles'' open palm.


    With that, Tobba became a member of the Narwhale. His position was not any of the five Charles was recruiting for, but a new role was created just for him¡ªa Navigator.

 Chapter 238. Lily

    <h4>Chapter 238. Lily</h4>


    The sh of the two massive forces in an area far off from Hope Ind did not escape Charles'' vignce. He checked the telegrams daily and closely monitored the situation.


    He believed he wasn''t the only one in the seascape to be paying close attention. A war of such scale hadn''t erupted in nearly a century. Regardless of who would emerge victorious, it was bound to bring monumental shifts to the region''s dynamics.


    Cat Ind in the Southern Seas was rather far from the Albion Isles. ording to their current speed, Charles estimated that Governor Julio and his fleet would take at least a month or two to reach the vicinity of Albion Isles. He also deduced that the seascape would be unusually peaceful in the meantime.


    Making use of this opportunity, Charles busied himself with organizing his ind. After all, such an opportunity might note again soon.


    To be honest, being a governor was a steep learning curve. Fortunately, Bandages and his three years of experience had been incredibly helpful to him.


    Just as Charles was busy dealing with the ind affairs in his office, Lily burst into the room with her horde of mice tailing after her.


    Seeing that Charles was busy with work, she quietly squatted in the corner and waited. Charles had intended to ignore her, but her anxious gaze was hard to overlook.


    "What''s the matter?" Charles asked as he ced his pen down. "Did something happen?"


    "Mr. Charles, are you done? I can wait if you''re still busy."


    "I''m done. What is it?" Charles shifted his gaze from the unread documents on his table onto Lily.


    Lily''s eyes sparkled instantly with anticipation and excitement as she dashed toward Charles'' table and scaled up the leg onto the table.


    "Mr. Charles, I''ve prepared a present for my brother. But there are so many people at their house today. Can you help me deliver it?"


    As Lily spoke, the mice beside her pushed forward a long plush whale that stretched over thirty centimeters long.


    "I thought you wanted to get him a gun?" Charles approached the mice and picked up the plush toy, squeezing it in his hand.


    "I decided against it. If he starts ying with guns from a young age, he will still like them when he grows up. That would be too dangerous," Lily exined and hopped onto Charles'' open palm.


    The man and mouse then headed out of the room.


    "Where does your family live?" Charles asked.


    "Just nearby, we''ll be there soon."


    Indeed, Lily''s home was nearby. After exiting the Governor''s Mansion, they had only walked a few minutes before Charles spotted Lily''s father, Dr. Oliver''s house.


    They were certainly still in the heart of the ind. Looking at the neat vi with its own courtyard, Charles was certain that the house was clearly beyond what Dr. Oliver could afford on his sry alone.


    "Did you help your dad out?" Charles asked as he looked through the window and saw Dr. Oliver happily chatting with friends. They all held wine sses in their hands.


    "Yes...I secretly gave all my sry to Daddy. Mr. Charles, let''s not talk about this. Quickly take the whale toy inside. ording to the old Coral Archipgo tradition, gifts have to be ced under the table and can only be opened before bedtime."


    Charles patted Lily''s furry head before he walked toward the front door with the plush whale in his hand. His body gradually faded from view and finally becamepletely invisible.


    In the lively living room, an invisible Charles saw the table piled high with gifts. Surrounded by guests, Dr. Oliver was the center of attention, and his countenance radiated joy and confidence, his smile never leaving his face.


    It seemed like the events of the recent years were like living a dream for him; good fortune hade one after the other.


    Charles swiftly ced the toy under the table and left by jumping out of the window. The itchy sensation all over him was starting to get unbearable.


    "Mr. Charles, did you put the present inside?" Lily asked.


    Charles nodded as he reached a hand into the insides of his clothes and started scratching himself.


    "Great! My brother would definitely like my present. Thank you, Mr. Charles! Let me help you with the itch!" Lily said as she scurried under the hem of Charles'' pants and crawled up his leg.


    "Stop, stop. You''re making it itchier," Charlesined as he pulled Lily out from under his clothes by her tail.


    Just as they were about to leave, they witnessed an unexpected scene. Two figures were approaching in their direction from a distance. One of them was a grown-up Lily.


    After three years, Lily''s figure had be slender and graceful, her skin fair and smooth like porcin. Her beauty, still not fully matured, had begun to blossom, giving her a noticeably striking appearance.


    Charles wasn''t really surprised over human Lily''s new appearance. His gazended on the tall, young man right beside her.


    Human Lily asionally nced at the young man, her gaze overflowing with tenderness, sensitivity and shyness.


    His eyes then fell on their intertwined hands.


    <i>Interesting...</i> Charles thought.


    "They... They..." aplicated expression appeared on Lily''s visage.


    "It seems you''ve found yourself a boyfriend," Charlesmented as he tenderly stroked Lily''s furry head.


    Staring at the beautiful human Lily before her and then ncing at her own furry mouse form, Lily''s tiny ears dropped in sadness. Her furry face overflowed with bitterness.


    Just then, Human Lily stole a nce at her lively house and whispered something to the young man before she hurriedly ran off with him.


    Watching the scene, Lily was spurred by a sudden impulse. She leaped from Charles'' hand and chased after the couple with her horde of mice scurrying behind her.


    To prevent the mice from causing too much chaos, Charles kicked his right leg against the wall to propel himself onto the rooftop and followed the chase.


    Soon, Charles spotted Human Lily. She had brought her boyfriend into a secluded alley. Their faces were flushed red, their breathing heavy as their lips drew closer to each other.


    Just as the romantic atmosphere in the alley was reaching its climax, a swarm of brightly colored mice burst into the alley and let out a flurry of squeaks, bearing their fangs at the couple.


    Faced with the terrifying mice, Human Lily was clearly scared out of her wits. Her boyfriend was nowhere better, and the two ran away from the mice with loud shrieks.


    Soon enough, the mice dispersed, and a distraught Human Lily emerged from the alley; her stifling cries filled the air. Clearly, the mice had scared the living daylights out of her.


    Charles approached Lily in the corner and questioned, "Wasn''t that a bit too much?"


    "I just can''t stand seeing them ki¡ªdoing it! It makes me feel upset," Lily confessed with her head hanging low.


    Charles picked her up and ced her in his palm.


    "Are you jealous?" he asked.


    Lily curled up into a ball and remained silent for a few seconds before replying in a muffled voice. "Mr. Charles, am I doomed to be a mouse forever?"


    "No, you won''t. Don''t worry. I''ll find a way to turn you back into a human," Charles reassured his gunner.


    "But I feel like I''m getting used to being a mouse. I even enjoy gnawing now, and I feel ufortable if I don''t do any gnawing for a day. Look at that Lily; she''s so pretty, and she smells nice. So many boys sneak nces at her, but they will never do that to me."


    "Don''t think too much about it. When there''s a will, there''s be a way. We''ll find a solution," Charles said as he led the group of mice out of the alley.


    Lily uncurled herself. Her eyes shimmered with a hint of envy as she asked, "Mr. Charles, what does love feel like? In the ys, they said that this emotion is¡ª"


    "Don''t ask me," Charles interrupted her frompleting her sentence. "When you turn back into a human, experience it yourself."


    "Then, Mr. Charles, can you date me?"


    Lily''s innocent question brought a chuckle to Charles'' lips.


    "Our rtionship isn''t like that," he replied with a warm smile.


    "Why isn''t it like that?"


    "You''ll understand when you grow older," Charles replied.


    "I''m not a little girl anymore. I''m already fifteen this year," Lily asserted.

 Chapter 239. Great Battle

    <h4>Chapter 239. Great Battle</h4>


    As the decisive showdown drew near, the atmosphere on the ind grew tense.


    Inside the Explorers Association of Hope Ind, people gathered around a simple brass bearing machine.


    It was a telegraph. The groups clustered together around it were explorers who weren''t out on a voyage. Each wore expressions of anxiety and anticipation.


    There was no way everyone would be at peace. They had just received thetest news: in just two hours, Governor Julio and Governor Swann were set to crossfire.


    The uing war would impact every individual in the Northern Seas, and the oue of it was deeply intertwined with their lives.


    As the seconds ticked by, the silence was so palpable that only the sound of collective breathing could be heard. Just then, the telegraph came to life.


    <i>Tick-tick-tick-tick...</i>


    Apanied by a ticking sound, the machine spat out a stream of paper inscribed with a series of dots and dashes.


    "Anyone who knows Morse code? Decipher it quickly! What''s happening?" Anxious voices called out, demanding updates.


    "Me! I did this before I became a sailor," a short man with a red beard jumped onto the table holding the telegram. Picking up the paper, he scanned the contents, and his face fluctuated between shock and hesitation, but he spoke not a single word.


    His silence frustrated the captains gathered around him.


    "Shorty! Will you speak up already? Stop dawdling! Do you want a taste of my bullet?" someone roared.


    "Hurry up! What''s written on it?" Another echoed.


    Just as the tension escted with each passing moment, the short man finally parted his lips. "Swann ambushed Julio''s fleet!"


    His words immediately silenced the noisy hall, and only his resonant voice continued echoing through the room.


    "The battle took ce three miles south of Spider Inds. Swann hid underwater on his Ronker. He used the same light beam that killed Governor Daniel of Whereto to sweep horizontally across the fleet from below the surface.


    "Governor Julio''s Invincible Fleet suffered heavy casualties. Lying in ambush, Swann''s fleet closed in immediately. They''ve started fighting."


    The short man paused in his report and discarded the paper in his hand. He then drew another from the telegraph machine.


    "Governor Julio has started his counterattack. He charged alone toward the Ronker. Many descended from the Ronker in an attempt to stop Governor Julio, but they were swiftly wiped out."


    "It was a trap! While Governor Julio was entangled by those men, a beam of light engulfed them all!"


    A collective gasp filled the room as everyone tensed at the unfolding drama.


    Just when they thought this would be the end of the battle, the telegraph machine started beeping again.


    "Governor Julio is alive! He somehow evaded the attack with some unknown method!" the short man reported. "He''s truly deserving of the title of the strongest governor in the entire seascape!!"


    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief as they hung on every word ryed by the short man. They felt as though they were witnessing the battle firsthand.


    "He was thest man standing in the boiling sea! Ignoring the surrounding warships engaged inbat, he headed straight for the Ronker''s massive legs!"


    Across all the inds in the seascape, telegram after telegram was spat out of the telegraph machines, and each piece of paper was quickly interpreted. Everyone was concerned about this unprecedented war, and their hearts rose and fell with the tides of the epic battle.


    The short man interpreted the encoded telegram messages for three hours straight. Picking up the next piece of paper, he felt as though his throat was hoarse and burning. Unknowingly, the floor around him was littered with discarded papers.


    "I need water; my throat''s parched," the short manined.


    "Here''s some liquor! Keep reading!" A leather sk was thrown his way.


    After gulping down several mouthfuls of liquor and casually wiping his mouth with a sleeve, the short man prepared to continue. Yet, the moment his eyesid on the piece of paper in his hands, he froze.


    "What is it? Spit!" someone bellowed.


    "In...incredible! Governor Julio has sessfully gotten on Ronker!"


    Hearing this, the hall erupted in cheers of excitement; the roof felt as though it would be torn off by the sailors'' enthusiasm.


    They all understood what it meant for Governor Julio, the only one in the seascape with a power level of 15, to get on the Ronker. It meant that he wasn''t far from twisting off Swann''s head.


    Once that happened, the pressure boring down on everyone would dissipate; peace and tranquility would once again return to the Northern Seas.


    "Ronker is on fire! It''s belching smoke! Julio''s attack has worked! I bet he''s about to capture Swann," the red-beared man continued.


    Just as the crowd held their breaths in unison, the telegraph machine cackled to life with another update.


    "Swann crawled out of the Ronker. He''s dragging something... It''s Governor Julio''s corpse! Julio is dead!"


    Disbelief and denial erupted amongst the captains.


    "Impossible! This can''t be true!" a captain eximed.


    "Exactly! Everyone in the seascape knows that the governor of Albion Isles is far from powerful! How can he possibly kill Julio?!" another echoed the same sentiment.


    "I don''t believe a single word! It must be a lie!"


    Amidst the uproar, the telegraph machine beeped again, and the room fell into silence as they waited for the red-bearded man to continue the interpretation.


    "Governor Julio isn''t dead! He emerges from the body of a crewman and is covered in blood! He''s holding something... It''s a book¡ª"


    The red-bearded man paused abruptly. As everyone around him urged him to continue, he flipped the paper in his hands.


    The telegram messages ended abruptly. What should have been a series of dots and lines had been marred with random, chaotic marks. It was as though a sudden interruption had urred when the sender was typing the message.


    "Hold on, let me check the situation," the short man said before he rhythmically pressed a brass lever on the telegraph.


    Everyone waited in abated breaths. However, no further messages came through. It was as though allmunication had been cut off.


    All across the seascape, every ind continuously sent queries to Spider Inds in an attempt to get further updates on the war, but all of them met the same silence, as though something was blocking the transmissions.


    Of course, in a huge battle like this, there were bound to be some escapees from the battlefield. These people managed to return to their respective inds, and eventually, thetest news arrived at Hope Ind.


    And the governor was always the first to receive anytest updates.


    "What? They''ve called a truce?" Charles stood up in shock. He had anticipated various oues and also made ns for all possible scenarios. However, this was one oue that he wasn''t prepared for.


    "ording to the telegram messages, it seemed like Governor Julio had used an unusually powerful relic. Both sides have suffered heavy losses, and they''ve begun retreating," the silver-haired steward reported.


    Just as Charles was pondering how to maximize this unexpected turn of events to his benefit, the steward stepped forward with another piece of news.


    "Governor, the Divine Light Order is at the door with a massive stone statue. They request for an audience."


    <i>The Pope is backing Swann. Why is that fellow seeking me out now? </i>Charles wondered about the Pope''s impable timing of appearance.

 Chapter 240. Voyage

    <h4>Chapter 240. Voyage</h4>


    <strong>TW/CW: Suicide</strong>


    Charles soon came face to face with the Pope''s seemingly benevolent smile on the stone statue. The statue moved, and the Pope''s gaze shifted to the papers on Charles'' desk.


    With a lift of his hand and a simple gesture, the papers flew into his hands.


    "You''re also monitoring the governors'' conflict? What''s your view on their current situation?" the Pope asked.


    Charles retorted, "Shouldn''t I be directing the question at you? After all, you''re the one backing Swann."


    The Pope casually discarded the papers with a nonchnt attitude. "Child, you don''t trust me; you never did and still don''t. And what''s the oue of it? All your preparations havee to nothing. I''ve told you this isn''t your concern."


    Evidently, the Pope was referring to Charles'' naval preparations and Hope Ind''s strategic ns. They clearly hadn''t escaped his notice.


    "You mentioned that this was part of the n," Charles pressed on. "What exactly is your endgame? I don''t think we share the same goals."


    As the Pope shook his head, dust motes fluttered down his stony form.


    "That''s a crucial n of the Order. Unless you are willing to join our faith, I can''t reveal the n to you. Remember, our one and onlymon goal is the quest for the Land of Light."


    Charles let out a scoff internally. He knew the Pope would respond this way, so continuing the conversation seemed pointless.


    "For what reason did youe here?"


    "The battle has ended, and your unease should be settled now? It''s time to set sail in search of the next ind."


    Charles'' mind raced rapidly as he pondered the situation. <i>Swann will likelyy low for a while now that his ns have been disrupted by Julio. Even if he had time, he would probably focus on revenge against Julio. The immediate threat to Hope Ind is likely averted.</i>


    "I''ll set sail after handling some matters," Charles confirmed.


    "Great," the Pope replied, "Governor Charles, please focus your efforts on the ces that are needed and leave other matters to others. God loves the world. May the holy light of the Light God illuminate your soul."


    After leaving his parting words, the Pope reverted to bing an inert statue and was carried away by his followers.


    Charles was puzzled over the Pope''s series of movements. His actions didn''t seem indicative of someone harboring ambitions to conquer the seascape.


    Swann''s aggressive tactics were bound to provoke resistance from other powers. In the current situation, no party seemed to gain any advantage.


    However, the Pope was right about one thing. Charles needed to resume his voyage. He had been staying onnd for far too long this time.


    If the Foundation staff he had encountered hadn''t lied, the exit to the surface world awaited him at the Foundation''s main ind.


    "Lily, send your friends out to inform the others to get prepared. We depart in three days," Charles instructed.


    The governor''s decision to set sail again was unsurprising to the people of Hope Ind; it would have been bigger news if Charles suddenly stopped sailing.


    Many looked on with envy at those selected. Just days ago, they had been sharing drinks and bragging about their sea sailing days in the bars, but now they were going to be part of the Narwhale''s crew.


    Apart from Weister, two other fortunate souls were chosen¡ªa Second Engineer and a First Engineer.


    The previous First Engineer of the Narwhale had been promoted to the Chief Engineer. Everyone''s faces beamed with smiles, and the corners of their lips had never drooped.


    The only reason for their joy was the stacks of Echo that Governor Charles had promised them. Their pay would be thrice the amount of other exploration vessels. Moreover, if they helped Charles achieve his goal, they would be able to get a house in the ind''s central district.


    Meanwhile, James stood at the docks. His face was aplicated mix of emotions as he watched his formerpanions board the ship. He used to be one of them, but now he could only watch from the sidelines.


    <i>Pat!</i>


    A steel hand pped on his broad shoulder. "Some people are getting restless on the ind. Keep an eye on things here, and don''t let them abuse the system. I trust no one else with this task."


    "You can count on me, Captain. As long as I live, I''ll carry out the duties you entrusted me with!" James dered with firm resolute.


    Charles smiled, patted James''s sturdy chest, and turned toward the Narwhale.


    "Hoist the anchor! Embark!" Charlesmanded.


    The sailors strained to turn the anchor winss, and the heavy, rusted iron chain was slowly pulled up from the depths.


    With a deep bellow, the Narwhale''s horn sounded, and she embarked toward the dark seas with her crew on the deck.


    ***


    "Newspapers! Newspapers! Major news in the seascape! First peace talks between Governor Julio and Governor Swann! Wanna know the details of their discussions? Grab your morning paper now! Only at two Echo! Newspapers!"


    A newsboy in a cap waved newspapers in the air, his voice ringing out in the streets.


    "Give me one," a woman requested; her voice was husky and tainted with deep sorrow.


    "<i>Aye,</i> miss. Here''s your paper. That would be two Echo in total," the newsboy said as he handed a fresh, ink-scented newspaper to Margaret, who was cloaked head-to-toe in a long robe.


    "Miss, you are so pretty! You''re the prettiest person I''ve ever seen," the newsboyplimented before hopping away.


    A trace of bitterness flickered across Margaret''s face.


    "Pretty? What use is there being pretty? Can it help me avenge my family?" Margaret muttered to herself.


    After a couple of seconds, she then slowly began to read the newspapers. As she skimmed through the paper, her expression darkened with every flip of the page.


    Governor Julio had indeed sat down for peace talks. Her only hope of revenge was dashed. The memory of her father and brother sacrificing themselves to save her was like a sharp de piercing through her heart.


    "Father... Brother..." Margaret murmured and bit down on her lower lip as she walked toward her residence.


    If only she had sought Charles'' help then, perhaps things would have been different. Perhaps her father and brother would still be alive.


    However, because of her foolish, unrequited affection, she ran back home and totally forgot her original purpose of traveling to Hope Ind.


    Now, she was wracked with with guilt. It felt as though she was the sole reason for the Cavendish''s current situation.


    "Why... Why did it turn out like this? Why didn''t I agree to Father''s marriage proposal? Perhaps if our family had an ally, things would have turned out differently."


    Margaret dragged her heavy feet as she entered the small building she rented. She felt lost and unsure of what to do next or how to face her predicament.


    Almost instinctively, she headed to her mother''s room, suddenly yearning for her embrace. She wanted to hide in that warm hug and nevere out.


    Walking along the chilly corridor, Margaret arrived before a bedroom door. Her soft lips quivered as she softly called out, "Mother, what should we do next?"


    As the princess of Whereto, she was unustomed to such uncertainty. She had no one to guide her in the next step in dire situations.


    Her question was met with silence; the room beyond the door was eerily quiet as if there was no one within.


    "Mother...I''m so scared. Are you in there? Can you... can you hug me?" Margaret called out again as her slender fingers hesitantly reached for the door, only to find it slightly ajar.


    The door swung open with a creak. The sight that met Margaret sent a jolt of electricity through her body, and the surge of emotions overwhelmed her in an instant.


    Her mother, Kalytha, was lying on her side on the bed. Blood was dripping out of the open bullet wound in her temple, and a revolver hung loosely in her hand.

 Chapter 241: Change

    <h4>Chapter 241: Change</h4>


    There seemed to be a hint of relief in Kalytha''s zed eyes. The grief of losing both her husband and son at the same time had been too much for her to withstand, and she had decided to follow them.


    Margaret walked over to Kalytha and sobbed all the way as she pulled her mother into an embrace. She wailed loudly; her trembling voice evidenced her unspeakable grief.


    Having lost all of her family members, Margaret felt as though she had be all alone in this world. Margaret cried for a long time until her gaze fell on the revolver in her mother''s hand.


    She was the famous princess of Whereto; her father and brother resolved all of her problems for her, but now, she no longer had anyone to rely on.


    Margaret reached out for the revolver with a quivering hand; she raised it slowly, pointing it at her temple just as her father and brother''s faces shed before her eyes.


    <i>"Oh, you actually brought me coffee? My daughter is such a good girl."</i>


    <i>"Let''s go! Don''t tell anyone; we''re going outside to y."</i>


    <i>"I want you to remember this, my dear sister. I''m always on your side."</i>


    <i>"If you continue such actions, don''t me me for sending someone to end that greedy lunatic!"</i>


    <i>"I might as well tie him up in a room and let you y with him until you''ve gotten tired of him."</i>


    <i>"Ah, my precious daughter. I heard from Jack that you have been doing exceptionally well at sea these past days."</i>


    <i>"That''s my sister. No Cavendish is a coward!"</i>


    Jack''sst sentence to her echoed like a drum in her mind. Margaret put down the revolver in her hand, and the despair, as well as the grief in her eyes, slowly vanished.


    Shey her mother down gently and lifted her skirt. A thirty-centimeter-long sheathed dagger was tied to her fair thigh.


    <i>Shwing!</i>


    The dagger was unsheathed, and the circr blue pattern on the de proved that the dagger was forged using special ingredients rather than just ordinary steel.


    Without an ounce of hesitation, Margaret lifted the dagger in her hand and shed her own face.


    A grotesque noise echoed, and a line of blood was carved from Margaret''s right eyebrow to the left corner of her lips. Her stunning visage could no longer be seen, and her looks had be capable of instilling fear in just about anyone.


    Blood dripped down incessantly from the wound on her face, and the droplets fell on her skirt, blossoming into eerie, crimson flowers.


    Margaret''s face throbbed in extreme pain, but the physical pain couldn''t bepared to her tumultuous emotions, as well as the grief and despair brewing in her heart. Margaret''s eyes were filled with extreme hatred.


    "No Cavendish is a coward, and I will never use death as a means of escape! I''ll take back everything the Cavendish has lost!" she dered solemnly.


    ***


    "Something has climbed aboard! All crew assemble on deck!"


    The sleeping Weister was awakened by the piercing cry. He was about to climb down the hammock when a cold hand dragged him down.


    The hand belonged to Audric. The vampire sailor''s face was solemn as he said, "Hurry up and go on deck. You''re going to get shot if the Captain mistakes you as a creature from the sea."


    Weister hurriedly ran toward the deck, and he wasn''t alone. Hurried footsteps reverberated throughout the narrow corridor as the crew members gathered.


    Upon reaching the deck, Weister was astonished to see the terrifying Governor holding a strange-looking revolver in his hand. The Governor was looking out at the sea, seemingly wary of something.


    "State your names and positions! I''ll go first! Charles. Position: Captain. Duty: Safe transportation and administrative management of the vessel. Ensures the utmost safety of the ship and crew''s lives and property. Decisively and prudently handles all affairs, including emergencies!"


    A tense atmosphere nketed the deck even before Charles'' voice could finish echoing.


    "Bandages. Position:... First Mate. Duty: To assist the Captain in organizing work ns... and responsible forpiling... the cargo loading schedule. Helmsman covering the... 1200 to 2400 shift!"


    "Feuerbach. Position: Second Mate. Duty: Guide sailors in the correct use and maintenance of nautical instruments. Responsible for the record-keeping of maintenance records and error logs. Helmsman covering the 0000 to 1200 shift!"


    Starting from Charles, the crew members reported their names and positions.


    Soon, it was Weister''s turn to state his name and position. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words woulde out of his throat. A sailor couldn''t possibly forget their name and positions, but Weister''s mind went white beneath the pressure and nervousness.


    An audible click echoed throughout the crowd as the Captain''s revolver pointed at Weister. Weister gulped unconsciously, and his dder tensed up from the fear.


    A cold chill ran down Weister''s spine as his gaze met the Captain''s cold and ruthless eyes.


    With adrenaline pumping through his veins, Weister took a deep breath and shouted, "Weister! Position: O.S! Responsible for cleaning the deck and the routine maintenance of anchors, ropes, and equipment!"


    The Captain''s gaze turned to someone else, eliciting a sigh of relief from Weister. In the end, no creature from the sea had somehow managed to be a part of the crew. However, it meant that the creature had entered the cabins.


    "Load your weapons. The Narwhale told me that three creatures had climbed aboard. Take it slow; clear one cabin at a time," the Captain dered.


    Weister got himself a gun, but Feuerbach snatched his gun away after seeing him fiddling with it. Feuerbach reced Weister''s gun with a dagger he had been using to scrape off barnacles.


    "I don''t think you should hold a gun. You look too nervous to use one, and I''m afraid you''ll hit your fellow crew rather than the enemies," Feuerbach exined.


    Meanwhile, Charles said once more, "Remember, three creatures had climbed aboard. Every single one of them has to be eliminated, and I reckon they possess a special ability that allows them to avoid the Narwhale''s detection."


    Weister became nervous at the Captain''s words. His heart beat madly against his chest. It was his first time in a situation like this. Fortunately, the crew members were around, and under the Captain''s lead, they cleared cabins one at a time.


    The group soon reached the fuel storage, and Weister gasped at the scene inside of it. A pitch-ck jelly-like creature was squirming on a barrel filled with fuel.


    "Hold your fire! We''re in the fuel storage."


    Before Weister could react, a figure dashed past him; the Captain rushed over to the creature with a ck dagger in hand.


    The creature awakened and let out a strange gurgling noise. It squirmed as it turned around, but it was greeted by a streak of cold light. Its bizarre body was torn open, but it seemed unscathed as it opened its big mouth to attack.


    The other crew members came to their senses and ran toward the creature with cold weapons in hand. Fortunately, the creature didn''t seem to possess much intelligence, and the crew members made quick work of it, cutting it up into dozens of pieces.


    It was still squirming, seemingly alive, but it was no longer a danger to the crew.


    Weister''s eyes shone with relief and delight at the scene that had just unfolded before him. The skirmish just now was thrilling, and it filled him up with excitement.


    Just then, something wet and sticky suddenlynded on his nape. Weister immediately went pallid, and he turned around slowly to find absolutely nothing behind him.

 Chapter 242: Arrival

    <h4>Chapter 242: Arrival</h4>


    Weister felt a sense of impending doom. Audric sniffed the air in the fuel storage and said, "Captain, it smells fishy in here. Something''sing."


    Without warning, the vampire sailor moved and rushed to the door. He lifted his sharp ws and shed out at Weister''s left temple. A grotesque noise echoed as dark purple blood haphazardly spurted out and painted Weister''s face.


    At the same time, something emerged from Weister''s clothes. Blood was dripping down something invisible as something rushed outside. The creature didn''t make any noises, and it was also invisible, but it still failed to elude the vampire sailor.


    "I can smell it! The smell of blood!" Audric''s two fangs protruded out of his mouth as his figure chased after the creature.


    Charles rushed past Weister and chased after Audric.


    Weister was in a daze. His legs were trembling, and he was beyond pallid. He truly believed that he was about to die earlier, especially when that unknown creature started reaching into his clothes.


    Soon, the Captain returned with dark purple bloodstains on his face.


    "The two creatures earlier could turn invisible. I''ve dealt with them. It is safe now. Sailors, clean up the cabin. Everyone else should return to their posts," Charles dered. His words instantly vanquished the oppressive air about the crew members as they immediately rxed.


    They started muttering to each other andughing while carrying their weapons with them outside. They looked carefree as if they weren''t involved in the crisis just now.


    However, the rookie Weister found it difficult to recover. It was his first time standing so close to death. His hands trembled uncontrobly, even during mealtime.


    At that moment, he started regretting his decision. He should have gained more experience before signing up to be a crew member of this death trap.


    Regardless of the amount of money the Governor was willing to offer, Weister knew that he had to be alive to enjoy it.


    "<i>Ah!</i>" Weister snapped back to reality at the noise. A smiling fatty stood before him; the smiling fatty was Narwhale''s cook, and he had just ced adleful of what looked like a gooey broth of apples on Weister''s te.


    "Scared? I know, I know; I''ve been there, done that. You just need to encounter more creatures of the sea, and you''ll eventually get used to them," the cook said.


    "Are you not scared? That thing could be invisible..." Weister muttered.


    "What''s there for us to be afraid of? We''ve decided to gamble our lives away by signing up here. Our Governor''s exploration vessel is great, and casualties are kept low on his ship," the cook replied indifferently.


    The worry in Weister''s heart abated slightly upon seeing the Captain''s indifference as thetter chowed down the food on his te, and Weister was also aware that the cook was right. It had always been better to sign up as a crew member for Captain Charles'' exploration ship than on someone else''s ship.


    Weister had never heard of someone else offering such an exorbitant remuneration, and Weister was about to earn more than his previous captain after this voyage. Going out on a voyage had also always been a gamble, and if Weister was going to gamble his life away, anyway, why not be a bit more daring?


    <i>Once I have enough money, I''ll bring Mom, my brother, and my sister to Hope Ind. I''ll then set out once more and save more money until I can reopen Father''s jewelry store. </i>A smile suffused Weister''s lips as he drew a picturesque future with his family.


    Meanwhile, Charles wasn''t as calm as he appeared on the surface. It was the third time that something had attempted to climb aboard. The previous two times ended in just attempts, as the Narwhale had flung them back into the sea with her ropes. They were just attempts, so Charles had decided not to tell the crew.


    However, he couldn''t help but grow even more disturbed as time went on. It wasn''t his first time sailing through uncharted waters, but the attacks were so frequent that Charles couldn''t help but feel suspicious.


    Was it simply a coincidence, or was there something special with the waters here?


    If it was thetter, Charles reckoned that the Narwhale would be inundated with sea creatures by the time they reached the Foundation''s main ind.


    Charles thought hard and long until he finally made a decision. If they experienced two attacks in a single day, he would retreat and think of another way to reach the Foundation''s main ind.


    Just then, Lily mored next to Charles with a yellow fruit as big as a thumb. She gestured for Charles to help her open the fruit. Charles took the fruit and opened a hole in it with his teeth before sucking the ck juices dry in one fell swoop.


    Lily fell into a daze at the sight; she copsed on Charles'' table and rolled back and forth, expressing her upressed fury at the atrocity Charles had justmitted against her.


    Meanwhile, Charles'' eyes were transfixed on something else.


    The nautical chart said that the Foundation''s main ind was located further north of Hope Ind. If Aaron hadn''t lied to him, there had to be survivors there as a result of the Foundation''s contingency ns.


    However, Charles had a burning question in mind. Howe those survivors hadn''t contacted the denizens of the Subterranean Sea?


    If they had worked together with the denizens here, the Subterranean Sea''s level of technology would have been drastically better than it was at the moment. Of course, Charles had another theory; perhaps the survivors had chosen to abandon the Subterranean Sea for the surface.


    Charles had zero information about the main ind''s affairs and what had happened. In other words, he had to reach the main ind if he wanted to know just what had happened to them.


    Charles finished his meal before standing up and walking toward the deck. He continued on patrolling the deck. He didn''t dare to be negligent and rx; they were in uncharted waters, after all.


    Time slowly passed, and the Narwhale received no further attacks aside from the earlier attack. However, Charles had noticed something strange.


    For some reason, he would feel as though someone was staring at him from the depths of the pitch-ck ocean whenever he stood on the Narwhale''s deck with his back to the sea.


    Charles thought the surreptitious gaze belonged to Dipp, but he changed his mind upon recalling Dipp''s behavior and personality. Thetter had never really been the type to shy away, nor was he a sneaky type.


    Just then, the surreptitious gaze fell on him once more. However, Charles didn''t look back. He took out a mirror and peeked at what was behind him using the mirror.


    The mirror depicted nothing but the rippling waves and the bubbling of the sea surface as the Narwhale carved a path in it.


    <i>Am I getting too paranoid?</i> Charles considered it but was immediately forced to dismiss the thought when the surreptitious gaze fell on him again. Frowning, Charles walked back into the cabins, and the surreptitious gaze vanished.


    Over the past two days, Charles had been nervous about the gaze, but upon realizing that the gaze posed no danger to him, he calmed down and decided to ignore it.


    However, he couldn''t help but think that it would have been great if the creatures in the jet-ck sea of the Subterranean Sea only knew how to look around; explorations would have been so much easier if that were the case.


    Nothing good woulde out of telling the crew members about the surreptitious gaze on him, so Charles decided to adhere to the principle of <i>see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil</i>.


    Beneath the surreptitious gaze, the Narwhale soon arrived at the coordinates indicated on the nautical chart.


    However, the crew members appeared bewildered; only a seemingly endless stretch of water was before them¡ªthere weren''t even traces of an ind, not to mention an entire ind.


    Everyone''s gaze fell on Charles. The next course of action the Narwhale and her crew would take depended on Charles, as he was the Captain, and he had set their course.


    Charles frowned at the jet-ck stretch of sea while stroking his chin.


    <i>Did Aaron lie to me? </i>Charles immediately dismissed the thought. It wouldn''t make sense for Aaron to have made such a dumb decision, considering his situation at the time.


    In addition, Aaron was absolutely loyal to the Foundation, and hisst words reeked of his sincere feelings toward the Foundation.


    "Audric, go around and take a look. Check if we had inadvertently gone the wrong way, and I also want you to double-check if there was a mistake when we had plotted the course," Charles said.


    The vampire sailor nodded and transformed into a bat before taking off.

 Chapter 243. The Main Islands Location

    <h4>Chapter 243. The Main Ind''s Location</h4>


    The vampire sailor soon returned and shook his head. Charles knew it then. Audric hadn''t found anything.


    "Start the ship and orbit this sector," Charles said.


    The crew members obeyed Charles'' order. The Narwhale moved and looked around the specified fifty-kilometer-wide sector only to find absolutely nothing.


    Charles was at a loss. If an ind were here, they would have found it the moment they arrived here. From Aaron''s words, the Foundation''s main ind was several timesrger than Hope Ind.


    Aaron had no reason to lie to him, so howe they couldn''t find it? Where could such a huge ind go?


    Charles fell into deep contemtion.


    Weister noticed that and turned to the cook. "What is the Captain looking for?"


    "Don''t ask; just listen to the Captain''s orders. We''re here to obey and get paid, so just let the Captain decide on our next course of action," the cook replied.


    The crew members stood quietly on deck; they waited patiently for Charles'' orders. The decision to continue searching or turn back was in Charles'' hands. He was the Captain, after all.


    Just then, Charles finally realized why they couldn''t find the main ind. However, it was so absurd that Charles couldn''t quite believe it. He felt as if he were grasping at straws here, but it was better than nothing.


    Charles pulled out a Mirrorbox and opened it before throwing it into the sea. The dazzling light that the Mirrorbox emitted illuminated everything within its reach underwater.


    However, the Mirrorbox''s light struck nothing but darkness. The darkness was so thick it seemed imprable. The Mirrorbox continued to fall into the abyss, and the moment its light was about to disappear, it briefly illuminated the letter <i>H</i> on a building.


    Charles clenched his fists. He was right. The Foundation''s main ind was still here, and Aaron hadn''t lied to him. The reason they couldn''t see it was simply because it was underwater; the ind had sunk!


    Charles smiled wryly upon recalling Aaron''s words about how the Foundation had prepared contingency ns against a variety of situations. Charles thought it was true at the time, but now, it became clear that the Foundation''s contingency ns had been of no use.


    The catastrophe had been more catastrophic than they could have imagined, and it ultimately led to the disappearance of the Foundation.


    One of Charles'' questions had been answered, but he soon faced a dilemma. What was he supposed to do knowing that the main ind was underwater?


    His n was to visit the Foundation''s main ind and have them extract information from his subconscious before asking them for help to get to the surface world.


    However, the main ind had sunk to the bottom of the sea, which brought everything to a resounding halt. The main ind was no more, and the members of the Foundation had to be deceased at this point; they were all beneath the waters, after all.


    <i>Should I go back and use the Pope''s nautical chart to find the exit to the surface world like a blind man without his walking stick and relying only on luck? </i>Charles was unwilling to do such a thing. He was so close¡ªso close to reaching the surface. He couldn''t go back now and postpone his return home.


    Aaron had said that he had to submit an application to return to the surface world to the site members on the main ind, which meant the main ind contained information about the exit to the surface world.


    <i>But the main ind is underwater, and it''spletely inessible... </i>Charles paced back and forth with knitted brows. <i>Wait, maybe it''s notpletely inessible</i>.


    Charles'' eyes fell on Feuerbach, and he asked, "How long can you stay underwater?"


    "I can stay there for an hour without any issues. It''s my special talent," Feuerbach replied.


    "Great! Audric, you brought those ck clothes capable of blocking sunlight, right? Lend it to me," Charles said.


    The vampire sailor hesitated briefly before nodding. Of course, he had no idea why Charles wanted to borrow his clothing. Charles noticed Audric''s confusion and exined, "The Divine Light Order made those clothes for the sake of underwater missions. It should be airtight."


    The crew members erupted into an uproar upon realizing Charles'' intentions. Fear painted their visages.


    "Captain, are you crazy? Do you not know what''s in the water?! Why are you going underwater?!"


    "Captain! Rumors have it that the depths of the Subterranean Sea lead to the gates of hell. You really shouldn''t go there."


    The crew members were like ants on a hot pan, frantically trying to dissuade Charles. Even the epitome of indifference, Feuerbach, finally showed signs of fear for the first time.


    "Captain, I''m a great swimmer, but I only stay in shallow waters. The sea doesn''t have anything worth dying for, and going there is tantamount to suicide. I also heard that those bizarre creatures of the sea live in extreme depths," Feuerbach said.


    Charles was well aware of the danger, but if Aaron''s words were to be believed, Charles felt that it was worthy of a risk. Having made up his mind, Charles said firmly, "We don''t have time to waste. Go and prepare what we need. That is my order as the Captain."


    He had alreadye all the way here, so he had to attempt it. Otherwise, the voyage would be a waste.


    "What about air? You''re going to die without air, Mr. Charles," Lily chimed in.


    "I can make a useable air cylinder. I''ll make do with it," Charles replied. He then rushed into his cabin to gather what he needed for the uing dive.


    Just then, Laesto limped over to Charles and handed over a bundle of round dark leaves.


    "These will slow down your breathing, which will help you stay underwater for longer," Laesto exined.


    "Thanks!" Charles was thrilled. These leaves would greatly extend his exploration of the sunken ind. "How long do theyst?"


    "They''re unstable, so I can''t say for sure. However, they shouldst about an hour or two," Laesto said. His expression grew grim as he continued. "The side effect is that you''ll lose strength once you consume this. It is dangerous to take them in the depths, but it is all up to you," Laesto said with a grim look.


    Charles decisively epted the leaves.


    Soon, Charles'' preparation wasplete.


    Armed with several air cylinders made out of soft leather bags and d in a full-body suit, Charles popped Laesto''s leaves into his mouth and started chewing them before jumping into the icy cold pitch-ck waters.


    The moment he entered the waters, he felt a chill embracing his entire self. It seemed colder herepared to other regions.


    The herbs took effect, and Charles'' breathing slowed down. However, it didn''t mean that he could stay for a lot longer underwater. He didn''t have an unlimited supply of air, after all, so he didn''t dare to waste any time.


    Charles grabbed the pectoral fin of the red shark ahead of him, and he shot downward and toward the seafloor. Soon, Charles saw the helicopter pad he had seen earlier. Indeed, the helicopter pad was on the rooftop of a high-rise building.


    The ss fragments slowly rose upward, bestowing upon Charles the illusion that he was falling down the building. Visibility was extremely low, but Charles'' night vision allowed him to see clearly in a ten-meter diameter around him.


    The palpable darkness pressed onto him and Feuerbach, surrounding them with a stifling, oppressive atmosphere.


    Charles made a sidelong nce into the building next to him and found that everything had been reimed by the sea.


    There were aquatic nts and corals everywhere in the building, and if it hadn''t been for the building''s sheer size, Charles would have thought that he hade across a massive coral reef.


    However, Charles still hadn''t seen any creatures despite the depths.


    Charles went deeper and deeper. The pitch-ck seafloor seemed endless; it had been quite a while since Charles had decided to descend, but he still couldn''t see even the silhouette of the seafloor.


    Just then, Charles felt as though something in the darkness was staring at him.

 Chapter 244. The Deep Sea

    <h4>Chapter 244. The Deep Sea</h4>


    Charles couldn''t hear anything aside from his own breathing. The darkness had surrounded him, and the sea got emptier and emptier as he dove deeper and deeper. Earlier, he could still see a few fish, but now, he couldn''t see anything other than a stifling darkness.


    The ustrophobia-inducing darkness was suffocating, and Charles felt lightheaded. He had enough air to breathe, but he felt as though his brain was running out of air.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Charles heard the sloshing of water next to him, and a fuzzy glow pierced the darkness to reach the retina of his eyes. The light hade from Feuerbach''s light source, and his arms and legs moved to gesture with g semaphore.


    "A hundred meters deep. Danger below. Keep diving?"


    Charles shook his head and responded with g semaphore. He had to continue¡ªhe had to go down there today, no matter what.


    Feuerbach gulped nervously at Charles'' insistence. He patted the shark beneath him, and it waved its crescent-shaped tail fin to propel the both of them downward. The shark carrying Charles followed closely behind him.


    The pressure was starting to be too much, and Charles heard an audible crack from the ss lenses before his eyes. Charles'' heart tightened; if the ss lenses were to break, the water would bury the ss fragments into his face.


    Ten meters, twenty meters, thirty meters... Charles could feel his outfit reaching the limits of its endurance. He was about to give the signal to go back to the surface when he finally caught a glimpse of the seafloor.


    They were swimming above an airport, and it was tilted at an angle of thirty degrees. The sea had reimed the airport, covering the runway with coral and barnacles. If it hadn''t been for the few broken airnes, Charles wouldn''t have recognized that he was staring at an airport.


    Charles gestured at Feuerbach with g semaphore just as thetter was about to swim toward the nes. Feuerbach came to a halt in response to Charles'' gesture.


    Charles looked around, but the airport didn''t contain what he had been looking for. The airport neither had information about the exit to the surface world nor had traces of 319. Of course, Charles didn''t really think that 319 would be here.


    Simr to most airports on the surface world, the airport had an expressway next to it, and Charles found it rather quickly despite the fact that it had decayed beyond recognition and had been overrun by the sea.


    Charles used his knowledge of the modern world and deduced that he would soon find himself in the center of the ind so long as he followed the road. Naturally, what he had been looking for had to be there.


    Under the lead of a few red sharks, Charles and Feuerbach swam swiftly, following the road that Charles had chosen. The two were swimming at depths that didn''t allow them to rx at any moment; the pressure had also taken its toll on their bodies.


    Charles'' toes had gotten so numb from the cold that he couldn''t feel them anymore, and he reckoned that the surrounding temperature had to be near zero degrees Celsius.


    The silver lining was that the two hadn''t encountered any dangerous creatures. The ce seemed deste, and Charles didn''t see anything alive aside from the small group of sharks around them as well as Feuerbach.


    The two continued on following the expressway to the center of the city, and they soon stumbled upon quite a few buildings. At first, they only saw tiny, single-story houses, simr to what one would see in a vige.


    However, it didn''t take long for the buildings to grow in size and height. Eventually, the two found themselves staring at tall skyscrapers hundreds of meters in height.


    The overpasses between the towering buildings gave the sunken ind a touch of sci-fi, making it appear seemingly surreal.


    The passage of time and the encroachment of the sea had weathered these buildings beyond recognition, but a nce was enough to make anyone acknowledge that the Foundation''s technology was highly advanced and magnificent without a doubt.


    Charles gestured with his hand, and Feuerbach came to a halt. Charles swam toward a rectangr sign next to an overpass and realized that the sign depicted the map of the main ind.


    The sign was filled with many lines, and it seemed to be depicting train stations. Charles scanned the station names, hoping to find where the Foundation had stored their relics.


    <i>I''ve found two ces where they had stored their relics, and they were stored in Lab 3 and Lab 2. In that case, 319 must be stored in Lab 1. </i>


    Just then, Charles'' heart inexplicably tightened. The eerie, surreptitious gaze had returned with vengeance, and the gaze seemed to being from one of the distant skyscrapers.


    Charles didn''t dare to be rash. He swam next to Feuerbach''s shark and gestured with his hand, asking them to move forward. Once they had resumed swimming, Charles put his fingers to his left torso and brought his hand back instantly.


    It was brief, but Feuerbach caught the gesture, and he nodded lightly. He opened his mouth and let out a soundless scream. The sharks dispersed, and the two continued their journey toward the center of the sunken ind.


    Soon, the surreptitious gaze returned, and Charles tapped the shark beneath him.


    The sharks that had left previously suddenly emerged from the darkness and bared their massive mouths. They rushed toward the darkness on Charles and Feuerbach''s left side. The two hurriedly chased after the sharks and turned to avoid a skyscraper, but the scene before them left them reeling in shock.


    A gigantic twenty-meter emptiness filled with darkness had appeared right before their eyes. Charles shuddered uncontrobly as though a Divinity hadid eyes on him once again.


    Charles resumed breathing three secondster and found that he wasn''t staring at the eyes of a Divinity. He was staring at the eye socket of some sea creature. The darkness within the emptiness was all because the eye socket had no eye.


    The eye socket was not much smaller than the buildings around it. Staring at the skull, Charles couldn''t fathom howrge the sea creature was when it was alive. But one thing was for sure¡ªit was a terrifying size capable of paralyzing anyone in fear.


    The sloshing of water reverberated from the eye socket as a shark emerged from it with Feuerbach on its back. Feuerbach gestured with g semaphore upon seeing Charles.


    "Found nothing."


    Irritation fleeted across Charles'' eyes. The owner of the surreptitious gaze was clearly avoiding him; just what were they trying to do here?


    Charles gestured at Feuerbach to continue their journey. The owner of the surreptitious gaze had tagged along, and since they clearly didn''t want to be seen, Charles decided to just let them be.


    He couldn''t waste any more time here. He had to find 319 while he still had air.


    Feuerbach chased after Charles, but unbeknownst to the two, seven or eight grotesque-looking tentacles covered in a ck substance extended out of the eye socket upon their departure.


    The grotesque tentacles propagated, and when they finally filled the cavity to the brim, the massive skeleton of the sea creature that towered several hundred meters seemed to tremble ever so slightly.


    Charles soon found himself before a train station, but the transit map was so badly damaged that Charles could only make out a few words from them. In the end, he had to visit several train stations before he could create aplete map.


    He skimmed the names of the train stations, and actively sifted out those that sounded like residential areas and soon found train stations dedicated to the twoboratories: D2 Laboratory and Project Laboratory. They were both located on the outskirts of the ind. Charles immediately focused on Project Laboratory. He deduced that 319 was most likely in there.


    Just as he was about to leave for his destination, Feuerbach swam over with a look of agitation on his countenance. He patted the shark beneath him and gestured with g semaphore.


    "One missing!"

 Chapter 245. An Eyeball

    <h4>Chapter 245. An Eyeball</h4>


    Charles'' heart filled with stupefaction as he nced at the shark next to him. Just what kind of creature was capable of taking down a three-meter-long shark without making any noises?


    <i>Don''t tell me...</i> Charles'' pupils shrank. He turned, and his gaze fell to where he had seen the massive skeleton. The location was engulfed in darkness, and he couldn''t see anything.


    Under the immense pressure of the sea and the threat of the unknown, Charles couldn''t make a move. No matter what that thing was, he had no intention of going back. In the end, he pointed at the sharks and gestured with his hand for an encirclement.


    A tinge of grief fleeted across Feuerbach''s face. He opened his mouth and let out a soundless scream. The waters quivered, and the sharks surrounded the two in no time.


    They had decided to make the sharks stay within arm''s reach; no matter what, the same fate that had befallen the missing shark couldn''t be allowed to fall on the remaining sharks.


    Charles and Feuerbach picked up the pace as they made a beeline for their destination. Charles'' eyes danced about, and his gaze fell on the unnerved sharks. The missing shark and the surreptitious gaze told Charles that there was something dangerous here, so he didn''t dare to let his guard down.


    The most dangerous job in the Subterranean Sea was bing a crew member of an exploration vessel. The sea was dangerous, after all.


    However, there was a ce more dangerous than the sea¡ªthe seafloor.


    Soon, Charles reached his destination. But before they could descend to the seafloor, all of them, including the sharks, froze.


    The water beneath them churned, attracting the attention of both Charles and Feuerbach. They looked down and were astonished to find corpses¡ªcorpses belonging to many different species had formed what looked like an eerie clump of corpses.


    The clump of corpses was rotating; it started slow, but it picked up the pace and was spinning uncontrobly in just a few seconds. Charles'' eyes narrowed. He saw corpses wearing white coats through the gaps in the clump of corpses.


    Those corpses were definitely the corpses of the Foundation members, but there was something wrong here. It had been a long time since the Foundation vanished from the face of the Subterranean Sea, so howe the deceased Foundation members looked like they had hardly decayed?


    It was a burning question, but Charles didn''t have the luxury of time to ponder over the answer to his question. His n was to avoid attracting attention and prevent any engagement with the rotating clump of corpses. Charles ryed his n to Feuerbach with g semaphore, and the two soon floated up.


    The distance between them and the clump of corpses slowly widened. Charles was about to lose sight of the clump of corpses when the clump was abruptly torn open, revealing the figure of a fifty-meter-long giant fish covered in tentacles. The three colossal eyes on its head stared straight at Charles. They had been discovered!


    The fish swung its tail, and the surrounding corpses moved ording to its will, as though it was controlling them with some ability. The corpses lunged at Charles and Feuerbach.


    Of course, Feuerbach had no ns of greeting Death just yet, so he ordered the sharks to swim to the surface to avoid the oing attack. Unfortunately, the giant fish was too fast. It swam with an overwhelming intensity, and in less than a couple of seconds, it appeared before Charles.


    The fish''s mouth, filled with sharp teeth, was wide open as it rushed toward Charles, creating a horrifying sight. Charles even saw half-digested corpses in its mouth.


    Gritting his teeth, Charles whipped out the Lightning Rod. Seawater was a better conductor of electricity than fresh water. Unfortunately, Charles couldn''t say for sure if the relic would even work against the terrifying creature before him.


    To make matters worse, activating the relic while he was so close to it and was surrounded by seawater was tantamount to seeking death. Charles was confident that he would end up on the cusp of dying if he were to activate the relic.


    However, Charles was in a life-or-death situation, and he had nothing else to rely on but the Lightning Rod.


    Bright arcs of electricity jumped about the Lightning Rod as Charles braced himself to fire an attack, but the oing fish abruptly came to a screeching halt. It seemed badly frightened as it swung its tail and fled, even abandoning the clump of corpses.


    Charles could already hear the loud sloshing of water in the distance, but Charles couldn''t calm down. They were about to sh, but the horrifying sea creature abruptly turned around and fled. It didn''t make any sense.


    Charles'' puzzled and bewildered gaze fell on Feuerbach next to him, and his heart constricted. Feuerbach was trembling incessantly like an aspen tree, his gaze filled with despair as he stared at the space behind Charles. That was when it finally clicked to him...


    Charles gritted his teeth and whipped around. A towering skeleton of at least a hundred meters in height loomed over him. It looked down at him as if it were some kind of god, and its empty eye sockets were transfixed on Charles.


    Charles trembled uncontrobly, and he felt sick. His brain couldn''t quite grasp what it was looking at, and he wanted to stop trembling, but his brain had dedicated all of its resources toprehend the shocking scene before him.


    The massive skeleton in front of him was the same skeleton he had seen earlier, but something had changed. Its left eye socket was supposed to be empty, but squirming objects flickering dimly in the darkness had filled up the cavity.


    They were tentacles, flickering a dim glow. The writhing tentacles were riddled with eyes emitting a greenish hue resembling pus. The eyes kept on bursting beneath the immense pressure of the sea, but they regenerated as fast as they were obliterated.


    Charles realized it just then¡ªthe eyes had dragged the colossal skeleton over to him and had been hovering behind him.


    <i>What is it trying to do? Does the surreptitious gaze belong to it? Damn it, I need to find a way out of this predicament! </i>The cogs in Charles'' mind turned frantically and went into overdrive to find a path to survival.


    A green eyeball popped out of the indescribable cluster of eyeballs. It tumbled about in the icy cold waters, seemingly in the process of adjusting to the immense pressure and the change in temperature.


    Soon, the green eyeball hardened, and beneath the horrified gazes of Feuerbach and the sharks, the green eyeball that measured fifty centimeters across floated over in front of Charles.


    The green eyeball flipped, and its cross-shaped pupil stared deeply at Charles.


    Charles saw his own reflection in the eyeball, and extreme fear instantly gripped his heart, immobilizing him. However, the intense desire to survive blossomed in Charles'' heart almost at the same time.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    A dazzling light pervaded the seafloor. Charles had taken out a Mirrorbox, blinding everyone, including himself.


    "Run!" Charles yelled hysterically at the top of his lungs.


    The paralyzed red sharks spurred into action, and they frantically pped their tail fins in a race to reach the surface.


    The rapid dpression made Charles feel as if he had been struck by a hammer; his ears rang loudly, but he had no time to think about the ramifications of such a rapid ascent.


    He gripped the Lightning Rod tightly. Whether it would work against that creature or not had yet to be seen, but he had nothing else he could rely on here.


    Charles felt as though he was beneath a rushing waterfall as the seawater above him threatened to overwhelm him during the ascent. Charles felt like a secondsted an eternity, and it was his first time being so mindful of the passage of time.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The sharks broke through the surface andnded on the Narwhale''s deck, startling the lounging sailors. The sailors quickly recovered their wits, and they were about to approach the sharks when more sharks broke through the surface andnded on the deck.


    The horrified sharks shook frantically in an effort to get as far away as they could from the edge of the Narwhale''s deck. The sight baffled the sailors, but Feuerbach forced himself to stand up and run toward the trembling sharks.


    He stroked them gently with his hands in an effort to assuage their terror. The baffled sailors could only stare nkly at the bizarre sight. They had no idea what had happened, nor they had any idea what to do.


    Even First Mate Bandages was bewildered. He knelt on one knee and stared at Charles quivering in agonizing pain while clutching his chest. Charles wanted to speak, but words wouldn''te out of his throat.


    He frantically patted Bandages'' shoulder and stared wide-eyed at thetter.


    Bandages nodded quietly and stood up. He rushed over to the bridge, and the Narwhale quickly departed.

 Chapter 246. Tobbas Knowledge [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 246. Tobba''s Knowledge [Bonus Image]</h4>


    Seeing that Bandages had understood him, Charlesy on the ground and continued gasping for air. An excruciating difort pressed down heavily on his chest, and with each breath he took, he spat out blood mixed with pink bubbles.


    "Mr. Charles, what happened? Are you alright?" Lily was the first to rush over. Her furry face was tainted with worry, and her voice wasced with concern.


    "Everyone, back off. Give him space! He surfaced too quickly again and got dpression sickness. Can''t you stop halfway for just a few seconds? Is suffering once not enough that you want to experience the same thing again?" Laesto grumbled as he took a swig from his tin sk before barking orders to the onlooking sailors. "You, you, and you. Carry him to the medical room."


    The sailors lifted Charles and slowly moved him toward the cabin designated as Laesto''s medical room. Just as he was being lifted up, Charles managed to catch a glimpse of the inky dark waters and could finally rx when he realized that he couldn''t see any tentacles emerging from the water''s surface.


    It took Laesto five hours to treat Charles.


    Some color had returned to his face as hey on the hospital bed and reflected on what he had seen underwater. The creature was notrge, but Charles felt an almost <i>divine</i> presence emanating from it.


    The fear it stirred deep within his soul was overwhelming; it was far beyond the sensations any ordinary sea creature could instill in him. Charles felt that if he had stared at the eyeball for even just another split second, his mind would have broken down on the spot.


    "So. How did it go? Did you find what you were looking for underwater?" Laesto asked as he grabbed a nearby stool and sat on it before epting his tin sk from Linda.


    Charles shook his head. "No, but I found a map of the underwater ind. I need to study it carefully before attempting another dive. The sess rate will increase that way."


    "What?! You''re nning on going down again? Are you not afraid of encountering something else?" Laesto eximed. Both he and Linda were shocked by Charles'' deration.


    A trace of hesitation appeared on Charles'' countenance, but he eventually nodded and said, "Yes. I have to go there again. There''s definitely something down there."


    The first dive was done, and he would be able to avoid the mistakes he had made in his first dive during his second dive. The previous dive had been perilous, but none of them got injured; the situation underwater wasn''tpletely hopeless either.


    "Sure. You''re the captain; you call the shots. I''ll prepare the herbs for your dive. Just don''t get dpression sickness again. If you do, you might as well just dig your lungs out and discard them," Laestomented.


    Laesto struggled to get out of his seat, but his efforts were in vain until Linda extended a helping hand to him.


    "I don''t need your help. I''m not that old yet!" Laesto snapped and shook off Linda''s hand before he limped into the adjacent room.


    Charles nced at Laesto''s retreating figure before he turned to the female Divine Light Order disciple standing before him.


    "Why are you here?" he inquired.


    "Doctor called me to learn medicine from him. He''s close to death and fears that the ship will be left without a doctor once he''s gone," Linda responded in a calm tone as though she wasn''t even the least affected by the imminent death of the old man she was familiar with.


    Hearing Laesto''s explicit curses from the connected adjacent room, a trace of sadness flickered in Charles''s heart. Another crew member was about to leave the Narwhale.


    However, he quickly shook off this unnecessary pity; he didn''t need it, and neither did Laesto. Currently, there were more pressing matters that demanded his attention.


    The ck ink of Charles'' fountain pen swiftly left straight lines on the pages of his journal. Regurgitating from memory, Charles replicated the map of the sunken ind. After much practice over the years, he had be remarkably proficient in mapmaking.


    ck fumes stopped billowing out of the smokestack of the Narwhale.


    First Mate Bandages had joined Charles in the medical room, and the two were engrossed in charting a map.


    "We''ve passed that area already. Steer the ship in the 1 o''clock direction and advance for five nautical miles; that should put us directly above Project Laboratory. Diving from there should be easier," Charles instructed Bandages, and thetter nodded silently in response.


    It turned out that Charles was calcting the optimal diving location.


    "No, no, no. What you''re looking for isn''t there," a voice suddenly echoed from behind Charles.


    Charles turned around to see Tobba. He was now in clean clothes, and his hair waspletely shaven off. He lookedpletely full of energy as he held a bunch of colorful mice in his arms.


    Meeting Charles'' gaze, he rubbed a mouse on his smooth head and exined, sounding embarrassed, "Little Lily said she wouldn''t let her friends y with me unless I cleaned myself up, so I did."


    "I didn''t ask." Charles immediately cut to the chase. His sharp senses had picked up the underlying message in Tobba''s words. "What did you mean by what you just said?"


    "Watch me. I''ll draw it for you," Tobba said and snatched Charles'' pen out of his hand before he started drawing haphazardly in the journal.


    "The ce you''ve drawn has changed. 319 has been moved to a different location. They had many meetings back then to decide on the relocation. In fact, 319 is here," Tobba said as he marked an <i>X</i> on the map. "You need to go this way, then here, and then dive in here to reach it."


    Staring at the totally unrecognizable map on the journal page, Charles regarded Tobba with a hint of confusion in his gaze. "How do you know I''m looking for 319? And how do you know its location?"


    "Aren''t you looking for 319? I know because you are looking for it. I lived in that area for a long time, and 319 is my good friend," Tobba replied.


    "A good friend? 319 is a living thing?!" Charles'' voice rose in surprise.


    "No. It''s a printer. But who said humans can''t be friends with things?" Tobba retorted as if it were the most natural and logical thing in the world.


    A corner of Charles'' lips twitched in response to Tobba''s mad ramblings. "Sorry. You sounded so normal for a second that I almost forgot you are insane."


    Tobba chuckled as though he had just received apliment. Suddenly, his expression turned serious. He leaned closer to Charles and whispered, "When you get down there, don''t go to Door 3. There seems to be something terrible locked inside of it."


    An imaginary vice grip tightened around Charles'' heart. "Are there many dangerous relics on the main ind?"


    "<i>Hmm...</i>" Tobba tilted his head to the side and sank into deep thoughts. "I won''t say they''re dangerous. The relics there can''t move or talk. But if you y with them, bad things will happen to you. For example, someone else''s head might grow on your body.


    "<i>Ah,</i> right! Once you get down there, help me check up on 372 behind Door 15. It still owes me money from thest time we yed poker. Of course, 246 owes me money, too!"


    Charles scrutinized Tobba as he pondered over the background of the entric man before him. He realized that Tobba seemed to know a lot about the main ind of the Foundation. Perhaps he could gain more clues from this living relic.


    He swiftly snatched the pen away from Tobba and started drawing on a fresh new page. It didn''t take long for him toplete the sketch of the indescribable <i>clump </i>he had seen within the skeleton.


    "Do you recognize this? Is this some relic on the main ind? What are its weaknesses, if any?"


    Tobba studied the drawing of the tentacled eyeball on the page, and a hint of confusion flickered across his face. "It seems...familiar. I think I''ve seen it somewhere before."


    Meanwhile, Bandages had been silently listening to the conversation from the side with an expressionless face. His gaze fleeted across the sketch, and a shudder coursed through him. "Captain....it''s... alive..."

 Chapter 247. Diving Again

    <h4>Chapter 247. Diving Again</h4>


    "Captain... the... drawing... is... alive..."


    Bandages'' words sent a tingle down Charles'' spine. Almost instinctively. he crumpled the paper in his hand and hurled it out of the porthole.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The porthole''s ss broke under the impact of Charles'' throw; the crumpled paper and the broken shards flew away, but Charles caught a fleeting glimpse of a writhing ck tentacle from the crumpled mass.


    "Guys, quick! We have to leave this ce! Now!" Charles yelled.


    With a low bellow of her horn, the Narwhale swiftly moved away.


    Tobba leaned his head out of the round porthole andmented, "Why did you throw it away? It was just about to crawl out. You are so mean to have interrupted it."


    There was a hint of pity in his eyes.


    Bandages stood up and pulled Tobba back from the window to stop him from looking any longer.


    <i>That was a quick sketch I did in under a minute. How could it possibly move? </i>Charles pondered; his face was dark and with a mix of confusion and disbelief.


    He couldn''tprehend what had just transpired, but it made him realize one thing. He finally understood why no libraries in any of the inds had records or illustrations of the creatures underwater.


    Logically speaking, humans would normally document their encounters with enemies to warn future generations and avoid repeating the same dangers.


    He had been thinking that the people in this seascape harbored some sort of superstition toward those underwater entities.


    However, the truth finally dawned upon him¡ªthe bizarre nature of these creatures was beyond humanprehension, and even simple documentation could invite deadly trouble.


    <i>See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. </i>Charles reiterated in his mind before he added one more rule to the list. <i>Record no evil.</i>


    That night, Charles found himself suffering from insomnia. He could barely sleep. Each time he drifted off, he would be jolted awake by the sensation of being touched. In his half-sleepy state, he felt a surreptitious gaze watching him from outside the porthole.


    However, the mice on the night watch reported nothing amiss.


    Eventually, Charles had to seek Laesto out for some medication before he could fall asleep. Regardless, his mental state took a hit due to his inability to sleep properly.


    The next morning, Charles decided to continue with the exploration underwater. He didn''t have a good feeling about this ce. He felt that things would be more dangerous for them the longer they stayed here. In other words, he had to act swiftly.


    He had two goals foring here. The first was to find the information about the exit to the surface, and the second was to find 319 to extract the knowledge Aaron had imnted in his brain.


    While his first goal remained elusive, he felt that the second goal was rather promising. Tobba had already confirmed 319''s current location. Now Charles just had to get down there and retrieve it.


    With 319, he could extract that information from his mind and know what experiments the Foundation had conducted and the reason behind their disappearance. Perhaps he could also find clues about the surface world and its current state.


    Despite his face being a sickly pale hue, Charles dragged himself along the deste corridor toward the deck. Just as he was a wall away from the deck, he heard faint crying sounds from outside.


    <i>Did a creature underwater climb aboard? </i>Charles thought as he drew his flesh revolver.


    The cabin door creaked open, and Charles lowered his weapon. The crying came from a figure hunched over at the bow, and Charles easily identified him from his distinctive head of green hair.


    "What''s wrong?" Charles approached.


    The figure slowly turned around. It was the new Second Mate, Feuerbach. He looked visibly heartbroken, and his face was covered in tears and mucus. Despite his uncontroble sobbing, his hands didn''t remain idle. He was scraping barnacles off a struggling turtle.


    Feuerbach wiped off the tears and snot on his face with his sleeve. He sounded choked as he replied, "It''s nothing, Captain. I''m just... grieving over Kevin..."


    Charles ran through the names of the Narwhale''s crew in his head; there was no one named Kevin.


    "Kevin? Do you mean the shark that disappeared?"


    Feuerbach nodded vigorously with bloodshot eyes. "Captain, you know... Among all the sharks, Kevin had been with me for the longest time, but now, he¡ª"


    Feuerbach broke down and bawled loudly before he could finish his sentence.


    Charles was taken aback. Feuerbach had alwayse across to him to be indifferent toward most things, but he had just witnessed a new side to the man¡ªhe actually held such a deep attachment to his sharks.


    Feuerbach didn''t care whether Charles was willing to listen or not. He continued on pouring out his heart to Charles in between sobs and narrated every little detail and story he shared with his shark, Kevin.


    He recounted how Kevin had protected him in the deep sea, how the shark would yfully snuggle in his arms, and how he would tenderly use a small brush to clean Kevin''s throat or pick its sharp teeth.


    "Enough, enough," Charles finally interjected. He got Feuerbach''s underlying message now¡ªhe was reluctant to put his sharks in harm''s way again.


    "Get your sharks ready. There''s no discussion on this."


    Feuerbach was stunned into silence. After a few seconds, he could finally react and protested, "Captain, even after <i>that</i>, you still want my sharks to risk their lives?!"


    Charles didn''t even spare him a nce and turned away to make preparations for the dive. Feuerbach insisted on joining the Narwhale in the first ce. Since he was here, he needed to be aware of the sacrifices he had to make.


    Though reluctant, Feuerbach knew he had to obey the captain''s orders. Grudgingly, he readied his sharks. At the same time, he didn''t forget to hug them andin about Charles'' harshness.


    Laesto handed Charles a round ck herbal pill.


    "You''ve taken this once. And since you''ve yet to recover, I advise you not to stay underwater for too long."


    "I''ll be quick. I''m just going to retrieve an item," Charles replied.


    "And when you surface, remember to pause to avoid dpression sickness," Laesto reminded him once again.


    "Understood." Charles'' voice was muffled by his leather suit.


    Laesto let out a scoff. "I''ve never trusted a single word you said. I think I should prepare the medication for your treatment first."


    With that, he pivoted on his heel and limped toward the cabin.


    "Tobba, which door is 319 in?" Charles turned to Tobba holding a bunch of colorful mice.


    "Door 7. Thest I saw it, it was behind Door 7."


    Chewing on the bitter pill, Charles made his way to the ship''s edge.


    After the previous incident, the crew was evidently anxious about their captain''s second dive. However, they could only silently support his endeavor since they couldn''t render much assistance.


    The icy waters enveloped Charles once again. He gave a thumbs-up to Lily perched on the ship''s railing before diving into the ocean''s depths under the guidance of the red sharks.


    The sea was cold as usual, and darkness was the only color that painted Charles and Feuerbach''s vision as they silently went straight down toward their destination.

 Chapter 248. Seafloor

    <h4>Chapter 248. Seafloor</h4>


    As Charles and Feuerbach descended further into the depths, the water pressure increased, and once again, they felt the familiar tightness of the leather suits.


    Charles cautiously scanned their surroundings for several seconds before his anxiety slightly eased. The giant skeleton from before was nowhere to be seen; they seemed to have avoided it this time.


    Time gradually ticked past. When they arrived at the seafloor once again, the scene that greeted them was different from before. Right beneath them, a creature with a towering height of dozens of meters stood upright in the midst of the underwater city.


    It resembled a mass of ck roots with three spider-like slender legs as it slowly moved through the water.


    Charles didn''t dare to let his guard down. Instead of retreating and ascending immediately, he led the sharks to hide behind an old car that had now beenpletely covered in coral.


    Fortunately, whether due to Charles and his party sessfully hiding themselves or it simply being uninterested, the creature moved away from where they were with slow, gradual steps.


    Charles heaved a sigh of relief. Pushing off against a coral rock with his feet, he swam toward a nearby building. ording to Tobba''s description, the facility containing 319 was close by.


    Soon enough, Charles located the inconspicuous little red-roofed house amidst the numerous structures.


    It was so unremarkable that if not for Tobba being so certain that this was the ce where relics were stored, Charles would probably have mistaken the building to be a public restroom in the midst of a bustling underwater metropolis.


    Charles stopped before the building''s door and reached out for the handle. He had only gently tugged at the door''s handle but inadvertently pulled the entire thing off due to its many years of decay. Even the entire door copsed as a result of his <i>gentle</i> tug.


    The space behind the door was rather small with a narrow, sloping corridor leading downward to seemingly an entrance to something more.


    Aftermunicating silently with Feuerbach through hand gestures, Charles brandished his Dark de and cautiously advanced into the corridor.


    The moment their figures disappeared from the entrance, a shadowy figure flitted around the corner.


    The downward passageway was tight and narrow. Charles couldn''t shake off the eerie feeling that the surrounding water was slowly solidifying around them.


    A doory at the end of the corridor. With its distinctive twin steel doors, it wasn''t hard for Charles to discern that this unique construction was typical to that of an elevator.


    The elevator seemed to be made of some unknown metal. Despite all these years underwater, it showed not a single speck of rust, and only a thinyer of ck substance covered its surface.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Charles thrust his Dark de into the gaps between the two doors and exerted force in a twisting motion in an attempt to cut an opening.


    However, the door''s resilience far exceeded his expectations; his efforts only managed to scratch a long line on its surface.


    Just then, Feuerbach tapped Charles on the shoulders and shed him his pearly white teeth.


    His mouth parted into what seemed like a silent shout, and the sharks swarmed the door. Opening their maws filled with sharp, jagged teeth, they ferociously tore at the elevator doors.


    The doors were extremely tough, but the sharks remained undeterred even as their teeth were pulled out of their mouths and scattered in the water. Unable to tear the doors down, the sharks changed their strategy and eventually managed to wrench the entire door off its hinges.


    Nodding in acknowledgment to Feuerbach, Charles swam toward the now-exposed elevator shaft.


    Shrouded in pitch-ck darkness, the shaft was oppressively ustrophobic. Charles ced his hands on the walls on either side and cautiously felt his way downward.


    If his guess were right, the relics would be stored right below. Of course, it was a given considering that the relics were hazardous items and the Foundation would never store them in easily essible ces.


    In the stifling darkness of the elevator shaft, Charles'' muscles were tensed up and his mental state was at high alert for any signs of danger.


    Despite learning from Tobba that this facility, like Laboratory 3, contained mostly non-living relics, Charles remained wary. Relics were unpredictable and defied conventional scientific understanding, so who would be a hundred percent certain?


    With extreme caution, they finally approached the first opening of the elevator shaft.


    Peering within, they saw what appeared to be the ruins of a conference room''s corridor. Unfortunately, the interiors had decayed beyond recognition.


    With no ns to venture alone, Charles gestured to Feuerbach above him.


    A trace of reluctance surfaced on Feuerbach''s countenance but he eventually returned that he understood in g semaphore.


    He affectionately patted a shark on its sleek body and nted a gentle kiss on its snout before sending the red shark on its mission.


    The red shark swayed its tail fin and darted deeper into the facility.


    It moved swiftly and returned in a couple of minutes. It circled Feuerbach and gently brushed against him with its fins.


    Understanding the message, Feuerbach turned to Charles and shook his head. Thetter immediately understood that there was nothing of note inside.


    They continued their descent down the shaft and explored floor after floor. After some time, Charles realized that there seemed to be a vast underground structure beneath the elevator shaft with basement after basement.


    The structure housed various facilities and appeared capable of sustaining thousands of people. Yet now, ity as a ghost town, void of any human presence.


    Navigating through this sunken ghost town sent chills down one''s spine.


    Fortunately, there did not seem to be any immediate threat.


    They explored one level after another, and finally, they reached Basement 8.


    This time, Charles chose not to send a shark ahead for reconnaissance. Standing at the opening of the shaft, he spotted a door with the number 241 emzoned on it. The adjacent wall even had a fingerprint recognition lock.


    The sight of the familiar Arabic numbers in erged print had Charles'' heart racing. He had found it; this was the ce Tobba had mentioned where the static relics were stored.


    However, Charles was in no rush to dive in.


    The number 241 was a far cry from 7.


    Pushing himself against the decaying mud-rock walls, Charles continued downward.


    With each descending level he passed by, the numbers decreased. 165, 127, 65, 32. Finally, on the veryst floor, he halted. He was greeted by a door boldly marked with the number 1.


    Charles slowly swam deeper into the opening. Relic 319 behind Door 7 was certainly one of the doors in this silent, dark corridor.


    Suddenly, he tensed up, and his slow and steady breathing hastened.


    Right in front of him was a very in-looking door with the number 3 on it¡ªthe very one Tubba had warned him about. He wasn''t sure if he was hallucinating, but he felt an ominous vibe from it, as though it would swing open at any moment.


    <i>Didn''t Tobba say that the things in here don''t move? </i>Charles thought to himself as he scanned the surrounding darkness warily, afraid that something would spring forth from behind one of the doors.


    However, the pitch-ck darkness remained undisturbed despite a lengthy wait.


    From the side, Feuerbach continuously gestured with g semaphore, inquiring anxiously about the situation and the reason for Charles'' reaction.


    Charles dismissed the unease in his heart and hurriedly readjusted his breathing; he couldn''t afford to waste oxygen in this ce.


    With a forceful push from his webbed feet against the wall, he propelled himself swiftly deeper in search of Door 7.

 Chapter 249. Door 7

    <h4>Chapter 249. Door 7</h4>


    Door 7 was right behind Door 6, and Charles found it rather quickly.


    ording to Tobba, Relic 319 was beyond Door 7. Charles shed out at the door with his Dark de, but he was surprised to find that his efforts had only managed to create a long line on its surface.


    It seemed the wall was sturdier than he initially thought. Charles had sted his way into Laboratory 3, but he figured that Door 7 would remain steadfast even if he were to use the same amount of explosives he had used at the time.


    Charles could feel his oxygen running out. He had to find a way to enter the door; otherwise, his efforts would all be for naught.


    A stifled gunshot echoed after Charles had aimed it at the door lock behind and fired. His Dark de wasn''t quite working, so he decided to use his flesh revolver. Fortunately, it seemed quite effective. The white bone bullet sunk into the door, bringing delight to Charles.


    Charles was about to fire a salvo of shots when a mist of blood abruptly covered his eyes and swiftly stained the surrounding waters a crimson hue. He turned and found that a huge chunk of flesh had been torn from the red shark nearby.


    The perpetrator was a clump of darkness floating in the pitch-ck waters. The clump had a hideous animal face, and it was shrouded by a ck mist, making it look illusory. However, its bloodshot eyes and yellowish fangs were anything but illusory.


    Charles aimed his flesh revolver and fired multiple shots at the creature. However, perhaps it was because they were underwater or a unique trait of the enemy, but Charles'' bullets went right through the creature''s mouth and incurred no damage on it.


    The attack had failed, but Charles had managed to attract the creature''s attention.


    The creature trembled, shaking off some of the ck mist around it before rushing toward Charles with its hideous fangs bared.


    Charles was at a disadvantage. He wouldn''t have been afraid of this bizarre creature if they were onnd, but they were in the deep sea. Charles didn''t dare to fight it head-on beneath such immense pressure.


    A single hole in his leather suit and he would be in big trouble.


    Charles kicked his legs frantically, stirring up bubbles as he rushed upward. It was a good thing Charles wasn''t alone. The nearby sharks had detected a hostile target, and they rushed toward the creature with their mouths wide open.


    The jet-ck waters churned as the sharks tore at the creature, but the attacks were ineffective. It seemed the creature was impervious to physical harm. The sharks were tearing it apart, but the fragmented parts would always coalesce back into a ck mist.


    If the sharks were a bit slower, the creature would have immediately turned the tables around and devoured the sharks.


    Charles stared at the ck mist with a frown when an idea popped up in his mind. A Mirrorbox appeared in his hand afterward, and he made up his mind¡ªthe creature was shrouded by a ck mist, so he wanted to try vanquishing that darkness with light!


    A dazzling light briefly pervaded the jet-ck waters, and Charles ended up being correct. The light gradually dissipated, and the creature had vanished; Charles couldn''t see anything else other than a few fangs shrouded by motes of ck mists.


    <i>Are they relics? </i>Charles asked inwardly. <i>Underwater creatures drop relics upon death?</i>


    The curious Feuerbach picked up one of the fangs, but Charles didn''t dare to stay here for much longer. He took out his Dark de and started prying open Door 7 from the hinges.


    Soon, the door was opened after much effort from Charles. The jet-ck seawater rushed into the door,pletely filling up the room. However, the sight that greeted Charles and Feuerbach within the room was beyond their expectations.


    Tobba had mentioned that Relic 319 was a printer, but the two couldn''t find any printer in what looked like a five-square-meter room. A wooden door stood on the wall opposite them, and there was a faint red light shining above it.


    "Objective, door, behind?" Feuerbach gestured with g semaphore.


    Charles'' brows furrowed. Tobba hadn''t said anything about how they had to open another door to reach Relic 319. Perhaps Relic 319 needed to be behind more doors as a precaution?


    Feuerbach stared quietly at the frozen Charles before swimming toward the door.


    However, Charles abruptly dragged him back before he could touch the door.


    Surprised, Feuerbach wanted to ask questions, but he froze upon seeing Charles staring at a gigantic number that said 3. Feuerbach was convinced that the giant ck number on the door said 7, so howe it had be 3?


    A shiver ran down Feuerbach''s spine. Feuerbach looked up and was horrified to find that the wooden door wasn''t a door. It was the relic contained behind Door 3, and it had masked their vision to deceive them into entering Door 3!


    "Damn it! When did it fool us?!" Charles exited the room and mmed the door shut with a darkened expression.


    Feuerbach trembled imperceptibly at the thought of what could have happened if he had opened that wooden door. He wasn''t sure, but he knew that it would be anything but good.


    Charles swam to the third door to the left of Door 3, thinking that he would see Door 7. However, Door 7 was missing and had been reced by Door 8 for some inexplicable reason.


    <i>Is that relic still ying tricks on us?</i> Charles muttered while staring at the distant Door 3; its metal doors daggled hazardously due to his forceful attempt to pry it open. The room behind Door 3 was quiet; they still hadn''t seen any bizarre monsters or strange sights in the room. The more peaceful it was, the more Charles found the entity behind Door 3 weird.


    Perhaps the anomaly wasn''t necessarily caused by Door 3.


    The relic behind Door 3 seemed unable to move, so they just had to be vignt and make sure that they wouldn''t fall for its tricks.


    Charles pondered briefly and pointed at the pitch-ck darkness in the distance.


    He wanted to know the exact length of the corridor they were in.


    Feuerbach nodded and sent a shark on a mission. Soon, the shark returned and gently brushed its fins against Feuerbach to convey a message.


    Feuerbach understood what the shark was trying to say, and he kept on nodding while stroking its belly.


    Charles asked Feuerbach what the shark had discovered, but Feuerbach seemed hesitant. He waved his hands randomly rather than in g semaphore. He seemed to be trying to convey his answer using bodynguage.


    He gestured and twisted for what seemed like half a day to no avail.


    g semaphore could only convey a few simple words, so Feuerbach''s decision to attempt to express his message through bodynguage wasn''t strange at all.


    Regardless, Feuerbach eventually gave up. He pointed at the distance while pushing Charles to swim toward it.


    Charles swam along the decaying walls, and he finally understood why Feuerbach had failed to tell him the answer. The corridor ahead of him was on an upward slope. Charles entered the slope and felt the water pressure decrease drastically.


    Looking ahead of him, Charles spotted a faint white line twisting with the waves¡ªit was the surface.

 Chapter 250. Door 3

    <h4>Chapter 250. Door 3</h4>


    Feuerbach and Charles emerged from the water with a ssh.


    The ce was no different from what they saw underwater; both were spacious corridors with rows of numbered iron doors on the right side. The only difference was that the ce was tilted, possibly because the ind had sunk.


    Charles looked around and noticed something different. The ce located diagonally across from him was supposed to be a numbered door, but it was somehow reced by a lounge.


    Charles was certain that it was a lounge; the fixtures gave away its identity. The ce was covered in dust, but he could see coffee machines and self-service beverage dispensers on the desks. There were also rows of sofas, and the floor-to-ceiling windows were particrly eye-catching.


    Feuerbach sniffed the air and said, "Captain, we can breathe here."


    Charles took his helmet off and was immediately hit by a stale, musty smell. It was an unpleasant smell, and it made sense, as the ce had remained untouched for hundreds of years.


    Charles rubbed his nose and walked toward the lounge. Upon walking into the lounge, Charles noticed many finer details. There were five disposable cups on the wooden table in front of a sofa. The cups were filled with a thickyer of dirt, and there were three bulky books next to the cups.


    Evidently, five people had been chatting here long ago, but they disappeared at the same time in the blink of an eye, leaving behind nothing but their five cups of coffee as evidence that they had once existed.


    <i>Is their disappearance rted to that so-called cmity? </i>Charles thought. He had been on this sunken ind for quite a while now, but apart from that strange skeleton and that giant fish, Charles still hadn''t seen any other corpses on the sunken ind, especially human corpses.


    Charles was baffled. Even if the corpses had been devoured by something, there should still be remnants like bone fragments, but there had been none so far. In the end, Charles chose to set the thought aside for now and grab the books.


    He attempted to flip the pages to figure out what the Foundation staff had been reading before their disappearance, but he realized that he wasn''t holding a book. He was holding thick, jet-ck tablets that he had mistaken for books because of the thick dust that had settled on their surfaces.


    <i>Wait, isn''t this the same as the Doctor''s item? </i>Charles was astonished. The items in his hand bore a striking resemnce to Laesto''s device. The only difference between the two was that the former seemed much more advanced and in a better condition.


    <i>There are three tablets here. Perhaps the Doctor will be able to fix his tablet by scavenging parts from these three tablets. </i>Charles looked around and took the stic bags beneath the disposable cups. He ced the tablets into the stic bag and sealed it tight.


    He was about to stuff it into his leather suit but stopped. His leather suit was too thin to amodate such a thick object. He was worried that he would damage his leather suit if he were to stuff the stic bag into it.


    Charles looked around once more, and he soon had a brilliant idea.


    He walked up to the seawater and fished out a shark. The shark opened its mouth wide to bite Charles, but Charles stepped on its lower jaw before stuffing the stic bag into its belly.


    Of course, the shark struggled; sparks flew as its sharp teeth scraped against Charles'' prosthetic limb. Fortunately, he had used his prosthetic limb to stuff the stic bag deep inside the shark''s belly.


    Otherwise, the shark would have bitten off a chunk of his arm.


    Having achieved his objective, Charles released the shark. The shark opened its maw filled with sharp, jagged teeth, and it bit fiercely in Charles'' direction before turning around and diving into the depths.


    "Just endure it for a while. I''ll take it out once we get to the surface," Charles said; he didn''t care whether the shark could understand him or not. However, Charles was then struck by a peculiar feeling.


    Feuerbach loved his sharks, so how was he able to remain unfazed witnessing what Charles had done to one of his sharks?


    Charles turned around, but Feuerbach was nowhere to be found. However, Charles remained calm. He scaled the wall with his boots and swiftly reached the ceiling. Soon, he was hanging upside down from the ceiling with the flesh revolver in his hand.


    "Second Mate! Where are you?!" Charles shouted, and his voice echoed throughout the deste corridor.


    "Captain, I''m here! Come here, quick! Door 7 is here! I found it!" Feuerbach''s voice responded from a distance.


    However, Charles remained unmoved as he shouted, "Come back first! Two of your sharks died all of a sudden!"


    "What?!" Feuerbach went beyond pallid at that. He rushed out of the dark corridors, but he discovered that his sharks were doing fine when he reached the seawater.


    <i>Click!</i>


    An audible click echoed, and the cold barrel of a gun was pressed against Feuerbach''s head.


    "What were you doing during our first private meeting?" Charles asked in a cold voice.


    "What''s wrong with you, Captain? I was scraping barnacles off a struggling sea turtle," Feuerbach replied.


    Charles let out a sigh of relief upon hearing the correct answer to his question. He retracted his flesh revolver and said, "We''re in a dangerous ce, so don''t wander around without telling me."


    However, Feuerbach seemed deaf to Charles'' warning as his face lit up with excitement. "Captain, you shoulde with me. I found Door 7 just up ahead."


    Charles nodded and followed Feuerbach toward the so-called Door 7. To their surprise, the door wasn''t locked. It was actually slightly ajar, and it seemed as though it would open even with a gentle tug.


    "Did you open it?"


    "No, I was just about to open it, but you called me."


    Charles'' gaze turned to the giant <i>7</i> on the door, and he reached out to push the door open. However, something had interrupted Charles. His hand hung frozen in mid-air as he looked up at the door and looked closely at it upon sensing something.


    A faint red light was shining above the door, and it was blinking slowly. The faint red light now looked simr to the eyes of a man-eating Cyclops.


    Charles'' expression turned ugly. He raised his prosthetic limb and smashed the door with his clenched fist.


    "This isn''t Door 7! It''s Door 3! We had inadvertently released the relic inside Door 3, and now it''s stalking us!"


    "T-That can''t be..." Disbelief fleeted across Feuerbach''s face, and he unconsciously took half a step backward.


    Charles red coldly at the faint red light. "You should cut the act. I''ve already discovered you."


    His voice hadn''t even finished echoing when the red light vanished. At some point, the number emzoned on the door before him had changed from 7 to 15, eliciting a deep frown from Charles.


    Charles took a step back and fell into deep contemtion. He swept his gaze across the row of doors and was convinced that Door 7 had to be among them.


    Unfortunately, the relic behind Door 3 was observing their every move, and it seemed hell-bent on interfering with their judgment. The only silver lining here was that Charles had gained some knowledge about Door 3 after the two encounters.


    First of all, the relic behind Door 3 seemed incapable of attacking. The most that it could do was rece the numbers on the doors and lure people to open them and let out what was beyond them.


    In addition, it seemed like it possessed the ability to confound others and impair their judgment.


    <i>It knows that I''m looking for Door 7, so it''s using Door 7 against me. It wants me to open other doors by all means necessary. </i>Charles concluded by himself.

 Chapter 251. Wailing Graffiti

    <h4>Chapter 251. Wailing Graffiti</h4>


    With his newly gathered information, Charles felt his heart steadied considerably. No matter how formidable the relic, it was still a non-living thing. Also, it seemed to be bound by certain limitations.


    Whenever it reced a door, a faint red light would shimmer overhead. As long as he kept this in mind, his adversary wouldn''t be able to easily trick him into opening any unintended doors.


    But a new problem soon presented itself to Charles. How was he supposed to find Door 7 with Door 3''s interference?


    Charles ran a hand over the door in front of it. It was Door 15. Clearly, relying on numerical order was futile. The doors here were not arranged in any discernible pattern.


    Charles strolled up and down the dusty metallic corridor as he pondered on his next step. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He began to pry at Door 15 with his dagger.


    "Captain, this is Door 15, not Door 7," Feuerbach remarked from the side.


    "I know!" Charles snapped back.


    Despite being as sturdy as it was, the door soon gave way under Charles''s persistent efforts with both his revolver and dagger.


    He stepped inside to find no tangible objects in the room. The only thing he saw were walls gleaming with a metallic sheen and an abstract, horrifying graffiti portrait.


    The figure was drawn in a grotesquely twisted pose, with its limbs knotted like braids. All its organs, except for the mouth, were sewn shut with needles and thread. Its mouth was agape, in apparent agony.


    The sudden encounter with such an image under the oppressive dark environment was unsettling. Feuerbach instinctively took a step back.


    Staring at the graffiti, Charles pondered for a brief moment before speaking to it as if it were a person.


    "Do you know Tobba? The one you yed Texas Hold''em with."


    The graffiti remained silent to Charles'' question. It didn''t climb out of the wall nor make a single sound, as though it were just any other ordinary painting.


    Charles let out a sigh as he mentally berated himself for trusting the words of the entric Tobba.


    Just as he turned around and decided to think of another strategy, his gazended on something that had abruptly appeared on the corridor wall, sending a jolt through his heart.


    The graffiti that had just been inside the room moments before had instantly teleported onto the corridor wall, its sewn-shut eyes seemingly staring nkly at him.


    The oppressive atmosphere weighed down heavier on the dimly lit corridor. After all, everything contained by the Foundation was far from benign.


    "Is Tobba your friend? He spoke about you before. Are you 372?" Charles asked again.


    The portrait remained unresponsive. Charles slowly backed away toward the direction of the water.


    Yet, as soon as the graffiti was engulfed in darkness, it suddenly emerged once again on a wall next to Charles.


    <i>Is this thing following me? </i>Charles thought to himself. <i>It didn''t attack me. Maybe I should keep trying tomunicate.</i>


    Charles ced both his hands on the wall and stared at the sewn-up eyes of the graffiti with an intense gaze.


    "If you help me to find Door 7, I''ll make sure Tobba waives off the debt you owe him," Charles articted each syble clearly.


    Despite what he just said, the graffiti showed no signs of movement or response.


    <i>Perhaps this painting can only move when it''s out of human sight? </i>A spection formed in Charles'' mind.


    Meanwhile, Feuerbach was growing increasingly uneasy as he watched his captain inexplicablymunicating with the wall painting.


    "Erm, Captain, that thing seems dangerous. Are you sure it even understands what you''re saying?"


    "It doesn''t matter. Door 3 is already lurking in the shadows and watching us. What harm could one more do? Let''s go; let''s move out of its sight and see if it leads us to Door 7."


    With that, Charles disregarded the graffiti on the wall and ventured deeper into the darkness.


    Passing by metal door after metal door on his rights, Charles felt that this ce was different from Laboratory 3. The relics in Laboratory 3 were mostly controble and as long as one knew their patterns, they would be able to utilize those relics.


    However, the entities here were different. There were no experimental logs or instructions. Even the level of security was unparalleled.


    Whether it was Door 3 or the graffiti, they could surely cause immense trouble if set free.


    Charles theorized that the Foundation had probably ced these entities in the deepest level to iste thempletely from the human world.


    He continued forward and soon reached the end of the corridor where water was dripping from the ceiling. It was evident that the sealed space wouldn''tst much longer.


    Pivoting on his feet, he retraced his steps along the sloping corridor. As he approached the ninth door, he noticed the graffiti atop one of the doors.


    <i>Is 319 behind this door? </i>Charles thought that his eyesnded on therge number 12 on the door. He hesitated for just mere seconds before he set to work prying it open.


    Having gained experience just earlier, Charles easily pried the door open. But unexpectedly, instead of 319 which was a printer ording to Tobba, there was a pedestal behind Door 12 with a lone marker pen lying on it.


    <i>What does this thing want? Does it want me to let out everything in this ce?</i>


    A trace of annoyance flickered across Charles'' visage as he closed the door and turned to face the terrifying 372 on the room''s wall.


    "Is this amusing to you?"


    A soft thud echoed from within the room. Charles'' gaze shifted to find the marker pen on the floor.


    He cast a nce at 372 on the wall and pondered for a moment before walking over to pick up the pen.


    The moment Charles grasped the pen, a tremendous force yanked him toward the metall wall. As if possessed, his hand began to move on its own and quickly wrote on the wall.


    Very soon, a few lines of the seascape''snguage appeared on the wall.


    <i>Conditions: 1. Find a container; 2. Attach the Wailing Graffiti; 3. Take the Wailing Graffiti above water.</i>


    <i>Reward: Guide the Captain to the Soul Printer.</i>


    <i>[Agree? Disagree?]</i>


    "Ah, so 372 wants tomunicate with me through this pen and wants me to bring it out of here," Charles muttered to himself as he read the text on the wall.


    The conditions seemed reasonable, or in fact in Charles'' favor, in exchange for the location of 319.


    "I agree," Charles voiced his decision. As soon as his words fell, the pen in his hand moved on its own to swiftly draw a circle around the word "Agree".


    <i>Swish!</i>


    The text on the wall erupted into mes and in that instant, Charles felt a weight settle upon him as if he had shouldered something on himself.


    The marker pen started scribbling once more on the wall.


    <i>Exit the door, turn left, walk 15 meters ahead. Soul Printer will be on the left.</i>


    "Found it!" Excitement painted Charles'' face as he dashed out of the room and followed the wall''s direction in search of the so-called Door 7.


    <i>Exit... turn left... walk 15 meters... On the left.</i>


    Charles turned to his left and stared at the in wall before him. A mix of astonishment and realization flickered across his countenance.


    The so-called Door 7 was a hidden door all along. No wonder he couldn''t find it no matter how hard he looked.

 Chapter 252. Drowning

    <h4>Chapter 252. Drowning</h4>


    <i>ng!</i>


    Charles forcefully plunged his Dark de into the wall. But before he could pull it out, a sharp hiss sounded, and a white stream of water hit his body.


    Under the immense water pressure, the water jet was like a sharp knife as it pierced through Charles'' clothes and skin, burrowing into his body.


    With a low growl, Charles sidestepped to avoid the water''s path of attack. He had only been subjected to the water jet for a mere second, but it had already left a gash on his left shoulder that was bleeding profusely.


    Unfortunately, time was a luxury Charles couldn''t afford. Seeing that the gap was still spewing water jets, he hurriedly donned his diving suit. If there was seawatering out from within, it meant that Door 7 was connected to the outside world. He needed to be ready before the water level rose in this ce.


    The white water column sprayed fiercely; it didn''t take long before the space they were in was rapidly filled with seawater. When the pressure in the confined space was equivalent to that outside, water finally ceased spraying from the crack.


    Charles brandished his Dark de and flesh revolver once again and started to pry open the door. By now, he had be adept at dealing with these metallic doors.


    He urately located thetch and swiftly dislodged it. However, the moment the door swung open, the sight that greeted him left him momentarily stunned.


    The space behind the door was not a room but a giant hole. He swam through the passageway and looked up. He could vaguely make out the blurry outlines of decayed skyscrapers. They were out of the building.


    It seemed as though something had carved out a massive tunnel, and its edges epassed the hidden Door 7, hence tearing it apart in the process.


    <i>So, in that case, 319 should be...</i> Charles slowly lowered his gaze toward the pitch-ck abyss below.


    With his night vision, he could faintly see something gigantic moving underneath.


    As Charles fell into hesitation if he should descend into the massive void, a sudden "bang!" in the dark waters sent a tremble through him.


    <i>Drip!</i>


    A droplet of water through the ss crack of his visor and onto his face.


    "The suit can''t hold up any longer! I must get up now!" Charles gestured to Feuerbach in a wild frenzy.


    Feuerbach had also noticed the crack in Charles'' visor and knew he had to respond with utmost urgency. He acted swiftly to direct his sharks to carry Charles upward.


    But Charles had barely started to ascend when he felt an intense, burning pain coursing through his entire body as though he was engulfed in mes.


    A thought crossed his mind, and his gaze darted to the wall to see the Wailing Graffiti standing there with its sewn-shut, sunken eyes fixed on him.


    A ck marker pen floated toward Charles as though it was trying to hint at something.


    Staring at the branching of the cracks in his visor, Charles hurriedly grabbed the pen and scribbled on the wall.


    <i>Attach to me! I''ll bring you up!</i>


    Charles then turned his gaze onto where the graffiti was and found that it had vanished. He didn''t dare to dy further and kicked his legs vigorously to propel himself upward.


    With Charles on its back, a red shark swiftly darted toward the surface. At this point, Charles couldn''t care less about some dpression sickness; he had to survive.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A sharp pain hit Charles in his face, and his heart instantly clenched together in terror. The visor had shattered, and water was flooding in.


    The pressurized seawater poured through the breach and rapidly filled Charles'' headgear. It didn''t take long for water to fill up the headgear, but the resulting consequences were much worse. The converging pressure from all directions forced water relentlessly into his every orifice.


    Even when Charles tried to hold his breath, the water''s pressure easily breached his defenses to flow into his nostrils. Soon, Charles'' stomach and lungs were filled with seawater. He felt his consciousness started to fade out. Beside him, Feuerbach was desperately shaking him, but to no avail.


    Seeing that his captain had turned motionless, a mix of anxiety and panic painted Feuerbach''s countenance. He urged his sharks to move even faster.


    The pressure gradually decreased, and they finally reached the water''s surface.


    Holding the ashen-faced Charles, Feuerbach rushed onto the deck.


    "Doctor! Crew, hurry!" The captain''s inhaled too much water!"


    The Narwhale crew swarmed onto the deck in response to Feuerbach''s urgent cries.


    A heavy anxiety weighed down in the air as they watched Laesto pressing on their captain''s chest.


    Yet, even after several minutes, Charles'' lips were still a purplish hue, and he remained responsive on the ground like a lifeless corpse. Nearby, Lily was already in tears.


    "Stop crying for fucking sake! He won''t die under my watch!"


    Laesto then injected a bottle of yellow liquid into Charles''s body. His next action startled every onlooker.


    Charles'' Dark de had appeared in Laesto''s hand. He plunged it directly into Charles'' chest, twisted it and pried out a rib bone.


    Before blood could spray out, Laesto plunged his prosthetic limb through the incision and grabbed Charles'' heart, squeezing it with a set rhythm.


    One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. Finally, with a cough, Charles turned to his side and regurgitated mouthful after mouthful of seawater.


    At this sight, a faint smile appeared on Laesto''s hideous face. "Quick, carry him to my medical room. I need to put his rib back."


    In the medical room filled with various strange odors, Laesto slumped into a chair. He panted heavily from the exhaustion ofpleting an intense surgery. This kind of rigorous operation was taxing for someone of his age.


    "This heart resuscitation method should only be used in extreme cases. Treating the infectionster on would be very tricky," Laesto said slowly while Linda took notes beside him.


    "Thank you," Charles said in a weak voice as he ced a hand over his wound. "I wouldn''t have made it through without you."


    Laesto couldn''t even be bothered to spare Charles a nce. He knew well enough that nothing good ever came from the youngd''s adventures.


    Charles wanted to put on a grateful smile, but the tugging of his skin induced a sharp pain in his chest, and he winced instead.


    "Enough. Just keep quiet. Lie down and rest."


    Charles gestured with a wave of his hand. "No, I wanted to say that I found what you need down there."


    Soon after, Feuerbach entered the medical room with the three tablets in his hands.


    Laesto''s hands trembled as they reached out to touch the cold steel. His facial scars quivered, seemingly unsure of how to react.


    "Doctor, some of my sharks are also seriously injured. Since you have finished treating the captain, I''ll bring them over for you to have a look," Feuerbach said and headed toward the door.


    But just as Feuerbach''s fingersnded on the door handle, Charles'' eyes suddenly widened in shock. He didn''t know when it had happened, but a red glow had appeared above the door.


    "Stop! Don''t move!" Charles called out abruptly and startled Feuerbach.


    "Huh?" Feuerbach turned around in confusion. His hand followed his inertia, and the door behind him swung open.

 Chapter 253. Different Relationships

    <h4>Chapter 253. Different Rtionships</h4>


    The door to the medical room swung open. However, whaty beyond was not the dimly lit corridor of the Narwhale, but aplete, imprable darkness, an endless void.


    Instantly, a soul-shaking fear gripped everyone in the room, and involuntary tremors coursed through their bodies.


    <i>ng!</i>


    Charles'' grappling hook shot out and firmly anchored itself to the door. With a fierce jerk of his arm, the door mmed toward the frame.


    But just as the door was about to closepletely, it halted abruptly. With a faint creak, the door slowly reopened on its own.


    At this point, Feuerbach had also realized the gravity of the situation. Panic crossed his face as he rushed to Charles'' side and helped him off the operating table.


    A tar-like ck substance began to slowly ooze out from beyond the door. Like a living liquid, it spread and devoured everything it touched¡ªthe floor, tables, and even Laesto''s jars and bottles.


    First, it enveloped the items in its ck, slimy substance, then, apanied by a hissing sound of corrosion, it dissolved them, ultimately assimting them into itself.


    The chain anchored to the door snapped in two under the slightest touch of the unknown substance.


    It moved extremely slowly but relentlessly. At its speed, Charles theorized it would take less than ten minutes for it to swallow the Narwhale whole.


    <i>Crack! Crack! Crack!</i>


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    <i>Hisssssss!</i>


    <i>Swoosh! Swoosh!</i>


    Charles brandished an array of weapons and attacked the encroaching entity, but to no avail. They inflicted no damage to it.


    In a state of extreme anxiety, Charles nced around and with a flick of his left wrist, the broken chain shot out and shattered the round window by the side.


    "Out the window, now! Jump ship! Hurry!"


    Charles knew that jumping into the open sea was tantamount to suicide, but it seemed to be his only option left in this predicament. If they didn''t jump now, not even a single cell on them might remain.


    As he assisted Laesto toward the window, the ck substance on the ground suddenly rose up like a tidal wave and surged toward them.


    The unknown goo was mere inches away from engulfing Charles and the others when something rolled out from under the operating table and stopped between them and the ck mass.


    It was arge, green eyeball that spanned more than fifty centimeters.


    The ck substance seemed to be wary of the eyeball as it hovered indecisively in mid-air, neither advancing nor retreating.


    Suddenly, the eyeball stirred and floated into the air before it approached the ck mass.


    Under the eyeball''s threat, the ck substance seemed to be intimidated and started to retreat slowly into the confines of Door 3. It only left behind the devoured remnants of the floor.


    Through the gaping hole in the floor, Charles could see the water tank in the storage cabin beneath.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    With a loud echo, Door 3 mmed shut from the outside, and the red light above swiftly disappeared. Only the green eyeball and the four stunned humans remained in the room.


    At this moment, a strange and eerie atmosphere hung low over the cabin. Everyone was perplexed about what had just happened, what this eyeball was, and why it had helped them.


    Charles instinctively reached a hand up to touch the tattoo on his neck. He wondered, <i>could it be that God Fhtagn came to help because of this?</i>


    Hovering in mid-air, the eyeball turned around to stare at Charles. Charles''s eyes widened in disbelief, and his heart tightened upon seeing the familiar cross-shaped pupil. This was the same entity from under the waters!


    After what seemed like an excruciatingly long time when it had only been three seconds the eyeball seemed to have decided on altering its strategy and suddenly hurtled toward Charles.


    Almost instinctively, Charles flicked his chain and wrapped it around the eyeball before hurling it out through the round porthole by the side.


    Enduring the pain in his abdomen, he dashed to the bridge at his fastest speed.


    "Bandages! Overload the turbines! Get out of here now!"


    Bandages immediatelyplied with Charles''mand.


    "What.... happened?" Bandages asked slowly, his hands not idling for a single second.


    With his face deathly pale, Charles shook his head and remained silent.


    The Narwhale sped across the sea like a speedboat as her turbines were pushed to their limits. Only when they were 30 nautical miles away did the ship slow down.


    Charles clutched his wound and endured the excruciating pain as he patrolled the vessel. He only managed topletely rx upon confirming that both Door 3 and the eyeball were gone.


    Back at the Narwhale''s previous location, a giant white skeleton slowly emerged from the water. The eyeballs and tentacles in its eye socket were still writhing.


    Apanied by a series of popping sounds, the giant skeleton disintegrated into scattered bones and sank into the sea. Then, an unknown creature emerged from the skull.


    The eyeball that Charles had thrown out of the window floated by and re-entered its main body.


    All of its green eyes turned simultaneously and gazed in the direction of the Narwhale.


    As its tentacles writhed and twisted, a vague and chaotic voice emanated from within it.


    "Dad...dy..."


    ***


    With a mask covering her nose and mouth, Donna was bent over the fields. As she worked tirelessly in the fields, she let out a cough every so often.


    Despite the sweat beading her weary face, an overwhelming sense of joy surrounded her. This season''s ryegrass harvest was going to be exceptionally good.


    If she sold the harvested ryegrass to the Governor''s Mansion, she and her daughter would then be able to live a bit longer atop the World''s Crown.


    It didn''t matter to Donna whether she was living atop the Crown, or underneath it. But it was a different story for her daughter. The thought of her daughter''s nightly coughing fit, which robbed her of her sleep, spurred Donna to work even harder.


    Atop the Crown, they wouldn''t need to wear masks. Neither would they erupt into periodic coughing fits. Whenever they lived up there, her child''s cough would ease.


    Gratitude filled Donna''s heart whenever she thought of the governor''s sister, Lady Anna.


    In the past, those elites above couldn''t care less for people like her, let alone let farmers live atop the Crown. But ever since Lady Anna''s appearance, everything had changed. As long as the farmers provided grains, not only could they live for a short duration atop the Crown, but they would also live in an excellent house at that!


    Those neat, square houses were sofortable; her daughter always hated leaving them.


    As Donna''s energy surged with the thoughts in her mind, she suddenly felt the ground tremble. She looked up to see a procession of towering giants marching along the road in an orderly file through the fields toward the Crown. Their immense stature inflicted awe and fear with just a nce.


    <i>They are so tall and so big-sized; I wonder how much food they consume daily... They are probably here to buy grains from the governor. </i>Donna thought to herself.


    As she watched the giants disappear from her sight, Donna bent down and resumed her work on the fields. These giants were just a mere interlude in her life.


    Draped in massive white cloaks, the Haikor giants silently arrived at the base of the Crown. The moment the people by the basket saw the giants, they bowed respectfully. "Lady Anna has been waiting for you for some time."


    Pulled by chains greased with whale oil, the basket carrying the Haikors slowly ascended toward the top of the Crown.

 Chapter 254. Tentacles

    <h4>Chapter 254. Tentacles</h4>


    Anna was lounging in a deck chair next to a huge circr swimming pool while flipping the pages of a ck leather-bound book. The characters on the pages were twisted and seemingly sinister; they subtly writhed as she read.


    <i>Gurgle gurgle. </i>


    Small bubbles gradually began to rise and pop as they reached the surface.


    Anna cast a nce at the pool, and a light smile suffused her visage.


    <i>Woosh!</i>


    A dark shadow leaped out from the water and flew straight toward Anna.


    It was a gigantic green eyeball.


    A tentacle slithered out from beneath Anna''s skirt and struck the eyeball with precision, sending it back into the pool.


    The bubbling intensified. Another eyeball emerged from the water and flew toward Anna, only to be promptly batted away again.


    This continued for several rounds. More eyeballs appeared in the air, and more tentacles extended from Anna. The two sides seemed to be evenly matched in this strange game.


    However, as soon as the door in the distance opened and the Haikor Tribe entered the scene, the chaos in the pool calmed down in an instant.


    "Did you bring what I asked for?" Anna asked as she rose to her feet.


    A Haikor giant presented a ck box to Anna. The slightly trembling box was huge, almost half the size of Anna herself.


    "That many? Feeling particrly generous, aren''t you? I remember what I gave you wasn¡¯t worth this much," Anna said as a hint of delight crossed her delicate face.


    "We need your help. This is an advance payment," the leader of the giants replied.


    Anna had already extended a hand to grab the box but retracted it upon hearing thement. "If it''s too difficult, I won''t take it."


    "The Governor of Albion Isles has acquired power that shouldn''t belong to him; it''s a power that shouldn''t exist in our world. We want to see his downfall."


    Anna let out a chuckle as she covered her mouth with the back of her hand. "He is the overlord of the Northern Seas right now. I''m just a normal member of the Dioite Tribe. I can''t do such a task."


    She walked to the edge of the pool and lifted a pale right hand. A tentacle emerged from the water and wrapped her hand before swaying it.


    "You could seek help from others. Like Charles, the Governor of Hope Ind, for example, or your other tribe members."


    <i>Charles? </i>Anna turned around immediately, and her smile was no more. It was reced by a stone-cold expression. "I''ve told you not to involve my man in our dealings. He has nothing to do with this."


    The moment Anna spoke with a hint of hostility in her voice, a mass of glowing tentacles intermingled with green eyes slowly rose from the pool behind her.


    A chilling atmosphere instantly hung down heavy in the room. The Haikor giants felt an involuntary shiver down their spines. The leader raised a hand in a struggle.


    "Get your daughter to go back down! If you continue, don''t me us forpletely ending our cooperation. Without the power of our god, you will forever remain as an ordinary Dioite."


    "Tsk." Anna clicked her tongue dismissively before pping her hands lightly. The tentacle monster behind her gradually submerged back into the seawater.


    The giants collectively let out a sigh of relief. "You don''t have to involve Charles. Just ensure the downfall of the governor of Albion Isles using any means. This is just a part of ourpensation. Once you fulfill this task, we can give you much more than this."


    With that, they ced the ck box on the ground and swiftly pivoted on their heels to leave.


    Anna was now left alone in the vast, empty hall. Standing in the same spot, her brows furrowed together in deep thought.


    The ck box trembled incessantly before eventually falling to the ground with a <i>thud.</i> The loud sound immediately drew the attention of the existence in the pool. A tentacle emerged from the water''s surface and writhed toward the box, coiling itself around the ck object.


    A pale hand gently tapped the tentacle. "No, you can''t eat this. It''s for Mommy."


    Hearing Anna''s words, the tentacle obediently retracted into the pool.


    With a click, the ck box was opened. A blob of ck gel containing a myriad of colors leaped out. Finding itself in an unfamiliar environment, it rapidly grew legs and scurried away.


    However, its speed was insignificant to Anna. Anna reverted to her true form, and a tentacle darted out to smack the creature to the ground.


    The mass, now split into two parts by the tentacle''s impact, rapidly grew more limbs. It seemed intent on escaping.


    However, Anna had no intention of letting it escape. Her cross-shaped yellow pupils rapidly flickered, and her tentacles whipped around violently. Momentster, the mass on the ground was sucked into her gaping maw.


    After consuming the creature, Anna didn''t revert to her human form. She stood motionless like a statue.


    As a bizarre crackling sound echoed through the space, ayer of rust-colored thick shell began to grow on Anna''s body. The shell expanded rapidly, and soon enough, a twisted, monstrous tree stood in the center of the hall.


    A green, glowing tentacle cautiously emerged from the water and tapped lightly on the tree trunk. It seemed to be checking something.


    With a loud crack, the branches that resembled rusted iron shattered, and a terrifying creature emerged from within the shell.


    Anna had undergone a drastic transformation. Her previous tentacles with gray tendrils were no longer octopus-like; they now resembled withered, charred tree trunks.


    The charred tree trunks were hollow and empty, but sinister glints of light shone in the gaps of her hollow tentacles, and it seemed as though something else had partially reced her flesh and blood.


    The Dioite member had grown nearly twice its original size and looked even more fearsome and horrifying than before.


    With a hiss, Anna''s tentacles danced wildly. She opened her mouth filled with sharp fangs and let out a frenzied roar.


    Witnessing her mother''s actions, the creature in the water tried to mimic her. Seven or eight tentacles emerged from the water and iled rapidly within the room. A scene of utter chaos and distortion quickly unfolded.


    ***


    <i>October 3, 12th Year of Crossing Over</i>


    <i>We''re on our way home. Despite having added preservative roots to keep the water fresh, the water in the water tank has started to stink. Fortunately, the crew''s morale was still considered stable. After all, they are close to getting home.</i>


    <i>Once they reached Hope Ind, that would be the end of this voyage for them.</i>


    <i>But for me, I wasn''t particrly satisfied with this expedition. The Foundation''s main ind has sunk, and I didn''t manage to find 319.</i>


    <i>The only clue I have now is that 319 has fallen into that pitch-ck abyss, and I need to fish it out from those depths.</i>


    <i>The depth seems daunting, and there''s no guarantee that there is nothing else lurking in that hole. I need to think over this carefully.</i>


    <i>Also, I''m very bothered by the actions of that underwater creature. I wonder whether it was a pure coincidence that it repelled whatever came out from Door 3 or if it was deliberate.</i>


    <i>I feel that the creature seems to bore me no ill will. But why would such a terrifying creature in the water help me?</i>


    <i>It seemed to possess some sort of "divinity" as well. Could it be the offspring of a Divinity?</i>


    <i>As of now, the most usible exnation I can think of is the mark of Fhtagn on me.</i>


    Having jotted this line, Charles paused and ced down his pen. He lifted a hand to touch the scar-like tattoo on his neck. After a moment''s pause, he continued writing.


    <i>Forget it. What''s done is done. No use dwelling on it. Whoever or whatever it was, I probably won''t encounter it again.</i>

 Chapter 255. Laestos Choice

    <h4>Chapter 255. Laesto''s Choice</h4>


    After jotting down the recent events in his diary, Charles set down his fountain pen and waited for the ink to dry before closing the book.


    He then pulled out his revolver from the pot of calcified water nearby and tucked it into his holster. It was time for his first round of patrol of the day aboard the Narwhale. This was part of his duty as a captain, one that didn''t cease as long as they were still at sea.


    The first top was always the deck. The moment he emerged from the cabins, Charles spotted the sailors busily cleaning the deck. Meanwhile, Feuberbach was seated at the bow and meticulously scraping barnacles off a turtle with a knife.


    "Do you have so much affection for sea creatures?" Charles asked.


    The Second Mate stopped his work and turned to Charles with a look of surprise. "Captain, why do you ask that?"


    Charles pointed at the turtle in Feuerbach''s hands, and that action elicited a chuckle from thetter''s lips.


    "There''s no affection here; I don''t even know it. I just enjoy the feeling of peeling barnacles that have burrowed into flesh. Besides, it''s bleeding so much that the moment I toss it back into the sea, the scent of blood will immediately attract predators."


    With that, Feuerbach threw the turtle overboard into the dark waters.


    <i>Plop!</i>


    The turtlended in the sea. The next moment, two red shadows darted right underneath the water''s surface and instantly tore the turtle to shreds.


    Charles let out a lightugh. He had misunderstood his Second Mate all along. Giving Feuerbach an encouraging pat on the back, he then turned and walked back toward the cabins.


    As he passed by cabin after cabin, he saw his first mate manning the helm at the bridge, the cook and his assistant cooking in the galley, and the chief engineer with his team fueling the turbines. Everyone aboard the Narwhale was diligently performing their tasks.


    The waves were slightly rough today, but the crew only swayed slightly with the rhythm of the waves. After all, they had well-adapted to life on the ship.


    After swiftlypleting his patrol, Charles arrived at the crew''s resting cabin. This was supposedly the sailors'' quarters, but now there was a new upant.


    In the corner, Laesto was intently working on something at a table. Beside him, Tobba and Lily, perched on Tobba''s head, watched with great interest.


    The unknown entity that came out of Door 3 had devoured most of the medical room, and it was no longer habitable. As such, Laesto had to stay in the sailors'' quarters for the remainder of the return journey.


    Charles approached the group of three to see Laesto examining the tablet on the table with a serious expression on his countenance. It was one of the three tablets he had retrieved from the Foundation''s main ind.


    Watching Laesto''s indecisive actions, picking up and then putting the tablet back down, Charles walked up to him andmented, "Why? Are you nning to open it up and retrieve the parts needed to fix your tablet all by yourself?


    Laesto didn''t even turn around to spare Charles a nce. His eyes remained fixated on the tablet. "I''ve touched this bulky thing for my whole life. I can feel it''s just missing a certain part. Just need to fit it back in ce."


    "Fixing people is different from fixing machines. Machines require maximum precision. If you¡¯re not absolutely sure, I¡¯d advise against tampering with it."


    Charles was well aware that usually, a tablet contained simr mainponents toputers: a motherboard, memory, CPU, and power supply. If any of theponents failed, one simply needed to rece it with a new one.


    However, having knowledge was one thing. Offering to help Laesto fix his tablet was beyond his capability. No one knew if the technology used by the Foundation would be different. Even if the tablet was structurally simr to those that he knew of from the modern world, he stillcked the technical skills necessary to fix it.


    And a part of Charles was worried for Laesto. <i>The tablet is centuries old. Is the hard drive still intact? If it''s corrupted, can the old man handle such a blow?</i>


    Charles stood next to silence as he watched Laesto deliberating for a long time. But ultimately, Laesto didn''t proceed with dismantling it.


    The elderly man mmed his fist against the table in apparent frustration. He turned to Charles and reached out an open palm. "Give me your phone. Let me disassemble it for practice."


    "No damn way. Absolutely not," Charles rejected tly.


    Laesto let out a scoff. "You don''t even use it for anything useful. You just let the mouse y with it all day long. Such a sophisticated piece of machinery is reduced to a mere toy in your hands. What a waste," Laesto grumbled before turning back to tinker with the tablet on the table.


    "I''d suggest you just leave it. Whoever charged my phone, find them to do it. That''s what professionals are for," Charles suggested.


    "I have the same thoughts. Just that I couldn''t help but want to try it myself before seeing him," Laesto replied as he packed away the tablet.


    Intrigued, Charles asked, "And who are they?"


    "Ci from the Albion Isles. He''s an associate professor at the University of Steam Engineering. He''s the one who created the charging device for your phone."


    Charles gently lifted Lily from Tobba''s head and ced her in his palm while he stroked her smooth fur with his other hand.


    "Albion Isles again? No wonder Swann managed to develop his ind so fast; those universities must have yed a significant role."


    "Have you been to the Albion Isles? When was that?"


    "Of course, I''ve been there. Don''t forget. I used to captain cargo ships before bing the captain of an exploration vessel. Myst visit there was about five years ago. I remember their customs duties were twice as high as other inds."


    Laesto pulled a metal sk from his grimy white robe.


    "Five years ago? Well, you might as well find some time to visit again. That ind is changing every moment, and especially so ever since their governor built Ronker. There are many new inventions popping up on the ind as we speak."


    <i>Ronker... </i>The name conjured the image of the massive weapon of destruction in his mind. Suddenly, his eyes lit up with an idea. He might have found a way to enter that deep-sea abyss.


    "Do you think other governors canmission required mechanical constructs from the Albion Isles?"


    Laesto put down his sk and raised a brow in surprise. "What? You want a new ship? You treasure this animated ship even more than a wife, and you''re nning on recing it?"


    "No, I want tomission a submarine."


    "What''s a sub...mering?"


    "A submarine. A method of transport that travels underwater."


    Laesto let out a snort. "Isn''t that still a ship? I see that you are not content with exploring the sea''s surface and are now trying to court death beneath it. Out of the entire seascape, you are probably the only lunatic here."


    "If they can build Ronker, they can surely construct a submarine. The Albion Isles is probably the only ind that can do it."


    "Whatever. But I''m not joining you in this. Once my business is done, I''m leaving the crew," Laesto replied dismissively as he stood up from his chair and walked toward the bunk bed next to him.


    Charles was taken aback. "You''re leaving the Narwhale?"


    "Don''t forget why I boarded your ship in the first ce. I''ll leave once I achieve my goals. And I have no intention to die alongside you on some wild quest. I don''t have many years left; I¡¯d rather die onnd than be thrown into the sea from your ship and drown."


    Hearing Laesto''s words, a pang of regret hit Charles. Even since meeting Laesto in Sottom, the doctor had been of great help to him. He knew Laesto wouldn''t stay much longer, but he hadn¡¯t expected their parting toe so soon.

 Chapter 256. 372

    <h4>Chapter 256. 372</h4>


    "Charles, what on earth is recorded in here?" Laesto said with a hint of perplexion while lying on the bed.


    "Who knows? But it must be something important. Otherwise, your family wouldn''t have instructed each generation to protect it so well. Anyway, get some rest. I''ll be on my way," Charles said.


    Charles turned around to head to inspect the fuel and water holds, but Tobba''s silly-soundingughter echoed behind him.


    "372, why are you clinging to Charles?"


    Charles froze upon hearing that. He tensed up, but he quickly came to his wits and took off his clothes. He looked down at himself and found what looked like a tattoo on his abdomen.


    The tattoo depicted a figure with a face upside down; its limbs were knotted like braids, while needles and thread riddled the figure''s body aside from its mouth, which was wide open in agony.


    "Mr. Charles!" Lily shrieked and eximed, "What is that? It looks so scary!"


    Charles'' expression turned ugly. He truly didn''t expect that 372 would stick to him.


    "Why haven''t you leave? I''ve already brought you up," Charles said while staring at the abstract graffiti on his body.


    372 was silent and unmoving in the face of Charles'' inquiry.


    Meanwhile, Tobba beamed with excitement as he ran over to Charles and crouched. He put his lips closer to Charles'' abdomen and started whispering toward it.


    Tobba seemed happy as he conversed with 372, and he even let out a boisterous peal ofughter.


    "Stopughing. I want you to ask it to get off me," Charles said. It felt horrible knowing something so terrifying was stuck to him, and he didn''t want it to stay on his skin for even a second longer.


    Tobba nodded repeatedly and whispered to 372.


    A few secondster, Tobba looked up and said, "It said that it can''t go away and can only follow you around since the contract you signed with it using 241 still hasn''t beenpleted."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You used 241 to sign a contract with it. You''ve fulfilled your end of the deal, so it must fulfill its end of the deal as well by guiding you to 319, the Soul Printer.


    Hearing that, Charles recalled what the marker pen had written.


    <i>Conditions: 1. Find a container; 2. Attach the Wailing Graffiti to it; 3. Take the Wailing Graffiti above water.</i>


    <i>Reward: Guide the Captain to the Soul Printer.</i>


    <i>So the marker pen isn''t just tomunicate with relics? </i>The thought led Charles to recall something. He reached into his pocket and retrieved a ck marker pen.


    "Is this 241?" Charles asked Tobba.


    "I can''t believe you brought it up here, too. It''s been so long since Ist saw it!" Tobba eximed. He reached out to grab 241, but Charles moved his hand away.


    "Tell the marker pen to cancel the contract. I don''t need 372''s help," Charles said.


    "Charles, have you gone mad?" Tobba asked, casting a confused gaze on Charles before saying, "241 is just a pen. How can I talk to a pen?"


    Tobba looked like he was staring at a lunatic as he stared at Charles. A corner of Charles'' lips twitched. It wasn''t the first time he felt this way, but sometimes, he would wonder whether Tobba was truly a nutcase or not.


    "Is there going to be any danger with this thing on my body?" Charles asked, changing the topic. 372 seemed like it was just a moving graffiti relic, but Charles believed that it had more than sticking to people up its sleeves.


    Otherwise, the Foundation wouldn''t have contained it.


    "372 won''t hurt you for now; it needs you to stay alive to find 319. If you fail to find 319, and 372 has to go against the contract established by 241, it''ll be in big trouble," Tobba replied.


    It was bad news, but Charles was more concerned about something else. He noticed that Tobba hadn''t actually answered his question. Tobba had only said that 372 wouldn''t hurt him for now; he hadn''t said anything about whether 372 was dangerous or not.


    Charles pondered briefly for quite a while before taking out the marker pen and asking, "Can you tell me more about this thing? How do you write a contract with it?"


    "It''s easy. You just have to do what you''ve written down using it. You really have to do it because you''ll vanish into thin air if you vite the contract.


    "Also, I suggest that you don''t use it often. It''s best to use it only once a month. You''ll disappear if you use it too often as well. It can''t talk, but it tricks people into using it, so you''d best be careful," Tobba warned.


    Charles'' brows furrowed as he looked down at the marker pen in his hand. It seemed that he had obtained yet another troublesome relic.


    With his brows knitted deeply, Charles picked up his clothes and quietly walked outside.


    ***


    Aside from Audric, the dazzling lighting from Hope Ind in the distance brought smiles to the faces of the crew members of the Narwhale. It wasn''t strange; they were almost home, after all.


    Weister was especially thrilled. He was about to return home after his first sessful voyage on the Narwhale. His heart was already beating madly against his chest at the thought of the sry that the Governor had promised them.


    The voyage hadn''t been too different from his previous voyages on other ships, but there was a massive difference in the remuneration.


    Just then, the door of the captain''s quarters swung open, and a gloomy-looking Charles walked out.


    Weister and the other sailors stood at attention upon seeing Charles.


    "Why does the Captain look so unhappy?" Weister whispered.


    "Shhh!" the old sailor next to him gestured at him.


    Weister hurriedly closed his mouth and watched as the other crew members slowly walked out of the captain''s quarters. It had been over two months since the voyage started, but Weister still wasn''t familiar with most of the crew members apart from those he had to work with on a daily basis.


    The Narwhale soon pulled over to the docks. Weister seized the winss and spun it rapidly to drop the heavy anchor, and with that, the voyage was finally over.


    The people of the Governor''s Mansion had heard about the Narwhale''s return, and several cars were already waiting for Charles even before the Narwhale could dock.


    Weister was about to follow them toward the cars, but the plump cook stopped him and said, "Those cars are going to the Governor''s Mansion. Are you going there as well?"


    Weister smiled awkwardly and exined, "Sorry, Mr. Cook, this was my first voyage, so I''m not really sure where to go to receive my pay. Do you know where I can receive my sry?"


    "We get paid at the Ministry of Finance. I''m going to their building in a bit, so you should juste with me," the cook said with a smile while patting his belly.


    "Thank you so much, Mr. Cook. My name is Weister Carl, may I know how to address you?" Weister asked. This was the first time the two had exchanged so many words.


    "My name is Max Karl Ernst Ludwig nck. Just call me nck. You can also call me Cook or Fatty. I don''t really care."


    Weister stared wide-eyed at nck. He had never seen someone with such a long name, and he couldn''t help but think about which ind had such a strange culture.


    The captain soon got into his car while the other sailors rented their own cars and rushed toward the Ministry of Finance building where they would receive their remuneration.


    Weister noticed the unmoving Audric and was about to call out to him, but nck stopped him.


    "Don''t call out to him," nck said before exining, "He''s different from us."


    "Different? Is it because he''s a vampire?" Weister asked.


    "No, he''s an old crew member who had discovered Hope Ind with the Captain. He owns an entire street in the central district," nck replied.


    The sailors'' eyes shed with envy upon hearing that.

 Chapter 257. Radio

    <h4>Chapter 257. Radio</h4>


    Weister looked around and realized that the men around here were mere sailors and kitchen helpers.


    "I see. No wonder I felt like there were two factions on the ship."


    "Yep, they''re not the same as us. Those who were on the voyage that had discovered Hope Ind are no longer mere sailors; they''ve be big shots of Hope Ind, central inders, to be exact.


    "If Audric weren''t a vampire, he would have quit sailing and stayed on the ind," said the kitchen helper next to Weister.


    Weister''s face suffused with excitement as he said, "If I had known that it was so easy to be a member of an exploration vessel, I would have joined earlier. I remember there was an Explorers Association on the Isle of Whereto where I once lived."


    "It''s not that easy. We just got lucky for this voyage because we only had to stay on the ship. Our previous voyages were each more dangerous than thest, and Dipp even¡ª" the sailor stopped upon noticing the gazes of the other sailors. He scratched his nose and went silent.


    The crew members weren''t allowed to talk about any details of their voyages, and he had almost vited that rule.


    nck''s double chin jiggled as he turned to Weister and said, "The contract we''ve signed prior to bing a crew member isn''t just for show. We have to abide by the non-disclosure agreement that we''ve signed, or we''ll face the consequences."


    The atmosphere in the car turned strange, and Weister went quiet. He didn''t dare to ask any more questions as he waited patiently for their arrival at their destination.


    It didn''t take long. Soon, the crowded car reached the Ministry of Finance''s building. Weister looked around and felt a bit nervous upon seeing the crystal clear and pristine floors, along with the beautiful chandeliers attached to the ceiling.


    The other crew members looked like they had all gotten used to the sight as they walked toward a side door while following a woman in a bodycon short skirt. Weister didn''t dare tog behind, and he followed them closely.


    "Would you like it in cash, or would you like it to be transferred to your bank ount?"


    Weister was jolted awake by the words of the golden-eyed man standing behind the desk in front of him.


    "Cash, I want it in cash," Weister replied.


    The bespectacled golden-eyed man cast a surprised gaze on Weister. He took out a piece of paper and started writing on it.


    "Please im your cash at the dedicated counter number nine of Albion Bank in the east district."


    Weister felt lightheaded upon seeing the series of numbers on the piece of paper, and he remained dizzy all the way to the bank until a huge bag of the green-colored Echo was ced in front of him.


    Weister fell into a daze. He was staring at an amount he couldn''t possibly earn even if he were to work for an entire lifetime as a manualborer back at the Isle of Whereto.


    Weister''s heart almost jumped out of his throat when the unique smell of seaweed struck his nose. Weister hugged the bag of Echo tightly as he made his way out of the bank through its grandiose foyer. He seemed at a loss.


    "I have to send a telegram to my mother. I''m going to tell them that I struck it rich, and I''ll soon bring them over to Hope Ind!" Weister rushed over to the nearest telegraph office. He couldn''t wait to tell his family the great news.


    Meanwhile, Charles was lying on a soft sofa in the Governor''s Mansion. The sofa was so soft that Charles'' figure was seemingly sinking into it. The sensation it brought upon Charles made him feel like staying on the sofa for an eternity.


    But he also knew he had many things to do. He had to contact the Governor of the Albion Isles to inquire about how much he would have to pay if he wanted a custom-made submarine.


    However, Charles didn''t feel like doing anything today. He was missing Anna, and he wished to hold her hand and whisper sweet nothings to her.


    The decadent mood got to Charles, and he unknowingly fell asleep. When he opened his eyes once again, it was already morning of the next day. He would have slept until noon orte afternoon if it hadn''t been for the noises around him.


    Charles looked around and saw a group of mice in a variety of colors. They seemed to be fighting each other over something.


    "Lily?" Charles muttered.


    The mice abruptly came to a halt and turned to look at Charles at the same time.


    However, Charles didn''t see Lily among them.


    "What are you guys doing?" Charles asked.


    The mice dispersed in a hurry and pushed a small wooden box toward him.


    A long rod was attached to the wooden box along with a familiar knob. Charles'' interest was piqued as he recognized the wooden box''s identity with just a single nce.


    "Is this... a radio? <i>Hm,</i> let me see."


    Charles twisted the knob gently, and a cacophony of noises emerged from the wooden box. The radio noise was more prominent than the human voices, but Charles was sure of it¡ªthe wooden box was a radio.


    Charles disassembled the wooden box and discovered that it had no power source. It was a simple crystal radio that used the power of the received radio signals to produce sound, which meant that it didn''t need external power.


    Charles reassembled the radio and twisted the knob until he could hear the cacophony of noises once more. The human voices were unclear and intermittent, but Charles could still make out what they were saying.


    "Friends... the world is full... of suffering. Do you have no food... no clothes, and no partners in life? Controlled by desires...e and join us! You''ll have enough food and clothing... you''ll also get a wife or husband so long as you join us..."


    <i>The Divine Light Order? </i>A question mark popped up in Charles'' mind. He was honestly not surprised by the radio''s appearance. The Subterranean Seascape''s technology level was already at<i> that</i> level, so it was about time it appeared.


    However, Charles was astonished by the contents being broadcast on the radio.


    He turned the knob and found that the radio only had three channels. The other channel contained nothing but vilifying remarks about the Fhtagn Covenant. Thest remaining channel was all about songs, but they were all hymns praising the Light God.


    "Where did you guys get this?" Charles asked the mice.


    The mice dispersed, and they dragged over a newspaper to Charles.


    Charles took the newspaper and started reading it. Soon, a glimmer of surprise fleeted in his eyes.


    <i>Governor Swann of the Albion Isles has announced that in order to show everyone that he was better than the so-called failures, all denizens of the Albion Isles will be provided with thetest products of the Albion Isles'' major research departments. All means all, which means everyone will receive such products for free, even if they were a beggar on the street!</i>


    <i>This is big news! Everyone must be aware that Governor Swann has always sold the products of his Albion Isles at the highest price possible, but this time, he has be even more generous than ever. Perhaps this is a move to stabilize the hearts of the inds he has conquered; who can say for sure?</i>


    <i>No one will refuse an offer of a free lunch! He''ll be the most generous governor in history if he truly keeps the end of his deal. I''m looking forward to what he''s willing to give us for free.</i>


    Charles put down the newspaper and walked over to the balcony. He looked down and discovered that the inders below were holding crystal radios and were enthusiastically ying with them.


    His voyagested for a mere two months, but Hope Ind''s technology had already risen to such a degree.


    Upon recalling the content being broadcast to the crystal radios, Charles was convinced that the Divine Light Order had a hand in the creation and propagation of these crystal radios.


    Charles was also certain that the technology the Divine Light Order had acquired from Newbound City was not limited to the media sector. In fact, those things were certainly miles better than the crystal radios.


    However, they had chosen to propagate only the crystal radios, which Charles found to be quite interesting.


    If they had released more than just crystal radios, they would have earned more funds to offset their expenditure toward the propagation of crystal radios alone.


    After all, crystal radios wouldn''t work without radio stations, and it had to have been expensive to build radio stations across the Northern Seas. However, they had chosen not to do so, which piqued Charles'' interest.


    "They''re brainwashing the people using radios as a medium. They want more people to join the Divine Light Order," Charles muttered to himself. He felt a shiver down his spine upon recalling the Pope''s signature smile.


    It seemed the hundred-year-old fossil was far more scheming and sinister than he had imagined.

 Chapter 258. Journey to the Albion Isles

    <h4>Chapter 258. Journey to the Albion Isles</h4>


    "It seems that you''ve misunderstood, Charles. They''re suffering from fear, despair, and apathy. There is only one way for them to be free¡ªepting the Light God''s grace. And I have never forced any of them to join us. They converted voluntarily.


    "The Divine Light Order does not force its ideology on others, unlike those evil cults," the Pope said.


    Charles unknowingly started tapping on his thigh with his prosthetic fingers as he stared at the statue of the Pope before him.


    "I didn''t visit you today to talk about that. I need the Albion Isles to help me build a submarine that can explore the seafloor. A recent ind I explored has sunk, so I have to go underwater to find more clues," Charles said.


    "No, no, no, you''ve misunderstood our rtionship, Charles. Swann and I have a cooperative rtionship, just like you and me; it''s a mutually beneficial one rather than amander-subordinate type of rtionship.


    "If you need something, you should talk to him. I''m just an old man in his twilight years, so I can''t really help you that much," the Pope replied.


    Charles cast a doubtful gaze upon the Pope. He didn''t believe that the rtionship between the Pope and Governor Swann was that shallow.


    "Oh, right. My child, you still haven''t told me the details of your recent voyage."


    "As I said, the ind has sunk, so I need equipment that will allow me to explore the depths of the sea."


    "Oh, I see... Okay, go ahead and consult him. I wish you a nice journey," the Pope said. He sounded amiable and kind, and his voice would make anyone feel that he was just a kind old man next door. He sounded as though he didn''t doubt Charles.


    Charles had decided to visit the oppressively somber prayer hall to seek the Pope''s assistance, as he believed the Pope was quite close to Governor Swann. It seemed Charles was correct; the Pope and Governor Swann''s rtionship ran deeper than what it seemed on the surface, but the Pope was unwilling to help him.


    Charles felt repulsed by Governor Swann''s recent actions, and he didn''t want to interact with thetter if he could help it.


    Governor Swann''s sessful conquest of eleven inds in a row, as well as his arrogant personality allowed Charles to easily deduce what the former would say upon hearing Charles'' request.


    Charles pondered deeply about it, and he decided to get in touch with Governor Swann anyway. Throughout the Subterranean Seascape, the Albion Isles was the only ind with the potential of being able to build submarines.


    Charles sent a telegram, and Governor Swann responded quicker than he thought.


    Also, the tone of Governor Swann''s message wasn''t as arrogant as Charles thought.


    <i>You can just visit our shipyards for such a small matter. There is no need to ask me for it. It seems that you still haven''t adapted to your role as a Governor, Charles.</i>


    "A journey to the Albion Isles..." Charles muttered with a grave look.


    "What happened between him and Julio in these two months when I was gone?"


    The silver-haired steward ced his gloved right hand on his abdomen and bent slightly at his waist before responding, "The two Governors have agreed on a ceasefire. Governor Julio is forbidden from entering the Northern Seas, while Governor Swann is not allowed to arbitrarily expand his territory. The trucests for three years."


    "Hmm..." Charles pondered for a while before finally deciding to take a trip to the Albion Isles. The submarine was important, and he wouldn''t feel at ease without personally making themission.


    He didn''t want just any submarine. The submarine had to be able to withstand the immense pressure of the depths as well as defend itself against the sea creatures lurking in the pitch-ck seafloor.


    As for Hope Ind itself, Charles wasn''t too worried. Governor Swann had agreed to a ceasefire, so he wouldn''t make a move against the other Governors for the time being. Moreover, Charles was in a cooperative rtionship with the Pope, so he wasn''t concerned about encountering issues for the time being.


    "I want you to go and check if Laesto has left. If he''s still around, tell him to join me on another voyage," Charles said to the silver-haired steward.


    The silver-haired steward responded, "He should still be around, Governor. The passenger ship to the Albion Isles departs Hope Ind once every seven days," the silver-haired steward replied.


    "Then, I want you to go and inform Bandages to prepare the navy. Tell him to get ready to depart as soon as we can," Charles said. He had no ns of bringing too many crew members of the Narwhale, as they weren''t going out on an exploration mission; they were just going on a simple trade run.


    Upon hearing the news that Charles would be going on an official trip to another ind, the entire navy went abuzz with activity. It took them only three days to prepare, and they were now waiting in the sea, ready to depart at any time. It was Charles'' first time seeing the Hope Ind''s navy fleet with his own two eyes.


    He swept his gaze across them from Hope Ind''s docks, and he was drawn in by the fleet''s sparkling clean cannons, pristine-looking ships, and the sky-blue uniforms of the navy personnel out and about on the deck of each ship.


    The thirteen former exploration ships had transformed and had be a part of the expanded formal fleet of Hope Ind''s navy.


    The navy officers standing on the deck of each ship looked more excited than Charles. Their gazes radiated intense passion and excitement.


    "What did you tell them?" Charles turned to Feuerbach next to him and asked, "Howe they look so excited?"


    "I think it''s due to Hope Ind being located too far from the others. This is the first mission of Hope Ind''s navy, even though it has been years since the navy was founded. They''re young men, so it''s not strange that they''re excited to go on a mission."


    Charles could also see twenty steamships along with three battleships over two hundred meters in length. And he was on the deck of one of the three battleships.


    "That makes sense. All right, if we encounter pirates on the way, let''s make them fight them for some practice," Charles remarked.


    "Mr. Charles, are we going on vacation?" Lily asked curiously as she stood on Charles'' shoulder.


    Charles turned to pinch her chubby cheeks and nodded. "We''re going to go shopping. If everything goes swimmingly, then I can take you with me to have some fun."


    Feuerbach nodded and said, "I think you still have to be careful, Captain. Things aren''t so peaceful in Albion Isles at the moment. Governor Swann''s Ronker is currently under maintenance, so I think the inds he has conquered will soon make their move."


    "It''s fine. I don''t care even if they rebel. I just want my submarine," Charles responded. He understood his position well. He was more on the neutral side, but once Governor Swann''s empire was teetering on the edge of copse, he wouldn''t mind giving him a push from behind.


    ***


    d in a silk skirt, Anna walked down gracefully on her red high-heels toward the ship on the docks of the World''s Crown. The dockworkers huddling together with masks couldn''t take their eyes off Anna.


    However, Anna was delighted despite their preying eyes; she really liked being the subject of such gazes, as it meant that she could pick any of them and take them away. It reminded her of a buffet.


    Of course, Anna kept her thoughts to herself, as she wasn''t evil enough to act on it.


    "Mistress, the warships are ready," a maidservant said.


    "We should get on the ship and depart, then," Anna replied. She stretched her hand toward the sea, and a tentacle emerged from the waters. It twisted and swayed as it wrapped itself around Anna''s hand.


    "Mistress, those Haikors in their turtleshell ships and skeletal ships have already departed. It seems they don''t want to get involved," the maidservant said.


    "Haha, it''s absurd how they''re so quick at running away. They only know how to tell others what to do, but when it''s time for them to make a move, they''re as timid as rabbits," Anna remarked.


    Just then, the tentacle stretched taut, seemingly trying to drag Anna into the water.


    "Sparkle, don''t pull me, don''t pull. Mommy doesn''t like touching seawater," Anna muttered into thin air.


    The tentacle loosened its grip on Anna''s wrist as several tiny bubbles rose from the pitch-ck seawater and popped as they reached the surface.


    Anna grabbed the glowing tentacle and gave it a few affectionate pecks before turning it toward a nearby warship.


    "What? You went over to find Daddy, but Daddy didn''t want to y with you? Daddy''s so mean. Don''t worry, Sparkle. Mommy will scold Daddy for you."

 Chapter 259. Surging Undercurrents

    <h4>Chapter 259. Surging Undercurrents</h4>


    Gaia embraced half a loaf of stale bread as he rushed home from the docks of the Isle of Whereto. Gaia''s eyes were filled with deep-seated resentment as he swept his gaze across the blue-uniformed men on the streets.


    <i>These disgusting beasts deserve nothing but to be shark food! As soon as the Governor died, they rushed to switch sides like dogs desperate to lick the boots of those bastards as if those bastards hadn''t massacred our loved ones!</i>


    Although Gaia thought so, he didn''t dare to express his sentiment out loud as he retreated into a corner. He had no choice but to stay silent. His father''s death alongside Governor Daniel meant that he was no longer one of the ind''s upper echelons and had be nothing but a fugitive.


    Gaia and his mother had narrowly escaped death by using the hidden tunnel in their home.


    Gaia''s ancestor was a crew member of the Cavendish Family''s exploration vessel, and they had discovered the Isle of Whereto together. Gaia''s life used to be the subject of envy, but now, he was at the bottom of society.


    The Isle of Whereto had changed owners, and Gaia had be a rat that everyone wanted to chase away. No one wanted him, but it wasn''t like Gaia himself didn''t want to leave this depraved ind.


    He simplycked the funds to buy a ticket. In fact, the money he had used to buy bread was from a kind woman near the harbor.


    Gaia soon reached the ce he called home, but he came to a halt upon noticing something. He pressed his back against the wall and tensed up¡ªa figure d in a gray robe was talking to his mother.


    Gaia pulled out a dagger from his waist and put it inside his sleeve before asking carefully, "Mother, who might this be?"


    The gray-robed figure turned around, and the dagger in Gaia''s hand fell to the ground with a loud ng.


    "Miss Margaret! You''re still alive?!" Gaia eximed.


    The gray-robed figure was none other than Margaret. A hideous scar had marred her beautiful visage, and the former princess of Whereto seemed covered in dust.


    However, her eyes still shone like gems despite her bedraggled appearance.


    "Gaia, Your father, Uncle ude, has sworn allegiance to my father. Are you willing to do the same and swear allegiance to me? Are you willing to join me in my quest to reim the Isle of Whereto?" Margaret asked. Her voice no longer sounded melodious; she sounded hoarse, evidently from fatigue.


    Gaia''s mouth fluttered open in excitement, but he caught himself in time and made a sidelong nce at his mother. His eyes shone worriedly, and he decided to close his mouth.


    After a moment of pondering, Gaia said with difficulty, "Miss Margaret, I''m willing to die for you, but I''m the most useless son of my father. I can''t help you at all."


    "No, you can help me," Margaret refuted and exined, "You just have to be willing to help me. Do you not want to avenge your elder brother and father?"


    Margaret took out a ck stone. The stone was tiny, but Gaia''s breathing quickened upon seeing it. He had heard the legend of the Cavendish Family, and he had heard the story of why the Governors of Whereto were always mighty figures during their own generations.


    "I-I''m willing! I, Gaia Joseph, do solemnly swear to serve the Cavendish Family forever, just like my father!" Gaia eximed and immediately knelt down on one knee.


    "Great. Come with me, then. We need to find enough of our men, and we have to leave here before they notice us," Margaret said.


    "Where are we going, Miss Margaret?" Gaia asked, "Shouldn''t we round up everyone and retake the ind?"


    Margaret shook her head and replied, "It''s going to be futile. We have to go to the Albion Isles and tackle the root of the problem."


    Gaia stood up in surprise and eximed, "Are you perhaps nning on assassinating Swann? You''re only going to be seeking your own death if you were to do that, Miss Margaret! It''s suicide!"


    Governor Swann was the strongest Governor in the Northern Seas at the moment, so attempting to assassinate him was indeed tantamount to suicide.


    "Do you really think that you and I are the only ones dissatisfied with Swann?" Margaret asked, stunning Gaia speechless. A sh of hatred fleeted across Margaret''s eyes as she said, "He killed my entire family, and until he dies, I live not for my own sake."


    ***


    Charles found himself on a bed as he woke up. The unfamiliar ceiling made him frown, but the light swaying gave him enough hint to realize that he was on a battleship heading to Albion Isles.


    "Big ships really are great. The cabins even have electricity," Charles said. He tugged on a thread, and the light bulb on the ceiling lit up. He turned to look beside him and saw Lily curled up in a ball underneath a quilt.


    Today''s color was white; Charles grabbed the white Lily and headed for the bathroom.


    "Good morning, Mr. Charles," Lily said while rubbing her sleepy eyes.


    Charles rubbed her head before picking up a toothbrush and brushing his teeth.


    Lily didn''t remain idle while Charles was busy brushing his teeth. She dipped her paws into some water and did her hair. The two freshened up before heading to the dining hall of the ship.


    The captain of the ship had insisted on sending meals over to Charles'' cabin, but thetter had refused the offer. Life on the ship was dull, and aside from the asional fights against sea creatures, most sailors often had nothing to do.


    If even meals were delivered to Charles, he believed that it would be tantamount to living like a pig.


    Today''s breakfast consisted of bread, fried fish, and oyster soup. Charles ignored the asional nces of the crew members and proceeded to eat with great relish.


    Soon, the limping Laesto appeared in the dining hall and staggered over to Charles. He turned to the kitchen and yelled, "Get me some liquor here!"


    The cook didn''t dare to ignore Laesto''s request, and he ran over with an unopened bottle of rum.


    "Are you really going to drink when it''s still so early in the morning? Friendly advice: if you want to live a few more years, you''d best stop drinking."


    "What''s the point of living without liquor?" Laesto took a swig of the rum straight from the bottle.


    Charles no longer tried to persuade Laesto. He continued eating while thinking about what he would do today. In the end, he decided to patrol the ship. He would feel uneasy without patrolling the ship even once every day.


    Laesto let out a mighty burp and made a sidelong nce at Charles before saying, "Professor Ci said that since there are three identical tablets to retrieve the parts from, it shouldn''t be too difficult to fix mine using those parts."


    "I should congratte you, then. You would finally know what''s recorded inside that family heirloom of yours." Charles said, "Once you''ve seen what''s in that tablet, you should tell me about it. I''m also curious about what''s inside of it."


    Laesto grunted in approval before asking, "Are you really going back to that wretched ce?"


    Charles nodded while chewing on his food, and the sight made Laesto feel annoyed.


    "Without me there, you''re most likely going to die, so you shouldn''t go back. I''ve been keeping you alive for so long, and if it weren''t for me, you would have died long ago," Laesto warned.


    Charles shook his head. "Looking at how you treasured that tablet of yours so much, I thought you would understand my determination."


    "How are both things the same? I''m dying soon! I''m just going all out before that!"


    "You''re a doctor, right? How long do you think I''ll live?" Charles asked while staring calmly at Laesto.


    Laesto''s lips twitched. With great difficulty, he opened his mouth and said, "I said before that you wouldn''t live past forty, but that was just a rough estimate. I''m sure there are better doctors out there capable of prolonging your life."


    Charles was moved to hear such words from Laesto''s mouth, considering the old man would hardly admit others to be better than him.


    "Thank you, but don''t worry. I can take care of myself," Charles replied.


    "Hmph! Why would I worry about you? It''s not like you''re my grandson or something," Laesto said with a cold snort before limping away with a bottle of rum in hand.


    Charles turned to his te and was about to continue eating when the battleship let out a low bellow. They had arrived at Elizabeth''s ind¡ªElizarles Shores.

 Chapter 260. Reunion

    <h4>Chapter 260. Reunion</h4>


    A tall, gorgeous figure pounced on Charles, burying his head into her bosom.


    Everyone on the docks was stunned speechless at the sight. They had heard about the rtionship between their governor and the governor of Hope Ind, but they were still caught off guard by the abrupt disy of affection.


    "Elizabeth, let me go. I can''t... breathe," Charles muttered. The tight embrace loosened, but Charles had failed to take even one full breath as sweet, honey-like lips pressed against his lips.


    Lily stared wide-eyed; her eyes glimmered with awe and envy as she stared at the two. The pair separated and were left panting for breath three minutester. Elizabeth then wrapped her arms around Charles'' and walked toward a white stretch limousine.


    The governor of Hope Ind went missing for the entire day and was only seen at the banquet held at noon the next day.


    Elizabeth raised the wine ss in her hand. Her rosy cheeks bloomed as she broke out into a grin and said, "Everyone, let''s toast to our allies from Hope Ind!"


    The newly minted upper echelons of Elizarles Shores raised the wine ss in their hands with smiles hanging on their lips. The majority of them cast curious gazes upon Charles, who was still wearing his Captain''s uniform.


    They were curious about Charles after hearing that he had been daring enough to venture into the dangerous deep sea, even though he was already the governor of such a wealthy ind.


    "What do you think? My Governor''s Mansion isn''t too shabbypared to yours, right?" Elizabeth asked; her voice was tinged with pride.


    Charles looked around. The guests of the banquet were dressed to the asion, and beneath the sparkling chandeliers of the ivory-painted banquet hall, maids and servants in formal attire shuttled around with trays in hand.


    Charles also spotted a few familiar faces in the crowd. He saw William, who had once purchased his relics, and he also saw the enthusiastic chubby man from Coral Archipgo. Even Charlie''s daughter was there, however, her gaze toward him seemed quite strange for some reason.


    "Not bad. Everyone''s here." Charles downed the wine in his ss. He put his hand around Elizabeth''s slender waist, and they started walking toward the nearby balcony.


    Charles stood at the semicircr balcony and looked around. The ruins were no longer there and had been reced by a variety of buildings.


    The vegetation had also been culled and rearranged. It looked more like a garden rather than a forest.


    The buildings on the ind were built using an architectural style¡ªcone-shaped roof¡ªrarely seen in the Northern Seas. Clearly, there were quite a few denizens of the Western Seas here.


    Charles also noticed that the cave where 1002 was once held captive had been upied by a building. It seemed that they had made use of the vast space inside of the cave.


    "The ind has sure changed a lot," Charles said, sounding moved. In just a few short years, the dangerous ind had be a flourishing ind full of life. Humans were indeed the best at adapting to circumstances.


    "How long do you n on staying this time?" Elizabeth asked as she stroked Charles'' chest.


    "I won''t stay here for a long time. I''m going to the Albion Isles and take care of some business there," Charles replied and removed Elizabeth''s hand from his chest.


    "The Albion Isles? Isn''t that Swann''s territory? Do you need my help?"


    "It shouldn''t be a dangerous journey. If your navy fleet goes with us, we''ll just make them misunderstand our intentions. They''ll definitely think that we''ve joined forces to attack the Albion Isles," Charles responded.


    Elizabeth chuckled and said, "True. I''m sure he hasn''t been having a great timetely, so it won''t do me any good provoking him when he''s probably too paranoid at the moment."


    "Any uprising won''t be impactful to him so long as Ronker exists. Anyway, let''s stop talking about him. Let''s rest today," Charles replied.


    "Mmhm." Elizabeth agreed with a gentle look on her face and nestled in Charles'' arms.


    A moment like this was indeed precious to both Elizabeth and Charles, so they wanted to savor it for as long as possible.


    The guests in the banquet hall initially wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to mingle with the host and establish connections with Charles, but the guests wisely chose not to approach the affectionate pair cuddling each other.


    "Oh, right. I remember you set off on a voyage to the Sea of Mist. Did you run into any trouble or anything?" Elizabeth asked.


    "Yep, I ran into a few issues, but they''re resolved now," Charles replied. He couldn''t help but recall the utopia that belonged to 041.


    "Did those people hurt you? You really can''t let your guard around them. Grandfather also told me that they''re skilled at casting curses," Elizabeth said.


    "Are you talking about the Haikors? Well, they''re giants, indeed, but they were pretty easygoing," Charles said.


    Noting the nonchnce in Charles'' tone of voice, Elizabeth''s expression grew solemn, and she warned, "You''d best not underestimate them. The evil things that they''ve been doing are certainly beyond your imagination."


    Charles found Elizabeth''s words to be incongruous with his own experience. He had a different opinion on the Haikors, and it was based on what he had experienced on the Shattered Heart Isles.


    "I''ve visited most of their inds, and they were just like ordinary people. Their daily life mostly revolved around their livelihood. They''re nowhere as dangerous as you depicted them to me. If I had to choose a partner to work with, I''d choose those guys rather than those evil cultists that perform live sacrificial rituals," Charles said.


    Elizabeth''s brows furrowed. She seemed to have forgotten that they were still in the middle of a banquet because she grabbed Charles'' hand and pivoted on her heel before dragging Charles away with her.


    "Come with me!" she eximed.


    "Where are we going?" Charles asked.


    "We''re going to visit my grandfather," Elizabeth replied.


    The pair moved quickly, passing by quite a fewvish-looking rooms of the Governor''s Mansion until they arrived before a strange-looking door.


    The door looked strange, as it was extremely high. It made Charles feel like he had returned to the Shattered Heart Isles.


    "<i>Cough, cough.</i>" Coughing echoed from behind the door, and a low, aged voice reached their ears. "Is that you, Liz?"


    "It''s me, Grandfather. I''m here with a friend," Elizabeth pulled Charles closer to her as they walked into the room.


    The room was huge, but a massive bed took up most of its space. A haggard-looking Haikor was in the bed, and two doctors wearing white coats nked him, seemingly testing him for something.


    The old man''s dazed eyes cleared up slightly upon seeing his granddaughter, and he struggled to sit up.


    "You should just lie down, Grandpa," Elizabeth said as she went over and nudged him down.


    "It''s fine. I''m feeling much better; my knees don''t hurt anymore, and I can sit just fine," the old man replied. He cast a curious gaze on Charles and stared deeply at thetter.


    "So you''re the governor whom Liz has been talking about? You''ve discovered a habitable ind, so you must be an extraordinary man," the old man said.


    "You tter me," Charles replied before shooting Elizabeth a questioning gaze. He had no idea why she had decided to bring him here. As far as he could remember, the custom of meeting the parents didn''t exist in the Subterranean Sea.


    Elizabeth whispered into her grandfather''s ears upon receiving Charles'' gaze.


    The old man nodded in understanding, and his eyes emitted a worried glimmer as he stared at Charles. "My child, Liz is right. The Haikors are dangerous. You shouldn''t get involved with them."


    "Aren''t you a Haikor as well?"


    "Yes, I am, and I escaped. The things they do along with their gods are far more sinister than you can imagine."

 Chapter 261. A Divinitys Corpse

    <h4>Chapter 261. A Divinity''s Corpse</h4>


    "Governor Charles, which ind did you visit?" the old man asked as hey weakly on the bed.


    "Shattered Heart Isles."


    The old man shook his head and extended a withered index finger to trace in the air.


    He traced a circle that symbolized the entire Sea of Mist before marking eight points around its periphery.


    "See, Shattered Heart Isles is just one of the fringe inds. There are eight such inds on the outskirts of the Sea of Mist. The deeper you venture, the more clustered the inds be. Shattered Heart Isles is merely a supply point for the inner inds, providing them food, fuel, and living humans..."


    The moment his words fell, a heavy silence hung in the air.


    The old man continued. "The deeper you go, the more you''ll understand the horrors of the Haikor Tribe. In the Sea of Mist, the Haikors are considered lower existences. We are not the only ones serving our gods. The others'' appearances are far from normalpared to us.


    "Also, did you not notice that there were no children on Shattered Heart Isles?"


    "No children?" Charles quickly scanned through his memories. Indeed, he really hadn''t seen any Haikor children throughout his entire time on the ind.


    "Yes. The Haikor Tribe and the other tribes are created by the gods of the Sea of Mist with methods beyond your imagination. Interbreeding of different species is just the mostmon and the most ordinary one."


    "Wait," Charles interrupted. "Although I haven''t seen their gods, I''ve encountered their apostle. They aren''t as formidable as you described them to be. If I hadn''t saved their apostle, it could have died of thirst.


    "Apostles are different from gods. Are you perhaps thinking that we don''t revere our gods enough, and our gods can die, making them pale inparison to the Divinities out there?"


    Charles didn''t nod, though he agreed with the statement a hundred percent in his heart. Indeed, at a height of seven meters and devoid of immortality, no matter how terrifying these beings might look, they were just mere monsters.


    "You are mistaken. We don''t worship or revere gods because they don¡¯t need our worship. Moreover, I¡¯ve been to the innermost inds. Do you know what I saw there?"


    At this, Elizabeth''s grandfather seemed to have recalled something so terrifying that his voice even trembled as he said, "A Divinity''s corpse."


    "What?!" Charles'' pupils shrank to pinpoints in shock.


    "Yes, those underwater Divinities that can''t be directly gazed upon. A Divinityrger than a mountainy suspended in mid-air, and the Great Paiper was perched atop its corpse. Paiper opened its half real, half illusionary mouth and was devouring the continuously wailing and writhing flesh."


    "I was young then and stole a nce out of curiosity, but I immediately fainted. When I woke up, I found that a human female ve had saved me.


    "I couldn''t bear to have her descend into that endless hell, so I smuggled her onto my cabin and secretly left the Sea of Mist.


    "Though it had been many years, the scorching scar that corpse had left in my mind is still here; it was dead, but it was terrifying."


    "How are you so sure that it''s a Divinity? Perhaps you might have been mistaken, and it was just another sea creature. There are plenty ofrge beings in the waters."


    The old man''s hunched back slightly raised as a trace of agitation crossed his countenance. "I''m absolutely certain that I wasn''t mistaken! I was a sailor as well, and only the Divinities from the sea can have such immense bodies! The gods in the Sea of Mist can even devour a Divinity. Do you still think that they are weak?


    "Don''t go to the Sea of Mist again, and never ever get involved with them. Don''t even think of conquering them as well. Just pray that they remain inside there forever. If they evere out...." the old man trailed off and didn''tplete his sentence.


    Charles had no idea when he had returned to his bedroom. As he reflected on the old man''s words, his heart was far from calm.


    He sunk into the couch, his brows furrowed, and he brooded over everything he had just heard. What exactly are these gods of the Haikor Tribe?


    Charles pondered for a brief moment before he dug out his old captain''s journal and began flipping through the pages.


    Soon, he found the pages that detailed the two nk periods in his memories.


    "Eyeball... Giant hand." Charles'' finger trembled slightly as he traced the Chinese characters on the page.


    A sudden sensation hit it. It felt as though something terrifying was surfacing from the depths of his mind¡ªthose two memories that had been wiped away by 041.


    Charles immediately stopped himself from thinking and hurriedly took out his fountain pen. He swiftly started writing on a piece of paper. To prevent the incident of a monster appearing again from his sketch, like what happened with Door 3, he didn''t draw detailed images but sketched a few rough lines.


    He jotted down the details of the various Divinities he had met: the giant hand, the eyeball and the final one, 003 God Fhtagn.


    The Narwhale spanned over 65 meters, and that gigantic butterfly was over ten times her size. If the butterfly was 1000 meters long, the giant hand that was three timesrger than it would be 3000 meters long.


    Going by this scale ofparison, the Divinity with that giant hand was practically an insignificant beingpared to God Fhtagn.


    Evidently, there had to be a power ranking among the Divinities as well.


    However, even the lowest-ranking one was unimaginably powerful to humans. The current humans in the Subterranean Sea stood no chance against them.


    To think that a god of the Haikor Tribe could y such a formidable being...


    "If they are that powerful, why didn''t they leave the Sea of Mist to conquer the othernds? Could it be just because they don''t wish to?"


    At the thought of this, Charles'' face turned grim. This implied that humanity wasn''t worth mentioning before those beings in the Sea of Mist.


    A hand with red-painted nails reached out from behind and wrapped around Charles'' chest. "I had no other intention. I just want you to know not to provoke them, and the farther you stay away from them, the better."


    Charles nodded without a word. The words of Elizabeth''s grandfather had significantly raised his guard against them.


    He had no intention of deliberately dealing with those creatures, but it had aroused a deep concern in him over Anna.


    Whether it was pulling him out of his madness or seeking the help of the Prophet to guide him to 041 to break the Divinity''s Curses, Anna had sought their help.


    The frequent cooperation between them suggested a more than acquaintance kind of rtionship. Charles wondered if she knew about these gods behind the Haikor Tribe.


    "Elizabeth, do you have a telegraph in the Governor''s Mansion? I need to contact my wife. It''s urgent."


    Staring at Charles'' serious expression, Elizabeth was stunned for a few seconds before she nodded. Soon enough, a telegraph was brought to them. However, when Charles sent a message to the World''s Crown, he received an unexpected reply.


    Their Governor''s sister, Lady Anna, had recently left on a battleship, and the vessel didn''t have a telegraph onboard. No one knew where she went.


    <i>Where could Anna go at this time? Why does it seem like she is always busier than I am? </i>Charles'' brows were pressed together as he pondered over it.


    The Haikors hadn''t done anything that seemed capable of bringing harm to Anna, but he couldn''t rely on others'' benevolence for her safety.


    "Charles, is Anna your wife? When did you marry her?" Elizabeth asked, her voice tinged with an unknown emotion.


    Charles turned to look at her. Staring into her eyes, he calmly said, "Yes, I haven¡¯t had the chance to tell you. She''s my wife, and she has always been my wife."

 Chapter 262. Everyone

    <h4>Chapter 262. Everyone</h4>


    Even though Charles felt a twinge of guilt, he had decided not to hide the truth any longer. Anna was his wife; it was a fact he had no intention of changing. No matter what he would have to deal with down the road, he would face them head-on.


    Receiving Charles'' straightforward and honest response, Elizabeth showed no signs of feeling betrayed. Instead, she let out a sigh of relief.


    Tucking the cascading strands of silver hair behind her ear, she replied, "That''s great news to hear. Since you admitted it honestly, I will be frank as well. Actually... It''s the same for me."


    "The same for you? What do you mean?" Charles was confused. Things didn''t seem to be following the pre-imagined scenario he had conjured in his head.


    Elizabeth stood up and left the room. Soon, she returned with a petite, pretty young girl in tow. The girl was just 1.5 meters tall, and SHE obediently clung to Elizabeth''s side.


    Charles instantly recognized her¡ªshe was Charlie''s daughter. Compared to three years ago, she had matured, and her beauty had blossomed.


    Elizabeth leaned down andnded a peck on the girl''s lips as if to dere something significant. She then turned to Charles and muttered, "I love you, Charles. But since you never agreed to marry me, I¡ª"


    "Wait, hold on," Charles stopped her before she could continue. "Let''s not talk about that yet. I''m more curious about when did you change your preference and start liking women?"


    Elizabeth shook her head and exined, "Charles, I didn''t change my preference. I''ve always liked women. My preference changes whenever I''m with you."


    Charles'' gaze flickered between the two women, and an indescribable expression appeared on his visage.


    "Are you... angry?" Elizabeth asked cautiously.


    "I... I''m not angry," Charles replied as he retracted his gaze.


    In the first ce, his rtionship with Elizabeth had never been a purely romantic one. Much of Elizabeth''s affection toward him probably stemmed from gratitude for her current ind that he had given to her. Rather than love, Charles felt that their connection was more like a bond of sexual convenience.


    Elizabeth liking someone else couldn''t really be considered a betrayal toward Charles, especially considering that he had Anna.


    Hearing Charles'' response, Elizabethnded a gentle pat on the girl''s bottom and said, "Since you don''t mind, that''s really wonderful. Darling, call everyone in and let Charles meet them. We''re all family now."


    "Everyone?" Charles felt that his mind was struggling to keep up.


    It didn''t take long for Charles to know what <i>everyone</i> meant. Various beautiful women, some with an innocent charm, others with a striking allure, entered the room. They numbered eight in total, and each bore a distinct appearance. The only simrity they shared was the same faint hostility toward Charles.


    They either stood or seated themselves in the avable chairs. A delicate fragrance typically belonging to young women filled up the room.


    Charles cast a nce at Elizabeth. For a moment, he suddenly felt out of ce sitting down opposite them; he thought he should be standing or sitting with those women.


    "Charles, how many do you have?" Elizabeth asked with a hint of curiosity.


    The corners of Charles'' eyes twitched. He didn''t want topete with his own woman in this aspect. "Don''t tell me you have other men as well, do you?"


    A faint smile crossed Elizabeth''s lips as she leaned in and wrapped her arms around Charles. "Actually, I''m not really into men. It''s just you. From the moment Iid my eyes on you, I felt that you were extraordinary and really wanted to try being with you."


    Looking at the women before him, all beautifully dressed up with strikingly alluring faces, Charles felt that Elizabeth''s words about liking him actually sounded slightly superficial and perfunctory.


    For governors, sumbing to carnal desires was amon temptation that many couldn''t resist. Just that Charles himself had never considered going down that path.


    Seeing Charles silently observing her women without a single word, Elizabeth slightly furrowed her beautifully arched eyebrows together.


    "Sorry, Charles. Though I love you, they are my wives. I can''t share them with you. In the same way, you wouldn''t want to share your wife with me either."


    Charles had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes. Currently, he was unsure how he should react in this situation; it was his first time facing it, after all.


    "Why? Are you angry?" Elizabeth asked softly, still holding Charles.


    Getting no replies, Elizabeth continued. "I thought you would understand me. Yes, I love you, but I also love them. It''s just like how you love your wife, but also me as well."


    "I''m sorry, Elizabeth," Charles said as he removed her hands ced around him. "I... really should leave now."


    Charles then stood up and walked through the fragrance emitting from the crowd of young women and headed for the door.


    He returned to the main hall to see that the banquet was nearly over.


    Putting his hand to his mouth, he blew a loud and clear whistle to draw the attention of his crew.


    "Back to the ship, we''re setting sail for the Albion Isles."


    Though the crew couldn''t understand Charles'' urgency, theyplied since he had given themand.


    "Hey! Charles! Didn''t you say you were not angry?" Elizabeth called out as she followed him out into the main hall. Apparent anxiety painted her visage.


    "I''m not angry, I just can''t really wrap my mind around this situation. Let''s take some time away from each other to cool off," Charles replied with a sour expression, and he quickened his steps.


    "Charles!" Elizabeth cried and embraced him from behind.


    Charles tried to struggle out of her grasp but hadn''t expected Elizabeth to be much stronger than he had expected. It seemed that she had inherited her Haikor grandfather''s strength.


    The two stood frozen on the street. Meanwhile, the Narwhale crew on their way back to the ship watched the scene with much amusement.


    "Mr. Charles seems to be in trouble. Should we go and help?" a crew member asked.


    A tipsy Feuerbach let out a burp before shaking his head.


    "You can''t help with this. It¡¯s something he has to deal with on his own."


    Lily scratched her cheek with a tiny paw as she squatted to the side and watched. Soon, some grilled squid snacks appeared in her hands.


    "Lil'' Lily, can your mice dig a hole? Tunnel under them to hear what they are saying." Feuerbach suggested mischievously.


    Just as Lily cocked her head to brainstorm a n, the two figures in the distance separated and walked away in different directions.


    A windy breeze blew past the docks. With aplicated expression on his countenance, Charles stretched out a hand as if wanting to do something but then withdrew it.


    "That''s it, then. I''m leaving now. You should go back, too," Charles said.


    Elizabeth stood where she was and waved slightly with a faint smile on her visage.


    Charles ascended thedder toward the deck of the massive battleship. Feeling her gaze on his back, Charles slowly exhaled. He felt that their rtionship had be even moreplicated.


    Under the curious eyes of onlookers, the fleet from Hope Ind slowly departed from the docks. Both the inders of Elizarles Shores and the fleet crew spected about what had transpired between the two governors.


    However, only Charles knew that there had been no argument, just a rational discussion. To be honest, he didn''t want to break up with Elizabeth either, even if they both slept with someone else. After all, there weren¡¯t many people he could be this intimate with throughout the entire seascape.


    1. Dude, that term is called friends with benefits. That''s what you and Elizabeth are all along.

 Chapter 263. The Albion Isles

    <h4>Chapter 263. The Albion Isles</h4>


    <i>November 7, 12th Year of Crossing Over</i>


    <i>My mind has been in turmoil due to the issue with Elizabeth. However, I feel that I shouldn''t be wasting time on aplicated rtionship which I don''t even know how it started. I need to focus on the task at hand. This trip wasn''t for leisure, after all.</i>


    <i>We''re close to reaching the Albion Isles. I visited this ce five years ago. However, Doctor said that the ind had undergone massive changes in the meantime. I''m curious about the changes, and I hope that they are positive ones.</i>


    <i>I wonder where Anna is now. I''m a little worried. Next time we meet, I n to get her to keep me informed of her movements. At least I can provide her assistance in case of any emergencies.</i>


    <i>Of course, I''ll try to persuade her to stay onnd instead. But knowing her character, that would be a tough task.</i>


    Just as Charles wanted to write the next line, a sh of light from outside the porthole caught his attention. He hurriedly wrapped up his journal entry for the day and walked over to the window.


    Peering out, he saw a white beam of light cutting through the inky dark expanse¡ªit was the glow from the Albion Isles'' lighthouse.


    "Mr. Charles, have we arrived?" Lily questioned as she scurried up his leg.


    Under their watchful gazes, the silhouette of a brightly lit ind slowly came into sight.


    Known as the most famous ind in the Northern Seas, thend size of Albion Isles made all other inds pale inparison. Charles almost thought he hadid his eyes on a new continent.


    The first impression Charles had of the ind was the ind''s smokestacks billowing ck smoke. He seriously wondered if the area of the cavern overhead Albion Isles had turnedpletely ck from the soot.


    As his fleet drew closer to the ind, he could distinctly smell the pungent mix of sea brine and acrid smoke in the air.


    "I don''t remember there being this many smokestacks when I wasst here..." Charles muttered to himself as he gazed at the distant ind.


    The most striking difference between Albion Isles and the other inds was the seemingly inexhaustible electricity supply. Even the noisy, chaotic port area was adorned with numerous yellowed light bulbs.


    The yellow of the bulbs below and the ck of the billowing smoke above were the main color schemes of the Albion Isles.


    While Charles was observing the features of the ind, a sound akin to an air raid siren suddenly echoed from the Albion Isles.


    With the sounding of the siren, several battleships armed with high-caliber cannons headed toward them. Swiftly responding to the situation, the Hope Ind fleet also sent a speedboat forward to meet them.


    Charles had thought that their fleet might be held at the open seas and be denied from parking at the docks. However, they were surprisingly allowed entry.


    "They didn''t give you any trouble?" Charles asked the captain, who had returned from the speed boat.


    "Governor, they said that friends from Hope Ind can enter the port. But we must pay a docking fee," the captain reported.


    "Friends, huh?" Charles let out a self-deprecating chuckle. He and Swann were far from friends.


    "Let''s dock the ships then. We should meet this <i>friend</i> of ours."


    The majestic fleet drew the attention of the inders on Albion Isles. Chatter and spections rose among them as they tried to figure out the identity of the visitors.


    "Since we''re here, I''ll make a move first. If you want to take a look at the contents too, then go to the University of Steam Engineering," Laesto said as he limped down thedder toward the docks.


    "Stay safe."


    Laesto let out a snort. "I have more acquaintances here than you. Worry about yourself first. Don¡¯t let Swann get the better of you."


    Watching Laesto''s figure disappearing into the crowd, Charles turned and boarded the car that was already waiting for him.


    As a governor visiting another ind, it was an unspoken rule of the entire seascape to meet the ind''s ruler.


    Charles didn''t bring many people with him. He only brought along Lily, Feuerbach, and the bodyguards under him.


    "Where''s the best shipyard here?" Charles asked the bearded driver while stroking Lily¡¯s red fur.


    "There are no private shipyards on Albion Isles; all of them are being controlled and managed by the navy. I don''t really know much to answer your question, sir," the driver replied.


    Hearing his response, Charles didn''t press on further. He rolled down the car window to view the scenery outside.


    As the car wheels rolled on, Charles and his party entered the ind''s central district. The City of Machinery truly lived up to its name. Mechanical devices that couldn''t be seen on other inds weremonce here.


    The technological level on the ind was also evidently higher. Charles even noticed some people meddling withrge, bulky disk drives.


    "Mr. Charles, look over there! That''s the television you were talking about!" Lily eximed in amazement as she peered out of the window.


    The screen towered almost as tall as a person. Though it looked incredibly shabbily made and bulky, it was unmistakably a television.


    "The technological advancement here seemed to be proceeding too fast. These things didn''t even exist five years ago. The things from Newbound City surely had a great impact on the Albion Isles."


    If their technological developments were to progress at the same rate, it wouldn''t take long for the technology in the seascape to catch up with the modern world that he knew of.


    Time passed by, and finally, their car arrived in an area filled with factories. Looking at the ceaseless ck smoke billowing from the chimneys, Charles''s curiosity was piqued. He wondered what these numerous factories were producing.


    Charles signaled to stop the car.


    "Can we go in there?" Charles asked.


    The driver nodded. "Of course, this is Mr. Jim''s factory. His business has many dealings with Hope Ind. I believe he won''t object if he knows that you, Governor Charles, want to have a tour of his factory."


    Charles stepped out of the car and walked toward the factory gates. Entering thepound, he found everything eerily familiar. The space and everyponent of the factory reminded him of the factories on the surface world.


    <i>It''s so noisy. </i>That was Charles'' first impression as he entered the workshop. Enormous machinery, assembled from gears and pumps, sprawled across the center like a monstrous beast.


    It seemed to be some sort of power machine, tirelessly driving a press that pounded relentlessly.


    Despite being from the surface, Charles had never seen a machine like this, so everyone else from his party had also never seen such a spectacle. Expressions of surprise appeared on their faces.


    <i>ng! ng! ng!</i>


    Workers rapidly inserted gear parts into the machine''s cavities for stamping.


    Charles deduced that they were manufacturing parts for some machinery.


    Observing the workers'' weary faces and dark circles under their eyes, Charles was convinced that they were severely sleep-deprived.


    <i>Am I witnessing the horrors of the Industrial Revolution? </i>Charles mused.


    Seeing the exhausted workers, Charles was certain that the press had undoubtedly crushed many fingers.


    "Wow!" Standing next to Charles, Lily wagged her tail in amazement as she took in the sights around her with wide-eyed wonder.


    Just as she curiously observed her surroundings, something from under the machinery began to slowly creep toward her.


    Suddenly, a shriveled little dark-skinned hand reached out from beneath the machine and grabbed Lily.


    "<i>Ahhhh!</i>"


    The moment Charles heard Lily''s scream, he tensed up. As he turned around, a sharp ck de had already appeared in his hand.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    With a sh of cold light, the de sliced through the air and severed the hand at the wrist. Crimson blood spurted out of the wound.


    By the time Charles rescued the frightened Lily from the grasp of the unknown hand, the little mouse was in extreme shock. She clung to Charles'' finger and couldn''t stop crying.

 Chapter 264. The Islands Landscape

    <h4>Chapter 264. The Ind''s Landscape</h4>


    <i>Ding! Ding! Ding!</i>


    The bell sounded, and the cacophony of sounds produced by the machinery halted abruptly. Numbed from the constant working, the workers nced toward the clock on the wall with puzzled expressions on their faces.


    Why was the bell sounding when it wasn''t time to clock out yet?


    Staring at the fiasco that unfolded, the workshop supervisor broke out in a cold sweat. Charles was a big shot from another ind. If Charles got startled here, his role as supervisor was as good as gone.


    Hearing a child''s cries from beneath the machinery, Charles knelt on one knee to peer underneath. Through the gaps of therge and small gears, more than a dozen pairs of eyes filled with terror blinked back at him.


    The supervisor apanying Charles quickly sank to his knees and shouted at the children beneath the machinery, "Get out of there! Who did this?!"


    Soon enough, a child dressed in tattered rags crawled out from underneath while clutching his severed hand. He was shivering, but no one knew if it was from fear or pain.


    The supervisor grabbed him by the clothes and dragged him in front of Charles. In an obsequious tone, he said, "Sir, rest assured. I will severely punish the little brat who had startled your pet!"


    "What were they doing under the machine?" Charles asked.


    "Though this model is more efficient than previous ones, it requires constant oiling inrge amounts. So, I hired these kids to work on that under the machine."


    Under the gazes of all the adults, the child with the severed hand panicked. He cowered and retreated, trying to hide under the machine again.


    "Why did you grab my mouse?" Charles looked at him with a calm gaze. The boy looked clearly no more than ten years old, and from hisnky figure, Charles knew he was severely malnourished.


    <i>p!</i>


    Before the boy could muster an answer, a pnded on his face.


    "Answer the question! Hurry up and answer!"


    "Because... Because it was cute. I''ve never seen a red mouse before. I''m sorry," the child muttered between sobs as tears flowed down his cheeks.


    Hearing the reason, anger painted the countenance of the supervisor. He raised his hand to p the boy again, but this time, itnded on Charles'' metal hand.


    The collision of flesh against steel twisted his facial features in agony.


    "They''re already working in a factory at such a young age? What if their hair gets caught in the gears, and they get sucked into the machine?"


    Enduring the pain, the supervisor forced a smile on his face and said, "Don''t worry; our factory fully abides by the legal requirements. We even bought work insurance for these little kids."


    His eyes briefly darted to the child whose severed hand was still bleeding before turning back to Charles with a smile. "Sir, you see, the kid''s hand is already gone. If he gets fired, he''ll probably starve to death. How about you let him off? Don''t worry. I''ll make sure he gets a good beating before throwing him out to soothe your anger."


    A trace of surprise flickered across Charles'' face. He took out a checkbook and wrote a series of digits on it. He then handed it to the supervisor and instructed, "Find someone to see if his hand can be reattached. If not, get him a prosthetic."


    Upon seeing the number of zeroes on the check, the supervisor trembled. He tried to find the words to respond but failed.


    Charles didn''t pay the man any further attention. He turned and walked out of the workshop.


    It was only a couple of moments after Charles left that the supervisor burst into excitement. He patted the child''s head repeatedly.


    "Kid! We''re going to be rich!" the supervisor remarked and let out a heartyugh. "Your hand is surely worth a fortune!"


    Leaving the workshop and seeing the rows of identical buildings along the road, Charles lost any further interest in exploring. He figured the rest were likely no different from this one. This was a real factory benefitting off the actual blood and flesh of its workers; it dwarfed F*xc*nn''s brutal working environment inparison.


    Charles headed back to the car with Lily, who had stopped crying.


    The car engine started once more, and thendscape beyond the windows swiftly peeled away. However, Charles'' mind was still on the events that had just happened¡ªthe numbed workers and the cumbersome yet inefficient machines.


    Perhaps others would not sense anything, but Charles knew the immense power brought about by this electric industrial revolution.


    It was a force more potent than relics and more powerful than the magic of the Western Seas.


    Everyonemented that Swann was in deep troubletely, but Charles was certain that as long as these factories remained operational, any amount of trouble was trivial to Swann.


    In fact, Charles could bet on it that in three years, regardless of how much Julio''s strength had increased, Swann would still be way more powerful than him.


    "Mr. Charles, those kids are so pitiful. They look even younger than me, but they have to do such dangerous work every day. Can we help them?" Lily asked with her ears drooping and her voiceced with sadness.


    Charles gently stroked her furry head but remained silent. This was an issue Charles couldn''t render any help. A workers'' revolution had to erupt here, which was the only way they could save themselves.


    The car entered the ind''s heart, and immediately, the party spotted a noticeable shift in the demeanor of the people around.


    Like on other inds, the central inders were more well-dressed than those on the outskirts. Charles also noticed that many people had a white triangle on their foreheads¡ªa distinctive identification of a Divine Light Order follower.


    Their prevalence here was unnervingly high.


    <i>Swann seems quite content in his cooperation with the Divine Light Order. He really doesn''t seem to have any guard against these cultists. </i>Charles thought to himself.


    Typically, religion was used as a tool by the ruling ss to pacify those below them, and most governors would control the number of religious followers on their inds to solidify their positions.


    But judging from the current view he was seeing outside, Swann didn''t restrict the spread of the Divine Light Order''s evangelism.


    "Mr. Charles, look at that man! His entire body is made from steel, just like your hand!" Lily eximed.


    Charles looked in the direction that Lily pointed and saw several men taller and more robust than Elizabeth. They wore the same dark green uniform, and by the looks of it, they seemed to be security officers in the central district.


    However, they were no ordinary humans. The space between their cors and their hands reflected a metallic sheen under the electric lights.


    <i>Entire bodies made from steel prosthetics? </i>Charles'' eyes widened in surprise as he poked his head out for a closer look.


    The leader of the group seemed to notice Charles'' gaze and turned his head toward the direction of the car.


    At first, Charles thought the <i>man</i> was wearing a monocle, but he soon realized that wasn''t the case. There was no eyeball in his right eye socket. In its ce was a lens, reflecting a blue glint.


    The blue lens swiftly protruded outward and sharpened its focus on Charles.


    The car sped away, and the group of <i>men </i>vanished out of Charles'' sight. However, Charles'' mind was far from calming down.


    He had a prosthetic limb, too, but it had never crossed his mind that someone would rece their entire body with them. It was an astounding idea.


    Recalling the teddy bear that had fitted his prosthetic and what it said about the special functions of these limbs, Charles realized that though these men might look just like any other person who had gotten parts of them reced, they were actually likely to be powerful killing machines.


    "It seems like the Albion Isles have quite a few other interesting things apart from the Ronker," Charles muttered to himself.


    While he was lost in his thoughts, the car pulled up at the grand Governor''s Mansion.


    1. To avoid legal issues, I censored the name of thepany in question, but I''m pretty sure a google search will show you results. Basically, they had quite a number of suicides and protests in their factories in China.

 Chapter 265. Submarine

    <h4>Chapter 265. Submarine</h4>


    When Charles was brought before Swann, he found the corpulent man rapidly typing away on a typewriter.


    "You''re here?" Swann asked without even looking up to spare Charles a nce.


    Charles was slightly taken aback by his indifferent attitude. It was a stark contrast to that when theyst met. Since Swann disyed no intention of making small talk, Charles was more than happy to get straight to the point as well.


    "I need tomission a special vessel, and I may require the use of your naval shipyard."


    A dark object flew toward Charles. He reacted swiftly and lifted a hand to catch it. Opening up his palm, he realized it was a disk made of various t gears.


    "Take this token to the shipyard; they will attend to you. You still have to pay, though. If there''s nothing else, you can leave. I''m now managing twelve inds, and not just some minor governor like you,¡± Swann said with evident disdain in his voice.


    Charles'' rows furrowed together. He cast ast nce at Swann''s somewhat balding head and turned to leave.


    He hadn''t expected his second encounter with Swann to y out like this. This time, Swann showed a clearck of desire for conversation from his end.


    But no matter what, he had achieved his purpose and felt no need to associate with the arrogant man that much. He boarded the car and instructed the driver to head to thergest shipyard.


    The shipyards on Albion Isles are located at the ind''s rear. Due to thergendmass, the car even had to make a stop for refueling before Charles finally arrived at his destination.


    Upon reaching the so-called shipyard, Charles was astounded to see an additional <i>ind</i> in the distance. He stared at it closely and realized it was the crouching form of Ronker.


    This was his first time seeing the legendary colossal metal construct.


    Seeing it in person was entirely different from the photographs in newspapers. Even from such a distance, the oppressive presence of the steel behemoth was palpable.


    It was hard to imagine the magnificent spectacle if that gigantic machine stood upright.


    <i>A massive thing thatrge can actually move. How did they even achieve it? </i>Charles wondered. A burning curiosity sprouted in him; he wanted to explore its interior to know more.


    However, seeing the heavily guarded facility, with sentries every few steps, the inquisitiveness in him was quelled.


    Ronker was very important to Swann, and he certainly wouldn''t allow any outsiders near it. If Charles were in his shoes, he would have done the same.


    Charles entered the shipyard and showed the token he had received from Swann.


    Learning that the man before them was the governor of Hope Ind and he had traveled a great distance tomission a vessel, the shipyard staff became exceedingly cooperative.


    Eventually, three senior ship designers were assigned to handle Charles'' order.


    "I want to build this; are you able to do it?" Charles said as he fished out a sketch he had prepared from within his inner coat.


    The sketch detailed a submarine. Though he had never seen a real one, he had gathered enough from television to draft a rough design.


    The three gray-haired elderly men received the drawing and scrutinized it. Confused expressions appeared on their countenances.


    "Sir Governor, may I know if this vessel is to be used for exploring a unique sea area? Why are there no windows? I''ve been building ships for most of my life, but I¡¯ve nevere across such an odd design," one of the designersmented. He looked very much experienced and was wearing rimless sses.


    "It''s not a unique sea area. It''s a vessel designed for underwater exploration. Can you build it? It''s important to note that the submarine must have an independent oxygen supply," Charles exined.


    A corner of the bespectacled designer''s lips twitched, but he eventually managed to hold back his retort out of respect. After all, the man before him was a highly respected governor and not his student.


    Regardless of how unreasonable the conditions the governor proposed were, he had to restrain his fury and notsh out.


    "I''m sorry, but we''ve never encountered or constructed such a vessel. Also, I strongly advise against exploring the ocean''s depths. That ce doesn''t belong to humanity.


    "If you''re insistent on going, I can rmend you a device called the Diving Bell. Some daredevils who had no fear of death would use them to plunder sunken ships."


    At this, the designer next to the bespectacled one nudged him discreetly with a foot.


    Charles outrightly ignored the slight offense underlying the designer''s words. He shook his head and said, "That won''t work; that thing is too small. The ce I intend to explore is very deep, probably over three hundred meters or more. And there are creatures down there, so I need a submarine equipped with weapons."


    "Three hundred meters below the water!?" All staff in the shipyard turned their gazes onto Charles, their eyes widening in disbelief as though they were looking at a madman.


    Rumors had been circting about a governor who couldn''t sit still after finding a habitable ind. He continued to embark on exploration voyages far and wide. They had been skeptical of such a rumor at first, but now, as they beheld the man before them, they believed it. This fellow was a bonafide madman.


    "Three hundred meters?! Are you nning to seek out God Fhtagn?!" the bespectacled designer''s voice rose in incredulity, and his eyes burned with fury as he red at Charles.


    The colleague behind him tried to discreetly pull him back, but he shook the hand off angrily.


    "Just tell me if it can be done or not. Since you can even build Ronker, a small submarine shouldn''t pose a problem to you, does it?"


    "Don''t youpare this with Ronker! Shipbuilding is an art involving fluid dynamics, material science, electrics, and various other disciplines! You can''t just hand us a random sketch and expect us to build it. Do youy people really think ships are like y molded by hands?"


    Just as the bespectacled designer was about to ignore whatever hierarchy and unleash the frustrations in his heart, the young man with a prosthetic left arm next to him whispered something into his ears.


    Fortunately, Charles'' sharp hearing allowed him to pick up snippets of their conversation.


    ¡°What? When did this happen? Impossible...! Maybe... Wait a moment."


    After a brief discussion among themselves, the bespectacled designer turned back to face Charles with a serious expression on his countenance.


    "I apologize for my earlier rashness. About your request for an underwater ship, we would need to consult with all the designers of Shipyard 3 before we can propose a solution."


    Charles nodded. "Please get it done as soon as possible. As long as you can build it, money is not an issue."


    With that, Charles turned and left the shipyard while he pondered over the muffled conversation he had overheard. He felt that they might havee across a submarine.


    <i>Who else would want to build a submarine apart from me? No matter who it was and what its purpose was, a finished product would be the most ideal situation.</i>


    Charles was aware that constructing such a vessel would normally take four to five years. Even if the Albion Isles had their "cheat code," they would still require a significant amount of time.


    Standing at the port and looking at the bustling crowd before him, he was suddenly unsure of his next move."


    "Lily, do you want to..." Charles turned around, only to find that Lily and her horde of mice had disappeared.


    However, Charles was unperturbed. He knew that her mice friends would protect her; ordinary humans wouldn''t be able toy a finger on her.


    After pondering for a few moments, Charles raised an arm to g down a taxi.


    "Please take me to the University of Steam Engineering," he requested as he boarded the vehicle.


    1. Ngl. I kinda miss Richard. If he was here, I''m pretty sure he would satisfy his curiosity, and it would be a hell of a drama.

 Chapter 266. The Tablets Contents

    <h4>Chapter 266. The Tablet''s Contents</h4>


    An academy was where people were nurtured for the future, so its atmosphere was vastly different whenpared to the hustle and bustle of the outside.


    Walking through the triumphal arch-like gate, Charles looked around and noticed that his fierce demeanor and visage stuck out like a sore thumb among the students around him. He felt as though he were a wolf among a flock of sheep.


    As expected, Charles quickly caught the attention of the sheepdogs herding sheep.


    "Hey, you! Stop right there!"


    Charles was instantly surrounded by three men in ck uniforms. When they noticed that Charles reeked of sea brine, their expressions changed drastically.


    Before the three men could call for backup, however, Charles showed them a disk made of various t gears. "I''m here to see Professor Ci."


    Soon enough, Charles was led to a school building. Unbeknownst to him, over a dozen security guards had gathered to "escort" him.


    "Is this really necessary?" Charles asked.


    "Governor Swann said that the children are the future of the Albion Isles. You have his permission, but we can''t take even the slightest risk for the sake of our future. I hope for your understanding," one of the security guards replied.


    Charles nced at the protruding weapons hidden in their uniforms, but he said nothing in the end. Soon, he was led to a ss door, and he pushed it open before walking through the door.


    With such an "enthusiastic" group of escorts guiding the way, Charles had no issues finding Professor Ci''sboratory.


    "What are you doing here?" Laesto asked, clearly surprised by Charles'' arrival.


    "I had nothing to do, so I just dropped by to see you," Charles said as he turned to the workbench in front of an old man. The old man sported a tiny mustache and the same dirty white coat Laesto often wore; his gray hair was frayed as if he had survived an explosion.


    The old man was welding something with a gadget that looked like a tiny telescope. Four youngsters nked him; it seemed that they were the old man''s helpers.


    Charles pulled over a stool and sat down before turning to Laesto.


    "How is it? Can it be fixed?" he asked.


    "They''re attempting to fix it. I''ve tried my best long enough that the results don''t really matter anymore. I just hope that you''ll bury me on Hope Ind once I''m dead, and I want a spacious burial site," Laesto replied.


    Charles stared deeply at Laesto''s weathered visage. Age spots had marred Laesto''s face; the passage of time was indeed cruel to anyone.


    In the end, Charles had to nod and say, "Sure."


    Silence descended upon theboratory, and no one could be heard aside from the crackling noises being emitted by the welding equipment.


    Eventually, Ci shattered the silence. A ck chip was held between the tweezers in his hand, and he let out an uproarious exmation, "Hell yeah! I''m a genius! And it is really quite difficult to grasp the fact that such a tiny thing has moreputing power than the best difference engine on our campus.


    "I''m sure we''ll have an astounding technological breakthrough once we manage to analyze how it works!"


    <i>nk! nk! nk!</i>


    Laesto impatiently mmed his tin sk on the table and said, "Just hurry up and fix my tablet! If you can''t fix it, then I''m just going to flush all of them down the toilet. I won''t give any of them to you!"


    "What''s the rush for? Country bumpkins truly have no respect for technology. This thing is delicate, and it has to be treated with respect and care," Ci replied. He took out a tablet and removed the cracked back panel. Then, he carefully installed the ck chip on the tablet.


    Charles saw that Ci was working on Laesto''s tablet.


    "How did your task go? Any difficulties?" Laesto said after taking a swig of his alcohol.


    "Swann didn''t stop me. As for the submarine, the shipwrights are still discussing it, but I don''t think there are going to be any issues," Charles replied. He took out his cell phone and started scrolling on it with his thumb.


    "I see. I guess Swann has already offended too many people. I''m sure he doesn''t want everyone to be his enemies, so I don''t think it''s going to be strange, even if he makes friends with the worst riffraff out there."


    "Did you just insult me?"


    "I wouldn''t dare, <i>Captain</i>."


    Charles was left speechless at the remark. However, he had noticed that Laesto''s mental state had changed. He didn''t sound as bitter and as resentful anymore. In fact, Charles could hear a tinge of relief in Laesto''s voice.


    "I left the charger for your phone on the ship. Just go there and get it yourself. It consumes whale oil as power, so keep that in mind," Laesto said.


    "Mmhm."


    "You shouldn''t work so hard anymore. Try finding a woman to have a kid with. To be honest, my biggest regret happened in my youth. It was the fact that I had kicked that fat woman off my bed when she crawled up to me."


    A smile immediately suffused Charles'' lips, but he hurriedly concealed it.


    "Did you just smile? What was funny about what I said?! Let me tell you; once you''ve reached my age, what was funny back when you were young would make you cry instead!" Laesto eximed.


    "How old are you this year?" Charles asked.


    "I forgot. Probably around ny or something," Laesto replied.


    "Then, I don''t have to worry about reaching your age. I don''t think I''m going to live as old as you, anyway," Charles replied.


    Time passed by quickly as Laesto and Charles engaged in idle talk on many different topics. The number of students on the campus decreased until one could no longer see a student outside.


    Charles nced at his pocket watch and saw that it was already nine in the evening. He used the final vestiges of his cell phone''s battery to set its time to match his pocket watch.


    Wiping the sweat off of his forehead, Ci exhaled at length. He stared deeply at the results of his effort before turning to look at Laesto and saying, "This genius me broke into not even a single sweat and fixed this thing quite easily."


    Laesto ignored Ci''s remark and strode over to the tablet. Excitement suffused his face as he grabbed the tablet with both hands. He fiddled with it for quite a while, but the screen remained dark and gave no feedback.


    Charles'' heart sank at the sight. <i>Was I right? Is it broken beyond repair? </i>


    Laesto''s voice trembled ever so slightly as he asked, "Why is it not lighting up?"


    "Of course, it won''t. It''s not connected to any power supply, so it''s not going to light up. How can it work without power?" Ci said.


    Ci''s nonchnt words made Charles feel like giving Ci a delicious knuckle sandwich, even though Charles was just an outsider to the entire affair. Charles truly couldn''t believe that such an outrageous individual was still alive.


    Laesto started shouting at Ci; his roars of fury seemed like they could even dislodge the dust on the ceiling. Only then did Ci ask one of his helpers for the power supply that they had prepared beforehand.


    <i>Beep!</i>


    The tablet lit up, and Charles quietly walked up to Laesto to peek over his shoulder.


    The tablet''s UI told Charles that its operating system was rather primitive. It seemed that it only had a few essential functions.


    Laesto started scrolling on the tablet and soon found over a dozen videos inside of it. He tapped on the earliest recorded video, and the screen changed to show the figure of a man wearing a white coat.


    The man seemed to be in a daze. His movements were both sluggish and mechanical, and it took him a few seconds before he covered his forehead with one hand and started speaking in a mechanical voice as though he was sleepwalking.


    "Hello. My name is Gray Hermann. I don''t know who is watching this video, but I hope that you are my descendant. If you are not, then it''s fine as long as you are a human being."


    Laesto patted his chest, trying to ease his excitement as he answered. "Yes, I am a Hermann!"


    The man seemed to fall into contemtion before quickly snapping out of it and continuing. "I am not sure what the outside world is like while you''re watching this video. If everything is normal, then nothing could be better than that.


    "You can thenugh andment the cowardice of your ancestors. Otherwise, this video will tell you just how your ancestors had brought upon their own destruction."


    Charles'' breathing grewbored as he moved even closer to the tablet.


    "My friend, what is science? I hope that this term still exists in your time and that you still know the meaning of this word," the man said before proceeding to answer his own question. "Science is an orderly system of knowledge that is based on testable exnations and predictions about the form and organization of objective entities. It embodies knowledge that has been systematized and formalized."


    "Whether it was the discovery of fire in the distant, ancient times to electricity and nuclear power, it all started with an observation. It is then followed by intervention until control is finally achieved."


    "Humans are superior to other species because of our ability to systematize any form of knowledge and pass it down to subsequent generations. That is why our species have been growing stronger since time immemorial."


    "But what if there is an existence with neither rules nor patterns? What if there is an existence that defies regrity and can''t be observed? If our umted wisdom bes futile in the face of such anomalies, what should humanity do, then?"

 Chapter 267. Causality

    <h4>Chapter 267. Causality</h4>


    "Have you ever seen something as unscientific as this?" the man asked while holding up a dog missing half of its body. The dog''s lower half was missing, but it moved freely, seemingly unfazed by its missing half. It was even happily licking its owner''s hand.


    "Good boy, good boy. Go ahead and y by yourself," the man said while ruffling the dog''s ears. The dog left the camera''s viewpoint, and the man stared intently into the camera with a grim look.


    "That was one of the projects I''m overseeing¡ªa dog missing half of its body. You can see and feel its other half, but we can''t find its missing half, regardless of which testing method we used to find it.


    "Despite our best efforts, we truly can''t figure out how the dog is still alive, or if this phenomenon is natural in this subterranean seascape. It felt like that appearance of existences like that is to trample on what we believe is scientific."


    "We call them <i>projects</i>. Not all projects are as harmless as the half-dog you''ve seen just now. Some are extremely dangerous, wherein one mistake can lead to a cmity.


    "The only thing that we can do about it is to create inds on the Subterranean Sea for the sake of containing them for as long as possible.


    "Unfortunately, there are too many of them. More of them are popping up as we speak, and our containment facilities are getting overwhelmed.


    "For the sake of culling their numbers, the headquarters decided to conduct the Project Cross-Execution Experiment, but the results weren''t as good as we had imagined.


    "Some of the smarter projects had even banded together to revolt, causing widespread chaos."


    The man seemed tired after the long monologue. His breathing grewbored as he looked down at the ground with his head lowered.


    The man''s brief respite gave Charles and the rest some time to breathe as well.


    Meanwhile, Ci and the others revealed looks of bewilderment toward the man''s monologue. They had no idea what he was talking about, but Charles was different. His mind started racing upon realizing that his assumptions were right.


    Laesto''s ancestors were indeed Foundation staff members, and it exined the existence of Laesto''s tablet.


    Just then, the man continued speaking, "I''m sure you''re thinking that I''m worried about the dangers of these projects, but no, you''re wrong. I''m worried about humanity, as our downfall has always been brought upon by our arrogance.


    "Soon after the failure of the Project Cross-Execution Experiment, Dr. K9 and his team started exploiting the projects simr to how humanity exploited fire, electricity, and nuclear power.


    "At first, I thought it was just hearsay, but Dr. K9 had actually seeded. The advent of his Dawn One and Dawn Two hadpletely upended everyone''s imagination.


    "I took a peek at Dr. K9''s project n, and the way he uses the projects is extremely primitive. It''s as primitive as the prehistoric humans using fire to roast meat.


    "However, the primitive approach he had taken had allowed his Experiment Dawn to provide the Foundation with unlimited energy..." the man trailed off. A hysterical look suffused the man''s face as he shouted, "And that''s not a good thing!"


    "As scientists, we must face the unknown with awe and respect, and we must seek to uncover what truths lie in the unknown to the best of our abilities! Exploiting those things without having aplete understanding of them is akin to giving a toddler a gun to y with!" the man roared and hung his head once more.


    He took a moment to catch his breath before continuing. "Fortunately, my mentor and his colleagues got into a fierce argument, and the Foundation ultimately decided not to send these dangerous projects to the surface.


    "They decided to observe it for a period of ten years.


    "However, restrictions often do not quell human desire. One day, my mentor told me that Dr. K9 and his team were working on something even more dangerous in the Dark Abyssal Trench.


    "My clearance wasn''t high enough, so he couldn''t tell me anything. However, the intense fear I saw in my mentor¡ªMentor E5''s eyes was something I couldn''t possibly forget."


    The man went silent for a long time. Eventually, the man''s expression turned to that of anguish as he continued speaking. "I predicted that the Foundation''s days are numbered.


    "You must find it absurd that a scientist like me believes in predictions, but 177 had granted me the ability to see the future. It had even helped me save my son from being electrocuted."


    The video trembled as the man picked up the tablet and started walking away.


    "If my predictions turn out to be incorrect, it would be for the best. I hope that I''m wrong. I''ve already submitted an application to return to the surface along with my family, but the earliest that we''ll get to return to the surface is in three years.


    "I''m willing to give up everything for the Foundation, but my wife and son aren''t the same. I''ll let them leave the ind and tell them to return after three years. I want them out of harm''s way if an ident were to happen before the three years are up."


    The video ended there, and a deafening silence filled the room. Laesto gulped, and his trembling hand reached out to tap on the next video.


    The video yed, showing the face of a young boy who seemed to be seven to eight years of age. The video was shaky; it seemed that the tablet was too heavy for the young boy to hold steadily.


    Tears were streaming down the frightened young boy''s face.


    "Dad, is that you? Dad, please pick up the phone! The sun in the sky fell down and crashed into the sea, and Mom has disappeared! I''m scared... I''m really scared. <i>Sob!</i>"


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    A loud crackling noise started the young boy and had him shrieking in terror.


    The video tumbled wildly until it came to a standstill when the tablet fell to the ground. The beige-colored shoes of the young boy appeared briefly on the video before the tablet was picked up by a familiar face.


    It was Tobba¡ªthe Narwhale''s Navigator. His crazed demeanor was nowhere to be found, and his eyes were as lucid as just about anyone. The wailing young boy was in his arms as he carried the tablet outside.


    "Charles, beware of the Pope. Don''t let him fool you. I''ve seen scenes more horrible than this cmity, and I hope that what I''ve seen does not end up happening," Tobba said.


    A chill ran down Charles'' spine. Tobba had just addressed him despite the gap of centuries between them. Tobba seemed like he was talking to someone over a video call rather than speaking to himself in a recording.


    "You can see me?" Charles unknowingly blurted out.


    "Of course, I can. Anyway, I have to go. I need to get this kid out of here. Something''sing from underneath the waters, and this ind is about to sink," Tobba replied.


    Hearing that, Charles shoved Ci aside and grabbed the tablet. A look of urgency took over his face as he cried out to the Tobba in the video, "Just who the hell are you?!"


    "Who else could I be? I''m Tobba, and I''m the Navigator of the Narwhale. You know we''re short of time here, but you actually decided to ask me that?"


    "What''s happening over there? Does it have anything to do with God Fhtagn? What about the surface? Has God Fhtagn invaded the surface?!


    "No more questions. Knowing too much isn''t necessarily a good thing. It''s all because I knew so much that I went crazy. I just want you to remember what I said¡ªbeware of the Pope."


    Tobba''s face froze just then as a rey button appeared on the screen. Clearly, the recording had ended right there and then.

 Chapter 268: Noodles

    <h4>Chapter 268: Noodles</h4>


    Charles'' heart was in turmoil as he stared at the frozen screen. His assumption was right. The Foundation had fallen because they had made contact with Divinities. Researching relics couldn''t satisfy them anymore; they had attempted to obtain the power of the Divinities!


    The gigantic mantises above the dome weren''t lying. The previous cmity had indeed been caused by humanity. It was no wonder they were so adamant about not allowing any human being to step foot onto Newbound City once more.


    Charles couldn''t even imagine just what kind of cmity had wiped the Foundation out so thoroughly and swiftly that their contingency ns couldn''t even be activated and were rendered useless.


    <i>Are humans truly as weak as ants before the Divinities? If the Divinities beneath the sea got bored enough one day that they decided to go up to the surface, then... </i>Charles felt a shiver down his spine. <i>No, this isn''t the time to think about that. Tobba has just said that he has seen something far more terrifying than that cmity, and he also told me to be wary of the Pope. What exactly did he see?</i>


    Charles looked down at the tablet in his hand and tapped it a few times to find more information. However, the other videos were just nonsense taken by the descendants of the young boy.


    Charles frowned slightly at the burning questions in his head. Tobba was clearly capable of predicting the future before he went mad. Charles found the living relic to be more believable than the Pope, whose intentions were inscrutable.


    The Pope had no ill intent toward him at the moment, but Charles couldn''t help but keep on thinking about just why Tobba had warned him to beware of the Pope. How would the Pope be able to cause a cmity far more terrifying than what had annihted the Foundation?


    It didn''t make sense. The Subterranean Sea was also home to the Divine Light Order, which meant that they would also suffer greatly if such a cmity were to happen.


    Charles thought about the things the Pope had done so far, and he couldn''t find anything suspicious.


    <i>nk!</i>


    The tablet in Laesto''s hand fell to the ground. Laesto looked incredibly somber as he swayed unsteadily, looking like he would copse at any second.


    "Hey, are you okay?" Charles hurriedly supported him.


    Laesto''s expression wasplex as he stared at Charles. After a while, his trembling lips fluttered open as he asked, "My ancestors were from the surface as well? Just like you?"


    "Well, he has no reason to lie to us, so it must be true," Charles replied.


    "Oh, I see..." Laesto sat down on a stool. There was a hint of relief in Laesto''s marred visage.


    "How do you feel now that the puzzle that has been guing you for the majority of your life has finally been resolved?" Charles asked.


    "Well... I don''t feel anything special..." Laesto muttered.


    Charles stared deeply at Laesto and realized that the old man seemed to have aged a lot in an instant.


    "What are you people looking at? The show''s done. Get lost, and do what you got to do," Laesto said as he waved his hand to drive the people around him away.


    Charles saw that, and he couldn''t help but ask, "Are you sure you''re okay? Do you need me to send you back to the ship first?"


    "Get out! Get lost! I''m old, but do you really think I''m old enough that I can''t even move anymore?!" Laesto roared and hurled his empty tin sk at Charles.


    Laesto seemed to have recovered his energy somewhat, and it made Charles feel reassured to leave him alone. He turned around and left on his own.


    Meanwhile, Professor Ci was holding a tablet in his hand while talking excitedly to his assistant. Clearly, he didn''t care whether Charles would stay or not.


    It was alreadyte in the night, so the academy looked deserted. In fact, Charles only saw a handful of students as he went out of the school building.


    Charles looked around before walking toward the academy gates. As he walked away, he started thinking about the burning questions he had in mind regarding the tablet. His mind was overloaded with the information Laesto''s ancestor had left behind in the two videos.


    He had so many unanswered questions that Charles felt like his brain would be reduced to mush if he were to specte any further.


    Just then, a rumbling noise interrupted Charles'' train of thought. The noise hade from his stomach, and he realized that he hadn''t eaten anything today.


    He looked around and saw an open restaurant in the distance.


    The restaurant was small, but it was pretty hygienic. It was full of customers, and the majority of them were students from the nearby academies. Charles quickly found an empty seat and sat down on it.


    His seat had yet to warm up, but a young woman with freckles had already arrived next to him with the menu in hand.


    "Hello, handsome sir. What can I get for you? Today''s special is salt-baked lobster balls noodles. It''s today''s special, so it''s only avable for today," the freckled young woman said enthusiastically.


    "Sure, I''ll have one serving of that. I also want a bottle of banana wine and a few purplevine fruits," Charles said while licking his dry lips.


    The freckled young woman''s eyes widened in astonishment. "I''m sorry, sir, but our restaurant only serves mushroom wine brewed by my father. Banana wines are expensive, so they''re only avable in high-end restaurants in the ind''s heart."


    "Is that so? Then, just give me a bottle of mushroom wine," Charles replied. He had briefly forgotten that he wasn''t on Hope Ind and that banana wines were several times more expensive outside than when bought on Hope Ind.


    "Are you sure you want a bottle, sir? My family''s wine is very strong."


    "Yeah, a bottle will do," Charles replied.


    "All right, then. Please give me a moment, sir. Mom! One order of salt-baked lobster balls noodles and a bottle of mushroom wine!" the enthusiastic, freckled young woman shouted as she hopped into the back kitchen.


    Charles looked around while waiting for his food, and the sight of students eating and chatting merrily assuaged his frantic heart. For some reason, Charles felt like he had be an ordinary person as he listened to the chaos around him.


    Charles'' food soon arrived. He pierced a piece of lobster meat with a fork and wrapped it with the noodles before putting it into his mouth. After chewing a few times, he nodded in satisfaction; it tasted better than he had expected.


    Under the freckled young woman''s surprised gaze, Charles took a great swig of the mushroom wine. Charles nodded once more; the mushroom wine tasted great. It was no wonder their business was booming, even though it was already sote in the evening.


    Charles continued eating, and his mind soon cleared up as he ate with gusto. The delicious meal had chased away the hunger gnawing at him, which also improved his mood.


    Charles was in the middle of eating seconds when a young woman wearing round sses walked up to him and asked carefully, "Sir, can you share your table with me? I have nowhere else to sit..."


    Charles noticed the book in her arm, and he nodded in response before pushing his tes away.


    "Thank you so much! Nini, I want a bowl of rye porridge, please," the bespectacled young woman said as she sat down from across Charles after pulling out the stool beneath the table.


    Soon, a bowl of porridge the size of Charles'' fist was served in front of the bespectacled young woman. She flushed slightly upon noticing the stark contrast between her humble rye porridge and Charles'' feast.


    She picked up her spoon and ate in a hurry. However, it seemed that she was eating too fast because she started coughing violently.


    A tissue appeared before the bespectacled young woman. She epted it and thanked Charles.


    "It''s already sote; howe you''re not home yet?" Charles asked casually while chewing on his noodles.


    "You can only borrow a limited number of books from the library. If you want to read more books, you have to stay inside the library. Actually, I''m going back to the library once I''m done eating," the bespectacled young woman replied.


    "I''m already exhausted just hearing that from you. Are you not tired at all?" Charles asked.


    The bespectacled young woman put the tissue aside and continued on eating her rye porridge while speaking in between mouthfuls. "It''s not tiring at all. I can easily find a high-paying job once I graduate, so it''s fine. By then, Mom won''t have to wash other people''s clothes every day to earn money."


    "It''s great that you hold high hopes for your future. With that in mind, hardships won''t be so hard."


    "Yes, and I appreciate Governor Swann''s education subsidies as well. If it weren''t for the subsidies, there''s no way I could have made it into such a great university."

 Chapter 269. A Loop

    <h4>Chapter 269. A Loop</h4>


    Charles was moved to see the hopeful demeanor of the bespectacled young woman before him. It seemed Swann was taking education more seriously than he had expected. Now, the Albion Isles'' rapid development made sense. Hope Ind could learn from the Albion Isles'' example.


    "What are the subjects being taught at your school?" Charles asked curiously while chewing on his noodles.


    "There are many majors¡ªmaterials engineering, electrical engineering, electromaism, and radio technology. Of course, there are many more subjects than what I had just mentioned," the bespectacled young woman replied.


    "They''re all useful, but what are you going to do after graduation?" Charles asked.


    The bespectacled young woman hesitated. She lowered her head and looked down at her feet before saying, "Actually, I really want to work at my school''s research department. My time there has been the happiest time I''ve ever had in my life.


    "I was able to study anything interesting every day without worrying about anything else. I love it, and I think I can stay there until I die."


    The bespectacled young woman stopped talking, but her eyes lit up in excitement the next second. She leaned closer to Charles as she said excitedly, "Sir, I have something interesting to tell you. I heard the school has recruited a mysterious mage from the Western Seas to be a professor.


    "It''s interesting, right? Once we''ve thoroughly understood magic, perhaps we might be able to use it akin to how we''ve harnessed the power of lightning in the form of electricity."


    Charles'' fork stopped midway to his mouth. "Do you think it''s possible?"


    "Why not? Fire, steam, and electricity are all manifestations of energy. We can even convert them to one another. I''m sure we can do the same with magic under the condition that we have aplete understanding of it."


    "What about relics? Aren''t relics magical enough? Do you not want to research them?" Charles asked.


    The bespectacled young woman stuck her tongue out and said, "I''m not really sure about this, but I heard there''s a research department on the west part of the ind dedicated to researching relics.


    "Well, I have no ns on researching relics. Research about relics is a very niche field, and if I were to join that research department, I''d be worried every day about the possibility of the department getting disbanded at any time.


    "I''m also going to have a difficult time finding a new job if I were to go that route, as my experience won''t align with what''s popr and what research is producing results."


    The bespectacled young woman''s words made Charles recall what he had seen on that tablet. It seemed that humanity''s curiosity about the unknown was truly infinite.


    <i>Once relics can no longer satisfy their curiosity, will they turn their attention to the Divinities in the sea? </i>Charles realized that humanity was in a loop¡ªa loop that humans were doomed to never escape from.


    Humanity''s desire to explore the unknown was the exact reason they became the masters of Earth. Ironically, their desire would bring about a cmity that would be the doom of humanity.


    The previous cmity had annihted just the Foundation, and now that the Foundation was no more, who would be the next target of annihtion? Perhaps every human being in the Subterranean Sea?


    <i>Is there really no other way to escape such an oue? Is there really no other way aside from worshiping them and begging them to spare our lives like what the Fhtagnists have been doing?</i>


    A tinge of despair dyed Charles'' heart. He felt like he could finally understand the mindset of those cultists. Perhaps worshiping and bing the followers of those Divinities was the one and only solution to rescue mankind from certain doom.


    "Are you okay, sir?" the bespectacled young woman asked worriedly.


    Charles took a deep breath to clear his mind of the messy thoughts. He picked up the now-cold bowl of noodles and continued with his meal.


    "Sir, I''m done eating. Enjoy your meal. It was really fun chatting with you. I hope we''ll see each other again someday!" the bespectacled young woman said before putting her bowl down and rushing out of the restaurant.


    Charles soon finished his meal, and he walked out of the restaurant while thinking of the unsolvable dilemma in his mind. Unfortunately, Charles couldn''t quite find a solution to the dilemma.


    The Divinities were like mountains weighing down on humanity; they were far too heavy for humanity to withstand.


    Having just finished his meal, Charles felt a little sleepy. He decided to g a taxi to retire for the night.


    "To the docks," Charles said to the driver. It was alreadyte in the evening, so Lily had to be back. Still, Charles couldn''t help but wonder about where she had gone today to y.


    "All right, sir. Please sit tight," the taxi driver said as he stepped on the elerator.


    The streets looked deste and empty, with only a few people going about their business. Charles reckoned that the majority of the people here were already asleep. Of course, the factories belching out ck smoke were still awake and would never fall asleep.


    <i>How many shifts are they working? Two twelve-hour shifts or three eight-hour shifts? </i>Charles wondered as he stared at the distant chimneys. He suddenly recalled the bubbly demeanor of the bespectacled young woman whom he had just met, as well as the terrified expression of that child who had lost his hand.


    He couldn''t quite believe that the two were living on the same ind.


    Just then, Charles noticed something amiss. The taxi wasn''t driving toward the docks. Charles proceeded to ask the driver about what was going on.


    The taxi driver with a mustache grinned and chuckled as he exined, "Sir, we''re using a shortcut. We''ll be there faster this way."


    "Is that so?" Charles'' gaze crept up to the taxi driver''s face, and his pupils constricted. The terrifying graffiti that was stuck to him had moved onto the taxi driver''s face.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    A grotesque noise echoed as the taxi driver''s neck twisted. The taxi driver died with his face frozen while his eyes were filled with immense terror.


    The taxi driver was dead, so the taxi swayed left and right on the street, prompting Charles to hurriedly step on the brake.


    "Damn it! What the hell are you doing?!" Charles yelled at 372.


    The tires screeched as Charles stepped on the brakes, and the taxi was soon brought to aplete stop.


    Charles alighted from the car, and he saw 372 on the rooftop of a building across the street. 372 was just a thinyer of graffiti, but the way it hovered in mid-air while depicting such horrifying graffiti made the scene look extremely terrifying.


    "What''s wrong with it?" Charles voiced out, sounding perplexed. Just then, a loud cracking noise reverberated, and someone whose body had been twisted like a pretzel fell from the rooftop.


    Seeing that, Charles realized that 372 had possessed someone capable of going invisible. Soon, 372 hovered in mid-air inside a dark alley, and every muscle in Charles'' body stretched taut because the scene meant only one thing: there were multiple attackers going after him.


    <i>We''re in the middle of the streets on the Albion Isles! Who''s daring enough to make a move against me here? </i>Charles didn''t have the luxury to think about it.


    He ced one foot on a nearby wall and sprang up to the building''s rooftop in one mighty jump. Then, he started sprinting toward the docks.


    Regardless of his assants'' identities, he had to enter his fleet''s attack range first before anything else. Power could solve everything, after all. With that in mind, Charles picked up the pace as he jumped onto rooftops after rooftops.


    Just then, he felt somethinging from his right. Charles turned and saw that the iing object was a red paper crane. It pped its wings and sent a cloud of red powder toward Charles.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The red paper crane was torn apart by the bullet that hade from Charles'' gun, and Charles decisively leaped onto another rooftop upon confirming the kill.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Charles'' body suddenly went motionless and he fell to the ground with a loud thud. A ray that was almost transparent had wrapped him in a cocoon. Charles looked up and saw blurry figures approaching him in the distance through the translucent ray.

 Chapter 270. Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 270. Crisis</h4>


    <i>They have guns, but they haven''t used them. They want to take me alive! </i>Charles deduced upon seeing what looked like weapons in the hands of the blurry figures.


    The translucent ray lifted its venomous tail to stab Charles in the back, but a grotesque noise echoed, followed by a spray of flesh. The translucent ray was torn in half, and a huge bat appeared on the rooftop.


    The huge bat opened its mouth and let loose a sound wave attack. The discordant sound tore the rooftop, and the oing figures covered their ears in pain before falling back.


    Having received a respite from his assants, Charles spread his wings and prepared to fly toward the docks. Unfortunately, the assants weren''t willing to let Charles go just like that.


    A thin, ck, withered vine shot out from the broken window next to Charles, and it wrapped around the bat''s neck before pulling the creature downward. Charles fell to the ground with a loud crash. Chains then clinked as eight metal chains bound Charles.


    Charles struggled fiercely. A pink paper crane flew toward Charles'' face, and it exploded into a cloud of pink mist. A sweet scent assaulted Charles'' nostrils, and an irresistible drowsiness filled him. He crumpled and fell helplessly to the floor.


    The final scene Charles saw before he lost consciousness was pairs of bronze-colored boots emitting a metallic luster. The owners of the boots were walking slowly toward him.


    An unknown amount of time had passed before Charles finally woke up. He looked down at himself and saw that he had returned to his human form. He then looked around and found that he was tied up to a chair.


    More than a dozen figuresposed of men and women with varying physiques stood around him with grave expressions. Judging from their tattoos and scars, they were a bunch that couldn''t be trifled with.


    "Who are you guys? Why did you kidnap me? Are you not afraid of offending Swann by doing something like this?" Charles asked. However, the people in front of him didn''t answer. Instead, they stood to the side and made way for someone.


    A figure walked up to Charles, and Charles was stupefied to discover that the figure was none other than Governor Swann of the Albion Isles.


    However, the Swann before Charles looked markedly different from the Swann he saw in the Governor''s Mansion. The Swann standing in front of Charles seemed to be in a much terrible state. His plump face was marred by quite a few pimples. His mouth was also red, bleeding from the canker sores in his mouth.


    "Work with me!" Swann blurted out words that Charles couldn''t quite understand.


    "What do you mean? Who are you?" Charles asked.


    "Who else could I be? I''m Swann! The Swann you''ve met in the Governor''s Mansion is my body double!" Swann replied with apparent fury.


    Charles took a moment to examine the gloomy and damp room.


    "Is this how Governor Swann asks people for their cooperation?" Charles asked.


    Swann''s plump hand grabbed Charles by the cor and lifted him off the chair. His saliva pelted Charles'' face as he roared, "This isn''t a joke! Cooperate with me against the Pope, or I''m going to kill you right there and then!"


    <i>Against the Pope? </i>Charles'' expression turned serious as Tobba''s warning from the tablet popped up in his head.


    "Wait! What happened? Weren''t you working with him?"


    "Working with him? He''s the reason for my current predicament!"


    Swann leaned as close as he could to Charles before shouting, "Do you really think that I am unaware of the connection between Julio and the Explorers Association? Did you really think that I wanted to offend so many governors? Do you think I didn''t want to conquer the inds slowly, one at a time?


    "I simply had no choice! He forced me to do all this! I thought the technology he had given to me was mypensation for assisting him, but it was too good to be true! Everything so far has been ording to his n!


    "I''ve upied so many inds, and the people on those inds treat me as their enemy. That bastard took advantage of the chaos to tempt people into joining their cult. Have you not noticed their massive influx of believers?


    "If you don''t cooperate with me, it''s only going to be a matter of time before your denizens be lunatics like them!"


    Swann started panting as his voice echoed throughout the room. His re didn''t leave Charles even for a brief second.


    "I''m sure you''ve already seen his sinister methods. We''re in the same boat now, so we need to work together to get rid of him! And the only way we can achieve that is to enter the Divine Light Grand Cathedral to kill him!"


    Charles stared deeply at the trembling Swann. It wouldn''t take a genius to deduce that Swann wasn''t in his right mind at the moment. Charles thought about it for quite a while before saying, "Fine."


    He had decided to pretend that he had agreed to cooperate with him. Regardless of his decision, he had to get out of here first before anything else. He truly didn''t like the feeling of knowing that his life was in someone else''s palm.


    "Great. Tell this thing that you''re going to work with me." Swann took out a shriveled human head the size of an orange.


    Charles went silent as he stared at the distorted facial features of the head. He instantly deduced that the head was a relic capable of enforcing contracts between individuals. It would be toote for him to regret it if he were to speak carelessly here.


    Swann''s expression turned icy upon seeing Charles'' hesitation.


    "Were you lying when you said that you''d work with me?! How dare you lie to me! If you''re not going to cooperate with me, then I''m not going to let you live! The Pope will eventually make use of you against me, and I''m not going to let that happen!" Swann roared and pressed the barrel of a double-barreled pistol against Charles'' temple.


    "Do you really have to do this? Maybe we can talk this out..." Charles said softly in an effort to assuage Swann''s fury.


    <i>Shwik!</i>


    The barrel of the pistol was shoved into Charles'' mouth.


    "I''m running out of time! Everyone wants me dead! Does he really think that I have no idea of his modus operandi? He''s nning on throwing me away once I''m no longer useful! I''m going to let him know that it''s not that easy to make use of the true ruler of the Northern Seas!" Swann bellowed.


    "I''m going to blow your brains out if you don''t give me an answer on the count of three. One... Two...!"


    A suffocating pressure descended upon the room. Swann''s eyes shone with madness as he ced a stubby finger on the trigger.


    "Governor!" the blindfolded woman wearing a long skirt cried out and stepped forward. "Someone is modifying our memories!"


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    A sound akin to shattering ss echoed as the ceiling copsed, plunging the room intoplete darkness.


    Swann decisively pulled the trigger, but the bullet struck the wall rather than Charles.


    "Damn it! He escaped! How are you guys so useless?! Go and chase him!" Swann''s furious roar echoed in the dark.


    More than a dozen figures scattered to give chase in all directions.


    The blindfolded woman was moving together with a thin man. Just then, she came to a halt and lifted her hand, sending a tentacle that pierced through the thin man''s nape and emerged from his mouth.


    "It''s okay now. You cane out," the blindfolded woman said. She lifted her long skirt and allowed Charles to crawl out.


    Charles looked around and confirmed that there was no one else around. He then turned to the blindfolded woman and muttered, "Anna?"


    The blindfolded woman broke out into a smile. "How did you recognize me? Was my disguise not good enough?"

 Chapter 271. Anna

    <h4>Chapter 271. Anna</h4>


    "Your voice; it hasn''t changed," Charles replied naturally.


    "Oh, my, my. It seems you''ve missed me quite a bit during this period we were apart that you still remember how I sounded so clearly," Anna remarked as a faint smile surfaced on her lips, and she wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck.


    "Wait. Let''s get back on the ship first," Charles urged and grabbed her hand. Poking his head out of the alleyway, his eyes darted around warily before they emerged from their hiding and headed toward the docks.


    "Don''t worry. I''ve already figured out those guys'' strengths and relics. As long as I''m here, they can''t find you," Anna reassured Charles while she unwound the bandages shrouding her eyes.


    Despite Anna''s words, Charles didn''t dare to let his guard down. Pulling her by the hand, they quickly traversed through another alley.


    "How did you end up lurking around Swann? It''s dangerous to be around him now."


    "What''s so dangerous about it? Hey, don''t go that way; they''ll sense us there. Come with me," Anna said.


    At that, Charles suddenly felt Anna tugging at his hand with a strong pull, leading him in a different direction. She seemed to be knowledgeable of theyout of the Albion Isles. Navigating through twists and turns, they soon stood before a cer draped in ck vines.


    The moment they stepped into the room, Anna jumped onto Charles and wrapped her long, slender legs around his waist before nting her luscious red lips on his.


    Charles opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but Anna''s tongue darted between his lips and silenced him.


    After several moments, Charles had no choice but to forcefully push her head away.


    "Wait. Tell me first; what are you doing here on the Albion Isles?" Charles asked.


    Instead of answering his question, Anna licked her crimson lips and teased, "Why do I taste someone else? Did you get together with another woman again?"


    Seeing that he wouldn''t be able to get an answer out of Anna, Charles took a deep breath and ced his hands on her shoulders. He looked into her eyes with a firm gaze. "Answer me. I''m not joking around. Why are you here?"


    Anna averted her gaze in an attempt to avoid Charles'' prating stare.


    "Nothing. Just doing a small favor for someone," she muttered quickly.


    "Isn''t World''s Crown under your control? If there''s anything you need, you shoulde to me. Why did you ept such dangerous requests?"


    "The lip service sure sounds nice, but I haven''t seen you teleport to my side whenever I''m feeling lonely at night," Anna retorted; her voice wasced with a hint of sarcasm and vulnerability.


    Looking into Charles'' eyes again, she noted the determination in his gaze. A hint of helplessness flickered across her visage.


    Several dark tentacles emerged from beneath her pale skin and gently pushed Charles'' hand away. She then slowly walked to therge king-sized bed andy down.


    "Don''t worry about it; it has nothing to do with you. You wouldn''t understand even if I exined it to you," Anna said with a dismissive wave. "As for you, Gao Zhiming. Why are you here?"


    "Don''t change the topic. You haven''t answered my question yet," Charles insisted. There was no mistaking the agitation that tinged his voice.


    Anna propped her chin up in one hand as a flirtatious, seducing expression surfaced on her visage. "Wanna guess?"


    Charles'' face went a shade darker almost instantly, eliciting a sudden peal ofughter from her.


    "Hey, it''s nothing much, really. I was just bored and wanting to strengthen my power. The rewards I''ll be getting frompleting the task can help with that. If I get even stronger, I might be able to protect you one day."


    "I don''t need your protection, Anna. Hurry up and leave the ind. I don''t want you to be in danger," Charles said as he reached out a hand, wanting to pull Anna up from the bed. However, she kicked his hand away.


    With a trace of annoyance and grievance in her voice, she retorted, "I told you not to find the exit to the surface, and you ignored it. In that case, why should I listen to you when you didn''t even listen to me?"


    Charles took a step closer to her. "Don''t you want to return to the surface world? Do you want to stay here forever? Your memories should have memories of the surface world, too."


    Several tentacles protruded from Anna''s back to prop her up, and she threw herself onto Charles. She gently pressed her delicate face against Charles'' scarred cheek.


    Charles caught a faint scent of flowers as Anna parted her lips and said, "The modern world doesn''t attract a monster like me. In my memories, you are the reason for all of my fond experiences on the surface world."


    Hearing her words, Charles'' gaze softened. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist and said affectionately, "Tell me your task. I''ll take care of it for you."


    Anna closed her eyes and snuggled against Charles. "Don''t worry. I just have to create trouble for Swann. He should be the one worried right now; he has offended too many people, after all."


    Suddenly, Anna opened her eyes as though she had recalled something important. Her face lit up with mischief. "Hubby, I have some big news for you. Brace yourself, and don''t stagger."


    "Hmm? What is it?" Charles'' curiosity was piqued.


    "Do you remember that little cutie in the waters who threw eyeballs at you?"


    Charles'' eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know that?"


    He was perplexed. The incident happened at the Foundation''s main ind and in the depths of the dark waters. How could she possibly know about <i>that</i> creature he had encountered?


    Anna let out a chuckle as she tried to contain her amusement. "Oh my... I already feel likeughing just imagining your reaction. You''d better brace yourself. Actually, that creature is¡ª"


    <i>Knock! Knock! Knock! </i>


    Before Anna could continue, a series of loud knocks sounded.


    "Mr. Charles, are you in there? I can smell you at the door," Lily''s voice came from outside.


    Anna''s smile faded. She released Charles and walked toward the door.


    The door creaked open to reveal Lily, with her red fur, standing at the threshold.


    The moment Lily saw Anna, shock registered on her face.


    "Ah! You are that¡ª"


    Before Lily couldplete her sentence, Anna swiftly grabbed the little mouse and slowly moved her toward her mouth.


    As Lily inched closer to Anna''s lips, Anna''s mouth widened grotesquely to reveal her monstrous maw.


    "<i>AHHHHH!</i>" Lily screamed in terror as she struggled in Anna''s grasp. "Mr. Charles, help! Save me! She''s gonna eat me!"


    "Is it that fun to scare a kid?" Charles remarked.


    Anna shot a nce at Charles and blinked herrge eyes innocently. Then, with a toss of her hand, she threw Lily into her mouth.


    Charles let out a sigh as his brows furrowed.


    A teasing smile yed on Anna''s lips. She opened her mouth, and with a flick of her tongue, she sent Lily, sticky and wet with saliva, flying toward Charles.


    "<i>Ugh,</i> this mouse is always with you. I sometimes wonder if she''s your wife or I am," Annained.


    Frightened by Anna, Lily had her eyes closed and was letting out tiny shrieks. While Charles stroked Lily''s fur to try to soothe the terrified little mouse, he asked, "What did you say you wanted to tell me just now?"


    Anna let out a sigh as she looked at the mouse in Charles'' hand. "Nevermind. I''ll tell you next time when there''s time. It''s not urgent anyway. I''lle look for you after I''m done with my requests."


    With that, Anna headed back to the bed and got dressed. Before she left the cer, she looked back at Charles and said, "Oh, by the way, don''t make a fuss when you go back. Swann''s days are numbered; he won''t be around for long. There''s a line of people after his life. Just sit back and enjoy the show."

 Chapter 272. Repercussions

    <h4>Chapter 272. Repercussions</h4>


    By the time Charles brought Lily back onto the Narwhale, it was already three in the morning. The little mouse was fast asleep in his pocket.


    Seated alone in his cabin, sleep evaded him. Anna and Swann''s words echoed in his mind.


    <i>Was Swann saying the truth? That many people are going after his life? Will the strongest overlord in the Northern Seas even be dethroned that easily?</i>


    It seemed unfathomable to him that Swann, who still aspired to dominate the entire seascape, was already so close to his downfall.


    However, the politics in the seascape were changing so rapidly that Charles struggled to keep pace with the shifting tides. It seemed like many things had happened while he was sailing.


    He peered through the cabin window at the silent docks of the Albion Isles. Currently, the entire Hope Ind fleet had withdrawn from the port and was hovering at sea.


    Most of Lily''s mice had been sent out to various parts of the ind. They were ready to signal the moment Ronker on the other side of the isle disyed any signs of disturbance. Charles would then have ample time to respond appropriately.


    And Anna''s final words also gnawed at his heart. How did she know about the underwater creature he had encountered?


    As he sat alone in his cabin, he wrested with these thoughts until the docks buzzed with life again.


    With dark circles under his eyes, Charles gathered the fleet''smand and issued a new order as the governor of Hope Ind: the entire fleet was to be stationed near the Albion Isles, remain on high alert, and be ready for any change in situation.


    He made this decision partly for Anna''s sake. Despite her nonchnt attitude about how it was an easy task, Charles wanted to be prepared to assist her in case she ran into any trouble.


    And, of course, there was the matter of Swann. If his empire was on the verge of copse, Charles had no hesitation about giving the man a final push into the abyss.


    The memory of being tied up by Swann and held at gunpoint was not something Charles could easily forgive or forget.


    Perhaps the crew felt that leader''s mood shift, and their expressions grew somber. A subtle but palpable aura of readiness descended upon the Hope Ind fleet. All ammunition and weapons were on standby, ready to fire at any moment.


    However, the Albion Isles'' navy seemed oblivious to Charles'' overreactive stance. They seemed to have not noticed their actions and didn''t even bother to send even a single reconnaissance boat toward them.


    Soon enough, Charles received unexpected guests.


    Three ship designers appeared on his ship with rolls of blueprints in their hands and their faces etched with confusion.


    "Governor Charles, why do you keep your fleet adrift at sea instead of docking? Isn¡¯t that a waste of fuel?" one of them asked.


    Charles studied their faces carefully and recognized them to be the designers had met at the shipyard. He then discreetly reholstered his revolver.


    "What brings you here?" Charles inquired.


    The lead designer, a man with a rimless ss, seemed taken aback by the question. "Governor, didn''t you request a custom-built ship? We''ve managed to retrieve the relevant blueprints from our archives."


    Charles carefully scrutinized their faces before he asked, "Did your governor... give any specific instructions?"


    "What instructions? <i>Oh, </i>rest assured, Governor. Designing and building ships is our lifelong passion. Even without Governor Swann''smand, we will still uphold our professional integrity and dedicate ourselves to every projectmissioned to our shipyard," the lead designer reassured.


    Hearing his words, Charles was confused. He had no idea what Swann was trying to do here. Swann had captured him, had made an enemy out of him, and yet, he had allowed the shipyard to continue constructing his ship?


    Was that man suffering from some sort of split personality disorder?


    "Governor, here are the blueprints," the lead designer said as he handed over the papers in his hands. "Initially, I thought that there was no way to build the kind of ship that could travel underwater as per your description. But after searching through the archives, our records show that a simr, strange vessel was constructed thirty years ago."


    The aged blueprints were spread out before Charles to reveal cross-sections of submarines.


    Tracing his fingers across the yellowed paper, Charles grabbed his chin as he pondered. <i>I''m building a submarine to find 319 to retrieve that information in my brain. What was that mysterious individual from thirty years ago trying to search for in the depths of the sea?</i>


    Seeing Charles lost in thoughts and without making any remarks, the designers exchanged anxious nces. Eventually, the bespectacled designer broke the silence. "The design from thirty years ago is quite outdated. We can improvise on the foundation and create a new vessel with enhanced power and a more formidable weapons system."


    At this point, Charles already couldn''t be bothered to waste time on figuring out Swann''s intentions. The opportunity to get a submarine was right before him; he couldn''t pass up the chance.


    "How long will it take to construct a new one?" Charles asked.


    "We already have the blueprints. If it''s just a small ship, we have to make the parts first and then assemble them together; that will take about four months. Assembling a surface vessel is much faster, two months at most. "


    "What is the fastest time you can manage? The payment is not a problem," Charles remarked.


    "If we gather the hands of the other shipyards, we would be able to proceed much faster; it would still take at least six months, though, for a ship of your size. But that would mean shutting down production for all other ordersmissioned to the Albion Isles. That''s a move that the Navy will not approve, no matter how much money the order will bring in. The shipyards are already fully booked for the second half of the year."


    Charles pondered for a moment before he raised his head and instructed, "Commence work first. I''ll arrange the downpayment. Also, I''ll discuss with your governor on how many shipyards can be reassigned to help elerate the process."


    Charles watched as the three designers left the room, his metal fingers drumming rhythmically against the table top as he weighed his options. He turned to Lily, "Lily, any news from your friends?"


    "Nope. Nothing unusual on the ind. But they said the atmosphere feels odd," Lily replied.


    "Send out all the mice; I need eyes and ears all over the ind," Charles ordered,"


    "<i>Aye!</i>"


    Charles'' eyes narrowed into slits. It seemed like an entertaining show would soon be unveiled on the Albion Isles. Perhaps at that time, he could intervene and get what he wanted.


    <i>Half a year? I can''t wait for that long. If I y a part in this stage y, maybe I might be able to assist Anna as well. That''s killing two birds with one stone.</i>


    As time ticked by, the Albion Isles remained seemingly peaceful without any signs of anomalies. However, things that were meant to happen would certainly happen.


    Exactly half a month after Charles'' arrival on the ind, a thick plume of ck smoke began to rise ominously from the center of the ind.


    Before anyone could react, the column of smoke shrank and expanded and exploded into a dark orange mushroom cloud right in the central district.


    A deafening roar and powerful shockwaves ravaged the ind.


    The explosion was so loud that Charles could feel the thundering noise even from his ship. He watched the unfolding situation through his binocrs.


    He smiled lightly and muttered to himself, "The show is about to start..."


    Soon after the initial explosion, a cacophony of gunshots, cannons and chaos followed. The billowing ck smoke from the factories had ceased, but plumes were rising from the residential areas of the ind.

 Chapter 273. Vengeance

    <h4>Chapter 273. Vengeance</h4>


    In the shadowy, foul-smelling depths of the underground sewers, Margaret, huddled within the darkness, slowly opened her eyes.


    With a metallic click, her copper pocket watch was flipped open as she checked the time. The decisive showdown would be in six hours. Her resolve hardened with each passing second.


    Today was the day she would avenge her family.


    <i>Swann must die today!</i>


    "Gather everyone," Margaret ordered. "We''ll meet at the tform."


    A dark silhouette nodded faintly in her direction before rapidly vanishing into the darkness.


    Margaret moved silently through the sewer tunnels. Gradually, the number of people trailing behind her started to grow. They all donned the same outfit¡ªgray robes that blended seamlessly into the shadows.


    There were no words exchanged. The only noises were the constant flow of sewage and their footsteps sloshing through the murky water.


    Nestled in the corner, a mouse was nibbling on a lump of ck object in its paws as its tiny eye observed the moving group.


    The spacious underground sewage system branched in all directions. Margaret seemed to be familiar with itsbyrinthine paths as she led her group to weave through twists and turns with swift, sure steps.


    They turned from one tunnel into another, and at the end of this particr tunnel, a faint light was shining ahead of them.


    As soon as they emerged from the tunnel, they found themselves in an expansive space.


    Debris flowed with the ck sewage water and cascaded like a waterfall into a vast abyss beneath. This was thergest sewage outlet of the Albion Isles, and the ck hole led directly to the sea.


    However, above the gaping hole, a massive tform had been erected. Every now and then, figures would emerge from the tunnels and gather on the tform.


    There were both men and women in the crowd. Apart from the simr gray robes that they were d in, they shared another simrity with Margaret: the intense hatred burning in their eyes.


    With over a hundred supporters trailing behind her, Margaret silently took her ce in a corner of the tform. Her hands clenched and unclenched nervously as she waited in anxiety.


    When the tform was nearly filled to capacity, a resounding voice thundered through the crowd, "Brothers and sisters!"


    Margaret looked up to see a man with a white beard addressing the crowd with enthusiasm. He was dressed in a tattered, blue and white striped sailor''s uniform that hung loosely on his gaunt frame. Also, he had thergest group of followers behind him.


    "We''ve gathered for vengeance! Swann, the man who murdered our families, seized our inds, and destroyed everything we hold dear! He. Must. Pay. With. His. Life!" the white-beared man dered.


    His words weighed down heavily on everyone present, and their breathing grewbored.


    "Now! This day has finally arrived! To avenge our loved ones, we must cast aside all reservations! Our own lives mean nothing in the face of this revenge! Vengeance!" the white-beared man roared.


    His rallying cry was met with a chorus of determined shouts.


    "Vengeance!"


    "Vengeance!"


    "Vengeance!"


    Voicesced with killing intent echoed in the space, Margaret''s voice included.


    The white-beared man gestured his hand downward and silenced the crowd. His eyes scanned the sea of faces, and the moment he noticed Margaret, he paused for a brief moment.


    "Everyone should know your assigned task by now. Swann is currently in the Governor''s Mansion. We have only one chance. Failure is not an option! Be warned, if Swann survived this ordeal, none of us will live to see another day. Disperse!"


    At the man''s order, the crowd swiftly vanished into the myriad tunnels leading away from the tform. Everyone''s eyes were filled with unwavering resolve.


    As the crowd emptied, the tform was soon deserted.


    The white-bearded man stared at the openings of the dark tunnels for a brief moment before he rolled up his sleeve to expose a festering wound oozing yellow-green pus.


    "Sir Julio, they will take action today. However, Hope Ind''s fleet is nearby. I''m afraid there might beplications," the man said.


    The wound that was the size of a baby''s mouth pulsated grotesquely as it responded, "Charles? Don''t worry about him. He''s no friend of Swann and wouldn''t assist him. Wait! Someone''s watching in your nine o''clock!"


    The man whirled around to find a mouse looking at him from a distance, its eyes glinting within the darkness.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Instantaneously, the peeping mouse exploded into a grotesque disy of sttering blood and flesh.


    ***


    The central district of the Albion Isles was still bustling as usual, with well-dressed men and women strolling the streets.


    There were no beggars from the harbor area, and neither were there child workers from the factories. Here, even the police officers appeared posh and elegant; it seemed like a different world from the outskirts.


    Having changed into a flowing gown, Margaret navigated through the crowd.


    Her slender waist was further entuated by a corset made from the ribs of a pike and made her hourss figure even more strikingly prominent. The ghastly scar on her face had been erased by some mysterious method, and her peerless visage drew the gazes of men.


    Carrying a small purse, she epitomized the image of a nobledy.


    As she felt the familiar tightness around her waist, Margaret had to hold in her tears as she was painfully reminded of her mother, who hadmitted suicide.


    When she had been transitioning from a girl into a womanhood, she had often quarreled with her mother over wearing such constricting shapewear attire, but she had been forced into wearing one for every social event.


    But this time, no one was forcing her any longer; she had chosen to wear it.


    "Miss, you''re so pretty," a young boy withrge eyes eximed as he ran up to her and tugged at her sky-blue ruffled skirt.


    Margaret turned around to see a woman rushing over with a small dog in her arms.


    "I''m really sorry. My son''s too mischievous," the woman quickly apologized.


    Margaret shed a kind smile, "It''s okay. Your child is so adorable. Are you taking him out to y?"


    If one were to carefully observe Margaret''s eyes, one would realize that they were devoid of any warmth. Her beauty had not only captivated men but had also eased her way into women''s circles.


    "The governor''s three wives are co-hosting a tea ceremony. I had to go to such an important event. It was so hard for me to get an invitation. Are you heading there as well? You''re really beautiful," the woman said.


    "Yes. I''ve been looking forward to this tea ceremony for a long time," Margaret replied with a slight smile. It didn''t take long before the two women exchanged chats andughter as they made their way toward the Governor''s Mansion.


    As Margaret and her new acquaintance were getting close to the Governor''s Mansion, a truck loaded with cargo blocked their path. Recognizing the familiar faces from the tform inside the vehicle, Margaret tightened her grip on her elegant purse.


    "Large vehicles are prohibited from parking at the entrance of the Governor''s Mansion! Stop immediately!" a guard at the gate bellowed.


    However, the truck seemed to have been agitated by the guard''s words. The driver mmed his feet down on the elerator and charged straight toward the grand entrance of the mansion.


    Before the vehicle could cover more than a hundred meters, a bloody hole had appeared in the driver''s head.


    A towering guard was just about to rush toward the truck, but Margaret had already reached him from behind.


    Her pale, long leg moved with such speed that it left a trail of afterimages. She struck his chest with a devastating force that instantly copsed his ribcage.


    The guard fell to the ground, and his life swiftly ebbed from him.

 Chapter 274. Explosion

    <h4>Chapter 274. Explosion</h4>


    With no guards to halt the truck, it crashed directly into the Governor''s Mansion''s wall. Margaret''s move was a signal for the others to act.


    The leisurely strolling elderly and the polite gentlemen on the streets reacted to her call for action. Shedding their disguises, they charged toward the Governor''s Mansion.


    The guards inside the mansion were overwhelmed by the sudden chaos; they couldn''t block Margaret from getting near the truck.


    Seizing the chance, Margaret dashed toward the truck and pulled out a translucent sea fish that flickered with a faint red glow out of her purse.


    The moment the fish''s skin came into contact with her hand, it hissed sharply like meat being ced on a griddle. She ignored the pain and gripped the fish even harder as she raced toward the ming rear of the truck.


    With her other bare hand, she ripped a hole out of the truck''s metal side and tossed the fish inside.


    It only took a mere few seconds for ck fumes of smoke to seep out from the hole, and with every passing moment, the smog grew increasingly dense.


    The same scene was mirrored at various points around the Governor''s Mansion; the truck before Margaret hadn''t been the only one crashing into the ce.


    "Dammit! That truck is filled with Soul-burning Seawater! Don''t let it explode!" a guard''s shout pierced through the chaos.


    Both sides were engaged in a bloody battle at the gates; the stench of blood and gunpowder filled the air as the ground of the central district was rapidly stained a crimson red.


    Civilians caught in the chaos screamed and ran for their lives.


    With a dagger in her hand, Margaret stood rooted to her spot like a statue as she blocked anyone from getting close to the truck.


    As she witnessed the smoke thickened, a wild smile tinged with a hint of madness surfaced on her visage.


    She sliced down on an iing harpoon aimed at her with her de and turned toward the building embroiled in a mess.


    "Swann! You''ll meet your end today!"


    As minutes ticked by, the several strands of ck smoke merged into a massive column. Margaret knew it was her cue to leave, or she would die.


    She darted through the crowd and swiftly ran outside. Before she could take more than ten steps, a massive explosion from behind lifted her off her feet and sent her tumbling forward.


    In mid-air, she looked around and saw the surrounding buildings crumble around her.


    ***


    "Hard to the port thirty-five degrees! elerate to five knots! Get the turbines warmed up!"


    "Aye! Hard port thirty-five degrees! Proceed at five knots!" As the same order was passed through the various ships with different voices, the twenty steamships led by the three colossal battleships started orbiting the Albion Isles."


    "I''ll leave the fleet to yourmand," Charles said to Feuerbach as he began transforming into a bat. "I''m heading to the center to have a look. If chaos had erupted, lead the fleet to seize the major shipyards. If Swann had deployed Ronker, capture all the engineers and technical staff on board and head straight back to Hope Ind."


    By the time Charles finished giving his instructions, he had already transformed into his bat form.


    "Captain, have you really decided to join the fray? If you join in, it''ll be aplete fallout with Governor Swann," Feuerbach questioned with a hint of caution.


    A cold glint shed across Charles'' bat eyes. "If we don''t take this chance, are we supposed to live in harmony with him and be on his side instead?"


    With that, he spread his wings and soared toward the epicenter of the explosion.


    Peering down from the air, he observed that the Albion Isles had been thrown into turmoil as constant wailing noises echoed across the ind. The inders seemed clueless as they ran about in a panic.


    The heavy sulfur and acrid smoke pooling in the air overhead forced Charles to lower his altitude.


    Figures with steel prosthetics raced toward the heart of the ind. Their mechanical legs provided them tremendous leaping power where they could cover an ordinary person''s numerous steps with a single bounce.


    The whirring of helicopter propellers filled the air as dozens of them began to ascend.


    <i>Swann''s men are sure to react, </i>Charles thought to himself. However, despite their quick response, Charles felt that Swann''s chances of victory were slim.


    The enemy had likely chosen the main ind itself as the main battleground with the formidable power of Ronker in mind.


    Limiting the battle within the ind would severely limit the metal construct''s effectiveness unless Swann was willing to st the entire Albion Isles apart.


    Flying through the air, Charles soon arrived at the ind''s heart and was confronted with a shocking scene. The giant mushroom cloud he had seen earlier was dissipating, revealing the fact that most buildings in the central district had been demolished.


    The Governor''s Mansion that he had recently visited was no longer there. In its ce was a vast, circr pit that was the size of a football field.


    <i>How in the world did they achieve this? This is like a nuclear st. Wait! Where''s Anna?</i>


    Charles frantically searched for his wife among the ruins


    As the smoke cleared further, he spotted a golden orb in the middle of the giant crater. The orb then shattered and a figure darted out and headed straight toward the direction of Ronker.


    <i>Is that Swann? </i>Charles recognized the familiar face amidst the chaos.


    Gunfire sounds erupted as Swann''s portly figure nimbly leaped through the debris and dodged every bullet aimed at him.


    The machine gunner atop a distant rooftop was going to continue firing when a sudden spike flew out of nowhere and impaled his forehead.


    Just as Swann approached the edge of the colossal crater, a writhing tentacle shot out from the nearby rubble and tried to grab him.


    <i>Woosh!</i>


    A massive chainsaw hacked through it as blood and flesh sttered in a grotesque disy. The severed tentacle fell to the ground and squirmed as it died.


    "Governor, run!" A soldier with only one prosthetic arm left screamed hysterically as he struggled to crawl out of the ruins.


    Terror painted Swann''s countenance as he bolted away. He desperately wanted to reach the safety range of his troops.


    Spotting the unusual tentacle on the ground, Charles retracted his wings and rushed in the direction where the tentacle hade from.


    "Anna! Is that you?"


    Anna emerged with an irate look as she dusted off the dust on her. She began hitting Charles in frustration.


    "Why did youe looking for me? You should have immediately killed Swann. You were right beside him! <i>Argh.</i> You''re so annoying!"


    "Listen to me, the one in the Governor''s Mansion is a fake."


    Anna sighed in exasperation as she held a hand to her forehead. "That''s the real one. The <i>real </i>one! He had something to do and went home today. If he were fake, wouldn''t I know about it?"


    A sense of urgency rose in Charles. He grabbed Anna''s hand and sped off in the direction where Swann had fled.


    "Let''s go! Quick!"


    Their surroundings peeled away. As they moved further away from the st zone, the scenery slowly improved. Landing on a chimney, Charles and Anna spotted two groups engaged in a fierce battle in a nearby alley.


    One was the Albion Isles'' guards protecting Swann; the other was a group of individuals cloaked in gray robes.


    Charles was about to join in the fight when Anna held him back.


    "They''ve caught up to him; we can just watch. If they can''t kill him, then we can intervene and deliver the final blow."


    A gray-robed figure lifted manhole covers, and more of them emerged from the sewer system below. They seemed to be an inexhaustible force.


    Charles watched on as the gray-robe figures brandished relics of various appearances and engaged with the guards. Their faces were painted with firm resoluteness, and they showed no fear of death.


    Under the overwhelming onught of the gray-robed figures, the guards of the Albion Isles were forced into a retreat as they suffered many casualties.


    "I told you earlier. Swann has offended too many people, and many are out for his life. See, all of these people are after him."


    Charles cast a nce at the distant battle before turning toward Anna and started patting her up and down.


    "The explosion earlier was so intense. Are you injured anywhere?"


    "Don''t touch my leg. What can possibly happen to me? The moment I heard themotion outside the mansion, I ran as far away as I could."


    Anna suddenly reached into her mouth and pulled out a red cylindrical object¡ªit was a firework.


    <i>Woosh! Bang!</i>


    A bright firework exploded in the sky.


    Seeing Charles'' puzzled expression, a corner of Anna''s lips lifted into a smug smirk


    "I''m sending the signal to my fleet. The Albion Isles is about to have a new ruler. Do you want to upy this ce? What do you say? I can share half of it with you."

 Chapter 275. Breach

    <h4>Chapter 275. Breach</h4>


    "The Albion Isles is about to have a new ruler. Don''t you want to try to upy this ce? What do you say? I can share half of it with you."


    Hearing Anna''s words, Charles nced at her and asked, "How many ships did you bring?"


    "Thirty-two, all warships, including fourrge ones," Anna replied.


    "I have about twenty. But even if we kill Swann, there''s no guarantee that others won''t activate Ronker. Once that thing is triggered, our ships won''t stand a chance. You don''t really think our fleet can outmatch Julio''s Invincible Fleet, do you?"


    Anna let out a light chuckle before her gaze turned to the distant sea.


    "Don''t worry," Anna reassured. "I''ve gathered every single possibly useful information beforehand. Being the paranoid man that Swann is, he''s the only one who can operate Ronker. Without him, that giant thing is just a pile of scrap metal. As for the Albion Isles Navy, I''ve sent a little sweetheart to y with them."


    The moment her words fell, a violent explosion roared from the direction of the docks as a burst of mes lit up the sky.


    "A little sweetheart?" Charles asked with apparent confusion. Anna merely returned a smile and offered no answer.


    Just then, several helicopters flew over the battlefield. Their machine guns moved into position and were ready to strafe when several webs shot at them from below. Their propellers were ensnared by the webs, and they crashed into civilian houses, eliciting fiery explosions.


    The gray-robed figures seemed to have rehearsed their n countless times; they were well-equipped to counter the various military arsenal of the Albion Isles.


    Witnessing the scene before him, Charles drew his revolver from the holster at his waist.


    "There''s no time to waste," he said, "We take down Swann first, and then we can try to take over after he''s dead."


    Although Charles wasn''t particrly interested in territorial conquest, he wouldn''t turn down an opportunity that had been handed over to him on a silver tter.


    He then jumped off the chimney and rushed toward the raging battlefield.


    "Let''s make things clear first. I don''t care about the ind, but Ronker is mine. I really like that big toy," Anna called out as she chased after him.


    At this moment, the war had already reached its climax. Though the battle was carried out on the streets, the brutality was a hundred times worse than any ordinary naval battle.


    Amidst the gunfire, the ground was littered with bodies of both the gray-robed figures and the Albion Isles guards; the corpses of the victims covered almost the entire area.


    Charles poked his head out around a corner to survey the scene ahead.


    The building seemed to be a bank, but it was riddled with bullet holes. Several squads of guards desperately defended the building that had be a makeshift fortress, heavily suggesting that Swann was hiding within it.


    A grenade emitting ck smoke was hurled toward the bank in an attempt to breach it. However, it detonated prematurely.


    The guards having most of their body reced with prosthetics were formidable and hard to deal with.


    After carefully assessing the situation, Charles spoke without turning back, "One minuteter, draw their fire from the front, and I''ll infiltrate from the side."


    "Okay!" an unfamiliar female voice sounded out from beside them.


    Anna and Charles turned their heads simultaneously to see a woman dressed in disheveled robes. She seemed to have been caught in an explosion, and her entire self was charred beyond recognition.


    "Who are you?" Charles asked.


    "Someone aiming to kill Swann just like you!" the woman replied as her gaze swept across Anna and Charles'' faces.


    Anna shrugged in nonchnce at the woman''s abrupt appearance. Charles lifted his pocket watch, and it sprang open with a metallic click. He took a brief nce as his body slowly turned invisible before them.


    59... 58... 57... The group silently counted down in the shadows.


    Suddenly, Anna''s tongue flickered like a snake''s across the woman''s face and licked off the soot to reveal fair skin underneath.


    "Margaret, long time no see."


    Margaret ceased her silent countdown and looked up to meet Anna''s eyes, her expression devoid of emotion.


    "Why? Don''t you recognize me anymore? I''m your Sister Anna. I even helped deliver letters for you to Charles," Anna said with a trace of apparent mockerycing her voice.


    "Our main goal now is to kill Swann. Please focus on that," Margaret remarked in an icy tone.


    "<i>Oh?</i>" Anna regarded the young woman before her with surprise. "My my. Have you given up on my husband this quickly? Actually, if you asked nicely, I might lend him to you for a few days."


    Margaret''s scarred face twisted slightly in disgust. "Wretched monster! You disgusting, repulsive human-eating beast! I''d love to chop off your head if it weren''t for the more important matter at hand!"


    "Oh really? Well, I have some happy news to share with you. This monster here gave birth to a daughter with Charles," Anna replied with a slight tilt of her head and a smug smirk on her visage.


    Suddenly, a shudder coursed through Margaret''s body as transparent ripples appeared in the air before her.


    "Are you... trying to control my mind?" Margaret used as she drew her dagger and lunged at Anna.


    At the same time, Anna fell backward. The moment before she hit the ground, she flipped upside down. With her limbs grotesquely contorted, she scuttled like a spider toward the front lines of the firefight.


    "Time''s up, let''s go!"


    Bullets whizzed through the air and struck Anna, leaving dark bloody wounds in her body. Her twisted body swelled, and she transformed into a nightmarish tentacle monster. The sudden appearance of a grotesque creature sent shivers down everyone''s spine.


    With Anna charging ahead, the gray-robed figures in the area spotted their golden opportunity. They emerged and followed her in a mad dash toward the bank''s main entrance.


    Pandemonium and chaos instantly descended upon the battlefield.


    Rewinding to thirty seconds ago, Charles had turned invisible and was scaling a wall toward a window. As he neared the window, he overheard Swann''s anxious voice from within.


    "You can''t do this! We had an agreement! Come and save me! I''m about to die!


    "You can have everything: Ronker, my ind, and everything of mine! I just want to live!"


    Charles waited as he did a silent countdown. Once the countdown reached zero, he lunged forward and smashed through the window.


    Before he evennded on the ground, he lifted his right hand and shot out a grappling hook toward Swann.


    <i>ng!</i>


    A metallic sound rang out as the hook was deflected by a metallic hand. Immediately afterward, bullets started flying toward Charles. He twisted and dodged as he narrowed the distance between himself and Swann.


    The steel guards rushed forward in an attempt to intercept Charles, but an intense gunfight erupted at the main entrance. The steel guards were confused by the sudden deluge of bullets.


    Seizing this chance, Charles brought his chainsaw down and sliced through the neck of a steel guard. While the steel guards were panicking, he advanced relentlessly toward Swann.


    Under both frontal and rear assaults, the situation escted quickly. With a thunderous st, the rear wall of the bank crumbled open.


    Amidst the cloud of dust, Charles spotted seven or eight tentacles snaking in¡ªthey all belonged to Anna.


    With Anna and the gray-robed figures breaching the defenses of the makeshift fortress, even the prosthetics-enhanced guards faltered under the relentless assault.


    <i>Whirrrrrrl!</i>


    The rotating chainsaw sliced through a guard''s skull. Finally, Charles stood before Swann; thetter no longer had even a single guard left.


    "Bastard! You''ll regret this! I''m telling you! You''ll definitely regret this! Swann shouted; his voice wasced with a mix of anger and fear.

 Chapter 276. Half

    <h4>Chapter 276. Half</h4>


    The situation was too dangerous for Charles to exchange words with Swann. He rushed decisively at thetter. In a state of extreme fear, Swann hurriedly took off a ring on his hand and flung it to the ground. A crisp noise echoed as ck smoke instantly pervaded the air.


    Charles easily found his way out of the smoke, and his eyes darted around, looking for his target. He found Swann climbing up the window he had shattered earlier toe in. Swann leaped into the air and straight out of the window.


    However, Charles was in no hurry. Swann''s actions were useless. The gray-robed figures had already cordoned off the area, which meant that there was no way he could escape.


    Charles gave chase and jumped out of the window. As expected, he saw a panic-stricken Swann being cornered by the gray-robed figures and being forced to retreat. The bloody chainsaw in his hand rotated with a shrill noise, sttering blood haphazardly into the air and onto the ground.


    Charles stomped forward and rushed straight for Swann. The rotating chainsaw made a beeline for Swann''s plump face, but a figure suddenly emerged from the nearby rubble and ran in front of Swann.


    The chainsaw ground to a halt. Charles hesitated the moment he identified the figure. She was none other than the bespectacled young woman whom he had exchanged a few words with in that restaurant.


    "Governor! Hurry up and go!" the bespectacled young woman screamed. She was trembling all over in fear, but her demeanor radiated an exceptionally firm determination as she stood in front of Swann.


    Unfortunately, Swann had nowhere to go, and a tentacle took advantage of the brief lull to pierce Swann''s calf and nailed him to the ground.


    Seeing that Charles made no attempt to attack, the bespectacled young woman turned and grabbed Anna''s tentacle. She yanked on it hard in an effort to free Swann.


    Meanwhile, the gray-robed figures moved to surround them. Every single gray-robed figure stared fiercely at Swann, looking as though they wanted to devour him alive.


    Swann had already lost all of his guards and escape routes; he was doomed.


    Anna nced at the bespectacled young woman. She then folded her arms and walked up to Charles.


    "What''s wrong? Do you know her? Did this fatso steal one of your harem members?" Anna asked.


    Charles cast aplicated gaze at the bespectacled young woman, but he didn''t say anything in the end. The hopeful glow on the bespectacled young woman''s visage had vanished and had been reced by anxiety and worry.


    Even now, the bespectacled young woman was still pulling on Anna''s tentacle to free Swann to no avail. Eventually, she stopped yanking and shot a fierce re at Charles.


    "Why are you doing this?! Why are you attacking the Governor, you viin?!" she screamed.


    "Viin? Me?" Charles let out a self-deprecatingugh. It had been a long time since he heard someone call him a viin. Charles decided not to respond to the bespectacled young woman.


    Charles raised his chainsaw up high to deal the final blow to Swann, but a gray-robed figure couldn''t hold themselves back any longer and rushed out with a hatred-filled shriek. Margaret''s figure turned blurry, and she appeared before Swann in the proverbial blink of an eye with a dagger in hand.


    She was here to avenge her family!


    Shockingly, however, the dagger in her hand gradually came to a halt as it neared Swann. In the end, it came to aplete stop, and no matter how much strength she put into her arms; the dagger wouldn''t budge.


    "Hmm?" Charles fired three shots at Swann; all three white bone bullets spun wildly in the air, but they couldn''t reach Swann.


    "Everyone, hear me out!" A sonorous elderly voice echoed in everyone''s ears.


    Everyone looked up and found the white-robed Pope descending from the sky.


    The Pope eventuallynded between the two groups.


    Charles nced at Anna and saw that her expression had gone solemn.


    However, it wasn''t just Anna. Everyone present knew of the Pope''s status, and he was the only one capable of saving Swann. Knowing how formidable the man before them was, some of them hesitated, but quite a few revealed crazed expressions. Clearly, they didn''t want to give up.


    Meanwhile, Swann''s panic had turned into delight. He shoved the bespectacled young woman aside and crawled up to the Pope. His voice trembled as he spoke, "S-s-save me! I''ll do anything! I''ll do anything you want, just save me..."


    The Pope nced coldly at Swann before waving his sleeve, sending Swann tumbling to the ground.


    The bespectacled young woman ran over to help him with great difficulty.


    "Everyone," the Pope said softly, but his voice echoed loudly and vividly in everyone''s ears. "The Light God has bestowed upon me a revtion today. He has divulged that Governor Swann''s heart has been tainted ck by the evil in the deep sea. I have speciallye here to cleanse Swann''s soul."


    "What?" Charles cast an incredulous gaze at the Pope. The gray-robed figures and everyone else were confused as well.


    "I''m sure some of you thought that I''m here to help him, but no! Evil is evil. He has coborated extensively with the Divine Light Order, but the Light God''s followers do not tolerate darkness once discovered!"


    The Pope waved his sleeve, and a thin line of blood appeared on the chests of Swann and the bespectacled young woman.


    The bespectacled young woman''s expression turned to that of despair, and the sight almost made Charles lift his right hand to shoot his gun.


    <i>St!</i>


    A grotesque noise echoed. Swann and the bespectacled young woman copsed to the ground in a spray of blood. The Pope had split them into two, and theyy lifeless, drenched in their own blood.


    The Pope turned to the others and started speaking, but Charles couldn''t hear him at all. His eyes were unwittingly transfixed on the bespectacled young woman. Her hopeful demeanor and radiant smile in that restaurant shed through his mind.


    They were strangers who had met each other by pure coincidence; they couldn''t even be considered friends. Despite that, however, the bespectacled young woman''s death left an extremely bitter taste in Charles'' mouth¡ªfar more bitter than the myriad of deaths he had witnessed so far.


    Was he angry? Not exactly; it was more like he found it a pity.


    "<i>Pfft! Buhahaha!</i>" A peal of maniacalughter echoed from out of nowhere. It hade from Swann, prompting everyone to turn to look at him. The Pope had split Swann into two, but his upper half seemed to be alive and was cackling.


    "I knew it! Hahaha! I knew that you wouldn''t let me go!" Swann roared in a voice tinged with madness.


    "Gao Zhiming! Look at his wound!" Anna called out.


    Charles turned and saw that even though half of Swann''s body was made out of flesh and blood, the other half seemed to have been made out of intricate metal gears!


    The Pope was astonished. He waved his hand to lift Swann off of the ground and levitated his upper half in front of him before shouting, "Where is your other half?!"


    "<i>Ptooey!</i>" Swann spat a glob of bloody phlegm at the Pope''s face. The crazed Swann stared into the Pope''s eyes and roared, "Do you really think that you can just throw me away once I''ve outlived my usefulness? Dream on!


    "Each and every one of you here wants me dead, right? Then, let''s die! Today, you''re all going to die!"


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    The ground started rumbling with a rhythm.


    Charles turned to look at the western side of the ind. The imposing Ronker was marching slowly toward them.


    "Did you really think that you can control me, old man? I''m the Governor of the Albion Isles. I used half of me as bait to get you here, and here you are!" Swann''s voice red loudly from Ronker''s speakers.


    Swann''s other half, which had beenbined with intricate metallic gears to form aplete body, could be seen roaring into the brass horn inside Ronka''s control room. The metal half of him was fully exposed without any human disguise.

 Chapter 277. The Chosen One

    <h4>Chapter 277. The Chosen One</h4>


    The enormous Ronker towered like a mountain peak with its twelve massive pir-like legs. It loomed over the entire Albion Isles. Every single individual on the ind looked up at Ronker with their hearts gripped with dread.


    They had zero idea as to what the Governor was up to.


    Laesto had just stumbled out of the bar; Ronker''s shadow loomed over him, prompting him to look up and curse, "What the hell is going on?! I don''t know what''s happening, but that rascal Charles must be involved in this somehow. Damn it! Is he not even going to let me die in peace?!"


    He stopped a car and asked the driver to drive toward the docks.


    Everyone felt a shiver down their spines as Ronker''s mechanical gears shifted and generated a distinct, low rumbling. Even Charles was filled with dread, and he truly didn''t expect that this was all a trap.


    A trap Swann had made himself to lure all of his enemies out of hiding for the sake of eliminating them all at once. Swann had even used half of his body as bait to ensure that the trap would seed.


    Clearly, every single governor was far more cunning than any other individual out there. It made sense, as those capable of bing Governors certainly had a few tricks up their sleeves, no matter how arrogant or pathetic they seemed.


    <i>St!</i>


    The Pope crushed the Swann in front of him into a pancake. The old man frowned and looked up at the gigantic metal construct.


    Ronker''s underside was shining, and the light grew stronger and stronger as the seconds ticked by. Charles saw that, and he grabbed Anna''s hand before turning around to run away in the opposite direction.


    "Run!" Charles roared. His heart beat wildly against his chest. His years of experience had allowed him to cultivate a sixth sense that was roaring at him at the moment to run as quickly as possible.


    It wasn''t just Charles who had noticed the light. The gray-robed figures and Margaret ran frantically toward the nearest manhole as well.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A pir of light struck the ground, illuminating the entire ind. Charles heard a sizzling noise from his skin as the scorching temperature of theser scalded him in the blink of an eye.


    Just then, Anna''s graceful figure swelled, and she transformed into her nightmarish true figure. Her tentacles grabbed Charles and flung him away.


    "Anna!" Charles'' piercing roar echoed through the air, but it was quickly drowned out by the white light that soon engulfed anything nearby.


    The pir of light carved massive valleys filled withva, and theva demolished everything in its way; regardless of whether they were buildings or corpses, everything became one with theva.


    When the pir of white light had vanished, Charles staggered. His gaze was filled with fear as he dashed toward the bubbling river ofva in front of him. Anna was still alive, but she was in bad condition. Half of her body had disintegrated beneath the ruthless beam of light, and she only had eight remaining tentacles.


    "Don''t die! You can''t die! Promise me that you won''t die!" Charles shouted while frantically shoving Anna''s chartreuse-colored organs that had spilled onto the ground.


    "I''m fine. I told you, didn''t I? I have a speedy recovery rate," Anna said. Her head shrank back behind her tentacles and into her body.


    Charles felt relieved at the sight.


    "Hold tight. I''ll take you to Doctor; he''s going to patch you up," Charles said before transforming into his terrifying bat form. He grabbed Anna and rushed toward the bleak-looking clouds above the Albion Isles.


    Anna''s tentacles stroked Charles'' anxious bat visage, and a hint of tenderness appeared in her yellow cross-shaped pupils.


    Just then, a burst of radiant light erupted. The light didn''te from Ronker but hade from the Pope. The Pope''s eyes were emitting a radiant golden light, and he flew toward Ronker like a meteor.


    The next moment, however, Ronker''s beam of mass destruction engulfed the Pope.


    <i>Is he dead? </i>Charles couldn''t quite believe it, and he unknowingly came to a halt.


    It wouldn''t be strange if the Pope had perished upon getting hit by the beam of light. It was aser powerful enough to split ships in half, and the Pope had taken a direct hit from such a powerfulser.


    The beam of light slowly dissipated, and everyone was stupefied to find that the Pope was unscathed. His robe and clothes billowed strongly amidst the breeze, and he sustained not even the slightest damage.


    "I have bestowed upon you what you possess, so do you really think that you can use that against me? It seems that evil has already taken root in your heart, you evil sinner!


    "Come with me and face judgment at the Divine Light Grand Cathedral!" The Pope shouted. His voice echoed so loudly that even the distant Charles could hear him clearly.


    Charles nced at the bubblingva that was gradually solidifying beneath him, and his heart was gripped by utter stupefaction. <i>It was such a powerful attack, but he actually managed to take it unscathed? Is this old man even human?</i>


    Swann offered no response to the Pope, but the converging white light from Ronker''s underside was enough of an answer. Clearly, Swann had no intention of surrendering.


    In response, the Pope rushed toward Ronker once more while he was enveloped by the same radiant light as earlier.


    Ronker lifted its massive pirs for legs and started to retreat in an effort to avoid the Pope. Theser weapons shed incessantly along with its turrets. The helicopters on top of Ronker also began moving.


    Bullets,sers, and cannonballs all made a beeline for the Pope, but they werepletely ineffective. The intense golden light around the Pope made everyone feel as though the Light God had descended upon him.


    Fortunately, it seemed that the Pope still had a weakness. He was too slow, and Swann''s Ronker seemed to be ying with him using every single bullet and weapon in his arsenal.


    The attacks had no effect on the Pope, but they all had a profound effect on the Albion Isles.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A deafening noise echoed as one of Ronker''s legs stomped on a school building and smashed it into smithereens before the students inside could even attempt to escape.


    No one was foolish enough to even attempt to stop Swann. Lasers shed endlessly, carving valleys filled withva on the streets of the Albion Isles.


    The prosperous and populous Albion Isles was like a city made out of toys at the mercy of a naughty child. The child in question arbitrarily plucked parts out of the city and tore it apart for fun, eliciting terrified screams from its denizens.


    Charles looked around but couldn''t find anything else aside from pandemonium.


    "Charles. Go and hop onto Ronker. Swann must die today. Otherwise, we''ll have to deal with a massive headache in the future," Anna said, pushing his hand away with her tentacles.


    "But you''re injured..."


    "Don''t worry. I already told you, didn''t I? Anyway, hurry up! There''s no need for us to copy what Julio had done. We just need to let the Pope catch up to that metal construct," Anna said; her tentacles pushed Charles, urging him to move.


    Charles turned to the retreating Ronker in the distance. In the end, he spread his wings and flew toward Ronker.


    Fortunately, Swann''s gaze was fixed on the Pope. He seemed intent on avoiding the Pope at all costs, so he didn''t notice the fast-approaching Charles.


    It didn''t take Charles long to reach the giant metal construct; he took advantage of the momentary lull of its movement andnded on it. Gunshots echoed before he could evennd, and bullets tore through his wings.

 Chapter 278. Invasion

    <h4>Chapter 278. Invasion</h4>


    A few withered ck tentacles shot out from behind Charles and pierced the chest of a machine gunner. The tentacles wrapped around the corpse and dragged it behind Charles. A grotesque chewing noise echoed afterward as Anna consumed the corpse to recover.


    Anna was in her true form as a member of the Diois Tribe. Her tentacles wrapped around Charles'' waist as she stuck to his back like a barnacle.


    Charles swooped down to snatch a rifleman. The soldier died instantly as Charles allowed his vampiric thirst to take over him. Just as the soldier ran out of blood, another soldier on the brink of death was handed over to Charles by Anna''s tentacles.


    Charles opened his monstrous maw. He bit the soldier and carried him in his mouth as he rushed toward the nearby troops.


    The soldiers stationed on top of Ronker fought back. Anna''s tentacles writhed, and a soldier holding a grenade stuffed the same grenade into his mouth before running toward his horrifiedrades.


    It seemed that almost all forces were told to attack the Pope, which meant the Ronker itself was rtively defenseless. Charles and Anna easily ughtered the troops on top of Ronker, but Ronker''s weak defense didn''t mean it was easy to conquer.


    Ronker''s massive and expansive frame posed a significant obstacle to both Charles and Anna; they couldn''t locate Swann at all.


    Charles pondered briefly before tapping on one of Anna''s tentacles. The tentacle monster loosened her grip on Charles. Having been released, Charles flew quite a bit of distance away from Anna before opening his maw to let out a piercing shriek at the metal floor.


    The metal floor in a thirty-meter radius around Charles started to crumble, exposing the partitions down below. Charles folded his wings and took a stance to jump into the depths of Ronker.


    "Watch out, Charles!" Anna''s piercing cry stopped him in his tracks.


    <i>Shwik!</i>


    A sh of cold light reflected in Charles'' pupils. A soldier had thrust his sword toward Charles at an unbelievable speed. It was so fast that Charles couldn''t dodge it in time, but the swordsman''s arm suddenly twisted at a weird angle.


    It seemed that 372 had decided to lend him a hand. 372 had to have climbed onto the swordsman''s arm at some point, and it gave Charles the chance to avoid the sword thrust.


    Charles seized the opportunity and spread his wings to widen the distance between him and the swordsman. Charles took a moment to observe the swordsman¡ªfrom the man''s mask designed with intricate gears to the tubes sticking out of his back¡ªCharles had no doubt that he was one of Swann''s men.


    However, it was rather bizarre to see an Albion Isles denizen use cold weapons rather than hot weapons.


    Just then, Charles saw that 372 had crawled up to the man''s neck. The swordsman seemed to have finally realized what was going on. He tossed his sword to his left hand and lifted it before thrusting it into his own neck.


    He twisted it horizontally to peel the flesh away along with 372.


    The man''s flesh had yet to hit the ground, but he had already vanished and ran like a gust of wind toward Anna.


    Charles had no intention of letting him hurt Anna. He swiftly turned into his human form and fired six shots at the swordsman, but the swordsman shed out with his broadsword and deflected all six bullets at the same time.


    Unfortunately for him, the brief interruption was enough for Anna to make her move. The swordsman sensed danger behind him, and he instinctively shed out with his sword.


    <i>Chomp!</i>


    A dull noise echoed as the swordsman and his broadsword were engulfed by Anna''s hideous-looking round maw. The swordsman struggled, swinging his broadsword around, but Anna remained unperturbed and continued chewing.


    Meanwhile, Charles took advantage of the respite to catch his breath. However, the respite was brief as he heard numerous footsteps behind him. He turned and saw men wearing the same mask as the swordsman walking out of a hatch.


    There seemed to be an infinite number of them.


    The swordsman just now had been considerably skillful, so Charles didn''t dare to let his guard down. He transformed back into a bat and grabbed Anna with his ws before taking off to the skies.


    "This is bad. There are too many of them. I don''t think we can do this head-on," Charles said.


    Instead of responding, Anna reverted to her human form and kissed Charles'' terrifying maw.


    A viscous liquid spilled into Charles'' mouth, and the liquid made him instinctively gulp. It was human blood, and the wounds he had sustained healed at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Charles continued to drink the blood that Anna had regurgitated while circling the speedy Ronker from above. His eyes were narrowed into slits as he examined the Ronker for any vulnerabilities he could exploit.


    His eyes suddenly lit up, and he charged toward one of the massive pirs supporting Ronker.


    "Anna, they''reing! Stop them while I knock this thing down!" Charles shouted.


    Anna nodded. She slid off Charles and clung to the bronze-colored pir covered in bolts and screws. Soon, a grating noise echoed as the enormous supporting pirs began to crumble beneath Charles'' assault.


    Charles was surprised to find that the supporting pir wasn''t filled with something solid. Rather, it was filled with a hot mixture of steam and gray fluid that seemed to be serving as hydraulic fuel.


    The mixture spurted haphazardly into the air, and the fast-moving Ronker slowly began to buckle. The airspace above Ronker was suddenly filled with the distinct sound of aircraft propellers, but the noise was quickly reced by shrieks and explosions. Anna had annihted the helicopters in mid-air.


    It seemed that it was more effective to attack the pirs rather than to pursue the elusive Swann. Ronker''s supporting pirs crumbled one by one, drastically slowing it down.


    Soon enough, the Pope finally found the golden opportunity to strike. He dove straight into the metal construct; the sturdy steel in his way seemed like pieces of paper to him rather than steel.


    Pipes, gears, pistons¡ªevery obstacle in his way conceded before him.


    Charles spread his wings and brought Anna to the hole that the Pope had torn open.


    "You did great, my child. If it weren''t for you, this fellow would have escaped," the Pope said as he sliced a masked man in half using an unknown power.


    Bullets, cannonballs, and even the unidentified relics inside Ronker couldn''t hinder the Pope.


    Recalling Tobba''s warning, Charles asked, "You''re hiding a lot from me, right?"


    "My child, are you suspicious of me? I''m afraid it''s a bit toote for that."


    "Betterte than never," Charles replied.


    "Your intuition is wrong. We''re not the same as these riffraffs. We''re the chosen ones, while they''re nothing but vulgarmoners," the Pope said. He raised his hand gently, and the half-meter-thick steel doors split open to reveal Swann seated in front of multiple monochrome monitors.


    The Pope lifted his hand once more, and Swann''s chair spun, revealing his half-metal and half-flesh figure to both Charles and the Pope. Madness suffused Swann''s eyes as he red at the Pope and Charles.


    "You think you''ve won, don''t you? Do you really think that you''re so clever by plotting this kind of scheme?" Swann smiled coldly, and the madness in his eyes intensified.


    "If you''ve got any tricks left, show them to me now. All mortal tricks and schemes are meaningless before the Light God. You will simply be wasting your time; your efforts are in vain," the Pope said with an amiable expression.


    "Is that so? Then, what if it''s the efforts of another fellow Divinity?"

 Chapter 279. A Divinity

    <h4>Chapter 279. A Divinity</h4>


    "Is that so? Then, what if it''s another fellow Divinity?"


    A trace of unease rose in Charles'' heart. <i>Divinity? I thought Swann believed in science, considering his ind''s development. Does he also believe in those bizarre Divinities like those cultists?</i>


    "Yes, I admit that your god has given you great power. I''ve thought hard and long about it, but you''re just too strong for me to beat. You''re incredibly strong, but..."


    Swann somersaulted onto the console and pressed a button. The monochrome monitors flickered to life, showing the marred streets of the Albion Isles.


    Ronker''ssers had carved massive valleys filled withva, and theva had already cooled down and turned ck, which made it stick out like a sore thumb.


    The carved-out lines were a variety of short and long lines scattered throughout the ind. Staring at it from afar, it resembled a creepy-looking array.


    "I said that all of you are going to die today, and I''m going to keep my word! None of you will escape! Hahaha!" Swann erupted into uproariousughter.


    The Pope frowned slightly in displeasure, and the steam pipe next to Swann burst open. Spraying scalding hot white mist, it flew and impaled Swann''s chest. The brass pipe was stained crimson, but the blood dripped to the floor and created a pool beneath Swann.


    Swann seemed unperturbed despite the injury. He stared mockingly at the Pope as he roared, "Since I can''t beat you myself, I decided to ask for help, and I don''t mind gambling my everything on it!"


    "What are those?" The unease in Charles'' heart intensified as he stared at the scorched marks on the streets of the Albion Isles.


    For the first time ever, Anna''s expression changed into that of extreme panic. "Leave! We have to leave now! He has decided to use everyone on the ind as a sacrifice!"


    Anna''s words had yet to finish echoing when Swann lowered his head and started chanting. His words weren''t spoken loudly, but they seemed to resonate with the surrounding metal, eliciting a ringing noise in everyone''s ears.


    "All praise to the Great One! Please have mercy for the immaturity of our souls, the weakness of our flesh, and our ignorance of the truth!"


    <i>St!</i>


    A gear popped out of Swann''s half-metallic side. A thick, white, rubbery tendril uncoiled, and a moist, grey eyeball emerged from the opening. As Swann''s voice grew louder, all kinds of strange flesh and bodily fluids seeped out of his limbs along with his blood. Both flesh and metal interweaved to form something bizarre that Charles couldn''t quite describe.


    Charles grabbed Anna and ran as far away as he could as swiftly as possible.


    Swann''s chanting continued. His voice echoed loudly from Ronker''s speakers.


    "Forgive our transgressions and shorings; forgive us¡ªmembers of a rebellious and sinful generation and use your nafh to cleanse us and our dwelling so that we may be cleansed as we worship gof...nn...!"


    Swann''s words had be iprehensible as he uttered sybles that humans would find difficult to utter. However, he kept going, and his vocal cords seemed like they were being distorted to allow him to continue the incantation.


    Charles finally saw light up ahead, and he didn''t hesitate to rush toward it until he finally exited Ronker.


    To his astonishment, however, the inscrutable incantation remained at the same volume. In fact, it seemed to have pervaded the entirety of the Albion Isles as every device capable of making noise¡ªgramophone, radio, tape yer¡ªemitted Swann''s frenzied murmurs.


    Charles grabbed Anna in his bat form and rushed toward the docks. He ran with all his might, wanting to flee the ind that had begun to emit an ominous aura. In the corners of his eyes, he saw slender hair-like palms sticking out of the carved-out lines on the streets.


    Swann''s chanting continued. "So that we may Ulnagr... praise and worship Your throne of grace lthkh...ngha. We beseech your eptance and favor. Vuggln! shaggornyth...lloigor!"


    Swann''s chanting had finally be iprehensible to humans. Charles felt a shiver down his spine, and he felt as though the seal on certain memories in the deepest recesses of his mind was beginning to crumble. "Dishtu nilgh...ritell...bsna kn..." Iprehensible murmurs pierced Charles'' ears, but the voice no longer belonged to Swann. It was the voice of that Divinity in the deep sea. He had arrived!


    "Close your eyes!" Charles shouted before using his echolocation to navigate.


    <i>Ssh!</i>


    A loud sshing noise entered Charles'' ears as something enormous emerged from the water. He also heard deep pulsed noises reminiscent of whales, and the noise ovepped with the murmurs, bringing about a wave of vertigo to Charles.


    The sound waves he had sent out had struck something and had bounced back to him, but there was something amiss. Every time they were bounced back, the interval would get shorter and shorter, but the frequency remained high.


    It felt like a massive object capable of sustaining high-frequency vibrations was on Charles'' left.


    <i>There''s something wrong! There''s something enormous behind the Divinity! And that shape... It''s a tsunami, and its waves are taller than Ronker! Oh no, we''re going to crash!</i>


    <i>St!</i>


    Charles plowed straight into the water, and his world spun violently. Charles couldn''t do anything; he was at the mercy of the waves.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    A dull thud echoed as something struck him. It was followed by an audible crunch and a wave of sharp pain that emanated from his left shoulder de. His left shoulder de had shattered from the collision just now.


    Charles tumbled violently amidst the waves, but he forcefully twisted and somehow managed to hold tight to Anna, whom he hurriedly embraced tightly in his arms. Regardless of how many times he got hit by objects in the sea, he refused to let go of Anna.


    An unknown amount of time passed, and Charles felt like every single bone in his body had shattered. His breathing began to go faint. Soon, he felt the slithery grip of something tentacle-like before he was rapidly pulled to the depths.


    <i>Was that Anna? No, Anna''s in my arms. </i>Charles'' thoughts ceased there as everything went ck.


    "Was I dreaming?" Charles looked around at the dazzling world before him and found that he was sitting on a bench just outside his neighborhood. It was daytime, but the stars were shining radiantly in the sky.


    Just then, Charles noticed something wrong with his vision. He could see his back, and he could see what was beneath the soles of his feet. It seemed like his entire body was riddled with eyes.


    Suddenly, Charles noticed someone standing on a distant tree. The figure d in a ck cloak was staring at him. Their figure was wrapped in ck bandages, and Charles deduced from their protruding chest that they were a woman.


    "Do you have something to say to me?" Charles asked. The woman was pretty far, but for some reason, Charles felt like the woman could hear him.


    "Hahaha, this is just absurd, Gao Zhiming! I had no idea that you experienced such fate!" a familiar feminine voice pierced Charles'' ears.


    The scenery before Charles peeled away. When he opened his eyes once more, he found himself lying inside a ship''s cabin.


    Anna was sitting next to him, and she wasughing while reading his diary.


    Seeing that Charles had opened his eyes, Anna smacked Charles'' bandage-covered belly with the diary in her hand before saying, "Why are you writing down everything here? You even wrote about bing a part of someone else''s harem. Wouldn''t it be embarrassing if a stranger were to find and read this?"

 Chapter 280. Indulge

    <h4>Chapter 280. Indulge</h4>


    Charles suddenly sat up and struggled toward the nearby porthole.


    Anna hurriedly stood up and stopped him. "It''s fine, It''s okay now. We''re at least a hundred kilometers away from the Albion Isles. It''s over."


    Anna supported Charles all the way to the bed. Charles smiled wryly as he recalled what had transpired while staring at his wife''s face. <i>Is it really over? Why does it feel like this is just the beginning?</i>


    "What did Swann summon, do you know what is it?" Charles'' hoarse voice echoed in the cabin.


    Anna''s smile vanished, and she looked somewhat hesitant as she said, "I can''t reveal His true name. You can just call Him the Feaster of the Night.


    <i>The Feaster? </i>Charles'' echolocation had revealed a gargantuan thingrger than Ronker. Charles suddenly recalled that the mysterious Divinity wasn''t humanoid but seemed more like a sphere.


    "How... how strong is He?"


    Anna offered no response, and the cabin went silent. The sloshing of the waves beyond the window was the only noise that pervaded the cabin.


    It didn''t take Charles long to realize that he had asked a dumb question. It was a dumb question, as the power of the Divinities in the deep sea was obviously immeasurable and there was no benchmark topare with.


    The ancestors of the Subterranean Sea''s denizens had done nothing but assert that the the Divinities truly existed, and they weren''t just legends.


    They had also all agreed on one thing.


    Upon encountering such beings at sea, turn around and run as far away from them as possible. Unfortunately, once the gaze of such an existence had already been cast upon one, one should immediately prostrate and pray for them to leave.


    Charles had never read any records about anyone resisting the Divinities despite the Subterranean Sea''s long history. Perhaps those fortunate enough to resist those Divinities once existed, but the emphasis was on <i>once</i>.


    "Do you know how many people were on the Albion Isles?" Charles asked.


    "I don''t know the exact figures, but there must have been at least ten million people," Anna replied before storing the diary in the nearby drawer.


    Charles exhaled in an effort to expel the gloom that had gripped his heart, but it didn''t help much. The Albion Isles were no more, and every single denizen of the Albion Isles had perished.


    If they had somehow survived Ronker''s crazed attacks, the resulting mind corruption from having gazed at a Divinity was enough to kill the remaining survivors.


    "Ah, right, I have good news. Your crew followed your orders and captured everyone on the docks," Anna said.


    However, Anna''s words seemed to go in one ear and out of the other. Charles had achieved his goal for his journey to the Albion Isles, but he couldn''t be further from happy.


    At least ten million people had perished¡ªten million lives! Even someone as indifferent to life as Charles couldn''t quite fathom it. Charles'' eyes reddened, and his breathing became uneven.


    Who was to me? Swann? The Pope? Or should he me the Divinity whose figure couldn''t be gazed upon directly? Charles thought hard and long about it, but he couldn''t say for sure.


    Charles'' voice was trembling as he said, "If we hadn''t pushed him into a corner, perhaps things wouldn''t have gotten this far. We shouldn''t have done that, Anna. There must have been a different solution than that."


    Upon noticing the abnormality in Charles'' emotions, Anna took off her high heels and jumped onto the bed. She snuggled into his arms before muttering, "Let it go. None of this is your fault, and it has nothing to do with you.


    "You couldn''t have saved all of them. No, it''s not just you. No one else could have saved them all at the time." Anna reached out to Charles'' face with her fair hands and embraced him as if he were a baby.


    Anna closed her eyes and hummed a luby¡ªthe luby sounded familiar to Charles; it was the luby he had often heard when he was still a child. Soon, Charles'' tumultuous emotions simmered down.


    Anna opened her eyes and stroked Charles'' face.


    Silence filled the cabin for a few moments before Anna broke it with her question.


    "Charles, do you still want to return to the surface world?"


    "Hm?"


    "Are you not afraid that the so-called Divinities will follow you up?" Anna asked.


    Charles struggled to find the words to say. "Do you really think that Earth''s thin crust can stop those beings if they truly want to go up?"


    If they wanted to go up in the first ce, they would have done so long ago.


    Realizing that she had poured a bucket of cold water upon Charles, Anna brought her face closer to him and changed the topic. "I have another good news, Gao Zhiming. I''m not sure yet, but I may have found a way to change my diet.


    "Once you''ve found the exit to the surface world, I hope you''ll wait for me before surfacing."


    Charles'' gaze on the ceilingnded on her.


    "Really? Didn''t you tell me that those with Diois blood can never change their diet?" Charles asked.


    "When there''s a will, there''s a way. The Land of Light had always eluded the denizens of the Subterranean Sea, but you had never stopped searching and you finally found it not too long ago.


    "Anyway, it''s settled. Cheer up, and keep looking for the exit to the surface world!"


    Charles suddenly frowned upon recalling something. "Does the <i>way</i> you''re talking about have something to do with the Haikors? Don''t get too involved with them. Their ways are more sinister than you think!"


    Charles proceeded to tell Anna what Elizabeth''s grandfather had told him.


    Anna shook her head slowly and said, "Isn''t the fact that they''re capable of creating other organisms a testament to their prowess? If they can do that, they must be capable of altering a creature''s diet. It shouldn''t be too difficult for them."


    Sensing Charles'' hesitancy, she quickly added, "Anyhow, don''t worry, I know my limits."


    Charles'' mouth fluttered open, but Anna''s red lips sealed his lips. A few minutester, the couple separated. Anna''s face was flushed pink as she stared deeply at Charles before moving her lips closer to his ear.


    "Don''t think about anything for now. You''re too tired, so I suggest you rx and indulge..." Anna muttered.


    As she wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck, the one and only light bulb in the cabin inexplicably shattered, bringing about a wave of darkness to pervade the room in an instant.


    Charles'' reaction was more passionate than Anna had imagined. It seemed like he wanted to vent out all of his pent-up desires and negative emotions upon her.


    Lily walked up to the door as the pair were in the throes of passion, and she left red-faced without even knocking on the door.


    Finally, on the morning of the third day that they had left Albion Isles, Anna wriggled out of Charles'' arms and said, "Someone is calling me, and I have to go."


    Charles reached out and grabbed her fair, delicate calf. "Don''t go."


    Anna''s fair leg morphed into a tentacle that slithered out of Charles'' hand. "Who do you think I am? A doll for you to keep on the ind and y with whenever you''re back from your voyages? I have things to do as well, you know?"


    Anna put on her dress and reached into Charles'' clothes with her right hand. She fished out the Bat Mirror from Charles'' chest pocket.


    "I''m taking this with me." Anna shook the relic in front of Charles and exined, "I can''t let you use this anymore."


    "What do you need it for? It''s very useful to me," Charles asked, puzzled.


    The relic was extremely useful. In addition to flight, it granted Charles immense healing capability and echolocation. The relic had helped Charles many times during his voyages, and he felt like he couldn''t afford to lose it.


    With that in mind, Charles reached out for the Bat Mirror, but Anna moved her hand away.


    "Just look at your canines." Anna pointed out. "They''ve gotten even longer than a real vampire, and they really hurt when you bit me. I won''t let you use something so dangerous, so I''m taking this with me. Anyway, see youter."

 Chapter 281. Shaving Fangs

    <h4>Chapter 281. Shaving Fangs</h4>


    A thinyer of eerie purple mist enveloped the Albion Isles. From afar, the entire ind resembled a giant cocoon and looked extraordinarily bizarre.


    No sane human would want to approach an otherworldly sight like this, yet a colossal ship was slowly inching her way into the mists.


    d in a bright red, form-fitting dress, Anna stood at the bow of the ship like a personified figurehead.


    As the vessel neared the ind, sailors with their ears plugged and eyes bandaged writhed in agony on the deck; their mouths were agape with unintelligible screams.


    Anna cast an indifferent nce at them briefly before turning her gaze back onto the ind ahead.


    The mist didn''t cover arge area, and soon Anna was greeted with the chaotic aftermath of the war on Albion Isles. No, it should be more aptly named the Albion Archipgo now. The once-mightndmass had fractured into sections, with some submerged into the water and others askew on the water''s surface.


    Every object on the ind was covered in ayer of hair-like ck silk. The matter was a strange substance between solid and gas. When Anna tried to lift it up for closer inspection, the ck "silk" dissipated into a ck mist and dispersed rapidly.


    In addition to the countless tilted or crumbled buildings, Anna saw human bodies in abundance. She could sense that these people were still living, yet they showed no response to any stimulus.


    With a tentacle, she picked up a body that was hanging off a car tire and threw it into her monstrous maw. She only took a single bite and spat it out again.


    "The soul is gone..." Anna mumbled.


    She chose another body on the streets and sampled it. This time, she finished her food.


    "This one still has a soul.... Are Divinities picky eaters too?" she pondered.


    Standing amid the apocalyptic scene before her, Anna closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.


    "Such tremendous power," she remarked. "This is what true strength ought to be, isn''t it, Sparkle?"


    Several air bubbles rose from the murky waters next to her in response and popped as they reached the surface.


    "Baby, do you think Mommy will possess such power someday?" Anna asked and opened her eyes. Her svelte figure grotesquely expanded into a monstrous mass of flesh tendrils, and her mouth shed a ghastly grin, revealing the sharp teeth within.


    "Baby, Mommy has found something she truly, truly wants to do. I wonder if I can seed. Maybe it''s worth a try."


    While Anna was conversing with Sparkle under the water, her giant yellow cross-shaped pupils suddenly swiveled; she had spotted movement.


    Her monstrous form rapidly shrank and she returned to her human form. "There''s a woman over there. Sparkle, bring her to me. What''s a woman? A human who looks like Mommy," Anna instructed.


    With a pitiful expression, Anna held the retrieved person in her embrace.


    "What a poor little thing. All your family is gone, your ind is taken, and to have such a long scar marring your pretty face now. Well well, I guess I''ll y the good Samaritan and save you."


    The woman in Anna''s arms was Margaret. She was frozen stiff but yet trembling violently.


    Carrying the icy Margaret, Anna stood at the ship''s bow. Her eyes darted around in search of something.


    Initially, Anna was still in high spirits but as her ship circled around the Albion Isles, her mood darkened with every moment.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Margaret''s body was tossed aside like a log onto the deck with a loud thud.


    "How can it be! How can a huge thing disappear just like that? Impossible!" Anna''s voice grew increasingly agitated.


    Bubbles on the water''s surface rose up and popped, seemingly posing a question.


    "Sparkle! Help Mommy look underwater for a big machine. A really, really big one with long legs. It''s very important to me!"


    ***


    Standing before a mirror, Charles stared at his own reflection with a grave expression. While his face remained ordinary like a human, he noticed two small white tips protruding from each side of his lips.


    The corners of his lips slightly curled up and a pair of fierce fangs was revealed.


    "Anna is right. I can''t use the Bat Mirror any more," Charles muttered.


    A firm resolute shed across Charles'' eyes. He grasped a fang with his right hand and the chainsaw in his left prosthetic whirred to life. He wanted to saw off these teeth.


    Out of his expectations, his fangs were unexpectedly tough. Sparks flew as the chainsaw struggled to cut through. Yet the real trouble only started when he had gotten through the enamel and dentin to reach the nerves.


    He hadn''t even blinked an eye when he was shing off his own arm but this time, he found himself in so much pain that tears were involuntarily streaming down his face.


    The pain was not only unbearable, he even felt extreme soreness and a chill coursing through him. When he finally managed to saw off the entire tooth, the agony had been so intense that half of his face had gone numb. It was an excruciatingly ufortable experience.


    Just as he was hesitating if he should saw off his other fang, a knock sounded at the door.


    "Who?" Charles opened the door with a sour expression, startling the sailor at the door who hade to pass a message.


    With trembling lips, the sailor stammered, "Gov...governor, Admiral Feuerbach requests for your presence on S.S. Banana. Something has happened."


    Charles pushed the sailor out of the way and headed toward the balcony, S.S. Banana was a mere three hundred meters away.


    He leaped off the ship and his booted feetnded on the water. He felt like he was stepping on soft jelly. Although it was a little slippery, he didn''t sink.


    Regardless how dangerous the Haikors'' gods were, their gifts were rather beneficial.


    "What happened?" Charles inquired as he reeled in his anchor and approached Feuerbach.


    "The captured guys are on a hunger strike. They wish to negotiate with you, those shipbuilders."


    Charles soon arrived at the cells holding the ship designers. Despite calling them "cells", their living quarters were rather decent. Charles had not mistreated them since he needed them to carry out hismission after all.


    "I''m Charles, Governor of Hope Ind. What do you want to say?"


    As soon as Charles spoke, a cacophony of agitated voices rose in the room.


    "Governor, what is this all about? Why have you captured us?"


    "We want to go home! You can''t expect us to work for you like this!"


    "Governor Swan is invincible. You will regret crossing him!"


    Clearly, these people were unaware of the events that had happened on the ind after they were captured.


    Charles remained silent and waited. When the noise finally died down, he then said, "You want to return to the Albion Isles? Sure! Build me the ship I need and once it''spleted, you''re free to go."


    "Are you going to keep your words?" A middle-aged man asked as he pressed his face against the bar, almost deforming it.


    "As a governor, how could I possibly deceive you? The faster you get it done, the sooner..."


    Charles'' voice trailed off; the harsh truth was that they no longer had a home to return to.


    But at the thought of 319 that had sunken into the deep sea abyss, he steeled himself.


    "The faster you get it done, the sooner you can return home!"

 Chapter 282. Returning to Hope Island

    <h4>Chapter 282. Returning to Hope Ind</h4>


    Sunlight. The blinding sunlight reappeared before Charles as he stood on the deck with his gaze fixated on his ind.


    As usual, Hope Ind was bustling with activities. A constant stream of fishing and cargo ships entered and left the docks, each vessel spotting different designs.


    A majority of them were steamboats, but there were also other peculiar types. There were even sailboats, which piqued Charles'' curiosity since there wasn''t much wind in the Subterranean Seascape.


    The colossal ship docked, and Charles moved toward the sunlight. Yet, he hesitated to step into it.


    With a flick of his tongue, he could feel that his saw-offed tooth had regrown.


    The fact that even his teeth could regenerate was proof that Charles'' regenerative capabilities were beyond that of a normal human. However, this was not entirely a good sign. Lately, he had been gued by an unsettling thirst for blood.


    <i>Would I turn to ash in the sunlight? </i>Charles pondered to himself.


    "Mr. Charles, what are you doing?" Lily called out from behind with a tilt of her head.


    Seeing no response from Charles, Lily went forward and even tugged at the hem of his pants, but she was still ignored.


    After a few moments of hesitation, Charles steeled his heart and stretched his index finger into the sunlight.


    To his relief, the sunlight was still warm and inviting as usual. His finger hadn''t erupted in mes; it remained unscathed.


    <i>Good, that''s good. </i>The unease in Charles'' heart dissipated, and he stepped fully into the sun and bathed in its warmth.


    <i>A longer and sharper tooth doesn''t matter. As long as I remain unfazed under the sun. </i>Charles'' heart waspletely at ease now.


    Though his appearance leaned toward the more terrifying side, he didn''t really care too much about it. After stepping out of the sunlight, Charles saw that his crew members were already waiting for him on the docks. The officials from Hope Ind''s Governor''s Mansion stood beside them, too.


    Bandages took a step forward with a questioning look.


    Charles approached him and patted him on the shoulder.


    "It''s alright, it''s settled now."


    He didn''t wish to dwell on the events that had transpired on Hope Ind.


    Without sparing a nce at the others, Charles headed toward the opened car door. He was a little tired and really wanted a good rest. Just as he bent down to enter the car, he spotted several vehicles speeding over toward them through the ss. They seemed to be in an urgent rush.


    He noticed the distinctive white triangle on the vehicle and stepped back out of the car again. What was the urgent matter driving these zealots?


    Soon, Charles got his answer as a person alighted from one of the vehicles.


    "Governor Charles, have you seen His Holiness?"


    "What? Your Pope didn''t return?" Charles'' voice was tainted with surprise.


    He was genuinely taken aback by the unexpected question. He recalled that when he fled with Anna, the Pope was standing right next to the distorting Swann and made no movement.


    Seeing his calm demeanor, Charles had thought that the Pope would surely escape unscathed. Had that old, cunning fox really been left behind in the Albion Isles forever?


    "Mr. Charles, I''m the head of the Hope Ind Explorers Association. Can you tell us what has happened on the Albion Isles?" a man with a top hat and a sleek mustache stepped forward.


    As if seemingly aware of hisck of authority, he added, "I''m asking on behalf of the Chairman as well. Thetest update we got was that Swann had activated Ronker. However, we had no idea what happened after. Even the vessel that we had sent over hadn''t returned. Perhaps you were the only person to have emerged from the ind, Governor Charles."


    Charles cast a sweeping nce over the crowd before he turned and boarded the car.


    "The docks aren''t a suitable ce for that conversation. Come to my Governor''s Mansion; I''ll tell you everything there," Charles said.


    Meanwhile, on the fringes of the bustling crowd, Weister stood on tiptoes with a signboard in his hands as he strained to see and hear what was going on in the center. However, he was just too far and couldn''t hear a single word the Governor had said.


    Even after the Governor drove away, the crowd still lingered as rumors and spections started to emerge about the man''s potential encounters.


    The Albion Isles was the hottest issue right now and it was akin to an ind''s sinking. The innate gossip ability had been triggered in everyone as they chatted in excitement over the possibilities that might have happened.


    Weister felt the urge to join in, but he restrained himself. He had another purpose at the docks.


    His brass pocket watch opened with a click, and Weister nced at the time before he turned and ran toward the passenger ship terminal.


    <i>Mother and my siblings are reaching soon. </i>Weister thought to himself.


    Soon, ship after ship arrived at Hope Ind, and throngs of people were unloaded like flocks of sheep. Weister held up hisrge sign with three names written on it and waved it tirelessly.


    Despite his aching arms, he had no intention of putting down the sign.


    As another ship docked, a woman apanied by two children and numerous bags alighted from the ship. They seemed to have been overwhelmed by the ind''s unique sights upon disembarking from the vessel.


    Spotting them, Weister tossed the sign aside and rushed toward them with palpable excitement.


    "Mother! I''m so d you''re finally here!" Weister eximed as he embraced the woman tightly.


    It had been a long while since Elena, Weister''s mother, had seen him. She parted her lips, wanting to say something but struggled to find the suitable words. In the end, she couldn''t hold back her tears any longer and allowed them to flow.


    All this time, she had been haunted by nightmares that her son would be lost to the sea just like his father. Every second that she was awake, she feared for her son''s life.


    But in order to support the family, she didn''t dare to vent out her feelings. The moment she saw Weister alive and well, the tight tension in her heart could finally be eased.


    Affected by their mother''s emotions, Weister''s siblings also joined in the embrace, and their cries mingled with Elena.


    "Mother, don''t cry. Look, I''m fine and in one piece, aren''t I?"


    Weister continuously reassured them in a gentle tone, and the trio''s emotions gradually calmed down.


    Taking the belongings from his mother, Weister led them forward.


    "Why did you bring the old stool? Didn''t I say in the telegram that you only needed to bring yourselves? Everything else is avable on the ind."


    With reddened eyes from her earlier crying, Elena asked, "Weister, is what you said in the telegram true? Do you really work alongside the Governor now?"


    "Of course," Weister replied with a hint of pride in his voice. "I''m earning big money now."


    "Is the job dangerous?" Elena pressed on.


    "How dangerous can it get when the Governor is around? Look, that''s a pineapple. You surely haven''t tried it before. I''ll get some for you," Weister said.


    He then approached the roadside stall and brought half a pineapple for each of them.


    Weister''s skinny sister held the pineapple in her hands and cautiously gave it a lick. Instantly, her eyes lit up with delight at the sweet and tangy taste. She really liked the fruit.


    "It''s good, isn''t it?" I heard that they improved the cultivation using some relic. When the Governor had first arrived on the ind, these fruits weren''t this sweet," Weister exined.


    Noticing his sister only taking a small bite and wrapping the remaining pineapple in a handkerchief to save forter, Wester felt a pang in his heart.


    "Eat up, don''t save it for tomorrow. I''ll buy as much as you want," he assured her.

 Chapter 283. Events

    <h4>Chapter 283. Events</h4>


    "We will be living here from now on," Weister said as he led his family into a modest three-bedroom apartment. "It''s small now, but don''t worry. We''ll move to a bigger one in no more than two years."


    Their new home was a basement unit nestled next to the bustling port area. Due to it being in the basement, the unit was slightly damp but affordable.


    Seeing the space that was at least five timesrger than their previous home, Elena''s eyes lit up with emotions. She excitedly explored each room¡ªthe bedrooms, the living room, the washroom and the kitchen. A sense of nostalgia hit her; it reminded her of the days when her husband was still alive.


    Typical of a man living alone, the ce was not exactly the tidiest. As such, Elena immediately started tidying up the somewhat cluttered space.


    "Mother, don''t worry about cleaning for now. All of you must be hungry. Let''s go out to eat first," Weister said and ced down their belongings before leading his family members to the door.


    "Weister, there''s a kitchen here. Why don''t we just buy some ingredients home to cook? It''ll be cheaper than eating out." The past few years of being in poverty had made Elena ever so mindful of their finances.


    "It''s alright, Mother. Let''s eat out today, just for once," Weister insisted as he led them out of the basement.


    The family of four entered a well-decorated restaurant. Being dressed in patched clothes made Elena and her two other children overly aware of themselves, and instinctively, they hesitated in their stride. However, Weister was unfazed by the curious nces from all around them. He led his mother and siblings to a table and sat down. He had the money now.


    When the waiter brought the menu over, he boldly ordered the most expensive items, even though he had not tried many of them before.


    Soon, the first dish was served, and their uneasiness dissipated.


    It was raw lobster tail sashimi adorned with ck ants and drizzled with Hope Ind''s unique lemon juice. The appetizing presentation made their mouths water. Thebination of formic acid from the ants and the lemon''s tartness perfectlyplemented the subtly twitching fresh lobster meat.


    Yet this was only the first course. One after another, unfamiliar but exquisite dishes were continuously brought out.


    Most of them were culinary innovations of Hope Ind. The chefs were no longer satisfied with just experimenting with fruits and were now creating dishes with various insects native to the ind.


    Despite the unconventional ingredients, each dish at the restaurant was a delight to the taste buds.


    Their lunch finally came to an end with theirst course being served¡ªa translucent green pudding.


    "Brother, look! A spider is moving inside the pudding! It''s so cool!" Weister''s sister eximed in wonder.


    Weister affectionately ruffled her hair and called for the bill. However, he was informed that someone had already settled it.


    Following the waiter''s gesture, Weister looked toward a distant table. nck, the portly cook on the Narwhale, was waving at him with a fork in his hand.


    "The food here is excellent. I hope to open a restaurant like this someday," nckmented with a grin as Weister approached him.


    "Thank you. I''ll treat you to a drink another day. My family has just arrived and I need to spend some quality time with them," Weister replied and was about to return to the table when nck stopped him.


    "Do you know that the captain''s back?"


    "Yes, I saw him just now at the docks."


    "Our next mission will probably be much harder than those before," nck remarked. "I''d suggest you use your previous sry to buy a relic for protection. They might be dangerous, but they can save your life at critical moments."


    A troubled expression surfaced on Weister''s face. He had spent all his money on the house. Where would he have the money to get a relic?


    "Then did you buy one?" Weister asked.


    "Yeah. I bought a statue. I''ve been feeding it with my blood every day.


    "Alright, I''ll think about it," Weister said before taking his leave with his family.


    ***


    In Hope Ind''s Governor''s Mansion, Charles leaned back in his ck leather armchair. Seated before him were two men; the one on the left represented the Divine Light Order, and the right, the Explorers Association.


    The Divine Light Order''s representative was Cardinal Bishop Hunn, and the representative of the Explorers Association was the head of the Hope Ind branch, George.


    "That''s the whole story," Charles concluded. "I know it''s hard to believe, but that''s the whole truth."


    The atmosphere in the room grew tense, as though even the air itself had been startled by Charles'' recount.


    "So...you are saying that His Holiness was killed by the evil god that Swann summoned from the depths?" Hunn asked with apparent disbelief.


    Charles merely looked at Hunn without giving a response. His silence spoke volumes. If the Pope had yet to return now, it was highly possible that he had died.


    "Absolutely impossible! His Holiness is a Chosen One and is the sole bearer of the Light God! There''s no way some mere evil god from the waters could harm him!" Hunn''s face contorted with anger and a hint of terror. It felt as though his faith was on the brink of copse.


    Even Charles had no idea if the Light God or the so-called Feaster was more formidable.


    However, the Feaster had appeared in the flesh while the Pope was merely a Chosen One of the Light God. If one were topare it this way, it made the Pope''s demise seem all the more usible. But Charles still couldn''t understand why the Pope hadn''t tried to escape then.


    "Governor," George interjected and stood up with a grave expression. "If what you say is true, this is a matter of life and death for all humanity in the seascape! I must report this to the Chairman immediately. I''ll take my leave first."


    With that, George hastily exited the room.


    Seeing that George had left, Hunn stood up to leave as well. While walking out of the room, Charles overheard him muttering under his breath about visiting the Holy Sanctuary and seeking an answer from the Light God himself.


    But Charles couldn''t be the least bothered. That stupid ball of mes hung in the sky all day long and would definitely not be able to provide them with any answers.


    Charles rose from his chair and headed toward the bedroom. The moment he got off the ship, he had been intercepted by these two men. He was really overwhelmed with exhaustion and just wanted a good nap.


    But before he could reach thefort of his own bedroom, Feuerbach appeared with an elderly man and blocked his path.


    The second mate of Narwhale had a look of resignation on his countenance as he spoke, "Captain, please don''t look at me like that. I didn''t want to do this either. But those shipbuilders are causing amotion again."


    Charles recognized the old man next to Feuerbach. He was one of the designers had encountered when he first arrived at Albion Isles, the one with the rimless sses.


    He turned his gaze to the old man and asked, "Are you not able to even build a single submarine with so many of you here? There were even blueprints that you had shown me back at the Albion Isles."


    The old man stepped forward and replied, "The blueprints don''t matter; I can redraw them if needed. The main issue is that the circumstances in Albion Isles are totally different from your ind.


    "We have an established and mature industrial chain on the Albion Isles. What do you even have here? Someponents in your shipyard are still imported from our ind!"


    Charles massaged his throbbing forehead.


    "What do you need to build the submarine then?" he asked.


    The designer started to list his requirements. "I need a hundred specialized workers and forty supply manufacturers, including special steel tes, propellers, anechoic tiles, and sonar systems. I also need..."


    "Stop, stop, stop." Charles interrupted him and pointed toward the docks. "I don''t have any of those things you are asking for. Those materials at the docks are all we''ve got. Find a way to build me that submarine. As I''ve said before, you may return once you finish building the submarine. Otherwise, be prepared to stay here forever."

 Chapter 284. The Submarines Design

    <h4>Chapter 284. The Submarine''s Design</h4>


    The old man was escorted out by the guards as he continued to protest at a high volume.


    "An industrial chain, huh..." Charles muttered to himself.


    Of course, he wished for an industrialwork as mature as the Albion Isles, but the problem was that he didn''t have one as of now. And starting from scratch would take forever.


    <i>With hundreds of heads being put together, they should be able toe up with other solutions, right? They''re all designers who hail from the Albion Isles, after all. Technically, they are the cream of the crop when ites to shipbuilding in the whole Northern Seas. </i>Charles thought to himself.


    If there was truly no other way, he had no choice but to send his men to gather the necessary materials from other inds. However, this approach wasborious and time-consuming, and there was no guarantee that the other party would be willing to sell such items to them.


    As the once industrial hub of the Northern Seas, theplete destruction of the Albion Isles affected the entire seascape in all aspects.


    Without those bloodsucking evil factories, Charles could foresee the rapid increase in the price of shipbuilding materials.


    At the thought of the factories, Charles was reminded of the child worker who had tried to grab Lily that day.


    <i>With the annihtion of the Albion Isles, that boy is probably dead, too, right?</i>


    Charles wondered why he had suddenly thought of a random stranger. He was never this sentimental in the past. Standing at the door of his bedroom and looking at therge, weing bed within, Charles suddenly turned around and dragged his weary body back toward his office.


    "Summon Leonardo. I have instructions for him," Charles instructed the butler.


    Soon, the Minister of Administration of Hope Ind appeared before him.


    "Governor, what do you need me to do for you?" Leonardo asked as his eyes shed with a hint of curiosity. He also wanted to know what happened on the Albion Isles. Everyone shared the same desire for gossip, but Leonardo knew Charles'' temperament.


    If it weren''t his ce to ask, he knew not to ask.


    "Do we have schools on our ind?" Charles asked abruptly.


    "Yes, of course, we do. The central inders had jointly funded a school. All their children go there. Governor, if you have children in the future and don''t wish to homeschool them, you can send them there too."


    "I wasn''t asking about them. I''m asking about the other people on the ind."


    "The poor? The children of the poor don''t need education. They usually follow their parents and go out to start working from the age of eight. Basic reading and arithmetic are taught by their own families," Leonardo replied.


    Charles instantly understood. Education was treated as amodity, a business in this world. Like any other good, knowledge was sold for profit.


    He held his hand to his forehead and pondered for a brief moment before he instructed, "Issue a decree. The Governor''s Mansion will establish a Governor''s School. All children aged 6 to 14 on the ind must attend. A major point to note: it''s mandatory."


    Leonardo was taken aback.


    <i>Why is the Governor suddenly interested in thismercial venture?</i>


    "Governor, pardon me for being honest, but a venture like this won''t make much profit. Besides, they don''t have much money to begin with."


    "School fees will be waived."


    "Waived?! As in free of charge?"


    "Yes, free of charge. As long as they attend, the school will also provide them with free lunch every day."


    "But, Governor, why? This is a loss-making decision." Leonardo couldn''t hide his confusion.


    "Just do as I say," Charlesmanded and looked up at Leonardo with a chilly gaze.


    Startled, Leonardo immediately bowed his head and replied, "As you wish, Governor."


    Hope Ind had the funds, and spending a little on education was a trivial matter. Other ind governors squandered much more. Governors like Charles, who didn''t indulge in women or drinks and were living almost like monks, were rare.


    After Leonardo left, Charles didn''t allow himself to rest. Compulsory public education was just the start. The students would need jobs after they graduated, or all that learning would be a waste.


    Charles started to jot down various ns, and after cing his pen down, he looked through the list. With every line he read, he realized that he was really treading the old path of the Albion Isles.


    Was the bloody history of an industrial revolution truly unavoidable? Charles didn''t think so, or at least not on Hope Ind, where he could intervene in time.


    The moment the decree was issued by the Ministry of Administration, it spurred a sensation on Hope Ind. The inders didn''t know much about their Governor, apart from the fact that he was strict withws and liked exploring inds.


    He also rarely participated in social events, which further enhanced his mysterious persona.


    The entire ind was abuzz with discussions about the new decree.


    The majority of them were against it as that would mean one less earning member in the family.


    However, once they realized that school attendance waspulsory, they could only suppress the dissatisfaction in their hearts.


    After all, everyone was well aware of the consequences of breaking thews on Hope Ind.


    Fortunately, the inclusion of a free meal at school did mitigate some of their discontent.


    Time ticked by, and Charles had thought that the designers would take a really long time toe up with an alternative solution, but it seemed that their desire to return home was a much more powerful motivator than he had expected.


    Merely two dayster, the bespectacled old man burst into Charles'' office with a stack of hastily drawn blueprints in his arms.


    Staring at his haggard appearance and bloodshot eyes, Charles could deduce that the elderly man hadn''t slept for the past two days.


    "Governor, your ship is an animated vessel with a certain level of intelligence, isn''t it?" the old man posed a rather unusual question.


    "<i>Huh?</i> What does that have to do with the submarine I requested?"


    "Of course, it''s rted! Take a look at this," the old man said as he spread the papers out. Hastily scribbled text filled up the pages.


    Charles could see that it was a hurried sketch of the Narwhale. However, the version on the blueprint had added steel tes and various mechanical gears.


    "I went to examine your ship, and its animated force is significant. This inspired a new direction to work on."


    Charles was immediately intrigued. He was also eager to know more about the n.


    "The ship itself is perfect, so we do not need to make any changes to the lower half. We only need to fully enclose the upper part, add a sonar system and control bast tanks for submerging and surfacing. That would convert the ship into the perfect submarine," the designer exined.


    Charles silently nodded. He had to admit that it was a brilliant idea, as expected from the top-notched designers from the Albion Isles. Proceeding with this method would spare the need for variousplicated materials, and a remodification would take much less time than a new construction from scratch.


    "Don''t forget the underwater attack system," Charles reminded.


    "Understood." The bespectacled designer looked at Charles, and his voice held a hint of agitation as he asked, "You said that you will let us return home once weplete the building of the ship. You will keep your word, won''t you?"


    Charles looked at him with a calm gaze. Just as fury started to surface on the designer''s countenance, Charles nodded and said, "Yes, I will."


    "Great! I would need the support of everyone at the docks! One month, at most! We will have your ship modified!"


    With that, the designer packed up the blueprints and turned to leave.


    "There''s no rush on the time as long as you canplete it. I''m not in a hurry."


    "I''m sorry, Governor. You might not be in a hurry, but I am. My grandson is waiting for me at home," the old man said and left the room.


    Charles drummed his metallic fingers against the table, deep in thought.


    He really had no idea how to break the news about the Albion Isles to them. He could only hope that they would be strong enough to handle it when the time came.

 Chapter 285. Old Acquaintances, Changed Circumstances

    <h4>Chapter 285. Old Acquaintances, Changed Circumstances</h4>


    Five dayster, Charles was seated in his office and listening to a report from a guard standing before him.


    "Governor, ording to the Navy''s intelligence, there is currently no method to revert a Deep Dweller back into a human," the guard began.


    He then continued, "All our gathered records indicate that they had been born a Deep Dweller, and a human doesn''t turn into a Deep Dweller from out of the blue. Perhaps there might be a way to turn a human into a Deep Dweller, but there''s nothing to reverse the process."


    The image of Dipp''s carefree smile shed across Charles'' mind, and he exhaled at length.


    <i>Is there really no way to turn that kid back? </i>Charles pondered to himself for a brief moment before he gave his next instruction.


    "Keep searching! If there are no solutions to be found in the Northern Seas, try the Southern or Western Seas. In this illogical world, there must surely be a way."


    "Yes, Governor!" the guard saluted and left.


    After the guard had left the room, Charles rose from his chair and headed toward the sunny balcony.


    The ind had undergone significant changes. Apart from the fruit fields, the other areas of Hope Ind had been covered with shacks of various heights.


    In fact, the shelter had caused the central area to be so dim that several holes had to be made in the awnings to let light in. The sun rays peeking through the roofs resembled golden waterfalls of sunshine.


    In the nearby vicinity, a group of teenagers was frolicking and ying around a beam of light. Theyughed as they daringly stretched their fingers out into the light topete on who''s braver. As two guards approached them with a sharp whistle, they immediately scattered with a peal of carefreeughter.


    "The ind is getting more beautiful by the day. I should just take a good rest today," Charles muttered to himself as he walked down the corridors of the Governor''s Mansion. Before he even descended the stairs, he made a U-turn to grab his long-unused drawing board.


    Walking on the streets, he could see the brimming confidence on everyone''s faces, as though Hope Ind had indeed given them hope for the future.


    However, their smiles made Charles feel somewhat lonely as he strolled down the streets alone.


    <i>Maybe I should invite everyone to the Governor''s Mansion for dinner tonight. </i>Charles thought about it briefly but eventually dismissed the idea.


    They were just his crew members and subordinates. He suddenly realized that he had no true friends.


    On the ship, everyone followed his orders due to his position, but once ashore, they all had their own families to return to.


    Bandages could be possibly considered a friend, but talking to him could be a bit of a drag. As for Lily, she was a mischievous child at most.


    In the entire seascape, Anna was the only one who truly understood him. However, she was far from being satisfied with a peaceful life and was always busy with her own tasks.


    There was also Elizabeth, but Charles felt that they had aplicated rtionship. He still couldn''t put a finger on whether she was part of his harem or he was part of her harem.


    Just as Charles was walking toward the docks with his drawing board, a familiar scent of milk wafted into his nostrils; he followed the aroma and arrived at a stall selling cream oysters.


    "How much for a serving?" Charles asked.


    "30 Echo each, Mr. Painter. Would you like a serving?" the stall owner asked with a bright smile as he tapped his spat against the grill pan.


    "That''s expensive. It doesn''t cost this much on the Coral Archipgo," Charlesmented.


    "Well, you can''tpare the prices here to there. They have their own dairy farms in the Coral Archipgo. Also, jobs are easier to find here on Hope Ind. 30 Echo is a really fair price."


    "Alright, I''ll get one serving then."


    "One servinging up!"


    The owner then cut open a packet of milk with his spat and poured it onto his grill pan. With skillful movements, he started frying the cream oysters.


    As sweat dripped off the stall owner before him, Charles couldn''t help but find the image of the man ovepping with someone else in his memory.


    "Here''s your cream oysters, sir. If you enjoyed it, please patronize me again next time," the owner said as he handed over the dish.


    Just as the painter before him took the te and disappeared into the crowd, a satisfied smile appeared on Tom''s countenance as he started to clean up the grill te in preparation for the next order.


    But all of a sudden, a thought struck his mind, and he poked his head out of his stall. In a state of panic, he looked toward the direction his previous customer had disappeared into.


    "A scar on the face, ck irises, left prosthetic arm. Oh my goodness! Is that <i>the</i> Governor? The Governor likes eating my food?" Tom eximed in excitement.


    Meanwhile, Charles took his serving of cream oysters and headed toward the telegraph office. He wasn''t in a rush to eat. The encounter with the stall owner had reminded him that now that he was a Governor, it was time to bring an old friend over to the ind.


    With the address provided by Old John, Charles sent a top-tier telegraph message over. The top-tier telegraph was known for its fastest speed and they even had a dedicated delivery service.


    <i>Beep! Beeeeep! Beeeeep!</i>


    The response came promptly.


    <i>Old John''s Son, Aurelius: Sorry, may I know how are you rted to my father? </i>


    <i>Father? </i>Charles'' brows slightly furrowed. He was unaware that Old John had a son.


    <i>Aurelius: My mother was a refugee from Shadow Ind. He bought her from a brothel owner with a gold coin. I became his son after that.</i>


    <i>Charles: My name is Charles. Just mention my name to Old John; he''ll know who I am.</i>


    <i>Aurelius: Sorry, my father had passed away. The doctor said it was due to excessive drinking. How were you rted to him?</i>


    Staring at the tranted telegram before him, Charles blinked his eyes in silence. He then picked up the drawing board lying on the ground and walked out of the telegraph office.


    He arrived at the docks and set up his drawing board before he started drawing with quick strokes. Soon, a portrait of aughing, plump old man materialized on the paper. The man was Old John, the former first mate of S.S. Mouse.


    Charles held up the painting for thest look before he bent down and ced the portrait into the waters, allowing the waves to <i>take </i>Old John away.


    If he had to name someone who had helped him the most when he had first arrived in this world, it would be the kind-hearted old John.


    When he had just arrived here, he couldn''t even speak the seascape''snguage. It was Old John who patiently guided him to speak each syble and read every character.


    Now that he had be a Governor, he had intended to repay Old John''s kindness, but sadly, Old John had already passed away.


    "Perhaps... It''s all for the best. To be able to live to his age in this seascape and even have a child and wife before passing on. He should be satisfied," Charles muttered to himself as he watched the paper slowly being taken away by the tides and blending into the endless darkness.


    Just as Charles stood lost in his thoughts, reminiscing about an old friend, he suddenly felt a piercing gaze on his back. He turned around to face a woman with a terrifying scar marring her face. At first nce, she looked rather familiar.


    It took a couple of seconds before realization dawned on Charles¡ªshe was Margaret, the daughter of the former governor of the Isle of Whereto.


    "It''s been a while; you''re all grown up now," Charlesmented as a warm, relieved smile surfaced on his visage and walked toward her.


    When the distance between them had been reduced to no more than five meters, Margaret suddenly broke the silence, "Governor Charles, I was the one who saved you when you became mad and disappeared."


    "I''m aware. I was about to thank you. I''ve sent my men to look for you, but they couldn''t find you."


    <i>Thank me? </i>Margaret''s facial expression slightly twisted, but she quicklyposed herself.


    "Governor, in return for saving your life, I''d like to ask for a few ships and some navy soldiers aspensation," Margaret requested, her voice tinged with a frosty chill.


    "I already know about your situation. Actually, you really didn''t need to¡ª"


    Margaret interrupted him, "Governor Charles, is your life not even worth that much?"

 Chapter 286. Remuneration and Ability

    <h4>Chapter 286. Remuneration and Ability</h4>


    "It''s been a while, Margaret. Come here, let''s talk." Charles returned to the drawing board and started drawing once again.


    Margaret looked hesitant, but she eventually started walking toward Charles.


    "What happened to your face? Who did that?" Charles asked.


    Margaret offered no answer. Her expression turned cold, and she sounded respectful as she said, "Governor Charles, was my disy of sincerity not enough? If so, then we can renegotiate terms once I''ve reimed Whereto."


    Charles looked away from the drawing board and cast his gaze upon Margaret. He examined her from top to bottom before ripping off the first page attached to the drawing board.


    The paper depicted a pencil sketch of a ship''s deck. A young girl was standing on the deck, and her hands were full of food. The ves in front of her were eating the food she had snuck into her pocket with relish.


    The young girl''s eyes shimmered with innocence; she looked as pure as an angel.


    "I prefer the past version of you more than the present you. She''s more beautiful, not just on the outside," Charles said.


    Margaret''s heart stirred as she stared at her former self in the piece of paper. She trembled ever so slightly as she stepped forward and said, "Governor Charles, what do I have to do so that you''ll lend me your ships? I saved your life by rescuing you from the streets; isn''t that enough of a favor for you to lend me your fleet?"


    Charles walked up to Margaret and stared right into her eyes.


    He could see something familiar in Margaret''s gaze. It was something he once had¡ªan obsession¡ªan extreme obsession to achieve something at all costs.


    Charles patted her shoulder and said, "Don''t worry. I''ll lend you my fleet and my crew. I''m just hoping that you''ll one day face what''s inside you and hopefully ovee it. Otherwise, it''ll ruin you. You''ll experience despair worse than death."


    <i>Crack!</i>


    A cracking noise audible only to Margaret echoed. However, the harrowing scenes depicting the deaths of her family members quickly repaired the crack.


    Margaret''s shoulders trembled, and she gently pushed Charles away.


    An agitated look suffused her visage as she took out a dagger and sliced her arm, sshing blood onto the floor. Margaret then proceeded to fish out multiple tiny ck stones from her arm.


    As Charles reeled from shock, Margaret swiftly sliced his right palm open and stuffed the ck stones inside of his palm. Then, Margaret exined, "The Cavendish Family never begs others for their help. I saved your life, but it seems that favor was insufficient for you to lend me your fleet, so those stones are yours from now on.


    "They should be enough to pay for your entire fleet."


    With that, Margaret turned around and left without waiting for Charles'' reply.


    Charles looked down at his palm and saw that it was healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. He was confused.


    <i>What''s wrong with this girl? What is the meaning of this?</i>


    Charles soon realized that he didn''t really understand Margaret.


    It was true that he had saved her from the horrible fate that would have befallen her in Sottom, but he hadn''t reallymunicated with her that often after that incident. In other words, he had never really gotten to know her.


    Charles had decided to show her goodwill upon hearing that she had once saved his life, but it seemed that she didn''t appreciate it.


    Charles looked up and stared at her departing figure, but he decided not to chase after her.


    After a while, Charles snapped his fingers.


    A mouse hugging a half-eaten sugar cube rushed out of the shadows. Charles wrote something on a piece of paper before folding it up and handing it over to the mouse.


    "Give this to Feuerbach. Tell him to lend Margaret a fleet to conquer the Isle of Whereto," Charles said.


    The mouse let out a couple of high-pitched squeaks before scampering away with the piece of paper in its mouth.


    "What did she put into my hand?" Charles took out his Dark de and attempted to slice his palm open to dig the stones out. To his surprise, however, the de slid along the lines of his palm and only managed to cut open a tiny scratch.


    It even failed to draw blood.


    "What?" Astonished, Charles hacked at his palm, and the Dark de finally managed to draw a trace of blood. Charles hadn''t even taken a good look at it yet when it healed up, thanks to his powerful regeneration ability.


    Eventually, Charles managed to wound himself enough to dig out the tiny ck stones out of his palm. His gaze alternated between the stones and his de as he sank into deep thoughts.


    When his wound healed, he shed at his palm once again; this time, his defensive power had clearly taken a hit. Blood sttered everywhere as he had almost obliterated his palm.


    Charles stood in the sunlight and held the tiny ck stones up to the sun with his prosthetic limb to scrutinize them. "I think these things can increase one''s defenses..."


    Charles suddenly recalled Governor Daniel. Thetter had boldly ignored a myriad of guns pointed at him in all directions. It seemed these tiny ck stones had given him the confidence to do that.


    Charles stuffed the tiny ck stones back into his palm and decided to test the changes that the tiny ck stones would bring to his body. It didn''t take Charles long to discover multiple changes.


    First of all, Charles'' skin would remain as tough as iron so long as the tiny ck stones were inside of him. Even sharp relics like the Dark de could only harm him if enough force were put into swinging the de.


    It also disyed formidable defenses against firearms; being hit by a bullet would only leave a slight dent.


    The second ability Charles had discovered was strength amplification.


    Charles looked left and right before walking up toward a nearby coconut tree. He clenched his right hand into a fist and punched the tree with all of his might. The tree trunk that had connected with his fist was obliterated, and the tree copsed with a loud bang.


    The noise instantly attracted the attention of the nearby inders, but they immediately looked away upon seeing an individual standing unscathed beneath the sunlight.


    The respected Governor of Hope Ind was the only one capable of standing beneath the sunlight. The followers of the Light God said that it was a blessing that the Light God had bestowed upon Charles for finding the Land of Light.


    Charles cast a shocked gaze at his arm. He was hardlycking in strength, and it was all thanks to the Clown Mask that had strengthened his physique to the limits of humanity.


    However, the tiny ck stones had allowed him to break through that limit and reach the realm of superhumans. It wouldn''t be an understatement to call him a humanoid tank.


    Charles was satisfied with Margaret''s remuneration. In fact, the tiny ck stones were so valuable that even giving her an entire fleet wouldn''t be enough to purchase them.


    Charles decided to visit Margaret to ask more questions about the tiny ck stones, but he came to a halt upon taking two steps. Margaret''s decision to hand over the tiny ck stones was akin to her severing their rtionship.


    If he went over to her, things would only be awkward between the two of them.


    "I hope she can make the right decision by herself..." Charles muttered to himself before walking over to the canvas. He picked up his paintbrush to start painting, but the paintbrush let out an audible crack and split into three sections.


    Charles stared nkly at the broken paintbrush and smiled wryly. It seemed that he needed to dedicate some time to getting used to his new strength.


    Charles lost all interest in painting after inadvertently destroying his paintbrush, and he packed his things up to head back. He had decided to get used to his strength first before anything else.


    Otherwise, the world would run out of paintbrushes.


    Charles walked into the shaded area of the ind, and the nearby inders moved swiftly to clear a path for him. They cast admiring and respectful gazes in his way, but Charles was toozy to greet any of them.


    He started making his way to the Governor''s Mansion.


    The Governor''s Mansion had a training ground and a drawing room located behind it. Charles reckoned that the training ground and the drawing room full of equipment would allow him to quickly adapt to the sudden increase in strength.


    As Charles walked briskly toward the Governor''s Mansion, a child''s voice echoed from his side. "Mommy, look! It''s that one-armed lunatic loitering around our house''s doorway back then!"

 Chapter 287. Feelings

    <h4>Chapter 287. Feelings</h4>


    "Lunatic?" Charles turned and found Weister walking across the street with a woman and two children carrying bags of varying sizes. It seemed that Weister was out shopping with his family.


    Weister was so terrified by Charles'' gaze that the apple juice in his hand quivered so violently that he almost dropped it. His younger brother was about to respond, but he hurriedly stepped forward and hid his younger brother behind him.


    However, Charles was already in front of him. Charles dragged Weister to the side and crouched to look at the roughly eight-year-old boy in front of him before asking, "Have you seen me before?"


    The boy shrank back and inched closer to his mother upon seeing Charles'' fierce look.


    Meanwhile, Elena''s eyes were wide open in surprise as she stared at Charles. She thought that her youngest son had mistaken Charles for someone else, but now that Charles was standing so close to her, Charles appeared more and more familiar to her.


    The ck tattoo on his neck, the prosthetic left arm, and the scar marring his face told Elena that Charles was indeed that lunatic loitering outside their house for nearly a year and a half.


    Instead of panicking, Elena revealed a smile of relief. She reached out to stroke Charles'' face as though she was stroking the face of her child. "It''s really a surprise that you recovered your sanity. Great. Living is really always better than dying."


    Charles didn''t avoid the woman''s hand. The woman with a weathered face before him exuded a familiar air for some reason.


    "Madam, have you seen me before as well? Where and when?"


    "Of course, I''ve seen you before. You''ve squatted around our house for a long time. I''d usually give you our leftovers for you to eat," Elena replied. "Due to your mental state then, you would even drink the water from the drains."


    The world was indeed small. Charles didn''t expect to see someone who knew him as a lunatic here. He made a sidelong nce at Weister and thought to himself,<i> So the reason this kid was familiar to me was that I met him when I was still a lunatic.</i>


    Elena saw the drawing board in Charles'' hand, and a hint of surprise suffused her face as she eximed, "<i>Oh,</i> you''ve be a painter?"


    "Mom, actually, he''s¡ª" Weister was about to say something, but he stopped mid-sentence after Charles shot him a re.


    "Yes, Madam, I''m a painter," Charles replied in a gentle¡ªunusually gentle tone of voice.


    Elena nodded in approval and said, "Great. It''s great to have a decent, marketable skill. Anyway, can you paint a family portrait for our family of four? We''ve never had a new family portrait since his father died."


    Charles wanted to agree, but he shook his head upon recalling how he still hadn''t quite gotten used to his new strength.


    "I''m sorry, but I''ll have to do it next time. My paintbrushes broke, and I have to buy new paintbrushes. I''m also not quite free, but rest assured, I''ll paint one for you for free once I have time," Charles replied.


    "Okay, okay, then hurry up and go home. Don''t bete. Your beautiful wife must be waiting for you to go home for dinner," Elena said with a smile. She always loved to see good things happening to good people.


    "Wife? Have you seen my wife, Anna?" Charles asked with wide eyes.


    "So her name is Anna? Yes, I''ve seen her before, and she was so beautiful. She hugged you so tightly and sobbed so loudly when she found you in the garbage pile," Elena replied.


    Charles'' brows furrowed slightly. He stared at Elena with a frown and asked, "Are you sure?"


    Clearly, Elena was talking about Margaret rather than Anna. Regardless, their rtionship wasn''t deep enough for her to cry over his situation, so Charles felt a bit baffled by the revtion.


    Their first meeting was also under unique circumstances where Charles saw Margaret as nothing but a check worth five million Echo. She shouldn''t have a good impression of him then, either.


    Later on, Jack said that Margaret had saved him while he was still a lunatic, which proved that Margaret was indeed a kind youngdy. But love? He and Margaret werepletely ipatible.


    When did she fall in love with him when they had only met a handful of times?


    "Madam, pardon me for questioning you, but are you sure she was hugging me tightly and was sobbing so loudly when she found me as a lunatic in a garbage pile?" Charles asked; he couldn''t quite believe Elena''s words.


    "Yes, I''m a hundred percent sure!" Elena seemed thrilled as she said, "I was delivering clean clothes that I had washed to a customer, and I coincidentally saw her running toward a group of lunatics, seemingly looking for someone.


    "I was curious, so I stood still and watched as she eventually found you. You were so dirty and smelly back then, but she ignored the filth as she hugged you as tightly as she could and sobbed as loudly as she could...


    "I''m a woman as well, and we can only go to such lengths if we truly love someone to death. It is rare for people to have such a deep affection for someone else in this world, so you must cherish her."


    Elena had yet to finish her sentence, but Charles'' mind was already nk.


    He suddenly recalled their encounters to her panic at their first meeting, to her wary gazes at him, to her eagerness to meet him at the Governor''s Mansion, and to the icy cold gaze she had cast at him earlier.


    His impression of the youngdy changed drastically.


    The smile on Elena''s lips faded upon noticing the abnormality in Charles'' expression. Her mouth fluttered open as she asked carefully, "W-what''s wrong? Did something happen to your wife?"


    Charles didn''t reply. He hurled the drawing board in his hands at Weister and turned around before breaking out into a mad dash toward the harbor area.


    "W-what happened to him?" Elena asked as she turned to Weister with confusion in her gaze.


    "Mother, he''s not just an ordinary painter," Weister looked helpless as he muttered, "He''s the incumbent Governor of this ind..."


    Elena''s eyes widened to the size of saucers. She pointed at Charles'' departing back and eximed, "H-he''s the Governor of this ind? That''s impossible! He was a lunatic for over a year, and it hasn''t even been that long since he recovered!"


    Weister had no idea what to say. He also didn''t expect that his captain was the lunatic loitering around their house at the time. It was just unbelievable, but howe he hadn''t noticed the simrity until now?


    Charles soon reached the harbor and looked around, but he couldn''t find Margaret. He snapped his fingers and made a sidelong nce at the gloomy alleyway nearby, which was connected to the fish market.


    "Come out, guys. You''ve seen that girl I''ve been talking to earlier, right? Where did she go?" Charles asked.


    A group of mice rushed out of the fish market and formed an arrow on the ground. The arrow was pointing at the sea. Charles followed the arrow and reached the docks, but there were no traces of her at all.


    Charles saw nothing but ships departing and leaving Hope Ind.


    "Is she really here? Where is she?" Charles asked the mice.


    The group of mice squeaked at each other a few times before they collectively tilted their heads and stared at him. Clearly, they had no idea where Margaret had gone.


    Charles silently cast aplex gaze at the sea before him. Momentster, he muttered, "Why did you not tell me? How could I have known without you telling me about it?"


    Charles turned around and started walking toward the naval shipyard. Margaret had asked for his fleet and his crew, so there was a high chance that he would find her there.


    Soon after Charles'' departure, a drenched Margaret climbed out of the sea. Her fair hands were trembling as she took out a sheet of paper. The paper depicted the pencil sketch that Charles had drawn of her.


    The paper waspletely soaked, and the sketch of the smiling Margaret eventually split in half and fell to the ground.


    Margaret looked down at her feet; her tears melted into the seawater on her eyelids before dripping down her marred face.


    "Yes, why did I not tell him? Things wouldn''t havee to this if I had just told him the moment I met him again..."

 Chapter 288. James

    <h4>Chapter 288. James</h4>


    James looked down at the documents on his clipboard with a stern expression. His subordinates sitting around the rectangr table in front of him seemed apprehensive as they stared at him.


    It didn''t take James long to adapt to his new position as the Chief of Hope Ind''s Police Department. He had been the Minister of Agriculture for over three years, so he had some experience managing people, and he quickly adapted to his new role.


    After a while, James'' gazended on the woman sitting next to him. The woman sporting a cold expression had a bed of red hair covering her right eye and a huge chunk of her face. The red scorpion tattoo on her neck was particrly eye-catching.


    "District 3''s clearance rate for this quarter is a bit too low. Aliya, I want you to pay more attention to your district''s clearance rate. You and your people are responsible for handling special cases, so Hope Ind will eventually get in trouble if you don''t handle your cases properly," James said.


    A look of disdain suffused Aliya''s face hidden behind her red hair. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms in front of her chest before saying, "Chief, there''s just no way around it. You know our line of work is dangerous, right?


    "I lost a lot of people during the recent ritualistic killings case. I really don''t have enough people to work with at the moment."


    "If you don''t have enough people, then just recruit people. The docks are filled with new arrivals every day," James retorted.


    "Ha, you want me to recruit those children who have probably never touched a gun throughout their lives? No thank you," Aliya replied.


    James mmed the clipboard on the table and asked, "What do you want, then? The issue regarding your clearance rate cannot be avoided. It has to be resolved by the next quarter."


    "Of course, I''m not trying to avoid my responsibilities here. The solution I can offer is simple. Give me the keys to our prisons. I''ve got my eyes on quite a few experts there," Aliya replied.


    "They''re vicious criminals, and you want to recruit them? No way! How could those criminals just hop onto the light?" James eximed, his volume rising by a notch.


    "Chief, I hope you haven''t forgotten that Chief Dipp had pulled me out of prison to work here." Aliya pointed out.


    "And that''s exactly why District 3 has gone astray! It''s because of you and your unscrupulous methods of resolving cases!" James retorted.


    "Does the process really matter so long as there are results? If you think that I haven''t been doing a decent job, then fine! Fire me! Fire me right now and rece me with someone else. Chief Dipp is no longer here, and I have been thinking of quitting, anyway!" Aliya shouted.


    The argument grew more and more heated; violence almost broke out between the two. Of course, the other officers hurriedly dissuaded Aliya from doing something drastic, so the worst-case scenario was avoided.


    Eventually, James was left all alone in the conference room. His arms were crossed in front of his chest, and he looked extremely annoyed. It seemed that the saying about how the subordinates would imitate their leaders'' traits was true.


    The people whom Dipp had recruited were as difficult to manage as him.


    Unfortunately, James was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. He couldn''t quite fire her, as she was the only one capable of controlling the rabble of District 3. To rece her, he couldn''t do it outright. It had to be a slow transition.


    The rumors between Aliya and Dipp also gave James a throbbing headache.


    "That brat Dipp really left a huge mess for me to deal with..." James muttered to himself before closing his eyes and massaging his temples. The issue before him was difficult to resolve, but it had to be resolved at all costs.


    The Captain had handed these people to him for him to manage, and he had no ns of letting Charles down.


    Just as James was busy motivating himself, his assistant walked into the conference room with a document in hand.


    "Chief, our police station in the harbor area caught three fugitives."


    "Why are you even telling me about such a minor issue? Just deal with them ording to ourws here," James replied.


    "But their identities are special, Chief. They''re ship designers that the Governor brought back from the Albion Isles. I decided to tell you because I don''t think we can handle them recklessly," the assistant replied.


    James took off his hat and scratched his bristly hair before asking, "Where''s the Governor?"


    "He''s at the docks; he''s there to inspect the progress on the Narwhale''s remodification," the assistant replied.


    James reached out to take the document from his assistant.


    "I''m going there, then," he said. Regardless of whether the three fugitives would turn out to be important to Charles or not, it didn''t matter to James. He had decided to go to the docks to clear his mind.


    This was one of the perks of holding the highest position in an organization; one would have the privilege to work at their own hours.


    James opened the ck doors of the police station and got into his car. His assistant hopped onto the driver''s seat before driving toward the docks. James'' knitted brows slowly rxed as he examined the scenery around him.


    His job was stressful and difficult as he had to deal with annoying matters day in and day out, but he would always feel gratified whenever he thought that his job was hugely responsible for the ind''s peace. James even dared to say that Hope Ind was the most peaceful ind throughout the Subterranean Seascape.


    An impactful precedent had to be set the moment an ind was founded. During thewmaking process, Charles had decreed that those who had vited thew would be punished, including himself.


    Quite a few people had objected, but the objections quickly vanished under Charles'' authoritarian rule. Those who couldn''t ept Charles'' governance had decided to leave, but Hope Ind had never run out of new arrivals. After all, it promised conditions that were way better than on any other ind in the Subterranean Seascape.


    The harshws of Hope Ind were the reason behind the ind''s peace.


    Just then, the car suddenly came to a halt. The door next to James was pulled open, and a familiar figure squeezed himself into the car.


    "Move your butt and let me in. Stop staring at me," Laesto tapped James'' leather shoes with his prosthetic leg.


    James moved to the side, allowing Laesto to take a seat.


    The moment Laesto settled down, he shamelessly turned to the driver and said, "Take me home, and hurry up."


    The driver cast a look of uncertainty at James in the rearview mirror. James nodded at the driver, and the driver finally started the car once more.


    "Mr. Laesto, you look quite disheveled. I think you should wash up once you get home. Wash your clothes, too," James leaned away from Laesto upon getting a whiff of thetter''s smell.


    Laesto put down his tin sk and cast a contemptuous gaze at James. "What now? Are you my father? Why are you lecturing me?"


    A look of helplessness suffused James'' face. Laesto''s temper had gotten even worse since he returned from the Albion Isles.


    "Where are you even going, big guy?" Laesto asked after taking another swig of the liquid in his tin sk.


    "I''m going to the docks. Captain''s there, and I have something to discuss with him," James replied.


    "Working here on the ind must be easier than working on the ship, no?" Laesto asked.


    "Honestly, I prefer working on the ship than on the ind. Anyway, Mr. Laesto, what have you been up to these days?" James asked.


    "What else can I do apart from drinking and waiting for my demise? I''ve already picked out my grave. I like peace and quiet, so don''t bother holding a memorial service for me once I die," Laesto replied.


    The way Laesto had spoken with gusto almost made James say, <i>"You don''t look like someone who''s dying at all,"</i> but in the end, he held back and decided to go silent.


    The silence in the car didn''tst long as James shattered it by asking, "Mr. Laesto, just what happened on the Albion Isles? There are all kinds of spections in the newspapers, but those are just rumors.


    "The Albion Isles ispletely inessible at the moment, so no one knows what happened."


    "How would I know?" Laesto replied, "You should just ask Charles. I asked that brat casually when I was treating him, but he didn''t answer me. He even looked like he didn''t want to talk about it."


    Hearing that, James no longer asked any questions. Since the Captain was unwilling to discuss it, it wasn''t his ce to ask. Of course, the Albion Isles were expansive, so someone would eventually find out what had transpired.


    In other words, James just had to wait for the news to spread by then.


    Just then, the car came to a screeching halt, leaving a ck trail on the ground.


    They had arrived at their destination.

 Chapter 289. Rewards

    <h4>Chapter 289. Rewards</h4>


    "All right, stop here," Laesto said before pushing the door open and heading toward his residence. A rather anxious-looking Linda was standing at the entrance with a smoking beaker in hand.


    The car door was shut, and James ordered, "To the docks."


    The car soon arrived at the docks. Every shipyard in the docks had stopped operating, as all manpower had been consolidated in an effort toplete the Governor''s submarine project as soon as possible.


    The Governor''s submarine project took precedence over anything else.


    James walked into thergest shipyard and saw the Narwhale. She was hanging in thick chains while workers were busy installing steel tes and drilling into her with the many different machinery in the shipyard.


    A few shipwrights were drilling holes at the bottom of the ship, and James judged that they were going to fill those holes with something. The Narwhale seemed to have sensed James'' arrival as her mooring ropes waved in James'' direction.


    James returned the gesture in kind before making his way over to the bustling crowd in the shipyard, where he found Charles. Charles seemed to be discussing something with a bespectacled old man.


    As James approached them, their conversation sounded clearer in his ears.


    "Remember to make a dozen diving suits capable of withstanding the pressure of the depths," Charles said.


    "We need to add a few more oxygen pipes to the ship. It''s going to be a bit difficult, but it''s not impossible. I''ll figure it out as soon as possible," the other man replied.


    Charles was busy talking with the bespectacled old man about the blueprint in front of them when he spotted his former Chief Engineer walking toward him. He cast a surprised gaze upon thetter and asked, "James? What brings you here?"


    "I just want to consult you about a minor issue, Captain. What do you think I should do about this?" James asked before handing over the document he had been holding in his hand.


    Charles skimmed the document and immediately understood the gist of it.


    "What''s going to happen to them based on thews of this ind?" Charles asked.


    "This is unprecedented, but if we were to treat this as a prison break, it''d be execution by firing squad," James replied.


    "Isn''t that a bit excessive?" Charles asked.


    "You''ll have to ask Dipp that question, Captain. He''s the one who put thatw in ce," James replied.


    Charles turned and swept his gaze across the designers arguing over the blueprint.


    "Lock them up for now. Once the refitting is done, release them then," Charles said. He didn''t think that these people deserved to die after toiling for him. They simply wanted to go home, after all.


    If their desire to go home warranted an execution by firing squad, then Charles also probably deserved the same feat for kidnapping them in the first ce.


    James was about to reply, but a red-robed man walked over to them.


    The man''s robes were enough for anyone to deduce his identity¡ªhe was a follower of the Light God. The red-robed man was smiling, and he sounded respectful as he turned to Charles and said, "Governor, His Holiness has sought your presence."


    <i>What? He''s still alive?</i> Charles had his own suspicions, but the news still made him feel inexplicably shaken. Charles decisively walked out of the shipyard and hopped into the car that the red-robed man had prepared for them outside.


    As soon as he alighted from the car, Charles saw a bustling crowd around the magnificent cathedral. Each and every member of the crowd had a white triangle on their foreheads.


    Based on the ecstatic smiles on their lips, it seemed that the red-robed man hadn''t lied. The Pope had managed toe back alive.


    Cardinal Bishop Hunn was all smiles as he walked up to Charles. "I told you, right? Governor Charles? An evil Divinity in the depths cannot possibly kill His Holiness. I wasn''t lying, right?"


    Charles didn''t feel like responding upon seeing Cardinal Bishop Hunn''s smug look, and he walked away, heading straight for the familiar prayer room. As usual, the floor of the prayer room was covered in red and yellow silk.


    Charles quickly approached the statue of the Pope. However, the statue remained unmoving despite Charles standing in front of it. It looked nothing more than an ordinary stone statue.


    "Where have you been all this while?" Charles asked the statue.


    However, the statue gave no reply to Charles'' inquiry.


    Three minutester, the statue''s face moved ever so slightly¡ªthat was it. Everything else remained unmoving aside from its face.


    "It''s a long story, my child. But the nutshell is that I was gravely injured. I even thought that I was about to ascend to His kingdom. Fortunately, He graced me with his protection and saved me. Naturally, it''s all because I still have unfinished duties," the Pope replied.


    Charles had no idea whether to feel happy or disappointed. However, Tobba''s warning in that video made him feel slightly more disappointed rather than happy.


    "He never lies. Swann has truly been tainted by the evil in the deep sea, but we failed to stop him," the Pope remarked. However, Charles only trusted half of his words.


    "Do you recognize what Swann had summoned?" Charles asked.


    The Pope didn''t respond immediately. The eyes of the statue slowly turned to Charles as the Pope replied, "My child, what do you know about the evil that lurks in the deep sea? I heard you''ve seen them before; is it true?"


    Charles didn''t find it necessary to hide such information, so he replied, "Based on my diary, I saw a huge yellow eye of a Divinity twelve years ago when I arrived in the Subterranean Seascape. Four years ago, I saw the palm of a Divinity.


    "Afterward, I got trapped on an ind filled with swamps. It managed to trap us inside with its ever-rising walls, and I saw a mass of darkness with deep red eyes when the ind sank. I''m not sure if that mass of darkness counts, but if it counts, that''s the third Divinity I''ve ever seen."


    "<i>Cough! Cough! Cough!</i>" Fierce coughing noises echoed from the statue. The Pope coughed for quite a while. When he finally recovered, he said, "We do have some records about that, but I do not wish to tell you more about them."


    "Still keeping secrets at this point?" Charles asked with a frown.


    "It''s for your own good, my child. Their mysteries are beyond your imagination. The more you know about them, the more attention they''ll pay to you. Have you already forgotten how hard you struggled just to escape their gazest time?"


    Hearing that, Charles recalled his experience in 041''s world.


    Meanwhile, the Pope continued. "The less we know about them, the safer we are. Those evil beings in the deep sea are truly terrifying. Humans are but paltry ants before them, and that is exactly why we need to have faith in the Light God."


    Charles looked confused as he stared at the stone statue. <i>Since when did we start talking about the Light God?</i>


    "The Light God is our only hope of salvation in this bleak world. Only He can lead us to triumph over the despairing beings in the deep sea," the Pope exined.


    "How can you be so sure that the Light God will help you? What if the Light God is on the same level of existence as those beings in the deep sea?" Charles asked.


    "No, no, no, the Great Light God is definitely on a different level than those things. He is mankind''s one and only hope," the Pope replied.


    Charles had no intention of allowing the Pope to start preaching to him, so he decided to address the elephant in the room.


    "Anyway, why were you looking for me? I''m quite busy at the moment, so I can''t listen to your preaching today. Maybe next time when I''m free," Charles said.


    "Oh, right. I wanted to tell you to be wary of Swann. He''ll probably me us for the Albion Isles'' fate. I don''t mind taking the me since I''m always in the Grand Cathedral. But you''re always out at sea, and it''ll be troublesome if you somehow run into him. Anyway, just be careful."


    "Wait, be wary of Swann? He''s still alive?!" Charles eximed. His voice was so loud that the followers stationed outside the prayer room heard him loud and clear.


    "He had sacrificed the entire Albion Isles, so it''d be strange if he actually died. Yes, he''s still alive, and he had even obtained the Feaster''s... rewards."

 Chapter 290. Retrofit

    <h4>Chapter 290. Retrofit</h4>


    "He had sacrificed the entire Albion Isles, so it''d be strange if he actually died. Yes, he''s still alive, and he had even obtained the Feaster''s... rewards."


    The air in the prayer room was plunged in solemnity as the Pope''s words pervaded the prayer room. Charles looked up at the three-meter-tall statue in front of him with an exceptionally grim look.


    He truly hadn''t expected that Swann would end up staying alive. The fact that Swann was still alive meant that Charles now had a madman with extreme resentment toward him.


    Charles felt wronged and thought it was unfair. The gray-robed figures and the Pope had orchestrated the entire y. He had only decided to jump into the fray to hammer the nail into Swann''s coffin but to think that Swann was still alive.


    "What are the Feaster''s rewards?" Charles asked.


    "I don''t know. When the Feaster left, Swann followed behind Him and left as well. The omniscient Light God had told me that Swann had received the Feaster''s rewards," the Pope said.


    He sounded apologetic as he continued. "I''m sorry. I tried to stop him, but he was too strong even for me."


    <i>He has be stronger than the Pope? </i>Charles felt his heart sink at the terrible news.


    The Pope saw Charles'' ugly look and decided to reassure him by saying, "Don''t worry too much about it. The sea is boundless, so the chances that you''ll somehow stumble upon him in the sea is too low."


    "Don''t worry? Of course, you''re not worried. You''re not in my shoes, after all," Charles retorted.


    Charles paced back and forth, thinking of a solution. And to think that this happened right when they were about to depart again. The issue had to be resolved as soon as possible, or they would have to be wary of Swann popping up from out of nowhere while they were at sea.


    "Charles, Charles," the Pope called out.


    Charles turned to the statue.


    "Calm down. It was just a reminder. You need not worry; just go ahead and look for the exit to the Land of Light. This is my fault, so I will resolve it myself. I''ll mobilize the Divine Light Order and thoroughly eliminate that nuisance once I''ve recovered," the Pope said.


    <i>Is he telling the truth, or is he lying?</i> Charles felt a twinge of unease. He couldn''t take any of the Pope''s words at face value.


    "Do you still not trust me when we''ve been working together for so long? Think about it; have I ever done anything to harm you?" the Pope asked, sounding dissatisfied. The Pope had always given off this air of calm andposure, so the Pope''s dissatisfaction was unusual.


    "I know that you don''t trust me," the Pope said, "However, our vested interests are aligned. We have themon goal of finding the Land of the Light."


    The Pope was right, and Charles had no reason to oppose the Pope.


    However, his intuition had been screaming at him since he met the Pope that thetter was anything but ordinary, and Tobba''s warning from hundreds of years back had made him even more wary of the Pope.


    "All right, let''s not waste time overthinking things. It''s about time you leave," the Pope said, "Before you leave, I want you to remember one thing. If you encounter sea creatures covered in metal, you have to turn around and leave immediately.


    "Those sea creatures are under Swann''s control, but you don''t have to panic. He''s no longer as fast as he was at the time. He became really slow. Very, very slow."


    Charles stared deeply at the Pope before turning around to leave the prayer room that had always made him feel deeply ufortable.


    Just a few seconds after Charles'' departure, Cardinal Bishop Hunn walked into the prayer room. He prostrated quietly in front of the stone statue.


    "How many followers do we have at the moment? I''m having some issues recalling the figures," the statue muttered with its eyes closed.


    "The radio broadcasts from the Albion Isles have been a tremendous help to us, Your Holiness. Our congregation has now exceeded seven million people. Throughout the Subterranean Seascape, only the Holy Spirit Missionary Society in the Southern Seas has more followers than us.


    "However, most of their converts aren''t true believers, so I believe we have more true believers than them. In other words, we''ve be the most powerful religious organization throughout the Subterranean Seascape!" Cardinal Bishop Hunn said proudly.


    <i>Seven million...</i> The Pope pursed his lips, seemingly dissatisfied with the numbers. <i>It''s not enough. we need more... the Light God needs more believers. </i>


    The Pope pondered over something for quite a while before speaking, "The inds in close proximity to the Albion Isles must be aware of the Albion Isles'' fate by now. The annihtion of the Albion Isles will cause great panic throughout the Subterranean Seascape."


    "Tell our believers to start some rumors and pin this incident on the Fhtagn Covenant. Let them take the me for the issue."


    Cardinal Bishopp Hunn lifted his head ever so slightly to peek at the statue. "Your Holiness, wasn''t it the Feaster who had gone to the Albion Isles?"


    "Does it matter? Those deformed sewer dwellers love sacrifices, so we''ll make them sacrifice themselves for the greater good by taking the me for this one," the Pope replied before continuing. "Tell our clergymen to get ready to take over the dioceses those Fhtagnists will eventually give up.


    "Remember, the more brethren we have, the sooner the Light God can break free of His restraints."


    "Your will shall be done, Your Holiness. May our beloved Light God lead us to the promisednd," Cardinal Bishop Hunn replied.


    "Yes, that day wille..." The movable parts of the stone statue went stiff, and before it ceased all movement, its mouth trembled ever so slightly. "That day... wille..."


    ***


    Twenty-five dayster, Charles and his crew had gathered in Hope Ind''s Shipyard 3. They stared in awe at the retrofitted Narwhale. Streamlined arc-shaped steel tes were suspended along her hull.


    The previously smoothened bow now had two firing ports sticking out of the bow. A towering pipe, clearly an oxygen vent, stood tall behind the bridge, and the Narwhale''s aft deck had also been riddled with various mechanical gears and mechanisms.


    The haphazard instation of the strange-looking contraptions made the Narwhale lookpletely in line with Steampunk fashion.


    The rapid nking of the chains echoed as sparks flew everywhere, and soon, the sixty-five-meter-long exploration vessel was slowly lowered onto the water''s surface.


    Charles examined the ship''s waterline with the gaze of a seasoned captain.


    "It looks much heavier than before. Can the engines power it? Don''t forget that this is an exploration vessel. It''s useless if it moves at a snail''s pace," Charles reminded.


    "Rest assured, Governor! We''ve swapped out the vortex engine for a V6 torque engine¡ªit''s a state-of-the-art technology of the Albion Isles. There''s no way it''ll move at a snail''s pace. In fact, it''s going to be much faster than before," the bespectacled old man said.


    "Let''s go inside and take a look then," Charles said. He started walking away, and the bespectacled old man followed closely behind him. Upon reaching the deck, Charles saw that the cabin door had changed.


    He twisted the handle and pulled it¡ªthe door had be heavier and thicker. He also noted what looked like rubber on its edges.


    The bespectacled old man saw Charles'' gaze and exined, "Every door in the ship has been converted to airtight doors. These doors can withstand exterior hull damage, which means the Narwhale will not get instantly inundated by water in case of an ident, and could even aid the vessel to ascend to the water''s surface."


    Charles nodded in understanding before walking deeper into the cabins. The bespectacled old man followed him and exined every single change Charles had noted.


    "You''re staring at the bast tank. To submerge, water is pumped in. The opposite has to be done if you want to surface. See the blue valves over there? You use that to flood the bast tanks, while the red ones are to discard the bast weights."


    "This is the torpedopartment. It has twenty torpedoes, and we made those torpedoes using the ammunition of your navy fleet. We''ve tested, and every single torpedo is formidable. One hit can take down a regr fifty-meter cargo vessel," the bespectacled old man said.


    "This is the minepartment. Against powerful enemies in hot pursuit, these iron spheres can beunched from the stern to obstruct them. They''ll explode upon contact, which means severe damage is guaranteed."


    "The dpression chamber is here. The crew has diving suits, and since it seems that they''re going to be diving as well, we thought this chamber was necessary. This chamber will allow divers to avoid dpression sickness."


    "And over there is periscope number 4. The ship has a total of six periscopes, which means that everything around the ship can be seen. The sses protecting the periscope lenses are especially thick, but I don''t rmend using them underwater unless absolutely necessary, especially on the seafloor."

 Chapter 291. Trial Run

    <h4>Chapter 291. Trial Run</h4>


    "What about the oxygen supply?" Charles inquired.


    "That''s simple; the soul-guiding candles from the Western Seas will be able to satisfy this need. They weren''t originally meant for this purpose, but when they are lit, they can indeed supply oxygen.


    Several blue candles appeared in the calloused hands of the old designer. Charles had seen these candles before. They were being used as a medium to summon the tiny ck Papyrians that he had once fought.


    He hadn''t expected that the candles could also provide oxygen.


    After making a tour around the ship, Charles nodded in satisfaction. They had truly lived up to their reputation as a top-tier ship designer. Everything that he had thought of¡ªand even things that he didn''t¡ªhad all been considered by them.


    With the extent of these modifications, it was akin to building a new ship. Yet, these people had aplished the incredible feat ofpleting the task in just one month.


    "Good job. I''m very pleased. Though I didn''t mention it previously, I''ll prepare the payment for the ship''s modifications."


    Hearing Charles'' words, a prideful expression appeared on the bespectacled elder''s face. As a craftsman, he yearned for each of his creations to be appreciated by his clients.


    But soon, he quickly discarded the emotions he felt. After all, he was currently still a captive.


    The old man hesitated for a few moments before he asked, "Governor, now that the ship is ready, as per our agreement, it''s time to let us go, isn''t it?"


    "No rush. We still have to do a trial run." Charles then walked onto the deck and snapped his fingers.


    Already on standby, the Narwhale crew rushed on board, all excited for the maiden voyage.


    The Narwhale let out a deep bellow and embarked on her journey toward the dark sea.


    When the Narwhale was at least a few hundred meters away from the docks, Charles gently tapped on the ship''s railing. "Alright, buddy, show me your transformation."


    With a series of <i>clicks</i>, the gears at the rear of the deck started turning. Under everyone''s gazes, the steel tes to either side of the vessel slowly converged upward like the halves of an eggshell.


    <i>Woosh!</i>


    Suddenly, all the ropes on the deck instantly shot out in various directions. They coiled themselves around the handles inside the iron tes and pulled with significant force.


    <i>nk!</i>


    The two steel tes collided overhead and created a muffled sound.


    From an outside perspective, the Narwhale had now transformed into a giant iron hemisphere.


    The transformed iron sphere was ingeniously designed and left no gaps apart from the several small, thick ss windows at the front, allowing observation of the outside from within.


    Though vision was possible, visibility was extremely limited as they could only look at what was ahead.


    Since this was a trial run, the primary goal was to test the ship''s diving capabilities.


    Guided by the designer, the sailors headed to the cabin that stored the water bast tanks.


    As the tanks slowly filled with seawater, the ship slowly began its descent into the depths of the sea.


    When the entire Narwhale was fully underwater, everyone aboard felt a tight constriction in their chests. They instinctively took bigger breaths; the feeling was simr to the sensation of having water brushing against their chests.


    Weister had a particrly uneasy expression. He had an inkling that the uing mission might not be as simple as theirtest one.


    "Good, no leaks, everything is normal," Charlesmented. He quickly surveyed the ship before heading straight back to the bridge.


    There had also been several changes at the bridge. A new addition could be seen in front of the steering wheel¡ªa round rudimentary screen that resembled a television set.


    "This is the sonar that we managed to acquire after much difficulty. Handle it with care. If it breaks, you are as good as blind underwater."


    The bespectacled old man finished his exnation and hit on a red button. The screen instantly lit up.


    <i>Beep¡ª</i>


    A white circle slowly expanded from the center of the screen. It then reset and began to expand again after a few seconds.


    As a modern man, Charles had watched enough television shows to recognize the technology. The sonar was simr to the echolocation he used in his bat form.


    With this, the screen would rapidly disy anything that was within the detection area, regardless if they were living or dead.


    Suddenly, the sonar''s beeping elerated. On the screen, arge swarm of bright dots was approaching the Narwhale at an extremely fast speed.


    A sense of suffocation gripped the throats of everyone at the bridge. The designer''s hands were even shaking uncontrobly. He couldn''t understand why as soon as he turned on the sonar system, something was already heading their way.


    Before anyone could react, several massive mouths with triple rows of sharp teeth within appeared before the observation ss and pressed against it.


    A frenzy of screams and shouts erupted at the sudden terrifying sight.


    Just when Charles was about to order the firing of torpedoes, the ferocious maws on the ss disappeared, and a couple of red silhouettes swam back and forth before the window.


    Charles sent an icy re at Second Mate Feuerbach, who was standing next to him.


    "Do you find this amusing?"


    It hadn''t been some imminent danger but was just Feuerbach''s sharks ying a prank.


    Feuerbach let out a light-heartedughter and patted the shoulder of the bespectacled designer. The old man nearly got a stroke from the fearful event.


    "Captain, everyone seemed so tense, so I thought a little joke would be good to lighten the mood," Feuerbach exined.


    Charles turned toward Bandages, who was manning the helm, andmanded, "Circle around Hope Ind. Let everyone get used to working underwater."


    Bandages silently acknowledged with a nod and turned the wheel.


    "As for you..." Charles turned toward Feuerbach. "Since you''re so free,e with me and get to work."


    Charles then grabbed Feuerbach by the cor and pulled him toward the captain''s quarters.


    Working underwater was surely different from working above. As the captain, Charles needed to allocate everyone''s working and resting hours to ensure a bnced schedule.


    While the crew members struggled to adapt to this darker, more oppressive environment, one member took to the new conditions with ease rather naturally.


    Lilyy before the deck''s observation ss and marveled as she peered at the undersea world that was illuminated by the submarine''s searchlights. Though her path of sight was mostly shrouded in darkness, she was thoroughly engrossed in what she could see.


    Just as she let out a heartyugh upon seeing a blue-shelled nautilus being bumped aside by the submarine, arge hand reached out and scooped her up. It was Charles.


    She nuzzled against his palm with her furry head and eximed in excitement, "Mr. Charles! I just saw something glowing purple! It was so beautiful!"


    "Stop looking. It''s safe now since we are still near the ind. But once we get to the open sea, you''ll see things that could haunt your dreams."


    "<i>Oh...</i> then can I watch a bit longer now? I''ll stop once we reach the deeper waters."


    Charles carried her toward his cabin and instructed, "Take your mice friends with you to try out the new underwater weapons. That''s part of your duty as the gunner."


    Before Charles could step through the cabin door, he noticed Bandages waving to him from the bridge.


    He turned and moved toward the bridge instead. Arriving at the bridge, he cast a nce at the nautical chart on the wall and noted that they hadn''t ventured too far¡ªonly about forty-odd nautical miles from Hope Ind.


    "There''s something...on the sonar," Bandages said as he pointed his bandaged hand toward the screen.


    On the top left corner of the screen, a bright spot that was twice the size of their ship was flickering incessantly.


    "Is it moving?" Charles asked.


    "No... It appears... to be dead..."


    "There''s something so close to the ind? Move closer to get a better look," Charles instructed.

 Chapter 292. Cargo Vessel

    <h4>Chapter 292. Cargo Vessel</h4>


    "Wh-what is this?" Charles wondered aloud.


    "Mr. Charles, could it be an underwater hill?" Lily asked, her eyes wide in curiosity.


    "Doesn''t seem like it. It looks more like a coral cluster to me. Also, since there are fish swimming around it, it''s probably safe. First Mate, take us a bit closer," Charles instructed before moving quickly to the periscope at the rear.


    He closed one eye and squinted the other as he peered through the scope. Although he was limited to monocr vision, the periscope offered a much broader view.


    As the Narwhale inched closer to the unknown entity, the silhouette of the object ahead began to take rity under the searchlights.


    It was a ship; to be exact, it was a sunken ship encroached with various corals and barnacles.


    <i>Apart from myself, only the kings of Sottom know about Hope Ind. Could this be a pirate ship? </i>Charles wondered to himself as his mind thought of possible scenarios.


    Just then, a streak of red shed past the periscope and darted toward the sunken ship¡ªit was Feuerbach''s shark.


    When the distance between the Narwhale and the wreck was no more than forty meters, the group of red sharks emerged from within and circled the ship. One of them held a color-changing octopus in their monstrous jaws.


    "Captain, my little tricks are saying that apart from this octopus, the ship ahead is just an ordinary sunken ship," Second Mate Feuerbach reported.


    Charles stroked his chin and contemted for a brief moment before he said, "It''s safe then? Let''s use this wreck to test the diving suits."


    Since it was a trial run, they ought to use this opportunity to test all of the Narwhale''s new equipment.


    If they ran into any mishaps here, at least they were still near Hope Ind. But if they were out in the open sea, they would probably face dire consequences.


    Within the dpression chamber of the Narwhale, Charles donned the diving suit with the assistance of his crew members.


    To withstand the immense water pressure, the specially designed heavy-duty suit was far more advanced than the simple rubber suits of the Divine Light Order. The suit itself weighed about 220 pounds.


    The bulky round helmet waspletely made from metal and featured a thick ss for vision and a protective collision right outside the ss. Apart from the helmet, the suit resembled a spacesuit in all other aspects.


    If someone without sufficient strength were to wear such a heavy diving suit, their movements would have been heavily impeded. Fortunately, Charles could move with surprising ease.


    He knocked on the thick ss before his eyes and estimated it to be at least ten centimeters thick¡ªdefinitely sturdy enough to withstand the intense water pressure.


    After signaling a thumbs-up to the crew member beside him, everyone except for Feuerbach exited the dpression chamber.


    Seawater began to seep in and flood the chamber. Charles noticed Feuerbach''s mouth moving, but being sealed within his suit, he couldn''t hear a single word.


    Soon, he heard a hissing sound within his helmet. Charles realized it was the sound of oxygen flowing through the tubes into his suit.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    The bell inside Charles''s suit rang. The cord that extended out from the oxygen tube was the only means ofmunication in this sealed, heavy-duty suit.


    The water pressure within the dpression chamber gradually increased. When the pressure within the chamber was the same as that outside, Charles squatted down and turned the red handle of the circr hatch on the floor to push it outward.


    Bubbles swirled around as the dark, profound depths of the sea appeared before Charles.


    Charles could hear his own breathing as he leaped into the hole.


    The Narwhale wasn''t that far from the seabed. Sand and silt were stirred up as he steadilynded on the seafloor.


    He signaled to Feuerbach in semaphore before walking toward the sunken wreck.


    Though the heavy suit was cumbersome to maneuver onnd, it felt somewhat more manageable underwater due to buoyancy. Charles felt like he was walking in space, and it was a bizarre yet exhrating sensation.


    With Feuerbach''s sharks circling around the sunken ship, they scared away schools of sardines and clownfish darting among the corals.


    Charles soon arrived at the massive wreckage site. He looked up and took in the vessel''s massive size; it was almost twice the size of the Narwhale. Presently, it was nted like a broadsword thrust into the sea bed.


    <i>What''s the story behind this ship? </i>The thought entered Charles'' mind as he approached the crevices of the wreck.


    However, just as he was about to explore further within, a partially coral-covered word by the side caught his attention. He reached out a hand and forcefully tore away the coral. The name of the ship was revealed before his eyes: D134.


    <i>Why is this name so familiar? </i>Charles'' brows furrowed as he stared at the characters on the ship''s hull.


    Suddenly, it dawned on him, and his eyes lit up upon realization. He remembered¡ªit was the name of the ghost ship he had encountered upon his arrival at Hope Ind three years ago. The ghost captain of that ship had mentioned that he was the captain of the cargo vessel D134.


    Charles swiftly recalled the memories from three years ago. He remembered that he had encountered the spectral ship when he was trying to transmit information to the Divine Light Order.


    <i>That man said they were going to deliver a batch of cargo to Hope Ind, but they sank here instead. How unfortunate; they were so close to their destination,</i> Charles thought to himself.


    A hint of curiosity rose within Charles; he wanted to know what cargo the ship might have been carrying and whether there was anything still salvageable after all these years.


    Of course, Charles knew the likelihood was slim. His primary purpose of this dive was to test out the diving suit, anyway. Anything else would be a bonus.


    He kicked his feet against the ocean floor and propelled his body toward the dark crevices of the wreck.


    An endless darkness shrouded his vision. Aquatic nts covered the entire ship''s structure. Any traces of human activity had long been eroded away by the relentless sea.


    <i>This ship won''t suddenly copse, will it? </i>Charles wondered as a twinge of apprehension hit him. However, at the thought of his heavy diving suit that was as good as armor, he felt reassured and continued forward over the uneven terrain of coral.


    Despite the severe corrosion and the encroaching of corals and barnacles, as a seasoned explorer, Charles could discern theyout of every area within the ship.


    Slowly but steadily, he reached the cargo hold. Unsurprisingly, the door of the cargo hold was covered with colorful coral.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Charles threw a hard punch at the coral and stirred up the debris in the water.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Charles struck again, and corals began to crack, their shattered pieces turning the water murkier.


    On his third strike, the corals finally fell away to reveal a decayed, rust-red cargo door.


    <i>My strength is at least four times higher than before, </i>Charles calcted as he wedged his hands into the door seam and his muscles tensed up in preparation.


    With a grating sound like nails scratching on a chalkboard, he slowly forced the door open. As the gap widened, something white floated out. Charles instinctively struck it with his fist, and the unknown matter shattered upon impact. However, more of them surged forth through the gap.


    They were skeletons¡ªhuman skeletons.


    Charles stood rooted to his spot in shock at the sight before him. The spectral captain''s words from three years ago echoed in his ears.


    <i>"Cargo Vessel D134, full speed ahead! We must reach our destination and deliver this batch of cargo by the sixteenth!"</i>


    It turned out that the batch of cargo he was talking about were living people!

 Chapter 293. Dipp

    <h4>Chapter 293. Dipp</h4>


    Charles was well aware that the Foundation conducted human experiments, but he was taken aback by the sheer number of skeletons here.


    It hadn''t taken more than a few seconds for the ghastly white bones to float out of the cargo hold and eerily glide past Charles like schools of fishes.


    Being in a decrepit sunken ship in the gloomy depths of the water and surrounded by countless human remains sent a chilling sensation down Charles'' spine.


    Feuerbach was hiding near the distant exit and was forcefully tugging at Charles'' oxygen tube in a desperate attempt to get him to leave the cargo hold area.


    However, Charles turned around, and with a swift pull on the tube, he dragged Feuerbach over right into the midst of the skeletal remains.


    He gestured to his Second Mate to wait before he brushed aside the skeletons in front of him and ventured deeper into the cargo hold.


    Honestly speaking, he wasn''t afraid of ghosts or spirits in the sea. In his perspective, animated bones would at least be moreforting than encountering bizarre and unknown monsters. At least, those bones and he were of the same species.


    Navigating swiftly through the bones, which seemed to swarm around him like fish, Charles searched for clues.


    But much to his disappointment, the cargo hold that was simr to those that stored giant containers recorded no information of what had transpired.


    Perhaps there had been documentation, but the time and water had washed them all away.


    Charles did a quick search before he turned his gaze onto the white bones.


    With the presence of new entities, the long undisturbed waters were stirred once again, and the previouslyplete skeletons gradually disintegrated into individual bones.


    They had remained intact only because there was no new introduction into their existing ecosystem to disturb them.


    Charles reached out a hand and grabbed the nearest bone. He studied it closely and discerned it to be a hip bone. He then examined a few more and concluded that there was a fair mix of men and women back then. Also, there weren''t any children''s remains.


    Suddenly, something floating on a shin bone caught his attention. It seemed to resemble a bracelet. Despite having been severely corroded by the seawater, he was certain that it was clearly metallic.


    With a snap, Charles broke the object into two pieces to reveal a green chip embedded within. It was an electronic device.


    He flipped the bracelet over to be greeted with a series of numbers.


    <i>134414</i>


    Those were the Arabic numerals inscribed on the bracelet. Charles looked around once more, and after a meticulous examination, he realized that almost every skeleton had a simr tag. The presence of these bracelets suggested that they were used to identify cargo.


    He then picked up another and read the numbers. 134945. It was a different series of numbers, but the <i>134</i> prefix was consistent.


    <i>How many goods were there? If there are six digits...Were they trying to transport tens of thousands of people to Hope Ind? What is the Foundation trying to do with so many people? What kind of experiment requires such a vast number of people? </i>


    It was a chilling thought that Charles wanted to dismiss¡ªwhat kind of person would use hundreds of thousands of their own kind for experiments?


    However, the recent event on the Albion Isles had taught him not to overestimate the depths of human morality.


    Seeing the skeletons around him, a pang of sorrow hit Charles. His emotions didn''t stem solely from the lost human lives on the ship but also from the thousands of simr cargo ships that had been sailing the seas in the past era.


    He remained motionless in a brief moment of silence amidst all the floating bones before he tossed the bone he was holding and made his way back to where he hade from.


    Exploring the shipwreck was just a small part of the trial run for the Narwhale, and they would need to continue with the trial. If there was anything that this exploration had influenced, it was probably the slight dip in Charles'' spirits.


    As the crew fully adapted to the refitted ship, the Narwhale slowly entered the docks, marking the end of her trial run.


    At this point, Charles had also ced his emotions aside. No matter what atrocities had urred then, they were a thing of the past, a thing of the previous era, and were no longer relevant.


    "Chief Engineer, prepare the fuel. Sailors, assist the cook with stocking the food supply. First Mate, plot the course. Get moving," Charles instructed. His crew immediately sprang into action. They knew that their next voyage would be happening soon.


    Charles stood at the docks, and a group of people slowly started to gather around him. They were the ship designers from the Albion Isles.


    He noted the longing in their eyes and let out a soft sigh. He carefully pondered over his words before he said, "If any of you wish to stay, I''m willing to hire you at a high sry."


    Upon hearing Charles'' words, the crowd instantly thought that Charles was trying to break his promise. Impassioned shouts erupted, and the people were not even the least deterred by the navy officers cocking their guns nearby.


    "What do you mean by that?! You promised us!" one of them shouted.


    "You think you''ve won? Our great Governor Swann won''t let you get away with this!" another echoed the same sentiment.


    "How can such a person who doesn''t keep his word deserves to be a governor? What a disgrace to the title!" a third person chimed in.


    "Everyone!" Charles'' hollered, his voice cutting through the cacophony. "I never said anything about not letting you leave. But a huge incident had happened on the Albion Isles, and if you were to go now, you might not be able to make it out alive."


    "No matter what happened, that is our home! We want to go home!"


    "Yes, he''s right! We want to go home!"


    "You promised us then! That you''d let us leave once we finished building the ship!"


    Noting the firm determination in their tone, Charles let out another sigh. He gestured to Feuerbach, who was standing nearby.


    "Round up a few ships and take them to the outskirts of the Albion Isles. If they still choose death after seeing the situation, there''s no need to stop them. But if anyone changes their mind, bring them back. Their skills are invaluable for our ind''s development," Charles instructed.


    "Understood," Feuerbach said with an affirmative nod. He then stepped forward to address the crowd. "Those who want to go home, follow me! Hurry up! I won''t wait for stragglers; I still have to return soon to join the captain on his next voyage!"


    The crowd''s face lit up with excitement upon hearing Feuerbach''s words. They were going home. Soon enough, the Narwhale was well-loaded with supplies, and the designers boarded a smaller vessel. Under the watchful gazes of those at Hope Ind''s dock, two ships, onerge and one small, set sail side by side and departed the ind.


    ***


    In the inky dark waters, a sharp stone awl was scratching a smooth rock.


    <i>Today is my 3rd munth in Iharis Deep. I don''t relly like the ways they do things here.</i>


    <i>They liv forver and don''t want much stuff. They do weird things to wake up the Great One and try lots of stuff to have fun.</i>


    <i>I can eat raw fish and join them in poking water buffalos with our nails. But some stuff they do is not nice, and I don''t want to do it.</i>


    <i>Will I be like them one day? It makes me scard.</i>


    <i>I dream about when I was not under the water. I miss being on a ship with my frends a lot.</i>


    Dipp suddenly set down his awl. He felt a call that he knew all too well¡ªit was time for another round of prayers.


    He carefully ced the inscribed rock to the side. Moving his webbed feet, he swam toward the deepest part of the underwater city.


    The Deep Dwellers living in the area had gathered at the very heart of the Iharis Deep. Thankfully, they were in the water, and space could be greatly utilized in all directions. Millions of Deep Dwellers gathered to form a massive sphere.


    As Dipp approached the sphere, his gills fluttered slightly, and a peculiar emotion started to overwhelm his mind.


    He joined his fellow tribesmen in slowly swimming toward the center. Right in the middle of the crowd was a pure gold statue of God Fhtagn, with several smaller statues surrounding it.


    Apart from being crafted in gold, all the statues shared another simrity¡ªthey bore grotesque and terrifying features beyond human imagination.


    A figure with an octopus head swam toward the statue and stopped in front of it. Two humans enveloped in bubbles were floating behind him.


    With a pop, the octopus-headed figure pierced both bubbles with the golden staff in his hand. Instantly, crimson blood diffused into the water and further heightened the bizarre atmosphere to a climax.


    His mouth parted to let out a strange, trembling sound. It was a song in anguage without vowels.


    The surrounding spherical choir of Deep Dwellers began to join the chant in unison. They closed their lizard-like eyes and sang the haunting melody.

 Chapter 294. Incoming Ship

    <h4>Chapter 294. Iing Ship</h4>


    The Deep Dweller''s chants vibrated through the water, and a faint red glow started to emanate from the giant golden statue of God Fhtagn.


    A glint of golden light reflected on the amber, round, t eyes of the octopus-headed figure preceding the ceremony.


    He raised his golden staff shrouded in a bloody mist and let out a deep, murmuring voice that soon intertwined with song. His ovepping sound added a hint of eeriness to the unsettling atmosphere.


    The blood-tinted seawater started to converge upon the statues, and the red glow from Fhtagn''s statue intensified to nearly overshadow its golden sheen.


    The statue seemed to show traces of melting, but it only happened for a split second before it returned to its original state as soon as their <i>holy hymn</i> concluded.


    Disappointment flickered across the octopus-headed figure. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a ck bubble that enveloped him and then vanished from the sight of the Deep Dwellers.


    Gradually, consciousness returned to the Deep Dwellers. And they slowly dispersed in small groups.


    As Dipp was a neer in themunity, he hadn''t joined any social circles yet. He floated alone in the waters like an outsider in this strange underwater city.


    "Elder seemed displeased today. He didn''t even conclude the prayer," Dipp muttered to himself as he stared at the spot where the octopus-head figure had been just moments before.


    Soon enough, the area emptied. Kicking his webbed feet, Dipp made his way back home.


    Exiting the prayer structure, Dipp spotted six of his fellow tribesmen binding an orca with seaweed. They then slit open its skin to insert a sea urchin that was emitting a ck mist.


    The orca convulsed and writhed in pain as it constantly let out wails of extreme agony.


    However, its pained cries had the Deep Dwellers'' faces lit up in excitement. It was as though the suffering of another brought them pleasure.


    And that was not the end of the orca''s sad fate. Standing in front of its head, they brandished sharpened shells, ready to y the whale.


    Suddenly, they halted their movements. They had noticed Dipp and immediately beckoned him to join them. Looking at their lifeless, gray eyes, Dipp shook his head and left the scene.


    The torturers were unfazed by Dipp''s reluctance and continued on with their torture of the orca. They knew the pattern all too well. New tribesmen from above the water always started out shy.


    But in time, after decades, centuries, or even millennia, after they had exhausted every other pleasure, they would eventually join in.


    As Dipp silently swam toward his home, he passed by his fellow tribesmen who were engaging in their own peculiar ways of satisfying their own pleasure. From their actions, he could deduce their age.


    Those indulging in simple pleasures like sex and games were the younger ones, who had only arrived for less than a century. In stark contrast, the middle-aged, who had lived for hundreds of years, took pleasure in tormenting others or even inflicting pain on themselves. The older they were, the increasingly cruel and unusual their methods became.


    As for the elders aged more than a thousand years, they usually close themselves off in their chambers. Dipp neither knew nor wished to know what they were doing within their own secluded spaces.


    Just as he swam past a pair of Deep Dwellers entwined in passionate sex, a female Deep Dweller appeared before him.


    His face twisted in a mix of fear and recognition; it was his mother.


    She extended her dark green, sharp ws toward Dipp, and thetter shook his head in dread and rapidly backed away.


    All of a sudden, a cold body pressed against him from the back. Dipp turned around and saw that it was his maternal grandmother.


    Then, a chilly body touched his feet. He looked down and saw his mother''s other child, his step-sister. The three females collectively moved in to embrace him and rubbed their icy bodies against him.


    "<i>AHHHHHH!</i>" Dipp screamed in a burst of panic and desperation. He frantically wrestled out of their encirclement and fled in a frenzy.


    Left behind, the trio exchanged gazes before they swam toward a group of seven to eight Deep Dwellers intertwined in hardcore debauchery.


    Meanwhile, Dipp had returned home and was cowered in a corner of his room. Terror painted his face, and he started trembling in fear.


    Growing up as an orphan, he had always yearned for a family. When he was begging for a living as a young child, he would even draw pictures of his imagined family members and lie down next to them to pretend that they were real and were with him.


    Even when he was starving, he would imagine his mother''s gentleness, his father''s strength, and his grandmother''s kindness. He would also imagine just how happy he was to be with them.


    When he had first arrived at Iharis Deep, those were the emotions he had harbored as he embraced his mother for the first time. However, what happened next was a cruel shock to him.


    The family he wanted was not <i>this</i>, definitely not.


    Extreme disgust overwhelmed Dipp. However, the more frightening thought was that in the darkest corners of his soul, he could feel a hint of desire topromise.


    <i>"Hey...say. If we continue staying here, will we slowly be like them?" </i>A voice echoed in Dipp''s head. All three personalities kept quiet at the thought-provoking question.


    After all, they could roughly guess the answer.


    After a few moments, another voice spoke in Dipp''s head, <i>"I don''t know about you guys, but I miss Captain. I want to go back onnd."</i>


    Dipp then swam to the eastern side of his house. He picked up a mirror he had salvaged from a sunken ship.


    The reflection staring back at him was a stark reminder of his monstrous appearance: bulging eyes to the point where his eyelids could no longer close, ghastly gray-green skin, sharp teeth like needles, and dark red fins sticking out of his head.


    <i>"Stop thinking about it. We can''t go back. We''re monsters now; we''re no longer humans."</i>


    Suddenly, his hand with sharp fingernails moved on its own and tore at the green scales on his face in an attempt to rip away the monstrousyer on him.


    Sadly, there was no smooth human skin beneath the scales, only a muddled mess of flesh and muscle.


    A voice broke out into sobs and wailed, <i>"I want to return to the Narwhale! I want to go on explorations with the Captain and the others again! I''m the boatswain of the Narwhale!"</i>


    Another personality and Dipp swiftly intervened to stop the third personality from his self-harming act.


    Just as Dipp was trying to calm the distressed personality, a special tremor came from the door entwined with barnacles and seaweed.


    Someone was blowing a warning conch, and it signaled the presence of a ship above.


    Dipp set the mirror aside and pushed against the door, exiting the house. He looked up to see several small ships slowly passing overhead.


    He remained still as he watched his other tribesmen, with spears in hand, surrounding the boats.


    To them, humans were not just sacrificial offerings for their rituals but also subjects of torment.


    Just then, something jumped from the boat above. Judging from the silhouette, it appeared to be a human.


    Strangely, the Deep Dwellers didn''t attack the humans. Instead, they led the humans toward the underwater city.


    Dipp''s curiosity was piqued, and so were the others. They quickly tailed after the group.


    Soon, Dipp could get finer details. Those who had descended from the boat were d in ck robes. Like a troupe of spectral figures, they moved through the water in an orderly manner.


    He also instantly recognized the distinctive style of their robes as he had seen those outfits before¡ªthey were members of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    The undting sea waves allowed Dipp to get a nce at the terrifying faces hidden beneath their hoods. Instead of mouths with teeth, they had octopus tentacles with suckers, yet their appearance was distinct from the octopus-headed elder hosting the prayer ritual.


    Their appendages were finer and more numerous, resembling whiskers.

 Chapter 295. Island Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 295. Ind Crisis</h4>


    At this moment, the sight of the Fhtagnists, d in their ck robes and surrounded by the terrifying Deep Dwellers, created a bizarre yet strangely harmonious scene.


    <i>How did those people turn into that? Are you still considered humans? </i>Dipp pondered to himself.


    Just as he was deep in thought, ck, tainted bubbles suddenly appeared in the waters, and three elders appeared before him.


    Under the watchful gazes of the naked Deep Dwellers, the two groups stopped and began their negotiation.


    "Humans, what do you want?" an elder asked. His voice was hoarse yet ear-piercing, and that was even after being filtered once by the water.


    The voice of the Fhtagnists sounded no better. As usual, there seemed to be a mouthful of thick phlegm stuck in their throat. Through the water, their words became even more indistinct.


    "We''ve run into some trouble, and we now need your help."


    "What kind of trouble?"


    Hearing the elder''s question, visible anger surfaces on the face of the leading Fhtagnist.


    "Some deluded cultists falsely used us. They imed that the destruction of the Albion Isles was done by our God," the leader said.


    "Ridiculous! If the Great One really awakened from His slumber, the existence of the entire sea would be dependent on just a single thought of His!" another elder eximed.


    "Those heretics must pay for their actions!" the Fhtagnist leader shouted.


    "Are you nning to attack the Divine Light Grand Cathedral? Are you trying to instigate an endless divine war?"


    "It''s not that significant of a problem. I don''t want a direct confrontation with them at this point, which is why we''vee to you."


    "Sea monsters attacking inds are rare, but they have happened before. If it just so happens to be the territory of the Divine Light Order, it could be considered purely coincidental," the Fhtagnist leader hinted.


    "Where?"


    "My spy on Hope Ind told me that the supposed Light God up there is nothing but a fake. Take over Hope Ind first, and then annihte that light source."


    "As fellow brethren of the Great One, we can assist you. But what would be ourpensation?"


    At this point, Dipp wasn''t listening any longer. His mind was a tumultuous sea of shock and disbelief.


    <i>No!!! Newbound City lies right above Hope Ind. Captain and I went through so much hardship to discover that ind. I can''t just let them destroy it! </i>Dipp thought as he clenched his fists tightly.


    He slightly observed the negotiation starting and concluding. When he saw the Fhtagnists ascending to the water''s surface, Dipp feigned a poker face as he swam back to his dwelling.


    Suppressing the turmoil within him, he made his preparations to leave. But to be honest, he didn''t have much to pack. Aside from his dagger, everything else was dispensable.


    Eventually, he decided on one more item¡ªa scarf. It was the very same one that Charles had given him to ward off the cold.


    Dipp pushed open the door, wanting to leave to inform Charles, but was obstructed by his mother standing at the doorway.


    "Mother, I-I''m hungry. I''m going to catch some fish," Dipp lied; his eyes involuntarily shifted downward to avoid her gaze.


    "Are you leaving?"


    His mother''s icy word sent a wave of panic through Dipp. He subconsciously tightened and loosened his grip on the dagger in intermittent intervals.


    The female Deep Dweller didn''t press further. She grabbed Dipp and pulled him toward the eastern part of Iharis Deep.


    Dipp thought of struggling out of her grasp, but looking at his mother''s back view, he dismissed the thought. This was his mother, the woman who gave him life.


    Slowly, Dipp realized that his mother wasn''t taking him to the dwelling ce of the tribal elders. Instead, she led him to her own dwelling and pushed a package into his arms.


    Dipp opened the package to reveal a water-filledpass and a fist-sized ck pearl.


    "These items will help you evade the attention of the sea''s scavengers. Keep them with you at all times, and remember toe back soon. We are all waiting for you."


    A mix of emotions fluttered across Dipp''s face. He stared at the female Deep Dweller before him for a couple of seconds. Then, without nodding or shaking his head, he turned around and swiftly swam away.


    As she watched her son''s silhouette fading into the distance, she muttered to herself, "Whether it''s after years or decades, you will return one day once you get tired of everything out there. <i>This</i> is your eternal home."


    ***


    Within the captain''s quarters of the Narwhale, Charles'' brows were furrowed slightly as he watched Tobba absentmindedly stroking a mouse in his palm.


    "Do you remember what you told me in the past?" Charles asked.


    "I''ve told you many things. Do you want me to repeat them all? Oh, I''ll do that then! The first time we met was on Skywater Ind. That day, I told¡ª"


    Before Tobba could ramble on, Charles aggressively interrupted him.


    "I''m talking about the time before the Foundation disappeared! Stop ying dumb!"


    "The... Foundation? That name sounds familiar. Furry, have you heard of them?" Tobba asked as he looked down at the mouse in his hand. "What? You want candy again? Stop eating candy all the time, it''s bad for your teeth."


    Taking in Tobba''s entric behavior, Charles was somewhat speechless. He really couldn''t tell whether the old man before him was genuinely insane or was feigning it.


    "Get out," Charles instructed and waved his hand in annoyance to signal Tobba to leave.


    Tobba suddenly sprawled out andid his head on Charles'' table. He looked up at Charles with his eyes wide and glittering like that of a child.


    "One story for one question! You promised me that before," Tobba reminded.


    Initially, Charles didn''t want to entertain him, but Tobba''s persistent nagging annoyed him to no end.


    "You just want a story, huh? Listen up. This is a story about a woman named Anna..."


    As Charles concluded the brief story, Tobba''s face had turned pale, and his facial features were scrunched up in fear.


    "That''s so terrifying..." Tobba muttered. "This story is too terrifying."


    In a state of panic, he clutched the mouse tightly to his chest and ran away.


    Charles took out a bottle of liquor from one of the drawers and took a deep swig. Even since he watched the video on the tablet, Tobba''s words had been like a thorn in his side. He wanted to pry out more information from Tobba himself, but he had failed every single time.


    "Why couldn''t you speak properly?! What''s with the mystery?!" Charles cursed with a hint of frustration and mmed the bottle down on the table.


    Although he and the Pope were mutually suspicious of each other, they were still in a cooperative rtionship with no direct conflict of interest.


    He couldn''t possibly be overly cautious of the Pope just because of a cryptic warning from Tobba, could he? What if Tobba from the past era had ulterior motives? Bad people wouldn''t have the words <i>I''m bad</i> stamped on their foreheads.


    Many different spections entered Charles'' mind before they flickered into oblivion a few momentster. He felt extremely agitated by the unclear situation and couldn''t decide how to deal with it.


    Feeling restless and troubled, he headed toward the deck for some fresh air. Upon reaching the deck, he noticed that someone was already there. It was one of his sailors, Weister.


    Weister was squatting down and coughing intermittently as he smoked.


    The moment Weister spotted Charles, he quickly stood up.


    "Governor, sir!" Weister greeted with respect.


    "Why are you smoking that?" Charles asked as he gestured with his index finger toward the cigarette pinched between Weister''s fingers.


    "I heard from the other sailors that smoking this can help alleviate fatigue, so I was trying it out," Weister answered.


    Charles looked at the dark circles under Weister''s eyes and understood instantly. The young man was probably suffering from insomnia.


    Being a crew member on a ship presented its unique set of challenges.


    The first hurdle was always seasickness. Seasickness was an extremely unpleasant sensation, but one could only endure it, and the symptoms would gradually lessen over time.


    The second one was the mental strain. Before even talking about the monsters lurking in the dark waters, just spending one or two months confined to a ship only sixty-five meters long was unbearable for most people.


    This was precisely why sailors needed a way to vent their psychological stress.

 Chapter 296. Submerge

    <h4>Chapter 296. Submerge</h4>


    Truthfully speaking, this voyage was not so different from the previous voyages. Weister thought that way, but he remained under pressure for another reason¡ªthe retrofitted Narwhale.


    The previous test run made Weister realize what his Captain was trying to do. Charles wanted to explore the forbidden region of this bizarre seascape¡ªthe seafloor.


    Weister had never gotten a whiff of a decent sleep over the past few days. He would have nightmares about the ship getting captured by bizarre sea creatures and the entire ship getting dragged into the pitch-ck abyss of the deep sea.


    "Captain... Are we... really going down there?" Weister asked gingerly. His trembling fingers pinched a cigarette stick.


    "Of course, did you think I had the ship retrofitted to have fun?" Charles asked.


    "Wh-What exactly are we looking for on the seafloor?" Weister asked.


    "We''re going to look for something that had fallen into an underwater chasm. I think it''s around five hundred meters down below. We''re just going to look for it, so I don''t think it''s going to be that dangerous," Charles remarked.


    Weister''s cigarette trembled uncontrobly. How could diving to such depths be safe?


    Seeing Weister''s horrified expression, Charles patted the young man''s shoulder and said, "Don''t be so worried all the time. Just think about who you are doing this for. Think about your family on the ind."


    Weister was quiet at Charles'' remark. After a while, heposed himself and gave a firm nod. He knew that money didn''te easily. But he would risk it all for his mother and siblings!


    Weister ced the cigarette between his lips and sucked in greedily before erupting into a fit of coughs.


    Charles examined the young man before him and was reminded of his teenage self ten years ago.


    The visage of a kind old woman, Weister''s mother, popped up in Charles'' mind. He pondered briefly before saying, "How about you just stay on the ind once we''re done with this voyage?"


    A tinge of temptation fleeted across Weister''s eyes, but it was quickly reced with the light of a firm resolve. "No, I''m not going to stay on the ind. My goal is to make my family happy through my own efforts, and I can do that here."


    Charles'' lips curved up slightly at the young man''s determined expression and decided not to persuade him further.


    "How''s your mother doing these days?" Charles asked.


    The fear and anxiety in Weister''s eyes were assuaged when he heard Charles asking about his family. He seemed thrilled and excited to talk about his family as he spoke animatedly, "She''s doing well! I actually bought her a hand-crank sewing machine using thest bit of my money. Now, she can take on some small jobs.


    "As for my younger siblings, I enrolled them in school. This way, they''ll be able to live decent lives even if I end up dying at sea. Ah, right, Captain. Is it true that you provide a generous death benefit?"


    Weister remained afraid of death, but he seemed to have epted the fact that he could die anytime at sea.


    Just then, the cabin door opened, and the blind vampire sailor walked out.


    "Oh, you''re here, Captain?" Audric nced briefly at Charles before walking over to Weister. He revealed his sharp fangs and sank them into Weister''s neck.


    "What are you doing?" Charles asked, sounding puzzled.


    "<i>Ah!</i>" Weister gasped before silently enduring the pain. He then turned to Charles and exined, "I lost a card game to himst night. I lost five liters of blood. Hey, do it gently..."


    "Why are the stakes that high? How much blood do you even have? Anyway, Audric, didn''t you bring blood bags with you? Why are you drinking his blood?"


    Audric''s fangs popped out of Weister''s neck. Audric cleaned his blood-stained fangs with his crimson tongue, and a look of satisfaction suffused his face.


    He then turned to Charles and exined, "Captain, bagged blood cannot possiblypare to fresh blood. Don''t you frequently drink blood yourself? I''m sure you can tell the difference."


    Charles nced at the two tiny holes in Weister''s neck. A hint of concern tainted his voice as he asked, "He''s not going to be a vampire, right?"


    "Of course not. Only vampire counts and vampires of higher rank can turn humans into a vampires. Also the Mother also has strict regtions in ce regarding any new conversions. New vampires have to be reported to her, so it''s a hassle," Audric replied.


    While Audric was speaking, Charles suddenly noticed that the burn scars on his face seemed to have slightly faded away.


    "Your scars are healing?" Charles asked while gesturing with his chin.


    Audric excitedly replied, "I saved up a ton of money to get two drops of a vampire duke''s blood essence from Dark Crystal Ind. I raised themission through the ck market on Hope Ind, and I feel like I''m about to make a breakthrough!"


    "There''s a ck market on Hope Ind? Why do I not know about it?"


    "Though thews are strict on Hope Ind, where there is light, there is also shadow. ck markets are practically impossible to vanquish," Audic replied.


    "Keep tabs on it for me. I don''t want the ind to descend into chaos," Charles said, sounding grim.


    "Don''t worry, Captain. Both former Chief Dipp and the incumbent Chief James are aware of its existence. I actually think it''s better to let those things exist right under our noses than let them thrive somewhere where we can''t see them."


    Charles felt at ease upon hearing Audric''s confident remark. He also believed in James'' ability to do his job properly.


    "Will your next breakthrough heal your eyes?" Charles asked.


    "Perhaps, but it''s a troublesome wound. It was caused by sunlight, after all, which is basically the bane of all vampires," Audric replied.


    The two chatted casually by the railings on the deck. They didn''t get to talk for a long time because the Narwhale soon came to a halt.


    They had finally arrived at where the Foundation''s main ind was located before it sank.


    "Open the valves, flood the basts!"


    The Narwhale began to transform, and icy-cold seawater slowly flooded the bast tanks. The ship''s buoyancy shifted, and the ship slowly sank toward the pitch-ck waters.


    The rushing seawater seemed to resonate in the hearts of every soul on board. Anxiety and terror reigned supreme, pervading the air to the fullest, but there was a tinge of excitement in everyone''s hearts.


    Evidently, exploring the enigmatic seafloor was an unprecedented achievement in the Subterranean Seascape''s maritime history.


    The crew on the deck soon saw submerged skyscrapers through the forward-nted windows of the deck. Every submerged skyscraper constituted the scenery that resembled a row of tombs beneath the sea.


    No one spoke; they all watched with bated breaths, seemingly afraid that even the faint sound of their breathing would awaken something in the sea.


    "The chasm isn''t here. We''re slightly off course. Keep moving forward."


    Charles stared at the seafloor through the thick ss panel with a calm andposed gaze. He felt not even an inkling of fear toward the seafloor anymore.


    Rather than fear, he stared in rapt anticipation toward what he would discover. He had the Narwhale retrofitted all for that moment of discovery, and the moment was finally upon him.


    <i>Ping!</i>


    The sonar let out an audible reaction to something. A sailor peering at the seafloor through a periscope stammered, "C-c-captain! Somethingrge is moving at our 6 o''clock, and it''s five... five timesrger than our ship."


    Everyone''s heart skipped a beat. The sea was vast, so none of them could deduce the identity of something that humongous.


    "Stay calm. There''s a high chance that it hasn''t noticed us yet. Turn off the lights!"


    The interior and exterior lights of the Narwhale were turned off at once upon Charles'' order. The Narwhale became nothing but a lifeless floating hunk of steel in the depths.


    However, the approaching blip on the sonar showed no signs of stopping. In fact, it picked up its pace and made a beeline for them.


    The terrified Lily curled up into a ball in Charles'' chest pocket while everyone else went beyond pallid.


    Charles reached out for the lever that would unleash their torpedoes, but before he could pull it down, the blip on the sonar abruptly turned left.

 Chapter 297. Attacked

    <h4>Chapter 297. Attacked</h4>


    The blip on the sonar vanished, and everyone heaved sighs of relief. The identity of that colossal creature didn''t matter at all. What mattered was the fact that it was gone. Every crew member didn''t want to encounter anything beneath the surface, especially when they were so close to the enigmatic and eerie seafloor.


    "Turn the lights on and keep moving forward," Charles ordered.


    The Narwhale''s propellers soon came to life. This time, the sonar remained quiet until Charles finally found the pitch-ck chasm. The chasm was directly behind the stairwell Charles had once explored. It could be seen if one were to just turn a corner, but Charles obviously hadn''t noticed it until now.


    The bast tanks were flooded to the brim, and the Narwhale sank slowly into the chasm. Soon, the Narwhale arrived at the location where Charles'' diving suit had sumbed to the pressure.


    Charles could even see the space beneath Door 15, which was now filled with seawater. A variety of items from beyond Door 15 floated out as the Narwhale went deeper, eventually entering the massive dark tunnel.


    "Captain, this hole looks like it was dug out by something," Feuerbach pointed out.


    Charles looked out and saw huge w marks on the tunnel walls that he hadn''t noticedst time.


    "Get your sharks to spread out and act as our sentries, just in case," Charles ordered.


    Feuerbach nodded and ran toward the dpression chamber. Soon, the red sharks orbiting the submarine spread out to surround the Narwhale. The sailors also took their posts at the periscopes.


    They were both curious and afraid as they vigntly looked around for things the sonar couldn''t pick up.


    The air within the submarine felt so oppressive that it was palpable, but the Narwhale remained steadfast in its descent into the depths of the dark tunnel.


    Weister decided to rest his strained eyes for a bit. He nced at the second-hand pocket watch he had bought and saw that it had only been a few minutes since their descent.


    "Really? It felt like it has been at least thirty minutes since we started our descent," Weister muttered to himself. He turned and found the First Mate staring intently at him.


    Startled, Weister hurriedly returned to the periscope and focused on keeping tabs on the water outside.


    Under everyone''s nervous gazes, the Narwhale soon reached the bottom of the tunnel. The water quality at the bottom of the tunnel was exceptionally poor. The visibility remained poor despite the Narwhale''s bright searchlights.


    However, it wasn''t as barren as Charles had imagined. The bottom of the tunnel was covered in ayer of purple mycelium. It extended into the darkness, seemingly akin to an endless carpet.


    <i>If I assume that the relics had fallen into this tunnel, 319 must be somewhere around here. It shouldn''t be that hard to find since it has a unique shape as a printer. </i>Charles thought to himself.


    He pondered some more before turning to shout at the sailors behind him, "All sailors, get out and search for the target! It''s a metal box around thirty to forty centimeters in size."


    "Aye aye, Captain!"


    "Understood, Captain!"


    The sailors responded at once. Charles took Lily out of his pocket and tossed her into a nearbymunication pipe before shouting into the pipe, "Tell your friends to prepare the weapons! Be on standby!"


    Soon, the search for 319 was in full swing. The five sailors put on their thick diving suits and started looking for 319 among the purple mycelium. Their buoyancy prevented them from floating away, but their equipment was so heavy that they had to use all their strength to move.


    Most of the time, the sailors would be dragged along by the oxygen tubes connected to the Narwhale. Fortunately, the tubes were reinforced with that issue in mind, so the oxygen tubes were further enhanced to be securely connected to the ship.


    The sailors were like farmers plowing in the fields, and they rapidlybed the area.


    Charles watched them nervously through the periscopes until he felt a pat on his shoulder. Charles turned to find Bandages pointing at the sonar monitor, and his pupils constricted instantly at the sight he saw¡ªthere was arge blip approaching them at incredible speed.


    "Pull in the oxygen tubes! Quick! Get them back here!" Charles roared, but the blip inexplicably vanished. Charles frowned and even rubbed his eyes in confusion, but nothing changed; the blip had vanished as if it had never been there in the first ce.


    Charles turned to Bandages for confirmation, but before he could ask any questions, a tremor ran through the Narwhale. Therge blip on the sonar was now in the middle, pressing up against the Narwhale!


    Charles looked up and went beyond pallid.


    He was staring into a gaping maw with a myriad of sharp teeth. It was so huge that it seemedrger than the Narwhale''s bow, and incredibly, it had already engulfed a third of the ship!


    Charles'' instincts kicked into action, prompting him to roar into themunication pipe, "Fire the torpedoeees!"


    The Narwhale''s torpedo tubes had been engulfed by the gaping maw, so the torpedoes went straight into the creature''s throat.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A muffled noise echoed, and everyone trembled as the explosion swept past them.


    Charles looked up and found that the gaping maw had vanished as if he had imagined it.


    <i>Was I imagining it? </i>Charles frowned. <i>No, it can''t be. It''s not just me. Everyone else saw it, so it can''t be just a figment of my imagination!</i>


    Charles quickly moved the searchlights around, and he smiled coldly upon seeing a cloud of red mist in the distance. He hadn''t imagined the attack; the unknown creature simply had the ability to move instantaneously, simr to teleportation.


    The attack had scared everyone witless. They all gasped heavily for air, especially the sailors who hadunched a desperate run for the hatch, afraid that even getting into the ship a beat slower meant getting captured by the creature.


    "Calm down, everyone. That thing has gotten injured by our torpedoes. It probably won''te back, so let''s keep going. I''ming along this time. My life is worth more than yours, and I''m not even scared, so don''t be afraid. Let''s go."


    Charles quickly donned a diving suit and entered the sea with Feuerbach. Since even their captain was unafraid, the sailors had no choice but to go back.


    Charles had made the decision to join the sailors because he knew that there was no way the terrified sailors would go back to the sea unless their captain were to lead them himself.


    Indeed, the sailors'' fear and nervousness were assuaged by Charles working alongside them. The seven sailors and Feuerbach''s sharks resumed their search among the purple mycelium.


    Perhaps the creature had truly been wounded by the torpedoes, as the group encountered no anomalies even after an extended period of time. After their lunch break, the seven sailors went back into the water in the afternoon.


    Their afternoon search went swimmingly. A sailor was waving at Charles, and Charles rushed toward the sailor. They brushed the mycelium aside and saw a dpidated steel box covered in rust.


    Charles recognized it at first nce¡ªit was a safe. He promptly told the others to stand back using hand gestures before pulling out his Dark de from his drop leg holster. He then thrust his Dark de into the safe in an attempt to open it.


    An ear-piercing shriek echoed, and even the seawater couldn''t muffle the noise, prompting the nearby sailors to move even farther away.


    Charles didn''t mind their retreat and focused on cutting the safe open.


    All of a sudden, the shadow of a hand loomed over Charles, and the hand moved quickly toward the crown of Charles'' head.


    Charles'' hand went up reflexively, and he thrust the Dark de toward the oing hand.

 Chapter 298. Slope

    <h4>Chapter 298. Slope</h4>


    Charles whipped around and found not an enemy but his navigator, Tobba. Tobba clutched his right hand with a fresh hole in it made by the still-lodged Dark de, and bubbles churned as he let out a soundless cry.


    <i>How did this lunatic get here? Is he not afraid of the water''s immense pressure?</i> Charles thought. He grabbed Tobba by the cor and rushed toward the hatch connected to the dpression chamber.


    Tobba''s loud cries instantly pervaded the chamber as the water drained out.


    "Aaaah! My haaand! It hurts! It really huuurts!


    "It''s bleeding! Quick! Get me bandages!


    "Goodness! Save meeee! Aaaaaaah!"


    "Enough! Stop shouting!" Charles yanked the Dark de out of Tobba''s hand and asked, "How did you get down here? Do you not know that it''s dangerous out there?"


    Tobba looked as if he had been wronged as he exined, "I saw that you were about to open the safe containing 079, so I had no choice but to go out there and stop you because it has a nasty temper."


    "079? That box contained a relic from the main ind?" Charles asked.


    "Mmhm." Tobba nodded and said, "You shouldn''t provoke it. It''s very dangerous. I was just trying to stop you, but you stabbed me. You stabbed your benefactor!"


    Charles fell into contemtion while staring at Tobba in front of him. Eventually, he asked, "Since you said that 079 has a nasty temper, does that mean that it canmunicate?"


    "Yes, it can! We''re good friends. Actually, I get along well with most of the projects," Tobba replied.


    "Great!" Charles opened the dpression chamber and yelled, "Linda! Come here and bandage Tobba''s wound."


    Linda moved quickly to stop Tobba''s bleeding. The crying old geezer was about to head back to his cabin when Charles stood in his way. Tobba stared at Charles in a daze amidst the pain.


    Charles shoved a heavy diving helmet down Tobba''s head before saying, "Tobba, do me a favor and ask 079 where we can find 319. Since it seems to have been here for a long time, it must be familiar with the area.


    "Complete this task for me, and I''ll tell you as many stories as you want."


    Tobba had told Charles that he was familiar with the relic, so Charles decided to take advantage of that and extract information from the relics.


    Actually, he had no way to locate 319, so he had no choice but to rely on a method that <i>might </i>work.


    Tobba was soon sent back into the sea. He stood on the seafloor and gestured angrily at the periscopes for quite a while. Eventually, his head drooped as he dejectedly walked up toward the rusty safe.


    He nced at the Narwhale before lifting his foot and kicking the rusty box.


    However, the rusty box offered no reaction.


    Tobba seemed infuriated upon receiving no response. He bent over and looked around him before picking up a rock. He then hurled it at the rusty box, but the rusty box remained quiet.


    In the end, Tobba simply stuck his head into the rusty box¡ªa move that got the crew members worried for Tobba. Soon, Tobba fished out what looked like a tree branch before stumbling his way over to the Narwhale.


    "Pull his oxygen tube and bring him back. Everyone, stay away from the dpression chamber for now," Charles ordered. He hadn''t forgotten Tobba''s words about how 079 was dangerous with a nasty temper.


    Even if 079 were kind and amiable, it was still better to err on the side of caution when dealing with relics.


    Tobba was soon pulled up into the dpression chamber, and Charles could finally see the tree branch in his arms. It wasn''t a tree branch but a broken umbre.


    A in old ck umbre with only its ribs; it was missing its canopy.


    Tobba took off his diving helmet and sat on the floor before bawling like a child.


    Charles felt that there was something amiss upon seeing that. Tobba was a lunatic, but his manic episodes were predictable. Regardless of the situation, Charles couldn''t see Tobba reacting like this unless something special had happened.


    The dpression chamber was opening slightly, and Feuerbach asked through the crease.


    "What''s wrong, buddy? Why are you crying?" Feuerbach asked.


    "079 is dead! It''s dead! <i>Waaaaaaaah!</i>" Tobba bawled.


    Charles immediately pushed open the door to the dpression chamber and walked in. He took the broken umbre from Tobba''s hands and inspected it. Indeed, it seemed like it had be nothing more than an ordinary umbre missing its canopy.


    "Are you sure this is 079? Are you not mistaken?" Charles asked with a hint of doubt in his voice.


    Tobba wiped his tears away as he replied, "There''s no way I''d mistake it for something else! It''s 079, and it''s dead! Someone stole its heart."


    <i>Relics can actually die? </i>Charles had spent so many years at sea, and this was the first time he heard that the concept of life and death applied to relics, too. Until now, dangerous relics had only ever been abandoned¡ªnever <i>killed or destroyed</i>.


    Honestly, Charles couldn''t care less about the answer to that question. The fact that 079 was dead meant that he no longer had a lead to find 319.


    <i>Wait, is 319 even alive? </i>Without 319, Charles wouldn''t be able to extract the information that had been engraved in his subconscious. Charles felt his heart sink at the possibility that 319 had perished long ago.


    However, he didn''t have the luxury of time to ponder over assumptions.


    Charles grabbed Tobba''s diving suit and pushed him out of the dpression chamber, shouting, "Get to your stations, everyone! The salvage operation will continue! Hurry up and get moving!"


    The crew began moving at the captain''s orders; they continued their search for 319, which they had never seen before. The Narwhale moved forward; the bottom of the tunnel seemed as wide as it was long. The vessel had been moving slowly for two hours now, but they still hadn''t stumbled upon a wall.


    The t terrain gradually changed, and the ground began to grow steeper and steeper until the slope reached thirty degrees. Charles found another relic inside the same rusty box that contained 079.


    The relic was a glove, and Tobba didn''t have to confirm its vital signs for Charles to deduce that it was dead. The glove looked more like tattered cloth, and its colors seemed to have faded to inky ck.


    Charles frowned and left it behind to continue moving forward.


    The pitch-ck waters were quiet and cid, but Charles didn''t feel happy at all. He was more worried about his voyage producing zero results rather than any crises.


    <i>Something''s not right. The tunnel is upright, so every single relic should have been around each other if they had fallen straight down the tunnel from above. They can''t be so distant from each other; something must be moving them around.</i>


    <i>Perhaps that something</i> <i>is their murderer... </i>Charles thought with a frown.


    Just then, he sensed something, prompting him to look up. A four-meter-tall humanoid figure was standing on the Narwhale, and Charles could clearly make out its features due to their close distance.


    The humanoid figure was short and fat; its body seemed to be secreting a grayish-white mucus. Seven or eight cherry-pink tentacles, the size of a baby''s arm, were attached to each limb, and each tentacle became progressively more transparent toward the tips.


    The tentacles on its right hand had wrapped around a rusty box.


    <i>Is that the murderer of these relics? Wait, what is it trying to do? </i>Charles cast a dumbfounded gaze at the humanoid figure. The divers around Charles saw him standing frozen and realized that something was amiss.


    They quickly moved closer to each other and signaled at the periscopes using g semaphore.


    <i>Can itmunicate? </i>Charles wondered. He stepped forward to say something when his instincts screamed at him to throw himself to the side.


    But it was toote¡ªan enormous bloody maw descended upon them, and a thunderous boom echoed as the seven divers were engulfed and swallowed into the creature''s belly.

 Chapter 299. Counterattack

    <h4>Chapter 299. Counterattack</h4>


    Charles found himself inplete darkness in the blink of an eye. Soon afterward, he felt objects of varying hardness colliding with his diving suit. Everything around him writhed and pulsed, sending him deeper somewhere.


    A crisp noise echoed as a sharp, barbed tooth lodged itself in the mesh right in front of his diving helmet.


    "Damn it! Something swallowed us, and we''re in its mouth! We have to find a way out of here!" Charles cried out and reached out for the rod tied to his calf, but a muffled boom echoed outside, and they could feel the tremors within.


    A hint of delight and hope arose within Charles. The muffled booms meant that the Narwhale was bombarding the creature with torpedoes.


    A strong tremor ran through everyone in the pitch-ck darkness, and Charles finally managed to grab the Lightning Rod. He flipped it over and thrust it ruthlessly into the wall made out of flesh in front of him.


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    Lightning erupted, and the jumping lightning arcs briefly illuminated the surroundings. Charles started convulsing as well, but he was surprised to find that the Lightning Rod''s damage to him had considerably lessened.


    He would always get paralyzed for a good few seconds every time he used the Lightning Rod. This time, he felt numb all over, but he hadn''t been immobilized.


    With that realization in mind, Charles threw all caution to the wind. The spasms didn''t stop as he incessantly electrocuted the wall made out of flesh in front of him.


    It took just a few seconds for the wall of flesh to turn white as if it had been cooked by the Lightning Rod. Momentster, everything spun violently; Charles finally saw light as he and his sailors were spat out of the sea creature''s mouth.


    Charles took a brief nce at the sea creature in the periphery of his vision and noticed that it was starting to dete. However, Charles didn''t even take a proper look at the sea creature before looking down at himself to check his diving suit.


    They were under extreme pressure in such depths, so a diving suit rupture could easily prove catastrophic.


    Charles let out a sigh of relief after a close examination. The diving suit weighed a whopping two hundred and twenty pounds; clearly, all that weight wasn''t just for show. Aside from its ability to withstand immense pressure, it was astonishingly sturdy as well.


    The sea creature''s maw was filled with rows of sharp teeth, so the fact that the diving suit had remained rtively unscathed was a testament to its durability; there wasn''t even a single scratch.


    Charles waved his hands briefly to stabilize himself. He looked up and finally got a good look at the sea creature.


    At first nce, the sea creature looked like an oversized catfish, but the fleshy appendages sticking out of its colorful scales, as well as its rotting body, showed that it couldn''t be further from ordinary.


    Six crimson eyes reminiscent of human eyes were on both sides of its face, creating a ghastly visage. However, its three massive jaws that resembled a scorpion''s pincers caught Charles'' attention.


    Charles became sure of one thing upon taking a good look at it¡ªthis sea creature was the same sea creature that had attempted to swallow the entire Narwhale earlier.


    Its elongated body wrapped around the Narwhale while its terrifying jaws gnawed relentlessly at the ship. Clearly, it was furious at the Narwhale because of her bombardment.


    The Narwhale resembled an iron fortress while she was in her submarine form, but she still couldn''t withstand the sea creature''s might. An ominous shrill noise echoed incessantly as her steel tes started to bend from the attack.


    Charles swiftly ran toward the massive sea creature. The Narwhale had to remain safe. Otherwise, they would get trapped here and die miserable deaths, even if they somehow managed to chase the sea creature away.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Charles hacked at the sea creature with the Dark de, and purple blood burst out of the wound, dyeing the seawater in a purple hue. However, Charles'' attack was like a mere scratch against a sea creature of such size.


    Charles clung to one of its scales and propelled himself like a rocket toward the fish''s head. The fish''s three eyes on one side of its face stared fixedly at Charles; there was barely half a meter of distance between them.


    Charles whipped out his Lightning Rod and thrust it toward an eye. A surge of electricity burst out, and bright white lightning arcs jumped out of the Lightning Rod before wrapping around the sea creature''s head.


    The sea creature thrashed violently. Charles gnashed his teeth and tightened his grip around the rod before pulling it out. He raised it up high before thrusting it deeper into the same eye.


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    A sonorous cry reminiscent of a whale''s cry echoed, and it abruptly went silent as the sea monster caved inwards in the blink of an eye.


    When Charles came to his senses, the inky waters around him had be deste. The Narwhale was free once more, and the sea creature had gone missing.


    <i>Did it teleport away, or did it just swim away? Howe it''s so good at escaping? </i>Charles thought. He decided to go back to the Narwhale and inspect its condition, so he turned around to swim away, but¡ª


    A four-meter-tall pale, humanoid figure was standing in front of him, its body pressing against the ss panel of his diving suit. Charles looked up to see that the milky-white humanoid figure had no eyes, but he felt as though something was watching him through the holes in where its eyes were supposed to be.


    Charles'' body reacted faster than his thoughts; the Dark de drew a cold arc as Charles thrust it toward the figure. The de capable of slicing through metal pierced the humanoid figure, and even Charles'' hand sunk into its body.


    At the same time, Feuerbach''s sharks came to their senses and rushed toward the humanoid figure. They opened their maws lined with razor-sharp teeth to shred the figure into pieces. However, Charles'' attack and the sharks'' maws failed to inflict even the slightest injury to the humanoid figure.


    It seemed as though its entire body was made out of clouds¡ªimpervious to physical attacks.


    Despite that, Charles was undeterred. He moved quickly and brandished the Lightning Rod, but before he could swing it toward the humanoid figure, one of the humanoid figure''s partially translucent tentacles on its right hand rose.


    The temperature of the seawater around Charles plummeted to freezing point in the blink of an eye; Charles couldn''t even react as he quickly found himself encased in ice.


    Just then, two torpedoes from the Narwhale streaked past Charles and struck the humanoid figure. A deafening boom echoed afterward, and the explosion sted Charles away. The ice immobilizing him shattered at the explosion, and he could move once again.


    However, Charles couldn''t be happy at the fact that he had just escaped a life-or-death crisis. The milky-white humanoid figure was clearly unscathed as it emerged from the explosion. The torpedoes could stall it, but it seemed impossible to kill it with run-of-the-mill hot weapons.


    The cogs in Charles'' mind turned as he tried to figure out a way to defeat the humanoid figure.


    <i>Wait... don''t I have a relic capable of injuring souls?</i> Charles thought, and he reached out for his flesh revolver. However, the humanoid figure had made its move at the same time and engulfed Charles.


    Charles'' vision went white, but he had managed to pull out his flesh revolver in time. He then fired multiple shots at the humanoid figure. The white bone bullets easily tore through the humanoid figure''s seemingly impervious body.


    <i>The flesh revolver works! It can deal damage to it! </i>Charles was delighted, and he pulled the trigger without stopping. Charles heard the creature scream for the first time, and its shriek resembled two aluminum sheets rubbing against each other.


    The humanoid figure finally decided to retreat after Charles obliterated over half of its body.


    Unfortunately for the humanoid figure, Charles had no ns of letting it escape. He kicked off of the Narwhale and kept firing at it while swimming toward it. The humanoid figure''s scream grew increasingly shrill as the bullets tore through it.


    Charles showed not even an ounce of mercy toward it. He knew that if he were to let it go, it might return with vengeance along with an entire horde of his fellow species.

 Chapter 300. 198

    <h4>Chapter 300. 198</h4>


    Charles stared deeply at the humanoid figure that seemed to be on the verge of death. The seawater churned just then, and the sea creature that had disappeared earlier reappeared with its maw wide open.


    However, its target wasn''t Charles. It engulfed the humanoid figure, and it slowly began to dete.


    <i>Damn it! It''s trying to escape! I can''t let it get away!</i> Charles instantly saw through the sea creature''s intention. Lightning crackled as he made a beeline for the sea monster with the Lightning Rod in hand. He swung the Lightning Rod to its head.


    It was super effective. The sea creature was interrupted, and it quivered as electricity coursed through its elongated body.


    At the same time, the Narwhale fired four torpedoes, and a deafening explosion echoed as the sea creature''s head exploded into a bloody mist.


    The surrounding seawater was inundated by its purple blood, and the sea creature floated lifelessly in the water. Charles gasped for air as he stared at the motionless sea creature in front of him. <i>This damned thing is finally dead!</i>


    Charles nced at the Narwhale and realized that he had to make further improvements to it when they returned to Hope Ind.


    Charles looked around before ultimately deciding to go back to the Narwhale. He was worried that the loudmotion here would attract more sea creatures.


    He turned around and was about to swim toward the Narwhale when a dark shadow shed past him, swimming toward the sea creature''s carcass.


    <i>He ran out again?! </i>Charles was furious upon recognizing the familiar silhouette. It was Tobba, and he was swimming like a frog toward the carcass.


    Charles rushed up to Tobba and grabbed him by the nape. He dragged Tobba toward the dpression chamber''s hatch as if he were a little chick.


    However, Tobba struggled desperately against him; he frantically waved his hand at Charles, seemingly trying to convey something through his bodynguage.


    <i>Did he notice something? </i>Charles hesitated. In the end, he allowed Tobba to continue swimming toward the carcass, and he watched as Tobba squeezed himself into the sea creature''s wound.


    Soon, Tobba emerged. His face was flushed red, and he was holding a rusty safe in his arms. Charles'' expression changed upon seeing the rusty safe. The humanoid figure had been holding the same rusty box earlier.


    <i>Is the relic in that safe still alive? Is it 319? </i>Charles stirred, and he swam over to Tobba to help thetter carry the rusty safe to the dpression chamber.


    Once they were inside the dpression chamber, the water inside the chamber had yet to drain when Tobba snatched Charles'' Dark de and started hacking away at the rusty safe.


    Charles decided to ignore the lunatic in the meantime and turned toward the other divers.


    He saw that all five sailors had returned without any major injuries, but Audric looked rtively betterpared to the other four. The others had been scared witless, and Charles could see them trembling despite the heavy diving suit that they were wearing.


    The sailors were fine, but Second Mate Feuerbach seemed to have suffered severe injuries. Out of the seven divers, he was the only one who had suffered a diving suit rupture while they were inside the sea creature''s mouth.


    He was riddled with gashes andcerations, and he looked like he had taken a shower in his own blood. His lips were ghastly pale, and he trembled as if he were an aspen tree. He looked like he would pass out anytime soon.


    The dpression chamber soon opened, and the sailors inside rushed to carry the injured Feuerbach to the infirmary.


    Themotion eventually died down, and Charles finally had time to deal with Tobba. Tobba had been hacking away at the sturdy safe, but even though the safe now resembled a sieve, he still couldn''t retrieve what was inside of it.


    Charles grabbed the Dark de from Tobba''s hand and thrust the de into it before slowly cutting it open from the edges. The rusty safe was thick, but it was as good as styrofoam before the Dark de''s sharpness.


    The rusty safe was soon opened, and disappointment suffused Charles'' face when he saw what it contained. It wasn''t 319, but a thick ck tablet that was strikingly simr to the tablets that the Foundation members were using to do their jobs.


    Before Charles could wonder as to why a tablet was inside a safe, Tobba grabbed the tablet from the safe and powered it up.


    The screen shed green, and Tobba beamed like a child who had just gotten a new toy.


    "Charles, look!" He waved the tablet at Charles, sounding excited as he said, "198 is still alive! It''s not dead!"


    Charles looked doubtful rather than delighted upon hearing that. He couldn''t deduce if Tobba was having another manic episode or if the ordinary-looking tablet was really a relic.


    He reached out and took 198 from Tobba''s hands. He looked down at the screen and found nothing out of the ordinary. It looked no different from Laesto''s tablet.


    Charles was about to ask questions, but a line of Chinese characters abruptly appeared on the screen.


    (Chinese) [Hello.]


    <i>Chinese? </i>Charles rubbed his eyes in disbelief. He did a double take at it after rubbing his eyes and saw that the screen was indeed showing him Chinese characters.


    Just as Charles was feeling puzzled, the tablet continued writing messages.


    [Did I startle you? My database contains information about every singlenguage in the world. Since you look Asian, I decided to take a guess and decided on thenguage with the highest probability, and surprise, surprise, I got it right! :-)]


    Charles'' expression grew strange upon seeing an emoticon on the screen. It had been a long time since he saw one.


    "Who are you?"


    [I''ve been designated the number 198, but I would like it if you call me Zeus. I gave that name to myself, by the way. :-)]


    "Have you been in there the whole time?"


    [That''s right. I''ve remained behind my door since the inds sank and until a Whitebeast took me down just now. I''m quite curious about what happened up above. Care to fill me in on the details?]


    "Since you''ve been staying here at the bottom, do you know where 319 is?" Charles asked, his heartbeat quickened ever so slightly at the thought that he would soon find 319.


    Zeus didn''t answer right away. It paused for a couple of moments before it sent another message.


    [Of course, I know where it is, but if you want me to tell you, then you need to help me out with something first.]


    Staring at the newly appeared line of Chinese characters, Charles brandished the Dark de and held it to the screen. "I''m not interested in helping you out with anything. Actually, I have a better idea. You better tell me where 319 is right now, or I''ll take you apart right here."


    [I am but a machine; I feel no fear, so threats are meaningless to me.]


    Charles scratched the screen lightly with the Dark de, and Tobba grimaced next to him. 198 showed no reaction, so Charles decided to put more strength into the Dark de. Before he could scratch it with more strength, however, a line of characters popped up on the screen.


    [:( All right, you win. I am afraid of disappearing, so I''ll tell you 319''s exact location, but you still have to help meter. I''m willing to trade extremely valuable data for your help. Quite a few key intelligence of the Foundation are stored in my drive.]


    Charles put the Dark de away and said ndly, "I want 319''s exact location first."


    [Based on my calctions, 319 was likely taken away by the Whitebeasts to their nest. It''s not just 319. Those Whitebeasts collected many projects from the main ind''s ruins and brought them to their nest in the depths below us. It appears that something down there is controlling the Whitebeasts and is making them collect the projects.]


    Charles bit his lips. 198''s words meant that they would encounter more of that humanoid monster in the depths. To make matters worse, something was apparently controlling those humanoid monsters, and the controller was bound to be more powerful than the humanoid monsters themselves.


    "What is controlling them?" Charles asked.


    [I don''t know. They just snatched me there from above, and I was locked in a safe, so I don''t really know. Oh, you still haven''t decided on whether you''re going to help me out or not. What about it? Will you help me out?]


    "Not interested." Charles turned to Tobba and was about to toss 198 to thetter.


    However, the following words on the screen forced Charles toe to a halt.


    [Not even in the experimental data regarding the transnt of the projects'' special abilities into humans?]


    1. All the following messages sent by 198 are written in Chinese.

 Chapter 301. 399

    <h4>Chapter 301. 399</h4>


    [Not even in the experimental data regarding the transnt of the projects'' special abilities into humans?]


    Staring at the line of Chinese characters that appeared on the screen, Charles'' extended hand froze in mid-air.


    <i>Did the Foundation really crack the secret behind the relics? They actually manage to do it?</i>


    Charles was very clear about the implication behind the message. It meant that relics that were previously unexinable by science could now be exined. It also meant that the Foundation had fully grasped the concept surrounding it and had the power to apply it to other things.


    198 responded in an unhurried manner.


    [:) Don''t doubt it. It took three years and four months after thepletion of Experiment Dawn. Dr. D4 and his research team finally had their first sessful experiment.]


    Charles'' brows subconsciously furrowed together as he read the new message on the tablet. In a deep voice, he asked, "It was aplete sess? And with no side effects?"


    [It wasn''t that simple. The first experimental subject turned into Project 17XX not long after and waster executed by Project 1938. But soon after, Dr. D4 led his team to modify their experiment further, and the sessful experiment data is in my database. Do you want this extraordinary power? I can give you all the information if you help me.]


    Charles had to admit that he wavered in the face of such undeniable temptation. No one would say no to gaining strength. Moreover, these unknown powers could turn an average Joe into a superhero, which would be a massive assistance to his explorations.


    "What do you need me to do?" Charles asked.


    [Help me to find 399. I need to find it. Even though I had been confined in the safe, I could clearly sense that when the ind was sinking, something took it away deep into the abyss.]


    Just then, Tobba, who had been silent all along, leaned in and whispered into Charles'' ear, "Just to let you know, 198 was created by 399 and 1947. Those people were experimenting on the two, and then something went wrong, and 198 was born."


    Charles was astonished by the new information from Tobba. In fact, he found the idea rather bizarre. How could a relicbine with another to create a new one? Now, he really wanted to know what experiment the Foundation had been conducting.


    But he quickly shook off the thoughts clouding his mind and refocused on his gaze back on 198''s screen. 198 was still typing.


    [Both 399 and 319 are likely to be in the Whitebeast''sir. All you need to do is look for 399 while you are searching for 319. It shouldn''t take up too much of your time and effort.]


    "Have you ever considered that since 399 had been taken by the Whitebeasts when the ind had just sank, there''s a very likely chance that it is already dead?" Charles questioned.


    [It''s possible. If 399 has really vanished, I''m switching my condition to: Return to the surface, find an Inte port, and upload me onto thework.]


    Tobba gestured his hands widely and opened his mouth to begin to exin, "That... Actually, outside¡ª"


    However, Charles was quick to interrupt as he tapped Tobba on the shoulder, forcing thetter to swallow his words.


    "Alright. No problem. It''s settled then."


    With that, Charles didn''t even remove his diving suit as he hurried toward the Captain''s quarters with the tablet in his hands.


    Upon reaching his quarters, he retrieved an iron box from one of the drawers and pulled out a ck marker. He then began to write rapidly on a piece of paper.


    He was writing the details of the contract between him and 198. He would help 198 to find 399 or upload it to thework. In return, 198 would give him the experimental records of humans absorbing a relic''s power forpleting the request.


    As the ink on the contract rapidly vanished, the agreement between Charles and 198 was sealed. It was binding and final for both parties.


    Charles had no trust in 198. What was an AI trying to do on the Inte?


    Of course, it didn''t know that there had been a drastic change above the water. There was no longer any Inte. Even if Charles brought 198 up above the water, there wasn''t anywhere to upload it to.


    As such, Charles had cleverly left a loophole in the contract. If there were no Inte, he would be deemed to have still fulfilled the end of the agreement.


    After a brief respite, the Narwhale descended into the dark waters again.


    The earlier events had sounded a warning bell within Charles. The Whitebeasts couldn''t be detected by the vessel''s inbuilt sonar. As such, he assigned two sailors as lookouts to watch the Narwhale''s blind spots.


    "What else do you know about the Whitebeasts? How many are there?" Charles asked.


    He needed to find out how many they would be up against. After all, he had only one ordinary submarine. If he had to go against hundreds or thousands of Whitebeasts, turning back was the way to go.


    [Not many. Based on my calctions over the years, they should number around fifty. But it could be fewer. Eight years ago, on June 14th, something approached theirir, and ording to the energy fluctuations I detected, both sides likely engaged in a battle. For the next three years after that, the Whitebeasts hadn''t emerged from the chasm to take any other relics.]


    [The sea is dangerous; they aren''t having it easy down there as well.]


    Charles felt a slight sense of relief. At least he wouldn''t be engaging those creaturespletely in the dark.


    Having shed with the Whitebeasts before, Charles knew that despite their special abilities, they wouldn''t be too dangerous if he took countermeasures beforehand. He was more worried about that giant humanoid figure.


    Just one had been hard to handle. If there were a few more, the Narwhale could be ripped into shreds.


    He needed a scout, and Feuerbach''s sharks were perfect for the role.


    The propellers of the Narwhale soon came to a halt, and a dozen sharks shot out into the darkness like torpedoes. The searchlights were swiftly extinguished while the crew waited in silence within the submarine.


    Charles called Tobba aside and asked, "Answer me. Are there any extremely dangerous projects contained on the main ind? Be clear about this, as it''s a matter of life and death."


    Putting whatever was controlling those Whitebeasts aside, he was more afraid that a random relic could unexpectedly bring them down. If it weren''t for that mysterious eyeball forcing whatever was behind Door 3 back into it, everyone aboard the ship would have gone to visit Davy Jones'' locker.


    "No. How would there be any? Everyone isn''t that dangerous, and we have a lot of fun together. The one behind Door 3 is already the most dangerous. But even for that, it can''t harm anyone as long as the door stays shut," Tobba answered.


    Charles gained a hint of understanding at Tobba''s words. It made logical sense since, as the main ind, the Foundation wouldn''t possibly try to fill the ce with extremely dangerous relics like 1002.


    "What is 399? Does it have any special abilities?" Charles tried to dig out more information.


    "Erm... It''s... It''s a brain."


    "A brain?"


    "Yeah. A very, very big human brain," Tobba said as he gestured with his hands to show the size.


    As if he could sense Charles'' thoughts, Tobba continued, "But it isn''t dangerous. Those people even let it go shopping on the streets by itself. I heard it even fell in love with a woman."


    "What?!" Charles eximed in astonishment. The revtion was too shocking, and he couldn''t wrap his mind around it.


    <i>What kind of woman would fall in love with a living relic? Isn''t it repulsive to embrace a giant brain and express your affection toward it?</i>


    While Charles tried toprehend the bizarre situation, the sharks returned with exhrating news.


    "Captain, there are three of those same sea creatures down there. Several Whitebeasts are also bringing things into a huge purple sphere," Feuerbach tranted the sharks'' dance.

 Chapter 302. Purple Sphere

    <h4>Chapter 302. Purple Sphere</h4>


    <i>Huff...</i>


    <i>Hiss...</i>


    Breathing through their oxygen tubes with a rhythmic hiss, Charles and his sailors were d in their diving suits and exited the submarine once again.


    There was no longer a slope at their present location. Instead, it was a gaping ck abyss directly beneath them.


    The abyss emitted an ominous gloom; Charles felt as though walking through it would bring him straight to the earth''s core.


    Soon, they were nearing their destination¡ªthe sea creature''sir was in the vicinity.


    From their previous sh, Charles concluded that the sea creature didn''t have particrly high intelligence, and that was their only advantage against it.


    Suddenly, the pitch-ck wall right next to them flipped open like eyelids in a nightmare to reveal three vast cavities. Three menacing sea monsters red at them intently with their eighteen crimson eyes.


    The next moment, the sea monsters'' physical forms copsed and vanished. It took only a mere few seconds for them to reappear in the vicinity of the divers with their monstrous maws gaping wide.


    Before anyone could react, they had been swallowed whole. Just when the monsters were about to chew, a stinging sensation sent them into a violent tremble.


    Four torpedoes shot down from above the three sea monsters.


    Charles had nned for him and his team to be the bait to lure the beasts into a trap. After all, their heavy-duty suits had high defensive capabilities and could withstand a bit of chewing.


    Though it was a risky n, it was highly effective. In an instant, the torpedoes had sted the three creatures to pieces. Chunks of flesh were torn out from their original spot as the surrounding water was stained a deep purple hue.


    Struck by the torpedoes, the monsters'' focus was immediately shifted toward the immobile Narwhale positioned overhead.


    Their physical forms deted and vanished once again. The next moment, they blinked, and when they reappeared, they had the Narwhale surrounded.


    However, before they could even react, more intense explosions erupted from all directions. The enormous bubbles from the sts enveloped the water, and the deafening explosion sounds echoed throughout the water.


    This was the power of torpedoes, and the submarine was equipped with watermelon-sized ones.


    All of it had been a trap set for the three sea creatures. Though Charles couldn''t predict where they would reappear, countering it was still possible.


    The assault had used up all the torpedoes aboard the Narwhale. It was a do-or-die strategy. Fortunately, Charles'' n had seeded.


    The explosion echoes gradually faded, and peace returned to the waters.


    Within the purple-stained water, massive bones and chunks of flesh tumbled with the waves. The three enormous sea monsters had been utterly obliterated by the continuous sts.


    But Charles didn''t have the luxury of time to examine his victorious results. The violent explosions had also dealt damage to the Narwhale, which had been in the center of the chaos. Cracks could be spotted in some areas, and high-pressure seawater was gushing into the submarine.


    "Fuck!" Charles lunged forward and pressed his body toward an opening to block the water from entering it. The other sailors then followed and mimicked his actions in a frantic effort.


    After a chaotic struggle inside and outside the submarine, the crisis was over as those aboard had managed to seal the cracks. Of course, the Narwhale''s animated ropes yed a crucial role in the repair operation.


    Panting heavily, Charles rested atop the submarine. He then turned and peered into the chasm below them.


    It was the same deep and gloomy chasm with unending darkness. However, something felt amiss. The dozens of Whitebeasts that 198 had mentioned never made an appearance.


    Charles swam toward the ss window and rapidly gestured to Bandages within. The Narwhale then continued its descent into the chasm.


    As Charles followed the submarine''s descent, he gripped the flesh revolver tightly. This was the only weapon that was effective against those wretched creatures.


    It didn''t take long before the Narwhale arrived at the location where Feuerbach''s sharks had scouted earlier. In a depressed cavity, a giant purple sphere hung suspended as though it was a living creature.


    The massive bubble measured over fifty meters in diameter and emitted a faint purple glow.


    ording to the sharks'' intel, just an hour ago, they spotted many Whitebeasts transporting things into this sphere.


    Charles pointed at the purple sphere, and a red shark next to him darted into it with a quick flick of its tail.


    One minute, two minutes. three minutester...


    The red shark still hadn''t reemerged after three minutes.


    <i>Could this thing be alive? </i>Charles started to feel doubtful.


    Charles was contemting his next move when a diver next to him patted against his chest in a confident gesture. He was volunteering to investigate the sphere.


    Charles didn''t stop him and watched as the sailor passed through the purple glow and disappeared from sight.


    <i>Swiiiiiish!</i>


    The diver''s oxygen tube was rapidly pulled into the sphere as though something else was tugging at it from within.


    Charles grabbed the oxygen tube and pulled at it; the tube instantly went taut.


    At the same time, the Narwhale ascended rapidly to forcefully extract the diver from within the sphere.


    As soon as he emerged from the sphere, the diver seemed extremely worked up as he began to gesture frantically in front of Charles.


    Charles could only bring him back into the submarine to find out what he was trying to convey.


    Upon bringing him aboard, Charles realized that the brave volunteer had been Weister.


    Sounding breathlessly excited, Weister said, "Captain! There''s no water inside the sphere! It''s full of green nts, just like... like the gardens of the central inders! Also, I saw humans in there!"


    "Humans?!" Charles reiterated his words in disbelief.


    Hearing Weister''s words, Charles promptly instructed the other sailors to scout the sphere. Only after triple-confirming that it was safe inside did he cautiously enter the enormous purple sphere himself.


    The dark, chilly seawater was shut out, and Charles'' pupils shrank in astonishment at the sight that weed him. It was a forest, a dense tropical forest.


    The red shark from before was twitching nearby on the forest floor.


    Charles found the scenery before him extremely absurd. He looked around in bewilderment.


    <i>How deep am I in the sea? Six hundred meters? Seven hundred? How could there possibly be a forest here? Is this some sessful contingency n of the Foundation?</i>


    To Charles, that was the only usible exnation for such an abnormal and illogical situation.


    He pondered over his options swiftly before he instructed, "Lily, send your mice out. Find out where the Whitebeasts are and also locate the humans Weister had mentioned."


    Hundreds of mice swiftly scattered into the bushes and vanished from sight.


    Charles looked up to see intertwined vines forming a canopy overhead. They obscured any hints of what the entire ce was made of.


    It still remained a mystery if this was a Foundation''s refuge point. Also, the Whitebeasts had attacked them immediately previously. If the people here were really from the Foundation, they wouldn''t have been so hostile when they spotted a submarine.


    Perched on Charles'' shoulder, Lily pointed her tiny paw at the weakening shark on the ground.


    "Mr. Charles, let''s quickly throw this shark back out. It''s about to die," Lily suggested.


    Charles approached the shark and grabbed it by the tail. With a few brisk steps, he tossed the shark out of the purple sphere.


    It hadn''t been a couple of seconds since he had thrown the shark out when a drenched Tobba entered the sphere.


    Charles pointed at the towering, lush trees behind him and asked Tobba, "Have you been here before?"


    A look of utter confusion appeared on Tobba''s visage as he replied, "No? Where are we?"


    Before Charles could ask another question, a mouse suddenly scurried back and erupted into incessant squeaks as it circled around Charles.

 Chapter 303. The Figure inside the Sphere

    <h4>Chapter 303. The Figure inside the Sphere</h4>


    The sound of rustling leaves echoed incessantly in the forest. Charles led his crew into the forest with a group of mice up ahead of them as their vanguard.


    Charles'' expression was tinged with shock and excitement. He was anticipating something, and he knew that he would soon receive his answer. Charles and his crew emerged from a bush to find a huge metal construct before them.


    The metal construct was a submarine. More specifically, it was an unfinished submarine. Overgrown with weeds and green vines, it became clear that the advanced technological product would never bepleted, nor would it see the light of day outside.


    <i>Someone was trapped here, and they wanted to use this submarine to escape! </i>Charles came to a conclusion immediately. <i>Are they the Whitebeasts'' controller? </i>But Charles quickly dismissed the idea. If he were the marooned individual, he would have escaped long ago with the Whitebeasts'' help.


    "Mr. Charles, shall we go and take a look?" the blue Lily said while tugging on Charles'' pants.


    "Get your friends to spread out and act as our sentries so that we won''t get ambushed by anything hiding in the shadows. Everyone, keep your guard up," Charles ordered.


    There was no way an individual could have built an entire submarine by themselves. In other words, there had to have been multiple people here. Of course, their affiliation remained questionable, but it was highly likely that they were from the Foundation.


    With the flesh revolver in hand, Charles walked into the submarine, looking around vigntly for any signs of life.


    The metal construct had long been abandoned, and it quickly became apparent to Charles that it was way ahead of the Subterranean Seascape''s level of technology. Charles deduced that it was a nuclear submarine due to the nuclear warning signs.


    <i>Are there factories here? No, there''s no way they could have built such a huge submarine, even with enough factories. </i>


    <i>The ship designers of Albion Isles even told me that building a safe submarine would require an entire industrial chain, not to mention a nuclear submarine, </i>Charles thought to himself. He then turned around to look at the forest around them. <i>Is this ce simr to DE1344? Perhaps there''s human civilization beyond the forest we are in?</i>


    <i>Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!</i>


    Charles was dragged out of his train of thought by the urgent cries of mice.


    "Mr. Charles! They found enemies!" Lily shouted.


    "Follow me!" Charles kicked off against the ground and sprinted toward where the sound hade from. Soon, they saw what the mice had been relentlessly attacking, and the figure under the mice''s assault pped the mice away, sending them rolling on the ground.


    The rats receded like a tide, allowing Charles to take a good look at the figure. The figure was humanoid, but he found it hard to call it <i>human. </i>


    The figure''s swollen body was riddled with tumors of varying sizes. Its white ribs were twisted outward, and green pus oozed out of the tumors that the mice had bitten off.


    The most terrifying feature of the figure was its mouth. The tumors had disced its lower teeth, and its jaw had been reced by a rotting ulcer on top of the mangled flesh.


    Charles felt a bout of nausea at the disgusting appearance of the entity before him. He raised his flesh revolver and pointed it at the figure before saying, "Can you understand human speech? Speak!"


    "<i>Grrr, grrr!</i>" Its mouth chattered as it growled, and it didn''t answer. It staggered away, seemingly trying its best to escape Charles. However, a sharp anchor hook pierced it and pinned it to a nearby tree trunk that was covered in green moss.


    Charles called over Tobba and asked if the hideous-looking figure was a relic. If it were a relic contained by the Foundation, perhaps Tobba couldmunicate with it.


    However, Tobba shook his head vigorously and said, "No, no, no! I don''t know this guy at all. There''s no way I could have forgotten him as well. He''s so ugly that I definitely won''t forget him!"


    Charles frowned while looking down at the squirming figure on the ground. This ce was getting stranger and stranger by the minute. Everything in this forest so far had been beyond Charles'' understanding.


    His instinct was sounding the warning sirens to him that the forest was getting more and more dangerous by the minute, so Charles made up his mind¡ªhe''d pick up the pace and leave this damned ce once he had discovered 319.


    Having made up his mind, Charles tugged at the bloodied anchor hook with his prosthetic arm to retract it. The deformed humanoid monster was free once more, and it stood up before curling up once more. Eventually, it stumbled and started running away.


    "Let''s follow it and see where it goes," Charles said. He led his crew members and trailed the deformed monster from afar. Their guard was raised high up, and they knew that they couldn''t afford to let their guard down here.


    They had zero information about this ce, after all. And that monster was their only clue.


    Along the way, Charles would mark the nearby trees to make sure that they hadn''t been going in circles. Fortunately, when he examined the trees earlier, they were all ordinary species.


    Time passed, and the deformed monster gradually slowed down. The blood dripping onto the soil from its wound showed that it was about to die of blood loss.


    When the monster copsed, buildings clustered like tree houses suddenly appeared in front of everyone. Every single house was suspended among the trees in the forest, like that in the world of a magical fantasy story.


    The change of scenery was so sudden that it mesmerized everyone. Despite the presence of vines encroaching on the buildings like the submarine, there was a key difference. Charles saw trails between the buildings, which meant that there were people living here!


    Charles led his crew slowly into the town.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A door suddenly opened by itself in the distance. A ck shadow shed past the open door from the inside before disappearingpletely. It was an eerie sight sure to send shivers down anyone''s spine, but Charles saw it as an opportunity.


    He rushed toward the open door, but he found no one.


    However, Charles still profited upon discovering that the building''s walls were covered with dense writing in thenguage of the Subterranean Seascape. Charles made a sidelong nce outside before reading the first passage of the wall diary.


    <i>We''ve been in Ecological Zone 4 for eight months now. We don''t know what cmity had annihted the Foundation, but we all know one thing for sure¡ªthe crisis was finally over. We''re going up soon.</i>


    Charles'' heart sank. The people here weren''t members of the Foundation? Who were they, then? Charles became impatient for answers, but he held his impatience in and continued reading.


    <i>The outside world has beenpletely submerged by seawater. It was a good thing that we decided to go down together with those projects. It was all thanks to their assistance that we had food and supplies to sustain us for a while.</i>


    <i>It''s actually funny now that I think about it. The test subjects were just lowly little guinea pigs we''ve been using for our experiments, but to think that we would rely on their charity one day for us to survive?</i>


    <i>177 is a great person. He helped us get along with those projects. We used the projects to generate food and water. 177 even helped us build our submarine, which is what''s going to bring us away from here.</i>


    <i>He said something weird to me, though. He said that I should carve my diary on the wall, saying that my diary would one day be useful to someone wanting to understand the situation here. Of course, I really don''t know what or who he meant by that.</i>


    <i>177?! Isn''t that Tobba''s project ID?!</i> Charles looked up and cast a dumbfounded gaze at Tobba next to him. However, Tobba himself seemed as shocked as him, but he was staring at the door rather than at the wall diary.


    Charles followed Tobba''s gaze and was stupefied to see a variety of humanoid monsters made out of flesh. At some unknown point in time, they had converged here and had blocked the exit.

 Chapter 304. 399

    <h4>Chapter 304. 399</h4>


    Weister gulped hard. He had a gun in his hand, but it failed to give him even the tiniest amount of confidence.


    It couldn''t be helped. Anyone else would have the same reaction as him before hundreds of hideous-looking humanoid monsters that looked like clumps of bloody flesh piling up before their doors.


    Tobba coughed twice and put his hands before his back before stepping forward.


    "Um¡ª" Tobba started, but a loud noise echoed as the door finally copsed, allowing the flesh monsters to rush in like a tide.


    "Get out! We can''t let them surround us in this house!" Charles roared. He showed no fear as he rushed at the oing tide of flesh monsters with his crew members following closely behind him.


    Charles fired multiple shots, and his white bone bullets blossomed into bloody flowers on the bodies of the flesh monsters. The crew members whipped out their weapons and started a volley of indiscriminate firing at the monsters.


    The silent forest became a bloody battlefield in the blink of an eye.


    Charles and his crew members'' weapons wreaked havoc upon the monsters; the creatures suffered heavy casualties, as their bodies were extremely fragile.


    They fell one by one to the ground, but they seemed oblivious to the death of their fellow species as they continued ahead with their deformed mouths wide agape, making a beeline for their prey.


    Their eyes showed no fear, only an intense craving for blood.


    Charles managed to get out of the house, but he was by no means safe. The seemingly endless wave of deformed, flesh monsters had created what looked like a boundless red sea. Charles and his group were like tiny boats on that same boundless red sea.


    A cacophony of noisesposed of curses, gunshots, and roars echoed incessantly.


    An unfortunate sailor was slow and tailed behind the group. Eight deformed arms reached out for him; their fingernails dug deeply into his chest, and tore him into pieces in the blink of an eye.


    Bzzz!


    Charles brandished the chainsaw in his hand and swung it ahead of him. The flesh monsters before him copsed to the ground, opening a path for them to escape.


    All of a sudden, an arm managed to grab Lily on his shoulder, and it dragged her away into the horde of monsters.


    "Lily!" Charles roared. He decisively turned around and charged toward the monsters. They attacked him right away; their fingernails and teeth attempted to dig into Charles'' flesh. Though they managed to tear into his clothes, his skin was too tough for them totch onto.


    Charles tackled the crowd of monsters and snatched Lily away. He then stuffed her into his mouth before whipping out the Lightning Rod.


    A crackling noise echoed, and sparks flew everywhere as Charles swung the Lightning Rod in front of them.


    Dozens of flesh monsters would copse every time Charles swung the Lightning Rod. The dazzling light of the Lightning Rod dominated the battlefield, and the smell of burnt flesh soon permeated the air.


    Charles eventually stopped and looked around¡ªeverything around him had been charred ck.


    He copsed to the ground with violent spasms. He couldn''t count how many times he had activated the Lightning Rod, but he had activated it enough times that it was starting to take a toll on his tough physique.


    However, it was worth it. The mighty lightning had managed to force those hideous-looking monsters to retreat. The forest soon returned to its original tranquility.


    Charles struggled to his feet with the help of his crew. He spat Lily out of his mouth and started gasping for air.


    The crew members looked pale, and they surveyed their surroundings with lingering fear. They all had the same question in their minds at the moment. What were those monsters?


    Before they could even start thinking about it, a headless corpse abruptly stood up in front of them. The Wailing Graffiti had detached itself from Charles at some point and had attached itself to the corpse.


    The headless corpse pointed in the direction where the flesh monsters had disappeared using all seven fingers of its right hand.


    "Charles, 319 is apparently over there. He sensed it," Tobba tranted the Wailing Graffiti''s words.


    Charles was thrilled. He hade to this damned ce for 319, and he was finally about to obtain it after so many difficulties. Shaking his numb right hand, he started walking toward the direction that the Wailing Graffiti had pointed out.


    The headless corpse followed Charles in an eerie and bizarre posture under the Wailing Graffiti''s control. Meanwhile, the sailors who were from the most recent recruitment just like Weister looked as if they were about to cry.


    The previous encounters had been too terrifying. They truly felt like they were in hell while they were facing the flesh monsters reaching out for them with their deformed hands.


    Everyone remained silent as they walked down the tranquil woods, but an oppressive air lingered above them.


    "Mr. Charles, can you smell that?" Lily''s tiny nose twitched as she sniffed the air.


    The smell of blood and rot intensified the deeper they got into the woods. Soon, they found white strips of cloth painted with bizarre inscriptions wrapped around the trunks of the nearby trees. White strips of cloth had also covered the ground before them.


    "This... prayers to God Fhtagn..." the quiet Bandages spoke atst. He had picked up a strip of cloth and examined it briefly before throwing it away.


    <i>Someone is worshiping God Fhtagn here? Who are they? Those monsters? </i>Charles wondered.


    Upon reaching a spot where the ground waspletely covered in white strips of cloth, they found themselves before a circr area the size of a football field. Everyone''s expression changed upon seeing what was inside the circr ground. The crew members with weaker stomachs covered their mouths and barely managed to stop themselves from throwing up.


    Corpses... a myriad of rotten, mutted corpses were arranged in a twisted and revolting pentagram on the circr ground. The pentagram was irregr; its points were all slightly nted to the left.


    Within the pentagram, parts devoid of corpses were reced by iprehensible texts written in blood. On the other hand, the corpses'' bloodshot eyes were wide open, their faces frozen in fear, and their hair was caked with bloody dirt. Clearly, they had suffered tremendous pain before embracing death.


    These corpses were the flesh monsters that Charles and his crew had encountered earlier.


    Charles looked around but found nothing else. His gaze eventually turned to the Wailing Graffiti on the headless corpse.


    "Where''s 319?"


    <i>Crack!</i>


    A crisp noise akin to a tree branch getting crushed echoed, and Charles instantly pointed his gun at where the noise hade from.


    Charles heard more noises, and they grew louder until a wave of flesh monsters rushed out. The flesh monsters were on all fours and were carrying a wooden frame on their backs; a man''s head the size of a small house was on the frame.


    Aside from the faint outline, the head''s scalp waspletely transparent, allowing Charles to see the brain inside the skull. He also didn''t miss the ck maggots squirming and drilling in and out of the rotting brain. Staring at the traces of decay on the new presence sent a shiver down the spine of the crew members.


    However, Charles didn''t pay that much attention to the head. His eyes were on the items surrounding the head. An antique-looking, rusty printer was one of the items surrounding the man''s head, and Charles'' intuition was telling him that he was staring at what he had been looking for in this voyage¡ª319, the Soul Printer!


    "399! It''s me! Where did you get that big head? Weren''t you only able to live in a pool before?" Tobba said excitedly. He was about to run toward 399, but Charles immediately pulled him back.


    "You said it''s friendly, right? Friendly to the point that the Foundation had even allowed it to go on a stroll?" Charles asked while staring at the massive head. It looked so grotesque that it couldn''t be further from friendly.


    "Yes, that really is 399," Tobba asserted. He then turned toward the head being carried over by the flesh monsters and shouted, "399, get me a serving of the sea urchin sushi from Canteen 3!"


    The brain soaking in the crystal clear liquid inside the head quivered slightly. Soon, a te of sea urchin sushi wrapped in seaweed appeared out of thin air right in front of Tobba.

 Chapter 305. Lunaia [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 305. Lunaia [Bonus Image]</h4>


    "Charles, wanna take a bite? The sea urchin sushi from Canteen 3 is the best; it''s a must-try!" Tobba said. He chucked a piece into his mouth before pushing the te toward Charles.


    Charles nced at the food before turning to look at the massive head walking toward them.


    "What''s his ability? Materialization?" Charles asked Tobba.


    "That''s right. My ability is to materialize anything I can think of so long as they are not living things," 399 replied with a voice booming with confidence.


    As the towering head got closer and closer, the crew members behind Charles took a few steps backward with fearful expressions.


    "It''s been a while, Tobba. Where have you been?"


    "I haven''t been anywhere, but I''ve been in quite a few adventures with lil'' Mith up above," Tobba replied. The two proceeded to chat like good friends who had just reunited with each other.


    "399," Charles called out to interrupt their conversation, "Where are the human test subjects? They came down with you, right?"


    There were so many test subjects that they couldn''t have disappeared into thin air. If they were still alive, perhaps Charles could obtain more information from them.


    399''sntern-sized eyesnded on Charles, and he said, "They are these things below me."


    Charles'' pupils constricted. He nced at the flesh monsters carrying 399 and said, "These hideous monsters are the humans who came down with you here?"


    Charles truly couldn''t imagine that these hideous-looking monsters with their shriveled skulls, twisted fingers, various deformities, and alien-looking organs were once humans.


    "It couldn''t be helped. There weren''t enough humans, and the generations of inbreeding eventually led to them bing like this.


    "I used 3452 so that they wouldn''t die early; Lunaia and I also tried our best to find a way to return them to normal, but our research bore no fruits," 399 said casually as if it were a trivial matter. Then, he continued his conversation with Tobba.


    rm bells started ringing in Charles'' mind. The flesh monsters couldn''t have set up the religious ritual, which meant that 399 had to be the one who had performed the ritual. In other words, the living relic, 399, was far more dangerous than he seemed.


    Charles made a sidelong nce at the massive head before surreptitiously taking two steps to stand next to Bandages.


    "First Mate, what ritual is this?" he asked.


    "This is the...ritual to summon...the Drowned One, but...the ritual is...wrong."


    "Wrong?"


    "The third row of...inscriptions is supposed...to be the ending. The fifth row...is missing two auxiliary...incantations."


    At the same time, the conversations of the two living relics caught Charles'' attention.


    "Tobba, do you still remember Lunaia?" 399 asked.


    "Yes, I remember her. She''s your girlfriend, right? I remember seeing you two going out to have fun," Tobba replied.


    "That''s right. She''s my girlfriend, and she''s here, too," 399 replied.


    "I thought every member of the foundation had been taken away by the cmity at the time? How did she escape when she''s a part of the Foundation?" Tobba asked.


    "Haha, well, she is away at the moment, but I just found a way to bring her back not too long ago."


    "Really? Then, bring her back. I really want to see her again. I really liked her smile," Tobba said.


    The two living relics'' conversation sent a shiver down Charles'' spine. He made a sidelong nce at the pentagram emitting a foul stench before turning to Bandages once more and asking, "What happens if a ritual goes wrong?"


    "Evil...creatures...wille out," Bandages replied.


    Bandages'' words had yet to finish echoing through the air when Charles felt the ground tremble. The tremors and noises grew stronger and louder, prompting everyone to look at where the sound wasing from.


    Momentster, two giant trees were easily pushed out of their spot as a bloated, fifty-meter-tall starfish made out of rotting flesh and blood emerged from the woods behind them. ck maggots identical to the maggots in 399''s head drilled in and out of its body.


    Extreme fear gripped everyone''s heart at the terrifying sight, and their instincts screamed at them to turn around and flee. Unfortunately, it was already toote by the time they mustered the thought to run.


    Chains suddenly appeared from out of nowhere and immobilized them.


    A sinister grin appeared on 399''s face, and his expression grew increasingly hideous as he said, "Sorry, she needs to absorb all of you to restore her old body. Your sacrifice is necessary."


    The massive starfish started crawling its way over to them, and every move it made created tremors that swept across everyone''s stiffened figures. Rotten flesh would also fall to the ground as its colossal figure quivered with each movement.


    The usually carefree Tobba started panicking. He pulled desperately at the chains and shouted, "Hey, what are you doing?! Have you forgotten that we''re old friends?!"


    399''s intentions couldn''t be more vivid and clear, but it still made an effort to assuage Tobba''s anxiety by saying, "Don''t worry. Once Lunaia has returned, I''ll let these offerings breed. And once there''s enough for a horde, I''ll use them as payment to redeem you guys from the great God Fhtagn.


    "You''d also be even stronger by then."


    "I¡ª" Tobba started, but Charles cut him off and roared, "Don''t bother talking to it! Can you not see that this guy has gone just as crazy as you?!"


    Charles immediately started trying to free himself from the chains. Every single muscle in his body moved in harmony as he tore the metal chains apart with his bare hands.


    Charles then rushed toward the nearest crew member, but shackles appeared from out of thin air and wrapped themselves around his ankle.


    Charles struggled fiercely to break free. Eventually, he managed to shatter the shackles on his ankles, but a heavy iron cage dropped and trapped him inside.


    Of course, Charles quickly made a move to dismantle the cage, but the massive starfish spat out a massive appendage from its belly, and it wrapped around the cage before dragging it into its mouth.


    "Mr. Charles!"


    "Captaaain!"


    "Govenooor!"


    The crew watched in horror and despair; they were too weak to do anything.


    399 turned his massive eyeballs to the giant starfish, and his gaze turned gentle with affection as he said, "It''s okay; eat slowly. There are more of them here. I allowed them into ournd just for you."


    All of a sudden, the starfish quivered before expanding. It quivered violently as it expanded to its limit before finally exploding into a bloody mist.


    The abrupt turn of events shocked everyone, and the powerful explosion sted them away, freeing them from the chains.


    399 reacted first before anyone else, and his enormous head dove into the steaming hot flesh, seemingly looking for something inside of it.


    "Lunaia, no! My love... Lunaia, no!" 399 screamed.


    399''s shrill cry awakened Charles from his stupor. He shook his head vigorously, but his bewildered look remained. He could still remember getting sucked into the flesh monster''s mouth, so how did he end up hanging from a tree branch?


    Before he could think it through, a dense killing intent bored down on him. Left without enough time to even think, Charles somersaulted down the tree.


    A powerful explosion echoed overhead. If he had jumped down even a beatter, his head would have exploded into a bloody mist. In fact, the tree where he had inexplicablynded had been sted apart into two charred pieces.


    "Y-y-you..! You killed my beloved!" 399 roared. As he grew agitated, ck maggots of varying sizes crawled out of his face, creating an exceptionally terrifying sight.


    Meanwhile, Charles had justnded on the ground when over a dozen grenades emitting white smoke materialized next to his feet.

 Chapter 306. Intense Showdown

    <h4>Chapter 306. Intense Showdown</h4>


    At the sight of the grenades surrounding him, Charles felt as though the time seemed to slow to a crawl at that moment. He watched the ck metal object slowly expanding with the force of the exploding gunpowder within, his clothes curling up from the heat and then ckening. However, all he could do at this moment was to close his eyes in response.


    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>


    Explosion sounds relentlessly rang out, and the shockwaves sent Charles flying through the air.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Charles flew into a tree hard beforending on the damp earth with a trailing plume of ck smoke.


    A gunshot was then added to the cacophony. It was Audric; he had turned into his bat form and managed to get out of his handcuffs. He had drawn his pistol and was firing consecutive shots at 399.


    However, each bullet sounded a loud ng upon impact. A row of transparent, square shields had materialized in front of 399 and intercepted them.


    399''sntern-sized eyes turned onto Audric, and all of a sudden, eight anchors dropped from the sky and were hurtling toward him.


    The blind vampire tried to transform into a bat to escape, but unfortunately, the anchors that weighed a ton each had him pinned to the ground.


    "Now...It''s your turn...," 399 said as he turned his gaze onto the crew members of the Narwhale. His eyes were burning with vicious murderous intent.


    Staring at the massive, bizarre head at such a close distance, Weister felt as though his blood had congealed as he was bound in chains.


    <i>Is this the end? </i>A thought crossed Weister''s mind when arge tree trunk that was three meters tall and two meters thick rolled toward 399.


    The shields materialized again and easily blocked the trunk from advancing. 399 turned toward the direction where the trunk came from. To his surprise, the man he had blown away with the grenades was still alive. The man''s lower body was bloodied with gaping wounds, but he was still standing.


    Charles gritted his teeth to endure the pain. Luckily, his physical body had been enhanced before this expedition. Otherwise, he would have been blown to pieces by the earlier st.


    "You! You killed Lunaia! How are you still alive?!" 399 roared in fury.


    Sharp spears then materialized around the giant head. They flew toward Charles so rapidly that they even left afterimages in their path.


    With a swift reflex, Charles raised his prosthetic limb and shot his grappling hook onto a tree trunk before rapidly pulling himself away from his original position.


    <i>That''s strange. Why hasn''t this guy handcuffed me?</i> Charles pondered before realization dawned upon him as he noticed the distance between himself and 399. It seemed like 399 could conjure up anything, but it would only work within a certain range. He wouldn''t be able to materialize anything outside of his ability''s range.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang! </i>


    Charles fired three consecutive shots, but 399 easily blocked them all. However, Charles didn''t give up; he was persistent in his efforts.


    The facial features on 399''s giant face twisted grotesquely. Its appearance gradually deviated from what constituted a normal human and became increasingly monstrous and terrifying


    "Attack! Seize him! He will pay the price!" 399 bellowed with apparent anger. At his deafening roar, the deformed flesh monsters beneath him let out a screech in response. They bared their teeth and ws and charged toward Charles like a tidal wave.


    Despite his precarious situation, Charles found his predicament less dangerous than before. 399 was powerful, but his frenzied state had rendered him senseless.


    Charles cast a quick nce at his crew members and spotted Linda vomiting corrosive acid on her handcuffs. They were still trying to break free.


    The first to break free from his bindings was Bandages. He ran toward the pentagram formation and started to move the items within.


    The progression of events slightly reassured Charles'' heart. Now that he knew his enemy''s limitations, he just needed to buy time while keeping a safe distance away from 399. At his current speed, there was no way 399 nor the flesh monster could catch up.


    That was Charles'' n, but clearly, 399 had other thoughts.


    A high-tech propulsion device materialized behind its brain and propelled it rapidly toward Charles.


    "Shit!" Charles quickly brandished his Lightning Rod. White electric arcs crackled around the rod as he swung it against 399. However, before the rod coulde into contact with 399, a wall made of ck tires easily blocked its path.


    Hanging from a tree, Charles was about to dive into the forest when white mist suddenly surrounded him and shrouded his vicinity.


    It took less than a second for him to realize that it wasn''t mist. They were the Whitebeasts that were nowhere to be seen early. They emerged from within Charles'' body and sessfully held him in his tracks.


    The creatures'' sudden appearance disrupted Charles'' rhythm.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Gunshots rang out as bone bullets tore through the bodies of the Whitebeasts. However, Charles couldn''t break out of their encirclement due to their overwhelming numbers.


    Charles was so caught up in his sh with the Whitebeasts that he hadn''t noticed 399 conjuring a giant mechanical construct right next to him. It was a cold, steel cannon mounted on its head, and its barrel shimmered with a cold glint.


    <i>Beep!</i>


    A red dot appeared on Charles; only then did he notice 399''s new weapon. He tried to move, but it was toote.


    With a loud boom, Charles'' left shoulder, along with the bones within, was blown off. Charles copsed to the floor like a broken doll.


    A Whitebeast floated toward him and reached into his clothing to pull out the tablet 198.


    The Whitebeast then presented the tablet before Charles. The screen lit up to disy a sideways emoticon.


    [:)]


    Charles'' eyes widened in disbelief and shock


    "You were in cahoots with 399 all along!"


    [XD Bingo! Now that you''ve helped me find 399, I''ll give you the experimental results regarding the transnt of the projects'' special abilities into humans]


    Another Whitebeast floated down from above and ced a stack of papers before Charles.


    [Our contract has been fulfilled. You may die now, human. :)]


    With that message, a mechanical construct lifted Charles with itsrge cannon and brought him before 399.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Charles hurled his Dark de toward 399, but it was blocked just like his earlier attempts.


    Seeing that his attempt at a sneak attack failed, Charles'' mind ran as he sought other means of escape. However, his thoughts were soon interrupted by an intense pain in both temples.


    <i>Buzzzzzz!</i>


    Two ck drill bits were pressed onto each side of Charles'' temples and rapidly turned as they bore into his skull. Amidst his screams of agony, two bloody holes appeared on either side of his head.


    "You killed my Lunaia. I''m not letting you die so easily! You will die a torturous death!" 399''s voice, with overwhelming malice, boomed in Charles'' head.


    ck maggots crawled away from 399''s brain, and with a flick of their tails, they leaped onto Charles'' face and burrowed into the bloody holes.


    More and more ck maggots, numbering tens of dozens, started to crawl all over Charles'' face before rapidly entering the two bloody wounds in his temples.


    "Soon, you shall experience the cruelest torment known to man. You will beg me to end your life!" 399 erupted into a maniacughter.


    However, 399''s delight was short-lived as several ck maggots flew out of Charles'' head with a loud popping sound. The discharged ck maggotsnded on the ground and writhed for a couple of seconds before they became motionless.


    Soon, more and more ck maggots were flung out of Charles'' head.


    399''s massive eyes watched as a gray tentacle with writhing tendrils slowly wriggled out of Charles'' head. After pushing out thest maggot that had tried to crawl into Charles'' brain, the tentacle leaped onto 399''s face.

 Chapter 307. Black Tentacle

    <h4>Chapter 307. ck Tentacle</h4>


    <i>Smack!</i>


    Anna''s tentacle flung 399''s tail back to its transparent skull. Its gray body continued to wriggle as it tried to burrow within.


    Just then, a silver spear materialized out of thin air beside the tentacle. However, as Anna''s tentacle constantly writhed and its gray tendrils danced with a rhythm, the silver spear swiftly dissolved into a bubbling, muddy sludge and pooled on the ground.


    399 let out a furious roar and shook his head in panic. The hint of terror underlying his cries was unmistakable. For the first time since his birth, he encountered something that could counteract his materialization powers.


    Whenever he tried to focus on conjuring something, chaotic thoughts would cloud his mind and disrupt him. Due to the tentacle''s interference, he couldn''t manifest anything.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Charles was flung off from the cannon barrel andnded on the ground. The giant metal construct then turned its mouth toward the tentacle that was trying to prate 399''s head. A redser dot appeared on the tentacle as the cannon took aim.


    But before it could fire, an electric arc struck it. It trembled due to the high voltage coursing through it, and it let out sizzling noises.


    The attack hade from Charles. Half of his body was paralyzed, but the other half could still move.


    Just as the tentacle was about to sessfully burrow itself into 399''s gigantic brain, a white hand congealed from the white mist and grabbed the tentacle. In a swift motion, it pulled the tentacle out and flung it to the ground.


    Despite being severely injured, Charles reached out and safely caught the gray tentacle in his hands.


    The white hand belonged to one of 198''s Whitebeasts. Under the relic''smand, the beasts were circling like vultures overhead.


    "<i>AHHHHH!</i>" 399 let out a screeching roar as his anger reached its peak. "I''ve had enough! Die!!" Various firearms of all sizes materialized around it; their dark barrels were all aimed directly at Charles'' head.


    <i>How can I escape this? </i>Thoughts raced through Charles'' mind as he tried toe up with a strategy while dragging his half-crippled body away from the line of assault. However, he couldn''te up with anything.


    Just as Charles was about to meet his creator from the bullets, a rapid chanting rose from behind 399.


    "Ez, ... huul''wah!...Sk''woth''gl yu''ga!!"


    The voice belonged to Bandages. Naked, hey in the center of the filthy magical formation. As the undecipherable words left his lips, a chilling aura descended upon everyone present.


    399 could no longer be hung up with Charles. For the first time, fear appeared in hisntern-sized eyes. White mes burst from his thrusters, propelling him rapidly toward the forest.


    "Ph¡¯nglui!" With a forceful point of his finger at 399, Bandage unleashed a pure ck octopus tentacle. It burst forth from the bloody, muddled sacrificial formation and struck 399.


    The moment the giant skull came into contact with the tentacle, it couldn''t even put up a hint of struggle. Instantly, he was absorbed into the darkness. A face of utter despair was 399''s final expression.


    <i>tter.</i>


    399''s thrusters and the relics he was carrying fell to the ground.


    Meanwhile, the ck tentacle didn''t stop even after devouring 399. It writhed through the throng of deformed flesh monsters; any living creature it touched would disintegrate into ck ash and be absorbed to be part of it.


    Charles watched in shock at Bandages standing at the center of the sacrificial formation. This seemed to be the first time he witnessed the true power of his First Mate. With enough sacrifices, Bandages could be considered the most powerful individual among the Narwhale''s crew.


    When all the deformed monsters had been devoured, the ck tentacle retracted back into the formation.


    Now that all the enemies had been eradicated, Charles'' gaze shifted downward to the nearby 319¡ªthe Soul Printer. Struggling with his half-mangled body, he painstakingly crawled toward it.


    Despite the overwhelming pain coursing through his body, a relieved smile surfaced on his countenance the moment he touched 319''s bronze casing. He had achieved his objective for this expedition.


    But he could hardly revel in his triumph when he saw the crew members rushing toward him. They hastily lifted him up and retreated into the forest.


    "Why? What happened? Why are we running?" Charles asked in confusion, but he also didn''t forget what was important to him. "Audric! Grab that stack of papers at your feet! It''s important!"


    Bandages didn''t even have time to put on clothes. Running naked, he looked at Charles with a deep fear in his eyes.


    "Not enough... sacrifices... Run..."


    As soon as Bandages'' words fell, the ck tentacle emerged again from the formation. This time, it wasn''t just one tentacle, but seven of them. And more were emerging from the sacrificial formation. Theyshed around aimlessly, turning anything they touched into gray powder.


    At the sight of the tentacles, the Narwhale crew wished they had more legs to run faster.


    They finally made it into the forest and thought they would be safe. Yet, they realized that the ck tentacles seemed to be expanding their reach as though they could duplicate themselves; the dense forest was effortlessly being destroyed.


    Carried by his crew, Charles suddenly sensed something. He looked up and saw that a Whitebeast had 198 in its grasp, and they were also fleeing rapidly.


    Recalling everything it had done, a cold glint shed across Charles'' eyes.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A bone bullet tore through the Whitebeast''s arm, leaving 198 to fall helplessly into the churning mass of ck tentacles.


    The moment 198 disappeared into the mass of darkness, the dozens of Whitebeasts overhead instantly evaporated.


    Using up every ounce of their strength, the crew members managed to don their diving suits and pass through the barrier of the purple sphere and back into the sea just before the ck tentacles reached them.


    However, the ck tentacles shattered their expectations. It was slowly devouring the purple barrier itself.


    The area, also known as <i>Ecological Zone 4,</i> slowly copsed inward, creating a vortex that devoured everything around it.


    The Narwhale wasn''t spared either. The immense suction force was drawing it in, and the vessel was inching closer to the purple sphere.


    "Quick! Open the water discharge valves!" Charlesmanded


    As the water from the bast tanks was rapidly ejected, the submarine''s buoyancy swiftly increased. The crew''s hearts pounded rapidly as the submarine gradually ascended and left the dark chasm.


    <i>Creeaaaakkkk.</i>


    Floating on the dark sea surface, the Narwhale struggled to retract its battered steel tes. Due to the now-mismatched joints, sparks would asionally fly as the tes rubbed against each other.


    The surviving crew members raised their arms and cheered loudly as they stood on the chilly deck and faced the dark waters around them. Joy painted their faces; they had survived yet another catastrophe.


    Compared to the ominous depths of the sea they had just escaped, the dark sea surface suddenly felt incredibly safe to them.


    However, Charles had no time to join the celebration cheers as Linda immediately wheeled him into the infirmary to undergo surgery. He was in critical condition with most of his left shoulder gone.


    Fortunately, it was his left side; otherwise, he would need two prosthetic limbs.


    "Though you have strong healing abilities to keep you conscious despite such severe injuries, you''ve lost too many organs and blood. I''ll do my best to keep you alive," Linda said coldly to Charles on the operating table.


    "Will this affect my strength?" Charles asked in a weak whisper; even that used up all of his remaining energy.


    Linda didn''t answer. Instead, she injected a syringe of ck liquid into Charles.


    Charles'' head tilted, and his consciousness plunged into darkness.

 Chapter 308. Experiments

    <h4>Chapter 308. Experiments</h4>


    When Charles groggily woke up again, he found himself still in the infirmary, but he wasn''t sure how much time had passed since.


    His gaze shifted downward, and saw that a significant portion of his left side was missing. His left arm and part of his left chest were gone, and the amputation wound was tightly wrapped in white bandages.


    Hearing movement, Lily, who was curled up beside an oilmp, opened her eyes. The moment she saw that Charles was awake, she leaped up onto her feet in excitement.


    "Mr. Charles! You''re awake! Are you feeling better?"


    "How long has it been?" Charles asked.


    "It''s been a week. We were so worried about you. Sister Linda said if you don''t wake up soon, you might never wake up again," Lily replied.


    Hearing Lily''s words, Charles leaned back against the soft pillow, but the moment his head touched the pillow, he quickly sat up again.


    He urged Lily, "Lily, bring me that thing that I brought back. Quick," Charles instructed.


    Pink Lily''s ears drooped in reluctance. "Mr. Charles, why don''t you rest for a bit more? You''ve only juste around."


    A trace of anxiousness appeared on Charles'' face. They were temporarily safe now, and he didn''t want to wait another second to find out about the information Aaron nted in his head.


    "Go quickly, Lily. That thing is really important to me. Be a good girl."


    "Stop calling me a good girl. I''m not a child anymore," Lily retorted. She then squeaked to the mice under the bed, and several of them scurried out of the room. It didn''t take long before they returned, swiftly dragging 319 in and cing it on the bedside table.


    Charles stared at 319 with a trembling gaze. Just as he was trying to figure out how to use it, a sudden clicking sound interrupted his thoughts.


    The brass printer abruptly started on its own and spat out a paper with written text.


    <i>How does this thing work?</i>


    That was what Charles was thinking earlier, and 319 had typed that out. After all, it was a relic capable of retrieving what was stored in one''s mind.


    "I don''t want my current thoughts. I need the thoughts in my subconscious. My subconscious, do you get it?" Charles tossed the paper aside and stared at 319 for its next output.


    <i>Click! Click! Click!</i>


    <i>I don''t want my current thoughts. I need the thoughts in my subconscious. My subconscious, do you get it?</i>


    319 started again. This time, it printed out what Charles just said.


    Just as Charles was about to get up and find Tobba to ask thetter how to use 319 properly, his hand moved on its own. The Wailing Graffiti could be seen on the back of Charles'' hand.


    The Wailing Graffiti controlled Charles'' index finger to gently press a button on the side of the 319. Then, it disappeared.


    Before Charles could celebrate over the terrifying graffiti detaching itself from him, the nearby 319 started ttering away. Sheets of paper filled with text were constantly being printed. It seemed like much data had been stored in Charles'' subconscious.


    Charles pulled out the first sheet.


    <i>To whom it may concern, I am Aaron Lee Hotchner, data manager of the Foundation''s Database 9.</i>


    <i>I don''t know how much time has passed outside, nor who is currently in charge on the main ind. But whoever it is, please take note that the following data is very important. It concerns the true reason behind our disappearance in thest era.</i>


    <i>Firstly, immediately activate the Mobile Task Force to detain the man delivering this message. He has the mark of 003 on his neck, and I strongly suspect that he''s under the influence of the D4 meme. Please capture and eliminate him immediately.</i>


    The corners of Charles'' eyes twitched slightly. He then let out a scoff before a sardonic smile appeared on his visage. He tossed the paper aside and reached out to the next sheet. It detailed aplete experimental record.


    <i>Experiment Title: K393</i>


    <i>Location: Containment Site V3</i>


    <i>Involved Personnel: Dr. K9, Dr. E5, Dr. A2, Commander of Task Force 3</i>


    <i>Test Materials: 3000 human subjects, Project 177, Project 1488, Project 013, Project 079, 15 individuals with severe D4 memetic infection</i>


    <i>Risk Assessment: High-risk category. All personnel within the Foundation are required to maintain Level 3 Alert status.</i>


    <i>Experimental Protocol: The directive for the group infected with the D4 meme was to utilize the 3,000 human subjects in a sacrificial ceremony termed "Summoning His Holy Will," targeting Project 003. Throughout the ritual process, Project 1488 and Project 013 were employed to extract the target material concurrently from the etheric ne and physical reality ne.</i>


    <i>Oues: The experiment resulted in failure. Project 1488 became unresponsive. Project 013 deceased. Total loss of human subjects. Dr. E5 deceased. Sinking of Containment Site V3.</i>


    <i>Evaluation: Despite the experiment''s failure, the hypothesis proposed by Professor Satsuma has been substantiated. Dr. K9, the principal investigator of this study, is preparing to submit a proposal for a second experimental trial to the Foundation''s headquarters.</i>


    Charles'' eyes narrowed as he read the printed contents. While reading, his eyes continuously alternated between narrowing and widening, a clear indication of his inner turmoil.


    "My guess was right! Those mad scientists are indeed dabbling into the forbidden territory of the Divinities! They''re researching them!" Charles eximed to himself. He then swiftly discarded the paper he was holding and hastily grabbed the next one.


    <i>Experiment Title: K393/2</i>


    <i>Location: The Primordial Site</i>


    <i>Involved Personnel: Dr. K9, Commander of Task Force 3</i>


    <i>Test Materials: 3,000 human subjects, Project 177, Project 3474, Project 094, 20 individuals with severe D4 memetic infection</i>


    <i>Risk Assessment: High-risk category. All personnel within the Foundation are required to maintain Level 3 Alert status.</i>


    <i>Experimental Protocol: The directive for the group infected with the D4 meme was to utilize the 3,000 human subjects in a sacrificial ceremony termed "Summoning His Holy Will," targeting Project 003. Throughout the ritual process, Project 3473 and Project 094 were employed to extract the target material concurrently from the etheric ne and the physical reality ne.</i>


    <i>Oues: The experiment resulted in failure. Project 3474 deceased. Project 094 contracted the D4 memetic infection. Total loss of human subjects. Sinking of the Primordial Site.</i>


    <i>Evaluation: Despite the memetic infection of Project 094 due to contact with the target material, the feasibility of material capture from the etheric ne has been noted. Dr. K9, the principal investigator of this study, is preparing to submit a proposal for a third experimental trial to the Foundation''s headquarters.</i>


    Charles crumpled the paper in his hand and threw it to the ground with force before he moved on to the next sheet.


    The subsequent sheets were filled with records of the various attempts of the experiment K393. Despite the slight variations in the experiment execution, they all ended up with the same oue: failure.


    Just as Charles wondered how many experiments it would take before these scientists sealed their own demises, a strikingly different experimental result caught his attention.


    <i>Oues: The experiment was a sess. We have effectively captured a portion of 003''s power! Despite the inherent difficulty for humans in perceiving or approaching this entity, we sessfully captured it using the sonorous emissions of Project 134. Dr. K9 has termed this extraordinary material "Divine Blood."</i>


    <i>Evaluation: This is Dr. K9. This is an exhrating moment. The apprehensions of the naysayers are no longer significant. I''ve finally seeded! Against all odds and skepticism, I''ve finally seeded!</i>


    <i>Once we thoroughly analyze the Divine Blood, we will then be able to fullyprehend the power of Project 003! With this power, we can even alter thew of physics! I must immediately¡ª</i>


    <i>No, we should not be merelybeling them as "projects". Entities 002 to 009 possess the power to change the physicalws governing our world. They are deities, true gods! All hail God Fhtagn!</i>

 Chapter 309. Truth

    <h4>Chapter 309. Truth</h4>


    As Charles scanned through the written text on the paper, a buzzing filled his head. He wasn''t sure if it stemmed from his temple wounds or from the astonishment of the mind-blowing revtions.


    The Foundation had seeded. They had actually seeded in harnessing the power of the Divinities.


    Yet, Charles immediately felt a sense of amiss. If the Foundation had truly captured the Divinities'' power, why had they vanished?


    With the thought in mind, Charles continued on to the next page. However, he didn''t find another experiment log but rather a monologue from Aaron.


    <i>"Yes, you read that correctly. Dr. K9 did indeed capture a fragment of Entity 003''s power. He''s a pioneer scientist, a visionary of humanity.</i>


    <i>Shortly after Dr. K9 achieved sess in his groundbreaking experiment, various research institutions began analyzing this "Divine Blood." I don''t know much about the details, but I''ve heard from my fellow colleagues that despite the groundbreaking creations from these studies, there had also been numerous deaths and frequent loss of control in the process.</i>


    <i>After that, I don''t know what the GK Council members were thinking. But not long after that incident, they actually approved Dr. K9''s proposal to carry out a high-risk experiment with the Divine Blood.</i>


    <i>The entire study was moving too fast. I wasn''t the only one with such an opinion. Even my colleagues feel the same. We couldn''t understand the rationale behind it. Eventually, my premonition was right. The experiment failed and brought about unthinkable consequences."</i>


    <i>Experiment Title: K392</i>


    <i>Location: Main Ind of the Foundation</i>


    <i>Involved Personnel: Entire GK Council, Commander of the Foundation''s Task Force</i>


    <i>Test Materials: Divine Blood, Project 134, Project 099, Project 791, Project 6478</i>


    <i>Risk Assessment: Highest risk category. All personnel within the Foundation are required to maintain Level 1 Alert status. Activation of all contingency ns and Dr. O5 to be on standby near Project 010; in case of a Level 3 or higher global anomaly, initiate Project 010 immediately.</i>


    <i>Experimental Protocol: Instruct Project 134, Project 099, Project 791, and Project 6478 to put on a coborative performance, "Song of Creation," to catalyze Divine Blood.</i>


    The text was abruptly cut off. There were no experimental oues or evaluations. Charles turned his gaze onto 319 and noticed that the brass printer still had onest page. He reached out and pulled the final piece of the puzzle from 319.


    <i>"Don''t ask me what''s the oue of the experiment. Thest thing I remember is every project on the ind going berserk and they started attacking Foundation members indiscriminately in a frenzied craze. Even those typically benign projects weren''t excluded. All task force members were deployed, regardless of their level, but it was far from enough.</i>


    <i>Thest scene I saw was that under the clear illumination of Dawn Four, a massive dark shadow, as colossal as the Earth itself, rose from the blue sea and moved toward the main ind.</i>


    <i>My fellow beings, please remember this bloody lesson we''ve learned. Without absolute certainty, we mustn''t meddle with the power of Divinities. We are but mere specks of dust in the face of these Divinities."</i>


    <i>Sometimes, I wonder if perhaps it was like the words of those infected by the D4 meme: the day their god awakens would be the day of humanity''s extinction.</i>


    <i>If any council members survived that experiment, they would surely be speechless at this point. They spent a whole century relocating all the projects to this seascape, but it had never crossed their mind that this ce harbors entities far more dangerous than all those projectsbined.</i>


    <i>I''m sorry forining so much. I should forget all those grievances. Our story has ended, and now it''s your turn.</i>


    <i>No matter how bleak, we cannot give up! We are thest line of defense between the humans living on the surface and these entities. If we fail, humanity''s annihtion wille next. Comrades, remember our oath¡ªWe fight to protect mankind!"</i>


    Charles sat dazed on the bed as the paper in his hand slowly fell out of his grasp and onto the floor. His eyes were unfocused, and peace evaded his heart for a long while.


    The information overloaded his mind capacity, and his thoughts were in a jumbled mess.


    Firstly, his previous guesses had been spot on. The Foundation had indeed yed itself into oblivion. They seeded once, and the false confidence they had gotten from that sess blinded them into catastrophically failing the second time.


    Secondly, the relics weren''t native to the Subterranean Seascape. The Foundation had relocated them here to be contained in the seascape, treating the ce like a prison.


    But the most important and final conclusion was that despite all the significant information these records held, there was no mention of any clue about the exit to the surface.


    A wry, self-mocking smile appeared on Charles'' countenance as a sense of futility washed over him.


    <i>I went through so many difficulties and it''s all for naught?</i>


    An emptiness started to fill him. It was simr to striking cotton with all his might, but there were no results. He was unsure if his relentless struggle would actually bear fruits in the end.


    Sensing the depressing atmosphere in the room, Lily cautiously jumped onto Charles. She lifted his hand and put it gently on her fluffy head.


    <i>Click! ck! </i>


    319 whirred to life once again to spit out another sheet of paper.


    <i>I like Mr. Charles. I don''t want him to be sad. Would he feel better if I nuzzled him?</i>


    Staring into Lily''s watery, big eyes, Charles let out a light chuckle. Gentle, he stroked her furry back.


    "I''m alright. A little setback like this can''t break me. Since there are no clues here, we''ll just keep searching until I can''t move anymore."


    "Yeap! Mr. Charles, I''ll apany you till the end!" Lily eximed as she rubbed her face contently against his hand.


    The tense atmosphere in the room gradually dissipated. Charlesy down on this hospital bed and listened to the faint sound of waves outside, trying to find sce in this moment of peace.


    The setback he went through at Newbound City had hardened his resilience tremendously. There was no way he would sumb to despair so easily now. Moreover, this expedition hadn''t been entirely fruitless.


    He pinched Lily''s long tail yfully and instructed, "Go fetch Audric. Remind him to bring over those papers I had him picked up from the floor. They''re important."


    "Got it!" Lily scampered toward the door, but before she could get out, it was suddenly kicked open. A group of crew members burst in, nearly stepping on her.


    They were carrying First Mate Bandages and ced him down on the nearby surgery table. Gloomy expressions painted their faces.


    "What happened?" Charles asked as he leaned forward.


    Bandages seemed to be in terrible condition. He was convulsing, and he erupted into frequent violent coughing fits.


    "We don''t know. The First Mate had been looking at the sea charts when he suddenly copsed in this manner. Seems like he''s fallen ill," Feuerbach exined to Charles.


    Linda took out a syringe and drew liquid from a bottle. Just as she was going to inject it into Bandages, thetter seized the needle.


    He shook his head in protest.


    "<i>Cough cough!! </i>It''s no use... <i>Cough, cough, cough! </i>Because of the... sacrifice... earlier...<i>Cough, cough, cough!</i> I''ve been... cursed."

 Chapter 310. Isle of Whereto

    <h4>Chapter 310. Isle of Whereto</h4>


    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom! </i>


    The dark waters near the docks of the Isle of Whereto zed red with mes. The battle had reached its climax, with every participant brimming with intense killing intent. The gun barrels never cooled, and the fervor of power dominance burned unceasingly.


    In the heat of battle, warships crashed into each other. Before the vessels could steady themselves, their crews had already grabbed the ropes and swung themselves onto the enemy''s deck.


    With various weapons, they tore at their opponents with unchecked savagery. At this moment, the primal ferocity within them had reached an all-time high.


    Arthur, the new governor of the Isle of Whereto, was seated on a leather sofa. He stroked his white beard with a solemn expression as he stared at the chaotic skirmish unfolding before him.


    Hours had passed, but Arthur still couldn''tprehend the intention of this battle. The Isle of Whereto was over a thousand nautical miles away from Hope Ind. If Governor Charles'' goal was territorial expansion, they should be targeting closer inds first and not the Isle of Whereto.


    <i>Why is Hope Ind''s navy attacking my ind all of a sudden? Has going to the sea to seek death constantly had finally driven that guy crazy? </i>thought Arthur.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Another cannonball flew past andnded in the nearby water with a thundering explosion and shot up a massive white water spout.


    The saltwater, heavy with the scent of gunpowder, cascaded toward the docks like a torrential downpour. Arthur''s subordinates cried out in rm as they scrambled to escape, but Arthur immediately called them back.


    "It''s just water; why are you running?! All of you, stay here and watch the battle!"


    The cascading seawater fell on Arthur''s bald head that shone under the light. His face grew a shade darker with every passing moment.


    After observing the battle a while longer, he bellowed, "Deputy!!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    "The battle''s dragging on for too long. Deploy the reserve forces. Annihte these audacious intruders who dare to encroach on my ind!" Arthur instructed.


    "As youmand, Governor!"


    Apanied by the sound of ship horns, the reserve ships at the docks entered the fray.


    With the fresh influx of forces, the dynamics on the battlefield swiftly changed. Backed by numerical superiority, the Whereto''s Navy slowly gained the upper hand.


    Witnessing the battle''s change in tide, a smug smile yed upon Arthur''s lips.


    <i>With Swann gone, I have thergest fleet among the Albion Isles'' Navy. The biggest ind should rightfully be mine. </i>Arthur thought to himself.


    He then stood up and walked toward the nearby steam carriage.


    "Deputy, give me a detailed report of the battleter," Arthur instructed.


    Just as he bent down to enter the carriage, the sound of an abrupt earth-shattering explosion started him into a cold sweat.


    "What the hell?!" He quickly looked up and fixed his gaze on the sea. His eyes widened in disbelief, and his mouth gradually mirrored it.


    "What in the world is that? That''s... That''s Sottom!" Arthur eximed.


    To the left of the battlefield, a colossal fortress, pieced together from various discarded steamships, was slowly making its way into the fray.


    Three giant cannons protruded from Sottom''s body. They roared incessantly as they hurled cannonballs the size of small boats at Whereto''s naval forces.


    With the new monstrous addition, the tide of the battle instantly turned. Screams and explosions rang out incessantly.


    "How... How is this possible?" Arthur mumbled in disbelief, "Didn''t Sottom drift to the Western Seas? Why did they suddenly appear here?"


    Arthur''s face contorted with panic. The fleet from Hope Ind alone was nothing to be feared, but the presence of Sottom was apletely different situation. What truly haunted everyone was not the pirate crew but their "King."


    The pirates based in Sottom could plunder far and wide not only because of Sottom''s elusive movements but also because of their "King''s" overpowering strength.


    Arthur did a swift evaluation of the battle and realized that resistance was futile. He decisively ordered a retreat. If defeat was inevitable, it was wiser to give up.


    Using telegraphs, the Whereto''s navy swiftly disengaged with the enemy and retreated eastward.


    Arthur believed that as long as his navy fleet remained intact, he could always rise again wherever he went.


    But just then, he saw the fleet from Hope Ind aggressively advancing toward the docks.


    "Move! To the Governor''s Mansion! Quick!" Arthur instructed the driver as he settled into his seat.


    A convoy of seven to eight cars started and sped away.


    The streets had been deserted; there were no other light sources apart from the headlights of the cars. The inders had sought refuge in their cers at the sound of the first cannon''s roar and were silently waiting for the war to end.


    Seated in his car, Arthur wracked his brain for a n as the streets blitzed past him. Suddenly, a re of car horns from behind interrupted his thoughts.


    He turned around abruptly, and his eyes widened in shock as he saw what greeted him through the rear ss window. A steamship had defied all norms and drove ontond. Moreover, it was now hurtling at breakneck speed toward their car!


    <i>How is this possible?!</i>


    Before Arthur could react, the amphibious ship had crashed into the car he was in. An explosion erupted, instantly turning the convoy of seven to eight vehicles into a fiery inferno and thick ck smoke billowed into the sky.


    <i>Thud.</i>


    A figure d in a ck robe leaped off the amphibious ship andnded deftly before the raging mes. It was Margaret, The flickering mes illuminated her visages in a non-rhythmic interval.


    <i>Whish!</i>


    An enormous object suddenly flew out of the fire and headed straight toward Margaret. It was a car''s ming skeleton!


    <i>nk!</i>


    Margaret caught it with both hands and hurled it back into the mes.


    A light chuckle emerged from within the mes.


    "So Daniel''s daughter is still alive?!" Arthur said as he emerged from the wreckage with his entire body enveloped in mes. As the mes extinguished, he stood before Margaret, baring his metallic body that had been stained with soot. Most of his physical body was made of gears and prosthetics.


    Margaret offered no words. She pushed off the ground with the ball of her right foot and propelled herself toward Arthur like a gray bird in flight.


    The two figures, onerge and one small collided with a resounding sh of metal. Seeing the dagger aimed at his left arm, Arthur''s scorched eyelids squinted slightly.


    With a mix of amusement and disdain in his voice, he taunted, "You dare duel me one-on-one? Little girl, do you really think my intelligence was the only reason Swann had put me in charge of hisrgest territory?"


    As soon as Arthur''s words fell, the whirring of gears echoed from within him. A dark gun barrel emerged swiftly from his abdomen and immediately unleashed a rapid barrage of fire toward Margaret''s chest.


    Margaret took a step back with swift agility before she raised her dagger and thrust it straight at Arthur''s heart.


    Arthur''s right prosthetic hand spun to reveal a silver ring on his finger. As the ring emitted a faint light, his body began to rapidly blur out.


    Margaret''s dagger effortlessly pierced through Arthur and emerged from the other side.


    Looking at Margaret, a cold smile surfaced on Arthur''s terrifying countenance. A spine bone, with a sickly green glow, extended from the palm of his steel hand. Grabbing it, heshed it toward Margaret''s back.


    His smile grew more grotesque as he anticipated his most potent relic making contact with his opponent.


    <i>nk!</i>


    The sudden metallic echo froze Arthur''s smile in ce. He looked down in disbelief to see that his body had reverted from its blurred-out state, and Margaret''s dagger was deeply embedded in his chest.

 Chapter 311. Occupation

    <h4>Chapter 311. upation</h4>


    "How... how is this possible?! My Ring of Ethereal Form should''ve..." Arthur looked down at his hand and found out that the ring that was supposed to be on his finger, as well as the finger itself, had vanished.


    The empty space next to him started to shimmer, and a petite figure appeared wearing red sleeves. His hand beneath the sleeves was holding Arthur''s missing finger.


    "Do you know how much time and energy I spent on this n? Why did you not think that I would send people to keep an eye on the effects of your relics?" Margaret said. She then ruthlessly pulled out the dagger stuck in Arthur''s chest and thrust it back in.


    Arthur''s blood sprayed out from his back, and the light from his eyes slowly faded away; his body, which was wrapped in steel, went limp.


    Margaret looked down at the corpse on the ground. The corners of her lips curled up into a faint smile and widened until she burst out into a chuckle. Her chuckle became louder and louder until it reached a crescendo.


    The tightly shut doors on the streets opened gradually until it was slightly ajar. The inders whispered amongst themselves as they peeked out from the inside.


    "Isn''t that Miss Margaret?"


    "No way. The Cavendish Family members are dead."


    "That''s right. But that''s definitely Miss Margaret right there. I can still remember her face."


    Margaret turned around at the noises behind her. The torches illuminated her face. Her visage was marred by a scar, but the inders still recognized her distinct features.


    The nearby houses gradually lit up as the inders approached Margaret with torches in their hands. Each one of them was silent, yet there was a certain longing in their eyes.


    "Denizens of Whereto! The vile viins who have trampled upon ournd have been vanquished by me¡ªMargaret Jane Cavendish! I swear upon the honor of my family, I will restore our country¡ªour ind¡ªto its former glory!"


    Silence nketed the crowd, and exactly three secondster, the crowd erupted into cheers akin to a thunderous storm. Some even got so emotional that they shed tears of excitement. They were thrilled to know that there were better days ahead of them. After all, they had suffered for a long time now.


    The colonizers hadn''t treated the denizens well, and Arthur had always been a military man, so he had brought the culture of the military to the ind, which included the vile practice offort women.


    Margaret smiled as she basked in the gazes of the inders. She couldn''t conceal the tears in her eyes.


    "Father, Mother, Brother, can you see this? Our home is ours once again," she muttered to herself.


    Just then, a group of police officers squeezed their way in through the crowd with a whistle. Their expressions changed when they saw Arthur''s corpse, as well as Margaret, standing in the middle of the crowd. They reacted quickly and threw their weapons away to the ground before saluting Margaret.


    Hope Ind''s navy fleet soon arrived, and Arthur''sckeys immediately stopped resisting. They surrendered even quicker upon hearing about how Sottom¡ªthe mobile ind and their pirate denizens¡ªhad decided to help Governor Margaret.


    A new order was disseminated, and the surviving officials began to serve the new Governor of Whereto.


    Meanwhile, Arthur''sckeys met the same horrible fate.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Several dull thuds echoed as guillotines fell on despairing heads all at the same time. Bloody heads rolled from the scaffolding onto the mud and then toward Margaret''s feet.


    She was standing next to several hundreds of prisoners with sacks over their heads. They were kneeling in front of guards, awaiting their final judgment.


    "Next batch! Hurry up!" the sweating administrator roared. He seemed frantic, afraid that if he were to move even a beat slower, a guillotine would make its way to his head.


    The guards herded the next batch of prisoners onto the scaffolding, and more dull thuds echoed afterward as the crimson-stained guillotines got to work.


    Margaret closed her eyes, inhaling the rusted air. This was the first time she felt even a tinge of joy since her mother''s death. It wasn''t strange that she was happy; she had swept away the vermins that had upied her homnd, after all.


    When she opened her eyes, she looked at the distant ruins of the Governor''s Mansion. The manualborers were clearing out the debris. Margaret''s n was to build a mansion identical to the previous Governor''s Mansion.


    Of course, her n would have toeter, as she still had many things to do.


    She left and headed toward the nearby docks, where the Hope Ind'' Navy was taking a brief respite before returning.


    "Have you considered my proposal, gentlemen?" Margaret addressed the three men inside the bustling tavern. One of the three men was wearing a pristine, clean-looking uniform, the other was a muscr man with a hook for a hand, and the remaining man was a middle-aged man with a pallid visage.


    These three men had been captains of their own exploration vessels until they discovered Hope Ind with Charles. Now, they were no longer captains but had be a part of Hope Ind''s navy.


    "Join our ind''s navy, and I will double what Charles had offered you."


    The hook-handed, muscr man nudged his friend¡ªwho had a tattoo depicting an anchor¡ªbefore saying with a chuckle, "What did I tell you? There''s no way our Governor has an affair with Margaret. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have attempted to poach us so tantly like this."


    Despite hearing the man''s spections about her and Charles, Margaret calmly asked, "I haven''t heard your decision yet, gentlemen. What do you say?"


    The three exchanged looks and shook their heads in unison.


    The man in the uniform gently set his drink on the bar and said, "It seems you''ve misunderstood us, Miss. We are free to plunder and murder at sea so long as there''s no one to witness, but there are two things we, explorer captains, consider taboo.


    "Firstly, the rules of the Explorers Association. If we were to break them, they would stop protecting us, and they wouldn''t protect us ording to the rules if we ended up discovering more inds.


    "Secondly, andstly, we will never betray our Governor. Our Governor is the foundation of our everything, so we will never betray him.


    "Those are our principles, and if we do not strive to abide by them. We''re no better than the riffraff pirates out there. Folks here call us madmen, but we value our identity."


    The middle-aged man with a pallid visage agreed and said, "Also, this ce isn''t exactly friendly. It''s so gloomy here. It can''tpare to Hope Ind at all, where I can rest easy and befortable whenever I want. This ce also doesn''t have Hope Ind''s deadly sun rays, so I''m going to be bored even if I stay here."


    Margaret didn''t seem annoyed upon seeing the men''s firm stance.


    "In that case, you can stay here and rest up for the next several days. The harbor''s brothels and taverns are on the house," she said before turning around to leave.


    "Don''t worry. We''re not going to leave until you''ve stabilized your position here. As for your poaching attempt, I apologize, but we''ll have to report it to our Governor without sparing even a single word."

 Chapter 312. The Unbreakable Curse

    <h4>Chapter 312. The Unbreakable Curse</h4>


    Margaret walked out of the tavern and headed straight to Sottom, which had docked next to the main ind.


    It had been four years ago when she was abducted to Sottom. Life was truly strange. Years ago, the idea of working with the wicked pirates of Sottom was something she couldn''t imagine, even in her wildest dreams.


    "How''s our ind doing?" 134 asked.


    d in an azure blue dress, 134 was kneeling by a small yellow wooden table and focused on pouring tea for her pink teddy bear. Clearly, she was in the middle of a tea party with her toys.


    Margaret nced at the plump man stuffing himself full in the corner before walking up to 134.


    "The ind clean-up is almost done. You''d best bring your men under control soon. They''ve alreadymitted several robberies and rapes," Margaret said.


    134 let out a chuckle reminiscent of a naive six-year-old girl, but the way her lips parted into a malevolent grin with sharp teeth erased all traces of that naivety and turned it into something dreadful.


    "Hahaha, isn''t it normal for pirates to do bad things? If you''re unhappy, just kill them, no biggie," 134 replied.


    "I''ll have someone create a harbor at the east. You can go ahead and dock Sottom over there, and I''ll have someone send supplies over to you periodically. Unless something importantes up, I want you to keep your men off of the ind," Margaret said.


    Dissatisfaction fleeted across 134''s face, and she was no longer smiling. "I think we''re going to be fine here. I don''t like moving, and I also like the hustle and bustle of this ce."


    "Your men can''t stay on Whereto. They cause too much trouble, and do you really want a chaotic Whereto as your backer?" Margaret replied.


    134''s eyes narrowed into slits. She stared deeply at Margaret, and a gray shadow popped out of the teddy bear next to her. The gray shadow manifested next to Margaret, and it pressed a bone flute against her throat.


    "I suddenly thought of a better idea. I just have to kill you now, and Whereto will be mine."


    Hearing 134''s words, the plump man in the corner set the chunk of meat in his hand on the ground and cast an indifferent gaze at Margaret. Something began to squirm beneath his oily skin.


    Margaret''s elegant brows furrowed, and the scar marring her face became slightly more hideous as she coldly spat, "Great idea; try it if you dare."


    Several shadows flickered behind Margaret.


    The atmosphere grew so tense it became palpable, but it was vanquished in an instant by a little girl''s heartyughter.


    "Pfft! I was just joking. Hahaha! If the nearby inds heard that the pirate king of Sottom had upied thergest ind in the Northern Seas, they''d definitelybine forces to deal with us. We''ll do as you wish, then. East it shall be," 134 said.


    Having aplished her goal here, Margaret turned around to leave.


    134 put her teacup down, and her adorable red pupils reflected not a single tinge of warmth.


    <i>Knock, knock, knock!</i>


    Knocking noises echoed from the ceiling, prompting 134 to look up. An elongated light green creature covered in what looked like thin arms was precariously clinging to the ceiling. The creature was faceless, making the scene look more eerie.


    "There''s no rush. We can''t kill that naive woman yet. We can still use her identity as our cover. This ind will soon belong to us, anyway," 134 said.


    Meanwhile, Margaret looked back at the towering fortress behind her. Her eyes contained the same frigid light as 134''s eyes as she walked down the harbor of Whereto.


    "Rest assured, Father. The Isle of Whereto has always belonged to the Cavendish Family, and no outsiders can seize us from us," she muttered.


    ***


    Charles waited anxiously outside the infirmary of the Narwhale. Just as he took out his pocket watch to check the time once more, the aloof Linda walked out of the infirmary.


    "He''s rotting away, and the medicine isn''t very effective. I tried my best, but I barely managed to stop the bleeding and stave off the infections," Linda reported.


    Charles'' face darkened. He pushed past Linda and walked into the infirmary. He had just taken one step into the infirmary, but the stench of rot, along with the smell of medicine, had already assaulted his nostrils.


    Bandages had be almost unrecognizable in just over ten days. His skin had sloughed off, leaving a ckened skeleton lying on the pristine white bed.


    Charles walked up to the bedside and looked into Bandages'' lifeless, half-open eyes.


    "Hang in there, we''re almost at Hope Ind. I''m going to find someone who can break the curse for you as soon as we get back," Charles said, attempting to reassure his First Mate.


    Bandages'' slightly withered eyeballs turned slowly to Charles. Bandages'' hand had lost all of its skin, revealing the ckened bones underneath, but he raised his trembling hand and held out a scalpel toward Charles.


    "Captain... a patch of skin... on my back... hasn''t... rotted yet... peel it for me..."


    Charles took the scalpel and put it away before saying, "What was the name of the ritual you performed? Is there any way to break curses from God Fhtagn? Tell me anything; we need to buy more time..."


    "There is... no...way... the curse of a Divinity... can... only be...removed by...visiting the Divinity''snd, and... it''s too... far..." Bandages muttered.


    Charles felt as if a needle had been thrust into his heart as he stared at his First Mate. Bandages had been quietly supporting him all this while, and if it hadn''t been for him, Hope Ind would have long plunged into chaos.


    Charles'' heart felt weary. Howe there wasn''t anything he could do for his First Mate other than watch as he slowly withered away right before his eyes?


    "You''re not going to die. Let''s try this. This might work," Charles said. He took out the Dark de and ced it in Bandages'' hand. He then dug out the tiny ck stones in his arm and attempted to insert them behind Bandages'' bones.


    However, Bandages pressed his hand on Charles to stop him. "It''s useless... Captain... the curse of a Divinity... cannot...be...broken...by ordinary means..."


    "Is God Fhtagn really that petty? We can justpensate Him for the missing offeringster!" Charles eximed, sounding frustrated.


    "The Great One...is sleeping... I had...invoked... one of His...lesser...Divinities... Rituals are...very dangerous...Otherwise...the Fhtagn Covenant...would have...already taken...over the seascape..." Bandages muttered.


    "What''s the name of that lesser divinity?" Charles asked. He needed a lead to break Bandages'' curse.


    Bandages shook his head sluggishly. His eyes shifted past Charles'' shoulder to the oilmp hanging from the ceiling, which was swaying with the waves.


    All of a sudden, Bandages'' pallid and haggard visage improved dramatically. The light in his eyes inexplicably grew brighter.


    "Captain, I actually feel like I''m not from the surface world, but I''ve never thought about abandoning this journey with everyone.


    "I''m a man with no past, and I do not know who I was or what I was. However, there''s one thing that has never changed. I''m Bandages¡ªthe First Mate of the Narwhale. I''ve really taken a liking to this identity of mine."


    For the first time, Bandages spoke without any pauses. However, he moved no longer once his words pervaded the cabin. Charles froze and stared intently at the quiet Bandages.


    Charles felt a shiver down his spine just then, and his breathing grew haggard in an instant as he roared, "Linda! Lindaaa! Come in here! Now!"


    Linda responded immediately to Charles'' roar, and she pushed him out of the infirmary before rushing toward Bandages.


    Charles waited four hours outside the infirmary before Linda emerged.


    Linda looked utterly exhausted as she walked up to Charles and said, "He only has a few days left at most. Are you going to give him a burial at sea, or are you going to bury him at Hope Ind? If you want thetter, I''ll go and ask the Cook for some salt to preserve his corpse."

 Chapter 313. Origin Essence

    <h4>Chapter 313. Origin Essence</h4>


    On the deste aft deck of the Narwhale, Charles downed ss after ss of whisky as he drowned in his sorrows. His usual sce from drinking liquor eluded him this time; instead, the bitter liquid had deepened the sense of powerlessness weighing down on his heart.


    Watching another crew member dying before his eyes was a torment. It was for the same reason that he deliberately tried not to get too close to new crew members.


    This time, however, the unfortunate fate hadnded on Bandages. From the first ever ind they had explored, Bandages had been with him for almost four years now.


    And he was about to lose yet another seasoned crew mate...


    "Is there really no way to resolve this?" Charles'' words slurred as he sprawled on the deck. He leaned back against the ship and stared into the darkness ahead.


    He had been pondering over the same question for days, but he was no doctor. When it came to medicine and treatment, there was nothing he could do.


    It would take at least another seven days for them to reach Hope Ind, and after that, they needed to head to some Divinity''s Land. Bandages couldn''t endure for that long; it was a hopeless situation.


    As Charles continued to pour more whisky into his mouth, a grotesque, hollow-palmed hand suddenly crawled over the railings of the ship.


    "Fuck!" Charles cursed, and his face lit up in fury. He hurled the whisky bottle aside and charged at the monster.


    The deformed creature''s serendipitous timing allowed Charles the opportunity to vent all his pent-up rage on it. Its ear-piercing cries of pain broke the silence over the dark sea.


    As its mangled body weakly plunged into the waters, a voice called out from above.


    "Captain, are you alright?"


    It was Audric. He was in his bat form and hanging upside down from a rope on the tower.


    Charles was in a foul mood and gave a perfunctory response before he turned to leave. However, he halted in his tracks after a few steps. He turned back to Audric and asked, "The thing that I asked you to pick up previously in the purple sphere, did you manage to take it?"


    "The stack of papers? Of course. I have them right under my bed. I''ve been wanting to pass them to you, but due to the First Mate''s situation, I haven''t been able to find the right time," Audric replied.


    "Bring them over to me now. I need to look at it immediately," Charles instructed with an unmistakable hint of urgency in his voice.


    Soon enough, the experimental records that 198 mentioned were ced before Charles: the experiment that allowed humans to gain the powers of the relics.


    <i>Experiment Title: K3378/954</i>


    <i>Location: Laboratory One</i>


    <i>Lead Researcher: Dr. E5</i>


    <i>Test Materials: Subject D, Project 3741, Project 751, one sharp dagger, 2 kilograms of Subterranean Sea Salt, and one ck marker.</i>


    <i>Experimental Protocol: Using the ck marker, draw Figure 9 (modified v1.0) on the ground, then use Subterranean Sea Salt to ovey Figures 1 and 3 onto Figure 9 (modified v1.0). Instruct Subject D to grasp Project 751 with their right hand and crush the head of Project 3741, extracting the Origin Essence from 3741''s body. Immediately after the extraction and before the evaporation of the Origin Essence,mand Subject D to incise their abdomen with the dagger, precisely locate the pancreas, and swiftly press the Origin Essence onto it.</i>


    <i>Oues: Partial Sess (tentative). Post-experiment, Subject D fell into a prolonged unconscious state, awakening on the third day with an extremely sensitive olfactory sense akin to that of Project 3741. Subject D informed Dr. E5 that Project 3741 was in the room and was staring at him silently with a crushed head. Psychological evaluation confirms Subject D is mentally sound with no hallucinatory disorders.</i>


    <i>Evaluation: Though wed, this experiment attempt is the closest we havee to a sessful replication of the procedure. It is uncertain if this sess is replicable, as each extraction of Origin Essence from the projects, though seemingly identical upon scientific analysis, feels inherently different. It''s possible that each project requires a unique protocol for the sessful execution of the process.</i>


    <i>It feels like we''re alchemists in the medieval era, where we are trying tobine and conjure various unknown substances through sheer imagination and luck.</i>


    <i>However, our first sessful attempt has propelled our efforts significantly. Give me twenty more years, and I''m confident I''ll unravel the true mysteries of the Origin Essence, much like how Mendeleev formted the periodic table!</i>


    "<i>Hmm...</i>" Charles'' brows furrowed as he silently gazed at the papers strewn across the table.


    198 had been speaking the truth; there was indeed a viable method for humans to gain the abilities of relics. However, the method was very rudimentary, and even the lead researcher admitted that they had only seeded once.


    But at the thought of Bandages lying on his deathbed, Charles knew they had no other way. He came to the desperate decision to try a long shot. It was the only option, as Bandages couldn''t wait any longer.


    With his mind made up, only one crucial question remained: which relic''s power should Bandages receive for him to survive?


    Charles quickly reviewed his own inventory before crossing them all out from the potential relics list. None of the relics he possessed had the life-saving capability needed for Bandages.


    He immediately gathered his crew andmanded, "Bring out all your relics. This concerns the survival of our First Mate."


    The crew members promptly presented their relics. However, disappointment painted Charles'' face upon reviewing their relics. Their collection was meager, and most of the relics were designed for offense or defense in battle.


    "What can this thing do?" Charles asked as he picked up the golden shell on Feuerbach''s palm.


    "Captain, this is a great item," Feuerbach exined as he eyed the papers on Charles'' table with curiosity. "It can attract schools of tuna fish, which are perfect for sashimi. They are impossible to catch otherwise."


    Charles made no remark to Feuerbach''s words. He moved past the green-haired man toward Weister on his left, only to find the young boy empty-handed. He then turned his gaze onto thest crew member¡ªthe plump cook, nck.


    nck was holding a strange, green serpentine statue. It depicted a stout woman whose face, where features should have been, was instead nketed with various nts. Although small in size, the statue was intricately detailed, with leaves and branches carved so realistically that they seemed almost alive.


    "Captain, I bought this relic as a life-saver," nck exined. "I was told to just feed it with blood daily, and even if one gets fatally wounded, they won''t die but enter a nt-like state instead. This will buy precious time to seek medical assistance."


    Charles carefully took the small, intricately carved statue from the cook''s hand and examined it closely.


    "Really?" Charles asked, his voice carrying a hint of skepticism and hope.


    "<i>Erm...</i> I''ve never actually had a chance to try it," nck admitted as he scratched his head awkwardly. "That was what the merchant told me. His shop is right next to the police station, so he probably didn''t lie to me. I even spent 350,000 Echo on it."


    Charles scrutinized the delicate sculpture before him and took a brief nce at the other offensive relics. He then made his choice.


    Clutching the statue firmly, he ordered, "Bring some sea salt to the infirmary. Quick."


    Whether it would work or not, Charles could only try it out. That was the only option they had at this point.


    Soon enough, the crew were assembled in the infirmary. They watched with curious gazes as their captain began to draw on the floor with a pen and sea salt.


    When Charles ced Bandages at the center of theplex, tripleyered circle formation, brandished his Dark de and pointed it toward the cook''s statue, someone finally broke the silence.


    "Captain, what are you doing?" Linda asked with a hint of incredulity on her visage. As a follower of the Light God, such disys of emotions were rare.


    "Using a relic to save our First Mate. Isn''t that obvious?" Charles answered.


    "With the dark mist within the relic?" Linda questioned further.


    "Have you seen someone else use it?"


    "If he swallows that dark mist, we can probably save him. But the First Mate that''lle around might not be <i>our</i> First Mate anymore."

 Chapter 314. Special Method

    <h4>Chapter 314. Special Method</h4>


    "ording to the archives I saw in the library, His Holiness the Pope attempted a simr experiment ny years ago. He used those who had failed to receive our Light God''s blessing as his test subjects, but without exception, all attempts failed."


    Linda''s words cast a shadow of gloom over everyone''s hearts. Sorrow painted everyone''s faces as they nced over to Bandages, who was barely clinging to life as hey on the stretcher. It felt as though their First Mate''s fate was sealed.


    Charles'' hand paused momentarily before he resumed drawing the formation. No matter what, this was the only avable method now. He would take even a minuscule chance of sess over letting Bandages just wait for death.


    Soon, the three patterns, each three meters in diameter, recorded on the papers were replicated on the floor.


    The peculiar cuneiform lines that formed a tripleyer formation did not exude the mystical aura of the Western Seas'' magic circles. Instead, they resembled geometric patterns, each line and space holding seemingly special significance.


    Charles gently picked up his extremely weakened First Mate in one hand and walked toward the center of the formation. Bandages'' body was icy and dripping with liquid. Charles felt as though he was carrying a half-rotted corpse.


    By this time, Bandages'' pupils were faintly white, an indication that he had seemingly lost sight. His cracked lips slightly parted, and he muttered to Charles in a soft voice.


    "Captain, I remember now... I think I traded my past for something with some entity... But what was it?"


    Charles had no answer to his question. He carefully ced Bandages down in the center of the formation.


    Linda then entered the formation with a metal syringe in hand. She then injected it straight into Bandages'' exposed chest.


    "This will keep him stable for half an hour; he won''t die, even from what happenster. However, if your method fails, he''s really going to die once the time is up."


    Charles took a deep breath and nodded slowly at the green sculpture. He had Bandages grip the Dark de before he grasped thetter''s hand and thrust it into the statue.


    A piercing scream of a woman erupted in the room and had everyone instinctively covering their ears.


    Immediately afterward, Charles noticed a change in the sculpture''s posture. Undeterred, he continued stabbing the sculpture. After several more screams, the sculpture was split into two halves, as a mass of ck smoke with hints of gray hovered above it.


    It was the Origin Essence that the experimental records had mentioned. The gray smoke seemed to be rapidly dispersing, and it seemed like it wouldpletely vanish in just a couple of seconds.


    Not wasting another second, Charles swiftly sliced open Bandages'' abdomen with the Dark de. To his astonishment, no blood oozed from the incision¡ªor perhaps Bandages had no more blood to lose.


    He swiftly located the pancreas. Controlling Bandages'' hand, he clutched the Origin Essence and pressed it firmly against the organ.


    Bandages''s previously limp body tensed up and started trembling. His mouth parted to the maximum in a silent scream.


    Charles hurriedly retreated from the intricate formation drawn on the floor. His heart pounded with anxiety as he watched Bandages writhing in ce.


    The next moment, the pristine white salt on the ground ignited all at once before it extinguished the next second. They had all been charred and looked like motionless ck serpents on the ground.


    Under the watchful gazes of everyone present, a twisted tree branch slowly emerged from Bandages'' mouth. It wasn''t a normal, healthy branch; its grotesque green shade was simr to that of vomit. Coupled with its eerie, twisted shape, it looked more like a terrifying tree demon that had been struck by lightning.


    It didn''t take long for the branch to stretch toward the ceiling and start to entwine itself around it.


    However, that was just the beginning. Apanied by the sound of tearing flesh, more and more branches started to protrude from Bandages''s body. His frail body looked like it would be torn apartpletely in the next moment.


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat at the sight. There was something amiss.


    The thriving leaves and branches obscured everyone''s views. The vines started encroaching the area like sinister tentacles. They even dipped their tips into Linda''s array of medical supplies to drink up the liquids within.


    Adorned with green leaves, the branches stretched further and longer. The room was rapidly bing overrun with these invasive nts. They showed no signs of stopping and started reaching out to the nearby crew members.


    "Erm...Captain," Feuerbach called out with a look of forced calm on his face. "Something doesn''t feel right."


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    As though responding to Feuerbach''s words, a vine shot out and coiled around Cook nck and dragged him away.


    nck''s desperate cries filled the air as he clung to a nearby table with every ounce of strength he could muster. Acting swiftly, Charles severed the vine with his chainsaw and rescued nck from the vine''s grasp.


    "Captain, this won''t do. If we don''t take action, the nts will overrun the entire ship!" Linda warned as a grave expression appeared on her visage.


    Facing the dancing vines before him, Charles'' hand slightly trembled as he reached into his coat to pull out his most powerful weapon¡ªthe Lightning Rod.


    White arcs of electricity danced along the rod, ready to attack, but Charles hesitated to strike. The mass of nts before him wasn''t just another creature. It was his First Mate, a crew member who had gone through multiple life-and-death situations with him.


    The branches and trunks slowly approached Charles, coiling themselves around his limbs in an attempt to drag him into them.


    Just as Charles was about to bepletely engulfed by the nts, his remaining arm moved, and he thrust the rod fiercely into the mass of vegetation.


    <i>Bzzzzzzt!</i>


    White electric arcs leaped rapidly among the green branches and vines. The writhing vegetation stopped their expansion and curled inward, but Charles wasn''t done just yet. He unleashed an electric onught as he watched the nts'' rotten green hue turn yellow and then to charred ck.


    The bright shes of lightning reflected Charles'' fierce grimace. After what seemed an eternity, he copsed to one knee with a thud.


    He opened his mouth and panted heavily as he stared at the ckened mass before him; the turmoil in his heart was far from subsiding.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Charles suddenly mmed his right fist into the ground and created a small crater. His eyes turned red with overwhelming emotions. There were so many things he wanted to say, but he couldn''t find any words to.


    "Cap...tain..." a familiar voice startled Charles out of his sorrow.


    Charles slowly raised his head, his eyes fixated on the charred mass before him. A vibrant green branch slowly extended from within the mass. It swayed gently as if it were confused.


    Agitated, Charles rushed forward and peeled away the scorching ck trunks with his one bare hand. Soon, he found Bandages, whose appearance had undergone a significant change.


    Bandages''s torn body had been patched back together with various nts, and he now looked like a tree man. His eyes were now hollowed; in the ce of eyshes, several delicate vines cascaded down to cover his moss-covered face.


    Charles hurriedly helped Bandages up. With a hint of anxiety in his voice, he asked, "How are you feeling? Are you alright?"


    Bandages lifted his right hand with his palm facing upward. Green branches sprouted from the center of his palm; they curled and uncurled at his will.


    "I feel that... the curse... hasn''t... vanished. But I feel... I can... endure long...enough to reach... the Divinity''s Land."

 Chapter 315. Extraordinary Gains

    <h4>Chapter 315. Extraordinary Gains</h4>


    "I feel that... the curse... hasn''t... vanished. But I feel... I can... endure long...enough to reach... the Divinity''s Land."


    Hearing Bandages'' words, Charles pped Bandages'' shoulder in excitement. Relief underlined his voice as he said, "Great! Surviving is what matters. The Narwhale cannot afford to lose her First Mate."


    As if Charles'' words were the cue, the crew surged forward and surrounded the duo. Their spirits were lifted with Bandagesing back to life. The heavy atmosphere aboard the Narwhale was instantly lifted, and a more cheerful air surrounded them.


    Piqued by curiosity, the crew members quickly started experimenting, and soon, Bandages'' newly acquired abilities were being drawn out.


    The original relic seemed only capable of preserving one''s life, but Bandages gained the extraordinary ability to manipte nts for some reason upon obtaining the relic''s powers.


    Not only could he control the nts growing from his own body, but he could also influence other flora. However, the control ability came with a price.


    For example, Linda''s potted nts would wither rapidly once Bandages relinquished his control if they underwent significant changes during the process. It was as though they had expended all their vitality before due course.


    At the same time, Bandages disyed extraordinary healing abilities. Any non-fatal wound on his body, be it on his nt physiology or his biological self, would heal rapidly.


    As for fatal wounds, Charles refrained from testing them out on Bandages. If something went wrong, Bandages might end up bedridden again.


    Another observation they noted was that the leaves on Bandages would periodically wither before they rapidly returned to their normal healthy, green shade.


    ording to Bandages, this stemmed from the corrosive power of the Divinity''s Curse and its power counterbnced with his healing ability.


    Meanwhile, the noticeable trade-off for Bandages'' newly gained powers was that he now required four times the amount of freshwater he used to consume daily. Beyond that, there were no other apparent side effects.


    Witnessing how effortlessly Bandages had acquired these extraordinary special abilities, the other crew members grew eager; they yearned to gain simr powers.


    <i>Is it really that simple? </i>Charles pondered as he petted Lily''s smooth fur, his gaze fixed on the stack of papers in front of him.


    He couldn''t deny that even he himself was tempted upon seeing the special powers his first mate had acquired.


    Despite 198''s malicious intentions, the information it had provided, as bound by the effects of the ck marker, appeared to be urate and reliable. The documented procedure was indeed capable of safely transferring relic abilities to humans.


    After all, relics were external possessions, and they came with various uneptable side effects.


    Dyed pink, Lily''s eyes narrowed into slits as a smile surfaced on her furry face while she blissfully basked in Charles'' gentle strokes.


    "Mr. Charles, do you think I can gain such special powers as well? I want the ability to fly. When I was little, I''ve always dreamed of how wonderful it would be to fly in the sky."


    Charles yfully tweaked her round little ears. "Shouldn''t you be wishing for a special power that allows you to transform into anything you want? Don''t you want to turn back into a human again?"


    "Oh! Right! Forget what I said earlier. I want the ability that''ll allow me to transform back into a human. Wait, Mr. Charles, is there a relic that can make someone take on a human form?"


    Charles didn''t actually take Lily''s words to heart. In the first ce, there was no way he could possibly allow her to undergo such a ritual. Her current form was that of a mouse with a different physiological makeup from that of a human. Using a method meant for humans would be exceedingly dangerous for her.


    His mind was currently upied by the significance of this special method.


    <i>We must make good use of this. Having such power could significantly enhance the overall strength of Hope Ind.</i>


    The other thought that came to Charles'' mind was that if he greatly expanded and developed their military strength, perhaps they might even stand a chance against the Divine Light Order in a head-on confrontation.


    The introduction of such powers could revolutionize the Subterranean Seascape, akin to the seismic changes brought about by the invention of the steam turbines.


    Charles rose to his feet. He ced Lily on his shoulder and walked out. Any other potential developments were thoughts for another day when he had returned to Hope Ind. Now, he intended to use this special method to enhance his own strength.


    Soon enough, the tripleyered pattern was drawn on the deck of the Narwhale once again.


    This time, Charles sat in the center with an object¡ªhis most powerful relic, the Lightning Rod.


    <i>ng!</i>


    He shed his Dark de across the rod and left a deep gash on it. On his third strike, the rod broke apart to release the ck mist of Origin Essence, which began to disperse as soon as it came into contact with the air.


    Without a hint of hesitation, Charles sliced open his abdomen. But contrary to Bandages'' situation, crimson blood gushed out of his gaping wound like a fountain.


    He cast a brief look at Linda standing next to him before he pressed the Origin Essence firmly onto his pancreas.


    <i>Bzzzzzzt!</i>


    Charles started to convulse uncontrobly as arcs of electricity danced across his skin with a crackling sound. His hair even stood on end.


    Minutester, the strange power settled into Charles'' body, and the visible anomalies disappeared. Linda quickly rushed to his side and stuffed a hemostatic pill into his mouth before skillfully using a slender needle to stitch up the gaping wound in his abdomen.


    However, Charles was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice Linda''s actions. His gaze was fixated on his palm. He couldn''t find the words to describe the sensation within him. He could feel an inherent change, and it was akin to having an extra organ in his body.


    <i>Bzzt!</i>


    While she was suturing Charles'' wound, Linda recoiled as a low voltage of electricity coursed through her. She looked up to stare at Charles with an indescribable expression.


    Charles turned toward the others and lifted his right hand. A bright arc of electricity shot out from his palm and instantly charred the coiled rope and the ground in the distance.


    "This feeling... it''s incredible," Charles muttered to himself with a hint of excitement in his voice. He didn''t manage to find the exit to the surface on this voyage; the method to possess such power was an extraordinary gain.


    After some experimenting with his powers, Charles discovered that his new power was easy to control. He needed just a bit of practice to control it. The power seemed to be linked to his psyche as well. If he overextended his powers, he would be extremely mentally exhausted and ravenously hungry.


    <i>Is it possible to absorb a second relic? </i>The sudden thought entered Charles'' mind.


    After pondering over the thought for a few moments, he felt that it was worth a try. However, for safety reasons, Charles decided to choose a less powerful relic and opted for one of his more trivial relics, the tentacle ring.


    The procedure was the same as before. With just a thought, he was able to grasp Lily, who was five meters away, toward him.


    An exhrated smile yed upon his lips. The sensation of suddenly having several tentacles inside him was bizarre. On top of that, he realized he couldbine the powers of the two relics into one. He could wrap the electric arcs around the invisible tentacles and turn the tentacles into a stealthy and efficient weapon against enemies.


    Just then, Bandages approached Charles with three ck stones in his hand. They were the stones that Charles had stuffed into his body.


    Without a word, he extended his open palm toward Charles.


    "Thanks," Charles said as he reached out to take them. However, he froze as a peculiar sound exploded next to his ear.


    <i>"Sk''yahf qi''hf PH''MAGG!!"</i>

 Chapter 316. Price

    <h4>Chapter 316. Price</h4>


    The voices were markedly different from the murmurs Charles had once been marred with; they were explosive, reminiscent of firecrackers, and they reached a crescendo wherein they exploded into a thunderous boom, which was followed by a loud, intense ringing in Charles'' ears.


    Charles gritted his teeth as he covered his ears with both hands to endure the stinging pain.


    Bandages came next to him and held Charles with both hands. His mouth, covered with green moss, fluttered open and close, but Charles couldn''t hear anything at all. The murmurs in his ears got louder and louder until it sounded like a roar.


    "<i>Ywaq gag qam, lwhuk h''iwn agthu!!</i>"


    A burning smell inundated Charles as the piercing ringing in his ears intensified.


    The blood in his body began to flow faster, and Charles'' breathing became ragged, as though his lungs couldn''t capture enough air for him to breathe.


    An unknown fury blossomed in Charles'' heart; everything before him seemed to have been dyed red as his eyes became bloodshot. He cast his bloodshot eyes upon Bandages, and a crisp noise echoed as he clenched his fists.


    The sudden urge to grab his First Mate by the neck and strangle him to death pervaded Charles'' heart, and he instinctively knew that it was wrong. He closed his eyes and forcefully restrained the urge.


    But when he came back to his senses, he was horrified to find that he was already squeezing Bandages'' neck. In fact, he had squeezed Bandages'' neck with such strength that thetter''s neck had caved in.


    "<i>AAAH!</i>" A tremor ran through Charles as he let go. He punched himself in the face repeatedly with his lone right fist and roared, "Quick! Bind me! Hurry up, and bind me!"


    The Narwhale''s animated ropes shot toward Charles and bound him before he could harm anyone else. The strange behavior of the Captain caught the crew members'' attention. They cast wary gazes at Charles as he struggled against the animated ropes.


    The Narwhale''s rxed atmosphere had vanished, and the atmosphere was so heavy that it was palpable.


    Fortunately, Charles finally calmed down half an hourter. However, his fierce struggle had made him snap three animated ropes. He was sweating profusely like a fresh fish out of the sea.


    Charles examined himself briefly and found that his pale skin now had a few dark red spots, but he ignored the changes to his body and looked around for Bandages. He let out a sigh of relief upon seeing that his First Mate was fine.


    He then plopped down on the floor.


    "<i>Cough, cough...</i>" Charles started coughing and tasted blood in his mouth. He had been struggling and yelling at the top of his lungs over the past half an hour, so he had understandably injured his vocal cords.


    <i>There''s definitely something wrong here. I guess it''s not that easy to gain extraordinary abilities. </i>Charles thought.


    Linda walked up to Charles to check up on him. She shook her head just momentster and said, "Your mind has been corrupted once again, but it''s not the same mind corruption caused by the chantings you''ve encountered before.


    "I can''t figure it out. I have to consult my teacher about this when we''re back."


    Charles nodded without saying anything. What happened earlier was far too terrifying. If Bandages did not have his outstanding regenerative abilities, he would have been strangled to death by his own Captain.


    Charles didn''t want to inadvertently harm any of his crew members. He had to find a way to control himself.


    A pair of thick handcuffs and shackles were soon crafted using a part of themunication tubes. The crew shackled Charles and imprisoned him in the cargo hold. No one was allowed to approach him.


    After the first incident, Charles proceeded to have several fits of rage that were more violent than the previous. Fortunately, Charles couldn''t harm any of the crew members, as he had been imprisoned in the cargo hold.


    Charles began to live the life of a prisoner aboard the Narwhale. Of course, he would be freed once they had returned to Hope Ind.


    Charles sat down and started writing in his diary when a blue Lily squeezed herself inside through the narrow crack in the door.


    "Stay back! Get away from me!" Charles shouted, sounding hoarse. It was too dangerous for him to get close to Lily, and he was terrified of suddenly losing control and snapping Lily''s neck in one swift motion.


    "Mr. Charles! We''re back home!" Lily cheerfully eximed.


    ***


    Laesto Hermann opened his eyes slowly and stared nkly at the ceiling. It took him a while to realize that he had already retired; he was no longer the Doctor of the Narwhale.


    His duty on board was over, and the new doctor was already good enough to rece him. At this point, all he could do was wait for Death toe and take him away.


    Laesto had told everyone that he didn''t really care about his life ending soon, but he had lied to them.


    Laesto stayed in his bed for another half an hour before he picked up his mechanical watch and saw that it was already past four in the afternoon. He slowly got out of the bed and moved onto the wheelchair next to the bed.


    His steel prosthetic limbs had been removed, as they were too bulky and heavy for his old body.


    Laesto wheeled himself out of the door and headed to the nearest restaurant. The waiter seemed to be very familiar with him, so he went straight into the kitchen without even asking for Laesto''s order.


    Soon, a meal was served before Laesto: freshly picked crisp apples, plump sizzling sausages, buttered toast slices, and thick shipworm consomm¨¦. Overall, it was a sumptuous breakfast.


    It was a shame, but Laesto was a doctor, and he was well aware that his feeble stomach couldn''t possibly digest this much food. If he were to finish the meal, the meal could <i>finish</i> him as well. He tore a chunk of the toast and dipped it into the consomm¨¦ before slowly stuffing it into his mouth.


    He had little time left to spend in this world, but he had enough time to take things slowly. Laesto didn''t finish his meal, and it took him an hour to finish half a slice of toast and half a bowl of soup. He then raised his hand to gesture to the waiter that he wanted to settle the bill.


    "Mr. Laesto, you really don''t have to pay. The Governor''s Mansion will pay for your meals, as I''ve been telling you," the waiter said.


    However, Laesto mmed two crisp green bills on the table as if he didn''t hear the waiter before wheeling himself out with an expressionless face. He had money, but at this point, the money in his bank ount had be nothing but a string of digits to him.


    The streets of Hope Ind seemed to have gotten livelier with the towering buildings around it. However, Laesto didn''t pay any attention to the skyscrapers. He pushed his wheelchair until he reached the school gates two blocks away.


    He was sitting in front of Hope Ind''s newly established school. The white school building was expansive, but it was clean and tidy. It was a refreshing sight to just about anyone, including Laesto.


    Laesto stopped by the stand of a grilled squid vendor, seemingly waiting for something.


    <i>Ding! Dong! Ding!</i>


    The bells chimed, signifying the end of the ss. Students then began to pour out of the school. The school gates opened, and a group of children rushed past Laesto. They had school bags on their backs and innocent smiles on their faces.


    Some of the students had pocket money, and they rushed toward the grilled squid vendor with excited faces.


    The lively voices of the children made Laesto smile. He enjoyed being around children; their youthful energy would always make him feel as though his withered self was regaining vitality.


    Unfortunately, Laesto''s scarred visage made him look extremely terrifying to the children. The children who had approached him so far had all burst into tears upon seeing his scary face.


    "Charles has a few screws loose in his head, but he somehow managed to establish a pretty nice school," Laesto muttered. His aged finger tapped gently on his wheelchair.

 Chapter 317. Lucky

    <h4>Chapter 317. Lucky</h4>


    A little boy carefully ran over to Laesto, interrupting his train of thought. The child was holding two grilled squid skewers, one in each hand.


    The little boy''s dark brown hair looked like a pot lid covering his head. "Mister, are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"


    Laesto''s lips parted to a terrifying smile. He shook his head gently and said, "No need. You can go ahead and eat it."


    The little boy smiled shyly as he held out the snack in his hand. "If you''re hungry, you can have this. I know what it feels like to be hungry, and don''t worry about me; Mom has prepared dinner for us at home."


    Laesto was about to say something when he caught sight of the faint scars on the back of the little boy''s hand. He felt inexplicably angry, and he asked, "What happened to your hand? Who did that?"


    The little boy retracted his hand. He smiled shyly and exined, "This is from an ident while I was helping Mom weave fishings. It''s been a long time, and I haven''t done anything of that sort for a while now."


    Laesto''s fury was assuaged by the exnation. <i>So, he''s from a poor family.</i>


    "It''s all in the past. Now, I get to eat my fill every day and learn a lot of things at school. I really feel like my luck has turned for the better," the little boy said.


    Just then, a little girl approached them and grabbed the little boy''s hand.


    "Goodbye, mister. I''m going home with my sister," the little boy said. He gave a skewer of grilled squid to his sister, and the two headed home while holding each other''s hand.


    Laesto stared at the siblings with a hint of envy in his eyes. It was an emotion that he hadn''t felt for quite a while now, and he couldn''t help but wonder how nice it would be to be a child again and attend school with them.


    All of a sudden, a bald woman with a triangr tattoo on her forehead brushed past the siblings.


    Laesto''s smile vanished upon seeing her.


    "You''re back? Did anyone die?" Laesto asked the bald woman.


    "Teacher, there''s a bit of a problem with the Captain''s mental state. His symptoms are a bit simr to the Soul-burning Disease rampant in the Southern Seas."


    "<i>Hmph. </i>That brat always knows how to make others worry for him. Wheel me over to take a look," Laesto said. He sounded like he was chiding Charles, but the news seemed to have invigorated him.


    Laesto soon arrived at the underground prison of the Governor''s Mansion, and he finally learned what had transpired in the recent voyage from Charles, who was in shackles.


    "How''s Bandages? Is he not exhibiting the same symptoms as yours? Where is he?"


    "He''s perfectly fine. He''s not suffering any side effects. As soon as we docked the Narwhale, he got on a passenger ship heading for the Divinity''s Land in the Southern Seas. He''s headed there to lift the Divinity''s Curse on him."


    Laesto frowned upon seeing the dark red spots all over Charles. He skimmed through the documents in thetter''s hand and started talking, "I don''t think this is the Soul-burning Disease. Your symptoms are simr to the gue that wreaked havoc on the Western Seas many years ago."


    "What? gue?!" Charles went pale in fright.


    "Don''t panic, it''s just simr. Unfortunately, there aren''t that many medical records about that gue. Anyway, lend me a few death row prisoners. I need to research these things," Laesto said. He then turned around to leave with the documents in his hand.


    "Those documents are extremely important for Hope Ind. Remember not to divulge anything to someone else."


    "<i>Hmph.</i> I''m three times your age. Do I look like you have to tell me what to do?"


    In the days following, Charles felt quitefortable with his life in a cell. He didn''t dislike it as much as he initially thought. Of course, he had probably limatized faster than he thought because of his years of experience with istion at sea.


    Aside from painting portraits of his family members every day, all he did was rest.


    Before long, Charles was surprised to find that his condition was improving. He felt like he was gradually adapting to his circumstances, and his illness didn''t seem to be as difficult to manage as he thought.


    Laesto also produced results faster than he thought.


    A monthter, in thete afternoon, Laesto came wheeling over holding a vial of medicine. Charles seemed repulsed by the ck bubbles rising and popping inside the vial, but he remained steadfast and drank it in one go.


    An extremely pungent metallic taste exploded in his mouth. Charles felt like he had consumed a lump of iron. The medicine tasted awful, but its effect was immediate.


    The dark red spots all over Charles rapidly vanished, and his skin regained its true color.


    "Give me the keys, Linda."


    The keys floated over and were swiftly inserted into the keyholes.


    Charles was finally free.


    "Have you figured out what the root cause of the red spots was?" Charles asked.


    "It''s not exactly an illness... it''s more like mental pollution. I don''t think there''s anything wrong with your method. I suspect that there was something wrong with the relics you used, and you absorbed that w in them at the same time. I saw something pretty simr when I was young.


    "Anyway, you and Bandages were pretty lucky."


    Charles was taken aback. "Lucky? What do you mean?"


    "Come with me. I''ll show you something," Laesto said as Linda wheeled him out.


    They soon arrived at the gates of Hope Ind''s prison. Hope Ind''s poption was increasing every day, but this part of the ind remained deste and deserted. It wasn''t strange, as everyone knew that this part of the ind housed criminals toiling away and doing manualbor to atone for their crimes.


    They entered the prison while walking next to each other, and one of the guards shuddered upon seeing Charles'' face. He quicklyposed himself and saluted.


    The underground prison had an extremely gloomy and cold air, but the group remained undeterred as they continued on their journey to its depths.


    "Are the prosthetic makers still around? I need to rece my prosthetic. I had to sacrifice my left arm during the previous fight," Charles said.


    Laesto nced at Charles'' empty left sleeve and said, "You probably have to wait for a while. Their boss was living on the Albion Isles, and he is dead. Their representatives across the major inds are in disarray, and none of them is eptingmissions at the moment."


    Charles sighed. He felt ufortable having only one limb.


    The group continued on their journey while talking about a variety of topics. Soon, they arrived before a row of cells made out of steel tes.


    Charles was shocked upon peeking into one of the cells. There was a deformed monster covered in ck fur rolling around the cell in its excretion. It seemed incapable of getting exhausted, but it couldn''t stand up as its limbs had fused with its skull.


    "W-what is that thing?" Charles asked.


    "What else? We''ve used your method, and that thing is one of the results."


    "Did every test subject end up like this?"


    "Not exactly. Out of the thirty-two death row prisoners, only six of them had sessfully obtained extraordinary abilities. Two died in the middle of further experimentation of the medicine, so there are only four of them left. James had these cells custom-made for the sake of containing them."


    "Howe the sess rate is so low?"


    "That''s exactly why I said that you and Bandages were pretty lucky."

 Chapter 318. A Spark

    <h4>Chapter 318. A Spark</h4>


    "You have to keep taking your medicine. You need to take it consistently for the next three months to eliminate any possibility of recurrence," Laesto said.


    Charles nodded. His gazended on the deformed monster, and he fell into deep contemtion.


    Just then, the crisp noise of leather shoes echoed behind them. The three looked back at the same time and saw James walking over toward them.


    "I came here after hearing that you decided toe here, Captain. Anyway, how are you?" James asked.


    Charles examined the big guy in front of him and couldn''t quite associate therge-framed James d in a neat-looking ck suit with his naive and forthright Chief Engineer James.


    "Perfect timing. I want to ask you something," Charles said. He then turned to Laesto and asked, "Where are the four remaining test subjects?"


    "They''re beyond the red door at the end of this corridor," Laesto replied.


    The four soon found themselves before a row ofrge red doors that resembled bulkheads more rather than doors.


    "Open the leftmost door," Charles said to the prison guard standing next to him.


    "Governor, this guy inside is really dangerous. He''s¡ª"


    "I told you to open it, so hurry up and open it!" Charles interrupted.


    "Sir, yes, sir!" the prison guard eximed. Another prison guard walked up to them, and he helped the other open the three heavy mechanical locks on the red door. A low rumbling ran through the door as it opened slowly, revealing the prisoner inside of it.


    The prisoner was an old man with disheveled hair. The chains in the middle of the cell were suspending him upside down.


    "Put him down," Charles ordered.


    The chains rattled, and the old man fell to the ground with a loud thud.


    "How''s your new ability? And how do you feel at the moment?" Charles asked as he took a step forward.


    "<i>Caw, caw, caw...</i>" the old man quivered and let loose augh that sounded simr to the territorial caw-caw of crows. "So the Governor of Hope Ind wishes to see my ability. Then, let me show you how powerful it is!"


    The temperature inside the cell surged crazily. The old man''s figure turned red, and he rushed toward Charles. A hideous smile suffused Topan''s lips at the thought that he was about to make charcoal out of the lucky man before him.


    It took him just a second to get close enough to the man¡ªclose enough to see the man''s contemptuous expression and gaze toward him. Before Topan could do anything, a piercing pain struck the crown of his head.


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    Lightning arcs jumped around Topan, and a violent tremor ran through him as he copsed instantly to the ground, twitching violently from the surge of electricity that coursed through him in the blink of an eye. The room''s temperature then instantly returned to normal.


    "His ability is to control mes?" Charles asked.


    "No, not mes. His ability is to control the temperature around him," Laesto exined.


    Charles pondered over it for a long time before turning to James.


    "What do you think of it?" he asked.


    James fell into deep contemtion. After a while, he replied, "I think you''re thinking about using that method to increase the overall prowess of our navy, but personally, I don''t think it''s that promising."


    "In addition to the terrifyingly low sess rate, transnting the relic''s special abilities into humans is just that. They''re just carrying relics with no side effects, which means they''re still going to die after getting shot, they''re still going to bleed, and a cannonball will still kill them."


    "Don''t look at it like that," Charles shook his head and exined, "I think it''s a promising idea. This will be like the spark that had led humanity to discover fire. The sess rate is abysmally low, right? We just have to find a way to increase that. There''s always a solution to problems.


    "Think about when the steam turbine was just invented. It couldn''t even be used to power small boats, but now, it could power ships capable of crossing great distances across the boundless sea.


    "The Governor''s Mansion will cooperate with you. I want you to find a group of talented and tight-lipped people to work on this. I want them to research this method and improve upon it; find the form to sess and optimize from there."


    The Foundation had provided them with the prototype. Charles just had to sacrifice blood and sweat for the project. Charles was sure that the sess rate would eventually increase so long as they kept on experimenting.


    "I understand. I''ll do my best," James said with a solemn look. He knew what the project meant to Hope Ind. Hope Ind''sbat prowess would shoot through the roof once they managed to increase the method''s sess rate.


    By then, Hope Ind would be the hegemon of the Northern Seas.


    "I know you''re already working hard for the ind, but I want you to put a bit more work into this matter," Charles said and patted James'' chest with his hand.


    "It''s not hard work because I''m working for our home," James said with a grin.


    James'' grin allowed Charles to see a hint of his naivety during his Chief Engineer days on the Narwhale.


    Charles proceeded to exin the matter in further detail. Afterward, Charles and Laesto walked out of the prison and allowed their eyes to get used to the bright sun rays again.


    Laesto turned to Charles next to him and said, "I have to be involved in this. I''ve noticed an irregrity in the mental states of those who have sessfully obtained a relic''s ability. I''ll keep tabs on that issue for you."


    "Thank you," Charles said.


    "I''m not helping you here. I''m just trying to satisfy my curiosity," Laesto replied.


    Charles chuckled. He had noticed that Laesto''s temperament was starting to resemble a child''s temperament ever since thetter''s retirement.


    "I believe you''re right. I also think that the method you''ve obtained has great potential. Perhaps it might make you as powerful as Governor Julio," Laesto said. For once, Laesto had agreed with Charles.


    Charles was surprised to hear Laesto''s remark. He was well aware of the implications¡ªhe knew that the method would bring about a massive change to the Subterranean Sea, but he had never thought about bing as strong as the Governor of Cat Ind.


    After all, Governor Julio was strong enough to fight Ronker.


    "Since you managed to absorb two Origin Essences, I believe you can absorb more. It''s highly likely that you''ll undergo a qualitative change once you''ve absorbed enough Origin Essence," Laesto said.


    "I don''t think that Julio is the strongest among the Governors of the Subterranean Sea. The forces that Julio hasn''t conquered just yet must have their own trump cards, which means they''re forces to be reckoned with," Laesto added.


    Charles nodded. The Vampire Mother of Dark Crystal Ind, the Haikor Tribe''s gods, and the Pope of the Divine Light Order were most likely more powerful than Governor Julio. And these were only those that he knew of, not to mention there were also those unique existences in the depths.


    Charles suddenly recalled the Divinities in the deep sea, and his heart sank. The Vampire Mother of Dark Crystal Ind, the Haikor Tribe''s gods, and even the Pope of the Divine Light Order would be like children before the Divinities in the deep sea.


    <i>Can they even resist those Divinities, even if they work together? </i>Charles couldn''t say for sure, but his mind was leaning more on the negative side.


    "Hey, does your school nurture doctors?" Laesto suddenly asked.


    "No, the school only teaches basic education. Once they graduate, the students will be evaluated by the ind''s departments," Charles replied.


    "You have to include medical sses in the curriculum. Who''s going to patch you up if there are no doctors here?" Laesto asked. He started patting his wheelchair, seemingly excited at the idea of bing a teacher.


    Soon, Charles announced the creation of research departments responsible for studying relics. Those research departments would be shrouded in secrecy, and only a few people would know of their existence.


    James and Laesto were the department heads.


    As the Governor of Hope Ind, Charles'' words were enough to spur his subordinates into action. Even without Charles'' explicit instructions, they started looking for suitable locations to build the research buildings as well as the best researcher candidates.

 Chapter 319. Dipps Return

    <h4>Chapter 319. Dipp''s Return</h4>


    Charles looked up at the massive nautical chart in front of him. The nautical chart was extremely detailed; it depicted every single nautical chart of the Explorers Association as well as the nautical charts the Pope had bestowed upon Charles.


    Every single one of those nautical charts had been seamlessly stitched together to create the huge nautical chart before Charles. It was so big and detailed that it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call it the most detailed nautical chart of the Subterranean Sea.


    Charles had no ns of setting off on a voyage soon. His First Mate was away, and the crew needed ample rest to recover. Charles was examining the nautical chart to determine his next destination.


    However, he couldn''t find any suitable destination for his next voyage. He no longer had any reliable intelligence to make a judgment on, so the nautical chart before him seemed chaotic and disorderly.


    After a while, Charles turned to look at the three people behind him.


    "Margaret wants to poach you guys?" he asked.


    Monti, the middle-aged man with a pallid visage, said, "That''s right, Governor. She''s been in close contact with Sottom, so we felt like we need to be aware of her."


    Charles'' expression turnedplex as he said, "There''s no need toplicate things. I''ve returned, so you guys can just let it go. There''s also quite a distance between Whereto and Hope Ind, so I don''t think that there will be more opportunities for the two of us to work together."


    The threemodores exchanged nces. Their eyes shed in understanding, and they tactfully remained silent.


    "What was Whereto like when you left it?" Charles asked.


    "It was fine. The Albion Isles'' downfall and Sottom''s intervention had allowed Margaret to make quick work of the riff-raffs on the ind. She haspletely upied the ind; the Isle of Whereto has returned to the hands of the Cavendish Family."


    "I see. You three are dismissed," Charles said with a light nod.


    The three men turned around to leave, leaving Charles to sigh to himself. He had sent a telegram to the Isle of Whereto, but the other party had refused to respond upon hearing of his identity and intentions.


    Charles truly couldn''t deduce Margaret''s thoughts.


    <i>I have some free time, so why don''t I just go there and get to the bottom of the matter? </i>Charles pondered over it, but he soon dismissed the idea. Margaret''s dismissive attitude meant that she might refuse to see him despite the long voyage.


    Perhaps Margaret didn''t want him to get involved with her any further.


    Charles pressed the bell on the desk, and the butler soon came in.


    "How are the designers from the Albion Isles? Are they back?" Charles asked.


    "Yes, but some of them didn''t return. Some of those who had returned are roaming around bars and brothels, wallowing in despair, while some seemed to be nning on building a shipyard for themselves," the butler replied.


    "Take me to them," Charles said. He walked over to the balcony and waited for the butler to return with news that the car was ready. Soon, the butler returned and led Charles to the car.


    The butler drove Charles to the dock, allowing thetter to enjoy the scenery outside. The scenery outside seemed to be a haphazard hodgepodge of buildings built in a variety of architectural styles; indeed, they looked chaotic, but they seemed inexplicably in harmony with each other.


    Charles was astonished to see greeneries beneath dim sunlight, and it added a touch of peace to the bustling streets.


    A middle-aged man with a beer belly and cigarette between his lips was in the middle of watering a tiny white flower using the watering can in his hand. Charles was stunned briefly by the sight, but he soon revealed a knowing smile.


    Half an hourter, Charles finally made it to the docks. A lively sight greeted him as soon as he alighted from the car. On the leftmost part of the docks, a shipyard was gradually taking shape. Charles could see that the designers were building the shipyard themselves rather than hiring a contractor to do the job for them.


    There were thick dark circles around their eyes, and their eyes were bloodshot. Clearly, they had been working tirelessly to build the shipyard. Charles looked around and found no supervisor. It seemed these people had been proactively assigning tasks to themselves.


    In a third party''s eyes, these people would appear as nothing but hard workers, but Charles was staring at them in a different light. These people were working tirelessly in a desperate bid to rid themselves of the grief.


    In addition, they also needed a job; they had to keep on living, after all.


    "Governor, shall I provide them with assistance using the name of the Governor''s Mansion?" the butler asked respectfully.


    "There''s no need." Charles shook his head and exined, "They''re good enough to make a living out of their skills. Once they''re done building their shipyard, I want you to visit them and offer them a job contract.


    "From then on, I want them to be in charge of refitting and maintaining my ship."


    "As you wish, Governor."


    Charles nodded slightly and looked back at the shipyard. He stared quietly at the designers working together to build their own shipyard.


    Just then, Charles heard a cacophony of oing footsteps. Charles turned and saw a group of people carrying guns with live ammunition strapped to their waists.


    "What are you guys doing?" Charles asked. The members of the police department were responsible for patrolling the city, but it was still strange to see them armed to the teeth.


    The police officer standing at the helm, presumably their captain, saluted and replied excitedly, "Reporting to Governor, sir. The Hope Ind Harbor Police Office has reported the appearance of a sea creature trying toe ashore.


    "The headquarters dispatched us here to deal with it and strengthen the defenses of the docks."


    Hearing that, Charles looked at the pitch-ck sea next to him. He nodded at the police officers before turning around to leave.


    "Cap...tain..."


    Charles instantly came to a halt and looked back at the sea. The voice sounded familiar in his ears, and he had definitely heard it before somewhere.


    "Captain..."


    The voice echoed once again. Charles swept his gaze across the surface until his eyesnded on a fish-like head swaying with the waves of the sea.


    The police officers also saw the head, and one of them roared, "Shoot!"


    A crisp noise echoed as the police officers toggled off the safety catches of their guns and took aim at the distant head. Their fingers moved to pull the trigger, but Charles'' empty left sleeve fluttered wildly; their guns pointed upward and fired, leaving several holes in the ceiling.


    "Stand down! Hold your fire!" Charles shouted before approaching the sea surface.


    The sea creature with a fish head swam over, and Charles'' assumption turned out right. The disfigured sea creature was none other than his boatswain, Dipp.


    Barely perceptible tentacles reached into the water and lifted Dipp out of the sea. A mixture of excitement and helplessness suffused Dipp''s face as he was lifted out of the water by Charles.


    The first thing that captured Charles'' attention was the ghastly wound in Dipp''s green and scaly abdomen. The whitened edges of the wound told Charles that the wound had been soaking in seawater for quite a while now.


    Charles even saw Dipp''s organs through the wound.


    "What happened? How did you get that injury?"


    "The police found me on my first attempt to talk to you here, and they didn''t believe me when I told them that I was Dipp. They thought I was a monster who hade ashore to deceive the people of Hope Ind."


    Charles'' brows knitted as he hoisted Dipp toward the docks.


    "Captain, you have to listen to me. I''m here to tell you something important," Dipp said.


    Charles didn''t listen to Dipp''s nonsense. His transparent tentacles reached out to a police officer next to him and snatched their handcuffs.


    Two audible clicks echoed afterward, and Dipp''s limbs were bound.


    "Say no more. I''ve already caught you, so don''t you even think of going back to that goddamned ce for the rest of your life!" Charles said with a growl.


    "Captain, listen to me! You really have to listen to me, Captain! This concerns the fate of our ind! The Divine Light Order''s fishy business has led the Fhtagn Covenant to request the Deep Dwellers to attack Hope Ind.


    "Their n is to extinguish their Sun God up there! You have to believe me, Captain!"

 Chapter 320. Preparations for Battle

    <h4>Chapter 320. Preparations for Battle</h4>


    Inside the Governor''s Mansion, Charles stood with his arms crossed with his gaze transfixed on Dipp. Dipp was recounting the details of the uing attack on Hope Ind while Linda was tending to his wounds.


    Dipp''s left hand covered in green scales was cuffed to the couch next to him. A row of police officers armed with relics stood next to Dipp; they nced surreptitiously at Dipp, ready to respond to any suspicious movement from thetter.


    "That''s all, Captain. I couldn''t hear the details, but they''re definitely nning on attacking Hope Ind," Dipp replied.


    "How many Deep Dwellers are living in that underwater city?" Charles asked.


    "I don''t know, but there seems to be at least a million of us there," Dipp replied, "My mother also told me that we aren''t the only city of Deep Dwellers, but I''m not sure if they''re going to recruit the others from other underwater cities for the uing mission."


    "The tribal elders are also going to participate, and their strength is unimaginable," Dipp warned.


    Charles'' expression turned solemn. He knew that Dipp wouldn''t lie to him, especially when it was such a grave matter. Charles also reckoned that those underwater fellows weren''t so free as to mess with Dipp using false information.


    "How many tribal elders did you say there were?" Charles asked once more.


    "There were five tribal elders in the city, but two of them went on a journey to the Divinity''s Land. I guess three tribal elders are going to participate in the attack, then," Dipp replied.


    "How strong are they?" Charles asked.


    Anxiety suffused Dipp''s face in an instant. He scratched his head, unsure of how he could make Charles understand the strength of the tribal elders.


    Linda looked up just then and said, "In the context of the power ranking system at sea, the tribal elders are at Level 10. The Fhtagn Covenant had sent them out to their divine wars against the Divine Light Order.


    "Even the Pope had found it difficult to deal with their mind control abilities and their special ability to manipte water."


    Charles'' face became a shade darker at Linda''s remark. A Level 10 enemy meant that they were an enemy capable of shifting the tides of the entire battlefield.


    The possibility of encountering multiple Level 10 enemies meant that Hope Ind was in danger of utter destruction. They had to go all-out in the uing battle.


    Charles turned to the police officers and said, "Tell everyone to gather at the Governor''s Mansion as soon as possible."


    Charles then started walking toward the conference room. Dipp struggled violently against his restraints and cried out, "Captain, let me help you! I can go underwater and perform reconnaissance!"


    "Stay put!" Charles roared, "I''ll chop your legs off if you attempt to escape!"


    With that, Charles decisively ignored Dipp''s cries and walked over to the conference room. The seats in the conference room were soon filled up. The upper echelons of Hope Ind sat around the oval table and listened quietly to Charles'' intelligence.


    Upon hearing about the uing sea monster attack, each and every one of them reacted differently from the other. Some were afraid, some were anxious, but the upper echelons with positions in the navy weren''t afraid.


    The elevenmodores seemed eager to fight; it was a sight no one found strange, as these elevenmodores were captains of their own exploration vessels three years ago. Three years was too short a time to rid them of their fighting spirit.


    "Leonardo, I want you to notify every single department on Hope Ind. This is going to be a life-or-death battle, and every inder must contribute one way or another. Evacuate the residents on the shores to make room for the uing battle and to ensure their safety as well," Charles said.


    The Minister of Administration, Leonardo, grinned and replied, "Rest assured, Governor. I''ll put up the mobilization order right away. Thepanies on the ind will be happy to help us as well in exchange for tax exemptions."


    Charles then turned his gaze to the individual in charge of the navy. "How many sailors do you have at the moment, and how many ships can mobilize at any given time?"


    In Bandages'' absence, Deputy Admiral Feuerbach leaned back on his chair and ced his boots down from the oval table before responding, "We have a total of twenty thousand men ready to go at any time. I''ve expanded the navy to full capacity following your orders for expansion just in case Swannunches an attack on us."


    "The fleet has four two-hundred-meter-long Sea Lion-ss battleships, two destroyer detachments, four frigate detachments, twonding craft detachments, and a speedboat detachment to a grand total of seventy-four ships."


    Charles started drumming his fingers on the smooth wooden table. The navy''s numbers were impressive, but the revtion didn''t make him feel safe. After all, they were about to fight sea creatures rather than human beings.


    They needed more allies to reinforce them in the uing attack.


    Having made up his mind, Charles sent telegrams to the Elizarles Shores, World''s Crown, and Skywater Ind.


    The three inds'' responses varied from one another.


    Governor Elizabeth of Elizarles Shores immediately replied, saying that a mobilization order had been passed down to their navy and that they would set sail in three days with the goal of arriving at Hope Ind at the fastest speed possible.


    The Divine Light Order''s response was even faster. The navy fleet of Skywater Ind reached Hope Ind in just three days.


    Charles felt slightly at ease upon seeing the Divine Light Order''s gleaming golden ships entering Hope Ind''s harbor. Actually, the Divine Light Order was more anxious than Charles. After all, their Light God was hanging above Hope Ind. They''d be aughingstock if it somehow got destroyed.


    "Governor Charles, please rest assured. His Holiness is aware of the situation, and he will arrive soon."


    The telegram from World''s Crown baffled Charles. It took them five days to reply, and the response was a mere one word: <i>noted</i>.


    <i>Noted? What does that even mean? </i>Charles was at a loss for words as he looked down at the paper in his hands. After learning of his plight, Charles believed that Anna would send troops to Hope Ind.


    However, he couldn''t say for sure if she woulde here in person. Personally, Charles hoped that she woulde here. After all, Anna herself was a formidable fighter.


    Time passed slowly, and a heavy, oppressive atmosphere weighed down on Hope Ind. Aside from buying their necessities, the inders of Hope Ind dared not to go out.


    The low horns of the navy fleet reassured them amidst the oppressive air. Perhaps they had beenining about the noise earlier, but those horns had be their constant reassurance during these trying times.


    Charles stood on one of the canopy tops while observing the pitch-ck sea in the distance. The stray rays of sunlight filled him with warmth.


    Charles'' pencil danced across the paper in his hand, and a pencil sketch depicting a bustling street soon appeared on the piece of paper.


    Anna was holding Charles'' arm, and they were all smiles as they strolled down the bustling street with milk tea in their hands.


    Charles was about to add some finer details to Anna''s hair when he sensed a gaze from his left. Charles turned and saw a cloaked woman. The woman''s figure beneath the cloak was covered in bandages.


    Charles felt like she had seen her somewhere before. Unlikest time, there was a ck cat with purple pupils in her arms.


    "Who are you? Do you need something from me?" Charles asked.


    The cloaked woman didn''t respond; she remained unmoving as if she were a statue.


    Charles frowned slightly. He put down his pencil and started walking toward her when a steel prosthetic arm grabbed him. Charles turned and found another version of himself.


    "Bro, don''t go. ck cats are bringers of misfortune. We should stay away from it."


    "Richard?"


    "I''m serious. ck cats are wicked, man! I stumbled upon one when I was little; it was wearing white underwear and was riding a tricycle. I heard a loud bang, and it killed a one-eared mouse with a single bullet. Really, ck cats are scary."

 Chapter 321. The Start of the War

    <h4>Chapter 321. The Start of the War</h4>


    "What are you talking about? Aren''t you gone? Why did you appear again?" Charles questioned Richard, taken aback by his sudden appearance. However, his inquiry went unanswered.


    <i>Pop!</i>


    Richard''s figure then shattered like a burst bubble. Immediately after, his surroundings started crumbling down, and the woman in ck bandages was not spared either.


    As the shed roof beneath him began to fracture into pieces, Charles struggled as he plummeted downward. Contrary to his expectations, it wasn''t the houses of varied heights beneath the roof but rather a vast, empty abyss of darkness.


    Charles abruptly sat up on his bed as he let out a loud scream in panic. He gasped for air as he tried toprehend his current circumstances. It took him a few moments before he realized that it had all been a dream.


    <i>I''ve already dreamt of that woman twice now. Who is she? </i>Charles wondered as his brows furrowed together unconsciously. He threw off his nket and walked toward the easel by the side. He wanted to draw everything he had seen in his dream.


    However, as soon as his brush touched the paper, he stopped; he couldn''t recall the woman''s face at all.


    He tried his very best to conjure her face in the head but to no avail. In a whim of frustration, he tossed the brush aside and walked toward the balcony.


    Tranquility was still the main color of the docks. In stark contrast, every cannon on Hope Ind had been loaded, and the coastal antindings had been deployed. Even the beaches had been fortified with sandbag walls. It wouldn''t be an overstatement that Hope Ind had be a formidable fortress.


    Everyone was ready and prepared for the Deep Dweller''s assault. However, the enemy was still nowhere to be seen.


    Charles knew that they couldn''t stay on edge forever. It didn''t make sense for them to stay anxious about an uing attack indefinitely.


    He dispatched the speedboat fleet out for reconnaissance, but there was a crucial thing to note in the uing battle. Their enemies lived beneath the waters. Offensive attacks from above the water, or even surface scouting, had their limits against the Deep Dwellers.


    However, forming a submarine fleet was totally out of the question without time on their side.


    After soaking up some sun rays, Charles turned and went to freshen up in the washroom. As soon as he emerged, he felt that something was amiss. The usual energetic Lily was nowhere to be seen.


    Charles walked toward his bed and lifted the bedsheets before crouching down to peer beneath the bed. He saw an exquisitely detailed, colorful miniature house.


    Seemingly crafted from an assortment of bright candies, the tiny house appeared cute even to someone like Charles. He looked through the small windows and saw tiny chairs and tables within.


    It was Lily''s new home.


    Charles gently pinched the wall and dismantled the entire piece to peek inside. Only then did he see Lily perched atop a giant red leather-bound book. She was so deeply engrossed in its contents that she didn''t even realize Charles'' presence.


    "Lily, what are you reading?" Charles called out.


    Lily was startled at her name being called all of a sudden and jolted to her feet. She turned around with a flustered look as her eyesnded on Charles''rge face.


    "Mr... Mr. Charles, what brings you here?" Lily stammered as she hurriedly tried to stash the book away.


    Her actions stirred Charles'' suspicions. <i>What is thisss hiding?</i>


    He extended a hand to seize the book, but unexpectedly, Lily bit him in an apparent attempt to stop him. But how would Charles be deterred by a mere mouse''s bite? He snatched the book and turned to the cover.


    "Tender lips?" Charles read aloud. He arched an eyebrow at the title, sensing something amiss. It didn''t sound like typical reading material for kids.


    With each page he flipped, a strange look appeared on his face. He hadn''t paid much attention to the literary scene in the seascape before, and to his surprise, the writers here seemed to be at the forefront when it came to mature literature.


    "Where did you get this book?" Charles questioned upon closing it.


    "I... I found it on the streets. I was just reading out of curiosity..." Lily''s words trailed off, her head hung low as though she had done something wrong.


    "Picking up a brand new book like this on the streets?" Charles wore a look of disbelief.


    Seemingly frustrated and embarrassed, Lily hopped onto the book and puffed up her cheeks as she stared defiantly at Charles.


    "My birthday has passed, and I''ve turned fifteen! What''s wrong with me being curious about <i>that?!</i> Were you not curious about these things when you were fifteen?" Lily interrogated.


    Charles was momentarily stunned for words. Just when he was about to formte a reply, a piercing, shrill siren suddenly echoed across the skies of Hope Ind.


    "That''s the rm for an enemy attack!" Charles'' body tensed up immediately. He grabbed Lily and dashed toward the seafront.


    Seven to eight invisible tentacles emerged from Charles''s body and propelled him rapidly toward the docks.


    In the eyes of the meremoners, it appeared as though their Governor was soaring through the air.


    Meanwhile, Lily let out a series of shrill squeaks. From every shadowy nook and corner, mice emerged and tailed after Charles.


    Soon enough, the ground was a living carpet of rodents. Even Charles shuddered at the sight of the amassed mice behind him.


    <i>They actually proliferate this quickly.</i> he thought to himself.


    As Charles neared the heavily fortified docks, he spotted the hint of green in the distant dark waters. It was the emerging heads of the green Deep Dwellers.


    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom! </i>


    The docks'' cannons roared in fury as cannonballs rained down into the sea, sending explosive plumes of water upward.


    Despite the impressive disy of power, the <i>aerial</i> attack seemed to be less than effective on the Deep Dwellers.


    Fish-like beings slowly trudged onto the golden sands as water droplets dripped off their scales. They bared their sharp teeth, and their gills and fins stood erect on their necks to entuate their terrifying appearance.


    However, no matter how terrifying they were, they were still vulnerable to bullets. Gunfire from behind the sandbags rang out, knocking back several of the creatures as blood mist spurt into the air.


    However, the Deep Dwellers were the least deterred by the gunfire. Their eyes glimmered with bloodlust as they stepped over the bodies of their fallen tribemates and advanced toward the humans.


    The sudden re of a steam whistle interrupted the battle. Shrouded in billowing ck smoke, the Hope Ind''s naval fleet had joined in the fray.


    One after another, the contents in red-painted barrels were poured into the sea. It didn''t take long for the surface of the dark waters to be slicked with ayer of oil.


    With the toss of a torch, the sea ignited into a fiery inferno. The surging mes created a barrier between the coast and the open sea, and it thwarted the Deep Dwellers'' efforts to get ashore.


    Charles surveyed his surroundings before using an invisible tentacle to grab a nearby support beam and climb atop a high canopy. At a higher vantage point, he could now observe the entire battleground.


    ck smoke billowed in all directions; evidently, his naval forces had encircled the ind with fire. The Deep Dwellers had no chance of breaching the fiery defense.


    However, Charles knew that the enemy would surely have more than one card up their sleeves.


    True to his expectations, the gurgling sound of bubbles echoed in the air as rows of decayed railings began to slowly rise from beneath the water.


    They were dpidated sunken ships that had been encroached by barnacles. No one knew how long they had been lying on the seabed, but under some mysterious force, they had surfaced above the water once again.


    Fierce-looking Deep Dwellers filled the decks of these ghostly vessels. On one of those ships, Charles spotted a bizarre creature that stood out with its octopus-like head.


    <i>That''s probably one of the tribal elders Dipp had mentioned...</i>

 Chapter 322. Get Ready

    <h4>Chapter 322. Get Ready</h4>


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    A cannonball enveloped in ck mes whizzed past Charles'' head and crashed heavily to the canopy behind him, creating arge hole from which ck smoke billowed out.


    Cries of rms and screams from the inders echoed from beneath the hole. It was a cannonball fired from the sunken ships of the Deep Dwellers. Charles had no idea of the exact nature of the contents within the projectile, but he was certain that they were dangerous and deadly.


    Of course, the Hope Ind Navy wouldn''t stand by idly. The coastal batteries and the steamships at sea swiftly swiveled their cannons and unleashed a barrage of fire at the sunken ships.


    Bubbles churned ceaselessly in the icy sea waters, and more sunken ships continued to surface. The seawater in the vicinity of Hope Ind turned into a chaotic battlefield as relentless sounds of gunfire and cannons filled the air.


    Perched atop Charles'' palm, Lily looked up and asked, "Mr. Charles, should we go help?"


    Charles didn''t look down; instead, his gaze remained on the motionless octopus-headed creature on the ship as he shook his head.


    "No rush," Charles answered, "They don''t seem to harbor the intention of escting it to a full-scale showdown right from the start. Let''s observe the situation first."


    Making use of the canopy as stepping stones, Charles quickly moved toward the eastern side of the ind. Soon, they had arrived at the easternmost part. He sliced through the thick canopy with his Dark de and jumped into the gaping hole.


    A towering rectangr white building stood beneath the canopy, and people d in blue naval uniforms were rushing about within itspounds.


    Charles''s arrival instantly made the guards draw their pistols and aimed the gun barrels at him. Upon recognizing that the neer was their Governor, they immediately stood at attention and saluted.


    Charles ignored them and walked toward themand center with hurried steps.


    <i>Beep... Beep beep...</i>


    As Charles neared themand center, he could hear the never-ceasing sound of the telegraphs. In the spacious undergroundmand center, which spanned over a hundred square meters, there were at least a dozen telegraphs working tirelessly to receive messages from other parts of the inds or from the ships.


    Arge sand table was ced in the center of the room. It was a simplified model of Hope Ind. With every new iing telegraph message, the number and aggressiveness of the enemies around the ind would be swiftly marked out on the model.


    Feuerbach and several men d in military uniforms were standing around the sand table as they assessed the ongoing situations and gave appropriate instructions.


    "Enemies havended on the ind at 4 o''clock! The first and second lines of defense have been breached!" one of them read off a telegraph message.


    "Send a telegram to Chief James! Ask him to dispatch two police squads to hold the line. They just have to withstand the enemy for a few minutes for the nearby naval reinforcements to arrive!" a bearded man bellowed toward one of the telegram operators. He then used his right hand, which was missing a few fingers, to swiftly mirror his decision on the simted maritime chart.


    The four others next to the bearded man performed simr actions. As they received telegram updates, they would pass downmands to the relevant people involved. They coordinated the entire battle situation with a well-practiced rhythm, and they were perfectly in sync with each other.


    "Captain, what brings you here?" Feuerbach greeted Charles with his usual rxed and calm look. He seemed to be not the least affected by the battle tension.


    "How''s the overall situation? Is everything under control?" Charles asked as he watched the constantly shifting tactical map.


    "Of course. Everything is going well. Just like I told you a few days ago, we''re fully prepared. Those monsters can only dream about capturing our ind."


    "Stay on your toes. Remember, they''re not humans. If Hope Ind falls, all men will be offered as sacrifices to their evil god, and all women, regardless of their age, will be used as breeding tools."


    "The thing is, I can''t really be of much help in this situation," Feuerbach began.


    "Look, these five veterans have participated in dozens of naval battles. When ites to military strategy, they are definitely more useful than me trying to wing something that I don''t have the expertise in," Feuerbach said with a smile as he introduced the background of the five battlemanders next to him.


    "Are we keeping an eye on the Elders? They are still not making a move; I suspect that they might be plotting something," Charles asked.


    The beardedmander straightened up and replied to Charles in a manner that was neither too servile nor too arrogant, "Our lookouts have reported the Elders'' current locations. I''ve already formed a special task force consisting of the District 3 police team and the navy''s best to focus solely on them. We won''t give them any chance."


    "Don''t let your guard down. Each of them is formidable," Charles advised.


    "Governor, please leave matters of expertise to the experts," the bearded man said without mincing his words. "Instead of adding to the chaos here, perhaps you might want to ask the quacks from the Divine Light Order why they haven''t made any move. After all, you are the only one who can question them."


    "They haven''t made any move?" Charles'' brows furrowed immediately. He then turned and headed toward the Divine Light Cathedral on Hope Ind.


    As he watched Charles'' figure disappearing from sight, Feuerbach walked up to the beardedmander andnded a yful p on thetter''s beer belly.


    "Be a bit more courteous to the Governor, won''t ya? He''s still our leader, after all."


    "Will being courteous help us win the war? Do all these pleasantries matter in a life-and-death situation? A soldier''s worth is in their genuine military achievements, not through some meaningless niceties," the bearded man retorted before turning his gaze back onto the sand table.


    Feuerbach shrugged nonchntly and said nothing more.


    A few minutester, a telegraph operator beside them reported, "The Divine Light Order''s fleet has set sail and engaged the fishmen in battle."


    The beardedmander pped the table hard in excitement. "Great! Notify Commodore Jimmy to pull back with his fleet. We need to reserve some warships for tactical maneuvering."


    Meanwhile, Charles stood atop a roof as he watched the airships ascend into the air and the warships moving out of the docks to enter the fray.


    Cardinal Bishop Hunn stood next to him, and with a hint of ingratiation, he exined, "Governor Charles, we really intend to assist your navy, but we saw that they already have a battle formation in action, so we held back from adding to the chaos. We were afraid that we might unknowingly disrupt your battle ns."


    Charles turned to look at the elderly man with white hair. He couldn''t be bothered to even try to figure out if the man was speaking the truth.


    "When will your Pope arrive?" Charles asked.


    Though the battle seemed to be at a tie now, an unexinable unease was stirring in Charles'' heart. However, if the formidable Pope arrived, his presence would decisively tip the scales in their favor.


    "He should be arriving soon. I''m really sorry about that. As you know, the Divine Light Grand Cathedral is really far from Hope Ind, and there are no currents to speed up our journey."


    Charles let out a soft sigh. <i>We can truly only rely on ourselves at crucial moments.</i>


    He quickly identified his current location before he gently set Lily down on the ground. He then rushed toward the nearest location of a Deep Dweller Elder.


    His own strength was considerably impressive as well. Instead of waiting for the enemy to make the first move, he decided that he should join the battle to inject some unpredictability.


    Lily started to scurry after Charles in an attempt to catch up, but Charles swiftly outpaced her.


    "Return to the inner ind!" Charles instructed without looking back. "Get all your mice to leave the sewers and help guard the coastlines!"


    He didn''t even stop for a brief respite upon reaching the shores. He immediately jumped onto the sea and dashed toward a green-hued sunken ship in the distant waters.

 Chapter 323. Sea Warfare

    <h4>Chapter 323. Sea Warfare</h4>


    As Charles neared the resurfaced sunken ship, he could make out even the writhing starfish that clung to its decrepit hull.


    The smell of sulfur and gunpowder permeated the air; he had arrived at the fringe of the battlefield.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    A pair of green-webbed talons suddenly shot out from beneath the waters and gripped Charles'' ankles tightly.


    That was just the beginning. More and more of them emerged from the depths and wed at Charles in an attempt to drag him underwater. Just as he was about to be overpowered by the number of green ws surrounding him, white electrical arcs danced across his skin and leaped onto the talons. Electrified, the creatures hiding beneath the waters convulsed incessantly as white wisps of smoke emitted from their ws.


    With his Dark de in hand, Charles performed a sweeping cut around him and severed several of the ws that encircled him. Mists of blood painted the sea.


    Nearby, a sixty-meter-long steamship spotted Charles and began to steer and advance toward him. Charles recognized it to be Feuerbach''s ship, Waverazor. Feuerbach was stationed at themand center, so Charles wondered about who was inmand of the man''s ship.


    Charles gestured to them in g semaphore to stay back.


    Just then, a murky ck mass surged from the depths and crashed heavily into the stern of the Waverazor. A thunderous roar rang out as the vessel struggled to maintain its bnce. Before it could even do anything, the steel tes on its hulls exploded and ignited into mes; the turbine chamber caught fire.


    Soon, the Waverazor was reduced into a burning giant fireball on the dark waters. Its mes illuminated the inky dark expanse, and the sea within a kilometer radius started bubbling from the intense heat.


    The intense heat reddened Charles'' face.


    At the same time, it also cast light upon his look of fury


    He quickly located the culprit¡ªa massive green sunken ship. Its towering mast indicated that it was a long, obsolete sailing ship. However, its wooden bow, which was supposed to be sealed, had opened up like a living creature. The uneven, splintered wooden nks within seemed to represent the ship''s ghastly, jagged teeth.


    Within the open bow, Charles spotted skinless sharks locked up in rusty iron cages. The sharks poured out incessantly from their confines and shot out of the gaping mouth, rapidly forming a dark mass in the water.


    The sharks seemed to have marked Charles as their enemy and were swiftly closing in on him.


    Without a hint of hesitation, Charles pushed himself off the water''s surface and ran toward the ship; the distance between them speedily narrowed.


    Just when Charles was just mere meters away from the sunken ship, the inky green sea beneath him suddenly darkened. A ferocious shark''s maw erupted from the water and enveloped him in its jaws.


    Just as the beast was about to snap its jaws shut, Charles'' invisible tentacles shot out and wrapped around the sharp teeth on either side. Pulling himself back, he then catapulted himself like a slingshot out of the beast''s maw.


    With a low instinctual roar, Charlesnded heavily onto the slimy, wet deck of the sunken ship.


    With white electrical arcs surrounding him, Charles looked like an unleashed demon as he wielded various weapons with his invisible tentacles in a frenzied massacre of the naked Deep Dwellers.


    The chaos escted quickly. Not willing to stand by idly any long, a Deep Dweller with a skull-topped staff suddenly rose to his feet. With a wave of his staff, a mass of water was lifted from the sea and hurtled toward Charles.


    Before the giant water orb coulde into contact with Charles, he swiftly switched out the weapon in his right hand for the flesh revolver.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    The bone bullets from the flesh revolver split apart the head of the Deep Dweller with a skull-topped staff. Dark red blood dripped down its revolting green scales, but the creature didn''t die from the attack.


    "How dare you oppose the servant of the Great One! I curse you!" the Deep Dweller, with only half a brain remaining, eximed as he smeared the blood on his face and rapidly started drawing on his abdomen.


    However, Charles had no intention of staying idle and waiting for the creature to finish his curse. Like a ferocious tiger, he pounced at the Deep Dweller and beheaded him with a single sh of his Dark de.


    At the sight of how Charles swiftly executed their leader, looks of extreme panic surfaced on the grotesque faces of the remaining Deep Dwellers. One after another, they abandoned the ship and jumped into the waters.


    When Charles leaped into the rocking waters once more, the ship he had just conquered creaked and sank into the depths once again.


    His gaze moved away from the ship, and he took in the chaotic scene around him. He knew that he had no time to waste. He swiftly moved toward his target, and it didn''t take long for him to see it: the sunken ship that an Elder was on.


    He didn''t advance rashly. Even though he had absorbed two relics, he knew that confronting a Deep Dweller head-on without any strategy was tantamount to suicide.


    He looked around and spotted a vessel that was swiftly making its rounds. Contrary to the other warships, this particr vessel didn''t engage the Deep Dwellers. They would only participate in brief skirmishes before backing away.


    Charles quickly ran through the information he had heard from the others and then dashed toward the vessel. As soon as it came within the vicinity, he plunged his Dark de into its bow and leaped aboard.


    "Governor!" the people aboard the ship called out, clearly recognizing Charles. However, they didn''t appear to be from the Navy. Judging from their tattoos and attire, they seemed more like a band of pirates.


    "What is your mission here?" Charles asked.


    "We are instructed to keep an eye on that octopus head and eliminate it as soon as it makes a move," a woman with a chilling demeanor responded. Her auburn hair cascaded down to conceal her right eye and most of her face, while the striking red scorpion tattoo on her neck drew immediate attention.


    "Any findings from your observation so far?" Charles pressed for further information.


    "Not yet. It doesn''t seem to want to make a move. I personally feel that it''s waiting for something."


    <i>Waiting? What can that thing be waiting for? Does it have reinforcements? </i> Charles pondered. He leaned his lone hand on the railing, and his brows pressed together in deep thought.


    Aliya cast a fleeting nce at Charles before she brushed her fiery red hair behind her ear and asked, "Governor, is it true that Chief Dipp has returned?"


    Charles turned his gaze onto her. "How are you rted to him?"


    "I was his subordinate," Aliya replied, her voice rising a notch higher.


    "Focus on the battle first. As for that brat, I have yet to settle matters with him. I''ll deal with him thoroughly once this immediate trouble is over."


    Before Aliya could respond, a naval sailor popped his head out from themand tower.


    "Captain! Themand center sent a message to say that we can''t continue staying put. They ordered us to make a move and probe their strengths."


    Aliya turned to look at Charles. Charles had the highest authority here.


    "This is your ship and your crew. I won¡¯t interfere with themand," Charles said.


    Aliya nodded in response. She immediately turned and barked orders with an overpowering assertiveness rarely seen in women.


    "Send a telegraph to get two warships to cover our advance! Start with artillery probing! District 3, get ready, it''s our showtime!"


    Cheers erupted among the crew as her words fell. It looked as though they were heading for a celebratory drink at a tavern rather than an extremely dangerous mission.


    After the telegraph messages were sent out, two seventy-meter-long warships swiftly nked the vessel Charles was on. Together, they advanced toward the Deep Dweller Elder.

 Chapter 324. Elder

    <h4>Chapter 324. Elder</h4>


    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>


    The colossal deck cannons, weighing hundreds of tons, roared to life. Propelled by the gunpowder explosions, their projectiles hurtled toward the motionless sunken ships.


    However, the shells exploded in mid-air before they could hit the sunken ships. The Deep Dwellers started to retaliate. The p over the cannons on both sides of their ships flipped open. Masses of ck mes shot toward the three ships from Hope Ind.


    As the projectiles engulfed in ck mes crashed into the water, towering columns of water erupted skyward. When they came crashing back down, a torrential downpour began raining down on the ships.


    Drenched to the skin, Charles wiped the salty seawater from his face and pulled out a monocr telescope. He squinted one eye and looked through it at the distant enemy.


    <i>Howe that creature is soposed? He hasn''t even made a single move.</i>


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A projectile exploded next to the ship Charles was on. It was close enough this time to st a dent into the hull, but luckily, it wasn''t severe enough to cause a leak. The tremors caused the ship to rock violently. Had the projectile been more urate, the vessel would have sunk.


    "Boss! They seem to have some ability to block deck cannon fire! We can''t keep taking hits like this!"


    Aliya bit down on her lip, and her face twisted into a look of ferocity. "Fuck these rotten ship maggots! Overload the turbines and get us right next to him. Everyone, prepare to board!"


    Aliya had decided on the most extreme course of action andpletely disregarded that Charles was standing right next to her.


    Charles cast a nce at the extremely irate woman next to him. He chose to stay silent and just watch.


    Apanied by asional sparks, ck smoke billowed out from the smokestacks; the warship was elerated rapidly.


    As they narrowed the distance between them and the enemy, Charles soon got close enough to see the contempt in the octopus-headed creature''s eyes without the need for a telescope.


    The sound of splintering wood resonated as their ship pierced into the decayed sunken ship like a spear.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Aliya whipped out herrge-caliber revolver and fired three sessive shots upward. She pushed off against the railings with her long boots and led the crew to board the enemy ship.


    "Kill these motherfucking garbage! The one with the highest number of kills can sleep with me tonight!" Aliya roared.


    Dozens of crew members decisively followed Aliya and plunged into the fray.


    Charles didn''t stay behind as well. He vaulted over the railing. In mid-air, his figure gradually turned invisible until hepletely vanished from sight.


    Faced with the direct assault, the Deep Dwellers raised their harpoons and spears. Eerie, hoarse cries sounded from their mouths as they surged forward like raging waves to meet their enemies.


    As both parties shed, the fishy sea smell in the air was instantly overpowered by the heavy metallic scent of blood. The sound of bullets and relics being triggered were met with the tearing of flesh.


    The Deep Dwellers on this particr ship were clearly more powerful than those on other vessels. Each of them, at the minimum, possessed some special relic or had a trick up their sleeves.


    Despite sustaining casualties, the humans were still determined to fight to their deaths as evident from the look of resolve on their faces.


    They appeared reckless, but they were so coordinated inbat that it created a marked juxtaposition with the disorganized attacks of the Deep Dwellers.


    Overall, humanity seemed to have the upper hand in the battle.


    The Deep Dweller Elder gently lifted a finger and intercepted a bullet that was flying toward him. Holding the shell in his hand, he studied the shiny bullet with an intense gaze.


    "Humans have made substantial progress in their weapons over thest two hundred years. Indeed, I should visit the shores more often," the Elder mused to himself.


    Just then, a shadow flickered behind him. A dwarf, barely a meter tall and with tattoos of a naked woman on his face, suddenly appeared behind the Elder.


    With a triumphant grin, the dwarf raised his iron hook that had reced his right hand and swung it as the Elder. However, his body abruptly froze, and a sinister smile yed on his lips instead. He lunged out of the shadows and positioned himself before the Elder to protect thetter instead.


    Aliya happened to witness the scene from a distance. She immediately grabbed a bag of red powder from her chest pocket and poured the powder into her mouth. It took just a mere second for her eyes to turn into a fierce shade of red. She kicked away the Deep Dweller in front of her and charged forward.


    "Take the red powder! That octopus knows mind control!"


    Seventeen or eighteen others rushed alongside her, swallowing the powder as they advanced.


    "Humans... are always so reliant on their tools, but yet they remain so ignorant. They make the same stupid mistakes again and again. Do you really think that was my only power?" the Elder sneered as he moved a tentacle to lightly tap on a sailor.


    The sailor couldn''t even scream as he instantly melted like ice cream and copsed into a pile of gore.


    Just as Aliya''s crew was about to sh with the Elder, the ground thetter was standing on suddenly split apart. Invisible tentacles shot up and coiled around the Elder''s ck robes with a tight grip. The next moment, white electrical arcs sprang up and blinded everyone.


    At the same time, the barrage from the members of District 3 rained down on the Elder. Their bullets formed an imaginary iron wall that surged into the bright arcs of electricity.


    Aliya raised her weapons and repeatedly pulled the trigger toward the brilliant light.


    However, when the bright white light faded, she was shocked to find that the enemy had vanished. The Elder clearly didn''t take any damage from their attacks.


    Suddenly, filthy bubbles emerged in the air to the left of the sunken ship as the unharmed figure of the Elder manifested.


    His piercing voice reached the ears of everyone on the ship. "I had no intention of personally participating in the battle, but since you''re courting death, I''ll grant your wish!"


    Two tentacles reached out, each entwining a shimmering gold stave that appeared to be crafted from gold. Following which, strange, unintelligible incantations flowed from his lips.


    The chanting was so grating that Charles felt a piercing pain in his ears, even though he was on the deck below.


    Just as he nned to leap upward through the crack tounch another attack on the Elder, the sea waters stirred and rapidly formed a giant water tentacle that measured as tall as a lighthouse.


    The tentacle effortlessly blocked the bullets aimed at the Elder. Then, it brutally swung downward like a massive axe and cleaved the sunken ship in two halves.


    However, the water tentacle was relentless. It rose up high again and crashed down repeatedly as it whipped the sunken ship mercilessly. Both Deep Dwellers and sailors alike were pulverized into minced meat upon contact.


    The Elder watched with a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes. To him, humans were just mere insects, even if these insects could utilize powerful tools.


    However, just as he pondered about the audacity of the insects in resisting him, he suddenly sensed an invisible presence approaching. He turned and tried to exert his formidable mental force to seize control of the approaching individual''s body.


    However, sharp pain in his chest disrupted all his thoughts. Shock filled his eyes as a blood-soaked Charles materialized before him.


    "How is this possible? My mind control was ineffective?!" the Elder eximed in disbelief.


    However, that was none of Charles'' concern. He gripped the Dark de even tighter and pushed it further inside the Elder''s chest.

 Chapter 325. Reinforcements

    <h4>Chapter 325. Reinforcements</h4>


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A powerful st of energy sent Charles flying away. He twisted in mid-air andnded steadily on the surface. His gaze transfixed on the injured Elder. The Elder''s tentacle swept across the wound, and it healed in the blink of an eye.


    However, Charles could tell from the octopus-headed creature''s sour expression that his attack was effective.


    "You''re the man who betrayed the Lord''s trust!" the Elder''s terrifying gaze filled with killing intentnded on Charles. "You''re not worthy of the Lord''s mark! I''m taking it back!"


    The Elder''s tentacles unfolded, and he raised his golden staves to attack when the air below the Elder shrieked, forcing him to move away. A cannonball struck where he stood earlier, and he looked down to find the culprit.


    The assant was a ship. The towering water tentacle could no longer be seen, and the personnel of District 3 had returned to their own ship and started supporting Charles with two deck cannons.


    Charles and Aliya''s group were now on a stand-off against the Elder. Just as the three were about to make their own move to end the deadly battle, a discordant shrill noise echoed from a steam whistle; all three turned to where the sound hade from.


    The pitch-ck sea surface reflected the dazzling lights of a fleet''s searchlights in the distance. The fleet''s ships were markedly different from run-of-the-mill warships. Heavy chains were hanging from the port and starboard side of the ship, and there were sharp des at the tip of the chains.


    The ships were precisely the animated ships of the Elizarles Shores, and they made quick work of any Deep Dwellers beneath the waves as they steadily approached Charles.


    A naval sailor on a nearby speedboat recovered everything he saw and ran toward the cabin of the speedboat. He tapped furiously on the telegraph, and the recent front-line development was transmitted over to Hope Ind''smand center.


    Feuerbach retrieved a clipboard with a checklist and handed it over to the adjutant next to him.


    "ording to current gathered intelligence, the Elders are strong, but we''ve already identified their weaknesses. We can dispatch the reserve troops to deal with them, and the Elizarles Shores'' reinforcements are already here.


    "If this is the best the Deep Dwellers can do, then we can say that they''ve failed."


    Feuerbach''s guess was spot on. The animated ships of Elizarles Shores were chopping the heads off any Deep Dweller daring enough toe close to it beneath the surface.


    More and more speedboats convened to support Charles, and the pressure weighing down on Charles'' shoulders was greatly reduced. The incessant attacks from his navy fleet made it difficult for the Elder to make any powerful moves.


    Although weak as individuals, the navy fleet was a force to be reckoned with once united. Charles swept his gaze across the battlefield, trying to look for an opportunity to jump into the fray and deliver the decisive blow to their opponent.


    The Elder seemed like he had an endless amount of life-preserving spells; he had been managing to escape quite a few pinches with his bizarre spells.


    Just then, a dazzling beam of light inundated Charles. The ck Rose''s searchlights had found him.


    Charles grabbed the writhing mooring ropes to climb aboard. He had justnded, but he had already found himself bound by something soft.


    "I missed you so much, my dear. I''ve been thinking of you every day." A pair of luscious lips stamped on Charles'' lips; at the same time, he was struck by the hostile gazes of the ship''s female crew members.


    Charles grabbed Elizabeth''s cheeks and pushed her away.


    "Wait, it isn''t the time for this," he said to the blushing Elizabeth.


    Elizabeth smiled lightly and leaned over to lick the traces of her lipstick on Charles'' lips.


    "Well, we can have a nice, long <i>chat</i> once we''re done here," Elizabeth said.


    "How many experts did you bring? Let''s get rid of that octopus first. I''ll have you know, but there are two more enemies like him," Charles said. He then turned around and was about to jump into the fray when Elizabeth hugged him from the back.


    "You''re a Governor, not some navy sailor or admiral," Elizabeth grumbled, "You should try to act ording to your status. Aside from the Cavendish Family, have you ever heard of any other Governors eager to rush over to the front lines?"


    A white-bearded old man wearing a high-necked purple robe walked onto the deck. A crystal-topped purple staff was in the white-bearded old man''s hand, but the white-bearded old man''s robe was what caught Charles'' attention. There were inscrutable inscriptions on the white-bearded old man''s flowing robe.


    The white-bearded old man was none other than Finn Gunther. He had helped Richard in his attempt to erase Charles by concocting a Soul Erasing Potion.


    A group of mages wearing the same purple robe as Finn walked onto the deck and bowed slightly to Charles. Then, they took out a ck feather from out of nowhere.


    They waved it gently in the air before them, and the ck feather erupted into mes. The mages took to the air, as their bodies had be as light as a feather.


    Under Finn''s leadership, the mages jumped down the ship, but the arcane ability they had just employed didn''t grant them the ability to fly. It seemed to have made them a bit more buoyant for them to barely stay afloat above the surface.


    Elizabeth cast an anguished gaze at Charles'' empty sleeve. She touched the stump gently with her fingers and asked, "You''ve lost your arm again. Does it hurt?"


    "It''s fine. I''ve gotten used to it." Charles stared at the battlefield in a daze. The mages of the Western Seas were quite skilled. They seemed capable of even restraining the Elder''s ability to teleport.


    The scales of the battle tippedpletely to one side, all thanks to Finn and his group of mages. The Elder was struggling against so many enemies, and his injuries had umted to the point that his regeneration ability could no longer keep up.


    "Anyway, I have something I need to tell you. I think I need to meet your wife," Elizabeth said.


    Charles sighed helplessly and said, "This isn''t really the right time to talk about that, Elizabeth."


    "Why not? Are there any other unresolved problems? That guy''s about to die; He''s trapped within our encirclement." Elizabeth said.


    The Elder''s movement was starting to grow sluggish underneath the incessant attacks. He looked like he would copse and plunge into the sea at any moment now.


    The situation was under control, but Charles'' brows knitted.


    "There''s something wrong here. Where are the other two Elders? Why are they not helping that guy? It doesn''t make sense at all," Charles muttered. He wanted to ask themand center for information, but without a telegraph, he couldn''t contact them.


    "Perhaps they ran away. Anyway, I heard your wife is from World''s Crown."


    "Yes, so?" Charles asked.


    "While making my way here, I asked every harbor I passed through, and there weren''t any reports about a fleet from the World''s Crown. I''m not trying to get in between you and your wife, but she didn''t send you any reinforcements."


    Charles'' frown deepened. He remained silent as he stared at the battlefield.


    "Morsmordre!" Finn roared like an angered lion and raised his crystal-topped purple staff high up.


    A tremor ran through the Elder as his tentacles shriveled and squirmed.


    "It''s over! You filth from the gutters!" Finn roared, and a zing fireball appeared at the tip of his staff. His n was to scorch the octopus-headed creature into a crisp.


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    Just then, a low grumbling echoed from the depths, followed by a grating noise akin to metal grinding against metal. The Elder''s hideous face turned cold, and his voice sounded as harsh as ever as he said, "You humans truly never change. You are as ignorant and as self-righteous as always."


    The low rumbling and grating noise got louder and louder. The strange sound had all eyes turned onto the surface of the water. The depths churned violently, and Charles'' keen eyes caught sight of something colossal within the dark depths.


    The navy fleet seemed to have received an order that prompted them to retreat in a hurry. Strangely enough, the Deep Dwellers in the water did the same and retreated frantically.


    Both sides were enemies that had been furiously tearing each other''s throats apart, but they were now harmoniously retreating together.


    Charles leaned forward for a closer look, his eyes focusing on a silhouette that grew clearer and clearer as it approached the surface. Soon, Charles finally saw the details on the silhouette, and his eyes shot wide open in stupefaction.


    "Ronker? No, that''s... Swann!"

 Chapter 326. Swann

    <h4>Chapter 326. Swann</h4>


    The colossal Ronker emerged from the depths, but it was no longer just a metal construct. Ronker''s metal shell riddled with cracks had been reinforced with scales and protrusions simr to flesh. Tendrils covered in a thick, white gtinous substance were sticking out of the cracks, and every tendril was covered in moist, gray eyeballs.


    Ronker''s previous legs that had been destroyed by Charles had also been reced by what looked like the walking legs of a giant crab. Ronker''s smokestack was supposed to be belching out thick ck smoke, but it had been reced by tentacles with suckers, along with a liquid that looked like green pus sticking to Ronker''s ck furry tendrils.


    Charles'' attention wasn''t on Ronker. His gaze was unwittingly transfixed on the colossal vertical pupil on Swann''s ventral side. The vertical pupil, simr to that of a cat, was massive, spanning at least two hundred meters in height and width.


    Below the eye was a mouth twice the size of the eye, and a mechanical tongue wrapped in flesh was sticking out casually from its mouth. The fact that the mouth was the other half of a missing mouth meant that the colossal construct of flesh and blood was none other than Swann.


    After all, Swann had split himself into two.


    Charles instantly deduced that Swann was here to avenge himself.


    A shrill noise echoed as a beam of light converged on Swann''s ventral side before sweeping past the entire Hope Ind. The canopies on the ind instantly caught fire.


    "Fuck!" Charles wanted to rush over to Swann and attack, but he held himself back. He knew that attacking Swann without any ns was suicide.


    <i>I have to calm down. I can''t make a move until Ie up with a way to deal with him! </i>Charles told himself. He couldn''t do anything other than watch as Swann grabbed a ship and started tearing it apart.


    "Elizabeth, does this ship have a telegraph?"


    "Yes, but what do you want to do?" Elizabeth asked.


    "I want you to contact themand center on Hope Ind and tell them to mobilize every single ship. We have to attack that monstrosity together and stop it from getting close to the ind. Otherwise, the ind will get obliterated!"


    Elizabeth seemed hesitant in the face of Charles'' words.


    "What are you staring at me for? Hurry up and go!"


    "Charles, I don''t think our two navies are enough to stop Ronker. It also looks like it has be more difficult to handle than thest time I saw it," Elizabeth replied.


    "We have to stop it no matter what! The ind is my everything! I absolutely can''t let it destroy my ind!" Charles roared. He felt a shiver down his spine at the thought of the brutality that would unfold once Swann got close enough to Hope Ind.


    Elizabeth''s expression flickered in hesitation.


    Finn Gunther stepped forward with a grim look and said, "Lady Elizabeth, you can order our navy to help them, but I don''t think you have the right to send us to our deaths. Quite a number of my men are in our navy, after all."


    Charles stared alternatingly between Finn and Elizabeth before turning around and jumping onto a nearby ship that was being helmed by District 3 .


    "Pass down my orders to themand center, Aliya! As the Governor of Hope Ind, I want every single ship mobilized! We have to stop this bastard from getting close to Hope Ind!"


    "Understood!" Aliya responded with a roar, and a telegram was quickly sent out. It didn''t take long for Hope Ind''s entire navy to mobilize and gather toward Swann.


    Elizabeth''s fleet moved to the side and made room for the inevitable decisive battle between Hope Ind and Swann.


    Charles stared quietly at the departing ck Rose. Charles was well aware of his situation, and Elizabeth''s actions of prioritizing the lives of her sailors were understandable.


    They were just allies, after all. She didn''t have to sacrifice her fleet for him.


    "Aliya, how many people do we still have on this ship?" Charles asked while staring at the approaching Swann.


    "Quite a few are dead, but there are still forty-five people, including those in the turbine chambers. I''m not sure about the total number of navy sailors on the oing ships, but there should be more than a hundred in total," Aliya said as she swept her gaze across the approaching ships.


    "Use g semaphore and tell them that we''re going to attack that monstrous thing together. We''re going to approach it and find a way to kill it," Charles said.


    "All right," Aliya agreed immediately.


    "Are you not afraid at all?" Charles asked.


    Aliya smiled confidently and said, "I used to be a pirate on Skywater Ind, and pirates are unafraid of death. However, I wouldn''t have been here, Governor, if it weren''t for what you''ve done to Skywater Ind."


    Charles'' gazended on the red scorpion tattoo on her neck. "I can see that."


    "Governor," Aliya said, "This mission is extremely dangerous, so I expect the reward is quite substantial, am I right?"


    "Yes, you''re right. As the Governor, I promise that any survivors on this mission will be heroes of Hope Ind once we''ve defeated this thing. Each and every single one of you will share the same benefits as that of amodore," Charles said.


    Aliya was thrilled. She turned around and announced the news to the crew. The blood of every single crew member started to boil upon hearing the news, and they became even more enthusiastic.


    "With treasures and gold, we pirates grow bold!"


    Aliya flicked her auburn hair behind her ears and started tapping the ship with the barrel of her gun while singing a sea shanty.


    "<i>Yo-ho! Yo-ho! </i>Set sail and away we go!"


    The crew members picked up anything and started tapping along the rhythm; they were all smiles as they swung their heads from side to side.


    "<i>Yo-ho! Yo-ho! </i>O''er waves and wind we row! Where next will our jolly ship tow?!"


    "Aye, rogues and thieves,e and be afraid; we pirates are not going away!"


    "Some have perished, some still aboard, but even more are sailing some more!"


    The pirates'' seemed as though they had no idea how to sing, so the ship was pervaded by a discordant cacophony of voices. Regardless, their singing brought a smile to Charles'' lips.


    Ronker was getting closer and closer to Hope Ind, and the colossal monstrosity made out of flesh and blood was so terrifying that it was guaranteed to instill fear in the hearts of just about anyone. However, Charles couldn''t feel even a tinge of fear in the singing voices of the crew here.


    Just then, a slender hand with red, manicured nails grabbed the railings next to Charles. Elizabeth quickly climbed aboard, sporting her dark purple captain''s uniform.


    "I''m a Governor, so I have to take my sailors'' safety into ount. However, I''m the Captain of the ck Rose as well. I can go wherever I want," Elizabeth said.


    Charles was moved to see Elizabeth in front of him. There was a strange air of estrangement between them, but it dispersed the instant Charles saw Elizabeth climbing aboard.


    Charles wordlessly grabbed Elizabeth''s hand while staring calmly at Ronker in the distance.


    "Come! You''ll have to kill me first before you can destroy my ind!"


    A certain drawer inside the Governor''s Mansion of Hope Ind opened by itself.


    Charles'' diary flipped open on its own, and when thest page was flipped open, an eyeball with a cross-shaped pupil appeared. The simple portrait had the name of the artist next to it, along with an adorable emoticon.


    <i>[Anna - don''t erase it even if you''ve seen it.]</i>


    ©d(????)?~¡±


    Just then, the sketch changed ever so slowly from 2D to 3D, and a terrifying aura began to permeate the room. It floated from the balcony to the greenhouse beneath the sunlight, where it could clearly see Ronker in the distance.


    It looked up and stared in confusion at the rift in the sky. Then, it cast its gaze on the sea once again, "Daddy..."


    Its figure blurred, and it appeared above the docks in the blink of an eye. It became blurry once more, and it reappeared in the depths of the icy cold pitch-ck sea.

 Chapter 327. Aboard Swann

    <h4>Chapter 327. Aboard Swann</h4>


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    A beam of light converged on Swann''s ventral side once more, and it split three ships into two in the proverbial blink of an eye. The three ships exploded like fireworks, and the sea in their vicinity seemed to boil beneath the beam of light.


    "Hit his legs! Tear his legs off!" Charles roared. He stood behind a colossal deck cannon and frantically shelled toward Swann''s massive pir-like leg.


    Propelled by gunpowder, the colossal deck cannons of the nearby ships roared to life. They managed to inflict wounds on Swann''s massive leg, but his leg was so huge that the wounds looked as though they were mere scratches to him.


    To make matters worse, deformed, hideous-looking creatures made out of the intermingling of flesh and blood fell like rain from Swann''s wounds. Standing at a height of five meters, theynded in the waters and began to attack the nearby ships.


    Charles was about to continue his indiscriminate firing toward Swann''s leg, but a giant humanoid monster wearing a mask made out of intricate t gears appeared in front of Charles. It raised its massive brass broadsword and shed out.


    <i>ng!</i>


    A dull, resonant noise echoed as the one-hundred-ton deck cannon copsed to the ground. The giant humanoid monster raised its broadsword once more to cleave the gunner it had seen earlier into two, but it was stupefied to find no one.


    It looked and just as it had chosen a new target, Charles emerged from his invisibility and shed out at the giant humanoid monster''s mask.


    The Dark de easily tore apart the mask made out of intricate t gears, and a huge spurt of blood burst out of the wound.


    However, Charles'' pupils constricted at what was beneath the mask¡ªa face with no features; the orifices had been reced by hideous tumors packed to the brim with pus that they were on the verge of popping.


    Clearly, the giant humanoid monster had been one of Swann''s soldiers; he was fortunate enough to receive the Feaster''s rewards after surviving Swann''s onught.


    "Fucking disgusting!" Charles unknowingly cursed. He hurled the Dark de at the giant humanoid monster''s head, and a transparent tentacle wrapped around the Dark de before swinging it toward the giant humanoid monster''s head.


    A grotesque noise echoed as the head riddled with tumors exploded into a firework of flesh, blood, and pus.


    Charlesnded steadily on the deck and watched as the giant humanoid monster staggered before plunging into the pitch-ck sea. Charles had sessfully dealt with one of the monsters that had fallen from Swann''s leg, but he was not happy.


    After all, he had just handled one of the hundreds of monsters Swann had unleashed upon the navy fleet. The monsters'' strength demanded full attention from the navy, and they had sessfully obstructed the fleet.


    Charles looked up at Swann and saw that Swann didn''t seem to care about themotion around him; his gaze was unwittingly transfixed on Hope Ind before him.


    A massive wave stirred as Swann lifted his towering leg and stepped forward, crossing a mile of distance in just one step.


    "Charles, I don''t think what we''re doing is pretty effective against that thing," Elizabeth said to Charles while gripping the short rod in her hand tightly.


    The cogs in Charles'' brain turned, and he soon made up his mind. A deafening noise echoed not too far away from him. He turned and found Aliya. She had just sted an enemy''s eye socket into a bloody mist with one shot.


    "We have to get close to his legs! Maneuver this ship to the closest leg! We''re climbing up Swann''s leg!" Charles shouted.


    The ship''s smokestack belched out thick, ck smoke as the speedboat rushed toward the nearest pir-like leg. The leg had uneven bone spurs that provided a foothold for those daring enough to climb up the leg.


    Charles decisively took to the air and grabbed one of the bone spurs.


    "Wait!" Elizabeth shouted and jumped into the air. Charles'' invisible tentacles snatched her from out of mid-air.


    "What was that?! Is it your ability? When did you get it? I don''t remember seeing this ability of yours thest time we met," Elizabeth said as she gave the invisible tentacle a curious squeeze with her right hand.


    "Hold on tight! it''s about to move!" Charles shouted while staring at Aliya and her group down below. They responded to Charles'' roar by jumping toward the pir and grabbing onto the bone spurs.


    Before everyone from the speedboat could find a bone spur to use as a foothold, the pir stirred and began to move. It moved upward, carrying Charles and the others before going back down. They moved so quickly that the air seemed to shriek as they moved, and Charles felt like he was on a rollercoaster.


    The step waspleted, and the pir finally stabilized. Charles swept his gaze across the people beneath him and shouted, "Follow me and climb up! Remember not to drop any explosives you''ve brought here with you!"


    Everyone climbed up steadily under Charles'' lead. The towering pir was extremely difficult to climb, and it took them ten minutes to climb up Swann''s dorsal side.


    Meanwhile, Swann had gotten close enough to Hope Ind that the ind''s artillery could finally join the bombardment on one of Swann''s legs.


    "Hurry up! There''s no time to rest! Follow me!" Charles roared. His breathing had be ragged pants, and he felt pain all over out of exhaustion. However, he didn''t stop and led everyone to move along the edge of Swann.


    Charles'' goal was Swann''s colossal purple eye.


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    A beam of white light converged once more before transforming into a sharp light that sliced across Hope Ind, setting aze every inch of canopy andnd on its way.


    Charles gnashed his teeth at the scorched line that had been carved on Hope Ind. The desire to grow even stronger burned even fiercer in his heart. Charlesmented that if he had just been strong enough, this attack wouldn''t have happened in the first ce.


    Setting aside his grievances, Charles and his group continued on their journey.


    Just then, the cabin door made out of writhing flesh and blood swung open. Arge group of deformed giant humanoid monsters poured out of the cabin door while wearing masks made out of intricate t gears.


    Clearly, Swann had noticed their arrival on his back.


    Aliya roared and led her men to sh against the humanoid monsters. Grotesque noises echoed incessantly, along with deafening gunshots. The uneven steel tes on the floor were soon drenched in crimson blood.


    However, it seemed as though there were an endless number of monsters. Charles knew that he had to make a decision soon. Standing in the midst of the chaotic battlefield, Charles closed his eyes and began to gather every single particle of lightning in his body.


    Charles felt sore; something was swelling up inside of him, and it grewrger andrger as the seconds went on. In just three seconds, Charles felt like he was about to explode.


    However, Charles knew that the power he had gathered in a mere three seconds wasn''t enough to deal with the enemies before them.


    He had to gather more particles of lightning. It had worked with the Lightning Rod, so surely he could do the same when he had already assimted thetter.


    Charles gnashed his teeth and decided to endure the pain. The white glow around him grew brighter and brighter.


    Elizabeth took out a short rod and thrust it toward the giant humanoid monster before her. The giant humanoid monster exploded into a bloody mist and pus once its flesh made contact with the short rod.


    Elizabeth nced at Charles, and she tacitly stood next to him to protect him.


    More and more hideous monsters poured out of the cabin. Aliya and her group were starting to falter in the face of the incessant assault. The monsters were slowly cornering them, forcing them to stick together to defend in all directions.


    Aliya looked around, and her expression flickered in hesitation. Eventually, she took out a crystal skull. She nced at Charles once more and decided to put away the crystal skull.


    Just as their formation was about to shatter, Charles pushed his palm forward, sending a wave of white lightning arcs toward the giant humanoid monsters before him. The white lightning arcs began hopping onto monster after monster.


    Charles'' palm spat more and more white lightning arcs. Every single monster would copse upon getting hit by a white lightning arc, and the onught continued until a strong, scorched smell pervaded the air aboard Swann.


    Soon, the white lightning arcs fizzled out and disappeared. Charles felt utterly exhausted as he staggered backward. Elizabeth rushed to support Charles before thetter could fall to the ground.


    "Are you okay, Charles?" Elizabeth asked with a face full of worry at the exhausted Charles.


    "I-I''m fine... It''s just that... it hasn''t been that long since I got this ability, so I still need more practice," Charles said. He struggled to stand up with Elizabeth''s help.


    Charles looked around and saw that every single monster around them had been electrocuted and scorched ck. A satisfied smile hung on his lips; he was d that his efforts hadn''t been in vain.

 Chapter 328. Daddy [Bonus Image]

    <h4>Chapter 328. Daddy [Bonus Image]</h4>


    "Where did you get that ability? That was amazing!" Elizabeth''s eyes glimmered in surprise upon discovering that Charles had be significantly stronger since thest time she saw him.


    "Let''s talk about it once we''re done here. We can''t let this opportunity go!" Charles let go of Elizabeth''s hand and staggered toward the colossal vertical pupil on Swann''s ventral side.


    A crowd of hideous monsters wearing masks made of intricate t gears awaited Charles. Like mites, they were everywhere as far as Charles could see.


    "Distract them for me! Light all the explosives and hand them over to me!" Charles roared his orders. The others moved quickly; some rushed toward the group of giant humanoid monsters while the others frantically handed over the lit explosives to Charles.


    Charles moved quickly and wrapped the explosives with his invisible tentacles. He bent his knees and jumped down Swann. The air shrieked loudly, and the whistling of the wind pierced Charles'' ears as he fell rapidly.


    Soon, he appeared upside down in front of the colossal vertical pupil. Swann''s eye, which was asrge as a football field, finally noticed Charles, but it was toote.


    "Go to hell!" Charles roared and swung his Dark de, drawing a thin line across the eyeball. He then shoved the explosives inside the wound and let go. Charles continued falling, but his gazended on the hole between the colossal eye and half a mouth. It was the hole that the Pope had sted open during that battle.


    Charles twisted in mid-air and reached out to grab the ledge before him when the scenery peeled away. When he came to his senses, he was stupefied to find himself inside the wound he had carved open in the eyeball, and he was surrounded by the explosives he had shoved into the same wound.


    <i>What was that? Did he teleport me, or is this an illusion? </i>


    Charles had yet to figure out what had happened when a thunderous boom echoed around him. The explosives sted the white gtinous substance around the eyeball along with Charles.


    A wave of excruciating pain struck Charles as his nerves screamed at him. The scenery before him spun rapidly, and the intense pain made it clear to Charles that he had suffered internal injuries.


    <i>I''m falling too fast! I have to break my fall before it''s toote! </i>Tentacles burst out of Charles, and they waved frantically in mid-air, seemingly looking for something to grab. Fortunately, one of the tentacles managed to wrap itself around a steel pipe sticking out of Swann, and Charles managed to break his fall.


    Charles took a moment topose himself. He got ready to get moving once more when an enormous shadow swept past him. Swann''s half of a sagging mechanical tongue had made its move and curled up around Charles.


    Charles found himself inplete darkness as the tongue weighed down on him like a mountain. He could even hear the sound of his bones cracking. He waspletely trapped between Swann''s mechanical tongue and his half of a mouth made out of flesh and blood.


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    White lightning arcs crackled and sprung up around Charles. His goal was to force Swann to lift his mechanical tongue off of him by electrocuting thetter''s tongue, but then a resentful voice pierced his ears.


    "You gave me no choice!"


    A violent tremor ran through Charles, along with a sharp pain. He felt as though a drill was trying to dig a hole in his back. Charles struggled desperately between the mechanical tongue and the mouth to no avail.


    A few secondster, the sharp pain intensified into a searing pain. The <i>drill</i> had shattered his skin and pierced his muscles. Now, it was in the process of drilling its way into his spine.


    Just as Charles felt like he was about to get torn apart, the <i>drill</i> abruptly disappeared. Even the sensation of the tongue and mouth pressing against him was gone. Charles opened his eyes and saw an indescribable cluster of tentacles flickering a dim glow. The writhing tentacles were riddled with eyes emitting a greenish hue. The eyes repeatedly manifested and popped like bubbles on the surface of the writhing tentacles.


    Charles was familiar with the creature before him. He had seen it before at sea. As it approached, unexinable extreme fear gripped Charles'' heart, and he instinctively wanted to stay as far away from it as possible.


    A few tentacles wrapped around Charles and dragged him out of Swann''s mouth.


    <i>It saved me? Why? Why did it save me? </i>Charles was baffled.


    "Daddy," a hazy whisper suddenly echoed in his ears.


    "What?" Charles'' pupils constricted. He looked as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning, and the blood drained out of his face as he stared at the cluster of eyeballs in front of him.


    He couldn''t quite grasp what was happening, and he thought that getting torn apart and eaten by the creature before him was better than having to confront the reality that had just unfolded before him.


    <i>No... that can''t be. A-am I dreaming? Yes, I must be... this is just too absurd! </i>


    Charles and Sparkle stared at each other in mid-air, but Swann had no intention of giving the two enough time to bond as father and daughter.


    A rift in Swann''s flesh was torn open, and a torrent of flesh, blood, and steel rushed toward the two. Charles snapped back to his senses, and his invisible tentacles twitched, allowing him to climb up and avoid Swann''s attack.


    Charles looked down and was astonished to find a drill made out of flesh, blood, and steel making a beeline for the cluster of eyeballs. Charles moved instinctively. His tentacles abandoned their climb, allowing Charles to plunge toward the cluster of eyeballs and Swann.


    However, it seemed that Charles'' response was unnecessary. The cluster of eyeballs that had called him Daddy pounced on the drill and engulfed it with its tentacles. It then ripped the drill apart and devoured it.


    A slender tentacle moved to catch the falling Charles. Then, a green eyeball popped out of the indescribable cluster of eyeballs. The green eyeball flipped, seemingly finding its orientation before finding Charles.


    "Daddy... y..." The same voice as earlier entered Charles'' ears. Sparkle seemed indifferent to the threat of the behemoth next to her as all of her green eyes stared intently at Charles.


    Charles was stupefied, and he reached out to touch the green eyeball while stewing in his own shock. <i>What...? Can anyone tell me what exactly is going on here? </i>


    Swann was instantly furious upon being ignored by Charles and Sparkle. Every single thread of flesh and blood attached to Swann spliced up and converged to create an ugly amalgamation of flesh and blood.


    Charles'' heart went cold at the threat before him. He quicklyposed himself and shouted at Sparkle, "We have to leave! We can''t stay here!"


    Unfortunately, Sparkle couldn''t seem to understand Charles'' words. It remained unmoving as it repeated, "Daddy... y..."


    <i>Thud!</i>


    A dull thud echoed from out of nowhere. Swann''s colossal figure went stiff as a spire the size of the Eiffel Tower pierced Swann''s face less than a meter above Charles.


    Swann''s filthy ck blood dripped onto Charles'' face down below.


    Three breathster, Swann''s colossal figure swayed, and he copsed. Swann had gotten extremely close to Hope Ind, so half of him was in the water, while the other half was on the ind as hey motionless like a dead crab. Three massive spires were sticking out of Swann''s back at three different locations.


    "Good thing I wasn''t toote. Anyway, Charles, who is that?" A friendly and genial voice echoed above Charles.

 Chapter 329. Who Does She Take After?

    <h4>Chapter 329. Who Does She Take After?</h4>


    Charles looked up and saw the Pope floating above him. The old man was dressed in a magnificent gold-trimmed white robe. Charles turned and saw oval-shaped airships behind the cathedral on Hope Ind. The signature triangr symbol of the Divine Light Order was painted on the blimps flying so high they almost touched the domed ceiling.


    The nearly dozen airships were in a neat formation. There were massive chains dangling off the side of the airships; evidently, the airships had transported the massive steel spires that had pierced Swann.


    <i>When did the Divine Light Order''s technology be so advanced? </i>Charles thought with a frown.


    "Charles, it''s rude to get distracted while speaking to your elders," the Pope said with a tinge of dissatisfaction in his voice.


    Charles'' gazended on the Pope, and he said, "Thank you for your help."


    He couldn''t quite deduce the Pope''s thoughts, and thetter was an enigmatic old man in his eyes, but Charles still knew that the Pope had indeed saved his life earlier. Thus, he decided to express his gratitude to the old man.


    "Who''s that? Your friend?" the Pope asked curiously while staring at Sparkle.


    Sparkle was still holding up Charles with her tentacles. She was curious about the old man giving off a radiant golden light, and she stretched out a tentacle toward the Pope.


    However, Charles stopped Sparkle with his invisible tentacle and said to the Pope, "I''m not too sure, actually. I''m going to tell you once I''ve figured it out."


    The Pope stared alternatingly between Charles and Sparkle. Eventually, he nodded and said, "It seems that you and your tentacle friend have your own private matter to deal with. Go ahead and settle it first. I''ll go check if Swann is actually dead."


    The old man flew toward the crab beneath them.


    As Sparkle''s tentacles lowered Charles slowly to the ground, the inder''s cheers pierced Charles'' ears. They had defeated an enemy as mighty as a god and had even survived the ordeal!


    The ships out at sea started returning to the harbor while the green heads of the Deep Dwellers plunged into the depths. Swann had fallen, while the Divine Light Order had arrived with their Pope to reinforce Hope Ind.


    The Deep Dwellers Elders knew that their attack had failed. They were strong, but they knew that they couldn''t possibly withstand the attack of the Divine Light Order, the Elizarles Shores, and Hope Ind all at the same time.


    They had to flee, and they had to do it quickly. Things would get quite troublesome if the three forces managed to surround them.


    The inders cheered even louder at the Deep Dwellers'' retreat, but Charles couldn''t celebrate at all. He had a major issue he had to handle, and it was in the form of a cluster of eyeballs right in front of him.


    <i>Pop!</i>


    A green eyeball¡ªfifty centimeters across¡ªpopped out of the water and rolled to Charles'' feet.


    Charles'' expression wasplicated as he stared at the green eyeball.


    "Daddy... y..."


    Three secondster, Charles sighed at length. One of his invisible tentacles picked up one of the smaller eyeballs and hurled it at the massive green eyeball with a cross-shaped pupil.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The eyeball flew back straight toward Charles, and he batted it away with precision, sending it back into the sea. Just like that, and in the middle of the chaotic harbor, Charles batted away every single eyeball that emerged from the pitch-ck sea. More and more eyeballs appeared in mid-air, and they would asionally rub against each other, generating a giggling noise.


    Charles caught one of the green eyeballs and gave it a gentle squeeze. "What''s your name?"


    Since he found out that the eyeball before him was his child, Charles no longer found it as repulsive as when he first encountered it.


    "Spark... Sparkle..."


    "Sparkle? Okay, where''s your mother?" Charles asked.


    As soon as Charles'' words fell, Sparkles'' tentacles and eyeballs flickered frantically, and every single tentacle and eyeball converged on the cross-shaped pupil before disappearingpletely.


    "Hmm?" Charles hesitantly reached out a hand toward where Sparkle was just now.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Sparkle abruptly reappeared, and Charles'' outstretched hand was sucked into the cross-shaped pupil. Flustered, Charles attempted to pull his hand out, but a fair hand grabbed his hand.


    "What are you doing? I''m busy, so you better have dragged me here for a good reason!" Anna shook Charles'' hand off of her hand as she emerged from the cross-shaped pupil d in a tight-fitting purple dress.


    She looked around with an annoyed gaze, but her eyes instantly lit up when she saw Swann. The excited light in her eyes made her seem as if she were a young girl standing before a branded handbag in a luxury store.


    "Goodness, is that Ronker? No wonder I haven''t been able to find it. It turns out that it decided toe here. Wait, it''s badly damaged. I wonder if it''s still usable..." Anna muttered.


    She was about to go over to Swann, but Charles pulled her back.


    Anna turned and found Charles pointing at Sparkle.


    "What is that?" Charles asked.


    "What do you mean, what is that? She''s your daughter! Oh, is it that surprising that you just can''t believe it?" Anna replied with a yful smile.


    "But you clearly are... how could both of us have..." Charles stammered. Anna''s words had shattered his doubts.


    Meanwhile, Sparkle''s tentacles gently wrapped them.


    "Well, if there''s a will, there''s a way. I simply found a way. I wanted to tell you about her long ago when you''d just been cured of your mind corruption, but I was afraid that you''d go crazy again, so I decided to give you some time to yourself."


    Anna stepped forward with her high heels and wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck. She looked slightly askance as she asked, "What''s wrong? Are you not happy that I gave birth to your child?"


    Charles removed Anna''s arms around his neck, and he sounded helpless as he said, "No, that''s not the point. You said she''s my daughter, so howe she looks like that?"


    Anna grimaced and started poking Charles'' chest with her sharp fingernail, making him retreat as she said, "Do you really think that Sparkle looks like that because of me?


    "I''m just an ordinary Dioite, so how could I give birth to something as huge as Sparkle? I also want to remind you that you''ve contributed as well, and since she doesn''t take after me, she obviously takes after you, you scumbag!"


    "What? She takes after me?" Charles felt like the mental state that he had just fortified a while ago was crumbling once again. He turned to Sparkle and stared at her for quite a while before looking down at himself and his human form. He felt like his mind had be mush at Anna''s explosive revtion.


    Anna huffed and puffed as she stomped her way over to Swann.


    "Anna!" Charles hurriedly chased after her and said, "Please exin clearly. How could Sparkle possibly take after me? Could it be because of my tattoo?"


    Anna looked both helpless and annoyed as she said, "I didn''t expect you to be this slow-witted. Have you still not realized that your physique is a bit different from ordinary people after you''ve visited all those dangerous ces?"


    "My physique?" Charles froze and went silent as scenes shed across his mind.


    <i>"Your intuition is wrong. We''re not the same as these riffraffs. We''re the chosen ones, while they''re nothing but vulgarmoners," </i>the Pope said.


    <i>"That''s why I said you''re lucky¡ªyou''re lucky for the fact that you''ve absorbed two Origin Essences, yet the side effects you''ve experienced aren''t as devastating as what our test subjects had to go through before dying. Really, I feel like dissecting you to see what''s going on beneath the surface," </i>Laesto said in his wheelchair.


    Finally, he recalled the freakish mutation that had urred to him upon falling into despair when he first discovered Dawn One. He recalled seeing his own fingers morphing into octopus-like tentacles riddled with eyes.


    The scene of various amorphous organs sprouting all over him remained vivid in his memories. He saw appendages resembling those of crab ws, ballooning orbs of dark matter, and even triangr deformed dead fish-like eyes.


    Charles was beyond stupefied¡ªwas he staring at his own monstrous self at the time?


    "Could it be that... I wasn''t hallucinating back then?" Charles muttered incredulously.

 Chapter 330. Family

    <h4>Chapter 330. Family</h4>


    Charles cast a trembling gaze upon his hand. His hand looked terrifying, as it was riddled with scars, but it was definitely the hand of a human being.


    A dark arc shed by, and a crimson line was drawn on Charles'' palm as crimson blood seeped out of his wound. His blood looked the same as the blood of any other human.


    Anna walked over and sneered, "Reading your palm? How''s your career and love line going?"


    One of Sparkle''s eyeballs floated over curiously to join in on the fun.


    "What else do you know? Tell me everything," Charles said with a frown as he put down his slightly trembling hand.


    "No rush. Let''s talk while walking. You described this ind beautifully, and I''m curious about the sights here. It''s my first time here as well," Anna replied. She wrapped her arm around Charles'' elbow and leaned her head on his shoulder.


    The pair walked down the sunny beach. Anna took off her high heels and walked down the warm soft sand with her bare feet.


    "Remember when you went crazy? I looked everywhere for a treatment for your mind corruption, and that was when a doctor from the Eastern Seas discovered abnormalities in your physique," Anna said.


    "But I''m clearly human... you saw it as well earlier. My wound... the blood was red, so how can my offspring be like this thing?" Charles asked as he nced at Sparkle following closely next to them.


    Anna red at Charles in dissatisfaction, and she grumbled, "Why won''t you believe me? What? Are you trying to say that I cheated on you, and I''m trying to make you take responsibility for a child that''s not yours?"


    "That''s not what I''m trying to say, Anna. I''m saying that¡ª"


    "I know, I know..." Anna interrupted Charles and said, "I know what you''re trying to say, and the answer is simple. There''s a limit to what human senses can perceive, and it''s all because human sensory organs are too weak."


    "You can touch, smell, see, hear, and taste. Great, but that''s it. There''s more to the world than it appears to you, and what you can see is what your sensory organs can perceive. For example, the Diois Tribe..."


    Anna lifted her right hand in front of Charles. Charles stared at her hand manicured with sapphire blue nail polish. Momentster, Anna''s fingers distorted and transformed into ck hollow tentacles.


    "Can you see these red waves radiating from your head?" Anna asked.


    "Red waves?" Charles asked, sounding focused.


    "Right, you can''t see them. The fact that the members of the Diois Tribe can see what humans can''t even perceive is precisely the reason they can easily manipte the human mind.


    "That''s exactly why the Subterranean Sea has always been incredibly dangerous to humans. There have always been many things right in front of you, but you simply can''t perceive them, which is why you''ve always been unaware of their existence."


    Just then, Charles felt his right ear twitch and swell up. He turned to his right and saw that a tentacle had crawled out of his right ear.


    The tentacle jumped onto Anna, and it quivered, shaking off the graying substance on its body. The tentacle swiftly dried up and became hollow.


    Havingpleted its transformation, the tentacle hopped onto Charles'' ear and started crawling inside once more.


    "Hmph, what''s up with that look? Do you find me repulsive? It should actually be the other way around. You look more hideous than me, so you should be grateful that I don''t find you repulsive at all," Anna grumbled.


    Just then, the ck dried-up tentacle drilled into Charles'' head. A wave of sharp pain immediately struck Charles, and his expression became ugly as he wrapped his hand around his forehead.


    It felt like chainsaws were sawing his brain in all directions at the same time. Sparkle floated over in front of Charles'' face, and the light of worry was evident in its cross-shaped pupil.


    "Can I see what I truly look like?" Charles gently pushed away Sparkle and crouched beneath the shade of a nearby coconut tree.


    "You want to see what you truly look like? No problem. I can tell that doctor from the Eastern Seas toe here, but I honestly think that you should prioritize finding a way to take control over your body first rather than taking a look at it."


    "Have you found a way?" Charles asked. He looked down at himself and frowned. He truly couldn''t see any abnormalities on his body.


    "I''m still looking, but you should send your men to look for a way as well," Anna said. She sent a tentacle toward a coconut and pulled it down. The same tentacle cracked open the coconut, and she gave it a tiny sip before giving it to Charles.


    Charles epted the coconut and gulped it down. His throbbing head seemed to calm down as the sweet coconut water ran down his throat and settled in his stomach.


    Charles took a deep breath before staring intently at Sparkle before him. The green eyeball was sparkling while staring at him, and Charles couldn''t help but feel hesitant. <i>Is this thing really my daughter?</i>


    "Daddy... hug..." A slender tentacle reached out to Charles.


    Charles reached out a trembling hand, and the sparkling eyeball pounced on him before snuggling up into his arms. The father and daughter finally made their first skin-to-skin contact, and Charles felt like he was hugging a marshmallow.


    "S-she''s... my daughter?" Charles muttered nkly, and an unprecedented emotion filled his heart, making him feel warm all over.


    Anna''s lips curled up slightly to a smile. She supported her chin with her slender palms as she stared at the heartwarming scene before her.


    The father and daughter embraced each other for quite a while. Eventually, Charles let go of Sparkle and turned to Anna. "Why can''t our daughter speak save for a few words? Have you been too busy to teach her?"


    "What do you know?" Anna rolled her eyes at Charles and said, "Our daughter isn''t even one year old yet. Have you seen a child speaking fluently before they were one?"


    "She''s not even one yet?" Charles asked, sounding dumbfounded.


    "Of course, she was still in my stomach during our previous rendezvous," Anna replied.


    Charles stared in surprise at Sparkle and said, "Howe she''s already so big when she''s not even one year old yet? I can''t even imagine how big she''ll be once she grows up and bes an adult..."


    "You definitely don''t have time to raise a child, so don''t worry about it." Anna grabbed one of Sparkle''s tentacles and pulled her next to her. "I suggest you don''t think too much about it. I''ll head back first, then. See youter."


    Anna turned around and was about to go inside the cross-shaped pupil of Sparkle, but Charles grabbed her.


    "Is there something else?" Anna asked, sounding and looking impatient. "I''m busy over there."


    Charles'' expression softened as she stared at Anna''s delicate features. "Anna, can you stay here for a while? It''s been a while since west saw each other, and I''ve been missing you."


    Anna''s face briefly turned into that of joy before disappearing in the blink of an eye. She cupped Charles'' face with her slightly cold hands and stared into his eyes before saying, "Hearing you say that makes me happy that I haven''t been suffering in vain for your sake.


    "I''ll stay here for a few days, then. Now that I think about it, I''m pretty much the Lady of Hope Ind."


    Charles chuckled and held her hand. The pair started walking toward the Governor''s Mansion in the distance, with Sparkle floating next to them.


    "<i>Ah,</i> our daughter''s here. Are you sure you want to bring her to the mansion just like his? Are you not afraid of scaring people?" Anna asked.


    "Why would I be afraid? This is my ind, and my daughter absolutely has no need to avoid anyone," Charles replied.


    The Pope standing on Swann was all smiles as he stared at the couple in the distance. "How interesting. A rtionship as pure as theirs is rare, and it''s even between a Dioite and a human being."


    An intermittent cacophony of noises echoed in the Pope''s mind. "Lylejay, how are the preparations going?"


    "Great Light God, the preparations are going swimmingly, and I will be able to rescue you soon," Lylejay replied.


    "Thank you, Lylejay."


    "It is my honor, and your servants are always waiting for your return."

 Chapter 331. Change

    <h4>Chapter 331. Change</h4>


    <i>Home? I''m home? </i>Charles wondered in astonishment as he stared at the door before him that was adorned with an upside-down <i>Fu</i> character, a traditional symbol of fortune hung in reverse.


    With a soft <i>click</i>, the heavy security door swung open on its own to reveal the cozy little living room within. The cacophony of familiar voices echoed from one side of the room; there was someone at home. And those voices were familiar to him, for they belonged to his family members.


    As his heart pumped in excitement, Charles stepped inside and immediately caught sight of his family. They were lounging on the sofa; the television was turned on while his sister was ying games on her mobile phone.


    The first to notice Charles was Gao Suling. The young girl''s gaze shifted away from her phone screen and locked onto Charles. Herrge eyes widened. But there was no trace of joy; instead, they were filled with terror as though she had seen the most horrifying thing in the world.


    "<i>AHHHHHH!</i>" Gao Suling screamed hysterically, her cries echoing through the room. She clutched her head and scrambled toward the balcony in panic.


    His parents, who had been watching TV, stood up in rm. As soon as they caught sight of Charles, deep fear painted their faces.


    They stretched out their arms and stood before Gao Suling to protect her. At the same time, they frantically threw their phones and the TV remote at Charles as they shouted at him in an attempt to drive him away.


    "Dad, Mom! It''s me! I''m Gao Zhiming! What''s wrong with you all?" Charles pleaded desperately.


    Just then, he suddenly noticed a full-length mirror by the side. The reflection was that of a grotesque, deformed creature covered in sticky, dark brown muck. Tentacles with triangr eyes jutted out of its body and were writhing haphazardly. Its limbs were also twisted and contorted, protruding and retracting intermittently.


    What struck terror into Charles''s heart was that those triangr eyes on the tentacles were also staring right back at him.


    Charles stumbled as he took a step back; the creature in the mirror mirrored his movement.


    "No...impossible. I''m not a monster! I''m not!" Trembling uncontrobly, Charles looked down at his own body to realize that he had somehow transformed into the very monster reflected in the mirror.


    In a state of panic, he ran and reached out to the nearest phone from the ground, hoping tomunicate with his family through text.


    However, a scene of despair happened before him. His three family members were already standing at the edge of the balcony; their legs were trembling uncontrobly.


    "Don''t jump! It''s me, Gao Zhiming!!" Charles pleaded as he rushed toward them.


    At the sight of Charles charging toward them, the trio leaped off the balcony without a hint of hesitation.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Charles'' eyes flew open; he woke up drenched in cold sweat. As he gasped for breath, he stared at the ornately carved ceiling of his bedroom in the Governor''s mansion.


    He was in his disheveled,rge bed.


    Soon, his breathing gradually calmed down, but his inner turmoil was far from subsiding.


    He closed his eyes and turned his head to bury his face into the soft, pale back beside him before taking in a deep breath.


    Anna, who had been reading Charles'' diary, felt his touch on her. She turned around and gently held Charles in her embrace.


    In a soft voice, she asked, "What''s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"


    Charles remained silent, and Anna chose not to press further. She tenderly patted his back and hummed a familiar luby.


    Charles clung tightly to Anna''s petite frame, using so much force as though trying to merge her into his body.


    A flicker of concern shed past Anna''s eyes, but she didn''t struggle and allowed Charles to do whatever he wanted. Her lips closed in on Charles'' ear, and she whispered, "I''ll never leave you, my love."


    Half an hourter, in the living room of the Governor''s mansion, Charles chewed absentmindedly on his raw sd. A bare foot yfully reached out from his left and poked him in the waist.


    "You scoundrel, I''m talking to you. Are you even listening?" Anna teased, despite her own attention being on Charles'' cellphone.


    Charles turned toward Anna and asked, "What did you just say?"


    "I said, why don''t we send Sparkle back first? Five of your staff here have already fainted upon seeing her," Anna replied.


    Just then, the sound of a te shattering echoed from nearby. Charles'' gaze turned toward the direction of the noise. He turned and saw his daughter, Sparkle, hovering in the air. She was using her tentacles to stuff various delicate furnishings into her body.


    She wasn''t interested in eating the furniture. A few secondster, she spat them back out onto the floor after she had tasted them. She was much like a human child who wanted to have a taste of anything that they could reach and put into their mouth.


    "It''s okay. I''ll ask the others to leave the Governor''s Mansion for the time being. That way, they won''t get scared. Sparkle is my daughter; she should be at home," Charles said.


    "You are surely considerate of your daughter. When will you ever show me the same consideration?" Anna yfully jibed.


    A faint smile appeared on Charles'' lips as he gently lifted Anna''s chin with his index finger.


    "Have I not given you enough attention?" Charles teased before he swiftly leaned in and nted a kiss on her scarlet lips.


    Anna pushed him away and rolled her eyes, "Sparkle''s here watching. Did you not have enoughst night?"


    Charles turned to look at Sparkle to see her gtinous eyeballs quickly averting their gazes. He then let go of Anna and resumed his lunch.


    "What are you nning to do next?" Anna asked.


    "Nothing. I n to spend the next few days with you and Sparkle."


    "How cheesy. Go and do your work, won''t you? Your ind is in chaos. At this rate, people might start thinking that I''m some kind of siren that is distracting you from official affairs."


    Munching on his food, Charles looked up at Anna in surprise.


    "What are you staring at? Have you not seen enough?" Anna''s body suddenly split open, and a terrifying tentacled creature lunged at Charles.


    Not even the least fazed, Charles popped thest greenish tomato from his te into his mouth and stood up.


    "Alright then, I''ll get to work first. I''ll settle the urgent matter as quickly as I can ande back to spend quality time with you and Sparkle."


    Charles pondered over Anna''s words as he made his way toward his office. Anna had been right. Hope Ind was in dire need of rebuilding, and he, the Governor, had a pile of official work to deal with.


    Battered and chaotic from the aftermath of the war, Hope Ind started its reconstruction. The joy from the inders'' battle victory soon slowly faded away to be reced by a lingering air of sadness.


    Despite the Navy and the others'' proactive retaliation, the ind still incurred heavy damage. There were roughly a few thousand casualties¡ªeach a living, breathing individual.


    However, life still had to go on. With heavy hearts, the residents started repairing their damaged homes.


    Time was the best medicine. A few dayster, a new decree was issued: the Governor''s Mansion would subsidize the rebuilding of copsed houses and streets. The inders finally started smiling.


    On top of that, Charles dered a tax exemption for the whole ind for the next four months. Everyone''s enthusiasm was almost enough to overturn the newly repaired canopies.


    The move was as good as handing them money.


    The ind and its residents were healing swiftly. Following the attack, the inders'' sense of unity and attachment to their home was markedly strengthened.


    Now that the citizen''s welfare had been addressed, it was time to make a political move.


    As the Governor of Hope Ind, Charles publicly dered the Fhtagn Covenant as the ind''s primary enemy and issued a series of retaliatory measures against all Fhtagnists.

 Chapter 332. Anna

    <h4>Chapter 332. Anna</h4>


    Charles wasn''t just paying lip service; he issued a bounty order. From that moment on, anyone who brought the head of a Fhtagnist to the Governor''s Mansion on Hope Ind would receive a substantial reward after the staff had verified the distinctive tentacle tattoo on the heads of those cultists.


    He wasn''t afraid of retaliation. After all, without Swann, the Fhtagn Covenantcked the means tounch a full-scale war against Hope Ind, or they would never seed in destroying the ind. Hope Ind was remote, but it was no pushover.


    Charles didn''t know when it happened, but his words had gained significant weight across the Subterranean Seascape. Also, the Fhtagn Covenant had already burned the bridges when they had enlisted the help of the Deep Dwellers to attack the ind. Feigning ignorance would not stop the Covenant from stirring further trouble.


    If it hadn''t been for Dipp''s earlier warning, Hope Ind would have faced utter destruction and more casualties. The rtionship between the Covenant and Charles had gone beyond the point of no return.


    Although Charles didn''t provide any concrete evidence that proved the Deep Dwellers were acting under the Fhtagn Covenant''smands, the general sentiment toward the Fhtagnists took a plummet for the worse after his deration.


    The rumors of them notoriously sacrificing the entire Albion Isles for their benefit had already sullied the Covenant''s reputation. Now, they couldn''t even try to defend themselves anymore.


    Even if they were considered to be a heretical religion, the seascape denizens were not necessarily afraid of them. A religion despised by those in power would find its evangelism work exceedingly difficult.


    The Fhtagn Covenant was already known for its human sacrificial rituals, and the Covenant had been overlooked in the past since human life was considered cheap in the seascape. And they had only been sacrificing their own followers as well.


    However, theirtest action of coborating with another species to harm their own species¡ªhumans¡ª was crossing the baseline. Crossing this line meant bing an enemy of all humanity. In such a scenario, not even their almighty God, Fhtagn, could save their reputation.


    Meanwhile, Charles had received a telegram from the Fhtagn Covenant, but he chose to ignore it. They were now sworn enemies; any words or discussion would be futile.


    After resolving the foreign political matters, Charles began to honor and reward his men for their contributions. The navy, in particr, had exerted significant effort and received bonuses that were several times their regr sries.


    The survivors of District 3, which had bravely charged alongside Charles in their fierce battle against Swann, reaped substantial rewards. Each of them received enough Echo to easily purchase arge house in the central district. They had also received significant promotions within the Police Department.


    Fortunately, Hope Ind''s finances were in excellent health, and they could disburse the generous promisedpensations.


    When all official matters had been settled, the ind buzzed with preparations for a grand banquet to celebrate their war victory.


    The event was graced by the ind''s most influential individuals, including officials from the Governor''s Mansion and several business leaders. There seemed to be a newfound closeness in their rtionships.


    "Captain! I wasn''t hiding at home back then!" Frey, the former Cook of the Narwhale, bragged as he stumbled toward Charles in a drunken state.


    "I got on a ship, and I got some of their heads! Look! I''ve got so much money now, and I bought many relics!" He slurred as his round body swayed unsteadily under the influence of alcohol.


    "Is that so?" d in a suit, Charles asked as he discreetly steadied Frey with an invisible tentacle for fear of thetter falling over. "You''ve fought hard."


    He had noticed that Frey had put on more weight since theirst meeting.


    "Charles, who is this? He looks familiar," Anna asked as she approached with a wine ss in her hand. She was dressed in a body-fitting, extravagant white gown.


    Before Charles could respond, Frey''s face turned ghostly pale as his gazended on Anna. Her appearance seemed to have shocked him out of his inebriated state.


    Buried fears quickly resurfaced in Frey''s mind as he remembered her. His lips parted into an imminent scream, but Charles swiftly covered his mouth with a hand.


    "Don''t scream. I know who she is. Everything''s fine, you can go," Charles reassured Frey with perfunctory words. Frey was evidently not assured; he continuously nced back with a suspicious gaze as he walked away from the couple.


    A mischievous glint twinkled in Anna''s eyes as she let out a chuckle. "He''s so tall and meaty. How cute. He looks quite delicious, too."


    "Don''t make jokes like that. I don''t appreciate them," Charles remarked with his brows furrowed.


    Anna let out a heartyughter in response and asked, "Why are you so sensitive?" She then draped herself over Charles and wrapped her arms around his neck.


    As the Governor, Charles'' every word and action was always under scrutiny, and the sudden appearance of a peerless beauty by his side certainly didn''t go unnoticed.


    This was especially true for the former crew of the Narwhale. They recognized Anna and immediately gathered with solemn expressions as they listened intently to Frey''s animated and fearful recount of his encounter with Anna.


    Meanwhile, Anna''s eyes darted around the hall and teased, "Look at all these women ring at me with hostility. It seems like you''re quite popr here. Tell me, have you been sleeping with someone else behind my back?"


    "You are overthinking," Charles said as he removed Anna''s arms around his neck.


    "Don''t think that I don''t know. Men always think with their lower halves. Maybe we should talk about that woman, Elizabeth, from before."


    As soon as Anna mentioned her, Elizabeth gracefully approached the couple; her tinum white hair had been elegantly curled for the asion.


    "You must be Miss Anna? Hello, I''ve heard Charles mention you," Elizabeth said as she lifted Anna''s hand and nted a gentle kiss on it.


    A slight unease stirred in Charles'' heart. This was not the typical etiquette women used with each other.


    Anna''s mouth was slightly agape, and shepletely didn''t notice anything amiss about Elizabeth''s etiquette.


    She looked up at the towering two-meter-tall beauty and said in amazement, "My goodness! Gao Zhiming, so this is your Elizabeth? You have quite a unique taste, <i>huh?</i> Going for either someone like me or someone like her."


    Charles''s gaze alternated between the two women, and a question abruptly entered his mind.


    <i>Am I supposed to say something?</i>


    Before he could figure out the answer, Anna and Elizabeth were already engaged in lively conversation; they were all smiles and even let out asionalughs.


    "Charles, this Miss Elizabeth is quite an interesting individual. I''ll be going upstairs to have a good chat with her," Anna said before walking toward the distant staircase.


    Charles was about to pose a question when Elizabeth intercepted him.


    She bent down and nted a brief, light kiss on his lips. She then smiled and said, "Darling, your wife is truly a beauty, isn''t she?"


    "<i>Huh?</i>" Charles watched the two women leaving one after another; something was strangely amiss.


    He was about to tail them stealthily and find out what they would do when his crew members from afar rushed over and surrounded him.


    "Captain! Why is she here? I thought you shot her dead? What''s going on?" James asked with a look of extreme agitation on his face. He had already ordered the guards outside to gather secretly. However, he wasn''t quite confident against a creature that could manipte human thoughts and memories.


    "Yeah, Captain, have you forgotten her true form? I heard about you finding a woman earlier and thought you were finallying to your senses and were going to bear an heir. But it''s actually her?!"


    "Captain, quick! Think about it. Has she altered your memories? I want you to think of recent events and see if there are any contradictions with reality."

 Chapter 333. Worries

    <h4>Chapter 333. Worries</h4>


    "No worries. She really didn''t alter my memories. Also, we''ve been in contact for a long time. She''s on our side," Charles patiently exined to his crew members.


    With a solemn look on his face, Audric shook his head. "No, Captain. If that woman can really alter memories, then all these memories you have of interacting with her could all be what she nted in your mind; they might all be fake."


    Just before Charles could respond and defend Anna, Lily jumped into the conversation. "That''s not true! Sister Monster has been around for the longest time now. She alreadye to look for Mr. Charles three years ago. You guys just didn''t know about it.


    "Lily, why didn''t you tell us about something so important?!" Conor, the Minister of Finance, picked her up from the ground and started shaking her.


    "Don''t yell at me! You''re spitting your foul saliva all over my fur. You guys didn''t ask, so why should I suddenly bring it up? Besides, that sister onlyes once in a long while," Lily replied as she struggled to get out of Conor''s grasp.


    "Enough!" Charles'' words interrupted everyone. "This matter ends here. Also, it stays among us."


    "But, Captain, she''s a monster, a man-eating monster! We are going to let her run loose just like that on our ind?!"


    Charles'' gaze turned darker at the question. "What''s the difference between a monster and a human? Disperse now; don''t crowd around. This matter ends here, and I''m saying this as the Captain."


    Noticing Charles'' firm stance, the crew members reluctantly dispersed. However, they seemed to have not given up yet as they gathered around Lily and pressed for more details.


    The celebratory banquet continued in the uniquely designed hall, with the guests exchanging toast and engaged in conversations.


    Thedies adorned elegant gowns, and the gentlemen were d in suits and ties. As they conversed with each other, maids in short dresses attentively served them with drinks and cigarettes.


    However, Charles was not part of the socializing. He didn''t like such situations, and the ind''s residents knew that well.


    As the owner of the ind, Charles had all the right not to involve himself in all the formalities, and no one with a sane mind would go and fawn over him.


    Meanwhile, the Minister of Administration, Leonardo, wore a slight smile on his countenance as he effortlessly mingled with those who came to curry favor with him.


    Every so often, he would sneak a nce in Charles'' direction. Though three years had passed, if one were to ask if he was truly loyal to Charles, he wouldn''t even believe his own words if he gave a positive response.


    However, the recent war had an instantaneous effect in suppressing the restless desires stirring in his heart.


    As Leonardo recalled the intensely fierce battlefields then, he understood one thing: to gain asting foothold in this seascape, relying solely on mere tricks wouldn''tst long. If he were to initiate a coup, he would probably meet the same fate as those sea monsters.


    Dressed in a crisp suit, he gently traced his fingers around the edge of the translucent ss cup as he thought to himself, <i>Forget it. He can continue being the Governor, and I shall stick to being a minister.</i>


    Suddenly, a woman dressed in a form-fitting purple gown with a high slit entered his field of vision. His eyes brightened up upon seeing her.


    "Look who''s here," Leonardo eximed. "Deputy Director Aliya, our ind''s defender."


    Aliya cast a disdainful nce at the man in front of her. "How boring. All the men here are acting like they''re something special, but they only know how to talk. If I had known earlier, I wouldn''t havee."


    Aliya then lifted her wine ss and downed the liquor inside of it. She didn''t even acknowledge Leonardo standing right before her as she turned around and walked away.


    Leonardo''s lips twitched slightly in response. He tried to maintain his gentlemanly demeanor but couldn''t stop himself from squeezing out a sentence between his gritted teeth. "Uncultured pirates."


    In the distance, a mocking glint shimmered in Aliya''s eyes.


    "A swindler who deserves to be under the guillotine," she remarked before turning her gaze onto Charles in the distance and then walking straight to the exit.


    ***


    "How is it going with the Origin Essence?" Charles asked as he sank into the plush couch with James standing in front of him.


    "Experiments are in progress. Doctor seemed to have found a pattern. He thinks that the more maritime experience one has, the higher the possibility of sessfully absorbing the Origin Essence. He said that''s why you and Bandages seeded on the first try."


    Charles nodded in understanding. "Remember to develop the newly acquired abilities of those who have seeded. The manifested abilities from absorbing the Origin Essence are not just a duplication of the relic''s powers. The absorbed power is more versatile and special; they can be applied in various other ways apart from battle."


    Charles raised his hand and watched the white electrical arcs jumping between his fingers.


    While he was using his newly gained power in his previous battles, a sudden realization dawned upon him that there was much greater potential to his power than he had imagined.


    A power''s potential shouldn''t be only limited tobat. His newly acquired lightning powers would prove to be valuable when it came to industrialization. It could serve as a lubricant between different industries.


    His instincts were telling him that manifested powers from absorbing relics could greatly aid humanity''s technological advancement and help them to easily break through the walls of limitations in various fields.


    "Understood. I''ll let Doctor know," James replied.


    "By the way, Doctor''s health is deteriorating. He can just watch over the project, and he really doesn''t need to personally oversee every stage."


    Hearing Charles'' words, a bitter smile appeared on James'' visage. "I think the same, but he isn''t willing to listen to me. You know how stubborn he can get. He didn''t even attend today''s banquet. He has gotten addicted to the research and spends every passing minute with those death row prisoners."


    Charles nodded in understanding.


    <i>Indeed, when Doctor bes obstinate, he listens to no one. I shouldn''t have let him get involved in the first ce. But he''s already at such an old age. He would probably lose interest after a while. I don''t think he''s willing to risk his health for the research.</i>


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A sudden loud noise sounded from above, and the magnificent crystal chandelier that reflected rainbow shimmers in the middle of the hall crashed to the ground. It shattered into countless pieces like a burst of fireworks, eliciting screams from thedies in the hall.


    "James! Don''t let anyone else up!" Charles ordered. He put down his wine ss and dashed toward the second floor without a moment of hesitation.


    Upon arriving at the second floor, he saw that the furniture that should have been neatly arranged was now scattered with missing legs, and the two women stood separated, one on each side of the corridor.


    Anna''s hands had turned into ck, hollowed tentacles while Elizabeth held her specially-made wooden short staff in a tight grip.


    "What''s going on?"


    Hearing Charles'' voice, the two women swiftly kept their weapons away.


    "Charles," Elizabeth cooed sexily as she walked up to Charles with a slight smile. "Nothing much; we were just getting to know each other better."


    Elizabeth then wrapped her arms around him and said, "I won''t be leaving for the time being. When you have time, remember toe find me on my ship. Every part of me misses you."


    Elizabeth headed down the stairs. Anna let out a snort as she watched the giantess'' back view, "I didn''t expect that woman to have something that could resist mental control. Otherwise, I would have already erased every single memory she has of you."


    Charles turned to look at Anna with a helpless expression.


    "Do you really have to do that?" he asked.


    "Of course, I have to!" Anna ced a hand on her waist and sashayed toward Charles. "Were you expecting us to get along harmoniously? Scumbag."

 Chapter 334. Aliya

    <h4>Chapter 334. Aliya</h4>


    The corners of Charles'' lips twitched slightly. Honestly speaking, that was the dream of every man.


    Anna pushed Charles out of the way and headed down the stairs.


    "If I find another man, you''d probably understand how I feel right now," she remarked without looking back, her voiceced with a hint of bitterness.


    "Anna," Charles said as he reached out to grab her wrist. "I can exin. There''s a reason for it. I thought you were dead when I first met Elizabeth. How could I have known that you were still alive? Things just eventually ended up how they are now."


    Anna''s head whipped around; a look of fury crossed her visage. She charged toward Charles with an intimidating aura, causing him to retreat.


    "<i>Oh?</i> So it''s my fault now?" Anna taunted.


    Charles was at a loss for words, and silence permeated the air. Seeing his reaction, Anna turned around once more and continued her descent down the stairs.


    "Forget it. I will not take it against a man who''s part of someone else''s harem," Anna jested in spite.


    "Hey, where are you going? Don''t wander around the ind."


    "I''m a little hungry. I''m going to find a human to eat."


    ***


    <i>Drip. Drip.</i>


    The continuous sound of dripping water droplets echoed within the dimly lit prison of Hope Ind.


    In a crowded cell where the ground wasid out with straw, a bald man dressed in a ck and white prison uniform had his face pressed against the iron bars. His nose twitched as he sniffed the air, and a look of ecstasy appeared on his face.


    "Take a whiff, quickly. The bloke down in the darkest hole''s got himself some grilled fish tonight."


    "You think smelling food''s enough to fill you up? It only makes the belly roar louder. Just shut your eyes and get some rest, mate. We''ve got a long day ahead tomorrow. Miss that quota, and we''re starving again."


    The conversation between the two prisoners clearly caused the displeasure of the burly, topless man seated on the opposite side of the cell. Overwhelmed by fury, he swung his fist at the stomach of the skinny guy next to him.


    "Fuck it! We are all convicts. But that bastard gets to live in a single cell, doesn''t need to work and eats well every day. If I fucking get out of here, the first thing I''ll do is rush in there and kill him!" the burly man cursed.


    "Killer Whale, don''t just talk big. I heard that the holding area for the death row prisoners is particrly spacious. Maybe you''d like a private room there."


    Killer Whale stood up and started hurling curses and swearing at the dirty dwarf in the adjacent cell. The two sides exchanged heated words, but that was all there was to it¡ªa verbal confrontation.


    They were being held in a high-security zone meant for serious offenders, and they already had enough charges against them. If they attempted a prison break, the death row zone would be their final ce of rest.


    Although they were prisoners, their information was more up-to-date than anyone would have imagined. They knew what other inders didn''t¡ªan old man in a wheelchair had been taking away the death row inmates for some kind of experiment.


    They had no idea what experiment it was that required the assistance of death row inmates, but the unknown was the most fearsome. As a result, the prisoners held here had be more well-behaved.


    The bald man who had been sniffing the airy t on the dry straw and muttered, "They have been going on for a while; why haven''t those blue dogse in to hit the bars with their sticks? Have they all died outside?"


    Just then, the sound of footsteps entered his ears. His ears perked up. He was certain that it wasn''t the usual sound he heard from the blue dogs'' boots. It was the sound of a woman''s high heels!


    He shot up straight, and his gaze was fixated on the iron gate next to him.


    "A woman! There''s a woman! I can smell her!"


    As soon as a woman dressed in a gorgeous purple high-slit dress stepped through the iron gate, all the prisoners rushed excitedly to the bars of their holding cells.


    Whistles and cat-calls erupted in the area. However, the moment their eyesnded on the red scorpion tattoo on the woman''s neck, the excitement on their faces vanished instantly. All of themy down on the straw, and silence descended.


    The fear in them was ingrained. After all, the majority of them ended up here after being captured by Aliya and her team.


    "Who the hell designed these damned high-heeled boots. They bloody hell deserve a bullet!" Aliya cursed in annoyance and removed her boots. Tossing her boots to the side, she then dashed toward the deepest cell barefooted.


    One of her boots rolled to the side and came within reach of a dirty hand. Soon, a fierce sh over the prized possession erupted in the cell.


    However, Aliya couldn''t care less about themotion behind her. She approached the cell door made of thick steel tes and pulled out a key. Inserting it into the keyhole, she then gave it a gentle twist.


    <i>Click.</i>


    The door opened instantly to reveal a terrifying fishman inking a pen.


    "Aliya? What are you doing here?" The fishman put down the pen in his hand and was about to approach her. However, his movements were restricted by heavy handcuffs and leg irons.


    A bitter smile appeared on Dipp''s scaly face. "You probably can''t recognize me, do you? If I say I''m Dipp, would you believe me?"


    Aliya rushed forward and proficiently unlocked the restraints on Dipp.


    "Boss, hurry up and leave. Most of the people on the ind are at the Governor''s Mansion to attend the celebratory banquet. My men have prepared a boat, and I''ve also subdued the prison guards outside. Once we''re out, we can take the boat and leave Hope Ind immediately!"


    Looking at his former subordinate''s anxious expression, Dipp shook his head. He bent down to pick up the handcuffs and put them back on his wrists once more.


    "Get out of here quickly. You''ll get into big trouble if they catch you."


    "I don''t care! I can always return to being a pirate!" Aliya replied in defiance.


    Dipp leisurely took afortable position on the floor and held up a piece of paper with words written on it.


    With a prideful smug on his face, he said, "Look, I''ve learned to spell quite a few new words here."


    "That punk, Charles, said that he will settle the scores with you! Staying here is just waiting for death!" Aliya eximed, her eyes turning red from desperation.


    Dipp lowered his head and ced the paper he was holding onto the low table by the side.


    "Captain won''t kill me, I''m sure of that."


    "Why do you trust him so much?! Boss, I''m begging you! Hurry up! The guys from District 4 will catch on soon."


    "Because he''s my captain," Dipp replied nonchntly as he picked up a poorly drawn picture beside him.


    The picture depicted a crooked and distorted ship, which was supposed to resemble the Narwhale, and a variety of crooked and twisted humanoid figures were standing on the deck of the vessel.


    ***


    The night passed by quietly.


    The sun shone brightly upon arge canopy roof on Hope Ind. Docked out in a bikini and a pair of sunsses, Annay on Charles'' shoulder as the couple enjoyed the sun''s warm glow.


    "I didn''t expect you guys to have sunsses here. I''ve never seen this on other inds," Anna remarked.


    "They belong to Audric. No one on this ind will go seeking their own death under the sun," Charles replied as he gently stroked Anna''s fair and soft abdomen. The pair indulged in this rare moment of intimacy.


    After a brief, quiet moment, Anna suddenly turned over and crawled on Charles'' chest. Her slender and fair fingers pulled the sunsses down.


    Looking at Charles, she said, "Actually... if you want me and Elizabeth to get along, there is a way."


    Charles'' eyes flew open at Anna''s words, and he slightly propped himself up to look her in the eye as he waited for her to continue.


    The corners of Anna''s lips curved into a faint smile, and she continued, "You just need to agree to one condition of mine, and I will not hold any grudges for what happened in the past. Also, you, me, and Elizabeth, we can have <i>some fun</i> together.


    "Don''t you covet those delicatedies in Elizabeth''s harem? If you agree to this condition of mine, I can make all of them be your harem. Even if you were to hold <i>wild parties</i> in the Governor''s Mansion every day, I won''t interfere. In fact, I will join in the fun, too."


    Charles could already deduce Anna''s condition from her gaze. He let out a sigh, closed his eyes andy back down.


    Annoyed by Charles'' silent rejection, Anna repeatedly hit Charles on the chest.


    "Hey, is it really that hard to give up searching for the surface world? You have family up there, but don''t you have family down here, too? Sparkle and I are your family, aren''t we?" Anna questioned.

 Chapter 335. Daily Life

    <h4>Chapter 335. Daily Life</h4>


    "Of course, you two are the closest people to me," Charles said as he wrapped his arm around Anna''s slender waist.


    "Then, why don''t you just stay here and enjoy your time with us every day?" Anna leaned against Charles'' chest and asked, "Is there any meaning in going out there and seeking your own death?"


    A tinge of hesitation fleeted across Charles'' face, but his face quickly grew determined as he replied, "There''s no way I can enjoy every day in this damned ce. I will never feel safe until we''ve gotten out of this ce.


    "Yes, we''ve got ourselves an ind, but the risk of sinking is there, not to mention the Divinities in the deep sea. Have you already forgotten what happened on the Albion Isles? What exactly are we in their eyes?


    "Can we really forget everything and enjoy here every day?"


    Annay on her back and stared at the glowing rift above them.


    "What if we move up there?" Anna asked as she lifted a finger to point at the rift. "That ce is so high, so there''s no way it''ll sink."


    Charles smiled bitterly and said, "Easier said than done. Otherwise, Dawn One wouldn''t be so lonely up there."


    The pair stared quietly at the glowing rift for quite a while. Eventually, Anna shattered the silence and asked, "Are you sure that the surface world is up there?"


    "Every single clue I had obtained from the Foundation is pointing that we are underneath the Earth''s crust, so the surface world is definitely above us," Charles said firmly. He sounded so firm that it seemed impossible to change his mind.


    "Is that so? But how certain are you that the world up there is the world where you hade from?" Anna asked.


    "I don''t know, but..." Charles clenched his fists unknowingly as he muttered, "I still want to try to get back."


    Anna turned and sat on top of Charles. She looked down at him with a solemn expression and said, "I think you should consider a different way to resolve this issue. For example, how about we be the rulers of the Subterranean Seascape?"


    "Rulers?" Charles smiled wryly and said, "We''re not in some movie. Are humans even qualified to be the rulers of this vast Subterranean Seascape? If we''re talking about rulers, then the Divinities are the real overlords here."


    "Then let''s find a way to defeat the Divinities and be Divinities ourselves!" Anna replied. A shadow was cast over Anna''s expression due to the lighting, so Charles couldn''t see her expression.


    However, Anna sounded far too serious for him to consider her statement as a mere joke.


    "Governor Julio represents the peak strength of mankind in the Subterranean Seascape, but has he ever made a Divinity shred even a drop of sweat against him? Has anyone in the long history of the Subterranean Seascape ever challenged the Divinities and injured them even in the slightest?" Charles asked.


    Of course, he wanted to give the Divinities a good beating and lead humanity in a campaign to return to the surface world, but they weren''t living in a fairy tale. The reality was both harsh and cold. To make matters worse, how could he possibly achieve something that even the Foundation¡ªonce rulers of the Subterranean Seascape¡ªhad failed to achieve?


    Just then, Charles recalled something and cast a frown upon Anna.


    "Did the Haikors tell you something? I advise you to stay away from them. If they truly are capable of such a thing, howe they''ve been hiding in the Sea of Mist without expanding their territory in even the slightest bit for the longest time now?"


    "If you don''t want to do it, then don''t." Annay on Charles'' chest and said, "Why are you even spouting such crap? Go ahead and continue on looking for the exit to the surface world. I''ll go and look for men to have fun with every day once you''re dead."


    Charles held Anna''s slender waist and closed his eyes to enjoy the warmth of the sunlight. "We came here to rest, and it''s quite rare for us to have free time to do something like this, so we should just enjoy our rest and not think of such things."


    Anna didn''t say anything in response, but her breathing evened out as time went by, and she rolled over Charles'' chest, falling asleep.


    Just like that, Charles obtained a brief respite from danger. Charles and Anna wandered all over Hope Ind in the next few days, and they were like a newlywed couple on their honeymoon.


    The pair got even closer to each other, and the deste Governor''s Mansion with no maids nor servants finally felt like home to Charles, even though its emptiness seemed eerie in the eyes of anyone else.


    However, thepany of a gentle and virtuous wife as well as a mischievous child had filled the empty Governor''s Mansion with a warmth that felt unprecedented to Charles.


    In a cozy bedroom filled with faint, ragged pants, Anna was covered in ayer of beaded sweat. Charles didn''t mind her sweat and hugged her tightly. Anna''s beautiful and flowing hair clung to her fair back, but she ignored it and clung to Charles as if she were an octopus.


    After a while, Charles gave her a few pecks and asked, "Anna, how did you know that Sparkle is a girl? What if she''s a boy?"


    "She''s a girl because I said she''s a girl. I gave birth to her, so there''s no way I wouldn''t know her gender," Anna replied.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Sparkle abruptly appeared on the bedside. Her green eyes were fixed on the couple for a few seconds before she vanished once more upon realizing that neither of them had called her.


    Charles and Anna exchanged looks and smiled.


    "That was so fast. Is she that fast while teleporting people?" Charles asked. Even a child could see that Sparkle''s special ability was useful, not to mention Charles.


    "She can only teleport monsters and inanimate objects. I once made her teleport a living human being, but the result... let''s just say that it wasn''t good," Anna replied.


    "I see..." Charles muttered, slightly disappointed. If Sparkle were capable of teleporting living human beings, she would be extremely helpful to him on his voyages as well as on his visits to other inds.


    "Does she have any other special abilities aside from teleportation and blink?" Charles asked.


    "Yep. Our Sparkle is pretty strong. <i>Ah, </i>let me tell you something interesting. It seems like she doesn''t need food for sustenance, whether it be humans or my milk."


    "She''s pretty strong? What does that mean? She seems tomand a fearsome presence before sea creatures. If we use the power ranking system at sea, how strong is she?"


    Sparkle seemed to have encountered virtually no issues while fighting the powerful Swann previously. Perhaps she was stronger than her father in pure strength.


    Anna''s expression changed, and she red at Charles with a hint of hostility. "Why are you asking me that question? Are you going to use your own daughter as a weapon?"


    "Of course not. I just want to have a better understanding of our daughter. Half of her genese from me, so I''m sure I''ll have a better understanding of myself once I''ve understood her power," Charles replied.


    "I see..." Anna''s expression softened. Charles'' question seemed to be a sore spot with her. "Like I said, she''s pretty strong, but I haven''t really tested her true strength. I remember teasing her by snatching away her toy, but she easily snatched it back from me. I guess she''s at least Level 9."


    "Level 9? Sparkle is almost as strong as those Deep Dweller Elders?" Charles muttered in stupefaction. He truly didn''t expect Sparkle to be so strong.


    "It''s just a random guess on my end, so I don''t think it''s <i>that</i> urate. I''m sure you also know that the power ranking system in this seascape isn''t the most well-defined concept, and Sparkle is just about six months old...


    "In other words, she''s bound to be way stronger than she is right now."

 Chapter 336. The Popes Summons

    <h4>Chapter 336. The Pope''s Summons</h4>


    "I''m saying this just in case, Gao Zhiming, you''d better not be thinking about making me give birth to children for the sake of conquering the Subterranean Sea. Would you like to know how hard it was to give birth to Sparkle? I''ll let you know. She was so big that I almost died giving birth to her," Anna said.


    Charles gently patted Anna''s back and said, "It must''ve been hard on you. Had I known you were pregnant, I would have stayed by your side until you gave birth."


    Anna''s lips curled up slightly to a faint smile. "That''s more like it. So, how about it? Wanna go for round four?"


    Before Charles could respond, his sharp ears picked up footsteps approaching the door.


    "Governor, the Pope is waiting for you in the cathedral. He said you should go over as soon as possible, so I assumed it must be for an urgent matter," someone said outside the door.


    Charles turned to Anna and said, "Wait for me here. Since the old fogey wants me to go over as soon as possible, it''s probably something important."


    Charles rolled down the bed, and his messy clothes flew over to him. He swiftly changed into them and walked out the door.


    When Charles'' footsteps faded away into the distance, a naked Anna propped herself up on the soft bed and pped her hands.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Sparkle appeared before Anna.


    "Let''s go back, Sparkle. I''m sure they must be really worried. It''s been a while since I was gone, after all," Anna said, "Your dad? He''s going to be fine. He has many people to keep himpany, so our absence won''t make that much of a difference to him."


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Anna vanished with Sparkle, and the expansive room was instantly quiet.


    Meanwhile, Charles had just stepped into the Divine Light Order''s cathedral on Hope Ind. The Pope''s back was facing Charles; Charles peeked over the Pope''s shoulder and saw that the Pope was staring at a nautical chart.


    "You''ve been rather negligent recently, my child. Could it be that she has somehow managed to soften your determination to go home?" the Pope said without even turning around to face Charles.


    Charles'' gaze seemed to bore a hole in the Pope''s back as he replied, "What? Do I have to tell you every single time I decide to set sail?"


    The Pope turned around; his expression looked as amicable and as friendly as always as he started walking over to Charles. "I think you should be a bit more respectful toward someone decades older than you. Don''t you think so, too?"


    Charles'' expression was indifferent as he sat on a nearby stool.


    "Why did you ask for me?" Charles asked.


    "How was your previous voyage? Have you found any clues to the exit to the surface world?" the Pope asked.


    "I found no clues," Charles said before telling the Pope about Ecological Zone 4. Of course, he opted to refrain from revealing certain details to thetter.


    "Ah..." the Pope stroked his beard and nodded. "Those poor souls have lost their minds in addition to their fleshly bodies getting distorted into such monstrous deformities. To make matters worse, a living relic had enved them, too.


    "May they rest in peace, and may the Light God bless their souls."


    After the short prayer, the Pope leaned forward and asked, "What was that indescribable cluster of eyeballs and tentacles? I can sense a special aura from it."


    Charles'' eyes shed in a wary light as he replied, "If you called me here for a chat, I think we''ve exchanged enough sentences. I still have important things to do, so I''ll make a move."


    Charles decisively turned around and started walking toward the exit.


    "Wait," the Pope called out and said, "The followers of the Divine Light order have discovered clues¡ªclues about the exit to the surface world from those sinful documents. I feel like the exit to the surface world is somewhere around here."


    "What?" Charles asked after turning around to stare at the Pope.


    The Pope waved his hand gently, and the rolled-up nautical chart on the table next to him floated over to his palm before unfolding by itself. The Pope''s wrinkled right hand traced along thetitude and longitude on the nautical chart.


    His right hand eventually found its way to an archipgo, which was seven hundred nautical miles away and north of Hope Ind. The archipgo was a tiny part of the nautical chart that the Pope had given to Charles long ago.


    If the Pope''s words contained no falsehoods, then it was only a matter of time before Charles found the exit to the surface world. After all, he would only have to explore an archipgo rather than the entire Subterranean Sea.


    Of course, it would only be true if the Pope''s words contained no falsehoods.


    "We discovered a few documents that keep on talking about a certain <i>door</i> around this area. I feel that the <i>door</i> they''re talking about is most likely the <i>door</i> to the surface world," the Pope said.


    "Door?" Charles was a bit surprised as he stared at the Pope. "Are you sure you''ve just discovered this information? I feel like you''re always hiding something from me. What else do you know? You''d beste clean to me right now."


    "Why are you so distrustful of others?" The Pope smacked his thigh and sighed before saying, "Is there any reason for me to harm you? I stand to gain nothing from harming you. Are you worried about this tiny ind of yours?


    "Do you now have any idea how many inds are under the Divine Light Order''s control? Do you really think I''ll covet this tiny ind?"


    "I don''t think you want to harm me," Charles replied, "But I think you''re making use of me."


    The Pope showed a rare expression of helplessness and said, "It''s really exhausting trying to deal with people like you. I wouldn''t have this much trouble if everyone were to ept the Light God''s blessing.


    "Let''s not talk about what happened back then, but I did save your life recently. Swann would have crushed you into a bloody pancake if I hadn''t rescued you in time. Come on, Charles. Show some sincerity, would you?


    "I already sent people to seal off the dangerous ces you''ve previously explored, and I''m sure you can''t say that I''m not working for the benefit of mankind, right? The Divine Light Order preaches benevolence and love, and I practice what I preach.


    "If you''re still not going to believe me, then forget it. Our cooperation ends here. From now on, we''ll go our separate ways. If someone like Swannes knocking on your ind to kick up a fuss, then I hope you won''t me us for looking away."


    The Pope rambled on, and he started sounding less and less like his past self as he continued his tirade.


    Charles'' eyes were fixed on the nautical chart before him, and he realized that the archipgo was a part of the inds he wanted to explore one by one. The Pope''s revtion had just brought his schedule forward, allowing him to avoid futile explorations.


    Charles fell into deep contemtion before he shifted his gaze onto the Pope. "I want you to answer some of my questions. Resolve my doubts, and I''ll explore this archipgo."


    The Pope flipped his right palm, and two white eggs appeared in his hand. He extended one of the eggs over to Charles and said, "Let''s talk while eating."


    "You said I''m a chosen one like you. If that''s true, then who chose me?" Charles asked, ignoring<i> </i>the egg.


    The Pope retracted his hand and asked, "Do you really want to know?"


    Charles was reminded of Sparkle''s grotesque appearance, and he replied, "Yes."


    "Edikth. You are Edikth''s chosen one," the Pope said. He closed his eyes and gestured with his hand.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The eggs cracked open, and the eggshells hovered before Charles. Charles unconsciously leaned forward; something was rapidly taking shape from the eggshells, and it was something familiar.


    Just as the image got more distinct, a rift was torn open in Charles'' sealed memories.


    A violent tremor ran through Charles. He shuddered as though a freezing gust had struck him, and he suddenly found himself in the middle of the pitch-ck and cold sea. Something squirming was floating before him; it was a lump of indescribable flesh shaped into a spindle, and he felt as though he was looking at it through a watercolor filter.


    The quivering flesh was riddled with yellow eyes of varying sizes as well as deformed mouths screaming noiselessly with a ck substance dripping from the corners of their lips.


    <i>Edikth? </i>Charles thought amidst his waning consciousness.

 Chapter 337. Ants

    <h4>Chapter 337. Ants</h4>


    Charles keeled over and panted heavily as he trembled. He was drenched in sweat, looking like he had just gotten out of the shower. He had just remembered it. The deleted memory had returned, and it showed him his encounter with Edikth.


    The yellow iris he had encountered upon arriving in this strange world had to be Edikth. In other words, what had happened to him at the time hadn''t been his imagination. He became Edikth''s chosen one on that fateful day!


    The Pope stared calmly at the panting Charles and leisurely ate his egg. After eating the egg, he squeezed the floating eggshell pieces into powder and stuffed them into his mouth, wasting nothing.


    "Why... why was I chosen?" Charles muttered while staring at the Pope.


    The Pope chewed thoroughly before swallowing. He took a moment to relish the food before saying, "Do you really think it''s appropriate for you to ask me that question? You are His Apostle; why are you asking me?"


    Charles wiped away the sweat on his forehead and said grimly, "How else would I know? How would I know what He''s thinking?! I''m not even one of His believers!"


    The Pope''s expression was of pride as he looked at Charles.


    "What''s with that prideful look?" Charles asked coldly.


    "How could I not feel pride? As expected, the great Light God is iparable to any other Divinities. I''m both happy and proud that I became the Light God''s chosen one," the Pope replied.


    Charles'' expression turned ugly at the remark.


    The Pope leaned slightly toward Charles and whispered, "Do you really think your Divinity cares whether you believe in Him or not? Edikth has no followers throughout the seascape, and do you know why?" the Pope asked.


    "Why?" Charles asked back.


    "It seems that you are quite ignorant about the Divinity that has chosen you. To worship Edikth would result in destruction, not to mention Edikth never really needed the faith of pathetic human beings," the Pope replied.


    "You became His chosen one simply because He noticed you once. Perhaps His nce had allowed you to receive some kind of special power from him.


    "Of course, you''ve yet to master that power, but who knows what''s going to happen once you do? Perhaps you''ll be even stronger than me once you''ve mastered that power," the Pope added.


    Charles looked down quietly at his palm and felt as though he could see tentacles covered in triangr eyes intermingled with mucus wriggling beneath his skin.


    "Well, the matter is a bit moreplicated for me to say for sure whether it''s bad or good, but chosen ones are incredibly rare, which means the abilities they obtain are unique, and it is based on the disposition of their Divinity.


    "My great Light God, for example, is selfless and kind; he has granted me great power along with a long life. As for your Divinity..." the Pope trailed off and examined Charles from top to bottom.


    He patted Charles'' shoulder with his wrinkled right hand.


    "What is it?" Charles asked.


    "You have to know that not every Divinity is as kind and amiable as the Light God, and bing the chosen one of an evil Divinity is akin to shouldering a curse rather than a blessing.


    "Think about Swann. He''s technically the chosen one of the Feaster. The two of us are chosen ones, but do you really think that we''re the same?" the Pope asked.


    Charles'' expression became uglier upon recalling Swann''s grotesque appearance.


    "What if I want to abandon my chosen one status? Is there any way to do it? Perhaps using sacrifices like the Fhtagnists?" Charles asked. He did not want to be a monster, and he would rather abandon the power that came with being a chosen one than be a monster.


    "Fhtagnists'' sacrifices? You ignoramus! Do you not have any idea about the reason for those sacrificial rituals? Do you really think that the Divinities care about the souls of paltry human beings?" the Pope asked.


    Charles unconsciously stroked the tattoo on his neck, and then he replied, "I''m not sure, but the Fhtagnists'' sacrificial rituals can be pretty useful."


    Bandages'' rituals always required sacrifices, but his rituals had never failed to achieve the desired results.


    The Pope''s expression turned into that of disdain as he said, "Just because it works doesn''t mean that God Fhtagn actually cares about them. Come with me; let me show you what I''m talking about."


    The Pope grabbed Charles'' right hand. They then floated into the air; the scenery around Charles rapidly peeled away. When he came to his senses, he found himself floating above one of Hope Ind''s banana ntations.


    Charles looked down and saw farmers wearing huge hats. Each and every single farmer moved carefully beneath the canopies, clearly afraid of getting hit by even the tiniest ray of the deadly sunlight


    The Pope swept his gaze across the ntation before pulling over Charles to an ant nest. The two watched as the worker ants worked hard in queues while carrying a variety of items on their backs.


    "Look at these ants. If we are these ants, then the Divinities are us. Do you really think that these ants will notice us because we are looking at them?"


    "And take a look at this," the Pope said and ced a finger directly in front of the path that the worker ants had to take to reach the nest. The worker ants were instantly in chaos, all thanks to the disturbance.


    "If these ants can think like humans, what do you think they would think of my finger?" the Pope asked.


    "And let''s say that my finger is emitting some kind of innate power," the Pope added. His finger emitted a soft golden light that inundated the ants, making them give off a golden sheen.


    "If an ant happened to discover that it could take advantage of the power that my finger had bestowed upon them, wouldn''t they form a religion to worship my finger as a god and offer it anything suitable as sacrifices?


    "When ites to the chosen ones, let''s just say that I saw an ant that seemed a bit special, so I gave it a bit more power," the Pope said and tapped gently toward a certain ant.


    The ant shone in a radiant golden light, making it seem as though it was made entirely out of gold.


    The Pope sprawled out on the ground and continued. "And maybe all this happened because I was taking a nap here, and my finger happened to block the worker ants trying to get into their nest.


    "Of course, I don''t care about these ants at all, and I may forget that special ant after I wake up from my nap."


    Charles stared deeply at the ck ants and asked, "Are you saying that the ants worshiping the finger are the Fhtagnists?"


    "No," the Pope said. He shook his head and retracted his finger. "I''m telling you that these ants and humanity are the same. It is simply impossible for them to understand anything beyond theirprehension.


    "Humans think of human life as the most precious resource out there, so the Fhtagnists offer human lives to God Fhtagn as sacrifices, believing that God Fhtagn will be very pleased to receive their precious offerings.


    "Those ignorant and disgusting freaks are always trying to understand their Divinity. We have desires, but does that mean Divinities surely have desires too? We hate and love, but does that mean Divinities are capable of feeling the same emotions as us?


    "The Fhtagnists are especially ignorant for even trying toprehend God Fhtagn using human knowledge and wisdom. In the end, they only managed to create a few stupid myths and stories.


    "Little do they know that everything is just their wishful thinking. If God Fhtagn is truly like me to these ants, then he''ll be extremely confused about what the ants around him were doing once he wakes up from his nap."

 Chapter 338. Sailing Preparations

    <h4>Chapter 338. Sailing Preparations</h4>


    Charles'' gaze seemed transfixed on the ants as they crawled in and out of the nest. "Are humans destined to be nothing more than ants in their eyes?"


    "No, of course not! The great Light God is different. He is a great being, a merciful¡ª"


    "Enough!" Charles interrupted the Pope just as thetter was about to start preaching about the Divine Light Order.


    "If you don''t know a solution, then just tell me. Why bother with this nonsense?" Charles asked with a look of annoyance.


    "No, there''s a solution. Your issue will be resolved once you find the exit to the surface world. As I told you, the almighty Light God would break free of His restraints once the exit to the surface world is found.


    "By then, a snap of His fingers would be enough to remove Edikth''s gaze on you."


    Charles briefly revealed a contemptuous look toward the Pope. In the end, the Pope''s tirade was all for the sake of making Charles set sail once more as soon as possible. Realizing that, Charles turned around and walked away without looking back.


    "Hurry up, my child. Don''t make me urge you on!" the Pope yelled. He stared as Charles walked out of the banana ntation. Once Charles was out of his sight, he put his hands behind his back and started walking toward the cathedral, looking like an ordinary old man.


    Upon arriving at the entrance of the cathedral, he saw a follower reading a newspaper released internally by the Divine Light Order to its congregation.


    <i>My dear brothers and fellow devotees! The evil crimes of the Fhtagn Covenant have been revealed to the world, and their numbers are shrinking rapidly, even in their major dioceses! Their deste dioceses have been taken over by our hard-working fellow evangelists!</i>


    <i>Of course, the majority of the credit belongs to none other than His Holiness the Pope. Our cameras have captured the moment His Holiness pierced Ronker with the great spires. The prestige of our congregation has increased greatly, all thanks to the publicity that those photos have brought upon us.</i>


    <i>It is with great joy that I inform you of the rapid increase in our congregation''s poption! Our inventory of blessing needles has proven insufficient, so our artisans are working around the clock to produce more!</i>


    <i>At this rate, our congregation will exceed ten million people in just three months. Long live the Light God!</i>


    The follower reading the newspaper couldn''t hold back his excitement. His hands quivered violently, and when his eyesnded on thest line, he threw his head back and roared, "Long live the Light God!"


    Just then, the follower noticed the Pope standing behind him. He immediately looked down and held out the newspaper with trembling hands.


    The Pope smiled and patted the man''s head gently without taking away the newspaper. He sidestepped and walked into the cathedral, making a beeline for the prayer hall.


    The Pope walked with a spring in his steps, and he seemed unable to conceal the joy on his face. In the end, he started humming a tune as he continued walking toward the prayer hall.


    Meanwhile, Charles'' mood waspletely opposite to that of the Pope''s mood. He seemed to be in deep contemtion as he entered the quiet Governor''s Mansion.


    He was thinking about the Pope''s words. The Pope''s ant theory couldn''t be taken at face value. After all, the Fhtagn Covenant and the Divine Light Order were mortal enemies, so it wouldn''t be strange for the Pope to disparage the former.


    If the Divinities truly didn''t care about mankind, why did Bandages'' sacrificial ritual result in him getting cursed after running out of offerings? And why had a Divinitye to the Albion Isles after Swann had sacrificed the entire ind?


    <i>Humans aren''t ants, and even if I were an ant, attacking them with my pinchers is still going to hurt! </i>Charles thought but was quickly astonished by the fact that the thought had evene to him. Had Anna truly led him astray?


    Charles revealed a faint smile. He took two quick steps to reach the door to his bedroom. He then reached out for the doorknob and twisted it lightly while saying, "Anna, I almost let you¡ª"


    Charles couldn''t finish his sentence, as the bedroom was empty. He put his hand down and exhaled at length. He finally walked into the bedroom and cleaned it up. For some reason, he could hear Anna''s melodious voice along with Sparkle''s shouts.


    <i>Perhaps settling down with her here in the Subterranean Seascape isn''t that bad of a choice.</i> Charles thought.


    Just then, a cacophony of footsteps echoed behind him. Charles turned around and saw James, Lily, Audric, Weister, Feuerbach, and the remaining crew members of the Narwhale.


    The group of people squeezed in through the door and packed the bedroom to the brim.


    "Captain! We''ve made a unanimous decision, and we all agreed that we couldn''t let things be¡ªthat woman is just too dangerous for us to ignore! Didn''t you say that she has never altered your memories? Let''s make Mr. Finn test that out.


    "He''s quite skilled in that field as well, so we''ll all know whether she has truly altered your memories or not!" James eximed with a grave look.


    "My dear, my subordinates told me that you''re treating a sphere of floating eyeballs as your daughter. I''m not saying this because I want to monopolize you, but that woman must have altered your memories," someone said. Charles instantly recognized the voice, and it belonged to Elizabeth.


    Charles tilted his head slightly to see Elizabeth standing behind his crew members, along with the old mage, Finn Gunther. Charles smiled wryly and was convinced that if Anna were still here, things would have gotten quite violent.


    "I''m sorry, but you guys came here for nothing. Anna has already left," Charles said.


    "No way! I announced a lockdown and made sure that not even a fishing boat can leave the docks!"


    Charles ced the folded bedsheet in his hand on the bed and said, "All right, all right. Don''t waste your energy on something unnecessary. Anyway, I''m sure you guys have gotten enough rest, so we''re going to set sail in five days.


    "Chief Engineer, prepare the necessary fuel for our next voyage. Boatswain, rece the mooring ropes and inspect the condition of the ship. Cook, prepare our food supplies. Second Mate, get ready to plot our route with me."


    "Aye, aye, Captain!" the Chief Engineer, the Boatswain, the Cook, and the Second Mate eximed. The crew members then exchanged nces before turning around and rushing outside to perform their duties.


    Meanwhile, Elizabeth walked up to Charles, and her wide shoulder grazed Charles'' shoulder as she looked down at Charles and asked, "Is she really no longer here?"


    "What''s the point of lying to you? I told you that she''s left, so she''s no longer here," Charles replied.


    "Is that so?" Elizabeth''s soft figure leaned on Charles as she muttered, "Does that mean we have five days to spend together?"


    The air between them was starting to be inappropriate, so Charles hurriedly said, "Come on now, we''re not alone here."


    "<i>Ahem!</i>"<i> </i>Finn standing at the door cleared his throat to make his presence known before attempting to slip away.


    "<i>Ah, </i>Mr. Finn. Stay here, I need your help on something," Charles said.


    "You''re too polite, Governor Charles. Please do not hesitate to tell me if you need anything. We''re allies, after all, so I will lend you a helping hand to the best of my abilities," Finn replied.


    "Do you have the ingredients necessary to make a Soul Congealing Potion?" Charles asked.


    ***


    The damp prison cells of Hope Ind were all empty; every single prisoner had been taken out for the sake of manualbor, so Charles'' footsteps were slightly louder than normal as they echoed throughout the deste underground prison.


    An audible click echoed as the prison guard standing next to the innermost steel door opened it for Charles.


    "Stand up!" Charles roared, startling the prison guard.


    The prison guard retreated whilst trembling.


    "You''re finally here, Captain!" Dipp eximed. He put down the book in his hand and stared calmly at the crowd before him. "I thought you were going to lock me up for the rest of my life."


    Charles'' expression wasplex as he stared at his former boatswain. After a while, Charles asked, "Remember the n to turn me into a Deep Dweller? Which one of your personas proposed it?"

 Chapter 339. Dipp

    <h4>Chapter 339. Dipp</h4>


    A heavy and tense silence nketed the cell. Standing at the back of the crowd, Aliya had a look of anxiety on her face as she waited for Dipp''s response.


    "Captain, the idea wasn''t proposed by just one persona; it was a joint decision that the three of us made. If you want to me someone, all three of us are at fault," Dipp replied in a remarkablyposed tone.


    A grave expression appeared on Charles'' visage as he stared at his former boatswain.


    "I know the real Dipp would have definitely told me if he was nning to do something like that. So, it must be one of the other two personas, right?" Charles asked in a rhetorical manner of speech.


    He then turned to Finn Gunther, who stood behind him, and said, "I''ll leave it to you then."


    The silver-haired Finn stroked his white beard and nodded with a faint smile. "Don''t worry. I''ve dealt with a situation like this before. The second time will be much quicker."


    Finn''s apprentice behind him then took a step forward and opened up the gigantic leather chest he had been holding in his hands. Various sets of ssware were being stored within, and it seemed like the old mage intended to concoct the potion on-site.


    As the transparent ss bottles floated into the air and intermingled, the expressions on Dipp''s scaly face changed rapidly. He knew what Charles was about to do.


    "Captain, please don''t erase them. I''m begging you," Dipp pleaded in desperation.


    Instead of softening Charles'' resolve, Dipp''s words infuriated Charles. He rushed forward and held Dipp up by the scarf around thetter''s neck and snapped in a harsh tone, "Are you out of your mind?! Those false personalities are created by the Clown Mask! You''re actually pleading for them? Do you really enjoy sharing your body with others?"


    "Captain," Dipp began. "Ever since their appearance, I felt like I had gained two biological brothers by my side. I''m no longer alone, and that feels much better than being by myself."


    Dipp''s fish-like lips parted and closed to reveal his fangs that were as sharp as steel needles as he continued, "What I did before was wrong. I really didn''t know the true circumstances of the Deep Dwellers. I thought Mother wouldn''t lie to me. But... Mother isn''t as perfect as I imagined her to be. I''m really sorry, Captain."


    Staring at the fishman before him, a hint of hesitation flickered across Charles'' visage. The face of the youngd from the past gradually ovepped with the appearance of this detestable fish-like monster. Scenes of their encounters together rapidly shed through Charles'' mind.


    Just then, a weathered voice interrupted Charles'' thoughts. "Governor, the potion is ready."


    Charles and Dipp turned toward the old mage at the same time to see two bottles of potion hovering in mid-air.


    A sudden air of oppression weighed down on them. Peeking her head halfway out from the doorway, Lily''s eyes were red and looked as though she would burst into tears at any moment.


    Beforeing to Dipp''s prison cell, they already knew what the potion was for and what the oue would be if Dipp drank it.


    Standing beside Charles, James wore a troubled expression. "Captain, why don''t we just let it go? Dipp''s still young and doesn''t understand the consequences of his actions. Besides, he has admitted that he had made a mistake."


    "Young? Do you know how many people died because of him? If it weren''t for our luck that day, all of us would have perished back then!" Charles'' voice suddenly raised a notch higher.


    "But Captain, it was also because he had warned us in advance that we had enough time to prepare against the Deep Dweller''s attack. Don''t you agree?"


    Charles gave a dismissive wave to stop James from continuing. "Enough. I don''t want to kill him, I just want to get rid of his two other personas. Also, I have been through the same thing before. The extra personas are nothing but trouble."


    James ceased persuading Charles any further, knowing that it would be futile.


    Suddenly, Dipp''s body trembled violently. His webbed hands slightly contracted and wriggled out from his shackles. He looked at Charles in the eye as a brilliant smile gradually appeared on his face


    Dipp reached out his arms and gave Charles a firm hug before he walked toward the two suspended bottles of potion.


    "Hey! What are you guys doing? I won''t allow it!" Dipp''s body froze all of a sudden, as if he was wrestling for control with his other personas.


    Eventually, the main personality, Dipp, couldn''t resist thebined power of the other two personalities, and he moved forward.


    "Captain, you''re right. We are the byproducts of the Clown Mask relic. We shouldn''t exist in the first ce," the green creature before Charles said in a quivering voice.


    "Boss!" Aliya cried out and was about to rush forward but was held back by the Narwhale''s crew members nearby.


    Looking at both potions in front of him, Dipp reached out with both hands to lightly grab them and muttered, "Captain, we''re fake, but our feelings for you are true. You''ll always be the most important person to us. Since you''vemanded us to leave, we''ll follow your orders.


    "I was the sole mastermind of what had happened at the time. I secretly maneuvered the Narwhale to Iharis Deep. Everything was my fault. My personality is more radical than the main one. I''m truly sorry."


    With that, the green fish-like creature tilted his head back and slowly lifted the potion to his lips. His hand, covered in green scales, trembled slightly, but he didn''t stop executing Charles'' orders.


    Just as the liquid from the ss bottle was about to enter Dipp''s mouth, the potion bottle in his hand flew up abruptly and smashed against the waters, shattering into pieces.


    Charles'' face was dark, and his expression grim. His fingers slightly twitched, and without saying another word, he turned and walked out of the cell. The other crew members in the cell hesitated for a few seconds before they swiftly followed him.


    "Huh? What''s the meaning of this?" Dipp looked somewhat puzzled as he stood rooted in ce.


    On the other hand, Aliya didn''t care about the details; she only knew that her leader was safe.


    Excitement painted her countenance as she rushed toward Dipp and helped him up. She then supported him toward the exit.


    "Boss, let''s get out of here. Governor Charles seems to have forgiven you," Aliyamented.


    "Really?" All three of Dipp''s personalities could hardly believe this surreal circumstance.


    Just then, James, who had left just moments before, returned and carefully sized Dipp up.


    James then let out a helpless sigh. "The Governor said you don''t have to be locked up here anymore. You''re free."


    Dipp couldn''t contain his joy upon hearing the news.


    "So, does that mean I can return to the Narwhale?"


    "No, Captain said you are free to stay on the ind or return to your family. It''s up to you," James replied.


    The smile on Dipp''s face gradually faded, "What about our..."


    Jamesnded aforting pat on Dipp''s shoulder and exined, "Captain has to be responsible for the lives of the other crew members. He can''t allow someone who has betrayed him back on board. If you did something like that again, it would be a hard pill for everyone to swallow."


    James then took a nce at Aliya and added, "Actually, it''s not a bad thing as well. You still have arge sum of money in your bank ount. Just enjoy life on the ind with that."


    "What do you mean? Are you saying that Boss can''t be the Chief Director of the Police Department again?" Aliya''s voice wasced with a hint of anger.


    James offered no words; he just turned and walked away.


    Dipp remained standing forlornly in ce, and the light in his eyes seemed to have extinguished.

 Chapter 340. Gears and Magic

    <h4>Chapter 340. Gears and Magic</h4>


    <strong>The Governor''s Mansion.</strong>


    Charles looked up at the massive nautical chart pinned on the wall in front of him. Invisible tentacles emerged from his back and touched the ground to slowly lift him off the floor.


    Charles maneuvered toward the target area for his uing voyage and carefully examined the details on the chart. The archipgo that the Pope had specified was rather interesting. Seven inds were densely packed together in an area of a mere hundred square miles. The ind density was considered incredibly crowded, even ording to the Subterranean Sea''s standards.


    Unless it were an archipgo, standalone inds would not be this close to each other.


    <i>They are not far from each other. Maybe I can explore a couple of them at once to save time, </i>Charles thought as he stroked his chin.


    After pondering for a moment, he reached out a finger to tap on one of the inds in front of him.


    "Feuerbach, our target destination is this foremost ind. If we sessfully explore the ind without any significant damage to the ship and casualties in our crew, we will continue to explore the upper-left ind."


    Seated at the office table, Feuerbach nodded. Taking the ruler he had been biting on, he picked up a pen and started to sketch and make notes on the smaller sea chart in front of him. He was plotting the most optimal route for the uing voyage and also calcting the ideal amount of fuel and supplies the Narwhale would need.


    Charles descended and retracted his invisible tentacles. He then joined Feuerbach in the world of charting the course. Under thebined efforts of the Narwhale''s Captain and Second Mate, the sailing route was swiftly nned out.


    "Captain, the voyage this time should be rtively easier. The Explorers Association has already charted safe routes for hundreds of miles in this direction. They''ve ced navigational markers along the way, too," Feuerbachmented.


    "Why are they exploring that region?" Charles took the nautical chart from Feuerbach and carefully scrutinized it for the details that he had missed earlier.


    "Of course, it''s to search for new inds! Hope Ind is the northernmost point in the entire Subterranean Seascape that has been explored. Anything beyond that is uncharted territory. High risks, high returns. Your achievement has inspired many explorers, and they are all eager and enthusiastic to find a habitable ind like you."


    "Then, did anyone find anything worthwhile?"


    "Well, surprisingly, apart from the various wretched and dangerous inds, an explorer by the name of Luvlyn discovered an interesting ind. Although that indcks freshwater and is very barren, the waters around that ind resembled slow-moving whirlpools, and various floating debris in that region would slowly be pulled in and umte on the shore.


    "Don''t pay them any attention. A dead ind without fresh water is useless. Keep an eye on the information that I had ordered your Naval Intelligence Department to gather. That information is very crucial to me."


    Feuerbach immediately kept away his jovial expression and said, "Are you referring to the gathering of the clues rted to the Divinity, Edikth? No problem. Our major ind bases in the Northern Seas have already received the task, and they will do their best to gather the required intelligence."


    "Dispatch our men to the other sea regions too. The journey may be long, but there might be clues in those ces," Charles instructed.


    "Understood. But Captain, may I ask why you are looking for clues about Edikth? I personally feel that it''s better to know as little as possible about the Divinities. There had been many curious folks about the Divinities, and those people either ended up dead or turned into crazy lunatics like those Fhtagnists."


    Charles decided against telling the entirety of the circumstances to Feuerbach. Instead, he simply ordered Feuerbach to report any clues as soon as they were found.


    Judging from the situation with Sparkle and also being one of the Chosen Ones like Swann and the Pope, Charles was now certain that there was a tremendous power lying dormant within himself. However, it was not a power that he desired.


    Since the Pope couldn''t offer any solution, he couldn''t just sit idly by. He had to find his own way to deal with it. Even if he couldn''t find a method to revoke his status as a Chosen One, finding a way to control the power within him would be an alternative solution. Regardless of which, he had to gain an understanding of this Divinity first.


    Charles really didn''t like the feeling of having no control over his circumstances. It was akin to carrying a ticking time bomb without knowing when it would explode.


    "Alright, Captain, I''ll be leaving first," Feuerbach said and rose to his feet.


    Just as Feuerbach was about to push the door open, the door swung open and Linda entered the room. Her expression was as indifferent as ever as she knocked on the door to signal her entrance.


    "Captain, Teacher asked me to inform you that those people are ready to make a new prosthetic for you."


    Charles'' spirits lifted considerably upon hearing the news. It had been ufortable and inconvenient all this while without his left hand. Even though he had tentacles as substitutes, decades of habit were hard to break.


    He eagerly left the Governor''s Mansion with Linda.


    "Have they already decided on who will be taking over theirpany?"


    "Not yet," Linda replied. "It''s just that they heard that it was the Governor of Hope Ind who requested a prosthetic. So they decided to put aside their disputes for now and prioritize your needs first."


    "Oh? My name carries that much weight?" For the first time ever, Charles felt that his identity was proving to be quite useful.


    As Linda got into the car, Charles suddenly noticed the two circr wounds on her neck.


    "What happened to your neck? Did you lose to Audric in poker, too?" Charles asked.


    Linda remained silent and settled down into her seat. Seeing that she didn''t want to talk about it, Charles didn''t press further.


    At the very least, he was certain that Audric definitely didn''t attack her. That blind vampire had a somewhat meek personality and was even a little afraid of Linda.


    Soon, the car pulled up before a luxurious cafe located in the heart of the ind. However, the ce was empty without any customers. The tables and chairs had been moved to both sides of the room. It seemed like the owner had deliberately emptied out the ce to amodate Charles.


    A row of men stood neatly at the door to wee Charles. As Charles entered the car, a middle-aged man dressed in a business suit and wearing square sses stepped forward to greet him with a smile.


    "Esteemed Sir Charles, Gears and Magic wees your arrival. I''m Handes, the head of the Hope Ind branch."


    "Enough with the pleasantries; let''s get started," Charles said and removed his captain''s uniform to reveal his missing left portion.


    "<i>Oh?</i> Governor, it seems like you''re missing yet another sectionpared to the previous round," Handes remarked.


    With a wave of his hand, the young man next to him held a peculiar hemispherical mechanical device and attached it to Charles'' stump.


    As the young man wound the spring on the machine, various disks extended from the hemispherical mechanism and lightly pressed against Charles'' stump, seemingly taking precise measurements for the best fitting.


    "Why is the procedure this time different from thest?" Charles asked out of curiosity.


    "Of course, it''s different. This time, we are making a prosthetic for you, an esteemed Governor. Ourpany will certainly do our very best. By the way, sir, aside from the chainsaw and grappling hook, do you need anything else installed in your prosthetic? Rest assured, as long as we have it, we will provide you with the best we''ve got."


    Thinking back about his previous voyages, Charles looked at the expression of ingratiation on the middle-aged man''s face. "How good is its capability in withstanding water pressure? I might use the prosthetic in the deep sea."


    Handes was momentarily taken aback by Charles'' question. However, he quicklyposed himself and nodded, "That''s certainly not a problem. We will use the finest alloy to make your prosthetic to ensure that it has no issues working under immense water pressure. Aside from that, is there anything else you need?"

 Chapter 341. Setting Sail

    <h4>Chapter 341. Setting Sail</h4>


    Seeing Charles deep in thought with his brows slightly furrowed, Handles leaned in slightly with a sly glint in his eyes, "Sir Governor, I believe that when ites to weapons, you can probably acquire better ones than us. I rmend our relic storage optimization. It allows you to ce smaller-sized relics into your prosthetic, making them readily essible.


    "Just like this," Handes said as he extended his white-gloved hand in front of Charles.


    With a sharp sound of tearing fabric, the white glove instantly tore open to reveal a bronze-color metallic prosthetic hand before Charles.


    The clicking sound of gears whirring into action continuously echoed as his metal index finger split down the middle. A ss dagger, as thin as a piece of paper, sprung out of the gap andnded in Handes'' grip.


    "See. Not only does it save you time from drawing the weapons, but it also makes surprise attacks possible. This customization service was quite popr with the soldiers of the Albion Isles," Handes said.


    "Very well," Charles said and took out all his relics. "This is all. Put all of them into my new prosthetic limb."


    Just then, a sudden thought struck Charles'' mind. He pondered over it for a brief moment and then pulled out his cell phone.


    "ce this inside as well," Charles instructed. He didn''t have many relics left after all, so there should be more than enough space in his prosthetic limb.


    Handes was somewhat surprised as he stared at the small ck mirror in front of him.


    <i>The relics of the Governor of Hope Ind are surely unique, </i>Handes thought. However, they remained as mere thoughts. As a qualified merchant, he knew what to ask and what not to ask. His five fingers split open, and he began measuring the dimensions of the various relics.


    "Of course, if you acquire any new relics in the future, feel free to notify us. We''ll personallye over to refit your prosthetic to include your new possession," Handes replied.


    As he watched Handes skillfully taking all the measurements, Charles couldn''t help but feel a slight hint of curiosity toward thepany, Gears and Magic.


    "I heard your boss was from the Albion Isles?" Charles asked.


    "Yes, but he''s already dead. Speaking of which, Swann, the former Governor of the Albion Isles, had a stake in ourpany. But then, something like that actually happened. It caught us all off guard.


    "The days ahead are going to be tough. The Yellow Robe Wizard Association in the Western Seas, which used to be our boss'' business partner, nned to go solo. Don''t they realize that given our current circumstances, we should unite no matter how big our differences are?


    "If we were to go our separate ways, without any solid backing, all our assets in the various ind branches would getpletely seized by the greedy Governors on those inds.


    "What''s the big deal about knowing magic? You haven''t seen how they act all high and mighty. We''re in the era of steam engines and cannons! Those stubborn old fogies will be abandoned sooner orter," Handesined.


    But just then, he remembered that there was a governor right next to him. He hurriedly waved his hands and said, "Governor Charles, I''m not talking about you. I mean the other greedy governors."


    "I know," Charles replied. "Just hurry up and do your job. I''m not here to listen to yourints."


    Seeing that Charles was truly not bothered by his unintentional remark, Handes stopped speaking and hurried up with his business.


    Soon, a magic formation was drawn on the ground. With the help of so many people, the formation had be clearly muchrger than before, and even the teleportation speed had increased.


    Candles were ced within the formation and lit up. Soon, a pure ck metal prosthetic limb appeared in the center of the formation. Intricate patterns adorned the ck, glimmering exterior. Charles'' fondness toward it grew as he examined it, starting from the left chest, upper arm, forearm, and palm of the hand.


    <i>Woong¡ª</i>


    A conical tube protruded from the ck steel prosthetic limb and pierced directly into Charles'' stump. Trickles of fresh blood flowed through the gap between the machine and Charles'' flesh.


    After the pale cyan soul entered the prosthetic limb with a howling wail, Charles felt that his left limb had finally returned.


    He opened and closed both his hands and instantly sensed something different. This new prosthetic was evidently better than the previous one by a few levels.


    With a single thought, his metallic ring finger flicked upward, and a ringnded in his open palm. It was his Invisibility Ring; his body rapidly vanished from the spot.


    <i>nk!</i>


    His Dark de sprang out directly from the palm of his prosthetic limb. And it all happened in less than a second.


    "I''m very satisfied. How much is it in total? You may go to the Ministry of Finance to im the payment," Charles remarked as he fondly stroked his new prosthetic limb.


    "Governor, sir, as long as you like it. It''s our honor to serve you. Also, ourpany is willing to cover all future recement and maintenance of your prosthetics. However, we have just a small request. Of course, it''s just a request, so sir, you''re not obliged to agree," Handes said.


    "What is it?"


    "Please allow us to include your esteemed name when we advertise our prosthetics."


    Charles couldn''t help but be impressed by Handes


    <i>This guy really knows how to do business; he actually thought of using me as his spokesperson.</i>


    "Alright, you can give it a try," Charles then turned and walked out of the cafe. He couldn''t wait to test out his new prosthetic limb.


    The moment Charles disappeared from sight, the person next to Handes approached him with a worried expression. "Mr. Handes, are you really sure about this? We used seventy percent of this base''s funds to make that prosthetic, and you''ve just given it away for free."


    "What do you know? Money in the bank is just paper. We can only ensure our continued existence in this seascape by exchanging those papers for something else.


    "The name of the Hope Ind''s Governor is one of those things. His immense strength is there for all to see; other forces would surely think twice before messing with us," Handes exined.


    Five days flew by quickly. It was time for Charles to set sail again.


    The harbor was bustling with activity as usual. Elizabeth gently held Charles in her embrace and whispered into his ear, "Can''t you stay for a few more days?


    "It''s been a while since west met. I''m really going to miss you," a hint ofintced Elizabeth''s seductive voice.


    "Sorry. I''ll spend time with you properly once I''ve finished my business. Just not right now," Charles assured her.


    "Alright, I''ll wait. You better keep your promise, though," Elizabeth said and bent down to nt a red kiss mark on Charles'' neck before releasing her hold on him.


    Charles'' gaze swept across the crowd at the dock. They were all officials on Hope Ind. Regardless of what was on their mind, they hade to see him off voluntarily.


    "Captain, First Mate Bandages hasn''t returned. Are we setting sail with just us this time?" Second Mate Feuerbach asked from the back of a red shark he was riding in the sea.


    "He probably won''t make it back in time. Who knows where this Divinity''s Land is? Let him rest for a little more. He almost lost his life, after all," Charles replied.


    "Narwhale, weigh an¡ª" Just as Charles was about to order their departure, he suddenly spotted a white dot on the distant, inky dark waters. As it drew nearer, he realized that it was a passenger ship.


    Charles squinted his eyes and saw a figure standing at the ship''s bow. The figure was covered in fresh white bandages from head to toe, and also signaling to them in g semaphore.


    Charles'' face lit up with a smile as he let out a chuckle. "It seems like our First Mate made it back in time. Narwhale! Weigh anchor and set sail!"

 Chapter 342. Pandoras Box

    <h4>Chapter 342. Pandora''s Box</h4>


    The swishing of mops filled the air as Weister and the other sailors scrubbed the deck diligently to remove the stubborn salt stains.


    After some time, Weister finallypleted the task. He then moved on to grab a head-sized iron oil can and started lubricating the winss to ensure its smooth operation. This was one of his duties as a sailor, and it was also one of the reasons the Captain had recruited him.


    Though he was at the bottom of the ship''s hierarchy, Weister was like a crucial screw in a vast machine. His role was small, but he was indispensable.


    Weister himself was rather satisfied with the job, especially with the generous pay that came with it. Although a greater bonus would be if it didn''te with exploring extremely dangerous ces.


    <i>Swoosh</i>


    A drenched figure suddenly flipped over the ship''s railing andnded on the deck. Weister and his fellow sailors were startled into a jolt.


    When Weister''s eyesnded on the figure''s head of seaweed-like green hair, he immediately let out a sigh of relief. "Mr. Second Mate, you scared me! I thought you were some creature from the sea!"


    Feuerbach shook his head to shake off the seaweed on his face before he casually sat on the ship''s railings. Pulling out a green-back turtle covered in barnacles from his inner pocket, he started to make swift work with his dagger and pried the barnacles off.


    "Don''t worry. My little darlings are patrolling around us. If anything approaches, they can easily intercept it," Feuerbach reassured.


    Weister drew closer to Feuerbach and watched thetter pry the barnacles. Intrigued, he asked, "By the way, Mr. Second Mate, I''ve always been curious about something. With the Narwhale moving at such great speed, how are your sharks keeping up with it? What if they feel like sleeping during the journey?"


    Feuerbach let out a chuckle. "Youngd, you''re mistaken. Sharks must maintain constant movement even during their sleep, or they''ll suffocate. Pretty interesting, right? Don''t you think you learn much useful knowledge being around me? I know quite a bit about sharks."


    Weister scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile as he nodded. Suddenly, his eyes lit up at a sudden thought that struck him.


    "Mr. Second Mate, then, do you know why shark meat has a pungent urine-like smell?"


    "That''s a simple question," Feuerbach began. "Sharks don''t have urinary tracts, so their urine is discharged through their skin, and that exins the urine smell in their flesh. I mean, no one would probably eat shark meat for no good reason. That thing tastes like¡ª"


    "¡ªlike fatty pork soaked in human urine!" Weister interjected before Feuerbach couldplete his sentence.


    A mix of amusement and surprise glimmered in Feuerbach''s eyes. He looked Weister in the eye and asked, "How do you know what it tastes like? Have you eaten it?"


    "No way!" Weister was quick to retort. "Why would I eat something even a beggar wouldn¡¯t touch? I was just guessing."


    "Then your guess is quite spot-on. I heard that those from the Eastern Seas have a special way to remove the urine smell from shark meat. I wonder how they actually do it."


    "Really? If there were really a way, then the fishmongers at the market wouldn''t just throw the shark meat away and leave it to rot in the garbage," Weister replied. Holding the oil can in his hands, he stood rooted in ce as he reminisced about his past.


    "Hey! Get back to work! Don''t you see the First Mate and the Captain at the bridge? Do you want to have your pay cut?" Another sailor changing the rigging ropes hissed a reminder.


    Weister immediately looked up through the transparent ss windows to see Charles with his arms folded across his chest and Bandages behind the wheel.


    He hurried back to his task and continued to oil the winss.


    Charles stared as Weister got back to his task before turning to Bandages.


    "How are you feeling? Has the Divinity''s Curse beenpletely lifted?"


    "Yes... Safe... now..." Despite changing into fresh bandages, Bandages'' usual manner of speech remained.


    "That''s good to hear. Actually, you really don''t have to rush back. It was a close call on the previous voyage; you should''ve taken some time to rx," Charles remarked.


    "Captain... I feel that... this power... is very unusual..." Bandages said. At the same time, vines and branches covered with green leaves protruded from the crevices of his bandages and extended toward the dashboard in front of him.


    "Not only... can I... control nts... But with... more practice... I can change them... I can... mimic... any nt... I''ve touched."


    A branch in front of Charles suddenly swelled, and a spiky ck flower immediately blossomed on it. It then withered in the blink of an eye to reveal a dark and glossy ck Vine Fruit.


    <i>Crunch!</i>


    Charles chewed on the fruit. To his surprise, the taste and texture were exactly like those he had eaten on the Coral Archipgo.


    Looking at the ck Vine Fruit in his hand, Charles'' spirits were significantly lifted. This was creating something out of nothing!


    "How much energy does it take for you to create this fruit?" Charles threw out the most crucial question.


    "Slightly... more than... the energy... needed to... eat it," Bandages replied.


    Staring at Bandages, who now resembled a living tree man with newfound abilities, a sudden idea struck Charles'' mind.


    <i>If Bandages can utilize his powers this way, then won''t I be able to use my lightning arcs to...</i>


    Spurred by the thought, Charles lifted his left hand, and his smartphone appeared in his open palm. He pressed his index finger against the charging port, and faint blue arcs of electricity danced from his fingertip.


    It didn''t take long before beads of sweat formed on Charles'' forehead. If he were to be honest, performing a delicate operation that required precise control of his powers was proving to be a much more challenging task than simply releasing all of them at once.


    Suddenly, Charles noticed that the battery icon on the top right corner of his phone''s screen had updated to show that it was charging.


    The corners of his lips curved up into a faint smile, but his joy was short-lived. He felt the back of the phone starting to heat up, and it was getting hotter rapidly, forcing him to stop his experiment.


    The phone was the only item he had brought down to the subterranean space with him, and it would be a great loss if he ended up inadvertently damaging it.


    "Captain... What are you... doing?"


    "Wait... Hold on... I remember reading something about electricity in one of my old school textbooks...What was it again?" Charles muttered to himself excitedly. He held his phone tight and headed back to his quarters without looking back.


    For the following days, Charles became engrossed in his phone. Day in and day out, he would tirelessly research and measure voltage levels. Of course, he didn''t casually use his own cell phone as his test subject.


    After damaging the two tablets that Laesto had left behind, Charles finally knew how to maintain a stable output of low-voltage electrical power.


    Within the Captain''s Quarters, Charles had a grave expression on his face as he held his cell phone in one hand. He felt like he was handling a piece of fragile tofu.


    Clutching a piece of dried apple chip in her furry paws, a red Lily crouched nearby and watched him with a curious gaze. She didn''t understand what Charles was doing, but she found his expression and mannerisms amusing.


    "It seeded!" The light from the phone''s screen illuminated the excitement on Charles'' countenance. His joy wasn''t just from the prospect of being able to charge his phone as and when he wanted.


    What excited him even more were the potential opportunities to apply his powers in a variety of unique ways. All forms of energy in this world were interconnected, like how maism could generate electricity.


    By formting some method, perhaps he might be able to transform this electrical energy into something else. And this was just a single power from one relic.


    There were countless relics in the entire seascape, and if humans could tap on their potential, it would stir up a revolutionary change!


    Charles felt as if he had unknowingly opened Pandora''s box.


    <i>No wonder the Foundation said that the relics could elevate the overall technological level of human civilization. If what I had just imagined really works... it really might be possible. </i>Charles mused.


    Just as Charles was basking in the sess of his experiment, a knock sounded at the door. The door then swung open, and Feuerbach entered the cabin. His face brimmed with excitement as he reported, "Captain, we''ve arrived at our destination."

 Chapter 343. The Island

    <h4>Chapter 343. The Ind</h4>


    At Feuerbach''s report, Charles dashed toward the cabin''s door. Of course, he didn''t forget Lily, who had been watching him in amusement.


    "Lily, hurry up! We need your mice for the indnding."


    "Mr. Charles, help me to check first. Is my back balding?"


    "That''s what you get for dyeing your fur all the time. Let''s go!"


    Lily scurried up Charles'' pants and onto his shoulder. As soon as they reached the deck, the sight of their destination weed them. Under the illumination of the Narwhale''s searchlights, the ind resembled a colossal turtle lurking in the darkness.


    The beach was barren and lined with rocky columns. They stood tall and upright in a single file and didn''t appear to be a natural urrence.


    As the Narwhale revolved around the ind, Charles realized that thendmass was simr in size to Hope Ind and shaped like a gourd.


    Also, he noticed that the Narwhale wasn''t the first ship to visit this ind. When the Narwhale reached the waist of the gourd-shaped ind, she encountered arge passenger ship that spanned over 120 meters long.


    As the Narwhale closed the distance between them, Charles could see the thickyer of rust on its anchor and the heavily damaged cabins. He concluded that the passenger ship had been here for a very long while now.


    Lily''s mice were dropped over for a quick search, and they reported no living creatures within the dpidated ship. Anything that was soft hadpletely rotten away, and only the ship''s metallic shell remained.


    After hearing Lily''s trantion of the mice''s squeaks, the crew gazed at the ship and started specting about what the ship might have possibly encountered in these dark waters.


    "Let''s go, ignore that ship now. Whether those people on board went ashore or jumped overboard, it''s none of our business. Don''t forget what we came here for," Charles interrupted their discussions.


    He then followed up with another instruction for his vampire sailor, "Audric, go scout the entire ind, but don''t get too close. Make use of your sonar and see if there''s anything to look out for."


    Audric nodded and transformed into a bat before soaring into the air to survey the vast ind.


    Half an hourter, Audric returned. He turned toward Charles and reported, "The outskirts of the inds are all stone, but judging by the sonar reflections, it seemed like the innernd is a forest."


    "Is there any human construction? Or other living creatures that you managed to detect?" Charles asked.


    "I didn''t see anything from my aerial observation, and the ind is still very quiet."


    Charles''s brows frowned slightly as he brooded over the intelligence Audric had gathered. Since the Pope said that they found information about this so-called <i>door</i> among the data from Newbound City, then there would surely be traces of the Foundation here, but Audric said that he had detected none.


    Of course, Charles wasn''t nning to just return empty-handed. Simr to their previous exploration of Elizarles Shores, it was possible that the Foundation had built their stronghold here underground. Regardless, he needed to get onto the ind.


    "Deploy thending boats. Ready your weapons. Anchor down. Prepare to go ashore."


    Under Charles'' orders, the Narwhale''s crew sprung to action, and soon, they were rowing toward the shore.


    As he walked among the stone pirs, Charles felt as though he had been transported to a familiar tourist spot he had once visited on the surface world: the Stone Forest of Guilin.


    There wasn''t much difference between his current spot and the famous tourist site, apart from the perpetual darkness overhead. Of course, the throngs of tourists were missing, too.


    "Audric," Charles called out. "You mentioned a forest, didn''t you? How much further is it?"


    Audric ced his hands on the rocky walls surrounding him and felt around before he replied, "These stones stretch about half a kilometer. The forest is at the end of it."


    Indeed, Charles and the party soon arrived before the so-called forest.


    Audric had called it a forest probably because he used his sonar detection and couldn''t pick up the color of the <i>forest. </i>If he could perceive color, he would never have called the things before them <i>trees.</i>


    The trunks and leaves of these tree-like objects were in a variety of bizarre colors. It was as though someone had ingested a melody of colorful paints before regurgitating them. The most apt description, if Charles had to find one, was that he was staring at decaying rainbows.


    First Mate Bandages suddenly took a step forward and gently pinched a leaf.


    "This... is... not a nt..."


    "Then what is it? Is it sentient?" Charles asked as a hint of solemnity appeared on his countenance.


    "No idea... But it''s definitely not a nt..."


    Traces of unease appeared on the faces of everyone as their eyes were fixated on the strange forest ahead. Weister''s palms were even starting to sweat.


    Lily''s mice were the first scouts to be sent into the forest to check if there were any potential dangers. Truth be told, Lily''s mice were the best fit for reconnaissance tasks. If not for theirnding boats being too small to amodate more of them, Charles would have made everyone scout the entire ind.


    <i>Squeak, squeak!</i>


    The mice soon returned, and Lily, perched on Charles'' shoulder, quickly tranted their squeaks.


    "Mr. Charles, there''s no immediate danger inside."


    "Everyone, stay within sight. Have your weapons loaded and relics ready," Charles instructed.


    Following Charles'' lead, the Narwhale crew slowly entered the eerie forest. Contrary to their expectations, the forest was far from silent. The sounds of various insects echoed continuously.


    When Charles spotted a mushroom with a luminescent glow and puffing out mist, his heart settled down slightly.


    Despite the oddities they had seen, it seemed that the ind''s unique flora had formed their own special ecosystem, and the trees that they had passed by might really be just trees.


    With much apprehension, the crew ventured deeper into the forest. Initially, everyone was on high alert; every muscle in them was tensed up in preparation for a fight or flight situation. But as hours ticked by, a sense of involuntary rxation set in.


    After six hours of exploration, they found nothing apart from the variety of uniquely colored nts. Charles then called for a brief respite.


    "Linda, Bandages, Feuerbach..."Charles muttered as he read down the list of names on the fabric tied around his shoulder and checked them against the people present.


    Although Anna''s tentacle was still in his brain, and ording to her, it could shield most mind-control attempts, Charles would rather err to the side of caution. He had more trust in written records.


    "Captain, here you go," the Cook, nck, said as he ced a steaming can of meat and a bowl of fruit soup before Charles.


    Under their present circumstances, Charles wasn''t in the mood to slowly savor the food. He gobbled his food quickly as his eyes darted around to monitor the strange forest.


    Seeing that Charles had started eating, nck moved toward a nearby bush.


    "Stop right there. What are you doing? Don''t you know it''s dangerous on an unexplored ind?"


    "I... I need to take a leak," nck said.


    "Just turn around and face away from us. Don''t wander into the forest," Charles instructed.


    "Okay. I wasn''t nning to go in anyway," nck said as he moved closer toward the bush and unbuckled his belt.


    Listening to someone urinating while eating wasn''t pleasant, but safety was more important than disgust.


    Charles averted his gaze from the cook''s back and continued with his meal.


    "AHHHHHH!" Suddenly, nck''s terrified scream pierced the air. He didn''t even manage to fasten his belt properly and ran back toward Charles and the rest of the crew.


    Startled by nck''s cry, the crew members instinctively reached for their weapons, and the sound of guns being loaded rang out.


    Charles even hurled his can of food aside and dashed toward nck with the speed of a cheetah.


    "What happened? What did you just see?" Charles demanded as he pulled nck behind him and stood protectively in front, his gaze piercing into the ominous forest.


    "A monster! A humanoid monster! It wants to eat me! It looks terrifying!" nck eximed as his fingers made failed attempts at buckling his belt.


    "What does it look like?"


    "It... it has terrifying scales all over its body, and they are green in color. Its eyes are white without eyelids, and its mouth is full of sharp fangs! It was even dressed in wet clothes that were dripping water."


    As nk described the creature, Charles found the imagery to be increasingly familiar. Realization dawned upon him, and a hint of anger flickered across his face. He bellowed into the forest, "What are you doing here?! Come out now!"


    Apanied by the sound of leaves crunching underfoot, a dark silhouette slowly emerged from the forest.


    As the figure came into view, a terrified expression appeared on the portly cook''s face. He pointed a chubby finger at the figure and stammered. "Y-Y-Yes! That''s him!"


    "Captain! Boatswain of the Narwhale, Dipp, reporting for duty!" Dipp, in his Deep Dweller form, emerged from the bizarre forest.

 Chapter 344. Ropes

    <h4>Chapter 344. Ropes</h4>


    Some of the scales on Dipp''s face were peeling off as though he had taken a punch earlier. However, the grin of joy on his face was unmistakable.


    Dipp stole a sheepish nce at Charles. Charles ignored him and chowed down on his meal. Dipp cast his gaze upon Feuerbach''s side. He grabbed the Second Mate''s half-eaten can of food and voraciously devoured the rest.


    "Second Mate, there are so many new faces I don''t recognize. Did they all just join," Dipp asked casually.


    Despite his food being snatched, the green-haired man, Feuerbach, wasn''t the least fazed or bothered. He even thoughtfully handed Dipp a bowl of fruit soup.


    "Yeah, they''re all new," Feuerbach answered. "Look, this is Tobba, you remember him, right? With this guy around, we''ll never be lost at sea again."


    Feuerbach''s tone was carefree as he introduced the new crew members who had joined during Dipp''s absence. However, the mentioned crew members were far from pleased. They regarded the grotesque-looking fishman in front of them with looks of terror.


    None of the older crew members had revealed to them about the past events and they had no idea of the origin of the terrifying creature before them. Neither did they understand why the creature imed to be the boatswain of the Narwhale.


    Weister even discreetly loaded his pistol as he eyed the terrifying fishman before with extreme wariness.


    However, after the cook, nck, learned that Dipp was the informant who brought the news of the Deep Dweller''s nned assault, he seemed no longer afraid of Dipp and even busied himself to prepare more food.


    "Chief Dipp, I''m so sorry. I mean, it was dark, and I suddenly saw... you. It never crossed my mind that it could be you," nck exined.


    Dipp let out a heartyughter. "No worries. I sometimes still get a shock when I look in the mirror. Heat me another can, will you? I''ve been eating raw fish for such a long time, and I''m getting sick of it."


    Just as Dipp was happily catching up with the older crew members, Charles suddenly rose to his feet. "Did I bring all of you here to chat? Hurry up and finish your food. We''ll continue our exploration!"


    The chatter ceased immediately as soon as Charles'' words fell. Everyone focused on their food, and their eating speed sped up. Only the sound of swift chewing filled the camp.


    In mere minutes, the crew was done with their meal. Picking up their weapons and shouldering their gear, they were ready to continue their journey.


    "Hold on," Dipp called out and stood in front of everyone to stop them from moving.


    "Captain, I found something interesting on my way here. It seemed to be left behind by a living human," Dipp said.


    "What?" A hint of surprise flickered across Charles'' eyes, and he turned his gaze onto Dipp. "Why didn''t you mention something this important earlier?"


    Traces of embarrassment surfaced on Dipp''s grotesque face. "Well...I was just so hungry and thought I''d eat first before telling you."


    Dipp then rushed before Charles and with a look of ingratiation, he asked, "Captain, does this mean you forgive my previous mistakes? Can I continue to stay on the Narwhale?"


    Charles'' brows furrowed at the question. He gave Dipp a forceful push toward the front and instructed, "Quickly lead the way."


    Dipp wasn''t the least upset by Charles'' rough actions. Instead, with heightened enthusiasm, he led the group through the bizarre forest. He understood his captain''s temperament; that rough shove probably meant that he had been forgiven.


    Under Dipp''s lead, Charles soon encountered the so-called human traces.


    A <i>person </i>was half-squatting under a crooked tree. The <i>person</i> looked extremely thin, and if Charles had to find a description for it, he would liken it to a stick figure. However, the figure wasn''t scorched but appeared to be made from intertwined brown jute rope.


    Charles gently reached out to touch the figure and found that it not only looked like rope but also felt like it. On the rope figure''s head, a simple face had been drawn with ck paint.


    <i>Could this be the work of someone from that dpidated ship? </i> A thought emerged in Charles'' mind.


    Just then, Lily''s voice rang out next to him. "Mr. Charles,e here quick! There are more of them here."


    The crew gathered around Lily to see two more rope figures behind anotherrge tree. However, these two figures weren''t standing separately. They were entangled, and a strand of thin rope hung below their knotted point.


    "Guys, do you think they are giving birth?" Lily asked. Charles was caught off guard by the unexpected possibility.


    Still, he studied the two figures closely with that suggestion in mind. It did seem like they were trying to reproduce in their own method. The two Ropelings were intertwining parts of themselves to form a new <i>offspring.</i>


    <i>Are these things actually alive? </i>Charles thought.


    Almost instinctively, Charles swiftly cut through the arm of one of the Roplings. He picked up the severed limb and examined the cut to find no flesh or blood. It was just an ordinary jute rope.


    <i>Just what in the world are these things? Who made them?</i>


    As Charles was pondering over these questions, his keen senses picked up a sudden movement behind him. He whirled around to find a Ropeling''s bizarre face pressed rmingly close to his own!


    <i>Swish!</i>


    The Ropeling''s head fell to the ground. A scowl appeared on Charles'' face as he swiftly retreated.


    "Everyone, gather together! Those things are alive!" Charles'' deep roar added further solemnity to the atmosphere.


    It didn''t matter why these creatures could move despite being made of ropes. But their ability to move meant that they could also kill.


    The crew quickly formed a defensive circle and brandished their weapons. Their gazes scanned the surroundings at heightened alert.


    "Captain, this has nothing to do with me. When I passed by here just now, they didn''t move at all," Dipp''s voice wasced with anxiety as he hurriedly exined to Charles. He really didn''t want Charles to suspect him again.


    However, Charles had no time to deal with Dipp. He had noticed that just in the span of a mere few seconds, the entangled Ropelings had already separated each other and had moved a meter closer toward them.


    "Back the way we came, now!" At Charles''mand, the crew hastily retreated.


    Unfortunately, a deeply unsettling event unfolded. More and more bizarre Ropelings appeared under those bizarre trees.


    No one actually managed to catch how they appeared, and they seemed to have materialized out of nowhere. When the crew caught sight of them, the Ropelings were already perched on the branches or peering out from behind the leaves.


    Against the backdrop of the vibrantly colored trees, the Ropelings'' crudely painted smiles appeared particrly eerie.


    Being thrown into this sudden predicament, the crew''s footsteps started getting disorderly, and their breathing quickened with apprehension. Though their weapons were loaded, everyone held fire as they waited for Charles'' order. After all, no one knew if bullets had any effect on these Ropelings.


    Suddenly, Dipp at the forefront halted in his steps. Charles rushed to his side, and the sight before him sent a chill down his spine.


    A massive formed from brown jute rope had blocked their path of retreat. The heads of the bizarre Ropeling jutted out from all sides of the like loose threads.


    The Ropelings had surrounded them.

 Chapter 345. Escape

    <h4>Chapter 345. Escape</h4>


    Everyone''s face turned grim. Before Charles coulde up with a n, rustling sounds echoed from behind them. They turned around and saw that the Ropelings perched on the branches, as well as the Ropelings peering out of the leaves, had surrounded them. They were trapped!


    One of the sailors couldn''t take it anymore and let loose a crazed cry before firing his gun haphazardly at the Ropelings before him. The bullets knocked down some of the Ropelings, but too many Ropelings had surrounded them that the sailor''s attack was a mere drop in the ocean.


    To make matters worse, no one knew how many more Ropelings were lurking in the forest.


    "Stop! Did I tell you to open fire?" Charles roared and snatched the gun off of the sailor''s hand.


    "Why don''t we try fire," Audric suggested, "Ropes should be afraid of fire, so we should just burn them down!"


    "Mr. Charles, why don''t I try talking to them? Perhaps they''re friendly monsters!"


    Charles had no time to listen to the suggestions of his crew. His keen ears picked up the disorderly approach of arge horde of Ropelings from behind them. Even the web of Ropelings before them showed no signs of stopping¡ªover a hundred Ropelings approached the crew in a bizarre, disorderly fashion.


    The crew frantically looked around; the Ropelings they had taken their eyes off of were ten meters away earlier. When they looked at those Ropelings once more after just a mere second, they were horrified to find that those Ropelings were only three meters away from them instead of ten!


    <i>Line of sight... movement... line of sight... </i>A light bulb lit up in Charles'' mind, and he finally understood the mechanism behind the Ropelings'' movement.


    "Listen up, everyone!" Charles roared, "Keep your eyes on them! They''re not going to move as long as they are in your line of sight!"


    At Charles'' order, the crew swiftly split into pairs; they cast their wary gazes upon the freakish Ropelings and made sure that not even one of them would make a move by ensuring that every single Ropeling was in their line of sight.


    Just over a dozen human eyes weren''t enough for the job, but Lily''s mice friends came in clutch. Hundreds of tiny bean-sized eyes red at the Ropelings, and they instantly ceased all movement.


    "Don''t panic, and move slowly to the left. Just keep staring at them, and they won''t be able to make any movement. If your right eye gets tired, switch to look with your left. All right, let''s go. Nice and steady!" Charles ordered, and the crew created a spherical formation along with the mice.


    The group slowly made their way out of the Ropeling''s encirclement. Everyone''s eyes were bloodshot; they didn''t dare to even blink, but their effort was paying off. They continued moving away from the ocean of bizarre monsters made from brown jute rope.


    A cacophony of footsteps soon echoed as Charles led his crew to a mad dash into the colorful forest. They ran desperately, afraid that the freakish monsters would catch up to them.


    Charles eventually gave the order to stop upon seeing some of the weaker crew on the verge of vomiting from the sheer exertion. Of course, Charles himself couldn''t rest. He shot a grappling hook at one of the tree branches above them and hoisted himself up on the tree branch.


    He jumped from a tree branch onto another and looked around thoroughly before he finally heaved a sigh of relief. Those bizarre Ropelings were nowhere to be seen; they were safe, albeit temporarily.


    <i>What on Earth were those? Are they living relics from the Foundation? What if they''re the native inhabitants of this ind?</i> The cogs in Charles'' mind turned as he thought while resting.


    Soon, Charles and his crew got moving once more. They weren''tpletely safe here, and Charles wasn''t willing to risk spending more time than the minimum of ten minutes for resting.


    With apass in one hand and a hastily-drawn map of the ind on the other, Charles led the crew somewhere else. Charles'' tentacle gripped a pencil to mark the ce where they had encountered the Ropelings with an <i>X</i> on the map.


    <i>Regardless of their identity, it''ll be best if we avoid and steer clear of those freakish creatures. </i>Charles thought.


    Not a word was spoken as the group marched deeper and deeper into the colorful but eerie forest. The encounter with the Ropelings taught every single crew member that they couldn''t rx at all on an unknown ind. Their faces marred with nervousness were briefly revealed by the shlights in their hands.


    To avoid running into anything like those Ropelings, Lily had dispatched her mice friends as forward scouts. She ordered them to retreat immediately upon seeing anything simr to the Ropelings or the Ropelings themselves.


    Time went by quickly, and the mysterious veil over the ind slowly unfurled before Charles'' eyes. Aside from the Ropelings, there were still other living creatures on this ind. Of course, they were either hidden in the ground, concealed in dirt, or hidden in tree trunks.


    Most of them were bugs, and the earlier chirping sounds they had heard were produced by these drab-colored insects.


    In addition to the variety of drab-colored bugs, there were also many different bizarre nts. Dark honey mushroomsrger than the size of a human, fuchsia that had blossomed into a spiral, and miniature purple bamboos that resembled grass.


    The colorful forest became more vibrant in the eyes of the crew as they encountered more and more bizarre nts and insects.


    Unfortunately, the crew couldn''t really appreciate the colors of the forest, as each and every nt or animal could pose a threat to their lives; it was a fact that didn''t allow the crew to rest easy.


    Just like that, Charles and his crew continued their journey, and on the fourth day, every single crew member looked visibly exhausted with their nerves frayed.


    The days were fine, but the crew had never gotten even a single night of decent sleep so far during nightfall; they were afraid that those Ropelings would show up from out of nowhere and snap their necks.


    Charles started thinking of whether to give the order to retreat or not, but then they discovered something bizarre¡ªa hollowed-out tree. The massive tree had been utterly hollowed out, but even more bizarre was the door-shaped opening in the bark.


    Their batteries had been exhausted, so the crew carried fire torches for light. The congration of torches briefly illuminated a distorted half-face, scaring everyone out of their wits.


    Fortunately, their Captain had strode in confidently. They knew their Captain had night vision, so the fact that their Captain had just walked inside the tree without any hesitation meant that there wasn''t anything dangerous inside the tree.


    Charles looked up and saw a multitude of murals depicting portraits of people in a variety of sizes. The portraits seemed to be looking down at the people down below, and the torch earlier had revealed just one of the portraits.


    The portraits were extremely crude, and they were barely better than drawings of cavemen ignorant of art. Charles'' eyes as a painter allowed him to see that the individual who had drawn these portraits had done all these haphazardly.


    There were forty-three portraits in total, and there were both male and female.


    "Captain...there are more here..." Bandages pointed his fire torch somewhere.


    Charles followed Bandages'' fire torch and instantly saw that the murals had some kind of sequence akin to a storyboard. The drawings were highly simplified, but they were vivid and clear enough to grasp.


    The story began with a ship, and it reminded Charles of the shipwreck they had discovered a few days ago. Some figures disembarked and encountered others onnd. Those from the ship then started fleeing for some reason, and some of them had been...


    <i>Dismembered?</i>


    Charles frowned and moved in for a closer look. The grotesque depiction of the dismembered bodies showed signs of torture before they were killed. Charles'' eyes roamed from the murals and onto the furnishings around them.


    He eventually found a four-meter-wide bed made out of leaves; its size made it clear to Charles that multiple people had once lived here.


    <i>I guess the shipwreck survivors once lived here. Where are they now? Did they stumble upon those bizarre creatures made out of jute rope and were subsequently killed?</i>


    Before Charles could fall into deep contemtion, the urgent squeaking of rats echoed from outside. He had stayed with those mice long enough for him to know that the rats were squeaking urgently to warn them of danger.

 Chapter 346. Mudling

    <h4>Chapter 346. Mudling</h4>


    Charles rushed out of the tree and found that his crew was holding at gunpoint the reason behind the mice''s urgent cries. The figure wasn''t made out of brown jute rope but seemed to be made out of mud. It stood frozen at only a hundred and forty centimeters tall, and a dark honey mushroom the size of a basketball was in its arms.


    "Captain, there''s a living person inside that mud. I can smell their blood circting through their veins," Audric said. He bared his fangs and licked them with his crimson tongue.


    "A living person?" Charles approached the figure and scraped the pitch-ck mud off the figure with his Dark de. Sure enough, a fair skin appeared underneath.


    "Are you the one living in that hollowed-out tree?" Charles said.


    The Mudling ignored Charles as they stood rooted.


    Charles snatched away the mushroom in the Mudling''s arms and tossed it toward the nearby mice.


    "Taste it and see if it''s edible," he instructed.


    At Charles'' order, two mice rushed over and began nibbling away at the mushroom. However, they started writhing and vomiting on the ground merely secondster after tasting the mushroom.


    "What''s going on with them, Lily? Was that thing poisonous?" Charles asked.


    "No, the big mushroom isn''t poisonous. But they''reining that it''s so bitter that their tongues went numb upon tasting it," Lily replied.


    Even rats found the mushroom revolting; one could only imagine just how foul the mushroom tasted. Regardless, the fact that it wasn''t poisonous meant that it could be consumed once desperate.


    Audric was right. The Mudling was a living human being, and they had gone out to forage for food.


    Charles stepped forward, and his Dark de drew multiple cold arcs as it shaved off the mud on the Mudling''s face. The mud peeled away, revealing the exquisite features of the individual underneath.


    The long lush eyshes before the individual''s amber eyes drew more than one smitten nce from the crew, but Charles seemed indifferent to the individual''s perfect facial features. He held the Dark de before the individual''s throat.


    "Just what the hell are you?! Speak!" Charles urged with a roar.


    Just then, Tobba rushed over and said, "Captain, let me do it. I can handle this."


    Tobba grabbed the Mudling''s hand and stood next to it as if imitating an art sculpture of the theme: <i>Friendship</i>.


    The crew stared bemused while Dipp approached Charles and asked, "Captain, does he know how to read minds? Is he a telepath?"


    Charles frowned slightly, but he didn''t respond. Tobba''s abilities weren''t clear to even himself, so it wouldn''t be a surprise if the living relic suddenly pulled out new abilities from out of nowhere. Charles could still remember Tobba''s uncanny sixth sense during that time on Skywater Ind.


    Three minutester, Tobba remained frozen next to the Mudling.


    The perplexed Charles could no longer hold it in and decided to ask, "Tobba, do you have any idea of its thoughts yet?"


    Tobba turned to Charles, looking as baffled as thetter as he asked, "I''m waiting for it to speak! How would I know its thoughts? It still hasn''t said anything, so I wouldn''t know its thoughts at all!"


    Dipp scratched the green scales on his head, both speechless and exasperated. "Are you an idiot? If this thing could talk, you wouldn''t have been needed to step in!"


    "He''s not an idiot, but he''s a madman," Charles dragged Tobba away from the Mudling with clear impatience on his face.


    "No, no, no, I''m really awesome, I''m telling you! You just have to believe me! I didn''t hear it say anything in its head, and it has yet to speak as well!" Tobba roared in protest.


    Charles simply decided to ignore Tobba. They didn''t have the luxury of time to take things slowly. The Mudling wasn''t willing to speak, so Charles had no choice but to resort to extreme measures.


    <i>Buzz!</i>


    The buzzing of the chainsaw pervaded the air, and the chainsaw sliced through the hardened mud as if it were slicing through tofu. Just as the chainsaw approached the Mudling''s fingers, the quiet Bandages made a move.


    Bandages ced his hand on Charles'' prosthetic arm and said, "Wait... Captain. I can sense that...it''s not like it''s unwilling...to speak...it''s just imitating..."


    "Imitating? What is it imitating?"


    "It''s...imitating...those...creatures made from jute rope."


    The spinning chainsaw wound down, and Charles directed a frown at the Mudling. After a while, he emerged from his contemtion and ordered. "On my signal, I want everyone to shut their eyes for exactly one second."


    The crew and mice nodded and closed their eyes on Charles'' signal. Exactly one secondter, they were stupefied to find that the motionless Mudling had turned around and was in a fleeing pose.


    <i>So, it can only move while unobserved. </i>Charles was quite astonished by the discovery. Charles ordered the crew to blink rapidly, allowing the Mudling to take a few more steps away.


    Upon confirming his theory, Charles dragged the Mudling toward the hollowed-out tree.


    "I want all of you to stand guard here outside. I''m going to have a private conversation with our friend right here," he said.


    "Aye aye, Captain!" the crew responded.


    The hollowed-out tree was pitch-ck inside, but the Mudling remained frozen, even though Charles wasn''t technically observing it. For some reason, the Mudling could sense Charles'' gaze on it despite the darkness.


    <i>Blink!</i>


    Charles blinked once, and it whipped around toward the exit.


    Of course, Charles wouldn''t let it escape. Finding a living human being on an unexplored ind was exceedingly rare, so Charles was nning on extracting every single piece of information the Mudling had in its brain.


    He grabbed the Mudling and made it stand upright. Then, he stared at the Mudling''s perfect visage and made sure to enunciate each word slowly as he said, "I want you to answer my questions. Are there buildings on this ind? Where are the rest of your crew?"


    Charles blinked rapidly, hoping to provoke a response from the Mudling.


    However, the Mudling ignored Charles and started making its way to the exit step by step with Charles'' every blink.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A loud noise echoed as a white bone bullet grazed the Mudling''s cheek, leaving a bloody gash on its wless face.


    Startled, the crew members outside stuck their fire torches and heads into the hollowed-out tree, but they swiftly withdrew upon seeing that their Captain was safe and sound.


    "Answer me, or I''m going to make you beg for mercy," Charles said and pressed the barrel of his gun against the Mudling''s head.


    However, the Mudling still showed no intention of responding despite being held at gunpoint, and it continued making its way toward the exit with Charles'' every blink.


    "Perhaps it simply cannot speak, Captain." An aloof feminine voice echoed from outside.


    Charles turned and found the Narwhale''s doctor, Linda. The bald Linda walked up to the Mudling and stared intently into its eyes. "See how its eyes show no reaction at all to our conversation? It means only one thing: it does not understand us at all."


    Charles frowned and was about to start pondering over how tomunicate with the Mudling when Linda spoke once more and offered, "May I try, Captain? I''m still a doctor, after all."


    Charles pondered briefly before nodding. "Fine, but be careful. For all we know, it might just be faking it."


    Charles tossed his flesh revolver over to Linda and exited the hollowed-out tree.

 Chapter 347. Wuwa

    <h4>Chapter 347. Wuwa</h4>


    Charles leaned against the colorful tree trunk with his eyes closed, arms folded, and brows knitted into a deep frown. The freakish Mudling''s imitation of the Ropelings'' behavior made him think of something¡ªcould there be a fearsome entity on the ind forcing everyone to move like how the Ropelings did for them to survive?


    Charles looked around and felt somewhat reassured upon seeing Lily''s mice friends on the lookout. Even if there was such a fearsome entity, there was no way that entity could catch them off guard with the mice keeping tabs.


    A few minutester, Linda''s voice echoed from the hollowed-out tree.


    "Captain, you cane in," Linda said calmly, "He has regained some of his human instincts."


    Charles went inside with the other crew members. The fire from their torches illuminated the surroundings, and they were astonished to find that the figure once covered in mud was now bare before them.


    The Mudling with perfect facial features had unexpectedly turned out to be a male. However, the scene that astonished the crew wasn''t the revtion of the Mudling''s gender. It was the fact that he was in Linda''s arms and hadtched onto her breast as if he were an infant.


    Linda remained unfazed even though everyone could see her breasts. She turned to Charles and calmly exined, "He has retained the basic survival instinct of rooting, all thanks to his memories of having been breastfed by his mother, but he has nonguage abilities. I conducted a simple test and discovered that his cognitive skills are simr to a three-year-old child."


    "The cognitive skills of a three-year-old child? Can''t humansmunicate even at that age?" Charles asked.


    Linda gently pushed the Mudling''s head away and straightened her clothes. "It''s not that simple. Dolphins exhibit the cognitive skills of a six-year-old child, but we still can''tmunicate with them."


    "Wuwa..." For the first time, the Mudling moved despite being under everyone''s line of sight. He ignored everyone''s gaze and nudged Linda''s chest desperately, seemingly looking for sustenance.


    Linda walked briskly over to nck and pulled a tin can out of thetter''s backpack. Linda pried open the tin can with a dagger and handed it over to the Mudling. The Mudling grabbed the tin can and started sucking out therd inside.


    Charles pondered over how he could extract information from the Mudling. The fact that he was still alive after such a long time meant that he had to have gone all over the ind. At least, the Mudling had to be aware of which ces were dangerous or safe.


    Charles looked around, and an idea struck him the moment his gazended on the murals. He swiftly pulled out a pen and a piece of paper before sketching something on the paper. Soon, a sketched shipwreck appeared on the paper.


    The moment Charles ced the paper before the Mudling, he seemed captivated by the drawing, and his eyes were unwittingly transfixed on the shipwreck. His lovely amber eyes seemed to exude a hint of confusion and bewilderment as he ced the tin can down.


    "Mr. Charles, I think he recognizes the ship!" Lily eximed while standing on Charles'' shoulder.


    Charles nodded lightly in agreement. It was a good thing that his method was working. Since words weren''t working, he could attempt tomunicate through pictures. Clearly, even a three-year-old could understand pictures, even though they couldn''t quite express their understanding through words.


    Charles started drawing once more. This time, he drew buildings in the same architectural style as the Foundation''s buildings. He drew Laboratory 2, Laboratory 3, and the modern buildings of Newbound City. Charles drew anything that he thought might be on this ind.


    Soon, over a dozen pieces of paper wereid out before the Mudling, but the Mudling didn''t give any positive reaction. He had ensconced himself in Linda''s arms and ignored Charles'' drawings. He even took nces at Lily perched on Charles'' shoulder.


    <i>This is strange. The Foundation must have explored this ind, so there''s no way they didn''t build any buildings here</i>. Charles frowned in deep contemtion.


    After a while, he took out another piece of paper and drew a variety of doors. He drew huge metal gates, arched double doors, rectangr doors, and even elevator doors.


    The Pope had mentioned the discovery of a <i>door</i>, so Charles figured out that the Mudling might know something about it. However, Charles was disappointed to find that the Mudling didn''t even nce at the sketches.


    Instead, the Mudling''s eyes were glimmering with curiosity as he reached out a finger toward Lily on his shoulder.


    Charles smacked the Mudling''s finger away. He felt disheartened; it was extremely exhausting tomunicate with the Mudling. In fact, he foundmunicating with Tobba less exhausting thanmunicating with the Mudling.


    <i>Should we just give up and continue to explore the ind? </i>Charles thought about it but quickly dismissed the idea.


    The Mudling had to have lived here for many years now, so they would be able to cut down their exploration time once they somehow extracted information from the Mudling.


    "Captain, I think it''s best if we start with something he''s already familiar with," Linda said. She carried the Mudling over to the murals and began tracing the murals with her finger.


    The portraits, the shipwrecks, and the tiny figures running away¡ªthe Mudling would utter something iprehensible each time Linda''s finger rested on any of the murals.


    "Wait, stop!" Charles called out. Linda''s finger was resting on the disembarking figures.


    "Wuwa~" the Mudling muttered two sybles while staring at the disembarking figures who hade ashore with him.


    "Yes, that''s right! Where are the wuwas? Take us to them!" Charles repeatedly tapped on the disembarking figures. The murals depicted that a cmity had befallen the disembarking figures, but some of them had to have survived.


    Charles'' relentless tapping elicited a reaction from the Mudling. Holding Linda by the waist, he began nudging her toward the exit.


    "Let''s see where he''s going to take us," Charles said, and he walked outside with his crew in tow. The trek in the woods didn''tst long. Half an hourter, they found themselves standing before a dirt mound.


    "Wuwa~" the Mudling pointed at the dirt mound.


    Charles sighed in resignation. He ought to have known that they had perished. If they were still alive, the Mudling would have been capable of speech. After all, there would have been adults to take care of him.


    "Let''s dig the corpses out and see how they died," Charles ordered. The crew started to get busy. Fortunately, the ground was wet and soft, which made the digging quite easy for everyone.


    Charles started pondering over their next step while staring at his crew members working busily to dig out the corpses. They had explored only a fraction of the ind, and a thorough search was bound to take ten days or more.


    Charles also judged that they would have to make a minimum of two supply runs back to the ship before they couldpletely search the ind.


    Honestly, Charles didn''t like the idea of thoroughly exploring this ind. The entire ind felt ominous, and Charles couldn''t shake off the sense of foreboding that had gripped his heart.


    He felt like something bad would happen anytime soon.


    "C-captain! Come here, quick!" Weister''s frightened yell jolted Charles.


    Charles emerged from his thoughts and rushed over to Weister.


    "What''s wrong?" Charles asked and looked down; his pupils constricted to the size of fine needles in an instant. Rather than bones, they found more than a dozen severed brown jute ropes!


    Charles was reminded of the murals inside the hollowed-out tree and realized that he had made a mistake. He had assumed that only humans had disembarked the ship and hade ashore. Unfortunately, those Ropelings had disembarked and hade ashore as well!


    In other words, the Ropelings weren''t native to this ind; they hade from the shipwreck, and they had been stuck here since then!


    "Wuwa~" The Mudling poked his head out of Linda''s embrace and pointed at the ropes in the ground. Then, under everyone''s gaze, he raised his finger slowly to point at the colorful forest around them.


    "Wuwa~" The Mudling pointed to the left, and then he pointed to the right before letting out the same two-sybles cry, "Wuwa~"


    And then, like a machine gun, the Mudling rapidly jabbed with his finger in every cardinal direction. "Wuwa, wuwa, wuwa~!

 Chapter 348. Music

    <h4>Chapter 348. Music</h4>


    "<i>Wuwa, wuwa, wuwa~!</i>" the Mudling repeatedly jabbed with his finger in all cardinal directions, but the colorful forest remained somber and quiet, which made the scene even more eerie.


    The tense crew instinctively moved closer to each other and formed a tight formation with their guns pointed at the woods around them. They could feel that something had gone awry.


    <i>What is he doing? Could all these trees be Ropelings?</i> Charles started pondering over where the wuwas were, and it didn''t take long for him to receive an answer as his keen ears picked up rustling noises from the nearby woods.


    A brown jute rope descended from a tree branch and swayed side to side with the inertia. Its appearance signaled the beginning of something more sinister. More and more brown jute ropes jutted out of the roots and behind the leaves of the surrounding trees until the woods were full of brown jute ropes.


    The brown jute ropes would get closer to the crew every time the crew''s line of sight left them, even in the briefest moments.


    Eventually, the brown jute ropes converged to form Ropelings, and they encircled Charles and his crew. It turned out that what the Mudling had been referring to as <i>wuwas</i> were the Ropelings!


    The Ropelings had lured them into an ambush!


    Charles and his crew had truly never thought that the Ropelings would use a human being as bait. The realization had distorted Charles'' face. He red with a savage look at the Mudling. He then drew out his revolver to execute the traitor who had led them into this trap.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A deafening gunshot echoed, but the Ropelings were faster. A Ropelingnded between the Mudling and Charles, and it blocked the white bone bullet that Charles had fired at the Mudling.


    "Lily, have your mice stare at these Ropelings! We have to get out of here, and we have to do it fast!" Charles eximed. He had decided to use the same solution he had used in their first encounter with the Ropelings.


    Just then, shrill squeaks echoed behind him. Charles turned around and found that several hundred ropes had emerged to lock the heads of the nearby mice in a single direction; the Ropelings exhibited high intelligence, and they had preemptively put a stop to Charles'' n!


    Charles moved to rescue the mice, but eight ropes burst out of the ground to wrap around his torso. The Ropelings had him bound.


    "Fuck!" Charles roared. He had no ns of going out just like this, and white lightning arcs burst out of him to scorch the ropes, burning them away.


    "I can hear them!" Tobba''s voice pierced the words. His eyes were closed, but he found Charles with precision and yelled, "They want us to stop moving!"


    "Stop moving and allow them to strangle us? Is that what they want us to do?!" Charles spurred his invisible tentacles into action, pushing the encroaching ropes away.


    White lightning arcsshed out at the Ropelings like a whip, but the lightning arcs merely singed them. The bizarre Ropelings seemed like instors, and they remained unfazed as they marched closer to Charles and his crew with their bizarre movement.


    Charles'' invisible tentacles moved nonstop, batting away every single oing rope.


    "Pass me the explosives! I''ll hold them off! All of you rescue the mice first! We need their eyes to carve open a path for us!"


    The crew responded quickly to Charles'' orders and started hacking at the ropes that had bound the mice. However, the ropes were tough and couldn''t be easily shed through.


    Feuerbach handed over a few tin grenades to Dipp. Dipp struck a match off his green scales and ignited the fuses of the tin grenades before swiftly handing them over to Charles.


    The fuses hissed as they grew shorter and shorter. Charles held up the tin grenades with his invisible tentacles, but he hadn''t thrown them yet. He was nning on throwing the tin grenades at the veryst second.


    The air was so tense that it was palpable, and Charles could no longer hear anything aside from his heart pounding madly against his chest.


    At the critical juncture, the Ropelings moved for the first time despite being in the line of sight. They lunged forward like an intertwined of ropes, much to the group''s surprise. Only Charles and a few crew members were agile enough to escape capture, while the majority of the Narwhale''s crew were instantly bound.


    Charles hurriedly extinguished the fuses of the grenades. They would be doomed if the grenades were allowed to explode.


    Charles got ready to move as soon as the Ropelings started strangling any of his crew, but he realized that the Ropelings had stopped moving; they seemed satisfied with what they had done and had ceased all movement.


    "Captain, look," Linda said, gesturing with her chin.


    Charles followed her gaze and found that the Mudling stood frozen, akin to a lifeless mannequin. He had no idea what was going on, but Charles knew one thing: the top priority was to get everyone out of here.


    Having made up his mind, he gripped his Dark de and got ready to carve open a path, but the moment he bent his knees to make a move, an earsplitting strain of music echoed from the left.


    Everyone, regardless if they were bound by the ropes or not, turned their eyes reflexively to where the music hade from, but there wasn''t anyone else amidst the colorful trees. Momentster, however, Charles felt hundreds of gazes boring down on them.


    <i>Are they invisible? </i>The thought crossed Charles'' mind. The ear-splitting music got more and more frenzied as well as bassier and frantic as it approached Charles and his group with extreme velocity.


    The Chief Engineer unconsciously stepped backward beneath the mounting pressure, and his step instantly changed the tune of the music from a frantic tune to a nail-scraping shrill cacophony.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Beneath everyone''s shocked gazes, a human being was shredded into a dozen meat chunks by an invisible assant. The unfortunate sailor''s blood stained the ground crimson.


    The music echoed in all directions, and the crew finally felt the gazes boring down on them. However, they failed to find even a single living creature in the colorful woods around them. Everyone stood frozen in shock and horror. They dared not move, exactly like the Ropelings.


    Charles'' eyes cautiously darted around to find where the music wasing from but found nothing.


    At Charles'' will, one of his invisible tentacles stretched out from his left arm andshed out at where the sound echoed the loudest, but the tentacle struck nothing but air. There was nothing there; Charles didn''t feel anything at all.


    <i>Shwik!</i>


    Charles btedly realized that his outstretched tentacle had been diced by the invisible assant. A wave of excruciating pain struck him, and beaded cold sweat started rolling down his scarred cheek. However, Charles remained perfectly still.


    He dared not move nor breathe too strongly as he endured the torment. Several minutes passed just like that, and the jarring music eventually softened. The invisible assant seemed to calm down, and the music eventually disappeared.


    The piercing gazes had vanished as well, but Charles remained unmoving. He signaled to the others with his eyes and told them to remain still. No one could say for sure whether it would returnter or immediately once they started moving.


    As Charles stared silently at his horrified crew, he suddenly realized why the ind had no animated creatures aside from the Ropelings. The invisible assant had to have killed every single one of them until none were left on the ind.

 Chapter 349. Clues

    <h4>Chapter 349. Clues</h4>


    Charles and his crew remained standing for an indeterminate amount of time. Just as Charles felt like he couldn''t feel his legs anymore, the Mudling moved first and stood before the of Ropelings. He hopped about and yelled, "Wuwa!"


    As the crew rapidly blinked, the Ropelings began to move and free them. Once the crew was freed, the Ropelings then moved toward the hole that Charles and his crew had dug and began filling it up. The Mudling went to help as well.


    Now that the danger had passed, theypletely ignored the existence of Charles and his crew.


    The crew members exchanged odd looks, and they slowly lowered their weapons. No exnation was necessary for them to understand that the Ropelings had restrained them to save them.


    "Tobba," Charles called out to his Navigator.


    "I''m here!" Tobba pranced his way over to Charles. The jovial old man now had a new stub of newly grown white hair on the center of his head.


    Charles stared at the old lunatic with a pensive look. Tobba was too unstable to be relied on, and no one could deduce when his words would hold any merit.


    Charles nced at the Ropelings that were moving away and asked in a low voice, "You could hear them earlier telling us to stop moving, right? Can you still hear them?"


    "They''re thinking of refilling the holes we dug to bury their fallenrades back into the ground," Tobba replied.


    "That''s not what I want to know. Don''t just stare at one of them. I want you to take a look at what they''re all thinking," Charles said.


    "But they all have the same thought..." Tobba muttered and cast a worried look at the Ropelings. He pondered briefly before enthusiastically rushing over to the Ropelings and started chatting with two of them.


    "Captain." Dipp''s voice echoed next to Charles. With a dagger in hand, he stared worriedly at the Ropelings and said, "Shouldn''t we get going?"


    "The threat has passed, so why should we leave? We might be able to dig up intel about this ind from them. They might be able to tell us the identity of that invisible threat altogether," Charles replied.


    At this point, Charles had calmed down enough to understand that the Ropelings had been chasing after them to restrain them, not because the Ropelings wanted to strangle them to their deaths but to save them from the threat of the bizarre music.


    But Charles'' actions were understandable. He had explored quite a few inds after spending so many years at sea, but this was the first time he had encountered friendly natives.


    The many life-and-death situations he had experienced had conditioned him not to take anything at face value and to be hostile toward anything nonhuman.


    A grinning Tobba soon returned to Charles while dragging two Ropelings with him.


    "We''re good friends now!" Tobba eximed.


    Contrary to Tobba''s words, the Ropelings'' struggle made it clear that they were anything but willing friends.


    Charles nced at Tobba''s hands and found that he had restrained the Ropelings with an exceptionally strong grip to the extent that his knuckles had be white from the exertion.


    Charles hesitated, but he still ended up saying, "Ask your friends about the identity of the attacker earlier and if it appears on a schedule."


    "I don''t know theirnguage, so I can''t talk to them. <i>Hehehe,</i>" Tobba replied with a sheepish smile.


    A vein bulged on Charles'' forehead, and he felt his blood boiling. Regardless, he chose to remain silent.


    However, Dipp had a different idea.


    Dipp jabbed a webbed finger at Tobba and roared, "What do you mean you don''t know theirnguage? Weren''t you talking with them just now? Are you trying to fool our Captain here?! Do you really think that we can''t afford to maroon you here?!"


    "Who says you can''t be friends with someone even though there''s anguage barrier between you two? I can hear their emotions and see what they are seeing," Tobba replied.


    Charles had no time to watch their bickering. He pulled out a pen and a piece of paper before swiftly sketching out a few buildings in the architectural style of the Foundation.


    Once he was done, he showed the Ropelings the drawings and pointed at each and every one of them with a questioning expression. The Ropelings'' torsos remained motionless, but their heads slowly swiveled to look behind them.


    "They turned around not because they don''t want to answer your question," Tobba chimed in and said, "They''re saying that what you''ve drawn lies over there. I can see the path in their minds, and I can guide us there."


    Charles was instantly ted. He had always been doubtful about the absence of any of the Foundation''s traces here, but it turned out that the Foundation had not ignored the tiny inds on the periphery.


    Perhaps they would find traces of the so-called <i>door</i> among the ruins of the Foundation here.


    "No, we can''t go there, Charles!" Tobba suddenly eximed with a look of terror. He stared grimly at Charles and exined, "The killing harmony is from there!"


    <i>Killing harmony? </i>Charles instantly recalled the bizarre music that they had just encountered.


    <i>So that music is from the ruins of the Foundation here? Could it be from some relic that had breached containment?</i> Charles frowned. He pondered over the matter, but he still decided to press on.


    It would be dangerous, but there was no reason for them to turn back now that they had found their target. A clear way to counter the killing harmony had also been made clear, so the danger level was within Charles'' risk tolerance.


    Charles soon told the crew his decision, and everyone shouldered their gear, clearly eager to leave.


    It seemed that they couldn''t quite rx around the Ropelings, even though it had been proven that the Ropelings had only been chasing after them to protect them from the killing harmony.


    Charles and his crew embarked on their journey to the Foundation ruins, but the Ropelings blocked them once more before they could even take a couple of steps.


    "Charles, they want to give us parting gifts," Tobba interpreted for the Ropelines.


    The said parting gifts were soon presented before Charles and his crew¡ªmoldy Echo bills, a few gold and silver rings, and a gold tooth. They also shoved the naked Mudling toward Charles and his crew.


    The Mudling scrambled to return to the Ropelings, but he was shoved away, making it clear to everyone that the Ropelings didn''t want anything to do with the Mudling. The Mudling tumbled backward after getting shoved, and he wailed miserably like a child.


    Under the piercing gazes of the Ropelings, Charles grabbed the moldy Echo bills and hurled the bawling Mudling toward Linda with his invisible tentacle before saying, "Bring him with us; let''s go."


    Under the watchful gazes of the Ropelings with their bizarre facial features, Charles and his crew slowly entered the forest. After a while, Lily nced at the Ropelings behind them as they fell out of their torches'' illumination and asked, "Mr. Charles, were they good people?"


    "We can''t say for sure, but they know the concept of payment, so it''s clear that they''ve worked with humans before," Charles replied.


    Lily nuzzled up Charles'' cheek with her furry head and muttered, "I think they''re good people. They protected us earlier, after all."


    Charles nced at the sulking Mudling in Linda''s arms before nodding lightly.


    Tobba allowed the group to save time wandering around the ind, and the group soon found their destination, all thanks to Tobba''s lead.


    Charles could already see the Foundation buildings behind the tree leaves in the distance, but he couldn''t find any elevator shaft.


    "Throw me the monoscope here," Charles called out while clinging to a tree trunk.


    Dipp hurled a monoscope toward Charles, and thetter snatched it out of mid-air.


    Charle stared at the distant buildings through the monoscope. <i>A door? Does the Foundation use a teleportation portal to travel to the surface and here rather than an elevator?</i>


    The Foundation had a penchant for exploiting relics, so Charles believed it was feasible. He swept his gaze across the buildings before dropping back down and turning to look at his crew.


    "We''re going over there, so leave everything we don''t need here," Charles said.

 Chapter 350. Architecture

    <h4>Chapter 350. Architecture</h4>


    The crisp noise of human boots crushing dry leaves echoed incessantly in the woods as Charles led his group forward with the Dark de in hand.


    The Dark de tore apart every vine and bush in their way while the crew looked around vigntly. None spoke a word, afraid that any foreign noise would attract the killing harmony from earlier.


    Charles had told the mice to retreat. The mice were supposed to scout the road ahead of the group, but the mice were useless against an invisible, intangible enemy, so Charles had told them to retreat.


    Just then, Lily whispered into Charles'' ear, "Shouldn''t we apologize to those Ropelingster once we''re done here? I mean, we attacked them first, so I think we should go over to them and make amends."


    "Don''t think about useless things; concentrate!" Charles replied.


    "But we misunderstood them, so shouldn''t we go and apologize to them? I mean, we should at least say sorry, right?" Lily asked.


    Amidst Lily''s chattering, the group arrived before the ruins of the Foundation.


    "Everyone split into multiple groups. Your objective is to find any documents, maps, or anything with recognizable markings."


    At Charles'' order, the crew dispersed into multiple groups of three to five people and started to explore the ruins.


    Charles took Lily with him into a nearby dpidated two-story house. The interior was as dpidated as the outside; twisting tree roots had overrun the house and stretched across the dust-covered floor, tangling with everything in its way.


    Charles looked around briefly but found zero clues. He didn''t find even a single document or any recognizable markings, not to mention maps. Eventually, Charles walked out of the house and found his crew members shaking their heads at him with disappointed looks.


    Charles reckoned that the remaining crew members still in the middle of their exploration had to have found zero clues as well. Just as Charles was about to say something, an exceptionally low tune echoed abruptly.


    Everyone froze, and the terrified Lily hurriedly hid behind Charles'' cor. The music was markedly different from before, as it sounded simr to what one would hear from a guitar.


    Charles focused his keen ears on the music and found that it was moving around them. He couldn''t see the intangible harmony, but it was definitely nearby.


    This time, the music didn''t just surround them; it even passed through them. The strange sensation sent an involuntary tremor through everyone.


    A few minutester, the harmony faded into silence as it headed east.


    When they could no longer hear it, every single crew member inhaled sharply and started gasping for air as they patted their chests. The encounter just now had been so terrifying that they dared not to breathe, afraid that even the sound of their breathing would attract the ire of the killing harmony.


    "That''s it! That''s the clue we''ve been looking for! Follow me!" Charles eximed all of a sudden and started running toward where the killing harmony had disappeared.


    "Captain..." Weister gulped and stammered, "Y-y-you''re heading over to¡ª"


    The other crew members decisively chased after Charles before Weister could evenplete his sentence.


    Charles frantically ran after the killing harmony, and he moved swiftly amidst the obstacles before him in the woods. Charles'' excellent physique granted him great reflexes and flexibility to dodge and squeeze his way past the narrow gaps between bushes and the woven of vines.


    Charles didn''t lose the killing harmony for even a second.


    After an unknown amount of time, Charles came to a halt upon arriving at a huge clearing. The dense woods had vanished and had been reced by three flights of stairs made out of pristine white marble.


    The steps looked brand-new as if someone had been cleaning them regrly, and there was a revolving ss door at the end of the staircase. However, no one knew where the door led to.


    The canopy of the nearby trees didn''t allow Charles to see the true size of the building, but he knew one thing for sure: the building''s minimalistic architectural style was the trademark of the Foundation.


    Charles didn''t approach the building. The killing harmony had disappeared into the building, so it would be extremely dangerous for him to walk into the building haphazardly, not to mention approach it.


    Charles started examining the building from a distance. Soon, his exhausted crew eventually caught up to him.


    "That building looks clean, Captain. Should I go over and scout it for us?" Dipp volunteered enthusiastically.


    Charles shook his head. Approaching the building with no n in mind was tantamount to suicide. Charles wasn''t willing to let any of his crew walk over to the building, but he was willing to let someone observe it from up above.


    With that in mind, Charles turned to Audric and said, "Audric, transform into your bat form and observe the building from above on the canopy of the nearby trees.


    "Find out the size of the building and what''s going on inside of it, but you mustnd immediately and stop moving once you hear anything strange."


    The blind vampire nodded and transformed into a bat before taking to the skies.


    Charles frowned. He wasn''t sure if he had been hallucinating, but Audric''s bat form seemed to be a bit bigger than before.


    The crew stared at Audric as he took to the sky.


    Charles shot a grappling hook and soon found himself standing on a tree branch with a monoscope in hand. He hadn''t seen it down on the ground, but a giant tree was in the middle of the building grounds.


    The tree was so big that it covered the entire building.


    Just then, Charles abruptly froze. Audric had been flying perfectly, but now, he was panicking. He pped his wings frantically and rushed to his right.


    As the discordant cacophony of tunes grew louder and louder in Charles'' ears, Charles became sure of it: Audric had been discovered!


    The giant bat moved agilely in the air, seemingly avoiding something.


    "Land and stop moving! Why are you running?!" Charles shouted anxiously. The blood dripping down Audric made Charles'' heart tighten. He had to do something, or Audric would soon be torn apart in mid-air.


    "The explosives! Give them to me, quick!" Charles shouted.


    Weister moved quickly and hurled the explosives at Charles.


    Charles snatched the explosives the size of grapefruits and shortened their wicks using the Dark de. He then ignited them at once and hurled them as far as possible in the opposite direction as Audric.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A deafening explosion echoed. A few giant trees were instantly torn apart before crashing to the ground, creating more thunderous booms.


    <i>Buzz!</i>


    A discordant buzzing filled Charles'' ears, and the harmony that had inundated him made him feel as though he was before a magnificent orchestra. The fallen trees in the distance were then shredded into pieces by the killing harmony, and were being torn further into finer pieces.


    Charles stood still; he dared not move, afraid that he would suffer the same fate as the fallen trees. Once every single fallen tree had been reduced to mere debris, the harmony in Charles'' ears gradually faded away into silence.


    A bloody Audric staggered over to Weister. He bit the young man''s neck and started sucking thetter''s blood as if he had been starving for a long time.


    "What were you doing?!" Charles jumped down the tree and asked, "I told you to stop moving if you''re discovered! Why were you running?"


    Audric retracted his fangs and grumbled, "I also wanted to stop moving, Captain, but as soon as my sound waves touched them, they also emitted sound waves that locked onto me.


    "Staying still was no use, as they would have shredded me to pieces, anyway."


    Charles frowned at Audric''s revtion. Their foes were more bizarre than Charles had expected. They could produce killing harmonies, but Charles didn''t expect them to be capable of using sound waves to find and track their targets.


    How could they do something simr to Audric when they were without a tangible form?

 Chapter 351. Lilith

    <h4>Chapter 351. Lilith</h4>


    Swiftly ridding the irrelevant thoughts in his mind, Charles turned to Audric and asked, "Did you detect anything? What''s inside?"


    "It''s a ratherrgepound that''s circr in shape. But because of the ss exterior, I can''t detect what''s behind the windows?"


    <i>Are there rooms inside?</i> Charles narrowed his eyes as he looked at the massive building in the distance.


    While the other areas were abandoned and dpidated, this single architecture had remained so pristine. There was no way he would believe that there were no clues within.


    Charles turned to face his crew. This was a perilous mission, and it wasn''t possible to bring the entire group along since that would only be burdensome. If the weak sailors tagged along, it was tantamount to suicide for them; they had already fulfilled their duties by carrying the supplies over.


    Soon, he decided on the team to enter thepound: himself, Lily and her mice, Bandages, Linda, Dipp, and Tobba.


    He had a reason for choosing each of them. As for the old lunatic, Tobba, Charles was hoping that there might be a possibility ofmunicating with those sound creatures. He also felt that the old man''s entricity mighte in handy.


    Charles led his selected crew members forward toward the circr, white building in the distance. They all moved cautiously, in fear of making any noise.


    It didn''t take long for the five humans and a group of mice to reach the entrance of the giant building.


    As the distance between them and the massive structure narrowed, Charles could pick up the finer details of the building. The more he looked at it, the more he felt that the building resembled a museum. Even the steps leading to the main door yed a part in the simrity.


    Pushing open the sleek, ck revolving ss door, Charles and his party entered the building. A spacious lobby that branched into various pathways greeted them. The floor tiles gleamed without a speck of dust, mirroring the solemn expressions on the group''s faces with perfect rity.


    "We start searching from the left first. Try to make as little noise as possible. We don''t know what else is inside here apart from the killing harmony," Charles whispered.


    Certainly, the murderous music wouldn''t have been able to maintain the pristine and immacte condition of the entirepound; there had to be something else within these walls.


    The group nodded collectively. Sticking along the wall, they slowly and cautiously move down an empty hallway. They didn''t have to walk for long before they reached their first room with a thick steel door.


    The door was secured with an electronic lock, and Linda''s corrosive stomach acid came in handy at this moment.


    The room behind the door was divided into several sections, with each housing different types of machines. The various sections were arranged in an organized manner, with the final section having the highest security level.


    Through the ss panel of the final section, Charles noticed a peculiar dried-up corpse with a peanut-shaped head. He wasn''t sure if it was a living relic or an experiment subject of the Foundation, but he was certain that it wasn''t what they were seeking.


    The group promptly retreated from the room and continued to search the next room.


    They arrived at the room adjacent to the one that contained the peanut-headed corpse. Stepping in, they found the interior strikingly simr to the previous. However, the ss panel of the innermost cell had been split into two halves to reveal two prominently disyed ss chambers.


    One of the ss chambersy shattered, while the other housed a skeleton. It was a clear indication that the former prisoner that was held here had long escaped the Foundation''s containment.


    Just as Charles was about to turn and leave, something unusual about the skeleton''s skull caught his eyes. It wasn''t an ordinary human skeleton; it had sharp fangs on both its upper and lower jaws.


    Piqued with curiosity, Charles leaned against the ss chamber wall and crouched for a closer look. He noticed fine, straw-like structures within the lower fangs.


    "Mr. Charles," Lily called out while standing on his shoulder. "This mister is like Mr. Audric. He has those blood-sucking little vampire fangs."


    Ignoring Lily''s remarks, Charles circled around the chamber to find more clues. Eventually, he discovered abel at the bottom of the ss chamber and the name written on it.


    <i>[O¡ªType 3 Siderostic Anemia Porphyria Patient: Hades.]</i>


    Charles turned his gaze toward thebel at the bottom of the shattered ss chamber.


    <i>[O¡ªType 3 Siderostic Anemia Porphyria Patient: Lilith.]</i>


    "Porphyria..." Charles muttered to himself as his finger lightly grazed his own sharp fangs. A sudden realization dawned on him about the fate of that missing patient.


    <i>What was it that Audric said previously? Their Mother was invited to this subterranean realm by a mysterious entity or something? It seems like this Mother of theirs has slightly beautified the story to maintain her dignity before her offspring...</i>


    Just that, Charles noticed his crew''s fixated gazes on him; he could sense their curiosity about his actions.


    "This ce is probably a confinement facility for living creatures. If we find more rooms like this, we can just skip them."


    With that, Charles led the party out of the room.


    Charles and his team methodically moved from one room to another, quickly entering and then withdrawing as they navigated thebyrinthine building.


    The design of this museum-like building seemed intended for the confinement of humanoid beings. Within the rooms they searched, some of these <i>beings</i> were missing, some remained, and some had perished.


    After searching thepound for thirty minutes, Charles led his team to another door.


    The door opened with a soft click, and Charles'' pupils shrunk briefly to the size of fine needles upon the sight that greeted them. Intricate machinery filled the vast space, which was within Charles'' expectations.


    His astonishment had stemmed from the absence of walls on the right side of the room. Instead, they had been reced by full-length windows.


    Through these windows, Charles observed a spacious circr za that was about the size of four football fields. This was the building''s heart.


    An enormous, multi-hued tree stood in the middle of a za. Its trunk measured close to a hundred meters tall and had twisted burls of varying sizes.


    Charles slowly inched toward the windows, his keen hearing picking up the mosquito-like soft music outside the windows.


    Even if he couldn''t see them, Charles could sense that the killing harmony was right beyond the windows and circling the giant tree outside.


    He wasn''t sure if there was any link between the tree and the killing harmony, but regardless, he had no intention to engage or attract the attention of invisible and intangible opponents.


    He slowly retreated and whispered, "Search quickly! We can''t stay here for long."


    The mice dispersed and scoured the room while the team members rifled through the contents with minimal noise.


    Soon, some papers were brought before Charles, but they were inscrutable records. They couldn''t find what he needed.


    Time trickled by, and beads of sweat started to form on their foreheads. Every so frequently, they would need to close their eyes and listen intently for unusual sounds just in case the killing harmony decided to strike.


    The tension was palpable and torturing; they felt as though they were dancing on knives'' tips.


    However, the killing music outside remained unaware of Charles and his party. The discordant melodies continued swirling around the trees in their own positions.


    On one side of the windows were the extremely dangerous entities; on the other were the humans in a desperate search for information. At this moment, a fragile equilibrium was maintained.

 Chapter 352. 3521-1

    <h4>Chapter 352. 3521-1</h4>


    Hunched next to a giant machinery that resembled a supeputer, Charles''s gaze was on the tablet in his hand as he pressed an index finger on the charging port to power the battery.


    The dark green screen lit up, and Charles'' eyes brightened in excitement as well. But as he browsed the contents within the tablet, the traces of hope in his eyes gradually faded.


    The tablet held nothing of his interest, just all sorts of obscure data and photos of a couple.


    Charles turned around and scanned the various intricate machinery in the room. The cables of these rectangr-shaped devices snaked around the area like vines. Meanwhile, his team members were holding up their fire torches and navigating the area to conduct a thorough search.


    Unlike the other rooms that were used for confinement, this two hundred square meter space was the only one creamed with unfamiliar equipment. Though Charles had no idea what its purpose was within the Foundation, he felt that this area had the highest possibility of holding what he sought.


    As Charles furrowed his brows, deep in thought over the sess rate of this voyage, he saw Lily rushing toward him with her mice in tow.


    "Mr. Charles, we''ve discovered a hidden door"! Lily reported excitedly, her tail wagging as her big eyes looked up at Charles.


    "A hidden door?" Charles'' spirits were significantly lifted. Usually, important things would be stored in hidden chambers.


    "Where is it?" Charles asked.


    He followed the mice toward the southeast corner. Lily pointed a furry paw at an area on the nondescript white wall and said, "Right here."


    A hint of skepticism shed across Charles'' eyes. He took a step forward and ced a hand on the area Lily pointed out and felt around; he found it indistinguishable from the other parts of the wall.


    "Are you sure this is it?"


    "Yes! We have a keen sense of smell. There''s a distinct metallic scent here, and it''s unlike anywhere else!" Lily insisted, to which her fellow mice nodded in agreement.


    Charles cast a quick, wary nce at the motionless, giant tree beyond the window before gesturing to his crew in the distance.


    "Linda!"


    <i>Hisssssss.</i>


    The corrosive green acid began to dissolve the wall before them and soon revealed a robust steel door hidden beneath.


    <i>There really is a hidden door. What does the Foundation have that needs to be kept in such secrecy? Or could this be the door that the Pope was talking about? </i>Charles pondered to himself out of curiosity as he watched the steel door slowly corroding away.


    With the steel doorpletely dissolved, a small diary with a red cover that was about the size of a palm appeared before Charles.


    Charles reached out and held the diary in his hand. Only then did he realize that the diary was not made of paper; its texture felt like stic instead.


    Opening the diary to the first page, a massive warning written in crimson text appeared before Charles.


    <i>Warning: This document is of the highest security level. Any personnel without the O5 security clearance caught viewing this document will be executed immediately.</i>


    The stern warning only served to pique Charles'' curiosity further. Just what could be so secretive to warrant such extreme measures?


    His fingers trembled slightly as he reached out to flip a page but managed to hold himself back. Tossing the diary to the mice, he ordered them to quickly scan through the diary.


    After the mice had swiftly flipped through the pages and reported that there were only written records without any presence of traps, Charles took it back and continued reading.


    <i>Following extensive research conducted by Dr. O5, we have gained a partial understanding of Entity 3521¡ª1 (Appendix A). Dr. O5''s initial hypothesis has been proven. These entities possess physical forms, but their corporeal existence is beyond our chromatic spectrum. They are, in essence, embodiments of color itself, existing in a dimension of hues beyond our perception.</i>


    <i>Humanity has long relied on tools for observation, yet no instrument can fully substitute the human eye. Our visual capacity is limited to discerning approximately 165 different colors, and this range is insufficient for humans to detect these entities. This limitation parallels their inability to perceive us, indicating mutual invisibility due to the constraints of our respective visual spectra.</i>


    <i>However, by examining Painting 12 from Project 612 (refer to page 3), we can transcend the limits of human color perception. This breakthrough allows us to observe these entities, and it must be noted that their aesthetic is remarkably captivating.</i>


    <i>Yet another experimental log after going through all that? </i>Charles grumbled in his mind. Feeling somewhat impatient, he turned directly to the third page. The page was nk, apart from a coin-sized ck stain in the middle of the page.


    Charles found his gaze irresistibly drawn to the ck mark on the page. Under his watchful eyes, the ck stain started to move. It dispersed and morphed into a vibrant disy of unfamiliar colors before flowing directly into Charles'' eyes.


    If he had to describe the sensation, it would be an intense, unprecedented shade of purple that seemed to transcend mere color and carried a scent. Just by looking at this purple hue, Charles could smell the fragrance of lilies. However, the fragrance intensified with each passing second until it reached an overwhelming degree where Charles felt nauseous.


    Abruptly, Charles closed the diary, held his right hand against the wall, and began to vomit. He felt the unsettling churn in his stomach, and his eyes burned from the involuntary projectile of his stomach''s contents.


    Thankfully, the difort was short-lived and subsided just as he felt he might retch bile.


    "Captain, are you alright?" Dipp asked as he assisted Charles to take a seat by the side.


    "There''s something amiss with the book; don''t look at it first," Charles said.


    After Charles drank a few gulps of water from the water pouch Dipp gave him, Linda stepped forward and handed him a worn, folded piece of paper.


    "Captain, take a look. Is this what you are looking for?" Linda asked with a hint of hesitation in her voice.


    "What is it? A nautical chart?" Charles asked as he took the paper from her.


    He quickly unfolded the paper to see that it was indeed a nautical chart. It didn''t cover an extensive area, only mapping the inds within a 300-mile radius, but it was extremely detailed. The names and navigational routes between the inds were all recorded.


    However, Charles disregarded all of that information. His attention waspletely drawn by a particr coordinate on the chart.


    With a trembling finger, he pointed at a marked dot on the chart. It wasbeled with the ce he had longed for: Surface Exit (East Gate)


    "We found it? Just like that? We really found it? Where did you find it?" Charles was overflowing with excitement that he was starting to sound incoherent.


    Linda pointed at the massive tree trunk beyond the windows and said, "Let''s leave first. That thing makes me ufortable."


    Charles nodded vigorously. He wanted to suppress the overwhelming exhration in him, but to no avail. He felt like his heart was about to leap out of his chest from excitement.


    With a noticeable flush on his face, Charles carefully tucked the nautical chart into his inner coat pocket and gestured, "Move out! Back to the shop! We are departing this ind immediately."


    Everything was proceeding normally, as it ought to be.


    Yet, as he was walking out of the room with his crew, Charles couldn''t help but cast a fleeting nce through the clear window.


    The tree was the same giant tree, but the space around it was no longer empty.


    Charles saw <i>them</i>¡ªthe indescribable colors thaty beyond the visual spectrum of the human eye. They twisted and turned as they hovered around the colossal tree.


    "They are so beautiful..." Charles muttered in an almost entranced state. "They... are they the 3521¡ª1 mentioned in the diary?"


    <i>Swish!</i>


    In a sudden shift, the nebulous clouds of colors came to a halt. Tens of thousands of eyes turned onto Charles in unison.


    It was then that Charles <i>saw </i>them, and they <i>saw </i>him, too.

 Chapter 353. Lost Senses

    <h4>Chapter 353. Lost Senses</h4>


    Charles suddenly felt a chill coursing through his body and up into the back of his head. A terrifying realization dawned upon him. Previously, 3521-1 wouldn''t attack anything that remained stationary simply because it couldn''t perceive the presence of those people or things.


    The cacophonous and discordant chords rapidly traveled into his ears; 3521-1 was closing in on him at lightning speed.


    Charles tried closing his eyes, but much to his despair, it was like closing his eyes while facing the midday sun. The intense brilliance of 3521-1 prated through his eyelids and rendered his efforts futile.


    "Stay back! Don''t move! Don''te near! They''re after me!" Charles shouted and dashed out of the room with the chaotic harmony close in pursuit behind him.


    Disregarding everything else, he sped through the immacte building by pushing against the walls with his invisible tentacles.


    He wanted to shake off these lethal colors, but it seemed impossible. Not only was 3521-1 incredibly swift, but they could even pass through solid walls.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    One of Charles'' invisible tentacles had been severed. The second one soon followed, and then a third one fell. Charles knew that once all his tentacles were gone, they would target his physical body.


    While Charles frantically tried to escape, he felt a sudden breeze skimming past his right leg, and the next second, he couldn''t feel his right limb anymore.


    In a desperate attempt, he kicked off with his left leg to propel himself further forward.


    When Charles was in mid-air, it felt as though his surroundings went into slow motion. He watched helplessly as his right leg detached from his physical body, with crimson blood spurting out from the severed vessels.


    However, he had no time to focus on his lost limb. He only had less than two seconds to devise a n. Otherwise, his physical self would be dismembered into pieces like his deceased Chief Engineer.


    Driven by survival instincts, Charles'' mind raced at a speed it never did. He rapidly connected the various clues that he knew about the entity 3521-1


    <i>I see them, and they see me only when I do. If that experimental record was urate, then their existence depends on my perception of them. If I can''t perceive them, then they cease to exist!</i>


    Under normal circumstances, eliminating visual perception was simple; one just needed to close their eyes. However, when this proved ineffective, there was only one drastic option left.


    As soon as Charlesnded on the ground, he harshly jabbed his two fingers into his eye sockets and gouged his eyeballs out. The agonizing pain sent a shudder through his body, but he bit down hard on his lower lip to stop himself from letting out a scream.


    The next moment, 3521-1 collided with him and sh wounds began to appear on his body. His limbs were about to get severed.


    <i>No! They''re still here! Was my guess wrong? Wait! I wasn''t wrong! My other senses can still detect their presence!</i>


    Charles realized in his panic. As the eight shes on his body worsened, he grabbed his Dark de and plunged it into his ears, destroying his eardrums.


    He almost fainted from the excruciating pain, but it had been worth it. His extreme decision had halted the attack.


    Lying in a pool of blood, Charles panted heavily before he suddenly let out a crazed, triumphantughter.


    His bet had been spot on. 3521-2''s existence depended on the perception of others. Without his sense of sight and hearing, he could no longer perceive music or colors and was immune to 3521-1''s attacks.


    Hisughter ceased after a brief moment. Removing the cloth strip that recorded the names of his crew from his shoulder, he fashioned a tourniquet for his severed leg. There was no time for relief; he had to find a way out.


    Charles attempted to stand on his remaining leg but couldn''t. His earlier desperate act of piercing his eardrums to evade 3521-1''s attacks had inadvertently gone too deep and damaged his cochlea. The injury made him lose his sense of bnce.


    Deaf and blind, Charles dragged his battered body across the floor. His hands felt the tiles surrounding him as he searched for something.


    Soon, he felt the familiar texture of a boot. It was his boot, worn over his severed leg.


    Clutching it, he crawled toward a corner before he slowly retraced the path he came from. As he crawled, he shouted, "I''m here! I can''t hear now! If those things are still around, stay away! I can still hold on!"


    Blood was still flowing from his injuries, and as he moved, Charles left a trail of crimson on the pristine white tiles.


    Upon reaching what felt like a door frame, Charles leaned his wounded body against it and gasped for air. He couldn''t crawl further. Feeling his strength waning, he had no choice but to wait for his crew''s rescue.


    After a short rest, he called out weakly, "It''s okay. It''s okay if you can''t move for now. Wait for them to leave beforeing to help me."


    Charles'' voicecked his usual vigor. Minutes ticked by, and Charles could feel his blood-soaked clothes starting to stick to his body. He discerned that about fifteen minutes had passed.


    Based on 3521-1''s earlier behavior, Charles guessed that they should have left the area by now, but yet his crew was still nowhere to be found.


    "Anyone there?" Charles called again, but his volume this time was softer than before. His injuries were too grave. Even if he had tied off his severed leg, he was still losing blood from his other wounds of varying severity. He was close to bleeding out.


    However, in his current state, Charles had no idea of his exact location or the situation around him.


    His entire world had been plunged into darkness. A growing sense of fear spread throughout him. The sensation of being isted from the world was gripping at his heart.


    "I can''t die here," Charles muttered to himself. "I''ve found the exit after going through so much. I''m so close to going home.


    Charles raised a hand and pped himself on the cheek, but he felt no pain. He instinctively clutched his severed leg even tighter as he slowly curled up into a ball.


    "It''s so dark... so cold..." he mumbled.


    Just as his consciousness was fading, he suddenly felt a touch on his face. It was a hand wrapped in bandages.


    "Bandages, you''re finally here." A faint smile appeared on Charles'' countenance, and a wave of relief washed over him. However, his vitality was gradually fading as well.


    After what seemed like an eternity, Charles woke up again. He opened his eyes to be greeted with darkness. However, the familiar swaying beneath him was telling him that he was back on the ship.


    Charles reached a hand out to touch his own leg and realized that his severed leg had been reattached in ce.


    He then touched his face and found bandages securely wrapped around his eye sockets and cotton stuffed into his ears.


    A hand tenderly reached out and gently grabbed the cotton in Charles'' ears. With a slow twist, the cotton was extracted, along with the formed scabs on it.


    Sound returned to his previously soundless world¡ªit was the familiar sound of waves.


    "Linda?" Charles called out.


    "I''m here."


    "How''s my leg?"


    "Reattached. The incision was smooth, and the reattachment went well."


    "What about my eyes?"


    His question was met with silence.


    "Are the others okay?" Charles continued to ask.


    "We came out immediately after we found you. We didn''t encounter any other danger on the way."


    "Alright, you may leave. I need to rest for a while."

 Chapter 354. Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 354. Darkness</h4>


    Seated sideways in a round chair, Margaret''s eyes were tearing from the overwhelming emotions within her as she watched her family enjoying a meal together.


    Her virtuous mother was yfully chiding her father over his growing belly and suggesting he go on a diet. Her brother had his arm around his new girlfriend''s shoulder and was whispering affectionate words into her ear.


    She turned to see the mirror by the side of the room. The hideous scar on her face had vanished, and she looked as she did at twelve or thirteen. The mirror reflected the innocence of her younger days.


    It was as if time had rewound to six or seven years ago, transporting her back to the time when she had a blissful and carefree life.


    Tears trickled down Margaret''s fair face.


    "How great... Everything had just been a nightmare. It''s all fake. All of you are still alive," she muttered.


    Just as she was about to say something to her family, arge hand reached out from the side and tenderly held her by her slim waist.


    Margaret turned to look at the owner of the hand; it was Charles. His gaze was full of affection as he stared into her eyes, and their faces slowly inched toward each other.


    Abruptly, Margaret gasped as she jolted awake in her seat. Her eyes regained their normal hue as sheposed her thoughts. Extreme disgust surfaced on her visage as she recalled her delusions. Her facial features contorted, and she flung the half-eaten, ck-spotted fruit against the wall before pping herself hard on the face.


    The p echoed so loudly that even her attendants outside her room could hear it. Her head attendant, Gina, cautiously peeked in and asked cautiously, "Miss Margaret, did the Soothing Fruit not help?"


    Margaret ignored Gina''s question and gazed at her own reflection in the mirror. A disheveled, gaunt woman in a ck spaghetti strap dress slumped in her chair. Her once innocent gaze had been reced by weariness and destion. Coupled with the hideous scar on her face, she hardly looked her age of neen.


    After staring at her own reflection for a good five seconds, Margaret picked up ab and began to swiftly tidy her hair.


    "What appointments are there this afternoon?" Margaret questioned with a sharp gaze.


    Gina hurried into the room and assisted Margaret with her makeup as she answered, "You have a meeting with the Governor of Ebony Mist Ind about returning the ownership of the Spider Inds. He has arrived early and is waiting for you in the reception room."


    The door swung open, and de in a long, ck gown, Margaret strode toward the reception room with confident steps. She wore a condescending expression over her visage like a suit of armor. At this moment, she was the Governor of Whereto.


    Margaret swiftly traversed through the brightly lit corridors and soon spotted the Governor of Ebony Mist Ind. The man was nearly two meters tall with a portly stature and arge balding spot in the center of his head.


    His protruding fish-like eyes lit up in surprise upon seeing Margaret in her form-fitting ck dress. His eyes followed the curves of her body, and the man made no effort to disguise the tant lust in his gaze.


    "Margaret! I can''t believe you are still alive. I came over immediately upon hearing the news. I even thought it was just a false rumor," the man said as he grabbed Margaret''s delicate hand with her chubby fingers and caressed it without any restraints.


    Standing beside Margaret, Gina watched the scene with visible disgust in her eyes.


    However, Margaret was not the least fazed. She smoothly pulled her hand out of the man''s grasp and instructed, "Gina, please have everyone leave. I need to have a good chat with Uncle Timmy here."


    A look of extreme unease appeared on Gina''s countenance. She was worried about leaving Margaret alone with someone like him. However, she ultimatelyplied, and soon, Margaret and Governor Timmy were the only two left in the grand reception room.


    "Dear little Margaret, do you perhaps want to get to know this uncle of yours a little more?" Governor Timmy asked as he closed the gap between them. He let out a chuckle as he continued, "You know, I even held you once when you were still a baby."


    Lust painted Governor Timmy''s face as he leaned closer toward Margaret''s face.


    Margaret returned his enthusiasm with an emotionless look. "My father once told me that the Governor of Ebony Mist Ind is a master of disguise. If anyone were to believe the false appearance he put up, they would suffer huge losses eventually. His outward appearance is just his superficial mask, and no one knows how manyyers of disguise he has."


    The chubby hand, which was inching toward Margaret''s waist, froze mid-air. The lust in Governor Timmy''s eyes rapidly dissipated and was reced by extreme calmness.


    He turned and sat down on a nearby stool before casually picking up the wine ss off the table and drinking a mouthful.


    "Daniel surely thinks highly of you to share such insights with you," Governor Timmy remarked.


    "Uncle Timmy, you chose to approach me with such a demeanor the moment you appear. Does that mean our previous telegram discussions are void?" Margaret asked.


    Stroking his thick triple chin, a cold smirk appeared on the fat man''s face. "Since you want to be direct, I''ll drop the pretense, too. Don''t think too highly of yourself just because you managed to get the support of the Sottom''s pirates.


    "Of Whereto''s three inds, you''ve only got the main one left. And you even have to share its ownership with those pirates. You''re not your father; you are in no position to negotiate with me."


    Margaret slightly covered her mouth with a hand and let out a chuckle. "How ruthless, Uncle Timmy. Your son had even asked for my hand in marriage previously. If I had agreed then, we would be family now."


    Governor Timmy scoffed dismissively. "Don''t even bring that up. My silly son is no match for the Cavendish Family. If he had married you, you probably would have outmaneuvered him. Anyway, I have ownership of that ind now, and there''s no way I''m returning it just like that. You can try sending Sottom toe and take it if you think you''re up for it."


    Having dropped his act, Governor Timmy then stood up and walked toward the door without another word. Margaret was soon left alone in the spacious room.


    "Oh my my~ It seems like you''re not getting your ind back. What to do now? Why don''t I help you out by taking his head?" d in a pink dolly dress, 134 floated out from behind a door with a yful grin.


    "If he dies here on my ind, who in this seascape would even want to coborate with me? Also, he''s a clever man. If he dared toe to Whereto, he must have surely taken precautions against me," Margaret replied.


    "Oh, no, what''s the n then?" Hovering in the air, 134 tilted her head to the side as she feigned to be in deep thought.


    "There''s definitely a way. This man is shrewd, but he''s right about his son being a fool and would be an easy target to manipte. I''ll recover everything that the Cavendish Family lost, and with interest," Margaret dered, her slender fingers clenching into fists.


    "Awesome! Our coboration can continue then. But don''t overdo it. If you die from exhaustion, this ind will be all mine," 134 eximed in excitement. Hugging her doll tightly, she turned and floated away.


    "Overdo it?" Margaret muttered under her breath as she stared in the direction where 134 left. "I haven''t done enough. Every inch ofnd that had belonged to the Cavendish must be reimed!"


    <i>St!</i>


    The wine ss that Governor Timmy had drank moments ago toppled over and shattered, spilling its contents across the table.


    The spilled red liquid began to emit wisps of ck smoke as it gradually turned into a puddle of ck water. A pair of yellow eyes with horizontal, octopus-like pupils surfaced from within.


    The eyes glimmered with traces of malevolence as a raspy, phlegmden voice echoed from the dark waters. "Indeed, your efforts are inadequate. To exact revenge for your family, your present strength is significantlycking."


    "Who are you!" Margaret lifted the hem of her dress, and a dagger with intricate patterns on its de appeared in her hand. Several translucent figures faded in and out of the shadows as they hovered around the pool of ck water.


    "My identity is not important. What''s important is, have you truly avenged your family?" a slick, ck octopus tentacle extended from the water''s surface and then retracted.


    Margaret tightened her grip on the dagger. "What do you mean?! Who are you?!"


    The voice from the pool of water continued, "Why was Swann in such urgency to upy the inds? Does it make any logical sense to you? Who would have the most to gain from the situation? Do you think he''s capable of building a colossal machinery like Ronker? Who is the true mastermind behind your family''s demise? Think deeper.


    "Of course, you can choose not to trust me. You can also dismiss what I''ve said and allow the true murderer of your family to go free and not bear the weight of their atrocious acts."


    The voice faded to a whisper. "I wille back again. And I trust you will have an answer by then."


    The water surface went still. Margaret stood rooted in the vast room with her gaze fixated on the now serene pool of water. Yet, her heart remained tumultuous, unable to find tranquility.

 Chapter 355. Blindness

    <h4>Chapter 355. Blindness</h4>


    Darkness. A perpetual darkness was all that Charles could see ahead of him. Charles had thought that he would soon adapt to losing his sight, but he realized that he still couldn''t get used to it even after a significant amount of time had passed.


    A soft hand gradually held the back of his head and lifted him up before the edge of a cold iron bowl was pressed against his lips.


    A familiar metallic scent assaulted his nostrils.


    "What is this medicine?" he asked.


    "Human blood. It will expedite your healing."


    "Can drinking blood achieve that?"


    "It doesn''t work for others, but it works for you because of your body constitution."


    Hearing this, Charles parted his lips and emptied the contents within.


    He wasn''t sure if it was good news or bad news, but his body constitution was gradually leaning toward that of a vampire after his extensive use of the Bat Mirror.


    <i>If Ipletely turn into a vampire, will my vision be restored? </i>A ridiculous thought crossed his mind.


    While Charles was deep in thought, he could feel Linda''s hands tending to his wounds and changing his bandages.


    When she reached his reattached leg, Charles reached out a hand and harshly pinched the lower segment. The twinge of pain that coursed through him had him letting out a sigh of relief.


    <i>Linda did an impressive job. At least she saved my leg.</i>


    He then moved his hand toward the bedside table and fumbled around. His attempt was met with a woman''s hand, which passed him a folded piece of paper.


    Feeling the nautical chart in his hands, the corners of Charles'' lips curved up into a faint smile. That was his ticket back home.


    ording to the information in Laesto''s tablet, the Foundation had maintainedmunication with the surface world. Since the surface''s exit was beingbeled on the map, the pinpointed location would surely be urate.


    <i>Anna would probably be overjoyed to hear this news.</i>


    "Captain, what would you like to eat? I can prepare something." Linda''s voice broke Charles'' train of thought.


    Charles was slightly taken aback; he had never heard of such personalized services for the wounded on the Narwhale.


    "There''s no need for any special considerations for me. I''ll have what the crew is having."


    Immediately following this, he heard the shuffling of footsteps from the left side of his bed toward his right. And the next moment, a hand unexpectedly rested on his thigh.


    "Captain, it''s been a while since we''re out at sea. Are you feeling slightly pent up? Do you need me to help relieve it?"


    Despite her icy tone, the sexual implication in her words sent a shiver down Charles'' spine.


    "Wh-what do you mean? Are you interested in me?"


    "No, I just thought that if it''s too ufortable for you, I would like to help."


    "Linda, are you... alright?" Charles asked with a hint of hesitation.


    "I''m perfectly fine. Are you sure you don''t need my assistance?"


    "Yes, I''m sure. Why don''t you go to the bridge and see who''s steering now? Ask them how much longer we need to get back to Hope Ind."


    As the sound of Linda''s footsteps gradually faded into the distance, Charles exhaled a sigh of relief.


    Linda was a devout follower of the Light God and was incapable of lying. Since she imed that she had no personal interest in him, then she was surely speaking the truth. However, Charles couldn''t help but feel puzzled about her sudden behavior.


    As he reflected on the events that had transpired, he suddenly noticed the traces of guilt in her voice earlier.


    <i>What is she feeling guilty about? Is she feeling guilty that she couldn''t salvage my vision?</i>


    The thought about his lost vision gradually soured Charles'' good mood. He lifted a hand and gently felt the bandages on his eyes. He pressed down on it slightly to feel a dent; his eye sockets were empty.


    <i>Eyes... why did it have to be my eyes? Any other parts would have been fine. Those prosthetics guys should be capable of making functional prosthetic eyes, right?</i>


    Anxiety stirred within Charles as he pondered over his next course of action.


    He didn''t know the actual technology those people utilized, but he knew that the eyes were extremely delicate, and it was understandable if they couldn''t do it.


    As he contemted a solution, he fell into a deep sleep. His body was in earnest need of rest.


    The crew seemed to understand that Charles couldn''t possibly be in a great mood due to his current plight, and as such, avoided disturbing him too much.


    Without his eyes, Charles continued living out his time without knowing whether it was day or night. He also had no idea how much time had passed. But he knew one thing¡ªhis other injuries were healing rapidly.


    When he could finally hear the continuous whistling of steamships and the cacophony of human voices from the docks, he had recovered enough to be able to get out of bed.


    An icy sensation traveled up Charles'' fingertips, and he held on to Dipp''s arm, which was covered in scales and alighted from the Narwhale.


    The anxious mutters from his left side didn''t escape his ears. They were the inders who had gathered to wee his safe return. All gazes were fixated on the bloodstained bandages over Charles'' eyes.


    Charles nodded slightly toward Dipp''s direction and whispered, "I don''t have time to deal with them. Take me back to the Governor''s Mansion."


    "Got it!" Dipp answered before pulling out his gun and firing a few shots at the ground before the approaching crowd.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    "Get out of the way. The Captain doesn''t want to meet anyone right now!"


    The chatters and voices of the crowd grew even louder, but they were also rapidly moving further away.


    After taking the car back to the Governor''s Mansion, Dipp diligently assisted Charles in getting out of the vehicle and also supported him back into the room. A thrill of excitement could be seen in his monstrous face; he felt needed by his captain once again.


    "Enough, enough. Don''t deal with these tiny matters around here. Go to the cafe on the first floor of Building 48 in the Central District. Call those prosthetic makers over. Tell them that I''m looking for them," Charles instructed.


    "Alright! I''ll go and get them immediately!" Excited to be ordered around by his captain again, Dipp rushed out like a gust of wind.


    Feeling the cushion woven from resilient spider silk underneath him, Charles took in a deep breath and then let it out. He fished out the map in his inner coat pocket and caressed it.


    Suddenly, he heard movement at the door.


    "Who''s there?" He turned an ear toward the direction of the sound and listened intently.


    To his surprise, the intruder walked right up toward Charles and reached out to tear off the bandages over his face.


    A familiar scent of intermingled alcohol, herbs and sweat reached his nostrils. A hint of a smile appeared on Charles'' countenance.


    "How about it? Do you have a way to treat me?"


    "Weren''t things fine before? How did you suddenly end up like this? How did you get injured so badly all of a sudden?" The vexation in Laesto''s voice was unmistakable.


    "Exploring inds is always unpredictable. To be honest, I''m lucky that I managed toe back alive. By the way, I have good news for you. Look! This is the map that marked the location of the surface''s exit."


    However, Laesto''s voice was far from pleased as he pped the armrest of the wheelchair with his right hand. "<i>Argh!</i> Just continue with your suicide attempts! One day, you''ll be dying before my eyes."


    Just then, another voice boomed at the doorway.


    "How could you injure your eyes?!"


    Charles was surprised at this individual''s arrival. He clearly discerned the voice to belong to the Pope, and he could hear the extreme anxiety in thetter''s tone.


    "What were you doing? How could you have injured your eyes? Your eyeballs? Where are your eyeballs?" the aged voice wasced with apparent grumpiness.


    "I don''t know. I probably left them on the ind."


    The Pope''s roar nearly sted the ceiling off.


    "The ind! Why didn''t you bring them back?! What if there''s a way to restore them? Has your brain be mush?"


    Charles''s brows furrowed in frustration.


    "I deeply appreciate your concern for me. But do you really think I wished for this to happen to me?"

 Chapter 356. Daily Life

    <h4>Chapter 356. Daily Life</h4>


    The Pope seemed rather upset about Charles injuring his eyes and couldn''t restrain his outburst of anger at thetter.


    Being on the receiving end of such treatment, Charles certainly wouldn''t reciprocate with any positive response. He pushed back with a firm and assertive attitude.


    Eventually, the two parted ways on less than amicable terms, and this was the first time they had such a falling out.


    As he watched the Pope storm out of the room with a gloomy expression, Laesto wheeled himself over to Charles andmented with a hint of surprise in his voice, "He cares so much about you?"


    The corners of Charles'' lips curled up slightly in a disdainful smile. "Do you think that''s possible? He''s probably worried that I won''t be able to explore the inds for him anymore. It won''t be easy for him to find a tool like me."


    Staring at the bandages over Charles'' eyes, Laesto let out a helpless sigh once more. "So what are you going to do about your eyes? Or do you n to retire and just stay on the ind now that things turned out this way?"


    "Get prosthetic eyes. Why? Those guys can''t do it?" Charles'' heart tensed with slight anxiety.


    Laesto shook his head in response. "Eyes are different from muscle parts. Their prosthetic eyes aren''t as good as real ones. What good are those that only allow you to see some blurry outlines and shapes? No matter how good they are, they won''t be as good as your original ones."


    "Only outlines and shapes?" Charles tried to imagine that special world recing the darkness before him, but he failed to envision the scene.


    "Well, it''s still better than seeing nothing." Strangely, Charles sounded quite optimistic about it.


    The door swung open with a creak, and the sound of hurried footsteps entered the room. He was familiar with those footsteps¡ªthe visitor was Dipp.


    "Why did youe back alone? Where are those prosthetics makers?" Charles inquired in the direction of the footsteps.


    "Captain, I originally brought all of them over, but the Pope chased all of them away. He said he would find a solution for your eyes and something about retrieving your eyes for you."


    Charles was rather surprised by the Pope''s actions. The elderly man had just quarreled with him and left in rage just moments ago, but now, he was going to help restore his vision.


    But as Charles reflected on the Pope''s motives, the pieces began to fall into ce. If he couldn''t embark on another voyage, it would certainly impact the Pope''s interests.


    The Pope had mentioned that finding the surface''s exit would allow the Light God to be freed from His confines. Therefore, not helping Charles at this critical juncture would only dy the Light God''s release.


    "Atst, he''s finally ying his part as an ally. I was still thinking this guy was just nning to wait around and enjoy the benefits. <i>Ah, </i>I was so engrossed in my argument with him earlier that I forgot to tell him that I found the map of the surface''s exit."


    Charles rose to his feet, and Dipp quickly ran over to support him but was gently pushed away.


    "Alright, I don''t need your help here. Go home; your Aliya has probably been missing you all this while."


    "Captain, why would you say that?" Dipp responded with a hint of surprise in his voice. "What do you mean by ''my Aliya?'' She''s just a former subordinate of mine."


    Charles turned toward the direction of the voice and retorted, "Subordinate? Which subordinate would dare to break you out of prison and even n an escape route for you?"


    "That was just her way of showing her loyalty to me!"


    A wave of helplessness washed over Charles. He pointed a finger toward the left andmanded, "Get out. I thought I was dense enough, but to think that you''re even denser than me."


    "Alright, I''ll head home first. By the way, Captain, you''re pointing at the wall rather than the door," Dippmented before he dashed out of the room.


    Charles awkwardly put his hand back down and turned toward Laesto. "Doctor, how''s the research on the relics going?"


    Yet, despite multiple probing, Charles'' question was met with silence. He kept quiet and listened intently for a while and realized that Laesto had fallen asleep in his wheelchair.


    Hearing his long breaths, Charles let out a soft sigh.


    <i>He has been iming that he''s healthy, but his old age has really caught up with him.</i>


    Feeling around with his hands, Charles found the wall and walked along it to find the door. He slowly opened it and exited the room.


    No news outlets dared to report about the Governor losing his vision. Simrly, no one dared to openly discuss the matter. However, the news still spread across the entire ind at an unimaginable speed.


    After receiving his pay, Weister returned with a spring in his steps to his underground apartment. The moment he entered the unit, his mother approached him with a worried gaze.


    "Weister, are the rumors true? Did the Governor really be blind? What about you? Are you injured? Quick, take off your clothes and let me have a look."


    Flustered, Weister pushed his mother''s hands away and assured, "Mother, I''m fine, really. I''m just a sailor, and my job on board is just to clean the decks and organize the cargo hold. Even when we''re onnd, I''m merely helping to carry their food and water. What can possibly happen to me?"


    "Really? Don''t lie to me." Elena appeared rather doubtful of Weister''s words.


    "It''s really true. Apart from the captain''s eye injury, there were no casualties among the crew this time. All of us came back safe and sound," Weister assured with confidence. With enough practice, he had be quite skilled at lying.


    Hearing her son''s reassuring words, Elena let out a sigh of relief. "That''s great then, as long as you remain safe and sound. Actually, why don''t you resign? I saw that the post office is hiring mail carriers, and they pay over three thousand Echo a month."


    A hint of disdain surfaced on Weister''s countenance upon hearing the meager sum. If he were still the young boy who used to carry cargo at the docks, he would have been overjoyed to hear such a figure, but he was no longer the same boy from back then.


    As a sailor of an exploration vessel, he hade to despise such ordinary work.


    "Mother, please don''t worry about me. I can handle my own matters. I''m finally back after so long; let''s go out and have a nice meal."


    Weister then beckoned his younger siblings over and gently nudged his mother toward the door.


    As they walked on the bustling streets, Weister had intended to go to the luxurious restaurant they had patronized before in the ind''s Central District. However, his mother wasn''t agreeable to the n. She felt that it was too expensive and the meal was not worth it.


    Ultimately, Weister couldn''t sway his mother''s stand, and they ended up in a more modest restaurant. Though the dishes still tasted rather delicious, they were noticeably less exquisite than the previous restaurant they had visited. However, Weister chose not to make anyments at the sight of his family enjoying their meal.


    After the satisfying meal, they made their way back home. Seeing the smile on his mother''s face, a slight grin appeared on Weister''s visage. "Mother, you look rather happy. Don''t worry; we can afford to eat at restaurants like the one we just went to every day."


    Elena looked up at her eldest son, who had grown to be a head taller than her now. With a hint of emotion in her voice, she said, "Weister, my happiness isn''t because of the nice meal we had. I''m happy because my son returned home safely."


    Weister sheepishly averted his gaze. He understood the underlying message in his mother''s words, but he didn''t want to give up on his job on the Narwhale. It was the highest-paying job he could ever get for now.


    And if he were to be honest with himself, working alongside those influential figures had greatly erged and soothed his ego. No longer did he feel like a penniless boy; he felt like arade of those influential figures.

 Chapter 357. A Visit

    <h4>Chapter 357. A Visit</h4>


    Weister struggled to find words to respond to his mother. His eyes darted around until his gazended on the Narwhale''s Cook, nck, waving at him from afar. Weister sighed in relief and said, "Mother, my friend is calling me, so I''ll..."


    "Go ahead, you''re an adult, so it''s great that you have a circle of friends. Just remember toe back home early," Elena said.


    "Okay! I''ll definitely be back by ten tonight!" Weister replied and ran toward nck.


    "Thanks for bailing me out, nck," Weister said.


    "Bail you out? I''m here to tell you that the guys are drinking at Anchor Bar; wanna go with me there?" nck asked.


    "Of course, I''ll go," Weister replied almost immediately.


    Weister followed nck to the bustling Anchor Bar, and he soon found himself sitting on a wooden stool with ice-cold beer going down his throat. He let out a groan of satisfaction, feeling extremelyfortable.


    The old and new crew of Narwhale sat alongside Weister and nck before the round wooden table.


    The sailor named Buck sitting next to Weister leaned closer to the wooden table and said in a low voice, "Have you guys heard of it yet?"


    "Heard of what? The news about how the Captain is blind?"


    "Is that even considered news? I''m talking about how the Second Engineer will rece ourte Chief Engineer. The Second Engineer''s promotion means that there''s going to be a vacancy in the engine room team.


    "I overheard the First Mate and the Second Mate, and they said that they''re nning on picking someone from among us to join the turbine room team!"


    "Is that so? I think the Captain will just recruit a neer outside," Weister said.


    "The turbine room is the heart of an entire ship, so the Captain will definitely promote from the inside first rather than hire from outside. If the Captain opens up the recruitment once more, I''m sure it''s only for the O.S. and A.B. positions.


    "Anyway, I don''t think I''ve told you yet, but the sry of the turbine room team is twice our sry!" Bucker eximed.


    Weister could no longer remain indifferent. His eyes lit up, but at the same time, he couldn''t help but admit that technical jobs were truly different from jobs that mostly required nothing but hard, manualbor.


    Another sailor pped the table and belched before saying, "Don''t even think about it! I''m convinced our ship is about to retire, and it''s all because of what the Captain said. He has already discovered the exit to the Land of Light."


    "Do you really believe that there''s another Land of Light out there?" A bearded sailor retorted. "Well, good for you, but I don''t believe it. After four voyages at most, I''m going to retire. I''ll use my savings to buy two apartments; I''ll live in one and rent the other out.


    "I''m nning on enjoying a peaceful life," the bearded sailor said. He raised his mug and took a swig of his liquor.


    Weister''s thoughts started wandering, and he mused out loud, "<i>Haaa, </i>what do you guys think? Had Captain not lied to us when he told us about that? Does that ce really exist?


    "He talked about an ind bigger than the ocean itself. Wouldn''t that mean that the people living deep ind might never get to eat fish in their entire life?"


    "When Lily was ying with that ck mirror-like thingy, I secretly peeked at it and saw the Land of Light that the Captain had told us about. Those pictures looked real, and the Captain isn''t really the type to mindlessly brag.


    "And didn''t the Captain say it himself? That he''s from the Land of Light?"


    "If I were the Captain, I wouldn''t even bother going out to sea. Is there even a better life than the life of a Governor?"


    Time passed slowly amidst the idle chatter of the crew. The holes in the canopy that were being used to illuminate the greenhouses were blocked, allowing night to descend on Hope Ind.


    Charles was sleeping in his bed inside the Governor''s Mansion when his eyes shot wide open. His sixth sense was tingling; something was watching him. The gaze was getting closer and closer.


    Charles'' muscles contracted fiercely before letting loose, allowing him to rush toward his prey in the blink of an eye akin to a leopard.


    <i>Shwik!</i>


    The Dark de pierced the other party, while Charles'' tentacles instantly bound the other party. Charles didn''t dare to let his guard down, but he realized that something was off the moment his tentacles wrapped around the other party.


    The other party was very petite with a height of a three-year-old child.


    Regardless, Charles did not dare to let his guard down. There was no way a three-year-old child could get past the heavy security of the Governor''s Mansion and reach his bedroom undetected.


    Charles'' face distorted fiercely as he pushed the Dark de another inch into the intruder''s body and screamed, "Speak! Who are you?! Who sent you here?!"


    "Sp-sparkle..." A young girl''s voice echoed in response to Charles'' roar.


    Charles reached out a trembling hand toward the little girl''s head.


    "Sparkle? Is it really you, Sparkle? Why do you look like this?" Charles asked.


    "Of course, she''s Sparkle. She''s my daughter, so changing forms is as easy as breathing for her. I had her transform into this form. What do you think? Our daughter looks pretty cute, right? <i>Ah, </i>I forgot that you went blind."


    Charles turned to the voice and shouted with apparent anxiety, "So you''re here?! Why did you not say anything? I ended up hurting Sparkle!"


    "Rx, scumbag. Your tiny broken dagger can''t possibly harm our daughter. As I told you, she''s pretty strong," Anna said and walked up to Sparkle. She pulled out the dagger sticking out of Sparkle and shoved it back into Charles'' hand.


    Charles patted the wound on Sparkle''s abdomen and let out a huge sigh of relief upon realizing that the wound had disappeared in an instant. Charles then started stroking Sparkle''s head with one hand and turned to the side before asking, "Why are you here?"


    "You went blind, and you''re asking me why I''m here? I really don''t know what to say," Anna said, sounding displeased and annoyed.


    Anna had always been like that, so Charles didn''t mind her tone of voice at all. In fact, he was eager to share with her the fruits of his adventures. He grabbed his coat nearby and took out the nautical chart from one of the coat''s pockets.


    "Look!" Charles said excitedly, "I found the exit to the surface world!"


    A soft and slender arm reached out from behind Charles and gently pinched the piece of paper.


    "Are you sure it won''t be simr to the rift above us? It''s not another fake, is it?" Anna said, sounding doubtful.


    "No, there''s an extremely high chance that the exit to the surface world is here. It also makes sense that the Foundation has passageways like this that are connected to the surface," Charles replied.


    Anna regarded the man before her with aplicated gaze before patting his shoulder. "Call me once you''re about to go up. I''ll go up with you."


    "Of course, you''ll go up with me. We used to live there, after all!" Charles replied. His excitement had seeped out of his voice and had suffused his face into a thrilled grin.


    Anna kneaded her temples; she sounded helpless as she said, "I''m just worried that you might go crazy again if the surface isn''t what you expect it to be."


    Charles'' grin froze and eventually faded away. He stroked his daughter''s head gently and muttered, "Never¡ªit''s never going to happen again. I''m not going to go crazy even if the surface world is no more.


    "If that were the case, I''d just go back to Hope Ind and enjoy my days here as a Governor with you and Sparkle. There''d be no more running around."

 Chapter 358. Death

    <h4>Chapter 358. Death</h4>


    "But if nothing had happened to the surface, then we would be able to return to the modern world. By then¡ª"


    "We''ll talk about that when the timees," Anna interrupted, putting a ruthless stop to Charles'' beautiful thoughts. "I want your eyes healed before anything else. My heart aches to see you like this."


    Charles then felt two palm-sized boxes in his hands. "What''s in these boxes?"


    "Open it, and you''ll know once you''ve touched it."


    Charles opened one of the boxes and put a finger inside. He felt something soft with many legs wrapping around his finger and then a prick.


    "Is it a spider?" Charles asked.


    "Have you forgotten how your paramour uses these as her eyes? Since she can do that, then you can do it as well. I went through a lot of trouble running over to Elizarles Shores to steal two of them for you. Speaking of Elizarles Shores, it is such a crappy name for an ind," Anna replied.


    Charles was then reminded of Elizabeth''s ck eye with a red pupil.


    "Are they easy to use?"


    "Not at all. A veryplex ritual is needed to link them to the optic nerves, and you have to feed them when they get hungry. However, they''re better than staying blind."


    Charles closed the box upon hearing that and said, "I think we should wait for now. I''m not in a rush to recover my eyes, and someone is already trying to find a way for me to recover my sight."


    "My, my, so my Lord Governor here has gotten powerful enough for so many people to fuss over him despite being blind. If I had known earlier, I wouldn''t havee over," Anna said in a teasing tone and got close to Charles.


    Charles reached out and hugged her slender waist. "Thank you. I''m happy that you came here. I guess my wife still cares about me."


    Charles then lowered his head, but his lips were met with a soft palm.


    "Stop, Sparkle is watching us. She''s a fast learner, you know? If you let her see us kissing, I''m afraid she might go back to her true form and find a random unlucky fool outside to review what she had learned with," Anna said.


    Charles lifted his head and looked left and right before saying, "Why is our daughter learning only nonsense? She still doesn''t know how to express herself properly and can only repeat sybles."


    "That''s where you''re wrong. As I said, she''s a fast learner and has already grasped thenguage of the Subterranean Seascape. I think she knows intermediate Chinese now after peeking at my notes," Anna retorted.


    Charles felt aplicated mix of emotions. Sparkle was less than a year old, but she was already so smart. What would happen once she grew up? How would she turn out by then?


    As Charles fell into deep contemtion, Anna took advantage of the opportunity to slip out of Charles'' embrace.


    "I really have to go. If you''re pent up, then find a random woman out there to vent on. I''m still pretty busy over there," Anna said.


    "Busy? What are you even doing?" Charles asked.


    Unfortunately, he heard no response even after waiting for quite a while. Anna had left without Charles noticing it.


    Time passed slowly as Charles waited patiently for the Pope''s visit. However, it seemed as if the Pope hadpletely forgotten about Charles'' plight as Charles received no further visits since then.


    Charles was starting to find it difficult to withstand the darkness. In the end, Charles decided to get by in the meantime with the spiders that Anna had brought over for him, but just as he was about to open the two boxes, he received a visitor.


    "Captain, Mr. Laesto wants you to visit him." The visitor was James, and his voice sounded strangely deep today. Charles'' heart skipped a beat, and he instantly realized that something was amiss.


    "What happened? Did something happen to Doctor?" Charles hurriedly asked.


    "You''ll know when you get there," James replied. His head was drooping as he walked up to his Captain and guided him to the door.


    The two soon arrived at their destination, and the hoarse, gurgling noises interspersed with the old man''s desperate coughs pervading the room sounded especially piercing in Charles'' ears.


    Charles also heard the breathing of other people, including Lily''s familiar sobs.


    Charles'' heart sank to the pits of his stomach, and he felt sick as he got closer and closer to the coughing noises. Momentster, a thin, emaciated hand grabbed Charles, squeezing it rather firmly in contrast to its appearance.


    "What''s going on with you, Doctor? Are you sick?"


    "Come... <i>cough, cough, cough! </i>Come closer..."


    Charles moved his ear over and listened quietly to an extremely weak voice that entered his ears. "<i>Cough...</i> nothing wrong, <i>cough...</i> I''m just a dying old man <i>cough...</i> it''s great... <i>cough. </i>I''m sure... no one here... likes a cranky old fart."


    Charles'' face distorted, and he stood up abruptly before roaring, "Where''s Audric?! Drag him here and have him immediately turn Doctor into a vampire!"


    "Captain, I can''t..." Audric''s voice echoed to the left of Charles, and his muffled voice made it clear that he was still covered in his signature, protective clothes as he exined, "I''m still not strong enough to convert anyone, and even if I am, Doctor isn''t strong enough to withstand the conversion ritual."


    "James! Go out there and find relics capable of prolonging life. We''re going to try that one more time!" Charles roared, but the emaciated hand holding his hand yanked him back before his words could finish echoing in the room.


    Charles immediately leaned his ear closer to Laesto''s lips.


    "I''m a doctor, Charles. I know my own body... <i>cough, cough</i>. It''s... useless. I''ve already used every single... medicine to squeeze the final... vestiges of life out of this body..."


    Charles'' face distorted in extreme anguish.


    Just then, the tremor in Laesto''s voice vanished, and he sounded unusually calm as he said, "You were right, Charles. Transnting the special abilities of relics into humans cane in pretty handy."


    Charles realized something just then, but it was toote for regrets. Laesto had beenpletely normal, and Charles had failed to notice any abnormalities until today.


    Laesto panted heavily, clearly exhausted. He let go of Charles'' hand and popped a pitch-ck capsule into his mouth. His pallid face instantly recovered some rosiness. He grabbed Charles'' hand again and continued speaking, this time, with no pauses.


    "Charles, there''s a little guy who can knead and pinch steel as if it were mud. He has been producing a variety of new alloys that even the Albion Isles had failed to discover during their heydays.


    "And that is the same as the spark you''ve mentioned¡ªthe spark that had led humanity to discover fire. With enough time, we''ll be able to discover the appropriate ratios necessary to produce certain alloys.


    "In time, our ships will eventually be even faster and lighter. Our turbines will be even more powerful as well.


    "And he''s just one person. I''ve collected over a hundred relics, and once we''ve transnted the special abilities of those relics into people, Hope Ind will go through earthshaking changes.


    "You need to appoint the most trustworthy person to rece me once I''m gone."


    Charles looked up, and even though he could not see Laesto, he stared intently at thetter and responded, "Do you have anyst wishes? Name it, and I''ll make it happen."


    "I''m ny-eight this year, and I''m very satisfied with how my life has turned out. I have nost wishes. If I must name one, then I want you to do your best to protect this ind. I''ve grown fond of it, you see."


    Laesto''s tone of voice changed, taking in a tone of schadenfreude as he said, "Ah, right, Charles. Let me tell you something I''m sure you still don''t know. You might resent me once you hear this, but actually, I¡ª"


    Laesto''s words abruptly ceased, and his grip on Charles'' hand loosened as his hand went limp.

 Chapter 359. Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 359. Eyes</h4>


    Somewhere on a in in Hope Ind, the crew members of the Narwhale, d in dark-colored attires, stood silently as a coffin was lowered into the ground. Every crew member, both new and old, wore somber expressions while holding a white flower.


    Conor and Frey had not shown their faces to Charles for a long time now, but they were here with their heads lowered and faces full of grief. Despite their presence, there weren''t many attendees, numbering no more than twenty people.


    While Laesto was still alive, he had specifically told them that he didn''t want irrelevant people at his funeral.


    Feuerbach, dressed in a ck formal attire, looked extremely solemn as he delivered the eulogy.


    "During Dr. Laesto Hermann''s time on our ship, he had dedicated himself to mending our psychological wounds, illnesses, and injuries, and relieving us from our pain. His tasks were always arduous and difficult, yet he had always managed to find ways to aplish them.


    "Dr. Laesto Hermann had never failed to show magnanimity andpassion despite the immense pressure. He has always been forgiving to anyone, though it was expressed in a more reserved manner; he was stern but merciful with steadfast beliefs and beautiful aspirations..."


    Lily dyed in ck hugged a white flower as she curled up in Charles'' palm. She was crying so hard that her eyes turned bloodshot. In the end, her sobbing became muffled as she buried her tiny head in her paws and squeezed her eyes shut.


    Charles listened to Feuerbach''s eulogy with an expressionless face while biting his lips. Everything had happened so fast that he still couldn''t quite grasp whether the scene before him was reality or if it was just a dream.


    The eulogy made him feel that he knew too little about his crew members despite interacting with them day and night during voyages.


    Soon, Feuerbach was about to deliver the final sentence of his eulogy.


    "We are aware of his vast contributions to our voyages, and as his formerpanions, let us express our deepest gratitude to him..."


    One by one, every single crew member quietly stepped forward and threw the fresh flower in their hand onto the coffin down below.


    Soon, it was Charles'' turn. He pushed away Dipp, who attempted to help him over to the coffin and strode over to the coffin by himself using his invisible tentacles as a cane. He hurled Lily''s white flower and his own white flower onto the coffin.


    Lily burst out into loud sobs with her mouth wide open as she cried her heart out.


    James standing next to them signaled at Dipp with his eyes. The two exchanged nces before quietly taking a shovel and filling the pit with soil.


    <i>Hooonk!</i>


    The Narwhale''s air horn sted in the distance, and itsted for quite a while.


    The funeral soon ended, and the crew members dispersed in all directions with sorrowful looks.


    Charles also returned to the Governor''s Mansion. Pushing away the steward, Charles made a beeline for his bedroom. He then sat on his bed and started stroking Lily without saying a word.


    As Charles stroked her gently, Lily looked up at Charles with tearful eyes.


    "Mr. Charles, does everyone really die when they are old?" she asked.


    Charles'' voice trembled ever so slightly as he replied, "Yes, humans are like that. They die when they are old."


    "I''m scared, Mr. Charles..."


    Charles smiled wryly and was about tofort Lily when he heard knocking on the door.


    "Governor Charles, the Pope wants to meet you to discuss about your eyes."


    "Must it really be at a time like this?" Charles took a deep breath. His emotions were at an all-time low. He put Lily down on a pillow next to him and walked over to the door.


    Lily stared at Charles'' departing figure. Once Charles had closed the door behind him, Lily jumped off Charles'' bed and went underneath the bed frame to her tiny bed. She stared at some books next to the neon-colored miniature house.


    Lily pulled out the topmost book and flipped it open with her tiny paws, revealing the information on the pages.


    <i>Species: Mouse</i>


    <i>Possible Habitats: Sewers, toilets, kitchens, fields, tall grasses, eaves, etc...</i>


    <i>Reproduction Rate: Can conceive as early as 40 days.</i>


    <i>Common colors: Gray, white, and ck.</i>


    Lily grabbed a bundle of ck fur from her leg, and they easily fell off to expose the loose skin underneath. Tears slid down Lily''s furry face as she read a certain line of words on the same page.


    <i>Lifespan: Average 1-3 years; some subspecies can live up to 4-6 years.</i>


    "I''m really scared, Mr. Charles..."


    Meanwhile, Charles walked slowly while following the distinct footsteps ahead of him. The moment he caught a whiff of whale oil candles, Charles instantly knew that he had arrived at the cathedral.


    "You''re here?" the Pope''s voice echoed up ahead, and he sounded indifferent.


    "What method are you going to use to heal my eyes?" Charles asked. He looked around, even though he could not see. After bing blind, Charles'' remaining senses had sharpened considerably, so he could feel many gazes all over him.


    "Don''t ask any questions. Calm your heart down and feel it," the Pope said.


    Momentster, Charles felt a sense of weightlessness, and then he found himself enveloped by something warm. The singing of children pierced his ears, and they sang praises for the Light God.


    Charles started to feel hot, and it was getting hotter and hotter until he felt like he was soaking in boiling water.


    "Are you sure this is going to work?!" Charles roared in pain, but he received no answer.


    Instead of answering Charles, the Pope joined the choir, and his voice seemed like it carried some kind of spell as his participation melded the distinct singing voices into one.


    Just as the pain became too excruciating for Charles to bear, he suddenly discovered that he could see once more. Charles turned and found that he was standing naked in a desert. There was a dazzling light sphere hanging overhead, and the light sphere seemed to be a sun bigger than the entire sky.


    Charles suddenly found himself overwhelmed with emotions¡ªhe felt like the giant light sphere was more important than his own life.


    His mouth fluttered open, about to sing praises to the Light God, but the light sphere abruptly emitted an extremely radiant light. The light was so bright that it engulfed everything in the world in no time.


    The scenery peeled away, and Charles found himself lying on the icy cold ground with the Pope staring at him with solemn eyes.


    "How is it? Can you see me?"


    Charles stood up with one hand and immediately looked around in awe. The flickering candles, the massive wall murals, and the rows of children singing hymns¡ªeverything looked normal but different at the same time.


    Charles soon found the difference; everything looked more saturated than normal.


    Charles turned around and rushed out of the cathedral only to stare wide-eyed upon discovering strange, bizarre colors that seemed invisible to others. The bizarre colors were within the rays of sunlighting from the holes in the canopies of Hope Ind.


    "Is that... ultraviolet light?" Charles muttered in surprise upon realizing that he was staring at the world with the same eyes that he had gouged out¡ªthe eyes that had transcended the limits of human color perception.


    Thrilled, Charles decided to touch his eyelids, but his expression changed drastically immediately afterward. He turned to look at the Pope, who had followed him out and asked, "Where''s my other eyeball?"

 Chapter 360. The Other Eye

    <h4>Chapter 360. The Other Eye</h4>


    Charles pressed his eyelids gently. His excitement had led to him ignoring the fact that he could only see through his left eye. In other words, the Pope had only restored one eye rather than both eyes. His right eye socket remained empty.


    "One eye should be enough, my child. Are you not aware of the massive undertaking necessary to restore that eye of yours? You have to figure out how to restore your remaining eye by yourself," the Pope replied with his signature business-like tone of voice.


    Charles frowned slightly. For some reason, Charles felt like the Pope could restore both his eyes but had deliberately restored only one to be a thorn in his side.


    Of course, Charles had his own reservations, but he knew how to be grateful. It would be ungrateful of him to grumble when the other party had to have paid a huge price to restore one of his eyes.


    Charles'' emotions had reached an all-time low at Laesto''s death, but the fact that his vision had been restored, albeit partially, was a fact worthy of celebration. Charles felt great, and he thought briefly over something before pulling out a nautical chart.


    Charles then handed the nautical chart to the Pope and said, "I found this during myst voyage. Take a look."


    The nautical chart marked the exit to the surface world, and the Pope''s figure quivered as soon as his eyesnded on the coordinates; every single wrinkle on his face rippled with excitement as he whipped around and rushed toward the cathedral with the nautical chart in hand.


    The excitement on his face and his frantic dash to the cathedral made him look like a child about to tell his parents how he had just gotten candy from a kind stranger.


    Soon, Charles heard a cacophony of cheers and shouting from inside the cathedral, and it only got louder as the seconds went by. Eventually, a crowd emerged from the cathedral, and the Pope emerged from the crowd with a face flushed red in excitement.


    "Why did you not tell me this news sooner?! Do you not have any idea what this means?!" the Pope eximed.


    "Well, all that matters is that it''s in your hands now. I also had no idea that it would take you so long to find a method to restore my eyes. I thought I only had to wait one or two days at most," Charles replied. He then reached out to take the nautical chart away.


    "Wait!" However, the Pope pulled it away and said, "I still have to make copies of this nautical chart. This is of utmost importance, and it is practically more precious than an ind made out of gold!


    "Charles, you did great¡ªno, you did an extremely excellent job!"


    Roughly eight pairs of hands started passing around the nautical chart, and the sight made Charles toozy to wrestle the nautical chart away. He decided to give the nautical chart to them, as his crew had already made three copies of it.


    In addition, what mattered was the information, not the tattered paper where it was written.


    "Okay, just keep it, then. You don''t need to return it," Charles said. He waved his hand at them before turning around to leave. His biggest concern at the moment was restoring his missing right eye.


    "When will you be setting sail again? I''m going with you the next time you set sail," the Pope said after chasing after Charles.


    "Hold on, my crew needs ample rest, and I''m not in a rush as well," Charles replied. He turned around and jumped onto a nearby rooftop beneath the gazes of the followers of the Light God.


    After a while, Charles received an intelligence report saying that the Divine Light Order was making strange, abnormal movements.


    However, Charles decided to ignore the report. In fact, he believed that their reactions had been a bit too mellow; those fanatics should have appeared more exhrated after finding the exit to the surface world.


    <i>Anna,e here, quick! I have something important to tell you.</i>


    Charles wrote a telegram to the World''s Crown.


    It didn''t take long for Anna to appear before Charles. Today, Anna was wearing a form-fitting purple dress with a plunging neckline and a dangerously high slit and paired with ck stockings.


    "That actually exists here? What are they made of? Silkworm silk?" Charles asked as his hand naturally made its way onto her thigh.


    "It''s made from a specially cultivated spider silk," Anna said. She pped his hand away and red at him. "You better have a great reason for summoning me here; otherwise, don''t me me for getting angry."


    Charles smiled wryly and took out two palm-sized boxes housing the spiders Anna had given to him back then. "I''m still missing an eye, and I want to rece that missing eye with one of these spiders.


    "I had to summon you here because you only gave me these spiders without telling me how to use them," Charles exined.


    "Why are you asking me instead of Elizabeth?!" Anna eximed. She kicked Charles'' shin with the top piece of her high heel and continued, "I already told you that I''m busy, but you actually made me run all the way here for such a trivial matter?!"


    Charles remained calm in the face of Anna''s outburst. He stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace before looking down at her fondly and saying, "I did it because I was missing you, too, Jiajia."


    Anna flushed slightly and avoided Charles'' affectionate gaze.


    A few seconds of silenceter, Anna turned fiercely toward Charles with brows knitted in displeasure. "Why did you stop? We were just getting started. Keep the sweet nothings going!"


    Charles chuckled wryly as he let go of her and presented the palm-sized boxes again to Anna. "Hurry up, please. It''s hard living with just one eye."


    Anna took the boxes away and opened one to see a spider scurrying around inside with a pattern resembling an eye on its back. Anna''s expression turned to that of displeasure as she said, "Jerk. A good man would have reced the spider here with a huge diamond ring."


    "Do you even need something like that? You can easily buy one with the Echoes you can whip out anytime you want," Charles replied.


    "It''s a sense of ritual for a reason. Do you even know what <i>sense of ritual</i> means?" Anna retorted.


    Anna''s right hand then transformed into multiple ink-ck hollow tentacles. The tentacles left blurry afterimages as they carved aplex formation on the nearby table.


    Anna then ced the palm-sized box in the middle of the formation. The spider soon crawled out of the box, but for some reason, it couldn''t escape theplex formation.


    "Open your eyes... I need just a little bit of your flesh and a tiny piece of your soul," Anna said. Her ink-ck hollow tentacles then dug into Charles'' right eye socket.


    Charles was instantly inundated by excruciating pain as blood dripped out of the eye socket. After a while, Charles suddenly felt a strange sense of loss and a hollowness within him.


    The tentacles soon retracted, and Anna tossed a tiny piece of flesh as well as a hazy blue-colored wisp toward the spider. Theplex formation lit up in response.


    Meanwhile, Charles was gasping for breath at the intense paining from his right eye. He turned to Anna and saw her grinning wickedly at him. "Oopsie, it''s been a while since I did something like this, so that one just now ended up failing.


    "It''s fine; we just need a fresh medium for another attempt."


    "Was that on purpose, Anna? It really hurts, you know?!" Charles eximed.


    "Well, I don''t think it''s my fault. I think I know as much as you when ites to these parlor tricks," Anna replied. Then, her tentacles burrowed into Charles'' right eye socket once more.


    Fortunately, the second attempt seeded. Anna chanted a strange incantation, and the spider with a red pattern resembling an eye abruptly went stiff.


    Charles'' right eye no longer showed pure darkness; he could vaguely make out blurry shapes from his right eye. After a while, he closed his left eye and found himself staring at Anna''s face in a monochrome world.


    "How is it? Is it usable?" Anna asked.


    Charles then saw Anna blowing a kiss toward his eye. He then opened his left eye and found that Anna had lifted her hair and had nted a kiss on the spider''s back.


    Charles managed to confirm it right there and then¡ªhis vision was linked to the spider''s pattern, and the connection was more than just sight. Charles willed, and the spider scuttled swiftly across the table and made a beeline for him.


    It came to a halt at the table''s edges, and then it leaped into the air beforending on Charles'' prosthetic. Charles then carried the spider to his face and made it burrow behind his sunken right eyelid.


    Once the spider ceased all movement, Charles opened both eyes to stare at the beautiful woman before him. Although the left eye showed him an oversaturated world while the right eye showed him a monochrome world, he could at least finally see Anna with both eyes.

 Chapter 361. Inside the Governors Mansion

    <h4>Chapter 361. Inside the Governor''s Mansion</h4>


    A panting Charlesnded heavily onto the bed.


    "I told you to be gentle!" A rosy-cheeked Anna looked down at the tattered stockings in her hands with distress. "One day, I''m really going to file those fangs of yours. I had a hard time getting my hands on this, and it''s Spider Inds''stest spider silk product!"


    "It''s useless. I tried to saw them off, but they just grew back again," Charles replied.


    "Why don''t you just muster all your determination and rip them out? You''re not a vampire, so you don''t really need those fangs," Anna suggested as she snuggled up to Charles'' arm.


    Charles leaned and nted a kiss on her beautiful hair before saying, "Now that I think about it, Anna, do you still have the Bat Mirror? It mighte in handy for the next exploration; we''re going to the surface world, after all."


    "No way, that mirror is way too dangerous. Use it too much, and you''ll be some kind of freakish monster. And do you really think that I''m not familiar with your temperament?


    "If Ipromise, you''ll definitely go overboard. You have no self-control at all."


    Anna sat up, but Charles pulled her straight down.


    Before they could get into it, however, a sh of radiant light erupted in the room, and a cute little girl wearing a skirt appeared at the bedside. Her yellow, cross-shaped pupils were fixed curiously on the couple on the bed.


    Charles hastily covered himself and Anna with the thin nket and stammered, "S-Sparkle... why are you here? Aren''t you ying with Lily?"


    "Mouse...zy..." the little girl replied.


    Meanwhile, the naked Anna nonchntly lifted the nket off her and rose to her feet. She lifted her daughter up to reveal the eight bright yellow tentacles underneath rather than two tiny legs.


    "I still have many things to handle back at home. Don''t forget to install a telegram machine on your ship. Contact me once you''ve found the exit to the surface world," Anna said.


    Her words had yet to finish echoing in the room when another sh of radiant light erupted. The two were no longer in the room by the time the radiant light disappeared.


    Charles leaned his head back on a pillow and closed his eyes slowly. He smiled as he savored the lingering fragrance in the air. He felt great. How could he not when everything was going swimmingly?


    The next day, Charles decided to familiarize himself with his new eyes, and he found himself in an underground chamber beneath the Governor''s Mansion. The chamber was spacious, and it was filled with many different equipment and gear.


    The assortment of equipment and gear included guns, and there were targets to shoot at in the chamber, making it a perfect ce to practice shooting.


    Charles could see once more, but he still couldn''t get used to his brand-new eyes. To make matters worse, he couldn''t put a finger on what was wrong; all he knew was that they weren''t as good as his original eyes for some reason.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    The white bone bullets urately struck the moving targets ten meters away from Charles. He then put the gun down, but a series of gunshots echoed immediately afterward. This time, he was the target rather than the shooter.


    However, Charles had already begun moving right as the gunshots echoed, allowing him to avoid every single bullet that the navy soldier cut-out had fired at him.


    Charles moved swiftly in the chamber; he moved too fast for the naked eye to track, and he even left numerous afterimages as he moved around. The gunshots eventually ceased, and Charles found himself slightly out of breath.


    Charles then fished out crumpled bullets out of his clothes and tossed them aside while feeling somewhat dissatisfied with his performance. Clearly, he needed more training to return to his previous peak using his new eyes.


    Charles quickly made a decision. The next voyage would certainly be dangerous, and a single mistake could mean death. In other words, Charles had to return to his peak strength before his next voyage.


    Just then, a maid came up to Charles holding towels. She took a few surreptitious nces at Charles'' muscr torso, visible through the holes in his clothes. Her cheeks flushed ever so slightly at the sight, and she even gulped a few mouthfuls of her own saliva.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The door to the underground training room was flung open by an old man with a white triangle marking on his forehead. The steward chasing after the old man smiled awkwardly and exined, "Governor, I requested for this gentleman to wait in the reception room, but he insisted on seeing you immediately."


    Charles wiped the sweat from his brows with a towel and asked, "What does he want to say?"


    "His Holiness has sent me here to inquire about your next voyage," the old man replied.


    "Haven''t I told him? My crew and I need rest. It hasn''t been that long since the previous voyage, and we need ample rest. If he can''t wait until we''ve had enough rest, then he can depart first," Charles replied.


    With that, Charles turned around and took a shower in the en-suite bathroom of the training ground. Upon walking out of the shower, the old man was nowhere to be seen. However, Charles wasn''t the least relieved. That wasn''t the first time the Pope had sent someone over; in fact, that earlier messenger was the fourth one.


    The old codger had been sending people to harass him every day since the former acquired the nautical chart.


    After the shower, Charles went to his office to deal with the ind''s administrative affairs. Honestly, Leonardo and Bandages were so great at their jobs as the Minister of Administration and Navy Admiral respectively, that Charles barely had to oversee matters.


    However, he was still the Governor of Hope Ind, which meant that he couldn''tpletely let go of the ind''s affairs. The ind belonged to him, after all.


    In addition, if something had happened to the surface world, he would have to spend the remainder of his life here, so Charles believed that he had to take care of Hope Ind.


    Time passed slowly, and Charles took his time familiarizing himself with Hope Ind''s current affairs. Hope Ind''s governance appeared pretty healthy at the moment¡ªfinances, military, education, etc., seemed pretty robust.


    Of course, it could all be because of the fact that Hope Ind was just three years old, which meant that it was still in its rapid growth phase, where any issues could be resolved by passing down the relevant decree.


    An ind with over a hundred years of history would see its waters muddied by the vested interests of many people, and its Governor would find their decision-making impeded by such variables.


    Charles felt his new eyes sting after using them to read documents throughout the entire morning. He decided to take a break and had a maid bring him coffee and some raw meat.


    Charles took a sip of the hot coffee before digging into his right eye socket and removing his <i>eye</i>. He then ced his <i>eye</i> on the table, and it started twitching before pouncing on a chunk of meat.


    The spider thrust its fangs into the meat and started injecting digestive enzymes into the meat. Charles found this part of feeding the spider to be quite troublesome; the spider had to liquefy its food first before it could consume it.


    "Hm? Is this a new variety of coffee? This coffee tastes different than usual."


    "I heard it''s made from one of Admiral Bandages'' experimental seeds. They sped up the growth process to send a sample to the Governor''s Mansion. I heard the farmers say that the seeds produce greater yield and are tastier, too."


    <i>So, this coffee has been gically modified? </i>Charles was truly surprised. If they could do the same to the staple crops like bananas, they might start enjoying double the yield if it somehow seeded.


    <i>This is a big deal. I should set aside some time to talk to Bandages about the potential of such developments. </i>The coffee tasted so much more delicious than the usual coffee that Charles had ended up finishing it before realizing it. He set his cup down to return to work, but he froze upon realizing that something was amiss.


    Something was missing...


    Charles turned to the steward next to him and asked, "Where''s Lily? She''s usually running all over the ce, so why haven''t I seen her today?"

 Chapter 362. Aging

    <h4>Chapter 362. Aging</h4>


    The sound of Charles'' footsteps echoed rather loudly throughout the spacious corridors. It wasn''t unusual for noise to bounce like this throughout the Governor''s Mansion. After all, the Governor''s Mansion was usually quiet.


    The maids woulde in and clean the rooms when necessary, but all of them dared not to linger for too long inside the mansion.


    "Lily, are you there?" Charles asked as he pushed open the door to the kitchen. He failed to find the little rascal, whom he thought was trying to sneak some food outside to eat.


    "Strange, where did she go?" Charles muttered. He had already searched the entire mansion but still failed to find his gunner. Charles had to admit that he hadn''t really been able to pay attention to Lily, as things had been quite hectic in the past few days.


    Now that he thought about it, Lily had seemed a bit off since his return, and there were a few times when she had disappeared for an entire day without leaving even a trace.


    Charles walked up to the mouse hole by the door and lightly kicked the wall right next to it.


    "Where did your boss go?" he asked but received no reply.


    <i>Is she going through puberty or something? </i>Charles started pondering over the matter and realized that he had searched everywhere else aside from one ce: his own bedroom.


    Charles wasted no time and made a beeline for his bedroom. He lifted the bedsheet and found a familiar figure sitting in front of an open book beneath the bed; she seemedpletely engrossed in the book, as she had failed to notice Charles'' arrival.


    Charles tapped the bed frame with his prosthetic knee and knelt. "Lily?"


    The mouse turned slowly to face Charles before crawling out from under the bed on all fours.


    "Mr. Charles..." she muttered.


    Charles was surprised to see her sunny and energetic demeanor missing. He picked her up and stroked her furry head, saying, "What''s going on? Are you still feeling down because of Doctor? There, there. Aging and dying of old age is inevitable¡ªno one can escape them.


    "And he actually lived a pretty long life; hested ny-eight years in this crazy world, after all."


    A tremor ran through Lily, and she kept on trying to push her tiny furry head into Charles'' sped hands. Charles thought that Lily was simply embarrassed, so he didn''t mind her behavior and picked up the book that she had been reading beneath the bed¡ª<i>The Love Story of a Governor''s Daughter and a Pirate Captain.</i>


    "The authors here really are fans of straightforward titles," Charles said, chuckling.


    He then flipped it open casually, and as expected, the story was full of cliches. To make matters worse, bedroom scenes involving the Governor''s daughter seemed to be a big chunk of the entire book.


    "Why do you like reading this kind of stuff, Lily? They''re not exactly suitable for someone of your age," Charles asked.


    However, he couldn''t have expected Lily''s reaction. Tears streamed down Lily''s tiny eyes as she cried indignantly, "Why are you and that monster sister allowed to do these things when you don''t even let me read them?!


    "Mom told me that girls shouldn''t talk about this stuff, but I don''t care! I want to talk about it! I want to read it! What use is embarrassment and decorum to me when I''ve be a mouse!"


    Charles stared wide-eyed at Lily, stupefied by her outburst. Charles could swear that this was the first time Lily had thrown a tantrum at him. He reached out a hand to console her, but Lily jumped off his palm.


    "I''m not your pet!" Lily shouted and clenched her tiny ws. "I''m human, too, and I want to live a normal life like the rest of you!"


    Lily''s petite figure trembling like an aspen tree and her quivering ws as she clenched them strongly told Charles that she was genuinely furious.


    "Alright, Lily. What would you like me to do, then?" Charles asked softly.


    "Don''t speak to me with that tone of voice! I''m not a child anymore! I don''t want to hear you talking to me as if you were soothing a child! Just talk to me like how you talk to that monster sister!"


    Charles stared calmly at Lily and replied, "Of course, you''re not a child. You''re my gunner, after all."


    "See?! You always tell me that I''m not a child, but you always sound like you''re coaxing a child whenever you talk to me. I''m really not a child anymore!" Lily waved her ws frantically as tears rolled down her face. "I''m... I''m already dying of old age!"


    <i>Dying of old age...? </i>


    <i>Dying of old age...? </i>


    <i>Dying of old age...? </i>


    Lily''s shrill cries echoed repeatedly in Charles'' mind. He looked as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning from out of the blue, and his heart started beating frantically against his chest.


    He grabbed Lily and examined her, only to be horrified upon discovering that Lily was disying the hallmarks of aging¡ªmissing fur, drooping whiskers, and sagging skin¡ªLily was bing simr to Laesto at the end of his life.


    "When did it start? No, Lily! Tell me exactly how long it has been since you became a mouse," Charles hurriedly asked.


    However, Charles'' frantic actions had only amplified the fear in Lily''s heart. She pressed her head against Charles'' palm and wailed, "<i>Sob! </i>I''m scared... I''m really scared, Mr. Charleees!"


    Charles wasted no time and rushed out of the Governor''s Mansion while carrying Lily in his hand. He stumbled upon three followers of the Light God outside the mansion gates, and one of them started speaking upon seeing Charles.


    "Governor, His Holiness says that you can take your time, but you should at least give him a departure date¡ª"


    "Get lost!" Charles interrupted, "I have no time for that nonsense right now! Tell him that my next voyage is postponed indefinitely!"


    Charles didn''t bother waiting for their reply as he hopped onto a roof and made a beeline for Linda''s apartment. It didn''t take Charles long to find Linda lounging about on the top floor of a four-story building.


    Upon hearing of Lily''s status from Charles, Linda''s face instantly grew serious. She rushed to fetch her medical kit and started examining Lily. Charles couldn''t calm down at all as Linda examined Lily''s teeth and listened to her breathing.


    Soon, Linda was done examining Lily, and Charles hurriedly asked, "How is she?"


    "She''s certainly old in rtion to other mice, but it doesn''t necessarily mean that she''s about to die. I''m not sure about Lily''s species, so I can''t tell you exactly how much time she has left.


    "Based on her physical condition, she shouldst for another four months or so with proper care and support," Linda replied.


    The first part of Linda''s sentence made Charles feel relieved, but thetter part of the former''s sentence was like a bucket of cold water being poured on Charles.


    Lily wasn''t dying at the moment, but she would still die of old age in four months. In other words, Charles had to find a way to save Lily before her time was up.


    "Do you know any methods at all? Did Doctor teach you a trump card of some sort?" Charles asked urgently.


    "You''re asking for the impossible here, Captain. There''s no cure for aging. If there were, Teacher wouldn''t have..." Linda trailed off.


    Charles then realized that he had just asked a doctor a dumb question. Regardless, he wasn''t willing to give up just like that. He held Lily gently in his hand and rushed outside. His next destination was the Navy headquarters; he wanted to make use of the Navy''s intelligencework to look for solutions.


    "Mr. Charles, there''s no use going there," Lily suddenly said, making Charlese to a screeching halt. "I had Big Guy look for solutions a long time ago, but he found nothing. While you were away, I also asked my mice friends to go to other inds to seek methods, but I still haven''t received any news from them."

 Chapter 363. Finding a Solution

    <h4>Chapter 363. Finding a Solution</h4>


    Charles gritted his teeth and took in a deep breath at the sight of Lily''s tear-stained face. He picked Lily up and brought her to eye level.


    "Don''t worry, everything will turn out fine. I''ll find a way to make sure you survive," Charles reassured Lily with a firm resolve.


    The sorrow on Lily''s face gradually faded away to be reced by her usual sweet smile. Her drooping ears perked up once more.


    "Mr. Charles, thank you! As long as I''m by your side, even if I really die¡ª"


    "There are no ''ifs,'' Lily. I''ve already lost a friend; I can''t lose you too!"


    Soon, a new announcement appeared on therge steel bulletin board in the middle of Hope Ind Square.


    The inders strolling in the square gathered in groups and made their way over to the announcement board, expecting a new decree from the Governor. But much to their surprise, it was a bounty notice.


    <i>I, Charles Reed, the Governor of Hope Ind, promise a reward for anyone, regardless of their identity, who can restore a human soul trapped in a mouse''s body back into its human form. The reward will be a plot ofnd, measuring 200 by 300 square meters, in the Central District of Hope Ind and a bounty of fifty million Echoes.</i>


    The bounty announcement was akin to a torpedo being thrown into a pond that sent ripples of excitement among the inders.


    The "aftershocks" rapidly traveled beyond Hope Ind and spread its reach across the seascape. It was certain that in no time, anyone with an interest in earning the reward would hear of it.


    The rapid spread of the news in the Subterranean Seascape wasn''t merely fueled by people''s love for gossip; rather, it was the substantial bounty on offer. In this Subterranean Seascape, indnd was a treasure far more precious than gold, especially when it was a plot on Hope Ind.


    Land on Hope Ind, an ind blessed by the Light God, was a rare and valuable asset that money alone couldn''t procure. Possession of such a plot meant an instant elevation in social status, securing the future not just for the owner but also for their descendants and erasing any worries about survival.


    Meanwhile, Charles was in the Governor''s Mansion and seated at his desk. Holding a pen in his hand, he swiftly scribbled lines of words on a piece of crisp, white paper.


    "Encode these two letters for telegraphy. One to be sent to the World''s Crown, addressed to Anna to have her ask the Haikor Tribe if they have a solution. The other is to Elizarles Shores, to have Elizabeth consult the Gunther''s patriarch. Make sure there''s no mix-up."


    As his steward disappeared from sight, Charles leaned back against his chair and sank into deep thought over Lily''s current predicament. He had already mobilized all avable resources he had, and now, it was a waiting game.


    Time was their biggest enemy. With only four months left, it remained uncertain if people from the distant seas could arrive in time, even if they held a solution.


    Charles'' gaze darted toward Lily, who was perched atop the table with her head bowed and clutching her tail.


    In hindsight, Charles realized he had missed some important aspects. Throughout all their exploration voyages, his focus had always been on her child-like behavior, and he had neglected the possibility of her shortened lifespan as a mouse.


    "Lily, do you remember how you became a mouse? Any specific memories?" Charles asked.


    Tilting her head to one side, Lily pondered for a brief moment before she said, "Hmm... I''m not sure. Myst memory was falling into a vortex. When I woke up, I was with Uncle Mouse and the others. Also, I was so surprised that I could speak mousenguage. And then, I met all of you."


    Charles'' brows furrowed in thought as he contemted the situation.


    <i>The mice from Laboratory 3 were the first entities to witness Lily in her mouse form. Perhaps we should start from there; they might hold some vital clues.</i>


    Lily slowly approached Charles and gently tugged at his sleeve.


    "Mr. Charles, if I die, can you bury me next to Doctor Grandpa? I don''t want to be alone."


    Charles reached out and pulled her into his arms. Gently patting her on the back, heforted, "Don''t lose hope. There is surely a way. Things don''t adhere to science logic in this seascape anyway, so that must be a way to turn you back to human."


    "Mr. Charles, actually, as long as I''m by your side, I''m not afraid of death, really."


    "Don''t wander around during this crucial period. Stay at the Governor''s Mansion and rest. The longer you can hold on, the better our chances of finding a solution."


    Lily suddenly lifted her head from Charles'' embrace. "No! I want to make the most out of these four months and do everything that I''ve never done. Else, I would really be losing out if I die. I''m only fifteen."


    Charles nced at Lily with a hint of surprise in his gaze.


    "What do you want to do?" he asked.


    "For example," Lily started to list her wishes. "I want to own a pet cat. I also want my little brother to call me his sister. And I want to ride that thrilling roller coaster like the one in your phone, Mr. Charles! Ah, I want to experience a love story like that in the novels as well."


    "You can do all of that once you turn back into a human again. There''s no need to rush," Charles replied.


    "Mr. Charles, is love really as wonderful as how they described it in books?" Lily asked, her voiceced with traces of longing.


    "Yes. It''s fragile, yet truly wonderful."


    Lily looked toward Charles, her eyes widening in a pleading look. "Mr. Charles, then let''s pretend we are in love now. Quick, say that you like me. Say, ''You are the sea, and I''m the fish; nothing will ever break us apart.''"


    Staring into her eyes, full of yearning, Charles hesitated for a brief moment before he gave in to her request. "Lily, I like you. You are the sea, and I''m the fish; nothing will ever break us apart."


    "No, no, no! Say it again like you mean it!" Lily pouted. "You are not using the same tone that you used with that monster sister."


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The door swung open abruptly, and Dipp dashed into the room with apparent anxiety. Panting between deep breaths, he said, "Captain, I heard from Linda that¡ª"


    "Get out! When can you ever get rid of this bad habit of not knocking on the door!"


    Dipp''s eyesnded on Lily; she appeared fine to him. Confused, Dipp hurriedly retreated out of the room and closed the door behind him.


    Charles then ced Lily on his palm and walked toward the balcony. Pointing his other hand toward the bustling street, he said, "Pick any handsome young man out there. I''ll arrange for him to date you."


    Lily''s long tail flicked between Charles'' fingers as she shook her head. "That''s not the same~ How can that be considered real love? ording to the books, love is sacred and special."


    Lily then lifted her gaze and stared at Charles in the eye. "Mr. Charles, say it again. Say, ''Lily, I love you.''"


    However, her words elicited no response from Charles. Following Charles'' intent gaze, she turned toward the bustling street below to see an old man with a white triangle marking on his forehead heading their way with an aggressive air surrounding him.


    <i>Oh right! I forgot about this bunch of zealots. If they can treat my eyes, maybe they can cure Lily, too!</i>


    "Charles!" The Pope''s voice boomed with a suppressed rage. "What''s this about postponing your next voyage indefinitely!"

 Chapter 364. Contract

    <h4>Chapter 364. Contract</h4>


    Carefully holding Lily up in his palm, Charles said, "This is one of my crew members. She used to be a human but was turned into a mouse. Does the Divine Light Order have a way to restore her to her original form?"


    However, the Pope was clearly reluctant to address Charles'' question.


    "Is this the reason for your indefinite postponement of your next voyage? All because of a mouse?" The Pope sank into the couch and let out an amusedugh, but his eyes were devoid of any pleasant emotions.


    Charles gently stroked Lily''s head as traces of sorrow appeared in his gaze. He shook his head and retorted, "Lily is not just any mouse. Someone or something has turned her into a mouse. Technically, she''s human, but she''s not from our world."


    "Enough!" The Pope suddenly rose to his feet. A hint of rageced his voice as he continued, "Stop telling me all that! Don''t you want to return home?"


    "I do. But my crew member''s life is at stake now. I need to find a way to save her first before I go searching for the surface''s exit. You still haven''t answered my question. Does the Order have any solutions?"


    "Which is more important? Returning to the surface, or that mouse in your hands?" the Pope questioned as he leaned in closer to Charles.


    "The surface world isn''t going anywhere; it''s not like it can disappear. I''ve already waited twelve years, so one more year won''t make much difference to me. However, my crew member here only has four months left. Her situation is urgent."


    Charles then gently lifted Lily and tenderly kissed her cheek. Lily''s reaction to the kiss was one of pure joy. Her face broke into a wide smile to reveal her tiny teeth, and her tail wagged back and forth enthusiastically, much like a joyful little puppy.


    The Pope''s face showed clear disappointment as he shook his head slightly. "You''ve changed, child. You''ve lost the boldness and fearlessness you once had. The exit to the surface is right in front of you, yet you are wasting your time on all these trivialities."


    "People change, and I embrace this change," Charles responded with a hint of cold edge in his voice.


    "When your ind was in danger, I intervened and saved you. When you lost your sight, I helped you to regain it. Is this how you intend to repay my kindness? Have I been too kind toward you all these while? To the extent that you have forgotten my... true nature?"


    White light radiated from the Pope''s skin and enshrouded him in an almost divine glow. A powerful aura emanated from the Pope, pressing against Charles with such force that it caused him to step back involuntarily.


    Despite the sudden hostility from the Pope, Charles was unfazed. A cold smile yed on his lips. He ced Lily into his pocket before taking confident steps toward the elderly man.


    The Dark de sprung out of Charles'' prosthetic palm, and he directly pushed the weapon into the Pope''s hand.


    He then stretched out his neck toward the Pope and tilted it at an angle. With a hint of madness in his eyes, he taunted, "Come. My neck is right here. If you have the guts, kill me now."


    The Pope froze. He was taken aback by Charles'' unexpected response. He regarded the man before him with a hint of hesitation as the aura surrounding him gradually dissipated.


    "Can you see it right here? This is the carotid artery. sh it open. No matter how strong my healing ability is, I''ll be dead in less than a minute. Quick, do it!" Charles pressured the Pope even further.


    The Pope was being thrown into a dilemma. Holding the dagger in his hand, he wasn''t sure about his next course of action.


    "You are not going to do it? Fine. I''ll do it myself!" Charles'' prosthetic hand then transformed into a chainsaw, and he swung it toward his own neck.


    For the first time ever, panic flickered across the Pope''s wrinkled face.


    As the rapidly spinning chainsaw neared Charles'' neck and was mere inches from dealing irreversible damage, a ck dagger intercepted its path. Sparks flew as the two metallic weapons shed.


    The chainsaw gradually came to a halt, and Charles regarded the Pope with a smile.


    "Why did you stop the act? Haven''t you always been a skilled actor, Your Holiness?"


    "I''m not sure what you''re talking about. We''ve known each other for so long, I simply cannot stand by and watch you die," the Pope said with a hint of sorrow in his gaze.


    "Enough with the pretense! What''s your n, and why am I so crucial to it? Why were you so anxious when you heard that I became blind? Why did you only want me to explore the inds?


    "More importantly, now that you have the map to the surface exit, why this urgency for me to set sail? In a normal situation, with the goal of liberating the Light God, wouldn''t it make more sense for you to mobilize a fleet immediately? Or perhaps... the surface was never your true goal?"


    The Pope tossed the Dark de onto the ground, his expression darkened, and he remained silent in response to Charles'' outburst.


    Charles willed a transparent tentacle to retrieve the fallen de and ced it back into his prosthetic limb.


    "I don''t care what''s your plot or the role that I have in it. My answer is still the same. I won''t set sail unless Lily has recovered."


    Charles took Lily out of his pocket and stepped out onto the balcony once more. Bathing in the sun''s warm glow, he gently stroked her fur.


    After a couple of minutes, he turned around to see that the Pope was gone.


    A corner of his lips curved up into a sneer. He had long harbored his suspicions of the Pope but it had been just mere spections. However, theck of any follow-up actions when the Pope acquired the nautical chart further solidified Charles'' guess.


    Clearly, there was a deeper scheme involved, and all previous ims of secrecy were mere deceit; the old man had been far from truthful.


    But soon enough, the Pope appeared before Charles again. This time, he was apanied by a group of over a dozen people.


    The Pope noticeably adopted a softer tone than before. "Yes, I admit that I schemed against you. However, it doesn''t conflict with our mutual interests. The Light God has informed me that only the Chosen One of Edikth can unlock <i>that</i> door.


    "I''ve told you before that you are unique and different from the rest. The reason I didn''t reveal this sooner is because¡ª"


    Before the Pope couldplete his sentence, Charles interrupted him. "Your Holiness, have you ever heard the story of <i>The Boy Who Cried Wolf</i>?"


    "Huh?" the Pope asked, confused.


    "Never mind if you haven''t heard it. I don''t want to listen to your exnations because I don''t trust a single word you say. Let''s stop beating around the bush and get straight to the point.


    "What''s your real name?"


    "Lylejay. Why are you asking this?"


    Charles pulled out a ck marker from his inner coat pocket and began writing on therge wooden table.


    <i>Terms: Pope Lylejay of the Divine Light Order will mobilize all of the Order''s resources for the next four months to find a cure for Lily.</i>


    <i>Compensation: Charles will do his best to assist Pope Lylejay in locating the surface''s exit. He will focus solely on this task and will not be involved in other irrelevant matters.</i>


    <i>[Agree? Disagree?]</i>


    "This marker is a powerful relic. Any party that breaks the contract will vanish immediately. Do you dare to sign it?" Charles tossed the marker to the Pope.


    Charles''s addition of the use regarding his ownmitment was a calcted move. It appeared to restrict him, but in reality, it served to bind the Pope to their mutual goal of finding the surface''s exit.


    If the Pope''s true aim were to reach the surface world, he would see the benefit in signing a contract that aligned with his objectives. If he refused to sign, it would cast serious doubt on his motives.


    "Fine, since you wouldn''t trust anything I said, I''ll sign it!" the Pope said and swiftly signed his name with the marker on the table.


    Instantly, red mes ignited and engulfed the text on the table; the agreement between them was sealed.

 Chapter 365. Hook

    <h4>Chapter 365. Hook</h4>


    "I''ve helped you so many times, and yet you still refuse to trust me. Your personality is truly unlikeable," the Pope remarked.


    Taking the marker pen back from the Pope, Charles replied, "I don''t need you to like me. Just remember to abide by the contract."


    As the Pope''s figure disappeared from view, Lily looked up toward Charles.


    "Mr. Charles, thank you for doing so much for me. You really didn''t have to," she said, her voice choking with emotion."


    "No, I have to," Charles whispered softly as he stroked her furry head.


    A small wave of relief washed over Charles now that the Pope had signed the contract. He was tired of the old man''s empty words with no evidence to prove.


    He hadn''t forgotten Tobba''s warning for even a single moment. Histest action was not solely for Lily''s sake but also to test the Pope''s true intentions.


    The Pope''s willingness to sign the contract indicated his genuine interest in finding the surface world. By extension, Charles was convinced that, at the very least, their goals were aligned¡ªfor now.


    "Mr. Charles, do you have any other things on today? Lily asked as she nuzzled his hand with her tiny head.


    Charles initially intended to make a trip to the prison to get updated about the human-relic fusion work. However, staring into Lily''s expectant gaze, he decided to clear his schedule that instant.


    "No, I''m free. Where do you want to go?"


    "I... I''d like to go get a little kitten!" Lily chirped in excitement.


    "Alright, Let''s go find you one."


    A radiant smile appeared on Lily''s furry face.


    <i>Mr. Charles knows that I''m close to my death and is treating me so nicely. He has never given in to my requests this often. How I wish this wouldst forever...</i>


    As a matter of fact, finding a cat on Hope Ind proved to be a somewhat challenging task. After all, one could get fined for harming mice.


    Eventually, Charles sent out every avable police officer for the job, and they discovered a litter of newly weaned kittens at the pier. They seemed to have been abandoned by an ind visitor.


    From the litter, Lily chose one ck and one white kitten. Their fluffy appearance and quivering ears melted her heart. She excitedly pounced on them and giggled as she buried her face into their fur.


    The kittens were clearly startled by the white mouse before them and tried to retreat. But Charles was right behind them and gently nudged them closer ahead.


    <i>Squeak~ Squeaaak ~</i>


    Lily let out a couple of squeaks toward the table, and arge swarm of mice scurried into the room. They swiftly climbed onto the table and picked up the two kittens before rapidly heading to the door.


    Clearly frightened, the two kittens meowed continuously but were powerless to escape their situation.


    "Mr. Charles, they are probably hungry! I''ll get them some food from the kitchen!" Lilymented in enthusiasm as she dashed out after the group of mice.


    The moment Lily was gone from sight, the smile on Charles'' countenance vanished.


    He had utilized every resource he could get his hands on. If there was still no solution to be found, then it might really mean that there wasn''t one at all.


    His current mission was different from his search quest for the surface. Power and influence offered no advantage for his current circumstances, and he could only sit and wait.


    The sense of powerlessness stirred up the traces of frustration within Charles.


    To ease the stifling weight on his heart, he headed toward his underground training room, where he spent the rest of the day.


    He devoted his everything to hours of intense physical training in an attempt to vent all his frustrations through the rigorous exercise.


    When he could finallypose himself, it was alreadyte into the night. Drenched in sweat and panting between breaths, Charles reached out for the ss of water next to a dumbbell. It was then that he noticed an unusual yellow eye within the ss.


    "Governor Charles, it has been a long while," a voice sounded.


    "Who are you?" Charles was not the least fazed as he stared at the intruder with an icy glint in his eyes.


    "Four years ago, you only managed to procure your exploration vessel after taking ourmission for a million Echo. Have you forgotten about it? I''m Hook, the one who contacted you back then."


    <i>nk!</i>


    The ss cup in Charles'' grip shattered in an instant. He turned and headed toward the adjacent bathroom.


    Before he could take a few steps, however, the voice called out once more, "Do you not want to save your mouse crewmate?"


    Laced with a tantalizing promise of hope, Hook''s wordspelled Charles to turn around. The water he had spilled earlier had pooled on the floor to create a mirror-like surface. Reflected within this makeshift mirror was a grotesque and terrifying figure that melded human and octopus traits into a nightmarish hybrid.


    Charles couldn''t be bothered to wonder why Hook had assumed this hideous form after four years. Instead, he jumped straight to the point, "Do you have a way?"


    "Of course. Our God is omnipotent. Saving a human soul is nothing but a trivial matter," Hook answered.


    "State your conditions." Charles knew well that Hook wouldn''t havee all the way to Hope Ind just to offer him a solution as an act of goodwill.


    "Governor Charles, you''re still as smart as usual. I''m sure you''ve already interacted and seen the true colors of that arrogant old fart, Lylejay. That cunning old gigolo with a pea-sized brain is extremely vicious and cunning. He never trusts anyone, and he is as dangerous as the Shadow Bloom Sea Serpent."


    Hook''s vehement criticisms directed at the Pope allowed Charles to immediately understand what the former would ask of him.


    "Why should I help you go against the Pope? If my memory didn''t fail me, your Covenant instigated the Deep Dwellers tounch an attack on my ind just very recently."


    "No, no, no," Hook was quick to deny. "It was those monstrous sea creatures and that massive fleshy monster from the depths that assaulted your ind. It has nothing to do with the Fhtagn Covenant."


    Charles scoffed internally at Hook''s attempt to absolve themselves from the incident. Had it not been for Dipp''s firsthand ount of the situation, he might have believed it.


    "We don''t need your forces. Most of the ships under those light cultists are docked at Skywater Ind after that most recent war. We just hope that you will be able to hold those ships back when we strike the Divine Light Grand Cathedral. You don''t have to sink them; just dy them."


    "I have a contract with the Pope. If he dies, with whom do I uphold it?"


    "We know about your agreement with him as well. Our spies have informed us of the bound contract. However, that wouldn''t be of any concern. Your task is to help him search for the surface world, but it didn''t specify anything if he needed to be alive. We''ll hand over his corpse to you. You wouldn''t be breaching the contract in that case."


    Charles pondered briefly before he asked, "What are you guys nning?"


    Hookughed with a hint of malice. "The Divine Light Order is damaging our reputation, using public opinion against us, and seizing our dioceses. Without a response from us, the world might soon overlook the real power of our Covenant."


    Not wanting to make a decision at this moment, Charles replied, "I''ll consider it."


    "Alright, take your time. When you are ready to contact us, just spill a ss of water before you. Also, there''s one more thing¡ªLylejay has been castrated."


    Caught off guard by the sudden intelligence, Charles asked, "How does that concern me?"


    "It doesn''t. But joyful news ought to be shared." Hook''s voice slowly faded, and the water puddle returned to its clear state.


    Pulling out his pocket watch, Charles realized that it was one in the morning. However, instead of returning to his bedroom to rest for the night, he headed toward the main gate of the Governor''s Mansion.

 Chapter 366. Two Months

    <h4>Chapter 366. Two Months</h4>


    As the gaps in the overhead canopies were blocked, night fell over Hope Ind, casting the main streets into shadows. The dimly lit streets looked dim and deserted, with few people venturing out onto the broad, straight paths.


    Charles sped through the darkness and eventually stopped before a vi painted in a dark hue. The expansive front yard was filled with a variety of flora, and some of them thrived with unusual vigor.


    Charles neither rang the bell nor knocked on the door. Bypassing conventional entry methods, he vaulted over the wall.


    "Bandages," Charles called out.


    He had only called his first mate''s name when the ground next to his feet stirred, and Bandages poked his head out of the soil.


    "What''s... the matter?"


    Charles'' voice wasced with anxiety as he asked, "Are there any Fhtagnists'' rituals that can save Lily?"


    At Bandages'' nod, a spark of hope flickered in Charles. But before a smile of relief could appear on Charles'' visage, Bandages'' words swiftly extinguished the hope, "But... it''s not... a good solution..."


    Bandages then further exined, and Charles immediately realized that the ritual Hook had mentioned earlier was the same dark ritual that the huge brain in the purple sphere had tried using to revive his lover.


    ording to Bandages, all drowned souls were imed by God Fhtagn. If they prematurely drown Lily before her supposed death and resurrect her through the ritual, it could potentially be a solution to their current predicament.


    However, he also emphasized that historical precedents of such rituals always ended with dire consequences.


    This was both good and bad news. The good news was that Bandages knew how to perform the ritual as well, so Charles could utilize this as thest resort even without betraying the Pope. However, the oue of such a solution would be less than ideal.


    "Is this the only option? Could there be another ritual or solution within the Fhtagn Covenant that you''re unaware of?"


    "Impossible... I''ve seen... all the... ritual books...Even if I... can''t perform them... I remember... all their functions," Bandages replied.


    Seeing Charles'' face turning unusually grim, Bandages patted him on the shoulder, "Destruction... is always...easier than repair. Don''t be... too hopeful... about turning a mouse...into a human..."


    "It''s alright. Prepare for the ritual during this time. If ites down to the worst-case scenario, we''ll take the risk."


    The next day, a series of circr iron tunnels could be seen in the spacious front yard of the Governor''s mansion. From a modern person''s perspective, they resembled a metal framework racetrack for remote-controlled cars.


    However, this was not a racetrack for cars but a mini roller coaster that Charles had speciallymissioned the mechanical engineers to create. While it was too small for human passengers, it wouldn''t pose a problem for smaller creatures, such as mice.


    After conducting a few trial runs with dozens of mice to ensure the safety of the mini roller coaster, Charles carefully ced Lily into the seat that was made frommb hide.


    A mix of fear and excitement appeared on Lily''s furry face as her eyes constantly scanned her surroundings.


    The moment Charles pressed down on the "Start" button, the whirring of gears came to life. Lily instantly disappeared into the looping tracks, but her screams echoed far and wide.


    The roller coaster train entered Charles'' sight once again afterpleting a single trip. Before it coulde to a stop, Lily excitedly pounded on the safety rail.


    "This is so fun! Again! Let''s go one more round!" she eximed in excitement.


    As the train vanished from view once more, Lily''s screams morphed into bursts ofughter. Soon, the train raced by Charles again, and a clump of white fur drifted in front of him. Listening to Lily''s joyous shouts, Charles quietly collected the fur, tucked it into his pocket, and offered her a smile.


    Just then, a group of students gathered outside the towering iron fence and stared in wonder at the unfamiliar novelty contraption within the Mansion''spound.


    Among them, Charles immediately spotted a 1.4-meter-tall figure¡ªthe human he had brought back from the ind with Ropelings. The boy''s amber eyes widened and glimmered with fascination as he watched the roller coaster make its rounds.


    Dressed in a white robe, Linda walked by and took the bag hanging from the child''s waist.


    Charles walked over and asked, "Did you take him in?"


    "He''s more like a pet now. He''s quite beautiful, and it seemed too cruel to leave him to fend for himself on the streets. I''ve named him Salin," Linda replied as she stroked the boy''s neck.


    Charles was momentarily taken aback, realizing she had given the boy the same name as herte husband. After a short pause, he asked, "Now that he''s attending school, how long do you think it will take for him to learn to speak?"


    "He won''t be able to pick it up anymore; it''s toote for him. Despite his small stature from malnutrition on the ind, he''s actually around 25 years old. Language acquisition is most effective in childhood. Missing that critical period likely means he may never learn to speak."


    Linda then turned her gaze onto Lily on the mini roller coaster.


    "Captain, have you found a solution to Lily''s situation?"


    "Not yet," Charles replied, his voice tainted with a hint of mncholy.


    "Then you''d better find a way to get Lily to teach you how to control her mice. Otherwise, the entire Hope Ind will be thrown into chaos."


    Charles''s pupils slightly constricted at those words.


    "Lily is about to die, and that''s all you can think about?"


    "Captain, I''m just reminding you of the situation. Also, it doesn''t conflict with your efforts to save her."


    "Don''t concern yourself over this anymore. If you have time, make a trip to the prison to see if you can fill Doctor''s shoes for the experimental project. James has expressed his concerns to me a few times now."


    "Alright, I''ll do my best," Linda answered. She then coaxed Salin away from the iron fence where he had been clinging.


    Charles'' generous bounty was certain to draw a variety of individuals, but often, the first to appear would be those looking to exploit the situation.


    "This is unfair! Leonardo''s just another con artist, too! Why does he get to be a minister while I''m being treated like this?!" a disgruntled swindler shouted as he was dragged away by the guards.


    Charles turned his gaze onto Leonardo standing next to him and said, "Take care of this matter. I don''t want to see any more of your trade mates around."


    "Understood, sir," Leonardo answered with a slight bow. He briefly adjusted his gold-rimmed sses and exited the room.


    As soon as the door closed behind him, Leonardo looked up and slightly pushed up his sses. Staring in the direction of the fading grumbles, a cold smirk crossed his visage. "What a fool to not even research the exact circumstances before trying your luck. Theck of diligence in the younger generation is appalling. It''s time for me, your senior, to show you how it''s done."


    In the following days, passenger ship after passenger ship continuously arrived and docked at Hope Ind. Numerous people approached Charles, each presenting their own "solution" in hopes of iming the bounty. However, with each new encounter, Charles''s hope dwindled; not a single one provided a dependable solution.


    It was unusual for Charles to remain ashore for an extended period of time, and just like that, two months passed by in the blink of an eye.


    Basking in the warm sunlight, Lily lounged on the plush fur of the ck kitten as she savored her moments in the warmth.


    Over two months, the two kittens had grown ustomed to the mice and no longer saw them as threats.


    Lily, however, could no longer enjoy the mini roller coaster. Her condition was deteriorating, with bald patches appearing on her body. Her once vibrant appearance was fading away.


    Holding a tiny book, the size of a human''s fingernail, in her paws, Lily peered through her miniature reading sses to read the text.


    "Mr. Charles." Lily looked up from her book. "It seems like I''m left with thest item on my wishlist," she said, her voice tinged with a raspy sadness.

 Chapter 367. The Solution

    <h4>Chapter 367. The Solution</h4>


    Hearing Lily''s voice, Charles set aside his documents. He then picked her up and ced her on his open palm before gently stroking her on the back.


    "Don''t worry so much. Where there''s a will, there''s a way. Trust me."


    As Charles'' hand glided over Lily''s body, it finally sank in that the once soft and furry little mouse was no longer the same. He could clearly feel the bones underneath her saggy skin.


    "Mr. Charles, I don''t even dare to look in the mirror now. Am I very ugly now?" Lily asked, her voice tinged with mncholy.


    "Of course not. You''re still our adorable little Lily." Charles lowered his head and nted a gentle kiss on her sunken cheek. "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"


    "I''m not hungry. I''m just... a little sleepy now. I''ll take a short nap." As soon as Lily''s words fell, her eyelids slowly lowered, and her limbs gradually went limp.


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat. He nervously ced a finger in front of Lily''s nose. Feeling her faint breaths tickling against his skin, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    With the gentlest movements, he carried Lily onto his pillow and ced her down before he tiptoed to the balcony.


    "Keep an eye on your boss. Notify me immediately if anything happens. Understand?" Charles instructed the few brown mice in the corner of the room.


    The mice nodded in affirmation. Charles then vaulted himself over the balcony railing.


    Without stopping for any side trips, Charles made a beeline for his destination, the cathedral of the Divine Light Order.


    As soon as he entered the building, he noticed several adorable boys and girls gathered around the Pope. The elderly man wore an amicable smile on his countenance as he engagingly narrated stories to his young audience. These were the same children who had sung for Charles and yed a role in the restoration of one of his eyes.


    Upon noticing Charles'' arrival, his eyes lit up and he set the child on hisp down onto the floor.


    "Children, go y by yourself," the Pope instructed.


    Skipping any pleasantries, Charles jumped straight to the point. "Have you guys found a solution?"


    "Unfortunately, we haven''t. If we had, I would have notified you immediately. After all, I want you to set out as soon as possible."


    A shadow fell over Charles'' face as a grim expression appeared on his visage. His voice dripped with sarcasm as he asked, "Didn''t you im that your Light God is all-knowing and all-powerful? Yet, your Order couldn''t even offer any solution to this matter?"


    "He is indeed omnipotent, but it doesn''t mean that His servants are the same by extension. Expecting us to wield His power is unreasonable.


    "Of course, there''s another way: depart immediately, lift the seal on the Light God, and beseech His intervention to save your mouse. For the Light God so loved the world, he would definitely heed your plea."


    A dismissive sneer yed on Charles'' lips. "Stop trying to fool me. I''m not heading to sea unless Lily gets treated. Don''t forget our agreement."


    The Pope let out a sigh of pity. He slowly raised his gaze toward the overhead colorful mythological frescoes.


    "Truth be told, if I had a choice, I really wouldn''t want to work with you. You are too difficult to get along with. You always interpret what you can see as the full truth. But child, the world is far moreplex than what is beingid bare before our eyes."


    With a p of his hands, a muscr priest in dark robes entered the room. The man was dragging a pink, brain-like creature adorned with tentacles in tow. The entity was wet, and it seemed like it had just been fished out of water.


    The Pope lifted his hand, and the brain-like creature was split into two halves. From its midst, a ck piece of paper then floated toward Charles.


    <i>Charles has located the door and will be departing soon. Please take action to stop him immediately.</i>


    Every muscle within Charles tensed up as he read the message. Someone around them had been leaking information.


    "Do you understand now? There are some against our ascent. Be it people or telegram, I''ve got surveince on all fronts now. The Divine Light Order is asmitted to this goal as you are.


    "It''s also because of this that I''m urging you to set sail as soon as possible. We really can''t afford any more dys."


    Traces of hesitation crossed Charles'' visage. He was uncertain about the authenticity of the Pope''s words.


    "Who sent this? Have you caught the spy?"


    "We have no clues. The culprit seems rather cautious. But you can try to dispatch your forces to track them down. They''re likely still on Hope Ind."


    As Charles stared at the piece of paper in his hands with a look of dilemma, the Pope continued persuading, "I know that your rtionship with that mouse runs deep, but please think it over thoroughly...


    "The discovery of the surface world can introduce major transformations in this subterranean realm we are in and benefit countless of our own kind. Is that not worth more than a single mouse''s life?"


    Charles remained silent at the question. Crumpling the piece of ck paper, he turned around and casually tossed it behind him before walking toward the door.


    The Pope''s voice rang out from behind Charles. "Thank you for trusting me and not siding with those deformed cultists against me. It seems that our bond has grown stronger."


    Time slowly passed, and every so often, members of the Narwhale crew would drop by to visit Lily. Despite the smiles on their faces whenever they appeared in the Governor''s Mansion, they could clearly feel the increasingly stifling atmosphere weighing down on them.


    In the blink of an eye, a month swiftly flew past. Lying on a pillow, Lily appeared even older and frail. She only had one front tooth left, and her fur was almostpletely gone.


    Charles carefully brought a spoonful of wheat porridge to her lips.


    Lily slowly turned her head away, and in an exceptionally weak voice, she said, "Mr. Charles, I''m not hungry..."


    "Lily, you haven''t been eating muchtely. If you don''t eat, your body won''t be able to hold up," Charles coaxed.


    Lily hesitantly opened her mouth and began to chew, though it was apparent that she was struggling even for such a simple task.


    Just then, Charles heard approaching footsteps and looked up to see the butler entering the room. He handed over a piece of paper to Charles¡ªit was a telegram from Elizabeth on Elizarles Shores.


    <i>I''m sorry, my love. Mr. Gunther has even specially made a trip back to the Western Seas and visited the other prominent families, but was still unable to find a solution.</i>


    <i>The mages of the Western Seas aren''t as powerful as you imagined them to be. Yes, they can extract a human''s soul to be used as a crafting material, but that act ispletely different from your request.</i>


    <i> Extracting a mouse''s soul and transferring it into a human body without harm ventures into the Divinities'' territory. Were they capable of such feats, they''d have attained immortality and would have escaped oppression by other powers long ago.</i>


    As Charles scanned the words on the telegram, despair started clouding in his eyes; hisst shreds of hope seemed to be slipping away.


    He had thought that in this seascape that defied logic, saving the life of a mouse would be a straightforward solution. However, he had to face the harsh reality before him now.


    While forces of destruction were rampant in this ce, the power to mend or restore was rare.


    Suddenly, Lily erupted into a violent fit of coughing, breaking the silence in the room.


    Charles'' gaze turned onto her, and before he could even speak a word, Lily''s lips parted, and she vomited a mixture of the recently consumed porridge and a significant amount of blood onto her pillow.


    "Linda! Come quickly!" Charles'' shouts resonated in the mansion.


    Linda rushed into the room immediately. Evidently, she had been on standby. She whisked Lily off to the medical room that had been prepared in advance for such emergencies.


    With his arms folded and a look of profound dismay on his face, Charles leaned against the wall next to the medical room''s door.


    As he waited, the crew of the Narwhale soon gathered around. Like Charles, they remained silent as they stood around and waited for Linda''s updates on Lily''s condition.

 Chapter 368. Lily

    <h4>Chapter 368. Lily</h4>


    The door swung open, and everyone turned their heads toward it.


    Linda emerged from the medical room and looked toward Charles. She offered no words and only shook her head slightly.


    Charles felt a pang in his heart. He stepped past Linda and entered the medical room.


    The air was tinged with the smell of alcohol. The fur on Lily''s chest had been shaved away to make room for a transparent tube that was inserted into her blood-soaked, bandaged chest. This tube connected her to a small, intricate gear machinery next to her oversized hospital bed, where shey in a state of profound weakness.


    <i>Squeak~ Squeak, squeak! </i>


    Lily squeaked lightly, and mice scurried out of their holes, gathering in front of her and listening intently to her instructions.


    After a couple of minutes, Lily turned toward Charles and managed a faint smile. "Mr. Charles, don''t worry. I''ve told them to obey your instructions from now on. But remember topensate them with food as their sry. Else, they would get upset."


    Charles'' gaze trembled for a brief moment before determination suffused his eyes. With a sweep of his hand, he disced the surrounding mice from the bed and tenderly cradled Lily in his arms.


    "Bandages, prepare the ritual! We''ll take the risk!" Charles dered.


    Having been silently observing from the doorway, Bandages nodded affirmatively before he turned and disappeared from sight.


    The eastern bay of Hope Ind was solely upied by the First Navy Fleet and was closed off to all non-unit personnel. The highest security level was also now in effect across the ind.


    The moment Charles and his party alighted from their vehicle, they were at the most secluded beach of the heavily fortified bay.


    A concentric circle, which was the size of a basketball court, had been drawn on the pristine white sand. Sacrifices, with their eyes covered and mouths gagged, were randomlyid out within the circle. Only a few of them appeared to be fully human; most were various terrifying deformed creatures, all of whom had been death-row prisoners from the failed relic experiments.


    Tall wooden towers had also been erected in a triangr formation around the circle.


    "Mr. Charles... where are we?" Lily asked in a faint whisper. She tried to sit up to get a look, but Charles covered a hand over her eyes.


    Charles leaned close to her ear and asked softly, "Lily, do you trust me?"


    "Yes!"


    Charles walked past the massive concentric circle and stepped into the pitch-ck sea.


    With the water at his knee level, he nced toward Bandages, who was scaling one of the towers. He slowly lowered Lily in his hands toward the water''s surface.


    "Lily, do you trust me?"


    "Yes!"


    Charles steeled his resolve; he lowered his center of gravity and watched as Lily was submerged in the water.


    Lily didn''t put up a struggle. Under the water, she gently nuzzled her cheek against Charles'' fingers. Bubbles continuously emerged from her nose and mouth and rose to the surface.


    Charles clenched his teeth tightly as he watched the air bubbles decrease with each passing second. His eyes turned a frightening blood-red from his overwhelming emotions.


    Suddenly, Charles turned around abruptly and shouted loudly at Bandages, "Begin!"


    Standing atop a tall tower, Bandages turned around to face the sea. He spread his arms wide and started chanting.


    "Thflthkh! Ngha fhayak!!"


    <i>Craackkkk!</i>


    The chilling sound of bones cracking resonated in the air as each sacrifice''s neck twisted sharply to the left. However, they remained alive; their mouths were agape as they emitted shrill, hysterical screams.


    The gruesome symphony of fractures continued. It wasn''t just their spines; every bone in their bodies was breaking apart. Jagged pieces of bone punctured their skin to be exposed to the air as blood flowed out of their wounds.


    The metallic scent of blood permeated the air as the ritual''s concentric circle was gradually dyed a crimson hue by the pooling blood.


    As though possessed by some unknown entity, Bandages'' eyes werepletely white as he pulled out a golden dagger and made a deep sh on his wrist. The blood from his self-inflicted wound spurted out and joined that of the sacrifices in a macabre union.


    "Nilgh! Ri! Ebumna''s!! Uhn! Wk''hmr'' ph''nglui!!" Bandages'' chanting continued. His usual slow manner of speech was nowhere to be found as he chanted for the ritual; he spat out words rapidly and fluently.


    Amidst the chants, the sacrifices writhed and twisted on the ground like maggots. Some converged toward the center, while others sprawled towards the edge. Soon, a fleshly pentagram with each apex pointing left took shape.


    This pentagram was different from the one Charles had seen in the purple sphere; it pulsated with life. The sacrifices were interlinked, as though they had be a single entity, a massive, living starfish of flesh.


    Charles then noticed a sinister, purple glow began to emanate within the pentagram.


    Suddenly, he felt a warmth from his neck and realized that his tattoo was starting to heat up as if it wereing to life.


    Charles turned his head away from the ritual, and the temperature of his tattoo slightly decreased, but it was still pulsating.


    Bandages'' chanting intermingled with the cries of agony from the sacrifices. asionally, eerie, strange sounds would apany the gruesome symphony.


    All of a sudden, Charles felt something watching him from the direction of the sacrifices, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared.


    As the final section of the incantation ended, everyone present felt a powerful will descending upon the entire bay. Their bodies stiffened in response and they couldn''t even muster the strength to move even their little pinky finger.


    Fortunately, the invisible presence weighing down on them came and went quickly,sting only three seconds. The moment the heavy pressure was lifted, everyone''s legs gave way, and they fell to the ground; Charles was no exception.


    Charles struggled to get out of the seawater and stumbled back onto the beach.


    Looking toward Bandages, he shouted, "Did it seed?"


    Bandages raised his bloodied hand and pointed toward the center of the bloodied concentric circle.


    Charles lifted his prosthetic hand and shot his grappling hook toward the tower. Pulling himself up, he soon joined Bandages at the top of it.


    He peered down from his vantage point and noticed a vast, undting mass at the center of the twisted starfish. It resembled a giant eye that seemed almost alive with its constant throbbing.


    "In...side..." Bandages reverted to his slow manner of speech.


    "Well done! Buddy, I owe you one!" Charles kicked off against the floor and propelled himself toward the fleshy mass.


    He arrived next to the mass and eagerly extended a hand to retract it slightly. With a hint of hesitation in his voice, he called out, "Lily?"


    <i>t!</i>


    A bloodied arm protruded out of the mass and seized Charles'' arm in a firm grip.


    tion rose within Charles. He sped the arm and pulled it to reveal the owner of the arm¡ªa petite girl covered in blood and human tissues.


    Charles messily wiped the blood and flesh off the girl''s face to unveil her delicate features. He recognized her instantly¡ªit was the same face as the Lily of this world.


    The girl''s eyes fluttered open. After a few seconds, reality finally sank in, and she recognized the face in front of her. She let out a scream of joy as she excitedly wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck.


    "Mr. Charles! I knew you''de to save me!"


    "As long as you survive. That''s all that matters," Charles replied as he tried to restrain his excitement. He lifted Lily and carried her out of the ritual site.


    Witnessing the miracle before them the Narwhale crew breathed a collective sigh of relief. They gathered around Charles, and the tense atmosphere dissolved into a moment of collective ease.

 Chapter 369. Out and About

    <h4>Chapter 369. Out and About</h4>


    Charles had his very first peaceful sleep over the past three months, but he woke up in a not-so-peaceful manner as he was jolted awake by something heavynding on his chest.


    "Time to get up, Mr. Charles! You can''t sleep in today!" Lily yelled, straddling Charles. She was wearing a beige dress today, and she stared at Charles with mirthful eyes and lips parted into a smile.


    Charles stared at the petite girl with bleary eyes. Then, he peeled her away from him using his tentacle and said, "You should pay attention to your behavior. You''re no longer a mouse, after all."


    "I know!" Lily lifted Charles'' nket and pounced on Charles. Unlike what she said, she was still acting as though she were still a mouse, and her actions vanquished any traces of drowsiness in Charles.


    Charles sat up with resignation and stroked Lily''s head gently before walking toward the bathroom.


    "Mr. Charles, I think today''s a day off for everyone. It''s very lively outside. Let''s go out and have some fun, too!" Lily eximed while following closely behind Charles into the bathroom.


    "I''m busy. Go and have fun with someone else," Charles replied as he squeezed toothpaste onto his toothbrush before vigorously brushing his teeth.


    "No, I wanna y with you! How can you do this to me when you''ve been catering to my every whim until just yesterday!" Lily eximed, pressing her bouncy cheek against Charles'' back.


    Lily remained undeterred and pestered Charles incessantly until Charles reluctantly agreed to spend three hours with her this afternoon.


    Lily walked out of the bathroom with a spring in her steps; Charles reckoned that her tail would have been wagging left and right if she were still a mouse.


    Lily started nning their afternoon itinerary. "I''ll make Mr. Charles take me to the flea market on the eastern side of the ind, I heard there are many interesting activities to do there. Also, Mr. Charles has to take me¡ª"


    Lily paused mid-sentence and cast a puzzled gaze upon the two people before her.


    "Sister Linda and Mr. First Mate? Why are you two standing by the door? You''re here for Mr. Charles, too? He''s in the bathroom right now, so I think you should wait for him toe out," Lily said.


    The bald Linda grabbed Lily''s arm and pulled her toward the newly renovated infirmary of the Governor''s Mansion.


    "What''s wrong, Sister Linda? Where are you taking me?" Lily asked.


    "A physical exam," Linda replied.


    As always, the quiet Bandages silently followed the two into the infirmary.


    An hourter, a frightened Lily on her tiny heels rushed out of the infirmary with eyes brimming with tears. Her unsteady gait and bloodshot eyes made it clear that something untoward had to have happened inside the infirmary.


    Bandages and Linda exchanged nces inside the all-white infirmary. One of them was seated, and the other leaned against the wall; silence engulfed them.


    After a few moments, Linda tapped the white triangle tattoo on her forehead and broke the silence. "You''re the First Mate, so it''s your call. I''m just a ship doctor, after all."


    "Ahem..." Bandages could only let out a grunt in response.


    At two in the afternoon of the same day, an excited Lily dragged Charles toward a crowded alleyway on the eastern side of Hope Ind. The alleyways on the eastern side of the ind were already narrow, but they had be even narrower, with many stalls lining up each side of the street.


    There was barely a meter of distance between the stalls on both sides, and the crowd in the middle was trying to squeeze their way out of the alleyway. Charles and Lily decided to follow the flow of people.


    It wasn''t exactly a strange sight; they were at a flea market, after all.


    The sheets of paper on the ground were filled with a jumbled cornucopia of items, and everything imaginable was avable for everyone to browse and barter. As for whether one would profit or not, it all depended on one''s ability of discernment.


    "Mr. Charles, what do you think of this?" Lily asked after picking up a pink crystal ball with a purple hue.


    "What are you going to do with that? Are you trying to dabble in fortune telling?"


    "Of course not. I just think it''s pretty. I want to buy it and disy it in my room. I think ckie can y with it, too. <i>Ah,</i> ckie is that cat with ck fur," Lily replied.


    Charles was momentarily speechless before saying, "We''re at a second-hand market, so there isn''t really anything worth seeing here."


    The pot-bellied stall owner frowned, seemingly displeased. "Sir, the ckfoot Alley has more than just ordinary rubbish. There are many treasures here that are simply waiting to be discovered by those with discerning eyes.


    "Haven''t you heard? Last week, someone found a relic here! What do you think? Feeling envious now, right?"


    "Am I supposed to be envious of someone who has found an unknown relic with unknown effects? You wouldn''t even know how you died if you were to make use of something like that," Charles retorted.


    The pot-bellied stall owner was left speechless by Charles'' remark.


    Lily puffed her cheeks and tugged on Charles'' sleeve, pulling him closer to her. "You are being a wet nket, Mr. Charles. Didn''t you say that you''ll go on a shopping spree with me today?"


    "Yes, and I''m here with you," Charles replied.


    The dazed pot-bellied stall owner stared as the odd pair vanished from his sight. He eventually picked up the crystal ball and ced it neatly among his other assortment of items before grumbling, "If you can''t afford it, then just say so! Why bother showing off?"


    Just then, the skinny stall owner next to him leaned over and whispered, "Hey, is it just me or that guy just now looked like the Governor?"


    "The Governor? No way! I''m well informed, and I know that the Governor is blind!" the pot-bellied stall owner retorted.


    Meanwhile, Charles and Lily continued to squeeze their way through the crowd. The huge variety of strange wares and items seemed to bring Lily infinite delight.


    Charles stared deeply at Lily''s bobbing head and couldn''t help but ask, "How tall are you now, Lily?"


    "I''m about 150 centimeters. I got the measurements this morning. I''m only fifteen, though, so I can still be even taller," Lily replied.


    "You''re 150 centimeters? Howe it looks like you''re only 140 centimeters? I guess you really are still a child," Charles said.


    "I''m not a child anymore! Some girls around my age are already mothers, you know?" Lily retorted. Her words had yet to finish echoing in the air when the two stumbled upon a dead-end. Clearly, they had reached the end of the alleyway.


    "We''re already at the end? I''m still not done ying..." Lily muttered, and her young face revealed clear dissatisfaction.


    Charles turned around and swept his gaze across the sea of people and stalls before him.


    "Actually, I have a better idea," Charles said, and before Lily could react, Charles scooped her up with one arm and aimed his prosthetic limb toward a nearby chimney. A loud noise echoed as the grappling hook flew and pulled Charles toward the chimney.


    Just like that, Charles held Lily in his arms as he hopped onto rooftop after rooftop amidst thetter''s piercing shrieks. Eventually, Lily calmed down, and she stared nkly at Charles'' face as the scenery around her peeled away.


    "Where should we go next?" Charles asked as he ced her down on the ground, startling Lily awake from her daze.


    Uponing back to her senses, Lily grabbed Charles'' right hand and said, "Let''s go to the harbor area, Mr. Charles! I heard about the yummy barbeque stalls there, and I want to try them out!"


    "As you wish," Charles replied, nodding.


    He apanied Lily toward the harbor area, and the two ended up exploring the entire ind, going through everything that Hope Ind had to offer. They visited the circus, theater, library and other ces, and by the time their date ended, Charles had already memorized the parts of the ind that he had overlooked until now.


    Lily turned toward a bustling photo studio, and she had just taken one step toward the studio when Charles grabbed her arm, stopping her. "It''s gotten quitete. I think it''s about time we go back."


    However, Lily looked a bit reluctant to go back as she said, "It''s just going to be one picture, Mr. Charles..."

 Chapter 370: At Last

    Chapter 370: At Last


    A long line of people stood outside the studio, and Charles didn''t feel like waiting for their turn. He had the option to pull out his Governor card and skip the queue, but he thought of it as too cheap of a move for a governor to do.


    Charles looked around and found an old man sitting in front of a drawing board.


    "How about we go over to him? There are too many people in the line over there," Charles said, pointing at the old painter.


    Lily tilted her head and pondered briefly over it before nodding. "Okay, then."


    The old painter missing a front tooth was thrilled upon recognizing an opportunity to earn money. "Rest assured, sir. My paintings are definitely more realistic than photos, and my prices aren''t as exorbitant. I charge only a hundred Echo."


    Charles nced at the old painter''s drawing board and paintbrushes before nodding. Then, he pushed Lily over to the stool in front of the drawing board and signaled to the old painter to start painting.


    However, Lily dragged Charles toward the stool and made him sit down on it before plopping down on hisp.


    "You can start now, old sir," Lily said.


    "Do we have to do it like this?" Charles asked while staring down at Lily on hisp.


    "Shh, be quiet, Mr. Charles. He''s painting us now," Lily said. She then ced one of Charles'' hands on her waist and wrapped her hands around his neck.


    As the paintbrush tinged with a variety of colors grazed past the canvas on the drawing board, the bustling street corner seemed to have turned silent. Lily and Charles were so close to each other that Charles could feel Lily''s elerating heartbeat.


    The petite girl looked around briefly before her eyes looked up and eventuallynded on Charles'' face. Their eyes met instantly in mid-air, and the world seemed to havee to a standstill right there and then.


    The two felt their figures bing hot with each passing second, and Lily eventually weakened, bing soft until she waspletely leaning on Charles.


    After an unknown amount of time, the old painter looked up and said, "It''s done."


    Lily immediately struggled her way down Charles''p and rushed over to the drawing board. Then, she peeled away the canvas and ran away as if she were escaping from something.


    "Pay for it, Mr. Charles! See you tomorrow!" Lily shouted in the distance.


    The corners of Charles'' lips curled up slightly as he stared at Lily''s bouncing back.


    Over the next few days, Lily stuck so closely to Charles that it seemed like the two were about to merge bodies. Whenever Charles had any free time, Lily would drag him away somewhere, and the two spent more and more time with each other.


    Lily took a bite of the crab cake in her hand, and her eyes seemed to shine like stars as she eximed, "Mmm~ This is so good, Mr. Charles! It''s really delicious, try it!"


    Charles nced at the crab cake and took a bite at where Lily had taken a bite of the crab cake just now.


    "Sir, would you like to buy a flower for your lovely wife? This flower was just plucked from the farm district this morning, so it''s guaranteed fresh," the owner of a flower stall said while holding up a rose with a smile.


    Lily''s steps abruptly came to a halt. She didn''t correct the florist. On the contrary, her cheeks flushed red, and her eyes glimmered with expectation as she stared at Charles.


    Charles stared alternatingly between the florist and Lily before reaching out to take the flower and handing it over to Lily.


    Lily''s eyes instantly curved up in joy. She held the flower gingerly while jumping about in excitement. Charles grabbed Lily''s hand, and the two continued their stroll down the street.


    For some reason, the two became even more intimate after Charles gave Lily a flower, and Lily clung to Charles as if she were a bird orbiting its owner.


    Unfortunately, happy times would always go by quickly, and all good things were bound toe to an end. In what Lily felt was the proverbial blink of an eye, the two had to part ways again.


    The two stood before the Governor''s Mansion while staring at each other. Lily bit her lip and tightened her grip on the rose in her hand. Just then, she plucked out a strand of courage from somewhere and said, "Charles, can I live here again?


    "My house is big, but it''s so empty that it''s lonely staying there. I can''t get used to it at all."


    Charles was stunned by Lily''s remark. Eventually, he nodded and started walking toward the steel gates being guarded by two guards.


    "Go back and pack up. We''ll have dinner in an hour, soe here by then," Charles said as he disappeared behind the steel gates.


    Left all alone, Lily was so excited that she spread her arms like a little bird and started cheering while making a beeline for her residence. Lily soon arrived at her residence, and she started changing into new clothes.


    Unfortunately, Lily''s clothes couldn''t quite satisfy her. However, time waited for no one, so Lily had no choice but to make up her mind about her outfit for tonight''s dinner.


    In the end, Lily chose a milky white dress with a flowing skirt and waist belt adorned with pearls. She also decided on a light green sling bag thatplimented her outfit and entuated her adorable and lively nature.


    Exactly an hour after parting ways with Charles, Lily arrived at the steel gates of the Governor''s Mansion in her outfit and a small suitcase. Having visited the Governor''s Mansion many times before, Lily was extremely familiar with the ce, but she had never been so excited to visit the Governor''s Mansion until tonight.


    The sight that greeted Lily after walking past the steel gates astonished her: rose petals were strewn about the red carpet on the ground, creating a path toward somewhere in the Governor''s Mansion.


    Lily turned toward the white-gloved steward, who came to fetch her, but the steward acted as if he were blind and stared nkly at the ground.


    Seeing that, Lily chose not to ask any questions and decided to follow theid-out path covered in rose petals. Lily soon found herself standing inside a spacious hall upon reaching the end of the rose-riddled path.


    The spacious hall had been cleared and contained nothing but a ssic wooden table for two and a golden record yer on a stand next to it. Charles was standing next to the wooden table with a wine bottle in hand; he was pouring wine into the crystal wine ss on the table.


    Charles was no longer d in his gray captain''s uniform but had changed into a ck suit. His fierce demeanor seemed to have gone as well, making him appear as though he were nothing but an ordinary gentleman.


    There were steaks covered in a dark sauce on the te next to the crystal wine sses, along with a variety of fruits chopped into bite-sized pieces.


    Charles looked up just then upon hearing Lily''s footsteps. Then, he walked toward a nearby chair and pulled it slightly.


    "Have a seat," he said.


    Lily tossed the suitcase she was holding to the side and rushed over to Charles with joy painted all over her face. She sat down obediently, and Charles went back to his seat as well.


    "The rules of etiquette say that we should drink first," Charles said and raised his ss.


    Lily hurriedly grabbed her ss filled with wine and raised it with both hands.


    "Cheers!"


    The two clinked sses and Lily struggled to swallow the wine in her mouth. She stuck out her tongue, revealing that it had been dyed in the same color as the wine; she started fanning at it and said, "Mr. Charles, I think banana wine tastes better than this. This wine is too strong for me."


    "Oh, I''ll remember that. Next time, we''ll drink banana wine. Also, just call me Charles from now on," Charles replied.


    An invisible tentacle stretched out behind him and tapped on the golden record yer. The ck vinyl record soon started spinning, and the spacious hall was soon filled with a beautiful harmony.


    Just like that, the two started eating their dinner. Lily''s seemed a bit too clumsy with the fork and knife in her hands. It wasn''t a strange sight, of course, as it had been such a long time since shest used tableware.


    A knife and fork suddenly reached toward Lily''s te, and they quickly sliced the steak into bite-sized pieces. However, that wasn''t the end of it; the fork pierced a piece of meat and brought it over to Lily''s mouth.


    Lily stared wide-eyed in astonishment, but she eventually opened her tiny mouth and started munching on the steak. Just like that, the two became closer and closer to each other as Charles ate while feeding Lily at the same time.


    By the time their tes were almost empty, the two were already sitting on the same chair.


    Lily looked up at Charles and stared at him with a gaze full of affection.


    "Mr. Charles, tell me that you love me."


    "I love you, Lily."


    "Hehehe, you finally said it!" Lily smiled sweetly. Then, she turned and knelt on Charles''p with both hands around his neck. Slowly, she leaned down and pressed her lips against Charles'' lips.


    The two kissed passionately, and their actions became more and more intense as if they were desperate to merge into one.


    All of a sudden, a tear slid from the corner of Lily''s eye and fell onto Charles'' face.


    Charles pulled away and cupped Lily''s face with his hands. He started wiping away the tears falling down her cheeks, but Lily''s tears seemed endless.


    "Don''t cry why are you crying?"


    "<em>Sniff</em>! I''m not crying I I''m just happy," Lily replied and sobbed as she took out a book the size of a human fingernail from her sling bag. As tears streamed down her face and as her choked sobs pervaded the air, she took out a pen and crossed out a line of tiny words at the top of the page.


    She crossed out thest item on her wishlistto experience love.


    "Mr. Charles, thank you. All my wishes have been fulfilled atst."


    The corners of Charles'' lips quivered ever so slightly; he pulled Lily into a tight embrace, and a tear slid down his original left eye as he said, "I''m sorry for being so useless. I''m so useless that I can''t help you at all"

 Chapter 371: Lily

    Chapter 371: Lily


    Lily''s choked sobs filled the spacious hall as she lied in Charles'' arms.


    "So you knew all along, M-Mr. Charles? That I wouldn''t live much longer?"


    Charles held Lily''s fair little hand in his palm and flipped it gently. Charles felt like a dagger had pierced his heart and was slicing it into pieces from the inside.


    "Bandages told me that the ritual wasn''t a good solution, so I had Linda check for me to see whether you were the same Lily or not. I was afraid that you were no longer the same Lily I had known once you came back from the ritual.


    "Fortunately, you came back, but at the same time, unfortunately, it was you who came back."


    Lily bit down on her lip as tears flowed down her face again.


    "I''m sorry, I just wanted to stay by your side even just a bit longer."


    "It''s okay" Charles muttered as he made Lily''s head lean against his neck.


    "How many days do you have left? I''ll stay with you for as many days as you have left." As Charles spoke, he slowly closed his eyes at the thought of the inevitable.


    "Sister Linda said that I only have two days left, and we''re about to sail as well" Lily muttered while rubbing her head against Charles'' neck, just like her habit of rubbing her tiny head against Charles'' fingers when she was still a mouse.


    "Two days two days" Charles muttered to himself. Finding a way to save Lily in just two days was a pipe dream. How could he find a solution in two days when he had failed to do so over the past three months?


    Lily propped herself up and looked up at Charles with bloodshot eyes. She then stretched her hand out and smoothened out Charles'' knitted brows with her soft fingers.


    "Mr. Charles, stop thinking about it. It''s fine. I feel really bad seeing you like this. I''m not afraid of death, really. I''m already happy. The past few days have been the happiest days of my life. I''m really happy."


    Charles looked down at the petite girl in front of him. As far as he could remember, Lily had always been by his side as a mouse.


    Lily smiled sweetly at him. Then, she pounced on Charles and wrapped both of her arms around his neck before gently rubbing her soft, fair cheek against Charles'' face.


    Just like that, the two cuddled silently as the candles on the table burned out slowly until they extinguished, plunging the room intoplete darkness.


    The next morning at eight, the steward returned to the Governor''s Mansion to perform his duties as always.


    The steward was about to order the cooks, the servants, and the maids to start working on the Governor''s Mansion, but as soon as he walked past the steel gates and reached the spacious hall, a topless Charles with bloodshot eyes rushed over to him, startling him greatly.


    "Governor?" the steward muttered.


    Charles whispered something into his ears.


    "Governor! Are you really going to"


    "Hurry up and go!"


    "Y-yes! I understand!"


    Soon, the guards carried items wrapped in ck cloth into Charles'' bedroom inside the Governor''s Mansion.


    "Governor, some of these items were purchased at high prices from the inders. Of course, some were confiscated, but we brought them here before they were destroyed," the steward exined.


    Charles seemed to be in a daze as he waved his hand to dismiss the steward and the guards. The steward understood instantly and brought the guards away with him. He even closed the door behind him as he left.


    Charles lifted the ck cloth off of one of the items, revealing an eerie-looking female statue with a mouth full of sharp teeth and pitch-ck eye sockets reminiscent of the abyss.


    However, Charles wasn''t done yet. He removed the ck cloth covering the rest of the items, revealing eighty statues of varying shapes and sizes. Every single statue represented every major and minor religion in the Subterranean Sea, including the visual representation of the Divinities in the deep sea as well as totems.


    Regardless of whether they were real or fake, they were all here in Charles'' bedroom. Charles'' breathing hastened as he stood before the gazes of so many statues.


    He clenched and unclenched his fists; he felt extremely conflicted inside, but when Lily''s face popped up in his mind, Charles'' expression hardened to that of determination, and his knees crashed to the ground with a loud thud.


    Charles knelt before the statues and muttered, "Please please save Lily. I really have nothing else to turn to"


    Grief and despairCharles had been suppressing these two emotions, but these emotions had breached the dam that Charles had created with his tenacious will, and the waves of his tumultuous emotions engulfed him whole.


    Just then, a crisp noise echoed and was followed by multiple explosions. The room was instantly filled with a fog made out of sawdust. Charles looked up and was shocked to find that some of the statues had inexplicably exploded.


    Meanwhile, the remaining totems and status remainedpletely indifferent to Charles'' plea, as if they were nothing but inanimate objects.


    Charles pounded the ground with his fists; his veins bulged, and his face flushed red as he turned toward the totems and statues before him and roared, "You pieces of shit that can''t even save one person are still considered gods here?! What bullshit is that?! None of you deserve such a title; all of you are nothing but a steaming pile of shit!"


    The totems and statues remained indifferent without any reaction whatsoever.


    <em>Creak!</em>


    A creaking noise echoed behind Charles. Charles turned and found that Lily had opened the door behind him. Lily''s face showed not a single hint of sadness; she even stuck her tiny tongue at him and said shyly, "Do you have time, Mr. Charles? I''d like to ask you for a favor."


    The shoveling noises sounded particrly loud as multiple people dug a hole in the ground. A topless Charles was digging a hole next to Laesto''s tomb, and because he was strong, a huge pit soon appeared in the ground.


    He single-handedly carried a coffin painted in white and ced it inside the pit. Then, he opened the lid of the coffin and gentlyid a preserved mouse specimen inside of it. The preserved mouse specimen was none other than Lily''s carcass.


    Afterward, Charles picked up a colorful miniature house seemingly crafted from an assortment of bright candies. It was the same miniature house that Lily had been staying at beneath Charles'' bed.


    Lastly, Charles slipped a painting inside the coffin. The painting depicted Charles and Lily in each other''s embrace, and they were staring at each other with their gazes full of affection.


    Charles then turned around to look at Lily standing behind him.


    "Is this okay?" he asked.


    "<em>Hmm,</em> I don''t know. Let me try it out," Lily replied.


    Charles walked over and scooped her up by the waist before carrying her toward the coffin. He thenid her inside the coffin, but instead of standing up, Charles lied down next to Lily and stared at the brown canopy of Hope Ind up above.


    "Is it a bit too dark?"


    "Yeah. I think it''d be great if it''s a bit brighter."


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    The white bone bullets tore a hole in the canopy above Hope Ind, and warm sunlight instantly shot down from the hole. However, it seemed Charles'' aim was a bit off, as the sunlight shone down on Laesto''s tombstone rather than on him and Lily.


    "<em>Pfft!</em>" Lily sat up in her coffin and burst out intoughter.


    Charles startedughing as well, even though he had no idea what was so funny. While he wasughing, his right hand unconsciously squeezed the edge of the coffin until a loud, crisp noise echoed.


    Charles ended up breaking off a piece of the coffin, and that was when he came back to his senses. He looked up and found Lily lying motionless with a deathly pale face inside the coffin rather than sitting up inside of it.


    The crew members stood motionless around the coffin with grave expressions; they were all dressed in ck with a white flower in hand, and the scene resembled Laesto''s funeral.


    "Captain, are you okay?" Dipp asked in an anxious tone.


    Charles struggled topose himself and pull himself away from the scenes yesterday. He was just about to climb out of the pit when his legs gave way beneath him. Fortunately, James reacted quickly and grabbed Charles in time.


    "Captain, are you all right?" James asked. Today, he was dressed in his uniform as a part of Hope Ind''s Police Department.


    Charles pushed James away, and his voice sounded extremely hoarse as he said, "Do it!"


    A loud thud echoed as the coffin was closed, and ck iron nails were soon hammered along the edges of the coffin, sealing it tightly. The crew members with anguished looks approached the coffin one at a time and threw the white flower in their hand onto the coffin.


    Once again, James and Dipp exchanged nces before quietly taking a shovel and pilling the pit with soil.


    Meanwhile, Charles walked up in front of Laesto''s tombstone, and he sat on top of it in one fluid motion. Charles'' eyes gradually grew unfocused as his steel fingers tapped on the tombstone.


    <em>"Hi, I''m Lily. What''s your name?"</em>


    <em>"Mr. Charles, can youe home with me? I''m afraid Mom won''t recognize me."</em>


    <em>"Mr. Charles, thank you so much. You''re a good person."</em>


    <em>"Mr. Charles, I love you."</em>


    "<em>Ahem, ahem~</em>" An aged, coughing voice echoed behind Charles, interrupting his train of thought. Charles didn''t even turn around and instead roared, "We''re sailing today, so stop fucking rushing me!"


    The Pope slowly walked up to Charles in his signature white robes. "Captain Charles, you''re clearly not in the condition to go on a voyage, so let me give you some good news. The great Light God has bestowed upon me an oracle.


    "He was deeply moved by the rtionship between you and Lily."


    "Moved?!" Charles pointed at Lily''s grave next to him and red at the Pope with bloodshot eyes. "What''s the point of just being moved?! Why not bring her back to life?! He''s omnipotent, isn''t he?!"


    The Pope''s expression showed a trace of displeasure as he said, "How can He bring her back to life when He''s still trapped? Can you please let me finish?"


    "<em>Ahem,</em>" the Pope cleared his throat and said, "The great Light God has bestowed upon me an oracle. He said, ''As long as Charles finds the exit to the surface world and helps Me escape from My restraint, I shall bring the mouse back to life as a reward for Charles'' dedication."


    Charles red coldly at the Pope and asked, "Has your mouth ever spoken a single truth so far?"


    The Pope seemed surprised at the question. He pped his hands and showed them to Charles, saying, "I''ve never lied my entire life. What? You don''t believe me?"


    "<em>Hahaha, </em>of course, I believe you!" Charlesughed boisterously and jumped down the tombstone before making a beeline for the harbor area.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    I refuse to believe this is the end of Lily. /cries a river/</blockquote>

 Chapter 372: Setting Sail

    Chapter 372: Setting Sail


    The Narwhale prepared to set sail. The mice seemed to have sensed the departure of their boss, and their morale was at an all-time low as they bit each other''s tail and crawled onto the deck with drooping ears.


    "Mother, you don''t have to send me off. Go back home. The ship has a brand-new telegram machine, and I''ll send you telegraphs while I''m out at sea," Weister said with an awkward smile toward his mother.


    Weister felt embarrassed, knowing that the other crew members on deck could see his mother tugging at the hem of his clothes.


    "Son, will you really not consider working as a mail carrier? The sea is really too dangerous," Elena said, trying her best to dissuade her son.


    "Mother, I''m really going to be fine. I mean,e on. It''s not like this is my first voyage. I''m really going to be perfectly fine," Weister replied.


    "Once Ie back, we can sell our basement home and buy a house close to school. My siblings won''t have to work so far away just to get to school by then," Weister added.


    Bandages stared quietly at Weister arguing with his mother down below. His eyes seemed to radiate confusion as he stared deeply at the two.


    "Jealous? Why don''t you just retire and find a woman to start a family with? It''s better to have someone than no one, you know?" Feuerbach said as he walked up to Bandages from behind.


    "No, it''s not that" Bandages replied, "This sceneis familiar to me I think I''ve had a simr experiencelong ago."


    "Then, you should really write that down, man. Who knows? You might be able to recover your memories by piecing together fragments of your memories? I don''t think you should keep on doing nothing. You have to do something," Feuerbach said.


    Bandages nodded quietly. He turned to the sailors engaging in idle banter and asked, "The Captain where is he?"


    "He went into the Captain''s Cabin as soon as he came on board. I guess Lily''s death was a bit too heavy of a blow for him to recover quickly. Among us, that little mouse was the closest to him, after all.


    "In contrast to him, Tobba right here doesn''t seem sad at all. I guess lunatics will always be lunatics."


    Tobba didn''t seem to be sad even in the slightest, as he wasughing with the mice on deck. However, the mice were no longer as kind to him as before. They bit back fiercely in response to Tobba''s yful provocation.


    "The Pope is with us we have to be cautious around him," Bandages muttered before turning around and walking toward the bridge.


    At Bandages'' words, Feuerbach turned to the side and found a massive ivory-colored ship three times the size of the Narwhale.


    "Yeah, we''re going on a voyage with that guy. This is going to be annoying," Feuerbach muttered.


    The Narwhale''s steam whistle fleeted across Hope Ind, attracting the gaze of every single inder. They all watched as the two ships departed the harbor area of Hope Ind.


    Meanwhile, a nervous Weister was standing in front of the steering wheel inside the brightly lit bridge of the Narwhale. He listened carefully to the instructions of the First Mate standing next to him, but his trembling fingers made it clear that he was extremely nervous as he held the steering wheel tightly.


    Seeing Weister quivering out of nervousness, Dipp became irritated and chided, "I told you to rx, so rx! What''s up with that tight grip on the steering wheel? Are you afraid that it''ll sprout wings and fly away?"


    Weister turned his head to say something, but Dipp grabbed him by the chin and twisted his head back to face up ahead.


    "Keep your eyes up ahead while manning the wheel! Do you have a death wish or something? Seriously, this idiot


    "How about I take over as the helmsman, Bandages? I think this guy is hopeless."


    "Get out. Now." Bandages spat coldly. He had spoken only three words, but Dipp instantly shut his mouth and obediently exited the bridge.


    Weister cast a grateful gaze upon Bandages and muttered, "Thank you so much for that, First Mate. The boatswain was making me feel really nervous."


    "Eyes up ahead."


    "Oh"


    Under Bandages'' tutge, Weister learned everything there was to learn to be a sessful helmsman. Technically speaking, a helmsman''s job wasn''t that difficult.


    Unlike driving a car, one didn''t have to worry about traffic or colliding with a ship on the vast open sea, so anyone would fare well as a helmsman as long as they knew how to maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel.


    It was exactly the reason helmsmen were mostly just sailors. The First Mate or the Second Mate just had to watch over them, and things would usually go swimmingly.


    As time went by, Weister became more and more proficient at his job. He was no longer as stiff as when he had just started, and his eyes didn''t leave the distant navigation markers even as he spoke and asked, "First Mate, did Captain teach you how to man the wheel?"


    Bandages staring at the nautical chart shook his head. "No, itwas someoneelse, butI forgot"


    Weister had also heard of Bandages'' amnesia, so he decided not to probe any further and went silent.


    Although he had failed to be the Narwhale''s Second Engineer, being a helmsman still received a pretty remuneration; it was just a bit more than ordinary sailors, but it was good enough for Weister, and he swore to cherish the opportunity.


    Just then, Weister''s eyes pped on a figure walking on deck. The figure belonged to none other than Charles, and he stood motionless on the deck while looking up at the sky.


    Charles was staring at something incredibly high up. The surface was up there, but Charles no longer felt like going up to the surface. All of a sudden, a tremor ran through Charles'' hands. His hands would sometimes shake uncontrobly, and it all started when Lily passed away.


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    Charles smashed his fists on the Narwhale''s steel tes, but the tremors didn''t slow down at all.


    The rumbling of a steam whistle interrupted Charles'' thoughts. He turned and saw blinking lights at the pitch-ck stern of the Divine Light Order''s ship to his left. Someone was signaling to him using two shlights. Charles jumped down the Narwhale and rode the waves bouncing off the Narwhale to reach the blinking lights.


    As soon as Charles came on board, he instantly noticed the stark difference between the Narwhale and this ship. He had expected it, but he was still surprised to learn that the crewmen were all followers of the Divine Light Order.


    In addition, they were more organized than the average crew of an average exploration vessel. Every single movement they made seemed to adhere to a rigid procedure and regtions, so much so that they made Charles feel as if he were staring at a group of robots.


    A sailor led Charles to the cafeteria. The Pope was eating in the cafeteria, and he was focused on eating his meal, which consisted of nothing but green beans.


    Charles couldn''t even bother to call attention to himself by speaking; he simply sat down on a nearby stool.


    Meanwhile, the Pope stuffed thest remaining green bean into his mouth using a fork, and he licked the te clean afterward. Then, he wiped his mouth clean with a napkin before finally turning to look at Charles.


    "My child, I heard you''ve installed a brand-new telegram machine in your ship."


    "So?"


    "I need you to remove that telegram machine and install it in my ship instead."


    "What do you mean? Are you implying that there could be spies on my ship?"


    "I''m not implying. I''m saying it because I''m certain that there are spies on your ship. The exit to the surface world is also important to them, so they''ll definitelye with us in order to stop us from finding it.


    "Actually, I''d prefer to thoroughly examine your crew members, but you''d never agree to that, so I decided to choose another method," the Pope said.


    "Who are ''they''? Who are you talking about? And why do they want to stop us from finding the exit to the surface world?" Charles asked.


    "Will there be any difference even if I tell you? Since they want to stop us, then they''re our enemies. And we must eliminate our enemies," the Pope replied.


    Charles pondered briefly over it before eventually nodding in agreement. They had been navigating the vast open sea without a telegram machine so far, so Charles was confident that they would have no issues without it.


    "Is that it?" Charles asked.


    "No, there''s one more thing. The great Light God wants to know about your life on the surface as well as what the surface looks like."


    Charles'' wariness level instantly shot through the roof. "What? Your Light God wants to chit-chat with me?"

 Chapter 373: Chit-Chat

    Chapter 373: Chit-Chat


    "What? Your Light God wants to chit-chat with me?"


    The Pope smiled and shook his head. "Of course, it''s not as simple as that. What he meant was"


    Charles raised his hand, interrupting the Pope. He took out his pocket watch and checked the time. Then, he stood up and walked out. "I don''t have time for this right now. Visit me at ten in the morning tomorrow. We can have a good chat by then."


    "Hey" the Pope called out, but Charles had already disappeared.


    Charles had rushed out as if he were running away, and it was all because the Pope''s words had made him extremely wary.


    Thetter didn''t even bother hiding his intentions of probing the surface world, and Charles knew that he couldn''t answer the Pope just like that. He had to be prepared for the Pope''s questions.


    Only the heavens knew of what the Pope and his great Light God were nning. If they were nning on invading the surface world, then Charles would rather stay here in the Subterranean Sea rather than endanger everyone up above.


    When the Pope was about to exin the Light God''s intentions earlier, an idea suddenly came to Charles'' mind, so he pulled out his pocket watch and used it as an excuse to return to the Narwhale.


    Charles rode the waves between the two ships and grabbed the grab line that the Narwhale had extended over to him. He then hoisted himself using the grab line, and just like that, he was back on deck.


    Charles rushed past the sailors cleaning the deck and soon arrived before the door to the Captain''s Quarters. A soft click echoed as the door opened gently, revealing the Captain''s Quarters strewn with portraits.


    Every single portrait was a portrait of Lily, both in her mouse and human form, and the portraits all had one thing inmon: Lily looked extremely happy in all of them.


    The excitement on Charles'' face faded away as he swept his gaze across the portraits. He bent down and picked up one of the portraits on the ground. Then, his trembling hands ced it gently onto the nearby table.


    It didn''t take long for Charles to pick up every single portrait on the ground, and once he was done cing them on the table, he grabbed the wine bottle nearby and downed what was left of the wine.


    Charles then knelt down and stuck his head beneath the bed before rummaging through the mess underneath.


    Soon, Charles found a dusty brass printer. He had gone through hell and back just to retrieve this printer from the bottom of the sea. He had used this printer only once since obtaining it, and it had been collecting dust under his bed since then.


    A clicking noise echoed all of a sudden, and the brass printer whirred to life, spitting out a piece of paper momentster.


    <em>This thing will help me know whether the Pope is lying to me or not. This will also help me know his true goal.</em>


    The words written on the piece of paper were Charles'' thoughts just a few moments ago. He read it swiftly before ultimately storing the printer away beneath his bed. The printer was too big to fit elsewhere, so Charles had no choice but to store it there.


    Charles sprawled out on his bed and started thinking of the questions that the Pope would definitely ask him tomorrow as well as the questions he would ask the Pope in exchange for answering thetter''s question.


    Charles knew that it was an opportunityan excellent opportunity to probe the Pope''s true colors.


    Time went by quickly, and soon it was morning. The Pope arrived as agreed, but he seemed unhappy at the arrangement. "Why must we talk here? What difference does this make?"


    "All right, enough nonsense," Charles said while sitting on the only chair in the Captain''s Quarters. He then gestured toward the single bed in front of him and continued, "Sit down and ask away. I still have to inspect the ship after this."


    The Pope sat down on the bed and said, "I believe that you''re from the surface world, and the great Light God believes in it, too. So I''m just trying to find out the exact situation of the surface world."


    The Pope''s questions were rtively simple in nature, but they revealed a substantial amount of information to Charles, allowing him to reach two conclusions: it had been a long time ago since the Light God was on the surface, or the Light God had never been at the surface world at all.


    However, the fact that the Pope was asking how to disassembleputers meant that the second possibility was most likely.


    "What exactly is your god?" Charles asked. It was a question he had spent some time mulling overst night.


    "My god is a god. And you haven''t answered our questions yet," the Pope replied.


    "I can tell you, but I want us to exchange information. You can just tell me as much information as I tell you. What is the origin of your god? He isn''t one of those deep sea Divinities, is he?" Charles asked.


    The Pope revealed a contemptuous expression and said, "Don''tpare our great Light God to those filthy and impure things in the sea. Comparing Him to those things is actually sphemy to our god."


    "Then, tell me more about your god''s origin. Don''t even try to deceive me with some bullshit like he''s an omniscient and omnipotent god who created the world. I want realistic information, not bullshit," Charles said.


    The Pope smiled smugly and said, "I''m sure there are religions on the surface, right? You''re asking about what exactly is the Light God? The answer to that question is simple. The Light God is the same god that you surface people have been worshiping; the one true God."


    Charles sneered coldly in his heart before asking, "The one True God? He must be incredibly powerful, so howe he''s in restraints?"


    The Pope''s expression turned ugly, and he sounded indignant as he replied, "Some filthy things in the sea conspired against Him and sealed him away just as he was born."


    <em>Just as he was born? Some Divinities had conspired against him? </em>Charles carefully pondered over the meaning behind the Pope''s words. They were just a few words, but they answered some of Charles'' questions.


    First of all, the Light God had never been at the surface world, as he was sealed away by his fellow Divinities as soon as he was born.


    However, the fact that the Divinities had banded together against him meant that the Light God was stronger than the average Divinity, which had to have threatened those Divinities enough to make a move against him.


    Charles started tapping the table with his fingers. After a while, he looked up and asked, "Is your god rted to Dawn One?"


    "Dawn One? Dawn One is nothing more than an active nuclear fusion reactor. It does not deserve to bepared to the great Light God. Of course, we''ve sessfully converted it, and it has be like the many brothers and sisters of our Divine Light Order."


    Charles'' pupils constricted at the remark. Clearly, the Light God''s understanding of the surface world was far greater than Charles had imagined.


    "Perhaps He looks simr to Dawn One, but He''s the one true God, after all. A single thought is all He needs to create everything from nothing, and He can also destroy the world with a single thought."


    Charles stared nkly at the Pope, unsure of how to react.


    "My child, you don''t believe me, do you?"


    "No, I believe you. Keep going."


    "He''s an extremely powerful being, so don''t you think it''s very easy for him to resurrect a little mouse?" the Pope said while leaning closer and closer to Charles with a grin.


    Charles'' heart raced and pounded madly against his chest as he nced surreptitiously beneath his bed. In an effort to assuage his pounding heart, Charles decided to ask more questions.


    "Can the Light God defeat God Fhtagn?" Charles asked.


    "What''s with that question? Why are we talking about that octopus?" the Pope asked with an odd look.


    "I drowned Lily myself, and God Fhtagn ims all drowned souls. If the Light God cannot defeat God Fhtagn, then I''m afraid the Light God can''t resurrect Lily," Charles exined.


    The Pope shook his head and exined, "That octopus has been sleeping for quite a while now, and it''s still asleep. It''s actuallyughable topare him to the great Light God.


    "Perhaps that mouse''s soul now belongs to Fhtagn, but the great Light God always has a solution for every problem, so such a tiny issue is solvable as well."


    "What''s the solution?" Charles asked with his eyes transfixed on the Pope.

 Chapter 374: Praise the Light God

    Chapter 374: Praise the Light God


    However, the Pope didn''t answer Charles'' question. "My child, I''m sure we''ve shown you enough sincerity. It should be our turn now."


    Charles seemed indifferent toward the Pope''s decision not to answer his question, but inwardly, he thought, <em>It doesn''t matter. He must have gone over the solution in his head. He just has to think of it once, and the Soul Printer can print the answer out for me.</em>


    "What''s with the pondering face, Charles? What are you thinking about?" the Pope asked, interrupting Charles'' train of thought.


    Charles tousled his hair, seemingly helpless as he sighed and said, "Just go ahead and ask away."


    "What was your life like in the surface world?"


    "I was just a normal person. I was eating normally, and I was sleeping normally. I would have lived a normal working life, just like the average person, if I were still on the surface," Charles replied.


    "I guess Captain Charles'' life at the surface isn''t as thrilling as his life here."


    "I''d rather not live such a thrilling life. I only wish to go ba" Charles abruptly stopped. Momentster, he continued, "I only want to go back and take a look at the surface world."


    "Okay, next question, then." the Pope said, nodding. He decided not to ask any more questions rted to Charles'' life on the surface. "My next question ishave you seen a starry night sky before? If you have, can you show it to me?"


    Charles was taken aback. "What? How do I show that to you?"


    "Just close your eyes and visualize the positions of the starry night sky from your memories. I can ess those images directly through your mind," the Pope replied and ced his hand on the crown of Charles'' head.


    It had been a long time since Charles saw a starry night sky. The light pollution in cities was so severe that it was impossible to see any stars.


    In fact, Charles reckoned that he had only seen the starry night sky at his grandfather''s house in the countryside during summer vacations when he was still a child. Charles closed his eyes and soon recalled scenes of his little self counting stars with his grandfather in the countryside.


    <em>A starry night sky? What exactly is he trying to find out? </em>Charles initially thought the Pope would ask more questions about the surface world, so he was truly caught off guard when the Pope decided to ask such a mundane question.


    "As stated in our Book of Revtions, the great Light God will lead His faithful sheep toward the Land of Light devoid of pain and torment the moment He is free of his restraints.


    "We want to confirm that the surface isn''t just arger prison like the Subterranean Sea."


    <em>But what does the starry night sky have to do with the Land of Light? Could it be that the Light God wants to leave the earth and venture into the stars beyond? </em>Charles thought with an incredulous look.


    Just then, the Pope''s expression became extremely solemn, and his gentle grip on Charles'' head abruptly changed. He pinched Charles'' head as if his hand were a pliers.


    "What are you doing?!" Charles raised a hand to swat the Pope''s hand away, but the Pope retracted his hand first.


    "Great, I caught a few glimpses of the starry night sky. Those are enough. I still have to draw them, so I''m going first. Let''s just talk againter," the Pope muttered. Then, he stood up and turned around to leave.


    Charles hurriedly followed him out, and he watched as the Pope floated back to the massive ship next to the Narwhale. When the Pope vanished into the ship''s cabin, Charles rushed back to the his quarters with a solemn face.


    <em>Why does Charles want to talk to me on his ship? What''s his motive behind such a request?</em>


    Charles'' expression became ecstatic upon reading the sheet of paper that the Soul Printer had spat out for him. <em>The Soul Printer is working on the Pope!</em> Charles suppressed his racing heart and proceeded to read the remaining sheets of paper.


    <em>This boy is still so distrustful. He has actually insisted that we exchange information. Haven''t I told him that the more he knows, the more dangerous it would be for him?</em>


    <em>How could Charlespare our Light God to those creatures in the sea? That''s sphemy!</em>


    <em>Dawn One? </em>That thing''s nothing more than an active nuclear fusion reactor.


    Charles'' knitted brows became tighter and tighter as time went by. The Pope''s thoughts were exactly the same as what he had said to Charles. It seemed like the Pope could only speak of the truth and nothing but the truth.


    Charles abruptly froze upon recalling something. He quickly flipped through the sheets of paper until he reached the part where they were talking about Lily.


    <em>Lord, why did You say You would resurrect the mouse once You''ve emerged from Your restraints? Look, this boy clearly doesn''t believe our words.</em>


    <em>Oh, so you like that mouse? All right, as long as you like it, forget just one mouse; even resurrecting a thousand mice is fine.</em>


    <em>The mouse''s soul belongs to God Fhtagn? Lord, what should I say? What? You''ve already snatched its soul away from God Fhtagn? Wait, how do I exin that to him? Wait, why should I even tell him? Hmm, it should be my turn to ask questions.</em>


    Charles'' frantic heart beat started to echo sharply in his ears, and his trembling right hand reached out toward one of Lily''s portraits on the table next to him.


    There was still hope for Lily! Once they found the exit to the surface world, the Light God would be able to escape His restraints, and he would resurrect Lily by then!


    "Praise the Light God! Hahaha! Praise the Light God! Praise" Charles'' words abruptly came to a halt, and he felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him as a frightening conjecture surfaced in his mind.


    <em>Howe it went so smoothly as if he had rehearsed it beforehand? Could it be that the Pope knew that I was going to use the Soul Printer on him?</em> Charles continued reading the remaining sheets of paper until he reached the part where they were talking about the starry night sky.


    <em>Something is obstructing my probe into this guy''s mind. Lord, I need Your help.</em>


    <em>Lord, You caught a glimpse of the starry night sky in his memories? That''s great, then. Once we''re out of here, let''s go somewhere else, then. The further, the better.</em>


    A thousand thoughts seemed to swirl in Charles'' head as he mulled over the words written on the sheets of paper.


    <em>Comparing these words to what the Pope said, it seems like the Light God doesn''t want anything to do with the surface world. He probably just wants to leave the Subterranean Sea, and possibly, leave the sr system for the stars beyond.</em>


    <em>He''s such a wonderful god, so howe I''ve been so distrustful of Him? However, does such a good thing actually exist in this despair-ridden Subterranean Sea? If the Light God''s goal is to conquer the surface world, wouldn''t that mean that I''ve been helping a viin all this while?</em>


    As Charles'' boiling emotions cooled down, he noticed a questionable remarkIf Lily''s soul now belonged to God Fhtagn, how could the Light God snatch it away from a fellow Divinity when He had yet to escape his restraints? It didn''t make sense at all.


    <em>What if he lied to me to make me think that finding the exit to the surface world means resurrecting Lily, which in turn would make me even more desperate in my search for it? That seems more logical.</em>


    Charles lowered his trembling hand, and he stared quietly at Lily''s portrait.


    <em>But what if what if he couldn''t fabricate the Soul Printer''s responses? What if all these are true?</em>


    A cacophony of conjectures and suspicions stirred up towering waves in Charles'' mind, inundating him until he could no longer believe any of them. Charles truly had no idea what to believe in at this point.


    He initially thought that the Soul Printer would bring him closer to the truth, but it instead made him be even more distrustful.


    Just then, the door was pushed open. A fishman stuck his head out and said, "Captain, it''s time for the mandatory daily inspection of the ship. Are you busy? I can do it for you if you are."


    Charles took a deep breath and stacked the papers neatly next to Lily''s portrait on the table. "No, I''m not busy. I''ll go over soon."


    Charles had made up his mind. As long as there was no irond proof that the Light God wanted to conquer the surface world, then he would continue his search for the exit to the surface world.


    Regardless if it was the faint hope of reviving Lily or his deep-rooted desire to return home, he had to find the exit.


    After all, he had been searching for it for so many years now, and he was already at the final step. Giving up on the search meant throwing away all his efforts over thest twelve years.

 Chapter 375: The Mess Hall

    Chapter 375: The Mess Hall


    In the Narwhale''s galley, nck expertly handled the slender kitchen knife and neatly sliced through the slightly wilted cherry tomatoes on his chopping board.


    Though his hands were upied with chopping ingredients, his eyes were firmly on his assistant cook, who was washing the greens in the nearby sink.


    "Eggers, rinsing them once will do. Hurry up! the crew''s about toe to the mess for their meal."


    "nck, why is it a full vegetarian meal today?"


    "We have been out at sea for quite some time, and these veggies are close to spoiling. It''d be wasteful if we don''t finish eating them. So let''s clear them first. Be quick!"


    The turbine chamber was located right beneath the kitchen. Heat was needed for cooking, and such a setup was the most energy-efficient, but it also came with a trade-off: it was ufortably warm in the kitchen due to the burning fuel below.


    Amid the sweltering heat, beads of sweat formed on the foreheads of the Narwhale''s cook and assistant cook. After a period of hassle, they finally managed to finish the meal preparations just in time.


    nck dabbed the sweat off his brow with a towel. A smile of satisfaction appeared on his face as he watched the crew members fill the mess hall and enjoy their meals while they converse.


    Even with his chubby figure, nck was fit enough for the job despite its considerable physical endurance requirement. After all, the preparation of three meals daily for more than a dozen was not an easy chore.


    "Hey! Fattie! Why isn''t there even a single canned meat today? Are you saving it all for yourself or what?" a sailor grumbled in discontent over the served menu.


    "Just eat what''s on the table. These are thest of the fresh vegetables in our storage. After this, there will only be the mushrooms that I nted."


    The sailor muttered a curse under his breath before reluctantly dipping a piece of biscuit into his vegetable soup and stuffing it into his mouth.


    "It''s the same old every single time. Veggies at the start of the voyage, canned meat and fish by the end. Not even a single leaf of green on the te, and I can''t even shit. Can''t you bnce things out a little?"


    "Quit yourining and eat up. If you don''t want to eat it, then leave it for the mice," nck retorted.


    With that, the sailor stopped his grumbles and focused on his meal. It wasn''t wise to offend the hand that feeds.


    Though meals had been served, the cook''s work was far fromplete. nck began to collect the leftover food from the crew''s te. He then mixed the scrapes with crushed biscuits and dried mushrooms before pouring them into arge basin set aside in the hall corner.


    <em>Squeakkkkk!</em>


    Having now returned to their original brown hue, the mice scurried out from the various corners and gathered around the basin to devour their meal.


    Just then, a ce stretched out overhead. It was Weister. He emptied the scraps on his te into the mice''s basin.


    Together, he and nck squatted in ce to watch the mice feast on their food.


    As Weister watched the mouse, he mumbled under his breath, "Have your fill, eat more."


    He noticed that the mice disyed more order than humans; they were not picky with food and would eat anything that was given to them. After having their fill, they wiped their mouths with their tiny paws before scurrying back to their hiding ces.


    Suddenly, a touch of mncholy hit him as he watched the mice leave.


    "nck, say, Lily was fine all along; why would she pass away all of a sudden just like that? I was quite fond of that cheerful little mouse."


    ck let out a heavy sigh. His gaze turned to the crew, who were still eating in the mess hall.


    "Let''s not dwell on her passing. We''re all in the same boat here. Look at those people; we have no idea who would be the unlucky ones this time."


    nck''s remark caused Weister''s heart to skip a beat. Suppressing his nervousness, he asked, "This journey should be safer, right? I mean, there''s the Pope from the Divine Light Order with us and all."


    "What effing use is there in numbers? Concluding from all my umted experience, in some ces, the more people we have, the quicker danger finds us."


    Just then, the sound of familiar footsteps interrupted Weister''s thoughts.


    He turned around and saw Charles entering the mess hall. The Captain seemed to be deep in thought.


    Weister''s expression shifted instantly. He immediately rose to his feet and said, "nck, talk to youter. I I should head back to the crew quarters."


    Weister then attempted a discreet exit. He lowered his head and stuck close to the wall, trying to make his way out without attracting any attention. Unfortunately


    "Halt!"


    themand sent a chill down Weister''s spine.


    Weister raised his head to meet a pair of eyes, one ck and one white. Fear gripped him, and a chilly sensation coursed through his body.


    "You seem afraid of me. What are you afraid of?"


    "Captain! N-no! I''m not afraid!" Weister replied with both hands sped tightly on his thighs, and every muscle in his body tensed up.


    Ever since he found out that the lunatic that had been loitered in front of their house in the past was now the Governor of Hope Ind, he had been worried that the Governor would recall all his memories from that period of madness.


    Back then, he naturally wasn''t kind to a madman. Disregarding the kick he had given Charles when his mother gave thetter food, he had even cursed and kicked Charles whenever Charles blocked his path as he was on the way to the docks for work.


    If the Captain really recalled all these miserable encounters, would he even be able to stay on board?


    Meanwhile, his exnation didn''t dispel Charles'' suspicions. In fact, it deepened them.


    "Did we see each other a lot during the time I was mad? For some reason, you feel really familiar."


    Weister''s face paled instantly, and cold sweat started beading on his forehead.


    "Th-th-that''s because you spent so much time in front of my house, Captain. It''s only natural that you find me familiar."


    "Is that so? But something feels off." Charles took a step forward and gripped Weister''s chin, turning it from left to right to observe thetter in detail.


    "Erm, right! Together with my mother, we have always brought leftover food to you. Maybe that might be the reason why you find me familiar!"


    Weister was screaming in his mind; he thought he was a genius to be able to cook up such a reason.


    And it seemed like Charles bought it; he no longer paid attention to Weister''s appearance and gently raised his hand toward his right eye. The ck and red spider in his right eye leaped out of its dwelling andnded in his palm.


    "Weister, is your mother doing well?"


    Weister stared wide-eyed in astonishment at the spider in Charles'' grasp, only snapping back to reality when Charles reiterated the question. Weister shouted out with awkward enthusiasm, "Great! She''s doing really well! She is happy living on Hope Ind!"


    Charles acknowledged Weister''s reply with a nod and moved toward the dining table.


    "That''s reassuring. I promised her a family portrait thest time we met. I''ll make sure to find time and paint one for your family."


    From the distance, nck wore a look of ingratiation as he approached Charles and extended a palm-size fish toward thetter.


    However, before nck could get close, the spider in Charles'' hand leaped off with its eight crimson legs. Itnded on the fish and began to secrete digestive fluid.


    As for what happened after that, Weister was clueless as he had used that moment to make his exit.


    Relieved to have escaped from his run-in with the Captain, Weister let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness he didn''t remember that I had kicked and cursed at him, else I would be dead."<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Finallywe get some chill.</blockquote>

 Chapter 376: Telegraph

    Chapter 376: Telegraph


    ording to the schedule, it was rest time after dinner. Feeling content from the meal, Weister made his way to the sailors'' cabin.


    As of now, he had yet to be promoted to be a full-fledged helmsman and was thus spared from the night shift and could rest like other sailors.


    Those sailors in charge of the deck''s maintenance didn''t have to do the round-the-clock shifts required of the turbine and steering teams.


    However, the arrangement came with its ups and downs. Though they got to enjoy a regr sleeping schedule, that was just the only benefit. On the flip side, their wages were the lowest among the ship''s personnel.


    The smell of sweaty feet and tobo assaulted Weisters'' nostrils the moment he pushed the door open to his rest area. Luckily, he had be desensitized to the smell over time. After all, it was an expected consequence of cramming seven to eight men into a confined space.


    Despite being thergest cabin on the Narwhale, the sailors'' quarters felt cramped, with four bunk beds, a table, and personal belongings cluttering the space.


    Amidst the hazy smoke, Weister spotted Second Mate Feuerbach gambling with the crew members who had just finished their meals. He was the banker, and judging from his radiant smile, he seemed to have won quite a bit.


    Under usual circumstances, Weister typically abstained from gambling, except when he could gamble with fresh blood with the vampire Audric. He was firm in his resolve to save his earnings for his family''s future home and would never waste it on gambling.


    Approaching his bed, he removed his boots before climbing up to the upper bunk. He settled infortably and grabbed a thick novel from beside his bed.


    He used to favor novels revolving around sea adventures, but ever since he became a sailor, his tastes had shifted toward love stories on the inds.


    Despite having read this particr novel once, he was captivated by its thrilling plot and decided to revisit it before he turned in for the night.


    Just then, Feuerbach''s excited shout echoed through the cabin, "HA! 19! I won again. Pay up, pay up!"


    Weister tried to distance himself away from themotion, but the limited area of the sailors'' quarters meant he couldn''t escape the chatter of his fellow crew mates.


    "Sigh, by the way, have you guys heard? Those crazy lunatics from the Divine Light Order are going to remove our newly installed telegram machine."


    Feuerbach''s voice sounded out once more, and his voice wasced with a hint of frustration as he continued, "I don''t know what crazy thing those guys are up to. Just when we have a means to stay in touch with our family I wanted to contact my son more frequently and now, it''s out of the question. My son''s going to forget who I am with all the time I spend at sea."


    Weister jolted upright. With a look of anxiety, he dashed toward the table and questioned, "Really? Why are they removing it? I haven''t even gotten the chance to send a telegram message to my mother!"


    "Then you''d better hurry there now. I heard that they''re in the midst of dismantling it."


    A wave of anxiety washed over Weister. He immediately tossed the novel onto his bed and ran toward the cabin that housed the telegraph.


    Making his way through the narrow corridor, it didn''t take him long to arrive in the cabin with the telegraph. The moment he opened the door, he saw several members of the Divine Light Order in the process of dismantling the telegraph.


    "Wait, everyone! Just let me send one more telegram! Just one!" Weister shouted as he made a beeline for the telegraph encoding book on the wall. However, a bald man blocked his path of advance.


    With a hostile look on his face, he shoved Weister away. "As per the Pope''s order, no one is allowed to send any more telegrams."


    "Mate, just another one. My mother will be extremely worried if she suddenly can''t get in contact with me!" Weister rushed forward again, only to be pushed back with much greater force.


    The violent shove caused Weister to crash into the wall behind him with a loud thud. Before he could copse on the ground, a cold hand grabbed his neck and held him up.


    A pair of eyes glimmering with malevolence stared into his,


    "Why do you insist on sending a telegram?! Are you the spy?!" the Divine Light Order disciple used.


    Weister struggled desperately to get out of his grasp, and his face quickly turned red from suffocation.


    "<em>Cough</em>I I don''t know what you are talking about! <em>Cough cough! </em>I just want to let my mother know that I''m safe."


    "Oh, really? Then let me test if you are speaking the truth or lying," Wright sneered. With a flip of his tongue, he pulled out a long, sharp needle.


    As the needle neared Weister''s eye with a threatening precision, a green branch swiftly intervened, curling protectively in front of him.


    "Let him send"


    Wright turned around to see a figure wrapped up in bandages from whom the greenery extended from between the fabric''s gaps.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    With a swift motion, Wright shed at the branch with the needle and severed the green barrier that stood before him.


    "The Pope''s orders are absolute! No. Exceptions!"


    The moment Wright''s arrogant words left his lips, a surge of vegetation sprouted from the bandaged figure. Unlike before, they were no longer harmless branches but vines armed with sharp thorns.


    Within moments, the room was overwhelmed by these thorny vines, with Bandages standing at the center.


    With his characteristically deliberate speech, Bandages dered, "I am the First Mate of this ship Let him send it"


    Bandages'' voice, though not loud, carried amanding authority that filled the space.


    A hint of anger crossed Wright''s countenance. His knuckles rapidly deformed in preparation for a confrontation. However, before tensions could escte into a fight, a disciple of the Divine Light Order reached out to gently pull at Wright''s clothing from behind.


    "Wright, restrain yourself. Have you forgotten what the Pope said? We cannot get into a conflict with the people on this ship. Are you nning to defy his orders now?"


    After a momentary nce at the threatening thorns encircling him, Wright shifted his focus back to Weister, whom he was holding. With a cold huff, he begrudgingly let go of Weister and stepped to the side with a scowl.


    Weister couldn''t care less about the close-to-break-out conflict and dashed toward the telegraph to send his message.


    The threatening vines that had extended from Bandages began to recede, quickly drying up and detaching from his form. He gave a brief, sweeping nce over those gathered before making his exit.


    "First Mate! Thank you!" Weister called out in appreciation, his voice trailing after the departing figure of Bandages.


    Images of Weister bidding farewell to his mother shed through Bandages'' mind, and a hint of confusion crossed his eyes. However, he didn''t halt in his tracks. Continuing down the hallway, Bandages made his way back to the bridge of the ship.


    <em>Anothertwo hundred nautical miles</em> Bandages thought to himself as he looked at the map on the wall.


    His bandaged hand slowly extended toward the map, and his fingernded on their target destination.


    "Bandages, what happened? Did you find something?" Dipp asked curiously as he manned the helm.


    "I seem to have been to this ce before I think I remembersomething"


    "Hello, can you increase your uracy rate a little? I''ve been on so many voyages with you, and you im to have been to almost every ind we visited. Is this entire seascape your home?"


    "No this time it''s different different" Bandages'' brows slowly furrowed under his bandages.


    "Then should I inform the Captain about this, Bandages?" Dipp asked with apparent hesitation in his voice.


    "No forget it Maybe I remembered it wrong maybe."


    Dipp rolled his eyes at Bandages'' reply and continued steering the ship.

 Chapter 377: Bubble

    Chapter 377: Bubble


    Nervousness stirred in Charles as he stood on the Narwhale''s bridge and studied the nautical chartid out before him.


    ording to the intricate markings on the chart, the current location of their ship ovepped with the coordinates of the "door." Charles turned his gaze onto the sight outside of the window. It was an endless darkness; there were no signs of life orndmarks.


    <em>This shouldn''t be the case The map clearly points us to this location. Could the map be inurate?</em>


    Charles contemted if he should visit the Pope to discuss their follow-up n. However, before he could make any move, the Pope had already levitated over to his ship.


    "What''s going on? Isn''t this the location on the chart? Why is there nothing here?" The Pope questioned with a hint of displeasure in his voice.


    "Maybe there''s a mistake with the map''s coordinates. We could explore the vicinity. If there''s an ind, it won''t be far," Charles replied, his eyes fixated on the inky dark expanse ahead.


    "No need for that hassle. I have a better way."


    Shortly after, Charles spotted several entities circling overhead the massive white battleship in the distance. They were bats, a flock of white bats.


    Hovering in mid-air, the bats rapidly dispersed in every direction to scout fornd.


    "Why haven''t I been offered such resources?" Charles asked.


    The Pope cast a nce at the blind vampire, Audric, who was standing next to Charles.


    "Don''t you already have one?"


    Meanwhile, the entire Narwhale crew had assembled on the deck. Their anticipation was intermingled with traces of anxiety as they scanned the surrounding waters.


    Their fate hung in bnce at this critical juncture. Would they be able to return alive to collect their wages? Or would they perish in this deste sea?


    Soon, the white bats returned. They gathered in a certain formation above the massive ship and started circling overhead.


    As the Pope observed their movements, a radiant smile slowly broke out on his wrinkled face. "Quick! They''ve found the marked location on the chart! Fifty nautical miles straight ahead! Full speed!"


    Sparks emitted from the smokestacks of both the Narwhale and the white battleship. As if in apetition, the two vessels raced forward at their fastest speed.


    Standing at the bow, Charles noticed a ssh of color against the monochrome sea horizon. As they slowly approached it, the colored entity grew in size. When he finally caught a full view of it, he was left in sheer amazement.


    It was a bubble constantly shifting through colors. Its colossal size stretched from the water''s surface to the overhead dome.


    "What is that? It''s gigantic. Pope, do you know what it is?" Charles asked.


    All eyes, including the Pope''s, turned onto Charles with apparent confusion.


    Bandages hesitantly pointed a finger at the entity ahead and answered, "That is an ind"


    "An ind? How is that an ind? Are you not able to see such a massive bubble?" Charles questioned once again.


    At the sight of the crew''s baffled expressions, it was then that Charles realized that he was the odd one here.


    <em>Could it be</em>


    A sudden thought shed through Charles'' mind. He quickly covered his good eye and used his spider eye to look ahead.


    The scene before him changed instantly. Before him, a fragment of the dark ind ahead was illuminated under the ship''s spotlight. The massive, colorful bubble he saw had vanished.


    <em>Just what in the world is this thing that transcends the human vision spectrum?</em>


    With that thought in mind, Charles swiftly alternated between covering his left and right eyes to observe the two strikingly different worlds as if he were doing a vision test.


    Despite hearing Charles'' mention of the visual anomaly, the Pope remained undeterred. In fact, he was eager to proceed.


    "This is the ce marked as the ''door'' on the map. We have to explore it."


    "Alright then. Regardless, let''s send in a reconnaissance team. I''ll send the mice over," Charles offered.


    However, the Pope shook his head and halted Charles. "That won''t suffice. There''s still arge difference between a mouse and a human. Some dangers on an ind might not affect mice the same way they do humans. We need to send our men."


    Soon, two boats filled with the Divine Light Order''s disciples sailed toward the mysterious ind enveloped by the colorful bubble.


    Half an hourter, they returned with startling findings.


    "Your Holiness, there are humans on the ind," a young boy knelt before the Pope and reported with a hint of excitement in his voice.


    "Humans? Really? Can you describe them?" Charles inquired, taking a step closer to the boy.


    "We are not sure. It was too dark on the ind, but we clearly saw human footprints and also indistinct silhouettes of humans moving in the forest," the boy replied deferentially.


    <em>Could they be natives? Remnants of the Foundation? Or maybe living relics like Tobba?</em>


    Many different possibilities raced in Charles'' mind. However, he quickly suppressed his spections. They needed to take concrete action now instead of doing guesswork.


    The presence of humans on the ind, as confirmed by the Divine Light Order''s reconnaissance team, indicated that there was oxygen within the bubble.


    Swiftly, the Narwhale''s crew armed themselves with weapons, relics, and other essentials for the shore expedition.


    Leading a group of twelve, the Pope cast a nce at the sailors, including Weister, who were carrying the supplies.


    A smirk appeared on the Pope''s countenance. "Are you nning to take those sailors along? My advice would be to leave them."


    Charles turned to look at the twelve bald men d in ck coats standing in an orderly formation behind the Pope. Each of them carried a backpack and their bulging muscles were threatening to rip apart their clothes.


    Both their demeanor and equipment showed that they were the elites of the elites within the Divine Light Order.


    "Compared to your men, I have more faith in mine, even if they are mere luggage carriers," the Pope remarked.


    Soon after, twonding boats were lowered into the water. The exploration teamsone led by the Pope and another by Charlesslowly advanced ahead and passed through the colorful barrier.


    As soon as they set foot on the ind, the fine, soft sand beneath their feet left a deep impression. The next thing that caught their eye was the array of lush greenery ahead. The flora here was distinctly unique, unlike any other species found in the other inds of this subterranean world.


    However, they couldn''t find the footprints and shadows the reconnaissance team had spoken of on the sandy shores.


    Just then, Dipp nudged Bandages with his elbow and asked in a teasing manner, "So do you recognize this ce? Have you been here before?"


    Bandages remained silent as his gaze swept across the verdantndscape. Confusion filled his eyes as he tried to search his memory for any familiarity.


    Meanwhile, Charles was discussing the next step with the Pope on the beach.


    "Since we are embarking on this exploration together, let''s make things clear first: who will be inmand? I''d rather not spend our time onnd in dispute," Charles said.


    "If I insist on having themand, would you listen?" the Pope questioned.


    "Of course."


    "Really? Even if I instructed your crew to sacrifice themselves when needed, that would be alright with you as well?" the Pope asked and eyed Charles'' reaction.


    Seeing the hesitant look on Charles'' face, the Pope let out a chuckle. "Never mind, you can take overallmand for this exploration mission. Even if you were to instruct my men to sacrifice themselves, I wouldply without hesitation."


    Just when Charles was about to reply, he caught something in his peripheral vision and sharply turned his head toward a dark silhouette behind a dune.


    "There''s someone there!"


    As soon as Charles pointed at the figure, it vanished into the darkness.


    <em>Woosh!</em>


    The Pope''s white robes billowed behind him as he floated off the ground and dashed toward the disappearing shadow.


    The twelve bald men followed suit without hesitation, dropping to all fours and sprinting after the Pope like cheetahs.


    <em>That old fart!</em>


    Fury surged within Charles. The old man had just agreed to follow hismand, and yet he acted on his own ord the very next second.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    I take back what I said about things being chill.</blockquote>

 Chapter 378: Ambush

    Chapter 378: Ambush


    Charles led the crew to navigate through the rugged mountain path through a dense forest in pursuit of the Pope.


    Though the Pope''s speed couldn''t match that of Ronker, his flight speed still surpassed that of ordinary people. If not for the mice''s keen sense of smell, Charles would have lost track of the Pope long ago.


    After a vigorous chase thatsted an hour, Charles finally caught up with the Pope on a small hilltop.


    "What did you run?! Didn''t you agree to follow my lead? If we can''t cooperate, we should just split up and do our own explorations!" Charles vented his frustration at the Pope and his group of followers.


    However, the Pope provided no response. With a grim expression, his full attention was at the foot of the hill.


    Charles followed his gaze and spotted several houses nestled among the trees beneath. Dim light could be seen flickered from the windows of some.


    "What happened? Did the figure from earlier run into one of those houses?" Charles asked.


    "No I couldn''t catch him. My attacks didn''t work on him. There''s something amiss with this ind."


    The Pope''s answer weighed down heavily on everyone present. They knew the Pope''s true strength; he wasparable with Ronker. If even the Pope had failed to deal damage, just what kind of entity were they up against?


    Weister swallowed hard, seeking reassurance as he leaned on hispanion for support.


    Feeling the tension in the air, Charles then followed up with another question, "Was it a human or something else?"


    "I don''t know. It could be human, or maybe not. But if all inhabitants on this ind possess strengthparable to mine, approaching them directly would be tantamount to suicide."


    Charles retraced the events that had unfolded from the moment they came ashore. Based on the current circumstances, it seemed that the shadow figure earlier disyed no hostile intention. Perhaps there could be a chance of a peaceful interaction.


    His previous encounter with the friendly Ropelings had shown him that not all moving entities on uncharted inds were necessarily hostile.


    After a brief moment of contemtion, Charles asked the Pope, "What do you n to do next?"


    A hint of surprise crossed the Pope''s countenance, and he slightly bowed toward Charles to reaffirm thetter''smand.


    "Haven''t wee to an agreement on this previously? You are the overallmander. It''s your call on our next step. I''ll execute any order you give unconditionally," the Pope answered.


    Charles''s lips twitched slightly as he suppressed the vulgarities that were threatening to spill from his mouth.


    He drew the revolver on Dipp''s waist and fired three shots toward the sky. The crisp gunshots reverberated through the forest, yet there was no response from either the woods or the buildings below.


    It was impossible that the other party hadn''t heard such loud gunfire. If they chose to remain silent, it meant that whoever was there had chosen not to engage with them.


    Charles tossed the revolver back to his boatswain. "Let''s move. If they won''t reveal themselves, we''ll take the initiative."


    With pulsating anxiety, the group of over twenty slowly made their way toward the buildings.


    In a ce like this, everyone, including the Pope, was on high alert. Bizarre entities could exist on uncharted inds, and those demanded more than brute strength to be dealt with.


    When they arrived amongst the structures, the sense of unease in them intensified. There was something amiss about the houses.


    Some of them were brightly lit as though there were people living within. However, the adjacent vi next to those houses was so deteriorated and neglected that its original form was unrecognizable.


    Charles was convinced they had entered the Foundation''s territory. The minimalist architectural style, coupled with the sighting of brand-new modern cars, affirmed his belief that such a ce was beyond the capabilities of the Subterranean Sea''s human inhabitants.


    Naturally, Charles had no intention of stepping into these suspicious buildings just like that. He needed scouts.


    Squatting down, he addressed the mice surrounding him. "Search every room. If you find anything unusual, send a warning."


    <em>Squeak! Squeaaaak! </em>


    The mice chorused in unison, and then they swiftly dispersed into the surrounding buildings.


    The first group of mice returned swiftly and shook their little heads at Charles to report no abnormalities.


    As the search continued, Charles and hispanions continued waiting in an unsettling silence.


    Surveying the colorful bubble barrier encircling them and observing its continuation overhead, Charles felt a growing sense of unease. He turned to his crew and instructed, "Headcount."


    The Narwhale''s crew swiftly removed their shoulder straps and meticulously checked the names on it to ensure that the headcount matched perfectly.


    Perplexed by the action, the Pope asked, "What''s this for?"


    "To ensure that we''re all ounted for with no extra or missing," Charles exined.


    "<em>Ah,</em> your extensive exploration experience shows, Charles. Truly a seasoned captain."


    Charles ignored the Pope''spliment and quickly verified the headcount with his crew before reattaching his shoulder strap.


    "Given the importance of the surface exit to the Divine Light Order, I believe that those followers behind you are exceptionally skilled, aren''t they?"


    Charles turned his gaze onto the bald men standing behind the Pope. He needed to know their strengths and special abilities to utilize them in a suitable manner.


    The Pope''s face glowed with pride as he let out a chuckle. "Indeed, they might not be the mightiest among the Order, but they are definitely seasoned explorers of ten inds. For example, Laise is"


    The mice''s distress squeaks interrupted the Pope from borating further.


    "Let''s move!" Charles urged as he led the group toward the source of the rm.


    The frantic squeaks from the mice echoed in the air. They sounded as though they were in pursuit of a target. Suddenly, their squeaks veered away from the buildings and into the dense forest.


    Charles raised his left hand andunched his grappling hook onto a tall tree trunk. He then swung himself through the forest like Tarzan.


    Leading the charge, he was rapidly closing the distance between himself and the mice ahead. But just then, a ck mist suddenly emerged from under a tree and enveloped him.


    Despite being plunged into darkness, Charles remained calm. Utilizing his prosthetic, he propelled himself toward the canopy.


    His crew and the Pope were not far behind and would catch up in just a couple of seconds.


    Or so Charles thought


    Unfortunately, his adversary seemed to have anticipated his move.


    <em>ng!</em>


    The chain of Charles'' grappling hook was severed in a precise strike, thwarting his maneuver.


    Without any leverage in mid-air, Charles plummeted toward the ground. Before he could react, a semi-circr, stic material descended and enveloped him from above in a snug embrace.


    <em>Bzzzzzt!</em>


    Charles drew his innate power, and electric arcs danced across his body, shooting outward in an attempt to break free. However, his lightning attack had proved futile against the insting material that enshrouded himpletely.


    Just as Charles strained to maneuver his tentacles to break free from the encasement, a sharp, acrid scent of burning filled the air. The material trapping him started to dissolve into a thick, semi-liquid form that coated him like hot, molten asphalt.

 Chapter 379: Door

    Chapter 379: Door


    The pungent and thick semi-liquid engulfed Charles before rapidly cooling down. Charles felt as though he was sealed in cement. He was thoroughly sealed, and he couldn''t even breathe.


    Charles wanted to escape, but what felt like steel cuffs had bound his limbs and torso and immobilized himpletely. His tentacles and his electric power were ineffective against what had sealed him.


    <em>What''s this stuff around me? And what are they trying to do to me? </em>Charles'' mind was filled with many different thoughts, and that was when he felt a sense of weightlessness.


    Charles suddenly felt like he was in a car; he could feel himself moving at a high speed.


    <em>Where are they taking me? And who are they? </em>Charles thought, but he soon realized that he didn''t have the luxury to even think about the answer to his question as he was starting to suffocate.


    <em>I have to get out of here, but what can I do? I can''t even move! At this rate, I''m going to suffocate!</em> The cogs in Charles'' mind spun rapidly in desperation as the oxygen coursing through his veins diminished rapidly.


    Right as Charles was about to lose consciousness, he suddenly recalled that there was one part of his body capable of moving, even if he couldn''t move any other parts of his body.


    The palm of his steel prosthetic hand opened, and the Dark de burst out of it. It tore a slit in Charles'' unidentified prison with its exceptional sharpness.


    "Open up for me!"<em></em>Charles roared as he gripped the Dark de with one hand and forced it down with all his might to regain his freedom. Before Charles could take a peek outside, he was hurled roughly to the ground andnded on a hard, smooth floor.


    <em>Footsteps! Three people in total, and they''re retreating! </em>Charles hurled the Dark de with all his strength toward the direction of the nearest footstep sound before squeezing himself out and tearing apart the cooled-down substance on his face.


    Charles'' chest ballooned instantly as his lungs greedily took in the surrounding air to replenish his oxygen, and he breathed frantically as if nothing else was more important to him at the moment than air.


    After taking a few big, deep breaths, Charles finally decided to look around.


    "Where am I?" Charles looked down to find himself standing on what seemed like smooth ss. There were palm-sized silver fish scales in the ss and what looked like tiny yellow balls in between the silver scales.


    Charles jumped down the ss andnded on the ground below it.


    <em>Strange, why did they throw me here? </em>Charles looked around warily at the eerily quiet surroundings. It turned out that he was on the rooftop of a building, and there wasn''t anything else around aside from the strange ss floor and a staircase.


    The visibility was great; Charles could clearly see the array of lush greenery and the ind''s distinctly unique flora.


    Charles soon found a puddle of blood on the floor. Clearly, he had injured one of his assants. He crouched and dipped his finger in the puddle of blood before giving it a lick. Sure enough, it was human blood; his kidnappers weren''t strange entities but human beings.


    <em>If that''s the case, why did they kidnap me here?</em><em>Wouldn''t talking to us first be a better choice than just attacking us outright, regardless of our intentions? </em>Charles waspletely puzzled. He mulled over the matter for a while until he saw a figure flying over toward him from the distant forest.


    The figure belonged to none other than the Pope. The Pope''s face was twisted in a grimace, and there was a wound on his chest, which oozed golden blood as he moved.


    "What''s up with that injury? Did you fight them?" Charles asked.


    "Yes, and I''m no match for them. Those figures dressed in ck are very strong," the Pope said in a gloomy tone.


    Charles'' pupils constricted. If those figures in ck were truly as powerful as the Pope said, howe they were beating around the bush rather than just subduing them outright? The ind was truly getting stranger and stranger.


    Just as Charles was in deep contemtion, the Pope raised his right hand, and a crumpled piece of paper from the corner of the rooftop floated toward his palm.


    "Haha, it seems that they''ve left us a message," the Pope said with a sardonic smile.


    Charles approached the Pope and saw the messageturn on that light.


    "What are these four characters? What do they mean?" the Pope muttered with an indescribable expression.


    However, it would have been strange if the Pope could understand what the four characters meant together, as those four characters were Chinese characters!


    The fact that those mysterious figures in ck knew Chinese characters meant that they might be his countrymen, and they had most likelye from the surface! Of course, they could also be personnel tasked to stand guard here.


    Charles'' heart started to beat wildly against his chest as he thought of the many possibilities, and the trembling of his right hand intensified.


    The Pope noticed Charles'' odd behavior and asked, "Do you know what these four characters mean?"


    Charles nodded quietly before reaching out for the note. He examined the note briefly before taking a good look at the ss floor where he had jumped down from earlier.


    Momentster, Charles discovered the identity of the ss floor. It was a colossal searchlight, and the silver scales he had seen earlier were its reflectors made from tinfoil.


    Charles looked around and eventually found an electrical cable. Following the electrical cable, Charles soon discovered the power switch under the stairs. A <em>click</em> echoed, and the colossal searchlight came to life.


    <em>Whiiir!</em>


    The massive fan beneath the searchlight started spinning to cool it down as a huge pir of light shot took to the skies.


    Charles and the Pope craned their necks and looked up; what they saw overhead dumbfounded them both. Charles looked as if his heart had been smashed by a sledgehammer.


    A huge eyeball-like object was embedded in the dome overhead. No, it wasn''t an eyeball. It was a colossal metal valve as big as the entire indit was none other than the "Door"! The exit to the surface world!


    "Pope, I''m not imagining this, right?" Charles asked. He didn''t even dare to blink, afraid that the door overhead would disappear if he did so.


    Meanwhile, the Pope looked even more excited than Charles. He floated and flew straight toward the door.


    Charles waited anxiously for the Pope to return, but thetter didn''te back down, even as Charles'' crew members and the twelve bald men alongside the Pope arrived to gather with everyone else.


    The Narwhale''s crew were dumbfounded as they stared at the colossal metal construct up above them.


    Dipp stared agape, and he unconsciously ripped a scale off of his body. "<em>Ah! </em>That hurts. I guess it''s real."


    Bandages approached Charles and muttered, "Where are thosepeoplewho kidnapped you"


    "I don''t know, but I can confirm that they led us here. I don''t know who they are, but it''s very likely that they''re from up above," Charles replied.


    Bandages nodded quietly and said, "I think I can absorb a second relic now."


    However, the thrilled Charles pped his First Mate on the shoulder and stared excitedly at thetter, saying, "Buddy, I really couldn''t care less about that right now. Do you see that? That''s the exit to the surface world!"


    "I know you''ve already said it once," Bandages replied calmly with a nod.


    Charlesughed boisterously upon seeing Bandages'' helpless expression. Then, he wrapped his left arm around Bandages'' neck and pounded thetter''s chest using his right hand.

 Chapter 380: The Future

    Chapter 380: The Future


    The Pope was gone for an entire hour, and when he returned, he looked extremely excited as he nodded at Charles and said, "That''s the exit to the surface, but the entire thing is made out of a special metal, which is incredibly hard.


    "I couldn''t open it at all. I suggest we return to our ship. I''ll mobilize the entire Divine Light Order to destroy that door. Charles, the Light God will soon be freeour God will soon be free!" the Pope eximed, looking even more excited than Charles.


    For some reason, Charles wasn''t happy to see the Pope''s joy. Still, there was no need for them to waste any more time. Charles turned around and led everyone down the rooftop through the stairs.


    Descending floor by floor allowed Charles to discover theplex machinery and equipment on each floor. It had been so many years since the Foundation disappeared, but this building had somehow remained spotless. Every single floor had power, and Charles had no idea where their electricity wasing from.


    The group eventually left the towering and magnificent research facility. Soon, they stumbled upon a rugged forest path. Charles took out hispass and eventually started walking once more at the helm of the group.


    Charles didn''t dare to let his guard down on their journey back to the ships. He knew that one had to raise their guard up the closer they were to the end.


    Meanwhile, Weister was in a good mood as he carried supplies. He was visibly happy, and he clearly didn''t think much of their journey back to the ship. After all, his mission was simpleget back to the ship. Once they were back on the ship, Weister could then collect his handsome sry.


    Dipp smacked the back of Weister''s head and said, "Why do you look so happy? Are you also yearning for the Land of Light?"


    "The Land of Light sounds like a great ce, and it''d be great if we could stay there. I''m just happy because I will be able to buy my mother a new house once I receive my sry for this voyage," Weister replied.


    Dipp''s mouth curled up into an eerie smile. "Don''t worry; you''ll earn more on this voyage than you would on a ship that has just discovered a habitable ind. Look forward to it; you''ll soon be rich."


    "Really? I can get more money?" Weister''s curiosity was instantly piqued. He did some mental calctions to find out how much money he would have to spend to buy a house near Hope Ind''s Central District.


    "If you have the energy to talk, use that to walk even faster! Stop talking!" Charles shouted, forcing both Dipp and Weister to shut their mouths and pick up the pace.


    The group was about to walk past the small hilltop that they had to walk past earlier when they tensed up. There was a crouched figure on the tree branch before them.


    Charles raised his right hand, and everyone immediately stopped.


    <em>Sure enough, they chased after us. I knew things wouldn''t be so easy, </em>Charles thought. Then, he stepped forward and stared at the figure before speaking in Mandarin, "Who are you? Were you the one who kidnapped me earlier?"


    The crouched figure turned around slowly, and Charles'' pupils constricted upon seeing the crouched figurethe crouched figure was none other than Charles himself.


    The man looked a bit more disheveled and was wearing tattered clothes, but he was definitely Charles.


    The crew members exchanged puzzled nces.


    "What''s going on? How can there be two Captains?"


    Charles instantly recalled the incident at the Foundation''s V12 Containment Site.<em></em>


    <em>Is this ind another containment site? Is the "Charles" before me from a parallel world like Lily?</em>


    "You got it wrong. I''m not from a parallel world like the mouse Lily."


    Charles stared at "Charles" in astonishment. "Charles" could actually see through his thoughts!


    "Of course, I''d know what you''re thinking. I''m the future you, after all."


    "Future Charles? What nonsense are you talking about? Can you make it sound reasonable at the very least?" the Pope chimed in, looking dissatisfied and in disbelief at the same time.


    "He''s not lying," a familiar voice said, and "the Pope" walked out of the woods


    To make matters worse, "Dipp," "Bandages," "Tobba," "Linda," "nck," and the carbon copy of the remaining crew members emerged from the woods.


    Charles couldn''t quite believe the scene before him. He kneaded his temples for quite a while before turning to look at Future Charles, saying, "All right, Future Charles. We''ve already found the exit to the surface, so it''s time for us to leave."


    "No, you can''t leave."


    "Why not?"


    "If you leave just like this, then our versions who reached the indter than us will not be able to find the searchlight or discover the exit overhead. A paradox will also unfold."


    "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"


    "Have you still not realized it? The flow of time inside this bubble has be a jumbled mess! Your future, present, and past selves are now on the same timeline. In other words, you would be the people whom you encountered earlier in the near future."


    Charles froze and reeled in shock, looking as if a hammer had struck him. After a while, he suddenly realized something and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.


    The note hade from none other than himself. It also made sense why the Pope couldn''t beat his opponents earlier. After all, even though he was strong, there was no way he could beat two Popes.


    It turned out that the ind had no living beings all this while. Everyone here was just themselves but from different timelines.


    Charles opened his mouth to ask questions, but Future Charles seemed to know what questions he was going to ask, as he beat Charles to the chase and said, "No, if we fail to bring our past selves to the colossal searchlight, our timeline will bepletely messed up!"


    "Think about it! Can you imagine a timeline with two Charles? I guess it''s fine between family members, but how are we supposed to divide Anna?" Future Charles added.


    Charles stared intently at Future Charles and asked, "Howe you know everything I''m about to say like you''re reading my thoughts? Who told you all that?"


    Future Charles shook his head. "I can''t tell you, but you''ll know soon."


    "Why can''t you tell me?" Charles asked.


    "I didn''t tell my past self, so I can''t tell you as well. This is a closed loop, do you understand? We can''t do anything outside it," Future Charles replied.


    Charles'' expression turned solemn. He believed ny percent of Future Charles'' words upon recalling the strange encounters so far. Regardless, he still had many burning questions to ask.


    Charles opened his mouth to speak, but a flustered voice echoed behind him.


    "Wait!" The voice belonged to none other than Weister. He stared wide-eyed at the group from the future but was horrified to find that he couldn''t find himself among them.


    "How about me?" Weister asked in a trembling voice. "Where did my future self go?!"


    Charles swept his gaze across the group from the future and realized that a few people were missing in their groupAssistant Cook Eggers, Weister, two ordinary sailors, and three bald Divine Light Order followers.


    "I-I''m dead? D-did I die in the future?" Weister muttered fearfully as his pupils quivered violently.


    Future Charles merely stared at Weister, offering not even a word of response.


    Assistant Cook Eggers and the two ordinary sailors roared in agitation one after another, creating a chaotic scene.


    "No way! This ind isn''t even dangerous, so there''s no waythere''s no way I''ll die!"


    "Yes, it''s impossible! No, why is it me? Why would I die?!"


    "I don''t want to die"


    "Quiet!"


    "Shut up!"


    Both Charles and Future Charles roared at the same time and frowned. "I''ll give three times thepassionate pay if I make it back alive!"


    The uproarious din that the four crew members had raised gradually vanished, and they looked at their Captain in despair. Money was important, but one had to be alive to enjoy it.


    Just then, a group of brown mice rushed over to Future Charles and squeaked in unison. Upon seeing that, Future Pope immediately took off his white robe and changed into the ck robe of his men.


    "They''re here, so hurry up and get ready. I''ll go and lead them over here," Future Pope exined.


    Charles was speechless at the sight. He truly couldn''t have expected that the dark silhouette he had seen earlier was Future Pope.

 Chapter 381: Ambush

    Chapter 381: Ambush


    "Hurry up. We''re running out of time. The Pope will soon lead our past selves here," Future Charles said to Charles with hints of apparent frustration on his countenance. His impatience was natural, as he had already experienced this thrice.


    Charles waved his right hand, and the crew members followed him aside from Weister, Assistant Cook Eggers, and the two ordinary sailors. Charles frowned upon seeing their lost looks. He then proceeded to grab Weister by the neck to drag the young man away with them.


    "Drag those three away. We have no time to waste here," Charles said to the other crew members. Charles had no choice but to drag the four away, as everyone would die here if they were to waste any more time.


    The other crew members looked troubled, but they proceeded to follow Charles'' order. At sea, the Captain''s order was absolute, and it was an iron-d rule on any vessel.


    Terrified of his impending death, Weister stammered as he ryed hisst words, "C-c-captain! T-tell my family that I love them. And I hope you can grant me my final, dying wish. I hope you''ll look for my father for me. He disappeared many years ago, and he still hasn''t"


    "You guys didn''t die" Future Bandages interrupted Weister.


    Weister''s eyes instantly shone in a glimmer of hope. After all, who would want to die when they could live? Everyone would most likely choose to live if they could choose, and Weister was no exception.


    "Really?! I''m still alive? Where''s my future self?" Weister asked excitedly.


    Future Bandages looked away and continued walking without saying anything. He didn''t seem like he wanted to divulge more information to the present crew members.


    However, Future Bandages'' words had invigorated the four crew members, and they could finally walk on their own, as they were no longer as afraid as they had been earlier.


    They seemed to trust Future Bandages'' wordsno, it was more like they dared not to doubt the former''s words.


    The shlight in the crew members'' hands flickered amidst the dense forest as the future and present groups weaved through it, making a beeline for the strange buildings they had encountered before.


    Future Charles wasted no time and turned to everyone, saying, "Everyone! Go and look for any car tires. It doesn''t matter what kind of tires! Just hurry up and find as many car tires as you can!"


    Charles had no idea why they had to look for car tires, but he obliged and ordered his crew to follow Future Charles'' order.


    Fortunately, they had no issues finding car tires, and the crew soon returned with eighteen car tires in tow. The nine bald men from the future group rushed over to the tires and started shing them apart. It seemed they only needed the outer rubber of the tires.


    One of the nine bald men from the future group took out a palm-sized red cog and presented it to the present version of himself, saying, "Past me,e and help me draw upon the power of this red cog. We''ll transform these sheets into a big rubber bowl."


    Charles saw the rubber sheets transforming into what looked like a huge rubber bowl, and he instantly understood the reason behind their decision to craft such a big bowl out of rubber.


    It finally made sense why Charles'' lightning was ineffective. It turned out that he had been imprisoned in a huge bowl of rubber. Clearly, Future Charles had taken into ount all of Charles'' abilities.


    Charles knew what was toe, so he decided to learn more about what was unknown to him. He turned to the future group and saw that they looked bedraggled.


    The supplies that were supposed to be on the backs of the crew members were nowhere to be found, and four crew members were even missing. All signs showed Charles that his future self had experienced a grueling battle.


    <em>Where am I going after this? What else am I going to experience? Shouldn''t I have gone back to the ship right away? </em>Charles thought as he grew more and more uneasy as time went on.


    Charles didn''t ask Future Charles. The fact that Future Charles hadn''t beaten him to the chase meant that Future-Future Charles had decided not to ask him either, which meant that Charles couldn''t ask Future Charles, as he couldn''t do anything outside the closed loop.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A shadowy figure descended, instantly alerting everyone.


    Charles put down his weapon upon taking a good look at the shadowy figure. The shadowy figure was none other than the Future Pope dressed in ck. "My future self is already standing on that small hilltop. How are your preparations?"


    Future Charles patted the huge rubber bowl that the bald men had created using a special relic. He turned to Charles, about to speak, when Charles walked over and picked up the huge rubber bowl.


    Then, Charles turned around and started walking toward the dense forest. "I know what happens next. The two of us will ambush my past self, and then we''re going to throw him onto that rooftop."


    "That''s the specifics. Also, Iend me your mice. I''ve lost many of them," Future Charles replied.


    Charles looked down at Future Charles'' feet and finally noticed the existence of the mice around thetter. Unfortunately, it seemed that Future Charles only had a few dozen mice remaining.


    Charles nodded at Future Charles. "Sure, no problem."


    It was then that he realized that the distressed squeaks from earlier hadn''te from his own mice but from Future Charles'' mice.


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    Three crisp gunshots suddenly reverberated through the dense forest; Charles became a bit nervous just then. Momentster, Past Charles started going down the small hilltop.


    "Hurry up and get out of here! Hide and make sure that they won''t see you."


    At the order, the future and present groups hurried into the dense forest. Future Charles gave a few instructions to the mice before catching up to the two groups and assigning instructions to the crew members of both groups.


    The crew members of both groups had no issues memorizing the steps, as they had done all of them before. Charles remained quiet next to Future Charles while memorizing thetter''s words. He knew that he would have to repeat those exact same words to himself soon, so he had to memorize them to err on the side of caution.


    The two groups soon arrived at the ambush point. Charles and Future Charles carried the huge rubber bowl up a tree and crouched on a tree branch. The canopy of the nearby trees concealed them from in sight.


    The other crew members quickly got into position as well, and even the Present Pope was d in all ck, ready to work with the Future Pope against the Past Pope.


    Meanwhile, the crew members incapable of helping quickly left the dense forest under Future Bandages'' lead.


    "Was Bandages not lying earlier? Are Weister and the other crew members still alive?" Charles asked, failing to hold in his curiosity.


    Future Charles'' expression wasplicated as he replied, "Don''t ask. You''ll find out soon enough, anyway."


    <em>Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!</em>


    The frantic squeaks of mice pervaded the air, and Charles'' heart started to beat faster at the noise. Soon, a group of mice scurried into the dense forest, and Past Charles followed closely behind them.


    Past Charles raised his left hand andunched his grappling hook onto a tall tree trunk. Then, he used the grappling hook as a swing to make his way through the dense forest like Tarzan.


    The moment Past Charles swung past the future and present groups, a bald man lurking in the mud squeezed the ck cube in his hand. A ck mist manifested instantly and enveloped Past Charles.


    At the same time, Future Dipp obscured from view by the ck mist emerged from a pile of leaves and shed the chain of Past Charles'' grappling hook, which had pierced a tree trunk.


    The chain broke instantly, and without any leverage in mid-air, Past Charles plummeted rapidly to the ground.


    "Jump!" Future Charles ordered. Then, both Future Charles and Present Charles swung the huge rubber bowl in their heads toward the ck mist.


    Immediately afterward, two identical bald men appeared and used the same special relic earlier to instantly liquefy the huge rubber bowl. The huge rubber bowl transformed into a semi-liquid material that writhed as if it were alive, wrapping Past Charles in a snug embrace.

 Chapter 382: Loop

    Chapter 382: Loop


    The semi-liquid rubber quickly solidified, sealing Past Charles. However, Future and Present Charles weren''t done just yet as they sent their tentacles to wrap around the rubber coffin.


    Past Charles writhed and struggled against his restraints, but Bandages'' thick tree roots reinforced the rubber coffin, creating threeyers of restraints: rubber, tentacles, and Bandages'' tree roots. Under the threeyers of restraints, Past Charles soon ceased all movement as if he had been sealed in cement.


    Present Charles was about to ask about how to get Past Charles on the rooftop with the searchlights when he felt a sense of weightlessness washing over him.


    The two Popes joined forces, pumping their palms forward, creating a powerful st of air that went hurtling toward Present Charles.


    Present Charles'' head was flung backward as he streaked across the skies at high speeds. The wind blew so hard against Present Charles'' skin that the fat on his face fluttered violently.


    When Present Charles came back to his senses, he found himself flying toward the rooftop. It was no wonder he reached the rooftop in the proverbial blink of an eyeit turned out that he had been flown over to the rooftop.


    Just like that, the power of the two Popes sent Future Charles, Present Charles and Bandages flying over to the rooftop along with the rubber coffin where Past Charles was sealed.


    Thebined power of the two Popes was terrifying, and Present Charles felt like he had be a ne hurtling through the skies. Soon, the rooftop where the colossal searchlight was located appeared not too far away below them.


    Present Charles saw Future Charles waving at him with his prosthetic hand, and the former nodded quietly. Then, the two proceeded to transform their hand into an anchor hook before swinging it toward the wall of the building right in front of their destination.


    Their prosthetic hands screeched as they used it as brakes to descend safely onto the rooftop down below, along with both Bandages and the coffin where the struggling Past Charles was sealed.


    Just then, Present Charles'' tentacles radiated pain. He turned and found that a ck dagger was sticking out of the huge rubber coffinPast Charles was about to escape!


    Present Charles cast an anxious gaze at Bandages, and thetter retracted his tree roots in response. Present and Future Charles then retracted their tentacles, and the man-shaped rubber coffin was quickly torn open by the sharp Dark de.


    The three joined hands, and their six hands hurled the rubber coffin away, sending Past Charles crashing on top of the colossal searchlight.


    A tearing noise echoed afterward as Past Charles destroyed the rubber coffin, but before he could stick his head out and take a look outside, the three rushed toward the edge of the rooftop, intending to jump down the building.


    Just then, rm bells red in Present Charles'' mind, warning him of the oing danger from behind. Upon sensing the danger, Charles instinctively twisted his right foot, allowing him to avoid a fatal injury.


    Unfortunately, the Dark de managed to sh Present Charles in the waist. Blood dripped onto the floor, creating a tiny puddle of blood in the proverbial blink of an eye.


    <em>One in three chance, but it still managed to hit me! </em>Present Charles grabbed the Dark de and jumped toward the dense forest down below.


    Present Charlesnded gracefully momentster, but an anxious Future Charles rushed over to him, saying, "Go back! You forgot to throw the note!"


    "What?!" Present Charles felt around his pockets and instantly found the note. He looked up and saw that the Past Pope was already flying toward the rooftop.


    Present Charles had to put the note on the rooftop before the Past Pope could reach the rooftop. Otherwise, the timeline would getpletely messed up!


    "Go up quick" Several tree roots burst out between the gaps of Bandages'' bandages, and he pped the wall hard with his right hand. Bandages'' fingers then transformed into green vines that formed adder straight to the rooftop.


    Present Charles didn''t dare to waste any more time. He rushed up thedder, and as he got closer and closer to the rooftop, Past Charles and the Past Pope''s conversation started to be louder in his ears.


    "What''s up with that injury? Did you fight them?" Past Charles asked.


    "Yes, and I''m no match for them. Those two figures dressed in ck are very strong," the Past Pope said in a gloomy tone.


    Present Charles heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing that, as it meant that he had made it in time. Present Charles flicked his prosthetic finger, and the Invisibility Ring appeared on the same finger.


    The invisible Charles peeked out of the edge of the rooftop and flicked his right hand, sending a paper ball rolling onto the rooftop.


    "Haha, it seems that they''ve left us a message."


    Present Charles let out a big sigh of relief as he descended slowly using thedder made out of green vines. The three waited patiently in the nearby forest. Soon, a giant pir of light burst out of the rooftop and took to the skies.


    Future Charles and Present Charles exchanged gazes; a smile appeared on their countenance. Present Charles couldn''t see whether Bandages was smiling or not, as thetter''s face was covered in thick bandages.


    "Ah, right, give me that dagger. You''re not going to need itter, anyway," Future Charles said, snatching the Dark de out of Present Charles'' hand.


    Present Charles merely watched as Future Charles slotted the Dark de into his prosthetic limb. He had no qualms handing over the Dark de to Future Charles, as he would soon be able to snatch another Dark de from the next Charles.


    "Let''s go. I made Bandages lead the others somewhere," Future Charles said.


    Present Charles nodded and followed Future Charles into the depths of the dense forest. The two had been walking for a few minutes now, and Present Charles finally noticed something amiss.


    Present Charles took out apass to see which direction they were walking toward before looking up and staring at Future Charles. "Are we not going to our ships?"


    "No, of course not," Future Charles replied with a smile. Then, he pointed at his tattered clothes and said, "You will have to experience what I''ve gone through, or you won''t be able to get out of this ind. This ind really isn''t that simple."


    Present Charles'' heart sank at the remark. It seemed that what was about to happen was the reason behind the disappearance of Weister, his sailors, and the three bald followers of the Divine Light Order.


    Present Charles made a sidelong nce at Bandages, but he didn''t say anything and continued on following Future Charles.


    Present Charles looked down at hispass and found that they were heading deeper into the indmore specifically, they were heading toward the center of the ind.


    Present Charles had many burning questions in mind, but he decided not to ask any questions. The one standing at the helm was none other than his future self, after all.


    "Stop overthinking. Your burning questions will soon have answers," Future Charles said without looking back.


    They walked for about two hours until Present Charles heard rustling noises up ahead. However, he didn''t take on a stance and prepare for battle, as he could hear Weister excitedly talking to someone.


    The two groups soon met each other, and they quickly split into both present and future groups.


    "Can you start talking now?" Present Charles stared at Future Charles.


    Future Charles looked around briefly before walking up to a tree and pinching a wood ear mushroom growing on the tree''s trunk. Future Charles then gave it a gentle twist, and the ground in front of them abruptly copsed, revealing a pitch-ck steel staircase underneath.


    The flickering red lights inside looked extremely familiar to Present Charles.

 Chapter 383: Underground

    Chapter 383: Underground


    The oppressive red glow looked familiar to Charles, as he had seen them before on Elizarles Shores, where he had encountered 1002. The intermittent flickering of the red glow was a sign that a Foundation project had gone rogue.


    The crew exchanged worried nces and started whispering among themselves upon seeing the staircase.


    Future Charles pointed at the staircase and turned to Present Charles, saying, "Take your crew down with you and lead them all the way to the bottom floor. Look for 010 down there, and thene back out. That is your next mission."


    <em>010? What does he mean by ''010''? Is he talking about a relic? </em>Charles frowned and was about to ask questions when Assistant Cook Eggers asked in a trembling voice, "Future Captain, is this where we disappeared?"


    Future Charles ignored Eggers and added, "You have to go down. This is necessary toplete the time loop, and you also have to find something down there, which is very important."


    "Wait, answer me first. What is 010? 003 is God Fhtagn, so 010 must be incredibly powerful. Did 010 create that temporal chaos bubble we saw prior to getting onto the ind?" Present Charles asked.


    "You''ll know it once you go down. There are some dangers inside, but you just have to keep exploring, and you''ll eventually safelye out to be me right now," Future Charles replied. Then, he turned around and left with his crew.


    Future Charles didn''t even look back as he disappeared into the distance.


    Charles knew that he had no other choice but to go down. His future self had emerged alive, so the underground had to be rtively safe, and he would be able to get out alive as well.


    Having made up his mind, Charles passed down some orders; the mice went ahead of the group, and Charles then went down the staircase with his crew following closely behind him.


    The narrow staircase was short, and a thick, automatic steel door was at the bottom.


    The thick steel door was at least half a meter thick, and Charles'' heart, which had just settled down, began to pick up its pace when he saw the text on the steel door. Judging by the name itself, it was definitely a less-than-friendly ce.


    <em>V4 Containment Site: Gate B2</em>


    Charles knew from his encounter at the V12 Containment Site that anything that had to be contained by itself was anything but good.


    The automatic steel door opened to reveal a corridor. The bright lights overhead forced everyone to squint their eyes to adjust to the brightness, as they had just emerged from a dim ce.


    "I''ve been here before," Tobba blurted out.


    Charles turned to his Navigator in surprise. "Do you know what this ce is, then? What was that 010 my future self was talking about?"


    "I said I''ve been here before. I didn''t say that I remember what''s in here," Tobba said, chuckling while holding a mouse. "It''s useless to ask me what I don''t remember."


    Charles had no idea what to say in response. There were times when Charles would feel that bringing along the lunatic was tantamount to dragging along a deadweight; Charles felt that way at the moment.


    Charles continued walking forward, no longer paying any attention to Tobba.


    Soon, Charles stumbled upon what looked like an employee break room. There were coffee machines in the room, and they were powered on, which made it seem as though someone had just used them not too long ago.


    Charles poured a coffee for himself and was about to make a mouse taste it just in case when he saw Tobba holding a cup of coffee. Tobba cast a curious gaze upon Charles as he took a sip of the coffee in his hand.


    At the sight, Charles decided to pour away the coffee in his hands. Testing the coffee was meaningless, as it definitely wasn''t poisoned. Charles realized just then that this ce was the same outside, seemingly frozen in time.


    Recalling Future Charles'' words, Charles didn''t bother exploring the nearby rooms, as he decided to go straight down, making a beeline for the bottom floor. His top priority was to go to the bottom floor and get out of the underground facility alive.


    Charles'' decision to ignore everything and focus on getting to the bottom floor bore fruit as he found an elevator. Charles summoned the elevator, and more than ten people stuffed themselves inside the elevator as it went down with a chime.


    Seeing the number <em>-38 </em>on the disy left Charles in awe of the extraordinary engineering used to build the V4 Containment Site. It had to have been incredibly difficult to build such a structure underground than a skyscraper aboveground.


    The elevator soon came to a halt, and the door opened with a chime. The air outside brought with it a strong smell of rust, and the corridor outside the elevator could only be described with the word "strange."


    The two walls of the corridor were made out of steel, but one half was covered with thick rust, while the other half was sparkling clean. However, the rusted and clean state of both walls seemed to be ever-changing.


    The rusted half was bing cleaner at a rate visible to the naked eye, while the clean half was rusting at the same rate.


    <em>The flow of time here is even more chaotic than outside. The culprit must be nearby, which is most likely 010. </em>Charles thought. Then, he turned to his crew and said, "Be careful, everyone. It must be nearby. We just have to find it, and we can go back afterward."


    Charles took a step forward and led everyone out to the bizarre corridor. The crew members dared not to speak even a word, which made the atmosphere extremely oppressive as they walked down the corridor.


    The group walked for about five minutes before they stumbled upon a double door on the left side of the corridor. Charles wasted no time and opened the double door, revealing a pitch-ck circr staircase that led downstairs toward what seemed like a pitch-ck abyss.


    Charles peeked at the open shaft of the staircase, and he couldn''t see the bottom, even with his night vision.


    "Give me a shlight," Charles said. He then took away Dipp''s shlight and threw it straight down the open shaft. The shlight continued falling until it disappeared; everyone waited for a long time, but they didn''t hear the shlightnd.


    It seemed as though the staircase truly led to the abyss.


    010 was at the bottom floor, so 010 was definitely down below.


    Charles took the lead once more, but it seemed that the eeriness of the facility had scared some crew members out of their wits. Charles heard multiple footsteps behind himsome of his crew members were running away.


    Charles rushed out of the corridor and found Eggers as well as two sailors running away in the opposite direction. The two ordinary sailors with Eggers were the ones with no future versions of themselves.


    The three couldn''t outrun Charles, and thetter knocked them to the ground with a kick before they could go far.


    Eggers was trembling as he sprawled out on the floor, and his voice trembled simrly as he cried out in despair, "I really can''t do this anymore, Captain! I''m about to die anyway, so you might as well kill me now!


    "I''d rather die now than keep waiting anxiously for my impending death!"


    "Stop whining, and get the hell up! Did you not hear what Bandages said earlier? You''re not going to die here," Charles said. He proceeded to help Eggers up, but a purple light shed on his right.


    "Captain, watch out!"


    Screams erupted behind Charles along with gunshots as the crew immediately decided to attack. Charles responded by grabbing Eggers and doing a few backflips in a row to retreat back to his crew.


    With his foot on the ceiling, Charles managed to take a good look at the target. His crew members were shooting at what looked like a translucent purple tentacle.


    Charles managed to rescue Eggers, but the other two sailors weren''t so fortunate. The two sailors had decided to run desperately toward the elevator, but the translucent purple tentacle found them and swept past them.


    The translucent purple tentacle had merely grazed them, but the two sailors vanished into thin air.


    <em>Damn it, so this is what Bandages meant when he said that they''re not dead? </em>Charles immediately kicked into action. He took out his flesh revolver and started shooting at the distant tentacle. However, the white bone bullets of his flesh revolver simply passed through the translucent purple tentacle.


    To make matters worse, the attack seemed to have infuriated the translucent purple tentacle as it writhed violently and turned into a beam of purple light that made a beeline for Charles. It moved so fast that it even left afterimages in the air.

 Chapter 384: Train

    Chapter 384: Train


    Charles crashed to the ground. Before he could get up, the translucent purple tentacle loomed over him. Charles curled up instantly in response, and around eight tentacles pushed off of the ground behind Charles, propelling him away.


    The translucent purple tentacle almost struck the soles of Charles'' feet, but it ended up hitting the floor, drilling a hole into it.


    Meanwhile, the crew fired nonstop to save their Captain, but their bullets were useless against the translucent purple tentacle.


    "Pope, don''t just stand there! Tell your men to start moving! Hurry up and kill this tentacle!" Charles shouted frantically as he dodged the translucent purple tentacle''s attacks.


    "My dear brothers, go and save Charles in the Light God''s name!" the Pope ordered.


    At the Pope''s order, the twelve bald men near the Pope rushed fiercely toward the translucent purple tentacle. They were clearly prepared, judging from how they had instantly brandished a variety of relics. Some of the bald men even activated relics that transformed their bodies.


    A bald man with sideburns arrived next to Charles first. He brandished a flute enveloped by ck mes and thrust it toward the oing translucent purple tentacle. However, not only did the flute vanish upon making contact with the translucent purple tentacle but even the wielder vanished into thin air as well.


    Undeterred, another bald man made a move. He waved the banner in his hands, and a shadow burst out of it, pouncing toward the translucent purple tentacle. The shadow engulfed the translucent purple tentacle in a green mist, but it was ineffective.


    It seemed that no type of attack was effective on the translucent purple tentacle, and to make matters worse, the bizarre translucent purple tentacle ignored the bald men, charging straight for Charles.


    When the translucent purple tentacle was just a few meters away from Charles, a hand covered in green scales appeared between Charles and the translucent purple tentacle.


    The hand belonged to none other than Dipp, and his eyes glimmered in desperation as he shouted, "Run, Captain! I''ll block it!"


    Charles kicked Dipp away and was about to put on the Invisibility Ring to hide from the translucent purple tentacle when everyone present felt a powerful will descend upon the corridor.


    Everyone stiffened in response, and they all felt like a massive boulder weighing over several hundred kilograms hadnded on their chests, immobilizing them.


    The sensation was no stranger to Charles, as he had felt it during the ritual to save Lily, and it meant that a powerful entity was observing the corridor.


    <em>Pop!</em>


    A sound reminiscent of a bursting bubble echoed throughout the corridor, and the translucent purple tentacle vanished into thin air.


    The atmosphere loosened instantly, and Charles turned to look at the Pope. The golden light from thetter''s eyes faded away, but the sight was enough proofhe was the source of the overwhelming presence earlier.


    "What did you use to kill that thing?" Charles asked, panting heavily.


    The Pope''s expression turned ugly at the question. "No, it''s still alive. The Light God''s aura has merely scared it away, and there''s no guarantee that it will never return."


    Charles'' heart sank at the revtion. Moreover, they still had no idea whether the translucent purple tentacle was 010 or not. Unfortunately, they still had a long way to go before they reached the bottom floor of the underground facility.


    In other words, the translucent purple tentacle was most likely one of the <em>dangers</em> that Future Charles had mentioned rather than the 010. As expected, there really wasn''t anything good in any of the Foundation''s containment sites.


    Regardless, they had to keep going down.


    "Stand up, everyone. We have to pick up the pace and get out of here before that thinges back," Charles said. They had no way of dealing with the translucent purple tentacle, so they had no choice but to find 010 as soon as possible.


    The crew regrouped at Charles'' order, and they walked down the circr staircase. No one spoke along the way, as everyone was afraid that they would inadvertently attract the attention of the translucent purple tentacle.


    The surroundings were dark, so the group had to illuminate the path with their shlights.


    "How many times can you use that ability of yours?" Charles asked while moving next to the Pope.


    The Pope sighed and exined, "We''re on the same boat, so I''m not going to hide anything from you.


    "As the Chosen One of the Light God, I can reveal His aura as many times as necessary, but you know the Light God''s plight, which means He can''t descend ande here. The aura can only scare that thing; it can''t kill it.


    "I dare not guarantee that it will keep on falling for this trick. I''m sure that once it realizes that we''re not Divinities, it''lle charging at us and take our lives away."


    "Weren''t you supposed to be extremely strong? Do you really not have any more means to fight it?" Charles asked.


    The Pope stared at Charles and replied, "It is true that I''ve be formidable by virtue of the power that the Light God has bestowed upon me, but the enemy has to be a human being! Moreover, that thing was just too bizarre! To be honest, even Julio wouldn''t be as tricky to handle as that thing."


    Charles refrained from asking more questions. It seemed that strength was meaningless here, as even the powerful Pope, who had single-handedly disposed of Ronker, was no different from Charles inside this facility.


    Just then, Charles watched as Bandages stumbled ahead of him. He reached out in a hurry to stabilize his First Mate, preventing him from falling down the stairs.


    "What''s wrong? Are you all right?" Charles asked.


    "I''m recalling some things some very distantmemories." Bandages replied, sounding confused. He staggered over to the handrail and held onto it as he slowly went down the stairs.


    "Pull yourself together. This isn''t the time to reminisce," Charles said. Then, he decided to walk closer to Bandages just in case.


    Everyone remained quiet as they walked down the stairs, but the oppressive atmosphere in the air only grew tenser and tenser as time went on.


    The surroundings also became hotter and hotter as they descended. Everyone was already drenched in sweat before they even realized it. Charles felt like they were descending into the Earth''s core the deeper they went down the stairs.


    Dipp drank thirstily before pouring the rest of the water in the container onto his green scales.


    "Conserve water. We have no idea how deep we have to go down," Charles said.


    "Captain, I''d like to do that too. But it''s so hot in here. I''m a sea creature now. I''ll die without enough water," Dipp replied sarcastically. His tone of voice made it instantly clear that the reply hade from one of Dipp''s personas rather than himself.


    "Shh!" Feuerbach raised a finger to his lips and said, "There are noisesing from above us."


    Everyone instantly came to a halt and looked up to find a beam of white light falling toward them. Charles snatched it out of mid-air with one hand and looked down at his palm, revealing a shlight. The shlight was turned on, and Charles'' eyes widened in realization. He was holding the same shlight he had thrown upstairs earlier!


    There was another group up there, and it consisted of Charles and his crew members from another timeline!


    Charles'' expression turned solemn, and he looked up the circr staircase as the cogs in his brain turned rapidly. His many thoughts soon converged as he came to one conclusion: the Past Charles wouldn''t have arrived here this quickly, which meant that there were more than three versions of Charles on the ind.


    Charles suddenly felt like he was no longer a unique existence. He felt like he had be a train with an unlimited amount of cars. HePresent Charleswas the car at the very front of the train, and every step he took would create another car behind him.


    <em>But the distance between the two cars is getting shorter; is it because we''re approaching 010? </em>Charles retracted his thoughts, afraid that the car behind him would crash into him if he were toe to a screeching halt by falling into deep contemtion.

 Chapter 387: Fate

    Chapter 387: Fate


    "Pope, can you handle so many of them?" Charles asked.


    "May His light shine upon us. Just try to keep up! I''m not sure how long the aura canst," the Pope replied as he levitated into mid-air.


    The tentacles moved and swiftly closed in on them. A hue of golden shed across the Pope''s eyes, and the purple tentacles vanished as quickly as they appeared.


    "Hurry and stick together! Don''tg behind!"


    Descending down the circr staircase was an easy thing, but making the ascent was a grueling task. The oppressive heat didn''t make their predicament any better. Soon, the group found themselves drenched in sweat, as though they had been submerged in water.


    Yet, they couldn''t afford to stop even for a second and sprinted ahead at the fastest speed they could; their sole driving motivator was the newly regenerated tentacles below them.


    "Bandages! Keep up!" Charles called out as he tugged his First Mate by the arm. Thetter was struggling to keep up as he seemed to be not in his best form.


    Bandages clutched his head, looking visibly distressed and in pain. "I I seemed to have been here before"


    "Then you''ve been here! It''s not the time to dwell on that now! Hurry up and run!"


    "No I must recall I feel that it''s an important matter"


    Charles clenched down on his teeth as he hoisted Bandages up and urged him forward on their strenuous ascent.


    He had thought they would safely reach the elevator ording to n. However, reality always had a different idea.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A translucent tentacle writhed out from the wall and shot toward Charles'' back.


    Though the Pope manifested his aura once again, the tentacle merely hesitated this time instead of vanishing. It then speedilyshed out at one of the Divine Light Order followers, and the bald man disappeared without a trace.


    A sense of unease washed over Charles. The Pope''s aura was no longer as effective as before.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Another tentacle aimed for Charles'' leg.


    Charles kicked off against the ground and leaped away in the nick of time. However, the mice around him weren''t as fortunate and vanished in an instant.


    "Captain! Hel" Assistant Cook Eggers cried out for help but was silenced before he couldplete his sentence and vanished right before Charles'' face.


    "Do you have any other ways? If we still don''t have one, we''ll be trapped here!" The anxiety was apparent on the Pope''s wrinkled face.


    Charles was at a loss without a clue on what to do. The tentacles were invulnerable to all kinds of damage. Anyone else in this same situation wouldn''t be able to find a way, not to mention him.


    <em>Am I really going to be trapped here today? That shouldn''t be! Future me has clearly escaped from this ce!</em>


    The tentacles closed in from all sides, leaving Charles and his group with no escape. At that critical moment, Bandage sped his head with both hands and cried out in a sudden revtion, "I I remember now! I remember!"


    Under everyone''s watchful gaze, Bandages rushed toward Charles. In a startling act, he bit off three of his fingers.


    "Bandages! What are you doing?" Charles eximed.


    "Captain! Stay still! Don''t move! You are the key to our escape!"


    With that, Bandages grabbed his bloodied severed fingers and feverishly started drawing on Charles'' shadow. Wherever the shadow fellon the stairs, the walls, or even over Linda''s physical formBandage drew arcane symbols, all the while muttering words beyondprehension.


    The trail of blood soon materialized into strange, arc-shaped symbols, unlike any Fhtagn ritual formations they had seen before.


    Knowing that their First Mate was attempting to save them, the crew stood frozen, not daring to move even an inch. They stared at Bandages and waited in palpating anxiety.


    They had the patience to wait, but the tentacles certainly didn''t. Like streaks of purple lightning, the tentacles flew from every conceivable direction toward them.


    <em>Ziiiiiing!</em>


    Charles''s vision suddenly transformed, bestowing him with a multi-perspective vision. Charles'' vision suddenly expanded, allowing him to see many things at once: his crew''s horrified expressions, the writhing tentacles, and the reflection of a nightmarish beast in their eyes.


    Charles felt like he was no longer himself. He questioned his own childish motivations all this while. Why did he have to return to the surface? Why did he want to resurrect Lily? Why was he deeply in love with Anna?


    Suddenly, it dawned on him that all of that was trivial in the grand scheme of things.


    However, that epiphanysted for just a fleeting moment. When he came around, he saw that the staircase around him had been destroyed, and the tentacles were nowhere in sight.


    His crew members were panting heavily and staring at him with terrified expressions. The tattered remains of their clothing werepletely drenched in sweat, and they appeared disheveled.


    Charles hurriedly patted his body all over to check himself for any monstrous transformations. Fortunately, he didn''t grow any extra organs, and neither did he turn into a monster; he was still the same Charles.


    "Bandages, what did you do? Also, what came over you? What did you recall?" Charles asked with a befuddled expression.


    However, Bandages avoided the question. He simply held onto the railings and ascended the stairs. "We need to move There are many of those tentacles They may return."


    Reminded by Bandages'' warning, the crew''s fear was renewed as they frantically hastened their ascent to avoid the encroaching tentacles.


    Time slowly passed by. Just before they were about to copse from fatigue, the doorway finally appeared in front of them.


    "Look! Those tentacles are still down there!" Feuerbachmented.


    Intrigued by his words, Weister leaned over to peer into the darkness below. The purple, semi-transparent tentacles were just barely visible at the base of the staircase. They seemed afraid of something and were hesitant to ascend further.


    Weister let out an exhale of relief and remarked, "Captain, you are really powerful! It must have been painful for them. If it were me"


    Weister''s words were abruptly cut off as a hand wrapped in bandages pushed him into the abyss.


    "<em>AHHHH!</em>" Weister''s screams echoed as he tumbled down the stairs. The tentacles didn''t let go of the opportunity, and Weister soon vanished from sight as the tentacles closed in on him.


    The crew was in stunned silence at the unexpected turn of events. They turned their gaze onto Bandages, the First Mate of the Narwhalehe had shoved Weister down.


    Driven by a newfound bravery in the face of his friend''s death, the normally reserved cook, nck, took the lead in confronting Bandages. Anger colored his face crimson as he clenched his fists and roared, "Why! Why did you do it? Why did you kill him?"


    "It''s fate"


    "What nonsense about fate is that?! You''ve just taken a life! We didn''t get to explore Hope Ind like you old-timers, and we don''t have the same rank on the ship, but we''re humans, too!


    "We have families! Have you ever thought about how his mother would feel upon learning that he''s dead? Did that thought ever cross your mind?" nck''s voice cracked under the weight of his emotions.


    "Weister is not dead010 will take him back through time He''ll experience countless eventsin the passage of time many of them until" Bandages said slowly as he peeled away the bandages from his face and brushed off the moss, slowly revealing features that were both strange yet familiar to the crew.


    Charles'' eyes narrowed slightly before they widened in realization. He dashed forward and held Bandages'' head to examine his face closely.


    Despite the inked text covering Bandages'' face, the basic structure began to align with someone Charles was familiar with.


    "It all makes sense now! That''s why Weister always seemed familiar! It''s you! You are Weister!"<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Now looking back... Author actually has beenying out the hints when Bandages had been finding Weister''s interactions with his mother familiar</blockquote>

 Chapter 388: Third Time

    Chapter 388: Third Time


    In the elevator ascending toward the ind''s surface, a deep silence enveloped the group. Their gaze was collectively drawn to the red light beside the elevator door, which illuminated sequentially, marking each floor they passed.


    From the corner of their eyes, their attention was actually on Bandages, who was silently rewrapping the bandages on himself. Their minds swirled with disbelief and questions.


    <em>How is it possible for one person to be another person?</em>


    <em>Weister is now the First Mate? Then what about the debt I owe him? How should I settle it now?</em>


    <em>This tale is probably too oundish to even boast about in the dockside taverns. Maybe I should consider retirement? What''s the point of money if I can''t stay alive to spend it?</em>


    Charles feltpelled to break the contemtive silence. His face was a mix ofplex emotions as he turned to stare at Bandages.


    Truth be told, despite being through numerous life-and-death scenarios alongside Bandages, he had seen thetter''s true face only a handful of times. Over the course of their time together, he had grown ustomed to identifying his first mate by the swathes of bandages that veiled his features.


    Carefully selecting his words, Charles finally broke the silence. "Bandages, have you regained all your memories?"


    Bandages shook his head. "No Only what happened just now. The rest is a nk I don''t know what happened after the tentacles touched me"


    Charles offered a reassuring pat on Bandages'' shoulder. "Regaining even a fragment of your memory is still progress. I''ll get you a journal when we get back on the ship. You can document your daily activities within so that you won''t forget again."


    Charles firmly believed that Bandages needed journaling more than him.


    Bandages acknowledged and epted the offer with a silent nod.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    The elevator doors slipped open as the elevator reached the ind''s surface.


    The crew dashed out to be greeted once more by the perpetual darkness overhead and the entangled wild forest before them. They let out a collective sigh of relief, grateful that they were finally safe and out of that bizarre tentacle dungeon.


    "Keep your guard up. We''re notpletely safe yet," Charles cautioned as he led the group into the woods.


    Charles knew that there was one crucial task left: to meet up with Past Charles and abduct Past-Past Charles. At this present moment, Present Charles was ying the role of the Future Charles, whom they had met before they entered the facility.


    "Try to recall what our future counterparts have done. We have to go through the actions in a while. If you can''t recall, check with the others. We''re so close to returning home, so let''s avoid creating a time paradox that can spoil everything," Charles instructed.


    The crew couldn''t dwell on the trauma of their recent ordeal any longer and started whispering to each other to recall their previous actions while they were with the future group.


    Fortunately, only one hour had passed since then, and their memories remained vivid. By the time they reached the spot where Future Charles had first appeared, they were well-prepared with their roles and lines.


    "I''m repeating this once more. I''ll say my line first, then the Pope shows up, and then the crew will chime in. Stick to the script, and don''t make any unnecessary remarks," Charles briefed the group as he stood atop a tree branch.


    "Aye!"


    "No worries, Captain."


    "We''ve been through this twice; this is the third time; we are all well-rehearsed."


    When Audric returned from reconnaissance and reported to Charles that Past Charles and his team were nearby, Charles immediately got into a crouching position and waited silently in anticipation.


    "Who are you? Were you the one who kidnapped me earlier?" Hearing the familiar Mandarin dialogue behind him, Present Charles took a deep breath and spun around to stare at Past Charles.


    Present Charles deliberately waited for a few seconds before he delivered his rehearsed line, "You got it wrong. I''m not from a parallel world like the mouse Lily."


    He knew Past Charles would remain silent and continued, "Of course, I''d know what you''re thinking. I''m the future you, after all."


    "He''s not lying," the Pope stepped out from the woods.


    The sequence of events unfolded exactly as how it had happened for Present Charles. Past Weister realized that he was missing and agitatedly asked about his whereabouts. The Pope then donned his ck garb, and the group gathered tires together in preparation tounch an ambush on Past-Past Charles, who had juste ashore.


    "Bandages, lead them to the entrance of Containment Site V4. We''lle over in a while," Present Charlesmanded his First Mate, whose entire figure was wrapped in bandages once more.


    Bandages acknowledged with a murmur as he turned and cast a nce at his younger self in the distance; his younger self was visibly anxious and fearful about his impending "death."


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    Gunfire echoed in the air once again.


    Present Charles, Past Charles, and Past Bandages led the ambush party into the forest to be on standby. The rest of the crew followed Present Bandages'' lead further into the forest center.


    The present group and past group naturally divided into two groups and silently trailed behind the silent Present Bandages.


    Adhering to Charles'' directive, the Present crew kept their lips tightly sealed and were overly vignt to make sure that they didn''t speak or even make eye contact with their past counterparts to prevent any temporal paradox.


    Meanwhile, unease and anxiety were apparent on the faces of the past crew. They made small talk among themselves as they stole nces at their future counterparts.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A dark shadow suddenly shot across the sky. Everyone instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons.


    "First Mate, sir, something flew past us!" a panic-stricken Weister reported as he hurried toward Present Bandages.


    Present Bandages kept his head lowered. Having been through this once, he knew what it was that flew past.


    "Don''t be concerned about it," Present Bandages said.


    Seemingly to seek reassurance to suppress the stirring unease within him, Past Weister probed Bandages for more information, "First Mate, sir, can you tell me what exactly will happen to me in the future?"


    "You will go through so much to the extent that you might not even... remember it yourself..."


    "Will I be able to return to Hope Ind? I''m not really afraid of dying; I''m just worried about my mother. She was always against me being part of a ship crew. If I never return, it''ll break her heart," Past Weister remarked.


    Bandages looked toward his younger self with aplicated expression, "You will make it back to Hope Ind Just thatit will take some time"


    Past Weister''s eyes lit up instantly upon hearing Present Bandages'' words. He moved closer toward Bandages and chirped with renewed hope, "Really? I can really make it back? You''re not just trying to make me feel better, are you?"


    "I''m not lying"


    Despite Bandages sounding less than convincing, Past Weister still epted his words with unwavering trust.


    "That''s great. As long as I know I''ll get back eventually, I don''t mind a longer wait. First Mate, can you do me a favor and let my mother know when you return? Just say I got held up with an urgent task, but I''ll return as soon as possible."


    "Alright"


    Just then, a beam of light shot toward the sky. Present Bandages knew that the captains had aplished their mission.


    Weister expressed his gratitude with a deep bow toward Present Bandages.


    "First Mate, sir, you''ve been incredibly kind to me. From teaching me how to steer to being willing to pass on my message, I can''t thank you enough!" Weister''s voice was filled with hope and appreciation.


    Triggered by the exchange, Present nck couldn''t hold it in any long. However, before he could utter a word, Present Feuerbach and Present Dipp quickly pped a hand each on his mouth to silence him before dragging him away.

 Chapter 389: Father

    Chapter 389: Father


    The exchange of words seemed to assuage Past Weister''s fear of his impending death; as he chatted with Present Bandages, Past Weister''s ostentatious personality seemed to resurface.


    Although Present Bandages offered only a few words in his response to him, Past Weister''s enthusiasm did not seem to dampen. Past Weister even started talking about his happy childhood days on Shadow Ind.


    "Our family used to live in this big house in the city center of Shadow Ind. We never really had to worry about food or clothing. Those were the best days of my life.


    "If I had to nitpick something, it would be the fact that my father was mostly away at sea. He''d be out at sea for a long time whenever he had a shipment to make.


    "No one knew where my father was sourcing his goods, but he had the best quality sapphires throughout the entire Shadow Ind. I''m sure his source is from a different sea region; otherwise, the quality couldn''t possibly be so good.


    "Thanks to my father''s thriving jewelry business, my childhood was pretty fun and carefree. I had my own room, and I even had a pet dog. We could also afford to eat roasted suckling pigs every day.


    "I would even y with my father''s gems as if they were toys."


    Past Weister started smiling as he recounted, and he felt as if he had returned to those carefree days on Shadow Ind. However, his expression became gloomy once again as he said, "But one day, my father didn''t return.


    "His merchant ship went missing as well. No one had any idea whether pirates attacked him or he was dragged away by something in the water. Regardless of his fate, it isn''t exactly strange as such incidents aremon at sea."


    "Sometimes, I would thinkhow great would it be to see my father again? I have so many things to say to him, and I want to show him that his son has be a real man, capable of supporting his family with his sry!"


    Present Bandages'' eyes widened ever so slightly upon noticing something from Past Weister''s words.


    "Your father what is his name?"


    "Kevin Carl! His name is Kevin Carl."


    Present Bandages stared deeply at Past Weister for a long time before saying, "You''ll meet your father again."


    Past Weister was startled, and he turned to stare at Present Bandages. "First Mate, sir. Is there something that you know? Have you seen my father?"


    Present Bandages didn''t reply; he seemed to nk out as scenes shed past his mindscenes of when the Captain had rescued a man from a distressed fishing boat on their way to Skywater Ind.


    The fishing boat had turned out to be transporting ves, and the man whom the Captain had rescued sprawled out on the ground in tears to recount his story. He had also eaten the food in the mess hall with relish and had talked extensively to the crew about just how good and smart his children were.


    Unfortunately, the man copsed in despair upon inadvertently hearing news of Shadow Ind''s sinking. He couldn''t withstand the despair and snatched a flintlock from a crew before shooting himself in the forehead.


    The corners of Present Bandages'' lips quivered as he said, "By then you won''t recognize him anymore."


    Past Weister''s eyes filled with desperation as he cried out, "There''s no way I won''t recognize him! I''ll definitely recognize him once I see him!"


    Present Bandages abruptly came to a halt. He spread his arms and embraced Past Weister. Startled, Past Weister flinched before deciding to embrace Present Bandages as well.


    Past Weister''s face revealed a tinge of happiness as he said, "Thank you forforting me, Future First Mate, sir. My deathpensation will support my mother and siblings until they''re old, and I''ll still get to see my father in the future, so I''m not scared anymorereally."


    Present Bandages raised his trembling right hand and patted Past Weister''s back. "Sorry."


    The members of the present group looked on withplicated expressions.


    "What''s wrong, First Mate, sir? Why are you apologizing to me?" Past Weister asked as Present Bandages'' actions left him at a loss for words.


    "It''s nothing. Let''s go the Captain is waiting for us," Present Bandages said with his head lowered as he picked up the pace and walked toward where Charles would be.


    Past Weister followed suit and continued his enthusiastic chatter to Present Bandages. Present Bandages was making an effort to respond, but clearly, he was finding it difficult to change his manner of speech.


    Regardless, Present Bandages still responded to Past Weister''s words at a rate of once every ten sentences.


    "Are they really the same person?" Dipp whispered to Feuerbach.


    "I think so. I have no idea what Weister had to go through that he became Bandages," Feuerbach said while casting aplex expression at Present Bandages and Past Weister.


    Even the longest road had an end, so the two groupsthe present and past groupseventually reunited at the entrance of Containment Site V4.


    While the two Charles were talking to each other, Present Bandages stood quietly beneath a nearby tree. Past Weister noticed Present Bandages and waved at him, prompting Present Bandages to stare at Past Weister.


    Past Weister was Present Bandages'' past self, and Present Bandages knew that his past self would eventually fade away. All of a sudden, Present Bandages suddenly became estranged with himself. He knew he was Weister, but he realized just then that he knew little of this young sailor named Weister.


    However, Present Bandages didn''t find it strange. In fact, the realization ignited a burning curiosity in himthe burning curiosity to know more about his own past.


    "Wait, answer me first. What is 010? 003 is God Fhtagn, so 010 must be incredibly powerful. Did 010 create that temporal chaos bubble we saw prior to getting onto the ind?" Past Charles asked.


    "You''ll know it once you go down. There are some dangers inside, but you just have to keep exploring, and you''ll eventually safelye out to be me right now," Present Charles replied. Then, he turned around and left with his crew.


    It was over; the present group could finally go home. The present group started their journey back to their ship, and to avoid bumping into other versions of himself, Charles decided to bring his group to the coast first before circling the ind along the coast to return to where theynded on the ind.


    The atmosphere of the group on their way back had be rxed, and the crew even cheered at the Pope''s announcement that everyone would receive ample cash rewards upon returning to Hope Ind.


    "You did a great job, Charles. Our hard work has finally borne fruit, and we''ve finally found the exit to the surface world. Let me know if you want anything, I need to give you a reward, after all," the Pope said, grinning at Charles.


    "Revive Lily," Charles replied.


    The Pope''s expression turned awkward as he said, "As I told you, we have to wait until the Light God has broken from His restraints."


    "You don''t have to reward me, then. You should think about how we can open that colossal door. It''s as big as this entire ind, so it''s definitely going to be difficult to open," Charles said while staring at the pitch-ck dome overhead.


    "No need to worry over such a trivial matter. The foundations of our Divine Light Order are much deeper than you can ever imagine. Anyway, just stay on your ind and wait for my good news. A mere door is no obstacle to us," the Pope said as his joy became evident on his face.


    The groupughed and chattered leisurely as they walked along the coast. The group eventually arrived at the beach where they hadnded, but the rxed air about the group vanished instantly as everyone froze in shock.


    "Where''s our ship? Where are our ships?" Charles asked, but no one answered him.


    The Divine Light Order''s massive ship and the Narwhale were supposed to be waiting for them just outside the temporal chaos bubble, but the two ships had vanished into thin air.


    There wasn''t even a trace left, and it seemed as though those two ships had never been here in the first ce. The group couldn''t see anything else other than the endless surging waves of the pitch-ck sea.


    Without a ship, the group was considered marooned on this bizarre ind.

 Chapter 390: Loop

    Chapter 390: Loop


    Everyone stood confused, seemingly at a loss of what to do next, when a glimmer of light appeared in the distant pitch-ck horizon. Everyone instantly recognized the lightthe light hade from a ship''s searchlight; a ship was approaching.


    "We''re saved! A ship''sing! Hey, we''re here!" The crew promptly stripped off their upper clothing and waved them around.


    However, Charles found the light increasingly familiar as it grew bigger and bigger.


    "Wait, isn''t that our ship? Why are theying here?" Charles immediately turned to the Pope and asked, "Did you give them other orders to see to while we''re busy on the ind?"


    Charles had always been wary of the Pope, and he found it hard to believe that thetter had no involvement in the ships'' disappearance.


    "I haven''t told them to depart, so there''s absolutely no way they''d leave. Even if the Divinities of the deep sea were to attack them, they would never retreat and leave the ind!" the Pope eximed, defending himself.


    Just then, twonding boats were lowered into the water, and the crew waved enthusiastically at the oing boats.


    However, Charles'' excellent vision allowed him to instantly identify everyone on the twonding boats. His pupils constricted, and he urgently cried out, "Hide! Everyone, hide immediately! Hurry up!"


    Although confused, the Captain''s orders were absolute, so the crew followed his orders and ran away to hide among the trees in the dense forest. The crew cast wary gazes at the neers through the gaps between the leaves.


    The white triangle and the long robes were enough proof of their affiliation; they were followers of the Divine Light Order. The followers quickly found footprints on the beach, and they started arguing with each other while ncing at the dense forest where Charles and his crew were hiding.


    It didn''t take Charles long to recognize themthey were the reconnaissance team that the Pope had sent over to the ind to explore it first for information.


    Charles was familiar with one of the neers, as he had told them about how there were humans on the ind.


    The neers proceeded to approach the forest near the beach, but they didn''t dare to enter it. After exploring the periphery for a good few minutes, the neers retreated to their boats and returned to sea.


    "I think I finally understand what''s going on," the Pope said. Then, he flew toward the beach and mmed both palms on the sand; the messy footprints vanished instantly.


    The Pope proceeded to hide in the dense forest once more, and twonding boats were soon lowered into the water once more. Everyone was astounded to see the neersthe neers were none other than themselves!


    "H-how is this" Dipp trailed off, staring wide-eyed at himself in the distance with an expression of utter disbelief.


    Dipp wasn''t alone. The remaining crew wore simr expressions, and they suddenly felt like they were too dumb toprehend what was going on. Howe another group of them hadnded on the ind? Just how many versions of themselves were here?


    Charles wasn''t among those confused. Rather, his expression turned to that of excitement as everything finally dawned on him.


    "Yes, that''s it!" Charles eximed, turning to Dipp before continuing, "Dipp, have you ever heard of the Ouroboros, the serpent eating its own tail for eternity?"


    "Ourowhat?"


    Charles didn''t bother exining as he stared at himself in the distance. As Neer Charles examined the beach, Charles continued, "The head has to bite the tail toplete the loop."


    "There''s someone there!"


    Everyone instantly ducked at the shout that shattered the silence of the forest and the beach. They crouched nervously, thinking that they had been discovered by the other version of themselves.


    However, the footsteps that echoed afterward were getting fainter and fainter. Everyone peeked and saw that the neers were running away in another direction. The neers hadn''t noticed them and had been lured away by the Pope d in ck.


    Everyone realized it just theneverything that had happened to them so far was happening again. The only difference was that it was happening to the other versions of themselves.


    Neer Charles and his group had run into the dense forest, leaving theirnding boats behind, which swayed along the waves just a few meters away from the beach.


    "Let''s go home!" Charles eximed, rushing to thending boats. Everyone else followed closely behind him and immediately started rowing away from the bizarre ind.


    "Captain, since we took their boats away. What are they going to do?" Dipp asked, clearly worried about their past selves on the ind.


    "Do you still not get it, Fishman? We ceased to be a unique existence the moment we entered this temporal chaos bubble. They are us, and we are them. Even an old man like me has understood that, so howe you haven''t understood it yet? I guess you can only me your poorprehension," the Pope said, chiming in.


    Then, the Pope stuck his finger out, and a yellow dot appeared in mid-air. "Think of this yellow dot as us outside this temporal chaos bubble. A human being can be considered a dot, as we exist only once at any given point in time."


    The Pope then tapped on the yellow dot and drew a perfect circle before everyone''s eyes. "We ceased to remain as dots the moment wended on the ind. We became a circlea loop."


    "Since we became a loop, which means you can think of the other versions of yourself as part of that loop. Our escape means that they would be able to escape as well because it''s the end of that loop."


    Dipp remained confused despite the Pope''s exnation. Charles saw his baffled expression and said, "Time has no meaning on that ind, and a new loop was formed the moment we stepped on it; that loop is none other than us."


    "Anyway, don''t think too much into it if you can''t wrap your head around it. The most important fact is that we managed to escape."


    The colossal temporal chaos bubble appeared in Charles'' vision once more, and their boats collided with it as they approached the Narwhale. The Narwhale let loose a low, deep noise, seemingly celebrating Charles and the crew''s return.


    The crew rushed to climb up on the deck, and they gave the cold deck a few pecks in joy and excitement. They were d and thrilled to have returned alive from such a bizarre ind.


    The anchor machine screeched as the Narwhale''s anchor was pulled out of the muddy seabed. Soon, the Narwhale''s smokestacks belched up ck fumes as she turned around and left the ind along with the Divine Light Order''s ship.


    Bandages was standing at the Narwhale''s helm; his helmsman had left, so he was steering the ship by himself. However, the bridge required two people at all times, so Dipp was asked toe to the bridge, and he would be here soon.


    Just then, the door to the bridge was opened, revealing Captain Charles'' figure rather than Dipp''s. Charles was holding a thick book, and he extended it over to Bandages.


    "Thank you" Bandages muttered before receiving the book.


    Charles'' voice wasced with constion as he said, "Actually, I think it''s great overall. I mean, you finally know who you are, at the very least."


    Bandages remained silent, seemingly mulling over something. A few momentster, Bandages asked, "Captain do you still remember that man who shot himself while we were on our way to Skywater Ind?"


    Charles instantly recalled the man whom Bandages mentioned. As far as he could remember, the man was a ve in a dpidated fishing boat, and he had shot himself after learning of Shadow Ind, his hometown''s sinking.


    "Yes, I remember him. What about him?" Charles asked.


    "He was my father" Bandages muttered.


    The air in the bridge froze instantly, and Charles was at a loss for words.


    A deafening silence nketed the bridge for quite a while until Charles finally shattered it, asking, "What are you going to do once we''re back on the ind? Are you nning on living as Bandages, or are you going to live as Weister?"


    Charles then stood next to Bandages and stared quietly at the pitch-ck sea ahead of them, which was being illuminated by the Narwhale''s searchlights.


    Bandages seemed deeply troubled as he recalled his conversations with himself on the ind. "I have to think it through"


    "Mmhm. Do that. Regardless of your choice, you''ll have my full support. Let me know if you have any other concerns. We''ll think of a way to resolve those concerns together," Charles replied, patting Bandages on the shoulder.

 Chapter 391: Governor of Elizarles Shores

    Chapter 391: Governor of Elizarles Shores


    Elizabethy in the bathtub, her eyes closed as she relished in the caress of the warm water. It was a rare moment of tranquility away from her busy work.


    "Governor, Mr. Gunther has been waiting for quite a while," her secretary peered in and reported. The chic red sses on her face contrasted with her form-fitting, formal attire and the stack of documents in her hands.


    "Martha, did Finn mention his reason for visiting?" Elizabeth asked as she exited the bathroom as water dripped off her towering form.


    A pink hue instantly stained Martha''s cheeks, and she hurriedly averted her eyes to look toward the floor. "N-no. He didn''t specify, Governor."


    "Strange. Hasn''t everything been running smoothly on the ind recently? What other matters could there be?" Elizabeth mused aloud.


    With a graceful motion, Elizabeth opened up her palms and summoned a gentle breeze that rapidly circted around her. The water droplets clinging to her porcin skin swiftly diminished and vanished into the air.


    "Finn alwaysments on myck of finesse in magic mastery," Elizabeth quipped with a light chuckle. "But who said magic should only be used forbat? It''s a marvelous convenience in daily life to be able to dry instantly after a bath."


    "Governor, Mr. Finn emphasized that it was an urgent matter and he had to see you as soon as possible."


    "I get it, I get it. How annoying. And here I was, looking forward to spending some time with my little ones first," Elizabeth sighed, resigned to the fact that she had to deal with Finn Gunther before anything else.


    Settling into the plushfort of her sofa, d in nothing but a loosely draped robe, Elizabeth asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Her expression was the picture of nonchnce as her attendant, d in a short skirt, attended to her hair and nails. Finn''s dissatisfied gaze seemed not to perturb her in the slightest.


    "I understand that you''ve taken in a few more wives recently?"


    "It wasn''t a deliberate choice. But my heart aches when I see them and their families barely scraping by, not being able to afford even ck rye bread to fill their stomachs."


    "That brings the count to thirteen. Please exercise some restraint," Finn suggested with a hint of displeasure in his voice.


    A trace of annoyance surfaced on Elizabeth''s visage. "They are staying on their own free will. I''m not going to stop them if they want to leave. Is this all that you came for today?"


    Finn merely sighed before he gestured a dismissive wave.


    The maid attendant next to Elizabeth and the guards at the door swiftly withdrew, leaving only Finn and Elizabeth in the room. However, Finn seemed unassured. With a mere flick of his staff, he conjured a protective, violet barrier around them.


    "I''ve received news that the Governor of Hope Ind haspleted his expedition and will be returning soon," Finn began.


    Elizabeth''s eyes lit up at the mention of Charles'' return. "Charles is finally making his way back? How did the voyage go? Has he suffered any new injuries? I heard that he has injured his eyes."


    Ignoring Elizabeth''s questions, Finn Gunther ced a potion vial on the table next to Elizabeth. "This is for you. I''d like to implore you to make a trip to Hope Ind.


    "The potion is concocted from Stone Nettle and Abyss Sea Urchin. Consumption during one''s ovtion phase can significantly enhance fertility."


    Elizabeth''s eyes reflected her confusion while Finn''s hold on his staff grew firmer. "Governor, this is to secure the future of Elizarles Shores. We need to groom an heir."


    "So, you are proposing that I conceive Charles'' offspring? I don''t think I''m at an age where I need to be concerned with heirs. There''s really no rush."


    "It''s not just about session. It''s also to cement our ties with Hope Ind. Charles was able to get the Pope to join him on his recent expedition; that means Hope Ind''s alliance with the Divine Light Order runs even deeper now.


    "If you conceive his child, then the entire Northern Seas, no, perhaps the entire seascape, would never ever dare to mess with us."


    Elizabeth countered with a calm yet decisive tone, "That won''t be necessary. I don''t need a child soon. Besides, we are already allied with Hope Ind, and our bond has already been fortified."


    Clutching his staff tighter, Finn retorted, "That''s not the same! Our alliance is reliant on your love for each other. And <em>that</em> is the least concrete of all methods in my eyes!"


    With that, Finn leaned closer and whispered into Elizabeth''s ear, "At the moment, Charles has no sessor. Despite being a Governor, he still goes on dangerous exploration voyages. If you were to bear his child, and should any misfortune befall him, the ownership of Hope Ind would"


    Finn trailed off, but the implied message was unmistakable.


    Elizabeth''s gaze chilled instantly, and her voice wasced with frost as she questioned, "This ind was his gift to me. How could you insinuate me to betray him?"


    Finn''s agitation was evident as he emphatically struck his staff on the ground. "Betrayal? It''s the opposite! Providing him with an heir is a win-win situation for both him and us! It''s hardly a betrayal."


    Elizabeth went silent; her gazended on the effervescent potion on the table, her thoughts a whirlwind of conflict and contemtion.


    Abruptly, Elizabeth stood up and said, "I haven''t seen Charles for the longest time now. I kind of miss him."


    Then, Elizabeth walked out of the reception room; the potion had also vanished from the table.


    ***


    Listening to the waves crashing against the Narwhale''s hull in a rhythmic pattern, Charles jotted down his recent endeavors in his journal.


    <em>Two days ago, we finally arrived in safe waters with navigational markers. We also encountered an exploration vessel by chance. We are getting closer to Hope Ind now.</em>


    <em>I thought I would be more thrilled about finding the exit to the surface. However, I wasn''t as thrilled as I thought I would be.</em>


    <em>Without realizing it, my goals have shifted. This seascape has taken away too many things from me.</em>


    <em>But yet, at the same time, it has given me so much, too. The memories of the surface and my longings in this seascape have reached an equilibrium. It has been twelve years</em>


    <em>Twelve years Surely it''s enough time to mend my family''s heartache about my absence? They must have found their peace by now, haven''t they?</em>


    <em>No matter what, now that it hase to this, I can only continue forward.</em>


    "Mr. Charles!" A sudden, familiar call jolted Charles from his writing. He looked up to see Lily dressed in a beige dress. Her hands were sped behind her as she shed a radiant smile at him.


    "Mr. Charles, did you miss me? I miss you so much!"


    "Lily!" Charles called out as he lunged forward, his arms extended wide in an attempt to pull Lily into an embrace.


    <em>nk!</em>


    Charles'' eyes shot open as he stared into the dark solitude of his room. It took him some time topose himself.


    Lifting off the covers, he rose up and seized his sketchbook and pen. The image of Lily from his dream rapidly took from under his hurried strokes.


    However, he intentionally left out the details of her eyes. He wasn''t ready to see Lily''s glimmering eyes once again.


    <em>Snap!</em>


    The pen in his hand broke under the pressure of his inner turmoil.


    Frustrated, Charles threw the broken parts on the floor and reached for the lowest drawer. However, it was empty; he had long finished thest of his alcohol.


    Charles mmed the drawer shut and flung the cabin door open, stepping out of the quarters.


    Meanwhile, squeaks suddenly filled the room behind Charles as brown mice scurried and gathered around the painting, their tiny eyes fixated on the young girl in the sketchbook.

 Chapter 392: Coming Home

    Chapter 392: Coming Home


    The chilling sea breeze caressed Charles'' face, swiftly extinguishing the restlessness and anxiety in his heart. He really hoped the Pope had been speaking the truth. However, despite the old man''s assurances, the seascape had never bestowed him the slightest sliver of hope. Truth be told, he had be paranoid and fearful.


    He hated uncertainty and the feeling of powerlessness. He wanted to do something to change his circumstances but found himself utterly unable to do anything. He detested this vulnerability, this inability to steer his own fate.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    d in his pristine white robes, the Pope flew over to the Narwhale''s deck and stood next to Charles. Together, they both stared into the inky dark expanse ahead.


    "The expedition to the surface''s exit is as significant as a Holy War. Every Divine Light Order disciple will be participating in this cause," the Pope said, breaking the silence.


    "Skywater Ind has sufficient fuel and fresh water, but we are woefully inadequate when ites to food supply.


    "We''d like to request for Hope Ind to supply us with food. Rest assured, our Order is prepared to pay a premium for your assistance."


    "Understood," Charles answered, "I''ll pass down the instructions for the ministries to work with you."


    Charles acknowledged the mutual benefit of this coboration, so there was no way he would turn down the Pope''s request. Moreover, Hope Ind''s economy relied heavily on agricultural exports. The only difference was just a different business partner.


    "Are you truly confident that you can breach that door? I can''t help but feel that there''s more to this than meets the eye."


    An unwavering confidence painted the Pope''s countenance as he replied, "Rest assured. There won''t be any problems. We have been making our preparations for this moment for centuries."


    As they spoke, a dim light slowly broke across the horizon; they were reaching Hope Ind.


    A sudden thought entered Charles'' mind. He excused himself from the Pope''spany and made his way to the First Mate''s Quarters.


    Pushing the door open, Charles entered the room to find Bandages holding a novel in his hands and engrossed in its contents.


    "Have you decided? We are reaching soon," Charles asked.


    "I''m still undecidedBut I don''t want Mother to be heartbroken."


    Charles was slightly taken aback by Bandages'' term of address, but he soonposed himself and nodded in understanding, "Understood. Leave it to me; I''ll handle it."


    The docks of Hope Ind bustled with activities and were teeming with a huge crowd. The majority of them were disciples of the Divine Light Order. After all, their esteemed and revered leader, the Pope, was part of the expedition team this time.


    Descending from the giant ship, the Pope, d in his immacte white robes, shed a peaceful smile upon the throng of bald followers.


    The Pope''s voice resonated loud and clear as he announced, "My fellow brothers and sisters! We''ve sessfully located the exit to the Land of Light! The era of the Holy Light God''s return is upon us!"


    The promation ignited the dock with fervor as cheers erupted from the crowd. Some were so overwhelmed by the news to the point of swooning.


    Apart from the religious zealots, the ind''s administration made up the secondrgest group on the dock. Their presence wasn''t about Charles'' personal interest; rather, it was their obligation to demonstrate their stance and fulfill their official duties.


    The smallest group was the sailors'' families.


    Standing at the furthest corner, Elena nervously clutched at her garment, her heart racing as she watched the steamship slowly approach the dock.


    The chaos and buzz around her failed to catch her attention. Her mind was fully consumed with concern for her son, and her worries were evident on her weathered face.


    As sailors began to disembark from the Governor''s ship, Elena pushed through the crowd to get closer. Her eyes scanned each face with a mix of hope and anxiety. Many sailors passed by her, but none of them had the same familiar features as her son.


    "Excuse me, sir, have you seen my son? His name is Weister, and he''s a sailor on this ship." Elena timidly approached a man with a bed of green hair.


    "Oh, Weister! Yes, of course," Feuerbach answered. "You''re his mother, aren''t you? That kid got into a bit of a minor ident, but don''t you worry. He''ll be back home soon."


    "What? An ident? Please tell me w-what happened to my son?" Elena pressed for an answer, her voiceced with anxiety.


    Feuerbach''s responses remained evasive, and he offered anything but the truth.


    Observing from a distance, Bandage sat silently in a car alongside Charles and witnessed the exchange.


    The car started moving and took a different route. Instead of heading straight for the Governor''s Mansion, it drove and stopped in front of Hope Ind''s most renowned cosmetic shop.


    Seated in the passenger seat, Linda stepped out first and led the two men, Charles and Bandages, into the shop.


    Inside, Bandages'' disguise began. Linda swiftly removed the bandages on him and scraped off the fresh moss covering his face. She then skillfully applied foundation to mask the distinctive ck tattoos marring his face.


    Next, they visited the barber shop. Following the portrait Charles had drawn, the barber skillfully trimmed Bandages'' wild hair. Gradually, his hairstyle was shaped to mirror Weister''s hairstyle.


    The final step was clothes, and when the makeover wasplete, a brand new Weister stood in front of them.


    "What do you think?" Charles asked Linda as they both stared at the transformed Bandages before them.


    "Visually, they''re almost identical. But, Captain, even though they''re the same person, their mannerisms and characters are worlds apart." Linda pointed out.


    Charles scratched his head and led the newly minted Bandages out of the shop. "Can''t worry much about that now. We''ll just say that he''s suffering from the aftermath of a head injury."


    The car sped along the straight street until it reached its destination: Weister''s basement home.


    Charles was about to push the car door open when Bandages grabbed his hand. "Wait I seemed to have forgotten something"


    Bandages sat frozen in thought within the car for what seemed like an eternity before he opened the door. "I remember now where it''s hidden"


    Approaching the door of the basement unit, Charles was about to knock when Bandages interrupted him again.


    With a swift motion, Bandages brandished a dagger and sliced the skin at the back of his waist. A small, ck pouch fell out of the skin. Bandages opened it to find a rusty key.


    <em>Click.</em>


    The rusty key managed to open the door of the basement unit.


    Stepping into the room, Charles spotted Elena, Weister''s mother, with tears streaming down her face. She was prostrated on the ground as her pleas to a terrifying-looking statue echoed through the dimly lit room.


    "Please, I''m begging you. Just bring my son back to me; you can take anything from me. I just want my son back!" she eximed while sobbing, and her voice wasced with desperation.


    This poignant moment felt all too familiar to Charles, and a pang of emotions washed over him.


    "Mother" Bandages'' voice broke Elena''s sobbing pleas.


    A tremble coursed through Elena, and her ears perked up at the familiar voice. Visibly shaken, she slowly turned around and saw "Weister" standing between Linda and Charles.


    Afraid that Elena might see through Bandages'' disguise, Charles hurriedly stepped forward and exined, "Madam, during the voyage this time, Weister was unfortunately hit in the head by a gigantic tuna fish, and because of that"


    Before Charles could spin his tale any further, however, Elena rushed forward and pulled Bandages into a tight embrace. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she muttered, "As long as you''re alive as long as you''re back"


    With apparent awkwardness, Bandages raised his arms slowly and wrapped them around his mother, taking into ount the height difference between them.


    "Mother I''m home"

 Chapter 393: Painting

    Chapter 393: Painting


    Witnessing the heartfelt embrace, a subtle twinge of envy shed across Charles'' eyes.


    Charles had no idea which timeline Weister had been sent to at the mercy of 010, and neither did he know what thetter had endured. But judging by Bandages'' current appearance, he concluded that the man had braved countless hardships across centuries, perhaps even millennia.


    Despite the hardship and trials, at least Weister''s perseverance bore fruits. He had managed to return home, so all his sacrifices were worthwhile.


    Charles walked up to the statue before which Elena had been praying so fervently. His eyes gleamed with disdain as he observed its three malevolent eyes.


    "What''s the point of praying to an abomination like you?! Vile trash," Charles muttered under his breath. With a swift, decisive movement, his grip tightened, and the sound of stone cracking filled the air as the statue''s head crumbled to dust in his hand.


    At that moment, the sound of cheerful footsteps echoed from behind him. The footsteps belonged to Weister''s younger siblings, who had returned home from school.


    "Big brother! You''re finally back!"


    "Awesome! We''ve been missing you every single day."


    "Mom was so worried about you! And so were we!" the siblings chimed in one after the other, clinging to Bandages like kos, eagerly seeking a reaction from him.


    Caught in this outpouring of familial affection, Bandages, who typically remained stoic through any crisis, was noticeably bewildered. A rare expression of panic and difort crossed his face for the first time.


    Though these were his kin, he found them unfamiliar over the vast expanse of time. He was unsure how to reciprocate their affection.


    Noticing his first mate''s difort, Charles stepped forward to ease the tension.


    "I promised you a family portrait some time ago. Let''s do it now," Charles said.


    Elena was evidently flustered over the fact that the renowned Governor was going to draw them a family portrait. Despite being hesitant at first, she finally acquiesced after some persuasion from Charles and Linda.


    The family of four changed into their best outfits before standing side by side and posing for Charles.


    The radiant smiles on their faces radiated their joy. Though they were not the wealthiest, at this moment, their happiness surpassed that of many in this seascape.


    Charles took his time for this particr painting, spending almost two hours to perfect his artwork. He was certain that this was his finest creation to date.


    As soon as he unveiled the painting to Elena, tears streamed down her cheeks once again. The portrait featured not just her and her three children but also included another man next to her. He was her husband, Kevin.


    "H-have you really seen him? Is the legend true? Can the mad really see ghosts?" Elena asked, her voice trembling from the emotions that filled her heart.


    Charles paused for a brief second before he nodded slowly. "Yes, I can see spirits. Your husband has never left. He''s been beside you and watching over you all this while. He wants me to tell you that he''s sorry, and he hopes for your forgiveness."


    Elena''s hands quivered as she gripped Bandages'' clothes. "Child, did you hear that? Your father''s spirit has been with us. The reason our lives have been getting bettertely must be because he''s watching over us!"


    Bandages turned toward Charles with a grateful look. He appreciated his captain''s gentle white lie over the harsher truth.


    Charles bade goodbye to Bandages and picked up his canvas. Alongside Linda, they exited the quaint basement unit.


    Stepping onto the bustling streets of Hope Ind, Charles felt a moment of emotion. Bandages'' story hade to a fruitful conclusion, and he hoped his own future would mirror Bandages''.


    Linda looked toward Charles with a hint of envy in her eyes, "Sometimes, a little lie isn''t all bad. But unfortunately, I am incapable of such an act now."


    Charles'' voice wasced with mncholy as he replied, "There''s little I can do to bring her husband back or return her son as he was. This was the least I could do."


    Linda nodded in agreement and suggested, "Captain, I feel that we should help First Mate Bandages adjust to his role and train his mannerisms. Otherwise, his family will notice the difference someday."


    Charles dismissed the idea with a shake of his head. "There''s no need. What happens after will be all up to him. He can decide if he wants to reveal the truth or continue to keep on the facade."


    Shifting the topic, Charles turned to Linda and asked, "What are your ns now that we are back ashore?"


    Linda was startled momentarily. After all, Charles had never been interested in any personal ns of the crew.


    "I''ll be making a trip to the prison to check on the progress of the relic experiment."


    "Don''t overwork yourself. We''ve just ended our expedition, after all. Have a good rest first; it can wait until tomorrow."


    With that, Charles kicked off against the adjacent wall and swiftly jumped from rooftop to rooftop in the direction of the Governor''s Mansion.


    Linda watched Charles'' silhouette disappear into the distance before she turned and headed toward her own apartment. By the time she reached her front door, she was holding a bag of freshly roasted fish.


    She pushed open the door to see a petite man bend over the table, deeply engrossed in writing. It was Salin, the man adopted by the Ropelings.


    "<em>Aaahhhh!</em>" Salin couldn''t contain his excitement upon Linda''s return. Dropping the pen in his hand, he leaped off his chair and affectionately nestled against her.


    The very next moment, Salin was drawn irresistibly by the tantalizing scent of the roasted fish. He excitedly snatched the bag and lost himself in the delight of having his meal.


    Meanwhile, Linda proceeded to her study. She picked up a thick notebook that was filled with Laesto''s notes and started flipping through the pages.


    This notebook was thest gift from her teacher, Laesto, whose depth of knowledge and years of experience far surpassed her own. Linda was acutely aware of the significant gap between their abilities, stemming from years of practice and learning.


    With their recent voyage concluded, she anticipated a lengthy period dedicated to her studies before embarking on another expedition. Her goal was ambitious: to be near her teacher''s level of expertise by the time of their next voyage. Despite the challenge, she was determined to make strides toward this goal.


    Hours slipped by unnoticed, and soon it was close to evening time. The skies outside had also been dimmed out.


    Odd gurgling sounds abruptly emerged from the kitchen. However, Linda merely looked up and took a nce at the door before she returned to her notes.


    <em>Knock, knock.</em>


    A gentle knock sounded at her study door, and a man''s voice announced from outside, "Dinner is ready."


    Linda closed her notebook, rose from her seat and exited the room.


    The dining table was set with a hearty meal: a pot of mushroom chicken soup, several loaves of bread, and a beautifully arranged fruit tter that added a touch of color to the spread.


    "You added too much salt to the soup," Lindamented after drinking a spoonful of it.


    "I''m blind. Aren''t you asking too much of me?" Audric, draped in his ck cloak, said as he hung upside down from the ceiling.


    Linda ignored his remark. She took a bread knife and cut it into several slices before submerging them into the soup in her bowl. Once the pieces were soaked through, she spooned a generous portion of the enriched broth, along with the bread and chicken, into her mouth.


    The spacious living room was filled with only the sounds of her chewing and the steady ticking of the wall clock.


    Audric then broke the peaceful silence, "How''s the First Mate doing?"


    "He''s back home," Linda replied with a sinct answer.

 Chapter 394: Experiment

    Chapter 394: Experiment


    Silence descended upon the room once again. After a while, it was Linda who broke the silence this time, "When will your eyes recover?"


    "Soon. I''ve absorbed enough Blood Essence. My wounds inflicted by the sun are almost half healed."


    "Do you have enough funds? I still have a street I can sell," Linda offered.


    Audric shook his head. "Echoes are somewhat useful for normal vampires. They can use Echoes to buy blood ves from pirates or to enjoy various luxuries on human inds.


    "But once they reach the rank of Count or higher, most of them have little use for money and, by extension, no desire for it. It''s impractical to expect that we can use Echoes to acquire their Blood Essence.


    "I heard that the prison has collected many relics. If there are any special and powerful relics, maybe we can trade them for Blood Essence," Audric suggested.


    Linda nodded in agreement without a hint of hesitation. "Alright, I''ll take you there to have a look tomorrow."


    With a silent swoop, Audrded on the floor. Reaching out his hands with sharp nails, he gently wrapped Linda in an embrace.


    "Don''t worry. Once I reach the next rank, I''ll have the power to turn others. I''ll turn you into a vampire then, and we can retire at Dark Crystal Ind."


    However, Linda firmly declined his proposition. "Now''s not the right time. I need to assist the Captain in finding the Land of Light first. That was a task bestowed upon me by the Sacred Acolyte. It''s also the most important mission of the Divine Light Order."


    A hint of dissatisfaction surfaced on Audrice''s countenance. He felt that he had been sidelined in Linda''s heart due to her faith. "Is the Divine Light Order really that important to you?"


    Hearing the question, Linda ced her utensils down. "We had an agreement. You are not supposed to interfere with my faith, or else"


    "Fine, fine, as you wish," Audric quickly interjected. His scarlet tongue flickered out and lightly grazed Linda''s fair neck.


    Unperturbed, Linda picked up her fork and knife and continued her meal.


    "The Light has baptized me. I can''t backslide now. I can only continue on."


    "Why now? Is there a rule where followers can''t leave the Order?" Audric prodded.


    "There isn''t. Leaving is possible, but those who leave often end up in a dire state. Being all alone and incapable of lying is disadvantageous.


    "As a disciple of the Divine Light Order, others wouldn''t dare take advantage of us. Our honesty doesn''t make us vulnerable," Linda exined.


    Audric remained silent upon hearing Linda''s words. However, he made a secret resolution in his heart that once he attained the rank of Count, he would turn Linda into a vampire.


    Even the lowest rank of vampires possess powerful healing powers. With that, the few nails in her brain could be effortlessly retrieved.


    "I''m done. Your turn to do the dishes," Linda said as she patted her mouth with a napkin. She then stood up and headed toward the study.


    Audric was taken aback momentarily. He then slowly felt around to find the edge of the table and struggled to collect the dishes before awkwardly carrying them all into the kitchen.


    Just then, the sudden knocking at the door startled both Audric and Linda.


    When Linda opened the door with an icy expression, she was greeted by a fish-looking humanoid creature.


    "Dipp? What brings you here?" Linda asked.


    "Let''s talk inside," Dipp answered and self-invited himself into the apartment.


    Upon closing the door, Linda turned around to see Dipp sniffing at the air.


    "Is it something urgent? I''m not fond of hosting a monster with fish scales at this hour of the night," Linda remarked dryly.


    "Why do I smell the scent of blood? Is someone injured?" Dipp asked.


    Linda cast an inadvertent nce toward the kitchen and diverted the topic. "If it''s not something important, let''s talk tomorrow morning."


    Sensing that Linda was trying to chase him out, Dipp hurriedly added, "No, no, no. I came just for one question. I will leave once I''ve gotten the answer. I heard that after Doctor''s death, you are overseeing the human-relic fusion experiments, right? How''s the progress of the project?"


    "I''ve just returned, so I haven''t been briefed on the current status. James was managing things in my absence. Maybe you should check with him," Linda suggested.


    Dipp was about to follow up with another question before he paused with a look of confusion on his face. "Wait, this scent of blood is all too familiar. My senses had been enhanced by 096, just like the Captain''s. I can''t be wrong."


    Dipp repeatedly sniffed the air as he moved toward the kitchen. But just before he could cross the kitchen doorway, Linda quickly intercepted him and pulled him toward the main entrance.


    "You were asking about the relics, right? Let''s go over now, then."


    "Isn''t it a bit toote in the night now?" Dipp questioned.


    "Not at all!" Linda remarked as she scooped up Dipp and tossed him out of the apartment. She then stepped outside and mmed the door shut behind her.


    Seated inside the car, confusion was written all over Dipp''s face as he stared at Linda. He couldn''t understand Linda''s over reaction, and his instincts were sounding to him that she was concealing something. However, he chose not to probe further.


    Enduring the strange awkwardness, the car pulled up before the prison building. During their absence, a newplex had been erected right behind the main prison building, and it was dedicated solely to relic research.


    The main structure of theplex was finished, with construction crews busily working on expansions surrounding it. The openings in the overhead canopy had remained uncovered to allow sunlight to stream through and illuminate the site, where workers diligently put in extra hours to expeditepletion.


    "They''ve already built so much while we were away?" Dipp eximed in surprise.


    "The Governor''s Mansion has allocated additional funding. The Captain ces utmost importance on this project. He believes that these special abilities would be of value to our ind, even more so than the sunlight," Linda replied in a calm monotone.


    Exiting the vehicle, Dipp ced therge hood on his back onto his head to hide his terrifying appearance.


    "Indeed, these abilities would be of much use. Even the bananas that Bandages had modified were bigger in size now. Speaking of Bandages, how''s he doing?"


    Linda had already answered the same question many times throughout the day and didn''t want to repeat it again. She opted to ignore Dipp''s question.


    Soon enough, the two arrived at theboratory. Various monstrous creatures were isted in individual cells and were roaring in agony.


    Dressed in whiteb coats, a group of staff were meticulously documenting their observations, seemingly in search of patterns in the experiments.


    Noticing Linda''s arrival, the head researcher promptly came forward to wee her. It didn''t take long before a stack of documents was presented to Linda. They were marked with predominantly red lines, interspersed with a few blue ones.


    Each red line indicated failure, while a blue line meant sess.


    Although each experimental subject was different, the sess rate had increased significantly. If an individual could hear chanting sounds, the sess rate would be enhanced to 84%. It was a notable increase from earlier experiments under Laesto.


    Taking the documents from Linda, Dipp scanned the contents andmented, "That''s impressive! Then this item would be of use."


    "I have been wanting to ask since just now. Why are you asking about this project in the middle of the night?" Linda snatched the documents back from Dipp.


    A gleam appeared in Dipp''s eyes as he pointed toward his fanged mouth.


    "I really want to try fusing with a relic."

 Chapter 395: Upgrade

    Chapter 395: Upgrade


    Linda resolutely expressed her disagreement, saying, "The project has only ever been done on humans. A Deep Dweller attempting to fuse with a relic is tantamount to suicide."


    "Humans have two arms and two legs, so is there even any difference between us? You also have many avable relics, so just let me choose something. I want to fuse with the strongest relic," Dipp replied.


    Linda could feel that today''s Dipp was a bit different from the usual Dipp.


    "Why do you insist on doing this?" Linda asked.


    Dipp looked down at his webbed hands with a solemn expression and replied, "My abilities haven''t been useful to the Captain during our recent voyage. I want to improve my skills so that I''ll be useful to the Captain.


    "Do you really have to do that?" Linda asked in a voice full of doubt, "We''ve found the exit to the surface, so perhaps we no longer have to go on a voyage."


    Dipp revealed a disdainful expression and said, "Of course, I have to do it. I heard the Captain say that there are billions of people on the surface. What if we have to upy territories above like we do here?


    "What if the surface dwellerse down to seize our ind?"


    Linda was about to reply, but Dipp beat her to the chase, saying, "I can''t wait anymore. Let''s go. I''m not even afraid of death, so why would you be afraid of death in my stead?"


    "Are you sure you don''t want to discuss this with the Captain first?" Linda asked.


    "What else is there for us to discuss? He''s definitely going to disagree," Dipp replied.


    Left with no choice, Linda led Dipp to a warehouse where a huge variety of relics were stored. The relics used in the human-relic fusion experiments were static relics, as living relics would undoubtedly prove troublesome to contain, not to mention using them in experiments.


    "Relics have their own unique and bizarre abilities, and the energy contained within them varies from each other. The bigger that energy, the harder it is to imnt into someone," Linda remarked.


    "I see" Dipp muttered while staring at the written texts on the boxes.


    Linda waited patiently, but Dipp remained indecisive, prompting Linda to speak, asking, "What''s wrong? Are you not sure which ability to choose?"


    "No, that''s not it. I just can''t read some of the characters on this box," Dipp said, frowning.


    Linda was rendered speechless. Eventually, she proceeded to introduce the static relics in the warehouse, and as expected, Dipp chose the most powerful static relic.


    "ording to my calctions, if we were to take into ount your years of experience as a sailor and the energy within this relic, your sess rate is seventy percent. Of course, I didn''t take into ount the fact that you''re a Deep Dweller, which is definitely an unknown variable," Linda said.


    Dipp nodded excitedly while looking down at the blue cube in his hands. "Okay, seventy percent isn''t low. The Captain has absorbed two himself, so I should be able to do this. I''ve written my will, and it''s in my pocket.


    "Don''t forget to give it to the Captain if I end up dying."


    Before long, the furniture in theboratory was removed to uncover an array formation of intricate carvings on the floor. Whenever the researchers needed to carry out a fusion experiment, the guards only needed to fill the engraved patterns with sea salt, significantly streamlining and enhancing the efficiency of the research process.


    <em>"Brothers, are you ready?" </em>Dipp said to his other personas.


    <em>"I''ve been waiting for so long I can''t wait anymore!"</em>


    <em>"Erm... I think we should tell the Captain first"</em>


    <em>"Two to one, objection overruled! Let''s go!" </em>Dipp stabbed himself in the abdomen.


    "You''re supposed to extract the Origin Essence first, you idiot!" Linda eximed. It was chaotic at first, but the experiment was eventually carried out in an orderly, step-by-step manner.


    Linda couldn''t help but feel a bit worried for Dipper sitting still within the formation made out of the Subterranean''s pitch-ck sea salt.


    Just then, Dipp looked up and convulsed as a faint blue glow shed across his body.


    ***


    Anna in her true form twisted her tentacles and dived into the depths of the icy waters of the sea as if she were an octopus. Clusters of green dots flickering left and round surrounded Anna.


    Right as Anna was about to reach the seabed, something stitched together from flesh and blood emerged from the muddy seabed. It opened its huge mouth, which resembled a beak, and attempted to bite Anna.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    However, the clusters of green dots wrapped around the creature, and more than half of the creature''s body vanished into thin air.


    The clusters of green dots turned out to be Sparkle, and she was diligently protecting her mother. Sparkle had grown a lot biggerpared to her previous visit to Hope Ind.


    Anna stroked Sparkle with one of her tentacles before swimming toward the seabed. The two were then ambushed by a variety of monsters beyond human imagination, but they all met horrible fates before Sparkle.


    Anna searched the gloomy and bizarre underwater world for a few hours before finally finding her target. Her target was a pitch-ck creature with a rift on its carapace. The rift seemed to be the abyss, as it was as pitch-ck as the creature, and it seemed capable of sucking in just about anyone daring enough to stare at it.


    Anna''s tentacles twisted rhythmically and rapidly while Sparkle''s green eyes blinked speedily. Together with Anna, Sparkle vanished and reappeared on the back of the colossal tworm. Before the colossal tworm realized what was going on, the pitch-ck rift on its carapace vanished along with half of its carapace.


    Sparkle reappeared to wrap her mother, and when Anna opened her eyes once more, she found herself staring at a familiar scenery. Anna was back at the World''s Crown.


    Anna patted Sparkle''s head, praising her for a job well done before walking over to the carapace on the ground not too far away from her. Despite the bright lights overhead, the rift on the carapace remained pitch-ck; it was impossible to see what was inside the rift.


    Anna stretched out a tentacle and carefully inserted it into the rift. However, Anna failed to reach the bottom of the rift despite inserting the entire tentacle. It seemed like the rift was truly the entrance to an endless abyss.


    Anna retracted the tentacle and decisively inserted herself into the pitch-ck rift.


    Sparkle hovered around the thin carapace, seemingly bewildered by the sudden turn of events.


    "Mommy?"


    Sparkle proceeded to push aside the carapace, only to find a floor stained by the ck liquid oozing out of the carapace, while Anna was nowhere to be found. Just as Sparkle was making a few guesses as to where her mother had gone, a dried-up, pitch-ck tentacle emerged from the rift.


    One, two, and three tentacles crawled out of the rift, followed by Anna herself.


    Sparkle rushed over to her mother, but cracks abruptly appeared all over Anna, and ck liquid oozed out of her from the cracks. The cracks multiplied until only ayer of skin remained, and it floated freely in the suspended ck liquid.


    "Mommy??" Sparkle grabbed the floating patch of skin and shook it gently.


    However, the patch of skin did not respond, remaining limp in Sparkle''s grasp. In no time, the cluster of green eyes filled with glowing tears that fell down like rain upon the floor.


    All of a sudden, a bubble appeared on the puddle of ck liquid on the floor. The bubble did not burst; instead, it multiplied until it filled the entire room. Then, a tentacle burst out of the bubble.


    The tentacle was pitch-ck and withered like an old tree bark, just like Anna''s previous tentacles.


    However, this brand-new tentacle was thicker and longer, while its hollowed parts had been covered with asymmetrical, semi-stic ck scales. Anna also started emitting a certain filthy aura that had never been about her until now.


    Momentster, the tentacles and ck bubbles shrank, revealing Anna with a smug smile.


    "I''ve finally be more than just an ordinary Dioite capable of nothing but manipting minds. I''ve been upgraded, bing an existence on a higher level."

 Chapter 396: Painting

    Chapter 396: Painting


    A paintbrush grazed the drawing board gently as Charles drew the docked ships at the docks. Hope Ind''s exports and imports had stopped, with supplies being stocked up in the warehouses in preparation for the arrival of the Divine Light Order''s fleet. In other words, Charles had nothing to do these days, so he decided to go to the harbor area and draw the docked ships.


    "May I ask where you learned to paint, fellow painter? I''ve never seen that style of painting before, and I''ve visited quite a few inds myself," an elderly voice asked from behind Charles.


    Charles turned and saw an old man missing a front tooth.


    "Oh, it''s you! You''ve asked me to draw you and your wife, so I''m surprised to know that you''re a painter as well," the old painter said, sounding like he was close to Charles.


    Charles instantly remembered the old painter. Indeed, the old painter had drawn a painting of Lily and him. Charles revealed a forced smile and said, "I haven''t really learned how to draw, but I paint only as a hobby, so it''s fine."


    "Oh, is that so? Then, let me teach you how to draw. Your style is pretty unique, but there are a few issues with it. Don''t worry; I was once a professor of the Albion Isles'' University of Arts."


    Charles pondered briefly over something while staring at the veteran old painter before him. Eventually, he agreed to the old painter''s offer. Although he had been using painting to relieve stress, there was no harm for him to grasp an opportunity that would allow him to be a better painter.


    The old painter''s demeanor and tone of voice changed instantly the moment he started teaching Charles, and the sudden change made Charles feel as though he was staring at apletely different person from the amiable old man earlier.


    "The colors here are too intense, and the strokes are too ambiguous. Why do you have so many ambiguous areas? No, no, no, this can''t be fixed. Tear this canvas and do it again!"


    The old painter was strict, but Charles could feel that the other party was qualified enough to judge his painting.


    Charles'' painting skills improved drastically after every failed draft. Charles'' extraordinary hand-eye coordination allowed him to surpass the majority of ordinary painters relying on painting to make a living.


    "Hm, this one looks much better," the old painter remarked, nodding in satisfaction while staring at the painting on the drawing board. Then, he cast an astonished gaze upon Charles, "Your talent for painting is pretty high."


    Charles was about to express his humble gratitude, but the old painter''s expression darkened, saying, "What use is talent these days? It''s getting harder and harder for us painters to make a living."


    Charles was astonished to hear that, and he couldn''t help but ask, "Why do you say so, sir? You''re an excellent painter, so you should be having no issues making a living anywhere you wish."


    The old painter frowned and shook his head. "It''s useless. The photo studios have taken too many customers from us. Photos used to be ck and white, so we still have an edge, as we can draw with colors.


    "However, we''vepletely lost our livelihood since that research institute of the Governor''s Mansion developed a brand-new photosensitive material capable of taking colored photos along with cameras."


    Despite being the Governor, Charles was surprised by the news as well, as it was his first time hearing it.


    "I mean, think about it. By the time we had drawn something on the canvas, the photo studio would have already taken a hundred colored photos. With that in mind, do you really think that we canpete with them?" the old painter asked.


    Charles'' gazended on the blue piece of paper sticking out of the old painter''s chest pocketthe blue piece of paper was none other than a ship ticket, and the sight astonished Charles.


    "Are you going to leave the ind?" Charles asked.


    "Yeah, this ind is developing at breakneck speed; I can''t keep up with it. Look," the old painter replied before pointing in the distance.


    Charles followed the old painter''s finger and saw a factory in the distance. Beyond yellow walls and ck tiles were towering chimneys piercing the canopy overhead.


    "I''ve seen those things on Albion Isles, and I''m sure that it''s only a matter of time before this ind develops a variety of new items. The lives of the people here will soon change drastically as well," the old painter remarked.


    <em>So the industrial revolution is about to begin </em>Charles thought as he observed the distant factory. He hadn''t spent a long time outside the ind, so he was truly surprised to discover the rapid pace of Hope Ind''s development.


    "Isn''t ''change'' a good thing?" Charles asked.


    "It''s a good thing, of course. Development is always better than regression. A great example of that is the cameras. They''re better at painting than painters themselves.


    "Unfortunately, I''m too old to change, and I''d rather die than change," the old painter said as he stroked the drawing board on his back with traces of mncholy on his face. "It will take some time before the new technology from Hope Ind gets spread to other inds. So I would still have some time to make a living in other ces."


    Charles nced at the old painter''s frayed cuffs and patched trousers before saying, "Sir, you mentioned that you were once a professor of the Albion Isles'' University of Arts, right?"


    "Yes, but that was a long time ago. Governor Swann wanted the citizens of Albion Isles to grow fond of the powerful steam and machinery rather than art, so he stole the University of Arts from us and transformed it into the University of Steam Engineering.


    "I still remember taking my students with me to protest at the Governor''s Mansion at the time."


    The old painter smiled bitterly before continuing, "Everything is gone now; the entire ind is gone, and the Governor is gone. I guess it''s also only a matter of time before I go as well."


    When the old painter''s words fell, he turned around and started walking toward the pier. For some reason, the old painter''s back seemed lonesome in Charles'' eyes.


    "I heard that Hope Ind''s academy is expanding, and they''re apparently looking for an experienced teacher of arts. I think you should try it out," Charles suddenly said.


    The old painter came to a halt and looked back with confusion evident on his wizened face. "Really? I''ve been there before, but I heard they had no subjects rted to arts."


    "You should go there and take another look. Perhaps they have subjects rted to arts by now," Charles replied.


    The old painter looked dubious. He had already bought his ticket, but Charles looked so confident that he didn''t appear to be lying at all.


    Just then, the crisp ringing of a bicycle bell echoed nearby. The old painter and Charles turned to find a mail carrier d in a green uniform staring at them.


    Charles instantly recognized the mail carrier, as he was none other than his First Mate Bandages.


    "What''s up with that get-up?" Charles asked.


    "Mother wants me to deliver letters, so I deliver letters," Bandages muttered.


    Charles noticed something odd just then. He stepped forward, rubbed Bandages'' face, and was astonished to find that Bandages wasn''t wearing any foundation.


    "Those tattoos are gone? How did you remove them?" Charles asked in great surprise.


    "Simple I just peeled off my face" Bandages replied.


    Charles nodded in approval and remarked, "Indeed, your healing ability is incredibly strong, so that is indeed a great method. Anyway, did you memorize the tattooed texts before you threw it away?"


    "I found someone to tan the skin I decided to keep it," Bandages replied before taking out his old face and presenting it to Charles.


    Charles examined the skin and was pleasantly surprised. "They did an excellent job."


    "Yes, he''s a great tanner he''s great at tanning shark skin"

 Chapter 397: Arrival

    Chapter 397: Arrival


    Charles returned Bandages'' old skin and said, "Since you''ve already be a mail carrier, are you still going to return to the Narwhale?"


    "I want to return, but Mother doesn''t want me toe back I''ll think about it some more," Bandages replied.


    Charles felt a bit disappointed by Bandages'' reply, but he revealed a cid smile and said, "Do as you wish. I will respect your decision. The Narwhale has seen a few batches of crew members. Some chose to retire, while some lost their lives at sea; every position had seen a new person.


    "I guess it''s finally your turn nowyour turn to retire as the First Mate of the Narwhale."


    Bandages smiled stiffly and muttered, "I''ll deliver these letters, then"


    "Telegraphs have already be widespread, so why are people still using letters tomunicate with each other?" Charles asked.


    "Telegrams are charged by word count, so it''s expensive," Bandages replied. Then, he pedaled toward the central district. The bags full of letters attached to his seat fluttered amidst the breeze.


    Charles nodded in realization just then. <em>It''s true. You can write as many words in a letter as you want, and the postage is still going to be much cheaper than the fees associated with using a telegram machine.</em>


    Bandages soon vanished from Charles'' sight, prompting him to turn toward the old painter next to him. However, the old painter had disappeared and was on all fours, vomiting onto the seat right near the dock''s edge.


    "Are you okay, sir?" Charles asked, walking up to the old painter. He wanted to help the old painter up, but thetter rushed up and staggered backward in fear.


    The conversation between the young man and the mail carrier had scared the old painter out of his wits. He wanted nothing to do with people capable of peeling off their own skins and tanning them to keep.


    The old painter initially thought that the young man was just an ordinary painter like himself, but the old painter wasn''t so sure anymore. However, the young man definitely had an unusual identity.


    "You should visit the academy and ask the staff there if they''re looking for professors," Charles said sincerely. He truly didn''t want to see such a skilled painter wandering around like a vagrant.


    Just then, the old painter stood up straight and threatened in a trembling voice, "I-I''m telling youd-don''t you dare try to trick me! Hope Ind''sws are very strict, and if the police catch you, they''ll definitely throw you in jail!"


    The old painter was clearly not going to listen to Charles'' words, so Charles simply decided toy all of his cards on the table, saying, "I''ll be direct with you, then. I''m the Governor of Hope Ind."


    "Oh, okay, okay. If you are, then you are. Can I leave now?" the old painter nodded repeatedly, pretending that he believed Charles'' words.


    Charles revealed a look of hopelessness and asked, "What do I have to do for you to believe me?"


    "I heard that the Governor of Hope Ind has a mischief of mice. Can you summon a mischief of mice for me?" the old painter asked, sounding hesitant.


    Charles immediately put two fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply. Momentster, arge mischief of mice emerged from the dark corners of the dock area and surrounded Charles.


    At the incredible sight, the old painter finally believed that Charles was the Governor of Hope Ind. However, the old painter red at Charles with trembling eyes rather than agree with Charles'' earlier proposal.


    "Governor, I have a burning question I would like to ask you. Can you enlighten me?" the old painter asked.


    Charles waved his hand, dismissing the mischief of mice, before saying, "Ask away."


    "Many people have said that the Fhtagn Covenant caused the Albion Isles'' destruction, but I don''t believe that at all, so I want to ask whether any of the governors were involved in Albion Isles'' destruction."


    "Yes, I was involved."


    "Why?!" the old painter eximed. Agony marred his face instantly as he red at Charles and roared, "Why did you destroy the ind?! My students and millions of people are all gone! They''re all gone, and I''ve lost my home, too!"


    "Have you ever thought about how many lives Swann had ended up reaping to upy other inds? Among those who perished beneath Swann''s rampage, how many do you think were children? How many do you think were other people''s students?" Charles asked calmly.


    The old painter stood frozen, speechless and dumbfounded.


    "I have no issues with a governor conquering an ind, as it is only natural for governors to conquer other inds, but Swann had done more than just that. He was the first ever individual in the history of the Subterranean Sea to have sacrificed an entire ind to a Divinity. He''s a traitor to mankind!"


    The old painter''s eyes gleamed in shock. "Are you saying that Governor Swann was the sole culprit behind the Albion Isles'' destruction?"


    "Governors conquer inds for the sake of the resources on those inds. A barren ind is useless to us governors, so there''s absolutely no way that any of us is the culprit behind it," Charles exined.


    Technically, Charles wasn''t "involved," as he only visited the Albion Isles tomission a submarine. It would be more urate to say that Charles had ended up getting involved.


    The old painter stared nkly at the ground with eyes full of disbelief. It turned out that neither the Fhtagn Covenant nor a conspiracy of the governors had destroyed the Albion Isles. The culprit was the Governor of the Albion Isles himself. The old painter found it a bit too difficult to ept such a harsh reality.


    "You can leave if you still want to. Your ship has yet to leave, and you''ve already bought a ticket. However, if you want children to know that the world doesn''t just revolve around machinery and steam, then our academy''s doors are always open," Charles said while folding up his drawing board.


    Charles was about to leave with his drawing board when he heard loud noises from the docks behind him. Charles turned around, and his jaw fell to the ground immediately afterward in shock.


    The dome overhead had been blotted out by the massive yellow gas bags of the Divine Light Order''s colossal airships. Eight massive, golden ships were also sailing beneath the airships.


    If the Pope hadn''t told Charles that he would mobilize such a massive fleet in advance, Charles would have thought that the Pope was about to invade and conquer Hope Ind.


    "I still have many things to handle, so you should decide for yourself," Charles said to the old painter before jumping onto the water and running toward the magnificent fleet in the distance.


    ***


    Chief James alighted from the car door after it was opened for him by the driver. A hard day''s work had just ended, but despite the exhaustion, Chief James still couldn''t help but smile upon pushing the door open and seeing his wife Mosa.


    "I saw so many police officers earlier at the docks, so I''m sure you must be exhausted today," Mosa said upon approaching her husband. The pair then chatted as they walked toward avishly decorated room.


    The visibly exhausted James shook his head and replied, "I''m fine. It was a bit chaotic at first, but everything ended up being okay. The airships and ships of the Divine Light Order have left full of supplies."


    "They''re allies of the Governor, right?" Why are you so wary of them, then?" Mosa asked.


    "Their fleet is so massive, so it''s better to err on the side of caution. Honestly, if it hadn''t been for the Governor''s order, I wouldn''t have allowed such a massive fleet to approach Hope Ind," James replied.


    The couple soon reached the living room while chatting, and Mosa thoughtfully took off James'' coat for him.


    "You haven''t eaten, have you? I cooked some food for you. Tell me if you need seconds," Mosa said.


    James didn''t stand on ceremony and ate with relish using a knife and a fork. He had been too busy to eat today, so he was starving.

 Chapter 398: Relic Research Institute

    Chapter 398: Relic Research Institute


    "Has Nini fallen asleep?" James asked Mosa after swallowing a chunk of the tender beef tenderloin in his mouth.


    "She slept early today. She was going to wait for you toe back home, but she ended up falling asleep on her chair. She looks so cute asleep," Mosa replied.


    James smiled upon imagining the scene that Mosa had described to him.


    "You must be exhausted working hard by yourself here at home, Honey," James said as he cast a gaze full of tenderness upon Mossa, which seemed to betray the character he was portraying, which was a stern, burly man.


    Mosa shook her head and replied, "I''m not exhausted at all. I will never find my work here exhausting so long as youe back home safe at the end of the day. By the way, Father wants us to have a family dinner this weekend. Will you have time for it?"


    James nodded after taking a sip of the soup with a spoon. "Yeah, there should be no issues. I don''t think my workload is going to be that heavy from now on. That brat Dipp has returned as well, and we share workloads."


    Mosa rested her cheek on one hand and tilted her head, seemingly starstruck, while staring at James eating with relish.


    "Looking back to when you proposed to me, I find it really funny how stubborn my father was at the time. He was afraid that you''d end up dying at sea and that I''d end up being a young widow.


    "He hasn''t really expressed it, but I''m his daughter, so I know that he''s really happy to have you as his son-inw. You''re one of Hope Ind''s Police Chiefs, after all," Mosa said.


    James recalled something just then. He reached into his pocket and took out a small box before handing it over to his wife.


    "What''s inside of that box is created by Hope Ind''s research institute, and it looks pretty, so I decided to get one for you," James exined.


    The small box contained a transparent pendant in the shape of a water drop. The shocking part was that rather than jewelry, the pendant was a drop of water with a tiny jellyfish swimming inside of it while emitting a green glow.


    "Wow, this is so beautiful. How did they make this?"


    "It was made by someone who had just obtained a special ability upon fusing with a relic. She obtained the ability to fuse a variety of tiny objects into other objects. It''s not exactly a useful ability, so I thought it was useless.


    "However, someone suggested that she make luxury essories to earn money for Hope Ind. The ne in your hand is a part of the first batch of the goods she had made with her ability.


    "I''m not sure if everyone will like them, but anyway, hurry up and put it on. It''s definitely going to look great on you," James suggested.


    "You''ve been so busy today that you even forgot to eat, but you still managed to bring me a gift. You really don''t know your priorities, eh?" Mosa said, but her delighted expression betrayed her words. Clearly, she was happy with the gift.


    James let go of the knife and fork before cing his big hand on Mosa''s tiny hand, saying, "You know my top priority has always been to make my honey happy."


    Mosa avoided James'' ardent eyes. "Hurry up and finish your meal. I''m really surprised that you''ve learned to be such a smooth talker. You used to be clueless like a dense block of wood."


    Mosa wanted to retract her hand, but James'' grip tightened. "Mosa, let''s have another baby."


    "Okay"


    Just as the heartwarming scene was about to be fiery, a series of urgent knocks echoed on the door, dousing a bucket of cold water upon the couple.


    "Chief! There''s chaos at the prison. The guys from District 3 and District 4 are already on their way!"


    James'' expression instantly became solemn at the report. Then, he stood up and rushed to pick up his coat on the hanger before walking briskly toward the door. "Sorry, Honey. I''m going home as soon as I''m done."


    "It''s okay. Go ahead and stay safe," Mosa replied.


    James immediately got into the car, and the car sped down the empty road toward Hope Ind''s prison.


    "What happened?" James asked the driver.


    "Someone who had just fused with a relic somehow managed to control the failures in the research institute. Thetest news I heard was that they were rushing to the docks. I think they''re trying to hijack a ship to leave Hope Ind."


    James opened apartment in the car and took out the Purple Pyramid that Charles had handed over to him long ago. It didn''t take long for James to arrive on the scene, and he saw a pile of deformed corpses lying in a pool of blood.


    James turned and saw Dipp chatting with his hot but fiery-tempered subordinate while squatting on top of a car.


    "Dipp! Where''s the culprit?!"


    "He''s dead. I killed him. You can''t me me. I was going to capture him alive, but he struggled too hard," Dipp said while juggling a sharp knife between his webbed fingers.


    James sighed in relief. It was a good thing that the issue was resolved before the chaos reached the residential areas of Hope Ind. If that had happened, many people would have died in the resulting chaos.


    Soon, the police officers arrived on the scene and started cleaning up the scene. It was night, but the pile of deformed corpses would inevitably create a big fuss if a civilian were to see it.


    James started instructing the police officers to wrap up the matter, and he soon found a familiar figure rapidly approaching the site from afar.


    "What happened? The mice reported a lot of movement here," Charles asked.


    "The issue has been settled, Captain. Fortunately, there aren''t that many casualties and the damage is minimal," James replied.


    Charles sighed in relief at James'' report. "The police responded pretty quickly."


    "Well, the credit doesn''t belong to us at all. The majority of the credit actually belongs to Dipp. He" James trailed off and turned around but was surprised to find nothingDipp had inexplicably disappeared from the car roof. "Huh? Where did he go? He was just there."


    Charles looked around but failed to find his boatswain. "Forget about him. Just hurry up and wrap this thing up. We wouldn''t want anyone else to know about what just happened here."


    James'' expression changed at Charles'' remark. He seemed hesitant about something but eventually expressed it, saying, "Captain, I''m afraid we can no longer hide what we''re doing here. After all, our research institute has been openly recruiting people for the construction.


    "I think anyone with eyes can see what''s going on."


    Charles turned to look at the cluster of half-built buildings in the distance. He then seemed to have fallen into deep contemtion and emerged from it after having made up his mind. "If that''s the case, then let''s stop hiding it. I doubt anyone is still daring enough to make a move against us, anyway.


    "However, we should increase the security at the research institute to make sure that this incident won''t happen ever again."


    "Yes, don''t worry about it, Captain. I''ll make sure that it will be done," James replied. Then, he stared at Charles with a solemn expression before saying, "I think that we should increase the allocated budget for the Relic Research Institute, Captain."


    Charles cast a surprised gaze upon James before replying. James'' reaction was a bit too serious for Charles to ignore. "Do you really think that''s necessary at this point?"


    "It is necessary, Governor. The recent sessful experiments have produced Ascendants exceeding our imaginations," someone said behind Charles.


    Charles turned around and found Hope Ind''s Minister of Administration, Leonardo.


    "Type-3 Steel has begun production in our factories. It''s lighter and stronger than any other steel in the market. Ships made from Type-3 steel are inevitably lighter and faster, while cannon barrels made out of it are capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, which will allow them to fire more powerful projectiles.


    "Type-3 Steel is just one of the items we managed to develop, all thanks to the efforts of our research institute. Please follow me, Governor. I''ll show you the incredible products that we''ve found from the treasure chest you''ve given to us," Leonardo said.

 Chapter 399: Central Hub

    Chapter 399: Central Hub


    In the Relic Research Institute of Hope Ind, Charles was surrounded by a cohort as he was led through the highly secure facility.


    The group included Minister of Administration Leonardo, Police Chief James, and several head researchers in the institute.


    James had handpicked these leaders from the ranks of the police and the navy. The main criteria hadn''t been their capabilities but rather their loyalty.


    Under their guidance, Charles was brought into a massive room where tables were strategically spaced apart. On each table, a different item was disyed and encased within thick ss barriers. Charles immediately recognized these as the incredible products Leonardo had mentioned earlier.


    Leonardo highlighted a particr material, saying, "This substance was extracted from soil by Ascendant No. 9. Yield is low, but it has many uses. It is lighter than iron and steel yet surpasses both in hardness and exhibits superior resistance to corrosion. The Type-3 Steel I mentioned earlier is a metal alloy made from this substance."


    Leonardo then presented a gleaming silver metal block to Charles and added, "Moreover, after grinding this metal to fine powder, it serves as an exceptional fuel source. It''s quite remarkable!"


    As Charles examined the metal block in his hand, he rifled through his memory as he tried to match it with elements from the periodic table he had long forgotten.


    <em>Extracted from soil, lighter than iron, higher resistance to corrosion, usable as fuel in power formThat sounds like titanium. I remember that titanium powder is mmable. But my chemistry knowledge is limited; I could be wrong.</em>


    The unique metal properties of the block in Charles'' hand made it difficult for him to ascertain whether this metal was exclusive to the seascape or existed in the surface world as well.


    "Let''s not limit this substance to weaponry. Experiment with it and explore its potential across various sectors and see how it could be applied."


    Being from modern times, Charles clearly recognized the significance of discovering a new metal element.


    Charles looked up and surveyed the assortment of items on disy. They ranged from solid and liquid forms to even living specimens. For example, there was a dog with two brains stitched together.


    As Leonardo exined each item one after another, Charles'' excitement grew. These innovations signaled the dawn of new technologies and inventions poised for swift integration into industrial processes, promising a substantial uplift in Hope Ind''s economic strength as well as military capabilities.


    Beyond their direct functionality, the mere existence of these items could spur a leap in technological progress.


    Without prior knowledge of iron, humans would never be able to craft a dagger out of thin air. However, with a tangible example ced before them, they could create one faster as replication was easier.


    Charles felt that the discovery of these substances could propel the entire subterranean human civilization beyond the limitations of the Second Industrial Revolution to reach a new era.


    Perhaps the development might heavily diverge from the surface world''s electrification era and possibly steer the subterranean technology toward a magic-infused era.


    Just then, thoughts of the now-defunct Foundation entered his mind. He realized the parallels between Hope Ind''s direction and the path once trodden by the Foundation.


    <em>How does what I''m doing different from what the Foundation has done?</em>


    <em>No It''s different. The Foundation''s downfall was due to their insatiable desire for the Divinities'' power. My actions, however, are motivated by human curiosity and the pursuit of exploration.</em>


    Charles knew that it was too far-fetched to dwell on these matters, so he decided to focus on the immediate opportunities presented by these substances.


    This was the perfect opportunity to amplify his own strength significantly. Unlike other governors, Charles had no desire for territorial conquest. The only reason he wanted to strengthen himself was to bnce the power dynamics with the Pope''s Divine Light Order.


    Despite their current alliance, there was a stark power imbnce. If the Order turned against him, he wouldn''t be able to even put up a fight.


    The Pope''s unpredictable nature and peculiarities had always been a constant concern for Charles and reminded him of the need to remain cautious.


    Thinking back on the massive resources revealed by the Divine Light Order earlier in the day, Charles turned his gaze back onto the array of items before him. A thought entered his mindthere was finally hope in standing up against them.


    Staring at the fluorescent jellyfish pendant in his hand, Charles knew he wouldn''t have much use for it. However, his contemporary insight allowed him to see its potential beyond the realm of luxury goods.


    "Is the ability to encase a living entity within a confined space? We shouldn''t limit this ability to crafting high-end luxury items. I think it has great potential in the medical field."


    "If the Ascendant can ce something in, then surely removing it shouldn''t be of much difficulty. Consider the implications forplicated pregnancies; the fetus could be safely extracted without endangering the mother. If this can be done, we might be able to eradicate maternal mortality on Hope Ind due to childbirthplications.


    "Simrly, when ites to various internal blockages and foreign bodies that typically necessitate surgical intervention, the Ascendant could simply extract them directly."


    The eyes of the middle-aged man standing next to Charles lit up in enlightenment as he eagerly nodded. "Governor, you have such great insight. I truly am not as smart as you to have overlooked such potential applications."


    A trace of annoyance shed across Charles'' eyes before he shifted his attention to the other innovations.


    The man was clearly caught off guard by Charles'' reaction and stood frozen in the spot. Leonardo nudged him and advised, "Go straight to the point. Don''t do mere ttery. Our Governor prefers substance over empty praise."


    Leveraging his contemporary insights, Charles studied the detailed profiles of the various Ascendants. He felt like he had finally gained his "golden finger" after crossing over to this world. However, he was still apprehensive over the potential consequences of utilizing these individuals.


    "Would these Ascendants obedientlyply with our orders?" Charles asked as he eyed the disyed items.


    "That''s not possible. In the first ce, they''re all convicts on death row, sentenced for their major crimes. However, our prison guards will keep them in check. It is a concession on our part that they are still alive to this day," James rified from the side.


    "Devise a system to manage them effectively without causing too much bacsh. They''re tools for our use, but even tools require careful handling and maintenance," Charles instructed.


    Leonardo nodded in agreement. "Indeed. But Governor, regardless of our stance toward these convicts, there''s no doubt that the Relic Research Institute is critical to our ind''s future."


    Charles concurred with the sentiment with a nod. "I know. This facility will be the central hub for technological advancement on Hope Ind. I will get Bandages and Feuerbach to send more of our Navy soldiers over to safeguard the area."


    Just as they were discussing the details, an unexpected news interrupted them.


    "Governor! A few animated ships from Elizarles Shores had just docked!"

 Chapter 400: Mutual

    Chapter 400: Mutual


    Time trickled away; as sunlight streamed through the gaps in the canopy, Hope Ind weed a brand new day. The inders started on their busy day, oblivious to the events of the previous night.


    In the Governor''s Mansion, Charles stood under a sun umbre erected on his room''s balcony. d in white pajamas, he stood beside Elizabeth as they surveyed the ind beneath them.


    Elizabeth let out a yawnzily before she took a sip of coffee from her white porcin cup. "Charles, has the night passed already? How quickly time flies."


    "Is there any particr reason behind your visit?" Charles turned his gaze on Elizabeth. The towering giantess had a yful smile on her lips.


    "I missed you," Elizabeth cooed softly as she gently rested her head on Charles'' shoulder.


    A gentle chuckle escaped Charles'' lips as he raised his right hand to run his fingers gently through Elizabeth''s slightly curled, bright white hair.


    "Elizarles Shores is quite a distance away. Did you travel all the way here just because of that?"


    In response to Charles'' question, Elizabeth took another sip of coffee before she wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck and pressed her rosy lips onto his, feeding him the warm coffee.


    "Can''t I do that? I doubt Anna would put in as much effort as I do. She probably finds it a hassle and doesn''t want toe here, does she?" Elizabeth said.


    Charles savored the sweetness of the coffee on his tongue before swallowing it. "You''ve been up all night, aren''t you exhausted? Do you want to sleep a little more?"


    "I''m not tired. On the contrary, I feel pretty alive," Elizabeth said, her eyes sparkling with unmistakable affection.


    Just as Charles found himself at a loss for words, Elizabeth''s expression suddenly softened. She reached out a hand and gently caressed Charles'' new eyes, which had be markedly different from his previous eyes.


    "I heard that you became blind. Are these your new eyes?"


    Recalling the events that he had gone through, Charles'' gaze deepened with a mixture ofplicated emotions. "They are all matters of the past. They aren''t that significant nowpared to everything that has happened recently."


    "Why? Did something happen?" Elizabeth asked in surprise.


    "Nothing to be concerned about. It''s merely some matters concerning the crew," Charles responded as he turned his gaze onto the lively street underneath the balcony.


    Sensing Charles'' reluctance to delve further into the topic, Elizabeth understandingly changed the conversation topic. "How''s your progress in locating the exit to the surface world?"


    "We found it. The Pope from the Divine Light Order is gathering his followers to breach that door," Charles shared in a calm tone.


    "But why don''t you seem that happy? I thought you would have been more excited over the news," Elizabeth remarked in surprise as she gracefully brushed a silver lock behind her ear.


    Charles took out his phone and leaned his elbows against the balcony railing. As he rapidly swiped through the photo gallery, he scanned the photos within. The once-blurred memories in his mind started toe into sharper focus.


    "To be honest, I''ve gained many things that I care about in this seascape, so much so that I feel that I should cherish these things more than my desire for home."


    "Then why are you still looking for the surface exit? Can''t we just live out the rest of our lives together down here?" Elizabeth asked as she rested her head on Charles'' shoulder once again.


    "But I can''t resign myself to giving in just like this. The sea has taken away too much from me. I''ve sacrificed so much and spent almost twelve years in pursuit of this goal. I just want to go up and take a look, even if it''s just one nce. Moreover"Charles trailed off and paused for a brief moment before continuing"I want to try and see if I can reim what the seascape has taken away from me."


    "The things that surround us daily often go unnoticed until we lose them. It''s only then that we realize their true importance and value."


    Elizabeth''s eyes widened in surprise. Though they had known each other for a long time now, she had never expected such words toe from Charles'' mouth.


    "What is it? If you lost something, you can just buy a new one," Elizabeth suggested.


    "Let''s not dwell on this anymore. Since you''re energized, why not get ready? I want to bring you somewhere to see new things that you''ve never seen before. It''s also relevant to the future coboration between our inds," Charles said as he stepped into the bedroom.


    Just as he shed his pajamas, he felt Elizabeth pressing against him from the back.


    "Am I one of those people you care about in this seascape?" Elizabeth asked.


    "Without a doubt. It''s not just you, but all of your wives as well," Charles responded to lighten the previously somber mood.


    "I just can''t help it. Those women are so adorable. You have Anna, too; surely you can empathize with my feelings, can''t you?"


    Charles chose not to respond. He wrapped his arms around Elizabeth and sealed her lips with a gentle kiss. Their nned outing was then postponed.


    In the following days, Charles lived out afortable time. Yet, for some reason, he couldn''t shake off the feeling that Elizabeth''s affection was somewhat excessive.


    If not for the fact that he was certain that Elizabeth wouldn''t feast on humans like Anna, he would have thought that she was going to devour him whole.


    "Don''t you ever miss your lovely wives?" Charles asked as they strolled down the bustling streets of Hope Ind with their arms intertwined. He couldn''t understand women''s obsession with shopping, especially considering the limited clothing options for someone of Elizabeth''s stature.


    Standing at two meters tall, and coupled with her bed of white hair and the purple rose eye mask over an eye, Elizabeth was a striking presence wherever she went; of course, she drew the inders'' curious gazes, too.


    "It''s fine. I can see them anytime when I''m back on my ind, but it''s not the same with you. Look over there," Elizabeth remarked, pointing ahead with her index finger tipped with dark red nail polish. Charles'' gaze followed her finger andnded on a sunlit hill where light filtered through the canopy overhead.


    The hill was adorned with lush greenery and a single short tree. While such scenery wasmon on Hope Ind, they appeared exotic and mesmerizing to Elizabeth.


    "It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" Elizabethmented as she admired the view. "Sceneries like this are unique to your ind. They would never appear on other inds."


    As they watched the tree''s leaves flutter in the breeze, Charles muttered under his breath, "Scenes like this are even more plentiful on the surface worldin far greater abundance than the amount of water in the subterranean sea."


    Just then, a young boy looking around seven or eight years old entered their field of vision. He clutched a small bucket in one hand and wielded arge umbre in the other as he made his way toward the sunlit area.


    Charles acted swiftly and rushed forward to intercept him. "Are you seeking death? You sure have the guts to venture into the sunlight."


    However, the boy with two missing front teeth remained unfazed. He raised the umbre in his hand slightly and responded, "I''ve got this."


    "What do you have in that bucket? And why are you heading over there?" Charles asked.


    "It''s manure! The banana trees grow faster after absorbing nutrients from the manure! That tree over there is mine!"<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    We have finally hit Chapter 400! Thank you for sticking with me all this while and the love and support you''ve shown to the novel! It''s starting to get really exciting!</blockquote>

 Chapter 401: The Past

    Chapter 401: The Past


    Charles and Elizabeth watched as the boy ran back under the sun with his umbre up high. The boy proceeded to dump the contents of the small bucket in his hand onto the banana tree before him.


    The boy then took out a small rag that he had squeezed between his armpits and tiptoed to wipe the leaves of the banana tree carefully. He wasn''t exactly doing a great job, but he was careful not to harm the leaves.


    Charles'' keen hearing picked up the boy''s muttering as he wiped the banana tree leaves.


    "Grow up big and quickly. The bananas you''ll produce once you''ve grown up are all mine, okay? No one else is allowed to take away the bananas that you will produce.


    "I''ll bring manure for you every day. My poop will be yours, too.


    "Remember, I nted you, so your bananas are mine. I even carved my name on your trunk."


    Charles suddenly felt his ear grow warm as a maic, tantalizing voice pierced it.


    "A cute sight, isn''t it? Kids can be noisy at times, but they can be pretty adorable, too. What do you think? Do you want one?"


    Elizabeth''s words reminded Charles of Sparkle, and he couldn''t help but chuckle, replying, "I''m afraid my child will not be like that boy."


    Dissatisfaction fleeted across Elizabeth''s eyes as she made a sidelong nce at the boy in the distance and muttered, "He''s just like me when I was young."


    "Really?" Charles said, turning to Elizabeth. "What were you like when you were young?"


    Elizabethzily stretched her towering figure, allowing Charles aplete view of her gorgeous, seemingly wless figure.


    "I was a tyrant of one of Coral Archipgo''s harbor districts. I remember being around 1.8 meters tall when I was just 10 years old. I was so tall and strong that none of the kids from the other districts could defeat me."


    Charles revealed an amused smile. It was his first time hearing Elizabeth talk about her past.


    "Can you tell me more about your past? I''m talking about what you''ve experienced before we met," Charles asked.


    Elizabeth pulled Charles along as she replied, "Captains of exploration vessels all had the same experience growing up. All of us started thinking like we''re unique and that we''re the chosen one, but in the end, we were just as mediocre as everyone else."


    "Why did you choose to be a governor?" Charles asked.


    "It''s all because of prejudice. Everyone''s prejudiced against us, and I don''t like that at all," Elizabeth said, and her amber eyes revealed a reminiscing light. "My grandfather is 3 meters tall, my father is 2.5 meters tall, while I''m 2 meters tall"


    Charles didn''t say anything and chose to listen quietly as Elizabeth continued, "It is obvious, but no matter where we went, we attracted a lot of attention. My hobbies are quite <em>special</em> as well, so everyone thinks of us as freaks.


    "They dared not to say it in front of us, but I could see it in their gazes. Those gazesI absolutely abhor those gazes.


    "I was young, so I was pretty ambitious at the time. I dreamed of having my own ind one day, and then I''d ouw any kind of prejudice against my family by then.


    "As such, my friends and I pitched in money to buy a ship. There were more than ten of us at the time, and every single one of us had our own dream. We then swore that if one of us were to be a governor somehow, they would fulfill everyone else''s wishes."


    Elizabeth smiled, seemingly recalling delightful memories. Then, she continued, "I still remember the time when we stood on a table with one foot on the bar counter, making that promise under the mockingughter of the drunkards around us. How naive and innocent we wereah, those were such good times. It has been ten years since then; time really flies."


    The cogs in Charles'' mind turned as he said, "Your crew at the moment are the friends you made at the time?"


    "No, at the time, I was the tallest and the strongest among us, so I was the boatswain. I eventually became the Captain as my friends died one by one.


    "I thought I''d suffer the same fate as themdying at sea. However, I guess you can say that a happy ending exists. I managed to fulfill my friends'' wishes, all thanks to Elizarles Shores."


    Charles stared calmly at Elizabeth''s side profile. He truly didn''t expect that she had such a past. Before Charles could offer words offort, however, Elizabeth''s eyes abruptly lit up. She walked into the hair salon nearby and chatted with a nose-ringed hairdresser.


    Charles instantly realized what she wanted to do. A wooden ckboard stood outside the hair salon, and there were a few lines written on the board in the script of the Subterranean Seascape.


    <em>Grand Opening Promo! Hair-curling Services: 260 Echo per head!</em>


    Elizabeth soon found herself sitting on a swivel chair, and her bed of bright white hair was soon drenched with an unknown ck liquid. The female hairdresser carefully curled Elizabeth''s hair with a red-hot iron rod.


    "My hair has never really looked curly enough for me. This is really great. I''m surprised to know that the hair salon on this ind actually offers such a service," Elizabeth said while staring at the hairdresser''s reflection in the mirror.


    "I appreciate the kind words, Miss. The coating I''m using on your hair is actually unique to Hope Ind. It''s a liquid often used as a dyeing agent for photos, but my teacher discovered that it can be used as a hair-curling solution as well.


    "It''s actually better than what we''ve been using before, which is sugar water and a few other raw materials."


    Charles'' nose twitched upon getting a whiff of the burnt hair in the air. Then, he sat down and picked up a newspaper to read. <em>I think I got a bit too worried. It seems that those capable of making a livelihood out of the sea have long be indifferent to such emotions. Elizabeth''s recovery couldn''t have been even faster.</em>


    A certain page in the newspaper caught Charles'' eyes.


    <em>The operational halt at the docks has caused massive losses to manualborers and porters making a livelihood off of the docks. Two robbery cases have already been recorded in the harbor district. Four criminals have been arrested in rtion to the robbery cases, and the victims were deemed emotionally stable.</em>


    <em>Shocking news! The brain-eating phantom has reappeared! Our famous Hope Ind coupleMr. Rolf and Ms. Annehave unfortunately fallen victim and passed away. We urge inders to refrain from going out too frequently these days.</em>


    Charles looked up just then, sensing a gaze directed toward him from outside. He saw several police cars passing by the hair salon. The unique emblem of Hope Ind''s Police Departmentthree arrows pointing inward painted with a unique ck paintwas on the cars, telling Charles that they were definitely police cars.


    "Boss, you cane out now. The Governor didn''t see you," Aliya said to Dipp curled up just in front of the car seat.


    Dipp quickly straightened himself and got back in his seat. He sighed lightly and said, "Howe the Captain is here on Second Street? He wasn''t supposed to be here."


    "Why are you even hiding from him?


    "I''m suspecting that he already knows that I''ve fused with a relic. He''s definitely going to scold me once he sees me, and he might even outright ban me from boarding the Narwhale!" Dipp replied. Then, he stuck his head out of the car window and stared at the hair salon.


    Seeing that Charles hadn''te out of the hair salon, Dipp sat upright once more and sighed in relief.


    "Boss, who was that woman with the Governor?" Aliya asked before lighting a cigarette and taking a gentle puff of it.


    "She''s the Governor of Elizarles Shores, and she has an ambiguous rtionship with the Captain. Anyway, stop prying. How much longer till we arrive on the scene? Pick up the pace, will you? Also, I heard that the victims this time are the famous theater couple of Hope Ind. Is it true?"

 Chapter 402: Fishy Smell

    Chapter 402: Fishy Smell


    The car''s exhaust pipe rapidly belched out ck smoke as the car made a mad dash toward its destination. The police cars carrying the police officers of District 3 ran as fast as possible toward their destination.


    Aliya fished out an unfiltered cigarette from her cigarette case and extended it over to Dipp. However, Aliya ended up returning the cigarette, as Dipp didn''t ept it.


    "Our speed doesn''t seem to matter in this case. The corpses must be already stiff, and the culprit must have already escaped. This is already the third time that they''ve eluded us," Aliya said.


    "Are there any changes? Are the brains still the only ones missing?" Dipp asked.


    "Yes, and I don''t think this is the handiwork of cultists. There were no sacrificial altars nor carvings on the previous crime scenes," Aliya replied.


    Dipp''s eyes shed intensely in hatred. "Regardless of their identity, those bastards had dared to cause chaos in our territory, so I''m definitely going to teach them a <em>good</em> lesson. Then, I''ll send them to the research institute as test subjects!"


    The car tires left ck streaks on the ground as it came to a screeching halt. Dipp immediately jumped out of the car the moment it ground to a halt.


    The crime scene was a theater. Dipp lifted the yellow and white cordon tape and walked down the rows of seats to see a naked man and a naked woman in the middle of the stage. The couple had picked a great ce to do "it," and it seemed that they had been in the middle of "it" when they were killed.


    A few policemen were collecting evidence while two coroners were examining the corpses. The policemen and coroners immediately stopped what they were doing the moment they saw Dipp and his group.


    "District 3 will now take over this case. You guys can leave," Aliya said, brandishing a stamped document. The police and coroners on-site flooded out of the theater, leaving the scene in District 3''s hands.


    "Let''s follow the protocol, even though it might not be useful at all," Dipp said while reading the autopsy report that he had snatched from one of the coroners earlier.


    A middle-aged man with a deathlike pallor went up to one of the corpses. He then gouged out the corpse''s eyeballs and stuffed them into his mouth, chewing carefully.


    Up next was a hunchbacked old woman, and she sat cross-legged next to thest remaining corpse and lit up a cigarette. Soon, a blue smoke enveloped both the corpse and the hunchbacked old woman.


    The hunchbacked old woman''s eyeballs rolled into her skull, leaving only the whites of her eyes visible to the onlookers. A violent tremor ran across the hunchbacked old woman, and she started speaking in tongues.


    Dipp finally looked up from the autopsy report and stared at the two. He wasn''t exactly sure about the background of these two, and all he knew was that Aliya had picked them up from the underground prison.


    In other words, their backgrounds couldn''t possibly be clear. However, their special abilities allowed District 3 to save a lot of time and effort when it came to handling cases.


    The middle-aged man chewing on eyeballs looked up and said in a hoarse voice, "They couldn''t see the culprit before dying. Thest thing they saw was each other''s faces."


    The hunchbacked old woman stood up slowly just then and said, "Same results as me. Their souls have no idea how they died, and I can only feel fear from their dissipating souls. In other words, they experienced immense fear before dying."


    Dipp stroked his chin, and his personas swiftly examined the avable information.


    <em>Hmm, fear? Maybe the culprit is a sea creature that managed to get onto the ind. No, it can''t be. Sea creatures have never really approached Hope Ind of their own volition. They seem afraid of the sunlight and are unwilling to approach.</em>


    Dipp emerged from his contemtion and crouched next to the corpses, observing them carefully. The corpses wore peaceful looks, and if one were to ignore everything else, one would think that these corpses were merely asleep.


    If one were to ask Dipp if he found gory crime scenes off-putting, Dipp would reply that he preferred gory and messy crime scenes to clean ones as they offered more clues than thetter.


    However, the crime scene before Dipp was clearly thetter. There were no signs of external or internal wounds on the corpses, but for some reason, their brains had inexplicably disappeared.


    To make matters worse, this was already the third time they found corpses that had suffered such a bizarre death. In other words, the perpetrator could now be considered a serial killer.


    They had to catch the serial killer before the culprit could kill more people. If not, Hope Ind would certainly be plunged into chaos.


    Aliya picked up the case file from Dipp''s hands and frowned as she read the report out loud. "No fingerprints, no footprints, and there are no witnesses. This is going to be a tough investigation."


    "Those are clues as well. We know that the culprit consumed brains, and even though it doesn''t leave fingerprints or footprints, the fact that it has made a move means that it must have left traces somewhere," Dipp replied.


    Dipp crouched and pressed his head against one of the corpses.


    Then, Dipp''s nose twitched as he sniffed the corpse''s skin carefully and meticulously. In addition to his two other personas, 096 had also bestowed upon him an extraordinary sense of smell.


    While sniffing, Dipp''s eyes were transfixed on every single patch of skin, afraid of missing any suspicious spot. Upon reaching the corpse''s ears, Dipp frowned instantly, noticing something amiss.


    Dipp shone his shlight at the corpse''s ears and finally understood how the brains of the two corpses had inexplicably disappeared. It seemed that their brains had been sucked out of their ears.


    <em>Wait, this doesn''t smell like brain fluid. This is a different smell! </em>Dipp stood up immediately and searched the semi-circle stage. Eventually, he found a small hole in the shape of a door beneath a seat.


    Dipp knocked on the "door" with his finger, and a brown mouse soon emerged.


    Dipp looked at it and asked, "Hey, did you guys see anything when those two people died?"


    The mouse''s tail swayed gently, and it tilted its head while staring at Dipp in puzzlement. It seemed that the mouse wasn''t exactly a theater patron, so it was absent when the couple was doing "it."


    However, Dipp wasn''t exactly surprised by theck of answer. He had asked that question just in case, and he had a more important reason for knocking on the mouse''s door.


    Dipp scooped up the mouse and carried it over next to the corpse''s ear. "Take a sniff. Do you recognize it? I want you to go and tell your friends to check if there''s a simr stench anywhere on the ind. Find that ce for me, and I''ll buy you guys whatever you want to eat."


    The brown mouse sniffed lightly and immediately stood up on its hind legs to run back to its mouse hole. Soon, a mischief of mice rushed out of the mouse hole and sniffed at the corpses'' ears.


    Aliya''s face turned slightly pale at the mischief of mice, and she inadvertently tugged on Dipp''s sleeve.


    "You''re still afraid of mice?" Dipp asked, sounding surprised.


    Aliya smiled with difficulty, "No, I''m not"


    Despite saying that, Aliya''s grip on Dipp''s sleeve tightened as the mischief of mice scurried back into the mouse hole.


    Momentster, the mice came back out, and one of them was carrying a green scale in its arms.


    Dipp picked up the scale and gave it a quick sniff. Indeed, there was a lingering stench on the scale, and it was the same unique stench that Dipp had smelled from the corpses.


    Dipppared the green scale to his own fish scales and realized that the green, conical scale was sharper and morepact than his own scales.


    "Looks like a sea creature has somehow managed to get onto the ind," Dipp said while staring at the green scale with squinted eyes. Then, Dipp crouched and directed his gaze upon the brown mouse. "Little mouse, can you tell me where you got this thing?"


    Soon, the harbor district that had cooled down due to the operational halt had be bustling once more. However, it wasn''t because the operational halt had been lifted; the arrival of a few police cars had caused themotion.

 Chapter 403: Mermaid

    Chapter 403: Mermaid


    Despite the operational halt, Hope Ind''s harbor district was still bustling with idle workers, waiting for odd jobs on the steps leading down to the docks. The idle workers revealed gloating looks upon seeing a group of people in ck uniforms rushing into the Golden Fairy.


    There wasn''t any enmity between them and the tavern owner; they were just happy to see rich people suffer.


    The deserted, high-end tavern instantly became chaotic as Aliya rushed into the tavern with District 3''s police officers. The patrons of the tavern, as well as the girls entertaining them, panicked instantly and rushed out of the tavern.


    The red-haired Aliya didn''t even bother with any pleasantries; she whipped out her gun and pointed it at the head of a man embracing two women at once.


    "I-I did notmit any crimes, officer! Every single bottle of liquor in my establishment has gone through rigorous customs procedures, and their duties are paid as well. There''s not a single bottle of smuggled liquor here!" eximed the bearded man wearing a golden coat.


    "This thing has apparentlye from the sewers of your tavern! What on earth is this?!" Aliya eximed, almost shoving the green conical scale in the bearded man''s face.


    "I have no idea what that thing is, officer! I really don''t know! I didn''tmit any crimes as well. What is this? Are you trying to threaten me? And what is that green thing? How could something like thate from my tavern?" the bearded man replied, and the expression on his face showed that he wasn''t lying at all.


    "Do you really think that just because you''ve washed your hands, your hands can already be considered clean from the dirty crimes you''vemitted? I know what you did, Karst," said a hooded man while walking toward Karst, the bearded man wearing a golden coat.


    "You opened this tavern using ill-gotten wealth, and I was just toozy to even bother with you until now. If you keep lying to me, you better not me me for tearing this tavern of yours apart!"


    Karst cast a surprised gaze upon the hooded man. He didn''t expect the hooded man to know about his past, and the fact caught Karst off guard. No one on Hope Ind was supposed to know him so well, so he had to ask, "Friend, may I know who you are?"


    "You''re asking who I am?" The hooded man lifted his hood, revealing a terrifying fishman head as he lunged right up to Karst''s face before thetter could even react to the reveal. "I''m none other than fucking Dipp! You actually asked me who I am?!"


    Karst reeled back in horror as he cried out, "Chief Dipp?! How is that possible?! G-goodness! What happened to you?!"


    "Cut the crap!" Dipp snatched the sharp, conical scale from Aliya''s hand and thrust it into Karst''s neck. "You better tell me where this thing is from right now! Beat around the bush, and I''ll turn your brain into mush!"


    <em>Bang! </em>


    A loud noise echoed as the police officers of District 3 kicked open the door to Golden Fairy''s basement. They looked around with their shlights until they found arge water tank. A figure with a white upper body and a green lower body was swimming in the murky seawater inside the water tank.


    The creature poked its head out of the water tank upon hearing themotion at the door, and the charming face of a young girl appeared before everyone''s eyes; the young girl waved her hands excitedly at the crowd inside the basement.


    Karst immediately defended himself. "I just wanted to attract more customers to my tavern, which is why I decided to get a mermaid. ve trading is illegal on Hope Ind, but there aren''t anyws prohibiting the harboring of mermaids!


    "In other words, I did not break anyws! And as I said earlier, I didn''tmit any crimes as well."


    "That''s a mermaid? I haven''t heard of mermaids eating just human brains," Dipp said. He aimed his gun at the water tank and squeezed the trigger.


    The bullet tore through the water tank, and the mermaid tumbled onto the basement floor along with the gushing water. The police officers of District 3 showed no mercy as they whipped out their weapons and rained down bullets on the mermaid.


    However, the new holes in the "mermaid" didn''t bleed. Instead, pus-like green thin worms crawled out from inside the wound.


    "How disgusting hurry up and kill it! This mermaid has be a host of parasites, and her belly is full of those disgusting worms!"


    The police officers fired nonstop, but the "mermaid" didn''t seem like it was going to die anytime soon. As more new holes were created in the mermaid''s torso, more and more pus-like green thin worms squirmed out of the mermaid.


    Soon, a grotesque noise echoed as the lower and upper body of the "mermaid" split into two, connected only by a myriad of writhing green thin worms; the charming young girl earlier had vanished and was reced by a terrifying monster.


    A deluge of pus-like green thin worms rushed out of the "mermaid" like noodles. The thin worms quickly pervaded the turbid seawater on the floor and squirmed their way toward Dipp and the other police officers.


    The bullets tore the thin worms apart, but what remained of their body squirmed incessantly toward the door.


    "Bullets are useless, so let''s go hardcore!"


    Before the thin worms could reach Dipp, boiling hot oil was poured down on them, and a sizzling noise immediately pervaded the basement. Dipp could feel his skin getting dry as he stood before the congration.


    The thin worms thrashed violently in the mes, but they eventually curled up and died, unable to withstand the inferno. Dipp sighed in relief at the sight. It was a good thing that the brain-eating worms weren''t that strong despite their numbers.


    If those worms had managed to propagate throughout Hope Ind, things would have gotten extremely chaotic, and it would have been extremely difficult to resolve the issue by then.


    "Get ready to put out the fire. I don''t want us to cause a huge fire in the harbor district after having just resolved this case."


    The police officers of District 3 put away their artifacts and guns before immediately getting ready to put out the fire.


    Meanwhile, Karst looked anguished at the revtion. He finally realized why the mermaid was sold to him at such a low price. It turned out that there was something wrong with the mermaid!


    However, Karst was more concerned about the fact that he was involved in such a huge incident, as it meant that he would have to pay a massive fine. Karst had paid for the mermaid, and he would have to pay a hefty fine as well. Karst knew that his efforts over the past year were wasted just then.


    While Karst was ruminating in anguish over his losses, he felt something twitching in his nose, causing him to flinch. Karst stuck two fingers into his nose and found something soft inside.


    Karst pinched and pulled it out sharply, causing an indescribable pleasure to course through him. The sensation was strange, and it felt like his brain was being hooked out of his head.


    Looking down, Karst was instantly horrified. What he had pulled out was the same thin worm that had burst out of the "mermaid" earlier like a deluge.


    "Ah! T-t-this is" Before Karst could scream, the thin worms poured out of his mouth, nose, and every single one of his orifices.


    The thin worms seemed intelligent, and they made a beeline for Dipp, whose back was facing them.


    "Boss, watch out!"


    The thin worms were about to make contact with Dipp when his figure blurred as he transformed into a deep blue mist. Dipp whipped around, and the dagger in his hand moved swiftly, slicing the thin worms into dozens of pieces.


    When Dipp reached Karst, thetter''s arms had already been dismembered by the thin worms.


    "Save me" Karst pleaded with a gaze full of desperation.


    However, the trail of brain fluid that the thin worms had left behind told Dipp that Karst could not be saved.


    Dipp lifted his right foot andshed out, sending the staggering Karst toward the sea of mes behind him. The mes immediately consumed Karst, and his corpse was reduced to ashes along with the unfortunate mermaid.


    Dipp didn''t dare to waste time as he turned to his subordinates and roared, "I want a cordon around this ce, now! No one is allowed to leave without my permission! Some of us may have been infected by those worms as well!"

 Chapter 404: Celebration

    Chapter 404: Celebration


    Mud sttered all over as police officers in their boots rushed to establish a cordon around Golden Fairy. A cordon tape was quickly wrapped around the perimeter of Golden Fairy, and the sight created a grim air above the deste harbor district.


    The idleborers stood up one after another, and their curiosity drew them closer to Golden Fairy. Of course, they dared not approach too close and only whispered among each other at an appropriate distance from the cordon.


    "What''s going on there?"


    "What did the tavern owner do? Did he traffic ves or something? Why are the ck dogs making such a big fuss?"


    "I have no idea, but I guess he hasmitted a great crime. I''m sure we''ll soon find his corpse strung up at the docks as a warning. Though it has been a while since I saw that kind of scene, it became rare since the police department weed a new police chief."


    The idleborers soon saw people emerge from the Golden Fairy. At a nce, they seemed to be workers of the Golden Fairy.


    The arrested workers had their heads covered tightly, and in addition to a handcuff, they were chained as well as the police dragged them away. Strangely, the workers were trembling like aspen trees, as if they had seen something terrifying.


    Once the arrested workers were shoved into the police cars, a white strip of paper was pped on Golden Fairy''s doors, and the word <em>sealed</em> was written on the strip of paper.


    "Cheers! We did a great job today!" someone eximed in the exclusive cafeteria of Hope Ind''s Police Department, and it was quickly followed by the clinking of beer mugs.


    Dipp threw his head back and downed the entire mug of beer before mming it onto the table, eximing, "How refreshing!"


    Dipp ate heartily while chatting,ughing, and cursing with his subordinates. They were calm, as the source of the brain-eating phantom had been eliminated along with their carriers.


    Of course, the other members of the police force would still have to deal with the clean-up. However, District 3 believed that those worms were nothing and could be dealt with easily by the other districts. When necessary, they could also borrow troops from the Navy.


    In other words, District 3 truly had nothing to worry about at this point.


    District 3''s job was to handle "special" cases. More specifically, they were responsible for handling cases such as cult sacrifices, relic possession cases, and so on.


    The members of District 3 were busy discussing today''s events.


    "My god, I''m telling you guys! Those thin worms can get <em>really </em>long! I''m not sure if some of you saw it too, but I saw around eight worms poking out of a woman''s skirt earlier!"


    "I''m over forty, but I''ve never seen such a creature before. Those noodle-like creatures are definitely not native to the Northern Seas. They must havee from the Southern Seas. I heard the Southern Seas have every single disgusting creature imaginable."


    Aliya''s meal was noodles in tomato sauce, and she had just brought her fork to her mouth when she promptly put it down upon hearing what the members were talking about.


    "Why are you guys talking about disgusting things when there''s someone eating here? And you! Get your feet off the table!" Aliya eximed.


    A scaly arm nudged Aliya''s shoulder, and she heard Dipp''s voice next to her. "Don''t be such a wet nket, Aliya. Coming across such a huge case and resolving it at that is a rare urrence; we''ve clocked out as well, so we should all rx."


    Aliya turned to the fishman eating meatballs next to her. "Boss, when will you get reinstated?"


    "What do you mean? Why should I get reinstated? Isn''t James doing a better job than me? You shouldn''t worry about things you can''t influence," Dipp replied, lookingpletely indifferent.


    However, Aliya clearly didn''t share the same sentiment as Dipp. "It''s a position that clearly belongs to you. If you hadn''t warned us ahead of time, we would have been unable to fend off the Deep Dwellers'' attack.


    "Despite that, you haven''t received any rewards at all. It''s really unfair."


    The fins on Dipp''s head red up, but they immediately calmed down as Dipp replied, "Forget it. Just look at me. My appearance is already creating bad rumors about District 3, so what do you think would happen if I were to get reinstated?


    "Things would surely be troublesome for the Captain if that were to happen."


    "So what? The Governor owns the entire Hope Ind, so who would dare to oppose him if he were to say something on your behalf?" Aliya asked.


    "It''s really okay. To be honest, the Captain had basically forced me into bing the Chief of Hope Ind''s Police Department. I''ve had a good three years as the Chief, and I''ve long gotten tired of that position.


    "Yeah, going out on voyages is still more exciting than staying here."


    Upon seeing that Dipp had no intentions of advocating for himself, Aliya could only let out a helpless sigh and return to eating her pasta.


    "You''re really considerate of the Governor, but I don''t think he''s as considerate of you as you are of him." Aliya pointed out.


    "He doesn''t have to be considerate to me. I just hope that he brings me along whenever he goes on a voyage. The Narwhale is my home, and the Captain''s goal is my goal," Dipp said before downing another mug of beer.


    Aliya put down her fork just then and fished out a cigarette from her cigarette case. Aliya ced the cigarette between her lips and lit it up with a match. Then, she shook the match to extinguish the tiny me before throwing it away.


    "Boss, I wasn''t really going to ask this question, but I really just don''t get it. Do you really have to be so loyal to him? You should live for yourself, you know? It''s not like you''re his shadow, attached to him forever," Aliya said.


    "If the Captain hadn''t saved me, I would have long starved to death in some random gutter out there."


    "But you''ve already done so much for him. I''m sure that life-saving grace from back then has already been repaid."


    "All right, stop it. Let''s not talk about that for now," Dipp said and flipped his hand, revealing three dice sitting on his palm.


    Dipp''s expression then turned into that of excitement as he roared, "Just drinking is so boring! Anyone here wants to gamble with me?!"


    Everyone cheered at the deration, and the stifled atmosphere was let loose once more, eventually leading to everyoneaside from those on night dutydrinking until they were dead drunk.


    Aliya supported a drunk Dipp as they staggered toward an exquisite two-story vi. Aliya pushed open the doors to reveal an exceptionally messy living room.


    A variety of objects that were not supposed to be in the living room were scattered about the living rooman overturned box of apples, several books lying face down on the floor, and a piano. Aliya also found several crude paintings on the wall.


    Aliya looked around for a while before stepping over the tangled window blinds and dragging Dipp over to the bedroom. A click rang out, and the bedroom door was pushed open.


    Aliya then slipped the key back into Dipp''s pocket before dragging Dipp toward the bed.


    "Bet big or small! Three bottles if big!" the fishman roared a bunch of nonsense.


    Aliya eventually managed to toss Dipp onto the bed. Panting lightly, Aliya couldn''t help but look around and realized that the bedroom was as messy as the living room outside.


    However, there were several books on the bedside table.


    "I thought Boss is illiterate? Why did he buy so many books if he can''t read?" Aliya muttered and grabbed one of the books, flipping it open. It turned out to be a school-issued book, issued to children for them to learn more vocabry.


    A few basic words had been enclosed in a circle, which meant that the owner of the book had already memorized those words.


    Aliya returned the book to the bedside table and grabbed another one. However, the book contained not even a single worda stark contrast to the school-issued book that Aliya had just returned.


    A book containing nothing but explicit illustrations was reflected in Aliya''s eyes.

 Chapter 405: The Solution

    Chapter 405: The Solution


    Aliya blinked repeatedly at the explicit sight. She licked her finger and used that same finger to flip over to the second page, reading with relish. Aliya''s eyes shone brightly as she wondered, <em>I can''t believe something like this actually exists. It''s my first time seeing this kind of book. I wonder where Boss got it from</em>


    <em>Smack!</em>


    Aliya shuddered, and her legs went soft upon getting smacked in the back. She turned and found that Dipp had identally smacked her as he was haphazardly iling his arms while mumbling inscrutable words.


    An audible click echoed when the light switch was pressed. Darkness instantly pervaded the room. Time passed slowly, and when the holes in Hope Ind''s canopy were opened once more, sunlight descended upon thend once more, signaling the start of a new day.


    <em>Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!</em>


    A mechanical bat burst out of the clock in Dipp''s bedroom, and it let out intermittent shrill cries in an effort to awaken anyone sleeping in the same room as it.


    <em>My head really hurts just how much did I drinkst night?</em> Dipp woke up slowly, feeling groggy. He was about to sit up when he noticed something amiss. He wasn''t wearing any clothes, and his messy bedroom was no longer messy.


    Dipp recalled his wet dreamst night and was stupefied. <em>W-was that not a dream?!</em>


    He immediately stood up and investigated his bedroom. His bedroom was cleaned meticulously, but Dipp had long be an expert at investigation. His years of experience did not betray him as he soon found a cluea strand of red hair.


    Dipp sniffed it lightly and was astonished. The smell was so familiar that he couldn''t possibly be mistaken about it.


    <em>"Guys! Can any of you tell me what exactly happened to usst night?"</em> Dipp asked his other personas.


    "I don''t quite remember, but it seems that we slept with a woman."


    "Yeah, her body was really soft"


    Unbeknownst to Dipp, Aliya was just right outside his house. She took out a bent cigarette from the pocket of her messy clothing and straightened it out before putting it between her lips and lighting it up.


    Aliya puffed on it and exhaled. Then, a light smile tugged at her lips as she muttered, "That feels great"


    Two hourster, all crew members of the Narwhaleaside from Charlesgathered at Dipp''s house. Every single one of them cast solemn gazes upon Dipp.


    Dipp had told them that he needed their help with something <em>really </em>important.


    Dipp looked slightly abashed as she said, "I slept with a woman"


    Everyone instantly revealed contemptuous looks, and they all stood up, making a beeline for the door. They looked disgruntled, feeling that Dipp had wasted their precious time.


    "Hey,e on!" Dipp rushed forward anxiously and stood in front of them." Stay here and help me! I really don''t know what to do. It was my first time, and I can only ask you guys about what I should do next."


    The former Cook of the Narwhale, Frey, pushed Dipp away with his big belly and continued his beeline for the door while saying, "Based on my experience, you should give them valuable items.


    "The more valuable, the better. With enough money, everything can be resolved, after all."


    "If you like her, then you should propose to her. Once she gives birth to your child, you have to make sure to go home on time, or she will definitely get mad at you," the burly James said as he walked toward the door to leave the house.


    "Treat her well and follow her withoutints; she''ll feel your feelings for her," the vampire Audric said before leaving the house as well.


    "Don''t forget to visit a bookstore soon and buy a copy of <em>Gray''s Complete Guide to Love Letters</em>," Feuerbach said. Flicking one of Dipp''s fins, he added, "You should memorize it. Women like to hear sweet nothings even though they are it''s all lies."


    "Take her out to eat something nice," nck said.


    Bandages stood silently next to Dipp for a long time; he cast a nk gaze at thetter before eventually turning around and walking straight out of the house.


    Soon, the living room was empty aside from a dumbfounded Dipp standing frozen all by himself. Turning to stare at the swaying door, Dipp anxiously scratched the scales on his head with both hands, crying out, "What''s wrong with those bastards?! I haven''t even started talking yet, but they''ve already left!"


    Everyone had left, so Dipp had no choice but to talk with his other personas; they talked for a long time, but even thebined wisdom of three Dipps couldn''t find a solution to Dipp''s dilemma.


    They had no idea what to do, but they knew one thing for sure: as men, they had to face the matter head-on. It was one of the lessons the Captain had taught them.


    On that day, Hope Ind was without any cases or incidents, so District 3 of Hope Ind''s police department had nothing to do. Everyone was killing time in the police stations, waiting to clock out.


    Aliya with a cigarette between her lips frowned at the cards in her hand.


    "Why am I getting such bad hands today? Are you guys colluding with each other against me or something?"


    The men before her either scratched their heads or sped their heads while grinning and shaking their heads at Aliya''s words.


    "Leader! Chief Dipp is outside, and he''s looking for you!"


    Aliya was overjoyed to hear the report. She pped the cards in her hand face down on the table and waved at the one-eyed police officer who had delivered her the report, saying, "Come here,e here. I have something to handle, so this hand is yours."


    Aliya walked out the door and found Dipp scratching his cheek in a corner.


    Aliya took out the cigarette between her lips and flicked it to the ground. She stepped on the cigarette, extinguishing it before walking over to Dipp.


    "Boss, do you need something from me?"


    Dipp''s expression was extremelyplicated as he stared at the woman before him. His mouth fluttered open, but he struggled to speak and was seemingly at a loss for words.


    "Lst night, w-w-we" Dipp stammered, trailing off.


    "Oh, that was nothing much. We just slept with each other. I''ve slept with many men before, so treat that night as a night of bonding between us. By the way, where did you buy <em>that </em>book?" Aliya said, sounding nonchnt, but her nails were anxiously scratching her palm.


    "No, I mean I can''t let myself have any children. I''m a Deep Dweller, so my children are going to be Deep Dwellers as well. I can''t pass this curse on to the next generation," Dipp said, looking extremely agitated.


    "What are you talking about, Boss? It''s not a big deal, <em>really. </em>You know I used to be a pirate, right? Things like sleeping with each other is like drinking and eating for me. I''m a barren woman as well, so I can''t get pregnant," Aliya replied.


    Dipp gnashed his teeth, and a dull noise echoed as Dipp knelt on one knee right in front of Aliya. Then, he took out a book with a cover that read <em>Gray''s Complete Guide to Love Letters</em> and started reading it out loud.


    "I yearn to have a" Dipp had just started reading the sentence when he had to stop mid-sentence. He cast a flustered nce in the stunned Aliya''s way and skipped over the words he couldn''t recognize to continue reading.


    "Your happiness is my life''s greatestI want to spend my entire life with youMarry me, and let me protect you for life!" Dipp eximed and threw the book away. Then, he whipped out a tiny red box containing a ring embedded with a diamond as big as a quail egg.


    "All right, let''s go and eat something nice!"

 Chapter 406: Wedding

    Chapter 406: Wedding


    "Can anyone tell me what exactly is going on here?" Charles asked in confusion while apuding along with his crew members.


    They were in the spacious backyard of Dipp''s house, and the backyard was decorated beautifully with red and white flowers. There was even a huge arch made out of flowers just above the newlywed couple.


    If it hadn''t been for Bandages'' help, they wouldn''t have been able to gather so many flesh flowers on such short notice for this wedding. Yes, wedding. Charles was attending his boatswain, Dipp''s wedding.


    The other crew members sitting on both sides of Charles looked as confused as Charles himself. They stared nkly as Dipp and Aliya kissed each other beneath the flower arch.


    "Didn''t Dipp summon us earlier in the morning to consult us about how he should convey his feelings? Howe he''s already married on the night of the same day? Isn''t that a bit too fast? What exactly did he do?" Feuerbach asked in disbelief.


    "I knew there was something going on between those two. I have been asking Dipp about it, but he has been denying that there''s something going on between the two of them," James said.


    Aliya looked incredibly beautiful today as she sported a white wedding dress. She was in the middle of her wedding, but she wasn''t showing the shyness of a newlywed. Instead, she wasughing boisterously and joyfully.


    "Ah, I''m so jealous of them, honey. Don''t you think there''s something missing in our rtionship?" Elizabeth asked, whispering into Charles'' ears.


    Tonight, Elizabeth was wearing a low-cut dress, and her curly, bright white hair cascaded seductively over her snow-white cleavage; she was particrly eye-catching among the guests.


    "Do you even care about weddings? Did you even hold a wedding with those wives of yours?"


    Charles had just finished speaking when Elizabeth swung the sharp toebox of her high heels toward Charles'' knee. Fortunately, Charles was quick enough to dodge it, and his reflexes spared him from the physical pain.


    "Stop ying around. Dipp and the others areing," Charles said. Then, he raised the wine ss in his hand as a gesture to the oing newlyweds.


    Elizabeth wrapped an arm around Charles'' arm and smiled as she made the same gesture to the newlyweds.


    "Captain, I''m not dreaming, am I? Did I really just get married?" Dipp said, sounding both excited and bewildered at the same time. Clearly, he was still a bit overwhelmed by today''s events.


    Charles'' expression wasplicated as he stared at the fishman before him. He could still remember the first time he met Dipp on the streets. At the time, Dipp was just a dirty and skinny youngd. Charles had never imagined that he would one day attend Dipp''s wedding.


    Regardless, a crew member of the Narwhale had just gotten married, and as the Captain, Charles still had to say a few words for formality''s sake.


    "I congratte you for finding your soulmate in this lifetime. The river of love is both ambiguous and endless, but I hope that you two will keep loving each other despite the inevitable hardships. Finally, I hope that this marriage will make you just a bit more conscientious," Charles said. Then, he took a sip of his wine.


    "Thank you for your blessing, Governor," Aliya bent gracefully while holding up her wedding dress.


    With a hint of excitement in her gaze, Aliya turned to her groom before turning back to Charles and said, "Governor, I heard that you consider Dipp as your right-hand man. Today is the wedding of your right-hand man, so can you let us choose his wedding gift?"


    Charles was astonished by Aliya''s remark, but it was true that they didn''t have enough time to prepare any wedding gifts, as Dipp and Aliya''s wedding was a bit too rushed.


    "Sure, what do you want as a wedding gift?" Charles asked.


    "James is the current Chief of Hope Ind''s Police Department, but it was a position once held by Dipp before his disappearance. He has already returned, but you''ve yet to reinstate him, so how about you let Dipp be the police chief once again?" Aliya replied.


    Aliya''s request was so shocking that even Dipp was caught off guard.


    "There''s no need for you to do that, CaptainAh! Let go of my scales!" Dipp hurriedly exined but was interrupted by Aliya giving his scale a fierce tug.


    Charles didn''t immediately agree to Aliya''s request and exined, "You don''t have to worry about me shortchanging him. We''ve been together ever since I started exploring inds, after all."


    However, Aliya didn''t seem like she was going to back down. She calmly met Charles'' gaze and said, "I''m his wife, Governor, and I want to advocate for my husband because I feel like you''re treating him unfairly.


    "He went through many life-and-death situations with you, so I think he should be a part of Hope Ind''s upper echelon, even though he''s a Deep Dweller now."


    Charles stared deeply at Aliya before turning to look at Dipp with a smile. "You got yourself a great wife, boy. All right, you got married, so it''s only right for me to give you a wedding gift.


    "I can''t reinstate you as Chief of Hope Ind''s Police Department, as it''s just too important of a position to change hands so frequently. How about this instead? The Relic Research Institute of Hope Ind stillcks a deputy director, so how about you give it a try?"


    Charles had no ns of making the semi-illiterate Dipp do research on relics.


    The Relic Research Institute of Hope Ind was a massive money sink, and the massive amount of resources it was receiving meant that its waters would inevitably be too murky.


    However, Charles felt at ease, knowing that the Relic Research Institute wouldn''t be a blood-sucking tumor under Dipp and Linda''s management.


    Aliya was overjoyed upon hearing Charles'' offer.


    She was well aware of the Relic Research Institute''s importance to Hope Ind, and the fact that Charles had decided to give such a high position to Dipp meant that Dipp was incredibly important to Charles.


    The wedding reception soon began, and it was a buffet dinner. The men and women quickly divided into several groups, chatting and eating with each other. Of course, the majority of the guests were teasing Dipp and his wife.


    The wedding was intimate, having only a few guests; most of the guests were the crew members of the Narwhale as well, which was the reason they managed to hold a wedding on such short notice.


    Charles was in a good mood. Deep inside, he still couldn''t quite figure out why Dipp suddenly got married, and he seriously doubted that such a hasty marriage couldst. However, even the worst wedding was better than a funeral. A wedding was great, and it was better to have more weddings than funerals.


    A warm atmosphere enveloped the wedding reception as everyone ate and chatted with each other. Charles and Elizabeth were also enjoying a great meal of salt-baked crabs.


    Charles frowned just then, noticing something amiss. He looked up and saw a bald man in yellow robes walking toward them. Charles recognized the bald man as one of the Pope''s twelve bald men.


    "Governor, His Holiness has returned, and he has asked me to invite you over," Wright said respectfully.


    <em>He''s back? Does that mean that he managed to open that colossal door?! </em>Charles'' heart rate sped up at the news.


    Wright''s arrival attracted the attention of the other crew members; they didn''t speak, but their gazes contained more than enough words for Charles to deduce their thoughts.


    "It''s fine. Keep eating, everyone. I''ll be right back," Charles said and wiped his mouth clean with a napkin before standing up and following Wright into a car.


    The car sped toward the docks, leaving behind a trail of ck smoke. Soon, Charles saw arge number of airships just outside Hope Ind''s canopy, as well as the glimmering golden sheen of the Divine Light Order''s fleet at sea.


    The idleborers of the docks were no longer idle, and they were sweating profusely while carrying boxes of varying sizes containing supplies.

 Chapter 385. 010

    Chapter 385. 010


    Currently, Charles had no choice but to trust the words of his future self. ording to him, they just had to keep heading downward to escape this bizarre ce.


    "Continue the descent! Toss away everything unnecessary! Run at your fastest speed!" Charlesmanded.


    Everyone responded immediately and tossed the various food supplies and freshwater canisters over the stairwell railing. Even the explosives and the like were part of the "unnecessary" items.


    As they quickened their descent, their footsteps grew faster, and their breathing became more erratic with the increased pace.


    Charles had no idea how long they had been running down the circr staircase. He roughly estimated that they had already circled it hundreds of times, but the end was still nowhere in sight.


    Just then, an unexpected figure appeared before them.


    d in a white hazmat suit, a human was leisurely climbing the stairs. In his hands was a tablet resembling the type left by the Foundation, and he was casually swiping across the screen.


    "Hmm?" The person in the hazmat suit seemed to have sensed that something was amiss. He shifted his attention away from the tablet screen and nced upward to see a dozen individuals in unusual attire staring down at him from the stairs, their eyes filled with caution.


    "Who¡­ Who are you? How did you get in here? Why aren''t you wearing hazmat suits?" he demanded as he subtly continued to tap on his screen.


    Having used a smartphone before, Charles immediately understood the man''s actions¡ªhe was attempting to alert others.


    ng!


    In an instant, a cold glint shed across the stairwell; the tablet in the person''s hand had been sliced into two halves. Charles quickly closed the distance and stripped the man of his hazmat suit in one swift motion.


    Before the blonde-haired man could react or flee in shock, Charles seized him by the neck and forcefully pinned him against the wall, which radiated intense heat.


    "Who are you? Why are you here? How many are with you? Talk!" Charles threatened, his voiceced with menace as he held the Dark de to the man''s chest.


    Despite being visibly shaken by Charles'' intimidating presence, the man tried to probe for more information.


    "My name''s William, and I work here. Friend, please calm down. We''re directly below the Foundation''s V4 Containment Site, and arge special task force team is stationed above us. You won''t be able to escape even if you take me hostage. How about you let me go first, and I''ll plead on your behalf for them to release you?" William proposed.


    Charles rapidly assimted the details conveyed by William, piecing them together to reach an rming realization: they had crossed into a timeline where the Foundation still existed!


    Why? How could we have traveled so far? This shouldn''t be possible! I thought this was just a minor temporal chaos?


    Charles'' mind was in disarray, but he knew that he didn''t have the luxury of time. He immediately ced William down on the ground and demanded, "Where''s 010? Take us to it!"


    Charles still decided to believe the words of his future self, and he believed that they would be able to go back as long as they found 010.


    "Sir, how do you know about 010? Are you¡ª"


    Before William couldplete his sentence, two steel needles, as thick as chopsticks, whizzed past Charles''s cheek toward William''s face. They pierced through the inner corners of William''s eyes and impaled themselves into his brain.


    The steel needles hade from the Pope. He smiled apologetically and bowed slightly toward Charles. "My apologies for the rashness, Overall Commander-in-charge, but we really don''t have the time to listen to his nonsense. Let''s go."


    The Pope then took a step toward William and lifted his hand.


    "Lead the way," he said indifferently.


    William remained silent, and his expression was nk as he turned and descended the stairs.


    Mind control? Could it be that the Pope can control all the Divine Light Order followers with the long needles in their heads? Doesn''t that mean he can control the millions of followers out there?


    Many different thoughts raced through Charles'' mind in the proverbial blink of an eye, and a shiver went down his spine as he stared at the Pope''s back.


    Swoosh!


    Several heavy backpacks tumbled down from over the railings. Those were the items that they had discarded earlier.


    The fact that they were running out of time was bing increasingly burdensome to everyone, and Charles knew that there was no time to dwell on such matters, so he hurried after the Pope.


    After walking for about four minutes, Willian suddenly came to a halt. He raised his right hand and opened his palm before tapping it on the wall next to him. A beam of light burst out in all directions, and the wall cracked open to reveal arge door.


    It became clear just then that they weren''t on an ordinary staircase; many rooms were hiding behind the walls, and it exined why they hadn''t discovered anything earlier.


    "William, why are you standing at the door? Wait a minute, where''s your hazmat suit? This is against protocol!" someone shouted from inside the room.


    Before the speaker could step out of the room, Charles and his group barged in. They broke through the security ss door with brute strength and made their way into a pristine, sterile room.


    Along with the person who had just spoken, there were five Foundation staff in the room.


    Upon noticing Charles and his group in their distinctive attire, a staff member quickly reached for a drawer and drew a handgun.


    But before the man could even disengage the safety, Charles swung his chainsaw and sent a spray of blood into the air; the man''s severed fingers and the handgun fell to the floor.


    Crimson droplets of blood speckled the stark white floor, and the man''s agonized scream echoed continuously throughout the room.


    The sailors swiftly moved in to apprehend the remaining staff. Within moments, they had sessfully secured the entireboratory.


    "Where is 010?" the Pope questioned one of the staff members.


    The man returned the Pope''s question with a re of defiance. "You think I''d just tell you? Stop dreaming! We, Foundation staff members, have gone through professional training, and our lips are sealed!"


    Unfazed, the Pope let out a light chuckle as he lightly patted the man''s head.


    "Thank you for the cooperation; I''ve gotten the answer."


    Confused, the man uttered, "Wh-what?"


    The Pope then headed straight toward a section of the wall and expertly manipted a concealed mechanism with his fingers.


    Swish!


    The pristine white floor parted, and a radiant light emanated from beneath.


    Charles looked downward and saw a giant, translucent orb shifting through colors as it expanded and contracted rhythmically. It appeared not as a single entity but as a cluster of interconnected bubbles.


    Is this 010? This is the thing that can distort time and space? Charles thought as he marveled at the sight.


    Being held at gunpoint by Linda, the Foundation staff member lifted his head in shock and looked at Charles. "W-w-what''s going on? You can see 010? Just who are you?"


    However, Charles ignored the question. He was deep in thought about what to do next when another Foundation worker dressed in the same hazmat suit approached and offered him a tablet.


    The staff pushed the tablet toward Charles, silently urging him to take a look.


    Charles raised an eyebrow in suspicion before extending his hand to ept the tablet.


    Project ID: 010


    Project Name: Time Regtor


    Containment: 010 is currently isted at the lowest level of the V4 Containment Site.


    Description: 010cks a physical form and can neither be perceived nor detected.


    It was discovered that entirely by ident at 1:34 PM on ¨~¨~¨~¨~. Another entity, with the designated ID of 177, suddenly appeared in the Foundation''s main ind rose garden in an iprehensible manner.

 Chapter 407: The End Has Yet to Come

    Chapter 407: The End Has Yet to Come


    Upon climbing up the ropedder and onto the airship, Charles finally got his first close-up look at one of the Divine Light Order''s colossal airships.


    The colossal airship had three gasbags, each measuring nearly five hundred meters long, while there were two submarine-like hulls beneath the gasbags. A narrow steel bridge connected the two hulls, and the Pope, d in his magnificent white robes, stood on the swaying bridge.


    Charles'' heart thumped, and he felt a sense of foreboding upon seeing the Pope''s haggard face the moment he arrived on the swaying bridge.


    A wry smile appeared on the Pope''s wrinkled face. "I''m sorry. I tried everything, but the door won''t budge."


    "You couldn''t open it? Howe? You bought so many people and ships. What did you guys do over there? Sightseeing?" Charles asked, frowning slightly.


    "I really tried everythingexplosives, spells, relics, and arcane magicsto no avail. Everything was ineffective, and I''m not exaggerating here. All the explosives we''ve thrown at the door didn''t leave even a single scratch on it," the Pope replied.


    "It''s that sturdy?" Charles was dumbfounded and curious at the same time. He was curious about the material that the Foundation had used to create that colossal door. How could it be so sturdy? As far as Charles knew, the surface world didn''t have such a sturdy material.


    "Do we really have to open the door? Have you tried creating a new entrance next to the door?" Charles asked.


    The Pope sighed helplessly and replied, "How could we note up with that idea when there were so many of us? It was useless. There''s also a huge tunnel behind the door. I guess they must have thought that someone would attempt to create a new entrance next to the door.


    Charles made a few guesses in his heart before asking, "How long did you guys even stay at Containment Site V4? I mean, think about it. It''s a door, so there has to be a way to open it, and I reckon that you guys simply haven''t found it yet."


    "Sorry, I don''t have time for this," the Pope said, sighing. "The Divine Light Grand Cathedral has been upied, and I have to direct manpower there to support our brothers rather than waste it on that ind."


    Charles knew the likely culprits behind the upation of the Divine Light Grand Cathedral, but he still decided to ask, "Who would do such a thing?"


    "Who else but those disgusting abominations worshiping deep sea monsters? I left enough people to defend against ambushes, but who would have known that dumb mortals would join hands with the Fhtagn Covenant?


    "I must summon all of my brethren to reim the Divine Light Grand Cathedral. It is our holynd. We have to be decisive, as we are already staring at the entrance of the Land of Light. We are about to reunite with the Light God, and we cannot falter here.


    "The Divine Light Grand Cathedral must be reimed. Otherwise, the Divine Light Order will suffer a tremendous blow; the followers will lose confidence in the Divine Light Order," the Pope replied.


    "Wait, what about the door? What are we going to do about the door to the surface?" Charles asked.


    The Pope merely smiled at Charles.


    Charles revealed a contemptuous look as he said, "Are you saying that I should go back to that ind and look for clues myself? You''ve been there for quite a while, but you actually couldn''t find even the slightest clue?"


    "No, we found some clues that are going to be helpful to you," the Pope replied, taking out a few photos for Charles to see.


    Charles took the photos and saw that the photos were close-up images of the colossal door above the ind. A few photos were pieced together, showing a massive keyhole. Without any reference objects, Charles couldn''t estimate the size of the keyhole. However, one thing was for sure: the keyhole was definitely huge.


    "We''ll aplish our goal as soon as we find the key. I remember you telling me that the Foundation must have been sending people to the surface periodically. In that case, I think the key isn''t that far.


    "It should be on an ind somewhere near Containment Site V4. You should start exploring those inds. The key is definitely on one of those inds, as it must have been too troublesome to move around, considering its size."


    "There were so many of you, so why did you not tell your men to explore those inds in passing?"


    "Haven''t I exined myself earlier? We have no time to waste. We immediately left the ind as soon as we heard the news," the Pope replied.


    Charles frowned while staring at the photos in his hand. He thought everything was over, but it seemed that the end had yet toe; he still had many things to do.


    "Are you not going to apany me to look for the key?" Charles asked upon emerging from his deep contemtion.


    "No, of course not. As I said, the Divine Light Grand Cathedral is our holynd, and I have to return to suppress those disgusting abominations. Also" the Pope trailed off, and his face was ugly as he continued, "I hate to admit this, but even though I''m strong, I don''t think I''m going to be of much help exploring those bizarre inds."


    Charles cast a disdainful gaze at the fleet down below.


    "All right, but I''m not going to explore by myself and just my crew. I''ll have to mobilize the entire Hope Ind to look for that key," Charles said.


    The Pope frowned slightly. "Are you not afraid of other people stumbling upon the terrifying remnants of the Foundation? Your years of experience should be enough for you to know that some things are best kept secret lest they cause a cmity."


    "I''m not afraid at all. At this rate, I''m more afraid of dying from exhaustion if I were to look for this key by myself," Charles replied.


    A cmity could indeed happen, but Charles felt like he could simply handle those issues the moment they appeared. He no longer wanted to waste any more time.


    Charles had also realized that exploring ind after ind by himself was just too much of a slog when he had Hope Ind''s Navy as well as the Explorers Association at his beck and call.


    The Pope revealed a slightly dissatisfied expression as he said, "Charles, you''re being too selfish here. You know many people would die if you were to do something like that, right?"


    Charles stared indifferently at the old man before him and replied, "I''m being selfish? You''re joking, right? If so, then it''s not funny at all. Anyway, if you have nothing else to discuss with me, then I''m going down.


    "A crew of mine has gotten married today, and the reception is still ongoing."


    "Wait, wait, wait!" the Pope eximed to stop Charles. Then, he stretched both hands and the photos in Charles'' hand took to the skies before folding up together to reveal a nautical chart.


    It was the same nautical chart they had found on the Ropelings'' ind.


    "Look, there are only five inds near Containment Site V4 where 010 is contained. The key is most likely on one of these five inds. How about you explore these five inds by yourself? Just these five," the Pope suggested.


    Charles stared intently at the Pope. "What trick are you trying to pull here?"


    "Do you really think that I can pull any tricks here? I''m just trying to find the key to the surface world here. Wait, have you already forgotten that contract we signed with that relic of yours? It would have already punished me if I really were trying to pull a trick on you.


    "It was <em>your </em>relic; <em>you </em>made that contract, and <em>you </em>signed it as well. Don''t tell me you forgot?"

 Chapter 408: First Mate

    Chapter 408: First Mate


    Charles fell silent at the Pope''s blunt remark.


    There was a high chance that the Pope wasn''t lying to him, but it wasn''t because Charles believed in the Pope''s words. Charles had faith in that ck marker, the relic he used to write the contract between him and the Pope. For some reason, however, Charles felt an indescribable feelinglike there was something amiss.


    Upon seeing Charles'' odd expression, the Pope immediately knew what the former was thinking. The Pope put his hands behind his back and said, "My child, you''re being suspicious of me again. Isn''t it about time you start being suspicious over your suspicion?"


    Charles was stunned. "Suspect my own suspicion?"


    "That''s right. You have no evidence, and there''s no reason for you to suspect me, anyway, as we''ve signed that contract using that relic of yours. Why are you even doubting me?


    "Now that I think about it, there''s something terrifying inside your head. In other words, there''s technically no difference between you and us, the Divine Light Order."


    Charles was instantly reminded by Anna''s tentacle in his head, and he hurriedly said, "No way! Anna would never do what you''re implying."


    The Pope smiled lightly and asked, "Howe you have such immense trust in her? I''m sure you know that Dioites are experts at manipting minds. Could it be that your decisiveness was born from a ''suggestion'' from her?"


    "What do you even know?! If it hadn''t been for this tentacle in my head, I would have remained a lunatic even now!" Charles eximed.


    "You''re no longer a lunatic, so why don''t you take it out? Are your thoughts at the moment really <em>your</em> own thoughts? What if the tentacle in your head has been putting thoughts inside your head all this while?"


    Charles'' eyes briefly revealed panic, but he quickly calmed down and said, "You''re changing the topic here."


    "Yes, I am changing the topic, and it''s all because I care about you. We''re suspicious of each other, yes, but we''re still of the same species.


    "As for the mind-controlling Dioites Haha, if you want to learn more, then go ahead and start asking about what happened to Arclight Ind in the Southern Seas."


    Charles gazed deeply at the Pope before turning around and walking toward the ropedder. "It''s useless to sow discord between us. I have absolute trust in Anna."


    "And that''s the question: where did that absolute truste from? Was it born from your own thoughts, or was it born from the false memories being created right inside your head?"


    Charles didn''t respond to the Pope''s question. He had no time to waste talking nonsense with the Pope. The handover was done, and it was time for Charles to leave.


    Charles grabbed the ropedder with one hand and slid back down to the ground.


    When Charles finally returned to the wedding reception, he found that the buffet dinner had ended long ago. Everyone sat in front of arge round table; they wereughing and chatting while ying cards, painting a joyful atmosphere.


    Charles pulled out a seat to sit down when Elizabeth nced at him and said, "You''re going out to sea again, aren''t you?"


    "How did you know?" Charles asked, looking a bit stunned.


    "I could see it on your face, so I didn''t even have to guess. Anyway, we''ve stayed with each other for quite a while now, so it''s about time I leave.


    "If I were to stay here any longer, I''m afraid you''d get tired of me," Elizabeth said, patting Charles'' thigh.


    "Sorry, I noticed that I''ve been making youe over to visit me. I''ll definitely visit Elizarles Shorles the next time I have enough free time," Charles replied.


    "Forget it. I prefer to visit you rather than the other way around. I''m afraid you''ll feel ufortable upon seeing my new wives," Elizabeth said.


    Charles'' gazended on Dipp just then, and he saw Dipp staring at him with an arm around his wife. Dipp had keen ears, so he definitely heard Charles and Elizabeth''s conversation.


    However, Charles didn''t really have any intentions of concealing his n, so he tapped the white granite table with his steel prosthetic. The murmurs andughter vanished instantly in response to Charles'' tapping.


    "Everyone, I know this is on such short notice, but the Narwhale will sail again in five days. The Pope is too unreliable, so we have to find a way to open that colossal door in the sky ourselves."


    The crew members had long gotten used to this, so they didn''t seem too surprised by the announcement. They exchanged nces and nodded at each other before continuing with what they were doing earlier.


    Time passed slowly, and the crew eventually left the backyard decorated with flowers. Even Dipp had left with his bride, but there was someone who had chosen to stay all by himself.


    It was none other than Weister. Weister stared nkly at the ss of wine in front of him. More specifically, he was staring at his own distorted reflection in the clear ss.


    The Governor''s departure didn''t attract too much attention.


    However, it attracted the concern and attention of a certain individualElena.


    On the day of Governor Charles'' departure, Elena gently pushed open the door to her son''s room. Upon seeing the familiar back of her son, Elena sighed in relief and closed the door slowly.


    The operational halt on the harbor district of Hope Ind was lifted as well, allowing the harbor district to regain its vigor. The docks were bustling once more, and there were ships everywhere, along with half-naked manualborers earning their livelihood.


    Charles was on the Narwhale''s deck, examining the new crew members. Charles had to hire new crew members to rece those who were unfortunate enough to go missing in the previous voyage.


    The crew members before this batch of new crew members were now veterans, and the cycle would start anew once Charles had to rece the deceased veterans with new crew members.


    The new sailors on deck were both excited and nervous. They were aware of what happened to the crew members that they had reced, but none of them resisted the temptation of an attractive sry.


    In addition, Governor Charles himself had issued a new decree stating that he would evenly divide a newfound habitable ind among the crew members without any catch.


    Of course, the new crew members were aware that everything still depended on their luck. If they were unlucky, they would end up bing fish feed. Otherwise, they would be a part of a habitable ind''s upper echelons or perhaps even the governor of that ind.


    Charles stood on the anchor machine, picking his teeth with the Dark de while examining the demeanors of his new crew members.


    A familiar set of footsteps echoed just then. Charles turned around and saw Weister climbing up the ropedder while wearing the signature green uniform of Hope Ind''s mail carriers.


    Weister stood on one side of the deck, while Charles and the other crew members of the Narwhale stood on the opposite side. The two sides stared at each other for a while.


    Soon, a brief whirring noise echoed as the Dark de retracted into Charles'' prosthetic limb. Then, Charles asked, "Who are you right now?"


    Instead of responding, Weister whipped out fresh, white bandages and wrapped them slowly around his head until a new Bandages was born right before everyone''s eyes.


    "I am the Narwhale''s First Mate Bandages."


    The veteran crew members of the Narwhale smiled in relief.


    Charles walked over to his First Mate and punched thetter''s chest lightly before saying, "You really scared me, you know that? I was really afraid that you wouldn''te with us on another voyage. Anyway, wee home!"


    "I still have memories to seek I seem to be immortal I want to know what exactly happened in the long time I was gone"


    "Great!" Charles snapped his fingers. "I''ll help you seek your lost memories. Sailors on deck; weigh anchor! Turbine team; full speed ahead! Narwhale; set sail!"


    <em>Hooonk!</em>


    The Narwhale''s steam whistle fleeted across Hope Ind, and the Narwhale''s smokestack belched out thick, ck smoke as she left the port slowly, eventually sailing once more into the dark, inky expanse of the open sea.

 Chapter 409: Friend

    Chapter 409: Friend


    Atop the cap of the mushroom in the center of World''s Crown were buildings of varying sizes built in a modern architectural style. If an individual from the modern world were to find themselves here, they wouldn''t think of this ce as a mere imitation of modern times.


    The shops on the ground floor of the buildings were open for business. The inders had no idea of the meaning behind the squarish-shaped characters carved on the signboards of those shops.


    However, the inders had been staying here for such a long time that it was impossible for them not to know what those shops were selling.


    The shop with an all-green signboard was selling beef noodle soup, while the shop with a signboard depicting a man eating what looked like green beans was selling duck leg rice bowls.


    Meanwhile, a signboard with the image of three characters written in bright yellow was selling chicken rice bowls.


    The agriculture of the World''s Crown could be considered well-developed, but animal husbandry was non-existent here. In other words, dishes with meat were so expensive that the average inder couldn''t afford to eat them on a daily basis.


    Of course, the inders would still gnash their teeth and spend their hard-earned money on dishes with meat whenever there were asions such as weddings and so on.


    Donna carrying a basket on her arm walked past the shops selling expensive dishes. A smile tugged at her lips as she made a beeline for her home.


    Upon arriving at the residentialmunity where her home was located, Donna saw her daughterughing while ying with the other children beneath the canopy of a huge mushroom.


    "Nene,e over here!" Donna called out to her daughter.


    Soon, a tomboyish, short-haired little girl ran over to Donna and hugged her leg.


    "Mommy, where did you go?"


    "Mommy went somewhere to buy you something nice. I managed to buy it with much difficulty. Anyway, I''m back, so let''s go home," Donna replied, pulling her daughter toward the apartment assigned to them on the second floor of the residentialmunity''s first building.


    The three-bedroom apartment with a living room was being shared by four farmer families.


    Donna focused on getting straight to their bedroom, and it was only when she closed the door that she realized that her daughter was holding the hand of a little girl. The little girl looked to be about the same age as Donna''s daughter, but the little girl had special eyesbeautiful green eyes with cross-shaped pupils.


    <em>Is she one of the new waves of outsiders here in World''s Crown? I wonder which ind has denizens with such special eyes, </em>Donna thought. She wasn''t surprised to see the little girl''s special eyes.


    After all, the farmers of the World''s Crown were destitute people who couldn''t survive the inds where they hade from and were forced to go to the World''s Crown.


    In other words, Donna had seen far too many varieties of inders that she could no longer be surprised. In fact, she had even seen people born with no ears, so green eyes were nothing special.


    There was a more pressing matter at hand that Donna had to address, so she set aside her thoughts and cast a puzzled gaze at the little girl, "Little girl, where are your parents? Did you walk into the wrong room?"


    "Mommy, she''s my new friend," Nene chimed in, "Her name is Sparkle."


    "Oh, she''s your friend?" Donna nodded and walked up to the table. After cing her basket on the table, she started rummaging through the basket. The two curious little girls tiptoed and clutched the edge of the table, casting curious gazes at the basket.


    Donna took out a long, curvy item wrapped in an oldyer of cloth. Donna unwrapped it carefully, revealing a banana. Unfortunately, half of the banana had darkened.


    "It''s so dark and ugly. What is that, Mommy?"


    "This is something nice from Hope Ind. Apparently, this grows only beneath the holy light of the Light God. It''s very good for the body, soe here and eat it up," Donna replied and ced the banana on her daughter''s hands.


    "Mommy, can you slice this? There are three of us here, so you should cut this into three," Nene said.


    Donna nced at the curious Sparkle, and her expression turned ugly as she said, "If she wants to eat that, then she should ask her mommy to buy her one."


    "But good things are meant to be shared, and I want to share this with my friend," Nene replied.


    "Who said that? The one who said that must have never starved in their entire life. Why must you share the good things that you have with others?" Donna asked.


    "Nim''s father told him, and then Nim told us" Nene muttered.


    "Don''t y with kids who don''t know any better. Anyway, enough. Hurry up and eat," Donna replied.


    Nene cast a hesitant gaze upon Sparkle before staring longingly at the banana in her hand. In the end, Nene returned the banana to her mother, saying, "You can have it, Mommy. Sparkle is my friend, so I''m not eating unless she eats."


    Donna gave her daughter a good look, and she suddenly felt pissed. Why was Nene insisting on sharing her food with others? Donna pondered over it and realized that it had to be because life had gotten better for them recently.


    When they were still living in the harbor district, they couldn''t even eat their fill every day, much less share their food with others.


    Donna attempted to persuade her daughter multiple times to eat the banana by herself, but she eventually gave up, saying that she would split the banana into two and give half of it to Sparkle.


    "Mommy, split it into three, please? This is good stuff, so you should have a taste, too."


    Warmth filled Donna''s heart upon hearing Nene''s remark. The fact that Nene still thought about sharing such a small banana with her mother made Donna feel gratified.


    Donna had said that she would give Sparkle a portion of the banana, but she still pulled a petty trick and gave Sparkle more skin than flesh.


    Nene stared with dazzling eyes at the banana in her hands. Then, she took a big bite, including the skin and eximed, "Sparkle, taste it! It''s really sweet and delicious!


    Sparke looked down at the portion of the banana in her hand and stuffed the entire thing into her mouth.


    <em>Huh? Did this little girl just eat that banana without chewing? She must have a pretty wide throat, </em>Donna thought, astonished by what Sparkle had done.


    "Are you not going to eat, Mommy? Why are you just holding that?" Nene asked while chewing.


    Donna smiled and put her portion of the banana back in the basket to wrap it up againter. "I''m too full right now, so I''m going to eat itter."


    Nene had no suspicions at all as she stuffed the final chunk of the banana in her hand into her mouth. Then, she turned around while chewing and was about to pull Sparkle toward the door when Donna asked, "Where are you going?"


    "I''m going to y with Sparkle!" Nene replied.


    "No more ying today. Today is ourst day here, and we have to go down soon. Otherwise, we won''t make it to our house today," Donna said.


    Nene''s brows drooped, but she didn''tin and simply turned around to help her mother with their luggage.


    "Sparkle, sorry. I have to leave here now. See you again in six months," Nene said.


    "Why do you have to leave? Can''t you just stay here?" asked Sparkle, sounding confused. Her clear and melodious voice sounded pleasant to the ears.


    "The Governor''s decree states that we can live here for only up to a month after six months of farming down below," Donna replied.


    "Then, why can I always stay up here?" Sparkle asked.


    "I don''t know" Donna muttered as an envious look fleeted across her face. <em>This little girl can always stay on the Crown''s cap with her parents? Her parents must be pretty wealthy.</em>


    The mother and daughter didn''t have much luggage, so it didn''t take them that long to pack up and leave the residentialmunity. The mother and daughter pair walked slowly toward the wooden basket that would bring them beneath the Crown''s gills.


    "What''s that on your face? Why do you have to put that on your face?" Sparkle asked, sounding confused as she tagged along with Donna and Nene.


    "This is called a face mask. We have to wear this down below, or our coughing will get much worse."


    "Coughing? What is that?"


    "A cough is a cough<em>cough, cough, cough! </em>Like that."

 Chapter 410: Atop

    Chapter 410: Atop


    One asked questions, while the other answered as the group soon arrived at the elevator-like contraption, which was just a sizeable wooden basket attached to the mushroom''s cap by a robust rope.


    There were already quite a few farmers waiting for their turn to go down.


    Nene hugged Sparkle tightly before running over to Donna, who was shouting at her from the wooden basket.


    "Goodbye! I''ll be back in six months, so wait for me! We''ll y again by then!" Nene shouted, her eyes turning slightly red.


    Sparkle stood at the very edge of the Crown''s canopy, staring calmly at the descending wooden basket. Soon, the wooden basket ascended again, carrying farmers and their families, who had been working hard to farm ryegrass down below over the past six months.


    "<em>Cough, cough, cough!</em>"


    "<em>Cough~!</em>"


    "<em>Cough, cough, cough!</em>"


    Everyone was coughing, but they wore relieved smiles upon taking off the masks covering their faces. There were no spores atop the Crown''s cap, and their coughing would eventually improve given enough time here.


    Sparkle watched them as they rushed over to the distant residentialmunity while coughing all the way.


    "Cough, cough!" Sparkle coughed hard with closed eyes, but her "coughing" didn''t sound like coughing at all. Sparkle headed into the dense buildings atop World''s Crown while coughing, and she kept coughing as she passed by many different neighborhoods as well as modern-looking stores.


    Sparkle eventually arrived at the Governor''s Mansion located in the middle of the Crown''s cap, and the guards standing at the gates seemed like they couldn''t see her, remaining motionless as Sparkle walked past them to enter.


    "<em>Cough, cough, cough!</em>" Sparkle was still coughing.


    Anna put down the newspaper in her hand and cast a puzzled gaze at her coughing daughter. "You don''t even have a respiratory system, so why are you even coughing?"


    Sparkle stopped coughing and cast a curious gaze upon her mother. "Why are they coughing?"


    "The spores below the mushroom''s gills irritate their lungs, so they cough."


    "What are lungs?"


    "The lung is a respiratory organ that humans use to breathe."


    "Why don''t we have lungs?"


    "I have them, but you don''t."


    "Why don''t I?"


    Anna slumped helplessly into her chair and said, "You''ve gotten a bit annoying asking me so many questions since you learned to talk. I really should have left you with your dad on that ind so you could bother him instead."


    Anna focused on the newspaper in her hands once more. The headlines today were talking about the ongoing battle between two religious groups.


    "I really didn''t expect them to actually start fighting. It''s great, though. The more chaotic it is, the better. These two have been around for so long, so their headquarters must contain quite a few good things.


    "Perhaps I can take advantage of themotion to earn a handsome profit myself. Hmm, it''s still going to be dangerous, but I have Sparkle with me. Still, it''s going to be hard to say whether I''d seed or not."


    Just then, Anna noticed something and straightened up. She turned and found that Sparkle had settled down. However, Sparkle was holding one of her big eyeballs and was staring at the pitch-ck dome overhead.


    "Is Daddy going up there? What''s up there?"


    "The surface is up there, but it''s a very boring ce. It''s not as exciting here down below."


    "Why does Daddy want to go there, then?"


    "Because your daddy''s head is broken."


    "Why is Daddy''s head broken?"


    Anna didn''t respond, knowing that answering Sparkle''s question would lead to another question and another, eventually bing an endless question and answer.


    Seeing that Anna wasn''t going to answer her question, Sparkle turned to stare at the pitch-ck dome once more. Sparkle stared at the pitch-ck dome for thirty minutes before finally saying, "I want to go up there and take a look."


    Immediately afterward, Sparkle returned to her terrifying colossal form. There was a sh of white light, and Sparkle was now hovering near the edge of the pitch-ck dome.


    Another sh of white light burst out, and Sparkle vanished from Anna''s sight.


    Taken aback, Anna put down her newspaper. <em>That girl didn''t actually reach the surface, right? If that were to happen, Charles would certainly reveal an interesting expression once he hears it.</em>


    The thought had yet to disappear from Anna''s mind when Sparkle reappeared before Anna in her colossal true form. Sparkle shrunk next to her mother, and her bodily fluids scattered about haphazardly as her green eyes trembled nonstop.


    Eight tentacles sprouted behind Anna, and the tentacles wrapped tightly around Sparkle in an embrace. "What''s wrong? What did you see up there?"


    "I only saw a lot of rocks I could keep going, but I''m too scared."


    Annaforted her daughter until she calmed down and fell asleep. Carrying her sleeping daughter in her arms, Anna frowned while staring at the pitch-ck dome up above. <em>What on earth is on the surface? Howe my daughter is so terrified?</em>


    It was Anna''s first time seeing her daughter show fear, so there was clearly something amiss here. Anna suddenly felt like Charles was attempting something incredibly dangerous, and she felt like she had to tell Charles about Sparkle''s experience.


    Anna picked up the tiny bell on the table and shook it gently. Momentster, a woman in a maid uniform walked over and asked, "What are your orders, Mistress?"


    Anna nced at her sleeping daughter in the chair before saying, "Send a telegram to Hope Ind. Tell them to contact Charles."


    The maid with a ponytail walked away and soon returned with bad news.


    "Mistress, he''s out at sea."


    "What an annoying man. Can you find out where he''s going?"


    "I''m afraid not. Only he, his first mate, and his second mate are allowed to look at their nautical charts."


    "It looks like we can only wait until his return. There is no way he''ll find the exit to the surface world during this voyage, right?"


    The maid revealed a hesitant look, seemingly pondering over something. In the end, she couldn''t hold in her curiosity and asked, "Mistress, I have a burning question in mind that I''d like to ask you if you don''t mind."


    "Go ahead. What is it?"


    "Why do you care so much about that man? His memories with you are all false memories that you''ve created. Why haven''t you been taking advantage of him when you could do so? You could outright cut ties with him, too."


    Anna stared at the woman that she had taken away from the Isle of Whereto. She had always been obedient and had done nothing but obey Anna''s words without any questioning. This was the woman''s first time asking Anna the reasoning behind her actions.


    Anna pondered over it for a while before answering, "Indeed, the feelings between us are fake, and their existence depends on me. I can cut them offpletely whenever I want.


    "However, erasing our memories together and feelings for each other means erasing my identity as Anna. I''ll regress and be a brainless Dioite driven solely by instincts.


    "I was pretty confused myself for quite some time, but then I figured out that since I made Anna, then I am ''Anna.''"


    "But I think you don''t have to help him with all your might. It should be the other way aroundhe should help you with your affairs using all his might.


    "That''s not going to work..."


    "Why?"


    "Well, first of all, he has a stubborn temper, which means that he''s never going to agree with that arrangement. Secondly andstly, it''s because Zhao Jiajia will always love Gao Zhiming."

 Chapter 412: Island

    Chapter 412: Ind


    "Why are there so many sea otters?!" Charles eximed as he leaned over the railing to look downward into the waters.


    A dense crowd of sea otters had encircled the Narwhale, each wielding shells and gleefully pounding them against the ship''s hull. The incessant hammering chipped at the Narwhale''s white paint, causing it to ke away. Charles couldn''t help but grimace at the sight of his ship getting damaged.


    "Feuerbach! Get your sharks to drive them away! They are hurting ourpanion!" Charles called out urgently.


    A bed of distinctive green hair emerged from the inky dark waters. Feuerbach acknowledged Charles''mand with a nod and then vanished beneath the waves again.


    Shortly thereafter, multiple red shark fins emerged, slicing through the water as they darted toward the otters.


    However, the otters seemed unfazed and persisted in their boisterous pounding activity until a spreading pool of blood on the Narwhale''s port side signaled danger. It was only then that they realized the severity of the situation and dispersed in a frantic rush. Almost immediately, the irritating thumping noises stopped.


    "Captain," Feuerbach called out from atop a shark. "It seems like those otters didn''t recognize the sharks."


    Charles surveyed the now tranquil waters and the sea otters lurking fearfully beneath the seaweed and asked, "How''s the situation down there? Are there signs of any other creatures besides these otters?"


    Just then, Dipp emerged from the waters with a ssh and a sea urchin asrge as a durian in his hands.


    "Captain, it''s a massive seaweed forest right beneath, thriving with a rich diversity of marine creatures. If there were any habitable inds nearby, this area would be a prime breeding farm."


    <em>Rich diversity? If there are this many sea otters, then what are their natural predators? Especially considering that they couldn''t even recognize sharks. </em>Charles pondered to himself but soon realized that there was no time to waste.


    "Let''s now dwell on this. We need to get out of here immediately. Our destination isn''t this seaweed forest. Full steam ahead!" Charlesmanded with a wave.


    In response, the Narwhale picked up speed as her engines hummed louder. The dense patches of ink-blue seaweed blurred past the crew''s vision.


    However, this particr sea region wasn''t that simple to navigate through. Soon, the sea''s surface was dotted with new obstaclesenormous green lotus leaves, each spanning the size of a basketball court.


    Typically, lotus leaves would never be found in the ocean, yet here they were. As the Narwhale moved forward, the leaves became more numerous and densely packed, to the point where the ship had to push through them to move. Thankfully, the lotus leaves were easily brushed aside.


    The peculiarities in the surroundings had spurred Charles to stay vignt by the deck cannon. If any danger were to arise, he would immediately issue orders for a counterattack.


    The mice had gathered around his feet and were ready for battle.


    <em>t!</em>


    Suddenly, the serene surface of the lotus leaves to the left of the ship was disrupted. A ck toad, asrge as a small cottage, emerged from beneath andnded on a leaf.


    Unlike typical toads, the protruding humps on its back were not poison nds but rather hundreds of small yellow eyes densely packed together. All of them were staring intently at Charles and his crew.


    With a guttural croak, the toad''s crimson belly expanded and contracted as it filled the air with its deep calls.


    Apanied by a series of mechanical clicks, the deck cannon of the Narwhale swiveled and aligned its aim squarely on the giant toad.


    "Hold fire. Don''t attack rashly!" Charles cautioned the mice.


    He didn''t care what these creatures were; at least for now, there had been no direct conflict between them. He always remembered his goal was to find the giant key and not to waste time in such ces.


    Under the watchful gazes of the giant toad''s multitude of eyes, the Narwhale continued its journey ahead.


    <em>t!</em>


    Another toad made its entrance andnded on another lotus leaf. Its appearance instantly escted the tension on the deck.


    As the crew watched anxiously, the number of toads started increasing, their croaking sounds merging into a relentless chorus that tested everyone''s patience.


    Regardless of the identity of these toads, their hundreds of eyes and immense stature hinted at their potential threat.


    "Should they decide to attack, ignore everything else and focus solely on making a path for us to get out of here," Charles instructed the mice at the cannon.


    Understanding the gravity of the situation, the mice squeaked in affirmation.


    Everyone, including Charles, had brandished their weapons and were braced for a tough fight.


    But contrary to their expectations, the toads around them soon began to dwindle in number. It seemed that the Narwhale had traversed beyond their habitat.


    Just as Charles was about to let out a sigh of relief, the speeding Narwhale came to an abrupt stop with a roaring sound, the inertia sending him hurtling toward the ship''s edge.


    Catching himself in mid-fall, Charles quickly regained hisposure and deployed a grappling hook from his steel prosthetic to anchor himself to the deck.


    <em>Did the toads attack us? </em>That was the first thought that came to Charles'' mind but he soon dismissed it. The toads in the distance had remained stationary and were merely croaking and observing from their lotus tforms. It appeared that the Narwhale had collided with an obstacle.


    Charles dashed toward the prow and peered anxiously into the depths to find Dipp and Feuerbach already assessing the situation.


    "What''s the situation down below?" Charles called out.


    "Captain, we had collided into a reef!" There''s arge depression beneath the bow of our ship!"


    Hearing this, Charles let out a sigh of relief. It was just a simple grounding, and they were not facing any immediate threat.


    Charles turned from the bow and gestured decisively to Bandages, who was stationed in the ship''s bridge.


    Bandages returned a gesture of understanding, and the Narwhale began its slow retreat.


    No one knew whaty below the inky dark waters, so the Narwhale waited while the underwater scouts explored the depths.


    Having be a Deep Dweller, Dipp was now like a fish in water. He moved through the water with ease, his speed several times faster than onnd. His movements were fluid, reminiscent of a shuttlefish weaving through the water. He resurfaced once more, and the translucent eyelids slid away from his fish-like eyes.


    "Captain, good news! It''s not a reef! We''ve reached our destination; the ind we''re searching for is right ahead.


    "It''s partially submerged, and that''s how we ran aground!"


    "What?!" Charles eximed in astonishment as he surveyed the surrounding seaweed and vast green lotus leaves.


    His guess had been right. The ind they sought aftery within this sea of seaweed.


    "Is there any path ahead? A passage for our ship?" Charles asked.


    "Yes! I''ve scouted ahead. There are several openings for us to go through!" Dipp confirmed.


    Casting a nce at the toads lingering near, Charlesmanded, "Advance at full speed! Our destination is within reach! If the key is on this ind, we are going to find it!"<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Erm.... Knowing the author, this is what I would call "the calm before the storm".</blockquote>

 Chapter 413: Toads

    Chapter 413: Toads


    <em>Ssh!</em>


    d in a diving suit, Charles plunged into the sea and quickly descended toward the ind beneath.


    The depth was rtively shallow; the Narwhale''s keel was 5.5 meters deep, and there was still another 1.5 meters to the sea floor. That meant that the ind was roughly 8 meters below sea level.


    Compared to inds fully engulfed by the deep waters, this ind''s depth was modest. Yet, such a depth had transformed what was a habitablend for humans into a useless sandbank in the endless ocean.


    <em>Ssh! Ssh! Ssh!</em>


    The other sailors donned their heavy diving gear and followed after Charles, sinking to the bottom of the sea. Their gear''s weight counteracted the water''s buoyancy, allowing them to descend smoothly.


    The light from their helmet-mounted torches pierced through the darkness of the sea bed and illuminated the surroundings


    Landing on a sandbank that was encircled by towering seaweeds, they felt as though they had entered the heart of a dense forest.


    A thick carpet of algae nketed the sea floor, and it was so slippery that they couldn''t walk steadily.


    "Our ship will reposition every twenty minutes. Fan out and look for clues. Signal at once if you find something," Charles gestured in g semaphore to the team of five divers.


    Turning toward the other two crew members in the water, Charles continued, "Dipp, Feuerbach, stay on perimeter watch. Ensure nothing disrupts our carpet search."


    The two acknowledged with a nod before darting off in separate directions.


    If the key had indeed been on the ind and its size asrge as they had imagined it to be, spotting it shouldn''t be difficult. However, considering the Foundation''s operations, things wouldn''t be that simple.


    If Charles were to put himself in their shoes, he wouldn''t just hide an important item like the key to the surface; he would also make sure that it was well camouged and hard to locate.


    As such, the search demanded not speed but rather a diligent and thorough approach.


    While Charles was consumed by his thoughts, a recurring tapping noise broke his train of concentration. He swiftly turned around to see an otter using his metal helmet to pry open the shell in its grip.


    Charles tried to ward it off with a dismissive wave, yet the otter seemed reluctant to leave. However, the moment it noticed the sparks of white electric arcs dancing around Charles, it quickly swam away.


    <em>Have these creatures note across anything hard? There is an abundance of rocks here; can''t they just pick any? Must they really use my helmet?</em>


    Charles then scanned the area, and much to his surprise, there were indeed no small rocks for the otter to use.


    <em>Ahem, I may have wrongly used them. But why isn''t there even a single pebble in sight?</em>


    Just then, he suddenly noticed that the previous otter that had swam away into the distance had disappeared without a trace.


    <em>Something''s amiss!</em>


    Charles tensed up and was on high alert. He then swiftly scouted his vicinity. Finally, he stumbled upon a giant toad that was behind a dense cluster of seaweed.


    Its skin was a stark contrast of ck and red, and its massive mouth, seemingly as wide as its body, appeared to be munching on something.


    The moment Charles spotted the toad, the creature had also noticed him.


    Underwater, the toad took a different stance from its surface counterparts. The colossal toad immediately lunged at Charles, its tongue the size of a battering ram shooting directly toward him.


    Despite the two hundred pounds diving suit on him, Charles remained agile. He effortlessly sliced the spindle-shaped tongue into two halves.


    At the same time, realization dawned upon him. <em>It didn''t go after us earlier because we were stationary. It only targets things that move!</em>


    Of course, Charles knew he couldn''t afford to let the toad flee. It would be troublesome if it escaped and got reinforcements. He decisively raised his steel prosthetic and aimed it at the giant toad. The grappling hook shot out with a trail of bubbles and embedded itself into the creature''s wrinkled back.


    With a series of clicks, Charles was rapidly pulled toward the giant toad.


    The toad spread its limbs wide and opened its gaping mouth before lunging at Charles as if intending to engulf him entirely.


    However, Charles had no intention of fulfilling its wish. Crackling sounds echoed as white electrical arcs danced along the chain to the toad''s body.


    The creature''s bulky, bloated form started convulsing under the intense electrical discharge.


    <em>Die!</em>


    Charlesnded in front of the monster and raised his Dark de, driving it deep into the brain with a powerful thrust.


    He didn''t stop even when the dagger was fully embedded. He applied more pressure until his entire arm up to the elbow was buried into the toad''s brain.


    With a forceful twist and turn of his arm, the toad''s monstrous form began to cken and ultimately became a lifeless corpse.


    Charles pulled his arm back out to find it covered with a disgustingyer of white substance.


    Suddenly, a series of sshing underwater sounds traveled into Charles'' ears.


    To his shock, what he had thought were white eyeballs on the toad''s back began to squirm out of their positions. They were not eyes but rather hordes ofrge, grotesque tadpoles, and each was armed with sharp, serrated teeth.


    The tadpoles, measuring over thirty to forty centimeters in length, aggressively swarmed toward Charles the moment they left their dwelling.


    The relentless biting of the tadpoles made even the sturdy steel of Charles''s diving suit creak. He could almost imagine the increasing damage they were leaving on his suit.


    However, if the parent toad didn''t stand a chance against Charles, neither did its offspring. With a burst of white light, the tadpoles instantly turned belly-up and started ascending to the water''s surface.


    Charles began his ascent as well. While he could get rid of the toad monster, he couldn''t say the same for his crew. They needed to change their strategy.


    Charles broke through the water''s surface, and in his diving suit, he climbed aboard a massive lotus leaf. Just as he was about to remove his helmet, he halted.


    The Narwhale was nowhere to be seen!


    Charles turned around in bewilderment and found himself surrounded by endless lotus leaves and dense clusters of seaweed. There was nothing else in sight; he had been isted.


    "What happened? I had only been underwater for a short while, and my oxygen tube was still connected to the ship," Charles mused to himself as he hastily reeled in his oxygen tube.


    To his dismay, he found its end neatly severed.


    "The oxygen was still flowing through when I was fighting that giant toad earlier. Does that mean that the ship vanished while I was ascending to the water''s surface?


    "This doesn''t add up! It happened too quickly!"


    Standing on the lotus leaf, Charles pondered for a moment before he decided to remain where he was. He reasoned that his crew would initiate a search for him upon noticing his absence.


    Without any coordinates or markings in sight, venturing about in this vast jungle of seaweed might throw him off course even further.


    That had been Charles'' resolution and n, but the local inhabitants had ns of their own.


    <em>Tap! Tap! Tap! </em>


    Soft, rapid footsteps echoed and swiftly closed in on him. Charles spun around but couldn''t see anything.


    The sound of the footsteps continued to intensify as it neared him rapidly until it seemed to ovep with his location.


    He looked down in astonishment to find the sounding from beneath the lotus leaf. Something was standing right under him, inverted.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    I don''t like toads or frogs, and this chapter has sessfully deepened my dislike toward them.</blockquote>

 Chapter 414: Return

    Chapter 414: Return


    <em>What is that? What is it trying to do? </em>Charles wondered in his diving suit, his gaze staring intently at the green lotus leaf underneath his feet.


    Gleaming with a cold light, the Dark de had already appeared in Charles'' hand. The moment something emerged from beneath, he would strike swiftly.


    One minute, two minutes, and three minutester, but the entity beneath the lotus leaf remained elusive and motionless as though it had disappeared into thin air.


    Yet, having been seasoned by countless brushes with danger, Charles'' sixth sense was clearly sounding the warning bell to him that there was definitely something lurking beneath the lotus leaf.


    Since his unseen adversary chose to remain still, Charles resolved to im the initiative then. With the Dark de in hand, Charles cautiously approached the edge of the lotus leaf.


    It took only a couple of steps before Charles reached the edge of the basketball court-sized lotus leaf. Peering over the edge, the water resembled a pool of thick, imprable ink; he could hardly make out anything in this lightless environment.


    <em>What''s down there?</em> Charles wondered to himself.


    After a moment of hesitation, impatience got the better of Charles; he didn''t want to waste a second more. Firming his resolve, he leaned over and seized the lotus leaf''s edge. With a forceful tug, Charles flipped the leaf over, and his entire stance became inverted.


    With a ssh, his steel helmet plunged into the waters. Gazing through the helmet ss with his night vision, Charles scanned the underwater scene.


    To his surprise, he could only see seaweed and a scattering of small marine life between them. There was no sign of any anticipated threat.


    A small fish with a yellow-striped tail blitzed past Charles and caught his attention.


    <em>Did that fish produce the footstep sounds? </em>Charles pondered but swiftly dismissed the notion. It was a normal threadfin bream, amon sight in the waters near Hope Ind and nothing out of the ordinary.


    Heaving himself up with his hands, Charles broke through the water''s surface andnded on the upper side of the lotus leaf again with a heavy thud.


    Just then, the sound of rapid footsteps resumed. This time, they were noting from beneath him but directly behind him!


    Without even a single second of contemtion, Charles tightened his grip on the Dark de and swung it backward in defense.


    "Captain, it''s me!"


    The trail of afterimages stopped in ce as the de froze mid-trajectory. Charles spun around to find his boatswain, Dipp, and staggered back in shock.


    "How did you get here? Where are the others?" Charles asked.


    "I was about to ask you the same thing," Dipp replied. "I was making the rounds with Feuerbach around the perimeter when suddenly I lost sight of him and his red sharks.


    "When I emerged from the waters, I realized the ship was missing and then spotted you walking toward the edge of the lotus leaf. But, Captain, why did you plunge your head into the water just now?"


    <em>Is it just Dipp and I now?</em> Charles mused as his fingers traced the edge of the Dark de, and his mind raced with possible exnations of their current situation.


    "Captain, what should we do next? Should we go search for them?" Dipp asked while blinking his translucent eyelids.


    "Let''s wait here. If they''re together, it makes sense for them toe find us, given they have an advantage in numbers."


    "Alright, I''ll follow your lead." Dipp nodded in affirmation. With a trace of helplessness on his face, he sat down cross-legged on the lotus leaf.


    Charles approached the Deep Dweller and settled down next to him before asking, "Dipp, how''s your son''s health now?"


    The Deep Dweller''s face lit up at the mention of his son. "Thank you for asking. He''s much better now. He has almost fully recovered."


    In an instant, white electric arcs danced across the fishman''s skin. Amidst the screams of agony, "Dipp" was reduced to a charred silhouette.


    Staring at the smoldering humanoid charcoal before him, a cold glint shed across Charles'' gaze.


    <em>Though I don''t know what it is that is pretending to be Dipp, it has indeed followed me here.</em>


    When "Dipp" appeared earlier, Charles had not let his guard down for even a second. Known for his exuberant personality, the real Dipp would have hollered Charles from afar and would never have crept up on him from the back.


    Plus, the familiar sound of footsteps hadn''t slipped his mind.


    Just as Charles stood up on the lotus leaf, a sharp tearing sound rang out. The charred form of "Dipp" instantly split into three vertical parts, each part burrowing through the lotus leaf like a worm, leaving a dark void in its path.


    Before Charles could understand what was happening, the lotus leaf beneath him rapidly yellowed and withered. Whatever entity that was, it had made its intention clear that it wanted to plunge Charles into the waters.


    "It''s actually still alive?" Charles removed hisrge helmet and extended his invisible tentacles, thrusting them into the newly formed holes on the lotus leaf.


    Letting out a low growl, lightning arcs crackled around Charles'' body before traveling along his transparent tentacles down into the surrounding waters.


    The surface of the water was illuminated with bursts of lightning, chasing away the oppressive darkness intermittently.


    After about a dozen seconds, Charles panted albeit heavily as he looked down at the lotus leaf. It was no longer yellow but pitch ck.


    The water around the lotus leaf began to bubble, and steam rose from around it.


    Everything returned to normal, and no other anomalies were observed.


    Just as Charles settled on a new lotus leaf, a distant white glow caught his attention. He turned in its direction, and his eyes widened in surprise.


    It was the searchlights from his ship, the Narwhale.


    He wasn''t sure if it was his lightning attacks that had attracted his crew''s attention, but they had finally managed to locate him.


    Four sturdy ropes were thrown from the deck, which Charles secured around himself before being hoisted up.


    With a loud thud, Charlesnded on the deck in his diving suit. Immediately, his crew members surrounded him and bombarded him with questions and concern.


    "Captain, are you alright?"


    "Fortunately, you returned! That scared us."


    "Wheredid you go?"


    "Alright! Shhh! Let me ask some questions first!" Charles'' voice rang out, and silence descended upon the deck.


    Charles pointed at a thoroughly drenched Dipp next to him and asked, "When did you notice I disappeared? I need the precise time down to the minute."


    "About seven minutes after you entered the water. I found some human traces and wanted to show you, but I couldn''t find you."


    "Seven minutes?" Charles reiterated and quickly recalled the events that had happened. The time Dipp had mentioned was around the time he had encountered the sea otter.


    He didn''t know the implication of this, but he felt that something was off about that sea otter.


    "How did you manage to find your way here afterward?" Charles continued asking as he took out his phone and checked the time.


    "After realizing that you were missing, we tried to follow your oxygen tube, but we found nothing. Then, we spiraled out from the initial point to search for you.


    "It''s all thanks to Audric that we were able to find you. He turned into a bat and heard amotion from this direction when he was doing an aerial search.


    "Captain, what happened? Your current location is two to three nautical miles away from where we were initially."

 Chapter 415: Plot

    Chapter 415: Plot


    Charles knew he didn''t have the luxury of time and swiftly recounted the peculiar events he had encountered


    "There''s something amiss about these waters. Some unknown entity in the sea has the ability to teleport their target over short distances."


    "Captain, do you think it might be those sea otters? Perhaps their shell knocking is not merely to crack it open but is actually some form of ritual?" Feuerbach suggested.


    Charles''s brows furrowed as he reflected on his interactions with the sea otters. Although it remained a possibility, as of now, there was no way to confirm it.


    He turned toward the surrounding waters and spotted only seaweed and lotus pads. There were no signs of any sea otters or giant toads from before.


    After pondering for a brief moment, Charles resolved himself to enter the waters to continue the exploration. They had finally found this ce after much hardship, and he didn''t want to give up and return just like that.


    Of course, drawing from his recent experience, he adjusted their approach and gave new instructions.


    "Let''s not split up this time; we''ll proceed as one group andmence the search. All six divers, including myself, along with Dipp and Feuerbach, must remain within sight of each other at all times.


    "Immediately alert the group if you spot any living creatures, including but not limited to the sea otters and toads.


    "Should you be teleported somewhere else, do not trust any living humans who approach you. Verify their identity by asking them what we had for lunch today."


    The team nodded in understanding and began to don their diving gear.


    "Captain, now that we know their tactics, we stand a better chance of defending ourselves against them. We just need to avoid physical contact with them," Dipp raised to Charles.


    "Hopefully, that''s the case, and that''s the only anomaly that teleports people randomly. But then again, the sea is always brimming with unexpected creatures," Charles remarked as he fitted therge steel helmet over his head.


    Suddenly, Charles realized a missing presence.


    "Where''s Tobba?"


    "I''m not too sure. He was still here a moment ago. He might be in one of the cabins; I''ll check on himter," Linda, the ship''s doctor, responded calmly.


    Not dwelling on it further, Charles made his way to the ship''s side with heavy steps. Yet just as he turned around, he could feel an unsettling gaze on him, and it wasced with ill intent.


    When he turned back once more, he didn''t spot anything unusual.


    "Charles, what''s wrong? Are you heading back underwater? By the way, have you seen Lily? I haven''t seen her aroundtely," Tobba asked in a light and carefree tone as he emerged from the cabin.


    Charles ignored the question and stepped on the railing to dive overboard into the sea with a ssh, sending a column of water skyward.


    The exploration team was back in the icy cold waters. This time, they maintained a tight formation as they cautiously navigated across the slippery algae seabed to search the seaweed forest.


    Initially, a tense and anxious atmosphere surrounded them all; they were afraid that they would encounter what their Captain had encountered. But as time passed and nothing out of the ordinary transpired, the crew gradually rxed and were able to concentrate on their task at hand.


    They diligently pried away the algae and seaweed in the hopes of uncovering any hidden clues and traces that might be within the depths of this submerged ind.


    Even though the water''s buoyancy offered some relief, the sea''s chilly temperature, coupled with the burden of their heavy diving suits, swiftly sapped the crew''s strength.


    Just as Charles cleared a swath of seaweed to check for potential traces on the ocean floor, he noticed his crew huddled together and signaling frantically in g semaphore.


    "Move it, team! The quicker we''re done here, the sooner we can leave," Charles darted over and dispersed the group.


    However, they regrouped again after several minutes. After some questioning, theyined about the weight of their suits and their growing exhaustion.


    Reluctantly, Charles instructed two divers to switch with someone else on deck so that they could proceed with the exploration. Meanwhile, others should also be on standby on the deck to switch in.


    As time trickled past, it was soon nighttime in the seascape. Charles and the two exhausted divers ascended to the ship''s deck.


    The day''s work had ended, and it was time for the crew to have their meals and rest. After all, one could only work if they had adequate rest.


    With his brows furrowed Charles headed to his quarters. The day''s dive had been safe, and they hadn''t run into any threats, which was fortunate news.


    However, on the flip side, they hadn''t found any clues on this ind. Not a single useful lead. Forget about keys; they hadn''t even found traces of human activity.


    Usually, any ind associated with the Foundation would bear signs of their presence, but there were none here. It was as if the Foundation had never set foot on this ind, which was not a promising sign.


    Charles took off his outer coat and hung it on the shelf beside him. He then opened his diary to document the events of the day.


    <em>October 23, 13th Year of Crossing Over</em>


    <em>We''ve reached the first ind out of the five targeted ones. It''s a half-submerged ind. There''s an undeniable oddness about it that I find rather disconcerting</em>


    The sound of the pen scratching against the paper rang out in the room as Charles penned down Chinese characters.


    Suddenly, a barely audible squeak entered Charles'' ears.


    Under normal circumstances, Charles would have dismissed it, but yet he could hear the distinct sense of unease in this particr squeak.


    With a click, Charles secured the pen cap and slid the Invisibility Ring onto his finger.


    The door to the Captain''s quarters on the Narwhale opened and then closed once more.


    Meanwhile, in the storeroom directly beneath the Captain''s quarters, a mischief of brown mice were gathered amidst stacks of mops and brooms. Their beady eyes were focused intently on a mouse, marginallyrger than themselves, that was squeaking with urgency.


    A portrait of a mouse was hung on the wall, and the mouse was colored white.


    <em>Squeak! Squeaaak! </em>Therger mouse gestured toward Lily''s portrait, and beside it was a straw figure with only one arm.


    After several minutes of agitated, animated squeaks, therger mouse seized the straw figure and tore off its head with a decisive bite.


    The next moment, the mice perched on buckets and brooms started squeaking energetically as they tilted their heads upward and gritted their front teeth rapidly.


    Suddenly, a series of urgent squeaks sounded, and a mouse darted out from a crack in the storeroom. The mice swiftly formed a pyramid to open the door.


    They swiftlybed the corridor to locate the source of the alert. Their searchsted for more than ten minutes, but it had been futile. The mice then retreated to the storeroom, and the door snapped shut behind them.


    Charles'' figure materialized as he stared from his vantage point on the ceiling. Using his steel prosthetic hand to scratch the itch on his body, his gaze remained sharp and intense on the storeroom door.


    He had witnessed everything from his hiding ce.


    <em>They think I''m responsible for Lily''s death and are plotting my death!</em>


    He knew better than to underestimate the mice, as he was aware that these mice had near-human intelligence and were potential threats.


    <em>This won''t do. I need to think of a way to resolve this.</em>


    Charles swiftly made his way toward the bridge to seek his first mate''s opinion. But just as he passed by the mess hall, he was distracted by a voice from within.


    "Quiet! There are footsteps!"


    It was a familiar voice that Charles recognized. He dashed toward the mess hall door and forcefully kicked the door open.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    The door flew open and every crew member of the Narwhale, apart from Bandages, were all huddled together and seemed to be deep in discussion.


    Observing them, Charles couldn''t help but connect the current scene to that he had witnessed among the mice in the storeroom moments earlier.

 Chapter 416: Abnormality

    Chapter 416: Abnormality


    "Why are all of you huddled together here?" Charles asked as he stood at the entrance to the mess hall, his calm gaze on the crew assembled inside.


    The crew exchanged nces, but no one stepped forward to answer immediately.


    Eventually, it was Dipp who broke the silence. With excitement on his face, he chirped, "Oh, it''s nothing serious, Captain. We were just waiting for our meals and were just killing time by listening to Feuerbach share tales of his hometown.


    "You wouldn''t believe it, Captain. This fellow actually had two wives back home and three more on Hope Ind! That''s five in total!"


    Dipp then shot a yful look at Feuerbach, breaking the ice among the crew. Laughter erupted as they began to gesture yfully and teased the green-haired man. Feuerbach, not to be outdone, joined in theughter, proudly taking the ribbing in stride.


    Charles scrutinized each crew member and matched every detail in his memories to check for any discrepancies. Everyone appeared normal; there was no abnormality.


    However, the cautious reaction to his arrival didn''t align with their exnation. If it were just a casual banter and teasing of Feuerbach, why would they have to be wary of footsteps?


    Just then, the cook and his newly hired assistant emerged from the galley.


    "Captain, are you here for your meal, too? Take a seat. Dinner''s nearly ready, just a few more minutes."


    Initially, Charles had wanted to discuss the mice''s strange behavior with his crew and devise a solution for the issue, but he decided to keep his mouth shut.


    Brows furrowed, he pulled out a stool and sat down in the mess hall before slowly closing his eyes. The chatter of the crew continued, but Charles sensed their voices lower slightly as if they were afraid of disturbing him.


    Peeking through barely opened eyes, Charles spotted Audric, his vampire sailor, discreetly loading his revolver among the crowd.


    Charles closed his eyes again, but the tip of the Dark de had subtly slid out of his prosthetic palm.


    Soon, dinner was served by the cook, nck, and his assistant.


    The spread wasvish. There were five long biscuits, an opened tin of pork, and a bowl of savory mushroom soup.


    On top of that, the te also contained two sea urchins cut in half, with their bright yellow roe disyed enticingly in front of Charles.


    Charles looked toward the others'' tes and noted that everyone had a simr menu. Apart from sea urchins, there were also small fish and crabs, and every single one of his crew was enjoying the feast.


    However, Tobba was not one of them. He was engrossed with a crumpled paper rabbit in his hand and was oblivious to the sumptuous seafood feast.


    Reminiscent of a seven or eight-year-old child, all his attention was on his toy, and he had forgotten about his meal.


    Despite thevish spread, Charles didn''t indulge; instead, he continued to observe silently.


    Some crew members who finished their meals quickly wiped their mouths and left, chatting andughing as they made their way toward the exit.


    As they left, mice followed one after another, entering the dining hall along the walls to start their feast. They paid no attention to Charles, who was sitting nearby as if everything that had happened in the storeroom before was just a fragment of illusion. Everything seemed so normal, so orderly, urrences that were routine on the Narwhale.


    <em>Are they all imposters? Like that Dipp on the lotus leaf? </em>Doubts swirled in Charles'' mind


    "Captain, why are you not eating? I caught this seafood myself; they are truly delicious!" Dipp said as he picked at his teeth with a sharp w.


    Charles shot a nce at Dipp and scooped the sea urchin roe from the te with his steel prosthetic. "I''m not really into raw food; you can have it."


    A hint of confusion shed across Dipp''s eyes as he received the sea urchin. "Captain, since when do you not like raw food? Didn''t you enjoy that jellyfish sd the day before yesterday?"


    With a slurp, the golden sea urchin roe slid into Dipp''s stomach, and an expression of sheer delight surfaced on his scaly green face.


    "Captain, do you still want these?" Dipp asked as he pointed at the remaining urchins.


    "Go ahead. I don''t feel like having them today," Charles responded as he pushed the te of urchins toward Dipp.


    A grin broke out on the fishman''s countenance as he eagerly scooped up the sea urchin roe with his webbed w and ate it.


    As he watched Dipp, Charles picked up a biscuit and soaked it in the mushroom soup, ready to finally start on his dinner.


    "By the way, Dipp, how''s your child''s health doing?"


    Dipp swallowed the mouthful of food and turned toward Charles with a confused gaze, asking, "Captain, what child? I just got married, and my wife''s condition means that we can''t have kids."


    <em>Was I mistaken? </em>The thought shed through Charles'' mind.


    Just then, Bandages entered the mess hall and quietly settled into the seat next to Charles. When nck served his meal, he started eating with relish through an opening in his bandages.


    By now, the mess hall had almost emptied out, with only a few left behind. Slightly tipsy, Second Mate Feuerbach held a wine bottle in one hand and an arm around the vampire sailor''s shoulder as he stumbled toward the mess hall door.


    "Listen blindy, there''s a new prostitute den that opened by the docks. I''ll bring you there to check it out when we''re back. The women there are so beautiful."


    Audric declined, "No thanks, I''ll pass. I''ve got matters to attend to when we are back."


    "What could you be so busy over? You don''t have a family yet, so why not enjoy life to the fullest now? It''s fully sheltered within and not even a shred of sunlight. You don''t even need to wear your leather suit.


    As the two men casually passed by Charles on his left, two ck gun barrels were suddenly aimed at Charles'' head.


    <em>Bang! Bang!</em>


    Charles'' head violently jerked as the bullets hit. His invisible tentacles sprouted out of his body almost instantly and wrapped themselves around Audric and Feuerbach and flung them away.


    He pushed off the ground with his feet, ready to dash out of the mess hall.


    <em>They''re all pretending! Everyone is fake! I must get out of here! This is not my ship at all!!</em>


    However, Charles found himself unable to move. Unbeknownst to him, a massive tree branch had extended from the side and tightly ensnared him in ce.


    It was Bandages'' ability!


    "Dig out the three stones from his palms! Otherwise, the bullets won''t hurt him!" Dipp''s voice echoed.


    The fishman then charged at Charles in fury, his sharp ws aiming for thetter''s palm.


    With a sudden crash, the door to the mess hall was knocked down and the mice and crew members who had left earlier rushed back in.


    They held various weapons in their hands; their expressions were terrifying and fierce as if they wanted to devour Charles alive.

 Chapter 417: Reversal

    Chapter 417: Reversal


    "Get lost!" Sparks flew everywhere as the branches restraining Charles caught fire and were scorched ck.


    Linda reacted immediately at the sight and took out a brown sphere the size of a ping-pong ball from her white coat. Then, she hurled it at Charles'' head.


    The strange mass in mid-air dispersed into powder, and the next moment, Charles was struck by intense vertigo. A loud noise echoed afterward as Charles fell face down on the floor. He tried to stand up on all fours, but he wasn''t able to muster any strength.


    The crew members surrounded Charles with weapons in hand and distorted expressions. Mice with bloodshot eyes and vicious expressions also emerged and stood by the crew members'' feet.


    <em>Damn it! They''re all fake right from the start! </em>Charles'' veins bulged as he red powerlessly at the crew members.


    Dipp had always loved to be at the forefront, so he rushed forward and picked up the Dark de before walking toward Charles. "Captain, don''t me us for this. We don''t want to kill you, but we''ve gotten tired of gambling our lives for your sake. We just have to kill you, and the ind will be ours."


    Charles stared coldly at Dipp. There was no way this Dipp could be his crew member.


    "Die!" A hideous look washed over Dipp as he shed out at Charles with the Dark de in hand.


    The Dark de drew a cold, icy arc in mid-air, but before it could hit Charles, thetter suddenly felt weightless. However, Charles hadn''t defied gravity; rather, he used his invisible tentacles to support his utterly exhausted body.


    An invisible tentacle wrapped around Dipp''s neck, and it tightened almost immediately. Dipp lost his strength, allowing another tentacle to snatch the Dark de away from his hands and thrust it into his neck.


    A grotesque noise echoed as the Dark de easily pierced Dipp''s neck.


    Charles gripped the hilt with his invisible tentacle and was about to decapitate Dipp when gunshots echoed somewhere. The bullets couldn''t harm Charles, but they saved Dipp''s life.


    Charles fell backward and onto the floor. His fleshly body was bulletproof, but his invisible tentacles weren''t bulletproof. Though he couldn''t see them, he knew his tentacles were now riddled with holes due to the searing pain coursing through him.


    Charles gnashed his teeth and endured great pain to stagger toward the door.


    "Don''t let him get away! Kill him! Hurry up and kill him!" Feuerbach charged forward with a saw-toothed saw made out of what seemed to be a sea monster''s fangs.


    Just as he was about to catch up to Charles, thetter whipped around, showing his bulging right eye. The spider in Charles'' eye socket crawled out and bent its eight long legs before jumping onto Feuerbach''s face.


    "Ahhh! It''s on my face! It''s biting my face! Get it off! Someone get it off!" Feuerbach screamed and pped his face in panic.


    Charles immediately took advantage of themotion to snatch Feuerbach''s weapon and sh out, wounding Feuerbach''s torso.


    Warm, crimson blood burst out and drenched Charles'' face while Feuerbach''s steaming hot intestines fell right in front of him. The blood on Charles'' face was hot, but Charles felt a shiver down his spine at the sight.


    <em>Wait, his blood is red? The blood of the fake Dipp that I had encountered wasn''t red. C-could they be real? </em>Charles thought incredulously. Before he had any time to mull over the matter any further, the other crew members rushed to assist Feuerbach with their own relic in hand.


    Thick tree roots climbed up the walls and pointed their sharp ends at Charles, and he responded with a burst of lightning. He was strong enough to annihte the people around him, but he dared not to do so, as they were his real crew members!


    <em>Bang!</em>


    Charles'' shoulder erupted into a bloody mist.


    Feuerbach had just shot Charles using the palm-sized pistol in his hand.


    Charles gnashed his teeth at the intense pain; it was so painful that Charles snapped back to his senses. Then, he made a beeline for the deck.


    <em>What exactly is going on here? What happened? Where are the enemies? Who is manipting them? </em>Charles screamed frantically in his mind as he ignored everything and rushed toward his destination.


    Charles didn''t dare to attack, so he could only watch as his crew members disyed the true might of their new weapons. Charles had an extremely formidable defense, but the crew members still managed to poke holes in him.


    However, it seemed that Charles was still victorious; his destination was in sight, and he burst out onto the deck. Unfortunately, the animated ropes of the Narwhale came to life and bound him.


    Charles found himself hanging upside down in mid-air, staring incredulously at the Narwhale''s curved smokestack. Even the Narwhale was under their control, and she had betrayed him!


    "Charles there''s no escape" Bandages muttered with the Dark de in hand as he ordered the crew to surround the immobile and upside-down Charles.


    The silver pistol in Feuerbach''s hand was now in Dipp''s hand. Dipp closed one eye and aimed at Charles'' chest, saying, "Feuerbach''s gun is so awesome. It''s definitely going to st a hole in Charles'' heart in just one shot. Hehehe."


    The rest of the crew revealed bloodthirsty smiles, seemingly excited to witness the gory scene that was about to unfold. Even the mice at the side gnawed madly at their front teeth, creating chattering noises.


    Charles was about to die, but he showed no fear in his countenance. He smiled and said, "It''s finally here."


    A crisp noise echoed behind everyone, prompting them to turn around at once.


    The spider from Charles'' eye socket had just dropped Charles'' diary on the deck. It was a feat that the spider had struggled to achieve; its eight legs quivered like aspen trees, and it barely managed to stand up.


    Immediately afterward, the spider used all of its strength to flip the diary over to thest page, revealing the portrait of a terrifying monster.


    "Sparkle! Bring Mommy here!" Charles roared at the portrait.


    Under everyone''s astonished gazes, a cluster of tentacles glowing in green burst out of the portrait. The squirming tentacles were riddled with tens of thousands of eyeballs emitting green light.


    Sparkle spat Anna out of her.


    "What did you call me here for?! Haven''t I told you that I''m busy?" Anna asked, sounding impatient.


    Charles struggled against the animated ropes, shouting urgently, "Something has been manipting them! You''re an expert at manipting minds, right?! Hurry up and free them!"


    Anna frowned and strolled leisurely among the crew before walking over to Charles still hanging upside down from the animated ropes.


    "What is this? Bondage y? We haven''t done that yet, but this isn''t exactly the time to do that. Let''s do it next time.


    "This isn''t the time for jokes! Can you not see me up here?!" Charles eximed anxiously.


    Anna looked around at the crew and shrugged. "Nothing''s wrong with them, and no one is manipting their minds."


    Charles'' pupils constricted. "No one is manipting their minds? That''s impossible! They were just"


    "You really are disgusting," Anna interrupted, her voiceced with disgust and malevolence, "You already have me, so why are you still entertaining that Elizabeth and who knows how many other women? Do you really think that I can''t get angry, Gao Zhiming?"


    Anna''s hand transformed into a tentacle that snatched the Dark de from Bandages'' hand before swinging it toward Charles'' head.


    Charles felt his scalp turn cool almost immediately afterward. <em>Did she cut my hair?</em>


    However, Charles instantly saw that he was mistaken. Anna was holding a bowl-shaped object covered in ck hair. The bowl-shaped object was none other than Charles'' scalp and a chunk of his cranium.


    Anna''s mouth fluttered open. Then, she stuck her tongue out to wrap around Charles'' trembling and exposed pinkish brain.


    "It already looks so delicious. Once I consume it, Charles will be mine and mine alone!"<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Not gonna lie I''m very confused now. What in the world????</blockquote>

 Chapter 418: Perspective

    Chapter 418: Perspective


    The brain had no pain receptors, so Charles couldn''t feel what Anna''s tongue was doing to his brain.


    Blood poured out of Charles'' head as if it were a broken dam, drenching him. But it was the least of his concerns now as he caught a glimpse of a small white sticky lump that Anna''s tongue had peeled off from his head and had stuffed into her mouth.


    It was his brain! Anna was eating his brain!


    "Hehehe, delicious. Charles, you really are delicious" Anna muttered in a trembling voice, and her cross-shaped pupils reflected greed as she sent more and more ck, writhing tentacles toward Charles'' head.


    "Sparkle" Charles turned his eyeballs with great difficulty and looked at his daughter hovering not too far away from him. The tentacles riddled with eyeballs, however, merely hovered quietly in mid-air. Clearly, Sparkle had no intention of helping her father and simply watched as her mother consumed her father slowly.


    Everyone had betrayed Charles, and despair filled his heart.


    <em>How is this possible? Just what on earth did we encounter that it even managed to manipte Anna''s mind? What is going on? Why is this happening to me?!</em> Charles roared inwardly, unwilling to die just like this. He had to escape his plight.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    Charles'' prosthetic hand transformed into a chainsaw, and he hacked away at the animated ropes that had bound him. Before he could cut the animated ropes, Anna and Sparkle''s tentacles reached out and immobilized him.


    Charles had thought that summoning Sparkle was the key to sess, but it turned out that he had just allowed his enemy to gain an ally.


    "You''re so annoying. I wanted to take my time savoring your vor, but you''ve left me with no choice but to consume you in one bite!"


    Charles immediately felt a powerful tugging force, and he saw Anna''s tentacle extracting what looked like a pinkish lump of something from his head. Then, Anna immediately stuffed it into her mouth.


    Charles'' eyes involuntarily rolled back as he stiffened, and his throat let out gurgling noises before his consciousness sank into darkness. Charles felt groggy, and he could feel himself drifting eastward.


    <em>I''m dead? Anna killed me? I.</em>


    "Charles" A soft voice echoed, and Charles snapped awake.


    A handsome silver-haired young man wearing a crisp suit and with clear, bright eyes resembling a newborn baby''s eyes was shouting at Charles down below with his hands put together to resemble a trumpet.


    Charles looked around and found himself floating in mid-air. Anna was below him, and she was in the middle of devouring his corpse. Charles looked down at himself and saw nothing; he couldn''t feel his own body as well.


    <em>Am I dead? Am I in my soul form?</em>


    Charles floated downward to take a closer look at his corpse. His corpse''s mouth was wide agape, and there was a massive hole in its torso, but there were no organs or flesh inside it.


    Anna seemed like she hadn''t eaten her fill yet as she was peeling off Charles'' lower half with her sharp fangs. Charles'' crimson blood drenched the floor, and the nearby crew looked on with bloodthirsty eyes, licking their lips in excitement.


    Charles observed the horrifying, gory scene for a long time before he turned to the silver-haired young man next to him and asked, "What''s going on with them? Howe they became like this? What''s up with that intense rage they have toward me?"


    "This isn''t strange at all. Thoseing here for the first time will always think that the entire world is out to harm them. They have no idea that they''re just looking at the same scene but from a different and distorted perspective," the silver-haired young man exined calmly.


    "What?" Charles asked, staring at the silver-haired young man in bewilderment.


    "I''m as lucid as just about anyone out there, so howe you still don''t get it? You''re still alive, but there''s a tiny issue. If I were to put it simply, I''d say that we''re on the same frequency now."


    "Who are you?"


    "I''m Tobba."


    Charles was stupefied. Then, he swept his gaze across the fierce-looking crew and Anna, who was still busy devouring him.


    "You''re Tobba? Does that mean I''ve gone mad just like you? Are you saying that the scene before me is nothing but a mere delusion on my end?" Charles asked.


    "It depends on your perspective. From our current perspective, they''re the lunatics, but from their perspective, <em>we </em>are the lunatics.


    "You can perceive the world from many different perspectives, and every single perspective will lead to a markedly different conclusion. Understanding these perspectives means you''ll have a deeper understanding of the world, allowing you to grasp more truths," the silver-haired young man exined.


    Charles was confused. He shook his non-existent head and stared at the reformed Tobba before him.


    "Where is my real self? What''s happening out there right now?"


    "You''re lying on the deck, and everyone is trying to treat you. Anna is helping, but it''s not exactly effective, so you have to rely on yourself if you want to return to that perspective," Tobba replied confidently as he stared calmly at Charles.


    Charles nced at his mutted corpse before turning back to Tobba and asked, "Can youmunicate with them?"


    "I know what you want. You want to get out, right? I don''t rmend doing that right now. If you were to get out right now, everyone else would get dragged into this perspective. I really don''t want to exin things to them from square one.


    "A tiny issue is the reason behind your current predicament, and you have to resolve that issue from this perspective first before getting out of here. If you refuse to resolve that issue, everyone will get stuck here," Tobba exined.


    "Who or what drove me mad? Is it those sea otters? The toads?" Charles asked and made a few guesses.


    Tobba shook his head and walked up next to Anna. He then pointed at Charles'' mutted corpse and said, "Get back into your body before anything else. Justy down on top of your body, and you''ll get back into it. We leave once you''re done."


    Charles appeared hesitant, but he eventually did as he was told. He "swam" to float above his corpse and gentlyy down on top of it. Momentster, Charles could feel his own body once more, and he staggered up to his feet.


    Charles touched his head and found his brain missing. He looked down at his torso and saw Tobba through the hole in his ribs. Charles couldn''t possibly be alive with such injuries, but Charles defied logic and was still alive.


    "Great. Now that you''ve recovered your body, let''s go and resolve that issue together," Tobba walked over to the railings and rummaged through his pockets. In the end, he took out a crumpled paper rabbit and hurled it toward the water.


    As soon as the lightweight paper rabbit struck the water, it transformed into a giant rabbit with a loud noise.


    "Get on, let''s go and look for them," Tobba said.


    The final vestiges of hesitation in Charles'' eyes vanished as soon as he saw the huge rabbit before him. It turned out that there wasn''t anything strange going on with his crew, the mice, and Anna.


    He was the odd one out; he had really gone mad.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts</blockquote>

 Chapter 419: Going Down

    Chapter 419: Going Down


    Dipp swallowed nervously, watching as the captain stood up on the deck, his body swaying with the waves.


    The crew of the Narwhal looked on anxiously at their captain, relieved that this time, he wasn''t venting his anger and attacking anyone, thanks to Tobba''s method, which had proven effective.


    With drool dripping from his mouth, Charles stumbled around the deck, following Tobba, who held a paper rabbit in his hand, circling around the deck.


    Charles'' limbs were uncoordinated, his lips were twisted into a smirk as he mumbled something inscrutable. It was an utterly bizarre sight.


    "Hey, Tobba, what are you doing?" Dipp asked hesitantly.


    "Shh, don''t make noise! I''m taking Charles somewhere. It''s none of your business. Just stay quiet and wait," Tobba replied, tweaking the ear of the paper rabbit. He and Charles then abruptly dropped to the ground, crawling in circles.


    Having returned to her human form, Sparkle watched the amusing scene and her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I want to y, too."


    But just as she was about to run over, her mother pulled her back. "No! Stay put."


    Anna''s elegant brows slightly furrowed as she studied the sight before her.


    Bandages nced at the golden statue of Fhtagn on the ground and walked over to Anna. "You really... have no way...?"


    "I''ve said it many times. Charles''s memory and cognition are fine. He''s my man. If there were a way for me to help him, wouldn''t I know that? Also, why is he the only one having issues in this cursed ce? None of you have any problems?" Anna snapped.


    Bandages cast a nce at the eager Sparkle beside Anna and didn''t reply.


    Anna spoke again, asking, "Where did this old mane from? Is his method reliable?"


    "He... is a special... lunatic... maybe... useful," Bandages responded.


    "Hmph!" Anna''s displeasure showed on her face. "He said he could bring Charles back. He''s dead if he dares to deceive me!"


    "I don''t think... a monster... could have... such deep feelings... for the captain... What exactly are you... nning...?" Bandages asked while staring at Anna with deadpan eyes.


    "Why are you saying that as if you know him more than me? I slept with him, and I gave birth to his child. Did you also sleep with him and give birth to his child?" Anna asked sarcastically.


    Sensing the tension between them, Feuerbach endured the pain radiating from his stitched-up stomach and said, "Stop arguing, you two; the priority here is to save our Captain. Anything else can wait until then."


    Everyone went silent and stared at Charles crawling after Tobba in circles.


    "Guys" Dipp trailed off, sounding reluctant as he asked, "Where do you think they''re going?"


    "You''re asking where we''re going?" A young-looking Tobba turned to Charles behind him and exined, "Of course, we''re going to resolve the ongoing issue. What? Do you want to stay in this perspective with me forever?"


    Charles standing on the giant paper rabbit looked around. The sea was on his left and vertical, while the pitch-ck sky was on his right, vertical as well. He had no idea what was going on; all he knew was that when Tobba tweaked the paper rabbit''s ear, the world became vertical.


    "Just what drove me crazy, and when did they make a move?" Charles asked.


    Tobba tweaked the paper rabbit''s ear as he replied, "They made their first move when you entered the waters. However, the symptoms didn''t show until muchter."


    "They? Are you talking about those sea otters?"


    "No, those sea otters serve <em>them</em>. <em>They</em> are much more ''advanced'' and special," Tobba replied.


    Tobba was unwittingly transfixed on the inky ck sea up ahead as if he were a rookie driver.


    "What do you mean ''more advanced''?" Charles asked, sounding confused. He truly had no idea what Tobba meant. The young Tobba from this perspective had a penchant for speaking in riddles.


    "You don''t have to know them, as they only exist in this perspective. You just have to leave this region of the sea, and you''ll never encounter them again."


    "I didn''t provoke them, did I? Why did they drag me into this perspective?"


    "Hahaha. Borrowing your words long ago, I''d say that they''re a group of collectors. Their goal is to collect everything you havethoughts, memories, and even your soul. These are all appetizing to them."


    Tobba then turned to Charles and grinned. "Good thing I managed to wake you up. Otherwise, they would have already collected you, and you would have be a part of their collection to wear."


    "Thank you," Charles said solemnly.


    "No need to thank me. You''ll have plenty of chances to do soter," Tobba replied and turned around to steer the giant rabbit.


    "Howe you know this ce so well? Are you not new here?" Charles asked.


    "How long have you been a lunatic? Can you evenpare to me when ites to how long I''ve been one?" Tobba asked, looking proud. "I''ve been in this ce for over four hundred years now, and I''m sure you know my ability, too."


    "Your ability? Is it foresight?"


    Tobbaughed and replied, "I guess you can put it that way."


    Charles went silent and chose to stop asking such questions. After all, he had a more important question to ask.


    "What do we have to do to get out of here once we reach our destination?" Charles asked.


    "We have to find them and disperse them. Then, we''ll take advantage of the time they need to regroup to return to your perspective. Afterward, lead your crew and kill all the sea otters.


    "Without those sea otters as mediums, they cannot influence your world," Tobba replied.


    Charles looked down at his mutted figure. He lifted his prosthetic arm, and it briefly transformed into a chainsaw as Charles asked, "How do we disperse them? Can I use this as a weapon?"


    "Anything works; you can even use your fists. Ah, don''t use your lightning ability. Its range is too big, and you might identally hurt the others," Tobba replied.


    Then, without any warning, Tobba tweaked the paper rabbit''s ear. The giant rabbit turned sharply, and the vertical world rotated ny degrees clockwise to be normal once again. The sea was back on the ground, while the pitch-ck sky was back overhead.


    "What are we going to do next?" Charles asked with knitted brows while looking around.


    Tobba pointed at the inky ck sea covered in seaweed and lotus leaves. "We''re going down."


    "What?"


    Before Charles could ask any questions, Tobba reached into the hole in Charles'' torso, grabbed his spine, and pushed him gently overboard.


    A crashing noise echoed as Charles fell head first into the water. The turn of events was so sudden that Charles felt both dizzy and disoriented. He took a moment topose himself and found that he was in the middle of densely packed seaweed.


    "What is going on?" Charles muttered, dumbstruck. He was standing on the surface of the water, and he saw Tobba on the other side of the surface along with his giant rabbit. Tobba eventually jumped into the water, and his figure melted quickly in the water, disappearing into thin air.


    Momentster, however, Tobba''s figure manifested once moreright before Charles'' astounded eyes. The two found themselves standing upside down on the "underside" of the water.

 Chapter 420: Tobba

    Chapter 420: Tobba


    Charles and Tobba walked swiftly, weaving through the upside-down world of seaweed. Charles'' mutted figure left hazy trails of blood that diffused into the sea.


    Despite being underwater, Charles didn''t feel suffocated; he could breathe normally, and he also didn''t feel like he was in water at all. The clear and transparent surface of the water, as well as the emerald green of the seaweed, made Charles feel as if he were on an early morning stroll in a deste park, though he was walking upside down.


    Indeed, the surroundings were desteno sea urchins, no sea otters, and no fish. In fact, there were no other living creatures around them.


    "How far is our destination?" Charles asked as he stroked his prosthetic arm using his right hand with two missing fingers. His prosthetic arm was in its chainsaw form; he had chosen to preemptively transform it to defend against an ambush.


    Tobba was holding a few pieces of paper in his hands and was folding them into something. "We''re almost there. I can already feel them. They''re moving in a circle at our east, and we''ll soon catch up."


    Charles went silent and stared at Tobba''s face for a while. Then, he nced at the upside-down world of seaweed ahead of them and asked, "Tobba, can you answer some of my questions? There are only the two of us here, anyway."


    "Ask away."


    "When we were near 010, why did you ask me what I had for breakfast at the time? What was that all about?


    "You also left a message for me on Doctor''s tablet; you told me to be wary of the Pope, but what exactly were you talking about? No more riddles. Answer me properly," Charles asked. He had been pondering over those burning questions, and he had never really made his thoughts obvious.


    The sober Tobba had the special ability of foresight, so his words at the time were definitely important. It was a faint feeling, but Charles felt like he had to know the meaning of Tobba''s words at the time.


    Tobba stopped folding the pieces of paper in his hands as a dumbfounded expression washed over his handsome face. He cast a confused look at Charles as well, asking, "What are you talking about?"


    Charles was surprised by Tobba''s reaction. "What do you mean? The Tobbas I saw were definitely you. Wait, are there multiple Tobbas?!"


    "Well, the Foundation <em>did</em> consider using my genes to create several clones of myself for the sake of producing prophets, but I think the Tobbas you met were me" Tobba muttered.


    Charles was about to speak, but Tobba waved his hand, interrupting Charles before saying, "I''m not being contradictory here. Those Tobbas were me, but I''ve thrown those memories awayreally far away.


    "In other words, don''t bother asking me about what my words meant at the time, as I really have no idea."


    "Why throw your own memories away?" Charles asked.


    "It was because I had too many memories containing a variety of things," Tobba replied, and his answer astonished Charles.


    Before Charles could ask any questions, Tobba''s expression revealed faint sadness as he added, "You won''t understand the struggle of an omniscient being. Do you really think that the world right before you is the true world? Do you really think that the world is just like a river that flows incessantly for eternity?


    "That is actually not the case. Humanity is too narrow-minded; the world changes constantly. Every change is born from the choices and decisions of a myriad of living beings, and they are the tributaries of therge river of which we call <em>the world</em>."


    For some reason, Tobba''s exposition reminded Charles of Lily''s true identity as well as the alternate world in Containment Site V12.


    Inexplicable fear filled Tobba''s eyes as he added, "I think there''s something problematic within those memories of mine. My previous self must have touched on something taboo like knowledge that is absolutely taboo to humans."


    "I''ve already discarded my memories, but I''m still being hunted outside. I must escape this perspective and perform the conversion ritual to survive."


    Tobba took a few deep breaths to vanquish the fear that had gripped his heart before saying, "If my previous self had truly warned you about something, then you''d best follow his instructions.


    "He must have seen something <em>terrifying </em>at the time, and he decided to warn you to try and steer the flow of the river we call the <em>world</em> away from that horrifying scene."


    Charles went silent and pondered deeply over Tobba''s words. <em>Does that mean that something terrifying will ur in the near future if I keep working with the Pope?</em>


    Charles felt like he had to consider Tobba''s words seriously.


    <em>Will the Pope''s arrival on the surface world cause a great disaster? He said the Light God just wants to leave. If he had lied to me at the time, then it would make sense.</em>


    <em>The Fhtagn Covenant has upied the Divine Light Grand Cathedral. He''s busy fighting them at the moment, and it''s a great opportunity to get rid of the two of them at the same time.</em>


    <em>I just have to find the key. I''ll have the upper hand once I''ve secured it. Unfortunately, the Pope is really strong, so we''re going to have a massive headache dealing with him once we''ve truly angered him.</em>


    If Charles wanted to make a move, he had to be incredibly meticulous about it, as the Pope was extremely strong.


    "Look at that!" Tobba eximed, "We''re finally here."


    Charles snapped back to reality, and his pupils constricted immediately as he looked upward. Hundreds and thousands of massive rings created by sea otters holding hands in their sleep moved slowly through the sea just above Charles and Tobba.


    It was a magnificent yet bizarre sight.


    However, the sea otters weren''t the reason behind Charles'' stupefaction. Rather than the seabed, Charles saw a massive sprawling metropolis right above the rings of sea otters.


    Glittering skyscrapers, neon-lit towers, expansive slums made out of corrugated sheets, and Gothic-style churches painted in ck. Buildings built using a variety of architectural styles were cramped together amidst the kaleidoscope of lights.


    Charles had no idea how to describe such a sightwas he supposed to describe it as magnificent? Spectacr? He couldn''t say for sure.


    Charles'' sharp eyes saw people moving about the metropolis. There were people living in this metropolis!


    "Stop staring and move! Go wake up those sea otters! Without the sea otters as mediums, they''ll be forced back to their own perspective!" Tobba eximed. He took out a paper rabbit and hurled it into the water. The paper rabbit transformed into a giant rabbit. Tobba rode it and rushed toward the rings of sea otters.


    Charles tweaked the paper rabbit''s ear, and his vision flipped instantly as he plunged toward the rings of sea otters just above the metropolis.


    Tobba''s giant rabbit kicked off of a towering seaweed, sending Tobba toward the nearest ring of sea otters.


    <em>Snap! </em>Tobba used his paper scissors to snip off a sea otter''s head. Immediately afterward, like a domino effect, the heads of the remaining sea otters that made up the ring popped one after another like balloons.


    Hanging from a seaweed stalk, Charles witnessed the copse of a few buildings in the massive metropolis, and Charles instantly realized what Tobba was talking about earlier.


    The "they" Tobba had been talking about was this metropolisthe metropolis had driven Charles to madness!

 Chapter 421: Metropolis

    Chapter 421: Metropolis


    "Come to your senses, Charles! Move and help me here! I can''t do this alone!" Tobba eximed while snipping off the heads of the sea otters using his paper scissors.


    Despite his confusion, Charles knew that this wasn''t the time to hesitate. He kicked off of the seaweed and rushed toward the nearest ring of sea otters just below him.


    Charles unleashed his grappling hook and swung it hard like a whip. The grappling hook swept across the sea otters, and popping noises followed as the sea otters vanished one by one. Likewise, the buildings in the metropolis copsed.


    Charles was about to plunge into the bright metropolis, but he aimed his grappling hook toward a seaweed stalk and pulled himself away from the city.


    The brief respite allowed Charles to see the denizens of the metropolis, and they were running away, screaming for help and panicking like ordinary people would do in the middle of a disaster.


    The sight was realistic, and Charles felt as if they were genuine, living residents of the metropolis.


    A loud cracking noise echoed just then as a massive rift opened up on the ground of the metropolis. At the same time, a gaze full of extreme evil was cast upon Charles.


    ***


    The crew members of the Narwhale kept tabs on their crazy Captain and Navigator.


    Dipp dodged Charles'' grappling hook before turning to Feuerbach next to him and saying, "You can still smoke at a time like this?"


    Feuerbach exhaled a puff of smoke and pointed at his bandaged torso. "I need to smoke for the pain. Besides, what else can I do aside from smoke?"


    Some sailors couldn''t keep straight faces while staring at the absurd spectacle that Charles and Tobba were performing right before them. They squatted next to each other and picked their noses while staring at the two lunatics.


    "What are they even doing?"


    "No idea. I heard that lunatic Tobba can somehow cure the Captain."


    "A lunatic curing another lunatic? Whose idea was that?"


    "Forget it. It doesn''t really matter as long as the Captain no longer wants to kill us. He almost hacked me to death earlier."


    Meanwhile, Anna looked annoyed as she scrolled through the cell phone in her hands.


    "That''s the Captain''s! How did you get that?!" Dipp eximed and tried to snatch it away, but Anna easily dodged Dipp''s hand.


    "So you''re Dipp? You''re as ugly as the rumors," Anna said.


    Annoyed, Dipp was about to retort when Anna''s head turned 180 degrees around to stare at the dark expanse up ahead. "Something''sing, and there are many of them."


    The crew couldn''t even start asking questions as they quickly heard distant sshing noisesing their way.


    Everyone stood nervously while staring into the distance, but they couldn''t see anything at all.


    "The searchlight! Shine it there!" someone eximed.


    The Narwhale''s searchlight came to light, and everyone gasped.


    "Goodness! Why are there so many sea otters here?!"


    A seemingly infinite number of sea otters, with giant toads speckled in between, created a massive brown tidal wave that swept toward the Narwhale. The sea otters bared their fangs and red at the Narwhale with eyes full of killing intent.


    "They''reing! Everyone, get your weapons!" Dipp roared so loudly that his voice sounded distorted.


    Anna stuffed the cell phone into her bosom and stroked Sparkle''s little furry head before saying, "Go ahead and kill them all, Baby."


    Sparkle nodded, and a sh of light followed as she teleported in the midst of the sea otters in her true form. The massive brown tidal wave was breached as Sparkle consumed the sea otters and toads in swathes.


    Despite facing such a terrifying monster, the sea otters remained undeterred, and they allowed Sparkle to kill many of them as they forged ahead without any fear whatsoever.


    The sea otters'' goal was the Narwhale, and they would keep moving toward it unless killed.


    The Captain was incapacitated, so First Mate Bandages tookmand. "Fire!"


    Mischiefs of brown mice scurried up the deck cannons, and the cannons bombarded the oing sea otters and toads, reducing them into bloody chunks of flesh that pelted everyone from above like rain.


    As the turbine team sprang into action within the engine rooms, the Narwhale gained momentum, its primary aim to distance itself from the relentless sea otters. However, as the crew''s focus was on the vessel''s stern, a vast expanse of unblinking eyes emerged on the water''s surface directly in the Narwhale''s path.


    <em>Ribbit!</em>


    Thirty giant toads the size of small houses burst out of the sea from the Narwhale''s nk, and they all made a beeline for Charles on deck.


    Before they could evennd on the deck, Anna waved both of her hands, and her fair limbs transformed into writhing ck tentacles, which obliterated the oing toads.


    The corpses of the toads fell into the ocean with a great ssh.


    "They''re attacking Charles! He''s a threat to them! Tobba is truly in the middle of saving Charles!" Anna eximed and nced at Charles.


    Charles swinging his grappling hook haphazardly copsed to the floor just then and coughed a mouthful of blood.


    Anna rushed over toward Charles, but before she could get close, Charles struggled to his feet and swung his anchor hook once again despite the blood dripping down his lips.


    Charles looked exhausted, but he seemed afraid of resting even for a moment.


    Anna stared at her lover with concerned eyes. "Gao Zhiming, just what exactly are you going through right now?"


    Just then, Anna recalled something and turned to Tobba. "Can you bring me over?"


    "What? Let Annae here? Don''t let here here! I can do this by myself!" Charles eximed at Tobba as he swam through the sleeping sea otters.


    Arge ss fragment flew toward Charles, and he tugged at his grappling hook, barely avoiding the attack. He theny prone on top of a seaweed stalk before taking a peek at the metropolis down below.


    The serene yet bustling metropolis had vanished; its buildings had copsed, and its roads were riddled with rifts; the scenery resembled what the world would look like during an apocalypse.


    A myriad of dark green eyes squirmed beneath the rifts on the ground, and their gazes were filled with murderous rage.


    The metropolis heaved as if it were alive, and it vomited buildings along with human beings with each exhale. A chubby woman screamed as she flew toward Charles. The grappling hook transformed into a chainsaw in the blink of an eye, and Charles sliced the chubby woman in half.


    Despite losing half of her body, the chubby woman was still screaming as she plummeted toward the metropolis.


    Charles'' expression turned solemn. He knew that such attacks were futile, as the metropolis'' existence depended not on its denizens but on the dreams of the sleeping sea otters. The metropolis would only disappear once every single sea otter sharing the same dream as the others was awakened.

 Chapter 422: Worm

    Chapter 422: Worm


    Charles kicked off of the seaweed stalk and swung his grappling hook once more, clearing the rings of sea otters in mid-air.


    Charles turned to Tobba and sounded anxious as he asked, "How are things outside?"


    "Things are going well outside; they''re facing waves of sea otters, but it shouldn''t be an issue with Sparkle out there with them," Anna replied.


    "Sea otters? I thought that ce no longer had any sea otters. Howe they''re facing sea otters?" Charles asked.


    "Well, we''re waking up these sea otters, so it''s not strange for them to appear outside. Do you really think that those sea otters exist only in this perspective?"


    Charles was about to reply when he sensed something amiss and turned to find Anna clearing the rings of sea otters.


    "How did you get in here?!" Charles eximed in shock.


    "Do I need your permission toe in?" Anna replied and flicked away a door frame flying toward Charles using her tentacles.


    Charles wanted to retort but realized that this wasn''t the time to argue.


    "Give me back the Bat Mirror!" Charles roared at Anna.


    Anna smiled indifferently upon hearing Charles'' roar, but she still hurled over the Bat Mirror to thetter.


    A giant bat appeared soon afterward, and it weaved through the world at breakneck speed, annihting every single ring of otters in its path.


    Although slightly unhappy that Anna had chosen toe here and risk her life, Charles admitted that their pace had picked up since she joined them. The buildings became fewer and fewer as they annihted the ring of otters.


    Soon, only less than half of the otter rings were left, and the creator of the metropolis could no longer sit still. A violent tremor ran through the metropolis, and a massive rift opened up in the middle of it.


    The tremors intensified, and a colossal translucent worm several kilometers long squirmed out of the rift. Dark green beads-like eyes riddled its head, and its translucent body seemed to be covered with an unknown dark liquid.


    The metropolis liquified as soon as it emerged, and it draped over the worm as if it were a cloak. The colossal worm looked horrifying, and it was emitting an oppressive air.


    Charles had no clues about its abilities, but he knew that if it were to attack them, they would no longer be able to clear the rings of sea otters. With that in mind, Charles made a decision and roared, "I''ll lure it away!"


    Charles'' voice had yet to finish echoing in the air when he spread his wings and rushed toward the colossal worm down below. It didn''t take him long to arrive before the colossal worm.


    The colossal worm''s hundreds of dark green bead-like eyes cast a hateful gaze upon Charles. The hatred that glimmered in the hundreds of eyes was so intense and thick as to seem almost palpable.


    The colossal worm opened its hideous maw, revealing a mouth filled with rows after rows of dense, spirally arranged clusters of teeth.


    Charles neither knew nor cared about what it wanted to do. He only had one jobto keep the worm busy until the rings of sea otters were annihted.


    When the colossal worm''s maw opened to the fullest, Charles wasted no time and pped his huge wings to rush toward the ruined metropolis on the colossal worm''s frame.


    Unfortunately, the ruined metropolis hadn''t be a mere decoration after the colossal worm wore it like a cloak.


    The ruined metropolis was ever-changing, and Charles was even ambushed by a carriage that transformed into a huge, centipede-like monster with its maw wide open, intending to snatch Charles out of mid-air.


    Charles dodged swiftly, and he didn''t even bother fighting it. He squeezed through a tiny gap and continued making his way downward.


    The ruined metropolis distorted and transformed, but the obstacles posed no threat to Charles at all. His job was to be a distraction, so he simply avoided the obstacles and ambushes while poking at the colossal worm using sound waves.


    Charles rxed upon realizing that the colossal worm was staring at him rather than chasing after Tobba and Anna. Charles believed that they would win as long as he made sure that the colossal worm was upied.


    Just then, two figures emerged from the ruined metropolis and sandwiched Charles from behind and up ahead. In response, Charles folded his wings and was about to take off when the attackers exploded.


    The ambush had worked; Charles was sted away. He rolled on the ground and wanted to stand up when something heavynded directly on him. To make matters worse, it was getting heavier and heavier.


    Charles looked up and discovered that the culprits were the denizens of the metropolis. Each and every one of them was under the control of the colossal worm, bing mere puppets. Charles could also see deep-seated hatred in their eyesthe same hatred in the eyes of the colossal worm.


    <em>Crackle!</em>


    A powerful surge of electricity burst out of Charles, and the denizens writhed as they fell off Charles after getting electrocuted.


    Charles was about to take advantage of that opportunity to stand up, but the ground cracked open. Momentster, countless white worms roughly seven to eight meters in length rushed out of the rift and flew toward Charles.


    The white worms had a singr dark red eye on their heads.


    At the sight, Charles finally realized why Tobba had referred to the metropolis as "they" rather than "it."


    Charles quickly took to the skies, and he dodged rapidly in mid-air. Unfortunately, there were simply too many white worms for him to avoid all of them; the white worms were slowly pushing Charles into a corner.


    Soon, Charles found himself stuck with nowhere to hide. Right as the white worms lunged at him, Charles folded his wings and reverted to his human form. Then, he ran away and nimbly weaved through the ruined metropolis.


    His boots capable of sticking to any surface helped him shake off both his human and worm pursuers. However, Charles couldn''t be delighted at all, as the colossal worm gave up on Charles and turned its attention to Anna and Tobba.


    He couldn''t let the colossal worm attack Tobba and Anna!


    Charles swiftly morphed into a giant bat, and he opened his mouth wide to let loose a piercing shriek that destroyed everything around him. The colossal worm was struck by the sound waves, and it turned around to stare at Charles.


    Charles was ted at the sight, but fear immediately gripped his heart upon seeing that the colossal worm''s dark green eyes had turned red.


    The colossal worm opened its maw. Then, something of indescribable color shot out of its mouth, engulfing Charles in the blink of an eye.


    Charles cked out briefly and was stunned to realize that he had been sted awayno, only his head had been sted away, as he no longer had a body!


    <em>ng!</em>


    A resonant noise echoed as Charles'' head struck a copsed utility pole before falling to the ground and rolling down the street. The cement road cracked open, revealing a wide-open crimson maw that seemed to be waiting for Charles to roll into its mouth.


    <em>I''m dead. </em>Charles thought. He had lost his body and couldn''t stop his head from rolling into the crimson maw.


    However, he continued rolling until he found himself lodged in a coral on the seabed. Charles realized just then that he had fallen out of a worm''s torn belly.


    Charles cast his gaze upon the colossal worm overhead and saw that it was disappearing ever so slowly. The colossal worm''s maw was wide open, and it seemed to be letting out an indignant cry.


    Unfortunately, the expansive seaweed forest no longer had any sea otters for them to use as a medium.


    Charles wasn''t the only one who had fallen. Countless stiff corpses were falling like raindrops from the ruined metropolis. The corpses belonged to the former denizens of the ruined metropolis.


    Anna eventually found Charles, and she cradled Charles'' head in her arms.


    "Good job," Anna said.


    Charles wanted to shake his head but realized that he had no neck.


    "Don''t mention it. Everything here is fake, anyway. My body outside is what matters the most, and we can finally leave," Charles said.


    Just then, Charles and Anna heard a peal of crazedughter.


    Anna turned and saw Tobba gleefully stuffing the human corpses into his mouth; the moment those corpses made contact with his mouth, they were vaporized and sucked into Tobba''s mouth.


    Tobba swallowed nonstop while cackling like a lunatic, looking utterly bizarre.

 Chapter 411. Creatures

    <h4>Chapter 411. Creatures</h4>


    Within the Captain''s Quarters of the Narwhale, the light swayed with the movement of the waves, casting a fluctuating y of light and shadow across the faces of Charles and Bandages.


    The pen''s tip whispered across the paper as Bandages quietly used Charles'' pen to sketch on a sheet of white paper.


    It didn''t take long for an image, depicted by an unsettling series of curved lines, to appear before both Charles and Bandages. It was a humanoid figure that Bandages had drawn into Charles'' shadow in the previous time-looping ind. It was the same entity that had helped them escape 010.


    "Bandages, how exactly can this entity be used?" Charles asked with a grim expression.


    Although Charles was reluctant to acknowledge the fact that he was a monster, he recognized that it was a reality that he would eventually have to confront.


    "I¡­ I''m not sure¡­" Bandages answered as he recapped the pen and secured it between two books to keep it steady amid the ship''s rocking.


    "How can you not know? You drew this. Or have you forgotten when you learned this?"


    Bandages lifted his gaze and looked into Charles'' eyes before slowly shaking his head. "No, I haven''t forgotten¡­ On the previous ind¡­ the past me¡­ he remembered¡­ what I did¡­ That''s why¡­ I remembered¡­everything¡­ that happened to us on that ind."


    Despite theplexity of the exnation, Charles managed to grasp the essence of Bandages'' message. They had been working together for years, after all.


    What Bandages had done remained vivid in Weister''s memory. Since Bandages and Weister were one and the same, then in the perspective of Bandages, that particr memory was both the past and the future.


    As such, at that pivotal moment, Bandages recalled what would happen next and through his recollection, he saved himself in the present.


    "So, you''re saying you learned these drawings in the present, knowing only that they could aid you in difficult times, but you''re unaware of their specific purpose?" Charles probed further for rity.


    "No, I know¡­ its purpose¡­ It''s meant to unleash¡­ your true self¡­"


    "My true self?" Charles'' eyes widened in surprise.


    Bandages nodded before he picked up the pen and continued drawing.


    Slowly, a grotesque creature took shape on the paper in front of Charles, its form barely recognizable as humanoid. The monster''s torso was bloated like a bubble, with tendrils covered in thorns and eyes protruding from its chest. Its entire face had melted away, with eight eyes jostling for space where its facial features should have been.


    Crab-like appendages sprouted out of its torso while fish-like, triangr eyes punctuated its skin.


    Though Bandages'' artistic skill was rather basic, his rudimentary sketches were enough to capture the monster''s horrifying appearance vividly.


    Noticing the distorted, oversized steel limb depicted on the creature, Charles furrowed his brows as he instinctively reached for his prosthetic arm. Memories of the events that unfolded within the spiral elevator came flooding back.


    That version of himself was merciless and devoid of any empathy. He recognized that person to be himself, but he desperately wished not to be that emotionless being. He currently had feelings and emotions, and he was not willing to trade that for any promise of formidable power.


    "You are¡­ also him¡­" Bandages remarked as he pointed at Charles'' shadow.


    Perplexed, Charles turned around to stare at his own shadow, realizing that it appeared darker and more intense than that cast by the nearby table.


    He then turned his gaze back onto the sketch in his hands and sank into deep contemtion. He had always felt like he was an outsider in this subterranean world, but now it felt like his life had unknowingly intertwined with this seascape even more than he had expected.


    "It''s¡­ a lurking danger¡­ You need to find a way¡­ to resolve it¡­ I feel that it''s¡­ not good news¡­especially¡­ not for you¡­ at this point¡­" Bandagesmented.


    "I know. Of course, I do. But apart from knowing that I have somehow be the Chosen One of a Divinity, I have zero clue."


    Before Charles could continue the discussion further, he stood up abruptly as his senses picked up something. He dashed out of the cabin and motioned for Bandages to follow. "First Mate, keep up! Something''s amiss!"


    Upon reaching the deck, Charles spotted Dipp, who had arrived at the same time. The Deep Dweller was alerted by the same noise, and both approached the ship''s port side and looked downward into the waters.


    In the waters, a pair of ck humanoid arms were balled up and pounding against the Narwhale''s hull. This was the source of the mysterious sounds Charles had heard earlier.


    "Captain, I''ll go have a look!" Dipp dered and dived overboard without hesitation.


    "Be careful! Signal if you run into danger! Don''t try to take on more than what you can!"


    With a resounding ssh, Dipp entered the water, and the pounding ceased as the unidentified creature withdrew into the depths.


    Before long, Dipp resurfaced. He gripped the rope that had been lowered for him and was hoisted back onto the deck.


    In his right hand, he clutched a furry animal, looking somewhat like a dog but with a broad, t tail.


    It was a sea otter, amon marine creature, with a m in its hands. Apparently, it had tried to use the Narwhal as a makeshift anvil to crack open the mshell.


    Charles looked into the otter''s panicked, glossy ck eyes, picked it up by the scruff, and gently released it back into the ocean.


    "Scout the surrounding waters. It''s unusual for a lone sea otter to be drifting out here in the open sea. It doesn''t make sense; something else is at y."


    "Aye!" Dipp plunged into the water once more without hesitation. This time, about an hour or so, had passed before his return. However, the wait was worth it as he brought back valuable information.


    "Captain, there''s an endless seaweed bed ahead of us. The sea otter is probably one of the creatures residing within," Dipp reported.


    "A seaweed bed? How wide is it? Is it possible for us to navigate around it?" Charles asked.


    "Not possible. I''ve tried to find the end to it, but it''s just seaweed everywhere ahead. It seems like we''ve entered a sea of seaweed."


    Charles returned to the ship''s bridge and examined the nautical chart affixed to the wall. Roughly estimating the distance to their destination, he said, "We''re quite near to our destination now. The ind we''re seeking might well be nestled within this expanse of seaweed. Let''s proceed straight through."


    Charles then turned to Dipp and Feuerbach standing next to him and instructed, "Both of you, dive into the water. One of you would need to prevent seaweed from clogging the propeller. The other, scout for any potential threats beneath the waves."


    "Aye, Captain!"


    "Got it!"


    The situation was swiftly ryed to the crew; everyone rallied together with renewed determination to face the impending unknown obstacles.


    It didn''t take long before the seaweed bed was revealed by the illumination of the Narwhale''s searchlight. Contrary to the typical green of ordinary seaweed, the seaweed before them was an unusual ink-blue.


    The seaweed that the light couldn''t illuminate resembled dark clumps of hair.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    Suddenly, a series of knocking sounds echoed from all around the Narwhale.

 Chapter 423. Good Stuff

    <h4>Chapter 423. Good Stuff</h4>


    Hearing Tobba''s unsettlingughter, a cold shiver ran down Charles'' spine. With his gaze fixated on his Navigator, he asked in a measured tone, "Tobba, what are youughing about?"


    Tobba''s unrestrainedughter abruptly ceased. He swiftly whipped his head around, and with a grin surfacing on his countenance, he looked into Charles'' eyes and said, "Of course, I''mughing over the great fortune we''ve acquired! We''ve defeated them and imed all this good stuff. Are we supposed to cry instead?"


    It was only then that realization dawned upon Charles. Tobba''s manicughter might have resembled that of a scheming viin who had sessfully carried out his grand scheme, but it was purely an expression of pure joy.


    Charles fought the impulse to roll his eyes and remarked in an anxious tone, "This isn''t the time to celebrate! We''ve settled the otters, so quickly get us out of here."


    He had spent enough time in this wretched ce, and he desired nothing more than to get out as soon as possible.


    "Why the urgency? These things are the products of their special fermentation and are easy to absorb." Tobba gestured toward the heap of lifeless human bodies scattered across the floor. They were of varying heights and appearances and dressed in an assortment of clothes. A few even wore the distinctiveb coats of the Foundation.


    With a sudden intake of breath, a young girl nearby, who looked no more than eight years old, flew into Tobba''s mouth. As he chewed contentedly, a look of immense pleasure crossed his face. He patted his cheeks andmented with a delightful moan, "Ah~ this one tastes delightful, it''s sweet.


    "Charles, have a taste too. Each offers a unique taste," Tobba suggested as he picked up another child off the ground. With a gentle squeeze, the child''s form swiftly disintegrated into a misty orb.


    "Stop this madness. I won''t partake in cannibalism," Charles vehemently objected with a look of revulsion.


    "They can no longer be considered human; their consciousness has long vanished," Tobba retorted as he threw the misty orb in his hand toward Charles. Before Charles could react, the sphere hadnded squarely on his lips.


    Charles'' world abruptly turned pitch ck. He felt himself enveloped by a soothing, warm liquid that brought an unprecedented peace and serenity. He reveled in this sensation, wishing it couldst indefinitely.


    Time passed, and soon, the liquid''s embrace gradually faded away. Dread and panic surged within him, and he started struggling.


    With a loud tearing sound, he broke out of the previously warm surroundings and found himself in an alien environment. An instinctual fear overwhelmed him andpelled him to burst into a loud wail.


    Immediately afterward, he felt the gentle arms of a woman weakly cradling him. "David, my dear child, we''ve finally met. Oh, you resembled a little hairless monkey."


    He wasforted by her scent, and his initial panic slowly melted away as he instinctively snuggled closer to her warmth.


    With time, he came to know that this gentle woman was his mother, and he learned that his name was David, David Humphrey.


    David lived a carefree childhood, with each day brimming with colors, joy and fun. His days revolved around thinking of what to have for meals and also ways to escape from his studies. It was a simple yet profoundly joyful life.


    Before David knew it, he was at the celebration of his seventh birthday. The sun was shining brightly, and his father, with a thick beard, carried him on his shoulders. They hade to the seaside to build sandcastles.


    Sitting on the beach, David was enjoying his time alongside his newly made friends. His heart was beating with happiness as they crafted sand castles together amidstughter.


    Just then, the sky grew ominously dark. David''s eyes widened in fear as he looked up to see the distant azure sea rising like a behemoth, towering high enough to block the sun.


    Fear and confusion gripped him. He instinctively dropped his shovel and dashed toward his father, who was napping under the beach umbre nearby. That was thest moment of his memory.


    "Daddy! The sea!" Under the waters, Charles cried out as he continued running ahead. It was only until Anna grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him vigorously before he was jolted back to the present.


    The experiences and memories had been so vivid to Charles, as though he had really lived through the seven years as young David. He could still savor the sweetness of the maple syrup drizzled over his birthday waffle.


    Yet here he was, back in his own reality again. What should have been just his head was now a fully restored body, and his attire was restored as if nothing had transpired.


    "I''m Charles... I''m not David....I''m Charles... I''m not...," Charles muttered repeatedly with an expression of agony as he clutched his head, struggling with the turmoil within him.


    Witnessing Charles'' distress, rage suffused Anna''s visage. She gently helped Charles into a seating position from the ground before she moved to confront Tobba, who continued his feast in the distance.


    Before Anna could take more than a couple of steps, Charles'' hand sped hers and pulled her back. He had regained hisposure and stood upright again. His tone now filled with resolve, he said, "Hold on, we can''t leave just yet."


    "What do you mean? Why?" Anna was perplexed at Charles'' sudden change in stance.


    Pointing to the surrounding corpses around them, Charles exined with a hint of excitement in his voice, "I know their use now. Once you consume their essence, you will gain their memories."


    "And how does that concern us? Have you forgotten that your crew is still out there, fighting those otters?" Anna asked.


    Undeterred, Charles shook his head and pointed toward his right. "Look there. There are members of the Foundation as well. By searching through their memories, we might be able to uncover the location of the key to that giant gate."


    "Are you certain that eating these... <i>things</i> won''te with any side effects?" Skepticism shadowed Anna''s features.


    Charles reflected on his momentary disorientation earlier for a brief second before shaking his head. "The memories feel incredibly vivid. There might be some initial confusion upon returning to reality, but it will be gone after a short rest."


    The moment Charles finished his words, Anna extended a tentacle and curled it around a plump man floating nearby. She brought him closer, and before he could vanish into mist, Anna''s mouth widened unnaturally and swallowed him whole.


    A secondter, agony contorted Anna''s features as she crumpled to the ground. Even her human form showed signs of breaking down.


    "Gina! Why! How could you do this to me!" Anna seemed unable to quickly adjust and ovee the emotional turmoil from the plump man''s memory.


    After a long while, Anna gradually regained herposure and wiped away the tears on her face. A look of bewilderment graced her visage as she turned toward Tobba, who was still feasting contentedly in the distance.


    "Why isn''t he affected at all? Is he a monster?" Anna asked.


    However, Charles had no answer. Tobba was like a farmer repeating his harvest in the field and enjoying his feast, seemingly impervious to the overwhelming emotions that apanied the memories.

 Chapter 424. Memories

    <h4>Chapter 424. Memories</h4>


    As Tobba continued his feast without restraints, Anna''s elegant brows slightly arched. Reflecting on thest soul she devoured, her sharp instincts were telling her that something was amiss. It didn''t seem like Tobba was mindlessly devouring these souls just for their memories.


    Anna looked down to examine her body; there didn''t seem to be any obvious changes. She steeled her resolve to carry out an experiment, her victim being a beautiful girl this time round. She curled the girl in and swallowed her.


    A rush of ecstasy overwhelmed her as a hint of exhration crossed her visage. Her experiment revealed the true nature and purpose of Tobba''s actions.


    "Charles, these aren''t merely memories. Tobba is right. These are really good stuff," Anna remarked before she swallowed an elderly woman whole. Despite the pained agony on her face, Anna refused to stop and targeted a middle-aged woman next.


    "Don''t eat just any random individual. Focus on those from the Foundation; only they hold the clues we need," Charles reminded Anna.


    However, Anna ignored his words and devoured her fifth victim. Her pace of consumption gradually increased until she reached the same state as Tobba, where their expressions cycled through pain and euphoria.


    "Stop eating!" Charles shot out his chains and restrained Anna. Her erratic behavior had sounded the warning bells in his mind, and he was starting to doubt his own n. Could consuming these souls be addictive?


    Anna easily twisted herself out of Charles'' restraints and cupped his face in both hands. Her excitement was palpable as she proimed, "Consuming them would strengthen the soul and make your soul more powerful! Tobba is right! These are really good stuff!"


    "Strengthen the soul?" Charles asked as he nced downward at his newly restored body.


    "Yes, you can''t perceive it, but as a Dioite, souls are our food, and I can clearly feel my soul strengthening with each one I consume. I have never felt that gaining power could be so easy," Anna remarked and dived back into her fric feast. Despite the difort of each person she devoured, she continued to stuff the bodies into her mouth relentlessly.


    Charles couldn''t care less about amplifying his soul''s strength. His priority was to gain information from the Foundation personnel among the lifeless bodies. He wasn''t sure of his crew''s predicament outside of this perspective, but he had to gather as much intelligence as possible and made his exit soon.


    His eyes zoomed in on an individual donned in a ck uniform from the throng. Charles clearly recognized that attire to be the same one that the Meeh''eks had worn. This man was of the Foundation''s Special Task Force.


    Charles pulled the man out of the crowd and bit down on him. The man''s form swiftly dissolved into a misty orb and slid down Charles'' throat.


    In a mere second, Charles felt as though he had lived through twenty years, only to die in a small-scale battle after being betrayed by hisrades.


    "AHHHHH!" Sprawled on the ground, Charles let out a guttural roar as he was overwhelmed by the frustration and betrayal festering within the absorbed memories.


    He clutched his head and struggled to his feet. Sifting through the flood of new information, he summarized that the man had been one of the special task force members assigned to Containment Site V8.


    Containment Site V8 was being used to contain an assembly of corals with a collective consciousness. Through the tireless efforts of negotiation experts, the Foundation had sessfully engaged with these sentient corals to carry out in-depth experiments.


    Drawing on the nautical charts he glimpsed in the man''s memories, Charles confirmed that the so-called Containment Site V8 was the present Coral Archipgo. While this piece of information enriched his knowledge about the ind''s history, it offered no help in his search for the key.


    <i>How does the Foundation organize its ranks? Maybe those higher up on the administrationdder have information on the key to the surface''s exit.</i> Charles pondered to himself.


    Shaking his head vigorously to clear his mind from the aftermath of the memories of the man earlier, Charles headed toward a figure in a white coat who was just a few steps away.


    The area was strewn with more Foundation personnel than Charles had anticipated. As he feasted on one body after another, Charles began to piece together the Foundation''s ranking system through their memories. In summary, they could be ssified into a few groups.


    Special Task Forces: These are highly trained, heavily armedbat teams tasked with escorting containment squads during operations involving high-risk anomalous entities or hostile entities. The teams are ranked from high to low, with the strength of a team denoted by its numerical value; the higher the number, the stronger the team. Currently, the Foundation''s top-tier special task force is Level 9.


    The individual Charles had consumed earlier was a backup member of a Level 4 Task Force.


    Field Agents: This group epasses all members responsible for the Foundation''s field operations. They handle logistical support and other issues to ensure thepletion of the Foundation''s objectives. It''s notable that many Foundation employees have rtives working in this capacity.


    Research Division: This includes the heads of the research institutes, site directors for the containment sites, and researchers upying various positions within the division.


    Laesto''s ancestors and Aaron, who was trapped by 041, fell under this category.


    Engineering Division: Their primary responsibilities include the construction and nning of various inds and assisting the Research Division. They leverage the unique properties of various Projects to advance human technology.


    Their achievements include the construction of extensive facilities on all inds and the monumental nuclear fusion reactor on Skywater Ind.


    Despite the diversity in departments and roles, the ultimate authority within the Foundation rested with the GK Council.


    K9, the individual known to have acquired Divine Blood and brought about the annihtion of the Foundation, was a member of the GK Council.


    The GK Council oversaw all actions of the Foundation and guided its long-term strategic nning. All council members possessed the highest level of clearance within the Foundation, allowing them unrestricted ess to all strategic and sensitive information.


    Charles unearthed no significant insights about the Council from the people he had consumed, but he wasn''t entirely surprised about the situation.


    As core members of the Foundation, their identities would be veiled in utmost secrecy; even their exact numbers would be confidential, too.


    Based on the information he had gathered so far, Charles spected the existence of at least five members on the GK Council, identified by their code names: E5, A2, K9, O5, and D4.


    "<i>Huff...Huff..."</i> Charles panted heavily with his hands and knees on the ground supporting his weight. His consciousness was overwhelmed by the influx of alien memories that varied in name, gender and age.


    At times, he nearly lost grasp of his own identity as Charles, and every so often, he would mistakenly identify himself as one of the memories he had absorbed.


    "Anna!" Charles called out as he pressed his right hand against his throbbing forehead, the veins visibly pulsing. "Have you discovered anything?"


    "No findings~!!" Anna''s voice echoed from a distance. Opening his eyes, Charles turned in the direction of her voice.


    However, he didn''t catch a glimpse of Anna''s human form. Instead, in the cluster of seaweed a few hundred meters away, he saw several dozens of tentacles curling around the lifeless humans and bringing them in.


    Charles let out a sigh of resignation. He stumbled toward another figure, this time, a middle-aged man with a beer belly and features that mirrored his own Asian heritage.


    Enduring the pounding pain in his head, Charles closed his eyes and muttered to himself, "Thest one. If there are still no clues from this one, I''ll just give up and get out of here."


    He bent down and bit down on the man''s neck. The next moment, he was thrown once again into the vivid memories of another human''s life.

 Chapter 425. Return

    <h4>Chapter 425. Return</h4>


    Aden stood on the vast deck of the aircraft carrier, gazing into the imprable dark expanse ahead as he held a lit cigarette between his fingers.


    "The sea wind is so fierce at three in the morning. Why did youe all the way here to smoke?" A familiar voice rang out from behind Aden.


    Taking a puff from his cigarette, Aden turned around to face the source of the voice. His eyes met with a figure in a crisp military uniform. He was standing next to a colossal key that was slightly smaller in staturepared to the carrier''s tower.


    The figure was a middle-aged man with a stubbleden chin, and his eyes glimmered with resolve.


    Offering the cigarette pack with a gesture, Aden asked, "Weister, care for one?"


    "No thanks, I don''t smoke," Weister politely turned him down before joining him to stare into the dark waters ahead.


    "Haunted by nightmares again?" Aden turned toward his longtimerade, who had enlisted alongside him.


    A hint of hesitation flickered across Weister''s eyes, but he eventually gave a firm nod and said, "I dreamt of Captain and the crew. This time...it was Feuerbach who pushed me down."


    Aden let out a yawn as he brushed away a tear that had formed at the corner of his eye.


    "All these years, you''ve dreamed of every one of your shipmates pushing you down the stairs, but yet you''ve never figured out who was the true culprit.


    "Listen, since you survived that ordeal, just let it go. Make the most of your life here. You know, Ginny from the med bay has taken a liking to you. If you were to marry her, you''d be the envy of all of us."


    However, Aden''s words seemed to have touched a sore spot as a suppressed fury crossed Weister''s gaze.


    "No! I have to return! I must find the one responsible and kill him with my own hands, no matter who it is!


    "Because of him, I can never see my mother again. Neither can I ever return home."


    Aden crouched down on the deck and took a deep breath from his cigarette. He had been hearing these words for decades and was tired of them.


    After Weister was finally done airing his long-standing bitterness and anger, Aden voiced out, "Buddy, I''m thinking of retiring. I''ve already put in my request.


    "Looking back, I ran away from home over something trivial and have never gone back all these years. I want to go back and have a look. I owe them an apology."


    The fury in Weister''s eyes slowly faded as he gazed at hisrade crouched on the deck. "You can take my spot. That way, you can get back up to the surface in as early as six months."


    Aden looked up in astonishment at the veteran soldier before him. "Really? You''d really do that for me? But that could mean you''re condemned to remain in this wretched ce for good."


    Weister shook his head. "The world above belongs to you and Captain. I was born in this seascape, and this is where I belong. No matter how great the surface world is, it''s not my home."


    Overwhelmed by gratitude, Aden pulled Weister into a warm embrace. "My brother! Everything I have is now yours¡ªthe yboy magazines under my pillow, the protein powder beneath my bed, and also my retirement pension. They are all yours."


    "I don''t need the money."


    Hearing Weister''s words, a hint of sorrow surfaced on Aden''s face. He knew what the man was thinking.


    Aden stepped back and offered a solemn piece of advice, "Listen, bud, 010 is a high-security project that is contained in istion. It''s not a ce you can just walk into.


    "And be careful never to let the others know you''re from another time. Otherwise, those from the Research Division are going to cut you up and analyze you."


    "There must be a way... There must be," Weister muttered to himself.


    Hearing the resolve in Weister''s voice, Aden decided to stop his dissuasion. He pulled out his smartphone andunched the map application. The red dot on the app urately pinpointed their precise location.


    Aden swiftly zoomed in and out on the disy before cing the phone back into his pocket.


    "Let''s go. Even if we can''t sleep, we should try to get some rest, or we won''t have the energy for our day''s duty. We''re just three days away from our destination."


    Aden then turned and made his way toward the towering silhouette of the carrier that was covered in radar antennae.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang! </i>


    The sharp report of gunshots shattered the silence of the night. Aden froze in his tracks and slowly lowered his gaze. His eyes widened as he witnessed the fabric of his uniform swiftly staining with the crimson of his own blood.


    He turned around slowly with a look of disbelief and came face to face with Weister, who held a gun in his hand.


    "Why..." Aden asked weakly as his hand instinctively pressed against his wound.


    "Why do you get to go home, but I don''t?! WHY!" Weister roared, his voiceced with venomous envy, and his features twisted in resentment.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Gunshots continued to echo as Weister emptied the gun''s magazine. He then grabbed Aden and threw him overboard into the dark waters.


    Thest scene Aden saw was a sea otter persistently hammering a shell against the hull of the carrier.


    "Why...? I''m so close to reaching home... Why now..." Charles copsed to the ground with agony painted on his countenance.


    This time, Charles had an extremely hard time emerging from the memory. He went through a tense ten minutes of cognitive disorientation before he could anchor himself back to reality.


    However, the glimpse he had of the ind''s coordinates on Aden''s phone before the man''s demise had Charles thinking that the entire ordeal had been worth it.


    The aircraft carrier was transporting the colossal key for that skyward gate, and its final destination was the most distant isle in the archipgo. As long as they reached their ind, they would be able to secure the key to unlock the door to the surface world.


    Trembling, Charles stood up and dashed toward the distant voices.


    The motionless bodies that had littered their surroundings were almost gone now. Upon finding Tobba and Anna, he found them in a quarrel over a human body.


    "Let go, you brat!" Anna shouted.


    "Why should I? I saw it first!"


    "Enough!" Charles intervened and stopped their bickering. "How long are both of you going to continue with this?"


    Seizing Anna''s hand, Charles turned to Tobba and said, "We should go back now. Tobba, how do we exit this perspective?"


    In response, Tobba exhaled arge bubble. "Step inside, and you will be able to return."


    Eyeing the writhing bubble before him, Charles looked at Tobba and asked, "Are you sure you don''t want toe with us?"


    Tobba''s face was etched with fear as he emphatically shook his head. "Why would I want to leave? I''ve just managed to find refuge here. If I get out, I''m as good as dead. Besides, I can stillmunicate with you from here. Sure, my messages will get a bit jumbled, but you''ll get the gist of it."


    Charles nodded in understanding and pulled Anna, who had a look of reluctance on her visage, into the pulsating bubble.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Suddenly, the deafening sound of cannon fire assaulted Charles'' ears. He could feel that the Narwhale was tilted at an extreme angle and on the brink of capsizing.


    Right in front of him, Dipp let out a fierce roar as he drove his de deep into the giant toad perched on the ship''s railing. The other crew members held weapons in their hands and were fighting valiantly against the sea otters that were trying to get onto the deck.


    It was pandemonium. The Narwhale had even raised her steel tes, meant for underwater defense, to shield herself against the sea otters'' attacks.


    The once dark waters had now be a sea teeming with brown sea otters. It was as if they had entered an ocean entirely made up of otters.


    They surged madly toward the Narwhale, undeterred by the barrage of cannon and gunfire or Sparkle''s attacks.


    "Have these sea otters gone crazy?" Anna''s limbs swiftly morphed into writhing tentacles as she plunged into the battle.


    "No. Perhaps this is their moment of utmost lucidity." Eight tentacles sprouted from Charles'' form and white electrical arcs danced around them. He then dashed toward the most vulnerable point in their defense.

 Chapter 426. Reappearance

    <h4>Chapter 426. Reappearance</h4>


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Glowing with a near-crimson fervor, the cannon finally erupted in a spectacr burst after fulfilling its duty.


    The mice manning the deck cannons scurried away from their posts and rapidly organized themselves into assault squads. They rushed toward the deck, now speckled with blood and pieces of meat, and tore into the flesh of the sea otters.


    "We can manage here! Secure the hatches! Make sure nothing breaches the cabins!" Charlesmanded the mice.


    The Narwhale hade to a standstill; her surrounding waters stained a deep, ominous red.


    The crew members unleashed roars of fury as they wielded their weapons alongside their captains in a fierce battle against the invading sea otters and giant toads.


    The sea otters were far from formidable and were mere creatures of flesh and blood. Despite being under the control of the monstrous creatures within the other perspective, they bore no signs of any extraordinary powers.


    However, their threaty in their numbers. There were just too many of them. Even with Sparkle''s relentless attacks, their ranks seemed inexhaustible. Charles even pondered the depths from which such a multitude could emerge.


    Not only was there an endless amount of sea otters, but each of them also disyed a fearlessness reminiscent of zombies. With only a handful of crew members aboard the Narwhale, it was a monumental challenge for them to defend the waves of sea otters.


    It was as if they were stranded on a deserted ind and had to repel invasions from every direction. Their sole strategy was to repel the relentless sea otters trying to climb aboard.


    The arsenal of the Narwhale was depleted in their dire war of defense. Even the torpedoes were used as makeshift explosives in a desperate bid for survival.


    The battle had been fierce, but they eventually emerged victorious. Even the formidable Anna felt drained, but fortunately, the haunting, sharp cries of the sea otters gradually disappeared.


    Standing at the ship''s bow, Charles suddenly felt the brown tide finally receding. The previous murderous intent in the sea otters'' eyes was gone and reced with fear as they stared at Charles, who was fully covered in blood.


    With a flick, Charles pulled out his pocket watch and flipped it open.


    "It has been seven hours? It felt like only thirty minutes." Charles remarked to himself.


    Charles turned around and surveyed the messy deck. The Narwhale''s once sleek silhouette was now marred by battle scars, and half the deck was nearly gone. Her pristine white hull now bore the crimson marks ofbat, resembling a vessel forged in bloodshed, adorned with remnants of sea otters and giant toads alike.


    Now that their enemies had withdrawn, the crew slumped onto the deck in extreme exhaustion as they gasped for air. If it hadn''t been for their captain''s unwavering lead, they wouldn''t have endured the battle.


    In the wake of their victory, Charles opened up his palm, and a bloodied ck-red spider jumped onto it. It then climbed up his arm and onto his face before burrowing itself into the void where his right eye once was.


    "We seeded. We defeated them!" Charles dered to his crew, though his voice sounded raspy from fatigue as well.


    Sprawled on the deck, the crew members were too weary to stand, yet smiles of relief appeared on their faces. Though some among them had fallen, the majority of them prevailed.


    Without a moment''s dy, Charles began to do a headcount; the situation was grim. He had lost quite a number of his crew members. He knew what happened to them. Some were pulled into the fray by the sea otters and were mercilessly torn apart.


    Those unfortunate died a horrible death, but the survivors were hardly faring any better. They were missing chunks of skins and flesh, a testament to the sea otters'' unexpectedly sharp teeth.


    After a brief respite, Charles approached Linda and helped her up. "No time for rest. You are the ship''s doctor. Examine everyone quickly and try your best to treat them. Look, even Audric is almost fading out of consciousness."


    Linda wiped her chin, which was oozing tissue fluid due to theck of skin, with the back of her hand and stood up to walk toward the vampire.


    Then, Charles turned to look at Anna, who was reverting from her tentacled form back to human.


    "Stop standing around. You''re the only one with the strength to help Linda right now."


    Anna casually flipped her long hair and scrutinized Charles from head to toe. Ignoring hismand, she walked toward Sparkle. "I''m not one of your crew members."


    Unlike the weary crew members, Sparkle disyed no signs of exhaustion. In fact, she even had the energy to toy with a struggling, squealing baby sea otter.


    In this chaotic battle, his daughter had been a significant help, and Charles felt that he should express his gratitude. He approached Sparkle and crouched down to pat her head. Before he could even speak a word, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air.


    Charles turned toward the source of the shout and saw Tobba clutching his head and thrashing about hysterically in a pool of blood.


    "Are you crazy? You actually want to cross two entire perspectives so casually? You will attract <i>their</i> attention! You''re not just putting yourself in danger; you''re dragging me along with you!" Tobba shouted.


    Brows furrowed, Charles dashed toward Tobba and grabbed him by the cor. Giving Tobba a vigorous shake, he demanded, "What happened?! Exin! What''s happening?"


    Tobba''s eyes slowly focused on Charles. Panic was evident on his countenance. "Hurry! Run! They''reing. Those creatures have really gone mad!"


    "What are you talking about? Talk clearly!"


    "That giant worm! It''sing to this perspective to find you! Set sail now!" Tobba''s voice went a notch higher and almost cracked from his hysteria. His words sent shivers down Charles'' spine.


    Having been stationary for a long while, the Narwhale began elerating once again. Despite the crew members bleeding and being truly exhausted, the captain''smand squeezed out thest bit of strength from within them.


    "Quick! Run! A colossal monster is hot on our feet! We have to leave this ce before it appears!"


    The Narwhale''s smokestacks emitted sparks and smoke as it swiftly navigated through the sea, slicing through the water and the floating carcasses of sea otters, retracing the path she came from.


    As the tang of blood in the air dissipated with the breeze, the ship gradually passed through the bizarre seaweed forest.


    Yet, as Charles stood at the bridge, he felt a knot of anxiety tightening. The sight of an increasingly agitated Tobba was telling him that their crisis was far from over.


    "Didn''t you say that <i>that</i> thing would copse in its own perspective once the sea otters disappear? How can it still manifest in our reality?" Charles pressed.


    However, Tobba offered no answers. Consumed by extreme fear, the old man clutched his head in dread as he mumbled a string of indecipherable words.


    "Don''t worry. If that thing dares to cross over, our daughter won''t just stand idly by as well," Anna tried to reassure Charles.


    However, Charles was hardly optimistic. He turned toward Sparkle, who was affectionately stroking the back of a headless sea otter.


    "Sparkle might not be able to defeat that worm. Also, I can''t bear to see her risk herself."

 Chapter 427: Chalkboard Eraser

    Chapter 427: Chalkboard Eraser


    The Narwhale moved at nk speed to escape as soon as possible. However, everyone noticed something amiss just then. The force of gravity boring down on them had increased.


    Charles looked out the bridge windows, and his heart skipped a beat upon seeing a familiar vertical metropolis. It turned out that the colossal translucent worm had somehow engulfed the Narwhale at some point; they were inside the giant worm!


    The colossal worm turned its head toward Charles, its hundreds of red eyes filled with intense resentment as they gazed upon Charles.


    "Bandages" Charles turned to Bandages. Without wasting any time, Bandages crouched, hiding behind in Charles'' shadow to carve peculiar cuneiform lines on the deck floor.


    Charles truly didn''t want to suffer that unpleasant condition once more, but he knew he had to do it for the sake of everyone on the ship. He had to harness that uncontroble power for them to survive the colossal worm''s assault.


    Just then, a wisp of ck mist manifested at the junction of the wall and the floor, but it vanished in the blink of an eye.


    <em>What was that? </em>Charles thought, and he was shocked to find that the colossal worm''s head had disappeared. Momentster, a chunk of the worm''s colossal figure faded away. However, it didn''t seem like a monster had devoured the colossal worm. It was more like the colossal worm was a phrase on a chalkboard, and it was being erased by a chalkboard eraser.


    The colossal worm panicked upon realizing its plight; its colossal figure dispersed into a myriad of tiny worms that scattered and fled in all directions. However, the colossal worm''s action proved futile; not a single worm managed to escape the "chalkboard eraser''s" pursuit.


    The "chalkboard eraser" then turned to the Narwhale and rushed toward her in pursuit.


    Charles had no idea of what was going on, but he felt that if the "chalkboard eraser" managed to wipe across them, they would disappear like words on a chalkboard, simr to the colossal worm.


    Charles had no time to assess the situation even further; he grabbed Sparkle, who had just transformed into a physical entity and was about to run toward the colossal worm before turning to look at his crew and shouting, "Dive! Hurry up and dive! Dive as fast as possible!"


    The shrill cries and creaking of metal echoed as the Narwhale''s animated ropes moved and transformed the Narwhale into a submarine. Then, under everyone''s nervous gaze, the Narwhale rapidly sank into the depths of the sea.


    "If anything happens, I want you to take Sparkle and leave," Charles said softly to Anna.


    Anna stared at Charles and responded with a calm nod, "Okay."


    "I''m serious! You know how strong that worm was, but it couldn''t even resist that <em>thing</em> over there. We can''t see it, but I reckon that it''s on par with the Divinities in strength!" Charles urged.


    "Mmhm. I understand. I promise you that if there''s any real dangerter, I''ll run away without looking back and have Sparkle take me away first," Anna replied with a smile.


    Charles rushed up to Anna just then and put his arms around Anna''s neck before kissing her fiercely. Momentster, he stepped backward and rushed to the nearest periscope. He closed one eye and peered into the periscope.


    The colossal worm was nowhere to be found; it had beenpletely erased.


    However, the "chalkboard eraser" was invisible, so Charles had no idea whether it was still out there or if he had retreated. Charles knew that he couldn''t afford to take such a risk.


    <em>ng!</em>


    A resonant noise echoed, and a violent tremor ran across the Narwhale.


    "Captain, we''ve touched the seabed," Dipp at the helm reported.


    "Turn left, head 30 degrees and stick to the seabed. Let''s get out of this damned ce," Charles said.


    The Narwhale turned slowly, sticking to the seabed as it navigated the depths. An oppressive atmosphere hung above the Narwhale, and none of the crew dared to speak. After all, the crisis wasn''t over yet.


    Ten minutes passed, twenty minutes passed, and thirty minutester, the Narwhale was still moving along the seabed.


    Audric wearing sunsses wiped the sweat from his forehead with his trembling hand. Then, he reached out, seemingly looking for something.


    Linda reached over and grabbed Audric''s hand.


    "It''s been a while; it should be safe now, right?" the blind vampire asked while leaning close to Linda''s ear.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    A deafening noise erupted, and the steel te crucial for the cabin''s airtightness caved inward, transforming into an equteral triangle the size of an Eight Immortals Table[1].


    "Captain, what''s going on outside?!" Dipp eximed.


    "There''s nothing outside!"


    A hissing noise echoed just then, and everyone was suddenly pressed to the ground. Before they could understand what was going on, a sense of weightlessness enveloped them as they ascended rapidly; the Narwhale seemed to have be the ything of some unknown entity,


    Anna jumped toward Charles, and writhing ck tentacles erupted behind her to cover Charles tightly aside from his head.


    The Narwhale tossed and turned. After what seemed like an eternity, the tremors and harsh movements disappeared. The crew members stood up one after another and were shocked to find that they had somehow returned to the surface.


    A shrill scraping noise echoed all of a sudden and arge gash manifested on the steel te above the Narwhale''s bridge. It split open in the blink of an eye, but there wasn''t anything beyond the steel tes.


    "Release me! Hurry up and release me! They''re here! Take Sparkle and leave!" Charles roared and struggled desperately against Anna''s restraints on him.


    "I''m more powerful than you can imagine, so just stay put and watch," Anna replied.


    Before Charles could respond, the bridge''s ceiling and its ss windows were torn apart. Then, a gaze that was so powerful as to seem almost intangible descended upon everyone. Aside from Anna, Charles, and Tobba, the crew members copsed and grabbed their heads while screaming in despair and madness.


    Charles'' heart beat wildly against his chest; he could feel it. The invisible monster was just thirty centimeters away from him. Sparkle standing behind Charles seemed to have sensed something. She raised a tentacle to intervene, but Anna and Charles'' gazes stopped her from moving.


    Charles could feel Anna trembling involuntarily from fear, but her face was distorted not in fear but in extreme fury. Anna wanted to fight back, but the intense palpable gaze made her feel a variety of negative emotions. She dared not move as her heart was inundated by fear, despair, and a heavy sense of oppression.


    Anna had just boasted to Charles, but clearly, there wasn''t anything she could do against absolute power.


    Charles stared intently at the empty space before him. The cogs in his mind turned rapidly as he thought of countermeasures that would allow him and his crew to escape this plight.


    "AAAAH!" Tobba wailed as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight. Then, he stiffened like a statue, and the light in his eyes dimmed rapidly.


    The immense pressure on everyone''s shoulders vanished just then. Charles couldn''t see them, but he knew that they had left and had returned to their own perspective.


    Upon being freed. Charles rushed to Tobba on the floor and helped him up.


    "Tobba! Can you hear me? Answer me!" Charles roared, but the animated Tobba offered no response at all. Thin threads of saliva dripped down the corners of his lips, and he was as limp as a wet noodle.


    1.  = Eight Immortal Table

 Chapter 428: Losses

    Chapter 428: Losses


    "<em>Sniff!</em>" Dipp sniffled while standing at the helm of the bridge. He threw his head back slightly and sniffled loudly, but he didn''t feel much better at all.


    The Narwhale''s bridge had neither ceiling nor ss windows. Dipp was a Deep Dweller, but even he found it a bit of a struggle to stand at the helm for several hours while being buffeted by the cold sea breeze.


    It was so cold that Dipp could barely feel his fingers.


    Footsteps echoed just then. Dipp turned and found Bandages walking up to him with the spare nautical chart that he had taken from the Captain''s Cabin. The bandages wrapped around Bandages were dyed red.


    "How far have we gone?"


    "Heading is unchanged; we''ve traveled exactly sixty nautical miles since then."


    Bandages nodded quietly and beganparing the nautical chart in his hands to the simplified nautical chart next to Dipp, cross-referencing the two to find their precise location.


    "How''s it going down there?" Dipp asked without turning around.


    Bandages'' hand paused briefly before resuming his etching along the ruler.


    "Tommy''s right hand couldn''t be saved," Bandages replied.


    Dipp sighed. The crisis had passed, but the crew members had sustained severe injuries in the process. The sea otters'' fangs had torn apart the muscles in Tommy''s hand, exposing the bones to the elements.


    Even Linda couldn''t treat such a heavy injury, and she had no choice but to amputate Tommy''s right hand.


    "It''s fine. The Captain will pay for everyone''s prosthetics. I also think that kid Tommy got off lightly. Tommy is going to receive a handsome pay as well," Dipp remarked.


    Bandages rarely took the initiative to talk with others, but he broke character and said, "The others are doing fine but Feuerbach is in critical condition. He might not make it."


    "What? Why?!" Dipp was stupefied by the news.


    "The Captain had cut his belly open a huge chunk of his intestines was pulled out by the sea otters during the fight," Bandages replied.


    Dipp sighed and muttered, "Feuerbach he''s been through thick and thin, but to think he''d end up stumbling on mere sea otters.


    "Of course, it''s not like we could have done something about it. Who could have known that we would encounter so many sea otters? If Hope Ind''s navy had been with us, we wouldn''t have had such difficulty dealing with them.


    "We could have made quick work of them."


    Three decks below the rambling Dipp stood Charles with his arms crossed; he was waiting outside the infirmary.


    Soon, the door was pushed open from the inside, and Linda walked out of the infirmary. Charles rushed toward Linda with a solemn expression and asked, "How''s our Second Mate?"


    "I managed to put his intestines back in, but the dy has allowed bacteria to propagate and invade his blood vessels, which means he''s currently recovering from a blood infection.


    "In addition to his other injuries, I reckon that his chance of survival is less than forty percent. Once he''s on the verge of death, I suggest we gamble on an Origin Essence ritual."


    Charles'' expression turned grim. He truly didn''t expect that he would end up losing crew members on the retreat, even though they had managed to survive an incredibly dangerous ordeal.


    And Feuerbach''s condition wasn''t the only bad news


    Charles turned to the paralyzed and nonverbal Tobba. Tobba seemed to have lost his soul upon letting loose that piercing wail.


    "Let''s talk about Feuerbach''s conditionter. Go ahead and treat Tobba first," Charles said.


    Linda walked over and helped Tobba up. "Captain, I''m sure you know it, but mere medical treatment isn''t very useful when ites to his condition. Regardless, I will try my best."


    An audible click echoed as Linda closed the doors to the infirmary.


    Charles sat down on a nearby stool and waited for the grim result.


    Just then, a fair and soft hand reached out and gave Charles'' right hand a gentle squeeze. "This isn''t your fault. I just realized the reason that we didn''t get attacked by that invisible entity.


    "That entity is one of the gatekeepers of the many different perspectives. It''s a hound that chases after and hunts down stowaways. The colossal worm and that Tobba we had encountered had left their own perspectives."


    Charles turned to Anna next to him and said, "That doesn''t make me feel better at all. If your assumption is correct, it means that the Tobba we had encountered will cease to exist while our Tobba here is dead.


    Anna rested her head on Charles'' shoulder, and her eyes emitted a peculiar light as she recalled everything they had encountered on this voyage.


    "There wasn''t anything we could have done. Even monsters like us would be in great peril if we had fought that entity, so do you really expect a group of mere humans to remain intact after such an encounter?"


    A slightly oppressive atmosphere hung about the corridor, and a deafening silence descended upon Anna and Charles.


    Just then, Charles shattered the ice and said, "There''s nothing left for you to do here. You should head back first with Sparkle."


    "It''s fine. I can stay here just a bit longer. I can also help you deal with a sea creature if one were to climb up the deck," Anna replied.


    "Just go back. I can easily handle such sea creatures," Charles replied.


    Anna looked up, but she didn''t say anything upon seeing Charles'' determined expression and merely patted his back.


    A sh of white light erupted, and Sparkle in a sky-blue dress appeared before the two.


    Anna reached out and picked up the little girl. "Sparkle, say goodbye to Daddy."


    "Bye, bye, Daddy~" Sparkle said, and the two vanished into thin air.


    Left all alone in the dim corridor, Charles stared intently at the infirmary with an indescribable expression that prevented anyone from deducing his thoughts.


    Time passed slowly, and the crew''s morale recovered as they approached Hope Ind. Everyone still couldn''t quite get over the deaths of their fellow crew members, but the fact was no longer that painful.


    "Ah~" Tobba moved at a tortoise''s pace as he shoved an iron spoon containing rye porridge into his mouth. A bib made out of a shirt was wrapped around his neck, and it caught the saliva dripping from the corners of Tobba''s lips.


    "He''s recovering pretty well. At least, he can finally take care of himself," Linda said to Charles as she sat across from Tobba.


    Charles waved his hand in front of Tobba''s eyes, but thetter ignored himpletely and was solely focused on eating.


    "That''s not good news at all. He doesn''t recognize me anymore, and he has be a lunatic, spouting words no one can understand."


    "Hadn''t he always been a lunatic? What''s the difference? I guess the only difference is that his lunacy has gotten severe," Linda replied.


    Linda then fell into deep contemtion, but she soon emerged from it and said, "I''m actually not sure whether my treatment is affecting him or his improvement is all by himself. From what you told me, this is really beyond me."


    Tobba ate slowly, ignoring the two people sitting next to him. Just then, a brown mouse ran up to Tobba''s feet and bit his pant leg. However, the brown mouse didn''t get the response it was expecting to receive.


    Charles knew that he had to set aside this matter for the meantime. After all, Tobba would still have to retire from the Narwhale, regardless of his outlook.


    Staring at his navigator, Charles was reminded of Feuerbach.


    "How''s Feuerbach doing?"


    "The outlook is grim, but his will to survive is tenacious; he''s still clinging to life as we speak."

 Chapter 429: Sparkle

    Chapter 429: Sparkle


    Charles nodded silently at Linda''s exnation and chose not to extend the conversation. After all, there was nothing more to be said; they could only wait.


    The sea''s oppressive darkness weighed down on Charles, but he was helpless. He reckoned that even turning to the gods to pray would be futile. If there was no response, he would deceive himself, saying that the prayers were merely constion for his own peace of mind.


    If there were a response, however, it would be troublesome.


    Just then, Cook nck approached Charles with a tray filled with food.


    Charles dipped a piece of bread into the fish stew and ate. As he chewed on his food, he asked, "Does Feuerbach have anyone else in his family besides his three wives?"


    Linda looked at Charles, slightly taken aback. "Three wives? He doesn''t have that many."


    Charles was stunned, and then he realized immediately that it was something he had heard from another perspective. "My mistake. Do you know about Feuerbach''s family situation?"


    "Feuerbach has a child, but we don''t know who the mother is. That child is a bitcking in intellect, too," Linda remarked.


    "He''s not exactly father of the year. When he does pay attention, he''s overly generous with money. Whenever he forgets his child''s existence, he can vanish for days or even weeks.


    "He''s a regr at the brothels on Hope Ind. He visits daily and asks for a different girl each time."


    Charles arched an eyebrow in surprise. "Why do you know so much about him?"


    "In the three years that you were gone, we tried spending time together. But in the end, we realized we weren''t suited for each other and decided to go our separate ways," Linda exined.


    Charles nodded in understanding as he swallowed the food in his mouth.


    His knowledge of his Second Mate was very limited. He only knew that Feuerbach had been an explorer captain of the ship Waverazor before they settled down on Hope Ind. The green-haired man also possessed the ability tomunicate with that group of red sharks.


    Beyond that, Charles was unaware of Feuerbach''s past actions or experiences. Feuerbach had never shared, while Charles had never probed.


    Perhaps Feuerbach had ulterior motives at the beginning, but now, as death approached, Charles suddenly felt a strong sense of reluctance to let the man go.


    Lost in thought, Charles finished the food on his te. He cleared his throat and stood up.


    "Inform me immediately if there''s anything unusual about Feuerbach," he instructed Linda.


    "Will do," Linda responded and returned to her meal.


    Leaving the mess hall, Charles headed toward his captain''s quarters.


    The moment he opened the door, he was greeted by a pair of glowing green eyes in the darkness. Instinctively, he pulled out his revolver and aimed it at the unknown entity.


    But just a few secondster, he recognized the owners of those eyes. It was Sparkle, his daughter, intently flipping through the pages of his diary.


    "Sparkle, why are you here? Did Mommy send you here to pass me something?" Charles asked as he lowered his weapon and approached her.


    Sparkle looked up at her father and stated, "I want bananas."


    "Huh? Bananas?" Charles reiterated, confused by the sudden request.


    "Yes. I''m visiting a friend''s house, and Mommy said that I ought to bring a gift. Since my friend loves bananas, Mommy said you have them, and I want to get some for her," Sparkle exined.


    A smile surfaced on Charles'' countenance as he scooped Sparkle up into his embrace.


    Despite the fact that her adorable face was a disguise, Charles felt an unusual warmth toward her; she was, after all, his flesh and blood.


    Truth to be told, this was also their first moment alone together without Anna around.


    Under normal circumstances, Charles should have taken this opportunity to bond with his daughter, but he found himself at a loss for words. Hecked experience in this area and was unsure of what to say.


    "Um Erm So, how''s Mommy doing?" Charles initiated a topic with apparent awkwardness.


    "Bad. The moment she got back, she seemed really upset and was throwing stuff around. She even said a bunch of things I couldn''t understand."


    Charles was surprised by Sparkle''s reply and probed further, "What exactly did she say?"


    "She said something about pushing herself so much to grow stronger, but yet she is still so weak and couldn''t even retaliate at all."


    <em>Is Anna frustrated that she couldn''t stand up against the "Chalkboard Eraser"? Her fiery spirit is still the same as always. </em>Charles mulled over Anna''s words.


    Sparkle was oblivious to her father''s thoughts; her mind was only consumed by her own matters. "So, when are you giving me the bananas?"


    "Sparkle, I don''t have any bananas here. Tell you what, I''ll write you a note. Take it to James on Hope Ind, and he''ll get you some. You remember James, right? That big, burly guy."


    Charles ced Sparkle back down on the floor and swiftly flipped to a nk page in his diary. He scribbled a line of text, ripped the page out and handed it to Sparkle.


    Sparkle took the note and vanished almost instantaneously, not even bidding farewell to Charles.


    Left alone in his empty quarters, Charles smiled bitterly. "It seems like in Sparkle''s heart, that friend is much more important than her father."


    Then, he moved toward his desk and started penning his diary entry for the day.


    ***


    On sunny Hope Ind, James was in his office and staring down at a little girl who had suddenly appeared in front of him; his gun was raised in reflex.


    It was inevitable for him to react so intensely, given that a child had suddenly appeared in his office. Anyone would have reacted the same way.


    "Who are you? And what are you here for?" James interrogated as he discreetly pressed a hidden red alert button under his desk.


    "Daddy sent me," Sparkle said and presented the note.


    Having spent much time with Charles, James immediately recognized the familiar handwriting. However, the request on the note puzzled him. "Bananas?"


    "Yes, bananas. My friend likes bananas." Sparkle confirmed with an earnest nod.


    "How are you rted to the Captain?" James asked.


    "I don''t know any Captain. Daddy just told me that you would have bananas."


    James gestured at the approaching police officers to hold off on entering for the moment. Then, he pulled out his wallet and took out an old, ck-and-white photo.


    The photo showed the crew of the old S.S. Mouse, and he pointed at a much younger Charles in the picture. "Do you recognize this person?"


    "That''s my daddy," Sparkle confirmed.


    James inhaled sharply. <em>She''s really the Captain''s child?</em>


    He couldn''t help but be reminded of that monster woman named Anna and the rumors among the maids at the Governor''s Mansion about the Governor having a monster daughter.


    "When are you getting me the bananas?" Sparkle asked. This time, her tone wasced with a hint of impatience.


    "Come, let''s head to the banana ntation," James responded, standing up from his chair to guide Sparkle out of his office.


    Though his mind buzzed with questions, he decided it was best to wait and ask the captain directly. The main priority now was to fulfill this little girl with special abilities and send her off. Fortunately, her request wasn''t too demanding.


    Under the "escort" of a squad of fully equipped officers, they arrived at the thriving banana ntation.


    "The twenty acres here are all nted with banana trees. How many do you need?" James asked as he donned a wide-brimmed hat to block out the lethal sun rays.


    Clusters of bananas, some green, some yellow, hung heavily, almost touching the ground.


    Sparkle dashed into the sunlight and grabbed a bunch of bananas. With a swift <em>whoosh,</em> she vanished from everyone''s sight.


    "She just wanted a hand of banans?" James muttered out loud.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts</blockquote>

 Chapter 430: Deception

    Chapter 430: Deception


    <strong>World''s Crown.</strong>


    In the field of East District 13, Nene toiled amidst the ck ryegrass, her face shielded by a cotton mask.


    Taking a break from the hours of toiling, Nene paused and stretched her back. As she wiped away the sweat on her face, she noticed her good friend, Sparkle, standing before her.


    Nene dropped her novel and dashed over. Pulling Sparkle into a warm embrace, she cried out, "Sparkle! You came down? I''m sooooo happy! I was just thinking of you yesterday!"


    "I missed you too, so I decided to visit. I even brought you a gift. It''s bananas."


    It was only then that Nene spotted the massive cluster next to Sparkle. The cluster of long yellow-green objects was tethered to a stalk taller than any person.


    "What are these?" Nene crouched down to further inspect with curiosity, even giving them a slight squeeze.


    "Bananas."


    "Sparkle, bananas are supposed to be ck and mushy. These aren''t bananas; you''ve been deceived."


    "Deceived?"


    "To deceive is to lie. For example, if I said I was a boy, which I''m not, then I''d have deceived you."


    Sparkle blinked her eyes in puzzlement. "Why would he deceive me?"


    "Did he take your money for these? Mommy told me there are bad people who sell fake stuff to take our money. When you find out it''s not real, they''re already far away on a boat to another ce. There are lots of tricky people like that."


    Sparkle nced doubtfully at the item next to her. "Are these really not bananas?"


    "They really aren''t. Are you hungry? Let''s have some mushroom slices fried in fish oil. They''re deliciously aromatic. My mom packed them for my lunch."


    Nene then retrieved a small tin box from her bag and offered it to Sparkle.


    "Sit by the side and eat this. Let''s go y after I''m done with work."


    Resuming her work, Nene bent down to continue clearing the soil of weeds and mushrooms.


    With the tin box in her hands, Sparkle squatted down and asked, "Why are you removing those things?"


    "Theypete with the ck ryegrass for nutrients. If we remove them, the ck ryegrass gets all the nutrients and grows a lot. Mom can sell it and make money. We can then go back up there and live a better life."


    "I see. Let me help you then."


    "Okay! Then, you can work on that plot. Let''spete and see who''s faster!"


    The two girls got busy working the soil, engaging in light-hearted conversation as they toiled. But in just three minutes, Nene saw a pair of fair hands reaching out to remove the weeds she was just about to pluck out. She looked up and saw Sparkle.


    "I''m done," Sparkle announced.


    Nene stood up and surveyed their plot ofnd. She couldn''t help but exim in amazement, "Woah! Sparkle, you''re so good at this. You cleared everything so quickly!"


    "Can we y now?" Sparkle asked with her eyes glimmering with excitement.


    "Of course! Let''s go. I need to go let my mother know first." Nene grabbed Sparkle by the hand and ran toward Donna, who was working in the distance.


    Donna tensed up when she saw the green-eyed child with nothing covering her face. She hastily wrapped her sweat-dampened towel around Sparkle''s face to cover her mouth and nose. It was dirty, but it was better than having mushrooms in one''s lungs.


    "Sparkle, don''t your parents look after you? They actually allow you to venture down here by yourself?"


    "Mommy said it was okay for me toe down here," Sparkle answered in a calm tone.


    "How could she consent to that? It''s too dangerous here. And your father?"


    "Daddy is on a ship."


    Hearing Sparkle''s answer, Donna understood immediately. Sparkle''s father and herte husband shared the same upationthey were sailors. The fact that Sparkle could remain atop therge mushroom crown hinted at the significant role of Sparkle''s father aboard his vessel.


    Being on a ship brought in arge amount of money, but it came with equal risks. The sea''s unpredictability could im lives in an instant. All things considered, Donna felt a newfound affection for Sparkle.


    Meanwhile, Nene didn''t think too deeply about Sparkle''s familial ties. She was purely intrigued by Sparkle''s father''s upation.


    "Sparkle, is your daddy the Captain of a ship? I''ve heard that the one helming the wheel is of the highest authority."


    Sparkle shook her head. "He doesn''t steer the ship. The fish steers it. My daddy just walks around on the ship."


    "You''re lying! How can a fish steer the wheel?"


    "Why would I need to lie?"


    With her eyes slightly reddened by the rampant spores, Donna intervened and stopped Nene. She pulled out a couple of coins from her pouch and ced them into Nene''s hand. After pondering for a couple of seconds, she generously added more coins to the pile in Nene''s hand.


    "Let''s move on from them. Take Sparkle with you and go have fun. Enjoy yourselves. She can spend the night with us, and then I''ll send her back up tomorrow."


    ted at her mother''s generosity, Nene beamed, "Woah! So much pocket money! Mommy, you''re the best! Come on, Sparkle, let''s go buy some nice treats."


    Nene excitedly guided Sparkle toward the farmers'' fathering spot in the distance. The vige was quiet, as most people were out working in the fields. Nene eagerly led Sparkle to the small shop cluttered with an assortment of items.


    "Sister Vanessa! I want this, this and this!" Nene eagerly pointed at a couple of treats on disy.


    Nene bought all the snacks that she wanted to eat and eagerly shared her bounty with her good friend.


    "Try this! The initial taste is sour, then sweet. And this one, it''s spicy first before it turns sweet," Nene said as she handed over some candies to Sparkle.


    Most of the treats were just cheap, hard candies. But for Nene, they were considered an indulgence as she seldom got to enjoy them.


    Sparkled ced a candy into her mouth and chewed without any change in expression.


    "''How is it? It''s delicious, isn''t it? It''s tasty, right?'' Nini asked as she excitedly held Sparkle''s hands.


    "I don''t taste anything," Sparkle answered honestly.


    "Impossible. Sister Vanessa''s candies are the best. Open your mouth."


    She reached her fingers into Sparkle''s mouth, took the half-melted candy and ced it into her mouth, giving it a taste before returning it to Sparkle.


    "It''s sweet and tasty! Sparkle, can''t you taste the sweetness?"


    Noticing Nene''s crestfallen brows, Sparkle asked, "Are you upset?"


    "Not really. Maybe sweets aren''t your thing. Come, let''s go try something else. I''m sure you''ll like it."


    Holding Sparkle by the hand, Nene led her down a left turn into an alley. Soon, they arrived at their destinationa corner where various colored mushrooms thrived. If there was one thing in abundance on the World''s Crown, it would be mushrooms.


    After a moment of careful selection, Nene boldly decided on two mushrooms with a dark liquid seeping from the caps and plucked them.


    She then led Sparkle to sit atop arge mushroom and brought the selected mushrooms up to eye level.


    "This is a ckwater Mushroom. Have a gentle sniff, and you''ll start seeing tiny dancers right before your eyes. It''s magical.


    "Promise me you won''t tell my mom. I learned this from the other vige kids. Mommy didn''t want me to hang out with them," Nene whispered. Then, she held the mushroom to her nose and took a deep breath before passing it to Sparkle, who followed suit.


    In less than a minute, Nene''s gaze turned zed and hazy. "Do you see that? Look, those little dancers are approaching. See, there are blue ones, red ones, and even purple ones. They dance so well."


    Sparkle stared at the empty street before her and wanted to confess the truth. However, she was reminded of Nene''s disappointed face from earlier when she had tasted the candies.


    Determined, Sparkle vigorously nodded her head. "Yes, I see them. The little dancers areing out, one after another. How pretty."


    Nene grabbed Sparkle''s hand and let out a giggle. Sparkle chuckled, too, as she noticed how happy her friend was.


    The two little girls sat on the mushroom and continued gesturing animatedly at the empty street.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    430 is out now! Just some personal updates. Things haven''t been going too well in my personal lifetely, and I''m struggling with some personal matters. But, well, it''s still not an excuse for beingte in releasing chapters. I will strive to make sure that we have consistent releases. See you guys around!</blockquote>

 Chapter 431: Daddy

    Chapter 431: Daddy


    A tiny room with a shallow ceiling was what Donna called home on World''s Crown.


    Nene sat before a table inside the room, eating while chatting gleefully with Sparkle sitting next to her. She talked about trivial matters, but she was happy nheless. Sparkle listened to her quietly on the side.


    Donna took a sip of her mushroom soup and smiled at the heartwarming scene. An adult''s happiness was aplicated hodgepodge of many things, but children were different. They could find joy in the simplest things.


    "Mommy, can Sparkle sleep with me tonight?" Nene asked excitedly with a spoon in hand.


    "Sure, but you girls have to sleep early tonight. No whispering under the nkets, all right?" Donna replied.


    Nene nodded and thrust her spoon upward to cheer at her mother''s reply.


    "Hurry up and eat; the bread is getting cold," Donna urged.


    The oilmp on the table flickered, bestowing warmth upon the tiny house.


    Farmers had little entertainment, so they would usually sleep after dinner and a quick bath.


    Beneath the huge nket riddled with fabric patches, Nene and Sparkle squeezed together, whispering and giggling to each other.


    Nene revealed a beaming smile and snuggled closer to Sparkle. "Sparkle, I told you so much about myself; your turn now! Have you encountered anything interesting?"


    Sparkle stared at the low ceiling up above and recalled everything she had encountered so far in her less than a year of life.


    "Mmhm. I once found a big bone in the sea. The bone was really, really big. I could crawl inside of it and y. It was really fun," Sparkle replied.


    "What else? What else? Tell me more," Nene urged with shining eyes.


    Sparkle thought hard about it, but she shook her head and said, "That''s it; that''s all."


    "No way," Nene said, eyes widening in surprise. "You encountered only one interesting thing?"


    Sparkle nodded quietly.


    "How about your family?" Nene asked, "What kind of people are your mommy and daddy?"


    Sparkle''s chatterbox trait awakened at the mention of her mommy. "Mommy does many things every day. I don''t really understand what she''s doing, but she sometimes ys ball with me, and I really like it; it''s really fun. I also like her smell.


    "Sometimes, she would speak to me in anothernguage. And it''s anguage that no one else knows aside from me, Daddy, and Mommy.


    "When I couldn''t really talk yet, Mommy let me go and y with other people so that I''d learn how they talk. That''s how I learned how to talk, and that''s why I really love Mommy."


    Nene nodded. "Mmhm. I love my mommy, too. What about your daddy? What kind of person is your daddy?"


    "Daddy" Sparkle''s eyes sparkled as she reminisced. "Daddy couldn''t even recognize me when I first went to him myself. Thest time I visited him where he lived, he stayed with Mommy all day and ignored me.


    "And he doesn''t y ball with me like Mommy does. He has never hugged me to sleep, either. Actually, I''m a bit scared of him. What do you think? Does he not like me?"


    "Does your Daddy bring yummy food for you to eat whenever hees back home?" Nene asked, and her eyes sparkled as she reminisced. "I remember when I was three, Daddy would bring me all sorts of delicacies whenever he came back home. I don''t know what they''re called; all I remember is that they''re very tasty.


    "Those delicacies can''t be found on the ind, and some of them were sweet, some made my tongue numb, and some were really spicy."


    Sparkle tilted her head and pondered briefly before saying, "My daddy never really bought me anything to eat."


    The prone Nene nodded and pointed out. "Sounds like your daddy is a bad daddy. Maybe it''s because he''s always out at sea and can''t see you often, but


    Nene trailed off, and she sounded slightly envious as she continued, "Having a daddy is still better than not having a daddy. I still want to see my daddy again, even if he ignores me forever.


    "That way, others won''t call me a fatherless child, at the very least."


    Nene''s words had yet to finish echoing in the air when faint, suppressed sobbing echoed from the partition next to them.


    Nene nced at where the sobbing hade from and put a finger to her lips, shushing toward Sparkle.


    "Sparkle, let''s keep it down. I think we woke up Mommy," Nene said softly.


    Sparkle nodded and imitated the volume of Nene''s voice, replying, "Okay, let''s keep it down. Nene, what happened to your daddy?"


    "It''s been a long time since Daddyst returned, but it''s okay. Many children on this ind are in the same situation as methey have no fathers, too. Yes, we have no fathers, but if other children tease us for that, we beat them up together."


    "Where did their daddies go?"


    "What happened to my daddy happened to their daddies as well. Their daddies went out to sea and never came back."


    Sparkle seemed confused as she asked, "Is the sea very dangerous? I don''t find it dangerous at all."


    "The sea is <em>very</em> dangerous," Nene said. She spread her arms and imitated her mother''s tone of voice before continuing, "The ship has an enclosed, hostile environment; if something were to go awry, you''d be in big trouble.


    "Run out of water, and you''ll die of thirst; run out of food, and you''ll starve. In addition, there are many different monsters in the water, and they find naughty children particrly tasty"


    "<em>Pfft!</em>" Nene erupted intoughter and copsed on top of Sparkle whileughing.


    Eventually, Nene''s giggling faded away, and she revealed a somber expression as she said, "Actually, what I told you was what Mommy told me. I actually don''t know whether the sea is dangerous or not. All I know is that my daddy went out to sea one day and never came back.


    "I I really miss Daddy."


    Nene''s cheerful giggling vanished, and silence descended upon the room.


    <em>If the sea is very dangerous, does that mean Daddy might nevere back one day? </em>Sparkle thought, and she was reminded of that strange two-nosed creature that had flung Charles'' ship from the seabed toward the surface.


    An unprecedented emotion welled up in Sparkle''s heart just then. Sparkle felt the urge to go to Charles and tell him not to go out to sea anymore. Charles had never really paid any attention to her, but she still didn''t want Charles to end up like Nene''s father, who had gone out to sea one day and never came back.


    Time passed swiftly, and morning came.


    Nene woke up and found Sparkle staring at the ceiling.


    Nene reached out to hug Sparkle. "Good morning, Sparkle. Howe you''re already awake when it''s still so early?"


    Nene noticed something just then. She picked up the oilmp next to her and walked over to the window. Upon seeing the strange scenery outside the window, Nene''s eyes sparkled in excitement.


    "Sparkle, look! Today''s a sporey day! That''s great. Having one sporey day in a month means that our ryegrass will grow well, and we''ll have a great harvest!"


    Gray powder descended like snowkes, creating a strange scenery outside. There wasn''t any snow in the Subterranean Sea, which meant the "snowkes" were the colossal mushroom''s spores, and spores were nourishment for the ryegrass.


    Nene recalled something just then. She ran excitedly over to the kitchen and rushed to her mother making breakfast. "Mommy! It''s a sporey day today, so is it okay if Sparkle goes home a bitter today?"

 Chapter 432: Going Home

    Chapter 432: Going Home


    "No, I''m sure her mother must be worried sick about her. She''s been here for so long, after all. I''m sure Sparkle doesn''t want her mother to worry about her, too," Donna exined while making breakfast.


    Nene revealed a look of hesitation, but she knew that her mother was right.


    Unbeknownst to them, Sparkle heard their conversation. She pondered briefly with wide eyes before picking up a crude pencil from the table next to her. Then, she started sketching on a piece of paper.


    Soon, a creature appeared on the piece of paperan indescribable cluster of writhing tentacles with a cross-shaped pupil in the center. The creature was none other than Sparkle, and she had just drawn a simple, badly drawn self-portrait.


    "Sparkle, what is that? It looks so ugly," Nene asked upon walking into the partition.


    Sparkle''s hand holding the pencil came to a halt, and she handed the sketch over to Nene. "It''s for you."


    Nene epted it and stared at it from all angles, but she couldn''t quiteprehend what she was staring at. "Um, thanks! Anyway, I''ll draw one for you, too! I think I''m better than you at drawing!"


    Nene proceeded to draw an image depicting two little girls sitting on mushroom caps surrounded by a group of tiny people.


    Just as Nenepleted her drawing, Donna was finally done making breakfast.


    "Goodbye, Sparkle," Nene said as she stood by the entrance while holding Sparkle''s self-portrait in her hand. A look of reluctance washed over her young face; clearly, she didn''t want to part with her good friend.


    "Close the door and lock the windows. I''ll be back in two hours, so be obedient and stay in the house, okay?" Donna said. Then, she proceeded to repeat the same instructions multiple times before finally pulling Sparkle away.


    The two walked toward the lower reaches of the World''s Crown underneath the rain of spores. The spores had inundated everything beneath the cap, including the air, so there were very few people on the streets.


    In addition, farmers generally wouldn''t go out to the fields during sporey days; they''d onlye out tomorrow to sweep the dust-like powder of the spores onto the ryegrass in their fields.


    "Tired? Want me to carry you?" Donna asked Sparkle.


    Sparkle reluctantly looked back before looking up at Donna. "I''m not tired."


    Donna nodded and didn''t insist on carrying Sparkle. She held Sparkle''s hands, and the two walked down the main road between the fields. Everything beneath the cap was dpidated and rundown, but the main road that led straight to the pier was well paved and well maintained.


    It didn''t take long for Donna and Sparkle''s hair to be covered in gray spore powder. Donna took off her patched-up jacket and wrapped it around Sparkle, who was wearing a one-piece dress.


    "Since you live up above, I''m sure you don''t understand, but don''t let this powder linger on your skin for too long. This powder will injure your skin, and mushrooms will start growing on the wound."


    Sparkle stared at Donna for a while before she finally replied, "Thank you."


    Donna smiled at the adorable little girl. For some reason, the more she stared at Sparkle, the more she found Sparkle to be a pretty lovable little girl.


    Just then, Donna recalled Nene and Sparkle''s conversationst night. She couldn''t fight the urge and crouched to stare into Sparkle''s eyes. Then, she reached out to pat Sparkle''s head before saying, "Go back home and tell your daddy that he shouldn''t go out to sea again once he''s earned enough money.


    "People have to be alive to enjoy their hard-earned money, after all."


    Sparkle nodded. "I think so, too. Okay, I''ll tell Daddy."


    "Great, you''re such a good girl," Donna said, pinching Sparkle''s cheek. "Okay, let''s go. Let''s keep walking."


    As they walked, Donna seemed to have thought of Sparkle as an outlet to confide her deep-seated feelings; she poured out everything she had been suppressing to Sparkle, who listened quietly in a daze.


    "My husband used to saywithout people to transport merchandise at sea, what would people on other inds eat and use in their daily lives? But what''s that got to do with us?


    "Men really are fond of unrealistic things. In his pursuit of a fantasy, he died without leaving even his corpse behind.


    "How can I possibly have anything good to say about him when he has left our child fatherless while other children still have their fathers around them?"


    Sparkle felt like she understood what Donna was trying to say, but she also felt like she couldn''t understand Donna at all. It was a confounding experience, but Donna''s words had bolstered Sparkle''s determinationdetermination to stop her father from going out to sea once again.


    The two soon found themselves at the wooden basket closest to the Crown''s gills. Arge group of farmers was waiting calmly for their turn to ride the wooden basket and live up above.


    Farmers could easily go down the Crown''s cap, but staying up there was incredibly difficult. A few guards wearing masks and holding pens were standing by the shed next to the huge wooden basketthey were here to verify the identity of every single individual wanting to go up the Crown''s cap.


    "Come here, let''s line up. What''s your mother''s name, and where does she live?" Donna asked while pulling Sparkle toward the farmers waiting in line.


    However, Sparkle didn''t reply. She let go of Donna''s hand and ran up ahead, eximing, "You can go back home, Nene''s mommy. I can go home by myself."


    "Wait, Sparkle! You can''t just go there like that!" Donna hurriedly chased after Sparkle to stop her. To her surprise, however, Sparkle was extremely quick; it took her just a few moments to reach the huge wooden basket.


    Donna''s astonishment was amplified when the guards d in ck uniforms didn''t even do anything to stop Sparkle. They allowed Sparkle to jump onto the wooden basket.


    <em>Are Sparkle''s parents truly part of the upper echelons? </em>Donna thought, but she didn''t dwell on the matter for long. It was fine as long as Sparkle reached the cap. After all, the security above was miles better than the security down below.


    The winch was soon turned, and a piercing noise echoed as Sparkle and her fellow passengers were slowly hoisted upward.


    "Sparkle! Don''t run around once you''re up there! Go straight home!" Donna eximed, attracting everyone''s gaze. Donna''s face flushed slightly as she turned around and left in a hurry.


    Standing at the swaying wooden basket, Sparkle waved her hand at Donna, who slowly disappeared as the sky full of spore dust obscured Sparkle''s vision. When Donna finally vanished from Sparkle''s line of sight, Sparkle vanished from the wooden basket, scaring her fellow passengers out of their wits.


    Sparkle saw light once more, and she found herself at the entrance of the Governor''s Mansion of World''s Crown. Stepping through the main gate, Sparkle found a maid busy cleaning at the door.


    "Where''s Mommy?" Sparkle asked.


    "The Governor is in the library," the maid replied.


    Sparkle''s figure shed, and she reappeared in front of the library. She pushed open the door and saw a huge, deformed, and rotten head on the wall.


    The rotten head seemed to be talking to Anna, but their conversation came to a halt when Sparkle entered the library.


    "Mommy, can we make Daddy stop going out to sea? I don''t want to lose Daddy."


    Anna set aside a strand of her hair behind her ear and said, "Sparkle, can you go outside? Mommy is busy right now."


    Sparkle nced at the huge rotten face and nodded before vanishing into thin air.


    "That was your daughter? Why don''t you introduce me to her?"


    Anna smiled sweetly. "Sure, you can try to get to know her. Sparkle really loves ying with new friends, you see."


    The rotten face stared at Anna''s sweet smile for a moment before replying, "Forget it. Her aura feels a bit dangerous to me."


    "Let''s stop the chit-chat, shall we? How about we go back to the topic? Can we continue with our deal?"<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    If you guys haven''t realized, Shrouded Seascape will be going on free rotation from 27 March to 4 April! Hopefully, it will get more exposure being on the front page! Thank you for your continuous support all this while~</blockquote>

 Chapter 433: Feuerbach

    Chapter 433: Feuerbach


    <em>December 6th, 13th Year of Crossing Over</em>


    <em>The Narwhale is making its way back to the ind. The journey had its turmoil, with two unidentified creatures emerging from the waters and climbing aboard to cause some chaos. Aside from that, our return trip was normal.</em>


    <em>The familiar nautical markings had alreadye into view; we are close to Hope Ind now. However, I''m mainly worried about Feuerbach.</em>


    <em>He still hadn''t woken up from hisa. Though I know not much about medicine, I know this isn''t a good sign.</em>


    <em>Apart from him, we''ve suffered considerable losses in this voyage. Three deaths: two sailors and the Third Engineer. The assistant cook lost his left hand, and the cook lost his right leg."</em>


    <em>Our Navigator has gonepletely mad as well. It''s clear we need to rece most of the crew.</em>


    <em>All of these in exchange for a mere clue of the key''s location. Their sacrifices weigh heavily on me; I don''t know if it was worth it. If the key is really there, then the next adventure would be my final one in this seascape.</em>


    Just as Charles was about to start the next paragraph, a knock at the door interrupted him.


    "What''s the matter?" Charles called out.


    "It''s Linda. Feuerbach''s awake."


    The news had Charles'' heart racing with joy. He swiftly grabbed his coat and dashed out of the door.


    "I''ve conducted aplete blood transfusion and administered some special medicines that are still in their experimental phase. His life isn''t in any immediate danger, but the special medicine has definitely damaged his internal organs," Linda shared the details as they both made their way to the infirmary.


    "As long as he''s alive That''s better than anything else," Charles remarked, a light smile suffusing his lips.


    Upon reaching the infirmary, Charles pushed the door open to see Feuerbach all bandaged up like a mummy. Despite the bandages, he was holding a crumpled cigarette between his trembling fingers and was trying to bring it to his lips.


    "No smoking!" Linda shouted and dashed over. She grabbed the cigarette and threw it away.


    A pained expression appeared on Feuerbach''s face. His voice was barely a whisper as he weakly pleaded, "Dear, please, just one puff, just one."


    "You should be well aware of your own condition right now. Your lungs can''t take any more damage. Talk some more, and I''ll sedate you."


    "Of course, I know my body the best. But right now, I don''t want to think of anything apart from having a smoke."


    Hearing Feuerbach''s clear artiction of his thoughts, Charles heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, his Second Mate seemed to be in a stable condition.


    "Just stop smoking. One day less is not going to kill you," Charles remarked as he approached Feuerbach to retrieve the Dark de from thetter and ced it back into his own prosthetic arm.


    Feuerbach''s attention shifted from Linda to Charles. "Captain, how are my sharks? Did any of my babies get injured?"


    "Only three died. Your sharks are fast. The sea otters stand little chance of catching them if they truly try to get away."


    "What? Three?!" Feuerbach reiterated in rm. He attempted to prop himself up, but the pain from his wounds washed over him. He fell back with a pained expression as though his consciousness had slipped away again.


    "Which Which three?" Feuerbach asked, his voiceden with weakness.


    "All your sharks look identical to me. How am I supposed to know which is which? Also, this is yours." Charles pulled out a small ck pistol from his pocket and passed it to Feuerbach.


    The pistol was only the size of Charles'' palm. Despite its smaller size, it packed a considerable punch. Charles had been on the receiving end of its firepower, and the bullet prated his shoulder, even though he was supposed to be bulletproof.


    The most uniqueponent of the pistol was its appearance. It wasn''t a typical revolver or flintlock. Instead, it looked like a modern pistol equipped with a safety feature.


    "This is yours, right? I found it right beside you then," Charles said as he handed the pistol over to Feuerbach.


    Feuerbach''s expression changed subtly as he pped his eyes on the pistol. The next moment, he forced a feeble smile as he exined, "This was myst resort to be used against powerful foes that I couldn''t handle. I never thought I would have to use it on you, Captain. But I had no choice then when you went berserk."


    "Yeah. Aim better next time, just enough to incapacitate me. I''m curious, though: where did you get this?"


    The room went silent as Feuerbach pondered on how to respond. After several moments, Charles then ced the pistol on the bedside table and shed a slight smile.


    "Don''t worry about it, I was just asking. Your main priority now is to rest well. Everything else is secondary. It has been hard on you this time," Charles said as he offered a reassuring pat on Feuerbach''s shoulder.


    Charles turned and headed for the door. Just before he could take a few steps, Feuerbach threw a question.


    "By the way, Captain, what''s our next move? Did we find any leads to the key on that ind?"


    Charles halted in his tracks at the doorway. He turned around and answered, "Considering your current physical condition, it''s best you remain on the ind and heal for the next few months. You can join the crew again once you''ve fully recuperated."


    Feuerbach''s anxiety was apparent on his face upon hearing Charles'' words. "This is just a minor injury. I can totally endure it. Don''t worry. I''ll recover by our next departure."


    "Don''t make your family worry about you. Just focus on getting some rest," Charles said before he turned and walked out of the door. Linda followed closely behind and closed the door behind her.


    Left all alone, Feuerbach stared for a while at the closed door. Then, he turned to look at his coat. After a great deal of effort, he finally managed to get a cigarette in the coat pocket into his mouth. He took out a match, struck it firmly against his face, and lit the cigarette.


    Despite holding the cigarette between his lips, Feuerbach didn''t take a single puff. Instead, he allowed the cigarette to smolder slowly, filling the infirmary with white smoke that lingered for a long time.


    ***


    Under the watchful gazes of the inders gathered at the docks, the scarred and battered Narwhale entered the port.


    Leonardo was taken aback by the sight of the ship''s pristine white hull marred with battle marks.


    <em>It seems like the Governor faced a rough time on this voyage. I hope he''s fine. </em>Leonardo mused in his heart.


    Standing on the deck, Charles surveyed his damaged ship with a heavy heart and pained expression. He knew that extensive repairs were unavoidable. The voyage had dealt huge damage to his crew and his ship.


    "Buddy, let''s do this together," Charles remarked and gave the ship''s rail a gentle pat. He then led his crew to disembark.


    Upon seeing Charles alighting from the Narwhale, Leonardo hurriedly adjusted his tie and headed toward Charles. However, someone else outpaced him this time.


    It was a mother holding a little boy by the hand. She ran forward and agitatedly scanned the faces of the crew members.


    "Governor, where where is my husband?"


    Dipp hurried forward and whispered into Charles'' ear, "Captain, her husband was a sailor under me. He was torn into shreds by those sea otters."


    Charles nodded in understanding. With his gaze fixated on the woman, he answered, "I''m sorry, he has fallen in the line of duty."


    The news was too much for the woman to bear. She copsed to the ground, and the light in her eyes vanished immediately.


    "Rest assured, I will double the deathpensation for him. And to honor your husband''s brave deeds, I will give you a house in the heart of the ind. You and your child would not have to worry about your daily needs for the rest of your life."


    Charles'' deration stirred a buzz among the surrounding crowd. Most of them secretly wished it was one of their family members who had passed away instead. After all, everyone knew just how generous was Charles''pensation.


    In all the seascape, no one couldpete with Charles in terms of generosity, and none would be unsatisfied with suchpensation.


    "I don''t want money! I don''t care about some house in the heart of the ind! I just want my daddy!"


    The small boy beside the woman protested loudly as his tiny hands gripped a wooden boat. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he looked at Charles with a defiant re.


    Charles nced at the boy before turning away without a word. He then made his way toward the nearby car with its door slightly ajar.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Feuerbach is so sus now.</blockquote>

 Chapter 434: Anna

    Chapter 434: Anna


    On the docks of Hope Ind, Charles bent over and settled himself into the backseat of the car. Immediately, James slid in next to him. With both of them settled down, the engine hummed to life as it headed for the Governor''s Mansion.


    Charles stretchedzily and turned to the towering man next to him. "What''s the matter? Anything happening on the ind that I should know about?"


    With a grave expression, James pulled out a piece of paper and handed it over to Charles.


    Taking the note, Charles nced at it and recognized it to be the note he had given to Sparkle. "Did you give her the bananas?"


    "Yes. I took her to the banana ntation. The little girl grabbed a bunch and then vanished into thin air."


    "That''s great, then," Charlesmented as he cracked open the window and tossed the note outside.


    However, James clearly hadn''t boarded the car just to share this trivial update.


    "Captain, that little girl imed to be your daughter. Is that true?" James asked with a serious expression.


    As the car sped down the streets, Charles observed the shops of Hope Ind shing by and noticed the ind''s transformation. With each passing day, the growing poption had evolved the ind into a bustling city.


    "Yes, she is my daughter, Sparkle," Charles answered and let out a light chuckle. "Quite the shocker, right? I was rather startled myself when I first found out."


    "And who is the mother?"


    Charles couldn''t help but let out another chuckle at James'' anxious expression. "You must have guessed by now. Yes, she''s Anna''s and my child."


    Charles'' answer triggered an immediate reaction from James. His urgency was palpable as he said, "Captain! Why would you do that? You''ve seen her true form; she''s a monster!"


    "Enough, this is my personal affairs. I don''t wish to discuss this topic over and over. Anna won''t harm me," Charles retorted with a hint of annoyance shing across his countenance.


    "But"


    "No buts. This is the end of the discussion."


    Just before James could reply, a voice sounded from the passenger seat. "Big guy, my man is right. This is his personal business, and as his subordinate, you should stay out of it. Overstepping the line usually doesn''t end up well."


    Both men turned their heads to the front to see Anna, d in a short violet dress, seated in the passenger seat.


    "Why are you here?" Charles was surprised by Anna''s sudden appearance.


    "Why? You don''t want to see me? Fine, I''ll leave right now." Anna feigned a move to stand, only to be gently pushed back into her seat by Charles'' outstretched hand.


    "I was just speaking without thinking through. Since you came all the way here, spend some time with me, won''t you?"


    Anna''s lips curved upward into a yful smile. Her seductive form stretched out like a serpent as she squeezed through the narrow gap between the front and back seats of the car.


    Positioning herself in Charles''p, Anna wrapped her arms around his neck. With a flirtatious smile, she said, "If it weren''t for Sparkle reminding me, I''d almost forgotten that I had something important to tell you."


    Charles caught James'' visibly ufortable expression out of the corner of his eye and released an awkward cough. He gently lifted Anna off him and ced her on the seat beside him.


    "Let''s talk about it when we get home," Charles said.


    "Sure, let''s wait for us to reach home. We can find a private spot to have a <em>deep</em> talk. Now doesn''t seem too convenient," Anna said and cast an inadvertent nce at James.


    James'' expression soured further at Anna''s words.


    "Where''s Sparkle?" Charles tried to divert the topic in an attempt to de-escte the tense atmosphere in the car.


    "She''s off ying with some inders. She''s not even one year old yet; it''s normal for her to like to y at this age."


    The two engaged in light conversation as they admired the passing scenery through the car window, instantly reducing James to a third wheel.


    As the tires hissed against the asphalt pavement, the car carrying Anna and Charles pulled to a halt outside the Governor''s Mansion on Hope Ind.


    When Charles opened the car door to step out, Anna was practically clinging to him.


    "Wait, I need to shower first. I could only shower with seawater on board, and I reek of the ocean."


    "It''s fine, we can shower together," Anna suggested teasingly as she licked Charles'' earlobe.


    Still seated inside the car, James'' expression was dark, and he watched as the two entered the mansion.


    In thergest bathroom of the Governor''s Mansion, Charlesy rxed in a filled white bathtub as he gazed up at the crystal chandelier overhead.


    "There''s only us now. Tell me what''s the matter. I still have to check on the research instituteter."


    With a forced smile, Anna emerged from beneath the water. "Are you that busy? Can''t you rest for a few days first when you''ve just returned?"


    "To me, being on the ind is considered resting."


    "Gao Zhiming, you aren''t cut out for management. Just leave the tasks to those under you."


    Charles'' hand slithered around Anna''s slender waist and pulled her gently into his embrace.


    "Just what is it? Tell me quickly, and don''t keep me hanging," Charles probed again as he ran his calloused hand softly over her smooth back.


    "Have you found any clues to the surface exit?" Anna asked all of a sudden.


    A hint of excitement flickered across Charles'' face "Yes, we found it. The key to the door has been transported to a distant ind. If nothing goes wrong, we just need to find the key to get to the surface."


    Anna stared at Charles'' face for a long moment before parting her lips. "It just so happens that there''s something rted to the surface I need to tell you about. You''re aware of your daughter''s ability, right?"


    "Teleportation?" Charles asked, slightly puzzled by Anna''s sudden shift in their conversation.


    "Yes, previously, on a whim, she decided she wanted to see the surface, so she directly teleported upward."


    Immediately, Anna felt all of Charles'' muscles tensing up.


    With a gentle chuckle, she continued, "Rx. Don''t be so tense. She didn''t reach our world. She came back just after a short while."


    Charles bent down to nt a kiss on Anna''s hair. "You came over just for this?"


    Anna looked up at Charles, and the smile on her face vanished.


    "She had the means to go up, but an aura scared her off. You know our daughter''s strength. Think about it: what could it be up there that could frighten her? Surely it can''t be just a nuclear bomb, right?"


    "What? Sparkle got scared off?" The shock in Charles'' voice was evident as his mind raced with possibilities.


    The news Anna just delivered raised many questions. If something on the surface could terrify Sparkle, what was the current state of the surface world?


    Staring at Charles'' furrowed brow, Anna reached out her wet fingers in an attempt to smoothen out the wrinkles but to no sess. Then, she let out a sigh and rested her head on his chest. "I know what you''re thinking, and I have the same thoughts. The surface might not be the same surface where you came from."

 Chapter 435: Argument

    Chapter 435: Argument


    "I''m sure you''re well aware of Sparkle''s strength. She''s still very young, but I dare say that, aside from those Divinities, everyone else will find it difficult to hurt her.


    "Have you already forgotten what I said about how a mere aura had terrified her when she tried to go up to the surface? That means there are much stronger creatures on the surface; knowing that, are you still going to try and go up there?"


    Charles went quiet as he pondered deeply over his response. Once the water in the bathtub had cooled down a bit, he replied, "Sparkle didn''t actually go up. Perhaps there''s a barrier between the Subterranean Sea and the surface world."


    Anna looked helpless as she pped Charles on the back and said, "Do you really think it''s great for you to lie to yourself?"


    Charles got up at Anna''s reply, and he sounded agitated as he said, "You know that the Foundation is from the surface world. The clues we''ve gathered are all pointing at one conclusionthere''s nothing wrong with the surface world."


    "You''ve also devoured quite a few Foundation staffers and gained their memories. I''m sure you know that they can all go to the surface as long as they apply for it, and"


    Anna covered Charles'' mouth with her right hand, interrupting him mid-sentence.


    "Yes, you''re right. It''s very likely that there''s nothing wrong with the surface world, but it seems that you''ve forgotten the most important variabletime."


    "Time? What do you mean?" Charles asked, sounding and looking bewildered.


    "Let me ask you a question: when did the Foundation disappear?"


    Charles shook his head and replied, "I''m not sure. There aren''t many records about it, but it should be at least several hundred years ago."


    Anna pointed at the ceiling and added, "They built Dawn One, right? You said their technology was advanced enough to build Dawn One, so tell me: which century did the Foundation arrive here? Also, which century were you living in when you arrived here?"


    "Let us say that the surface world was what you''d always known when you arrived here, but would the surface world really remain the same a few hundred yearster?"


    Charles froze and was stunned speechless. He discovered a massive problem just then, which was the incongruity between the technology on the surface world and the Foundation''s technology.


    Human civilization underwent modernization from the mid-20th century, but Charles had fallen into the Subterranean Sea 13 years ago. In other words, the Foundation had to have settled on the Subterranean Sea around the 15th century.


    And that was when the incongruity popped upthe Ming Dynasty reigned at the time, and the people of the 15th century couldn''t possibly have united to create an organization like the Foundation, whose goal is to serve all of mankind, nor did they have the technology to do so.


    Anna stepped forward and cupped Charles'' head with both hands upon realizing that thetter had finally figured out the incongruity. Anna stared into Charles'' eyes and said, "Wake up. The surface world is no longer in the 21st century; you should stop being so obsessed with it."


    A tempest of confusion and bewilderment raged in Charles'' mind, as Anna''s revtion shattered his fantasies. However, the cogs in Charles'' mind turned quickly as he tried to find a w in Anna''s argument.


    "What if what if the passage of time in the Subterranean Sea isn''t consistent with the passage of time on the surface world? If that''s the case, then it''s going to make sense.


    "Perhaps the Foundation came down here around 2000 AD. Their few hundred years of existence must''ve been only a few years on the surface. Have you read <em>Journey to the West?</em> In that novel, a day in heaven is a year on Earth."


    Anna''s expression distorted in fury at Charles'' remark. She shoved Charles away and shouted, "Does that even make sense?! That obsession of yours has driven you mad!"


    Anna emerged from the bathtub and picked up her clothes from the ground.


    Charles watched as Anna''s smooth and fair back was covered by her purple silk dress. He knew that Anna was furious, but he couldn''t quite understand why she was angry at him.


    "I thought we understood each other, Anna. Also, weren''t you supporting me in my pursuit of the surface world? Howe you''ve changed your mind all of a sudden?" Charles asked.


    Anna turned around and red coldly at Charles. "So, it''s my fault? Have you ever thought about what you''ve done for us so far? And what exactly am I to you? I don''t feel like your wife at all.


    "I feel like I''m nothing but a tool to you. When you need me, I''m at your beck and call; when you don''t need me, you simply ignore me until you need me again.


    "Do you really think that I can''t live without you? A single thought is all I need for our memories to disappearpletely!" Anna roared as she argued.


    "What are you talking about? I care about you and our daughter. In fact, I''m looking for the surface world for the sake of our family. The Subterranean Sea is dangerous, and it''s not a great ce to raise a child.


    "Do you really want to stay in this damned ce until you die?" Charles asked, his voice grew a bit louder as he argued.


    Anna sneered and walked up to Charles.


    "How many humans are living throughout the Subterranean Sea? Why. Can. they. Live. Here. Until. They. Die. While. You. Can''t?" Anna asked, poking Charles'' chest with every syble.


    "And don''t forget our true formsyour daughter and I are monsters of the Subterranean Sea. The Subterranean Sea is our world. Why is it that I always have to adjust to amodate you? When is it going to be your turn?


    "Ah, right. Take a look at yourself as well! Look at what you''ve be. Even if I were to throw you back to the surface world, would you truly be able to adapt?"


    "Tell me, how many lives have you killed with those hands of yours after all these years? Can you really adapt to the society out there where thew reigns supreme?


    "Wake up, Charles! Even if you''re not a Chosen One, you''re a monster as well! You''ve spent thirteen years here, and you''ve already assimted with the life here in the Subterranean Sea!


    "And that is why I''m telling you right nowyou can''t go back, and you will never be able to go back!"


    "Enough!!!" Charles'' roar stunned Anna into silence. He red at Anna like an enraged lion.


    Anna red coldly at Charles, and her expression had never looked so indifferent.


    The silence was shattered by Anna, who stepped forward and stood with her eyes only a few centimeters away from Charles.


    "Forget about me. What about Sparkle? Do you even care about your daughter? Have you ever thought about her feelings? Is she even willing to go up with you?


    "You''ve never spent even a day as her father since she was born. You''re too selfish, Charles. All you ever think of is yourself!"


    Anna smashed Charles'' cell phone in thetter''s chest before turning around and leaving. "Go spend the rest of your life with your right hand, you scumbag!"


    Anna stomped her way out of the bathroom.


    Charles bent down to pick his phone off the floor. The bar in the upper right corner of the phone shone red, which meant that the phone was running out of battery.


    Charles entered the password and saw a few-minute-long audio file. He tapped on it, and Sparkle''s voice echoed from the cell phone''s speaker.


    "Mommy, can we make Daddy stop going out to sea?"


    "Why?"


    "Nene''s daddy went out to sea and never came back. I don''t want my daddy to go out to sea one day and never return. If Daddy doesn''te back one day, will Mommy be sad?"


    Anna''s reply echoed btedly. "Does Sparkle love Daddy?"


    "I don''t know. I''m not familiar with him at all. He doesn''t y with me, too. I like Mommy a bit more than Daddy.


    "Mommy, you said Daddy''s head is broken. If we fix Daddy''s head, will he stop trying to go up?"


    Anna didn''t respond.


    However, Sparkle remained undeterred as she asked, "Mommy, Nene''s daddy would y with her, tell her stories, and bring her yummy food.


    "So why does my daddy only like to go out to sea?"

 Chapter 436: Communication

    Chapter 436: Communication


    Charles sat with furrowed brows while staring at the diary on the table. It had been thirty minutes since he sat down and stared at the book.


    <em>Hoot! Hoot! Hoooot!</em>


    A mechanical bird popped out of the grandfather clock, interrupting Charles'' train of thought.


    Charles gnashed his teeth and flipped the diary until he found Sparkle''s sketch that Anna had left behind for him long ago.


    "Sparkle? Sparkle?" Charles said, tapping on the sketch with his finger.


    Wriggling tentacles riddled with green eyes squirmed out of the sketch; they soon converged, transforming into a little girl about a meter tall in front of Charles.


    Charles crouched to meet Sparkle''s eye level and patted her head gently before asking softly, "Sparkle, what is Mommy doing over there?"


    "She''s eating; she seemed hungry, and she ate a lotlike <em>a lot</em>," Sparkle replied truthfully.


    "Oh" Charles nodded in understanding. After a brief moment of contemtion, Charles said, "Can you go back and tell her that Daddy wants to have a good chat with her? Can you tell her toe over here?"


    Sparkle blinked, but she soon disappeared with a sh of light.


    A few secondster, Sparkle reappeared in front of Charles and said, "Mommy said that she doesn''t want toe here."


    Charles sighed and said, "Then, can you tell her that Daddy is sorry? Daddy acknowledges his mistake. Daddy shouldn''t have argued with her in the first ce, and Daddy knows what to do now, and we should have a talk about it."


    Sparkle disappeared once more, but it didn''t even take her a few seconds to return.


    "Mommy said that she doesn''t want to talk to you right now."


    Charles sighed. Anna was truly angry at him.


    Now that he thought about it, this was their first major fight. However, the realization made Charles feel even worse; it seemed that Anna had been quietlypromising for him. Perhaps she had always felt aggrieved and had simply been bottling it up until now.


    The despondent Charles sat back on the chair, recalling his argument with Anna not too long ago. Anna''s words kept reying in his head, and he couldn''t help but feel a bit irritated.


    To be honest, Charles was willing topromise if it were other matters.


    However, they had argued over the one and only matter he couldn''t afford topromise on. After all, giving up his quest for the surface world would mean throwing away his efforts over thest thirteen years.


    Charles had already signed a contract with the Pope as well, and there was also the Pope''s promise to resurrect Lily.


    He had written that contract to put a shackle on the Pope, but it was also a shackle on him. If he were to stop his quest for the surface world, the ck marker would kill him.


    Charles wanted to exin that to Anna, but she didn''t want to see him in the meantime.


    While Charles was immersed in his own thoughts, he noticed that Sparkle hadn''t left and was staring at him with wide eyes.


    Charles was instantly reminded of Sparkle''s words from that audio recording; he crouched and stared into Sparkle''s green eyes, saying, "Sparkle, I''m sorry, but my quest will soon be over. Regardless of the result, I''m not going to kick up a fuss; I''ll stay here with you guys once my quest is over."


    Sparkle seemed hesitant at first, but she eventually stretched her tiny arms and wrapped them around Charles'' neck. "Can Daddy stop going out to sea? Nene''s daddy went out to sea one day, and he never came back."


    Charles felt suffocated just then as if someone had swung a hammer toward his chest. He had many excuses to say, but he couldn''t say any of them in the face of Sparkle''s persuasion.


    Charles lifted Sparkle by her armpits and stared at her intently. Sparkle''s eyes quivered, seemingly nervous under Charles'' scrutinizing gaze.


    Charles could still remember how his father had done the same thing he had been doing to Sparkle. However, Charles was even worse, as he had never truly spent time with Sparkle.


    "I guess I''m a bad husband and father," Charles said, criticizing himself.


    "Mmhm. Nene also said that you''re a bad daddy." Sparkle nodded in agreement.


    Charles chuckled in spite of himself upon seeing Sparkle nod at him repeatedly. He smiled wryly and said, "Sparkle, why don''t we go out and y today? Just the two of us."


    "Mmhm!" Sparkle''s eyes lit up the moment she heard the word "y."


    Charles lifted Sparkle onto his shoulders and carried Sparkle outside the Governor''s Mansion. To ensure that no one would recognize him so easily, Charles had put on ordinary attire.


    Charles looked no different from the fathers strolling around with their children in tow as he walked down the streets of Hope Ind with Sparkle on his shoulder.


    "Here, take this," Charles said, handing over the cup in his hand to Sparkle above him. "That''s a sweet drink made from bananas. It''s called banana wine, but it''s not actually alcohol. It''s a beverage that children like you can drink."


    Sparkle epted the cup and licked the liquid inside with her tiny tongue.


    Charles had zero experience with childrearing. However, it wasn''t like he couldn''t learn how to raise a child with his father as a role model.


    "Is it tasty?" Charles asked with a smile.


    "I don''t know. I can''t taste it," Sparkle answered.


    Charles looked up in surprise. "What? You can''t taste it?"


    "Mmhm. I can''t taste the things that everyone eats."


    Charles put down the crab leg in his hand. He had never thought that Sparkle wouldn''t have a sense of taste. "You can''t taste anything?"


    Sparkle tilted her head at the question. "No, I can taste what Mommy eats, but they taste very bitter, so I don''t like them."


    "Oh, I see," Charles muttered. Standing in the middle of the street, Charles pondered briefly before turning right. "Let''s go somewhere else to have fun, then."


    Charles relied on his memory to find his way in front of a small shop. The shop was a small puppet theater, and tiny palm-sized puppets d in many different outfits danced on a stage, performing a y.


    Charles had been here before with Lily, and he brought Sparkle here, believing that children would love puppets.


    The table-sized stage was decorated to resemble the vast sea, and the story was about a group of pirates searching for treasure. The y was fast-paced and full of excitement; the puppets moved quickly, and they could even grab props and release them, just like real people.


    The children sat in a circle around the stage,pletely enthralled by the puppets.


    Sparkle was unwittingly transfixed on the y as well, and the sight made Charles sigh in relief. It was great that she seemed to like the y.


    A middle-aged man holding his son''s hand chuckled and said, "Howe I''ve never seen you around here, man? Have you just arrived on the ind with your daughter?"


    Charles had no intentions of chatting with other people, so he replied perfunctorily. However, he didn''t expect that the middle-aged man would be kind enough to advise them.


    "Adventure stories like this are tailored for boys. You shoulde back here tomorrow morning. Tomorrow, the show is going to be <em>The Tale of Princess Sissi.</em> It''s quite popr with the girls."


    Sparkle raised her hand just then and pointed at the tiny stage. "Daddy, I want that tiny moving person."

 Chapter 437: Play

    Chapter 437: y


    Sparkle was pointing at a pirate puppet with a missing leg.


    As the strings above the pirate puppet moved, the pirate puppet danced nimbly on the stage as if it were alive.


    At Sparkle''s remark, the middle-aged man burst out into a peal of heartyughter, saying, "Little girl, that''s not a toy. That''s one of their props, and they''re not going to sell it."


    However, Charles didn''t think so and patted Sparkle''s calf. "All right, let''s finish this show first, and I''ll buy it for you afterward."


    This was the first time Sparkle had asked him for something, and Charles was determined to fulfill Sparkle''s request. He had topensate for missing out on his responsibilities as a father from her earlier months.


    The y soon ended, and the ending was quite grimthe pirates died upon being eaten by the sea monsters.


    Charles carried Sparkle over to the side door that led to the backstage. He soon stumbled upon a bearded, chubby man. Thetter was the stage manager of the small puppet theater.


    Upon hearing about Charles'' request, the chubby man refused, saying that the puppets were custom-made performance puppets that were absolutely not for sale.


    However, his attitude whipped around the moment he heard of the price that Charles was willing to pay for the puppets. The chubby man left briefly and returned with a box containing the puppets from earlier.


    "Sir, feel free to pick any of them! No, they''re all yours!" the chubby man Channing said in a trembling voice.


    Upon hearing Channing''s remark, the puppets inside the box immediately raised a cacophonous din. They disgruntledly removed the tiny wooden helmets on their heads, revealing their true forms underneath.


    It turned out that "puppets" weren''t truly puppets. They were red and translucent, resembling premature babies. Charles found them a bit familiar, but he couldn''t remember where they had seen them before.


    "Channing! You''re a demon that''s greedier and more opportunistic than fur seals! You can''t treat your partners like this!"


    "Unfortunately, I can," Channing said as he closed the lid with a smug smile. The puppets'' din could no longer be heard, so silence immediately descended upon the room.


    Channing turned around and smiled at the surprised Charles. "Rest assured, sir. They are not dangerous at all; they''re very easy to feed as well. Just feed them some of your leftovers every day, and you''ll have a mobile theater.


    "Imagine whipping out a mobile theater while you''re drinking with your friends in a bar somewhereyou''ll definitely steal the limelight!"


    Charles looked up to stare at Sparkle. "What do you think? They''re actually alive rather than real puppets. Do you still want them?"


    Sparkle nodded vigorously. "I don''t want them all. I just want those two with daggers."


    Two minutester, Charles walked out of the theater with two listless tiny men in her hands.


    "Why two?" Charles asked.


    "I''m sure Nene would want one. Her daddy never bought her something like this, so I decided to have my daddy buy her one," Sparkle replied.


    "Is Nene your friend?" Charles asked.


    "Mmhm. Her daddy went out to sea one day and never came back."


    Charles abruptly came to a halt. Momentster, he continued walking, strolling down the streets with Sparkle on his shoulders. He walked toward the flea market, where virtually anything could be found.


    Their market crawl allowed Charles to confirm his assumptionSparkle was indeed full of curiosity toward anything novel.


    Although unsure whether he was doing the right thing or not, Charles bought everything as long as Sparkle wanted that item. By the time the two finished their market crawl, Charles was carrying two of a variety of items.


    Charles walked slowly toward the Governor''s Mansion and recounted everything he had experienced so far to Sparkle sitting on his shoulders.


    "That ind was very unique; it was unlike any other ind I''ve been to at the time. The buildings on that ind resembled the buildings on the surface world, and when I saw them, I <em>really</em> felt like I was back on the surface world.


    "If it weren''t for the pitch-ck sky, I''d have believed that I was back on the surface. And you know the twist? It turns out that those buildings were all imitations created by monsters.


    "No wonder those buildings looked so lifeless; they simply imitated their appearance without imitating the purpose of those buildings."


    Sparkle wrapped her arms around Charles'' forehead, and she listened to the bizarre stories of her father with wide eyes. She found Charles'' stories to be far more interesting than buying novel things.


    Charles continued recounting his experience, and he soon finished recounting his trip to the ind where they had discovered 010.


    Sparkle couldn''t help but remark, "Daddy, I finally understand why you like to go out to sea. The sea is much more interesting than being onnd."


    Carrying a variety of toys and trinkets in his hands, Charles chuckled. "Yeah, the sea is very interesting, but it''s extremely dangerous as well."


    "Then, can I go with you the next time you go out to sea?"


    "No!" Charles replied, decisively rejecting Sparkle''s request. Realizing that his firm reply might scare Sparkle, Charles hurriedly added, "My next voyage is somewhere that is not too dangerous. I''ming back immediately once I''ve gotten the key as well, so you don''t have toe with me.


    "I have your sketch with me as well. If I find something interesting, I''ll call you over through the sketch; I promise."


    "Mmhm." Sparkle nodded. "You must keep your promise, okay?"


    "Hahaha, I''m definitely going to keep my promise."


    "But Mommy told me that you always lie and that you never keep your promises."


    "..."


    The two unconsciously became more familiar with each other, and the awkward sense of estrangement between them had vanished.


    "Sir, please let me go" the pirate puppet in Sparkle''s hand pleaded, looking dejected. "I"


    The pirate puppet couldn''t continue his sentence as Sparkle chucked the pirate puppet into her mouth. A few secondster, she reached into her mouth and pulled the pirate puppet out.


    Drenched in saliva, the pirate puppet''s eyes were shut as he wailed loudly in despair.


    "Daddy, it''s sweet. Want a taste?" Sparkle asked.


    Charles shook his head and turned to the pirate puppet. "Just y with her. I''m going to let you go once she''s gotten tired of you."


    Charles looked away, but he caught a glimpse of something green in his peripheral vision. He turned and saw a topless, green-haired boy standing in the distance.


    There were only a handful of green-haired people throughout Hope Ind, and judging from the boy''s snot-stricken face, the boy had to be Feuerbach''s son.


    <em>What''s wrong with Feuerbach? His son looks like he''s just three years old, so why is Feuerbach letting him run around topless? </em>Charles frowned and started walking toward the green-haired boy.


    The stout, green-haired boy took one nce at Sparkle and immediately turned around, running away at a speed that caught Charles off guard.


    <em>He sure is a fast kid, but Linda told me he''s a bitcking in intellect. </em>Charles thought. He eventually set aside the thought and continued walking toward the Governor''s Mansion with Sparkle.


    Charles decided to take the scenic route, so by the time he reached the entrance of the Governor''s Mansion, he was carrying a few more trinkets and toys in his hands. Charles put all of their spoils today in arge box so Sparkle could conveniently carry everything at once.


    "Sparkle, give this to your mom," Charles said, handing over a cell phone to Sparkle. "I''ve recorded everything in there. She just has to open it, and she''ll know what I have to say."


    Sparkle nodded in a daze. Then, she put a hand on therge box next to her and was about to leave when she turned around and stared at Charles.


    "Daddy, can we y like this again? I really had fun today," Sparkle asked.


    Charles was stunned, but he recovered quickly and nodded. "Sure."


    "Okay, I''lle back tomorrow, then."

 Chapter 438: Follow-up

    Chapter 438: Follow-up


    Charles stood frowning in the reception room of the Governor''s Mansion. His gaze was on the hunchbacked old woman right in front of him. The hunchbacked old woman''s face was covered in blue tattoos, looking utterly bizarre.


    However, the hunchbacked old woman''s actions were more bizarre and terrifying than her appearance.


    Tobba, staring out into space, sat frozen in front of the hunchbacked old woman as saliva dripped down the corner of his lips.


    He remained unmoving as the hunchbacked old woman inserted a long needle between his fingernail and nail bed. Momentster, the hunchbacked old woman spat a mouthful of foul-smelling blue smoke.


    The smoke wrapped around Tobba, and the blood dripping down Tobba''s finger ckened at a speed visible to the naked eye.


    Sitting next to Charles, Bandages leaned over and whispered something into thetter''s ear. He was no longer covered in bandages, and was once again d in the distinct green uniform of Hope Ind''s mail carriers.


    Charles frowned upon hearing Bandages'' words, and he would nod quietly from time to time as Bandages whispered more words into his ears.


    Just then, the blue smoke around Tobba retracted rapidly into the hunchbacked old woman''s mouth.


    "My apologies, Governor. I''m afraid I can''t do anything about his condition," the hunchbacked old woman said respectfully toward Charles.


    Charles didn''t seem surprised at the remark. The hunchbacked old woman wasn''t the first one, after all. Charles waved his hand lightly, and the hunchbacked old woman retreated.


    <em>We''ve tried everything, but it seems that they can''t resolve what Anna can''t resolve either, </em>Charles thought. He walked up to Tobba and yanked the old man off the ground.


    Even Anna and Linda couldn''t do anything about Tobba''s condition. Bandages was always eager to try other methods, but the results weren''t exactly satisfactory.


    "What about the Fhtagn Covenant?" Charles asked his First Mate. "Is there anything there that can resolve Tobba''s condition?"


    Bandages silently shook his head. Then, he walked up to Tobba and supported thetter along with Charles. After helping Tobba up, the two then sat down and stared at the drooling Tobba in front of them.


    "I''ve had the steward prepare a house for Tobba and a group of servants to take care of him. If we truly can''t cure him, then let''s just let him retire on Hope Ind," Charles said, sighing at Tobba''s fate.


    Charles had never really used Tobba''s special ability as the Narwhale''s Navigator, but Tobba was still apanion with whom he had gone through many life-and-death situations with.


    "Captain what exactly happened back then?" Bandages asked.


    Charles didn''t feel any need to hide anything from his First Mate. He recounted everything that happened to him inside another perspective.


    "The Tobba over there he might have been taken away by that ''chalkboard eraser,''" Bandages said.


    "I thought so, too, but don''t you think this is a bit strange?" Charles said, reaching out to flip Tobba''s eyelids with his prosthetic hand. Tobba''s eyeballs rotated in response to Charles'' actions.


    "If that were truly the case, howe Tobba is still alive? At the very least, Tobba should be in a vegetative state. Howe he can still take care of himself?" Charles pointed out.


    "Perhaps it has something to do with him being a living relic"


    "Maybe, but that fact isn''t really going to help Tobba right now."


    "How about we contact the ''King'' of Sottom? They lived together for a long time so perhaps the ''King'' may know something."


    Bandages'' words reminded Charles of 134 from the City of Chaos. 134''s creepy smile shed through Charles'' mind. "Forget it. I''m not going to make any deals with them unless necessary."


    Charles had stolen their resources and upied their ind. He was also the reason Sottom was forced to roam after losing their headquarters on Skywater Ind.


    Considering what Charles had done, he didn''t even need to think twice about their attitude toward him. To make matters worse, one of their people had lost his mind under Charles'' watch.


    "Come to think of it, where did Sottom go? Last time I heard about them was that they were somewhere in the Western Seas," Charles stood up from the stool and sat down on a nearby sofa.


    Bandages looked up at Charles and replied, "Docked at the Isle of Whereto I think they struck up a deal with Governor Margaret helping her reim Wheretoand they seeded"


    "Margaret" Charles muttered. The image of a pure and lovely young woman shed through his mind.


    "Did something happen between the two of you?" Bandages asked.


    "No, I''m not that promiscuous Anna is jealous by nature," Charles replied as he shook his head. Then, he stood up from the sofa and turned to look at Bandages. "It''s almost noon. How about you stay here and have lunch with me?"


    To Charles'' surprise, Bandages shook his head. "No, Mother is at home waiting for me with food that she cooked"


    Bandages directly turned around and left, ignoring Charles'' awkward expression.


    Fortunately, Charles didn''t end up having a lonely lunch. Tobba ate lunch with Charles, and the former ate with relish.


    On the same afternoon, Charles apanied Tobba to a luxurious mansion not too far away from the Governor''s Mansion.


    A steward with six maids and six manservants stood in the massive front courtyard, waiting for Charles. They were the best in their industry, and Charles had hired them to take care of Tobba.


    "He''s my navigator. Take care of him and make sure that he''s not going to suffer even the slightest grievance. If you notice any abnormalities, report it to me immediately," Charles said to the young steward before him.


    "Rest assured, Governor. I''m a professional," the young steward lowered his head to avoid Charles'' sharp gaze. He felt the implied threat in the Governor''s words.


    It was true that serving a master with intellectual issues was easy. Moreover, they could even bully their master a bit; it wouldn''t be a big deal, as the master in question had an intellectual issue, after all.


    However, the Governor of Hope Ind had hired them personally. If the Governor found out that they had been bullying his navigator, the punishment they''d receive wouldn''t be just getting fired.


    Charles watched as the maids guided and supported Tobba through the front door of the luxurious mansion. When they disappeared from sight, Charles got into the back seat of his car.


    "To the Relic Research Institute."


    The car set off toward its destination. Charles looked out the window and noticed a gradual change in the atmosphere as they approached their destination. The number of inders on the streets outside decreased gradually while Charles saw more and more navy soldiers carrying weapons.


    When Charles alighted from the car, the navy soldiers standing in front of the Relic Research Institute''s building straightened their backs and gripped their weapons tightly.


    Charles didn''t mind the tension and looked up. The construction site next to him was almost done with construction. They were working faster than Charles had imagined.


    <em>This is still a bit too small. A factoryplex like what I saw on the Albion Isles is going to eat up half of Hope Ind, </em>Charles thought. The current Relic Research Institute and its auxiliary facilities upied the southeastern corner of Hope Ind.


    It was heavily guarded, and it appeared to be a military base at first impression.


    The people inside the facility responded quickly to Charles'' arrival, and their speed exceeded his expectations. Charles turned a corner and found a line of people standing on both sides of the corridor to greet him.


    Charles swept his gaze across them and saw that there were all new faces.


    d in a white coat, Linda appeared at the end of the corridor. "Captain, why are you here?"


    "I''m here to see if there''s any progress. Any breakthroughs over the past few months?" Charles asked. He walked up to Linda, and the two walked down the corridor, leaving behind the long line of people at the entrance.

 Chapter 439: The Capitalists Gift

    Chapter 439: The Capitalist''s Gift


    "The Relic Research Institute has had some great progress, but some of our breakthroughs can''t be shown through finished products at the moment," Linda said as she led Charles into the exhibition hall.


    The number of items enclosed in ss cases inside the exhibition hall had increased significantly.


    "It''s fine. I''m just here to take a casual look. I don''t think I''m going to understand if you exin the technicalities to me," Charles said.


    "No, some of your suggestions have been extremely helpful, and the institute has achieved its recent breakthroughs, all thanks to your pointers. Some researchers even want you toe here often and give us more pointers," Linda replied.


    Charles turned to a box nearby and picked up the hairless mouse with a human ear on its back. He yed with it for a bit before putting it back.


    "Haha, that sounds great. Anyway, introduce me to the items here, then," Charles said.


    Linda nodded and said, "Well, this is Material No. 6. It is very lightweight and has strong malleability. It can be used to make a variety of items, such as cups, stools, and various shells.


    "Material No. 6 was produced by the joint effort of Experimental Subject No. 34 and Experimental Subject No. 21. The raw materials were provided by one of our auxiliary factories next door."


    Charles pinched it. <em>stic? No, it''s harder than stic. Perhaps even more versatile than stic.</em>


    "Wait, are you saying that the institute isbining the special abilities of the experimental subjects?" Charles asked. Linda''s words had attracted both his attention and curiosity.


    "Yes, the experimental subjects absorb unique relics, which means their special abilities are unique and bizarre as well. Some special abilities seem useless and weak at first impression, but they bring about unexpected results upon beingbined with other special abilities."


    Charles nodded in understanding. It turned out that the denizens of the Subterranean Sea were incredibly smart and capable of extrapting many things after just a few pointers.


    Humans truly were adaptable creatures, and Charles reckoned that a technological revolution centered on relic experiments and fusions would soon begin on the Subterranean Sea. Charles couldn''t even begin to imagine what the Subterranean Sea would look like by then.


    "Not bad. Is there anything particrly special?" Charles asked with interest.


    Linda stepped forward and stood in front of Charles with her hands in her pockets.


    "Rather than checking these products, there''s one thing you have to handle as soon as possible, Captain," Linda said.


    "What is it?"


    "Someone has been waiting for you for quite a while now, and I think you should meet him instead of looking around here," Linda replied.


    A chubby man d in an outfit decked out with jewelry walked into the exhibition hall just then. Upon seeing Charles staring at him, the chubby man grinned, revealing a mouthful of gold teeth.


    "We finally meet, Governor Charles. The four months I''ve spent drifting at sea haven''t been in vain."


    "Four months? I can see that you''re not from the Northern Seas."


    "Governor Charles truly is a clever and observant man. Indeed, I''m not from the Northern Seas," the gold-toothed chubby man replied with his effortlesspliment.


    "Hurry up and tell me what you want. I have no time to waste," Charles urged.


    "I came all the way here from afar to express our sincerity in cooperating with you, Governor."


    "Cooperate on what?" Charles asked.


    The gold-toothed chubby man''s grin widened as he exined, "We want to cooperate with you in harnessing the full potential of the Ascendants you''ve imprisoned. Actually, I''ve done what you''ve been doing, but what I''ve produced could only be sold as ves.


    "They could only be used as hardbor, unlike your Ascendants, who could be used in the production of a variety of materials and technology with much potential."


    <em>He said he spent four months at sea just toe here. Does that mean he learned the existence of the Ascendants as early as four months ago? </em>Charles frowned slightly, and his wariness toward the gold-toothed chubby man shot through the roof.


    The gold-toothed chubby man seemed to have sensed Charles'' sudden hostility toward him, and he smiled, exining, "Rest assured, Governor. I''vee with good intentions.


    "In addition, you have an extraordinary rtionship with the Governors of Elizarles Shorles and World''s Crown. The Divine Light Order is standing behind you as well. I dare say that throughout the Subterranean Seano one would force you into any sort of unfair agreement."


    Charles examined the gold-toothed chubby man from top to bottom before saying, "You''ve said so much, but you still haven''t introduced yourself to me."


    "My name is Gordon, and I''m the Vice President of the Royal Treasure Chamber of Commerce. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Governor," Gordon took off his round hat and bowed deeply toward Charles.


    "You''re from a Chamber of Commerce? Tell me why you want to work with me," Charles said.


    He seemed to have heard of the Royal Treasure Chamber of Commerce; they had quite a reputation in the Southern and Western Seas. However, Charles generally sailed in the Northern Seas, so he didn''t know much about them.


    "It seems you want to use the products produced by those so-called Ascendants to strengthen your ind, but in my humble opinion, Governor, you seem to have neglected a few things," Gordon said.


    Charles didn''t take any offense and stood quietly, waiting for Gordon''s exnation.


    Despite having received no response from Charles, Gordon calmly continued, "You need more factories, up-to-par technical management, and enoughbor to scale up your operations."


    "Forgive my frankness, but even though your ind is arguably the best throughout the Subterranean Sea, it is just a tad bit too small to support your increasing scale of operationsboth innd mass andbor force.


    "I reckon that even if you send every denizen of Hope Ind to work in the factories, you''ll still have abor shortage. However, that is exactly what I have."


    Charles realized it just thenGordon wasn''t here in his capacity as the Vice President of the Royal Treasure Chamber of Commerce. He was here as a capitalist.


    The greedy Gordon had sniffed out the potential profits that could be made from Charles'' operations and hade here to invest.


    Charles shook his head. "I''m not in a hurry at all, and I''m going to take it slow in building the factories. If I don''t have enoughnd to build massive factories, then I''m just going to settle for smaller ones.


    "Anyway, you''re already here, so I''m going to make it clear to you that I understand the potential of my operations more than you do. I have a vested interest in them, and I''m not going to give away a chunk of that for no reason."


    Gordon didn''t look flustered at all in the face of Charles'' straightforward reply. He let out a chuckle as he said, "Of course, of course. We have no intention of taking the Governor for a fool.


    "I came here to show my sincerity, so pleasee with me, Governor. I have something to show you."


    Charles pondered briefly before following Gordon out of the institute. Actually, Charles didn''t detest the existence of capitalists. He understood that capitalists would emerge inevitably as soon as society reached a certain level of development.


    Charles also believed that capitalists could be put to good use.


    Gordon soon brought Charles to a huge warehouse, and Charles finally saw Gordon''s "sincerity."


    A huge mechanical beast the size of a house stood right in front of Charles. It was made entirely of densely packed bronze gears, and the chimney extending beyond the ceiling proved that it was steam powered.


    "What is this?" Charles asked.


    Gordon grinned and pointed at the mechanical beast''s round brass keyboard, asking, "Why don''t you ask it for yourself, Governor?"


    Charles cast a doubtful gaze at Gordon, but he stepped forward and typed on the brass keyboard. <em>What are you?</em>


    A perforated white paper jutted out from under the keyboard and rolled into the bronze gears. A cacophony of clicking echoed soon afterward as the beast''s gears turned and interacted with each other.


    Rhythmic clicks and cks rang out as a sheet of paper with text written on it emerged from the gears.


    <em>Hello, I am Dolphin One.</em>


    Charles'' pupils constricted upon reading the written texts. He realized just then that the mechanical beast wasn''t a mere difference engine designed to automatically process calctions for various functions; that would just be a simple mechanical calctor.


    He was staring at an analytical engine!


    A true mechanicalputer without a CPU or a hard disk, yet capable of executing programs, was standing right in front of Charles!


    Charles was born in the 21st century, so he was aware of the boundless potential contained within the huge mechanical beast before him.

 Chapter 440: Gordon

    Chapter 440: Gordon


    Charles didn''t want to admit it, but Gordon''s offer had struck Charles'' weakness, especially when Charles had a clear idea of the impact an analytical engine would have on the world. It had to be known that the Information Age began all thanks to electronicputers.


    Charles would need to take one step at a time through trial and error if he were to insist on using Ascendants to start a technological revolution. However, using analytical engines to start a technological revolution was different.


    The modern surface world had already paved the way for Charles, so he just had to make his subordinates recreate the technology up above. If Charles couldn''t afford to do so, then a capitalist could definitely afford to do so.


    There was also mankind''s endless pursuit of convenience.


    Gordon was well prepared to acquire a share in Charles'' key technology. He ordered his subordinates to carry over a myriad of blueprints that stacked taller than Charles.


    Gordon was about to exin to Charles how an analytical engine worked when Charles nodded immediately, making the former feel a bit puzzled. <em>I haven''t even started yet, but he already agreed to my proposal? Does he know just how powerful an analytical engine can be?</em>


    Gordon felt disgruntled, feeling as if he had revealed his trump card too soon.


    "Governor, I''ve already shown you my sincerity, so I hope you''ll show me your sincerity as well. I need a report and some items to bring back home," Gordon said, his gold teeth sparkling through his wide grin.


    "I thought you guys would have thoroughly investigated me and what I''ve been doing here," Charlesmented with a slight smile.


    Gordon smiled and stared quietly at Charles.


    "All right, let''s go. You can just see for yourselfsee if the report you''ve received matches what I actually have here," Charles said as he led Gordon toward the prison where the Ascendants were imprisoned.


    On the way, Charles turned to a staffer and said, "Go to Leonardo and tell him to get ready to discuss the details of our coboration with this guy. We''re going to need Leonardo''s help."


    Charles'' order was quickly fulfilled.


    "I''m curious, Vice President Gordon," Charles said as he and Gordon continued on their journey toward the prison. "How can something that is purely mechanical store data?"


    Charles was genuinely curious. He was aware of the existence of hard drives, whereputers store data, but the analytical engine was a purely mechanical beast.


    "Governor, do you know that the grooves on a phonograph record allows a phonograph to y beautiful music as the needle slides on those grooves?


    "Our analytical engine uses the same principle, but the specifics are a bit special. Come to think of it, why does it seem like you''re familiar with our analytical engine, Governor Charles? Have you seen something like it before?" Gordon asked.


    Charles chuckled, but he didn''t respond. nked by a group of researchers, the two made their way to the lowest floor of the prison where the Ascendants were being held.


    The prison cells on this floor looked more like miniature factories, and the Ascendants with ck shackles on their necks and limbs were locked in their own cells as they worked diligently.


    Prison guards d in blue uniforms stood outside each cell with a variety of weapons and torture devices. Clearly, any form of resistance meant receiving severe punishment from these guards.


    The materials that the Ascendants had created were sent out via steam-powered conveyors, and there was also another conveyor that sent raw materials for the Ascendants to modify or transform using their special abilities.


    Charles wasn''t that knowledgeable when it came to something like this, but even ayman like him could see that everything on this floor was conforming to a standard and there was a system in ce. The coded tattoos on the Ascendants'' faces, their work speed, and the carrot and the stickthey were all standardized.


    Gordon looked around with an astonished face as the Ascendantsbined and transformed items into new materials. The camera in Gordon''s hand shed incessantly as he pressed the shutter button nonstop.


    "Governor Charles, I must say that this has definitely exceeded my expectations. I also heard that you came up with all this. Is that true?" Gordon asked.


    "No, I just gave them some ideas," Charles said, shaking his head. "My subordinates came up with the specifics."


    "Charles!" a bald Ascendant towering two meters tall roared. Then, he grabbed the shackle on his neck and tried to pry it open. "You''re going to pay for this one day!"


    The bald Ascendant''s actions earned him the whip.


    Charles turned to the prison guard and asked indifferently, "What crime did hemit?"


    Armed with a rifle, the prison guard instantly stood up straight and loudly reported, "Reporting to the Governor, sir! Ascendant No. 42 is a pirate, and he has been convicted of multiple counts of rape and murder."


    Charles nodded and nced at the bald Ascendant before walking away with Gordon.


    "You said you have bothnd andbor, so how many inds does your chamber ofmerce own?" Charles asked, probing Gordon''s background.


    "We don''t have any inds. Unlike governors, our chamber ofmerce does not have an ind that we call our headquarters. However, we have a ton of something elseEcho," Gordon replied. It seemed that money was Gordon''s most favorite topic to discuss, as his eyes seemed to emit a golden light when he continued, "Money is a <em>very</em> wonderful thing, Governor Charles.


    "It can buy food, clothes, and even people, regardless of gender. It can buy everything in the world. You know what''s even more wonderful? The fact that money breeds money."


    The corners of Charles'' lips curled up slightly. "Is that so? I think you''re exaggerating it. Your money will soon belong to others if you don''t have enough strength to hold on to it."


    For the first time, Gordon''s fawning smile vanished. He stood up straight, and the gaze in his eyes changed as he started treating Charles as an equal rather than just a mere coborator.


    "Governor, it is presumptuous of me to assume, but perhaps you''re convinced that your navy is enough for you to ovee any obstacles. However, there are some things your navy can''t ovee."


    "Your navy cannot defeat the ever-rising prices of goods, the ever-rising unemployment due to trade instability, and the corruption of money on the human heart.


    "Have you heard of the Western Seas'' mages, Governor? I must say that their mages are a force to be reckoned with, but it is a shame that their thoughts are antiquated, as if they''re still living out their ancient history.


    "Fifteen years ago, we visited them with a proposal to cooperate. We showed them enough sincerity, but those old fogeys actually thought that we weren''t qualified to cooperate with them.


    "However, those old fogies soon lowered their arrogant heads and changed their tunes when our boundless funds flowed into the Western Seas. Their arcane magic is powerful, but we don''t fight battles in fields where we''d be at a huge disadvantage."


    Charles listened quietly without interrupting, as Gordon was trying to show off their muscles. The unmistakable implication was that even though the Royal Treasure Chamber of Commerce was full of profit-seeking capitalists, they were still a force to be reckoned with.


    In other words, they would fight back if Charles were to deceive them.


    "Great story. Now, can we continue?" Charles asked.


    Gordon''s fawning smile returned. Then, he bowed and gestured for Charles to go ahead first. Just like that, Charles and Gordon had a pleasant time with each other; they had already made up their mind to coborate, so they got along pretty well.


    Charles soon learned that Gordon truly had the insidious tongue of a merchant, as even though thetter was quite submissive before Charles, he was anything but submissive when it came to profits.

 Chapter 441: Repairs

    Chapter 441: Repairs


    Dealing with people the likes of Gordon wasn''t exactly Charles'' forte. Fortunately, he had subordinates skilled in this aspect.


    Leonardo brought along two others to represent Charles on the negotiation battlefield against Gordon, and their exchange quickly grew fierce and heated.


    At the height of their dispute, both parties even made less-than-ttering remarks about each other''s mothers. When the negotiations ceased, however, and it was time to sign the contract, their faces beamed with smiles as they shook hands and exchanged warm, enthusiastic hugs.


    Staring at the fake smiles on their faces, Charles couldn''t help but think that he might have obstructed his Minister of Administration from pursuing his calling. If he had joined the chamber ofmerce with those merchants, he could have achieved even greater sess.


    The Royal Chamber of Commerce and Hope Indid the groundwork for an initial partnership in the Relic Research Institute. Gordon promised that the Chamber would dispatch key factor personnel and a massivebor force as soon as possible.


    In exchange, he demanded exclusive distribution and selling rights of Hope Ind''s output, including future industrial products produced by the factories and the current rich agricultural offerings.


    The eleration of development on Charles'' Hope Ind was inevitable, but the merchants wouldn''t be on a losing end either. With a monopoly over all of the ind''s output, their wallets would soon be overflowing.


    This was merely the beginning phase of their partnership, and more details were to be meticulously worked out in theing days. However, Charles did not need to concern himself with those matters; Leonardo and his team would deal with them.


    Satisfied, Gordon left to report the exhrating news to the Chamber''s president through telegram. As soon as the man went out of sight, the expression on Charles'' face turned somber. He knocked on the wall next to him, and a group of mice emerged from a hole in the corner.


    "Dispatch your mice to secure the entire relic institute tightly. We cannot let Gordon or any of his people discover how we create the Ascendants. If they learned the full procedure, those unscrupulous merchants would surely break off the agreement and start their own venture."


    <em>Squeak squeak!</em>


    The brown mice around Charles squeaked anxiously in understanding.


    Though Gordon had left, Charles'' work was far fromplete. He remembered the gift that the corpulent man had left behind.


    "All products from the institute should be prioritized for enhancing the analytical engine. Its potential must extend beyond mereputation and data storage.


    "Get the brightest minds on our ind to study and analyze the blueprints of the analytical engine and fully grasp this technology. If we can''t find those brains here, source them from other inds. We must take control of this technology for Hope Ind''s sake!"


    Leonardo''s face revealed a surprise look. "Governor, is that massive machine really that important?"


    Charles swiftly let his Minister of Administration in on everything aboutputers on the surface world. Every detail made the light in Leonardo''s eyes burn even brighter. If Charles'' words were true, controlling such technology would significantly enhance the overall strength of Hope Ind.


    Shortly, all key leaders on Hope Ind convened at the Governor''s Mansion for a meeting to discuss the partnership with Gordon.


    Departments were informed about the anticipated directions of the ind''s growth. Following a thorough discussion, unanimous support was secured.


    Charles couldn''t pinpoint the exact changes his ind would undergo, but he was certain of one thingthey would surely be transformative.


    It didn''t take long before smokestacks started sprouting, piercing the canopy overhead to belch out ck smoke. The indcked a massive workforce with essential skills; there was enough manpower to at least carry out some operations.


    Other factories could wait to start, but the munitions factory always took precedence. In addition, theirtest products would always serve the Governor first and foremost.


    "Do you mean to say this entire cannon is made from Type-3 Steel?" Charles asked. He was standing in the vast shipyard with his gaze fixated on the massive ck cannon suspended by giant chains.


    "Yes, Governor. A deck cannon like this won''t suffer the softening and bursting that other cannons do. ording to your needs, it can handle firing up to 30 rounds in a minute and would not overheat at all," the bespectacled ship designer reported. He seemed to have aged even more since thest time Charles saw him. He was no longer just a mere designer but had be the shipyard''s director.


    The tragedy of Albion Isles seemed to have left no marks on the man''s countenance, though only the man himself would know if the event had left any scars on his heart.


    "Install it, and we''ll test it out," Charlesmanded. At his order, the pulleys above the shipyard whirred into action and lowered the would-be-overworked cannon onto the newly repaired deck of the Narwhale.


    On the deck, the shipwrights in white gloves and overalls stood ready with various tools at hand.


    Charles turned to James and asked, "What''s the production rate of Type-3 Steel? Do we have enough to rece the entire ship''s hull with it?"


    A troubled expression suffused James'' face. "I''m sorry, Captain, but we don''t have that much on hand. This new material is so useful that the Navy snaps them as soon as a batch is produced.


    "Unless we melt down the cannons we''ve already made with the previous batches, we''re not going to have enough to rece the entire ship''s hull."


    Charles turned his gaze to the Narwhale''s hull marred with dents and potholes. Firming his resolve, he said, "Then, melt them all. Let''s give our old friend a new coat."


    With no naval battle in sight for Hope Ind''s fleet, retaining the resources for their training warfare seemed less prudent than bolstering the Narwhale''s defenses. At least he could put the material to the test in his uing voyage.


    James nodded. "Alright, I''ll pass down the orders."


    "Make it swift. We''re on thest stretch now, and I don''t want any dys," Charles said, his gaze bing a bit mncholic as he stared at the Narwhale.


    "Captain, has the next destination been decided?" James asked softly.


    Charles nodded. "Yes. But before that, the Narwhale has to be fully repaired, and we need to recruit new members to fill the empty crew positions."


    Suddenly, the shipyard director stepped forward and inquired, "Governor, why don''t you consider switching to a new ship? Frankly speaking, instead of patching the current one up, it might be better to just build a new vessel."


    "Adjusting to a new ship takes time, so it''s fine. And besides," Charles paused as his eyes turned to the swaying ropes on the Narwhale''s deck. The corners of his lips curved upward into a slight smile as he continued, "I''ve grown ustomed to her. I''d like her to apany me on my final voyage."


    Charles didn''t know if other captains would feel the same, but his ship held sentimental value for him. The Narwhal was his very first exploration vessel, after all.


    Just as Charles continued to stare at the Narwhale, a shadow flitted by in the corner of his eye. He instinctively turned toward it but found nothing. He then looked away and stared at the cannon instation procedure.


    Just then, a figure darted out from behind the massive ship''s anchor and rushed at Charles.


    Charles'' finger was about to pull the trigger of his revolver when the intruder halted three meters away from him.


    "Hope Ind Navy, assigned to the 34th Lighthouse Ship, Border Guard Norton Wright, reporting to the Governor, sir!"


    Charles studied the young man before him.


    Norton Wright stood tall and straight with a sharp gaze. He seemed as if he were an unsheathed sword, ready for action.

 Chapter 442: Paying Respects

    Chapter 442: Paying Respects


    "Is something the matter?" Charles asked as he eyed the so-called border guard by the name of Norton Wright before him.


    The navy soldier seemed to be in histe teens, but his bulging muscles seemed to be on the cusp of breaking free from his tight-fitting uniform.


    "I have three years of maritimebat experience and a robust physique! I request to join your exploration vessel, sir!" Norton''s voice boomed across the shipyard, attracting everyone''s attention.


    Charles was taken aback by the unexpected deration. However, someone beat him at responding.


    "Soldier! What is your assignment today? Deserting from your post is a dereliction of duty!" James hollered with a scowl.


    "Reporting to Chief! It''s my day off today. I havemitted no dereliction. In addition, even if I had, I''m not under the police department, and you have no jurisdiction over me, sir! Governor, please let me join your exploration ship!"


    Upon reiterating his request the second time, Norton Wright''s eyes were aze with a fervent zeal.


    Seeing how James couldn''t retort to the young man''s words, Charles was somewhat amused. He stared at Norton and asked, "Why do you wish to join my crew? Haven''t rumors been circting on the ind that my ship is cursed by the sea? She never sinks but she will keep sending the people aboard into the deep abyss. Are you not afraid?"


    "No, sir!" Norton Wright dered with unwavering resolve.


    A smile appeared on Charles''s countenance. He turned to James and instructed, "Buddy, help me run a background check on him."


    "Captain, are you really going to let him join the crew?"


    "Just run a check first. After all, we did lose two sailors on ourst voyage," Charles said before he bade goodbye to the Narwhale with a wave and turned to leave the shipyard.


    Hearing Charles'' words, Norton clenched his fists tightly in excitement.


    After leaving the shipyard, Charles returned to the Governor''s Mansion. He settled into his office chair and studied the nautical charts in front of him.


    ording to the memory he devoured, the ind holding the key was the furthest of the five in the ind chain. He grabbed a ruler and pen and swiftly started charting the uing voyage.


    As captain, it was his duty to determine the most time and resource-efficient course and calcte the supplies at various checkpoints of their trip.


    <em>If we hasten the repairs, the ship could be ready to sail again in two months. In the meantime, I need to fill the crew vacancies. There''s the Second Mate who suffered heavy injuries. As for the deceased Third Engineer Audric can probably take over that position.</em>


    <em>Then, I would have to recruit a Fourth Engineer. Why is the turnover rate so high for the turbine team</em>


    As Charles deliberated over his crew matters, he felt a sudden weight on hisp. He looked down and saw that a ck cat had leaped onto hisp and had settledfortably.


    It was ckie, one of the two pet cats Lily used to care for. After Lily''s departure, the two cats had been brought over to reside in the Governor''s Mansion permanently.


    Well-fed and well-rested, the kitten from then had grown into a chubby, ck cat.


    Charles ran his hand over the soft fur. It suddenly urred to him how simr it felt to mouse fur. The next moment, all other thoughts vanished from Charles'' mind. He was left with only one thoughthe missed that chirpy and talkative mouse.


    He took a nce at the nautical charts once more before he rose from his chair. Cradling the ck cat in his arms, he left the mansion.


    By the time he arrived before Lily''s grave, in addition to the ck cat, he had a bunch of white flowers in his arms as well.


    Remnants of candles and bunches of withered flowersy before Lily''s gravestone. Clearly, others apart from Charles hade to pay their respects to Lily.


    Charles ced the flowers down on Lily''s gravestone. His gaze lingered on the st he had personally inscribed. His lips quivered so slightly as though he wanted to say something, but yet, no words came out.


    ckie jumped down from Charles'' arms and approached Lily''s grave. She wandered around as she sniffed the ground, seemingly catching a scent of something.


    After a while, ckie suddenly stopped at a spot and dug with her paws.


    Charles looked on but didn''t intervene. After all, the soil was at least three meters thick above the coffin; there was no way ckie could reach even the edge of it.


    He stepped forward and gently brushed off ayer of dust from Lily''s gravestone.


    "They say ck cats have a connection with the spirit world. And if they came into contact with a corpse, the corpse would rise again. Lily will you wake up?" Charles muttered to himself.


    He waited quietly but was ultimately disappointed. There was no knocking sound from beneath the earth.


    He turned his gaze to Laesto''s grave beside Lily''s, which basked in the warm glow of the sun. Memories of Lily''s final words flickered through his thoughts.


    He pondered for a moment before he pulled out his revolver and fired upward at the overhead canopy.


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    The bullets punctured arge hole through the canopy, allowing warm sunlight to cascade over Lily''s grave and Charles himself. Charles could feel a hint of warmth from the sun''s rays.


    "Lily, how are you doing over there? Did the Light God really snatch your soul from Fhtagn?" Charles'' voice was tinged with sorrow.


    "Sometimes, I would dream of you. However, you''re no longer as talkative as before, and you''d just look at me quietly."


    "Recently, we lost a few men at sea again. Did you encounter them? Is Tobba''s soul with you?


    "I recently got into an argument with Anna over the search for the surface. To be honest, I have been thinking about it, too.


    "What if, when I first arrived here from the surface, I never thought about going back and decided to just settle down and have a peaceful life on one of the subterranean inds? Would things turn out better than it is right now?


    "I thought for a long, long while now, but I doubt it. My dangerous adventures have taken away so much from me, my right eye, my left arm, you, and the lives of the other fallen crew members


    "Yet, it was because of my quest for the surface that I encountered Anna, you, Bandages, Dipp, James, and now, Sparkle."


    At the mention of Sparkle, Charles'' lips curved upward into a slight smile.


    "My daughter Sparkle is really adorable. I''ve told her stories about you, and she hopes to meet you one day. I hope for such a day as well."


    As Charles poured out his thoughts to Lily, he felt a warmth slowly seeping into his body. He stood up, turned around, and gently caressed Lily''s gravestone with his hand.


    "Lily, I don''t believe in any of those bullshit Divinities, but if you can hear me now, please watch over me. Bless my uing voyage so that I can sessfully find the key to the surface world.


    "Bless that in the surface world, there are no Divinities wandering between heaven and earth, no corpses littering the fields, no presence of anything that shouldn''t exist there.


    "Bless that the Light God can keep His promise and bring you back to life.


    "I know that this world is filled with despair, and every single time, it shatters my hopes mercilessly, but still one should always hold hope.


    "I have to go now, Lily. I feel much better now that I''ve talked to you. I''lle to visit again."


    Charles then turned to leave. But before he could take a few steps, a thought entered his mind. He pivoted on his heel and walked up to Laesto''s grave before pulling out a bottle of alcohol from within his coat.


    <em>Glug, glug, glug</em>


    He poured the strong alcohol over Laesto''s gravestone in a silent tribute.

 Chapter 443: Embarkation

    Chapter 443: Embarkation


    "This is our ship, and it''s currently undergoing repairs. However, I think it won''t be long until we set sail once again. Have you ever been on a ship, kid?" Dipp asked, standing on the Narwhale''s deck.


    However, he heard no response behind him, prompting him to turn around. The new sailor of the Narwhale was staring right at him in a daze, seemingly terrified by Dipp''s appearance.


    "What? Never seen a Deep Dweller before? Do I look scary? You better not make me dislike you, kid. Otherwise, I''ll make you clean the toilets every day once we''re out at sea," Dipp said.


    Norton Wright d in the blue and white-striped short-sleeved shirt immediately stood at attention and eximed, "Reporting to the boatswain, sir! I don''t find you scary at all!"


    Dipp sized Norton up for a while and muttered words Norton couldn''t hear. He then turned around and pushed open the cabin door next to him, saying, "Come here, I''ll take you on a stroll inside."


    Norton sighed in relief and hurriedly caught up with Dipp. "Reporting to the boatswain, sir! I was a border guard of one of our lighthouse ships, and I''ve studied everything there is to know about ships!"


    "You can''t be so confident when ites to our ship. This ship is different from the run-of-the-mill exploration vessels out there. The Narwhale can dive, and it''s probably the only ship throughout the Subterranean Sea that can go underwater.


    "Follow me; I''ll show you our bast tanks."


    Norton suppressed the bubbling excitement within him as he walked down the corridor. However, goosebumps still broke out all over him once he had taken a good look at the dim and narrow corridors of the Narwhale.


    Atst, he was on board the ship of his dreams.


    Dipp showed Norton everything the Narwhale had to offer, making sure that thetter would be familiar with his future workce.


    "Calm down. Don''t be so tense. You''re a crew of the Narwhale, not a part of the navy. You can be asfortable as you want as long as you''ve finished your tasks. By the way, whose fleet are you from?"


    "Reporting to the boatswain, sir! I was from the 3rd Fleet!"


    "The 3rd Fleet? Who''s in charge of that?" Dipp asked, looking confused. He wasn''t actuallypletely clear as to how the Navy worked. After all, Feuerbach and Bandages were the ones who usually handled matters rted to the navy.


    "It''s Commodore Ralph''s fleet, sir!"


    Dipp''s eyes lit up at Norton''s remark. "Ah, it''s that punk"


    He could still remember Ralph, who insisted on wearing his signature ck military uniform[1] even though he was the captain of an exploration vessel. Ralph was one of the captains who had discovered Hope Ind along with Charles.


    "No wonder you''re so uptight. I heard he was a part of some ind''s navy before bing a captain of an exploration vessel himself. It does make sense that his soldiers are disciplined.


    "However, that kind of discipline is unnecessary here, so put it away," Dipp said.


    Norton restrained the urge to shout, "Reporting to the boatswain, sir!" He pretended to rx and nodded. "Okay."


    "See that? That''s our water tank. No one is allowed to open that except for the cook. Anyway, why did you evene here? Is it for Echo?" Dipp asked.


    Norton''s expression changed, and he almost looked like a cultist as he cried out, "I''m not here for money! I''m here because I admire the Governor, and bing a crew member of his ship has always been one of my dreams! I dream of going on adventures with him as well!"


    "What? That''s such a bullshit reason" Dipp muttered, scratching his dorsal fins with both hands. Then, he decided to ask more questions and ended up finding out that Charles actually had a fan club on the ind.


    The fan club members believed that the Governorsexcept for Charleswere cowards who had quit while they were ahead. Charles had never stopped exploring unknown inds for the sake of finding habitable inds among them.


    They believed Charles was the only Governor living up to the spirit of the exploration vessels'' raison d''etre; Charles was a true hero of humanity in their eyes.


    Dipp looked astonished as he scratched the scales on his chin with his sharp fingers while thinking, <em>The ind really has a diverse variety of people. To think that the ind has grown enough to give birth to such a group. Do they not have anything to do?</em>


    "Reporting to the boatswain, sir! I will definitely not drag you down, sir! I have the strongest physique, even among our crew back in our fleet.


    "My marksmanship is excellent as well; I can guarantee an uracy of eight out of ten shots," Norton stated, unconsciously straightening his back and returning to his earlier manner of speech.


    "You don''t have to go that far. You''re just a sailor. Your tasks aren''t that difficult, and you''ll do just fine doing some odd jobs on the ship and carrying supplies whenever we''re back onnd," Dipp said. Then, he turned around and walked down the corridor. "Come and report to my house at three this afternoon.


    "The deck team needs to gather and get to know each other."


    "Would we get to see the Governor?" Norton asked as his eyes sparkled in excitement.


    "Are you deaf? I said the ''deck team.'' Is the Captain a part of the deck team?"


    Norton''s eyes flickered with disappointment. "Mr. Dipp, may I ask how you met the Captain?"


    "Well, it''s going to be a long story, but" Dipp said. He took out a cigarette from his pocket, but he stopped when he was about to light it and decided to put it back into his pocket.


    Two months could be a long or a short time for some people, but it was definitely a long time for Charles. It was just two months, but he was already growing impatient from the wait.


    In addition to the necessary daily training, Charles was also paying attention to the ongoing battle at the Divine Light Grand Cathedral. It''d be bad if the Pope was defeated, but it''d also be bad if the Pope emerged victorious.


    The best-case scenario was a stalemate between the Divine Light Order and the Fhtagn Covenant. That way, Charles would have time and room to maneuver around after acquiring the key.


    Daily reports were sent over to Charles via telegram. Overall, both sides were a bit too conservative than Charles had imagined. The grand life-and-death battles Charles had been imagining were missing.


    There were daily casualties, but the damage was limited to just a few ships every day. The Pope had yet to make a move as well, even though his strength wasparable to a tactical nuke. Charles also couldn''t figure out what was the Pope wary of. By the time the Narwhale''s repairs were done, the stalemate was still ongoing.


    The holes in the canopy above Hope Ind were opened, allowing sunlight to descend upon Hope Ind once more. It was a whole new day, and Charles opened his eyes slowly on his bed.


    He stood up and put on the Captain''s uniform that the maids had washed clean and had ced on the stool next to him. Then, he went over to the washroom to shave the stubble on his chin using the Dark de.


    Charles then freshened up with the cool, fresh water flowing down his faucet.


    Charles took his time to enjoy his usual daily routine. After all, today was the day he''d board the ship once more and go out at sea. Once on board, he could only wash up with seawater.


    In addition to the fishy smell, the salt in the seawater would make anyone''s skin exceptionally dry and rough as well. Of course, Charles didn''t really care about such inconvenience.


    When Charles arrived at the docks, he saw that some of the crew members had chosen toe early, waiting to board the Narwhale. The new crew members Charles had recruited were there as well, including Norton.


    However, what truly caught Charles'' attention was the repaired Narwhale. The once white hull had been painted matte cka color simr to the abyss but strangelyforting to see on the Narwhale.


    The Narwhale greeted Charles with her animated ropes made out of steel wire.


    Charles climbed up thedder and grazed the Narwhale''s stern with his prosthetic.


    A dull noise entered Charles'' ears, which soon changed into the signature high-pitched screech produced by metal scratching metal the moment Charles put more strength into the Dark de.


    The Type-3 Steel was more durable than Charles had imagined, and he reckoned that the Narwhale wouldn''t sink so easily, even if she was bombarded by cannon shells.


    1. early mention of Ralph is on CH 132

 Chapter 444: Departure

    Chapter 444: Departure


    "Captain, is my prosthetic really made out of the same material as our ship? It''s really great; it''s both light and sturdy," nck said, hobbling over with his prosthetic leg. He looked like he had yet to be ustomed to it as he was walking with a slight limp.


    nck''s manner of walking reminded Charles of Laesto lying in his grave.


    "How''s the prosthetic so far? Have you gotten used to it?" Charles asked.


    "Used to it? I''ve gotten too used to it! There''s actually a pulley inside, and I can slide with it as well, which is faster than walking! Honestly, if it weren''t so expensive, I''d chop off all my limbs and rece them with prosthetics."


    nck''s fawning and obsequious expression had vanished entirely as he showed off the additional attachments of his prosthetic to Charles. Clearly, nck had truly be a crew of the Narwhale after surviving a crisis with everyone else.


    Charles chatted with nck for a bit before giving the new crew members a pep talk. Some things had to be made clear before they set sail. After all, it''d be toote for regrets once they were out at sea.


    Time passed slowly, and the scheduled departure time grew nigh. As always, First Mate Bandages was thest person to arrive.


    Squatting on the railing, Charles turned to Bandages and teased, "What? Your family didn''t want to let youe here?"


    Bandages clearly didn''t want to talk about it, as he ignored Charles and made a beeline for the bridge.


    Charles rubbed his nose awkwardly. Then, he turned to the crew on deck and waved at them to catch their attention before shouting, "Weigh anchor and set sail!"


    The crew members rushed to their posts at the Captain''s order.


    "Wait, Captain! I''m still here! Don''t leave me behind!" someone shouted from afar.


    Charles turned and saw a green-haired man making a break for it toward the Narwhale. The green-haired man was none other than Feuerbach. Feuerbach was sweating profusely as he stood before the towering Narwhale.


    "You''ve yet to recover from your injuries. You should sit this one out."


    Feuerbach immediately expressed his protest by exposing his scarred wound, shouting, "Captain, look! I''m really okay now! I don''t need more rest!"


    Feuerbach didn''t wait for Charles'' reply as he jumped toward thedder and started climbing up the ship. Just as he reached the summit, Charles appeared and stopped him.


    "Sit this one out and go back. Take care of your son and fulfill your responsibilities as a father before anything else. Don''t let him wander around. Otherwise, you wouldn''t even know that he had gotten into a car ident," Charles said.


    "It''s fine, Captain. Really, my woman will take good care of him," Feuerbach said and was about to climb onto the deck when Charles blocked him again with his prosthetic.


    "I said, ''you''ve yet to recover from your injuries.'' Go sit this one out and rest well. Also, you better not follow the Narwhale with your own ship," Charles said, sounding calm, but his eyes were frosty.


    Feuerbach was stunned. Then, he swept his gaze across the crew members before climbing down the rope.


    The Narwhale''s steam whistle fleeted across Hope Ind, and the Narwhale left the docks under Feuerbach''s deste gaze. It was only when the Narwhale vanished into the distant horizon did Feuerbach turned around and walked away.


    Feuerbach looked down at the ground, looking a bit dejected. "Why won''t he let mee aboard?"


    Feuerbach soon left the lively and bustling Hope Ind pier, but instead of returning home, Feuerbach walked in the direction of Hope Ind''s Navy headquarters.


    Feuerbach walked past the navy troops in a salute and made a beeline for his office.


    However, he saw an odd scene inside the conference room. Feuerbach pushed open the door to the conference room and saw more than a dozenmodores seated at the oval table, seemingly discussing something.


    "What are you guys talking about? Howe no one notified me about an impending meeting?" Feuerbach asked, sounding surprised.


    Commodore Ralph, dressed in his signature crisp, ck military uniform, leaned over from the opposite side of the table and handed Feuerbach a document.


    "Deputy Admiral Feuerbach, the Governor has decided to relieve you of your duties so that you can focus entirely on recovering. In the meantime, all naval affairs will be in the hands of us, Commodores," Commodore Ralph exined.


    Feuerbach skimmed through the document with a gloomy face. Momentster, he eximed, "This is a mistake! What is the Governor doing? I''m one of his people!"


    "My apologies, but we are soldiers. And soldiers must obey their superiors."


    "Wait, wait, wait! Have you guys forgotten that we''re in the same group? If Charles can do this to me, how can you say that he won''t do the same thing to you all?" Feuerbach asked.


    Commodore Ralph''s expression was cold as he stared at Feuerbach. "We''re not the same as you. Our origins can be tracedfrom our birth to our arrival here, but you''re different. It''s like you appeared out of thin air."


    "Hahaha, so the Captain is suspicious of me?" Feuerbach said with a dry chuckle.


    Just then, the hook-handed, muscr man on the other side of the table couldn''t take it anymore and stood up. He then walked up to Feuerbach and leaned closer to thetter, whispering, "Come on, It''s not like you''re getting thrown into prison.


    "What''s yours is still yours. The Ministry of Finance will still deposit money into your bank ount every quarter, so don''t be too worried. I''ll help you test the waters upon the Governor''s return."


    "What use is a bit of money to me? It''s useless! Do you really think that I, Feuerbach, care about money as much as you do?" Feuerbach turned around and left the conference room, his features distorted in an angry scowl.


    ***


    The Divine Light Grand Cathedral was the headquarters of the Divine Light Order, but it wasn''t on an ind. Instead, it was sitting on top of a massive stgmite connected to the Subterranean Sea down below.


    The entire stgmite was once covered with strips of yellow cloth inscribed with the Divine Light Order''s <em>New Testament</em>, and it once looked like a colossal yellow stick between heaven and earth.


    Magnificent and expansive caves were hidden behind the strips of yellow cloth, and as the strips of yellow cloth swayed in the wind, a radiant light would peer through the cracks, making the stgmite appear like a gargantuan lighthouse.


    However, such scenery was no more, as the Divine Light Grand Cathedral had suffered devastating damage. A great fire had reduced the strips of yellow cloth to ashes, and the stgmite had been scorched ck by the same fire.


    Cracks riddled the rock itself, making the entire stgmite appear unstable.


    The Pope''s footsteps echoed incessantly within thergest cave at the summit of the stgmite. All of a sudden, the footsteps vanished. The Pope bent down and picked up a piece of blood-soaked dried fish from the ground.


    The Pope then put the palm-sized dried fish in his mouth and sucked on it. Then, he spat a glob of bloody saliva before gnawing on the tiny dried fish. "Mm, it''s not spoiled yet. It''s still edible."


    The line of cardinals behind him remained calm and steady at the bizarre sight, seemingly ustomed to the Pope''s thriftiness.


    The Pope continued walking just then, venturing deeper into the spacious karst cave. Soon, they arrived at a semicircr hall the size of a ser field within the walls of the cave.


    The once majestic cathedral was nowpletely unrecognizable.


    Everything had been destroyed, including the relief of the Divine Light Order''s Book of Revtions. The ss windows had been shattered as well, and the chairs had been reduced to ashes.


    The cathedral had suffered such extensive damage that it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that ity in ruins.


    A red-robed cardinal behind the Pope roared, "Those deformed monsters have gone too far! They must pay the price!"


    However, the Pope''s expression remained unchanging despite the destruction. He walked up to the window and looked out at the fleet that had surrounded the cathedral.


    "We must leave and head north once we''ve restored the cathedral''s defenses. We have more important things to do there," the Pope said, gulping down the dried fish that he had been gnawing.


    "As you wish, Your Holiness!" the cardinals behind him echoed.


    The Pope caught a glimpse of something just then, prompting him to grab the window sill with both hands and stick his head outside.


    A radiant light shimmered in his eyes, and he saw a myriad of Deep Dwellers in the depths, swimming in the direction of the Divine Light Grand Cathedral.


    However, the Deep Dwellers weren''t what made the Pope feel nervous. It was a pair of eyes in the deep sea. The pair of eyes seemed to reflect the abyss itself, and it was gargantuan, seemingly bigger than the length of ten shipsbined.

 Chapter 445: The Commission

    Chapter 445: The Commission


    "The Divine Light Order and Fhtagn Covenant have finally shed," Anna read the line of text written on a telegram with a calm expression as she emerged from a circr lump of bloodied slime.


    Her eyes scanned the message carefully, the cogs in her mind spinning as she plotted her next move. Then, with a gentle p of her hands, she said, "Sparkle, we''ve got work to do."


    Seconds trickled past, yet there was still no sight of her daughter. A hint of concern flickered across Anna''s gaze. She pushed open the door of her room and moved through thevishly decorated hallway, finally stopping before Sparkle''s room.


    The door swung open to reveal Sparkle''s massive form hovering in the air Her green, crossed-shaped pupils were fixated on the puppets beneath her.


    d in puppet costumes, two tiny, red-bodied figures were acting out a script. They were visibly trembling and were stuttering as they recited their lines. Their fear was palpable, yet they couldn''t afford to stop, lest the gigantic creature overhead swallowed them whole.


    <em>p! p! p! </em>


    Anna''s ps attracted Sparkle''s attention. "Stop ying. Come with me; we have something to do."


    Sparkle''s massive form contracted and shrank as she transformed back to her normal little girl appearance. "Mommy, where are we going?"


    "To the docks first. A tough group is on their way here."


    With a sh of white light, the mother and daughter duo vanished, leaving the puppets alone in the room. They copsed on the table and gasped for air.


    "Hey, say. Do you think we''ll make it back alive? Just what is she exactly?" one of the puppets asked as he removed the wooden helmet from his head.


    "Sighlet''s just focus on surviving each day" the other responded, his eyes filled with despair.


    At the docks of World''s Crown, the typically deserted area appeared even more forsaken. The porters, whose conversations usually added a bit of life around the pier, had been dispersed by the localw enforcement.


    Cradling Sparkle in her arms, Anna lounged on a beach chair, her eyes fixated on the inky expanse ahead. The sea''s salty breeze gently tousled her long, ck hair.


    "Mommy, are they still not here yet? I promised Nene to go y with herter," Sparklemented as she rested her head in Anna''sp.


    "This matter is more important than your ytime with Nene. Stay here and keep quiet. Try to learn something from it. You''re only a year old, but it''s never too early to learn more," Anna said as she gently tapped Sparkle on the nose.


    Just then, a sliver of light appeared on the horizon; something was approaching.


    It was a colossal turtleshell ship, with its exposed section above the water towering seven to eight stories high. The owner of the leading ship seemed to be of extraordinary origin as the leading ship led the way with its shell cloaked entirely in pure ck. A sizeable kite made of fish bones and vibrant ribbons at its stern set it apart from the trailing turtleshell ships.


    The shell parted down the middle, and a group of Haikors, each standing at least three meters tall, emerged. However, they weren''t the vessel''s only passengers. Following closely behind them were two lizard-like beings with shimmering skins casting an unsettling glow. They were the reason Anna had to clear the docks earlier.


    "Mommy, can I have one of those? I like how it looks," Sparkle asked as she pointed an index finger at one of the Apostles.


    Anna remained silent at Sparkle''s question and waited quietly for their visitors.


    "You haven''t fulfilled your end of our agreement," the Haikor leading the group said. At 3.5 meters tall, he was a head taller than the average of his kind.


    "Get someone who has authority to speak to me. You''re not qualified," Anna remarked nonchntly as she lifted a leg and crossed it over the other.


    The Haikor''s face turned slightly dark, but he remained silent. He merely stepped aside and gave way to the Apostles toe forward.


    The creatures'' trumpet-shaped mouths trembled as they emitted a series of iprehensible gurgling sounds.


    Anna seemed to understand what they were saying and could hold a fluent conversation with them.


    "The matter isplicated; I need more time. The Divine Light Order is not a force to be reckoned with," Anna replied.


    The Apostles slowly circled around Anna with their unnaturally bent limbs as they continued with their gurgling sounds. Sparkle reached out a hand in an attempt to touch them but was intercepted by Anna, who pushed her hand away.


    "There''s nothing I can do without an opportunity. Do you think I''m a god?" A hint of displeasure surfaced on Anna''s visage.


    Just then, one of the Apostles halted and leaned its massive, twisted mouth toward Anna.


    The corners of Anna''s lips curved upward into a cold smirk. "This is a hugemission. I can easily seed, but can you afford the price? After all, you know my rtionship with him."


    The Apostle turned its head toward a Haikor holding a chest in his hands.


    The Haikor opened the chest to reveal rotting flesh of various colors, writhing and struggling to get out of the chest while emitting piercing screams.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    The chest was abruptly shut closed, and the screaming ceased.


    Anna immediately retracted her gaze, which was gleaming with greed, from the chest.


    "The Apostles said that as long as youplete themission, everything in the chest is yours," the leading Haikor said.


    Anna didn''t even spare the Haikor a nce. She turned to the Apostles circling her.


    "Alright, I''ll take the job, though it''s hard to part with him. But in this wretched ce, nothing beats having absolute strength, don''t you think so?"


    The Apostles and Haikors were quiet in the face of Anna''s words.


    However, Sparkle spoke up just then, asking, "Mommy, are you going to kill Daddy?"


    "Children shouldn''t interrupt when the adults are talking. Just watch quietly," Anna replied.


    For the first time, a look of grievance appeared on Sparkle''s face. She parted her lips wanting to speak further but was silenced by Anna''s hand.


    The Apostle seemed pleased with Anna''s response and let out a series of gurgling sounds at the Haikor holding the chest. The chest was opened once more, and a twisted lump of flesh was thrown onto the dock.


    The moment the lumpnded on the ground, it immediately rolled toward the sea, trying to escape but Anna''s tentacles were quicker. They snatched the lump of flesh up and tossed it into Anna''s mouth.


    Watching Anna chew on the lump, the Apostles'' deformed eyes flickered with a hint of disdain. They then turned and returned to their turtleshell ship.


    "We do not wish to see another failure. If you deceive us again, don''t me us for making a move. Your daughter will not be able to protect you.


    "Remember your ce. Your poweres from us. Without us, you are nothing," the Haikor leading the group concluded. Then, he turned around and followed after the "Apostles," swiftly boarding the turtleshell ship.


    In the face of such a threat, Anna remained silent and continued chewing what was in her mouth with her head bowed.


    The turtleshell ship soon departed, leaving only Anna and Sparkle at the pier.


    "Mommy, Daddy is really nice to me. Can we not kill Daddy?" For the first time ever, Sparkle''s face was filled with worry as she grabbed Anna''s arm and shook it gently to convey her plea.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    I have no idea where the plot is going anymore</blockquote>

 Chapter 446: Contract

    Chapter 446: Contract


    "Sparkle, do you like Mommy more or Daddy more?" Anna asked her daughter.


    A hint of hesitation flickered across Sparkle''s little face. She lowered her head and pondered for a moment before she looked up at Anna again and said, "Can we not kill Daddy? If we kill him, we''ll never see him again."


    Tenderness filled Anna''s gaze as she looked at Sparkle. Then, she stroked her light blonde hair, asking, "Sparkle, isn''t Mommy nicer to you than Daddy?"


    Sparkle went through a moment of internal struggle before nodding.


    "That''s right. No matter what happens, you should always be on Mommy''s side. Always trust Mommy; there''s a reason for everything Mommy does."


    Anna then looked up at the dark dome above. "You heard everything, right?"


    A massive stone sculpture descended in front of Anna and crashed to the ground with a loud, dull thud.


    It was the statue of the Pope. The Pope nodded in satisfaction at Anna, saying, "Don''t worry, that ship will never make it back to the Sea of Mist."


    Sparkle''s eyes widened in surprise at the statue''s sudden appearance. The turn of events was a bit tooplex for her one-year-old mind to understand.


    "Very well, Miss Anna. Thank you for the assistance you''ve provided to the Divine Light Order. We will forever remember your help. I never expected that those mixed blood would think of targeting us."


    Anna sat up on her beach chair and looked calmly at the aged figure. "It''s time for you to pay up. My information isn''t free."


    The Pope didn''t seem too surprised by Anna''s words. "Speak, but I can''t help you right now. You should know that the situation on my end is quite tense as well."


    "I don''t want anything from you. Neither do I need your assistance. I only want a promise from you."


    "What promise?"


    Anna didn''t answer immediately. Instead, she looked at the statue for a few seconds before letting out a chuckle. "Can you tell me what exactly are you using Charles for?"


    "Do you even need to ask? Of course it''s to find the way to the surface. I thought considering your rtionship with Charles, he would have told you everything," the Pope replied with a shrug.


    "You''ve been using him," Anna remarked calmly, but her words wereced with confidence.


    The Pope thought for a brief moment before he slowly said, "So you want me to promise not to use him anymore? That might be difficult. Even if I agree to it, Charles probably wouldn''t agree."


    "No. I want you to promise me that no matter what happens in the future, you absolutely cannot harm him or let him die."


    "Hmm" The stone sculpture''s brows furrowed before it eventually spoke. "Alright, I promise you."


    "A mere verbal promise won''t suffice. As far as I know, the Divine Light Order is best known for lying through their teeth," Annamented, her voiceced with sarcasm.


    "Then what do you propose?"


    "Sign a contract, with the Feaster as the witness..."


    With a hint of threat in her voice, Anna continued, "It''s best not to breach such a contract lightly. Not even your Light God could save you from the Feaster''s wrath if you were to do so. "


    The stone sculpture of the Pope showed no traces of panic. Instead, a smile spread across its face. "Are you sure about this? Thest person who made a contract with me ended up shooting himself in the foot."


    "You can choose not to make the promise. The Haikors'' turtleshell ship hasn''t gone too far. I can still get them toe back."


    The Pope stroked his stone beard and said, "Alright, I agree. Please make it quick. I''m quite busy over here, as our battle with the Fhtagn Covenant is still ongoing."


    Under Anna''s lead, they shifted to a depression on the eastern side of the dock. The ground looked like it had been struck by a massive iron ball.


    The aftermath of it was a semicircr pit that was filled with wooden poles. On each pole, a human was bound to it, and everyone appeared to be in great agony with mushrooms growing out from their noses and ears.


    These were the farmers on World''s Crown, and Anna had purchased them. For the ck ryegrass farmers, selling the elderly members of the household, who were dying from the torturous spores, for a significant sum of money was a profitable transaction for them.


    The wooden poles in the pit were not uniformly spaced apart, but they seemed to follow an indescribable pattern.


    "Ah such a rare ritual. Where did you find it? I remember this ritual requires the soul fragments of all those involved in the contract even if they are just being mentioned. Ours are manageable, but what about Charles''?" the Pope asked.


    Anna''s lips parted to reveal her tongue with a glint of blue sitting at the tip.


    "It has all been prepared in advance. Please step into the pit. You should know the ritual incantations."


    Without saying another word, the Pope directly floated into the pit.


    Anna''s slender form suddenly expanded and a twisted, deformed monster suddenly appeared in ce. Her mouth parted to emit a high-frequency tremble.


    As Anna slightly swayed her tentacles, the people bound to the poles parted their mouths simultaneously and chanted along to her in tones that eluded a normal human''s vocal cords.


    The Pope looked up to specks of dust falling down. The dome above the pit began to twist; the darkness receded slowly to reveal a kaleidoscope of white dots.


    It was stars, a sky full of stars, a sight never seen in the Subterranean Sea. The cold starlight cast a silvery sheen over the entire World''s Crown.


    The Pope instantly felt a gaze from the deepest part of the starry expanse. The unsettling sensation was wholly unlike that of the Light God.


    He began to swear an oath in a high-frequency voice. There was one phrase that was repeated constantly. If the phrase were to be pronounced in human words, the closest approximation would be "Tawil At-Umr."


    Anna''s voice, the Pope''s voice, and the voices of the tributes ovepped. Then, their surroundings seemed to distort.


    The tide began to recede, the darkness retreated, and the flesh on the humans turned transparent.


    Sparkle was astonished when she realized that she could see everyone''s bones, organs and even the marrow within their bones. She could even see the structure of the lens in their eyes. It was as if at this moment, the human body had be transparent in her eyes.


    An unknown amount of time passed before everything returned to normal, apart from the tributes.


    Their bodies were undergoing some form of ethereal transformation, and they turned into what seemed like individual strands of solidified jelly that disappeared with the vanishing stars.


    Cracks began to spread across the Pope''s stone sculpture as he turned to Anna with a smile.


    "You are very wary of me, aren''t you? You are the one secretly feeding Charles all those suspicions he has about me, aren''t you? Unfortunately, you didn''t seed."


    Anna remained silent. Her monstrous body swiftly returned to her human form, and she bent down to pick Sparkle up.


    "I''m curious," the Pope continued. "Why didn''t you just control Charles directly and make him oppose me? After all, you already left a tentacle inside his head. You need just a mere thought to do anything you want."


    "Charles'' decision to allow me to leave one of my tentacles in his brain was born out of trust. I will never ever try to control his thoughts," Anna retorted calmly.


    More and more dust fell from the crumbling stone sculpture. The sculpture''s arm even fell off into the pit and crashed into a wooden pole.


    "Is that so? Would a normal man really fall in love with a tentacle monster? Did you really not alter his memories in secret?"


    "Absolutely not!" Anna''s rebuttal was quick and vehement.


    The stone sculpture smiled before disintegrating into a heap of rubble.

 Chapter 447: Bat

    Chapter 447: Bat


    The roaring waves crashing against the Narwhale''s hull echoed incessantly in the ears of the crew members. The strong sea breeze battering the Narwhale made her windows rattle, but they couldn''t care less about anything else right now.


    They cast nervous gazes at the captain sitting cross-legged in the middle of an intricate formation drawn with sea salt on the floor.


    "Captain, don''t you think we should wait until we''ve known more about how this technique works before using it haphazardly?" Dipp asked.


    "I''m built different, so it''s going to be fine," Charles said nonchntly as he took out a mirror. The mirror was none other than the Bat Mirror that Anna had returned to him not too long ago.


    The abilities of flight, ultrasonic attacks, and echolocation were incredibly useful in the vast sea. However, the Bat Mirror''s side effect had been gnawing away at him, so Charles decided to fuse with the relic.


    The Bat Mirror would be Charles'' third relic to fuse with, so there were undoubtedly risks. However, the abilities Charles stood to gain in the event of a sessful fusion were just too good to pass up.


    Charles lifted his clothes, exposing his scarred abdomenno, it wasn''t just his abdomen. His entire torso was riddled with scars.


    Dipp winked at Bandages next to him, signaling to thetter that he ought to try and persuade Charles against his n. However, First Mate Bandages had no intention of doing so and quietly leaned against the wall.


    <em>Chop!</em>


    A crisp, ear-piercing noise echoed as the Dark de struck the Bat Mirror, and the mirror seemed like it knew what Charles was about to do. Charles'' reflection seemed toe alive, emitting a discordant noise as it roared ferociously at Charles.


    <em>Chop!</em>


    A crisp noise echoed once more as the Dark dended on the mirror. As the cracks on the mirror grewrger andrger, the roaring reflection in the mirror calmed down and started pleading.


    However, Charles remained indifferent as he raised the Dark de up high and swung it toward the Bat Mirror. The Bat Mirror burst into fragments upon getting hit this time, but the Dark de split into sections as well.


    The Dark de that had ended the lives of many relics had finally met its end at the hands of another relic.


    The sharp edge of the Dark de pierced Charles'' palm, but Charles ignored his injury and grabbed the hilt of the broken dagger. Then, he cut open his abdomen and grabbed the dark mist that hade from the ck Mirror before pressing it firmly on his pancreas.


    Charles tensed up and started trembling with a distorted expression. Momentster, the white sea salt around Charles ignited all at once and extinguished the next second, transforming into what looked like charred salt.


    The crew members held their breaths at the sight. They were out at sea, so the Captain could absolutely not get into any ident.


    Under the watchful gazes of everyone present, hair popped out all over Charles and grew rapidly. Charles'' limbs twisted as well, and his eyes began to take on a mad light tinged with a bloodthirstiness that scared everyone.


    Dipp gulped, and his scaly figure seemed shrouded by a dark blue mist as he got ready to rush toward Charles to stop thetter at any time.


    Charles'' transformation continued. Dipp was about to rush forward and stop Charles when thetter grabbed his head and roared. In the next moment, the hair all over Charles vanished, and everything went silent.


    "Captain?" nck asked nervously, "Are you okay?"


    Charles'' curled-up figure trembled violently. "Blood give me blood"


    Audric responded almost immediately. He fished out a gold wine sk from his cloak and handed it over to Charles.


    <em>Glug, glug, glug!</em>


    As Charles poured the blood inside the wine sk into his mouth, his appearance slowly reverted to normal. However, he seemed unable to find his bnce as he stood up.


    <em>Sk''magg yawifk hoq </em>Charles frowned upon hearing whispers in his ears. It had been a long time since he heard such whisperings, but Charles still managed to make out that the whisperings this time carried considerable resentment.


    "Captain, the medicine is ready. Drink it," Linda said with the medicine she had prepared beforehand upon learning of Charles'' n.


    As Charles drank the medicine, Linda dressed in a white coat exined, "Captain, this medicine is made for those who have fused with their very first relic. You''ve fused with three relics, so I can''t say for sure whether Teacher''s medicine will still work for you."


    Charles forced himself to swallow the exceedingly bitter liquid before tossing the bowl away and rushing out of the door.


    "The voices are no longer as loud as earlier, so the medicine is definitely effective," Charles said as he rushed to the Narwhale''s deck. His crew members followed closely behind him, and they saw an ind with a colorful bubble.


    The Narwhale was approaching the ind she had once visited.


    As usual, Charles was the only one who could see the bubble shifting through a variety of colors; the others could only see a lifeless ind with pitch-ck soil.


    However, Charles'' attention wasn''t on the ind. He had craned his neck to stare at the door above the ind.


    Charles morphed into a giant bat just then, and he pped his wings, flying into the colossal bubble before the crew could say anything.


    Charles made a beeline for the door, and his heart was soon overwhelmed by shock as he realized why the Pope was so excited to see the door. The sound waves Charles had sent out allowed him to see a circr hatch the size of a mountain just behind the massive keyhole.


    Charles unconsciously trembled at the realization that the exit to the surface world was indeed right in front of him. At the same time, however, Charles was filled with immense awe for the vanished Foundation.


    Just how did they construct such a miraculous structure?


    A shrill noise echoed as Charles grazed his ws across the colossal door. Pressing himself against the door, he closed his eyes slowly and trembled like an aspen tree as he imagined the world just beyond the colossal door.


    The world outside was his worlda modern society. This was the closest Charles had ever been to the outside world since he found himself in the Subterranean Sea.


    Faint familiar noises echoed in his ears just thenthe honking of cars, the roar of airnes, and the incessant chatter of clouds. His sister''s phone ringing with endless notifications from QQ entered Charles'' ears as well along with his mother''s favorite old-fashioned musicing from TikTok reels.


    The tip of Charles'' nose felt sour. He wanted to hold back his tears, but he failed to hold them back as they dripped down Charles'' cheeks. Fortunately, he was alone up here, so no one else saw him crying.


    There was a high chance that the world outside was no longer Charles'' world, but even if the chance was as low as ten percent, Charles was willing to risk everything he had for the sake of going back home.


    Charles could finally fly, so he just had to find the key and insert it into this massive keyhole by himself. He''d be able to go back home by then.


    Charles thought that he had long gotten used to it, but now that he was standing so close to the exit, the extreme desire to go home was making his heart pound so fast that he felt like he was going to go mad.


    Charles hovered for thirty minutes before deciding to return. He wanted to stay here for much longer, but he couldn''t afford to waste time here, as his crew was still waiting for him.


    Having made up his mind, Charles let go of the keyhole and turned around to leave. He started gliding over the bubble to return to the Narwhale, but Charles suddenly noticed something amiss.


    Charles pped his wings and rushed toward the dome next to the door. His sound waves had collided with something strange, and he had decided to investigate it.

 Chapter 448: Family

    Chapter 448: Family


    Charles hovered around five hundred meters away to the right of the colossal door on the dome above the ind. He looked around and finally saw what his sound waves had detected.


    It turned out to be stone pirs in a state of disrepair. Charles looked around some more and came to the conclusion that the Foundation had built an inverted city on the dome.


    The inverted city would be a magnificent sight if it were still here, but the ruthless passage of time had left nothing but a few ruins of what was once a grand city.


    "Hmm?" Charles noticed something on a pir, prompting him to climb up that pir to examine it closely.


    The cuts on the pir looked unusually clean; they couldn''t possibly be the result of natural weathering. In addition, they reminded Charles of the cuts made by the giant mantises hanging upside down above Newbound City.


    Charles soon emerged from his contemtion with a deductionthe inverted city hadn''t plummeted to the Subterranean Sea down below. Those mantises had to have destroyed it.


    <em>I guess those mantises have other colonies all over the dome. Hopefully, they won''t pop up and attack us the next time we attempt to go up, </em>Charles thought. He looked around for a while. However, he saw no more clues, so he pped his wings and decided to go back down.


    "Captain! What did you find up there?" Dipp asked in a curious tone.


    However, Charles seemed a bit despondent and had no intention of bing a chatterbox.


    "Stop wasting time. Weigh anchor and set sail," Charles said. Then, he turned around and walked into the Captain''s quarters.


    Dipp cast a curious gaze upon the pitch-ck dome. Momentster, he kicked Norton in the calf and said, "Did you not hear what he said? The Captain said ''weigh anchor.''"


    "Yes, aye aye, sir!" Norton shouted, tensing up as he ran toward the winss.


    Dipp shook his head helplessly. It seemed that it would take Norton quite a while to change his old habits.


    Dipp then gave some instructions to a few old sailors before turning around and walking into the bridge.


    As soon as Dipp entered the bridge, he saw Second Mate Conor drinking before the wheel.


    "Buddy, you''re manning the wheel. Are you really supposed to be drinking?"


    "It''s just one sip. The waves are a bit rough, so I''m feeling a bit dizzy," Finance Minister Conor replied, tucking the bottle of liquor into one of his coat''s inner pockets.


    Conor was no longer the robust young man he once was a few years ago. His protruding belly and his goatee made him look like the perfect example of a portly and wealthy middle-aged man.


    "You better not let the Captain catch you drinking behind the wheel," Dipp teased. Then, he turned to the nautical chart hanging on the wall.


    "What happened to the Second Mate? Why did the Captain suddenly ask me to take over for this voyage? It''s also been years since I was behind the wheel," the supposedly-retired-Second-Mate Conor asked.


    "Feuerbach''s injuries were too severe, so the Captain decided to let him rest for a while," Dipp replied.


    Conor''s expression became mncholic just then. He looked up and swept his gaze across the busy sailors on the deck and muttered, "Looks like everything has changed, except for a few faces. Even Lily is gone


    "I can still remember how cute she looked standing on the table and stomping with her tiny feet while arguing with me."


    A heavy and somber air settled on the bridge just then.


    "Forget it. We should not talk about such depressing topics. Anyway, I heard your wife recently gave birth to another son?" Dipp asked, changing the subject.


    Conor smiled at the mention of his newborn son. "Yes, yes, yes. He''s really adorable. And you know what? Little Jim doesn''t wake up in the middle of the night, which means he doesn''t interrupt our sleep, andah, forget it.


    "It''s not really a joy that you''ll understand. You''ll only understand that kind of joy once you''ve be a parent yourself."


    Conor chattered with Dipp as he steered the Narwhale toward the designated coordinates.


    It would take them roughly seven days to reach their destination from the ind enveloped by a temporal chaos bubble. Once the so-called key was found, their mission would beplete.


    When the small hand on the clock pointed at twelve, Bandages and another veteran sailor entered the bridge to man the wheel. Dipp and Conor were finally off duty and could do whatever they wished until their next shift.


    Although Dipp didn''t have his own room, as he was just a boatswain, he still had his own privatepartment. Dipp''s wife wasn''t on board, so with no one to nag at him to wash up, Dipp was toozy to wash up and simply hopped onto the bed.


    Dipp plopped down his head on the pillow and closed his eyes. Dipp was the type of individual to fall asleep fast, so his long, drawn out breathing soon pervaded his privatepartment.


    After an unknown amount of time, Dipp''s hazy consciousness cleared up, and he found himself in the deep city of the Deep Dwellers. His family members had surrounded him, and they were whispering into his ears.


    "Dipp hurry up ande back the Elder wants to see you, and we need your help"


    Dipp frowned and shook his head. He struggled desperately, but his family clung tightly to him, refusing to let go until they finally melted into him.


    "Dear brother you cannot escape this is our fate as Deep Dwellers."


    A horrifying colossal pair of scarlet eyes manifested before Dipp and red furiously at him.


    Dipp''s eyes shot wide open as he was startled awake. The light from the oilmp on the bedside table dragged him back to reality. Realizing that it was just a nightmare, Dipp sighed in relief. Then, he sat up on his bed and took out his pocket watch.


    It turned out that it had only been a little over three hours since he went to bed, so Dipp was about to go back to sleep. However, he tensed up and froze upon noticing footsteps just at the door of hispartment.


    The footsteps were wet. It was an unusual footstep that a human being couldn''t possibly make.


    Dipp felt a shiver down his spine at the realization that there was a non-human being outside. He stood up immediately and rushed out of hispartment, but he saw no footprints outside as if what he had seen was a mere fragment of his imagination.


    Dipp pondered briefly over it before rushing toward the Captain''s quarters. He jumped down the iron stairs to reach the third deck and saw Charles holding the flesh revolver while anxiously running in Dipp''s direction.


    "Boatswain, follow me! The mice told me that something hade aboard. They''ve caught a whiff of the foul smell of those deep sea creatures!"


    Dipp revealed a bitter expression at Charles'' revtion. "Captain, I know who came aboard. They''re my family, and they''vee for me."


    At Dipp''s words, Charles'' expression became exceptionally solemn. He instantly saw through the implied message behind Dipp''s words. All lives aboard the Narwhale were in danger.


    With that in mind, Charles rushed to the bridge and turned to Bandages at the helm, shouting, "Notify the turbine team to overload the turbines! Creatures underwater are following us, and we must shake them off as soon as possible!"


    The Narwhale''s smokestacks belched out thick, ck smoke as she picked up the pace, speeding across the inky waters.


    Charles turned to Dipp next to him and shoved thetter away. "What are you doing just standing here?! Go and wake everyone up! Tell them to grab their weapons!"


    Dipp nodded frantically and rushed into the cabins.


    Charles stared at the dark expanse up ahead with furrowed brows. He wasn''t sure about the Deep Dwellers'' motives. Whatever their motives were, however, Charles was convinced that they weren''t here to make friends.

 Chapter 449: Dream

    Chapter 449: Dream


    "Captain! We''ve been overloading the turbines for several minutes now! The turbines are struggling to keep up!" Third Engineer Audric''s voice echoed through the brassmunication pipe in the bridge.


    "Maintain heading and stop overloading the turbines! I''ll go outside and take a look," Charles ordered before walking onto the deck. He looked around and saw the pitch-ck waters of the sea and felt the salty sea breeze.


    There wasn''t anything out of the ordinary, and the waters were calm. However, Charles knew better than to rx, and he knew that the matter was far from over; they were definitely watching the Narwhale from somewhere in the depths.


    <em>Why are they looking for Dipp? They need his help? Help with what? </em>Charles pondered hard and long about it toe up with a few clues about their motives, but he emerged empty-handed from his contemtion.


    "Captain, if it''s really no good, I can disembark now if you want," Dipp said, walking over with aplicated expression.


    "It''s useless. They''re here for me. Do you really think that they''ll let the Narwhale go just because you''ve left?" Charles asked. Then, he grabbed Dipp by his clothes and pulled thetter toward the cabin door.


    "Rather than wasting time talking nonsense, how about you do something practical with me? Follow me; we''re going to patrol the entire ship. If there are any enemies lurking in the shadows, we''ll kill them immediately,"


    Soon, the crew members on board heard of the incident. They picked up their weapons and followed Charles to patrol the entire ship to see if there were any enemies lurking in the ship.


    However, the Deep Dwellers weren''t foolish enough to stay put and allow themselves to be captured. The crew searched meticulously to no avail. Still, none of them dared to let their guard down; they held their weapons tightly, ready for battle at any given moment.


    Time passed by slowly, and even though it had been hours since the rm was sounded, the intense battle Charles had imagined had yet to happen. It seemed like Dipp''s warning had all been nothing but lies.


    However, Charles'' keen intuition born from his years of experience told him that something was amiss. His heart was gripped by an ominous sense of foreboding, and he was convinced that this was just the beginning.


    Charlesmanded everyone never to let their guard down, and the crew dared not to rest for even a moment; they held their weapons tightly and were prepared to fight the moment a battle erupted.


    However, people weren''t machines. Keeping one''s nerves stretched taut for an extended period of time was unsustainable, so the crew was forced to stand guard in shifts.


    Charles gripped the steering wheel tightly with his eyes as bloodshot as a rabbit in heat. The crew could rest, but the Captain absolutely couldn''t rest. With that in mind, Charles had never slept a wink over thest three days and three nights.


    Dipp cast a distressed gaze upon Charles and said, "Captain, why don''t you rest for a bit? At this rate, you''re going to copse before we suffer any attacks."


    Charles nced at Dipp and replied, "Go and tell Bandages and Conor toe here."


    "Why do you want them toe here? I can take over for you," Dipp said, reaching out for the wheel, but Charles raised his hand and stopped him.


    "Stop it with the nonsense and go!" Charles raised his voice, sounding irritable. It wasn''t strange, as anyone awake for an extended period of time would be "slightly" irritable.


    Bandages and Conor soon arrived in the bridge.


    "I''m going to take a nap. You three should watch each other''s back. Wake me up immediately if anything unusual happens, especially underwater," Charles said. He pulled a stool over and sat down.


    He closed his eyes slowly, and a sense of weightlessness took over him the moment he closed his eyes. Charles'' eyes shot wide open almost immediately, but the Narwhale''s bridge had vanished. Instead, he found himself falling in a kaleidoscope of distorting darkness.


    Charles looked down and saw himself melting, gradually fusing into the utterly bizarre scenery that seemed both real and illusory.


    <em>I''m dreaming? I must be dreaming. </em>Charles'' wildly beating heart calmed down at the realization that he was dreaming.


    "Captain Charles, why have you been ignoring our invitation?" A voice echoed from behind Charles. The voice seemed to havee from someone with phlegm stuck in their throat, as it sounded as though they were gurgling.


    Charles sneered as he turned. He had thought of many possibilities, but he truly didn''t expect that they would contact him in his dream.


    "Wee with good intentions, and we simply want to discuss a few meters with you, Captain Charles. However, you''ve run away before we can even start talking; you''ve really put us in a troublesome position."


    The voice wasing from a tiny ball covered in green mucus as it floated over in front of Charles.


    <em>I just have to wake up, and I can escape this ce. But how do I wake up? </em>Charles thought.


    Charles had remained silent, but the ball of green mucus remained undeterred as it continued, "Your rtionship with the Pope isn''t exactly that solid, right? I know for a fact that you two are wary of each other."


    "What?" Charles stared at the ball of green mucus. "Have you fallen at a disadvantage against the Pope in the battle?"


    Charles was still falling in the kaleidoscope of distorting darkness with no end in sight. It appeared like the dream itself wasn''t going to end any time soon.


    "No, we''re not here to ask you to help us deal with the Pope," the ball of green mucus replied, "We''re here to talk to you about your ongoing mission."


    "My ongoing mission? Do you want to go to the surface as well?" Charles asked with furrowed brows. It''d be a bad idea for the surface world if that were the case.


    "No, we would never go to a ce beyond the reach of God Fhtagn''s voice. We have to be as close as we can to the Great One before the Final Day for us to have a great chance of following the Great One and bing immortal beings."


    Charles had no idea what the other party was saying; all he wanted to know was the other party''s motives.


    The ball of green mucus seemed to have seen through Charles'' thoughts as it chuckled and said, "What we want you to do is very simple. The Pope has sent you on a mission to find the key to rescue the Light God, but we do not want that."


    "I''m afraid that''s impossible. It doesn''t matter what you say to me; I''m going to the surface no matter what," Charles said, firmly rejecting their suggestion.


    "No, no, no, you''ve misunderstood. We don''t care whether you reach the surface or not; we only care about the Pope. And we don''t want him to reach the surface."


    The implied message was unmistakable: they would do whatever it would take to stop the Pope from reaching the surface.


    "All right, I promise" Charles stopped mid-sentence as an intense, burning pain enveloped him all over. The extreme pain wasn''t just on his skin; the pain had pervaded him from the inside and out.


    The strange darkness around Charles peeled away, and his eyes shot wide open to see that he was back in the bridge. His first mate, second mate, and his boatswain were staring at him with nervous expressions.


    Charles was already awake, but the burning sensation bestowing upon him extreme pain was still there, tormenting him thoroughly.


    <em>What''s going on? </em>Charles thought, trembling like an aspen tree. <em>Did those Fhtagnists make a move against me? That''s impossible. We were just about to negotiate terms, and I was about to agree</em>


    Charles'' pupils constricted just then. He had just realized that the extreme burning sensation was caused by<em> that</em> contract. He could still remember <em>that</em> contracthe had signed it with the Pope while Lily was ill.


    The contract terms stated that the Pope would mobilize the entire Divine Light Order to find a cure for Lily, and Charles would assist the Pope in locating the exit to the surface world in exchange.


    If Charles had agreed to the Fhtagn Covenant''s offer, he would have vited the contract. The extreme burning sensation that had pervaded his bones, radiating all the way to his skin was the contract''s way of telling him that he was about to vite the contract terms.

 Chapter 450: Elder

    Chapter 450: Elder


    The extreme burning sensation subsided. Charles copsed to the ground, gasping for breath at the realization that he had just eluded punishment.


    "Captain, are you okay? What happened?" Dipp reached out and helped Charles get up from the floor.


    "What are you doing here? Go and steer the ship," Charles said. He felt weak all over, but he forced himself to stand straight.


    "It''s fine. We stopped the ship, and it''s not going to drift away with the anchors down," Dipp replied.


    "Stop the ship? Why did you stop the ship?! Hurry up and get us moving out of here before they catch up!" Charles eximed, shoving Dipp away.


    Dipp hurriedly stood at the helm and shoutedmands into the brassmunication pipe, telling the turbine team and the deck team to get the turbines going and weigh anchor.


    Bandages helped Charles to a stool before casting a questioning gaze at thetter.


    "I''m fine. It''s nothing serious. The Fhtagnists are capable of getting into someone''s dreams. Remember to be careful about that in the future," Charles replied.


    "I know" Bandages muttered.


    Charles didn''t dare to fall asleep. He sat on the stool, staring at his crew steer the ship. Just as Charles thought that the crisis had passed, a violent tremor ran across the Narwhalesomething had crashed against her stern.


    "Captain Charles." A familiar voice echoed outside. The voice belonged to the ball of green mucus. Clearly, they had caught up with the Narwhale.


    Charles'' expression became grim. He stood up and walked out of the bridge. On deck, he saw an octopus-headed figure d in a deep purple robe standing on the pitch-ck sea''s surface.


    The octopus-headed figure''s deformed eyes were fixed on Charles.


    "Captain Charles, you haven''t answered me. Do you agree with my proposal?"


    Charles couldn''t possibly agree. The extreme burning sensation was still there, and it reminded Charles of the consequences he would have to face in the event of a contract vition.


    "You''re alone?" Charles asked, ncing at the waters.


    "The others are fighting the idiots of the Divine Light Order. I alone am enough. You''d best think it through before answering, Captain Charles."


    Something beneath the octopus-headed figure moved, and the waters churned as a giant octopus dozens of meters tall appeared before Charles. The massive creature exuded an oppressive aura that bored down on Charles.


    To make matters worse, Charles caught a hint of densely packed Deep Dwellers between the octopus'' tentacles.


    "Haha." Charles chuckled with his head lowered. "Great. I guess I have no choice but to agree."


    Before the octopus-headed figure''s grotesque lips parted into a smile, Charles waved his hand to the left. The deck cannons next to him swiveled over, and deafening explosions thundered afterward. The giant octopus was bombarded with powerful shells, tearing it apart.


    Charles rushed to the bridge amidst the bombardment and seized the wheel. Then, the Narwhale turned sharply as Charles frantically turned the wheel. "Chief Engineer, overload the turbines!"


    The Narwhale''s speed abruptly kicked up a notch; the distance between them and the giant octopus swiftly increased.


    Meanwhile, the mischief of mice on deck moved busily, unleashing hellfire upon the giant octopus using the brand-new deck cannons of the Narwhale. Shells flowed freely as thick smoke and mes engulfed the giant octopus.


    "Agree? Like hell I''d agree! I''m going to die if I agree!" Charles eximed. His words had yet to finish echoing in the air when a massive tentacle stretched out from beneath the surface, and crashed across the Narwhale''s deck.


    The sturdy deck that had been coated with Type-3 Steel caved in upon impact. The crew and the mice lost their bnce and rolled around the deck.


    "Charles! You''re done!" a rage-filled roar echoed from the deep sea.


    "Conor, take the helm! Dipp, deal with that tentacle. Bandages, jump into the fray with me!" Charles immediately let go of the helm and rushed out of the door. The moment he stepped onto the deck, he morphed into a giant bat and grabbed Bandages.


    Together, they flew toward the head of the giant octopus.


    The fury that glistened within the Deep Dweller Elder''s eyes standing on the head of the giant octopus was so thick it was palpable. He looked like he wanted to incinerate Charles on the spot. Filthy bubbles engulfed the Elder''s figure, and he vanished from the giant octopus'' head.


    However, Charles didn''t mind it and charged at the giant octopus. He opened his mouth, revealing his terrifying maw before unleashing a massive sound wave attack toward the giant octopus.


    The giant octopus'' skin peeled off and copsed upon getting hit.


    Bandagesnded on the giant octopus'' head just then. He bent over and burrowed into the flesh of the giant octopus and ck thorns sprang up almost immediately, pervading the cavity in the giant octopus'' flesh.


    The giant octopus retaliated, pounding against the thorns to no avail.


    While Charles was busy with the giant octopus, he saw the Elder in the periphery of his vision. The Elder had manifested inside the Narwhale''s bridge, and he had grabbed Second Mate Conor by the throat.


    "I know you''re quite difficult to handle, Captain Charles. But it''s fine; your crew is so much easier to handle than you," the Elder said. He moved a tentacle and thrust it into Conor''s chest, digging out thetter''s beating heart.


    Witnessing the death of his crew left Charles breathless. In the next moment, he roared, unleashing a flurry of attacks upon the giant octopus, tearing apart chunks of its flesh.


    The Elder snorted coldly at the sight, and he was about to make a move when Dipp charged at him with a dagger in hand.


    The Elder''s wriggling tentacle moved, suspending Dipp in mid-air.


    "A traitor like you deserves to be thrown into the abyss!" the Elder roared.


    Dipp was instantly split into two, but his flesh and blood didn''t scatter onto the floor of the bridge. Instead, Dipp''s figure dispersed into two balls of deep blue mist, which rapidly converged into the silhouette of an unscathed Dipp.


    The deep blue mist then rushed toward the Elder, engulfing thetter in the blink of an eye.


    "What is this?!" the bewildered Elder iled around, but it was useless. Small wounds were starting to umte on him, making him panic. In the end, filthy bubbles enveloped him once more, and he vanished from the bridge.


    The Elder manifested on the Narwhale''s deck, and a thick rope made out of braided steel wires immediately collided with him.


    Charles was thrilled at the sight. Clearly, his crew had grown stronger. In other words, ambushes against them were no longer that effective.


    Although the crew on the Narwhale were struggling against the Elder, Bandages, Charles, and the mischief of mice''s attacks were pretty effective against the giant octopus.


    The giant octopus'' head had already been enveloped by ck thorns, and its tentacles had be sluggish from its injuries.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The mischief of mice aimed their deck cannons and fired, unleashing a hail of shells upon the seemingly motionless giant octopus.


    Charles judged that the giant octopus was as good as dead, so he pped his wings and rushed toward the Narwhale.


    The Elder''s plight became more dangerous as Charles jumped into the fray. The Elder hadn''t been taking a passive beating, but the crew would always interrupt him, making it impossible for him to go on the offensive.


    Charles rushed at the Elder. At close range, even the crew couldn''t stop the Elder from moving his tentacle and suspending Charles in mid-air.


    "Just what did the Pope promise to give you for you to be so loyal to him? One day, he''s going to y you for a fool, you ignorant idiot!!"


    "That''s none of your business. And I think you should be more concerned about whether you''de out of this alive or not!"


    When Charles'' words fell, his tentacles, which he had wrapped around the Elder at some point, unleashed a radiant white electric current. The Elder immediately convulsed upon getting hit, but Charles wasn''t done just yet.


    "Fire!"


    The mice aimed the remaining deck cannons at the Elder, and a thunderous boom echoed immediately afterward as the shells tore the Elder apart.

 Chapter 451: Familiar Island

    Chapter 451: Familiar Ind


    The Elder''s flesh and blood bloomed like fireworks in the air, and it pelted down the Narwhale''s deck like rain.


    Charles descended slowly, staring at the empty space where the Elder had been along with his crew.


    Just as everyone thought it was over, the dripping blood coalesced into concentric circles with an inverted pentagram inside. Hoarse voices soon echoed, and the countless voices converged into a low chanting.


    "Damn it, what''s going on?!" Charles gnashed his teeth. He rushed to the railings and looked out to find that the Deep Dwellers had surrounded the Narwhale in a huge circle formation.


    The waters were cold, but the Deep Dwellers couldn''t care less about the cold as they stared at Charles with their deathly white eyes. The way they gazed at Charles seemed to be saying that thetter was a dead man walking in their eyes.


    Momentster, the Deep Dwellers nonchntly took out their weapons and stabbed their own chests. Green blood gushed out of their wounds, and the surrounding seawater was soon dyed green by their blood.


    "I know you''re difficult to kill, and since you''re Edikth''s Chosen One, I''ll incur Edikth''s curse the moment I kill you. However, I''ve found a solution..." The same gurgling voice Charles had heard in his dream echoed. It seemed that the Elder could stay alive, even without a fleshly body.


    "I''m sure you couldn''t have guessed that I found the Book of the Dead seventy years ago, and it contains the ritual to summon Hypnos.


    "The Light God must not be unsealed! Once He is unsealed, those standing against the Divine Light Order are finished! Since you do not want to work with us, then you deserve to die!"


    Charles ignored the Elder''s remark, and his boots pattered against the deck as he rushed to the bridge with thick beaded sweat covering his forehead. He then seized the helm and turned the wheel frantically, shouting, "Dipp! Hurry up and order the sailors to wipe away those circles on the deck! Quick!"


    Charles thought that they just had to erase the concentric circles on the deck and break out of the encirclement around the Narwhale, and the ritual would be canceled.


    However, it was easier said than done. The Narwhale''s massive propellers spun madly, churning the salty seawater into a froth of white foam, but the ship seemed to have been pinned in ce by huge nails.


    It wouldn''t budge even an inch to Charles'' dismay.


    The turbines were overloaded, and the Narwhale ran at nk speed. However, a metallic creaking noise soon pervaded the ship. The Narwhale eventually started moving, but Charles wasn''t happy at all.


    The concentric circles on the deck were peeling away, but they seemed to be made of razor-sharp lines as they neared the ship''s tower.


    Charles realized one thing at the sightthe concentric circles hadn''t been carved on deck but were carved on the coordinates where the Narwhale had been just a few moments ago.


    At this rate, the concentric circles would split the Narwhale into pieces.


    "Go astern!" Charles roared after immediatelying up with a solution.


    Before Charles could turn the wheel, however, he discovered that the Narwhale''s deck had been coated in a dark substance. A dark, jelly-like substance gushed out of the deck like a deluge, enveloping the ship rather than falling into the sea.


    <em>What is that? </em>Just as Charles'' confusion was about to give birth to questions, he lurched forward, almost keeling over. The Narwhale could move once more, and as the turbines had been overloaded, the massive Narwhale shot out like a speedboat.


    The door was flung open, attracting Charles'' attention. He turned and saw Bandages, covered in octopus blood, walking into the bridge.


    "Bandages! What was he talking about? Hypnos? What is that? What exactly is he trying to summon by sacrificing so many lives?" Charles asked anxiously.


    The Elder''s ritual was definitely going to spell trouble for them, and Charles believed that the former wouldn''t just let them go so easily. It was a good thing that Bandages was here. After all, He was once a follower of the Fhtagn Covenant, so he might know a thing or two about Hypnos.


    Bandages stared at the dark, jelly-like substance that resembled mucus inundating the deck and shook his head slightly. "I don''t know this ritual does not belong to the Fhtagn Covenant"


    Charles'' visage revealed surprise at Bandages'' remark, and that was when a violent tremor ran across the Narwhale. However, the tremors weren''t caused by a collision. The sea outside churned and receded; something gargantuan was about to emerge from the waters!


    Everyone felt a sense of weightlessness just then as the Narwhale took to the air after getting pushed aside by a massive water column. The seawater cascaded down like a waterfall and pelted down on the Narwhale, almost sinking it.


    The seawater washed away the dark, jelly-like substance on the deck; the concentric circles had vanished as well.


    Charles handed the helm to Bandages and rushed out of the bridge. He ran toward the railings and stared at what had emerged from the waters. "Fuck! What the hell is that?!"


    Rather than an ugly, terrifying monster like what Charles had imagined, he saw an ind. The ind had steep rocks that formed cliffs, elevating the summit, which made the ind look like a t-topped mountain.


    <em>He went that far just to raise an ind from the seabed? Wait, why does this ind look so familiar? </em>Charles'' heart abruptly sank. He fell into deep contemtion, and his eyes soon shot wide open in realization.


    He had lost his arm on the ind before him, and it wasn''t an ind!


    It was a Divinity''s finger!


    "Set sail! Hurry up and set sail! The so-called Hypnos that he had summoned is a Divinity!" Charles roared in a voice filled with extreme terror. Knowing that the Divinity was just right below them, he dared not look down even at the floor.


    The Narwhale''s steam whistle pierced the air as she rapidly sailed away from the "ind" amidst the tumultuous waves. It wasn''t just Charles; the old sailors of the Narwhale recognized the "ind" as well, and their eyes shimmered in fear.


    Unfortunately, it was just the beginning. The Narwhale bobbed up and down, quivering violently as more and more "inds" emerged from the sea. When the ordeal was over, a total of thirteen inds had surrounded the Narwhale.


    The sixty-five-meter-long Narwhale was as tiny as a mosquito before the towering inds.


    <em>Rumble!</em>


    A deafening rumbling echoed from the inds, and a shiver went down everyone''s spine as the inds started moving toward the Narwhale, pinching it from all directions.


    The sailors on deck copsed to the floor one after another at the horrifying sight.


    "It''s over"


    Charles also knew that escape was impossible. The Narwhale was just too slowpared to the towering "inds." However, Charles was unwilling to give up just like that, and he still had a trump card.


    Bandages crouched in Charles'' shadow, drawing something with his bleeding, severed fingers. Bandages'' goal was to draw out Charles'' true power as Edikth''s Chosen One.


    "He is a Divinity you are just a chosen one you can''t beat Him."


    "We''ll never know until we try! We can''t give up so easily!" Charles roared and tensed up as he stared intently at the oing inds with a distorted face.


    The sailors stared nkly at their Captain, whom they thought was trying to stand up in vain against absolute strength.


    "Even if I have to die, I''m going to die on my way to the surface!" Charles yelled, his eyes showing nary a trace of fear in the face of an unknown and powerful Divinity.

 Chapter 452: Destination

    Chapter 452: Destination


    An oppressive silence descended upon the Narwhale, and no noises could be heard aside from the crashing waves as well as the grating noiseing from Bandages'' severed fingers as he carved furiously on the deck floor.


    Just as the towering "inds" were about a few hundred meters away from the Narwhale, one of the "inds" shuddered and tilted before plunging into the sea.


    "Wait, there''s something wrong! Something''s happening underneath!" Charles rushed to the railings, leaned over, and craned his neck out to peer into the water.


    Amidst the swaying waves, Charles pped his eyes on a massive blood-red eye.


    It was a Divinity, and Charles had seen it before when he was underwater. Murmurs echoed in Charles almost at the same time as he saw the blood-red eye. His head throbbed in pain, and the murmurs grew louder with every passing second.


    Charles ignored the worsening mental pollution and stared in excitement at the blood-red eye. Five years ago, the blood-red eye was all by itself, but today, there was something else next to it.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A deafening rumbling echoed as another "ind" sank into the abyss. Charles had no inkling of the massive blood-red eye''s identity, but he knew one thing for sure: the blood-red eye was fighting Hypnos!


    "Hurry up and move! This is our final chance to make it out of here alive! Overload the turbines to their limits!" Charles roared hysterically into the brassmunication pipe that led to the turbine room.


    Charles rushed out once more and saw that there were only two inds remaining.


    "You can do it! You can do it! Kill it!" Charles roared with both hands around his mouth, cheering for the entity underwater.


    The distance and the dark waters didn''t allow Charles to make out the figure of the entity, but the entity''s yellow cat pupils were particrly eye-catching.


    <em>Rumble!</em>


    A towering "ind" sank, and the waves pushed the Narwhale farther away. The cat-eyed Divinity seemed to be more powerful than Hypnos, as it had remained at an advantage throughout the battle.


    The tumultuous waves soon calmed down, and the Narwhale eventually got far enough from the battleground where humans had no ce.


    However, Charles dared not to let his guard down and forced the ship to sail even farther away as he stood outside the bridge. He looked around warily with nerves stretched taut and prepared for any ambushes.


    <em>If those "inds" were Hypnos'' fingers, then who is fighting Hypnos? Just how many Divinities exist throughout this vast sea?</em> Charles thought.


    Quite a few burning questions popped up in his mind, but he didn''t really care about the answer to those questions at the moment. Charles'' top priority at the moment was to escape with their lives.


    Just like that, two days and two nights passed. Charles'' taut nerves finally loosenedthe Narwhale was safe.


    The moment he let his guard down, he copsed to the cold, hard floor. He hadn''t slept a wink over the past five days and five nights, so it wasn''t strange that he immediately copsed. Even a man made of iron wouldn''t be able to withstand not sleeping for such a long time, much less Charles.


    Charles slept soundly until someone shook him awake.


    "Captain, wake up. Hurry up and wake up." The voice sounded extremely familiar to Charles, but it was a voice that he wasn''t supposed to hear anymore.


    Charles opened his eyes and found himself on a bed.


    Second Mate Conor was sitting next to him, shaking him awake.


    "Is there something wrong?" Charles asked. Then, without waiting for Conor''s reply, he stood up and put on his boots. He was about to head out when he froze in his steps and cast an astonished gaze at his second mate.


    "Aren''t you dead, Conor?"


    Conor smiled before putting a trembling hand on his chest. "I would have died if I hadn''t been prepared. Fortunately, I knew we''d be in extreme danger, so I made sure to buy a life-saving relic before we set sail.


    "I''ll give you that relic once we disembark, but the price of using it"


    Charles examined Conor from top to bottom and was finally convinced that Conor was indeed alive.


    "Great," Charles said, revealing a relieved smile. "It''s great as long as you''re still alive. I was thinking about how to exin your death to your wife upon our return.


    "It''s okay. You didn''t have to bother. Misha knows everything. You asked me for my help, and I can''t just refuse you. So, I told her that I''m going to help you onest time."


    Conor''s mouth fluttered open to continue speaking, but Charles raised a hand, stopping him. "Let''s save the chit-chat forter once we have time. Anyway, how long was I asleep? Why did you wake me up?"


    "Captain, you''ve been sleeping for two days. I woke you up because we''ve arrived at our destination," Conor replied.


    Charles nodded and rushed out the door.


    Second Mate Conor chased after Charles and called out, "I''m not done yet, Captain. We''ve reached our destination, but there are no inds nearby. Are you sure the nautical chart has no errors?"


    Charles soon arrived at the deck and looked around, along with the other crew members. The dark expanse seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions. There wasn''t even a reef around, not to mention an ind.


    "Audric, do a three-kilometer-perimeter search. Check thoroughly to see if the error is with the nautical chart or us," Charles ordered.


    The blind vampire nodded and spread his wings before disappearing into the darkness.


    Meanwhile, Charles rushed to his quarters to take out the spare nautical chart andpare it to the one on the wall in the bridge.


    The blind vampire eventually returned and told them that there weren''t any nearby inds.


    <em>What''s happening? Did the ind grow legs and run away? </em>Charles thought, frowning slightly as he stared at the nautical chart before him. As soon as he fell into deep contemtion, he realized something and looked up abruptly. <em>An ind can''t run away because it doesn''t have any legs, but it can definitely sink!</em>


    "We''re diving! We''re going to look for any clues underwater!" Charles shouted. At his order, the crew sprang into action. Cold seawater filled the bast tanks, and the huge steel tes forged from Type-3 Steel soon covered the deck.


    The Narwhale dove straight down, illuminating the dark waters with its searchlights. The sea was extremely deep, and it seemed as though they would never reach the bottom even if they were to dive endlessly.


    Five minutester, Norton peeking outside through the periscope abruptly shouted, "Reporting to Captain! Seafloor discovered! However, there is something strange with the seafloor!"


    Charles rushed over and pushed Norton aside to use the periscope. With excellent night vision, Charles saw more than Norton had seen. There wasn''t any sunken ind on the dark seafloor, but there was something else.


    There was an uneven stretch of terrain to the Narwhale''s right. Someone seemed to have scraped the ground there, creating an uneven path.


    "Port about, heading thirty. Let''s go over and take a closer look. The topography doesn''t look natural," Charles said.


    The Narwhale moved ording to Charles'' order, but the uneven path seemed to extend endlessly into the dark waters.


    Charles was also ovee with a strange feeling just then. For some reason, he felt like the ind housing the key had transformed into a snail and crawled away, leaving behind a trail of uneven path.


    <em>Did it really grow legs and run away? </em>Charles thought. He considered many possibilities, but none of them could exin the bizarre scene before them. Regardless of the truth behind the strange scene, nothing could stifle Charles'' determination to find the key, and he ordered the Narwhale to keep tracing the uneven path.

 Chapter 453: Found

    Chapter 453: Found


    The journey stretched way longer than Charles'' anticipation. After fifteen days, they still hadn''t located the ind that housed the key.


    The ind didn''t move in a straight line; it would asionally take twists and turns and even draw loops under the water''s surface. Not much distance was covered but a great deal of time was invested on Charles'' end.


    Nheless, the Narwhale had to continue her advance. They had already expended so much effort and time. Giving up was not an option.


    However, a new problem soon surfaced when First Mate Bandages ced a piece of document before Charles. It was a chart indicating that they were running low on supplies.


    Before the voyage, Charles had already made the preparations and stored extra food and fresh water for emergencies. However, even he wouldn''t have anticipated a moving ind.


    "We must conserve our supplies for the return journey" Bandages reminded Charles.


    "I know, I know. Let me think." Charles held up the chart in one hand and scratched his head with the other as he walked toward the Captain''s Quarters.


    Of course, they could return now and devise another strategy beforeing over again, but then they would have to waste a few more months in between.


    Brows furrowed, Charles locked himself in his quarters, letting the cogs in his head run for a solution. After several hours, he actually managed toe up with one.


    "Look. We are moving south at thirty nautical miles per hour. If we take half of our return supplies to continue exploring, we canst another 23 days if we ration them carefully," Charles proposed.


    "But with half the supplies we won''t make it back Unless we kill half the people on board," Bandages replied from across Charles'' desk.


    "Wait, I''m not done. Look over here," Charles said as he tapped a spot on the nautical chartit was a charted ind.


    "Half of the return supplies won''t get us back to Hope Ind, but it would be sufficient for us to reach this previously charted ind with the Ropelings. The colorful trees there can serve as fuel, while the forest mushrooms and insects can be gathered as food.


    "If Salin, the child Linda adopted, managed to survive on the ind until twenty-five, it is evident that there is ample food there. We can head there for a restock of supplies."


    As Charles spoke, he began to plot a new return course on the nautical chart.


    Bandages had noments on Charles'' proposition. He merely nodded and stood up to leave.


    Previously at a standstill while Charles pondered over their next move, the Narwhale finally resumed her journey. The crew started dipping into their return supplies, but there wasn''t enough for everyone to eat their fill. They could only satisfy their hunger by about eighty percent.


    Day by day, the Narwhale followed the ind''s trails on the seabed and advanced ahead. Typically, the Narwhale would sail on the water''s surface with Dipp diving periodically to confirm if they were heading in the correct direction. After all, being on the water''s surface was much safer than being under it.


    However, even the surface came with its own dangers.


    <em>Boom! Boom! Boom!</em>


    The deck cannons roared furiously, their projectiles aimed at a glowing dot in the distance.


    Poking his head out of the bridge, Charles yelled, "Dipp! Conserve the cannonballs! It has stopped chasing; we need to make our escape now!"


    Dipp, who was manning the deck cannons, hopped down from his spot and ran toward Charles. "Sorry, sorry!" He said with a sheepish grin "I got a bit carried away seeing that familiar monster. I couldn''t stop myself from ring up."


    Charles turned his gaze toward the side of the Narwhale and saw their enemy that was more than twice the vessel''s size and cloaked in a viscousyer of ck slime. Its round head with a vertical maw gradually sank into the waters.


    Its tentacles, covered in pus-filled blisters, writhed relentlessly, evoking a sense of revulsion among the observers.


    The relentless cannon fire had nearly shattered its grotesque form, with fragments of its dark flesh swiftly scattering and blending into the inky dark waters.


    "Familiar? You''ve seen that thing before?" Charles asked as he turned and walked into the cockpit.


    Dipp followed after Charles. With his voiceced with a slight thrill, he answered "Of course! Captain, have you forgotten? On S.S. Mouse''sst journey back to the Coral Archipgo, we encountered that thing. Ha! It finally died by my hands!"


    At Dipp''s words, Charles was instantly reminded of their previous boatswainthe monster had yed him and donned his skin.


    So it was this creature that had rammed their ship back then. However, times had changed. It had sought trouble with the Narwhale, so it could only me its own misfortune.


    "Enough chatter. Dive down and check if the Narwhale has veered off course," Charles instructed.


    "Aye!" Dipp acknowledged the order and dashed out of the bridge. Without any hesitation, he leaped overboard and plunged into the sea with a ssh.


    Charles studied the nautical chart on the wall, his gaze tracing the path the Narwhale had navigated as he mentally calcted how much longer their remaining supplies couldst. Unfortunately, the conclusion was far from optimistic.


    Without taking his hands off the wheel, Bandages turned to look at Charles. "When we return this time I n to move my family to the Central District Can you y along and put up a show with me?"


    Charles turned around and looked at Bandages in surprise. "You really don''t n to tell them all the things you have been through?"


    Bandages gripped the wheel tighter. "I don''t know how to exin It''s better this way"


    Charles agreed with a nod. "Alright. I''ll say that you made huge contributions on this mission and reward you with a house in the ind''s heart."


    "Thank you"


    "Don''t mention it. We''ve been through so much together," Charles replied with a smile and turned his gaze back onto the nautical chart.


    But after a brief moment, he turned back toward Bandages once more. "By the way, since it''s just the two of us here, there''s something I need to discuss with you. If I really get to return to the surface, I hope that you can take over my ce as the Governor of Hope Ind."


    Bandages'' eyes widened in surprise. He understood the weight of Charles'' words and their implied meaning.


    "You n on nevering back?"


    Charles hesitated for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle. "Not necessarily. If I get tired of the world up there, I''lle down to check on you guys. But if I leave, someone needs to fill that position in my absence. You had served in that position for three years; you''d be the perfect fit."


    Bandages remained silent, but years of understanding allowed Charles to know that the former had agreed.


    "Thank you."


    "Don''t mention it We''ve been through so much together"


    Hearing Bandages echo his earlier words, Charles couldn''t help butugh softly.


    Time ticked by as Charles awaited Dipp''s return. But soon, he grew concerned that Dipp had been gone for a tad too long.


    Under typical circumstances, Dipp would return within three minutes, but now it had already passed five.


    "Damn it. I hope nothing''s happened," Charles cursed under his breath as he stepped out of the bridge and peered into the pitch-ck waters.


    Just as he was about to give the order for the Narwhale to dive, he spotted his boatswain''s fish head emerging from the waters.


    Dipp''s face was painted with excitement as he shouted, "Captain! The ind! We''ve found it! It''s right below us, and it''s still moving!"

 Chapter 454: Island

    Chapter 454: Ind


    As cold water flowed into the bast tanks of the Narwhale, her weight increased. Coupled with the pull of gravity, she turned into her submarine state and descended beneath the water''s surface.


    Charles stood on the deck and peered through the ss window on the steel te. His eyes caught a hazy blob of luminescence from afar.


    The indy diagonally below the Narwhale; itsndmass seemed as vast as Hope Ind itself.


    "Bandages, steer us closer."


    As the Narwhale gradually closed the distance between herself and the ind, everyone aboard was astonished by the sight before them.


    The lights on the submerged ind illuminated the surrounding dark, chilly waters, and the massive ind was slowly inching forward.


    Towering buildings stood erected on the ind. The illumination they had seen from afar came from the lights filtering through the buildings'' windows.


    The ind''s architectural style was rather modern. If not for the fact that they were underwater, Charles would have thought they had arrived above Shanghai''s Lujiazui.


    The buildings could only be the work of the Foundation, and Charles was sure of it. If the Foundation had transported the key to this ind using an aircraft carrier, the presence of their buildings here was only natural.


    However, what surprised him were the presence of lights on the ind and thend''s ability to move.


    As they drew even closer, Charles noted more details of the ind. Rows of gigantic tracked treads were attached to the base of the bustling ind.


    The massive treads could not possibly be man-made; humans had never managed to create something bigger or broader than a mountain. The ind seemed more like a Divinity''s toy vehicle.


    Charles recalled Dawn One, the entity that hung high over Newbound City. Considering that, it seemed usible that the Foundation was fully capable of creating such a colossal, mobile mechanical ind.


    Utilizing the powers of various relics, the Foundation was almost equivalent to a god.


    <em>The ind can move, and the lights in the buildings are still on. Are there still people from the Foundation on it?</em>


    The thought briefly entered Charles'' mind before it rapidly disappeared. He didn''t know what happened to the Foundation, but he knew that any hint of their existence had already been wiped off in the Subterranean Sea.


    "Captain, what''s our next move? Do we continue our approach? The ind looks somewhat dangerous. Man It''s not alive, right?" Dipp asked.


    Charles'' brow furrowed at Dipp''s question. However, havinge this far, he had no intention to just turn away and leave.


    "Get me the diving suit. I''ll go down to take a look. Dipp,e with me," Charles ordered and made his way toward the dpression chamber.


    Charles donned the heavy diving suit that weighed over a hundred kilograms, and cold seawater began to fill the chamber.


    "In the case of any situation, follow my orders! Don''t act recklessly," Charles shouted to Dipp as the seawater gradually consumed him.


    "Got it!" Dipp shed a grin that revealed hip sharp, pointy teeth.


    Once the water pressure within the chamber had reached an equilibrium with the outside, Dipp forcefully twisted the valve. Instantly, Charles and Dipp plunged into the dark waters.


    Kicking his webbed feet, Dipp swam behind Charles, pushing him deeper into the waters.


    As they closed the gap, the more intricate details of the moving underwater ind became clearer to Charles. He was aware that the movingndmass was an ind, but the underwater lights sparked his curiosity about the identities of its inhabitants.


    A mile short of the ind, Charles abruptly stopped andmunicated with Dipp using g semaphore. Dipp then towed him along as they slowly glided over the top of the ind.


    Meanwhile, Charles looked down to survey the massive ind stretching for dozens of kilometers below them. So far, he saw no danger.


    However, he couldn''t find the colossal key that he was looking for as well. If such a huge key were present, it would surely be visible at a nce. It seemed that the key to the surface door was not on the ind''s surface and a deeper exploration was required. A mere external observation was far from sufficient.


    "Dipp, let''s descend slowly," Charles instructed.


    However, the Deep Dweller holding Charles'' head in both hands shook his head in refusal. He gestured his intention to dive down alone first for a preliminary scout.


    With that, Dipp released Charles, and with a vigorous kick of his limbs, he darted away akin to a swift barracuda. Charles instinctively stretched out his hand in an attempt to catch Dipp, but thetter effortlessly eluded his grasp.


    Frustrated, Charles cursed and swore inside his diving suit. He had just told Dipp earlier to listen to hismand, but the youngd still made a rash move.


    He knew that Dipp was acting out of concern for his safety, scouting for any potential dangers first. However, thest thing Charles wanted was for situations to be beyond his control.


    Dipp returned as quickly as he left. He darted toward Charles who was hovering in the water by his oxygen hose and gestured rapidly with his arms. "Captain, it''s safe, no threats detected."


    Charlesnded a firm punch to Dipp''s chest in frustration before waving at the Narwhale. It was a signal to descend.


    As the Narwhale slowly descended, Charles followed Dipp down toward the ind.


    Having absolute control over the Narwhale''s speed, Bandages was meticulously cautious. The ship descended at a crawl, and he seemed ready to reel Charles back at a moment''s notice using the oxygen hose.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Charles'' thick steel diving boots struck the pavement, sending a cloud of dust swirling into the water around him.


    Hended at the edge of the ind. The presence of the towering metal cranes and orderly arranged containers led him to deduce that this site had formerly been a dock equipped with modern amenities.


    As Charles made his way, he meticulously observed his surroundings. Remarkably, the area was immacte. Aside from a thinyer of silt on the ground, the buildings and docks were free of any coral or barnacle encroachment.


    This cleanliness was undeniably unusual. Even a deserted area onnd would exhibit some decay or natural encroachment, let alone a location submerged in the sea.


    <em>Whirrrrr!</em>


    Charles'' prosthetic arm swiftly transformed into a chainsaw, and he swung it toward a nearby container.


    He then examined the cut and confirmed that the container was indeed made from metal and not some counterfeit goods like those he saw on the ind with the Meeh''eks.


    This revtion was unsettling; it raised the possibility that the ind could still be fortified with the Foundation''s defensive weaponry.


    <em>Thud! Thud! Thud! </em>


    More sailors d in diving suits emerged from the Narwhale andnded on the ind. They gathered around Charles, awaiting further instructions on their next move.


    "Search for any signs of life and anything with inscriptions," Charles gestured.


    Charles didn''t instruct them to search for the key. Given its enormous size, he couldn''t possibly overlook it in in sight. He wasn''t blind.


    With bulky oxygen tubes trailing behind them, Charles led his crew in a carpet exploration of the dock.


    As the minutes trickled by, the strength of the sailors was starting to wane. Soon enough, they had to do a periodical rotation of personnel. The efficiency of a search like this was low but safety and stability took priority.


    "Captain, I''ll search over there; this is too slow," Dipp suggested as he pointed to a new area.


    "No. We have to move together. Everyone must stay within sight of each other," Charles turned down the proposition without hesitation.


    Gradually, they scoured the entire dock and started venturing into a new area.


    Meanwhile, out of their sight, a small gray bird the size of a ping-pong ball was perched atop a utility pole. Its head was reced by a silver metal camera emitting a soft red glow.


    The lens zoomed in and out, reflecting the figures of Charles and his crew as they continued their search for clues.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Are they going to fight humans this time? 0.0</blockquote>

 Chapter 455: Pogro

    Chapter 455: Pogro


    The bright streetmps illuminated the streets of the submerged ind. However, walking along the deserted underwater path stirred an eerie sense of unease in Charles.


    "Ready your weapons. Stay alert." Charles would periodically signal to the sailors around him using g semaphore.


    Above them, the Narwhale''s dark torpedounch pods were open, ready tounch an attack at the first sign of any enemy.


    Suddenly, a white shadow fleeted past at the far end of the street. Charles'' keen eyes noticed it, but he decided against a pursuit.


    <em>There''s something here, and they''ve noticed us.</em> Charles thought, his heart hung in suspense. He knew he couldn''t just wait passively for their unknown foe to make a move. Thus, he made a subtle gesture with his hand. Dipp picked up the cue and slowly drifted away from their formation.


    Pretending as though nothing had happened, Charles continued to lead his crew slowly down the streets. He held back from sending his crew into the surrounding buildings to explore, just in case of an ambush from the entity he spotted earlier.


    The ce felt increasingly unnerving, and for a moment, Charles really missed Feuerbach''s red sharks.


    Perhaps Charles''ck of reaction had given their observer a false sense of security. Several minutester, atop a small building some two hundred meters from Charles, a white head cautiously peeked out again.


    Just as the entity silently observed Charles and his group from afar, he failed to realize that a grotesque, terrifying Deep Dweller had already positioned himself right above.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    With a swift movement, Dipp lunged directly at the figure with his ws bared.


    "Captain! I caught it! It''s a kid!" Dipp shouted, his gills ring up as his voice resonated underwater.


    Despite the heavy diving suit, Charles hurriedly dashed over. Soon, he saw the entity who had been spying on them and was currently in Dipp''s grasp.


    The boy looked extremely ordinary. He wore a white baseball cap over his head and brightly colored children''s clothes. His entire appearance was simr to that of a kid in the surface world. Not some underwater creature, but just another normal boy.


    The child seemed terrified by Dipp''s monstrous appearance as he struggled and twisted in thetter''s grip, shouting for help.


    <em>The subterraneannguage? This boy canmunicate?</em>


    Charles'' mind raced for a n, and he soon gestured toward their ship. Conversing underwater was inconvenient in the water, but now that they had their hands on an "informant," it was time for a thorough interrogation.


    The divers'' bulky oxygen tubes retracted, pulling them toward the Narwhale. Meanwhile, Dipp had the boy firmly in his grip as he swam toward the dpression chamber.


    The seawater inside the Narwhale''s dpression chamber drained slowly. As the water level gradually dropped, the boy saw Charles''s countenance through the helmet''s ss. The boy''s extremely terrified expression eased significantly.


    Charles signaled to Bandages, who was on standby outside the chamber, to keep the door shut. He turned to face the boy, who looked no older than eight or nine years old.


    "Can you understand me?" Charles asked.


    "Who are you people? Why did you catch me? I didn''t do anything. I was just looking. Is looking not even allowed?" the boy replied in quick defense, his voiceced with evident panic.


    Seeing that the boy couldmunicate, Charles let out a sigh of relief. Communication would simplify matters. For all the years he had been in the Subterranean Sea, this was the first time he encountered an ind native whom he could hold a smooth dialogue with.


    "Don''t hurt me! I don''t have much on me, but I can give you everything I have. I was wrong; I shouldn''t have sneaked out of the shelter," the boy bbered on as he reached out a hand toward Charles'' arm forfort.


    However, the swift whirring of a chainsaw sttered crimson blood.


    Drops of blood dripped onto the floor as the boy screamed in fear. He clutched his right hand in pain where the nail of his middle finger had been sheared off, his legs trembling non-stop.


    "Quiet! You''re so annoying!" Second Mate Conor snapped as he pped the boy across the face, stunning the kid into silence.


    Charles stretched out a hand and pushed Conor back. He then approached the boy with a calm gaze.


    "My reaction might have been a bit excessive; I apologize. We''ve just met, and it''s best not to make any sudden moves. Fortunately, it''s just a minor injury," Charles said. However, his words did little to snap the boy out of his daze. The boy stood frozen, like a glitching machine.


    Charles lightly tapped the boy''s shoulder, hoping to snap him out of his daze. However, the touch sent a shudder through the boy. His face almost fell apart in distress as a trickle of yellow liquid seeped out from under him.


    All signs so far suggested that the boy was just an ordinary child, but Charles'' guard didn''t wane in the slightest.


    After all, no child, neither on the surface world nor in the Subterranean Sea had the ability to naturally breathe underwater.


    Charles moved toward the dpression chamber''s door and exchanged a few words through a crack with Bandages on the other side.


    Soon, Bandages returned with an assortment of items. Among them, there was the Soul Printer and a few sugar cubes.


    "What''s your name?" Charles ced the printer on the ground and asked the first question.


    Being surrounded by a group of men in heavy diving suits, towering nearly twice his height, the boy struggled against the urge to burst into tears. His lips quivered, parting and closing several times before he finally answered, "PoPogro"


    <em>Click click click</em>


    The printer started working and soon produced a piece of paper. The line of text on it confirmed the boy''s words; his name was indeed Pogro.


    "Good. Now Pogro, can you tell me the name of this ind?" Charles asked a second question as he pushed a cube of sugar into the boy''s mouth.


    "Ind 68," Pogro replied as water droplets trickled down his brown hair. The sweetness of the sugar seemed to soothe him; at least his body wasn''t trembling as severely as before.


    <em>Ind 68, huh? That naming convention sure sounds very much like the Foundation. </em>Charles mused to himself.


    "Apart from you, are there anyone else on the ind?" Charles continued his interrogation.


    Pogro nodded in affirmation. "Yeah they''re all in the shelter beneath the streets. The mayor said there''s been a great threat recently and forbade us froming out."


    <em>A mayor? It seems like there''s still some semnce ofw and order in the humanmunity on this ind. That''s reassuring.</em>


    "Then have you seen a colossal key on Ind 68? If you can help me find the key, I''ll let you go back immediately."


    The hope of returning home sparked a glint of hope in Pogro''s eyes that had been filled with dread. He reached for his neck and produced a round-handled key from underneath his clothes.


    "Are you looking for a key? Does this key work? It''s the key to my house''s front door," Pogro said and offered the key to Charles.


    Charles shook his head. "Not this kind of key. See our ship right here? The key I''m talking about is ten times bigger than this ship."


    Pogro cast a fearful nce at Conor, who was eyeing him with a stern gaze, and he stuttered, "I don''t know"


    Charles tried to press for more details, but clearly, the boy knew very little. Whether it was the Foundation or the key, Pogro was not able to provide any significant information.


    Just as Charles was pondering how to extract more clues from Pogro, Bandages pushed the door open and entered the dpression chamber.


    "Captain... there''s something outside... flying toward us."

 Chapter 456: "Fighter Planes"

    Chapter 456: "Fighter nes"


    <em>Are those things here to save the child? </em>Charles thought to himself with his brow furrowed as he peered through the ss window at the approaching enemies.


    A dozen or so aircraft-like metallic constructs were circling around the Narwhale. The wings of the typical helical fighter nes had been reced by those of a goose. As the wings pped incessantly, they propelled the elliptical bodies through the water with swift agility.


    Faced with the strange underwater "fighter nes" of unknown allegiance, First Mate Bandages raised a proposition, "Captain should weunch a torpedo to test them out?"


    Charles pondered briefly over Pogro''s appearance and then slowly shook his head. "Wait. I''ll take Pogro out there and see if we can negotiate.


    "There''s no need to engage in unnecessary conflicts. It would be best if we could use this opportunity to start an effective dialogue with the ind''s natives. It''s always better to resolve issues through words rather than with bullets."


    As the icy sea water filled the dpression chamber again, Charles crouched down to face the child and stuffed the remaining pieces of candy into his small hands.


    He continuously reassured Pogro, "Something''s approaching us; they''re likely here to save you. When we get out there, tell them I''ve no ill intentions. I''m just here in search of an item."


    Holding the sugar candies in his hand, Pogro nodded away, though it was unclear if he truly understood or was simply too scared to disagree.


    With a hiss, the dpression chamber''s hatch swung open. Air bubbles escaped into the sea and swiftly ascended to the surface.


    Charles held the boy in his grasp and entered the chilly waters once again. To show that he held no hostility, he opted toe out all alone.


    A hint of fear flickered across Pogro''s eyes as his gazended on the "fighter nes" in the distance. He turned to nce at Charles next to him, and the fear intensified.


    "Hey! Don''t attack them! They said they are nice people!" Pogro yelled toward the enigmatic metal constructs.


    Charles arched an eyebrow in puzzlement. <em>What''s with himbeling us as nice people? Do kids know sarcasm from a young age?</em>


    Pogro continued shouting loudly underwater. From his focused expression, he seemed unaware of the oddity in his sentences.


    The "fighter nes" around them halted and aligned themselves side by side. The pilots within seemed to be discussing their next move.


    As the seconds ticked away, Charles felt that the situation had entered a deadlock and he knew he had to do something to change the situation for the better.


    "Go back. Exin to them personally," Charles urged and gently pushed Pogro forward. Not expecting Charles'' action, Pogro abruptly floated several meters away.


    Since the "nes" didn''tunch an immediate attack, Charles saw this as the chance for him to express his goodwill first.


    Being able to use such sophisticated machinery suggested that these natives possessed high intelligence. Besides, he was the one who had captured Pogro in the first ce; returning the child meant no loss to him.


    Pogro nced back at Charles and then made an unexpected move. He spread his arms wide and swiftly dove toward the buildings below. He swam so rapidly and didn''t even bother to grab the floating sugar candies that had escaped his grasp.


    Just as Pogro was nearing the buildings, the "fighter nes" shot a missile.


    Out of everyone''s expectations, the missile obliterated the boy, Pogro, reducing him into a bloody mist.


    d in his diving suit, Charles was stunned. Those observing from within the Narwhale were in equal disbelief. What was happening? Wasn''t he one of their own?


    Before Charles coulde around from the unexpected turn of events, the bizarrely fused "fighter nes" pivoted. Their undercarriages opened to reveal a missile with a live chicken''s head at the tip, and it flew toward Charles.


    Charles tried to dodge, but the heavy diving suit had reduced his agility drastically. He couldn''t avoid it!


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A violent explosion sent Charles spinning, and the powerful shockwave propelled him through the water. He struggled against the continuous aftershocks and fought to right himself. He knew the Narwhale hade under attack and he needed to return immediately to assist.


    After much trouble, he finally managed to find his footing, but he found himself in a drastically worse situation: the st hadpletely torn apart his heavy diving suit.


    The intense water pressure forced seawater into his lungs, and that familiar sense of suffocation assaulted him once again.


    Charles gritted down on his teeth and quickly reached behind him for the oxygen tube. However, he found the bulky tube to be severed by the explosion as well.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    Another thunderous roar sounded as another missile hit Charles and flung him even further away.


    An acute pain shot through his body once more. Without the protection of his heavy diving suit this time, the searing pain coursing through him made it clear that he had sustained serious injuries.


    Charles knew he only managed to survive due to the stones in his body that had enhanced his defense. Otherwise, he would have been pulverized into dust as Pogro had been moments earlier.


    The injuries were still manageable, but the bigger problem was how far he was from the Narwhale now. The feeling of suffocation intensified; he was close to drowning.


    Charles'' arms iled as he struggled hard to push through the crimson water that was stained with his own blood toward the Narwhale.


    His eyes stung from the impurities in the water as he struggled to open them to assess the situation. He saw the Narwhale swiftly changing course andunching torpedoes at those strange metal constructs.


    The Narwhale''s hull, reinforced with Type-3 Steel, exhibited astonishing defensive capabilities. Enemy missiles managed only to create minor dents on her robust exterior.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A dark shadow sped toward Charles. It was Dipp; he hade to rescue his captain.


    "Captain! Hold on! I''ll get you to the ship." Dipp held Charles in his grasp as they sped toward the dpression chamber.


    Another missile flew toward them, but Dipp''s agility in the water was unparalleled. He nted his body and dodged it effortlessly.


    Just as he was about to bring Charles through the hatch of the dpression chamber, a hand gripped the hatch''s side and held them in ce. It was Charles'' hand.


    "Captain! Come up! You''ll drown!" Dipp cried out anxiously.


    However, Charles shook his head slightly. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath of seawater through his nose. The sensation of suffocation was intense, but strangely, his consciousness remained clear. This was far from normal.


    <em>Something''s amiss about this seawater. I can breathe underwater here.</em>


    <em>Woosh!</em>


    Another missile whizzed toward him and created a trail of bubbles. Charles swiftly turned and propelled himself away from the ship''s edge, narrowly evading the attack.


    The explosion''s shockwaves sent Charles tumbling through the water, but when he regained his stance and faced those bizarre flying machines, a cold smile crept across his face.


    "Quite cunning... Truly a disy of high intellect to stage an ambush. Dipp! Have everyonee out. If we''re able to breathe underwater in this ce, there''s nothing for us to fear," Charles asserted.


    He thenunched his prosthetic arm''s grappling hook toward one of the peculiar machines flying past. The grappling hooks sharp end punctured the machine''s tail wing and left a trail of blood in the water.

 Chapter 457: Seal

    Chapter 457: Seal


    A clinking noise echoed as the chains retracted, pulling Charles closer to the "fighter ne." Before Charles collided with the empennage, he caught a glimpse of the terror-filled gaze of the pilot whose head looked like an engorged tumor.


    Radiant white lightning arcs danced across the "fighter ne," and a thunderous boom echoed as the "fighter ne" exploded, killing the pilot in the cockpit.


    The powerful shockwaves sent Charles flying away. He immediately attempted to stabilize himself when a ck shadow fleeted past him from behind. It was yet another "fighter ne," and the distance between them was a mere five meters.


    The "fighter ne" folded its wings and hurriedly distanced itself from Charles. The pilot seemed afraid of Charles'' unknown but powerful ability that thetter had just demonstrated to decimate an entire ne.


    The pilot with a strange head had just flown a short distance away when he was stunned to discover that Charles was following closely behind his "fighter ne," which was flying at breakneck speed.


    Unbeknownst to the pilot, Charles'' invisible tentacles had a range of exactly five meters, and they had alreadytched on to the "fighter ne''s" fusge, allowing Charles to hitch a ride.


    A crackling noise echoed, followed by a thunderous boom as the "fighter ne" met the same horrible end as the previous "fighter ne."


    The remaining "fighter nes" seemed to have noticed Charles'' threat, and they all turned around, rushing toward Charles to focus all fire on him. The bombardment resulted in Charles losing a few tentacles, but he wasn''t panicking at all.


    Instead, a hint of excitement suffused his lips. His years of experience meant that he had seen far more bizarre things than these "fighter nes," and his years of experience also meant that he was no longer afraid of the visible and tangible.


    Without the constraints of requiring oxygen to breathe, Charles could go all out.


    "Very well,e at me."


    A clicking sound echoed as Charles'' prosthetic middle finger popped out and retracted. The Invisibility Ring slipped on Charles'' middle finger, and he rapidly became transparent until he seemed to have melted with the seawater.


    In the face of the invisible Charles, the "fighter nes" couldn''t retaliate at all. In addition, Bandages and the other crew members began deploying mines in the seawater around them, sealing the fates of the "fighter nes."


    A cacophony of explosions rang out incessantly as explosions resembling beautiful fireworks blossomed in the water. However, Charles was astonished to find that the "fighter nes" left no debris, as if they were entities with no physical forms.


    Charles wanted to collect a living hostage, but the absence of any debris meant that he couldn''t execute his n at all.


    Regardless, the fierce battle continued. Something approached them from the side just then. Charles turned and saw four oing drones.


    The sight of quadcopter drones in the pitch-ck depths of the Subterranean Sea was an utterly bizarre sight; these drones were supposed to exist only in the modern world up above, but the reality was right before their eyes.


    There were indeed drones flying toward them and even more bizarre was that the drones dropped pen-sized gun barrels revolving around a central shaft. In the next moment, the barrels rotated and rained down bullets upon the "fighter nes."


    The drones were assisting Charles and his crew.


    Scratching the itch on his neck, Charles revealed himself and realized that the ind had more than just one faction. It seemed that there were two factions on the ind, and each faction was hostile to each other.


    <em>Is thete Pogro from the same faction where these drones are from? No wonder he tried to leave when I asked him to approach them.</em> Charles thought. However, he quickly set his thoughts aside, knowing that he couldn''t ponder over it right now.


    Charles, his crew, and the four quadcopter drones attacked the "fighter nes."


    The addition of the four quadcopter drones capable of firing incessant waves of bullets put the "fighter nes" at a huge disadvantage. In no time, the "fighter nes" with bird wings vanished into the waters.


    The crew members held their weapons tightly while casting a wary gaze upon the four hovering ck boxes.


    Charles stepped up and walked up to the hovering boxes.


    "Surely, you can see me right now, can''t you? I mean no harm. Where are you guys right now?" Charles asked, staring into the drone cameras.


    Redser beams shot out just then from the buildings down below, and they all converged on Charles.


    Charles looked down and saw a group of individuals d inbat uniformsreminiscent of the surface world''s special forcesstanding on the deste streets. The redser beams on Charles wereing from the sights of their firearms.


    Charles examined them from top to bottomthe skull masks, the battle helmets, and the grenades and incendiaries hanging from their waists made them a familiar sight to Charles.


    "Put your weapons away and follow me down. No one is to make a move without my orders," Charles said. He waved his hands and swam down ahead of his crew members. In the face of so many gun barrels pointing at him, Charles raised his hands, indicating that he was unarmed.


    "Captain, you have to be careful," a soldier wearing a special eyepatch said to the helmetless individual next to him, "That guy has many invisible tentacles in front of him. He may not be a human being!"


    The atmosphere instantly became tense, and the soldiers hurriedly pulled down their four-eyed goggles over their eyes before resting their fingers on the triggers of their firearms.


    <em>They can see my tentacles? From their attire, it seems like these guys are the remnants of the Foundation.</em> Charles mulled, slightly startled by the revtion.


    He had always believed that the Foundation had vanished long ago, but the scene before him had ignited a glimmer of hope within him. Clearly, these people were from the surface, just like him.


    Charles emerged from his contemtion and retracted his tentacles. "I''m not a monster. I''m just an ordinary person.


    However, the so-called "Captain" wasn''t easily convinced. He raised his gun slightly and pointed it at Charles, asking, "What''s that thing in your right eye? How about that tattoo on your neck? And why are you giving off an energy response?"


    "Don''t even think about trying to ambush us by going invisible! Our W-V goggles can see through your little trick!" the Captain eximed.


    Charles felt like he was naked before the four-eyed goggles of the soldiers as he pondered over his response. While Charles was in the middle of contemtion, a voice apanied by radio static echoed from the soldiers'' walkie-talkie.


    "Seal, acknowledge upon receipt. A small gray bird is perched on a utility pole at your six o''clock. Immediate retreat is rmended. Over."


    The so-called "Captain" pressed on his walkie-talkie and tilted his head slightly toward the walkie-talkie. "Seal, roger that. Over."


    It seemed that the "Captain" of these troops had the moniker "Seal," and he turned to look at Charles. Sweeping his gaze across Charles'' group, "Seal" said, "You have two choices: either you immediately leave Ind 68, or you''ll drop all your weapons and allow us to escort you to the person in charge of us."


    The answer couldn''t be much easier for Charles. "I choose the second option, but please give me a moment. I need to retrieve something.


    Then, Charles turned to Dipp next to him and said, "Boatswain, go up and bring my diary down here. I want to record everything that I''m about to see. The rest of the crew on the ship must stay put on and await my next orders."


    Dipp nodded and swam swiftly toward the Narwhale. Soon, he returned with Charles'' diary, which was wrapped securely.


    Running his hand over the diary, Charles smiled at Seal and said, "Can we go now? I have so many questions I want to ask you."<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Author: Oh you want to predict my plot based on whether I name characters? Try harder~


    Also, I didn''t want to say this, but please continue giving your support, be it through word of mouth or through championing the novel, to keep the novel going. I really hope I can deliver the story up till the final chapter.</blockquote>

 Chapter 458: Negotiation

    Chapter 458: Negotiation


    A group of individuals d in ckbat uniforms surrounded Charles as they walked down a smooth, clean floor with their muddy, filthy boots.


    They were in a massive underground garage, but there weren''t any cars around.


    Charles no longer felt suffocated. But rather than saying that the feeling had disappeared, it was more like Charles was starting to get used to it.


    With a diary in hand, Charles nced at "Seal" next to him. "Seal" was arge-framed man towering over 1.9 meters tall, and his well-defined, bulging muscles remained evident despite hisyers of equipment.


    "Seal" had a square jaw, and his eyes glimmered with resilience beneath his short, cropped hair.


    "Are you members of a task force?" Charles asked, turning to "Seal." All of you seem to be well equipped and with enough experience handling a variety of anomalies."


    "Seal''s" eyes glimmered in surprise, but he chose not to engage in a conversation with Charles. Soon, the group arrived at the farthest end of the garage, and they were standing before what seemed like a dead end.


    "Seal" stepped forward just then and reached out with his right hand d in a fingerless glove toward the wall. A series of chimes echoed as he tapped rapidly on the wall with his exposed fingers.


    Charles peered over, wanting to take a glimpse of what "Seal" was typing in on the wall, but "Seal" had strategically used his entire body to block Charles'' line of sight, making sure that thetter wouldn''t catch even a glimpse of the password.


    The wall split open just then, revealing a room the size of a ssroom.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A dull explosion echoed, and the lights flickered as a tremor ran across the garage.


    "Let''s hurry up. They''re back at it again," "Seal" said, leading his squad members into the room.


    Charles nced briefly at where they hade from before walking into the room with his crew. The doors closed behind them, and Charles turned around, instantly noticing two triangr buttons on the wallone inverted, one upright.


    Charles realized that they were in an elevator rather than a room.


    "Seal" pressed on the inverted triangle. A light tremor ran across the room, and a sense of weightlessness briefly took over them as the elevator began its slow descent toward its destination.


    "What were those things earlier? Howe those nes have the wings of an animal?" Charles asked, probing "Seal" for more information.


    However, "Seal" remained unresponsive.


    "Are you not going to tell me that, either? We''ve fought them together earlier, so we can be consideredrades."


    At Charles'' remark, "Seal" replied btedly, "Their identity isn''t my concern. My duty is to send them packing away the moment they reappear."


    "Why not just kill them? Don''t tell me they can''t be killed?" Charles asked, extrapting from "Seal''s" remark.


    "Seal" shook his head and replied, "No, they can be killed. However, they''d eventually reappear like pests. You can consider them the ghosts eternally haunting the skies of Ind 68."


    <em>So they cannot be eliminated, and they have such bizarre appearances as well Are they perhaps special relics that the Foundation inadvertently made by experimenting with certain relics? </em>Charles thought, but even he thought that his assumption was quite wild.


    Charles extended a hand toward "Seal" and said, "My name is Charles. Nice to meet you."


    "Seal" nced at Charles before reaching out with his free hand toward Charles'' outstretched hand. The two shook hands as "Seal" introduced himself, "I''m Parker. I have no idea how outsiders like you are aware of the task force, but you were right."


    The elevator bell rang, and elevator doors soon opened. The seawater inside was quickly drained away, but the outside was dry, devoid of any seawater.


    Before Charles could enjoy the sensation of being able to breathe freely once again, a plethora of red dotsnded on his be and heart along with the ring beam of a searchlight.


    Outside the elevator, over a hundred members d in the same ckbat uniform as Parker and his squad members were at attention. Every single soldier had their weapons pointed at Charles and his crew.


    Clearly, Parker had contacted them in advance.


    "Please surrender your weapons and cooperate with our investigation," Parker said coldly. The coldness of his voice made the consequences of refusal stark clear to Charles and his crew.


    Soon, Charles and his crew were disarmed, and they were detained separately.


    Sitting in a brightly lit white room, Charles was no longer wearing his jacket as he sat quietly, waiting for something. He nced at the silver electronic handcuffs that shackled his hands and nodded in approval.


    The handcuffs were well made, and Charles had nodded because it meant that the people here were highly likely the sessors of the Foundation. In other words, it was most likely that the colossal key was on this ind.


    Charles looked up and stared at the smooth mirror on the wall in front of him. "How long are you going to keep on observing me from the other side? A mere observation won''t be enough for you to understand me, so you should send someone here to talk to me."


    A clicking noise echoed just then, and the smooth mirror became a transparent ss wall, revealing a group of men and women. It seemed that they had been there and had been observing Charles from the very beginning.


    "Captain Parker told us that your name is Charles. Can we talk, Charles?" A gentle female voice echoed from the corners of the room.


    Among the group of men and women before Charles, none of them was speaking into a microphone, which led Charles to believe that the woman speaking to him was located somewhere else.


    "Are you members of the Foundation? What exactly happened to the surface?" Charles asked, going straight to the point.


    The female voice''s reply arrived btedly, "I''m the one asking the questions here."


    Just then, someone pushed Charles'' diary against the transparent ss, and the female voice asked, "What are these characters? And how did you learn them?"


    "Can you answer my questions first? How long have you been here? And have you been observing the world outside?" Charles asked. A discussion was soon underway,sting over fifteen minutes.


    Both sides engaged in a back-and-forth, but they avoided answering each other''s questions. As a result, neither obtained any useful information.


    The female voice sounded impatient. "Charles, I really don''t want to do this, but you''re forcing my hand. Keep this up, and don''t me me for resorting to ''alternative'' measures."


    <em>Crackle!</em>


    Charles quivered and spasmed as a high-voltage current of electricity zapped him through his handcuffs.


    "Answer. My. Questions!" the female voice eximed, enunciating each word.


    Charles initially thought that diplomacy would reap him the most rewards, but it seemed that he wasn''t going to find any clues if this were to continue. Most importantly, Charles detested being treated like a beast.


    Charles looked down and chuckled. He then stood up and approached the ss wall. "Hey, flip that diary to thest page for me. I recorded something in there."


    The bespectacled man holding Charles'' diary was startled briefly, but he recovered rather quickly and flipped to thest page, where he discovered a drawing of an indescribable cluster of tentacles riddled with eyeballs.


    Charles tapped the ss wall with his prosthetic. "Sparkle,e to Daddy."


    Under everyone''s horrified gaze, the indescribable cluster of tentacles riddled with eyeballs squirmed, and a green eyeball popped out of the cluster of tentacles.


    The drawing hade to life!


    <em>Crackle!</em>


    Charles'' handcuffs emitted a wave of high-voltage current in an attempt to restrain him. However, ck smoke rose from the handcuffs as they were disabled by the radiant white lightning arcs jumping about Charles.


    A piercing rm red throughout the room, and the ceiling pulsed with an ominous red light. The response mirrored the Foundation''s response to a containment breach in one of its facilities.


    A shrill noise echoed as the thick ss wall crumbled to pieces. Sparkle in her massive true form floated up to Charles and asked, "Daddy, where are we?"


    Charles patted one of her tentacles and said, "Come on, let''s show them what true ''diplomacy'' looks like."


    Charles then jumped over the ss wall, arriving in the observation room littered with ss. Sparkle and Charles then walked out of the door and traversed the long corridor until they reached arge, circr za.


    The members of the task force, including Parker, moved quickly to surround them.


    "Go ahead and y with them, Sparkle. Be gentle, and remember not to kill them."


    The unknown was the scariest in the Subterranean Sea. However, the inverse was true as well, which meant Charles had nothing to fear.

 Chapter 459: Johnson

    Chapter 459: Johnson


    Gunshots echoed incessantly as automatic rifles unleashed a hail of bullets upon Sparkle. Unfortunately, the bullets, which were perfectly capable of tearing through flesh, were ineffective against Sparkle.


    The bullets simply melted into Sparkle''s tentacles.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Sparkle''s figure shed, and she reappeared behind a task force member. Then, her tentacles quickly engulfed the soldier and devoured him amidst his screams.


    The special task force on this ind seemed to have a variety of methods against special anomalies. Soon, an armored vehicle carrying a satellite dish drove in, and Sparkle''s teleportation ability became unstable beneath its presence.


    Charles saw that and rushed toward the armored vehicle. He let loose a furious roar as roughly eight tentacles emerged from him and lifted the armored vehicle high up in the air. Then, he hurled the armored vehicle toward the wall.


    Without the armored vehicle''s restraint, Sparkle could go all-out once more. She bound every single task force member and flung them toward Charles. In the blink of an eye, a small hill of bound soldiersy before Charles.


    Charles walked up to Parker, who was struggling against the tentacle restraints.


    "Go and bring someone to me who can actually speak for all of you. I do not want to be ignored for the second time," Charles said.


    Covered in mucus, Parker stood up with eyes zing with anger. He didn''t expect that the group of outsiders he had allowed entry would cause such a huge problem.


    However, Parker''s eyes shimmered just then upon realizing that Charles was within arm''s reach. He reached out for the firearm on his waist, but he stopped and turned around. Then, he ran swiftly into a nearby corridor.


    Charles didn''t have to wait for a long time as three men in suits walked up to him with a ck briefcase in hand. One of them opened the briefcase in front of Charles, revealing a 15-inchptop.


    The screen was turned on, depicting the image of an elderly bald man with a face riddled with liver spots.


    "I''m the Commander-in-Chief of the Special Task Force. You can call me Johnson. Your pet is powerful, but I hope you haven''t forgotten that your people are still in our hands. If we go all out fighting each other, we''ll simply end up in mutual destruction," Johnson said sternly.


    Charles revealed a contemptuous look at Johnson. Earlier, they had been trying to force him to talk and had even electrocuted him when he refused to say something useful. The tables had turned, so now they wanted to negotiate.


    "I''m not his pet. I''m his daughter," Sparkle said, floating over to correct Johnson.


    Johnson was shocked, and he cast an incredulous gaze at Charles. "What? W-what the hell are you?"


    The three men in ck suits revealed fearful expressions as well. They seemed to be thinking that Charles was an even more terrifying monster than Sparkle.


    Charles didn''t bother to rify anything. He was convinced that the misunderstanding would serve to benefit him rather than as a disadvantage, especially in the uing negotiation.


    "If you don''t want to tell me your origins, then it''s fine. I actually don''t mind it at all, so you don''t have to tell me anything. However, I''m here for the key,"


    "What key?" Johnson asked. He seemed to have slightly recovered from the shock.


    "A colossal ssical key, which is several hundred meters long. This key was transported to this ind a long time ago."


    Johnson frowned and pondered over Charles'' words for quite a while before shaking his head. "Sorry, but our ind doesn''t have any colossal key."


    "No?" Charles asked, sounding doubtful. His eyes narrowed into slits as he stared at Johnson on theputer screen. "If the key isn''t here, then where did it go?


    "You did a great job preserving the Foundation''s facilities and records, so I''m sure there are some records about where the key was stored. Am I wrong?


    "It''s such a massive key, so there has to be some records about it, whether it be transportation records or notes about how it was stolen or anything."


    Johnson shook his head and said, "I can tell you for sure that the key you''ve mentioned isn''t here."


    Charles'' expression became grim at the revtion. If Johnson''s words were true, it meant that the lead that Charles had obtained with great difficulty had turned out to be useless once again.


    "Charles, what happened between us and your group has all been a misunderstanding. Since you''re unwilling to ept our questioning, then you should go ahead and leave with your people. We''re not going to stop you."


    Johnson clearly wanted them out as soon as possible, but Charles had no intentions of simply walking away.


    Charles stared deeply at theputer screen and said, "We''re definitely going to leave, but I have to search the entire ind before that. If the key really isn''t here, then I''ll leave immediately."


    "No! Absolutely not!" Johnson eximed with a resolute tone of voice. "I absolutely cannot allow a monster to enter our shelter. I will not risk the lives of the inders here!


    "And don''t you ever think that we''re not going to put up a fight! If you really want to fight us, then we''ll execute your people immediately and mobilize every member of Ind 68''s special task force tounch suicide attacks against you.


    "We''ve analyzed your prowess. Your skin is impervious against ordinary bullets, but how about white phosphorus munitions? Depleted uranium anti-tank rounds? A monster like you can never threaten the Commander-in-chief of Ind 68''s Special Task Force!"


    A low rumbling ran across the ground as dozens of tanks and armored vehicles converged on the za to surround Charles. Even a fly couldn''t possibly escape such an encirclement, much less Charles.


    Moreover, soldiers d in ck uniforms rushed out of the vehicles and promptly took cover before aiming their weapons at Charles.


    Charles'' keen intuition was yelling at him that Johnson wasn''t making an empty threat. His keen eyes also noticed that the safety of the soldiers'' weapons had been lifted; bullets woulde flying with just an easy pull on the trigger.


    Charles turned to Johnson on the screen. He had no idea if they were from the Foundation, but their willingness to risk their lives to protect their secrets was reminiscent of the Foundation.


    <em>Do I really have to leave just like this?</em> Charles pondered briefly but soon dismissed the idea. He had worked hard to reach this ind; if he were to leave now, it''d be tantamount to throwing away his efforts.


    Sparkle''s curiosity was piqued by the tanks in the distance. She couldn''t help but float over toward the tanks, but Charles grabbed her in time.


    Charles thought some more before eventually turning to Johnson on theputer screen. His tone of voice changed as he asked, "Your people are living here? In this suffocating underground?"


    Johnson''s brows furrowed slightly; he seemed displeased, but he still answered the question, "This is just a shelter located beneath the city. Once the crisis is over, we''ll go up and return to the surface."


    "Really? You''ve resigned yourself to living at the bottom of the pitch-ck, deep sea? Have you all forgotten just how wonderful life is on the surface?" Charles asked. He reached out to grab theptop and continued, "The colossal key I mentioned is the key to the surface world. Help me find that key and everyone here on Ind 68 can return to the surface worldthend of your ancestors.


    "Up there, there are neither monsters nor constant danger. There are inds asrge as the ocean itself, and there is enoughnd to satisfy just about anyone here."


    Charles'' voice echoed throughout the silent za. The special task force members exchanged nces. Indeed, Charles'' n was to tempt these inds into helping him by promising them the surface world. They were from the Foundation, so they were definitely aware of the surface world.


    Charles turned his gaze back onto the screen and saw the pensive look on Johnsen''s countenance. Theptop grew a bit hot in Charles'' hand just then, and the fan whirred loudly within theptop.

 Chapter 460: Diplomacy

    Chapter 460: Diplomacy


    Charles felt uneasy for some reason upon sensing theptop''s growing heat. A simple video call couldn''t possibly put a ton of strain on the CPU to the extent that its fan would spin desperately just to cool it down.


    Charles nced at theputer screen and saw Johnson seemingly in deep contemtion. Momentster, Charles reached out a trembling hand and pressed the Ctrl, Shift, and Esc buttons at the same time to open the Task Manager.


    However, not a single window popped up to Charles'' surprise. He couldn''t see anything else aside from Johnson''s face.


    "What are you trying to do?" Johnson asked.


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat at Johnson''s voice. He immediately tried to shrug it off, acting nonchnt as he replied, "I was just curious. It''s been a long time since I saw aputer, after all. Anyway, have you thought it over?


    "Just give me any clues to the key, and we''ll go to the surface world together."


    "You''re right," Johnson''s voice was solemn as he said, "We do know that we''re below the surface, and we''ve been looking for a chance to go up to the surface. But regardless of the authenticity of your words, it is unfortunate that we really do not have a colossal key here."


    Charles grimaced, seemingly furious.


    Johnson saw that and hurriedly added, "However, I talked to the mayor just now, and he has allowed you to look around Ind 68 yourself if you do not believe my words. However, you and your subordinates must answer <em>all</em> of our questions."


    "Oh?" Charles was delighted. Regardless of the condition, he was willing to fulfill it so long as he could obtain new leads that would lead him to the colossal key. As expected, diplomacy was only possible if both parties were equally strong.


    "I ept your condition," Charles responded.


    Soon, Charles found himself in an identical room as earlier. The only difference was that he was no longer shackled and that there were people sitting across from him in front of a long table. The individuals held tables and wore serious expressions while staring at Charles.


    "Mr. Charles, please answer our questions truthfully. Your honesty will definitely help both of us," a woman with silver earrings dangling from her lobes said, shattering the silence.


    "Ask away. And hurry up so I can go and look for the key," Charles replied, hugging Sparkle in her little girl form.


    Charles had nothing to hide and was willing to answer them honestly. After all, he wasn''t some kind of individual with illicit underground businesses, nor he had any information to protect with his life.


    The woman swiped on the tablet and showed the screen to Charles. The disy depicted a few pages of Charles'' diary.


    "Mr. Charles, answer me honestly. What characters are these?"


    "Those are Chinese characters. Have you never seen them before? I guess the Foundation has truly broken apart. Wait, are you even from the Foundation?"


    Charles gave Sparkle''s little arm a gentle pinch, and her arm abruptly dispersed into slime before reforming into a beige-colored tentacle that wrapped around Charles. Sparkle giggled at the tangled Charles.


    The woman wearing silver earrings seemed to find it difficult to ept the scene before her. She took a few breaths to calm herself down before continuing with her next question.


    "These characters don''t seem to be among the widely-used scripts in the Subterranean Sea. Can you tell me where you learned these characters?"


    "How do you know that it''s not a widely-used script in the Subterranean Sea? It seems that you''ve sent quite a few people outside to gather intelligence," Charles said. Then, his eyes narrowed into slits as he leaned forward and asked, "Perhaps one of those people you''ve sent out goes by the name of Feuerbach?"


    "Mr. Charles, I''m the one asking the questions here. Please abide by your agreement with the mayor."


    "Answer my question!" Charles roared as he mmed his hand on the table. A huge dent appeared on the metal surface of the long table, and a violent tremor ran across the four individuals sitting across from him.


    The surrounding ss walls suddenly became transparent, and Charles saw the barrels of a variety of firearms pointing at him. The atmosphere, which had eased ever so slightly, was slowly bing tense once more.


    The woman wearing silver earrings pressed on her wireless earpiece and listened quietly for a while. Then, she looked up at Charles, and she sounded sincere as she said, "Mr. Charles, we can answer that question. However, may I remind you that you''d best not destroy the hard-earned peace between us.


    "We also believe that violence should always be thest resort, regardless of the circumstances."


    The ss walls turned white once again; the firearms vanished, but Charles knew that the firearms had not budged an inch and were still aimed at his vitals.


    "Is someone called Feuerbach one of the people you''ve sent out?" Charles asked once more. His second mate''s special ability to breathe underwater and his modern gun made it clear to Charles that he was from Ind 68.


    "No. We generally don''t go out to gather information ourselves as the variety of anomalies outside is simply too huge. Most of the time, we capture outsiders and bring them in here, just like you and your group."


    Charles let out a sigh of relief. The possibility of them deceiving him was very low, which meant Charles had simply misunderstood Feuerbach. It seemed that he needed to have a good talk with his second mate upon his return.


    "If you have any more questions, then ask away," Charles said, sitting back down and waiting patiently for their questions.


    They proceeded to ask Charles questions about his origins, and he answered them truthfully. They appeared surprised upon learning that Charles was from the surface world, and they started asking questions rted to it.


    However, they seemed to have received some kind of directive, which prompted them to ask questions about the organizations and forces of the Subterranean Sea, such as how powerful those organizations were and the status quo of the Subterranean Sea''s inds.


    Charles answered those questions without stopping, as he truly had nothing to conceal when it came to that topic. He also didn''t really think that those pieces of information were particrly important.


    After all, they could easily obtain such information by capturing a sailor at sea.


    The question-and-answer portion passed quickly, and as they reached the end of the back-and-forth, the four people across from Charles whispered to each other while ncing at their tablets.


    Charles yed with Sparkle, acting like he was unconcerned. However, he was eavesdropping with them using his keen ears.


    "Director, there aren''t any abnormalities with the polygraph. It says that he''s not lying."


    "Let''s not trust him too much. Compare that data with the data that we had obtained from the other subjects."


    The four people soon became engrossed in their discussion, but Charles was already getting impatient.


    "Hey," Charles said, attracting their attention. "I already told you everything that I know. Don''t you think it''s your turn to fulfill your end of the agreement?"


    An audible click echoed just then, and the nearby door opened. Captain Parker walked into the room with a bracelet in hand.


    "We''ll let you proceed with your search, but we want you to wear this as a precaution," Parker said.


    "What''s inside that thing?" Charles asked, sounding curious.


    "It''s a wireless bracelet with a vial of sodium cyanide inside a syringe. Threaten the lives of the inders here, and you''ll die with just a press of a switch," Parker warned sternly.


    Charles merely nced at the silver square bracelet before snatching it away from Parker''s hand and putting it on his wrist. "Come on, let''s hurry up and go. I''m starting to get a bit impatient."


    Parker was caught off guard by Charles'' straightforward actions. "Are you not afraid that we might arbitrarily press the kill switch?"


    "Do I look like someone who''s afraid of death? Go ahead and do as you wish. If I die, my daughter here will be very sad. My life in exchange for the lives of everyone on this indthat doesn''t sound like a bad deal to me."


    With that, Charles ignored Parker and walked out through the open door.

 Chapter 461: Monitoring

    Chapter 461: Monitoring


    The circr za once filled with gun-toting soldiers, tanks, and armored vehicles, had be deste. Sparkle looked around excitedly while holding Charles'' hand.


    It wasn''t Charles'' first time seeing such a massive za. Laboratory 2 had a vast square as well, and Charles couldn''t help but think that the Foundation had a penchant for building a vast, semi-circr hall in theirplexes for some reason.


    Standing in the middle of the vast square, Charles turned to Parker and asked, "Are you not going to give me a tour? You''re the host here, and I''m just a guest."


    Parker stepped forward and took the lead. "The shelter can be divided into four levels, and it is massive. The roads are quiteplex as well. I''m sure it''d take you several months to search the entire shelter for the key personally."


    "I can take you to the Central Bureau. The monitors for all the surveince cameras scattered throughout the shelter are located there."


    Charles said nothing and simply gestured forward with his hand.


    Parker walked ahead, and Charles followed him through corridors that were four meters high and six meters wide. The soft footsteps from the rooms on both sides of the corridor told Charles that there were people inside those rooms.


    It seemed that they had ordered everyone to stay at home to ensure that Charles would have the best sightseeing experience.


    Upon reaching the end of the corridor, the door next to them opened slightly. A pair of curious eyes peeked out and stared at Charles.


    Charles turned toward the eyes, and the door was instantly shut. Then, a feminine voice echoed behind the door, seemingly scolding someone.


    "You call these smallpartments home? I thought there''d be a prosperous city down there," Charles said, turning to Parker next to him.


    "There''s no point in building a prosperous city down here, as we originally live on the ind''s surface. Like I said, this is just a shelteran emergency shelter."


    Charles nodded in understanding and looked at Parker. "What kind of emergency is it? You seem quite fearful, but why? You''ve built a formidable fortress, and you have powerful weapons as well, so what''s there to fear? Is it a Divinity, perhaps??"


    Parker seemed reluctant to answer Charles'' question, but thetter insisted on receiving an answer. In the end, Parker told Charles that he''d need permission to answer thetter''s question before walking toward a corner. He leaned closer to the walkie-talkie on his chest and started muttering into it.


    After a while, Parker returned to Charles and finally replied, "We have something capable of foreseeing danger, and it has been warning us that something is chasing after us.


    "We do not know what it is, but it''s an entity capable of annihting Ind 68, so we''ve been trying to avoid it."


    Charles nodded without asking any more questions. Ind 68''s emergency had nothing to do with him, as he was simply here for the colossal key.


    The group continued on their journey and the sights that appeared before Charles made him feel as though he was inside an expansive ant colony.


    Recalling the scenes he had seen not too long ago, Charles was truly amazed by the Foundation''s prowess. The entire ind seemed more like an artificial ind rather than a natural ind.


    The denizens of the Subterranean Sea lived in fear of their inds sinking to the depths one day, but the denizens of Ind 68 would never have such fear, as the ind was capable of moving underwater.


    Charles recalled something just then and turned to Parker, asking, "Can you tell me more about your origins? Do you know of the Foundation? Are you the descendants of the Foundation members?"


    "We''re not too sure about the so-called ''Foundation'' you''ve been telling us about, but our books have told us that we''re humans from the surface world. A long time ago, we were everywhere throughout the Subterranean Sea, but most of us died for some reason.


    "Only Ind 68, which was on a mission at the time, managed to escape unscathed. We''d go out and gather intelligence periodically so that the mayor could assess the possibility of returning to the surface.


    "Unfortunately, the situation outside hasn''t really changed much despite the many years that have passed. We''ve decided to lie low and wait until it''spletely safe before we"


    "Daddy," Sparkle spoke just then, staring at Charles in deep thought. "What are you two talking about?"


    "It''s nothing much," Charles replied. Then, he reached out and carried his daughter in his arms before continuing, "Anyway, what is Mommy doing these days? Is she still angry at me?"


    "Mmhm. She''s still angry at you. Very angry." Sparkle nodded vigorously to emphasize Anna''s anger.


    Charles revealed a helpless and bitter smile at the remark as he followed closely behind Parker. The group walked down the brightly lit corridors of the shelter for half an hour before they finally arrived at the so-called Central Bureau.


    A group of people d in gray uniforms stood at attention, seemingly waiting for their arrival. Naturally, they had learned of Charles'' goal foring here, so they immediately led thetter into the monitoring room.


    The monitoring room had an entire wall filled with nothing but 50-inch monitors, and the array of monitors disyed scenes all over the shelter. The monitors also showed people moving about doing their own business.


    Aside from the regions that Charles had passed through, it seemed that the other regions of the shelter were business as usual.


    "Switch to the other locations every ten seconds," Charles said, standing before the array of monitors.


    "Can you even keep up with so many monitors?" Parker asked in doubt.


    "It''s fine, just do as I said," Charles said, staring at the wall of monitors.


    The scenes on the monitors shed rapidly. Charles'' two eyes couldn''t keep up with so many changes, but it didn''t matter. He wasn''t the one who''d do the search, anyway.


    "Sparkle, can you do Daddy a favor? Go and see if there''s a really big key in one of those ces," Charles said.


    Sparkle nodded and disappeared in a sh of light. Then, Sparkle showed up in one of the monitors, startling everyone in the monitoring room.


    "Charles! That isn''t part of our agreement," Parker eximed, looking nervous.


    The Captain of the Narwhale shook the square bracelet on his wrist. "Was this part of the agreement? I don''t think so. Anyway, Sparkle isn''t going to harm anybody, so don''t worry.


    "And how would I know that you''re not trying to fool me with old video recordings if I don''t send her out to take a look?"


    Parker spoke into his walkie-talkie to report, but soon, he put it down reluctantly. It seemed that the higher-ups of Ind 68 had decided not to kick up a fuss and allowed Sparkle to search the shelter, level by level.


    Sparkle continued her search, and that was when Charles caught sight of a familiar white baseball cap. The figure soon looked up, and Charles'' pupils immediately constricted. The individual wearing a white baseball cap was Pogro, the boy who had died after getting hit by a missile!


    He had actually shown up on one of the monitors!


    <em>Is it an old, recorded video? </em>Just as the thought popped up in Charles'' mind, Sparkle appeared and startled Pogro.


    The sight instantly invalidated the assumption that he was staring at old, recorded videos, which meant that the scene was happening somewhere live on Ind 68.


    Charles rubbed his nape and turned to Parker next to him, "You said those monsters keep on reappearing like pests and that they''re ghosts eternally haunting the ind. You said that, right?"


    "Yeah, I did say that," Parker said, casting a bewildered gaze at Charles. "What''s wrong? Why are you asking me that question?"


    Charles turned to stare at Pogro on one of the monitors and fell into deep contemtion. <em>Haha, this is getting pretty interesting.</em>

 Chapter 462: Tobba

    Chapter 462: Tobba


    Sparkle''s figure hopped from one screen to another in the monitoring room, but Charles was no longer staring at the monitors. His gaze was on Parker next to him.


    Therge-framed man stood ramrod straight, and his brows were furrowed as he stared at the monitors. His gun was at the most convenient position possible at his waist so that he could draw it as fast as possible at the first sign of danger.


    Parker truly was the epitome of the ideal soldier.


    "What do you need?" Parker asked upon noticing Charles'' gaze.


    "Nothing. Anyway, are you married?" Charles asked, making small talk.


    "Every adult on Ind 68 will be assigned a spouse and are obliged to perform reproductive tasks. I''m no exception."


    Charles nodded in understanding and asked, "Can you tell me more about your wife? What''s her personality like?"


    Parker seemed reluctant to discuss his personal life with Charles, but orders soon came out from the walkie-talkie, and he had no choice but to respond to Charles'' questions about his private life.


    Charles learned that Parker had three children: two boys and a girl. Apparently, Parker''s wife had been grumbling about his missions, as Parker''s position in the special task force meant that he was often away from family.


    Parker had been looking for a way to assuage his wife''s anger and make it up to her someday.


    Parker''s tone of voice sounded natural, and his speech was both coherent and logical. When Charles asked him about his children, the tenderness in Parker''s voice truly made him appear like apletely normal father.


    "How''s the casualty rate in the special task force? Is it quite high?"


    "It''s fine. We just have to keep culling those pests and make sure that their poption doesn''t growrge enough. They''re not that dangerous to handle. Actually, the entities that swim in from the sea are more dangerous than them.


    "We''ve always had to deal with those entities as soon as possible, or there would be casualties among the residents."


    <em>Was I wrong? Was that boy just another little boy wearing a white baseball cap? </em>Charles pondered.


    Just as Charles was mulling over what he had seen not too long ago, Sparkle appeared next to him and reported truthfully, "Daddy, I''ve looked everywhere, and I couldn''t find any big keys."


    Charles snapped back to reality at Sparkle''s report. "You couldn''t find it anywhere? Not even a trace of it?"


    "Mmhm. I searched everywhere, but I couldn''t find anything at all," Sparkle answered with wide eyes.


    "While you were out there, did you find any ce that might contain the big key? Like an unopened warehouse or something like that," Charles asked anxiously.


    "Mr. Charles," Parker interjected, "Don''t you think that''s a bit too absurd? You said the key is several hundred meters long. Do you really think that we can hide something that big so easily?"


    Charles'' brows knitted. Parker was right. A key sorge couldn''t possibly be easy to conceal.


    "Are you satisfied now? As I said, the key you''ve been looking for truly doesn''t exist here. Otherwise, we would have handed it to you outright rather than risk offending you." Johnson''s voice echoed from Parker''s walkie-talkie.


    However, Charles had a different idea. He believed that even if the key weren''t here, there had to be clues about it somewhere.


    "With the level of technology here, you should have a database somewhere, am I right? Open it up for me to take a look, and I want the highest level of clearance," Charles said.


    Parker''s face twitched, and anger fleeted across his eyes. "You''re going too far!"


    "Why are you so afraid? Are you afraid that I''ll snatch away your Ind 68? Your ind is capable of moving underwater, so why would you be afraid of technological bumpkins out there?


    "And don''t forget, clues for the key are a part of our deal."


    Charles'' unyielding attitude seemed to have done the trick, as the other party eventually relented. However, historical records were the only data that they would show to Charles, and irrelevant data would remain hidden from him.


    Parker shoved a tablet into Charles'' hands. "Look for it yourself. Everything in there has been unlocked for you to peruse, so just click on the files on the desktop. I don''t need to teach you about how to use that, right?"


    "Thank you." Charles nodded. Then, he pulled out a chair and sat down before scrolling through the files to look for clues.


    Parker stared at Charles and saw that thetter had quickly gotten engrossed in his search for clues. Parker walked out of the room and pressed on his walkie-talkie, "The bait has worked on Target A. Approach Target B."


    Soon, a middle-aged woman with an amiable demeanor walked into the monitoring room. She nced at Charles before crouching in front of Sparkle and asking, "Darling, what''s your name?"


    "My name is Sparkle."


    "Really? Sparkle is such a lovely name. Anyway, do you love your mommy?"


    "Mmhm. I do."


    "Oh my, you''re such a good girl, Sparkle. I heard your mommy is angry with your daddy? What happened? Can you tell me?"


    While the middle-aged woman was busy coaxing information out of Sparkle, Charles was starting to get dizzy before the hodgepodge of texts and images in front of him.


    Charles began his search by typing in keywords like "key" or "surface" into the search bar, but a massive amount of data appeared as a result, and none of them was what he was looking for.


    Charles had no intention of spending a long time looking for clues, yet he had no choice but to search for clues page by page. Unfortunately, the file had been recording data from 620 years ago, which made the search quite hectic and time consuming.


    There was so much information that finding clues for the key had be akin to looking for a needle in a haystack.


    Charles scrolled faster and faster. Just as he was about to scroll through someone''s diary, an attached picture made Charles quiver. The picture depicted not the key that he had been looking for but a familiar faceTobba''s face.


    The Navigator of the Narwhale had his arm around a woman''s shoulder. The two grinned from ear to ear while holding up a sign together with a line of text that said, "Don''t overthink it. I really am Tobba. Keep scrolling down."


    Charles looked up and stared at Parker, who had deliberately stood in between him and Sparkle. Momentster, Charles lowered his head and scrolled down the diary.


    Charles soon found another image in one of the pages. The image depicted Tobba, who looked to be in his twenties having a barbeque on the beach with a group of young people.


    Tobba was wearing a red jacket, and there was a line of text on the back of his jacket that said, "I''m still alive. They were chasing after me, but I foresaw their efforts and ran to a deeper perspective. They''ll catch up soon. Hurry up and save me."


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat at the written text. He wanted to ask questions but realized that he was staring at a mere photo on a tablet. He had no idea how to even begin asking questions to someone in a photo.


    "Hehehe." Sparkle''s joyfulughter echoed. Clearly, she was having a great time chatting with her new friend.


    Charles pondered over the conundrum briefly before scrolling down to the next page where he saw the next written text that said, "If you have any questions, just type it directly on the search bar. I can see it."


    Charles tapped on the search bar, and the keyboard appeared. Then, he typed in a question using the characters of the Subterranean Sea.


    [Who is leaving these clues? Are you the Tobba from the past or the Tobba from the present?]

 Chapter 463: Folder Name

    Chapter 463: Folder Name


    After typing out the question, Charles continued scrolling through the pages. Soon, he stumbled upon another clue left by Tobba.


    In the new picture, Tobba looked to be around forty and appeared rather disheveled as he held up a piece of paper that read, "What does the past have to do with the present? Just hurry up and do as I say. Aren''t you looking for clues to the key? You''ll find <em>it</em> there, too."


    Charles'' heart raced with anticipation upon reading Tobba''s new message. His suspicions had been confirmed. Since the colossal key had once been on the ind, there would surely be clues leading to it.


    Charles noted the weary expression on the middle-aged Tobba in the photo and continued on to the next page with an excited heart.


    The next image was a topless chubby man with a beer in hand. A tattoo of a snake meandered oddly across his expansive belly. Meanwhile, lines of text apanied the image.


    "See the tattoo on my friend''s belly? That''s a map. Start from your current location and follow that line straight to the end.


    "The room belongs to 068, and the passcode is 514138. I''ll be waiting for you there. The clues you are seeking are there, too. Hurry up! If you''re not there within an hour, I''ll be dead, and you''ll also find yourself in serious trouble!!"


    Charles cast a furtive nce at Parker standing next to him, and a troubled look appeared on his face.


    Despite Tobba''s instructions, Charles knew that whatever he did, he would likely be under the surveince of Parker and he wouldn''t be able to escape. How could he possibly make it to Tobba''s location by himself under these circumstances? He needed to find a way there.


    Though Charles had no idea what trouble Tobba was facing, considering the man''s future-predicting abilities, it was highly likely to be grave.


    With his brows furrowed in thought, Charles contemted his next move. As each minute ticked by, the sense of urgency wing at his heart intensified. Be it Tobba''s life or the clue to the key, he waspelled to act.


    Suddenly, Charles noticed something amisshis daughter Sparkle was nowhere to be seen.


    A light bulb lit up in Charles'' mind; he had a brilliant idea.


    He rose to his feet. A hint of fury crossed his face as he approached Parker and demanded, "Where''s Sparkle? Bring her back."


    Parker''s heart skipped a beat but he feigned calm and replied, "I don''t know. Maybe she''s out ying."


    No sooner had Parker finished speaking that Charles exploded like a lit fuse.


    "Did you not hear me? I want my daughter!" Charles roared as white arcs of electricity burst from his body. They crackled as they jumped around the room shattering the light bulbs and sending electronic devices into a short circuit. It took just a couple of seconds for the entire room to be plunged into darkness.


    The next moment, a white light shed and Sparkle appeared before Charles. She was dressed in a new sparkling gemstone dress while holding numerous dolls and candies in her arms.


    "Daddy, were you looking for me?" Sparkle asked with a tilt of her head.


    Alerted by themotion, the armed special task forces on guard outside the room burst in. Through their night-vision goggles, they saw Charles gently cradling Sparkle and moving to sit down on a nearby stool.


    "I would advise not to misuse those little tricks of yours. It does not help either one of us," Charlesmented as he continued to calmly swipe away on the tablet.


    The tension in the room eased slowly. and Parker let out a sigh of relief. For a moment earlier, he almost thought that Charles was going to escte the conflict.


    While Parker and his allies were relieved at the deescted situation, unbeknownst to them, Charles only had one eye remaining under his eyelids. The ck eye with a red iris was gone.


    Meanwhile, a spider scurried swiftly along the wall corner outside the monitoring room.


    Despite the perspective disparity, Charles could still somewhat adapt.


    He looked at the time on the tablet with his remaining eye and breathed a sigh of relief.


    <em>Good. It''s still before Tobba''s stipted time.</em>


    Under Charles'' control, the spider swiftly made its way to the target destination. Upon reaching the location, he realized it was a dead path, but there was a small wooden door in the corner that was secured with a password lock.


    As soon as he willed the spider to approach, a wave of dizziness hit him. Instinctively, he was going to recall the spider.


    But then, he felt Anna''s tentacle twitch and writhe in his brain. The dizzy sensation faded as soon as it came.


    <em>Is something trying to control my thoughts? What''s behind that door? </em>Charles thought. He couldn''t help but heighten his alertness.


    The spider reached the lock and skillfully jumped from digit to digit, entering the passcode as per Tobba''s instructions. A sequence of beeps followed by a click signaled the door had unlocked.


    The sight within the room was beyond Charles'' expectations. It was a dim and cramped space with nothing but a loneputer.


    Theputer''s exterior was stained and yellowed from years of neglect; its central processing unit sprawled untidily beneath the monochrome screen. Regardless of the angle from which Charles observed it, the machine screamed of antiquity. Despite its dpidated state, the screen flickered with life, though its grayscale disy was a testament to its age.


    Just as Charles continued to study the ancient machine, a red dot suddenly appeared on the email icona new message had arrived.


    With agile movements, the spider ascended the table''s leg and maneuvered itself to the mouse. It strenuously nudged the cursor over the email to click it open. A stick figure jumped out of the message, and a speech bubble appeared above its head.


    "What are you staring at, Charles?! Hurry up and save me! They''re almost here!"


    "You You''re Tobba? How did you end up like this?" Charles blurted out in surprise.


    Meanwhile, Parker stealthily moved behind Charles and saw him talking to a man''s belly on the screen. Finding it utterly bizarre, he immediately reported this strange behavior to his superior.


    "I have no other way; they''re too fast. This is the deepest perspective I can go. I have nowhere left to run! The perspectives further below are too narrow, and I''ll bepletely crushed if I go any further!" Tobba''s voice boomed from the yellowedputer.


    Staring at the two-dimensional Tobba before him, Charles asked in puzzlement, "Do you mean perspective or dimension?"


    "Is this really the time for that? Juste and help me to escape! They''reing!" Tobba eximed.


    As soon as Tobba finished speaking, two triangles,posed of chaotic strings of characters, materialized next to him. The small figure representing Tobba frantically scurried across the email window as the triangles relentlessly chased in pursuit.


    Charles didn''t need to guess what those two triangles represented.


    "What should I do? Tell me quickly!" Charles urged anxiously.


    "Open ''My Computer,'' right-click to show hidden files. Then out of the four drives, go to D drive and open the 14th parent file! Drag the first file into the hidden folder, hurry!" Another speech bubble appeared above the head of the stick figure as it sprinted across the screen.


    Charles immediately willed the spider to carry out the instructions. The moment he dragged the yellow folder into the hidden folder, his vision blurred for a split second.


    When he came around, he realized that not only the spider but he himself was in front of the oldputer desk.


    He felt himself all over and realized that he was indeed in his own body. He was stunned for a moment and quickly turned his gaze back onto theputer screen. His eyes widened in shock as he saw the name of the folder he had just moved. On the grayscale screen, the folder''s name was clearly his own name: Charles.


    "Fuck!" Charles involuntarily cursed out loud as the realization dawned on him in an instant.

 Chapter 464: 068

    Chapter 464: 068


    Staring at the folder titled with his own name, Charles was perhaps driven by curiosity or a need to confirm something and decided to click open the folder.


    A chill traveled down his spine as heid eyes on the list of file names within: "Soul," "Organs," "Torso" and more


    He couldn''t pinpoint the reason, but he came to the conclusion that theputer folder he had just moved was essentially himself. His entire being had been digitalized into bytes and bits in front of thisputer.


    No, it wasn''t just him; everyone on Ind 68 had been turned into data. Anyone could use thisputer to control the real world, effortlessly copying, dragging, or even deleting anything within it!


    While Charles was still reeling in shock from the realization, the stick figure of Tobba leaped from behind the folder interface into the folder itself.


    Tobba didn''t have time to engage Charles in a conversation. Instead, he barged into one of the folders, and the two bizarre triangles followed closely behind and entered the same folder.


    Charles'' eyes lit up in horror, and a tremor coursed through him when he saw that the folder wasbeled "Soul."


    Tobba had brought the two "chalkboard erasers" into his "soul," and the three of them were on a rampage. If they messed up anything within, it could possibly spell his doom!


    Charles speedily moved the cursor and clicked into the "Soul" folder that belonged to him. As soon as the new interface appeared, he saw Tobba diving into the "Memory" folder.


    "Stop running around in my soul! How can I save you?" Charles yelled at Tobba through the screen.


    "Hover the cursor over the things chasing me, then click and hold them! Hurry!" A speech bubble appeared above Tobba.


    Charles moved the cursor over one of the ck triangles, and upon clicking, he instantly felt as though he was grasping the whirring end of a drill operating at maximum speed. His hand holding the mouse trembled violently


    Within the screen, the triangle constructed from bizarre strings of characters was fidgeting under the cursor.


    "Now what? What am I supposed to do?" Charles asked, his voice strained as he applied his entire weight to the mouse to press down on the left click.


    Meanwhile, Tobba was still being chased by the other triangle.


    "Move it! Move it out! Only 068''s power can stop them!" Tobba said through the speech bubble as he sprinted upside down across the file bar. He was still desperately trying to evade the pursuing triangle.


    "Where to? The Recycle Bin or the Desktop?" Charles strained every muscle to keep the mouse under his control.


    "What''s the point of those two ces? They''re still within 068! Move it out of the screen!"


    "What?" Charles was slightly taken aback by the instruction. In that brief moment, the triangle slipped free from the cursor''s click and darted after Tobba once again.


    Charles didn''t dare to take any more chances. He quickly recaptured one of the triangles with the cursor and exerted all his strength to move the mouse.


    Slowly, the violently trembling triangle was moved out of Charles'' memory folder and onto the desktop.


    As he moved the mouse even further, he stared wide-eyed as the ck triangle that had been captured by the cursor edged slowly toward the desktop''s gray boundary before eventually breaking the confines of the grayscale screen to hover in the empty air beyond.


    Seeing the cursor and the trembling triangle hovering in mid-air, Charles suddenly released his finger on the left mouse button.


    <em>Snap!</em>


    The white mouse cursor snapped back into the grayscale screen, while the ck triangle that had been moved out of theputer vanished into thin air.


    Charles didn''t have the time to contemte the bizarre phenomenon. He swiftly hovered the cursor on the other ck triangle that was chasing Tobba and dragged it out of theputer screen.


    The moment both triangles were gone, Tobba''s stick figure copsed on a video file within Charles'' memory folder.


    "Oh my god, they are finally gone. I almost died under their pursuit."


    As Charles stared at the stick figure representing Tobba, he wanted to say something but a series of intense tremors hit him. The next moment, the sound of rushing water and human screams and cries from outside assaulted his ears.


    Themotion tightened around Charles'' heart like a vice grip. He turned to Tobba and asked, "What''s happening? Don''t tell me that while trying to get rid of your pursuers, we have flung those ''chalkboard erasers'' into the real world?"


    "Shhhh!" Tobba avoided giving a direct answer, but the implications in his words were evident. "Hurry, now''s the best chance to escape. They can''t find me for the time being."


    "Are you crazy! Many people could die! The entire poption on Ind 68 is being implicated here!" Charles growled as he quickly opened a file and dragged the one named Sparkle into the interface of hidden files.


    <em>sh!</em>


    Sparkle instantly appeared next to Charles.


    "What are you afraid of? Do you really think that those humans are real? They just look human; in actual fact, they are the neurons of 068. Even if they all die, restarting the machine brings them right back.


    "They all live as a collective consciousness here, the consciousness of 068, which is thisputer right in front of you."


    Charles had no time to start a moral debate with Tobba. He swiftly searched through the four hard drives for the names of his crew members.


    If the perspective policethe "chalkboard erasers"were allowed to go on a rampage out there, his crew would be in grave danger. Charles needed to gather everyone.


    As Charles dragged the folders named after each crew member into the window of hidden files, the member instantly materialized next to Charles.


    Dipp, iling his arms wildly,nded with a ssh on the ground. Surprised, he nced around, then swiftly wiped the seawater from his drenched face with his hands before hurrying over to Charles''s side.


    "Captain, what''s going on? Why am I suddenly here?" the Deep Dweller asked.


    "I''ve no time to exin. What was happening out there before you appeared here?" Charles asked as he continued his execution on theputer.


    "I don''t even know what''s happening. They were trying to get a woman to seduce me; then water flooded in all of a sudden. The woman was spreading her legs in front of me when half of her body suddenly vanished."


    Hearing this, Charles sped up his actions and gave full attention to locating each crew member.


    With every new member found, the originally cramped room got increasingly crowded.


    "First Mate, roll call!" Charles instructed as he continued his search in the file directory.


    Soon enough, the Narwhale''s first mate confirmed that all crew members who had descended the vessel were present in the room. Byparing the numbers on the bands tied around their arms, they confirmed that no one was missing nor were there any extra members.


    While hearing Bandages'' report, Charles finally found the folder named after the Narwhale. Upon clicking into it, he saw that the crew members left on the ship were all ounted for inside it.


    Just then, Tobba suddenly climbed out of an adjacent folder and appeared in front of Charles.


    "Those things are now inside 068. If we shut down 068 now, they''ll be trapped here forever! I would have truly escaped their pursuit then."


    "Shut down the machine? Don''t forget; we''re in 068 too! If we shut it down, we would be all gone too!" Charles replied with a furrowed brow.


    "What''s the problem here? Just find someone to shut down the machine for you and the others can escape."

 Chapter 465: Attempt

    Chapter 465: Attempt


    Upon hearing Charles'' rhetorical exmation, the crew members gathered around him with their eyes fixated on theputer screen. The moment they saw the speech bubble disyed above the stick figure, a chill ran down their spine.


    The message implied that among them, one had to stay behind and await death.


    Charles scanned the faces of his crew but said nothing. He then turned back to the screen and asked, "Let''s talk about thatter. Where is the clue to the key you mentioned earlier?"


    Never for a single moment had Charles forgotten Tobba''s words; after all the clue to the key was also the reason he came here.


    "Open the C drive. I''ll help you look for it. Be quick. Those erasers aren''t going to wait till you are done."


    As soon as Tobba''s words fell, the sound of rushing water came from behind Charles. Charles turned around and saw the chilly seawater seeping in through the door''s gap. Time was running out; he needed to act quickly.


    Without wasting another second, Charles opened the C drive and Tobba, who had been inside the "Charles" folder, leaped into the new folder interface.


    The C drive was empty without any files, but as Tobba clicked away on the nk interface, a ck DOS window popped up. Lines ofmands filled the ck window like a cascading waterfall and file after file started appearing on the previously empty C drive.


    "Tobba, since you can predict the future, why can''t you just tell me directly where the clue is?"


    Jumping between the interfaces of the various folders, Tobba replied, "I can predict where the clue is, but I can''t foresee the key''s location. Something''s blocking it. Do you think I''m some god? I''m not omnipotent!"


    Eventually, Tobba discovered a folder marked "Top Secret" with a lock icon on it.


    "Right here. The very first file in the folder. Go ahead and take a quick look at it. We must leave immediately once you''re done," Tobba said. The stick figure on the screen appeared to grab at the lock and rip it away in a smooth motion. Instantly, the lock icon on the folder vanished.


    With a trembling hand, Charles moved the mouse cursor over the folder and clicked into it.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Suddenly, dozens of video files appeared before Charles. Each video was titled with intriguing yet straightforward names.


    <em>Aircraft Carrier Voyager Survivor ount</em>


    <em>First Contact Log with 006 </em>


    <em>Spectral Analysis Report of Divine Blood</em>


    <em>GK Council Member Directory</em>


    <em>Experiment Log K392</em>


    <em></em>


    Charles'' heart pounded strongly against his ribcage as he scanned the list of file names. He realized the significance purely based on the titles. It was no wonder the Foundation had decided to hide these files within 068. Without any specific instructions or guidance, there was no way anyone could find these files.


    <em>The first one holds the clue to the key. </em>Charles thought and opened the first video without any hesitation.


    It appeared to be an overhead surveince footage of a man chained to an iron chair. His head drooped forward as he said, "I don''t know who stole the key or who capsized the carrier."


    The screen then switched to a close-up of the man. It was the middle-aged Weister, the past Bandages. His weariness was evident from his countenance.


    "Bullshit! Then why are you the only survivor of the entire vessel? And what exactly is that tattoo on your stomach? Why did you kill yourpanions before!" a stern voice interrogated from off-screen.


    "He wanted to kill me! I had no choice!" Weister roared, his eyes burning red with anger. After his outburst, the light in his eyes dimmed out, and he dropped his head again.


    "I really don''t know why. I''ve known Aden for so many years. That day, we were just chatting as usual when he suddenly drew his gun and aimed it at me," Weister began.


    "I was hit in the right shoulder. Because of the long-term training, I instinctively reacted and fired back. I thought something had climbed aboard and assumed his appearance, but" Weister trailed off as a pained expression appeared on his face.


    "Our surveince software indicated that the key wasst carried to the Dark Abyssal Trench by a certain entity. Did you see what it was?" the voice off-screen continued probing.


    Just then, the scene shifted to disy a vast nautical chart. It depicted the surrounding inds and a pulsating light at one spot.


    Charles abruptly stood up, a spark of excitement igniting in his eyes. He immediately hit the pause button. The video still had much to reveal, but none of it mattered nowhe had discovered precisely what he was searching for.


    He frantically searched himself for paper but found none. Sparkle then handed him his diary.


    "Daddy, are you looking for this?" she asked.


    Charles excitedly nted a grateful kiss on her cheek and took the diary from her. He then eagerly pulled out a pen from his jacket''s breast pocket to note down the coordinates and the specific location of the so-called Dark Abyssal Trench from the video.


    As a qualified and capable captain and a skilled artist, Charles made quick work of his sketch. In less than thirty seconds, hepleted a rudimentary nautical chart.


    Though the chart was simple, it contained more than enough information to confirm the coordinates, especially with the presence of other inds as points of reference.


    By now, the seawater had already risen to their thighs. Charles could no longer hear the screams and exmations from outside, which was a bad sign. He knew he had to leave this very instance.


    "Quick! Shut down the machine and seal them in here. Otherwise, if they catch my scent, we will never be able to escape!!" Tobba urged.


    Charles quickly selected the folder of all his crew members with his mouse and was just about to drag them into the folder titled "Narwhale" when his gaze fell on one of the videos.


    <em>Experiment Log K392</em>


    The identifier K392[1] struck a chord with Charles. For some reason, his intuition was strongly sounding out to him that the information within bore immense significance.


    "Charles! What are you doing?! We need to move now!" the stick figure of Tobba yelled and jumped anxiously.


    Just as Charles was hesitant over his next move, a loud announcement boomed from a loudspeaker beyond the door.


    "Task force members, the time hase to fulfill our duty! Even if it means plunging into the mes like moths! We musty down our lives at the forefront for our people! Attack! Use every tool and technique at our disposal, and let us eradicate these invisible creatures!"


    Charles recognized the voice to be the task forcemander, Johnson. Without any hesitation, he double-clicked the left mouse button to open "Experiment Log K392".


    "No rush. Those on the inds seemed to have engaged with the ''chalkboard erasers.'' There should be enough time to watch this video."


    Before the stick figure of Tobba could say anything, a voice from the video broke the silence.


    "I''m K9, and we are about tomence Experiment K392! I acknowledge the rushed nature of this experiment but time is not on our side!"


    In the video, a woman with a prominent hooked nose spoke animatedly to the camera. Then, she moved from within a room to the sun-drenched outdoors, and the camera followed her. The shadow cast on the ground suggested that the camera was some sort of drone.


    The camera panned away from K9''s face and toward a nearby monumental archway bristling with various metal frameworks.


    The massive silver arch was the embodiment of technological advancement and resembled a majestic mountain. Around it, individuals d in diverse uniforms were busily preparing something, each one handling various electronic devices in a state of focused work.


    However, Charles'' attention wasn''t on the silver arch. As the camera angle lifted, he saw the source of the sunlight. It was not from the sun. Instead, he saw a dazzling halo with a triangle made of silver fragments suspended in its center.


    He wasn''t sure which Dawn was this, but the artificial sun gently descended into the center of the arch as it continued to radiate light and heat.


    Just then, K9''s voice came through like a narration voiceover. "This is our first attempt. Should we achieve sess, we would have essentially created our own Divinity, and our future would be replete with radiance for us all."


    1. For easy reference, it''s chapter 309 where Charles first found out about Divine Blood.

 Chapter 466: Dawn Four

    Chapter 466: Dawn Four


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A thunderous explosion resonated from outside, an indication that the battle between the special task force and the "chalkboard erasers" had reached its climax.


    However, Charles was not the least distracted by the chaos; he was fully engrossed in the video ying before him.


    <em>Creating our own Divinity? </em>Charles thought as he studied the artificial sun in the video. His heart pounded hard in his chest as he felt like he had stumbled upon some forbidden information that was sealed in time.


    "The power of those projects going by a single digit identifier is too formidable. Their strength is immense, not solely due to their capabilities but because they exceed the boundaries of human understanding, making replication impossible." K9''s voice continued as she walked toward the giant metal arch, her silhouette casting a long shadow on the ground.


    The camera followed after her until she reached the base of the giant arch. A steel door on the gray wall swung open, and K9 stepped through it.


    Traversing through the bustling corridor, it didn''t take long before a huge, orderlyboratory appeared in the video. A multitude of machines, linked by awork of cables, dominated the room, giving it a futuristic air.


    An enormous elliptical ss sphere was at the center of the mechanical marvel, and it was suspended in mid-air, swaying gently.


    "Do you know what''s truly tragic? It''s not that they have the power to annihte us; it''s that they could be breathing just a little louder, and they''d inadvertently cause mankind''s total annihtion!"


    K9 stared at the ss sphere as her eyes zed with a mix of fervor and despair.


    "However, we now possess Divine Blood, the power of the God Fhtagn. This is our sole chance. Only by creating a power equal to theirs can humanity stand as more than mere ants in their presence.


    "Through various trials and experiments, we finally discovered the key to wielding the power in the Divine Blood. That immense power needs to be activated by sound."


    The camera swiftly panned, and the muscles on Charles'' body tensed up. He spotted 134. The little girl with sharp teeth was shackled in a cage, and her mouth was secured with a metal cover.


    Beside her was one of the other "Kings" of Sottomthe smoke entity with a flute. However, he was contained within a bottle and his bone flute was tightly held in the hands of a task force member d in white.


    Next to the two of them was a music box and a pair of shoes


    The video then cut back to show K9, the trace of insanity in her eyes evident.


    "I know this power is formidable and must remain under the control of our Foundation. As such, this experiment requires the use of members from our own GK Council as materials."


    "Materials?" Charles reiterated and rewound the video to ensure he hadn''t misheard K9. He was well aware of one fact: the GK Council was the highestmand of the Foundation.


    K9 walked forward forward and led the camera to a row of white chairs, each entwined with wires. Six individuals of varying genders and ages upied the six seats out of seven.


    Upon noticing K9''s arrival, their faces disyed a range of expressions, some stoic and others indifferent. Regardless of their demeanor, none spoke a word.


    "Fortunately, Project Dawn has highlighted the crucial role of human will in our experiments.


    "However, these sacrifices are necessary. Consider the case of Foss turning into 1002 after identally falling into an experimental vat.


    "If it hadn''t been for that incident, we wouldn''t have known that humans could be a material to be integrated into our experiments," K9 said as she walked calmly toward thest chair. She sat down and allowed the scientists to shave off her hair and insert various fiber wires into her scalp.


    Then, she turned to face the camera. With a measured gaze, she dered, "We seven are the most loyal to the Foundation. We''re ready to transform our collective will into thest hope. OMEGA, initiate n A."


    K9''s final words appeared to be directed to a drone.


    With a beep, the drone began a slow orbit around theb, like an eye in the sky silently recording everything below.


    It captured the flurry of activity as the staff busily checked the myriad devices and pipes adorning the walls.


    It witnessed 134''s mouth being unlocked and the special ops team pointing guns at her, forcing her to sing a hauntingly beautiful melody from the sheet music before her.


    Before the surroundings could react to her voice, the shadowy entity was released from his confining bottle andpelled to apany her song with his bone flute.


    Immediately afterward, the music box started spinning, and the pair of shoes began tap dancing to the rhythm.


    The blend of singing, flute, music box tunes, and tapping enveloped the room, causing the oval ss sphere in the center of the room to break out into trembles. It appeared to be non-hollow and was filled with water. The transparent water slowly turned a deep, opaque ck.


    "Dawn Four, all data normal. Activity reduced by 50%. Ready to integrate divine blood.


    "Checking cognition of E5, A2, K9, D4, Z0, Q3, and L1. Completed. Brainwave patterns are normal. Soul synchronization prepared,mencing countdown: 5, 4, 3..."


    Just then, the camera began moving again. Instead of scanning theboratory, it swiftly traveled through a venttion duct to emerge outside the grand archway.


    The brilliant radiance of Dawn Four bathed the entire ind in light. Some distance away from the archway, a crowd of humans stood packed together, donning sun hats and sunsses as they watched the spectacle with keen interest.


    Suddenly, a booming voice over the giant archmenced a countdown, "Initiating Experiment K392, Trial 1. Commencing countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."


    <em>Beep!</em>


    As the countdown hit one, the brightness of Dawn Four intensified significantly and engulfed the arch in a blinding light. The central triangle pieces rapidly morphed and fused to form a massive, glowing white triangle.


    At that moment, it wasn''t just the ind that was illuminated by the sunlight. The dark coastline in the distance began to rapidly recede as if the light itself was pushing back the night.


    Just then, Charles was caught off guard as Dawn Four vanished all of a sudden. The ind was plunged into darkness and silence.


    Amidst the darkness, something began to glow. They were eyes! Eyes of all shapes and sizes flickered to life. Some of them felt familiar to Charles, as he had encountered them before.


    The red eyes belonged to Hypnos who had once pursued him, while the clustered yellow eyes belonged to Edikth, the Divinity who had selected him as the Chosen One.


    However, there were more eyes in the darkness than those Charles could recognize. He could sense a presence in the darkness. Perhaps, those beings didn''t even have eyes.


    As Charles watched the eyes in the video, murmuring sounds assaulted his mind once more. Those hauntingly familiar chants grew louder with each passing second, and his face twisted in intense agony.


    <em>Snap!</em>


    A source of light flickered on the drone, and it rapidly retreated back into the dark arch.


    Inside, everything had vanished. There were no GK Council members seated on the chair, nor any Foundation staff members. Everyone was gone.


    Compared to the silence outside, however, there were still sounds within the facilitythe sobbing of a little girl.


    The drone moved toward the source of the sound and spotted 134 curled up and trembling. She clung to the shadowy figure as she sobbed uncontrobly, "Mommy where are you I''m scared"

 Chapter 467: Leave One Behind

    Chapter 467: Leave One Behind


    The screen froze as the rey button appeared. The video had ended, but Charles found it difficult to calm himself down. The video recording had just told him that the Foundation had attempted to create their own Divinity, but they ended up attracting the attention of all the Divinities in the entire Subterranean Sea.


    The exact details were unknown, but the members of the Foundation vanished since then. Even more shocking was that their disappearance failed to make any ripples as if they had never been here in the first ce.


    Their disappearance wasn''t out of expectations. However, Charles was more perplexed over the sess of their final experiment. Had they seeded? If so, then the so-called Light God had to be Dawn Four, which had be a Divinity!


    Charles'' head was in a mess as many assumptions popped up in his head. The Pope had told him that the Light God was sealed, and Charles realized that there was a huge possibility that the Divinities of the Subterranean Sea were the culprit.


    It wasn''t exactly a far-fetched story. After being sealed by the Divinities, the Light God somehow managed to contact the Pope, and the Pope then began his quest to help the Light God break through the seal.


    The Light God''s will was the collective will of the GK Council. In other words, the Light God was on mankind''s side.


    <em>Great. If this is truly the case, I no longer have to be so wary of the Pope. After all, the Foundation''s mission was to safeguard mankind. Even if the Light God went up to the surface world, he wouldn''t harm the humans up there.</em>


    <em>No, wait. I''m jumping to conclusions here. I need to have a good talk with the Pope upon my return. It''d be great if I managed to obtain a way tomunicate with the Light God from the Pope.</em>


    Charles lifted his hands off of his head to say something when the bitter seawater rushed into his mouth, making him choke. He coughed and was horrified to realize that the seawatering in from the door gaps was already deep enough to reach his face!


    <em>I have to leave. We''re still in danger, </em>Charles thought. Then, he took a deep breath before diving into the waters and working on theputer.


    "You must leave one of your crew behind if you want to shut down 068. You have to trap them here, or they''ll catch up to you, even if you were to run outside!" Digital Tobba said before diving back into Charles'' "Memory" folder.


    Charles was stunned to see the line of text on the screen. However, he knew that he''d have to make a decision soon, or none of them would make it back outside.


    "Captain, let me stay!" Dipp said, swimming to Charles'' side with a determined expression.


    Charles revealed a pained look and peered over Dipp''s shoulder to look at the other crew members. The crew members instantly knew what Charles was thinking, and some of them lowered their heads in fear.


    Of course, there were some with their chests puffed out, clearly willing to be left behind for everyone else''s sake.


    Charles'' identity as the Captain of the Narwhale was oftentimes useless, but at sea, his identity meant that he''d get to decide who would live and die.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    A loud noise echoed, and the door vanished without a trace. A horrifying scenery unfolded beyond the door. There was nothing beyond the door apart from the inky waters. More than half of Ind 68 had been erased by the "chalkboard erasers."


    They were running out of time. They''d all be erased once the "chalkboard erasers" found them. It was now or neverCharles had to make a decision.


    Charles dragged the mouse, selecting his crew members and Sparkle before dragging them into the "Narwhale" folder.


    Dipp''s vision blurred abruptly, and he suddenly found himself on the Narwhale''s deck. Thrilled to have survived such a crisis, Dipp stood up and looked around excitedly only to freeze in the next momentCharles was missing.


    The Narwhale''s steel tes creaked noisily. Everyone felt a sense of weightlessness as an invisible giant grabbed the Narwhale and hurled it away from Ind 68.


    The powerful force sent the crew members tumbling around, and they could do nothing but watch as the massive Ind 68 copsed rapidly until it eventually became an oldputer monitor that sank into the depths of the sea.


    Dipp staggered over to the thick, ss windows and watched the unfolding scene in despair.


    "Captain, why?! I could have died in your ce, so why?!" Dipp keeled over and pounded the thick ss. Knowing that Charles could have survived made him feel like dying.


    "You''re so noisy. I''m not noble enough to sacrifice my life for you all." A familiar voice echoed behind Dipp.


    The despairing Dipp whipped around, and his eyes widened in shock the moment he pped his eyes on the speaker. In the next moment, he stood up and spread his arms wide before pouncing on Charles.


    Charles raised his prosthetic arm and blocked Dipp''s bear hug.


    "Captain, are you really okay?" Dipp asked anxiously while examining Charles from top to bottom.


    "What? Would you prefer if something had happened to me?" Charles replied.


    Then, he pushed away the crew members who had rushed over toward him and walked over to Sparkle. Picking her up, Charles walked toward the observation ss to check the outside situation.


    Charles looked around for a while before sighing in relief. The "chalkboard erasers" had vanished along with Ind 68.


    <em>It seems that those two are indeedpletely trapped inside. It was a good thing that Tobba didn''t lie to me.</em>


    Just then, Dipp walked up to Charles. He sounded surprised as he asked, "Captain, didn''t that little guy say that you have to leave one of your crew behind? We all managed toe back, so who ended up getting left behind?"


    Charles stared at Dipp, and thetter finally realized that Charles'' strange eye with a red iris had vanished.


    "Tobba said that it has to be shut down, but do you really need an entire living person to press a button and shut it down?" Charles replied. At the critical juncture, a brilliant idea came to Charles, and he made his right eye press the power button for him.


    "Dipp, go ahead and retrieve 068. It must never be turned on again. Otherwise, the ''chalkboard erasers'' inside of it will definitelye out and chase us forever. I''m sure they''re holding a grudge against us at this point," Charles ordered.


    "Sir, yes, sir!" Dipp eximed and eagerly rushed toward the dpression chamber.


    Charles flipped through the slightly damp diary in his hand until he reached the page containing a nautical chart.


    "Narwhale, go to the surface and drop the anchor. First Mate, Second Mate,e to the Captain''s Quarters."


    Every single crew member was overjoyed to have survived the crisis, and their eyes were brimming with excitement as they moved busily in response to the Captain''s orders. They also didn''t have even a single casualty, which was great.


    It had to be known that the previous voyages had resulted in multiple deaths, so this voyage could be considered incredibly easy whenpared to the previous ones.


    Just as the crew were getting busy with their own tasks, Charles, First Mate Bandages, and Second Mate Conor had already arrived in the Captain''s Quarters.


    They were there when Charles discovered the nautical chart, so they understood what Charles wanted to do. No words were exchanged as the two startedparing charts to narrow down the location of the colossal key.


    Upon confirming their current location on the nautical chart, they realized something unexpected: their next destination was only five nautical miles away from their current location.


    Bandages and Conor stared nkly at Charles, wondering about Charles'' next course of action.


    The one-eyed Charles'' conflicted emotions were visible on his face; he mulled over his decision while staring at the highlighted coordinates on the nautical chart.


    In the end, he balled his right hand into a fist and mmed his fist on the table. "It''s not that far away, so there''s no reason for us to postpone our trip to it. The Narwhale shall set sail! Destination: Dark Abyssal Trench!"<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    I kinda had this feeling he was going to leave his eye behind. Well. I guess he will soon get another new eye. </blockquote>

 Chapter 468: Gifts

    Chapter 468: Gifts


    There was a sh of light, and Sparkle appeared in her room. Sparkle nced at the two tiny, red-bodied figures whispering to each other in a cage before setting down the toys and delicacies in her hands.


    Then, Sparkle vanished once more before reappearing in Anna''s room.


    "Mommy, I''m back," Sparkle said to Anna. Anna was in her monstrous true form and was busy chewing on something. Three desperate and terrified figurestwo women and a man were crying out in terror in front of Anna.


    They werepletely naked and had been thoroughly cleaned.


    The one and only man among the figuresan old man with a white beard shouted, "Governor Tucker doesn''t have a sister like you! You''re just a disgusting monster! A monster that takes advantage of people by altering their memories!"


    "So you''ve finally figured it out? Unfortunately, you realized it far toote." Anna''s writhing tentacles wrapped around the old man and tossed him into Anna''s stomach.


    "The bones of old people are really tough. My teeth are aching just chewing on them," Anna remarked.


    The two women wailed even louder and scrambled to escape, but they had nowhere to go.


    Sparkle found the scene a bit boring, and she turned around to leave the room.


    "Mommy, I''m going to y with Nene."


    "Wait, what did the scumbag make you do?" Anna asked, casting the massive yellow cross-shaped pupil in the middle of her massive form at her daughter.


    "Who''s the scumbag?"


    "The scumbag is your daddy. Your daddy is the scumbag."


    "The scumbag took me out to y. He made me crawl into box after box, and I met ady there as well. She was really nice to me, and she gave me many wonderful things. She also" Sparkle recounted truthfully.


    Anna soon found out what Charles had experienced in 068.


    Having finished her dinner, Anna reclined peacefully on her chair and propped her chin with her elbow on the armrest. "Was he injured?"


    "Daddy lost an eye," Sparkle said. Then, she ran over to Anna and closed her eyes as she nestled up against Anna''s bosom.


    "Was it the left or the right eye?"


    "The right eye; the eye that can move by itself."


    "Then, it''s not a big deal. Anything else?" Anna asked, stroking Sparkle''s long hair on her back.


    Sparkle''s ck hair rapidly transformed into tentacles and coiled gently around Anna''s fingers. "Daddy''s head was hurting a lot as well. Daddy really was in pain."


    Anna''s eyes widened slightly at the remark, and then her expression revealed disdain. "Serves him right. Does he think that the sea is his backyard or something?"


    "Mommy, is there anything else? If there''s nothing else, can I go y with Nene now?" Sparkle asked, gazing at Anna''s beautiful visage.


    "Go ahead, but remember not to reveal your true identity to her. Otherwise, you''ll lose that friend of yours," Anna replied, letting go of Sparkle.


    "Okay!" Sparkle eximed and vanished into thin air.


    Left all alone, Anna''s nonchnt expression was reced by worry and a tinge of annoyance. "Gao Zhiming, you''re definitely going to get yourself killed one day if you keep messing around like this."


    Meanwhile, Sparkle reappeared in her room. Eight tentacles writhed from beneath her skirt to search through the gifts on what to bring over for her friend, Nene.


    Sparkle pondered over what gifts to ultimately give Nene, but she soon discovered that every single one of them was a suitable gift to give to her friend. In the end, she decided to bring them all, including the two trembling puppets.


    Sparkle was about to teleport to Nene''s doorstep when she stopped upon realizing something. If she were to go there just like this, Nene''s mother would only allow her to stay for one night.


    Sparkle looked around the corridor of the Governor''s Mansion and found a maid sweeping the floor in the distance. She waved her hand at the maid and walked over to thetter before saying, "I want to go somewheretake me there."


    The tall maid set her broom aside and knelt on one knee. "As you wish, Lady Sparkle."


    Under the maid''s lead, Sparkle left the Governor''s Mansion and rode the huge wooden basket that would bring them beneath the Crown''s gillsa ce always covered in spores.


    The maid carrying a variety of items cast a surprised gaze at the hut. "Lady Sparkle, is that really your friend''s home?"


    "Why can''t it be?" Sparkle asked, turning to the maid.


    "No, it surely can. It''s just that I didn''t expect your friend to be so ordinary."


    Sparkle knocked on the wooden door rather than replying to the maid.


    Donna opened the door with adle in hand and was astonished to see two figures behind the doorone tall and one short. The short figure was familiar to her, as she was none other than Sparkle.


    "What brings you here, Sparkle? And who is she?"


    "She''s one of Mommy''s people. And she''s going to stay with me. I can y with Nene for as long as I want now, right?" Sparkle said. Then, she crouched and walked past Donna through thetter''s slightly dirty skirt to find her friend.


    The maid walked into the home and looked around the humble interior before following closely behind Sparkle. She spared not even a nce at Donna, the owner of the house.


    Donna wasn''t infuriated by the maid''s unreasonable behavior. Instead, her expression revealed a hint of self-deprecation as she stared at the maid wearing a uniform made from exquisite fabric.


    The fact that Sparkle''s maid was wearing clothes better than Donna herself meant that Sparkle''s parents had to be pretty wealthy. Donna reckoned that Sparkle''s father had to be the owner of a merchant group with over a dozen cargo ships.


    Contrary to her mother, Nene didn''t think too much upon seeing the maid. She was simply happy to see that her friend hade to visit her. She put down the ck bread in her hand and ran over to hug Sparkle.


    "This is awesome, Sparkle! I''m so happy to see you here again. I missed you a lot!"


    The two childrenughed and jumped around for a while before Sparkle told the maid to put down the items that she was carrying on the table. Sparkle had brought so many gifts with her that Nene''s ck bread was pushed over to the edge of the table.


    Nene revealed a hesitant look upon seeing the items. "Sparkle, are these all for me?"


    "Mmhm. They''re all for you," Sparkle replied. She took out a piece of colorful candy from the pile and handed it to Nene.


    "But I don''t have anything to give you in return."


    "No need to give me anything. I have many of these things." Sparkle said, cing a piece of colorful candy in Nene''s hand.


    In the face of so many trinkets, Nene''s hesitant expression vanished and was reced with a joyful one. "I''ll ept your gifts, then. If I ever find something interesting in the future, I''ll give it to you, too."


    Nene popped the candy into her mouth, and her eyes widened instantly. "Mmhm~ it''s so sweet! It''s so delicious. It''s much better than Auntie''s candies."


    "My daddy''s friends gave them to me. Daddy also bought two tiny people for me," Sparkle said. Then, she ced the two tiny puppets on the table.


    The puppets looked up at Sparkle''s towering face, and they soon began waving the tiny wooden props in their hands while reciting their lines with proper intonation.


    While staring at the tiny puppets, Sparkle realized something and blinked her big eyes. <em>Huh? They teleported with me, so why are they still alive? I thought Mommy was the only one who could teleport with me.</em>


    Nene was truly stupefied. It hadn''t been that long since Sparkle''s visit, but she could no longer believe what was happening today. Nene felt as if the world had gone through earth-shattering changes without her knowledge.


    "Sparkle, who exactly is your father? This is really awesome"


    Donna''s ears perked up at her daughter''s question; she also wanted to know the answer to that question.


    And that was when Sparkle replied, "My daddy is a scumbag."

 Chapter 469: Trench

    Chapter 469: Trench


    "Ag''agth lwhuk yeh agthu"


    Charles pressed his fingers strongly on his temples in an effort to lower the volume of the annoying whisperings. Despite pressing on his temples until they were bruised, the whisperings didn''t soften at all.


    The cursed whisperings had been following him like a shadow ever since he watched that video.


    It seemed that Charles had been contaminated mentally by the Divinities through the screen, even though he saw nothing but eyes at the time.


    At first, the cursed whisperings weren''t that obvious, but the whisperings got louder and louder until they reached an unbearable level.


    "Here, take this. Careful, it''s a bit hot," Linda said, handing over a triangr ss bottle containing a ck liquid to Charles.


    Charles wasted no time and snatched the bottle away. Then, he drank the entire bottle at once. Charles'' mind was so chaotic that he couldn''t even taste the medicine''s bitter taste. Fortunately, the medicine seemed effective; the cursed whisperings had be way quieter.


    Charles let out a long sigh and said, "Thank you."


    However, Linda shook her head and exined, "Your issue isn''t that easy to handle, Captain. The reason the potion I gave you is working is that it dulls your brain''s perception.


    "Your condition is a bit tooplicated, and I need to conduct further mental examination on you before I can decide on the best course of action."


    "Let''s set that aside for now. Now isn''t the time for that. We''ll talk about it once we''re done with our objective here," Charles said. He stood up and wiped away the sweat on his forehead before walking out of the infirmary.


    Upon arriving at the bridge, he saw Bandages and Conor discussing something while staring at a nautical chart.


    "Captain, how are you? Are you okay? I think we should have you receive treatment before anything else. How about we go back and do that first?" Conor asked with a slightly unsightly expression.


    Charles shook his head. "Don''t try to convince me otherwise. Anyway, where are we? How far are we from our destination?"


    "If there''s nothing wrong with the chart, then the trench is right below us" First Mate Bandages said.


    Charles turned toward Dipp at the helm and gestured with his chin. "Kid, go down there and take a look."


    "Understood!" Dipp eximed and excitedly rushed out of the bridge. He grabbed the railing and jumped into the sea with a ssh.


    <em>I doubt the key could run away after falling into a trench. </em>Charles thought. Then, he walked over to the nautical chart on the wall and soon fell into deep contemtion. <em>Just what on earth had flipped over the aircraft carrier of the Foundation to snatch away the key?</em>


    The size of the aircraft carrier and the key meant that whatever had taken that key away couldn''t possibly be small.


    <em>Was it a Divinity? </em>Charles thought, but he quickly dismissed the idea. The Divinities of the deep sea would have had no reason to take away a key to the surface world. If They wanted to go out, no one could stop Them.


    Just as Charles was busy pondering over the burning questions in his mind, Second Mate Conor walked up to him and asked hesitantly, "Captain, are we really going into the trench?"


    "Of course."


    "But it''s a trench, you know? The seabed is already dangerous, but we''re actually going into a trench, which is a deep hole in a seabed. I-I I don''t know what to say, really


    "C-captain, how many of us do you think are going to die in this voyage into the trench?" Conor asked. He couldn''t help but tremble at the thought of entering a trench in the deep and dark seabed.


    "Are you scared?" Charles asked, staring at Conor.


    "W-wouldn''t any ordinary person be scared about the idea of diving into a trench?" Conor asked, staring at Charles with fearful eyes.


    Charles stared into Conor''s eyes and asked, "I can still remember your bravery when you first boarded the ship, so where did that bravery of yours go? Come on, show some courage. Don''t be so timid."


    When Charles'' words fell, he inadvertently pped his eyes on the "gift" that 068 had given to him. Charles raised his prosthetic limb, and it transformed into a chainsaw that he immediately swung toward the silver square bracelet.


    Sparks flew, and the silver square bracelet with poison inside of it split into two, falling to the ground.


    Just then, Dipp''s voice echoed from the surface. "Captain! There really is a trench down below. We found it! Hahaha, I can''t believe we''re so lucky to find it so easily."


    Soon, the heavy steel tes of the Narwhale closed with a loud noise, and cold seawater flooded the bast tanks, allowing the Narwhale to sink. Once the Narwhale was fully submerged, the crew gathered before the thick, ss windows on deck, and they all looked straight down.


    The Narwhale''s searchlights lit up just then, vanquishing the darkness of the pitch-ck seawater. Then, as if it were a bolt of lightning, the searchlights reached the seabed in the blink of an eye.


    Astonishingly, the waters were shallow, and the seabed was only thirty meters deep. The crew soon found a pitch-ck crevice in the seabed, and it seemed to extend infinitely into the dark expanse up ahead.


    It was called a trench, but it was more like a cliff in the seabed.


    As the Narwhale proceeded slowly into the trench, everyone unknowingly gulped a mouthful of their own saliva.


    Meanwhile, Charles suddenly felt like something was staring at him. It was a strange feeling because whenever he attempted to probe where the gaze wasing from, the feeling would disappear as if it had never appeared at all.


    <em>Is it a hallucination caused by the cursed whisperings? </em>Charles thought. He turned toward the ss windows and looked around, but there wasn''t anything outside aside from darkness.


    The temperature on the Narwhale dropped as they went deeper and deeper into the trench.


    Soon, the crew began to exhale white mists. Some crew members found it hard to withstand the cold and rushed to the smokestack with arms wide open. Then, they hugged the smokestack and revealed satisfied faces.


    Charles didn''t move. He stayed on deck and quietly looked around outside through the ss windows. There wasn''t anything outside but darkness, but the strange feeling had returned.


    Charles felt like a pair of eyes made out of darkness itself was staring at him outside.


    "First Mate! Turn on the sonar!" Charles ordered.


    The Narwhale''s sonar was turned on, but the sonar monitor revealed nothing.


    It seemed as though the gaze was just Charles'' hallucination.


    They dove deeper and deeper into the trench, and the Narwhale''s steel tes eventually started creaking against the immense pressure of the seawater.


    The atmosphere became a bit oppressive, and no one dared to break the silence.


    However, the silence was soon shattered by a scream from the bridge.


    Charles left the deck and rushed into the bridge. One of the sailors tasked to monitor the outside situation through the periscope had copsed to the ground.


    "What''s wrong?" Charles asked.


    "C-captain! I-I saw something outside!" the horrified sailor reported.


    That was all Charles needed to hear; he immediately walked up to the periscope and peeked outside with his sole remaining eye. However, he couldn''t see anything at all.


    Just as he thought that the sailor had to have made a mistake, a tube swayed past the periscope. In the next moment, a heavy diving gear appeared in front of the periscopeno, it wasn''t just a mere diving gear.


    The broken diving helmet overgrown by moss revealed a skull, and the skull''s hollow eye sockets seemed to be staring intently at Charles.

 Chapter 470: Submarine

    Chapter 470: Submarine


    Charles soon realized that he was staring at a corpse through the periscope. He wasn''t afraid of corpses, but he was intrigued by how the corpse had gotten so close to the periscope and why it hade so close in the first ce.


    Three secondster, the diving suit trembled and vanished. The periscope saw nothing but darkness once again.


    Charles let go of the periscope and walked toward the door of the bridge.


    "Where are you going, Captain?" Dipp asked, chasing after Charles.


    "I''m going out to meet that fellow. You shoulde with me."


    Bubbles floated as Charles and Dipp entered the pitch-ck seawater. Charles shivered upon entering the water, and he reckoned that the temperature here was below freezing.


    Charles'' night vision seemed to be under suppression, and he couldn''t see more than ten meters around him. Using his hand to push off against the hull of the Narwhale, Charles propelled himself toward the periscope where he had seen that diving suit earlier.


    Soon, he found out that the diving suit hadn''t vanished; it had simply drifted away from the Narwhale.


    There was a <em>swoosh</em> as Charles shot out his grappling hook toward the drifting diving suit. The grappling hook easily pierced the diving suit, and Charles pulled it over.


    Charles'' prosthetic limb transformed into a chainsaw, and he swung it toward the broken helmet, splitting it open. The bones inside spilled out and drifted away under the influence of the current.


    <em>So this skeleton didn''te here by itself?</em> Charles thought, feeling slightly disappointed. He used his hands to sweep away the bones and rummage through the diving suit. However, he found nothing but bones; the diving suit was just an ordinary diving suit as well.


    <em>Have other explorers been here? What are they doing here? Are they also looking for the key? </em>Charles thought, sweeping his gaze across the pitch-ck expanse of the chasm.


    At first, he thought these underwater explorers were the Foundation members and that they hade here to recover the key. However, the old-fashioned diving suit proved that Charles'' assumption was wrong.


    The Foundation was capable of constructing even the sun itself, so Charles believed that there was no way they would use such a primitive diving suit. In fact, the corpse''s diving suit was more outdated than Charles'' diving suit.


    However, it also wouldn''t make sense to say that the deceased diver was a denizen of the Subterranean Sea. The denizens of the Subterranean Sea were even too afraid to visit the seafloor, much less dive into a trench.


    In addition the goals of explorers were to discover habitable inds with a source of freshwater. Even fishermen daring enough to venture out to the deep sea wouldn''t dive into a trench to look for fish.


    "Captain, look! There''s an oxygen tube on its back! It seems to be connected to something as well," Dipp said, pointing out from the side.


    Charles finally noticed the oxygen tube covered in brown moss. The oxygen tube was indeed connected to the back of the diving suit. It appeared like a brown snake swaying gently in the dark.


    Charles turned to the periscope next to him and gave orders using g semaphore. "Stop dive; cruise south."


    The Narwhale''s rudder turned slowly, allowing her to change directions until her bow was facing the oxygen tube. Then, the Narwhale moved once more, tracing the oxygen tube.


    The trench was wider and deeper than Charles initially thought. It took them three minutes to find where the oxygen tube wasing from. It turned out that the oxygen tube was connected to a spindle-shaped ck submarine, which stood erect and motionless in the cold seawater.


    Charles went closer and saw seven divers attached to oxygen tubes floating haphazardly around the submarine. The deceased divers swayed gently in the seawater. For some reason, Charles felt like the huge submarine was a giant octopus, and the eight divers were its tentacles.


    <em>Why does it look a bit familiar</em>


    "Captain, should we approach?" Dipp asked. He waited for a while until he realized that Charles wasn''t paying any attention to him. Dipp swam up in front of Charles and waved his hand at thetter.


    "Captain, are you okay?" Dipp asked.


    Charles came back to his senses just then. However, he didn''t respond to Dipp''s question and simply raised his hand, gesturing toward the submarine in front of them.


    The Narwhale''s searchlights descended upon the submarine; Charles and Dipp moved together, approaching the submarine carefully. The hearts of the crew members standing on deck unconsciously tightened at the scene.


    Charles was surprised to find that the submarine still had air. More precisely, there was an air pocket only in the upper half of the submarine, which Charles reckoned was the reason it was standing vertically in the deep sea.


    "Captain, what happened to you earlier? Why did you suddenly freeze?" Dipp asked as he popped his head out into the air pocket.


    Charles was taking off his heavy diving suit and was staring at the dusty corridor up above. "No, it''s nothing much. I just felt like I''d seen this kind of submarine somewhere before. Anyway, let''s go and see if we can find any clues inside."


    Dipp nodded and grabbed the dusty light fixture on the corridor walls. Then, he wasted no time and started his climb.


    Unfortunately, the submarine was standing upright, so the corridor became a straight, vertical shaft, which was particrly difficult to climb. However, both Charles and Dipp had been enhanced by the Clown Mask, so they had no issues climbing up the shaft.


    The two soon found their first bulkhead door, and they seemed to have found their way into what looked like a bedroom.


    As the submarine was standing upright, the floor had be the wall, and the wall had be the floor. The tables, chairs, and pieces of furniture had been bolted down to ensure that they wouldn''t move amidst the waves, which meant that they were now on the wall rather than on the floor.


    Dipp pulled open a drawer and rummaged through it to find anything with texts. "<em>Cough, cough, cough!</em> Why is there so much dust? How long has it been since this thing sank here?"


    Charles scraped the dust on the wall with his fingers and said, "It hasn''t been that long since they sank. Otherwise, the hull would have already sumbed to the pressure outside, and we wouldn''t have been able toe here."


    Charles looked around, examining theyout of the room as well as imagining the room''s position in the submarine. Charles realized something just thenhe had indeed seen this kind of submarine before!


    He had consulted the ship designers of the Albion Isles to construct a submarine, and those ship designers had eventually taken out submarine blueprints for him to see.


    At the time, he had asked them to build him a submarine, but it waster postponed due to some unforeseen events.


    <em>So this submarine was built by the Albion Isles? Why did the Governor of the Albion Isles send people here? What are they looking for here?</em> Charles pondered deeply. <em>Wait, since they built this submarine, the Captain''s Quarters should be</em>


    Charles rushed back to the vertical shaft and climbed up. "Dipp! Follow me!"


    Charles soon stumbled upon a variety ofpartments, and hepared their positions to the submarine blueprints in his head. Charles climbed past the bast tanks, the storagepartment, and the galley until he finally found the Captain''s Quarters.


    Charles pried open the bulkhead door with all his strength, and as soon as the door was pried open, a figure inside pounced on Charles.


    Charles reacted quickly andshed out with his right foot, kicking the figure away toward the wall. A dull noise echoed as the figure mmed hard against the wall and fell to the ground.


    However, the figure wasn''t some dangerous monster but a skeleton that had perished while leaning against the bulkhead door. It hadn''t "pounced" on Charles; it had fallen toward thetter as soon as the door was opened.


    The skeleton''s clothes confirmed its identity; he was the captain of this submarine.


    Charles looked around the Captain''s Quarters, and he eventually walked inside the room upon confirming that there wasn''t anything dangerous inside.


    <em>So hemitted suicide,</em> Charles thought upon seeing the gun in the skeleton''s hand and the hole in its temple.

 Chapter 471: Diary

    Chapter 471: Diary


    Dipp rushed into the Captain''s Quarters and picked up a logbook off the floor. He was about to hand over the logbook to Charles when the drawer next to him abruptly opened; a shadowy figure pounced on Dipp''s face.


    "Dipp!" Charles roared and rushed over to pry the ck mass off of Dipp''s face. In the next moment, however, Dipp''s figure abruptly dispersed into a cloud of dark blue mist.


    The ck mass fell to the ground and crawled toward Charles.


    Charles drew his revolver and rained down bullets at the ck mass.


    Gunshots echoed loudly in the room as Charles drew his revolver and rained down bullets at the ck mass. Eventually, the ck mass seemed to have sumbed to Charles'' attacks and stopped moving.


    Meanwhile, the dark blue mist converged and transformed into Dipp.


    "What is that?" Dipp asked, staring in shock at the ck mass that resembled a jelly.


    Charles carefully opened the drawer where the ck mass hade from and saw that it had been hollowed out by something. To make matters worse, it was pitch-ck inside the drawer, and it seemed to be as deep as the abyss.


    "It feels like something has made a nest in here. Sea creatures are always tricky to deal with, so you''d best be careful," Charles warned his boatswain.


    "It''s fine. I can transform into mist, so they can''t possibly harm me," Dipp replied confidently.


    Charles red at Dipp and wordlessly snatched the logbook from thetter''s hand.


    "Do you really think that I don''t have any idea where you''ve obtained that ability of yours? Go stand by the door and be on the lookout. There might be more where that came from."


    Dipp dared not to respond and decisively turned around to stand by the door.


    Charles looked down at the logbook in his hand.


    <em>Year 734, Month 9, Day 3</em>


    <em>We''ve just departed the Albion Isles. Today is the first test voyage of our ship that is capable of diving underwater. I was so excited that I couldn''t sleepst night</em>


    <em>Year 734? That was around 71 years ago. It''s been that long since this ship was made?</em> Charles turned to the second page of the diary inside the logbook.


    <em>Year 734, Month 9, Day 4</em>


    <em>The test voyage went smoothly, but I am very dissatisfied with the crew''s performance. I need smarter crew members.</em>


    <em></em>


    <em>Year 734, Month 9, Day 9</em>


    <em>The new crew members are great, especially the ship''s doctor. Her tongue is simply wonderful, especially when</em>


    Charles swiftly flipped through the pages. He wanted to find out why the submarine ended up sinking, and he had no intentions of reading a dead man''s erotic experience.


    In just a few minutes, Charles realized that he had skipped a good chunk of the logbook''s pages. However, it wasn''t really an issue, as the majority of the pages contained nothing but records of trivial matters.


    Charles flipped over to page 95, and his pupils constricted upon seeing a familiar word on the page.


    <em>The other captains and I met with the esteemed Pope. I was so excited. I mean, the Pope canmunicate with the Light God. The moment he looked at me, I felt like my soul itself was sublimated.</em>


    <em>The Pope?!</em> Charles turned around and rushed to the captain''s skeleton. He grabbed the skull and tore it off. Then, Charles reached into the eye sockets and pulled out three rusty steel needles as thick as pencils.


    <em>It really is the Divine Light Order! I should have known that it''d be them the moment I read about the Pope in this guy''s journal!</em> Charles eximed inwardly, and he suddenly felt like things were far moreplicated than he assumed.


    <em>Why did the Pope send people here? Does this mean that he knew the key''s location long ago?</em>


    The wary Dipp standing by the door leaned over just then and asked, "Captain, is there something wrong? Did you find an extremely important clue or something?"


    Charles ignored Dipp as the cogs in his mind turned rapidly.<em> I think my previous assumptions are correct. He''s been putting on an act before me! Pretending like he has no idea where the key is, even though he had found out its location long ago!</em>


    The Pope''s scheme was still unknown to Charles, but the Pope''s behavior made Charles assume that it had to be evil.


    Charles had the urge to go back and rally the forces of Hope Ind, Elizarles Shores, and the World''s Crown to destroy the Divine Light Order along with the Fhtagn Covenant.


    However, Charles knew that nothing good woulde out of doing that. In the first ce, there was no need for him to take such radical actions for the sake of an assumption.


    <em>Fortunately, I''m not in the worst-case scenario. He''s at odds with the Fhtagn Covenant, so this is a great opportunity. </em>


    <em>The Divine Light Order is also in a weakened state after that great battle, so I can definitely rally my forces and suppress the entire Divine Light Order if I want to, but I have to figure out the Pope''s motives first before anything else. Violence should also be myst resort.</em>


    The clues he had picked up in this submarine reminded Charles that the Divine Light Order had more than what his eyes could see. In the end, Charles decided to revise his strategy when it came to the Divine Light Order.


    Meanwhile, Dipp frowned deeply while staring at his captain''s ever-changing face; he nced surreptitiously at the logbook. He truly wanted to see just what kind of information was inside the logbook for it to make Charles so agitated.


    "What are you doing standing there? I told you to go stand by the door and keep an eye out for any changes. Report to me immediately if there are any disturbances," Charles said.


    Charles knew that he''d have to tackle those issues sooner orter and that they were very important as well. However, his top priority was to find out whether the colossal key to the surface world was down here or not.


    If he ended up finding the key, it''d be a card he could use against the Pope in front of the negotiation table.


    Having made up his mind, Charles looked down at the logbook in his hand and read the diary entries.


    <em>Year 734, Month 9, Day 13</em>


    <em>We received a top-secret mission from the Pope. I can''t write it down for confidentiality purposes, but it''s really exciting. It''s been keeping me awake for many nights now. I have to hold it back. No, I can''t write it down.</em>


    <em>Year 734, Month 11, Day 1</em>


    <em>We''ve arrived just above the trench. There was a discussion between us, the eleven submarine captains, and we decided to send the Sea Lion down first. As for the specifics, we''ll base it on the intelligence that the Sea Lion will bring back for us.</em>


    <em>Year 734, Month 11, Day 3</em>


    <em>It''s been two days, way beyond the agreed-upon time. Something must have happened to the Sea Lion. There''s danger below us.</em>


    <em>Year 734, Month 11, Day 6</em>


    <em>Three submarines have gone missing. We can''t keep wasting submarines like this. Our lives are insignificant, but at this rate, we''ll fail in the mission that the Pope has entrusted to us!</em>


    <em>We decided to dive together. At the very least, we can support each other in the depths.</em>


    <em>Year 734, Month 11, Day 7</em>


    <em>It''s very dark down here. I also feel like something is watching us in the dark expanse outside. However, I didn''t inform the crew about this strange feeling, as I didn''t want any of them to panic.</em>


    <em>Year 734, Month 11, Day 8</em>


    <em>Something''s wrong. I can''t contact the other ships anymore, and we''re still descending. Just how deep is this trench? No don''t even think that you can make me give up just like this! For His Holiness the Pope! For the Light God!</em>


    <em>Year 734, Month 13, Day 9</em>


    <em>Someonemitted suicide using my gun. I don''t know how he stole my gun. I contacted the other captains to ask them about their situation, and they told me that everything was fine.</em>


    <em>Year 734, Month 13, Day 34</em>


    <em>Today, I managed to handle a mutiny. The first mate and his subordinates conspired to seize my ship and escape. Hehehe, you''re right. The first mate''s brain is stupid. No wonder it tasted a bit bitter.</em>

 Chapter 472: The Solution

    Chapter 472: The Solution


    <em>This guy is crazy</em> These were the only words Charles could say about the owner of the logbook in his hand. The abnormal time recording and the deranged remarks made it clear to Charles that the logbook owner was a lunatic.


    <em>Had they been driven insane by an entity in this trench? </em>Charles thought as he flipped over the pages of the logbook with interest. It seemed that the submarine managed to reach the bottom, so Charles flipped over the pages of the logbook, thinking that there might be more useful information.


    <em>Year 4312, Month 43, Day 132</em>


    <em>We''ve continued diving. The water is still really cold. Everyone has taken refuge in the engine room; they''ve been refusing toe out. The boatswain couldn''t withstand the cold and decided to hide inside the steam turbine. He''s so happy, and I can hear himughing inside.</em>


    <em>We''ve arrived. The submarine has touched the bottom of the trench. I can feel something staring at me from the deepest part of the trench. It''s so bright outside. What? Do you want me to go out? No, it''s cold outside. I don''t want to go out.</em>


    <em>I''ve returned from the outside, but my body was snatched away. They chewed on our bodies and swallowed them. Fortunately, the first mate helped me. The boatswain helped me as well, and the two of them dragged me back.</em>


    <em>We continued our search for the target, but we haven''t been able to find it. Just what exactly is the Pope looking for? What? The Pope might have lied to me? He wants to harm me? Impossible. After all, he''ll need just a few words to kill me.</em>


    <em>Wow! There''s actually such a wonderful city at the bottom of this trench? How wonderful. I really want to live here forever. All of you think so, too? That''s great. We can be neighbors, then.</em>


    <em>I''ve been looking for a long time now, but I still haven''t been able to find what the Pope needs. I asked the Pope if what he''s been looking for even exists, but he told me that it really does exist; it was apparently revealed to him in a divine revtion from the Light God.</em>


    <em>Since he saw it in a divine revtion from the Light God, then it must be true. The Light God is benevolent. He will never deceive His followers. It''s definitely here, and I must find it.</em>


    <em>I''ve been searching for a very, very long time. Sometimes, the thirty or so of us captains would discuss the idea of going back. If we were to stay in this ce for a long time, I''m afraid we wouldn''t be able to enter the Light God''s divine kingdom once we die.</em>


    <em>Hmm the Pope hasn''t been responding to our calls. We decided to go back and take a look at what was going on. Perhaps something has blocked our line of sight. I think we also need more detection-type relics.</em>


    <em>The submarine has started its ascent, and we''re about to leave. Anyway, why do people keeping to my room? This is the Captain''s Quarters! This is my room, so why are you sleeping in my bed?!</em>


    <em>Hahaha, he''s dead! The first mate''s solution is great! Take control of this guy''s body and make him shoot himself in the head.</em>


    Charles stopped reading just then and looked up to stare at the skeleton on the floor.<em> Wait. This guy is not the madman who wrote these diary entries? Then where is that madman?</em>


    A faint breeze from the door made Charles look toward it. He saw Dipp''s upper body leaning out of the door, looking left and right. His fin swayed left and right along with the breeze.


    "Dipp, what''s the situation outside?" Charles asked.


    "Nothing has happened so far, and I haven''t seen anything, not even a dead rat. I think we''ve scared away the friends of the creature that attacked us earlier," Dipp replied.


    Meanwhile, Charles flipped over to the next page, but it was empty. Charles closed the logbook and threw it to the ground before walking toward Dipp.


    "Let''s go. We''re heading back. This ce is already useless to us, and the one who wrote those entries in that logbook haspletely lost his mind," Charles replied.


    The two then jumped down the door, and they whizzed past multiplepartments before crashing into the cold seawater.


    Charles took one final nce at the dusty vertical shaft before putting on his diving helmet and diving into the waters.


    Not long after Dipp and Charles'' departure, several cyan shadowy figures emerged from the walls of the corridor. The breeze in the corridor picked up, eventually transforming into a howling wind that sounded like grotesque roars and wailings.


    "That guy has the tattoo of the Fhtagn Covenant on his neck! He''s an aplice of those deformed monsters! We''ve got to kill him! For the Light God!"


    "No, no, we don''t have to take action at all. Let him go down. Those entities below are going to help us. No one has ever made it out alive from this trench!"


    "Yes, that''s right! I agree. Let''s do that."


    Meanwhile, the crew of the Narwhale sighed in relief when they saw their captain and boatswain emerge from the vertical submarine.


    "Captain, what was inside?" First Mate Bandages asked Charles, who had just emerged from the dpression chamber.


    "This is going to be a bit troublesome. I guess it''s not that easy to navigate this trench. Something below is capable of driving people insane," Charles said. Then, he turned to the ship''s doctor, Linda, and asked, "Do you have any medicine that will prevent the onset of mental disorders?"


    Linda shook her head. "That''s too general of a statement. There are many types of mental disorders, and they each have their own triggers and corresponding treatment method."


    Charles frowned as he recalled the insane ramblings in the logbook earlier. <em>This is going to be difficult. Something below must have driven those crew members to insanity, and we must find a way to prevent it from affecting us. </em>


    <em>Think about it, Charles there must be a solution somewhere, and it''s rted to the mind </em>Charles'' eyes widened upon realizing something. Then, he wasted no time and rushed toward the Captain''s Quarters.


    "Captain, where are you going?"


    "Tell the crew to stand by. I''ll be right back."


    Upon returning to his quarters, Charles sat on a chair in front of a table. He seemed to be hesitating, but he eventually took out a pen and started writing on a piece of paper.


    Five minutester, Charles flipped to thest page of the diary and ced the paper filled with Chinese characters. "Sparkle, give this to your mommy."


    A tentacle emerged from the drawing. It rolled up the paper and dragged it into the drawing.


    Fortunately, Anna didn''t refuse Charles'' invitation this time as she appeared in the Captain''s Quarters with Sparkle. Sparkle instantly left upon bringing her mother in the Captain''s Quarters, and it seemed like she was in a hurry.


    "You really know how to write apelling story. It''s such a pity that you''re not a novelist," Anna said, smiling coldly with her arms crossed.


    "Anna, I really need your help," Charles said. Then, he opened his arms to give her a hug, but Anna deftly avoided him.


    "What the hell is this ce?" Anna asked. She walked up to the porthole and stared at the pitch-ck expanse outside.


    "We''re in the Dark Abyssal Trench. There seems to be an entity below us that is capable of messing with the human mind, but I''m sure that you can easily deal with that," Charles confessed.


    "Oh my, I am but a mere tentacle monster, so it is truly my honor to be of use to the great Governor Charles," Anna said, balling her hands into fists and cing them on her chest as if she were touched by Charles'' words.


    "Come on, Anna. Stop doing that, all right? This is <em>really</em> important to me. Down there, the"


    "Okay, but it seems that what''s down there is more important than me in your eyes. You want my help? Sure, but you have to give me Hope Ind in exchange."

 Chapter 473: Assurance

    Chapter 473: Assurance


    "Hope Ind? What do you want it for?" Charles'' eyes widened in shock as he looked at Anna. It had never crossed his mind that she would raise such a request.


    "Aren''t you <em>so</em>mitted to finding the surface and vowed not to stop until you find it? If that''s the case, then surely an ind in this Subterranean Sea would be of no use to you. So why not just give it to me directly? I could make good use of your ind''s technology."


    "Do we really need to draw such clear lines between us?" Charles implored.


    "Cut the nonsense. Do you agree or disagree? If you disagree, I''ll have Sparkle bring me back, and you can roam this forsaken ce by yourself," Anna said with a serious expression; she didn''t seem to be joking.


    "Alright, it''s settled then. You can take control of the entire ind when we return," Charles consented. He didn''t want to start a conflict with her at this moment.


    He felt that this wasn''t the best time to get into an argument with Anna.


    However, they could probably discuss matters once they ovee the current hurdle before them. After all, she was the Governor''s wife of Hope Ind. If she intended to stay on Hope Ind permanently in the future, that would actually be good news to him.


    Soon, the crew members of the Narwhale saw their captain emerging from the Captain''s Cabin. However, the moment the older crew members saw the memory-altering monster trailing behind Charles, their muscles tensed up.


    Sensing the odd atmosphere, Charles cleared his throat and exined, "There''s something below that could drive a person crazy. We don''t know what it is yet, but Anna is adept in the matters of the mind. She can help us resolve the obstacle."


    "But Captain! She''s a man-eating monster! Who knew if she would just eat one of us!" Dipp blurted out anxiously, his expression fraught with rm.


    Anna let out a disdainful scoff and retorted, "And do you think you are any better? Lad, look at yourself now. Are you in any position to criticize me?"


    Dipp was riled up by Anna''sment. He was ready to engage her in a battle of words but was promptly cut off by Charles.


    "Enough!" Charles roared with the authority of a captain. "This matter has been decided! Narwhale, continue the descent!"


    At Charles'' order, the Narwhale got into motion again.


    While Charles managed to quell any overt resistance among the crew, he couldn''t stop their murmurs of discontent.


    Near the smokestacks, the older batch of crew members were huddled together and whispered amongst themselves. Despite being aboard the vessel, all of them even wore the armband that marked the crew members'' name list.


    "Your current batch of crew members isn''t exactly top-notch. If they really can''t make do, just let them off the ship. I can help you find people far stronger than them and are utterly loyal," Anna said as she traced a pale finger down the scar on Charles'' face suggestively.


    "Stop sowing discord already. Keep your guard up. We don''t know what drove those people down there mad, but since the Pope sent them here, they must have surely been formidable. Yet, they still met their doom; we must tread carefully." Charles grabbed Anna''s hand and caressed it gently.


    Anna''s brows furrowed slightly. "What does the Pope have to do with this? Are you keeping something from me again?"


    Charles let out a sigh and recounted the events that had happened.


    At the end of his narration, Anna kicked Charles harshly in the shin andmented, "What did I tell you before? You should''ve listened to me! You should have just stayed on Hope Ind and lived a carefree life as the governor. Look at all this mess you are in now!"


    In Charles'' eyes, it was a rather gentle kick, and he decided against dodging it. Just as he was about to let Anna know about the agreement he had signed with the Pope, he noticed a sudden shift in her expression and immediately halted his actions.


    "What''s wrong?" Charles asked.


    Anna turned her gaze toward a corner of the deck, where the blind vampire and the ship''s doctor were engaged in a conversation.


    "Your crew''s cognition is being altered by something, but I can''t sense what it is."


    Anna''s words made Charles firmly believe that he had made the right decision in bringing her along. Dangers that could be detected were manageable; it was the unknown that was truly terrifying.


    "It''s not a big problem, right?" Charles inquired.


    "Still manageable. Altering someone''s cognition is what the Dioite excels at. I need to revert to my original form; that would make things easier."


    With that, Anna''s slender, alluring body suddenly split open, and horrifying, writhing ck tentacles sprawled onto the deck.


    Everyone onboard was taken aback by Anna''s true form and drew their weapons instinctively. With Charles'' exnation, however, they gradually lowered their weapons.


    Just then, Linda stepped forward. She cast a nce at Anna before turning to Charles and said, "Captain, I can prepare more of that cognition-dulling potion you drank before. Maybe then we won''t need this monster...dy."


    "Why didn''t you bring up this solution earlier?! Go and prepare it immediately." The sudden revtion took Charles by surprise and he hurriedly urged Linda into the infirmary.


    "Oh? Does that mean I can leave now?" Anna asked.


    However, Charles shook his head. "No. We''ll use both methods for double the assurance. It''s safer that way."


    Soon enough, Linda distributed the potion to everyone, and the crew members gulped down the contents in one go.


    Just as Charles lifted the potion vial to his lips, a ck tentacle shot out and coiled itself around the vial, snatching it away.


    "You don''t need to drink this," Annamented.


    Charles was slightly taken aback. "Why?"


    "This level of memory alteration has no effect on you anymore. Haven''t you realized that your resistance has increased significantly after consuming so many souls?"


    "Has it?" Charles'' eyes widened in surprise.


    "Of course. Those souls are easy to absorb; they''ve boosted your resistance to mental corruption and memory alterations significantly."


    "Do you remember that when the perspective police appeared, everyone but you copsed instantly?" Anna exined with her bloodied maw wide open.


    "I can still hear those murmurings in my ears, and the headaches are unbearable as well not too long ago," Charles retorted, his voiceced with doubt over Anna''s exnation.


    "That''s the point. The same mental contamination now only gives you a headache, but if it were the previous you, your head would have blown up."


    Although Charles was unsure if Anna was speaking the truth, so far, it seemed to be good news for him.


    The Narwhale continued its descent. With Anna onboard and Linda''s potion offering double the insurance, the peculiar events logged in the captain''s logbook didn''t unfold on the Narwhale. The crew''s emotional and mental state remained stable.


    Time passed by slowly and six hours had passed since Anna''s arrival on the bridge.


    Just as Charles was seated on deck with one hand holding one of Anna''s tentacles and stuffing bread into his mouth with the other, something apart from darkness appeared outside the forward porthole.


    It was a submarine. And another submarine, and another, totaling about twenty. The ck submarines stood upright in the deep sea like torpedos.


    <em>The logbook mentioned only eleven submarines. But judging from the number here, it seems like the Pope has sent more people afterward. Are all of them just here for the key? </em>Charles thought to himself.


    As the crew observed the submarines outside, understanding that their kindy dead within them in this deste, unknown abyss, a heavy sense of foreboding filled the air.


    Everyone had the same question in their mind: <em>will I meet the same grim fate?</em>


    While everyone was lost in their thoughts, an unforeseen event happenedthe Narwhale reached the bottom of the trench.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts</blockquote>

 Chapter 474: Discovery

    Chapter 474: Discovery


    Darkness was the sole color palette at the bottom of the trench. Even under the illumination of the Narwhale''s searchlights, the mud on the seabed appeared an inky ck.


    The expanse seemed vast with no visible walls in sight. The surroundingndscape was a barren stretch that went endlessly with no discernible boundaries.


    The deste scene set the crew''s nerves on edge. Their hands instinctively reached for their firearms and relics despite knowing that they might be of little use in their current situation.


    On the deck, Charles turned and cast a nce at Anna. Her eyes, the size of basketballs, were now closed and her tentacles trembled as though she had been electrified.


    "What''s wrong? Is everything okay?" Charles reached out a hand and gently patted one of her tentacles.


    "Don''t touch me! Quickly find what you are looking for, and we''ll get out of here as soon as possible!" Anna roared with her eyes still closed.


    It appeared that the closer they got to the seabed, the more intense the madness-inducing effects became. To protect the crew from falling into this frenzy, Anna was deeply focused and actively working to counteract these influences.


    "Captain The sonar didn''t detect the key What do we do next?" the First Mate reported as he peeked out from the cockpit.


    "Keep moving forward at full speed. This ce isn''t safe. The faster we find the key, the quicker we can leave."


    At Charles''mand, the Narwhale''s propellers spun rapidly. Creaking sounds emerged from within the vessel from time to time, inducing fear in the hearts of the crew.


    Fortunately, the Type-3 Steel held up impressively and showed no signs of sumbing to the water pressure or any leakage.


    Charles returned to the bridge and stared at the sonar waves radiating in circles on the disy. If there were truly a key that spanned several hundred meters in length nearby, the sonar would surely be able to pick it up.


    Soon after, a blip lit up on the sonar screen. Charles'' eyes lit up, and his heart raced with anticipation.


    With palpable excitement, the Narwhale swiftly changed course and headed toward the signal. It didn''t take long for the object detected by the sonar to be revealed under the searchlight.


    A hint of disappointment flickered across Charles'' face. It was a ck submarine lodged diagonally into the seabed and its exterior was cloaked in thick, ck mud. Clearly, it had been inundated with seawater, rendering it derelict.


    <em>Just how many submarines did the Pope send down here? This is already the </em>Suddenly, Charles halted his train of thoughts, and with a furrowed brow, his head sharply turned upward to look above him.


    "Captain, what''s wrong?" Dipp asked as he manned the helm. He found his captain''s demeanor rather unusual.


    After a moment, Charles lowered his gaze and shook his head. With a calm tone, he replied, "Nothing much. Keep moving forward. We have no time to waste here."


    Once Dipp turned his gaze away himself, a grave expression appeared on Charles'' countenance.


    <em>Something''s off. That thing is back again but what is it? It just keeps watching me. Is it a sea monster? But it doesn''tunch an attack on Narwhale directly? What exactly does it want? </em>Charles wondered to himself.


    The Narwhale pressed on, with the sonar asionally picking up findings. The trench seemed to harbor more things than expected. There were submarines and unidentified giant bones, but the key Charles sought remained nowhere to be seen.


    "Where could the key possibly be? Something that huge should be easy to locate. There shouldn''t be anywhere for it to hide" Charles mused to himself; his eyes remained glued to the scene outside the porthole.


    Soon, another skeleton covered in dust appeared at the bow, looking much like a giant''s rib bone embedded in the seabed mud. A collective sigh echoed inside the cabin. Everyone aboard shared the same desire to find the key quickly and make their way home.


    Just as Dipp was about to turn the wheel and return to their original course, a steel arm reached out and stopped him.


    Dipp looked up at Charles in surprise. "Captain, what''s wrong? It''s just some bones and nothing more there."


    "I know. Don''t steer away. Move toward the edge of those bones," Charles instructed; he seemed to have noticed something.


    As the Narwhale slowly closed the gap, the other crew members began to notice something amiss as well.


    "Look! Is that someone standing under that skeleton?"


    "Yeah, it does look like it. What''s it reaching out for?"


    "An underwater human?"


    Everyone peered out of the ss window. They had collectively spotted a human figure coated in dust and standing motionless under the gigantic skeleton with an outstretched arm.


    "Sound the whistle. Let''s see the reaction," Charlesmanded.


    A long and two short sts of the whistle sounded promptly. Charles was certain the unidentified figure could hear it, but yet it remained still.


    With his brows furrowed in thought, Charles pondered for a brief moment before stepping out of the bridge,


    "Second Mate, take over the wheel. Third Engineer, Boatswain, First Mate, Deck Cadet, A.B., O.S.,e with me!"


    Regardless of who or what that figure might be, it was at least a humanoid, and that suggested the possibility ofmunication.


    With Charles''mand, the chatter ceased and those called upon hurried after Charles.


    Very soon, the dpression chamber''s hatch was opened once more, and seven crew members in hefty diving suits emerged.


    Landing on the sea bed, their boots immediately sank into the mushy sea mud, indicating an ufortable trudge ahead.


    It didn''t take long for Charles to reach the humanoid figure. Though it hadn''t seemedrge when he saw it from within the cabin, up close, the mud-caked figure appeared to be at least three meters tall.


    The closer Charles got to the figure, the more he felt a nagging sense of familiarity. <em>That stature looks like</em>


    Charles had initially nned to initiate first contact with his tentacles, but he suddenly changed his mind and swiftly dashed forward. Grabbing the figure, Charles climbed to its top.


    He forcefully wiped away the sea mud covering the figure''s face, and upon spotting the facial features beneath, a mocking smirk spread across Charles''s visage.


    <em>So it''s you, huh?</em>


    It wasn''t any human but a stone statue of the Pope. The stone face was utterly devoid of wrinkles and had most likelye down with the submarines decades ago. It was severely damaged and covered in cracks. Half of its right hand was sheared off by something and the statue seemed to have been long discarded.


    Charles gave the statue''s face a pat, only for its head toe offpletely under his hand.


    <em>So fragile I guess it''s useless now and has been junk for ages.</em>


    Standing on the statue''s shoulder, Charles turned around and gestured to his crew with g semaphore.


    But just then, he caught sight of the expressions of sheer terror on his crew''s faces underneath their massive helmets. They hadn''t had the time to act and could only instinctively point behind Charles.


    Charles turned around to see what had caused their horror, but before he could even catch a glimpse, a force along with a thunderous boom sent him flying away.


    The very next moment, the sight before him was reced by a gaping bloodied maw. He had been swallowed by some monstrous entity.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    I thought it was a Haikor. It didn''t cross my mind that it could be the Pope.</blockquote>

 Chapter 475: Norton

    Chapter 475: Norton


    Charles felt unrelenting pressure on his body. Something was chewing on him!


    "Fuck!" White arcs of electricity burst forth from Charles'' body and crackled violently as it jumped within his attacker''s mouth cavity.


    However, the creature seemed unfazed by Charles'' electric attack. It chewed down even harder, and with a crack, Charles'' diving suit was punctured.


    The immense water pressure surged in through the crack like a water jet.


    Before Charles could react, a loud bang ensued, and he was flung away. The Narwhale''s searchlight appeared in his vision once morehe had escaped the creature''s maw.


    As he steadied himself, he realized the explosion was from a torpedo fired from the Narwhale. His crew was trying to rescue him.


    Although Charles wanted to see what had attacked him, he didn''t have the luxury of time to do so. His lungs were filling with water, and survival was of utmost importance. He needed to get back to the submarine, or he would meet his doom here!


    Grabbing the oxygen tube attached to his back, he swam desperately toward the dpression chamber.


    Upon returning to the chamber, Charles couldn''t even afford the time for dpression. He immediately pushed the door open and was propelled into the corridor along with his torn diving suit by a forceful gush of seawater.


    Charles copsed on the ground and coughed up mouthfuls of seawater. The expelled water was stained red with blood andced with bits and pieces of his organs. The pressure outside was so powerful that it tore his body apart from the inside.


    Audric was the first to arrive in his bat form. The moment hended, he promptly pulled out a bag of blood from within his cloak and handed it to Charles.


    Charles quickly bit into the blood bag. As the metallic taste reced the salty aftertaste of seawater in his mouth, the intense pain coursing through his body rapidly subsided. The human blood served its purpose; his injuries were healing.


    "How''s the situation outside?" Charles asked in a hoarse voice. It seemed that the earlier expulsion of water had damaged his vocal cords.


    "I don''t know; I can''t see," the blind vampire answered truthfully.


    Charles pushed him out of the way and hurried toward the aft deck. Upon arriving, he saw the other divers rushing toward the dpression chamber. The creature that had attacked him earlier had vanished.


    The other crew members soon arrived and crowded around Charles with worried expressions while checking in on his condition. Through their ounts, Charles learned that his attacker was a gray, gigantic, decaying bonefish.


    Truth be told, Charles couldn''t care less about the creature''s appearance, nor was he particrly interested in it. However, he was certain of one thing: this trench was fraught with dangers and teeming with deadly creatures.


    In other words, dropping their guard for even a single second could spell demise.


    Soon enough, the divers returned one after another, but they brought back unfortunate news.


    Dragging a heavy diving suit, Dipp spoke to Charles with a bitter tone, "Captain, the navy boy is dead. He sure has bad luck."


    Charles rushed over and removed the hefty diving helmet to reveal Norton''s face. His face had turned purple and seawater mixed with his blood spilled onto the deck.


    His diving suit was torn, but he hadn''t died from the intense water pressure. Arge bone spike,plete with barbs, had pierced his chest killing him.


    Charles let out a soft sigh. He could still remember the youngd''s excitement when he first boarded the ship. However, his first trip ended up being hisst one as well.


    Though the death of a crew pained him, Charles knew he couldn''t spend time to dwell on it.


    "Linda, preserve his body with salt for now; we''ll return it to his family once we''re back on Hope Ind," Charles instructed."


    Linda nodded in acknowledgement. Then, she grabbed Norton by the cor and dragged the corpse toward the infirmary.


    Taking a deep breath, Charles then pped his hands to gather everyone''s attention. "Everyone, back to your posts. We will continue the exploration. There''s no time to lose; let''s go."


    As the crew returned to their posts, the Narwhale started moving again and slowly left her current position.


    Shortly after the Narwhale was out of sight, the headless stone statue standing beneath the skeleton slowly turned toward the direction in which the ship had left before bing motionless.


    The Narwhale''s sonar was operating, but it didn''t pick up any signs of the key, not even a shadow of it.


    Just as frustration was building up in Charles, a growling sound disrupted his train of thought. It was his stomach sending a reminder that neither he nor anyone on board had eaten all day.


    Despite being in perilous territory, Charles decided to pause their expedition temporarily and instructed the cook to prepare their meals.


    After all, people needed to eat. Working on an empty stomach would only decrease their efficiency.


    Half an hourter, the crew members were devouring their food in the mess hall. In their current predicament, no one was in the mood for a leisurely meal. Everyone focused on finishing their food and then returning to their respective posts.


    While Charles was nibbling on some rather dry food, Anna took the seat next to him. She had reverted to her human form and was clutching her temples.


    Her brain looked swollen and awkward; it was even squirming.


    "Hey, don''t say I didn''t warn you. I can only hold on for another six hours. You''d better find a way to get back up in that duration. Otherwise, everyone on this ship will go crazy," Anna said through gritted teeth.


    Hearing Anna''s words, a surge of anxiety rose within Charles. The trench was expansive with no boundary in sight. Six hours seemed hardly sufficient.


    "Can''t you extend the duration somehow?"


    Anna turned toward Charles with a furious re, her eyes almost bulging out of her sockets in frustration.


    "Do you really think this is easy for me? Do you have any idea how hard it is to maintain the sanity and cognition of over a dozen people?


    "The influence is constant and relentless. I can''t pause for even a second!" Anna roared. Her human form was close to copsing, and she might revert to her true form at any moment.


    Charles didn''t press further and gave her a gentle pat on the back instead.


    Anna responded with a low snort of disdain before staggering out of the mess hall.


    With his wife out of sight, Charles lowered his head to finish thest of his mushroom soup. However, the sudden tter of a dish hitting the floor distracted him.


    He turned his head toward the source of the sound and saw Second Mate Conor pointing toward a corner of the mess hall with evident terror on his face.


    "Why Why is he here?" Conor stammered.


    Charles followed Conor''s gaze. There sat Norton, covered in salt, sitting upright as a rod and eating his meal.


    Noticing the shocked expressions of his fellow crew, Norton wiped his mouth sheepishly. "I''ll head back to the infirmary to lie down once I''m done eating. There''s no need to bring me food I can move on my own. Also, my chest doesn''t hurt at all."


    Instinctively, Charles raised his right hand and the flesh revolver appeared in his grasp.


    "O.S. Norton! Stand up!"


    "Yes, Captain! O.S. Norton reporting!" Norton rose to his feet promptly and saluted with his right hand.


    "Where did we first meet?" Charles asked with his gun aimed directly at Norton''s forehead. His finger rested on the trigger, ready to fire at the slightest hint of abnormality.


    "Our first meeting was at the shipyard, Captain!"


    "And what did you say to me then?"


    "I said."


    In the face of Charles'' series of questions, Norton answered every single one without any pauses. It became clear to Charles that the man before him was indeed Norton, and he had somehow returned from the dead.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts</blockquote>

 Chapter 476: Undying

    Chapter 476: Undying


    To see a fellow crew mate, presumably dead, yet being able to feel hunger and casually walk into the mess hall to grab a meal as if nothing had happened was beyond eerie.


    Realizing that Norton was not a monstrous creature from the sea but himself, the crew abandoned their meals and swiftly surrounded him. They held Norton down to his seat and urged Linda to give him a full examination.


    A minuteter, Linda lifted her gaze. Her usually expressionless face disyed a hint of astonishment as she reported, "Captain, Norton''s brain is still functioning, and so are his bodily functions. He really came back to life."


    "But how?" Charles'' brows furrowed in thought. He then pulled up Norton''s shirt to inspect the wound.


    On Norton''s well-defined chest, the ghastly wound from where the bone spur had pierced through remained and was still oozing blood.


    No matter how they looked at it, it ought to be a fatal wound, but yet Norton sat here perfectly normal as though he hadn''t been wounded.


    Charles prodded the wound with his finger, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Norton.


    "Does it hurt?" Charles asked as he looked Norton in the eyes.


    Trying to endure the pain, Norton clenched his fists and replied through gritted teeth, "It hurts, but it''s bearable!"


    Charles'' tension was slightly eased by Norton''s human-like response. At the very least, Norton still retained human perception and wasn''t some walking zombie.


    Charles pushed his finger deeper into the hole. He first brushed against the ribcage beforeing into contact with the heart.


    To his surprise, Norton''s heart was still beating vigorously, despite the walnut-sized hole in it.


    "Argh!" Norton''s facial features twisted in agony from the intense pain.


    Charles cast a nce at Norton and retracted his finger. He then turned to Linda and said, "There''s still a hole in his heart. Can you stitch it up for him?"


    A hint of excitement flickered across her eyes. "I''ll take him to the infirmary for surgery right away. I will also do a more thorough examination. This is truly a medical miracle."


    With that, she couldn''t even bother about her meal anymore and immediately pulled Norton with her toward the infirmary.


    Charles turned to Dipp seated next to him. The Deep Dweller nodded in understanding. Grabbing thest piece of bread from the table, Dipp stuffed it into his mouth and brought two sailors with him to follow Linda.


    Audric seemed somewhat worried as well and swiftly tagged along.


    "Stop looking. Everyone else, continue eating. You need energy to work. Don''t forget where we are; we have no time to lose."


    Hearing Charles'' words, the other crew members tried to suppress their shock as they continued their meal and whispered in hushed tones.


    Amidst the bizarre atmosphere, the crew soon hastily finished their meals. They also took a brief moment to attend to their personal needs. No matter what would be happening next, there was probably no chance for bathroom breaks.


    After the crew had switched shifts, Linda entered the bridge. Her fingers were stained with blood as she approached Charles.


    "Captain, I''ve stitched up all his damaged heart cavities. His injuries are healing. Given enough time, his heart will be as good as new."


    "Are there any other physical anomalies with Norton? Like mutations?" Charles asked, his voiceced with incredulity.


    Truth be told, if Anna hadn''t been here to keep everyone''s sanity in check, he would have thought that all of them were under some form of mind control, what with the dead walking again.


    Hearing Charles'' words, Linda''s brows furrowed slightly under her white triangle tattoo. "Mutation might be too strong a word, but there have indeed been changes to his body. He has be undying in every sense of the word.


    "I injected sea serpent venom directly into his blood and his blood coagted rapidly. Yet, even when his blood ceased to flow, he didn''t die. I suspect that even if his head is chopped off now, it would have the same result."


    Linda then took a fugitive nce at Conor manning the helm before pulling Charles out of the bridge.


    She then leaned in toward Charles'' ear and whispered, "Captain, we might have a problem. It''s not just Norton. I suspect everyone on board is in the same condition."


    "What? Everyone?" Charles'' eyes widened in shock.


    Linda nodded before pulling up her right sleeve with her left hand to reveal her pale arm. Charles immediately spotted a small blood dot near her elbow.


    "To test my hypothesis, I injected myself with a lethal dose of the same venom. But just like Norton, I didn''t die.


    "Captain, I have yet to identify what''s causing this symptom but it seems like the line between life and death of living beings is starting to blur in this ce."


    Charles reached out a finger and pressed down on Linda''s blood spot, his expression turning grave.


    He had encountered his fair share of anomalies in the Subterranean Sea, but this was unprecedented and bizarre beyond his imagination.


    It seemed like good news that his crew could survive any injury and only required their wounds to be stitched together to bounce right back up.


    Yet, Charles'' heart was sounding the rm over the ominous sense of foreboding in the face of such a phenomenon.


    He knew that the Subterranean Sea never yielded any good news, and especially so now that they were in the depths of the deep sea. No one could pinpoint the root of this bizarre influence.


    Moreover, the undying anomaly appeared alongside the formidable mental corruption. There was definitely something amiss here.


    "Does anyone else know about this other than you?" Charles asked Linda.


    "I haven''t told anyone else. It''s your call whether we should tell the crew," Linda replied.


    Charles pondered for a few seconds beforeing to a decision. "Let''s keep this to ourselves for now so as to not distract others. Focus on healing Norton as much as you can. I suspect that this undying anomaly is confined to the trench and things will revert to normal logic once we leave.


    "If Norton''s injuries are still fatal by the time we leave the trench, he might just drop dead instantly."


    With that, Charles then turned to head back to the cabin. But then, he caught a glimpse of Linda''s hesitance from the corner of his eye and turned around once more.


    "What''s the matter? Is there something else?" Charles asked.


    Linda remained silent. Instead, she headed toward the staircase that led to the infirmary, leaving Charles with a view of her bald silhouette.


    "I''ll go re-examine Norton now. His injuries shouldn''t be a problem."


    True to Linda''s words, Norton soon appeared on the deck again. He moved carefreely as though he had never experienced death.


    The crew''s curiosity was stirred and they bombarded him with questions on how he managed to be undying and if he had a life-saving relic just like the second mate.


    Not the best at expressing himself, Norton found himself at a loss for words in the face of the series of questions.


    Meanwhile, Dipp loitered nearby with vignce and subtly kept an eye on Norton for any signs of anomaly.

 Chapter 477: Loss of Control

    Chapter 477: Loss of Control


    The crew of the Narwhale ate their meal before moving once more, resuming their search for the legendary colossal key. Time trickled slowly, but they hadn''t been able to see anything except for the seemingly endless darkness.


    The vast expanse beneath them had only a few thingssubmarines and unidentified giant bones.


    Without any leads, Charles grew increasingly anxious. He would rather be under attack than endure this silence for a long while. At the very least, Anna would be able to extract something from the attacker''s mind; after all, she was adept at matters involving the mind.


    The frustratingck of leads was tormenting Charles.


    Just then, a <em>ping</em> reverberated from the sonar, indicating that it had discovered something.


    "Hard to port; heading fifteen!" the second mate yelled and spun the wheel. Bandages standing next to him drew a line on a piece of paper. The Narwhale''s propellers spun rapidly as it turned in the direction of the unidentified object.


    They reckoned that they''d most likely encounter giant bones and submarines, but they had to investigate the lead regardless. After all, no one could say for sure whether it was going to be the key or not.


    The Narwhale began to pick up speed until it settled at its cruising speed.


    Soon, Charles noticed something amiss; they were going too fastfar beyond the Narwhale''s nk speed!


    "Chief Engineer! What''s going on here? We''re submerged! Release some of that steam!" Charles yelled into the brassmunication pipe.


    Third Engineer Audric''s voice echoed from the steaming brassmunication pipe. "Captain, there''s something wrong! We didn''t add any fuel, but the boiler is going crazy! It''s moving on its own like it''s possessed! The temperature is also rising sharply as we speak!"


    Charles'' heart clenched at Third Engineer Audric''s remark. They were so deep underwater that any issues with the turbines or the boiler would transform the Narwhale into an iron coffin!


    "Second Mate, turn around! Go in a circle along our previous route, and make sure that we do not collide with anything!" Charles roared before rushing into the boiler room with Bandages and Dipp following closely behind him.


    The trio slid down the hatches and reached the Narwhale''s lower decks. Charles was struck by a heat wave upon barging into the boiler room, and he felt as if the hair on his face had been singed by the heat that was at least fifty degrees Celsius.


    Charles'' eyes almost bulged out of his sockets upon seeing the Narwhale''s boiler emitting a dark red glow. To make matters worse, the massive boiler was already melting at the corners, which meant that it was on the cusp of exploding.


    The boiler room team wore desperate looks but could only stand helplessly at the side.


    "Don''t just stand there and do nothing! Cool it down with some water! Hose it down!" Charles eximed and grabbed a fire hose on the wall. Bandages moved swiftly to open the water valve.


    However, the Chief Engineer eximed, "It''s useless, Captain! We''ve tried hosing it down, but it didn''t do anything."


    Charles tossed the hose aside and turned to the Chief Engineer, asking, "What''s going on here? Is there any problem with the heat dissipation pipes? Is there any blockage in one of them?"


    The Chief Engineer looked to be about forty years of age, and he shook his head in response, replying, "I checked all the pipes and found no issues. It really is like the boiler is possessed. I-I really have no idea what''s going on."


    Charles was about to say something when everyone was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of weightlessness. Then, they mmed back down before tumbling haphazardly within the boiler room.


    The creaking noise and the violent tremorCharles was a veteran captain, so he instantly realized that the ship had collided with something at high speed. Charlesshed out with his prosthetic, pinning himself to the wall.


    Charles managed to stop himself, but the others weren''t so lucky.


    Aside from Third Engineer Audric, who transformed into a bat and hovered in mid-air. The others were gravely injured. The Chief Engineer and the Second Engineer were flung toward the searing hot boiler, and a sizzling noise echoed as they let loose heart-wrenching screams while squirming in pain.


    The acrid stench of burnt flesh instantly pervaded the room.


    Charles'' tentacles burst out of him and stuck on the walls and ceilings of the boiling room, making sure that he''d remain unaffected by the tremors by suspending himself in mid-air.


    Charles ignored the crewmen pressed against the boiler and rushed into themunication pipe, yelling, "What happened?! Are we under attack? Use the torpedoes and return fire!"


    Second Mate Conor''s voice echoed. "No, we''re not under attack, Captain! The wheel spun wildly on its own! We ran aground, and I''m trying my best to regain control of the wheel but to no avail!"


    Conor''s words had yet to finish echoing throughout the boiler room when a violent tremor ran across the Narwhale once again. A pipe on Charles'' left split open, sting the hovering Audric with hot steam.


    The bat screamed and fell to the ground.


    The Narwhale was in dire straits, and it seemed that it would implode anytime soon.


    Charles looked around and yelled, "You''ve got to help us, old friend! It doesn''t matter what''s going on outside; you have to stop moving!"


    The Narwhale immediately froze in response, but the tremors resumed soon afterward.


    <em>Honk! Honk! Honk! Hooonk! </em>The Narwhale emitted a rhythmic whistle.


    Charles'' expression changed drastically upon hearing the rhythmic whistle. He dropped down and retracted his tentacles. Then, he turned to Dipp and Bandages, saying, "Bandages, Dipp! Stay here and hold this ce. I''ll go down and take a look."


    Charles had instantly recognized the Narwhale''s rhythmic whistlethree short whistle sts immediately followed by a long whistle st meant that the Narwhale herself needed assistanceshe was under threat!


    Charles moved like an octopus and shot down the hatches.


    Soon, he arrived at the Narwhale''s lower hold where a fragment of 1002 was entombed. White shadowy figures had pervaded the lower hold, and they were swirling around the box, trying to pry it open.


    Charles'' left tentacle stretched out with the flesh revolver in hand. Gunshots echoed soon afterward, and the shadowy figures were dispersed. The Narwhale''s tremors ceased almost immediately afterward.


    Charles was delighted. He had just discovered the reason behind the Narwhale''s strange behavior. It turned out that the white shadowy figures were trying to pry open the box containing the fragment of 1002 and take control of it!


    However, it seemed that Charles had celebrated too early. The white shadowy figures returned, coalescing into humanoid forms. They emerged from the ceiling, the floor, and the walls like clusters of pale-looking white mushrooms.


    Charles gulped. There were far too many of them.


    A cold breeze blew from the humanoid figures, and the breeze whistled, which transformed into a cacophony of shrill voices.


    "He found us!"


    "Are you here to steal what the Pope has been looking for? Never! Only His Holiness can take it!"


    "Why can''t you hear the voices? And howe you''ve yet to be a lunatic?"


    "Come on, now. Hurry up. Don''t keep us waiting. Join usjoin us in the depths."

 Chapter 478: Ghosts

    Chapter 478: Ghosts


    The cogs in Charles'' mind turned rapidly as he faced the pale-white figures sticking out of everywhere in the lower hold of the ship. <em>What are these things, and how can I deal with them? Physical attacks don''t seem to work on them.</em>


    Before Charles could figure out a solution, the pale-white ghosts charged at him, carrying with them a howling gust of wind. The gust of wind struck Charles, sending him flying toward the wall; the pale-white ghosts quickly surrounded him.


    Charles instantly felt dizzy; he wanted to make a move but found that he couldn''t muster any strength at all. Soon, an inexplicable sense of disembodiment overcame him.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    A buzzing noise echoed as bright arcs of electricity burst out of Charles. However, lightning proved ineffective against the pale-white ghosts. Grotesque noises reverberated soon afterward as Charles'' figure contorted, transforming into a bat.


    Charles opened his maw, unleashing a sonic attack that pervaded the cramped lower hold in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, the sonic attack was effective, and the pale-white ghosts vanished upon getting hit by the sound waves. Charles shut his maw the next second for fear of sting open a hole in the ship''s hull.


    Charles fell to the ground with an expression distorted in agony. The pale-white ghosts'' attacks were vicious, and they inflicted upon him excruciating pain. He needed rest, but the pale-white ghosts weren''t nning on giving him respite.


    When the sonic attack faded away, the pale-white ghosts emerged once again, sticking out of the walls, the ceiling, and the floor. They were everywhere, and Charles seemed like he hadn''t managed to kill even one of them.


    In other words, Charles'' sonic attack could only force them to retreat; his attacks seemed unable to harm them at all.


    Charles swept his cold gaze across the pale-white ghosts. Then, he took a deep breath and taunted, "Come here! Kill me!"


    A gust of howling wind rushed toward Charles as the pale-white ghosts made a beeline for him.


    However, the pale-white ghosts'' attack was part of Charles'' n. The moment the pale-white ghosts shot toward him, Charles used his invisible tentacles to propel himself through the hatch like a cannonball.


    There was a corridor up above that would lead to the deck, but Charles had no intention of going to the deck. He couldn''t endanger his crew by luring these ghosts over there.


    Charles raced to the dpression chamber at his fastest speed. He spun the valve swiftly, opening the dpression chamber.


    A column of water struck Charles, pinning him to the ceiling as ice-cold seawater pervaded the chamber in the blink of an eye. Submerged and with no way to breathe, Charles'' face quickly took on the same blue hue of those who had drowned.


    The immense pressure crushed Charles,pressing him to half his size, but Charles was not afraid. They were undying in the Dark Abyssal Trench, so the deep sea''s pressure wasn''t lethal to him.


    The pale-white ghosts caught up just then and surrounded Charles. The same feeling of disembodiment overcame him. Although unsure of what the pale-white ghosts were trying to do, one thing was for sure: they had no kind intentions at all.


    Charles gnashed his teeth and endured the agony to swim out of the chamber.


    The instant he exited the chamber, the pale-white ghosts surrounded himpletely; they stuck to him so closely that Charles looked like he was inside a massive pale-white cocoon in the eyes of the crew.


    The pale-white cocoon burst apart as Charles morphed into his bat form. The tables turned instantly, and Charles chased after the fleeing pale-white ghosts with his maw wide open, unleashing sonic attacks.


    Charles showed no mercy to the pale-white ghosts; there was no reason for him to hold back against those who had attempted to take his life. Charles was outside the Narwhale as well, so he didn''t have to hold anything back.


    Charles raised the volume to the maximum and shot sonic attack after sonic attack toward the pale-white ghosts.


    Despite Charles'' powerful sonic attacks, not a single pale-white ghost vanished into nothingness. In fact, the pale-white ghosts seemed to have sustained not even a scratch from the sonic attacks.


    Indeed, the sonic attacks could only disperse them briefly rather than destroy thempletely.


    A torpedo exploded in the midst of the pale-white ghosts. The crew hadunched the torpedoes to assist their captain, but the attack proved ineffective as well.


    Charles'' expression was both ugly and stern as he stared at the pale-white ghosts before him. <em>No, things can''t go on like this. Anna can hold on for only a few hours at most. I have to lure these ghosts elsewhere.</em>


    Charles rapidly came up with a n: he would stall these pale-white ghosts by himself and allow the Narwhale to continue with the exploration at a faster pace. It wasn''t an issue, as he wasn''t going to die here, anyway.


    Having made up his mind, Charles made a move and opened his massive maw once more. However, Charles had forgotten one thing. Although deranged, these pale-white ghosts had intelligence, so they knew what they had to do.


    The fleeing pale-white ghosts came to a screeching halt and stuck closely together before flying into Charles'' mouth. The pale-white ghosts rammed Charles'' throat and rolled around his mouth. The obstruction was sorge that Charles couldn''t unleash his sonic attack.


    Charles was about to dig out the ghosts in his mouth with his ws when the pale-white ghosts outside swarmed him in an instant. They enveloped Charles thoroughly, and the earlier feeling of disembodiment struck him once again.


    As he struggled, the inexplicable feeling got stronger and stronger, and he eventually found himself floating above his own bodyhis soul was about to leave his body!


    The pale-white ghosts cheered at the sight.


    "Lawrence''s body is mine! He owes me, so I must have first dibs!"


    "Come with us! Flesh and blood are weak and burdensome! You must get rid of your flesh and blood!"


    "You just have toe with us! Come with us, and you will never be able to steal what belongs to the Pope!"


    Soul Charles stared at his trembling fleshly body. He had an undying fleshly body, but even immortals would die without their souls. Soon, Charles would be one of the pale-white ghosts.


    "Brothers! Stop your attacks and look at what''s in my hand." A feminine voice echoed, and the pale-white ghosts abruptly came to a halt.


    Charles was sucked into his fleshly body the moment the pale-white ghosts let go of him. His gaze shifted downward, and he saw Linda with her white coat billowing out around her as she swam in the seawater.


    Linda''s bald head had be blue due to theck of oxygen, but she wasn''t panicking at all. She opened her hand, revealing a palm-sized, glowing metal triangle toward the pale-white ghosts around Charles.


    Linda nced at Charles before continuing. "Brothers, the Pope has also sent us here in search of something. We are not enemies!"


    The pale-white ghosts approached carefully and stared closely at the object in Linda''s hand.


    "It''s His Holiness'' token! This woman has received the blessing as well! I can see what''s in her mind, so she must be telling the truth."


    "Great, so His Holiness hasn''t forgotten us at all! I knew he wouldn''t forget his wife."


    Some of the pale-white ghosts were severely deranged, but they clearly had a bit of presence of mind to understand that Linda was one of them.


    "Sister, can you tell His Holiness to beseech the Light God to bring us to the Land of Light? We really don''t want to stay here anymore. Here, we can''t leave, and we can''t die as well."


    Linda didn''t respond to the pale-white ghosts. Instead, she turned to Charles and said, "Captain, I know that you have many burning questions, but this isn''t the time to start asking away. You should take a look at what''s behind us first."


    At Linda''s remark, Charles turned around slowly and saw a city, a very "special" city.

 Chapter 479: City

    Chapter 479: City


    Charles had seen many cities before, but it was his first time seeing such a strange city. The city''s buildings seemed to be constructed entirely of green stones toorge to havee from Earth.


    There were majestic statues, towering monoliths, and ornate stone reliefs. Most importantly, these edifices at the bottom of the Dark Abyssal Trench were distorted at a dimensional level, making anyone feel nauseous just by looking at them.


    The stones themselves also appeared convex at first nce, but they would appear to be concave at second nce.


    Overall, the entire city exuded an impure aura.


    The edges of the stones seemed bizarre and distorted as well, and the confused mixture of distortion seemed to conceal sinister intent and agitation.


    The bizarre city seemed endless, stretching endlessly into the distant darkness. For some reason, Charles felt as if the city was alive with a consciousness and was watching him.


    Charles realized just then that the asional gaze that he would feel on him hade from itit was from the bizarre city before him.


    Just then, Charles'' heart beat wildly against his chest. However, it wasn''t because he was excited to find the city. It was all because he had spotted a glimmer from deep within the city.


    The cold metallic gleam was unmistakably simr to the glimmer of the key from his memories!


    Unfortunately, Charles couldn''t truly say for sure as even the beams of the searchlights appeared distorted under refraction. A strong urge overwhelmed Charles'' heart just then. He wanted to rush over and take a look at the bizarre city.


    There was a high chance that the colossal key that he had been looking for was in that bizarre city.


    However, Charles quickly suppressed the urge. He couldn''t do something like that, as the city was just too bizarre. Even a child could deduce that they''d encounter extreme danger in the city.


    Fortunately, there were some locals that Charles could question for more information.


    Soon, Charles and Linda returned to the deck. The pale-white ghosts floated over as well, following closely behind Linda. They appeared extremely calm, devoid of the ferocity they had shown earlier.


    The crew members appeared quite nervous as they stared at the pale-white entities capable of passing through walls. They soon calmed down at Charles''s order to lower their weapons.


    "Captain, actually. I" Linda started.


    However, Charles cut her off, saying, "I don''t want to hear that. I want you to ask these entities for me about what dangers lie within that bizarre city and whether that cold metallic gleam ising from the key or not."


    Linda was surprised to hear Charles'' words. "What gleam are you talking about, Captain?"


    "Huh?" Charles was astounded. Soon, he excitedly pulled Linda over to the thick, ss windows around the deck and pointed at the bizarre, eerie city in the distance, particrly at the lighting from its depths.


    "Do you not see something so ring?" Charles asked.


    Linda shook her head, but she wasn''t alone. The crew members holding their weapons just in case the pale-white ghosts decided to attack them shook their heads as well.


    "Captain, I can only see a strange city emitting a dark green light. I do not see any cold, metallic glow," Dipp said.


    "I''m the only one who can see it?" Charles muttered, stunned. He felt that there had to be a reason why he was the only one who could see the cold, metallic glow.


    Just then, a terrifying roar emerged from Anna''s gaping maw. She appeared to be in great agony. Her writhing tentacles, which were covered in some kind of semi-stic ck scales, abruptly stood on end.


    Then, her entire figure seemed to emit a nauseating, impure aura.


    Charles rushed over and caressed Anna''s tentacles with a worried look, asking, "Anna, what''s going on?"


    Anna sounded in pain as she eximed, "No matter what you''re about to do, you better hurry up! The mental contamination ising from that city, and it''s getting stronger and stronger as we approach it!"


    Charles wasted no time at the remark. He snatched the glowing triangle token from Linda''s hand and turned to the nearby pale-white ghosts. "Answer me. What''s in that city? Which of you have been there before?"


    The pale-white ghosts nced at the glowing triangle token before responding


    "I went inside the city in search of something under the Pope''s order, but I found nothing there. I ate some fish from the city, and they tasted pretty good."


    "I saw someone nting ck rye grass inside the city. They invited me toe in, but I didn''t go in. My fleshly body has rotted away, so there''s no need for me to eat.


    "I''ve been to the very bottom of the city, and I found a city beneath it. Also, the city looks like a t pancake, but it''s actually a veryrge cube."


    The pale-white ghosts'' words made no sense at all, but it was better than no information. Every single one of their words could be summarized in a single sentencethe city wasn''t very dangerous, as they had all been there, after all.


    Charles and his crew were also under the effect of a special anomaly; they were currently undying. The fact made Charles feel that the risk was worth taking. They were immortal, so why would they be afraid?


    "Move forward, Narwhale!" Charles eximed.


    The Narwhale''s propellers spun rapidly as the ship headed toward the city.


    Charles decided to take advantage of the downtime by turning to Linda and waving the glowing triangle token in his hand.


    "I''m not going to ask whether these fellows are part of the Pope''s contingency n. However, I have to ask just one thing. Can I use this item tomand these ghosts?"


    Linda nodded and said, "Yes, they''re the most devout followers of the Light God. They''ve be deranged, but they''re still our brethren."


    "Great," Charles replied and stuffed the glowing triangle token into his pocket before staring at the bizarre city before him.


    Time passed by slowly as the Narwhale got closer and closer to the light. Charles pressed his face against the ss, and he felt like he could already make out its silhouette, which was indeed like a key.


    Charles'' heart beat wildly against his chest. <em>Just a bit more. Just a little bit closer. Our mission in this voyage is considered done as soon as we''ve confirmed that the key is here! </em>


    All of a sudden, Anna wailed. Her massive, swollen figure copsed to the ground, and she started spasming.


    "Anna!" Charles roared and rushed over anxiously. His words had yet to finish echoing in the air when ck, viscous blood flowed out of Anna''s tentacles. Her yellow, cross-shaped pupils, which were asrge as grapefruits, became bloodshot.


    The abnormal changes further intensified the terrifying appearance of the Dioite.


    Charles could see that Anna was in great pain. He gnashed his teeth and nced at the cold, metallic sheen in the distance. They were so close to it, and the Narwhale was getting closer to it as the seconds went on.


    However, Charles whipped around and stared at Bandages standing at the helm, roaring, "Turn back! Turn back now!"


    A tentaclended on Charles just then.


    Charles turned and saw that the yellow eyeballs on the tentacles were filled with deep fear as they stared at him.


    "Gao Zhiming, run! Run as fast as you can! Something ising, and it is definitely not something that you can handle!"


    When Anna''s words fell, the sailors standing in front of the ss windows inexplicably copsed to the ground as if they were puppets that had their strings cut.


    Charles looked out the ss window and saw a colossal, semi-transparent hand rising slowly from the bizarre city. The strange, metallic light was shrouded by the hand as thetter passed through the former.


    A sinister palm print was projected on Charles'' horrified face.


    Charles had seen this hand beforeit was the hand of a Divinity.

 Chapter 480: Shattered

    Chapter 480: Shattered


    "Ag''agth...lwhuk! yeh agthu"


    The cursed whisperings erupted in Charles'' head the moment he saw the hand.


    They stood face to face before a Divinitya forbidden existence of the Subterranean Sea. Charles'' arrival had disturbed the Divinity living in the bizarre city at the deepest part of the Dark Abyssal Trench.


    "Close your eyes!" Charles roared urgently.


    The crew members who had yet to see the hand instinctively obeyed, and they were spared from the fate of copsing to the floor as if they were puppets that had their strings cut.


    However, the crew members were extremely nervous. Having not seen the hand, they had no idea what was going on.


    <em>Rumble!</em>


    A low rumbling echoed, and space itself seemed to have been torn apart. Charles noticed that the Divinity had noticed them and was walking over toward them.


    Charles looked around and stared alternatingly between Anna convulsing on the floor and the crew members who had their eyes shut. A Divinity was invincible, and Charles couldn''t imagine the consequences if He got close enough to the Narwhale.


    Charles was the reason behind this incident, and he knew that he had to clean up his mess. Thus, he turned to the bridge and roared, "Bandages! Drain the bast tanks! Ascend! Take everyone up and leave the trench!"


    With that, Charles turned around resolutely and was about to charge into the cabin when Anna''s tentacle wrapped around his arm, forcing him toe to a halt.


    "What are you going to do? You''ve always been a selfish person, so howe you suddenly want to y the selfless hero?! You''re not even that kind of person, are you?" Anna asked.


    The low rumbling and tremors outside prompted Charles to sever Anna''s tentacle using his chainsaw.


    "His target is me. I''ll go and distract Him. Don''t worry; I''ve be undying, so I''m going to be fine. Anyway, take good care of Sparkle for me," Charles said. Then, he immediately rushed into the cabin and entered the dpression chamber.


    Charles rushed out of the Narwhale with a determined look. He looked up and finally saw the true appearance of the hand''s owner.


    The Divinity seemed to be a semi-transparent incorporeal being, and His figure was riddled with sinister prints, which squirmed constantly as if they were alive.


    A myriad of tentacles were sticking out of His silky smooth head, and His appendages resembled ws. Meanwhile, His ferocious maw was expansive, stretching all the way to His torso from His chin.


    He was far away, but He appeared extremely close due to His colossal figure that resembled a mountain.


    The Divinity''s gray eyes with three ck pupils moved slowly until His gazended on CharlesHe had finally noticed Charles.


    As soon as His gazended on Charles, thetter felt like his head was about to implode. Veins bulged all over his scalp as his head swelled. Charles was extremely scared, but he had no idea why he was afraidall he knew was that he was afraid.


    However, this wasn''t the time to dwell on his fears. Charles turned around and cast one final nce at the Narwhale, which was ascending at top speed. Then, he turned around once more and swam in the opposite direction.


    The Divinity''s target was none other than him, so he had to stay here as bait for the sake of Anna and the crew''s safety.


    Charles swam with all his mind, and the distance between him and the Divinity grew farther and farther. Just as Charles thought that he''d be able to shake off the Divinity, thetter suddenly raised His semi-transparent hand and pointed at him.


    Charles'' body abruptly cracked open, shattering without any warning. He seemed like a huge ss b that had been struck by a sledgehammer. The collision "shattered" Charles, and his body burst open into tiny fragments.


    The seawater around Charles was instantly dyed crimson by his blood.


    Charles had suffered an injury so severe that anyone would have died instantly upon sustaining such an injury.


    However, Charles was still alive. His eyeball rolled haphazardly in the bloody water, and he saw his pink brain floating past him. His beating heart was just two meters away from him as well.


    The corners of Charles'' mouth curled up slightly into a smile when he saw the Divinity walking toward him. His gamble had paid off; the Divinity''s target was indeed him, which meant Anna and his crew were going to be safe.


    Just then, a shadow descended upon Charles. The shadow was none other than Anna, and her tentacles moved fast, rapidly piecing together what was left of Charles'' body.


    <em>What are you doing here?! Hurry up and leave! He''sing! </em>Charles wanted to shout, but his vocal cords had been split in half, so he couldn''t say something.


    "Shut up! What would I be once you cease to exist?" Anna''s trembling voice echoed loudly in Charles'' mind.


    The fragments that Anna had gathered were barely enough to create a humanoid shape of Charles. Charles looked like a porcin doll that had been reassembled after shattering; he looked both hideous and miserable.


    Unfortunately, it seemed Anna''s efforts would end up being futile. The colossal Divinity raised His right hand and swung it toward Anna and Charles.


    <em>"Anna, leave! I''m begging you! Leave!" </em>Charles shouted while unwittingly transfixed at the entity before him.


    Anna didn''t respond, but her tentacles wrapped around the fragmented Charles as she swam up as fast as possible. However, the Divinity''s hand was just far too fast and massive for Anna to elude.


    The hand arrived just a few meters away from them in the blink of an eye, but before Anna "shattered" like Charles. A discordant noise reminiscent of folding metal echoed from the far left.


    The semi-transparent Divinity came to a halt. He twisted His body and turned to look at where the sound hade from.


    Charles swung his head to follow the Divinity''s gaze. His eyeball popped out of its socket, but Charles still managed to see a colossal eye in the darkness. The colossal eye had an amber cat pupil, and Charles found it incredibly familiar.


    Charles realized that he had seen this cat-eyed Divinity not too long ago. The cat-eyed Divinity had lent a hand to Charles when he and his crew were about to get squashed to death by Hypnos.


    The semi-transparent Divinity seemed entranced by the cat-eyed Divinity. The next moment, He transformed into what seemed like a torrent of liquid and rushed toward the cat-eyed Divinity in a bizarre, eerie manner.


    "This is our chance! Let''s hurry up and leave," Anna said.


    She held Charles tightly in her arms and was about to swim upward when Charles'' voice echoed in her mind.


    "Forget it, Anna. My current condition means that I can only live here. I''m definitely going to die once I go up, so just let me go."


    A violent tremor ran across Anna, and she slowly let go of Charles.


    Without the tentacles holding him together, Charles'' body scattered into dozens of fragments in the seawater.


    Before the fragments could float away, however, more than a dozen invisible tentacles burst out of Charles. Then, Charles rolled in the water, piecing himself together by binding himself using his tentacles.


    "Anna, can you apologize to Sparkle for me? Tell her that Daddy can no longer apany her. Please tell my crew that my will is beneath my pillow," Charles said. His two remaining free tentacles waved furiously in the water, propelling him toward the distant cold, metallic light in the bizarre city.


    Charles felt incredibly calm; he couldn''t feel anything except for the burning curiosity about the light''s identity. He wanted to see whether the light was truly concealing the colossal key or not.


    Anna''s eyes widened as she stared at Charles swimming away. Momentster, she rushed at Charles and shrank rapidly, transforming into the beautiful Anna. Then, she hugged Charles tightly and shouted hysterically, "I told you, didn''t I?! Why did you not listen to me? What do you want me to do now?!"


    Charles looked at Anna and saw the despair and extreme agitation on her face. An inexplicable emotion welled up in his heart at the sight. His mouth fluttered open, seemingly wanting to say something, but he held back and stayed quiet.


    Eventually, Charles said, "So many of my crew members have met their demise; it''s finally my turn now as the captain."

 Chapter 481: Key

    Chapter 481: Key


    Amidst the biting cold waters, Charles dragged his battered body toward the metallic light in the depths of the bizarre city in the distance.


    He had somehow persuaded Anna to leave, and she left after saying that she would definitely find a way to rescue him. She also told Charles that he had to hide down there and wait for her rescue.


    Charles had promised Anna that he would keep waiting at the bottom of the trench, but of course, he had lied. Charles was willing to do anything just to make Anna leave this dangerous ce.


    After all, what was about to happen was his own business; he couldn''t involve anyone else.


    Charles swam slowly, moving at a sluggish pace. Chunks of his body would asionally fall off of him, and he would always drag them back using his tentacles.


    The semi-transparent Divinity had vanished, so Charles no longer had any obstacles in his quest for the key. Soon, he saw the identity of the light, but it wasn''t the colossal key. Instead, it was a lustrous humanoid figure.


    The humanoid figure waspletely white and was shrouded by a bizarre pale halo. It was a figure capable of stimting fear in just about anyone, but it was a strangely beautiful figure at the same time.


    <em>That isn''t the key. What the hell is that? </em>Charles swam over and waved his tentacle. A few severed fingers floated away in the water; Charles'' tentacles had easily severed the lustrous humanoid''s fingers.


    The lustrous humanoid seemed to be just an illusory figure without a physical body.


    Charles looked around the bizarre city around him, and his eyes glimmered in bewilderment. <em>Where''s the key? Where''s the key to the surface world?</em>


    <em>Thank you for helping me find it, Edikth''s Chosen One. Now, there''s only one final step.</em> An androgynous voice echoed in Charles'' head.


    <em>Who''s talking?</em> Charles asked inwardly. The question had just popped up in his head when his attention was attracted by some movement up above. Charles'' tentacles swayed, turning his head to look upward.


    A shadow was cast on Charles, and he found himself staring right at a bloody mouth made out of gears. The bloody mouth, which looked as big as a ser field, was like a mountain as it came crashing down upon Charles.


    Before Charles lost consciousness, he caught a glimpse of a huge cat-like vertical pupil just above the bloody mouth along with a human face made out of gears and metal.


    After an unknown amount of time, Charles woke up and found himself staring at a ceiling made of flesh and gears. His eyeballs moved slowly as he looked around; he was surrounded by brass pipes as well as gears of varying sizes, which rotated ceaselessly in the walls made out of flesh and hair.


    Charles was familiar with this ce; he had been here before, after all. He was in the control room of that massive metal construct, Ronker.


    "You''re finally awake? I''ve already restored your body, so hurry up and stand up. There are some matters that need your attention." A familiar aged voice entered Charles'' ears.


    Charles sat up and looked down at himself. His fragmented body had been pieced together miraculously. There wasn''t even a scar, and it looked as if he had never suffered such a devastating injury.


    Charles finally turned to where the voice hade from and saw a familiar back profile. It was the Pope''s back. He was kneeling on the floor and was drawing something.


    "Howe you''re here? Aren''t you in the middle of a decisive battle against the Fhtagn Covenant?" Charles asked. The strange sight was incongruous to him, and he couldn''t help but feel that there was something amiss here.


    "They truly managed to attract some of my attention, but if you think that they can slow me down and the Light God, then you''ve overestimated them," the Pope said. Then, he stood up and turned around slowly to look at Charles.


    The Pope looked incredibly happy. His face depicted a child-like joy and innocence; he was brimming with the purest kind of delight with not a trace of impurity on his face.


    Charles stood up and saw that the Pope had drawn strange, concentric rings on the floor. The lines and inscriptions between the concentric rings looked peculiar, and they also gave off a white glowthe same white glow as the lustrous humanoid.


    There were four circles within the array, and Charles deduced that one would ce offerings on those circles.


    As Ronker moved, the control room quivered ever so slightly. Soon, the lustrous humanoid passed through Ronker''s steel tes and appeared in the middle of the formation made of concentric circles.


    The Pope seemed emotional as he stared up ahead. However, his gaze wasn''t on the lustrous humanoid.


    Charles looked up at the Pope and asked, "What is that thing?"


    "That''s the key and the door. You''re the only one who can see it, and I''ve been searching for it for many, many years now."


    "The key? The key to that door is supposed to be colossal!"


    The Pope smiled at the remark and stared at Charles. "Who said that this is the key to that door? This is the key to another door, and it''s the door itself at the same time."


    The Pope didn''t wait for Charles'' response as he added, "I''m sure you''re not aware, Charles, but They sealed the great Light God here. To rescue Him, we must use Their power as a medium. However, it is a task too difficult for us mortals.


    "I spent so many years, and I finally managed to gather all the sacrificial offerings."


    Footsteps echoed behind them just then, and there were too many footsteps for Charles to count. He turned around and saw arge group of Divine Light Order followers walking toward them.


    The followers'' eyes had been gouged out, and ayer of white wax had sealed their eye sockets. They were carrying a variety of items on their shoulders, and they reminded Charles of ants transporting goods.


    The item that caught Charles'' attention was an eye the size of an entire room. The eye was blood-red, and its color made it appear as if it were a giant ruby.


    Charles instantly recognized the eye. He had seen it twice by now, after all. The first time he saw it was when he lost his arm, and the second time he saw it was when the Elder of the Deep Dwellers summoned it to kill him.


    "Hypnos. When the Light God was born, His father was the one responsible for the destruction of the great Light God''s body," the Pope said as the Divine Light Order followers carried the eyeball and ced it gently in one corner of the array.


    Charles'' pupils constricted at the sight, and he quickly came up with an assumption that he did not hesitate to reveal. "So the eye which fought Hypnos was Swann? And it was under your control all this while?


    "You''re strong enough to fight a Divinity?"


    The Pope revealed a contemptuous expression at Charles'' remark. "A Divinity? Who? Hypnos? In front of a <em>true</em> Divinity, Hypnos would be like a child."


    The Pope stretched out a wrinkled finger and pointed at the second sacrificial offering. It was a mechanical humanoid woman with a broken frame. Charles peered over her frame and saw gears rotating ceaselessly inside of her.


    There was even a pipe sticking out of her nape, and it was connected to the ceiling made out of flesh and blood.


    A humanoid machine wouldn''t be a shocking sight to Charles, but the mechanical humanoid had a huge, protruding belly, which told Charles that she was pregnant.


    "The Feaster. He and his master, Tawil At-Umr had seized the soul of my Lord, which made it impossible for Him to escape through the Dome Door.


    The pregnant mechanical woman was carried by the followers over to the lower left corner of the array. As soon as the pregnant mechanical woman was ced on the ground, her brass belly began to swell.


    The pregnant mechanical woman seemed to have the intuition of a real person, as she seemed to have sensed her plight and opened her mouth, letting loose a discordant scream reminiscent of a broken cassette tape.


    A crisp noise echoed as the pregnant mechanical woman''s brass belly cracked open. A dark yellow liquid flowed out from her belly, and a familiar smell wafted from the liquid and struck Charles'' nostrils.


    It was a familiar smellthe smell of engine oil.


    The Pope raised his hand slightly, and a deafening explosion echoed as the mechanical woman exploded along with her brass belly.


    A dull thud reverberated afterward as an infant the size of an armnded urately in one of the circles of the array. The infant had an extremely bizarre appearance, as its entire body was a hodgepodge of flesh and gears.


    However, its face was far more bizarre than its body.


    The infant had the face of a mature middle-aged manthe face of none other than the former Governor of the Albion Isles, Swann.


    "HAHAHAHA!" The infant on the ground erupted into a peal of boisterousughter and waved his strange limbs frantically.

 Chapter 482: Truth

    Chapter 482: Truth


    "Hahaha, what did I tell you, Charles? I told you that you''d end up just like me!" the deformed infant said,ughing maniacally.


    Charles nced at Swann''s deranged face. He didn''t even bother replying as he turned to the Pope standing next to him.


    "The Feaster''s Chosen One is one of the sacrificial offerings, and you''ve taken advantage of the gargantuan Ronker to deal with Divinities. Were all these part of your scheme?" Charles asked.


    The Pope smiled proudly and asked back, "Do you really think that Swann could have created Ronker by himself? And who do you think had leaked to him the ritual to summon the Feaster?"


    "Impressive." Charles smiled coldly. "You sacrificed the more than ten million people of the Albion Isles for your scheme?"


    The Pope seemed surprised as he stared at Charles. "Howe you''ve decided to bring that up? Shouldn''t you be more concerned about yourself rather than others at this point?"


    Charles looked down at his unscathed self and said, "I''m Edikth''s Chosen One, which means that my purpose isn''t just to locate the ''door.'' Am I right? I think I''m one of the remaining two sacrificial offerings."


    "Edikth. When my Lord was born, it was He who had created the door and the key to the prison of my Lord. Only those with His power can locate my Lord''s prison cell," the Pope said, and a cold light shed in his eyes as his words fell.


    "Since when did you start this scheme of yours? Was Kord a part of your n?"


    The Pope didn''t answer Charles'' question directly but insteadmented, "Kord. I remember that child. Although he was unwilling to ept the Light God''s blessing, he was a good child. I decided to take his soul and allow him to be resurrected in the Light God''s divine kingdom."


    "What about that colossal door above the ind inside the colorful bubble? Did you create that door for the sake of deceiving me into working for you? Everything you''ve done so far has always been for the Light God''s sake, right?


    "Admit it; there has never been an exit to the surface world, right? You''ve been lying to me all this while," Charles asked softly, voicing out the burning questions in his mind.


    The Pope shook his head. "No, Charles. As a believer in the benevolent Light God, I''ve always adhered to my Lord''s covenant. I absolutely do not utter even a single lie. I''ve never lied to you at all."


    Charles revealed a sarcastic smile and jeered, "Is that so? The Light God is benevolent? A benevolent god is actually willing to sacrifice the lives of more than ten million people just to escape his prison? You''ve never lied to me? Really?


    "I''ve never heard you speak of the truth at all!"


    The Pope remained calm as he stared at Charles. "My goal. What was it again?"


    The Pope didn''t wait for Charles'' reply as he proceeded to answer his own question. "I didn''t lie when I said that I wanted to find the key to the surface world. The Light God leading His followers to the Land of Light was true, too.


    "I''ve also kept my promise with Anna to absolutely never harm you or let you die. As a devout believer in the benevolent Light God, I absolutely do not lie."


    "Is there any point in saying that to me now that we''re here?"


    "I haven''t deceived you at all. You''re free to leave anytime you wish," the Pope said.


    His words surprised not only Charles but Swann as well.


    The infant made from a hodgepodge of flesh and machinery cursed and roared, "Why are you going to let him go?! Kill him! He''s one of the sacrifices, so if he leaves, your Light God will not be able to escape!"


    The Pope raised his hand slightly, and Swann''s lips fused together. "How noisy."


    Charles cast an astonished gaze at the Pope. He truly had no idea what the other party was trying to do here. However, one thing was for sure: he had to try and leave here, regardless of whether the Pope had told him the truth or not.


    If Charles wanted to find the exit to the surface world, he would have to escape from the Pope''s control first before anything else.


    Having made up his mind, Charles turned around and started walking toward the distant metal gate. He had just taken a few steps when he was struck by an extreme burning sensation that instantly pervaded him.


    The burning sensation wasn''t like the burning sensation that one would feel from ordinary mes. The burning sensation had pervaded his bones, radiating all the way to his skin.


    Charles felt like every single cell in his body was set aze.


    "Ah, Charles. It seems that you''ve forgotten the contract between us. It was a contract we signed with a relic, and you even told me that the consequences of breaching that contract would be severe, so howe you''ve forgotten it?"


    There was a <em>woosh</em>, and a red me engulfed Charles, transforming him into a ball of mes. It was the punishment meted out to him by the marker relic. ording to the contract he had signed, he had to assist the Pope in finding the exit to the surface.


    Charles stepped backward, and the red mes vanished instantly.


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    Loud banging noises echoed behind Charles, and he found Swann pounding the floor with his tiny fists as he sprawled out in the middle of the array. He wasughing so hard that his tears overflowed.


    He was truly overjoyed to see Charles'' plight.


    Charles turned to look at the Pope and said, "Actually, I still have one move up my sleeve."


    Charles raised his left prosthetic arm, and the flesh revolver appeared in his hand. Then, he aimed it immediately at his temple and pulled the trigger.


    A red and white mist erupted; even Charles'' tough skin couldn''t withstand the flesh revolver''s power and its white bone bullet. Then, Charles stuck his fingers into the hole in his head and pulled out his pinkish brain.


    "Why bother doing something meaningless? You know that you''re undying in this ce," the Pope said. He took out a pocket watch from his sleeve and turned it a few times with a forceful twist.


    Charles'' time seemed to rewound like a tape, and every single action he had taken until the Pope had twisted the pocket watch was reversed at the same speed as he had done it.


    The Pope smiled as he stared at Charles. "Calm down. I think you''ve misunderstood something here. We are no longer allies, but we aren''t enemies, either.


    "The key to the surface world is with the Light God, so once the Light God is out, you will be able to go back to your homethe world where you hade from."


    "You''re going to let me go home despite sacrificing me? What''s going to go home? My corpse?"


    "I am indeed nning on sacrificing you, but I''m going to sacrifice myself as well. Do not be afraid. We will be together."


    <em>We will be together?</em> The peculiar phrasing made Charles freeze and ponder over it. Before he could understand what the Pope meant, the Pope moved and stepped inside one of the four circles for the sacrificial offerings.


    "Come with me. Let''s go and rescue the Light God together. Once He''s out, you''ll be able to go home."


    Charles'' mouth curled up into a smile. He chuckled and shook his head slightly before replying, "No, I still don''t believe you. You''ve been emphasizing that you absolutely do not lie, but I still don''t believe you.


    "The only oue here is my death in exchange for the Light God''s release. And since I''m going to die anyway, I''d rather not release the Light God. At the very least, my family on the surface will be safe; I''m the only one who''s going to die."


    <em>Wooosh!</em>


    The red mes manifested once more, and Charles was set aze. However, he endured the excruciating pain and ran toward the exit. He had to leave this ce and return to the surface. He had to run away from the Pope first before he could proceed with any of his ns.

 Chapter 483: Light God

    Chapter 483: Light God


    mes engulfed Charles once more, searing his skin, his organs, and his very being. However, Charles showed no intent to stop.


    Taking unwavering and determined strides, he trudged forward. He wished for the mes to burn even fiercer, to consume his entire being until nothing remained.


    "Charles, do you really not want to return home? Think of your family that you have not seen for a long while. Free the Light God, and you''ll be able to return home," the Pope''s voice sounded from behind him.


    Clenching his jaws, Charles pressed ahead. "If what you say is true, then why the secrecy? Why are you not telling me things directly? What else are you hiding?"


    Charles then leaped up and transformed into a bat in an attempt to dash out again.


    "You''ve waited thirteen years to return home. Do you know how long I''ve waited for this day? One hundred and twenty years! Nothing can disrupt my ns!" The Pope''s voice echoed from behind him again, this time with a hint of iciness.


    Pale-white ghosts emerged from the ground. They swiftly enveloped Charles and moved him into thest vacant slot.


    Charles struggled to escape from the spot but found himself trapped as if there was a transparent dome around him.


    The mysterious runes on the concentric circles floated off the ground before converging toward the lustrous humanoid in the middle of the array.


    Meanwhile, the Divine Light Order followers gradually closed in. With their eyes sealed with wax and their heads bowed deeply to the ground, they started mutteringmentations from the <em>New Testament.</em>


    Staring at the Pope whose smile was growing radiant by the second, Charles scoured his mind for any possible solutions to halt the ritual.


    Suddenly, a piece of intelligence came to mind. It was one that he had discovered earlier and might just prove to be useful at this critical juncture.


    "Wait! The Light God isn''t a true Divinity that you believe in! He''s man-made! He''s not a god but merely an experimental product of the Foundation!" Charles blurted out.


    The Pope nodded calmly in response. "Yes, I know. The Light God is the GK Council''s members, created from the Divine Blood harvested from God Fhtagn. He has never hidden this fact from me."


    "You know? And yet you still believe in Him? In a man-made god?" Charles was taken aback at the Pope''s utterly irrational mindset.


    "To me, He is not merely a god; He is my everything," the Pope said. A variety of emotions flickered across his eyes. There was devotion, respect, gratitude, and. love.


    Before Charles had the chance to speak again, the illuminated figure encircled by runes began to move. It emitted a radiance so intense that it bathed the entire hall in a brilliant white light.


    Apanied by what sounded like chants from ancient times, the colossal mechanical construct, Ronker, was torn into two halves.


    The strange city beneath the trench now appeared above Charles. He also discovered that he was upside-down.


    The massive green stone buildings, towering monoliths, majestic statues, and ornate reliefs were all illuminated by the radiant figure''s intense light. The entire trench was painted a brilliant white in that moment.


    Suddenly, the glowing figure moved. It transformed into a beam of light and pierced through the bizarre city above.


    At that moment, the city turned into a painting, slowly rolling up to reveal the space-time dimension behind it.


    Profound darkness was the only color. Within which, a single key floated in the vast expanse.


    Charles instantly recognized the key. It was the key that was once transported by the Foundation via an aircraft carrier, the key to the surface world.


    "The key" Charles couldn''t help but utter as heid his gaze on it.


    "Yes, it''s the key," the Pope concurred as he stepped out of his own spot and approached Charles. "I told you right from the start that my quest is to find the key. We share the same goal; I''ve never lied."


    Charles was stunned into silence. He was unsure if the Pope was speaking the truth. His instincts screamed that the Pope was a professional liar, but the undeniable evidence was right before his eyesthe key was truly there.


    "Hush, be quiet. Don''t awaken Him. Look there. Look at Him closely," the Pope instructed with a smile and pointed toward the vast darkness.


    Charles'' eyes followed the finger but saw nothing. He was just about to probe further when a vague silhouette appeared from the darkness.


    It was a colossal giant. Tentacles with multiple eyeballs sprouted out of his body. Though it seemed unbelievable, Charles could pick up the cognitive information his brain was sendingthe entity was bigger than even a itself.


    Describing the being merely as a giant didn''t do it justice. It was, in fact, a monstrous figure with a semnce of human shapeits head was adorned with numerous tentacles, and its massive, wed feet anchored a body covered in slimy green scales.


    The slender wings unfurled from its back had made its grotesque appearance be even more grotesque. The creature''s corpulent body oozed with slime, making it a sight of sheer terror.


    The giant was sleeping. With each breath it took, the fabric of time and space around Him would be torn apart before regenerating anew.


    As soon as Charlesid eyes on Him, his sanity rapidly declined. He couldn''t even move his body as well.


    The entity was God Fhtagn in His deep slumber.


    His right hand adorned with twenty-three tentacles had a minuscule egg-yolk-colored orb nestled within it. The orb tumbled around in God Fhtagn''s hand before finally rolling out of the forest of tentacles.


    It attempted to roll closer toward Charles and the others, but it seemed unable to escape the darkness.


    The Pope returned to his spot and stood ready. Excitement painted his countenance, and his eyes burned with fervor as he gazed upon the tiny luminous orb.


    Suddenly, the Pope raised both hands toward the orb. Dazzling light lit up the circles beneath the four sacrifices.


    Tears of blood streamed down the massive eyeball and the droplets drifted toward the glowing orb.


    The flesh that had sewn Swann''s mouth shut was torn open, and he let out the wail of an ordinary baby as his blood and flesh melted rapidly and floated upward.


    The Pope opened his mouth wide, from which a golden light, almost tangible, drifted upward as well.


    All of a sudden, Charles felt a presence standing behind him. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of his own shadow. His shadow had left the ground and was standing upright.


    Detaching itself from Charles, the shadow joined the other three elements and flew toward the orb.


    Charles was engulfed by a profound sense of loss and emptiness. It felt as though the departure of his shadow had also stripped away a part of him.


    The four elements swiftly merged into each other to form a rope, which coiled itself around the luminous orb in the far distance.


    The rope tugged at the orb, pulling it closer and closer.


    <em>Snap!</em>


    Charles snapped back to reality, and he found himself back on the sea surface. The soft caress of the sea breeze on his face swiftly restored his sanity which had been eroded by Fhtagn''s influence.


    Observing the myriad of ships dotting the waters around him, he noted the distinctive white triangle symbol on their crews'' foreheads; they were unmistakably followers of the Divine Light Order.

 Chapter 484: Solution

    Chapter 484: Solution


    Staring at the steamships that filled the surrounding waters and the orderly rows of Divine Light Order followers on their decks, a shiver of dread traveled down Charles'' spine. Instinctively, he knew something monumental, something truly horrifying, was about to unfold.


    He was uncertain of the Pope''s next move, but the only thing on his mind at this point was to stop the chatan. After all, he had once sacrificed over ten million people to summon the Feaster; what was going to happen would definitely not pale inparison.


    Charles turned around and saw the four offerings lying quietly within the concentric circles. In the middle of the array was a rope. The hemp rope was as thick as a giant tree and was woven from blood, flesh, light, and shadow.


    Taut and stretched, the massive ropeid across the floor and led toward the sea. It slowly retracted, seemingly tugging something with it.


    Recalling the scene from earlier, Charles realized what was on the other end of the ropethe sacrificial ritual was iplete. This revtion sparked a sliver of hope that the escape of the Light God might still be averted.


    As soon as Charles took a step forward, the Pope swiftly turned his gaze toward the former. Instantly, Charles found himself unable to move.


    Though Charles felt physically capable of movement, an overpowering reluctance seized him and rendered him motionless against his will.


    <em>Move! Come on! Move! </em>Charles struggled desperately, but his mind and body seemed to be at loggerheads with each other.


    "Charles, you always think you are capable of doing many things. Yet, in reality, you''re merely a puppet, controlled and manipted by others," the Pope remarked, his gaze returning to the rope.


    "Why are you always suspicious of me? Are those really your own thoughts? If so, then why do you always cooperate with me and yet never guard against me? Are those your thoughts too? Your mind is riddled with contradictions.


    "The Dioite named Anna and Project 177, Tobba, all their warnings are within my control and ns."


    The Pope then turned his attention back onto Charles.


    "Do you think I''m busy doing things just to guard against you? How naive. There are many more adversaries obstructing my ns, and they are far more terrifying than you. I''ve made many preparations for today. That''s why they don''t have the time to bother me."


    Hearing the Pope''s words, Charles stopped struggling. He lowered his gaze and looked at this hand, not in defeat but in thought about how the other could be manipting his thoughts.


    <em>He can control my thoughts? Is it direct mind control? Or did he do it through words? How can I counter him? </em>Charles thought to himself


    <em>He can control my thoughts? Is it direct mind control? Or did he do it through words? How can I counter him? </em>Another voice echoed from beside him. It was the Pope''s voice and he was speaking in Mandarin.


    Charles turned toward the Pope, his eyes widening in astonishment. A slight smile spread across the Pope''s countenance. "The great Light God is all-seeing and all-knowing. It''s just anguage from the surface, do you really think you can hide your thoughts from me for long? I can see all your thoughts clearly."


    Just then, the waters next to them bulged upward, and water cascaded down to reveal the submarine Narwhale rising to the surface.


    Charles stared at this vessel, and a sudden idea sparked in his mind. A smile crept onto his face as he looked at the Pope. "Everything is within your expectations? Then guess what I''m about to do now."


    A sneer of disdain appeared on the Pope''s face. "I''ve told you. I''ve considered all your relics and abilities. And what? A chalkboard eraser? What is that?"


    No sooner had the Pope''s words fallen, Charles turned toward the direction of the Narwhale and bellowed, "Dipp! Turn on 068!"


    The Pope sprang to his feet, his features contorting into a grimace of fury. He raised both hands and the sixty-five-meter-long Narwhale instantly levitated into midair.


    As he slightly closed his hands, the rounded hull began to cave inward.


    <em>Beep!</em>


    Suddenly, apanied by the sound of a beep, Ind 68 appeared on the water''s surface without any forewarning. The resulting waves violently shook the Ronker tform.


    "Do you think releasing 068 will be able to ruin my n? What a joke!" Despite the Pope''s defiant tone, the expression on his visage was far from calm. In fact, his brows were furrowed in evident tension.


    "Then maybe, you might want to guess what else is inside 068, aside from the people living there."


    No sooner had Charles finished speaking than the edge of the tform dipped, forming a triangle on the steel floor. A chilling sensation of being observed washed over himthe "chalkboard eraser" from a different dimension had made its entrance.


    Charles could hardly have foreseen that he would be the one to order the release of the Chalkboard Eraser confined within 068.


    "Say, if at this point, I, the sacrifice were to be killed by the ''chalkboard eraser'' or taken to another perspective, then the entire door-opening ritual probably wouldn''t seed, right?"


    A resounding crash followed Charles'' words. A triangle that seemed to be encased in a transparent bubble materialized just thirty centimeters in front of Charles.


    But it ultimately could not ovee the defensive barrier encircling Charles and slowly retreated. The barrier served a dual purpose: it trapped Charles within while also keeping external forces at bay.


    The next moment, two massive triangles manifested. This time, they were less than a centimeter from Charles. The "chalkboard erasers" would soon reach Charles.


    Witnessing the scene, the Pope could no longer sit idly by. Raising his hands, the light that formed part of the rope surged back into his body.


    "No one! Absolutely nothing can disrupt my n!" The Pope proimed. A dazzling golden light burst forth from his body, revealing the presence of two elongated, distorted creatures forced into visibility.


    Being on the receiving end of an attack, the "Chalkboard Erasers" swiftly shifted their targets and charged at the Pope.


    Just then, there was a sh of white light, and Sparkle suddenly materialized beside Charles. "Daddy, Mommy sent me to save you."


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat at the sight of Sparkle appearing in such a perilous situation. "What are you doing here? Run!"


    "I can teleport living beings now. I''ll get you out now," Sparkle said and immediately grabbed Charles'' hand. In the next second, the two materialized on the deck of the Narwhale,


    The moment Charles escaped from the array, the ck element that formed the massive rope disengaged and reattached itself to Charles'' feet, bing his shadow once more.


    Sparkle shed a sheepish smile, "Daddy, I''m still practicing. But don''t worry. When I grow a little older, I can teleport you faster and farther."


    Charles scanned the empty deck and was just about to speak when a shadow pounced on him and hugged him tightly. It was Anna. She didn''t speak a single word, but Charles could feel her intense emotions from the trembling body pressed against him.

 Chapter 485: The Chosen One

    Chapter 485: The Chosen One


    Being able to see his wife again. Charles was overwhelmed with emotions as well. Yet, he knew this wasn''t the time to dwell over their reunion. They had to escape immediately.


    However, before Charles could make a dash toward the bridge, a beam of white light swept past and vaporized a significant portion of the Narwhale''s bow. It was an attack from the Ronker''sser cannon.


    "Charles! There''s no escape for you. Look around you! Every follower of the Divine Light Order in this Subterranean Sea has gathered here. You can''t run anywhere!! Brethren, bring him back to me!" the Pope roared, his voice thundering across the sky.


    Steamships swiftly converged on the half-wrecked Narwhale from all directions. The entire region had been blocked off, leaving Charles with no route of escape.


    Searchlights of varying sizes illuminated every corner of the Narwhale''s deck, leaving not a single spot in the dark.


    Realizing there was no way out, Charles whispered in a low growl to his daughter beside him, "Sparkle, take Mommy and leave."


    Anna knew what Charles had in mind. Refusing to follow, she swelled rapidly, reverting to her terrifying monstrous form.


    "Do I need you to tell me what to do? Don''t think you can fool me away this time! At most, we''ll die together!"


    "Just go. I''ll be fine; I''m a monster, after all." Charles'' prosthetic chainsaw whirled to life. Peeling off ayer of his flesh at his fingertips, fresh blood trickled down the wounds as he crouched onto the titled deck and swiftly started drawing.


    "Sparkle, take Mommy and leave. Be a good girl," Charles reiterated his instructions.


    Sparkle cast a nce at Charles, who seemed to be preparing something. She then gently touched Anna''s tentacle and in an instant, their figures vanished.


    When a group of Divine Light Order followers appeared on the Narwhale''s deck with their signature white robes and various relics in hand, Charles hadpleted his drawing.


    He rose to his feet andpletely ignored the followers around him. Instead, he turned his gaze to the distant tform that was radiating a dazzling golden light.


    "Bring it on, Your Holiness. Since you imed that everything is within your calctions, then let''s see if this was part of your anticipation," Charles roared.


    He then took a step to the left, allowing his shadow to align perfectly with the crimson runes behind him.


    Charles swelled and distorted unnaturally. Grotesque noises echoed as Charles'' bones cracked. Amorphous clumps of flesh and internal organs sprouted all over him. His limbs morphed into crab-like pincers, and he was marred with swollen, bubble-like growths. Triangr, bulbous eyes reminiscent of a fish''s eyes emerged all over him, which made him look even more monstrous.


    His original pair of eyes turned cold and emotionless, like the rest of the eyes all over him.


    Just then, a chain writhed toward him like a sea serpent in an attempt to ensnare Charles. It was the relic of a nearby Divine Light Order follower.


    But the moment the chain was about to touch Charles, Charles'' mutating form instantaneously blinked two meters away from its original spot.


    With a mere flick of one of his tentacles, adorned with numerous eyes, the heads of everyone around him vanished in an instant.


    The headless corpses plunged into the sea with echoing sshes. However, Charles paid them no heed as more deformed limbs and tentacles continued to grow from him; his appearance gradually mirrored Edikth, a Divinity he had encountered only once before.


    Meanwhile, the golden radiance atop Ronker had faded. The Pope stood unharmed in his original spot while the remnants of the Chalkboard Erasers were broken into fragments and scattered around him.


    "Charles!" The Pope roared in fury. With a lift of both hands, he swiftly pulled the mutated Charles toward him.


    With a <em>whoosh</em>, and no prior warning, Charles vanished and reappeared embedded within the Pope''s body.


    Charles'' tentaclesposed of various organs stirred within the Pope''s aged body, devouring thetter''s organs.


    Brilliant light burst from every opening of the Pope, causing the flesh and organs on Charles to rapidly wither and desate.


    Charles vanished once more, only to reappear a short distance from the Pope. As he red with the eyes all over him, the Pope''s upper half began to disintegrate into nothingness.


    The Pope''s eyes shone with a golden light. His voice imbued with Divine authority,manded, "God said: Obey!"


    In response, Charles'' multitude of eyes instinctively narrowed, directing their gaze downward as ifpelled to bow before an overwhelming power.


    However, Charles would never be one to submit. He started flickering at a high frequency. As the flickering intensified, the tform was soon engulfed by Charles'' monstrous and aberrant forms.


    They were not mere afterimages; they were all versions of Charles existing in fractions of a moment across time.


    The Pope couldn''t defend against all of them. The moment he showed an opening, a Charles from behind him immediately extended a tentacle and coiled it around him.


    "God said: Pierce!"


    Blinding golden spikes burst forth from within the Pope, and he resembled a porcupine as he impaled everything close by in the proverbial blink of an eye.


    This included Charles, who was quickly bound by chains ejected from the needles, rendering him incapable of teleporting.


    With a mere lift of his hand, The Pope levitated the immobilized Charles back toward the original sacrificial spot meant for thetter.


    Just as Charles seemed about to be imprisoned within the circle again, he swelled explosively. The myriad of grotesque organs and mutations all over him burst open and scattered across the ground in a gruesome disy.


    Before the Pope could react, Charles moved even faster this time. The clumps of flesh rapidly coalesce to form a giant yellow eye.


    The eye widened in a fierce re, and the Pope''s right arm instantly vanished. Having suffered his first instance of damage, the Pope visibly winced in pain.


    The flesh fragments from Charles gathered in an instant and lunged toward the Pope.


    A shield wrought from golden light intercepted Charles'' assault. Spikes sprouted from the shield, and it turned into a weapon poised for a counterattack.


    Amidst the tumultuous sh between Charles and the Pope, Swann, the infant mechanoid, used his mechanical digits to cut his mouth open once more. With eyes brimming with spite, he eagerly encouraged the ongoing battle between the two.


    "Yes! Fight! Fight! Fight!"


    Swann didn''t care who died. He would be pleased as long as one of them their demise. After all, the two had overturned his ind, and they were his enemies.


    The situation entered a deadlock. Both sides were the Divinities'' Chosen One and their strengths didn''t differ significantly.


    Just then, Sparkle suddenly appeared at the Pope''s feet and wrapped herself around his left leg. The Pope''s left leg vanished instantly, causing him to stagger and lose bnce.


    The golden opportunity presented itself before Charles, and Charles would never allow it to go to waste. All the eyes on his body widened simultaneously and emitted eerily bizarre beams of light.


    The Pope swayed to the right in an attempt to dodge Charles'' lethal res.


    However, Sparkle''s earlier interference had cost the Pope the upper hand. Charles'' light beam struck the Pope and shattered thetter''s body into pieces.


    With only his upper torso left, the Pope copsed on the ground like a broken doll.


    Golden blood trickled from the corners of the Pope''s mouth as his gaze shifted upward at Charles, who was approaching him. A look of astonishment appeared on his face before it gave way to a faint smile.


    "I truly did not see thising" The Pope remarked with a dry chuckle, and as his consciousness began to blur, Lylejay caught a glimpse of a child all curled up in a fetal position in his fading vision.

 Chapter 486: God Said

    Chapter 486: God Said


    Weary and scrawny, Lylejay meandered along the streets in the harbor district of Stgmite Ind.


    His steps were light as though he was treading on cotton, yet there was nothing he could do about it. He hadn''t eaten for three days, and his body was barely holding up by surviving only on water.


    After walking for about half an hour, he finally arrived at a narrow alley by the dockside, a favorite haunt for sailors.


    However, there was no sailor in sight at this time. Instead, only scantily d women filled both sides of the alley as they lifted the pink curtains in front of their doors and engaged in conversation.


    "Sigh, now that the governor hasunched a war, all activities at the docks have stopped. We lost our customers too. If this goes on, I''ll be scavenging dead fish by the shore soon," one of the womenmented.


    "Please. At least you had business yesterday. I haven''t got a single one in three days," anotherined and let out a sigh. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Lylejay. "Look, that blond kid''s back."


    The prostitutes collectively shot piercing res of hostility at Lylejay. After all, there was no need for reason to harbor hatred for a fellowpetitor.


    "Kid, save yourself from the trouble and stoping here. There''s barely anyone left who wants to have fun with us women, let alone men," one of the prostitutes taunted. Her words were immediately followed by collectiveughter of mockery.


    Lylejay pretended that he didn''t hear them and pressed on feebly. His need for food outweighed his pride.


    Suddenly, his eyes lit up as a feminine figure approached. It was a sailor who had once patronized Lylejay.


    However, before he could even reach out to the sailor, another more delicate and handsome man flung himself into the sailor''s arms.


    A hint of dejection flickered across Lylejay''s face. His eyes turned red with unshed tears, and he continued down the alley quietly.


    He had lost his customer.


    No business meant no food, and no food meant death.


    He had entered this line of work because he had no money for food. He was lured by the promise that he would never have to go hungry again if he was to enter this industry. However, here he was, hungry and famished.


    Wandering aimlessly through the street, morning soon slipped by, and Lylejay was now even weaker than before.


    He dragged his feeble body slowly out of the alley and onto the docks. He wanted to examine the authenticity of the words the prostitute had said earlierif there were really dead fish to scavenge by the shore.


    However, disappointment suffused his face as he arrived at the shore. Apart from the trash bobbing in the wave and the air reeking of the nauseating scent of decay, there was nothing.


    Once again, he returned to the harbor''s grimy corner that was redolent of human waste. He wanted to try hisst resort to satiate his hunger. If he was still not able to have any food today, he might not even have the strength to walk tomorrow.


    The first thing that came into sight was a filthy garbage heap and two men amidst it. Their bodies exuded a disgusting stench as they rummaged through the refuse.


    Disappointment crossed Lylejay''s face, and he continued forward. The garbage heap he was thinking of had already been upied by others with the same thought as him.


    As he trudged forward, he soon caught a whiff of the aromatic smell of freshly baked bread. His eyes lit up in hope.


    He turned the corner and a bakery stood before him. The golden loaves peeking through the ss window had Lylejay salivating. However, the price tag on it dashed his hopes. Even the cheapest ck rye bread was 20 Echos for one small loaf, and he didn''t have even a single Echo in his name.


    Lylejay wanted to leave, but then he noticed that the bakery''s portly owner had his back against him and was fussing over the oven.


    <em>Stealing is wrong. </em>Lylejay could still remember the words his mother had instilled in him. But, he was famished,<em> really.</em>


    The pangs of hunger overruled Lylejay''s morals. He sidled up to the bakery and stealthily reached out a hand for a piece of fish-vored bread.


    He touched it! The bread was still radiating warmth, having just been brought out of the oven not too long ago. The heat itself seemed to have reignited strength in Lylejay''s weakened body.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    A boot-d foot sent Lylejay flying away.


    "How dare you steal our bread? Do you have a death wish?!" a clean-dressed, chubby teenager roared. He looked to be about thirteen to fourteen years of age, and he charged at Lylejay with his friends. They showered Lylejay with a flurry of punches and kicks.


    Themotion attracted the attention of the baker. He walked to the front of his shop and slightly straightened a misaligned loaf before advising nonchntly, "Son, don''t hit him here. It''s bad for business."


    "Okay! Got it!" The chubby boy nodded. Holding Lylejay by a leg, he dragged Lylejay toward the nearby alley and his boisterous friends followed right after.


    Hurled into the dim recesses of an alley cluttered with trash, Lylejay huddled and curled up against the grime. Tremors seized him as the circle of boys closed in on him.


    Extreme fear filled Lylejay''s gaze as he watched the baker''s son pick up a table leg with a protruding rusted nail.


    "Please, I''m begging you. Don''t hit me. Use me instead. It''ll feel good. Please, just don''t hit me," Lylejay begged as his trembling hands pulled down his pants. Then, he turned his rear toward them and lifted it.


    The boys were initially taken aback by Lylejay''s action, but soon one eximed, "I know this kid! He''s a male prostitute!"


    Disgust immediately marred the boys'' faces. They rushed toward Lylejay and started raining down punches on him with all their might.


    "How disgusting! Why is trash like you still alive in this world!"


    "Selling your body to feed yourself? Can you still even call yourself a man?!"


    "You worthless scum!"


    Lylejay clutched his head and cried out in despair, "I''m hungry! I just wanted to eat. Mom, help!"


    Soon, Lylejay''s cries ceased; he was too weak to utter another word. When the boys finally stopped their physical assault, Lylejayy motionless on the ground, his entire body covered in bruises.


    The chubby boy panted heavily from the "exercise," but he appeared unsatisfied. He looked around him and picked up a twenty-centimeters-long rusty ship nail from the ground.


    "Hey, this should be enough, right? He could die," one of the boys with a mole at the corner of his lips was reluctant to exacerbate the situation.


    "So what if he dies? People die in the docks every day. Plus, he''s just a thieving male prostitute. Bad people like him don''t deserve to live."


    The chubby boy approached Lylejay, grabbed thetter by his golden hair, and yanked his head up.


    Lylejay''s swollen eyes looked at the chubby boy lifelessly. His eyes were no longer filled with fear and had been reced by numbness. Parting his mouth to reveal missing teeth, Lylejay trembled as he spoke, "What What did I do wrong? Why Why are you doing this to me?"


    The chubby boy raised his right hand and thrust the ship nail into Lylejay''s right eye. Then, he lifted his knee and ced it on the nail head, forcefully driving it deeper into Lylejay''s skull.


    The rusty nail pierced into Lylejay''s brain, and the chubby boy threw him back onto the ground. The onlooking boys immediately crowded around and showered the chubby boy with praise andpliments. After all, none of them would dare tomit murder themselves.


    Meanwhile, Lylejayy among the trash in a terribly weakened state. His life force was rapidly draining out of him. His vision started to blur, and then he saw his deceased mother walking toward him. She hade to take him away.


    <em>If I die, I will no longer feel hunger or cold. I can even see Mom again </em>The corners of Lylejay''s lips curled upward into a faint yet radiant smile on his bruised visage.


    "Hey Hey Can you hear me?" a fuzzy voice suddenly sounded in Lylejay''s ears, dispelling the gradually sharpening image of his mother.


    "No! Mom! Take me with you!" Lylejay cried out with the veryst ounce of strength he had.


    Suddenly, a gentle ball of light enveloped Lylekay, and his battered body rapidly healed.


    When Lylekay finally came around, all his wounds had vanished. Even the pain that was coursing through his body was gone.


    Lylejay rose to his feet and stood motionless as if listening to something.


    Suddenly, he extended his right hand and gently pushed against the dirt-stained wall beside him. It copsed instantly.


    Lylejay''s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at his hands. He was bewildered by the sudden power he had acquired. The next moment, he erupted into tears.


    In response to the concerned voice in his mind, Lylejay shook his head and wiped away his tears. "It''s nothing I was just thinking that if I had had this power back then perhaps my mom wouldn''t have died."


    Lylejay stuck close to the wall and moved slowly toward the entrance of the alley. asionally, he would nod and converse with the voice in his head.


    "Who are you? How should I address you? GK? Can I call you God?


    "Your voice is so beautiful, God. I love hearing it.


    "God, you''re great. I like you."


    At this point, Lylejay had already emerged from the dark alley and onto the main street. The enticing aroma of bread assaulted his nostrils once again.


    Eyeing the golden loaves of bread in the distance, Lylejay involuntarily licked his lips as he made his way towards the inviting aroma.


    The plump boy, having returned home, was animatedly chatting with a woman andughter punctuated their conversation.


    Upon noticing Lylejay''s approach, a look of shock shed across the boy''s face, and he briskly exited the bakery.


    Confronted by the boy''s aggressive advance, Lylejay''s initial instinct was to shrink back and escape. However, he suddenly stood his ground, and he lifted his head gradually. His eyes transformed from avoidance to a deep, burning resentment.


    He lifted both hands and pushed the boy away.


    With a loud <em>thump</em>, the boy was embedded into the bakery''s wall, and his blood painted the entire wall crimson. He was dead


    "My son!" a woman cried out as she rushed out of the bakery.


    The cry of endearment stirred an unfathomable sorrow in Lylejay. In an attempt to silence her, his newfound powers acted with fatal precision; a slight pinch turned her head paper-thin.


    "Maya!" The baker''s eyes turned red with fury upon witnessing the death of his wife and son. He brandished his revolver and charged out of the shop.


    With another effortless gesture from Lylejay, a chilling crack echoed as the baker''s robust framepressed to the size of a watermelon, drenching the scene in a grim cascade of blood.


    Lylejay walked toward the bakery stand, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before sping his hands together. "Thank You, God, for this bread You had bestowed upon me."


    He started his meal from the finest loaf of white bread and elerated his pace as he progressed, eventually almost choking on the crusty edges.


    Half an hourter, Lylejay was fully sated. He let out a long and deep sigh. Having appeased his hunger, a sense of profound contentment washed over him.


    "God, is there anything you need my help with? I''ll do anything for you.


    "Rescue you? Of course. God, I''ll find a way to free you!"


    Lylejay''s consciousness returned from his old memories. Tears welled up in his eyes before uncontrobly streaming down his face.


    "I''m sorry, God I couldn''t save you from your confines," Lylejaymented, his voiceced with evident sorrow and anger. "It''s all because I''m useless"


    At that moment, despite being over a hundred years old, Lylejay was no different from his past ten-year-old self.


    Charles paid no attention to Lylejay''s soliloquy. He blinked before Lylejay and raised a tentacle adorned with eyes.


    On the brink of death, Lylejay''s eyes suddenly glimmered with a golden hue. Summoning the veryst ounce of his strength, he bellowed at the dome ceiling overhead, "God said: Let there be light!"


    And light dawned over the Subterranean Sea.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    No wonder he''s so obsessed over the Light God. That''s a really sad back story though D:</blockquote>

 Chapter 487: Light God

    Chapter 487: Light God


    It was daybreak. The perpetually dark Subterranean Sea had weed its first-ever daybreak. There wasn''t any sun up high, but a radiant light pervaded the entire Subterranean Sea.


    The eyeballs all over Charles shriveled and retracted. The many different deformed organs all over Charles'' tentacles and even his shadow receded slowly into the enormous rope on the ground.


    Charles was human once more. He looked around before staring nkly at the bright sky. The jet-ck rockyer above the Subterranean Sea had turned out to be of an earthen yellow color rather than jet ck.


    "What what the hell is going on?" Charles muttered to himself.


    <em>Thud, thud, thud</em>


    A series of dull thuds echoed incessantly behind Charles. He turned and saw the Divine Light Order followers, whose eyes were sealed with wax, sprawled out on the ground. Clearly, the warm sunlight was poison to them.


    This was just the beginning. The same dull thuds rang out from every single ship of varying sizes around the tform. Millions of Divine Light Order followers went limp and copsed to the floor with smiles on their faces.


    Charles watched them die for a while until his eyes suddenly filled with fear; he had just recalled something. He looked down at the Pope, who was on the verge of death, and lifted thetter off of the ground, asking, "Does does this light illuminate only this sea region?! Answer me! Hurry up!"


    The Pope''s lips parted into a smile as he replied, "Hehehe, you''ve grossly underestimated the power of a god if you think that His light will illuminate this sea region alone."


    "Damn it all!" Charles raised his right fist and smashed it into the Pope''s face.


    The Pope only had the upper half of his body remaining, so Charles'' punch sent him flying quite easily. The Pope tumbled on the ground as if he were a broken doll.


    "It''s the entire Subterranean Sea!" Charles'' hoarse roar reverberated throughout the tform. "The entire Subterranean Sea! The entire subterranean sea is now enveloped in sunlight! Do you not have any idea how many people will die because of what you did?!


    "The measly ten million or so people of the Albion Isles cannotpare to the entire Subterranean Sea! You''ve essentially wiped out every single human being here!"


    The Pope''s head drenched in his golden blood twitched ever so slightly. Soon, an aged voice drifted out of his mouth as he said, "Yes, many people will die, but what does that have to do with me?


    "As long as He breaks out, it''s going to be worth it no matter the casualties."


    Charles'' eyes were bloodshot, and he quivered violently. He almost lost control of himself due to the extreme anger that pervaded his heart.


    Charles had always considered himself a selfish person, but he couldn''t remain indifferent in the face of the possibility that humans might soon be extinct throughout the Subterranean Sea.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    Charles'' prosthetic limb transformed into a chainsaw, and a buzzing noise reverberated as it spun. Charles then wasted no time and started walking toward the Pope.


    "You"


    Charles was interrupted mid-sentence and just as he stepped forward. The enormous rope in the middle of the concentric rings hadshed out to stop Charles, transforming into a dazzling ray of light that struck Charles in the back.


    The Pope looked up with great difficulty, and tears streamed down his face at the sight that appeared right before his eyes. He couldn''t stop himself from crying as he stammered, "L-Lord I''ve finally seen you, and you''re a thousand times more beautiful than I had ever imagined."


    Charles'' chainsaw slowly came to a halt. Filled with grief and indignation, he turned around and looked up to find a luminous sphere suspended in the bright sky.


    The luminous sphere looked extremely simr to the sun on the surface world, but it wasn''t the sun at all. It was the Light God, the Divinity that the Foundation had created.


    Charles instantly noted a stark difference between the Light God and the Sun. The Light God emitted a seven-colored light, and it wasn''t actually <em>that</em> bright. The Light God''s rays were gentle and soft; it was extremelyfortable on the skin.


    The Light God''s size was very difficult to estimate with human eyes. At times, the Light God would appear to be merely as huge as a ping pong ball, but there were times when He''d appear to be a gargantuan star.


    Meanwhile, the enormous rope that had pulled Him out was absorbed by the radiance.


    Charles squinted, seeing something hazy right on his eyelids. He wiped it away and saw that it was an orange ribbon of light. Charles rubbed it gently, and the ribbon melted away, dispersing into the nearby light.


    Charles was mistaken. It wasn''t a ribbon at all; it was the Light God''s divine light.


    The divine light of the Light God was tangible and could be touched. The same "ribbon" hadnded not just on Charles'' ocean but on the vast sea as well. As expected, they immediately vanished and dispersed into sunlight upon making contact with anything.


    There were multiple colors of the "ribbon," and Charles estimated that there were seven different colors. As he looked around and examined the embodiment of sunlight, Charles couldn''t help but recall Saint Acolyte Kord''s words when they first met in Sottom.


    <em>"Captain Charles, you might not understand since you have not joined our Order. Our religious texts detail everything about the Sun God. The Sun God''s divine light manifests in a spectrum of colors, seven colors to be exact. It can soothe one''s heart and also provide warmth. The light in the Mirrorbox has only a singr color and is far too ring. There is nothing simr to bepared between the two."</em>


    Charles stared right into the Light God in the sky and muttered, "So he didn''t lie"


    The next moment, the Light God''s divine light intensified. The corpses of the Divine Light Order followers floated up slowly and drifted beneath the giant fireball in the sky.


    Their clothes fell off, and they converged at one point, transforming into a colossal ball of flesh. The colossal ball of flesh contracted and expanded as more and more corpses gathered.


    Then, a cacophonous din of creaking metals rang out. Every single ship throughout the ocean and even on the seabed gathered beneath the Light God. Even Ind 68, which was attempting to leave, couldn''t escape and flew toward the Light God.


    Soon, the steel softened and transformed into a unique gray steel. The gray steel was melted once more, and it enveloped the colossal ball of flesh. In no time, a tall and slender humanoid figure manifested beneath the radiant Light God.


    The humanoid figure was so tallit seemed taller than most mountains. In fact, only its lower half was submerged despite the ocean depths. The humanoid figure was simply too tall for it to submergepletely.


    The humanoid figure didn''t really resemble humans as its arms were too tall to the extent of touching its feet, while its palms were extremelyrge. For some reason, however, there wasn''t a sense of incongruity when its features werebined with its radiant sun-like head.


    In fact, the humanoid figure''s proportions looked perfect.


    The Light God wasn''t done just yet. He rotated and looked to His right. Then, He lifted His enormous, skeletal-like hand gently, and a ck streak of light flew toward him from somewhere in the distance.


    The ck streak of light didn''t seem to be carrying anything with it and was simply darkness itself. The ck streak of light floated over to the deformed back of the Light God and transformed into a ck cape.


    "God! God!! I''m here!" the Pope roared from the tform.


    The Light God cast His "gaze" upon the Pope, and the Pope rapidly recovered his fleshly body. In just a second, the Pope was standing once more withplete limbs and without any injuries.


    He waspletely naked, but he didn''t seem to care about that as he could barely suppress the joy in his heart.


    "God! Take me with you! I''ll go wherever you go! I''ll always be with you!" the Pope shouted excitedly at the Light God standing in the ocean. Right now, he wasn''t a 130-year-old old man but a 10-year-old child.


    Fortunately, the Pope''s shouting didn''t fall on deaf ears. He received a response, and a sense of weightlessness overcame him as he flew toward the palm of the Light God.


    The Light God''s simple movement of turning around created massive waves that crashed against the tform, causing it to sway violently.


    The Light God took a step with his submerged legs and started walking toward the exit to the surface.


    Charles stood at the incredible sight in a daze. He couldn''t do anything except watch as the Light God left for his destination.


    However, the Light God abruptly turned around and returned, puzzling Charles.


    <em>Does He want to kill me? The one who decided to oppose him? </em>Charles thought, but he truly had no idea what was about to happen.


    Soon, the Light God appeared in front of Charles. Then, the Light God bent down, and the massive luminous sphere, which was the Light God''s head, blotted out the sky from Charles'' point of view.


    Just as Charles thought that the Light God was about to obliterate him, a glowing orb drifted slowly over to Charles. The glowing orb was tiny and was about the same size as a grapefruit, but there seemed to be something inside of it.


    "Ah! I know this smell! Mr. Charles, is that you? Are you outside?" A sweet and familiar voice echoed from inside the glowing orb.


    Charles'' heart beat wildly against his chest as he stared intently at the glowing orb right in front of him.


    Just then, the Pope standing on the Light God''s shoulder shouted, "Child! Have you already forgotten what I told you? Webelievers in the benevolent Light Godabsolutely do not lie!"

 Chapter 488: Hope Island

    Chapter 488: Hope Ind


    "Minister, only three of the merchant ships that were supposed to arrive today have arrived. We can''t contact them via telegram either. Trade on the ind hase to aplete halt as well. At this rate, Hope Ind''s economy will soon be inplete disarray."


    Leonardo, the Minister of Administration, frowned deeply upon hearing his secretary''s report. Of course, he wasn''t exactly thinking about Hope Ind''s economy. Instead, he was thinking about something bigger.


    "Hmm" Leonardo stood up slowly and walked up to the window. Pushing it open, the distant coastline of Hope Ind unfolded before his eyes. Leonardo looked up and saw that the pitch-ck horizon had be a radiant white.


    It seemed that the ongoing crisis was going to affect not just the trade between inds but the entire Subterranean Sea as well.


    "Are we still unable to contact the other inds?" Leonardo asked, casting a sidelong nce at his secretary.


    The secretary flipped through the documents in his hand and shook his head regretfully. "We''ve sent telegrams using every single route, but there''s been no response at all.


    "It feels like the telegram system of the entire Subterranean Sea has copsed. I think the sunlight that suddenly appeared on the horizon is probably..." the secretary trailed off.


    "What happened to the exploration fleet that departed for Skywater Ind? Have they discovered anything?"


    "We did receive some intelligence report from the Navy, and it says that the entire Skywater Ind is deste. Everyone has seemingly vanished into thin air, and not even a single ship of the Divine Light Order is docked at its harbor district."


    Leonardo frowned deeply, considering every single possibility. Skywater Ind was a habitable ind with its own supply of fresh water and high-quality fuel.


    In other words, it was strange that the Divine Light Order had abandoned the ind so decisively. There was something fishy about it.


    Leonardo paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, thinking of many different things. It was only until night "fell" on Hope Ind did he made up his mind and started walking toward the door.


    The secretary followed closely behind Leonardo and cautiously asked, "Where are you going, Minister?"


    "I''m going to pay Chief James a visit."


    Soon, the car drove onto the road. Leonardo sat in the back seat with his arms crossed and his fingers tapping his arms. He could still remember the gamble that he had made when Hope Ind had yet to develop to this extent. His gamble had paid off at the time, earning him his current position.


    After much consideration, Leonardo decided to gamble once again.


    When Leonardo opened his eyes once more, he saw the familiar jet-ck walls of Hope Ind''s police department. The driver parked the car and alighted before respectfully opening the door for Leonardo.


    Leonardo stepped out of the car and made a beeline for James'' office. With his identity as the Minister of Administration, no one dared to stop him or question his purpose foring here.


    The door was slightly ajar, so Leonardo didn''t even bother knocking. He pushed it open and barged in.


    Leonardo saw an elderly woman with a bed of gray hair holding James'' hand. The elderly woman seemed to be pleading for something. Leonardo listened for a bit and learned that the elderly woman''s son was a crew member on the Governor''s ship.


    It had been such a long time since the Governor''s recent voyage, so the elderly woman was starting to get worried about her son. Eventually, the elderly woman could no longer withstand it and decided to ask for James'' help.


    She wanted James to send a ship that would locate the Governor''s ship. James remained patient and consoled the elderly woman for quite a while until her worries were assuaged.


    The elderly woman eventually left, and James saw her out personally.


    When James returned to his office, he saw Leonardo drinking his coffee.


    "Hurry up and tell me what you need. I have many things to do here. The unemployment rate is skyrocketing, so many people have decided to stray from the right path," James said as he sat down.


    Leonardo waved his hand lightly. The secretary next to him nodded and walked out, closing the door behind him.


    Leonardo took a sip of coffee before staring at therge-framed James. "It''s been a while since the Governor is gone. I checked his supply list, and ording to the records, it''s been a while since he ran out of fuel and food."


    "What exactly are you trying to say here?" James asked in a low voice, staring intently at Leonardo.


    "I''m just the Minister of Administration, while you''re just the Chief of Hope Ind''s Police Department. However, we both know that without the Governor, the two of us are the ones holding power.


    "I manage the ind''s administrative affairs while you manage Hope Ind''s Navy and the Relic Research Institute."


    "Are you suggesting that we betray the captain?" James asked coldly.


    "I know that you''re loyal to him, but what use is loyalty if he''s dead? Have you not seen what''s going on outside? We have been unable to contact the inds outside. The situation is changing rapidly and in such a monumental way that it won''t be a surprise if Governor Charles is already dead.


    "Think about it. He doesn''t have any sessor, so what''s going to happen to Hope Ind if he neveres back? Isn''t it only reasonable for us to inherit the entire Hope Ind?


    "It''s going to be a big change, and that is exactly why we have to make a decision as soon as possible. Otherwise, problems will arise if the problem drags on for too long.


    "And you don''t have to worry about the split at all; I''vee up with a solution for it. Your daughter happens to be around the same age as my son. A marriage alliance between us will ensure that Hope Ind will belong solely to us even in the distant future."


    <em>Hope Ind will belong solely to us? </em>James pondered briefly over it, but then he recalled the arm that Charles had sacrificed just to save his life. The next moment, he looked up at Leonardo and said, "Please leave. The captain is going to be fine.


    "Mark my words: Hope Ind will belong to no one else but Charles Reed as long as I''m still here!"


    Leonardo''s expression changed drastically at James'' remark, and he stood up in a huff. "If you''re willing to wait, then go ahead and wait. However, I want you to think that I''m not doing all this just for myself.


    "Hope Ind needs a governor. If Governor Charles has truly perished out there, then there will soon be a struggle to im the position of Governor. If neither of us takes the position for ourselves, someone else will take it away!


    "And I''m not just going to sit down and wait until that happens!"


    As the footsteps in the corridor faded away, James sighed and took out an old, ck-and-white photo from his wallet. He stared at himself with an arm around the much younger Charles standing in front of the old S.S Mouse.


    "Captain, just where are you?"


    The denizens of Hope Ind grew even more restless as time went on, and it couldn''t be helped. Trade between inds had effectively ceased, so the economy had stagnated. The denizens had also noticed the ongoing changes beyond the ind, and most importantly, Governor Charles seemed to be missing.


    Prices fluctuated wildly, and the unemployment rate climbed sharply, affecting everything from the grassroots level to the upper echelons.


    There were even some outrageous rumors about how the end of the world was nigh, which led to a spike in Hope Ind''s crime rate. The crime rate rose so high that Chief James had to employ the Navy to push it back down.


    Unfortunately, Chief James'' action was just a band-aid solution. It wasn''t going to stop rumors from spreading as well. Soon, the nerves of everyone in Hope Ind seemed to be stretched taut, and the air grew so oppressive that it was suffocating.


    Just as an explosion was imminent, a strange ship slowly approached the docks of Hope Ind. It was an odd-looking ship. The bow was distorted and unsightly, looking like a confused mixture of iron and mechanical casings that had been welded together to resemble a ship''s bow.


    However, the ship''s smokestack, the position of its deck cannons, and its familiar steam whistle told everyone that the ship was the Narwhale. In short, Governor Charles was back.


    The news spread like wildfire throughout the wildfire, and the oppressive air that hung above Hope Ind dispersed instantly.


    Everyone set aside their schemes for the time being and rushed toward the docks, and by the time the Narwhale managed to dock, the docks were already full of people.


    Everyone cast curious gazes at the ship while muttering to themselves.


    No governors were created equal. In fact, some governors were too ipetent to matter to their inds, but there were a few governors whose identities were absolutely crucial to the existence of their inds.

 Chapter 489: The Entire Crew Returns

    Chapter 489: The Entire Crew Returns


    Crowds gathered on the docks of Hope Ind. The ce bustled with activities, with the voices of the inders forming a cacophony of excitement and curiosity.


    Spection circted on the reason so the Governor''ste return and also what had transpired in the outside world.


    As usual, the power holders of the ind stood at the forefront of the crowd. Among them, Leonardo turned to nce at James standing by his side.


    "Regardless of what you think, I''m d that the Governor is back," Leonardo said with a pleased smile on his face. Apart from the slight tremor of the corner of his lips, his feigned calmness was perfect.


    James returned him an icy stare. "Are you afraid that I''ll disclose what you said to the Captain? Rest assured, I definitely will."


    Anxiety raced in Leonardo''s heart as he tried to justify his actions. "Everything I mentioned before was under the assumption that the Governor had tragically passed on! Now that he''s returned alive, I will definitely not proceed with my n. And remember, all I wanted was for the stability of Hope Ind."


    James couldn''t be bothered to listen to Leonardo''s words any longer. He strode toward the Narwhale and the rest quickly followed suit.


    They ascended the gangnk to the deck, but the sight that greeted them wiped off the excitement on James'' face.


    The Narwhale was in disarray. Puddles of water strewn across the deck and the anchor was coated in a thickyer of rust. Even all the ropes were missing. It seemed like there hadn''t been any crew on shift for deck maintenance.


    Most importantly, there was not a single soul to be seen either on the deck or at the bridge. It was as though the entire ship had be a ghost vessel aimlessly drifting at sea.


    "What''s going on?! Where did everyone go?" James roared in panic and swiftly darted toward the cabin door.


    Sensing something amiss, the vignt navy personnel quickly loaded their firearms in preparation for any potential threats.


    As soon as James opened the cabin door, a shadow lunged at him from the end of the corridor with a ghostly howl. The seven to eight gun barrels behind him were lifted and aimed at the unknown entity. Their owners were about to pull the trigger when James'' shout halted their actions. "Hold fire! He''s not an enemy!"


    With that James extended his arms and embraced the figure that had pounded on him. It was Dipp, the Narwhale''s boatswain.


    Dipp seemed to have turned totally deranged. He parted his monstrous mouth and sank his sharp teeth into James'' sturdy shoulder. His eyes shed with malevolence as he tore into James'' flesh.


    Dipp''s clothes were torn and tattered. He even had several deep rope markings on his body, and many of his scales had been visibly scraped off.


    "Dipp! It''s me!" James held Dipp by the shoulders and shook him harshly. "What happened? Where''s the Captain?"


    However, James'' question went unanswered; Dipp was beyond any reason.


    Just as their focus was on Dipp, they failed to notice a ck, scaly tentacle slithering out from the dark corridor.


    Fortunately, one of the sharp navy personnel spotted the anomaly. rmed and in fright, he raised his rifle and shouted, "Monster! Iing!"


    The others swiftly reacted, and a series of gunfire rang out as bullets flew toward the creature lurking in the shadows.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A grotesque monster with eyes bearing green cross-shaped pupils appeared in front of the bullets, effortlessly shielding the creature with ck tentacles from the bullet rain.


    Seeing that their bullets dealt no damage, the sailors holding rifles quickly stepped back to allow those with relics to step forward.


    "James? Does this mean I''m finally home?" An extremely weary voice sounded from within the darkness, and the tense standoff eased.


    A figure squeezed through the corridor that was obstructed by the monstrous mass of flesh.


    It was Charles, who appeared exceedingly haggard and worn out. The hanging dark circles under his eyes suggested that he hadn''t slept in a long while. His gaze held a mix of indescribable emotions, and a heavy, oppressive, and weary air surrounded him.


    A little mouse with golden fur was perched on his shoulder. She excitedly extended her tiny paws to wave at James.


    "Big guy! Long time no see! Did you miss me? Wow! Your belly seems to have gotten a lot bigger!"


    "Li Lily!" James'' eyes widened in shock at the sight before him that transcended human logic. His deceased friend resurrected and was alive and kicking.


    Slightly hunched, Charles nced over his shoulder at the dark corridor behind him. Bitterness painted his countenance.


    With heavy steps, he dragged himself out of the cabin. Upon reaching the deck, he turned to gaze at the bright coastline in the distance.


    Without the darkness as the shade, the sea appeared an inky green and was stunningly beautiful. Yet, such beauty was fatal to the denizens of the Subterranean Sea.


    Just then, James rushed out with a hand clutching his injured shoulder. Unable to contain his astonishment, he asked, "Captain what in the world happened? How did Dipp end up like this, and where are the others?"


    Charles turned to look at his former subordinate. He exhaustedly raised a hand and patted James on his uninjured shoulder.


    "The rest are in the hold. Could you take care of that for me? I''m tired; I need a good rest."


    With that, Charles brought Lily with him and headed toward the ropedder nearby.


    James watched his captain''s receding figure with a dazed expression. It dawned on him that his captain seemed to have changed a lot from this voyage.


    "Wanna know what happened? You could ask me," a female voice sounded from behind James.


    Turning around, James''s gazended on a monstrous creature that resembled a starfish. It then swiftly shrank and morphed into a stunningly beautiful and alluring woman.


    It was Anna, and James knew exactly who she was.


    Anna slowly approached James. Lifting her fair right hand to brush back her long hair, she said, "We visited a ce that had something that could drive people mad. Charles had me go over to help stabilize the crew''s sanity and cognition.


    "It should have been an easy task, but you know how unpredictable the Subterranean Sea can be. We never thought that a Divinity lives there and we ended up confronting it head-on."


    "What?! A Divinity attacked you?!" James'' pupils shrank to pinpoints in shock.


    Having been interrupted, a flicker of annoyance crossed Anna''s visage. "Wait, let me finish. The Divinity attacked Charles. And you know, given my rtionship with him, there was no way I could idly stand by. I rushed to his side to help him immediately."


    James'' eyes widened in confusion. He pointed toward Dipp, who had already been subdued by the navy soldiers. "And what does that have to do with Dipp going mad?"


    Anna shrugged and replied in a helpless tone, "Well, I can''t be in two ces at once. Since I went to save Charles, I don''t have the capacity to maintain the crew''s sanity and cognition, so"


    Anna''s words trailed off but the underlying meaning was as clear as day. James immediately rushed to the lowest cabin hold of the Narwhale.


    Bursting through the door with a forceful push, James saw the entire crew bound tightly with ropes and sprawled across the floor.


    Lying next to a wall, Conor seemed to have recognized James. His lips formed a silly grin as he asked between chuckles, "James? Hehehe. What brings you to my humble abode? Why did you tie me up?"


    Visibly trembling, James slowly made his way among the crew members, his gaze wavering as his eyes swept over each and every one of them.


    They had all gone mad. Every member of the Narwhale''s crew, except for Captain Charles, had lost their sanity.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    I''m happy that Lily is back, but at the same time, this is going to be a hard ordeal to recover from</blockquote>

 Chapter 490: Alcohol Indulgence

    Chapter 490: Alcohol Indulgence


    Now that the true master of Hope Ind had returned, the ind''s situation began to slowly stabilize. Any thoughts or feelings people harbored, if not entirely dissipated, were carefully concealed in the deepest recesses of their hearts.


    Very few knew what the Governor had encountered at sea. The only knowledge they had was that apart from the captain, everyone aboard the ship had gone utterly mad.


    The deranged crew members were housed in arge vi for centralized treatment; their families had also received generouspensation.


    Many secretly called the extravagantly decorated house located in the heart of the ind a madhouse. Rumors circted that all of its residents were subjected to the Divinity''s Curse.


    As for the Governor, he had secluded himself within his residence and never made another appearance ever since his return. He turned down all requests for an audience and even dismissed the servants and maids responsible for the upkeep of the mansion.


    Within the deste bedroom, Charles sat among the scattered wine bottles. He listlessly raised a bottle in his hand, only to find it empty; there was not even a single drop left.


    He reached out a shaky right hand to grab a new bottle. Yet with a quick buzz of his chainsaw and extreme precision, the bottle cap was sent flying.


    As he gulped down mouthful after mouthful of the strong booze, the closed door slowly creaked open.


    "Get lost!"


    Charle''s angry roar resonated through the room. Lily, who had merely peeked her head in trembled in fright. However, she didn''t leave. Instead, she darted among the empty bottles and stood before the disheveled Charles. Having been drowning his sorrow with alcohol, Charles'' beard had grown long and was untidy from neglect.


    Tears welled up in Lily''s eyes. "Mr. Charles, did I do something wrong?" Lily asked, her tiny voiceced with hurt. "Why are you so unhappy? Do you not like it that I''m back?"


    Lily''s careful and pleading expression softened Charles'' heart. He gently ced the wine bottle down and picked her up to cradle in his palm.


    "You did nothing wrong. It''s all my fault It''s all me" Charles stammered as his facial features twisted into a look of pained anguish.


    Sensing Charles'' raw emotions, Lily leaped onto Charles'' shoulder and used her tiny paws to embrace him gently. "Mr. Charles, please pull yourself together. Everyone needs you; you''re the captain."


    Charles shook his head helplessly. He picked up Lily and set her down beside him before grabbing the bottle and taking another swig.


    "Not anymore," Charles said.


    Before Lily could respond, the distinct sound of high heels clicking against the floor resonated from the doorway.


    "Let him drink."


    The little mouse turned to look at the door to see Anna standing there, arms crossed and wearing aposed expression. Her beady eyes darted between Charles and Anna before she swiftly scampered away on all fours.


    After that, Charles continued drinking while Anna silently watched him. An oddly peaceful atmosphere surrounded them.


    But just when Charles reached for a new bottle, Anna lifted her right hand; it morphed into a ck tentacle and shot out like a whip toward Charles.


    The ss bottle, filled with amber liquid, shattered against the wall.


    "The countless deaths in the Subterranean Sea aren''t your fault! The deranged state of your crew isn''t your fault!! What the hell are you ming yourself for?!"


    Charles let out a bitter chuckle.


    "Really? Is it really not my fault? Maybe I have been doing it all wrong from the start. If I had just stayed content upon arriving in this subterranean ce, perhaps things would have been different," Charles said, his voiceced with evident exhaustion.


    "Is this all it takes to know you down? How can you still call yourself a man!" Anna dashed forward, her two tentacles reaching out to pull Charles away from the bottles.


    Charles'' bloodshot eyes turned onto Anna, his gaze so intense that it seemed to pierce through her. "Then what should I do? Everyone on the Narwhale has gone crazy! They are mypanions, my family! Bandages, Dipp, Conor, Linda, Audric, nck, and Norton They''ve lost their minds!


    "I''m not a robot; I have feelings, too! I''m a living person! I can feel sadness and pain, too!"


    "If that''s the case, then find a solution! Find a way to cure their madness! There''s no logic in this seascape. Maybe someone on another ind has a way. Pull yourself together and find the cure!"


    At Anna''s words, Charles'' face twisted into a bitter smile filled with myriad emotions.


    "Someone on another ind? Is there still anyone besides those on Hope Ind in the entire Subterranean Sea? They are all dead! They are killed by the warm sunlight!"


    "What about the surface then? Sparkle went to have a look just now. The door to the surface is now open. Are you not going to check it out? You''ve been waiting for this day for years," Anna replied.


    Charles froze at the newly learned information.


    "The surface the surface" he muttered to himself.


    "What''s there on the surface?" Charles asked Anna a strange question.


    "Your family that you''ve been longing for and the modern life you''ve always wanted."


    "Is that so? But why is my mind so cluttered," Charles asked. He suddenly rose to his feet and rushed to the nearby easel before starting to paint with fervor.


    A portrait of a family of four rapidly took shape on the canvas, but the figures representing his parents had only half a head each, and the depiction of his younger sister had only her lower body. Irregr squares sliced through their bodies, shattering what was supposed to be a realistic family portrait into an abstract piece of art.


    Charles wrecked his brain hard, digging through his memory in an attempt to fill in the nks. However, no matter how hard he tried, nothing came up.


    Eventually, he gave up and cradled his throbbing head in agony.


    Anna walked toward him and pressed his head against her body. She gently massaged his temples and consoled him, "It''s okay, everything will get better, don''t worry..."


    As the minutes trickled by, Charles began to feel slightly better. Lying in Anna''s embrace, he gazed at the opulent mural before him and remarked. "My identity of being Edikth''s Chosen One has vanished along with my shadow. At the same time, I feel like something in my head has vanished along with my shadow too. I can no longer feel that intense desire for the surface world."


    Anna looked toward the floor and realized that Charles'' shadow had indeed vanished. Her man was now a human without a shadow.


    "Anna, I read my diary entries after that incident. I suddenly realized how frighteningly obsessed I used to be. Why was I so obsessed?" Charles questioned in a low, somber tone.


    "Pull yourself together! No matter what, you have to go to the surface! Not just for the years and effort you''ve spent working toward this goal but also to find a cure for your crew''s insanity. Think about it, there are over six billion people up there!


    "If this subterranean realm has no answers, surely someone on the surface does, especially after they learn about this mysterious underground world we are in.


    "Also, do you think hiding down here will keep you safe? With the Light God causing such a stir, those surface people are bound toe down here. No matter which country it is, if they gain the upper hand, it won''t bode well for uster on."

 Chapter 492: Madhouse

    Chapter 492: Madhouse


    In the Governor''s Mansion, Anna''s words finally motivated Charles to pull himself together. He acknowledged that she was right; he had to do something.


    The matters of the surface world weren''t going to simply resolve by themselves. He couldn''t afford to wait for those above to descend; he had to take action and ascend first.


    It wasn''t just for the slim hope of curing his deranged crew members, but also a closure for his years of relentless effort.


    "I remember back in second grade, my desk mate was this chubby boy. I can''t recall his face anymore. I don''t know if that memory disappeared with my shadow or if time has simply eroded it away. It''s too long ago, I really have no idea," Charles mused.


    The smell of alcohol clung to Charles as hey on the ground with his hands clutching his head in anguish. He was struggling to recount his memories.


    Sitting in a chair by the side, Anna had one leg crossed over the other. She held the pen tight as she diligently penned down lines of text on the notebook in her hand.


    "Hmm, what about third grade? You had a new desk mate, do you remember her? Try to describe what she looks like."


    "Yeah I remember Her name was Zhou Xinmeng. She was quite tanned, right? But in my current memory, she doesn''t have a neck. Her head just floats above her clothes as she enters the ssroom."


    As they proceeded with the questioning back and forth, they swiftly checked through all of Charles'' memories, assessing the extent of how much of his memories had been taken away with his shadow.


    After a prolonged exhaustive examination, Anna nced over her notes, before turning her gaze onto Charles.


    "Roughty 30% of your memory is missing. Unlike typical memory loss, your memories aren''t absent; rather, parts of each scene are missing."


    Charles nodded as his hand instinctively reached out toward a bottle of alcohol but Anna''s hand obstructed his path of action.


    "Don''t worry, you''re just missing some memories. I can fix this; I have a backup?"


    "Backup? What kind of backup?" Charles inquired with a puzzled look.


    Anna chose not to answer. Instead, she gently covered Charles''s eyes with her hand. Then, a ck tentacle writhed out from her shoulder and burrowed into Charles''s ear.


    As the tentacle pierced through Charles'' eardrum and wriggled deeper, Charles'' facial features twisted into a look of excruciating agony.


    "I have anesthetic here," Anna whispered softly as she leaned in. A wisp of fragrance escaped from her lips as she nted her soft lips on Charles''.


    When the ordeal was over, Anna looked up at Charles with a smile.


    "How is it? All your memories have returned, haven''t they?"


    Charles furrowed his brows as he swiftly sifted through his memories. After a few seconds, his lips broke into a smile, but in the next moment, his smile froze.


    "Something''s not right. The memories you''ve restored are starting to fade."


    Anna''s beautiful brows furrowed slightly. "I have another n then," she began. "I can erase all your memories and imnt new ones. That would remove all hints of discordance."


    A myriad ofplex emotions surfaced on Charles'' countenance. He looked at Anna and asked, "But If we do that, am I still me?"


    After a few moments of silence, Anna gently sat herself down on Charles. In a soft andforting voice, she said, "Then, let me be that 30% of your memories. If there''s anything you can''t remember, just ask me. It''s just disappeared memories, nothing serious. You''re still you."


    A hint of gratitude flickered in Charles'' eyes. "Thank you, Anna. You''re the perfect wife."


    Letting out a chuckle, Anna replied, "You can be as cheesy as you like, but at this point, what''s more important is that you cannot remain down. Get up." Tentacles then extended out of her as she pulled Charles up into a sitting position.


    The next moment, Anna''s face split open and a spider, in patches of ck and white, emerged from within the gap.


    Anna swiftly performed a ritual and the spider climbed along Charles'' sleeve and made its way back into thetter''s eye socket.


    "What do you want to do next? Do you want to rest some more, or are we heading straight to the surface?" Anna asked.


    Charles took a sniff of the stench on his body and made his way to the washroom.


    "Neither. I want to visit my crew first."


    Soon enough, Charles had changed into a set of fresh clothes. Apanied by Anna, they both arrived at thevishly decorated vi that had been turned into a sanatorium. Within thepound, all the crew members of the Narwhale were isted in individual suites.


    Each of them disyed varying degrees of insanity, and some appeared less deranged than others.


    For instance, Bandages appeared to have no issues with his cognitive abilities. However, he persistently insisted that he wasn''t Bandages but a man named Ernst.


    "Where am I exactly! Let me out now! I''m telling you, I''m the Governor of Frost Ind! Get your in charge to speak with me!" Bandages roared as he struggled against the binds that held him down.


    Charles approached his first mate. A hint of sorrow suffused his gaze as he asked, "Bandages, do you really not remember me at all? After everything we''ve been through, do you really not remember even a moment of what we''ve been through?"


    Bandages'' eyes widened in confusion as he stared at Charles. "Who are you? Why did you capture me and bring me here? Release me at once! Once my men find out what you did, your entire ind is doomed!"


    Charles'' voice wasced with evident helplessness as he replied, "Bandages, I''ve looked into it. There is no Frost Ind in the entire Subterranean Sea."


    Bandages froze for a brief moment before his face contorted with frustration. "You think I''d believe you? Stop lying! Let me go!! I''ll find it myself!"


    Bandages appeared normal on the outside, but his personality had intensified drastically. There was no way Charles would let him out now. It was akin to sending him to his death with the deathly sun rays out there.


    Ignoring Bandages, Charles moved deeper down the corridor. Unlike Bandages and Dipp, the other crew members still recognized him. However, their insanity manifested in other aspects.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Linda suddenly dropped on her knees behind the ss that separated her and Charles. Her eyes were hazy and she seemed emotionally unstable.


    "Captain!" Linda called out. "On that previous ind with the Ropelings, I didn''t actually find any map! The map was given to me by His Holiness the Pope! I had no choice! He''s the Pope, after all!"


    Charles entered the room and gently lifted her from the floor. "I know. On our journey back, you''ve reiterated this story hundreds of times."


    Afterforting the distraught Linda, Charles turned his attention onto Anna standing next to him. "Is there really no way you can cure them with your abilities? Not even a sliver of sess rate?"


    "If it had been some other factor that had caused their madness, I would have been able to resolve it. However, the thing that drove them mad is not an entity I can afford to mess with."


    Charles was taken aback by Anna''s words. He posed another question, "You know what caused their madness?"


    "It''s merely a guess on my part, but it''s a highly usible one. I believe the same force that granted us immortality in that trench is responsible for their insanity. As for the source of this force, I suspect that it''s from God Fhtagn, who is in a deep slumber."


    "God Fhtagn?" Charles echoed Anna''s words. "Are you certain of your guess?"


    His mind raced to conjure the image of that massive, dormant figure he had seen but a sudden sharp pain throbbed in his skull.


    "It''s very likely. That would also exin the growing pressure I felt as we drew closer to Him. Also, only a Divinity can wield such power over life and death."


    Charles nodded, seemingly being bought over by Anna''s exnation. He then continued down the corridor, moving from room to room to check on each and every crew member.


    Upon entering thest room, Charles saw his Navigator, Tobba.


    Tobba was sitting quietly on a chair with a spoon in his hand. His full attention was on spooning food into his mouth. Compared to the others, he was much quieter. After all, he had been mad for a long while.


    Charles approached him and stooped to his eye level. "Tobba, haven''t you gotten rid of the ''Chalkboard Erasers''? Why are you still in this state, then?"


    Tobba remained silent. In fact, his gaze remained on his te as if Charles was transparent. His attention was wholly focused on finishing his meal.


    "Remember when you warned me about the Pope? And how you said he would bring about a catastrophe? Is this the aftermath you saw in your visions?" Charles pressed.

 Chapter 491. Returning Home

    <h4>Chapter 491. Returning Home</h4>


    Lily stealthily hid in the corner of the corridor and tried to pick up any distant sounds from the room. A hint of unease appeared on her furry face.


    <i>What are they talking about? Can Monster Sister really cheer Mr. Charles up?</i>


    As Lily debated whether to edge closer to eavesdrop, she felt a sensation akin to a stiff brush stroking forcefully against her fur. Startled, she whirled around in surprise to see arge, fluffy face looming before her¡ªthe very creature was licking her affectionately.


    "Ah! ckie! I can''t believe you still recognize me after all this time! This is wonderful!" Lily eximed and joyfully lunged toward the ck cat.


    <i>Meow~</i>


    ckie was one of the two cats Lily had adopted and cared for just before her death. It had been a kitten then but had grown considerably and was now a plump feline hardly resembling its former tiny self.


    After a heartwarming moment of affection between both of them, an excited Lily leaped onto ckie''s neck. She gently stroked its smooth ck fur with her tiny paws and instructed, "Let''s go. We haven''t seen each other for a long while. Let''s go out to y."


    The chubby, ck cat seemed toprehend Lily''s words immediately and dashed toward the Governor Mansion''s main gates with Lily on its back.


    Soon enough, the mouse and cat duo found themselves on the bustling streets of Hope Ind. During Lily''s absence, the ind had undergone a radical transformation. Walking through the ind now felt like strolling down the mechanical streets of the Albion Isles.


    There were cameras as big as bricks, colossal radios shouldered by passersby, and civilians sporting gear and steel prosthetics. It felt like machines and mechanical technology had been integrated into the daily lives of the inders.


    However, what truly astonished Lily was the item she saw in the middle of a gathered crowd: a television.


    The screen was monochrome and appeared somewhat low-definition. Its bulky rear could even house an adult. Despite all these "ws," its functionality mirrored precisely that of the television she had seen on Charles'' phone.


    The wonders of the surface world were gradually being replicated on Hope Ind.


    While Lily gazed in amazement at the device, a chubby little hand reached out toward her.


    ckie''s fur bristled in defense as it brandished his ws and teeth, ready to attack.


    Hearing themotion, Lily turned around and spotted a green-haired young boy with snot dripping from his nose. The young boy hastily retracted his hand in fear.


    "I know you! You''re Mr. Feuerbach''s son, aren''t you? What''s your name again?" Lily asked.


    "Just call him ''Snot''. That''s what everyone calls him around here." Azy voice that sounded familiar rang out from behind her.


    Lily turned around and spotted Feuerbach. The former second mate of the Narwhale was leisurely munching on something elongated in his grasp.


    "Ah! Mr. Feuerbach! Long time no see!" Lily chirped as she looked up at his approaching figure.


    With a gentle smile on his countenance, Feuerbach half-squatted and tenderly patted Lily''s small head.


    "You''ve actuallye back to life. I thought James was lying to me," Feuerbach remarked with evident amazement in his voice.


    "Yes! I''m alive again! I''m really happy about it. I really missed all of you," Lily responded, her voice bubbling with joy and her face lighting up with a sweet smile.


    "Wee home, Lily. But I have a question. Have you developed a liking for metallic hues?" Feuerbach asked as he ran his fingers through her that now shimmered with a golden sheen.


    Lily shook her head. "No, my fur turned this color on its own when I was resurrected. I didn''t dye it."


    "You didn''t? This looks good anyway. Shiny and adorable."


    As the two conversed, Lily''s eyes soon drifted onto the mysterious object in Feuerbach''s hand.


    "What''s that in your hand? I''ve never seen it before. Is it tasty?" Lily asked.


    Feuerbach extended the slender white object in his hand toward Lily and said, "Have a bite. It''s the core of a banana tree. I''m the first one to invent this delicacy."


    Lily eyed the "food" skeptically and asked, "You can eat banana trees? Isn''t that like chewing on wood?"


    Despite her doubt, she nibbled on the piece. The crunch of the banana core filled her mouth, and as she chewed, the sticky, white sap stretched into long threads.


    "This thing isn''t sweet at all. And it''s so sticky... Why would anyone want to eat this?"


    Feuerbach took the banana core back from Lily and bit off a chunk before saying, "Though it''s not the tastiest, it''s an additional food source for Hope Ind. Think of how many bananas we grow yearly and how much core we can collect. This is essentially free food. If we sell it to other inds, think of the potential mon¡ª"


    At that, Feuerbach stopped speaking, and his smile froze. After a moment, a forced smile reappeared on his face.


    "So Lily, how did youe back to life? Did the Captain use some special method?"


    Lily shook her head and answered, "I don''t know. When I came around, I was already lying in Mr. Charles'' arms."


    "Then do you know what the Captain encountered at sea this time?"


    Again, Lily shook her head. "I asked Mr. Charles, but he didn''t answer me. He seems to be in a bad moodtely, so I didn''t press further."


    Just then, a puzzled expression crossed Lily''s face as she looked at Feuerbach.


    "By the way, Mr. Feuerbach, why weren''t you on the Narwhale?"


    Letting out a sigh, Feuerbach replied, "I was injured, and it was rather serious. The Captain had me stay on the ind to heal.


    "Look at this scar on my belly," Feuerbach said as he lifted his shirt to reveal the grotesque scar left behind by Charles'' stabbing.


    "Woah... That''s a really long scar. It must have been painful."


    "What''s a little pain? By the way, is the captain still at the Governor''s Mansion?"


    Lily nodded affirmatively. "Yes, he is, but he''s very upset and down. Monster Sister isforting him, so we shouldn''t disturb them."


    "Alright. I understand. Do visit my ce if you have time. My son seems to like you," Feuerbach said before turning to leave. The moment he turned away from Lily, the radiant expression on his face twisted into a cold look.


    "Goodbye, Mr. Feuerbach!" Lily waved toward Feuerbach''s retreating back view.


    After bidding farewell to Feuerbach, Lily continued her journey on ckie. As they wandered down the streets, the new snacks lining the shelves of the stalls caught her attention. She wanted to try them, but unfortunately, she hadn''t brought any money with her and could only gaze at them longingly.


    Eventually, they arrived at the cemetery. She pondered for a brief moment before hopping down from ckie and entering the ce.


    "Doctor Grandpa, good afternoon!" Lily called out as she stood before Laesto''s grave.


    "Doctor Grandpa, I managed toe back to life. Maybe you can, too!


    "Wait for me to find a way; I promise to bring you back to life. How does that sound?"


    Lily then continued her one-way conversation with Laesto''s gravestone before she moved to the neighboring gravesite with ckie.


    The warm sunlight cast nted beams across the mound. Green grass and delicate yellow flowers had begun to flourish on the soil. It was Lily''s own final resting ce.


    The sight of the wax dolls and dried flowers in front of her tombstone brought a sweet smile to her furry face.


    "There are so many things left for me. It seems like I am loved by many people. I''m so happy."

 Chapter 493. Gordon

    <h4>Chapter 493. Gordon</h4>


    "Treat them well," Charles instructed the person in charge of the sanatorium.


    "Rest assured, Governor, my team and I will spare no effort in caring for your crew," replied a middle-aged man in a white coat and sses, his head bowed in respect.


    "They''re not just my crew; they''re also my family." With that, he and Anna turned to leave the ce that harbored so much sorrow.


    Charles didn''t head straight for the car that would take them back to the Governor''s Mansion. Witnessing the aftermath of the tragedy that had befallen his crew was like a heavy boulder weighing down on his heart, and he felt the need to take a walk to clear his mind.


    Anna reached out to wrap her arms around his before resting her head gently on his shoulder.


    "So, have you made up your mind about going up? When are we nning to go up? I''ll apany you," Anna offered softly.


    Charles extended his right arm and wrapped it around her slender waist.


    "It''s not that simple," Charles said as he contemted their next steps. "We don''t know the situation up there, whether the military has already sealed off the exit, or even where exactly we would emerge. Since we decided to go up, we must make thorough preparations."


    "Is there a need toplicate things this much? Why don''t we send Sparkle up first to scout the surface?" Anna suggested.


    "Absolutely no way!" Charles dismissed the idea immediately. "If there''s indeed any danger above, sending her directly up there is far too risky. Didn''t you mention previously that she was fearful of something above?"


    "What''s there to fear? Even if the sky falls, there are others to catch it. The Light God has already gone up there and if there are any threats, Him and his followers would have to deal with them before we do," Anna retorted.


    "That''s our daughter we''re talking about. Can we not put her at such risk? No matter what, we ought to be fully prepared before we head up," Charles insisted.


    Just then, an idea lit up in his mind. Grabbing Anna by the hand, they headed toward the Relic Research Institute.


    Passing through the heavily guarded entrance, Charles and Anna entered Hope Ind''s most secluded, fortified, and secretive sector. Soldiers stood guard in high towers wrapped in barbed wire, with gleaming Gatling guns positioned within. Those daring enough to approach unauthorized would meet a deadly hail of bullets.


    Not all of the towers were equipped with guns. Some were manned by soldiers with ck helmets and various detection-type relics in their hands. This was to ensure that no one could infiltrate the restricted zone with the effects of any relics or special abilities.


    James was absent today. In his stead, Gordon hade out to greet them; he was the man who had brought the analytical engine.


    "Esteemed Governor, your subject, Gordon, wees your arrival," the man with a golden tooth bowed respectfully to Charles.


    "Why are you still here? Haven''t you managed to establish contact with the chamber ofmerce?" Charles asked as they made their way toward the exhibition room.


    "Governor, the entire Telegraphwork of the Subterranean Sea has copsed. Disregarding regionalmunication, even establishingmunication with other inds in the same sea region is impossible. Judging from the situation with the lethal rays, it''s likely that they had met their creator," Gordon replied with a hint of resignation in his voice.


    Charles picked up the subtle change in nuances in Gordon''s manner of addressing him. He posited that the merchant had realized the significance of the drastic changes out there. Without the backing of the Royal Treasure Chamber of Commerce, the merchant''s intuitive senses had prompted him to shift his allegiance to pledge loyalty to Charles


    "Governor, please take a look at this," Gordon said as he gestured toward a disy. "This is a monitor made from thetest cathode-ray tube materials, utilizing maic tapes for storage. Though there are still gaps in the technology, my efforts have enabled its sale and profitability on the ind."


    Having apanied Charles to the exhibition room, Gordon spared no effort in showcasing his skills to his new boss; he was eager to impress and demonstrate his value.


    Anna unwrapped her arms around Charles''. She curiously reached out a finger and poked it into the bulky maic tape slot and gave it a twist.


    "Using maic tapes for video storage is quite unique, isn''t it?" Anna remarked with a chuckle.


    "Things have got to start somewhere. What else were you expecting based on the technological level of this subterranean ce?" Charles retorted.


    He then moved toward the curious contraption beside the maic tapes. It appeared to be a sort of furnace, but smaller and more refined.


    The Relic Research Institute seemed to havee up with numerous innovations during his absence.


    Anna eyed the assortment of gadgets spread across the table with wonder.


    "This ce of yours is truly remarkable. Remember our deal previously: you agreed that I''m in charge of the ind now," Anna said.


    "Sure, you are the new governor of Hope Ind from now on," Charles responded.


    Anna let out a chuckle. "I just love your generosity. All the affection I showered on you has been worth it," Anna said and pulled Charles close for a peck.


    Pushing Anna gently aside, Charles turned his attention to Gordon. "These new gadgets look somewhat familiar. Weren''t there simr devices on Albion Isles previously?"


    A hint of embarrassment crossed Gordon''s face, but he hurriedlyposed himself and exined, "Indeed, but all inventions start with imitation. However, the next thing I''m about to show you is something that has never been seen even on the Albion Isles."


    Gordon then led Charles to a model that was close to the size of a table.


    It was a scaled model of a transportationwork with carriages and railway tracks. However, contrary to the conventional trains, the carriages of this particr model were suspended below the tracks and not designed to move above the tracks.


    "Governor, this is a prototype for a new mode of transport developed by the institute. The project was shelved previously due to material constraints, but with the plethora of new alloys at our disposal, we can kick start this project again."


    As the miniature engine emitted a puff of white steam, the carriages began their slow revolution along the underside of the tracks.


    Charles extended a hand to touch the model. His voice wasced with hesitancy as he questioned, "Are you nning to suspend this thing on the dome overhead?"


    Excitement filled Gordon''s eyes. "Sir, you hit the nail on the head immediately! You are truly worthy of your reputation as the Governor. With this innovation, we no longer need to fear the creatures in the sea. It will also greatly enhance convenience and efficiency in the transportation and trade between inds.


    Furthermore, the tracks will establish a link between all inds, eliminating the istion previously felt between them. Your reach and control will no longer be confined to Hope Ind. Your territory will extend to whichever ind this track reaches!"


    A myriad of emotions appeared on Charles'' countenance as he studied the miniature transportwork before him. This was essentially a variant of the human invention known as the train, proving once again that history tended to repeat itself.


    He was supposed to be overwhelmed with joy that Hope Ind''s technological advancements had taken another leap forward. However, for some reason, he was reminded of the Light God.


    "The Light God didn''t even attack us. He merely revealed Himself in the Subterranean Sea and obliterated everyone. Anna, say, what is our human technology to them? Even if we were to invent hydrogen bombs or atomic bombs, would they even be of use against such beings?"


    Charles paused and allowed his gaze to wander over the array of relics and innovations within the exhibition room. Hope Ind had seen significant technological advancement, thanks to the Relic Research Institute, stirring a technological explosion in the Subterranean Sea.


    However, all these advancements seemed meaningless and trivial before the overwhelming might of the Light God.


    "And let''s not forget, that''s just the Light God. What about the slumbering God Fhtagn? Compared to them, what are we? What does all of this amount to?"


    Anna red at Charles with palpable dissatisfaction. "What''s the use of making those uselessments? If they are <i>that</i> powerful, why don''t we find a way to obtain the same power?"


    "Obtain their power? You mean to recreate another Light God? Look at what has be of the being that was supposed to be the Divinity representing mankind. They had changed into an entirely different existence the moment they acquired the power of a Divinity."

 Chapter 494. Islanders

    <h4>Chapter 494. Inders</h4>


    "Enough with the mncholy. What exactly did youe here for? The surface world is right before us but yet, you don''t even appear the least eager about it."


    Anna''s words snapped Charles back to the present. He had indeede to the Relic Research Institute because of an important matter, and he had no time to dwell on other stuff.


    Charles turned his attention toward Gordon and asked, "It seems like you are doing well here, aren''t you?"


    With a trace of humility in his voice, Gordon replied, "Oh, you have given me too much credit for this. I''m merely contributing to your grand n within my humble capabilities."


    "I can leave you in charge of this ce," Charles began. He then made an offer Gordon couldn''t refuse, "However, I need those airships that the Divine Light Order is using. Utilize all resources in the research institute and your people to make it happen. Once you fulfill this task, you''ll officially be in charge here."


    If he were going to ascend to the surface world, there was no way he was going alone. He had to mobilize all the resources at his disposal.


    Now that Linda and Dipp had gone mad, he needed to find a new person to oversee the Relic Research Institute. Given the dire circumstances outside of Hope Ind, Gordon had no other ce to go anyway.


    A hint of ecstatic joy flickered across Gordon''s face, but it soon rapidly diminished when Anna spoke.


    "Aren''t you being a bit hasty in handing over such responsibility to him?"


    Charles turned his gaze onto her, "You are here, aren''t you? If there are any gaps or ws in the n, your abilities will surelye in handy, right?"


    An understanding smile appeared on Anna''s visage. She gently wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck and leaned closer toward his ear.


    Charles caught a whiff of Anna''s delicate fragrance as she said, "Let''s make things clear first. If you let me take charge, you have to let me do so till the end. No second thoughts or taking back your decision midway."


    With that, Anna nted a soft kiss on Charles'' cheek before turning to face Gordon.


    "I am his wife and also the next Governor. From now on, your loyalty should only lie with me."


    A hint of confusion surfaced in Gordon''s gaze, but his eyes quickly cleared up as the gemstone ring on his thumb shone with a red glow.


    Gordon''s expression changed at the glow. He had bought the ring from the Eastern Seas at an expensive price, and he knew all too well of its effects.


    Gordon stealthily stole a nce at Anna, who remained standing behind Charles with a faint smile and made a decision. Feigning a look ofpliance, he swiftly removed the ring and ced it on the table beside him.


    With a respectful bow that exposed the slightly balding crown of his head, Gordon dered, "Understood, Madam Governor. Gordon is at your service."


    Anna covered a hand over her mouth to stifle a chuckle. "Smart choice. What a wise man. Don''t worry. I won''t shortchange someone working under me."


    After leaving his final instructions, Charles then boarded the car and headed toward the naval headquarters. Having the airships alone wasn''t enough; he needed a matching military force.


    It wasn''t that he was dying to enter a conflict with those above, but who knew what awaited outside the door? It was always better to be prepared than sorry.


    By the time Charles was done, night had fallen, and the holes in the canopies were once again sealed. As he exited the naval headquarters, he finally realized how famished he was. His recent diet had been entirely alcohol, and he had barely touched any solid food.


    Charles soon returned to his Governor''s Mansion and sat alone in the grand dining hall to feast on the array of sumptuous dishes before him. Anna had chosen to stay behind at the research institute, dedicating herself to her work with an enthusiasm that took Charles by surprise.


    Just as Charles was about to pop a half-ripe cherry tomato into his mouth, Sparkle suddenly appeared before him with a <i>swoosh.</i>


    Charles'' eyes widened in surprise as he watched his daughter proceed to clear the table of its food before him.


    It seemed that she was about to teleport away, so Charles hurriedly stopped her and asked, "Wait, where are you going?"


    Sparkle blinked herrge eyes at him and answered, "I''m bringing this food to Nene. She''s hungry because someone ransacked all the food from her house."


    Charles quickly wiped his mouth with a napkin and rose to his feet. His daughter''s words had reminded him that there was one other crucial task he had yet to deal with.


    "Is Nene the friend you have on the World''s Crown? She''s still alive? How many others are still alive there?"


    "Yes. She and her mom are alive. However, the big mushroom has copsed. Everyone on top died, but those below are still alive. They''re fighting over food. They have food, but they still steal and hoard more food."


    <i>There are still survivors on other inds! I have to find a way to ensure their survival! </i>The thought crossed Charles'' mind immediately. Whether it waspassion for his own species or making amends for past actions, Charles felt the sudden urge to act.


    He left the dining table, grabbed Sparkle, and made a beeline for the agricultural department.


    "Sparkle, do Daddy a favor. Take seeds to the people on the other inds. They are seeds that can grow in sunlight. Also, try to convince them to maintain the operation of the telegraph towers!"


    Charles knew that even if he sent the seeds now, it would take the other inders time before they could yield any food. Moreover, they could eat the food that was avable from before. More than food, however, what the people on the other inds needed was hope.


    Desperation could drive mankind intomitting atrocious deeds, but yet with hope, humans'' resilience was incredibly strong. They could always find ways to survive.


    He was sending hope in the form of seeds that could grow in sunlight and also timelymunication with fellow humans.


    Sparkle agreed to help her father. She decided that the World''s Crown would be her first stop as soon as she collected the seeds. At least in doing so, she could aplish two tasks at once.


    ***


    With her eyes red and swollen from crying, Nene locked herself in the house and stared at the ruined main door and the patches of warm sunlight scattered across the ground.


    The adults referred to it as "death light." Be it ck ryegrass or mushrooms, they withered away swiftly under its rays. Even humans were not spared.


    Nene''s stomach growled again. She squatted beside her bed and carefully retrieved a ck ceramic jar from underneath the bed. The jar was previously filled with flour for baking bread, but now, it had been reduced to mere traces at the bottom. Most of it had been looted by other inders.


    She tilted the jar and poured what was left into her palm. Yet at the thought of her mother who was outside scavenging for food, she carefully poured half a portion back into the jar.


    Holding the small amount of flour in both hands, Nene licked at it earnestly with her tongue. This was thest of their food.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A loud sound echoed as the door, nailed shut from the outside, was forcefully kicked open.


    The intruder was a man with arge beard. He carried a wooden nk on his head and a sickle at his waist¡ªa sickle once used for weeding crops.


    Nene was certain that she had never seen him before; he was from another vige.


    "Where''s all the food in the house? Hand it all over!" the bearded man demanded as he drove Nene into a corner with a menacing look.


    Frightened, Nene stumbled backward. Her voice trembled as she frantically waved her hands and said, "There''s nothing left. Really. The others have taken everything."


    The man clearly didn''t believe Nene''s words. He started ransacking the cabs and boxes, turning their once cozy abode into a chaotic mess in an instant.


    Soon, he found the ck ceramic jar in the deepest corner underneath the bed. His eyes lit up upon discovering the small handful of flour inside. He eagerly scooped it up and carefully wrapped it in cloth.


    "That... I saved that for my mom..." Nene''s tears broke free and trickled down her cheeks.


    The bearded man''s expression contorted slightly in response, but he continued with his search.


    "Don''t me me. My own home was plundered, and I can only take from others now. All the ck ryegrass has withered away, and crops can no longer be grown in the fields. There''s only so much food left on the ind. Only those with food can survive!"

 Chapter 495. Hope

    <h4>Chapter 495. Hope</h4>


    In Nene''s house, the bearded man continued his ransacking for food amidst the mess. Just then, Donna, wrapped in thick, dark cloth, crept silently into the ce.


    Her eyes widened in rm as she locked eyes on the invader. Spotting arge rock nearby, she clenched her teeth and picked it up. She silently approached the bearded man, and with a surge of protective fury, she lifted the rock high above her head before crashing down onto his skull with all the strength she could muster.


    The bearded man tumbled onto the ground, and crimson blood seeped out of his would and spread swiftly across the floor.


    "Quick, Nene! We must leave now. It''s no longer safe here!" Donna eximed as she rushed forward and scooped up her daughter, wrapping her securely under her heavy coat.


    Together, they dashed out into the sun. Fortunately, with the ck cloth covering them, they were shielded from the direct assault of the lethal sun rays.


    The ind was now bathed in bright sunlight, its warmth touching every corner of the ind. Without the spores from therge mushroom, the air felt remarkably fresh. If it hadn''t been for the decaying corpses giving off a foul stench and the shriveled, twisted mushrooms that lined the streets, World''s Crown would have passed off as a picturesque tourist destination.


    "Mommy, Sparkle said she went to find food for us. If we leave our house, what if she can''t find us when shees over?" Nene voiced her concern as she ced her small hand against her chest.


    As they dashed around the street corner, Donna gently patted her daughter on the head. "Enough with that. The Crown has fallen. Sparkle and her parents must have surely perished if they had fallen from such a height."


    "But just earlier, she¡ª" Nene began but was swiftly silenced by her mother''s hand firmly covering her mouth.


    Donna had heard sounds. She pivoted on her heel and darted into a dpidated house with a roof long gone. She moved carefully toward the dust-covered window and cast a cautious nce outside.


    It didn''t take long before a convoy of trucks entered the vige. They were the kind usually used at the docks for collecting grain.


    The vehicles halted, and a band of men disembarked from the truck''s bed. Broadcloth bands were tied around their heads, and they wielded an assortment of weapons, their faces etched with threatening expressions.


    "Search every house! Round up every single person! Men, women, the Governor wants all of them! Shoot anyone who resists!"


    The men swiftly dispersed and spread out in all directions. It didn''t take long before the sounds of gunfire and piercing screams filled the air.


    Donna quickly retreated further into the house and scrambled to hide under the bed. Clutching her daughter in her arms, she was visibly trembling.


    "Mommy, why do they want to catch everyone?" Nene whispered, her voice shaking as badly as her physical self.


    Donna shut her eyes tightly and shook her head vigorously. "Shhh. Don''t speak. Wait for them to be gone, and I''ll take you to a cer on the east side. I have kept half a bag of ck rye flour there. It should sustain us for about half a month."


    "Then... what happens after half a month?"


    Donna''s lips quivered uncontrobly at Nene''s question. Tears then began to trail down her cheeks. She had no answer for her daughter. She had thought that their worst days had passed and their lives were getting better. But now, their lives were shadowed by despair.


    All their hope had been snuffed out by that devastating light. With the copse of the Crown, everything had fallen into ruins, and too many had perished.


    Now, there was nothing else that she wished for; all she desired was her daughter''s desire.


    Just then, the sound of a man''s ck leather shoes echoed as the owner stepped into the abandoned house. Donna watched as the pair of shoes circled the room before advancing toward the bed under her watchful, hopeless gaze.


    Apanied by Donna and Nene''s piercing screams, the bed was suddenly flipped open.


    "With the thickyer of dust on the ground, your footprints are so clear and obvious. You can''t hide," the burly man with only one eye said in a gruff voice. As his gaze fell upon Nene, a hint of vile intent flickered across his face.


    "I have never got to try someone like you. Let me take you for a ride," the man''s voice wasced with lust as he began to unbuckle his belt.


    Donna immediately ced herself protectively in front of her daughter. She red at the man, her eyes wide with fury and determination, like a lioness defending her cub.


    "What are you trying to do? Are you even human?1 She''s just a child!"


    "It''s the end of the world? Who cares if she''s a child?! I''m tired of having my fill with the adults. Let me pop a fresh and young one! Who cares what''s going to happen tomorrow?! Let me satisfy myself first!"


    The one-eyed brute lunged forward. He kicked Donna aside with a powerful sweep of his leg and made a grab for Nene.


    But the moment he tried to slither his hand under Nene''s clothes, the vile smile on his face froze.


    He trembling lifted up his hand only to discover his fingers and palm had vanished without a trace. The cut was so clean that there wasn''t even a visible drop of blood initially.


    However, when the agony hit him, he clutched his wrist and let out a pained wail as blood spurted out violently.


    "You bitch! How dare you trick me!" The one-eyed man''s face twisted in rage as he hastily grabbed his revolver and pulled the trigger repeatedly.


    <i>Swish swish swish!</i>


    Several tentacles adorned with green eyes emerged from within Nene''s clothes and caught the bullets mid-air.


    Under the terrified gaze of the one-eyed brute, more and more tentacles slithered out from within Nene''s clothes, and they eventually coalesced into a writhing, monstrous entity of tentacles that hovered in mid-air.


    "What... what the hell is this abomination!" The one-eyed brute was overwhelmed with fear. He turned and attempted to flee. However, Sparkle''s tentacle was faster. It shot out and dragged him into the mass of writhing tentacles amid his screams of despair.


    A few secondster, under the astonished gazes of Donna and Nene, the hovering tentacle monster swiftly shrank and assumed the form of a little girl. It was Sparkle, clutching arge bag in her hand.


    Nene''s eyes widened in amazement as she reached into her bosom and fished out the portrait Sparkle had given her previously. She studied the drawing and realization dawned upon her.


    "Sparkle, so the creature you drew was actually you!" Nene eximed in awe. There wasn''t a hint of fear in her voice.


    "Yeah, I wanted to tell you, but Mommy told me not to," Sparkle said and pulled out a partially eaten steak from therge bag. "Aren''t you hungry? I brought food for you."


    The sight of the delicious food made Nene''s stomach growl even louder. She moved to grab it, but Donna held her back.


    Donna''s gaze was filled with extreme unease, and her voice wasced with panic as she urged, "Sparkle, please leave. Nene isn''t hungry."


    Sparkle tilted her head in confusion. She then stepped forward and extended the steak out to Nene directly. "Don''t humans get hungry without food?"


    Nene reached out her hand to ept the steak. Her eyes glimmered with delight as she reassured Donna, "Mommy, it''s okay. She''s Sparkle, my friend."


    Biting into the steak smothered in a rich brown sauce, Nene''s eyes lit up. "Mmm~ This is so delicious! Mommy! Try it! It tastes even better than bananas!"


    However, Donna was hesitant. She didn''t reach for the steak. With a terrified expression, she stared at Sparkle and asked, "Who... who exactly are you?"


    "I''m Sparkle," Sparkle replied. She then pushed a small bag of seeds into Donna''s hands. "These are banana seeds. They can grow under sunlight and can be harvested twice a year. Cultivation instructions are written on the paper inside."


    Donna could hardly believe her ears. Her face flushed red with emotions, and her breaths grew evidentlybored.


    "That''s... that''s food that can grow under the death light?" Donna reiterated Sparkle''s words. She had grasped the significance of Sparkle''s gift. This gift represented their survival! They didn''t have to die!


    Tears streamed down Donna''s face uncontrobly. Any fear of Sparkle and her ability to turn into a monster evaporated instantly. Pulling her daughter next to her, she dropped to her knees and bowed toward Sparkle.


    "Thank you! Though I still don''t know your true identity, you''re nothing short of a god to us!"

 Chapter 496: Order

    Chapter 496: Order


    Sparkle cast a confused gaze upon Donna kneeling in front of her. Clearly, she couldn''t understand Donna''s behavior.


    Just then, she noticed that Nene had finished the steak in her hand, so she rummaged through her bag and ced more food in front of them.


    "If you''re hungry, just let me know. I haven''tpleted the task that Daddy had assigned to me yet, so I''m leaving first. Oh, by the way, Nene''s mom, where can I find the most people here? I still have a lot of seeds to deliver."


    "The docks; most of the people here have gone to the docks. Earlier, some tried to seize boats to leave this ind, but I don''t know what happened to them nor the ongoing situation outside," Donna replied immediately.


    Sparkle nodded and vanished with herrge bag in tow, leaving Donna to stare dumbstruck at where she once stood. Eventually, Donna turned to look at her daughter with aplex expression, "Nene, I think you''ve managed to make a really great friend."


    Nene licked the steak sauce off her fingers and replied, "But she''s still Sparkle, isn''t she?"


    ***


    On the filthy docks of World''s Crown, Kalmany on a recliner, embracing two naked women. His face was expressionless as he watched row after row of ves being forced onto the docks by his subordinates.


    He was once the Chief Commissioner of the World''s Crown''s Customs Commission, but his situation had taken a drastic turn. The World''s Crown had fallen, and he had be the new Governor of the World''s Crown.


    He had just be a new governor, so there was no way he would simply wait for his death, despite such an apocalyptic scenario. He decided to offer human sacrifices to the Divinities and implore them to retract the lethal light. He knew the chances were extremely low, but it was the best solution he could find so far.


    Only those Divinities in the deep sea could summon a light capable of killing anything it touched.


    While Kalman was busy estimating the number of ves in his head, he heard gunshots and screams in the distance.


    "What''s going on? You guys can''t even suppress the ind''s few remaining ves?" Kalman said and was about to sit up when he saw a familiar face before him. The familiar face belonged to a little girl he recognizedthe Governor''s child!


    Kalman stared at Sparkle, his trembling lips filled with excitement. "How''s the Governor? Is she still alive? When is sheing back? Her loyal subordinates are all waiting for her here!"


    Sparkle looked at him and blinked. saying, "Mommy''s noting back. She said that this ce has be useless to her."


    Kalman''s eyes were immediately filled with despair at Sparkle''s revtion.


    However, Sparkle acted as if she couldn''t see that despair and threw the bag, which was almost as tall as Kalman himself, toward thetter. Then, she took out a piece of paper from her bosom and read it out loud, enunciating each word.


    "I am Charles, the Governor of Hope Ind. Your identity does not matter to me, and I only want one thing from you: pull yourself together!


    "Humanity has not perished, and the disaster has ended. There are survivors on other inds. You are not alone. The bag contains seeds of food that can be nted beneath the sunlight. Cultivation instructions are inside the bags. nt them and survive."


    "If possible, repair the telegraph tower and restore themunicationwork between our two inds. I want you to contact me as soon as possible."


    "Hope Ind has not suffered any damage from this disaster. As long as you contact me, I will spare no effort to help you, whether it''s food or anything else. I want you to remember that this isn''t the time to fight among yourselves nor give up on yourself."


    Sparkle''s words were still echoing in the air, but the inders had already surrounded her, staring at her in a daze.


    Just then, someone cried, and their crying seemed to be contagious as everyone on the docks cried out loud. <em>That </em>disaster wasn''t the end of the world. Mankind still existed, and someone had sent them seeds capable of growing under the "death light."


    In other words, they were going to survive.


    Sparkle was utterly confused by everyone''s reaction. She couldn''t understand why they were crying. Weren''t people supposed to cry when they were sad? Nothing sad had happened, so why were they crying?


    Unable to figure it out, Sparkle decided to ask her parents. There was a sh of light as she disappeared on the spot.


    Kalman soon recovered from his shock upon receiving the fervent gazes of the inders. He gnashed his teeth and waved his hand. "Let''s go! Let''s dig out the telegraph tower from the ruins of the Crown!"


    Sparkle''s teleportation ability had yed a significant role in informing everyone of Hope Ind''s status quo. Soon, Hope Ind received many telegrams from other inds.


    Those who had contacted Hope Ind were mostly minor figures lucky enough to survive, which allowed them to seize power. None of them were the governors whom Charles was familiar with.


    However, there was bound to be a hierarchy in human society, and Charles couldn''t allow the copse of human society''s order. In other words, Charles acknowledged them as the governors of their respective inds in the meantime.


    The majority of them all had questions inmon: how did the light disaster happen, and how did Charles know that it was over?


    Charles didn''t answer them and merely told them to restore order on their respective inds as well as trade between the inds. Once maritime trade was restored, Charles reckoned that order would eventually return.


    Soon, the deste docks of Hope Ind became lively once again. A variety of supplies, food, and items were loaded onto the cargo ships.


    The items on those cargo ships were for sale. It wasn''t that Charles was unscrupulous enough to take advantage of such a great cmity to fill his coffers, but trade was necessary to restart the stagnant economy of the Subterranean Sea.


    Moreover, it wasn''t like the other inds were poor. In fact, those inds had abundant resources, which they could use to pay for supplies from Hope Ind.


    Just as order was slowly being restored throughout the subterranean sea, Charles was astonished to hear a particr piece of newsthe airship fleet that he had requested was ready.


    Charles soon arrived at the docks, and he looked up at the sky to see tworge and five small airships in the air above them. Charles cast a surprised gaze upon Gordon beside him and asked, "It''s done? Howe? It hasn''t been that long since I made that request."


    Gordon revealed a humble smile and replied, "This is all thanks to Governor Anna''s pointers. Her pointers had allowed us to finish the airships at an astonishing speed."


    Charles turned to look at Anna beside him.


    The corners of Anna''s mouth curled up slightly, and she smiled contemptuously at Gordon before saying, "Don''t listen to his nonsense. He''s just trying to tter me. Actually, those airships have been discarded by the Divine Light Order on Skywater Ind. They just modified them slightly, which is why they''re here so quickly."


    Charles swept his gaze across the airship fleet and nodded in satisfaction. It did not matter how they were created; what mattered to Charles was the fact that he could finally return to the surface.


    Charles turned to the dozen or somodores and said, "The Navy should get ready. We''re setting off soonsetting off for the Land of Light."


    "Yes, sir Governor!"


    Soon, row after row of soldiers stepped onto the wooden nks and boarded the airships docked on the sea surface. Crate after crate of supplies was also loaded by mechanical steam forklifts.


    The navy troops were deploying as well and would apany Charles on his mission to the Land of Light. And it wasn''t just the Navy; almost all of Hope Ind''s armed forces had mobilized for the expedition.


    Charles and Anna soon found themselves in the main control room of the fleet''s mothership. Eventually, the mothership ascended slowly, and Hope Ind shrank steadily as they reached greater heights.


    Charles looked down, and his hand trembled ever so slightly at the sight. Anna held his hand and cast a tender gaze at him, saying, "Don''t be afraid. It doesn''t matter what''s up there; I''ll be there to face it together with you."


    Charles nodded. Then, he took a moment topose himself before grabbing the ck microphone in front of him and shouting, "Let''s go!"


    At hismand, the massive airships ascended, making a beeline for the exit to the surface world along with Hope Ind''s fleet on the sea surface.

 Chapter 386. Tobba

    Chapter 386. Tobba


    After conducting various tests, we have confirmed that this instance of 177 is identical to the one detained on the ind, ¨~¨~¨~¨~. They share the same fingerprints, iris patterns, and DNA.


    Based on his ount, we have pinpointed the exact location of 010 and its operational mechanism.


    Given 010''s unique properties, we suspect it to be a part of the entity designated as 005. ording to 177''s exnation, we havee to understand the method to activate 010. By exposing it to the singing of ¨~¨~¨~¨~ and using ¨~¨~¨~¨~ to simte it, 010 would be activated to alter time and space.


    However, there are no recorded uses to date, or perhaps we have used it countless times, but we had no knowledge of it.


    After discussion, Dr. ¨~¨~¨~¨~ and Dr. ¨~¨~¨~¨~ have decided to contain this project at the highest security level and issued documents to establish a dedicated containment side to include it as one of the contingency ns for"¨~¨~"


    In the event of any cmity of KA level and above, the personnel stationed at Containment Site V4 will immediately activate 010 to reverse time and prevent the catastrophe.


    (Dr. K9 has requested to use 010 to travel to ¨~¨~¨~¨~, but was turned down by the Foundation.)


    As Charles read the contents on the tablet screen, his eyes widened in astonishment. This was the experimental log of 010, and if he remembered correctly, 177 was Tobba''s designated number.


    Wait. That''s not the point now. Now that I''ve found 010, shouldn''t I continue on my way back?


    Just as Charles was pondering his next step, the hazmat suit in front of him tore open down the middle, and Tobba emerged from it,pletely naked.


    Unlike the crazy and rambling Tobba, this one before him had eyes that shone brightly like that of a baby.


    The sailors'' gazes alternated between the two Tobbas; they felt as though they were in a dream.


    "Well, well! Isn''t this Tobba? Long time no see! How are you!" With a mouse in his hand, Tobba chuckled as he walked toward his naked self.


    However, Naked Tobba outrightly ignored his crazy counterpart. He eyed Charles with apparent anxiety and asked, "What did you have for breakfast today?"


    Charles furrowed his brows as he stared at Naked Tobba in front of him. He paused for a brief moment and asked slowly, "Are you the Tobba before you went insane?"


    "Quick! Answer me! What did you have for breakfast today? It''s my doing that you guys are able to get here. So hurry up and answer my question honestly if you want to go back!" Naked Tobba questioned, his tone extremely agitated.


    "I didn''t have an appetite today, so I didn''t have breakfast," Charles answered as he cast a wary nce at Naked Tobba.


    Unbeknownst to him, the moment he spoke, Naked Tobba''s expression twisted into one of profound regret.


    "Did you not see the message I left for you on the tablet from thirteen years in the future? Why haven''t you had breakfast yet? Why didn''t you? Don''t you know it''s bad for your health to skip breakfast?!"


    A message from 13 years in the future? He''s referring to the message on Doctor''s tablet!


    Immediately, Charles caught the message. Naked Tobba''s reference to breakfast was not literal but symbolic; he was using "breakfast" to hint at something else!


    Charles stared into Naked Tobba''s eyes and asked, "What if I told you I''ve had breakfast today?"


    "Then. You. Wouldn''t. Be. Hungry," Naked Tobba replied, emphasizing each word.


    Naked Tobba then slumped over in resignation and plopped down on the ground, "Forget it. It doesn''t matter anymore. It''s toote; your hunger has already set in."


    Though Charles couldn''t understand the meaning behind Naked Tobba''s words, he instinctively sensed the significance of those words on himself. Squatting down next to Naked Tobba, he softly asked, "Is there no way to rectify this?"


    Naked Tobba shook his head in defeat. "There''s no way. Continue onward. I''ll use 010 to send you back to your own time now."


    Naked Tobba then knocked against the transparent ss floor andmanded, "010, send them back to their time."


    "Wait! 177! You can''t do that! Activating 010 requires the headquarters'' authorization!" one of the restrained Foundation staff eximed as he struggled to break free. However, his efforts proved to be futile as Dipp knocked him on the head, rendering him unconscious.


    One of 010''s bubbles slowly floated upward and swiftly enveloped everyone.


    Still feeling rather confused, Charles turned toward Naked Tobba and pressed for an answer, "What are you trying to say? Can''t you just tell me in a straightforward manner? Are you wary of the Pope? He can read minds, so secret codes are useless."


    Naked Tobba took a few steps back and stood outside of the bubble. Looking at Charles, he said, "Forget it. Just pretend that you''ve never encountered me. The purple tentacle you faced earlier was from a future version of 010. Stay far away from the 010 of your world; it has gonepletely mad."


    The moment Naked Tobba finished talking, his physical form disappeared, and the scenery outside the bubble shifted rapidly, mirroring a fast-forwarded scene.


    Charles was taken aback for a brief moment before he quickly picked up the remaining Foundation staff and threw them out of the bubble amidst their screams.


    When the rapid transitions beyond the bubble had halted, the group scanned their surroundings. To their astonishment, nothing had changed. They were still in the same white, immacteboratory, though now devoid of the Foundation staff.


    Dipp eyed the brand-new equipment around him in curiosity before he turned to Charles and suggested, "Captain, despite the hurdles, we have achieved our goal. Since we have met 010, isn''t it time to go back up and leave this ind?"


    However, Dipp received no response. He turned back to look at Charles and noted thetter''s unusually pale demeanor.


    A trace of unease appeared on the Deep Dweller''s face. Dipp approached Charles and asked, "Captain, are you alright? Did something happen?"


    Charles'' expression was extremely grim as he remained silent. Currently, through his enhanced vision, he could see that the entireboratory was filled with bubbles of varying sizes, and these bubbles intersected and encased everyone present,


    These bubbles differed significantly from the previous 010¡ªthey appeared bloated and had muted colors. The stark shift was abnormal.


    Time had returned to normal, but a subtle change had happened to 010, and they were now standing inside of 010.


    Before Charles could voice a warning to the group, enormous purple tentacles sprang from every direction¡ªwalls, floor, ceiling¡ªencircling thempletely in an instant.


    While the others couldn''t perceive 010, they could clearly see the tentacles. A palpable sense of dread washed over everyone.


    "Pope, we are all relying on you now," Charles said to the old man next to him.


    However, the Pope''s grim expression mirrored Charles'' expression as he said, "Me? Do you think it''s possible for one of me to defend against so many of them? What about you? You are a Chosen One, too, and you possess immense power within you. It''s time to wield it!"


    Before Charles could retort, the tentacles made their aggressive move and shot out toward the group.


    Despite hisints, the Pope couldn''t sit idly. Instantly, his eyes emitted a radiant golden glow. A formidable aura descended upon the room once more, and the encroaching translucent purple tentacles vanished in an instant.


    "Hurry up and move! We must get out of here immediately. We have encountered 010, so we can leave now!"


    Charles led the group in a sprint toward theboratory''s exit. Upon reaching the circr staircase outside, they inhaled a sharp breath of air.


    The previously empty circr staircase was now overrun by purple tentacles. It was as though the entire stairwell had transformed into the innards of some monstrous octopus.

 Chapter 497. Island

    <h4>Chapter 497. Ind</h4>


    Meanwhile, Sparkle was utterly confused. She couldn''t understand why, after delivering a letter from her father to this giantess, thetter had pulled her into a hug and showered her with kisses.


    <i>Is she trying to eat me? Should I make the first move and eat her instead?</i>


    As Sparkle pondered over the question, the giantess, Elizabeth, ceased her fervent behavior. With a slight quiver in her voice, she addressed the little girl before her, "Did your father task you to bring anything else apart from this letter?"


    "Some banana seeds," Sparkle answered and pointed toward the bag.


    Evidently, Elizabeth was dissatisfied with Sparkle''s response. She gentlybed her fingers through Sparkle''s soft hair and asked, "Is he still on the ind?"


    Sparkle shook her head. "He and Mommy had boarded the airship and ascended to the surface. I''ll head there too once I''ve finished delivering all the seeds."


    At the mention of Anna, Elizabeth''s expression soured with distaste.


    "When you go back, tell Charles that once I''ve wrapped up things here, I''ll set out for Hope Ind immediately," Elizabeth instructed.


    Sparkle nodded in understanding and vanished on the spot with a sh of light.


    Letting out an emotional sigh, Elizabeth stepped out onto the balcony of the Governor''s Mansion and gazed at the bustling construction site below.


    Arge canopy was being built across Elizarles Shores. Just like Hope Ind, the structure was essential to block out the lethal sunlight to ensure the survival of the ind''s inhabitants.


    Unlike the dire survival rates on other inds, a significant portion of Elizarles Shores'' poption was aware of the sunlight''s deadly nature, thanks to their trade cooperation with Hope Ind.


    Moreover, Elizabeth acted swiftly andmanded her subordinates to alert everyone on the ind about the dangers of sunlight through voice amplification magic. Thanks to her swift response, a third of the poption survived.


    Despite the high death toll, the governor was unharmed, and the administrative system of Elizarles Shores remained in ce.


    Even when the seal on 1002, the animated flesh chunks, was weakened due to the light cmity, they were able to contain it and prevent it from causing further damage.


    Tucking a few strands of white hair behind her ear, Elizabeth muttered to herself, "Charles, it seems like your Hope Ind has truly be thest bastion of Hope for the entire seascape."


    Just then, Finn entered with his staff in hand and a grave expression on his countenance.


    "Who was that earlier? I sensed a formidable threat from her," the old mage asked.


    "Charles''s daughter, Sparkle. She''s quite adorable, isn''t she?"


    Urgency overwhelmed Finn as he blurted out, "He already has a child! But why is there no good news from you yet?"


    "Why are you asking me about it? Maybe there''s an issue with your potion?"


    "Impossible! There''s no way the problem lies with my concoction! It would work on any adult with normal reproductive capabilities!"


    A hint of irritation flickered across Elizabeth''s face as she waved her hand dismissively. "Forget those matters for now. With so many inds out there, isn''t it a simple task to seize a few more? We can just send forces to upy them.


    "Wait... we aren''tcking inds now; we arecking manpower." Elizabeth then turned toward a maid in the distance and snapped her fingers to attract thetter''s attention.


    She gestured toward the bag of seeds on the ground and instructed, "Take that outside, then gather everyone at the Governor''s Mansion. We must rebuild Elizarles Shores!"


    ***


    Sparkle rapidly teleported across the Subterranean Seascape, delivering seeds to each ind. However, there were some destinations where she had never visited and she ended up overshooting or undershooting her targets and wasted much time.


    Clutching a bag of seeds, Sparkle blinked again and appeared at a new ind''s dock. The sudden appearance of a little girl immediately captured the attention of the locals.


    As soon as they discerned her features and saw the bag in her hands, excitement flickered across their faces. They huddled in groups, eager to approach but yet showed signs of hesitation. However, their hushed whispers didn''t go unheard by Sparkle.


    "Is that her? Is that really her?"


    "Yes, that''s her! Look at her green eyes! And she can even stand under the death light. It has to be her!"


    "Great! The angel of hope hase! The Isle of Whereto is saved!"


    Sparkle had already visited numerous inds and encountered a variety of reactions, so she was no longer puzzled by their words. The only thing on her mind was to quickly finish the task her father had assigned her.


    "Who''s in charge here? Take me to them. I have seeds that can grow under the death light."


    Sparkle had already grown ustomed to the standard routine: find the leader, hand over the seeds, and recite her father''s instructions from the note he gave her.


    Upon hearing Sparkle''s questions, the onlookers at the docks surged forward with palpable excitement as they offered to guide her.


    Soon enough, Sparkle was sent before Margaret. Thetter''s demeanor was a stark contrast to the crowd''s fervor. Margaret wore an icy, calm expression on her visage as she scrutinized Sparkle standing before her.


    The once youthful and naive girl had now grown into a qualified leader. Her mind and spirit remained unshaken in the face of the light disaster that had brought despair to many.


    "So, are you the angel of hope in those circting rumors?" Margaret asked, her voice devoid of emotions.


    Indifferent to what Margaret had just said, Sparkle took out the note and recited the text on it.


    As soon as she spoke the final word, she dropped the bag of seeds on the ground and was just about to teleport away when Margaret''s question halted her actions.


    "How are you rted to Charles? Why are you helping him out this much?"


    "He''s my father. Do you know him?" Sparkle turned around to face Margaret.


    "Father..." Margaret reiterated. Her hands resting on the table clenched subtly. With a dismissive wave, she had the guards usher the inders out. Soon enough, only she and Sparkle remained in the vast office.


    "And your mother is?" Margaret posed another question.


    "Her name is Anna."


    The mention of Anna''s name stirred up the memories of the man-eating creature that had deceived her from the deep recesses of Margaret''s mind.


    A trace of hatred stirred within Margaret as she stared at Sparkle. A visceral desire to tear the little girl apart blossomed within her.


    Margaret rose from her seat and approached Sparkle with a measured, deliberate pace and eyes devoid of warmth.


    Sparkle could clearly sense Margaret''s hostility directed at her. Her hair''s ends slightly morphed into tentacles. While carrying out the mission her father had entrusted her, she had met her fair share of ungrateful people.


    However, those who daredy a finger on her had ceased to exist.


    Just as Sparkle braced herself to devour the woman before her, the woman unexpectedly knelt and pulled her into a gentle hug.


    Sparkle couldn''t see the expression on Margaret''s face. She could only feel Margaret tightening her arms around her as though she wanted to merge Sparkle into her very being.


    After a moment of contemtion, Sparkle reciprocated the hug.


    "Are you sad?" Sparkle asked. "Why are you sad again? Are you hungry? Why are human emotions so hard to understand?"


    Margaret quicklyposed herself and forced a calm expression on her visage before releasing Sparkle. "Tell your father that Governor Margaret of Whereto is grateful for the seeds and that she will repay this debt of gratitude."


    Sparkle looked at Margaret and blinked in confusion. Eventually, she nodded and vanished from sight.


    Left alone, Margaret stared nkly at the spot Sparkle was standing at as her mind reyed every interaction she''d had with Charles. She walked toward her desk and pulled open one of the drawers to look at the family photo within. There was her, her peaceful mother, her valiant father, and her unruly elder brother.

 Chapter 498. Night Dialogues

    <h4>Chapter 498. Night Dialogues</h4>


    The airships clung close to the cavernous ceiling as Charles and his forces advanced toward their destination. Suddenly, Charles snapped awake upon hearing a loud bang. Lying underneath the spider-silk nket, he gasped for air as cold sweat drenched his forehead.


    "What''s wrong? Is your head hurting again?" A delicate, soft hand reached out from beneath the nkets to gently pat Charles'' chest.


    Swallowing dry saliva, Charles grabbed the hand and squeezed it lightly. "It''s nothing. Just a nightmare."


    Anna scooted closer. "Since it''s a nightmare, don''t dwell on it too much. We''ll be arriving at our destination in another six hours. You''ll be home soon. Once we are back on the surface, what are your ns? Do you n to continue your studies or go back to work?"


    Charles stared nkly at the ceiling. "I have no time to think of those. I''m more worried about what the Light God will do upon reaching the surface. He had killed so many in the Subterranean Sea in just one move. How many out of the six billion plus people on the surface would perish because of him? That was what my nightmare was all about."


    Anna patted Charles soothingly on the chest. "You don''t have to worry about the Light God. He wouldn''t do something some. The humans on the surface will be just fine."


    Charles turned onto his side and looked at Anna in the dark. "How are you so sure? He surely has His own purpose for heading to the surface. It''s probably pandemonium up there now."


    "Think about it. The Light God is the collective will of the Foundation''s seven highestmanders. Considering their style of doing things, their operations usuallye with a clear motive. And indiscriminately killing humans isn''t their style."


    "Then what about all of those who died in the Subterranean Sea? Are those countless lives not considered humans? Perhaps from the moment the GK Council ascended to be a Divinity, they ceased to be considered human," Charles retorted.


    "I''m not just making wild theories here. I have my sources." Anna then lifted her right hand, which transformed into a tentacle. It then darted out to pull a book with a yellow cover from the bookshelf on the wall.


    Anna then extended another tentacle and drew back the curtain. Sunlight flooded into the cabin and illuminated the title of the book in Charles'' view: <i>The New Testament.</i>


    "This is the Divine Light Order''s religious text?" Charles asked in puzzlement.


    "Mmhmm, have a read of its contents." Anna then curled up closer into Charles arms and flipped to the first page.


    As her tentacle slid over a particr line, the content immediately caught Charles'' attention.


    <i>Thou shalt have no other gods before the Light God, for he who worships any other shall be consigned to evesting punishment.</i>


    <i>Thy soul, thy sh and thy bones belong to the Great One, the ancient ruler who reih over all things with His omnipotent power.</i>


    <i>His throne is established upon the waters; yet now its location remah a mystery, serving as a test unto thee, that it may be revealed who among you is superior in their endeavors.</i>


    <i>The Light God is merciful. Upon the day of His advent, He will bestow upon His brethren life evesting and shall guide them unto the Land of Light, where joy and tranquility persist through the eons.</i>


    Charles grabbed Anna''s tentacle to stop her from flipping the pages. "Why are we reading this absurd propaganda nonsense? They are all gibberish designed to cement the faith of the Light God''s followers."


    Anna gently shook her head, her soft hair brushing against Charles''s chest.


    "No," Anna retorted. "Think about the actions of the Light God and the Pope. Perhaps they don''t value human lives but one truth is undeniable: they never lie."


    Charles'' eyes narrowed slightly as he mused over Anna''s words and read through the earlier passages once more.


    "Do you get it yet? Consider the Foundation''s principals where their main goal is to serve humanity, the deeds of the Light God and also the Pope''s questions about the cosmos," Anna continued. The corners of her lips curled up into a smile as she looked up and gazed at Charles'' chin.


    "Do you mean to say that the Light God wishes to leave Earth?" Charles voiced the theory that came to his mind.


    "It''s not that simple," Anna said with a chuckle. "Don''t forget. He took nearly millions of his followers after He broke out of His seal. The Light God believes that Earth is beyond salvation, so he ns to take all His followers as seeds, journey to another sr system and rekindle human civilization.


    "Your previous spections had all been off the mark. The ''Land of Light'' the Divine Light Order followers speak of isn''t referring to the surface world. In the eyes of the Light God, with the multitude of Divinities in the subterranean realm, the surface world is not anywhere safer. That''s why He has set His sights on another for resettlement. That''s what He meant by the ''Land of Light.''"


    Anna then pushed the book, <i>The New Testament</i>, into Charles; hands. "Have a read. Read it thoroughly. His n isid out as clear as day in it."


    Charles epted the yellow-covered book and flipped through the pages, one by one, carefully reading and dissecting the cryptics, zealous passages for their underlying meaning. After three hours, he finally finished reading thest page of <i>The New Testament. </i>He closed the book and looked toward Anna with a grave expression.


    "You are right. That''s indeed a highly usible theory," Charles remarked.


    A smile surfaced on Anna''s visage as she snuggled closer to Charles'' chest. "That''s why, I said there''s no need to worry. The Light God won''t target the humans living on the surface. No matter which perspective you look at it, He wouldn''t do such a thing."


    Charles'' anxious heart became slightly at ease. As long as the Light God wouldn''t be taking any actions on the humans on the surface, no disaster would befall them. Unlike the denizens of the Subterranean Sea, those on the surface grew up living under the sun.


    "Don''t be so tense," Anna remarked and pushed Charles back onto the bed yfully. "You should learn how to rx when it''s time to rx."


    "Anna, I''m not in the mood right now. We''re reaching the exit soon; I want to head to the deck and have a look," Charles protested as he propped himself back up.


    Anna''s eyebrows twitched slightly. She quickly straddled his chest and gazed down at him with a hint of allure.


    "Gao Zhiming," Anna cooed. "You don''t have the right to refuse on this matter."


    The curtains were drawn shut again, plummeting the cabin into darkness. However, with his night vision, Charles could see everything as clear and sharp as day.


    Time passed by quickly and soon several hours flew by. It wasn''t until the airship captain came knocking on the door that Charles realized that they had reached the ind that housed 010.


    Having changed into a fresh set of clothes, Charles and Anna stepped onto the airship''s bridge.


    A beautiful ind, bathed in warm sunlight, entered their vision. It was the ind that they had visited before¡ªthe one with the time loop.


    However, a hint of astonishment shed across Charles'' face as he took in the sight. It was indeed the same ind as before, yet the vibrant, multicolored time bubble that was characteristic of 010 was gone.


    <i>Where did 010 go? Did the Light God scare it away, or has He captured 010?</i>


    However, Charles didn''t dwell long on this question. Because something else had caught his attention. On the rockyer overhead, the metal door that had been tightly shut was now open.

 Chapter 499. Surface World

    <h4>Chapter 499. Surface World</h4>


    "Report!! The reconnaissance team has returned. The target ind is all clear, with no temporal or spatial anomalies as described by the Governor. No threats have been detected. We have also found five freshwater sources. It''s a habitable ind!"


    Standing under the canopy, Commodore Ralph looked upward at the hovering airship above. Both Charles and Anna were observing from within it.


    His brows furrowed as he contemted for a moment before hemanded his adjutant, "Prepare tond! We proceed with n 3: deploy engineers to construct a base and a dock!"


    Without the presence of 010''s temporal bubble to maintain the various structures on the ind, the Foundation''s buildings that had been left behind had turned incredibly fragile, crumbling into dust at the slightest touch.


    The same vulnerability extended beyond the buildings and affected the cars along the road, the searchlights that once illuminated the exit to the surface, and the narrow elevator shaft


    Though the metal constructions had vanished, the t foundations they had been on remained and were a convenient base for the engineers to establish their outpost.


    Watching the team diligently working all over the ind like ants, Anna then turned to Charles and asked, "Not bad. With 010 gone, you''ve now gained another ind."


    Charles gripped the railing tightly in response to Anna''s words. His brows furrowed together as he looked up toward the gaping hole above.


    "Inds have no value now," Charlesmented. "The entire seascape is now full of unimed inds."


    Staring at the ind beneath them, Anna pondered over Charles'' words for a moment and dered, "Fine. This settles it then. This ind will be named Annarles Ind."


    Charles turned to look at Anna. "Alright. You have the final say. Let''s go. We should head to the surface now.


    Despite the feigned calmness in Charles'' voice, his trembling hands had betrayed his inner turmoil.


    "Why the rush? Can''t we wait until the ind base has been constructed?" Anna kicked off against the metal deck with her fair legs and leaped onto Charles'' back.


    Ignoring the questions, Charles piggy-backed Anna and moved toward the interior of the airship.


    Soon enough, under hismand, the airship powered by massive air balloons slowly ascended toward the vast ck cavern overhead.


    As they passed through the massive metal door, the warm and deathly sun rays gradually faded, and darkness enveloped the airship once again.


    Everyone on the airships let out a collective sigh of relief as they moved to remove the ck cloth covering the windows. Compared to the warm sunlight, they very much preferred the darkness; at least, the darkness wouldn''t kill them.


    "It''s alright. The seascape is definitely far from the surface world. The distance between could span over several kilometers. It makes sense that the sun''s rays from above don''t reach down here" Charles exined to Anna.


    In response, Anna gently grabbed Charles'' trembling right hand and shed an amused smile. "Why are you exining this? I didn''t even ask."


    Charles returned her a forced smile before he turned to gaze out into the dark expanse beyond the ss window.


    The airships'' bright searchlights illuminated the surrounding gray metallic walls; bizarre and iprehensible inscriptions flickered into visibility before vanishing again as the airships passed by them.


    Seconds ticked by, and Charles had never felt that time was moving so slowly. He finally understood what it meant by "time hangs heavy."


    Having been through countless trials and hardships, he suddenly felt that a prolonged wait was the most torturous.


    Meanwhile, Anna started to softly hum a familiar luby. Her volume was so low that only Charles, who was next to her could hear it.


    Charles proceeded toy down on his side and rested his head on Anna''s thigh. As he listened to the luby, memories from the past fourteen years shed by in his mind.


    Only he knew the pain, the despair, and the fear he experienced. As each scene reyed in his mind, indescribable emotions surged within him.


    A sudden fear gripped him. He was fearful that the world above might not be the same one he came from. He had always found various reasons to convince others that it was the same world, but he couldn''t convince himself and his doubts.


    The various anomalies of the Subterranean Seas were too different from what he had learned about the subterranean space when he was on the surface world. It was highly usible that the world above was not the modern society that he knew of.


    The luby came to an end, and Anna looked down at the scarred face on herp. She tucked her cascading hair behind her ear before leaning down and nting a kiss on Charles'' lips.


    "Don''t worry. This time will be different. No matter what''s up there, I''ll be by your side."


    As Charles tasted Anna''s soft lips and interlocked his tongue with hers, a wave of drowsiness overwhelmed him. He soon fell asleep.


    A hint of helplessness surfaced in Anna''s eyes as she watched Charles. She lightly traced her fingers over the scars on his face and finally stopped beside his ear.


    A ck scaly tentacle emerged from Charles'' earhole and gently coiled itself around Anna''s finger.


    In his slumber, Charles had a blissful dream. Though his vision was fuzzy, he felt immensely joyful andfortable, as though he had submerged himself into a tub of warm water.


    After an unknown amount of time, the gentle sound of Anna''s voice woke Charles from his sleep.


    "Charles, Charles, wake up. We''ve arrived."


    He stared at his beloved in a daze. Anna had to reiterate her words before realization dawned upon him. They had reached the surface.


    "Let''s go!" Charles eximed as he pulled Anna toward the airship''s hatch. For the first time in many years, a truly radiant smile broke across his face; he was brimming with deep-seated happiness.


    However, as soon as he stepped onto the stairs leading to the ground, his smile was frozen in ce.


    Purple¡ªthat was his first impression of the surface world. In the sky above, there was no sun, no moon, nor stars, but just an endless expanse of purple mist.


    It was also snowing. Gray snowkes fell slowly and settled on Charles'' hair and the trembling corners of his eyes.


    "Where are we?" Charles murmured as he scanned the barren surroundings.


    Judging from the deste state, they seemed to be in some sort of a desert, but Charles clearly meant more than just the geographical setting.


    "Where are we?!" Charles'' volume raised a notch higher as he repeated his question.


    Neither the purple mist nor the gray snow resembled anything from the Earth he knew.


    Charles stumbled down the steps and stepping onto the ground, he looked around in bewilderment at the strangendscape surrounding him.


    Anna caught up soon enough. Wrapping her arms around Charles, a grave expression painted her visage as she instructed, "Gao Zhiming, look at me. Look into my eyes.


    Taking in a deep breath, made his way back to the stairs and sank onto the bottom step. His face was etched with a look of distress as he gazed at the ground nketed in thick, gray snow.


    "I''m fine, really. I can''t take it. I just need a moment alone...." Charles remarked as he lowered his head into his hands.


    With her eyebrows slightly furrowed, Anna then ascended the stairs and returned to the airship. She then swiftly gave orders, and the fleet sprang into action.


    As the humming of propellers filled the air, a squadron of helicopters dispersed in all directions. It wouldn''t take long for them to carry out a reconnaissance mission ande back with news of the surroundingndscape.


    Anna returned back to Charles'' side and settled herself in the seat next to him.


    "This doesn''t make sense!" Charlesmented the moment Anna returned. "You know as well as I do; the Foundation''s documents clearly state that their surface headquarters is in Boston! Their members just needed to go through a thorough approval process, and they could return to the surface!"


    A mix of confusion and disbelief marked Charles'' face. He couldn''t understand the scene before them. It would have been somewhat moreprehensible if he had seen Divinities wandering around in this ce.


    "Let''s wait for the helicopters to return from their reconnaissance. We''ll then know if this is truly the surface that we know of," Anna said, trying to offer some sce.

 Chapter 500. Return Home

    <h4>Chapter 500. Return Home</h4>


    Gray snowkes continued to descend from above and steadily umted on Charles and Anna. It didn''t take long before the two figures seated on the stairs werepletely draped in snow.


    With a huff, Anna''s body split open. A dozen tentacles shot out and vigorously shook off the umted snow before retracting back into the husk of Anna''s human form. Now spotless, Anna stood up, grabbed Charles by the arm, and pulled him up.


    "Let''s go inside and eat something. You haven''t eaten anything since this morning."


    "Go and have some food. I don''t have any appetite," Charles responded in a heavy tone.


    "Then what''s on your mind now?" Anna asked.


    Confusion suffused Charles'' gaze as he stared at the gray snow before him. He remained silent for a long moment before he slowly spoke, "Many things... I thought of many things from the past. My mind''s a mess now..."


    Before Anna could offer any words offort, the rapid buzzing of helicopter des grew louder as they returned from the distance. The reconnaissance team was back.


    The wind from the propeller bales scattered the gray snow to reveal the cracked, brown earth beneath.


    Holding something in his hands, the pilot disembarked and rushed toward Charles.


    Charles quickly got to his feet to take a better look at what was in the pilot''s arms. It was an elongated worm-like creature curled up like a circr disc; its shell didn''t appear to be chitin but instead resembled semi-melted, crimson flesh.


    If it hadn''t been for the rows of legs underneath, it would have been hard to identify it as an insect at all.


    Reaching out with his prosthetic limb, Charles grabbed the insect''s head and gave it a forceful shake. The bug''s coiled body rapidly straightened and to their astonishment, its length measured up to a meter and a half. It was clearly not a creature from Earth; at least, it wasn''t a known creature from the Earth of the 21st century.


    "Where did you find this?" Charles asked in a hoarse voice.


    "We discovered this twenty kilometers to the east, at a three o''clock direction. It appeared to be dead and about fifty meters to the left of it, there was an expanse of ck mist with no boundary in sight.


    "I didn''t dare to enter as it seems like there''s something alive lurking within," the pilot reported.


    Charles nodded in understanding and tossed the bug back to the pilot.


    "Iste it first then have someone dissect the bug to see what''s inside its stomach," Charles instructed.


    The pilot left with the bug. Soon, more and more helicopters returned.


    Of the sixteen that were dispatched, fifteen had returned. The pilots brought back photographs of the nearby terrain, along with various peculiar nts and animals. However, all of them were drastically different from those living creatures known to Earth; they looked bizarre and twisted.


    Charles seemed to have regained hisposure, and he carefully studied the items the reconnaissance team had brought back.


    Meanwhile, Anna stood nearby with her arms folded across her chest as she watched Charles'' back view with a concerned gaze.


    Suddenly, she noticed Charles halted his actions; his gaze was fixated on one particr photo that he had just picked up.


    Anna walked over and snatched the photo from his grasp. The photo depicted a massive mountain whose summit was out of frame. However, there was a subtle shimmer on the right side of the mountain. It was a cold hue of light different from the dark violet of the sky.


    "Could it be humans? Or some other intelligent light form?" Anna pondered aloud as she studied the photo.


    With his brows pressed together, Charles shook his head and turned to return to the airship. "Whatever it is, let''s go over and have a look."


    The airship levitated and adjusted its course to head toward the mysterious light.


    The gray snow continued to fall and soon enough, a thickyer had umted on the airship''s air balloons. Though not built for speed, the airship was designed for stability.


    Soon, standing at the bridge, Charles could see the imposing mountain that stood motionless like a slumbering giant. At the same time, he spotted the light as captured in the photograph.


    However, the light had turned indigo; it further confirmed Anna''s guess that it wasn''t a natural source of light. After all, such color shifts were not typical under normal circumstances.


    "Steer closer toward it," Charles ordered, and the airship began its careful approach. Simultaneously, the machine guns and bombs were in position. Should they face any threats, the assault arsenal of these five massive airships was not to be underestimated.


    Gradually, the source of the indigo light appeared before everyone. Yet, the moment Charles recognized the source of it, his eyes widened in shock, and he bellowed, "Everyone, down! Draw the curtains!"


    The source of light had been the Light God! He had not left the surface world at all!


    <i>Swish!</i>


    The ck curtains were drawn swiftly to shield the rays of light piercing through the ss windows. Charles cautiously approached one of them and slightly peeled back a corner to peer outside.


    The colossal form of the Light God was nowhere to be seen. Only a sun-like head was slowly moving across the ground. His usual bright, warm white hue had turned to an odd shade of indigo, flickering weakly like a bulb on the brink of burning out.


    "Telescope," Charles called out, stretching a hand to the back without turning his head.


    Grabbing the telescope ced into his hand, he brought it to his eye and aimed it at the Light God. It didn''t take long for him to realize that the Light God wasn''t moving on its own ord. Someone was dragging Him.


    A human figure, whose size was like an antpared to the Light God''s giant head, was pulling it along with ck ropes.


    The sight of a human dragging an indigo-colored sun across the gray snowyndscape appeared magnificent yet bizarre.


    Tossing the telescope aside, Charles pivoted on his heel and dashed toward the airship''s hatch.


    "Anna, stay behind. I''ll go over and have a look," Charles remarked.


    But clearly, Anna had no intention of listening to him. Just as Charles grabbed a parachute and leaped off the airship, he felt an added weight on his shoulders. Anna had jumped onto him.


    "Get back in there! I can go alone! I just need to ask the Light God something!"


    Anna tightened her legs around him and replied, "Not a chance."


    Her back then split open and several tentacles extended out to wrap around the parachute cords. With a slight tug of her tentacles, the parachute swiftly steered toward the location of the Light God.


    When Charles finallynded, he found himself right in front of the Light God. It was only then that he realized that the human figure dragging the sun was none other than the Pope.


    The Pope had entangled the Light God with close to twenty thick, two-meter-long colossal chains and was struggling to pull the man-made Divinity along.


    Stark naked, the Pope clenched down tightly on his jaws. His eyes were bloodshot as he fought to hold back his tears.


    "O God, please hold one! We''re almost back! We''re going home!" the Pope shouted, his voice cracking up due to his overwhelming sense of grievance as he summoned all the strength he could to tug at the chains.


    <i>Snap!</i>


    All of a sudden, the light that enveloped the Light God exploded. Only a pure blue hue surrounded Him now, and with each passing moment, it grew fainter as it teetered on the brink of extinguishing.


    "Lylejay... it''s enough. I''m dying. Don''t waste your time..." A weary female voice sounded. Her words opened up the floodgates. The Pope could no longer contain himself and began to sob.


    Tears streamed down his face. However, even amidst his overwhelming emotions, he did not let go of the chains and was still pulling with every ounce of strength he could muster.


    "My God! Please, I''m begging You, don''t leave me! I''ll do anything you ask!"


    Standing nearby, Charles'' eyes widened in shock at the scene before him. The Light God breaking out of His seal had nearly eradicated all of humanity in the Subterranean Sea. However, such a being was now on the brink of death. Just what existence would it possibly be that could overpower the Light God?


    "Lylejay, I''m sorry. I can''t fulfill my promise to you anymore. But... thankfully, you haven''t lost anything. Farewell, old friend..."


    An azure light shot out from the Light God and onto the Pope. Instantly, his aged, spotted skin regained its youthful sticity, while his white hair, a symbol of his old age, rejuvenated to a beautiful gold.


    As the Pope''s body rapidly shrank, his mutted limbs regenerated as well. At the end of the transformation, the Pope''s form had returned to that when he was a ten-year-old boy.


    As the transformation happened, the light emanating from the Light God dimmed further. He seemed to be expending thest bit of His energy to restore youth and vitality to the Pope.


    Anxiety rose in Charles as he watched the transformation. The Light God was almost to draw His final breath, but he still had many questions he wanted to ask.


    "Wait! What happened? How did the surface be like this? Who injured you?"


    The Light God''s form burst into a blindingly bright blue light, and His thunderous voice echoed across the desert. "They deceived me! They deceived all of us!"


    <i>Pop!</i>


    The Light God then exploded into a myriad of dazzling lights. A few secondster, the light faded along with the massive figure of the Light God.


    Having been restored to his former youth, Lylejay dropped the chains in his hands and walked in a daze toward where the Light God hadst been.


    Suddenly, his knees buckled, and he copsed to the ground. He started sobbing uncontrobly. At this moment, he was no different from his younger self a hundred and twenty years ago when he was surrounded by bullies¡ªhelpless and filled with despair.


    Charles and Anna stood to the side and watched on as the Pope continued bawling. Suddenly, Charles moved. His prosthetic limb transformed into a chainsaw. It whirred to life as he approached the Pope.


    Despite Charles'' advancement, the Pope made no move to defend himself. He remained on his knees at his spot and continued weeping in despair.


    Anna extended a tentacle and halted Charles in his tracks. "Let him live. Killing him now would only help free him from his misery."


    As he wept, the Pope slowly crawled forward and eventually reached when the Light God had vanished. Curling himself up into a ball, he whispered, "God... I can feel Your warmth... You haven''t left, have you...?"


    "What do you n to do next?" Anna turned to Charles and asked, "Are you going to continue searching for your family on the surface?"


    Charles lowered his raised arm and looked upward at the dark, violet sky. Suddenly, he grabbed Anna''s right hand and started walking toward the airship.


    With a calm voice that was devoid of any agitation or uncertainty, Charles answered, "No. I won''t be searching anymore. My family isn''t here on this surface. My current family is in the Subterranean Sea.


    "Anna, let''s go home. My family needs me. As for this ce... whoever wants toe here, be my guest."

 Chapter 501. Change

    <h4>Chapter 501. Change</h4>


    <i>March 3, Year 807</i>


    <i>I came down from the surface. Or rather, I am aboard an airship and descending from the surface.</i>


    <i>The Light God, who almost annihted humanity in the Subterranean Sea, had died on the surface. Only a more formidable being would be capable of such a feat.</i>


    <i>I had pondered what sort of entity it could be. Could it be a more powerful Divinity? Or something totally different?</i>


    <i>But at that moment, I gained rity. What does any of that have to do with me? The surface is not the surface, at least, not the one I know of.</i>


    <i>Regardless if the current surface world is the aftermath of a cmity or an entirely different world, it has nothing to do with me. I am no longer concerned over who had killed the Light God.</i>


    <i>After years of persistence, I''ve arrived at the answer that wasn''t what I had expected. Now, I keep wondering why I was so obsessed in the past.</i>


    <i>When I finally decided to let go of my goal and purpose that pushed me along for the past fourteen years, I found my heart more at peace than I could have imagined. Perhaps, the missing 30% of my memories yed a crucial role and diminished my lingering attachment to the surface world.</i>


    <i>Even without me, my family still lives on as a unit of three. We weren''t wealthy, but neither were we poor. They can still live well in that world even if I don''t return.</i>


    <i>Yet, I cannot dismiss all my past actions as mistakes. If not for these experiences, I wouldn''t have met many who became family, people worth dying and living for.</i>


    <i>On Hope Ind, I have my love, my child, and my family. Now, they''re in trouble, and I''ve changed my goal. I no longer long for the surface world. They are my lingering attachments. I must find a way to cure their insanity.</i>


    <i>I know that it will be hard. Many in the Subterranean Sea had perished as well, but I refuse to outright give up. It was my fault that they became, so I have to fix them.</i>


    <i>And there''s also my gunner, Lily. She has been resurrected by the Light God, but she remains trapped in a mouse''s body. I must also find a way to restore her to her human form. These are the tasks ahead of me.</i>


    <i>Once I have settled these two challenges, perhaps I can finally rest. And I mean, a proper, </i>true<i> rest. When that timees, I can live a tranquil life on Hope Ind with Anna and Sparkle.</i>


    <i>My mental and emotional condition has changed after many years of wandering. I will struggle to adapt to a mundane, normal life, but that''s okay. For my family, I''m willing to learn.</i>


    After penning thest line, Charles lifted his pen from the diary page and closed it. Then, he capped the pen and tucked it away into his inner coat pocket.


    After snapping the diary shut, Charles nced toward Anna, who had her chin propped up in one hand.


    Seemingly in a good mood, a soft smile appeared on Anna''s face as she asked, "Are you really giving up, hubby?"


    "Yeah, it''s all over now. I''ll never leave the Subterranean Sea," Charles said as he rose from his seat to walk out of the cabin. He had barely taken two steps when ink-ck tentacles swiftly reached out from behind him.


    They coiled themselves around Charles'' waist and flung him upward.


    Mid-air, Charles executed a quick flip andnded deftly upside down on the ceiling. With his brows furrowed, he looked down at Anna. "What are you doing? We''re on an airship."


    A dozen tentacles surged upward and yanked Charles down into Anna''s embrace. Excitedly, she showered his face with kisses like a downpour.


    "Gao Zhiming, you''ve finallye around!" she eximed.


    "Let me go," Charles implored as he wriggled in her grasp. "We''ll be back in the Subterranean Sea soon. I need to go check on the situation on the ind with 010."


    Overwhelmed by excitement, Anna leaned in even closer and extended her tongue to tease his ear.


    "How about I bear you another child in celebration?" Anna whispered suggestively.


    "Stop ying around. Quickly let go of me," Charles protested.


    Anna let out a peal ofughter. "You can''t run! Let''s spice things up a bit!"


    ***


    Lily opened her eyes in a daze. She slowly uncurled herself from a fluffy ball and sat up from Charles''s pillow. The first thing she did upon being fully awake was to leap toward the telescope mounted near the window. Its lens was aimed directly at the dock. The moment Charles returned, she would immediately know about it.


    However, her perky little ears drooped upon seeing an empty dock through the telescope''s lens.


    "Mr. Charles is still not back yet? It has been so long..." Lily muttered to herself. Letting out a sigh, she dragged herself to the washroom. Dabbing her paws on the faucet to moisten them, she then began to wash her fuzzy little face.


    <i>Why didn''t Mr. Charles bring me with him this time? Ever since that monster sister started being by his side, he started caring less about me. I still miss the old Mr. Charles. Last time, he would do anything to get me what I wanted.</i>


    Lily vigorously shook off the water from her face and also the thoughts in her mind. She then slid down the handle onto the floor and headed toward the dining hall.


    The chefs had long since figured out Lily''s waking time. By the time she arrived in the dining hall, a sumptuous, piping-hot breakfast spread had already beenid out on the floor.


    "Thank you," Lily said sweetly to the maid who seemed eager to pet her. Lily then picked up the small white napkin prepared for her and tied it around her neck before indulging in her food.


    It was aforting meal that consisted of soft buttered bread, warm milk with sugar, and a slightly charred fried egg.


    Trade was only just beginning to recover, so the prices of agricultural products were sky-high; they were beyond what typicalmoners could afford.


    Just as Lily bit down into a strip of meat, a thought entered her mind. She turned to the maid beside her and asked, "Are the animals that produce these things okay? Did the sunlight harm them?"


    The maid with a neat ponytail quickly averted her gaze from Lily''s shiny gold fur and answered, "They are not the least bit harmed. In fact, the cows, sheep, and chickens seem even more lively under the sun. Even the fish and mushrooms are thriving better."


    Lily let out a sigh of relief at the answer. "That''s good to hear. It would be a problem if we couldn''t have these delicious things anymore," she remarked as a smile spread across her face.


    Just as she was about to bite into the meat, another thought struck her. Her ears drooped down as sorrow gleaned her features.


    The sight of the distressed little mouse broke the maid''s heart, and her eyes swiftly darted around to make sure that the strict head maid wasn''t watching. Then, she crouched down and gently stroked Lily''s soft fur. With a pained voice, she asked, "Lil'' Lily, what''s wrong? Why are you unhappy?"


    "At the thought that so many people died... it makes me very sad. I''ve died once, and it didn''t feel good at all..."


    Just as the maid pondered over how she was supposed tofort the adorable little mouse, Sparkle suddenly manifested before them with a bright light.


    The three of them exchanged gazes with each other for a few seconds before Sparkle broke the silence.


    Looking at Lily, Sparkle said, "The light on you is really beautiful. I really like it."


    Then, Sparkle swept up the hearty breakfast on the ground and vanished from sight.

 Chapter 502. Suspicion

    <h4>Chapter 502. Suspicion</h4>


    Startled by Sparkle''s sudden appearance followed by disappearance, Lily could hardly wallow in her sorrow any longer. Her eyes widened in shock as she asked, "Who was that person?"


    "She''s the daughter of the two governors. I heard that her name is Sparkle."


    "Daughter?! That''s impossible! You mean her parents are Mr. Charles and Monster Sister?"


    For some unknown reason, an unusual feeling stirred in Lily''s heart upon hearing the news.


    "Monster Sister? She''s the child of Governor Anna and Governor Charles," the ponytailed maid gently corrected Lily before adding, "Lil'' Lily, she took your breakfast away. You must still be hungry, aren''t you? Should I get the kitchen to make you another one?"


    "It''s... It''s okay. I''m full," Lily said and darted toward the door.


    Upon reaching the bustling streets, Lily wandered aimlessly along the sidewalk. She suddenly felt as though something very important had been taken away from her and even though she had returned, she was no longer important to Charles.


    "At least, I am still Mr. Charles'' gunner. He will still need me when he is finding the surface world," Lily muttered to herself. But instantly, her spirits sank even lower. The surface had been found; Charles''s ship no longer required a gunner.


    A sudden sense of emptiness took over her. She wasn''t sure what she should do now. Her goal was supposed to be to find a way to revert to her human form and return to her own world. However, Lily found herself not wanting to be human so soon.


    As she wandered through the streets, she eventually found herself standing before the sanatorium. Momentster, she entered thepounds.


    Through the ss windows, the crew members in their various deranged states caught sight of the golden mouse outside. They scrambled to their respective windows and greeted her in a cacophony of muddlednguages. Despite having gone mad, they still recognized Lily.


    However, from Lily''s point of view, the more she looked at them, the sadder she felt. Tears uncontrobly rolled down her cheeks.


    "Did they end up like this because of my return? Would they have been in a better state if I hadn''te back?" Lily muttered under her breath.


    Just then, arge hand reached out from behind and scooped Lily up gently.


    Lily instantly tensed up. But as soon as she turned around and saw the owner of her hand, she felt at ease again. It was James.


    "Mr. Big Guy, hello," Lily greeted softly.


    A myriad of emotions graced James'' countenance as he gently scratched Lily''s back with his finger. "This isn''t your fault. They became like this because of something else."


    Currently, they were standing in front of Dipp''s room. Inside the room, Dipp was d in a straightjacket and writhing relentlessly on the floor like a maggot.


    Lily looked up at James. "What was it? Mr. Charles said that they had been cursed by the Divinities, right?"


    "Think about it. Isn''t it all too coincidental? All the crew members just happen to harbor animosity toward <i>her</i>. And it just happened that <i>she</i> was tasked to stabilize everyone''s sanity and cognition. Then all of a sudden, every single one of them went mad without a single exception. Isn''t that all too odd?"


    Just then, James gently lifted Lily to eye level. "Lily, you don''t have to worry about them. You have a more important task at hand now; I need you to keep an eye on Anna for me."


    "Why are we keeping Monster Sister under surveince? Isn''t she on our side?" Lily asked, her voiceced with confusion.


    James nced around to make sure that no one suspicious was eavesdropping on them before answering Lily. "No, she has never been on our side. Think about everything she has done. And don''t forget, humans are her food. I''ve never forgotten that her true identity is a monster with memory-altering powers. Putting aside the crew members for now, do you still remember Leonardo?"


    "The very friendly uncle? I have a faint memory of him," Lily replied.


    "He used to be an extremely cunning man. Under any circumstances, he always harbored his own dark little schemes.


    "But now? He works sixteen hours a day and dedicates himself entirely to his job!"


    "Isn''t that a good thing?" Lily tilted her head in confusion.


    "Of course not! He''spletely under her control now! If we don''t stop her, everyone on the ind will end up as her ves! Just like what happened on the World''s Crown!"


    James then took out a silver ring and slipped it onto Lily''s tail.


    "With this, she won''t be able to manipte your memories. Stay close to the captain and gather evidence of her silently altering his consciousness. Also, remember to never, ever tell the captain about this."


    "Not even Mr. Charles? Don''t they already have a child together?" Lily''s dilemma was clear as day on her furry face.


    "That''s just a way for her to control the captain! How could a human and a monster possibly have a child? Did you see how he even let the monster seed him as the governor? The captain hadpletely be her puppet. Telling him would be the same as telling the monster!"


    An intense determination burned in James'' gaze as he locked eyes with Lily. "Lily, we went through so much to upy this ind. Besides my own family, the families of the crew members live here, too. We absolutely cannot let it be a dining table for a man-eating monster."


    "Erm... Okay, I''ll do it," Lily eventually agreed.


    A slight smile appeared on James'' visage as he gently patted Lily on the head. "Thank you, Lil'' Lily."


    James then set Lily down and watched her slowly leave the sanitarium. After Lily had disappeared from sight, James turned around to look at hispanions behind the ss windows. His gaze hardened with resolve as he dered, "Don''t worry. Even if I''m the only one left, I''ll definitely protect our ind!"


    Meanwhile, Lily returned to the busy streets and continued her aimless wander. However, her mind was distracted as she was preupied with what she had just heard from James.


    "It''s just surveince and nothing more. Also, I don''t believe Monster Sister would do such a thing. But I guess adding that extrayer of assurance for Mr. Charles'' well-being isn''t really a bad thing."


    While lost in her own thoughts, Lily failed to notice someone walking toward her. Although she was oblivious to it, others had noticed it. From the shadows and dark corners, a multitude of mice dyed in vibrant colors swiftly emerged and formed a protective circle around Lily. They bared their teeth and hissed threateningly at the approaching figure.


    The figure was an elderly man with a square face and salt-and-pepper hair. His tall stature and stark ck attire made him give off an imposing presence. His deep brown eyes were sharp and piercing like the gaze of a hawk.


    A sudden ominous feeling hit Lily, and an uncontroble chill traveled down her spine.


    "Let''s... let''s go home," Lily murmured as she turned on her heel to run back to the Governor''s Mansion.


    As soon as she spun around, the elderly man was suddenly in front of her. He reached out a hand in an attempt to grab Lily.


    The protective mice moved quickly andunched themselves at him aggressively. In response, the elderly man flicked his sleeve, and shades of gray shadows sprang forth, sending the mice flying away.

 Chapter 503. Julio

    <h4>Chapter 503. Julio</h4>


    Lily was terrified to see a thick, calloused hand reaching out for her like an eagle''s talon. She covered her head with her tiny paws and closed her eyes before letting loose a piercing scream.


    Just as she thought she was going to die again, Lily discovered that she felt no pain.


    The squatting Lily opened her eyes and was surprised to see the elderly man standing not far away from her with a solemn expression. The elderly man was staring at his own palm.


    Before Lily coulde back to her senses, piercing whistles rang out. A few police officers in ck uniforms were running toward Lily and the elderly man while blowing their whistles.


    "Freeze! Have you not heard of thew forbidding any attacks on the mice of Hope Ind? Tell me your name and your home address!" a police officer roared.


    The elderly man stood still in the face of the police officer''s questioning andpletely ignored them. His expression remained solemn as his gazended on Lily.


    "I''m talking to you! Do you not hear me?!" a police officer eximed. Then, he reached out to tap the elderly man on the shoulder, but a grotesque, crisp noise echoed as the police officer''s fingers were twisted in various different directions.


    "<i>AAAH!</i>" the police officer screamed in agony as he clutched his twisted, broken hand.


    The faces of the two police officers standing behind him changed drastically. They wasted no time, pulling out a blue cylindrical object hanging from their waists and pointing it at the sky.


    <i>Swoosh! Boom!</i>


    A bright blue firework exploded beneath the canopy above Hope Ind. The color blue indicated an anomaly¡ªa police officer had encountered an exceptionally difficult offender.


    Soon, the sound of screeching brakes pervaded the air as police cars blocked every single road that led to Lily and the elderly man. The entire street quickly became empty as the police cordoned it off.


    Guns and a variety of weapons were aimed at the elderly man in front of Lily.


    "This is the Hope Ind Police Department. Put all your relics and weapons on the ground and put your hands up!" a police officer shouted through a megaphone while standing behind an opened car door.


    Lily trembled with fright. The mice that had scattered earlier had gathered around her once more, but she dared not move even an inch in front of the elderly man.


    After taking a deep look at Lily, the elderly man slowly lowered his hand and turned to look at the police officer holding the megaphone. "My name is Julio. Where is your governor, Charles?"


    Whispers immediately erupted from the nearby houses; the whispers were from the inders, who had retreated into their houses.


    "Julio? Why does that name sound so familiar?"


    "Don''t tell me you''ve already forgotten about him. He''s the governor who owns thergest ind in the entire Subterranean Sea!"


    "That''s right! He''s the governor who fended off Governor Swann''s giant mechanical construct, Ronker! And he did it all by himself!"


    After learning the other party''s true identity, the police officers instantly felt that they were at a disadvantage. They had the numbers advantage, but the fact that the elderly man was none other than Governor Julio meant that there was no way he''d be at a disadvantage against mere police officers.


    However, just why did a formidable individual such as Governor Julio himself visit Hope Ind unannounced? Just what exactly did he want to do?


    <i>Swoosh! Boom!</i>


    Quite a number of red fireworks exploded beneath Hope Ind''s canopy. The color red indicated the highest level of threat¡ªa major threat that would endanger the ind''s safety was discovered.


    The piercing civil defense siren echoed throughout the entire ind. The inders frantically returned to their homes while the armed forces of Hope Ind converged on the location of the threat.


    A light of disdain shed in Julio''s eyes as he swept his gaze across the gun barrels popping out from windows and rooftops all around him. "Is this how the Governor of Hope Ind treats his guests who havee from afar?"


    "My apologies, Governor Julio, but the governor isn''t here. Pleasee back at ater time," Deputy Chief Aliya said solemnly, stepping out from the crowd.


    "Come back at ater time? Do you know how long it took me to get from Cat Ind to this ind, which is located in the extreme north? You''re actually telling me toe back at ater time?!" Julio eximed, sounding displeased.


    Everyone gulped a mouthful of their own saliva. If such an existence were to truly make a move against them, then probably not even half of the people present would survive.


    Just then, Hope Ind''s Minister of Administration, Leonardo, stepped up with a smile and said, "Governor Julio, please go and rest at the best hotel that Hope Ind has to offer in the meantime. I will notify the governor of your presence as soon as possible via telegram."


    Julio nced at the mice on the ground with the corner of his eye before kicking off against the ground and dashed toward the Governor''s Mansion.


    "Since Charles isn''t here, I''ll wait for him at his Governor''s Mansion. I''ll give his mansion back to him upon his return," Julio said.


    Leonardo let out a sigh of relief while staring at Julio''s disappearing figure. Then, he turned to look at Aliya and said, "I''m sure you know his identity, so why did you say that? What if he made a move against us? You''d have brought endless trouble to our governor as well as endangered our home."


    Aliya looked at him with disgust. "And what was that nonsense? Do you really think that what you said was helpful? The governor must be on the surface by now, so could he receive a telegram?


    "What are you going to do once Julio asks you for the governor''s telegram?"


    "This is called taking it one step at a time, do you get it? Since he didn''t immediately make a move, it''s going to be difficult for him to make a moveter," Leonardo said, adjusting his sses.


    "Once a liar, always a liar indeed," Aliya said. Then, she turned around, jumped into a car, and sped toward the headquarters of Hope Ind''s Police Department.


    Julio was a massive threat, and she needed to discuss countermeasures with James.


    Meanwhile, Leonardo shook his head helplessly and turned to rush to the Governor''s Mansion while muttering, "They''re all brutes; they can''t even think out of the box at all. If it weren''t for my presence here, Hope Ind would have descended into chaos long ago."


    The governor was absent, so Leonardo could be considered the Quasi-Governor of Hope Ind. After all, he was the Minister of Administration. His position meant he held a ton of power.


    Julio''s intentions were unclear, and Leonardo wanted to learn of the former''s intentions, so he decided to curry favor with the former.


    He tried many different methods: great food, wine, and even women. Leonardo wanted to know why Julio was looking for Governor Charles. However, Julio ignored his ployspletely and didn''t even let anyone enter the mansion.


    Sitting in the car, Leonardo stared at the tightly closed Governor''s Mansion and felt a bit relieved. The situation wasn''t too bad. At least, Julio seemed like he had been honest¡ªhe had trulye here for Governor Charles rather than for the ind.


    Leonardo contemted for a while before ordering the driver to head to the headquarters of Hope Ind''s Police Department.


    Leonardo didn''t really get along with James, but Charles was absent, so the two were in charge of Hope Ind. In the face of a major threat, they had to put their differences aside and work together to resolve the ongoing threat.


    Governor Anna had entrusted him with the ind, so he had to protect it no matter what.


    Meanwhile, Julio walked through the empty Governor''s Mansion, exploring every single room. His pupils were emitting a faint red light, and it seemed that he was using a special ability to examine every single room.


    Julio checked meticulously and carefully, checking even the bathrooms. For some reason, he would always close the curtains of the rooms before examining them thoroughly.

 Chapter 504. Motives

    <h4>Chapter 504. Motives</h4>


    Once everything was inspected and every single curtain was closed, the Governor''s Mansion plunged into darkness. Julio let out a slight sigh of relief and turned his head to look at the wall in front of him.


    It seemed like he was looking at the wall, but in reality, he was looking at the street outside the wall. Julio waited until the holes in the canopy above Hope Ind were covered, which allowed night to fall upon the ind, before making his move.


    Julio reached into his coat with his right hand and fumbled around. Momentster, he took out a pearl and tossed it into the air. A green light burst out of the pearl, illuminating everything. The shadows of the chairs, tables, and nearby objects distorted and warped beneath the eerie green light.


    The shadows curled and hollowed tentacles stretched out from the shadows; bizarre, misshapen voids riddled the shadows; thevishly decorated hall instantly became a terrifying nightmarish ce.


    "I want to know everything there is to know about that mouse just now," Julio said.


    At hismand, the shadows rushed toward the door and windows. Julio then sat on a stool and put his feet on the table. He reached out behind him, and a bright red apple appeared in his hand.


    Julio chewed on the apple and waited patiently for the shadows'' return.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    There was a sh of light, and Sparkle appeared in front of Julio.


    Julio''s chewing abruptly came to a halt. The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Sparkle stretched out her right hand and reached for the bright red apple in Julio''s hand.


    Shadows burst out of Julio''s sleeve like a torrent, shooting straight toward the petite Sparkle. The shadows pierced Sparkle in the blink of an eye, but Sparkle snatched Julio''s apple at the same time.


    Then, Sparkle vanished with a sh of light.


    Julio was stunned. He had been a governor for so many years, but Sparkle was the first one to have easily escaped his grasp.


    "Not bad. It seems Charles has quite a few remarkable helpers. I underestimated him a bit," Julio said. He took out another apple and was about to bite into it when Sparkle reappeared in front of him and snatched that apple away.


    Julio''s expression was ugly as he stared at his empty palm. The astonishment and awe in his eyes transformed into anger. "Is that little girl trying to provoke me?"


    Julio waved his right hand, and five apples appeared on the table in a single file.


    "All right. Let''s see if you can take these five apples away from me." Julio then poured a dark blue liquid on the ground. The liquid moved on its own, creating a triangr magic formation with the table and the apples in the middle of it.


    However, Sparkle didn''t instantly reappear to snatch the apples away. Julio waited for a long time. Finally, on the daybreak of the next morning, Sparkle reappeared with a sh of light.


    Sparkle waved her arm, scooping up the five apples when the table folded from the middle. A loud <i>bang</i> echoed as the table sandwiched Sparkle from both sides.


    Meanwhile, the triangr magic formation came to life, and multiple dark blue threads rushed out of it, shuttling through the table to sew it in ce.


    However, Julio''s anger was not assuaged by the sight. Instead, he was further infuriated upon using his xray vision and discovering that the huge cocoon-like object before him was empty¡ªSparkle had escaped him once again.


    "Hahaha, great! This is just great!" Julio eximed, revealing a forced smile.


    Julio went head-to-head with Sparkle over the next few days. He tried every possible way to trap Sparkle, but thetter would always escape him.


    Julio had been the overlord of the Subterranean Sea for a long time, which meant that things would often go his way. However, Julio couldn''t trap Sparkle for some reason, making him feel like he was about to go crazy from frustration.


    Julio was sure that he had never been so frustrated before.


    The daybreak of another morning arrived, and Julio was unwittingly transfixed on the ten apples in front of him. The faint dark circles under his eyes indicated that he was sleep-deprived, but Julio needed to trap Sparkle rather than sleep.


    The ten apples in front of him were in the middle of a variety of formations, relics, and strange mechanical objects brimming with inscrutable inscriptions. Julio had decided to go all out just to trap Sparkle, and he refused to believe that the little girl could still escape his trap.


    Julio cast a nervous gaze at the clock hanging on the wall. His multiple encounters with Sparkle over the past few days had allowed him to grasp Sparkle''s attack pattern.


    Sparkle would snatch his apples every day at seven o''clock sharp.


    "Five, four, three, two... one! Don''t even think about running away from me this time!!" Julio roared. His eyes shed with excitement as he took to the air; the formations, relics, and strange mechanical objects came to life, emitting both dim and radiant light.


    A creaking noise echoed as the door next to Julio was opened.


    Anna walked in while holding Sparkle''s hand.


    "I didn''t expect Governor Julio to be a child at heart. I''m really surprised to see you ying so enthusiastically with a child less than a year old."


    Feeling a bit embarrassed, Julio waved his hand. The formations, relics, and strange mechanical objects in the hall vanished.


    "<i>Ahem... ahem,</i>" Julio cleared his throat before asking, "Who are you?"


    "Weren''t you looking for the Governor of Hope Ind? That''s me. And this ce is my home. If you need a ce to stay, then go and look for a ce to stay outside."


    Julio''s bravado returned upon hearing Anna''s remark. He stared coldly at Anna and pointed out. "As far as I know, Hope Ind''s governor isn''t a woman. Tell Charles toe out and see me."


    "Whatever business you have, discuss it with me. If you don''t want to talk to me, then please leave. Hope Ind doesn''t wee you," Anna said. She walked to a chair and sat down sideways.


    Julio examined Anna carefully, and his eyes reflected not even a tinge of illicit desires as he was faced with Anna''s sexy figure. His eagle-like eyes allowed him to see deeper, and he muttered in astonishment, "You... seem to..."


    "Are you going to speak or not? They''re all ready outside," Anna asked, staring calmly at Julio.


    Julio turned to look at the wall and saw that the streets and rooftops outside the Governor''s Mansion were riddled with troops armed with deadly weapons. The dark muzzles of the troops'' weapons were pointing at the Governor''s Mansion.


    Julio turned to Sparkle sitting on Anna''sp. "I acknowledge your qualification to speak to me on ount of her being so obedient to you. I don''t like beating around the bush, either.


    "Anyway, I''m here to meet the Governor of Hope Ind for a couple of things.


    "First of all, I need those seeds that can grow under the death light. Distributing them ind by ind is too slow. The Northern Seas isn''t the only sea region throughout the Subterranean Sea. The Eastern, Southern, and Western Seas exist as well."


    "How much are you willing to pay for those seeds?" Anna asked, smiling faintly at Julio.


    Julio frowned slightly and pointed out. "Aren''t you giving out those seeds for free?"


    "That''s right; they''re free. They''re free if you can wait. My obedient daughter will eventually arrive at your Cat Ind to deliver those seeds to you; you just have to wait for half a year or maybe a year," Anna said, hugging Sparkle in her arms.


    "That cmity is affecting every single human being throughout the Subterranean Sea. nting those seeds a day sooner means saving more lives thanter. Knowing that, how dare you set such conditions?" Julio stood up. His towering figure as well as his angered expression made him look like a furious lion.


    The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly tense, and just as it reached the boiling point, Anna covered her mouth and chuckled. "Governor Julio, you really have no sense of humor. I was just joking. Why did you take it seriously?"


    "That wasn''t a funny joke at all," Julio said, sitting back down with a cold expression.


    "So that was your first motive foring here? What''s next?" Anna blinked at him.


    "I''ve alsoe here to know more about the death light that''s exterminating mankind as we speak. Does it have anything to do with the missing Divine Light Order?" Julio asked.

 Chapter 505. Returning to the Island

    <h4>Chapter 505. Returning to the Ind</h4>


    "I''ve alsoe here to know more about the death light that''s exterminating mankind as we speak. Does it have anything to do with the missing Divine Light Order?" Julio''s words echoed in the quiet hall.


    Anna cast a surprised look at Julio. "You actually care about that, Governor Julio?"


    "What do you mean, ''care''? Do you not know how many people died on my ind because of that death light? And that death light also killed my four sons and six grandsons!"


    Anna frowned slightly at the remark and asked, "Howe you only counted the men and not the women? Are your daughters and granddaughters somehow unaffected by the death light? The sunlight doesn''t discriminate; it shines on both men and women, doesn''t it?"


    "Don''t you dare avoid my questioning!" Julio eximed, and a horrifying aura burst out of him. Beneath Julio''s piercing gaze, Anna felt as if numerous sharp knives were grazing her skin. "I''m not the only one seeking the answer to that question. The entire Subterranean Sea wants to know the answer to that question as well!


    "I know that your Hope Ind had an extraordinary rtionship with the Divine Light Order, but if you dare cover their tracks, you better be prepared to be enemies of the entire Subterranean Sea!"


    "<i>Sigh, </i>why are you so impatient? It''s not like I''m not going to tell you. Actually, there''s a straightforward answer to that question. The cmity was a result of the Pope''s scheme..."


    In the dark hall, Anna recounted the entire course of events to Julio. Of course, she purposely didn''t mention Charles'' involvement in some of them.


    Julio''s eyes darkened as if there were a tempestuous storm within. "Is that true? The Light God has awakened and has gone to the surface world?"


    "Mmhmm, but even He ended up perishing¡ªHe died on the surface world. Charles and I had left Hope Ind to go to the surface, but we decided to return upon seeing the dangers of the surface world."


    Julio''s eyes widened in shock, and he eximed, "How could that be?! The Light God is a Divinity! What entity can kill a Divinity?!"


    "Do you really think that I''d have the answer to that high level of a question? If I had encountered that entity on the surface world, I''m afraid I wouldn''t have been able toe back," Anna replied.


    Julio went silent. He sat quietly, digesting the shocking pieces of information that he had just heard from Anna.


    A long whileter, Julio stood up with a solemn expression and said, "I''m going to send my men to the surface and verify whether you''ve lied to me or not. I hope they won''t end up discovering anything that''ll prove that you''ve lied to me today."


    "Haha. I advise you not to do such a thing unless it''s absolutely necessary. If you identally lure something from above to the Subterranean Sea, then we''re all doomed," Anna said, seemingly sneering at Julio.


    "You have no right to interfere with my affairs; no, it''s not just you. No one has the right to tell me what to do," Julio said, turning around and walking toward the exit.


    "All right, but I want to make something clear. We''re the ones who discovered the ind below the exit to the surface world; ording to the rules of the Explorers Association, the ind also counts as ours."


    Julio revealed a hint of disdain on his face as he walked away. As the sound of footsteps disappeared, Julio''s figure disappeared from Anna''s sight as well.


    "Tsk, that old man has such a foul temper. I really want to know if his flesh is just as foul as his temper," Anna said, brows knitted ever so slightly as she twirled Sparkle''s long hair with one hand.


    Anna seemed to be in deep contemtion, pondering over her encounter with Julio. A few minutester, she patted Sparkle''s head and said, "Send me back."


    Sparkle nodded. She jumped down Anna''sp and ran to the table. Then, she scooped the ten apples into her arms before teleporting Anna away.


    Charles was busy writing in his diary inside one of the airship''s cabins. He heard movement behind him, but he didn''t even turn his head as he asked, "Howe you were gone for so long? Did something happen on the ind?"


    "It wasn''t anything serious, and it has been resolved. Julio has decided to pay our ind a visit," Anna said. She let go of Sparkle and sprawled out on the soft bed.


    "Julio?!" Charles eximed. He turned around with a grim look and asked, "Why did he visit us?"


    Julio was the overlord of the Subterranean Sea, and Charles found it weird that the former had decided to visit Hope Ind, considering how there was an ongoing cmity.


    Anna revealed Julio''s motive to Charles, and she also told Charles about Julio''s reaction when she told thetter about what had transpired on the surface.


    "He''s not the type to easily believe any information. He''s definitely going to send his own people to investigate up there. Once he discovers that you were involved in the Light God''s awakening, I''m afraid he might attack Hope Ind."


    Charles put the fountain pen in his hand on the table and sighed lightly before replying, "As if not enough people have already died."


    "Well, who can say for sure? Anyway, we need to be on guard. Thew of the jungle reigns supreme over the Subterranean Sea, and we can''t just hope that Julio will remain calm and diplomatic.


    "Since we can''t get to the surface world, Hope Ind is going to be our home today and in the future. By the way, give me your phone," Anna said.


    "Phone?" Charles was startled. Anna had changed topics too fast that he couldn''t quite keep up.


    "Yes, give me that phone. Do you still have <i>that</i> tablet? Give it to me as well."


    Charles raised his prosthetic limb and opened his palm. His cell phone popped out of his palm, and he tossed it to Anna.


    "It''s not going to be useful to you, anyway. However, the Relic Research Institute might be able to replicate it." Anna caught the phone and ced a hand on Sparkle. The two then vanished into thin air.


    Left all alone, Charles'' brows knitted tightly as he pondered over Anna''s ount.


    Time ticked by, and the airship slowly approached Hope Ind. Charles had departed Hope Ind with a grand fleet, but only his airship returned to Hope Ind, as the fleet had remained on Annarles Ind to construct a base and docks.


    It was a good thing that they had brought with them a variety of supplies in preparation for their departure to the surface world. They couldn''t employ those supplies on the surface, but they still came in handy on Annarles Ind.


    An airship would never get attacked by monsters in the sea, but it was slower than most ships. Charles found his days in the airship to be quite boring. Eventually, Charles pped his eyes on Hope Ind''s canopy, and he sighed in relief.


    He really couldn''t get used to doing nothing other than eating and sleeping all day.


    Soon, the airshipnded slowly at the newly repaired airport. Among the waiting crowd, Charles saw a familiar face that he hadn''t seen in a long while.


    Charles jumped off the airship, and the moment his two feet touched the ground, Elizabeth rushed over excitedly and embraced him with enough force to lift both his feet off of the ground.


    "Darling, you''re finally back! I missed you so much!"


    "Let go... I can''t breathe." Charles had to forcefully pull his head away from Elizabeth''s soft bosom just to breathe.


    Just then, Anna walked down the steps, and she revealed a hint of disgust upon seeing the intimate scene.


    Elizabeth hugged Charles a bit tighter seemingly in a show of defiance.


    Anna couldn''t even be bothered to look at her and made a beeline for a nearby car.


    "Anna, where are you going?" Charles asked, staring at Anna.


    "Of course, I''m leaving to give you two some space. What? Don''t tell me that you want to have the both of us together at the same time?


    "Are you not afraid that she''ll make you a cuckold by sleeping with me while you''re asleep?" Anna said sarcastically. She didn''t even wait for Charles'' reply as she turned to the driver and said, "Drive me to the Relic Research Institute."

 Chapter 506. Feuerbach

    <h4>Chapter 506. Feuerbach</h4>


    Elizabeth spent the next two days thoroughly expressing her longing for Charles.


    Elizabeth was so happy that she almost went crazy upon hearing that Charles had decided to settle in the Subterranean Sea for good rather than go to the surface world.


    It wasn''t a strange reaction. After all, it meant that her lover no longer had to take risks. He could remain on Hope Ind as its governor, and she would never have to worry about Charles dying all of a sudden while he was out at sea.


    On the morning of the third day, the first thing Charles saw when he opened his eyes was Elizabeth sprawled out next to him with disheveled hair.


    The sleeping Elizabeth looked extremely fragile; her fists were clenched and held up to her chest. Charles couldn''t see the domineering aura of a governor from her at the moment.


    Elizabeth''s eyes moved and opened slowly. Elizabeth smiled sweetly upon seeing Charles staring at her.


    "Good morning, darling," Elizabeth said. Then, she stretched her long arms and hugged Charles before kissing him gently.


    "Want to sleep a bit more? We slept verytest night," Charles asked, wrapping an arm around her slender waist.


    Elizabeth shook her head, and her radiant white hair swayed slightly. "I''m not tired. I''m not going to get tired even without sleep as long as I''m with you."


    "Well, I have many things to do, so let''s get up. I''ve rested long enough as well," Charles said, wriggling out of her embrace. He rose from the bed and picked up his clothes strewn across the floor to put them on.


    "I thought you''ve already decided about not going to the surface? What do you mean you have many things to do?" Elizabeth asked as she stood up and pressed herself against Charles'' scar-riddled back.


    "There are still two things that I have to do. I don''t have to do them as soon as possible, but they must be done."


    Charles'' transparent tentacles squirmed out of his back and wrapped around Elizabeth. Then, the tentacles carried Elizabeth andid her gently on the bed.


    Elizabeth was squeezing an invisible tentacle in her hand when she blushed upon recallingst night''s event. "Your special ability is not bad at all. It''s very versatile, but... howe you''re so skilled at using it <i>that</i> way?


    "Have you practiced it on someone else before?"


    "It''s too early for you to ask so many questions. Hurry up and get dressed. Let''s go have breakfast first before anything else."


    Charles and Elizabeth sat in front of the brand-new table in the dining hall of the Governor''s Mansion. A sumptuous breakfast was before them, and they ate with relish.


    While they were eating, Charles decided to take the opportunity to ask Elizabeth about her motive foring to Hope Ind. Considering what was happening at the moment, there was definitely a reason for her visit to Hope Ind.


    "Elizarles Shores needs more food. The other inds had a ton of casualties, but it''s the opposite for my ind. Too many people survived, and we don''t have enough food to feed them; they won''tst until the bananas have grown."


    Charles chewed and swallowed the food in his mouth before replying, "No problem. Tell my people how much food you''ll need to fill in the deficit, and they''ll send merchant ships over to your ind. The Light God''s light didn''t cause any damage to Hope Ind, so we don''t reallyck food."


    Recalling the death light, Elizabeth sighed and said, "That light killed too many people. While I was on my way here, I saw some inds with harbors filled with corpses. No one''s collecting the corpses, and I reckon that the majority of the people of those inds ended up dying beneath the death light."


    The atmosphere in the room became a bit solemn and gloomy at Elizabeth''s remark.


    Charles used his fork to fiddle with the food on his te before saying, "I''ll have Sparkle write down the names of the inds that have suffered irredeemable damage, and then we''ll send boats to take the denizens of those inds to Skywater Ind or perhaps Annarles Ind.


    "They won''t have any issues making a livelihood on those inds."


    Elizabeth seemed a bit surprised as she stared at Charles and asked, "You''ve be a bit soft-hearted. I didn''t expect you to even care about such things, much less send boats to rescue them."


    "We''re all human beings, after all. I''m going to help if I can," Charles said, his voice carrying a hint of mncholy.


    Just then, a manservant peeked into the hall and said, "Governor, Mr. Feuerbach is here. He says he''s here to discuss something with you."


    "Feuerbach?" Charles was stunned. Then, he wiped his mouth clean and stood up. "Darling, stay here and enjoy your meal. I''ll be right back."


    When Charles arrived at the reception room, he saw Feuerbach hugging a ck cat. It was Lily''s cat¡ªckie.


    "Captain." Feuerbach stood up and shed Charles his signature smile.


    "Is something wrong?" Charles asked, sitting down on a chair.


    "I''m here to tell you that I''m leaving Hope Ind," Feuerbach said.


    Charles felt his pupils constrict upon hearing Feuerbach''s remark.


    "Your family is here, and yournd is here as well, so where are you going?" Charles asked.


    Feuerbach squatted and released the ck cat in his arms. Then, he stood up and calmly replied, "I''ve failed my mission, so it''s only natural for me to return to where I''vee from."


    "Mission? I knew it..." Charles muttered. He wasn''t surprised at all. He had noticed quite a few strange things about Feuerbach, and they were all pointing at the same thing¡ªFeuerbach hade here on a special mission.


    However, Charles was caught off guard by Feuerbach''s immediate confession.


    "Five years ago, we upied Hope Ind together. In other words, you have been hiding your identity for that long at the very least. Who sent you here, and what is their purpose in doing so?"


    "Captain, will you have me arrested and tortured if I don''t tell you the answer?" Feuerbach asked, chuckling.


    "No," Charles replied with a shake of his head. The Narwhale has been dmissioned, so I no longer need a second mate. It doesn''t really matter anymore.


    "I''m just curious. I have never concealed the fact that I''m from the surface world, so why monitor me? Moreover, we''ve been through so many adventures together. There were many times when you could have harmed me, but you didn''t do anything."


    Feuerbach smiled wryly and said, "Sorry, Captain. I''ve been deceiving you for so long, but I didn''te here for you. I came here for the Pope. My mission was to stop him, but I failed, which resulted in¡ªI''m sure you already know."


    "You and the people behind you wanted to stop the Pope?" Charles frowned slightly. Feuerbach had first appeared as one of the captains that Kord had recruited for their quest to find the Land of Light. It turned out that Feuerbach''s target had never been Charles.


    "We actually have no idea what the Pope wanted to do, but we decided to monitor him, anyway. Who would have thought that he''d end up causing such a cmity?


    "I tried to send a message out when I found out what the Pope wanted to do, but the Pope was so wary at the time that I failed in every single attempt. In fact, I almost got exposed."


    "Then, why did you not directly tell me back then?" Charles asked.


    Feuerbach smiled and replied, "Would you have listened to me if I had told you at the time? Considering your obsession with the surface world, would you have given up on your quest to reach it if I had told you everything?


    "Moreover, you had already signed a contract with the Pope. Giving up was tantamount to suicide, so you couldn''t have given up."


    Charles stared wordlessly at Feuerbach.


    Feuerbach spoke again, "Captain, it''s useless to say anything at this point. It''s toote. Anyway, I should get going."


    Charles merely stared at Feuerbach''s departing figure, choosing not to stop thetter. Feuerbach was right. It didn''t matter whether Feuerbach''s words were true or not, as it was toote; everything was over.


    Feuerbach suddenly stopped in front of the door. Then, he turned around to Charles and said, "Captain, are you looking for a way to cure everyone''s insanity?"


    "Their insanity stems from God Fhtagn. Who else would know best about this slumbering Divinity? Perhaps you can try to find a solution through them."


    With that, Feuerbach bowed to Charles and left the living room of the Governor''s Mansion.

 Chapter 507. Fhtagn Covenant

    <h4>Chapter 507. Fhtagn Covenant</h4>


    "Governor, Mr. Feuerbach has left. He entered the sea alone and followed the school of red sharks," the silver-haired butler ryed what he saw at the docks.


    "Alone? What about his wife and child?" Charles asked.


    "His wife and child are still on the ind," the butler continued. "After leaving the Governor''s Mansion, Mr. Feuerbach didn''t even drop by his home and headed straight to the docks instead."


    A soft chuckle escaped Charles'' lips. For Feuerbach to abandon his family just like that, it seemed like everything about him was just a facade. He had no lingering attachments to anything on the ind¡ªnot his wife, not his child, not even thend and house given to him.


    "Who could have sent him here and what did they promise him that he''d forsake wealth, power, and his own family?" Charles muttered to himself.


    However, Feuerbach''s origins no longer mattered, as the chapter hade to an end. Charles probably wouldn''t see the man who had been part of his crew for five years ever again.


    Just then, Feuerbach''s parting words surfaced in his mind.


    <i>"Their insanity stems from God Fhtagn. Who else would know best about this slumbering Divinity? Perhaps you can try to find a solution through them."</i>


    <i>Fhtagn Covenant... Those infected with the D4 meme ording to the Foundation''s logs... </i>Charles'' eyes narrowed in deep thought as his metal fingers drummed rhythmically against the wooden desk top.


    His crew members had been driven crazy by God Fhtagn''s chanting sounds. Ironically, those cultists worshiped Him, and they might also really hold the leads to reverse his crew members'' insanity.


    However, a new problem had manifested itself. Charles''s rtionship with the Fhtagn Covenant was strained, and it could even be described as hostile due to his dealings with the Pope.


    Nheless, Charles didn''t want to give up on the potential lead. No matter if it would actually lead to a solution, he had to try. Furthermore, he still had an unyed card in his hand to strike a deal with them


    After a moment of contemtion, Charles raised his head and looked at the butler.


    "Fetch me a ss of water, please," he instructed.


    A hint of confusion flickered across the butler''s face.


    "A ss of water, sir?" the butler echoed.


    "Yes, a ss of water. Any water will do. Be quick."


    "Right away!" The butler briskly exited the room.


    Soon, a ss filled to the brim with clear, fresh water was ced before Charles. With a deliberate tilt of his right hand, Charles poured the water across the desk.


    The water swiftly saturated the papers on the desk to create a wet sheen on the surface.


    "I''m Governor Charles of Hope Ind," Charles said to the pool of water. "I have something to discuss with you."


    This method was the one that the Fhtagn Covenant had previously taught him. Using water as amunication medium, they had contacted Charles to sway him onto their side to resist the Divine Light Order. However, Charles had turned down their offer back then.


    However, in a twist of fate, Charles was utilizing theirmunication medium under such circumstances.


    "I''m Governor Charles of Hope Ind. I have something to discuss with your covenant," Charles reiterated his request, but the still water remained unresponsive.


    After waiting for a few seconds, just as Charles thought that those zealous cultists had chosen to ignore him, a wisp of ck diffused across the water and a pair of familiar octopus-like eyes with horizontal pupils surfaced.


    As if gargling thick phlegm, a voice filled the room with its mocking words.


    "Oh, all glory to the Great One; look at who this is. Isn''t this the exalted Governor Charles of Hope Ind? What an honor to have your esteemed self to grace us, lowly cultists, with your presence."


    The disdain in Hook''s voice was a stark contrast to the subservient tone he had used months ago when he had attempted to sway Charles'' allegiance.


    However, Charles had no patience for pleasantries and cut straight to the chase. "Hook, does the Covenant know of any ways to reverse the insanity induced by God Fhtagn''s chanting?"


    A dark chuckle echoed through the room. "Oh, without the Divine Light Order to back you up now, you are thinking of seeking reconciliation with us?"


    Charles'' brow furrowed slightly; his patience was wearing thin. "Just tell me. Does the Covenant have a way? And what would be the price to know the solution."


    As soon as his words fell, the water on the table roiled violently. Several octopus tentacles with barbed hooks shot out of the water. Oozing a ck viscous fluid, they aimed straight for Charles'' neck.


    With a swift kick, Charles mmed his right boot into the heavy wooden desk and sent it skidding across the room. The sudden increase in distance thwarted the tentacles'' assault as they could no longer reach him.


    A furious roar erupted from the water. Hook''s voice was twisted with rage as he spat out, "You want our help? Dream on! Do you know how many of our followers have been beheaded or scalped because of the warrants issued by Hope Ind?!


    "The Divine Light Order is gone, and your backing has also vanished! Just wait! Once we settle our own affairs, we''ll return all the misery you and the Pope inflicted upon us¡ªmultiplied!"


    The tentacles slowly retracted into the water and the ck liquid gradually faded to be clear once again.


    Just as Hook''s eyes were about to disappear from sight, Charles asked, "Is there really no room for negotiation?"


    A bitter and coldugh sounded from the water. "Room for negotiation? You can discuss with the Great One after your death! There is not even the slightest possibility of resolving the hatred between us! Your ind, your family, and everything you hold dear¡ªwe will obliterate them!"


    Leaning slightly forward, Charles fixed his gaze on Hook''s eyes which were slowly fading into the depths. He was going to y his trump card.


    "Then what if I say that I know where your Great One is? I''ll use this information in exchange for the cure of the madness He has induced. Surely that''s a trade you''d consider?" Charles countered.


    "What?" The clear water instantly darkened again. Apart from Hook''s eyes that had reappeared on the surface, other pairs of eyes of varying sizes also emerged.


    The myriad eyes crowding the water pooled on the tabletop gave it the appearance of a monster nketed in eyes.


    "Mortal! Where did you see the Great One?"


    "Answer me! You have seen our great God Fhtagn! Why haven''t you gone mad?!"


    "If you dare to deceive us... you''re finished!"


    Seeing the countless horizontal octopus pupils squirming and jostling each other in the water, an unexpected calm washed over Charles.


    To the faithful, especially the zealots, nothing was more important than their god, and now, the tables had turned.


    "So do you guys actually have a solution?" Charles posed his question again.


    After a brief silent exchange among the eyeballs, they dispersed quickly. The pool of ck water on the table then levitated like a sheet of fabric and morphed into a humanoid figure that resembled a jellyfish.


    "Have you beheld the true form of the Great One?" the water figure spoke. Charles knew instantly that it wasn''t Hook, as the voice carried a different tone and authority. It seemed like a higher-ranking member of the Fhtagn Covenant had taken over the negotiation.


    "Let me guess," the water figure said, "Your men got too close to the Great One, and as mortals, they couldn''t withstand His divine presence, and that''s how they went mad. Am I right?"


    "So do you have a solution or not?" Charles demanded, his brows deeply pressed together. He was getting annoyed.


    "We do," the water figure confirmed.

 Chapter 508. Solution (1)

    <h4>Chapter 508. Solution (1)</h4>


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat upon hearing that the Fhtagn Covenant had a method to restore his crew members'' sanity.


    "Let''s make a deal. I''ll give you the location, and you give me the method," Charles proposed. As the sole witness, only he knew where the door leading to God Fhtagn was located.


    Of course, Charles held back a bit here; he only promised to tell them the location of God Fhtagn, not to personally guide them there.


    The Dark Abyssal Trench was vast, and he nned to let them search blindly. Putting aside theplex ritual needed to open the door, only Edikth''s Chosen One could locate the door, and that itself was a monumental hurdle.


    Charles had no intentions of truly letting these zealots locate God Fhtagn. If they identally woke the Divinity up from His slumber, the joke would be on him.


    "Tell me the location first. Once we behold the true form of the Great One, we''ll naturally share the method with you," the water figure demanded.


    The corner of Charles'' lips curled up into a cold smirk. "Do you take me for a fool? If you really wish to close the deal, then show some sincerity first. Cure two of my crew members first, and then I''ll give you a general direction."


    In the face of Charles'' counteroffer, the writhing jellyfish-like figure fell silent and hovered motionlessly in ce.


    Just as Charles was specting if the other part was deliberating on the cost, he suddenly felt a tense pull inside his skull. It was as if something was tugging at his brain¡ªIt was Anna''s tentacles!


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The door flew open with a thunderous kick, and Anna strode in with her elegant brows slightly creased.


    "Be careful; he''s prying into your memories. That thing has never intended to deal fairly!"


    "Fuck!" Consumed by rage, Charles whipped out a tentacle covered with white arcs of electricity. With a swift motion, he struck the water figure and shattered it into a spray of droplets that scattered across the room.


    The ck water droplets swiftly writhed and converged once again.


    However, Anna gently flicked her finger, and the pool of dark water fell to the ground, reverting into a harmless puddle of clear, fresh water.


    "What''s going on here? Why did you end up making contact with the Fhtagn Covenant? I thought you swore to bring an end to them after they sent the Deep Dwellers to attack Hope Ind," Anna remarked.


    Charles quickly exined the situation to her as he resettled into his leather chair. His brows were furrowed in thought as he mulled over what had transpired earlier.


    "If you n to engage with them again, make sure that I''m around. Those fanatics always y dirty; I''ve dealt with them before," Anna advised.


    Charles lifted his gaze and looked at Anna. "You''ve dealt with them before? When?"


    Anna approached him and settled onto hisp before wrapping her arms around his neck. "I''ve dealt with many things. So what do you n to do next? They don''t seem eager to help you."


    Charles instinctively wrapped his arms around Anna''s waist. "The conversation wasn''t fruitless. At least, Feuerbach was right. The Fhtagn Covenant does hold a method to reverse the crew''s insanity. Now, we just need to figure out how to get our hands on it."


    "This isn''t the same as exploring an ind. They are a centuries-old cult with countless followers entrenched in the Subterranean Sea. Do you n to storm into theirir alone and force them to hand the method over? Do you think you are the protagonist of some movie?" Anna retorted.


    "I''m aware of that. But don''t forget. Apart from being the Captain of the Narwhale, I''m also the Governor of Hope Ind. We can use that as leverage."


    "Will that work? Relying on Hope Ind, which was only discovered five years ago? They have countless followers, and their connections with the native tribes that worship Fhtagn are unclear," Anna said with skepticism etching her features.


    "Yes, they have countless followers. But don''t forget that the Light God''s light spares no one. Under the sunlight, the Fhtagn Covenant must have lost many followers. They can feign arrogance all they want earlier, but they can''t fool me.


    "They''ve also just had a tough battle with the Divine Light Order before they had to face the Light God''s wrath. It''s unlikely that the Fhtagn Covenant would start a war now unless they want to face extinction."


    Anna pondered over Charles'' words for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Hearing youy out the facts like that, you might actually have the strength topete with them. Should I recall the Navy from Annarles Ind first?"


    Charles thought for a brief moment before he spoke slowly, "Yes. Have the Navy be prepared. If a war ends up breaking out, then we need to eliminate this threat once and for all. If we''re going to be enemies with them, we might as well go all out and nip them in the bud."


    However, Anna seemed to have her own thoughts on the situation.


    "Charles," Anna began. "If there''s no rush, you might want to consider waiting. You''ve seen it yourself¡ªthanks to the Relic Research Institute, technology on Hope Ind is advancing rapidly.


    "Time is on our side. Due to the Light God''s radiance, at least eighty percent of the Subterranean Sea''s poption has been wiped out. Cults are also considered religions. Without humans, putting followers aside, they won''t be able to gather enough sacrifices for their rituals.


    "As for weaponry, given some time, we would have no issues reaching the technological level of World War II within a few years. Coupled with the various relics in the Subterranean Sea at our disposal, those lunatics won''t stand a chance against us.


    "By then, you can just stomp into theirir with arge army. What choice would they have but to give you the cure for the madness?"


    Charles furrowed his brows as he contemted Anna''s suggestion. Her approach would take a longer time to execute, but it would minimize the damage to Hope Ind. After all, a war was definitely going to cost lives.


    He hated to admit it, but despite the Light God''s radiance killing many, Hope Ind hadn''t been affected. This was an undisturbed opportunity for growth.


    ??After a moment of careful consideration, Charles said, "Let''s first send someone to check on their situation. Before we decide on our next move, we need a clear understanding of their actual strength."


    Anna cast a nce at Charles'' side profile before letting out a soft sigh. "Do you know why I insisted on letting the giantess apany you?"


    Charles was taken aback by the question and looked toward Anna, waiting for her to continue.


    "It''s because you have finally let go of your obsessions and I really wanted you to have a good rest. However, it seems you couldn''t even take a break for a few days without stirring up more trouble."


    "As long as you are alive, you are bound to be troubled by issues. Only the dead are free from troubles. We''ve finally found a breakthrough for the crew''s insanity, which is good news. And then, we still have the issue with Lily."


    The image of the adorable little mouse surfaced in Charles'' mind. "Even though they went crazy, they won''t die. But a mouse only lives a few years. In fact, Lily''s situation is a more pressing matter."


    He had already made a mistake, so Charles resolved not to repeat the same mistake. This time, he wouldn''t wait until Lily was near the end of her lifespan before making a move.


    "Lily..." Anna muttered as she cast a doubtful nce at Charles.


    Noticing that Anna''s gaze on him was a bit strange, Charles raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why?"


    "I was just thinking... Considering your taste, a mouse is usible, right?"


    "Are you out of your mind?" Charles retorted, and the corner of his mouth twitched as if he was unsure whether to be amused or annoyed.

 Chapter 509. Solution (2)

    <h4>Chapter 509. Solution (2)</h4>


    Charles narrowed his eyes and looked at Anna. "Do you women think of nothing but romance?"


    "I mean, why else are you going to such lengths to find a way to save her? Is that little mouse really that important to you?" Anna retorted with a teasing smile.


    "Because she''s my gunner and she has been through life and death with me!"


    "Rx, rx! I was just teasing you. So how do you n to save that little mouse of yours?"


    Charles let out a soft sigh. "I have no idea. Lily''s situation isn''t that simple. The Pope had even utilized the entire Divine Light Order''s resources but still failed to find a solution. Conventional methods probably won''t work for Lily."


    Anna gave a gentle pat on Charles'' cheek and said, "Well, slowly take your time to think about it. I''ve got other things to settle so I''ll leave now." She then turned toward the door and made her way out.


    Just as Anna cracked open the ornate wooden door, a tentacle shot out from her back and swiftly coiled around a small silhouette outside.


    Having been eavesdropping on their conversation from outside, Lily let out a yelp as she was caught.


    "Catch your little mouse, Charles. Be careful that she doesn''t get eaten by a cat," Anna said as she tossed Lily through the air.


    Charles extended a tentacle and caught Lily in mid-air as she flew toward him.


    "Mr. Charles, good morning," Lily greeted with an embarrassed smile.


    "What brings you here today?" Charles asked.


    Lily cast a nce at Anna, who had disappeared through the doorway, and shook her head vigorously. "Oh, nothing really! I just haven''t seen you for a long while and wanted toe take a look at you."


    Charles gently stroked Lily''s soft fur as he ced her on his shoulder. "Next time, juste in directly. There''s no need to sneak around. You are not a real mouse, you know."


    "Okay!" Lily responded with a sweet smile and quickly brought up another matter. "By the way, Mr. Charles, can you fix the roller coaster in the backyard? It''s covered in rust and won''t run anymore."


    "Roller coaster?" Charles was stunned momentarily but soon recalled the miniature roller coaster he had built to fulfill one of Lily''s dying wishes.


    "Let''s go have a look," Charles suggested and with Lily on his shoulder, they headed to the backyard.


    When he arrived, he immediately saw the neglected track which resembled a racetrack for four-wheel drive cars. It was rust-stricken and covered in dust, but it wasn''t a strange sight. After all, this area had been abandoned the moment Lily passed away.


    Charles himself had deliberately avoideding to the backyard to spare himself from the sorrow.


    Soon, a team of shipyard engineers was called in. They oiled and removed the rust, quickly restoring the roller coaster to its former gleam.


    Lily''s shrieks of delight filled the air and breathed new life into the backyard as a group of mice gathered around, watching her in excitement.


    Watching Lily zoom through the track again and again, a soft smile spread across Charles'' face. Sometimes, he really envied Lily.


    Not only had Lily''s mouse body constrained her physical self, but it also restricted her mental growth. Though nearly sixteen by human age, she still had the temperament of a child.


    Everyone yearned to grow up when they were young, but only after growing up, did they realize that their childhood was the best time of their lives.


    Just as Charles watched the roller coaster making yet another loop around the track, something unusual in the distance caught his eye.


    <i>Hmm? What''s that? </i>Charles thought as his gaze drifted past the roller coaster to a towering structure swaying in the background.


    The ck tower was rapidly ascending¡ªten meters, twenty meters, and thirty meters¡ªbefore finally piercing through the overhead canopy and into the sunlight.


    Charles looked on as the metal construct continued to rise and a sudden thought came to mind. He was reminded of the dome rail project that Gordon had proposed to him.


    "They''ve started building it already?" Charles muttered to himself.


    He hadn''t received any recent updates on this project, and he discerned that it had probably been approved by Anna. While the inders were mesmerized by the astonishing construction, the high tower wobbled rmingly.


    Then, amidst everyone''s gasps and shouts, the tower tilted at a sharp angle before crashing to the ground, stirring up clouds of dust.


    "So it failed..." Charles muttered to himself. He wasn''t particrly disheartened. After all, groundbreaking endeavors were often built on a foundation of failures.


    With Anna taking charge now, he felt relieved that he no longer needed to concern himself over this particr project.


    Time ticked by as Charles patiently waited for the Navy''s intelligence department to update him on the Fhtagn Covenant.


    Fortunately, the telegraphwork across the Subterranean Sea was gradually being restored and just as Elizabeth reluctantly boarded a ship to depart, aprehensive folder containing thetest details about the Fhtagn Covenantnded on Charles''s desk.


    Under the bright illumination of the crystal chandelier, Charles'' brows were furrowed as he set down the papers he had been reading.


    As per his anticipation, the Fhtagn Covenant was in dire straits after enduring two consecutive setbacks. Their numbers had decreased sharply, leading to a significant decline in their influence across the Subterranean Sea.


    The Fhtagn Covenant had retreated to their headquarters¡ªDivinity''s Land¡ªto recuperate slowly. On top of that, in a desperate attempt to recover their numbers, the twelve-member council of the Fhtagn Covenant had imposed a ten-year ban on human sacrifices and even introduced rewards for childbirth.


    For a cult that thrived on human sacrificial rituals toe to such extreme measures¡ªit was an indication of just how dire their situation had be.


    At the same time, the cult''s newws highlighted the smartness of their leaders. They were zealots, but they were not foolish; Charles knew that if he wanted to make a deal with them, he had to be exceedingly cautious.


    The scratching of Charles'' pen against the paper filled the room as he rapidly listed down the currently avable forces of Hope Ind on one half of the paper and the Fhtagn Covenant''s resources on the other half.


    He meticulously weighed all scenarios, including the likelihood that the Covenant might harness the strength of the Deep Dwellers, as well as the possibility that the Giant Bird of Suffering religion, known for their animosity toward the Fhtagnists, might take advantage of the Fhtagnists'' weakened state to further beat them down.


    After a long period of strategizing, Charles set down his pen. Staring at the information before him, he scratched his head in frustration.


    The bnce of power was too even; starting a war would lead to devastating casualties, and this did not even take into ount any trump cards that the Fhtagn Covenant might have hidden up their sleeves.


    Given these considerations, rash action seemed unwise.


    <i>Do I really need to put the mission to cure my crew on the bench? </i>Charles pondered and rose to his feet, heading toward the sanatorium.


    The moment he stepped through the doors, the wails and cries of anguish from within struck him


    There seemed to be some changes to his crew''s symptoms, but regardless of the change, it only ranged from mild insanity to severe insanity.


    The Deputy Chief of the Police Department, Aliya, also entered Charles'' sight. Despite always portraying her resilient and strong side to others, her sharp gaze mellowed and was filled with sorrow as she watched her husband, Dipp, wing at his own scales in the water tank.


    Hearing footsteps from behind her, Aliya quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and turned around. Though Aliya masked it quickly, the hint of resentment in her gaze didn''t escape Charles'' eyes.


    "You don''t have to hide how you feel. I''m the reason why Dipp became like this. Your hatred toward me is justified," Charlesmented softly.


    Aliya turned back toward the water tank. A conflicted expression painted her visage as she looked at her deranged husband.


    "I''m sorry, Governor," Aliya spoke. "But seeing him like this breaks my heart.


    "I love him, and deeply so. All along, I''ve always felt that someone like me didn''t deserve him. The day that he proposed to me was the happiest day of my life."

 Chapter 510. Soften

    <h4>Chapter 510. Soften</h4>


    Before Aliya could continue her words, Charles heard footstepsing from the doorway. He turned around to see Bandages'' mother approaching them with a basket in her hands.


    "Governor, are you here to see Weister, too?" Elena greeted Charles with a nod and a gentle smile.


    "Do you not hate me for what happened to your son?" Charles asked, puzzled by her attitude.


    Elena looked like she had aged a little since thest time Charles saw her, but she remained resilient as she shook her head and said, "Please don''t mind me for being honest. At first, I <i>did</i> resent you. But now, I''vee to ept the situation as a blessing in disguise.


    "Though Weister no longer recognizes me, he no longer has to venture out to sea and put his life on the line. Neither do I have to worry whether my child wille home or not."


    "Also, he seems to be doing much better now. He''s now willing to chat with me and even calls me ''ma''am.'' Look, I even brought his favorite food," Elena added with a smile before moving past Charles and toward Bandages'' ward.


    With Elena''s arrival, Aliya decided to leave. "Sorry, Governor. I have to get back to my duties. If you find a way to cure Dipp, please let me know immediately."


    Aliya turned around and made her way toward the exit of the sanatorium.


    The corridor of the sanatorium was soon empty, and Charles was left all alone with his thoughts. Reflecting on the contrasting attitudes of the two women, he was reminded of his dilemma with the Fhtagn Covenant and found himself troubled once again.


    He wanted to restore his crew''s sanity, but at the same time, he didn''t want to incur massive casualties of thousands or even millions of people.


    The death toll of the Subterranean Sea from the recent cmity was staggering in itself, and there couldn''t be any more deaths.


    <i>Perhaps like what Anna suggested, I should wait until Hope Ind''s technology has advanced enough before I take action.</i>


    <i>But... What if we can pressure the Fhtagn Covenant with our military strength without entering an actual conflict?</i>


    As Charles mulled over the strategies in his mind on how to minimize the cost and damage to the minimum to still fulfill his goal, the seawater in the ss tank before him churned all of a sudden.


    The anomaly startled Dipp, and he darted frantically within his aquatic confines.


    Soon, a pair of familiar octopus eyes appeared in the water. The Fhtagn Covenant was making contact again.


    "Charles, we agree to the terms of our previous discussion." A voice sounded from the tank. "And to show our goodwill, we will cure one of your crew members first."


    Charles was just about to retort when he restrained himself. Regardless of whether their words were true or not, the message was undeniably tempting to him.


    If he epted it, one of his crew could regain their sanity sooner rather thanter!


    "Really? Are you guys that nice?" Charles asked, his voiceced with skepticism.


    "You were the one who set the terms, so why are you doubting it now?" the voice responded. "Indeed, we hold deep animosity for each other. If it were up to me, I would extract your soul and torment it in every conceivable way.


    "But before the Great One, all grievances can be set aside. He is unique and above all else, including our feud."


    Staring at the pair of horizontal pupils before him, Charles'' brows were furrowed as he considered if there could be some other ulterior motives behind the Fhtagnist''s words.


    Eventually, he decided to ept the offer. Even if this deal was a trojan horse, he''d let it in the city for the meantime.


    "All right, how shall we proceed with the deal?" Charles asked as he stared at the eyes in the tank.


    "My men are already there. They''re approaching Hope Ind''s docks as we speak. As per our previous conversation, we will fulfill our side of the deal first to show our sincerity.


    "Just to be clear, we can continue with our deal. But there''s another condition that we wish to add: you must tell us what the Pope did and where the Light God has gone."


    Charles sneered inwardly, realizing that these folks were unwilling to be at a disadvantage, and sought to reim some intelligence as part of the deal.


    "No problem. As long as you can salvage the sanity of all my crew members, we can talk about anything," Charles agreed readily.


    <i>Woosh!</i>


    The eyes in the water dispersed. The deranged Dipp rushed to the spot where the eyes had been and scratched frantically at the ss using his sharp ws.


    Giving a reassuring tap on the ss, Charles swiftly left the sanatorium and instructed his people to bring the Fhtagnists from the docks.


    Now, he had only one dilemma on his mind: with only one opportunity to restore sanity and a dozen crew members to consider, who should he give this chance to?


    After much deliberation, he ultimately decided to grant the spot to Bandages, not only because of their close rtionship but also because of his deep understanding of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    If they really had to confront the Covenant in the future, having Bandages would be advantageous. Also, it would be a bonus if they managed to find a way to save the others through him.


    Protesting loudly, Bandages'' face was flushed with anger and fury as he was forcibly carried into the reception hall of the Governor''s Mansion.


    "Quiet. You''ll recover soon enough. Why are you so annoying now that you''ve be capable of speaking ''properly''?" Charles said, his voice tinged with a hint of irritation.


    Hearing this, fear surfaced in Bandages'' gaze. During his long confinement, he hade to understand certain knowledge. Regardless of whether this was "his" body or Bandages'' body, to be "cured" meant that Bandages would return to this body, and his current self would cease to exist.


    "You... What are you trying to do?! I''m not Bandages! I''m not!!"


    "Gag him," Charlesmanded, his patience running thin.


    A swath of silk was thrust into Bandages'' mouth and muffled his protests. Amidst Bandages'' muffled cries, Charles'' gaze shifted to the entrance as the emissaries from the Fhtagn Covenant arrived.


    Three figures cloaked in red robes led a procession of seven or eight followers, each marked with octopus tattoos on their faces, into the hall.


    They were nked by a squad of guards armed with guns and relics. Even James himself was present; he appeared to hold the same distrust toward these Fhtagnists.


    Water droplets dripped from the Fhtagnists'' clothes, and the unmistakable briny scent of the sea followed them. They seemed to have just surfaced from beneath the waters.


    "Remove your cloaks; there''s no need to hide. I''ve already seen your distorted forms before," Charles remarked.


    At Charles'' words, the red robes slowly fell away to reveal three monstrous octopus heads, inducing a scream of horror from the maid standing nearby.


    "Governor Charles, it''s been a long while," the leader of the group addressed Charles. "Do you remember me? I was the one who sought your help in locating the sacred relic of our Lord."


    "Cut to the chase and get to work. He''s the one," Charles replied and gestured toward Bandages, who was thrashing more violently against his restraints with every passing moment.


    Seeing Charles'' reluctance to engage in exchanging pleasantries, the octopus-headed leader wasted no further time. He instructed the followers with octopus tattoos on their faces to clear the area and prepare for the ritual.


    Within moments, the tables, chairs, and even the carpet were removed from the room.


    Under the watchful gazes of everyone present, the octopus-headed figures brandished golden daggers and swiftly dissected one of the male Fhtagnists. Using his bones, organs, and flesh, they began crafting a formation on the floor, and the air thickened with the pungent scent of blood.


    Everyone, except the Fhtagnists, furrowed instinctively at the unfolding event. Soon, a grotesque spell array crafted from human remains appeared on the ground.


    Two Fhtagnists approached Bandages, took him from the soldiers, and ced him in the center of the array.


    The ck candles surrounding the perimeter of the spell array began to light up one after another. However, their mes were an unsettling sight, casting an eerie ck glow.


    Just as Charles thought that Bandages was on the verge of regaining his sanity, one of the octopus heads did a meticulous inspection of the man and turned to Charles, saying, "Governor Charles, our time is valuable, so please do not waste our time. This man isn''t under the influence of our Great One."

 Chapter 511. D4

    <h4>Chapter 511. D4</h4>


    "He''s not under the influence of God Fhtagn?" Charles looked at Bandages in the center of the bloody spell array with surprise. "That''s impossible. He only started bing like this after encountering God Fhtagn''s aura."


    The sticky tentacles beneath the octopus head quivered slightly, and the repulsive voice echoed once again.


    "I said he''s not under our Great One''s influence, so he definitely isn''t. We understand the divine might of the Great One far more than you do. Governor, please bring over someone else. The pure blood of the ritual is about to dry up. I''m afraid it won''t be as effective if we wait any longer."


    Charles frowned as he stared at Bandages, who was sprawled out on the ground.


    Since it wasn''t working on Bandages, who was he supposed to save first? After pondering for a few seconds, Charles turned to James, who was watching from the sidelines, and said, "Buddy, help me bring Dipp over here."


    The burly James nodded and left with a squad of police in ck uniforms.


    Charles stepped over the intestines on the ground and walked toward the dark brown octopus-headed leader.


    Charles stared into the eyes of the octopus-headed leader and said, "These people are my family. Don''t y any tricks. If anything untoward happens to them, none of you will be able to leave my ind alive."


    "Rest assured, Governor Charles. We''re not like the castrated Pope of that evil Divine Light Order. We have an agreement, and we definitely won''t go back on our word.


    "Moreover, it''s not like this is our first dealing. You should be aware of our credibility."


    Charles retreated from the spell array and smiled coldly. "I can''t say that for sure. The Pope might actually be more trustworthy than you."


    After a few minutes, Dipp strapped in a straitjacket was carried into the spell array. Dipp squirmed and struggled against the restraint, making him look like a giant maggot waiting to be ughtered.


    "This Deep Dweller can undergo the ritual. I can sense the residual force of the Great One within him."


    The three red-robed Fhtagn priests prostrated in a triangle outside the spell array. Their tentacle-like limbs squirmed out from under their robes and encircled the massive spell array, which was made out of flesh and blood.


    The followers with octopus tattoos on their faces stood at the outeryer of the spell array, and they started chanting an inscrutable incantation.


    "<i>Stell""""bsn...Nilgh""""ri...</i>"


    Charles had heard of their chanting before. They seemed to be imitating the annoying cursed whisperings that Charles was very familiar with.


    "<i>wk""""hmr...-nythlloigor...Sk''shgn.</i>"


    The chanting grew louder, and in addition to the chanting voices of the priests and the followers, Charles could also hear strange voices as well as intermittent eerie noises.


    The ck candle mes surged, igniting the bones and entrails on the ground. The spell array transformed into a sea of ck mes, scorching Dipp in the middle of the formation.


    Dipp''s face distorted into a hideous grimace, and he opened his mouth wide to let loose heart-wrenching howls. Before long, Dipp was covered in mes, and he rolled around in the spell array, clearly desperate to extinguish the mes.


    The mes emanated a horrifying aura that instilled a primal fear in everyone, and everyone retreated involuntarily in the face of it. Those with weaker constitutions even covered their mouths and rushed out of the door to vomit.


    Seeing the miserable state of his friend, James gnashed his chattering teeth. He cast a murderous gaze at the three red-robed priests conducting the ritual. He truly wanted to kill those deformed monsters, but he couldn''t do such a thing.


    The Captain had invited them, so the Captain definitely would definitely not allow them to harm his crew.


    The mes burned fiercely, and a cloud of ck smoke began to rise from Dipp. Dipp seemed to have be a ball of burning stic as ck smoke billowed out of him nonstop.


    Aside from Charles, everyone''s faces distorted in pain, and they instinctively kneaded their foreheads with their hands.


    "Ah! My head! My head hurts! It <i>huuurtssss!</i>" Bandages howled as he struggled against the police officers, who were trying their best to suppress him.


    Charles turned to James and saw that thetter was clutching his forehead in pain. "Chief Engineer, take everyone here out with you. This ritual is going to have an impact on ordinary people."


    James revealed a pained look as he stared at the horrifying scene before him. He shook his head forcefully and replied, "It''s fine! Captain! We can withstand this!"


    The ck mes extinguished just then, and the terrifying aura that had permeated the air above everyone vanished into nothingness. Everything returned to normalcy in an instant.


    Dipp stood up from within the spell array. He swept a nk gaze across the crowd, and his gaze finally settled on Charles. "Captain, why are we here? Weren''t we inside that trench?"


    Dipp was sane! Charles could no longer hold back, rushing up to Dipp. He examined his boatswain carefully from top to bottom and sighed in relief upon discovering that Dipp was unscathed.


    The ck mes hadn''t harmed him in the slightest. It seemed that those mes could only affect one''s soul.


    "It''s over¡ªeverything is over. As long as you''re back.... there''s nothing better than that," the excited Charles said, patting Dipp''s shoulders.


    The Fhtagn priest beside them crawled up from the ground and walked up in front of Charles. "Governor, as I said before, we, the followers of God Fhtagn, are always trustworthy. We value etiquette as well. We''ve promised, so we''ll definitely keep our word."


    Charles turned to look at the octopus-headed leader covered in mucus. "Great. I ept this gesture of sincerity; we can now discuss what''s going to happen next."


    The octopus-headed leader nodded and was about to say something when Dipp made a move; Dipp rushed toward a Fhtagnist and yanked off a statuette of God Fhtagn carved from green selenite hanging from that Fhtagnist''s chest.


    Then, the fishman knelt on the ground, and his eyes were filled with fervent and devoted zeal. "Ah, the Great One! You are the one and only God! How foolish I was before to have actually failed to notice Your greatness.


    "From now on, my life is dedicated to serving You forever! Until the Final Day! Until the day of Your awakening!"


    Charles'' veins instantly bulged at the sight. He whipped out the flesh revolver from his prosthetic limb and shoved it into the mouth hidden beneath the tentacles of the octopus-headed leader in front of him.


    "How dare you try to deceive me in my own territory, you fucker!"


    Clicking noises immediately sounded afterward as the police officers unlocked the trigger lock of their guns. In the blink of an eye, multiple firearms and relics were pointed at the Fhtagnists in the middle of the reception hall.


    Charles just had to give the order, and they''d immediately make a move.


    A thick, palpable killing intent instantly pervaded the air above the reception hall.


    "Speak! Why did you tamper with the ritual?! Do you really think that the long distance between us is enough for me to refrain from dealing with you, Fhtagnists?!"


    Charles'' fierce expression depicted his fury. It seemed that even though Dipp had recovered his sanity, he had been infected with the D4 meme and had be a fanatical follower of the God Fhtagn!


    However, the red-robed leader was clueless as to why Charles was furious.


    "Governor, we''vee here to make a deal with you in good faith, so we have not tampered with the ritual. Moreover, it''s a ritual that we''ve always used ourselves, and we''ve never had any issues with it."

 Chapter 512. Another Solution

    <h4>Chapter 512. Another Solution</h4>


    "Who am I?"


    "You''re the captain."


    "And who are you?"


    "I''m Dipp, your boatswain, Captain. What... what''s wrong with you? Why are you asking that kind of question?"


    "You better don''t speak nonsense and just answer my questions. What''s that thing hanging around your neck?"


    "Uh... it''s a statuette of our Lord."


    "Why are you wearing it around your neck?"


    "The statue bestows iparable tranquility upon my heart as long as I''m wearing it."


    "You''ve never believed in any Divinities, so howe you suddenly believe in one? Dipp, get rid of that feeling¡ªit''s fake!"


    "Captain, I can''t get rid of this feeling. Faith feels... truly wonderful. Isn''t it great to have a great Divinity protecting you from behind the scenes? We''re living in such a crazy world, after all."


    "Bullshit! I''ve seen that entity, and it is not going to protect anyone! Think about it, would you protect the parasites feeding off of your body? And who could say for sure if He''s even aware of mankind''s existence?!"


    "No, Captain. I can feel Him, the great God Fhtagn. He is truly protecting us, and He will keep protecting us as long as we persist in our faith in Him¡ª"


    Charles waved his hand, interrupting Dipp, who was sitting in front of him. Then, he stood up and turned to look at Anna next to him. "Come here and give it a try."


    Anna raised her chin slightly and sat down in front of Dipp.


    "Look into my eyes, young man," Anna said.


    Dipp revealed a defiant look and eximed, "Don''t even think about manipting my mind, you monster!"


    "Oh? Logically speaking, Dioites are Fhtagnists as well. How about it? Shall we talk?"


    Charles leaned against the wall with his brows furrowed tightly as he stared at Anna, who was in the middle of attempting to treat Dipp. He had found himself in an extremely terrible situation wherein his crew would either remain mad or be zealots. He just wanted his crew back; why was it so difficult?


    Before long, Anna, who had beenmunicating with Dipp, stood up. "Charles, I can''t do anything about this, as his mind wasn''t manipted. There aren''t any special memories inserted into his mind, so messing with his memories is going to be useless.


    "His fanatical faith in God Fhtagn is more like a mark stuck to his soul. Even if I extract all his memories, transforming him into a fool, he''ll still be a fool who believes in God Fhtagn."


    "Captain, how long has it been since we were in the trench?" Dipp chimed in, "Can I see my wife?"


    "Just stay quiet for now. I''ll arrange for her toe over and see you," Charles replied, leaving the prison cell with Anna.


    When they walked out of the door, James immediately came up to Charles. James looked like he had been waiting for Charles for quite a while now and couldn''t wait to speak to thetter, whispering, "Captain, we''ve locked them all up. They cooperated and did not resist us at all."


    "Keep a close eye on them. They definitely have a special way to escape."


    "Mmhm, don''t worry. This isn''t our first rodeo; we''ve been detaining people with special abilities for quite a while now, so there''s no way they can escape. By the way, how''s Dipp doing?"


    Charles nced at Dipp''s prison cell behind him and shook his head helplessly. "His condition isn''t promising at all. Anyway, take me to them."


    James promptly brought Charles to the cold and dump underground prison dedicated to heinous criminals. The Fhtagnists were inside a water tank and were restrained.


    Charles stared at them through the iron bars, and the octopus-headed figures gazed at Charles as well.


    "Governor Charles, what happened to your crew was unfortunate, but we didn''t want it to happen. However, you should think about it from another angle. It is an honor to be a follower of the Great One. Isn''t that better than staying as a lunatic incapable of feeding himself?"


    "Stop the crap; that''s not our deal. My crew has to recover; otherwise, you better not expect to get any information about God Fhtagn from me."


    Charles'' words had yet to finish echoing in the air when the water in the water tank churned all of a sudden. Soon, a pair of familiar octopus eyes appeared in the water.


    "Governor Charles, don''t you think you''re asking for a bit too much here?" A voice echoed from the tank. "We''ve alreadypromised and took a step back for your sake."


    "I don''t care how many steps you''ll have to take¡ªyou have to heal my crew, or there is no deal! If you don''t have a way, then our deal ends here. I''ll find another way myself!"


    Upon hearing Charles'' remark, the octopus heads in the cell were immediately furious. "You bastard! You selfish, despicable wretch! God Fhtagn will curse you for eternity!"


    Charles'' expression twisted into a vicious grimace. He put his palm on the iron railing in front of him and eximed, "Go to hell with your lies, you cultists! God Fhtagn has never cared about you¡ªno, He has never cared about anyone!"


    Bright arcs of electricity burst out of Charles and struck the octopus heads along with everyone else through the iron bars. Everyone inside convulsed violently, and their mouths twisted as they foamed at the mouth with their eyes rolled back into their skulls.


    The seawater inside the tank was soon boiling, but Charles showed no signs of stopping. When Charles lifted his hand, the nauseating smell of roasted meat had already pervaded the cell. The flesh in the "soup" hadpletely rotted through.


    "Charles! Are you provoking me?!" the octopus eyes in the boiling water were unaffected, as it seemed to be some kind of projection. The eyes were unmistakably filled with rage at the moment.


    "Heh, don''t get me started on that. Did you think we could be all chummy? How much worse can our rtionship be?" Charles asked. Then, he turned around to leave without bothering to listen to any replies.


    Just as he and Anna were about to exit the underground prison, a voice echoed from the octopus eyes in the water prison. "Wait! If Ipletely cure your crew of their madness, are you going to tell us the location of the Great One?"


    Charles stopped and turned around to ask, "You have another way?"


    "Yes! There''s another way. Send them to the Divinity''s Land. We have a sacred relic there, and it will surely resolve your crew''s issues."


    "Why didn''t you tell me that earlier?"


    "One must pay a huge price to use that sacred relic. Don''t worry, we''ll pay the price for you, but... I have to remind you that this is another great disy of sincerity from us.


    "It''s time for you to give us something. In which direction would we find God Fhtagn?" The voice contained a hint of urgency.


    Charles thought for a moment before saying, "North. North of Hope Ind; heading 28 degrees."


    The octopus eyes in the "meat soup" showed no surprise as they vanished slowly into nothingness. It seemed that the other party already knew the direction in which they would find God Fhtagn.


    They had simply asked that question to probe whether Charles truly knew God Fhtagn''s specific location or not.


    "Great. At least you didn''t lie to us with that question. I''ll be waiting for your arrival in the Divinity''s Land."


    Charles and Anna walked out of the cold, damp underground prison. Soon, the two found themselves at the beach, and they stared at the bright "sky" in the distance.


    "Should we tell the navy stationed at Annarles Ind toe back here?" Anna asked, holding Charles'' hand.


    "Mmhm, we should tell them to stop developing that ind for now. Our top priority is to head over to the Divinity''s Land as soon as possible," Charles replied.


    "But the Divinity''s Land is their territory. I think it''s better for us to wait just a bit longer," Anna said.


    "It''s fine. Even if they absolutely abhor me, they''re not going to make a move against me at the moment. The continuous blows that they''ve suffered have left the Fhtagn Covenant too weak to sustain arge-scale fight.


    "Of course, I don''t want to start a war right now, and they definitely don''t want to start a war, either.


    "Still, we have to be ready for war. It''d be great if there''s an opportunity to finally annihte those mad cultists. We have an irreconcble rtionship with them, so keeping them around is like carrying a ticking time bomb."


    Anna stretchedzily and leaned gently against Charles. "The ind is going to get busy once again. This is a bit annoying. I decided toe here to rx, but I ended up working for you for free."


    Charles reached out and stroked Anna''s long hair. "Thank you, but able people should do more work."


    Just then, Charles'' brows furrowed slightly as he stared at the bright horizon.


    "Anna, don''t you think that the sunlight has dimmed a bit?"


    Anna followed Charles'' gaze, and she sounded doubtful as she replied, "Really? It''s still as dazzling as the first time I saw it. Perhaps your eyes are ying tricks on you?"


    Charles rubbed his eyes and looked at the radiant horizon for a bit longer before saying, "Never mind. Let''s go back. We''re heading to the Eastern Seas, so we have a ton of work to do until then."


    Anna stomped on the sand with her red high heels and took to the air. Then, shended gracefully on Charles'' nape, sandwiching thetter''s face with her thighs before saying, "Let''s go¡ªback home we go."

 Chapter 513. Worlds Crown

    <h4>Chapter 513. World''s Crown</h4>


    The colossal mushroom the size of a towering mountain in the middle of the ind, which was called the World''s Crown, had fallen, but the ind was still called the World''s Crown.


    The World''s Crown had lost many denizens, but many were still struggling to live amidst the cmity.


    The fields near the docks were supposed to be growing ryegrass, but specks of green had riddled the fields; they were branches of banana trees, which grew beneath the sun.


    Donna was working diligently in the fields while wearing a massive sun hat that protected her entire body from the deadly rays of sunlight. She was an experienced farmer, so tending to a new crop was no trouble for her at all.


    Regardless, she worked with utmost care and extreme meticulousness in the face of the tiny seedlings that had just sprouted before her. She dared not to be even slightly careless with both the watering and fertilizing process.


    Sparkle had provided them with these seeds, and the survival of the seedlings would decide whether they''d live or die.


    The new Governor of the World''s Crown had also issued a decree. The farmers would be rewarded handsomely for a great harvest, and they could also be leaders, who''d manage farmers rather than farm themselves.


    However, the greater the reward, the greater the punishment as well. A bad harvest, or much worse¡ªa crop failure meant punishment, and the worst punishment meant bing a ve for an entire lifetime.


    "Mom, look, Sparkle gave me food again! She gave me ten fruits!" Nene eximed with a delighted look as she ran across the fields with her sun hat bobbing up and down.


    "Stop running! Be careful and don''t let the death light hit you!" Donna eximed anxiously as she rushed toward her daughter.


    "Mom, look! Sparkle sent me food again!" Nene eximed once again.


    A glimmer of joy shed in Donna''s eyes upon seeing the fruits. "Is Sparkle at our house right now?"


    Nene shook her head and said, "No, she already left. She said she still has to deliver a lot of seeds. She also mentioned that she''lle and y with me once she''s done delivering the seeds."


    Donna sighed in relief. She surreptitiously nced at the other farmers in the distance before grabbing Nene''s hand and hurrying home with thetter in tow.


    "Be quiet... The next time Sparkle gives you food, wait until we get home, and then tell me quietly. Don''t make a fuss. Things are no longer the same as back then."


    "Oh, okay. Mommy, try this one! This fruit is so sweet. Sparkle gave me one of these before, too!" Nene eximed.


    Donna hurriedly shoved the fruit back into a wooden basket and said, "I won''t eat these, and you can''t eat them either. These fruits aren''t going to fill you up. Let''s go to the docks and exchange them for dried fish and rye bread. That way we can eat for many days."


    "But... Sparkle gave me this food to eat. She also said that whenever I''m hungry, I can just make a wish to the portrait she gave me, and she''ll send over some food for me to eat," Nene replied.


    Donna stopped walking and squatted down, casting aplex gaze upon her daughter before saying, "My daughter, I''m not educated, so I don''t know much about how the world works, but I know one thing for sure, and you must remember it: taking someone''s favor for granted and not reciprocating their gifts will make that certain someone leave you in the end.


    "I want you to remember that we''re lucky that God Sparkle has blessed us. She bestows food upon us, and we should be grateful for it without being too greedy."


    "Mhm... okay, all right!" Nene nodded, even though she couldn''t really understand what her mother was talking about.


    The mother and daughter pair walked down the main road; Donna brought her daughter straight to the docks of the World''s Crown.


    There was a massive canopy above the docks, and it was quite lively beneath the canopy, even though it hadn''t been that long since it was deste without any people in sight.


    The bustling docks were the result of the new Governor''s Mansion, which was built close to the docks. Of course, the docks weren''t as lively as they once were, but at least there were quite a few people on the streets.


    The faces of the people nearby were sallow, and their figures were emaciated, but their eyes were full of hope. In any case, no one dared to kill and rob openly anymore. At the very least,w and order had been restored.


    Donna took Nene to a small alley, which contained a market for selling goods. It was a massive market that spanned the entire road, and it was unique; there was a wall on one side, while the sea was on the other side. Everything could be found here¡ªfood, daily necessities, and even portraits of Sparkle.


    Donna walked down the market once before squatting down not too far away from a police officer, who was busy smoking on one side. The police officer was part of the group that had rounded up farmers and sacrificed them to the Divinities, but the denizens of the World''s Crown had to respect them, as they were still keeping order on the ind.


    Of course, it wasn''t like the farmers had forgotten their atrocities; the farmers just had no choice but to acquiesce, as their group had many powerful people¡ªpowerful enough to dominate mere farmers.


    In other words, these farmers couldn''t overthrow their rule.


    Fortunately, Sparkle hade and brought hope to anyone, so no one dared to go too far. And just like that, everyone lived quietly, taking every single day, one at a time.


    Donna used her clothes to wipe clean the ten red and green apples in the wooden basket before cing them on her sun hat.


    Evidently, the apples were new in the eyes of some people, and they attracted quite a few nces. However, everyone immediately shifted their gazes away upon seeing the prices that Donna had written on her sun hat with charcoal.


    Soon, noon arrived, and more and more people came to the alley to browse through the market. Donna''s apples caught a ton of attention, and many people started bargaining with her.


    However, everyone shook their heads in the face of Donna''s firm price, which was one loaf of ck bread in exchange for an apple. It wasn''t strange, after all, apples were considered a luxury item on the World''s Crown, so the survivors couldn''t afford them.


    To make matters worse, there was a food shortage. Everyone knew there was a lot of food in the warehouse at the docks that had yet to be distributed, but no one was daring enough to open the warehouse without the governor''s orders.


    The denizens of the World''s Crown couldn''t help but wonder just what the governor was going to do with so much food. Regardless, a hierarchy was inevitable upon the establishment of order, and the rules had to be followed.


    Some timeter, an assistant cook working for the new governor bought five apples. He nned to use the apples to make soup and create a special dish for the governor''s dinner.


    The assistant cook paid with Echo. Donna wasn''t exactly happy about being presented with Echo, but she still epted the offer. Money could still be used, after all, even though its value these days was extremely vtile.


    The mother and daughter pair waited for quite a while, but no one made a purchase¡ªno one could afford the apples. The bored Nene leaned against her mother''s shoulder, watching the passing ships in the distance.


    Her eyelids drooped, but her eyes shot wide open when she saw a battered boat swaying toward her. Nene stared at the boat with wide eyes, and the police officer next to her had seen the boat as well.


    "Hey, hey, hey! Stop! You can''tnd here! You have tond on the docks and register there!" the chubby police officer with a cigarette in hand roared. His clothes were too small for him, and the buttons on his belly looked like they were about to burst open.


    The small fishing boat didn''t respond to him and headed straight for the small alley.


    The chubby police officer felt a bit embarrassed upon being ignored in front of so many people. He took out an old, rundown pistol and shouted, "Who''s there?! Get the hell out of there! Do you not hear me?! Are you deaf?!"


    A dull noise echoed as the boat''s bow collided with the shore. Then, three figures staggered out of the boat¡ªtwo adults and a child. They seemed to be a family, and they looked so haggard as they stepped out of the boat.


    Their figures were emaciated, their eyes were sunken, and their lips had cracked open. Overall, they looked like zombies.


    Upon seeing the bustling alley before them, they knelt on the ground and their dehydrated eyes produced not even a single tear as they wailed.


    "<i>Waaaah! </i>We finally made it, Mommy! Mommy, look! We''re going to live!"


    "Wilcon, is this real? We''re not hallucinating, are we?"


    "Daddy, we don''t have to drink Grandma''s blood anymore, do we?"

 Chapter 514. Tragedy

    <h4>Chapter 514. Tragedy</h4>


    Donna felt something amiss and picked up her apples before grabbing Nene''s hand, preparing to leave with her in tow.


    Just then, the child suddenly copsed on the floor with a thud.


    At the sight, the wailing woman made a move. Ignoring the stares of the people in the alley, she charged at Donna, who stood the closest to her, and snatched the two apples in Donna''s arms with her filthy hands. The woman''s fingers¡ªcaked in dirt¡ªgripped the apples tightly as she ran toward her husband and son.


    "Stop right there! Do you not fucking hear me?! You better stop!" the chubby police officer eximed.


    However, the woman ignored himpletely and took big bites of the apple before chewing frantically on it. Then, she pried her son''s mouth open and spat the chewed apple bits into her son''s mouth.


    "You son of a bitch, I''m a fucking police officer! How dare you ignore me?!" the chubby, burly man eximed and raised his gun, aiming it at the woman''s head.


    The man next to the woman spread his arms wide, shielding his wife. He sounded incredibly anxious as he eximed, "Please spare us, Your Excellency! It''s been days since we had a decent meal, and my child has ended up passing out from hunger..."


    The chubby police officer''s expression briefly revealed joy upon getting called "Your Excellency." However, he quickly assumed his previous expression and said, "Ahem, at least you''re sensible. Anyway, stealing is prohibited in my territory, do you hear me? Whoever is daring enough to disobey will be shot!


    "I''m <i>the </i>police officer here, so you better listen to me!"


    Donna looked anxious as she walked over to the chubby, burly man and said, "Officer, I don''t think we should let them off so easily. She stole from me, after all.


    "I know that she''s suffering, but shouldn''t shepensate me at the very least?"


    The chubby police officer seemed annoyed by Donna''s remark; he reached out casually to grab an apple from Donna''s arms before pushing her away. "Scram, you better scram. You''re hindering the investigation of a police officer here."


    The chubby police officer took a bite of the apple in his hand, and then he turned to the man, asking, "Where did youe from?"


    The man nced at his wife, who was still feeding their son, and replied, "We''re from Ebony Mist Ind."


    "Ebony Mist Ind? Why did youe here, then? Why not stay on your ind?"


    The man trembled at the chubby police officer''s remark and could no longer contain his emotions. His voice trembled, and he seemed to break down as he said, "We couldn''t stay there. The light in the sky killed too many people. It was fine in the first few days, but the corpses started rotting.


    "A gue ended up spreading on the ind, threatening the lives of the few remaining survivors. The survivors that are still on the ind... I think all of them are dead by now..."


    Everyone in the alley, whether they were sellers or buyers, felt as if there was a heavy lump in their chest. The light in their eyes dimmed, and the cacophonous din in the alley vanished at the man''s recount.


    It was mandatory to wrap oneself up pretty tightly to prevent the encroachment of the spores, so the World''s Crown ended up having quite a number of survivors. In fact, the majority of the deaths were mostly because of the mushroom''s copse.


    However, not every ind was as lucky as the World''s Crown. The denizens of the World''s Crown had heard about entire inds bing deste after their denizens were annihted by the "death light," but they had only heard about it in rumors¡ª they truly didn''t expect to encounter a survivor from those inds.


    "Can you even imagine it? The harbor is full of rotting corpses, and with no one collecting them, the entire ind is filled with the foul stench of corpses! Even the water sources have been contaminated!!"


    "We just want to live?! Is it too much for us to survive?! What wrong have we done for that ''death light'' to kill us like we''re nothing?!" the man wailed, prostrating on the deck of the dpidated boat.


    "As far as I can remember, Ebony Mist Ind has a poption of several million people, am I right? To think that they''ve all died... what a tragedy," the chubby police officer said, sighing. He tossed the apple core into his mouth and chewed on it for a moment before swallowing it down.


    The chubby police officer then pointed at the docks with his pudgy finger and said, "All right, all right, stop crying. I''m not going to punish you. Our boss said that the ind needs people. Go register at the docks. You''ll get work and food to eat."


    The man''s eyes were instantly aze with hope. He thanked the chubby police officer multiple times, expressing his immense gratitude before using the final vestiges of his strength to maneuver the boat toward the nearby docks.


    The small fishing boat slowly made its way to the docks, and peace returned to the alley once more. Everyone resumed their own business, and the alley soon became bustling.


    The man had left with his wife and son, but the topic that they had brought up lingered in the alley. The mutterings of the sellers nearby entered Nene''s ears.


    "That family was lucky. At the very least, they managed to escape from such a horrifying ce. I really didn''t expect that the entire poption would end up getting annihted. What a tragedy..."


    "That''s not all; more inds have be deste. My little brother works at a telegraph office, and he told me that it''s not just Ebony Mist Ind.


    "Fortunately, God Sparkle is here to help, and inds with survivors on them will eventually receive seeds from God Sparkle. If an ind has yet to rebuild its telegraph tower by now, then we can only assume the worst. I''m sure there aren''t many survivors left on that ind."


    "Yeah, so many things happened so fast the moment the ''death light'' appeared. I also heard rumors about a certain ind in the Eastern Seas. Apparently, the ind had quite a few survivors at first, but something from the sea came ashore and devoured the survivors."


    "Sure, the dead are unlucky, but it''s not like the survivors are lucky. Have you heard? Yesterday, more than a dozen people jumped into the sea from the docks; some were holding their children in their arms before plunging into the depths.


    "After discovering that they were the only survivors of their entire family, they found it too difficult to live and decided to follow their deceased rtives."


    "I''m not going to lie: I don''t know whether it''s better to live or to die. The ''death light'' has imed my husband''s life. If it weren''t for my two children, I''d want to off myself as well."


    "You better not think too much about it. You should buy a drawing of God Sparkle from me and ce it in your room. Pray to her, and she will bless you."


    Nene''s eyes reddened slightly at their conversation, and she felt a lump in her heart that she couldn''t quite remove. She turned and saw her mother cursing viciously in a low voice. Nene had no idea whether she was cursing the chubby police officer or the woman who had snatched her apples to feed her son.


    Nene tugged at her mother''s sleeve gently and muttered, "Mommy, they''re so pitiful..."


    "Who isn''t? Does their plight justify stealing?" Donna replied. Then, she hugged the two remaining apples tightly and pulled her daughter to the other side of the alley to sell the apples.


    It wasn''t until evening did the two remaining apples were finally traded. A sailor had offered three bags of savory cookie crumbs, and Donna epted the offer, seemingly not caring even if the cookies were mere crumbs; they just had to be edible.


    The mother and daughter pair decided to call it a night, retreating into their tiny room in the harbor district. Donna pulled down the curtains and shut the door tightly.


    There was a pot full of boiling water on the table. Donna sprinkled some of the savory cookie crumbs on the boiling water before adding a few tiny pieces of dried fish and seaweed. Soon, a pot of delicious porridge was ready.


    The two ate with relish and even licked the pot clean. Under the current economic climate of the World''s Crown, it was a blessing to eat one''s fill.


    Donna''s gazended on her daughter just then. She was reminded of what had happened earlier and felt extremely aggrieved.


    "I''m sorry, Nene. Perhaps no one would bully us anymore if I could just find you a new father, but... I don''t think anyone is going to be interested in me."


    Nene''s heart throbbed in pain upon seeing the tears on her mother''s face; she raised her hand to wipe away Donna''s tears and said, "Mommy, don''t cry. It''s okay. We don''t need a new daddy to protect us. We still have Sparkle, and Sparkle will protect us."


    Donna sniffled and smiled wryly. "That''s right, God Sparkle will protect us. Come, take out that drawing. Let''s go and pray earnestly to God Sparkle. Sparkle is a good god, and She brings hope to everyone."

 Chapter 515. Ernst

    <h4>Chapter 515. Ernst</h4>


    Ernst''s eyes snapped wide open. He looked down and discovered that he was drenched in cold sweat. It couldn''t be helped, as he had just suffered a true death at the hands of the evil Charles, who had just transformed him into the so-called "Bandages" in his dream.


    The sound of crashing waves outside the room brought Ernst back to his senses, and he realized that he had truly been dreaming. After all, he was still on this ship.


    Looking around, Ernst found that he was in a very peculiar room. The room had thick, yellow sponges as its walls.


    Although Ernst had no idea where they were taking him, he knew one thing for sure: they were going to kill him to resurrect "Bandages."


    <i>No! I can''t just sit idly by. I''m not some goddamn Bandages! I have to escape and return to my Frost Ind!</i>


    A creaking noise echoed just then, and the small iron grate at the bottom of the door opened, revealing a steaming array of breakfast dishes.


    "Please enjoy your meal, Sir Weister."


    Ernst wasn''t going to refuse any meals offered to him, as a refusal meant he''d be forced to eat. Fortunately, these torturous days would soone to an end. He had alreadye up with a n to escape, and it was D-Day today.


    Ernst walked over to the door and nodded at the person outside. Then, he smiled and said, "Can you tell the Captain that I''ve recovered some of my memories? I remember it now; my name is Bandages, and I''m his first mate, isn''t that right?"


    The individual on the other side of the door shook their head helplessly upon hearing Ernst''s eloquent manner of speech. They didn''t even bother replying and directly closed the iron grate.


    Ernst sighed helplessly at the sight and ate his breakfast with relish. He couldn''t starve himself, as he had to eat his fill so that he''d have the strength to escape.


    Ernst soon finished his meal, and he sat quietly, waiting patiently for something.


    It had been quite a while since he started living on this ship, so he had already memorized their routine. Every morning, they''d be let out of their cells for some fresh air and to ensure that they wouldn''t end up developing other disorders due to long confinement.


    Ernst''s n involved taking advantage of that free time to look for allies.


    Time ticked by, and Ernst rejoiced immediately upon hearing familiar footsteps outside the door. The golden opportunity had arrived, and he had to take advantage of it.


    Soon, more than a dozen crew members were led to the deck by the caregivers. It was time for the crew to get some fresh air while walking around on the deck that had been covered with ck cloths as makeshift shelters. Ernst was one of them, and he paced slowly on the deck while stealing nces at the escort ships not too far away from them.


    Ernst''s expression was that of contempt as he stared at the escort ships, but he was inwardly stupefied. After all, it was unthinkable for mere escort ships to have such sheer size and sturdy-looking deck cannons made out of steel.


    Even Ernst didn''t have such massive ships armed to the teeth with fine steel as the Governor of Frost Ind. Frost Ind only had tiny sailboats, so there was no way they''d have such massive ships, much less the airships overhead.


    Ernst was scared out of his wits when he first pped his eyes on the massive airships with their enormous gas bags hanging in the sky. He was so shocked that he thought he was staring at flying giant monsters.


    He hated to admit it, but Governor Charles was dozens of times stronger than him when it came to sheer military strength.


    Ernst nced at the bright world outside; he had been having a nagging feeling that something was amiss. There was a chance that this world wasn''t the world where he hade from, but he had to escape this ship to confirm his theory.


    He couldn''t die here¡ªhe absolutely couldn''t be Bandages!


    Ernst looked down and strolled slowly. Just like that, Ernst spent an hour with his head lowered until the caregivers had let some of their guard down before walking slowly toward a bald woman.


    The bald woman turned to Ernst, and thetter saw that the former looked quite frustrated.


    "First Mate, have you seen the captain? I want to apologize to him..." Linda muttered, staring dazedly at Ernst.


    Ernst looked around briefly before replying in a low voice, "I know where your captain is right now. Do as I say, and I will definitely help you find him."


    "Really?" Linda''s eyes lit up. "Then, let''s go and find him. I really want to apologize to him. He never had any idea that I had deceived him, and I feel really sorry for what I had done to him."


    "Shhh!" Ernst reached out and grabbed Linda''s arm, stopping her dead in her tracks; she was just about to leave in excitement upon hearing Ernst''s remark.


    "Stay put and wait. I''ll inform you immediately once I''ve received any news."


    Just then, Norton, wearing a patient gown, walked over stealthily and eximed, "Reporting to the first mate, sir! We''ve been surrounded by these deformed creatures. I followed your orders and refrained from disturbing them. What do we do next?"


    "Don''t stand so close to me, and keep your voice down! They''re looking over here! Anyway, we''re doing it today. Wait for my signal once we''re back in our cells!"


    "Understood; I promise toplete the mission!"


    Ernst took full advantage of the break to approach the other crew members. He talked to the crew members and persuaded them to join his mission.


    Ernst only approached those who were a bit less insane than average, and he didn''t bother wasting his time trying to win over those who had gonepletely insane that they couldn''t even feed themselves, like the chubby man with a prosthetic leg.


    Fortunately, the others seemed very close to Ernst, and Ernst''s n progressed swimmingly as a result.


    "Fresh air time is over! It''s time to go back, everyone!" the attending physician eximed. The caregivers walked up to the crew members and escorted them toward their cells.


    Ernst didn''t bother resisting and allowed the strong caregivers to carry him back to his cell. Ernst cast one final nce outside and saw a ck spot on the bright horizon in the distance. It was an ind; they were approaching their destination.


    A dull noise echoed as the iron door wrapped in a yellow sponge was closed. Ernst pressed his ear to the door, listening to any movements outside.


    The ship was about to dock, and he learned from the idle chatter of the caregivers that they would dock at an ind called the World''s Crown to replenish supplies and fuel.


    Ernst realized that this was his golden opportunity to escape, and whether he could break free or not depended on this one and only attempt!


    The ship''s swaying soon became less intermittent and rough; the ship had finally docked at the ind''s pier!


    However, Ernst didn''t make a move right away. He waited quietly for another half an hour before pressing his hands gently on the door. His fingers transformed into green vines and probed the keyhole on the door.


    Ernst had no idea when he had learned such a special ability, but he had recently discovered that he had the special ability to control nts, and he was pretty good at it.


    Upon discovering his special ability, Ernst dared not to show it to anyone; he decided to hide it, as it was his trump card¡ªa trump card that would greatly increase his chances of escaping confinement.


    An audible click echoed. Momentster, Ernst shoved the door open and rushed out.


    The caregivers were stunned to see Ernst emerging from his cell, but they quickly snapped back to reality and charged at Ernst with tranquilizer syringes in hand.


    Ernst stretched out his hands, and the twisting vines climbed up the caregivers, binding them. Ernst made quick work of the caregivers, subduing them at once.


    <i>I''ve done it! I''m finally out!</i> Ernst''s heart was beating wildly with excitement. He rushed to the other cells and released the lunatics inside of them.


    After gathering the few crew members that he had managed to persuade earlier, Ernst then turned to the remaining lunatics and whipped their backs.


    The lunatics groaned in pain and ran outside in fear.


    "Why did you whip them, First Mate, sir? They''re our friends," Norton asked, sounding astonished.


    However, Ernst had no time to exin and dragged his conspirators to chase after the fleeing lunatics.


    "Stick close to me and run! Hurry up and run! Let them take the lead. We''ll have a greater chance of escaping by allowing them to run ahead of us! Also, don''t forget to grab any weapons that you can find!"


    A group of lunatics had broken out of their cells, throwing the entire cabin into chaos. Unfortunately, these madmen were extremely important figures to the governor, so the navy troops dared not employ lethal force.


    Unfortunately, Ernst and his group of lunatics didn''t share the same sentiment.


    After grabbing any weapons that they found on their way out, Ernst and his group of lunatics immediately threatened the navy troops.


    The navy troops hesitated, unsure about how to take them down. In the end, they could only watch as Ernst and his group of lunatics rushed out of the cabin.


    Upon reaching the deck, Ernst saw the harbor district of the World''s crown in the distance and immediately roared, "Run! Run toward the harbor! They''re too scared to shoot us!"

 Chapter 516. Lunatic

    <h4>Chapter 516. Lunatic</h4>


    With Norton and Linda in tow, Ernst darted between the towers of crates stacked on the World''s Crown''s docks. As he ran, he constantly turned to look back over his shoulders to ensure that no one was following them.


    Having set the other mad crew members free, Ernst was finally freed from his pursuers. A rush of liberation washed over him. He was finally free from their clutches.


    The trio had already changed out of their distinctive blue-and-white striped hospital garb and even hadrge hats draped in ck cloth over their heads. Of course, they had looted the hats during their escapade.


    Their current outfits greatly aided their incognito dash through the crowded port and significantly enhanced their probability of escape.


    "First Mate, where should we head now to find the Captain?" Linda asked as she gazed around at the inders, her voice tinged with hysteria.


    "Shhh, keep quiet. Follow me; let''s hide somewhere first," Ernst whispered and led them into a deserted alley.


    There was a reason why he had brought both Norton and Linda with him. If they were to be pursued again, his n was to sacrifice one of them for his own sessful escape.


    The pungent smell of urine assaulted Ernst''s nostrils as they stayed hidden in the alley. Every so often, a mouse would even scurry over their feet. With his brows furrowed, Ernst contemted their next move.


    He wasn''t sure if Charles wouldmand a carpet search of the entire dock just for him. After all, this was not Charles'' territory, and he doubted that Charles would overstep so tantly.


    "First Mate, we have escaped the encirclement of those deformed creatures. We have to regroup with the others and get back to the Narwhal as soon as possible," Norton said with a grave expression. "This ind is too bizarre and dangerous."


    "Those deformed creatures haven''t left," Ernst replied. "They''re just waiting outside for us to go out. We need to remain quiet and wait for them to leave before we can make our exit."


    Reassured by Ernst''s words, Norton and Linda stilled their impatient hearts and waited in silence. However, a few minutester, Norton repeated his earlier words as if forgetting he had just spoken them.


    Ernst sighed helplessly over Norton''s rather unique symptoms. In order to keep Norton in check, Ernst reiterated his earlier words to assure the former once again.


    Time ticked by and Ernst waited for six grueling hours before finally deciding to move.


    "Let''s go. We''ll climb over this wall to escape," Ernst said and ced a hand on the ground. Instantly, vines sprang forth and intertwined to form a makeshiftdder.


    The trio swiftly ascended thedder and entered a house through an open window. Inside, an elderly woman knelt in prayer before a painting of a small girl with striking green, cross-shaped pupils. Hearing sudden sounds, she turned around, and her eyes widened in shock upon seeing the three sudden intruders.


    "Keep quiet! Or your family might suffer!" Ernst threatened harshly and an expression painted with menace. He then hurried Norton and Linda downstairs


    The trio returned to the bustling dock streets, and Ernst surveyed the eerily normal surroundings. For some reason, his unease grew deeper with every passing moment as they walked through the crowd.


    "We can''t stay here for too long. We need to find a hiding ce on this ind. With so many navy soldiers with him, he wouldn''t be able to prolong their stay here. They don''t have that much food supply. If I can hide long enough, I''ll truly be free," Ernst muttered, but he wasn''t sure if he was trying to assure himself or the two deranged crew members next to him.


    As they passed by a quaint bakery, Norton suddenly halted. "First Mate, we need to replenish our supplies! Hunger will sap our strength, and in that case, we won''t be able to rescue the Captain and the rest from those deformed creatures!"


    Ernst eyed the baker who greeted them with a warm smile. He then dipped into his pocket, pulled out a handful of Echo coins, and handed it to the baker. It wasn''t his money; it came with their pilfered clothes.


    "This much should be enough, isn''t it? Quickly bag everything up; we want every loaf on your shelf."


    "Of course, sir! Just a moment, please," the baker beamed, barely able to contain his excitement over the purchase. He quickly began stuffing bags with bread and even sneakily included a few that were close to growing moldy.


    Norton nodded approvingly at Ernst''s actions. "Yes, First Mate, we are also running low on supplies on the Narwhale. We should stock up to make sure we have enough food."


    While waiting for the baker to finish bagging the bread, Ernst spotted yet another mouse darting across the street.


    "Are there always this many mice on your ind?" Ernst casually asked as he scanned the surroundings warily.


    "Yeah. The World''s Crown used to be a major grain producer, so mice were always plentiful. They hitched rides here on ships just like humans."


    However, as the baker spoke, mice emerged from the shadows, one after another, and swiftly surrounded the trio from all directions. With each passing second, their numbers increased, and their presence grew. The swarm of brown fur spread across the street like a living carpet, eliciting screams of terror from the bystanders and they dispersed in fear.


    Ernst immediately sensed something amiss. He grabbed his twopanions and pushed through the crowd toward the most popted area.


    The mice quickly surged forward and leaped onto the trio. They gnawed at their clothes and clung to them.


    "Push forward! The captain is waiting for us ahead!" Ernst shouted and forcefully pushed Norton and Linda toward the swarm of mice. He then turned around and dashed into the fleeing crowd that was behind him.


    However, before he could even take a few steps, his heart sank as his eyesnded on Charles standing in front of him with a golden mouse perched on his shoulder and nked by armed naval soldiers.


    "Bandages, that''s enough fun. You''ve had your breeze; it''s time to leave now," Charles remarked calmly.


    Cornered and desperate, Ernst''s face twisted into a grimace. His gaze darted around andnded on a six-year-old child among the crowd. He grabbed the child and his fingernails morphed into wooden spikes. Pressing them against the sobbing child''s throat, Ernst threatened, "Charles! I dare you to take another step!"


    Charles remained expressionless, and he nonchntly took a deliberate step forward. "Do you really think I care? Using someone I don''t even know to threaten me? Who taught you that trick?"


    Ernst''s expression flickered between anger and fear. He then abruptly pushed the child away and pressed his morphed fingernails against his own throat.


    He screamed hysterically, "I''m telling you! I''ll never go back with you! That Bandages is important to you, isn''t he? You care if he dies, don''t you? Then, I can just die with him!"


    Charles looked on with a helpless expression. "Bandages, you''ve lost your mind. I''m bringing you to go get treatment."


    "I''m not crazy! And damn it, I''m not Bandages! I have a name; I''m Ernst! The Governor of Frost Ind!" Ernst''s veins bulged on his neck as he roared, his voice nearly breaking. "I need to return to my ind!! My people, my subordinates, they''re all waiting for me!!"


    Just then, Anna emerged from the crowd and walked toward Charles. She lightly tipped Lily''s chin with her finger before asking, "Is this spectacle not over yet? The food from the World''s Crown is all loaded up. It''s time to leave."


    Charles turned his gaze onto her and replied, "Everyone''s been rounded up. Once we get Bandages too, we''ll move out."


    "I''ve told you!! I''m not Bandages! I am NOT Bandages!! How many times do I have to say it!? You bastard!!" Ernst''s voice cracked under the strain.


    Pushed to the edge of desperation, Ernst''s hands trembled violently as he drove the sharp wooden spike into his own throat.


    Just then, Charles stepped forward. A transparent tentacle extended out from his back and swiftly extracted the spike from Ernst''s neck before coiling itself tightly around the man.


    "Save your strength, Bandages. Your healing ability is even better than mine. A minor wound like that will heal soon."


    Tears welled up in Ernst''s eyes and spilled over, streaming down his face. His voice was thick with anguish as he said between sobs, "I''m not Bandages.... I really am not Bandages..."


    "I don''t give a fuck who you are. I just want my first mate back," Charles said as he dragged the restrained Ernst toward the docks.

 Chapter 517. Island

    <h4>Chapter 517. Ind</h4>


    Anna opened her groggy eyes and saw her lover standing by the window, gazing at the bright horizon outside. She tiptoed over and pressed herself against his back asking, "What''s wrong? Has the sunlight dimmed again?"


    "No, I think we''ve already reached the Eastern Seas. Just look at the sea over there," Charles said, pointing in the distance.


    Anna, with her head resting on Charles'' shoulder, followed his finger and saw a bizarre scene scene. There was a border of seawater in the distance: the ink-green seawater and deep-brown seawater from afar seemed unable to mix and were staying quietly in their respective regions.


    "What a magical sight. I didn''t expect that even the seawater in the Eastern Seas actually looks different from the seawater in other regions," Anna remarked."


    "I''ve read online before that this situation only urs when freshwater and seawater, with different densities, meet at estuaries. In that case, the salinity of the Eastern Seas''s seawater is probably much higher or much lower than the other regions."


    "Hahaha, don''t you think that this world is much more fascinating than the surface world? You''ve given up your pursuit a tad bit toote. If you had given up earlier, we would have already finished our Subterranean Sea world tour honeymoon long ago," Anna teased.


    Charles turned to look at Anna and said, "If I had given up earlier, I wouldn''t have met you."


    "That''s true. If you hadn''t gone to <i>that</i> ind, I wouldn''t have existed either," Anna said. Then, she leaned in and kissed Charles for a while before releasing him gently. She cupped Charles'' face with both hands and stared intently at him.


    "You''ve been staring at that for so long; are you still not tired of it?" Charles smiled lightly, and his hands became a bit restless.


    Anna didn''t reject Charles'' approach. She reached out and plucked the red spider from Charles'' eye socket; she fiddled with it briefly before saying, "Don''t you think we''re like Adam and Eve?"


    "While Adam was sleeping, God took one of his ribs and used it to create Eve. Eve was born from Adam''s rib, while I was born from your thoughts."


    Charles leaned into Anna''s neck and sniffed. "They can''tpare to us, then. Adam''s Eve will eat apples at most, but my Eve eats people."


    Anna''s brows slightly furrowed at the remark. "What? It''s been so long, and you still haven''t gotten used to it? It''s just a few people every now and then; it''s not like it''s going to be a massacre. I''m sure more people have died in your Relic Research Institute than the number of people I''ve ever eaten."


    Charles looked up and stared at her tenderly. "That''s not what I meant. It''s just that it''d be best if you could change your diet."


    Anna pushed him away with a bit of force and turned around. She walked away and got dressed. Then, she grumbled, "If your husband or wife has a small w, can''t you just work with them and resolve it together?"


    "A small w?" Charles chuckled dryly and replied, "Eating people is a small w?"


    "<i>Oh?</i> You want to talk about ''ws'' with me? Then, what about your phndering? I''ve yet to have a good chat with you about your womanizing antics.


    Charles raised both hands in surrender. Then, he turned around and sat on a stool; he started getting ready to handle Hope Ind''s affairs.


    The fleet below the airship had a telegraph tower, and the telegraph towers of the other inds allowed Charles to learn information about events that happened thousands of kilometers away.


    "Save your energy. You''ve put all your heart into finding the exit to the surface world. You''re just going to be an amateur trying to instruct an expert, so you should let Leonardo do his thing. Who knows? Perhaps some civil servants on Hope Ind are secretly cursing the governor for his crappy orders and policies."


    "I did a great job before Leonardo was around, you know? As long as it gets the job done, it doesn''t really matter whether my orders are crappy or great. If I don''t know something, I can learn. Besides, Hope Ind is going to be our home in the future, and I believe a home must always be maintained personally by its homeowners," Charles said. Then, he looked down at the telegram in his hand and read it carefully.


    "By the way, Charles, your Chief Engineer James has always been wary of me, but he''s recently been doing something behind the scenes. The way he''s stirring up trouble makes me think that he really doesn''t like me."


    Charles nced at Anna''s fair and slender back before looking down at the telegram in his hand, saying. "If he dislikes you, then let him dislike you. You two should just meet less often in the future. People are unlike money; there''s no way to make everyone like a particr person."


    "Am I your wife, or is he your wife? Are you not even going to attempt to console me? Go sleep with James tomorrow, then, you scumbag," Anna said, ring coldly at Charles. The next moment, she pped her hands lightly, and Sparkle appeared instantly in front of her.


    There was no need for Anna to apany Charles on the boring airship every day. Sparkle was here, after all, so Anna could go wherever with Sparkle''s help. In fact, Anna would only return whenever Charles needed her.


    "Anna, can you help me check on Hope Ind and see if there are any issues with our defense there?"


    "Why are you even afraid of something untoward happening to the ind? If those octopus heads were to invade our home, then you could just invade and upy their home in response; it''d be an extreme one-for-one exchange."


    Anna tapped Sparkle''s shoulder, and they vanished from Charles'' sight.


    Left all alone, Charles pondered over some affairs and quickly made his decisions over them. After a while, he leaned his head back on the backrest, thinking about what they might encounter soon.


    They had already entered the Eastern Seas, so they''d soon arrive at the Fhtagn Covenant''s headquarters. They were visiting for a deal, and both sides wouldn''t want to start a war at the moment, but... several contingency ns wouldn''t hurt.


    <i>This is really burdensome... exploring unknown inds is more rxing than this. I really hope that we''ll get to enjoy some peace once this is all done and over with.</i>


    Charles stood up and walked toward the door. He wasn''t on the Narwhale, and he wasn''t acting in his capacity as the Captain of the Narwhale at the moment, so there was no need for him to brood over many things by himself.


    He was the Governor of Hope Ind, and there were plenty of people willing to help hime up with ns. He could just ask them for their opinions and proposals, as the final choice belonged to him, anyway.


    By the time he sat back in his room, quite a few files were alreadyid out in front of him. He just had to select the proposals that were to his liking.


    <i>Liberalize trade to a certain extent in exchange for exploration vessels from other inds, which we could use as cannon fodders? That''s a great idea, but how many exploration vessels can still operate beneath the sunlight''s deadly rays?</i>


    Charles frowned deeply, pondering over the question.


    Just then, the excited Lily squeezed through the crack in the door and eximed, "Mr. Charles, we''ve stumbled upon an ind again! It''s a unique and strange ind! Like... it has a pair of huge, long legs!"


    <i>An ind? I wonder just how many exploration vessels are still on it... </i>Charles walked up to the window and poked his head out to look down.


    As expected, there was an ind up ahead, and Lily was right as well; it was an extremely strange and unique ind, as it was neither mountainous nor t but a square ind that seemed to have been carved meticulously.


    A humanoid statue stood in the middle of the ind, and the statue was so huge that it upied half of the ind. However, the other half of the statue was missing, so it was impossible to tell whose figure the statue was depicting, and its towering figure¡ªreminiscent of a mountain¡ªemitted a metallic luster beneath the sunlight.


    Charles turned to the bookshelves beside him and counted the books on them before eventually pulling out a book. He opened it and looked up something. <i>Based on our current coordinates, that ind must be Iron Statue Ind.</i>

 Chapter 518. Iron Statue Island

    <h4>Chapter 518. Iron Statue Ind</h4>


    As he scanned through the contents on the page before him, Charles came to know of the origin of the ind before them.


    Known as Iron Statue Ind, the ind''s discovery could be traced back to four centuries ago. A colossal metallic humanoid statue, whose head nearly reached the rocky ceiling overhead, dominated the ind''sndscape. However, the creators of the statue that could be considered a miracle of engineering had remained unknown throughout the years.


    Although the ind seemed to be cursed that no inder could live beyond the age of forty-seven, the ind''s rich iron deposits proved irresistible to many. Thus, early explorers had settled here and harvested the statue''s metal.


    The relentless harvesting persisted for over four hundred years and now, only half of the once-majestic sculpture remained.


    The bulk of materials required for the construction of most steamships in the Subterranean Sea were supplied by two inds¡ªIron Statue Ind and Volcano Ind. The colossal statue could be said to have yed a vital role in the seascape''s maritime industry.


    "Wow! Mr. Charles, this ind looks even more interesting than those long, stick-like inds we''ve seen before! Who do you think this statue is modeled after?" Lily asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and her mouse tail wagging with excitement as she peered downward at the statue.


    Charles drummed his fingers rhythmically on the window frame as a previous n came to mind. He then lifted Lily onto his shoulder and turned toward the hatch.


    "Let''s go down and check it out," Charles proposed. "Hopefully, there are still survivors in the ind''s Explorers Association."


    The formidable fleet of Hope Ind slowly approached the docks.


    Charles stepped into the sunlight and gazed toward the dock, but sadly, he spotted no sign of life. The dock was cluttered with heaps of scattered metal but was eerily deserted without a single human in sight.


    "This can''t be, right? With that massive statue casting a shadow, the poption here shouldn''t have been wiped out like the other inds..." Charles muttered to himself as he looked up at the imposing legs of the iron statue.


    Lily tugged at Charles'' sleeve with her tiny paws. "Mr. Charles, should I send my mice out to scout?"


    Charles slowly shook his head. "No need. We are not exploring an uncharted ind. If there were any dangers on this habitable ind, the former inders would have triggered them long ago."


    Under Charles'' lead, the group cautiously moved toward the heart of the ind. Although Charles hadn''t issued anymands, under themodore''s orders, all soldiers had their firearms loaded in case of any unexpected situations.


    "Captain, there were still people living on this ind not long ago," Dipp knelt down on one leg to examine the footprints on the ground. "These prints are no more than four days old. The person wore leather shoes, a man, likely overweight."


    "Get up. I didn''t bring you here to y detective," Charles instructed and continued forward.


    Following themodore''s orders, the navy soldiers began a thorough search of the entire dock. Yet despite the carpet search, they found not a single soul.


    As Charles stepped out of the harbor district, he noticed the tender shoots of bananas nted in the fields. It was an indication that Sparkle had also sent seeds to the ind they were on.


    <i>How on earth? Where did everyone go? </i>Charles murmured to himself.


    "Mr. Charles, maybe it''s time to send my mice out? They can really help!" Lily suggested enthusiastically.


    Charles stroked his chin and pondered for a moment before replying, "Forget it; let''s head back. Whatever happened to the people here, it''s none of our concern."


    However, just as he turned around and was about to leave, a figure emerged from the vast shadow of the huge iron statue in the distance and called out, "Is that you, Governor Charles?"


    <i>Huh? There''s someone who recognizes me on this ind? </i>Charles paused in his tracks and turned to face the approaching figure.


    Under the wary gazes of everyone, the figure came before Charles. Upon seeing the octopus tattoo on her face, everyone immediately recognized her identity.


    "Governor Charles, you''ve finally arrived. The high priest has been waiting for you," the elderly woman said with a polite and amicable smile.


    Recalling what he had read about the ind from the book, Charles lifted his gaze and asked, "I don''t remember this ind belonging to the Fhtagn Covenant. What are you doing here?"


    "We don''t have enough poption on Divinity''s Land, so the high priest sent us here to gather the remaining inders," the old woman replied. As her voice faded, thousands of people formed a long line in the shadow of the colossal metal giant and marched toward where Charles and his group were located.


    Holding up ck umbres, their expressions were fraught with uncertainty and fear. From their attire, it was clear that these were the inders who had vanished.


    "So, you guys have gone into human trafficking? What''s the n? To sacrifice these folks to your Great One?" A hint of understanding flickered across Charles'' gaze before he turned and walked toward his airship.


    "No, no, no," the elderly woman hurriedly denied. "The high priest has issued a new decree to ban human sacrifices. Instead of death, their more crucial role now is to reproduce. As soon as a woman gets her first period, she must bear children.


    "This isn¡¯t just for the Fhtagn Covenant! It''s also for the survival of humanity! Anyone who gives birth receives a reward."


    Charles let out a scoff and quickened his pace. He casually waved a hand at his neatly lined up naval soldiers and instructed, "Let''s go."


    The elderly Fhtagnist hastened her steps to keep up with Charles. Once again, her voice was overflowing with respect as she said, "Governor Charles, please allow us to lead the way. The seas have been roughtely; the ck whirlpools and green-tailed fish schools have be more frequent. It could be troublesome if we encounter them."


    Charles cast a nce at the old woman. "Fine. Be quick."


    The old woman responded with a slight smile before raising her hands toward the sea. Suddenly, the water arched dramatically as several dpidated shipwrecks rose from the ocean floor. She then started to instruct her subordinates to herd the inders toward those ships.


    "Mr. Charles, should we do something to save them? They look so pitiful." Lily''s ears drooped down, brushing against her golden fur.


    "Why do we need to save them? The Fhtagn Covenant isn''t going to kill them; they''re just replenishing their numbers."


    "But... but..." Lily''s voice trembled. She looked to be on the verge of tears as she witnessed their misery.


    "There''s no ''but''," Charles replied. "Even if we save them now, we can¡¯t protect them forever. The Eastern Seas has always been the Fhtagn Covenant''s territory. Without the Divine Light Order to keep them in check, they''ve be the true rulers of this region.


    "Don''t worry, though. I still have an unsettled score with them. They can''t be a nuisance for much longer. Given how much they despise me, it''s a problem I''ll have to deal with sooner orter."


    Charles ced a hand over Lily''s hand and boarded the airship.


    The grand fleet left the harbor, and under the guidance of the ghostly procession of sunken ships, they steered into the deeper region of the Eastern Seas.


    Along the way, they would encounter a few more shipwrecks from time to time. However, those shipwrecks would quickly join the vanguard convoy to lead Charles and his fleet forward.


    Those ships appeared to be transporting inders, too. It appeared that the Fhtagn Covenant seemed intent on gathering everyone in the Eastern Seas in one ce.


    Soon enough, everyone noticed something unusual. As they ventured deeper into the Eastern Seas, the overhead rocky terrain seemed to be drawing increasingly closer to the sea surface.

 Chapter 519. Divinitys Land

    <h4>Chapter 519. Divinity''s Land</h4>


    Charles stood at the airship''s bridge, frowning as the airship was forced to fly flower and lower due to the rocky terrain overhead. The airship was eventually forced to fly so low that it was almost touching the sea surface.


    Everyone felt an inexplicable sense of oppression; they felt like they were being forced into a narrow tube and were afraid that they''d eventually bepletely immobile at this rate.


    "Captain, I really didn''t expect the Eastern Seas to be so oppressive! Don''t the people living here feel ufortable at all?" Dipp standing next to Charles scratched the gills on his neck, seemingly annoyed.


    Charles flipped through the ind introduction book in his hand and said, "This is unique to the Fhtagn Covenant''s territory. The other ces in the seascape aren''t like this."


    "Aren''t those octopus heads¡ªah, right, they can live underwater, so I guess this is more convenient for them."


    "We''re almost at the Divinity''s Land, so stop talking nonsense," Charles chided. He reached out and grabbed a ck microphone before shouting into it, "Ralph. We''ve entered someone else''s territory, so be prepared for battle. Don''t let them ambush us!"


    Commodore Ralph, who was in charge ofmanding the entire fleet below, immediately replied, "Roger that, Governor, sir!"


    Sshing noises echoed incessantly afterward, as the navy fleet down below dropped mines into the water. Soon, the fleet took on a formation¡ªa formationposed of dozens of ships.


    Meanwhile, the airships opened their bomb bays; hundreds of kilograms of bombs were ready to be dropped at any time and at the governor''smand. The air around the fleet was cold and tense.


    Charles briefly fell into contemtion before taking out his diary from his chest pocket and tapping it lightly. "Come here, we''re almost there."


    The next moment, Anna and Sparkle appeared beside him. These two were great assets, and Charles couldn''t allow them to stand idly by this time.


    Anna stretchedzily and remarked, "Oh, we''re finally here. Making our way there and back would take us more than half a year; we are really going a tad bit too slow."


    Soon, the Divinity''s Land, where the headquarters of the Fhtagn Covenant could be found, appeared under everyone''s gazes.


    The scene before them was so astonishing that everyone''s eyes were wide open as they observed it. The seemingly t sea surface had suddenly dipped down, forming a depression that went straight down.


    However, there was an extremely vastnd exposed at the bottom of the depression, and a variety of bizarre-looking buildings dotted the expansivend.


    The majority of the buildings seemed to be temples.


    The turbid deep-brown seawater surrounding the expansivend seemed to be being drawn in by something, as it orbited thend without submerging it, transforming it into a basin within the sea.


    No wonder it was called "Divinity''s Land" rather than "Divinity''s Ind."


    It was indeed a piece ofnd¡ªa piece of drynd on the seabed!


    "How is this even possible? What an illogical ce..." Charles watched with knitted brows as the escort ships entered the depression and docked at the pier. In order to avoid an ambush, he didn''t let the fleet enter recklessly.


    "This isn''t the only illogical ce throughout the Subterranean Sea..." Anna muttered as she stared at the Divinity''s Land.


    Sparkle, standing in between the two, licked her lips secretly as she gazed at the Divinity''s Land.


    Fortunately, Charles didn''t have to wait for too long; the Fhtagn Covenant soon weed him, and it was a grand wee.


    The sound of rolling waves filled the air as ships of a variety of sizes began to surface around Charles'' fleet; the ships were covered in barnacles and seaweed, and Deep Dwellers were standing on the ships'' decks.


    The Deep Dwellers stared at Charles'' fleet with their protruding fish eyes and weapons in hand.


    Just then, a fleet of several dozen steamships set out from the Divinity''s Land pier, rushing in Charles'' direction. The majority of the people on the ships were Fhtagnists with octopus tattoos on their solemn faces.


    Just as Charles thought that it was all over, a group of disgusting monsters surfaced from the sea behind Charles and his fleet. The disgusting monsters were from different species, but they all had one thing inmon¡ªtheir grotesque appearances.


    However, Charles was familiar with them; they were monsters that often attacked ships out at sea. There were so many of them that the turbid deep-brown seawater around them had taken on an ink-ck color.


    Charles knew that these monsters at sea often avoided attacking Fhtagnists, but he didn''t expect that the Fhtagnists could actually control them!


    Charles and his fleet had been surrounded. Everyone was nervous at the stupefying sight, and they began breathing in ragged pants.


    Surely, the Fhtagn Covenant had more than just what they were showing at the moment, but everyone knew that the force that had surrounded them was more than enough for them to have difficulties breaking out of this encirclement.


    However, Anna seemed indifferent to the sight and nonchntly remarked, "Not bad. If this is all they have, then we can definitely take care of them."


    Charles shook his head and said, "I think this is just a show of strength on their side to make sure that we''re not going to have any bad ideas. Do you really think they''re not afraid of us making a move against them?"


    "I''ve contacted the followers of the Giant Bird of Suffering via telegraph," Anna said, smiling, "They can''t send people here to help us, but if the Fhtagn Covenant suffers further losses, they won''t mind kicking the Fhtagnists while they''re down."


    Anna''s smiling lips parted open to speak, but filthy bubbles abruptly engulfed the front ss of the airship. The filthy bubbles surged, and once they vanished, twelve octopus heads d in purple embroidered robes were revealed before Charles.


    They looked the same at first nce, and they were all octopus-headed figures, but there were subtle differences between them. However, what caught Charles'' attention the most was their transparent scalp, which allowed anyone to peek into their soft, pinkish brain. Overall, it was a bizarre sight.


    "Governor Charles, long time no see."


    The familiar voice of the octopus head at the helm of the group made Charles realize that the octopus head was the individual who had been talking to him through the watery shadow previously.


    "We''ve been talking to each other for so long, but I still don''t know your name. Are you their leader?" Charles said, sweeping an indifferent gaze across the octopus heads.


    The nearby navy troops wielded their weapons and relics as they nervously stood before Charles.


    "You can call me Octett. I''m an elder of the Fhtagn Covenant''s twelve-member council. Governor Charles, why have you decided to stop outside of the Divinity''s Land? Why not dock at our pier? Our deal is still ongoing, right?"


    Charles sneered and replied, "The slope here is so steep that if we go down, it''s going to be difficult for us toe back up. Of course, our deal is still ongoing. Cure my people of their madness, and I''ll tell you God Fhtagn''s location."


    A surreptitious gleam shed in the octopus-headed figure''s eyes when Charles mentioned God Fhtagn and that gleam didn''t escape Charles'' keen eyes.


    "Very well. Since we''re already here, how about you tell us what exactly those Divine Light Order cultists have done?"


    Charles was a bit surprised by the question. He didn''t expect them to ask that question first.


    Seeing Charles'' hesitation, the tentacles on Octett''s chin trembled slightly. "Why hesitate? We''ve gone to great lengths just to express our sincerity, and we are at the final phase of our deal as well, so can''t you give us some answers in advance?"

 Chapter 520. Ritual

    <h4>Chapter 520. Ritual</h4>


    Charles had to tell them what had happened to stabilize their mood. After all, he hade here to save his crew, not to have a decisive battle with the Fhtagn Covenant. He still had to give them carrots as well.


    The twelve octopus heads hovering in mid-air seemed to have frozen in time, and they offered no response to Charles'' recount.


    A few secondster, they abruptly cast their octopus at Anna.


    Anna yfully stuck out her tongue and retreated behind Charles.


    "What did you do?" Charles asked doubtfully.


    "This bunch of seafood ismunicating with each other telepathically. I wanted to eavesdrop on them, but I didn''t expect them to notice me."


    Octett and the others retracted their gazes. Then, they froze once more.


    "Actually, I don''t have to eavesdrop to know what they''re talking about. They''re probably discussing the fate of their old rival. I''m sure they''re so happy that they feel like going mad right now. After all, the Light God has perished," Anna muttered as she wrapped her arms around Charles.


    "Don''t get sidetracked. We''ll leave immediately once the deal is done. The longer we stay here, the more dangerous things are going to be for us."


    A few minutester, Octett nced at Anna before staring at Charles, saying, "She''s changed herself greatly, but I can still tell that she''s from the Diois Tribe.


    "In exchange for the intelligence that you''ve provided us, let me tell you something, Governor Charles: she has altered your memories many times, and there are traces of modification in all of your memories. You''vepletely be her puppet."


    Furious, Anna was about to say something but was stopped by Charles'' outstretched hand. "Don''t try to drive a wedge between us. When exactly will the deal take ce?"


    "You don''t trust me? I''m kind enough to tell you that your memories have truly been modified many times before. It can even be said that at least half of your memories are fake."


    "You don''t have to tell me anything. It seems that you''re not pious enough toward your Great One. Otherwise, howe you have the luxury of time to chat with me so casually? Is His location not more important to you than whether my memories are false or not?"


    Charles'' words had yet to finish echoing in the air, but he had already felt a trace of anger from Octett''s deformed eyes. "Very well. Please wait a moment, Governor Charles. It''s a troublesome ritual that demands an extremely high price, but we''ll go ahead and get it ready."


    Filthy bubbles manifested, engulfing the twelve octopus heads. The next moment, they vanished from Charles'' sight.


    Anna grinned and pounced into Charles'' arms before nting a deep, loving kiss on him. "Love you."


    The people nearby hurriedly looked in other directions, pretending that they didn''t see anything.


    Charles gently pushed Anna away, saying, "Now''s not the time for this."


    "Howe you didn''t believe in what he told you? Do you trust me <i>that </i>much?"


    "Of course, I trust you. You''re my wife, after all. All right, save the mushy talk forter. Stay alert. I fear that they''ll stir up trouble at the critical juncture," Charles urged.


    "Don''t worry. They can''t beat us," Anna said with a radiant grin.


    Time ticked by, and the air was so tense between the two parties that it was palpable. Soon, everyone''s gazes turned toward the direction of the Divinity''s Land. The twelve octopus heads appeared and approached Charles'' airship while carrying many things.


    As the octopus heads approached, Charles finally made out the appearance of what the octopus heads were carrying in their arms. They were carrying twelve different golden objects, one of which was very familiar¡ªa statue of God Fhtagn.


    Charles'' eyes widened slightly. He could still remember that statue, as it was the statue he had retrieved from the ind where he had first encountered Anna five years ago!


    "Those items originally belonged to the Diois tribe. How are you guys supposed to use those things?" Charles asked.


    Anna''s expression was a bit solemn as she replied, "I didn''t expect them to go to such lengths¡ªto actually hold such a ritual. I think I''ve heard of it before. Apparently, you can have any of your wishes fulfilled by summoning the Old Sign through a ritual."


    "Really?" Charles was inwardly delighted. "So my crew should finally be cured, right? Wait, can that ritual transform a mouse into a human being?"


    Before Anna could answer, the octopus heads moved, getting into a circle formation the size of a football field on the sea surface. Then, their voices echoed at once as they chanted an incantation.


    They chanted an incantation, not in a strangenguage but in themonnguage of the Subterranean Sea. The only issue was that their chanting sounded technical and was difficult to understand.


    "All praise belongs to the ''One Who Rules All''! In the name of the ''Thulhu Sign,'' and all those who heed the Sign! Praise the progenitor of the Sign!!"


    "In the name of the ''Door to Yhe,'' and all those whoe through it; those who havee through it, and those who wille through it. Praise the ''One'' beyond the door. In the name of the ''One Who Is to Come..."


    Just then, the deformed sea monsters made their move. They swam from beneath the fleet of Hope Ind and converged just below the octopus heads, creating a grotesque mountain of deformed flesh.


    The next moment, they bit and tore each other apart. The sea surface was instantly tainted by blood of a variety of colors. Charles wasn''t exactly knowledgeable about rituals, but he could sense that these lunatics from the Fhtagn Covenant were using these sea monsters as sacrifices.


    Anna saw through Charles'' thoughts and said, "No, they''re just using the things inside these creatures as the foundation of the ritual. The ritual hasn''t even started yet."


    "Inside these sea monsters? What''s inside them? Their blood and flesh?"


    Anna merely shook her head in response.


    A cacophonous din of cries and wails pervaded the air. Charles looked up into the distance and saw that the Fhtagnists were forcing people onto the decks of their steamships.


    The sacrifices were mostly elderly. As they could no longer reproduce, the Fhtagn Covenant saw no merit in keeping them alive.


    Charles already knew what was about to happen, so he took Lily off his shoulder and pushed her gently into his pocket. However, Lily''s trembling figure told Charles that Lily had an inkling of what was about to happen.


    "Mr. Charles, why are they doing this?"


    "It''s okay. Take a nap. It''ll all be over once you wake up," Charles said, using his thumb to block Lily''s ears.


    The ritual was bloody and cruel. An eerie air pervaded the air above the fleet as the sacrifices were ughtered and dismembered. The whitish bones of the corpses mixed with the viscous blood of the sea monsters converged at one point before sinking rapidly into the sea. The clump of bones, flesh, and blood sank all the way to the seafloor, where even Charles'' keen vision couldn''t prate.


    Sshing noises echoed just then as the twelve octopus heads tossed the golden objects in their arms into the water.


    A pair of jet-ck eyes abruptly appeared in the depths, and the pair of eyes soon multiplied to two, four, and eight... Everyone felt a shiver down their spine as they broke out into goosebumps at the terrifying sight.


    Soon, the jet-ck eyes covered the entire seafloor; there were just too many of them that the turbid deep-brown seawater had taken on a jet-ck color¡ªthe same color as them.


    <i>A Divinity? No, it''s not a Divinity. It doesn''t give off that oppressive feeling. </i>Charles thought, calming down slightly at the realization.


    "Why do I feel like something''s a bit off..." Anna muttered, sounding anxious. "The chances are low, but are they going to make a move against you at this critical juncture? It doesn''t make sense, and they won''t be able to obtain God Fhtagn''s location once you''re dead."


    Regardless, Charles waved his hand behind him, and the crew members of the Narwhale were pushed forward.


    "Sharpen up, everyone! Pay attention to their next move! Either they continue their deal with us, or we go to war!" Charles roared, and his voice was broadcast throughout the entire fleet.

 Chapter 521. Old Sign

    <h4>Chapter 521. Old Sign</h4>


    The ritual held by the twelve octopus heads was reaching its final phase. The palpable tension over the seascape was at its thickest, the atmosphere so suffocating that it felt as though monumental effort was needed just to breathe. Everyone present felt a stifling lump blocking their airways.


    Dipp''s muscles were tensed up as he watched the undting mass of eyes in the water, wavering with the waves like bunches of seaweed. His heart steeled with a firm resolve: if any danger arose, he would directly put himself in the way to shield the captain from it.


    "Stay put; don''t cause any trouble now. That''s the best help you can offer," Charles remarked as he firmly pulled Dipp back. Thetter had subconsciously stepped forward.


    "But Captain! I can help! I''m strong, too!" Dipp protested.


    Charles ignored Dipp and turned his gaze back onto the sight beyond the airship''s window.


    "If anything dangerous happenster, take Sparkle with you and get out," Charles instructed Anna.


    Grabbing his hand tightly in response, Anna shed a reassuring smile and nodded. "Sure."


    Charles looked at Anna''s smile and parted his lips, wanting to say something. However, he decided to stay silent and closed his lips helplessly.


    Just then, the dense cluster of eyeballs in the water began to converge into a cube-like mist that swirled around with the waves. At certain angles, the mist resembled a die and a Rubik''s cube at others.


    A single look was enough to make onlookers feel nauseous.


    "Charles, the Old Sign has been summoned. It''s time to dere the new rules that you want," Anna whispered into Charles'' ear as the enigmatic mist continued to churn ominously below.


    Picking up the ck microphone hanging on the dashboard, Charles'' voice boomed through the airship''s loudspeakers. "Shall I do the honors of reciting the final phase?"


    The twelve octopus heads turned toward the airship in unison, the same disturbing smile appearing on their faces.


    "No, let us take care of this," Octett dered. Then, he and the other eleven octopus heads raised their hands collectively.


    Their voices, thick as though there was a lump of phlegm in their throats, reverberated across the sea. "All Praise the ''One'' beyond the door! In the name of the ''One Who Is to Come''! We implore upon the progenitor of the Sign. In exchange for Gao Zhiming¡ª"


    The moment the perfectly pronounced Chinese characters rolled off the tentacled mouths, Charles and Anna''s pupils shrank to needle points.


    Although they had no idea what the octopus heads were nning to say next, nor how they came to know of Charles'' real name, it was evident that their intent was not to heal the crew.


    Instantly, Charles bellowed into the microphone with all his might, "All ships and airships! Target the twelve ahead; fire at will!"


    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom! </i>


    The roar of cannonfire drowned out the subsequent chanting and columns of water obscured them from sight.


    Utilizing telegraphicmunication, the dozens of Hope Ind''s naval ships swiftly adjusted their course and began bombarding the encirclement of Fhtagnist ships around them.


    At the same time, hundreds of ck, viscous tentacles extended from beneath the waters, apanying the Deep Dwellers and the Fhtagnists in their counterattack.


    The tension between both forces had climbed to its peak and was about to erupt into a deathly showdown. Just then, a ck ring abruptly expanded from the location of the Old Sign and both Charles and Octett''s voices boomed across the sky.


    "Stop!"


    The roaring of gunfire and projectiles ceased instantly as everyone froze in ce. The palpable tension in the area was stifling, as though they were swinging a fist through empty air with all their might.


    "Charles! Why are we stopping?" Anna asked; she had already fully reverted to her monstrous form.


    Before Charles could reply, Octett''s voice boomed outside once more. "Governor Charles,e out. Hurry ande over here."


    Charles hastily dropped the ck microphone in his hand and sprinted toward the airship''s exit. However, it wasn''t out of his own will.


    "Wait!! Anna, stop me quickly! They''re controlling my body!"


    No one could have anticipated the turn of events. When thest of Charles'' words fell, he had already reached the metal gangway outside.


    Resistance filled his eyes as he peered down at the murky waters below.


    However, his feet lifted off the floor and he leaped toward the sea.


    "Sparkle! Bring your father back!"


    The next moment, a grotesque mass of writhing tentacles mingled with green viscous eyeballs appeared beside Charles.


    Just as Sparkle''s tentacles reached out to grab Charles, filthy bubbles frothed in the murky water around them as Octett and the other octopus heads manifested nearby.


    With a synchronized wave of their tentacles, Sparkle''s body began to rapidly dpose, emitting a foul stench as her body parts disintegrated. Her tentacles and eyeballs regenerated swiftly, and in a brief moment, they were as good as new.


    Despite her speedy regeneration, Charles had been snatched away by Octett and was ced atop a massive octopus'' head.


    For the first time, visible fury burned in the hundreds of eyes on Sparkle. She was about to give chase but froze in ce upon seeing a golden dagger being pressed against Charles'' throat.


    "Stay still unless you want your father dead," Octett threatened.


    A hint of triumph glimmered in his eyes as he turned to face Charles, whose face was painted with apparent anger.


    "Governor Charles, we felt that it''s more convenient to control you directly with the Old Sign than to cure your crew and have you disclose the location of the Great One as though you were doing us a favor. After all, the price to pay just to summon an entity like that for a single time is rather exorbitant," Octet exined.


    Charles turned his gaze onto Octett without any expression. "Is it really necessary to go to such lengths just to control me?"


    "It''s unavoidable. You''re Edikth''s Chosen One and even have a special Dioite watching over you. ordinary means no longer have an effect on you," Octett responded. "However, under the rules of the Old Sign, things are different. I can control you to do anything. And from now on, you will be one of my tentacles for eternity."


    <i>Fuck! </i>Charles cursed in his mind. Anxiety bubbled in him; he hadn''t anticipated this move from his adversaries.


    "What are you going to do next?" Charles asked.


    "Don''t worry. We will make full use of you. Firstly, we''ll extract the information we want from you. Then, we''ll use your life to threaten your men on Hope Ind to offer enough human poption in exchange for your return," Octett began, his voice dripping with malice.


    "Of course. We will ultimately betray our word. We will imprison you in the Divinity''s Land and torment you. When you finally lose the will to live, we will then sacrifice you to our Great One. This is payback for your years of fighting against us," Octett concluded with a sinister smirk.


    Charles'' hands trembled slightly, but he forced himself to regain hisposure. Now, his body couldn''t even express anger without the octopus head''s permission.


    "Now, let us start with the first step. What <i>exactly</i> happened between you and the Pope?" Octett asked.


    As Charles began to recount the event, Octett came to learn about the events that transpired. He even pulled out a piece of parchment from his purple robe and coiled a tentacle around a pen to record everything down.

 Chapter 522. The Tide Has Turned

    <h4>Chapter 522. The Tide Has Turned</h4>


    While Charles'' lips moved to answer the octopus heads'' questions, his mind raced desperately for a way to escape his current predicament. Truth be told, panic was starting to set in. He had considered various scenarios, but not this¡ªbeing trapped in a situation where he couldn''t even choose to end his life.


    However, he also knew that the more critical the situation, the more important it was not to panic. Just as new ideas popped into Charles'' head and were repeatedly dismissed, Anna''s voice suddenly sounded in his mind.


    <i>"Charles, can you hear me?" </i>


    Anna''s soft whisper ignited a spark of hope in Charles'' heart.


    <i>"The thing controlling me is called the Old Sign, right? Do you know of anything that can counteract it?"</i>


    There was a moment of silence before Anna responded in a strained voice.


    <i>"There''s no way. The power of the Old Sign is the power of rules; everything in this world must adhere to itsws.</i>


    <i>The only exception to this is if the summoner voluntarily relinquishes the newly established rules or the summoner dies. Otherwise, nothing else can break the Old Sign''s hold."</i>


    Charles'' expression darkened. Neither option seemed feasible under the current circumstances. At this rate that he was divulging information against his own will, he would soon expose the location of God Fhtagn. And, if the Fhtagn Covenant learned of how to unseal the <i>door</i>, that would spell great disaster!


    Not only would he have lost hisst bargaining chip, but the Fhtagn Covenant would surely do everything in their power to awaken their god.


    As Charles continued to speak, cold sweat started beading on his forehead.


    <i>Stay calm. Think. There has to be a way out of this.</i>


    Suddenly, a spark of inspiration struck him.


    <i>"Anna! Erase my memory!"</i>


    The next moment, Charles stopped talking. His lips parted, but no sound wasing out.


    "And? What happened next?" Octett urged as his hand holding the pen halted in ce.


    However, a hint of confusion surfaced in Charles'' gaze as he said, "I can''t remember anything."


    His memory had beenpletely wiped clean by Anna.


    Charles had hoped that this trick might alleviate his predicament, but the two octopus heads beside him quickly sensed something amiss. They lifted their writhing tentacles and inteced them. Suddenly, a spray of crimson blood burst from Charles'' earholes.


    "There''s something in his head!"


    The intertwined tentacles slowly retracted out of Charles'' ears, bringing with them Anna''s tentacle, which was gruesomely coated with pink brain matter.


    Charles almost fainted from the intense pain; his eyes rolled back as his body convulsed violently.


    Just as Anna''s tentacle was about to bepletely extracted from Charles'' mind, a sh of golden light burst from his pocket and lunged at the nearest octopus head. It was Lily, and she was determined to protect Charles.


    "Don''t you dare harm Mr. Charles!" Lily screeched. But before she could even dart a meter forward, she was abruptly suspended in midair.


    "Hah. A mouse," Octett scoffed. "To think that Governor Charles actually kept a golden mouse as a pet. What a unique creature; it can even talk."


    The other octopus heads erupted into fits ofughter upon hearing Octett''s jest.


    "ytime is over. It''s time to get serious," Octett said as a tentacle shot out to coil around Lily; he was going to crush the little intruder.


    Just as the tentacle tightened itself around Lily, a blinding white light burst forth from within her body.


    For the first time, panic and fear were evident in Octett''s voice. "This aura.... It''s the Light God! This mouse is the Light God!! Retreat!!"


    Filthy bubbles frothed, and the twelve octopus heads instantly vanished from the light.


    <i>"Anna, now''s our chance! Have Sparkle take me back!"</i>


    At Charles''mand, Sparkle appeared next to him, wrapped herself around him and swiftly teleported back to the airship.


    Charles had barely set foot on the airship when Anna pounced on him in her monstrous form. Her tentacles coiled around Charles so tightly that he could hardly breathe, but he was finally freed from the Fhtagnists.


    "Quick, tie me down! I''m still under their control! My body will execute whatevermand they issue," Charles warned.


    A hint of coldness flickered across the basketball-sized eye in the middle of Anna''s monstrous form. "Don''t worry, that''s a minor issue. How dare they scheme against my man. These bastards are surely tired of living!"


    The wail of a ship''s horn tore through the air to signal Charles'' safe return. Without anything holding them back, the Hope Ind Navy went all out. The anti-aircraft cannons roared to life, aze with fury as their fiery breath sent giant columns of water skyward.


    Both forces shed once again with unyielding ferocity. This time, no one called for a pause, and the sea was soon dyed crimson with blood.


    For the first time, Anna revealed her true formidable power in front of Charles. Her tentacles thrashed violently across the water''s surface and lifted a barnacle-d sunken ship to the surface.


    The Deep Dwellers on board attempted to surge forward, but a single icy nce from Anna was all it took for them to turn their weapons upon themselves and drive them into their own necks.


    By now, a veritable zone of death had materialized around Anna. Anyone who dared to approach would bepelled to kill themselves in the most desperate ways imaginable. A sunken ship could barelyst ten seconds against her as she unleashed carnage upon the Fhtagnist forces.


    Clearly, Charles was not the only witness of Anna''s formidablebat power. The Fhtagn Covenant saw the spectacle, too. Immediately, two Deep Dweller Elders were sent to confront Anna.


    Yet just then, Sparkle blinked into the scene and enveloped an Elderpletely.


    The ensuing chaos was hidden from Charles''s view as a massive tentacle surged from the depths and coiled itself around the airship. It tugged hard and tried to drag the airship into the choppy waters. However, the ship''s hydrogen-filled gasbags resisted, buoying it against the pull. The crew on board rallied fiercely and tried to bomb the invading tentacle into pieces.


    Chaos reigned over the tumultuous seascape as the two factions shed with relentless ferocity. Ever so loyal, Dipp stood guard next to Charles with a group of elite guards to ensure thetter''s safety.


    Meanwhile, Octett had continued his attempt to regain control over Charles with his verbalmands but it was to no avail. Charles was bound tightly, and his limbs had even been injected with muscle rxants. Even if his body wanted to move, he wouldn''t be able to go anywhere.


    The octopus heads swiftly changed their strategy and pushed toward the airship in an attempt to rescue Charles. But soon, their focus changed once more as newer, graver threats emerged.


    After sacrificing onerge and two smaller airships, one of the vessels finally broke through the encirclement and positioned itself over the Divinity''s Land.


    As it hovered in the air, it dropped giant, wobbling cannonballs that plummeted toward thend. A massive tentacle surged up to strike the cannonballs away. Yet upon impact, the cannonballs cracked open and unleashed a fiery rain over the Divinity''s Land. It wasn''t just gunpowder within the cannonballs. They were incendiary bombs mixed with whale oil and white phosphorus.


    As the incendiary bombs fell, the Divinity''s Land swiftly turned into an inferno. Two octopus heads lifted their tentacles, calling upon the seawater to douse the mes. However, it proved to be futile.


    This was no ordinary fire. The burning whale oil clung to the water''s surface and emitted an acrid smoke that filled the air. Wherever the currents flowed, the fire spread. The situation was worsening as the Divinity''s Land was turned into a burning maelstrom.


    When Octett finally managed to down the airship, the gas bag ignited instantaneously. The vessel transformed into a colossal fireball and plummeted into the Divinity''s Land, intensifying the ze.


    Regardless of who would emerge as the final victor of this conflict, it was clear that the Fhtagn Covenant would suffer greater losses. The battle hadpletely degenerated into chaos.


    To worsen matters for the Fhtagn Covenant, dozens of skeletal and turtle-shell vessels belonging to the Sea of Mist appeared in the distance. It seemed that the Haikor Tribe was going to partake in the battle.


    "Wait! Charles! Let''s... Let''s continue our deal!"

 Chapter 523. Abnormality

    <h4>Chapter 523. Abnormality</h4>


    The torpedoes underwater pierced the steamships of the Fhtagnists. The explosion wreaked havoc, dismantling those ships as their engine rooms soon erupted into mes, creating massive fireballs that towered over the sea.


    The Fhtagn Covenant couldn''t withstand such bombardment. The Divinity''s Land had already be an inferno, and the temples and buildings were shrouded by fierce mes.


    Civilian casualties were heavy, and their desperate wails didn''t slow down the mes even in the slightest. Some tried to jump into the sea to escape, but the sunlight above killed them in no time. There were corpses all over the sea.


    "Continue our deal? Now you want to continue our deal? When you were trying to screw over my man earlier, howe you didn''t say anything about continuing the deal?" Anna''s tentacles twisted, and her monstrous maw in the middle of her terrifying form split open as she erupted into a furious bellow.


    Her tentacles twisted, crushing a Deep Dweller''s head. A mixture of pink, white, and crimson sttered everywhere.


    Sparkle also extended her tentacles, imitating Anna.


    "Charles! Enough people have died; do you really want to perish together with us? Do you truly believe that this is the true strength of our Fhtagn Covenant? Also, we still have control over your body!"


    Charles'' expression became fierce. He couldn''t believe that they were still daring enough to threaten him at this point.


    Just as he was about to give the order for a fight to the death, Commodore Ralph''s voice abruptly boomed through the loudspeaker.


    "Governor! Themand center has discovered that there''s something strange about the oing ships! They''re changing formations, attempting to block our fleet''s escape route!"


    Charles'' heart instantly sank, and the boiling blood in his head sank down as well, calming him down. With furrowed brows, he turned to look at the oing skeletal ships.<i> Are the Haikor Tribe and the Fhtagn Covenant working together? Are they here to help the Fhtagn Covenant?</i>


    Charles pondered briefly over it, but he soon shook his head upon recalling the octopus heads'' request for a ceasefire.


    "Governor, the staffers in themand center unanimously believe that we must not continue fighting. If those ships areing to deal with us, we''re almost guaranteed to lose!"


    Looking at the skeletal ship fleet getting closer and closer in the distance, the cogs in Charles'' mind turned rapidly. <i>Damn it, what the hell are the elders of the Haikor Tribe doing?</i>


    There were two possibilities before Charles: either they wereing to help him, and he would finally be able to address the ticking time bomb called the Fhtagn Covenant, or... they hade here to help the Fhtagn Covenant.


    If it were thetter, then the Hope Ind''s navy, including himself, would have to call the Divinity''s Land their graves. Charles had once saved a Haikor Tribe''s turtleshell ship stranded out at sea, but that favor was utterly insignificant in the face of war.


    After a few seconds of pondering, Charles dared not to gamble. After all, he had many other things to consider aside from himself; his beloved ones were around as well.


    He''d inevitably have a headache annihting the Fhtagn Covenant in the future if he was to refrain from taking today''s gamble, but that possibility couldn''tpare to the lives of Anna, Sparkle, and his crew.


    The cacophonous din of firearms soon subsided at themand of themanders on both sides. The Haikor Tribe''s fleet of skeletal ships came to a halt as well. It was an abnormal sight that everyone found suspicious, including the Fhtagnists.


    The two sides that had ceased fire pondered over the Haikor Tribe''s motive foring here, but their mere thoughts were just their mere thoughts in the end¡ªpure spection.


    Moreover, they still had to proceed with the broken deal.


    Charles was tightly bound on a deck that somehow managed to remain rtively intact. Surrounded by a group of navy troops, Anna, and Sparkle, Charles headed slowly toward the eleven octopus heads in mid-air.


    There had been twelve octopus heads, but Anna had forcefully devoured one of them at the cost of four tentacles.


    "Governor Charles, you really have a knack for picking the best timing. I didn''t expect that you''d dere war on us when we''re at our weakest state. If we were the Fhtagn Covenant from not too long ago, you wouldn''t have been able to enter the Eastern Seas at all," Octett said, sounding resentful.


    The restraints on Charles were removed. Anna supported him, as he was too weak to stand by himself. "Stop putting on a tough front. Does the Fhtagn Covenant only know how to bluff? Do you want to continue with the deal or not?"


    A hint of anger shed in Octett''s eyes, but he forcibly suppressed it. "How do you n to carry out the deal?"


    "It''s simple. Relinquish control over my body, and hold the ritual necessary to heal my crew. Afterward, I''ll tell you God Fhtagn''s location."


    Octett strongly refused Charles'' proposal, saying, "No way! You''ll have to do your own end of the deal first. What if you go back on your word after we''ve done our end of the deal?"


    Charles sneered. "Me going back on my word? Why don''t we talk about who broke the deal earlier? Have you already forgotten how you bastards tried to screw me over?!"


    Both sides exchanged harsh words, but none of them truly wanted to keep fighting. After a lengthy discussion, the conditions of the deal were soon established.


    The Fhtagn Covenant would first hold the ritual to heal the crew, and then Charles would tell them about God Fhtagn''s specific location. Afterward, the Fhtagn Covenant would relinquish control over Charles'' body.


    Deals between enemies were always troublesome, and both sides would have to be always wary of the other party making a move to break the deal. Although both sides weren''t exactly satisfied with the conditions, they tacitly agreed with the deal after just a single nce at the fleet of skeletal ships in the distance.


    Soon, another brutal ritual was held. The Fhtagnists sacrificed the majority of the wounded, and the poption of the Divinity''s Land decreased drastically. The Fhtagn Covenant even asked Charles to provide some sacrifices, but Charles refused firmly.


    While the ritual was ongoing, Commodore Ralph walked up to Charles to do a casualty report.


    "Governor, we''ve lost four of our five airships, and the navy''s casualty rate is expected to exceed thirty percent. Themand center was also attacked, and it resulted in Commodore Locke''s death along with four strategists."


    Locke was one of the twelve captains who had discovered Hope Ind together with Charles. Charles didn''t expect that Locke would end up dying here, and his heart throbbed with pain.


    Charles turned to the distant octopus heads and cast an extremely resentful gaze upon them. Tens of thousands of people had perished in the brief skirmish, but it could have been avoided.


    This matter wasn''t over yet; there was a ceasefire between them at the moment, but Charles was determined to make those octopus heads pay for the deaths of his men and everyone else today!


    Anna reached out with her tentacles, patting Charles'' shoulder. "It''s alright. Their losses will only be greater than ours. After all, the battlefield is right at their doorstep. We''ve almost reduced the Divinity''s Land to ashes."


    Charles revealed a strained smile to the unrecognizable Anna. Then, he turned to Ralph, who was wearing his crisp, ck military uniform, and said, "It''s not over yet. Make sure everyone will stay alert. This isn''t the time to rest. We must be ready for yet another ambush."


    Ralph stared at Charles with a resolute expression and performed a salute. "Rest assured, Governor! Themand center has alreadye up with ns to tackle any of their underhanded moves. The Hope Ind Navy isn''t to be trifled with!"

 Chapter 524. Return

    <h4>Chapter 524. Return</h4>


    Amidst the thick gunsmoke and sea of blood, the Old Sign that made one feel extremely ufortable just by ncing at it was summoned once again. This time, the Fhtagnists didn''t y any tricks.


    The First Mate Bandages, Sailor Norton, Third Engineer Audric, Boatswain Dipp, Cook nck, Doctor Linda, and every single mad crew member of the Narwhale were escorted to the deck.


    The eleven octopus heads cast cold gazes upon them before raising their tentacles before the Old Sign and began chanting an inscrutable incantation.


    The incantation no longer contained Charles'' true name and was reced by the names of the Narwhale''s crew members.


    "I-I''m not Bandages! I''m not Bandages!! Let me go!!" The tightly bound Ernst struggled incessantly. He seemed to have an idea of what the people around him were doing, and his eyes became filled with despair. He truly didn''t want to die.


    "My son, daughter, and my wife Ginny! They''re all waiting for me to return to Frost Ind! Charles, I beg you! I don''t want to die! I really don''t want to disappear!" Ernst roared.


    Charles had just recovered some of his strength, but he rushed over to Ernst, dislocating thetter''s jaw in spite of thetter''s despair-filled eyes staring at him.


    Ernst could no longer close his mouth, so his saliva dripped slowly to the ground. He couldn''t speak. He could only squirm on the ground in despair, and his saliva left a long trail on the ground.


    Soon, a ck light burst out of the Old Sign and swept across the crew members.


    The crew''s bizarre behavior ceased at once, and lucidity gradually returned to their eyes. Bandages stopped wailing, and he looked around in a daze.


    The blind vampire Audric wearing his signature ck rubber suit was the first one to move among the crew. His expression quickly changed into that of extreme anxiety as he rushed to Linda''s side and helped her up carefully.


    Charles failed to hold in his emotions at the exciting sight. He rushed over to his crew and embraced them. Hisrades, whom he long thought of as his family members, had returned¡ªthey''d returned!


    Charles checked in on them one by one to ensure that there wasn''t anything abnormal with them. Soon, Charles'' heart sank as he stood before Tobba. Thetter''s empty gaze meant that even the Old Sign couldn''t cure Tobba.


    Charles immediately looked up to question the octopus heads, but they all had stern expressions in response to his question. Tobba''s issue was obviously moreplex¡ªno, Tobba''s issue wasn''t caused by God Fhtagn''s divine might.


    Unfortunately, the Old Sign''s rules meant that one could only wish for one thing every time it was summoned.


    <i>So the root of Tobba''s issue is indeed different from the root of the crew''s madness. I guess I''ll have to find another way to heal him. </i>Charles thought to himself.


    "Governor Charles, we''ve done our end of the deal. It''s time for you to keep your word," Octett said coldly.


    Charles pondered for a moment and looked down at Lily trembling in his pocket.


    "I have a question: can the Old Sign turn a mouse into a human?"


    "No! Perhaps it can do that for a different mouse, but your mouse has the aura of the Light God; your mouse can be said to be the miniature version of the Light God. Unfortunately, the Old Sign is useless on Divinities."


    "The Light God?" Charles'' gaze turned to that of surprise as he stared at his trembling pocket. <i>Had the Light God left a portion of His power in her when He resurrected her? Have I misunderstood the Light God and the truth is that He''s always been kind? But why? Why would the Light God do something like that?</i>


    Octett nced at the distant skeletal fleet, and he sounded a bit anxious as he urged, "Charles! It''s time for you to fulfill your word! I hope you haven''t forgotten, but we still have control over your body. Don''t you dare try to y any tricks!"


    Charles emptied his mind and put aside this question and slowly began to speak to the octopus heads floating before him.


    "All right, head in the direction I had told you before, and you''ll eventually find a deep depression in the seafloor called the Dark Abyssal Trench. Send people down into that trench and keep diving until you find a city..."


    Charles purposely did not mention that there was a Divinity residing in the extremely bizarre city at the bottom of the trench. It''d be great if the Fhtagnists ended up running into that Divinity.


    Charles also refrained from divulging God Fhtagn''s exact location. They only told them that He was beneath the city, and he also did not tell them how to remove the seal on God Fhtagn.


    The Fhtagnists also learned about what the Pope had done and how the "death light" came about.


    Upon learning about God Fhtagn''s specific location and the Light God''s death, Octett and the other octopus heads became extremely agitated. Some of the Deep Dweller Elders floated over to them, and they soon engaged in an intense discussion.


    Clearly, the information Charles had told them was of great significance to them.


    "Relinquish control over Charles'' body!" Anna roared, threatening the octopus heads. She crawled to the front of the deck and pointed her squirming tentacles at the octopus heads.


    Fortunately, Octett didn''t go back on his word.


    Anna checked repeatedly, making sure that the Old Sign''s rules on Charles''s body had disappearedpletely. Once Anna was done checking, Charles immediately gave the order to retreat and leave the dangerous Divinity''s Land.


    The Hope Ind Navy retreated in an orderly manner, allowing both sides to breathe a sigh of relief at the same time. The journey had beenplicated and dangerous, but both sides still ended up achieving their goals.


    Charles had managed to cure his crew of their madness, while the Fhtagn Covenant obtained God Fhtagn''s location.


    Meanwhile, the bewildered crew members turned to Charles, asking thetter a barrage of questions. How did they suddenly appear here when they were at the bottom of the Dark Abyssal Trench just a second ago?


    Charles smiled and recounted everything that had transpired over the past few months. Soon, a turtleshell ship approached them; it seemed that the Haikor Tribe''s envoy was on the ship.


    A three-meter-tall poked his head out of the turtle shell and turned to Charles before asking, "Governor Charles, why the sudden ceasefire? We''vee here to assist you and annihte the Fhtagn Covenant in one fell swoop."


    Judging from the vivid color of the Haikor''s robes, Charles deduced that he had to be a religious figure of the Haikor Tribe. In fact, Charles had definitely seen him before.


    Charles sneered in his heart. If someone had a penchant for doing the opposite of their words, then one had to look at what the former would do rather than what they had said.


    These Haikors had obviously note here just to "help."


    "I appreciate it, but there''s no need to trouble yourselves. My matters with the Fhtagn Covenant havee to an end for the time being," Charles said in a business-like tone of voice. Then, he turned around and walked toward his crew without waiting for the Haikor''s reply.


    Soon, he disappeared into the cabin along with his crew.


    The Haikor didn''t do anything out of the ordinary. He smiled and watched as the ships of Hope Ind''s Navy passed by him one by one. Once Hope Ind''s fleet was far enough from him, he walked into his ship''s cabin. Then, the turtleshell ship turned around slowly before heading toward the Divinity''s Land.


    Meanwhile, the Fhtagn Covenant was busy cleaning the battlefield, and they were akin to a hyena licking its wounds. Upon noticing the approach of a turtleshell ship, an octopus head moved and appeared before the turtleshell ship.


    The octopus head stood on the water''s surface, blocking the turtleshell ship''s path.


    The three-meter-tall giant stared at the octopus head. A tinge of regret shed briefly on his face as he said, "<i>Ah,</i> what a pity. We actually came here to help you, but we didn''t expect you two to stop fighting before we could lend a hand."


    The octopus head red coldly at the three-meter-tall giant. Obviously, he had no trust in the Haikor Tribe. "Did your gods tell you toe here? Does the ''death light'' not affect the Southern Seas at all? Howe you still have time to meddle in our affairs here?"


    "We''ve always been lucky. The mist in the Sea of Mist has blocked the Light God''s divine light, so we haven''t suffered any losses at all. Are you interested in joining us to deal with Hope Ind''s governor? There''s still enough time for us to move."


    The octopus head immediately refused the three-meter-tall giant''s proposal, replying, "Tell your gods that they have no right to intervene in the affairs of the Fhtagn Covenant!"

 Chapter 525. The Crew

    <h4>Chapter 525. The Crew</h4>


    "Linda. Linda, are you in there?" Vampire Audric called out softly as he gently knocked on the cabin door with his pale hand adorned with razor-sharp nails.


    Yet, silence was the only response as if no one existed within the room. But Audric knew better that the ship''s doctor, Linda, was indeed inside.


    After hearing Charles recount that all members of the Divine Light Order had gone to the surface, and the Light God met His demise there, Linda retreated into her cabin and locked herself in. When she walked away, Audric had caught the hint of destion in her eyes and he was worried.


    "I''ve left some food and fresh water at your door. Bring them in when you''re feeling hungry. I''ll rece them again in the evening," Audric spoke again.


    Still, he received no reply. Letting out a helpless sigh, he wrapped his dark cloak tighter around himself and slowly made his way down the corridor.


    The blind vampire slowly turned the corner and just as he passed another cabin, Dipp, who had been engrossed in a game of Fish with the other crew members, poked his head out. "Hey, bud, how''s doc doing? Is she feeling any better?"


    Audric slightly adjusted the sunsses sitting on his nose bridge before stepping into the room. "It''s not looking too optimistic," he answered. "The death of the Light God seems to have hit her hard. I''m thinking of bringing her to a psychologist once we return to Hope Ind."


    "That''s the thing with all religious folks," the Chief Engineer chimed in with a cigarette dangling from his lips. Laying down a pair of seals, he continued, "I mean look at me. I only believe in money and never cared much for all that divine nonsense."


    Audric turned toward the Chief Engineer. His voice wasced with evident displeasure as he spat, "Are you feeling happy about the situation?"


    When they were in the Dark Abyssal Trench, Chief Engineer Paul had been flung toward the overloaded turbine, and half his face had been stripped of skin from that incident. Though his injury had healed, his flesh and sinews were knitted grotesquely over bone.


    Yet, Paul was unfazed by his gruesome appearance, and his scarred lips curled up into a grin.


    "Of course I''m happy! The captain had dered that he would be doubling our payout. I now have money, a house in the heart of the ind, and women! I''ll be a central inder just like you lot soon enough!" Paul boasted and let out a heartyughter.


    Second Mate Conor had been watching the card game from the side, but he caught the growing displeasure on Audric''s face. He subtly kicked Paul''s shin under the table to silence thetter.


    "Third Engineer, don''t worry," Conor reassured. "Linda has been through hardships and hell with us. Better days are imminent. She just needs some time to find her peace."


    With a heavy sigh, Audric turned and left the cabin clouded with cigarette smoke, his lonely silhouette receding into the shadowy passageway.


    "Hey, do you think there''s something going on between that vampire and Linda? I don''t think that''s how you would react over a fellow crew mate," Cook nck whispered softly.


    "Do you even need to ask? It''s obvious to anyone with eyes. I wonder when they started getting so chummy," another crew member chimed in.


    "Hurry up... y your card..." Bandages interrupted. Yet the evident annoyance in his voice barely did anything to suppress the other''s gossipy spections.


    "Women are such trouble. Now that I''ve money, I''m gonna buy a house right next to the red-light district," Chief Engineer Paul boasted. "Imagine going out every day and bringing a new girl back every time. Never sleep with the same face twice."


    "And that''s all you can think of? Wait till you catch something that has you oozing pus down there," another chided as he shook his head disdainfully.


    "Fuck you, Fourth Engineer! How dare you talk to me like that. Just wait till we''re back on board the Narwhale! I''ll have you sweating through month-long night shifts in the turbine room!" Paul mmed his hand down on the table.


    "It''s Eddie now. Didn''t you hear what the Captain said? The Narwhale has been dmissioned. I''m not under you anymore," Eddie retorted with a smirk.


    The room instantly returned to its previous jovial atmosphere asughter and friendly insults filled the room. The crew''s spirits were high as they no longer needed to risk their lives at sea. As the Governor''s trusted crew members who had gone through life and death with him, they knew he would surely take good care of them.


    Whether they wanted to revel in newfound wealth or join the inner circles of Hope Ind, they were all easily fulfilled; the future looked promising.


    They had seen it with the previous batch of crew that the Governor was generous to his own. This was also why volunteers were plentiful for the Narwhale despite the high mortality rate.


    However, there was one crew member who didn''t share in the excitement. He was Sailor Norton.


    "Kid, you are surely lucky to have fortune rain down on you on your first voyage. The rewards are practically free pickings. I''d wager all your life''s luck has peaked right here," Dippmented as he stealthily changed out his cards.


    "This isn''t what I signed up for. I wanted to go on adventures alongside the governor, discover uncharted inds, and battling ferocious, grotesque sea monsters. If we are not even exploring inds anymore, can we still call ourselves explorers?"


    Norton''s words drew everyone''s attention to him.


    "Kid, are you still out of your mind? We''ve finally gotten a break from seeking Death, and you''re whining about missing it?" Second Mate Conor replied, his voice a mix of surprise and frustration.


    "The governor wasn''t always like this. Even after he became a governor, he still continued to explore relentlessly. He was the only one who did that in the entire seascape. But I feel like he has changed; he seems to have lost his edge," Norton replied.


    Dipp shot a sidelong nce at Norton. "It''s not your ce to question the captain''s actions. Just follow his orders, that''s the drill."


    "Explorations.... and adventures... are means... not the goal..." Bandages added.


    Feeling that his dreams had been utterly dashed, Norton stood up with his shoulder slumped in defeat and walked out of the cabin.


    Amidst the sharp scent of tobo and the faint tter of ying cards, the crew''s hearty conversation continued in the cabin.


    "Speaking of which, I haven''t been seeing Lil'' Lily aroundtely. I heard that she came back to life but I haven''t run into her myself yet. I really miss that little mouse after such a long time," a crew membermented.


    "Captain has taken her away. There''s probably something they need to deal with. After all these years of contributing lives to the sea, he actually managed to save one from Death this time. It''s a miracle. If the Light God were still alive, I might just start praying to Him, too."


    Meanwhile, in the first-ss cabin of the battleship, Charles and Anna were closely examining Lily, who was ced on the table. Charles reached out a hand to gently stroke Lily''s golden fur and muttered to himself, "Is the power of the Light God really in Lily? Why would He do this?"


    Feeling Charles'' affection, Lily nuzzled against Charles'' palm with her fluffy cheeks, her eyes twinkling with happiness.


    <i>Previously, I definitely saw a burst of white light from her, but why is there no sign of it now? If we can somehow harness the power within her and control it, that would be a significant aid in our battles.</i> Charles thought.


    Just then, Anna reached out and grabbed Lily''s tail in an attempt to lift her up. However, Lily turned around swiftly and snapped yfully at Anna''s hand with her tiny white teeth.


    "I''ve been wondering," Anna said, "why did the Light God choose to revive only Lily? Now, it seems like He has left some sort of backup n for Himself."

 Chapter 526. Faded

    <h4>Chapter 526. Faded</h4>


    "This is truly interesting," Anna mused with a yful chuckle. "Perhaps, this little mouse has reced the Pope as the Light God''s new Chosen One." Anna then reached out a hand to pet Lily, but the nimble mouse dodged her touch once again.


    "Lily, after you died, did you encounter the Light God? Have you spoken with Him?" Charles asked.


    "Nope. I didn''t feel anything. I was just sleeping in this warm environment."


    Charles carefully lifted Lily up in his hands and examined her as he pondered over his gunner''s current enigmatic condition. He wasn''t sure whether this was a blessing or a curse.


    "It could be considered a good thing," Anna interjected. "If the little mouse is the Light God''s contingency n, He would certainly protect your mouse and keep it alive for at least another five years."


    Charles'' brows furrowed in thought. He then set Lily down gently on the floor before turning toward the cabin door.


    "Anna," Charles called out. "Let''s take a walk outside on the deck. It''s getting too stuffy here."


    As soon as the two left the room, Lily picked up a pen in anger and hurled it across the table. "I''m so mad!! Mr. Charles doesn''t even care about me at all now! Even though we had kissed previously!"


    Being on the spacious deck, Charles peered outward at the expansive sea, noting the boundary line that separated the seawater by color. Once they crossed that boundary, they would finally be out of the Eastern Seas.


    "Don''t overthink it. This might really be a good thing. After all, the mouse is on your side," Anna said, breaking the silence.


    "Hopefully," Charles said with a sigh. "But once Divinities are involved, it always turns outplicated."


    "What do you n to do next?" Anna asked as she leaned her head against Charles'' shoulder and gazed toward the bright horizon of the sea.


    The Fhtagn Covenant is a persistent thorn in our side. The feud between us is also too deep to ever be resolved. We need to stay vignt and monitor their every action. Those cultists will surely try everything in their power to destroy Hope Ind."


    "Both sides suffered great losses, and the distance between them and Hope Ind is far. Even if they intend to start another conflict, that would be a couple more years again. It''s too early to worry about that now," Anna replied softly.


    "It''s never too early to make preparations. If we wait to act only after they are fully prepared, it might be toote," Charles countered.


    "Don''t worry too much about it. Though they call themselves followers of God Fhtagn, their god does little to protect them. If we were to talk about recuperation capability, we would be much stronger than those lunatics. Given time, we might have even developed aircraft carriers with the rate technology progresses on Hope Ind."


    "That would be the most ideal situation. Hopefully, there won''t be more deaths. This seascape has seen enough of those," Charles concluded, his heart growing heavy at the thought of his fallen navy soldiers.


    Just then, he sensed movement behind him. Turning around, he saw that the medical staff had escorted Tobba up onto the deck for some fresh air.


    Anna studied Charles'' expression and contemted for a few thoughtful moments before she reignited the conversation again. "If, I mean if, you managed to resolve the thorn being Fhtagn Covenant permanently and somehow managed to turn the little mouse back into a human, what do you n to do after that?"


    Charles mulled over the question for a long while, uncertainty clouding his eyes as time ticked by. After a full five minutes, he finally replied, "If all of those troubles have been resolved, then I would live out a peaceful life with you and Sparkle on Hope Ind, just like a normal human being until my time is up."


    Anna''s elegant brow arched at Charles'' response. "Is that all?"


    "That''s all. I don''t care whether this wretched ce is the Earth we''re from or who killed the Light God, I..." Charles paused as he gathered his thoughts. "It''s been so many years, I''m tired."


    "Charles, there are still many things you could do. Don''t you want to find a way to prolong your life or even greater power? You are now the overlord of the Northern Seas! Can''t you harbor some greater aspirations?" Anna urged.


    "What''s the use of a longer lifespan? To end up like Bandages? As for more power... indeed, we need a little more, but not my own¡ªrather, Hope Ind needs a boost in its collective power. That''s our foundation to maintain our position in the Subterranean Sea."


    Anna shook her head slightly in disapproval. "Those are fleeting. Only the strength you possess yourself will never betray you. Since you''ve decided to stop searching for the surface world, then you should set your eyes on seeking greater power!


    "Don''t forget what you have once told yourself: the Subterranean Sea is never safe. Any ind could sink anytime and that includes Hope Ind.


    "Only by possessing true power that can rival Divinities can we truly¡ª"


    "Anna!" Charles cut off Anna''s ambitious speech abruptly. His fatigue was apparent in his gaze.


    "Anna, I''m not made of iron. I''m just flesh and blood. For the whole of the past fourteen years, I''ve been so tensed up and pushing myself to my limits. Each hardship I''ve been through left me riddled with scars, physically and mentally. I''m really tired now. Give me a break. Can we talk about this again after I''ve rested enough?"


    Anna swallowed the remaining words she had nned and shed a gentle smile. "Sure, I respect your decision."


    "Thank you." Charles fell silent as he stood on the deck and let the salty sea breeze wash over his face.


    Anna rested her stunning visage against Charles'' shoulder, and together, they gazed at the same view of the expansive sea ahead.


    "After all these years at sea, this is the first time I felt that the sea is really beautiful," Charles mused. But just then, a hint of uncertainty crossed his features. "Anna, do you feel that¡ª"


    "The light is dimming?" Annapleted Chales'' sentence.


    Charles took a few steps forward, out of the shade of the overhead canopy, and allowed the sunlight to pour over him. While the warmth remained, there were indeed subtle changes to the slight.


    It felt as though the burning sun at noon had turned back to its position at eleven thirty in the morning. It hadn''t been a figment of Charles'' imagination. He just happened to notice it first due to his acute sensitivity to light.


    "Could it be that the light is slowly fading with the death of the Light God?" Anna brought up a highly usible theory. "If that''s the case, it might not be bad news. At least the people of this seascape no longer need to hide under their umbres and thick robes all the time. After all, sunlight doesn''t have a ce here anyway."


    Charles shook his head in disagreement. "This is a significant change and will have major influences. If the sunlight is really fading, every ind out there should reserve some ck ryegrass seeds for cultivation. Let''s go; we need to send a telegraph to the governors of all inds immediately."


    The two turned toward the cabin and stepped back into the shade. Just as Charles walked past Tobba, thetter suddenly lunged at him and clung on desperately.


    "The light took away the darkness.... The light took away the darkness!!" Tobba cried out loud, his voice trembling with fear. Everyone was startled as this was the first time Tobba had spoken ever since the incident in the trench.


    "Tobba, have youe around?" Charles asked in surprise but was met with no response. Tobba had reverted to his listless and vacant state, his eyes clouded without lucidity.

 Chapter 527. Whereto

    <h4>Chapter 527. Whereto</h4>


    Governor Margaret of the Isle of Whereto opened her eyes slowly from her slumber. She stared nkly at the electric light on the ceiling for a good while.


    Soon, her maids walked into the room and assisted her. Upon settling into her seat before the vanity table, Margaret dressed up and started applying her makeup with the help of the maids.


    The luxurious Governor''s Mansion of the Isle of Whereto was eerily quiet and deste. The windows were sealed shut, so there was virtually zero venttion, which brought upon a faint musty smell in the air.


    The "death light" had imed the lives of many of the Governor''s Mansion staffers, but Margaret had no intention of hiring staffers to rece them. After all, she was the only surviving member of the entire Cavendish Family; there was no need to hire so many people just to take care of her.


    Margaret gazed at herself in the mirror and took in her haggard appearance for a while. Eventually, a soft voice echoed from behind her. The voice hade from her assistant.


    "Esteemed Governor, we''ve just received a telegram from Governor Charles of Hope Ind; he said that the light is fading gradually. Do you wish to respond to him?"


    Margaret shook her head and replied, "No need to respond. I noticed it as well. He''s not the only one with eyes, after all. Anything else?"


    "A representative from the Explorers Association is waiting outside for you. He has been waiting for half an hour now."


    "The Explorers Association? I thought their surviving staffers had retreated to their headquarters? Howe they''ve returned?"


    "They''ve just returned to the ind today. Apparently, the Explorers Association has issued a new regtion on governors, and they''vee here to tell you about it."


    "A new regtion? The Explorers Association has issued a new regtion and wants to enforce it on us? What rights do they have to do that?" Margaret turned to look at her assistant next to her.


    The woman looked down; she dared not meet Margaret''s gaze, as the intangible pressure Margaret was exuding bored down on her entire being. "My apologies, Governor, but I''m not aware of the details. That''s the extent of my knowledge."


    "Bring him in, then. I''m curious as to what regtion they''re trying to impose."


    Soon, an aged voice echoed behind her. "Governor, the President of the Explorers Association has issued a new regtion for every governor. It is all for the sake of mankind''s survival beneath the ''death light.''"


    "Oh? And what regtion has your president announced?"


    The envoy, whose hair was half ck and half white, pulled out some papers from his leather bag. He adjusted his gold-rimmed sses before reading the texts on the paper out loud.


    "Greetings, Esteemed Governors. My name is Jax, and I am the President of the Explorers Association. For the sake of protecting ourmon interests, I hereby notify you that for the next five years, any form of war or plunder between inds in the Subterranean Sea is strictly prohibited.


    "This regtion was endorsed by Julio, the Governor of Cat Ind in the Southern Seas, the Patriarch of the Watz family in the Western Seas, Charles, the Governor of Hope Ind in the Northern Seas, and the eleven high priests of the Fhtagn Covenant in the Eastern Seas.


    "Viting this regtion is strictly prohibited, so please be sure to abide by it."


    Margaret grazed her scarless cheek with her finger, putting something across it before responding, "Then what''s the deal with the war between Hope Ind and the Fhtagn Covenant?"


    "Well... it''s all water under the bridge now. At the recent telegram conference, Governor Charles has also expressed his intention to strictly abide by the regtion."


    Having finished her makeup, Margaret stood up and took out a fountain pen from the side before signing on the pieces of paper that the envoy had presented to her.


    "I''m a bit curious. Why did you choose Charles as the representative of the Northern Seas?"


    The man carefully collected the signed papers as he replied, "It''s because his ind has the most poption throughout the Northern Seas. I''m sure you know that only his ind was spared from the ''death light.''


    "Governor Swann was the strongest governor throughout the Northern Seas, but he has already passed away. As for the Isle of Whereto..." The envoy trailed off, but the implied message was unmistakable.


    The Isle of Whereto had already fallen from grace and no longer had the qualifications to vie for the top spot.


    Margaret Cavendish stared calmly at the envoy. "Howe the Explorers Association still has time to deal with these matters? Weren''t you guys affected by the ''death light'' as well?"


    The envoy of the Explorers Association revealed a determined expression at Margaret''s remark before replying, "Our losses were indeed great. We lost our president and vice president. The Association''s internal affairs are in a mess as well with everything that is happening at the moment, but...


    "We cannot stop. We are a¡ªan expansive covering the entire Subterranean Sea. Mankind will not die out so long as we exist. Please remember that our existence is beneficial to everyone, Governor Margaret."


    With that, the man ced one hand on his chest and bowed deeply to the Governor of Whereto before turning to leave.


    Left all alone, Margaret expressed her strong unwillingness and defiance through her face. "Do they really think that Hope Ind is strong enough to represent the Northern Seas? <i>Hmph,</i> I''ll reim the glory of the Cavendish one day."


    "<i>Hehehe, </i>what use is meaningless boasting? Hope Ind has undergone a qualitative change. What do you have topete with them? However, I do have a good solution," a little girl said. She grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth as she walked toward Margaret through the door.


    She was none other than the "King" of Sottom, 134.


    The hideous scar on Margaret''s cheek wrinkled as she frowned deeply. "What solution are you talking about?"


    "It''s not that hard¡ªa political marriage. I mean, think about it. You only have to let him ride you a few times at most, and you''ll obtain a share of the powerhouse known as Hope Ind. Isn''t that the best trade deal ever?


    "However, that''s just the beginning; the best part is what''s going toe next. We''ll find a way to kill him once you two are married. Once he''s dead, Hope Ind is going to be ours¡ªTsk, not ours! That ind was supposed to be mine!" 134 roared, and her gaze revealed extreme hatred. After all, Charles was the reason she had to live under someone else''s roof even now.


    Throughout the entire Subterranean Sea, 134 hated Charles the most if the Fhtagn Covenant weren''t included in the count.


    Margaret stood up abruptly, and she looked annoyed as she said, "A childish n like ying house won''t work against Charles. Besides, he already has a child. A political marriage is impossible."


    134 red at Margaret''s retreating figure and roared, "Youe up with a n, then! What can you aplish with your navy that has dwindled to just over two thousand men? If it hadn''t been for the fact that the majority of my people have perished, I would have seized this wretched ind of yours long ago!"


    Margaret ignored 134 and entered her office to handle the ind''s affairs. The Isle of Whereto was currently in dire straits, and she had many things to do as its governor.


    Margaret looked down at the document in her hand. It contained a proposal to recruit inders from other inds to help in Whereto''s construction efforts.


    Just as she was reading the document, the ss of water on her desk churned and emitted a fishy stench.


    "Long time no see, Margaret. We didn''t obtain the best result against the Divine Light Order, but we work pretty well together."


    Margaret put down the document in her hand and replied, "Don''te looking for me anymore. The Divine Light Order is gone, so our cooperation has ended as well. I don''t want to get too involved with you people."


    "Oh? Really? Are you not tempted to be the overlord of the Northern Seas?"


    Margaret instantly deduced why they had decided to seek her out.


    "You want me to deal with Charles?"


    "Of course, who else? You know, we can work together and take care of him.


    "Hope Ind is too far from us, and it''s not exactly appealing, so as long as you help us get rid of Charles, his prosperous ind will be yours. By then, you will be the Queen of the Northern Seas!"


    Margaret cast a cold gaze upon the pair of eyes in the ss of water. "You''ve probably said that to quite a few people, haven''t you? Have you not heard of the new regtion that the Explorers Association has issued? Don''t you think it''s suicide to make a move at this point?"


    "You can take your time, just likest time. We also understand that it can''t be rushed. Everyone needs time to recuperate as well. Anyway, you still haven''t answered me. Are you willing to work with us or not?"


    Margaret stared calmly at the eyes in the ss of water for a long time. Finally, a resolute light shed in her eyes.


    "Count me in," Margaret replied.

 Chapter 528. Feast

    <h4>Chapter 528. Feast</h4>


    In the end, Tobba failed to recover, and his previous words seemed to have been just a bunch of nonsense. However, it could be a sign of his recovery, so Charles considered it a good thing.


    As for Lily, Charles had spent a long time researching what was going on with her to no avail. In the end, he decided to temporarily put the matter aside. Inside the first-ss cabin of a ship, Lily used all her strength to close the book in front of her.


    Therge circle of colorful mice beside her quickly brought over another book, but Lily remained dissatisfied. Romance books had created a tiny hill on therge bed, but Lily still couldn''t figure out what exactly she wanted to read.


    "How much longer until our return? I''ve already read all these novels twice. Life on the ship is so boring. I really should have brought more books with me."


    The golden, shiny mouse turned to look at the deserted room. After tilting her head and pondering briefly, she ran toward the kitchen. It was just in time, as she was feeling a bit hungry. The mischief of mice quickly followed behind her.


    As soon as she entered the kitchen, a heat wave pushed Lily back a few steps. A kitchen would always be so hot for Lily that even the floor felt warm to her touch.


    The number of cooks required to prepare meals for over a thousand people on the ship was astounding. The cooks moved like a collective unit as they neatly prepared the ingredients necessary for the cooking process.


    It was a spectacr sight in Lily''s eyes, and she felt like she was in an adult''s world as she walked down slowly through the kitchen. Her sensitive nose allowed her to make out the variety of aromatics and scents in the air.


    Shrimp, canned meat, mushrooms, and even the rarely seen pickled fruits¡ªthe many different scents made Lily drool.


    Just as Lily was about to climb up a table leg, arge hand grabbed her and ced her on the table. Immediately afterward, a tiny, sugar-pickled red fruit was stuffed into her little paws.


    "Lily, don''t explore the kitchen while we''re busy. Who knows? Maybe you''ll fall into a pot of soup and be one with the dish?" Cook nck said, his hands stopping not even for a second.


    Now that Lily was on a table, she obtained a great vantage point for viewing the entire kitchen. She looked around and saw a variety of delicacies on the table; the variety was definitely not the usual one for lunch.


    "Wow, why are you making all this delicious food today? Have you decided to take out everything and cook them?"


    "Yes, everything''s been taken out. We''re almost at the port, so it''s meaningless to hold back on using those ingredients. The captain also said that we should hold a feast to celebrate our return. It''s a feast, so we have to eat something good."


    Taking a small bite of the sugar-pickled fruit, a smile surfaced on Lily''s face as she said, "Chef, you look <i>really </i>happy."


    "<i>Hahaha, </i>of course, I''m happy. Good days areing soon, after all. I''ll have you know, Lil'' Lily, exchanging my leg for a prosthetic one was really worth it," nck said, patting his prosthetic leg with enough force that his double chin trembled.


    "What do you n to do after returning to the ind, Chef?" Lily asked, taking another small bite of the fruit.


    "I''m going to use thend that the Governor has bestowed upon me to open my own restaurant. Opening my own restaurant has always been my dream, and the restaurant will only serve dishes that I''ve created myself!


    "Afterward, my next goal is to be the best chef in the entire Subterranean Sea!"


    Lily didn''t react that much in the face of nck''s deration, but the cooks nearby revealed envious looks at his remark. They were cooks from the other ships, yet they did not share the same fate. After all, all cooks had the same dream: owning their own restaurant.


    "Mmhm!" Lily nodded vigorously and said," When the timees, Mr. Charles and I will definitelye to your restaurant to try out your dishes!"


    "<i>Haha, </i>thank you, Lil'' Lily. Just remember that you can''t bring your mice friends along. Otherwise, I''m afraid no one will dare to visit my restaurant."


    "My mice friends are cute and clean. They take a bath every day, so why can''t they go along with me?" Lily asked.


    Lily and nck exchanged small talk while thetter continued to busy himself with preparing food alongside the other cooks.


    When Lily was finally done with her tiny sugar-pickled fruit, the cooks finally started serving dishes in the mess hall.


    The crew members of both the Narwhale and this ship called Victory soon arrived at the mess hall in groups of three or two, and their faces were filled with excitement.


    They were about to go home, so the rules had loosened. In fact, everyone could drink as much alcohol as they wanted today.


    Charles raised his ss and downed it in one gulp in front of everyone signaling the start of the feast.


    At first, everyone was a bit restrained. After their governor was present.


    However, the crew of the Narwhale took the lead, and everyone eventually loosened up, creating a lively atmosphere. Everyone drank heartily, ate meat with gusto, and chatted with each other enthusiastically. The din was so loud that it was reminiscent of the liveliest bar in Hope Ind''s harbor district rather than the mess hall of a ship.


    The racket became even more noisy as people whipped out musical instruments and began ying beneath the cheers of the crew. The atmosphere soon reached its peak, and a few drunk men stood on the tables, dancing and singing silly songs.


    The blushing Charles had on a silly grin as well as he raised a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, thrusting them into the air to the beat.


    Charles knew that he had never really been the type to partake in something like this. Moreover, he had always been using alcohol to suppress his pain rather than amplify it, but today was his first time doing thetter.


    A jovial mood filled the entire cabin. They were about to reach their destination, and the days that felt like years on the ship were finallying to an end.


    Anna sat next to Charles in her long silk dress. She propped her chin with her hand as she gazed at Charles and asked, "Are you happy?"


    Charles extended his right hand and wrapped it around Anna''s slender waist. Then, he pulled Anna gently into his embrace before kissing her alluring red lips.


    "I''m happy! I''ve never been so happy. My crew has recovered, and I''ve found my home, so of course, I''m happy!" Charles eximed. It was alreadyte, but Charles was too excited, and he gave Anna another passionate kiss.


    After a while, Anna slowly retracted her tongue as she wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck. Her entire weight was on Charles, and she looked like she was clinging to him.


    "I''m happy as long as you''re happy," Anna remarked.


    "Anna, I love you," Charles replied.


    "Mm, I know. I''m tired of hearing that. Tell me something new."


    "We still have some time. Shall we try to have another child? This time, I promise to be by your side until you give birth," Charles said with a hint of teasing in his voice.


    "Goodness, have mercy on me..."


    As the two whispered more and more sweet nothings to each other, a shrill whistle abruptly echoed from outside the cabin door.


    "Guys,e out here and look! We can already see Hope Ind! Wow! What is that?!"


    Everyone in the cabin staggered their way out and onto the deck with their arms around each other''s shoulders. Upon reaching the deck, they were surprised to see a tall tower standing in the middle of Hope Ind.


    The tower was extremely tall, and it seemed to have reached the rockyer up above the dome. Everyone craned their necks to look up and saw hanging baskets with people inside of them. They seemed to be constructing something.


    Charles'' exceptional eyesight allowed him to see tracks at the top of the tower. A nce was enough for Charles to deduce its identity. It was a suspended railway; Gordon had built it sessfully.

 Chapter 529. Relaxed

    <h4>Chapter 529. Rxed</h4>


    Nestled in the soft, warm embrace of his cotton duvet, Charles opened his eyes slowly. He paused for a moment as he didn''t feel the familiar swaying of the ship. It took him a couple of seconds before it registered to him that he had returned ashore a few days ago.


    The smooth, delicate form in his arms was absent. It seemed like Anna had woken up a long time ago.


    Letting out azy yawn, Charles indulged in the faint scent lingering on the pillow next to him as he closed his eyes again. He was feeling sofortable that he wanted to sleep for a little longer.


    However, old habits die hard. Charles had never been one toze around in bed upon waking up and as such, couldn''t adapt to that in a short time.


    He threw back the covers and rose from the bed. d in his pajamas, he dragged himself to the balcony and gazed at the bustling streets beyond the iron fence of the Governor''s Mansion.


    The Hope Ind Navy had returned, and with the conclusion of a memorial service for those lost in the battle against the Fhtagn Covenant, the lingering feelings of the war were slowly fading from the ind.


    Now, the surviving soldiers, their pockets lined with their pay and bonuses, were enjoying their break in an attempt to destress from the suppressive atmosphere during thetest voyage and battle. Thus, the streets were filled with lively energy.


    Charles'' keen vision picked up a long queue in front of a newly opened shop far down the street. It seemed to be a new shop because he didn''t remember seeing it before.


    "Hmm... it seems like there''s something new on the ind. I should check it out," Charles muttered to himself.


    The moment he pushed open his bedroom door, the attendant-in-waiting immediately approached him with freshlyundered clothes.


    "There''s no need to change; the pajamas are quitefortable. I''ll just wear this," Charles said as he retrieved his wallet from the clothes presented to him.


    "Governor, then your breakfast..." the attendant asked with a hint of hesitation.


    "I''ll grab something outside. You all can have it. But if you''ve already had breakfast, then feed my meal to Lily''s mice," Charles instructed. He then walked down the corridor adorned with carved reliefs and framed masterpieces toward the front door of the mansion.


    Before he could take more than a few steps, he paused and suddenly turned around. Plucking out the ck-and-red spider from his right eye socket, he approached the attendant and ced it gently on the clothes she was holding.


    "Feed it well; the little thing''s hungry."


    The spider was a great assistance to Charles. Not only did it supplement Charles''promised vision, but it could even serve as a scout in crucial moments. However, the drawback was that he had to feed it regrly, which was somewhat of a hassle.


    Disregarding the main door, Charles exited through a side door typically used by servants on errands. With his handsfortably tucked into his pajama pockets, he walked down the bustling streets.


    It didn''t take long before Charles was holding a cup of cream oysters in his hand. He continued his leisurely stroll down the street as he savored the sweet oysters.


    New roadside delicacies had emerged on the streets of Hope Ind. They smelled inviting but to Charles, cream oysters carried a special sentimental value despite being a simple dish, and no other snacks could match up to that.


    By the time Charles hadpletely ravaged his breakfast, he had arrived at the end of the long queue he had seen earlier. He discovered that the popr new establishment was a shop selling electrical appliances.


    Through the thick disy windows, Charles could see the assortment of electronic appliances being disyed inside the store¡ªlike hundred-kilogram washing machines and also vacuum cleaners taller than a person.


    All of these creations were developed by the scientists at the Relic Research Institute upon gaining inspiration from the photographs on Charles'' smartphone.


    Though, it wasn''t quite appropriate to call them electrical appliances. After all, some of those devices run on winding mechanisms rather than electricity.


    "Hey! Pajamas boy, stop gawking. Yes, I''m calling you!" A voice called out.


    Charles turned toward the long line next to him and found the man calling out to him.


    "Are you talking to me?"


    "Yeah, since you can afford pajamas, you must be rich, huh? Interested in skipping the line? I''m selling my spot. It''ll be my turn in just a few more minutes," the man said, shing a wide grin that revealed his stained yellow teeth. His clothes were patched all over, and he didn''t seem like he could afford anything in the store.


    Charles approached him and surveyed the queue before asking, "Line-sitting service?"


    "Of course," the man admitted readily. "See the navy soldiers at the door with guns? This is property owned by the Governor himself; who would have the guts not to line up properly? I''ll give you a cheaper deal, 200 Echo.


    "I''m telling you, there''s only so much stock today. Once they are sold out, they are gone. If you start queuing from the end of the line now, you''re definitely not getting anything."


    "Hold on, I just arrived on the ind not long ago and am not too sure of the situation. Are there many inders buying those things?"


    The man''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Do you not see this long line? Those things are pricey, but there are many wealthy individuals on Hope Ind!"


    "Under normal circumstances, isn''t it more cost-effective to hire someone forundry and cleaning?" Charles asked again.


    A smirk appeared on the man''s face. "You don''t understand, huh? It''s all about status. You get to showcase your status as an elite by owning what others don''t. As a central inder, if you don''t have those machines at home, you''re practically admitting that you are not of the caliber to be one of the ind''s elites."


    "I see..." Charles nodded in understanding. This branding gimmick seemed to be a move by Gordon¡ªregardless of necessity, if other elites had it, I had to own it too. Truth to be told, only folks on Hope Ind have the luxury to indulge in such status symbols


    "So what do you say? You''re one of the central inders, aren''t you? Want to get a set for yourself?" the man persuaded once more.


    Charles pondered for a moment before pulling out two crisp green echo bills and handing them over.


    The man eagerly grabbed the money, his face lighting up with a radiant smile as he turned to leave.


    "Wait," Charles called out from his spot in the line. "Is there no other work on the ind? Why are you earning your living this way?"


    The man let out a chuckle and replied, "I just need to get up early and stand here for a while each day for money to enter my pockets. No job is easier than this! I wouldn''t even trade it for being a governor. Line-sitting for one day can earn me enough for two days'' worth of booze!"


    With a triumphant flick of the Echo bills, the man then strutted off toward the direction of the harbor district.


    Charles waited patiently in line and just as the store was about to start business for the day, a heavy presence suddenly bumped against his back.


    Turning around, he realized it was nck, the Cook of the Narwhale, and thetter was handing a crumpled Echo bill to an elderly man.


    "Captain? Why are you here? There shouldn''t be anyck of these machines at the Governor''s Mansion," nck asked as he eyed Charles with a hint of suspicion.


    "Nah, I was just strolling around. I heard from Lily that you were going to open your own restaurant. Howe you still have time to shop here?" Charles replied.


    "Yeah!" nck nodded. "I''m nning to open a restaurant, and I came here to get a television set. I''ve been checking out the other restaurants and realized that business would never be too bad as long as there was a television set inside. So, I figured I''d get one too."


    As nck continued his small talk, Charles learned that, unlike other luxury appliances that served as status symbols, televisions were genuinely well received and liked by all inders. After all, who wouldn''t like the convenience of watching "theatre ys" anytime, anywhere?


    Securing good seats for popr theater productions was often challenging. However, with a television, one could enjoy these ys from thefort of their own home for as long as they desired.


    And their options weren''t limited to just theatre ys, puppet shows, operas, acrobatics, and animal acts; inders could simply purchase a maic tape and rey their favorite performances at home.


    It was no wonder why nck wanted to install a television set in his new restaurant. The television also evoked nostalgic memories for Charles, who recalled carrying his meals to the TV to watch his favorite shows while eating.

 Chapter 530. Sudden Change

    <h4>Chapter 530. Sudden Change</h4>


    The birth of new technology not only revolutionized Hope Ind but also invigorated its other industries. The local theaters rode on the wave of the emergence of maic tapes and began recording various ys with them. Profits were multiplied, and some actors and actresses were even catapulted to stardom.


    While Charles and nck were still engaged in conversation, the doors of the shop suddenly swung open. The crowd surged forward, and Charles was inevitably pushed into the shop as well.


    Compared to the electronics stores of his memories, this ce seemed rudimentary. The shelves were lined with bulky, gearden appliances spaced far apart.


    Charles gently pushed against a washing machine; it probably weighed closer to 150 kilograms. Eyeing the menacing gears exposed in the open, Charles felt that it would be more appropriate to describe it as an ancient torture device than an electronic appliance.


    Before Charles could fully take in the "wild," almost barbaric appearance of this washing machine, all stock had been sold out.


    A sudden premonition hit Charles all of a sudden. Perhaps in his lifetime, he might witness the technology of the surface world restored in the Subterranean Sea.


    <i>Why do I suddenly feel optimistic about the future? </i>Charles mused as a slight smile appeared on his face. Then, he left the store with the throng of customers who had missed out on getting their hands on the avable stock.


    Days and weeks flew past; Charles found himself adapting to life onnd. He would spend a typical day managing the affairs of Hope Ind alongside Anna. When he had free time, he would think of solutions to help Lily revert to her human form and to revert Tobba to normal.


    There hadn''t been any progress, but Charles wasn''t particrly anxious. The most important factor was that the ind''s doctors had meticulously examined Lily and informed him that they found no signs of aging in her body. In other words, even if Charles grew old and passed away, Lily would still remain at the age she was now.


    As for Tobba''s predicament, he could only leave it up to fate. After all, the old man had been mad for over four hundred years now. What harm was a few more decades?


    Without the oppressive burden weighing down on his heart, Charles could finally rx and embrace the tranquility of ind life. He enjoyed being stress-free and even contemted how appealing it would be to continue a simple life like this.


    Meanwhile, the other crew members of the Narwhale were also busy with their own matters.


    Second Mate Conor had resumed his role as the Minister of Finance.


    First Mate Bandages returned to pedaling his green bicycle, sending mail to the ind''s residents. In the end, he still chose to remain living in the basement unit with his family and didn''t move to the ind''s heart.


    Chef nck had opened his own restaurant and named it "Narwhale''s Kitchen." Charles had patronized it a few times, and each dining experience had left him truly impressed.


    Boatswain Dipp had assumed the role of Deputy Director of the Relic Research Institute. However, he wasn''t that enthusiastic about his work at the institute. Instead, he found more fulfillment in leading District 3 with his wife and solving the ind''s various challenging cases.


    Third Engineer Audric diligently stayed by Doctor Linda''s side and helped her out of her depressive episode due to the crumbling of her faith. On their sixth month since their return to the ind, Audric proposed to Linda and thetter epted it.


    Gunner Lily had started training her mice. She dispatched a troop of them to V12 Containment Site to find her true family. Each of them had gold pieces tied to them, and there was also an apanying letter.


    Norton used thepensation Charles had given him to purchase his own exploration vessel, and he also registered himself as a new explorer at the Explorers Association.


    The Narwhale crew found contentment in these peaceful days. They treasured the tranquility after the countless tribtions they had been through.


    Their past hardships were slowly fading with time and everyone was gradually adapting to ind life.


    However, as time passed, the light in the sky continued to dim. The denizens of the Subterranean Sea remained indifferent to the fading of the "death light."


    In fact, some even weed the change. No one favored a force capable of killing their kin, and they wanted it to disappear as soon as possible.


    Charles woke up from his sleep again to find Anna sitting by the bed. She was d in a flimsy nightgown and was engrossed reading a thick book in her hands.


    "Good morning, Anna," Charles whispered and rested his head on her thighs. His face showed no signs of exhaustion or anxiety, and even the scars seemed to have softened into gentler contours.


    Several writhing tentacles extended from Anna''s smooth, pale thighs, and like seaweed swaying in the ocean currents, they caressed Charles'' face.


    Charles yfully kissed one of Anna''s tentacles and remarked, "Why are you so alluring, my love? I find myself falling deeper for you with each passing day."


    Anna calmly replied, "Because I''m altering your thoughts to keep you hopelessly in love with me."


    "You and your silly jokes again. Honestly, you have no talent for humor," Charles retorted with a chuckle.


    Anna merely shrugged and continued reading the book in her hands.


    Charles let out azy yawn and propped himself off the bed.


    "Have you read the report from the engineering department?" Charles asked, "The rail tracks on the overhead dome are almost fullyid out till Annarles Ind. It won''t be long before the train service starts. Trains would be much faster and safer than ships."


    "<i>Mmhmm. </i>I realized you have be quite the chatterbox after you decided to stay onnd. It''s almost like you''re turning into Richard," Anna replied, her focus distracted by the book she was reading.


    "Think about it, my dear. If the rail train project seeds, it''ll revolutionize the transport system in this seascape."


    "We should settle the power nt project first," Annamented and handed him a proposal atop the bedside table. "There''s more and more demand for electricity on the ind. If we don''t find a new energy source soon, it will soon dy our development for a long while."


    As Charles scanned through the content on the papers, his eyes lit up in surprise. "Using the surplus light energy from Newbound City as a power source? That''s an ingenious idea. The city is uninhabitable, but the intense sunlight that shines round-the-clock would make the most ideal sr power station."


    Folding her arms across her bosom, Anna continued, "My men have closely monitored Dawn One. It''s currently immobilized and unable to control itself. Generating power is but the first step. If we can study it and reverse-engineer the Foundation''s nuclear fusion technology, then¡ª"


    Before Anna couldplete her sentence, the room shook violently. Both of them instinctively extended their tentacles to brace against the ceiling and the floor and stabilized themselves.


    <i>An earthquake? </i>The most usible exnation entered Charles'' mind.


    With his transparent tentacles, he swiftly climbed toward the balcony. He then lifted his prosthetic limb and shot his grappling hook through the overhead canopy.


    As the chain retracted, Charles swiftly flipped atop the canopy.


    Beyond the canopy, it was still sunny and bright, but Charles'' full focus was on the distant white shoreline.


    The sunlight from the Light God was fading. However, it was not fading bit by bit; it was rapidly diminishing.


    Within seconds, the radiant light belonging to the Light God hadpletely vanished. However, the darkness that was characteristic of the Subterranean Sea did not return.

 Chapter 531. Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 531. Crisis</h4>


    The radiant light of the Light God had vanished, allowing the light from Dawn One to descend upon Hope Ind. However, the Subterranean Sea''s darkness did not return. The radiant light had been reced by a hue that was neither white nor dark but resembled a gray void instead.


    It wouldn''t be urate to call it gray; it was like a translucent haze that seemed to be hiding secrets within it.


    "How could this be... what on earth is going on?" Charles cast an astonished gaze at the sudden changes. Eventually, Charles assumed that the haze had to be a temporary phase before the Subterranean Sea was plunged into darkness once more.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A deafening noise echoed, and the distant ck tower crashed onto Hope Ind''s canopy. A violent tremor ran across the canopy, and a chain reaction of copse began followed by the cacophonous din of terrified screams.


    Charles was about to make a move when his exceptional eyesight saw something emerge from the distant sea. Those sea creatures had never been daring enough to approach the shore, but they hade up to the surface today.


    Their writhing tentacles, indescribable organs and appendages, and their bizarre figures allowed Charles to deduce their identity in an instant. They were all sea creatures from the deep sea.


    The sea creatures'' height varied, ranging from half a human''s height to dozens of meters tall. They followed the tsunami that the earthquake had caused, sweeping toward the docks like a deluge.


    Charles'' heart tightened at the sight. Those sea creatures were far more dangerous than the copsing buildings. He turned around and turned to Anna standing beneath the canopy. "Enemies are attacking the ind! Go and sound the rm!!"


    With that, Charles hopped onto the copsing canopy.


    Bandages was living near the harbor district!


    Charles wasted no time, charging straight at the hideous sea creatures that were about to devour the inders.


    <i>Bzzzt!</i>


    A six-legged sea creature covered in green fur was sliced in half by Charles using his chainsaw. Green blood sttered all over his face, but he didn''t have the luxury to wipe it away.


    Bright white lightning arcs burst out of Charles as his invisible tentacles swept around him, and arge number of sea creatures copsed instantly, perishing as he stood in the midst of them.


    Charles was no longer the same old Charles many years ago. He had be formidable enough to face a horde of sea creatures by himself.


    Charles attacked frantically, and the corpses before him piled up quickly. In the end, Charles himself was almost buried in corpses.


    Unfortunately, the sea creatures were smart. Realizing that Charles was a difficult enemy to handle, they changed tactics and decided to surround him rather than fight him one by one.


    <i>Sizzle!</i>


    A ck liquid resembling hot oil flew toward Charles. Charles attempted to dodge, but he still ended up getting hit. He instantly felt a burning sensation all over his skin, and there was even white smoke rising from him.


    While Charles used his hand to wipe away the unknown liquid from his face, the sea creatures took advantage of the opportunity to attack him at once.


    It seemed that Charles was about to be overwhelmed by their numbers, but before the sea creatures could approach the former, a loud boom echoed, and the sea creatures were sted away.


    Arge clearing filled with flesh and blood was all that was left of the sea creatures.


    Covered in blood, Charles turned around and saw smoke rising from the front cannon on the dock''s watchtower. The navy had been mobilized and had begun its counterattack!


    There were just one or two asional cannon fires at first, but more and more cannons were fired as time ticked by. The sea creatures were terrifying indeed, but the navy was slowly getting the upper hand using mankind''s weapons.


    The navy troops fired wildly as if cannon shells were free, and the defiant sea creatures charged into the ind as if they had a death wish.


    It took no time for the harbor district to be utterly devastated.


    In the end, the humans emerged victorious. The sudden battlested for more than four hours before finallying to a stop, as no more sea creatures were rising up the surface anding onto shore.


    When Anna found Charles, she saw him leaning against a hill of corpses, gasping for breath amidst a sea of blood.


    "Charles, I think there''s something wrong. I''m afraid this matter isn''t over yet. The earthquake and the attack on the ind happened almost at the same time; there must be something strange going on," Anna said with furrowed brows.


    The exhausted Charles looked up at the gray sky. He lifted his right foot and stomped hard, causing the head of a massive, deformed sea creature to explode into a bloody mist. "Fuck! Nothing good ever happens in this shitty ce!"


    After venting for a while, Charles stood up and headed to the Governor''s Mansion. "Anna, you''re in charge of rescuing people and defending the ind against the next attack. I''m going to the telegraph bureau. I want to know what''s happening on the other inds. I want to see whether this disaster is affecting the entire Subterranean Sea or if it''s just Hope Ind."


    A rhythmic series of clicks, cks, and whirs pervaded Hope Ind''s Telegraph Bureau as the inds throughout the Subterranean Sea reported their current situation.


    The good news was that the tsunami caused by the earthquake only affected the Northern Seas, but the bad news was that every ind with a human poption throughout the Subterranean Sea had been attacked by sea creatures as well.


    They couldn''t say much via telegram, but Charles only needed a few sentences to know that the other inds were in a dire situation.


    It had only been a year since the "death light" appeared, and the majority of the inds had yet to recover from that tragedy. Thetest, sudden event had rubbed salt in the wounds of mankind.


    Some inds couldn''t be contacted, and it was unknown whether they were too busy dealing with sea creatures to send telegrams or had met a horrible fate.


    Charles'' heart sank while perusing the telegrams.


    Soon, a long string of telegram codes arrived, and it was from Governor Julio of Cat Ind.


    The bureau staffers decoded it quickly and found that the message contained a magic formation. It resembled the magic formations of the Western Seas mages more than the sacrificial formations of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    Charles knew Julio wouldn''t do any random things in the middle of a crisis, so he immediately gave orders, telling his people to draw the magic formation.


    The final step necessary toplete the magic formation was to fill the lines with fine sand. Charles followed the final step, and the magic formation emitted a purple sheen. Then, the fine sand trembled and floated, eventually converging at one point and transforming into two sand figures.


    One of the two sand figures belonged to Julio, while the other belonged to an old man with a beard so long that it almost touched the ground. The bearded old man was none other than Harold, and he was the Patriarch of the Watz Family, which was the strongest family throughout the Western Seas.


    "What? Where are the Fhtagnists? Don''t tell me the sea creatures had attacked them as well. That shouldn''t be the case, right?" Harold asked, shattering the ice.


    Before Charles and Julio could respond, Harold added, "You two, this specificmunication formation is really expensive to maintain. It costs a million Echoes per minute. Once you two are done talking, don''t forget to remit the payment through the Albion Bank."


    "Enough!" Julio roared, his deep voice echoing like thunder. "How can you still talk about money in the middle of such a crisis?!"


    Sensing Julio''s gaze full of hostility, Harold remained quiet and did not respond.


    Charles stared alternatingly at the two figures before him. After a few seconds of pondering, he asked, "Do you have any clues about the reason behind the sea creatures'' attack?"


    Julio red at Charles as if he were an eagle eyeing its prey. "That''s my line! You were around when the Light God was freed! These sudden events also happened as soon as the Light God''s radiant light disappeared. What exactly is going on?"

 Chapter 532. A Bigger Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 532. A Bigger Crisis</h4>


    Charles stood steadfast beneath their gazes as he gave his ount.


    "That''s what happened. I don''t know if the sunlight''s disappearance is the reason behind the sea creatures'' rampage, but there''s a high chance that it''s the case," Charles added.


    "So, what do you think is going to happen next? Tell us, so we''ll be prepared," the old mage asked.


    "As I said, I don''t know..." Charles replied sinctly.


    "You don''t know? This is all because of you, you bastard! If you hadn''t colluded with the Pope, this disaster wouldn''t have happened!! I should have twisted your head off of your shoulders ten years ago!" Julio roared.


    Anna, who hade along with Charles, frowned slightly and retorted, "We are <i>not </i>your subordinates, so you better watch your mouth!"


    "What? Do you really think that just because you''ve be the representative of the Northern Seas, you already have the right to speak to me as an equal?


    "Let me tell you, even though many people have perished, my ind''s invincible navy still has ten times more troops than your navy!"


    "<i>Ahem,</i>" Harold coughed lightly, attracting the attention of both sides. He decided to speak as the air had be too tense. "You two are doing something meaningless here. Do you really want to wage war on each other in the middle of a crisis?


    "No, can you even do that? You can''t, right? Since you can''t afford to wage war, then you two better think about what to do next.


    "Now that we''re on the topic, the three of us aren''t exactly in the worst situation. At the very least, we can still defend ourselves. But what about the other inds? I reckon many inds have been wiped out of their human poption by now.


    "In other words, this crisis is affecting not just a few people but the entire human race. We must help each other ovee this crisis. Otherwise, we''re going to be overwhelmed."


    Julio and Charles went silent. They knew that they had to take the crisis seriously. Saving mankind was saving themselves as well. The Subterranean Sea''s human poption was on a steep decline.


    At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the other races of the Subterranean Sea started threatening their position.


    After the brief argument, the three of them discussed and decided on a simple n. The n was to help other inds while keeping an eye out for bigger crises that might ur.


    They would also mobilize their forces to find the reason behind the ongoing anomaly.


    Just like that, a "special" air hung above the three as their meeting ended.


    Staring at the clumps of sand on the ground, Charles seemed to be pondering over something. A few secondster, he turned to look at Anna and said, "I need to find clues."


    Anna was stunned. "Where are you supposed to find clues at this point?"


    "I''m going to visit Tobba."


    Beams of sunlight reached the devastated Hope Ind through the holes in the damaged canopy. Hope Ind suffered many casualties. The sea creatures didn''t manage to attack the heart of the ind, but there were still many casualties from the fallen buildings and the sunlight.


    The police department soon restored order, and the inders began rescuing each other. The sounds of crying and shouting echoed everywhere, creating a cacophonous din throughout the ind.


    The quiet Charles appeared out of ce as he walked among them. Just then, he saw a mischief of mice in the distance digging into the copsed buildings under Lily''s orders.


    Soon, the mice dug out a little boy with a broken arm. A woman rushed up to the boy and hugged him tightly.


    In the face of the woman and the little boy''s gratitude, Lily shook her head and said, "It''s okay, but you have to take your child to a doctor as soon as possible."


    "Everyone, let''s go and keep helping them. Let''s find those buried beneath the buildings! They need us right now!" Lily eximed.


    The colorful mice nodded in unison and dispersed in all directions.


    Charles'' eyes slowly grew determined. Hope Ind was his home. He had already lost his home on the surface world, so he had to protect Hope Ind no matter what.


    Soon, Charles arrived at the sanatorium.


    Tobba was still the same as always¡ªdazed and unresponsive.


    Charles picked up a towel and wiped away the saliva from the corner of Tobba''s mouth. "Tobba, you can see the future, right? Do you know something? Give me some hints. How should I get through this crisis?"


    Tobba didn''t give any response. He was tapping the wooden table before him with the spoon in his left hand.


    "Sometimes, I really feel like you''re just faking it," Charles muttered to himself.


    Charles sighed helplessly as he stared at Tobba, who was drooling once again. It seemed that he''d find no clues here. He had to start looking for clues in other ces.


    Charles stood up and turned around to leave. Before he could take any steps away, he noticed something peculiar with the way Tobba was tapping on the wooden table with his spoon.


    There was a long gap between the first and the second tap, but the gap between the second and the third tap was extremely short. Afterward, there was another long gap.


    Charles'' pupils narrowed slightly. It was a rhythm used by ships tomunicate with each other using whistles¡ªone long st, one short st, and one long st meant that the vessel wanted tomunicate!


    Charles quickly rushed to Tobba''s side and shook Tobba''s shoulders.


    "Have youe to your senses?" Charles asked.


    However, Tobba still offered no reaction. He still had on his usual dazed expression, and he did not stop tapping on the table with his spoon using the same rhythm¡ªone long st, one short st, and another one long st.


    Charles lowered his head and looked at the wooden table that Tobba had scratched with his spoon. The messy scratches seemed like a tangled mess; nothing could be discernible at all.


    Charles nced at Tobba before staring intently at the scratched wooden table.


    Soon, Charles seemed to have found a line of words written in English within the deepestyer of the scratches, "Retrieve the darkness."


    <i>The light took away the darkness... </i>Charles thought, recalling Tobba''s words.


    Just then, Charles'' eyes widened. He had just remembered a certain scene, and it happened when the Light God had just been freed from His restraints.


    A ck streak of light had flown toward Him from somewhere when He had just shown himself in the Subterranean Sea. The ck streak of light flew to His deformed back and transformed into a ck cape.


    The ck streak of light''s identity was unknown to Charles at the time, but it finally made sense. The puzzle pieces had fallen, and he had discovered that the ck streak of light was the darkness of the Subterranean Sea.


    When the Light God left, He took away the darkness of the Subterranean Sea with Him! The recent strange events had to be rted to the darkness that the Light God had taken away.


    All of a sudden, Sparkle appeared next to Charles. "Mommy is calling you over."


    Charles held one of Sparkle''s tentacles and was teleported to the Governor''s Mansion. Upon arrival, Charles instantly saw Julio and Harold in the form of sand figures. However, they wore grim looks, which was a stark contrast to earlier.


    Charles'' slightly hopeful heart sank at the sight. Clearly, something bad had happened again. "What''s wrong?"


    "I asked the Fhtagn Covenant as to why they decided not to attend the meeting, but they didn''t respond to my telegram. I mobilized my undercover agents, but he ended up dying. Before he died, however, he managed to send a crucial message... They''re in a revelry."


    "What? What do you mean, ''revelry?''" Charles asked. However, he already had an inkling as to what was going on, and it was a terrifying idea.


    "Those lunatics are saying that their god has awakened."


    "That''s impossible!" Charles immediately retorted, "God Fhtagn was sealed at the bottom of that trench! I saw it myself!"


    Julio red fiercely at Charles and replied, "Regardless of whether it''s the truth or not, there''s an issue that we have to handle sooner before anything else: the sea level is rising, and every single ind will soon be submerged if we don''t do anything about it!!"

 Chapter 533. Quest for the Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 533. Quest for the Darkness</h4>


    "Regardless of whether it''s the truth or not, there''s an issue that we have to handle sooner before anything else: the sea level is rising, and every single ind will soon be submerged if we don''t do anything about it!!"


    Charles'' face instantly became as grim as Julio and Harold''s faces. The legitimacy of Julio''s words could easily be confirmed, so he couldn''t possibly be lying.


    If the earthquake and the sea creature attacks were considered crises for mankind, then the rising sea level was a cataclysm that would wipe out humanity in the Subterranean Sea!


    Inds were the foundation of human life in the Subterranean Sea. If every single ind ended up being submerged, then human civilization in the Subterranean Sea would cease to exist!


    "Time is of the essence, and we can''t waste any of it. I propose that all three of us should mobilize our navies to defeat the Fhtagn Covenant and capture their high priests alive! Perhaps they know the reason behind the rising sea level," Julio''s grim voice echoed once again.


    "I agree, and we absolutely must do it as soon as possible. There cannot be any dys," Harold said, immediately expressing his agreement.


    The two cast their gazes at Charles.


    Charles shook his head and responded, "No, attacking them is meaningless, as this issue has nothing to do with them. They''re not worthy of our time, and we won''t be able to resolve that issue by attacking them."


    Charles then lowered his voice and revealed the information he had just realized from Tobba''s words.


    "Darkness. The Light God has taken away the darkness of the Subterranean Sea, which is the reason behind these strange phenomena. We must retrieve the darkness for us to regain peace."


    Julio and Harold stared wide-eyed at Charles. The information that he had just revealed was a bit too shocking for them. Was darkness even tangible? How could one steal that?


    "I''m sure you two do not believe me at all, but what would I stand to gain from lying to you two at this critical juncture? It''s not like my ind will remain unaffected by the rising sea level."


    "I believe you. So where can we find that darkness?" Harold asked in a hurry.


    Charles looked up slowly and stared at the canopy up above. "Above us, on the surface."


    Julio and Harold fell silent, trying hard to digest the information that they had just received from Charles.


    A minuteter, Julio spoke with difficulty. "But... didn''t you say that the Light God was killed on the surface? What kind of entity do you think can kill a Divinity? What kind of entity is more powerful than a Divinity?"


    Charles sighed. "I don''t know either. That might be the case..."


    "You don''t know? Haven''t you been saying that you''re from the surface? Howe you don''t know what''s on the surface?"


    "The ce above us isn''t the surface where I''m from! This damned ce might not even be the where I''m from!! What do you expect me to know?" Charles eximed unknowingly.


    Julio''s expression became unsightly, and he cursed inwardly before replying, "A Divinity has perished up above, which means there''s an entity capable of killing a Divinity up there! Do you really want us to trespass on that entity''s territory and look for something there?!"


    Charles swept his gaze across the sand figures and said, "It doesn''t matter what''s above us; we have to go up. There are only two choices before us: either we drown, or we get murdered by whatever is above. We have no other choice.


    "You two should immediately make a move after this meeting. Inform every single ind out there via telegram about the ongoing situation. We have to gather all explorers for an expedition to the surface."


    The three discussed their next course of action for a long time. They set aside all differences and talked about ways to save themselves. After all, they were facing an extinction-level catastrophe.


    The three governors talked all day, and they finally came up with a preliminary n after consulting their own intelligence groups.


    First of all, Charles would gather all explorers on Hope Ind to form the first expedition team that would serve as scouts for the surface.


    Then, they would tally the total poption of the three major sea regions and gather the strongest people within those regions. The three major sea regions would then send those people in batches ording to the maximum number of people that Hope Ind could amodate.


    Anna sitting sideways on the table listened to the entire discussion. She yawned and reached out, poked Charles'' back.


    Charles'' heart stirred briefly, and he turned to the two sand figures before him. "It''s decided, then. We''ll discuss the specifics upon the return of the first expedition team."


    Charles was about to leave, but Julio called out to him. "Wait, I have one more thing to discuss with Governor Charles. We''re in the middle of a crisis, so I don''t think it''s appropriate for us to keep hiding our cards.


    "The fastest way to retrieve the darkness and regain peace is to take advantage of each other''s strength, don''t you agree?"


    "Just go straight to the point. Every second counts," Charles said, staring at Julio with his arms crossed.


    "I suggest that Governor Charles should disclose information about the knowledge you possess. I''m talking about your so-called Relic Research Institute, which is the most important, as it seems to be rted to your ind''s surge in overall strength."


    A tentacle wrapped around Charles'' right leg, and it trembled; it was Anna''s tentacle, and the brief trembling was enough for Charles to understand that Anna was telling him to reject Julio''s suggestion.


    However, Charles had a different idea in mind.


    "Sure, I can disclose them, but since I''m going to disclose important information, I think it''s a bit insufficient for me to do it alone. How about you disclose your secrets as well, Governor Julio? I''m really curious. How did you go from an ordinary person to a figure possessing a strength equivalent to Level 15 on the power ranking system at sea?"


    "Of course, I''m also curious about the Western Seas arcane magic. Let''s do it; let''s share resources and technologies."


    "I want to make something clear," Harold chimed in, "The Western Seas has always been open when ites to our arcane magic. Unfortunately, it is only avable to those with talent; not everyone can learn to cast magic.


    "If you think that''s fine, then I can talk to the other families of the Western Seas and ask them to exchange their knowledge with you."


    Charles nodded in agreement, which meant Charles and Harold held the same sentiments. With that, they turned their gazes to the representative of the Southern Seas.


    Julio''s sand figure seemed frozen. A few secondster, it crumbled and fell to the ground.


    Harold stroked his magic staff in hand with a helpless expression. "How unfortunate. Clearly, Julio does not like that kind of exchange."


    "Let''s leave it at that for now. I will have the first expedition team set out as soon as possible. If they discover any important clues, I will contact you immediately," Charles said, ending the meeting.


    When the news of the rising sea level spread from the three major regions via telegram, a wave of extreme panic swept across the Subterranean Sea. It was so bad that governors who had just taken over an ind were overthrown by the scared, desperate mobs.


    Unfortunately, their reaction wasn''t going to change the status quo. They had no choice but to follow through with the nid out in the telegram and reply with the current number of exploration vessels avable at their disposal.


    No one wanted to die, after all. Everyone wanted to live, regardless of whether they were good or bad people.


    The darkness'' disappearance had kickstarted a threat that mankind had to deal with as soon as possible, but there was a silver lining to all this. The death light''s disappearance meant that ck ryegrass could be nted once again, and people could finally stop using cloaks and umbres.


    Unfortunately, this was the only good news among the deluge of bad news.


    Hope Ind started pouring resources into Annarles Ind, and many buildings were rapidly constructed in no time.


    The first expedition team was eventually formed, and it contained a total of seventy-three exploration vessels. The majority of the exploration vessels were explorers from Hope Ind, and among them was the Narwhale; her bow had been patched up and was as good as new.

 Chapter 534. Set Sail

    <h4>Chapter 534. Set Sail</h4>


    Riding the signature green bicycle meant for mailmen, Bandages cycled through the winding streets and alleys. Despite the high death counts on the outskirts of the ind leading to fewer letters to deliver, he remained meticulously dedicated to his duties.


    There was only one letter left in his green mailbag, and he could head home after delivering it.


    Just then, a voice reached his ears...


    "Damn it! The sea level is actually rising. Those Divine Light Order bastards! If the Pope is in front of me right now, I''d shoot him myself!"


    Bandages looked toward the source and saw a middle-aged man reading a newspaper on a nearby bench. He clearly picked out the annoyance in the man''s voice earlier.


    With a squeak of his brakes, Bandage stopped in front of his final destination for the day. Before he could slide thest letter into the mailbox, the door adorned with colorful seashells swung open. An elderly woman with silvery hair stepped out.


    "Don''t bother with the mailbox, young man. Just hand it to me will do. Is the sender Johnson?"


    Bandages took a nce at the envelope in the hand and saw that the sender was indicated as Johnson Parker of the Coral Archipgo.


    "Yes..." Bandages answered.


    The elderly woman approached Bandages earnestly. Grabbing the envelope from Bandages, she tore it open with trembling fingers.


    After scanning through the letter''s content, a look of immense joy spread across her face, marred by age spots. Clutching the letter to her chest, her voice quivered with relief as she said, "Thank heavens, he wasn''t killed by the death light. He''s still alive!"


    Without asking Bandages'' for his agreement, the elderly woman began to ramble on excitedly about her story.


    "Young man, you know, he''s my elder brother. My biological elder brother. No matter which ind we moved to, we three siblings always kept in touch through letters. Even since the death light struck, my elder sister and I haven''t received any letters from him. We thought he had been killed by the death light. But to find out that he''s still alive...it''s great.


    "Thank you, young man. This letter means so much to me," the elderlydy concluded.


    "Mm..." Bandages replied before pushing down on the pedals and cycling toward his home.


    Along the way, he didn''t miss the chatter of the inders. They were discussing the news posted by the Governor''s Mansion and also expressing their own opinions.


    Close to fifteen minutester, he finally arrived at the entrance of his basement unit.


    Just as he was locking up his bicycle, his hands halted as he spotted the fresh tire tracks on the ground. A car had stopped by at his doorstep.


    After securing his bicycle, Bandages headed toward the door. As soon as he pushed the door open, the fragrant aroma of food assaulted him. His mother was cooking while his siblings were busy with their homework.


    "You''re back? Wash your hands; dinner''s almost ready," Elena called out without turning her eyes away from her cooking. After all, she could recognize her eldest son''s footsteps.


    Soon, the family of four was seated at the table and enjoying their dinner. It was a simple spread, typical fare for ordinary folk, but Elena¡¯s cooking, infused with care and affection, made them taste exceptionally delicious.


    Watching her three children devour the lobster porridge with gusto, Elena''s face lit up with a contented smile. She cherished this simple and peaceful life and wished for it tost forever.


    "Weister, eat slowly. There''s still more if you haven''t had your fill."


    As Bandages listened to his younger siblings about the interesting events that happened at school, he finished his dinner. He retreated to his own room and stared nkly at a photo on the desk. It was a group shot of the Narwhale''s entire crew.


    Memories of all his time with them and the fresh tire tracks he had noticed earlier surfaced in his mind.


    Just then, a series of knocks on his door broke his train of thought. Elena entered the room with a steaming cup of tea and ced it down on the table.


    "Child, there''s something I wish to discuss with you."


    "What... is it... Mother...?"


    "I''ve made up my mind. Let''s move to the heart of the ind," Elena said.


    Bandages blinked in surprise. "Didn''t you... oppose the idea... previously?"


    "Yeah... Previously, I thought that if I kept you away from your crew, you would forever be safe. But I realized that''s not the way. I was just being selfish," Elena admitted softly.


    "As a mother, sometimes you have to let go and allow your children to choose their own path, even if... even if that path is fraught with danger," Elena paused and pulled out an exquisite invitation card from her pocket.


    "The Governor is summoning you back. He said it''s to rescue the world. I don''t quite understand his meaning. Also, I''m sorry for opening your letter and reading it first."


    Aplicated expression surfaced on Bandages'' countenance as he received the invitation and traced the golden foil with his fingertips.


    "Will you... let me go?" Bandages asked.


    Tears pooled in Elena''s eyes as she gently stroked the back of Bandages''s head. "My answer is not going to change anything, is it? Just like back on the Isle of Whereto, you''ll end up going anyway. That''s how headstrong you are, my child. I cannot stop you at all.


    "Promise me just this one thing:e back alive," Elena said in a cracking voice as tears streamed down her face.


    "I promise you... Mother."


    ***


    Three dayster, in the Governor''s Mansion of Hope Ind, Anna stood in Charles'' way. Her visage was painted with unease as she asked, "What are you doing?"


    "I''m going to the surface to retrieve the darkness. While I''m gone, please take care of Hope Ind in my stead," Charles answered casually. He then shed his pajamas to reveal his muscr torso scarred from countless battles. He slipped into a deep blue long-sleeve shirt before draping his old captain''s coat over his shoulders.


    The coat had followed him for years, and despite being patched and mended countless times, he couldn''t bring himself to wear anything else, as it had be a part of him.


    "Why do you have to go? Aren''t there enough explorers even without you being there? Can''t you act like how a leader should be?"


    Charles turned to look at her. "Anna, we don''t have time. You''ve seen the Navy''s reports. At the current rate, it will only take three years for the sea topletely submerge all the inds.


    "Don''t forget who I am, Anna. My identity can be crucial on the surface."


    "Screw that shitty identity! You''re nothing but a selfish bastard!" Anna snapped, her voice tainted with increasing annoyance. Her skin cracked and healed intermittently to reveal writhing tentacles beneath.


    Charles held Anna''s head gently and nted a firm kiss on her forehead. "That is just one of them, but there''s another one. I''m the Chosen One of Edikth. I can''t say for certain if that identity will protect me, but at least it has kept me alive so far."


    "The Light God is dead. What good is being the Chosen One of Edkith now?" Anna retorted with skepticism.


    "Do you remember the Pope Lylejay? Why is it that he survived even after the Light God died? Perhaps the identity of being a Chosen One might just be an advantage needed on the surface.


    "We have but three years left now, Anna. We can''t afford to fail. The Subterranean Sea is our home now. For you, for Sparkle, and for all the humans in the seascape, I have to go to the surface."


    Before Anna could respond, Charles leaped over the balcony railings and sprinted across the newly erected canopy.


    Upon reaching the docks, his gazended on the Narwhale, gleaming anew, and her crew standing ready at their designated posts. Charles scanned each face slowly: First Mate Bandages, Sailor Norton, Third Engineer Audric, Boatswain Dipp, Cook nck, Ship''s Doctor Linda.


    Everyone was here.


    Even Second Mate Conor had shown up.


    Charles had not forced them to return. He had merely extended an invitation, and it was up to them if they wanted to partake in this expedition. After all, exploring the surface was perilous.


    "Captain... you''rete..." Bandages said teasingly.


    A smile appeared on Charles'' face, and it was a radiant one. He raised his right fist and yfully punched Bandages on the shoulder.


    "Narwhale... set sail!"

 Chapter 535. Surface

    <h4>Chapter 535. Surface</h4>


    The harbor district of Annarles Ind was filled with the piercing noise of steam whistles.


    The first batch of explorers were all doing the same thing at the moment; their heads were thrown back, their mouths were agape, and their expressions revealed shock as they stared at the massive pitch-ck hole above them.


    The Governor of Hope Ind had told them about it long ago, but there was a massive difference between hearing about it from others and actually seeing it with one''s own eyes.


    "Goodness! There''s really such a massive hole above us? So there''s actually another world above?"


    "I''ve heard some stories about how we actually live inside this huge ball; we just have to dig out of that ball, and we''ll be outside of it."


    "You actually believe that? I mean, just think about it: what kind of ball can hold so many things? You definitely got deceived."


    Joseph sporting a handlebar mustache was standing on his deck with a solemn expression. He seemed to be deeply contemting something as he stared at the massive pitch-ck hole above them.


    "Well, well, look who''s here! Is that you, Joseph? You''re here, too?"


    Joseph turned to look at where the voice hade from and saw a young man with a ck eyepatch and a gold double nose ring on his right nostril.


    Joseph''s expression instantly became ugly upon seeing the young man. He was familiar with the young man. It happened three years ago; Joseph had just robbed a merchant ship when the young man¡ªnamed Wilson¡ªappeared out of nowhere and stole the batch of goods worth two million Echoes.


    Wilson also ended up killing Joseph''s first mate.


    "Hey, hey, hey, what are you going to do? Are you going to make a move against me when the Governor of Hope Ind is nearby? We''re not out at thewless sea."


    Joseph had whipped out his relics and was getting ready to attack Wilson, but Wilson''s words snapped him back to reality. He nced at the Narwhale not too far away from them, and she was apanied by massive warships.


    Joseph had no choice but to forcibly suppress his fury.


    "You better hide from me once we''re on the surface, you brat! You''re dead meat once I see you!!" Joseph threatened through gnashed teeth.


    "I''m sorry, but I have no time to y house with you. I''vee here to make money. The reward from a single exploration to the surface is equivalent to several trips exploring unknown inds, after all."


    Just then, an exploration vessel painted purple approached them from the side.


    "I see you''re still as greedy as ever, Wilson. Brat, have you ever thought about what use is money once every single ind is submerged? Even if you get to earn so much money, you won''t be able to spend them once you''re dead "


    The words hade from a pregnantdy with a <i>very </irge belly. She was d scantily, and her face was covered with heavy makeup. She did not look like a ship''s captain at all; she looked more like one of the prostitutes by the dockside.


    "It''s fine. I''m not the only one who''s going to die by then, anyway. The world is going with me, so it''s worth it, even if I end up dying," Wilson replied.


    They chattered some more until a voice boomed through the loudspeaker on the warship next to them. "Announcement to all explorers! Disembark and gather at the Governor''s Mansion of Annarles Ind. The airship to the surface will depart in six hours, and we''ll move out in batches!"


    The Governor of Hope Ind had spoken, so the captainsplied immediately.


    All of them had the same motive foring here, and it was born from their familiarity with Charles, the Governor of Hope Ind. Charles had never ceased his exploration despite having his own ind, and he was also renowned for being the most powerful governor in the Northern Seas.


    Every single explorer here was envious of Charles, and it was all because Charles had achieved their ultimate goal¡ªconquer a habitable ind and keep conquering other inds.


    Sshing noises pervaded the air above the pier as the ships dropped their anchors. The captains of the exploration vessels made a beeline for the Governor''s Mansion, which was still a humble-looking building.


    The captains found Governor Charles standing on a high tform. An object that looked like a ck rod connected to wires was on a podium before him.


    Charles'' ck hair and ck eyes were exceedingly rare features throughout the Subterranean Sea. The scar on his face made him look a bit vicious, and his left arm was a steel prosthetic; there seemed to be something wrong with his right eye, as his right eye was interspersed with ck and red rather than the usual ck and white.


    The captains whispered among each other as they stared at Charles¡ªa legendary figure of the Northern Seas.


    "Everyone!" Charles'' loud voice echoed from the nearby loudspeakers, instantly suppressing everyone''s voices.


    Charles adjusted the microphone in front of him and continued, "I''ve already told you the details on our way here, so I''m not going to repeat them. I just want to say¡ªplease go all out. This exploration will decide the life and death of mankind throughout the Subterranean Sea."


    Charles was about to continue when he saw a hand in the air.


    "What is it?"


    The owner of the hand was Wilson, and he still had on a frivolous demeanor despite standing before the renowned Governor Charles.


    "I just want to ask the esteemed Governor whether the Light God, who has ughtered so many people down here, has truly died up there. If that''s the case, then won''t the surface be a hundred times more dangerous than exploring unknown inds?"


    "No one knows for sure, but are you afraid of the danger level? Don''t worry; we''re not going to use all of you as cannon fodders. I''m also on the expedition."


    Wilson chuckled and said, "If I were afraid of danger, I wouldn''t have be an explorer and joined this mission. Anyway, I''ve heard that there are additional rewards once we''ve found the darkness that you''ve told us. From what I heard, the additional rewards are apparently three inds. Is there any truth to it?"


    "Yes, it''s the truth, and it''s a promise. The first one to find the darkness will not only receive additional rewards, which are three inds, but those inds will also belong to the awardee forever.


    "Moreover, Julio, Patriarch Harold, and I will reinforce those three inds if they are ever attacked. It is a promise from all three of us."


    The explorers were instantly ted at Charles'' remark. Who among these capable explorers didn''t want to have their own ind? In addition, the inds would belong to them and their descendants forever.


    "<i>Ahem!</i>" Charles coughed, silencing everyone.


    "I want to make one thing clear: my words are based on us restoring the Subterranean Sea to its original state. We have to find and retrieve the darkness in three years, or everyone is going to die!


    "I''m not sure whether we''re living on Earth or not, but there''s a very high chance that we''re thest humans on this seascape. If we die, then humans¡ªour entire species will go extinct!"


    An oppressive air immediately bored down on everyone. Charles'' words were like massive boulders, weighing heavily on everyone''s hearts.


    The extinction of humanity was too serious of a matter for them to ignore.


    Charles continued his speech, and he spoke about the details of their n to approach the surface as well as their contingency ns.


    Just as he was about to wrap up his speech, a distinct noise echoed from the sky.


    Everyone looked up and saw two airships with massive gas bags descending slowly from the pitch-ck hole in the sky.


    "The airships are here! Everyone, get ready!"


    The explorers gathered their crew and lined up. Then, they boarded the massive airships in an orderly manner.


    There were too many people and not enough airships, so they could only go to the surface in batches. Fortunately, the trip to the surface wasn''t that long. Every single trip to the surface only took six hours, but the six-hour wait was especially nerve-wracking, as the entire trip was spent traveling up a pitch-ck tunnel.


    Everyone sighed in relief once they were out of the long passageway.


    A simple fortress had already been built next to the massive pitch-ck hole, which spanned several dozen kilometers in length. A few engineers were outside, and they were busy working on the fortress.


    The fortress had a straightforward and simple name¡ªColossal Hole Fortress.


    There weren''t that many people inside the fortress, but there were rows of brand-new cars inside, which were going to be the explorers'' primary means of transportation on the surface.

 Chapter 536. Traces

    <h4>Chapter 536. Traces</h4>


    The gray snow had stopped falling, leaving the ground bereft of snow, but the surroundings were still hazy. Visibility was low, and it seemed as if the haze had a purple hue.


    Charles looked up at the hazy purple sky; he had never imagined that he would return to the surface.


    "So this is what the surface looks like, Captain. Have you really lived in a ce like this? The surface doesn''t seem as good as down below," said the Deep Dweller squatting on the ground with a cigarette in his mouth.


    "This ce is not my world¡ªfor now," Charles replied. He crossed his arms and waited patiently for the massive airships to dock at the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    Dipp flicked away the burnt-out cigarette and said, "Captain, I think it''s going to be faster if we explore with those airships."


    "You really think I wouldn''t know that? The issue is we don''t have that many of them. The factory has picked up the pace, but they have to prioritize our supplies before anything else, so they''re not really that fast at making one.


    "You should stop with that nonsense and think about how to deal with what we''re going to encounter soon," Charles said, stepping down the stairs. He had no time to waste. Their ongoing situation was so bad that he had to move as soon as possible. Thus, Charles quickly assigned the explorers their own ces to explore.


    Charles decided to use the Explorers Association''s method of exploring an unknown ind, as the captains were familiar with it. It was a method that involved slicing a massive ind as if it were a pie into small, manageable slices.


    Charles even went further and sliced those slices into tinier pieces before assigning them to each explorer.


    The denizens of the Subterranean Sea knew nothing about the surface world.


    Since they were here to explore, Charles decided to go all out. He assigned both dangerous and safe regions to the explorers for them to explore.


    It was unrealistic to expect the first batch of explorers to find the darkness just like that. Charles also thought of them as a huge reconnaissance team, and they were just here to light up the way for the next expedition team.


    Charles chose to explore the massive mountain where he saw Pope Lylejay pulling the Light God by His head. If there was anyone who knew what exactly happened to the Light God, then it would be the Pope. The quickest way to find clues would be to seek the Pope.


    The explorers wasted no time and immediately prepared their supplies.


    There was no water on the surface, so ships could not be used. Meanwhile, airships were needed for supply transport between the surface and the Subterranean Sea. However, there were brand-new cars avable for them to use. Of course, Charles and his crew would get to use those cars.


    Four cars loaded with supplies were allocated to the crew of the Narwhale.


    The sailors picked up barrels of whale oil and poured them into the fuel tanks while the sailors of the other exploration parties did the same. The pungent smell of whale oil filled the air of the fortress.


    "I hate riding in cars. I feel like vomiting when I''m inside one," Sailor Norton grumbled with furrowed brows.


    Charles patted him on the shoulder and said, "Our ship is still being retrofitted, so just bear with it for now. We have to make do with this for the time being."


    The implication in Charles'' words was clear, and everyone looked at him.


    "Captain, can the Narwhale reallye up here?" Audric asked in surprise.


    "It can definitelye up here once it has been retrofitted. Anyway, stop the nonsense and get in the car. Except for Audric, split yourselves into three groups; make sure to change drivers every eight hours," Charles said. Then, he opened the car door and got in the car.


    "Captain, we... we''ve never driven a car."


    "Then practice. Anyway, this ce is very open and empty. Just make sure to keep some distance away from each other when practicing."


    Driving was difficult to learn, but the difficulty wasn''t in the driving itself; it was in the fact that one had to understand trafficws and ensure that one wouldn''t end up hitting a pedestrian in a densely popted city.


    Without the constraint of trafficws and pedestrian traffic, then driving was easy. It was just a matter of knowing how to use the elerator, the brake, and the steering wheel. Moreover, this desert seemed as vast and empty as the Gobi Desert, so these rookie drivers couldn''t possibly hit a pedestrian, even if they wanted to do so.


    Charles took out apass from his pocket and hung it in front of the windshield.


    Soon, cars drove out in all directions from the Colossal Hole Fortress, leaving behind crooked tire tracks.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Charles frowned as he peered at the strange scenery outside. Ever since his arrival on the surface, there had always been burning questions in his mind: what exactly was the source of the purple color in the sky, and where was iting from?


    Those who had stayed in the Colossal Hole Fortress all said that the purple light from the sky had never vanished even once.


    At first, Charles thought that perhaps it was sunlight, and the reason it was purple was all thanks to the seemingly endless shroud of purple mist. However, the blind vampire Audric didn''t catch fire, and the light didn''t kill the inhabitants of the Subterranean Sea.


    In other words, the purple light wasn''t sunlight.


    Perhaps there was a light source somewhere, and this purple light was some sort of reflection, but Charles was unsure. To make matters worse, he wasn''t even sure whether this was Earth or not. In other words, there was a chance that this''s start was emitting a purple light.


    Charles was soon engrossed in his pondering over the answer to his burning questions. Eventually, a familiar massive mountain appeared in his view.


    "Captain! Where do we go next?" Dipp asked, sticking his head out of the window from the driver''s seat. Dipp''s physique could be considered superhuman, so it wasn''t that difficult for him to learn how to drive.


    "Go around it; our destination is on the other side," Charles said.


    The mountain seemed close, but it was actually farther than it seemed, so it took them two hours to reach the foot of the mountain.


    The car scaled the mountain until Charles finally saw traces of the Light God. He also saw several colossal chains, which the Pope had used to drag the Light God away.


    However, Pope Lylejay was nowhere to be seen. Thest time Charles saw him, he had been prostrated on the ground here, but he had disappeared without a trace.


    Charles gave his orders, and Dipp immediately jumped out of the car and observed the nearby traces. "Captain, I can only see a child''s body imprint here; there are no other traces.


    "And the Pope can fly, so he wouldn''t have left any footprints."


    As Charles stared at the footprints before him, a question soon popped up in his mind. The Pope was having a mental breakdown thest time he saw the former, so where could he have gone?


    The god he had believed all his life had died suddenly before him¡ªCharles was surprised that the Pope hadn''tmitted suicide right there and then. How could he have moved, considering his mental state?


    Annarles Ind hadn''t received any reports about anyone descending from the surface, which meant that the Pope had yet to return to the Subterranean Sea.


    "Captain... maybe... something here... has killed him..." First Mate Bandages said to Charles.


    Charles immediately disagreed. "He''s too strong to die here. Even if there really was an entity capable of killing him here, the battle would have been cataclysmic. In other words, there would have been traces of battle as well as enemy footprints.


    Charles looked around the vast desert and pointed at the deep marks on the ground, which hade from the Pope dragging the Light God away.


    "Get in the car. We''ll follow these traces to see where Lylejay dragged the Light God from."


    The car immediately got moving, driving along the descending deep marks. They followed the deep marks for two whole days, but the end of the deep marks was still unseen.


    Even Charles was astonished by Lylejay''s tenacity. Charles couldn''t quite believe that Lylejay had actually dragged the Light God for such a far distance.


    If given enough time, Charles believed that the Pope could have dragged the Light God all the way back to the Subterranean Sea.


    During the early hours on their third day of following the deep marks on the ground, Charles let go of the steering wheel. He transferred seats and tucked Lily into his arms before leaning on the headrest and closing his eyes to rest.


    Before he could take a short nap, however, the car came to a screeching halt, sobering him up. "Captain! There''s a giant outside! It''s as big as a mountain!"

 Chapter 537. Change

    <h4>Chapter 537. Change</h4>


    The hazy, violet mist swirlednguidly in the air, obscuring the titanic figure that wasrger than a mountain sitting within it. An overwhelming aura of oppression washed over everyone, sending a chill coursing through their veins and having them paralyzed in the spot in fear.


    "Let''s go; get closer," Charles instructed calmly, sending a shiver down everyone''s spine.


    "Cap...Captain...we are going to get closer to that huge thing? It could crush us all in just one stomp!" Dipp stuttered from the driver''s seat.


    Aplicated expression appeared on Charles'' countenance as he gazed at the giant in the distance. He let out a soft sigh and replied, "At this point, it might actually be good news if He could really move."


    The car engine roared to life again. As they closed the distance with the titanic figure, the thick violet fog gradually dissipated, and the giant''s form was slowly revealed with increasing rity.


    His slender and imposing body was a towering mass of gray metal. His palms were enormous, spanning nearly half the size of His chest, and His arms were so long they draped down to the ground.


    Charles knew the giant''s identity. He was the Light God who had molded His colossal form from steamships back in the Subterranean Sea. The giant was on His knees, and His body was slightly reclined. Judging from the pose, Charles deduced that the Light God was in extreme despair at that point in time.


    The car pulled up alongside the Light God''s torso. Everyone in the car instinctively lowered the volume of their breathing, fearful that they might wake the behemoth figure.


    Charles stepped out of the car and looked up at the massive figure before him. Even though he knew that the Light God was dead, the sheer size of the towering mass of metal left a resonating sense of awe in Charles'' heart.


    The behemoth Divinity was massive. A single finger resembled a skyscraper towering over humanity. Standing from his vantage point, Charles could barely make out the lower half of His monumental form.


    "Get the camera out and take some photos for record purposes. I''ll get to the top and have a look," Charlesmanded.


    His arms swiftly morphed into membranous wings, ck fur sprouted all over his body, and sharp fangs protruded from his mouth. Within moments, he had transformed into a fearsome, hideous bat monster.


    With a powerful p of his wings, Charles soared upward to the top of the Light god. Soon, he reached a higher vantage point to see the full extent of the Light God''s body.


    Charles had anticipated that the head would be missing as he had seen it. However, he hadn''t expected the gaping hole in the Light God''s chest.


    Aside from therge hole, the rest of the Light God''s body appeared undamaged. Charles recalled the scene where the Light God broke out of His seal and remembered that this hollow void was supposed to house the fleshy orb made from the Divine Light Order''s followers.


    With a flick, Charles folded his wings andnded smoothly in the chest cavity of the Light God. He extended his sharp ws and scraped at the surface beneath his feet. The cut was as smooth as a polished mirror. An entity that could achieve such a wless cut was definitely not mortal.


    <i>Was the downfall of the Light God triggered by the disappearance of the Divine Light Order followers?</i>


    The thought entered Charles'' mind briefly but was quickly dismissed.


    The Light God''s form was a temporary construct pieced together from human corpses and steamships. Thus, theck of a certain patchwork from the metal existence alone couldn''t have led to the death of the Light God. There had to be another reason behind the death of the Divinity.


    Charles then turned around to study the empty expanse behind him. There was no cloak of darkness. Had the darkness been taken away by the entity that killed the Light God? What significance did the darkness of the Subterranean Sea have to the Light God? Why did the entity take the darkness away?


    As Charles pondered over these questions, a bat fluttered up from below. It was the blind vampire, Audric.


    "Captain, it''s safe up here, right? The others are worried," Audric remarked.


    Charles shook his head and answered, "There''s nothing up here."


    Peering downward, the surroundings were cloaked in a faint purple mist, and Charles didn''t pick up any signs of life. At this point, he was wishing for something to appear¡ªanything. Even some bizarre creature would be preferable to this eerie stillness.


    "Let''s go back down. There''s no valuable information here," Charlesmented before spreading his wings and gliding downward.


    After promptly jotting down their current coordinates on the map, Charles resolved to modify the exploration strategy upon his return. He nned to have the explorers use this giant as the focal point of their explorations, searching outward to uncover any new findings.


    The cloak of darkness on the Light God had vanished. Without any other leads, searching the vicinity of the Light God would be the fastest and most effective way.


    The tire tracks of their vehicle looped around the Light God''s massive form and headed toward its rear. They could still cover some miles with the remaining whale oil in the engine. Returning now would be a waste of time; after all, the one thing that humanity was short on now was time.


    The car continued its journey for another two days straight. The surroundings remained the same¡ªan endless expanse of a barren desert. There was literally nothing, not even the insect that Charles had managed to encounter on his first visit to the surface. It was like the entire ce was a deste wastnd.


    "Captain, this is the furthest we can go. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have enough whale oil for the return trip," Dipp said with his hands on the wheel.


    Squinting his eyes, Charles peered at the barrenndscape outside as he gently ran his right hand over Lily''s fur. The golden mouse was lying across his stomach.


    "I know, I''m keeping track," Charles replied. He was getting slightly restless. The surface was even more barren than he had imagined. If the entire surface was exactly like this, then this realm was indeed more despairing than the Subterranean Sea.


    With a click, a brass pocket watch was opened and snapped shut again. Charles reached out a hand and ced it on the steering wheel.


    "Time''s up, let''s switch," Charles announced.


    "It''s alright, Captain. I''m not tired yet," Dipp retorted.


    "Shut up; move to the passenger seat." With that, Charles pulled Dipp from his seat and took thetter''s ce.


    Dipp settled into the passenger seat with a chuckle and peered out at their surroundings with an excited expression. He seemed to have not gotten used to seeing so muchnd.


    "If I were to talk about what I am seeing at the tavern, no one would believe me. To think that there''s really an ind as vast as the sea," Dippmented


    "Does that mean that if humanse up here, we can all own our own plot ofnd and build a house?" another crew member wondered aloud.


    "Oh right, Captain, do you think we can grow ck ryegrass here? If we could, maybe we could actually live up here," another chimed in.


    "No. We''ve thought about everything you guys have thought of," Charles responded. "We''ve yet to find any freshwater sources here. And the soil is saline-alkaline.


    "Not to forget, the Light God died here. If a Divinity can perish in this ce, what chances would we, humans, have? Do we want to meet our demise even quicker bying up here?"


    The hours slipped by as they had casual conversations. Soon, it was nearing midnight.


    <i>Is this the end of this expedition? </i>As soon as the thought came to Charles'' mind, he caught a streak of yellow in front of him. It wasn''t the ordinary dull yellow that was a trademark of a semi-desert. Instead, it was a finer, more vivid hue.


    As they drew closer, the rest of the crew also noticed the change in thendscape ahead. It was a desert, right next to the semi-desert they were on.


    Although a barren desert wasn''t much better than a semi-desert, the change in scenery brought a slight relief. After all, it meant that there were still geographical variations on the surface; it wasn''t unchanging.

 Chapter 538. Sand Creature

    <h4>Chapter 538. Sand Creature</h4>


    The car pulled up at the edge of the desert. Before anyone could alight, Charles spotted a flicker of yellow moving on a distant dune. His heart started racing with anticipation. This was the first sign of life he had encountered on the surface this time.


    Patting Lily on her back gently, Charles instructed, "Time to get to work. Get your mice friends to scout for any dangers in the sand."


    "Got it!" Lily nodded excitedly before hopping onto the car window''s edge and letting out a series of squeaks.


    Soon, a small mischief of mice with varying colors leaped off the vehicle and scurried toward the desert. They swiftly made a quick circuit before rushing back to report their findings to Lily.


    "Mr. Charles, there are no threats in the vast beach ahead of us. There are also no other scents apart from that of the earth itself," Lily interpreted for the mice.


    By now, the distant creature had shrunk to a speck, almost invisible to the naked eye.


    Pressed against time, Charles pondered briefly for a couple of seconds before abruptly opening the door and pushing Dipp out. "Take the cook and ship''s doctor with you to the other vehicles. Move quickly, don''t waste time!"


    Dipp seemed to have an inkling of what Charles nned to do. He hurriedly offered, "Captain, let me lead the way instead."


    "Stop the nonsense. There''s not a single drop of water here; what use would you serve? I can fly and in the case of any danger, I can escape immediately. Hurry up, that''s an order!"


    Dipp could onlyply reluctantly, and soon enough, Charles was left alone in the vehicle.


    The car roared to life once again and drove into the desert sands. The tires scattered the grains of sand in a wild dance around them. However, the vehicle didn''t sink into the sandy terrain and could speed up in the desert.


    Charles''s car had ventured five hundred meters into the desert before the other three cars swiftly followed suit. They maintained a wide distance from each other as a precaution against any potential threats. Although judging from the earlier semi-desert, the risk seemed minimal.


    The danglingpass on the rear mirror swayed erratically as the vehicle moved. Charles'' gaze was fixed on the moving object in the distance through the windshield. Its form was bing clearer.


    Though he still couldn''t identify the entity, Charles didn''t want to give up. After all, this was the sole clue he could find so far.


    As long as it was alive, no matter what it was, Anna could potentially extract memories from it. Perhaps, it might have even caught glimpses of where the darkness had drifted to.


    The cars were evidently faster than the mysterious yellow entity and were gradually closing the distance between them. With a surge of power, the vehicle leaped over a modest dune andnded with a thud, kicking up bursts of sand around it.


    "This should be close enough," Charles muttered to himself before releasing one hand from the steering wheel and extending his open palm to the side.


    "Lily, telescope!"


    A gleam of gold blitzed out of Charles'' embrace, and clutching a monocr in her mouth, Lily scurried back to him in a sh.


    The moving figure'' full form was revealed through Charles'' lens.


    A half-buried sand creature was Charles'' first impression of the entity. The mysterious figure dragged itself across the desert floor with its hands propping its weight up. Yellow grains of sand slipped out continuously from an opening in its abdomen and merged seamlessly with the desert sand around it.


    As the sand creature was back facing Charles, Charles had no idea what the wretched creature looked like.


    At this moment, Charles wasn''t overly concerned about the creature''s potential threat. Rather, he was worried as the entity appeared to be a less intelligent lifeform with no memories.


    <i>Doesn''t matter if it has any memories or not. Let''s get closer first. </i>Charles thought to himself and stepped down on the gas pedal. The vehicle surged forward at maximum speed.


    The silhouette of the sand creature grew clearer to everyone. They could see its staggered steps as it moved awkwardly through the sand.


    <i>Click!</i>


    Charles grabbed the inte in front of him and instructed, "Ready your weapons. Hold fire until I give themand."


    "Aye, Captain!"


    "Roger!"


    Charles'' full attention was on the sand creature, but just then, the creature seemed to be slowly growing in size. Initially, he thought that it was merely due to them closing the distance. But soon, the sand creature towered as high as a two-story building, and Charles immediately realized something was amiss.


    Given the distance between them, if the sand creature now stood that tall, then it had to be at least a hundred meters in height.


    "Stop!" Charles hollered into the inte, and all four vehicles screeched to a halt.


    He watched as the sand creature continued its slow trek in the distance, seemingly oblivious to their presence.


    "Captain, what''s the matter? Did something happen?" Second Mate Conor''s anxious voice crackled through the inte.


    Charles lifted the monocr to his eye once more and studied the mysterious figure.


    This time, he got an even clearer view. He noticed the dark, gaping holes that pockmarked its entire body, and golden sand cascaded from those voids to the desert floor below.


    "Stay back first, everyone. That thing looks odd. It doesn''t seem to be something normal," Charles warned into the inte.


    Charles started his car again and inched closer to the sand figure at a slow pace of fifty kilometers per hour. As he drew nearer, the sand creature swelled in size once again. Now, it was towering nearly as high as a five-story building. If the creature''s height was linearly proportional to the distance, the creature had grown dozens of meters in a very short time frame.


    The phenomenon of the sand figure growing in size as the distance was being closed sent a chill down Charles'' spine and all his hair to stand.


    <i>We can''t get any closer. We''ll be in deep trouble if it notices us.</i>


    After swiftly weighing the risks against the potential gains, Charles made a decisive call to retreat. No matter what this entity was, the danger of approaching further was too great.


    They only needed to find a living creature. There was no need to risk everything for one of the highest danger levels.


    Taking onest nce at the creature''s massive silhouette, Charles took out the camera and snapped a few photos before turning the steering wheel to retreat.


    "Let''s go look for other clues," Charlesmanded through the inte. The convoy of vehicles quickly followed his lead, their tires rolling back across the sandy tracks they had made.


    Charles took a quick nce at the rearview mirror and saw that the sand creature did not turn back and was continuing its relentless march into the distance. The anxiety in his heart was slightly eased, and he slightly lowered his guard.


    Faced with the swirling sand in the air, a hint of discouragement crept into his heart. If there were one thing more discouraging than danger, it would be returning empty-handed.


    This exploration seemed to have yielded no results, apart from discovering the abandoned body of the Light God.


    Flooring the elerators, the four vehicles sped forward, away from the sand creature. Just as they reached the smooth, t expanse of the semi-desert, a colossal shadow blocked the violet light overhead and enshrouded all four cars. The darkness was gradually gaining more territory ahead.


    A rhythmic, pulsating sound apanied the iing darkness.


    <i>Darkness? Has the darkness returned? </i>


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat at the realization. He swiftly poked his head out of the window and looked backward. Instantly, a chill ran up his spine from the base all the way to the back of his head.


    The darkness of the Subterranean Sea had not returned. It was the sand figure blocking the purple light in the sky. The darkness was its shadow!


    It was nowrger than the body of the Light God, and the figure grew in size regardless of whether they narrowed or widened the distance between them and the figure.


    Sand particles slid off its body, forming new dunes throughout the desert. Just then, a bizarre thought struck Charles: this desert was formed from the sand leaking from that creature!

 Chapter 539. Mirror

    <h4>Chapter 539. Mirror</h4>


    <i>Screeeech!</i>


    Charles spun the steering wheel hard, and the car swerved before pulling to an abrupt stop. Yet, the sand giant did not shrink. In fact, as it moved away from Charles, it continued to growrger.


    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>


    With each impact, the sandy grains on the ground and the cars trembled. The sound came from the giant''s enormous, pir-like hands pounding on the desert sand. This was no mirage or trick of the eye; the colossal sand creature was real!


    At this moment, Charles had lost all hope that he was on Earth. There was no way something like that existed on Earth.


    <i>What should I do?</i>


    That was a question Charles desperately needed a solution for. In the face of this bizarre sand giant that was growing with each passing second, none of his usual tactics would work.


    Before he could think further, a seismic tremor coursed through the ground as the sand giant slowly turned around, its body slightly leaning forward. A massive head that looked like a copsed mountain peered out of the violet haze.


    The sand giant had no face. Where its features should have been, jutting sand dunes sat in their ce, with waterfalls of yellow sand cascading down the dunes'' steep slopes and trickling into the desert below.


    Unlike the gaping holes on its back, the giant''s front was riddled with dunes of varying sizes. They resembled grotesque growths on a human body.


    Just as the enormous head approached nearer, Charles'' pupils constricted to pinpoint¡ªhe noticed something on the creature.


    Charles extended his trembling right hand to the side. "Lily, Mirrorbox! Audric! Take cover!"


    The Mirrorbox was opened, and a blindingly soft light flooded the desert. For a few brief seconds, everything returned to normal, while the sand giant in the distance remained unscathed.


    Charles'' expression froze in ce. He clearly saw the same gentle light flicker on the sand giant''s body. Lowering his head, he gazed at the desert sand as his thoughts ran.


    Seeing that the approaching sand waterfalls were threatening to swallow everyone whole, First Mate Bandages gritted his teeth and yelled into the inte, "Captain! I suggest we split up... Retreat... Our survival chances will be higher..."


    "No! Don''t run! Everyone, follow me and charge forward!" Charles''mand took everyone by surprise. It was essentially an order tomit suicide.


    But as soon as they saw Charles'' car in the distance speeding toward the cascading waterfall, the others followed without hesitation.


    Their actions had the opposite effect; the giant''s body grew evenrger. Just as they were about to be buried by sand, Charles'' voice crackled through the inte again.


    "No! It''s still growing! Wrong angle, turn right!"


    Though the crew members in the other three cars couldn''t understand Charles'' n, they screeched to a halt and swiftly veered to the sand giant''s right side.


    When Charles noticed that the sand giant''s towering form was finally starting to shrink, a slight sense of relief stirred in his heart. He seemed to have gotten an idea of the desert''s strange patterns.


    But before he could rejoice in his realization, the sand waterfalls were already overhead and descended upon them like a torrential downpour.


    Sand filled their surroundings as the cars were caught in the massive sandstorm. Moving forward was starting to be challenging.


    "Keep going! Don''t stop! We''re almost there!" Charles shouted into the inte and floored the gas pedal with all his might.


    His gamble eventually paid off as the sandstorm gradually waned. The sand giant was still moving beside them, but its form had shrunk considerably and was continuing to shrink.


    "It''s not over yet! Keep going, don''t stop!" Charles yelled into the inte once more.


    Gradually, the sand giant in the distance shrunk to the size of a basketball. Only then could Charles finally let out a sigh of relief.


    "Captain, how did you realize that going right would cause that thing to shrink?" Conor''s voice crackled through the inte.


    A slight smile appeared on Charles'' face. "Remember the Mirrorbox? After opening it, I saw the same light on that creature''s body."


    "And... what does that mean?"


    "I''m guessing that thing isn''t a sand giant at all; it''s a mirror."


    "A mirror?"


    "Yes, a special mirror. Actually this entire desert is its front side, and we''re on its body now. The mirror reflects the entire desert and the real sand giant is under our feet," Charles exined.


    However, the bizarre revtion confused everyone further.


    Charles then continued, "I felt something was off when the sand giant grewrger regardless if we moved forward or backward.


    "Then, I caught a glimpse of light on its body, and I used the Mirrorbox to verify what it was. To put it inly, you can try to understand it as a special type of reverse mirror.


    "For ordinary mirrors, the reflection will diminish in size when the object moves farther away from the mirror. But what if there exists a special mirror in the world? A mirror where the reflection erges regardless of whether the object in reality moves closer or farther. Since moving backward or forward didn''t work, I thought we would try observing from the side."


    "But... that sandstorm was real! It wasn''t a reflection," Conor countered.


    Aplicated expression surfaced on Charles'' countenance as he stared at the sand giant''s gradually disappearing silhouette. "Yes... The scariest part is that the reflection in the mirror is real. Especially when we are part of that reflection."


    Standing atop the car dashboard, a shiver coursed through Lily as a thought hit her. When Charles had opened the Mirrorbox, perhaps the "real" Charles in the mirror had seen them too. Lily shook her head vigorously to banish the terrifying thought.


    Grabbing the inte, Charles said, "We''ll sort that outter. We have to settle something more important now. Headcount check. Car One: Captain Charles, Gunner Lily."


    "Car Two: Boatswain Dipp, Doctor Linda, and Sailor Norton."


    "Car Three: Second Mate Conor, Cook nck, Second Engineer Audric, and Chief Engineer Paul."


    After the report from Car Three, the inte went silent. Car Four, which should have continued with the headcount, remained silent.


    "Car Four! Do you hear me? First Mate! Reply if you hear me!" The unexpected silence stirred a wave of anxiety in Charles. Just as he contemted if he should stop to find them, a brief burst of static sounded from the inte before Bandages'' slow manner of speech came through.


    "Car Four: First Mate Bandages... Second Engineer..."


    When Bandagespleted the headcount report, Charles exhaled in relief. He then asked, "First Mate, why did you take so long to respond?"


    "When we... entered... the sandstorm...we got... dyed.. by... stuck tires..."


    "Identify yourself," Charles instructed.


    "Bandages. Position:... First Mate. Duty: To assist the Captain in organizing work ns... and responsible forpiling... the cargo loading schedule. Helmsman covering the... 1200 to 2400 shift! Today''s secret code is...."


    Though it had been a close call, fortunately, everyone was ounted for and most importantly, they were the real version of themselves. Charles'' anxious heart gradually settled back in ce.


    "Everyone, head east, bearing sixteen degrees!"


    "Roger!"


    "Aye!!"


    The cars drew a yellow line through the desert and sped straight toward the semi-desert.

 Chapter 540. Change

    <h4>Chapter 540. Change</h4>


    About fifteen minutester, the barren semi-desert appeared before Charles once more. Once an eyesore, the wastnd now felt like a beacon of safety as it indicated that they had escaped from danger.


    <i>Screeeeech! </i>


    As the tires ground to a halt, Charles stopped the car at the border between the desert and the semi-desert while waiting for the others to arrive.


    It didn''t take long before he saw two other cars pulling up. However, the car Bandages was in remained unseen.


    Recalling Bandages mentioning that they had a stuck tire earlier, Charles stayed calm. They''d take a bit longer time to arrive, but as long as they were in the right direction, they should appear soon.


    Charles waited, and waited, but no car emerged from the nket of yellow sand.


    "Bandages! Reply if you hear me!"


    "Bandages, roger... wait a moment... almost... there..."


    Bandages seemed to be having a bad connection as his voice was apanied by major static. Car Four seemed pretty far away.


    "Why are you taking so long? Check thepass in the car. Are you in the right direction?" Charles asked.


    "East 16... Correct... wait a little more... reaching soon... the sand dunes... became...rger..."


    "Identify yourself again."


    "Bandages. Position:... First Mate. Duty: To assist the Captain in organizing work ns... and responsible forpiling... the cargo loading schedule. Helmsman covering the... 1200 to 2400 shift! Today''s secret code is...."


    Hearing that Bandages was indeed okay, Charles'' heart was at ease, and he continued waiting patiently.


    Just then, Cook nck ced a pot down on the ground and said, "We''ve been eating canned food daily to save time. Since we have time now, let me cook up something good for everyone."


    Charles cast a nce at him but didn''t stop him. Indeed, they had been eating cold canned meals to save time. But now that the exploration was over, there was no need to rush. A little rxation would serve them well. After all, it wasn''t sustainable if everyone was always on edge.


    Freshwater was poured into the pot before cans of meat and vegetables were added. Cook nck and his assistant kept themselves busy for a couple of moments and soon presented a rudimentary stew.


    Though the ingredients were from cans, the dish smelled and tasted different after nck added seasoning andbined them together. The enticing aroma had everyone drooling.


    Ever since they entered the desert, they had been too preupied with the dangerous environment that they hadn''t been able to eat properly. Soon, everyone huddled together and feasted as they waited for thest car to arrive.


    Bandages'' signal seemed to be getting better; he was getting closer and closer to Charles'' location.


    As he took big bites of the stew, Charles asionally checked on Bandages'' position with the inte. Halfway through his meal, Charles let out a soft sigh as he gazed wistfully at the desert beside them.


    Putting down the piece of meat in her paws, Lily''s voice carried a hint of curiosity as she asked, "Mr. Charles, why are you sighing?"


    "I''m sighing because why can''t this ce be like air infested by dangerous monsters? Why can''t it be like a simple dungeon where we just simply kill the monsters and take their loot?


    "Be it that ''mirror'', desert, or whatever that was, everything is so... so strange! The creatures in this surface world are even weirder than those in the Subterranean Sea! What kind of fucked up is this?" Charles grumbled.


    Lily looked up at Charles, but she wasn''t sure how she should respond.


    The simple meal swiftly ended, and the pot was licked clean. There was not even a drop of soup left for those in Car Four.


    "Bandages, are you here yet?"


    "Yes... I smell... food."


    "You can smell it?" Charles asked with a puzzled look as he squinted into the yellow sand. There was still no sign of any vehicle.


    He was about to speak again when a flurry of panicked cries came through the inte.


    "What''s happening, where are you?" Charles anxiously took two steps forward.


    Immediately, the sound of tumbling came through the inte. Car Four seemed to have encountered serious trouble.


    Just as Charles was about to take the third step, Lily''s shriek pierced the air.


    "Ahhhhhhhh!"


    The shimmering golden mouse scurried to Charles'' foot, nudged it away, and frantically dug into the sand. Soon, she unearthed a small truck in the sand. Carefully cupping it in her tiny paws, she peered into the vehicle with her tiny, beady eyes.


    "Mr. First Mate! You... all of you have gotten so tiny! Thank goodness I saw you, or Mr. Charles would have crushed you under his feet!"


    "What... the... fuck..." Charles'' face was painted with astonishment as he scooped Lily into his hand and stared at the tiny truck in her paws. He then squinted his eyes to look at the even tinier Bandages inside, who was barelyrger than a grain of rice.


    Car Four and all its passengers had shrunk; the truck now was no bigger than a finger.


    The others hurriedly gathered around, dumbfounded by the baffling scene before them.


    As Charles tried to rey the events that transpired in his mind, he felt a surreal sense of realization.


    <i>Could it be that the mirror''s reflection wasn''t growing? Instead, it was us that were shrinking?</i>


    However, this wasn''t the time for him to dwell on this. Charles'' brows furrowed as he stared at his open palm. Bandages was holding the miniature inte in his hand.


    "No... abnormalities... we just... shrunk... Probably because... our tire got stuck in the sand...and we missed... the recovery... window," Bandages'' voice crackled through the inte.


    Perched on Charles'' shoulder, Lily fiddled curiously with a tiny gun no bigger than a grain.


    "Mr. Charles, if they can be smaller, then can I be bigger? Like asrge as a human?"


    Charles didn''t have the time to entertain Lily''s question. He carefully ced Bandages back in the passenger seat of the tiny truck. He then turned to the others and ordered, "Get in the cars! We must find the mirror again and turn them back to normal!"


    Everyoneplied immediately. The engines roared to life as the cars sped back into the desert.


    Charles had hoped they could quickly retrace their tire tracks back to the "mirror." But despite traveling for two days, they found nothing.


    That night, another problem presented itself: they were running out of fuel. Even if they were to use their remaining fuel strategically, they still didn''t have enough whale oil left.


    <i>How could it have disappeared? It should be right here...</i> Charles'' brows were furrowed in thought as he stared into the endless yellow sand. The sand giant was nowhere to be seen.


    Bandages seemed to understand Charles'' dilemma and suggested, "Captain... why not we... return... and make another trip after... it''s just shrinking in size... I can wait..."


    Charles shook his head. "For now. But we don''t know if there might be other risks. We can''t leave hidden risks tillter. There''s another solution for theck of fuel. We''ll squeeze it!"


    Quickly, they abandoned Car Two and redistributed its fuel and passengers among the remaining vehicles.


    Though it was cramped within the car, this gave the remaining cars enough fuel.


    Pungent ck smoke billowed from the exhaust and darkened the sand in its trail as the two cars searched for the special "mirror" in the sea of yellow sand.

 Chapter 541. Mirror

    <h4>Chapter 541. Mirror</h4>


    The fine yellow sand swirled in the gentle breeze, permeating every corner of the desert. The temperature wasn''t particrly high, but the air was exceedingly dry.


    Lily was feeling a bit thirsty. She licked her parched lips, but she didn''t ask Charles for any fresh water. There weren''t any supply points here, so they needed to ration the remaining fresh water for their return journey.


    Just then, a tiny bottle cap filled with water appeared before Lily.


    "Drink up. We can still afford to feed a little mouse like you," Charles said with a smile.


    Lily cupped the bottle cap in her hands, beaming with gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Charles."


    Lily then brought the cap to her lips and drank in small sips. In no time, the bottle cap was empty. Lily exhaled, and her drooping ears perked up. "That was so refreshing!"


    Charles patted her head gently and said, "Once the Narwhale has been refitted, we no longer have to be so frugal."


    "So our ship will be like <i>that</i> ship that can travel onnd? That sounds so cool!" Lily asked, her long tail swishing back and forth, brushing against Charles'' fingertip.


    "The main concern is space. The cars are too small, but the Narwhale is 65 meters long and 10 meters wide with a draft of 6 meters. We can venture deeper into the surface, and we''ll have a better time searching for the darkness.


    "The darkness has been taken away, so there''s a low chance that it''s nearby."


    Charles tapped his fingers rhythmically on the windshield, dissatisfied with the truck''s cargo capacity.


    "Once the Narwhale is here, leave the deck cannons to me. I''m the gunner, and how can I be called a gunner without my guns?" Lily eximed excitedly.


    Charles looked out the window and saw that the desert was as deste as ever. He soon reached out for a small box next to Lily''s feet. "Go check on Bandages and the others inside."


    "All right!" Lily eximed. She bent down and crawled into the crudely assembled wooden box. After a short while, Lily emerged from the box, saying, "Mr. First Mate says that they''re doing well. They have plenty of food and water. A single biscuit can sustain them for several months.


    "They only have oneint; apparently, it''s a bit bumpy."


    "That''s good. Have Bandages reassure the other four in the truck. We''re currently searching for that ''mirror.'' We just have to find it, and we''ll immediately restore them to their original sizes."


    Lily crawled back into the box. When she came outter, she brought with her a message from Bandages.


    "Mr. Charles, Mr. First Mate says that if we really can''t find it, we should head back first. He says that he''ll be fine," Lily said, looking up at Charles.


    "I know what I''m doing here. He doesn''t have to tell me what to do. Tell him to be patient and wait," Charles said. However, he was honestly feeling troubled by their predicament.


    They had been searching for so many days, and Charles reckoned that they had scoured the majority of the desert, but they still hadn''t been able to find the sand giant. They had lost track of it, and the chances of finding it in this expansive desert were diminishing rapidly as time ticked by.


    Charles nced at the visibly exhausted Dipp sitting before the steering wheel.


    We''ll keep searching for two more days. Charles said to himself. Losing five crew members on their first exploration was a tough pill to swallow.


    Time ticked by slowly, and the scenery outside changed once more.


    The sand dunes shrank gradually and disappeared; the ground became t once again. They had crossed the entire desert and had reached the semi-desert region once again. However, the desert before them wasn''t the same stretch of desert they had traversed before.


    Charles was about to take out the map to reorient himself when he trembled visibly.


    There was something in the distance.


    Charles grabbed the binocrs and saw a slow-moving entity.


    It was the sand giant¡ªno, it could no longer be called a giant. Its appearance had transformed to resemble the "Gobi Desert," which was a semi-desertposed of a mixture of gray earth and gravel.


    Only its upper body was visible as it stumbled down the desert. This time, it was facing Charles and the others. Charles saw pebbles falling from its face through the binocrs.


    The "mirror" replicated the surrounding environment, and its front side was the surface, while the backside was the back of the "mirror."


    "Move! Get closer to it, but don''t go too fast!" Charles eximed. His nerves were stretched taut as he took control of the vehicle and drove toward the distant entity.


    Charles dared not breathe, and his eyes were unwittingly transfixed on the "mirror." It wasn''t just him; everyone was nervous as the entity changed in size.


    They had encountered it once, but none of them dared to im that they hadpletely understood the entity that defiedmon sense before them. It had to be known that the entity did not merely replicate the surrounding environment.


    If one got too close to it, one would be projected onto it.


    In other words, Charles was approaching the "mirror," and the "mirror" was approaching him as well. However, they seemed to have struck a certain bnce, as the distant "mirror" did not growrger and was shrinking gradually instead.


    "Captain, I think this change is rted to our position. Previously, we were behind it, but now, we''re in front of it," Dipp remarked.


    Charles initially thought that he had figured out the entity''s workings, but it seemed that he always had to expect the unexpected on the surface world.


    The truck came to a halt, waiting for the other party to approach. However, the other party was still shrinking, albeit at a slightly slower pace.


    "No... the front and back sides of this ''mirror'' are reversed. Since both the front and back are causing it to shrink, then moving either left or right should erge it. Let''s move to the right."


    With that, the three trucks moved slowly around the "mirror."


    Charles'' method proved to be effective as the "mirror" indeed grewrger.


    When Charles finally felt like it was time, he stepped on the brakes and ced the finger-sized truck on the ground.


    Charles sounded nervous as he turned to the walkie-talkie and eximed, "Bandages! Head due west and keep going! Do not deviate, or you will never be able toe back,"


    "Understood..." The toy-like small truck used the distant "mirror" as an anchor point and moved rapidly to the left, circling it.


    Charles was so nervous that his palms were sweaty. It wasn''t just him; the other crew members wore anxious looks as they stared at Bandages''s truck.


    Just then, the distant "mirror" started shrinking once again, but Bandages'' truck grewrger.


    Charles couldn''t help but clench his fists. "It worked!"


    Bandages'' vehicle had grown from the size of a matchbox to the size of a shoebox, and it was still growing, slowly transforming to its normal size.


    "Bandages, keep moving for another thirty seconds, then head south to escape the influence of the ''mirror,''" Charles said nervously. The timing was crucial against such a bizarre entity. They''d be in trouble if little Bandages became giant Bandages.


    "Understood..."


    Bandages grew more and more as time ticked by, but Charles noticed just then that he could no longer see the "mirror." It had disappeared into the distant purple mist.

 Chapter 542. Relics

    <h4>Chapter 542. Relics</h4>


    The perspective of the "mirror" was bizarre. Even if two people were standing on the same line, those two people would view the "mirror" at a different distance from each other.


    In other words, the "mirror" seemed like it existed subjectively rather than objectively. The slightest difference in position meant that a "mirror" would take on different forms in the eyes of every single person viewing it at the same time.


    In Charles'' eyes, the "mirror" had already disappeared, but Bandages was still under its influence. Fortunately, everything went smoothly. Having returned to normal, Bandages slowly moved southward.


    Dipp whistled in excitement and turned around to Charles, asking, "Captain, don''t you think that ''mirror'' is a bit like James'' purple pyramid? It allows us to grow and shrink."


    Charles was stunned at that remark. Then, he replied, "What nonsense are you talking about? Let''s go and regroup with the first mate."


    The other two cars made a turn and headed for Bandages.


    Charles used the tire tracks left behind by Bandages'' car and had no issues tracking thetter down.


    Both parties got out of their cars to regroup when they noticed something off. Bandages'' height had inexplicably decreased by more than ten centimeters¡ªno, it wasn''t just his height; all his features had shrunk.


    <i>Damn it. I must''ve made a mistake adjusting the ratio and made him leave the "mirror''s" influence too early, </i>Charles thought, feeling annoyed.


    "Captain... how did you... be... so... big?" Bandages asked with a hint of surprise in his eyes.


    Charles'' eyes shed in a bit of helplessness as he replied, "What do you mean I''ve be big? It''s you¡ª"


    Charles froze mid-sentence. The next moment, he rushed to the front seat of the car and took out his diary.


    "Sparkle, take your mommy here for me."


    Momentster, Anna emerged from Sparkle''s tentacles. Anna had on an impatient look, but Charles was stunned the moment he saw her.


    The petite Anna was only half a head shorter than Charles, but now, she only reached up to Charles'' chest. Charles had suddenly be a little over six feet tall; if he grew any taller, he''d soon catch up to Elizabeth.


    However, it wasn''t just his height; his entire body had been erged as well. It was then that Charles realized that Bandages hadn''t shrunk; he had simply grownrger!


    Earlier, he didn''t have anyone topare himself to, so he hadn''t really noticed that he was the one under the "mirror''s" influence.


    "Charles, how did you be so big all of a sudden?" Anna asked with a surprised look. She tiptoed and stretched out a hand toward the crown of Charles'' head,paring his height with hers.


    Charles sighed helplessly and replied, "It''s a long story, so just read my memories. We must find the ''mirror'' as soon as possible so I can be readjusted."


    "Why do that? Isn''t it a great thing to be a bit bigger?" Anna asked with a teasing smile, pinching Charles'' palm with her fingers.


    "It''s not a bad thing to be a bit bigger, but I''m afraid this abnormalityes with side effects," Charles said, shaking off Anna''s hand.


    "How could there be any side effects? Didn''t Bandages stay in a shrunken state for a few days?" Anna asked, ncing at Bandages, who was looking at her with hostility.


    Just as Charles was about to say something, the ground trembled inexplicably.


    "What is it now?"


    The next moment, a pitch-ck hole swirled open in the sand not too far away from them, and a shadowy figure moved along the ground, making a beeline for Charles and the others along the ground.


    Charles reacted almost immediately. He raised his right hand, and the flesh and blood revolver appeared in his palm. He proceeded to rain bullets at the oing shadowy figure. However, the other party seemed immune to the bullets and did not slow down at all as it eventually struck a car, piercing it.


    Some of the upants were lucky enough to have jumped out in time, but some weren''t so fortunate. Screams rang out, and blood sshed at the car windows, quickly dyeing it crimson.


    Everything happened so fast that it was toote by the time everyone snapped back to reality.


    "Captain! It''s a shadow! Physical attacks are not going to work against it¡ª" Second Mate Conor''s voice abruptly stopped.


    "Fuck!" Charles'' forehead bulged with blue veins. He rushed to a bloody car window and grabbed the car door handle before yanking the door open.


    Human entrails were everywhere inside the car, creating a grotesque, gory sight.


    Meanwhile, a curled-up spiral-shaped worm was on the floor. Conor said that the attacker was a shadow, but Charles was clearly looking at a worm.


    The worm had a bizarre appearance, looking like needles made out of ck obsidian were sticking out of its body. Actually, it looked more like an elongated hedgehog because of its "quills" rather than a worm. It was using its "quills" to cut one of the second engineer''s arms.


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    Radiant white electric arcs erupted from Charles, rushing toward the worm, but it seemed unaffected. However, Charles had sessfully attracted its attention. The worm stopped what it was doing, and the ck obsidian needles sticking out of it started rotating at fast speeds.


    Just then, a blue mist and crawling thorns filled the car. They were Dipp and Bandages'' special abilities. They could not see the worm, but they could sense it, so they quickly found the worm.


    Unfortunately, the rapidly spinning ck needles nullified their attacks. It wasn''t just the blue mist and the crawling thorns; everything that came too close to the worm was shredded in the blink of an eye.


    "Get out of here! I''ll deal with it myself!" Charles'' figure rapidly transformed into a bat monster. He opened his monstrous maw, revealing rows of sharp teeth within before emitting an extremely ear-piercing sound from the depths of his throat.


    The sound was reminiscent of fingernails scratching a ckboard. The needles sticking out of the worm trembled ever so slightly in the face of Charles'' sonic attack.


    A few secondster, a crisp noise echoed as the worm copsed to the ground and disintegratedpletely.


    The ear-piercing noise ceased, but Charles didn''t pay any attention to the worm as his trembling hands rummaged through the pile of flesh and blood in the car.


    In no time, Charles found half of Second Mate Conor''s face. As Charles picked it up, pink brain matter slid from the skull andnded on the floor. Second Mate Conor''s face was filled with shock as if he couldn''t imagine that he''d end up dying here.


    Charles'' lips trembled, but he knew that this wasn''t the time to grieve. He gnashed his teeth, sat up, and suppressed the grief in his heart before turning to the people outside the car, saying, "Hurry up and leave! This ce is dangerous. We don''t know how many of those worms are out here, so return to the Colossal Hole Fortress as soon as possible!"


    The car engines were started once more. Charles stayed in the bloody car and cast a bewildered gaze at Conor''s head, asking, "How did you die when you have a life-saving relic?"


    "Because his relic was shattered," Anna''s voice suddenly echoed from behind Charles.


    Charles turned and saw Anna holding a ck-faced ceramic doll missing half of its body, a broken de, and a broken ring.


    "This brat was very afraid of dying, and he paid a hefty sum just to buy three life-saving relics. However, these three relics had been cut to pieces by that entity that came out of the sand," Anna said. She stuck her bloody finger into her mouth and sucked on it.


    "Relics can''t be this fragile. Even bullets cannot damage them, and they can only be damaged by..." Charles trailed off upon recalling something. He bent down and picked up the scattered ck obsidian needles on the ground.


    The thick needles were ten centimeters long and were light. They weighed about the same as stic, but they were exceedingly sharp. Charles reckoned that it was capable of piercing just about any metal.


    Charles was reminded of his broken Dark de as he stared at the needles.


    "Only relics are capable of destroying other relics so easily. I didn''t expect that the worm we had just encountered was actually a relic," Anna said. She picked up a needle and waved it forcefully.


    Charles recalled the extremely bizarre "mirror" and shook his head slightly. "No, perhaps it''s not just this worm. It''s likely that the vast majority of the entities here are relics. We''re in a world of relics, and these relics are far more powerful and... primitive."

 Chapter 543. Commoner

    <h4>Chapter 543. Commoner</h4>


    It was yet another day on the World''s Crown, and Nene opened her eyes slowly on her bed. After washing up, she followed Donna out to work in the fields.


    She had grown a bit taller¡ªjust a bit taller. The work in the fields was still a bit too strenuous for her, as she was still a child. The work was even more grueling considering how it was currently harvest season.


    A tiny hill of half-ripe bananas was on the ground next to Nene. They had cut the bananas down and had been waiting for the governor''s trucks toe and collect the bananas.


    The bananas had somehow stopped growing when the death light disappeared; fortunately, Donna hadpleted her mission, and her efforts over this year hadn''t been wasted.


    Soon, several cars drove over, and soldiers alighted from the cars. Soon, theborers got to work, loading Donna and Nene''s bananas onto the trucks under the supervision of the soldiers.


    "Here~ This is yours, a total of 2,460 Echoes." A slightly arrogant-sounding voice echoed, and a fair hand ced a stack of slightly worn paper bills in Donna''s dirty hands, whose fingernails were filled with grime.


    Donna seemed ufortable as she turned to the man in front of her. The man had braided red hair flowing down the back of his head.


    "Mr. Registrar, isn''t this a bit too little? ording to our agreement, we are supposed to receive more." Donna pointed out.


    The man cast a contemptuous gaze upon Donna. He was clearly looking down on Donna, as she was but a mere farmer.


    "''A bit too little''? Why would amoner need so much money? Also, it''s not like we didn''t leave you a portion of your harvest. Besides, haven''t you read the newspapers? What time is it now? Have you still not heard of the news at the very least?"


    The man drew a line on the notebook in his hand and turned to walk toward the passenger seat of the truck next to him.


    "You are now working for the great Governor of Hope Ind! He''s a hero who is going to save mankind. We must support him unconditionally. If he fails and the sea level rises, you won''t be alive to spend the money that we''ve given you, regardless of how much it is."


    The car engines roared to life, and the cars'' exhaust pipes belched out ck, thick smoke, causing Nene to cough violently upon taking a whiff of the smoke.


    Donna pulled her daughter back into the fields. Recalling the registrar''s words, a hint of bitterness shed in her eyes. "The death light is gone, but a more serious issue hase. Just what is going on in this world..."


    "Mommy, what are you talking about?" Nene asked with a look of curiosity on her sweaty face. She knew nothing about the impending disaster, as Donna had refrained from telling her.


    In fact, Donna herself wasn''t really clear about the details. She had only heard it from her neighbors.


    Apparently, the sea level was rising. The big shots above had gathered together to resolve the issue. It was said that they were going to a ce called the "surface world" to find something. They just had to find it, and the world wouldn''t be flooded.


    The media outlets were saying that they would definitely find what they were looking for on the surface, but Donna did not believe them at all. She believed more in God Sparkle, who had already helped her many times.


    Donna returned home and wiped away her sweat with a towel. Then, she pulled her daughter in front of Sparkle''s portrait and prayed earnestly.


    Nene hadn''t been saying anything, but she was actually confused.


    Why was Donna praying to Sparkle? Sparkle was clearly her friend, not some god.


    Moreover, Donna had told Nene not to make any wishes to Sparkle. When Nene asked why, Donna had told her that wishes had to be used when it was absolutely necessary and could not be used casually.


    Soon, Donna finished praying, and she opened her eyes to cast a fervent gaze at the crude portrait hanging on the wall.


    Then, Donna prayed in her heart, <i>God Sparkle, if all inds somehow end up sinking one day, please take my daughter away and ensure her survival. I''m sure it''s just a trivial matter to you, and you can definitely do it...</i>


    The sinking of all inds throughout the Subterranean Sea was a catastrophe for humans, but a god could definitely ensure the survival of a single human being. Donna truly believed that God Sparkle could save her daughter by then.


    Donna prayed some more, and once she was done, she took Nene''s hand and walked toward a small alley in the harbor district, which contained a market for selling goods.


    There were bananas at home now, but people couldn''t eat just bananas alone.


    The harbor district of the World''s Crown was still bustling, but the peopleing and going seemed to have gotten skinnier and haggardpared to before the death light''s advent.


    Donna walked up to a fish stall, which radiated an intense fishy smell. Donan inquired about the price and frowned upon hearing the response. "Howe fish have gotten so expensive? It''s not like it''s ck rye flour. There are fish everywhere in the sea, so howe they''re so expensive?"


    The fish vendor sitting beneath a portrait of Sparkle yawnedzily and retorted, "You make it sound so easy. If fish can truly be found everywhere in the sea, why don''t you go and fish? What, you can''t? Do you even have a boat?


    "Do you even know where you can find schools of fish? How about the size of the? Do you know which size is appropriate to capture what fish?"


    Donna saw the fish vendor''s smug eyes and pulled Nene away with a look of disdain.


    "Hey, stop browsing! The prices have gone up. My fish are the freshest and cheapest in the market!"


    Donna frowned and thought about their budget. Food prices were indeed soaring in price, so Donna knew that she had to be thorough and meticulous when it came to budgeting. Otherwise, they''d run out of money even before next year''s harvest season.


    Donna briefly entertained the thought of wishing for food from God Sparkle, but she instantly rejected the idea. It was absolutely not allowed, as her wish was for God Sparkle to save her daughter once Nene was in danger.


    A question popped up in Donna''s mind just then. Where had the food that they had painstakingly nurtured gone? Howe all governors had a penchant for hoarding food rather than feeding their residents?


    All of a sudden, Donna felt a hand reaching into her bosom and retracting quickly.


    <i>Oh no, my money! </i>Donna eximed, her heart tightened instantly. The mere thought of losing a year''s worth of hard-earned money in the blink of an eye made Donna feel cold all over. Her legs weakened, and she staggered, turning around with difficulty to shout at the pickpocket.


    Before she could let loose a shrill cry, however, she noticed that her wallet was still in her bosom. The wallet hadn''t disappeared, and Donna found a piece of paper next to the wallet.


    It seemed that the "pickpocket" was a stuffer rather than a stealer.


    Donna looked around and found too many passersby; Donna couldn''t possibly find the culprit among them. Donna had on a strange expression as she pulled her daughter to a corner and took out the piece of paper from her bosom.


    The piece of paper contained white text written on a ck background.


    <i>Friends, I''m sure your governor has been saying that they are doing their best to resolve the rising sea levels, right? Also, they''ve been saying that they are working together to prevent that tragedy from befalling everyone, right?</i>


    <i>No, they are lying. Trusting them is a big mistake. Rather than working together to prevent a tragedy, they''re working together to deceive you! Mere mortals cannot possibly stop the return of the Great One!</i>


    <i>Only by joining us¡ªjoining our Fhtagn Covenant¡ªcan you¡ª</i>


    Donna didn''t even bother reading any further. She tore the paper into pieces and threw it to the ground. Then, she pulled her daughter along with her to walk down the alley. "Fhtagn? I only believe in God Sparkle!"


    Donna and Nene had just found themselves in front of a mollusk vendor when a gorgeous woman apanied by several men and women walked past her from behind. She seemed invisible to everyone on the street, despite her outstanding appearance. Everyone dispersed instinctively, opening a path for her.


    "Arandi, this ce needs to produce a bit more food. Work harder; there are so many people rushing to Annarles Ind. I''m afraid that we''ll end up having not enough food for everyone."


    The woman was none other than Anna, and she was all smiles as she strolled leisurely around her territory.


    Arandi was the current Governor of the World''s Crown, but his eyes were filled with a zealous light reminiscent of cultists as he stared at Anna with a flushed face.


    "As you wish, Esteemed Governor! Your wish is mymand! As long as it is within my ability, you can rest assured that I will do my best!"

 Chapter 544. Return

    <h4>Chapter 544. Return</h4>


    Anna abruptly came to a halt in the middle of the alleyway.


    The next moment, Anna''s other half transformed, revealing more than ten thick and long tentacles, whichshed out and wrapped around a child, who seemed to be around seven years of age and was standing next to his mother.


    The boy was terrified; his frightened expression and bodynguage convinced everyone that he was utterly terrified. However, the boy''s disguise crumbled instantly beneath the tentacles'' suckers, and he turned out to be a Fhtagnist with a face covered in octopus tattoos.


    A small stack of leaflets slid from his chest,nding on the ground.


    "Heretic! You''ve betrayed the Great One! For His awakening¡ª" The Fhtagnist stopped mid-sentence as Anna''s slender waist slit open, revealing a meter-wide maw that engulfed him in the blink of an eye.


    "A cmity is indeed a breeding ground for cultists. The Fhtagn Covenant has been making some waves recently, and their numbers are growing quickly. You better keep an eye on your ind."


    "Lady Anna, please rest assured. The prominent faith on this ind is in God Sparkle, and the inders are not going to change religions so easily. I will also send people to keep an eye out for them. I definitely won''t let them infiltrate my ind," Arandi replied.


    "God Sparkle?" Anna turned and saw a portrait of Sparkle hanging inside a store; she couldn''t help but burst out intoughter at the sight.


    "You''re making people honor me? I''m sorry, but I don''t fall for such pleasantries," Anna said, ncing at Arandi.


    "No, I haven''t done anything like that at all. It was the inders'' unanimous decision. And it''s a faith that exists in other inds or perhaps even in the other sea regions as well; it''s not just on this ind."


    "I see..." Anna pped lightly, and Sparkle instantly appeared in front of her.


    "My daughter, look at that. That''s a portrait of yours. You''ve be a Divinity in the eyes of the people here. How do you feel?"


    Sparkle''s green cross-shaped eyes blinked. "I don''t feel anything."


    "They worship you as a Divinity, but you don''t feel anything at all?"


    A few tentacles emerged from Anna''s abdomen, and they wrapped around Sparkle, lifting her off of the ground.


    "Why are they worshiping me?"


    "Because you brought them banana seeds and hope."


    "But... what does that have to do with me? Daddy told me to deliver them. I didn''t even want to do it. Looking for so many inds was so troublesome," Sparkle replied.


    Anna was stunned at the remark, and she looked down nkly at her daughter in her bosom.


    "Mommy? Why are you staring at me like that? What are you thinking? Can I read your mind?" Sparkle asked.


    Anna came back to her senses and stroked Sparkle''s soft hair. "I''m just thinking... do the Divinities of the Subterranean Sea feel the same as you right now, despite so many people worshiping them?"


    "Maybe. The faith of humans in me hasn''t really given me anything. I feel the same with or without their faith in me. I don''t think it matters."


    "<i>Hehe, </i>your little mouth is getting better and better at talking. Come to think of it, you''re already two years old. It seems that time really flies, "Anna said. Then, she leaned over and kissed Sparkle''s cheek.


    "I''ve learned a lot of things now, and learning is really fun for me. It''s even more fun than ying with Nene."


    "That''s great. You should strive to learn more. You''re just two years old, but you''re already like this... I''m really looking forward to what you''ll be once you grow up."


    Sparkle''s eyes blinked. "I feel that by then... I''d be <i>very</i> strong."


    "<i>Sigh,</i> I really envy you sometimes. You be even stronger even without doing anything, while I have to painstakingly look for ways to be stronger," Anna said, pinching Sparkle''s soft little cheeks.


    Sparkle cast a deep gaze at her mother. Momentster, her head turned a hundred and eighty degrees to stare at Nene and Donna walking by them.


    "Mommy, send Nene and the others to Daddy''s ind. It''s dangerous here, and their living conditions are bad. Farming is too exhausting."


    "Is she your friend?"


    "Mmhm, she''s my good friend. She taught me some things in the beginning."


    "Okay, I''ll handle it."


    ***


    <i>"How is it? Do you feel it? Do you feel this power? I did not lie to you. This is the power of the Light God." </i>


    Lily heard a soft voice amidst her sleep. She tried hard to open her eyes, but she couldn''t open them no matter what she did.


    Lily couldn''t see at all and could only hear fragmented sections of a conversation.


    <i>"Let''s make a deal. I know what you want. The chance of sess is low, but what if it seeds?"</i>


    <i>"Let me... Let me see it first! I''ll just take a look! Just one look!"</i> A voice filled with urgency echoed from a distance.


    Lily wanted to struggle, but her limbs seemed to be bound, and she felt ufortable about the ordeal.


    <i>"Hehe, how can I let you take a look first? Remember my rule: work first, and you''ll rewarded afterward."</i>


    Lily was shaken awake just then. She opened her groggy eyes and found herself inside Mr. Charles'' pocket rather than somewhere else.


    <i>So that was a dream? What a strange dream. Why was I having such a weird dream?</i> Lily sat in Charles'' pocket, rubbing her furry little cheeks with her paws to clean them somehow. She had no other choice but to make do with her paws. After all, they didn''t even have enough water to drink, so where was she supposed to find water to bathe?


    "Lily, we''re here." Charles'' words made Lily''s drooping ears perk up. She poked her head out of the pocket and saw the Colossal Hole Fortress before them.


    "<i>Aaaah!</i>" Lily climbed down Charles'' leg and led a group of colorful mice to charge at the supply depot inside the fortress. "I want to eat all kinds of fruits! I want to take a bath! I also want... I also want¡ªI don''t know yet!"


    Charles couldn''t help but smile as he stared at the antics of the excited and thrilled Lily. Sometimes, he really envied Lily''s easily excitable personality trait.


    "Captain, I''ll go ahead and carry over the bodies of the second mate, the second engineer, and the body of one of our ordinary sailors," Linda said calmly with three gray bags in tow.


    Charles felt a pang of pain in his heart at Linda''s remark. "Go ahead. Contact James as well, and tell him topensate their families."


    "Understood."


    Charles was exhausted in both body and mind, but he couldn''t rest right now. He had more important things to do. The Governor of Hope Ind''s party had returned, and the news spread like wildfire throughout the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    An explorer thought that he was close enough to Charles, so he sidled up to thetter and teased, "You were out there for so long that we almost thought you''d nevere back, Esteemed Governor."


    However, the explorer was forced to erase the cheeky smile tugging at his lips in the face of Charles'' cold gaze.


    "Bard, how many of us managed to return?"


    Commodore Bard was the person in charge of the Colossal Hole Fortress, and he immediately stepped forward. "Reporting to the governor¡ªa total of sixty-two parties managed toe back.


    "The rest have been out there for so long that we think they''ll never make it back."


    The numbers that Commodore Bard had reported meant that Charles had lost more than ten exploration parties. However, Charles was more interested in what the surviving expedition parties had brought back with them.


    "Did they find any clues about the darkness?" Charles asked, sounding a bit nervous. The explorers nearby nced at each other before shaking their heads in unison.


    Charles fell into deep contemtion before turning to Bard next to him, saying, "Collect all their photos and logbooks for me. I''m going to browse them myself."

 Chapter 545. Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 545. Meeting</h4>


    A map of the explored surface was presented before Charles inside a tent within the Colossal Hole Fortress. There were some photos pinned on the map using thumbtacks; the photos featured unusual things that the explorers had encountered, and they allowed Charles to understand the surface just a bit better.


    The Colossal Hole Fortress was surrounded by a semi-desert biome¡ªno, it seemed that the Colossal Hole was in the middle of a massive semi-desert region.


    Fortunately, there were other biomes on the surface aside from the desert that Charles had explored in the 11 o''clock direction of the Colossal Hole.


    Using the Colossal Hole as a massive clock, there was a region covered in semi-transparent ck fog in the 2 o''clock direction of the Colossal Hole. It was an expansive region that extended all the way to the 4 o''clock direction.


    The ck fog wasn''t toxic; humans could breathe within it, but the region had a gray, muddy swamp terrain, and it housed a variety of lifeforms. The worm that they had discovered long ago hade from the gray, muddy swamp biome.


    The majority of the creatures in the swamp were extremely dangerous and had strange appearances. A great example of this was a bald bird that caused huge losses to Exploration Party No. 32.


    The bald bird looked like a two-meter-tall naked humanoid bald eagle. It had a conical human face and a conical-shaped beak.


    It already had a bizarre look, but what was even more bizarre was the fact that every single human being that stayed around it for more than half an hour would go to any lengths just tomit suicide.


    To make matters worse, its special ability was effective even after its death. The members of Exploration Party No. 32 were none the wiser and tried to put one of them in the trunk after beating it to death.


    Unfortunately, their decision proved costly, and they had to pay seven lives for it.


    Adjacent to the region covered in ck fog was a bowl-shaped basin. However, the party only managed to take a few photographs, which made it difficult to determine whether it was indeed a basin and that the semi-desert was in fact a teau.


    Two exploration parties had ventured bravely into the basin but none had yet to return. Unfortunately, their chances of survival were slim, as they had yet to return even now.


    Charles reached out with his pen and wrote "dangerous" on the basin.


    From the basin''s 6 o''clock direction right up to the desert that Charles had explored was a vast region of semi-desert biome. Other explorers had ventured into the region until they ran out of resources to do so. Unfortunately, they didn''t have any significant findings except for the fact that the soil quality had improved slightly in the region.


    Meanwhile, over sixty exploration parties encountered diverse flora and fauna, which possessed special and bizarre abilities like the relics. It didn''t matter whether they could move or were stationary; they could still exert their ability.


    At this point, Charles finally confirmed that his assumption was correct. Everything on the surface world was a relic, regardless of whether they were living or inanimate objects.


    However, it wasn''t that useful for Charles, as he hade here for the darkness but had yet to find any clues rted to it. Charles wasn''t really disappointed; he hade here knowing that the matter was moreplex than it seemed and that there was no way they''d find the darkness that quickly.


    Charles examined the map before him and calcted the number of explorers he would need for the exploration. The first batch of explorers on the surface had already suffered over a dozen casualties. Reinforcements had to be provided soon, or they''d run out of explorers after a few more explorations.


    While Charles was pondering over the issue, Bard entered the tent with a piece of paper in hand. "Governor, a telegram from Cat Ind."


    Charles didn''t have to read the telegram to know what it contained. Julio had to have an agent stationed at the Colossal Hole Fortress, and they had definitely informed Julio of Charles'' return.


    With that in mind, Charles performed the summoning ritual right there and then without bothering to choose another location.


    The sand took to the sky and converged into sand figures. Charles was surprised to see a third sand figure, but the third sand figure didn''t look like a Fhtagnist at all.


    The third sand figure was a man giving off a wealthy air. There was a monocle over his right eye, and a peaceful and honorable smile was on his round face, which made him appear friendly and amiable.


    Charles was about to start asking questions when Julio, who was standing next to him, asked, "How is it? Have you found any leads on the darkness?"


    Julio had directly addressed the elephant in the room, so Charles had no choice but to set aside his questions and recounted his experience to them.


    After listening to Charles'' recount, Harold stroked his beard and spoke, "The surface is dangerous, but it is a treasure trove. A ce with such an abundance of relics does not exist in the seascape."


    "This isn''t the time to talk about such things. The preliminary exploration was sessful, and time is of the essence. All resources in the Subterranean Sea should be diverted here, including all resources from your Southern Seas and Western Seas."


    "By resources, I''m not just talking about explorers. I need manpower for the airship manufacturing factories and the shipyards."


    Harold revealed a hint of difficulty on his face as he muttered, "That is not a trivial request..."


    Charles sounded resolute as he retorted, "Every single ind must bear a portion of the burden on the resources. Those capable of providing fuel should provide fuel, and those capable of providing food should provide food. We''re fighting against the extinction of our species here, and we must give it our full attention!"


    Julio nodded slowly with a solemn look. He said nothing, but his stance was clear.


    "You''re right, but it''s not that simple once vested interests are involved. You know that the ''death light'' just a year ago had inflicted tremendous losses on all of us," Harold said, his voice carrying a tinge of bitterness.


    "Moreover, I''m the representative of the Western Seas, yes, but I am different from you. The Western Seas isposed of many families of varying sizes and strengths. I can talk to them, but they may not necessarily listen to me."


    Charles was about to reply, but Julio couldn''t hold it in anymore and exploded. "You bunch of unscrupulous old fogeys! Do you not understand our predicament? The Southern Seas and Northern Seas have already made a move, and the Western Seas must contribute as well!"


    A round of negotiations between the three parties started. They wasted some time, but the matter was resolved. Every single ind throughout the three sea regions had to contribute in more ways than contributing manpower, and they had to do it unconditionally.


    The established families in the Western Seas were stubborn, but if any of them dared to resist, Harold, Julio, and Charles would work together to exert pressure on them at the same time.


    The temporary alliance of the three was so strong that no power or organization in the Subterranean Sea could possibly shake them at the moment. The three disliked each other, but they knew to prioritize things, and their top priority was the retrieval of the darkness. Of course, it wasn''t like theirmon goal wasn''t in line with their vested interests.


    The elephant had finally been addressed, so Charles decided to ask some of the burning questions in his mind. He turned his gaze to the man beside him and asked, "Who is he? Is he here to rece the Fhtagn Covenant as the representative of the Eastern Seas?"


    "Allow me to introduce myself formally. My name is Jax[1], and I''m the President of the Explorers Association. Nice to meet you, Governor Charles," Jax said, bowing slightly.


    Charles turned to Julio and said, "Why did you bring him here? I''m sure you know that decisions in this meeting aren''t decided by votes, right? Bringing your acquaintances here is useless."


    "Shut up, Charles. If you don''t know anything, then it''s better if you keep quiet. He came here by himself," Julio said, and his sand figure crumbled, falling to the ground.


    Jax turned to Charles and said, "Please believe me when I say that I have no connections with him whatsoever. The Explorers Association does not favor any governor. We treat every single explorer equally."


    "Is that so? Then, why did Julio help you out when Swann attacked you?"


    "Well, we paid a price in exchange for Julio''s assistance."


    <i>Click! </i>Charles'' pocket watch opened. He took it out and nced at it before putting it back into his pocket, saying, "Forget it, let''s talk business. Time is precious, so hurry up and speak."


    "I''m here to inform you that the Explorers Association is going to contribute a portion of our strength to your cause, Governor Charles. We''vee here to help. We are in the face of an unprecedented cmity, after all."


    1. previously tranted as Kraft. The author changed it to Jax and used Jax all the way. ?

 Chapter 546. Reinforcements

    <h4>Chapter 546. Reinforcements</h4>


    "Help? We''re done gathering the explorers. What help can you provide us? Free weapons?"


    "No, that''s not going to impact the bigger picture, and our weapons are nowhere near as useful as Hope Ind''s weapons," Jax answered. "I''m talking about helping you talk to the indigenous people of the Subterranean Sea and asking them to contribute to the search for the darkness."


    "Indigenous people?" Charles was taken aback. The word "indigenous" made him remember the various bizarre creatures he had encountered so far. "What do you mean? Are you acquainted with many of them?"


    "Of course, for example, the Haikor Tribe. Those giants are willing to help us. The death light hasn''t affected them, but they also live on inds. The rising sea level will drown them to death as well."


    "The Haikor Tribe..." Charles'' brows knitted. His experience with the Haikor Tribe in the Eastern Seas had left him with a not-so-good impression of thetter.


    "And it''s not just the Haikor Tribe. Other indigenous groups of people are willing to help as well. The Subterranean Sea is also their home, after all.


    "More and more people are willing to help. We need manpower to manage all of them, or things are only going to be chaotic."


    "If you don''t mind, we can lend you a hand. We''re professionals at managing, and I''m sure we can handle it," Jax said with a smile.


    Charles cast a surprised look at Jax. It seemed that the other party was genuinely here to help, and Charles honestly thought that they had made the best decision, as there was strength in numbers.


    Charles'' conversation with Jax ended on a pleasant note. Charles had agreed to immediately start constructing an Explorers Association branch as soon as Jax and his people arrived at the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    The presence of an Explorers Association branch would make it convenient for explorers to exchange information, so it was a win-win deal for both Charles and the association.


    Jax had also told Charles that the Explorers Association was willing to mobilize all of its staff for the exploration.


    A steady stream of workers arrived at Annarles Ind, and they were sent to the Colossal Hole Fortress in batches. With their help, the Colossal Hole Fortress and Annarles Ind underwent rapid changes, and every single building would have its own little changes every day.


    More and more explorers came up to participate in the next round of exploration.


    However, Charles had yet to join in the exploration personally. Cars were just not efficient enough in exploring such a vastnd, and he was also waiting for something.


    On the fifteenth day of Charles'' return from the first exploration, the airship ascended once again. In addition to more explorers, an exploration vessel was brought up to the fortress as well.


    <i>Hooonk!</i> The Narwhale''s steam whistle sounded cheerful as she seemingly greeted her crew.


    As soon as the airshipnded, the Narwhale''s tracks moved, and she advanced slowly to Charles and the others. The Narwhale''s animated ropes then grabbed her crew, carrying everyone onto the deck.


    The deck looked pristine and brand new; the confused mixture of iron and mechanical casings that had been welded together to resemble a ship''s bow had vanished.


    The Narwhale looked as good as new.


    "Buddy, you''re finally here. I''ve been waiting for you," Charles said, smiling as he stroked the ship''s railing.


    <i>Hooonk! </i>The steam whistle sounded once again, seemingly responding to Charles.


    The staffers of Hope Ind''s shipyards had been extremely meticulous and attentive. It couldn''t be helped; they were working on the governor''s vessel, after all. In addition to repairing the Narwhale, they also retrofitted it ording to the conditions and terrain on the surface.


    The steel tes that had been used to ensure that the Narwhale would remain airtight while submerged had been removed, and two retractable tracks made out of the same material as those steel tes had been added to her underside.


    Moreover, a rear cannon was added to the Narwhale''s aft deck; the rear cannon''s ck muzzle looked extremely intimidating.


    However, what surprised Charles the most was that the Narwhale now had a fire-control system. It was crude, but it undoubtedly enhanced the Narwhale''s firepower.


    Charles instantly deduced that the birth of the fire-control system was all thanks to the analytical engine, which had to have been immensely helpful in programming such a system. It seemed that the Relic Research Institute was slowly uncovering the analytical engine''s true potential.


    The excited Charles was familiarizing himself with his new ship when a graceful figure climbed up the Narwhale''s deck via the ropedder.


    "Governor Charles, long time no see."


    Charles'' hands were on the helm, and he looked up when he heard the voice. Through the spotless ss windows, he saw a beautiful woman whose face was marred by a scar.


    "Margaret, what are you doing here on the surface world?" Charles asked, calling out the woman''s name.


    The lips of Margaret''s mouth curled up slightly in a light smile. "It''s been a few years, right? I didn''t expect that you still remember me, Governor. It seems that your memory isn''t as bad as I had imagined."


    With aplex expression, Charles walked out of the bridge and down the steeldder to reach the deck. Staring at Margaret''s beautiful face marred by a scar, Charles reiterated, "What are you doing here?"


    "I''vee here to help you. The rising seawater threatens not just your inds but Whereto as well. I need to protect my ind," Margaret replied calmly.


    "This ce is vastly different from the Subterranean Sea. Go back to Whereto. You won''t be of much use here," Charles said. He wanted to grab Margaret''s arm, but she dodged it easily by stepping back.


    "I know that I won''t be useful here, so I asked the others to help me," Margaret said. She walked over to the ship''s edge and looked down.


    Charles followed her and saw the "King" of Sottom looking up coldly at him on the ground.


    "Charles, it''s been a long time¡ªa <i>very </i>long time." 134 holding a teddy bear revealed a mouthful of hideous-looking sharp teeth.


    The chubby man next to her was still seated in a wheelchair. The chubby man''s eyes seemed zed over as he ate meat inrge mouthfuls. There was someone else next to them¡ªno, something else. It was a roughly five-meter-long pale green humanoid monster that resembled a centipede.


    The bizarre monster attracted the attention of the guards stationed at the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    Charles waved his hand, signaling them to withdraw. Looking at 134, Charles said, "I''m really surprised that you''de here to help."


    "Is Tobba with you? Hand him over," 134 said coldly.


    Charles ignored her and turned to look at Margaret next to 134. "I''m sorry about what happened between us at the time; I really had no idea that you were the one who took care of me when I was a lunatic.


    "Anna didn''t tell me either..."


    "Governor Charles, please don''t talk to me about irrelevant matters. Right now, the top priority is stopping the rising sea levels of the Subterranean Sea," Margaret said. The smile tugging at her lips vanished at Charles'' remark.


    Charles took a deep breath and said, "All right. Let''s have a good talk once we''ve handled this ongoing issue. Let''s get to business, then. How many people did you bring over here?"


    "I brought every single valuable person from Whereto. Even Sottom is going to be docked at Annarles Ind down below," Margaret replied.


    "The tent over there is the Explorers Association. You can bring your people over there to receive missions.


    "I advise you not to go on a mission yourself. The surface world is extremely dangerous. Without ample exploration experience, it''s only a matter of time before you die out there."


    In response, Margaret lifted her skirt lightly and curtsied toward Charles with a smile before turning around and jumping down the Narwhale.

 Chapter 547. Setting Sail

    <h4>Chapter 547. Setting Sail</h4>


    "Come on, hurry up! Deal or no deal? Captain''s about to set sail again, and I ain''t got the time to prolong this with you. Just tell me how much Echo you want in exchange," Dipp grumbled, his voice tainted with apparent annoyance as he fidgeted restlessly on a couch in the tent of the Explorers Association.


    "I told you; I''m trading, not selling. What good is Echo in this ce? I only want to trade for relics that can enhance my strength," the burly man with a bushy beard retorted. He was seated opposite Dipp with his arms crossed and an indifferent expression on his face.


    A wild beast''s skull, covered in ayer of hide, was on the table between them. The bone was stained an eerie red.


    Dipp''s brows frowned in response to the burly man''s answer. He pondered for a moment before gritting his teeth. He then pulled out a row of ck, long needles from his coat and mmed them on the table.


    "We found these on the surface in the previous exploration. They are extremely sharp and can easily slice through anything. The only side effect is that they triple the sensation of the pain incurred on you, but that''s a small price to pay for what they can do. I think it''s a fair deal for your relic."


    The burly man shook his head. The skull tattoo on his face moved as he parted his lips and said, "No deal. Your relic is too weakpared to me. Besides, it''s not even the type of relic I''m looking for."


    A market would naturally be formed when there was demand and supply. Here at the Colossal Hole Fortress, explorers had naturally gathered to form a little marketce where they exchanged intelligence, recruited new crew members, and bartered relics.


    Most of the relics had been gathered by the Association and brought up to the surface to show their support for the exploration. They had truly put their words into action.


    "Hey, I''m one of Governor Charles'' crew; can''t you just sell it to me?" Dippmented. He eyed the relic with an intense desire in his gaze.


    "Hmph. What''s the big deal about Charles? Do you think everyone is eager to kiss up to your governor just for a few inds? I wouldn''t be risking my life here if it wasn''t for my own survival," the burly man scoffed dismissively.


    "Fucker! I dare you to say that again!" In a burst of rage, Dipp mmed his right foot onto the table, and a faint blue glow surrounded his form.


    The sound of bullets being chambered and des being unsheathed filled the air as a group of fierce-looking individuals quickly surrounded them.


    A disdainful sneer surfaced on Dipp''s face. "Don''t call me a bully, but do you really want to mess with one of Governor Charles'' men in this ce?"


    "You seem like a seafarer yourself. So are we ying by the rules at sea, or that ashore?"


    <strong>Half an hourter...</strong>


    Charles was inside the bridge of the Narwhale and studying the replicated map of the surface world; he was contemting his next exploration area.


    It was a tough choice as there weren''t any leads. Choosing any direction would yield the same probability. It was purely a luck game now.


    <i>Click.</i>


    The door to the bridge swung open just then. Dipp walked in with a bruised face and a red beast skull covered with hide clutched in one hand.


    "Captain, I managed to secure a relic by chance. It has an impressive ability. Wanna give it a try?"


    Charles looked up and immediately noticed a few missing scales on Dipp''s face.


    "What happened? You know the situation; try not to create trouble."


    "Nothing much, Captain. Just a minor issue, but it''s all settled now.


    "This relic is one of the few functional ones found on the surface, and it''s formidable. The wearer can touch any soul, and with a mere flick of the wrist, you can im another''s life," Dipp exined as he handed over the hide-covered beast skull to Charles.


    Charles epted it and examined it briefly before tossing it back to Dipp. "Keep it for yourself. I''m notcking in any offensive relics. Go check on our supplies; it''s time to set sail."


    Charles'' gaze then returned to the map on the table and focused on the 11 o''clock direction. The remains of the Light God were located in that direction. Without any leads, the best course of action would be to center their search around that.


    Half an hourter, the Narwhale, spanning over sixty meters long, moved slowly under the watchful eyes of everyone at the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    With this steel stronghold, the crew could sleep more peacefully, at the very least. They were reassured that if they were to encounter the monster that killed Conor, they would have better protection against it and wouldn''t be as helpless as before. Plus, the exploration duration of the Narwhale was far beyond what any car could offer.


    ***


    "There he goes again... Does that guy really n to stay up there until he finds the darkness?" Anna sighed helplessly within the Governor''s Mansion on Hope Ind as she read the telegram message in her hand.


    "That''s just how Mr. Charles is. He''s doing it for the benefit of everyone," Gordon replied with a ttering smile as he stood behind Anna.


    Anna inteced her fingers and stretchedzily. "Enough about him. How''s the construction of the factory on Annarles Inding along?"


    "With the Subterra Railways boosting transport efficiency, our progress has sped up significantly. The airship and ship retrofit factories are working overtime. Our workers are operating in three shifts and everything is proceeding ording to your Phase I timeline," Gordon reported.


    "And what about the Relic Research Institute? Why do we have fewer new creations this monthpared to thest?"


    A shudder coursed through Gordon as he hurriedly bowed and exined, "We are running out of experimental subjects for the relics. Several have died recently, and we''ve hit a bottleneck. We also need a greater diversity of experimental subjects to be used as catalysts."


    "Then what are we waiting for? Use the ritual and create more experimental subjects," Anna instructed matter-of-factly.


    "But Governor... The problem is that we''re running out of death row inmates. Hope Ind doesn''t have that many of them."


    "If there aren''t any on the death row, do you not have anymon prisoners?" Anna retorted bluntly.


    Gordon looked up, his eyes widened in surprise. "Governor... if Governor Charles finds out about this order..."


    "Considering our circumstances, does that still matter? Don''t worry; just do as I say. I know that guy''s temperament; he is no saint. Also, this is all for saving the Subterranean World."


    "Yes... Governor," Gordon replied with a slight hesitation in his voice as he slowly made his exit.


    "Oh, and have Leonardoe over. I need to discuss with him about the acting governor candidate for Annarles Ind and Skywater Ind."


    "Certainly."


    After Gordon closed the door behind him, Anna was left all alone in the room. Hidden between the bookshelf and a cab behind her was a small mouse hole that was barely noticeable.


    A few mice with an iron ring on their tails sat quietly within as they listened intently. As soon as the noises outside hadpletely ceased, they fought to squeeze out of the mouse hole.


    The corners of Anna''s lips curved upward into a faint smile. She turned around and gently gestured toward the mice.


    The mice scurried out and surrounded her with persistent squeaks, their tiny eyes filled with overflowing affection.


    "Good boys and girls. Thank you for your efforts. Off you go, keep an eye on those restless ones. Report back to me immediately if you gain any news," Anna instructed softly.


    The mice let out a collective squeak before dashing back into their hole.


    "Such clever little creatures," Anna muttered as she watched them disappear from sight. "It''s a pity Charles doesn''t know how to make better use of them. They can do much more than just surveince."

 Chapter 548. Shoebox

    <h4>Chapter 548. Shoebox</h4>


    <strong>Fifteen dayster...</strong>


    Charles and his crew continued their journey across the barren semi-desert climate. The tracks of the Narwhale spun relentlessly as they transversed the dry earth. The crew members were stationed at their posts and preupied with their tasks.


    They were now in the semi-desert biome beyond the desert, an uncharted area. They were only able to explore even further now that they had the Narwhale as their mode of transportation.


    Under the guidance of the first mate, Sailor Norton gripped the helm tightly in both hands. Meanwhile, a gaunt, balding old man stood beside them. He was the newly appointed second mate. He was from Hope Ind and was also an old captain well acquainted with Charles.


    A streak of ck shed by the side of the ship before itnded right outside the bridge''s entrance and morphed into a man d in a dark cloak.


    "No anomalies or findings on the left," Audric reported to Bandages.


    Bandages nodded silently in response before swiftly drawing a dashed line across the map on the wall with a pen.


    "Is Captain not back yet?" Audric felt his way into the bridge.


    "Not yet. The Governor said he wanted to scout a few more areas," the second mate replied nonchntly.


    "Alright, I''ll head down now. Let me know if you need me to scout any other areas." Audric then transformed into a bat once more and swiftly glided down themunication tube to the turbine chambers.


    Their previous chief engineer had died on theirst exploration and Audric was now the newly promoted Chief Engineer of the Narwhale.


    As soon as Audric left, silence enveloped the bridge. Bandages had always been quiet by nature. Seeing that the first mate had no intention to engage in small talk, Norton also felt apprehensive about initiating any dialogue.


    Eventually, the new second mate broke the silence. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Mind if I smoke a cigarette? My mouth''s a bit dry."


    "Mmhmm..." Bandages responded with a simple affirmative.


    "Thanks," Second Mate Charlie replied before pulling out a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it with a flicker of his lighter. Slowly exhaling a smoke ring, he began, "Before I came aboard, I was surprised to hear I would be joining Governor Charles'' crew.


    "I hadn''t expected him to be this easy to get along with. He doesn''t have the central inder''s air of haughtiness."


    "Mmhmm..."


    "I grew up among the trash heaps at the docks, and I really hated those condescending nces. Back when I was plundering ships, anyone who looked down their nose at us would end up getting fed to the fishes."


    Hearing Charlie''s words, Norton''s pupils shrank slightly. He was tempted to interject with his opinion, but seeing how Bandages remained indifferent by the side, he swallowed down his words.


    "Many... have died... on this ship... Yet... you dare toe?"


    Holding the cigarette between his index and middle finger, Charlie scratched his shiny scalp with the ring and pinky finger.


    "I know, but it doesn''t matter to me. I''m already seventy-four now; if I die, I die. But my grandson has just been born. The inds can''t sink; he can''t just die when he hasn''t lived for long."


    At these words, a trace of tenderness surfaced in Charlie''s wrinkled eyes.


    "I heard... from the Captain... that you have... a special relic...That''s why... he chose you?"


    "Yes, yes. That thing is quite something. I was nning to leave it for my grandson, but relics aren''t exactly great. Too much blood on them; I figured better not.


    "I''ve also told the Governor that if I die, he can have my relic. I don''t need anypensation. I just want him to use whatever means necessary to stop the sea levels from rising so my grandson can live safely as an ordinary person."


    As the conversation flowed, a sense of camaraderie was slowly fostered between the veteran crew members and the neer. The atmosphere on board became noticeably less tense than before.


    Just as Charlie was animatedly describing to Bandages and Norton how well-behaved his grandson was at bedtime and would never throw a fuss, they suddenly heard a flurry of wing beats from outside.


    "Thirty degrees to port! I saw something odd over there!" Charles instructed as he burst into the room. He had reverted to his human form, and his expression was grave.


    "What... did you find?" Bandages was rmed by Charles'' behavior.


    "We''ll know once we''re there. I''m not too sure if those things are rted to the vanished darkness."


    The Narwhale swiftly adjusted course and moved in the direction Charles had indicated.


    Just half an hourter, the crew began to observe odd specks resembling ash-like powder dotting the barren ground. As they ventured further, these specks grew denser and eventually formed a nket of ash-gray snow.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Audric transformed into a bat and swiftly glided over the powder. When hended on the deck, he presented the cupped ash gray matter in his hands to Linda.


    "Here."


    Charles'' full attention turned from the surroundings onto Linda as he watched thetter lightly fanning her hand over the powder to have a sniff of its scent.


    "I feel like I''ve seen this substance somewhere before," Linda remarked.


    "Are you sure you''ve seen something from the surface before?" Charles asked with evident skepticism in his voice.


    Linda chose not to refute. Instead, she carefully studied the powder and eventually scooped up a small amount with her fingernail and ced it into her mouth. She tasted it for just a couple of seconds before spitting it out immediately.


    "I''m not fully certain, but I think this powder is simr to ashes."


    "Ashes of what?"


    "Human ashes."


    Linda''s sinct answer cast a brief, eerie silence over the deck.


    "Doctor, that must be a misjudgement. Are you suggesting that there are humans on the surface, too?" Dipp asked, bewildered.


    On the contrary, Charles'' heart skipped a beat.


    "I find that unlikely as well. That''s why I said I''m not fully certain," Linda replied.


    Charles pondered for a moment before tapping Lily, who was perched on his shoulder, with his finger. "Get your mice friends ready for battle. Make sure the cannons on both decks are prepared to fire at any moment."


    "All right, Mr. Charles!" Lily saluted before leaping off Charles'' shoulder and scampering off toward the gun ports.


    This was the first of such a scenario on the surface world. Faced with the unknown threat, everyone braced themselves for whatever was toe.


    However, the terrain ahead stretched on longer than Charles had anticipated. They journeyed for three days; there seemed to be no end to the nket of unidentified power.


    Then, at four in the morning on the third day, Charles had barelyy down on his bed when he was woken up again.


    "Captain! Wake up! The deckhand on duty spotted something! Seems like a gigantic house!"


    Charles hurried out of his bed, and upon reaching the deck, he was stunned by the sight that greeted him.


    A massive, square, metallic structure stood before them. Parked next to it, the Narwhale appeared norger than a toy boat next to a shoebox.


    The powder covering the ground was being expelled from small holes atop this "shoebox," and had umted into a slope. The powder that they had seen earlier was the surface particles that had been carried away by the wind.


    <i>There are still humans on the surface? They survived? </i>Charles thought as he stared at the building''srge doors with a heart racing in anticipation.


    "Scout!" Charlesmanded.


    A giant bat soared into the air, and mice scurried toward the metal building. They circled the giant structure in search of entry points, but they didn''t find anything special. There was nothing in the exteriorpound apart from the thickyer of ash.


    <i>Hooooooonnk!</i>


    The Narwhale emitted a piercing whistle, but there was no response from the building.


    Following the path marked by the mice''s footprints, Charles led his crew toward the main doors of the giant building.


    "Captain, the door seams have beenpletely welded shut," reported Dipp.


    Charles ran his hand over the cold, smooth exterior wall of the building. He was certain that the structure was built by humans.


    "We must find a way inside. If there are humans in there, then we might have another way out apart from finding the darkness."


    To breach the building, Charles used every method at his disposal: explosives, acid corrosion, and mechanical cutting. After six grueling hours, the welded iron door finally yielded a crack just wide enough for a person to squeeze through.


    "What metal is this? It''s even harder than Type 3 Alloy," Dipp grumbled.


    "<i>Shhh.</i> Quiet. I hear something inside," Charles whispered.


    Immediately, everyone held their breaths as they strained their ears to hear the faint sounds drifting out through the crack.


    "It''s...someone singing... I seem... to have heard... this song before," Bandagesmented before squeezing himself through the narrow opening.

 Chapter 549. Alice

    <h4>Chapter 549. Alice</h4>


    "Wait, wait! It might be dangerous¡ª" Charles had to stop mid-way through his sentence as Bandages had already rushed into the building. Gnashing his teeth, Charles hurriedly chased after Bandages and was immediately stunned.


    There was a factory the size of a small town inside the square metallic structure. The massive factory was constructed with reinforced concrete, and it was a colossal behemoth that exuded a metallic gray luster under the illumination of the crew''s shlights.


    Charles saw pipes jutting out of the factory, and he saw them snaking all the way to the metal walls of the square metallic building. It seemed that the ashes outside hade from this factory.


    Bandages wanted to venture further, but Charles rushed over to stop him. "Stop! Let the mice scout for us! What''s wrong with you? Why are you in such a rush?"


    "That song... I''ve heard it before... someone close to me... has sung that song..."


    "You''ve been here before?" Charles asked.


    Bandages stared at the factory ahead with furrowed brows for a full ten seconds before shaking his head with difficulty, replying, "No... I haven''t been here..."


    "Then are you trying to get yourself killed? Since when did you be so impulsive?"


    Bandages'' eyes showed a hint of confusion. "The song... is very familiar... I think this... ce is... safe..."


    Charles stared deeply at the distant factory. Momentster, he turned to Lily on his shoulder and said, "Tell your mice friends to scout ahead."


    "<i>Squeak... squeaaak!</i>" Lily cried out gently.


    In response, colorful mice rushed toward the distant factory.


    "Stay close to meter. Don''t wander too far away from me. I think there''s something off about you right now," Charles said to Bandages.


    Bandages merely nodded; his eyes were filled with deep confusion.


    Soon, the mice returned. It was safe inside, and they had also brought back some crucial information about the factory. ording to Lily''s trantion of their ount, the factory was undoubtedly man-made; there were windows and chairs suitable for the average person.


    Charles had simply created his own conclusion from what he had seen, but now, he could say for sure that the building was indeed man-made.


    <i>What were the humans on the surface doing that warranted the building of such a massive factory? And where have they gone? </i>Charles couldn''t help but ponder over these questions.


    "What about the song? Where was iting from?" Charles asked the mice.


    "There''s nothing; they said that the song disappeared shortly after going inside the building," Lily tranted.


    Charles stroked his chin, looking at the factory ahead of him. A few secondster, he waved his hand and stood at the helm to explore the factory.


    The doors to the factory were open, and it was extremely quiet inside. There weren''t any noises except for the sound of footsteps from Charles and his crew.


    Charles looked around and saw equipment covered in metal casings. He couldn''t quite deduce what kind of items were being manufactured in this factory, but this factory had to be involved in heavy industry.


    The ceiling lights were off, and Charles couldn''t find the switch to turn them on.


    Everyone gripped their weapons tightly, and their shlights illuminated the way.


    "There are no traces of human activity, but the ce is <i>very </i>clean. This is strange," Dipp said, grazing a finger along the machinery next to him.


    "There''s nothing strange about that. There are automatic cleaning robots that regrly clean this ce." A feminine voice echoed behind Charles, but the voice did not belong to Linda.


    Charles instantly felt a chill down his spine. He turned around slowly and saw a graceful-looking young woman in a beige dress standing among the crew. The young woman was beautiful, and an innocent smile was tugging at her lips.


    However, her beauty failed to charm the crowd, as everyone moved quickly and pointed their weapons at her.


    "Wait!" Charles eximed, stopping everyone from pulling the trigger.


    "Who... are you?" Charles asked, taking a careful step backward.


    "Hello, everyone. My name is Alice. It''s been a long time since anyone came here. I thought no one would evere here again. Anyway, let''s go this way," Alice said, walking toward a distant door.


    Charles and Bandages exchanged looks before Charles followed carefully behind Alice.


    Alice didn''t seem to be hostile to them¡ªfor now.


    "How long have you been here? Wait, are you the only one here?"


    "Mmhm, I''ve been here for a very, <i>very </i>long time. I''m not exactly alone. It''s just that certain conditions have to be met for the others to awaken. You know, there''s not much food here."


    "What do you eat then?"


    "I don''t need to eat. Eating is something that only you humans do."


    rm bells started ringing in Charles'' head at that remark. Alice''s words meant only one thing¡ªshe wasn''t human.


    "Where are we going?" Charles asked.


    "We''re going to board a ne, of course. Why are you asking such strange questions? By the way, how did you manage to bring weapons in here? ording to the rules and regtions, weapons are prohibited."


    "When did the surface be¡ª" Charles had to stop mid-sentence because Alice was shaking her head with an impatient look on her face.


    "Why are you asking so many questions? You''ll know when we get there, anyway," Alice said.


    Charles went silent. He wanted to know where they were going, so he decided to stay silent.


    They walked for at least half an hour through the vast andplex factory before Alice finally led Charles and the others into a workshop inside the factory. The building was empty, and there wasn''t anything inside of it except for a ne that didn''t resemble a typical aircraft.


    The massive ne resembled a passenger aircraft, and its tail extended way beyond the workshop.


    "Come here, get in. The ne is about to take off," Alice said, hopping and skipping up the airstairs.


    However, Charles remained unmoving. Alice turned around and saw that no one had followed her up the ne. Poking her head out of the cabin, Alice cast a confused gaze at everyone down below. "<i>Huh? </i>Why are you still down there?"


    "First of all, tell me where the ne is going," Charles said. He swept a wary gaze around the empty workshop. He initially thought he was prepared to encounter just about anything bizarre, but he had to admit that he hadn''t expected this.


    Charles'' mind was full of doubts. There was something off about everything they had seen so far: the factory, the young woman, and the ne¡ªthere was something off, as if everything was out of ce.


    "Are you asking about the destination? Of course, we''re going home. Did they not tell you anything? Upon your retirement, you can go back to the surface and go home. First, you have to board this ne to the hub airport, and then you can transfer out from there."


    "Hub airport? Retirement?" Charles muttered nkly, realizing something just then. He stared at Alice standing at the top of the airstairs and said, "Answer just one question for me, and I''ll go up."


    "Sure, but I''m going to answer only one question."


    "How did the others arrive here to board the ne?"


    "There are elevators over there. Actually, it''s my first time seeing someoneing in from the outside rather than from those elevators."


    Charles followed Alice''s finger and ran in that direction.


    Pushing open therge door, Charles'' pupils constricted at the sight before him.


    Rows of elevators sporting transparent ss panels were neatly arranged before him, and just below the elevators was a dark, deep hole that seemed to lead to the Subterranean Sea¡ªno, perhaps this ce was directly connected to the Subterranean Sea.

 Chapter 550. The Cruel Truth

    <h4>Chapter 550. The Cruel Truth</h4>


    "Hurry up, the ne is about to take off. We can''t wait anymore, or it''s going to be toote." Alice''s voice suddenly echoed behind Charles.


    Charles turned around and saw Alice''s yful and adorable smile.


    "I guess no one has used these elevators for a long time now, right?" Charles asked, turning around calmly and walking toward the huge ne.


    "Yeah, it''s been so long since thest time they were used that I thought they stopped sending people up from below," Alice said, hopping and skipping toward the airstairs.


    Charles cast a calm gaze at his crew before turning around and following Alice up the airstairs. He took a peek at the cabin and saw that the details were perfect; the ne was indeed exactly the same as a real ne.


    "I want to sit in first ss," Charles said, stepping forward to enter the cabin.


    "Suit yourself. It''s all the same, anyway," Alice said with a carefree expression.


    Just then, Charles leaned close to Alice''s ear, and his mouth fluttered open to whisper something into her ears. His action made a slight blush appear on Alice''s cheeks.


    "This isn''t a real ne, is it?" Charles asked. In the next moment, his invisible tentacles erupted to life, pushing Alice deep into the cabin behind him.


    Charles then rushed out and mmed the cabin door shut. He took on a fierce expression as he pressed against the cabin door with all his might.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A deafening noise echoed from inside the cabin as Alice pounded heavily on the door. The impact was so powerful that Charles outside felt the cabin vibrate.


    Before Alice could keep pounding on the door, the ne''s lights came to life, shing red. A few secondster, the red lights went out, and a congration erupted from within the ne, instantly filling the cabin.


    The ne wasn''t a real ne; it was an incinerator!


    "Fuck! How ruthless is the Foundation?! To think they''d betray their people and burn them to ashes!" Charles roared. Then, his expression became gloomy as the puzzle pieces started falling into ce.


    The deste surface world, the so-called "hub airport" Alice had mentioned, the elevator that led underground, and the gray "powder" outside.


    The facts that he had gathered so far fell into ce, allowing Charles to create a terrifying hypothesis that was instantly proven by the congration that had erupted in the ne''s cabin.


    This damned ce was created to kill the Foundation members who had retired and returned to the surface world!


    Those qualified, those who had retired, and those gravely injured could never return to their world!


    All of them only had one fate: they''d be burned to ashes by the ne-shaped incinerator, and their ashes would then be scattered to the deste world outside!


    The so-called surface headquarters in Boston did not exist at all.


    It was all fabricated!


    Charles'' face twisted in agony, and he mmed his fist on the cabin door.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Charles had just discovered the truth, but it was a cold, cruel truth. However, everything finally made sense. The Foundation had known about the surface long ago, and they definitely knew why the surface had be a deste world.


    <i>"Time is not on our side." </i>K9''s words before proceeding with the rushed experiment to create the Light God echoed in Charles'' mind.


    The GK Council members definitely knew the reason behind the surface world''s plight, and it had to be the reason behind their desperation to create their own Divinity.


    <i>Bang! </i>


    A loud noise echoed as the cabin door was flung open, sending Charles flying.


    An unscathed Alice walked out of the cabin with an annoyed look. "What a hassle. I knew it. I knew you''d kick up a fuss because you''ve brought weapons up. I really hate being hassled."


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Charles wasted no time, squeezing the trigger of his flesh revolver, sending white bone bullets flying toward Alice.


    However, Alice did not even bother dodging in the face of Charles'' bullets. The bullets struck her, but they didn''t even tear a hole in her clothes, much less harm her.


    A blue mist floated over from the side, enveloping Alice. The blue mist was Dipp, and it condensed into a hand, which reached out for Alice''s back. However, the blue mist actually started melting before Dipp could grab Alice from behind.


    Dipp roared in pain, and the blue mist coalesced into Dipp''s fleshly form. Dipp fell down the airstairs and rolled on the ground. Inexplicably, his scales were melting, dripping onto the ground.


    Alice''s figure blurred, and she reappeared next to Dipp. She folded the airstairs with a kick before grabbing Dipp by the neck and throwing him toward the slightly ajar cabin doors.


    The injured Dipp made a beeline for the cabin, but Charles snatched him out of mid-air in his monstrous bat form. Then, he turned to the rest of his crew and shouted, "Come to your senses! Attack!!"


    Dazzling shes of light erupted as a hail of bullets flew toward Alice, eliciting nging noises as they made contact with Alice''s form. However, Alice remainedpletely unfazed despite the attacks, and the same innocent smile was still tugging at her lips.


    Cook nck pulled the pin of a grenade with his teeth and hurled it at Alice''s feet using his right hand.


    <i>BOOM!</i>


    An earth-shattering explosion tore through the workshop, and Alice was instantly engulfed in mes and smoke.


    "Keep at it! Don''t stop!" Charles roared, and a steady stream of grenades flew toward Alice, creating a string of deafening explosions that pervaded the workshop.


    Charles pped his wings and carefully set Dipp on the ground. Ship Doctor Linda immediately rushed over and opened her medical kit. She then pulled out a chunk of wet fish skin that sheyered over Dipp''s melted skin.


    Charles felt a bit relieved upon seeing Linda''s quick actions to assist Dipp. It seemed that his boatswain would most likely survive his injuries.


    "Captain, be careful. She has no soul." Dipp pointed out while enduring the pain.


    Charles was about to say something when the cloud of smoke in the distance spewed out a ck grenade that rolled toward them.


    "Oh no, it''s gonna blow!" Charles roared. He kicked off the ground and rushed toward the ground.


    <i>BOOM!</i>


    The grenade exploded, and mes enveloped Charles at once. When the smoke and mes finally dissipated, a panting and unmoving Charles was revealed. His clothes had been reduced to rags, but he hadn''t lost any limbs.


    Charles had relied on his high defense and his invisible tentacles to withstand the grenade.


    "Wait, maybe we can talk this out. It doesn''t matter what you are; the Foundation is gone, and you no longer have to do the same old, monotonous work that you''ve been doing so far," Charles said, trying to cate Alice.


    "You lied to me, and I hate liars," Alice said. Her words had just fallen when Charles felt something hot above him. He turned slightly and saw that fireballs were flying toward him from the incinerator. One of them had even grazed his hair, setting it aze.


    <i>She can even control mes? </i>Charles was shocked. He didn''t even have the luxury of thought and was forced to retreat instinctively. However, a pair of cold, iron hands grabbed him by the arms, immobilizing him before he could retreat.


    Charles turned and saw that Alice had somehow appeared behind him, even though she was supposed to be standing a few meters away from him. Alice had immobilized him with just her hands.


    "What a hassle... I even have to send you in myself," Alice said, lifting Charles off the floor before lunging toward the incinerator.


    "Captain!!" the crew roared anxiously from afar as they ran toward Alice and Charles with all their might. However, Alice was just too fast for them to catch up.


    Alice charged into the incinerator; Charles'' clothes and hair instantly caught fire, transforming him into a human torch. Charles groaned unconsciously amidst the extreme pain. He struggled with all his might, but it was futile.


    Alice was just overwhelmingly powerful.

 Chapter 551. Pieced Together

    <h4>Chapter 551. Pieced Together</h4>


    "Shhhh. Quiet. It''ll stop hurting soon," Alice spoke in the midst of mes, her voiceced with evident impatience.


    Charles'' skin was starting to cken, crack, and curl from the intense heat, yet Alice''s skin waspletely unaffected.


    <i>Endurance against high temperatures, no soul, immense strength, telekinesis, me control¡ªthat many abilities; just what in the world is she? A superhero?</i>


    Charles had never felt so helpless. With such an arsenal of powers, this woman might even rival the Pope in might.


    "Strange... Why are you not dead yet? You can really take this heat, huh? Let''s go deeper then," Alice said as she gripped Charles by the arms to move him further into the depths of the incinerator.


    Charles'' vision started to blur; his eyes were the first to give in.


    Memories of Alice''s numerous anomalies shed through Charles'' mind. Suddenly, his pupils constricted as realization dawned on him; he figured out what was so special about her.


    Despite how normal she appeared, she gave off an uncanny, non-human vibe.


    <i>A robot?</i> At this thought, Charles quickly sped his hands around her arms. The next moment, white arcs of electricity danced across Alice''s body.


    Alice began to tremble involuntarily, and her grip on Charles loosened. His guess was spot-on; his electric attacks were effective.


    Enduring the excruciating pain searing through his body, Charles mustered all his avable strength and shoved Alice out of the incinerator.


    The two of them tumbled out from the mouth of the incinerator and crashed heavily to the ground. Ignoring the mes on his own body, Charles channeled all the electricity he could muster into Alice''s.


    Only when Alice trembled uncontrobly and began to emit white smoke did Charles finally turn his focus to attending to his own injuries.


    "Captain, don''t move. Let me apply some burn ointment," Linda''s voice rang in Charles'' ears. The next moment, he felt a cool relief that reced the scorching pain engulfing his body.


    Poking a finger into his right eye socket, Charles dug out the curled-up spider. The heat had killed his spider-eye. His right eye was gone, and his left eye wasn''t anywhere better. He shook his head vigorously in an attempt to clear his vision, but the scene in front of him remained a blur. He could vaguely discern shadows but not the finer details.


    Disregarding his damaged vision, Charles turned to the blurry figure next to him and instructed, "Never mind me for now. Hold Alice down and dismantle all her limbs. Hurry."


    "I''m... on it.... But she''s... very... tough..." Bandages'' voice sounded from next to Charles.


    "Use the relic, the long needles that killed Conor," Charles reminded. After that, he allowed Linda to continue applying the ointment to his wounds.


    After a chaotic flurry of activity, Charles had the ointment applied to every inch of his skin and was wrapped inyers of bandages. Though he was a hideous sight to see, at least he felt less pain.


    Pushing away Linda who was intent on further treatment, he turned and walked toward the gathered crowd beside them.


    Due to hispromised vision, he could hardly see Alice''s expression, but he could still see other things clearly enough for him to discern what was going on.


    His crew had effectively restrained Alice and impaled several sharp ck needles into her joints. She was nowpletely immobilized. Her entire body had darkened, and she would twitch sporadically; it seemed like she got electrocuted really badly.


    "Do you know why I didn''t kill you?" Charles asked as he stared down at Alice.


    "Why?" Alice asked with a hint of yfulness in her voice, seemingly unfazed by her perilous situation.


    "Because of the valuable memories in your head. In fact, even you yourself are quite valuable."


    With that, Charles then turned his prosthetic arm into a chainsaw and swiftly cut into Alice''s lower leg. Sparks flew as her tough skin gradually gave in to the relentless whirring of the chainsaw and revealed a small incision.


    "Did the Foundation create you?"


    "Dad created me. Or rather, strictly speaking, he modified me," Alice answered.


    The incision continued to grow wider and deeper, yet no blood flowed from it.


    "What caused the surface to be like this?" Charles pressed further.


    "What happened? I don''t know. I''ve never been outside; they didn''t allow it."


    The two continued their back-and-forth exchange. Despite Alice''s cooperation, Charles was unable to extract any useful information from her.


    Alice had been designed for killing; she knew nothing about other matters of the Foundation. However, Charles wasn''t certain if she genuinely didn''t know or was feigning ignorance.


    In addition, Alice''s cognition was clearly unlike that of a normal person. Even when Charles had sawed off her leg, she still continued to respond calmly to his questions.


    <i>What a peculiar creation... How did the Foundatione up with her? </i>Charles marveled as he held up the severed right leg and inspected the cross-section.


    Muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments¡ªthey were all present; she was anatomically a human. However, she had other additionalponents within the bone: wires and electrodes.


    On top of that, the clothes on her body and the toe-exposing sandals on her feet appeared to be part of her body,plete with blood vessels running through them. They couldn''t really be considered garments but more of an extension of her very being.


    "Have a look and see what made her different from a normal human," Charles instructed and tossed the leg to Linda. He then turned back to Alice.


    "A year ago, did you sense anything unusual from the outside?" Charles asked. That was the time when the Light God had just ascended to the surface. Perhaps she might know something.


    Alice''s brows furrowed. She tilted her side to the side and pondered for a brief moment before answering, "Hmm... I do remember some disturbance. A year ago, it was suddenly very noisy outside. But that''s all I know."


    <i>Noisy? </i>Charles was clearly dissatisfied with this vague response. However, Linda had approached him and her discovery interrupted his line of questioning.


    Holding a crystal-clear die in her hand, Linda reported, "Captain, this was inside her leg."


    "A die?" Charles received it in astonishment. "Are you sure this was inside her?"


    "Yes. It was in her right ankle, coiled with several wires," Linda answered.


    Fumbling with the die, Charles thought for a brief moment before approaching Alice and asked, "What is this?"


    "Project 1319. It allows for short-distance teleportation. Just think of where you want to go in your mind."


    Upon hearing Alice''s response, a spark of curiosity set off in Charles'' mind. The next moment, he vanished and appeared thirty meters away. He had teleported.


    "No wonder Alice was so fast earlier; she can tele¡ª" Before he could finish his sentence, Charles'' face turned a shade paler as a wave of nausea overwhelmed him. He doubled over and started vomiting.


    All the food he had eaten that day was forcefully ejected from his stomach. However, the nauseating sensation clung stubbornly, driving him to continue retching up the little gastric fluid left within him.


    "That thing has severe side effects; it will scramble your brain into mush. I''m not exaggerating; your brain will literally turn to mush," Alice warned with a hint of concern in her tone.

 Chapter 552. Mobile Task Force

    <h4>Chapter 552. Mobile Task Force</h4>


    Charles pushed aside nck, who tried to support him. He felt slightly better now and wiped away the saliva from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. Staring at Alice on the ground, he asked again, "All those special abilities you have disyed are rted to the relics embedded in you, right? How many relics did the Foundation imnt in you?"


    "You mean projects? Quite a few," Alice said with a sheepish smile. "But it''s been so long, I can''t remember quite clearly."


    Realizing that he wouldn''t be able to get any more information out of Alice, Charles pondered for a few seconds before issuing his next order.


    "Let''s get out of this wretched ce. Take her with us. Maybe Anna can pry something useful from her. After Anna''s done, we can then dismantle her and extract all the relics from her body."


    The crew of the Narwhale answered with an affirmative before dragging Alice''s battered form back the way they came.


    Meanwhile, Charles scanned the spacious workshop with a grave expression. Though they hadn''t found any lead on recovering the darkness, they had identally stumbled upon the Foundation''s secrets.


    However, that hadn''t been his objective, especially at the cost of an eye. Moreover, he now felt like he was suffering from high myopia of ?10.00, where he could only make out vague shapes.


    The sound of messy footsteps echoed continuously in the workshop, but suddenly, Alice''s voice halted them all in ce.


    "You can''t leave. No one can get out of here."


    The next moment, a snap sound cut through the air. The workshop lights zed brightly, and a gentle voice spoke from the ceiling, "Containment Breach Level One: Mobile Task Force¡ªthe ck Beaver. Awaken."


    "Damn it! Run! It''s a trap!" Charles barked, and everyone hastened their steps. In such dire circumstances, only a fool wouldn''t realize the gravity of their predicament. The Foundation had set up contingency ns to prevent any mishaps.


    The group sprinted out of the workshop with the incinerator and dashed toward the narrow crack at the entrance.


    The constant shing and ring of the red warning lights around the building made everyone''s skin crawl as the extremely tense atmosphere weighed down on them.


    <i>Click!</i>


    Leading the group at the forefront, Charles felt that he had stepped on something. The next moment, a violent explosion erupted from beneath him, sending a massive shockwave that catapulted him into the air.


    "Land mines! Careful of ambushes!" Charles'' warning was drowned out by a barrage of gunfire.


    The gunfire came from a nearby workshop behind them. Having been sted into mid-air, Charles caught a glimpse of their assants.


    They were dressed in ck tactical gear, but the details appeared blurry to Charles. However, he managed to discern the four red lenses on the goggles on their head.


    Armed with submachine guns, the task force rained down bullets at the crew.


    One after another, the Narwhale crew was struck, but they managed to react swiftly. They started dodging and returning fire, instantly escting the situation into a chaotic battle.


    Charles took a brief nce at his mangled right leg before extending the translucent tentacles from his back. Pushing himself off the ground with the tentacles, he lunged at the task force.


    Bullets hit him repeatedly, but his speed remained unchanged; ordinary bullets were useless against him.


    "Target is approaching Team A. Status: Levitating. Conventional weapons: Ineffective. Initial analysis: Abnormal project. Initiate n E."


    In response, the mobile task force members in front of Charles swiftly pulled cylindrical grenades from their belts. A dozen of those grenades were hurled toward Charles.


    Before Charles could evade, the grenades exploded, and a thick, choking white smoke filled the area. They were smoke grenades, not explosives.


    <i>Cough! Cough!</i>


    Charles coughed violently. The smoke wasced with other substances.


    Charles'' body swiftly morphed into a giant bat spanning over five meters. pping his wings relentlessly, he dispersed the smoke and sent the giant hidden within it flying as well.


    It seemed that the ck Beavers had nned to capture Charles using the with the smoke as their cover.


    "This ends here!" Charles bellowed and parted his monstrous maw. A piercing sonic st reverberated around him, causing the ck Beavers to clutch their ears in agony.


    Soon, they copsed on the ground, as blood oozed from their ears. Even those few who remained standing could barely hold onto their weapons.


    Charles swiftly disposed of the nearby ck Beavers, one after another. Soon, only one was left. He sank his fangs into the vein of thest standing task force member and fed on thetter''s blood hungrily.


    Just then, a loud snap echoed as his head was jolted back.


    A gruesome hole appeared in his temple.


    There was a sniper in hiding!


    Instantly, Charles vanished as he slipped into stealth mode. A couple of secondster, he found the sniper crouching atop the workshop and twisted thetter''s neck off.


    The distant gunfire gradually ceased; it seemed like his crew members were nearly done with the battle.


    However, as Charles leaped off the rooftop to regroup with his crew, he noticed something. The bodies of the ck Beavers were slowly turning translucent and vanishing into thin air. Even their gear and weapons were not spared.


    <i>Something''s amiss... these guys aren''t ordinary mobile task forces. We have to get out of here quickly! </i>Charles then spread his wings and swiftly flew toward his crew.


    "Move out quick! There''s something off about the strength of these task force members. Since they are Alice''s backup, they shouldn''t be this ea¡ª"


    A gunshot rang out and cut off Charles'' sentence. In mid-air, Charles jerked as a bullet pierced through his mouth, shredding his vocal cords in its path.


    "Missionplete. Target''s AOE sonic attack has been neutralized. Stay alert. It can turn invisible. Ready the fluorescent bombs!"


    Charles turned toward the source of the bullet and saw that the supposedly dead sniper had reappeared atop another building. He was in a crouching position with the gun aimed at Charles.


    At the same time, he also noticed the previously dead ck Beavers materializing in the pathways between the workshops. Armed with their weapons, they were trying to encircle them.


    Clearly, the Foundation had employed some method to make these mobile task forces seemingly immortal. If Charles and his crew were to prolong the fight, they would just end up meeting their creator here.


    Charles quickly folded his wings andnded among his crew. Gesturing with g semaphore, hemanded everyone to head for the distant crack at their fastest speed and escape the building.


    Alice had also been tossed aside, and the crew dashed forward. Soon, they encountered the ck Beavers again.


    This time, Charles chose not to engage with them directly. He instructed the strongest among the crew to cover their retreat and buy time for the wounded and lessbat-capable members to make their exit first.


    Being able to turn into a blue mist, Dipp proved invaluable in their current situation. He could eliminate the ck Beavers swiftly while their attacks were ineffective against him. After getting "killed" several times, however, the ck Beavers soon found a solution.


    With a spray of an unknown transparent gel, Dipp was pinned to the ground. Had it not been for Audric flying in to rescue Dipp in time, he would have been captured by the ck Beavers.


    With a fierce tug, Charles ripped out the spine of the task force member in front of him. Seeing that the rest of the crew in the distance was almost out of reach, he ordered the main battle force to start withdrawing.


    The group fought as they retreated.


    It seemed like the mobile task force''s respawn point was some distance away, and soon, they wouldn''t be able to catch up.


    Just as Charles and his crew were about to burst out of the crowded workshop, the gentle female voice from before echoed once more. "Containment Breach Level Two: Mobile Task Force¡ªthe Collective. Awaken."

 Chapter 553. The Collective

    <h4>Chapter 553. The Collective</h4>


    "Containment Breach Level Two: Mobile Task Force¡ªthe Collective. Awaken."


    The voice that echoed throughout the factory reached everyone''s ears as if it were a bomb that had exploded next to them. Clearly, the Foundation had left more than one task force behind.


    Everyone wished that they had two extra legs. They had already discarded every single deadweight except for their weapons.


    <i>Thud! </i>


    A dull noise echoed as Norton copsed to the ground. Norton''s face was pale as he used his trembling right hand to hold the bleeding wound on his waist. He had been shot during the earlier gunfight with the ck Beavers.


    "Get up!" Charles eximed, and a tentacle rushed toward Norton, lifting thetter up to his feet. The tentacle belonged to Charles.


    Charles'' right leg was injured, so he could only rely on his invisible tentacles to move; he appeared to be levitating in mid-air in the eyes of other people.


    The shining crack in the welded iron door was already visible and was just less than three hundred meters away from them. Charles'' nerves remained taut, and he''d look behind him from time to time.


    Fortunately, the ck Beavers had already fallen behind them.


    Just as Charles and his group were halfway to the welded iron door, a shrill friction noise pervaded the factory as a ck wall rose from the cold floor.


    It instantly shrouded the lighting from the crack, and the disappearance of the light cast a shadow over the hearts of Charles and his crew.


    Eight figures emerged from the ck wall, and they were all dressed in the same ck, uniquebat uniforms representative of the mobile task forces.


    The figures looked human, but their limbs were either abnormally swollen limbs or as thin as wooden sticks; it was as if they were monsters born from inbreeding.


    Their heads weren''t round, resembling ttened balls instead. They had no eyes, and their mouths were extremelyrge, with lips extending all the way to the corners of their eyes.


    Their grotesque appearance was terrifying enough to instill fear in just about anyone''s heart.


    There seemed to be both men and women among them, but it was incredibly difficult to distinguish who among them was a man or a woman. Every single one of them had an icon of sea waves tattooed on their right arm.


    The members of the ck Beaver Mobile Task Force exhibited the same icon, so it didn''t take long for Charles to deduce that the horrifying monsters before him had to be members of the so-called Mobile Task Force: the Collective.


    Charles could already imagine just what kind of terrifying human experiments the Foundation had conducted in the past just by looking at these disfigured monsters.


    The eight members of the Collective stood motionless, seemingly not nning on making a move. It seemed that they hade here to stop Charles and the others from reaching the exit.


    They could wait, but Charles couldn''t afford to do so. He could already hear distant footsteps behind him. The resurrected members of the ck Beaver Mobile Task Force were making a beeline for them.


    They had to escape now, or it''d be impossible for them to escape once they had been sandwiched by both mobile task forces.


    Charles reached into his pocket and took out Lily. He ced her on the ground and said, "Lily, take your mice friends with you and slip out. See if you can break the wall from the outside using the Narwhale."


    "Mr. Charles, what are you going to do here by yourself?"


    "I''ll figure something out. The key to our escape here is your sessful escape. You''re a mouse¡ªa small target. I think they''re not going to care about some mice," Charles urged, sounding anxious.


    The members of the Collective remained motionless, but Charles could feel their hostility growing even stronger and stronger as time ticked by.


    Lily''s furry face showed hesitation. She didn''t want to flee by herself, but Charles did not stop urging her until she finally nodded and said, "All right, then, I''ll be waiting for you outside."


    Lily and her mice moved along the walls to reach the crack in the welded iron door.


    The Collective seemed indifferent toward the mice and did not move an inch.


    Charles licked his tongue and started dishing out orders. "Come together and rush to the left. Dipp, Audric, Bandages, and I will hold them off for a few seconds. The rest of you, rush to the right and make a break for it.


    "The ck wall isn''t that high; you should be able to climb over it."


    However, it seemed Linda had her own ns. "Captain, I don''t think you should keep on taking risks. Let us be the cannon fodders; we''ll charge at them and attract their attention."


    "Shut up! I''m the captain! You just need to follow my orders!" Charles retorted.


    Gunshots rang out from behind Charles and his crew. The ck Beavers would soon catch up to them. Charles knew that he couldn''t wait any longer, or they''d bepletely surrounded.


    "Move! Hurry up and move!" Charles whipped out his flesh revolver and charged with the crew.


    Just then, the Collective finally made a move.


    Three Collective members raised their hands, and a gale manifested between the two groups. Exactly one secondter, the gale transformed into a tornadoced with mes, and it moved slowly toward Charles and his crew.


    "Retreat first!" Charles eximed, and his figure abruptly became invisible. He wasted no time and charged toward the eight Collective members. His n was to ambush them during his invisible state, but before he could get within five meters of them, his keen ears picked up a soft voiceing from their earpieces.


    "Collective, this is ck Beaver. The target can be invisible. Thermal imaging shows that he''s approaching you from your right. Stay alert!"


    <i>They can evenmunicate with each other? </i>Charles thought, astounded.


    The members of the Collective clenched their fists and pounded the ground hard. A gust of wind swept across the ground, striking everything in its path.


    When the gust of wind struck Charles, the Collective turned in Charles'' direction.


    Having been exposed, Charles couldn''t care less about being sneaky. He raised his gun and fired rapidly while retreating toward his crew.


    A wave of blue light burst out of a small-framed Collective member; the white bone bullets came to a screeching halt before them.


    Charles became certain of it just then. The members of the mobile task forces were like Alice and had several relics imnted in them by the Foundation.


    The Collective kicked off of the ground, and their figures left afterimages as they rushed toward Charles.


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang! </i>


    Gunshots rang out as the crew members provided cover fire for Charles.


    However, bullets werepletely ineffective against the Collective. They did not stop for even a brief moment as they engaged Charles and his crew in hand-to-hand closebat quarters like beasts on a rampage.


    The Collective had thick and hard ckened fingers. The crew members couldn''t defend themselves at all against such monsters. In just a few seconds, three crew members had already been dismembered.


    Agonized screams, gunshots, and explosions pervaded the air in a chaotic cacophony of noises.


    Charles and Bandages worked together and finally managed to decapitate one of the Collective, but the corpse simply vanished into thin air. It turned out that these monsters were capable of resurrecting like the ck Beavers!


    Meanwhile, the ck Beavers were fast approaching.


    They were about to be surrounded!


    At the critical juncture, Charles turned to his second mate and roared, "Charlie, it''s time! Use your relic!"


    Charlie was in pain, and his head was bleeding, but he wasted no time and forcefully bent his right index finger with his left hand. A grotesque cracking noise echoed, and everyone''s right index fingers snapped at once.


    Everyone froze, seemingly bing frozen statues. Roughly three secondster, the Collective could finally move once more, and they raised their guns, rapidly firing at Charles and his crew.


    A noise akin to a bursting bubble echoed one after another as Charles and his crew burst into nothingness. It turned out that their figures were mere illusions; the real versions of them had already escaped.


    The members of the Collective and the ck Beaver were dumbfounded. Then, they turned toward the distant crack in the welded iron door and made a beeline for it.


    Upon their departure, a vignt eye moved slowly away from a window inside a workshop within the same factory.


    "They''re gone. Good thing we knew that the first thing they''d do uponing back to their senses is to block the exit." Charles let out a sigh of relief and turned to look at his injured crew.

 Chapter 554. Fear

    <h4>Chapter 554. Fear</h4>


    Dipp felt all tension in his body go upon hearing that they were temporarily safe. He slumped to the floor and leaned against the wall with a grimace. His skin, which had been wrapped in wet fish skin, had cracked open.


    It was already impressive that Dipp managed to go this far despite his severe injuries.


    "Are you okay?" Charles asked. He rushed over to Dipp, but Linda had beaten him to it.


    After a quick assessment of Dipp''s condition, Linda took out a bottle of medicine and poured half of it into Dipp''s mouth. Then, she poured the remaining half into Cook nck''s mouth, who was leaning against the wall next to Dipp.


    "He''s not going to die¡ªfor now," Linda said. Her hands moved nonstop as she anxiously treated the injured.


    Charles'' heart tightened at the sight of his crew members groaning in pain. They were still behind enemy lines and were not out of the woods yet.


    Once those monsters discovered that none of them had actually escaped through the crack in the welded iron door, they''d definitelye back to the factory and search for them. They had to escape this damned ce as soon as possible.


    "Audric, transform into a bat and stay on the lookout. Tell us immediately once you see them approaching us," Charlesmanded.


    The blind vampire with a broken leg nodded and transformed into a bat before flying away.


    Once Audric had left to act as a sentry, Charles crouched down and used his dagger to draw a simple map on the ground. The map featured their current location and the chokepoints in the factory.


    Charles racked his brain hard, trying to find the best way to escape.


    The factory was massive, so they had no issues navigating it unseen. However, there was a vast open space between the factory and the welded iron door.


    There was no way they could cross that clearing directly, as the mobile task forces would surely intercept them.


    <i>It seems that we really need external help...</i> Charles pondered briefly before taking out his diary and flipping it open to the second to thest page. "Sparkle,e here with Mommy."


    Wriggling tentacles rushed out of the diary. In no time, Anna and Sparkle appeared in front of Charles. Charles breathed a sigh of relief. They would have no issues retreating from here with Sparkle''s help, even if they had to face two undying mobile task forces.


    Anna walked up to Charles and lifted the bandages on Charles'' face, revealing a grotesque scene. Charles was disfigured by the mes of the incinerator, and his skin was stripped off of his head, which made his head appear like a bloody skull.


    "Huh? What happened to you? You look terrible. Wait, are you going to look like that forever?" Anna asked, her voice filled with disdain.


    Charles gently pushed her finger away and said, "Let''s focus on getting out of here alive. The enemies are quite troublesome. I''ll exin their abilities to you, and we should put our heads together to create a n against them.


    Charles nced at Sparkle and saw that she was frozen in ce¡ªno, Sparkle wasn''t merely frozen in ce. She was trembling like an aspen tree, and she looked utterly terrified.


    The couple exchanged nces and hurriedly approached her to pat her head.


    "Sparkle? What''s wrong?"


    Sparkle suddenly burst into tears, and her petite figure copsed as she reverted to her horrifying true form. The indescribable cluster of tentacles riddled with green eyeballs spun rapidly, creating a hugemotion.


    One nce was enough to deduce that there was something wrong.


    "Sparkle! What''s wrong?! Answer me!!" Charles eximed; his heart was filled to the brim with anxiety. His invisible tentacles extended to wrap around Sparkle''s wriggling tentacles in an attempt to soothe her, but it was to no avail.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Sparkle abruptly vanished; she had teleported away.


    Charles took out his diary and called out to Sparkle, but he received no response.


    Anna''s hand rested on Charles'' fingers as he lightly tapped the diary. "Stop it. I know what''s wrong with Sparkle. She''s afraid."


    "Afraid?" Charles asked, casting an astonished gaze at Anna.


    "Have you already forgotten what I told you? Sparkle once tried to break through the rockyer to reach the surface, but she dared not go up. Something on the surface has scared her away."


    "What is she so afraid of on the surface?" Charles asked.


    Anna shook her head with furrowed brows. "I don''t know. Perhaps it''s a difference in perception. I think there''s something that she truly finds terrifying on the surface, but we simply can''t perceive it."


    Charles felt a bit worried upon recalling Sparkle''s fearful expression. It was the first time he had seen such an expression on his daughter''s face. It had to be known that Sparkle hadn''t exhibited such an expression despite facing the Pope.


    "It''s okay, don''t worry about it. Our daughter is fine. She''s just scared. I''ll go andfort her properly after. For now, you should focus on getting out of here. I''m not sure if you''ve forgotten, but you''re still trapped," Anna said.


    Charles sighed softly and set aside his concerns for his daughter to exin the ongoing situation to Anna.


    "Two mobile task forces of the Foundation. Hmm... this is a bit tricky..." Anna muttered, resting a hand on Charles'' shoulder.


    "The main issue here is that they are capable of revival, and they''re highly adaptable. Upon suffering a setback, they''d change their approach in the next encounter. The more we fight them, the stronger they be against us," Charles exined.


    Anna nced at the crew members, who were staring at her. "How about dividing some of them into suicide squads? Sacrifice a few to save the rest."


    "No." Charles vetoed Anna''s idea. "If we do that, I''m afraid there aren''t going to be many people willing to stay and be the Narwhale''s crew. Besides, that is just addressing the symptom, not the root of the issue. Moreover, they also have the numbers advantage."


    Just as they were brainstorming ideas on how to break the blockade of the mobile task forces, a song drifted in from the outside. The singing voice sounded pleasant to the ears, and the singer was a woman.


    Everyone instantly became silent upon hearing the familiar singing voice; they were afraid of attracting her attention.


    Charles pressed his ear to the ground and listened for a while.


    "Only one set of footsteps; the singer must be Alice."


    "Alice? That''s a woman''s name. Is she your new harem member?"


    Charles red at Anna. He couldn''t quite believe that Anna was still in the mood to joke around despite their predicament.


    "Wait here. I''ll be right back. She''s greatly weakened, and perhaps we can find a solution to this predicament through her," Charles said, and his figure vanished into thin air.


    A few minutester, Charles jumped back into the workshop through the window with a trembling Alice on his shoulder.


    Charles was a bit out of breath. He had found himself in a dangerous situation earlier. He was still under the effects of the adrenaline coursing through his veins, as the patrolling members of the mobile task forces had almost discovered him.


    Anna stared at Alice with a surprised gaze. "She doesn''t seem to be human."


    "It doesn''t matter what she is. Anyway, can you extract her memories? See if there''s anything in her memories like the mobile task forces'' weaknesses or anything else," Charles said.


    "It''s going to be a bit difficult, but I''ve be quite a bit stronger, so it shouldn''t be <i>that </i>difficult. I''ll give it a try."


    Bandages had remained silent all this while, but he suddenly walked over to Alice and asked, "What song... were you singing?"


    "The Foundation''s anthem, of course. Why? Do you know how to sing it? Want to sing it together?" Alice asked sweetly.


    A violent tremor ran across Bandages'' figure. He stood frozen for a few seconds before shaking his head slowly and backing away. His back profile seemed a bit deste in Charles'' eye.


    Charles'' expression wasplex as he stared at Bandages. Bandages couldn''t remember it, but the fact that he was familiar with the Foundation''s anthem meant that the Foundation had to have been an integral part of Bandages'' life long ago.


    Charles raised his right foot to walk toward Bandages, but he eventually put it back down. Then, he turned to look at Anna, whose eyes were closed with a hand on Alice''s head.


    Just then, Audric flew into the workshop and reported, "Captain, they''re looking for us everywhere, and they''re moving extremely fast. It''s only a matter of time before they reach us here."

 Chapter 555. Project 130

    <h4>Chapter 555. Project 130</h4>


    Charles carefully poked his head out of the window and saw the task force members slowly inching toward their location.


    d in ck, the task force members were now less than a few dozen meters away from Charles and his crew. Charles estimated that they''d be here in less than a minute.


    The ck Beaver and the Collective had tacitly created a huge encirclement to surround every single sector in a pocket before moving toward that sector, which made sure that no one in that sector could escape their encirclement.


    There were even two Collective members hanging above the ceiling, seemingly serving as recon drones, ready to catch even the tiniest movement from above.


    "Anna, have you discovered any useful information from Alice? Hurry up, or we''ll have no choice but to risk our lives here just to escape!" Charles urged.


    The cogs in his mind turned, swiftly deducing their chances of a sessful escape by risking their lives. Considering the distance between them and the crack in the welded iron door in the distance, Charles deduced that they''d have a chance at a sessful escape.


    Of course, they had to make the first move, as the ambushers would always have the advantage against those who had been ambushed. Unfortunately, they''d still end up suffering heavy casualties even with Anna''s powerful support and risking their lives.


    "Rx. I think I just saw something in her. Anyway, this girl''s storage capacity is sorge that it''s frightening," Anna said, tearing off Alice''s limbs. The next moment, her fingers transformed into wriggling tentacles that drilled into Alice''s head.


    They were in an extremely dangerous situation, but both Alice and Anna made small talk andughed like best friends.


    A few secondster, Anna revealed a charming smile and eximed, "I found it, Gao Zhiming!"


    Meanwhile, Captain Jim of the ck Beaver Mobile Task Force held his gun vigntly as he nced at his squad members entering the workshop ahead of them.


    "Sector A5 is clear. Over." A clear voice echoed from Jim''s earpiece.


    "ck Beaver acknowledged. Keep searching all sectors. They must not escape," Jim said while moving toward the workshop up ahead. The slightly ajar door of the workshop and the bloodstains on the door itself caught Jim''s attention.


    Jim signaled at his squad members using his gloved right hand, and they responded quickly, surrounding the workshop in the same formation that they had used to iste the sector.


    <i>Crash!</i>


    The window on the right side was shattered, and a few sh grenades were thrown into the workshop through the window.


    A deafening explosion echoed along with a bright sh of light.


    A member of the Collective rushed forward, tearing off the steel door from its hinges with just his bare hands.


    Jim and his squad members responded quickly and were about to charge into the workshop when Jim''s pupils constricted abruptly. A few grenades missing their pins had fallen to the ground when the door was pried open from its hinges.


    <i>BOOM!</i>


    The devastating explosion sent shrapnel into Jim''s right eye, which emerged from the back of his head, killing him instantly.


    The explosion reverberated throughout the factory, and Charles heard it as he ran across the factory; the explosion meant that his simple trap had been triggered rather than disarmed.


    Charles and his group were running into the depths of the vast factory rather than toward the welded iron door, which was their exit. The decision wasn''t made arbitrarily, as fighting undying task force members was suicide.


    Fortunately, Anna had found a clue rted to their immortality.


    Charles turned to look at Anna, who was carrying Alice over her right shoulder. "Are you sure about this? It''s going to be exceedingly difficult for us to leave this ce alive if this doesn''t work!


    "I saw it in Alice''s head. Their immortalityes from a certain relic. We just have to move that relic away, and those guys are done for."


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    Gunshots echoed, and a stray bullet ricocheted off something and struck Charles'' bandages, causing him to inhale sharply in pain.


    "This way. We''re here!" Anna eximed. She rushed to a piece of massive intricate gear machinery and tapped rapidly on its buttons. A few secondster, a massive steel door appeared in the middle of the gear machinery. Clearly, the imposing massive gear machinery was just a front to the hidden door embedded into it.


    Everyone rushed in, and the heavy steel door closed behind them.


    <i>ng! ng! ng!</i>


    Sharp metallic ngs echoed as the chasing bullets struck the steel door.


    "Go down this corridor until you reach a dead end. There''s a locked door at the dead end, and the password is 1342. The relic that is responsible for the immortality of those guys outside is beyond that door.


    "Remove that relic, and those guys outside will die."


    "What are we waiting for, then? Let''s go," Charles said. He stepped forward, but a sailor with a severed arm walked ahead of him.


    "Captain, I''ll go first. It must be dangerous ahead; I can scout the way for you," the sailor said.


    "Oh my, you really have such loyal and devoted crew members. I''m jealous," Anna said with a smile before pulling Charles along with her in the footsteps of the sailor.


    Charles frowned slightly at the faint smile tugging at Anna''s lips, but he did not say anything in the end.


    Anna made a sidelong nce at Charles and leaned closer before linking arms with him. "Let''s go, let''s go, let''s go. Dates with you have always been fun."


    Charles walked down the dim corridor until he stumbled upon the locked door. He wasted no time and immediately typed in the password. The door opened, revealing a ck stone sphere riddled with blood vessels in a variety of sizes.


    "That''s it. That relic has been resurrecting them over and over," Anna said.


    Charles lifted his foot, wanting to approach the relic.


    However, Anna pulled him back and said, "Don''t get within ten meters of it, or you''ll be immortal."


    "I''ll be immortal?" Charles asked, sounding stunned.


    "Hehe, do you want to be immortal? Oftentimes, there''s more than meets the eye when ites to such great deals. Eternal life may not necessarily be a good thing. Perhaps it means eternal suffering rather than life, but who knows?"


    Anna snatched the flesh revolver in Charles'' hand and fired at the distant ck stone sphere. The white bone bullets struck the ck stone sphere, and it trembled incessantly beneath the attacks.


    The blood vessels across it squirmed and were severed. Finally, the ck stone sphere itself was hit by a bullet, causing it to fall to the ground with a dull thud.


    The blood vessels shriveled and turned ck.


    Anna saw that and tossed the flesh revolver back to Charles. "It''s done. Those guys outside should be¡ª"


    Anna''s sentence came to a screeching halt midway as the gentle female voice from before echoed once more. "Containment Breach Level 3: Releasing Project 130''s remains and initiating the detonation of the ascension passageways.


    "Site 4 is permanently closed from now on. The contributions of all site personnel are appreciated. Everything is for mankind''s sake. Goodbye."


    "Fuck!" Anna and Charles cursed at the same time.


    It seemed that the Foundation had taken into ount every single possible scenario. The Foundation''s contingency n just in case the task forces were annihted was to seal the entire site and obliterate it from the inside!


    Just then, a violent tremor ran across the ground. The rumbling noises made it clear that the passageways connected to the Subterranean Sea inside this site had copsed.


    "Run!! Get out of here now! This ce is going to copse!!" Charles roared and led the crew to a rapid retreat.


    "Anna, what is Project 130? What special abilities does it have?" Charles asked Anna while running away.


    Anna''s nonchnt expression from earlier had vanished and had been reced by a grim look as she replied, "I have no idea. Alice''s head didn''t contain any information rted to Project 130. However, it''s definitely something bad because they''re using it to obliterate this damned ce."


    Everyone forcefully endured the violent tremors and ran across the factory. They even stumbled upon the shriveled and emaciated remains of the task force members.


    Anna was right; the ck stone sphere relic was the source of their immortality, and they had perished along with it.


    "Captain... Captain! Look behind you!" Second Mate Charlie roared, his voice filled with terror.


    Charles turned and saw a tawny substance, which resembled soil, devouring everything in the corridor behind them. The tawny substance did not discriminate; it devoured the corpses of the task force members and even the swaying lights in the ceiling.


    The swaying ceiling lights¡ªno, everything froze instantly the moment the tawny substance shrouded them. Moving at breakneck speed, the tawny substance devoured everything in its way as it rushed toward Charles and his crew.

 Chapter 556. Escape

    <h4>Chapter 556. Escape</h4>


    As the crew ran away, the heavily injured Dipp suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground. Before he could stand up, the tawny substance covered his feet.


    "Dipp!!" Charles roared. His tentacles wrapped around Dipp, lifting him off of the floor. However, the tawny substance had already climbed up to Dipp''s calves.


    "I''m here!" Bandages raised the ck needle in his hand and swung it toward Dipp''s calves. Dipp''s calves and everything beneath them fell to the ground in a grotesque chunk.


    Bandages moved quickly, and his vines wrapped tightly around Dipp''s bleeding wounds. Meanwhile, the tawny substance picked up the pace and was only a few meters away from Charles and his crew.


    "No, we have to go a bit faster," Anna remarked. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and everyone suddenly felt a burst of adrenaline inside of them. Their faces and hands bulged with bluish veins, and their speed rose dramatically.


    They charged out through the workshop''s iron door that the task force members had sted open. Everyone then followed the familiar path outside, and nothing could obstruct them aside from the debris on the floor.


    A hundred meters, fifty meters, ten meters... they were getting close to the crack, but they were immediately plunged into despair when they saw the stupefying sight before them.


    The entire square, metallic structure, which was the entire factory, was shrouded by the same tawny substance that had been chasing after them.


    In an instant, Charles and his crew found themselves in dire straits. The tawny substance closed in on them from all directions and had even covered the floor.


    "Come close to me!" Charles roared. ck fur sprouted all over him as he transformed into a massive bat monster. Just as the tawny substance was about to engulf their feet, Charles pped his wings and took to the skies.


    "Flyyy!!" Charles bellowed as more than ten invisible tentacles burst out of him and wrapped around his crew members. Charles then relied on his raw strength to lift off of the floor that the tawny substance had engulfed in the blink of an eye.


    Audric transformed into a bat in mid-air and carried with him the heaviest crew member, Cook nck, to ease some of the weight dragging down Charles.


    It was but a brief respite; the entire building had taken on a tawny hue, and there wasn''t a safe spot at all. The factory had be a death trap. Once Charles could no longer hold on, they would certainly meet a horrible fate.


    "Sparkle! Come here, quick! Save your daddy!" Anna eximed, pping her hands anxiously. However, she received no response.


    Charles pped his wings desperately, but he noticed himself running out of steam.


    "Captain... throw us... down..." Bandages'' voice pierced Charles'' ears.


    The remaining crew members stared at Charles at the same time. Their fearful and anxious faces gradually became peaceful, and their hands holding onto Charles'' tentacles slowly loosened.


    "Fucking hold on tight! Don''t even think about staying here! All of you, think of a solution! We still have a chance, so do not give up!" Charles roared, but he was too exhausted that his voice sounded more like a mosquito''s droning. He was afraid that he''d lose all strength upon shouting.


    <i>BOOM!</i>


    A deafening explosion echoed just then, and a hole was sted in the steel wall next to them. Purple light poured in from outside, and everyone saw Lily jumping up and down on the Narwhale''s bow amidst the purple light.


    Lily''s golden fur shone radiantly in everyone''s eyes.


    "Mr. Charles! Over here! Fly here!" The tiny mouse excitedly waved her tiny paws.


    The tawny substance had devoured everything and had transformed them into the same material as it is, but its encroachment seemed to have weakened the massive, square metallic structure.


    "We''re saved!" Charles pped his wings with all his might as he flew unsteadily toward the Narwhale through the hole in the wall.


    The huddled crew members were like garbage bags as they fell off Charles andnded on the Narwhale''s deck.


    The realization that they had survived death filled everyone with a child-like joy that urged them to hug each other and cheer loudly. The tight hugs tugged at their wounds, causing them pain, but it was the sweetest pain ever.


    Having exhausted his strength, Charles was sprawled out on the ground. The corners of his mouth curved up into a smile at the cheers around him. He was genuinely happy that they had survived the ordeal just now.


    Anna rushed up to Charles and sat on his chest. Then, she hugged his bandaged head tightly and kissed him passionately.


    After a few seconds of passionate kissing, Anna''s rosy lips parted slightly, and she bit down on Charles'' lower lip.


    "<i>Ah! </i>That hurts," Charles eximed.


    "So it hurts? Do you not have any idea just how dangerous that ordeal was just now? There are so many exploration parties up here, but you just had to explore that ce personally! Why do you have to take such risks?!" Anna went hysterical and pounded Charles'' chest with both fists as tears streamed down her cheeks.


    Anna was truly afraid earlier; it was the first time she felt scared for Charles'' life.


    Charles grabbed her hands and pulled her into an embrace. "Anna, we only have three years. We''re all going to die unless we find and retrieve the darkness within the next three years.


    "Everyone must work hard for the sake of the Subterranean Sea, and I am not an exception to that."


    Charles stroked her shoulders and gazed at the hazy purple mist up above.


    "Let''s be quiet for now. I''m so tired.... Let me rest for a bit."


    The Narwhale''s tracks started moving, carrying everyone away from the abandoned metallic structure.


    The next day, everything returned to normal on the Narwhale. A few crew members had perished, and there were some who ended up bing crippled, but no one kicked up a fuss, as it was amon sight among explorers.


    Charles was leaning on the windowsill of his bedroom while looking out at the deste scenery outside with Anna in his arms.


    "Where are you taking me? The rules and regtions state that I am prohibited from leaving Site 4." A gentle female voice echoed from behind. The voice hade from Alice, who had lost all of her limbs. Anna had carried her along during their escape.


    Charles nced at Alice before turning to look at Anna, saying, "She still has quite a few relics inside her. However, there''s no use keeping her alive, so we might as well dismantle her for her relics."


    "She''s alive; are you really going to dismantle her? Why not do some research on her? Perhaps we might be able to create something as powerful as her by using her as research material," Anna suggested; she was clearly very interested in Alice.


    "Sure, do as you please. By the way, how is Sparkle? I think you should go and check up on her," Charles said. He was reminded of the fact that his daughter hadn''t responded to Anna''s call for help during their escape from Site 4.


    Anna''s eyes revealed a tinge of fury at Charles'' remark. "That little girl went a bit too far. She actually ignored us even though we were in such a dangerous situation."


    "It''s fine. We''re safe now, aren''t we? Please don''t be too harsh on her. It''s not strange that she did not respond to us; she''s afraid of the surface, after all."


    "I know she''s afraid of the surface, but we were on the brink of death at the time! She could have juste over for a bit and teleported us away once¡ª"


    "Yeah, yeah, I know, but..." Charles interrupted, "Have you already forgotten that she''s just two years old? What were you expecting her to do?"


    At that, Anna snorted coldly and pushed away Charles'' hand that was resting on her waist. She then stood up and walked up to Alice.


    "You should prioritize the Haikors upon your return to the Colossal Hole Fortress; they''ve just arrived at the fortress, and they''ve brought many people with them."


    "I know. The President of the Explorers Association has told me about their ns, and apparently, they''vee here to help, as the rising sea level is affecting their inds as well," Charles said. The Haikors'' towering figures shed in his mind.


    "Well, the problem is they didn''t just bring their people with them, but they brought their gods with them as well."

 Chapter 557. Going Ashore

    <h4>Chapter 557. Going Ashore</h4>


    Nene opened her eyes, looking ufortable amidst the incessant swaying.


    Donna carefully carried a bowl of wheat porridge to her daughter''s bedside and said, "Come, sit up and eat."


    "I don''t want to. I''m just going to vomit if I eat. Mommy, are we there yet? I really hate getting on a ship. I feel so dizzy every time I get on one."


    "We''re almost there. We should be there by today. Come here; you have to eat a bit. How can I let you not eat anything?"


    Nene was then forced to eat half of the bowl of wheat porridge. Donna had to stop at half a bowl, as Nene couldn''t eat anymore.


    Nene looked up at Donna and asked, "Mommy, where are we going? Why did we leave the World''s Crown?"


    "My baby, we''re going to Hope Ind. Hope Ind is great. Apparently, not even one of them was killed by the ''death light,'' and everyone there can eat to their heart''s content.


    "The person who drew the lots told me that as long as we reach Hope Ind, we will be given a house for free!" Donna was thrilled. She truly didn''t expect that she''d end up getting selected, even though she had just joined the raffle for fun.


    Clearly, her luck was turning for the better. Donna carefully took out the raffle ticket and stared closely at it from multiple angles before putting it away.


    "Hm, really? But... getting on a ship is really too hard. I don''t want to get on a ship anymore; I feel too dizzy with all the swaying," Nene said with a bitter face.


    "We''re not getting on a ship anymore. Mommy promises that this is thest time we''re getting on a ship," Donna said,forting her daughter.


    Just then, a mor of surprised shouts echoed from the deck outside.


    Donna''s heart tensed up, and she instantly assumed that they had encountered pirates. She ran up to the porthole and revealed a joyful grin upon seeing the scenery outside. "Nene,e here and take a look! We''ve finally arrived."


    The exhausted Nene got out of bed and walked up to her mother''s side. Her eyes lit up instantly upon seeing the scenery outside. Reflected in her eyes was an ind that seemed to be shimmering in a golden light. The ind was bustling with activity with so many ships rushing toward it.


    The ind looked particrly radiant against the gray backdrop of the Subterranean Sea.


    "So that''s Hope Ind? It''s so beautiful..." Nene marveled, seemingly forgetting the fact that she was seasick.


    The passenger vessel eventually docked.


    Nene didn''t even take her time admiring the scenery as she immediately cheered the moment her feet touched solid ground. The feeling of standing on solid ground was just too great. She no longer had to withstand the incessant and dizzying swaying.


    Donna, holding multiple bags of varying sizes, couldn''t pay attention to her daughter as she was upied with the magnificent scenery before her. It was a unique scenery that could not be found on the World''s Crown.


    The most distinctive part of the ind was the massive ck canopy up above, which covered almost the entire ind. Rays of sunlight plummeted on the canopy and indirectly illuminated the prosperous city down below through the multitude of tiny holes.


    The harbor district was bustling with activity, and there was a constant flow of people and vehicles. Post vans and freight trucks shuttled back and forth between the city and the harbor district.


    The manualborers, who were supposed to carry heavy items, had disappeared and had been reced by towering metal cranes, which were as tall as buildings.


    The metal cranes hoisted goods on and off the ship with terrifying efficiency.


    It was Donna''s first time being on such a peculiar ind, and she had never seen such a strange sight as well, on the ind where she had spent the majority of her life and neither on the World''s Crown.


    Donna''s pounding heart came to a screeching halt at the realization that they would be living in an unfamiliar environment from now on. She couldn''t help but think that perhaps she had been a bit too impulsive. The ck ryegrass had just been nted in the fields, and she had abandoned them so easily.


    However, Donna''s heart started pounding wildly against her chest once more the moment she took out the raffle ticket. The raffle ticket represented a house¡ªa house on Hope Ind, to boot!


    Nene came back to her senses and snuggled up to Donna. She swept her gaze across the unfamiliar surroundings and asked, "Mommy, where are we going?"


    "We''re going to 158 First Street first. The raffle ticket says that we can redeem our prize if we just go there and find this person named Leonardo," Donna said. She held her daughter''s hand and walked down the streets of the unfamiliar ind.


    Fortunately, First Street was the easiest street to find, as it was Hope Ind''s very first street. Upon arriving at First Street, Donna was stunned to find a massive vi at her destination. The vi did not look like an office where she could redeem her prize at all.


    Just as Donna was hesitating about whether to go in or not, a gorgeous limousine drove into the vi through the massive gates.


    Leonardo alighted from the car with documents in hand when he heard something and turned to look toward the gates. A middle-aged woman in a in dress and her daughter were standing before the gates.


    The middle-aged woman was holding a squirming tentacle covered in ck scales and was looking around warily.


    Leonardo pondered briefly before handing over the documents in his hands to his secretary standing next to him. Then, he walked over to the mother and daughter pair.


    "Hello, Madam. How can I help you?" Leonardo asked. His manners were impable, but his actions made Donna feel more nervous rather than relieved.


    "Sir... i-is this where I can redeem the prize for this raffle ticket? Or w-was this just a prank?" Donna stammered as she handed over the raffle ticket with both hands.


    Leonardo was taken aback upon seeing the so-called "raffle ticket." In his eyes, it was just a squirming tentacle covered in ck scales. However, he quickly snapped back to his senses and epted the tentacle with both hands.


    The tentacle wriggled and coiled around Leonardo''s arm before crawling toward his earlobe. An identical tentacle extended out from Leonardo''s ear, and the two tentacles intertwined.


    Leonardo instantly knew what was going on when the two tentacles made contact with each other.


    "<i>Ah~! </i>I remember this now. Yes, that''s right. Ourpany had indeed held a raffle event on the World''s Crown some time ago. You took so long toe here that we thought you''d given up the prize. I admit I''ve forgotten about it, so... I''m terribly sorry for that.


    "Come, please get in the car with your daughter. We''ll take you to where you can redeem your prize right away."


    The enthusiastic Leonardo said a few words to his secretary in a low voice before guiding the confused Donna and her daughter into his own car. The car engine came to life, and the car headed straight for the main residential district of Hope Ind, which was just outside of the ind''s central district.


    Leonardo had decided to drive Donna and Nene personally. Leonardo was a former con artist, and his oration skills easily put Donna at ease. The two hit it off right away and were now chatting as if they were friends.


    "Mr. Leonardo, I really can''t thank you enough. I thought it was fake, so I''m really shocked to know that it''s actually real. This is really great!" Donna eximed with a beaming smile.


    "Hahaha, yes, please don''t worry. Ourpany absolutely will not deceive others nor confuse them with fake events. The prize belongs to you, as you were lucky enough to get it. By the way, you just arrived on the ind, right?


    "I assume you don''t have a job yet? Would you be willing to work at our factory if that''s the case?"


    Donna clenched the hem of her dress tightly with both hands, and her trembling hands did nothing to conceal her excitement. "Can I really... do it? But... I only know how to farm. I don''t know anything else."


    "It''s fine as long as you know how to read and are hardworking."


    Soon, the car stopped in front of a brand-new two-story house.


    Donna had just alighted from the car, but a property transfer agreement had already been presented before her.

 Chapter 558. Confiding

    <h4>Chapter 558. Confiding</h4>


    Donna didn''t dare to be careless. She examined the contract carefully and made sure that she was staring at a normal property transfer agreement before holding the pen with trembling hands and signing her name on the document.


    Donna was embarrassed at her crooked penmanship on the document. "Sorry, I... I haven''t touched a pen in a long time."


    "No, no, no. Your penmanship looks great, better than most people."


    Leonardo took away the copy of the contract and ced a few copper keys in Donna''s palm. "Great, Ms. Donna. This house is now yours. Tomorrow, someone wille here to take you to one of our factories for work."


    "As for your child... the Governor of Hope Ind has decreed that every single child on the ind must receivepulsory education. Don''t worry about the payment; education for children here is free."


    Donna stood in a daze before her two-story house. Leonardo had already driven away in his car, but Donna had yet to recover from her daze. Everything just felt too surreal for her.


    Using one of the copper keys in her hand, Donna unlocked the front door. Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran her hand on every single piece of furniture in the house.


    Everything here belonged to them; they finally had their own home.


    "Mommy, what''s that?" Nene asked while eyeing something that looked like a ck mirror with a protruding bottom in the living room.


    "I don''t know, so don''t touch it for now. It''d be bad if you broke it identally. I''ll go and ask the kind Mr. Leonardo tomorrow."


    Donna toured every nook and cranny of their new house, and she did not miss even the four corners of the basement. She just couldn''t get enough of their new home, and her reveriested until Nene said that she was hungry.


    "Remember to lock the door from the inside whenever I''m not home, okay? I''ll be back home soon. Also, do not open the door if the voice of the one knocking on the door isn''t mine. Do you understand, Nene?"


    With that, Donna went out to purchase some food, leaving Nene alone at home.


    Donna had just left when Nene saw Sparkle crawling out of her luggage.


    "Sparkle!! Long time no see! I missed you a lot!" Nene beamed. She spread her arms wide open and pounced on Sparkle, giving thetter a bear hug.


    The next moment, Nene noticed that Sparkle was biting her lips, looking aggrieved. Even her tiny fists were clenched and were trembling ever so slightly.


    "Sparkle, what''s wrong? What happened?" Nene asked, sounding concerned.


    Sparkle blinked her green cross-shaped pupils, and she sounded upset as she exined, "Mommy and I had a fight. She¡ªMommy scolded me, but what can I do? I really couldn''t control myself."


    Sparkle proceeded to confide her troubles to her good friend. "Mommies can be wrong sometimes, right?"


    "<i>Hmm... </i>I don''t know. But... aren''t mommies supposed to know more than us?" Nene said, and the bewildered glint in her eyes made it clear that she couldn''t quite understand what Sparkle had confided to her.


    "But why? Why do I have to listen to her every time she wants me to do something? And I really didn''t do anything wrong. I wanted to help as well, but I really couldn''t move at the time," Sparkle said, stomping hard on the floor.


    "But... Mommies are older than us, so... they should be right. I think?" Nene responded.


    Sparkle walked over to the khaki-colored sofa and plopped down on it. The TV across from her came to life and started ying an exaggerated puppet show.


    "So what? It''s not like she''s much older than me. Her body is over six hundred years old, but Daddy''s mind gave birth to her consciousness only five or six years ago."


    "I''m two years old this year while she''s five years old. What makes her think that she knows more than me? I learn so much faster than her as well," Sparkle said, continuing her rant.


    However, Nene was staring at the dancing puppets on the screen in shock, and she hadn''t heard even a word of what Sparkle had just told her.


    "Nene, are you listening to me?"


    Nene snapped back to reality and shifted her gaze from the TV to her good friend''s face. "What?"


    Sparkle sighed lightly and said, "Anyway, I''m not going to apologize to her. I didn''t do anything wrong. She should be the one who should apologize to me. She was wrong, and I wasn''t wrong."


    Nene thought briefly and sat down next to Sparkle. Then, Nene held Sparkle''s little hand and said, "But your mommy definitely loves you, right? Even if she did something wrong, you should forgive her. She''s your family, after all."


    Sparkle thought long and hard about it before finally sighing. "All right, then, I''ll forgive her."


    "That''s great." Nene grinned. "Mommies will always be good to their children."


    Sparkle stared at Nene and spread her arms wide to give thetter a bear hug. "Nene, thank you. I feel much better talking with you."


    "You''re wee." Nene giggled. "We''re friends. You can alwayse and talk to me whenever there''s something troubling you."


    "<i>Mmhm!</i>" Sparkle nodded with a sweet smile.


    "Oh right, Sparkle, I heard your daddy is working on a ship. Is it true? Wow, your daddy is amazing! We got on a ship on our way here, and I was <i>sooo </i>ufortable during those few days. I can''t imagine being able to work for so long on a ship."


    The two chattered animatedly, and Nene was taken aback upon realizing just how fluent Sparkle had be at speaking.


    Just then, Sparkle paused briefly before asking, "By the way, Nene, where are those two little actors? Do you still have them?"


    Nene shook her head with a regretful look and said, "I don''t have them anymore. Things got too chaotic when the ''death light'' appeared. They ran away quietly at some point."


    "Is that so? Maybe I should look for their ind, so I can catch a few more of them."


    Sparkle''s words had yet to finish echoing in the air when her expression stiffened, and she turned to look at the window next to her. The next moment, she vanished and reappeared with a green-haired young boy in her hand.


    The green-haired young boy appeared to be around five or six years old; his face was dirty, and there was snot dripping from his nose.


    "Who are you? Why were you peeking at us?" Sparkle asked.


    The green-haired young boy looked terrified. He struggled violently, but he refused to say a word.


    "Put him down, Sparkle," Nene said. "Look at how dirty he is... He''s probably an unwanted orphan. I think he''s hungry...."


    Sparkle pondered briefly before thrusting her right hand into her own chest and pulling out an apple.


    The green-haired young boy looked at the two girls in front of him. Then, he snatched away the apple from Sparkle''s hand and took big bites as if it had been several days since hest ate.


    "Didn''t Mommy say that no one goes hungry on Hope Ind?" Nene muttered, staring at the green-haired young boy with pity. "Why are you not talking? Can you not speak at all? You really are pitiful..."


    <i>Thump!</i>


    A dull noise echoed as Sparkle let go of the green-haired young boy, allowing him to fall to the ground. The green-haired young boy sprawled out on the floor with the apple in his arms. He took big bites of it and devoured everything, including the apple core.


    "I know this guy. His daddy was a crewmate on my daddy''s ship. His daddy left one day, and he hasn''te back since then," Sparkle said.


    Nene found the green-haired young boy to be even more pitiful upon hearing Sparkle''s remark. "My daddy was just like your daddy¡ªhe left and never came back.


    "Whenever you''re hungry, juste to our house. Mommy says that we''re going to live a happy life from now on, so I''ll try my best not to let you starve, too."

 Chapter 559. The God of the Haikor Tribe

    <h4>Chapter 559. The God of the Haikor Tribe</h4>


    Charles was standing on the deck of the Narwhale and was staring at the bustling and prosperous Colossal Hole Fortress in the distance.


    The Colossal Hole Fortress was no longer just a fortress; it could already be considered a small city.


    An endless stream of floating airships moved to and fro from the fortress as if they were elevators that operated both day and night. The airships took turns bringing up supplies provided by all inds throughout the Subterranean Sea.


    A few amphibious vessels could be seen shuttling between the cars that wereing in anding out of the fortress. As the number of factories on the fortress increased, the quality of the explorers'' equipment was bing increasingly higher as well.


    The Haikors were amidst the people in the fortress, and it was easy to spot them as they were quite tall. Moreover, they were riding carriages that were suitable for their body size rather than riding tiny cars.


    The denizens of the Subterranean Sea had clearly gone all out for the sake of survival.


    "Captain, I need to make a trip back to Hope Ind to get a pair of prosthetic limbs," Dipp said, propping up his crutches beneath his armpits as he moved closer to Charles.


    "No need to go down. The Explorers'' Association will handle that. I''m sure they had already considered the possibility that explorers are most likely going to lose their limbs, and they must have summoned thosepanies here long ago."


    Dipp immediately let out a big sigh of relief. "That''s great. I was really afraid that I might be forced to go back down in such a miserable state. I don''t really want to make my wife worry."


    Charles looked down and stared at Dipp''s dangling pants. Dipp''s legs below the knee had been left behind forever in Site 4.


    "You''ve worked hard," Charles said, patting Dipp on the shoulder.


    "It''s fine; I just lost two legs, that''s all. If you hadn''t saved me back then, I would have died, Captain. I consider myself extremely luckypared to those who had ended up losing their lives. By the way, Captain, how are your injuries?"


    Charles raised his hand and pressed it on his bandage-wrapped face. The hard feedback meant that the wound had scabbed over, but the skin did not seem to be recovering. Charles could already imagine how horrifying he would look once the bandages were removed.


    "Not too sure, but my healing ability is pretty great. I don''t think there are going to be any issues. And even if I don''t end up recovering, it doesn''t really matter. I''ll just look a bit ugly. Fortunately, I''m not a woman, so it''s no big deal."


    Dipp chuckled, but the smile tugging at his lips gradually faded. "Captain, do you really think that... we can save the Subterranean Sea? If the entity that had taken away the darkness was the Light God''s murderer, then do we really have a chance at retrieving the darkness from its hands?"


    Dipp''s confidence seemed to have been shaken by the recent encounter.


    "Yes, we can do it!" Charles answered with unwavering determination. "Anyway, we have no choice. Either we go back and wait for our deaths, or we risk our lives and fight for our lives. The second option is the only option avable to us!"


    "Mmhm!"Dipp nodded vigorously at Charles'' words, and he seemed to have recovered a bit of confidence.


    The noises in the distance were gradually bing louder. They were about to reach the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    Charles pondered deeply over something for a while before turning to look at the young man next to him. Dipp had been following for more than a decade at this point.


    "Dipp, I''ve already told the first mate and the second mate about this. I''ve thought about it, and I think it''s necessary for you to know of my wish. If I end up dying here, you must continue exploring; it doesn''t matter how dire the situation is.


    "Captain, what are you saying? There''s no way you''re going to die. Look... It''s been ten years since you started exploring, and you''re still alive, so how can you¡ª"


    "Let me finish talking first. I''m serious about this. I''ve be an ordinary person. I was Edikth''s Chosen One, but that identity of mine has disappeared along with my shadow.


    "Perhaps dying in the middle of my search for the darkness is a better ending than just dying of old age on Hope Ind," Charles said. There was a certain calmness in Charles'' tone of voice.


    Dipp hobbled on his crutches to approach Charles. Then, he nodded with a solemn face. "All right, I promise you."


    As soon as the Narwhale entered the gates of the Colossal Hole Fortress, the crew was then notified that they were going to take a five-day break. The cursed mutterings of the sea did not exist here, but risking one''s life for too long would still take a toll on just about anyone''s mind.


    Fortunately, a variety of entertainment facilities had already been established in the Colossal Hole Fortress, allowing the explorers to vent their stress to their heart''s content.


    However, Charles was an exception. Upon alighting from the Narwhale, he made a beeline for the Explorers Association''s building, which was still in the middle of construction. He wanted to know whether the other explorers had found any clues to the darkness or not.


    A massive map appeared before Charles as soon as he entered the main hall, but he instantly noticed something amiss with the map.


    The explorers were supposed to explore the areas near where the Light God''s corpse was found. Exploring that way would be more efficient than just exploring randomly.


    However, the massive map was telling Charles that the explorers were moving due west inrge numbers.


    Charles decided to ask the person in charge of the Explorers Association, and he received an unexpected answer.


    "Governor Charles, you should go ahead and ask those big fellows here. Their god told us to go that way."


    "A god of the Haikor Tribe told you to head due west?" Charles asked, immediately recalling the warning that Anna had given to him before she left.


    The Haikors were interfering with his bigger picture in the Colossal Hole Fortress. The realization made Charles feel wary. They might be testing the waters. If he didn''t make any moves, they''d be even more aggressive.


    With that in mind, Charles rushed out of the Explorers'' Association.


    The Haikor Tribe''s base in the fortress wasn''t that difficult to find. One just had to look for a ce with a ton of tall people towering over three meters, and one might have just discovered their base.


    Charles did that and found that the Haikors were in a corner of the Colossal Hole Fortress and had set up a baseposed of whale skin tents.


    A Haikor with a colossal sword stepped forward to meet Charles. The Haikor was taller than the average Haikor, as he was almost four meters tall.


    "Our god has been waiting for you for a while now. Please follow me."


    Charles stepped forward and took note of the light tremors running across the ground before following the Haikor toward a certain tent.


    In the middle of the crudely built tents, the luxurious dome-shaped temple stood out of ce. Charles was surprised at how they had managed to construct the building in such a short period of time.


    "Which god of yours hase here?" Charles asked.


    The Haikor with a colossal sword didn''t stop nor turn around as he said, "Don''t know. Ask him yourself."


    The Haikor walked with long strides, prompting Charles to jog just to keep up.


    A few minutester, they finally arrived in front of the peculiar dome-shaped temple. The Haikor with a colossal sword drew his sword and thrust it into the ground. Charles saw that and stepped forward, walking into the temple.


    It was surprisingly bright inside, and whale oil candles as thick as arms were everywhere in the tent. The moment Charles stepped inside the tent, he felt gazesnding on him from the walls.


    Several creatures with mirror-like skin were revealed before Charles. The creatures clinging to the wall had a physique that resembled a lizard, and their protruding lips resembled trumpets, while their limbs were bent stiffly at the elbows¡ªit was the so-called "Esteemed Apostles."


    Charles unconsciously raised his guard up when he sensed their hostile gazes.


    Just then, a figure wearing a colorful robe walked over to Charles and said, "Mr. Charles, the wise Pogro has been waiting for you. Please ignore them; they cast the same gaze upon everyone."


    "Is that so? I''d seen them before, and they were definitely not staring at me like that at the time," Charles said. He nced at the Apostles on the wall before following the Haikor wearing a colorful robe toward the depths of the temple.


    The tall walls of the temple were neat; there weren''t any reliefs or inscriptions.


    The walls were so clean that Charles did not feel like he was in a temple.


    The heavy wooden door up ahead opened slowly, and a hovering creature appeared before Charles.

 Chapter 560. Pogro

    <h4>Chapter 560. Pogro</h4>


    The entity wasrge, and it seemed to be six meters tall at first nce. It resembled an old, hairless dog with dense, drooping whiskers along its long snout.


    However, Charles knew that there was no way he was staring at a dog, as ordinary dogs couldn''t float, nor would they have squirming lumps of flesh covering their entire bodies. They also wouldn''t curl up like an old man.


    There were clusters of something indescribable moving beneath the entity''s loose skin, and they were emitting a faint green glow. They seemed to be pustules, which made the dog appear rather bloated.


    Charles didn''t feel like he was in the presence of a god. The floating entity was apparently a god, but Charles was convinced that the entity had simply proimed itself to be god rather than being an actual god.


    "Are you the wise Pogro?" Charles asked.


    Pogro moved slightly as if Charles'' voice had awakened it. It opened its loose eyelids, and several purple eyestalks spouted out from within.


    "Charles..." Pogro''s voice was deep and husky. It sounded like a middle-aged man in his forties.


    However, Charles didn''t really care about the entity''s identity. It could be a living relic, a native of the Subterranean Sea, or it could be a different entity altogether. Charles couldn''t care less about that, as he only wanted to know why the entity hade here.


    "You want to know why I told them to head in that direction? Simple, it''s all because I know that the darkness is there. Search in that direction, and you will eventually find it.


    "You want to know how I know that information? Well, I just know," Pogro said. Then, it flipped slowly in midair.


    Of course, Charles was not satisfied with Pogro''s answer. "The expedition here is all about the survival of the people throughout the Subterranean Sea! Stop withholding information and tell me: how do you know that the darkness is there?


    "Tell me, or I am not going to believe you."


    Pogro''s purple eyestalks floated down and orbited Charles. "The rising sea levels are affecting my inds as well. I did note here to jest, and I wasn''t lying with what I said, but... I can''t exin it.


    "You will not understand even if I tell you, as that kind of knowledge transcends human sensory organs, including your brain." Pogro''s dozens of eyestalks lined up in a row, blocking Charles'' path as they stared straight at him. "If you really can''t believe me, then I can show it to you briefly..."


    The eyestalks emitted a soft white light, which instantly pervaded Charles'' field of vision. Streams of abstract and peculiar knowledge surged into Charles'' brain, and he felt like his thought itself had be exceptionally slow under the heavy load.


    The strange feeling soon receded like a tide. When Charles came back to his senses, he discovered that his body had reacted, and his hand was pulling the trigger and raining down bullets on Pogro after instinctively sensing danger.


    The gunshots ceased at once, and Charles noticed that his forehead was a bit wet. Wiping it away, he realized that the blood vessels in his forehead had burst. If that "feeling" hadsted for a few more seconds, his head would have exploded.


    "How was it? As I said, it''s impossible to understand it just by relying on human sensory organs," Pogro said. Its voice seemed to beced with a bit of pride.


    Charles red at Pogro as he breathed in ragged pants. "Just what exactly are you?"


    "Governor Charles, did youe here to get to know me more through some small talk? There is no need for you to worry about what we are. You just need to know that we''re on the same side and that we''re allies now."


    Charles wiped away the blood dripping down his forehead and put away his flesh revolver without averting his gaze from Pogro.


    "I''ve heard that same old line before. There was this guy who said that we were allies, but it turned out that he had been treating me as a mere tool. I don''t trust you at all.


    "If you think that the darkness is most likely in a certain direction, then you should have told us and allowed us to judge the verity of your statement first before issuing any orders!"


    Pogro moved downward until it was on the same head level as Charles before saying, "Do you still insist on creating factions? Do humans even have a choice at this point?"


    Charles sneered and replied, "I just don''t want to fall into the same trap twice. And I may have forgotten to emphasize, but the Colossal Hole Fortress is my territory. Any changes in the exploration''s general direction must be approved by me before they are undertaken!


    "If you can''t follow that, then get out of my territory and build your own vehicles to explore the surface. If you and your band of freaks want to stay here, then you must listen to me!"


    The air around Pogro quivered, and its wrinkled, loose skin rippled. The air became so tense that it was palpable, but Charles stood his ground without fear in the face of the bizarre entity''s apparent fury.


    "You know that I can make your head explode into a bloody mist with just a simple gesture on my end, right? A mere human being is no match for me at all," Pogro threatened.


    "Go ahead and do it, then."


    Charles'' words had juste out of his throat when the bandages on his face were shredded into powder. However, not a single scab on his face had fallen off.


    Pogro knew that Charles was the master of the Colossal Hole Fortress, which was mankind''s united territory. Unless Pogro was mad, there was no way it would make a move against Charles here.


    The dense air soon diffused, and the eyestalks orbiting Charles retracted into Pogro''s eyelids.


    "Leave. I''m tired. I need to rest."


    Pogro hadpromised; Charles acknowledged that fact and decided to stop pressuring Pogro before turning around to leave. It was a risky maneuver just now, but Charles knew that it was necessary.


    Charles absolutely couldn''t engage in the same deal as he had with the Pope. At least, the Pope was still a human being, while Pogro was definitely not human. Charles also had zero idea whether it had an ulterior motive or not.


    Pogro would definitely be helpful with the exploration, as it was capable of tracking down the darkness through an unknown method. However, Charles definitely had to keep it under control.


    Uponing outside and basking beneath the purple light, Charles let out a sigh of relief. After some pondering, he turned and headed for the Explorers Association. His top priority was to analyze the intelligence that the explorers had gathered to see whether they had found any clues about the darkness or not.


    Just as he was about to enter the Explorers Association''s building, a young man with a pallid face stood in his path.


    "It''s been a while, Captain. Do you still remember me?"


    Charles stared at the young man with furrowed brows. "Did you just call me ''Captain?'' Have you been part of my crew before?"


    "Of course, of course. I was once your sailor," the young man answered with a grin.


    Charles found the young man''s face to be a bit familiar, but he just couldn''t recall the young man at all. The turnover rate on his ship was pretty high, so it couldn''t be helped. "All right, so what''s the matter? Want to get back on the ship?"


    "No, no, no. I''vee here to help the Mother establish a connection with you; she wants to have a thorough discussion with you."


    "The Mother?!" Charles eximed upon recalling what the words meant. Then, he grabbed the young man by the neck and pried open thetter''s mouth with his prosthetic hand to reveal the young man''s sharp fangs.


    Charles finally remembered the young man. He was one of his three sailors who had disappeared on Dark Crystal Ind. Charles thought that he had beenpletely drained of blood by the vampires on the ind, so he was astonished to find that the young man had actually be a vampire.


    "<i>Cough, cough, cough! </i>Captain, I mean no harm. I''m just a messenger."


    Sniffler[1] coughed violently. It had been just a brief moment, but his neck had taken on a dark purple hue from Charles'' grip. Of course, he dared not fight back.


    Charles then threw him to the ground. "The Light God''s light didn''t manage to burn all of you bastards to death?"


    "Captain, have you already forgotten that Dark Crystal Ind is shaped like a cave? The Mother had always been afraid that sunlight would return to the Subterranean Sea, so she had prepared a contingency n against it. However, the sun rays still reached the ind from the entrance, killing quite a few of us."


    1. he wasst seen in Chapter 32 ?

 Chapter 561. Lilith

    <h4>Chapter 561. Lilith</h4>


    Charles cast an indifferent gaze at Sniffler, who was standing before him in the Captain''s Quarters of the Narwhale.


    Vampire Sniffler seemed particrly restrained and was sitting ramrod straight. Neither of the two spoke as they sat quietly, seemingly waiting for someone.


    A few minutester, a massive bat with a wingspan of one meter flew in through the window. The bat folded its wings and transformed into Audric''s figure. "Captain, I heard you were looking for me."


    "He''s from the Dark Crystal Ind. Come here and check him out," Charles said, tapping his steel fingers on the table.


    Audric was stunned. Momentster, his nose twitched, and he cast his eyes, which were hidden behind his sunsses, at Sniffler sitting on the side. "Who was the elder who bestowed upon you the Embrace?"


    Sniffler nced at Audric, but he did not want to talk to thetter. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a blood-red crystal ball.


    "Captain, you do not have to be doubtful of my intentions. I''m just a messenger, and I''m here to tell you that the Mother has decided to talk to you personally," Sniffler said. He squeezed the blood-red crystal ball, causing it to shatter.


    A thick, coagted blood mist rushed out of the crystal ball, and it pervaded the room in the blink of an eye. The nauseating stench of blood filled the entire cabin as well.


    The blood mist transformed into red threads that interweaved, gradually transforming into a gorgeousdy before Charles'' eyes. The remaining bits and pieces transformed into a red cloth that covered thedy''s figure.


    Lilith had a gorgeous and petite figure. It would be easy to misunderstand her for a young woman who had just reached her twenties. However, Charles knew that Lilith was several centuries older than himself.


    When Lilith appeared, Audric and Sniffler immediately lowered their heads, and their eyes became filled with respect.


    "Governor Charles, I still remember the first time you visited my ind years ago. It is truly a surprise to see that you''ve developed your own ind into such a powerhouse in just a few years. What a truly impressive feat." Lilith''s soft voice sounded pleasant to the ears.


    Charles crossed his arms and leaned back slightly in his chair. "We have no time to waste, so go straight to the point. What do you want from me?"


    Lilith covered her mouth and let out a charming chuckle. "How straightforward you are, child. Anyway, I''vee here to help you."


    Charles remained silent as he waited for Lilith''s exnation.


    "Dark Crystal Ind is the home of my children and descendants. I can order them to help you search for the darkness."


    "Sure, you''re wee to join us," Charles responded. He certainly wouldn''t refuse additional help, especially from the vampires, who were capable of flight. They''d certainly be a great asset in their exploration of the bizarre surface world.


    Identities no longer mattered in the search for the darkness. After all, the tragedy that would unfold if the darkness wasn''t found in time was going to affect everyone throughout the Subterranean Sea.


    "But... we can''t help you for nothing; we have one demand."


    "A demand?" Charles smiled disdainfully and asked, "Do you even have a choice? The rising sea level is affecting your ind as well."


    Lilith''s blood-red figure trembled as she furrowed her brows. "Can you wait until I''m done speaking? It is very rude to interrupt others in the middle of their speech."


    Charles didn''t reply. Upon seeing that Charles had offered no resistance, Lilith paced around the cabin on her blood-red high heels. Thin wisps of red mist drifted from her blood-red figure as she walked around the cabin.


    "Charles, you''re now considered the overlord of the Northern Seas. I want you to bestow upon a legal status on the members of the Blood n, which would allow them to live in a human society."


    Charles was taken aback to hear such a request from the Vampire Mother herself. It seemed that the vampires, who had been isting themselves all this while, were nning on taking advantage of this opportunity to rejoin human society.


    "I need to discuss this with the others," Charles said. He had decided to remain ambiguous for now.


    However, Lilith wasn''t satisfied with such an ambiguous answer; she stood right in front of Charles and faced thetter with her stunning facial features.


    "Governor Charles, I hope you know that this is a win-win situation for both of us. Allow us to live in human society, and we will never forget your kindness.


    "From then on, the Blood n will be Hope Ind''s closest ally. Strength is important in this world, but it is not the most important. I believe that knowing how to win over people''s hearts is the most important skill in this world."


    Lilith stretched a finger toward Charles'' prosthetic arm, and she stroked his arm slowly, leaving behind a red line across Charles'' steel arm.


    "The problem here is the fact that you''re vampires, which are monsters that feed on human blood. What''s going to happen once you''ve obtained legal status? I can''t even imagine just how many vampires would exist throughout the Subterranean Sea after just a hundred years since obtaining legal status."


    "Governor Charles, your worries are misced. It is true that the Blood n feeds on human blood, but what are we going to eat if there are no longer humans around? We''re more concerned about this matter than you.


    "In addition, the sunlight shining down on Hope Ind is our bane. We absolutely will never approach such a hellish ce. I think that rather than worrying about something in the far future, you should worry about the near future first.


    "After all, we''re all going to die if the darkness isn''t found soon."


    Charles pondered for a while before saying, "All right, but I have my own demand. I want you to tell me everything about the past, including the time before the Foundation captured you."


    Charles wanted to know more about the past, and what would be a more reliable source of information than the living fossil before him?


    "Someone invited me toe down here; they said that there''s no sunlight here, so I came here."


    Charles stared into Lilith''s eyes and enunciated each world clearly as he said, "Don''t lie to me. I explored the ind where the Foundation imprisoned you. O¡ªType 3 Siderostic Anemia Porphyria Patient: Lilith. Is that right?"


    A trace of panic fleeted across Lilith''s eyes, and she suppressed it in the blink of an eye before turning to her two descendants standing behind her. "You two are dismissed."


    The two vampires had been standing ramrod straight all this while; they did not hesitate and left upon hearing Lilith''smand.


    Lilith sat on the table and asked, "What else do you know about me? Are you from the Foundation?"


    Charles shook his head and said, "I''m not interested in you. I''m interested in what happened on the surface long ago."


    The two turned to look outside the window, staring at the hazy purple mist outside.


    Gazing at the purple mist, bewilderment fleeted across Lilith''s face. She then walked up to the window and slowly said, "I have no idea what happened to the surface.


    "I think the ship that the Foundation had used to send me down here must''ve been Noah''s Ark. They must''ve known that a catastrophe wasing, and it was going to annihte mankind, so they decided to relocate to the Subterranean Sea before it happened."


    Charles had considered that possibility long ago, but even though there was a high chance that it was true, it was still spection rather than the truth.


    "What year was it when you were brought down here?"


    "It was 1991. The Foundation took me from an orphanage, and they injected me with some kind of serum that transformed me into a vampire.


    "The Foundation was doing an experiment to optimize human genes using vampires at the time. Vampires have a superior gic constitutionpared to humans, after all."


    "And they actually got really close to seeding. The vampires of my generation could already barely eat human food at the time."


    Charles was stunned at the revtion. It turned out that his assumption was wrong. The Foundation hadn''t captured Lilith but had created her instead.

 Chapter 562. Instigation

    <h4>Chapter 562. Instigation</h4>


    "You seem to know a lot about the surface world. Are you perhaps from the surface world?" Lilith asked, sizing up Charles.


    "I''m the one asking questions here, not the other way around. Were there any major events before you were brought down here? By major events, I mean natural disasters like earthquakes or something else," Charles said, forcefully taking the lead in their conversation.


    Lilith shook her head and replied, "Nothing like that really happened before they took me away from the orphanage.


    "Everything was normal, but it''s hard to say for sure because from the time they took me away from that orphanage on the surface until I escaped to the Subterranean Sea... the Foundation never really allowed me to have any contact with the outside world.


    "I was isted. Even the cargo vessels that were transporting experimental subjects like me down here were like iron boxes. In other words, I have no idea what happened to the surface world."


    "You said the Foundation captured you in 1991, right?" Charles'' heart rate sped up slightly as he asked, "So, how old are you this year?"


    "I''m exactly 1,016 years old this year. I''m very certain about this."


    The room instantly fell silent. Lilith didn''t say anything more, and Charles didn''t ask further.


    A deafening silence descended upon the Captain''s Quarters. After a while, Charles nodded and said, "Let your peoplee over, then. I agree with your request. You vampires are now members of the surface world exploration team."


    "Great. You''ve made a wise and the most natural choice," Lilith said. The next moment, her blood-red figure vanished into a swirling red mist that soon dispersed in all directions.


    Once Lilith had disappearedpletely, Charles bent down and pulled open the drawer beside him. The Soul Printer was inside the drawer, and arge stack of papers had already piled up on top of it.


    Charles took out the pieces of paper and read them carefully. Lilith did not lie to him at all; everything she said about the surface world was true.


    "So it''s been a thousand years since my time? <i>Haha, </i>it has really been a long time," Charles said, chuckling softly. Hisughter sounded refreshed as if he had truly let go of his burdens. His obsession with the surface had vanished, and Lilith''s answer had merely brought it to aplete end.


    Charles couldn''t be bothered to go elsewhere and conducted themunication ritual right inside his quarters.


    Julio, Harold, and Jax did not raise any objections upon hearing that the vampires of Dark Crystal Ind had joined the exploration. They were aware of the possible issue they might encounter a hundred yearster due to the vampires'' proliferation, but they were living in the present, so their priority was to find the darkness and ensure that they''d have a future to worry about.


    If they couldn''t find the darkness before time was up, then there''d be no need for them to worry about anything.


    "Charles, howe we haven''t discovered anything at all? We need some good news to boost morale. The inds of the Subterranean Sea are growing restless," Julio said with a solemn expression.


    "Good news? It''s only been a few months. What good news do you expect me to give? If you''re that desperate for good news, then why don''t youe up here and explore the surface by yourself?"


    "Do you really think that I''m down here to avoid responsibility? It seems that you have no idea, but if I hadn''t been here to suppress the Fhtagn Covenant''s movements, their faith would have already spread throughout the Subterranean Sea! And you guys up there would have run out of supplies long ago!"


    The atmosphere was getting a bit tense, so Harold decided to smooth things over, saying, "Governor Charles, we''re not as adept at exploring the unknown as you are. We wouldn''t be of much help up there. It''s better for us to stay here and work with your wife to stabilize the inds'' growing restlessness."


    "We''re dealing with a serious issue here as well. A cmity is a breeding ground for cultists. It is necessary to manage their movements, as they can easily cause the copse of the people''s restless hearts."


    Charles didn''t even reply to Harold''s remark and simply left.


    Julio snorted coldly and was about to leave as well when a sand figure with an octopus head abruptly manifested next to them. The sand figure depicted Octett''s figure, who had been missing for quite a while now. Everyone was surprised to see himing back online.


    "Are you really going to keep on working with him, Governor Julio? Charles has fooled not just you but everyone here. He''s a disgrace to the humans of the Subterranean Sea. He and the Pope of the Divine Light Order had worked together to bring about that ''death light.''


    "Aside from searching for the darkness and retrieving it, you actually have a second choice, which is to join us. Join us, and we can easily bestow upon you bodies capable of living in the depths of the sea.


    "Once the Great One awakens, we will all attain eternal life!"


    "Scram!" Julio roared, his voice booming like thunder.


    "You don''t believe me? I have evidence. Read it and be the judge."


    "Just wait until I have enough free time to deal with you, you bastards of the sea! I''ll ughter you all sooner orter! Harold, kick this bastard out of here!"


    The white-bearded old man tapped his staff lightly on the ground, and Octett''s sand figure instantly crumbled to the floor.


    Harold stroked his beard and asked, "Why do you not want to hear him speak?"


    "There''s no need to hear what he has to say. So what if he wasn''t lying? Do you really think that we can turn against Charles right now?


    "Our top priority is to return the Subterranean Sea to its previous normalcy. Everything else can be postponed once we''re done with that," Julio said, and his sand figure immediately crumbled.


    Harold was about to leave as well when he saw the President of the Explorers Association using a pen to write something down on a piece of paper. Jax had zero presence throughout the meeting, so Harold hadn''t noticed him until now.


    Upon hearing Harold''s questions, Jax''s hand holding a pen froze in mid-air. He adjusted his monocle and smiled, saying, "Sorry, my memory is bad, and I''ve always believed that even a good memory is still no match for a bad pen."


    ***


    Charles opened his eyes slowly. He had just put on his clothes, but he wasted no time and immediately rushed out of his room. However, he quickly came to a screeching halt upon recalling something.


    Today was his day off. He had to rest as well, and he had to release the stress that had been umting in his heart. Otherwise, the stress might affect his next exploration.


    Charles sat down and took out a dusty drawing board from the corner of his room. Then, he emptied his mind and picked up a paintbrush.


    Soon, Charles'' self-portrait appeared on the canvas.


    Charles exhaled as he stared at himself on the canvas. It had been a while since hest painted, so he had gotten quite a bit rusty at it.


    "Mr. Charles, why are you painting yourself?"


    Charles tilted his head slightly and discovered that Lily was already standing on his shoulder. It seemed that he was too focused on his painting that he had failed to notice her approach.


    "Where have you been these days? Howe I haven''t been seeing you?"


    "I led my friends to the Explorers Association and told them to join the other exploration teams. That way, they''d be able to lend a big helping hand if the other explorers found a ce that only mice can enter safely!"


    Charles stared at the mouse on his shoulder in surprise. "That''s really not a bad idea at all, Lily. I can''t believe you came up with such an idea yourself."


    "<i>Hehe,</i> this is what everyone should do. If the inds end up getting submerged, everyone will die, so we have to go all out and help in any way possible," Lily said, rubbing her cheek against Charles'' bandaged face.


    Charles reached out and grabbed her. Lily let out a startled cry, as Charles jumped out of the window next to him rather than walk out of the room through the door. "Let''s go. It''s my day off, so let''s not talk about anything rted to exploration for now. Let''s go and stroll through the fortress."


    "Yay! I love going out with you, Mr. Charles!"


    Charles brought Lily with him to appreciate the scenery of the fortress, which wasposed of a variety of shops selling many different things. Soon, they passed by a store with a giant colorful mushroom depicted on its signboard.


    The shop was selling all kinds of addictive substances, such asfort fruits, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and a variety of strange powders. These items were illegal on Hope Ind, but nothing was illegal here.


    After all, Charles had no one to enforce thew here. The mortality rate among explorers was extremely high, anyway, so there was no use enforcing thew.


    Of course, Charles also believed that everything was just a matter of perspective. For example, morphine was an addictive drug in the hands of an addict, but it was a great painkiller in the hands of a patient with end-stage cancer.


    The explorers'' emotions would also be more stable with the existence of such items here.


    The shop was extremely popr, and it had an endless stream of customers. Just as Charles was about to walk past the shop with his hand covering Lily''s eyes, he caught a glimpse of Margaret picking items inside the shop.

 Chapter 563. Margaret

    <h4>Chapter 563. Margaret</h4>


    Margaret was soon seated on a sofa; the air of unfamiliarity shrouding her caused Charles to furrow his brows slightly.


    A gaunt man in the shop was ncing around, his gaze filled with hints of lust. Upon noticing that Margaret was alone, he slowly slid toward her, and his hand darted out toward her chest with a predatory swiftness.


    But before his hand could grasp Margaret''s full bosom, a sharp grappling hook shot through the air and pierced the man''s forearm with brutal precision.


    "<i>Ahhhhh!</i>" the man screamed in agony as Charles dragged him out of the shop and onto the street.


    Hearing themotion, Margaret looked up. Her pupils were dted, and her gaze unfocused as she let out a giggle.


    Charles entered the shop once more, intending to help her up. However, several shadowy figures with red sashes on their shoulders materialized in front of him and blocked his path.


    Margaret had her own guards; even if Charles had not intervened earlier, the pervert would have met a grim fate regardless.


    "Charles," Margaret called as she stood up unsteadily. "Long time no see. What happened to your eyes and face?"


    "Stop taking this stuff; it''s bad for you."


    "Bad? I think it''s quite nice," Margaret retorted. She closed the gap between them and lifted a hand to caress Charles'' face gently.


    Staring at the scar that ran across her face, a hint of sadness surfaced in Charles'' eyes.


    "I have sent my men for expeditions, and the losses have been substantial. Yet, you have survived all these years of exploration. Frankly, I''m quite impressed," Margaret remarked.


    "Margaret, I''m still of the same opinion. You need not join the expedition. As a governor, you should go back down to Whereto and stabilize your ind. That''s for the benefit of everyone."


    "Is that so? Then why aren''t you going down?" Margaret swayed unsteadily, looking as if she might copse at any moment.


    "Because I''m an exceptional explorer, and it''s far more meaningful for me to be up here than down there. If no one takes the lead, the others will think that they''re merely cannon fodder. Besides, my wife, Anna, can stabilize things on the ind."


    At the mention of his wife, Anna, Margaret''s long eyshes quivered slightly. Her voice rose a notch sharper as sheshed out, "Wife? You actually call that man-eating monster your wife? You''re utterly out of your mind!"


    "Looking at you now, I prefer the <i>you </i>from before," Charlesmented.


    Margaret burst intoughter for a brief moment before her expression turned cold, asking, "Who do you think you are, my father?"


    Perched on Charles'' shoulder, Lily couldn''t stay silent any longer. Her voice was filled with indignation as she retorted, "How can you say that?! Mr. Charles clearly cares about you!"


    Margaret let out a snort. "I don''t need his concern! Governor Charles, you should focus on finding the darkness. If we don''t find it, everyone will perish. But... that might not be such a bad thing, after all."


    Charles gave no response. He gently cradled Lily in his hand while stroking the fur on her back before turning around to leave.


    Watching Charles''s retreating figure, Margaret clenched her ivory teeth as her chest heaved with suppressed emotions. After a while, she turned and left the shop, making her way to her residence. Though the room was small, it was located in the basement and offered excellent seclusion.


    As soon as she sat down, the water in the cup beside her began to bubble violently.


    "What are you doing?!" a hoarse voice that sounded as if obstructed by phlegm erupted from the water. "That was a perfect opportunity. Why didn''t you take action!"


    "Assassinate him within the Colossal Hole Fortress itself? Sorry, but putting the slim chances of sess aside, even if I managed to kill Charles, I have no ns to trade my own life for his life. The ind right beneath the Fortress is his as well," Margaret retorted, her voiceced with apparent annoyance.


    The bubbling in the water eased slightly as the voice said, "You must do something. As soon as Charles is dead, we can make bigger moves down below. More of those who are undecided will then be swayed to ept the Great One''s embrace."


    "I''ll try my best, but Charles has grown significantly stronger. He''s probably at Level 10 now. With just my men, there''s a good chance he''ll be able to escape. I need all the men you can gather for the ambush."


    The water went still for a couple of moments before it started bubbling once more. "I''ll send the other undercover agents to assist you. Time is of the essence; you need to make a move soon! What if he truly manages to retrieve the darkness? In that case, the Great One will not be able to return!"


    Margaret reached for the cup of water and lifted it to her eye level. "You haven''t forgotten our promise, have you? On the day when the sea swallows all inds, you will turn everyone on Whereto into Deep Dwellers."


    "Yes. As long as you fulfill your side of the agreement, we''ll keep our word! We swear this upon the name of the Great One!"


    ***


    On a bustling street, Charles strolled slowly with Lily as he reflected on his conversation with Margaret earlier. He felt that perhaps he could have done something for her, but upon reflecting deeper, he realized that he could do nothing at all.


    Lily burrowed her furry head between Charles'' fingers before looking up toward his chin andined, "Mr. Charles, there''s nothing fun on this street. It''s so boring."


    They weren''t in the residential area. The shops on this street were catered for explorers and naturally offered goods and services appealing to the ouws and not to Lily, like gun shops, brothels, casinos, and other vices.


    Charles wandered over to a nearby shop selling cigarettes, which also had a small beverage stand in front.


    "I''ll have one cup," Charles ordered. He didn''t even ask what they were selling and ced an order directly.


    "Just a moment," the muscr woman with a brass nose ring replied. She pulled out a ck, elongated fruit that resembled a bitter melon. Then, she scooped out the light purple insides onto a te in front of Charles.


    Next, the "bitter melon" rind was stuffed into a juicer. Lily''s eyes widened in astonishment as a white juice was produced from the dark rind.


    "Hey bud, is this mouse from the Explorers Association, too?" the nose-ringed vendor asked while pointing at Lily.


    "You could say so," Charles answered nonchntly. He scooped up a piece of the light purple flesh with a tin spoon and popped it into his mouth. The fruit didn''t have much flesh, but it was sweet and pleasant, much to Charles'' liking.


    As Charles enjoyed the fruit, he observed the explorers going about their businesses on the street. Moving in groups, they entered various establishments, and there wasn''t a single trace of sorrow on their faces.


    "Everyone looks rather rxed," Charles muttered to himself.


    "Here you go!" The vendor handed Charles a cup of juice. "Why would these creatures be tense? They''re too busy being happy. The Explorers Association covers all their expenses¡ªliquor, fine dining, women, Comfort Fruits, and hallucinogenic mushrooms.


    "The best of the entire Subterranean Sea has been sent up here to be at their disposal. They have everything they desire here."

 Chapter 564. Scout

    <h4>Chapter 564. Scout</h4>


    Charles lifted the cup and took a sip. Surprisingly, the juice tasted pretty pleasant. Despite having the appearance of a bitter melon, it was not bitter at all; instead, it was a perfect bnce of sour and sweet.


    He lifted Lily up to the rim of the cup, and the small mouse eagerlypped at the juice.


    "True, those folks have always been living life on the edge. They are unfazed by death," Charles remarked.


    The vendor then leaned in closer and whispered, "There''s another point you shouldn''t forget. Before, they were the only ones constantly under the threat of death. But now, everyone in the Subterranean Sea shares the same predicament as them; they feel a greater sense of equity now."


    Charles let out a chuckle and responded in Chinese, "B¨´ hu¨¤n gu¨£ ¨¦r hu¨¤n b¨´ j¨±n a."[1]


    "What did you say?" the vendor asked, feeling rather puzzled.


    "Nothing. Give me another cup, please. Both my mouse and I had enjoyed the drink," Charles replied as he downed thest of the juice in his cup.


    Charles savored this rare moment of peace. However, it didn''tst for long as amotion from the direction of the Colossal Hole Fortress''s entrance broke the calm.


    <i>Perhaps the others have made a discovery?</i> Charles was slightly startled.


    "How much is it?" Charles asked as he stood up; he was going to head over to investigate.


    "It''s free," the vendor replied, waving her hand dismissively. "Didn''t I tell you? Everything here is free. The Explorers Association covers all expenses. If you like it, feel free toe back for another cup anytime."


    The vendor then reached out a hand to pet Lily, but thetter dodged her hand.


    Readily epting the goodwill, Charles dashed forward and shot his grappling hook into the air to catch the rooftop opposite. As the chain retracted, he propelled himself onto the rooftop and spotted an amphibious steamship entering through the main gates. There was also a writhing, bound creature on its deck.


    Charles pushed off against the ground with his feet and leaped toward the direction of the ship.


    Soon, Charlesnded squarely on the ship''s deck. He directly approached the pregnant captain and asked, "Where did this thinge from?"


    "We found it six hundred kilometers to the west, Governor. This creature doesn¡¯t seem to be from the surface; I noticed the Hope Ind''s Navy emblem on it,¡± the captain replied.


    "Hope Ind''s Navy emblem?" Charles reiterated before he scrutinized the creature more closely.


    The bizarre creature was a grotesque amalgamation of machinery and flesh. Upon closer inspection, it vaguely resembled a primitive propeller ne, though parts of it had been fused with flesh. The pilot''s head appeared to have been liquified, with its original facial features now smeared across the ne''s exterior.


    The triangr mouth still constantly muttered iprehensible words, forming a horrifying sight to onlookers.


    <i>Wait! The first time we came to the surface, one of the scouting helicopters didn''t return. Could this be him?!</i>


    Charles made swift contact with the Hope Ind Navy through telegram and confirmed that this was indeed the missing aircraft.


    "Governor, he seems to have lost his sanity. But the word ''darkness'' was being picked up amongst all his disjointed words," the pregnant captain reported.


    A flicker of excitement stirred in Charles. It had been over a year since they had first ascended to the surface. It was usible that the missing scout had been wandering around all this time and had indeed encountered the darkness.


    Charles dashed toward the amalgamation and shouted, "Soldier! This is Charles, can you hear me?!"


    Charles reiterated several times before the creature finally responded, "I... I want to go home... No.... It hurts... Mommy..."


    "Governor, it reacts to questions, but normalmunication is probably beyond its capability now. I think we need some kind of relic that can probe into its memories," the pregnant captain suggested as she rubbed her belly.


    "There''s no need for a relic. I have someone who can do the job."


    Soon, Sparkle teleported Anna over. However, Sparkle still showed visible resistance against the surface. She disyed that resistance even when using her powers to teleport her mother over.


    Anna''s finger came into contact with the creature, and her elegant brows furrowed slowly. "He seems to have encountered some very unfortunate events on the surface. Poor thing."


    "Is there anything useful in his memories?" Charles asked, his voiceced with anxiety.


    "Be patient, and let me have a look first. This poor thing is in quite a mess; it''s probably missing half its soul, too," Anna said and closed her eyes.


    The explorers on respite slowly gather around the amphibious steamship. Their sixth sense was telling them that a significant discovery was about to be unveiled, and the atmosphere gradually tightened with anticipation.


    Under the watchful eyes of the gathered crowd, Anna''s eyes opened once more. She turned around and shed a captivating smile toward everyone on the ground.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, we are in luck," she announced. "This guy''s memories contain clues about the darkness. It lies to the west and has transformed into an entire sea!"


    Upon hearing the news, everyone erupted into cheers. Some even let out bursts ofughter as they threw their hats into the air. No one wanted to die, and finding the darkness meant the survival of the masses. Moreover, it meant that they could get rewards and inds!


    Instantly, a festive mood descended upon the Colossal Hole Fortress. Joy painted everyone''s faces as various transport vehicles began heading west. The number of departures was so great that it caused a temporary traffic jam.


    If it had been mere guesswork earlier when the god of the Haikors imed that the darkness was in the west, they now had tangible evidence and could say with a hundred percent certainty that the lost darkness of the Subterranean Sea was located in that direction.


    "Where exactly is the darkness located?" Charles pressed for details.


    Anna shook her head. "I''m not sure. His memories are fragmented and there weren''t anyndmarks. I only managed to deduce the direction based on the helicopter''spass. He was heading west.


    "Why? Are you feeling the itch to rush out and seek death again?" Anna teased. A smirk yed on her lips as she observed Charles'' excitement.


    "Cars have limited mileage; they can''t explore that far. We arecking in amphibious steamships too. And the Narwhale being one, can go much farther and¡ª"


    Before Charles couldplete his sentence, Anna ced a palm against his lips. "No need to exin anything to me. You''re the head of the family; do as you wish."


    Charles nted a gentle kiss on Anna''s soft and delicate fingers before turning and leaping off the deck. "My dear, thank you so much! I''ll have to trouble you to take care of things down there."


    Anna rested her hands on the ship''s railings as she watched Charles slowly disappear from her view. After a long moment, she let out a deep sigh and said, "So what if we find the darkness? We would still have to live at the mercy of the Divinities. I can''t help but feel resentful."


    After Charles quickly reported his exploration coordinates to the Explorers Association, the Narwhale set off immediately.


    Though their respite had been cut short, the crew didn''tin, especially now that they had concrete clues about the location of the darkness.


    As the Narwhale steered out of the giant gates of the fortress, a pair of visible eyes leaped down from a rooftop and whispered something in Margaret''s ear.


    Margaret nodded slightly and stood up to face the several explorer captains seated in front of her. They varied in age and appearance, but their presence here signaled their unified purpose.


    Among them, the three kings of Sottom were present; holding a plush toy in her hands, a cruel, cold smirk appeared on 134''s face.


    "The Governor of Hope Ind has set off. It''s time for us to move," Margaret announced.


    1. It''s not the scarcity but the uneven distribution that troubles people. ?

 Chapter 565. Attacked

    <h4>Chapter 565. Attacked</h4>


    A hand wrapped in bandages was holding a pen in a dim cabin of the Narwhale, and the hand moved swimmingly, writing out words in elegant cursive.


    <i>Mother, how are you back at home? I''m doing well here. We haven''t been able to find anything here; this ce isn''t dangerous at all, and everyone is still alive.</i>


    The bandaged hand suddenly paused, and then Bandages crumpled the paper into a ball. The bandaged hand then remained frozen in mid-air for quite a while before it began writing new lines.


    <i>We have found a way to stop the rising sea levels. Once we''ve resolved that problem, everything will eventually return to normal. By then, I can finallye back home.</i>


    <i>You''re not in good health. You must visit Lily''s father for a checkup every 1st of the month. That way, any illnesses can be treated as soon as they are found.</i>


    In the cabin just below Bandages, Audric and Sniffler clinked wine sses.


    After taking a light sip, Sniffler revealed a pained expression as he swallowed the blood in his mouth. "<i>Ugh~</i> This sma pack is really hard to drink; the blood has mostly congealed into chunks.


    "Do you not have anything fresh here, man?"


    "There''s fresh blood, but you must learn how to y cards first," Audric said, "Anyway, I still don''t understand why you''re here. One vampire is enough as a lookout and scout. You didn''t have toe here."


    "Come on, don''t say that, man. I became a crew member of the Narwhale earlier than you. You weren''t even on board yet back when I was still with the captain.


    "By the way, the Mother asked me to deliver something to you¡ªsomething that will allow you to reach the next rank," Sniffler said. He took out a tiny vial of blood from his coat. The blood emitted a peculiar luster, and it looked more like a dazzling red gem rather than blood.


    As soon as the vial was out in the open, Audric''s nose twitched incessantly, and his Adam''s apple bobbed as he swallowed mouthfuls of his own saliva.


    "Here, enjoy it. This isn''t something that ordinary members of the Blood n can enjoy. You can''t even buy this on the ck market," Sniffler said, shoving the vial into Audric''s hand.


    Audric pulled out the vial stopper and brought his nose closer to the vial. He took a light sniff, and his scarred face flushed red, seemingly intoxicated. Just as he was about to consume it, Sniffler''s words made him stop.


    "You just have to do your part, and there is more where that came from."


    Audric put the stopper back in and handed the vial back to Sniffler. "I respect the Mother, but no... I will not betray the captain."


    "Come on, don''t say that. You''re still a Blood n member from Dark Crystal Ind," Sniffler said, handing over the vial of blood to Audric.


    "No, I''m not a vampire of Dark Crystal Ind. That ind did not bring me any hope at all. Ever since I received that injury, those bastards on Dark Crystal Ind have done nothing but bully and humiliate me!" Audric said, sounding agitated as he recalled a few unpleasant memories.


    "Hey, calm down, man. I did not say anything about betraying your captain. You can consider this aspensation from the Dark Crystal Ind for our wanderingrades outside," Sniffler said.


    Audric seemed convinced by Sniffler''s words, as he stopped pushing the vial of blood away. It couldn''t be helped as the vial contained a high-quality blood essence from a vampire, which was certainly tempting in any vampire''s eyes.


    "I''m really not bribing you here, man. You can consider this an investment at best. You can say that your close rtionship with the Governor of Hope Ind is worth this much investment," Sniffler said.


    Audric went silent for a while before pulling out the stopper and downing the blood. An icy sensation rushed from the blind vampire''s throat straight to his stomach, making him inhale sharply. His body mutated rapidly, and he transformed into a strangely bloated vampiric creature.


    Just then, Audric''s scarred face healed at a rate visible to the naked eye. A few secondster, the changes to Audric''s body began to wound back like a tape until he reverted to his previous appearance.


    However, he did notpletely return to his previous appearance, as his scarred face had healedpletely.


    Audric was thrilled, and his right hand was trembling as he took off his sunsses and stared at his own reflection in the sunsses. His pair of eyes, which were supposed to look like boiled eggs, had been reced by a pair of blood-red eyes. Moreover, he could see the world once again.


    Vampires generally had good looks, and this included Audric, who had just recoveredpletely from his old injuries. Despite being over a hundred years old, he looked to be in his early twenties with a straight nose and a wless face.


    "Sorry, let''s chat another time. I''m on duty in the turbine room," Audric said. Then, he turned around and rushed toward the infirmary.


    Meanwhile, Charles was in the bridge and was standing next to Norton, who was manning the helm.


    Charles'' gaze was at the semi-desert outside.


    "Port thirty. The Explorers Association has reported an expanding pool of blood ahead of us. Several exploration parties have been annihted upon encountering it. We have to go around it to avoid any issues."


    Norton nodded, and his steady hands began turning the wheel.


    "Captain, there are tire tracks ahead of us. Someone must have already explored this region."


    Charles nodded and said, "The tracks don''t look that old; the previous batch of explorers must have already explored this ce. Keep going. Our mission is to venture into unexplored regions."


    "All right, but... Captain. The Light God was a god, so it wasn''t strange that He could touch the darkness and even take it away, but... how are we supposed to retrieve something like that?"


    "Let''s cross that bridge when we get there. We''ve yet to find even a trace of the darkness, so it''s meaningless to think about that in the meantime. We also don''t have a choice but to keep exploring for now," Charles said.


    Charles'' words had yet to finish echoing in the air when the door to the bridge opened, revealing Dipp. Dipp''s missing legs had been reced by prosthetic limbs, which were made out of intricate gears and steel tubes.


    Dipp chuckled and raised his foot, showing it off. "Captain, look! This thing feels really nice. It feels like a real foot! There are even springs inside of it, and it allows me to jump more than ten meters high."


    "But there''s one downside.... They''ll disconnect from my knees the moment I activate my ability to be a blue mist. I have to manually reattach it afterward."


    However, Charles couldn''t be bothered to pay any attention to him. Charles didn''t even respond and simply turned to look at the map next to him. Every arrow on the map represented an explorer, and the arrows were all pointing west.


    The Narwhale was one of the arrows on the map.


    The cogs in Charles'' mind turned rapidly as he calcted how long it would take them to reach the unexplored region.


    <i>Boom! </i>


    A deafening explosion echoed just ahead of the Narwhale, and a cloud of thick smoke appeared before them.


    Fortunately, Norton''s nerves had been stretched taut since he started manning the helm, so he reacted quickly and turned the wheel. The Narwhale only grazed the cloud of smoke rather than entering it.


    "What''s going on? The intelligence reports say that this semi-desert region is safe. Are we getting attacked by an underground monster?!" Charles eximed, but his keen nose caught a whiff of the smell of gunpowder in the air.


    Charles immediately realized that the explosion and the cloud of smoke weren''t from a monster on the surface. They had been ambushed and were being bombarded!


    Dipp had also caught a whiff of the gunpowder in the air. He sounded the rm, and the crew members moved quickly to counterattack.


    Meanwhile, Charles was already outside in his bat form. He looked around and saw several modified amphibious steamships in the distance.<i> </i>Before Charles could do anything, a shell flew over and exploded not too far away from him, knocking him over.

 Chapter 566. Battle

    <h4>Chapter 566. Battle</h4>


    "Just what the hell is going on? Are they under the control of an entity here?" Charles pped his wings forcefully, propelling himself to around three hundred meters in just a few seconds.


    Then, he approached the amphibious steamships in the distance.


    Charles soon got a clear view of the people on the steamships, and the questions in Charles'' mind were instantly resolved the moment he saw the octopus tattoo on their faces.


    The ambush was made by the Fhtagn Covenant to avenge themselves. To think that they had already nted so many moles among the ranks of the surface world exploration teams.


    Just then, Charles spotted the deck cannons of the steamships turning toward him. In response, Charles pped his wings to gain altitude and get out of their attack range, but a bone flute appeared out of nowhere and pierced Charles'' abdomen.


    Charles'' invisible tentacles burst out of his back and attempted to pull out the bone flute. However, Charles only saw the bone flute swiftly retracting with an afterimage and thrusting toward his chest.


    A gray shadow manifested slowly behind the bone flute. Charles was familiar with the gray shadow, as it was one of 134''spanions.


    Charles had managed to avoid sustaining a fatal wound by dodging in time, but the attack had punctured one of his lungs, making him feel like his chest was being squeezed forcefully.


    White electric arcs danced across Charles'' skin, but the lightning arcs simply passed through the gray shadow, and the attack failed to inflict even the slightest damage to thetter.


    "Captain! I''vee here to help!" Dipp''s voice echoed, and a blue mist floated over from Charles'' side before lunging at the gray shadow. A cloud of dark blue smoke was made as Dipp and the gray shadow fought each other.


    Dipp''s assistance allowed Charles to take a breather, and the two stood with their backs against each other, ready to fend off any attackers.


    Charles took a moment to reorient himself. He prepared to fly toward the oing amphibious steamships when he saw a plume of smoke speeding toward the Narwhale like a train. The plume of smoke wasing from an amphibious steamship that resembled a white maggot.


    A bloated man, who seemed affixed to the steamship''s prow, roared incessantly as the steamship charged at the Narwhale, and the insectoid limbs that protruded from both sides of the hulls like oars told Charles that the other party was the "King" of Sottom.


    The two cannons on the deck, which were under the control of Lily''s mice, bombarded "King," but despite suffering many wounds and being covered in blood, "King" did not slow down in the slightest.


    "No! 134 must also be on that ship as well! We''re in big trouble if she makes contact with the Narwhale!" Charles flew as fast as he could, but he was too slowpared to the oing steamship.


    The bloated maggot-like amphibious steamship collided heavily with the right side of the Narwhale, and the two ships moved diagonally against each other.


    "King" roared, and his pallid flesh opened up, revealing a dense swarm of strange insects that made a beeline for the Narwhale.


    Charles finally arrived just then, and he wasted no time, charging straight into the dense swarm of insects. As radiant lightning arcs danced across him, the electrocuted insects fell like rain.


    The crew members rushed onto the deck and began their counterattack. They bombarded the attackers nonstop, which made the situation even more chaotic.


    Holding a doll in her hands, 134 had on a grin as she emerged amidst the insects. Staring at Charles in the sky, she cleared her throat and began to sing.


    A beautiful and bizarre melody echoed, and the crew members of the Narwhale felt something growing beneath their skin. The Narwhale''s crew revealed pained looks as they fell to the ground one by one; 134''s attack was very effective.


    Charles and the crew instantly found themselves on the losing end.


    Just as a tinge of smugness surfaced on 134''s face, she saw arge expanse of green bursting out of Bandages, and the greenery expanded quickly, rushing toward 134, who was still singing.


    When the greenery touched the "King''s" pallid and bloated flesh, they went berserk and dug incessantly into "King''s" flesh as they grew wildly.


    It turned out that 134''s singing had greatly enhanced Bandages'' special ability.


    134 stomped with her right foot d in a tiny red leather shoe. She opened her mouth wide, revealing her sharp fangs, and roared, "Margaret! What the hell are you doing?!


    "It''s about time you make a move! Are you still not going to move? If you don''t act soon, I''m going to retreat myself!"


    134''s words had yet to finish echoing in the air when a series of cannon fire echoed in the distance. A ck shadow crashed heavily on the deck of the Narwhale, denting it in the process.


    Margaret emerged from the dented pit with two daggers in hand. Her face was abnormally flushed, which made it clear that she had consumed stimnts before setting out.


    Margaret wasted no time. She directed her killing intent and charged at Second Mate Charlie, who was standing the closest to her.


    In response, Charlie tried to activate his relic, but it was toote. Margaret''s dagger pierced his chest.


    Margaret pulled out the dagger and did not even spare a nce at Charlie as he copsed to the ground while coughing out a mouthful of blood. The muscles in her legs bulged as she bent down slightly and kicked off the ground, rushing toward Norton in the distance.


    Norton was firing nonstop at Margaret from the sidelines, but it only took Margaret a moment to reach the former. Margaret then swung her dagger, slicing off Norton''s fingers and splitting his gun into two.


    Margaret threw her dagger briefly into the air before catching it in a reverse grip and shing out at Norton''s neck.


    The sky darkened just then, and Charles collided heavily against Margaret, along with a swarm of scorched insects. Charles had sessfully interrupted Margaret''s next attack, but Margaret hadn''t been knocked over.


    Margaret possessed mighty strength despite her frail look and had withstood a collision against Charles.


    Before Charles could fall to the ground, Margaret let out a low growl and raised both of her daggers before thrusting them fiercely into Charles'' torso. Then, she used all her strength and mmed him to the ground.


    The grotesque cracking noise told Charles that the impact had fractured a few of his ribs.


    However, Margaret wasn''t done just yet, and she raised her daggers once again, getting ready to strike.


    Charles saw that and stood up before wrapping more than a dozen tentacles around Margaret''s arms to stop her attack. However, Margaret was extremely powerful, and even more than a dozen tentacles couldn''t keep her at bay as her daggers slowly but surely advanced toward Charles.


    For the first time ever, Charles red murderously at the woman before him. "Do you even know what you''re doing?!"


    "What I''m doing? Of course, I''m doing what my predecessors have done themselves! I''m here to im glory on the battlefield!!"


    A dull thud echoed as Charles'' back hit a wall. He had nowhere to retreat, but Margaret''s dagger was steadily approaching his heart.


    Just then, two bats flew toward Margaret. One of the bats bit Margaret''s carotid artery, but unfortunately, even their sharp vampire fangs couldn''t pierce Margaret''s skin.


    Margaret''s grip on the dagger in her right hand loosened, and the dagger fell to the ground. Unfortunately, Margaret hadn''t chosen to give up. Instead, she raised her bare hand and thrust it into Charles'' chest. Margaret had be so strong that Charles'' flesh and blood was like tofu for her.


    Her hand pierced Charles'' skin, muscles, and fractured ribs. When Margaret''s sharp nails met Charles'' beating heart, a ruthless smile blossomed on her scarred and flushed face.


    Just as Margaret was about to squeeze Charles'' heart, thetter''s right eye bulged out of its socket andnded squarely on Margaret''s face. Then, it bit fiercely on Margaret''s eye.


    Even those with the toughest defense would always have their eyes as weaknesses. Margaret reflexively closed her eyes, and Charles did not let go of that opportunity; his figure contracted as he transformed from a bat monster to a human being before slipping out of Margaret''s grasp.


    By the time Margaret had crushed the spider with a palm strike, Charles'' figure had already vanished into thin air.


    "I''m the captain, and I must be responsible for my crew. I''ll bring your corpse back with me and give you a solemn burial."


    Margaret''s ears twitched slightly. She flicked her left hand, sending a dagger flying toward where the sound hade from. Margaret had used all of her might to throw the dagger, and it even left afterimages in mid-air.


    Unfortunately, it pierced nothing but air.

 Chapter 567: Chaotic Clash

    Chapter 567: Chaotic sh


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A thunderous roar echoed as a cannonball exploded at the stern of the Narwhale. A violent jerk coursed through the ship, causing the bow to thrust skyward and everyone on deck, including Margaret and Charles, to be flung into the air.


    Mid-air, Margaret was vulnerable without any footing. It was the perfect chance that Charles wouldn''t let slip by.


    A thirty-centimeter-long ck spike materialized out of thin air and aimed straight for the gap under Margaret''s third rib. The spot was dangerously close to her heart, so she would die if she took the hit.


    Acquired as loot from the surface, the ck spike was extraordinarily sharp and had proved its mettle for being capable of piercing Charles'' own reinforced skin.


    <em>Screech!</em>


    With a hiss like nails scraping against a chalkboard, the spike halted abruptly, unable to prate any further. The air around Margaret seemed to have solidified and formed an invisible barrier that thwarted Charles'' advance.


    Clearly, Margaret hade fully prepared for this ambush mission. She even had her defenses ready to counter his offensive.


    "Got you!" Margaret''s voice sounded as she swung her right leg toward Charles with ferocious speed.A gruesome sound of tearing flesh rang out in the air as three invisible tentacles, each coiled around a ck spike, were severed. Fortunately, Charles had used his tentacles in ce of his arms, or else it would his limbs would have been severed.


    After the deadly dance in the air, Charles and Margaret crashed to the deck and engaged each other in another fight. As they grappled, Audric seized the moment to assist his captain. He raised the rifle in his hand and opened fire.


    Although the bullets couldn''t prate Margaret''s tough skin, they pelted her face and served as a distraction to her line of sight.


    Suddenly, the vampire''s expression stiffened; part of his neck had been gruesomely split open. Blood spurted out from the wound and showered upon the assant, revealing a transparent humanoid silhouette.


    At Lily''smand, the mice engaged inbat across the deck swiftly rallied. They scurried over to the cloaked figure and furiously gnawed at his blood vessels.


    The remaining flying insects descended and targeted Lily''s mice. It was pandemonium as the two sides shed fiercely, with sounds of explosions and screams of agony filling the air.


    White arcs of electricity leaped onto Margaret, but despite twitching from the electricity that ran across her figure, the murderous intent that had filled her gaze remained unwavering.


    She charged forward and mmed into Charles with devastating force. Then, her hand mped around his neck like iron vices.


    Hearing the grating noise filling his ears, Charles felt his spine threatening to snap under her grasp.


    With a swift flick of his right hand, a sharp ck spike extended from the palm of his prosthetic, and Charles thrust it toward her right eye.


    Margaret dodged just in time, barely saving her eye. Like a razor, the ck spike drew a line from the corner of her eye up to her temple and tore away a swath of flesh.


    As soon as Margaret''s grip weakened, Charles seized control of the momentum, unleashing seven or eight ck spikes from all directions toward her.


    Instantly, Margaret was stuck in a dire predicament. However, an unexpected event turned the tide again.


    A cannonball plummeted from the sky and exploded next to the duo. The massive aftershock flung them both through the air.


    Charles crashed heavily into the smokestack, leaving a dent in the tall chimney. With blood dripping from his mouth, he clutched his bruised, darkened neck and rose to his feet with a solemn expression.


    He hadn''t been the target of the projectile. Right before his very eyes, another shell struck a massive insect spanning several dozen meters long, causing it to explode in a grotesque fireworks disy of flesh and innards. It seemed the distant assants were attacking indiscriminately.


    Witnessing the scene, 134''s face contorted into fury. She yelled toward the distant warships, "Stop the bombardment! Can''t you see we''re still here? Everyone,e over! Attack them together!!"


    Hearing 134''smand, the ships in the distance ceased their bombing and started a tactical maneuver to encircle the Narwhale.


    Charles gasped for breath as the cogs in his mind turned with urgency. He had to think of a way to stop them; if the Narwhale was caught in an encirclement, that would spell deep trouble.


    Charles kicked off against the ground and dashed toward the bug-hull ship that was clinging desperately to the Narwhale.


    Just then, Margaret reappeared in his path, blocking his advance. Her previously thrown daggers were now back in her hands.


    "Forget about taking another step! You''re dying here!" Margaret dered as blood trickled down her wound and dyed her eyes a haunting shade of red. Coupled with her expression of madness, she looked extremely terrifying.


    Now, she looked like a demon that had crawled out from the depths of hell. All traces of her innocence from her younger days were nowhere to be seen.


    Charles reached into his coat and pulled out his journal. The pages fluttered open rapidly, and Anna fell out. Wrapped in only a white bath towel, Anna''s brows were furrowed in irritation.


    "What''s the matter? I''m swamped with work down there, you know? Oh? Isn''t this Margaret?" Anna shed a warm smile at the woman before her.


    "Hi darling, long time no see!" Anna greeted Margaret with great enthusiasm.


    "No time to exin! Kill her!" Charlesmanded before swiftly transforming into a monstrous bat and soaring into the air.


    Margaret moved in pursuit, but Anna materialized before her and obstructed her path. "Sorry, darling, but I can''t let you leave. My man has asked me to kill you; you know, I''ve always wondered what your flesh tastes like. I guess I can finally find out today."


    As soon as Anna''s words left her mouth, horror filled Margaret''s gaze. Against her own will, Margaret watched her own hands lifting the daggers and aiming them toward her own throat.


    Ignoring the chaos behind him, Charles had already positioned himself above "King." Bandages'' nt tendrils had ensnared all of the creature''s bulky flesh. As "King" thrashed and rolled, the tendrils burrowed deeper.


    Even as "King" continuously roared in pain, his mantis-like forelimbs clung stubbornly to the bow of the Narwhale and refused to let go.


    Charles retracted his wings and dove directly toward "King," the monstrous figurehead at the ship''s prow. Even if he couldn''t kill the creature, he could attempt to decapitate him and sever his control over his "body," which could allow the Narwhale to pick up her pace and escape her current predicament.


    Charles was about to sh into "King" when he caught a blur of green in his peripheral vision,tching onto him. It was the elongated creature next to 134 earlier. With astonishing speed and strength, the creature''s centipede-like arms furiously wed at Charles in a blur of motion.


    Flesh and blood flew in all directions. It took just a mere second for one side of Charles'' body to be mangled and bloody.


    Meanwhile, 134 rushed toward Charles in mid-air. Charles was just about to be sandwiched between two foes when his figure vanished before them and reappeared atop the broad back of "King."


    The moment Charlesnded on the ground, he crouched and began to vomit. The relic he had extracted from Alice before hade in handy, but the side effect was too much of a hassle to deal with.

 Chapter 568: Mutation

    Chapter 568: Mutation


    The elongated green creature approached Charles in a slow crawl. It parted its monstrous mouth bristled with sharp teeth and slurped at its blood-drenched fingers.


    Upon reaching the third digit, which had a mangled ear still hanging from it, the creature stopped briefly before tossing the ear into its mouth and chewing with relish.


    Witnessing the scene, Charles instinctively reached for his right ear, only to find nothing. All that remained was a bloody hole. He took a deep breath to steady himself before his body gradually vanished into thin air.


    Unable to detect Charles in his invisible state, the elongated creature could only spin in its spot in confusion. Amid its frantic search, a long spike appeared before its eyes all of a sudden.


    The sharp ck spike shed through the air like a hot knife slicing through tofu and severed much of the creature''s mass in an instant.


    Despite the major injury, however, the creature could still move. Green silk sprouted rapidly between its hands and shot out toward Charles.


    However, Charles was quicker. Emerging from his invisible state, he lifted his right leg high and stomped down hard on the creature''s neck. With a crisp snap, the creature went limp under his foot.


    Having gotten rid of this nuisance, Charles dashed forward. Just when the distance between him and "King" had narrowed to a mere thirty meters, 134 dropped from the sky andnded on "King''s" corpulent shoulder.


    As Charles closed the gap between them, 134''s lips twisted into a cruel smile."We meet again. This is the third time," 134 said, "I won''t let you off this time."


    "You''re no match for me now," Charles retorted as he stared into her eyes.


    134 let out a chuckle. "How arrogant¡­ I know you have grown stronger, and that''s why I brought so many helpers."


    The warships had encircled the Narwhale, their decks crowded with Fhtagnists identifiable by the octopus tattoos on their faces. The Fhtagnists red at them with hostility. Charles was stunned to see several Deep Dweller Elders among them; it baffled him how they had managed to reach the surface unnoticed.


    <em>Damn it. Is it toote?</em> Charles'' heart sank as he assessed the situation. Clearly, his foes had considered every possibility to make the fullest preparation for this ambush. At this point, he started to brace himself for the worst.


    Suddenly, the thud of galloping hooves rolled over the battlefield like thunder.


    <em>Crash!</em>


    Several spears that were thick as tree trunks and tethered with ropes pierced a warship with devastating force. The next moment, the ropes were pulled taut, and two towering vessels collided. The turbine chambers exploded upon impact, sending up a ze of fire and ck fumes of smoke.


    From afar, Charles spotted reinforcements. There were over twenty gargantuan ck horses pulling a colossal carriage that closely resembled a towering castle on wheels more than a carriage. The carriage was swiftly encircling the fray and was nked by assorted vehicles and exploration ships.


    Judging from the numbers, it seemed that every explorer in the vicinity had rallied. As the reinforcementsunched their counterattack, the tide of battle swiftly turned. The besiegers became the besieged.


    Seeing that the tides had turned, Margaret clutched her bleeding neck and leaped onto the insectile body of "King." She turned to 134 and roared, "Retreat! The ambush has failed!"


    "Failed? No way! I never fail!" 134 screamed hysterically, "Everyone, gather! y the Awakening Sonata!"


    At 134''smand, fear flickered across the corpulent face of "King." For the first time ever since he had appeared on the battlefield, he spoke, "177 forbids it!"


    "177 has lost his mind! I''m in charge now! When I say y, we y!"


    As soon as 134''s words fell, a gray misty figure materialized next to her and raised a bone flute to its lips.


    The elongated creature that had engaged with Charles previously slithered up next to them and lifted its multiple arms. Then, its green fments tremble at a particr frequency.


    Charles didn''t need to know what they were nning, as he knew that it couldn''t be good.


    "Attack! Everyone, attack! We must stop them here!"


    At Charles''mand, the crew adjusted their target and charged toward 134.


    Margaret swiftly positioned herself in front of 134 and blocked most of the iing bullets with her own body. Her face was aze with fervor as she roared, "I said retreat! We agreed that I''m inmand!"


    "No! I''m so close to killing Charles to avenge myself! I must kill him! He took my inds¡ªtwo of them!" 134''s lips curved downward into a scowl; a mix of anger and wounded pride painted her face and eyes red.


    With a sizzling crack, Charles'' tentacles emitting electrical sparks swept through the air toward them but were intercepted by a swarm of insects that surged from "King," leaving a foul stench of charred flesh in the air.


    Seeing that the situation was escting into a crisis for them, Margaret turned to "King" and shouted fiercely, "Retreat if you don''t want everyone to die here! Don''t forget, your friends might die too!"


    "King" turned to look at 134 with a confused and vacant gaze. Suddenly, he released his giant insectile limbs that had been clinging to the hull of the Narwhale and dug furiously into the ground.


    Charles cast a lingering gaze at Margaret standing in the distance before transforming into a bat and departing from "King''s" massive insectile form.


    Clouds of dust billowed up, and a thick nket of grit shrouded everyone''s vision. When the dust had settled, they could only see arge, ominous hole in the earth.


    The remaining warships that had been isted and didn''t manage to retreat were sandwiched between the Narwhale and the other exploration vessels. Devoid of any suspense, the battle quickly came to an end. All crew on board ended up as corpses.


    On the semi-desert ground, Charles met up with the Haikors, who hade to his rescue. The Haikor''s towering frame loomed over him imposingly. Charles looked up and extended his right hand in gratitude "Thank you. Thank you so much for your assistance."


    The Haikor giant nced at Charles silently. Ignoring Charles'' extended hand, it turned and walked toward the massive, castle-like carriage.


    At that moment, the other ship captains approached Charles. One young man among them spoke with a cheeky grin, "Governor Charles, there''s no need to thank us. You should thank the person who notified us. If it hadn''t been for them, we wouldn''t have known that you were under attack."


    A trace of surprise flickered across Charles'' face.


    "Someone notified you that I was under attack?" Charles asked.


    The group nodded collectively. Some of them even hinted at wanting rewards for their timely intervention.


    Their words left a twinge of suspicion stirring within Charles. <em>Who notified them? Could it be¡­</em>


    Margaret''s face shed across Charles'' mind, but he dismissed the thought almost immediately. There was no feigning her overflowing murderous intent earlier.


    "Why are you spacing out here?" Anna tiptoed to Charles'' side. She was still wrapped in only a white towel. Her stunning beauty and alluring figure immediately attracted the lustful gazes of the explorers around.


    Feeling the passionate gazes upon her, the corners of Anna''s lips curled up into a seductive smile. She then let go of her grip on the towel, allowing it to slip off her body casually.


    The sight underneath the towel had the explorers widening their eyes in shock and letting out involuntary gasps. Their hands instinctively reached for their weapons at their sides.


    Their flustered expressions had Anna bursting into heaps ofughter as she ced an elbow on Charles'' shoulder for support.


    Just then, Charles recalled a detail. He turned to face Anna and asked, "Why didn''t you finish off Margaret earlier? With your current strength, it should have been an easy job."


    "Oh my, that littless has gotten much tougher," Anna replied. One of her tentacles reached down to the ground to gracefully retrieve a towel before wrapping it around her monstrous torso. "It''s not as easy now."

 Chapter 569: Battle Finale

    Chapter 569: Battle Finale


    Letting out a sigh, Annamented, "Why are you missing parts again? Say, will this even grow back?"


    Then, she leaned in close and teasingly blew at the bloody hole where Charles'' ear used to be.


    Charles moved his head away slightly to put a small distance between himself and Anna. With a grave expression, he said, "When you return, immediately contact the acting governor of Annarles Ind and have him lock down the passage to the surface. Thoroughly check anyoneing down from the surface. Margaret will have to use that route if she wants to descend back to the Subterranean Sea. Don''t let her escape!"


    Anna''s face remained nonchnt as she replied, "You still have time to worry about that? Many of your crew are dead or injured. Aren''t you going to see them?"


    "I''m not a doctor; Linda can handle those. I''m serious, Anna. Dealing with Margaret is the most critical matter now. If you leave now, that''s the fastest way to send the message to them."


    "Then what if your bald ship doctor is close to dying, too? Seems like the littless knows the strategy to take out the healer first despite not having yed any mobile games before," Annamented as she nced toward the nearly wrecked Narwhale.


    Charles'' heart tightened at Anna''s words. He quickly turned toward the explorers, whose gazes remained filled with wariness. "Anyone of you have a spare ship''s doctor?"


    Upon gathering the medics from the other exploration vessels, Charles rushed back to the deck of the Narwhale to find a ghastly scene. The deck was dyed a crimson red hue and littered with chunks of flesh and dents. In the midst of it all, a bloodied and battered Linday in Audric''s embrace


    "Quick!" A doctor dashed forward with his medical kit to start an emergency treatment immediately.Charles crouched beside Linda, and his gazended on the ten-centimeter wound diagonally across her chest that was profusely oozing blood. It seemed to have been a sharp weapon''s kiss.


    He reached for her neck to feel for a pulse but could barely feel anything.


    "Why did Lindae onto the deck? ording to the protocols, shouldn''t she be in the cabins to receive the wounded for treatment?"


    A series of coughs broke the silence.


    "It''s my fault," Second Mate Charlie rasped, struggling to sit up, but his weakened state thwarted him, despite his chest wound being stitched up. "She came out to save me. She wouldn''t have been ambushed by those invisible bastards if it hadn''t been for me."


    Charles rose to his feet and surveyed the surroundings. His crew members were either dead or grievously injured. The sight was so brutal that it made his eyes turn red.


    At that moment, a doctor with a white beard stood up and announced in a solemn voice, "Governor Charles, I''m sorry, but we tried our best. There''s nothing more we could do,"


    A tremor coursed through Charles. <em>Am I going to lose yet another crew member? How many has it been now?</em>


    "Is there really no other way?" Charles crouched down next to Linda once more, his voice tinged with desperation.


    "The left ventricle of her heart is ruptured. It''s a wonder she''s alive even now. Surviving this long... it''s nothing short of miraculous."


    Charles'' gaze shifted downward, and he looked at Linda''s delicate features; she was so deathly pale, with the hue of her skin mirroring a bleached paper.


    Memories of their interactions flickered through Charles'' mind. Truth be told, they weren''t really considered friends; their rtionship had been strictly professional. However, profound sadness still struck Charles as he faced Linda''s imminent death.


    Soon, the sadness in him morphed into a billowing rage of fury toward the Fhtagn Covenant. He should have known that those deformed creatures wouldn''t sit idly by as he searched for the darkness. This wouldn''t be the end of it all; the earlier ambush was just the beginning.


    Suddenly, out of everyone''s expectation, Audric lowered his head, revealed his sharp fangs, and sank them into Linda''s neck.


    Linda''s body instantly arched like a bow as a harsh inhale escaped her open mouth.


    "You! What are you¡ª" The doctor beside widened his eyes in shock, but he was abruptly shoved aside by a steel hand.


    "Don''t just stand here; go save the others. You''re not needed here anymore," Charles instructed.


    As color slowly returned to Linda''s face, fangs slowly emerged between her lips. Her eyes suddenly snapped open and were fixated on Charles'' neck.


    Charles immediately turned toward Lily and instructed with urgency, "Lily! Grab sma packs from the storage cabin! Quick!"


    Soon, a mischief of mice returned with bags of vacuum-packed sma and ced them before Linda. Like a beast, she tore into each bag, taking onerge gulp after another ferociously. Only upon reaching her ninth bag did she gradually slow down. Wiping away the blood from her lips with the back of her hand, Linda stood up steadily.


    "How do you feel? Are you alright?" Charles asked excitedly; his ship''s doctor was back! It didn''t really matter to him that Linda was now a vampire; after all, being alive was better than being dead.


    Linda stared at Charles in a daze for a few seconds before lifting her right index finger to her right eye corner. She plunged her finger in and with a swift tug, she extracted three long nails, adhered with red and white viscous fluids. The red was a grisly mix of blood and rust.


    "Captain, thest follower of the Divine Light Order has vanished from this world. Perhaps, this religion should never have existed," Linda remarked as brain fluid leaked out from the inner corner of her eyes as though they were her tears.


    Audric rushed up toward Linda and pulled her into a tight embrace.


    "As long as you''re alive¡­ As long as you''re alive¡­" Audric murmured repeatedly.


    Audric wanted to help Linda back to her cabin to rest but thetter shook her head vigorously. Picking up her medical kit on the ground, she rushed toward the other injured crew members.


    Watching her retreating figure, Charles sensed a profound shift within her mind. He then turned toward First Mate Bandages, who was walking toward him.


    "Call off the exploration mission. We''re heading back," Charles instructed.


    Bandages nodded in affirmation and walked toward the cockpit that was now missing its shelter.


    Meanwhile, five kilometers away on the semi-desert, Margaret stood atop "King." Her gaze was icy as she stared at 134.


    Meanwhile, the mist figure cleared the vines from "King''s" insectile form. "King" let out a howl of pain as a mass of bloodied roots was violently torn off from him.


    134 appeared displeased as she whispered to herpanions while casting malicious nces at Margaret. However, Margaret knew 134 wouldn''t dare attack her right now. Mere childish antics wouldn''t have allowed 134 to haveplete control over Sottom for so many years.


    Margaret turned and walked toward the center of the ship. The bloodied, mangled flesh parted to reveal the ship''s original iron frame beneath the deck.


    She slowly descended the stairs. Apart from her own bloody footprints, several other sets of footprints trailed behind hers. They were left behind by the invisible guards that were her brother''s parting gift.


    "Stop following me; go and tend to your wounds," Margaretmanded. With that, the multiple sets of bloody footsteps behind her ceased.


    Margaret entered her cabin and shut the door behind her. Strands of hair stuck to the gaping wound on her face, each movement evoking a stinging pain. As the effect of the drug she had taken earlier faded, she was starting to feel the full impact of bruises and internal damage that Charles had inflicted on her.


    Slumping against the door, she slid to the floor as waves of pain wracked her body. Involuntary tremors coursed through her body. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall but never falling.


    After all, she was just a twenty-year-old girl. Her family tragedy forced her to feign a strong front, but it was all a facade. Deep down, she was still the same Margaret who was being protected by her family. More than the physical pain, it was the emotional anguish that overwhelmed her.

 Chapter 570: Double Agent

    Chapter 570: Double Agent


    The ss of water on the table in front of Margaret suddenly started bubbling violently. A few secondster, an octopus eye with a horizontal pupil appeared in the water.


    "How did you fail?! Everything was perfectly prepared!"


    Furrowing her elegant brows, Margaret endured the pain coursing through her body and slowly rose from the ground.


    "Someone had notified the nearby exploration ships. They rallied and came to save Charles. There''s a spy among your people," Margaret stated inly.


    "Stop making excuses! My people are fanatically devoted to God Fhtagn! They''ll never betray Him! Do you know how many of my undercover agents had beenpromised for this ambush?! More than half of them! But¡­ Charles is still alive!" A voice boomed from the water.


    "Charles is no fool. What was I supposed to do in those circumstances? Stay and wait for all his reinforcements to arrive? I would have died if I had done so!" Margaret clenched her teeth with palpable frustration.


    "I''m telling you, you have no way out! If you want to survive, you must obey mymands! Otherwise, on the Final Day, you and your people will drown in the rising sea!"


    Reluctantly, Margaret nodded in defeat. "Alright."


    Seeing that Margaret had relented, the voiceing from the octopus eye softened slightly. "Don''t return to the Colossal Hole Fortress yet. Charles'' men will be on guard. I will arrange for my people to deliver supplies to you. Stay hidden and wait for the next opportunity."A key yer is beginning to waver. Once he joins our alliance, Charles is as good as dead. No one can stop the Great One from awakening!" the octopus eye dered.


    "Yes," Margaret responded, bowing her head deeply in acknowledgment.


    The eye in the ss of water slowly faded away. Margaret silently approached it and lifted the cup to her lips, draining the water in one long gulp.


    Turning to the dresser beside her, she pulled open a drawer and took out a slender, silver needle. She then stood before the mirror and started to sew the gash across her forehead.


    "Excellent. Your act is very convincing; he didn''t suspect a thing," Julio''s voice echoed from the palm of her right hand.


    Margaret paused to roll up her sleeve, revealing her slender and fair arm.


    A grotesquely swollen mouth was embedded in it.


    "Must it be this real?" Margaret questioned.


    "Yes! Those Fhtagnists will only trust you if you y the part this well. Don''t worry, Charles is no ordinary man. You won''t be able to kill him with your own strength."


    "This isn''t just about him! This is for the Cavendish''s sovereignty over the Isle of Whereto! I must protect my ind with my own hands!" Margaret was quick to react, but she swiftly reined in her emotions.


    "Alright, but this isn''t over. Continue to keep the Fhtagnists in check. I will make moves from below to pressure them to strike again. If confrontation is inevitable, then we must control the narrative," Julio''s voice sounded again.


    "Just now, he mentioned a key figure wavering. Keep a sharp eye below," Margaret reminded.


    "I know; more and more people are wavering," Juliomented with a snort. "Some of the inds, including their governors, are even leaning toward the Fhtagnists. Cowards who choose to be monsters to stay alive!


    "But the next time, once we''vepletely eradicated thest of the Fhtagnists'' forces and disy our might, those cowards wille crawling back."


    Margaret pondered over Julio''s words as she continued stitching the wound on her head.


    "I have a concern, though," Margaret voiced out.


    "I told you¡­ you can''t tell Charles about this. There''s a Fhtagn spy around him. Even he himself bears the mark of Fhtagn! Telling him is as good as informing those Fhtagnists," Julio said in a stern and unwavering tone of voice.


    "It''s not about that. I''m talking about the monster, Anna. I''m afraid that she knows of our ns now. She could have killed me back then, but she held back."


    The swollen mouth on Margaret''s arm went silent for a moment before it spoke again. "Leave her to me. That woman harbors many secrets. I suspect that she''s not entirely on Charles'' side. But for now, she doesn''t seem to be one of the Fhtagnists'' spies."


    Margaret''s eyes narrowed slightly. "Did you uncover something?"


    "Just focus on your task. As long as youplete your mission, I assure you that Whereto will reim dominance over the Northern Seas."


    Margaret secured the final stitch and examined the centipede-like, terrifying scar. She then smoothed a lock of hair over the freshly sewn wound to cover both the scar and her right eye.


    "Saving the Subterranean Sea takes priority. Everything else can wait," Margaret responded.


    "One has to think of countermeasures for everything in advance. If things are left until thest minute, it''ll be toote."


    ***


    Sunlight bathed Hope Ind in a warm embrace. Nene clung to her mother, Donna, who was getting ready to leave for work.


    "Mommy, is the factory fun? What''s the factory like?"


    Donna lifted her daughter into her arms and nted a kiss on thetter''s cheek. Her eyes crinkled with a smile as she answered, "The factory is a great ce. As long as you work, you get free meals. And the money I make in a month is way more than what we''d earn from a year of farming.


    "Also, I''m stronger than many of them. Things they can''t move with two hands, I can lift with one. I''m not sure what''s wrong with those young girls. They''re always eating but they are weak without an ounce of strength. If they were sent to grow ryegrass at the World''s Crown, they''d starve."


    Nene nodded in admiration. "Yes! Mommy, you are amazing at farming!"


    After chatting with her daughter for a few more moments, Donna set Nene down and headed out to work. Compared to when she first arrived on Hope Ind, she was more at ease now. She now knew how safe it was on Hope Ind and was no longer as anxious as before.


    As soon as Donna left, Nene rushed toward the kitchen, grabbed some food, and dashed out of the house. She ran along the street for about five minutes before slipping into an alley.


    In the alley, a boy with a bed of green hair seemed to have been waiting for a long while. Upon seeing Nene, he eagerly took the food from her hands and devoured it hungrily.


    "I''m sorry, Mommy brought me out yesterday, so I couldn''t bring any food for you. Sorry for making you go hungry for a day," Nene said in an apologetic tone.


    "I feel like you''re feeding a kitten or something." A voice sounded from behind Nene.


    Nene turned around, and a radiant smile lit up her face. She approached the new presence and greeted, "Sparkle! You''re here too!"


    Sparkle took Nene''s hand and approached the boy with green hair. "I found information about you. Your name is Bart, right?"


    Bart gave no response and continued to chow on his food voraciously.


    "Feeding him like this isn''t a solution. To truly help someone, we shouldn''t just give them fish; we should teach them how to fish. We need to solve the problem from the root."


    "What should we do then? Give him a and teach him how to catch his own fish in the sea?"


    Sparkle rolled her eyes at Nene before tugging Bart toward the exit of the alley.


    Nene eyed her best friend, her gaze filled with curiosity. "Sparkle, some of the things you said just now sounded so profound; I don''t understand."


    Sparkle let out a soft sigh and replied, "You''ll understand when you grow up."


    With Sparkle leading the way, the trio made their way to the bustling heart of the ind and eventually stopped in front of a clean, two-story vi. The owner''s name was written on the sign beside the door.


    <em>ude Feuerbach </em>

 Chapter 571: Accident

    Chapter 571: ident


    ¡°Come on; let''s enter," Sparkle said as she tightened her grip on Nene''s hand while thetter was dragged along toward the vi with evident reluctance on her face.


    "Sparkle, this is someone else''s house. Isn''t it a bit rude to just enter without permission?"


    "This isn''t <em>someone else''s</em> house. It''s Bart''s house; he stays here."


    Nene''s eyes widened in astonishment as she took in thevish exterior of the vi. They were in the heart of the ind, the most prestigious district. Even at her young age, the adults around her had taught her the significance of one''s residence being in such a ce.


    "Then why doesn''t he have food to eat?" Nene wondered aloud.


    Meanwhile, Bart appeared deeply resistant to returning home. His face was painted with distress, but despite his reluctance, Sparkle''s insistent and forceful tugging brought him and Nene to the front door.


    With a push, the door swung open, and a wave of foul odor assaulted the trio''s nostrils. Garbage was strewn across the floor, and amidst the debris, a womany sprawled, surrounded by discarded wine bottles.


    "Bart, is that your mother?" Nene whispered in a barely audible voice.


    The green-haired boy''s struggle against Sparkle''s grip intensified. Eventually, his fear escted, and tears started streaming down his face.Sparkle gently lifted her hand, and the woman instantly vanished, only to reappear before them. The woman dropped from half a meter up,nding on the floor with a thud and enough force to sober up anyone drunk.


    The woman groggily opened her eyes. Upon seeing her five-year-old son standing before her, sheshed out with a p!


    "Crying! That''s all you know how to do!"


    The sound of the p echoed in the air, turning Bart''s cheek instantly flushed red. Bart bit down on his lower lip as he tried to suppress the tears that were threatening to spill.


    The scene that unfolded shocked Nene with fear. Her own mother had never raised a hand against her.


    "Why did you hit him? Usually, hitting someone means you hate them. As a mother, do you really hate your own son?" Sparkle asked calmly.


    It was only then that Marsha became aware of the two little girls standing beside her son.


    "Hate him? I wish I could kill him myself! He looks just like his father! Just seeing that head of green hair disgusts me!"


    Her painted nails reached out viciously and twisted the flesh on Bart''s arm with a cruel force. However, Bart could only stand still with his head bowed, too scared to dodge or cry.


    Watching a bruise darkened on Bart''s arm, a realization suddenly dawned upon Sparkle. "Now I know why he always likes to stay outside."


    "Sparkle, let''s go," Nene whispered with a slight tremble. She was scared of Bart''s mother and fearful that the woman might strike them just as she had on Bart.


    Sparkle remained unmoving but turned to face Marsha, "Tell me your troubles. Perhaps I can help you resolve them."


    Marsha erupted into wild, unhingedughter, her disheveled hair swinging as she rocked back and forth. Herughter intensified until it morphed into sobs.


    "Do you know what Feuerbach said to me before he left? He said that he was leaving for good and nevering back. And that he would leave everything on Hope Ind to me aspensation!"


    "Compensation? As if I needed his scraps! I must have been out of my mind to marry him!" Marsha''s voice broke as she spat out venomced words. "I held a knife to this brat''s throat to threaten him to stay. Yet, he didn''t even turn to spare us a nce. Lunatics! They''re all crazy!"


    "Crying won''t solve anything," Sparklemented, "Your child is hungry and even scavenging through trash to find food. That''s not right."


    "So what? He''s <em>my</em> child! I''ll treat him however I please!" Marsha retorted in an agitated tone, her spit speckling Sparkle''s face.


    As soon as the trio stepped out of the garbage-cluttered house, Nene exhaled a sigh of relief andmented, "I''m so d my mommy isn''t like that."


    Sparkle blinked in disbelief. "How strange. There''s actually someone who doesn''t love their own child."


    Nene turned toward Bart, who was a head shorter than herself. A sense of pity stirred in her, and she said, "Well then, I''ll bring you food every day from now on. After all, my family is wealthy now."


    Covering the bruise on his arm, Bart looked up at Nene and nodded. A smile appeared on his face for the first time as he reached out to take both Sparkle and Nene''s hands in his.


    "Do you know where your father went?" Maybe I can help bring him back," Sparkle asked.


    Bart shook his head with a lost expression. He quickly gestured with his hands to convey that he didn''t want his father and only wanted to be with them.


    "Sparkle," Nene called out. "Isn''t your daddy the captain of the ship his daddy is on? Can he do something about it?"


    "He''s really busy now and doesn''t have time to deal with these small issues. Oh, right, maybe I can ask my mommy." With that, Sparkle grabbed both their arms and vanished in a sh.


    After several teleports, the trio appeared in front of the Governor''s mansion on Hope Ind. Bart was clearly startled and turned to run. However, Sparkle caught him effortlessly.


    "Don''t run away. Mommy will help you resolve your issue," Sparkle reassured Bart.


    Bart shook his head vigorously in refusal, but Sparkle was undeterred. She pulled him along, and soon, they arrived in Anna''s office.


    In her office, Anna was engrossed in her work as she signed off her signature on documents with a feather quill. Two sets of blurry, flesh-like appendages extended from the back of her head and were managing other tasks simultaneously.


    Despite the terrifying scene, neither Bart nor Nene was startled. It was as if they saw nothing unusual.


    "Mommy, I have a situation here that needs your help," Sparkle approached Anna and exined Bart''s situation.


    "This isn''t an orphanage; why bring him to me? Think of a solution and handle this on your own. You''re nearly three years old now," Anna replied without looking up.


    Sparkled let out a sigh of defeat. Knowing that her mother wouldn''t help, she turned around to leave with herpanions. But before she could take a step, Anna suddenly called out to stop them.


    Anna lifted her gaze from the documents, and a yful smirk yed on her lips as her gazended on Bart. "Hmm¡­ I just so happen to be feeling a little hungry."


    With a casual flick of her wrist, Nene suddenly ran out of the room happily.


    Sparkle watched as Nene''s figure disappeared out of sight before turning back to Anna and Bart.


    "If you eat him, Daddy won''t be pleased, right?" Sparkle asked, her voice tense.


    "That depends on the situation. In this case, I doubt he would say anything," Anna replied. A tentacle instantly materialized and shot out of Anna''s shoulder. It seized Bart and hurled him viciously against the wall.


    The chilling sound of cracked bones filled the air as Bart slumped onto the ground. His limbs were contorted at weird angles as he let out hoarse cries of agony.


    Sparkle was stunned by her mother''s actions. She hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she did not intervene.


    "Stop pretending. I''ve seen through your disguise," Anna''s voice turned icy as she stared down at the writhing boy.


    Bart gave no reply and continued howling in pain.


    A chilling rip echoed through the air, and Bart was torn in half at the waist. His cries instantly ceased.


    The sharp clicks of her ck stilettos echoed as Anna crossed the room toward Bart''s remains. She leaned down and picked up a rib before forcefully snapping it into two.


    A glint of silvery metal appeared within the white bone. An intrigued smile appeared on her beautiful visage. "How interesting. Why does this remind me a little of Alice?"


    The upper half of Bart''s body twitched back to life. His pupils glowed with a faint blue light as he asked, "How did you find out?"


    "Humans are my food. I can sense even the slightest anomaly," Anna replied with a soft chuckle. "Son? You are actually a spy that Feuerbach left behind, aren''t you? Tell me, who is behind this? What is your motive for approaching my daughter?"

 Chapter 572: The Foundation

    Chapter 572: The Foundation


    A raspy voice emerged from Bart''s lips. It sounded like that of a man in his mid-thirties, a stark paradox with Bart''s small, battered form.


    Anna folded her arms across her chest and studied Bart with a curious gaze. "Let me guess, you''re with the Foundation, aren''t you?"


    Bart''s silence confirmed her guess, prompting Anna to nod in understanding.


    "That was a surprisingly easy guess. There''s no challenge at all. With that said, is my man so important to you guys for you guys to attach a spy on him for years?"


    Bart struggled to prop himself up with his twisted arms and pushed his shriveled body upright. With drops of blood trickling down the corners of his eyes, his eyes glowed with a blue light as he said, "Don''t think too highly of yourself. We ced NC91 on Charles'' ship then to monitor the Divine Light Order.


    "But the Light God knows us all too well, just as we know Him. The Divine Light Order has evaded all our countermeasures, and the chaos they created has severely disrupted our ns."


    Anna squatted down and rested her chin on one hand. Her eyes lit up with curiosity as she pressed further, "What ns? There aren''t even traces of the Foundation in the seascape. By the way, where are you guys now?"


    "Do you really think that you, an ingenious creature of this Subterranean Sea, are of equal footing to converse with us?" Bart questioned, his voice icy andced with evident disdain.


    "It''s not for you to decide if I''m qualified. The sea levels are rising, and the humans in the Subterranean Sea are on the brink of extinction. We''re left to save ourselves. Where are your people in all of this?" Anna retorted."How do you know we haven''t done anything? Every human in the Subterranean Sea was seeded by us. They''re like our children," Bart asserted.


    Anna smirked dismissively. "I really wished Charles was here; his banter with you would have been interesting to watch. But enough of sidetracking¡ªback to my original question: why did you send someone to get close to my daughter?"


    "Your child with Charles is a special existence. She''s a perfect confluence of the three energies¡ªhuman, Divinity, and Dioite. That''s why we wanted to get closer to her. We didn''t expect you to uncover it so soon."


    Anna''s lips curled into a faint smile. All of a sudden, her human form disintegrated to reveal a terrifying monster, and a tentacle coiled around Bart and lifted him up to her eye level.


    "I''m telling you, no matter where you are or what you are nning, if you darey a hand on my daughter, you''ll be buried once more!"


    <em>Crunch!</em>


    Bart''s head was crushed. His brain matter and blood spilled all over Anna''s tentacles.


    Time seemed to have frozen until Sparkle broke the stillness. She walked over to Anna and wrapped her arms around her mother. Pressing her cheek against a slick tentacle forfort, Sparked asked, "Mommy¡­ who are they?"


    "A bunch of people who believe in serving mankind. Sadly, we are not humans. Sparkle, let''s keep this between us; your father has enough on his te. I''ll handle this," Anna spoke softly.


    "Okay."


    Anna used her tentacle to caress Sparkle''s tiny face tenderly and said, "Remember, in this world, power is everything. Only by possessing strength that surpasses all others, even at the cost of sacrifices, can you ensure that no one can threaten us."


    Sparkle nodded with a firm resolve. "I want to grow up quickly. I''m not growing fast enough. When I be an adult, I''ll be able to protect you and Daddy. No one will be able to threaten us then."


    ***


    <em>April 5, 808</em>


    <em>Thest ambush by Margaret has inflicted heavy damage on us. Nearly half the crew had perished; we were forced to abandon the mission and make the return journey.</em>


    <em>But it''s no easy task to return to the Colossal Hole Fortress. Though the Narwhale was ted with the highly durable Type-3 Steel, the material was nearly wrecked after the cannon barrage. Halfway through the journey, our turbine chamber even went out.</em>


    <em>Fortunately, the other explorers were behind us. Using towing ropes, they pulled us safely back to the Colossal Hole Fortress. Anna had already notified the Fortress, and the military presence there had intensified. Now, anyone hoping to descend to the sea had to undergoyers of strict security checks.</em>


    <em>However, I have a feeling that Margaret won''t be captured so easily. This isn''t over yet. After a strategic discussion with Julio and the others, it turned out that I wasn''t the only one who had gotten ambushed. Three other groups had also been attacked.</em>


    <em>It seems that those bastards who have sold their souls to the evil god are getting restless now that they heard we''ve stumbled upon a clue to the darkness'' whereabouts.</em>


    <em>The Narwhale has been sent to the shipyard on Annarles Ind for repairs. It''s a major overhaul this time and the process would probably take a long while. To avoid wasting time, I''ve decided to use a different exploration vessel for our next mission.</em>


    <em>Fortunately, the power of the industrial revolution is starting to show its might. All the factories are working around the clock, twenty-four hours a day. The collective manpower and resources of the entire seascape areing together, shining brightly and fueling our salvation.</em>


    <em>With the industrial chain established, the duration needed to modify exploration vessels has shortened.</em>


    Charles was absorbed in penning his journal entry when a cacophony from outside drew his attention. He turned his head toward the window to see a throng of people pouring out in a dark wave from the giant airship that hadnded in the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    Their attire was particr. Most of them were cloaked in ck capes. As Charles watched, some transformed into bats and circled in the airspace overhead. He immediately knew their identities; they were vampires from the Dark Crystal Ind.


    Another group of people stood out from the people who had disembarked from the airship. They were garbed in robes adorned with strange inscriptions, and most of them were elderly. Charles recognized the man leading the group. He was Harold, the representative of the Western Seas.


    Charles wasn''t surprised. In fact, this arrangement was part of a strategic response they had conceived after recent events¡ªto have Harold bring some men to station at the Colossal Hole Fortress to prevent any repeats of the previous incident.


    Charles tucked the journal into his coat pocket and stepped outside.


    However, Harold seemed preupied and didn''t have time for Charles. His white hair was almost glowing as he engaged in a deep, animated discussion with the other mages.


    "The magic here is frighteningly abundant! I can feel power coursing through my veins," a mage eximed.


    "Yes, I agree! I believe this ce amplifies spells. Even the most basic Sthrow spell would be at least three times more powerful than below," another added.


    Charles watched in puzzlement at the group of mages before him, their faces flushed with excitement. What was this magic that they spoke of so fervently? It seemed far from ordinary.


    Meanwhile, Harold had noticed Charles. With his ck crystal staff in hand, Harold strode toward Charles.


    "Charles, we finally met in person. It''s a pleasure," Harold greeted.


    "How many did you bring with you this time?" Charles asked as he eyed the group behind Harold.


    "Three hundred. But don''t worry, they are the elites of the Western Seas and include members of the Gantt family, who are adept in soul magic. We will keep a guard against everyone to make sure the previous incident will never happen again," Harold answered.


    Charles nodded. "Good to hear that. The telegraph tower has also been erected, a double safeguard."


    Harold smiled in agreement before he continued, "By the way, given the current instability, I''d advise you to hold off on any further expeditions."


    However, Charles dismissed the suggestion with a shake of his head. "There''s no avoiding it. The seawater has already submerged the lower reaches of the harbor districts. Time is not on our side."

 Chapter 573: Setting Off Again

    Chapter 573: Setting Off Again


    "We''re saying three years, but we actually have only two years at most. If we wait until the inds are submerged, it''ll be toote for us by then even if we retrieve the darkness," Charles said, his brows slightly furrowed as he stared at Harold before him.


    "Yes, you''re right. And that is the reason we''re working together. By the way, I heard that a clue about the darkness has been found. How''s it going? Is there any progress toward that clue?" Harold asked.


    "We should go to the Explorers Association and talk about that there. The association has maps that will allow you to see what has been going on without any bias," Charles responded.


    Harold nodded and followed closely behind Charles as they headed to the Explorers Association. As always, the Explorers Association was bustling with many people going to and fro.


    The majority of the exploration captains here were turning in their mission findings. There were so many people that the din inside the hall was reminiscent of a market''s din.


    The surface map was hanging on the wall, and the map had expanded significantly. There were many different icons on the map, and there were plenty of them on the west side of the map, marking out dangerous areas for future explorers.


    "Do you see this?" Charles said, pointing at the map with his chin raised. "The fastest exploration team has explored close to five hundred kilometers ofnd. We''re progressing rapidly overall."


    "What are those red arrows?"


    "Each red arrow represents an explorer who has yet to return. This map was only made possible due to the sacrifice of the explorers."Harold nodded with satisfaction and said, "I finally know where the people and the resources that we have invested have gone. Life is getting harder and harder down below, and the people''s survival there is tied to our sess on the surface."


    Charles'' expression was solemn as he stared intently at the map before him. "Every sacrifice for the greater good is worth it. This is our only hope."


    After pondering for a moment, Harold asked Charles again, "By the way, when do you n on setting off again? If you have some time until then, some people from the Western Seas have been wanting to see you."


    Charles looked around vigntly and saw explorers in various attires walking past him. "We should not talk about that here. There''s no way the Fhtagn Covenant has given up yet."


    "Indeed," Harold said, nodding. "Caution is necessary after what happened."


    "We should go to a private room," Charles said. He led Harold to the counter next to them and walked into the heavily guarded private room. The higher-ups of the Explorers Association often discussed serious matters in this private room.


    "Actually, I <em>did </em>find something. I''m nning on searching in that direction next time. My passage n isn''t on the map, as I don''t want any third party knowing my next move," Charles said, sitting down on the sofa in the private room.


    "Did you really find a clue about the darkness?" Harold asked, looking extremely nervous.


    Charles nced at Harold before looking down and taking out a photo from his pocket. "Perhaps we''ve found a witness to the Light God''s death."


    Harold reached out to grab the photo with his wrinkled right hand. The ce shown in the photo looked like a semi-desert region and appeared to be not too different from the semi-desert of the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    However, there was one distinct difference between the semi-desert region where the Colossal Hole Fortress was located and the semi-desert region shown in the photo¡ªthetter was full of pits and holes, and there were two tracked treads that seemed to have been left behind by a gargantuan plow.


    The tracked treads extended way beyond the end photo as well.


    "What is this?" Harold asked in surprise.


    "You''re staring at the traces that 068 had left behind. The Light God had decided to bring 068 with Him while He was in the process of recreating His body. Judging from the traces that it had left behind, it has started on a brand-new journey."


    Charles hadn''t forgotten about 068; the city made out of the Foundation''s relics. The people there had to know something. It would be perfect if they managed to discover the identity of the Light God''s murderer through those entities.


    "Do you really have to go there by yourself? How about you send people there instead?" Harold asked.


    Charles was quiet. He had no idea how to exin to Harold the fact that 068 was aputer and that he knew the people there the best.


    "The Explorers Association has already sent some people there, but that ce isn''t as simple as you think. I think it''s better for me to go there in person. I''ve dealt with them once, after all."


    The wrinkles on Harold''s face rose as he revealed a smile, saying, "Very well. It''s great that we now have a clue. Go ahead on your journey with peace of mind, and leave this ce to me."


    "Mmhm, I''ll tell the person in charge of the Colossal Hole Fortress to help you settle in. In the meantime, your people must limatize to life in the fortress as soon as possible. I''ve heard about how the people of the Western Seas'' have many customs that they follow, but I hope that all of you can restrain yourselves here. We''re not on a sightseeing tour, after all."


    "Of course, of course," Harold said, handing the photo back to Charles. "We are going to restrain ourselves. After all, saving the Subterranean Sea is our top priority."


    Soon, Harold and Charles walked out of the private room again. After handling a few affairs, Charles left three dayster at dawn.


    Having learned from his mistake, Charles'' trip became top secret. No one knew in which direction they''d set off except for the higher-ups of the Explorers Association.


    The surface world''s semi-desert biome was overwhelmingly vast. Without specific coordinates, it was impossible for anyone to reach a certain destination. Two bats circled the vessel, patrolling in mid-air to prevent any ambushes.


    Charles was in the Captain''s Quarters and was staring at the map on the wall, which had a line representing the distance between the Colossal Hole Fortress and 068''s traces.


    Charles proceeded to draw a duplicate of the map before standing up to patrol his vessel. Before he could leave, a tentacle covered in ck scales stretched out from behind him and wrapped around his neck gently.


    Charles caught a whiff of a familiar fragrance, and he instantly discovered whose tentacle had wrapped around his neck. He lowered his head to kiss the tentacle before asking, "Why are you here? Is something wrong?"


    "I was just missing you." Anna''s soft figure slipped into Charles'' arms from the side. She wasn''t wearing anything at all. There was a tacit understanding between their lips and tongues; Charles enjoyed the rare moment of pleasure and vented his umted stress.


    Since his journey on the surface world started, Charles barely had any time to be alone with his wife, as the two of them were pretty busy with their own affairs.


    After an extended moment of deeper intimacy, Annaid her head on Charles'' chest and listened to his softening breaths.


    "What are you thinking right now?" Anna asked.


    "I''m thinking about how to preserve this moment forever. I really don''t want to think about the darkness that has disappeared nor of the Fhtagn Covenant that wants to take revenge on me," Charles replied, stroking Anna''s smooth and delicate back gently with his hands.


    "You''re not a robot, nor are you made of iron. You should rest when you''re tired."


    Charles shook his head slightly, and he hugged Anna tighter with clenched fists.


    "I was just thinking out loud. Now isn''t the time to rest. Time is not on our side, after all," Charles remarked.


    Anna stroked the bandages on Charles'' face. The next moment, her sharp nails tore the bandages open, revealing Charles'' blood-red skull and the intermingled flesh and blood underneath.


    "Look at what you''ve be. If there were a young Charles imitation contest, you wouldn''t even pass the qualifying round."

 Chapter 574: Ambushed

    Chapter 574: Ambushed


    Charles was amused. Afterughing heartily for a few moments, he said, "I know I look terrible right now, but I have no time to patch this up. I''ll find some time to get myself patched up once everything has been stabilized.


    "Please bear with my horrible looks until then."


    "It doesn''t really matter, and it''s not like I have the best looks. Moreover, your womanizer antics will no longer work with this look of yours," Anna replied. Then, she seemed to have recalled something as a tiny crack appeared on her forehead.


    A spider with a red pattern resembling an eye crawled out from Anna''s forehead and leaped onto Charles'' face. Then, it burrowed into Charles'' shriveled right eye socket.


    "<em>Phew~ </em>Thanks, my vision is clearer now," Charles said before rubbing his right eye with his hand.


    "You have to be a bit more careful when handling your eye. That spider is rare even throughout the Subterranean Sea. Once those spiders from Redwood Ind are extinct, you''ll lose an eye forever."


    Charles smiled at Anna and stroked her shoulder before asking, "Anna, are you hiding something from me?"


    Anna was caught off guard by the abrupt question. However, she wasn''t flustered as she calmly said, "Yeah, I''ve been hiding quite a bit of information, actually."


    "Sure, don''t worry about it; I was just asking."Charles let go of Anna and sat up before getting dressed.


    "Are you mad at me?" Anna asked, stretching her alluring figurezily as shey on her side.


    "No, why would I be mad at you? Of course, I''m curious as to why you would hide things from me."


    "Well, you can go ahead and guess what I''m hiding from you whenever you have nothing to do."


    Charles picked up the sexy clothes on the floor and handed them to Anna, saying, "I don''t have time for that. Let''s save that for when we finally have some time to rx in the future."


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    A deafening explosion tore through the air as Charles was abruptly flung upward. Anna was sent flying as well, and Charles instantly realized that the Narwhale had been ambushed, suffering a heavy blow.


    Anna and Charles'' tentacles burst out of them, stabilizing them in mid-air. ck fur grew all over Charles, and he flew toward the window on the side.


    Anna''s alluring figure morphed into a tentacle monster. Her tentacles pushed against the wall, propelling her toward Charles. "I''m joining you."


    Charles pped his fleshy wings, pushing him into the air above the semi-desert region around them.


    A white bloated maggot had drilled out of the ground and was trying to drag the Narwhale''s bow toward the tunnel where it hade from. The white bloated maggot was none other than the "King" of Sottom.


    Margaret had attacked them once again!


    Charles didn''t rescue his crew immediately. He took his time, flying up high to look around. He saw no other enemies. It seemed that Margaret hade alone with her crew.


    Charles finally descended and saw his crew fighting the attackers in a chaotic battle. "King" had summoned a dense swarm of insects, and he seemed to have ferried quite a few Fhtagnists as well.


    "Second Mate! Use the telegraph to call for reinforcements from the nearby exploration teams and from the Colossal Hole Fortress!!" Charles roared toward the bridge. Then, he and Annanded on the messy deck.


    The enemies reacted quickly in the face of Charles and Anna''s arrival.


    The ck-robed Margaret and 134 rushed toward them.


    Just as Anna was about to pounce on Margaret, Charles beat her to the chase, reaching Margaret before she could do so. Anna stared briefly at Charles'' back before turning to 134 and blocking her way to Charles.


    <em>ng!</em>


    Margaret''s dagger and the ck spike that had burst out of Charles'' steel palm collided in mid-air.


    Bright white electric arcs danced across Charles'' tentacles as they wrapped around her and shocked her nonstop. However, Margaret ignored the lightning attacks. Her defense was so solid that she could ignore Charles'' lightning attacks.


    At most, Charles'' lightning attacks would only inflict pain. Margaret proved that she had a high pain tolerance as she raised her dagger up high and thrust it toward Charles'' heart.


    The invisible tentacles converged before Charles'' chest, taking the brunt of Margaret''s attack for him. The next moment, Charles counterattacked, sending the ck spike toward Margaret''s neck in a thrust.


    However, a torrent of ck water drilled out of Margaret''s ck robe and shrouded the ck spike before disappearing into thin air.


    The two briefly made contact before jumping backward, widening the distance between each other. Charles red at the pool of ck water receding back into Margaret and asked, "The Fhtagn Covenant gave you a new toy to y with?"


    Margaret didn''t respond. The torrent of ck water swirled and flowed into her hand. Charles'' ck spike then reappeared in her grasp. Margaret wasted no time; she kicked off of the ground and pounced on Charles as if she were a cheetah.


    <em>Swoosh! </em>


    The air let out a shrill cry as the ck spike shed at Charles'' face, but he managed to dodge it by a hair''s breadth.


    "Did your father not warn you about taking other people''s relics?" Charles asked. A radiant white electric arc manifested and ran across Margaret. This time, however, she let out an agonized scream; the ck spike had amplified her pain sensitivity by three times.


    Charles saw an opportunity before him and decisively made his move. He raised his hand, and the ck spike buried itself into Margaret''s neck, inflicting more pain on her. To make matters worse, the electrified tentacles wrapped around her emitted a radiant light, and the extreme pain almost sent her into aa.


    Charles pulled out another ck spike and pressed it against her neck before asking, "Do you have anything you want to say to me?"


    Upon seeing that Margaret would soon die at Charles'' hands, 134 turned and rushed toward Margaret, but Anna easily blocked her. Anna had a meaningful smile tugging at her lips, treating the unfolding scene as if it were a show.


    Margaret felt paining from her neck as the ck spike pierced her tough skin. She looked down with difficulty, staring at Charles'' terrifying visage. The next moment, tears rolled down slowly from her eyes.


    Charles raised his prosthetic arm and clenched his fist. Then, he brought down his hand like a hammer on the ck spike pressing against Margaret''s neck.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A soft purple light illuminated Charles from behind. Charles turned and saw Harold standing before a group of mages in robes adorned with strange inscriptions.


    The reinforcements from the Colossal Hole Fortress had arrived.


    "How did youe here so quickly?" Charles asked Harold.


    Harold''s face was exceptionally cold, and hisugh lines became like two ck lines as he stared coldly at Charles. When he raised the ck crystal staff in his hand, the mages behind him raised their staffs as well. The surrounding temperature rose rapidly, and even the air distorted beneath the heat.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Harold and the mages brought their staff down at the same time, pointing them at Charles.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A towering column of me engulfed both Charles and Margaret in the blink of an eye. A massive fireball then manifested before bursting open, sending rolling mes in all directions. The mes illuminated everyone''s faces.


    Anna''s expression stiffened, but she quickly calmed down. Thirty meters away from the towering column of mes, Charles had an arm wrapped around Margaret''s shoulders as he vomited nonstop.


    "<em>Ugh¡­ </em>I really don''t¡­ like this relic. The side effect seems to be getting worse as well. <em>Bleeeck!</em>"


    Margaret cast an astonished gaze at Charles. He had actually saved her.


    "Are you surprised why I didn''t leave you there to die? To be honest, I started having doubts about what was going on when Anna decided not to kill you during our previous encounter," Charles said. His tentacles then let go of Margaret, and he also pulled out the ck spike sticking out of her neck.

 Chapter 575: Trump Card

    Chapter 575: Trump Card


    "I''m no fool either. Ever since the previous ambush, I''ve had this inkling that something was off. After analyzing the various contradictions, I am certain someone was using both you and me as chess pieces. So, who is it this time?" Charles asked.


    "Governor Julio."


    Hearing the sinct response from Margaret, a cold smirk surfaced on Charles'' countenance. "Just as I thought, it was him."


    Margaret''s gaze wavered as she stared at Charles. A myriad of feelings stirred in her heart; she took a breath topose herself before she continued, "You were right before. I''m not cut out for explorations. So to save Whereto, I had to do what I do best, and that is to lure out the spies nted by the Fhtagn Covenant."


    Charles turned around to scrutinize Margaret. Under his intense gaze, Margaret shifted ufortably. He let out a soft chuckle and said, "It''s great that you didn''t actually align yourself with the Fhtagnists. Thank you for going this far for me. Let''s have a proper chat when this is all over."


    Margaret''s expression turned icy rapidly. "I didn''t do this for you. I promised my father that I would revive Whereto again. Father''s Isle of Whereto will always be an ind for humans, not a ce for sea monsters."


    Charles studied Margaret''s side profile that was hidden partially by her cascading hair. "We still need to talk; I don''t like leaving things unresolved."


    At this moment, the heat from the curling waves of the fire receded to reveal Harold''s weathered face.


    "Charles, you don''t seem surprised at all?" Harold questioned."Surprised? What''s there to be surprised about? Why did you think I revealed my location to you previously? Since everyone is ying their part ording to the script, I should do my part too," Charles said as his gaze drifted past the group of mages andnded on the distant horizon.


    Clouds of dust billowed from the purple haze as a dozen massive wagons, driven by towering giants over three meters tall, entered the picture. They were the Haikors, who hade out on their own exploration missions. Only the elites renowned within their kind for their formidable prowess would be qualified for such a task.


    Having anticipated his adversaries'' moves, Charles had made countermeasures. Given that the suspected informant was an insider, they would be alerted if he made use of any resources belonging to Hope Ind. However, they wouldn''t have any idea if he decided to cooperate with these reclusive yet powerful giants.


    The addition of the Haikors on the battlefield changed the tidespletely. The crew of the Narwhale and the kings of Sottom were caught off guard. They ceased their battles, puzzled by the sudden turn of events.


    "Lily, rotate the cannons! Target: the mages from the Western Seas!" Charlesmanded.


    Apanied by a series of squeaks, the deck guns swiveled, their dark muzzles pointing ominously toward Harold''s group.


    In an instant, the mags realized they were encircled¡ªby Charles'' crew, "King" of Sottom, and the approaching massive carriages driven by the Haikors.


    Yet, despite their dire predicament, there was not a single trace of panic on the faces of Harold or his over twenty followers. Instead, a dismissive smirk yed upon their lips.


    "Charles, previously, you said that there was only a single solution to resolve our situation¡ªand that is to find the darkness. But you are wrong; there is a second solution, which is to abandon the losing side and join the winning side."


    "The winning side? What good does joining the Fhtagn Covenant do for you? Do you really think those Divinities care about you? You''re just mere ants in their eyes, you traitors to your own kind!" Charles spat out, his voice thick with disdain.


    Harold shook his head slightly; his gaze remained unwavering. "No, you''re wrong. You don''t understand the true significance of the Great One. The Fhtagnists had shown me that our magical strength originated from the Great One! Everything that we are came from Him!"


    Charles had no intention of further engaging in this pointless debate. With Harold having such unwavering resolve, any further discussion would be futile.


    "Fire!" Charlesmanded.


    With a powerful thrust from the gunpowder, huge cannonballs soared from their barrels and continuously rained down upon the mages. However, the expected sound of the explosions was never heard.


    On the right side, five mages quickly stuffed a squishy, gel-like substance into their mouths. In unison, they mmed the bottoms of their staves onto the ground. A semi-transparent dome was conjured in an instant and enveloped the entire group.


    Upon striking the barrier, the cannonballs rolled across the surface, their speed decreasing until they eventually stopped and stuck harmlessly on it.


    "Gunpowder, machinery, gears¡­ Do you really think that these worthless creations of mortals can defeat power granted by a Divinity?"


    For the first time ever since they came to know each other, Charles saw Harold''s face contorted with rage. His white beard quivered like writhing tentacles.


    "You think we are a bunch of old fogeys who can''t keep up with times and would soon be obsolete. You think that the era of mages being high up on the hierarchical pyramid has long passed! Fools! Our magic is bestowed by a Divinity! It is you who would be obsolete!" Harold''s voice thundered.


    As he spoke his final word, the ground around him and his group began to crack, eventually giving way to a miniature ind. This ind then detached from the ground and rose, lifting the group of mages into the air.


    Complex, indecipherable arcane incantations filled the air as over twenty mages chanted various spells. Their words wielded power as they summoned the forces from around them. They poured ck-purple ink onto the ground. The ink seemed toe alive under their chants and writhed like living creatures, weaving around the mages to form intricate, interlocking magical arrays.


    Under the shadow of the floating ind, Charles and his allies wore grave expressions. They were clearly aware that the mages were preparing an ultimate move.


    Various kinds of attacks were hurtled toward the floating ind in a desperate attempt to intercept the mages frompleting their attack.


    Two giant bats, each clutching one of Anna''s tentacles, swooped close to the ind. Anna had taken control of Charles'' vampire crew.


    As soon as they neared the massive dome, Anna pointed a tentacle at one of the mages. Suddenly, the mage inside the dome ceased his chanting. Like a ferocious beast, he lunged at the mage next to him and tore into thetter''s face.


    <em>Woosh!</em>


    Harold lowered his staff, and a strong gaze abruptly swept the vampires away as if they were mere leaves in a storm.


    Just then, a sudden, hauntingly beautiful melody pierced through the howling wind to reach everyone''s ears. Some of the mages began to swell, their skin bloating unnaturally as moss crept over the backs of their hands.


    <em>Screeeeech!</em>


    A sharp, piercing sound instantly cut through the chaos and counteracted against 134''s song.


    As Annanded on her feet, Charles turned toward Margaret with his brows furrowed. "What''s Julio''s backup n? Don''t tell me he just sent you here on a suicide mission?"


    Those mages appeared hard to deal with. If it came down to a battle of attrition, many lives would be sacrificed.


    As the eerie glow from the floating ind intensified, the shadows of everyone around began to stir. They started to detach from their owners and converged toward the ind.


    With a stoic expression, Julio emerged from the corpulent folds of "King." He walked up to Charles'' side and looked up at the floating ind with his arms crossed.

 Chapter 576: Canyon

    Chapter 576: Canyon


    "You actually showed up in person. That was unexpected," Charlesmented, turning to look at Julio standing next to him.


    "I had toe, else I wouldn''t be at ease. With his head as a warning, the rest should fall in line. I just didn''t expect it to be him, though."


    As soon as Julio''s words fell, the ck floating ind shrouded in shadows crashed powerlessly to the ground and shattered into pieces.


    "Is it appropriate to use me as bait without even telling me?" Charles questioned again.


    Julio cast an icy side nce at Charles. "I never trust anyone, and that includes my own son. So what makes you think I''d trust you? Truth be told, you could be in league with the Fhtagn Covenant too."


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A burst of white mes suddenly engulfed the dark shadow that enveloped the floating ind, and the ind burned away rapidly.


    With a darkened face, Harold led his mages to emerge out of the rubble. Despite being in dust and ash, they were unscathed.


    "We can talk about thister. Let me handle the matter at hand first," Julio replied. Taking a step forward with his right foot, he then charged toward the mages alone.Anna approached Charles from the side. Casting a nce at Margaret, she linked her arm intimately with Charles'' before leaning her soft lips close to his ear and whispered, "Aren''t you going to help? You n to just stand here and watch?"


    "He can deal with it first," Charles replied, his voice carrying a hint of hostility. "We haven''t settled the issue of him using me as bait. Since he ims to be the strongest in the Subterranean Sea, I''m curious to see how powerful he really is."


    On the distant battlefield, a fireball the size of a small house hurtled through the air. However, Julio didn''t dodge; instead, he charged straight into it.


    A trail of afterimages followed him as he emerged from the fiery sea of mes and came face to face with a female mage.


    Charles had expected Julio to use some attack to dispatch the enemy. But contrary to his anticipation, Julio simply rammed into the female mage, and thetter''s body shattered like ss upon impact.


    "Charles, look at Julio''s neck; he sprouted some dark green scales. It''s probably rted to his formidable physical strength," Anna eximed as she peered through binocrs; Charles had no idea what she got it from.


    "Rumor has it that he is indeed formidable. However, the source of his strength was never mentioned in those circting stories. He probably has some unique method," Charles spected as his eyes remained fixated on the battlefield ahead.


    Watching Julio relentlessly ughter his followers, Harold''s eyes turned red with rage. He mustered all his strength to bellow aplex arcane incantation.


    Julio gradually slowed down. Though there was no water nearby, his clothes and hair began to dampen and dissolve rapidly as if soaked by an invisible liquid.


    Charles contemted if he should intervene, but before he could make a move, Julio flicked his right thumb against his little finger. Instantly, the debuff on Julio was transferred to another nearby mage.


    "The relics on him are powerful too, probably the best among the entire seascape," Charles voiced his analysis.


    "They do seem impressive," Anna concurred. "I''ll ask him about themter. If he sells all those relics to you, that will significantly increase your chances of surviving your explorations."


    "Do you think that''s possible with his personality?" Charles retorted.


    Margaret had been listening in on their conversation. Just then, she turned silently and walked toward 134. She had noticed the little girl''s malevolent gaze on Charles'' back.


    Faced with Julio''s formidable strength, Harold and his group of mages stood no chance. Even if they were tobine their efforts and cast a powerful, collective spell, they only managed to leave a tiny scratch on Julio''s stomach.


    Harold surveyed his surroundings; the encirclement around them did not even intervene. Bodies of his fallenrades were also strewn across the ground. Realization sank in¡ªit was an utter defeat. He had fallen into their trap from the very beginning.


    Meanwhile, Julio was looking at Harold, his gaze like that of a cat toying with a mouse.


    Harold blinked. The sudden sound of cracking bones echoed. A violent shudder coursed through his body as he felt the intense pain of a broken rib. He looked down to see a gory, flesh-torn crater on his left chest.


    Harold felt as though pieces of bone shards had pierced through his lungs. With every breath he took, it felt as if his chest were scorched by fire.


    "Don''t put up too much of a struggle; it would be a hassle to put your shattered pieces back together. I still need your head to intimidate the others," Juliomented coldly.


    "You¡­ You don''t know the power you''re fighting against! Do you really think you''re strong? In the presence of the Great One, you are nothing!" Harold bellowed in a strained voice.


    Harold forcefully twisted off the ck crystal from his staff. The subtly glowing crystal exploded into fine powder. Grabbing the powder, he shoved it into his mouth.


    An eerie, violet light began to emanate from within Harold; the surroundings trembled ever so slightly.


    Julio''s brow furrowed slightly, his calf muscles also tensing in preparation. It was time to end off the old mage once and for all.


    Just then, Charles'' fear-filled cry shouted from behind Julio, "Run!!"


    The next second, a piercing steam whistle sted through the chaos¡ªfour short sts, it was a signal to take urgent evacuation.


    A hint of disdain flickered across Julio''s face. <em>Such reactions from this mere thing in front of me? I have killed my fair share of Western Seas'' mages before. A threat of this level¡­</em>


    But before Julio could continue his train of thought, he felt a relic embedded within his body shatter. It was a relic meant to forewarn imminent danger. It had served him faithfully for decades, and even in the most dire situations in those years, it had never shattered. However, it had actually shattered today.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Julio''s figure vanished into thin air, leaving only a cracked patch of ground where he had stood.


    Having heard the ship''s whistle, everyone began to scatter rapidly, making a hasty retreat. Seeing their cowardly actions, Harold burst into loud, mockingughter.


    "Hahahah! Are you afraid now? Mere mortals! I wield the power of the Divinity, I¡ª"


    However, Harold''s arrogant boast was swiftly cut off as his figure vanished from sight.


    Everyone instantly turned around to look but was stunned by the scene before them. Where Harold had been standing, a vast, unfathomable canyon had appeared out of nowhere.


    It was a real canyon that appeared out of thin air without any sound or forewarning signs.


    Everyone was taken aback, their eyes widening in shock as they tried to understand the scene before them. What they couldn''t see, Charles could see.


    A massive, cylindrical root shimmered with an eerie purple light as it slowly rose from the depths of the canyon and then retracted back into the purple mist above.


    <em>A Divinity? </em>The thought flickered through Charles'' mind. However he didn''t feel any mental corruption; there were no hallucinations or visions clouding his senses, too.


    Yet, for some inexplicable reason, Charles felt that this presence was far more powerful than any Divinities he had ever encountered before.


    Julio silently returned to the group. He said nothing, but he was tensed up like a coiled spring. Charles could see the fear in Julio''s eyes. Julio has seen the root, too.


    Julio stopped next to Charles. After an extended pause, he finally looked up and said, "Issue an edict to your people not to use magic on the surface. It will attract¡­attract¡­ attract¡­ bad things."

 Chapter 577: Each to Their Own

    Chapter 577: Each to Their Own


    The people who had surrounded the mages gathered together in the vast and deste semi-desert region. There were many of them, but none of them spoke, and their expressions were particrly solemn.


    The unfathomable and expansive canyon that had appeared out of nowhere was the reason behind the strange air above everyone.


    They had sessfully suppressed their enemies, but they couldn''t feel any joy at their sess at all, as they knew that if the cylindrical root had moved ever so slightly, they would have perished. The casualties would include Julio, who was known to be the most powerful Governor of the Subterranean Sea.


    A mortal''s strength was nothing before it.


    "<em>Cough, cough!</em>" A noselessrge-framed bald man coughed. He was the leader of the Haikor Tribe members here, and he said, "My men reached around and measured it. It was eleven nautical miles in length."


    Neither Charles leaning against the ship''s hull, nor Julio squatting on the gunwale said anything. Margaret nced at Charles next to her, but she remained silent.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The giant punched the ground and roared, "Who the hell can tell me what that thing was?!"


    The giant appeared exceptionally terrifying in his enraged state. His blood-red gums were exposed, and he looked like he was going to devour anyone just to satiate his fury. However, Charles knew that he was just venting his fear in the form of anger.


    Julio waved his hand lightly, and a gust of dust flying toward them returned to where it came from. Julio raised his head, revealing a solemn expression as he said, "Could it be that the entity we saw just now was the Light God''s murderer? Has It been watching us from above all this while?"


    Everyone simultaneously looked up at the dim and eerie purple light in the depths of the thin purple mist in the sky.


    Charles recalled that the massive, cylindrical root earlier was shimmering in the same purple light as the sky before them. He cast a deep gaze at the purple mist before ncing at Julio. The answer to Julio''s question need not be said.


    Anna wrapped an arm around Charles'' arm and rested her head on his shoulder before saying, "If the Light God really wanted to go to space, he would have to confront the entity up above."


    Charles'' calloused right hand rubbed the back of Anna''s hand. The next moment, he pped his hands, attracting everyone''s attention.


    "There''s no time to waste. For now, we can''t afford to waste time deducing the identity of that entity we just saw, so let us set it aside for now.


    "Bandages, use the telegraph to notify the Colossal Hole Fortress about everything they need to know. Tell them to forbid entry to any mages and pass down an order to build an underground shelter inside the colossal hole.


    "We have to be prepared for the possibility that the root we saw just now might attack us from above.


    "Anna, Margaret, and Julio¡ªyou three should go back down and stabilize the situation there. The Haikors and I will continue exploring ording to the original n."


    The group exchanged nces before eventually deciding to follow Charles'' orders.


    Julio walked through the moving crowd and walked up to Charles. Julio cast aplex gaze at Charles before saying, "Good luck. Leave everything down below to me. A steady stream of supplies and personnel is guaranteed as long as the inds down below haven''t submerged yet."


    There had been some animosity between the two of them not too long ago, but the two were nowrades fighting on the same front in the face of the bizarre Divinity that they had witnessed earlier.


    Most importantly, both Charles and Julio were humans.


    Charles started walking toward his ship with Anna by his side, but he came to a halt upon seeing Margaret with her back turned to him in the distance.


    "Go ahead first. I still have something to do."


    Anna nced at Margaret, and then she revealed a disdainful look before pping Charles on the buttocks, saying, "You''re so indecisive! How long has this back-and-forth been going on? Do you really think that you''re living in some kind of soap opera?


    "You''re the overlord of the Northern Seas, so show off some of that dominating aura, will you? Wrap an arm around her waist and pull her in for a kiss. Women love that kind of thing."


    Charles turned to Anna, but he saw only the back of Anna''s head.


    "Let''s go. We need to have a good chat," Charles said, walking past Margaret and toward the vast semi-desert region ahead of him.


    Margaret stared briefly at Charles'' familiar back profile before quietly following after him. The two quietly strolled down the semi-desert region until Charles abruptly came to a halt when they could no longer hear the crowd behind them.


    Charles turned around and sized up Margaret. Thetter had been doing a great job hiding it, but Charles still managed to sense her anxiety¡ªthe same anxiety he had seen in her when they first met.


    Charles raised his right hand and brushed aside the long bangs that had been covering Margaret''s scar and eyes. The horrifying scar was like a centipede that had crawled across Margaret''s face.


    "I''m sorry. I had no idea that you were merely pretending. Your expression and bodynguage had convinced me that it was real," Charles remarked.


    Margaret turned slightly, and her silky hair slid off Charles'' hand, covering her eyes and the terrible scar across her face.


    "You don''t have to say sorry. Governor Julio and I had made use of you, after all. I also did not hold back and went all out. The Deep Dweller among your crew and Fhtagn''s Mark on you were making Julio feel uneasy, so I had no choice.


    "But it was all worth it. Those mages from the Western Seas were ticking time bombs. If they had been allowed to explode here, humans on the Subterranean Sea would have gone extinct."


    Charles noticed that Margaret was avoiding his gaze. He stared deeply at her and asked, "Why are you avoiding me? I''m not really good at reading someone else''s emotions, so can we just talk about it frankly? Just between the two of us¡ªface-to-face."


    "I''m leaving first," Margaret said. She turned around to leave, but Charles pulled her into his embrace and kissed her lips in one fell swoop. Margaret instantly went rigid in Charles'' arms.


    After just a short three seconds, however, Margaret bit down hard on Charles'' lips, and then she shoved Charles away. Her voice quivered ever so slightly, and her expression was a mixture of shame and anger as she roared, "Have you forgotten that you''re already married?! Your wife is watching us, too!"


    Charles was shocked. "I thought you¡ª"


    "Yes, yes, yes! I haven''t been able to let go of you at all, but it doesn''t mean that I''m willing to share you with others. I cannot stain the honor of the Cavendish Family by doing such a thing, and my father hasn''t taught me to do anything like that, too!


    "And¡­ don''t disparage yourself by doing such a thing. I don''t want you to do that for me, either," Margaret said. She turned around decisively and walked toward the distant crowd.


    The dazed Charles somehow found himself on the deck of his own vessel, and he saw Anna standing on top of the smokestack. She wasughing so hard that she could barely stand up straight and looked like she would fall down the smokestack.


    "Did you give me such bad advice because you knew how she was going to react to it?" Charles asked, sounding doubtful. He found it a bit strange why Anna wasughing, and he was convinced that Anna knew exactly what Margaret was thinking.


    Anna wasughing so hard that tears had welled up in her eyes. She wiped the tears away before jumping down the smokestack. She then wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck and gave him a kiss.


    Charles tapped Anna''s back, but Anna did not let go of him, so he could only watch as Margaret hopped onto King''s figure and departed for the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    "Aww, my poor baby got rejected. It must hurt, no? Come, Mommy willfort you with a hug~" Anna teased.


    Charles stared speechlessly at Anna before eventually saying, "All right, enough ying around. It''s about time you go back down. Take good care of Margaret down there; she''s on our side now, after all."


    "You didn''t have to say that. Of course, I''m going to take care of her. Anyway, don''t you think Margaret has be even more charming than before? Honestly, I''m starting to like her a bit."

 Chapter 578: Lily

    Chapter 578: Lily


    Charles continued his journey. Regardless of what happened, retrieving the darkness took precedence over everything else.


    The tracks that 068 had left behind were in the direction of the canyon. The ship followed the route and traveled for over fifty kilometers before reaching the end. Including the additional distance of eleven nautical miles reported by the Haikors, the mysterious root that had descended from the skies stretched an astonishing seventy kilometers in length and one kilometer in width.


    If a mere root of the Divinity was of this size, it was hard to fathom the actual dimensions of the Divinity itself. What was He? And why was He looming above Earth?


    Despite not knowing the identity of the Divinity, or the risk of the root crashing down on him at any moment, Charles had to press on with his exploration.


    Time was not on his side. Even with Julio''s firm and iron-handed measures, he could only temporarily suppress the emotions of the masses. As the sea levels rose, humans'' resolve was bound to waver.


    Humans were fragile and fickle-minded. Not only was the rising water slowly swallowing inds, but it was also eating away at the collective will of all humanity in the Subterranean Sea and their hope of resisting crises.


    If there was no hope in sight and the final threshold had been breached, then the unified will of humanity in the Subterranean Sea would copse, and they would be reduced to nothing more than ves of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    The only solution to this problem was to find the darkness. Only by retrieving the darkness could all issues be resolved once and for all.


    The explorers could only press on. They had no other choice, for retreating was equivalent to death.Charles had always felt that time on the surface seemed to be faster than time on the surface. A month swiftly passed by in no time, and they arrived next to the tracks left behind by 068.


    pping his wings, Charles soared over the pit-filled terrain of the semi-desert region as he measured the distance of the track marks.


    After swiftly circling the area a few times, Charlesnded on the deck and said, "It''s definitely 068. The spacing is consistent."


    Within the cockpit, First Mate Bandages nodded and restarted the Narwhale, steering them along the track marks. Since it was truly 068, they would only need to follow the trail to find the relic.


    "Mr. Charles, water," Lily said. She struggled to hold a water cup as tall as herself as she wobbled her way toward him.


    Charles took the cup and downed the content in one long gulp. He then turned around, intending to head to the bridge to check their current location.


    Realizing that she had been ignored once again, Lily burst into tears and pushed over an empty ss bottle with all her might. The bottle shattered into pieces with a clink. Under the apaniment of a colorful mischief of mice, Lily ran back to the cabins.


    Charles turned toward Dipp, who looked utterly baffled, and asked, "Did you bully her again?"


    "I didn''t, Captain! Lily didn''t even speak to me recently. Besides, I''m over twenty now; I don''t have the time to be ying with a little mouse every day," Dipp replied, clearly feeling wronged.


    "I''ll go check on her. Keep an eye out here. Sound the rm immediately if you spot anything unusual," Charles instructed before stepping into the narrow cabin corridor.


    As he was familiar with his ship, Charles directly headed straight to the storeroom on the second floor where the mice''s nest was located.


    The small storeroom was crammed with bits and pieces of items, forming what could be considered a three-dimensional miniature city belonging to the mice. Mice of all sizes scurried about in this city they had created.


    "Lily? Are you in there?" Charles called out as he bent and peered into the differentyers of the makeshift metropolis for the golden mouse.


    "Go away! I don''t want to see you! You don''t care about me anymore ever since I came back to life!" Lily cried out in between sobs; her voice clearly came from the lowestyer.


    Charles stooped lower, and the mice scattered to reveal Lily nestled among wool and sponge. The little mouse''s back was quivering as she sobbed. Charles reached out to grab Lily, but thetter bit down hard on his finger before scampering deeper into the "city."


    Charles'' fingers were rough like sandpaper, so the bite didn''t hurt him much. However, Lily''s reaction was a clear indication that this wasn''t just any of her usual tantrums.


    "Lily,e out. What happened?" Charles squatted down next to the doorway.


    Lily didn''t answer immediately, and Charles could only wait. Another fifteen minutes passed before her choked voice emerged from deep within her refuge.


    "Why are you always¡­ deliberately keeping your distance from me? I feel like¡­ we''re drifting apart¡­"


    Charles let out a soft sigh. "I''m not trying to distance myself from you. But things have been hectic recently, and I just don''t have the time. You know how busy I''ve been."


    "Liar! Even when you were madly searching for Hope Ind, you''ve never treated me like this! You must be deliberately distancing yourself from me!


    "After knowing that I wouldn''t die, you stopped caring about me! I''m just a tool to you! I''m not a child; I know everything! If you just want tools, take all the mice then!"


    At Lily''s words, the mice within the storeroom turned restless. Dyed in a myriad of colors, their fur bristled as they bared their sharp teeth at Charles.


    Charles slowly moved and leaned against the corridor wall, sitting down. He let out an exhale before replying in a soft tone, "Lily, I really do care about you. It''s precisely because I care about you that I don''t want to hurt you. You''re my crew member and also my family. I don''t have a family anymore; you are my family."


    Maintaining his distance and adopting a detached demeanor served as a form of protection, particrly for Lily, who was deeply attached to him.


    The mice gradually calmed down, and a sobbing Lily emerged from the lowestyer of the "metropolis." Her tears had drenched her fur, leaving two long streaks down her cheeks.


    She appeared vulnerable as she raised her little paws toward Charles and grabbed his finger. Her voice carried a hint of pity as she pleaded, "Mr. Charles, can you please don''t ignore me? I hate that cold attitude of yours. I still prefer the old Mr. Charles."


    Charles reached out and gently lifted Lily into his hand. Tenderly stroking her furry head with a finger, heforted, "Of course. You''re still my little Lily, the gunner of the Narwhale."


    However, Charles'' constion seemed to worsen the situation as Lily burst into a bawl. "I don''t want to be the gunner. I want you to like me! You were just deceiving me when you did all those things for me before I died, weren''t you?! You were just trying to fulfill my dying wish, weren''t you?!


    "It must be because you despise my mouse form!"


    Charles gently wiped Lily''s tears away with a finger.


    "Lily, I don''t despise you, I just¡­ I just¡ª" Charles stopped mid-way, struggling to find the words to express himself.


    Lily stood up just then. "Then, Mr. Charles, how about we make a pact?"


    "What kind of pact?" Charles lifted her to his eye level.


    "If I find a way to turn back into a human, can we go back to how things were before?"


    Looking at the tears threatening to fall from Lily''s eyes, Charles pondered for a moment before nodding gently. "Alright."


    Regardless of what the future held, Charles decided to agree to her proposition for now. At least it would calm her down. Perhaps, once she became human again, she would forget all about this.


    A sweet smile appeared on Lily''s face. She closed her eyes and nuzzled her fuzzy head against his palm; her face was filled with radiant joy.

 Chapter 579: City

    Chapter 579: City


    "Mr. Charles, Tiny Furry says it''s strange inside. There''s no one and no danger," Lily said, tranting the reconnaissance mouse''s words as she remained perched on Charles'' shoulder.


    Charles'' brows furrowed slightly as he lifted the binocrs, his gaze peering through it and fixed on the motionless steamship in the semi-desert in the distance.


    Judging from the tracks, that ship had probably set out about a month and a half ago. Right after he had received the photos that captured 068''s tracks, Charles had dispatched several vessels for preliminary exploration, and this was one of them.


    However, the metal ship had assumed apletely different appearance. Its original sleek hull had be extremely distorted and twisted. It seemed as though it had been turned into modeling y and was left in the hands of a child for half an hour. Something had to have happened to the ship for it to experience such a drastic change.


    "Let''s go and have a closer look," Charles said and stepped forward toward the distant ship.


    As they closed the distance, Charles managed to pick up more unsettling details. Not only was the ship''s metal body bizarrely twisted, but even the cockpit ss had suffered a simr fate.


    The originally fragile ss had been twisted into a mirror with an uneven surface. These alterations were definitely the product of some extraordinarily peculiar force. However, Charles couldn''t fathom what it was, as the surface world seemed even more bizarre and illogical than the Subterranean Sea.


    <em>Craaaackkk!</em>


    Charles forcefully tore off the twisted hatch door. His right eye jumped out of its socket and rapidly crawled deeper to investigate.The spider moved speedily. It scuttled through the undting corridors and took in every detail of its surroundings. The interior mirrored the ship''s twisted outward appearance. With its own distinctive ck and red streaked patterns, the spider seemed starkly out of ce in the ship.


    Soon, Charles directed it into the kitchen, where it stopped. Surveying the kitchen through the spider, Charles noted that the pots, pans, and even the pickled vegetables in the ss jars were distorted.


    The spider hopped onto a chopping board and injected its digestive fluid into a piece of dried meat.


    "The food''s still in good condition and edible," Charles muttered to himself on the deck as the spider continued its exploration.


    "The fresh water tank is filled with pale ale, and it has not been poisoned. The fuel reserves are also sufficient. Apart from its missing crew, the shipcks nothing¡­"


    After making aplete search of the ship, the spider scurried out of the cabins, scaled up Charles'' pant leg, and settled down in his right eye socket once more.


    "Bandages, do we have enough supplies on the ship?" Charles turned to his first mate.


    "Water is sufficient¡­ but the others¡­ are nearly¡­ half depleted¡­ we need to reserve¡­ some for the return journey," Bandages answered.


    Charles pondered for a moment before instructing his crew to salvage whatever they could from the strange ship. Since they hade this far, they needed to ensure they had enough supplies to continue their exploration.


    As for what had happened to the people on this ship, Charles decided not to dwell on it anymore¡ªthey were most likely dead.


    Twisted barrels of fuel and food were being carried out and loaded onto Charles'' ship.


    Everyone reboarded the ship, and they continued their journey, following the tracks left behind by 068. Charles had expected it to be another long and tedious stretch of travel. However, on the third day since encountering the twisted ship, a newndscape¡ªa series of house ruins¡ªappeared before Charles.


    Initially, there were just one or two piles, but soon, more and more of them appeared until an entire city presented itself before them. The city had been eroded by time. Some skyscrapersy copsed while others stood in solemnity. Under the rays of the overarching purple light, the city looked hauntingly deste.


    "Mr. Charles, did you use to live in a ce like this?" Lily moved closer to Charles'' ear and whispered. Her voice was so soft, as if afraid of awakening some unidentified entity in the city, even though it appeared deserted.


    The tracks from 068 cut straight through the city, bulldozing a path through the rubble and creating two distinct trails.


    Following the trails, Charles'' ship navigated deeper into the city.


    Standing on the deck, Charles wrecked his brain hard, trying to discern which city this might be, to conclude if he was in Asia or Europe.


    However, the weathering from the sandstorm had eroded the city''s details. It was challenging for him to discern anyndmark buildings that could give away the city''s identity.


    However, as time passed, Charles felt a sense of unease stirring within him. The urbanndscape was extremely peculiar¡ªit was packed tightly with exclusively skyscrapers. That was distinctly abnormal, as no city would be nned in such a manner.


    The uniform height and width of these weathered buildings appeared bizarre; their utilitarian style reminded him of the Foundation.


    <em>That can''t be¡­ Why would the Foundation build a city here? The surface is filled with dangers all around. It''s pointless for them to do so¡­ But if this city is a remnant from my time¡­that seems far-fetched too. It has been a thousand years; how could there be any traces left?</em>


    Just as Charles wondered to himself, a vertical slit-like eye suddenly shed by between two high-rise buildings on the right. Charles'' alertness was sent into overdrive, and he immediately ordered his crew to ready themselves forbat.


    The ship''s deck guns swiveled their dark muzzle starboard. At the same time, the owner of the eye emerged from between the buildings.


    It was a massive insect, spanning hundreds of meters long. Made out of ck interlocking segments, it resembled a giant, elongated jigsaw puzzle. It appeared to float in the air as it slowly moved toward Charles and his crew.


    Seeing the massive creature advancing in their direction, tensions reached a peak among the crew. They all turned their gazes onto Charles, waiting for him to give themand to attack.


    However, Charles didn''t speak a single word. His gaze was fixated on the ground beneath the insect¡ªthe creature cast no shadow.


    "Captain! Do we fight or flee?!" Anxiety painted Dipp''s face, but Charles remained unresponsive. His gaze was still locked intently on the approaching insect.


    As the insect drew closer and closer, everyone noticed a detail that they had missed earlier. The creature wasn''t hovering in the air; it had countless fine, needle-like legs holding it up.


    "Captain! Do something! It''sing!!"


    "<em>Hush!</em> Don''t move. Everyone stay put!" Charlesmanded as his special eyes detected a strange glow emanating from deep beneath the ground.


    While it seemed iprehensible, Charles could effortlessly see the light buried deep beneath the surface.


    Under the watchful gazes of the crew, the insect positioned itself directly above the deck. Its fine, needle-like legs descended swiftly, piercing through everyone''s skull and into the deck.


    The next second, the needles withdrew as the insect continued forward.


    The translucent needle-like legs were like raindrops, repeatedly descending upon everyone on board and then vanishing the next moment.


    Lily cautiously extended a tiny paw to touch one of the falling needles, but her paw passed right through it.


    The insect was not solid, or rather it existed on a different ne from Charles and his crew.

 Chapter 580: 068

    Chapter 580: 068


    The giant insect moved through the steamship and slowly advanced into the cluster of dense and orderly buildings.


    "Captain¡­ what was that?" Dipp asked with evident bewilderment on his fish face.


    "Its physical body is underground. What we saw was just its shadow," Charles exined as his gaze was fixated on the ground below. Just as how a human''s shadow was ck, that enormous insect was the shadow of some entity underground.


    The strange glow that was beyond the perception of the average human was slowly fading away, and only Charles could see it with his enhanced vision.


    The immediate crisis had passed, so the crew let out sighs of relief. Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads as they patted their chest to soothe their anxiety.


    As theyughed and jested at each other''s frightened reactions earlier, the sudden appearance of several small dots in the distant skies immediately had everyone back on alert.


    Taking the binocrs from the Second Mate, Charles peered through the lens and spotted a group of propeller nes flying in a V-formation. However, their wings weren''t mechanical; instead, there were bird wings in their ce.


    "Quick! Overload the turbines! Follow them!" Charlesmanded. He had seen these peculiar aircraft before. They existed in 068 and had even engaged inbat with the special forces there.


    Charles swiftly transformed into a bat and hurried to keep up with the propeller aircraft, fearing that he might lose track of them. Following those existences on 068 was their best chance to locate 068 as soon as possible.Flying at a low altitude, he managed to have a closer observation of the entire city sprawled beneath him. Compared to the barren semi-desert region, this city was bustling with activity.


    From time to time, strange creatures beyond human imagination would emerge from the buildings. Most of them had towering heights, and fortunately, they showed no hostility toward Charles.


    They didn''t attack Charles or his crew.


    Charles couldn''t exin the feeling he had, but he felt that though he had called the ce a city, it resembled more like a forest without trees.


    The peculiar creatures he saw had formed their own unique ecosystem. He even witnessed an entity that had disguised itself as a building suddenly splitting open to swallow a giant snail that looked like a human''s hand.


    As the ship ventured deeper through the city, the path carved out by 068 became increasingly difficult to navigate. There were even some areas that had split open with several-meter-long fissures.


    Thankfully, the steamship they were on used tracks and not wheels. If they had been using wheels, they wouldn''t have been able to advance forward.


    After weaving through the bizarre city for three hours, Charles and his crew finally found 068.


    With a thunderous roar, 068 kicked up clouds of dust as they slowly ground the towering buildings ahead of it into rubble.


    Their previous encounter with 068 had been underwater; now, onnd, 068 appeared even more massive when viewed upward from the ground. It was apletely mobile city, and with its colossal size, it instantly crushed anything in its path into pieces.


    Transforming into a bat once again, Charles made a wide circuit around 068 and studied it from a distance. At the central district of 068, he saw a semi-transparent octopus-like creature perched over several buildings, gnawing on something. Charles guessed that the entity spanned several hundred meters in width.


    Charles'' keen sense immediately alerted him that something was off. He wouldn''t have been surprised by any bizarre monster on the surface, but the fact that the special forces on 068 hadn''tunched an attack even now was unusual. After all, they hadn''t behaved like this in their previous encounter.


    After a quick survey of the surroundings, Charlesnded back on the deck of his ship. Being pressed for time, he swiftly selected the team members for the infiltration mission.


    "068 is very tall. We''ve been there before, so we roughly know the situation up there. Everyone doesn''t have to go together this time. Bandages, me, Linda, Dipp, Audric, and Sniffler will go," Charlesmanded.


    He chose to bring along all vampires on the ship, not because of theirbat strength, but because they could fly. Linda couldn''t fly despite being a vampire, but she was their medic.


    068 was still moving, and Charles wasted no more time. After a brief appointment of the Second Mate to take charge in his absence, Charles took off with his selected team, and they flew toward their target.


    Using billowing clouds of dust as their cover, Charles and his groupnded in a narrow alley on the edge of 068.


    The moment their feet touched the ground, Charles'' keen senses picked up the static noise of a television from a nearby room. There was someone inside.


    To understand what was happening in a new ce, the best method was to capture a local and interrogate them.


    Charles quickly gestured to his team, and they crawled toward the adjacent window.


    They entered through the window and found themselves in a living room. The room was empty but they could hear the static noiseing from the bedroom.


    Charles'' figure gradually vanished, and the bedroom door silently swung open.


    The television in the corner of the room was turned on, and a high-backed sofa was positioned in front of it. Judging from the shadow on the wall, someone was seated on the sofa and was watching television.


    Charles took a quick nce at the noisy, static-filled screen before pulling out a ck spike and approaching the sofa.


    As he leaned over from the back of the sofa to get a better look, he was stunned. Indeed, there were two people sitting there, but not of the appearance he had anticipated.


    From their outfits, Charles could deduce that the two figures were a couple. However, their heads were those of birds, not humans. Putting their appearances aside, their behavior was equally unusual. Their bodies were ovepped and twitching rapidly in unison.


    The only time Charles had even seen a glitch-like behavior like this was in a buggy game.


    Just as Charles was hesitating whether he''dmunicate with them or not, both glitching bird-heads looked upward; their eyes locked onto Charles despite his invisibility.


    Their twitching suddenly elerated.


    <em>Thump!</em>


    They stood up abruptly and began to divide right before Charles'' eyes. However, they didn''t just split into two separate entities. Like cell division, they split into four ovepping bird folks.


    With each passing second, they multiplied. Two became four, and the four became sixteen. In no time, Charles was surrounded by a bunch of ovepping bird folks. The worst part of it all was that a part of his face pressed against one of them seemed to have melded into their forms.


    "Fuck!" Charles cursed as he forcefully pulled his face out of their bodies, causing a stter of blood and flesh. It was as though Charles had truly conjoined with them.


    White electrical arcs crackled in the air and struck all the glitching figures around him.


    "Captain! Let me help!" d in the red animal hide, Dipp kicked off against the crowd and dived into the room.


    Chaos erupted in the bedroom as the sounds of crackling electricity and gunfire filled the air. Fortunately, despite their bizarre behavior and appearance, the bird folks were not immune to damage.


    Under the relentless assault of the team, the bird folks fell one by one. They twitched a couple of times before vanishing into thin air as they died.


    When all of the bird folks were in, a new ovepped bird folk respawned on the sofa and watched the television with a static-filled screen.


    This time, Charles didn''t disturb the newly spawned entity and gestured for his crew to leave the bedroom quietly.


    <em>What happened to 068? It wasn''t like this before, </em>Charles thought to himself. It seemed like the surface held some sort of influence over the inhabitants of 068.

 Chapter 581: Inside

    Chapter 581: Inside


    Regardless of what had happened to 068, Charles had to continue with his exploration. He approached the front door carefully and looked outside through the peephole.


    The streets outside were empty, appearing quite deste. However, Charles'' keen hearing allowed him to hear strange movements from the nearby houses, making it clear that there were people inside of them.


    <em>Our target isn''t the city up above but the shelter beneath the city. The humanoid figures outside can''tmunicate, so we must find thatputer, which is the consciousness of 068 itself.</em>


    Charles stepped away from the peephole and turned to his crew members, saying, "Try to be as stealthy as possible. Do not raise the rm." Charles said.


    The crew members nodded quietly and tightened their grip on their weapons.


    Just as Charles and the others had finalized their infiltration n, an audible crack echoed as the bird folk on the sofa abruptly stood up and peered over the sofa, staring straight at Charles and his crew.


    "Quick, follow it!" Charles eximed. He had pulled out his eye and had hurled it ahead of them to scout the road up ahead. The others followed closely behind the eye, walking nervously along the wall.


    Whenever they found themselves near a house with noisesing from the inside, they made sure to walk carefully so as not to disturb the residents inside.


    Just before they were about to turn at an intersection, Charles abruptly came to a halt. His eye had spotted a man standing at the far end of the intersection. The man was in a squatting position, and he seemed to be smoking a cigarette. It wouldn''t have been a strange sight if it hadn''t been for the fact that the man had a crow''s head rather than a human head. After a brief contemtion, Charles'' figure vanished.


    A trash can next to a distant road sign suddenly made a noise.


    The crow-headed man didn''t stand up in response to the noise. Instead, he slid toward the trash can as if there were wheels beneath his feet.


    Seeing that the bizarre crow-headed man had been sessfully lured away, Charles'' figure reappeared at the next intersection. He signaled with g semaphore, telling his crew to catch up.


    Charles moved inrge strides while looking around vigntly. "We''re going this way. The garage leading to the shelter is in this direction, and it shouldn''t be that¡ª"


    Charles stopped mid-sentence; the scene before him forced him to freeze in ce.


    A visibly pregnant woman with a half-cat, half-human face was staring at Charles with her vertical pupils. The pregnant woman was stuck in the wall just ahead of Charles.


    Charles was familiar with the pregnant woman. She was the pregnant captain who had found and brought back the grotesque amalgamation of machinery and flesh that resembled a primitive propeller ne not too long ago.


    It seemed that she was the captain of the twisted ship they had encountered prior to their arrival here.


    Just then, the pregnant captain opened her mouth, but Charles saw neither a tongue nor teeth but what looked like a pitch-ck hole in her mouth. The next moment, a noise simr to radio static emerged from her mouth; it seemed like the pregnant captain was summoning herpanions.


    A vine covered with red thorns shot out of Bandages'' hand. It wrapped around the woman''s head and tore her head off her shoulders in one quick twist.


    Blood sttered onto Charles'' face, but before he could even take a sigh of relief, a shrill cry reverberated from the severed head, and the noise was so shrill that it shattered the windows of the nearby houses.


    "Damn it!" Charles cursed. He kicked off the ground with his right foot and took to the sky. His steel hand snatched the screaming head out of mid-air and smashed it into the nearby wall, silencing it.


    Unfortunately, it was toote. Multiple figures with a variety of bizarre appearances emerged from the windows of the nearby houses; they all stared at Charles with their multicolored beast-like pupils.


    "Run!" Charles roared, and everyone sprang into action, running frantically away from the intersection.


    <em>Clop, clop, clop!</em>


    The distinct noises of hoofbeats echoed from behind, prompting Charles tomand the spider to jump onto Linda''s shoulder.


    The spider then looked back and saw that, at some point, a dozen police cars had appeared on the road. The police cars had no wheels but had horse legs that moved tirelessly, chasing after Charles and his crew.


    It was an absurd sight, and their speed was absurd as well.


    Dipp whipped out two grenades, yanked out the safety pins, and threw the grenades behind him.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The two grenades tore some of the police cars into pieces, but the remaining police cars were undeterred. In fact, they even picked up the pace.


    Once the police cars were close enough to their targets, the bizarre-looking policemen inside the cars pulled out their weapons and stuck them out of the car windows before squeezing the trigger.


    A hail of bullets chased after Charles and his crew. Charles was struck in the right shoulder, and the bullet created a hole in his clothes.


    Charles knew that this couldn''t continue; the line of police cars behind them would only grow longer at this rate. They had to find a way to shake off the police cars.


    It seemed that Bandages had an inkling as to what Charles was thinking, as he came to a halt and said, "I... will..."


    The ground beneath Bandages swelled rapidly, and the asphalt road cracked, revealing green thorny vines that spread in all directions, creating a sturdy barricade made out of nts.


    The police cars jumped over the barricade with their horse legs only to find that a pit full of thorny vines was waiting for them on the other side. A chaotic scene ensued as the police cars found themselves stuck in the massive pit.


    By the time they managed to get out of the pit, Charles and his crew had already disappeared.


    Unbeknownst to them, a spider with a red pattern resembling an eye was hiding beneath a car. When the police cars had cleaned up the scene and had dispersed, the spider crawled toward a nearby basement.


    "All right, they''ve left. Let''s go and be careful. This ce is getting stranger by the minute," Charles said, stuffing the spider back into his eye socket.


    The crew members nodded and moved as carefully as possible. It could not be helped, as they did not want a repeat of the incident just now.


    <em>We''ll do our best to hide from those residents, but if an encounter is unavoidable, then we''re going to deal with them as quietly as possible. </em>Charles thought.


    Unfortunately, the bizarre residents of Ind 68 were on high alert after being alerted to the presence of Charles and his crew. After two hours of hard work, Charles and his crew safely reached the massive underground garage that led to the shelter.


    Upon arriving at the farthest end of the garage, Charles took a moment to recall his experience at the time. Then, he reached out with his finger and tapped rapidly on the wall, eliciting a series of chimes in response to the taps.


    Momentster, the wall split open, revealing an elevator.


    Charles breathed a sigh of relief. The crew members rushed into the elevator and waited patiently for the elevator door to close.


    The massive underground garage was empty; they had seen neither cars nor anyone outside. The elevator chimed, and the doors started to close when a hand dripping with ck tar reached out to stop the door.


    The elevator chimed, and the door opened, revealing a hunchbacked woman with her head lowered. The woman was holding her belly with both hands as she walked into the elevator. Her figure and limbs were misshapen; her fingers even appeared to have been rotated several times.


    The woman pressed the elevator button with her tar-covered finger, and the elevator door closed with a chime. Then, the elevator descended slowly toward its destination.


    The grotesque and bizarre-looking woman stood frozen in the middle of Charles and his crew. She made no movements whatsoever after pushing the elevator button, which made it hard for Charles and his crew to deduce her intentions.


    A tense and oppressive air pervaded the elevator. Everyone gripped their weapons tightly, ready to defend against any sudden attacks.


    Dipp quietly pulled out a ck spike, but Charles pressed it down with his hand.


    Charles believed that the entity before them was most likely not in league with the bird folks up above. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have stayed silent upon seeing them. Charles deduced that she might not be a native entity on 068.


    It did not matter whether the entity''s identity was clear or not, as it was best to avoid confronting entities that were not hindering them on their way to their objective.

 Chapter 582: Search

    Chapter 582: Search


    The tormentsted for several minutes before the elevator arrived at the floor that the woman had selected. The door opened, revealing nothing but darkness outside.


    The woman walked out slowly and disappeared into the darkness under everyone''s wary gazes. Then, the elevator door closed, allowing everyone to sigh in relief at the same time.


    The woman''s true identity no longer mattered, as she was no longer here. The elevator started moving once again, and a few secondster, Audric finally shared his findings with Charles. "Captain, that woman had no blood inside of her. I couldn''t get even a hint of a bloody smell from her."


    Charles nced at Audric and wiped away the blood on his face. "How about the animal-headed people outside? Do they have blood?"


    "Yeah, they all have human blood, even though they have animal heads," Audric replied.


    Charles stuck his bloody finger into his mouth and sucked. The rich, metallic taste of blood instantly filled his mouth, and he nodded. Indeed, the blood on his finger was human blood.


    "Captain, this ce is really great. If Dark Crystal Ind had something like this, we''d never have to worry about running out of blood ever again," Sniffler joked with a grin. However, no one paid him any attention. Feeling a bit awkward, Sniffler chuckled sheepishly.


    He was one of Charles'' old crew members, but the fact that he had sworn allegiance to Lilith of Dark Crystal Ind had created a gap between them.


    After all, they were notrades who had experienced multiple life-and-death ordeals together.Time ticked by, and the number on the elevator screen next to them decreased until they finally arrived at their destination.


    Everyone''s hearts were in their throats as the elevator door opened. However, a deste scene appeared before them in contrast to the warm wee of the task force members during their first visit here.


    The za in the distance was deste as well, and the lights along the corridors were not turned on, leaving them pitch ck. Charles had no idea whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, but he was determined to find any clues here.


    Charles wasted no time and walked down the corridors using his memories as a guide to find his way to thatputer.


    At first, everyone was nervous; their nerves were stretched taut, but they eventually became convinced that the shelter was indeed empty.


    <em>Where did all the people here go? Are they dead? No way. They''re supposed to respawn infinitely as long as 068 itself is still alive, </em>Charles thought. Full of doubts, he soon found his way in front of that door.


    The door to theputer room was ajar, and the light from theputer''s screen was leaking outside through the door. Charles opened the door carefully, and the sight within the room made him freeze.


    Theputer, which was supposed to have been yellowed from years of neglect, was covered in lumps of flesh and blood in a variety of sizes. It wasn''t just the central processing unit, as even the screen seemed to have be flesh and blood. To make matters worse, the icons on the screen were made out of bones and flesh.


    As Charles stared at the screen, he felt like he could reach out and pry the three-dimensional "My Computer" icon off of the screen.


    <em>What exactly happened to 068? I can still¡­ use this, right? </em>Charles thought, walking over to theputer with his mind full of doubts. Yellow notification boxes were popping up in the lower left corner of the screen, and they were all warnings about data loss and malware findings.


    Charles knew that he had no time to waste. He stretched out his prosthetic hand and grabbed the mouse, which felt warm to the touch. It seemed to be as warm as the normal body temperature.


    When Charles moved the mouse, the cursor made out of flesh and blood moved.


    However, 068 had be extremelyggy and was no longer as snappy as the first time Charles had used it. However, Charles couldn''t be bothered about that at all. He clicked on "My Computer" and used the search bar to look for any videos.


    Charles pressed enter and saw many search results.


    Charles clicked on the first one and saw himself in it. It was a surveince video from Charles'' first visit. The special task force of 068 seemed to be analyzing him, but this video was useless, as it contained no information about the darkness'' specific location.


    Charles closed the window and skimmed through the folder names for any rted keywords.


    While Charles was staring without blinking at the screen made out of flesh and blood to search for any useful information, the crew members stood guard outside the door.


    Their role was to protect Charles from any attacks from the outside, even though the ce was empty.


    Sniffler nced surreptitiously at Charles inside the room and turned to Audric beside him, asking, "The captain seems to have used that strange item before. He looks very skilled at it."


    Audric didn''t respond to Sniffler''s words.


    Dipp standing next to Sniffler said, "Man, can you stop talking? It''s been so long since we saw each other, so howe you''re still a chatterbox like before, especially when you''re nervous?"


    Sniffler stared at Dipp and grinned. "Boss, I really am curious about one thing: what happened to you that you took on such a scary look? If the others hadn''t vouched for you, saying that you''re Dipp, I would have never thought that you''re Dipp."


    Dipp scratched the gills on his neck with a helpless look. "<em>Ah, </em>it''s a long story. Anyway, it wasn''t a good experience at all. What about you? How did you end up like that after getting kidnapped on Dark Crystal Ind?"


    "They sent me to a breeding farm. Honestly, life on Dark Crystal Ind wasn''t so bad, and if I were to nitpick, I''d say the con is the blood extraction. Aside from that, life on that ind was much better than life as a crew member of an exploration ship.


    "They even gave me women to y with every day. Of course, you can''t refuse. They would force you to sleep with them even if you don''t want to do so¡­"


    "No way, that can''t be true, you punk. That''s too good to be true, so you must be lying to me. I''ve been kidnapped by vampires before as well," Dipp said with a face full of disbelief.


    Sniffler shook his head and said, "The ones who kidnapped you were different from my kidnappers. Your kidnappers were the vampires living in the harbor district who thrive by eating filthy ck blood, so of course, you couldn''t have had the same treatment as me. They''re not the kidnappers from the breeding farms, after all.


    "Anyway, it was really awesome. Imagine this: I ''cared'' for so many women that if they gave birth, those children couldter¡ª"


    "Quiet..." Bandages interrupted.


    Sniffler and Dipp did not say anything upon seeing Bandages'' serious look.


    Meanwhile, Charles had finally found a clue, and it was within a resident''s memory. The footage was shaky, and Charles could hear heavy panting. The owner of the memory seemed to be terrified of something.


    He clung tightly to a utility pole and looked up to see the colossal Light God.


    The Light God was standing on a massive semi-desert biome, and His figure swayed slightly a few times before falling to the ground with a deafening boom. His radiant head mmed lifelessly to the ground.


    The darkness of the Subterranean Sea was still draped over the Light God''s back, but the footage ended abruptly as the owner of the memory was crushed to death by a copsing building.


    Fortunately, the single clue had made the search be much easier for Charles. It took him just a few minutes to find rted footage from a surveince camera.


    The footage depicted a crazed Pope charging toward 068, and the members of 068''s special task force rushed to meet the Pope in rows, and they also died in rows.


    In the end, the Pope, who seemed to have gone mad from the ughter, left 068 while dragging the Light God''s colossal form using several colossal chains. As the Pope dragged the Light God step by step toward the door that led to the Subterranean Sea, a purple square appeared in the hazy purple mist.


    Then, two colossal hands, which seemed to be made out of mist and were asrge as 068 itself, stretched out from the purple square. It had to be known that 068 was as big as an entire city, and if the entity''s hand was asrge as 068, one could only imagine just how massive the entity''s form was.


    To make matters worse, Charles was just staring at the entity''s hands, but his head was already starting to ache. The two colossal hands reached out toward the Light God and grabbed Him carefully before retracting into the hazy purple mist.


    Just as the Light God was about to disappear into the hazy purple mist, a radiant light abruptly erupted from Him, and the two colossal hands dissipated. The Light God crashed to the ground, and He appeared dimmer than earlier.


    The next moment, another pair of colossal hands stretched out from inside the hazy purple mist. This time, however, they dared not touch the Light God. One of the colossal hands made a beeline for 068 while the other reached for the Light God''s ck cape.

 Chapter 583: Computer Room

    Chapter 583: Computer Room


    Charles''s heart skipped a beat when his eyesnded on the colossal hand that had reached out of the purple mist to grab the cape of darkness. The darkness hadn''t just vanished without a reason; it had really been taken by some unknown entity.


    The video continued to y on the screen. The other giant hand swept toward 068. Buildings copsed under its fingers, which were asrge as towering pirs. A flying shard of ss flew toward the camera lens, causing it to tilt. Several cracks to appear in the video footage.


    Through the tilted camera, Charles saw that the giant hand had seized 068. Alongside the darkness, both hands were retracting toward the obscure square-shaped entity in the purple mist.


    Despite the mist rapidly receding, the outline of the cubed entity remained vague and hazy. It was quickly retreating while towing its captives.


    As time ticked by, the square within the purple mist seemed to be gradually taking on a new shape.


    <em>Wait. </em>


    Charles double-clicked on the right mouse button to pause the video. He then pulled out his journal and began sketching rapidly.


    Using the body of the Light God as his reference point and the information from this video, he would be able to calcte where the unknown entity had taken the darkness.


    "This thing is very fast. Based on the ground movement, that''s at least forty nautical miles. No, fifty! Based on the duration of this video¡­" Charles muttered to himself as he calcted.Just as Charles busied himself with the calction, Dipp''s uneasy voice suddenly sounded from outside the door. "Captain¡­ Captain!"


    "What is it? I''m busy now!" Charles asked, his eyes remained glued to the screen.


    "You''d bettere take a look. Something seems to being over."


    Standing outside, anxiety stirred within Dipp as he nervously stared into the darkness. He could make out rows of bird heads squishing against each other, multiplying and forming a wall as they slowly approached.


    "Whatever they are, hold them off! I''ll be right there!"


    Knowing that a situation was happening outside, Charles didn''t have the leisure time to slowly browse through the folder contents. After pondering for a few seconds, he immediately entered his name into the address bar.


    A folder named "Charles" appeared soon enough. With a drag of the cursor, he moved the video file directly into his memory. Since he had located the clue, he could just stuff it into his brain and decode the detailster.


    Just then, an unexpected figure jumped out of his memory folder and onto the slowly progressing file transfer bar.


    It was Tobba; Charles was certain of it. He had seen Tobba appear on this screen before and in the same simplistic, doodle form. However, Tobba was now 3D instead of 2D. Half of Tobba''s body protruded out of the screen and was waving frantically at Charles.


    "Charles, I finally managed to get a hold of you. It has been incredibly difficult. Did you receive the message I sent through a friend? You must retrieve the darkness; it''s very important!" Lines of text popped up in a speech bubble above Tobba''s head.


    Charles'' fingers flew over the fleshy keyboard, the keys clicking loudly as he typed furiously.


    "Why are you still in there? Didn''t you say that once you have escaped the Chalkboard Erasers'' pursuit, you''d regain your sanity soon?"


    Seeing the message Charles typed out, Tobba appeared frustrated as his 3D figure jumped up and down repeatedly.


    "I should be asking you that question! Why did you drag my physical body everywhere?


    "Do you know how hard it is to navigate around in this perspective? I was so close to getting back to my physical body, but then you took my body somewhere else!


    "Do you know how long and how tiring it was for me to make that return trip? I''ve ridden ten rabbits to death trying toe back!"


    Charles was taken aback. He realized that Tobba was probably talking about that time when he took thetter to the Fhtagn Covenant''s main base. It seemed like his actions out of good intentions hadplicated things instead. If he had left Tobba at Hope Ind, perhaps the old man would have returned to normal by now.


    "How much longer until you can return? Do you need me to bring your body closer to where you are?" Charles typed.


    "NO! Please don''t. In that perspective you are in, you won''t be able to perceive the distances here. Just leave me at Hope Ind, and I''ll be back in at most six months."


    "Please make it quick. The Subterranean Sea is in a huge crisis, and we need your prophetic abilities."


    Though Tobba might appear as an old lunatic, his ability to foresee the future was formidable and could prove to be crucial in finding the darkness.


    "I can''te outpletely. Those guys will follow me," Tobba replied, shaking his head.


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    A series of gunshots sounded from outside the door.


    Charles nced at the slowly ticking progress bar and continued his conversation with Tobba. "Which guys? The chalkboard erasers? Aren''t they dead?"


    "No, they won''t die and can never die. They are like the wind, appearing and disappearing out of nowhere. Say, does the wind ever perish? We probably angered them the previous time. When theye next time, it won''t be just two of them."


    "Captain! Are you done yet!" Dipp''s urgent cry echoed from outside. "We can''t hold them off much longer! There are too many of them! We need to break through!"


    "Soon! Just a few more seconds!" Charles replied as he watched the progress bar at 95% slowly inching towardpletion.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    The progress bar vanished, and a series of special memories abruptly flooded into Charles'' thoughts, seemingly happening right before the day he met Anna.


    "Charles, if you get the chance, remember to bring 068 back to the Subterranean Sea. The longer it stays there, the more primitive it bes. If it stays a little longer, it''ll probably revert to being a living organism. Neither it nor I want to see that happening."


    "I''ll try, but I can''t promise," Charles replied, his spider eyeball hopping onto theputer screen, ready to shut down theputer at any moment.


    Charles turned and dashed out of the door. The previously deste corridor was now shrouded in smoke and death.


    Row after row of bird folks charged toward them. Though they were d in the distinctive ck uniform of the special task forces, they didn''t wield any modern weapons. Instead, their bodies continuously split and multiplied. From time to time, some of them would also suddenly vanish into thin air.


    "Captain! There are too many of them here! I don''t even know where all these shitty birds areing from! We''re trapped! Dipp shouted anxiously, tossing two grenades toward the group of bird folks ahead of him.


    However, Charles remained calm in the face of their dire predicament. He gave Dipp a reassuring pat on the shoulder, saying, "Don''t worry. We won''t be leaving through the way we came. We''ll leave the same way we didst time.


    This was why Charles had only brought a few crew members with him onto 068.


    Charles entered the room once more and located the folders of his crew members on theputer screen. Selecting all of them with the cursor, he then dragged them out of theputer screen.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    Silence abruptly fell outside the room. Charles then hovered the cursor over his own folder.


    But just then, an unexpected event happened. The entire room suddenly tilted upright; theputer was suddenly on the ceiling and the door was beneath him.

 Chapter 584: Clue

    Chapter 584: Clue


    The sudden tilt made it challenging to stand in the room. Fortunately, Charles had managed to grab onto the keyboard and prevented himself from falling through the open door.


    "Damn it! What''s going on!" Charles yelled in fury as he grabbed the folder named "Charles" with the cursor and dragged it forcefully out of the screen.


    Suddenly, Tobba''s head popped out of the folder, saying, "Quick! An Inexistence ising! It has noticed 068. Whatever you do, don''t let it notice you! Otherwise, it''s over for you!"


    "What are you talking about?" Charles had almost dragged his folder out of the screen.


    "How would I know! I said it''s an Inexistence, which means it doesn''t exist! How do I know what is it? I only know it''sing!"


    Ignoring Tobba''s warnings about the some nonexistent entity, Charles focused on the task at hand. He had already transferred the clue into his head. Now, all he needed to do was to get out of here. With that thought in mind, he released the right mouse button.


    In a sh, Charles found himself suspended in midair outside, his ship diagonally beneath him.


    The other crew members that had exited earlier were already descending toward the ship. ck fur sprouted over his body as he transformed into a bat. pping his monstrous wings, he flew toward their direction.


    Suddenly, Charles heard the sound of steel being slowly folded from behind him. A chill traveled down his spine. He turned around to see 068, which was asrge as a mountain, being tilted upright and suspended over the city underneath. The buildings on it began to tilt and crumble, falling toward the ground below.Something had lifted 068 into the air, which exined why theputer room had suddenly tilted earlier.


    However, Charles saw nothing behind 068. It was just a vast expanse of violet mist.


    <em>What the hell is that? An invisible giant monster?</em>


    No matter what it was, that invisible entity seemed more interested in 068 than himself, making this the perfect opportunity to escape.


    Charles pped his wings and dived downward.


    Though Tobba had requested for him to help bring 068 back to the Subterranean Sea, it was clearly impossible under current circumstances. Charles had no choice but to give up.


    After all, there was no way he was risking his and his crew''s lives just to save 068. Moreover, he didn''t have a single clue as to what had seized 068.


    As soon as Charlesnded on the deck, Second Mate Charlie, who had been waiting anxiously, immediately instructed for the turbines to be overloaded, and the ship began her rapid retreat.


    Meanwhile, 068 was rising higher and higher, slowly being shrouded by the violet mist. Charles didn''t dare to let his guard down. He hurriedly gathered the exploration team and did a roll call using the strips of cloth on their sleeves.


    After everyone''s identity had been verified, Dipp stretchedzily and remarked, "Captain, it''s been a while since we had such an easy mission."


    "It''s not over yet. We are still in this strange city. Stay alert." Charles'' brows were furrowed as he headed to the cockpit.


    Under the tense atmosphere, the ship slowly navigated out of the city. When the tracks took their first crush on the familiar terrain of the semi-desert region, everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief.


    Humans always found security in their knowledge and feared the unknown. For now, at least, the semi-desert region represented safety.


    "Dipp, take over the watch," Charles instructed before heading to his captain''s quarters.


    Once he was back in his cabin, Charles sat at his desk. Pulling open the bottom-most drawer, he opened a new bottle of liquor. He then poured the amber liquid into a square ss before tilting his head back and drinking everything in one long gulp.


    <em>Pheeeeeew.</em>


    Charles let out a long sigh; his tense nerves could finally rx now.


    "No casualties and we gained information. If only every exploration went this smoothly, it would be perfect," Charles muttered to himself.


    He pulled out a pen and his journal before closing his eyes to recall the memories imnted in his mind.


    He sessfully retrieved the forcefully transferred memories. The images looked so vivid, as though he had actually witnessed them firsthand.


    The two colossal hands, one dragging the darkness and the other 068, moved westward at an incredible speed. Using thendscape that blitzed past as a reference, Charles quickly calcted their speed to be an estimated two hundred kilometers per hour.


    Oddly enough, Charles felt a sense of relief washing over him when he had deduced the speed. Whatever the entity was, at least its movement speed was within humanprehension.


    <em>Just where is this entity taking the darkness? </em>Charles mused as a hint of curiosity flickered in his gaze.


    The monotonous movement persisted for a long time. When the two hands finally came to a halt, based on Charles'' calctions, they had traveled exactly 2100 kilometers from the position of the Light God. There was probably a slight margin of error, though.


    As soon as the hands halted, they retracted, dragging both 068 and the cloak of darkness along. The violet mist gradually receded, revealing the hands'' owner to Charles.


    Charles'' first impression of it was a glossy, ck, arched head. However, a sudden, sharp pain in his head disrupted his thoughts.


    After taking a few deep breaths, Charles resumed his recollection. The outline of the creature suggested that the square-shaped entity he had seen before was merely the creature''s mouth. But he didn''t focus too much on the other details.


    He decided to put his concentration on the cloak of darkness; it helped to ease the pain somewhat.


    The cloak of darkness was enveloped by a gray mist. White tendrils emerged from all around it and continuouslyshed at it.


    With eachsh, traces of darkness seeped out from the cloak, momentarily turning the violet surroundings dark before the violet light reimed their space.


    Suddenly, an arc of light descended from the sky and struck the cloak of darkness, splitting it into two halves.


    Instantly, darkness engulfed everything, turning the surrounding pitch ck. Under such circumstances, the damaged camera wasn''t able to capture any footage.


    Strange vibrations and noises followed, but Charles was no longer concerned about what happened after. He had found what he needed.


    "This is it! The darkness is here; we''ve gotten the coordinates!"


    Charles excitedly pulled out a map of the surface. Trying hard to steady his trembling hands, he sketched the coordinates.


    This was exhrating news. He had finally located the darkness. The next step was making the journey there.


    However, now that the darkness had been found, another challenge manifested itself: how were they supposed to retrieve it?


    Just as he pondered over the question, his right eye seemed to have caught something as shes of light flickered in his vision.


    His long years of exploration had taught him to be cautious. This wasn''t good, as his spider eye was still inside 068.


    Tapping on Sparkle''s portrait, he said, "Sparkle, send your Mommy here."


    Anna arrived soon after. Folding her arms across her chest, a hint of impatienceced her voice as she asked, "What now?"


    "I''m still connected to the spider. Help me disconnect it. I''m afraid something might go wrong if the connection is not severed."


    "Where did you lose the spider this time? Can''t you take better care of it?" Anna grumbled as she extended her hands toward Charles'' head.

 Chapter 585: Somethings Amiss

    Chapter 585: Something''s Amiss


    "Not bad. All your parts are intact this time," Anna said, her delicate hands reaching out and cradling Charles'' head.


    "Yeah, the exploration was very sessful this time. We didn''t have any casualties, and more importantly, I found clues on the darkness. Though there was a slight interlude along the way."


    "I saw that in your mind. Why did you cram so many different memories? Do you want me to help you clear them out?" Anna offered.


    "No, don''t touch them! Those memories are incredibly useful! You can clear them once we''ve located the darkness."


    Anna made swift gestures around Charles'' head with her hands before she leaned in and nted a firm kiss on Charles'' lips. "All done! The connection between you and that eye has been severed."


    Despite Anna''s reassurance, Charles couldn''t let go of the unease in his heart. Who knew what in the world was the entity that seized 068 or what special abilities it possessed?


    "There''s still a fragment of my soul in that spider. Can youpletely erase it to eliminate any potential risks?" Charles asked.


    "Don''t worry. The soul link has been severed and that fragment will disappear soon. Just put your heart at ease. As long as I''m around, no one can harm you," Anna said with a faint smile on her lips.


    Hearing her words, Charles finally allowed himself to rx. He stretched out his arms and pulled Anna into an embrace. "Thanks. How''s Hope Ind? Is everything okay?"Anna closed her eyes, rubbing her fair cheek against Charles'' chest like a contented cat. "What else? It''s the same old. Hope Ind is under martialw now.


    "Everyone who can work has been sent to the factories. It''s exhausting but it''s better to keep them busy. As long as they are upied, they won''t have time to dwell on the despair of the rising sea levels.


    "Our ind is still well under control, but the situation on other inds is troubling. ording to the Navy''s intelligence, rebellions have started in several inds, and it seems that the Fhtagn Covenant is pulling their influence behind them.


    "I''ve sent Sparkle to help quell the rebellions, but there''s just one of her. She can''t handle all of it alone."


    "The Fhtagn Covenant¡­" Charles muttered. At the thought of those deformed traitors who had betrayed humanity, a fire of rage surged in Charles'' heart.


    "Charles, I know what''s on your mind, but it''s not the time to engage them now. We don''t have the time and we''re too far away from them. It''d take half a year to reach their base ind and back. Time is of the essence.


    "Beside, they probably prefer us to waste our efforts on them. Those trash aren''t afraid of death; they are afraid that their god fails to awaken."


    Charles mmed his empty ss down on the small counter. "The day the darkness returns to the Subterranean Sea will be the day those bastards will meet their creator!"


    "I agree." Anna nodded. "The Fhtagn Covenant haspletely betrayed humanity."


    At that moment, an explorer walking down the street approached Charles. He removed his tricorn captain''s hat and saluted Charles with respect.


    Ever since word had spread that Charles had located the coordinates of the darkness, his reputation had grown significantly amongst the explorers.


    Previously, he was already renowned for being the only explorer who continued going on voyages after bing a governor. With histest achievement, his reputation soared even higher.


    And it was solely because he located the darkness. Whoever could retrieve the darkness would be revered as the hero of humanity, deserving of everyone''s respect. After all, no one wanted to die.


    "If there''s nothing else, I''ll head back now. Keep a closer eye on things down there," Charles said to Anna. He then rose from his stool and headed toward the bustling street.


    Anna nodded toward the female stall owner with earrings before quickly jumping off her high stool and followed after Charles.


    "It''s not often that youe back to the fortress. Why the rush? Apany me to a stroll. I''ve never been here before. Were you the one who nned theyout for this ce? Nah, surely it''s not you. You don''t have that kind of skill."


    "What''s there to see? You don''t even need anything from here," Charles replied as he nced around at the various stalls.


    "Says who? Look over there! That smells amazing!" Anna grabbed Charles by the arm and pulled him toward a nearby barbecue stall.


    Watching the white smoke sizzling out of the dark red charcoal fire, Anna reached out and grabbed a meat skewer from the stall. She shoved it into her mouth and pulled off the pieces. Chewing heartily, shemented, "This tastes really good. Try it."


    Charles'' eyes widened in surprise. "You can eat human food now?"


    Just as his heart raced with anticipation, Anna''s reply doused his enthusiasm like a cold shower.


    "Of course not. I''m just chewing on it. Don''t you humans like to eat things you can''t digest too? Like enoki mushrooms, for example."


    "That''s a pretty disgusting analogy. Since you can''t taste anything, don''t eat it," Charles said, before turning into an alley to reach the next street.


    With a graceful leap, Anna jumped onto Charles'' back. She then cupped his head with her hands and transferred the piece of barbecued meat from her mouth to his mouth.


    "How is it? Does it taste nice? Don''t you think it''s as tender as beef?" Anna asked with a yful smile as she watched Charles start chewing.


    Charles gave Anna a yful swat on her rear before continuing to walk toward his residence with her on his back.


    "Anna," Charles called out. "Why do I feel like you''re not worried at all? If we can''t retrieve the darkness, all of us might really die."


    "What can worrying do? Emotions like that are worthless. Not only do they <em>not</em> help in everyday life, they even meddle with your rational thinking during critical moments.


    "Plus, we''ve already done everything we can. If we still can''t make it, then we''ll just have to ept our fate," Anna concluded.


    Charles nced sideways to see strands of hair falling over Anna''s right profile, entuating her peerless visage and making her look even more radiant.


    "For you and for Sparkle, I''ll definitely retrieve the darkness. I swear!" Charles dered, a renewed determination burning in his eyes.


    "I believe you," Anna said, the corners of her lips curving up into a soft smile as she tightened her embrace around Charles'' neck.


    "Speaking of Sparkle, that little girl has been pretty upsettely. She said she hasn''t seen her daddy in a long while," Anna started on a new topic.


    Their conversation flowed naturally, as though they were a couple who had been together for decades.


    By the time Anna vanished before Charles'' sight, it was already night time. Charles stepped into the washroom to clean up. He nned to pen his journal entry for the day before calling it a night.


    Tomorrow morning, they would set off to the coordinates of the darkness, and he needed to be well-rested.


    As his pen left a trail of neat Chinese characters in his journal, the soft, rhythmic scratching of pen on paper echoed in the quiet bedroom.


    As he wrote, a faint sense of unease started to well up in him. There was this nagging feeling that something was amiss, yet he couldn''t pinpoint what exactly it was.


    He walked over to the curtains and pulled them back to peer outward. Bathed in the usual violet glow, the bustling Colossal Hole Fortress stretched out before him.


    Everything was perfectly normal.

 Chapter 586: Memories

    Chapter 586: Memories


    Charles sat back down on the stool. He pondered for a few seconds before flipping through his old journal entries.


    <em>May 3, Year 809</em>


    <em>I never thought I would see Tobba again on 068. He said he''d be back soon; I hope it''s true. The exploration was perfect. It was the safest one ever. Even leaving the ce yed out so smoothly</em>


    <em>May 12, Year 809</em>


    <em>The semi-desert region remains normal. There are no dangers, though the journey between points is quite long. To shorten the distance, we should consider building a forward supply station along the route.</em>


    <em>May 17, Year 809</em>


    <em>We encountered another exploration ship today. After a brief conversation, we learned that their captain and first mate died during the expedition. The second mate is inmand. With the captain gone, their team will likely disband after their return. Speaking of which, the Narwhale needs to recruit a new second mate as well.</em>


    <em>May 19, Year 809</em>


    <em>How should we contain the darkness and bring it back? Will it be possible to keep it in a Mirrorbox like how sunlight is stored? This is a new problem. Now that we''ve found the darkness, we need to proceed with the next steps. Perhaps the Relic Research Institute on Hope Ind can start looking into this and create a new project.</em><em>May 30, Year 809</em>


    <em>We are finally back at the Colossal Hole Fortress. Everyone is ecstatic to learn about the clue we have discovered. Their excitement nearly tore off the roof of the Explorers Association.</em>


    Charles swiftly skimmed through his journal but he found nothing amiss.


    "What''s going on? My memory should be fine. Else, Anna would have noticed something earlier. Am I just being paranoid again?"<em></em>Charles muttered to himself. He then started to meticulously review every single detail in his mind, but he found nothing out of the ordinary.


    It was a strange feeling. If he had to make an analogy, it was like the sensation of an impending sneeze that never came. Every time he felt it building, it would abruptly be suppressed.


    "Is my current world fake? Am I in another illusion?"<em></em>Charles pondered before pulling out his chainsaw and shing a deep cut on his arm.


    As droplets of crimson-red blood slid down his elbow and dripped onto the floor, Charles closed his eyes as he felt the pain. The sensation was evidently different from his past experiences in an illusion.


    "Mr. Charles, what are you doing? Should I call the ship''s doctor toe over?" Lily asked as she cautiously eyed Charles'' strange behavior from the doorway. As usual, she was apanied by a group of colorful mice.


    "I''m fine. It''s nothing," Charles replied before quickly concluding his journal entry for the day. He then closed the book and ced it back in the drawer.


    "Are you sure? You seemed like a madman just now, talking to yourself and then cutting your own arm," Lily remarked.


    Charles walked over and gently flicked Lily''s furry head with his finger. "What are you doing up sote? Don''t forget that we''re setting off again tomorrow?"


    "I¡­ I came to find something to gnaw on. Besides, mice are different from humans; we don''t need that much sleep," Lily replied as she rubbed her little forehead with a paw before quickly scurrying away with her group of mice.


    Setting aside his doubts and paranoia, Charles headed for his bed. Hey down and closed his eyes. He tried emptying his mind, but he couldn''t fall asleep.


    Every time he felt a hint of drowsiness, that strange feeling would resurface.


    <em>Click.</em>


    Charles opened his pocket watch and checked the time. It was already 1 AM. If he couldn''t fall asleep soon, it would affect his mental state for the journey in the morning.


    "What''s going on? Just what''s wrong with me?" Charles muttered. He then threw off the covers and rushed to Linda''s residence.


    After a thorough examination, Linda concluded that he was not affected by any illness.


    "Are you sure?" Charles questioned. "I still feel like something''s wrong with me."


    d in her nightgown, Linda answered calmly, "ording to your description, I can''t diagnose any specific illness. At least for now, there''s no condition that matches the symptoms you described. Insomnia can be caused by many different factors. Sometimes, it''s not an actual illness, but maybe just a poor physical condition."


    "Maybe¡­But I can''t sleep because of this nagging feeling. Do you have anything that can help?" Charles asked as he rubbed his face in apparent frustration.


    Six ck triangr capsules were pushed into Charles'' hand.


    "Sleeping pills. Take them, and you''ll definitely fall asleep," Linda instructed. "I''ll have Audric carry you onboard tomorrow."


    Charles nced at the bald woman in front of him. Without hesitation, he epted the capsules and left.


    Indeed, Linda''s medication was super effective. Taking them with hard liquor, Charles was out as soon as his head hit the pillow.


    He didn''t know how long he had fallen asleep when he started to drift into a hazy dream. His vision was fuzzy, and he couldn''t describe the images before him. However, the strange feeling earlier was growing stronger and stronger.


    Suddenly, Charles'' eyes snapped open. He realized what was amiss!


    The potent medication still had lingering effects, making Charles feel drowsy, but he couldn''t care so much anymore. He swiftly pulled open his drawer and took out his journal.


    As he flipped through the pages, hepared them against his memories. This time, he noticed the anomaly. The entries were indeed in his handwriting and in Chinese characters.


    However, the ink looked too fresh. As he continued to turn the pages, he realized that from the day he had escaped the strange city until today, all the entries in between were written on the same day.


    Someone had erased his past entries and had written fake ones to rece those past entries.


    <em>No one else can imitate my handwriting. Apart from Anna and I, there''s no one in the Subterranean Sea who can read my journal entries. Unless¡­ it was Anna? But why?</em>


    Many different thoughts raced through Charles'' mind. After a while, he tapped his finger on Sparkle''s portrait.


    No matter why Anna did what she had done, there had to be a reason behind it. Charles had never liked to specte about Anna''s intentions, so he decided to ask her directly.


    "Why did you call me over in the middle of the night? You wanna go for a round?" Anna asked as she appeared before him.


    "Did you tamper with my memories?" Charles asked directly with a grave look.


    Anna blinked. "You noticed again? You weren''t supposed to realize it."


    "Just what happened? Why did you alter my memories? Did something happen to me after I left that city?" Charles pressed further.


    Anna strode over with the grace of a model and jumped onto the table in front of Charles. "Do you trust me? Or rather, do you trust yourself? If you trust both, then stop asking."


    "Did I encounter some danger? Did an important crew member die? Were the coordinates of the darkness a faux?" Charles threw out one grim possibility after another.


    Letting out a helpless sigh, Anna picked up Charles'' journal and quickly flipped through the pages. "This is your handwriting. You also agreed to have your memories altered at the time."


    "Past me have agreed to have my memories erased?" Charles'' expression changed. He had considered many possibilities but not the one that Anna had just revealed¡ªhe himself had a part in the alteration of his own memories.

 Chapter 587: Altered

    Chapter 587: Altered


    Anna stared at Charles'' determined eyes for a few seconds before sighing softly and saying, "That''s right. Your past self has asked me to alter your memories, but unfortunately, I also have no idea about what warranted that decision."


    Charles'' pupils constricted, and he muttered, "Howe you do not know when you were the one who had altered my memories? Did something else alter my memories?"


    "No, I was the one who did it, but I deleted my own memories at the same time. I did it thoroughly as well, leaving no traces."


    Charles wanted to ask more questions when Anna''s soft finger pressed on his lips, stopping him. "You and I had left an exnation to ensure that we are not going to investigate it any further. You''ll understand after watching it."


    A rift appeared in Anna''s pale neck, and Charles'' phone was pushed out of the rift. Anna tapped on the keys with her red nail-polished fingers, and a video started ying in front of Charles.


    In the video, Charles and Anna looked extremely haggard; their expressions were solemn and ugly.


    "Anna, you must not explore those memories yourself, and you must not let Charles look for those memories. The price that we''ll have to pay upon discovering those memories is far more expensive than we can bear.


    "Yes, let future me focus on what he''s good at. It''ll be over as soon as this matter is done," Charles said. His words had just pervaded the air when the screen trembled.


    "Charles!! We can''t wait any longer! It''sing!!"The video ended there, and the information it revealed only raised more questions in Charles'' mind.


    Anna grabbed the phone and shoved it inside of her. Then, she sounded frustrated as she said, "It seems that you''ve brought back something troublesome during yourst exploration. Our past selves said that we should do nothing about the lost memories, so we should do that.


    "Actually, I did not want to tell you anything, but you noticed it by yourself."


    Regardless of the truth, Anna had faith in her past self and the past Charles.


    "Howe I did something like that? I visited 068 only once. There was nothing abnormal except for those glitching bird-heads. Did I discover something inside the city?"


    Charles was extremely confused by his current situation. It wasn''t his first time experiencing hardships, but at least he had a clear goal during those hardships, and he was also aware of the enemies'' identities.


    This time, however, was the opposite. He had no idea what his past self had encountered, nor did he know what the threat was. It was like ying a guessing game with himself, and he was the one doing the guessing.


    "Don''t even try to think about it. Just listen to your past self. Even if you can''t trust other people, don''t tell me you can''t trust even yourself?" Anna asked. She then walked over and put her hands on Charles'' shoulders, making him sit down on the edge of the bed.


    Upon recalling his own words from the video just now, Charles decided to put aside his doubts. Since he himself had said that the best course of action was to not look for those memories, then it''d be best to oblige.


    However, Charles truly disliked the feeling of not having his fate in his own hands.


    "How about sleeping a bit more?" Anna''s gentle voice soothed Charles'' nerves. "Your eyes are bloodshot."


    Charles sighed. He walked up to the window and pulled open the curtains. He then leaned his elbow on the windowsill and looked out at the Colossal Hole Fortress outside. For some reason, it was quiet outside. "I''ve slept enough. I also don''t think that I can fall asleep even if I lie down. If you want to sleep, go ahead and sleep; the bed is yours."


    Anna leaned over, and her hands transformed into wriggling tentacles covered in ck scales as she embraced Charles gently from behind. "I''ll keep youpany."


    The two leaned on each other quietly as they looked outside. Anna hummed a familiar luby into Charles'' ear.


    In the end, Charles unknowingly fell asleep again. When he opened his eyes, he discovered that it was only seven o''clock in the morning.


    "Howe I feel so refreshed when I didn''t even sleep for that long?" Charles asked, sounding surprised. He no longer felt terrible; he felt refreshed, as if his brain had taken a bath.


    "You slept for a long time. You looked so exhausted that I had your crew postpone the departure by a day. You slept for an entire day," Anna said, her tentacles around Charles loosened as she let him go.


    Charles yawnedzily and said, "Thank you, Anna."


    Anna leaned over to touch noses with Charles. "Make sure to rest when necessary; don''t let yourself be this tired again. Whenever it''s possible to rest, you should get as much rest as you can."


    "Yeah, it''s not good to be tense all the time. The whisperings in my ears have be rare since I''m away from the seas," Charles remarked.


    Since nothing had happened throughout the entire day when Charles was asleep, he slowly let his anxious heart calm down. He just had to follow his past self''s advice, and there wouldn''t be any issues.


    "Go and wash your face. Breakfast is ready; I made it myself," Anna said softly.


    Charles was surprised. "Okay."


    Charles sttered cool, fresh water onto his face. Then, he opened his eyes and looked at himself in the mirror. The incident at the incinerator had left Charles with barely any skin on his face, and he looked quite scary with his red and inmed face.


    However, even the gruesome burn injury couldn''t hide the scars on Charles'' face.


    As always, his pair of eyes looked bizarre. One eye alternated between ck and red, as it was a spider with red patterns. The other eye seemed to be covered with ayer of white gauze, which was a testament to the injury he had suffered during the incinerator incident.


    One of Charles'' ears had been torn off as well, and he was left with only a hole where his ear was supposed to be. In addition to his prosthetic limb, Charles suddenly realized that the figure in the mirror was unfamiliar to him.


    He hadn''t realized it until now, but he had changed a lot. His body and his memories¡­ everything about him had changed and was still changing.


    "Hurry up ande here; the milk will go cold at this rate," Anna said.


    Anna''s voice made Charles turn and leave the washroom. Charles'' room wasn''t exactly big, but Anna''s presence made it feel cozy. There was a steaming breakfast on the table.


    Today''s breakfast was simple, and the dishes appeared unfamiliar to Charles. The breakfast consisted of a boiled egg, a bowl of white porridge, two steamed buns, and a deep-fried dough stick.


    "What are you doing standing there in a daze? Aren''t you supposed to depart today? Come here and eat," Anna said, pulling out a chair for Charles.


    Charles bit on the steamed bun, and his lips trembled slightly when a familiar taste pervaded his mouth. The next second, he ate with relish and inrge mouthfuls; it had been more than a decade since he had these local dishes.


    "Thank you. If it hadn''t been for your reminder with this breakfast, I would have forgotten that I''m Gao Zhiming from Earth."


    "I''m d to hear you like it. I''ll cook these dishes for you in the future whenever I have time," Anna said. She was sitting next to Charles with her hand propping up her chin, and she was staring straight at the man next to her.


    Charles took a mouthful of the white porridge before shaking his head slightly and responding, "I know you''re not going to do that. That''s unlike your style."


    "Tsk, do you even know how to lie when ites to something like this? Did you really have to ruin the mood? If it weren''t for the fact that you''re departing today, I wouldn''t allow you to join me in bed tonight."


    The dissatisfied Anna looked so adorable that Charles couldn''t help but chuckle at the sight, even though he was busy chewing the food in his mouth.


    "What''s so funny? Hurry up and eat!" Anna kicked Charles'' knee with her red high heels.

 Chapter 588: Multiple Times

    Chapter 588: Multiple Times


    The breakfast time ended amidst some small talk. The two spent quite a bit of time in each other''s arms before Charles headed for the Narwhale, which had been finally repaired. The battered hull was no longer battered, and her streamlined silver hull appeared particrly beautiful.


    Exploring with one''s own ship was still the best. Charles had been using someone else''s ship on his journey to 068. He had not shown it, but he felt ufortable throughout the journey.


    The crew members had been waiting for their captain on the Narwhale''s deck.


    Charles turned to Anna next to him and wrapped his arms around her waist before giving her a deep kiss. Pulling away from her, Charles was about to say something when Anna stopped him, saying, "No, no, no, don''t say anything. Don''t raise your own g."


    Charles seemed amused at the remark. "What are you talking about? Anyway, take out my phone. I''ll take another look at that video before I depart."


    Soon, Charles'' old phone was in his hands once more. He opened the video and froze almost immediately. The scene was a bit different from thest time he saw it.


    "Stop doubting yourself! This is the fourth time that those memories were deleted! Listen to me! Do not doubt yourself, and don''t even think about it! Just keep doing your thing! Don''t think about what''s going to happen next!"


    "The fourth time?!" Charles felt a shiver down his spine as he stared at himself in the video. "I have deleted and altered my own memories again? But when did I do that?"


    Charles quickly went through his memories from the day before yesterday until today, but he found no abnormalities."What? Is there something wrong?" Anna asked, sounding surprised. Then, she watched the video and was stunned. "This is interesting. Your memories have been deleted and altered multiple times now? Darling, it seems that you couldn''t resist and still went on a search for those memories."


    "No way, why would I do that?!" Charles retorted immediately. "I haven''t done any searching at all. I definitely gave up and decided to stay put at my past self''s advice!"


    "Um, that''s not right. Our memories have been altered to cover up the deleted memories," Anna remarked.


    "If that''s the case, then does that mean that I didn''t sleep yesterday? I altered my own memories for the fourth time now, and my past self covered up what I had done yesterday by altering my memories; he made me think that I was asleep for an entire day!"


    The crew members looked at Charles and Anna down below with bewildered looks.


    "What on earth is the captain talking about with his monster wife? Why is he noting up? Wasn''t he always the most enthusiastic among us when it came to exploration?" Dipp asked in confusion.


    "He took sleeping pills from me the day before yesterday. I was a bit worried, so I had Audric follow him. He stayed in his room the whole time, and he sounded agitated as he was yelling in his room.


    "I think I have to conduct aprehensive assessment of the captain''s mental health," Linda suggested.


    Lily crawled up Linda''s pants to reach her shoulder. Then, she nodded her tiny head in approval, saying, "<em>Mm~ Mm~</em> Mr. Charles has been acting really strangetely. He even cut his own hand two days ago¡­"


    Charles and Anna conversed with each other for a while beneath the crew members'' gazes before climbing up the ropedder to reach the Narwhale''s deck.


    "Anna will apany us throughout this exploration," Charles said to his crew members.


    The crew members nced at each other and nodded without saying anything before heading toward their respective posts.


    The captain had faith in the man-eating monster called Anna, and they also had no right to oppose his decision.


    In addition, Anna had already slowly gained the trust of the crew members; of course, the crew members were still wary of Anna deep inside.


    Just like that, the Narwhale left the Colossal Hole Fortress once again, but unlike the previous exploration when Charles left the fortress in high spirits, he was in a bad mood for this exploration.


    And it was all because the issue that they had encountered during their previous exploration was still unresolved. To make matters worse, it was following them around and could rear its ugly head anytime.


    An oppressive air hung about the Captain''s Quarters. Charles was sitting on a stool while Anna was sitting on the table. The two stared quietly at each other until Charles finally shattered the ice.


    "This issue must be resolved. We can''t venture out there like this."


    "What do you think we can do? I think we should not do anything. How can you guarantee that you will not be recording the fifth iteration of that video once youe into contact with <em>it</em>?"


    Charles fell into deep contemtion at Anna''s remark.


    "Charles, just do what you said in that video. Just keep doing what you''ve been doing, and don''t even think about it. Focus on the exploration; focus on the quest to retrieve the darkness," Anna said, staring into Charles'' eyes.


    "But we clearly didn''t do anything¡ª"


    "No, you <em>did </em>something. It''s precisely because you <em>did </em>something that we had to alter our memories lest we suffer the grim consequences of what you did. Your memories about how you haven''t done anything these days are fake."


    The Captain''s Quarters was silent once more.


    A few minutester, Charles said, "Then, how about we try and deduce what we''re facing? We have a strange opponent this time.


    "First of all, we can rule out that it''s some monster. Otherwise, howe it''s targeting me specifically when there are so many people in the Colossal Hole Fortress?


    "Secondly, the memories rted to <em>it</em> must be deleted every time to avoid the crisis temporarily. In other words, my memories are the trigger. The moment I take a deep dive into the issue, we''ll find ourselves in a crisis."


    Anna had on a thoughtful look as she muttered, "<em>Hmm, </em>makes sense. What''s next? How are you going to resolve this issue? You know how it''s triggered, but that''s about it. You don''t even know what it is¡­"


    "Give me a moment¡­ let me think about it¡­ There must be a solution¡­" Charles muttered.


    Anna kicked off her high heels and stepped on Charles'' knee with her tiny jade-white foot. "Don''t even think about it. You''re not going to figure it out in time."


    "This issue has to be resolved, and I can''t let it be. I mean, who can say for sure whether this issue is going to affect just me or others as well? If we ignore it, perhaps everyone will suffer¡ª"


    Charles was forced to stop mid-sentence as Anna pounced on him and gave him a passionate kiss. Anna''s hands then reached into Charles'' clothes and started groping around.


    Charles'' eyes widened slightly; Anna''s sudden move had caught him off guard.


    "Anna¡ªno... not now." Charles'' voice was stifled by Anna''s slippery tongue. The next moment, more than ten tentacles burst out from Anna''s back, and they wrapped around Charles, immobilizing him.


    "Don''t move and just close your eyes¡­" Anna muttered.


    At noon on that same day, a slightly disheveled Charles ate his lunch in the dining hall of the Narwhale.


    Charles looked a bit annoyed as he nced at Anna and asked, "Satisfied now?"


    Anna snickered and shook her head. "Not yet. We have nothing to do in the afternoon, so we can totally have a second round."


    "What''s wrong with you? Howe you''re suddenly addicted to <em>that</em>?" Charles asked, and his words had juste out of his throat when his expression stiffened.


    The next moment, his expression changed drastically, and he reached out to Anna, saying, "Give me the phone."


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Stop the nonsense and just give me the phone."


    Charles'' fingers were trembling as he yed the video.


    The video depicted an exceptionally haggard Charles.


    "This is the sixth deletion. I know that you can''t resist it, but I''m serious¡ªdon''t even think about it. A new round of suffering will begin the moment you discover the truth. I don''t want the current you to be recording the seventh video."

 Chapter 589: Deleted Again

    Chapter 589: Deleted Again


    <em>Bam!</em>


    Charles mmed his prosthetic hand hard on the steel table, denting it and startling the crew members. It turned out that what happened between him and Anna not too long ago was all fake! It was a false memory to cover up the truth!


    Charles was no longer in the mood to eat. He furrowed his brows, thinking of countermeasures.


    "What did I tell you? I told you not to think about it. Is it that hard to keep your mind empty?" Anna asked with her brows knitted. She then snatched the phone away from Charles'' hand.


    Lily was on the table next to them, and she was about to run over to Charles and Anna, but Bandages pulled her away.


    "Don''t go... wait for him... to give orders..."


    "I obviously haven''t been able to avoid thinking about it. Since that''s not working, and this crisis is from my previous exploration on 068. You should just delete all of my memories about that exploration!" Charles eximed,ing up with a solution that was not exactly a solution.


    "Are you even sure that''s going to work? If it does work, howe you''ve only thought of that now?"


    "Let''s just try it. If deleting my memories about the previous exploration is not enough, then delete more than just that exploration. Keep doing it until the crisis is resolved. The trigger for that so-called ''crisis'' must be within my memories.""Charles, you better think this through. You must know that a human being is made out of a massivework of memories. A massive chunk of your memories has already been deleted, and if I delete more memories further back in time, what do you think is going to happen to you? Will you still be ''you'' by then?"


    "Let''s cross that bridge when we get there. Hurry up; we have no time to waste. This crisis has to be resolved as soon as possible!" Charles eximed. Then, he lowered his head, allowing Anna to touch his head.


    "What if the issue isn''t with your memories? I''m thinking that perhaps you''re not the problematic one here. Have you ever thought of that?"


    Charles'' pupils constricted slightly at Anna''s remark. After a brief contemtion, he looked up at Anna and said, "Delete all the memories that I imnted in myself from 068. The root of the issue might be there."


    Anna no longer dissuaded Charles from his decision. She put her hand back up and put it back down after just a few seconds.


    "It''s done? Howe I don''t feel anything?"


    Anna red at Charles. "When have you ever seen me delete memories in a way that the victim can perceive? If you can''t believe me, then try and look for those memories yourself. What? Can you still remember them?"


    Charles was stunned, and then he fell into deep contemtion. The next second, a hint of bewilderment appeared in his eyes. "Anna, why did you delete my memories?"


    Anna put her right hand on her forehead and revealed a speechless look. "Goodness, spare me. My man really is a great man. I told you that it''s not going to work. You''re not even making any sense now. How about I return those memories to you?"


    "Wait," Charles said, raising his hand to stop Anna''s hand in mid-air. There was deep confusion and bewilderment in Charles'' eyes as he struggled to recall something. A few momentster, he looked up and said, "This is fine. Let me limatize to it for now.


    "I feel like there''s a fog shrouding my head, and I don''t really remember that many details, but one thing I know for sure is that the issue I''ve encountered must be rted to my memories."


    Charles looked a bit dazed as he sat back down. He then reached out toward the biscuits on the table and stuffed them into his mouth. Charles swallowed briefly before turning to look at Anna.


    "If it works for me, then you should go ahead and delete your own memories as well."


    "Sure, sure. I''m much tougher than you, too. It''s not a big deal even if I have to destroy my current self and construct a brand-new Anna."


    "No, don''t¡­" Charles grabbed Anna''s arm and cast a nervous gaze at her. "You will no longer be the same Anna if you do that. Promise me¡ªpromise me that you will never do that!"


    Anna was deeply touched by Charles'' reaction. She hugged him tightly and kissed him passionately before saying, "I really don''t know what to say. It''s just¡­. I really love you to death."


    The crew members were a bit surprised at the scene; they seemed to have no idea what their captain and his wife were doing.


    "What are they doing? It feels like they''re rubbing in the fact that we''re single¡­" one of the sailors muttered, evidently unable to withstand the cheesiness of the scene.


    "Don''t say that," a sweaty nck said as he emerged from the galley. "Couples with a rtionship as good as the captain''s rtionship with her are rare.


    "I mean, which couple still hug each other after the honeymoon period? By then, most couples are already tired of looking at each other."


    "I don''t think that''s applicable to me. I still have a great rtionship with my wife," Dipp spoke from the sidelines with a bowl of oatmeal in hand.


    "All right, let''s just eat. It seems the captain is fine."


    The crew members sat back down and started eating their meals.


    As the days ticked by, Charles'' life eventually returned to normal, and nothing abnormal happened. Charles was still confused about what was going on, as he had no idea just what had happened, but he had a feeling that the ongoing situation was heading for the best-case scenario.


    Just then, beeping noises echoed from the telegraph machine. As a former Navy troop, Norton was tasked to decode and transcribe the message on a piece of paper.


    "Captain, the Colossal Hole Fortress has begun constructing an outpost at the location you''ve specified. They''re also building a train for the sake of transporting supplies."


    Charles nodded and replied, "That sounds great. It''s a more convenient arrangement, as expeditions are extremely long, and it''s too troublesome to return to the Colossal Hole Fortress every time for resupply."


    Charles believed that once enough outposts were built, the delivery of supplies would be much faster, and the expeditions would be much more efficient. They''d be able to save a ton of time, which was crucial as time was equivalent to their lives right now.


    "Captain, the Director of Hope Ind Telegraph Bureau has sent a message saying that Governor Anna has massive reforms, which resulted in many dissenting voices. He asked you toe down and take a look."


    Charles shook his head decisively and replied, "No need. Her words are my words. Tell them to cooperate with Anna. I also don''t have any time to go down. I have to devote all my time and resources to the surface world, and Anna has been of huge help to me by managing the affairs downstairs."


    "All right, I''ll write up a report." Norton nodded.


    "Mr. Charles, my mice have been really helpful, too. All of my mice friends on the ind havee up here," Lily said, tugging at Charles'' pants.


    Charles squatted and stroked Lily''s tiny furry head. "Thank you. You and your mice friends have been really helpful to me."


    Lily''s lips curled up, and her tiny tail wagged as she closed her eyes to enjoy Charles'' touch.


    All of a sudden, Lily opened her eyes and stared at Charles. "Mr. Charles, how about I call Uncle Mouse over here? He has even more mice than me, so he''s going to be really helpful to us. Uncle Mouse''s burrow is near the beach, so the seawater will definitely submerge his ce."


    "Laboratory Three¡­" Charles muttered, recalling the ind where he first met Lily and that giant mouse about the size of a puppy.


    "What''s going to happen to the hierarchy of your colony once your uncle is called up here? Are there going to be any changes to it?" Charles asked. He was thinking far ahead than the innocent Lily.

 Chapter 590: Existence of the Inexistence

    Chapter 590: Existence of the Inexistence


    Moreover, that mouse was different from Lily. Lily''s so-called "Uncle Mouse" was a true beast. If it were given free rein on the ind and were allowed to take control of the ind''s mice, an unimaginable situation would surely unfold.


    "No, Uncle Mouse is a very reasonable mouse, and he likes me a lot, too. I''m sure he''s going to agree because he definitely doesn''t want to drown."


    "All right, but how about you inform your uncle mouse first, and let''s see his reaction before anything else?" Charles asked. In any case, mice were still living beings, and they definitely needed a ce to live. At least for now, they had the same vested interests.


    The Narwhale was sailing across the vast deste semi-desert region by itself, and there wasn''t anything going on, so the crew simply started working on their assigned duties.


    Charles spent the entire day standing, so he immediately returned to his cabin to rest after dinner. His duty hours were over, and he was about to enjoy his private time. In addition to six hours of rest every day, Charles had three more hours of free time that he could use at his leisure.


    Of course, this wasn''t set in stone. He was the captain, so he had to rush over to the bridge at the first sign of any issues.


    A dull noise echoed as Charles closed his diary after writing his entry for the day. Today was uneventful, so Charles had no idea what to write as his entry. In the end, he decided to write only one line: "Nothing wrong today; nothing much to say."


    Charles was quiet for a while before he took out his drawing board and started drawing.


    The paintbrush grazed the drawing board gently as Charles drew an energetic-looking young man. The young man was none other than himself¡ªhis past self when he had just found himself on the Subterranean Sea. He was dressed casually and was wearing just a short-sleeved shirt and jeans.As the paintbrush moved, more and more figures appeared on the canvas¡ªhis former first mate, Old John, a young beggar Dipp, a younger-looking Bandages, Lily surrounded by her mice friends, and Feuerbach.


    Once Charles was done, he took a step back and was surprised to find that he had established deep ties with the Subterranean Sea. Charles stared at his own work for a long time before taking off the clip and putting aside the canvas to dry.


    Then, Charles immediately began drawing his second painting. This time, he decided to draw his family. A cozy house was in the background, and it seemed like Charles was about to draw apletely ordinary family photo.


    However, he started hesitating when it was time for him to draw the faces of his family members. He tried his best, but he couldn''t draw their facial features at all. He added as much detail as he could from his memories, but there was always something missing,


    Charles desperately wanted to fill in that missing part, but he just couldn''t do it.


    Charles lobbed his paintbrush toward the table, looking quite frustrated as he took out a bottle of liquor from the bottom drawer of the desk next to him.


    After just two sses of the exceptionally strong liquor, Charles felt a bit dizzy. In the end, he decided to sleep and closed his eyes. Charles'' breathing gradually became even as he fell into a deep sleep.


    After an unknown amount of time had passed, Charles'' eyes shot wide open as if he was startled in his sleep. The next moment, he realized that his missing memories hade back, along with scenes he could swear he had never seen before.


    When Charles left the suspended 068, he remembered seeing a special entity behind it¡ªthe entity was a bizarre, elongated skeleton. One end of its figure extended infinitely toward the sky, while the other end had a skeleton head that seemed to be abination of a sheep''s skull and a human''s skull.


    Its elongated body was like a snake, and it had a ghastly, grayish color. Despite its appearance, it did not appear to be solid but was more like a liquid, which swayed left and right as it hovered in mid-air.


    The bizarre entity was in mid-air, and they had seen 068 hovering in the air previously because it had be entangled with 068.


    <em>What is this? Why is it among my memories?</em> Charles'' heart began to beat wildly against his chest as he felt like he had learned some kind of taboo knowledge. <em>Am I looking at the so-called "Inexistence" that Tobba had spoken of? I have to do something. I have to call Anna and make her delete this memory, or else...</em>


    Charles sat up on the bed and reached out for the diary on the table next to him.


    <em>Hehehe~</em>


    A bizarre giggling echoed from outside the window in Charles'' cabin. Charles turned to where the sound hade from, and the curtain that was being used to block the purple light of the surface world fell to the ground for no reason.


    Before Charles could react, he saw a skeleton head that appeared to be abination of a sheep''s skull and a human''s skull. The elongated head seemed to pervade every inch of the window, and its dark, empty eyes stared straight at Charles.


    A grotesque cracking noise echoed as the entity opened its mouth wide and rushed toward Charles.


    "<em>AAAHHH!</em>" Charles roared and sat right up. Beaded sweat covered his forehead, and he stared out into space for a while beforeing back to his senses. He was startled awake; it was all just a dream.


    Charles fell into deep contemtion on the bed. He tried his best to recall what had scared him out of his wits, but he could not remember the details of his dream no matter how hard he tried.


    "Just what was that dream? How did it scare me like this?" Charles muttered to himself. Charles pondered some more, but he simply gave up on trying to remember the dream, as he truly could not remember it. In the end, Charles stood up and got dressed.


    Soon, Charles was on his first round of patrol of the day. Once he was done with his patrol, he didn''t go to the dining hall for breakfast. Instead, he made a beeline for the bridge to see if the ship had any navigational issues while he was asleep.


    "We encountered zero issues, Captain. This semi-desert region is empty, and as you can see, there are plenty of tread marks up ahead. This is a safe semi-desert region, and many exploration parties have gone through here.


    "In other words, there''s nothing for you to worry about, so why are you so worried?" Dipp asked while standing at the helm.


    Charles meticulously scanned the chart on the wall andpared it with their current location. "At our current speed, we''ll reach the darkness''st known location in eight days."


    "There are only eight days left? It''s about time we see some results after so many days of exploration. We just have to find the darkness, and the Subterranean Sea is saved," Dipp said, sighing in relief.


    "There must be two people at all times in the bridge, and I''m sure there''s a helmsman on duty here, so where is he?" Charles asked, staring at Dipp.


    "That kid went to the bathroom. He''ll be back soon. Anyway, Captain, don''t you think it''s best to have a second mate and a third mate as well? Why don''t you promote Norton to boatswain and promote me to second mate?"


    Charles shook his head and exined, "The boatswain and the second mate aren''t even in the same department, so you''ll never be a second mate no matter how many years you spend as a boatswain. Anyway, just do your best managing your deck team."


    Dipp''s eyes widened at the remark. "That''s unfair of you, Captain. I mean, weren''t you a sailor before you became a captain? So why can''t I be promoted to second mate from being a boatswain?"


    Charles smacked Dipp''s nape lightly and said, "Because this is my ship. Stop the nonsense and look straight ahead while steering."


    Dipp was about to retort when he saw Charles'' face bing extremely pale.


    Charles'' wide eyes were unwittingly transfixed on the purple mist beyond the ss windows of the bridge.


    "Captain? What''s wrong?"


    "Do¡­ do you see that?" Charles pointed outside with his trembling finger.


    "I don''t see anything outside. Captain, are you sure you''re okay? How about I call Linda toe up here and examine you?" Dipp asked carefully, realizing that Charles had been acting strangetely.

 Chapter 591: Inexistence

    Chapter 591: Inexistence


    "Captain, what are you talking about? I don''t see anything outside," Dipp said, sounding puzzled.


    However, Charles couldn''t care less about Dipp''s thoughts. He could see a white object streaking across the sky, making a beeline for the Narwhale.


    The next moment, familiar giggling noises pierced his ears, shattering his altered memories. True and false memories intermingled, creating a hodgepodge of indescribable memories.


    Charles now had twopletely different sets of memories in his head. An agonized look took over Charles'' face. He grabbed his head, and the veins on his forehead bulged.


    "Chief Engineer! Bring the doctor here! The captain is in pain!" Dipp decisively roared into themunication pipe connected to the turbine room. He wasted no time, as Charles looked to be in extreme pain.


    Charles gritted his teeth and used his trembling right hand to take his diary out of his chest pocket as the two worlds before him ovepped.


    "Anna,e here quick! Delete my memories!! Now!" Charles roared agitatedly. He finally remembered the identity of the bizarre entity making a beeline for the Narwhale. It was none other than the so-called "Inexistence" Tobba had spoken of, and it was the same entity he had seen in his dreams.


    Anna appeared almost immediately and read Charles'' memories. She instantly understood what was going on, so she grabbed Charles'' head in an attempt to erase and alter his memories.


    "Wait! We still have some time! We have to leave clues for our future selves," Charles said. He took out his phone and was about to start recording when he came to a screeching halt. His heart skipped a beat upon realizing that there was something wrong with the thumbnail. When he opened the video with a quick click, Charles'' assumption was confirmed to be true. The new thumbnail was from a brand-new video, and the brand-new video depicted an extremely flustered Charles.


    "There''s something wrong. Future me, this is the tenth recording. Something has gone very wrong. No matter how many times you delete and alter your memories, that monster will always appear. It can eventch onto others, so you must not let anyone else perceive its existence!


    "That monster is the so-called ''Inexistence.'' It exists the moment you think it exists. Second Mate Charlie, O.S Sam, and Third Engineer rk have perceived its existence, and they ended up disappearing!"


    "Second Mate Charlie, O.S Sam, and Third Engineer rk? Who are they?" Charles muttered, and his hair abruptly stood on end. He couldn''t remember ever having crew members with those names. Since he couldn''t remember them, it meant that their existence itself had disappeared.


    "That entity has already noticed you by the time you see this video, and you have two minutes at most to figure out a countermeasure. That entity''s speed is very¡ª"


    The ghastly skeleton head abruptly appeared on the screen, and the video ended there.


    "Charles! Hurry up! It''sing!" Anna eximed. Her expression was grim as she stared intently at the elongated monster in the distance.


    <em>I''ve altered and deleted my memories so many times now, but it still hasn''t been working! Am I going to be trapped in this loop of deleting and altering my memories forever?</em> Charles'' heart sank into the abyss of despair upon recalling his own words in the video. He then turned to the distance and saw the entity approaching the Narwhale at a seemingly leisurely pace; it was now just at least a hundred meters away from the ship.


    Charles'' brows were knitted tightly as he tried toe up with a solution, and that was when his expression abruptly became calm.


    "Anna, I''m the root of this issue. Three crew members have already vanished into thin air. Who knows how many people will disappear if we wait much longer? We must solve this issue at its roots."


    Anna''s face changed, and she seemed to have an idea as to what Charles wanted to say, "Shut up! I am not going to let you do something like that!"


    "I want to give it a try. You know I can''t run away, right? If deleting and altering my memories a thousand or ten thousand times is not enough to solve the issue, then I''m just going to face the problem," Charles said, and he cast a determined look at the oing entity.


    The next moment, a ck spike protruded from the palm of his prosthetic hand.


    "You can''t possibly defeat that thing! We don''t even know what kind of entity we''re facing, and it''s from the mist as well, so why are you trying to face it? Have you lost your mind?!" Anna yelled, looking extremely agitated.


    The light in Charles'' eyes solidified into a firm determination. "You might be right, but there''s no other way! We also don''t have the luxury of time. If I end up dying here, then please live on well with Sparkle.


    "I can''t lure that thing here and implicate the Narwhale! Anyway, myst will is beneath my pillow. Give it to my crewter," Charles said.


    Anna raised her hands, and more than a dozen tentacles wrapped around Charles.


    Unfortunately, Charles had seen through Anna''s move. There was a sh of white light, and Charles'' figure disappeared into thin air before reappearing at the bow. He was bent over and was vomiting the contents of his stomach.


    Anna''s heart stirred slightly, and she attempted to force Charles to turn back using mind control, but Charles seemed unaffected for some reason. A silver bracelet on Charles'' right hand was emitting a soft glow amidst Anna''s attempt to control Charles'' mind.


    Meanwhile, the enraged Charles kicked off the bow and rushed toward the oing monster with a ck spike in hand. However, the monster seemed like it couldn''t see Charles as it continued its leisurely stroll toward the Narwhale.


    "Die!!" Charles used all his strength to thrust the ck spike in his hand toward the ghastly skeleton head.


    The moment Charles made contact with the skeleton head, it disappeared instantly¡ªno, it wasn''t just the entity. Charles'' surroundings faded slowly, including Anna and the Narwhale behind him.


    Everyone and everything disappeared until Charles found himself standing in a hazy and monochrome world.


    Charles stood nkly for a while before he started looking around. The world was deste and silent. Charles opened his mouth to shout, but no matter how hard he tried to shout, no sound came out of his mouth.


    Just then, a vast amount of knowledge appeared in Charles'' mind. He suddenly understood the identity of that skeleton head. It wasn''t a Divinity on the surface, nor was it a monster. It was nothing¡ªit was "inexistence" in itself.


    Funnily enough, the concept of "inexistence" did not exist in its own world. It was nothing¡ªit was nothingness. However, humans couldn''tprehend nothingness.


    Nothingness was beyond humanity''sprehension, so they subconsciously concretize this "nothingness." And it was exactly the reason Charles saw such a bizarre monster as the representative form of "inexistence."


    Those unlucky enough to perceive its existence would be a part of it. The current Charles was an "inexistence," so those outside would not be able to perceive Charles'' existence.


    Charles turned around and saw something in the distance. He walked over and saw a corpse. It was the corpse of someone familiar to him¡ªSecond Mate Charlie.


    Second Mate Charlie waspletely unresponsive as he sat nkly on the void-like ground. It seemed that Charles wasn''t the only one unlucky enough to perceive the Inexistence. Second Mate Charlie had perceived it as well, so he ended up bing a part of it.


    Just then, Charles realized that he had never noticed that his second mate had disappeared, and he couldn''t remember seeing Charlie since they left 068. Clearly, Charlie was assimted way earlier than him, and Charles was convinced that he onlysted this long, as Anna had been deleting and altering his memories.


    "What am I supposed to do now? Should I find a way to escape?" Charles chuckled bitterly. He couldn''t escape. He had already be an Inexistence, and he had been forgotten by everyone outside.

 Chapter 592: Conversation

    Chapter 592: Conversation


    <em>So I''ve been forgotten... Is that a good thing or a bad thing? </em>Charles quietly mulled over the question. It was all he could do, as this world was devoid of sound nor could he make any sounds.


    He turned around and soon found the remaining two crew members¡ªO.S Sam and Third Engineer rk. They were in the same condition as Charlie, whom Charles had stumbled upon earlier. They were staring out into space.


    Charles didn''t know why they became like this, but it didn''t take Charles long to realize the reason behind it. They were in a world without sound or color, and it was a world that would surely drive just about anyone crazy.


    A me burned fiercely in Charles'' heart at the realization. The me was like a congration in his chest, and he desperately wanted to let it out. Unfortunately, he could not do so, no matter how hard he tried.


    He even raised the ck spike in his hand and tried stabbing his own palm, but the ck spike simply passed through his hand. He felt zero pain. Clearly, he could not be injured nor could he die.


    It made sense, as Charles was no longer human after having been assimted by that entity. He did a few experiments and realized that he could even lower his head and make it go through his own chest.


    Humans were not supposed to stay in this world, and every single human being here would eventually go mad from the stress of being in such a bizarre world.


    Charles walked forward nonstop, and he would always find Second Mate Charlie ahead of him, even though he had clearly walked past thetter. The discovery led Charles to one conclusion¡ªwalking would lead him to nowhere but where he had departed. He was doomed to keep walking or stay put until his mind was eroded.


    <em>How can I even escape? No, there is no escaping this ce. I no longer exist¡ªI''ve be an Inexistence. </em>Charles thought. He felt a hodgepodge of emotions at the thought that he was about to meet such an end. He had pondered over how he would die before, but this ending was something he had never imagined, even in his wildest dreams. Technically, he was not going to die. He''d simply end up like his crew the moment his mind waspletely eroded.Charles sprawled out and stared at the monochrome sky. The cogs in his mind turned; he was convinced that thinking would slow down the erosion of his mind, so he decided to think about many different things.


    <em>I think I finally understand why the deletion and alteration of my memories are useless. The only way to ovee an Inexistence was to not leave any evidence of the Inexistence''s existence.</em>


    <em>I''ve always left a warning on my phone before allowing Anna to delete my memories. It must be the real trigger that starts another round of that nightmare.</em>


    <em>In the end, Charles couldn''t help but feel confused about the concept of "Inexistence." What were Inexistent beings? Why would the surface have an "Inexistent being? Just what exactly happened on the surface?</em>


    <em>No, I can''t think that way. It has be me, and I''ve be it. Perhaps the way out is to forget my own existence? But¡­ how do I forget myself? </em>


    Charles pondered deeply over it and came up with many ideas, but they were ultimately useless. Charles was getting increasingly frustrated, and the oppressive air in the deste and noiseless world made the me in his heart burn stronger.


    Eventually, Charles opened his mouth wide in an attempt to vent out, but he couldn''t emit any sound.


    All of a sudden, extreme dread pervaded Charles'' heart¡ªhe was suddenly afraid that he wouldpletely cease to exist. He was afraid that there would be no more Gao Zhiming and no more Charles. He was afraid that no one would remember that he had even existed at some point.


    Just as Charles was about to open his mouth once again to let out noiseless roars, he noticed ripples in the spacetime before him. Momentster, Anna''s figure in her true form appeared on the other side of the rippling spacetime.


    Anna opened her monstrous maw, and her gentle voice entered Charles'' ears.


    "Gao Zhiming, you will not disappear as long as I''m here. I''m your anchor to this world. And don''t forget¡­ I''m from a species that can easily alter and delete the memories of others, but the other way around is way harder."


    At first, Charles was overjoyed, but his delight was then reced by stupefaction. He had already be an Inexistence. However, Anna was still aware of his existence, which meant¡­


    Before Charles could do anything, the rippling spacetime calmed down, bing simr to a mirror. Anna examined Charles from top to bottom and confirmed that he was safe and sound before attempting to walk into the monochrome world.


    "You must note here!" Charles eximed and immediately stopped her from walking any farther. "You''ll disappear from that world the moment youe in here!"


    Anna couldn''t hear Charles, but she could read memories, so she instantly understood what he wanted to say.


    Just then, Anna''s colossal and terrifying true form shrank as she transformed into a slender and gorgeous woman. She looked disgruntled as she yelled, "Did you even think about me when you decided tomit suicide, you selfish scumbag?!"


    Charles'' expression wasplex as he stared at Anna. "I''m sorry, but I really didn''t want to drag you down here with me. This problem is markedly different from anything we have ever encountered before. It''s simply impossible to deal with an Inexistence. After all, it''s a phenomenon rather than a monster."


    Anna shook her head profusely. She stared into the mirror and yelled, "There must be a way¡­ there has to be a way! I''ll take you out of that ce right now!!"


    Anna swung her tentacles frantically toward the mirror, but there weren''t any changes to Charles'' surroundings.


    Charles smiled wryly at the sight. "It really is impossible. It has be me, and I''ve be it. We''ve already be one entity."


    Anna came to a screeching halt, astonished at Charles'' remark.


    Charles took a deep breath, and his expression became solemn as he said, "I''m done, Anna. However, you aren''t in the same boat as me. It hasn''t assimted you yet, so you can still survive.


    "You must delete every single memory rted to me in your head. Once you can no longer perceive Charles'' existence, you will bepletely emancipated from that entity."


    Anna''s eyes quivered as she stared at Charles. "Anna wouldn''t have existed if it hadn''t been for Charles! I can''t do it! I can''t forget you!"


    "Anna, you have to listen to me. Our daughter, Sparkle¡­ she still needs you. The Subterranean Sea needs you as well. They all need you. The two of us can''t stay here and abandon them."


    Tears flowed freely from Anna''s eyes. Anna took on a look of agony as he stared at the man in the mirror. She was the only one who could still perceive Charles. If she deleted all of her memories rted to him, then Charles would truly cease to exist.


    At first, it was just sobbing, but Anna''s sobbing eventually became heart-wrenching wails. Realizing that Charles would soon cease to exist, Anna had a mental breakdown.


    Charles was taken aback by the sight. It was his first time seeing Anna crying in such a heartbroken manner, and he had just realized just how important he was for her.


    "Anna, we''re running out of time. You have to do it as soon as possible or things are going to be problematic for you."


    Anna was in Charles'' arms, and she looked up at him at his remark. Soon, her anguish was reced by a firm determination.


    "This is all my fault. I''m too weak! I could have prevented all this if I were just strong enough! Rest assured, and wait for me there. I''lle and save you the day I acquire the power of a Divinity!"


    "No, no, no!" Charles hurriedly shook his head and said, "You have to make sure not to retain even the tiniest vestiges of me in your head. You have to forget me thoroughly andpletely, as even the tiniest vestiges of me can be the trigger that will start another round of that nightmare, just like those videos that we''ve been leaving on my phone."

 Chapter 593: Existence

    Anna was taken aback by Charles'' words. She stared at him in disbelief and asked, "Forget youpletely?"


    Charles clenched and unclenched his hands as he tried to find the correct words to say. Nervously licking his dry lips, he answered, "Yes, that''s right. Forget mepletely. Only then can all of you get rid of this trouble. It shouldn''t exist."


    Anna blinked, her thoughts in turmoil, and her expression twisted slightly.


    "Is there really no other way? By doing that, you''ll vanishpletely," Anna said with an evident tremble in her voice.


    Charles nodded slightly. The corners of his lips twitched slightly before they were forcefully turned upward into a strained smile. "I know. I know. Even though you might not remember thister, I still want to tell you. Once I''m gone, take good care of Sparkle and yourself. And I love you, Anna."


    Anna gnashed her teeth. Her voice quivered as she implored, "Think of a solution, Charles! There has to be a way. We''ve made it through for so many here. You can''t possibly die here!"


    "I want to leave too, but this time, it''s different. I''ve already be part of it.


    "I''m constantly aware of my existence. If I want to escape, I must lose even the tiniest bit of awareness of my own existence, which is impossible. Only when my consciousness ispletely gone, like the second mate''s and the other¡ª"


    Suddenly, Charles paused. He seemed to be reminded of something, and a faint glimmer of hope gradually reced the hopeless gaze in his eyes.His face lit up agitatedly as he looked at his beloved. "Anna, I need you to get something for me! If we have that, we might actually get out of this predicament!"


    Anna immediately knew what Charles wanted upon reading his mind. Her eyes widened to the fullest in skepticism. "Really? Are you sure?"


    "We have to try to see if it works. If it''s <em>that</em> relic, it might just work. Besides, we have no other ways, do we?"


    Anna seemed like she had more to say, but ripples were starting to form in the mirror in front of her. She could feel Charles'' presence starting to fade within her mind. Her powers were reaching their limit.


    Knowing this, her expression changed. She turned around, quickly took a step back, and disappeared from Charles'' view.


    Soon after, she returned again. But this time, she was holding a purple pyramid that was about the size of her palm.


    The relic belonged to James. It was discovered during their expedition in the ruins of Laboratory Three, and Charles had gifted it to him.


    It had a simple and straightforward ability: the user could trade their intelligence for immense physical strength¡ªthe greater the strength, the lower the intelligence.


    For Charles'' current circumstances, its side effect was far more valuable than its actual ability. He wanted to make use of this relic to reduce his intelligence to a low enough level that he would be unable to perceive his own existence. He could then effectively break free from his current state.


    Moreover, the reduced intelligence was not permanent, and he would naturally recover given enough time.


    "Catch. I''m throwing it over," Anna said, gently tossing the purple pyramid toward Charles.


    However, as soon as Charles came into contact with the relic, it passed right through his body and became "nothingness" before his eyes.


    In his current state, Charles was an "Inexistence" to the outside world. Except for Anna, who still remembered him, he couldn''t interact with anything.


    <em>So this method isn''t going to work? </em>Charles'' heart sank.


    "It will¡­ let me handle it," Anna said.


    It didn''t take long for three mice to appear and carry the pyramid toward Charles. Anna had copied the memory of the entity into the minds of the three mice. As such, they had also been assimted to be "inexistent" beings and could bring the pyramid to the world Charles was in.


    Charles bent down and took the pyramid from the mice. He cast a nce at Anna in the distance before he started chanting in his mind, "I''m powerful. I''m powerful. I''m powerful. "


    With each repetition, Charles'' body grewrger, and his intelligence got lower. Upon reaching the height of five meters, his intelligence had dropped to merely 40.


    Charles'' face was now asrge as a round table. His gaze was nk and vacant as he stared dumbly at the pyramid in his hand. His mind was so dull that he didn''t know what he should be doing next.


    Though his intelligence was already extremely low, it still wasn''t low enough. He could still perceive his own existence, and as long as he could do that, he couldn''t escape his current "inexistence" state.


    Standing by the side, Anna clearly noticed Charles'' condition, and she couldn''t help but be anxious.


    "Charles! Charles! You have to keep going! Keep growing to get out of there!"


    Charles could hear Anna, but he looked at Anna with a vacant expression. Slowly, a trace of emotion flickered across his eyes.


    Just then, the mirror in front of Anna shattered abruptly, and Charlespletely vanished from her sight.


    Anna stared at the deste wastnd that surrounded her. She desperately called out, but no one responded. She could feel the memory of Charles gradually fading away from her mind, and she knew that it was irreversible.


    "No¡­ No! This can''t be!" Anna hysterically tried to use her powers to restore her disappearing memories. However, her memories disappeared at an even faster rate than her efforts.


    All the memories of their past were slowly eroding away. Anna''s expression twisted into agony as she clutched her head in pain. Her skin cracked open; ck, scaly tentacles extended outward and thrashed about wildly.


    "Why! Why am I still not strong enough? Why!" Anna screamed in anguish as her knees hit the ground.


    Without Charles, Anna would also cease to exist.


    As a Dioite, Anna''s disappearance would only result in one of two oues: she would either revert to her original monstrous form, or she would have to create an entirely new persona and live on as that person from then on just to maintain her consciousness.


    "I¡­ I refuse to ept this!" Anna''s face split open as she began transforming into her primal form, her writhing tentaclesshing out against the ground in fury.


    Just as her consciousness was starting to slowly fade away, a ripple spread through the air. Suddenly, Charles appeared before her.


    He now towered over thirty meters tall. His enormous eyes were vacant, and drool was dripping from the corner of his mouth. He swayed slightly before copsing backward.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The ground shook violently from Charles'' fall. A Charles of such stature falling over was akin to the copse of a thirty-meter building.


    With Charles'' return, the abnormalities in Anna''s body gradually dissipated. Her tentacles writhed in the air as she approached Charles slowly. She repeatedly called out Charles'' name, but he did not respond.


    Charles had seeded. He had rendered himself incapable of perceiving his own existence. With his intelligence reduced to almost zero, Charles had forgotten how to move his limbs, how to understandnguage, and even his own identity. His mind waspletely empty¡ªa shell devoid of any thoughts or awareness.

 Chapter 594: Return

    "Not bad. Even after being away for a month, all your parts are actually still intact,"


    "Yeah, the exploration was very sessful this time. We didn''t have any casualties, and more importantly, I found clues on the darkness. Though there was a slight interlude along the way."


    "I saw that in your mind. Why did you cram so many different memories? Do you want me to help you clear them out?" Anna offered.


    "No, don''t touch them! Those memories are incredibly useful! You can clear them once we''ve located the darkness."


    Anna made swift gestures around Charles'' head with her hands before she leaned in and nted a firm kiss on Charles'' lips. "All done! The connection between you and that eye has been severed."


    "There''s still a fragment of my soul in that spider. Can youpletely erase it to eliminate any potential risks?" Charles asked.


    "Don''t worry. The soul link has been severed, and that fragment will disappear soon. Just put your heart at ease. As long as I''m around, no one can harm you," Anna said with a faint smile on her lips.


    Hearing her words, Charles finally allowed himself to rx. He stretched out his arms and pulled Anna into an embrace. "Thanks. How''s Hope Ind? Is everything okay?"


    Anna closed her eyes, rubbing her fair cheek against Charles'' chest like a contented cat. "What else? It''s the same old. Hope Ind is under martialw now."Everyone who can work has been sent to the factories. It''s exhausting, but it''s better to keep them busy. As long as they are upied, they won''t have time to dwell on the despair of the rising sea levels.


    "Our ind is still well under control, but the situation on other inds is troubling. ording to the Navy''s intelligence, rebellions have started in several inds, and it seems that the Fhtagn Covenant is pulling their influence behind them.


    "I''ve sent Sparkle to help quell the rebellions, but there''s just one of her. She can''t handle all of it alone."


    "The Fhtagn Covenant¡­" Charles muttered. At the thought of those deformed traitors who had betrayed humanity, a fire of rage surged in Charles'' heart.


    "Charles, I know what''s on your mind, but it''s not the time to engage them now. We don''t have the time, and we''re too far away from them. It''d take half a year to reach their base ind and back. Time is of the essence.


    "Besides, they probably prefer us to waste our efforts on them. Those trash aren''t afraid of death; they are afraid that their god fails to awaken."


    Charles mmed his empty ss down on the small counter. "We can''t let this slide! At the next meeting, I''ll see if Julio can give them something else to worry about. We can''t let them disrupt our explorations anymore."


    With that, Charles stood up from the bench. "If there''s nothing else, I''m heading back now. We have rested long enough, and we''re setting out to explore the darkness tomorrow. Keep a closer eye on things down there." He then walked down the bustling street.


    Anna remained seated on the bench. Lifting up her cup, she took a gentle sip. Her alluring eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed intently at Charles'' retreated figure.


    Only visible to her, a substance resembling liquid white bones descended from the overhead purple mist and swirled around Charles like a dancing ribbon.


    That colossal skull hovered perpetually just a centimeter from Charles''s face and stared at him with its massive, empty eye sockets. It was waiting for the moment Charles would notice its existence.


    "As long as Charles never remembers what happened to him before, then this thing will cease to exist," Anna muttered to herself.


    Suddenly, the skull floated higher; its gaping eye sockets turned to focus on Anna. However, with a slight flick of Anna''s slender and fair fingers, the skull returned to hover in front of Charles'' face.


    As a master of consciousness maniption and memory alteration, the entity posed no threat to Anna. As long as she was willing, she could erase that part of her memory whenever she wanted.


    However, Anna didn''t want to do that. She now had the memory that could trigger the Inexistence. It was an extremely dangerous entity, but if used wisely, it could be a highly useful tool.


    <em>Who would have thought that memories could be used this way? You really do learn something new every day, </em>Anna mused.


    Anna''s gaze slightly shifted downward, fixing on an old, emaciated cat yawning nearby.


    With a mere thought, she imnted the memory that didn''t belong to the cat into its mind¡ªthe memory of the Inexistence.


    The next moment, the Inexistence in the distance swiftly approached the old cat. As soon as they made contact, the cat vanishedpletely. Its existence would be totally erased from this world.


    After assimting the old cat, the Inexistence returned to hover beside Charles. It constantly orbited Charles, never leaving his side.


    Watching the Inexistence tailing after Charles, a fierce determination began to burn in Anna''s eyes.


    "The trouble isn''t over. Power¡­ What''s truly important is power. I need to wield a Divinity''s power to truly establish myself in this bizarre world," Anna muttered to herself. "If any random creature can take our lives¡­how are we different from ants?"


    Anna then pped her hands lightly. Her form instantly disappeared from the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    When Anna opened her eyes again, she was back in the Governor''s Mansion on Hope Ind. Picking up Sparkle standing before her, she showered her daughter with a few kisses before turning to head to the Relic Research Institute.


    She ignored the humans that came forward to try to curry favor and directly took the elevator down to the lowest level.


    Individuals d in whiteb coats hurried past her, each absorbed in their own tasks and heading to their respectiveboratories.


    Striding down the corridor, she stopped before a heavily guarded room. In the center of the room, a giant red eye was suspended in a vat of cultivation solution.


    This was the Divinity''s eye that the Pope had previously used in the sacrificial ritual to release the Light God. Now, it was in Anna''s possession.


    Arge basin was ced in front of the massive eyeball. Inside, it was filled with writhing flesh, scraped off the Divinity''s eyeball itself.


    "Governor, the experiment is progressing smoothly. However, the matter taken from the eye is extremely dangerous. I would suggest¡ª"


    Anna nced at the scientist with a look of nonchnce, sending a shiver down his spine. He went quiet immediately.


    "I didn''t bring you guys here for your advice. I only need all of you to follow my orders. Do you understand me?"


    "Yes¡­ Yes, Governor," the man stammered and swiftly left the room.


    A hint of fervor lit up in Anna''s eyes as she looked at the writhing flesh before her. Grabbing a piece the size of a watermelon, she shoved it into her mouth.


    As she chewed and swallowed the flesh, her alluring figure began to crack and split apart to reveal her hideous, monstrous form underneath.


    Soon, her terrifying tentacles started to rupture before growing again rapidly. New ones even branched off from the old ones, making her entire body more grotesque and deformed than before.


    "No¡­ Not enough. It''s still not enough! I need to be even stronger!"

 Chapter 595: Loyalty

    "I''ve already exined it to you, Mith. We have to cooperate with them if we want everyone to survive this crisis," Margaret said with furrowed brows as she stared at the little girl, who had sharp, jagged teeth, in front of her.


    "You liar! You''re a big liar!! You never had any intentions of killing Charles. Everything you did was just to deceive me! You used us!" 134 eximed, looking extremely agitated as she hovered in the air.


    Margaret''s head throbbed in pain. Apparently, Mith had lived for several hundred years now, but she still had a child''s personality, which Margaret had always found difficult to handle.


    The truth had already beenid out in front of her, but she ignored the stakes and vested interests to prioritize her own selfish desires.


    "Charles must die! He stole my ind from me! No one is allowed to steal from me! We had an agreement, and you''re supposed to kill Charles as per our agreement, but what did you do?! You helped him instead!!" 134 shouted.


    Her voice was so loud and high-pitched that it sounded like a shrill scream. She was so agitated that her small face was flushed red.


    Staring at the agitated 134, Margaret couldn''t help but feel a bit annoyed. "Are you not aware of the ongoing crisis? The sea levels are rising. Charles cannot die in the meantime. We''ll figure out a way to go about that once the crisis is over."


    "You liar! You don''t want to kill Charles at all. Do you really think that I don''t know? You''re in cahoots with him! You bitch! I bet you''ve already bent over for him¡ª"


    "Enough!" Margaret roared. Her brows knitted tightly, and her face became quite ferocious as a result. "If you think that this partnership isn''t to your liking, then you can leave and be a pirate again."I really want to see whether there are any merchant ships out there for you to rob!"


    134 pointed her pudgy finger at Margaret, who was sitting behind the desk in front of her. "I helped you reim Whereto, and after getting a new backer, you''ve actually decided to betray me? Great! All humans are trash. Every. Single. One. Of. Them!"


    "I said, enough!" Margaret retorted, "Go back to your Sottom and stay quiet. You better not do anything that will make all of us unhappy. And don''t forget that we''re at Hope Ind''s docks!"


    134 bit her cheeks hard before turning around and stomping out of the door.


    A loud bang echoed as 134 mmed the door shut.


    Margaret kneaded her swollen temples. Mith had never been the type to let go of things so easily, so Margaret knew that the matter wasn''t over yet. If Margaret didn''t want Mith to kick up a fuss, she would have to appease thetter.


    Fortunately, Margaret had long figured out Mith''s temper and personality. She just had to take advantage of that knowledge, and Mith would eventually settle down.


    "A disobedient child must not be spoiled; give them the stick instead," Anna said, smiling as she stared at Margaret after suddenly appearing before thetter. She was d in a tight-fitting dress that entuated her curves.


    Margaret was about to stand up and greet her, but Anna''s tentacles pushed her down and said, "No need to be so polite. You helped me, so we''re all on the same side now."


    "Mith didn''t mean that. She actually¡ª"


    "It''s a trivial matter, so it''s fine," Anna interrupted. "Let''s talk about what matters, shall we? What are your ns going forward?"


    Margaret was slightly stunned. She couldn''t believe that Anna was so nonchnt toward a tant threat to Charles'' life. Could it be that Anna didn''t really love Charles?


    "Don''t space out, dear," Anna said, reaching out toward Margaret''s chin and lifting it with her index finger. "I asked you a question."


    "<em>Uh... um...</em> stabilize the morale of Whereto''s residents, provide support to the expedition parties on the surface, and be on the lookout for the Fhtagn Covenant''s attacks," Margaret replied.


    Anna shook her head slightly. "There''s one thing missing: to serve as Julio''s eyes. You''re one of Julio''s people, aren''t you? I saw it in your head."


    Margaret''s heart tightened. She subconsciously nced at the ring on her pinky finger and was astonished to realize that the relic that Governor Julio had given to her against mind control was useless against Anna.


    Anna grabbed Margaret''s hand and pulled out the ring. Then, she pinched it lightly; it crumbled instantly into powder.


    "The mages of the Western Seas are quite capable with their tricks, but their tricks are no longer effective against me. Perhaps you can try finding something better."


    Margaret''s expression remained unchanged, and her voice was calm as she said, "Miss Anna, our top priority is locating. Everyone will die without the darkness. Do you really think that this is the time to do something like this?"


    "<em>Hehe,</em> didn''t you say that line to Julio before? How did he respond? Anyway, how about we look at this from another angle?


    "You see, Julio isn''t really that close to you. He''s also not strong enough to dominate the Northern Seas, so why don''t you jump ships and pledge loyalty to me rather than stay loyal to him?" Anna suggested.


    Margaret''s eyes shifted downward as she avoided Anna''s gaze. Then, she sounded a bit unwilling as she said, "Hope Ind has already be the Overlord of the Northern Seas."


    "You know I''m talking about a different matter, right? Think about it. I can give you everything you want. I can help you reim the glory of the Cavendish family, and I can even give you powerful and special powers."


    Seeing that Margaret wasn''t saying anything, Anna added, "You have principles, so I''ve decided to extend this invitation to you from the bottom of my heart. If it weren''t for that fact, I''d devour you whole just for your little affair with Charles."


    Margaret stared into Anna''s pitch-ck eyes. "Is this your own idea, or is this Charles'' idea?"


    "It''s my own idea. That brat has no time to handle what''s going on down here. Of course, do a great job, and I can blindfold Charles and send him into your room."


    Margaret stood up and red at Anna. "Are you trying to humiliate me?"


    Anna let out a chuckle and said, "I actually don''t understand. Why are you resistant to that idea? Do you think he''s dirty? You know that the other governors are far more depraved, right?"


    "Those governors are devoid of even the most basic principles, which is why their reigns are always short-lived. Meanwhile, the Cavendish family has the deepest history throughout the Northern Seas."


    "That''s right, that''s right¡­" Anna nodded in approval and said, "Those with principles are always better than those without. Anyway, we''ve digressed. Answer me, would you rather be loyal to me or loyal to Julio, who is in the distant Eastern Seas?"


    Margaret put her hands together quietly, and her ample chest rose and fell as she was immersed in her contemtion. After a while, she said, "I still think we should focus on the ongoing crisis. We can talk about anything else once the crisis is resolved."


    "Don''t worry. Charles has already found the darkness, and he''s heading there as we speak. Once he retrieves the darkness, the Subterranean Sea''s crisis will be resolved.


    "It''s fine if you don''t want to answer me today," Anna said, "Think it through before giving me an answer. Anyway, I have to go. I have to talk with the other governors," Anna said. She pped lightly and vanished before Margaret.

 Chapter 596: Relics

    Night fell. Charles was alone in his bedroom within the confines of the Colossal Hole Fortress. He was buck naked as he deftly manipted his invisible tentacles to type on the brass keys of the Soul Printer.


    He was in the middle of a workout session; it wasn''t a workout to improve his physical abilities but to improve his control over his special abilities granted to him by his relics. Charles had discovered that the special abilities of imnted relics could be even stronger through exercise as if they were one''s muscles.


    After typing out an entire sheet of paper with his invisible tentacles, Charles reached out and pulled the paper out before putting it on top of seven or eight other sheets of paper on the table.


    Then, he wiped away the sweat on his forehead. The Tentacle Ring was the first relic he had imnted into himself, and he had basically mastered the use of it.


    Now, he needed more relics to assimte and master. Charles swept his gaze across the relics on the table before him. The crystal-clear die that allowed him to teleport, the Flesh Revolver, the Invisibility Ring, and the Purple Pyramid.


    The Purple Pyramid didn''t actually belong to him, but Anna had insisted that he always carry it on him; she said it coulde in handy at critical junctures. He couldn''t really refuse her concern, so he decided to bring it with him on his journey.


    His destination on this journey was the darkness, and it was unknown whether the entity that had taken away the darkness was still there or not. In other words, it was imperative that he do everything that would increase his strength.


    However, Charles was a bit worried. The recent research results of the Relic Research Institute said that the imnted relics could be used more effectively through daily practice of the relic''s special ability.


    However, the side effects of those relics could manifest in those unlucky. For example, Charles could obtain an extremely powerful and towering physique by imnting the purple pyramid in himself, but his intelligence could also regress to zero.It had to be known that once imnted, the relics would fuse into oneself, which meant that there would be no turning back at that point. The potential side effects made Charles hesitate about whether he should go through with his n or not.


    <em>Knock, knock, knock. </em>


    There was knocking on the door of the Captain''s Quarters.


    "Come in," Charles said without taking his eyes off the relics on the table.


    The ship''s doctor, Linda, walked in with a medical kit. "Captain, what''s wrong?"


    "I want you to check if my mind is stable enough to assimte more relics," Charles said.


    Linda said nothing and immediately got to work using her medical kit to run tests.


    "Captain, do you still hear those whispers in your ears?"


    "No, I noticed those whispers had disappeared now that I''m on the surface," Charles answered sinctly.


    "How''s your sleep these days?" Linda asked while taking out many different devices from the medical kit to examine Charles. Compared to their previous doctor, Laesto, Linda seemed to have a penchant for instruments and equipment.


    Soon, the examination was over, and Linda said, "Captain, you no longer have any mental contamination, so I don''t think there are going to be any issues if you assimte another relic."


    Charles wasn''t very surprised at the response, as he had anticipated Linda''s reply. He had only asked Linda toe over and examine him just to confirm his assumption. "Thank you, you can go back."


    However, Linda did not leave. She stared deeply at Charles and asked, "Captain, you know that the failure rate still remains high even if the experiment is perfected, right?"


    "Mmhm, I know," Charles said. He picked up the crystal-clear die, and his thoughts began to wander.


    <em>Since Anna was the one who took Alice away, then there''s a high chance that she''s already been dismantled. I wonder if there were other relics inside of her. Alice''s arsenal of special powers is from relics, so¡ªwait, no. Powerful relics are definitely useless against an entity capable of stealing the Light God''s cape of darkness. </em>


    <em>I think I should focus on relics that will improve my chances of survival out there. I should go to the Explorers Association and see if they have any life-saving relics. It''ll be great if they have relics capable of eluding a Divinity''s gaze.</em>


    <em>Snap! </em>


    Linda snapped her fingers in front of Charles'' face and said, "Captain, are you listening to me?"


    "<em>Huh, </em>what were you saying?" Charles'' dazed eyes focused on Linda''s face.


    "The human-relic fusion experiments have yet to be perfected, and they are seriously wed. Moreover, you''ve fused with more than two relics, so it''s going to be dangerous for you to fuse with more relics."


    "Yes, I know, but I''m built different¡ªmarkedly different from those experimental subjects," Charles replied. He then stood up and jumped out of the closest window before making a beeline for the Explorers Association.


    The streets of the Colossal Hole Fortress were wide. The majority of the buildings in the fortress'' confines were built with a limited budget in mind, but the same couldn''t be done to the Explorers Association.


    The Explorers Association splurged and was constantly expanding its building to amodate the increasing and constant stream of visitors. It was undoubtedly the busiest ce throughout the fortress; it was busy even at night, as one had to visit the Explorers Association to receive missions.


    Charles followed the crowd into the building and saw that the door to the hall where one could trade relics was wide open. Following the crowd through the door, Charles was instantly struck by the din of curses and roars in the face.


    It seemed that the Explorers Association had expanded the relic trading area to the adjacent hall. Charles started looking around for the relic he desired, and he discovered something brand-new in the fortress, and it was the fact that Echo bills were useless here.


    The end of the world was nigh, and the fact that an explorer''s expenses in the Colossal Hole Fortress were fully subsidized meant that no one really needed any money here.


    In other words, the Subterranean Sea''s currency was worth nothing here, and everyone had regressed to the primitive method of goods exchange¡ªbartering.


    "Captain, did you alsoe here for the relics?" Sailor Norton said, appearing next to Charles. Norton usually stood with impable posture as proof of his training, but his posture seemed a bit rxed today.


    Charles nced at the ck rock in Norton''s hand and said, "So you found some good stuff?"


    Norton handed over the ck stone to Charles and said, "I discovered that our enemies are usually immune to hot weapons, so I came here to find relics that will boost my offensive."


    Charles looked down at the ck stone in his hand before returning it to Norton.


    "Do the otherse here, too?"


    "Yes, but the sellers reign supreme over this market. No one has gotten any useful relics, as the sellers of the useful ones have specific requirements that we haven''t been able to fulfill."


    Charles looked around and saw that the stalls had some writings on the side, which explicitly said what the seller wanted in exchange for their relics. The requests were diverse, to say the least, and some were even confusing.


    [Looking for a non-lethal relic capable of inflicting pain beyond the pain tolerance threshold.]


    Charles crouched and stared at the one-eyed explorer before him. "What''s up with the strange request?"


    The one-eyed explorer didn''t even bother to look at Charles as he nonchntly replied, "You don''t need to know that. The only thing that you need to know is that if you want our captain''s relic, you must give us what our captain needs."


    The one-eyed explorer nced at Charles'' prosthetic left hand and found the sight a bit odd. He examined Charles from top to bottom and was astonished.


    "G-Governor Charles? I''m sorry for being so rude. I had no idea that you were standing before me," the one-eyed explorer''s expression became extremely solemn. The nearby explorers had heard him, too, so the nearby din became slightly less noisy.


    Charles didn''t really mind the one-eyed explorer''s attitude earlier. He pointed out the writings and asked, "Why is your captain requesting such a strange relic?"


    "Well, he has a special relic. The stronger the pain coursing through him, the stronger he bes, so he wants a relic capable of inflicting a ton of pain on him but will not kill him."


    <em>The synergy of relics¡­</em> Charles pondered, rubbing his chin in deep thought.

 Chapter 597: Nico

    Charles was long aware of the fact that the special abilities of relics could bebined to create a synergistic effect. A great example of this was his invisible tentacles and lightning. Charles could imbue his invisible tentacles with lightning to electrocute someone without warning.


    However, this was only useful against humans. Unfortunately, their enemies on the surface weren''t humans. In fact, Charles did not even know just what exactly his enemy was. Thus, he needed more powerful relics.


    "Do you need this relic, Governor Charles? My captain greatly respects you, so I''m sure that he''ll give this relic to you if you want it," the one-eyed explorer said respectfully.


    Charles shook his head. The relic up for barter was an offensive-type relic, and he had enough offensive-type relics.


    "What do you need, Esteemed Governor?" a staffer of the Explorers Association d in the Association''s signature uniform said, walking up to Charles, "You can just tell us what you need, and we will help you find one."


    Charles stood up and looked around, noticing that everyone''s gaze was on him.


    Their eyes glimmered in curiosity, envy, and even admiration.


    It was a treatment and privilege that only the hero who had found the darkness could enjoy. Most importantly, he was one of the people here¡ªhe was an explorer as well.


    Charles'' identity as the Governor of Hope Ind was useful sometimes, at least among the explorers."<em>Ahem.</em>" Charles cleared his throat and said, "Everyone, I need a life-saving relic, preferably one that can resist the Divinities."


    Everyone''s expressions changed instantly at the remark. Everyone here knew just what the word "Divinities" meant.


    "Governor Charles, are you saying that there''s a Divinity near the darkness?" Someone''s trembling voice echoed from the crowd.


    "I don''t know, but we can only assume the worst. What? Are you afraid? Don''t worry; I''ll lead the exploration to the darkness."


    Charles'' words left some people feeling wronged. "Afraid? What''s there to be afraid of? Isn''t it just death? Don''t stand in my way, guys. I must be one of the first people to reach the darkness."


    "That''s right, that''s right. You really know how to jest, Governor. How could I be afraid?"


    The explorers responded one after another, saying that some damned Divinity wasn''t worth taking seriously.


    However, Charles could see a hint of fear in some of their eyes. They were just putting on a tough front, afraid of being looked down on; they were actually scared of the Divinities.


    Charles turned to look at the Association staffer beside him and said, "Your president actually decided to hide the message I sent? What''s there to hide at this point?"


    The man lowered his head, and his voice sounded apprehensive as he said, "I''m sorry, I don''t know anything about this. It''s beyond my responsibility. Please just ask the president directly. The telegraph is at your service at any time."


    Charles couldn''t be bothered to make things difficult for a mere staffer.


    The Explorers Association had deliberately concealed the possibility that there could be a Divinity near the darkness. Charles didn''t take long to deduce that the association wanted to give the explorers the illusion that the journey to the darkness wasn''t <em>that</em> dangerous.


    It made sense, as explorers weren''t like moths to a me. They were unafraid of death, but they weren''t dumb enough to go on an expedition that would undoubtedly kill them.


    "Let''s talk about thatter and get to the main topic. Who in here has what I need? The Relic Research Institute on Hope Ind has quite a few decent relics, and I can use those relics to barter," Charles said.


    The words of Hope Ind''s Governor were too attractive, and the explorers wasted no time, rushing toward Charles with their relics in hand.


    One strange relic after another was neatlyid out in front of Charles, but Charles couldn''t find an appropriate one among them. However, this wasn''t strange. Relics capable of resisting the Divinities weren''t supposed to exist, after all.


    Just as Charles was feeling a bit discouraged, a masked figure holding a steel box the size of a grapefruit walked up to Charles.


    "Governor Charles, this relic should be what you''re looking for. Of course, that''s if you''re willing to pay the price that it demands." The masked figure''s voice was soft, gentle, and pleasant to the ears. Moreover, their voice sounded a bit familiar.


    Charles sized up the masked figure for a while before bing certain that thetter was a man. Charles then gestured at the masked man to open the steel box.


    A palm-sized triangr disy stand was inside the box, and a bizarre-looking skeleton was nailed to the stand by rusty nails.


    Charles couldn''t identify theposition of the skeleton. It seemed to be made out of interweaving corals in a variety of colors as well as the skeleton of a mouse. Overall, the relic looked ancient, and it appeared like a bad artist''s random work.


    "Can it resist Divinities?" Charles asked.


    "It cannot, but it can allow you to escape the gaze of a Divinity. Of course, as long as you''re willing to pay the price."


    "How do you use it?"


    "An operation is necessary. This relic must be buried inside your heart while you''re awake."


    Charles was startled. It seemed that the relic before him was strikingly different from any run-of-the-mill relics out there. After all, it had to be buried in one''s heart before one could use it.


    "Once the operation is done, you''ll be immune to any mental contamination."


    "<em>Hmm...</em>" Charles stared thoughtfully at the relic before him. Immunity to mental contamination sounded nice, but no matter how he looked at it, burying this relic in his heart didn''t seem like a good idea. "What are the side effects?"


    "Part of the relic''s fur will sprout and expand along your blood vessels. Once it has fully expanded, it will take over your body. That process generally takes about ten years."


    Hearing that, Charles no longer felt like using the relic. It was just too risky of an endeavor. However, he had to admit that the relic''s special ability was too useful¡ªit was so useful that he was a bit reluctant to let it go.


    "What do you need in exchange for this relic?"


    The masked man shook his head slightly and said, "I don''t need anything. Isn''t your ship in need of more crew members? I want to be a crew member of your ship."


    "No can do." Charles decisively rejected the masked man''s request. He couldn''t let a person of unknown origin be a crew member of the ship. He couldn''t allow a second Feuerbach to be his crew. In addition, who would know where the man hade from when his origin was unknown?


    "Governor Charles, I''m not someone suspicious. Actually, this is not our first meeting. Do you still remember me?" the masked man asked before taking off his mask.


    The masked man''s heavy, mboyant makeup allowed Charles to instantly recognize him as Governor Nico, the Governor of Coral Archipgo. Nico preferred men for partners, and he never went out without his heavy, mboyant makeup, so it wasn''t that hard to forget him.


    Nico revealed a charming smile at Charles'' shocked face. "You look stupefied, Governor Charles. Are you wondering why I''m here?"


    "There are too many people here. Let''s talk outside," Charles said, pointing toward the door with his chin.


    Soon, the two found themselves in a quiet room inside the Explorers Association.


    Charles looked at Nico, who was holding a cup of coffee in front of him, and asked, "Why did youe up here? Aren''t you supposed to stay on Coral Archipgo to stabilize the situation there?"


    Nico took a silver spoon and gently stirred the white sugar in the ck coffee. Then, he smiled bitterly as he exined, "My husbands took advantage of the chaos caused by the death light to seize control of Coral Archipgo. I am no longer the Governor of Coral Archipgo. I''ve be just an ordinary explorer."

 Chapter 598: New Crew Member

    "You know, I really don''t hate them," Nico began. "I just don''t understand. Clearly, I could give them everything they needed; why had they decided to betray me? Why? Is it because I''m too generous?"


    Charles cleared his throat with a hint of impatience to interrupt Nico''smenting. "Nico, I''m more than willing to discuss your personal issues, but not now. Can we focus on the relic? Are there any other details you can share? Particrly, is there any way to avoid its side effects?"


    Charles was toying with the idea that perhaps he could avoid the side effects if he assimted the relic.


    Nico shook his head slightly and looked at Charles. His pearly white teeth gently bit down on the end of the silver spoon as he said, "I don''t know. The relic belonged to my first mate, but he''s dead."


    Charles pondered for a brief moment before nodding. "Alright, I''ll take the relic. However, I''m curious about one thing: why do you want to join my crew?"


    Despite remaining skeptical about the relic''s powers, it didn''t hinder Charles from keeping it in his possession. He thought that perhaps, it might prove useful in the future.


    "Because my ship is gone, and everyone''s dead. You know Charles¡­ I have nothing left now. I''m so lonely. I just¡­ I really wish¡­ for someone to give me a warm hug."


    The scars on Charles''s face twitched slightly. "Tell me what you are capable of. My ship is indeed in need of a second mate, but you''ll need to prove yourself worthy."


    Nico let out a sigh. "Look at you¡­ When I first saw you, you were just an unknown captain staying in a run-down tavern by the port. I still remember how you looked back then. But look at you now¡ªthe renowned overlord of the Northern Seas.""And look at me," Nico continued. "I went from a governor who had everything to a nobody, an insignificant individual that no one cares even if he dies. Why must life be so cruelly unpredictable?"


    Traces of resentment were apparent in Nico''s tone of voice.


    If it weren''t for the fact that he needed Nico''s relic, Charles wouldn''t even want to talk to the former. Every conversation with Nico seemed to always digress to some irrelevant topic; Nico never stuck to the point, and Charles was close to losing his temper.


    "Nico! Stop with the idle chatter. Do you want to join the crew or not? If you continue on with your pointless words, there''s no need for us to continue this conversation!!" Charles'' tone sharpened.


    Nico realized Charles was serious. He immediately ced his coffee down and reported, "Nico Sepro, age 49, physical strength Level 8. With relics, Level 9. I have over a decade of sailing and exploration experience and have gone on three surface expeditions."


    Charles carefully studied Nico''s face before turning toward the door. "I need to discuss with the others first. Meet me at the fortress gate tomorrow morning."


    The next morning, the Narwhale was ready to set sail. Under the gazes of the other crew members, Nico climbed up thedders to the deck and waved to everyone with a slight smile.


    Standing on the solid ground before thedder, Anna wore arge sunhat on her head. She had her arms around Charles'' neck and yfully nibbled on his ear.


    "This gay is clean," Anna whispered. "Everything checks out fine; he''s not a spy from the Fhtagn Covenant."


    "Why does Nico want to join my ship? What''s his motive?"


    "He doesn''t want to die, and he doesn''t want his child to die either."


    Charles'' eyes widened in astonishment at Anna''s words. His gaze turned onto Nico on the deck. "He has a child? With his husband?"


    Anna leaned back slightly and rolled her eyes at Charles. "Can men give birth? Why don''t you try giving birth to one? Of course, he had a child with a woman. Don''t let his current demeanor fool you. In the past, he used to be quite a¡ª"


    Before Anna could finish her sentence, Charles pushed her away slightly and headed toward thedder. "There''s no time for gossip. You can spare me these irrelevant details in the future."


    "Jerk. Be careful out there. And don''t die!"


    Hearing Anna''s parting words, Charles smiled to himself. With a powerful push from his seven or eight tentacles, heunched himself onto the ship like a cannonball.


    Charles wasn''t the only one setting out. Many other explorers had embarked after him. They all had the same destination¡ªthe coordinates of the darkness that Charles had marked out.


    ***


    In a parts factory on Hope Ind, Donna hefted a stack of bronze wires and walked toward the massive machinery that was roaring insistently.


    She ced the wires next to a plump girl who was rhythmically picking up the parts, one by one and was cing them on the rapidly moving rubber conveyor belt.


    Under the massive punch press, the simple parts were quickly transformed into usableponents to be sent to other production factories.


    At the sight of the female workers from the next shift entering the workshop, the others in the room sighed with relief¡ªtheir shift had finally ended.


    Away from the cacophony of the workshop, the women began removing their whale-oil-soaked uniforms whileining about the factory''s terrible working conditions.


    "Argh! We have to work eleven hours a day now, with only three days off a month. When will these dayse to an end?"


    "Look at my hands! They''re covered in calluses. Why are we women doing all this work? Have all the men died?"


    "The men have been sent to the shipyards to build ships. There are no men in a factory. I heard that the Governor is up there exploring the surface, and it takes a lot of ships."


    "<em>UGH!</em> I''m so annoyed! I want to rest! I want to go shopping! I want to go to a theater and watch television with my boyfriend!"


    "Why am I not allowed to quit? Why did they make me work in this dirty factory!"


    Listening to theirints, Donna paused from wiping the machine oil off her face with a towel. She put on a slight smile and remarked, "Actually, things aren''t that bad. The Governor even pays us extra for overtime. We even get free lunch."


    The grumbling ceased immediately. The women collectively turned their gazes on Donna before exchanging nces with each other. Then, they began whispering amongst themselves with asional bursts of mockingughter.


    The smile slowly faded from Donna''s face; she knew what they were saying. They were probably saying that she was a country bumpkin from another ind and an old woman who looked to be fifty years old despite only being in her thirties.


    As a new immigrant from another ind, having a house of her own didn''t mean she was automatically epted into Hope Ind''s society. She found it hard to fit in on Hope Ind, where the adults, especially groups of women, often hadplex motives.


    In contrast, her daughter had made many friends at school; children''s mindsets tended to be much simpler.


    Adults were alwaysplicated, and especially so when it came to groups of women.


    "Donna, ignore them," the plump girl with freckles said, "Let''s go home. Your daughter must be waiting for you."


    Hearing her words, Donna quickened her movements. Indeed, her daughter Nene would have surely ended ss and was home by now.


    The two exited the factory with billowing thick smoke from its chimneys. The plump girl stretchedzily,menting, "<em>Ahhh. </em>Work finally ended. time to go home and eat something good."


    A radiant smile appeared on Donna''s visage as she stared at the girl''s broad back. She wasn''tpletely alone here; she had friends. The young woman in front of her, Jasmine, was a friend she could talk with.


    Though they had differing ages and personalities, the two had be inseparable friends. Perhaps, their friendship was reinforced by their own perceived unattractiveness¡ªone old, the other plump.


    As they walked down the street toward their own home, a group of police officers d in ck uniforms dashed past, startling both of them.


    "What''s going on? Are they hunting down spies from the Fhtagn Covenant again?" Jasmine asked in surprise, pping her hands over her double chin.


    As soon as her words fell, a burst of red mist exploded in the distant sky. An unsettling emotion stirred in them; they knew all too well what this meant.

 Chapter 599: Wounded

    "Let''s go, Jasmine. Let''s hurry home," Donna said. The tense atmosphere in the air was making her worried about her daughter.


    It wasn''t just them. The others on the street had also noticed the red mist. Soon, the bustling street turned deste and eerily silent.


    The two women hastened their pace toward their homes when a gust of wind streaked through the air.


    Jasmine instinctively looked up. "Donna, look! There''s someone flying in the air! He''s in a police uniform!"


    "Don''t look up! We could get into trouble if they get upset about our stares!" Donna''s face grew grave with anxiety, her steps quickening into a jog.


    Fortunately, their homes weren''t far from the factory. After about fifteen minutes of jogging, they finally reached their familiar neighborhood.


    Their frayed nerves calmed down upon returning to the familiar neighborhood.


    Jasmine''s face was beaded with sweat as she leaned against a wall and panted heavily. Her face was flushed red from the exhaustion. Gasping between breaths, she remarked, "I¡­ can''t walk¡­anymore. This is too¡­ tiring. I should¡­ definitely¡­ save up¡­ for a bicycle.


    The "intense" physical activity was unprecedented for Jasmine, who weighed close to a hundred kilograms.Donna smiled. She was about to respond when a nearby garbage bin that was almost as tall as an average human suddenly shook violently and toppled over.


    The lid fell away, and a bloody right hand flopped out onto the pavement.


    "AHHHHH!" Donna instinctively screamed in shock and hurriedly pped her hands over her mouth.


    "Jasmine, hurry, let''s go!" Donna didn''t care what <em>that</em> was. She dashed toward her home.


    The moment Donna entered her house, Nene looked up from her homework. She shed a radiant smile at Donna and greeted, "Mommy, you''re back!"


    Terrified from earlier, Donna''s hands trembled as she locked the door. Then, she scooped Nene up swiftly and rushed toward the basement.


    The heavy metal door was yanked open to reveal neatly arranged supplies of fresh water and food. Donna had specially spent arge amount of money to painstakingly prepare this refuge.


    Ever since the previous crisis on the World''s Crown, Donna had been assuming the worst. Now, it seemed like her preparations hade in handy, especially with what she had encountered today.


    One after another, the gear locks clicked into ce. After the final click, Donna hugged her daughter, and they sat down among a pile of dried bananas. Staring at the massive portrait of Sparkle on the wall in front of them, Donna could finally find a semnce of safety.


    "Mommy, what happened outside? Is there a war?" Nene asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.


    Donna shook her head. Holding Nene close, she nted a gentle kiss on Nene''s forehead. "It''s nothing. The police will be here soon and will handle it. Everything will be fine soon. Nothing happened."


    Hearing her mother''s words, Nene went silent obediently. She nestled against Donna''s shoulder and waited patiently.


    Minutes ticked by¡ªten, then twenty, then thirty. It was eerily quiet outside; it seemed that truly nothing had happened at all.


    Nene was starting to feel bored and started to share her interesting stories from school with her mother. "Mommy, the senior students graduated early. I heard that they would be starting work in the factories.


    "Now, my ssmates and I are the oldest in the school. By this time next year, I''ll probably be working in a factory too."


    "That''s great; it''s good to have a job waiting for you the moment you leave school," Donna replied while attentively trying to pick up any noises from outside.


    "Mommy, is it fun in the factory? Can you take me there to have a look? I''ve never been to one," Nene asked, her curiosity piqued.


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    The sudden loud knocks on the door startled Donna. She hugged Nene even closer and they retreated further into the basement. However, the knocking didn''t cease. Instead, it grew more insistent.


    <em>Bad people wouldn''t knock on the door and would just break in, right? Could it be the police?</em>


    Donne pondered for a brief moment. Then, she hid Nene further in the basement before carefully opening the basement door. After tossing the keys back to Nene, she exited the basement and shut the door behind her.


    Grabbing a wooden stick, Donna then walked toward the front door. When she got closer, she heard a woman''s sobbing. It was Jasmine''s voice, and her voice seemed to be filled with anxiety.


    Donna cautiously opened the door slightly and peered outside through the crack. "Jasmine, what''s wrong?"


    Jasmine raised her trembling hands. Her chubby hands were covered in blood. Tears streamed down her round face as she pleaded, "Donna¡­ please¡­ help¡­ Do you know first aid? I really don''t know what to do?"


    "Are you hurt? Go and find Doctor Leonard quickly!"


    "It''s not me¡­not my family too. He can''t go to the doctor; he¡ª" Before Jasmine couldplete her sentence, a bloody hand mmed on the door, pushing it open with immense force.


    A young man stumbled into the room. He had wounds all over his body and copsed weakly onto the carpet in the living room.


    The young man had striking blue eyes and a prominent high nose. He still looked rather handsome despite his pale face.


    "Please¡­ treat me. Hurry. I''m bleeding out¡­ I can''t hold on much longer."


    The young man beckoned with a finger, and the wooden stick in Donna''s hands began to decay rapidly, dissolving into a puddle of sludge on the floor.


    With tears streaking down her face, Jasmine hurried into the house. She helped the young man up from the floor and cradled him in her arms. "Donna, please save him quickly! He''s really going to die!"


    Donna knew that she was supposed to report this to the nearest police station. However, the young man''s eyes were filled with a menacing threat; she didn''t dare to move an inch. She didn''t want to end up with the same fate as the stick.


    "I don''t want to die, and I don''t want to hurt anyone either. Please, help me. Just take pity on me and bandage me up a bit. I''ll leave right away after that," the young man pleaded weakly.


    Donna cast a brief nce in the direction of the basement and gritted her teeth. She then turned and ran to grab her first-aid kit.


    The only thing she could do now was to satisfy the young man''s demands and make him leave as soon as possible and as far away from her daughter as possible.


    Donna didn''t know much about first aid treatment. All she could do was sprinkle some hemostatic powder on the hideous, gaping wounds and clumsily wrap them in bandages.


    Yet, despite her shabby first-aid skills, the young man''s wounds stopped bleeding, and color seemed to be slowly returning to his face.


    "Do you have any food? I''m starving, thank you," the young man raised another request.


    Soon, a simple dish of banana chips with fish sauce was ced before the young man. The next moment, both Donna and Jasmine were taken aback by his voracious appetite. Donna had ced at least a kilogram worth of food in front of him, and he wolfed down the food one mouthful after another.


    Sensing the gazes of the women beside him, the young man''s face flushed a slight hue of red, and he slowed down. "Sorry. I''ve been hiding in the venttion ducts for three days to escape from them. I didn''t have any food or water during those three days."


    Her eyes bloodshot from the crying, Jasmine nodded in agreement. "Yes, earlier, he was even eating the banana peels from the garbage bin."


    Donna nced at them but didn''t speak a single word. She stood to the side with her head down. She didn''t trust the young man at all. If he weren''t a bad person, why would the police be after him?

 Chapter 600: Time

    "Ma''am, I swear I''m not a bad person. I was framed. I didn''t kill the captain. The second mate and the third mate were the ones who had conspired to murder him. I had nothing to do with it," the young man said, his eyes reddening with unjust.


    A trace of helplessness crossed his countenance as he continued, "They should be the ones suffering from the torture. Why me?


    "They cut open my stomach and stuffed something inside of me. After that, I gained this special power and was forced to work nonstop. If I slowed down even just a little, they''d whip me.


    "I''ve only been able to sleep for six hours a day recently. The rest of the time, I''m awake, but they make me work tirelessly. I can''t take it anymore. They''re driving me crazy!"


    A look of sympathy appeared on Jasmine''s visage. She hugged him gently before stepping back with a shy expression.


    "If they are treating you like that, wh¡­ why didn''t you report them? The police on Hope Ind are very responsible," Donna asked softly.


    The young man''s lips twisted into a satirical smile. "Report them? Do you even know who''s doing this to us? It''s the Governor of Hope Ind! We''re just a bunch of ves¡ªthe governor''s personal ves!


    "It''s because of people like us that Hope Ind developed quickly. All of his achievements are built on our corpses!"


    Donna let out a sigh. "Young man, don''t get involved in seafaring work. It''s pointless no matter how much money you make there. Where can you even spend it these days?"With a look of anguish, the young man shook his head. "I don''t want to go to sea either! But my ind''s governor has gone insane from the rising sea levels.


    "He rounded up everyone on the ind, made us strip naked in front of him, kneel like dogs, and eat his filth! He''s gonepletely out of his mind!"


    Seemingly triggered by some horrifying memories, the young man''s face twisted in apparent disgust. "There''s no longerw and order on that ind. Under the governor''s lead, everyone has started indulging in their final pleasures. He even nned to burn all the ships saying that it didn''t matter anymore since we''d die sooner orter.


    "We had no choice but to try to escape. But at sea, the temporary captain couldn''t keep the crew in check, so many people ended up dead."


    Observing the young man''s pained expression as he recounted his story, Donna sighed softly. Judging from his age, he seemed unlikely to be lying. Had other inds really descended into such a terrifying state?


    Suddenly, Donna was reminded of the World''s Crown. If she hadn''t won the raffle back then, would she have met the same fate?


    "Thank you for the food, ma''am. I''m full now; I won''t trouble you any longer and will leave right away," the young man said as he struggled to rise from Jasmine''s embrace.


    "Your wound is bleeding again. Sit down and stop moving," Jasmine urged and quickly helped him sit upright.


    "Thank you for saving me earlier. If I manage to escape, I promise I''ll repay you," the young man said, forcing a smile.


    Jasmine shyly lowered her head. Her voice was barely audible as she asked, "Don''t mention it. <em>Erm¡­</em> Do you have someone you like?"


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The door exploded into pieces. With her wine-red hair flowing behind her, Aliya stormed in with her group of subordinates.


    "Well, well. Look who managed to run all the way to the residential area."


    Spotting the scorpion tattoo on Aliya''s neck, the young man instinctively shuddered and screamed hysterically, "I was framed! I didn''t kill anyone!"


    "District 3 only deals with resolving the problem and nothing else. There''s no use telling me all that," Aliya replied icily as she pulled out her relic.


    Seeing the entire squad closing in on him, the young man''s features contorted with desperation. He turned to the side and grabbed Jasmine by the neck.


    "Back off! Or I''ll kill her!"


    Aliya remained indifferent to the man''s threat and raised her hand. Three machine guns from behind her were aimed directly at Jasmine and the young man, and with another gesture from Aliya, they unleashed a barrage of bullets toward the two.


    The young man''s pupils contracted in fear, and his muscles tensed up. The next moment, the ground rose up to form a protective wall around them. However, he moved just a tad bit too slow; a few bullets ended up hitting Jasmine''s round belly, and her blood blossomed into crimson flowers.


    As he watched his savior''s breath grow shallow with her eyes rolling back, the young man copsed to his knees. Holding Jasmine in his arms, he cried out in anguish, "Why?! She didn''t do anything wrong! Why did you shoot her?!"


    "She has interfered with official duties. Hope Ind is under martialw right now, and efficiency is key."


    As soon as Aliya''s words fell, a deafening explosion tore through the air. The powerful explosives shattered the young man''s barrier and hurled him across the room.


    As the smoke cleared away, Aliya walked up to the young man with a pistol in hand. cing one foot on his neck, she aimed her weapon at the young man''s head and pulled the trigger.


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    A series of gunshots rang out. The bullets tore through the young man''s flesh and pierced his skull. A whole magazer, the young man''s head and face were no longer recognizable.


    "Boss, you killed him just like that? Won''t this cause problems with Gordon?" one of Aliya''s subordinates voiced his concern.


    "The Relic Research Institute wants to make an example out of him. They specifically instructed that all escaped subjects should be killed on sight. Pack up, we''re done here," Aliya ordered. She turned on her heel as her team dragged the young man''s corpse away.


    The young man''s bloody hand twitched slightly as he was dragged across the ground.


    As soon as Aliya and her team disappeared from sight, Donna rushed toward the rubble where Jasmine was located. She wasn''t sure whether the young woman was still alive.


    When Jasmine finally came around, she found herself in a hospital bed. Her eyesnded on Donna, who stood next to her with a face marred with deep worry.


    "You''re finally awake? Thank goodness. Youryers of fat protected you, and the bullets didn''t hit any vital organs. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have made it."


    Jasmine struggled to speak, as her mouth was painfully dry. "Where is he?"


    Donna let out a soft sigh. "Don''t think too much about it. They took him away."


    Tears welled up in Jasmine''s eyes, and they streamed uncontrobly down her cheeks. "He was really innocent. I could see the sincerity in his eyes."


    "It doesn''t matter anymore. It''s all over now. Now, you need to focus on your recovery. They''ve already deducted the medical expenses from your bank ount."


    Truth to be told, Donna was slightly frustrated at the girl in front of her. Why had she brought such a dangerous person to her house?


    However, Donna swallowed herints and offeredforting words instead upon seeing Jasmine''s pitiful state. Life was already hard enough for a girl living by herself, and Donna didn''t feel like making Jasmine''s life even harder.


    Donna walked toward the window and peered outward. Usually, one wouldn''t be able to see the sea from the inpatient ward of Hope Ind''s hospital. However, the dark waters had be clearly visible, and the sight of it stirred a sense of unease within her.


    <em>It''s going to be fine. The Governor can surely save the inds. Even if he can''t, God Sparkle will save my daughter. Yes, there''s no need to worry about it. </em>Donna reassured herself.


    "Donna, why did the Governor treat him like that? He was clearly innocent," Jasmine spoke, breaking Donna''s train of thought.


    Donna ced her hand on the ss of the window, and her eyes were transfixed on the distant sea. "I don''t know. Perhaps the Governor doesn''t have time to deal with trivial matters."<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Enjoyed the journey so far?  to let us know your thoughts! If you¡¯re keen on supporting Charles'' surface exploration, consider championing our novel.


    For more discussions and to connect with fellow Shrouded Seascape, Lovecraftian, and SCP enthusiasts, join our Discordmunity here: .gg/


    <strong>Your support and engagement fuel our adventures. Dive deeper with us!</strong></blockquote>

 Chapter 601: Joy

    <em>The southern semi-desert region remains extremely deste, but we found signs of human activity at the very least.</em>


    <em>One car after another, loaded with railway sleepers and steel, have set off toward the outpost. The sight of the construction site in full swing was stunning.</em>


    <em>Themotion is probably going to attract just about everything on the surface, but we can''t afford to worry about that.</em>


    <em>We''re approaching the coordinates of the darkness''st known location. This damned ce has never given me anything good, but I sincerely hope that we''ll be safe throughout this exploration and that we''ll be able to bring the darkness back to the Subterranean Sea.</em>


    Charles stared at the drying ink on the paper. Once it was sufficiently dried, he closed the diary and walked out of the Captain''s Cabin.


    Upon entering the bridge, Charles turned to Nico, who had his pinky finger raised, and asked, "Are there any issues, Second Mate?"


    "No issues at all. We''re not out at sea, so there aren''t that many issues," Nico replied before revealing a charming smile at helmsman Norton.


    Norton tensed up at Nico''s gaze.


    "I haven''t asked you yet, but what did your vessel encounter during yourst exploration here? Howe you''re the only survivor?"Death was not a big deal in the surface world, and it wasmon to see exploration parties getting annihted, so survivors were a big deal, especially when there was only one survivor.


    The majority of the vessels on the surface weren''t animated vessels like the Narwhale.


    It seemed that Nico was indeed not someone to be trifled with. As an explorer who had discovered a habitable ind, he had to have some tricks up his sleeves.


    "Ah~ honestly, I don''t want to talk about what happened on that day. That thing was just too disgusting. I''ve reported the details to the Explorers Association. If you''re interested, you can just go ahead and ask them for it.


    "By the way, what happened to your face?" Nico asked, reaching out his hand to touch Charles'' face.


    Charles cast an indifferent gaze at Nico without saying anything. The atmosphere in the bridge became a bit oppressive.


    "Do you really think that I won''t throw you overboard?" Charles asked.


    Nico''s smile faded. He withdrew his outstretched hand and ced it on his left shoulder before bowing deeply to Charles. "I apologize, Esteemed Captain. I shouldn''t have addressed you by your name."


    "It doesn''t matter who you are, but you must listen to me once you''re on my ship. If you think you can''t do that, then you can go ahead and leave," Charles said icily.


    Nico had fallen to a mere explorer from a high and mighty governor, so there was a high chance that he had yet to limatize to the harsh reality. However, Charles couldn''t care less about Nico''s feelings.


    He was the captain, so he could be selfish and tyrannical. He could even kill for fun. However, there was one thing that every single captain had to avoid doing¡ªthey could not allow their crew to undermine and threaten their authority, not even in the slightest.


    It was an irond rule of the Subterranean Sea.


    "Alright, alright, I understand. Let''s talk about something else. You asked me about what we encountered, right? Actually, I don''t know. It looked like a rotting lizard with moss growing all over it.


    "And it was strong¡ªvery strong. The most important part was that it was nigh immortal. We had blown it into two pieces using the deck cannons, but it used its own intestines as feet to continue ughtering my crew like mad.


    "Of course, things were still going fine despite the massacre. We could still run away, after all. Unfortunately, it turned out that it was a social creature. It was living with its group, and¡ªAh~ just recalling the memories of how my crew members were torn to pieces by those lizards sends a shiver down my spine."


    Charles reached out toward the map pinned to the wall with thumbtacks.


    "Where did you encounter them?"


    Nico''s long fingernails grazed the map before urately stopping at a certain location. "<em>Hmm... </em>here. As you can see, the Explorers Association has already marked it using the Unconfirmed Extremely Dangerous icon."


    Charles hurriedly examined the map and sighed in relief upon discovering that the icon wasn''t situated anywhere near their current route.


    "I guess you''re lucky that you''re still alive after such an encounter."


    At Charles'' words, the corners of Nico''s mouth curled up slightly as he smiled bitterly and said, "Lucky? I think the luckiest time of my life was the day I discovered the Coral Archipgo. I must''ve exhausted all of my luck on that fateful day.


    "I''m actually quite fascinated by you, Captain. You''ve been in the business for so long without any issues. You''re arguably the most experienced explorer throughout the Subterranean Sea."


    Charles nced at Nico and said, "Take a good look at me. Now, can you really say that I''ve encountered no issues during my explorations all these years?"


    Nico covered his mouth with his pale fingers and chuckled. "Well, you''re luckypared to those who have sunk to the bottom of the sea."


    Charles didn''t respond to his words, as he had noticed something strange. His gaze pierced the transparent windows before him as he tried to peer through the purple mist. The next moment, he saw a ck plume of smokeing their way.


    "Sound the whistle and warn the crew members! Something is approaching us!"


    The shrill cry of the steam whistle echoed across the semi-desert region, and everyone''s nerves immediately stretched taut as they prepared to face any oing attacks.


    Everyone took on solemn expressions; their hearts pounded with anxiety as they stared intently at the ck plume of smoke in the distance. Soon, the source of the ck smoke was revealed. It wasing from the smokestack of an exploration vessel, which was rushing toward them at breakneck speeds.


    "Give me the telescope," Charles said. He then closed his left eye and looked through the monocr with his right eye.


    Within the circr vision, Charles saw a crowd on the deck of the oing ship. The crowd seemed extremely excited, and their faces were flushed red out of excitement.


    "Lily, get your mice ready. Blow that ship to pieces as soon as you see any signs of them trying to attack us," Charles said to his gunner.


    The oing ship seemed harmless, but Charles dared not let his guard down for even a moment. There was a chance that those people on deck had been attacked by something and were currently under mind control.


    "Mmhm! Got it! Leave it to me!" Lily eximed. She jumped down Charles'' shoulder and led her mischief of colorful mice toward the deck cannons.


    Under everyone''s tense gazes, the two ships finally got close enough for everyone to see each other''s faces clearly without any telescopes.


    "Governor Charles! Is that you, Governor Charles?! I have great news! We''ve found the darkness! You''re going to keep your promise, right? I''m about to be a governor!!"


    Charles'' eyes widened at the man''s unbridled joy. He leaned forward, and over half of his figure was beyond the gunwale as he eximed, "The darkness?! Did you really find it?! What about the ce, is it dangerous? And where is it? Is it at my coordinates?"


    "It''s not too far, just three days'' worth of journey ahead, but it''s not at the coordinates that you''ve reported. The deviation is massive; I think the darkness can move, just like the wind."


    The Narwhale''s crew members seemed to have been infected by the agitation and excitement of the other vessel''s crew upon hearing their words.


    However, it wasn''t strange at all. No one wanted to die, after all. Moreover, they had achieved one of their goals, which was to locate the darkness. Now, they just had to retrieve it, and the Subterranean Sea would be saved!

 Chapter 602: Feuerbach

    Under the lead of Jimmy, the captain of the other exploration vessel, the Narwhale rushed toward the darkness'' location.


    Charles had learned from Jimmy that a group of exploration vessels had set off ahead of them both for the sake of the Subterranean Sea and the rewards that Charles had promised them.


    The exploration vessels that had taken the specified route did not find anything, but Jimmy had stumbled upon the darkness after deviating slightly from the specified route.


    Three days were an agonizing wait for everyone, but Charles dared not let his guard down. He knew that he had to be warier the closer they were to their goal.


    The ground eventually became brown; it had no vegetation on top and was emitting a thick, earthy smell. There were deep tracks in the ground as well, and they seemed to have been from rocks the size of the Narwhale.


    The rocks seemed mobile, but Charles found that they posed no danger and were just slightlyrger and rounder than ordinary rocks.


    After another day''s journey through the strange biome, Charles finallyid eyes on the so-called darkness of the Subterranean Sea at 10 p.m. on the night of that same day.


    It had been a year since Charles had started his journey, and he had finally found his objective. Darkness was like sunlight, and it wasn''t supposed to be tangible in the first ce, but the darkness was piled up before Charles, seemingly tangible.


    The darkness was a massive, jet-ck wall in front of Charles. After a brief moment of contemtion, Charlesmanded the mice to scout inside. The mice soon returned with news that it was safe inside, so Charles wasted no time and carefully walked up to the darkness.Charles had night vision, so the darkness couldn''t obstruct his sight. However, he felt like he was looking at the world within the darkness through a gray and blurry filter. The biome within the darkness was the same as the biome outside; there was no difference at all.


    A thrilled Jimmy walked up to Charles and said, "Governor Charles, this is the darkness, right?! I found it! I''m the first one who found it."


    "Calm down. This isn''t the time to celebrate," Charles said. He reached into the darkness and clenched his fist. He then retracted his hand and opened it to find nothing inside.


    Charles looked up at the towering pitch-ck wall before him.


    The darkness was found, but the issue wasn''t over just yet. Charles still had a conundrum that had to be resolved¡ªhow were they supposed to retrieve the darkness?


    <em>Since mirrorboxes can hold sunlight, they should be able to hold the darkness as well, right? </em>Charles surmised.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    An explosion tore through the air, making everyone flinch. A fireball had manifested above the sky within the darkness, illuminating everything within it.


    The fireball then wobbled downward.


    "Retreat! Watch out!" Charles eximed, issuing orders one after another.


    The fireball''s light allowed Charles to see what was in the distance. An oversized multi-rotor helicopter was in the distance, and it seemed to have encountered an enemy. The appearance of a modern advanced aircraft filled Charles'' heart with a sense of incongruity. It was something that wasn''t supposed to exist here.


    Meanwhile, the helicopter seemed to be riddled by what looked like translucent creatures. The fight was far away, so Charles couldn''t quite make out the details, but the translucent creatures seemed to be dividing rapidly.


    The helicopter managed to make an emergencynding. The next moment, a few people wearing what looked like spacesuits rushed out of the helicopter and aimed their semi-automatic rifles at the translucent creatures.


    Gunshots soon pervaded the air as they rained down bullets on the translucent creatures.


    Charles took a closer look at the ongoing fight through a telescope before asking Jimmy standing next to him, "Did you not see any of them here thest time you were here?"


    "No, I swear I haven''t seen any of those people. This ce was empty thest time I was here. Anyway, they don''t look like they came from the Colossal Hole Fortress, Governor Charles.


    Charles observed them carefully for a while. After getting convinced that neither side posed a danger to them, Charles turned to the sailor manning the helm and said, "Norton, move us closer to them."


    As they got closer and closer to the ongoing fight, Charles decided to take out his worn-down cell phone to film the fight.


    One of the two groups seemed to be humans, but Charles had no intentions of intervening until he knew what was going on.


    The situation wasn''t working out for the humans. The bullets of the group of people seemed incapable of dealing sufficient damage to those translucent creatures. At most, they were only able to blow them away using their rifles'' stopping power.


    Unfortunately, the translucent creatures were dividing too fast for the group of people to keep up, and the scale of the battle was slowly tilting toward the translucent creatures.


    <em>I''ve created the Colossal Hole Fortress, and one must pass through it to reach the surface from the Subterranean Sea, so where did these peoplee from? </em>


    <em>Are they natives here? Impossible. How could there be any people on this hostile surface world? </em>Charles thought. Before he could be engrossed in his own thoughts, a translucent creature lunged at one of the people.


    The translucent creature''s deformed animal bones created a red line across the unfortunate person''s figure. The unfortunate person''s clothes, face, and even helmet were split in half by the attack.


    The green hair beneath the unfortunate person''s helmet made Charles'' heart tighten. Through the telescope, Charles managed to get a clear look at the unfortunate person''s bloody face, and the face belonged to none other than Feuerbach!


    "Go! Assist them!" Charles roared, immediately changing his strategy upon seeing that his former second mate was among the group of people in the distance.


    The Narwhale''s tracks turned rapidly, and the two exploration vessels approached the battlefield to provide support. They dared not use the deck cannons for fear of identally injuring the distant people.


    Charles led the crew in a rush toward the battlefield. The reinforcement from the two ships changed the tides of the battlefield. The translucent creatures couldn''t move at all after being suppressed by so many long-range attacks.


    Charles ordered his crew to use a variety of attacks to probe the translucent creatures'' weaknesses. Hot weapons were clearly ineffective against the translucent creatures, but there was no way they were immune to all attacks.


    Dipp rushed into the midst of the translucent creatures in his blue mist form. He opened his mouth and bit arge chunk of one of the translucent creatures. Miraculously, Dipp''s primitive attack was pretty effective.


    Of course, it was unclear whether it was all because of Dipp''s special ability or because of the red animal skin he was wearing. In any case, the battle quickly ended as Dipp made a feast out of the translucent creatures.


    "Linda! Come here, quick!" Charles eximed, guiding the ship''s doctor toward the helicopter.


    When Charles got close enough, he saw Feuerbach receiving treatment from hisrades, but his heart sank instantly at the sight. Feuerbach''s condition didn''t seem optimistic; the wound he had suffered was just too serious, as his skull was almost split into two.


    "Captain, the treatment has failed. He''ll die as soon as the epinephrine loses its effect," said the doctor kneeling next to Feuerbach.


    A man in a spacesuit with a ck brooch on his shoulder walked over. He then raised the pistol in his hand and aimed it at Feuerbach''s head.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    A tentacle covered in white electric arcs swept toward the man in a spacesuit, knocking him away.


    "Get away from him! Let my doctor save him!!" Charles eximed. He rushed toward Feuerbach but was forced to a stop upon seeing multiple guns pointed at his head.


    The man in a spacesuit looked a bit disheveled as he adjusted his helmet and stood up before asking, "Do you know D6751?"


    "Of course! He''s my crew member¡ªhe''s my former second mate!" Charles eximed, sounding anxious. Feuerbach''s eyes were already rolling upward, and Charles couldn''t be more familiar with that sight.


    The sight meant that Feuerbach would die soon.


    "No, he''s not your crew member," the man in a spacesuit said. He took off his white helmet, revealing a facepletely identical to Feuerbach''s face. The others nearby did the same, and they all had the same face as Feuerbach.


    Just then, the hand of the Feuerbach on the ground went limp. He was dead.

 Chapter 603: The Foundation

    The crew members of the Narwhale were stunned, staring in surprise at the multiple Feuerbachs.


    <em>What... what on earth is going on here?</em> The military helicopter and the spacesuits that these people were wearing reminded Charles of the Narwhale''s Feuerbach''s modern pistol.


    A terrifying thought crossed his mind just then. He raised his steel finger and pointed it at the captain of the Feuerbachs.


    "Are you from the Foundation? Are you clone soldiers?"


    Feuerbach had once said that he was a spy sent by a certain organization to monitor the Pope. The clues had beenid out right in front of him, and Charles could put two and two together, so there was no way he would fail to understand what was going on.


    These people were members of the long-gone Foundation. The same Foundation that had vanished into obscurity amidst the ruthless passage of time.


    "Where is your base? I want to see the members of your GK Council!"


    Captain Feuerbach shook his head at Charles'' words and said, "We have no intentions of fighting you. Our top priority is to take the darkness away."


    "Wait, you know how to take it away?" Charles asked, his heart tightening in anticipation. He had been wondering about how he was supposed to take away the darkness, and it turned out that the Foundation had a way to do so.Before the clone soldiers could answer, a deafening explosion echoed. A helicopter spiraled down to the ground, leaving behind a plume of thick, ck smoke.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A fireball erupted and was immediately followed by a heatwave that spread in all directions. The wave of heat struck Charles, drying his face. However, it was just the beginning. A rain of fire plummeted toward them; the rain of fire turned out to be a variety of aircraft falling to the ground like ming birds.


    "Run! Hurry up and run!" Charles eximed and led his crew in a frantic retreat to the world outside the darkness.


    The abrupt change in the situation caught everyone off guard. They couldn''t care less about anything else and prioritized their safety by fleeing. They were too scared that debris would hit them on the head if they were a step toote.


    Charles stood at the helm of the group in a mad dash toward the world outside the surface. He turned to Captain Feuerbach next to him and asked, "How many of you havee here?"


    "Three motherships and four squadrons! I heard there are reinforcements, but that''s about it!" Captain Feuerbach''s words had just finished echoing in the air when an explosion echoed from their left. A helicopter had crashed to the ground.


    Suddenly, Charles tensed up at the whirling of rotors rapidly approaching him from behind. In the end, he trusted his instincts and dove to the ground. And that was when a ck shadow swept past his head.


    The danger had passed; Charles stood up and found that Captain Feuerbach, whom he had been talking to just now, was standing there with his upper half missing. He staggered a few times before his lower half fell to the ground.


    Charles saw blood on the ground and traced the culprit to a three-meter-long rotor in the distance. The rotor was stuck in the mud and had been scorched ck by the mes. The rotor was the culprit behind Captain Feuerbach''s death, as it had cut thetter in half.


    Charles looked up and saw "fireworks" in the dark sky. It was a spectacr and terrifying scene, as every single blooming "firework" meant the loss of multiple lives.


    <em>What on earth did they encounter up there? We''re talking about the Foundation here, so howe they''ve suffered such heavy casualties? </em>Charles thought. He braved the scorching steel and mes to lead the others out of the world within the darkness.


    The Narwhale was parked in the distance; Charles led everyone there, but everyone remained shocked even as they returned to their vessels and watched the battle from afar. They felt extremely fortunate to have escaped such a dangerous incident.


    Every single one of the Foundation''s aircraft seemed to have fallen out of the skies; the world within the towering wall of darkness became dark once more as the mes were soon extinguished.


    The crew gathered in groups of three or five on the deck, whispering to each other about their close shave with death.


    Bandages walked up to Charles in a daze and muttered, "The Foundation... Was I really once a... part of it...?"


    Charles turned around and looked at the five Feuerbachs standing near the cabin door. They were fiddling with their helmets, seemingly in the middle of contacting their people.


    "<em>Hmm,</em> I''ve only ever seen deceased members of the Foundation. I really didn''t expect that I''d get to see living Foundation members one day. Let''s go and talk to them," Charles said before walking over to the five Feuerbachs.


    The crew members also gathered around the Feuerbachs.


    At Charles and the crew''s movement, the Feuerbachs drew their weapons from their waists, but Charles waved his hand, and their weapons were flung to the side.


    "You guys don''t look likebat units of the Foundation. Are you guys auxiliary units?" Charles asked.


    "We''re members of the engineering department, natives. And we mean no harm."


    "Why did you guys go up there? Is there any rtion between going up there and taking the darkness away?" Charles asked.


    However, the Feuerbachs seemed like they didn''t want to answer Charles'' question.


    "A world-ending threat is involved, and this is your attitude?" Charles said, frowning slightly. Then, he stretched out his steel finger and pointed at each of the Feuerbachs'' faces one by one. "All of you are on my ship, so you better listen to me! If you really want to y tough, I have plenty of ways to know your thoughts."


    At Charles'' threat, the Feuerbachs exchanged nces and whispered briefly amongst themselves. Then, one of them stepped forward and said, "We have the same goal¡ªto retrieve the darkness. We went up under the headquarters'' orders. I personally think that your guess seems usible."


    "How can the darkness be retrieved? What are the specific steps?" Charles asked, and he felt like his heart was in his throat as he waited for the reply.


    "There''s no point asking us. We''re from the engineering department, so we don''t know the specifics."


    "I''ll change the question, then. Howe the Foundation has yet to make proper contact with the denizens of the Subterranean Sea? Why not help advance the Subterranean Sea''s technology?


    "Considering our current situation, shouldn''t humanity unite to resolve the current issue? Also, where is your headquarters in the Subterranean Sea? Howe we haven''t seen you guys before?"


    The Feuerbachs were quiet at Charles'' questions, and their eyes shimmered with wariness.


    Charles knew that he wouldn''t get a reply from them, so he didn''t hesitate to contact someone for help.


    "Anna,e here. We''ve stumbled upon a few Foundation members, soe here and see if there''s anything valuable in their memories."


    The Foundation was mankind''s ray of hope, and they were a massive organization with a deep history. They also had valuable knowledge from the people on the surface. Yet, they had made zero contact with the Subterranean Sea''s denizens.


    The fact made Charles feel perplexed. He had been in the Subterranean Sea for a long time now, but he had never found any traces of these living people from the Foundation.


    It was extremely strange, as the Foundation had been iming that everything they were doing was for mankind''s sake. However, they hadn''t done anything to help the people of the Subterranean Sea. Had their goals changed after such a long time?


    "<em>Ah~</em> the Foundation. These guys are tough. To think they''d survive a Divinity''s attack," Anna said, appearing next to Charles. Then, she swept a curious gaze at the Feuerbachs before her.

 Chapter 604: Island

    <em>Beep! Beep! Beep! </em>


    A piercing rm echoed from the Feuerbachs. The Feuerbachs revealed stupefied expressions upon realizing that Anna was trying to dig into their memories for information.


    "<em>Hehe,</em> this is really interesting. They actually have mind defenses. Unfortunately, this little trick is not going to work against me.


    "Hm, let me see¡­ Goodness, they''re clones born from eggs! The Foundation truly has a high level of gic engineering."


    "Don''t bother with useless information like that; just examine their memories throughout adulthood."


    "Why are you rushing me? I know," Anna retorted. Just as she was about to do further checks, Charles noticed that the faces of the Feuerbachs looked a bit off; their faces were bing ashen gray.


    Charles rushed forward and pulled open the mouth of one of the Feuerbachs. One of the Feuerbach had crushed one of his mrs, and his mouth emitted a strong metallic and rusty smell that made Charles'' eyes sting.


    "Charles, don''t smell that! It''s highly toxic!" Anna warned.


    Charles moved instantly, swinging his fist toward the Feuerbach''s chest and sending him flying away. That Feuerbach crashed into the steel cabin door and bounced off of it before falling lifelessly to the ground<em>Thud, thud, thud!</em>


    Dull thuds echoed one after another as the remaining Feuerbachs went limp and fell to the ground. They decisively ended their lives upon realizing that they could not stop Anna from prying into their memories.


    Charles checked their pulses and was dismayed to find that they were all dead. He was certain that their memories contained a bunch of valuable information.


    "Anna, they''re dead, but can you still read their memories?" Charles asked, unwilling to give up.


    "Ha, who do you think I am? A god? How can I read the memories of the dead," Anna said.


    Then, she looked up and stared at the towering, pitch-ck wall. She sounded touched as she said, "So you''ve really found it. Charles, you''re amazing. You''re about to be mankind''s savior."


    Charles walked up to her side and frowned at the pitch-ck wall. "It''s not over yet. We still have to bring the darkness back to the Subterranean Sea. From what I''ve seen of the Foundation''s actions earlier, it seems to be easier said than done."


    Time ticked by slowly as they tried toe up with ways to take away the darkness. Eventually, a day passed; Charles knew that he couldn''t wait any longer and had to do something.


    "Jimmy, go back and notify Colossal Hole Fortress of everything that has happened here. Tell them that we''ve found the darkness," Charles said. Jimmy was the captain of the exploration vessel that had discovered the darkness.


    "Understood, Governor Charles." Jimmy nodded vigorously and returned to his crew to follow the original, specified route in reverse to return to the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    "Sniffler, this is a camera. Take it with you and fly up to see what''s up there," Charles said to one of his vampire sailors.


    "<em>Uh...</em> me? On my own?" Sniffler pointed at his nose with wide eyes.


    "That''s right, I''m talking about you. Hurry up and go!" Charles added resolutely.


    Sniffler revealed a bitter look, but he knew that he had no choice, so he transformed into a bat and flew toward the towering, pitch-ck wall.


    Charles was aware of the danger level of the sky above the surface. After all, none of them knew what was up there, and from what had happened just now, the sky above the surface was extremely dangerous.


    However, someone had to perform reconnaissance. Sniffler was a qualified scout, as he was a vampire from Dark Crystal Ind. In addition, Charles didn''t actually trust Sniffler. To make matters worse, Sniffler''s faith was definitely in the Mother, Lilith, rather than in Charles.


    When Sniffler disappeared into the sky, Charles turned to Anna beside him and said, "You can go back now. I can handle things from here on out."


    Anna propped up her chin with her hand and stared straight at Charles. "You''re going to send me away before going on an adventure by yourself?


    "The Foundation has suffered many casualties in their encounter with what''s up there. Do you really think that you can go up there and leave that ce unscathed?"


    Charles didn''t retort nor say anything, but Anna immediately knew what he was thinking.


    Charles noticed that and said, "Don''t worry. Sniffler is already up there, and I''m not a scout, so I''m going to be at the very front."


    Anna didn''t reply to that. Instead, she nced at Lily among the mischief of mice next to her and leaned closer to Charles. "I''m not going to stop you, but you have to take that little mouse with you. If something goes wrong and you can''t handle the enemy yourself, just grab her and throw her at the enemy."


    Charles was stunned by Anna''s remarks.


    Anna then went on to exin, "That little mouse has the power of the Light God inside of her, but it''s only triggered when she''s in danger herself. Take advantage of that fact, and she can be pretty useful."


    "But Lily might die if I do that..."


    "Oh, I had no idea that you have such a great rtionship with her. Is her life more important than yours? We''re talking about a Divinity''s power here. It''s a waste not to use such power."


    Charles unconsciously nced at Lily. The little mouse turned to Charles upon sensing thetter''s gaze and shed a radiant smile.


    "That''s it. Anyway, be careful. I''m going back now," Anna said. She tiptoed on her high heels and pecked Charles'' lips before disappearing into thin air.


    What followed afterward was an excruciating wait. Everyone was waiting for Sniffler''s return, and Charles was the same, even though he felt that Sniffler would most likely not return.


    It was unknown whether it was because of Sniffler''s good luck or something else, but Sniffler actually returned three hourster. He stumbled and fell headfirst on the deck; he was sweating profusely and was trying to catch his breath.


    Charles pulled Sniffler up the floor and asked, "What''s up there? What did you see? Is there any danger?"


    Sniffler''s trembling hand took out a metal sk from his cloak. He gulped down the entire sk of human blood, and hisplexion recovered slightly. After a few moments, he said, "I saw an ind up there, Captain."


    "An ind? An ind in the sky? Are you sure you weren''t hallucinating?" Charles asked, sounding extremely surprised.


    "Yes, it was an ind in the sky. I took photos, but I didn''t dare to get too close to it, so the photos are a bit blurry," Sniffler said, taking out the camera from his cloak.


    The sailors took the camera away to the darkroom to develop the photos. After a while, Charles finally saw what Sniffler was talking about. It was indeed an ind in the sky¡ªthere was a floating ind in the photos.


    Due to the darkness, the photos were blurry, but the outline of an ind was captured. There was indeed a colossal floating ind in the sky. Unfortunately, Charles couldn''t urately deduce the ind''s size, as he didn''t have any object of reference.


    There was light on one side of the ind, but the light wasn''ting from a fire. It looked strikingly simr to a bright welding light. Charles surmised that the ind had to be housing the members of the Foundation.


    It seemed that they hadn''t been annihted, after all.


    "Captain, I think you should bring an airship here. The ind is too high up in the sky. Our ship can''t go up there."


    Charles examined the photos a bit more and shook his head. "We don''t have that much time to wait. If we wait that long, the Foundation members might no longer be up there by the time we reach the ind with an airship. They''ve just been attacked, too, so this is a great opportunity for us to go up."


    "It doesn''t matter what we''re going to do; whether we catch one of them to interrogate or lend them a helping hand in retrieving the darkness, this is the golden opportunity to do so. We must go up there now."


    There weren''t that many people qualified to go up to the floating ind.


    Dipp''s special ability was especially effective against those translucent creatures earlier, so he had toe along. The ship''s doctor had toe along as well, and then the powerful Bandages and Nico.


    Charles transformed into a bat and¡ªwith Sniffler and Audric''s help¡ªcarried the qualified crew members toward the towering, pitch-ck wall.

 Chapter 605: Aircraft

    Charles pped his wings hard as he soared through the dark sky with his crew members in tow. The crew became more and more wary as they flew higher and higher, their grips tightening on their weapons.


    Charles'' night vision allowed him to see the floating ind first before anyone else. The bizarre ind seemed to emit an oppressive air, and everyone held their breath unconsciously as they looked up at it.


    The sky was eerily quiet, and no noises could be heard aside from Charles and the two vampires pping their wings. The silence was a stark contrast to the cacophony of explosions earlier when the Foundation''s aircraft were plummeting to the earth down below.


    They soon arrived above the ind. They circled it once, and Charles estimated the floating ind to be about the same size as Hope Ind. The bright lights in the photos couldn''t be seen anywhere. They had been extinguished.


    Audric was the first to rush down, securing a safe spot for everyone before Charles and Sniffler brought the others down.


    The terrain on the floating ind was rough, and there were towering rocks in a variety of sizes, which made thendscape resemble a stone forest.


    Charles examined the topography and deduced that the floating ind hadn''te from the subterranean world. However, Charles couldn''t deduce whether that was bad news or not.


    Lily squeaked, and the mice scattered in all directions to gather information.


    Meanwhile, everyone hid behind a rock the size of a car, waiting for the mice to return. Charles dared not turn on their shlights, afraid that the light might attract unwanted visitors.For some reason, everyone kept ncing upward as if there was something terrifying in the dark skies up above.


    Dippy low on the ground to look for any clues. His previous career had transformed him into an extremely effective detective.


    "Captain, there aren''t any traces of any living beings moving around here. The Foundation you''ve mentioned surely hasn''t been around this area. I also can''t say for sure whether there are even any living beings up here or not."


    Charles looked up at the pitch-ck sky. "Let''s hope that there are living beings here. At the very least, beings that we can touch and feel them."


    To be honest, Charles wouldn''t be nervous against a living being with flesh and blood. After all, such beings could still be understood and weren''t beyond human knowledge. If the owner of that massive, cylindrical root was on this ind, then they''d have a fun time ahead of them.


    When Dipp was finally done surveying their vicinity, that was when rustling noises echoed nearby.


    The mice were back with news.


    Lily wasted no time and looked up at Charles to trante the mice''s messages. "Mr. Charles, four went missing, and they found a smoking ship."


    "A smoking big ship? Besides that, did they find anything else?"


    Lily squeaked at the mice before tilting her head, seemingly in contemtion.


    "Hmm... they said that they didn''t go to other ces and decided toe back here after seeing the big ship. This ind is big¡ªvery big. Apparently, it''d take them a long, long time to run around the ind."


    "Lead the way. Take us to that smoking ship," Charles said. He grabbed Lily and allowed the mischief of mice to lead them forward. The terrain was so rugged that everyone found it difficult to walk. Fortunately, their destination wasn''t too far.


    Charles soon smelled a pungent smell, which was reminiscent of burning rubber.


    Upon walking past yet another boulder, Charles finally saw the source of the pungent smell.


    The smell wasing from a warship with a melting stern. The warship was a few hundred meters long, and it was sinking into the earth as if the floating ind was gnawing away at it.


    Staring at the advanced and modern-looking warship before him, Charles suddenly recalled the word "mothership," which one of the Feuerbachs had mentioned not too long ago.


    Barring any curveballs, this melting warship had to be a so-called "mothership."


    <em>Buzz! </em>


    Charles'' prosthetic limb revealed a chainsaw that immediately started spinning. He pressed the chainsaw against the ship''s hull and began cutting a hole in the hull. However, no sparks flew out. Instead, a foul-smelling white smoke emerged from the warship''s damaged part.


    It seemed that the warship wasn''t made out of steel but was made out of a material harder than steel. Charles was using a chainsaw, but he still found it extremely challenging to cut open a hole in the hull.


    "Be on the lookout for ambushes!" Charles instructed the crew.


    The crew members nodded and gripped their weapons tightly while looking around. Their nerves were stretched taut as they had no idea what was toe.


    Five minutester, Charles finally managed to carve open a narrow crack in the warship. He gouged his eyeball with his right hand and hurled it inside.


    The ck spider with red patterns extended its limbs and crawled along the smooth walls. The interior looked neat; there weren''t any signs of damage nor did it seem like there had been an explosion inside. It seemed that this massive aircraft hadn''t been attacked.


    There was a massive space inside the aircraft, and the recurring motif was blue and white. And like ordinary aircrafts, it had many interconnected cabin doors.


    <em>Something''s wrong here; where are the Foundation members? </em>Charles thought while looking around the vessel. He had already searched several cabins but had yet to find any Foundation members. He hadn''t found even corpses.


    Charles urgently needed the knowledge of a Foundation member. He had to find any of them, and it didn''t matter whether he could build a rapport with them or not.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A door opened, and Charles made the spider enter the room. Based on the decorations and the interior design, it seemed that Charles had found himself inside a girl''s bedroom. There were even a few stuffed animals next to the pillows.


    <em>I still haven''t found anyone. Everything is here except for the people who are supposed to be here. This shouldn''t be the case. So many nes have crashed not too long ago; they must''ve been attacked by something.</em> Charles pondered.


    He inspected the bedroom quickly and found nothing unusual. Charles then decided to leave for another cabin. He made the spider approach the door, but he suddenly felt like there were gazes staring at him from behind.


    The spider whipped around, but it found nothing.


    However, Charles'' instincts were screaming at him that something was amiss. His myriad close shaves with death had made him extremely sensitive to gazes. He was convinced that he wasn''t hallucinating here.


    Someone was staring at him.


    The spider arched its back slightly, and the eyeball on its back popped out, giving Charles a wider field of view. His gaze swept across the room, and then he was stupefied to discover that the stuffed animals that were supposed to be next to the pillows had moved.


    The stic eyes of the stuffed animals were staring straight at him.


    The gazes wereing from these stuffed animals!


    Before Charles could react, the stuffed animals floated. Then, a jelly-like translucent creature phased through the walls. The translucent creature''s wriggling head connected itself to the stuffed animals, and the five or so stuffed animals swayed in mid-air as if they were the creature''s heads.


    The creature was translucent, and it had a mangled mess of flesh that resembled intertwined nts as its lower half. Two dense clusters of tentacles were protruding from its lower half to act as its legs.


    Charles was staring at a special creature¡ªno, Charles wasn''t even sure whether it was indeed a creature or not. However, one thing was for sure: it had noticed both the spider and him¡ªthe spider''s controller.

 Chapter 606: Anomaly

    "Fuck!" Charles cursed.


    The crew members turned to their captain at the sudden profanity, and they saw that their captain''s face had be extremely ugly.


    "Get ready! It''sing out!" Charles eximed. His spider eyeball jumped out of the hole first, and the eerie monster followed suit.


    The stuffed animals appeared horrifying as they wriggled in mid-air like snakes, and the bloated, translucent "creature" beneath the stuffed animals made the scene even more terrifying.


    The moment the monster got out of the ship, it changed directions in mid-air, making a beeline for Charles.


    In response, Charles spouted fur all over as he transformed into a bat monster. He wasted no time and spread his fleshy wings, rapidly gaining altitude.


    The crew wasn''t idle, and they immediately started attacking the monster. A variety of attacks were hurled toward the bloated, translucent monster, but they merely passed through the creature.


    Dipp hurled two grenades, and a deafening explosion tore through the air. Despite the explosion, the monster emerged unscathed.


    Charles instantly realized that the monster was immune to physical attacks."This bastard''s tough! Take turns to find out its weakness, and don''t get too close to it!" Charles instructed, and he rapidly returned to his human form in mid-air. Then, he raised his prosthetic hand high up in the air and swung it toward the monster.


    Lightning crackled as radiant electric arcs streaked across the air through the sharp anchor hook from Charles'' prosthetic arm. The anchor hook pierced the monster before it changed into a chainsaw that sliced the monster vertically.


    The bright electric arcs filled the translucent monster, but it seemed unhurt as it could still move freely. The translucent monster was about to climb up the anchor hook to reach Charles when Dipp arrived before the monster.


    The confident Dipp in his blue mist form swept past the translucent monster, but everyone was shocked by what happened next¡ªthe monster''s jelly-like figure burst open, revealing a gaping maw that engulfed Dipp.


    "Damn it!" Charles roared and was about to charge at the translucent monster to rescue Dipp.


    However, Nico beat him to the chase and appeared next to the fishman. His waist twisted coquettishly as he grabbed Dipp and pulled him out of the translucent monster''s gaping maw.


    A gaping maw resembling a chrysanthemum appeared on the translucent monster''s stomach. Its petals spread open, threatening to engulf Nico along with Dipp.


    As the former governor of Coral Archipgo, Nico had gone through many life-and-death fights, so he wasn''t flustered at all. He raised his high-heeled shark leather shoe and stomped forcefully.


    The solid ground abruptly transformed into a springy trampoline. Nico sank into the ground and was sent flying away by the trampoline-like ground.


    In mid-air, Nico swept his hand past his waist and produced a silver pistol with flower engravings. He then aimed the silver pistol at the translucent monster and squeezed the trigger.


    While the translucent monster was preupied with Nico, Charles sneakily made his way above the former. Then, he opened his maw, and a harsh, discordant sound wave burst out of him.


    The attack was very effective.


    The bloated, translucent monster quivered beneath the sound waves, and it was deting as if it were a leaking ball. When the translucent monster copsed to the ground and became a pile of mud, Charles hurriedly closed his maw.


    "We''ve got to leave now! Thismotion has definitely attracted something else!" Charles eximed, instructing everyone to retreat. Then, he led the crew members toward the nearby stone forest. They ran as fast as they could away from the battlefield.


    The next day, a vignt Charles returned to yesterday''s battlefield. The monster''s corpse, which had be a pile of mud, had disappeared along with the aircraft.


    Charles and his crew couldn''t even find any traces that would prove that the monster and the aircraft were even here in the first ce.


    Charles half-squatted and pressed his hand on the solid ground. Obviously, there was something wrong with this ce.


    "Let''s go. Pay extra attention to the ground. This ind might be alive," Charles said.


    The crew members'' hearts sank at the remark. However, none of them spoke as they quietly followed behind Charles. Their exploration of the massive floating ind was finally in full swing, and their goal was to find any of the Foundation members.


    Unfortunately, it couldn''t be further from a leisurely exploration. Everyone''s nerves were stretched taut as they explored the pitch-ck environment; they couldn''t rx at all, as the enemies could ambush them from any direction.


    On their second day, they finally discovered something¡ªa helicopter leaning against a rock and a few charred corpses.


    By the fourth day, Charles and his crew had already explored about half of the ind, but they had to pay a price in exchange for such a rapid pace of exploration, and the price they had to pay was the crew''s health.


    The crew members were physically and mentally exhausted.


    There was one night when they tried to rest properly only to find that Audric was almost swallowed by the ground overnight. Since then, none of the crew members had been able to have a good night''s sleep.


    "Let''s stop here for today and rest," Charles said.


    The exhausted crew members responded by taking out canned goods and eating them with relish. For fear of attracting <em>something</em>, they dared not start a fire and pried open the canned goods to eat outright.


    The taste left much to be desired, but they had to make do with it for now. Of course, it was already great that they had something to eat. Moreover, the canned goods had to be brought up by Audric from the ships down below.


    Tonight''s first night watch was Charles. Considering their ongoing situation, Charles couldn''t even fall asleep.


    "Are you okay, Mr. Charles? The dark circles under your eyes have be so deep now. I can let my mice friends take over the night watch for you. Go ahead and sleep for a bit."


    Charles shook his head slightly at Lily''s suggestion. Then, he stroked Lily''s back and replied, "It''s okay. I''m not really sleepy."


    Charles'' hand unknowingly made its way to Lily''s tail. He pinched the silver ring on Lily''s tail and remarked, "Where did you get this? It looks nice on you."


    Lily''s eyes darted around at Charles'' question. She was reluctant to answer, so she decided to change the topic, asking, "<em>Um... </em>Mr. Charles, the Foundation that you spoke of, do they have a way to turn me into a human?"


    Charles cast a surprised gaze at Lily, bing a bit intrigued by how Lily had made that assumption.


    "Maybe," Charles replied sinctly.


    "Really?!" Lily was thrilled at the possibility of bing human once again.


    "Don''t celebrate too early. Even if they can, they may not necessarily help us. I mean, they didn''t even help the denizens of the Subterranean Sea."


    Lily looked down and pondered briefly before looking up at Charles once again.


    "<em>Hmm... </em>they''re also looking for the darkness, aren''t they? Doesn''t that mean that they''re our allies?"


    "Allies? Hah<em>, </em>not necessarily," Charles said with narrowed eyes. "Everything the Foundation does is apparently for mankind''s sake, but a thousand years is a long time¡ªit''s long enough for me to think twice whether they''re still the same old Foundation or not.


    "Perhaps they simply don''t consider the people of the Subterranean Sea as fellow human beings. After all, sunlight is fatal to those people there."


    Bandages leaning against a rock had opened his eyes at some point and was staring at Charles. His eyes seemed to emit a poignant light as he listened quietly on the sideline.


    "Don''t be so pessimistic, Mr. Charles. What if they''re good people?"


    "Good? They might be good, but I believe that one must always be prepared for the worst-case scenario. It''d be great if my assumptions are wrong."


    Charles looked up at the pitch-ck sky and thought, <em>This kind of exploration is too inefficient. It''d be best for us to bring an airship over here. No, perhaps the Narwhale can be retrofitted into an airship as well. She just needs a few gas bags. Yes, it shouldn''t be that heavy of a workload.</em>


    Time ticked by as Charles was engrossed in his wild thoughts. Lily had curled up into a ball and had fallen asleep in Charles'' palm; her furry figure rose and fell with her breathing.


    Charles gently ced Lily into his pocket before taking out his diary to write today''s entry. He flipped the pages, and his pupils constricted almost immediately.


    There were words written on the supposedly empty page.


    Charles examined the words carefully and found that it was indeed his handwriting. <em>Did I write these words myself? No way! I haven''t had the time to write any diary entries since we came up here. In that case¡­ who wrote these, then?</em>

 Chapter 607: Diary

    "Captain¡­?" Bandages called out with a grave expression. At some point, he had approached Charles and was standing behind thetter.


    Charles took Lily out of his coat pocket and ced her in his palm. "Gather the others; we have a situation."


    As the crew groggily woke up, Charles fought to keep his unease in check as he scrutinized the mysterious diary entry that had appeared in his journal.


    <em>June 9, Year 808</em>


    <em>Apart from an extra page of a diary entry, there hasn''t been any other anomaly. I''m contemting whether I should discard or even burn this abnormal journal.</em>


    <em>It records many of my past memories. But if it''s the trigger behind that issue, then its risk outweighs its value.</em>


    <em>I think the current problem we''re facing is not a small matter. I''ve decided to send all the mice out to explore the entire ind.</em>


    <em>It''s risky and bound to attract some trouble soon. Also, I''m not sure if Lily has enough mice to handle the task. But we''re running out of time as well.</em>


    The handwriting of the mysterious diary entry undeniably belonged to Charles. Even the tone of it matched Charles''. It was as if the entry had been penned by himself.Just as Charles finished reading thest sentence of the diary entry, the crew had already gathered around him.


    The journal, with its brown cover, was flipped open andid out on the ground. The crew formed a circle around it and stared at it with wary gazes.


    "Captain, whatnguage is this written in? Is it a cipher from the Western Seas? I''ve heard that their script is different from the other sea regions," Second Mate Nico asked with a curious expression.


    Only Charles knew how to write Chinese characters. Moreover, the journal had never left his side; the text had just mysteriously appeared on the page out of thin air.


    A usible exnation would have been Anna had written the entry and then erased her own memory. However, Charles quickly dismissed that idea. First, Anna wouldn''t indulge in such a pointless act. Secondly, even she couldn''t mimic his handwriting perfectly.


    "Forget about the script for now. The real question is how did the diary entry appear out of nowhere. Let me summarize the contents for you," Charles said. He then quickly exined the mysterious diary entry to the crew.


    As Charles'' exnation came to an end, Nico gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear andmented softly, "Captain, there''s something off about this diary entry."


    "What did you notice?" Charles turned his gaze onto Nico.


    "The timing doesn''t add up," Nico began. "It''s written from your perspective, but the content is your thoughts upon discovering this sudden diary entry.


    "And that''s where the problem manifests itself. This diary entry records events after they have supposedly appeared. It''s a paradox."


    Charles'' expression froze as he immediately grasped the implication of Nico''s words. Regardless of who penned the entry, its existence was predicting the subsequent events that would happen after it came into existence.


    <em>Is someone trying tomunicate with me through the diary? But why? And who is it?</em>


    Silence engulfed them. Every crew member had their brows furrowed as they stared at the diary, trying to figure out the origin of this mysterious text.


    However, they had no leads, as the only thing they had now was a mysterious journal entry that had appeared out of nowhere.


    After sorting out his thoughts, Charles cleared his throat to draw everyone''s attention.


    "This might be the prelude to some bigger problem. We''ll need to change our strategy, speed up our exploration, and leave here as soon as possible. Lily, how many mice do you have left?"


    No matter what was the mysterious entity behind everything, Charles had no intention to let it disrupt his n. Their goal foring to this ind remained the same: to find the Foundation.


    "Erm¡­ We still have sixty-three left. Sorry, I didn''t bring many this time," Lily said, her golden fur shimmering as she tilted her head apologetically.


    "Send all of them out. Have them quickly explore all the unexplored areas," Charles instructed. He then picked up the diary and turned to the page where he had drawn a rudimentary sketch of the ind much earlier.


    However, as soon as he saw the map, his expression hardened. Three new lines had appeared, and those were the exact routes he had intended for the mice to explore.


    "Mr. Charles, what''s wrong? Why did you stop?" Lily asked as she awaited further instructions.


    Charles nced at her briefly before cing the diary on the ground. He thenmanded the mice to start their exploration along the marked routes.


    While waiting for the mice to return, Charles didn''t allow the crew to have a brief respite in the case of any sudden danger. If the mice returned with news that they didn''t find any traces of any Foundation''s personnel, they would pull out immediately.


    Although this was a hasty strategy, and there might still be some things left undiscovered, Charles felt it was better to leave as soon as possible, as his sense of unease was growing.


    Charles'' right eye crawled out of its socket and leaped onto the diary. The eye on its back was fixed on the page with an intense gaze, just in case it disyed any unusual activity.


    Time slowly crawled by; traces of weariness from the prolongedck of sleep started to appear on the crew''s faces.


    "Linda, do you have any meds?" Charles asked, turning toward Linda. "We just need to hold on for a little longer. If nothing goes wrong, we''ll be out of here soon."


    The bald woman nodded affirmatively and opened her medical kit. Soon, she fished out several test tubes containing a purple liquid and distributed them among the crew.


    Receiving his dose, Charles tilted his head back and downed the contents in a single gulp. Immediately, a foul taste hit his throat, and he couldn''t help but gag.


    The others mirrored his reaction, but the nauseous sensation disappeared as soon as it came. When Charles looked at his crew again, he could no longer see the fatigue on their faces; the medication worked.


    They waited anxiously as the minutes ticked by. Soon, the mice started returning one after another. Unfortunately, they had nothing special to report. All they found were rocks and a few crashed aircraft belonging to the Foundation.


    When all the mice had returned, Charles studied the map again as he felt that something was amiss.


    <em>We''ve searched the entire ind, but we didn''t find any of the monsters that fought with the Foundation. The number of crashed aircraft from the Foundation here doesn''t match up either. ording to the intel from the Feuerbachs, there should be more.</em>


    Just then, Dipp interrupted Charles'' train of thought.


    "Captain! I think I know what''s going on! This isn''t the primary crime scene!" The fishman eximed with palpable excitement.


    "What are you talking about?" Charles eyed him with a puzzled look.


    "<em>Erm¡­</em> I mean, not a crime scene, but rather the battleground. We have been assuming that the Foundation fought those monsters on this ind and that the monster hase from here.


    "But that''s not correct. I''ve been studying the traces for days. Apart from those nes and us, there aren''t any signs of other human activity or movement on this ind."


    "If what you say is true, that means¡­" Charles slowly lifted his head and stared into the pitch-ck sky above.


    "...the Foundation fought those monsters up in the air before crashing down to the ind''s ground from above. The battle didn''t happen on this floating ind. There must be many more things up there."


    Hearing Charles'' conclusion, the other crew members collectively turned their gazes upward at the sky.


    "My goddess gracious. Just how many of these floating inds are there?" Nico eximed in astonishment.

 Chapter 608: Reason

    Charles let out a soft sigh. He thought they had a chance to interact with the Foundation but considering their current circumstances, that opportunity seemedpletely out of reach now.


    "Captain, should we still ascend further?" Audric asked with a slight caution in his voice.


    Charles shook his head slightly. "We''ll wait for all the mice to return, and we''ll leave. We can reassess the situation when the main fleet has arrived."


    Charles'' decision had all the crew collectively let out a sigh of relief. The prolonged period of exploration had pushed them to their limits. They were exhausted; after all, they were not made of iron.


    Thest mouse soon returned and confirmed their suspicions¡ªthere were no monsters on this ind. Even the previous one they had encountered was one that hade from the Foundation''s own aircraft.


    "Let''s go. We''ll retreat for now," Charles said as he picked up the diary from the ground.


    However, as he turned to thetest page of the journal, his pupils contracted to the size of a needle''s tip. A new entry had appeared; it was still written in Chinese.


    Perched on Charles'' shoulder, Lily couldn''t understand why the former suddenly froze. She asked curiously, "Mr. Charles, what''s wrong? Aren''t we going back down?"


    Charles shook his head slightly, his next words stopping the crew in their tracks. "I''m afraid we can''t leave just yet."<em>June 10, Year 808</em>


    <em>I died. It happened so suddenly. Just as I was leading the crew to leave, a crescent moon-like beam fell from the sky, slicing us into pieces. </em>


    <em>Is this the end for me? I cannot ept this. Why did it all have to end now? Anna, I''m sorry.</em>


    Thetest entry was written from Charles'' perspective but after his death.


    The crew gathered around the diary once more. And after hearing Charles'' exnation, they finally understood the situation.


    Now, they found themselves in a dilemma. Charles wasn''t sure if they should leave the ind. If they left, would they really die?


    "Maybe it''s a bluff? Maybe someone is trying to scare us into staying on this ind," Dipp broke the silence.


    "That''s¡­ unlikely¡­ It doesn''t exin¡­ why that person¡­ matched the captain''s¡­ writing and tone¡­ perfectly," Bandages countered Dipp''s theory.


    "I agree with the First Mate. All of you saw it. None of us touched this diary. It can''t be that the diary is writing that entry itself," another added.


    The crew exchanged theories about the strange phenomena, but eventually, they turned their eyes onto Charles.


    The decision of where to stay or go, how should they proceed, all of that rested entirely on Charles. Their lives were in Charles'' hands, and one wrong move could spell disaster for everyone.


    <em>Snap!</em>


    Charles snapped the diary shut and kept it in his coat pocket. "Let''s wait for another day and see what happens. I''m curious to know what''ll happen if the prediction in the diary doesn''te true."


    The crew members then settled down and waited patiently. However, they remained on their guard and watched their surroundings with vignce as the time ticked by.


    However, with nothing to do but wait, the time dragged on ever so slowly. The crew then decided to bring out some canned food and started eating.


    They dug into the canned meat and pickled fruits; their appetites seemed great and unaffected by the recent happenings.


    On the contrary, Charles had no appetite. He would take out the diary every now and then to check if there was any new entry.


    Just as he fished out the diary for the sixth time, Audric, who was seated next to him, suddenly stood up and scratched his back vigorously.


    "What''s wrong?" Charles asked with a hint of wariness.


    "Nothing. I just find it a little itchy," Audric replied, his hand extending to his back to scratch again before sitting back down.


    However, Charles didn''t dare take any chances. He went over to Audric, pulled thetter''s cor aside, and peered within. Yet, all he saw was Audric''s pale skin. There was nothing unusual.


    "Captain, it''s really alright. It''s just a bit of itchiness. It''s probably because it''s been too long since Ist bathed," the vampire reassured Charles.


    Charles released Audric''s cor and settled down by the rocks again. "Everyone, don''t let your guard down. In a ce like this, who knows what is considered an anomaly? Be cautious about anything unusual."


    Hearing this, Linda pondered for a brief moment before she said, "Captain, I noticed something strange earlier, and I was contemting if I should mention it."


    "What is it?"


    "The pickled apples tasted better than usual. Even the fish in the cans were fresher. I''m not sure if that counts as an anomaly."


    Others quickly echoed Linda''s opinions. They confirmed that they had the same feeling earlier too.


    Charles pondered for a moment before picking up a can of tuna. He immediately pried it open with the tab. He had tasted this particr brand before and indeed, the fishy smell now was noticeably milder than he remembered from previous meals.


    "This probably doesn''t count as an anomaly, right? Maybe the canning factory upgraded their machines and came out with better-tasting food now," Dipp said, half-squatted on the ground.


    Charles pinched a tuna fish between his fingers and held it up to his face to get a closer look. The tuna had a spindle-shaped body, a long, thin tail, a metallic blue back, and a bright white belly. It looked just like any other ordinary tuna.


    Charles wondered if he was overreacting when suddenly, he saw the eye of the gutted and dead tuna in his hand move!


    He immediately jumped to his feet and scanned his surroundings with heightened alert. <em>Am I seeing things? Or have we been affected by something? Or am I going crazy again?</em>


    "Mr. Charles, what''s wrong?" Lily asked, the hint of concern undeniable in her voice.


    Charles shook his head, but his eyes darted around the crew members before eventually settling on Audric. The vampire was still scratching himself all over.


    Charles dashed over, his prosthetic limb instantly transforming into a chainsaw that shed toward Audric.


    "Captain!"


    "Audric! Quick, run!"


    The next moment, everyone froze in shock. The rapidly spinning chainsaw struck Audric, but his clothes remained intact.


    "Are your clothes a relic?" Charles asked.


    "No, they are just regr clothing. Why?"


    "Stop talking and quickly take it off! Everyone, strip!" Charles'' voice suddenly turned deadly serious.


    As soon as his words fell, he started to tear off his own clothes.


    Audric seemed startled by Charles'' instructions but sensing the underlying urgency, he began to unfasten his cloak and unbutton his shirt. Just as he finished undoing the buttons and tried to take it off, he froze. "My clothes... seem to be stuck."


    Now topless, Charles wasted no time and lunged at Audric. Grabbing Audric''s cor with both hands, he yanked it backward with a fierce pull. A loud ripping sound resonated through the air, and a spray of blood followed right after as Audric screamed in pain.


    The skin and flesh on his back had been torn away along with the fabric.


    Charles turned to everyone. His voice was filled with urgency as hemanded, "Don''t just stand there! Strip everything! Now!"


    "Captain, what''s going on?" Dipp asked as he hurriedly stripped off his own clothes.


    "What? Can''t you see? Everything on us is turning into relics! My diary, Audric''s clothes, everything!"


    Earlier, Charles was still puzzled as to why the Foundation members donned such heavy spacesuits and what they were protecting themselves against. Now, he finally knew the reason behind it.

 Chapter 609: Paiper

    "Ugh!" Charles'' face contorted as he clenched his teeth and mustered all his strength to yank off his prosthetic limb. The metal arm, with bits of blood and flesh, was tossed to the side.


    "Captain, why do we have to take off our prosthetics too? It''s been so long; they should be fine," Dipp said as he stared bitterly at his mechanical legs ced in front of him. He was now stark naked, and with his legs removed, he was left kneeling on the ground.


    Charles shook his head slightly. "No. We don''t know what kind of relic our prosthetics might turn into and what their side effects would be. It''s too risky to have them on us. We need to get rid of everything except our own original relics."


    Meanwhile, a crew member next to them was making gagging noises as he shoved his fingers down his throat to force himself to vomit up the food he had eaten earlier.


    Since everything had the possibility of turning into a relic, the food they had consumed just moments before couldn''t be trusted either.


    By this moment, all the crew members were stark naked. Even Bandages had removed the bandages on his body. They stood stark naked, facing each other.


    Despite being the only woman among the crew, Linda''s face remainedpletely calm, and she showed not even a hint of shame.


    In stark contrast, Lily, perched on Charles'' shoulder, covered her eyes with her tiny paws in embarrassment. Though, from time to time, she would secretly peek outside through the gaps in her fingers.


    "Captain, what''s our next move? Without food or medicine, we can''t continue the exploration," Nico said as his eyes scanned the surroundings."I know. Unless something happens, we''re heading down now." With that, Charles flipped open the diary on the ground to check thetest entry.


    Although he wasn''t exactly sure what kind of relic his diary had turned into, based on the previous interactions, Charles suspected it to be rted to some prophetic ability. The diary entries that had mysteriously appeared seemed to detail events that might happen the following day.


    Unfortunately, this time, there was no new entry. Thetest entry was the very same page that was supposedly written from the perspective of a dead Charles.


    Charles lifted his head to look at his crew. All of their gazes were on him as they awaited his next order.


    "Let''s head back," Charles dered. He decided not to wait any longer. Previously, he didn''t take any action as he hadn''t figured out who was the one writing in the diary.


    Now, they had already concluded that it was the diary itself after it had turned into a relic. Since it was just a relic, there was no need to worry. The unknown was always the most fearsome.


    "But Mr. Charles, the diary says you''ll die," Lily voiced out, her wordsced with concern.


    "It''s okay. A day has already passed. If the diary''s prophecy was urate, I should be dead by now."


    Charles then turned to Linda and instructed, "Linda, use your stomach acid to corrode a hole in that rock. We''ll hide all our relics and prosthetics there."


    There was no way they were going to bring back so many strange relics without knowing their effects. Without appraising them, who knew what their side effects were? The safest n was to leave them hidden for now. After they had formted a n to transport them safely, they could then bring them back down to the surface.


    With a forceful gag, Linda spewed green bile onto arge rock. The toxic liquid soon corroded arge cavity on the rock.


    After everyone had ced their items into the cavity, Bandages summoned vines topletely seal up the entrance.


    Charles'' then rapidly morphed into a gigantic bat. Apart from the two vampires who could fly, the rest of the crew quickly climbed onto his broad back.


    With a powerful push of his hind muscles, Charles soared into the air.


    Charles didn''t dare to let his guard down even though they were prepared to leave. He remained wary of anyst-minute surprises that could jeopardize their escape. His monstrous remained open, emitting silent sound waves that resonated in all directions to scan for any potential threats.


    While exploring on foot was slow, flying was much faster. In no time, Charles had reached the edge of the floating ind.


    Just as Charles prepared to retract his wings for a dive, the dark sky suddenly lit up. A massive, crescent-shaped beam of light shed down from above, aiming straight at him.


    The moment Charles caught sight of the beam, every hair on his body stood on alert. That was the exact same thing the diary had warned about. It was the very same thing that killed him!


    Without even a moment of hesitation, Charles pped his wings frantically. Just by a slight inch, he narrowly evaded the deadly crescent as it sliced through the air.


    Though it had missed Charles, the moonlight beam didn''t dissipate. Instead, it continued its trajectory and sheared off a chunk of the floating ind like a piece of cake.


    Under everyone''s shocked gazes, the severed piece of the ind slowly plummeted to the ground below like a slice of cake falling off a te.


    "Captain! Look up there! What''s that!" Audric eximed in shock with his gaze upward.


    Charles swiftly turned his head upward and saw a grotesque, twisted worm, spanning about ten meters long, plummeting toward them from fifty meters above.


    Its body wasposed of two colors. Half of it was ink ck, and the other half was transparent, resembling a blend of ss and obsidian. The colors twisted and intertwined with each other.


    Clearly, the crescent beam from before had note from this worm as it appeared severely injured. Visible cracks could be seen all along its bizarre body. Yet, Charles found the creature oddly familiar.


    However, he immediatelyposed his thoughts the next moment. This was not the time for him to ponder over it. They needed to escape this dangerous ce as soon as possible.


    Charles rapidly pped his wings and began his downward descent. Suddenly, a man''s voice rang in Charles'' ears.


    <em>"Don''t move! Hide! It will see you!"</em>


    The next moment, Charles felt a chilling gaze from the darkness overhead. His body started to go numb from fear, and he struggled to move.


    He strained his neck to look upward. In the infinite darkness, he spotted three sinister eyes that glowed with a pink hue and were positioned in a triangr arrangement. Bulging out like a fish''s eyes, they were staring directly at Charles.


    At this critical moment, the strange, plummeting worm from earlier suddenly appeared next to Charles. Its slimy, writhing body twisted rapidly, enveloping Charles and his crew in an instant.


    The worm spiraled down with Charles and returned to the ground. However, it didn''t stop there. Its sharp, grotesque mouthparts spun rapidly and effortlessly bored arge hole into the rocky terrain before diving in.


    Instantly, the ominous gaze and the three eyes in the darkness disappeared.


    Charles stayed still and signaled his crew to do the same as he watched the worm''s movements silently.


    <em>"Don''t move. It''s still out there, waiting for us to show ourselves,"</em> the same voice sounded in Charles'' ears again.


    Putting two and two together, it was not hard to figure out that the voice hade from the worm.


    Charles calmly looked at the giant, horrifying worm''s head before him. "Did Anna ry the message to you guys via telegraph? You arrived quite fast. Aside from that Divinity earlier, what else did you discover up there?"


    The worm''s slick, elongated body writhed slightly before the voice responded in Charles'' mind. <em>"You know who I am?"</em>


    "A few years ago, I had some matters to deal with and visited Shattered Heart Isles in the Sea of Mist. I saw a Haikor selling some statues of you. If I remember correctly, you''re their main god, Paiper, aren''t you?"

 Chapter 610: Wait

    In the dimly lit underground cavern, Charles stared at the half-ck half-transparent worm coiled around him. The creature didn''t seem like it had any visual organs, but Charles could feel its gaze for some reason.


    <em>"Your woman informed the Explorers Association of the darkness'' coordinates, so I came in advance. My subordinate gods and I intended to directly seek the darkness and bring it back to the Subterranean Sea. However, as you can see, the task isn''t that simple,"</em> Paiper answered in Charles'' mind.


    It was an answer within Charles'' expectations. Though Charles remained puzzled over Paiper''s swift arrival, he had more pressing questions.


    "What''s up there? Was that thing a surface Divinity? Did you encounter the Foundation?" A series of questions emerged from Charles'' mouth.


    Paiper''s voice resonated in his mind again, the hint of annoyance unmistakable.


    <em>"Your questionsck focus. Which do you want me to answer first?</em>


    <em>"That thing out there could kill us at any moment. Yet, you''re not even afraid and have the luxury of time to ask all this."</em>


    The corners of Charles'' lips curved upward into a dry smile. "Maybe I would have been afraid in the past, but I think I''m getting used to it now. So, the first question¡ªwhat was that thing? Is it a surface Divinity?"


    <em>"It''s not a surface Divinity. In fact, it''s not even a Divinity at all. What it is exactly, I''m not too sure either. I need to observe it further. But regardless of what it is, it''s powerful, and it killed two of my subordinate gods in an instant."</em>Charles wasn''t sure exactly how powerful the Haikor demigods were, but the fact that they were highly regarded in the Subterranean Sea indicated that they were formidable.


    If the triple-eyes could easily kill two demigods, then its power could surely rival the Divinity guarding God Fhtagn.


    Paiper added, <em>"We didn''t explore much of the skies above, so we''re not sure what''s there. But one thing to note: the darkness is up there, and we need to find it."</em>


    Charles was taken aback at the new information. "The darkness outside isn''t the darkness that belongs to the Subterranean Sea?"


    Paiper''s monstrous mouthpart twitched slightly. <em>"No. That''s just an offshoot. You must have noticed by now that the higher we get, the quicker any dead matter reverts to its primal form¡ªwhich, in your words, bing a relic.</em>


    <em>"We suspect that the surface darkness has likely been relicfied too. In fact, I strongly suspect that it has be fully sentient."</em>


    "What?!" Charles eximed, his pupils shrinking to the size of a needle''s tip.


    <em>"I know it''s hard to believe, but it''s the most usible theory. That''s why we need to detour around those powerful entities and retrieve it."</em>


    Charles'' brows furrowed as he tried to process the mindblowing information. This was bad news. A relicfied Darkness. He couldn''t imagine what it would look like or what abilities it would possess.


    Most importantly, the exploration difficulty level had just increased by multiple folds. Trying to search for the darkness amidst the Divinities was as good as trying to snatch food from a tiger''s mouth.


    After a long silence, Charles looked up at Paiper again. "Aside from you, there should be another force that went up there. Did you encounter the Foundation members?"


    Paiper shook its head. <em>"I''m not sure. Believe me. The area up there is incredibly strange andplex. Once you''re up there, you won''t have the luxury of caring about anything else but your own survival. Survival alone is already a paramount challenge."</em>


    Charles contemted whether he should tell Paiper more about the Foundation or not. After all, this was a matter of life and death.


    After a prolonged period of careful consideration, Charles decided to let Paiper in about the Foundation. They were on the same boat now, and Paiper had even saved his life earlier. It didn''t seem right to still keep his guard up.


    Charles briefly exined the situation with the Foundation to Paiper and mentioned that they might have a way to bring the darkness back to the Subterranean Sea.


    <em>"Have you considered cooperation with them? We could reach out to be allies with them and work together to save the Subterranean Sea," </em>Paiper suggested.


    <em>"I''ve thought about it, but the Foundation hasn''t shown any interest in engaging with us. As natives of the Subterranean Sea, have you ever seen any records of the Foundation in your historical archives?"</em>


    Seeing Paiper''s silence, Charles continued, "It''s not just the Haikors'' archives. In the entire Subterranean Sea, there are no traces or mentions of their existence. They''ve deliberately erased their presence from the Subterranean Sea''s history.


    <em>"I think it''s best if we stay cautious. We don''t know what they are trying to do,"</em> Paiper concluded.


    Just as Charles was about to say something, Bandagesnded a gentle pat on Charles'' shoulder with his right hand.


    "Captain¡­the more important thing¡­ is to get out¡­We''re not¡­ out of danger¡­ yet¡­"


    Charles nodded slightly and turned to Paiper. "How long do we have to stay here?"


    <em>"Until it leaves. It''s still up there. I can still sense it. Shhh. Don''t make a sound, it''sing."</em>


    Charles'' heart tightened at Paiper''s words. He signaled his crew to crouch down and not make a single sound.


    Minutes and seconds ticked by. The sense of time became increasingly blurry in the darkness. Charles couldn''t even tell how long they had been hiding.


    However, as time dragged on, he was starting to feel exhausted and hungry.


    Suddenly, Paiper''s ck-and-transparent body began to move. Coiling around Charles, it started moving upward.


    <em>"It''s gone. We need to get out of here fast."</em>


    Upon emerging from the hole, Charles had barely just let out a sigh of relief when the darkness before him was flooded with a pink light.


    He looked around in bewilderment and realized that three colossal eyes, asrge ass, were orbiting in the airspace above the floating ind.


    Their ovepping pupils were staring directly at Charles and his crew. The pink light they emitted bathed the entire ind in an eerie, bright glow.


    It hadn''t left at all!


    It had been watching them from outside the entire time!


    The moment Paiper saw the giant eye, it let loose of its body and with a burst of speed, it burrowed into the ground once again, leaving only an afterimage behind it.


    A crescent-shaped beam, reminiscent of moonlight, manifested in the air again. However, it wasn''t just a single beam this time. One by one, the crescent beams appeared and wove together into a vast silver.


    Charles could feel Lily''s small body trembling against his own. She was terrified. She wasn''t the only one. He nced around and saw the same look of despair in the eyes of his crew members.


    Humans were even less significant than ants in front of a Divinity.


    However, Charles wasn''t going to give up. Even though hope was slim, he had to try.


    "Go!" Charles shouted. In his bat form, Charles spread his wings to cover everyone and activated the teleportation die.


    Their figures repeatedly flickered across the floating ind. Charles could feel his stomach churning violently, but he had to endure it. This was their only hope of escape.


    However, no matter how useful a relic was, using it always came with a price.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Charles copsed to the ground, vomiting mouthful after mouthful of blood. The crimson liquid was mixed with fragments of his own organs. His body couldn''t withstand the strain of using the die.


    Just then, the silver from above descended like a waterfall.


    It was a beautiful sight¡ªa beautiful yet lethal sight.

 Chapter 611: Faded

    Everything was proceeding exactly as the diary had predicted¡ªCharles was about to be killed by the crescent beam of light.


    Charles'' mind wasn''t consumed by fear. In fact, his mind was still racing to find a solution to save himself, but the crescent beam of light wasn''t going to offer him the luxury of time.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    In the blink of an eye, the giant had closed the gap and was right in Charles'' face. The light effortlessly sliced through the towering rocks surrounding Charles into pieces like a hot knife through butter. He was trapped in a deadly snare with no way out. This would be his end.


    Just as the massive silver was inches from Charles'' head, Lily, who was perched on his shoulder, scurried up to his head. Pushing off with her four limbs, she lunged at the.


    At the moment of contact¡­.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    A gentle sunlight enveloped everything¡ªthe floating ind, the pink eyes, and Charles with his crew.


    Bathed in its blinding radiance, Charles felt no pain of his body splitting apart. The crisis had been dissolved by the sunlight.The scent of sunlight slowly drifted into his nostrils. This light was indeed from the sun.


    Clutching his churning stomach, Charles struggled to his feet and shouted into the brilliant light, "Lily! Lily!"


    But his cries garnered no response. The sound seemed to vanish into the surroundings. A few minutester, the bright light before them started to gradually fade.


    Puzzled, the crew stood frozen in ce. The sunlight didn''t im their lives. Even the three vampires were unscathed. Evidently, this sunlight was different from the usual one that they knew of.


    In mid-air, the three massive eyeballs were gone, and the faded darkness slowly returned.


    However, Charles had no time to concern himself over that. He was searching frantically for Lily; she was gone.


    "Lily!!" Charles called out, his voice quivering and fear filled his face.


    "Mr¡­ Charles¡­" A soft, familiar voice called out from a distance.


    The moment Charles heard the voice, he stumbled over, nearly tripping over himself.


    He soon found Lily among a pile of rubble. Her usual golden shimmer was gone, and her fur was now a dull hue. Dark red blood was also seeping out and dying her fur the same hue.


    With trembling hands, Charles gently carried her in his palms. Lily''s body was extremely fragile, looking as though she had be a soaked piece of paper and was ready to disintegrate at the slightest touch.


    "Mr. Charles¡­ it¡­ hurts¡­ so¡­ much¡­" Lily whimpered, her voice sounding choked.


    "It''s going to be alright. We''re going back now! It''ll stop hurting once we get back," Charles assured her. He then turned to his crew andmanded, "Move! We''re heading down now!"


    He nced down at his own stark naked body and realized he had nowhere to safely ce Lily. Carefully, he stuffed Lily into his mouth.


    The next moment, he transformed into a monstrous bat. The crew jumped onto his back, and he soared away from the deste floating ind.


    With no enemies to hinder them, Charles easily descended to the ground.


    Ignoring the crew that was guarding the Narwhale, Charles hurriedly spat Lily out, grabbed Linda, and sprinted toward the infirmary.


    In the brightly lit infirmary, Charles watched anxiously as Linda used various devices to examine the tiny mouse.


    When Linda was finally done with the examination, she submerged her right hand into a bottle of clear liquid for a couple of minutes before reaching toward Lily''s faintly heaving chest.


    Then, under the astonished gazes of the surrounding crew, Linda''s finger effortlessly melded into Lily''s body to gently feel and inspect the tiny mouse''s internal organs.


    "You''ve assimted a relic too? Why don''t I know about this? When did this happen?" Audric questioned anxiously.


    "Two months ago. I came across this special ability at the Relic Research Institute and found it to have significant applications in healing. So I removed the Origin Essence and integrated it into my body," Linda answered.


    Audric wanted to press for a deeper exnation, but the moment he saw Charles shooting a dark, foreboding gaze his way, he wisely held his tongue. This was not the time to ask about that matter.


    "How is Lily now? Are her injuries severe?" Charles asked.


    After carefully circling the entirety of Lily''s internal structure, Linda gently withdrew her fingers.


    "Just as I''ve told you before," Linda began. "Lily is no longer an ordinary mouse. Her anatomical structure is different from that of an average mouse. She has a ruptured heart chamber, and she should have died as soon as it ruptured. Of course, that is under normal circumstances."


    "But as you can see, she still has consciousness. I suspect that the key lies in the undetectable energy within her, which is the power of the Light God that you once mentioned."


    Charles let out a soft sigh of relief. Regardless, at least Lily wasn''t going to die. He approached the little mouse and gently stroked her tiny head. In a gentle and tender voice, heforted, "It''s okay, you''ll be fine soon."


    Lily forced a strained smile on her furry face. "Mr. Charles¡­ Actually¡­ I heard what the monster sister had said to you that time.


    "She''s right. My body is a powerful tool in itself. I don''t mind doing this for the sake of everyone."


    Hearing Lily''s words, Charles felt a pang in his heart. He lifted his gaze and looked at Linda, "Try to make her asfortable as you can."


    "Understood," Linda answered. "I''ll give her something for the pain and apply some medication right now. Everyone, you may leave. There''s nothing more to see here."


    Leaving the infirmary, Charles stepped onto the deck and stared into the distance. He watched as the darkness slowly retreated into the encroaching purple mist.


    The Narwhale was retreating and heading back toward the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    Their current expedition hade to an end. It could be considered a fruitful one and provided significant leads in their search for the darkness.


    Yet, Charles'' heart remained uneasy. The appearance of the Foundation, the bizarre creatures on the surface, and even the gods of the Haikor Tribe had caused the situation to be increasinglyplicated.


    "What was that just now? If you had such a powerful ability, why didn''t you use it earlier?" Paiper''s voice interrupted Charles'' thoughts. Paiper''s twisted and monstrous form emerged from the earth below. It seemed like it had been staying close to the Narwhale.


    "That power is unstable. It''s not something I can use so easily," Charles replied, his gaze not wavering from the darkness in the distance.


    Paiper''s mouthpart slightly twitched before it spoke, "If you hand that thing over to us, we might be able to convert that energy into a weapon. Something that can repel a Divinity is a resource that we desperately need. It would be a great assistance in our future endeavors."


    "Absolutely not!" Charles''s refusal was immediate and firm.


    "Charles, my followers have told me everything about you, including your character and all.


    "We hade to the critical point in saving the entire Subterranean Seascape. Please set aside your stubbornness, and as the incumbent leader, you must rationally weigh the importance of each decision."


    Charles shook his head. "I can also save the Subterranean Seascapew with Lily by my side. Besides, do you really have absolute confidence in being able to control the power of the Light God? I''m highly skeptical of your words."


    Paiper''s form writhed as it approached Charles, positioning its massive, earth-scented mouthpart in front of Charles.


    "Perhaps you don''t understand us, but we are way more formidable than what you can imagine."


    "Formidable? Then who was the one running away earlier? If you''re so powerful, then why haven''t you just taken the darkness back already?


    "If you can really take the darkness back to the Subterranean Seascape, don''t even mention Lily. Even if you asked to make every human in the seascape to be your follower, I would also support it with both hands raised."

 Chapter 612: Stomach

    Naturally, Paiper couldn''t do it. If it had that kind of strength, that thing earlier wouldn''t have been able to kill two of its underlings.


    "No matter what, we are better at harnessing a Divinity''s powerpared to you. Handing that mouse over to us is the best course of action," Paiper persuaded, seemingly unwilling to give up.


    "Are you referring to your special technology that allows crossbreeding of species or that Divinity''s corpse in your possession?


    "I don''t think those things will be of much use in this situation. Each of you individually might be formidable, but your numbers are far toockingpared to humans."


    Paiper''s form started to gradually turn transparent as it appeared to be preparing to leave. With a trace of evident annoyance in its voice, it said, "I''ve heard that you were detestable, and now I can see why."


    "That''s not all to it. I need detailed intelligence on what''s there up there so that we have enough clues for our next exploration," Charles demanded.


    "Let''s talk about it after your return to the fortress. I''ll pass all the relevant information to the Explorers Association upon my return. It will be avable to anyone who needs it." As soon as Paiper''sst words fell, its figurepletely disappeared from Charles'' view.


    Charles'' brows furrowed as he reflected on everything that had transpired after encountering Paiper. He was thinking about how to make use of the Haikors to his advantage and what role could those beings y in exploring the surface.


    Though he had dismissed their abilities earlier, Charles remained keenly interested in the value of the Haikors'' demigods, especially since they had a Divinity''s corpse in their possession.Moreover, those beings had yed a crucial role in the birth of Sparkle between him and Anna.


    Their abilities could indeed be of great use, but the most ideal scenario would be for them to integrate their powers with the resources at his own Relic Research Institute. Then, they could formte a strategy to enhance the overall strength of all explorers.


    Just then, a sudden, intense pain struck Charles in the abdomen, disrupting his train of thought. He winced and headed toward the hatch.


    But before he could take more than a couple of steps, he staggered and copsed onto the deck. As his consciousness faded out, thest thing he saw was Bandages running out of the cockpit.


    When Charles finally opened his eyes again, he found himself lying on a bed within the infirmary. Nearby, Linda was using a syringe to feed water to Lily.


    "You''re awake? Refrain from using that relic too often. Its side effects are too severe. Because of it, part of your stomach has necrotized, and I had to remove that section,¡± Linda exined.


    Charles pulled back the nket and looked down at the scar that ran across his abdomen. "Which relic doesn''t have severe side effects? This won''t affect my strength, will it?"


    Earlier, he had been so focused on Lily''s injuries that he had forgotten about his own.


    "Honestly, your condition isn''t ideal. Even after your wound heals, your stomach''s functionality will remain significantly reduced. You''ll need to abstain from food that is hard to digest or food that can irritate your stomach.


    "Also, your stomach capacity will be smaller, and you''ll have to eat smaller meals but in more frequent intervals from now on," Linda answered.


    Charles nodded. "Understood. These are all minor issues."


    "Mr. Charles! That isn''t a minor issue!" Lily interjected. "You won''t be able to eat a lot of delicious food from now on!"


    Charles smiled at Lily, who was on the bed next to him.


    Lily was all wrapped up like a little mummy mouse at the moment.


    Gently patting her on the head, Charles asked, "You''re already feeling better?"


    Lily''s fur remained grayish-white instead of returning to its usual golden hue, but she seemed to be in a better condition than before.


    Lily shook her head in response. "It''s not that, Mr. Charles. You''ve actually been unconscious for a few days."


    "I''ve been out for <em>that</em> long?" Charles was stunned.


    "To allow your body to heal as much as possible, I administered some medication so that your body would be able to take the proper break it needed," Linda exined.


    Just then, a ring ship''s horn sounded from outside. Charles threw back the covers, walked to the window, and drew the curtains open.


    A grand procession of exploration ships and floating airships were moving out of the pitstop and heading out into the distance.


    Clearly, the Explorers Association had mobilized upon receiving the news.


    ***


    "Go join the factory and contribute for the sake of everyone," Bandages'' mother, Elena, said with a sigh to her younger son and daughter. They were just at that delicate stage in life where they were transcending from childhood to adolescence.


    Compared to their previous luxurious abode, their current ce of residence was extremely simple, and ordinary candles were the only source of illumination.


    However, it was unavoidable; the ind''snd was shrinking, and livable space was bing scarce.


    To house more people, the spacious opulent buildings in the ind''s heart had been repurposed, and having a room to oneself was considered a luxury.


    "Mommy, did you call us here just to say this? But didn''t they say that the families of explorers are exempted from factory work?" Elena''s daughter asked.


    Elena shook her head. The wrinkles on her weathered face showed signs of hardship over all this time.


    "I know," Elena began. "But you must go. Everyone is giving their all to save the seascape, and we can''t be exceptions.


    "The work we do at the factories will ultimately benefit Weister. The more we contribute, the sooner he will be able to return.


    "And not just you two, I will go as well," Elena concluded. A firm resolute light shone in her eyes.


    Before her two children could persuade her out of it, a calm voice sounded from the doorway. "Madam, we already have enough manpower at the factories."


    Elena lifted her gaze to see James standing at the entrance in his police uniform.


    "Ah, Chief. Pleasee in and have a seat," Elena approached the man with a weing smile.


    James entered the room with a smile. "I was just passing by and thought I''d check in. Is everything alright at home?"


    "With nothing to do, everything is just alright. I''m bored to death every day, and I just want to help out at the factories," Elena replied.


    James frantically waved his hands, "If Bandages learned that I allowed his mother to work as aborer in the factories, he woulde after me."


    Elena frowned slightly, feeling upset about James'' reaction. "Chief, are you implying that I''m useless? Back where we were still on the docks at Whereto, I raised three kids all by myself. I can handle any kind of work!"


    In the face of Elena''s determined request, James wanted to throw the towel. He didn''t want to upset her, but he also didn''t want to actually send her to work at any factory.


    "Since everything''s fine here, I''ll be going. I need to check on the other crew members'' families as well," James said as he swiftly moved toward the door.


    "Wait, Chief, have you received any updates about Weister? Has he returned yet?" Elena asked, the traces of concern evident in her tone.


    "Uh¡­ not yet. But don''t worry. As soon as Captain and the crew return to the Colossal Hole Fortress, I''ll inform you immediately," James reassured before swiftly leaving the residential area like he was escaping from a monster.


    The moment he was back in his car, James let out a weary sigh. His face was painted with fatigue. As the ever-rising sea levels submerged morend, problems were beginning to surface.


    Although he had faith in Charles and believed that he and the Narwhale crew would bring back the darkness, many people were losing hope.


    ording to the intelligence from his spies hidden among the popce, the denizens were starting to waver. The seeds of doubt in them weren''t something that could be easily suppressed or eradicated through military control or propaganda.

 Chapter 613: Plan 3

    The ss made out of special materials allowed James to see outside the window, but the people outside couldn''t see what was inside the window.


    James felt an inexplicable sadness welling up in his heart at the deste scene outside. Hope Ind was once bustling and full of vigor, but it was a scene that could no longer be seen on the ind. Everyone on the street seemed to be in a hurry, and the people rarely smiled except for the innocent children.


    James couldn''t even see people chatting idly with each other.


    Hope Ind seemed to be no longer full of hope.


    "Let''s go to the Governor''s Mansion," James said to the driver with his brows knitted tightly.


    Soon, James found himself at Anna''s office inside the Governor''s Mansion. Anna couldn''t even be bothered to pretend to be amicable in the face of Chief James, who had always been wary of her.


    Anna''s sexy and gorgeous figure split open, and two skinless female figures drenched in blood crawled out from the fissures. These figures were Anna''s assistants in handling Hope Ind''s affairs.


    "Speak," Anna said sinctly.


    "The ind is deteriorating at a much faster rate than we had anticipated. I deduce that the inders will onlyst until August¡ªno, July at most. I believe it''s time we implement our ns," James said.Anna propped her chin with her hand holding a pen and stared at therge-framed man before her. "I think they can hold out a bit longer. We have multiple cards but using one of them meant losing one of them forever.


    "We''re done for the moment we exhaust those cards."


    "But¡­ the inders really are at their limits. The suicide rate is skyrocketing, and I believe it''s difficult for us to make them have faith in us once more once they lose their faith in us," James said in a low voice.


    "Don''t worry; humans are more resilient than you think. I''ll have you know, but the other inds are in a worse situation, and I''d say that their inders are barely hanging on, but they''re still doing fine.


    "Do you really think that there are going to be any issues with Hope Ind when our inders are in a better situation than them?" Anna asked.


    James'' face briefly revealed his anxiety. He was about to say something when the door behind him was pushed open. James saw Leonardo with his head held high and his chest pushed out walking into the office with a folder in hand.


    "Governor, I''vee with the summarized report of Governor Charles'' recent exploration."


    Anna casually epted the folder and turned to James. "Look at this guy working with so much motivation every day, and then look at yourself, who seems to be always unhappy. Do you want me to ''give'' you something?"


    James nced at Leonardo next to him with wariness in his eyes. To be honest, he preferred the Leonardo of the past, whose mind seemed to be full of schemes, to the current Leonardo. At the very least, the past Leonardo was still human, while the current Leonardo could only be considered Anna''s puppet.


    James would be busy finding a way to drive Anna out of Hope Ind if it weren''t for the ind''s ongoing crisis. After all, Anna was still a man-eating monster, and James believed that such a monster was too dangerous to keep among humans.


    Just as James was engrossed in his own thoughts, Anna pulled out a few photos from the folder using her tentacles. They were photos of the darkness from a variety of angles, and there were also photos of strange colors in the darkness.


    The ovepping pupils emitting a pink light, a crescent-shaped beam, and finally, a photo of what looked like the sun sending out waves of gentle sunlight.


    Anna''s expression became a bit solemn at the sight. She took out the documents from the folder and read them carefully. After a while, Anna looked up and stared at James in front of her.


    "I changed my mind. Let''s do as you say and implement n 3."


    James was stunned. He had no idea why she had changed her mind all of a sudden, but it was for the best. James bowed slightly toward Anna before turning around to leave the office.


    "Ah, I really want to erase his existence, but too bad there are too many things going on right now that things will be messy without him," Anna muttered to herself.


    Anna then nced at the documents and photos on the table before turning to look at Leonardo. "Go ahead and handle this. Once n 3 is implemented, take advantage of the inders'' distraction to recruit the young people on the ind.


    "Sift through them and slowly remove those capable of causing any trouble. It''d be better to make them ''contribute'' rather than allow them to cause trouble on the ind."


    Leonardo bowed deeply and said, "Your wish is mymand, Mistress."


    ***


    After an unknown amount of time since the decision to implement n 3 was made, James found himself sitting inside his car, which was moving slowly down the streets of Hope Ind.


    Just then, something caught his attention. It was an extravagant and luxurious-looking shrine that was several stories high.


    There was an ongoing power curtailment throughout Hope Ind, but the towering shrine remained illuminated by quite a few lights, making it appear magnificent in contrast to its dim surroundings.


    However, the god that the followers were worshiping within the temple had a bizarre appearance. The god seemed to be an entity of intertwined rings riddled with eyeballs; there were four pairs of symmetrical, pure-white wings sticking out of its back.


    There were quite a few kneeling people before the shrine, and their expressions were tinged with zeal and fanaticism as they muttered something under their breaths with their eyes closed.


    James'' car drove slowly down the streets, and they soon stumbled upon another shrine. A special chorus wafted out of the shrine, and it was carrying with it a distinct tone that allowed James to instantly recognize them.


    There was no way James wouldn''t know of them, as he had sent out those people himself to stabilize the people''s hearts. Yes, this was the oue of n 3, which involved using religion to calm the hearts of the anxious inders.


    Religions capable of uniting the people''s hearts were especially popr during these trying times, and n 3 was taking advantage of that by establishing a religion that wasn''t going to harm the people at all.


    Just then, he saw a portrait of Sparkle on the streets. There were quite a few inders kneeling before Sparkle''s portrait.


    The Governor of Hope Ind herself was pushing for the expansion of religious groups, so everything went smoothly, and the worried hearts of the inders soon calmed down beneath the influence of religion.


    At first, James thought that there was going to be some kind of resistance, but he was proven wrong. On the contrary, the inders weed the many different religions with open arms.


    It seemed that the inders all had the same thought. The reality was harsh and cold, but the promised afterlife in the divine Kingdom of their respective gods was enough to assuage the inders'' anxious hearts.


    Although James believed that this was merely treating the symptoms rather than the root cause of the issues itself, it was true that the inders were no longer as anxious as before.


    James exhaled slowly and muttered to himself, "Why do I have to deal with something like this? If I had known that I would have to do this, then I would have left with the captain for that expedition.


    "I''d rather go through multiple life-and-death situations with the captain rather than stay here and suffer through this kind of hardship."


    James was doing great in his main job, but he didn''t necessarily like his job. In fact, he had been finding it burdensome, and the weight was only getting heavier as he obtained more power.


    He dared not and could not afford to make any mistakes, as every decision from him could determine the fates of many people.


    James rubbed his throbbing temples with his calloused hands and muttered to himself, "I wonder how the captain and the others are doing right now¡­"


    ***


    On the surface, Charles had chosen not to return to the Colossal Hole Fortress. Instead, they stopped at a rough outpost. The outpost was still in the middle of construction, and the smell of soil and ck smoke made the air smell particrly offensive. Fortunately, the outpost had the basics; one could replenish one''s supplies here, and of course, one could stay here for a brief rest.


    After a brief conversation with the person in charge of the outpost, Charles borrowed the outpost''s telegraph to inform the Colossal Hole Fortress that one outpost wasn''t enough. They had to build as many outposts as possible on the route leading to the darkness.

 Chapter 614: Sharing

    "ording to your information here, anything in the air shrouded by the darkness will be a relic. What''s the reason behind that relicfication? Is it because of a certain phenomenon or something?" Julio asked as he stood before Charles in his sand figure form.


    "Not sure. I didn''t really go too high up," Charles replied. He then turned to look at the beautiful young woman next to him. The young woman was d in a long robe, and despite her young age, her eyes emitted not a single hint of a young person''s vigor.


    Instead, her eyes contained a genuine deep-seated sorrow that would make anyone shudder at the sight of it alone. The young woman''s eyes were like the eyes of someone in despair.


    "Who is she?" Charles asked.


    Before anyone could say anything, the young woman took the initiative and introduced herself in a gentle and pleasant tone of voice. "Greetings, Governor Charles. I''ve long heard of your name. My name is Jenny, and I''ve be the temporary representative of the Western Seas thanks to Governor Julio''s help."


    "The Western Seas..."


    Seeing the deep wariness in Charles'' eyes, Jenny smiled and said, "I''m different from those old-fashioned fogeys. If I were to borrow their words, someone like me, who has not even a smidgen of talent for magic, wouldn''t even be qualified to be their servant.


    "I am just an ordinary person, but I represent them."


    "I don''t care about your business. I only want to know whether the Western Seas are still willing to contribute their fair share of resources and manpower for the exploration on the surface," Charles asked.The exploration of the surface world would be incredibly difficult by relying solely on the support of the Northern Seas and the Southern Seas; they needed as much help as possible, so the support of the Western Seas was necessary.


    "Of course. We''re not only going to do what we should do, but we''re willing to contribute a bit more for the sake of the Subterranean Sea," Jenny said. The next moment, multiple sand figures abruptly manifested before Charles.


    Sand figures manifested one after another until a crowd of over a hundred people was made.


    Among the crowd, Charles saw Governor Elizabeth of Elizarles Ind, Matriarch Lilith of Dark Crystal Ind, Governor Margaret of the Isle of Whereto, and the Haikor King of the Shattered Heart Isles.


    "These are the governors of the major inds throughout the Subterranean Sea. We''ve set up a magic formation on their ind along with the necessary personnel.


    "The major forces of the Subterranean Sea are now connected through magic, which will allow us tomunicate with each other faster and more efficiently."


    The governors were clearly fascinated by what was going on as they looked around in astonishment. However, their gazes eventually settled on the four figures before them¡ªCharles, Julio, Jenny, and Jax¡ªthey were the pirs of the Subterranean Sea and the leaders of the n to save the Subterranean Seascape.


    Noticing that Charles was still a bit worried, Julio said, "Don''t worry. I''m vouching for Jenny, and I have some people on the Western Seas. That incident will not happen again."


    Charles'' worries were dispelled by Julio''s remark. He nodded and looked around before asking, "Why don''t I see the God of the Haikors?"


    "I''m here. I just don''t want to show myself. After all, humans are always afraid of anything bizarre and out of ce, which perfectly describes my appearance," Paiper''s voice echoed in Charles'' ears.


    Charles frowned and nced in the direction where the voice hade from before turning to Jenny and saying, "Since you''ve shown enough sincerity, then you can stay here.


    "Next up on our agenda is our n to venture beyond the darkness and its skies."


    The crowd listened quietly to Charles; they were unwittingly transfixed, as this concerned the fate of everyone throughout the entire Subterranean Sea.


    "Well, the God of the Haikors has told us that the skies beyond the darkness are incredibly dangerous. We have to be prepared for a sharp increase in casualties, and we should also be ready to rece the deceased," Julio said with his arms crossed in front of his chest.


    "Did the God of the Haikors not tell you what''s up there? Then, I''ll go ahead and say it: there are beings as powerful as the Divinities up there," Charles said.


    The expressions of everyone in the crowd instantly became solemn. Charles'' news was like a lightning bolt out of the blue to them.


    At first, they thought that their mission to save the Subterranean Sea was halfway throughpletion, but it turned out that things weren''t going to be that easy, after all.


    A slender arm was raised up high among the crowd. It was Anna''s hand, and she slowly walked out of the crowd in her sand form. She stood next to Charles and turned to face the hundred or so members of the crowd in front of her.


    "If we want to explore any further, then the explorers have to be stronger in the shortest time possible. Therefore, as the Governor of Hope Ind, I propose a full disclosure of everyone''s technology and any ways to be even stronger."


    Charles had made such a proposal before, but Julio had vetoed it. This time, however, Julio seemed to be struggling to reject the proposal as he stood beneath the gaze of the three figures next to him.


    "Hmph, I can hand over the technique to be a Level 15 expert, but it requires a massive time investment. The time we have remaining is not enough¡ªfar from enough."


    Of course, it didn''t matter whether it was going to be useful or not, as it''d be best to share it with everyone else first. They were at a critical juncture, and they had to be united for them to make any breakthroughs.


    "To set an example, Hope Ind will go ahead and share what we have first. Once this meeting is adjourned, we''ll fully disclose the method of transnting relics into people, and the same goes for the fruits of our research into it," Charles said.


    Everyone was instantly moved by Charles'' gesture. It was understandable, as all of them had witnessed Hope Ind''s rapid growth.


    Jenny stepped forward just then and said, "The ritual incantations of the Western Seas'' mage families and the necessary materials to perform such rituals will be fully disclosed as well, but please do not attempt to perform those rituals without any mage present.


    "Those rituals must be performed under guidance, as they are incredibly dangerous."


    "I will do the same," Julio chimed in, "Cat Ind''s technology will be fully disclosed as well. My methods of how I became stronger and increasing the size of one''s ind are included as well."


    Julio''s words astonished everyone. No wonder Cat Ind became thergest ind throughout the Subterranean Sea. It turned out that a major chunk of his ind was reimed.


    Charles leaned closer to Anna beside him. "You did great. The Subterranean Sea has finally united."


    "Wait, not yet," Anna responded. Then, she stepped forward and swept her gaze across the hundred or so governors before her. "Everyone, this isn''t just our issue. You''re involved in this as well. There can''t be any secrets between us if you want to save the Subterranean Sea and yourselves.


    "If you choose to keep your secrets here, then you might have chosen to take that secret with you to the bottom of the sea. Those who think that they have something that might be helpful to the Subterranean Sea, then don''t hesitate to share it. Don''t forget¡ªthe sea levels are still rising."


    Anna unknowingly nced in the direction where Paiper''s voice hade from earlier.


    "My God has bestowed upon me a divine oracle!" A resonant voice echoed among the governors. The voice hade from a Haikor, who towered over three meters tall. "They will bestow upon you a blessing, and They will disclose the method to be a Chosen One."


    The corners of Anna''s mouth curled up slightly at the remark. It seemed that the Haikors were bing a bit anxious as well, as they had decided to share their technology and techniques.


    The air above everyone became lively as the governors pledged to share their knowledge, technology, and techniques to be even stronger. Their chances of saving the Subterranean Sea had just increased sharply, so everyone was happy.


    "<em>Ahem!</em>" Charles cleared his throat, silencing everyone. "All right, since we''ve already made our decision, then let''s move on. I need all of you to do me a favor¡ªhelp me locate the Foundation."

 Chapter 615: Julio

    In a hastily constructed room at an outpost somewhere on a semi-desert region of the surface world, Charles swept his gaze across the sand figures standing before him. There were so many people that the room was packed to the brim.


    The air in the room was a bit strange. Except for Lilith and the others who knew the inside story, the remaining governors revealed confused looks. They had never heard of the so-called Foundation before.


    The concept of archaeology didn''t exist in the Subterranean Sea, so the denizens of the Subterranean Sea paid little to no attention to the ruins scattered throughout the inds. Even if someone had taken notes of such ruins, the Foundation would have deleted those records.


    "Simply put, the Foundation is an organization, and its goal back then was to save mankind..." Charles said, and then he went on to give them a brief summary of the origins of the Foundation.


    "Esteemed Governor Charles, just what exactly do you need us to do? Our inds are already struggling to provide you with the resources that you need for your exploration on the surface, and our people are surviving on seaweed and fish so that we can provide you with what you need," a governor said.


    It seemed that the majority of the governors were afraid that Charles would ask them to do something else in addition to what they were already doing. These governors were truly having a hard time amidst the ongoing crisis.


    It was true that they held great power as governors, but the umted unease and anxiety in the hearts of their inders were like a de looming over their heads.


    They dared not push their inders too far, or the inders'' mental health would copse, and they might stage an insurrection. By then, these governors would be the first ones to die beneath the upressed rage of their inders.


    Charles shook his head slightly and said, "No need to use your forces to look for them. You just need to know that they exist. If nothing unexpected happens, they''ll look for you on their own volition. Perhaps they''re already among us."With that, Charles paused and nced at the quiet Jax, but it seemed like thetter hadn''t noticed Charles'' gaze. Jax took off the monocle over his right eye and wiped it clean with a silk cloth before putting it back on.


    Charles looked away and stared at the governors in front of him. "Members of the GK Council, I know that you are listening. I''ve made contact with the people whom you''ve sent to venture into the darkness.


    "I don''t know why you''ve chosen to hide, but please understand that the quickest way to resolve the ongoing crisis is to help each other out. If your principle remains the same, and if you''re still nning on saving mankind throughout the Subterranean Sea, then please contact me as soon as possible."


    When Charles'' words fell, Anna quietly opened her right hand, and a dozen ovepping eyes filled her palm to the brim; the eyes quietly observed the expressions of everyone present.


    The eyes would immediately capture any abnormal changes in their expression or behavioral pattern, but Anna''s move didn''t bear any fruits. She didn''t find anything abnormal with the governor''s expressions.


    Soon, the meeting was underway once again. The darkness had already been found, but they still had many things to consider, such as how they could avoid relicfication and how to elude the notice of those entitiesparable to the Divinities.


    While Julio was busy talking about some vessel deployment issues with the Explorers Association, Anna walked up to Charles. Her right hand stretched out to grab Charles'' prosthetic hand.


    "The majority of the future explorations will be in the sky, so a major overhaul of the production lines in the factories on the ind is necessary.


    "This is a massive project that is going to cost us a ton of time, but it''s a different story with the Foundation''s help."


    Charles frowned and fell into deep thought before saying, "We can''t afford to pin our hopes on others.


    "Send every single airship from our armada to the surface. We''re in urgent need of information rted to the skies shrouded in the darkness.


    "Hehe, rx; we haven''t lost yet. The Subterranean Sea''s mankind has united, and we have so many technologies, methods, techniques, and knowledge at our disposal. Our strength will soon change qualitatively," Anna replied with a smile.


    Sensing Julio''s gaze, Charles set aside his thoughts and started answering Julio''s questions.


    The meeting ended at three o''clock in the afternoon of that same day. The people of the Western Seas had been immensely helpful, as the magic formations that they had drawn in each ind had made it extremely convenient to convene a meeting of governors.


    In addition, the fact that they could face each other during such meetings made every single governor feel that they hadn''t been abandoned by the world. It also allowed them to have a better understanding of each other.


    The meeting was adjourned, and the sand figures copsed to the ground one by one. Charles and Anna''s sand figures had copsed as well, so Julio got ready to leave.


    Just as Julio was about to leave, an old woman with a face full of wrinkles walked out from among the copsing sand figures and bowed deeply toward Julio, saying, "Greetings, Governor Julio, the Esteemed Overlord of the Eastern Seas. May I ask how long would it take for us to retrieve the darkness and return to normalcy?"


    Julio stared indifferently at the old woman and asked, "What''s the name of your ind? Since you''re a governor, it''d be best if you keep on cooperating with us."


    "Cooperating¡­ we''ve been cooperating all this while. Food, fuel, and supplies¡­ we''ve been sending them away for the expedition parties. We''ve also been publicizing your ns to save mankind through the newspapers, but¡­" the old woman revealed a bitter look, and she sounded like she was pleading as she continued, "If it''s possible, can it be done quicker? W-we are barely hanging on."


    Julio was seated on his throne inside a magnificent hall made out of pristine white marble located somewhere in the middle of Cat Ind. He remained quiet as he stared at the piles of sand before him.


    The hall was spacious, and the interior design made the hall appear both majestic and solemn. Overall, the hall exuded a solemn vibe that made people afraid to breathe too loudly while within the hall''s confines.


    Julio wasn''t alone in the hall. A young man with a small tuft of hair on his chin was standing quietly with him, and he had heard every single word that was spoken in the meeting.


    "What do you think of Charles?" Julio asked, shattering the silence.


    The young man bowed slightly, and a hint of disdain shed in his eyes as he replied, "Governor Charles is a radical and impulsive man who always acts without thinking of the ramifications of his decision.


    "He ought to be hiding behind the scenes amidst the crisis and managing the overall situation from there. I believe that his years of exploration have not only left his body riddled in scars but have damaged his mind as well."


    Julio shook his head in dissatisfaction. "You''re wrong. Charles himself is the reason why these people are going to throw themselves one after another onto the surface world despite the danger that it presents.


    "You''ve never been out at sea, so you don''t understand how an explorer''s mind works. They''re a bunch of desperate people who don''t give a damn about their own lives. They care more about whether they''re being fooled or not."


    "They''ll keep following Charles for as long as he keeps on exploring, and it''s because they''re actually saving humanity by following thetter. They''re not just cannon fodders that will eventually die meaningless deaths."


    The young man''s expression twisted in contempt as he said, "What difference can a ragtag bunch of lunatics eager to die make out there?"


    Julio red with wide eyes at the young man. "Curb that arrogance! Do you really think that you''re automatically better than them just because you''re my grandson? Can you evenpare to them without that identity of yours?"


    "My apologies, Grandfather," the young man said, obediently lowering his head.

 Chapter 616: Cat Island

    Julio stood up slowly from his throne made out of white marble and put his hands behind his back as he walked toward the distant ss window.


    The young man hurriedly followed behind him.


    Walking toward the nearly one-hundred-meter-wide white marble balcony, Julio asked, "What do you think about our chances of sess?"


    "It''s hard to tell without enough point of reference. The only thing that we can do is give it our all," the young man said. He dared not draw a conclusion so quickly.


    Seeing that Julio went silent, the young man was secretly delighted in his heart. It meant that he had given the right answer.


    Upon reaching the parapet, Julio looked down at his territory. This was his kingdom, and he was the king.


    Julio''s salt-and-pepper hair swayed as the wind blew across Julio''s face. The breeze was refreshing, and it didn''t have a fishy smell, which was unlike every other ind throughout the Subterranean Sea.


    After all, Cat Ind was thergest ind in the entire Subterranean Sea. The majority of the buildings on the ind were made out of earth, and they looked like cave dwellings.


    The ind''s soil was special; one just had to mold it into their desired shape and set it with fire¡ªthat was it. One would then have a house afterward, which was extremely convenient.Machines were bing more and moremon on Hope Ind, but there were almost barely any machines here. The inders of Cat Ind had been using beetles to rece and augment human effort for a long time now.


    The beetles were in a variety of sizes; therger ones were the size of small houses, and the tinier ones were only the size of an adult''s fist.


    These beetles were endemic to Cat Ind. One issue was that these beetles would sometimes find their way beneath the people''s skin, but it was a nonissue, considering the convenience that these insects were offering to the people.


    Some of therger beetles could even be used as pack animals to transport things, some could be raised as food, and those with poison could be transformed into weapons.


    The inders had decided to integrate with the ind''s "natives" upon their arrival here rather than destroy and shape the environment to their heart''s desire.


    "Rest assured, Grandfather. Our ind is thergest in the Subterranean Sea, and the sand-digging worms are still working tirelessly in the sea. If we''re talking about which inds are going to sink first, then we''re definitely not on that list."


    "Is that the limit of your ambitions?" Julio nced at the young man, making thetter feel a bit nervous. "You know, I sometimes find myself admiring Charles. He''s fearless. He knows that there are such terrifying entities up above, but he remains steadfast in his decision and never hesitates about barging into their territory."


    Hearing that, the young man instantly knew what he had to say."You''re fearless as well, Grandfather. In addition, you''re far stronger than Charles. He''s not even worthy of beingpared to you."


    "I''m not going to put up a facade in front of my grandson," Julio shook his head and admitted, "I''m afraid of death¡ªI''m very afraid of death. That is my true nature, and it''s the reason I''m still alive."


    "I''ve been killing others first to ensure that they couldn''t kill me. It is unfortunate, but I can no longer rely on that method. After all, I cannot murder the sea. The only thing that I can do is to be a lunatic and go all in with Charles."


    "Our n is definitely going to seed, Grandfather. You''re joining us, after all!"


    For some reason, Julio sighed at his grandson''s words. "Do you know why I chose you as the next Governor of Cat Ind, even though you suck at ttery?"


    The young man froze at the question and pondered over it for a long time. Finally, he looked up at Julio, who was staring at him with an indifferent look.


    In the end, the young man decided to tell the truth. "I think¡­ I think it''s because Father and the others have be too corrupted by power and greed; their ambitions have be limited to just Cat Ind, but I''m different.


    "I''m still young, so I can still change."


    "Cat Ind is huge¡ªit''s big enough to easily amodate everyone''s ambitions. I even noticed that some people truly believe that they canpletely ignore the outside world once the ind''s issues are resolved. They believe that Cat Ind will remain the strongest ind in the Eastern Seas for a long time."


    Unlike his confident and arrogant family, Julio didn''t think that Cat Ind would remain the strongest for a long time.


    He was known as the strongest governor in the Subterranean Sea, and Cat Ind''s invincible fleet could sweep across every single ind throughout the Subterranean Sea. However, Julio himself knew all too well the fragility of Cat Ind.


    In fact, Governor Swann of the Albion Isles had managed to threaten Cat Ind not too long ago, and it was a fact that made Julio feel quite nervous. Of course, he had to keep up a strong and powerful facade to maintain Cat Ind''s status.


    Julio was the most sober member of his family, which was to be expected, considering that he was the oldest. Unfortunately, the oldest member of the family was bound to die first, and Julio was truly afraid of dying before those drunkards, who still couldn''t get enough of the liquor called "power."


    Julio felt miserable at the fact that even if he worked hard to save the Subterranean Sea, he''d most likely deliver his own ind to the hands of those drunkards, who''d ultimately ruin what he had worked hard to build.


    "Knorr, take some people with you to join the Fhtagn Covenant. Everything is prepared, so leave tomorrow," Julio said.


    Knorr was so shocked by Julio''s sudden words that he thought he had misheard thetter. His voice was trembling as he said, "W-w-why? Did I do something wrong, Grandfather?"


    Julio didn''t exin anything as he added, "Once you get there, forget everything about Cat Ind. You''ll be nothing but an ordinary inder by then. They''ve been enticing many people to be Fhtagnists, so it should be easy for you to join them, and they shouldn''t have any issues brainwashing you with your mental state.


    "If we somehow seeded in saving the Subterranean Sea, we''ll pay a visit to those Fhtagnists. By then, I''ll find a way to rescue you from them. If we end up failing, then take the survivors of this ind with you and live on at the seafloor."


    "This isn''t funny at all, Grandfather. Can you stop joking around?" Knorr said, looking terrified. It was only just a few moments ago when Julio was talking about how Knorr was the next Governor of Cat Ind, so howe he had suddenly decided to send Knorr into the hands of those terrifying Fhtagnists?


    "You''re strong¡ªthe strongest! No trouble should be difficult for you, right? You''re Julio, A Level 15 expert and the strongest Governor in the Subterranean Sea!!" Knorr eximed.


    However, Julio ignored Knorr''s pleas and waved his sleeve. Insect guards appeared out of nowhere and took Knorr away.


    "I''m strong, but so what? Something that can never be replicated cannot protect Cat Ind forever," Julio muttered to himself while looking down at his hands.


    Just then, he heard familiar footsteps behind him.


    "So you''vee, old friend."


    "I''ve received the research documents of Hope Ind''s Relic Research Institute. They sent it over to me via telegraph. I wanted to do the same, but I think it''s better for me to deliver something like this in person," Jax said as he walked up to Julio''s side and stared at the scenery outside with him.


    "How long do you think we can hold out?" Julio asked calmly.


    "Using the publicly avable data as references, all inds can hold out for at least a year, but the reality is much harsher."


    "Haha, you didn''t have to say that the reality is much harsher. I could have guessed it myself. Anyway, that side of you is really annoying; you have a penchant for saying only half of what someone is supposed to know."


    "Well, the governors and the inders have to be reassured somehow¡­"


    "All right," Julio replied before suddenly asking, "Are you a member of the so-called Foundation that Charles had mentioned during thest meeting?"


    "No, I''m not."

 Chapter 617: Bar

    Julio forced a strainedughter. "Actually, does it really matter whether you''re with the Foundation or not? If the Foundation that Charles mentioned truly wanted to help us find the Darkness, they would have reached out by now.


    "Since they didn''t, then it means they are not with us," Julio concluded.


    Jax nodded in agreement. "Based on the intel we got from Charles, they don''t seem to even have the strength to reim the Darkness. If we want to retrieve the Darkness, we can only rely on ourselves."


    "Hmm¡­ you''re right, we only have ourselves to rely on." A resolute glint shed across Julio''s eyes.


    "Let''s go. Now that Hope Ind has shared their technology, let''s see what are the newest tricks they have up their sleeves that have allowed them to develop so rapidly." With that, Julio ced his hands behind his back and headed toward the imposing hall in the distance.


    "Are you really going to send your grandson to those Fhtagnists?" Jax called out, halting Julio''s stride. "Those Fhtagnists are not nice beings. He could very well die there."


    "If he dies, so be it. I can''t shield him from every storm for the rest of his life. Those good-for-nothings are so useless because I''ve kept them protected and sheltered too well.


    "If he wants to enjoy the benefits, he must pay the equivalent price."


    ***"Hey! Be fucking careful! If you wreck my ship, Imma skin you alive!"


    On the barren wastnd outside the stronghold, Dipp watched with bated breath at the Narwhale, wobbling and swaying as it hovered.


    The massive, streamlined exploration ship was being slowly lifted off, head first and unsteady. Every sway of the giant ship made Dipp''s heart skip a beat, fearing that the vessel might crash into the ground at any moment.


    First Mate Bandages and Second Mate Nico stood next to the fish man. Together, the three of them craned their necks as they stared at the retrofitted ship.


    "Don''t worry¡­The Narwhale¡­ isn''t that fragile¡­ It''s covered in¡­ Type 3 Alloy¡­"


    The metal mooring lines on the Narwhale started writhing upward and caressed the bulging gray leather balloon strapped to the top. The leather was emzoned with a ck circle¡ªthe emblem of the colossal hole leading to the surface.


    As the Narwhale continued its ascent, its swaying gradually diminished. Finally, after ten minutes of trial flight, the vessel slowlynded on the ground once more.


    The three members of the Narwhale approached the engineer who had retrofitted the ship.


    He exuded an aura of confidence as he said, "Rest assured, sirs. We just need to run a few more test flights and make some adjustments. This ship will then fly perfectly stable in the air. This isn''t the first exploration ship I''ve modified and won''t be thest either."


    "How long more will you need? We don''t have much time to waste here," Nico asked as he twirled a lock of hair around his finger.


    "Ten days. I guarantee that it will be ready in ten days."


    After several reminders to the engineer to be extremely cautious, they prepared to leave. However, Bandages remained uneasy and decided to stay behind to keep an eye on the progress around the clock.


    Dipp and Nico left and walked toward the bustling stronghold.


    "This is such an important matter; why didn''t Captain see to it personally?" Nico asked.


    "I heard that he''s trying to find a solution to stop things from being relicfied. If we can''t stop the relicfication, there''s no way we can continue our exploration. Come on, let''s go grab a drink at the bar," Dipp suggested as he scratched at the itch on his scaly skin.


    It wasn''t a spur-of-the-moment idea that Dipp decided to ask Nico out for a drink. He wanted to bridge the gap between him and Nico.


    Nico was a newly added crew member, and Dipp could sense the invisible barrier between them and wanted to break it down. The fostered trust from breaking down the barrier would be greatly helpful in future explorations.


    Nico was slightly surprised as he regarded Dipp''s invitation. He then nodded. "Sure."


    Inside the bustling and packed tent bar, sailors were shouting over each other as they engaged in conversation.


    The scent of alcohol, sweat, and smoke permeated the air. Yet despite the chaos, Dipp felt a sense of peace as he entered the bar.


    A bar like this had once been like his home, where he woulde to unwind, drink, boast, and y cards with hispanions all day long.


    But ever since he got married, he hadn''t set foot in such a ce for a long time.


    On the contrary, Nico looked extremely ufortable and out of ce with the bar''s dirty surroundings. His forehead slightly creased as he pulled out a handkerchief to wipe down a stool.


    "Hey! Missy! Two beers over here! Quick!" Dipp called out as his right hand shot up into the air, his fingers snapped to catch the attention of a busty barmaid across the room.


    Dipp raised his beer jug and downed the contents in a long, satisfying gulp. The difort that had been nagging at him was finally gone, allowing him to let out a sigh of relief.


    As a Deep Dweller, Dipp found it hard to adapt to the dry, acrid environment on the surface. However, he had neverined to anyone; such trivial difort wasn''t worth mentioning.


    When Dipp started chugging his second jug, Nico was still wiping down the table.


    "Hey, weren''t you an explorer before? Haven''t you been in such an environment? Compared to the bars in the harbor area, this ce is already considered pretty clean. Just sit down already."


    Only after the table and stool were spotless did Nico finally sit down. With his pinky raised, he lifted his beer jug and took a sip.


    "I''m not like you guys. Before I became an explorer, I lived with my parents in the heart of the ind. They never let me go near the bars in the harbor district. Quoting my father''s original words, only lower-ss peasants gather there," Nico exined.


    Dipp let out a low whistle in surprise "An ind heart explorer, huh? That''s rare. Now, I''m curious. How did you end up bing an explorer?"


    "Typically, explorers can be divided into a few categories: pirates, captains with massive debts, and fools with big dreams. However, I was none of those," Nico began.


    "I became an explorer because of my lover. Back then, I was still young and rather impulsive. I believed that love was everything. That young man back then was a fool with a big dream, and he died while I became a governor," Nico reminisced, his eyes reflecting a hint of nostalgia as he cradled his beer.


    "Guess how old I was when I discovered the Coral Archipgo?" Nico leaned toward Dipp, his long eyshes fluttered as he sent thetter a yful wink.


    Dipp turned toward Nico and scrutinized his face, trying to deduce an age from the man''s features.


    Nico''s coffee-colored long hair framed his well-defined face. Though his appearance was considered rather striking, Dipp''s keen eyes caught the crow''s feet that makeup couldn''t quite conceal.


    "The Coral Archipgo is rtively new and was discovered less than twenty years ago. So you should probably be in your twenties when you found it, right?"


    "I''m forty-nine this year, and indeed, I found the Coral Archipgo when I was twenty-four. Your guess is spot-on.


    "Life is surely unpredictable. I thought I would spend the rest of my life on the Coral Archipgo and die there. Who''d thought that nearing fifty, I''d still be out here on expeditions," Nico mused.


    "That''s impressive. Despite not being out on expeditions for over twenty years, you''re still in the game. I have a buddy whosest expedition was just three years ago, but he''s already be as fat as a pig. He can only be cannon fodders for monsters now," Dipp remarked.


    The corners of Nico''s lips curved upward into a faint smile as he stared at the Deep Dweller next to him. "Is that how youpliment people on Hope Ind?"

 Chapter 618: Dream

    "Hahahaha! I''m just speaking the truth as it is. Here, cheers!" Dipp replied.


    In the lively bar, the boatswain and the second mate of the Narwhale continued their conversation. They chatted about anything and everything. Before they realized it, their bond had grown considerably.


    Nico heard from Dipp about how he hade to know Charles and the various extraordinary adventures they had been through together. As Nico heard the Deep Dweller''s recount, he could only marvel at how Charles seemed to have a knack for surviving the impossible.


    "Thanks, buddy. It feels so much better to have someone to talk to. Alcohol is surely wonderful, you just got to drink enough, and all your worries will fade away," Dipp concluded.


    Nico pulled out a long, white cigarette from his pocket and lit it up with a nearby me. The smoke began to swirl from the tip.


    Dipp swallowed hard as he watched the glowing tip of the cigarette. "I used to smoke too, but I quit eventually. Captain said it was bad for my health."


    "You''re really loyal to him to even listen to him on such small matters," Nico remarked.


    Dipp returned a smile. "I never had a father, so he''s like a father to me. I will go wherever he goes.


    "Previously, I even prepared myself to live on the surface. But who would have thought that the surface world had be like this?"Nico ced his jug down and peered out of the bar window. "I''ve looked into his past. He always told people that he was from the surface and that he''d lead the people of the seascape back to thend of light. Many thought he was crazy, but to think that he''d actually achieve it."


    "That''s just how Captain is. Whatever he sets his mind to, he won''t stop until he aplishes it." Dipp then mmed his jug down on the table with a thud. "<em>Hic! </em>That''s enough for tonight. I should head back now."


    However, Nico didn''t even turn to look at Dipp. His cheeks were flushed with a rosy hue as his eyes stared intensely at the rear of a bald sailor in the distance.


    "Look at how perky that is. Say, if I slip a handful of Echo bills into his pocket, do you think he would take me up for a round?"


    "Uh¡­" Dipp wasn''t sure how he should respond. Instead, he made his way to the bar''s exit.


    He turned around to see that Nico had risen to his feet and was digging into his inner coat pocket for his wallet.


    Feeling a bit woozy, Dipp finally stumbled back into his room. He flopped onto his bed, ready to turn in for the night. However, something crossed his mind all of a sudden. He staggered over to the small wooden table, sat down, and opened a book.


    These were textbooks from Hope Ind''s school, which he had secretly kept a copy of. His progress had been steady, and in just about ny days, he would graduate from his own self-learning curriculum.


    Afterpleting his study session for the day, Dipp copsed into bed and entered a deep slumber. In his dreams, he saw that he had retrieved the darkness with Charles, and they sessfully brought it back to the Subterranean Seascape.


    On Hope Ind, rows of people lined the streets as they cheered for the returning heroes. Meanwhile, Dipp''s attention was only on his wife standing within the crowd. He saw no one else but her radiant smile.


    Slowly, he walked toward her, but with each step he took, a terrifying scene began to unfold. He watched in horror as his wife''s skin started to peel away to reveal the azure scales and red gills underneath.


    "Dipp, it''s been a long while. Did you miss me?" The female Deep Dweller said with a smile.


    Dipp''s face contorted in fear. This wasn''t his wife! It was his sister he had once seen in the depths of the sea!


    "AHHHH!" He stumbled back, but a powerful force from behind shoved him forward, and hended right into her arms.


    "Dipp,e back. This is your ce of belonging. You can''t run. You''re not one of them. They''re not your kind. You''re on the wrong side.


    "Our Lord is awakening. The moment He awakens, we, the ones closest to Him, will receive His greatest rewards."


    Dipp''s features contorted in rage as he pushed his sister away. "Get lost!"


    Seeing the disappointment on his sister''s face, Dipp clutched his head in pain and shouted, "Go away! I don''t want to see you!"


    "Dipp, this is your fate." Another family voice echoed in his ears¡ªit was his mother.


    Dipp shut his eyes tightly, mped his hands over his ears in an attempt to block out all the voices, and curled himself up into a fetal position. The family he had in the depths of the sea was something he desperately wanted to forget.


    "Our Lord''s awakening can''t be stopped. Whatever the humans are doing now is pointless. Child, you should stand on the winning side and not follow down the wrong path alongside the losers."


    "SCRAM!" Dipp shouted in raw desperation. His eyes shot open, and he was momentarily dazed. After a while, he realized he was still lying on his own bed, but the nket on him had been torn into two from his earlier thrashing.


    "This won''t do! I have to let Captain know immediately!" Dipp jumped out of bed and ran toward Charles'' cabin.


    The moment Dipp burst through the door, he saw Anna in the room. She was holding some documents in her hands while conversing with Charles.


    A hint of annoyance crossed Charles'' face as he looked up and said, "How many times have I told you to knock first before entering? And have you been drinking? You reek of alcohol."


    Dipp was about to mention that he had just seen his family, but then he suddenly paused. He wasn''t sure if he had truly seen them in his dreams or if was it just a nightmare.


    "Shorty, I know what has happened to you. You can leave now," Annamented nonchntly as she crossed one leg over the other.


    Dipp cast a brief nce at Charles before turning to leave the room, quietly closing the door behind him.


    "Someone is trying to reach Dipp in his dream and turn him into an informant. That''s all the Fhtagn Covenant is capable of now. Their people can''t leave the Eastern Seas."


    "Is there any way to stop Dipp from dreaming? If he continues to interact with those sea creatures, I''m afraid something will happen to him," Charles asked in a concerned tone.


    "I''ll think of something; don''t worry yourself over that. Focus on the bigger issues at hand," Anna replied as she tossed the document in her hand toward Charles'' face.


    Charles caught the document and scanned the written content. It was a telegram from Cat Ind that detailed how Julio rose to be a Level 15 expert.


    His ascent was not only due to his position as the governor of Cat Ind, which allowed him to amass powerful relics easily. More importantly, he had once struck a deal with some entity within the darkness.


    It was a woman wrapped in ck bandages and holding a cat in her arms. She was the entity who had bestowed great power upon Julio.


    <em>Cat¡­ Woman in bandages¡­</em>Charles remembered her. Years ago, she had appeared in his dreams.


    <em>Who is this woman? </em>Charles wondered to himself. He had initially thought that she was just a figment of his dream, but now, it seemed like she truly existed.


    If she could easily grant an ordinary human the power to advance them to Level 15, her own power would surely far exceed Julio''s by dozens or even hundreds of times.


    "A Divinity? No. Divinities would never help humans, let alone converse with them. Plus, there''s no follower of this woman in the entire seascape," Charles muttered to himself.


    Anna tapped Charles''s leg with her high heels, breaking his train of thought. "Regardless of who she is, the fact remains that Julio''s enhanced power can''t be replicated. We''ve been shortchanged in this technological exchange with Cat Ind.


    "For now, we can only see if there is any usable information we can find elsewhere."

 Chapter 619: Gain

    "<em>Argh¡­ </em>these texts are really giving me a headache, even though they''ve been tranted," Charlesmented, his brows knitted together as he threw the documents in his hand onto the table.


    The papers recorded magic inscriptions of the Western Seas. Their so-called spells were of an entirely different field that he had never dabbled in. The strange, worm-like script on the papers was simr to the patterns seen in their magical formations.


    Putting aside the matter of one''s innate magical aptitude, a deep andprehensive understanding of this strange script was a fundamental requirement for learning magic.


    Simply put, their magic involved channeling magic in the surroundings into their bodies and then activating the spells through this peculiar script. That was the summary of the so-called magic of the Western Seas.


    ording to them, in ancient times, there were mages who were even more powerful than Julio. However, Charles expressed skepticism of the im and felt that it was more of a boasting rather than the truth.


    The reason was that the Western Seas had been struggling over the past decades while the other sea regions had been expanding.


    In the face of gunpowder and firearms, the mages were clearly outmatched.


    The only value of their magic was that their powers could be passed on.


    However, technological advancements could be passed on to the next generation as well and were more powerful than magic.The main criterion Charles used to evaluate the worth of something was whether it would be valuable for exploration. And evidently, these magical teachings seemed to be of no help to him.


    "Charles, don''t dismiss it so quickly," Anna interjected Charles'' train of thought. "Their magic still has its uses. Look, they even have alchemy. And I''m talking about true alchemy, where they can transmute actual gold."


    Anna''s eyes sparkled with interest as she scanned the documents. She seemed genuinely fascinated by the contents.


    "And what use is there for gold right now? Are we going to use it to barter with the Divinities and ask them to sell the darkness back to us?" Charles asked, his toneced with a hint of sarcasm.


    "It might not be useful for surface exploration, but material transformation could be incredibly beneficial for our developing industries. Don''t forget; gold is not just a currency; it''s an industrial material as well. The microchip in your smartphone contains gold, but there are no gold mines in the seascape," Anna exined.


    "Time¡­ We don''t have time¡­" Charlesmented as he nced at the piles of documents on the table.


    Of course, Charles knew the potential brilliance that could arise from the collision of a magical system with an industrial one. Perhaps, it could even spark a so-called magical-tech revolution.


    After all, he had already witnessed hints of it. His prosthetic limb was a product of integrating magic into gears.


    However, those were all concerns for the future. If they couldn''t recover the darkness, there was no future to speak of.


    Charles rose to his feet and reached for his coat. "Julio''s method is useless. The magic from the Western Seas is of no help too. We can only see what those demi-gods from the Sea of Mist have."


    "Where are you going?" Anna asked.


    "To find the Haikors and ask them to contact their God. We''ve already shared our technology unconditionally. Now, it''s their turn to reveal their cards."


    Anna''s tentacles extended and coiled around Charles'' waist to pull him back. "There''s no need to go look for them. I have a way to contact them."


    "You do? Oh, right. You have dealt with them before." A look of realization settled upon Charles'' face as he ced his coat back down on the table.


    Anna knelt on the table as she started to sift through the various documents sent by the Western Seas. She totally ignored Charles as she seemed entirely absorbed in what the Western Seas'' mages had to offer.


    "Aren''t you going to get started?" Charles interjected, feeling puzzled by Anna''s behavior. "Didn''t you say you were going to contact them?"


    "Do I have to do that myself? I just need to think about it and someone else outside will handle it. Just wait patiently," Anna answered.


    True to her words, it didn''t take long before several towering Haikors entered the room. Behind them were several bizarre lizard-like Apostles.


    The Apostles huddled together to form an elongated chain. The next moment, their figures began to blur, gradually transforming into a half-transparent, half-ck form of Paiper''s worm-like body.


    <em>It seems like Paiper has some ability to rece another''s matterposition. Is this Paiper''s power? </em>Charles thought to himself.


    Paiper hovered in mid-air. Charles'' room was toorge to contain Paiper''s ten-meter-long body. However, Its tail segment easily phased through the wall and stayed outside the room.


    The tall Haikors crossed their hands over their chests and bowed deferentially to their God before they silently turned and left the room.


    "Is there something you need, Charles?" a voice that sounded like a middle-aged man rang in Charles'' ears.


    "We need to consolidate everything we have and gather them all to see how we can enhance the strength of the explorers. Everyone else has given their information. We''re missing yours."


    Paiper''s mouthparts twitched slightly before it spat out a blob of red, pulsating chunk of flesh wrapped in a transparent, slimy membrane onto the ground. The mass wasn''t dead; it was still moving.


    "This is a blessing from a Divinity. However, such a blessing is highly unstable and requires us to personally assist in the infusion."


    Before Charles could respond, Anna interrupted. "You guys actually possess a Divinity''s corpse, and you are just giving us this meager piece to dismiss us?"


    Paiper turned its mouthpart toward the visibly upset Anna. "How much do you think an ordinary human can absorb from it? This power is very peculiar. If the infused power is greater than the user themselves, the power will take over the user."


    Charles stared intently at the writhing mass on the ground. "So¡­ this so-called blessing of a Divinity is a chunk of flesh from the Divinity''s corpse? And we are supposed to eat it?"


    "No, this is a specially cultivated medium under the Divinity''s aura. Through it, you can harness traces of the Divinity''s power. If an ordinary human consumes the flesh of a Divinity directly, they will face only one oue: death."


    Charles carefully scrutinized the lump of mass squirming like a maggot on the ground. "Then what happens when a human consumes this?"


    "First and foremost, they will never die again."


    "What?!" Charles stared at Paiper in shock.


    "Don''t misunderstand," Paiper began. "I meant that the body will never die, not the consciousness. Upon epting this power, the body''s vitality will be maintained for eternity.


    "Sickness, hunger, pain¡ªall those can still affect you, but they won''t be able to destroy the body. The moment you die, the body will continue to exist independently of you."


    "So does that mean, if I consume this thing, my body essentially gains immortality? This doesn''t sound like a great deal. Since this is a drawback, then what are the benefits? What do I stand to gain in exchange for such a hefty price?"


    "You''ll be able to harness a Divinity''s power more effectively. For example, the relics and those that you''ve fused into your body will no longer be external to you. They will be an intrinsic part of your being."

 Chapter 620: Change

    Charles'' brows were knitted tightly as he looked at the writhing red flesh on the ground while pondering over Paiper''s words.


    This¡­ thing, whenbined with relic fusion, could indeed significantly enhance the strength of explorers. However, the mortality rate associated with relic fusion was still a tricky issue.


    "Do you want to absorb it now? I can assist you personally," Paiper said, and a fleshy appendage resembling a suction cup extended from Its maw. It scooped up the living flesh and moved it toward Charles.


    "Hold on," Charles said, raising a hand to stop Paiper''s appendage.


    "There''s no need for you to be so wary of us," Paiper began. "Your death has no benefit for us at all. All of us have shared mutual interests now. Take your wife, for example. She once worked with Lylejay, killed our followers, and has stolen from us.


    "Yet, we did not take any revenge because we recognized the fact that dealing with the seascape''s imminent destruction takes priority, and all disputes can be set aside for now."


    Charles cast a brief nce at Anna, then shook his head. "No, it''s not that. I just want to know if this is all you have. You possess an entire Divinity''s corpse, and this is all you can produce?"


    Seeing Paiper''s confusion, Charles continued exining, "For example, I found the way to fuse relics into the body from the ruins of the Foundation. With this power as a catalyst, Hope Ind was able to rapidly advance our technology, and we started an industrial revolution within a few short years.


    "Since you have an entire Divinity''s corpse, surely there must be more to gain than just this bit of flesh?"Charles felt that Paiper was holding back. Divinities were dangerous, but a Divinity''s corpse was a treasure trove with unimaginable potential. Who knew what secrets could be uncovered from it?


    Moreover, the Foundation was able to harness a small amount of Fhtagn''s power to create the Light God. So, the Haikors surely had more tricks up their sleeve.


    "Indeed, we''ve gained a lot. For example, we have the Apostles and the Haikors, both of which we created. We have many other things beyond humanprehension too.


    "However, humans cannot use them, and they are useless in the search for the darkness. That''s why there''s no need to know about them. If those things were useful, we would have used them to retrieve the darkness already."


    "Is that really the case? Or are you hiding something from everyone?" Anna asked, her voiceced with apparent suspicion.


    Paiper clearly didn''t like Anna. "You have no right to speak to me. Our previous feud has not been settled yet. That sunken ship at the bottom of the sea is the product of your betrayal."


    Paiper then turned Its massive mouthpart back toward Charles. "Do you want to receive this blessing now, or do you prefer to test it on someone else first?


    "I''ve already tested it on a human. I must reiterate that our interests are aligned."


    "Wait. I have the power of other Divinities within me. Is that going to be a problem?" Charles asked, touching the strange tattoo on his neck. Despite his skin being mostly gone, the tattoo had never disappeared.


    "It''s fine; there''s no conflict. Regardless of whether it''s relics or anything else, they''re all from the same origin."


    Charles watched the constantly pulsating fleshy sucker in front of him.


    Suddenly, Anna narrowed her eyes. The room door swung open, and Linda walked in.


    "Captain, let me try it first. As a doctor, I''m curious as to how this will alter human anatomy and enhance the relics'' power."


    Charles nced at Linda, saying nothing. The next moment, the fist-sized sucker pressed itself against Linda''s forehead.


    Slowly, her body began to tremble and her eyes rolled back to show her white. It seemed as though Paiper wasn''t infusing something into her but rather extracting her brain fluid.


    Paiper''s elongated body started to twist and turn in a slow and eerie rhythm. The entire process ended soon enough, in less than two minutes.


    At the end of it, the only visible change in Linda was a red circr mark on her forehead. After returning to her normal state, she began to quickly examine herself.


    "Physically, there''s no change. But my abilities seem to have undergone some special change." As Linda spoke, she suddenly sank a notch, her legs plunging into the ground.


    "Not only can I pass through others now, I can even pass through things myself. My power has been enhanced significantly." Linda continued sinking with each word. By the veryst word, her entire figure had vanished into the floor.


    A few secondster, Linda emerged from the floor. "I feel like I can pass through anything, any material now."


    Watching Linda''s disy of her abilities while listening to her boration, Charles was astonished. This was almost a qualitative leap.


    "You may leave now. I''ll talk to youter," Charles instructed.


    Linda nodded silently and left the room.


    Charles then turned toward Anna and said, "I don''t need my crew to be my guinea pigs, neither do I want you to control them.


    It was evident that Linda hadn''t appeared on her own ord. She couldn''t have been conveniently waiting outside the door.


    "Oh my, you caught me. I promise it won''t happen again. That was thest time," Anna replied with a yful smile as she slid up against him, pressing her body into his arm.


    Meanwhile, Paiper was growing impatient. "I''m very busy. Please hurry up and decide."


    Charles turned his attention back to the colossal worm. "Alright, let''s do this and see how much it enhances my power."


    As soon as the round, fleshy sucker attached itself to Charles'' wrist, a sudden cacophonous din surrounded him. He found himself transported to a strange world where the colors of everything around him were constantly shifting. His body felt like it was shrinking and spinning while being pulled toward the center of this surreal realm.


    In this hallucination, Charles lost all sense of time. He had no idea how long had passed when he found himself back in his room again. Paiper and Anna were still by his side.


    "How do you feel?" Anna asked, her voice tinged with a hint of curiosity.


    Charles raised his hands; transparent tentacles writhed like fine hairs on the back of his hand. They were no longer external foreign entities; they hadpletely merged with his body.


    Charles had a feeling that this was the original form of the transparent tentacles and that their true nature and state had been severely suppressed by the ring they were contained in.


    With a mere thought, a tentacle extended from the opposite wall and wrapped around a ck spike on the cab.


    Gradually, more and more tentacles emerged throughout the room, turning the room into a sea of tentacles that moved in sync with Charles'' thoughts.


    Just then, Charles felt his head throbbing in slight pain; he realized that this was his limit. His mind would be overwhelmed if he were to summon more tentacles.


    As he looked around, a question popped up in his mind. <em>What exactly are relics, and where do their abilitiese from?</em>

 Chapter 621: Choice

    It was unknown how relics came to be in the Subterranean Sea, and humans couldn''t decipher the mechanism behind their special abilities. Humans had only been able to do nothing but basic research on the special ability of each relic, and humans considered relics as valuable as long as the reward outweighed the risks.


    The same was true on the contrary as well. If a relic''s side effects were deemed too dangerous, the relic itself was deemed worthless as well. The relic would then meet one of the two fates¡ªthey''d either be discarded or be used to deceive and harm people.


    If one were to think carefully about it, one would discover that such a conclusion was too naive. The existence of relics wasn''t to be used by humans; there was a deeper reason behind their existence.


    Something above the surface was capable of relicfying just about anything. It was still unknown as to what exactly it was, but it was safe to say that the relics scattered throughout the Subterranean Sea hade from the surface world.


    When Charles'' train of thought reached that conclusion, he was struck by an epiphany, and a terrifying hypothesis popped up in his mind.


    "Anna, what if¡­ something from outer space is approaching Earth and has been slowly relicfying everything on Earth, which will eventually lead to a civilizational copse. What if that''s the reason the Foundation has decided to bring the survivors of mankind on Earth down to the Subterranean Sea?!" Charles said.


    However, Anna shook her head at Charles''s spection and said, "Does that even matter at this point? It must''ve been at least a thousand years since then, so why are you even thinking about that?


    "And your theory doesn''t make sense as well. It doesn''t exin how the Divinities of the Subterranean Sea came to be. How would you exin them?" Anna asked.


    "Maybe¡ª" Charles started.However, Anna interrupted, "Stop saying ''maybe.'' Are you going to change careers and be a historian? Anyway, have you not noticed that your ear has grown back?"


    Charles was stunned. He raised his hand and found that Anna was right. The pitch-ck hole on the side of his head, which contained the insides of his ear, had vanished and had been reced by a proper ear.


    Charles walked toward a mirror and saw that his ear had truly grown back. It wasn''t just his ear; the missing flesh on his face had been filled up as well, but the flesh was dark red, and it clearly wasn''t Charles'' own flesh.


    The flesh was like a me-shaped dark red scab, and its appearance made it so that Charles'' face now had two hues, which intertwined to form Charles'' current facial appearance, making him look indescribably bizarre.


    "What... what''s going on here?" Charles touched the stump of his hand and found that it had healed a bit, extending slightly forward. Unfortunately, it seemed that it wouldn''t recover any time soon.


    "This specially cultivated medium can heal human wounds as well, but it''s not that useful," Paiper said, vanquishing Charles'' confusion.


    "It seems that chunk of flesh has moved onto your face, filling in the missing flesh. Actually, it''s not bad. Your head now has some flesh, unlike before, where I can see your skull," Anna teased, touching the brand-new flesh on Charles'' face.


    Charles examined himself carefully and found out that the brand-new flesh offered nothing but just a change in appearance. Charles had never really been the type to pay attention to his appearance, so he didn''t mind his new look.


    "We still need something that can iste the radiation effect of relicfication. Do you have any ideas?" Charles asked. The Narwhale was now capable of flight, but it would still be impossible to explore the sky above the darkness if they couldn''t iste themselves from the radiation effect of relicfication.


    If they were to go there without any countermeasures against relic radiation, then their food and fuel would all be relicfied, transforming into relics with unknown special abilities.


    There was no way they''d be able to carry out a proper exploration by then.


    Paiper nodded Its horrifying head and said, "I''ve alreadye up with a solution to that problem, even before your return. The biological organisms that can be used for that purpose will be sent over to your vessel before you depart."


    Charles sneered inwardly. Sure enough, Paiper was still holding back. It seemed that the organisms living in the Sea of Mist possessed abilities way beyond the understanding of the people here.


    They were in the face of a world-ending cmity, so Charles truly didn''t expect that they were still hiding something. However, Charles couldn''t be bothered to say anything, as Paiper had already offered a solution.


    After a brief conversation about the details of the next exploration, Charles finally allowed Paiper to leave. When the half-transparent, half-ck colossal worm vanished, Charles could barely contain his excitement to test out his new abilities.


    Charles'' special ability to manifest invisible tentacles had been enhanced, so he reckoned that his special ability to manifest lightning had to have gone through the same transformation.


    Just as Charles was about to leave, a pair of soft, fair hands wrapped around his neck from behind, and Anna''s voice, which sounded a bit resentful, echoed in Charles'' ear, "Charles, you may not be able to¡­e back home on your next exploration, and I''m¡­ really worried."


    Charles could clearly feel his wife''s tumultuous emotions. "Anna, don''t worry about me. I''m ready, and I think my strength is at Level 12 now."


    "So what if you''re ready? So what if you''re strong? Our current issue can''t be resolved just by being prepared and being strong. Don''t go. It''ll be great if we manage to retrieve the darkness, but if we can''t retrieve it, then I think we should just let it go, and maybe, there''s a way for us to survive somehow."


    Charles'' pupils constricted at Anna''s remark. He turned around to face Anna and asked, "You found another way?"


    "Do you still remember Newbound City? We can just go and live there. We just have to close it and ensure that it''s airtight. It''ll be the perfect shelter by then. Dawn One is there, after all. In other words, we''re not going to have any issues with food. As for fresh water, we can just turn seawater into freshwater."


    However, Charles wasn''t happy about Anna''s n at all. "How many people do you think Newbound City can amodate? I''m sure it can''t amodate even the entire poption of Hope Ind, much less the entire Subterranean Sea."


    "Humans just need something to eat, and that''s it," Anna retorted, "Newbound City will be our new home in the future, and we can safely live there forever."


    Charles stared at Anna as if she were a stranger and asked, "Do you not have any idea about the consequences of doing something like that? If word goes out, the Subterranean Sea Alliance will instantly copse; everyone will stop looking for the darkness and will just ughter each other for the sake of survival!"


    "Don''t worry, they''re not going to find out. I''ve sent Sparkle to keep tabs on them. Besides, I didn''t say anything about making them stop the search for the darkness. They can look for it for as long as they want¡­ I just don''t want you to go with them. I mean, we have a way out now," Anna said, smiling and winking at Charles.


    Charles thought about it carefully before patting Anna''s shoulder and saying, "I''m sorry, but no. I''m selfish, yes, but if I were to do that, I wouldn''t be able to sleep at night. It means betraying everyone, after all."


    Anna seemed annoyed at Charles'' remark, and a tentacle riddled with ck scales burst out of her chest, smacking thetter''s hand away.


    "Why can''t you just listen to me?! The Light God perished at the hands of those entities above the surface world! Who do you think you are? Do you really think that you''re more powerful than a Divinity or something?"


    Charles remained patient in the face of Anna''s outburst and exined, "I know, but we can''t just run away. This is our fate, and we must face it. The Subterranean Sea might be mankind''s final safe haven. This issue concerns not just the fate of one or two people but the fate of mankind."


    "And I''d rather die on my journey to finding and retrieving the darkness than spend my entire life in a closed-off shelter."

 Chapter 622: Submerged

    In the end, Anna and Charles'' argument ended with neither side convincing the other. Strictly speaking, Anna hade from Charles'' consciousness, but she was still her own individual, which meant that arguments were inevitable.


    Charles thought hard and long about it, and he eventually decided to send a telegram to Anna, telling her to prepare Newbound City in advance, not for his sake but for humanity''s sake.


    If the n to find and retrieve the darkness truly failed, then Newbound City could be humanity''s final safe haven.


    Charles didn''t think too much about it, as he knew that Anna was good at handling such things. Moreover, he had something more important to do at the moment.


    Outside the outpost, radiant white electric arcs zigzagged across the ground as they followed the trajectory of Charles'' tentacles. With just a will from Charles, more than a dozen intertwined tentacles emerged from the ground and mmed hard.


    A thunderous boom echoed, and a charred line at least ten meters long was left on the ground.


    Lily''s golden fur stood on end as the radiant white electric arcs dissipated.


    Charles'' earlier assumption was right. His lightning ability had also been enhanced along with his tentacle ability. The lightning that he could wield wasn''ting from him, but he could still control them quite easily.


    Charles took his sweet time checking his special abilities and discovered that his bat form had gone through a change that he couldn''t quite describe.ck fur sprouted all over Charles as he morphed into a monster. This time, however, his bat monster form had be extremely deformed, looking quite bizarre.


    A chicken w-like wing was drooping on the left side of his torso in addition to his fleshy wings. There was a fissure on his terrifying visage, and the fissure was so huge that it almost split Charles'' face into two. To make matters worse, two huge cysts were growing on the fissure.


    Charles'' back was bent into an L-shape, forcing him to hunch over, which made him look even uglier and terrifying. Fortunately, the changes didn''t affect Charles'' flight ability, and in fact, he had be even stronger after these changes.


    The most noticeable change was his size. Despite his hunched back, he towered roughly six meters, and it was a height capable of instilling fear in just about anyone, especially when coupled with his appearance.


    Just then, Charles opened his ulcerated, bleeding mouth. An extremely powerful sonic wave burst out of his mouth. The semi-desert around him cracked instantly beneath the attack.


    Seeing that, Charles realized that he had underestimated his own strength. If he were to measure his strength using the power level rankings of the Subterranean, he''d say that he was a Level 13 explorer.


    As Charles shrank and returned to his human form, Lily ran over from the side and eximed, "Mr. Charles! Mr. Bandages told me to tell you that everything is ready, and we can immediately set sail."


    Charles lifted Lily and used his fingers to part her golden fur, examining her flesh underneath. Lily''s wounds hadpletely healed, and not even a single scar was left behind.


    "Let''s go; we''re heading back," Charles said and started walking toward the outpost with Lily in his palm. The outpost had been significantly expanded, and a towering telegraph tower was built in the middle of the outpost.


    Charles walked past the telegraph tower and arrived next to the Explorers Association''s building to find it crowded with people.


    The explorers were gathered around the bulletin board, staring at the information posted on it. Gasps and murmurs were everywhere, and the voices of the crowd entered Charles'' ears.


    "My goddess, Hope Ind actually has the technology to fuse relics into themselves and make use of those relics'' special abilities. No wonder they developed so quickly."


    "Yeah, yeah, this must be the reason behind the good things on Hope Ind."


    "Look here. Apparently, we can fuse with a relic for free starting at eight o''clock tomorrow morning. However, we will be entirely responsible for the risk, and despite continuous research and improvements, the mortality rate is still seven percent.


    "They really are something¡­ to think they''d keep the good stuff until the end."


    "Do you really think that they''re being nice to you by offering this good stuff for free? The higher-ups are just going to use you as cannon fodder. The sky above the darkness must be an extremely dangerous ce."


    "What do you mean ''cannon fodder''? Governor Charles will join the exploration as well. He was the one who found the darkness, and he''s the Overlord of the Northern Seas, which means that he has enough contribution and status not to participate, but he''s decided to join us, anyway.


    "Are you saying that he''s going to use himself as cannon fodder, too?"


    Charles walked past the Explorers Association''s building while listening to the hubbub. Once again, he saw another long line, and the line led to the territory of the Haikors within this outpost.


    A bloated dog curled up like an old man hovered in mid-air, and a constantly pulsating fleshy sucker was sticking out of its mouth. The sucker was sucking on a squirming lump of flesh in a ss vial before pressing itself against an explorer''s forehead.


    It seemed that Paiper and the Haikors had decided to personally handle the injections, eliminating any possibility of thief. Charles had no idea why they were so wary when the injection would only enhance an explorer''s ability¡ªnothing more, nothing less.


    The biggest boost to the explorers'' strength was all thanks to Hope Ind''s relic fusion technology and the Sea of Mist''s method of enhancing one''s strength after fusing with relics.


    It was unfortunate, but the contributions of the others couldn''t be put to use. It was impossible to replicate Julio''s strength, while Charles and the others didn''t even publicly disclose the arcane spells of the Western Seas.


    After all, magic was forbidden on the surface world, and it was an iron-d rule that no one could vite.


    However, the mages were busy as well. Charles learned through telegrams that Julio had taken his invincible fleet with him, along with the magic-powered ships of the Western Seas, to attack the Fhtagn Covenant.


    This wasn''t the best time to wage war, as it would make life even more difficult for the denizens down below, but for some reason, Julio had decided to do it anyway.


    Of course, Charles was convinced that Julio''s decision wasn''t made lightly. They had decided to use war to distract the inders, and this could only mean one thing¡ªthe Subterranean Sea was in an extremely bad situation¡ªbad enough to warrant such a move from Julio.


    The outpost wasn''t that huge, so Charles soon found the Narwhale among a group of airships. Two massive dark-brown gas bags were suspended above the Narwhale, and the ship''s propellers had been lengthened to provide enough thrust.


    The Narwhale''s animated ropes wrapped around Charles'' waist and lifted him onto the deck.


    "The crew... is assembled... The test flight isplete... The ship is functioning normally... I''ve been... keeping an eye on it while it was being retrofitted," Bandages said.


    Charles patted Bandages on the shoulder and replied, "Great job. Where are the things that Paiper must have sent here? They can apparently iste us from the radiation effect of relicfication, so I want to take a look at it."


    The ship''s cabin had be quite lively with more greenery. Charles saw green vines running along the corners of the walls, and there were more ivies than usual as well.


    "My ability... can now¡­ detect..." Bandages muttered. It seemed that Bandages'' special ability had also been enhanced by Paiper and the others.


    Bandages led to the turbine room, and Charles saw something attached to the hot outer wall of the turbine. Upon closer inspection, It looked like a clump of rotten flesh with a huge orange-colored blister growing in the middle of it.


    When Charles got close enough to it, eight eyestalks sprouted from the blister, and they seemed to be staring intently at Charles. Clearly, the clump of rotten flesh was alive, and it was intelligent, to boot.


    "Did they say anything about how to use this thing?" Charles asked, touching the basin-sized blister in the middle of the clump of rotten flesh.


    "It''s activated¡­ right now¡­ And it survives on heat..."


    "It looks strange, but as long as it works. Anyway, tell Audric to keep a close eye on this thing. This can''t go berserk in the middle of our exploration," Charles remarked.


    "Captain... I contacted¡­ my mother¡­ via telegram."


    "Oh, how are your family at home? Are they doing all right?"


    "The doctor''s grave... has been submerged..."


    Charles'' heart trembled slightly at the remark. He fell silent and stayed silent for a long time. Finally, he turned around and left the turbine room with a determined gaze. "Let''s go. Let''s set sail."

 Chapter 623: Arrival

    On this bizarre surface realm, even though the Narwhale could now fly in the air, it dared not soar too high. After all, no one knew what was lurking up in the skies.


    She glided just a few meters above the ground, giving the crew a chance to familiarize themselves with their newly retrofitted ship.


    Working on a floating airship was different from steering a traditional one in the waters or onnd. The crew needed time to practice and adapt.


    Fortunately, they didn''t run into any dangerous creatures during this training journey. The barren semi-desert region remained deste.


    As they drew closer to their destination, they soon sawyer uponyer of treads and tire marks crisscrossed the ground. They were tracks left behind by previous exploration vehicles.


    Soon enough, Charles didn''t even need a map; he just needed to follow the tracks to reach their destination.


    Along the way, Charles would asionally run into returning exploration teams. Upon talking to them, he learned that the exploration efforts had alreadymenced.


    Although ascending into the skies risked relicfication, there was always bound to be a solution. As long as everything on them were relics, there was no fear of any of them turning into one.


    The time passed swiftly and the long journey came to an end as Charles found himself once again beneath the towering ck wall.The exploration vessels that had arrived earlier had halted next to the darkness. From afar, it seemed as though a small steel town had been established at the base of the wall.


    "Captain, it looks pretty lively. I never thought there would be a day where we''d do collective exploration," Dippmented excitedly as he leaned out over the ship''s railings.


    Watching the fleet of airships and exploration vessels in the distance, Charles thought to himself. <em>They seemed to be an exploration fleet formed under the direction of the Explorers Association. I wonder if they''ve found any new clues while I was at the outpost.</em>


    Their objective now was clear. First, they had to find the embodiment of darkness itself. Then, they had to figure out a way to bring it back. If they couldn''t find a way, then he intended to find the Foundation and either persuade them to send it back down to the seascape or resort to threat.


    <em>Woosh!</em>


    A sudden burst of sparks erupted above the distant ck wall.


    Under everyone''s watchful gazes, the mes within the darkness looked like a colossal firebird as it crashed heavily to the ground.


    Charles took over the monoscope and peered through it to see the crash site. Apart from the scattered wreckages of the Foundation''s nes from the previous round of exploration, there were new twisted, ckened pieces of metal.


    A ce that posed a challenge to both the Foundation and Paiper''s forces was certainly going to be a difficult ce to explore.


    Noticing the arrival of Charles'' Narwhale, the leader of the exploration fleet quickly came forward.


    The man looked to be in his fifties. His legs were made of iron and nked against the deck as he walked.


    From the man''s determined gaze under his scarred forehead, Charles could see that the Explorers Association had surely made aprehensive consideration before choosing the man as the fleet captain.


    "Governor Charles, the situation isn''t looking good. It is extremely dangerous up there. Our men have been working around the clock to break through, but casualties are high. We will haven''t found the darkness itself," the man said rapidly, his hoarse voice tinged with urgency.


    "How high have you managed to explore?" Charles asked, looking up at the towering ck wall in front of him.


    "This is a rough map. We''ve explored up to 1500 meters. Our men are currently trying to break through the third floating ind," the man answered as heid out a long map vertically before Charles.


    The map depicted not just one but multiple floating inds in the skies. They came in varying sizes but shared onemon trait: all of them hovered in the air.


    Arge portion of the map remained nk; clearly, the fleet had yet to explore those territories.


    The most distinctive thing Charles noted on the map was the addition of two new floating inds to the one Charles had previously visited, connected by dotted lines.


    Though the map depicted three floating inds, it didn''t imply that there were only three of them up there. Rather, it reflected the huge human cost they had paid to gather this limited information.


    "What anomalies did you encounter on the second floating ind? What caused the casualties?" Charles asked the most important question.


    Depton, the fleet captain, ced his finger on the map and traced the area between the second and third floating inds.


    "There''s a peculiar forest between the two inds. It grows at a 90-degree angle and frequently, creatures would fly out of it and attack our airships. They were the ones behind most of our losses. Clearly, those creatures have been relicifed.


    Governor Charles, to be honest, it''s quite lively up therepared to this barren ground below. Also, we discovered something unusual in that forest. I think you need to see this," Depton said, cing a photograph before Charles.


    Charles'' pupils contracted to the size of a needle tip as he studied the image.


    It was a skull wrapped in multicolored moss that resembled vomit. Despite its deformed appearance, Charles was certain that it was a human skull.


    "Captain, do you think it might be one of the people from the Foundation?" Dipp asked.


    However, Charles shook his head in disagreement. "Not necessarily. If it were someone from the Foundation, their body wouldn''t dpose so quickly."


    If the skull really didn''t belong to someone from the Foundation, it meant a few intriguing possibilities.


    If there were living humans on the surface, wouldn''t that mean that they just had to find their habitat and they could then confirm that the surface could also support life for the people of the Subterranean Sea?


    However, with only one skull, Charles couldn''t be absolutely sure. He needed more information.


    "Besides this skull, were there any other traces of human existence?" Charles asked.


    "No."


    "Then, did any of you encounter the three pink eyes up there?"


    Charles really wanted to know if the entities that had fought the Foundation and Paiper actually lived here or were just merely passing by. The answer would be of great help in the nning stage of his future exploration.


    "No," Depton replied. However, he felt like he was sounding too certain and quickly added, "At least, no returned airship had reported about three pink eyes. Some of the missing airships might have encountered them, but they couldn''t report back."


    Depton''s words made sense. If anyone were to run into those three pink eyes, it would be a challenge to return alive.


    Charles pondered for a moment and decided not to waste any more time. He turned to Depton and instructed, "I''m going up there myself. Send me a guide¡ªsomeone that has been up there."


    Depton gave an affirmative nod and turned around to leave quickly.


    When the Narwhale entered the darkness again, she was ferrying a new passenger¡ªa woman with a lone arm.


    Alongside Charles, three other airships also ascended. All of them had the same exploration mission.


    "Captain Charles, the monsters in the forest move incredibly fast. The bird species that had attacked our airships'' gas bags had no feathers, and their heads had five evenly spaced rotating eyes.


    "Their hooked beaks are extremely sharp. If they are not intercepted quickly enough, they can puncture the gasbags within three seconds," the woman exined slowly. The teeth on the right side of her mouth were missing, so her voice sounded breathy due to the gaps, but she still tried her best to describe what she had been through.

 Chapter 624: Jungle

    "Apart from those birds, what else is up there?" Charles asked the one-armed woman as he stared into the ever-thickening purple mist that was being constantly sliced apart to clear a path for their ascent.


    "There are invisible creatures, too. We can''t see them at all, and even when we keep our distance from the forest, they still manage to get on the ship and kill my crewmates," the one-armed woman replied, a trace of terror flickering across her eyes as she recalled something horrifying.


    She used her remaining hand to touch the stump that was left of her missing arm and continued, "The dead had tear wounds on their bodies. It felt as though someone was meticulously tearing off the flesh from the bone. My arm was torn off by one of them. I could feel numerous small hands pulling at my fingers, breaking them. I have no idea what those things are.


    "They don''t just attack us. They also go after the birds.


    "There''s also a type of blue ''fish,'' and its body is hollow. It doesn''t attack us. Rather, it only opens its huge mouth and continuously swallows the green mist above the forest¡­"


    As the guide continued her exnation, Charles began to gain an understanding of the aerial environment. The floating, tilted forest had its own established ecosystem.


    It was hard to say whether this was good or bad news, but at least, it was within Charles'' realm ofprehension.


    Soon, the first floating ind Charles had previously explored appeared on their port side. He could even make out the remnant of his previous battle on its ground.


    As the ind gradually disappeared into the darkness, an inky ck shrouded the surroundings once again.Standing on the deck, Charles peered into the dark expanse ahead. He felt like he was back in the deep sea once again. The darkness here was simr to that of the ocean depths.


    Tension weighed down heavily on the crew. Everyone knew what had happened here before. They clutched their weapons tightly, trying to draw some courage from the cold steel.


    The three airships that apanied Charles turned on their searchlights, the light beams constantly cutting through the darkness in every direction.


    After two hours in such an oppressive atmosphere, sweat began to trickle down the faces of the crew. It was partly because of their unease, but the rising temperature, now at near to thirty degrees, contributed to the beaded sweat on their foreheads.


    Second Mate Nico pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his damp neck. Just as he was about to ask the guide how much further they had to go, a faint whistle sounded from the side of the ship.


    "That''s the sound! Captain Charles! The birds areing!"


    Charles'' heart tightened at the warning. Pushing his feet off the deck, he sprang over the ship''s railing.


    "Buddy, send me up!"


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A rope swiftly followed after and coiled around Charles'' waist before flinging him upward onto the top of the airbag.


    Uponnding on the swaying airbag, Charles'' brows knitted together as he looked toward the direction of the noise. A blur was rapidly revolving around the four airships.


    Before Charles could even identify the creature, the right airbag of the airship to the left of the Narwhale suddenly copsed. The creature had pierced the airbag!


    The next moment, the blurry form darted toward the Narwhale.


    As the distance between the creature and the Narwahle''s airbag narrowed, Charles began his counterattack. With a thought, several transparent tentacles extended from the airbag and shot toward the intruder. However, the creature deftly dodged the attack.


    The shadow then made a swift turn in the air and its flight path was aimed at Charles. In an instant, several tentacles sprouted out of the creature and enveloped it. With a sh of white light, the creature instantly lost all mobility and emitted white smoke as it plummeted downward.


    Charles extended one of his tentacles and caught the falling creature, finally getting a good look at it.


    It was a peculiar looking bird. It waspletely featherless and evencked feet. Perhaps, it shouldn''t even be ssified as a bird.


    Its skin was covered in erged goosebumps. Its beak was barbed and its head was oddly


    Apparently, it hadn''t punctured the airbags but sliced them open instead. The creature was small, norger than two hand spans, making its astonishing speed hard to imagine.


    Holding the bird by its neck, Charles looked toward the side. The airship with the deted airbag was still rising steadily. Therge airbag appeared to be a singr unit but it was actuallyposed of many smaller airbags. Such a design ensured that a few being punctured wouldn''t cause a catastrophic failure.


    The Narwhale ascended smoothly. The appearance of these birds meant that they were nearing their destination.


    Ten minutester, Charles felt a sudden sense of foreboding. He looked up sharply and saw the enormous, oppressive underside of a floating ind looming above him.


    The oppressive sensation intensified as the Narwhale continued her ascent. It felt as though a mountain was slowly descending upon him.


    The second ind was massive, at least twice the size of the first floating ind.


    Coming from the underside to the side, Charles finally saw the forest the guide had mentioned. He roughly estimated that the forest stretched for at least a hundred miles in length and width.


    The airships had found it difficult to nagivate from the bottom of the ind to its side.


    The forest growing out of the second floating ind was indeed horizontal. It was as if a giant had ripped the entire forest off the ground and stuck it upright vertically, before folding it into half.


    It wasn''t just one forest; there were forests on both sides.


    The slightly tilted aerial forest was like an elevator chamber, nting into the dark skies above.


    The trees within the forest were clearly not species from the surface. Their branches, covered in eerie moss, were twisted and intertwined like a dense bramble.


    "Where exactly did he find that skull?" Charles asked the guide.


    The one-armed woman fished out a map from her inner coat pocket. "It was on this floating ind. The fleet captain has prepared the map."


    "This ind has been fully explored?" Charles remembered Depton mentioning that they were moving onto explore the third ind.


    "Yes, the exploration ispleted. We didn''t find the darkness that we''re looking for here. There are also no valuable leads aside from the skull."


    As Charles gestured with his fingers, the Narwhale slowly approached the ind; the closer they got, the more menacing the forest appeared.


    However, the scattered clearings within the forest helped ease the fear the crew had toward it. After all, those were signs that their fellow humans had conquered the ind.


    Following the ind map, Charles soon located the human skull in the eastern part of the ind. He cautiously picked it up to examine it. He first tapped it with his fingers and noted that it felt and sounded like real bone.


    He then carefully pinched a small fragment and tossed it to Linda, who was standing behind him.


    "Check what kind of bone this is," Charles instructed.


    Linda sniffed the piece lightly before throwing it into her mouth and started chewing.


    "It''s a human bone. The taste is normal."


    Just then, Dipp approached from the side and took the skull from Charles. After meticulously examining the surrounding environment and scraping off some residue from the bone, Dipp said, "Captain, this person died at least ten years ago."

 Chapter 625: Ascent

    "Ten years ago¡­" Charles held the skull and looked around at the forest that had no traces of human existence.


    The existence of a human skull here meant that humans had been here before. Ten years ago, Charles was still struggling for his own survival in the Subterranean Sea, but there were already people living on the surface.


    Did the Foundatione up here earlier? Or could this skull be from a native of the surface world? Perhaps the reason behind the emptiness of the surface world was that the people on the surface had already flown up and lived in the skies.


    The skull was covered in the same eerie moss as the trees nearby, and as Charles stared at the skull, more questions popped up in his mind. Unfortunately, there weren''t any more clues to be seen, so Charles decided to set aside those questions for now.


    "Let''s go and continue our exploration," Charles said. He looked up and swept his gaze across the slightly tilted aerial forests on both sides. He bent down slightly and tossed the skull onto the moss-covered ground.


    "Captain, are you sure you don''t want to take that thing with you?" Dipp asked, looking down at the skull.


    "No need. It''s just a clue. We need more than just a clue to reach a proper answer," Charles replied, "It''s dangerous carrying that skull with us as well. Only god knows whether that skull has been relicfied into a relic with serious side effects."


    With that, Charles led the crew members out of the dense forest. The four airships climbed up, moving slowly away from the jungle.


    "Emma, what was your exploration n?" Charles asked. He wanted to know more about Emma''s journey during her previous exploration."To avoidplete annihtion by a dangerous entity, we only send out three airships at the time. Two of the three airships are responsible for the exploration, while the remaining airship is responsible for the recordkeeping.


    "The exploration n states that whenever the two airships responsible for exploration have stopped on an ind to explore it, the airship responsible for recordkeeping must maintain a certain distance from them and must record the two airships'' exploration through telescopes and cameras."


    "That''s our safest way of exploration, but the airships that had gone up to explore the next ind had all been shot down. We deduce that the entity must be extremely skillful at mid-air battles. Otherwise, they couldn''t have annihted everyone.


    "We also noticed something strange. There were no corpses within the wreckage," the one-armed woman, Emma, exined, sparing not even a single detail.


    "How many airships did you send up in total to explore the third ind?" Charles asked.


    "We sent out three batches, so a total of nine airships. There''s something wrong with the third ind. We didn''t have to pay such a steep price to reach the second ind and explore it," Emma replied.


    This was bad news. The fact that nine airships had fallen just to try and reach the third ind meant that the third ind was extremely dangerous.


    "So you have no clues whatsoever about the so-called third ind, right?" Charles asked.


    "Uh¡­ yes, we have no clues, as everyone was annihted except for me, who is the sole survivor of our exploration party," Emma said. Her face showed a hint of grief as she recalled the faces of her deceased friends.


    Charles looked at her in surprise, "Your ship had also been up there before?"


    Emma nodded and exined, "I was a carpenter of one of the airships, and we were on our way to explore that ind. However, I had sustained some injuries during our previous exploration, so the captain told me to go back to my cabin and rest.


    "I went back to my cabin, and after the ship''s doctor changed the dressing on my wounds, a sedative was administered to me, which made me fall asleep. When I woke up, I found myself surrounded by mes, and the ship''s doctor was gone."


    "The deck was already nted, but I managed to reach the deck with a parachute on my back. I turned and saw that the gas bags of our airship had caught fire, bing a massive fireball. We were attacked."


    "Hmm..." Charles stroked his chin with his eyes slightly narrowed. <em>It seems like their minds might''ve been taken over. Perhaps I should tell Anna toe over here and take a look at her.</em>


    Emma seemed to have seen through Charles'' thoughts as she immediately said, "Governor Charles, it wasn''t mind control. The second batch of explorers that we sent out had brought relics against mind control, but they still ended up disappearing."


    It seemed that the explorers were no fools. They had suspected that the minds of the first batch of explorers had been taken over, so they decided to prepare a countermeasure against it. Unfortunately, their countermeasure didn''t work.


    Charles nced at the airships outside and asked, "So what''s the n this time?"


    "Captain Luke there had once explored a submerged ind," Emma said, pointing at someone on a nearby airship, "and for some reason, his brains and the brains of his crew were left behind on the ind.


    "He''s confident about handling whatever entity is above us. Apparently, it''s impossible to manipte their thoughts and consciousness unless the attacker is attacking their brains directly on that submerged ind."


    Charles followed Emma''s finger and saw a captain wearing a tricorne hat.


    Noticing Charles'' gaze, Luke took off his hat and ced it on his chest before bowing toward the former.


    Luke''s bow allowed Charles to see the shriveled-up crown of Luke''s head. Indeed, Charles couldn''t see Luke''s brain, and a huge chunk of thetter''s skull was covered only by a thinyer of scalp.


    <em>I guess explorers really are people from all walks of life. To think that he''s still alive despite losing his brain.</em> Charles thought before withdrawing his gaze.


    The pressure on everyone''s heart grew heavier as time ticked by.


    Emma stared intently at the forest next to her as if she was looking for something. When her eyesnded on a small ckened patch of the forest, she immediately cried out, "Captain! We''ve arrived at the territory of those invisible creatures! We have to be careful!"


    Charles said nothing and nced behind him. The two vampires of the Narwhale morphed into their bat forms and circled the Narwhale with their maws wide agape, emitting sonic waves.


    Invisibility was useless against bats capable of echolocation.


    Momentster, the airships activated their countermeasures. Some airships were shrouded in a purple mist, while others seemed to be covered in powder. These were all ways to deal with invisible enemies.


    In the eyes of these explorers, the unknown was terrifying, as it was impossible to be prepared against it. In other words, as long as they had enough information about an enemy, these explorers would have dozens of ways of dealing with just about anything.


    "They''reing! Three! Starboard next to the smokestack!" Audric eximed.


    At his warning, the crew members on deck drew their weapons and sent a volley of attacks under Audric''s guide. A few crimson spots briefly appeared in mid-air as the crews'' attacks swept past the target location.


    Dipp''s figure vaporized into a mist just then, and the mist covered most of the deck in the blink of an eye.


    Clearly, Dipp had also received a blessing from Paiper, which had greatly enhanced his mist ability. This was proven by the spider-looking shadows in the mist, which seemed to be ever-changing as well to confound the enemy.


    Charles whipped out a ck spike and flung it toward the invisible creature, pinning it to the ground. They then proceeded to make quick work of the invisible creatures.


    When the invisible creatures were no more, Charles pointed at the forest next to him and asked, "Is there anything else in there aside from these invisible creatures?"

 Chapter 626: The Third Floating Island

    "Is there anything else in there aside from these things?" Charles asked. He had been observing the forest for quite a while now, and he discovered that it had quite a few living creatures. The forest was full of life.


    "There are others, but they''re not going to attack us as long as we don''t go inside the forest. We''ve already explored that forest, and we''ve found nothing useful inside of it," Emma replied.


    Charles'' heart was full of vignce as he stared at the tilted forest. Since the forest had already been explored, then there was no reason for them to risk their lives by venturing into it. It was better for them to stay away.


    Once the other ships were done dealing with their own share of invisible monsters, Charles ordered them to move to the left, steering clear of the forest.


    Although they were no longer concerned about the dangers in the forest, it didn''t mean that they werepletely safe, as there were many unknown dangers in the darkness.


    All of a sudden, an airship tilted. The airship had some sailors on deck when it tilted, and unfortunately, they missed the timing to grab the gunwale. The unfortunate sailors screamed as they plummeted to the ground below.


    The Narwhale and the nearby airships rushed to help the distressed vessel.


    "Audric, take your subordinate with you and see what''s going on!" Charles eximed.


    The two bats in mid-air flew toward the distressed and tilted airship. They circled it once before returning to Charles."Captain! The airship''s hull is covered with what looks like a swarm of insects!"


    The Narwhale descended, allowing Charles to see what looked like a pitch-ck carpet covering the hull of the distressed vessel.


    The swarm was made out of ck beetles the size of human heads. The beating of their wings generated a buzzing noise reminiscent of the noise a fly would make when they fly. It seemed that the beetles'' flight had tilted the distressed vessel.


    The beetles were pitch-ck in color, which perfectly melded with the dark environment, allowing them to remainpletely hidden from everyone''s eyes until now.


    <em>The sky above the darkness is indeed full of life, unlike the deste surface world down below,</em> Charles thought, staring at the pitch-ck hull of the ship.


    The next moment, long tentacles covered in radiant electric arcs rushed toward the distressed vessel. They crisscrossed across the vessel''s hull, creating a colossal made out of lightning.


    <em>Crackle!</em>


    The radiant white light of the lightning vanquished the darkness. When the white light vanished, the distressed vessel was no longer tilted, and the charred carcasses of the beetles drifted down like snowkes.


    Charles'' devastating attack had astounded everyone. In fact, some of them felt that Charles was strong enough to bepared to Julio.


    Indeed, the strength of the governor renowned for his active exploration status despite his achievements couldn''t be underestimated. The gazes of everyone on Charles contained not only respect but ayer of awe as well.


    "Don''t just stand there and watch! Keep ascending!" Charles eximed.


    At his remark, the mes in the smokestack heated up the air in the gas bag, and the Narwhale rose as the hot air inside the gas bags rose.


    The next leg of their exploration soon started. They encountered a few slight hups, but Charles and everyone else made quick work of those issues.


    After six hours of hard work, they finally reached the third floating ind. The third floating ind''s appearance was incredibly bizarre whenpared to the two inds down below.


    If those two inds were like eggs that had been smashed on the ground, then the third floating ind was an intact egg¡ªthe ind stood vertically and had an oval shape.


    The ind''s surface was an alternating ck and gray, making it look like a rotten, moldy apple. In fact, there seemed to be ayer of mold on it, which made it impossible to see what was inside the "egg."


    The tilted forest was connected to the bottom of the third floating ind.


    The crew of the Narwhale looked at Charles at this moment, awaiting his orders.


    Recalling the fate of the previous exploration team, Charles shook his head slightly and said, "We''ll let them explore first while we observe from the sidelines. They''ll serve as our scouts who will warn us of anything strange."


    The four ships learned what they had to do after a brief conversation through g semaphore. After a while, a rtively small airship emerged from Captain Luke''s the Undaunted[1]", and it was carrying a sailor as it flew toward the ind.


    It seemed that Luke hade up with the same idea as Charles, but instead of risking his entire ship, he decided to risk only one crew member by using them as bait against what could be out there.


    Under everyone''s gaze, the crew member orbited the ind for two and a half hours. Nothing strange happened even until his gas bag was starting to dete. He evennded on the ind, but he managed to return safely despite that.


    <em>This is weird</em>, Charles thought. The ind before him didn''t look like a death trap that had devoured many lives.


    <em>Swoosh! </em>


    Three people equipped with gliders flew toward the colossal floating ind.


    "Captain, I''m pretty sure those three are the unfortunate ones drawn by lots to basically sacrifice themselves for information," Second Mate Nico said. He was leaning on the gunwale with his elbow and was staring at the scene with an amused look that made him look like he was watching a y.


    With a monoscope in hand, Charles stared intently at the three figuresnding on the white "mold."


    The three figures had shriveled-up heads and were apparently immune to mind control. If the natives on the bizarre ind before them truly had mind control abilities, then those three would have no issues against them.


    Half an hourter, a rising plume of ck smoke could be seen from the ind.


    It was a signal, and an airship rushed toward the ind to fetch the three¡ªno, there was someone else with them. The signature white spacesuit and Feuerbach''s face were rock-solid evidence of the figure''s affiliation with the Foundation.


    The figure in the distance was an important clue, and Charles wasn''t willing to let them go so easily. He wasted no time and morphed into his bat form before making a beeline toward the distant airship.


    Charles even ignored the approaching Captain Luke as he charged at "Feuerbach" and shoved his prosthetic hand into thetter''s mouth. With a fierce tug, one of "Feuerbach''s" mrs was pulled out.


    <em>Smack!</em>


    Charles then pped "Feuerbach" twice in the face. "Where is your headquarters? Howe you people haven''t made any contact with the humans of the Subterranean Sea?"


    "Feuerbach" looked up and stared coldly at Charles as blood dripped at the corner of his mouth.


    "I don''t know," said "Feuerbach" with a mocking smile.


    Annoyed, Charles pinched "Feuerbach''s" little finger at the joint using his steel fingers. Then, he tugged fiercely at it and twisted, tearing the finger apart from its joint.


    "I have no time to waste with your bullshit! Just what exactly is above us? Did you fall from above or what? What exactly is going on? What did you encounter?" Charles asked.


    Despite the pain, "Feuerbach" showed no distress. Instead, he closed his eyes with a smile as if he were enjoying the suffering.


    Just as Charles was thinking about asking Anna toe over here and extract information from "Feuerbach''s" memories, Captain Luke, who had been watching from the sidelines, chimed in, "Governor Charles, I have a crew member who can perform hypnosis.


    "Perhaps he can help you find the answers you''re looking for straight from this guy''s subconscious."


    After a while, arge-framed bearded man wearing a red turban walked into the scene. He took off his red turban and took out a crystal ball from the hole in his head.


    Charles nodded and took half a step backward.


    A handful of an unknown powder was sprinkled on "Feuerbach''s" face, and therge-framed bearded man ced the crystal ball in front of "Feuerbach," while mumbling something.


    "Feuerbach" sneered at the scene, but his eyes eventually became dazed and dull.


    Therge-framed bearded man turned to Charles and beckoned with his hands.


    Charles then walked up to "Feuerbach" and asked, "Who are you?"


    "I am in all things. I am me, I am you, and I am him."


    1. The original idiom is ³Ë·çÆÆÀË. It literally means to ride the wind and brave the waves. It has the figurative meaning of to be unafraid of adversity, to move forward without fear, but it''ll be a mouthful to trante as is, so I decided to use Undaunted as well, which has the same meaning in English. ?

 Chapter 627: Landing

    Held down by two sailors, Feuerbach was forced to keen on the ground like an injured dog. Traces of blood could be seen from his saliva that was dripping slowly from the corner of his mouth. Hints of madness were evident on his face as he muttered iprehensible gibberish.


    <em>Has this Feuerbach been controlled by something on the ind? </em>Charles wondered as he turned his gaze toward the floating ind.


    Be it the tone of the words, this Feuerbach was evidently different from the clones they had met before.


    Seeing that "Feuerbach" was still staring at him, Charles pondered for a few seconds before approaching him in an attempt tomunicate.


    Regardless of the true identity of this "Feuerbach," he could use humannguage at the minimum. If he could use it, it could certainly speak it, and perhaps Charles would be able to pry some useful information from him.


    "Who are you?" Charles asked. "Is this ind your base?"


    "Hehehehehe¡­." "Feuerbach" lowered his head and let out a low chuckle but offered no answer to Charles'' questions.


    "Where did you find him? Were there any other strange urrences nearby?" Charles turned toward the three men who had brought "Feuerbach" aboard.


    Before anyone could answer, "Feuerbach" suddenly jerked forward and pushed himself out of the bulky space suit. Charles'' scalp tingled with warning as he spotted a cold glint near "Feuerbach". Instantly, heshed out with his tentacles.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    The naked "Feuerbach" crashed heavily against the airship''s smokestack beforending helplessly on the ground. Arge dent marked the metal surface where he had struck.


    A camouge-colored military knife ttered weakly onto the deck from "Feuerbach''s" hand. It was the source of the cold glint from earlier.


    Now, "Feuerbach"y limp like a heap of sludge on the ground. It was clear that his neck had broken from the impact, leaving himpletely paralyzed.


    "Hahahaha¡­ Well done! I love this better! It''s better this way¡ªbetter when it can''t move!" "Feuerbach" cackled maniacally.


    Witnessing the scene, Captain Luke gestured to his sailors. The sailors watching the show immediately step forward and tie "Feuerbach" up with thick ropes.


    He reached into his thick, ck beard and scratched his chin. He then cast a puzzled look at his crew member holding the crystal ball. "Seadog, what''s going on? Why is your hypnosis not working?"


    "Boss, my hypnosis is working fine. But this green-haired dude had gonepletely insane," Seadog replied as he tucked the crystal ball back into his skull and secured it with his red bandana.


    Just then, all of a sudden, "Feuerbach''s" eyes bulged, and veins popped up on his forehead. His face turned an rming shade of red as his features contorted in what seemed like extreme pain.


    <em>Ptui!</em>


    A bloody tonguended at Charles'' feet. "Feuerbach" opened his bloodied mouth and shed Charles a malicious smile.


    His seaweed-like green hair cascaded down the sides of his face, further amplifying his deranged appearance and making him seem like he had been possessed by a malevolent spirit.


    However, these small tricks were ineffective against Charles, who had been through countless expeditions. He was now more curious about what had turned this man into such a state.


    If possible, he would very much prefer that this "Feuerbach" had been possessed by a ghost and not something else.


    The next second, the malicious intent in "Feuerbach''s" eyes vanished to be reced by fear and panic.


    "Ah¡­ ahhh!! Ahhh!!" "Feuerbach" opened his blood-dripping mouth wide and shouted desperately at Charles. This time, his cry wasced with hints of pleading and urgency.


    "Hmm?" Charles'' brows knitted together as he walked up toward "Feuerbach". "Have you regained your sanity? What attacked you?"


    "Ah¡­ ahhh!! Ahhh!!" "Feuerbach" struggled violently against his restraints, seemingly trying to convey a message. However, his entire body was paralyzed, and his tongue had been severed; he had no means tomunicate.


    "Captain Charles, this guy has gone insane and has no value left. ording to our n, we would be docking soon to start our exploration. Do you have any instructions for us?" Luke asked.


    Charle scrutinized the "Feuerbach" that was shouting hysterically in front of him. He contemted for a brief moment before he rose to his feet. "Hold on, I''ll get my wife over first. There''s something about him that is different from his madness before. I need to know what''s going on in his mind. Maybe, there might be other important clues we can learn from."


    Charles then pushed off against the depth and flew toward the Narhwhale.


    As soon as Charles departed, a hint of annoyance shed across Captain Luke''s face. "Oh my goddess. This is such a nuisance." He then pointed at a random crew member on deck and said, "Hey, you! Do you have that relic on you? The one that can explore someone''s past? Use it on this green-haired guy."


    "Boss, it''s gone. That relic can only be used four times. We have used up the fourth time during thest exploration. It''spletely withered now."


    "Governor Charles is making a mountain out of a molehill. What clues could this guy possibly have?" Luke sighed andmented as he walked toward "Feuerbach", who was sprawled on the ground like a maggot.


    However, "Feuerbach" took on an entirely different demeanor when facing Luke. He thrashed violently, his eyes aze with fury, and a low, feral growl emanated from deep within his throat.


    "Fuck! What a lunatic! I''m not wasting any more time on this guy. Anyone got a smoke? My throat''s dry."


    Charles came back quickly. But when he arrived on Luke''s ship with his diary, he saw that "Feuerbach" was already motionless on the deck. The blood that oozed from his mouth had stained arge portion of the deck crimson.


    "He''s dead? How did he die?" Charles was stunned.


    "I had the ship''s doctor look at him. He died from excessive blood loss, and we couldn''t save him," Luke answered as he puffed on multiple cigarettes at once. He seemed to be trying to distance himself from any me.


    Charles inspected "Feuerbach''s" corpse briefly before turning to the crew and instructing, "Alright then. In that case, carry on with your n."


    "Governor Charles, are you noting with us this time?" Luke asked.


    Charles dug out the spider from his eye socket and casually tossed it onto the deck. "Just let it follow you. I''ll stay out here to keep watch. If you encounter any of those people in white spacesuits, remember to remove their poison mr first and bring them back to me."


    The ind was extremely dangerous. Without figuring out what was causing the crash of the previous exploration vessels, Charles had no intention of letting his crew take unnecessary risks.


    Soon, Captain Luke''s the Undaunted and another exploration vessel began to slowly approach the massive ind in the distance.


    The previous two exploration attempts had allowed them to realize that, at least so far, the dangers on the ind hadn''t shown themselves yet.

 Chapter 628: Dandelion

    Perched on the ship''s railing, the spider gazed downward. The ind''s web white expanse gradually grew closer, allowing Charles to discern the ind''s terrain at a closer proximity.


    The elliptical floating ind had depressions and forests. Itsndscape looked nothing different from that of an ordinary ind, save for the pervasive whiteyer covering everything.


    The exploration vesselnded with a loud thud. The impact kicked up the white material, causing them to swirl and dance in the air. They were so lightweight and dry.


    It was then that Charles realized that the "mold" he had thought earlier was actually simr to a dandelion as they drifted and scattered across the ind.


    The explorers descended from their ships via softdders and started to prepare for the uing exploration.


    After a brief exchange with the captain of the other ship, he led a team of five men and one woman toward the right side of the ind. They nned to split up and reconvene in three days.


    Charles briefly alternated his gaze between the two teams before willing the spider''s furry legs to scuttle after Luke''s group.


    The white dandelions nketed the entire ind, forming ayer thick enough to reach an adult''s waist.


    As a spider, it was challenging to maneuver through this environment. Eventually, Charles decided to have it leap onto Luke''s broad back and hitch a ride.Of course, Luke noticed the spider, but he didn''t react.


    Luke and his crew looked around vigntly as they scanned their surroundings for any potential threats Most of them carried at least one relic. From their appearance, those relics were clearly of offensive-type relics.


    Luke himself stood out the most. His shirt was unbuttoned to reveal his torso that was covered in spiraling tattoos. The ck ink on his pale skin seemed like it was moving.


    "Captain, how''s it looking over there?" A voice beside him caught Charles'' attention.


    Charles straightened up from his slouched position against the railing and turned to look at Second Mate Nico with his sole, remaining eye.


    "They had just disembarked and started exploring. They hadn''t found anything. Why?"


    "Since they''ve gone in, should we prepare to move too?"


    Charles shook his head. "No need. Get the exploration supplies ready and wait for mymand."


    He wasn''t out of his mind to go seeking death. Since there were others willing to scout the way, he wouldn''t let his own crew take unnecessarily risks.


    Judging from previous events, it was highly likely that there would be more of those Feuerbach clones on the ind. As long as they capture one, they would be able to extract fundamental intelligence on the Foundation from the clone''s mind.


    As for this familiar yet foreign organization, Charles''s understanding of them remained close to zero. Theck of knowledge didn''t spell good news of whether they''d be allies or enemies in the future.


    And looking at the Foundation''s exploration efforts, trying to get the exact coordinates of the darkness might be more efficient than just searching blindly...


    As the thoughts swirled in Charles'' mind, the spider eye shook violently to inform Charles that something was happening with Luke''s group. Charles quickly refocused his attention.


    A series of gunfire echoed through the white forest. They had now reached a segment of the forest where the nket of white dandelion-like fluff had grown thicker, reaching up to the chest of an average adult.


    Captain Luke''s face contorted into a snarl as he led his crew in a relentless assault on the white fluff covering the ground.


    Earlier, Charles'' attention was on Nico and the Narwhale, so even after shifting his focus back, he was not yet certain what exactly Luke''s group had encountered.


    "Fuck! Boss! That thing bit me!" A burly man wielding a double-barreled shotgun lifted his trembling right hand. Arge, triangr chunk of flesh was missing, and his bone could be seen from the wound.


    The clean-cut wound suggested that the weapon their enemies were using was incredibly sharp.


    As soon as hisst word fell, the woman in the ground let out a pain cry, her hand instinctively clutching her knee. Yet the next moment when she lifted her hand to check if she was bleeding, she realized that her hand had beenpletely cut off and blood was spurting out of her wrist.


    Chaos erupted and their situation turned dire. Every crew member was under constant attack.


    Luke immediately turned toward the man d in a ck robe, who was standing silently next to him. "Don''t just stand there! Release the bugs!"


    The sound of insects buzzing filled the air as ck wings emerged from beneath the ck-robed figure. The white nket of dandelion fluff gradually turned into a shade of ck as something seemed to be spreading amongst it.


    The moment all the surrounding white fluff turned ck, the attacks on the crew ceased.


    Charles controlled the spider to leap directly into the ck dandelion fluff. Immediately, he spotted the ck beetles that filled most of the gaps, making it impossible for enemies to run. The man in the ck robe had the power to control insects.


    "They''re not among the fluff; they came from elsewhere," the ck-robed man said as he slowly raised his hands. In response, the insects lifted the entire dandelion carpet


    Charles spotted it now; the ground beneath the dandelion fluff was riddled with uneven pits and hollows. The enemies that had been attacking the group earlier came from these burrows.


    Nodding silently, Charles pulled out his journal and pen to make detailed notes.


    After thetest attack, Luke and his crew became exceedingly alert and didn''t dare to let their guard down for even a single second.


    "Pearson, coat everyone''s clothes with No.9 toxin. Hurry up, don''t just stand there," Luke instructed; he was making preparations for the next potential ambush.


    Time ticked by as the group continued their exploration. The creatures from the ground continued to harass them from time to time but each attack became less effective as the humans adapted to their tactics.


    That night, they divided into two groups, one rested and the other ate voraciously.


    As Luke devoured the meat chunks within the can, his right hand slid under the woman''s shirt to knead her mounds.


    The woman, adorned with a gold nose ring, seemed unfazed by Luke''s actions and devoured her food just like the others. In addition, her previously severed hand had reattached itself somehow.


    Even as an experienced explorer, Charles couldn''t fathom how she had managed to do something like that.


    "It seems like there''s anotheryer beneath this ind. However, what''s down there can''t possibly kill the previous explorers. They must have encountered something else but I just don''t understand why those things haven''t appeared yet," Luke said to his crew.


    "Boss, it''s probably because we don''t have our brains so their attacks can''t work on us. That''s why they can''t even be bothered toe out," one of the men suggested.


    Luke let out a snort. "I''m not that optimistic. If we face an unsolvable problem, I''ll activate the Reversal Pendulum. All of you need to be prepared."


    Hearing this, the crew members swallowed their food and nodded with grave expressions.


    "The lucky guy who found the darkness has already received his reward from the governors. He''s now on his way back to the seascape to im his three inds. Guys, keep your game up! We''re next!"

 Chapter 629: Green

    After a short rest amidst the white forest, Luke and his crew continued their exploration of the bizarre floating ind.


    Time ticked by, and when they found themselves in one of the ind''s depressions, Luke''s expression turned solemn. He whipped around abruptly and looked intently behind him. "Wait, someone is watching us."


    Charles also felt like someone was staring at them, and the gaze wasing from behind a distant hill.


    "Third Mate, send a bug out there to check if someone is indeed watching us from afar. If that''s the case, then I want to see what they look like," Luke said.


    A small bee-like insect flew up from the ck-robed man, and it wobbled as it flew toward the hill.


    "Captain, I can see a hole in the hill, and it''s very dark inside. Do you want me to take a look inside?"


    Hearing that, Luke decisively gestured with his hands, signaling that he''d lead them to that hole in the hill.


    "Grab your weapons, just in case. The members of the Foundation are probably hostile toward us. If that''s the case, then just listen to mymands. When I say fire, open fire."


    Luke pushed aside the white nket of dandelion fluff, and they soon arrived before a ten-meter-high triangr hill. A hole with a diameter of two meters was on the hill. The walls within the hole were smooth¡ªsmooth enough for everyone to deduce that someone had smoothened out the walls.The hole was pitch-ck, and it was impossible to see the bottom of it from the outside. One of the crew dropped a bullet into the hole from the outside, and they only heard the bullet impacting the ground three secondster.


    <em>It seems that there''s a massive space just below this ind, and it must be filled with many tunnels like this hole. This ce doesn''t feel like it''s an ind; it looks more like a beehive.</em> Charles thought while staring at the hole through his spider eye.


    A tiny glint of light shed from the inside, and it told everyone that a living being was inside the hole.


    Luke reached out with his right hand just then and grabbed one of his crew members by the neck before throwing thetter into the pitch-ck hole.


    The crew member screamed in terror, but his screams faded away quickly as he vanished into the abyss. After about thirty seconds, Luke bent over and looked down into the depths, shouting, "Boatswain! How''s it going down there?! Are you still alive?! Is it safe down there?!"


    "Luke! You son of a whore, how dare you use me as cannon fodder!" the boatswain roared, and his fierce voice reverberated from the bottom of the hole.


    "Thanks for the reminder. My mother is actually a whore. Go to the harbor district of Redwood Ind, and you might still be able to do some business with her," Luke replied, and then he turned to look at the others. "Take out the ropes. It seems to be safe inside. We can go down."


    The way Luke interacted with his crew made the observing Charles feel quite surprised. He had no idea how Luke was still alive. A captain with that attitude out at sea would quickly get stuffed into a sack while they were asleep by their crew before being thrown out into the sea.


    The other crew members nced at each other before rummaging in their backpacks for the ropes and throwing those ropes down the hole.


    Witnessing their descent, Charles decisively followed them. Luke and his crew were taking on a tremendous risk by being around here, so why would he be afraid when he''d lose an eyeball at most if things went south?


    "What''s with that long face, kid?" Luke asked, grinning at the boatswain, whom he had thrown into the abyss just now.


    "Stay away from me, and don''t touch me! I''m quitting as soon as we''re out of here! I''m done working with you on your ship!" The boatswain eximed, ring at Luke with a gaze full of loathing.


    "Was it really that big of a deal? Anyway, how about this? I''ll lend you my woman for two days aspensation. That should be enough, yes?" Luke asked.


    Hearing this, the man subconsciously nced at the only woman in their exploration party. His eyes revealed the light of lust as his gaze fell on her alluring figure, but he quickly restrained himself.


    "I''m telling you this isn''t over," the man said, looking away with a cold face. He then took out a shlight to survey the surroundings.


    Luke revealed a contemptuous look before turning on his shlight as well.


    The beam from their shlights wept across the smoothened-out walls in the spacious hole, which was about the size of a ser field. They were in a dark enclosed space that made Luke and his crew''s voices echo.


    Luke and his crew scanned the surroundings with their shlights, and one of them soon found a small object on the ground to the east of the hole. Luke and the crew stood around it, pointing at it and guessing its identity.


    They didn''t recognize it, but Charles had recognized it instantly¡ªthe tiny object was a palm-sized drone. Charles deduced that the Foundation had to have used the drone for exploration purposes.


    In other words, they had explored this bizarre ind before.


    Luke and his crew talked for a while, but they couldn''t quite reach a unanimous answer. In the end, Luke took out a camera and snapped a few photos of the palm-sized drone before moving forward with the crew behind him.


    The tunnels connected to the hole seemed to be segmented, and walking down one of the tunnels would make one feel as if they were in the stomach of some kind of insect.


    Charles controlled the spider and made it hang upside down from the ceiling. Then, he followed Luke and his crew, observing their every move.


    <em>Click, click, click!</em>


    Faint noises abruptly reverberated throughout the tunnel. Everyone tensed up, fearful of what was toe, but nothing happened.


    Just as they were about to continue walking down the tunnel, the same indescribable noises echoed once again, and they sounded a little closer than before.


    <em>Whatever that thing is, it''s trying to lure Luke and the others, </em>Charles thought.


    Luke reached the same conclusion as Charles, but he showed no hesitation and led his crew toward where the sound hade from with a cigarette between his lips.


    The indescribable noises would echo from time to time.


    As they walked closer and closer to the noises, the surroundings narrowed, slowly transitioning from what seemed like an open za to a narrow tunnel. If enemies attacked from both behind and in front, they''d surely struggle to escape.


    Just then, Luke and his crew suddenly stumbled upon the signature white spacesuits of the Foundation as well as the clothes of previous explorers.


    The clothes were being propped up by tree branches and were "standing" upright. They were even swaying slightly, which made them resemble paper figures.


    The bizarre sight made everyone press their backs against each other as they looked around vigntly for any signs of enemies.


    Charles was away from the group and was hanging upside down from the ceiling, so he saw that there wasn''t anything around Luke and his crew earlier until the clothes had appeared out of thin air.


    All of a sudden, Charles felt an inexplicable tingling on his scalp. He realized something and controlled the spider to turn around slowly.


    A group of green humanoid monsters were perched behind him. They were also hanging upside down from the ceiling and were "staring" at Charles with their eyeless and distorted heads.


    They were humanoid, but their limbs resembled bamboo poles¡ªthin and long. Two pairs of arms were protruding from their torso as well, making them resemble a centipede, and their faces had no features aside from their terrifying maw.


    Charles had seen one of them before. "King" had one of them, and it had even torn off one of Charles'' right ear. However, the elongated creatures before him seemed a bit different from the one he had seen before.


    However, Charles reacted quickly and made the spider''s hairy legs push against the ceiling, making it leap toward Luke down below. He wanted to warn Luke and his crew about the presence of enemies on the ceiling.


    Unfortunately, dozens of elongated, emaciated hands grabbed the spider, snatching it out of mid-air.


    Just as Charles thought that the spider would be torn apart in the blink of an eye, one of the green elongated creatures stuffed the spider into their terrifying maw that resembled a bloody basin. It gently chewed on the spider a few times before spitting it out.


    Then, one of the elongated creatures pointed at the spider with its index finger before pointing at its noseless and eyeless face.


    <em>It''smunicating with me? Does it know that this spider is connected to my vision?</em>


    Realizing Charles'' confusion, the elongated creature used its finger to scratch the smooth ceiling, seemingly writing something.


    <em>Governor Charles...have you encountered them? Be careful¡­ they are very dangerous...</em>

 Chapter 630: Identity

    "Oh my goddess! Everyone, look above! Something has snuck up on us over there!" Luke''s terrified voice rang out, instantly stirring up amotion in the tunnel.


    mes spewed out of their guns, illuminating the dim tunnel. A rain of bullets struck the elongated creatures, leaving behind spots of purple blood on the ceiling.


    The elongated creature''s writing was interrupted. The twenty or so elongated creatures with terrifying maws resembling bloody basins lunged at Luke and his crew at speeds that made them leave afterimages in mid-air.


    Charles wanted to tell Luke and his crew to stop firing at the elongated creatures.


    The elongated creatures could clearly understand humannguage and could express their thoughts.


    Regardless of how they had acquired such abilities, what mattered was that they couldmunicate. If they were indeed the natives of this ind, then things would be convenient for everyone bymunicating with these creatures.


    Unfortunately, Charles wasn''t with Luke and his crew himself. He was just controlling a spider, which didn''t have a vocal tract.


    Moreover, the spider was still in the hands of one of the green elongated creatures, and Charles'' vision swayed left and right as the elongated creature moved violently.


    Realizing that things had be chaotic, Charles bared his ck fangs and bit down on the elongated creature''s finger, injecting the spider''s digestive fluid into the finger.The resulting pain made the elongated creature let go of the spider, but the elongated creature was moving so fast that the momentum sent the spider crashing violently against the floor.


    A tremor ran across Charles'' vision, and immense pain coursed through him.


    "Fuck!" Charles cursed, covering his empty eye socket with his hand, and his expression twisted in agony. His other eye was squeezed shut as he took the brunt of the agonizing pain.


    "Captain? What''s wrong?" His crew went over to him.


    Charles pushed them away and focused his attention on the spider. Charles could feel that three of his spider legs were broken, and the spider''s bulging silk nds had deted upon impact.


    Charles controlled the spider, making it crawl toward Luke, who was frantically attacking the elongated creatures.


    The spider had just reached Luke''s feet when the elongated creatures retreated abruptly, receding like a tide and vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye.


    Before the exhausted and panting crew members could make sense of what was going on, the sound of footsteps echoed from behind them.


    Charles and Luke''s crew members turned around. On the other side of the tunnel were dozens of people walking slowly toward them. Shockingly, the same green, elongated creatures from earlier were walking next to the group of people.


    They were all naked, and there were several Feuerbach clones among the crowd.


    "Hey, where the hell have you been? Those guys almost killed me," Luke said as he proceeded to light another cigarette.


    "Come on, can they even kill you? Anyway, why do you always smoke your cigarettes yourself without leaving even one for us to smoke? I really don''t know what to feel about that," a naked Feuerbach said. He stepped forward and casually snatched away the cigarette between Luke''s lips.


    Charles felt that something was amiss¡ªno, it wasn''t just him. Luke''s crew members all felt the same.


    "Boss, who are these guys? Do you know them?" the ck-robed man asked as he eyed the green, elongated centipede-like creatures behind the naked crowd of people. The insects beneath his robe squirmed, making his robe billow out.


    "<em>Ah, </em>let me introduce you to them," Luke said. He proceeded to light another cigarette before waving his hand at the green centipede-like creatures in the distance. "Hey! Hurry up ande over here. There are only six this time! The rest of you guys will have to wait until next time."


    Six green centipede-like creatures hurriedly stepped forward with anxious looks, but they got into a fight with the other centipede-like creatures. They were all raring to step up, but only six of them could do so this time, which led to a fight.


    The crew members were about to point their guns at the elongated, centipede-like creatures that had just attacked them earlier when their expressions abruptly rxed. They threw down their guns and grabbed a cigarette for themselves.


    In contrast, the green centipede-like creatures were horrified. They opened their terrifying maws to let out indescribable noises while trembling in fear.


    As Charles stared alternatingly between the green centipede-like creatures and Luke''s crew members, he was suddenly reminded of a few scenes, and a horrifying thought popped up in his mind¡ªa body swap!


    The elongated creatures that he had encountered earlier were humans whose bodies had been swapped with the green centipede-like monsters!


    Everything had gone ording to Luke¡ªno, the tongueless "Feuerbach''s" n. Yes, the one who died in the tongueless "Feuerbach''s" body was Luke''s consciousness, as he had swapped bodies with "Feuerbach"!


    Charles gnashed his teeth. He was about to open his mouth to warn his crew when a green hand reached out from behind him and picked up the spider.


    "Narwhale! Approach that ind!" Charlesmanded.


    The crew members on deck cast a surprised gaze at Charles'' abruptmand.


    "Captain, did you discover anything? Do you finally know the reason behind the explorers'' string of disappearances?" Nico asked, walking over with a long-stem cigarette between his fingers.


    Charles nced at the cigarette between Nico''s fingers before gulping a mouthful of his own saliva and saying, "Yes, and we found quite a few Foundation members along with their equipment. Anyway, let''s hurry up and go."


    Charles then turned to Dipp, who was squatting on the ship''s railings. "Use my authority as Governor Charles and signal at the airships next to us using g semaphore. Tell them to follow us. Hurry up and go."


    "All right!" Dipp readily agreed.


    Soon, the other two airships that had been hovering nearby approached the floating ind. The sailors on Captain Luke''s the Undaunted were puzzled to see the Narwhale hovering next to them. Why had they chosen toe down here?


    "What are you doing standing there in a daze? Hurry up and move! Your captain has found a major clue!" Charles ordered.


    Charles was the Governor of Hope Ind, and he was also one of the people who had started the n to save humanity. In other words, he was pretty influential.


    The sailors had no reason to doubt Charles, so they followed him unconditionally.


    "Captain, do all of them really have toe with us? The sailors, fine, but why do we need the cooks toe with us?" Dipp asked, scratching the gills on his neck.


    "Stop the nonsense. That thing down below is toorge, and we need as many people as possible to carry it out. I actually think that we need more people than this," Charles replied.


    Meanwhile, a glint of doubt shed in Bandages'' eyes, who was quietly staring at Charles'' figure from the sidelines.


    Lily was on Charles'' shoulder, and it seemed that she had the same suspicion as Bandages. She then proceeded to lift her tiny head and sniff at Charles.


    In response to Charles'' orders, everyone grabbed ropes and a variety of equipment in preparation to depart.


    Just then, a right hand wrapped in bandages reached out from the side, patting Charles on the shoulder.


    "Captain... I''m sorry¡­ about Ginny''s... death¡­"


    Charles turned and looked at his first mate in confusion. "Ginny? Who''s that? I don''t know anyone with the name Ginny. Did you remember something just now, and you''ve mistaken me for someone else?"


    Bandages shook his head slightly and lowered his hand.


    "Buddy, you''d best write down everything in a diary. It''d be a shame if you end up forgetting something that you just remembered all of a sudden," Charles said. He then proceeded to dish out more orders after his kind advice to Bandages.


    Lily ran up to Bandages and tugged at his bandages. She lifted her tiny head and softly asked, "Mr. Bandages, do you also feel that Mr. Charles is acting a bit weird? He''s always been weird, but his ''weirdness'' right now is different from usual¡­"

 Chapter 631: Swapped

    Bandages looked down at Lily on the ground and bent over to pick her up. "Wait... let me... test... a bit more..."


    While everyone was busy preparing the supplies and weapons for the uing exploration, Bandages probed Charles using a variety of questions.


    However, Charles answered every single question with no issues, regardless of whether it was about the crew or other mundane topics.


    Eventually, Charles found Bandages'' activeness today to be a bit abnormal, and he cast a doubtful gaze at thetter, asking, "Are you sure you''re okay? Do you want me to ask Linda to check on you?"


    Seeing Bandages shake his head and retreat, Charles looked at Lily on his shoulder with puzzlement before turning to the others to dish out more orders.


    With the exception of the two exploration parties that had departed earlier, roughly a hundred people from the four airships got ready for the uing exploration. There were so many people he had to order that Charles had no time to pay attention to his first mate''s strange behavior.


    Charles ran back and forth in the distance, checking the freshwater one moment and examining the relics the next.


    Lily''s round mouse ears swayed left and right as she stared at Charles, and then she shook her head, saying, "Mr. Bandages, we might be overthinking this. Charles has just arrived on the ind, so I don''t think that he''s already been influenced."


    Bandages nodded and put down Lily on the deck. He then turned toward the cabin and replied, "Perhaps... we really are... overthinking... but I still¡­ need to... be prepared..."The preparations were soonplete. Under Charles'' lead, the group headed toward the vast expanse of white before them.


    The Narwhale hovered above the group, serving as both a fortress and a defense against the relicfication of the explorers'' items.


    "Watch your steps. There are living creatures beneath that whiteyer," Charles reminded everyone down below as he stood on the deck of the Narwhale.


    "Captain, I think it''s a bit too risky to send every single one of us on this exploration. How about we leave a small group of people behind to report to the outpost?" Second Mate Nico asked, analyzing the situation rationally.


    "Am I the captain, or are you the captain?" Charles asked, staring indifferently at Nico.


    Nico''s brows furrowed slightly. "I''m just performing my duties as the second mate. I believe that this n is too risky."


    Charles shook his head and replied, "Luke and the others have already scouted the path for us. There''s no danger at all, and the Foundation members, along with their equipment, are just ahead of us. Anyway, did you bring enough rope? We''ll use the Narwhale to tow those items back with us."


    Realizing that it was impossible to convince Charles, Nico went silent. He shrugged and turned around to leave.


    Charles nced at Nico''s retreating figure before ncing at Bandages near the smokestack. Then, he quietly called Dipp over to him.


    "I have a task for you, punk. Tell your sailors to be wary against attacks among us. I feel like there''s something off with them, and it started when we got on the ind."


    Dipp''s eyes widened in great surprise. He followed Charles'' gaze and replied, "Really? Everyone looks normal, though."


    "Just do as I say. The sharp intuition that I''ve cultivated after years of exploration is telling me that something is amiss. Did you bring the ck spikes that I gave you before?" Charles asked.


    "Yeah, I brought them with me. Everything you''ve given me so far is here," Dipp said, flipping his webbed hand inside his sleeve, revealing three ck spikes.


    Charles had acquired quite a few ck spikes back then, so he distributed the extras to his crew. The ck spikes were powerful relics that only had pain amplification as a side effect, which was a win-win situation, considering their effect.


    "I even brought that red robe, and it can easily tear apart souls," Dipp added.


    "Great." Charles nodded with satisfaction and patted Dipp on the shoulder. "I want you to prepare those. If something unexpected happenster, kill who I want you to kill immediately, and don''t ask any questions."


    "Don''t worry, Captain. I''m definitely going to do that." Dipp nodded firmly. As Charles'' most loyal subordinate, he''d obey Charles'' orders unconditionally.


    Just like that, the roughly a hundred-person exploration party marched forward; the quiet environment covered in ayer of pervasive white made everyone''s nerves stretch taut.


    However, the majority of them felt at ease seeing Charles standing on the bow of the ship above. Charles was the Governor of Hope Ind, after all, and he was arguably one of the strongest explorers in the Subterranean Sea.


    Their chances of failing this mission were very low with Charles leading the way.


    Lily returned to Charles'' shoulder, also carefully looking around.


    "Lily, have the mice been sent out?" Charles asked.


    "Yes, they''re performing reconnaissance below thatyer of white on the ind, but they can only detect whether there''s something else hidden beneath the whiteyer," Lily replied.


    Charles turned to look at her Lily''s shining golden figure, and his brows furrowed, seemingly pondering something. A secondter, he cupped Lily and patiently said, "Things might get chaoticter, so I''ll tuck you into my pocket. Stay inside ande out only when I say that it''s okay toe out."


    "Okay!" Lily nodded vigorously, and she seemed happy to hear that Charles was concerned about her.


    "Great, that''s my good Lily," Charles said, kissing Lily''s furry head.


    Lily''s heart raced at the softness of Charles'' lips, and she felt shy as she covered her face with her tiny paws.


    Just as the smiling Charles was about to say something, a sharp mouse squeak abruptly echoed from the right side of the crowd.


    The Narwhale''s searchlight swung in that direction, exposing a three-meter-tall, green, centipede-like creature.


    The monster froze briefly, and then it tore off two branches of a tree and gestured rapidly toward the crowd using the tree branches. Everyone here was an explorer, so they immediately recognized the creature''s gestures¡ªg semaphore!


    Before anyone could decode its gestures, Charles abruptly waved his hand and shouted, "Attack! Attack now! Don''t look at its movements, or you will be beguiled!"


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang! </em>


    Gunshots echoed as soon as Charles'' words fell, and the green, centipede-like creature was torn apart by the bullets, forcing it to stop gesturing with g semaphore.


    The green, centipede-like creature fled in terror at the hail of bullets, but Charles sneered at the sight. He clenched his prosthetic hand into a fist, and an invisible tentacle covered in radiant white electric arcs rushed out of him.


    The next second, the radiant white light exploded, and sizzling noises echoed afterward. When the bright light disappeared, nothing was left aside from a twisted and charred corpse, which was still emitting a plume of ck smoke.


    Charles stood at the bow, looking down at the others below like a king gazing upon his subjects. "Everyone listen up. Do not approach them, and do not even try to understand what they''re trying to say. Treat them like monsters in the sea!


    "As soon as you understand what they''re trying to say, it means that they''ve already beguiled you!"

 Chapter 632: T

    Charles sprinted anxiously through the dark tunnel. He had finally gotten the hang of moving in this strange body, and he could easily hang upside down from the ceiling as if it were an innate ability.


    However, Charles couldn''t be happy about it at all. The fact that he was trapped in this monster''s body meant that the monster was inside his actual body.


    He had made a gross miscalction earlier. He thought sending only one eye to follow Luke''s exploration party was cautious enough. He could have never imagined that they''d be able to swap bodies with him despite capturing just an eyeball.


    Charles was extremely anxious. Who could say for sure what those creatures would do with his body, and who would know what it would do with his crew?


    Charles knew that he had to hurry over to his crew and tell them everything.


    Unfortunately, the elongated creatures had no eyes. They moved ording to the subtlety of the feedback that the vibrations coursing through the ground would send across their eight palms.


    Charles was moving rapidly through the dark tunnel, and as if he were a car in a car crash, he came to aplete stop in just a second. He had stopped, as he could feel something approaching him from up ahead.


    Thin white silk sprouted from Charles'' eight arms. The white silk was one of the green, elongated creatures'' weapons. Their silk was extremely sharp, and anything in its path would be instantly split into two.


    Thanks to the elongated creatures'' extreme speed, their silk was like swords capable of slicing through steel as if it were mud.All of a sudden, the vibrations up ahead vanished into nothingness. It seemed that what was up ahead had noticed Charles. Both sides remained motionless, seemingly at a stalemate.


    The other party had time to wait, but Charles had no time to waste. His people outside were surely being led by "Charles" step by step into a vicious trap. With that in mind, Charles raised his three right arms and grabbed the wall on the right to move slowly from the ceiling to the ground.


    When Charlesnded on the ground, the other party remained unmoving, so Charles was forced to kick off of the ground with his eight legs, sprinting toward the entity up ahead.


    <em>Scratch, scratch, scratch¡­</em>


    A series of scratching noises echoed, making Charles stop. The other party was writing something on the wall with their fingers.


    The auditory and tactile receptors of these elongated monsters were incredibly terrifying. Charles could even hear which direction each stroke was drawn from and how much force was used in each stroke.


    The pieces of information that Charles was able to gather from the noises were like puzzle pieces that he pieced together in his mind until a sentence in the subterraneannguage was formed.


    <em>Where are you going? Who are you?</em>


    It seemed that the other party was one of the humans who had fallen to those creatures and had their bodies swapped.


    "We have no time to waste¡­ where are the others? Tell them toe here as fast as possible. We will go and stop them together."


    "We can''t let those monsters swap bodies with the remaining crew. If they fall too, then mankind itself might go extinct even before the seawater floods the Subterranean Sea!"


    "They''re not going to go instinct. 1189-1 had run rampant twice in the Subterranean Sea, but the issue was always resolved in the end. Some ''things'' in the deep sea are capable of restraining it."


    <em>1189-1?</em> The strange naming convention made Charles discover the other party''s identity. "You''re a member of the Foundation? What''s your role in the Foundation?"


    "Before asking for someone else''s identity, shouldn''t you talk about your identity first? You''re talking to ady here as well."


    Charles was truly confounded. The other party didn''t seem anxious at all despite the dire situation.


    "Let''s converse while we walk. Hurry up. My name is Charles, and you should be able to recognize me just from my name alone," Charles wrote, and then he sprinted into the distance.


    The other party followed suit. ording to the subtleties in the vibrations that the other party was generating, it seemed that she had the same body as Charles, which was apparently 1189-1.


    "I don''t know any Charles. Anyway, a different group is supposed to interact with you, outsiders. You can just call me T." T ran on her six legs while rapidly scribbling on the ground as they ran across the tunnel.


    "Let''s discuss your affairster. Long story short, the 1189-1 you''ve mentioned has taken over my body, and I believe that it''s in the middle of luring everyone here. We have to stop it and warn my crew of 1189-1''s existence! I have to tell them that these green creatures are capable of swapping bodies."


    T quickly caught up to Charles'' side, and she sprinted alongside him.


    "I think you''ve misunderstood something here. First of all, you must know that these bodies that we''re using aren''t 1189-1. They''ve swapped bodies many times, as they can only reproduce through body swapping."


    "Secondly, you''re right. We can''t let it take over more bodies, as it will disrupt our n."


    "What n? Has the Foundation found the darkness? How far has your n progressed?"


    T immediately became wary at Charles'' words.


    "I can''t tell you anything ording to Protocol 3, and don''t even try to pry information from me."


    "Are you out of your mind? Why are you still keeping secrets when we''re in such dire straits?"


    "I''m not going to tell you even if it means saving my life. A protocol is a protocol."


    Charles wanted to say something, but he discovered an empty space up ahead. The hole that Luke and his crew had used to descend into this space from above was just ahead of them.


    Charles crawled out of the hole and sighed in relief upon noticing not even a single foreign vibration nearby. It was good news, as it meant that they weren''t here yet.


    <em>I can''t go and look for them. If I do that and we somehow miss each other, then things are going to go from worse to worst. I have to wait for them here, </em>Charles thought. Hey prone on the ground and buried his slender form amidst the vastyer of dandelion fluff.


    "Interesting," T said as shey prone next to Charles. "You''re not panicking despite suddenly finding out that you now have the body of a monster. In fact, you''re more worried about other people instead of yourself. If you were a Foundation member, you''d be qualified to be a special task force member."


    Sensing the vibrations next to him, Charles thought for a few seconds before replying, "Since you can''t talk about topics rted to the Foundation, then let''s talk about topics that you''re allowed to talk to others.


    "Where did the others go? What happened to those who had their bodies swapped as well?" Charles asked. He decided to obtain as much information as possible before the inevitable encounter.


    "They went up when they realized their plight. I''m sure they''ll encounter your people soon, but what they''re doing is useless."


    "Useless? Why would it be?"


    "Because 1189-1 knows that they''re going to do that. I''ve read its file, and it has an average IQ of 121, far exceeding the average IQ of humans. In other words, the majority of your people will most likely die," T replied in a matter-of-factly manner.


    Charles was disgruntled by T''s matter-of-factly reply, and he didn''t shy away from expressing his dissatisfaction, saying, "Are you even human, you selfish bastard? You knew that they''d die, and you allowed them to go to their own deaths?"


    "I tried to persuade them, but it was no avail. They don''t trust me at all. Besides, I''ve already sent a report containing the coordinates of the crash site through my intracranial chip. The Foundation will definitely send people to pick me up and dispose of 1189-1 here, so we just have to hold out until then."


    Swoosh!


    A powerful beam of light swept across the dandelion fluff above Charles. When Charles heard the voices of people talking to each other in the distance, he knew that it was time¡ªthey were here.

 Chapter 633: 1189

    The distinctive tremors of human footsteps could be constantly felting from a distance, each interval bing shorter and more pronounced in every passing second.


    Not only could Charles sense the number of people, but he could also hear the familiar hum of the Narwhale''s working turbines. There was also another airship beside the Narwhale.


    Soon afterward, he heard voicesing from afar. Charles recognized one of them as his own.


    "Hurry up, we''re reaching soon. Luke and the others are waiting for us ahead. Linda, prepare the medicine for treating external wounds. I saw that some of them were hurt."


    Hearing his own voice, a ball of fury surged within Charles. The monster was using his body to deceive his crew and lead them right into a trap.


    "Charles, I''d suggest you not rush out now. Right now, you''re just a monster in their eyes. Charging in like that is tantamount to suicide," T warned from beside Charles.


    "I know that of course. The problem is we have to warn them somehow as soon as possible. We cannot let them enter that ck hole. Wait, I have an idea. Follow me; I need your help."


    Making swift movement with his eight legs, Charles led T into the dandelion-like white fluff that nketed the ground.


    Meanwhile on the deck of the Narwhale, Dipp was cautiously observing the bizarrendscape beneath. He couldn''t fathom where all this white stuff hade from.The white nket reminded him of what Charles had once described as snow. Although he had never seen what snow looked like, he had seen Charles'' drawings.


    Suddenly, he spotted a triangr peak in the distance. Before he could report his observations, Charles pointed at it and eximed, "That''s the ce! We''re almost there. Full speed ahead."


    Charles''s words sent a tremor through everyone as they turned to look at the triangr hill and the ck circr hole beside it.


    "Wait¡­There''s someone¡­ there¡­" Bandages suddenly stepped forward and nced toward the left with a cold gaze.


    Just fifty meters away, arge mound of white dandelion fluff suddenly swelled before bursting apart.


    Two green creatures, towering at three meters each, ran in opposite directions, unfurling a giant woven from vines.


    <em>Stay away from your Charles! He''s a fake! The monster on this ind can swap bodies!</em>


    Those were the words Charles had woven with the vines.


    This was the n Charles hade up with to warn his crew. Once they saw the message, everything else would then fall into ce.


    Charles sprinted to the left at his fastest speed, trying to fully stretch the to reveal the full message. But the next moment, a hissing sound filled the air and he started convulsing.


    That was his own electric ability, but it was being controlled by someone else and had just been used against him.


    <em>Woosh!</em>


    Amidst the electrifying tremors, Charles felt a sudden warmth from his left. The vine had caught fire from the high voltage.


    "Those creatures are here again! Kill them all!" Dipp shouted and was the first to raise his weapon.


    A series of gunshots rang out and the bullets tore through Charles'' body, the impact sending him crashing into the sea of white dandelion fluff.


    Enduring the pain coursing through his body, Charles weaved through the white fluff and quickly retreated out of their attack range.


    Only when he could no longer hear the sound of gunfire, Charles finally had a moment to assess his injuries. Two of his eight arms were missing and his head was throbbing with a slight dizziness. He wasn''t sure if any of his vital organs were hit.


    After all, his internal anatomy was no longer like a human''s anatomy, so it was hard to tell where exactly the bullets had struck him.


    Fortunately, his new body seemed to have strong regenerative abilities and the injuries he suffered would likely heal soon.


    "What have I told you before? I said your n wouldn''t work," T said as she approached Charles from behind him. She was also injured, but her wounds appeared less severe than Charles''.


    Charles slightly shook his deformed green head. "It''ll work. I can feel that someone already has their eyes on us. And one of them is my first mate, Bandages."


    T inserted her long fingers into one of Charles'' bleeding bullet wounds and dug the bullet out. "It will only raise his suspicion at most."


    "That''s more than enough. I trust Bandages. Once he harbors even the tiniest hint of doubt, he will definitely be able to expose that fake Charles. My crew are strong explorers."


    "I hate to burst your bubble but I''m sorry to say that your crew might not be able to tell the difference. The moment 1189-1 possesses a new host, it willpletely inherit everything from them including but not restricted to memories, abilities, and even personality.


    "In other words, he might not be fake. Apart from having different motives, there''s almost no difference between him and the real Charles."


    Charles'' heart sank upon hearing T'' words. "What else do you know about this 1189-1?"


    "My role is mainly involved in theory and research. I''m not very familiar with the experiments themselves. But the general conclusion is that 1189-1 is self-evolving and self-learning. You can even say that it can undergo metamorphosis.


    "Given enough time and enough brainwork, it can evolve into different subspecies with varying abilities. It escaped during the EK apocalypse back then and has had so many years to evolve. I''m not sure of its current evolutionary status."


    This was definitely not good news for Charles. His heart grew increasingly anxious at the thought of his crew''s current situation. Forcing himself up, he dragged his injured self toward the ck hole.


    "Let''s go back and see if Bandages has done anything."


    "Fine. But we can only observe from a distance. Given the high risk as seen from your previous attempt, I won''t be participating in any more of your ns," T replied.


    As Charles'' moved his battered figure, his wounds tore and throbbed in pain. However, he couldn''t afford to stop. He decided to talk to T in an attempt to distract himself.


    "So what kind of project is 1189? Why can it create these monsters?"


    "1189 is a cisterna the size of a swimming pool. It can''t move at all, but it has immense power. You can think of it as earth in a mental domain. The creatures you encounter, known as 1189-1, are its inhabitants,¡± T exined.


    "This also exins why no matter how many subspecies 1189-1 produces, all of their abilities are rted to the mental and cognitive field.


    "As far as I know, I''ve heard of subspecies that can swap bodies, create multiple personalities, consume consciousness as sustenance, or even create a new self-aware entity based on their surroundings.¡±


    "<em>Hah. </em>What a variety. Let me guess, all these subspecies were created through the Foundation''s experiments on 1189, right?"


    T didn''t deny Charles'' words. Instead, she changed the topic. "You seemed to know a lot about the Foundation. I''m curious about your identity."


    "Ask your colleagues. The undercover agent you nted by my side followed me around for about five years. He knows everything about my origin."

 Chapter 634: Warning

    Charles was referring to Feuerbach. However, given that Feuerbach was one of the clones in the Foundation, it was highly likely to be a fake name.


    Feuerbach knew everything about Charles, and by extension, the Foundation would be fully aware of his background too.


    Charles wasn''t particrly worried about this. Compared to the chaotic ongoing issues in the Subterranean Sea, his identity as someone who had transmigrated from a thousand years ago wasn''t that significant.


    "If I get the chance, I''ll look you up in the centralputer," T said before suddenly shouting. "Hey! Charles! Stop! They''re right ahead. If you go any farther, they''ll see you."


    Burying himself into the white dandelion-like fluff, Charles felt as if all his energy had been sapped out of him. His injuries were still constantly gnawing at his nerves.


    However, he couldn''t afford the time toment over his pain. The vibrations of footsteps and voices from the distance indicated a tense situation.


    "Bandages, don''t overthink this," Swapped Charles began. "I''ve told you before. Don''t try to understand these monsters. Everything they do is to try to beguile you. Besides, I could answer all of your questionsprehensively.


    "So what''s there to doubt? Look, I haven''t even left you guys for a single second. How could I be influenced by anything? If you are doubting me, then you might as well doubt everyone here because we''ve all been together this whole time.


    "If we continue harboring suspicion for one another, our entire group will just fall apart soon," Swapped Charles said, and a trace of annoyance flickered across his visage. Bandages silently observed his captain. Suddenly he extended his hand, a ck thorn appearing in the middle of his palm. "I¡­ want to¡­ see¡­ your blood."


    A hint of rage crossed Swapped Charles'' face. Instantly, a sharp spike materialized in his hand, and he shed it across his own palm. Droplets of crimson blood fell, slowly dyeing the white dandelion fluff on the ground red.


    "Is this enough? Bandages, stop wasting time. Don''t forget where we are now. And don''t forget I am the captain of the Narwhale!"


    Ignoring Charles, Bandages dipped his finger into the blood and pointed it toward Linda.


    The bald ship doctor licked the blood off Bandages'' finger and swallowed it before reporting, "Everything''s normal."


    d in his red beast hide, Dipp stepped forward with Norton and his group of sailors. He red at Bandages with apparent hostility.


    Noticing Dipp''s icy re, Second Mate Nico stepped out of the crowd and pulled Bandages back.


    "First Mate, let''s stop. The captain is really angry," Nico whispered.


    Bandages remained in his spot. He lifted his head and scanned the various faces looking at him. Suddenly, he took a step back to indicate that this was the end of his suspicions.


    However, truth to be told, he hadn''te to terms with his own doubts. However, no one had taken his side, so there was no point in insisting on his opinion.


    "Buddy, your condition is worsening. Maybe after this expedition, you should take some time off after we return," Swapped Charlesmented before turning toward the distant ck hole.


    "Everyone, prepare the explosives!" Swapped Charles started to give instructions. "Blow open the entrance so that we have a clear way outter. Bring down the softdder from the Narwhale. We''ll use it to descend. Move quickly!"


    As the crew busied themselves with the preparations, Charles, who was observing the situation from three hundred meters away, grew increasingly anxious.


    As the Captain of the Narwhale and the Governor of Hope Ind, he held absolute authority. Even if Bandages was suspicious, he couldn''t oppose Swapped Charles, as the rest of the crew was under his control.


    For the first time ever, Charles felt a pang of resentment toward this authoritarian setup.


    A sharp pain abruptly erupted from his severed limbs, making Charles wince in agony.


    "Fuck!" Charles desperately wanted to do something, but there was nothing he could do in this situation. He knew that in his current body, even if he were to charge in, he would just end up suffering a swift death at the hands of his far more powerful self. Against the formidable Level 12 Swapped Charles, his current battered monstrous form was no more than an ant.


    <em>Don''t get worked up. Stay calm. The more critical the circumstances, the calmer you should be. Think. Is there any way to turn the tide around? </em>Charles thought as he tried to suppress the panic and fear within him.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A violent tremor shook the ground; Charles felt it too well. The hole''s entrance had been blown open, and the crew was preparing to descend.


    <em>Think! In the current situation, there must be a way to counteract that monster and escape this trap!</em>


    <em>Squeak¡­ Squeak squeak!</em>


    A peculiar sound was approaching. Charles recognized it soon enough¡ªit was one of Lily''s mice.


    "Mouse? Mouse!" Charles lunged forward and before the mouse could sound a warning, he grabbed it in his hands.


    Feeling the mouse''s soft, furry body, a sudden idea emerged in Charles'' head.


    If he couldn''t get close to the humans, then why not use the mice to influence the others? After all, Lily''s mice were exceptionally intelligent.


    Charles rapidly cleared off arge patch of white fluff. Holding the mouse in one hand, he used his two other hands to quickly draw a simple sketch on the ground.


    With simple,ic-like illustrations, he conveyed the events to the mouse.


    "I''m the real Charles. The one in that body is a fake! Do you understand what I''m drawing?"


    As the mouse nodded repeatedly, Charles felt a surge of relief rising within him.


    "Even if you don''t believe me, it''s fine. Go back and find Lily. Get her to secretly open my diary and summon Anna. She can determine who the real one is. That imposter''s memory will surely contain traces of 1189-1."


    The mouse was then ced back down on the ground. It let out a soft squeak before disappearing into the nket of white dandelion-like fluff. Soon after, a crowd of mice surrounded Charles. They were the ones sent out for reconnaissance


    They circled his drawings and writings, trying to take in the information.


    "Stop looking! Go quickly! They''re about to go down!"


    At Charles''s urging, the mice scattered in a flurry.


    Charles waited in anxious anticipation for the mice''s return. From the distant vibrations, he could feel that his crew had already started lining up to enter the ck hole.


    Just as Charles felt that the vibrations of footsteps were growing fainter, a few mice scurried back. They surrounded Charles and continuously squeaked to convey something. However, Charles couldn''t understand them.


    "They said that Lily has been put into Charles'' pocket and can''t hear them," T suddenly voiced out.


    Every n that he could possibly had was countered perfectly by his imposter. After all, who would know Charles better than himself?


    The next moment, Charles suddenly froze. "Wait, T. You can understand them?"


    "I told you before; I do theoretical research. These ALB/c strain mice were bred for our experiments. Out of the 30,000 to 40,000 genes they possess, about 90% of them are highly simr to that of a human.


    "Later, we realized there was no need to use mice. We could just use real humans instead."

 Chapter 635: Suspicion

    Using a clean, white handkerchief, Nico covered his nose as he stared disdainfully at the st site before him. When the sulfuric smoke cleared up, the previously narrow two-meter-wide ck hole had been reced by an opening asrge as a house.


    The softdder from the Narwhale was gradually lowered into the tunnel, and the crew members lined up, taking turns to descend.


    Aside from the various essential supplies, the turbine team was also carrying a strange airbag made from bloodied flesh. The item was designed to prevent objects in the vicinity from relicfication.


    Just as Nico was about to follow the group, Bandages intercepted him.


    "Is there something you need, First Mate?" Nico asked.


    "Do you¡­ really think¡­ the Captain¡­ is fine?"


    "Why wouldn''t he be? He''s been with us the entire time and has never left," Nico replied as he raised both hands and absentmindedly inspected his manicured nails against the distant shlight''s glow.


    "No¡­ I can feel¡­ the doubt¡­ in your heart¡­ you''re¡­ also suspicious¡­ of him¡­"


    Bandages wanted to say more but he suddenly stopped and turned to climb down thedder.A couple of secondster, Dipp emerged from behind Nico. His gaze carried hints of suspicion as he questioned, "What was Bandages telling you just now?"


    "Nothing much. He confessed his love to me, but I rejected him. I prefer men with bigger pecs. Of course, the prerequisite is that they must be handsome."


    "Though I have no idea what he said, I''m certain that''s not all that he said. Remember, Charles is our captain. We only need to carry out his orders as he instructed," Dipp reminded.


    "Young man, I''m nearly twice your age. Also, you are the boatswain, whereas I''m the second mate. Regardless of age or rank, I don''t need you to tell me what I should or shouldn''t do," Nico retorted nonchntly.


    "Don''t you mess up Captain''s ns, especially in this bizarre environment," Dipp responded, giving Nico an icy re before he turned to leave.


    Staring at Dipp''s retreating back view, Nico called out, "I know you''re loyal. But how are you so sure that he''s your captain?"


    "I was the police chief for three years and am very sensitive to details. From his tone to his memories, he''s definitely Charles! If he were an imposter, I''d be the first to know," Dipp shot back.


    Meanwhile, Charles''s heart sank as he heard the distant tremors get increasingly faint. Ignoring T''s words, he hurriedly brought the mice and T with him toward the ck hole.


    By the time they had carefully reached the base of the triangr hill, there were no more tremors or sounds in the vicinity. The only thing left was a massive, funnel-shaped opening.


    Charles knew what was lying in wait beneath, but he had no choice but to go down. Time was running out, and 1189-1 was waiting for them with a trap within.


    Disregarding the pain coursing through him, Charles dashed in and sprinted as fast as he could.


    Fortunately, the crew wasn''t moving too quickly. Soon, Charles felt the distant vibrations again. However, those vibrations were starting to pick up in pace; the crew was now advancing at a run. At their pace, they would soon encounter the other 1189-1 entities.


    <em>I have no time! I need to do something! </em>By this point, Charles couldn''t think any deeper. Using his sharp ws, he carved two Chinese characters, "ÕæµÄ" (real), into where his eyes were supposed to be.


    Beside him, T remained silent as she sensed everything he was doing. "If you charge in now, you will really die. You can stay with me until our ship arrives. We can easily deal with all the 1189-1 entities."


    "The problem is this isn''t just about me; it concerns my crew members too. What if their bodies get swapped too? The entire surface exploration n will be in jeopardy! You have no idea what this entire expedition means for the people in the Subterranean Sea!"


    "Don''t worry. The Foundation can solve this problem."


    "Screw you and the Foundation! If you guys could retrieve the darkness, it would have been done already!"


    Without another word, he scrambled up to the ceiling and pressed his long green abdomen against it before scurrying forward like a rocket.


    The suddenmotion overhead had several crew members swiftly sweeping their shlight beams toward the source of the sound.


    The next moment, everyone saw a strange green blur skittering swiftly along the ceiling as it tried to dodge the lights.


    The creature then abruptly stopped under the re of all the shlights. Its sharp limbs began scratching something into the ceiling.


    "This damn thing again! Why is it always haunting us like a vengeful spirit!" Swapped Charles cursed through gritted teeth as he raised his steel prosthetic limb toward the creature.


    Just as transparent tentacles rapidly sprouted out of the creature, a bandaged hand grabbed Charles'' prosthetic limb. "Wait¡­ Something feels¡­ off¡­"


    Swapped Charles'' face turned dark as he turned toward his first mate with a scowl on his countenance. "What are you saying? In the face of a monster that can manipte minds, you are choosing to trust it over me?"


    "No¡­ I don''t trust it¡­ I just think¡­ its words are right¡­"


    Bandages lifted his gaze and stared at the carved words on the rock ceiling.


    <em>You can choose not to trust me but let Annae over. She can determine who the real Charles is.</em>


    The corners of Charles'' lips curved upward into a slight smirk as he slowly reached into his coat. "Sure, let''s have Annae over. I''m really not¡ªDipp! Now! He has beenpletely beguiled by the monsters!"


    In a sh, Dipp turned into his misty blue form before materializing behind Bandages. With the ck spike in hand, he aimed it at Bandages'' heart.


    The thirty-centimeter ck spike plunged deep into Bandages'' back. However, Dipp''s expression froze. He gripped the ck spike tightly and shed through, shattering Bandages'' upper body.


    However, there was nothing within it; it was just a wooden shell.


    The next second, the ground split open, and a massive tree root sprouted, writhing as it emerged. The thinner sturdy roots twisted and writhed like a nest of serpents as they snaked toward Swapped Charles.


    "Traitor!" White arcs of electricity instantly surrounded Swapped Charles as he effortlessly leaped onto one of the roots.


    The powerful lightning effortlessly fried the roots, causing them to curl up, turn ck, and emit smoke.


    A cold smirk spread across Swapped Charles'' countenance. He knew that everything would have been fine if Bandages hadn''t made a move.


    However, Bandages had made his move, so the others would surely not trust him anymore.


    Just then, Swapped Charles felt something moving beneath him. He quickly shifted his gaze toward the source of the noise.


    It was a thin, green hand, and it had already reached into his coat pocket and grabbed the journal!


    "Think you can get it just like that? No damn way!" With a single thought, white arcs of electricity enveloped Swapped Charles'' entire body.


    A sharp cry of pain pierced through the air as Lily''s voice cried out from Charles'' pocket.


    "It hurts! Mr. Charles! It hurts a lot!"


    "Lily, endure for a moment. I''ll get rid of them soon enough!" Swapped Charles'' gaze glimmered with traces of excited malevolence as he watched the green centipede in front of him twitch and convulse. He was going to fry this thing to a crisp!


    Suddenly, three ck spikes shot out from the side, forcing Swapped Charles to take two steps back. The spikes had been thrown at him by Dipp.

 Chapter 636: Nothing

    "You''re an imposter! You''re not my captain!" Dipp shouted with a grave expression, and he moved to stand next to the green centipede.


    "What makes you think I''m not Charles?"


    Just then, he saw a faint smile ying on the monstrous maw of the green centipede before him. The creature used its twitching fingers to quickly scribble a line of text on the ground.


    "No matter how well you try to imitate me or snatch everything of mine. There are some things that I possess that you''ll never have. Because the real Charles would never harm Lily."


    "That''s right¡­" Bandages slowly emerged from the ground and stood next to the green centipede.


    "Lily is Captain''s most beloved pet. An imposter like you would never know how much the captain has sacrificed just to save her," Cook nck added, rubbing his nose.


    Gradually, the crew of the Narwhale distanced themselves from their supposed captain, leaving arge, empty space around him.


    Seeing the Narwhale''s crew actions, the others who had descended from the other airships followed suit. They whipped out various relics and weapons, pointing them at their former leader.


    "Heh, heh, heh..." Swapped Charles let out a dry chuckle. With a flick of his right hand, he produced a thin cigarette and ced it between his lips.Grabbing the tip between his two fingers, a spark of electricity lit the cigarette.


    Nico suddenly froze at the sight. He reached into his own pocket and realized that his cigarettes were gone.


    "Not bad, Charles. You actually set up a trap for me. Your intelligence has finally grown beyond just decoration!" Swapped Charles pulled Lily out of his coat pocket and nonchntly threw her onto the ground.


    The 1189-1 possessing Charles'' memories knew clearly that it was pointless to try to threaten everyone with Lily. The power suppressed within Lily was a major hazard and could explode if he made a wrong move.


    Fortunately for him, the little mouse couldn''t quite control that power yet.


    "We have foiled you and your allies'' n! You are all doomed!!!" Charles shed threerge exmation marks into the ground with his sharp ws.


    However, Swapped Charles slowly blew a smoke ring into the air. His visage showed not even a sign of panic.


    "Foiled? What a joke! Do you think we have managed to survive for so many years in this ce just purely relying on the ability to swap bodies? We''re far more powerful than you can imagine."


    As he spoke, footsteps echoed from a distance and soon grew closer. The previously swapped humans trailed after a swarm of green centipedes and appeared from behind Swapped Charles.


    "Turn off all the lights! They need visual and tactile contact to swap bodies!!" Charles swiftly shared the intel he had learned.


    With a flurry of clicks, the light beams from the shlights were extinguished, plunging the tunnel into darkness once again.


    However, the darkness didn''tst long as gunfire and grenade explosions intermittently lit up the space. Chaos erupted as the two sides shed in a heated battle.


    A figure dashed into the center of the battlefield. "Bring it on! Let''s test out the true power of Captain Charles!"


    With a sh of white light, his body crackled with electricity as he jumped into the throng. His transparent tentacles extended from his hands and turned into lightning whips.


    <em>Snap!</em>


    With eachsh, anyone who came into contact with the whip convulsed violently as smoke emitted from their forms.


    "Look at this! Quick! Your power might not be very useful for exploration, but it''s so efficient for killing!" Swapped Charles'' voice carried a hint of madness.


    Suddenly, two sharp ck spikes flew through the air with a swoosh and pierced through the transparent tentacles protecting Swapped Charles.


    Before he could taunt his attacker, a sudden sense of suffocation hit him. A cloud of blue mist was blocking his airway. It was one of Dipp''s abilities, and the mist continued to plunge deeper into his throat.


    When he finally managed to manipte his tentacles to push Dipp out of his windpipe, ck vines started sprouting out of the ground and continued to wrap around him.


    The nts appeared to be highly resistant to electricity, and he couldn''t easily set them on fire with his lightning ability. He could only use his transparent tentacles to fend them off.


    Just then, a sh of green darted past him, and a sharp ck spike pierced his abdomen.


    "Hahaha! Interesting! Bring it on! Kill me! If I die, your body will then be utterly useless. You''ll be doomed to be trapped in that deformed monster''s body forever!" Some of Charles'' madness seemed to have rubbed off 1189-1, as he appeared indifferent to the prospect of death.


    Hearing those words, everyone halted their attacks for a split second. 1189-1 immediately took this perfect opportunity to counterattack.


    "Everyone, disy your true strength! The captain had made his stand! It doesn''t matter if he can''t get his body back. It''s just a vessel, after all!" Dipp''s voice resonated through the battlefield, turning the tide of the situation once again.


    The Narwhale crew was well acquainted with Charles'' abilities, and their coordinated effortspensated for anyck of individual strength. As the battle continued, both sides were evenly matched.


    However, as the battle prolonged, the lightning arcs surrounding Charles'' body were growing faint. Being incredibly potent, it also meant that evoking such powers was extremely energy-draining and, as a result, unsustainable.


    During a brief lull in 1189-1''s attack, Linda suddenly phased out from the ground right beneath Swapped Charles'' feet. She thrust her arm straight into his abdomen.


    Apanied by a whoosh, transparent tentacles whipped toward Linda, but as soon as they came into contact with her body, they passed right through her and fell to the other side. It was as though her entire form was merely an illusion.


    "Thanks! It''s really not wise to destroy the captain''s body, but that''s not our goal anyway."


    With that, Linda swiftly retracted her hand; she had grabbed the diary from Swapped Charles'' pocket.


    With the diary in hand, Linda disappeared into the ground again. A few secondster, she re-emerged and the diary was ced into the hands of the real Charles.


    Seeing this, 1189-1 panicked. It frantically rushed over, trying to reim the diary.


    However, the other crew members threw out attacks relentlessly to stop its approach.


    A smile appeared on Charles'' monstrous face. He scrawled a line of text on the ground: "I don''t have anything right now, but I still have my crew."


    With that, Charles flipped open the diary and tapped on the portrait of Sparkle.


    Secondster, Anna''s ck scaly tentacle reached out from the page before her form climbed out.


    The moment her gazended on the green centipede, she was taken aback. "Charles, what kind of mess have you gotten into this time?"


    Immediately, she noticed something else and turned to look toward Charles'' body.


    "Two consciousnesses of Charles? Wait. No¡­ let me see¡­" Anna muttered. Her elegant brows furrowed as she touched her chin with her delicate, pale fingers. Her bright eyes scanned the faces of the surrounding crowd, seemingly reading through everyone''s memories.


    At this sight, 1189-1 appeared terrified as panic surfaced on his face. He quickly turned and began to retreat, shouting, "Bring in the big guy. There''s an emergency!"


    Anna ced a hand over her mouth and let out a chuckle. Cradling Charles'' green, deformed head, she nted a kiss on it and said, "Honey, your body has run away. Wait here, I''ll get your body back for you. Don''t worry, I''ll be quick."

 Chapter 637: Monster

    In the dimly lit tunnel, Anna was just about to take a step forward when a green hand reached out and grabbed her. It was Charles in his swapped monstrous form.


    "Wait. Don''t go after him. He might be faking it; it could be a trap."


    The corners of Anna''s lips curved upward into a faint smile. She gently traced the scars on Charles'' face with her fingers. "Then, do you n not to take back your body anymore? Even though it''s battered, it''s still usable, no?"


    Before Charles could express his opinion, Anna continued, "Don''t worry. I''m quite skilled in dealing with them. After all, we used to be rtives. That guy is like an open book to me."


    With that, Anna struggled out of Charles'' grasp and sprinted down the tunnel after 1189-1.


    As she ran, her alluring, slender legs split open, giving way to several ck tentacles. They writhed and propelled her forward at an incredible speed.


    Just as Charles was pondering over the meaning of Anna''s words, Norton, who was standing nearby, suddenly had a change in expression. He brandished his ck-shelled handgun, aimed it at Charles'' dark green body, and repeatedly pulled the trigger.


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    Despite his swift reaction and agility, Charles was still hit by two bullets.The next moment, thorny vines climbed onto Norton and coiled around him, subduing him.


    "Quick! Restrain him! Those things have taken over his body! Linda, tend to the captain!"


    The sudden chaos made the crew forget about Anna''s descent into the tunnel.


    Even without light, 1189-1 still managed to infiltrate their ranks through body contact. 1189-1 had taken over their bodies and had turned them against each other.


    The Narwhale joined the fray under the lead of the first mate and the second mate.


    The battle intensified with each passing second, and both sides were evenly matched.


    However, there was a slight sense of relief among the humans that the most powerful among them, Charles, was no longer among them. Even if the monsters had taken over the bodies of some of them, the damage those monsters could inflict was limited.


    In the corner of the tunnel, Linda knelt on one knee as she carefully inserted her hand into Charles'' bloody, mangled gunshot wound and meticulously searched for the bullet.


    The bullets from Norton''s gun were hollow points. They created only small entry wounds, the size of one''s fingertip. However, they''d expand and create a wound the size of two fists upon entering its target.


    For the average human, a single hit from a hollow-point bullet anywhere on their body would be a death sentence, which meant that a coffin had to be prepared soon.


    With a soft plop, the bloody bullet was tossed onto the ground. Linda quickly pulled out a scalpel, cut open the wound, cleaned it, and sutured the blood vessels.


    "Captain, your current body isn''t human, so regr anesthetic probably won''t work. So please bear with it."


    Charles shook his green, deformed head. "It''s okay. This body isn''t that fragile. A quick treatment will do. Go and help the others first."


    Just then, T, who had disappeared earlier, reappeared and approached Charles. "Tell your people to hurry up. We can''t oust them; we need to end this as quickly as possible."


    Feeling thest of his wounds stitched up, Charles pushed himself onto his feet. "Don''t just talk; take action, too!"


    "Of course, I''m taking action and helping. Sometimes, strategy is more important than actualbat," T replied.


    As soon as her words fell, Charles felt a distinct vibration from the ceiling above. He recognized the sensation immediately. Those were the green centipede-like creatures that had been body-swapped earlier; T had managed to gather them all.


    "Let''s go! Finish them off!" Charles pushed off with his slender limbs, and his sharp ws extended from his arms. Then, he charged into the battlefield along with T and the other green centipede-like creatures.


    The monstrous forms of Charles and his allies possessed no eyes, so they held a significant advantage in the darkness.


    With the new reinforcements,bined with the understanding of their enemies'' bizarre abilities, the scales of the battle began to tilt in favor of Charles and his group.


    Charles opened his monstrous maw, and with a sickening crunch, he tore off the head of the human before him.


    He had just spat the head,plete with the windpipe, onto the ground and was going to assist elsewhere when he noticed that the other areas were already gradually quieting down.


    Various noises and vibrations constantly reached Charles, allowing him to clearly sense his surroundings.


    The bodies controlled by the 1189-1 entities were either dead or subdued. In this skirmish, the humans had emerged victorious.


    However, they suffered significant damage, too. The tunnel was thick with the stench of blood and gunpowder, and groans of pain constantly echoed within the darkness.


    "Bandages, do a headcount. Treat the wounded." In his current form, Charles couldn''t handle these tasks personally.


    "Mr. Charles¡­? Is it really you?" The timid Lily stood at a distance and gazed over at Charles'' green, elongated form.


    Charles nodded and extended one of his long, green fingers toward her.


    Lily subconsciously took a few steps back before she suddenly rushed forward and wrapped her tiny paws around his finger. With a hint of dejection, she cried, "Mr. Charles¡­ I''m so sorry¡­ I didn''t realize that¡­ that guy wasn''t you¡­"


    Charles shook his head and traced lines in the dirt with his finger. "It''s not your fault. That guy has my memories and personality. It was normal that you couldn''t differentiate between him and me."


    A sweet smile surfaced on Lily''s furry face at Charles''forting words. Her voice wasced with hints of pride as she said, "Mr. Charles, my mice were very helpful earlier as well! Their body-swapping ability was no use to us. They can only control one mouse at a time, but there are so many of us!"


    "Yes, yes. Lily, you did great." Charles gently patted Lily on the head with his finger. Just then, T dropped from the ceiling andnded next to him.


    "Move. We can''t stay here for too long. We need to leave ASAP. There are far more of those 1189-1 than this."


    Charles'' momentary joy vanished instantly. He quickly ryed the message to everyone.


    Without wasting a single second, everyone began to retreat as they hurried theirrades out, as though there was something pursuing them in the dark.


    When they reached the widened entrance and saw the light beams of the Narwhale, almost everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    However, Charles was not one of them. He turned toward the dark tunnel. His heart was filled with worry as he thought about Anna.


    Anna had been gone for some time now, and with her power, if it was really an easy problem to deal with, she would have returned by now.


    "Captain! The wounded are all aboard. We can now¡ªAHHHH!"


    Dipp''s piercing scream resonated through the air. One of the Narwhale''srge gas bags has exploded, causing the ship to tilt to one side. The injured on the deck groaned in agony as they rolled and tumbled toward the ground.


    Fortunately, the Narwhale''s animated cable ropes and Bandages'' vines shot out and caught them in mid-air.


    Charles didn''t have time to focus on the Narwhale''s situation. He could feel something massive moving behind the triangr hill, and it was slowly approaching them.


    The vibrations reached his sensory organs and slowly painted a clear image of a strange, colossal monster in his mind.

 Chapter 638: Spider

    Overall, the creature appeared to be a giant spider, towering as high as a three-story building. However, instead of a bulging silk sac on its back, it carried a mountain of brains entangled with spider webs.


    The brains varied in size and shape and trembled slightly with each movement of the spider. They were still alive.


    Among the brains, those of humans constituted only a small fraction. The majority of them were of strange shapes and seemingly belonged to other living creatures.


    Clearly, the explosion of the Narwhale''s gasbag earlier had been its doing.


    Fortunately, the spider seemed to have been wounded prior. Tworge gashes tore through its body, almost tearing it apart and leaving it bloodied. It was also why it moved so slowly.


    "Oh my god. They actually managed to control it. Even if it''s just barely, it''s still shocking. These 1189-1''s technology is far more advanced than we have ever imagined!" T appeared terrified. She seemed to have recognized the fearsome monster that was under the control of 1189-1.


    "What is that thing? Does it have any weaknesses?" Charles quickly asked the most important question.


    "Weakness? If that thing weren''t on the verge of dying, you''d be dead the moment youid eyes on it! All of usbined wouldn''t even stand a chance against it!"


    Reading the words scrawled on the ground, Bandages immediately released the vines holding down the wounded andmanded everyone to evacuate as quickly as possible.Before they could move even an inch, the mountain of brains on the monstrous, bloody spider shuddered violently in unison.


    The white dandelion-like fluff surrounding them dissolved in an instant to reveal the dark, grimy ground beneath. A cacophony of noises began to assault the ears of everyone present. A wave of nausea soon hit them, and it was so intense that they couldn''t even stand upright.


    Gritting his teeth, Charles raised his hands and signaled to the tilted Narwhale airship with g semaphore.


    <em>Boom! Boom! Boom! </em>


    The deck cannons adjusted their aim and unleashed a barrage of fire at the massive spider in the distance.


    The explosives exploded upon impact, and the unsettling noise gradually faded away. But as the smoke cleared, an air of devastation shrouded everyone. The grotesque spider remained unscathed; its deformed body bore no new injuries.


    Sparks of faint, pale blue light flickered across its form. It seemed to have formed a powerful telekic shield that had absorbed the st.


    The spider remained in its spot and didn''t take another step. However, anotherpletely identical spider had somehow, unbeknownst to everyone, crawled onto one of the Narwhale''s other gasbags.


    The sudden, unexpected weight caused the Narwhale to rapidly plummet.


    Charles knew that this couldn''t continue. If they were to turn and run now, those monstrous spiders would just ughter them all.


    "T, tell me how to deal with that thing?! Didn''t you say it was on the brink of death?"


    "Damn it! If we''d followed my original n, we wouldn''t be in this mess." T''s tone wasced with evident frustration.


    In the distance, a metallic screech rang out. The Narwhale''s forward deck cannon was disassembled by the spider''s weight.


    "Quick! We don''t have time!" The other explorers raised their weapons and relics and relentlessly rained down attacks on the spider. However, their efforts were futile; the spider wasn''t even the least bit injured.


    "Based on my inference, 1189-1 can most likely only control a part of its external brain. Once we sever the connection between them and the spider, the spider will then bepletely paralyzed once again.


    "Charles, get your crew to distract it while we try to enter its body and sever the nerves."


    Having heard T''s n, Charles immediately turned toward his crew. Despite having no eyes, the crew could feel that their captain was looking at them.


    When he felt Charles'' gaze lingering on him, Dipp turned into a swirling mass of blue mist without hesitation. He thenunched himself at the spider that was trying to dismantle the Narwhale.


    Dipp knew that this could be a suicide mission, but he had to do it for his crewmates.


    Bandages gently patted Charles on the shoulder without saying anything.


    However, his actions spoke volumes.


    "Let''s go¡­ try to stay¡­ alive¡­" Bandages ordered the remaining crew to confront the spider head-on. They were clearly aware of the great danger that the spider posed to them, but they had no other choice.


    As he felt their footsteps moving away, Charles'' heart calmed down. He couldn''t afford to panic now. In order to save everyone, they had to get rid of the massive spider.


    "T, let''s go."


    Under Charles'' lead, the other surviving green centipede-like creatures swiftly nked the spider and maneuvered to its rear. When they reached the giant spider''s rear, they were confronted with a writhing mass of flesh.


    "Let''s go. Once we''re inside, you have to head for those two wounds on its body. I''ll then lead you to the location of its neuralwork."


    T was just about to move when Charles stopped her. "Wait, it''s not time yet."


    The green centipedesy t on the ground as they waited for the perfect opportunity. The sounds of roaring cannon fire and explosions grew louder and louder from the other side. Seizing the moment, Charles sprang into action.


    Warm, greasy, slimy¡ªthose were the first sensations Charles felt when he dived into the mass of brain matter encased in spider webs.


    He didn''t dare to loiter. Using his sharp green ws, he tore at the web to clear a path ahead toward the gaping wounds.


    Sensing the intrusion on its back, the giant spider prepared to retaliate. The brains around Charles and his group trembled.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The previously dismantled deck cannon was reassembled. Under Lily''s control, it fired directly at the spider''s head.


    <em>Hissssss!</em>


    The spider parted its menacing mandibles wide and snapped at the foes in front of it.


    The repeated interruptions caused a surge of boiling fury within the multiple 1189-1 entities that had merged to control the spider. Merging made their collective consciousness unstable and lowered their ability to think rationally.


    Charles felt the spider shudder violently. He couldn''t imagine the struggle Bandages and his crew were enduring at the front lines.


    The only thing he could do was do everything in his power to take down this monstrous spider.


    "We''ve reached! Go in!" Under T''s charge, Charles and the other green centipedes burrowed into the spider''s gaping wound. Like maggots in decaying flesh, they wriggled through the spider''s body fluids of various colors.


    The spider''s tremors became more violent as they ventured deeper inside of it. Pink brains began emerging within the spider. They revealed their hidden metallic beaks and lunged at Charles.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    Charles raised his arms and performed a downward sh. The delicate threads between his arms effortlessly sliced the brain into two halves.


    "It''s here! Cut the blood vessels and nerves ahead!"


    As T swiftly shed ahead, Charles felt the densework of veins and nerves clinging to the muscle tissue. Ignoring the brains that were continuously gnawing at his flesh, he led everyone to charge into the vascr jungle.

 Chapter 639: End

    As Charles led the other green centipede-like creatures through the spider''s internal fluids and speedily sliced through its nerves, their surroundings began to quake violently.


    A peculiar yet familiar voice rang out in Charles''s mind.


    "Vulgtmph""¡­nglui "wk"¡­hmr¡­"


    Charles recognized the chanting immediately¡ªthe murmur of a Divinity. To think that the spider could even harness a Divinity''s power!


    Charles'' limbs began to slow down to a halt as a creeping frustration and terror overwhelmed his mind, causing him to curl up involuntarily.


    Compared to the other green centipede-like creatures, he was in a much better condition. The moment the other green centipede-like creatures heard the voice, their heads exploded, and they were reduced to corpses left floating in the murky insect fluids.


    For some unknown reason, Charles hadn''t met the same end as them.


    <em>Move! Move it! Damn! </em>Charles mentally screamed to himself as he tried to fight the mental fog in his head and struggled to get himself back on his feet. Driven by sheer willpower, he stumbled forward and continued to sever the nerves before him.


    As he toiled diligently, the pink brains from earlier swam toward him. Using their metallic beaks, they pecked at Charles, tearing off chunks of flesh from his body.Charles was too exhausted to fend them off. His injuries grew increasingly severe by the minute as more and more of his flesh was gouged out. Eventually, more of his thin, green form was almost entirely obscured by the brain matter.


    Just as Charles was struggling on the brink of death, T dashed out from the side and rapidly sliced away the brains on Charles with fine threads.


    <em>Get up! </em>Charles summoned every ounce of strength within him. Using his four maimed three-fingered green ws, he pushed off against the bloodied flesh ground andunched himself forward like a cannonball.


    Every nerve and blood vessel in his path was severed in an instant. When he finally sliced through a nerve as thick as a bowl, the entire space around him abruptly shook, and the blood vessels and muscles rxed.


    "Charles, we did it!" T swam over to him and dragged the barely conscious Charles upward to the exit.


    The moment they emerged from the viscous fluid, Charles felt as though he could see light despite having no eyes.


    He raised his trembling right hand and scribbled on the flesh next to him. "We¡­ seeded?"


    "Yes! We did it! We''ve severed the physical control 1189-1 had over this creature''s body. Soon, its defensive mechanisms will activate, and those guys in the external brain will be reduced to fragments of memory through repeated mental shocks," T exined with visible excitement


    "That''s good. By the way¡­ how do you know¡­ so much about this thing?" As soon as Charles'' words fell, his body went limp, and he slid downward.


    "Hey! Charles! Wake up! Don''t fall asleep!"


    Thest thing Charles felt was the tremors of anxietying from T.


    ***


    Meanwhile, beneath them, deep within the interconnected tunnels, Anna was chasing after 1189-1 like a cat ying with a mouse.


    It wasn''t a singr passage. It was a sprawlingbyrinth withyers uponyers that intertwined and looped around each other like an enormous maze. During her pursuit, Anna even encountered several other 1189-1 and managed to eradicate them with ease.


    Now they were chasing each other in a vast football field-sized cavern. Ever so often, 1189-1 would try to use its ability to take over Anna''s body.


    "Stop wasting your energy. Your abilities don''t work for me. We may have been from the same species from a thousand years ago, but now, I am way more powerful than you."


    As soon as Anna''s words fell, a transparent tentacle wrapped with white electric arcs extended from her back and struck her.


    "Powerful?! You sheltered trash in the sea below have no idea what we''ve endured and how many times we''ve evolved!"


    Anna''s pale, supple skin tore open under the whip to reveal her true form. If she had looked like a giant starfish before, now she had doubled in size


    Half a human-like visage manifested on the hideous monstrous face. A single eye with three pupils bulged grotesquely on the ck bizarre creature that shimmered faintly with iridescent hues.


    "I hate to see you in Charles'' body, and I hate your tone even more," Anna remarked.


    Suddenly, 1189-1 stopped in the distance. He clutched at his throat as if gasping for air.


    When he finally struggled out of Anna''s control, he had only merely taken a few steps before he was struck by three ck-scaled tentacles with a resounding crack. Like a spinning top, he was flung away.


    He crashed heavily against the smooth tunnel wall, causing a spider web pattern.


    As soon as he fell to the ground, 1189-1 tried to teleport away, only to find Anna standing right in front of him. She had reverted to her human form and shed him a sweet smile.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t kill you. This body belongs to my husband, after all. It''s valuable," Annamented.


    The 1189-1 before her struggled to lift its head. As it gasped for breath, it said, "What''s the difference between me and him? Zhao Jiajia, I''m also Gao Zhiming. In fact, I am a more perfect version of him. On top of that, we are of the same ancestral lineage. Compared to a fragile and weak human, I''m morepatible with you."


    "<em>Hahahahaha!</em>" Anna covered her mouth with a delicate hand. "Dream on. Do you think stealing Charles''s memories makes you him? You''re nothing but a counterfeit in his brain."


    Seeing that Anna was unmoved by his words, a hysterical expression appeared on 1189-1''s countenance. "A counterfeit? What about you? Don''t forget, we''re both 1189-1! Just different subtypes! If I''m a fake, then do you really think you''re real?"


    Anna''sughter abruptly ceased as her expression gradually turned icy. She raised her right hand slightly; bulging veins instantly appeared across 1189-1''s forehead, causing him to clutch his head while screaming in agony.


    Staring at the man in front of her, Anna gritted her teeth. Her pale skin cracked open to reveal writhing tentacles beneath.


    The body belonged to Charles, and she had to be careful not to damage it. Fortunately, she had countless other ways to inflict pain.


    The surge of negative emotions crashed over 1189-1, but he showed no fear. Rather, hystericalughter interspersed with his screams of agony. "You''re getting desperate! Hahahah! I hit a nerve, didn''t I?! You fake existence!"


    Anna slowly rxed her clenched teeth and allowed venomous words to slip through her lips.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t let you die so easily. I''ll extract you out of Charles'' body, put you in a bottle, and give you the treatment you deserve."


    However, 1189-1 was not even the least daunted by Anna''s threat. A crazed glint flickered in its eyes as it stared at her.


    "Hehehe¡­ do you really think you''ve won? You people know nothing about us. Do you know why we lured you humans in quietly before? That''s because we didn''t want to fight and n to just take over your bodies secretly.


    "But now that you''ve found us out, then there''s no need to hide anymore. Look behind you! After we split paths centuries ago, we have developed separately. For every one of your kind, there''s one of mine!"

 Chapter 640: Annihilation

    Anna''s pupils constricted slightly as she felt a faint, peculiar tremor from the ground. She slowly turned around; the sound of stones scraping against each other resonated in the area as the wall of the tunnel was raised up.


    Within the rectangr opening was a vast, spherical chamber. If the floating ind were described to resemble a duck egg earlier, then this space was the yolk. Strange structures, entirely unlike anything in the human world, were evenly distributed across the floor, walls, and ceiling.


    Clusters of three-meter-tall green centipede-like creatures and other bizarre-looking creatures could be seen among the buildings.


    The center of the floating ind was actuallypletely hollow. It was a city belonging to 1189-1. Or rather, this was likely an airship hovering in the air!


    1189-1 hadn''t escaped in fear. It was merely trying to lure Anna here.


    The moment Annaid her gaze on the numerous 1189-1 entities, the various forms they controlled turned their sensing organs onto her to "look" at her.


    A ttering sound, akin to teeth chattering, echoed through the chamber. The next moment, every 1189-1 in the city surged toward Anna like a tidal wave.


    The wave stretched on endlessly. Their sheer numbers provided them an overwhelming advantage, enough topensate for anyck of strength. No matter how powerful Anna was, an immense onught of flesh and bone like this could still crush her into a pulp. After all, one person could never stand against an entire army.


    "All of you are doomed! Not just you, but everyone struggling in the Subterranean Sea! All of you will be our hosts! Humans shall be our ves and be treated like livestock!" the 1189-1 controlling Charles'' body taunted Anna, its voice carrying a hint of madness as it watched its kind rapidly closing in on them.Anna turned toward it, and her eyes were filled with indifference as she said, "Are you done with your trash talk? Return that body to my man."


    With a lift of her tentacle, Charles''s pupils dted momentarily before his focus returned and was fixated on Anna.


    Joy flickered across Charles'' face momentarily. He thought he was dead and hadn''t expected that he had regained control of his body.


    However, his temporal joy faded and was reced with a solemn expression when he saw the approaching horde of 1189-1.


    They were unlike any threat he had encountered before. They weren''t just isted anomalies but a fully developed and formidable species!


    "<em>Mmmmm~</em>" Anna cooed as she spread her arms wide and wrapped them around Charles. She let out a soft purr as she closed her eyes. "Gao Zhiming, you love me too, don''t you? Regardless of my identity, right?"


    Charles clenched down on his teeth and struggled to his feet. Grabbing Anna by the waist, they stumbled back the way they came. "Get Sparkle to teleport you back! Tell the others that we''re in deep trouble!"


    Anna gently let go of Charles and looked at him with calmness in her eyes. "You still haven''t answered my question."


    "Are you crazy? Is this the time to talk about that?" Charles'' voice almost cracked under the severe threat of the approaching 1189-1 horde.


    Anna cast a nce at the oing horde and remarked nonchntly, "Rx. I know them as well as I know myself.


    "It''s simple to get rid of them. First, to prevent any further body-swapping, I need to imnt a countermeasure in your brain."


    With that, Anna lifted a tentacle and guided it toward Charles'' right ear.


    Charles gritted his teeth as he endured the intense difort of a foreign object invading his ear canal. He was losing count of how many times Anna had inserted her tentacle into his ear.


    At this point, he wondered if there was even any space in his skull left for his brain after Anna had imnted so many foreign objects within his head.


    "Don''t be scared. We are much more powerful than them. You alone can easily take all of them down," Anna reassured Charles as she steadied him.


    With a gentle smile, Anna slightly pushed him toward the 1189-1 horde. "Go, it''s done. You can just walk over and get rid of all of them."


    "Are you sure?" Charles asked. If he didn''t know that Anna was an expert in the maniption of consciousness, he would have thought that his beloved had also been controlled by 1189-1.


    "Charles, do you trust me?" Anna asked while caressing Charles'' cheek. Her gentle gaze remained fixated on thetter''s rmed eyes.


    "How exactly do you want me to deal with them? No matter how strong I am, I can''t take down an entire army. Answer me; don''t hide anything."


    Anna shook her head slightly. "Sorry, but I can''t tell you. There are some things you absolutely must not know. Please trust me on this."


    Charles turned his gaze onto the monstrous horde closing in, now only a few hundred meters away. Taking a deep breath, he turned and marched forward. "If I die, you''ll be a widow."


    Anna let out a soft chuckle in response. "Oh, you can''t be too certain about that. I''m so beautiful that if you die, I can immediately find someone new."


    At the same time, a slit appeared on Anna''s body, and a bloody skull emerged from within. It twisted and writhed in agony; in fact, it looked a little like Charles. It was trapped in a fleshy cage that was made from several intertwined tentacles.


    Cradling it like a doll, Anna held the cage against her chest and whispered tenderly, "Come on, apany me in watching how your entire species is annihted."


    The skull contained the 1189-1 entity that had been forcibly extracted from Charles'' body. Anna had ced it in a separate vessel.


    "Annihtion? Just by the two of you? Impossible! Just wait! The day I escape, I¡ª"


    1189-1''s mocking words were cut short as it watched Charles being encircled by its fellow creatures.


    The next moment, starting from Charles, the closest 1189-1 entities began to rapidly disintegrate. They vanished not only from reality but also from Charles'' mind.


    "No¡­. this can''t be happening! What''s going on!" Panic filled 1189-1''s eyes.


    A satisfied smile appeared on Anna''s visage. "I got my hands on a little something earlier. I tweaked it just a bit and imnted it into Charles'' mind so that it''s easier for our kind to ''see'' it.


    "You can''t see it? No worries. Let me show you."


    Reaching out a finger, she gently pressed her fingertip against the bloody skull. The next moment, 1189-1 saw the long, slender white skeleton surrounding Charles.


    It moved its formless body swiftly; any 1189-1 that came into contact with it faded away slowly, turning into nothingness and ceasing to exist.


    Charles was like an insatiable sponge; every 1189-1 entity approaching him was absorbedpletely.


    "NOOOOO! This isn''t real! Stop it! Everyone, don''t go near him! Anna, I was wrong! Make it stop!!" 1189-1''s voice trembled, almost sounding choked. It couldn''t be helped as its entire species was facing annihtion.

 Chapter 641: City

    "Don''t worry. Those who disappeared, their existence had beenpletely erased from this world. No one would remember them, so they''ll never learn their lesson.


    "Your kind will be like moths drawn to mes. They will continuously swarm toward Charles. Now, Charles is that deadly fire that incinerates everything thates near him," Anna said in a chilling tone.


    1189-1''s voice grew frantic as it tried to persuade Anna. "Anna, think about it. You''re not going to gain that much by doing this. We were wrong¡ªwe <em>really </em>were wrong. If you stop now, we will submit to you forever; we''ll be your ves, forever loyal to you!


    "Do you see this floating ind we''re one? It''s a giant mobile fortress. If you spare us, this ind will be yours as well!" 1189-1 pleaded desperately for Anna to spare them. Not a hint of its previous arrogance could be seen. It was genuinely terrified. The particr memory that Anna had altered was the nemesis of their species'' ability.


    Despite having such powers, however, even Charles, who was supposedly closest to her, had no clue about the Inexistence''s existence. 1189-1 couldn''t even make any preparations for its current predicament.


    Anna held the skull up to her eye level, and a slight smile formed on her lips. Her voice sounded gentle as she said, "You''re right. The gains are minimal with the current n. But I absolutely abhor you and find you utterly repulsive. Seeing you in such pain brings me extreme satisfaction, so enjoy the despair while itsts."


    When 1189-1 realized that Anna wasn''t the least bit swayed by its desperate pleas, it let out a howl filled with despair and boundless rage, "Anna! You''ll die a horrible death! One day, you''ll suffer the same fate as me!"


    However, a hint of pleasure crossed Anna''s visage as she heard 1189-1''s curses. Only the powerless would resort to venting their anger through meaningless words.


    "Quietly enjoy the scene happening before you. Rest assured, I won''t kill you. Your abilities are fascinating, and I n to learn them for myself."In the distant circr city, the fleshly tidal swarm was slowly disappearing while Charles strode forward alone. The scene, a tapestry of the background, middle, and foreground, painted almost an artistically perfect picture in Anna''s eyes.


    "Power. Power is the only truth. With power, you can truly have everything," Anna eximed in excitement, her pupils dting and her emotions shifting to sheer joy.


    She reveled in this sensation, the ability to annihte everything with ease. Only by possessing power could one truly own everything.


    A sudden thought hit her¡ªshe wanted to capture this moment. Pulling out her handphone, a <em>click</em> echoed as she snapped a picture of the scene. She then positioned the phone in front of her and held the skull in her hand before using her other hand to make a peace sign.


    "Smile. Say cheese~"


    "You''ll die a horrible death, Anna! You will face divine retribution!" Tears of blood flowed down the face of 1189-1 trapped in the tentacle cage as it cursed and swore at Anna hysterically.


    "You believe in karma, huh? The number of creatures you killed isn''t any fewer than me, so where''s your retribution? Besides, this might not even be Earth," Anna said before stuffing 1189-1 back into her body. "Sleep tight. See you again in theb."


    Meanwhile, Charles'' brows were tightly knitted together as he walked down the empty street. He looked up and surveyed the buildings affixed to the walls and ceiling. He analyzed everything he was seeing.


    <em>These buildings look strange. It seems like the creatures living here can move on walls and ceilings, too. If nothing out of the ordinary has happened, this should be the nest of those 1189-1 entities.</em>


    <em>But this is so odd now. Where is there not a single creature here? Where have they all gone? Judging from the traces, there should have been creatures living here until recently.</em>


    Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Charles caught something moving in a nearby upside-down triangr house. He immediately went on high alert and darted inside that house.


    As soon as he entered, he came face to face with a humanoid creature with stretchy, rubbery skin. It had hooves for feet, a dog face, and sharp ws, and it spoke in a hurried, sobbing tone.


    But before the creature could make any movement, it began to fade and vanish from existence. Everything about it disappeared entirely from the world, including the memory of it in Charles'' mind.


    Charles circled the four-meter-tall iridescent conical structure at the center of the room. His brow furrowed as he exited the building.


    <em>Why are there no creatures here? Where did all of them go?</em>


    The moment Charles exited the strange building, he saw a shadow lunging at him. All the muscles in him tensed up, and he was just about to strike when he realized that it was Anna.


    Tentacles extended from her back and propelled her forward with a push. Anna spread her arms wide and fell into Charles'' embrace with such force that he stumbled back several steps.


    Her voice, filled with youthful exuberance, echoed in Charles'' ear. "Charles~ How''s it going? Did you find anything?"


    "Can you not startle me like that? There''s nothing here; it''s a ghost city. Maybe the 1189-1 entities encountered some kind of cmity earlier," Charles said as he tried to pry Anna off his chest. However, she was clinging onto him tightly, so he eventually gave in, allowing her in his arms.


    "Could it be that the 1189-1s were desperately capturing humans before so that they could quickly repopte?" Charles asked.


    "Who cares? Anyway, our problem is solved for now," Anna made a differing opinion.


    "No, we need to remain alert. If they faced a threat that could annihte their entire poption, then it might be something we''ll have to deal with eventually, too. Perhaps there might be some records of it in this city. We need to find them to prepare ourselves for the worst."


    Anna slithered over Charles like a boneless serpent, repositioning herself from his chest to his back before perching herself on his right shoulder with her legs crossed.


    Her fair white thighs and corbones split open to reveal rows of tiny cross-shaped yellow eyes.


    She rapidly scanned the surroundings and noticed a few scattered 1189-1s asionally emerging from the building, only to fade away into inexistence. There were probably still some of them that had slipped through the annihtion.


    After all, a city of this size held a significant poption.


    "<em>Hmm¡­</em> this is indeed a problem. Don''t worry, I''ll handle it. By the way, did you find anything after all this effort this time?"


    At Anna''s reminder, Charles halted his footsteps. Transforming into his grotesque bat form, he pped his wings and swiftly returned the way he came from.


    Compared to this deste city, T, who was still trapped in the green centipede, took priority.


    T was a member of the Foundation, and her position was clearly higher than the low-level grunts they had encountered so far. They could definitely extract intelligence of the Foundation from her and could even try to negotiate with her on a possible alliance with the Foundation.


    Lying on Charles'' back, Anna''s head swiveled 180 degrees. A faint smile appeared on her countenance as she looked at the empty circr city behind them.


    With a tremble of her right hand, multicolored dark tentacles sprouted from her arms and detached themselves before plummeting to the ground like missiles.

 Chapter 642: T

    When Charles returned to the battlefield where he had fought the 1189-1 entities, he was met with pandemonium. The air was thick with a nauseating mix of blood, gunpowder, and scorched flesh.


    Arge half of the once expansive tunnel had copsed. The survivors huddled together on the other side, surrounded by corpses; it was a picture of absolute devastation.


    While Charles was battling the spider from the inside, those outside had paid a heavy price to keep the colossal creature at bay. Less than half of the original group remained. Even the crew of the Narwhale had dwindled to just around ten.


    Under the guidance of several ship doctors, the less injured explorers assisted the severely wounded. As for the dead, they had no time to deal with them.


    Upon noticing Charles'' return, a wave of relief and joy ignited among the crew.


    Battered and bruised, Dipp rushed toward Charles with tears streaming down his face. He thought that his captain was gone for good.


    Crying uncontrobly, Lily clung to Charles'' leg.


    Charles felt a pang in his heart as he stared at them.


    "It''s fine now. Everything''s alright now. By the way, where''s Bandages? I don''t see him anywhere," Charles asked as he tried to suppress his own overwhelming emotions.At Charles'' question, the crew collectively nced toward the right. Eventually, Charles found Bandages lying behind a mound of rocks, though with only half of his body remaining.


    The remaining half of his body wasn''t torn apart; it was deted andy limp as if it had been run over by a steamroller. Everything within had been crushed into a mushy blend of bone, tendons, and muscle, which were slowly seeping out of his wounds.


    Tattered and torn, Bandages'' eyes were shut tight. Hey still, gray and lifeless, appearing more like a corpse. He seemed to have passed on.


    Charles knelt down on one knee and reached out a trembling right hand. He ced a finger under Bandages'' nose, where a thin trickle of translucent brain fluid was leaking out. He felt no breath.


    "Don''t¡­ worry¡­ I won''t die¡­ that easily¡­" a raspy voice croaked from Bandages'' lips. He opened his bloodshot eyes and looked at Charles.


    Bandages'' voice pulled Charles out from the depths of despair, and a wave of relief washed over him. He trembled slightly before finally managing to say, "I''m d you are okay."


    The corners of Bandages'' lips curved up into a weak, forced smile. He raised a trembling finger and pointed it toward a corner.


    A group of green centipede-like creatures could be seen. Some were standing guard while several others wriggled in and out of the giant spider''s flesh to drag out the dead bodies within.


    "That person¡­ from the Foundation¡­ didn''t escape¡­ I made someone¡­ watch her¡­"


    Charles looked at the strange creatures for a brief moment before gently patting Bandages on the shoulder. He then stood up and headed toward the group of green centipede-like creatures.


    As soon as Charles arrived before the green centipede-like creatures, one of them stepped forward and started scribbling on the ground. "Captain, you are alive; that''s great."


    The way the green centipede-like creature had addressed him made Charles realize that he wasn''t T. Only a crew of the Narwhale would call him "Captain."


    "Who are you?" Charles asked.


    "Captain, I''m Norton. Sorry. I didn''t fire those shots. Those monsters had swapped my body for theirs."


    Seeing the text on the ground, Charles'' eyes widened slightly. He turned to look at Anna behind him. "Since you managed to switch me back earlier, are you able to do the same for him?"


    Anna tilted her head to the side. She pondered for a brief moment before replying, "I can. But ording to what I''ve gathered from the memories around here, you bit off the head of his original body. If I switch him back now, he''ll die instantly. There''s no way he can return to his old body."


    A hint of distress crossed Charles'' face. He recalled that when he was in his green centipede form, he had indeed bitten off a person''s head, but he hadn''t realized that the person was Norton.


    Unfortunately, the situation was so dire at the time that he couldn''t have held back, even if he had known that he was facing Norton.


    Hearing the conversation between Charles and Anna, Norton shook his head. "Captain, it doesn''t matter. The old me wasn''t of much help to you. But with this new body, I can at least be of some use."


    Charles knew Norton was just trying tofort him. No one would willingly choose to be a monster. He forced a strained smile and then turned his gaze to the green centipede that was watching them.


    Although the green centipede-like creatures looked alike, Charles had an inexplicable feeling that the one in front of him was T.


    "Charles, you are actually still alive! I must say I''m really surprised. When I pulled you out, I thought you were dead for sure," T wrote on the ground with her sharp ws. "How did you manage to switch back to your original body? If you had that ability, why didn''t you use it earlier?"


    Charles didn''t really feel like answering the question. He didn''t want to let the Foundation know too much about Anna. After all, the Foundation''s policy had always been to contain or eliminate any creature that posed a threat to humans.


    "What about your body?" Charles asked.


    "I don''t know. I didn''t find it. It''s probably damaged during the battle."


    T herself seemed indifferent about being permanently stuck in a monster''s body. Perhaps she was secure in the fact that the Foundation had the technology to switch her out.


    "Let''s talk business then. What''s the Foundation''s progress? Do you guys have any idea of the rough location of the darkness?"


    T shook her head and continued writing on the ground.


    "I understand what you are implying, but it''s not going to happen. The Foundation will never cooperate with outsiders. In fact, even speaking with you guys is against our protocols. If not for our current extreme circumstances, you and everyone aware of the Foundation''s existence would have already been hunted down by our mobile task forces."


    "Why?! Are you still concerned about your precious secrecy, even at a time like this? If things are allowed to continue at this rate, thest human civilization will face extinction!


    "Isn''t it the Foundation''s mission to protect all of your humanity? Why aren''t you guys doing anything then? Not even simple rescues?"


    The anger in Charles'' voice was unmistakable. T''s green, deformed head drooped slightly.


    Realizing the tension in the air, Charles took a deep breath to calm himself. He softened his tone and continued persuading, "T, we''ve fought side by side. You saved my life once. I know you''re different from your other members, who don''t possess even a hint of empathy.


    "The denizens of the Subterranean Sea really need to coborate with the Foundation. Only by working together and sharing information can we quickly find the darkness.


    "The inds in the Subterranean Sea are gradually disappearing into the seawater. Every second we waste means more lives lost below.


    "Look at the corpses around us. We are all fighting for our lives to ensure the survival of our kind. We don''t want to die."

 Chapter 643: Success

    The others gathered and stared at Charles talking to T with gazes full of indescribable emotions.


    T remained silent and didn''t express her opinion on Charles'' remark.


    "Since my man here is the good cop, then I''ll be the bad cop. Hello, T, it''s nice to meet you. I have a very unique ability¡ªI can rewrite your consciousness and steal information from your mind. I''m also capable of altering your personality, transforming you into an extremely loyal ve."


    T lifted her eyeless, deformed head and "looked" at Anna. "You don''t have to threaten me. Go ahead and try. Even 1189-1 couldn''t grasp my memories and consciousness, so I believe that you can''t do so, either.


    "And I can tell you that every Foundation member with a Level 3 or above nondisclosure agreement has traps in their sea of consciousness. Make even the slightest mistake, and not only will my consciousness be destroyed instantly, but ''deadly'' emotions will also spread to the intruder."


    Anna''s lips curved upward at T''s words, and her face revealed a hint of excitement as she said, "Oh? That sounds interesting. It''s a good thing that you''ve mentioned it.


    "Unfortunately, your words have piqued mypetitive spirit instead of serving as a deterrent. I really want to know the depths of the Foundation''s research on the mental field."


    Charles raised his hand, interrupting the two. "T, I''m telling you this once again¡ªwe''re not enemies. We have the same goal, and I am sincere with my offer to work with you."


    Stumbling upon a Foundation member was incredibly rare, and the fact that the two of them had worked together to ovee a life-and-death hardship was even rarer. Charles really didn''t want to fight with T, and he believed that a fight had to be thest resort.


    T''s green figure remained motionless, and she seemed to be pondering over something. A few minutester, she raised her sharp, slender fingers and began writing once again.


    T wasn''t writing texts, but she was drawing what looked like a nautical chart. It was a nautical chart unlike Charles had ever seen; the inds weren''t fixed in one position but were moving slowly, indicated by the dotted lines that T had drawn.


    "We''re here right now," T said, and then she pointed at one of the inds before moving her finger upward, passing by two inds to point at the third ind from their current location.


    "Leave an airship for me here, and then send someone here in two months. I''ll go back and submit a proposal to amend our ns to the GK Council. If they''re willing to work with you, then they''ll send people to talk to you."


    It turned out that T had drawn a nautical chart of the floating inds. Shockingly, the space above them was far bigger than they had imagined.


    "If they end up not sending anyone, then there''s nothing I can do about that. I don''t have any authority in the Foundation, and as I said, I''m just a researcher. At most, I can only make suggestions."


    Since T was willing to help, Charles allowed her to leave. He had already decided to gamble on the possibility that the Foundation might work together with them, so there was no need to strain the rapport that he had built with T.


    After all, T had been with them through an incredibly tough hardship. Once she was back at the Foundation, it could then be considered that they had established a connection with the Foundation itself.


    Beneath T''s gaze, Charles left the bizarre floating ind with the injured explorers.


    The Narwhale could barely move, and it was the only thing it could do. In the end, they had to leave the Narwhale on the ind with ns to pick it up on their next visit.


    Charles and the others had to use the other three airships to leave. Since they left an airship for T, they only had two airships left. Fortunately, two airships were more than enough to ferry them back to safety.


    Charles and Anna were alone in the Captain''s Quarters. The two were staring at each other in silence until Charles shattered the ice by asking, "You must''ve read T''s memories. What do you think of her?"


    Anna was taken aback. "Oh my, how did you know?"


    "You wouldn''t be Anna otherwise. Anyway, how was she? Was there anything strange in her memories?"


    "She wasn''t lying when she said that her sea of consciousness is under protection," Anna said, shaking her head. "There wasn''t enough time for me to analyze itpletely, so I have yet to find a loophole."


    "That''s great. The fact that her sea of consciousness is being protected by a special power means that T has a certain status in the Foundation. With her persuasion, there''s a high chance that the Foundation will help us."


    Charles'' urgent need for the Foundation''s help was a part of his ns. The Foundation had existed for over a thousand years at the very least, and they had yet to disband despite the long passage of time.


    In addition, they possessed a ton of advanced technology from the modern world, so Charles reckoned that it wouldn''t be too hard for them to find a way to make the surface world more habitable on the off chance that the darkness couldn''t be retrieved and the Subterranean Sea was submerged.


    Charles was confident of it. After all, they were the makers of Dawn One. Of course, he didn''t really have any other choice but to put his eggs inside multiple baskets.


    Truth be told, he also felt suffocated beneath the pressure of the fact that they''d end up drowning if the darkness wasn''t retrieved. He was simply hiding his fears, as he was the captain.


    Anna walked up to Charles and embraced him. "Don''t worry, we''ll find a solution."


    "Anna, you don''t need tofort me. I know the sess rate isn''t high, but I''ve long gotten used to thinking of the worst-case scenario. Anyway, we just have to give it our all."


    Just then, Anna recalled something and asked, "Charles, do you really love me?"


    Charles looked away and replied, "Sparkle is already so big, and you''re still asking if I love you? Don''t you think it''s too cheesy?"


    "Answer me. It''s very important to me," Anna said. For the first time in a while, Anna''s face appeared a bit solemn.


    Charles sighed and said, "Do I love you? Of course, I love you. You do know exactly how I feel, don''t you?"


    "What do you love about me? Do you love me because of <em>those</em> false memories, or do you love me because I''m yourpanion from home in a foreign world? Even if I''m a fake?"


    Charles let go of Anna and looked into her eyes, saying, "Don''t overthink it. We''ve gone through so much that we''re practically inseparable at this point. It''s true that <em>those</em> memories were fake, but it doesn''t matter.


    "Once this crisis is over, we''ll find some time for a honeymoon. By then, it will no longer be fake."


    "Okay. Don''t forget what you said, and don''t forget the diamond ring that you promised, too."


    "When did I¡ªall right. I won''t forget what I said and that diamond ring."


    Anna let out a peal of joyful chuckle. She spread her arms and pounced on Charles, pushing him to the ground before saying, "It''s time for you to fulfill your obligation¡­"


    ***


    Left all alone, T stood in front of the massive spider with a mountain of brains on its back instead of a bulging silk sac. She thrust her green arm into the spider, seemingly searching for something within the spider.


    The next moment, she tugged fiercely, extracting a few writhing ck nerves.


    T meticulously picked one ck nerve and discarded the rest before thrusting her hand into the spider once again to extract more ck nerves.


    After painstakingly selecting six ck nerves, she used her sharp fingers to cut open her own scalp, exposing her skull. T spent a long time opening her skull before attaching the writhing ck nerves to a spot below her hindbrain.


    As soon as the writhing ck nerves were attached to her brain, T''s green, centipede-like figure copsed to the ground like mud. Momentster, the spider''s eight massive legs twitched, and the twitching became more and more violent until the spider''s tattered figure stood up.


    Its colossal figure swayed, and the spider parted its menacing mandibles wide before saying, "Being in your own body is still the best¡­"

 Chapter 644: Whereto

    Margaret''s brows were furrowed as she listened to her subordinates'' reports while sitting in front of a round table in the Governor''s Mansion of the Isle of Whereto.


    Margaret''s scarred face showed weariness and fatigue. However, it wasn''t just her; the officials of Whereto around the table looked exhausted, too.


    It was difficult to manage a group of people living under the threat of the end of the world. Beneath the threat of rising sea levels, even the slightest spark could ignite the people''s inner turmoil, transforming them into mobs.


    They had to make sure that the people''s emotions were in check, or they''d easily cross that line. In fact, there were quite a few bad actors tempting the people to cross that vital line.


    "The resettlement of the inders from the harbor district waspleted yesterday. Navy troops are stationed in every street, taking overw enforcement duties. We''re under martialw at the moment."


    "The issue about personnel transfer is still ongoing. ording to the Ministry of Administration, reducing the number of young adults can drastically lower the rate of violent crimes and¡ª"


    "Governor!" an aged voice interrupted the middle-aged woman, who was in the middle of her report. "The most valuable resource in the Subterranean Sea is manpower. Sending our young adults to the dangerous surface world is essentially sending away our ind''s future!"


    Margaret cast an indifferent gaze at the old man covered with age spots. "The Subterranean Sea itself takes precedence over anything else. Whereto is not going to have any future if the explorers above end up failing their mission.


    "I hope you haven''t forgotten that Ebony Mist Ind is already submerged.""But¡ª!"


    "There are no buts. The n is done. Is there anything else? Otherwise, today''s meeting is over," Margaret said.


    The old man looked like he wanted to say something, but he sat back down, looking defeated in the face of Margaret''s resolute demeanor.


    Silence reigned in the hall for over a few seconds until a man''s voice shattered it.


    "Governor, our n to use faith to stabilize the people''s minds has shown great initial results. The people are joining a variety of religions, but most religions on the ind are new, so theyck cohesion.


    "The priests of the Eye of Truth have expressed via telegram that they''re willing to cooperate with us and establish their presence on Whereto."


    Religions needed followers, and the governor needed stability. There was a synergistic effect between both goals, and it resulted in religions bing more and more widespread throughout the Subterranean Sea.


    Regardless of one''s religion, everyone seemed to have agreed that if one was devout enough, one''s god would lead them to their god''s divine kingdom once the world was no more.


    It was either that or they believed that their god would stop the rising sea levels.


    Margaret never really believed in such words, and anyone capable of logical thinking wouldn''t believe those random religions as well. However, it was too much to expect that each and every inder would remain logical amidst a world-ending crisis.


    "Have theme to the Governor''s Mansion tomorrow morning. I want to talk to them face to face. Anyway, if there''s nothing else, then let''s end today''s meeting."


    The floor screeched as the chairs were pushed backward. Everyone present bowed respectfully to their governor before turning around to leave.


    Left all alone, Margaret looked around the empty conference room before standing up and walking to her office. Sitting down in the chair that once belonged to her father, Margaret closed her eyes and rubbed her throbbing temples.


    Margaret had no idea why her father was always irritable, but now, she finally knew the reason behind her father''s temper. It was practically impossible for anyone to maintain an amiable temper while handling troublesome issues every day.


    After a while, Margaret opened her eyes and looked at the documents that her secretary had brought to her desk. The first document showed that Governor Julio''s Invincible Fleet had finally arrived at the Fhtagn Covenant''s doorsteps, and both sides had already engaged in a few skirmishes.


    The document contained an analysis of the ongoing situation, and it seemed that the Fhtagn Covenant had no ns of fighting to the death. They all believed that fighting Julio was meaningless, as their Great One was about to awaken, and they''d soon enjoy a great life.


    Meanwhile, Julio didn''t descend upon the Divinity''s Land with his fleet and start a full-scale war. Julio''s goal was to distract everyone and stop the Fhtagn Covenant from causing trouble for Charles, who was on the surface world.


    The offense was the best defense. Julio believed that the Fhtagn Covenant would have no time to meddle in the affairs of the surface world as long as he stuck to the Fhtagn Covenant like a thorn in their side.


    Margaret opened the second document and saw a report about her own territory.


    The report stated that the behaviors of the spiders on the Spider Inds had be abnormal. The rising sea levels were slowly submerging the ind, so the spiders gathered in one ce, weaving day and night.


    It seemed that they were nning on weaving their spider silk into a ship that would allow them to migrate to other inds that were not sinking. It was unclear how the massive, house-sized spiders had acquired that behavior, but their efforts were doomed to be in vain, as all inds were in the same predicament.


    "Without the spiders, the special spider silk of the Spider Inds will disappear; Whereto will eventually be unable to meet the surface''s clothing demand. We must make those spiders stay," Margaret muttered to herself.


    Margaret was eventually engrossed in her own thoughts.


    After a while, a series of knocks at the door disrupted her from her train of thought.


    Margaret looked up to see a smiling Anna leaning against the door. The knocking hade from Anna''s fingers, which were tapping the door. "Long time no see, darling. Howe you haven''t sent even a single telegram to talk to me?"


    Margaret put down the document in her hand and stood up. "Has there been anything new on the surface?"


    "I didn''te here to discuss the affairs of the surface world with you nor to talk about Charles with you. I just wanted to see you, so I came here," Anna said. She gracefully approached Margaret and put a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back to her chair.


    "You wanted to see me? For what?" Margaret asked, slightly taken aback.


    "There''s no need to hurry. I''ll take you somewhere, and you''ll understand once we''re there," Anna said. The space next to her suddenly distorted, and Sparkle appeared a few momentster.


    Sparkle was slightly over 1.3 meters, but it wasn''t just her height that had changed; her appearance had changed significantly as well. Sparkle was in her childhood stage not too long ago, but now, she was a tween. Sparkle''s face had changed a bit as well, bing slightly more mature. It was unknown whether it was deliberate or not, but her looks were starting to resemble Anna.


    Margaret stared at Sparkle''s green cross-shaped pupils, and she seemed unable to recognize thetter as she muttered, "Is she...?"


    "She''s Sparkle, of course. Haven''t you met her already? She''s my daughter with Charles. Don''t you think she''s changed a lot? It''s normal, as she''s not really a child anymore. After all, she''s already three years old."


    Sparkle grabbed the hem of her skirt and crossed her legs to curtsy to Margaret.


    Margaret was stupefied. Sparkle''s growth rate was beyond her understanding.


    "Margaret, can you curb your surprise? I''m really busy. I have to study many things every day."

 Chapter 645: Underground

    Sparkle reached out with her fair hands and grabbed the wrists of her mother and Margaret.


    The next moment, Margaret was left reeling in shock as the scenery before her eyes peeled away. When she came to her senses, she found herself in a brightly lit room underground.


    "Mommy, I''m going back now. Just call me when you''re ready," Sparkle said. She tiptoed and kissed Anna''s cheek before vanishing into thin air.


    "Where are we?" Margaret asked, looking around. The room seemed to be at least a hundred square meters, but it was devoid of anything; there wasn''t even any furniture.


    "We''re on Hope Ind. More specifically, we''re at the lowest level of Hope Ind''s Relic Research Institute."


    Anna walked toward the wall on the right and waved her hand. The white wall rolled up like a scroll, revealing a transparent ss wall.


    A vast hall was beyond the ss wall. One of the walls of the hall was covered with intricate gears and pipes while being surrounded by machinery and equipment that Margaret had never seen before.


    Amidst the sophisticated-looking machinery and equipment were either bizarre-looking relics or what looked like humans. They were surrounded by figures d in white robes, and those white-robed figures were in the middle of using the machinery and equipment to carry out tests and trials on the relics and humans.


    Margaret had been to the Albion Isles, and she thought that the Albion Isles had the highest level of technology throughout the Subterranean Sea. However, Margaret''s intuition was telling her that the Albion Isles'' technology was far inferior to Hope Ind''s current technology."Look over there. Do you see that baby that looks like it''s half flesh and half machinery? That baby is the Chosen One of the Feaster, but here¡­ it''s just an experimental subject."


    Margaret followed Anna''s finger and saw a bizarre-looking baby immersed in machine oil. For some reason, the baby''s deformed face looked a bit familiar to Margaret. Pipes were sticking out of the baby, and the pipes seemed to be injecting some kind of liquid into the baby.


    "It''s a work of art, isn''t it? We''re researching it¡ªwe''re researching the powerful energy within that baby''s body," Anna exined.


    Margaret looked around in awe. She was silent for quite a while before she finally said, "So... why did you bring me here?"


    "It''s simple. I want you¡ªthe Governor of Whereto¡ªto join us. We want you to send your people toe here and help us expand this ce. In exchange, I will ensure your survival one way or another, even if we don''t manage to find the darkness and the inds end up submerged."


    "Is that Charles'' will?"


    "The Relic Research Institute was his idea, but the institute is now under my control because he has no time to manage it," Anna replied and added, "You value honor, so I want to rope you in. I want our rtionship to be more than just allies."


    "So you want me to pledge allegiance to you?" Margaret asked ndly.


    "Don''t say it like that; you''re saying that as if we''re strangers. Aren''t we good friends?" Anna asked with a smile while stroking Margaret''s arm.


    Margaret knew the ramifications of joining Anna. If she agreed to Anna''s proposal, Whereto would be a vassal ind of Hope Ind.


    "Regardless of whether you want to revitalize the Cavendish family or simply ensure your survival, joining me is the best choice," Anna said.


    In the end, Margaret dared not answer immediately. With a solemn expression, she nodded and told Anna that she''d think about it, but Anna already knew Margaret''s answer. It was a deduction that she had made after seeing Margaret''s hesitation.


    After Margaret''s departure, Anna walked down the rows of machinery until she reached arge door. The door opened with a chime; it turned out to be an elevator door.


    Anna entered the elevator and pressed the "-7" button. After a few seconds, the elevator descended, and it descended for quite a while. When the elevator door opened once more, a brass mechanical beast towering several stories high appeared before Anna.


    The brass mechanical beast was riddled with special inscriptions, and interweaving conveyor belts, steam pipes, and gears of a variety of sizes were spliced in the brass mechanical beast.


    However, the most eye-catching feature of the brass mechanical beast was the massive blood-red embedded at the very top of the machine. If Charles were here, he''d recognize the colossal blood-red eye as the same eye that fought Hypnos at the time!


    The brass mechanical beast was a steam analytical machine enhanced with relics.


    Anna had been using the analytical engine to transform the flesh of Divinities into substances that she could absorb. Everyone working here was Anna''s confidant¡ªconfidant as in their consciousness and memories had been deeply altered by her.


    "Let''s begin."


    At Anna''s words, Gordon standing nearby nodded slightly and took out a brass key. He proceeded to insert it into the keyhole and turned it to the right to start the brass mechanical beast.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Steam billowed out of the pipes, and the densely packed gears turned, interacting with each other, making the entire machine vibrate so powerfully that it seemed like it could fall apart at any moment.


    A burst of steam erupted, and chunks of tied up and writhing dark-red flesh were delivered to Anna through a conveyor belt.


    Anna picked them up swiftly and stuffed them into her mouth nonstop. Her gorgeous appearance distorted and melted away as she ate until she eventually transformed into her true, monstrous form.


    However, Anna didn''t stop despite her transformation. Her tentacles curled around the chunks of flesh, delivering them into her mouth.


    Things were going swimmingly at first, but as she devoured more and more chunks of flesh, Anna''s figure began to deform until she transformed into what looked like a pile of viscous ck liquid.


    Bizarre anomalies were happening around Anna as well.


    Gordon felt like the gold teeth in his mouth were stuck together, but his mouth waspletely empty when he opened his mouth. However, his teeth returned after just a few seconds. Gordon also discovered that his eyes could see through clothes and skin¡ªhe could also see his own flesh churning inside of him.


    Fortunately, the anomalies disappeared as suddenly as they disappeared. The bizarre anomalies vanished when Anna finally stopped her feast.


    "I ate a bit too much this time. I need some time to absorb it. However, I have no idea just how strong I''ve be, and it''s all because I have nothing topare it to¡­" Anna muttered to herself. She could barely maintain her human form.


    "I''ve fulfilled your request." A child''s voice suddenly echoed behind Anna. "Now it''s your turn to fulfill your promise to me. Where exactly is He?"


    "Be patient," Anna said. She turned and looked down at the handsome blond boy in front of her before continuing," I''m not even as strong as you yet, so we''re not done here."


    The blond boy was none other than the Pope. The Pope wasst seen on the surface world, but it turned out that he was still alive and had been in the lowest level of Hope Ind''s Relic Research Institute all this while.


    "I am a hundred thirty years old. I''m not a child that you can fool. Where exactly is the Light God? I don''t want to do anything unnecessary against you," the Pope said with a gloomy expression and his hands behind his back.


    Anna''s lips curved into a slight smile as she said, "Do you really think that you can force me to speak? The ball is in my hands. The Light God is gone, and the Divine Light Order is gone. You have nothing."


    "The Light God is still alive!!" Pope Lylejay roared, and a dazzling golden light erupted from him. The burst of golden light was so powerful that it made Anna take half a step back.


    "I''m only going to tell you the Light God''s location once you''ve spelled out everything you know. Don''t worry; I keep my word."


    The golden light vanished slowly, and the Pope stared deeply at Anna for a few seconds before putting his hands behind his back.


    "You can''t use the Light God to keep me here forever," Lylejay said before turning around to leave.


    The smile tugging at Anna''s lips disappeared. Lylejay was extremely cunning and hard to manipte. Anna had to remain vignt of Lylejay while extracting every piece of information that Lylejay knew about how one could go about using a Divinity''s power.

 Chapter 646: Norton

    "So this is what happened¡­ I made contact with someone from the Foundation. Her name is T, and she will go back to try and persuade the Foundation into working with us," Charles said.


    The sand figures in the room erupted into murmurs.


    The natives of the Subterranean Sea were about to make contact with the Foundation for the first time ever. ording to Charles'' words, the Foundation was far stronger than any other organization throughout the Subterranean Sea, and everyone was shocked by the fact that they would soon make contact with such a powerful organization.


    "If that''s true, Governor Charles, then there''s a high chance that the Foundation member you''ve stumbled upon doesn''t have a high position in the Foundation.


    "And you said that she''s going to try and persuade the Foundation into working with us? That doesn''t scream confidence at all. Bringing her here for us to question thoroughly would have been a more judicious decision."


    "Yes, I know, but it was the first time a Foundation member was actually willing tomunicate with us, so I thought we shouldpromise in respect to their goodwill.


    "We''re already having a difficult time handling the ongoing crisis, so it''s better for us to make more friends than enemies."


    The conference room was filled with murmurs once again, but their murmurs were futile because Charles had already made his decision.


    When the murmurs died down, Jax nced at Charles and said, "Governor Charles and I have discussed our next steps. We''ve decided to pour more resources and manpower into the engineering department so that they''d be able to build outposts and railroad tracks at the fastest speed possible."In other words, except for the necessary patrols, all exploration tasks will be postponed until two monthster. I''ll send everyone the list of additional required materials via telegramter; please be prepared to receive the documents."


    The two-month respite from exploration would not only allow the exhausted explorers to get proper rest but would also ensure that the necessary amount of outposts would bepleted, regardless of the Foundation''s decision to their proposal.


    "You want more from us, Governor Charles?!" a governor with a nose ring eximed. He became agitated upon hearing about the two-month break and the request for additional resources. "We can''t take a two-month break! My ind might not evenst that long at this rate!"


    Charles swept his gaze across the other governors. There were still quite a few governors, but he immediately noticed that four governors were no longer present.


    They could have defected to the Fhtagn''s Covenant, or their ind could have be awless ind upon copsing beneath the pressure of the ongoing crisis. Regardless of what had happened to them, Charles was sure that they had met a horrible fate.


    However, it was exactly because Charles knew of the inds'' suffering that he had to handle what was necessary for their mission before the inds could no longer withstand the pressure.


    His n would be impossible once half of the governors present were no more, so Charles knew that he couldn''t hesitate at all.


    "If you want a ship to sail fast, then you have to pour resources into it. What we''re doing here is for the sake of the surface world exploration. We just have to hold out for the next two months; the demands will no longer be that heavy by then."


    "But we really can''t take it anymore! If you insist on asking for more resources, then I''ll withdraw from the n to save the Subterranean Sea and stop providing my ind''s share of resources!!" The nose-ringed governor eximed, his voice trembling from the suppressed anger.


    "How dare you!!" Governor Julio''s voice boomed through the room. "Those daring enough to hold us back at this critical juncture¡­ don''t me me for being ruthless against you!"


    The governors instinctively looked down, avoiding Julio''s hawk-like gaze.


    However, the governors with smaller inds still couldn''t hide their unwillingness to provide more resources than what they were already providing.


    Unfortunately, they were in a dire situation that demanded as many resources as possible to the extent that they were finding it hard to withstand the pressure despite the fact that they were sharing the burden equally with the other governors.


    The air above the conference became tense. Anna decided to step forward with a smile, saying, "Everyone, don''t worry too much about it. Just do your best to provide what you can provide. Hope Ind will fill in the gaps. I just want you to remember one thing¡ªthis is all for the Subterranean Sea."


    The governors cast grateful gazes at Anna, and they felt like the mountain looming over them had vanished.


    Noticing Charles'' strange gaze at her, Anna leaned closer to the former and said, "Hope Ind is developing extremely fast at the moment. We''re even experiencing a technological explosion in various fields.


    "So, don''t worry. We''re not going to have any issues with filling in the gaps that those governors will inevitably leave."


    The issue was soon settled, and they proceeded to discuss some of the finer details of the n. It didn''t take long for everyone to agree unanimously, and the meeting was soon adjourned.


    Charles stared at the mages in front of him. The mages were busy collecting the sand and erasing the magic formation on the floor. A few momentster, Charles stood up and walked past them to head outside.


    The meeting was held within a base that Charles called "Outpost One." Charles looked around and realized that he could barely recognize the base.


    Outpost One had expanded considerably since they first arrived here¡ªtelegraph towers, power stations, and even watchtowers in all directions were constructed in the blink of an eye.


    There were recently built houses throughout the outpost. They were crude houses that looked ugly, but they were habitable.


    Of course, no one was going to stay here for the rest of their lives, so as long as the houses wouldst two years without copsing, the explorers didn''t really mind living in them.


    They also managed to save a ton of time by sacrificing quality.


    Charles turned and saw a railroad track not too far away from him. An iron beast belching white smoke was pulling cars while nking incessantly. The iron beast was none other than the train from the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    The train before Charles was the lifeline of Outpost One, as it carried with it a huge chunk of the outpost''s fresh water, food, and the fuel necessary for the power stations.


    Charles turned once again and saw workers busy constructing a second railroad track. Outpost One was still expanding, and soon, one railroad track would no longer be enough to service the entire outpost.


    However, the railroad tracks in Outpost One were just the beginning of Charles'' n. His n was to build railroad tracks all the way to the final outpost on the surface world, which would be built right in front of that towering wall of darkness.


    The train finally came to aplete stop as white steam whistled out of its smokestack. The railroad cars were soon detached from the train, and the workers drove their forklifts toward the cars to begin unloading the cargo.


    A bustling scene reminiscent of an ind''s harbor district was recreated at the simple train station in Outpost One.


    Just then, Charles noticed a green centipede-like humanoid creature standing in the distance. The creature''s bald round head was pointed at the train. The green centipede-like creature was none other than Norton, who couldn''t return to his original body.


    Norton was no longer naked; his green figure was covered with a bedraggled canvas. His second right hand was holding a notebook and a pen, evidently tomunicate with people, which made interacting with Norton feel a bit weird.


    Although Charles and the surviving explorers had dered Norton a hero, the people within the outpost still looked at Norton with fear and disgust while talking about him behind his back.


    It was inevitable. After all, Norton was in the body of a three-meter-tall green monster that looked like a centipede.


    Charles was once inside the body of the same green centipede-like creature, so he knew that Norton''s keen sense of hearing could clearly hear everyone''s discussions about him, even if those people were standing far away.


    "What are you doing here?" Charles asked, walking up to Norton.


    "I''m perceiving the vibrations of these steam beasts. Their vibrations are like wonderful melodies," Norton replied, scribbling down his reply in the notebook that he had opened.


    "Norton, are you married?" Charles asked.


    "Captain, you don''t have to console me. This is all for the Subterranean Sea''s sake, so it''s worth it. Besides, this body is more useful than my previous one."

 Chapter 647: Music

    "This body is much stronger than my previous one," Norton said, and his slender legs sprung from the ground as if he were a praying mantis. His deep green figure left afterimages as he dashed toward the railroad track under construction nearby.


    Silver silk as thin as hair sprung out of both of his palms. A cold light then shed, and arge chunk of the cast iron rails on the forklift, which were as big as two palmsbined, were severed cleanly.


    The cast iron rails were like mud before Norton. Having abruptly lost the massive weight that it was carrying, the forklift tilted forward. Before it could topple over, invisible tentacles sprouted from the ground and stabilized it.


    "Impressive. You''ve adapted well," Charles said, apuding.


    Charles was once in the same body as Norton, so he knew what it could do. In addition to its offensive ability, which seemed capable of slicing through just about anything, it was also eyeless. Sometimes, it was better to have no eyes than to have eyes.


    If one were to look at Norton''s situation from a utilitarian perspective, Norton had profited on that fateful day, but this wasn''t a business deal. It was absurd to look at Norton''s situation from that point of view.


    Norton walked up to Charles and lowered his green, deformed head to look at Charles. "Captain, I''m still adapting to this new body of mine. Once I''ve fully adapted to it, I''m sure my strength will increase by another level. ording to the power ranking system of the Subterranean Sea, I should be around Level 7."


    "Keep it up. We have a two-month break, so you take your time adapting to your new body," Charles said, patting Norton''s slender arm. "If you have any concerns about your food, like if you feel like you can no longer eat what humans eat, then you can go ahead and talk to nck."


    Charles smiled and chit-chatted with Norton until he trailed off upon realizing something. He stared at Norton''s green head, seemingly falling into deep contemtion."Captain? What''s wrong?" Norton wrote on paper, expressing his confusion.


    A few secondster, Charles turned and walked toward the towering telegraph tower in the distance. "Follow me. I think I can make this body of yours be even stronger."


    The receptionist at the telegraph office of Outpost One was extremely nervous to face Charles. However, Charles'' attention wasn''t paying attention to him at all. He wrote down a message and asked the receptionist to send it to the Governor of Whereto.


    <em>Margaret, how are you doing these days? Is everything okay down there? Anyway, do you remember that green, centipede-like creature, one of the "Kings" of Sottom?</em>


    <em>I''m pretty sure it''s capable of producing silk that it can use as a weapon. Can you ask around and see whether it has any other uses aside from slicing things up?</em>


    Charles deduced that the green, centipede-like creature he had encountered alongside 134 at the time wasn''t 1189-1. It was an independent creature.


    Although it had one more tail than Norton, and its healing ability was simply absurd, it definitely looked simr to Norton. It had torn off Charles'' ears, and Charles felt that it had more tricks up its sleeve.


    Charles reckoned that Norton''s strength would increase significantly if it shared its knowledge with Norton.


    After a while, a reply arrived from Whereto.


    <em>Charles, are you really sure you''ve found another one of its kind? It says that its entire species has been taken over by a psychic creature. You''d better be careful about this.</em>


    Charles was relieved to read Margaret''s reply, as she had basically said that the green, centipede-like creature Charles had encountered at the time was of the same species as Norton.


    <em>I don''t want to know the origin story or the history of their species. I just want to know about their offensive abilities. I think their kind has some kind of inheritance that they pass down to their offspring¡­</em>


    Charles waited for a long time, which was about half an hour.


    The telegraph spewed out a reply from Margaret.


    <em>134 says that herpanion is the most talented musician of its kind. It''s talented enough that it can create just about any melody out there. I think even its own kind can''t replicate what it can do, as talent is innate¡­</em>


    <em>Musician? Talent?</em> Charles recalled the green centipede-like creature that had bitten off one of his ears. He could never associate such a creature with the words "talent" and "musician."


    Charles turned to Norton next to him and gently pulled on his silver silk.


    The silver silk vibrated slightly, producing a low noise reminiscent of a stringed instrument.


    134''s singing, the green centipede-like creature''s ability to create a melody, and the bone flute of that gray shadow. The more Charles thought about it, the more he felt convinced that the "Kings" of Sottom were a band.


    While Charles was deep in his own thoughts, the telegraph started clicking and produced a piece of sheet music.


    <em>You can experiment with this. This is an experimental melody, and it''s for beginners. If that creature with you learns this melody, then it means that they have some talent and can make use of the tiny power within this melody.</em>


    Charles examined it carefully before handing the paper to Norton beside him.


    "Try to learn this. It''d be great if you seed," Charles said. He was curious about the so-called "power within the melody."


    Was it like 134''s singing that was capable of revitalizing just about anything? Still, Charles wasn''t really expecting much, and it didn''t matter, even if Norton couldn''t learn it. At the very least, Norton finally had something to do, and he wouldn''t keep thinking about the body he could never return to.


    "All right, Captain. I''ll try my best," Norton said. He epted the sheet music and left to work hard and be even stronger.


    Charles had decided to work hard and be even stronger as well, so he made a beeline for Linda''s house as soon as he left the telegraph office. The recent exploration made him realize that he had some shorings that needed to be addressed.


    Anna was already taking care of his mind, so he only had to focus on the other aspects of his strength.


    Charles soon found himself inside Linda''s operating room.


    Linda was holding a relic that she had prepared beforehand. It was a palm-sized triangr disy stand, and a bizarre-looking skeleton was nailed to the stand by rusty nails.


    It seemed to be made out of interweaving corals in a variety of colors as well as the skeleton of a mouse. Overall, the relic looked ancient, and it appeared like a bad artist''s random work.


    The palm-sized triangr disy stand was the relic that Nico had given to Charles in exchange for bing a crew member of the Narwhale.


    Charles had decided to set it aside previously, as he felt like the side effects were a bit too much. However, Charles felt like he had to make use of this relic as soon as possible, as he reckoned that they''d encounter more enemies capable of wielding the power of Divinities, just like that colossal spider carrying a mountain of brains.


    Charles had to be prepared to encounter such enemies. He no longer wanted to get suppressed by that peculiar chanting, which was capable of suppressing him entirely.


    "Captain, are you really sure about this?" Linda asked as she held the relic in her hands. She wanted to confirm whether Charles really wanted to use the relic. After all, the relic had a serious side effect.


    "Let''s do it. I need its ability to escape the gaze of a Divinity."


    "How about anesthesia?" Linda asked.


    Charles shook his head, prompting Linda to put down the syringe in her hand.


    With the relic in her right hand, Linda thrust her right hand into Charles'' chest, moving past his ribs and pressing it against Charles'' beating heart.


    Charles'' inhaled sharply, and his face turned pale. He felt as if a massive hand was squeezing his heart, making it almost impossible for him to breathe. After a while, the ufortable sensation disappeared and was reced by coldness. It was a coldness that seemed to be getting colder and colder as time ticked by.


    Charles felt like ayer of frost had wrapped around his heart, and a sharp pain akin to needles stabbing into his heart followed afterward. The pain and coldness spread throughout his body through the blood vessels, eventually reaching his limbs.

 Chapter 648: Armaments

    Charles trembled like an aspen tree as he hugged himself, and he looked like he''d copse at any moment.


    Linda reached out to support him, but Charles stopped her with a raise of his hand. He stood firmly in ce and gnashed his teeth as intense pain inundated him.


    Charles'' trembling gradually subsided as the pain and coldness spread throughout his body through his blood vessels. The bizarre coldness had disappeared, but this was just the appetizer to the relic''s special ability.


    Charles paced around theboratory in a daze while staring at Linda and her assistant. Charles was devoid of any emotions as if his ability to feel emotions had vanished.


    He put his hand on his chest, where there wasplete silence. His heart had stopped beating. With a will on his end, the strange feeling in his heart vanished, and he could perceive his own emotions once again.


    However, Charles felt like he could go back to that peculiar condition whenever he wanted.


    "Captain, the relic is now attached to your heart. Your heart has stopped beating and has crystallized," Linda said with her head inside Charles'' chest. Linda''s voice reached Charles'' ears through thetter''s flesh.


    "As long as it works. All right, let''s get out and test this relic."


    Charles went through many different experiments spearheaded by Linda. The relic that Nico had brought to him was indeed a powerful relic. The side effects were serious, but it meant that its special ability couldn''t be trifled with.Charles and Linda''s experiments told them that the relic had made Charles immune to any mental contamination, but that wasn''t all. The relic allowed Charles to temporarily be immune to pain as well.


    Of course, Charles needed the relic''s first special ability, which would allow him to escape the gaze of a Divinity. With his relic attached to his heart, a Divinity''s gaze would no longer immobilize him.


    The experiments ended three hourster.


    Charles nodded to the bald woman in front of him and got ready to leave. Just as he reached the door, Linda called out to him. "Charles, I suggest we retire Norton. His body isn''t really suitable for more explorations."


    Charles looked at Linda with surprise. "Why do you say that? Have you examined his body and saw something wrong with it?"


    "His current body of a monster is the problem. I''ve read about a particr mental illness in my teacher''s books. Apparently, when someone''s appearance bespletely different from what a human being is supposed to look like, that certain someone will eventually have a mental disorder called cognitive identity disorder."


    "Simply put, Norton will be less and less <em>human </em>over time."


    "Really?" Charles asked, taken aback. Many of the Narwhale''s veteran crew members had perished, and it was to the point that if more of them were to retire or die, the Narwhale would definitely be unstable.


    Just then, Charles noticed Linda ncing at his prosthetic arm and his chest, more specifically, his heart.


    Charles'' brow furrowed. "Tell me honestly. Do you think I''ve reced too many body parts?"


    Linda leaned against the operating table with her arms crossed. She didn''t say anything, but her words spoke volumes.


    Charles reflected on the many changes he had gone through since his arrival to the Subterranean Sea. He looked up and asked, "From what you''ve read, what are the symptoms of someone with that disorder?"


    "The patient will no longer define themselves as a human being. They will disregard their own lives and start doubting themselves. Eventually, their personal values and outlook on life will change in a negative way.


    "Captain, I really think that this should be thest time you rece your body parts with something else. Your memories are already iplete, and it has been modified multiple times as well. If even your body parts are modified ones, would you still be the same Charles?"


    Charles pondered over Linda''s words for a long time.


    Finally, he sighed and said, "We''ve found the issue, but addressing it is easier said than done. Things will only get more difficult from here on, and I need external help, things that aren''t originally parts of me, to solve the uing issues."


    Charles touched his chest. He still had control over his emotions, but his heart would never beat again.


    "I think Norton''s problem isn''t that serious. Lily has been a mouse for so long, and she hasn''t shown the symptoms that you just told me. Anyway, just screen his mental health regrly once we''re back on the ship.


    "If what you just told me happens to him, then we''ll have him retire by then."


    "You''re the captain. It''s your call," Linda said, turning around to clean up.


    Charles left and soon found himself on a bustling street. He looked down at his prosthetic arm, recalling everything that Linda had just told him.


    <em>I''ll be less and less human over time? I don''t have the luxury of time to worry about that. The rising sea levels have to be addressed before anything else, or everything isn''t going to matter in the end. Human or not¡ªwe''re all going to die.</em>


    While Charles was deep in his thoughts, he saw Nico walking toward him with his hips swaying coquettishly. Nico was wearing a bright-colored coat with heavy eyeliner.


    "Second Mate, where are you going?" Charles asked, lowering his hand.


    "I heard that Hope Ind has just produced a new batch of weapons, so I''m going there to take a look. I wanted to go with Bandages, but he''s bedridden," Nico replied.


    Charles'' expression became solemn at Nico''s remark. The method of fusing with relics was slowly bing popr, but Charles knew that the power of technology could never be ignored.


    "I''ll go and take a look at them with you," Charles said. He also wanted to know and see Hope Ind''s recent inventions.


    Soon, Charles and Nico found themselves at the Explorers Association''s Armaments Department.


    The person in charge immediately guided both Charles and Nico to the warehouse, allowing the two to choose freely among the newly produced weapons of Hope Ind. Once the two had chosen their weapons to test, the person in charge enthusiastically led them to the shooting range for a firing test.


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    A violent explosion tore apart several distant targets.


    The explosion was so strong that the tremors even reached Charles'' feet.


    "<em>Ah~</em> This deck cannon''s at least twice as powerful as what we have at the moment. What do you think of it, Captain?"


    Charles looked away from the distant targets and stared at the neatly arranged shells on the table next to him. In addition to being more powerful, the shells contained many different fillers consisting of mmable fillers, poison gas-producing fillers, and even soul-destroying fillers made out of chunks of relics.


    "It''s really powerful, but sometimes, power isn''t enough. Otherwise, we could just call Julio to explore the surface world with us. The ongoing crisis is going to be resolved by then," Charles said.


    "These weapons are already extremely powerful, so if they''re still not enough, what weapon are you looking for? A weapon capable of ttening this entire outpost?" Nico asked.


    "Nuclear bombs can do that, but even nuclear bombs aren''t going to be that useful," Charles replied, shaking his head. "If nuclear bombs are effective against Divinites, then the Foundation wouldn''t have¡ª"


    Charles stopped mid-sentence upon recalling something. Momentster, his eyes lit up, and he eximed, "Wait! I have an idea! Follow me, Nico."

 Chapter 649: Friends

    Hearing Charles'' words, Nico''s glossy lips parted. For a brief moment, he was confused as to what madness his captain was going to spout this time.


    The two hurried past the railway tracks and returned to Charles'' quarters.


    Immediately, Charles activated themunication array. The grains of sand from the six-pointed star formation slowly floated off the ground and hovered in midair to eventually form the silhouette of Jenny, the representative of the Western Seas.


    A solemn expression marked Jenny''s visage. She thought that a grave incident had happened on the surface. But upon seeing the hints of excitement on Charles'' face, she knew that her assumption was wrong.


    "I''ll skip the pleasantries. I''ve thought of a new weapon that would be of significant use for our uing explorations."


    "Are you referring to our enchanted weapons? Didn''t you mention before that the usage of magic would attract the attention of the Divinities and cause them to attack us?"


    The excitement on Charles'' countenance amplified as he replied, "Exactly! The Divinities in the skies are incredibly sensitive to what you call magic. Excessive use would draw their attention and make themunch an attack.


    "Humans can''t withstand their power capable of creating a massive canyon in an instant. However, if we y our moves wisely, we can harness that power!


    "As long as we can see it, we can observe it. When we start observing it, then we can find patterns. Once we find the patterns, then we can gain control!" The saying was once passed down among humans from generation to generation, and it applied to the Divinities as well.One wouldn''t be able to reach the position of being the representative of an entire sea region without some intelligence. Jenny immediately caught the underlying implication in Charles'' words.


    "So¡­ you are suggesting that the Western Seas should send out a group of people to act as bait and draw out the Divinities?" Jenny spoke, her voiceced with disbelief,


    "Exactly! That''s it! If each exploration team has a mage, then when they encounter an insurmountable crisis, they can then throw out the bait to lure the Divinities'' attack, creating an opportunity for themselves to escape."


    Excitement had consumed Charles. He was thrilled at the prospect. If the n worked, then the survival rates of the exploration teams would skyrocket. This strategy would be far more effective than any more powerful artillery or faster-firing firearms.


    However, traces of reluctance surfaced on Jenny''s visage. "Governor Charles, if we are going through with this, each piece of bait is an actual human life. I can''t make this decision alone. I need to convene a meeting with the other families."


    "Then hurry up and do it. The faster youe to a decision, the better. We have a two-month break now. If the first batch of baits takes the fast ship from the Western Seas, they should arrive in time for the first round of exploration after the respite!"


    Staring at the palpable excitement on Charles'' face, Jenny tried restraining herself, but she failed to hold herself back. "Governor Charles, these are living, breathing people. How are you able to speak so lightly about their lives as if they aren''t important?"


    "Whose life isn''t important? We explorers risk our lives every day. People die on the surface all the time. There''s no difference between lives. It was them before, now it''s yours. Saving the Subterranean Sea isn''t just about paying lip service."


    Jenny pressed her lips together tightly. Without saying a word, the sand figure representing her crumbled instantly.


    Charles knew the mages of the Western Seas would agree to the n. After all, in times like these, human lives were the cheapestmodity.


    ***


    <em>Squeak! Squeeeeeak! Squeaaaaaak¡­</em>


    Beneath arge bed, a group of ck and ck mice gathered around Lily, who was seated on a book and clutching her tail.


    Patches of white and gray fur and also scars marred their bodies. Some of them even had missing tails or ears. Clearly, they had endured much hardship.


    These were the mice Lily had sent to the other parallel world to find and help her family. It was a long journey, and finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the mice had returned.


    "My world is flooding too? I thought things might be better over there," Lily muttered, her head drooping low.


    She pondered for a moment before her tiny ears perked up with anticipation. "What about my mommy and daddy? How are they?"


    <em>Squeak! Squeeeeeak! Squeaaaaaak¡­</em>


    "Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh¡­ I see¡­ Thank you so much. If not for you guys, my daddy would be bullied by those bad guys.


    "You managed to sneak the money to them? Oh, that''s good!


    "Mommy has a new baby? I know that, what?! It''s not a boy, but a girl? Why is that different from here?"


    <em>Squeak! Squeeak!</em>


    "Hmm¡­. No, I can''t bring Mommy and Daddy here now. I need to do my all to help Mr. Charles find the darkness. Else, bringing them here would just be putting them in danger.


    "Also¡­ I have yet to turn back into a human. What if they don''t like me?" Lily''s voice trailed off, her sadness growing evident in her tone


    After so many years, she finally received news about her own actual family. But instead of bringing herfort, it made her feel incredibly uneasy.


    Lily fell back listlessly on the massive book beneath her and rolled around.


    After rolling back and forth for a while, she finally stopped and stared nkly at the paper castle beside her.


    "Everyone¡­ tell me. What should I do now? Should I tell my parents what I look like now? I really don''t know what I should do.


    "I don''t want to ask Mr. Charles. He''s busy with his own things. I can solve my issues on my own. Besides, Mr. Charles doesn''t have any good solutions either."


    Lily tried to use her own intelligence toe up with a n to resolve her current predicament. But clearly, she had overestimated herself.


    Half an hourter, she lowered her head and ran a small paw over her shimmering golden fur.


    "Do I really possess the power of a Divinity? Why do I still have so many troubles despite having such great power?"


    The mice around Lily gradually quietened down. Their beady, ck eyes were fixated on their owner in front of them.


    Lily thought for a few more moments before lifting her gaze and looking at them.


    "My family might highly likely not ept me. Mr. Charles also seems to be distancing himself from me. Say¡­ where do you think my home really is?


    "That isn''t a home. That''s just a small house made from paper. By home, I mean¡­. that feeling when I was with Daddy and Mommy back on the Coral Archipgo. I really wish to go back to that time¡­"


    As Lily reminisced about her early memories, a sweet smile surfaced on her furry face. But soon, that smile gradually faded into a frown and she started sobbing.


    The mice closed in on her; some even scurried around anxiously.


    After letting out the pent-up sorrow and grief within her, Lily wiped thest droplets of tears from the corners of her eyes and looked around. "Can you all give me a hug?"


    The mice immediately swarmed her and formed aforting ball of fur around her.


    Feeling the warmth of their bodies, Lily clutched her tail and curled up like a baby. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to savor the momentary peace andfort.


    Half an hourter, Lily emerged from the cluster of mice.


    "Let''s go to the kitchen! I''ll make sweet fish soup for everyone! Once we''re done eating, let''s think of a n together. We can definitelye up with a good idea," Lily dered.


    With that, she led the mice and like a tidal wave, they surged toward the kitchen.

 Chapter 650: Grace

    "Miss Grace, Miss Grace? Are you listening to me?"


    Hints of annoyance crossed the face of Leonardo, the Minister of Administration of Hope Ind, as he stared at the young woman in front of him.


    Her xen hair was tied up into a ponytail, and her oval face was speckled with freckles. That was the first impression strangers had of her.


    Her oversized, azure robes hung loosely on her slender and petite frame, forming a slightly unharmonious image.


    But what truly stood out from her appearance were her eyes; they seemed to sparkle endlessly with an inner glint.


    Currently, Grace was staring in awe at the destendscape outside the train window as she allowed herself to sway with the rhythmic motion of the carriage.


    Only when Leonardo had called her name the third time, Grace finally tore her gaze away from the scenery beyond the window and looked at the bespectacled middle-aged man in front of her.


    "Sorry, sorry. Even though we''ve been traveling on this train for so long, I''m still amazed by the technology of the Northern Seas! It''s even more magical than magic itself.


    "When I get back, I must share my experiences with the others. We don''t have anything like this on the inds in the Western Seas."A hint of pity flickered across Leonardo''s eyes as he thought to himself, <em>That is if you manage to make it back.</em>


    Leonardo then parted his lips, "You''re different from the others. You''ll be going aboard the Narwhale, the ship of Governor Charles of Hope Ind. I''ve heard that you are the best among this batch, and I truly hope that''s the case."


    Grace replied pridefully, "Yes! That''s right! Among those of my age in this current batch, I have the greatest magical talent."


    The next moment, she rose to her feet. Leaning on the table with her hands, she tiptoed to look eagerly at Leonardo.


    "Mr. Leonardo, what kind of person is Governor Charles? Is he really a hero like what the legends in the Subterranean Sea speak of?


    "Is it true that he led the entire seascape and came up with this rescue n? And that he always leads at the forefront of every exploration? He''s so cool! Just like the main character in a y!"


    Leonardo was taken aback by Grace''s words. The propaganda campaign orchestrated by the Explorers Association and all the governors was evidently quite effective. He hadn''t expected Charles'' fame to have reached such heights. However, such a reputation came with its advantages as well as risks. If he were to die, it could easily demoralize the popce.


    But then, Leonardo quickly realized. Even if Charles died, they would never let the people in the Subterranean Sea know. Charles himself had probably agreed to it too. After all, the denizens of the seascape needed a leading figure of faith and courage.


    "Now that you''vee up to the surface world, you can ignore all those brainwashing messages. Simply put, he''s not difficult to deal with. Once you get on his ship, just do whatever he asks of you. Remember your role: you are a weapon. When he needs you to move, you move immediately."


    The liveliness in Grace''s eyes slowly dissipated. After a moment, a determined gaze suffused her youthful eyes. "Yes, I understand. This is also to save everyone."


    As a former con artist, Leonardo wasn''t one to easily trust others, but he believed Grace because Governor Anna had already checked her out.


    As the Minister of Administration of Hope Ind, Leonardo was entitled to certain privileges. The entire train carriage was reserved just for the two of them, while the rest was filled with cargo.


    A heavy air of tension hung over the carriage due to the serious conversation earlier. Grace gazed out at the destendscape again for a little while before she reached into her cloth bag, pulled out a novel, and started reading with great interest.


    The book was titled <em>"Chronicles of the Seascape"</em>. It was a super popr adventure novel, and ording to reviews from readers, it described a creature called a "dragon".


    There had never been any dragons in the Subterranean Sea¡ªonly the strange and bizarre creatures in the deep sea.


    As she flipped through the pages, a smile spread across Grace''s face. She forgot about her fated demise as herughter echoed through the carriage.


    The innocence of a young woman was always beautiful¡ªher heart was like a crystal, clear and pure at a nce.


    Yet, such beauty was about to be rudely thrust into the barrel of a gun, loaded like a bullet, and fired with ruthless abandon.


    Leonardo felt that Charles was extremely cruel toe up with such an idea; no ordinary person would be capable of formting such a method.


    "Mr. Leonardo, do you want to have a read? The final book of the <em>"Chronicles of the Seascape" </em>has been published. Spoiler alert¡ªit''s a happy ending," Grace said as she held up the book with both hands and carefully presented it to Leonardo.


    <em>Clink!</em>


    The metal lighter snapped open with a yellow me. Leonardo brought it close to the blue-tipped cigarette between his lips. "No thanks. I don''t read that kind of thing," he replied.


    Grace let out a series of coughs as she covered her nose and retreated to her seat.


    Just then, the carriage door swung open, and a chef dressed in white from head to toe wheeled in a narrow cartden with food. With practiced ease, he ced various dishes on the table between them.


    The main course was mashed potato with salted crackers, while the dishes were fried whale meat, shipworm fruit soup, and a golden roast chicken stuffed with mushrooms.


    At the delicious aroma, Grace subconsciously swallowed the saliva pooling in her mouth.


    "No need to wait for me. Go ahead and eat first. Let me finish this first," Leonardo said after taking a drag from his cigarette.


    "Alright then!" Grace then picked up the knife stuck in the roast chicken and began carving slices onto her te.


    With each bite, a look of sheer enjoyment spread across her face.


    "Have you not eaten these in the Western Seas before?" Leonardo asked as he flicked the ash from his cigarette.


    Chewing off a mouthful of whale meat, Grace shook her head vigorously. She swallowed the food in her mouth and replied, "No. My family has fallen from riches long ago. Maybe during my grandfather''s time, they could have meals like this every day."


    "We couldn''t eat this then, and it''s even more impossible now. All the food in the Western Seas gets shipped to the Northern Sea.


    "Everyone''s starving now. Everyone is just doing whatever they can to have a meal and survive. May the Eye of Truth bless us, and let this suffering end soon."


    Leonardo nodded and turned toward the chef. "How much longer before we reach the border of the darkness?"


    "Minister, we''ll be reaching in about half an hour," the chef replied with a slight bow.


    "Alright, I need to go get ready then," Leonardo remarked, crushing the spent cigarette into the crystal ashtray beside him. With one hand casually tucked inside his pocket, he turned on his heel and left the carriage.


    Grace turned to look at the chef in the white hat before happily continuing with her meal.


    The half-hour passed by quickly. Apanied by a long whistle, the train pulled into the station.


    Amid the bustling forklifts transporting cargo, Grace felt a little anxious and trailed after Leonardo and his team as they disembarked.


    The moment they exited the bustling train station, they instinctively lifted their head, their eyes drawn to the immense ck wall that seemed to stretch endlessly as it towered beside the station.

 Chapter 651: Weapon

    The colossal ck wall was so astounding that everyone was left frozen in ce for a full five seconds before they regained theirposure.


    "So this is the darkness they reported in the newspapers? If we bring it back, we will be able to save the Subterranean Sea," Grace muttered to herself as she clutched her red crystal staff tightly and adjusted her sling bag.


    "Let''s go. I''ll bring you to Governor Charles. The moment this outpost was constructed, he has been sending us telegrams to hurry up. His patience is probably running really thin now," Leonardo remarked and led the group through the bustling street.


    Being a newly built outpost, the ce was small, and it didn''t take long for them to find the fully repaired Narwhale.


    Grace finallyid her eyes on the legendary Governor Charles for the very first time.


    His face was a mix of pale white and red flesh and marred with several scars. One of his eyes appeared normal, while the other glowed a dark red. Paired with his steel prosthetic arm and towering stature, Grace felt her nervousness and unease heightening at the sight of Charles alone.


    The legendary hero of the Subterranean Sea was nothing like she had imagined; in fact, it could be said that he was way far from it.


    "Why are you here?" Charles asked Leonardo with an expressionless face after taking a brief nce at Grace.


    Leonardo bowed slightly and answered, "This is the final outpost of the front lines. Mistress was concerned and sent me to assist in the management of this area. Also, she appointed James to oversee the Colossal Hole Fortress."Charles nodded in understanding before taking a step forward and standing before Grace.


    In front of the towering Charles, the teenage girl appeared even more petite. Out of fear, she tightly clutched her staff tightly to her chest and instinctively shrunk back.


    "Why is she so young? Can''t the Western Seas even send a single adult?" Charles'' voice wasced with apparent dissatisfaction.


    "Governor, it''s not that. They said this girl has the strongest abilities and is the most qualified bait from this batch, so they sent her to you."


    As someone who had fought his way through seas of blood and mountains of corpses, Charles'' intense gaze made Grace feel like she could hardly breathe.


    "Nevermind. It''s close to the agreed time with T. We''ll have to make do with this. By the way, has Anna checked her memory?"


    "Mistress has already checked her out. There are no issues."


    "Raise your head. What''s your name? How old are you this year?" Charles'' sudden series of questions sent a tremble coursing through the teenage girl''s body.


    "G-G-Grace. I''m fifteen this year, Governor Charles," Grace answered, her voice barely above a whisper.


    "Do you know what you are here for?"


    "Yes, they told me before I came. I¡­ I will do my best for my role."


    "Great,e with me. I''ll introduce you to the rest of the crew; we''ve already wasted enough time."


    Feeling the oppressive gaze leaving her, Grace exhaled in relief. She looked up to see Charles'' broad back walking into the distance.


    "Don''t just stand there. Hurry up and follow him," Leonardo urged, snapping Grace out of her daze.


    Grace hurriedly quickened her pace to catch up with Charles.


    The mice quickly rounded up the crew, and they soon gathered on the deck of the Narwhale. However, their appearance clearly startled Grace.


    The first mate was wrapped in bandages from head to toe, the second mate had mboyant makeup and a coquettish demeanor, the boatswain was covered in scales, and the ship doctor revealed vampire fangs when she spoke. To top it off, the Narwhale had a mischief of mice as gunners.


    After being introduced to everyone, Grace couldn''t close her mouth and was speechless. Her bright eyes widened in shock.


    <em>p!</em>


    Charles'' prosthetic left handnded on Grace''s shoulder, jolting her out of her astonishment.


    Standing in front of him, the petite Grace looked as helpless as a little white rabbit.


    "This is Grace from the Western Seas, and she is the newest addition to the Narwhale," Charles announced.


    Grace immediately felt the various gazesnding on her. Feeling shy from the attention, she lowered her head.


    "Captain, what''s this cute little girl''s role on the ship? Surely she''s not just here to warm your bed, is she?" Nico asked teasingly.


    Grace''s cheeks flushed a rosy red; she felt as though her face was steaming from embarrassment.


    "Her role on the ship is as a weapon, a weapon that will be deployed in critical moments as ast-ditch effort," Charles answered and then briefly expanded on his strategy.


    Upon learning Grace''s true purpose on the ship, the crew''s gazes turned onto her again. This time, there was a different underlying emotion in their eyes.


    "All of you know my personality. I''ll only say this once: Grace is extremely important to us. She hasn''t participated in any exploration missions before so for the foreseeable future, I don''t want to see anyone causing her any trouble.


    "Weapons may be powerful but they are also incredibly fragile and must be protected from moisture and fire. The same applies to her. If anyone dares toy a hand on her, I''ll personally grab them by the neck and toss them overboard. Do you understand?"


    Charles'' gaze swept over the crew. He wasn''t too worried about the old hands; his warning was directed more at the newly recruited crew members.


    Although only seasoned explorers were qualified to be on the Narwhale, it was always better being safe than sorry. After all, the presence of a delicate young girl on an exploration ship was an unstable element in itself.


    "Understood, Captain!"


    "Got it!"


    "Aye, Captain!"


    Charles nodded in satisfaction and gave further instructions. "Dipp, you''ll have to squeeze in with the other sailors and give your room to Grace for now. You can move back once she''s gone. Linda, help her settle in. Everyone else, dismissed. Assemble here at eight A.M. sharp tomorrow."


    The crew members left in small groups, leaving Grace alone on the deck. Her heart was racing with unease until a bald woman approached her.


    After a brief moment of thought, Grace gathered her courage and introduced herself, "Hello, I''m Grace."


    "Linda, ship''s doctor. Come with me. I''ll help you get some essentials."


    Climbing down the ropedder, Grace followed Linda toward the nearby shops. Being with someone else of the same gender, she was less nervous than before. Soon, her lively nature began to show. Her eyes darted around with curiosity as she scanned her surroundings while peppering Linda with questions.


    "Linda, what do we need to buy?"


    "Daily essentials, things you''ll need on the ship. And some stuff for you to rx and destress. A ship''s a confined space; doing nothing all day can drive one crazy."


    "Daily essentials? Like a washbasin?"


    "There''s no need for a washbasin. Freshwater is for drinking. We aren''t in the Subterranean Sea; there''s no seawater to use either."


    "So no washing of faces? Wouldn''t that be dirty?"


    Linda gave Grace a sideways nce before leading her to a shop with a white door frame.


    "We didn''t wash our faces before. But now, a new batch of wet wipes have just arrived. You can stock up a month''s supply. There''s also chewing toothpaste for cleaning your teeth. These are all new inventions of Hope Ind."


    Grace looked at the items in the ship before peeking into her sling bag. "Can I take all of these? How much does it cost? I didn''t bring much money."


    Linda stared at Grace''s youthful face and a hint of pity flickered across her eyes. "It''s free. Just tell them what you need. You''ve already paid; all of us have."

 Chapter 652: Future

    "Madam Linda, what''s that bustling ce over there?" Grace asked. After walking through the streets, she was now carrying multiple bags, and her gaze was fixated on a tall, lively building teeming with people.


    People entered and exited the buildings with boxes of varying sizes in their hands.


    Linda was no longer as cold and distant during their initial meeting and softened her tone as she exined to the teenage girl.


    "That''s the relic market. The darkness constantly relicfies ordinary items into new relics, so a variety of relics are constantly produced. What used to be rare in the Subterranean Sea can now be bought and traded freely here. It''s up to the explorers themselves whether they want to use their new items or fuse with them right away.


    "The testing of relics also takes ce in this building. The captain''s journal was tested here. So far, the results showed that it is only able to predict random events without any major side effects."


    Grace''s eyes widened in curiosity as she stared at the explorers walking to and fro.


    "Should I get some relics, too? They are known as cursed objects in the Western Seas. I''ve never used one before," Grace remarked.


    "No need. The captain and the others can handle the fighting. Everyone has their own role to y on the ship. The same goes for you; you just need to focus on your duties," Linda replied and grabbed Grace''s hand, leading her ahead.


    Just then, Grace was surprised to spot the handsome gentleman with a mustache who had traveled with her among the crowd. She let go of Linda''s hand, and a smile spread across her face as she intended to run over to greet him. But before she could take a step, Leonardo had strode confidently into the relic market with his entourage.Before Grace could figure out what was Leonardo''s goal, Linda had already walked over to her. Linda then took her hand and led her forward.


    "Madam Linda, can you tell me more about Governor Charles? I''ve heard all kinds of legends about him and his sea adventures. The boys on the ind admire him so much.


    "Is he really the person who has explored the most inds in the entire seascape? I''ve heard that his ship is actually alive. Also, is his rtionship with the Governor of Elizarles Shores as true as the rumors say?" Grace fired a series of questions.


    With each question, Linda''s expression shifted through a range ofplex emotions before she finally answered, "He''s a madman. There''s no need for you to know him more."


    Grace was taken aback by Linda''s answer. She went silent for a few moments before she found her words. "Madam Linda, why don''t you seem to like Mr. Charles?"


    Linda halted her steps in the middle of the bustling street and turned to face Grace. "As someone who''s been around for a while, let me give you a piece of advice you should quickly learn on an exploration ship. You can form deep bonds with yourrades but don''t get too involved in their personal lives or invest too much of your personal emotions in them. That includes the captain as well.


    "Only then would you be able to pick yourself up and gather yourself together for the next mission if they ever die," Linda concluded.


    Staring at the bald woman in front of her, a sudden unexinable fear hit Grace. Linda seemed like apletely different person now.


    "Got it¡­" Grace answered meekly, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Linda turned around and continued walking. Her voice was tinged with a hint of mncholy as she said, "There''s still three hours before nightfall. You should treat today as if it were thest day of your life. Regardless of whether you survive this expedition or not, you will inevitably change."


    Grace couldn''t pinpoint the exact emotions in Linda''s tone, but she understood the general message of her remark. "Erm¡­ I want some books, something that I can read on the journey."


    Without speaking another word, Linda led Grace directly to the only bookstore in the entire outpost.


    Within the bookstore, the shelves were neatly lined with books, stacked high, and crammed together. Upon learning that all the books here were free, Grace dashed in with palpable excitement and happily searched through the stacks.


    She was like a mouse that had fallen into a bin of breadcrumbs; she clearly loved books.


    "Madam Linda, look!" Grace eximed. "They actually have theplete set of the Gunther Family''s magical books! And even the Howard Family''s collection!


    "Oh my, Eye of Truth! If all these hidden treasures are brought down to the Subterranean Sea, one could exchange them for half an ind!"


    "Grace, don''t forget that we''re on the surface. Except for when the captain explicitly tells you to use magic, you are not to use it at all."


    At Linda''s reminder, traces of reluctance crossed Grace''s face as she ced the bronze-covered books bound in chains back onto the shelves.


    After more searching, she eventually selected a few special books¡ª"<em>The Principles of Gear and Pinion Transmission," "Electricity and Maism," </em>and<em> "The Dynamics of Steam Power."</em>


    "Why are you buying these? They''re difficult to understand, and even if you manage to grasp the concepts within, you won''t be able to apply the knowledge," Lindamented. Grace''s selection had taken her by surprise.


    "No particr reason. I''m just curious. I''m curious how they move such massive chunks of iron without magic. Also, these books can''t be found in the Western Seas," Grace exined, a bright smile ying on her lips.


    However, Linda''s heart clenched at the sight of Grace''s radiant smile, and she averted her gaze.


    "Madam Linda, I''m done here. Let''s head back to the ship," Grace announced.


    The two stepped on the path they came from and retraced their steps back to the Narwhale.


    Along the way, Grace seemed to have noticed a negative shift in Linda''s expression and carefully refrained from speaking too much.


    Just when they finally reached the foot of the ship, Linda suddenly threw an unexpected question. "How did your family react to youing to the surface this time?"


    Grace''s previous cheerful expression dimmed in an instant. "I don''t have any family¡­ My only rtive¡ªmy grandmother¡ªwas killed by the death light."


    Linda''s distant memories stirred as she looked at the teenage girl in front of her. Her expression slightly twisted as she grabbed Grace''s shoulders and shook her violently. "Then why did you listen to them ande here to die? You are all alone now! What is there to be afraid of?! If anyone else wants to sacrifice themselves, then let theme and die themselves!"


    Grace was baffled; she couldn''t understand Linda''s sudden outburst. Just as Grace was about to say something, Linda suddenly spread her arms apart and pulled the former into a tight embrace. Pain and sorrow painted Linda''s visage.


    A long momentter, Linda let go of Grace, grabbed the ropedder, and ascended to the deck of the Narwhale.


    On the night before the departure, there was no one aboard the ship, and the cabins were empty. The corridors echoed with the sound of their footsteps as Linda led Grace through the ship and introduced her to the various areas of the ship.


    As they turned the corner to head toward Dipp''s quarters, they unexpectedly ran into Charles.


    Both parties were momentarily surprised. However, Charles said nothing. He merely nodded at Linda before passing by them and continued toward the deck.


    Just as Charles took his third step, Linda''s voice rang out from behind him. "Captain, what do you think is the future of the Subterranean Sea?"

 Chapter 653: Position

    "The future of the Subterranean Sea is the darkness. The darkness has to be found and retrieved for the Subterranean Sea to have a future. The same goes for us."


    As soon as Charles'' words fell, Linda rushed in front of him and stared intently into Charles'' mismatched eyes. Then, Linda raised her trembling hand and pointed at Grace huddled in a corner before roaring, "She''s the future of the Subterranean Sea!


    "The future of the Subterranean Sea belongs to people like them. It doesn''t belong to monsters like us! What you''re doing is destroying the future of the Subterranean Sea! You''re not saving the Subterranean Sea at all!"


    Grace''s mouth fluttered open before she finally mustered the courage to say, "Madam Linda, this is my choice. For everyone''s sake, I''m willing to¡ª"


    "Shut up!! What do you know?! You''re nothing in their eyes!! What you''re thinking right now isn''t really your own thoughts! Your thoughts are what they''ve instilled in you!!"


    Grace was so scared that she dared not speak before Linda''s outburst.


    The corridor fell silent again, and only Linda''s rapid breathing could be heard.


    Charles ced his prosthetic hand on her shoulder and brought his mouth close to her ear before whispering, "If you think what I''m doing isn''t great, thene up with a better one before saying such abstract nonsense."


    "Have you taken pity on her? We could also die in the uing exploration. How are we any different from her? And who will take pity on us?"The Subterranean Sea is an extremely cruel ce. I thought you had already adapted to its cruelty. It seems that your heart has gotten quite softer since you removed those needles in your head.


    "And I''m no one''s hero. If we want to save the Subterranean Sea, then relying on heroes is useless. Everyone has to work together to ovee the adversity before us. This must be done."


    With that, Charles continued toward the deck.


    "Captain, do you still remember the cognitive identity disorder I mentioned to you not too long ago? Do you really think that you''re not having any issues when ites to it?" Linda asked in a trembling voice.


    Charles'' footsteps reverberating throughout the corridor didn''t stop as he said, "Don''t worry about it. I''ve gone through so many hardships that it is not that easy for me to lose awareness of myself. I''m still human, and I''m very certain of that.


    "And this has nothing to do with being human. It''s just simple mathematics. Making use of them as baits is far better than leaving them to drown down below."


    The heavy cabin doors creaked as it opened, and a loud thud echoed as it was shut.


    Early next morning, Charles was already on the Narwhale, meticulously examining the ship before the scheduled assembly time of the crew members.


    When the crew members finally arrived on the ship, Charles had just finished his inspection of the ship.


    "Captain, there seem to be quite a few ships that are going with us this time," Dipp said, sounding surprised as he half-squatted on the ship''s gunwale. There were four airships nearby, and they were here for the uing expedition.


    "It''s the first official contact with the Foundation, after all. Those concerned in the Subterranean Sea will send people over as well. It''s impossible for them not to do so."


    Of course, Charles was aware of a few things that need not be said, but it didn''t really matter whether they were actually concerned or suspicious, as he hadn''t lied to them at all.


    <em>Hooonk! </em>


    The steam whistle tore through the air, and the Narwhale climbed slowly to the skies. All eyes in the outpost turned toward the Narwhale and her apanying airships.


    Everyone''s eyes were full of anticipation, as this exploration was of great significance to everyone.


    As Charles stood beneath the purple light, he swept his gaze across the crew members on deck before shouting, "Roll call!"


    A roll call was always done at the start of an expedition. The first one to state their name and position was the first mate, a man covered in bandages.


    "Bandages. Position:... First Mate. Duty: To assist the Captain in organizing work ns¡­ and responsible forpiling¡­ the cargo loading schedule. Helmsman covering the¡­ 0000 to 8000 shift!"


    The next one was the second mate, and his makeup was less mboyant today. He looked "formal" and much cleaner with his white jabot. "Nico. Position: Second Mate. Duty: Fulfil navigational duties. Guide sailors in the correct use and maintenance of navigation instruments. Responsible for the record-keeping of maintenance records and error logs, as well as posting daily notices for the crew. Helmsman covering the 8000 to 1600 shift!"


    The once-blind vampire had recoveredpletely, and he had arguably be the most handsome crew member of the Narwhale.


    "Audric. Position: Chief Engineer. Duty: Responsible for the overall management of the engine room''s operations and its administrative tasks. Ensuring the implementation of regtions and protocols to ensure that every piece of equipment in the engine room is in great technical condition!" "Jackson. Position: Second Engineer. Duty: Maintaining the proper functioning of the engine room. Overseeing the propulsion system, auxiliary equipment, boilers, lubrication, cooling, fuel, the starting air engine, weight and power delivery management, as well as all emergency equipment." "Brook. Position: Third Engineer. Duty: Watch duty, primarily responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of auxiliary machinery and its affiliated systems along with emergency power generation systems, barge pumps, airpressors, oily water separators, and sludge tanks!"


    Surprisingly, the two neers to the engine room both had big beards, but one had a white beard while the other had a ck beard.


    "nck. Position: Cook. Duty: Preparing the crew''s meals."


    The plump nck was still as plump as ever, but after going through so many hardships, his face no longer looked as amiable as before. His face revealed a trace of his tenacious will.


    "ire. Position: Assistant Cook. Duty: Assist the cook in preparing the crew''s meals."


    "Dipp. Position: Boatswain. Duty: Guide sailors in the maintenance, repair and handling of the anchor, and ropes. Also responsible for the loading and unloading of equipment on deck. Lead sailors in tasks such as painting, rigging, and high-altitude work. Helmsman covering the 1600 to 2400 shift!"


    The Deep Dweller boatswain looked eager to get started.


    "Sniffler. Position: A.B. Duty: Steering and watch duty, as well as routine deck maintenance!" Sniffler eximed. He was Charles'' sailor before he became a vampire in Dark Crystal Ind, so he had no issues reintegrating into the ship''s crew.


    "Walter. Position: O.S! Duty: Responsible for handling mooring lines, deploying gangways, and also various deck operations.¡°


    "Linda. Position: Ship''s Doctor. Duty: Treatment of crew members'' illnesses and routine medical checkups."


    The bald woman was like a mother as she held Grace''s hand gently with a calm gaze that stared off into space.


    Soon, everyone had stated their names and positions except for two people¡ªGrace and Norton. Their gazes naturally fell on the two. However, Norton couldn''t speak, and Grace had no idea what to do.


    Seeing Charles'' gaze, Norton curled up his green figure and started writing down his name and position.


    "Norton. Position: A.B. Duty: Steering and watch duty, as well as routine deck maintenance!"


    Since everyone else had spoken except for her, Grace bit her lip gently and stepped forward. The next moment, she yelled, "Grace! Position: Weapon! When the ship finds itself in unassable danger, I will cast a self-destruct spell to attract the attention of certain beings in order to protect the other crew members!


    "Don''t worry, everyone! I''m definitely going to step up once when ites to it!"


    Grace''s cheerful voice drew the gaze of everyone on the ship, but rather than cowering before their piercing gazes, she puffed her chest out and stood steadily with confidence.


    Charles'' lips curled up slightly as he said, "Charles. Position: Captain. Duty: Responsible for the safe transportation and administrative management of the vessel. Ensures the utmost safety of the ship, crew''s lives, and property. Decisively and prudently handle all affairs in case of emergencies! Narwhale, set sail!!"<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    I''m starting to really not like Charles :/</blockquote>

 Chapter 654: Meteorite

    "Take a look at these. These are maps from the previous explorations. The dangerous creatures and anomalies they''ve encountered are marked on the map," Charles said.


    Charles was sitting in front of a table as he handed out a file to the four captains seated before him. They were the captains of the exploration ships that had chosen to join this expedition.


    Regardless of their backgrounds, they were Charles'' subordinates during this expedition.


    "Over the past two months, the reconnaissance ships have explored up to the floating ind where we met T, but they dared not enter the ind. However, from the photos they''ve taken from up above, it seems that the Foundation has cleaned out the ind."


    "Our mission in this expedition is easy and simple. We''ll make contact with the Foundation on that ind. Our next move depends on their decision.


    "During thest meeting among the governors, we''vee up with many different ns. We have a n for everything, including for if the Foundation decides to work with us or not. There''s also a n for if they do not show up at all."


    The captains passed the piece of paper among themselves for a while before putting it back in the file.


    "We have no objections," a one-eyed old man with a bed of white hair said," We''ll follow your lead."


    "All right. We should reach our destination in no more than three days. While we''re en route to our destination, make good use of the intes and report your ship''s status on time," Charles said.The de of a helicopter spun rapidly on the Narwhale''s deck. The next moment, it took to the sky, ferrying the four captains back to their own ships.


    Charles stared at them as they safely reached the decks of their own ships.


    Just then, Lily ran over to Charles and tugged at his pants. Lily lifted her furry head and said, "Mr. Charles, the cook says that dinner is ready."


    "Lil'' Lily, are there any issues with the mice scouts?" Charles asked, scooping her up in his hand and carrying her into the cabin.


    "No problems at all. Everyone''s eyes are watching every corner of the ship. If anything unusual happens, they''ll immediately raise the rm," Lily said proudly.


    "That''s great. If possible, it''s best to have two mice observing the same angle. This way, it''s less likely for there to be any mistakes."


    "Hmm, we won''t have enough mice to do that¡­ I''ll think of a way," Lily replied.


    The two chit-chatted for a while until they reached the mess hall. The mess hall was bustling with activity; the crew members ate with relish while engaging in lively discussions.


    However, their voices immediately became lower when they saw Charles entering the mess hall.


    Today''s meal consisted of roasted mushrooms, seaweed soup, canned pork, and five palm-sized square biscuits as the main course.


    Charles plucked out his spider eye and tossed it onto a piece of raw meat on the table before enjoying his steaming hot lunch.


    Halfway through the meal, Charles felt a piercing gazeing from his right side. He looked up suddenly in that direction and found that the gaze wasing from Grace, who was sitting next to Linda.


    Grace hurriedly lowered her head upon seeing Charles looking in her way. She used her iron spoon to frantically scoop soup into her mouth, but she ended up choking from her frantic efforts.


    Lily standing on the table was nibbling on a biscuit. She looked up when she heard the young girl''s cough.


    "Mr. Charles, can I go y with her?" Lily asked in a voice full of anticipation.


    Lily didn''t have many friends on the Narwhale. Dipp used to y with her, but everything changed when Dipp got married. Since then, Dipp had been putting on the airs of an adult around Lily.


    Lily was annoyed by Dipp''s antics, especially when they weren''t that far apart in age.


    "It''s up to you, but I advise you not to go," Charles said after swallowing a mouthful of pork.


    The young girl was bait, after all. She was destined to die. If Lily got involved with her, she would definitely get heartbroken once Grace was sacrificed. Charles thought that perhaps it''d be better for her not to get involved with Grace from the get-go.


    "Mr. Charles, does she really have to die? She''s so pitiful. I''ve died once, so I know that it feels horrible," Lily said.


    Charles pretended like he didn''t hear Lily.


    "Mr. Charles, how about we do this? Once she needs to act, you can just throw me over instead of her. Didn''t you say that I have the power of a Divinity inside of me? This way¡ª"


    "No." Charles interrupted firmly. "You''re different from her, and just because it worked once doesn''t mean that it will work again. She''s a bait that we''re only going to use as ast resort. Also, no one really knows whether she''s going to be useful or not. You can say that this is a test run."


    <em>Hooonk!</em>


    The Narwhale''s steam whistle tore through the air just as Charles'' words fell. He stood up immediately and kicked off of the floor to reach the ceiling. When his figure collided with the ceiling, he vanished and reached the bridge.


    "What''s going on?" Charles asked Nico at the helm while fighting back the nauseous feeling.


    "The airship on our port side has yet to make any reports. They''re supposed to use the inte and report to us every half an hour, but the inte is still dead," Nico said, pointing at the inte with his nail-polished finger.


    "I''ll go check it out. Notify the other airships to keep an eye out using their telescopes." Charles pushed open the door, and his figure rapidly morphed into a bat monster as he flew toward the Narwhale''s portside.


    Soon, white arcs of electricity lit up the deck of the distress airship.


    Time seemed to have crawled to a snail''s space. The pitch-ck world around them was unsafe, and there were more enemies up above rather than on the ground. It was evidenced by the fact that every single airship was attacked incessantly as they approached their destination.


    Fortunately, their strength had improved by leaps and bounds during the two-month break. They only had three casualties before arriving at their destination.


    The five airships of the expedition stopped to the right of the floating ind, and they illuminated the ind before them with their bright searchlights.


    The ind didn''t look like the egg-shaped ind where they found 1189-1, and it didn''t even resemble an "ind." It looked more like a meteorite with irregr pockmarks. It was also surrounded by floating debris.


    Just as Charles was considering whether tond or not, Bandages tapped him on the shoulder.


    "What is it? Do you feel like there''s something wrong?" Charles asked.


    Instead of speaking, Bandages raised his right hand.


    A ck tree knot was growing out of the back of his hand. He plucked off the knot with his left hand and tossed it lightly into the air before catching it. He tossed it one more time, and that was when Charles'' pupils constricted.


    Charles snatched the tree knot out of mid-air and tossed it lightly. The tree knot was falling slower than expected. There were some changes to the gravity around them.


    Charles walked over to the ship''s gunwale. He looked up at the pitch-ck sky and then at the darkness down below.


    <em>Just how high are we? We''ve been traveling for quite a while now, but we still haven''t exited the atmosphere, right? Howe the force of gravity has already gotten weaker?</em> Charles closed his eyes and took a breath.


    The oxygen in the air didn''t seem like it had thinned out.


    <em>We need to form a reconnaissance team for the farther inds once we''re done here. Otherwise, we might fly out of Earth one day without realizing it.</em>


    Of course, Charles had to set that matter aside for now. He had more important matters at hand. The first batch of mice scouts were released, and they rapidly surveyed the ind.


    The ind wasn''trge and was only a few kilometers wide. Soon, the mice returned, squeaking around Lily.


    "Mr. Charles, the ind isn''t dangerous, but there''s an iron table on the ind, and someone has ced a small box on the table."

 Chapter 655: Condition

    <em>Shh... shh... shh¡­</em>


    An eerie sound echoed in the surroundings as Charles stepped on the uneven ground with his boots.


    Arge ground of mice circled the group of humans, their whiskers twitching as they kept a vignt eye on the pitch-ck surroundings.


    Charles and his group had disembarked on the meteorite ind. Fully prepared, they were extremely vignt as they headed to the "table" under the scouting mice''s lead.


    <em>Click!</em>


    Charles opened his slightly chipped golden pocket watch to check the time before slipping it back into his coat.


    Exactly two months had passed and today was the day of the meeting he had arranged with T. If the Foundation had agreed to T''s proposal, their representatives should already be on this ind.


    The ind was on the smaller side, and it didn''t take long before Charles spotted the table Lily had mentioned.


    A square metal table was nestled between two objects that looked like ck fighter jets. Apart from that, there was no sign of any human activity in the area.The table gleamed a silver sheen under the shlight''s beam and looked impably clean. There was only a single item on the table¡ªa white tablet about the size of two hands. The screen remained pitch-ck; it was probably powered off.


    <em>Squeak! Squeak squeak! </em>


    Perched on Grace''s palm, Lily tilted her head upward and let out a series of squeaks. A couple of mice scurried over to the tablet to inspect it for any potential threat.


    "There''s no need for that. If the Foundation wanted to do something to us, they have more ways than tampering with a tablet," Charlesmented as he stepped forward to the table.


    Standing in front of the table, he extended his metal prosthetic arm and picked up the tablet. With a gentle press of the power button, the screen lit up, apanied by a pleasant startup chime.


    Soon enough, a familiar yet foreign face appeared on the screen before Charles.


    "Captain, do you remember me? Long time no see; surely you haven''t forgotten me, have you?"


    It was Feuerbach, the former Second Mate of the Narwhale, appearing on the screen with his signature radiant smile.


    Charles wasn''t surprised to see Feuerbach''s on the screen. With a smirk that didn''t reach his eyes, he replied, "Did the Foundation send only you for such an important matter? It seems like you are of a pretty high status within the Foundation."


    Feuerbach waved his hands humbly. Holding back a chuckle, he said, "Captain, you tter me. There''s no high or low here. We''re all working toward the same goal, after all. We just have different roles to y; there''s no distinction between ranks."


    "Get someone who has the authority to make decisions to talk to me. I don''t like to deal with a messenger."


    It wasn''t a good sign that the other side hadn''t send anyone of importance when it was a matter of coboration.


    "Don''t worry, Captain. All the members of the GK Council are watching you right now. It''s just that it''s not that convenient for them toe out and meet you in person at the moment," Feuerbach remarked.


    Charles inhaled a deep breath to maintain his calm. "Let''s get straight to the point then. What''s the Foundation''s stance? Are we cooperating or not?"


    Charles'' question was like a vice grip that tightened around the hearts of the crew members holding shlights behind him as they waited anxiously for the response.


    "We agree to your cooperation request. You''re right. Under current circumstances, it''s pointless clinging to our secrecy protocols. Because of you, the existence of the Foundation is now an open secret across the entire Subterranean Sea," Feuerbach said, stretchingzily.


    Charles maintained a stoic expression. However, his right hand clenched tightly in response, betraying the surge of joy that roused within him. With the two forces united, their chances of saving the Subterranean Sea had been significantly increased.


    However,Charles'' tion was cut short abruptly as Feuerbach continued, "In exchange, there''s one condition that we''d like to request of you."


    Charles was taken aback. Since they had agreed to the cooperation, why were they raising a condition now? What could the humans of the Subterranean Sea probably have that that Foundation, with its advanced technology, couldn''t obtain?


    "Is there something that the denizens of the Subterranean Sea have that the Foundation doesn''t?" Charles asked, his voiceced with incredulity.


    Letting out a chuckle, Feuerbach replied, "As a matter of fact, there is. Your daughter, Sparkle. We''ve tried numerous experiments but all of which failed in replicating her. She is a miracle."


    Charles'' brow instantly furrowed as warning bells sounded in his mind.


    "Send your daughter to us. We need to conduct various tests on her. Of course, be rest assured that it will be perfectly safe, and we won''t harm her in any way."


    Charles dismissed thest sentence as utter bullshit. The Foundation''s experiments were anything but safe.


    "Saving the Subterranean Seaes with conditions? Does working together with mankind mean nothing to you? Isn''t it the Foundation''s mission to protect the interests of mankind?" Charles questioned, anger apparent in his voice.


    A hint of distress crossed Feuerbach''s face. "Captain, I''m just a clone conveying the message. There''s no use saying all that to me."


    As soon as Feuerbach''sst words fell, a metallic blue light flickered in his eyes. When he parted his lips to speak once more, his voice had changed. It became a maic, mechanical voice that sounded like both male and female.


    "Charles, you im you can sacrifice everything for the sake of the Subterranean Sea. Why are you hesitating when your own daughter is now involved?"


    "Yes, I can sacrifice everything for the sake of the Subterranean Sea. But sacrificing for the sake of the Foundation is apletely different story. And who are you, exactly?" Charles retorted.


    "I''m K9," Feuerbach''s image on the screen answered with a smile.


    "Impossible! A thousand years ago, K9 and the others had merged together to be the Light God!" Charles countered.


    "K9 is just a title, much like you being the captain of the Narwhale, If you die, someone else will take your ce to be known as the new captain of the Narwhale."


    Sparkle''s adorable face shed through Charles'' mind. He pondered for a few moments before leaning forward and said, "K9, I ept your condition. But, you must send me the list of tests, and my people will conduct the tests on Sparkle. That is, if they are really harmless."


    Under the control of K9, Feuerbach shook his head. "Governor Charles, you seem to be misunderstanding something. In our current situation, you are the ones seeking our help, not the other way around, so you are in no position to negotiate anything.


    "Perhaps, you might be thinking that you are aiding us by searching for the darkness. No. Instead, you are just causing us trouble.


    "We never held any hopes for the denizens of the Subterranean Sea. In our eyes, all of you are Stone Age apes. When 007 opened<em> that </em>door, we''d already calcted every possible scenario and prepared ordingly while you continued your ignorant existence in the Subterranean Sea.


    "Our time is precious, so please don''t waste our time and make your decision quickly. Of course, you can turn down our request. Once we have finished dealing with the darkness, we''ll find a way to bring her to us. But by that time, things aren''t going to be so simple and straightforward, " K9 concluded; their tone was firm and unyielding, with no room for negotiation whatsoever.


    Charles could feel the needle-like gazes of his crew piercing him from behind.


    "I¡­"


    "We don''t agree!" A resolute voice from behind Charles cut him off. The voice hade from Anna.

 Chapter 656: Foundation

    d in a silk dress, Anna stepped out of the crowd and approached Charles. She then snatched the tablet from Charles''s hand.


    Her eyes burned with fury as she red at K9 on the screen. Through gritted teeth, she spat, "How dare you think of using my daughter? Just wait. I''m already figuring out where you guys are!


    "A bunch of old fogeys that should be buried in the dirt. Do you really think you are that great? If you were that formidable, would the surface be in this state?"


    After saying her piece, Anna didn''t wait for the other party''s response. She immediately snapped the tablet in half, and sparks flew from the broken device.


    With her emotions running high, she turned toward Charles and pointed her finger at him while berating him furiously before storming off into the darkness.


    Charles hastened his steps to catch up with Anna and disappeared into the shadows beyond the illumination range of the crew''s shlights.


    "Anna! What are you doing! You''ve ruined the entire n!" Charles reached out, trying to grab Anna''s wrist, but thetter pped his hand away.


    <em>p!</em>


    The next moment, her hand struck Charles'' face. "You bastard! You were actually going to use your daughter to trade for the Foundation''s help! Are you even human?!"Charles tried to suppress the arising frustration in him and exined, "Did you see my agree to it?"


    "Hesitation is just as bad! Just what does Sparkle mean to you? I swear... If something like this happens again, don''t me me for erasing every memory of you from my mind!" Anna''s eyes were red with anger, and she was clearly serious about what she had just said.


    "Even if we were going to turn them down, why did you have to antagonize the Foundation so? This is crucial to finding the darkness!


    "We finally got a chance, and yet you ruined it all! We could''ve negotiated, asked for more benefits, or even discussed other ways of working together with them."


    "Gao Zhiming! I''m telling you. Never ce your fate in someone else''s hands. Besides, the Foundation is not trustworthy! I trust only my own strength!" Anna retorted.


    "Then what about the people of the Subterranean Sea? Everyone on Hope Ind? What will happen to them?!" Charles'' voice rose subconsciously.


    "What will happen to them? Who cares! How do their lives concern me? You''ve always been just an ordinary person since young; where did you get such a lofty sense of duty? Do you really think you are humanity''s hero? I''m telling you, if you want to be a hero, then do it by all means, but don''t you dare sacrifice my daughter!"


    "Is this about them? No! It''s about us! If we can''t find the darkness, we''ll all have to die!"


    "We won''t! The shelter in Newbound City is already under construction!" Anna shouted.


    Charles rubbed his throbbing temples. His voice dropped to a low murmur as he said, "Anna, I don''t want to continue arguing with you. From now on, I hope you stay out of matters in the surface world."


    Folding her arms over her chest, Anna''s eyes darted to the upper left. "I can''t be bothered to get involved, but leave Sparkle out of everything. Gao Zhiming, you''d better think it through. In my heart, her ce is far above yours."


    The silence of the darkness engulfed them once more. After a long pause, Charles tilted his head toward the path ahead. "Let''s go back."


    "What are you nning to do next?" Anna asked.


    "Now that you''ve messed everything up, what else can we do? We can only continue exploring the darkness. All exploration ships are to adopt a cautious stance instead of a friendly one toward the Foundation."


    Charles'' brows were knitted together as he turned and walked toward the distant area illuminated by beams of shlight.


    Anna lifted her feet and followed after Charles. Her tone was calmer than before as shemented, "It''s best if we can secretly capture a few members of the Foundation. I can try to use other ways to extract information from their minds."


    "Al lright." Charles nodded.


    As soon as Charles and Anna emerged from the shadows, everyone''s gazesnded on them.


    Charles cleared his throat and addressed the crew, "Let''s head back. I''ll report everything that happened here in the Subterranean Sea Council meeting."


    The hard-earned opportunity they had managed to secure was abruptly squandered just like that. Anna''s extreme reaction would surely draw criticism from the other governors.


    Though Anna reacted on her own ord, in the eyes of others, him and her being a couple meant that they shared the same opinion.


    Charles knew he had to find a way to resolve this issue, or else the other governors would harbor resentment.


    Truth be told, Charles was really bad at dealing with such matters. Yet, as a leader, he had no choice but to learn and apply it.


    "Madam Linda, has the expedition ended? It didn''t seem dangerous at all," Grace asked, her voiceced with curiosity.


    "Don''t talk. I''ll exin everything once we get back."


    <em>Hooooooonk!</em>


    With a low hum, the Narwhale slowly turned around and began its departure from the meteorite ind.


    Just as the other ships followed suit, a peculiar explosion sound suddenly erupted overhead.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The deafening explosion resonated in the air, and in an instant, two gas balloons from one of the airships turned into a zing fireball. Without the mechanisms to keep it hovering, the ship''s hull helplessly plummeted toward the ground.


    "Iing! Enemy attack! All ships make an emergencynding on the ind!"


    Without a single moment of hesitation, Charles swiftly transformed into a monstrous bat and soared into the air.


    When he realized that his eyes couldn''t track the attackers, he parted his menacing maw and let out a series of sound waves.


    <em>Snap!</em>


    The familiar noise rang out again. Charles'' echolocation pulse collided with an invisible barrier; he couldn''t detect any presence.


    "Lily! Activate the Narwhale''s fire control system! Try to lock onto whatever is attacking us!!" Charles roared.


    Just then, another snap rang out as another airship''s gas balloon exploded into mes.


    The Narwhale''s deck cannon swiveled rapidly and fired a barrage of projectiles, but every shot missed. The enemy was incredibly agile.


    The third time the assant reappeared, one of the captains on the other airships appeared on the deck. He was bald and had a tall ck top hat on his head. A small brass door could be seen in the center of his hat.


    The hat appeared to be a relic. The moment the bald captain opened the palm-sized brass door, the speed of the airborne enemy momentarily slowed down for one second.


    However, one second was all Charles needed. With a thought, a sudden sh of white light ensued, and Charles mmed into the target with all his might.


    The assant wasn''t some strange creature or bizarre entity. Rather, it was a sleek, ck, streamlined fighter jet.


    Through the cockpit window, Charles could see the pilot d in a spacesuit, a distinctive trademark of the Foundation.


    <em>Fuck! The Foundation is so petty?! Just because we turned them down, they sent people to wipe us out?</em>


    Seething with furious thoughts, Charles bared his menacing fangs and pressed them against the ss before emitting a piercing sonic wave.


    The cockpit window shattered into pieces, and Charles swiftly entered the jet. The two pilots tried to flee, but Charles lunged at them, grabbed them by the helmets, and flung them out violently.


    As the jet spiraled uncontrobly, Charles noticed that one of the figures had their helmet flung off as well. However, he didn''t see any human face. Instead, he was greeted by a grotesque mix of brain matter, pus, and blood that spilled out onto the cabin floor.

 Chapter 657: Attack

    Charles was greeted by a grotesque mix of brain matter, pus, and blood that spilled out onto the cabin floor, along with what looked like fireflies made out of pure darkness.


    The "fireflies" squirmed before disappearing into thin air.


    Without its pilots, the ne entered a nosedive, and everything inside the ne flew upward. Charles watched as the disgusting liquid flew past him. His gaze thennded on another figure in a spacesuit.


    Charles'' sharp ws tore apart the other figure''s visor, and a repulsive odor assaulted Charles'' nostrils as an explosion of blood, brain matter, and pus filled the air before him, along with another batch of "fireflies" from earlier. The spacesuit didn''t have a human being inside it but was housing a lifeform made out of liquid.


    Just then, Charles noticed that the ind down below was getting bigger in his eyes. The ne was about to crash. However, Charles wasn''t worried at all. With a will on his end, his figure vanished from inside the ne and reappeared outside.


    Meanwhile, a screeching noise pervaded the air as the streamlined fighter jet crashed into the meteorite-looking floating ind. It was a catastrophic collision with mechanical parts scattering everywhere, but the ne didn''t burst into mes.


    Right as Charles was about to make his next move, he felt a sudden itchiness in his throat, followed by a strong urge to vomit. A sudden, intense pain struck him in the abdomen as if his stomach was going through a seizure.


    Charles'' expression immediately became solemn. A section of his stomach had already been removed, and he couldn''t afford to have another section of his stomach necrotized and removed.


    Charles knew that he couldn''t use that relic again unless it was absolutely necessary to do so.Charles decided to set aside those thoughts for now, as he didn''t have the luxury of time to ponder over many things at the moment.


    Just then, a screeching noise filled the air, prompting Charles to look up and find that more fighter jets had appeared.


    Charles pped his wings and flew above the Narwhale to look around vigntly.


    The entire expedition team had no choice but to go into a passive stance in the face of the Foundation''s powerful modern weaponry. To make matters worse, the Foundation had sent six fighter jets this time rather than just one.


    The fighter jets attacked, sending a hail of explosive shells toward the airships.


    Unfortunately, one of the airships was hit, and the resulting explosion was so powerful that it made the fur on Charles'' face curl slightly in response.


    Charles knew that they had to counterattack. They couldn''t just take hits from their enemies. Their enemies were extremely fast, but Charles had to destroy them somehow, or they would be stranded on this ind if their airships ended up getting destroyed.


    Charlesnded on the Narwhale''s smokestack, standing firmly in ce.


    His figure rapidly morphed into normal as he eximed, "You with the hat! Slow them down a bit! A brief pause is enough!"


    As long as Charles could see them, he had a way to make them stop.


    The captain with the tall top hat looked like he wanted to say something, but he seemed hesitant to say it. In the end, he nodded at Charles and put his hand back on the door knob of the small brass door embedded in the center of his hat.


    A creaking noise echoed as the brass door opened, and a passing fighter jet slowed down immediately afterward.


    Charles stared intently at the fighter jet and opened his hands. Invisible tentacles instantly wrapped around the fighter jet; the tentacles emitting a bright white sheen whipped at the jet, focusing on its wings and empennage.


    The fighter jet had slowed down for only a second, but it was destroyed before it could even return to its original speed. Wrapped in invisible tentacles, it wobbled and plummeted toward the endless abyss down below.


    Charles dealt with another fighter jet in the same manner until the enemies wisened up. They no longer dared to approach the meteorite ind; they chose to hide in the darkness and bombard the airships with their missiles.


    "Everyone off the ship!! They''re attacking the airships!" Charles roared.


    Everyone frantically escaped amidst the bombardment. At this rate, not a single airship would remain. The intermittent explosions told everyone that the enemies were moving incessantly, making sure that they''d never get tracked in the darkness.


    Dipp gnashed his sharp teeth and stomped forward. His figure rapidly dispersed into a thick blue mist.


    "Captain, I''ll handle them!" Dipp eximed, and the blue mist thinned out gradually until it became a massive that drifted slowly toward the unassuming fighter jets.


    Of course, Charles wasn''t going to let Dipp face several modern fighter jets by himself. He flew over to the captain wearing a top hat and swooped up thetter with his talons before flying in Dipp''s direction.


    Those capable of flight among the expedition party hurried over to support as well.


    With two down, there were only four fighter jets remaining, and Charles decided to employ encirclement tactics.


    The enemies were extremely fast, but the expedition party with powerful relics had a higher firepower than the fighter jets, even if they were in the air.


    Soon, explosions pervaded the darkness, illuminating it.


    An intense battle ensued, with both sides sparing the other no quarter.


    "<em>Bleck!</em>" Grace''s expression was ugly as she vomited the food she had eaten in the morning. A corpse missing half its head was on the floor not too far away from her, and the corpse had flown toward her from out of nowhere.


    Grace was finally witnessing the harsh reality of the surface world exploration. The smell of gunpowder, whale oil, and the disgusting smell of burning flesh pervaded the air. It was the scent of a battlefield, and the scene before Grace gave her the shock of her life.


    When there was nothing left in her stomach to vomit, Grace instinctively sought out her only support on the ship, Linda. However, Linda was the ship''s doctor, so she was at her busiest at the moment. She had no time to spare for Grace.


    "<em>Sniff¡­!</em> I want to go home..." Grace cried as she hugged her staff. She was hiding in a corner and sobbing by herself.


    After a while, she looked up and saw Lily directing her mice to move the deck cannons as swiftly as possible while the remaining crew members were maneuvering the Narwhale away from the battlefield.


    The sight made Grace feel ashamed of her own cowardice.


    "Stand up, Grace. You can do it. I''m not useless," Grace said to herself. She mustered the courage to rush over to Linda''s side, who was already soaked in blood.


    Grace was about to assist Linda when she saw everyone returning from the darkness outside.


    Charles put down the captain that he had been carrying with his talons. He smiled while staring at the captain''s ck top hat. "Nice relic. Where did you get it?"


    However, the captain wearing a ck top hat stood in a daze, ignoring Charles. His crew eventually came to carry their captain away, and Charles learned from them that their captain''s current condition was all because of the relic''s side effect.


    The relic could slow down others, but he had to sacrifice his own speed in exchange. A short dy in one''s movement was manageable, but the fact that the side effect could sometimes be permanent was terrifying.


    Charlesnded on the Narwhale''s deck, and the survivors gathered on the deck.


    The majority of the casualties had died from the bombardment of the fighter jets, and an airship had even plummeted to the abyss down below when its gas bags were destroyed by the bombardment. There were only two airships remaining, and the Narwhale was one of the two.


    A casualty report was soon made, and almost thirty explorers had perished from the attack. The report included the casualties of the Narwhale. Thirty wasn''t arge number, but their deaths were unnecessary.


    Charles knew that there was a chance that the negotiations would break down and that they would be attacked. However, he didn''t expect the Foundation to attack them as soon as they had refused to ept their condition.

 Chapter 658: 005-3

    "Governor Charles, we have to go back as soon as possible and inform the others about the Foundation''s attitude. We have to tell them that the Foundation is our enemy, not our friends!" a captain said to Charles with a grave face. His airship had been destroyed in the earlier attack.


    Had the Foundation ordered the fighter jets in waiting to attack them in retaliation after the negotiations had broken down?


    All signs were pointing to that conclusion, but Charles felt that there was something amiss. The Foundation that he knew wasn''t a group of impulsive children.


    If they really wanted to attack the expedition party, it wouldn''t be for such a petty reason. Charles remembered the strange liquid inside those spacesuits and felt that there was truly something amiss with this attack.


    Looking at the dark sky that had be silent once again, Charles started pondering over his next move beneath the Narwhale''s bright searchlights.


    "Get the wounded and everyone else on board. We''ll leave after I''ve taken care of some things," Charles said to the three captains before him.


    "Where¡­ are¡­ you¡­ going¡­ Governor¡­ Charles?" the captain wearing a top hat said. He had recovered significantly, but he was still quite slow.


    "I need to investigate something. It''d be great if I manage to find something," Charles said, and then he started walking toward the fallen jets.


    Soon, Lily''s mice were crawling through every piece of debris, searching for any clues. If Charles wanted to know if these jets were really from the Foundation, then he''d have to start with these jets.He could make an infinite number of guesses, and it wouldn''t prove anything. If he wanted to prove anything, then he needed evidence to do so.


    "Mr. Charles, there''s nothing here. Look, everything has been burned down," Lily tranted the mice''s findings while pinching a charred tire with her tiny paws.


    Charles tossed the metal te in his hand to the ground. He knew that nes had ck boxes, and those ck boxes contained a treasure trove of information that would allow them to deduce where the jets hade from and what they had gone through.


    Charles walked toward another wreckage.


    Just when he thought that they would find nothing again, the mice squealed and dragged what they had discovered to Charles. The mice had dragged several sheets of linen paper that felt familiar to Charles.


    He looked down and instantly realized why the linen paper felt familiar to him.


    <em>Project ID: 005-3 (?)</em>


    The Foundation used this kind of paper specifically to record information, and it wasn''t Charles'' first time seeing this kind of paper throughout his years of experience at sea.


    It seemed that the Foundation found it necessary to record information using this kind of paper. It was a special paper, after all, and it was evidenced by the fact that the papers remained intact despite the jet''s destruction.


    Charles shuffled the papers, determining the right order before reading them.


    <em>Project ID: 005-3 (?) </em>


    <em>Project Name: The Lost Part of the Ancient One (Tentative)</em>


    <em>Description: 005-3 is a colossal humanoid ck fog, estimated to be nearly three kilometers tall. Based on the initial observations of its appearance, they are presumed to be the part that 005 had lost uponing up.</em>


    <em>ording to data that had been gathered from the third conversation with 005 on April 21, 1843, 005-3 has been separated from 005''s collective consciousness due to 002''s influence.</em>


    <em>Given 002''s unique properties, there''s reason to believe that 005-3 has mutated. Dr. T3 suggests that by finding a way to contain 005-3, there''s a high probability that we can reverse-engineer it to find a way to contain 005.</em>


    <em>Under Dr. T3''s lead, we will conduct experiments on 005-3. </em>


    <em>Experiment records will be in Addendum 1.</em>


    <em>Addendum 1:</em>


    <em>Experiment 1: Have clone DOE83 approach within 30 meters of 005-3 to converse with 005-3. </em>


    <em>The conversation was as follows:</em>


    <em>DOE83: "Hello, Tawil?" </em>


    <em>005-3: [Silence] </em>


    <em>DOE83: "Visitor from the starry sky, you''ve told us that this is your name. You are a part of Her, so you should have the same name, right?" </em>


    <em>005-3: [Silence] </em>


    <em>DOE83: "Uh... do you have a new name? How should we address you?" </em>


    <em>005-3: [Silence]</em>


    <em>The experiment concluded at 21:35:37 on the same day.</em>


    <em>Experiment Conclusion: 005-3 is not willing to converse like 005 and has remained silent throughout the experiment.</em>


    <em>Experiment 2: Have clone DOE83 enter 005-3''s body.</em>


    <em>Experiment Conclusion: Clone DOE83 returned safely and reported that 005-3, like 005, has no physical form. Their appearances are highly simr, like fireflies formed of pure darkness.</em>


    <em>Experiment 3: Have clones DOE83, DOE873, and DOE74 perform a ritual to summon 005''s will in front of 005-3.</em>


    <em>Experiment Conclusion: Ritual failed. 005-3 reacted for the first time, and its hazy figure emitted a white light for exactly one second. Dr. T3 suggests further experiments.</em>


    <em>Experiment 4: Sacrifice clone DOE83 using Array 3+.</em>


    <em>Experiment Conclusion: 005-3 silent. Clone DOE83 deceased.</em>


    <em>Experiment 5: Sacrifice clones DOE734, DOE7644, DOE82, and DOE814 using Array 5.</em>


    <em>Experiment Conclusion: 005-3 silent. Sacrifices deceased.</em>


    <em>Experiment 6: Sacrifice all members of Mobile Task Force Nine-Tailed Fox using Ritual 8-.</em>


    <em>Experiment Conclusion: 005-3 silent. Sacrifices deceased.</em>


    <em>Experiment 7: Sacrifice Dr. T3 using Ritual 3+.</em>


    <em>Experimental Protocol: When the sharpser beam cut Dr. T3''s skin, he showed severe panic and issued meaningless warnings. Without a mobile task force to restrain him, the dying Dr. T3 fell into the darkness.</em>


    <em>Experiment Conclusion: 005-3 silent.</em>


    <em>Experiment 8: Sacrifice all members of the airborne aircraft carrier Angel using Ritual 9+.</em>


    <em>Experiment Conclusion: 005-3ughed.</em>


    Charles felt a shiver down his spine. The content of the sheets of paper in his hands was extremely disturbing.


    Charles knew that the Foundation had a penchant for experimenting on living human beings, but they''d always use test subjects and would never experiment on their own staffers, let alone sacrifice an entire group of people for an experiment.


    Charles had no idea what "Ritual 8-" or "Array 3+" meant, but the fact that they were rted to the words "ritual" and "sacrifice" meant that they were definitely something vile.


    Charles believed that the Foundation members had to be under some kind of mind control for them to do such a vile act. Charles shifted his gaze from the papers in his hands to the wreckage on the ground.


    Regardless of what had happened to the Foundation, it was finally clear that this attack wasn''t orchestrated by them.


    Now that Charles was thinking about it, it didn''t make sense for the Foundation to do something so reckless such as antagonizing others amidst a world-ending crisis.


    "Captain, what does it say?" Lily asked as she climbed up Charles'' shoulder. Her curious gaze swept across the words on the papers in Charles'' hand.


    Charles tossed the papers to the ground before grabbing Lily from his shoulder and stroking her smooth fur.


    "It''s about time we leave. It''s not safe here."


    They still had two airships, which were in decent condition. It would be a bit cramped, but the two airships could amodate everyone.


    Having made up his mind, Charles returned to the Narwhale, and the two remaining airships of the expedition party wobbled as they left the meteorite ind to fly into the darkness up above.

 Chapter 659: The Process

    "Look, this is an eyeliner. You draw it like this, then like this, and like this. Now, take a look. Don''t you look prettier than before?" Nico asked with a smile.


    Holding the eyeliner between his index and middle fingers, he positioned the mirror in his other hand in front of the teenage girl, letting her inspect her newly applied makeup.


    They were currently in Second Mate Nico''s cabin. Though the room wasn''t that spacious, it was tastefully decorated. The walls were even painted with a refreshing shade of apple green.


    "Wow! I really do look much prettier!" Grace eximed.


    "Right? Every woman needs to learn how to apply makeup. It''s not just about the pursuit of beauty; it''s about confidence. Wearing makeup and stepping out of your room instill a positive mindset. This is also my secret to maintaining a youthful appearance even at forty-nine," Nico remarked.


    Retracting the mirror, he checked his own reflection. He then straightened his posture, puckered his vividly colored lips, and admired the pearl ear studs on his ears.


    "Then why didn''t Madam Linda take me to buy makeup when she took me shopping for essentials on the ship?" Grace asked in puzzlement.


    Nico cast a sideways nce at Grace, a hint of disdain flickering across his eyes. "What does she know? On this ship, aside from Chief Engineer Audric, who else sees her as a woman? If you want to be a charming and alluring woman, you need to learn from me."


    "By the way," Nico said, "Burn that oversized robe you''re wearing. Is that even meant for human wear? I''ll find you some clothes that actually fit."Grace looked downward to assess her gray robe. Hesitation suffused her face as she said, "But my mentor gave this to me."


    "<em>Hohoho. </em>Let me guess. Is your mentor an old man with no sense of style? How could he let a girl wear <em>that</em>? Quick, take it off. Trust me."


    Soon, Grace''s old-fashioned mage robes were reced with a rose-colored satin dress. The top was short, but the hem was long and wide. Coupled with Grace''s light makeup, her entire outfit highlighted her youthful charm.


    "<em>Hmm¡­</em> not bad at all. Though my clothes are still a little too big for you, nothing a slight alteration can''t do," Nicomented with satisfaction.


    Nearby, Lily was perched on the table with two big spots of rouge on her cheeks and bright red lipstick. Her head hung in dejection. "It doesn''t work on me¡­ I look like a clown¡­ I was so pretty when I became a human."


    "Oh~ Lily, my dear little Lily, what am I going to do with you?" Nico sighed as he extended a manicured finger with red nail polish to gently circle around Lily''s fluffy head.


    Grace reached out and cradled Lilly in her palm. Stroking her soft fur gently, she said, "Lily, you don''t need makeup. You are adorable just the way you are."


    "Sigh¡­ I don''t want to be adorable. But thank you for trying to cheer me up. I feel a bit better now," Lily said as she nuzzled Grace''s palm with her furry cheek.


    <em>Cuckoo! Cuckoo! </em>


    The doors on the mechanical wall clock suddenly flung open, and a brass bird emerged from within. It pped its wings and opened its beak, chirping rhythmically.


    Nico ced the lipstick in his hand back onto his vanity table and aligned it meticulously to line up with the other cosmetics.


    He then stood up leisurely and announced, "Alright, it''s time for my shift now. Feel free to stay here and have fun. From now on, this will be the ce where thedies of the Narwhale can have their afternoon tea."


    Grace shed a smile at Nico, saying, "Thank you, Mr. Second Mate. You''re so kind to me."


    "Oh~ My sweetie." Nico bent down, his eyes filled with affection as he gently pinched Grace''s cheek. "You''re wee. Who could resist wanting to help such an adorable girl like you?"


    As Nico caressed Grace''s silky, smooth, and fair cheek, a hint of envy crossed his eyes.


    "Ah, how great it is to be young. I can''t even feel a single pore. Unlike me, everything''s starting to sag. Anyway, I must be off, or the first mate is going to scold me for beingte again. See you girls again in six hours."


    The cabin door swung open and closed behind Nico. Looking at the guns on the wall swaying with the waves, Grace looked at Lily and said with joy in her voice, "Mr. Nico is such a nice person! I love being on the Narwhale. It feels better than being in my mentor''s magic tower!"


    Lily tilted her head up to look at Grace. Hesitation painted her face as she pondered whether she should voice out her thoughts or not.


    Grace noticed Lily''s hesitation and asked in puzzlement, "Is there something you want to say? Go ahead; we''re all friends now."


    Lily ultimately decided to keep her thoughts to herself. Putting on a smile, she shook her head and replied, "It''s nothing¡­ I just wanted to say that actually, Mr. Nico isn''t as nice as you describe him to be. I''ve heard that he likes to sneak into the crew''s quarters at night."


    Meanwhile, on the other side, Nico had pushed open the door to the bridge. A few specks of dust fluttered to the ground as he entered the room.


    Leaning against the door frame, Nico struck a sultry pose. He then held his right hand against the door and did a sexy body wave, with emphasis on his hips. "Boys~ I''m here~ Miss me?"


    Bandages and Dipp exchanged gazes. Their expressions remained stoic, and they didn''t speak a single word.


    "You''re¡­te¡­ again¡­" Bandages eventually broke the silence as he walked over and handed Nico the navigation documents and a pen before heading down the stairs.


    "Hmph, this guy''s so boring. Dipp, didn''t you say he was quite lively when he was younger? Were you just lying to me?" Nico asked as he grabbed the navigational logbook and approached the map on the wall, ready to get to work.


    "Uh¡­ never mind. It''s better to not say anything. Anyway, his past is quite mysterious and bizarre," Dipp replied.


    "I wasn''t that interested in the first ce. That dude''s not handsome, and I''m not the least bit interested in him," Nico said dismissively. "Alright, let''s get to work. Report the ascent speed."


    "Ascending at an average of 6 knots."


    "Current coordinates?"


    "48.5, 73.7."


    "Temperature?"


    "21 degrees."


    As Nico continued to be updated on their current nautical situation, he diligently recorded the information with his pen.


    "How much longer before we get there? I''m getting annoyed," Dippined as he rubbed his sore neck.


    "Another six days, at most. Luckily, the Foundation had cleared this route before. Otherwise, we could have been shot down before we could even get close. We still need to upgrade those gas bags. Their resistance to attacks is too weak," Nico answered.


    Dipp nodded in agreement. "I''ll bring it up to the captain when he starts his daily patrol. By the way, are the items for the ritual prepared? We seem to becking in supplies on the ship; I''m worried we won''t have enough."


    "Linda is gathering everything. There shouldn''t be any issues. After all, we have two ships worth of people."


    Silence ensued in the cockpit once again. After a few minutes, Nico looked up at Dipp with a smile. "Come on, tell me already. What exactly did Bandages go through? You''ve really piqued my curiosity."


    "Bandages, huh? It''s a long story. We have to start from the captain''s first exploration mission."

 Chapter 660: Beginning

    <em>We''re almost there. Everything is going smoothly so far without any issues.</em>


    <em>But I''ve been feeling really uneasytely. Usually, when things are too calm, and the closer we are to the end, the more likely something is to go wrong.</em>


    <em>My diary has been writing all sorts of nonsense, but I''ve been pretending that I can''t see them. The earlier event has proven that the future it has predicted can change.</em>


    <em>Since both good and bad predicted events can still be altered, then reading any of its predictions is aplete waste of time.</em>


    <em>The crew is getting impatient and restless. They have been showing signs of irritability, which is understandable given that four ships'' worth of people are being crammed into just two ships.</em>


    <em>To address the situation, I''ve implemented a bed rotation system on the Narwhale. One bed is assigned to three different people, each taking an eight-hour shift. This way, at least everyone has a ce to sleep.</em>


    <em>Sleep is important. Without ample rest, the energy levels of the crew will plummet.</em>


    <em>Once we reach our destination, the first thing to do is¡ª</em>


    A sharp, intense headache struck Charles, causing him to drop his pen. The pennded on the diary and sttered ck dots that rapidly disappeared."Fuck! What''s this?!" Charles groaned in pain as he clutched his head, his face twisting into a scowl.


    He wasn''t sure what was going on but excruciating pain had been hitting him recently every time he was halfway through writing a diary entry.


    The intense and unusual throbbing was unbearable. It felt as though something had coiled around his brain and was tightening around it.


    At first, Charles suspected it to be the doing of the numerous tentacles that Anna had ced in his skull¡ªthe same one that she imed would prevent any entity from taking over his mind.


    However, the protection was no longer Charles'' priority; he feared that the pain would kill him first at this rate.


    "No, this won''t do. Once we''re back, I have to get Anna to remove those tentacles from my brain..." Charles muttered.


    The intense headachested for about five minutes before gradually disappearing.


    Under such circumstances, Charles was no longer in the mood to continue writing. He hastily wrapped up his entry for the day and headed toward his cabin door to start another round of ship patrol.


    Given the current overcrowded state of the Narwhale, the patrol was almost redundant. If there were an enemy, they would be spotted long before they could climb aboard.


    Receiving the respectful nces of the crew, Charles moved from onepartment to another. From time to time, he would also chat with them and assess their mental states.


    His final stop was the bridge. As soon as he entered the bridge, the casual conversation between Dipp and Nico ceased immediately.


    "Any issues?" Charles asked as he peered into the dark expanse beyond the window. The bustling deck below was crowded with people as they pointed into the shadows beyond.


    "No issues, sir. Don''t worry. We haven''t run into any dangers the entire journey. I think it''s because this is 005-3''s territory, and nothing dares toe close here," Dipp answered.


    "The closer we are to the most critical moments, the more we must remain vignt. Keep your senses up," Charles instructed in a low voice.


    "Understood."


    "How long before we reach our destination?"


    "<em>Hmm¡­ </em>thirty minutes at best. Probably. Given the distance, some error is expected."


    "In that case, I''m toozy to head back. I''ll stay here and wait with you guys."


    The short duration seemed to fly by, and soon, the Narwhale and the airship following it slowed down to a halt.


    "We''ve reached? But I don''t see anything." Charles leaned forward and squinted as he gazed at the darkness.


    Nico double-checked the navigation records and affirmed, "Yes, this is the marked spot."


    Charles'' brows knitted together as he rubbed his chin and entered a deep thought. Reaching out a hand, he pulled a lever on the control panel and switched it to the lowest setting.


    A series of clicks sounded; the Narwhale''s searchlights lit up instantly. The illumination she provided turned her into a beacon in the darkness.


    The desired effect that Charles wanted was achieved. There was a hazy figure at 30 degrees starboard of the Narwhale.


    When the figure came into view, everyone aboard the ship froze. Although it was motionless, the figure''s sudden appearance caused everyone to subconsciously breathe a notch quieter.


    "<em>Ahhhh!</em>" Suddenly, Charles clutched his head in pain again. The intense pain had returned and was gripping his mind like a vice.


    The excruciating pain made him feel like ripping his own skull open to reach into his brain and tear out the tentacles embedded within it.


    "Captain, are you okay?" An anxious Dipp rushed over and quickly helped Charles up.


    "Captain, we are at the most critical moment; you need to hold on," Nico said, walking up to Charles and supporting him by the other arm.


    The tension was increasing by the minute; the spider tattoo on his neck, which Charles had almost forgotten about, sent a burning pain throughout his body.


    Though he was in extreme pain, Charles didn''t want to let it interfere with the important issue at hand.


    "Don''t worry about me. Steer the ship closer. We''ll start right away," Charlesmanded.


    As the distance between the Narwhale and the hazy figure narrowed, the pain Charles was experiencing intensified. However, he endured the pain with a grim determination.


    "Everyone,e help! Bring out the things from the infirmary," Linda instructed as she hauled a wooden crate onto the deck.


    "Captain, your condition doesn''t seem like a disease. I''m sorry, but there''s nothing I can do," Linda said. Then, she pulled out a human rib bone from the crate and started drawing something on the deck.


    With the help of the others, aplex threeyered magic circle appeared on the deck in no time. In between, Linda would asionally discuss the details with Bandages to refine the details of the magic circle.


    "Hurry up! Stop taking your sweet time!" Charles yelled in agony as he clutched his head with one hand. By now, he was drenched in sweat as if he had just been pulled out of the sea.


    Under the watchful gazes of everyone, three crew members walked to the center of the magic circle before seating themselves in a triangr formation, and cross-legged.


    Receiving a sheet of paper each from Bandages, they began to chant in low, solemn voices. The sheets of paper were filled with malicious incantations.


    As their chanting grew louder and more fervent, their expressions became increasingly manic.


    Just when their chanting escted into hysterical, meaningless shrieks, Charles suddenly rushed to the middle of the circle. He raised his chainsaw arm and made a powerful swing around him.


    <em>Psh! Psh! Psh!</em>


    The heads of the three screaming men rolled to the ground, and hot blood spurted from their arteries, raining down a crimson red on the onlookers.


    The blood sttered on the ground, on Charles, and on the faces of the watching crew members.


    However, no one bothered to wipe the blood away. Collectively, they, Charles included, turned their gaze toward the colossal ck figure standing like a mountain in the distance.


    One minute¡­ Two minutes¡­ Three minutes passed, but the figure remained motionless.


    Disappointment suffused everyone''s faces while sighs and murmurs of frustration filled the air.


    Still clutching his head in pain, Charles stumbled out of the blood-soaked magic array. "Don''t¡­ give up. We continue!"

 Chapter 661: Normal

    <em>Psh! Psh! Psh!</em>


    As heads rolled onto the ground one after another, the continuous spurting blood quickly congealed into dark red pools and soon dyed the entire deck a crimson red.


    The sticky surface made every step ufortable, but no one was bothered by it. As the sacrificial ritual continued, the number of people was dwindling rapidly.


    The chainsaw, almostpletely encased in blood, finally ceased whirring. It attempted to revert back to its prosthetic form but got stuck.


    Clutching his head, Charles looked down to find a bone fragment stuck in the chainsaw. This was the reason why the chainsaw couldn''t be reverted.


    He pulled out the bone fragment and tossed it into the thick blood pool before stumbling back to sit on a nearby stool.


    "Ah¡­ damn it! This is so hard to tolerate! Argh!" With his face twisted into a painful scowl, Charles hammered his forehead with his blood-stained iron hand, each strike heavier than thest.


    "Do you need some anesthetic? It might help relieve the pain," Linda asked as she stood nearby with her arms crossed.


    Charles shook his head. "No. We are at the most critical moment. Anesthetics would impair my judgment. Don''t stop. Proceed with the next batch. Linda, you and Grace will join this batch.""Alright, got it." Linda nodded calmly. She then grabbed Grace by the hand and led her toward the blood-stained magic array.


    The two of them chatted as she began to clear away the corpses on the ground with the other chosen sacrifices. The blood had smeared the magic circle, and the array needed to be redrawn.


    This time, it wasn''t just three people. Including Linda and Grace, there were a total of eight of them. They formed a circle and started chanting the strange incantations on the paper.


    Suddenly, a young man with a headscarf stopped. He struggled as he pulled a meter-long blue fish spine from the base of his neck.


    "What are you doing! Why did you stop all of a sudden? Don''t you feel any shame having so many people waiting for you?" Linda and the other sacrifices red at him with apparent annoyance.


    The young man waved his hands apologetically, and with a bitter smile on his face, he said, "Sorry, sorry. That spine is a life-saving relic. If I don''t remove it, I might not die. It was my oversight not to take it out earlier. My apologies."


    "Alright, quickly sit down and continue the sacrifice." Still suffering from an intense headache, Charles gave a slight flick of his left hand. His steel prosthetic transformed into a chainsaw and whirred to life. The blood droplets on the chainsaw sttered onto Lily''s fur.


    However, Lily paid no attention; her eyes were fixated on the group of people sitting in the magic array.


    The group resumed their low chanting, their voices growing louder by the minute. Just as hints of madness gradually appeared on their faces, Charles suddenly interrupted them. "Hold on, eight people aren''t ideal. We need one more."


    The eight sacrifices mutteredints under their breath. Being interrupted twice in a row was frustrating for anyone. Even Grace pouted in discontent.


    Clutching his head, Charles scanned the crowd of survivors, but yet, he couldn''t find a suitable candidate.


    "Never mind then. Lily, you join them."


    Charles reached out to grab Lily and tossed her like a ball toward Grace.


    Being caught by Grace, Lily stood on the former''s palm and looked toward Charles. Her face was painted with hesitation as she said, "Mr. Charles, I¡­"


    "What is it? If you have something to say, make it quick. My head is killing me."


    "Mr Charles, I don''t want to go first. If possible, I''d like to go with you."


    Seeing Lily''s pleading gaze, Charles stood up and started walking over to the magic array. He let out a sigh, saying, "I really can''t say no to you. Fine, I''m done enduring this pain anyway. Dipp, you''re in charge now."


    "Aye, Captain!" Dipp eximed enthusiastically as he pulled out a ck spike.


    "Hehe," Lily let out a giggle, and a sweet smile spread across her face as Charles approached her.


    Charles took a copy of the incantation, and with Lily perched on his shoulder, they began chanting together.


    As their voices grew louder and their expressions slowly suffused with madness, Charles, in his hazy state, could feel a force pulling him upward. It felt as though a giant hand was dragging his soul toward the shadowy figure.


    Feeling anxious, Dipp tightened his grip on the ck spike as he waited for the final moment to approach.


    "It''s just killing someone. Why are you so nervous? It''s not as if you have never taken a life before," Audric said with a smile.


    "This is the captain''s order. I have to carry it out dutifully, or he''ll get mad at me."


    "It''s fine. Don''t worry. He''s part of this round of sacrifices. Once he''s dead, he won''t be able to yell at you."


    Hearing Audric''s words, Dipp froze for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Yeah, you''re right. My worries are redundant. Vampire, with so many people being sacrificed this time, I might not be able to handle all of them. Help me outter."


    "Sure. We''re good friends; of course I''ll help."


    As they conversed, the sacrificial ritual had reached its climax. Dipp stopped talking and with the ck spike in hand, he slowly approached Charles from the back.


    The moment Charles was within attack range, Dipp raised the ck spike and aimed for Charles'' carotid artery.


    Just as the ck spike was about to pierce through Charles'' skin, an unbearable gripping sensation seized his mind. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he instinctively jerked his neck slightly backward.


    <em>Shcuk!</em>


    The sharp ck spike skewered through Charles'' neck at an angle, the tip emerging from the other side. Immediately, a wave of intense pain overwhelmed Charles, and the tightness in his brain vanished almost simultaneously.


    Charles felt like a bomb had exploded in his head and left a heap of chaos in its wake.


    Dipp was about to pull the ck spike out of Charles'' neck when thetter''s steel prosthetic hand mped down on his wrist and halted his actions.


    Panic suffused Dipp''s scale-covered face. "Captain, let go quickly! If I don''t pull the spike out, you can''t die!"


    "Why do I have to die? Why is there such a strong smell of blood? What am I doing?" Charles'' voice wasced with confusion.


    As Charles pondered over these questions, he noticed Audric on the other side had raised his axe and was about to swing it toward his wife, Linda.


    Without any moment to think, instinct took over, and with a thought, dozens of invisible tentacles erupted from the deck and flung Audric away into the dark skies.


    Charles quickly dealt a back kick and sent Dipp behind him flying. Under the astonished gazes of the surviving crew, he stood up.


    He stared at the bizarre magic array on the ground, the gruesome pile of corpses nearby, and the looming ck silhouette in the distance. His face contorted with pure horror.


    <em>What¡­ what is going on? Why did I bring my crew here to die?</em>


    As he sifted through his memories, he realized that just moments ago, he seemed to bepletely devoid of any fear of death. Also, sending Lily to her death had felt as simple as sending her off to have breakfast alone.

 Chapter 662: Brainwashing

    Charles stood up abruptly, forcing the sacrificial ritual toe to a halt once again, even though it was about to bepleted.


    Everyone cast their dissatisfied gazes at Charles.


    "Captain, this is the third time. Can you stop interrupting the ritual? If you don''t want to go first, then why don''t you wait for the next round?" Linda said, staring at Charles with furrowed brows.


    "Next round of what? Next round of killing ourselves? Everyone, get up! Now!" Charles roared, yanking up the crew members seated in the magic circle.


    "Have you all gone mad? Howe we went up? First Mate! Make the Narwhale descend¡ªat nk speed! We''re in uncharted territory in the skies above the darkness. Every second we spend here is akin to gambling with our lives!"


    Bandages turned around and ran toward the bridge. However, right as he was about to take his third step toward the bridge, he came to a halt and retracted his foot. Then, he turned around and joined the other crew members to stare in confusion at Charles.


    Everyone onboard soon gathered around Charles, and his heart sank upon seeing their bewildered expressions.


    "Captain, why should we go down? The sacrificial ritual isn''t over yet," Nico asked.


    "Sacrificial ritual? We don''t know any damned sacrificial ritual!" Charles roared and grabbed the ck spike lodged in his neck. He gave it a slight twist, and blood immediately seeped out of the wound. The sharp pain cleared Charles'' mind, and he discovered a strange pattern through his firsthand experience and observations just now¡ªextreme pain would allow them to recover their sanity.


    The crew became even more confused at Charles'' words, and they started whispering among themselves.


    "Hey... don''t you think the captain is acting a bit strange? I mean, this was his order."


    "Yeah, he''s being weird. It looks like he''s being controlled by something."


    "We have to catch him and proceed with the sacrificial ritual."


    "It''s fine if we kill him. We just have to drag him into the middle of the magic circle afterward."


    Hearing the crew speak such evil words in a casual tone of voice made Charles gnash his teeth. He swept his gaze across the familiar yet unfamiliar people before him.


    <em>They''ve been brainwashed! 005-3 has brainwashed them like how they brainwashed the Foundation! </em>Just as Charles reached that conclusion, two gunshots echoed, and two brass bullets struck his chest. The bullets were ttened upon collision with Charles, and they looked like brass beans as they fell to the ground with a loud clink.


    The moment the shots were fired, everyone hastily grabbed their weapons before charging frantically at Charles.


    "Don''t use hot weapons! The captain''s body is exceedingly tough! Use relics that with a strong prative power, or just attack his soul!" Dipp eximed, kindly reminding the others as his figure dispersed into a mist.


    A dozen invisible tentacles sprouted, forming a writhing wall that blocked Dipp.


    Just then, Charles'' ears twitched. He twisted to the right, narrowly avoiding a hand brushing past the ck spike lodged in his neck.


    If the hand had managed to pull out the ck spike, Charles would have instantly be incapacitated. He could have died on the spot, too.


    The pudgy hand belonged to nck, and his eyes were full of regret upon missing his target.


    In response, Charles raised his foot and kicked nck squarely in his round belly, sending him flying into the distance. Invisible tentacles riddled with white electric arcs rose and wrapped around everyone.


    Charles wasn''t willing to fight his crew, as there was a risk of killing them identally, which would be tragic. Thus, he transformed into a bat monster and jumped into the nearby darkness.


    Charles dared not fly too far away. After a quick survey of the Narwhale, hended on the Narwhale''s gas bag. Hisnding stirred up specks of darkness on the gas bag''s surface.


    <em>They''ve been brainwashed, which means that there''s a problem with their consciousness and memories. This shouldn''t be that difficult to resolve,</em> Charles thought. He pulled out his diary and flipped to the second tost page.


    "Sparkle, bring Mommy here, quick! Hurry!" Charles urged.


    A white light shed, and Anna''s graceful figure appeared before Charles. It seemed that Anna had yet to move on from their previous quarrel, and she stared at Charles wordlessly with a dissatisfied expression.


    "This isn''t the time to sulk! My crew has been brainwashed! Hurry up and treat them. This is a dangerous ce, and we have to get out of here fast!" Charles eximed.


    "Heh, men." Anna pushed Charles aside and walked toward the edge of the gas bag. She looked down at the Narwhale''s deck and saw that it was lively down below. The crew had already located Charles, and they were using any means to climb up and reach him.


    "Memory modification? Personality reconstruction? Maybe cognitive discement? <em>Hmm, </em>let me see... let me see..." Anna''s eyes narrowed slightly as she scanned everyone''s minds.


    Meanwhile, Charles'' two vampire crew members transformed into their bat forms and flew toward the gas bag.


    Fortunately, Anna was done with her scan, and she turned slowly to face Charles.


    However, Charles'' heart sank upon seeing his beloved''s gaze. Anna''s eyes were emitting a bewildered light. There was something wrong with her! Despite being a monster capable of altering memories herself, Anna still ended up getting affected like everyone else!


    "Sparkle, send Mommy home right away!" Charles eximed.


    There was a sh of white light, and Anna''s figure vanished into thin air.


    Charles'' back was drenched in cold sweat. He could still manage even if all crew members had been brainwashed, but if Anna were to stay here in a brainwashed state along with his crew¡­ Charles found it too terrifying of a scenario.


    Charles shot his grappling hook, piercing one of Audric''s wings. Then, he flung Audric into the darkness next to the Narwhale. The vampire Audric screamed, but the light in his eyes flickered, changing from excitement into confusion.


    He was no longer brainwashed. Before he could say a word, however, Audric was engulfed by the darkness next to the ship.


    Charles pinched the ck spike in his neck and gave it a gentle twist. He groaned in pain. The pain was just too much, especially when the ck spike was amplifying it three times.


    However, it was necessary; he had to be always in pain to ensure that he wouldn''t be brainwashed. Time was of the essence. Unfortunately, even Anna was brainwashed, so Charles had no choice but to resolve the issue by himself.


    <em>It''s too dangerous to subject them to extreme pain. They might die, and it only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause of this issue. </em>


    <em>I need to find a solution that will end this brainwashing once and for all. </em>


    <em>Something must be influencing them, and they will not recover their sanity until that "something" has been dealt with. </em>


    When Charles reached that conclusion, he immediately stared at the colossal ck figure in the distance. The hazy ck figure was standing motionless like a mountain, seemingly indifferent to everything happening on the Narwhale.


    <em>Is this His doing? It must be! The Foundation has encountered Him before, and they fell victim to Him.</em> Upon realizing what was going on, Charles looked down at the Narwhale''s gas bag beneath him.


    Sniffler lunged at him just then, but Charles effortlessly avoided the attack and kicked the former away. Immediately afterward, Charles raised his chainsaw and swung it toward the tough gas bag.


    The fastest way to widen the distance between the Narwhale and 005-3 was to descend by drastically reducing the Narwhale''s lift.


    The Narwhale''s gas bag looked like a massive, singr gas bag from the outside, but the gas bag actually contained quite a few gas-filled cells. The gas bag was designed to be more resistant to attacks.


    Fortunately, its design was perfect for Charles'' n.


    <em>Hisss!</em>


    A hissing sound reminiscent of a leaking tire pervaded the air as the gas-filled cells on the upper part of the Narwhale''s gas bag began to dete.

 Chapter 663: Descent

    Just as Charles continued to stab at the gasbags, deting them, a hand shot out from within its crumpled folds and aimed straight for Charles'' chest.


    Charles raised his chainsaw and shed at the hand, but the hand passed through directly as if it were a phantom. It was Linda''s hand. She made use of her unique ability to easily bypass Charles'' defenses and directly grab his heart.


    Having someone clutching his heart was a peculiar sensation; Charles could feel that Linda was trying to yank his heart out.


    No matter how hard she tugged, however, Charles felt no pain. His heart had crystallized, and its hardness rivaled that of stone. It seemed like a simple tug wouldn''t be enough to harm him.


    Just then, Charles watched as Linda phased through the deted gasbag. With a quick thought, he blinked away to the darkness beside, away from Linda''s reach.


    <em>Bang! Bang!</em>


    Two muffled gunshots rang out. As Charles plummeted, his left arm joint started withering like a dying flower.


    "What the hell?!" Charles swiftly transformed into a bat and stabilized himself in the air as he searched for his attacker.


    It took him just a fraction of a second to spot Nico on the deck below. He was stuffing small fleshy balls into his gun. Clearly, Nico was using highly corrosive bullets.Seeing Nico aim the barrel of his gun at him, Charles pped his fleshy wings with all his might and swiftly vanished from everyone''s sight.


    The massive searchlights and deck cannons swiveled to try to track Charles, but they failed to pinpoint his location.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A violent tremor shook the Narwhale, causing everyone on deck to stagger.


    Lily raised a tiny paw and pointed at the overhead gasbags. She warned in a loud squeaky voice, "Mr. Charles is up there! He went up again; he''s trying to dete the balloon!"


    At her high-pitched squeaks, a mischief of mice scurried up the ropes toward the gasbag.


    As the gasbags were punctured, the Narwhale lost more and more altitude.


    Charles parted his monstrous maws and was about to sink his sharp fangs into the gasbag, but the other crew members had already arrived at the top, interrupting him.


    As usual, Dipp was at the forefront. He transformed into a swirling blue mist, lunging at Charles.


    Just as the blue mist wrapped around Charles, a small portion of it solidified into an arm and reached for Charles'' waist.


    Dipp was now d in the deep red leatherhide relic. If he managed to touch Charles, Charles'' soul would be ripped right out.


    Dipp was just mere inches from making contact when Charles pped his wings, creating a powerful gust that blew the misty form of Dipp apart.


    In his vapor-like state, Dipp was not afraid of any physical attacks, but he was highly vulnerable to strong winds.


    Evidently, they knew what Charles was capable of; yet, in the same way, Charles was equally aware of their weaknesses.


    As soon as he was done dealing with Dipp, two bats charged at Charles, their sharp fangs aiming for his neck.


    Charles instantly reverted back into his human form, and the two bats'' attacks missed their mark as his figure shrank in the blink of an eye.


    Charles looked up, his gaze scanning the two bats. With a flick of his hand, invisible tentacles coiled around them. White electric arcs danced along the tentacles, causing the bats to twitch from the shock and plummet downward.


    At the same time, thorny vines crept up from beneath the gasbags and wrapped around Charles'' legs.


    The vines hade from Bandages'' ability, and Charles realized just then that it was about time for him to retreat. If he were to prolong this battle, he''d eventually be overwhelmed by his own crew.


    With a swing of his chainsaw, Charles severed the vines and leaped into the darkness. His physical form swiftly turned invisible, evading the approaching some of the sailors, who were still scaling the gasbag.


    When Charles reappeared, he found himself high up in the pitch-ck sky. He looked at the rapidly plummeting Narwhale, and a wave of relief washed over him.


    "I don''t have to do anything now. I just need to let the crew drift away from 005-3 until they are far from its influence.


    "The main cause of this crisis is the brainwashed crew. The crisis is over once they are no longer brainwashed."


    Meanwhile, the Narwhale was plunging at a speed of two meters per second, and Charles followed it closely from the shadows.


    The strangely peaceful yet eerie scenested for about half an hour before something abruptly appeared in the darkness and broke the tranquility.


    A dull thud echoed as Charles felt a hammer-like force m into his lower back.


    He heard a sharp, clear crack of cracking bones, and the sharp pain told him that one of his vertebrae was fractured.


    Charles''s figure vanished and reappeared thirty meters away. Parting his massive maw, he emitted a sonar pulse toward his previous position. However, he received no feedback. There was nothing there.


    <em>What? Impossible?! Was I hit by a monster with no physical form?</em>


    Charles himself wasn''t sure of what creaturesy within the darkness around him. After all, humans knew all too little about the darkness.


    <em>Woooosh!</em>


    A strange sound suddenly filled Charles'' ears. It sounded like the buzzing of insect wings.


    Several invisible tentacles sprouted from his back andshed out at the air behind him, but they hit nothing.


    The entire situation felt like an eerie ghostly encounter. Charles looked around vigntly, preparing himself for another sudden ambush.


    However, nothing happened even after several seconds. It seemed like the mysterious entity had disappeared as abruptly as it had appeared.


    Charles couldn''t wait any further. He folded his wings in and began a rapid descent. He had to move as fast as possible. The bizarre and eerie encountersted less than ten seconds, but the Narwhale had already covered a vast distance as it plummeted to the ground.


    Fortunately, Charles hadn''t been stalled for too long, and he soon spotted the descending Narwhale. However, Charles was too far to see what exactly was going on in the Narwhale. He pondered for a moment before his physical form vanished into the air.


    There was pandemonium on the deck of the Narwhale. Everyone was anxious.


    "Chief Engineer! Fix the ship already! Can''t you see we''re still descending?" someone shouted.


    Traces of annoyance crossed Audric''s face, and he snapped back, "The gasbags are torn! How am I supposed to fix that? Also, I''m the Chief Engineer! I''m only responsible for the mechanical repairs in the engine room!"


    "So what do we do now? Someone think of something! If we don''t get back up, we won''t be able to proceed with the ritual!" Grace stomped her foot in frustration as tears pooled in her eyes.


    "Throw¡­ stuff¡­ overboard¡­" Bandages gave a sinct suggestion, spurring everyone into immediate action. They rushed into the cabins, hauled out anything they could find, and tossed it over the ship''s side.

 Chapter 664: Conscious

    Initially, the crew was just throwing furniture like tables and chairs overboard.


    However, they soon realized that those things barely made a difference in reducing the Narwhale''s weight. They then turned their eyes toward the heaviest items on the Narwhale¡ªthe two deck cannons.


    With loud chants andbined effort, they began dismantling the cannons.


    In his invisible state, Charles cautiously poked his head out from the smokestacks and watched the absurd scene unfolding on the deck below.


    <em>What''s going on? We should be far enough from 005-3. It''s at least ten kilometers away; they should''ve snapped out of it by now.</em>


    A grim expression crossed Charles'' face. His n had failed. He had hoped that putting distance between the Narwhale and 005-3 would relieve the crew of 005-3''s brainwashing, but he was clearly mistaken; it seemed that distance was irrelevant to the brainwashing.


    At this point, Charles had to make sure that the issue was resolved before the Narwhale couldnd. Otherwise, the crew would likely sh with the ground forces at the base.


    If such a situation were to happen, it would lead to devastating losses on both sides.


    Just then, a round of cheers erupted from the deck. The heavy and bulky cannons had just been tossed overboard, and it had significantly slowed down the Narwhale''s descent.Charles twisted the ck spike in his neck, and his features contorted from the amplified pain.


    <em>This won''t do. I can''t do this alone. I need to get a few of them out of their trance and help me fix this mess.</em>


    Charles scanned the faces on the crowded deck. He knew this wasn''t the ideal ce to make a move. He had to lure the people he needed to a less popted area and iste them.


    However, every single one of them was focused on dismantling thest remaining deck cannon. There was no way for him to iste anyone.


    After contemting for a couple of minutes, Charles came up with an idea. He decided to slip inside and create a distraction. Like a chameleon, he crawled to the doorway above, sticking to the ceiling to avoid detection. He also needed to avoid attracting any attention. Unfortunately, it was still a challenging task, despite being invisible. His figure itched uncontrobly as if he was wearing a tight, woolen bodysuit, and he was having issues moving around due to the itchiness.


    Soon, Charles started moving, and he eventually got close to the cabin door. He was so close to the cabin that he could already smell the sailors'' sweat.


    Just then...


    <em>Drip</em>!


    A drop of blood trickled out of his neck wound and headed straight for the head of the sailor below him.


    Fortunately, an invisible tentacle extended from his head and intercepted the blood just in time.


    Having narrowly escaped detection, Charles heaved a sigh of relief before slipping into the cabin. Hanging upside down like an acrobat, he navigated past the ceiling lights, heading straight for the engine room without any hesitation.


    The engine room was empty; the chief engineer, second engineer, and the third engineer were all on deck dismantling the cannon. Only the sounds of mechanical mor and the squelching noise from the throbbing, pus-filled lump of flesh on the turbine filled the room.


    The intense heat in the engine room intensified the itchiness all over Charles.


    Once more, he twisted the ck spike in his neck; an excruciating pain that almost knocked him out coursed through him, forcefully suppressing the itch.


    As the captain, Charles was rather familiar with the equipment in the room. He dashed to the scalding turbines and started reading the temperature gauges before expertly making adjustments.


    Under his skillful maniption, the needles on the gauges shot up; the temperature in the room skyrocketed as well.


    Charles knew that the smokestack outside had to be belching mes by now. If the crew didn''t want the Narwhale to explode, they would have toe running here.


    They were brainwashed, but their current goal was to perform that sacrificial ritual rather than to die in this dark expanse.


    Charles slipped out of the engine room just in time as the engine room team rushed in along with the rest of the crew following closely behind them.


    However, they didn''t all storm in at once. They were brainwashed, but they knew the hallway couldn''t amodate so many people. A chaotic stampede would only worsen the situation.


    Clinging to the ceiling, Charles quietly waited for thest person to pass by.


    One by one, the crew members passed by him¡ªAudric, Lily, Bandages, Dipp. Finally, Charles spotted thest figure in the line, Nico.


    Just as the second mate passed by a cabin door, Charles, still in his invisible form, pushed off from the wall with his legs and pushed Nico into the room. With a swift flick of his tentacle, he mmed the door shut behind them,


    Nico''s reflexes were quick as well; the barrel of his gun was already pressed against Charles'' stomach, but he found himself unable to pull down on the trigger. Apparently, Charles had anticipated the move and jammed his finger to block the trigger,


    The next moment, a sharp ck spike extended from Charles''s prosthetic palm and pierced through Nico''s forearm.


    When Charles gripped the base of the spike and gave it a violent twist, Nico cried out in pain. However, his look of agony soon turned into confusion before finalizing to that of horror as he recognized the now-visible Charles.


    "Captain, what¡­ What''s going on? What happened to me?"


    A wave of relief washed over Charles. Nico was clearly back to his senses, and he finally had an ally on his side.


    Charles didn''t answer him. Instead, he dashed to the corner and grabbed the two mice in hiding. They were Lily''s eyes.


    He snapped the mice''s legs with one swift motion.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    Now, the two mice couldn''t return to Lily''s side and make a report.


    Upon dealing with the mice, Charles turned around to see Nico struggling to pull the spike from his arm.


    "Don''t pull it out!" Charles dashed forward and gripped Nico''s trembling hand. With a forceful push, he pushed the spike back in. Before Nico could let out a piercing scream, Charles covered his mouth.


    Ignoring Nico''s flushed face and bulging veins, Charles leaned in close to Nico''s ear adorned with a pearl ear stud and lowered his volume as he exined the situation.


    "That''s why we need to keep the ck spike embedded in you. Only pain can suppress the brainwashing effect. We have to maintain this constant level of pain.


    "What in the world is that thing? A Divinity? Why does it possess such terrifying power?"


    Charles shook his head. "I don''t know. But the Foundation designated It as 005-3. To get the ID 005, It must be formidable. But the suffix ''3'' probably meant that It''s just a derivative of 005 rather than 005 Itself."


    "If even a derivative is this strong, doesn''t that mean that 005 itself is more powerful than a Divinity?" Nico asked, ncing at his bleeding arm.


    "Let''s cut the chatter. That''s not our concern right now. Regardless of what it is, we need to rescue the others first."


    Charles reached out to grab Nico''s hand and pulled thetter up. Staring into Nico''s eyes, which had heavy eyeshadow to them, Charles said, "You''re conscious now, but they don''t know that yet. We need to use that to our advantage."

 Chapter 665: Converted

    "This¡­ It''s the¡­ captain''s¡­ doing¡­He''s still on the ship¡­ We have to¡­ find him¡­" Bandages spoke calmly to the others as he looked at the turbine before them that was finally functioning normally.


    "Then what are we waiting for? We should find him asap and drive this ck spike through his head." The rash Dipp turned around, preparing to leave.


    However, Bandages quickly blocked his path. "No¡­ he''s the strongest¡­ also¡­ he''s hiding in the shadows¡­while we''re out in the open¡­ don''t end up isted."


    "Then what do we do now? We can''t just wait around indefinitely, can we? We''ve got to do something," Dippined. Traces of madness flickered across his face as he tightened his grip on the ck spike.


    "That won''t do as well, so I''ve thought of a n." An elegant and soft voice suddenly sounded from the engine room''s entrance.


    Everyone turned their heads toward the door and realized it was Nico. A confident glint glimmered in his eyes as though he had the perfect strategy to catch Charles.


    Without saying a word, Bandages walked over to Nico and stared at thetter with an icy gaze. Even though he said nothing, his expression and eyes clearly conveyed his skepticism of Nico''s words.


    "It''s simple. Didn''t you guys say that you managed to capture Charles using a particr method back on some ind? We just need to redo what we did then," Nico said.


    Bandages knew exactly what Nico was referring to. He was talking about their experience on the ind with 010. It was there that his previous self had turned into his current self. It was also on that same ind where a future Charles used a rubber sphere to capture the past version of himself for a few minutes."No¡­ We don''t have¡­ enough rubber¡­ on the ship¡­ Also¡­ we don''t know¡­ where he''s hiding¡­"


    "Don''t worry, I have a n. He''s a man of multiple abilities, but we know his weaknesses too. Everything will go ording to the n. Just follow my instructions, and it''ll turn out fine," said Nico with a confident smile ying on his lips. Then, he added, "Firstly, Charles needs visual contact to use his tentacles. If he can''t see, he won''t be able to trigger that ability. But simply turning off the lights won''t work because he has night vision. So, the Narwhale needs to be an environment where it would be impossible for him to see anything. It just so happens that someone on this ship has the right relic for the job."


    Nico fished out a small bottle filled with a translucent brown liquid. He gave it a gentle shake and swept his gaze across everyone.


    "Continue¡­this alone¡­ won''t be enough¡­ to catch him¡­" Bandages retorted.


    "True. It''s not enough. Our captain is so powerful that even in those circumstances, he still won''t be an easy target. However, we don''t need to capture him; we just need to kill him. Let me exin my n."


    With that, Nico leaned in close to Bandages'' ear with a smile and whispered softly.


    At the end of it, Bandages nodded and instructed, "Everyone¡­ assemble¡­ on deck¡­"


    Just as everyone was about to leave, Nico stopped them. "Hey, wait a moment. We need to leave some people behind to guard the turbines. Otherwise, he might try to create chaos in this ce again."


    Bandages cast a calm gaze at Nico before turning his head and randomly pointed at Audric, Lily, Linda, and Dipp. They were to stay behind and guard the turbines.


    "Alright, you guys stay here. The people on the deck are sufficient for me to carry out my n. It won''t be easy for Charles to ambush me and Bandages anyway," Nico said and led Bandages to the deck to execute the n to capture Charles.


    In the engine room, the crew stood back-to-back as they diligently carried out the first mate''s orders and watched the door with high vignce.


    "Be careful of his invisibility," Linda said as she shoveled some furnace ash toward the door.


    "Linda, did the second mate get injured earlier? Why does he smell so strongly of blood?" Audric asked with a trace of confusion in his voice. As a vampire, he was always sensitive to the scent of blood.


    Traces of hesitation crossed Linda''s face as she turned to nce at Audric. She froze for a moment before her pupils shrank to pinpoints as she eximed, "This is bad! The first mate is in danger! When Charles turned strange, he emitted a strong scent of blood as well! Nico must have been converted too!"


    The others widened their eyes in rm. They rushed out of the door and dashed through the narrow doorway to arrive at the deck. However, there was no sign of Nico or Bandages.


    It would be challenging for Charles to handle Nico and Bandages together. However, if Nico and Charles teamed up against Bandages, it would be much easier.


    Meanwhile, at the lowest deck of the Narwhale, Charles, Nico, and Bandages, who was clutching his broken hand, sat together.


    "You¡­ shouldn''t have¡­ only targeted me¡­ You should have¡­ captured¡­ a few more¡­" Bandages said in a low and slow tone after regaining his senses.


    "We''ve no choice. Any biggermotion would alert the others. We need to proceed slowly," Charles responded. Seeing that his formerpanion had regained his consciousness had slightly eased the anxiety in Charles'' heart.


    "Captain, what''s our next move? Should we continue to capture them and wake everyone up one by one?" Nico asked. He then fished out the bottle he had been carrying and tossed it to the side. Truth be told, he didn''t have any relics at all; it was merely a bottle of sesame oil he had taken from the galley.


    "We can''t¡­ We don''t have enough ck spikes¡­ Don''t forget¡­ There''s another ship¡­" Bandages reminded.


    Despite waking Bandages up from the brainwashing influence, their situation remained dire. Most importantly, their enemies were also their fellow crew mates. They couldn''t just attack their crew mates recklessly.


    "Captain, I''ll bring Bandages up right now and try to bring a few more people down here." Nico gritted his teeth and twisted the ck spike embedded in his forearm before standing up shakily.


    "Be careful. This time, try to iste Dipp. If he returns to normal, his unique ability would be of great assistance in our follow-up n," Charles replied.


    Charles nned to bring them one person at a time. Using the ck spikes, they would restore consciousness to a small portion of the crew.


    Once they had thebat advantage, they would then be able to overpower and control the rest of the crew.


    Nico and Bandages soon left, and Charles waited patiently for their return. However, only mere minutes had passed when the sound of gunfire echoed from above. His heart instantly sank.


    As the cacophony of noises drew closer, Nico suddenly appeared in sight and dragged Bandages along with him. Thetter now had a gaping wound in his chest.


    Nico''s face twisted in frustration as he shouted, "Captain! Be careful! They''ve found us out!"


    Despite being brainwashed, the crew''s intelligence had not been impacted. They had already realized that Nico and Bandages were acting differently.


    Before Charles could speak a word, a grenadended at his feet.


    Seeing the sizzling from the grenade, Charles'' heart raced so fast that he felt like it was going to leap out of his throat. If the grenade exploded, the three of them were doomed!


    Charles lunged at the grenade. He picked it up and vanished from the spot.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    An explosion detonated outside the ship. Charles had teleported outside of the ship and disposed of the grenade before reappearing inside the ship.

 Chapter 666: Discovered

    As the angry shouts of the Narwhale crew drew closer, Bandages pressed his hands against the stairway door.


    Thick, sturdy vines rapidly wove themselves into a barrier to block the entrance.


    "Captain¡­ This can''t go on¡­ for long¡­ We need to find¡­ the root cause of this¡­" Bandages reminded.


    "Of course I know that. But the issue is if I knew what was causing this, I would''ve fixed it by now. Also, this ability is so unusual that even Anna was subjected to its influence."


    Just then, the wall of vines started heating up, and the smell of smoke filled the air. The crew outside had started a fire.


    Nico couldn''t help but curse out loud, "These crazy fools! How dare they set fire inside a ship? Are they tired of living!? We''re too close to the weapons hold, too!"


    Bandages raised his hands and pressed them against the door again to reinforce it with more vines. However, Charles knew that this was only a band-aid situation. They''d have to leave soon.


    "Let''s go. We can''t stay here any longer." With that, Charles transformed into a massive, monstrous bat. Grabbing the two using his talons, he vanished from the lowest deck of the Narwhale and reappeared beside the Narwhale along with the two. Before the crew could react and attack them, they rushed into the darkness and used it as camouge to hide from everoyne else.


    They had escaped from the Narwhale, but they were still in a tough situation. Charles had "converted" two crew members, so the other brainwashed crew members were definitely on high alert at this point.With two people in tow, Charles also couldn''t move as freely anymore.


    "It seems like our n to turn them back one by one is not going to work anymore. Do you guys have any ideas on what to do next?"


    "Captain, I think¡­ we need to retrace¡­ to the source¡­ and figure out¡­ when we first¡­started acting strangely¡­ Perhaps¡­ we can work backward¡­ and find some clues¡­" Bandages suggested.


    "Work backward, huh? Let me think," Charles replied before quickly sifting through his memories and recalling when they first disyed abnormal behavior.


    Their brainwashed actions had started on the meteorite-like ind right after their encounter with the Foundation.


    That was when they began acting out of character.


    ording to the original n, they were supposed to head back down to the base below, regardless of the negotiation oue between them and the Foundation.


    They followed the n and left the ind, but the Narwhale had strangely ascended instead of descending to return to base.


    On top of that, Charles himself had given that order.


    All signs pointed back to that ind, but as Charles retraced his tracks in his mind, he couldn''t find anything particrly unusual.


    Just then, a sudden thought struck him. Something important briefly shed past in his mind. It seemed to be a critical piece of information that would aid their current situation, but he was having issues recalling it for some reason.


    It felt as though there was a name on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn''t quite voice it.


    <em>Just what is it? What''s that clue in my mind? Did I overlook something crucial?</em>


    While Charles was deep in thought, the two on his back remained silent as they waited patiently, not wanting to disturb him.


    After contemting for half an hour, something suddenly clicked in Charles'' mind. Overjoyed, he hurriedly reverted to his human form, reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out his diary.


    He had recalled the important clue! The fleeting thought was the entries in the diary.


    Back then, he was brainwashed and ignored those that the diary had generated on its own ord; he merely took a brief nce. However, it seemed like the content of those entries was rted to their current predicament.


    Charles tossed the diary into the air and transformed back into a bat in time. With a p of his wings, he easily caught the diary in his mouth.


    Clinging onto his back, Bandages scrambled forward. He retrieved the diary and started flipping through the pages.


    "Look through it. I remember the diary writing some things on its own. But then, I was brainwashed and didn''t pay much attention to those. Take a closer look to see if there''s any clue in there!" Charles urged at Bandages.


    Nico pulled out a lighter to provide some illumination for Bandages. After flipping through a few pages, Bandages lifted his gaze from the diary and said, "Captain¡­ I can''t understand¡­"


    Only then did realization dawned on Charles. Even if the diary had written the entries on its own, it was still in Chinese, anguage Bandages couldn''t read.


    "Alright, hold the journal open in front of me. I''ll read it."


    Following Charles'' instructions, Bandage held the journal open, and Charles began to scan through the previously ignored entries.


    <em>October 1, 809</em>


    <em>We are now heading toward the location of 005-3 to carry out a ritual there. Though it''s a little crowded on the ship, we have sufficient supplies¡­</em>


    "Turn the page. This page is useless."


    <em>October 3, 809</em>


    <em>The journey has been quieter than I expected. Maybe it''s because the Foundation explored this route before. We haven''t encountered any¡­</em>


    "Next!"


    <em>October 7, 809</em>


    <em>Oh my god. I am actually under the control of 005-3. How did He manage to do it? Also, His control doesn''t seem to be affected by distance. This is bad! Even Anna was influenced by it. Her current situation¡­ I must find a way to resolve this problem.</em>


    Today was October 7, but this was thest entry in the diary. The diary had already penned a new entry for tomorrow.


    <em>October 8, 809</em>


    <em>I died. The crew somehow managed to pinpoint my location in the air and had Lily ambush me with the deck cannon.</em>


    <em>Severely injured, I was dragged to the middle of the magic circle and executed. As Iy there, about to take myst breath, I saw ck things crawling into my body. Tiny ck specks that resembled fireflies.</em>


    <em>It was only at this moment I realized where those things hade from. They were the tiny ck bugs that had crawled out of the Foundation''s spacesuits. They were the ones controlling us all along.</em>


    <em>Bugs?! ck fireflies?!</em>


    Charles quickly recalled the events leading up to this moment and instinctively nced down at himself. It was only then that he noticed several tiny ck dots camouged among his fur. There was no way anyone would find them unless they searched meticulously on themselves. Charles stopped pping his wings and allowed his body to free fall. He tried to dislodge the ck specks that were just barely the size of ants. However, he realized that the specks seemed to have no physical form as his fingers passed right through them.


    Without any hesitation, Charles used his ws to gouge out a small piece of flesh where the specks resided. The ck bugs on the removed flesh were hence separated from his body.


    <em>It works!</em> Charles finally saw hope in oveing their current crisis. All he had to do was to get rid of all the hidden ck specks on the Narwhale, and the brainwashing crisis would end.


    But before that, they still needed to do an experiment to ensure the effectiveness of this method. If they were to proceed rashly and make a mistake, things would be even more dire for them.


    Charles shared his discovery with the two men on his back. Nico''s face immediately lit up with hope, and he used his lighter to search for the ck specks on their bodies.


    The three of them carefully and meticulously removed every ck dot on themselves. Once Nico could no longer see any ck dot on himself, he cautiously pulled out the ck spike sticking out of his forearm.

 Chapter 667: Injury

    With palpating anxiety, Charles and Bandages watched Nico, observing his mental state.


    One hour, two hours, and three hours... Nico was still normal.


    The method was working. The solution to the brainwashing on the crew members was removing the ck dots attached to the crew members'' bodies!


    "Let''s go and save our crew!" Charles dered, barely suppressing the excitement in his heart. He was dying to rush back to the Narwhale.


    Just then, he felt his wings getting snagged on something¡ªsomething was pulling on him movement!


    The next moment, a rolling cannonball emerged from the darkness and hurtled toward Charles.


    The scene mirrored the self-written diary entry. Charles tried to teleport away but his thought came a fraction toote than the explosion. A violent explosion engulfed the three of them.


    Despite Charles'' formidable defenses, the enhanced cannonball''s st still left him severely wounded. The mes scorched his skin, charring it, while the shrapnel drove deep into his flesh.


    Bandages and Nico fared slightly better, as Charles had taken the brunt of the explosion for them using his monstrous figure, but they were still gravely injured.Soon, the falling trio was caught by the crew and brought back onto the deck.


    The crew started drawing the magic array; they worked swiftly as if driven by an insatiable impatience.


    One of Charles'' eyelids slightly bulged before ttening out. A ck and red spider swiftly crawled out and scurried past everyone as it tried to make a dash toward the ship''s cabin.


    <em>Smack!</em>


    Arge green handnded on the spider and instantly crushed it into a smear of blood and flesh. The deformed head of Norton loomed above it. He turned toward Charles, his grotesque mouth stretching to his ears to sh a radiant grin.


    They knew Charles all too well to have even anticipated hisst desperate move.


    Severely injured, Bandages still tried to summon his vines for onest struggle, but his figure abruptly stiffened.


    Linda''s expressionless face emerged from his chest. She tightened her grip on his heart, and Bandages copsed, his face wearing a look of agony as his limbs tightened and curled inward.


    Bandages gritted down on his teeth, struggling to stand up but caught Charles'' gaze from the corner of his eyes. The captain was asking him to stay put. With that, Bandages ceased his struggles andy still on the deck.


    Nico was about to fight back, but he immediately stopped struggling upon seeing Charles'' gaze.


    "Captain, don''t worry. It''s fine even if you can''t chant the spell. I''ll guide you through it," Dipp said with a crazed expression. He then reached out to lift the severely wounded Charles before dragging him into the ritual circle and holding thetter in his arms.


    Charles looked up to see Dipp''s green, scale-covered chin and spotted the tiny ck dots nestled between the scales.


    Charles had never really paid attention to them, and they seemed to have some ability to make those under their influence ignore their presence.


    "We''re so far from 005-3. Are you sure the sacrifice ceremony will reach 005-3?" Charles asked calmly.


    "We are indeed quite far. But well, we don''t have much choice, Captain. You''re too disruptive. Keeping you around will only make it harder for us to peform the next steps," Dipp replied and turned to the surrounding crew members. "Hey, there are only four of us. That''s not enough. Who else wants in?"


    The other crew members exchanged nces before Norton''s green monstrous form silently stepped forward. Following closely behind him was Linda, who was holding Grace''s hand.


    "Alright, that''s enough. We''ll start." The group formed a circle and sat down cross-legged in the center of the bizarre magic array before proceeding to chant.


    Despite performing the ritual, Dipp still kept the tip of the ck spike pressed firmly against Charles'' neck to stop thetter from making any reckless move.


    The chanting grew louder with each passing minute. The situation appeared hopeless, but Charles had yet to give up on escaping. He was stalling for time¡ªfor that one golden opportunity.


    Dipp''s expression grew increasingly maniac as time ticked by. When the ck spike in his hand trembled, Charles spotted his opportunity. He inched his hand toward Dipp''s chin, and with a swift moment, he pried away the green scales embedded with ck specks and tossed them into the nearby pool of blood.


    "Wake up, Dipp! Do you really want to die together!" Charles whispered urgently as he continued to pick off the ck specks from Dipp''s scales.


    <em>Thud, thud, thud.</em>


    The sound of boots stepping through the blood echoed in the air. The executioners surrounded the group with weapons in hand and prepared to strike.


    Audric was the one tasked with beheading Dipp. Excitement painted his handsome visage, and his hands trembled slightly as he gripped his axe. He looked as though he was about to fulfill what seemed like a solemn duty.


    "Hurry, faster!" Charles'' hands swiftly moved all over Dipp, trying to remove every ck speck he could find on Dipp.


    "Captain! We have to move, or it will be toote!" Nico''s face was filled with apparent desperation; the heavy footsteps approaching from behind him made his hair stand on end.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    Audric brought his axe down with a powerful swing.


    "Wake up!" Charles shouted as he removed the final ck speck from Dipp.


    The heavy axe was about to sink into Dipp''s neck, but Audric felt no feedback at all.


    Dipp had transformed into a blue mist and had slipped away from Audric''s axe.


    "Now! Move!" Charles shouted. In an instant, the bandages wrapped around Nico''s form exploded, and a massive tree sprang forth, reaching upward toward the gasbags.


    As therge gasbag was pierced in one swift move, the deck of the Narwhale tilted sharply to the right. Everyone on deck, along with the scattered corpses, tumbled toward the bow.


    "Dipp! Make all of them stop for now!"


    Hearing Charles''mand, the swirling blue mist instantly enveloped everyone on the deck. At the same time, branches and roots sprouted from Bandages and reached out toward the crew members


    With a thought, two invisible tentacles shot up from the ground and gently coiled around Lily before pulling away the small ck specks along with tufts of her fur.


    "Remove those ck dots from everyone! Hurry up!" Charlesmanded.


    Charles'' words had yet to finish echoing in the air when he saw Norton raising his deadly silver silk, aiming for his neck.


    Invisible tentacles burst out of the ground and wrapped around the injured Charles, pulling him to the right, allowing him to evade the attack.


    Pandemonium erupted on the deck, and every so often, someone would lose their footing and tumble into the darkness.


    However, more and more people broke free from the brainwashing as the pandemonium continued.


    Soon enough, the entire Narwhale crew had recovered their sanity. When the situation was finally under control, Charles led the crew into removing the ck dots on the survivors.

 Chapter 668: Flying Object

    When everyone regained their sanity, they recalled the recent events and turned to look at the piles of bodies on the deck.


    A shiver of fear ran down their spines at the horrifying sight.


    However, their horror was soon reced by a wave of gratitude toward Charles. If it hadn''t been for him, they would have all perished before 005-3.


    "Don''t crowd around me. Our job is not done yet. I''m sure the ship still has those ck specks. We need to clear everyst one of them," Charles said through his gritted teeth as Linda removed the ck spike from his neck.


    After a flurry of activity, the crew members armed themselves with crowbars and shovels. They pried off anything that had anything that resembled ck specks attached to them.


    Then, they threw the contaminated items overboard into the darkness.


    When the crew was done with their tasks, Charles'' treatment had also finished. Sipping on a sma bag, he listened to reports from his first mate and his second mate.


    "Those things attach themselves to living beings and alter their thoughts. But they can be dealt with so long as we understand their ability. A carpet search has been conducted on the ship, and all ck specks are cleared," Second Mate Nico reported.


    After draining his current sma bag, Charles picked up a new one. "Don''t let your guard down. Assign a team to endure the pain of the ck spikes and have them be the patrol team."Charles was a bit afraid of the possibility that they could spread those ck specks of dots. Charles was sure that a disaster would surely ur if they end up bringing those ck specks with them to the base down below.


    After discussing several preventive measures with his crew, the tension in Charles'' mind finally began to ease.


    "Captain¡­ the other¡­ ship¡­ is probably¡­" Bandages muttered.


    A shadow was cast over Charles'' countenance. They hadn''t followed the Narwhale down and had remained near 005-3. Clearly, they had all met their demise at this point. They had started with five ships on this exploration, but only one ship was going to return to the base.


    "Abandon rescue mission. Mark 005-3''s location on the nautical chart and designate it as a forbidden zone. No one is to approach it," Charles instructed.


    Charles knew little about 005-3, and he couldn''t say for sure whether altering human cognition was His only ability. To make matters worse, it was ranked top five in the Foundation''s ssification of projects, so 005 had to be extremely formidable.


    Just then, the sound of retching echoed, interrupting Charles'' thoughts. He turned and saw Grace looking visibly distraught. Her tears had ruined her makeup, leaving two faint trails running down her cheeks.


    Charles knew what was making her sick. Just three meters to their right was a pile of decapitated corpses from the earlier sacrificial ritual, and they had piled up to form a small mountain of bodies and heads. The stench of blood was nauseating, and the sailors were using sticks to push the remains overboard.


    Watching Linda hurry over to console the girl, a look of disdain crossed Charles'' face as he stared at the crying Grace.


    "If she can''t handle this, get someone to rece her. Breaking down over something so minor¡ªwhat a burden."


    Although the Western Seas imed that this girl had the strongest magic ability amongst her peers, her delicate and timid nature was ill-suited for an explorer.


    If the sight of a few corpses could scare her to this extent, it raised doubt if she could even y her role during a critical situation when her expertise was needed.


    Hugging Grace in her arms, Linda cast a surprised nce at Charles. Then, she nodded in agreement, "Captain, I agree with your stance. We should have asked them to send an adult."


    Just then, Nico, with his arm in a white sling, chimed in, "Captain, I think age has nothing to do with it. I think just about anyone will react the same way upon seeing so many corpses for the first time. She''s not an explorer; so she hasn''t seen this many deaths until now. Just give her some time to adapt. I quite like this girl, and I''ll have no one to talk to on the ship if she ends up leaving."


    Charles was taken aback, and a thought suddenly crossed his mind. <em>Since when did I start believing that a normal person shouldn''t be scared of corpses and should rush to help the survivors?</em>


    Charles shifted his gaze to Linda, who was staring at Nico with a dark expression.


    "All right, let her stay for now. She has been through it once, so she should fare well next time," Charles said.


    Feeling Grace trembling in her arms struck a chord in Linda and her heart softened for the girl. She contemted for a brief moment and was about to plead with Charles to reconsider his decision. Just as her lips parted, she suddenly froze. Her expression turned to shock as she stared at the darkness behind Charles.


    "Captain, watch out!" Dipp rushed over at lightning speed, grabbing Charles and quickly pulling him away from the ship''s edge.


    With a rapid shift in his vision, the heavily injured Charles immediately noticed two yellow lights beyond the ship''s edge. Like eyes, they gradually glowed brighter and illuminated the surroundings.


    Immediately afterward, everyone on the ship felt it: the descending Narwhale slowed down until it hovered in the darkness, motionless.


    Soon, the massive lights broke through the darkness and approached the Narwhale. At first, Charles thought it was a giant wall emerging from the shadows.


    However, when he saw the identification number on the object, he realized that it was a giant aerial vessel that rivaled the size of Ronker.


    Under the watchful gazes of everyone on board, the immense steel wall in the darkness descended to reveal a smooth deck with a runway for aircrafts.


    As the rows of spotlights lit up, Charles saw the neatly lined nes on the runway and also three rows of Foundation members in white spacesuits.


    The figure leading the group wasn''t wearing a helmet. His signature mischievous smile and bed of green hair told everyone his identity¡ªthe former Second Mate of the Narwhale, Feuerbach.


    Charles'' expression remained indifferent as he stared at Feuerbach. "So, you''ve been watching the show from the sidelines all this time?"


    Feuerbach shook his head in denial. "Nah. I was thinking of helping you. But who would have thought that you''d end up resolving this issue by yourself? As expected of my esteemed captain."


    Charles didn''t disy any shift in attitude toward Feuerbach''s words. Instead, he changed the topic abruptly. "Since the matter has been resolved, why did those people behind you send you here?"


    Feuerbach shed another smile. "We''ve changed our minds. They believe that you can still be of use, especially amidst such dire times."


    With that, Feuerbach tossed something toward Charles.


    Charles extended a transparent tentacle and swiftly coiled around the object before bringing it before him. It was a palm-sized metal construct that resembled a disk with a button in the center.


    "After much persuasion from Dr. T3, we''ve decided to enter preliminary cooperation with you. That includes technical support and intelligence sharing."


    <em>Click!</em>


    The invisible tentacle pressed down on the button, and a circr holographic projection appeared before Charles. A blinking red dot was in the middle of it. It was a three-dimensional map of the darkness that they were navigating.

 Chapter 669: Sparkles Changes

    The next second, the three-dimensional map transformed into a hologram of Feuerbach''s head, and its lips synchronized with Feuerbach''s lips in the distance as he said, "You know how to use a mobile phone, so I won''t go into the details. Just know that you can operate this device through touch.


    "You''ve been using 002''s abilities in a <em>too</em> conventional way. So we''ve thoughtfully decided to provide technical support, including decent trantions."


    Charles reached into the hologram and waved his hand slightly. Soon, he found himself staring at multiple folders with the names¡ª"Necessary Conditions for Capturing the Darkness," "Applications of Relics," "Strengthening the Abilities of Relics," etc¡­


    Charles was thrilled to see the folder names. He knew that with so much information in hand, they''d definitely be able to find the darkness and retrieve it to save the Subterranean Sea!


    "I know you have many questions, but this isn''t the time for a chit-chat. Once you''re safe, you can contact me through thatmunication device. Goodbye, my captain," Feuerbach said. The next moment, the colossal aerial vessel, which was so huge that its end couldn''t be seen, trembled slightly before gradually retreating into the darkness.


    The air was still thick with the smell of blood, but the surviving crew members were as excited as Charles. The process had been arduous, but they had ultimately seeded in their objective.


    There would always be people with a penchant for overthinking. Nico was one of them, and he walked over while staring at the palm-sized metal construct in Charles'' hand.


    Nico had on a puzzled expression as he asked, "Captain, do you really think that he has just arrived and hasn''t been observing us from the sidelines? Is that kind of coincidence even possible?"


    Charles tightened his grip on the metal construct in his hand, and the excitement on his face faded gradually as he said, "Does that really matter? Regardless of whether this was all a test or whatever, we have to pretend that we don''t know anything. Right now, the Subterranean Sea is the top priority."I also don''t trust the Foundation, but we need the information and data in their hands."


    ***


    A group of children were working tirelessly in a factory on Hope Ind. Nene was one of the children, and she was struggling to hold a deburring file, which was nearly as big as her arm. Despite that, Nene remained concentrated on her task, which was deburring the white copper gear before her.


    "<em>Soooob! Sniff! Sooob!</em> Teacher, I don''t want to do this anyway. I want to go back to school and read books. Look! My skirt is dirty with the smelly oil. <em>Sooob!</em>"


    The cries made Nene look up, and she saw her deskmate, Molly,ining to the teacher. Unfortunately, Teacher Lenc wasn''t as nice as Teacher Annie.


    Teacher Lenc pushed up her sses and looked down arrogantly at Molly before saying, "Crying is not going to help you here. You''re already nine years old, so howe you still can''t endure this bit of hardship? This is just going to be one ss, and we''re not asking you to work in the factory every day.


    "Anyway, hurry back to your post. If you don''t finish today''s assignment, I''m not going to let you go home!"


    With that, Molly had no choice but to suppress her sobs and return to her post, which was next to Nene.


    Neneforted her softly, saying, "It''s fine, don''t worry about it. I''ve already finished mine, so I''m going to help you with yourster. If we work together, we can definitely finish your assignment today."


    Realizing that resistance was futile, Molly could only raise her hand and reluctantly pick up the massive deburring file.


    The girls were downtrodden and sad, but the boys were overjoyed. They preferred this task to holding pens and writing in the ssroom. It was also their first time doing something like this, and the novelty made them tremble in excitement.


    Thirty minutester, the bell rang. The children lined up and left the factory under the teacher''s guidance. The factory work was theirst ss for the day, so the children made a beeline for their homes upon being dismissed by the teacher.


    Quite a few boys gathered and whipped out the gears that they had secretly taken out, debating whose gear was deburred better. Meanwhile, the girls were rushing to reach home and change out of their dirty clothes.


    "Nene, are you not going to leave?" Molly asked Nene, who was standing at the factory entrance.


    "I''m not leaving. My mom works here, and I want to go home with her, so I''m going to wait for her here," Nene said with a smile. Then, she pulled out a picture book and started reading it.


    Just as Nene was engrossed in her reading, she noticed that a shadow had been cast over her. She looked up and saw a girl looking as lovely as a fairy standing gracefully before her.


    Nene fell into a daze as she stared at the wless yet delicate face before her, especially the figure''s pair of bright green cross-shaped pupils. Nene''s dazested only for a moment, as she was delighted upon recognizing the figure before her.


    Nene pounced on the girl, but she was a head shorter than thetter, so she ended up colliding with the girl''s slightly protruding chest.


    "Sparkle?! Is this really you?! Wow! How did you grow so big all of a sudden? You''ve grown so quickly!" Nene eximed.


    The corners of Sparkle''s mouth turned up slightly, revealing an adorable smile. She extended her arms and hugged her good friend. "Nene. Long time no see. I''ve been really busytely, so I haven''t been able to visit you these days. Sorry."


    "It''s okay. I''m happy so long as you keep ying with me," Nene replied. Then, she remembered something, and she turned around to pick up the book that had fallen to the ground.


    Nene handed over the book to Sparkle and said, "Sparkle, look, Mommy bought me this new picture book. The tiny people drawn in this book are even more interesting than the tiny people I see after eating those mushrooms."


    Sparkle took it and flipped through it casually. The picture book''s content was quite politically biased. Sparkle was familiar with the picture book as it was her mother''s idea, and these picture books were given the name ics."


    They were effective in instilling ideas into the illiterate inders, which would make them easier to control.


    Sparkle once asked her mother why they were not using their abilities to control the people, and Anna responded that doing so would upset her father''s subordinates.


    They had to go about it in a way that humans would; fortunately, it wasn''t an issue, as they could still achieve the same level of control with little effort through this method of spreading information.


    "Thank you, but I''m not interested in this kind of book," Sparkle replied with a smile and returned the four-panelic book back to Nene.


    Nene revealed a look of surprise as she epted theic strip. "You don''t like it? The Governor has just introduced this thing to the public. It only started selling yesterday, but everyone already loves it. Even some of the adults like reading it."


    Sparkle stared calmly at Nene, who was a head shorter than her. She reached out to hold Nene''s tiny hand. The next moment, the scenery around them peeled away, and the two instantly found themselves in Nene''s home.


    Nene had long gotten used to Sparkle''s abilities, and at this point, she only wanted to have some fun with her friend. "How about we watch a puppet show? The video rental store nearby has just released two new puppet shows."


    Nene pulled Sparkle to her big-bottomed television before plugging the television into the electrical outlet.


    "Many ces throughout the ind no longer have electricity, but there''s still electricity in our house. Let me tell you¡ªmy ssmates were so envious when they heard that I could still watch TV every night. <em>Hehe.</em>"


    The television came to light.


    Sparkle and Nene sat on the sofa, and thetter stared at the screen with great interest. The show depicted the story of a man fishing by the sea while engaging in a battle of wits with his fishing rod. Children''s puppet shows mostly had simple stories but with an exaggerated plot.


    Neneughed uncontrobly at the funny parts, but Sparkle''s face remained unchanged. Eventually, her face changed, but it changed into confusion rather than excitement and delight.


    Howe puppet shows weren''t so funny to her anymore?


    It had only been just a few months since shest watched a puppet show with Nene, and as far as she could remember, she had as much fun as Nene had at the time¡­

 Chapter 670: Play

    "Sparkle, don''t you like puppet shows?" Nene asked upon noticing Sparkle''s strange expression. Sparkle blinked her big eyes with long eyshes and said, "I do like puppet shows, but they aren''t that interesting to me anymore."


    "Then how about we y house? I''ll be the mommy; you can be the daddy, and we''ll use my doll as the child," Nene said. She stood up and was about to rush over to her bedroom when Sparkle grabbed her, stopping her in her tracks.


    "Let''s go out for a walk," Sparkle said, and their surroundings peeled away. When Nene came to her senses, she found herself standing on Hope Ind''s Second Street.


    Looking at the adults hurrying along the street, Nene nodded and smiled before saying, "Going out for a walk is nice, too. The streets aren''t that crowded anymore as well."


    With that, the two girls walked hand in hand down the street, chatting enthusiastically with each other. Nene was mostly the one asking questions, while Sparkle answered her tirelessly.


    A world-ending crisis loomed over everyone, but Hope Ind still had ces where people could rx. Half an hourter, the two girls sat on a bench by the street with a pink cotton candy in their hand.


    The two ate their cotton candies while admiring the sunlit sea before them.


    A pair of slender legs as white as snow and a pair of soft, tiny feet swayed back and forth beneath the bench. The tickling sensation of the water brushing against the soles of Nene''s feet made her giggle uncontrobly.


    Sparkle held Nene''s hand, smiling as she stared at thetter. Nene''s pure, unadulterated smile made Sparkle''s heart feel warm andfortable."Sparkle, what have you been doing these days? Howe you haven''t visited me until now? I really thought that you''d already forgotten about me," Nene said as she rested her head on Sparkle''s arm.


    "I''ve been helping Mommy and learning some useful things. Speaking of which, I''ve learned a lot recently," Sparkle answered sinctly.


    "Oh¡­" Nene muttered. She seemed to understand what Sparkle was talking about as she added, "Is it like when I helped Mommy nt ck ryegrass at World''s Crown before? Mommy taught me many things about farming back then, but no one really farms anymore. Everyone''s going to the factories."


    "Mmhm, something like that. She''s been really busy these days, so she needs me to help her with her work. Back then, I could only cause trouble, but now, I can actually help her," Sparkle said.


    "What about your daddy?" Nene asked, taking a big bite of her cotton candy.


    "Daddy..." Sparkle''s expression became a bitplicated as she said, "I don''t know. It''s been a while since Ist saw him."


    Just then, they heard amotion behind them. They turned and saw a man ringing his bicycle bell while riding on the bicycle with his child in tow.


    "John, it''s sry day today at the factory. Didn''t you want to eat cake? You can eat as much cake as you want today," the man said.


    "Thank you, Daddy!" the child eximed.


    A sh of envy flitted across Sparkle''s eyes as she stared at the father-and-son duoughing joyfully while riding the same bicycle.


    Nene noticed that and consoled, "It''s okay, Sparkle. When your daddy is no longer busy, he''s definitely going to spend time with you."


    Unfortunately, Sparkle was pessimistic. "No, he won''t. He doesn''t care about me at all. When he took me out to y long ago, I thought he''d be like the daddies of other children, but he hasn''t changed at all.


    "Mommy was right¡ªhe''s a scumbag."


    Having found someone she could confide in, Sparkle poured out all her dissatisfaction, saying, "What does he even do on the surface world, and why does he have to spend so much time up there? Would his absence really make a difference when there are so many of them up there?


    "The surface world is so dangerous; what if he ends up dying up there? Has he even thought about how Mommy and I would feel by then?


    "And he doesn''t have the mindset of a leader at all. He''s mankind''s leader; he has an incredibly high position that will allow him to control everyone from up above, just like what Mommy is doing right now¡­


    "So, why is he not doing that? And I''m already three years old, but he hasn''t been with me at all save for that one time. Does he not know that a child as young as me needs thepanionship of their family?


    "And you know what? Whenever he''s looking for me, he''ll always say only one thing, ''Sparkle~, bring your mommy over here.''


    "What am I in his eyes? Am I just a tool like a phone for them to contact each other?"


    Sparkle went on a rant thatsted roughly ten minutes. When she was done, she felt much better. She smiled at Nene sitting next to her and said, "Thank you so much for listening to me."


    Nene had been staring nkly at Sparkle throughout thetter''s rant. Realizing that Sparkle was smiling at her, she snapped back to reality and said, "Sparkle, your cotton candy is melting."


    That was the very first thing Nene said uponing back to her senses.


    Sparkle stared at the melting cotton candy and opened her big mouth. Then, she stuffed the entire thing, stick and all, into her mouth.


    "I don''t understand what you said to me just now, but your parents definitely love you. A parent that does not love their child does not exist in this world," Nene said.


    Sparkle revealed a tinge of disdain at Nene''s remark. "That''s not necessarily true. Aren''t there plenty of examples in history books? Examples of fathers and sons hurting each other? Perhaps I''m just an ident in their eyes."


    "Uh..." Nene stammered. She had no idea what to say.


    Sparkle sighed inwardly at Nene''s flustered look. Clearly, Nene had no idea what she had been talking about to the former.


    "Let''s go back home. Your mommy must be done with her work for today. I''m sure she''ll be worried sick upon realizing that you''re missing," Sparkle said. She reached out to lift Nene''s feet out of the water. Then, she picked up the shoes and socks on the bench to help Nene put them on.


    The two walked toward the other side of the street that wasn''t submerged in seawater. Just as she put Nene down and was about to teleport her home, the chime of a bicycle bell entered their ears.


    Sparkle looked up and saw a brown-haired boy, seemingly sixteen or seventeen years of age. He was with a group of girls and boys, and they all stopped in front of Sparkle and Nene.


    The brown-haired boy patted his brand-new bicycle, seemingly showing it off to Sparkle. "Hello, beautifuldy. Are you taking your little sister home? Do you need a ride home?"


    Sparkle sized up the eight people who looked to be about her size and said, "The stipted work schedule throughout Hope Ind says that you''re supposed to be working right now. Howe you''re here?"


    "It''s simple; we skipped work. I don''t want to go to work, and no one can force me to do so!" The brown-haired boy eximed, raising his head proudly, waiting for Sparkle and Nene''s gazes of awe.


    After a while, the brown-haired boy still received no response, so he looked forward and saw Sparkle staring at him as if he was an idiot.


    "Why do you not want to go? Your work at the factory is like saving the Subterranean Sea, and it is everyone''s job to do."


    The brown-haired boy on the bicycle revealed utter disdain at Sparkle''s remark as he said, "You''re so pretty, but your way of thinking is so old-fashioned. You remind me of a school teacher."


    "Anyway, I''ve already put my faith in the great God Sparkle. Once the sea has flooded everything, She will take us to Her divine kingdom. I think it''s better to enjoy our lives until then rather than work ourselves to death every day."

 Chapter 671: Breakfast

    Sparkle''s face showed a hint of displeasure at the brown-haired boy''s words. She furrowed her brows and stared straight at the brown-haired boy before enunciating each word slowly, "Get. Back. To. Work!"


    The brown-haired boy and his bicycle-riding friends were taken aback by Sparkle''s words. They were about tough, but their expressions suddenly froze as if they had seen something terrifying. Then, they turned around and began pedaling frantically, racing at top speed back toward a distant factory.


    "I''m gradually gaining some of Mommy''s powers as I grow. I''m still clumsy, but I can use them at least," Sparkle exined to Nene.


    "That''s amazing! You''ve be even more amazing, Sparkle!" Nene eximed and pped to celebrate her good friend''s achievement.


    Sparkle smiled. She was about to say something when the sunlight pouring down on Hope Ind abruptly went out. It returned three secondster, but Sparkle and Nene, who were supposed to be standing in the middle of the street, were gone.


    When Nene came to her senses, she found herself in a wrecked room made out of metal. A bizarre-looking colossal ck starfish was sprawled out on the ground, and dark green blood was seeping out of it.


    Nene looked around and was terrified to find that she was surrounded by broken corpses along with intermittent sparks flying from the metal walls around her. Nene had no idea where she was or why Sparkle had brought her here.


    "Mommy!" Sparkle cried out, rushing to the massive, deformed starfish. Green tentacles riddled with eyeballs that emitted the same green light burst out of Sparkle. They pierced Anna''s figure, filling in her missing flesh.


    "Who did this?!" Sparkle roared. Anger appeared on her face for the first time in her life. Her slender figure melted, and her massive tentacles flickered to life."Char...les."


    As soon as Anna''s words entered Sparkle''s ears, her eyes shed in disbelief as she muttered, "Daddy did this to you? Isn''t he on the surface world?"


    Sparkle''s words had just fallen when Annapleted her sentence, saying, "Charles, that bastard! What the hell did he get mixed up with this time?! Howe is it so vile?!"


    Anna''s bloated form contracted, and she returned to her gorgeous figure.


    Upon seeing the worry on Sparkle''s face, Anna patted thetter''s tentacles and said, "It''s okay; this is just a scratch. It''s just..."


    Anna sighed helplessly before continuing, "One of my guests has taken advantage of my bewilderment to escape. It would have been fine if he had escaped by himself, but he had taken a prisoner of mine with him."


    "Who?"


    "Pope Lylejay and Governor Swann of the Albion Isles. I really couldn''t imagine that those two sworn enemies would work together to escape."


    "Which way did they run? I''ll help you catch them," Sparkle said, sounding angry with a stern expression.


    "Forget it," Anna said, shaking her head. "I''ve already gotten pretty much everything I needed from them, anyway. Don''t bother. I gave him a pretty good hit just now, so he''s probably not feeling great."


    "We should focus on your daddy rather than on those two. The entity that bewildered me was incredibly strange. It actually took me a day to snap out of it. I hope your daddy hase to his senses by now."


    Sparkle nodded. She gave Anna a light tap, and thetter disappeared into thin air.


    Looking around at the chaotic surroundings, Sparkle turned to Nene behind her and said, "Let me take you home first."


    "Sparkle, where are we? Why is it so hot here?"


    "We''re in Newbound City, which is right above Hope Ind. This is Mommy''s newboratory," Sparkle said, and the two disappeared into thin air as soon as Sparkle''s words fell.


    Meanwhile, Charles exined everything that had happened to Anna, and it took him half an hour to do so on the still-descending Narwhale. Despite the lengthy exnation, Anna was not bothered at all. Instead, she was thrilled at the idea that they''d start working with the Foundation from now on.


    "A map is not enough; we need their technology as well. We also need to know just what happened to Earth. We also have to be wary of them, even though we''re taking advantage of them. We can''t say for sure whether they''re true allies or not, and I''m also worried that they have their own agenda to advance."


    "Except for our own people, we must be extremely wary of any handouts, especially those that have appeared out of nowhere. Moreover, they¡ª"


    Anna''s non-stop talking was interrupted by Charles''s sudden embrace.


    Charles closed his eyes and took a whiff of Anna''s neck. Anna looked down and saw the exhausted Charles staring at her.


    "Let me rest for a while. I''m a bit tired," Charles said.


    Seeing Charles'' bloody bandages, Anna held back the deluge of questions she had in mind. Charles truly needed rest; he had just ovee a life-or-death situation, after all.


    Anna had told Charles that she was still angry at him for what thetter had done not too long ago, but her heart still softened to see Charles in such a vulnerable state.


    In the end, she couldn''t bring herself to push him away.


    "Does it hurt?" Anna asked, gently stroking Charles'' wounds. A dozen writhing ck tentacles burst out of her back, weaving into a recliner that enveloped them both before rocking gently.


    "I''ve long gotten used to it. Anyway, I''m sorry about what happened earlier. I''ve always known you as an expert when ites to altering memories, so I didn''t expect that you''d fall victim to it, too."


    "Why are you being so polite? Is that really necessary, considering our rtionship? I''m d that you''re okay. Anyway, do you have any idea what we''ve encountered? I don''t think its special ability is manipting one''s consciousness or memories."


    Anna talked for a while, but she received no response.


    Charles had already fallen asleep, and he was fast asleep. When he opened his eyes again, he found Anna''s tentacles covering him as if they were a nket.


    "Handsome, you''re already awake? How was your sleep?" Anna asked casually as shey on her side while staring at the Foundation''smunicator in her hand.


    "How long have I been asleep?" Charles asked, opening his mouth in a big yawn. He then lifted Anna''s tentacles to put on his coat, but her tentacles pulled him back.


    "Sixteen hours," Anna said. She then propped herself up and looked down at Charles with a smile. "Up for some exercise?"


    Before Charles could reply, Anna''s gorgeous figure was already slipping down, but Charles held her shoulders and said, "Now is not the time for that. I need to know where we are right now and how far we are from the base down below.


    "We''ve profited a lot on this expedition, and I have to start the next Subterranean Sea Council meeting to tell everyone what happened. We also have to discuss our next move."


    Charles reached out for themunicator in Anna''s hand, but she easily dodged the former''s hand.


    "Don''t rush. I have something important to announce, too."


    The tentacles covering Charles retracted slowly and transformed into Anna''s two slender, beautiful legs. Anna bent her knees and leaned forward to pick up two breakfast tes from the nearby table.


    "I have no time to eat breakfast," Charles said. He lifted the window to look outside, and he saw nothing but darkness. Clearly, the Narwhale was still descending to the base down below.


    "Have you noticed anything different about this breakfast?" Anna asked, cing the two breakfast tes in front of Charles.


    Baked beans, bread, and a steaming cup of milk made from powdered milk¡ªit was a simple breakfast te.


    "Wait, two portions?!"

 Chapter 672: Touchdown

    "You don''t have to eat humans anymore?!" Charles asked. He was so excited that he grabbed Anna''s shoulders and shook her vigorously. "Can you really survive on human food now?"


    The two portions of breakfast were meant for two people, and there were only the two of them in the Captain''s Quarters.


    Anna found Charles'' excitement to be oddly amusing. "Stop shaking me, okay? It''s not that big of a deal. Anyway, let me just show you."


    With that, Anna took two perfectly toasted slices of bread and spread some of the soft baked beans on them to make a simple sandwich. Then, she swallowed it whole without chewing it.


    In the face of Charles''s hopeful expression, Anna held up a finger, asking him to wait. Momentster, she took the steaming cup of milk and gulped it down. Anna then proceeded to annihte her breakfast.


    Once she was done with her meal, Anna shoved her fingers into her chest and tugged at something. The skin on Anna''s chest was peeled back, revealing a unique set of internal organs.


    Anna''s lungs and heart were connected, while her remaining organs looked quite different from the organs of human beings. However, the most peculiar-looking of them all was her stomach, which was round and purple.


    Anna''s stomach undted gently as it digested what she had just eaten. It also didn''t look like an organ that Anna was born with, as it was covered in crooked, centipede-like sutures with small copper tubes buried inside of them.


    "I''ve made some modifications to my stomach. Now, it can digest human food."Charles reached in and stroked Anna''s pulsating stomach.


    It felt like a smooth hot water bottle filled with several squirming mice.


    "You''ve actually modified your own stomach? That''s great, but¡­ where did you even get the technology to do so? And howe you did not tell me about it until now?"


    Anna swatted Charles'' wandering hand away before setting her skin back into ce. Then, she raised her chin, seemingly proud of her achievement, as she replied, "It''s a secret. Anyway, how''s this for a surprise?"


    Instead of replying, Charles swooped up Anna, lifting her off of the floor before tossing her high into the air. After catching her, Charles then kissed her beautiful face.


    Charles was truly excited. Anna no longer needed to eat people to survive. In other words, as long as the two of them were willing, then they could definitely live like a real human couple.


    The two kissed passionately for a while. When their lips parted, Anna stared at Charles with a smile. "This is such a big surprise¡­ are you not going to reward me with something?"


    Charles gave Anna''s red lips a peck and carried her toward the bed. "I''ll give you whatever you want."


    Anna struggled free from his arms and jumped down the bed. She waved the Foundation''smunicator, saying, "I''m not talking about <em>that</em>. I meant this."


    Charles'' smile faded away upon seeing the metal disk in Anna''s hand.


    "Anna, you know that does not belong to me alone. It belongs to the entire Subterranean Sea."


    "Don''t be so stingy, all right? I''ll return it to you in a few days. I''m not going to break it."


    Charles cupped Anna''s face in his hands and cast a tender gaze at her. "I know you can read memories, but do you know that I can do it, too, Anna?"


    "Stop joking. Why don''t you just say that you''re Superman?" Anna asked, rolling her eyes at him.


    "It''s a special ability that I can only use on my beloved ones because it''s called understanding."


    Anna stared calmly and quietly into Charles'' eyes.


    "I understand you as much as I understand myself. Everything has a red line that must not be crossed, and crossing those red lines or not makes all the difference. We''ve decided to work with the Foundation, and saving the Subterranean Sea must take precedence over everything else."


    "Have you been keeping tabs on me?" Anna asked, her voice sounding a bit solemn.


    Charles remained calm as he exined, "I''ve never sent anyone to keep tabs on you, but I know what you''re trying to do here. It''s a deduction based on my understanding of you. We''ve been together for so long, so I understand what you''re trying to do.


    "But please don''t make things difficult for me. Hope Ind is no longer just my ind. It''s the hub connecting the Subterranean Sea to the surface world. We really can''t afford to make any more trouble at this point."


    "Are you saying that I''m getting a bit too involved in your affairs down there on the ind? That I''m meddling too much?" Anna asked, and her expression turned cold as she added, "Fine, then let your peoplee down here and take over the affairs of Hope Ind.


    "I''m going to leave, then. I''m working so hard without a sry only to be reprimanded for it."


    "Anna, that''s not what I''m trying to say. All I''m saying is that¡ª" Charles tried to exin, but Anna shoved the metal disk in his chest and turned around to leave.


    Anna''s self-deprecating words echoed, piercing Charles'' ears. "Here I am, like a dog wagging its tail, hoping for some praise from its master. But not only did I receive no praise, I was even kicked away. I really am pathetic..."


    Charles felt a pang in his heart at Anna''s remarks. He rushed toward her to try and exin, but Sparkle whisked her away.


    "<em>Ah¡­</em>" Charles sighed helplessly, knocking the metal disk on his forehead. They were having so much fun earlier, all thanks to Anna''s surprise, so howe things ended on a bad note?


    The rift caused by his hesitation rted to the Foundation''s condition was almost healed, but another rift was torn open before the previous one could heal. Charles grabbed his diary, urging Sparkle to bring Anna over to the ship.


    Just then, Dipp cautiously poked his head into the room through the door.


    "Captain, we''re approaching our destination. The first mate says that we''re descending a bit too fast. You have to hold tight right before we touchdown."


    Charles tucked the diary behind his back and waved his hand dismissively at Dipp. "I know."


    Dipp hesitated briefly before saying, "Captain, marriage is like sailing a ship. One has to perform maintenance on the ship after a certain period of time. Otherwise, the ship will rust and be covered in barnacles. A ship without proper periodic maintenance will be more and more dpidated until it is no longer seaworthy and can only be scrapped."


    "I don''t need you to teach me what to do. Get out," Charles said firmly.


    Dipp left obediently, and Charles reflected on his conversation with Anna once he was all alone in his quarters. <em>Did I say something wrong? This matter concerns the entire Subterranean Sea. I cannot give her the Foundation''smunicator. It''s a matter of principle.</em>


    Charles started feeling guilty for what he had done, and as he sprawled out on the bed, he started looking back on his rtionship with Anna.


    <em>It seems that she''s been the onepromising throughout our rtionship. Every time we argue, she always softens up first andpromises. Have I been taking her for granted because I think that she cannot love anyone but me? </em>


    <em>This isn''t healthy at all. I have to change.</em>


    Just as Charles was engrossed in his thoughts, there was a loud thud, and a violent tremor ran through the Narwhale.


    The small items in the room were thrown to the floor, and the subtle feeling of weightlessness vanished.


    The Narwhale had touched down.


    Charles poked his head out to look at the distant lights of the outpost.


    He looked down at themunicator in his hand, and his gaze became determined. His argument with Anna had to be put aside for now. The top priority was securing the Foundation''s help.


    Resolving the world-ending crisis of the rising sea levels took precedence over everything else. First of all, they had to secure a habitable space for mankind, or everything would be in vain.

 Chapter 673: Subterranean Sea Council Meeting

    Everyone was stunned as they stared at the Narwhale slowly entering the outpost.


    Five exploration airships had departed for an expedition, but only one of them managed to return. Just what on earth had they experienced up there?


    Weren''t they supposed to negotiate with a so-called Foundation?


    How did things end up like this?


    When Charles announced that he had entered preliminary cooperation with the Foundation, everyone''s faces lit up with joy, and they immediately forgot about the expedition''s casualties.


    Although they found it a shame that so many people had ended up dying, the living were always more important than the deceased, so they had no issues setting aside the matter for the meantime.


    Soon, the Subterranean Sea Council meeting was convened, and Charles saw the faces of the Subterranean Sea''s governors once again. He looked around and discovered that the number of governors had decreased slightly.


    There were over a hundred governors during the previous meeting, but now, there were only a little over a hundred governors present.


    "This is a map of the darkness. The Foundation is also exploring the darkness as we speak, and they''ve covered an area muchrger than what we''ve covered so far," Charles said. He pressed on the metal disk, and a three-dimensional map resembling a neb appeared before him.The map was in the shape of a spindle¡ªnarrow at the bottom and wide at the top. Every dot on the neb represented not a star nor a but perhaps a floating ind or something else.


    The dots were in a variety of colors, with ck and dark purple being the mostmon colors.


    Charles opened his mouth and was about to speak when a hologram of Feuerbach appeared next to the map.


    "Good evening, everyone. Let me introduce you to the Subterranean Sea''s darkness."


    Feuerbach gently tugged at the ser ball-sized map beside him, and the holographic map erged, enveloping everyone. The governors had never seen anything like this, and they were inwardly amazed at the sight.


    "Every single color represents a certain level of danger. The color ck means that those dots have been thoroughly explored and have been deemed clear of any danger.


    "Of course, we can''t let our guard downpletely. The sky shrouded in the darkness is a bustling ce, so we can''t say for sure that nothing will reupy these dots marked in ck."


    Feuerbach pointed at the two floating inds that Charles had explored.


    "A purple neb means that the ce is dangerous. It might just be a dangerous ce, or an active ''entity'' has been sighted at that ce," Feuerbach exined, his fingernding on where 005-3 was found.


    "Yellow means that the ce is unknown. Unknown ces are ever-changing, and there is little to no information about them."


    Just then, Jenny, the temporary representative of the Western Seas, asked, "Do you have any information on the so-called ''dangers'' that you''ve mentioned? We need to know as much information as possible."


    Feuerbach cast a contemptuous gaze at Jenny, replying, "A nce at you is enough for me to tell that you''re not an explorer. I mean, our esteemed Captain Charles wouldn''t ask such a naive question."


    "There are ''entities'' out there that are capable of affecting you the moment you be aware of their existence, so it is better to remain unaware of some things for your safety. The less you know, the safer you are."


    Charles'' expression was grave as he stared at the purple nebs, seemingly pondering over something. <em>Are the Divinities of the surface world living at those ces marked in purple?</em>


    "Please forgive her bluntness. The people of the Western Seas had never really been enthusiastic about exploration. Anyway, how may I address you, Mr. Foundation?" Jax asked, smiling at Feuerbach''s hologram in mid-air.


    "It''s not my real name, but you may call me Feuerbach."


    Jax smiled at the reply, and he sounded humble as he said, "Then, Mr. Feuerbach, can you please tell us in which direction you''ve been exploring the darkness? If you don''t mind, please tell us what we have to do as well."


    Instead of answering immediately, Feuerbach cast an inquiring look at the quiet Charles standing next to him.


    "Feel free; I''m listening."


    Feuerbach bowed slightly and squeezed his hand gently.


    The map returned to its original size, and Feuerbach swiped right.


    "We''ve been following an eastward course in our exploration. The darkness of the Subterranean Sea is vast, but it is not boundless. Once we''ve reached its boundaries, we can use that information to find the center of the darkness, which must be the darkness'' anchor point."


    Staring at the dotted map, Charles thought, <em>Just how big has the darkness expanded up there? The Foundation has been exploring it for such a long time, but they still haven''t seen its boundaries?</em>


    "I have a question. Why not go up? What if the anchor point that you''ve mentioned is situated somewhere above rather than on the east or on the west?" Governor Julio asked, and his voice sounded as domineering as ever as it echoed throughout the tent.


    "ording to our exploration so far, the darkness can only climb up<em> this </em>high. It can''t afford to provoke the existence that is above this point," Feuerbach said, gesturing at the upper limit of the three-dimensional map.


    "What existence?" Anna asked. Her eyes shimmering with a sharp light allowed her to stand out from the crowd.


    Feuerbach turned to Charles. "Captain, it''s a question unrted to our uing coboration. You don''t need the answer to that question, right?"


    "Would knowing that piece of information threaten our lives?" Charles asked.


    "Not really. I just think that it''s irrelevant here. If you really want to know, then give me a moment to ask for permission."


    With that, Feuerbach''s hologram vanished into thin air. The tent was immediately abuzz with murmurs as the governors gathered in groups of three or five to discuss what had just transpired.


    "You made contact with them first, so how much do you know about the Foundation?" Julio asked as he walked up to Charles.


    "Not much more than you. ording to the intelligence that I''ve gathered so far, they''re an organization that was founded a thousand years ago by the humans of the surface world. Their job is to contain and study various strange events, anomalous phenomena, and mysterious individuals."


    "Simply put, you can say that they deal with relics. There were nearly seven billion humans on the surface world at the time, and the world needed an organization to handle relics, or they''d be a huge threat to the people.


    "After all, relics possess bizarre and special abilities that can easily interfere with people''s daily lives or cause chaos throughout the entire world.


    "Thus, the Foundation was created, but its existence was hidden from the rest of society at the time. Unfortunately, they had failed to protect the surface world. If they had seeded, then this ce wouldn''t be like this today."


    Jax walked over to Charles and asked, "How do you know that they were protecting the surface world from the influence of relics rather than using those relics to influence and take over the world? I don''t believe that they''re <em>that</em> selfless."


    "Well, it''s simple. It''s all because I''m from the surface world, and I''ve never heard of them from my time back there. In fact, there aren''t even any traces of their existence."


    Jax smiled at Charles'' remark and quietly adjusted his monocle. He no longer asked any questions.


    "Since they''re so selfless, do you really believe that they''re trustworthy?" Julio asked.


    Charles frowned slightly and shook his head. "They''re not trustworthy at all. The Foundation was supposed to have been annihted by the Divinities of the Subterranean Sea, so I''m not even sure whether this Foundation that we''re dealing with is the original Foundation from way back a thousand years ago.


    "To make matters worse, we don''t even know the true background of the Foundation before us. Moreover, it has been a thousand years¡ªmore than a dozen generations have passed since the Foundation was founded, so I find it hard to believe that their principles haven''t changed at all."

 Chapter 674: 002

    Charles''s spections were based on his observations of the Foundation''s actions.


    Although the Foundation had imed that they were protecting mankind behind the scenes, Charles had never seen them protect anything, let alone mankind.


    If the Light God''s interference was the reason behind their failure to stop the Pope''s n, then Charles could still understand it.


    However, the Foundation hadn''t intervened even as the sunlight massacred the denizens of the Subterranean Sea. They had done nothing and simply watched as the deaths unfolded.


    To make matters worse, the Foundation remained hidden and didn''t contact the people of the Subterranean Sea at all despite the world-ending crisis that required locating and retrieving the darkness to resolve. They merely proceeded with their own n.


    The Foundation had imed that they were in the middle of saving the Subterranean Sea, but their previous actions made Charles question their true purpose.


    Charles could still remember Aaron, whom he met inside 041''s world, and thetter''s oath rang in his ears.


    <em>"We fight in the dark so people can live in the light! We fight to protect mankind from anomalous entities!"</em>


    <em>"They say our experiments are cruel and inhumane, but our endeavors are necessary for mankind''s survival!"</em><em>"Our beautiful emotions are the foundation of our sublime faith! We must press on to protect them! We are humanity''sst line of defense against anomalous entities!"</em>


    <em>"We must win this war, not just for our sake, but for the sake of humanity as well!"</em>


    <em>"I, Aaron Lee Hotchner, do solemnly swear that I will be absolutely loyal to the Foundation as a Foundation''s Rank C personnel! I will obey orders, remain disciplined, and be tight-lipped! We secure! We contain! We protect! For mankind''s sake!"</em>


    Theplex emotions within Aaron''s voice, despite being trapped in 041''s world, couldn''t have been fake. His fervent emotions and his determination to sacrifice everything for his sublime faith were something that Charles hadn''t seen in the Foundation members he had encountered so far in this era.


    Charles believed that the original Foundation was truly working for humanity''s sake, but Charles couldn''t believe Feuerbach''s im about how their Foundation was working for humanity''s sake. It seemed false no matter how he looked at it.


    Moreover, there was a popr saying about how actions spoke louder than words. At this point, Charles found it difficult to trust any organization, and it included even the Foundation, which was apparently "working for humanity''s sake."


    "It''s fine. This is not going to affect our coboration. The intelligence and technology they possess are what we need the most right now."


    "Yes, I think so, too. I''ll keep tabs on them. Just go ahead and keep doing whatever you''ve been doing up here."


    "Isn''t it a bit too early to start being wary of the Foundation?" Jenny asked, walking over in her long robe.


    "Hmph! Too early? Says the one who was immediately wary of me and Charles as soon as our alliance was formed," Julio retorted, leaving Jenny speechless.


    "Working together while being wary of each other can be done at the same time; there isn''t any conflict of interest at all," Charles said to Jenny.


    Just as Charles'' words fell, the metal disk beeped twice, and the hologram of an enthusiastic-looking Feuerbach appeared once again.


    "The council''s members have discussed the matter, and they''ve decided to disclose the relevant information. Moreover, you already know of our existence, so there''s no point in hiding it," Feuerbach said.


    The murmurs in the tent abruptly came to a halt. Everyone''s eyes fell on Feuerbach, waiting for him to continue. Feuerbach swept his gaze across the room, and he smiled upon seeing that everyone was staring at him.


    "The entity up there is 002," Feuerbach said.


    Charles'' pupils constricted to needle points at the remark, and he looked as if he had been struck by a hammer in the head. God Fhtagn''s Project ID was 003, so the entity in the sky above the darkness was ranked higher than Him.


    <em>Just what kind of existence is 002?!</em>


    "002? What''s that? What does that mean?"


    "That''s it? Numbers as a name is some, and who knows what that means?"


    "Yeah, my naming sense is bad, but even I won''t give my son such ame name."


    The governors muttered among themselves.


    "Silence!!" Charles and Julio roared at the same time, silencing everyone.


    Feuerbach cleared his throat and added, "It''s not that easy to exin, so let me just put it this way¡ªthe so-called magic of the Western Seas, the relics you''ve transnted into your bodies, and the bizarre entities on the inds of the Subterranean Sea¡ªall of them are from 002."


    Charles wasn''t actually surprised by Feuerbach''s remark. The frightening abundance of magic on the surface world and the relicfication told Charles that there was an existence up above influencing everything down below.


    "What is 002? A Divinity?" Julio asked. Charles had already told him about the Foundation''s naming convention.


    Feuerbach shook his head and replied, "It''s really hard to exin. You can call It a Divinity, but the way you refer to everything iprehensible and unobservable as a ''Divinity'' is really inurate.


    "There''s actually a massive difference between those entities. Would you consider the Feaster to be on the same level as God Fhtagn?"


    "Since they are both Divinities, which is stronger? 002 or God Fhtagn?" a governor asked the burning question in everyone''s minds.


    "We don''t know," Feuerbach said in a matter-of-factly way. "We can''t approach It, so our understanding of It is very limited. Our drones and our strongest Mobile Task Force never managed to return upon approaching 002."


    "We don''t know what exactly happened to them. In fact, we only managed to deduce 002''s existence after about a hundred years of effort and research by our researchers."


    "However, the Foundation has a rough guess of Its color, and It should be purple. The purple light outside ising from It. Its purple light is extraordinary as well, containing many things. Unfortunately, our eyes can only perceive the color of the light, which I personally admit is a bit sad."


    "You don''t know what It looks like, you don''t know Its abilities, and you don''t even know whether It''s a living existence or not¡­


    "The only thing you know is Its color. How is that any different from disclosing nothing to us?" A dissatisfied feminine voice echoed among the governors.


    Charles couldn''t see her, but the voice definitely belonged to Anna.


    Feuerbach shrugged, and he sounded helpless as he replied, "You insisted on knowing the answer, and we also never said that we know a lot about It.


    "If it weren''t for 007 opening <em>that </em>door, we wouldn''t have bothereding up here. This ce isn''t a habitable ce for human life, after all."

 Chapter 675: Collaboration

    Charles'' heart skipped a beat. "007 is the Light God?"


    The moment those words left his lips, silence instantly engulfed the room.


    "Yeah," Feuerbach replied, "we gave Him a more resounding name previously, but since you call him the Light God, then let Him be known as the Light God."


    "And the Light God was killed by 002?" The image of the Light God''s colossal corpse, which was as majestic as arge mountain, kneeling on the ground shed through Charles'' mind.


    "Judging from various aspects, that''s most likely the case. However, this conclusion is purely spection based on avable evidence. As for the actual unfolding of events, none of us were there to witness it firsthand to know what actually went down."


    "Then what is 005?" Charles posed another question. After all, he had just recently run into 005-3, which was a derivative of 005.


    If 007 was the Light God, 003 was God Fhtagn, and 002 was the origin of all relics, then the fact that 005 was in the top ten meant that 005 had to be incredibly powerful as well.


    Feuerbach froze for a moment before a strange expression appeared on his face. He answered, "Captain, you didn''t request for intelligence on 005 earlier. I don''t have that data stored in my hippocampus. It''s a high-level information that is being stored separately. Give me a moment to request ess."


    With that, Feuerbach was about to disappear when Julio intercepted him, saying, "Enough. You don''t need to request anything. Be it 004, 002, or 007, I don''t give a damn. Let''s get back to the main topic."Hearing that, Feuerbach quickly returned to his spot, and with a gentle wave of his hands, the three-dimensional map reappeared before everyone.


    "Oh, by the way, if you look at the map," Feuerbach said, pointing to the map. "We are responsible for exploring the right side of the darkness, while your task is to explore the left side. Cover as much ground as you can.


    "It is fine even if you can''t find the darkness'' boundary in your designated direction. We''ll fill in the missing gaps. We just have to find one boundary and calcting the approximate location of the anchor point will be much simpler."


    At the end of Feuerbach''s exnation, everyone''s eyes turned to Charles. He was the leader of the exploration on the surface world.


    "There''s nothing more to discuss on this; I agree. However, I hope that the Foundation will be able to provide some technological support."


    "Haven''t we already done so? It''s all stored in themunicator''s memory. We even tranted it toyman''s terms for your convenience."


    "I''m not talking about enhancing our military capabilities. I''m referring to advancements in technology, a boost to human technological progress as a whole."


    Although Charles was desperately seeking the darkness to save the Subterranean Sea, he also wished to seek a n B at the same time. If the Foundation had the technology to allow the denizens of the Subterranean Sea to survive without living in the darkness, it would be ideal.


    "Erm¡­ I''ll need to request permission for that. It''s not my call to make. Actually, does it really matter?" Feuerbach replied.


    "Yes. Please discuss this with them. It won''t take much of your time."


    Under the pressure of an imminent apocalypse, the Subterranean Sea'' technology was rapidly advancing as if a jet pack was attached to it. However, their development so far was insignificantpared to the Foundation, which managed to create something like Dawn One.


    If it weren''t for 002 sprawled right above the atmosphere, Charles believed that the Foundation would have already advanced to the interster era and escaped into outer space.


    "And one more thing," Elizabeth''s weary voice cut through the tension. "If possible, please use your power to help us. The inds are gradually being submerged. We''re losing people every moment. Since the death light, our numbers have dwindled significantly. We can''t afford to lose more people."


    Charles turned toward Elizabeth''s sandy figure. Despite beingposed of sand, he could clearly see the heavy dark circles under her eyes.


    "There''s no need to request for that; we won''t be able to help," Feuerbach said, turning down the request decisively. It seemed like the Foundation''s GK Council had already prepared a response for that request in advance. Feuerbach then continued with an exnation, "We must dedicate all resources into finding the anchor point of the darkness; we can''t afford to waste any time in the Subterranean Sea. Besides, it''s not like that many people have died."


    Charles'' brows knitted tightly at the indifference andck ofpassion Feuerbach disyed toward the plight of the humans in the Subterranean Sea. His earlier suspicions resurfaced. Regardless of what their current goal was, it was clear that the Foundation wasn''t for mankind as they had imed to be before.


    "Alright, go ask. I''ll wait here for your response," Charles said.


    With that, Feuerbach vanished from view again. However, it didn''t take him long to return to convey the message that the GK Council hade to a decision. They mentioned that even if the denizens of the Subterranean Sea were to gain technological knowledge, they wouldn''t be able to fully assimte it in a short time¡ªit would take a whole generation''s effort.


    However, as a demonstration of goodwill of the uing cooperation, they agreed to guide the humans in the Subterranean Sea in technological development.


    In the days that followed, both parties discussed the details of their newfound cooperation. For days, Charles spent countless hours inside the tent without leaving it.


    The battered Narwhale needed repairs, but the other explorers had already made a move. Brimming with confidence, they set sail toward finding the western boundary of the darkness.


    When all the intricacies had been finalized, Charles felt more exhausted than he had after any expedition. As he watched the sand figures before him slowly copsing into piles, he stretched his arms forward and yawned deeply.


    Just as he was about to leave the tent, he saw Elizabeth walking toward him.


    "My love, it''s been so long since west talked. Why haven''t you even sent me a single telegram?" Elizabeth said with a slight smile on her visage.


    "I''m sorry. You know how hectic things are right now. There''s hardly any time for me to deal with personal matters," Charles replied as he reached out an arm to wrap it around Elizabeth''s slender waist. However, his hand passed through the sand.


    "No worries. As long as there''s a ce for me in your heart. Don''t forget me. Although I have many lovers, you are the only man," Elizabeth said teasingly.


    Charles returned with a jest, "Then, out of all your lovers, who do you like the most?"


    A trace of distress crossed Elizabeth''s face. "How am I supposed to answer that? If I were to ask you that question but it''s between Anna and me, how would you answer? Of course, you''d say that you like us both. With all those lovely girls in front of you, can you really answer otherwise? We''re one big family now."


    Charles shrugged nonchntly and shook his head. "Thanks. Talking to you is really calming me down. There''s just too much going on right now."


    Elizabeth looked at Charles with a thoughtful expression and asked, "Are you and Anna having a fight?"


    "Is it that obvious?"


    "It''s pretty obvious. Only a fool would fail to notice. If you need my help, just say the word," Elizabeth said with a wink.


    Looking at the woman standing before him, Charles nodded. "Thank you. If I need anything, I''lle to you."


    Elizabeth then blew Charles a passionate flying kiss before her sandy form gradually copsed into a pile of sand.


    Left alone in the tent, Charles set for a very long while with his eyes closed as he pondered over everything. When the sounds outside dwindled, and it was getting deep into the night, he took out themunicator once again.


    "Oh my god, Captain. Do you know what time it is? Don''t you ever sleep?" Feuerbach yawned and rubbed his eyes.


    "They don''t care, but I do. I need to know all the secrets the Foundation holds. What exactly is 005? Is it Edikth?"

 Chapter 676: 005

    "They don''t care, but I do. I need to know all the secrets the Foundation holds. What exactly is 005? Is it Edikth?"


    Facing Feuerbach, Charles asked the burning question in his mind. The Foundation surely knew far more about 005 than he did.


    Under their current predicament, intelligence about the Divinities could be even more valuable than raw power, especially since he had once been the Chosen One of Edikth.


    At the question, Feuerbach couldn''t help but let out a dry chuckle. "Captain, there''s really no need for you to know those things. You know how this world functions¡ªthe more you know, the faster you die."


    "I''ve seen the Foundations'' previous records. You''vemunicated with 005 before. If you guys didn''t die, why would I?"


    "What difference does it make whether you know or not? I really don''t want to go back and forth and have memories injected and extracted from my mind. It''s genuinely unpleasant," Feuerbachined.


    Charles himself had encountered several Divinities, but he had never heard of one thatmunicated with humans. He was desperate to know about these beings, their purpose foring to Earth, and whether they were responsible for the annihtion of the surface world a thousand years ago or not.


    Feeling helpless, Feuerbach parted his lips to speak. However, his expression suddenly froze and his smile faded while a metallic blue glint shone in his eyes.


    "ording to the long years of tracking 005 by Her followers in the Subterranean Sea, we can only conclude that 005''s power originates from the depths of outer space. Upon conversing with Her, She identified Herself as Tawil At-Umr, not Edikth.""What did you talk about?" Charles asked. He didn''t care who was controlling Feuerbach now as long as his questions were answered.


    Charles had anticipated to hear some earth-shattering secret, but the response left him utterly perplexed. "Initially, she talked about many trivial matters, like the education of my children and how She empathized with my insomnia. Also, She even debated the theory of rtivity with me for three hours."


    "That''s it? Are you making this up?" Charles'' voice wasced with apparent skepticism. These topics sounded more like those that woulde up in a casual chat with a neighbor rather than with a divine being.


    "If you think we''re lying, you''re free to decide for yourself if you want to believe us or not. She has always approached us in a human guise. We tried to extract more information from her about what you guys call ''Divinities,'' but she never directly answered our questions.


    "Aspared to grand, existential issues, She very much prefers to answer trivial questions rted to everyday life."


    This wasn''t the answer Charles expected. He pondered for a brief moment before lifting his gaze. "What does She look like?"


    "A human woman wrapped in ck bandages. Sometimes she holds a cat, sometimes she doesn''t."


    The description took Charles by surprise. He remembered could still remember that scene. That woman had appeared in his dreams twice. He had crossed paths with Her before but had never known Her identity as 005.


    Just as Charles was about to follow up with another question, a memory surfaced in his head. It was something Pope Lylejay had said when he had broken the seal over the Light God.


    <em>"The Feaster. He and his master, Tawil At-Umr had seized the soul of my Lord, which made it impossible for Him to escape through the Dome Door."</em>


    005 Tawil was the master of the Feaster! If that woman was the human manifestation of 005, then was the cat Her pet? That meant¡­


    The next moment, Swann, the Chosen One of the Feaster came to Charles'' mind. He recalled Ronker, the colossal fusion of machinery and flesh.


    However, he noticed details he had previously overlooked. Apart from the grotesque, bloated flesh all over its body, the most striking feature was its giant feline-like pupil.


    As soon as the realization dawned upon Charles, other relevant details began to emerge in his mind.


    When 005 first appeared before him, She wasn''t holding the cat in her arms. However, the second time he saw Her, she was holding the cat. That cat was the Feaster!


    When the Feaster had descended upon the ind, the entire poption of the Albion Isles, numbering close to ten million, were sacrificed. And He didn''t actually intervene directly. If a pet was that powerful, as His owner, 005''s power''s was surely beyond humanprehension.


    A profound sense of helplessness washed over Charles. In the face of Divinities, humans were truly not even worthy of being mentioned.


    "It seems like you''ve met her before. What did she say to you?" The blue eyes in the holographic projection looked at Charles with a calm gaze as the entity behind them awaited his response.


    Suppressing his emotions, Charles looked toward the controlled Feuerbach. "She didn''t say anything. Both times, she appeared in my dreams and was just standing at a distance and watching me."


    "005 wouldn''t casually approach anyone. There must be a reason for Her to approach you."


    Charles shook his head in disagreement. "She''s a Divinity. Humans are insignificant to Her. What reason could She have to seek me out?"


    "Perhaps she''s merely curious. After all, your experiences are uniquepared to other humans."


    Charles was taken aback by the reply. "Curious? Would Divinities be curious about anything?"


    "Not under normal circumstances. But 005 is different. She''s not from Earth; She hails from the depths of space. She''s not like the other Divinities."


    "005 isn''t from Earth? Then are you implying that 002 and 003 are from Earth?"


    A hint of displeasure crossed Feuerbach''s face. "We are neither God nor some omniscient being. We are also seeking the answers to the questions you just asked."


    "I personally think there''s a connection between 002 and 005. Could the extinction on the surface have something to do with their arrival?"


    "That''s merely subjective spection on your part. Unless you provide a coherent, logical set of evidence, such ims are meaningless."


    Charles thought for a moment before he asked another question. "What exactly was 005-3 then? Why does It have such bizarre abilities? Be it my wife, who is a master of mind control, or Lily, who possesses the power of the Light God, they were both affected by its brainwashing."


    "The 005-3 you encountered is a part of 005. You can think of it as one of 005''s fingers. ording to 005 Herself, She was curious about what 002 was, so She extended a finger from below toward 002.


    "But when Her finger touched the periphery of 002, Her finger started escaping Her control and stopped responding to any of her calls.


    "Most of 005''s power remains in the depths of space, and ording to Her, She only brought nine fingers with Her. To conserve Her strength, She decided not to reim the finger that was influenced by 002."

 Chapter 677: Condition

    Charles sat in his seat and pondered over the information he had just learned. From the details, he began to piece together the rough imagery of 005.


    As a "Divinity" from somewhere in outer space, 005 Tawil hade to Apart. Unlike other Divinities, She was an extremely rare case who was willing tomunicate with humans and also share some knowledge with the foundation. Unlike the terrifying Divinities that the denizens of the Subterranean Sea feared, She resembled the gods of human mythology more.


    However, for Her to travel all the way from elsewhere to Earth, She would surely have Her own purpose for being here.


    From current information, She was present at the birth of the Light God. Along with Edikth and two other Divinities, they sealed the Light God, and Charles remained highly suspicious of Their motive behind it.


    Charles nced at Feuerbach''s figure before him and voiced his doubts. "It''s very highly possible that She was the one who annihted the Divinity created by the Foundation of the previous generation. And yet, you are willing tomunicate so freely with Her?"


    The blue-eyed Feuerbach shook his head. "005 cannot be contained. Any attempt at containment is impossible. She had stayed in Site 9 for a short period of time, but that was only because she wanted to stay there and chat with 177. The only thing we could do was tomunicate with Her and try to extract more valuable information.


    "Also, Her act of sealing 007 was all for the sake of protecting humanity. The n made by the previous generation of the Foundation was done in a haste. Creating a Divinity that belonged to humans with the power of 003 was as dangerous as giving a gun to a child who just learned to walk."


    Hearing the exnation, Charles sneered inwardly. "In that case, do you believe that She is friendly toward us humans? Do you really believe that a Divinity that''s friendly to humans actually exists?"


    "We don''t believe. We hope. Because apart from that, we have no other better option. If She decides to attack us, there''s nothing we can do to stop Her." Feuerbach''s voice wasced with apparent desperation, causing Charles to be momentarily speechless.Charles took a deep breath and said, "Alright, we''ve discussed enough about 005. Let''s talk about something else now. How much do you know about Edikth? What is His rank in your database?"


    However, this time, the controlled Feuerbach didn''t answer Charles'' question. "Mr. Charles, the answer to your previous question is considered a free bonus to our cooperation. If you have more questions, you''ll need to pay a price."


    A hint of displeasure crossed Charles'' face. "We''re already in a coborative rtionship, yet a simple questiones with a cost?"


    "We are cooperating, yes, but we''re coborating with all mankind in the Subterranean Sea. As for the current information you are enquiring, firstly, it doesn''t aid with exploration, secondly, it''s merely to satisfy your personal curiosity. We don''t think it''s unreasonable to request something in return."


    The next moment, Feuerbach''s eyes flickered with a blue flint and he switched to speaking fluent Chinese. "Moreover, when you asked for technological assistance to advance development in the Subterranean Sea, we agreed to it without hesitation. ording to a Chinese saying, you owe us a favor."


    Hearing the familiar yet aliennguage, Charles'' guard immediately went up. "It seems like you know me quite well. Alright, state your condition. Surely, it''s not an entire ship of Echos, right?"


    "Mr. Charles, you sure have a good sense of humor. We have plenty of those. As for our condition, I believe it should have been made clear as per our previous conversation."


    "Sparkle? That''s my daughter. Don''t you dare to even think about it!" A thought struck Charles and he quickly added, "And Lily is off-limits, too!"


    "Don''t be so quick to make an absolute statement. We are willing to agree to your previous request and let your people conduct the experiments on your territory. This is our greatest show of sincerity. If you agree to this request, you can ess any archive and data within the Foundation."


    This time, Charles didn''t say a word. He lightly pressed the button on the metal disk and Feuerbach''s projection vanished instantly.


    Truth be told, Charles was desperate for answers. He wanted to know why he became Edikth''s Chosen One, and what happened on the surface after he arrived at the Subterranean Sea.


    But at the thought that he had to exchange his daughter for these answers, he felt that it was mission impossible.


    Anna was right. His daughter was family. If he could put his family on the trading table, what kind of person would that make him? He hadn''t lost his humanity just yet.


    <em>But the intelligence the Foundation holds is equally important. I need to find a way to get that information from them.</em>


    Charles rose to his feet, feeling the numbness in his legs. Then, he moved slowly toward the entrance of the tent.


    Soon, the technological data from the Foundation arrived. The printed data was so overwhelming that thebined weight of the papers weighed several tons.


    However, the documents were not particrly useful on the surface. They needed to be sent to the Subterranean Sea, as they desperately needed the technological boost to help the dwindling human poption.


    Charles had tried reaching out to Anna to discuss the logistics of this operation, but she refused to interact with him¡ªbe it through Sparkle or telegraph messages, Anna ignored them all. Fortunately, Leonardo, the Minister of Administration for Hope Ind, was at the outpost, and the process was carried out without much significant dy.


    As for Anna''s cold attitude toward him, Charles resolved to do something to mend their rtionship once he found some free time.


    ***


    Lily opened her groggy eyes as she rose from her slumber. Rubbing her eyes, she realized that she wasn''t nestled within the pages of her favorite novel. Instead, she was within her exquisitely crafted dollhouse castle.


    "Did you guys do this? Thank you," Lily said with a radiant smile at the mice gathered around her.


    <em>Squeak~ Squeak squeeeeak.</em>


    "What? Mr. Charles carried me here? Really? Did he secretly kiss me?" Lily''s golden mouse ears perked up in excitement.


    <em>Squeak~ Squeak squeak squeeeeak~</em>


    Hearing the mice''s response, joy suffused Lily''s furry face. She excitedly leaped out of bed and dashed to the adjacent room. Using her tiny paws, she knocked on the door. "Mr. Charles! It''s me! Open the door, quick!"


    Her voice was soft, but Lily knew Charles had sharp hearing and would definitely hear her.


    <em>Squeeeeeeak~ Squeak squeeeeak~</em>


    The mischief of mice in an array of colors seemed to be saying something.


    Upon hearing their words, Lily helplessly lowered her paws. Her perked up ears drooped in disappointment. "He has gone out again? Isn''t he supposed to rest now that we''re back from an exploration? Why is Mr. Charles still so busy?


    "To learn the systematic application of the imnted Origin Essence under the guidance of the Foundation? That sounds like a tongue twister. Doesn''t one gain power once they''ve imnted a relic into their body? Now it can be further enhanced? So Mr. Charles is going to be more formidable?!"

 Chapter 678: Streets

    Lily turned her gaze downward to look at her golden, furry form. "I wonder if Mr. Feuerbach has any way for me to harness the power inside me. It would be amazing if that''s the case."


    She pondered over the issue for quite some time as she stared at the closed wooden door in front of her. Memories came to her as she recalled how Charles taught the other crew members how to use the Origin Essence inside of them.


    First, they had to sense the energy within them, before trying their hands at maneuvering it and then gradually learning how to control it. Initially, it would feel awkward and hard but with consistent practice, they would be able to manipte the energy as naturally as how they used their limbs.


    Closing her eyes, Lily tried to concentrate on the energy flowing within her. She raised her right paw and using all her strength, she thrust it forward. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes, but nothing happened.


    A wave of embarrassment colored her cheeks red. The mice around her silently shifted their gazes away from their leader, pretending to be interested in other things.


    "I''m so useless..." Lily let out a soft sigh.


    "I want to have special powers like everyone else too¡­ Oh well, I''ll go find Grace to y," Lily said as she walked to the wooden door. She squeezed her head through the gap at the bottom and slipped out.


    Grace''s room was assigned to be right next to Linda''s. When Lily arrived, she saw Grace ran over to Linda''s room and excitedly took out a thick medical book.


    Meanwhile, Linda wasn''t the least bothered. She was fully focused on injecting a syringe filled with grayish fluid into a vein in her arm.Lily moved toward Grace and watched her by the side for a while. However, it didn''t take long before she felt dizzy. The tiny, densely packed text interspersed with diagrams of organs and herbs made her head spin.


    "Grace, can you even understand what you''re reading? Oh my god, this book reeks of alcohol! It must be an old personal belonging of the Doctor. All his stuff has this alcohol smell!" Lilymented.


    Grace turned her gaze from the book onto Lily. "I don''t understand everything, but it''s so interesting! This book records all sorts of rare diseases. Look here. On an ind in the Eastern Seas, there was a disease where a second face would grow on the neck of the infected."


    "Erm¡­" Lily tried to imagine the scene for a split second and a shiver ran down her spine. She didn''t find it the least bit interesting. She couldn''t understand why Grace enjoyed reading such things. Grace was a fast reader, had a curious mind, and seemed to enjoy every type of book.


    "There aren''t this many interesting books in the Western Seas. In the lighthouse where I lived, even normal books were scarce. I read each book so many times that they were almost worn out. Also, my mentor didn''t allow me to read anything other than magic textbooks and insisted that I practiced magic for at least fourteen hours daily."


    "Come on, stop reading. Let''s go out to y! There are lots of delicious food and fun things outside and they''re all free! Also, the train just arrived today; there''s sure to be new and exciting stuff!" By the end of her sentence, Lily''s tail was wagging excitedly like that of a dog.


    Grace contemted for a moment before putting the medical book down and turned toward Linda. "Madam Linda, I''ll be back before lunch. What would you like to eat? I''ll bring it back for you."


    Linda didn''t respond as she struggled with the syringe. The grayish liquid in the syringe looked viscous and difficult to inject.


    "I''ll bring you some ofst night''s dinner. You loved the grilled fish; I''ve asked Mr. Audric about it earlier," Grace offered.


    Standing on Grace''s palm, Lily waved a paw at the ship''s doctor. "Bye, Linda!"


    As soon as Lily and Grace arrived on the bustling streets, their yful spirits were ignited. Filled with excitement, they darted through the crowds, weaving in and out of shops without buying anything, theirughter ringing through the air.


    They vented their pent-up stress with abandon. Though they might seem a bit crazy in the eyes of others, near brushes with death were bound to leave a mark on a person. Everyone carried their own weight of pressure; some could feel it, while others couldn''t. But regardless, the tension needed to be released somehow.


    Among the sea of fierce-looking explorers, Grace stood out like a butterfly amidst the crowd. Her lively demeanor and vibrant energy drew the attention of everyone around.


    "Grace! Look over there! That guy has a doll hanging from his belt!" Lily eximed and pointed a paw toward the right side of the street.


    Following Lily''s paw, Grace looked to the right to see a burly man with a knitted yarn doll dangling from his waist. The doll''s thin limbs and head bobbed with each step the man took.


    Just as the two began to curiously approach the man from behind, the doll''s head suddenly jerked up. Its stitched mouth parted and its eyes made from buttons red straight at them.


    Grace instantly froze in ce, and gray threads began to snake out of her mouth. Her hands flew toward her throat, clutching it as she retched violently, but there was nothinging out.


    As the threads started to multiply, Lily panicked and shouted at the burly man in front of them, "Hey! Control your relic! We were just taking a look. You''re so petty!"


    The broad figure didn''t turn around. Instead, he raised his right hand, which was missing two fingers, and blocked the doll''s button eyes. He then continued his leisure stroll ahead.


    Grace gagged for a few moments before grabbing the threads from her mouth. With a forceful tug, she yanked out a fist-sized ball of yarn that was streaked with blood out from her throat.


    "That man was too much! How could he do that! This won''t do! I''m going to go find him!" Lily was fuming with rage. She was about to jump off Grace''s shoulder, but thetter stopped her.


    Her voice raspy from the ordeal, Grace croaked, "<em>Cough cough! </em>Forget it. It was our fault. We shouldn''t be staring at his doll in the first ce. <em>Cough cough!</em>"


    "We did nothing wrong! He should apologize to us!" Lily protested.


    Grace shook her head once more as she held Lily down and headed toward another street. "Everyone here is a hero fighting to save the Subterranean Sea. That man is already working very hard for all of us. We shouldn''t distract him."


    "But if you put it that way, then we''re heroes too! Why does he get to treat us like that?" Lily grumbled, clearly still enraged.


    Grace gently stroked Lily''s smooth fur in an attempt to soothe her. In aforting voice, she said, "Don''t be upset anymore. We''re out to have fun, remember? Apany me to the bookstore; let''s see if there''s anything interesting."


    At the mention of a bookstore, Lily''s face fell. "A bookstore again? Can''t we go somewhere else? I heard a new cinema had opened recently. It has a wall that can y images like Mr. Charles'' phone. How about we go there instead?"


    Grace lifted Lily to eye level and pleaded, "How about we go to the bookstore first? We''re almost there, too. After we''re done browsing the bookstore, we can go to the cinema you''ve mentioned."


    Lily tilted her head to the side and pondered for a moment before nodding. "All right, but I really think you do read more than anyone else I know."


    "Because having a genuine love for something is a blessing," Grace replied with a yful wink before adding, "I read that in a book."

 Chapter 679: The Little Giant

    This bookstore in the outpost was selling most of the Subterranean Sea''s published books. The bookstore''s four walls were also covered in books of a variety of sizes.


    However, it was desertedpared to the other shops throughout the outpost, and it was all because the majority of the explorers didn''t really care about the knowledge that they contained.


    The newly arrived books with white covers didn''t attract any attention except for the attention of explorers with "special interests" searching for pornographic books.


    "Ugh, it stinks¡­ it''s so smelly," Lily said with her face scrunched and her nose covered by her tiny paw as she moved away from the new pile of books.


    "That''s the smell of money¡ªthe smell of the expensive purple-ringed octopus ink. It''s a scent unique to new books, as this smell will gradually fade and be a fragrance from a stench," Grace said, picking up a book and flipping through it.


    "I don''t believe you. You must be lying to me. How can a stench be a fragrance?" Lily said, sticking out her tiny tongue at Grace.


    However, it seemed like Grace didn''t hear Lily, as she waspletely engrossed in the book in her hands. After a few minutes of reading, she tossed the book aside and quickly dove into the pile of books, searching for something.


    "Found it! I knew there''d be an original version of this!" Grace eximed and excitedly flipped through the book with her gaze unwittingly transfixed on its pages.


    Lily walked up to her and cast a bewildered gaze at the text on the book cover in Grace''s hands. "Elementary Physics? What''s that?" Lily asked, but she soon sighed helplessly upon seeing that Grace was not listening to her at all. It seemed that their n to visit the newly opened cinema was nowpletely off the table.


    Lily turned and ran over to the bookstore owner, asking, "Mister, where are the romance novels?"


    With that, the two stayed in the bookstore until the owner told them that it was time to close up shop. The entranced Grace finally snapped back to reality.


    "I want all of these books! The legend is true! This is so awesome! So this was how the Eye of Truth created the entire world!!" Grace eximed.


    Hugging a stack of books, Grace enthusiastically shared the knowledge that she had discovered from the strange books with Lily. She was delighted and excited upon seemingly discovering a new world.


    Grace felt like her worldview had changed drastically.


    "Lily, let me tell you¡ªthis¡­ this is just the first of many! Apparently, thebined weight of the Foundation''s knowledge is several tons, at the very least! I really think that it will take a lifetime to understand the content of these books."


    While Grace was talking nonstop, she collided with someone, and the books in her arms scattered all over the ground.


    "S-sorry! I should have watched where I was going..." Grace apologized and crouched to pick up the scattered books when a mechanical arm reached down from above her, picking up one of the books.


    Grace looked up and was astonished to see a figure towering two meters tall. The surface world''s climate wasn''t cold, but the figure waspletely wrapped in a ck cloth.


    His form was uneven; he had arge, muscr frame but with a small head, which made Grace think of a little giant upon seeing him.


    The little giant used his steel palm to flip through the pages of a book titled¡ª<em>Introduction to Mechanical Drawings. </em>He examined it page by page, and by the time Grace and Lily had picked up all the scattered books, the little giant was still engrossed in reading.


    "Sir, do you also enjoy reading and learning many things from books?" Grace asked, not minding the other party''s bizarre appearance. She simply thought that she had found a kindred spirit upon seeing how engrossed he was in the book.


    The little giant looked up, ncing at Lily on the ground through the ck cloth covering his face before his gaze settled on Grace.


    "You''re a woman, but¡­ you''re interested in machinery?" The little giant spoke in a deep and hoarse voice that sounded simr to what a typical middle-aged man would sound.


    "Yes! I''m interested in machinery, too. Actually, I love reading all kinds of books! The knowledge they contain is all fascinating to me," Grace replied.


    The little giant sized up Grace from top to bottom before returning the book in his hand back to her.


    "You look like you''re from the Western Seas? I''ve dealt with them before, and they''re quite rigid in thinking. It''s rare for someone like you to be interested in machinery."


    Grace blushed slightly, shyly epting the book upon hearing the approval in the other party''s voice. "I don''t think so. If we had ways to connect with the outside world, I''m sure everyone there would be as excited and as curious as me.


    "Besides, the world didn''t really have books like this until now."


    Hearing that, the little giant became agitated, and he eximed, "No! These books didn''te from what Foundation or Charles. These books contain knowledge that has existed in the Subterranean Sea for a long time now.


    "Otherwise, where do you think electricity and advanced steamships came from?!"


    Realizing that Grace seemed to have be a bit afraid of him, the little giant softened his voice as he asked, "Child, have you heard of the Ind of Machinery, the Albion Isles?"


    Grace was stunned by the question. She pondered briefly over it before timidly saying, "Sorry, I haven''t heard of that ind before. I think it''s not an ind in the Western Seas. I''m sorry, I don''t know much about inds outside the Western Seas. This is my first time leaving the lighthouse where I lived¡­"


    "It''s fine. Come with me and let me buy you a drink. I''ll tell you more about the Albion Isles, which was an ind covered in machinery; many wonderful stories had taken ce on that fascinating ind." The little giant turned his covered face away and started walking toward a bustling bar nearby.


    He didn''t even bother waiting for Grace''s response.


    Grace hesitated. She turned to Lily, asking for thetter''s opinion, only to see her looking around nervously.


    "What''s wrong, Lily?"


    "I don''t know¡­ I just feel like someone''s staring at me," Lily said, her furry head turned as she looked around with a confused look.


    "<em>Um, </em>would it be dangerous for us to go to a bar? I read in a book that the bars in any ind''s harbor district are full of bad people.


    Lily''s ears perked up at Grace''s words, and she nodded hurriedly, saying, "Sure, sure, let''s go to a bar! I''ve never been to a bar, and I''ve never had alcohol, either!"


    Under Lily''s persuasion, the young girl eventually walked over to the bar where the little giant had disappeared. As soon as they entered the bar, they immediately attracted the gaze of everyone inside.


    Coincidentally, Cook nck of the Narwhale was in the same bar, and he immediately retracted his hand, which was inside a hostess'' clothes, upon seeing Lily and Grace.


    "What is Lily doing here?"


    Before he could figure out the answer to his question, he saw Grace and Lily sitting down at the bar at the invitation of a man with features that made him resemble a little giant.


    nck pondered briefly over his next course of action. Momentster, he picked up a foaming mug of beer from the hostess tray and walked over to Lily and Grace.


    "Albion Isles was an industrial city and was also famous for being the Ind of Machinery. It was a huge part of the world''s shipbuilding industry, as a massive chunk of the processed materials required from the industry are processed on Albion Isles.


    "In addition, today''s core of navigation¡ªthe turbine engines¡ªwas invented on the Albion Isles," the little giant said, sounding a bit emotional.

 Chapter 680: Enemy

    "Really? How did the people of the Albion Isles do that? Did they learn it from books?" Grace was drawn in by the other party''s story.


    The little giant looked up, seemingly recalling something. "No, there were no books at the time, and neither were there teachers. In fact, the Albion Isles wasn''t exactly the best ce to live, and the fresh water on the ind tasted bitter.


    "If we''re going to talk about the Albion Isles'' rise to prominence, then we''ll have to start talking about the achievements of its very first governor¡­"


    The little giant''s storytelling was so great that Grace felt like she had witnessed the Albion Isles'' hundred years of epic history through the former''s narration. Of course, such stories weren''t that rare in the Subterranean Sea, and inds with a hundred years of history had their own epic tales to tell.


    However, it was Grace''s first time hearing about an ind''s origin story, so she listened intently, seemingly captivated by the story. However, Lily beside her was not interested at all and started moring for the bartender to serve her liquor.


    The little giant narrated for over two hours, and he finally put down the mug of beer that he had been holding without drinking. "You know what? I had a student who was just like you¡ªhe found it fun to learn. In fact, he even set a record for not leaving the library for a month."


    "Really? How is he doing today?" Grace asked curiously.


    The little giant went silent for a long time. In the end, he skipped Grace''s question entirely as he said, "I have to say, he was really talented. At the young age of thirteen, he was admitted to the Albion Isles'' University of Mechanical Engineering."


    "I even thought about letting him take over my ss, but his introverted personality made me hesitate for a long time," the little giant added with a hint ofplex emotions in his tone of voice.Just then, he stared at Grace and asked, "I can see that you''re very talented. So, are you the technician of your exploration ship?"


    "<em>Uh... </em>no, my position is weapon."


    "Weapon? What is that? Are you a crew member operating the deck cannons? That position is called gunner, not weapon."


    "No, Lily is the gunner. The golden mouse licking some liquor over there is the gunner. I''m the ship''s weapon," Grace said. She then proceeded to exin the true meaning of her position.


    The little giant chuckled coldly at the exnation and said, "He truly is the Overlord of the Northern Seas. He can easily do what others don''t even dare to do, and he can even create such a ridiculous position."


    "Actually, I volunteered. I volunteer for everyone''s sake," Grace said in a low voice, cutting a frail figure as she lowered her head.


    "You''ve volunteered, sure, but are you going to do the same ten yearster? You must not trust Charles. He''s an incredibly selfish individual."


    "You... why are you touching my hair? Get away from me! Don''t touch me!!" Lily eximed, slurring her words like a drunkard.


    Grace turned to the right and saw a figure d in ck standing next to Lily.


    Lily was so drunk that she couldn''t even stand steadily. Before she could stabilize herself, nck walked up to Lily in a huff with an empty mug in his hand. "You better put those hands away, pal, if you still want to keep them."


    The man turned around quietly and walked away from Lily, who was iling around in confusion. He then exited the bar.


    Seeing that, the little giant patted Grace on the shoulder and said, "It seems that your mouse friend is already drunk. Take her back with you and leave. Someone of your age shouldn''t stay in a ce like this for too long. If we somehow meet again in the future, I''ll treat you to something else."


    The little giant then stood up and left the bar.


    Upon leaving the bar, the little giant walked leisurely on the streets for thirty minutes. Then, he suddenly turned a corner and entered an inn. He made a beeline for the room that he had booked in advance.


    Someone had been waiting for him in the room, and he was none other than the man who had touched Lily''s fur earlier in the bar. The man looked agitated, and his behavior was bizarre, as he''d howl from time to time for no apparent reason.


    "It''s Him, it''s definitely Him! I cannot possibly mistake that feeling!! He''s not dead! He''s still alive!" the man roared and tugged hard at his face, tearing it apart. Blood and flesh sttered to the floor, revealing the adorable face of a blond boy.


    The blond boy was none other than Lylejay, the former Pope of the Divine Light Order. He paced back and forth in the room, looking extremely agitated. Realizing that the Light God was still alive, hot tears streamed down his face.


    "<em>Hehe,</em> congrattions. However, your god has be a mouse. What are you going to do? How about you snatch that mouse away and keep it in a cage?" the little giant suggested.


    Lylejay''s steps came to an abrupt halt at the little giant''s words. Then, he raised his right hand, and the two-meter-tall little giant flew over to him. Lifting the towering little giant by the neck, the Pope tugged hard, tearing apart the little giant''s upper body.


    Fresh blood dripped down the floor, but the little giant''s torso contained no human organs but a pair of short, thin legs resembling a baby''s limbs. Moreover, both legs didn''t resemble the legs of an ordinary human being.


    One of the two legs seemed to be a hodgepodge of flesh and gears, while the other leg was skinless. The ck cloth covering the little giant''s face was torn open as well, revealing a bizarre head made out of a confused mixture of flesh and gears.


    It turned out that the little giant was none other than the former Chosen One of the Feaster and the former Governor of the now-annihted Albion Isles, Swann.


    Swann''s head looked abnormallyrge inparison to his infant body.


    "spheme the Light God again, and I''ll make you suffer a fate worse than death!!"


    It was funny to hear such vile wordsing from the mouth of a ten-year-old boy, but no one would probablyugh in the face of the fanatical light in the boy''s eyes.


    Realizing that the Pope was serious, Swann looked down slightly, and his two bizarre eyes stared at the floor. "Okay, whatever you say."


    "<em>Hmph!!</em>" Pope Lylejay swung hard and hurled the infant-like Swann across the room. Swann''s figure¡ªa hodgepodge of intricate gears and flesh¡ªcrashed into the wall, and he fell heavily to the ground.


    Swann''s mechanical eyes rotated rapidly, and white steam gushed out of the brass pipes sticking out of him. The gears inside of him also rotated rapidly with a clicking sound. Swann took advantage of this strange series of events to hide the malice glimmering in his good eye.


    "How did it go? Have you ced the mark?"


    "It''s done. I can always track that girl''s location. Once Charles sets off for another exploration, we can find them using that mark."


    ***


    A few dayster, Charles was in the Captain''s Quarters of the Narwhale, perusing the information inside the metal disk from the Foundation. He was studying the true application of the so-called Origin Essence.


    He was not alone¡ªFirst Mate Bandages, Second Mate Nico, Chairman Jax of the Explorers Association, and Linda were with him.


    The documents contained fewer words and more concentric circles in arrays. The arrays didn''t look as bizarre as the magic arrays of the Western Seas, and they were more like function curves intersecting with each other.


    The details of each arc were written specifically next to the arc itself, and the angles formed by the intersecting lines were also marked urately and meticulously at each corner.

 Chapter 681: Origin Essence

    When everyone was done reading the content of the documents, Linda, who was recording down minutes, was the first to break the silence. "So, ording to this information, we''ve been doing it wrong all along? And that''s why our death rate has been so high?"


    Before Charles could say a word, Feuerbach suddenly jumped in from the side. With his voice dripping with schadenfreude, hemented, "<em>Hohohoho~</em> It''s not just wrong; it''s monumentally wrong. To put it in perspective, the previous method you used was akin to trying to eat through your nostrils instead of your mouth.


    "The experimental records that Captain found were the initial versions. If we were topare it to the fully matured methods we have at our disposal, it would be likeparing heaven and earth.


    "ording to thetest documents, not only are the old methods less effective, but over time, they also pose a risk of bacsh."


    "You knew about this¡­ and why¡­ didn''t you say anything?" First Mate Bandages red at the figure of Feuerbach hovering in mid-air.


    "I wanted to, but the problem is I''m a spy! If I had told you, it would have been very unprofessional of me, no?" Feuerbach feigned a look of innocence.


    "Enough. Let''s stop with the useless chatter," Charles interrupted. "Feuerbach, answer me, is all the information recorded here urate? Regarding the so-called Origin Essence attributes. As long as the relic and human subject are a match, the human would then be able to absorb the relic to enhance their powers continuously?


    With a sweeping gesture, various pieces of information quickly appeared around Feuerbach as he exined, "Yes. You''re right. There are a total of 73 pairs of Origin Essence attributes at the moment. You can use the radiation from 002 to produce relics and thereby cyclically increase your power."


    It seemed that after years of analysis, the Foundation had fully mastered the use of relics'' power."Please don''t only mention the advantages and ignore the disadvantages. I remember this record mentions the side effects of merging Origin Essences.


    "If a human continues to absorb Origin Essence, they will find it increasingly difficult to control the power within their bodies.


    "Eventually, when they fail to control the power within them, their bodies will gradually disintegrate. Their skin, bones, hair, and even their souls will be new relics!" Linda reminded the group.


    Feuerbach let out a feigned sigh. "It seems like you know everything now. My presence here is kinda redundant. Alrighty then, I''m going now.


    "You can look through the other information yourself. The blueprints for attribute-identifying machines are in there, too." With that, Feuerbach was just about to disappear when Charles called out to him.


    "Hold on. We know what''s written on this document, but we also need to know the things that aren''t mentioned. I believe that with the Foundation''s current technological level, you must have a thorough understanding by now."


    "Of what?"


    "For example, despite the 73 pairs of attributebinations, why do relics possess various bizarre abilities? Are there any patterns to their pairing? Also, the relics in the Subterranean Sea most likely didn''te from the surface. So how were the relics down there created?"


    Charles didn''tck power. His strength had been growing continuously all this while, but he knew that strength wasn''t the most important thing in the surface world.


    Compared to a so-called power enhancement, the data provided by the Foundation was more important and was the core of explorations. Only by mastering the knowledge written within could they truly harness the power of Origin Essences.


    "Why do they have such bizarre abilities? It''s because they''ve been contaminated."


    Hearing this, everyone present immediately perked up, not wanting to miss a single word.


    "Contaminated by what?"


    "By the so-called Divinities you speak of, and also by the attributes of the objects they are stuck with. Anyway, I''m just an agent; don''t ask me. This is a super big topic, and I only remember that the research department was studying it."


    "Let us in on all your experimental data. That is what we truly need," Anna demanded as she pushed open the door and walked in.


    "<em>Erm¡­</em>" Traces of distress crossed Feuerbach''s face. "I''m afraid that won''t be possible. Don''t forget that these relics originate from 002. When we study the relics, we are studying 002 as well, so we can''t share that information with you."


    "Why not? At this point, you''re still nning to keep things to yourself? Do you want me to show up at your doorstep demanding it? If that happens, a lot of people will be very curious about the Foundation''s location, won''t they?"


    Hearing Anna''s threatening words, Charles'' heart skipped a beat as he knew things would turn ugly. Sure enough, Feuerbach''s eyes suddenly turned pitch ck, and a cold, serpent-like voice echoed in everyone''s ears.


    "Again and again, you''ve repeatedly demanded information from us. Do you really think we owe you?!


    "I''m telling you, we''ve already given you what you requested! We''ve sent the data over and fulfilled our end of the agreement. Now do your part!"


    With a sharp beep, Feuerbach''s projection vanished from mid-air.


    Clearly, the Foundation was getting annoyed.


    "Anna, you shouldn''t have said that. Regardless of their motives, they''re still our allies for now," Charles rose to his feet and said to Anna.


    Anna didn''t speak a single word. She merely rolled her eyes at Charles before turning to leave.


    "Hey! Did you find the Foundation''s location? Where are they?" Charles called out after Anna.


    However, the only response he got in return was the loud m of the door.


    An awkward silence descended upon the room. A few secondster, Nico attempted to break the tension and joked, "That sister''s got quite the temper, huh? Charles, I didn''t know you were into that type. How did you two meet?"


    With his brows knitted together, Charles sank into his seat and said, "No matter what, we still need to use this method. Jax, assemble a team and start experimenting. If there are no issues, then we''ll rece the old fusion rituals with the new ones and make them avable for everyone to use for free."


    As for the potential side effects, they could worry about thatter if they managed to survive long enough.


    "The preparation is already ongoing. The first batch of test subjects is in ce, but the experiment needs an observation period. The conclusion won''t be out so soon," Jax said in an unhurried voice.


    "Try to speed up the process. Or, we can also use some of the explorers as the initial test subjects. Since the Foundation decided to cooperate with us, they most likely wouldn''t be setting any more traps."


    With that, Charles then projected the holographic map in front of himself. Red lines surfaced on the vast expanse to the left of the huge neb. Those lines indicated the paths of the explorers.


    With a swift motion, Charles drew the longest red line with his finger. "Alright, we''ve rested long enough. It''s time to set out."


    A few dayster, all preparations werepleted, and the crew of the Narwhale assembled once more. Charles felt a sense of reassurance as he looked at the familiar faces on the deck. "Narwhale! Set sail!"


    The massive airship slowly took flight and disappeared into the looming wall of darkness.


    Unbeknownst to them, in the crowd below, a pair of fanatical eyes were watching the Narwhale intently as she disappeared into the distance.

 Chapter 682: Letter

    The massive Narwhale slowly floated upward in the dark expanse, steadily approaching its destination.


    At the bridge, Dipp''s nervous gaze alternated between thepass and his wristwatch. Next to him stood Charles and Nico, who mirrored his actions.


    Thepass needle was supposed to be pointing south, but it was jumping uncontrobly as if it was electrified.


    "Five minutes up. Turn right." As the steering wheel rotated, the hovering Narwhale began to change direction.


    After several iterations of the same scene, thepass''s erratic movement gradually subsided, and the three men finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Captain, the Foundation''s map is really helpful! Without their map, anyone venturing into this cursed ce would surely be lost," Dipp remarked as he continued to steer the ship.


    Charles nced at the map in front of them. The detailed map was drawn by himself. As a skilled artist, he made sure the map was detailed down to the T.


    "Don''t get distracted. Our current course is dangerously close to the purple zone. We need to navigate carefully. If <em>that thing</em> appears, we''ll be in deep trouble."


    "Captain, why did you redraw the map? Wouldn''t it be easier if you just brought along the metal disk that the Foundation gave you?" Nico asked with a puzzled expression.<em>Beep! </em>


    The hand-drawn map in Charles'' hand turned to the second page. "Using a hand-drawn map is the same. Though it''s not as convenient as a holographic map, it''s only a little bit more cumbersome.


    "Moreover, what if we brought themunication device along, and the Foundation had actually nted a tracking program in it? Our lives would be entirely in their hands by then. It''s always better to keep our guards up," Charles exined.


    He had been caught in an ambush once and he had no intention of letting it happen again, even if he had a coborative rtionship with the Foundation at the moment.


    Nico nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I get it. I don''t fully trust those guys either."


    Seeing that thetter part of this current route would be safe, Charles stuffed the map into Nico''s hands and headed out of the bridge. "Keep an eye on things here. I''m going to check the rest of the ship."


    "Leave it to me."


    After leaving the bridge, Charles began his patrol, going from one cabin to the next. Though it was a mundane task, it was a crucial one that he needed to do daily. Even with Lily''s mice on watch, he believed an extrayer of security couldn''t hurt.


    He inspected each area carefully¡ªthe galley, mess hall, fuel storage, water tanks, turbine room, crew quarters¡ªto make sure every nook and cranny of the Narwhale was secure.


    When he stepped into the crew quarters, he saw the crew members on break ying cards. Among them was the hunched green figure of Norton.


    Controlling his green, towering body, he used a set of hands to y the cards while another to scribble notes andmunicate with the others.


    <em>Are you guys teaming up against me just because I have no eyes? How is it possible that I haven''t won even a single round so far?</em>


    Grinning from ear to ear, Audric quickly retorted, "No way! Are we that kind of person? I''m telling you, having eyes or not makes no difference. When I was blindst time, I could win whenever I wanted to win. It''s not about vision but luck and skill!"


    The vampire sailor beside, Sniffler, chimed in, "Yeah, exactly! Don''t try to weasel out of this. You''ve already lost three liters of blood, and I¡¯m keeping track of it."


    Clutching his neck with a hand, nck cursed, "You lot are crazy! You guys are even thinking of drinking Norton''s blood? Are you sure it''s even drinkable?"


    "Well, about that¡­ we have to try first before passing judgement. Who knows? It might be delicious."


    Listening to their banter, a sense of satisfaction rose within Charles as he stepped out of the room. He was worried that Norton wouldn''t be able to adapt and had even considered retiring thetter.


    However, it seemed Norton was still very much himself and still fitted in with the rest of the crew.


    After inspecting the rest of the ship, there were only a few small cabins that he had yet to check. As there was limited space on the Narwhale, having a personal cabin was a privilege reserved for the captain, first mate, second mate, and Grace.


    With Second Mate Nico on duty, Charles took a quick look into the former''s room that wasden with the smell of perfume before moving on to the first mate''s quarters.


    Knocking on the door, Charles pushed aside the green vines hanging at the entrance. The moment he stepped into Bandages'' room, he felt like he had entered a lush green rainforest, and the air smelled incredibly fresh.


    Despite the limited space in the room, it was filled with an array of interwoven, flourishing nts.


    "Can''t you control this ability of yours? It seems like a waste," Charles remarked.


    Bandages shook his head and pointed to the wide-open window on the right wall. A row of trumpet-like ck leaves lined the parapet. "It''s not much of a waste¡­ These nts¡­ can collect¡­ the moisture¡­ in the air¡­"


    Surprised, Charles walked over to the nts. He was astonished to see a dusty, gray membrane within the spiral-shaped leaf and also tiny droplets of water on the membrane.


    "Impressive! Where did you find those nts? If you have more and they bloom in time, it would be an easy solution to the freshwater problem on the ship!"


    "I modified it¡­ I underwent the¡­revised relic ritual¡­ by the Foundation¡­ I found a relic¡­ that matches the relic¡­ in my body¡­ So¡­ there are some new changes¡­ to my abilities."


    Charles'' brows furrowed slightly at the remark. He was feeling slightly upset that Bandages had experimented on himself so recklessly.


    "At the very least, you should have let someone else test out the procedure first. Why did you use it on yourself directly?"


    Bandages shook his head. "It''s okay¡­ The risk¡­ isn''t too¡­ big¡­ It''s worth the gamble¡­ The situation below¡­ can''t wait¡­"


    With that, a vine curled around a piece of paper and brought it before Charles. Charles unfolded it and realized that it was a handwritten letter by Bandages'' younger brother.


    <em>Brother:</em>


    <em>How are you doing up there? Mom, Sis, and I are really worried about you. I''ve been working at the canning factory for half a year now.</em>


    <em>All our food is being made into cans now, even seaweed, so we''ve been working overtime in the factory. My hands are all wrinkled and with boils from the constant work.</em>


    <em>However, knowing that you might be eating the canned food that I''ve been making... I don''t feel that tired anymore. </em>


    <em>Sis is working at the newly opened machine factory. She says her job is to paste somebels on the machines. You don''t have to worry about her, the factory is on higher ground, and the work is easier, too. Mom is with her as well.</em>


    <em>Yesterday, it was a rare day off, so we rented a boat and went to the area above our old basement unit. Mom didn''t say much but I could feel her sadness.</em>


    <em>Brother, if you can, please retrieve the darkness. I''m the only man left in the family since you''re not here. But I have to admit that I''m really scared seeing the sea rising every day. Our living spaces are getting more and more crowded. Some people even had no choice but to even sleep on boats.</em>


    <em>Hanks Mark</em><blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Charles'' selfishness is irking me to no tomorrow -_-</blockquote>

 Chapter 683: White Sphere

    Charles stared at the content of the letter for a very long while before he finally folded it and stuffed it back into Bandages'' hands.


    "I know the situation is not looking great down there, but that''s reason for us to be more cautious. If anything were to happen to you, it would make our exploration even harder. You''re the First Mate of the Narwhale, after all."


    Bandages silently tucked the letter away into his coat pocket. "Captain¡­ do you think¡­ we can¡­ retrieve¡­ the darkness?"


    "We definitely will! No qualms about it! We''re already working together with the Foundation, and they have the means to capture the darkness. Now, all we have to do is find the boundary, and then we can definitely bring the darkness back home!!" Charles dered in a firm toneced with unwavering certainty As the captain, he had to disy absolute resolve and remain clear of his goals. If he showed even the slightest hint of hesitation, the entire ship''s morale would plummet.


    Giving Bandages a reassuring pat on the shoulder, Charles turned around to leave.


    <em>Hooonk!</em>


    A piercing steam whistle abruptly red.


    Charles halted in his tracks and immediately jumped toward the nearest window. The whistle was out of ce¡ªit wasn''ting from the Narwhale!


    Dangling upside down form the underside of the Narwhale, Charles immediately spotted a white exploration ship approaching them from the right. Looking at the markings on the gas balloons, it was one of their previously dispatched exploration ships.However, one couldn''t be too cautious in this dangerous ce. Charles swiftly moved along the hull and headed toward the bridge.


    Upon arriving at the bridge, he saw Second Mate Nico using binocrs to observe the approaching ship. "Captain~ those guys are using g semaphore and seem to be signaling for help."


    "What kind of help? If it''s nothing major, let them handle it themselves."


    In such a treacherous area, Charles didn''t want to interact with a ship of unknown origin. Who knew if the other ship had beenpromised and had been taken over by some strange and unidentified entity?


    "<em>Hmm¡­</em> it seems like they have a freshwater problem. Their water supply is apparently undrinkable. It''s not a straightforward issue that can be signaled via g semaphore. We''d need to talk to them face-to-face to understand their full situation," Nico replied.


    Charles pondered for a moment as he watched the ship gradually closing the distance between them. Eventually, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his future-predicting diary. He quickly flipped to thetest entry.


    Seeing that there was no mention of any imminent danger, Charles then instructed the Narwhale to approach the other ship slowly.


    The diary proved its worthiness in crucial times, especially one like their current situation.


    "No big deal; they are just regr explorers. Let''s move closer and have a look," Charles remarked.


    Nico nced at Charles'' diary, a trace of envy surfacing on his countenance. "Captain, why didn''t you use that handy relic earlier?"


    "Because of its unpredictability. I don''t know if the diary predicts the future or creates it. And its side effects haven''t been fully analyzed, so I don''t trust itpletely."


    Soon, the exploration ship that was slightlyrger than the Narwhale halted nearby. Due to the short distance, Charles could finally make out the crew members on board.


    To his surprise, he saw two towering Haikors standing on the deck. Their pale lips were a clear indication of dehydration.


    "What happened to your water tanks?! What did you encounter?!" Charles hollered over to the other ship.


    A booming voice from one of the Haikors echoed. "We found a white sphere dotted with many holes! The moment we steered our ship into one of its holes, our freshwater was contaminated! Captain, we don''t need much water, just enough for the return trip!"


    <em>A white sphere with holes? </em>Charles scanned the imagery of the map in his mind, but he couldn''t record any relevant markings.


    After pondering for a short moment, he turned to Dipp and passed him instructions. Soon enough, the sailors of the Narwhale began hauling barrels of fresh water onto the deck.


    Charles didn''t want to have any direct contact with them; after all, it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. As such, hemanded the strong Norton to toss the barrels over to the other ship.


    The barrels of fresh water were opened up. However, despite being parched and desperate, the Haikors didn''t drink the water and had called out to someone inside their cabins.


    A few momentster, two creatures that looked like lizards with disjointed limbs emerged from the cabins. They shoved their trumpet-like mouths into the barrels and drank greedily.


    "Why did those big guys bring those creatures out too on an exploration mission?" Dipp scratched the scales on his neck in confusion.


    Charles eyed the bizarre form of the Apostles and answered, "They probably serve a purpose, though I have no idea what it is. Don''t dwell too much on it. Norton, throw a few more barrels over, and then we''re leaving."


    <em>Click, click, click!</em>


    Norton parted his menacing jaws and his teeth ttered in understanding before he effortlessly heaved several more barrels of water across the gap to the other ship.


    After a brief exchange with the Haikors, the Narwhale continued her way. When the other ship eventually faded into the darkness, Charles felt a strange sense of astonishment. Truth be told, it had been a long time since they had encountered something that wasn''t a direct threat.


    Back at the bridge, Charles picked up the map andpared it against the Haikors'' description of the white sphere''s location. However, there was no marking of any objects on those coordinates.


    "Did the Foundation forget to mark it, or did this white sphere drift here afterward?" Charles muttered to himself.


    He contemted for a moment before turning to instruct Dipp at the helm, "Let''s head over and take a look from a distance. If it seems safe, we''ll mark it as a new coordinate."


    In this vast emptiness of the sky, it was better to have as many reference points as possible to avoid getting lost.


    Days flew past, and finally, Charles saw the so-called white sphere.


    It seemed to resemble a skull, but not exactly. After all, no skull would glow with a gentle moonlight radiance.


    Seeing the sphere from a distance, it appeared norger than a ping pong ball. However, when Bandages measured it with a ruler and scaled it ordingly, he reported to Charles that the sphere was actually asrge as an ind.


    Charles pulled out a pen and after carefully measuring andparing, he marked a dot on the map and indicated the location of the sphere.


    "Let''s move on," Charles instructed.


    "Mr. Charles, are we not going up there?" Lily asked as she stood on Charles'' shoulder, her voiceced with curiosity.


    "What for? We''re not here to explore inds. Even if we need to secure it as a waypoint, that''s a job for other explorers. Don''t be in a daze. Let''s keep advancing. We''re almost reaching the furthest end the Foundation had explored. Our mission now is to find the boundary of the darkness as soon as we can."


    Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the white sphere gradually disappeared into the darkness. Charles thought for a moment before pulling out his diary.


    He wanted to know the identity of that white sphere. However, much to his surprise, there was nothing about it written in the diary.


    It seemed that his relicfied diary had its limitations. Still, the fact that the diary couldn''t detect the sphere or figure out its true identity suggested that it was not an entity to be trifled with. The diary''s anomaly instilled a sense of unease in Charles. After remaining on high alert for several days and yet not running into any danger, however, he finally began to rx.

 Chapter 684: Movement

    Time slowly ticked by and the Narwhale continued on her charted route toward the boundary of the darkness.


    Along the way, they encountered another returning exploration ship. After a brief exchange of information, they parted ways.


    Charles learned from the other ship that they had just returned from the boundary and also gained first-hand information from that area.


    Seeing two surviving exploration ships consecutively slightly reassured Charles'' anxious heart for some reason.


    Indeed, with the help of the maps provided by the Foundation, the explorers no longer had to gamble with their lives like before. Otherwise, who knew how many would perish on these treacherous routes?


    Though explorers didn''t fear death, no one wanted to die unnecessarily.


    "Just two more days before we reach the boundary explored by the Foundation, right? Can''t believe that half a month has gone just like that. Time sure flies," Nico remarked as he puffed on a cigarette.


    Standing on the deck next to him, Charles replied, "Hmm, I heard Grace has been spending a lot of time in your roomtely? How''s she doing emotionally?" Charles was always concerned about the psychological well-being of his crucial crew members.


    Charles'' questions unknowingly opened a floodgate as Nico started to pour out his frustrations. "You need to find time and talk to that girl. She''s constantly bringing these massive books and bombarding me with questions. How would I know anything about physics or chemistry? I have to start studying just to resolve her questions."Other than my shifts and sleep, she''s taking up all of my time. See these wrinkles around my eyes? No amount of makeup can cover them anymore.


    "I really want to ignore her, but the moment I look into those innocent eyes, my heart softens. Back when I was the governor of the Coral Archipgo, if I had been this diligent, I would have already upied Whereto and the Albion Isles to be the overlord of the Northern Seas," Nico concluded in a half-joking tone.


    A faint smile appeared on Charles'' visage but it quickly faded as something came to mind. He let out a sigh andmented, "She was born in the wrong ce. Perhaps, this is just her fate.


    "Still, since she likes sticking around you, please bear with it and help me keep an eye on her. There are some things you can do but I can''t."


    The scowl on Nico''s face gradually dissipated. He blew out a smoke ring before he said in a soft voice, "Captain, I can tell that the girl is starved for love. She tries to please everyone all the time, which means she grew up in constant fear and anxiety. She''s a pitiful child. If possible¡­"


    Nico paused for a moment before continuing, "If possible, why don''t we get a recement?"


    "How would you know all that? Did you take psychology lessons from Linda?" Charles asked, turning his gaze toward Nico.


    "It''s simple. Because I used to be just like that. That feeling is truly horrible," Nico answered, a trace of sadness flickered across his face.


    Charles contemted for a brief moment before he shook his head slightly. "No. If we get someone new, the new person would have to readjust to the ethos on our ship and the exploration rhythm. Besides, they said she''s the strongest of this batch of weapons."


    Nico shook his head in resignation, "I knew you''d say that. No wonder you got into an argument with your wife. Your heart''s too hard."


    Charles looked down at his chest. "My heart was hard from the start. Anyway, do your job. Of course, I hope we happily found the darkness and all make it back without losing anyone. But do you really think that''s possible?"


    Feeling apprehensive, Nico bit down on his lips. Despite smudging his lipstick, he didn''t stop. After some hesitation, he was about to speak again when his expression stiffened. At the same time, he and Charles simultaneously looked upward at the overhead gasbags.


    "There''s movement up there!" Charles shouted before disappearing in an instant.


    Nico swiftly tossed his cigarette aside and swiftly climbed the ropes like an agile monkey.


    Upon reaching the top of the gasbags, he saw Charles already standing there and was holding something in his prosthetic hand with a grim expression.


    Walking closer, Nico realized that Charles was holding a half-burnt gear. The faint clink they heard earlier was the sound of this gear hitting the gasbag.


    "This is from an exploration ship. See this code? The gear''s manufactured in a factory on Skywater Ind. An exploration ship has been attacked by something," Charlesmented and lifted his gaze to peer into the darkness above with vignce.


    "Aren''t we still in an area chartered by the Foundation? Since they''ve explored it, they would have identified all existing threats. What could have possibly attacked the ship?"


    Charles shook his head in disagreement. "That''s not necessarily true. Living things move around."


    As soon as his words fell, the both of them turned their heads sharply upward once again.


    It started "raining" from above. Individual, tiny parts, mixed with contaminated water and human remains poured down on them like a torrential downpour!


    Just as those things were about tond on the gas bags, transparent tentacles emerged from Charles and with a whoosh, they batted everything away.


    After the debris of an entire exploration ship had finished falling, Charles barely had time to catch his breath before he looked up. The sight that greeted him etched a look of terror on his face. Beside him, Nico''s face mirrored the same expression.


    Above them, a massive, mountain-like spherical object, carrying an overwhelming sense of despair, hurtled toward the Narwhal with the crushing force of an impending avnche!


    "Move! Now!" Charles hollered, his voice almost cracking.


    The Narwhale''s propellers spun rapidly, pushing the ship forward with all its might. However, its usual speed was no match for the colossal white sphere plummeting toward them.


    Realizing that they wouldn''t be able to avoid a collision at their current speed, Charles made decisive countermeasures.


    "Release the gas! Hurry!" Charles swiftly located the zippers on the corners of each small gasbag and yanked them open. In an instant, the bags deted.


    With each round of feedback from explorers, the shipyard had continuously modified the fittings in response. In such scenarios, deting the gasbags would cause the exploration ship to plummet rapidly which proved to be an excellent tactic for a quick escape.


    As the giant sphere descended rapidly, the Narwhale did the same. For a moment, a delicate bnce was established between the two.


    Just as it seemed that this equilibrium wouldst, the massive white sphere began to change. It morphed from a sphere into a hemisphere, then into a t white disk, and finally vanished into the darkness.


    Standing atop the gasbags, Nico panted heavily. He had been genuinely terrified. If that thing was to hit them, there would be no survivors. "Damn it! What the hell is that thing!"


    Yet, Charles had no answer for his second mate. The only thing he knew for sure was that that white sphere seemed to be alive.


    Since it wasn''t marked on the Foundation''s map, then it must have wandered here from elsewhere.


    "Whatever it is, we need to leave this ce, fast."


    Charles jumped down from the gasbags and made a beeline to the bridge. With a grave expression, he marked a new dot on the map.


    The new dot was symmetrical to the previous one.

 Chapter 685: Exploration

    "Captain, are they rted to each other? Maybe they''re the same?" Dipp asked nervously as he stared at the two dots on the map.


    "I have no idea, but I hope that what''s attacking us right now isn''t the same thing as that thing that we saw first," Charles replied, staring at the map before him with a solemn expression.


    Unfortunately, they couldn''t return to the first dot''s location to see whether what they had encountered just now was the same as that white sphere. If they were the same, then they were in big trouble


    It meant that the white sphere was targeting the Narwhale. They weren''t exactly sure of what it was, but its sheer size alone meant that even a light collision from it would obliterate them.


    After narrowly avoiding a collision with the giant white sphere, the Narwhale continued advancing in the darkness. The crew members were on high alert, and the ship entered a state that would allow them to respond to threats at the fastest speed possible.


    The atmosphere was so tense that the sailors keeping watch on the deck weren''t even allowed to go down for meals. The ship''s cook and his assistant had to ask the other sailors to deliver food to those on sentry duty.


    As the minutes ticked by, everyone realized that being a bit more cautious would always never hurt, as another colossal white sphere appeared in the darkness. This time, the colossal white sphere was about ten kilometers portside of the Narwhale.


    The sailors on sentry watch reported that the colossal white sphere had appeared out of thin air. They swore that the colossal white sphere wasn''t there a moment ago, but it appeared in the next.


    Fortunately, the colossal white sphere that they had encountered this time stayed motionless as if it were dead."How long before we reached the borders of the region that the Foundation has explored?!" Charles shouted at the bridge. He was standing on the deck and was keeping watch like the other sailors.


    "At our current speed, it will still take us half a day!"


    Charles furrowed his brows at the report and stared at a distant white dot. The colossal white sphere was so far that it looked like a grain of rice in the distance. They were now in the most troublesome part of any expedition¡ªhandling the unknown.


    Charles was not afraid of the white sphere''s raw strength; he was more afraid of the fact that the white sphere had a bizarre, unknown ability.


    The vessels of the Haikor Tribe had stumbled upon the white sphere as well and had even passed through one of its holes. The Haikor Tribe suffered no losses except for their freshwater, which had been contaminated for some reason after their passage.


    It was pretty uneventful overall, but Charles hadn''t forgotten about how the second exploration vessel to have encountered the white sphere was torn apart, with its debris falling down upon the Narwhale.


    The same white sphere seemed to have produced twopletely different oues, which made it really hard for Charles to figure out what exactly would happen if they ended up facing the white sphere.


    "Should we... send someone... over to take a look?" A slow drawn-out voice echoed from next to Charles'' ear, startling him. He turned and cast a surprised look at his first mate.


    "Are you crazy? Who knows what that thing is?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"


    "It... has been following... us... And what if¡­ those three spheres are the same thing...? Rather than running away... I think¡­ it''s better to... just¡­ face it."


    Charles'' brows knitted as he stared at the white dot in the distance. He pondered briefly before saying, "Let''s give it a few minutes. Let''s move forward and see what''s going to happen. It would be great if we could just avoid it."


    The captain''s order was quickly ryed to the entire ship, and the Narwhale advanced deeper into the darkness. The tiny white dot portside of the Narwhale gradually disappeared from everyone''s line of sight.


    And just like that, they continued on their journey. Half a dayter, they reached the end of the region that the Foundation had already explored. In other words, the information that the Foundation had gathered would be useless from now on.


    Whaty ahead was the unknown, and their survival would depend on their capabilities. Fortunately, the white sphere was no longer tailing them, making them feel a bit better. Everyone signed in relief, feeling like the crisis had passed.


    However, it seemed that reality had a penchant for ying tricks on anyone¡ªtricks that anyone couldn''t have predicted. On the third day of their journey across the unexplored region of the darkness, a round white disk abruptly appeared ahead of the Narwhale.


    The round white disk was so close that Charles could clearly see the holes of a variety of sizes in it.


    "Starboard full rudder!! Dodge it!" Charles roared.


    The frightened Nico frantically turned the wheel, and his efforts paid off, as the Narwhale narrowly avoided a head-on collision.


    The round white disk emitted a gentle moonlight that coated everyone''s ugly faces with ayer of silver¡ªno, it was no longer a disk. It was a disk just a few moments ago, but it became a white sphere in the blink of an eye.


    "Someone check if the water in our tanks has been contaminated!" Charles eximed.


    Hearing the unusual nervousnessing from Charles'' tone of voice, Bandages flicked his hand, and a green vine shot out of his bandages and made a beeline for the cabin door.


    They were so close to the round white sphere that Charles felt nervous about the Narwhale getting torn apart and suffering the same horrible fate as the exploration vessel that they had encountered earlier.


    The few seconds of waiting felt like years to Charles. In the end, Bandages finally nodded at him, allowing him to sigh in relief. The Narwhale hurriedly retreated, and the ship only slowed down when the colossal white sphere had be the size of a ping-pong ball in the distance.


    Charles knitted his brows as he stared at the distant ping-pong ball. He knew that they couldn''t wait any longer. There was something strange about the white sphere, and they had to figure it out, or it could keep following them indefinitely.


    "Lily, tell your mice friends to go over there and take a look!" Charles instructed.


    Soon, a helicopter that looked like a toy and was only half as tall as a human being was dragged onto the deck by the sailors. A few colorful mice squeaked as they climbed into the helicopter, and one of the mice was carrying a bottle of fresh water.


    The rotor des rotated rapidly, kicking up gusts of wind that rustled Charles'' bangs nonstop. Under everyone''s gaze, the small helicopter rushed toward the distant white sphere.


    "See? What did I tell you? I told you they''re smart and that they''ll have no issues piloting that thing! And you didn''t want to believe me!" Lily eximed, lifting her chin proudly to stare at Charles.


    <em>I''d love a drone camera more than a helicopter for mice. </em>Charles thought, stroking Lily''s furry head. As Charles stared at the mice''s departing figures, he prepared himself for the possibility that the mice could fail to return.


    Surprisingly, the colorful mice actually returned safe and sound. It was always better to err on the side of caution, so Charles didn''t allow the mice to return to the ship immediately.


    He made them stay about three meters away while Lily was busy interpreting for them.


    "<em>Squeeak, squeak, squeeeaak!</em>"


    "Apparently, there''s nothing inside except for a maze with many winding paths. The air smelled like rattan balls. The white stuff is tasteless and hard; biting into it feels like biting into a bone."


    "Ah, right, the bottle of water that they had taken with them was polluted for some reason."


    The colorful mice brought back answers that were more or less the same as what the Haikor Tribe had told him. However, this wasn''t an exnation as to why the white sphere had been following Charles.


    Was he the only one with such a plight, or had those explorers faced the same plight as well?


    "Wait, open that bottle of polluted water, and let me see what''s going on with it."


    The mice immediately responded to Charles'' order. The stopper was promptly removed, and the sweet, fishy, and pungent smell of decay pervaded everyone''s nose in the proverbial blink of an eye.


    Charles hurriedly covered his mouth and nose before ordering the mice to throw the polluted water overboard. Staring at the falling water bottle, Charles suddenly found himself in a dilemma. <em>What should I do next?</em>

 Chapter 686: Pattern

    After a brief moment of pondering, Charles summoned the first mate and the second mate to his quarters so that they could discuss their next move.


    They were not in danger at the moment, but they were in a dilemma. It was hard to guarantee where the white sphere would appear next if they were to leave it alone. What if it engulfed the entire Narwhale the next time it appeared?


    The three soon reached a decision¡ªthey had to explore the white sphere, and this time, they''d send real people rather than mice. They believed that since the mice managed to return unharmed, humans would remain unharmed as well.


    The candidates were quickly selected, as the Narwhale only had a few crew members capable of flight. Ultimately, the two vampire crew of the Narwhale were selected to do the task.


    "Take a good look and see whether there''s something noteworthy inside of it or not," Charles said to Audric.


    Audric nodded and said, "Don''t worry, Captain. We''ll definitely help you figure out what that thing is."


    And just like that, the two bats made their way swiftly toward the distant white sphere¡­


    Staring at their distant figures, Charles pondered briefly over something before saying, "Move us a bit closer to them, and make sure the turbines are at full power so we can move away as soon as possible."


    As the Narwhale moved closer and closer to the white "ping-pong sphere," it steadily grew in size until it became as huge as four moonsbined. Soon, the Narwhale was close enough to the white sphere that Charles could clearly see the holes of varying sizes in it. From this angle, the interconnected holes eerily resembled a howling skull.


    Linda nervously gulped a mouthful of her saliva. Her clenched hands were trembling slightly; she was clearly worried about her husband.


    Grace was standing next to Linda, and this was her first time in such a nerve-wracking situation, so she couldn''t help but feel anxious as she nced alternatingly between the white sphere and the faces of the crew members.


    Meanwhile, the crew members seemed unfazed. They had long grown ustomed to something like this. Thirty minutes went by in a sh, and there was still no sign of the two vampires.


    Everyone was waiting quietly for the two vampires'' return, but the sphere seemed to have run out of patience as it began transforming. At first, Charles thought that his eyes were ying tricks on him, but he quickly realized that the sphere was bingrger in his eyes, so he immediately ordered a swift retreat.


    Fortunately, the Narwhale wasn''t that close to the white sphere, so they had ample time to avoid it. The white sphere also wasn''t chasing after the Narwhale.


    The Narwhale easily avoided a head-on collision with the erged white sphere, but the two vampire crew never emerged from it.


    Everyone could only watch helplessly as the white sphere transformed from a sphere into a hemisphere and then into a round white disk before vanishing into the darkness.


    Charles was unwittingly transfixed on the sphere as it slowly disappeared, and he saw quite a few brand-new details.


    When the white sphere containing her husband finally disappeared into the darkness, a tear rolled down Linda''s expressionless face, and it formed a droplet before falling to the floor.


    "Don''t worry! It''s not certain yet!" Charles eximed. A grave look took over his face as he whipped out his diary. Finding no new content on the furthest page, he pulled out a pencil and started drawing on it.


    He drew cross-sections of the white sphere as it disappeared frame by frame, focusing on the areas that had vanished.


    Recalling the recent scene and staring at his rough sketches, Charles took out an eraser and erased chunks of the white sphere on the paper before drawing it again. He repeated this process several times to the confusion of the crew.


    "Have you... discovered... something?" First Mate Bandages crouched down and joined Charles in examining the hemispheres that thetter had drawn in his diary.


    "<em>Hmm...</em> There''s something strange with its disappearance. It also seems familiar to me," Charles replied. The white sphere''s disappearance was awfully simr to how the "chalkboard erasers" erased that colossal worm.


    When he thought about how the white sphere seemed capable of manifesting out of thin air and disappearing again, Charles became a bit more confident in his assumption.


    "Let''s wait here. I think that thing wille back. It doesn''t seem to be a living creature. There''s a cycle to its appearances and disappearances; it''s moving like an elevator," Charles replied.


    His words had just fallen when Lily''s resonant voice echoed from nearby. "Mr. Charles, look! There''s another white dot over there!!"


    Charles turned and saw a white sphere on the upper right of the Narwhale''s starboard side. He wasted no time and ordered the Narwhale to move closer to it.


    As they drew closer, the gentle moonlight from the white sphere''s surface illuminated everyone''s faces.


    Charles took a closer look at the white sphere using a monoscope and was immediately delighted. He saw his two vampire crew stumbling out of one of the white sphere''s holes¡ªthey were still alive!


    Just as the corners of Charles'' lips curled up into a smile, he saw the two clutching their heads and copsing to the ground.


    "Fly! Fly up ande back here, you two!!" the crew members shouted, but Audric and Sniffler showed no response. It seemed that they had fainted on the white sphere''s surface.


    "Keep an eye on the ship! I''ll go and bring them back!" Charles eximed and kicked off of the gunwale with his right foot. His figure morphed into a bat monster in mid-air, and then he made a beeline for the two.


    Seeing the winding and twisted cracks in the white sphere''s surface as well as its slightly yellowed color beneath its moonlight, Charles finally understood why the mice had taken a bite of it. The entire thing truly looked like a bone.


    A massive invisible tentacle burst out of the white sphere''s surface and wrapped around the two men before tossing them in Charles''s direction. Charles caught them with his talons and returned to the Narwhale.


    The two vampires sprawled out on the Narwhale''s deck with faces twisted in pain.


    The crew members converged on them with worried looks.


    "Don''t touch them! Stand back! Let me handle this!" Linda eximed. She was wearing a pair of gloves, and she immediately crouched down to examine them.


    "Dipp, don''t just stand there and move us away from here! We can''t stay here for too long! We have to leave this ce as soon as possible!!" Charles shouted. He then crouched down and watched as Linda examined the two men.


    The two men had taken on bizarre and pained faces. Saliva was dripping constantly from their mouths, and their eyeballs were jumping around as if they were electrified. To make matters worse, they looked absolutely terrified.


    "What''s wrong with them?!" Charles asked.


    "I don''t know! They have no external injuries!" Linda eximed. She then shoved her hand into the two men and skillfully felt their organs. "There''s no problem with their insides as well. This seems to be a psychological issue."


    "Audric, it''s me!! Respond to me if you can hear me!" Linda eximed.


    And that was when Audric gasped; his jumping eyeballs returned to their normal positions. He hade to his senses, but his expression still depicted abject fear as he eximed, "Captain! There are too many of them! I-I don''t want it! B-but¡­ they wouldn''t stop shoving more of it in! I-I just can''t take it anymore!!"


    Audric opened his mouth and bit his own arm. His sharp fangs reduced his arm into a bloody mess in just a few moments.


    Charles moved quickly and restrained Audric with his invisible tentacles.


    "Calm down!" Charles raised his prosthetic hand and pped Audric in the face. "What exactly did you see back there?!"

 Chapter 687: Tentacles

    The crazed Audric seemed to snap back to reality upon receiving a few ps from Charles. His mouth was twisted as he frantically said, "Those white spheres are connected! They''re independent on our side, but they''re linked together on the other side!"


    Charles looked up at the shrinking white sphere before his gaze settled on Audric once more. "What''s it like on the other side? Is it an upside-down world?"


    Audric''s words reminded Charles of the bizarre upside-down world that he and Tobba had witnessed from another perspective.


    Audric shook his head frantically; tears and snot flowed uncontrobly out of his nose and eyes as he eximed, "No, no! It''s huge! And I saw a river! The river was filled with countless Narwhales! They were our past selves! And our future selves! They were all shoving things in my head! I couldn''t control it! Aaaaahhh!"


    <em>What kind of river contains our past and future selves? Did he see the river of time? Did they somehow find themselves inside a four-dimensional space? </em>Charles thought, but he quickly dismissed the idea.


    He stared at Audric and asked, "Did you manage to take a good look at the white spheres? You said they''re linked together on the other side, so just howrge is their true form?"


    Audric''s expression grew increasingly agonized, and the blood vessels on his forehead ruptured, making his forehead ooze blood. "It¡ª<em>argh!</em> It''s a corpse! Those white spheresbined are its pinky finger! No! Run! Captain! Run! Something''s chasing us! And it specifically feeds on corpses! It''s going to smell us!"


    Charles'' heart sank slightly at the remark, but there was no time to ponder over it at the moment, so he immediately looked up and shouted loudly to Dipp, who was steering the Narwhale in the bridge, "Overload the turbines and move! Quick!"


    The turbines were quickly overloaded, making the entire ship tremble incessantly. Charles looked down at Audric and asked, "What''s chasing us? Is it something from the other side or from our side?"


    "The... other side! <em>AAAAHHH!</em>" Audric screamed in agony, and his head abruptly flushed a dark purple. Combined with his bleeding forehead, Audric''s entire head looked like it would explode at any moment now.


    "Enough! Stop making him think! He''s going to die at this rate!" Linda pushed Charles away with her shoulder and shoved her hand, which was holding a potion, into Audric''s stomach.


    Audric''s agonized look faded immediately as soon as the medicine entered his stomach, and he soon fainted with a relieved expression.


    Charles stood up, feeling a bit restless and uneasy as he gazed at the white sphere in the distant darkness.


    Audric''s words had stirred a sense of unease in his heart. Since Audric had somehow found himself in the river of time, wouldn''t that mean that Audric could foresee future events? Charles desperately hoped that Audric''s words were just a bunch of nonsense.


    "His memories are making him suffer; his mind is in a mess right now because of it. I have a potion capable of erasing memories, and I have to use it on him. His memories of the past week must be erased!" Linda dered firmly.


    "You have a memory-erasing potion?"


    "It was recorded in Teacher''s book," Linda said before proceeding to stuff some more potions into Audric''s stomach. Linda then swept her gaze across the others nearby.


    The distant white sphere grew smaller and smaller, and when it shrank to the size of a ping-pong ball, the inevitable finally arrived.


    Under the shocked gazes of everyone on the deck of the Narwhale, translucent tentacles covered in a crimson and dark green slime extended from behind the distant white ping-pong ball, enveloping it entirely.


    Abnormal changes urred to everyone the moment theyid their eyes on the white sphere. They felt as if the slimy tentacles were squeezing and grinding against skulls, and they felt like the blood coursing through their veins was boiling.


    Everyone stood frozen, looking as if a hammer had struck them as they stewed in the bizarre sensation that they couldn''t describe at all! The sensation felt a bit simr to what it felt like to be under a Divinity''s influence, but it wasn''t exactly the same.


    However, it was equally as ufortable.


    "Don''t move... don''t move a muscle... Let''s just leave slowly like this..." Charles muttered while staring at the bizarre entity in the distance. He truly did not want to provoke the unknown entity.


    Fortunately, the entity''s strange ability didn''t affect the turbines. The overloaded turbines allowed the Narwhale to retreat rapidly. After a while, the white sphere and the tentacles disappeared from everyone''s sight.


    Charles exhaled loudly. He turned around to address the crew, but he was stunned to see that several translucent tentacles covered in a crimson and dark green slime had already engulfed the bow of the Narwhale and were approaching him.


    A tentacle swung up and smacked down,nding in front of Charles.


    Upon taking a closer look at the tentacle, Charles saw pitch-ck barbs on its underside along with eerie, elongated bloody mouths resembling zippers.


    Charles'' heart stirred slightly, and his expression went nk. The strange sensation, which resembled a Divinity''s influence, vanished at once. He engaged his muscles perfectly and jumped backward to evade the next attack.


    <em>Bzzzt!</em>


    Radiant white electric arcs danced across the bizarre tentacle, but electric attacks seemed ineffective against it.


    Charles was about to make another move when Bandages'' vines sprung up and rapidly burrowed into the tentacle. They took root and spouted branches as well as leaves.


    With a scalpel in hand, Linda standing next to Charles staggered forward and seemed to melt into the tentacle.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The deck cannons bombarded the tentacle under Lily''s orders.


    It seemed that Lily had also remained unaffected by the tentacle''s influence.


    Charles produced a ck spike and shed at one of the entity''s numerous tentacles, slicing them into pieces. "Relics are effective against it! Everyone, use the ck spikes!"


    The crew members staggered to their feet and began fighting the bizarre entity that had suddenly engulfed their ship.


    At first, Charles thought that the battle would end quickly, but he was shocked to discover that the entity seemed capable of regenerating endlessly. To make matters worse, it was growing as well!


    Seeing the severed tentacles dissipating into nothingness instead of staying motionless on the ground, Charles realized that it would be extremely difficult to kill this entity.


    "<em>AH!</em>" A sailor screamed as he was swept away by one of the tentacles.


    An invisible tentacle holding a ck spike shed at the tentacles to rescue the sailor, but the sailor no longer moved uponnding on the deck. The barbs on the tentacles had torn the sailor apart.


    <em>This isn''t going to work. There''s no way we can oust this thing. We have to find another way to get rid of this thing! </em>Charles thought. Just as he was racking his brain for a solution, a piercing steam whistle echoed from the Narwhale''s starboard side.


    While retreating, Charles nced in that direction and saw a ck exploration vessel twice the size of the Narwhale. An explorer with a red scarf tied around his head was waving at Charles.


    The Narwhale''s crew were overjoyed at the sight, and they all thought that reinforcements had arrived. Before everyone could cry out in joy, the distant explorer''s figure swayed and fell overboard the vessel.


    Then, a figure with a faceposed of a confused mixture of gears and flesh stepped forward with a ruthless smile.


    "<em>Hahaha! </em>Charles! The Pope and I havee to find you~!"

 Chapter 688: Battle

    When Charles saw Swann''s head made out of gear and flesh, many different thoughts shed through his mind. However, he snapped back to reality the next second, and with a will on his end, dozens of invisible tentacles burst out of the ground next to Swann.


    Radiant white electric arcs danced across the invisible tentacles as they wrapped around Swann.


    Gears clicked as a cannon barrel burst out of Swann''s mechanical figure and spat fire. However, what came out of the cannon barrel wasn''t a cannonball but a chunk of writhing flesh. It looked like Swann had used his insides as ammunition and had shot it at Charles.


    When the chunk of writhing flesh made contact with Charles, monstrous maws lined with jagged teeth appeared on its surface and frantically devoured Charles'' tentacles.


    "The great Feaster has bestowed power upon me! Power that the likes of you cannot imagine!" Swann let out a crazed roar before taking to the air like a deformed frog to pounce on Charles.


    At the same time, a deck cannon rotated swiftly to aim at Swann under Lily''smand, and the cannon barrel spat fire immediately afterward.


    A blond-haired boy whose eyes were emitting a radiant light appeared in front of the cannonball.


    "A prison of God''s might!" the boy eximed and squeezed his hand. The oing cannonball was abruptlypressed, transforming into a lump of scrap metal. Then, Pope Lylejay in mid-air looked down at Charles on the deck.


    Realizing that they were fighting three adversaries at once, the bizarre tentacled monster, the Pope, and Swann, Charles judged that the Narwhale was in an extremely dangerous situation."God had a good impression of you, so I''ll consider not killing you if you promise to give me what I want," the Pope said. His voice was that of a child, but his way of speaking reflected his old age.


    Charles nced at the crew members battling the tentacled entity at the bow before taking a moment topose himself and staring at the Pope. "Sure, sure, but this isn''t the right time for us to talk. How about we deal with that thing first?"


    The Pope''s eyes narrowed slightly behind his golden hair, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile. "I see you''re as detestable as ever. Forget it; I''m just going to kill you. I''m already a hundred and thirty years old.


    "I can see through your thoughts even without reading your mind. You''re too young to best me, child."


    As soon as the Pope''s words fell, he immediately charged at Charles. His figure emitted a dazzling glow, and he left behind afterimages as he moved rapidly toward Charles.


    Charles gnashed his teeth and steeled his resolve. He knew that he couldn''t defeat the Pope by himself and that he had to use his trump card.


    "Grace! Channel your spell! Unleash it when I say so!"


    The thin young girl''s heart trembled slightly at the order, but she hugged her staff tightly and yelled with all of her might, "Understood, Captain!"


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A loud noise echoed, and Charles was pinned to the deck by a transparent barrier that had enveloped the shining Pope.


    Staring at Pope Lylejay through the transparent barrier, Charles'' eyes revealed a tinge of madness as he eximed, "If you don''t want all of us to die here, then get the hell out of here! I have a weapon that is going to kill all of us!"


    The Pope cast a contemptuous look at Charles, replying, "The Lord''s cloak has taken away your identity as a Chosen One. You''re not a threat to me without that identity of yours."


    With that, the Pope raised his right hand, and a spear that seemed to be made out of radiant sunlight appeared in his hand. He gripped the spear and thrust it toward Charles'' head.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Charles'' figure abruptly vanished, and the Pope''s spear struck nothing but the deck. The next second, Charles reappeared behind the Pope. Before the Pope could even react, a ck spike burst out of Charles'' prosthetic palm, and it went flying toward the Pope''s head.


    However, the Pope seemed to have seen through Charles'' move; he twisted in mid-air and swatted away the oing ck spike. Then, he reached out for Charles, grabbing thetter by his neck.


    While Charles and the Pope were busy fighting each other, Swann was darting through the chaotic battlefield like a dog. Swann''s mechanical eye and good eye shone upon seeing Lily standing on a deck cannon.


    "Weak," Pope Lylejay said and tightened his grip around Charles'' neck.


    Charles'' eyes almost bulged out of their sockets beneath the Pope''s extreme strength, and it took no time for Charles'' face to turn pale due to theck of blood. Eventually, his spider eye was squeezed out of his eye socket, seemingly unable to withstand the Pope''s vice-like grip.


    Just as Charles was about to fall unconscious, his figure swelled rapidly, and ck fur grew all over him. Charles morphed into a bat monster towering nearly five meters tall.


    Charles'' neck thickened as his figure swelled, and Lylejay''s tiny hands could no longer grip Charles'' neck, allowing Charles to finally escape at the cost of a few injuries.


    "Die!" Lylejay eximed, and several radiant spears manifested next to him. They flew toward Charles from many different angles, but roughly a dozen invisible tentacles covered in white electric arcs wrapped around the spears and dragged them across the deck.


    Lylejay frowned while staring at Charles flying like an agile bat around him.


    It had been a while since theyst saw each other, but Lylejay still found it a bit absurd that Charles had gotten significantly stronger instead of weaker. After all, Charles had lost his identity as a Chosen One.


    Despite that, he was doing pretty well against Lylejay and was still alive, even though it had been quite a while since they started fighting. However, Lylejay was not worried at all.


    He had considered the possibility of variables popping up before he decided to attack Charles, and it was the reason he decided to attack Charles at this exact time. In other words, time was on Lylejay''s side.


    The Pope nced at the tentacled entity at the bow and saw that the crew members of the Narwhale were in dire straits. Retracting his gaze, he stared at Charles and raised his hand. Then, he charged at Charles.


    A loud creaking noise echoed, and the Narwhale started tilting to one side.


    The crew members'' situation was growing increasingly dangerous without Charles'' help, and the tentacles had already devoured the Narwhale''s bow.


    "Captain! Nothing is working against this thing! The ship is sinking!" Nico''s anxious shout reached Charles'' ears.


    Charles was anxious as well as he swept his gaze across the chaotic battlefield. The cogs in his mind turned rapidly as he tried toe up with a way to handle their deadly predicament.


    Just as he thought about calling Anna for help, the Pope suddenly left the Narwhale and returned to his own ship before swiftly retreating.


    Charles was stunned, but he had no time to ponder over the meaning behind the Pope''s retreat. The tentacles at the bow had already encroached on the bridge''s ss!


    Charles rushed to the tentacled entity''s side, which had doubled in size during his absence. He opened his mouth, and a piercing sonic attack burst out of his mouth.


    The situation was soon brought under control with Charles'' help, but he discovered that the tentacled entity was indeed immune to any form of attack, and it made him feel incredibly frustrated.


    Charles observed the tentacled entity for quite a while, and he discovered that a part of it seemed to be connected to a special independent space¡ªa space containing a Divinity''s corpse.


    Charles had no idea what exactly that ce was, but he knew one thing for sure¡ªit was impossible to kill this tentacled entity from this side.

 Chapter 689: Green Light

    Charles struggled with the tentacled entity for quite a while until he finally came up with a n. At hismand, Bandages'' thorny vines squirmed and grew rapidly within the tentacled entity.


    Thanks to Bandages'' vines, the tentacles of the tentacled entity became extremely sluggish. Charles took advantage of the entity''s sluggishness to grab one of the vines behind it, which resembled a pull tab.


    With the help of over a hundred tentacles summoned by Charles, the remaining crew members rushed to push the tentacled entity off. It took them quite a while to do so, but they eventually managed to pry off the tentacles that had enveloped the Narwhale''s bow.


    Having been pried off the Narwhale''s bow, which it had engulfed, and under the influence of gravity, the tentacled entity rapidly plummeted into the darkness down below.


    The strange abnormalities that had been wreaking havoc among the crew vanished as the tentacled entity disappeared down below. The crew members then copsed on deck, gasping for air.


    Charles wiped away the beaded sweat on his face and pped. He swept his gaze across those sprawled out on the deck and said, "We''re not down yet, so this isn''t the time to rest. We have to patrol the ship and ensure that disgusting thing didn''t leave anything behind."


    There was one thing Charles didn''t explicitly mention¡ªhe didn''t want the Pope to ambush them again.


    The fact that the Pope managed to find them despite the darkness'' vastness meant that the Pope had to have left something on the ship to track them.


    Otherwise, he couldn''t have found them so easily.The crew members began their patrol while the sailors under the boatswain''smand started brainstorming ways to patch up the holes in the bow. The chaotic Narwhale was gradually returning to its previous calm.


    "<em>Squeak~ Squeak, squeak, squeak!</em>" A mischief of colorful rats scurried to Charles'' feet, anxiously crying out.


    "Lily, what are they saying?" Charles asked instinctively. However, he heard no response despite waiting for a few seconds. Charles realized just then, and he frantically looked around with his heart sinking every passing second.


    Even though Charles couldn''t understand micenguage, he realized what the mice were moring about just then. Lily was gone! She had been kidnapped by the Pope!


    ***


    "J-Just you wait! Mr. Charles will definitelye and save me!" Lily eximed, warning the blond boy before her with tears in her eyes.


    Hot tears streamed down Lylejay''s face as he stared at the mouse on the table. He reached out to touch her with a look of excitement, but he quickly retracted his hand as if he were terrified of contaminating her.


    Then, the blond boy knelt down with a pious look and pressed his forehead firmly on the ground. With a trembling voice, he said, "God! Your servant is ipetent! In order to find You, I spent too much time dealing with that mind-controlling monster! I am guilty of ipetence!"


    Swann was tinkering with some machinery in a corner, and he revealed a hint of disdain on his face upon hearing the Pope''s words. Afterward, his hands moved even faster.


    Startled, Lily tiptoed to the edge of the table to stare at Lylejay, who was prostrating on the ground. Hugging her tail, Lily pondered briefly over her next move before cautiously saying, "I''m your god? Really? If I''m your god, then can you send me back and help us deal with that tentacled monster?"


    Lylejay abruptly looked up, and his face showed so much joy that it looked eerie.


    Lily retreated several steps at the sight.


    "I''m sorry, but I cannot do that. You must wait patiently until I find a way to restore You to Your rightful ce! Afterward, you can go wherever you want, and Your servants will follow You!"


    Lily pursed her lips, and her expression looked quite awkward as she said, "I know that the Light God has resurrected me, but I''m really not Him. Please let me go back."


    Lylejay shook his head, and his hand was trembling as he extended it toward Lily to stroke her ears gently. His face distorted in extreme delight.


    "No, you''re Him. You''re not entirely Him, but you''re Him. I can feel it. You''re one of the seven colors that make up the Light God¡ªthe Green Light!"


    "Green light? What are you talking about? I''m just Lily!" Lily eximed with an impatient look.


    The Pope carefully cupped Lily in his palms, and he looked like he was holding the most fragile thing in the world as he stared at her with a pious gaze. Then, he spoke in a gentle voice, "God didn''t tell me anything, but I can sense it. Actually, the seven colors are not united, and it was all because the Green Light was once corrupted."


    "The Light God''s predicament at the time was the result of the concerted effort of four entities," the Pope said. He sounded like he was confiding and narrating at the same time as he added, "One of the four entities was the traitorous Green Light. That is exactly why unsealing the Light God required the Light God''s power.


    "I must say, it was a perfect seal, and there was almost no way to remove it. However, God came up with His own method to save Himself. He found me. God chose me, and I spent the past hundred years trying to remove His restraints."


    The Pope held Lily before his eyes, looking like he could never look enough at her. "When the seal was broken, the Green Light was exiled¡ªexiled into your body¡ªexiled to this perpetually dark and hopeless Subterranean Sea!"


    Just then, the golden-haired boy briefly revealed an agonized look. He seemed to have recalled something terrifying, but he quickly concealed the terror on his face and continued, "The other six colors had truly disappeared, and they disappeared before me, but it''s fine! You''re still here. As long as you exist, they''ll eventually return, and upon their return, my beloved God will return as well! <em>Hahaha!</em>"


    Lily shook her head vigorously in the face of Lylejay''s crazed look. She then protested loudly, "I''m not some Green Light! I''m just Lily! Mr. Charles will definitelye and save me!"


    With that, Lily bared her fangs the size of a rice grain and bit the Pope''s finger. Then, she kicked off of the table with her legs to propel herself away, but she immediately found herself suspended in mid-air. She iled around to no avail.


    "Be careful! You got to be really careful not to injure yourself," Lylejay looked extremely nervous.


    Just then, Swann walked over with a row of machinery in tow. A smile tugged at his unsightly face, which made him appear even more unsightly.


    "This can''t continue, Your Holiness. There''s no need to treat it so carefully. It''s just a vessel, and it''s like a pet. When a pet bites its owner, it should be disciplined. I''m sure a few beatings will straighten it out."


    Lylejay stared ndly at Swann. The next moment, Swann clutched his neck and rolled on the ground in pain.


    "She''s my God! Absolutely no one can spheme my God! Consider yourself fortunate that you''re still useful to me. Otherwise, I would have reduced you to nothing but a corpse long ago. Now, move! Set sail! We''re leaving this cursed ce and returning to the Subterranean Sea!"


    As Swann stumbled away from him, the Pope turned to Lily once again. His eyes were full of utmost gentleness as he stared at Lily and said, "God¡­ You are my everything. And I am not going to give up¡ªnever."

 Chapter 690: Swann

    The crew members of the Narwhale stood on the deck with solemn looks. They had just discovered that their gunner, Lily, was kidnapped by the Pope.


    "Cheer up and get moving, everyone. Once we''ve sorted out the matters here, we''ll go and rescue Lily!" Charles said firmly.


    Grace''s face brightened up before dimming upon realizing something. "But they''re already gone¡­ how can we find them? There''s no way we can find them..."


    "Who says we can''t find them? They managed to leave a mark on us to track us down, and we can certainly do the same!"


    Charles put a hand on his empty eye socket, and a spider twitched slightly in a dark corner of the lowest part of the Pope''s airship.


    Previously, the Pope was standing idly by instead of preparing tounch an all-out attack against Charles. The sight made Charles feel doubtful about the Pope''s true purpose. He had his own reservations, and it felt like his assumptions were correct, and he had made the correct course of action.


    When the crew heard that Charles could track the Pope''s airship, they perked up, eager to rescue theirrade.


    "Let''s stand by for now and look for the mark that the Pope had left behind on our ship. Otherwise, he''ll just run away from us the moment we approach him," Charles said.


    Just as everyone was about to patrol the ship and scour it for anything suspicious, a bizarre voice resembling a duck''s quacking echoed from Grace. "It seems that Governor Charles has be quite astute~ I guess people truly learn from their mistakes."Charles frowned and turned to Grace.


    The young girl was craning her neck and was staring at her own back in horror. The bizarre voice hade from her back.


    Charles moved quickly and ripped open Grace''s top. A strange, brass-colored tattoo depicting a man''s ugly face was on her emaciated back.


    "When did you get this tattoo? Who gave this tattoo to you?"


    "I-I don''t have any tattoos. I don''t know where it came from, either."


    Hearing that, a ck spike appeared in Charles'' hand. He pinched Grace''s shoulder as if he were picking up a chick. Then, he raised the ck spike in his hand and thrust it into the edge of the tattoo.


    Tears instantly welled up in Grace''s eyes, and she let out a pained groan that she immediately stifled by covering her mouth with both hands.


    At first, Charles wanted to carve the tattoo out of Grace''s skin, but he found its texture to be a bit too odd. With that, he moved the tip of the ck spike beneath the tattoo and pried it off Grace''s skin.


    The tattoo arched up slowly until it was pried off Grace''s back. Itnded on the deck and left behind a bleeding hole in Grace''s back.


    Grace leaned against Charles, huffing and puffing in pain. Charles pushed her away and strode over to the face on the ground.


    The head was just the size of a fingernail, and it had an ugly and terrifying face made out of intertwined gears and flesh. The head was being supported by thin, crab-like legs, which allowed it to move back and forth.


    "Swann," Charles said with his brows knitted tightly. The head belonged to none other than Swann, the former Governor of the Albion Isles.


    "Has it been a few years since west saw each other? I never thought that we''d get to talk again like this. Fate truly is marvelous," Swannmented.


    Charles stared at Swann in front of him and started piecing the puzzle pieces together. Eventually, Charles seemed to have understood what the other party wanted to discuss with him.


    "You want to collude with me to kill the Pope?"


    The head''s thin, crab-like legs bent slightly, allowing the head to make a nodding notion. "Truly astute, Governor Charles. You''re getting smarter and smarter. You see, we don''t really have much of a grudge between us, do we?


    "In fact, the both of us were taken advantage of by that ass-seller Lylejay.


    "As for that incident on the Albion Isles, I forgive you for what you''ve done at the time. If I were in your position, I would take advantage of my own downfall as well."


    Charles stared wordlessly at Swann, and he seemed to be thinking about the possibility that this was a trap that the Pope had made for him.


    "Whether you believe it or not, I decided to escape with him because I want to avenge my inders one day!!


    "Yes, the Pope is powerful, but the Light God is dead, so he has no one backing him up. Tell your woman toe here. With yourbined strength and my ambush, that guy is definitely going to die!" Swann roared, his eyes showing extreme hatred.


    Charles seemed a bit surprised to hear Swann mention his wife.


    "You know Anna?" Charles asked.


    "Of course. How would I not know her when she captured us to take advantage of the power inside of us for her experiments? Wait, you don''t know that she captured us? Didn''t you order our capture?"


    Charles fell silent and became engrossed in his own thoughts. Then, he turned to the crew members watching from the sidelines and said, "Start heading in the 6 o''clock direction from our current position. The Pope''s airship is in that direction."


    After saying that, Charles bent down and picked up the head before heading to the Captain''s Quarters.


    Upon entering his quarters, Charles hurled the head onto the table and asked, "Aside from what you told me earlier, did Anna do anything else? I want to know every single detail, and you better answer me properly. This will determine whether I''ll proceed with our alliance or not."


    Of course, Swann was not going to keep any secrets for Anna''s sake, so he decisively spilled the beans.


    "She did many things¡­ she did many bizarre experiments that I couldn''t understand. All I know is that her experimental subjects included not just a ton of able-bodied people but a variety of monsters as well. I hate to admit this, but Hope Ind''s technology is more advanced than Albion Isles'' technology."


    "A ton of able-bodied people?" Charles frowned slightly at the remark. <em>Does Hope Ind actually have so many criminals for her to use as experimental subjects?</em>


    "Your woman has extorted the Pope of his method to absorb the power of Divinities, and ording to the Pope, she''s been using that method to be stronger.


    "Her strength has improved by leaps and bounds. When we escaped, she could already be considered Level 14 ording to the power ranking system of the Subterranean Sea.


    "She''s also absorbing the power of a variety of things, not just the power of Divinities. <em>Ah,</em> right; sometimes, she''d bring over a young girl with her. She''d absorb some of the power inside of that young girl."


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat at Swann''s remark.


    "What does she look like?" Charles asked. A tremor ran across his heart, which was supposed to be as hard as iron.


    "She was a very beautiful young girl, and she had a pair of special green eyes with cross-shaped pupils. If she had been on my ind at the time, I would have made here to my mansion and made her warm my bed.


    <em>Bang! </em>


    Charles mmed his fist on the table, creating arge dent in it.


    Swann was instantly nervous, afraid that his careless tongue would extinguish any hopes of a coboration with Charles.


    "Calm down, man. Is that young girl your woman? If so, then I apologize. I was just talking randomly, so don''t take it to heart, all right?"


    "I hope for your sake that you''re not lying to me," Charles said, enunciating each word slowly as he stared deeply at Swann.


    "Of course, I''m not lying to you! Why would I even lie to you when it''s none of my business? Was that young girl important to you? Then, you and your wife can talk about it at home. Can we address my concern first? I hope you haven''t forgotten, but your mouse is still in the Pope''s hands!"


    Charles didn''t reply. Instead, he stood up with a gloomy face and took out his diary. He flipped over to the second-tost page and eximed, "Sparkle, tell your Mommy toe over here! This is extremely urgent!"


    Sparkle''s portrait flickered slightly, and that was it.

 Chapter 691: Collaboration

    After attempting to summon Anna numerous times through Sparkle with no avail, for the first time ever, a burning anger surged within Charles.


    He wasn''t angry that she was doing nonsensical things in his base; rather, he was triggered and furious that she was using her own daughter as an experiment subject! Only Sparkle had those green cross-shaped pupils.


    <em>I merely hesitated when the Foundation brought up their condition. But she just used our daughter for experiments without a single word. Is this woman out of her mind!</em>


    A sense of betrayal and deceit overwhelmed Charles. Perhaps Anna''s previous words had all been an act, and she didn''t care about Sparkle as much as she imed.


    However, as soon as he turned his gaze back on Swann, Charles swiftly suppressed his emotions.


    Since there was no response from Anna, he had to focus on the current crisis before him¡ªLily was still in the Pope''s hands.


    As for Anna, he could find time to have a chat with her once he was done with the matter on hand.


    "Alright, I can work with you," Charles said as he looked down at Swann''s tiny head.


    "Governor Charles, there''s a need to rify our goals. I want to kill the Pope while you want to rescue someone. Someone as smart as you certainly won''t abandon me after rescuing your target, right? Don''t forget, if the Pope escapes this time, he wille after you again someday.""You don''t need to remind me about that. He had killed 80% of the poption in the Subterranean Sea by awakening the Light God. For that alone, he must die!" Charles dered, the murderous intent in his eyes unmistakable.


    "Great. I like dealing with smart people. Now, please get your woman here so that the three of us cane up with a perfect n," Swann suggested.


    However, Charles slightly shook his head. "Anna can''te now. We can only rely on ourselves to take out the Pope."


    Swann''s smile instantly froze at Charles'' reply. "What did you say?"


    "I said she won''t be able to participate in our n. Let''s not waste time. I can feel that the Narwhale is getting closer to the Pope''s ship," Charles replied calmly.


    "Are you mistaken about something?! He''s the Pope! The Pope of the Light God. How can the two of us alone take him down?" Swann''s voice wasced with apparent anxiety.


    "I''m well aware of that. You don''t have to remind me," Charles replied with a solemn expression.


    Swann''s expression grew increasingly hysterical. His crab-like legs hopped on the table, trying to gain momentum, until he leaped onto Charles'' chest like a spider. "Kiddo, I''m warning you. Don''t you dare try any tricks! My body is right beside the Pope!


    "Also, I haven''t forgotten what you and your wife did on the Albion Isles! Push me too far, and I''ll switch sides! I''ll help the Pope kill you first!"


    Charles reached out with his steel prosthetic limb and gripped Swann''s grotesque, mechanical, and flesh-fused head like a crab.


    "Do you really think I''d y tricks under current circumstances? I told you Anna can''te; it''s just that."


    Charles gently brushed his finger over Sparkle''s portrait, but the picture showed no reaction.


    "Why can''t shee? How could she not when this is a matter of life and death!" Swann''s face twisted in frustration. Clearly, he hadn''t anticipated this variable.


    "Enough! It will just be me and you taking down the Pope. Now, do you still want it or not?" A hint of annoyance appeared on Charles'' visage.


    Swann seemed to have sensed something and a sneer surfaced upon his lips. "You can''t even keep your own woman in check. What a disgrace to all governors."


    However, Charles remained unfazed at Swann''s words of provocation. He merely maintained an icy gaze on Swann and enunciated each word clearly, "Do you want to kill the Pope or not?"


    "Yes. Of course. But without your woman, there will be many more uncertainties. Your identity as a Chosen One has left with your shadow while my Ronker body is stuck in the Subterranean Sea. The two of us alone can''t defeat the Pope."


    Charles shook his head in disagreement and brought Swann out of the cabin. "Don''t worry. I have a n to deal with the Pope. Though it depends if you''re willing to make a sacrifice."


    Charles brought Swann to the infirmary. The moment they entered, they saw Linda applying medication to Grace.


    As soon as the shy Grace saw Charles entering the room, she quickly covered her exposed skin with her clothes.


    "No matter how strong the Pope is, can he really match up against the Divinities on the surface?"


    Swann had already known of Grace and her role. Instantly, he understood what kind of sacrifice Charles was talking about.


    With traces of evident sarcasm in his voice, he remarked, "You''ve really thought this through huh, Charles? You want me to engage the Pope while you lure out a Divinity and then trap the both of us in that mess. Regardless if the n seeds or fails, you still stand to gain."


    Charles walked up to Grace and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.


    Feeling embarrassed, Grace shrunk back under his touch, but she managed to lift her head and showed him a forced smile.


    "Don''t you hate the Pope down to the bones? You were even willing to sacrifice the entire poption of the Albion Isles just to see him dead. Now it''s your turn. Don''t worry, I won''t just stand by and watch."


    "The Pope¡­" A fierce hatred burned in Swann''s gaze.


    As for Charles, he wasn''t too worried about Lily''s safety. The power of the Light God within Lily had proven multiple times that it could protect her in any situation. However, she just needed a long recovery period after the power was triggered.


    Only another Divinity could fend off an attack from a fellow Divinity.


    "Fine! I agree with the n! But you need to think carefully about the consequences if the Pope escapes."


    "I know. You don''t have to tell me that." Gripping Swann between his fingers, Charles walked out of the infirmary as they finalized the remaining details of the n.


    After they left, a brief silence settled over the medical room. Both Grace and Linda understood the underlying meaning of what had just been discussed between Charles and Swann.


    The weapon that had been in preparation for so long was finally going to be put to use.


    "Linda, thank you for taking care of me these past few days. Apart from my mentor, you''ve been the kindest to me," Grace said with tears glistening in her eyes.


    Linda''s lips quivered slightly. She wanted to say something but eventually chose to remain silent. She opened her arms and enveloped Grace in a warm embrace.


    Being held in Linda''s arms, Grace picked up her magic staff lying on the bed beside her. She carefully detached the slightly wed crystal from its top and quietly ced it in her mouth.


    ***


    "My dear God, it won''t take long before we return to the Subterranean Sea. Don''t worry. Apart from the Divine Light Order, I''ve hidden other resources in the dark. With them, a new Divine Light Order will rise up again in no time," Pope Lylejay dered as he paced the deck while gently cradling Lily in his hands and dreaming of a bright future.


    Lily shook her furry head in apparent frustration. "The Subterranean Sea is about to be flooded! What''s the use of all those resources! The Light God might have saved me, but I still have to say it! The Light God is evil!"


    At Lily''s words, anxiety painted Lylejay''s youthful face. He hurriedly justified, "No, no. It wasn''t Your fault. The power You left behind was enough to hold back the water from rising. But no one expected something to happen to You on the surface. That''s why the link was broken. It''s not Your fault."

 Chapter 692: Divinity

    "But¡­" Lily''s face was painted with anxiety as she pondered for a moment before she continued to retort. "What about all those people who died because of the sunlight? So many people died!"


    Lily let out a snort. "The Light God is still evil!"


    "No, You are not evil. You''re just too kind and merciful. I know," Lylejaymented while staring at Lily with a gentle gaze filled with an array of emotions.


    "If You had known that Your departure would cause the death of so many people, You would have voluntarily remained sealed for the sake of a mere few billion people.


    "That''s why I lied to You. I hid this fact from you. But it''s also understandable that You didn''t discover it.


    "Who would have thought that the sunlight, which humanity had depended on for survival, could actually kill them that easily?


    "A thousand years ago, You even created several suns to hang in the upper air of the Subterranean Sea. Back then, people weren''t afraid of sunlight."


    Lily''s jaw dropped. She looked up, stunned at the revtion of the sunlight and also Lylejay admitting to his monstrous crime.


    After her initial shock, she ended up shouting at him, "You¡­ you bastard! You are the worst person in the world!"Despite Lily''s angry outburst, Pope Lylejay shed a faint smile and nodded in eptance.


    "Yes, indeed. All the me is on me. Every sin and every wrong is done by me alone. Where there is light, there is shadow. I''m willing to be that shadow that bears it all. All I ask for is to be able to stay by Your side."


    In the face of Lylejay''s candid attitude, Lily was at a loss for words.


    After bringing Lily up to his eye level and saying a few more words, Lylejay turned his head sharply and red toward the distant bridge where Swan was located. Swann''s infant figure was almost slumped over the helm.


    As for his servant, Lylejay was certainly not going to treat him the same as how he treated Lily.


    "Faster!" Lylejay shouted. "I said the fastest speed!"


    "Yes, yes. I got it! As you wish," Swann replied in a humble tone. Several small fleshy mechanical bits detached from his body, leaped onto the control panel, and expertly manipted the controls.


    Using his peripheral vision, Swann cast a fugitive nce toward the pitch-ck expanse on his right. A sinister smile crept onto his face.


    Three minutester, one of the fleshy mechanical constructs abruptly pulled down a level to its limit, causing the entire ship to shake violently.


    With a feigned look of terror on his face, Swann dashed out of the bridge and made a beeline for Pope Lylejay on the deck.


    "Pope! There''s a problem! The airship''s turbines are malfunctioning! They''re about to explode! Damn it! The men we killed has actually left a trap for us!"


    "What? Didn''t you say you can handle any mechanical issue? Fix it if you don''t want to die!"


    Lylejay couldn''t care less about his own safety, but the Light God was also aboard the ship!


    With a distraught expression, Swann was about to exin further when Lylejay suddenly turned his head sharply to the right and peered into the darkness. A swift, dark figure was flying toward them at an incredible speed.


    With a lift of his hand, the figure stopped and hovered in mid-air. It was an emaciated young girl.


    Lylejay recognized her immediately; he had seen her on Charles'' ship! Regardless of why this woman was here, it was clear that Charles had gotten rid of that tentacled entity and was now chasing after him!


    At the same time, Lylejay felt a surge of murderous intent from his left. He turned to the left and was immediately greeted with a mass of writhing flesh that measured several meters, lunging at him with its maw opened wide. The force of its attack was so strong that it tore ayer off the deck.


    Swann had made his move!


    A blinding light burst forth from Lylejay, and his eyes turned a glittering gold. With a voice filled withmanding authority, he bellowed at Swann, "God says: Obey!"


    Instantly, the mass of flesh seemed to be forced into submission by the overwhelming authority originating from the Pope. It copsed to the ground and struggled in vain in an attempt to resist themand.


    Despite only having half of his mechanical body left, Swann had no ns to give up. He used his mechanical hand to pry open apartment on his leg and pulled a lever with all his might.


    The cannon behind Lylejay swiveled around. Its barrel, as thick as a bowl, was aimed at Lylejay''s head, and a projectile was fired.


    However, Lylejay didn''t even spare a nce at the iing shell. With a casual motion, he reached back, grabbed the cannonball, and hurled it at Swann''s feet.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A resonating explosion rang out, nearly tearing the entire exploration airship into two halves.


    "You think you can take me down alone?! You worthless trash! God says: Pierce!"


    Blinding golden needles shot out from Lylejay''s body and into the dark mist.


    When the dazzling golden spikes slowly retracted, they dragged Swann''s battered body into view as well. However, a smug grin yed upon his half-mangled face. "Pope, let''s die together!!"


    Realization dawned upon Lylejay. His gaze immediately darted toward the girl hanging off the ship''s railing. She was a stark contrast to the girl he had seen earlier.


    Her eyes were wide open and filled with determination as her lips moved incessantly, seemingly chanting some arcane and iprehensible incantation.


    With each word she uttered, her abdomen swelled as if pregnant, her pale skin stretching to the point of near transparency.


    The next moment, a sudden sensation of terror overwhelmed Lylejay. He couldn''t help but tremble involuntarily, and his limbs turned cold. A powerful existence had taken notice of him!


    The existence was so powerful that even being the apex of all humans in terms ofbat strength, Lylejay was utterly insignificant in His presence.


    <em>How did Charles do it! How is it possible that he can wield the power of a Divinity?!</em>


    In the split-second of impending doom, Lylejay hurriedly ced Lily into his robe pocket. He then pushed off with his feet and dashed toward Grace with blinding speed, leaving a trail of afterimages, and the deck shattered into pieces.


    <em>This woman is the trigger to the Divinity''s presence! I have to get rid of her!</em>


    Just as Lylejay was about to reach Grace, a barrier of transparent tentacles, cackling with white electric arcs, formed a wall to block his path.


    At the same time, simr tentacles sprouted out of Lylejay''s body and coiled around his limbs and neck.


    Though it was unrealistic to think that the tentacles alone would be able to stop Lylejay, Charles'' intention was to dy the Pope for just a moment. When Lylejay was done dealing with the tentacles, a colossal gray tentacle adorned with tendrils reached out from the distant darkness and shot toward the exploration ship.


    The massive tentacle looked like a mountain next to the airship, and it struck the ship as though swatting a fly.


    In that instant, the airship that had been reinforced by the shipyard crumpled as if it were made from paper. It ttened gradually, but it wasn''t being crushed. Instead, it disappeared into a singrity of its own thickness.


    If that was the fate of the airship, the upants aboard mirrored the same horrible fate. Grace, Lylejay, Swann, and everyone else aboard began to meld together like y before quicklypressing into a ttened mass.


    However, almost at the same time, a burst of radiant light shot forth from the mangled heap of flesh. It was the power within Lily.


    Seeing this, Lylejay immediately channeled all the Light God''s power within him toward her.


    As the radiant circle of light expanded, the tentacle recoiled slightly before dissolving into the darkness like foam.

 Chapter 693: Fall

    As the colossal tentacle disappeared, everything returned to normal gradually. When the radiant sunlight eventually disappeared, the dpidated airship could no longer maintain its flight and rapidly plummeted into the darkness down below, bringing with it its passengers.


    Just then, a huge deformed bat streaked across the darkness and arrived at the unrecognizable airship. The deck, which was supposed to be t, was all twisted and wrinkled. It seemed like the vessel was transformed into a piece of paper, which was crumpled and then ttened out.


    Unfortunately, the people on board had suffered the same fate. Grace was sprawled out on the floor. Her stomach was ruptured, and her steaming entrails were on the deck.


    Grace was losing blood fast from her wound, but Charles hadn''te here for her. He searched the deck but was surprised to find that both Lily and Pope Lylejay were missing!


    Charles picked up the severely injured Grace from the deck and stared at her face; half of her face was covered in blood.


    "Where is Lily? Where did Lily and the Pope go?" Charles asked.


    However, Grace remained motionless with her eyes shut. It did not seem like she was still alive. The deformed airship was still descending, and it was descending quite rapidly at that.


    Charles nced at Swann and saw that thetter had been reduced to a bloody pulp all over the deck.


    Charles spread his wings and picked up the flesh half of Swann using one of his talons and Swann''s mechanical half with the other. Then, he took flight with Grace in his arms.Shortly after Charles'' departure, the dpidated and deformed airship began to disintegrate to transform into something simr to a "whale fall" but unique to the abyssal void of the darkness.


    Two hourster, Charles was pondering over the recent events outside the infirmary of the Narwhale. Lily was missing, and the Pope had most likely taken her away.


    Judging from the fact that even Grace was still alive, Lily''s special ability had to have protected everyone. Unfortunately, it had protected <em>everyone</em>, which meant that those who were supposed to die were still alive.


    <em>Click.</em>


    There was a clicking from the door to the infirmary, and it was pushed open the next moment. Charles stood up and rushed into the infirmary.


    "This girl''s entire right side seemed to have been ripped apart and then stitched back together. Her bones, organs, skin, and flesh weren''t spared. I had to use arge variety of illegal drugs just to save her life."


    Charles'' heart softened slightly while staring at the young girl wrapped in bandages from head to toe. However, his heart hardened almost immediately afterward.


    "It''s great as long as she''s alive. Anyway, can you wake her up? I need to ask her some questions," Charles asked.


    Linda picked up a metal syringe and loaded it with some medicine before immediately administering it to Grace.


    Grace opened her eyes slowly, but her right eye, which was supposed to reveal a light full of innocence and purity, resembled shattered ss as she muttered, "Captain... how did I do? Did Iplete my mission?"


    Charles revealed a forced smile and nodded. "Youpleted your mission, and you did very well."


    Grace''s eyes curved slightly as if she were smiling, but it was impossible to say for sure because she was covered in bandages from head to toe.


    Since Grace was awake and capable of holding a conversation, Charles no longer dilly-dallied and asked, "Tell me what you say on that ship? Did you see Lily and a handsome boy? What happened to them?"


    Grace wanted to shake her head, but Linda held her head in ce with both hands. "I¡­ I don''t know what happened. I think¡­ I passed out from the pain when¡­ my stomach exploded."


    Charles looked a bit disappointed at the revtion. Clearly, he wasn''t going to obtain any clues from Grace.


    "How is Swann''s treatment going?" Charles asked Linda.


    Linda let go of Grace''s head and drew the white curtains.


    "To be honest, I haven''t even attempted to treat him. I examined him, but I did not see even a single ordinary human organ inside of him. Right now, he''s more like¡­ Sorry, I don''t know how to describe him."


    Linda stepped aside and gestured toward a nearby metal tray with a chunk of flesh crawling toward a pile of scrap metal. Treating something like that was indeed too difficult of a task for her to fulfill.


    "Still alive?" Charles picked up a bone from the chunk of flesh, shaking it back and forth.


    The chunk of flesh wriggled, and a low, muffled voice echoed from within it. "Scram..."


    Charles turned around and left the infirmary. The Feaster''s Chosen One wasn''t going to die so easily, but he would have to wait for Swann to recover to a certain extent before he could start questioning him.


    Upon walking out of the infirmary, Charles saw the crew members standing outside, seemingly waiting for him.


    "Captain, what are we going to do next?"


    "We''re going home," Charles said calmly.


    "Captain, are you really okay? Yes, Lily is still missing, but we''ll find her someday," Dipp said cautiously.


    Charles thought briefly about it before shaking his head slightly. "We have no clues to her location at the moment. Blindly searching for Lily would just be a waste of time. Let''s go back first and make ns."


    "<em>Huh?</em>" The crew members were stunned.


    "The Pope is not going to harm Lily. He clearly regards Lily as the Light God. It''s not that hard to deduce what he''s nning on doing. He''ll inevitably head back to the Subterranean Sea, so we just need to set up a trap for him at the Colossal Hole Fortress."


    With that, Charles turned and walked through the crowd to return to the Captain''s Quarters. Upon entering his quarters, Charles'' calm expression vanished and was reced by agony.


    Charles pulled out a bottle of alcohol from the bottom of the drawer in his quarters and took a big swig of it. The faces of the missing Lily and the severely injured Grace in his mind faded slightly.


    <em>Is this really worth it? What would have happened if I had just returned to the Subterranean Sea and taken charge of everything from up above rather than going here by myself? Would this incident not happen at all? </em>


    <em>We''ve entered a coborative rtionship with the Foundation, so perhaps the explorers can do just as well without me. Why do I have toe here and endanger my family with me?</em>


    Charles looked back on what he had done so far in the dim room. Lily going missing was making him feel as if he had returned to the time when Lily was still dead. He couldn''t help but doubt whether he had actually changed or not.


    All of a sudden, Charles recalled Swann''s words about Anna.


    Charles took another big swig of the liquor in his hand until he had unknowingly emptied the entire bottle. He had no idea when he had fallen asleep, but when he opened his eyes again, it was already the next day.


    Charles returned to the infirmary with bloodshot eyes.


    The clicking of gears entered his ears as soon as he walked into the infirmary.


    The chunk of flesh, who was Swann, had recovered significantlypared to yesterday. Swann''s flesh half finally looked a bit human as he held a wrench while busily repairing his mechanical half.


    Just then, Linda dressed in a white coat walked up to Charles and said, "Captain, Grace''s condition is extremely bad. Even if she recovers, she can only walk at most. I suggest you retire her.


    "And I believe she''s already fulfilled her mission," Linda added quickly, seemingly afraid that Charles would reject her suggestion.


    Charles turned to the bed next to him and stared at Grace, who was still covered in bandages. "All right, let''s make her go back to the Subterranean Sea, and we''llpensate her as if she had fallen in action."


    Linda breathed a sigh of relief at Charles'' remark.


    "Captain, I don''t want to go back," Grace chimed in. Her voice sounded weak, but the firm determination within her words was unmistakable. "I want to keep staying on the Narwhale!"

 Chapter 694: Return

    Charles and Linda stared nkly at the battered young girl on the bed.


    Neither of them had expected her to say such words.


    However, the young girl''s injuries were just too severe. Charles shook his head and replied, "No, you''ve fulfilled your duty, so you can retire now."


    Grace struggled to sit up. Charles willed it, and an invisible tentacle helped her up.


    "If I step down, who will take over my position?" Grace asked.


    "You don''t need to worry about that. Besides, what I''m going to do next will not require your services," Charles said calmly. He was nning on dealing with both Anna and the Pope before venturing into the darkness once again.


    However, Grace shook her head stubbornly and said, "No, I have to stay, or the person taking over me is going to die!"


    Linda became anxious at Grace''s remark. Afraid that Charles would nod at Grace''s words, she stepped forward and said, "What about you? Won''t you die the next time this happens?"


    "But¡ª""Enough!" Charles waved his hand forcefully and said sternly. "No buts! You are no longer useful here, so you have to go down!"


    Charles didn''t even wait for Grace''s reply as he turned and walked out of the infirmary.


    Linda cast a surprised gaze at Charles'' retreating figure. Having been together for so many years, Linda was confident that she knew her captain very well, and she was certain that Charles wasn''t retiring Grace because she had be useless.


    "You selfish lunatic!" Swann cursed. He was cursing in a low voice as hey on his bed, but Charles still heard it. "You self-righteous and egotistical bastard! You''re so dumb that even if you were to dig out your brain and feed it to the dogs, they''re not going to eat it!"


    Charles didn''t really care about the target of Swann''s cursing; he ignored thetter and made a beeline for the bridge to examine the map that he had drawn himself.


    He moved his finger down three squares from where they had ambushed the Pope and saw a purple neb nearby, which meant that it was a dangerous ce.


    <em>If the Pope and Lily had fallen overboard, then there''s a high chance that they entered this ce. Judging from Grace''s condition, the Pope must be seriously injured, too. Are they okay?</em>


    Lily''s smiling face popped up in his mind, and his brows furrowed slightly. This was the second time that the little girl had left his side, and he couldn''t help but feel anxious at the thought that Lily was in the hands of the Pope.


    However, Charles immediately suppressed his emotions. Worrying was useless, as it wouldn''t save Lily.


    <em>Click, click, aack!</em>


    A series of clicking noises echoed, apanied by the creaking of gears. Charles turned and saw two brass pipes connected to three bloody fingers pushing open the door to the bridge.


    Swann hunched over like a hunchbacked and deformed dwarf staggered into the bridge.


    "What''s your next step? The Pope is still alive," Swann asked.


    "He will definitely return to the Subterranean Sea. We just need to wait for him on the ind below the Colossal Hole Fortress. Besides, I need to handle some matters down there."


    Swann smiled contemptuously and asked, "Are you afraid? Afraid that he will ambush you while you''re out here exploring?"


    Charles looked down at Swann''s deformed figure and asked, "The Pope is still alive. What are you going to do? Are you going to join me in dealing with the Pope again?"


    "<em>Hmph! </em>Do you really think that''s possible after what happened? If your woman hade here and worked with us, the Pope would have died in that ambush! Now, we''re in such a mess, and it''s all your fault!


    "I can''t trust you now, and I can''t trust your woman, either. As the saying goes, rely on the water, the water flows; rely on the boat, the boat moves; I''ll rely only on myself from now on," Swann muttered. His injured face revealed a hatred so extreme that it seemed to permeate even his bones.


    Charles pondered over something before looking out the window to stare at the pitch-ck void outside. "It''s useless even if you have Ronker with you. The Pope managed to defeat you once even with that, so he can definitely defeat you for the second time."


    Swann shook his head andughed coldly. "No, no, no. He has be younger, but he''s be significantly weaker as well. A Chosen One without the Divinity that had chosen them is like a captain without a ship.


    "I just have to retrieve Ronker and wait for the golden opportunity to strike. He''s definitely going to die by then!"


    Swann''s words made Charles remember the time when the former had attacked Hope Ind, Charles couldn''t help but think whether he should take this opportunity to kill the weakened Swann or not.


    After all, he was very certain that Swann would target him next once the Pope was dead.


    Charles stared at Swann, and invisible tentacles sprung up, wrapping tightly around Swann.


    "Sorry, you can''t leave yet. I still need your help with a few things."


    Swann''s pupils constricted as he stared at Charles in disbelief. "What...?"


    "I said you can''t leave yet. I still need your help. Also, correct me if I''m wrong, but once the Pope is dead, I''m sure you''re going to attack me next," Charles exined.


    "That is absurd!" Swann raged. He turned around to leave, but the invisible tentacles around him wrapped his battered figure even tighter.


    "You¡ª" Before Swann couldplete his sentence, three tentacles plugged his mouth, preventing him from speaking any further.


    The Narwhale returned safely to the nearest outpost by traveling down the marked return route. Charles wasted no time and immediately made a report about the Pope and spread the information through telegrams.


    He also ordered everyone on the surface to be on alert and to put up wanted posters.


    Charles didn''t stay in the outpost for too long; he and his crew boarded the next train heading for the Colossal Hole Fortress on the same afternoon.


    ***


    Amidst the chaos, Charles stood up abruptly and looked around in a daze at the blood-red mist that had abruptly surrounded them. Then, he walked forward, seemingly looking for something.


    Charles walked for a long time when he saw a massive shadow moving in the depths of the fog. His heart tightened, and he ran frantically in that direction.


    He ran for quite a while until he found himself standing before a cliffside. He swept his gaze across his surroundings, but he couldn''t find what he was looking for.


    Exhausted, Charles was about to lean against the cliffside when a colossal scarlet eyeball the size of a football field abruptly manifested on the cliffside!


    "Gao..."


    Charles looked up and saw the colossal scarlet eyeball staring at him. His face became overwhelmed with shock, and he retreated a few steps backward. A violent tremor ran across the mountain, and it distorted.


    Momentster, Charles was stupefied to discover that the mountain had never been a mountain¡ªit was a tentacle that was so massive that it seemed to pervade the earth and pierce the skies!


    The blood-red mist dispersed slowly, and Charles finally saw what was on the tentacle. Bizarre-looking organs and appendages multiplied rapidly on the tentacle to form the colossal head of Anna!


    Then, the sky itself seemed to part as a gigantic hand burst out of the tentacle. A writhing mass of tentacles riddled with glowing eyeballs was in the hand. The cross-shaped pupils of the glowing eyeballs told Charles that he was staring at his daughter. Sparkle was in Anna''s gigantic hand!


    Anna''s colossal head parted into a monstrous maw that seemed capable of devouring the world itself. Then, she decisively hurled Sparkle into her mouth and chewed her up.


    "Gao Zhiming~ Look! I have be a Divinity! Now that I''ve be a Divinity, our problems are no longer considered problems. They''ve be trivial at best!"


    "No! No! No!!" Charles covered in cold sweat abruptly opened his eyes to find his crew members staring at him in surprise.


    A train was speeding down a railway track that had beenid out on the surface world''s semi-desert regions. The dim purple light shining down on everyone''s faces through the window made everyone feel as if it was dusk.

 Chapter 695: James

    "Did... you have a nightmare?" Bandages inquired. He was sitting next to Charles and was the first one to notice Charles'' strange movement.


    Charles shook his head and walked past the crew members to the washroom between the two train carriages.


    He turned on the faucet and sshed his haggard-looking face with cold water. The cold water quickly pulled him out of the nightmare''s influence. Charles looked up at himself in the mirror and muttered, "No, I have to believe in Anna. She''s not that kind of person. Sparkle is our daughter, and she wouldn''t do that to her."


    <em>Ding, dong!</em>


    A pleasant female voice rang out from the speaker beside him. "Dear passengers, this train is about to arrive at the final stop¡ªColossal Hole Fortress.


    "The current time is 5:57 PM. Please take your luggage and queue up to disembark."


    Charles opened the train window and saw a small city in the distance. He hadn''t been back for a long time, and the changes were much greater than he had imagined.


    As soon as he got off the train, he saw his former chief engineer, James, standing in front of a group of people. They had alle here to wee Charles back to the fortress.


    "Captain!" James greeted. He was thrilled to see Charles once again. He then walked to the side to make way for Charles, but thetter opened his arms and gave him a firm hug."The relevant Navy department has drafted several ns concerning the Pope of the Divine Light Order. A few relicbat teams have arrived on the surface world. Governor Julio has also withdrawn from the front lines and is on his way with the strongest individuals of the Subterranean Sea."


    "Thank you. I''ll leave this matter to you and Leonardo. With you here, I feel much more at ease," Charles replied and let go of James. He stared at his former chief engineer and noticed that James had to be under a ton of stress these days.


    James'' hairline had receded significantly, and his belly had grownrger.


    "Don''t worry. Everything here is under my control. We''re all working together to save the Subterranean Sea, after all. Anyway, Captain, what brings you back here?" James asked.


    He was a bit surprised by Charles'' decision to return to the Colossal Hole Fortress. Based on his captain''s personality, Charles wouldn''t stop searching for the darkness unless he was dead or had already located it.


    "Nothing much; it''s just a small matter. Anyway, when will the soonest airship depart for the Subterranean Sea? I have to go down as soon as possible," Charles replied. Evidently, he wasn''t willing to discuss the matter in detail.


    "It''s departing now; it''s just up ahead!" James pointed at the giant airship on a tform not too far away. Judging by its massive belly, it seemed that the airship was modified to serve as a cargo ship.


    Charles nodded and strode over to the tform.


    "Hey, big guy! Long time no see! Howe your belly''s the only one getting bigger? You should have made yourself a bit taller, too!" Dipp walked up to James with a grin and punched thetter''s belly.


    Dipp then turned around to leave, but James stopped him, saying, "Wait up. Tell me why the captain has decided to return before you go."


    Bandages walked over and said, "Anna¡­"


    It was just one word, but it was enough for James to understand what was going on. A hint of joy suffused his face. Could it be that the captain had finally be suspicious of his monster wife?


    James followed the other crew members toward the departing airship. "Wait, I''m going down, too. There are other people here, so a day or two of absence will not make a difference."


    The crew members of the Narwhale boarded the airship, and the airship let out three piercing whistles before descending slowly into the pitch-ck hole.


    Therge airship was obviously spacious inside. It was so spacious that the voices of the crew members were echoing throughout the airship.


    James with a cigarette between his lips chatted enthusiastically with the crew members in front of a table covered in mist and clouds of smoke. Everyone was happy to see that their friends were still alive.


    They reminisced about the past andughed at each other''s embarrassing moments.


    James came face-to-face with the new crew members.


    "This is...?" James stared at Grace, who was quietly reading a book beside him.


    Grace''s right eye was covered with a ck eye patch, making her look like a pirate; her face was veiled as well, which had piqued James'' curiosity.


    Grace was quiet, seemingly pondering over something. She felt that it would be impolite to answer while his face was hidden, so she reached out and removed her veil.


    The right half of her face featured the delicate, fair skin of a young girl, but the other half looked like a shattered piece of ss that had been reassembled haphazardly, making her look especially frightening. "Hello, my name is Grace."


    James stared at the young girl in surprise. If it hadn''t been for the age and gender difference, he would have thought that Laesto had been resurrected. Grace''s bizarre face injury was simply too simr to Laesto''s.


    Linda walked over to Grace and gave her a hug. "She''s a crew member, but she has alreadypleted her mission, so she is now retired."


    Audric whispered a few words into James'' ear, and he revealed a look of understanding. "<em>Ah¡­</em>"


    "Since you''re a crew member, then we''re family. Don''t worry. Hope Ind will not run out ofnd topensate the crew once the seawater recedes. You''ll have your own fair share ofnd on Hope Ind."


    Grace felt a bit awkward in the face of James'' enthusiasm, and a forced smile tugged at her split lips.


    Just then, James turned to Charles, who was sitting on a steel box. After a brief pondering, he walked over to Charles to converse with thetter.


    Linda didn''t really mind James'' abrupt departure. In fact, he took advantage of that opportunity to console Grace, saying, "Don''t worry about it. A few scars aren''t going to matter. You''ve earned the right to choose others, while others do not have the right to choose you.


    "You''ve earned that using your life, so you truly deserve it."


    Nico paused his drinking and frowned slightly at Linda''s remark. Obviously, he strongly disagreed with Linda''s words.


    Grace shook her head and touched her abdomen with concern. "I don''t mind the scars. It''s just... will I always have a hole in my stomach?"


    Whenever nature was calling, Grace had to respond using the hole in her stomach, and she''d have to plug it with a stopper once she was done, which was both extremely inconvenient and awkward.


    "Don''t be too worried about it. It has to be done, as your intestines were severely injured. Once they''re healed, the hole will have to go. Except for the fact that you can''t exert as much strength as before, you''re still the same Grace before all this."


    "Mmhm!" Grace nodded firmly. She hesitated for a moment before raising her head again. "Linda, actually, I really want¡ª"


    "<em>Shh! </em>There''s no ''actually''! You''ve sacrificed enough!" Linda said firmly, showing her resolute attitude to Grace.


    Meanwhile, James walked up to Charles with two sses of wine in hand. He handed Charles a ss and said, "Captain, this wine is <em>really </em>strong. I''m sure you''ll like it."


    James kicked the steel box at Charles'' feet and asked, "What''s in here, Captain? Why are you sitting on it like that?"


    Charles epted the ss of wine and took a sip. "If you have something to say, just say it."


    Upon seeing James board the airship with them, Charles deduced that James had something to say to him. Otherwise, he wouldn''t havee down, considering the tense atmosphere hanging about the Subterranean Sea.


    James raised his ss and lightly clinked it against Charles'' ss. "Captain, there are some things I''ve been reluctant to tell you about due to the ongoing crisis, but I decided that it''s better to just tell you, as you''ve finally decided to return to the Subterranean Sea."

 Chapter 696: Passing on Messages

    Charles stared quietly at the ss of wine in his hand.


    "Captain," James said, "Hope Ind belongs to you. It doesn''t belong to your wife! You''ve been too lenient with her, even though she''s a..."


    James dared not continue, afraid that a certain word would upset Charles.


    "Monster? Then, how about me? Do I still resemble a human in your eyes?" Charles asked with a self-deprecating smile.


    James shook his head firmly and asserted, "No! You''re different from her! There haven''t been enough death row inmates for her damn experiments, so she''s been using civilians for her experiments!


    "The inders of Hope Ind are your people! However, she''s been treating them like livestock! I knew I was right with what I said a long time ago. She''s never been on our side!"


    Charles remained quiet in the face of James'' words. He stared nkly at his own hideous face reflected in the ss.


    "And she''s bing stronger as we speak¡­ She''s gotten so strong that I''m afraid even the relics from the Western Seas that grant immunity to mind control aren''t that effective against her anymore. I don''t even dare to stay by her side, as I''m afraid that she''ll take over my mind.


    "Captain, she''s be a parasite living off of Hope Ind''s lifeblood! We can''t let her grow any stronger! Otherwise, a disaster will surelye!"Charles'' eyes moved slowly to the face of his former crew member.


    "I understand. Thank you for telling me this, James. Thank you."


    James paused for a few seconds, and then he nodded and downed the wine in his wine ss before saying, "Captain, I''ll say this once more. Hope Ind belongs to you, and it''s our home, too!"


    With that, James turned and left with a determined expression and light in his eyes.


    The journey from the Subterranean Sea to the surface world would take six hours, but descending was much faster. After just three hours, everyone could finally smell the sea in the air.


    They had been living by the sea their entire lives, so who would have thought that they''d one day start missing the smell of the sea?


    Annarles Ind had be much livelier and bustlingpared to when it was still under 010''s influence. Many different factories and a variety of buildings were packed together in the middle of the ind as if everyone was afraid that they''d disappear if they were too far apart from each other.


    The dense crowd from up above looked like a group of ants shuttling between the buildings. However, they had no choice but to build their buildings so close to each other, as the current Annarles Ind only had half of its original space remaining; the rest had been engulfed by the sea.


    The airship passed through the ck smoke billowing from the chimneys of the factories andnded safely on a t tform.


    Jumping down from the airship, Charles faced the sea and took a deep breath of the humid and salty air. Charles felt extremelyfortable as he basked in the familiar sensations. His mood was uplifted as well.


    Charles turned to look at the crew members, who had decided toe down with him, and said, "Everyone, let''s split up here. I''ll inform you about when we''re going back up, so just wait for my message."


    The crew members were ecstatic, and they cheered out loud. Then, they wasted no time and rushed out of the airport.


    However, Bandages didn''t leave. He walked up to Charles and said, "Why... bring us... down? We could have¡­ continued exploring¡­ even without you¡­"


    "It''s fine. It''s been a while since youst saw your family, right?" Charles asked, patting Bandages on the shoulder. He then pointed at a massive pir amidst the buildings and said, "Go there and visit them. I''ll handle the issue concerning Lily myself. Just go back home and take a good break."


    A towering ck tower stood amidst the buildings, and it was an elevator that would take passengers to the monorails suspended from the pitch-ck dome overhead.


    The suspended monorails were the fastest way to reach Hope Ind from Annarles Ind.


    Bandages stared at Charles as if he was weird before turning around to leave. He felt like his captain had been acting a bit odd since Lily was kidnapped by the Pope.


    "James, where is the telegraph office on this ind?" Charles asked without looking back as he stared at Bandages'' departing figure. He had important matters to handle here, and he believed that they had to be addressed first before he could do any exploration up above.


    "<em>Um...</em> telegrams are too slow, Captain. We''re using the wireless telephone now, which is a technology that we''ve obtained from the Foundation. Would you like to try it?"


    "<em>Oh?</em> Lead the way, then."


    With that, James brought Charles to the so-called Telephone Bureau.


    Charles was weed by rotary dial phones upon entering the office, and he found them quite odd and old-fashioned, considering that he had lived in the smartphone era.


    There was a crowd lined up leading to the office; the queue was long, but it was moving along steadily. The ability to talk to loved ones thousands of kilometers away proved to be extremely popr with the people, especially in these trying times.


    Charles even saw some people crying their hearts out while talking on the telephone. Of course, Charles didn''t have to queue. James led him to the VIP room, where well-dressed men and women were making phone calls.


    "Esteemed Governor, where should I connect this call?" the telephone operator asked respectfully.


    Charles stared calmly at her and replied, "Hope Ind Governor''s Mansion."


    The telephone started ringing; James waved his hand lightly, and those making calls in the VIP room were escorted out by the members of the Navy.


    James was about to leave as well, but he saw a capable-looking woman entering the VIP room. At first, he wanted to stop her, but he turned around and left upon seeing that the capable-looking woman was Margaret.


    The scarred Margaret leaned against the wall, staring quietly at Charles making a phone call.


    The telephone rang for half a minute before it was picked up.


    ¡ª Hello?


    "Anna, it''s me. I went down. The Pope kidnapped Lily, and there''s something we need to talk about."


    ¡ª Oh? You just came down, but you already want to talk about business? Governor Charles is truly a diligent old ox."


    "We''re going to talk about ourselves as well, so you better not avoid it. Face me, and let''s make things clear between us."


    <em>Beep!</em>


    Anna ended the call without even replying to Charles.


    Before Charles could put down the handset, he felt his clothes billowing out. He looked down and found himself face-to-face with a young girl.


    The girl''s green eyeballs and cross-shaped pupils told Charles that the young girl was her daughter, Sparkle.


    "Daddy, that woman doesn''t want to see you. She said that if you need anything, then just leave it to me. I can handle the Pope as soon as he appears here," Sparkle said. She opened her arms and hugged her father, whom she hadn''t seen for quite a while now.


    Charles reached into his clothes and grabbed Sparkle by her armpits before lifting her up from his clothes.


    "Go back and tell her that I have Swann."


    <em>Whoosh! </em>


    Sparkle disappeared instantly, and she returned after a while.


    "She said that you should just kill him; why are you even keeping him around?"


    "Tell her that I learned quite a few things from him, and I want to talk to her to know whether Swann has lied to me or not."


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Sparkle disappeared once again before reappearing a few momentster.


    "She said that it''s up to you whether to believe Swann or not."


    "Tell her this¡ªthis concerns our daughter, so this is a big deal! And I am not ying around here!"


    Sparkle vanished once again.


    A few rounds of back and forthter, an impatient Charles said, "Tell her¡ª"


    "Are you crazy?!" Sparkle eximed. Exasperated, she added, "There''s a phone right there. Can''t you just call her for this nonsense?! Are both of you having fun making me pass on messages back and forth like this? We haven''t seen each other for so long, and the first thing you do upon seeing your daughter in such a long time is make fun of her?!"

 Chapter 697: Argument

    Sparkle looked extremely impatient, and it was Charles'' first time seeing such an expression from her. Charles briefly felt like he was no longer familiar with Sparkle.


    In his eyes, Sparkle had always been a curious and ignorant little girl. In fact, thest time he saw her, she was exactly like that¡ªignorant and curious about everything.


    Sparkle pursed her red lips. She stepped forward and grabbed Charles'' right hand. Then, Charles'' surroundings peeled away. When the surroundings stabilized, Charles found himself in arge hall filled with many different machinery.


    Anna was in her bloated and deformed true form. Her back was facing Charles and Sparkle as she used hundreds of tentacles to control a colossal machine made out of intricate brass gears.


    "If you two have something to say to each other, then say it face to face. I''m not going to be passing on messages between you two from now on. And don''t criticize me for my attitude; I just don''t want to get involved with my parents'' rtionship issues!"


    With that, a sh of light illuminated the hall, and Sparkle''s figure vanished into thin air.


    Anna had definitely noticed Sparkle and Charles'' arrival, but she acted like she hadn''t noticed and heard them as she continued controlling the massive machine in front of her.


    It seemed that the machine was custom-made for her, as it perfectly suited her massive true form, which was almost ten meters tall.


    Charles pondered briefly over his next course of action before walking up to Anna''s side and taking a good look at the machine in front of her. Giant brass gears, pistons, and bearings were interconnected to form this massive structure.Hot white steam was constantly being shuttled through the brass pipe, producing terrifying noises. The machine seemed to be made out of Gordon''s analytical engine and several relics.


    They were fused together, bing a beautiful monstrous machine.


    From time to time, there would be a burst of steam and a ckened mass of something would be pushed out of a nearby conveyor belt. Anna would roll it up with her tentacles and stuff it into her mouth.


    "Our daughter has grown up," Charles said. He gently patted one of Anna''s tentacles, which resembled pirs. The translucent slime enveloping the tentacles slid off the ck scales and stuck to his hand.


    "By the way, what does this machine do?" Charles asked.


    He had just finished speaking when a huge tentacle descended from the sky, swooping toward him. Charles reacted swiftly, and hundreds of invisible tentacles sprouted from the ground, immobilizing the oing tentacle.


    The massive and bloated, tentacled monster lowered her head and stared at Charles with her eyes the size of a small house.


    Anna''s ferocious mouth parted, and a harsh, discordant voice reverberated throughout the hall. "So you''re still worried about the possibility that I''m taking advantage of Sparkle? What right do you have to worry about her?


    "How many times have you seen her since she was born? Since you''re so brave, then how about you just stay up there and explore until you die?"


    Charles looked up at Anna, and his expression was calm as he said, "Can you transform into your human form? Let''s talk properly."


    "This is my original form! Why should I amodate you and change into a human''s appearance? If you don''t want to see me in my original form, then you can get lost!" Anna roared, sounding really annoyed.


    "You know that we don''t have the luxury for any arguments, considering our current situation, right? Is our rtionship issue more important than the Subterranean Sea? I hope you haven''t forgotten, but if the Subterranean Sea bes submerged, we''re all going to die!"


    "<em>Ha!</em>" Anna''s figure shrank rapidly, transforming into a gorgeous figure. Her proud face sneered at Charles as she said, "So you''re saying that I''ve be humanity''s sinner just because I didn''t respond to your call that one time?


    "You''re quite skilled at pushing the me onto others."


    "The Pope went up there and ambushed us! Lily was taken away by him! It could have beenpletely avoided if you had just responded to me!" Charles eximed.


    "Whose fault is that? Is it my fault? It''s <em>your </em>fault! It seems that you''re under the impression that I''m a weapon at your beck and call. I never said that I''d be ying that role for you!


    "If you really want to keep exploring that ce and seek your own death, then go ahead. I don''t care!" Anna replied, sounding agitated.


    Then, she added, "Everything could have been avoided! If you had just stayed down here, none of that would have happened! There are so many explorers up there. So what if you''re not there? Will there be a massive difference?


    "It''s all your fault; you have your crew''s blood on your hands."


    The voices of the two got louder and louder, and if there were someone else here, they''d assume that the two were arguing.


    "But I have to be up there! I''m the leader of the explorers! I''m probably the best explorer throughout the entire Subterranean Sea! I have to stay up there so that everyone will bravely forge ahead!"


    Anna seemed to find Charles'' words to be quiteughable. "Fine, go ahead. I''m sure your subordinates have already told you about what I''ve been doing. Since you''re going to stay up there, then everything down here is mine. What I do is none of your business. If you think you''re strong enough, then stay here and stop me."


    Anna''s words made Charles'' scalp go numb. He stared right into Anna''s eyes and eximed, "You better not cross the line. Don''t forget our identity!"


    "What identity are you talking about? The Governor of Hope Ind? Wrong! I''m a man-eating monster! I''m very certain about my own identity!"


    "Why are you always like this? Can we talk properly for once?"


    "Talk properly? It''s you who''s not talking properly here! This is all your fault! I''ve had enough of you! Do you really think that this is just a one-time mistake on your end? No! You''ve made the same mistakes again and again; I''ve simply gotten tired of it!"


    Anna''s fair skin cracked open, and she began emanating an unsettling aura.


    Charles realized just then that this wasn''t a great time for them to talk. At this rate, they''d end up fighting each other, so he took two steps backward and said, "Sparkle, take me back."


    A radiant white light enveloped Charles, and he disappeared into thin air.


    Seeing the empty space before her, Anna erupted in fury. Her writhing tentaclesshed out in all directions as she vented out her anger.


    Meanwhile, Charles found himself on Annarles Ind, and he saw Sparkle next to him. He reached out and stroked Sparkle''s silky long hair. "What''s wrong with Anna? How can she be so illogical?"


    Sparkle revealed a helpless look as she said, "What logic are you talking about when you''re dealing with a woman? When a woman is unhappy, you should justfort her.


    "Huh?"


    Sparkle reached out and patted Charles on the shoulder before adding, "Mommy is just being stubborn. Don''t you think that this issue will be resolved if you yield and promise her that it won''t happen again?"


    "Why is she being stubborn? We''re dealing with matters that concern the future of the entire Subterranean Sea here. The seawater is slowly submerging everything! How can she be so petty and stubborn, considering our situation?"


    A dumbfounded look spread across Sparkle''s adorable face. "It''s because she''s your wife! She''s neither your subordinate nor your enemy! Why have you been treating her as if she were your subordinate?"


    Charles was immediately stunned by Sparkle''s words. <em>Really? Have I really been treating her like that?</em>


    Charles fell into deep contemtion, but he quickly emerged from it and stared at Sparkle.


    "Did Anna do something like absorbing the power inside of you?"


    "Of course she hasn''t done anything like that. Our power stems from Edikth, and she can''t absorb it at all!" Sparkle replied.


    Charles was greatly taken aback, and then his heart became filled with overwhelming anger toward Swann.


    <em>How dare he lie to me?! </em>Charles was furious, but he was relieved upon realizing that his assumption was actually just a misunderstanding. It turned out Anna was still the same old Anna. She hadn''t changed at all.

 Chapter 698: Sparkle

    After some thought, Charles said to Sparkle, "We can''t talk again right now. Can you help me keep an eye on Mommy? Once she''s no longer as angry, I''ll go and have a good chat with her."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll keep an eye on her. After all, I''d have to choose which side to follow if the two of you really end up splitting up."


    Charles chuckled softly. His daughter had truly changed a lot since thest time he saw her. Staring at his grown daughter, Charles wanted to say something to express that he was still familiar with her, but his mouth only fluttered open.


    He felt awkward because he had no idea what to say.


    Charles was capable of remaining unfazed, even in a life-or-death situation, but he actually felt nervous in the face of his graceful and beautiful daughter. He had umted a ton of knowledge out at sea, but they told him nothing about how to resolve this awkwardness.


    Fortunately, Sparkle noticed Charles'' helplessness. She tiptoed and pointed her fair finger toward the door. "Daddy, a new outdoor cinema just opened on the ind out there. Can you check it out with me?"


    "Sure, let''s go," Charles said. He was secretly relieved as he strode toward the door. When he reached the door, he was a bit surprised to see Margaret standing there. "You''re actually here?"


    "I''m one of your allies, so I came here to be the acting governor of Annarles Ind."


    Charles nodded with a somewhatplex expression before walking away with his daughter. Margaret swept her gaze across the empty office filled with rotary phones, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly upon recalling what had just happened here.The outdoor cinema was located in a clearing between the towering buildings.


    The cinema itself was just a massive white cloth.


    Although crude, people would always patronize anything as long as they were free. The clearing before the white cloth was densely packed with people. The show depicted an explorer''s arduous journey to save the Subterranean Sea.


    The explorer painstakingly traveled across the hostile surface world before finally finding and retrieving the darkness, which saved the Subterranean Sea. The actors'' movements and lines made the movie feel more like a theater y than a movie, but it was still a decent movie despite its ws.


    The father and daughter pair was sitting in the middle of the crowd, eating some dried fish. When Sparkle leaned on Charles'' shoulder, the awkwardness between the two, which was brought upon by Sparkle''s drastic and abrupt change, vanished instantly.


    Charles also gradually rxed throughout the movie.


    <em>So they''re making the inders pass the time by offering free movies¡­ Is it because they don''t want the inders to think too much? Whose idea is this? Is it Anna''s idea, or is it the Explorer Association''s idea? </em>Charles thought.


    "Daddy, when are you going back to the surface?" Sparkle asked as she nibbled gently on a salted dried fish.


    "I''m going to sort out the issues between me and your Mommy first, and then I''ll probably head back to the surface once Julio arrives. Lily is still waiting for my rescue, after all," Charles said calmly as he stared at the white cloth.


    Sparkle tilted her head and looked up at Charles'' scarred face. Her voice carried a hint of pleading as she asked, "Daddy, can you stop going up there? Everything above has fallen into ce, and there''s no need for you to go up at all. The Foundation is up there as well."


    Charles'' heart softened at Sparkle''s words.


    "I know, Sparkle, but the Foundation is not trustworthy at all."


    "Yes, but there are others keeping an eye on things. And I don''t think there is going to be a massive difference between you staying down here and exploring the surface world. If you don''t like what Mommy is doing, you can keep her in check. I''m sure she''ll listen to you if you decide to stay down here.


    "Andstly¡­ I want you to stay down here, too¡­" Sparkle said, and her eyes dimmed as she trailed off.


    Sparkle hooked her right hand around Charles'' prosthetic arm before adding, "Daddy, the total time we spent together since I was born until today has yet to reach even a month. To be honest, I find you very unfamiliar.


    "I''m growing up fast, too. I also heard that the older you get, the more indifferent you be to the affection of your family, and I-I¡­ I don''t want that to happen."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll stay by your side for the meantime," Charles said, patting Sparkle''s shoulder.


    "For the meantime? What''s the point of that? Mommy and I don''t want you to take risks anymore. And don''t you care about your crew? If you stay down here, they won''t have to risk their lives as well."


    A hint of hesitation appeared in Charles'' eyes. His eyes were transfixed on the white cloth in front of him, and the moving ying on the white cloth vanished slowly before being reced by the faces of his deceased crew members.


    "Let me think about it..."


    ***


    Bandages was sitting silently in a crowded train, which seemed to be hanging upside down because it was running down an elevated monorail. Bandages was holding today''s issue of Subterranean Sea Daily.


    <em>Breaking news! </em>


    <em>Through the unrelenting efforts of Governor Charles, the Subterranean Sea has finally entered a coborative rtionship with the Foundation! The operation to save the Subterranean Sea has reached its final stages! </em>


    <em>The supply shortage is temporary, and our despair is also temporary! </em>


    <em>Victory will always belong to us!</em>


    <em>The Foundation Revealed! </em>


    <em>Where exactly did this mysterious organizatione from? Where did their technology that far surpasses ourse from? The answers are to be revealed in tomorrow''s issue of Subterranean Sea Daily! </em>


    <em>Please purchase one on time tomorrow!</em>


    Bandages folded the newspaper and ced it on the table. Then, he looked up to stare at the train car up ahead.


    Dipp and the others were in that car. He didn''t like sitting with the energetic and noisy crew members. He had already spent more than enough time with them on the ship, and Bandages simply wanted some peace and quiet in the meantime.


    Just then, an old man reached out to grab Bandages'' newspaper. The old man stared at Bandages, seemingly asking for permission.


    Bandages nodded slightly, and the old man took it with a smile.


    "Thank you, young man."


    The passengers on the train were going along the slightly shaky movement of the train while doing their own things. They were eating some snacks, reading newspapers, sleeping, coaxing their children, etc.


    Just then, a right hand with sharp nails reached over from the aisle. The hand held out a green apple before Bandages. It was Audric''s hand.


    "Want one?" Audric asked.


    Bandages wasn''t the only one who preferred peace and quiet over a rowdy crowd. Linda and her husband Audric were sitting in the seats behind Bandages along with Grace. Those unaware of their rtionship would assume that the three were family.


    "No... need..." Bandages raised a hand to push the apple away.


    "You should eat more while you can. You''ll only be able to eat canned food once we''re back up there," Audric replied. He went back to his seat and split the green apple with his sharp nails before cing it on the table in front of Grace and Linda.


    "Peel it. Her intestines are injured, so she can''t eat the skin," Linda pushed the apple back to Audric.


    "Ah~ It really is a shame that Lily''s not here. I remember she loved apples the most among us. I wonder how Lily is doing right now," Audric''s nails protruded, and he peeled the apple in the blink of an eye.


    "It''s okay... The Pope... probably regards Lily as... the Light God... He won''t¡­ harm... Lily¡­ We should... think about¡­ how to deal¡­ with the Pope¡­ rather than¡­ worry about¡­ Lily," Bandages said.


    "Just thinking about that guy really makes me angry! He''s killed so many people, but he''s actually still alive and hasn''t been punished yet!" Audric eximed, sounding indignant.

 Chapter 699: Hope Island

    Audric''s words had just fallen when he recalled something and cast a nervous look at Linda next to him.


    Linda, who was reading a book, turned to look at him and said, "You''re right. He''s a lunatic capable of killing people without any hesitation.


    "His hands are drenched in the blood of hundreds of millions of people, and there is no defense for his case, as words cannot possibly wash away his sins."


    Grace looked nervous as she stared at the two with the peeled apple in hand. She had no idea what they were talking about. Fortunately, their conversation was interrupted by the passengers standing up to take a look outside.


    <em>Sizzle!</em>


    A sizzling noise echoed, and white smoke began to rise from Linda and Audric.


    They hurriedly put on the protective suits that they had prepared long ago.


    "Dear passengers, the train has arrived at Hope Ind Station. Please take your luggage and queue up to exit the station. Thank you for riding with us."


    Walking out of the station at the bottom of the towering ck tower that pierced the dome overhead, Weister took off his bandages and made a beeline for home.He moved faster and faster until he was almost sprinting. However, Weister was astonished to find that his family''s home had been divided into tinypartments that were being upied by other people.


    His family members were nowhere to be found.


    Weister eventually found where his family was relocated, and it was all thanks to the help of some staffers from the Ministry of Administration. When he pushed open the door, he found his family of three having dinner.


    Elena was thrilled to witness her son''s sudden return. She didn''t even chew the bread in her mouth as she rushed up to Weister with bloodshot eyes and started patting him down, afraid that he was missing a body part or two.


    "Brother, you''re back? Have you already retrieved the darkness?" Mark asked excitedly. The little boy had grown considerably during Weister''s absence.


    Weister shook his head and smiled forcibly. "We''re almost there... almost..."


    "Don''t just stand at the door. Come in and sit down," Elena said, pulling her son to the table. It had been over a year since she saw her son, so she asked him a ton of questions, specifically on how he had been doing all this while.


    Upon seeing his enthusiastic family members chattering about around him, Weister felt warm all inside. It was a sensation that he liked. Weister answered all of their questions about the surface world; he also told them his experience. Of course, he only mentioned the good things, skipping his dangerous encounters.


    Weister''s younger brother and sister cast a curious gaze at Weister upon hearing about the bizarre surface world. In the middle of his recount, Weister finally took notice of their dinner.


    It was a simple dinnerposed of a few slices of bread, fried fish filets, a few unsightly fruits, and finally, a bowl of oyster soup with a few oysters. The dinner was only slightly better than they often had in the harbor district of Whereto.


    "What''s... going on?" Weister asked, showing a rare hint of anger.


    "Brother, this dinner is already great. The surface world is the priority right now, so the resources here are being sent over to the surface world. It does look awful, but this is a privilege the families of surface explorers have. Others have it worse," Mark exined.


    Weister silently looked at the food in front of him. Many different delicacies could be found in the restaurants and bars on the surface world. Anyone could eat to their fill, and it didn''t seem like there was any supply shortage.


    However, the resources that the surface world was enjoying hadn''t popped out of nothing. The Subterranean Sea''s sacrifice was the reason behind the surface world''s prosperity.


    "It''s okay. This is just temporary. Once the darkness has been retrieved, we can go back to our previous lifestyle. In addition, we''ve long gotten used to living in poverty. I''ll have you know, but Madam Hanna, our neighbor before we were transferred here, has been crying her heart out these days..."


    Weister quietly listened to Elena''s words. He had no recollection of the so-called "Madam Hanna," but listening to her mother''s voice alone made Weister feel great.


    The past was already water under the bridge. No matter what he had experienced over the years, Weister only had one goal¡ªto protect his family. After all, they were all that he had now.


    ***


    Early the next morning, Aliya was about to leave Dipp''s arms, but Dipp thought otherwise. He pulled Aliya back into his arms and haphazardly kissed her everywhere.


    "I''ve got to go to work. The police stations on Hope Ind are extremely busy these days. James is nowhere to be found, so everything is on my shoulders now," Aliya said, sounding helpless while blushing at the same time.


    "Your husband has finally returned after such a long time. Can''t you take a day off to stay with me? I haven''t seen you for so long. I''ve been missing you so much to the extent that I''ve been dreaming of you these days," Dipp said. Clearly, he was reluctant to let Aliya go.


    "I really have to go. The death light had killed so many people on the other inds, but it had spared Hope Ind. There are too many people here, but we''re running out ofnd to house them. We''re also in the midst of a world-ending crisis, so the rate of violent crimes has increased exponentially."


    Dipp''s hands around Aliya unconsciously loosened. Aliya took advantage of that opportunity and pulled herself out of his embrace. She picked up the torn clothes on the ground and shook her head helplessly. Then, she walked up to the wardrobe to put on new clothes.


    "The darkness hasn''t been located yet, so why did your captaine back? He never struck me as a person who''d retreat before his goals are achieved."


    Dipp pretended like he had dozed off on the boat before replying leisurely, "I didn''t really ask him any questions. However, it should be rted to his wife. I''m talking about Anna."


    Aliya''s hands holding her clothes paused. A few momentster, she admitted, "I heard something from our informants throughout the ind, and I personally know some things as well.


    "However, we''re in the middle of a world-ending crisis, which means that sacrifices are inevitable."


    Dipp opened his eyes wide and looked at Aliya. "What do you know?"


    "People have been regrly going missing on Hope Ind, but no one has ever made any missing persons report. Unfortunately, she''s the governor, so I dared not order our people to investigate the matter any further.


    "<em>Hmm...</em>" Dipp put his hands behind his head, and his expression remained calm as he said, "I only listen to the captain. If he pretends that it doesn''t exist, then I''ll pretend that it doesn''t exist, too.


    "However, if he wants to kill that monster, then I''ll be the first to make a move."


    "Captain, captain, and captain! It''s always the captain! Can''t you think about your own family first?? Is he your wife, or am I your wife?" Aliya asked. She picked up the teacup next to her and hurled it at Dipp out of frustration.


    A few momentster, she picked up her high-top leather boots and sat down on the stool to put them on. "Ah, Dipp, I forgot to tell you that I adopted a child."


    "A child?" Dipp sat up, looking startled. He was already in his twenties, but he still had no desire to be a father.


    "Yes, a boy. Three months ago, a patrol ship at sea stumbled upon a ship. The ship hade from an ind that ended up getting submerged. Unfortunately, every single passenger on the ship had perished, while the boy in question survived the ordeal by consuming human flesh."


    "Poor thing. You did a great job adopting him. Where is he right now? I want to know what he looks like," Dipp said. He stood up and got dressed.


    "He''s living in the schoolpounds," Aliya replied, "For the sake of convenience, the school now gives students a temporary ce to stay. This way, their parents would have no issues going to work."

 Chapter 700: Daughter

    "Captain, the Colossal Hole Fortress and Annarles Ind are prepared. If the Pope dares to barge in, our navy will definitely capture him," James said. He then handed over the documents containing the specifics of their n to Charles.


    Charles epted the documents and examined them carefully before saying, "I know that Hope Ind''s overall strength is improving rapidly due to the power of technology, but don''t be toocent.


    "Our current level of technology is not enough to capture the Pope. Actually, we''re afraid of not seeing him rather than seeing him. The powerhouses and firepower of the Subterranean Sea have gathered in one ce.


    "He''s not strong enough to wreak havoc by himself here, but he can certainly waste my time by hiding for a long time."


    Charles returned the documents to James and said, "Annarles Ind is now under Margaret. Go to her and talk to her about these things. I have something more important to handle."


    James was surprised. "You still have more to handle in addition to this, Captain?"


    "Yeah, it''s just some family matters," Charles replied. He then stood up and waved at Sparkle, who had been waiting for him outside.


    Sparkle hadn''t lied nor exaggerated when she said that she''d grow up fast. In no time, she became a youngdy from a little girl. Facing a rare opportunity to make it up to his daughter, Charles was determined to take advantage of it.


    Sparkle smiled sweetly and greeted, "Daddy!""How was it? How''s Mommy''s mood today? Is she in a good mood?" Charles asked.


    "Her mood hasn''t changed, but don''t worry about it. I don''t think she''s going to be too hard on you, so just give it a few more days, and her mood should change by then.


    "Anyway, don''t think about her and just focus on us for today. Come, I found a nice ce for us to spend some time in!" Sparkle tugged at Charles'' arm, dragging him away.


    The scenery rapidly peeled away, but Charles didn''t feel ufortable as he had gotten a bit more ustomed to it. When the scenery stabilized, Charles looked around and realized that he was in a familiar room.


    He was in his bedroom back on Earth, and the bedroom had everything that a teenager would need. There was a single bed, some books on the table next to the bed, and there were even anime posters on the wall.


    This was indeed Charles'' bedroom on Earth, and it was perfectly replicated. In fact, the details that he had forgotten long ago were replicated as well.


    "How''s my gift, Daddy? Do you like it?" Sparkle asked with a grin.


    Charles'' hand ran across the objects in the room until he finally reached the window.


    There was a gray, outcast sky outside. Charles looked around and saw that the building he was in was the only intact building around here; the rest had been reduced to rubble.


    However, the elevated terrain in the distance looked a bit familiar to him.


    "Are we in¡ª"


    "The World''s Crown! This is the World''s Crown! And I rebuilt it!" Sparkle eximed, her words carrying a hint of pride.


    Charles'' eyes became filled with disbelief as she took a good look at the scenery outside. <em>I thought the World''s Crown had already copsed? The World''s Crown colossal mushroom was the size of a towering mountain capable of housing an entire town, but Sparkle actually managed to restore it? Just how powerful has she be?</em>


    "What''s wrong? You don''t like it?" Sparkle asked. The corners of her lips lowered slightly, making her appear quite pitiful.


    "No, it''s not like that," Charles said, shaking his head. "It''s just that you don''t need to give me any gifts. I haven''t been able to fulfill my responsibilities as your father, so I should be the one bringing you gifts to make you happy."


    Sparkle sat on the table and smiled sweetly while swinging her fair bare feet in joy. "I''m so happy that you like my gift! Mommy told me that you like this ce, so I found a way to restore it."


    "Thank you," Charles said. He carried Sparkle down from the table before continuing, "This gift is awesome, and I like it. But it''s about time we go back, as we''re too far away from home. Anyway, what do you want to do next? I''ll be with you no matter what you want to do."


    Sparkle had replicated the World''s Crown perfectly, but unfortunately, a replica would always remain a replica. It was fake in Charles'' eyes. Moreover, he believed that there was no use dwelling over what had already happened.


    He believed that it was more important to cherish the present, especially one''s family in the present.


    Sparkle furrowed her brows in thought, and her eyes lit up a few momentster. "Ah, yes! I want to introduce you to my friend. She''s always been curious about your looks, so this is a great opportunity!"


    Sparkle hooked her arm around Charles'' arm, and the scenery peeled away once again. Once everything had settled down, Charles was struck by a ray of sunlight, allowing him to deduce that Sparkle had brought him to Hope Ind.


    They seemed to be in a residential area, as there were neat-looking white houses lined up in rows.


    Sparkle pulled Charles to sit on a nearby bench and said, "She''s still in school, so let''s wait here for a bit."


    Charles nodded and looked around the quiet streets.


    "I had no idea that there were so few people here."


    "Well, it''s not strange. They''re either at work or at school. And Mommy has deliberately extended their working hours, lest they gather and do something reckless."


    "When I was exploring the surface world, I received reports about how your mommy is doing great and has been managing the ind in an orderly fashion. Is that true?"


    "Of course it is! Have you forgotten who she is, Daddy? She''s Anna! Let me tell you this, Daddy. Mommy hasn''t used her brainwashing ability on those she''s been managing all this while. What do you think? Impressive, right?"


    "Impressive. That is impressive indeed," Charles said. He was aware of Anna''s management abilities. After all, Anna had served as the Governor of the World''s Crown for three years while he was wandering around as a lunatic.


    The father and daughter pair chatted as they sat on the bench, waiting for Sparkle''s friend. While they were talking, Charles suddenly remembered the World''s Crown that his daughter had restored.


    He couldn''t help but feel curious about just how strong Sparkle had be.


    Fortunately, she was his daughter, so there was no need for him to test it out physically. He decided to go about it in a straightforward manner and asked her directly.


    "How strong am I? I don''t know, but I don''t think I''m inferior to the Pope."


    Charles was mentally prepared, but Sparkle''s answer still managed to astound him. Sparkle was actually on par with the Pope? It had to be known that the Pope''s strength was at the peak of all humans in the Subterranean Sea.


    "I also feel like I''m bing even stronger as I grow. As for how strong I''ll be in the end¡­ I''m not too certain about that, either," Sparkle added.


    <em>She''s going to be even stronger as she grows? </em>For some reason, Charles was reminded of the Divinities he had encountered so far. <em>Will Sparkle eventually be a Divinity?</em>


    Rather than excitement, Charles felt anxious for some reason. It was all because there had never been anything great about bing as strong as a Divinity.


    Charles pondered over it and felt that it was highly unlikely. Sparkle had inherited her special power from him, and there was a limit to the power of Edikth''s strongest Chosen One. Moreover, Sparkle had inherited half of Charles'' power at best, so there was no way she could surpass Charles at his peak.


    "Sparkle, are you sure you aren''t exaggerating? Sure, you''ve be powerful, but you''re still too scared to go above the surface," Charles teased.


    At Charles'' remark, Sparkle immediately sat up straight and retorted, "That''s different! That doesn''t count. The fear that inundates me as I go above the surface is not something that can be ovee by strength alone!


    "And I''m not the only one who''s afraid of what''s above the surface! The Divinities of the Subterranean Sea have even gone into hiding just to avoid that feeling!"

 Chapter 701: Storge

    The news came as a surprise to Charles.


    "They don''t dare to go up there either?" he asked.


    "Of course not! Mommy has records showing that ever since the door in that rockyer was opened, the probability of encountering Divinities at sea has greatly decreased! They''ve all decided to hide in the depths of the ocean!!"


    Charles stroked his chin, looking pensive.


    <em>All the Divinities have gone into hiding? What are they afraid of? Are they afraid of the source of the purple light on the surface world, which is 002? Maybe there''s an existence stronger than 002 on the surface. What existence could that be? 001?</em>


    Charles pondered over the question for a long time and formed a vague guess in his mind, but he wasn''t certain of it. When he came back to his senses, he found that his daughter was already engrossed in reading a book.


    As Sparkle read, her facial features disappeared, reced by luminous green eyes. Sparkle''s reading speed was incredibly high with the help of so many eyes; she could read a page in just a few seconds.


    Charles was a bit embarrassed as he said, "Sorry, I came out here to spend time with you today, but I ended up getting engrossed in my thoughts and distracted once again.


    "It''s fine. I''m very happy just having you by my side," Sparkle replied. Then, the eyes on her face suddenly vanished before being reced by a monstrous maw that engulfed the book in her hand."Let''s not talk about something so serious. Tell me more about your friend. How did you meet your friend?" Charles asked, attempting to talk about an ordinary topic with Sparkle.


    "When Mommy was still at the World''s Crown, she thought I was a bit dull, so she allowed me to y with human children to learn humannguage and human behavior as well as to hone my logical thinking.


    "And that was when I met my good friend. I was just born back then, so it''s been a long time. Next year, I''ll be four years old."


    "Oh, is that so? That means you two can be considered childhood sweethearts," Charles said, nodding in understanding. However, his expression stiffened the next moment, and he sounded unhappy as he muttered, "Is that good friend of yours¡­ a boy?"


    "Nene is a girl, but what does gender have to do with it?" Sparkle asked while staring at Charles with a pair of curious eyes.


    Then, her lips curled up into a smile, and she startedughing. Sheughed louder and louder until she wasughing uncontrobly. "<em>Hahahaha! </em>I''ve read in books that every single father in the world is naturally hostile toward their son-inw!


    "So it''s actually true? <em>Hahahahaha!!</em>"


    Charles clenched his fists and loosened them. Embarrassment suffused his face as he exined, "<em>Ahem, </em>that''s not what I meant. I don''t object to you having a boyfriend, but you''re too young. You''re still three years old. Let''s talk about it once you''ve gotten a bit older."


    Sparkle''s smile slowly faded, and she slowly nestled her head against Charles'' shoulder. Her mirthful expression gradually became stern as she asked, "Daddy, do you know why I want you to stay and keep mepany?"


    "Why?"


    "Because I''m growing up too fast... My personality and logical thinking are maturing rapidly. I heard that humans be more and more numb to affection as they grow older. I''m afraid of bing like them a few yearster.


    "Once my mental age reaches forty, fifty, sixty, or even older, I will certainly be numb to your affection by then. Moreover, I''m not human, even though I can make myself look like one.


    "I''m afraid that I might leave you once I''ve matured and have figured everything out. I don''t want to be like that... At first, I wanted to stop learning and maturing, but it''s not something that I can stop..."


    Sparkle looked up at Charles, and her voice carried a hint of longing as she said, "Daddy, can you stay and apany me here? Please."


    Sparkle''s words tugged at Charles'' heartstrings, and he instantly felt unwell. He raised his trembling right hand and ced it on Sparkle''s shoulder.


    He wanted to open his mouth and say that he''d stay here with her, but he couldn''t open his mouth no matter how much he struggled.


    "You... l-let me think about it. There are many things I have to¡­ consider."


    Sparkle fell into a daze, and her voice sounded downcast as she said, "I feel that I will definitely be lonely by then. I''m not human, nor am I a member of any monster species of the Subterranean Sea. I don''t even think that my own kind exists here.


    "I''ve scoured through many libraries and sought out many monsters throughout the Subterranean Sea. I''ve seen many monsters with many different appearances, but they are ultimately different from me."


    Just then, a cacophony of bouncy footsteps echoed from up ahead.


    Charles looked up and saw boys and girls hopping around on the streets. School was over, and the children could finally go home.


    Charles stroked Sparkle''s smooth and silky hair. "You don''t need to care about being the same as others. It doesn''t matter what you are; you will always be my daughter, Sparkle."


    Sparkle smiled sweetly at the remark. She spread her arms wide and threw herself into Charles'' arms. "I knew you cared about me; you just have no idea how to express it!!"


    Charles had no idea what to say as he hugged her tightly. He had never imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that his daughter would tease him one day.


    Unbeknownst to Charles and Sparkle, Anna was observing them from behind a chimney not too far away from them. Anna''s lips curled up into a smile at the sight, and she muttered, "That''s more like it¡­"


    "Sparkle...? Who is this mister?" Nene asked, staring at the fierce-looking man in front of her with some trepidation.


    "Nene! So school''s finally over for today?" Sparkle said. She pulled Charles up from the bench and introduced, "He''s my daddy! He''s the ship captain daddy I told you about long ago!"


    Sparkle sounded like she was showing off, but her childish behavior made Charles feel touched.


    "Really¡­?" Nene asked, sounding doubtful. "But you two don''t look alike at all. You''re so beautiful, and he..."


    Charles was in a good mood, so he took Nene''s words in stride and jokingly said, "Fortunately, she takes after her mother in appearance."


    "Nene!!" Donna''s anxious shout echoed just then. She rushed over to Nene and stood in front of her to protect her.


    Donna looked incredibly nervous as she stared at Charles. The tall, fierce-looking man looked exactly like a sea pirate! Just how did he manage to enter Hope Ind?


    "Nene''s Mommy, don''t be afraid. He''s my daddy, and he''s also the Governor of Hope Ind," Sparkle exined patiently.


    Donna didn''t trust Charles at all, but she had unconditional faith in Sparkle. Since the fierce-looking man was the Governor of Hope Inds, Donna invited him and his daughter into her house as guests.


    Sparkle winked at Charles with her right eye, and Charles politely epted the invitation.


    Donna was obviously unprepared, as Charles'' visit was just too sudden. She rushed to her neighbors and friends to "borrow" some of their food just so she''d have something to serve to Charles.


    Charles and Sparkle were sitting on a sofa, waiting for the food to be served.


    Charles looked around and found a picture of Nene and Donna on the wooden cab next to him.


    "Your friend is really young."


    "It''s better to have young friends. Children have the purest minds out there. I don''t like dealing with people who have too many ulterior motives. People like them are dirty in my opinion," Sparkle replied.

 Chapter 702: Plea

    Donna tried her best to make the dinner as sumptuous as possible, but she still couldn''t cover up the fact that ingredients had be scarce. After all, Hope Ind was in the middle of rationing, so one could only buy a certain amount of food, regardless of how much they were willing to pay for it.


    Donna and Nene changed into their best clothes to show respect to their guests before serving a variety of dishes at the dining table.


    Charles looked down at his tattered coat and realized that he looked like a beggarpared to them.


    The dinner went swimmingly. For Sparkle''s sake, Charles tried his best to act like an ordinary father visiting the house of his daughter''s friend. The dinner was a pleasant one for both the host and the guest.


    After dinner, Charles sat in their house for a while and chatted enthusiastically with the two before finally leaving with Sparkle.


    When the door closed, Donna and Nene both breathed a sigh of relief and expressed their impression of Charles.


    "Sparkle''s daddy is so fierce¡­ he looks just like a viin."


    "The governor looks really scary, and I was really surprised when he revealed that one of his eyes is a living spider!"


    When the father and daughter pair emerged from Donna''s house, the holes in Hope Ind''s overhead canopy were already covered, allowing night to fall over Hope Ind.However, sunlight didn''t really make any difference to Charles and Sparkle.


    They walked down the empty streets, which were empty due to the curfew.


    Sparkle grabbed Charles'' prosthetic hand and intertwined her fingers with his before gently swinging her hand. Then, Sparkle asked Charles to guess how much strength she''d need to exert to crush Charles'' prosthetic hand.


    "I won''t guess. No matter what I say, you''ll definitely say that I''m wrong," Charles replied with a smile. He could already deduce that his daughter wasn''t going to y fair against him.


    "I''m not going to y any tricks. Just guess."


    "Sparkle, please spare my arm, all right? Installing prosthetics is actually a very painful process," Charles said. He put his hand on Sparkle''s shoulder and kept her close as they walked down the streets.


    "Can you even feel pain? Mommy said that you''re a masochist who''s not afraid of death," Sparkle said jokingly.


    Charles'' expression became a bitplicated at Sparkle''s remark.


    "Well, I''m not a superhuman. I''m afraid of pain and death, like every other human out there. The only difference between me and them is that I know that there is something more terrifying than death and pain.


    "I have no choice but to do certain things to avoid such a horrible fate," Charles said.


    Then, he noticed that the atmosphere had be a bit heavy, so he quickly changed the subject, asking, "What do you want me to do with you tomorrow? Anything is fine. Just tell me, and I''ll be with you."


    "Anything is fine?! That''s what you said! No take-backsies! Hmm, let me think about it¡­" Sparkle muttered as a mischievous smile tugged at her lips.


    "So, what do you want me to do? I have quite a bit of authority throughout the Subterranean Sea, so¡ªhey, don''t go too far¡ª" Charles abruptly whipped around to look at the trash cans in the corner behind him. "Who''s there?! Get out!"


    The good-natured father instantly transformed into the Captain of the Narwhale.


    The nearby trash cans trembled, and a chubby woman emerged while trembling uncontrobly. The chubby woman was none other than Donna''s neighbor, Jasmine.


    Charles willed, and hundreds of invisible tentacles sprang up between him and Jasmine. The tentacles wrapped around Jasmine before moving like a tidal wave to deliver the chubby Jasmine in front of him.


    "Why have you been following me? Who ordered you to follow me?!"


    After oveing countless life-and-death situations over the years, Charles'' aura had be something that anyone couldn''t easily resist. Charles was particrly scary whenever he was serious, and Jasmine was so scared of him that tears almost spilled out of her eyes.


    However, Jasmine recalled that young man''s striking blue eyes and suppressed her fear to ask, "You''re the governor, right? There''s a certain young man who is being tortured in the Relic Research Institute, but he''s innocent!


    "His arrest was a mistake! And he even saved my life! Please save him!!"


    Jasmine''s words sounded like a bunch of nonsense to Charles. Fortunately, Sparkle was there. She tapped Jasmine''s head and tapped Charles'' temple. Scenes popped up in Charles'' mind, and they told him everything he needed to know.


    A few months ago, the chubby woman had rescued an experimental subject, who somehow managed to escape from the Relic Research Institute.


    He was eventually taken away by Hope Ind''s District 3, but the chubby woman hadn''t been able to forget the young man. She had fallen in love with him at first sight, and she had been trying every means to save that young man since then.


    Tonight, Donna had "borrowed" food from her house, saying that the Governor of Hope Ind was in her house.


    Jasmine came up with an idea¡ªshe decided to plead with Charles to save the innocent young man''s life!


    Upon learning of the reason behind why the chubby woman had been following him, Charles rxed.


    He thought that some ndestine organization had infiltrated his ind, but it turned out that the chubby woman had followed him for such a trivial matter. Yes, the young man''s innocence or guilt was a trivial matter to Charles.


    Charles stared at Jasmine for a few moments before walking away with his daughter next to him, "Let''s go, Sparkle. Let''s go back to the mansion. By the way, do you still remember the two tiny people I gave you long ago? Are they still around?"


    "They escaped when the death light appeared, but I captured them. I caught more of their kind, too. I''ll take you to see themter. They are quite interesting," Sparkle replied.


    Realizing that Charles had no ns of entertaining her plea, Jasmine broke down and copsed to the ground. She wailed miserably as she cried out, "Governor! He really is innocent!!"


    For the following days, Charles didn''t return to Annarles Ind and stayed on Hope Ind every day to spend time with Sparkle, seemingly wanting to make up for the time that he hadn''t been able to spend with Sparkle.


    Sometimes, Sparkle had to leave to help her mother, and whenever that happened, Charles would always feel like one of those lonely old men being shown in old charity advertisements on TV.


    It hadn''t been that long since he returned to Hope Ind, but it seemed like he had already gotten used to this kind of lifestyle.


    Soon, it was another morning. Before anything else, Charles checked the documents on the bedside table. They contained reports about the ongoing events on the surface world and throughout the Subterranean Sea.


    Afterward, he stood up and had breakfast. During the meal, Sparkle didn''t appear to startle him as usual, and it told Charles that Sparkle was upied with other matters.


    <em>It''s been so long since that argument. Anna is no longer angry with me, right? If she''s still angry with me, then it''s only right for me to coax her. However, why does the thought of coaxing her make me cringe?</em>


    <em>Ah! That woman is driving me crazy! We''re facing a world-ending crisis here, but she actually still has the luxury to prioritize her feelings? Can''t she just wait until the crisis is resolved before throwing a tantrum?</em>


    While Charles was cutting the bacon on his te with a knife and fork, the chubby woman''s voice from that night echoed in his mind.


    <em>"Governor! He really is innocent!!"</em>


    Chewing on the salty and smokey bacon, Charles pondered,<em> I''m free right now, so why don''t I go and investigate it myself?</em>


    Charles just had to say a word, and his subordinates would immediately handle anything for him. However, Charles had no intention of doing that. He wanted to go there and investigate it personally.

 Chapter 703: Relic Research Institute

    Alone, Charles walked toward the Relic Research Institute. Despite having a car, he didn''t want to drive it. For someone who had spent the majority of time in the confines of the Narwhale, this was a rare opportunity for him to be able to walk freely.


    After walking through the rows of towering chimneys in the factory district, he finally arrived at the gates of the Relic Research Institute. The ce had undergone tremendous changes. Despite being called a research institute, it looked more like a heavily fortified military base.


    As soon as Charles approached, a massive beam of light from the nearby tower''s searchlight shone down on him. A booming voice echoed from a loudspeaker above. "Halt! Raise your ID card and state your name!"


    Charles lifted his head and squinted his eyes, trying to figure out the person behind the voice. However, the blinding strong light made it impossible for him to see who it was. However, he was certain that the speaker could see him clearly.


    "It''s me. Open the gate and let me in."


    "I don''t care who you are! This is a restricted military zone! No one is allowed to enter without an ID card! I''ll count to three! Leave or I''ll shoot!"


    Following which, Charles'' keen sense of hearing picked up the sound of a gun''s safety being released.


    A look of helplessness flickered across Charles'' visage. Had he been away for so long that they no longer recognized him? Still, he ought to recognize the security efforts here.


    "Is Gordon around? Ask him toe out. He knows who I am," Charles replied, bringing up the person he had once chosen to manage the ce."Three!!


    "Two!!


    "One!!"


    Gunshots rang out and instantly, a dozen bullets struck Charles and tore holes in his clothes.


    After a round of bullets, the guards were shocked to see that Charles was still standing despite being hit. One of them immediately pped his hand down on a nearby blue button.


    The next moment, a piercing rm sted through thepounds and the tower lights turned a menacing dark orange.


    "Bullets can''t prate! Target''s body is abnormally tough! Suppression Squad 3, Attack Team 5, move out!"


    Charles shook his clothes, shaking out the bullets from beneath. By the time he was done, he had been surrounded by a swarm of soldiers with their weapons aimed at him.


    A hint of irritation crossed Charles'' face. "What is this? Does not a single one of you recognize me? I''m Charles."


    The soldiers didn''t shift their aim nor lower their weapons.


    One of them retorted, "You might look like the Governor but that doesn''t mean anything! It''s very easy to change one''s looks. Now, drop your weapons and raise both your hands! Else, don''t me us for taking action!"


    As the tension slowly climbed to its peak, a chubby man abruptly dashed out of the research institute. His presence cooled down the heavy atmosphere as he frantically waved his hands and shouted, "Lower your weapons! He''s really the Governor of Hope Ind!"


    The man was Gordon himself, his gleaming golden teeth unmistakable. Hearing Gordon''s words, the surrounding soldiers swiftly retreated.


    Gordon walked up to Charles. "Good morning, dear esteemed Governor. Please pardon them for their rudeness." Gordon then bowed his head that resembled a bloated fish and continued the exnation, "Since the 241 Incident, they only recognize individuals by IDs and not their faces."


    Traces of surprise shes across Charles'' eyes. He then strode toward the distant Relic Research Institute as he said, "Now that the entire Subterranean Sea''s technology is being shared with each other, I thought security would be morex here."


    "No, no, no, Governor Charles. Yes, it may be true that we''ve shared our technology with the rest, but no one surpasses us in terms of research and development," Gordon replied.


    "On top of that, the various technologies shared by the Foundation can only be fully assimted here. Other ces simply don''t have enough people left," Gordon continued.


    Suddenly, Gordon seemed to realize that he had missed out something and added, "Besides,pared to other humans, we are more wary of other non-human entities. After all, the entire seascape is that vast, and we might have only explored a small portion of it. Who knows what lies in the uncharted waters?"


    "Alright alright, I''m now putting anyone to me, what''s with this overjustification? Lead the way, I want to see how things have changed here," Charles said, stopping Gordon from rambling further.


    Gordon nodded and quickened his pace to overtake Charles.


    Though the facility still retained the name "Relic Research Institute," it had long evolved to be Hope Ind''s central research hub. With the knowledge shared by both the Foundation and the other inds, Hope Ind''s technological development had skyrocketed.


    Light tones were the main color palette here. Laboratories and conference rooms were meticulously organized for maximum efficiency while people in various colored uniforms hurried about the various rooms.


    "Governor Charles, take a look at this," Gordon said while presenting a bottle of semi-transparent liquid to Charles.


    "We have derived this from Relic 239; it''s a healing glue. No matter how severe the tear, just a drop and a gentle press will stop the bleeding and even provide antibacterial and anti-inmmatory effects within the body."


    "Then why haven''t I seen this on the surface?" Charles asked as he took the bottle from Gordon and examined it closer.


    A hint of embarrassment appeared on Gordon''s countenance. "Firstly, there are some minor issues with the shelf life and mass production logistics. Secondly, surface exploration teams often faceplete shipwrecks or disappearances, so this item would be less useful."


    Charles stuffed the bottle back into Gordon''s hands and instructed, "Send some to my ship. They will stille in handy at times."


    "Understood," Gordon nodded repeatedly.


    "Is that all? Such things won''t be significant enough to better our current situation. Are there any other things that could make a significant impact?" Charles said.


    After making a round to get to know the various new materials, Charles was slightly dissatisfied. It felt like they had fallen into the same old route again and if they were to continue on this path, Hope Ind would be yet another new Foundation.


    "Well¡­" Gordon replied with a hint of apprehension. "We''ve also assembled a dedicated research team to investigate the rising sea levels."


    "And do you think researching the reason would help? If a solution could be found that way, the Foundation would have discovered it by now."


    "Yes, indeed, Governor. I agree with you as well. But still, we have to try, don''t we? What if we happen to seed?" Gordon answered.


    "Alright, enough of that. That''s not my purpose here anyway. I''m here to look for someone." Charles finally got to the actual purpose of him being here today.


    A look of genuine surprise appeared on Gordon''s face. "Oh? What''s his name?"


    "He¡­" Charles didn''t have an answer since he didn''t know the person''s name. All he knew was that the man had a pair of striking blue eyes.


    "I can draw a portrait of him. I heard that he''s one of the experimental subjects here. He escaped once but was recaptured by District 3."


    "Alright, Governor. Please follow me. We''ll go to the database to see if we can find him," Gordon replied.

 Chapter 704: Apology

    Soon, Charles and Gordon arrived at a door guarded by soldiers. Entering the room, Charles could see a massive screen. Behind which was a towering four-meter-tall brass mechanical box adorned with various exhaust pipes.


    As Gordon typed away on the keyboard, ck smoke billowed from the pipes on the box.


    <em>Aputer powered by coal? Doesn''t the Subterranean Sea already have electricity? Or is this a different developmental direction? </em>Charles pondered as he stared at the gigantic machine before him.


    "Ah~ Found it, Governor. That person is currently in basement three. Shall I bring him up for you?" Gordon asked humbly.


    "No need. Take me to him," Charles replied.


    "Alright, this way, please."


    Entering basement three required passing through several heavy gates and undergoing multiple security checks. The exterior security of the Relic Research Institute was already strict enough, but it was several times tighter internally.


    As they descended level by level, Charles could feel the temperature dropping. Even his exhaled breath was white in the cold. The air was also damp with moisture. Clearly, the ce was not suitable for human habitation.


    Under Gordon''s lead, Charles continued walking. However, as they passed by a door, his keen sense of hearing picked up the sound of water within.Without saying a single word, Charles turned and entered the room. What greeted him was a ss wall blocking out water. Within the water, two groups of people, consisting both men and women, were slowly moving. Meanwhile, some people in whiteb coats were taking notes in front of the ss wall.


    "What''s going on here?" Charles asked, curiosity piqued.


    "Uh¡­ just an immature experiment," Gordon answered as he followed Charles into the room. "The Foundation has a technology that could modify a human''s lungs to allow them to survive underwater."


    Charles'' pupils narrowed slightly. His guess had been spot on. The Foundation indeed possessed technology that could save the humans of the Subterranean Sea, but they chose to sit by idly and watch! Regardless of what their motives were, it was clear that they weren''t acting entirely for the sake of humanity any longer.


    While Charles was submerged in his thoughts, a man in the water suddenly doubled over and erupted into a coughing fit. Gradually, a look of agony appeared on his face as he began to cough up blood; the crimson hue swiftly stained the surrounding waters.


    The unexpected event made Gordon a little embarrassed. "Uh¡­ as I mentioned earlier, this is just an immature experiment. After all, it would take us more than a hundred years to be able to master the Foundation''s vast knowledge."


    Watching the white-robed researchers scurry about in panic, Charles thought for a moment before asking, "Where did you get these people for your experiments? There shouldn''t be that many death row inmates on Hope Ind."


    "People from other inds. As part of a deal to let them in, they volunteered to be experimental subjects," Anna answered as she walked through the doors with her arms folded across her chest.


    "Why? Does that bother you, too? This isn''t any different from you using Western Sea mages as living bombs. It''s the end of the world, Charles. Don''t tell me you want to interfere with this too." Anna''s elegant brows arched slightly in annoyance.


    Instead of pursuing the issue of the experimental subjects, Charles wore aplex expression as he approached Anna.


    "Anna," Charles began. "Previously, it was my mistake for not considering you and Sparkle''s feelings. I''ll do my best to avoid that from now on."


    The corners of Anna''s lips lifted slightly but she quickly suppressed them and pursed her lips. She then adopted a mocking tone and jested, "Oh, look at that. Charles is actually apologizing. How rare is that."


    Anna turned to leave but Charles immediately reached out and pulled her into his embrace in one swift motion.


    Anna struggled violently in his arms but Charles held on. He knew Anna''s strength surpassed his; if she truly wanted to break free, he wouldn''t be able to hold her.


    Charles pressed his lips against Anna''s, and as their kiss deepened, her resistance gradually softened. After three minutes, Anna withdrew her tongue from his mouth.


    The next moment, Anna wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck and nted a passionate kiss on his lips once more. She then effortlessly lifted him up and carried him out.


    Three hourster, A panting Anna''s chest rose and fell with Charles breathing as she rested her head on thetter''s chest.


    "I''m telling you," Anna said as she flipped over to the other side of the bed. "This isn''t over that easily. If you want me to forgive you, you have to stop going to the surface."


    Charles turned to his side and pulled Anna into his arms. "Things on the surface aren''t ending so easily, Jiajia. Someone needs to take charge up there."


    "And what are you taking charge of? Taking charge of dying? If you were to stay at the Colossal Hole Fortress to manage everything, I wouldn''t say anything," Anna retorted.


    Charles lowered his head and buried his nose into Anna''s hair before slightly taking in the fragrance. "Everyone has their strengths. I''m good at exploring, and the explorers need a leader, too."


    Anna immediately sat up and red at Charles. "So, everything you just said a few hours earlier was a lie?"


    Charles hastily tried to defend himself. "No! I meant that I would make it up to you in other ways. You know Lilly is still in the Pope''s hands!"


    "<em>Argh! </em>You''re driving me mad!" Anna eximed in exasperation. She attempted to rise from the bed but Charles grabbed her by the arm.


    "Give me some time to think, alright? I really need to think this through."


    Seeing the troubled look on Charles'' face, Anna sighed andy back down.


    "Do you really think I don''t want you to go up there for my own sake? I''m worried about you. It''s too dangerous up there."


    "I know, I know," Charles said and nted a kiss on her cheek.


    After sharing a few moments of intimacy, they got dressed and stepped out of the room. Anna clung to Charles''s arm; her entire body almost leaning against his.


    "Let''s go. Sparkle is waiting for us outside. We haven''t been speeding time together as a family for so long," Anna said with a smile.


    Charles had only taken a step when he halted. "Wait a minute. You distracted me and I almost forgot why I came to the research institute."


    He turned toward Gordon who had been patiently waiting outside the room and instructed, "Take me to see that man."


    Gordon cast a brief nce at Anna before nodding. "Alright, please follow me."


    As they followed after Gordon, Charles briefly exined the situation to Anna.


    Soon, the three of them arrived at a damp, musty-smelling cell. Inside, a disheveled prisoner was moving his hands rhythmically as he kneaded a piece of metal.


    "His name is Hanks," Gordon exined. "His ability is to reshape objects. Thanks to the enhancement method from the Foundation, he is capable of transforming anything into putty; it doesn''t matter how hard the target object is."


    Charles took a step forward and brushed aside the filthy hair covering Hanks'' face. A pair of striking blye eyes were revealed, but they were now dull and lifeless.


    "A woman told me that you''re innocent. Is that true?" Charles asked as he gave Anna a gentle pinch, signaling to her to watch for any signs of deceit.


    Charles had to repeat his question three times before Hanks finally reacted. His sluggish gaze found Anna and sheer terror slowly suffused his face.

 Chapter 705: Underground

    "<em>Ah!</em>" The horrified man shot up, and the chains on his limbs created metallic nging sounds.


    The young man named Hanks opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but despite his face turning red from the exertion, he still couldn''t say anything.


    "Speak up. Are you mute?" Charles asked again.


    "I..." Hanks used all his strength to blurt out a single word, and then he immediately sat back down. His pupils trembled slightly as he stared at the metal block in front of him before continuing his work.


    Charles fell into contemtion at Hanks'' strange behavior. After thinking for a while, he turned to Gordon next to him and said, "Unlock the chains on him. I''ll take him out of here."


    "<em>Uh... </em>Governor, I think that''s a bit too dangerous. His ability to reshape objects is very dangerous. His ability affects not just metals but flesh as well. He can block the blood vessels of human beings just by a mere graze."


    Charles cast a dissatisfied gaze at Gordon. "Do you think I can''t handle this guy? I told you to release him, so release him!!"


    Gordon obliged and ordered the soldier next to Charles to unlock Hanks'' chains.


    Charles turned to Anna and said, "I''ll go up first. I''ll visit you once I''m done with this."Anna rolled her eyes at Charles and let go of his arm. "I can''t believe you''re so idle. There are so many things for you to handle, yet you''vee here to handle this trivial matter. In your eyes, I guess everything is more important than me."


    "I''ll make it up to you. I promise."


    With that, Charles reached out and grabbed Hanks'' cor, which had been soaked in sweat to the point that it smelled incredibly sour. Charles pulled Hanks toward the exit, and the young man didn''t resist at all, allowing the former to do whatever he wanted to do with him.


    When the sound of Charles'' footsteps disappeared into the distance, the smiling Anna walked out of the cell, with Gordon following closely behind her.


    The two arrived in an elevator, and Anna stretched out her fair finger, pressing on a nk space with no buttons. Surprisingly, the elevator, which was supposed to have already reached the lowest level, actually began to descend.


    "Mistress, you''ve already altered Hanks'' memories. Charles is not going to discover anything," Gordon said.


    However, Anna shook her head slightly and replied, "<em>Heh, </em>you can''t say that for sure. I saw the doubt in his mind; he is already suspicious of me. That guy is so distrustful.


    "And he must have also guessed that I noticed his suspicion toward me. That must be the reason he didn''t tell me to follow him."


    <em>Ding!</em>


    The elevator doors opened, revealing an underground space the size of a football field. A variety of strange machines were neatly arranged in the underground space, and multiple mischief of mice ran back and forth, constantly making fine adjustments to the machines.


    The mice were the workers here, and the machines would have stopped working long ago if it hadn''t been for them.


    However, the machines here weren''t just made out of metal. There were people inside the machine, which appeared to be supporting the lives of the people inside of it.


    Ironically, the people had no lower bodies or brains. Many different tubes were connected to their mouths and figures, making them appear like Frankenstein''s monster.


    Every single machine contained two or even three experimental subjects spliced together rather than just one experimental subject, and it seemed like it wasn''t just their flesh that was spliced together¡ªtheir powers seemed to havebined as well.


    In addition, the overall arrangement of these machines, which seemed to be made out of flesh and blood as well as gears, followed a certain pattern that resembled the magic arrays of the Western Seas.


    An arm the size of a tiny house was in the middle of the bizarre array drawn using the strange machines. Pitch-ck dots seeped nonstop out of the arm before condensing into a ball in mid-air.


    This underground facility was countless times more efficient than the facility up above. The experimental subjects up above were capable of having their own thoughts and would always escape whenever it was possible. Moreover, there were also quite a few misceneous issues popping up from time to time.


    However, things werepletely different here. The experimental subjects hadpletely be a part of these machines, so they couldn''t do anything other than use their powers to perform actions based on the established protocol.


    "What should we do? I''m sure the governor is going to kick up a fuss once he discovers this ce," Gordon said, looking a bit worried and uncertain about their next course of action.


    However, Anna wasn''t worried at all. Instead, a smile tugged at her lips as she said, "Wouldn''t that be great? If he wants to stay down here and y detective with me, then I have to make sure that he won''t discover this ce so easily.


    "It''d be great if he does that, as he wouldn''t go up there and seek his own demise."


    "Mistress, I really think that what we''re doing here isn''t appropriate. If Charles finds out about what you''re doing here, I''m afraid that the things you''ve done in Newbound City will not remain unscathed.


    "I''m sure he''s going to retract the authority that he has bestowed upon you the moment he finds out what has been going on," Gordon said.


    Anna looked at Gordon with contempt in her eyes and said, "Do you really think that I care about this ce? No, I don''t care about this ce as well. Nothing good wille out of following the Foundation''s old footsteps.


    "I''m just taking advantage of them to obtain power¡ªthe power of the Divinities!"


    Gordon lowered his head and looked down.


    "If the humans of the Subterranean Sea have to rely on outsiders like us to survive, then I believe their existence is useless," Anna said. She moved her face close to the ss and peeked at the experimental subjects inside. "If they''re going to eventually drown, then why not make them contribute before that happens?"


    "We have these chaos machines as well, so the extraction process has be much faster."


    "What you said is correct, Mistress! The true path is bing even stronger! The moment you be a Divinity, mankind will finally have their sanctuary! This is the one and only way to survive!" Gordon eximed with full of fanatic zeal.


    Just then, Anna sighed leisurely upon being reminded of something. "You''re right, so why can''t Charles understand that fact when it''s so easy to understand? Why does he even bother saving the Subterranean Sea when he''s not even from here?"


    "The deaths of these people have nothing to do with him. He''s adamant that he''s going to save them. Save, my ass! The Light God has already killed eighty percent of the Subterranean Sea''s poption, so how many people can he save at most?


    "His life is more valuable than the life of every single person in the Subterranean Sea! No one among the people here is worth dying for!" Anna eximed. Then, squirming ck tentacles burst out behind her and lifted her into the air.


    She crawled toward one of the machines like an octopus. She reached out and pinched it lightly, and an expression of extreme delight suffused her face. The next moment, a fissure appeared in her gorgeous figure, and she slowly dragged the ck mass into the fissure.


    Anna wrapped herself around the ck mass for the next eight hours or so. When she finally let go of the ck mass, it had be a small ball.


    "My growth has slowed down quite a bit. At this rate, who knows how long it will take for me to be a true Divinity?" Anna said, looking a bit helpless as she stared at the pitch-ck ball in mid-air.


    Anna shook her head and turned to look at Gordon behind her, asking, "How is it? Has Charles started interrogating the institute''s workers?"


    "<em>Uh...</em> No, he chatted with the workers for a bit before leaving. The governor granted a pardon to Hanks before leaving with Sparkle to tour the many different inds of the Subterranean Sea. Right now, he''s on Annarles Ind and is painting a portratit for Lady Sparkle."


    "<em>Huh?</em>" Anna was astonished. Then, sheughed and said, "That guy actually trusts me to this extent? Was I wrong? Is he really not suspicious of me? Now, I''m feeling ashamed for suspecting him of being suspicious of me."


    "What are we going to do with Governor Charles, Mistress?"


    "What do you think can we do to him? Since he has yet to discover what has been going on behind the scenes, then let''s just muddle along and proceed as usual."

 Chapter 706: Letter

    In the backyard of the Governor''s Mansion on Annarles Ind, Charles was in the middle of painting his daughter, who was hovering in mid-air. "Sparkle, slightly raise your third tentacle on the left. Good, that''s great. Now hold it... hold it. Done!"


    Charles stared at his work on the drawing board with a satisfied smile. A wriggling clump of tentacles riddled with glowing eyeballs descended toward him and stared at the portrait on the drawing board.


    The painting depicted a clump of tentacles riddled with green glowing eyeballs with a cross-shaped pupil in the middle of it. The background was the ck tower, which was the elevator that led to the suspended monorail, and the airships heading to the surface world.


    Overall, the entire painting appeared to be a coherent and harmonious integration of many contrasting elements.


    "What do you think? Daddy''s pretty good, right?" Charles asked without turning to look at Sparkle.


    "I like it a lot. It''s so beautiful. You should paint one for Mommy, too."


    "Forget it. I already did that, but she''s the type of person who can''t remain idle. At most, she can sit still for thirty minutes before she starts moring about wanting to eat someone," Charles said. He took down the painting in front of him and folded it together before putting it away into his diary.


    Charles took out his pocket watch and nced at it.


    "It''s already sote?" Charles said, sounding surprised. "Let''s go, Sparkle. Let''s find something to eat.""Mmhm!" Sparkle transformed into a young girl and pulled Charles toward the streets outside.


    Hope Ind had a lot more peoplepared to Annarles Ind, and the air was a bit more oppressive as well. However, Annarles Ind was rtively more lively and full of life. There was no curfew here, as it was a transport hub between the Subterranean Sea and the surface world.


    The father and daughter pair walked down the bustling streets, and they found the atmosphere of the market here to be drastically differentpared to the other inds.


    Annarles Ind was indeed a transport hub; all resources to be sent to the surface would be sorted out here before they were loaded into airships and sent up batch after batch.


    Charles and Sparkle saw people frantically delivering and receiving goods around the clock. Everyone was incredibly busy, so the atmosphere here was much better than on the other inds. Everyone was so busy that they barely had five minutes to eat, so it appeared like they had all forgotten about the rising sea levels.


    Charles looked up at the huge hole overhead and felt a bit emotional at the sight of airships going up and down nonstop. When 010 was still here, Charles couldn''t have guessed that this ce would actually be such a bustling ce.


    While Charles was engrossed in his emotions, a suppressed sobbing entered his keen ears. It stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the cacophonous murmurs and shouts of the crowd.


    Charles turned and saw a mailman delivering a ck letter to a woman.


    The woman seemed shaken at the sight of the ck letter. She waved her hands frantically and staggered backward. The color of the letter couldn''t mean anything but death¡ªsomeone rted to the woman had perished on the surface world.


    A shadow was cast over Charles'' heart when he saw the ck letter. He pulled Sparkle and walked over until he could hear the mailman and the woman''s conversation.


    "I understand your grief, Madam, but please sign the letter. I still have quite a few letters to deliver." The mailman''s words made Charles look at the bulging green bag on the back seat of his bicycle.


    "No... this can''t be real! He said he''de back!! He said he''de back, and he never lies to me!!" the xen-haired woman screamed hysterically and copsed to the ground in a mental breakdown.


    In the end, an eleven-year-old boy reached out and epted the ck letter. He opened the letter and carefully read the text within. The eleven-year-old boy seemed to be the woman''s child.


    Soon, the boy''s eyes became bloodshot. He desperately held back his tears, but they still dripped onto the letter in his hands.


    Charles walked over and scanned the letter.


    <em>Emma, this is the will that I''ve deposited at the Explorers Association. If you''re reading this letter, then it means that I''m dead. There should be a contract document along with this will, and it is a contract that clearly states thepensation that you will receive upon my death.</em>


    <em>Keep it safe. Once the darkness has been retrieved and the crisis is over, you can use that contract to im a 200-square-meter plot ofnd. </em>


    <em>Make sure to imnd that is in the heart of this ind. If they give you a plot ofnd located in some trashy ce, go to the Explorers Association and look for my captain, Captain Icke. He''s the Captain of the Maiden''s Love while I''m the helmsman. He will stand up for you.</em>


    <em>However, if Captain Icke ended up dying with me, then don''t make a fuss. Take whatever they give you, and don''t argue with them. You can''t beat them. </em>


    <em>There are some gold bars in the secondyer of the red box; the gold bars are my savings throughout the years. They should be enough for you to live on.</em>


    <em>Emma, you must have to find a man to settle with if the world is still very chaotic in the future. You''re a woman with a bunch of gold. If the news of your wealth spreads and you''re alone, trouble will definitelye your way.</em>


    <em>I suggest you look for someone working in the Governor''s Mansion. Maybe a small-time gang leader or something. Anyway, I''m done. This is it. If you can afford it, then spend some money on a tutor so that Harran will learn to read and write.</em>


    There was a postscript in the letter.


    <em>Hello, Miss Emma. I''m the ship''s doctor, and I''m the one who helped your illiterate husbandpose this letter. I can see that he loves you very much, but he''s just not that great at expressing his feelings.</em>


    <em>I can feel that he really wants to express his love for you through this letter, but he''s just too embarrassed to say anything about that because I''m writing on his behalf. Haha, he''s funny, isn''t he? I really hope that you''ll never receive this letter, beautiful miss.</em>


    Charles had just finished reading the letter when the xen-haired woman on the ground abruptly up and snatched the letter away. Then, she started tearing it apart while crying out loud, "What did I tell you?! Why did you go up there to die?! You''re just their cannon fodder, you bastard! Why did you not listen to me?!"


    The boy went down on his knees and gathered the torn pieces of paper as tears streamed down his face. At his mother''s furious words, the boy''s voice was trembling as he retorted, "Daddy isn''t a cannon fodder... He''s a hero... He told me he''s a hero!"


    "Hero, my ass! He''s dead!! Your dad is dead! He''s nevering back! If he wasn''t a cannon fodder that they sent up there to die, then what is he?!" the xen-haired woman yelled hysterically before leaning against the door, crying.


    "My daddy is a hero..." the boy muttered as he stared at the torn pieces of paper in his hands.


    Charles half-squatted and reached out to pat the boy on the shoulder; his voice was unusually firm as he said, "That''s right. Your daddy is a hero ¡ªa hero who saved the Subterranean Sea."


    The boy looked up and stared at the stranger in front of him.


    "Keep the paper. It will be useful to you in the future," Charles said. He then stood up and turned around to leave with his daughter.


    Charles and Sparkle were quiet as they walked down the street. Sparkle''s head was lowered as she kicked the stones on the ground. Eventually, she shattered the ice to ask, "Daddy, do you want me to make their lives a bit better?"


    Charles turned to stare at the xen-haired woman and her child in the distance. The xen-haired woman was kneeling on the ground and was crying while trying to piece together the letter that she had torn apart.


    Charles fell into deep contemtion. Eventually, he emerged from his thoughts, and his expression wasplex as he said, "That''s not what they need. Let''s go¡­ let''s go back home."

 Chapter 707: Tobba

    Night fell over Hope Ind...


    Holding a square ss of whiskey in his hand, Charles stood on the balcony of the Governor''s Mansion. His sight was on the sea waters that had seemed to encroach farther ind since thest time he saw it.


    Sleep eluded him as his mind was consumed by thoughts of the mother and child he had encountered earlier today. Charles turned around to see his daughter seated on the bed and engrossed in her book.


    Sparkle never seemed to need sleep. Every night, she would read until dawn.


    Just then, vines adorned with ck leaves climbed up the balcony and coiled around the ledge. Bandages scaled the vines and stepped onto the balcony.


    "Captain¡­ you¡­ are hesitating¡­?"


    Charles took a brief nce at Bandages before retrieving a ss from the table beside and filling it with whiskey. He handed it over to his first mate and asked, "How do you know?"


    epting the drink, Bandages answered, "The respite¡­ has been too long¡­ something''s not right¡­"


    Charles lowered his head and let out a dry chuckle. "You sure know me well. Actually, when Lily was once again taken away by the Pope, I started thinking if I had made a mistake."I no longer have a home. All of you are my family now, but I keep putting my own family in danger. I''m too selfish."


    Bandages shook his head. "We joined the crew¡­ not because of¡­ your orders¡­ nor for¡­ ourselves¡­ It''s for¡­ our families¡­ the rising sea levels¡­ threatens everyone¡­


    "Everyone¡­ wants to save¡­ their loved ones¡­ their families in the¡­ Subterranean Sea."


    Charles tightened his grip on the whiskey ss. A hint of mncholy underlined his voice as he remarked, "It''s not the first time Anna has told me to stop exploring the surface. Our rtionship has been strainedtely because of it. Even my daughter, Sparkle, has been pleading with me to stay.


    "Although I have yet to say anything, I''m actually wavering a bit. However, something happened today that made me realize a certain fact.


    "If I have been asking others to leave their families behind and risk their lives on the surface to save the Subterranean Sea, then I have no right to hide in their shadows andmand them from the rear.


    "This is important because I''m the leader. Only by going up there and being there in person with the others would everyone work together as heroes in saving the Subterranean Sea.


    "If I stay down below, they''ll just be cannon fodders being sent to their deaths!"


    A look of resolve reignited in Charles'' gaze. "If saving the Subterranean Sea requires everyone to make some sacrifices, then I should be part of that as well!"


    Bandages raised his ss toward Charles'' ss. A stiff smile appeared on his otherwise expressionless face.


    "To¡­ Hope Ind''s¡­ Governor¡­ Charles."


    "To Hope Ind''s Admiral, Weister!"


    Their sses clinked softly in the night air before both men downed the contents in their respective cups.


    Bandages walked over to the nearby table, picked up the bottle, and poured more whiskey into his ss. "Linda¡­ said¡­ you''ve lost your humanity¡­I disagree¡­ I know you¡­ Your humanity¡­won''t be easily gone¡­just because¡­ of a simple change¡­in appearance."


    "Humanity or not, I don''t care. I just want this to end as soon as possible," Charles replied.


    The conversation between the two men didn''t go unheard by Sparkle in the room. A hint of sadness crossed her delicate face. She closed her book with a heavy thud and threw it forcefully onto the pillow beside her


    Meanwhile, Charles and Bandages drank ss after ss on the balcony. Moments of leisure when they could allow themselves to converse freely about anything and everything were rare.


    It didn''t take long before the bottle was empty. Despite feeling a little tipsy, Charles wanted more. He poked his head into the room and called out, "Sparkle, get me a bottle of hard liquor from the cer!"


    "No! It''ste! Your teeth will rot if you drink more!" Sparkle grumbled


    "Come on, good girl. Your Uncle Bandages is here, too. Don''t embarrass me, just one bottle. Please!"


    Before Sparkle could vanish to fetch the alcohol, a dirty hand suddenly grasped the edge of the balcony. The two men instinctively reached for their weapons.


    "Don''t just freeze there! Help pull me up!" A familiar voice sounded.


    Charles'' heart leaped with joy upon recognizing the voice. He and Bandages grabbed an arm each, and with a collective heave, they pulled the person up onto the balcony.


    The man had a bed of messy white hair, coupled with a bushy white beard and a face full of wrinkles. He was no doubt Tobba, the former Navigator of the Narwhale, whom Charles had retired upon going mad.


    "Tobba! It''s been so long; you finally found your way back from the other perspective?" Charles asked.


    A look of despondence appeared on Tobba''s face as he dug into his pockets and pulled out a bunch of crumpled newspaper rabbits. "So many of them¡­ they''re all worn out. I''m <em>soooo</em> exhausted."


    Hearing the entric reply from Tobba, Charles couldn''t help but let out a dry chuckle. After a long stretch of bad news, there was finally something positive.


    The return of an old member of the Narwhale was indeed a rare and weing event.


    "Alright, since you''re now back,e back aboard. I hope your sometimes urate, sometimes misleading foresight will be useful in the surface world that is even more bizarre than the Subterranean Sea." Charles reached out and brushed the breadcrumbs away from Tobba''s face.


    Charles was about to retract his hand when Tobba grabbed it tightly. The sense of urgency on Tobba''s face was unmistakable as he said, "Hurry! Get to the deck! You''re the captain, and you must be the captain! The old captain is dead, and the new captain has to be you!"


    "<em>Huh?</em>" Charles'' brows knitted together as he stared at the old man. "Do you mean to tell me to continue exploring? What did you see in the future?"


    Tobba suddenly let go of Charles'' hand and headed into the room. At the same time, he slipped back into his erratic behavior.


    Charles knew Tobba''s words couldn''t be taken literally. His words sounded mad and iprehensible because they had been twisted after being refracted from another perspective. From past experiences, he knew that Tobba''s predictions carried hidden meanings.


    Catching Tobba as he was thrown out by Sparkles'' tentacles, Charles said, "I was going to continue regardless, but can you exin a little more clearly? When you say ''deck,'' do you mean the literal deck, or is that some sort of metaphor?"


    However, Tobba ignored Charles'' question. He turned to look at Charles with a gaze that made him look pitiful and asked, "Do you have any food? I''m hungry."


    Charles let out a soft sigh. Tobba''s prophecies were always so vague and cryptic. Even knowing they contained important information, deciphering them was a daunting task.


    It would be ideal to find someone capable of deciphering Tobba''s ramblings. Previously, 068 had the ability to interpret them, but the mobile city had beenpletely contaminated on the surface.


    While Charles and Bandages watched Tobba devour his food voraciously, they suddenly noticed a group of people standing on the balcony.


    Julio stood at the forefront of the group. Judging from their demeanor, they were clearly not to be trifled with.


    "You''re finally here!" Charles rose to his feet.


    "You called me here to deal with the Pope and rescue your crew member?" Julio asked with a strange expression.


    "Yes."


    "But your crew member has already returned. She''s now at the Colossal Hole Fortress."


    "What?! Lily has been resurrected?! I haven''t seen her in so long!" Tobba eximed excitedly with his mouth stuffed full of bread. <blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    And my favoriteical relief is back!!!</blockquote>

 Chapter 708: Lily and Lylejay

    Sobbing sounds reverberated throughout the room.


    Lily was sobbing softly; her eyes were slightly red from the crying, and her fur was soaked with tears. Tear streaks could be seen on her furry mouse face.


    She was confined in a dimly lit basement, and the only source of light in the room was an oilmp hanging on the wall.


    The room appeared rather peculiar, with the walls having uneven surfaces and covered in fingerprints. It was as though a giant hand had crudely molded the room out of y.


    Suddenly, a tremor coursed through the room. A purple light illuminated the space as the entire room split into two. Then, the Pope entered through the fissure with arge bundle on his back.


    The moment he entered the room, he waved his right hand, and the room sealed itself back together. Darkness engulfed the room once again.


    "God, please forgive me. I took some time to shake off a few tails. Are You hungry? I brought You some food," Lylejay said as he opened the backpack on his back and took out a variety of canned foods and staples.


    Metal cans were no different from paper in the Pope''s hands. With a gentle pry, he effortlessly tore the lids open and neatly arranged the cans in front of Lily.


    Naturally, Lily had no intention of showing any hint of gratitude toward her kidnapper. Her eyes burned with fury as she red at Lylejay before turning away and hugging her tail, presenting him with her back.The Pope picked up a can of luncheon meat and repositioned himself to kneel in front of Lily. Offering it with deep reverence, he pleaded, "God, please eat something. The feeling of hunger is horrible. If there''s anything worse than death, it''s starvation."


    Lily ignored Lylejay.


    Lylejay proceeded to scoop a bit of the meat with his fingernail and offered it to her.


    "I don''t want it! I hate you! Get lost!" Lily shouted furiously as she stood up and pushed Lylejay''s finger away with her tiny paws.


    Lily''s refusal to eat caused a hint of anger to surge within Lylejay. He grabbed Lily and tried to force the meat into her mouth.


    Lily shut her eyes tight and shook her head from side to side to avoid Lylejay''s finger. However, her resistance was futile before him. His strong finger pried her tiny teeth apart and shoved the meat down her throat.


    Lily started crying in desperation, but her sudden reaction made the shoved meat enter the wrong tube; it went down her windpipe, and Lily erupted into a coughing fit, choking from the meat.


    Lylejay panicked as he tried to help Lily breathe properly again. When Lily finally spat out the meat and was crying like a broken doll on the ground, guilt suffused Lylejay''s face as he looked at the golden mouse.


    Without a second thought, Lylejay pulled out a knife and stabbed himself in the abdomen before twisting the hilt.


    The physical pain coursing through him slightly eased his guilt for hurting Lily. "God, I deserved to be punished for defiling You. But You must really eat something."


    Still trembling, Lily struggled to stand up. She red at him with tears in her eyes and cried out, "How many times do I have to repeat myself?! I am not your god! I am not!!"


    The Pope reached out a trembling right hand, but Lily jumped out of his reach.


    "No," Lylejay retorted. "You are my God. Your soul has already merged with the Green Light. I know that.


    "I also know that it will be hard to return the other six lights to their positions. But it doesn''t matter; I have plenty of time.


    "If I can spend a hundred years saving you from that darkness before, I can certainly spend another hundred years bringing you back. I can definitely do it!"


    A look of fanatical devotion appeared on Lylejay''s visage. However, it looked majorly unsettling on his ten-year-old face.


    Clearly, Lily disagreed with Lylejay''s words. "There''s no hundred years! In two years, at most, the entire Subterranean Sea will be flooded!"


    Pope Lylejay shook his head with a faint smile. "Whatever happens to the humans has nothing to do with us. Their deaths will not hinder Your return.


    "The great Ancient Ruler never needed humanity. You chose to bring them away with You previously out of Your own kindness andpassion. And that is something that is unheard of from the other gods.


    "Humans may be important to You, but I know that with a single will, You can easily destroy them, and just as easily, you can bring them back to life. The fate of humanity lies with just a single thought of Yours."


    Lily''s pupils trembled upon hearing Lylejay''s words. She suddenly recalled that the light that had wiped out so many people before was this madman''s doing. Of course, Lylejay wouldn''t care even if mankind was annihted.


    "You¡­ You''re crazy! You murderer!" Lily screamed and pointed at him with her tiny paw.


    "Yes, You are right. I am. But until You are fully resurrected, I cannot die," Lylejay said. He then lifted a fingernail worth of meat mush and brought it toward the terrified Lily.


    That evening''s dinnersted for a long while. Eventually, Lily gave in as she realized her resistance was futile. Even if she choked, this madman would just stab himself, apologize, and then repeat the process.


    Exhausted from all the crying, shouting, and struggling, Lily was fast asleep that night. When she woke up the next morning, it was already ten o''clock.


    She opened her eyes and realized that she was not in the strange stone room the day before. Instead, that crazy boy was holding her in his hands and was walking down the road. Lily could see a city up ahead.


    Lily wasn''t sure where they were, but from the ascending and descending airships, she was certain that they were near one of the human outposts on the surface world.


    "God, we''re heading back to the Subterranean Sea now. I know you don''t like this ce. Neither do I," Lylejay said softly as he quickened his pace toward the city.


    "Once we are in the city, please stay quiet for a moment, alright? You know it as well as I do that even if You cried for help, they would be powerless to stop me."


    Lily pondered for a moment before looking up at Lylejay. She then shed him a big, radiant smile. "Sure."


    She knew she couldn''t resist him head-on. Thus, being the clever mouse she was, she decided to find another way to escape.


    Draped in a gray cloak, Lylejay didn''t infiltrate the city directly. Instead, he waited for an opportune moment and jumped onto a train billowing with white smoke.


    After all, in a ce like the surface world, walking solo from the semi-desert terrain straight into an outpost was as good as a dead giveaway of his identity.


    When Lylejay stepped off the bustling train, his short stature made him blend seamlessly into the crowd. However, he deliberately kept his face hidden under the cloak and avoided the soldiers patrolling the streets.


    His wanted posters were stered all over the city, after all.

 Chapter 709: Ways

    "I want to eat that!" Lily eximed as they walked past a restaurant. Her tiny paw was pointed at the grilled prawns on someone''s te behind the ss window. "The canned food yesterday was so horrible; it was so salty I almost died."


    Lylejay''s steps halted. Without saying a word, he nodded and brought Lily into the bustling restaurant.


    Soon, the two were seated on a couch in a private room. A smile of affection graced Lylejay''s face as he watched Lily devour the sulent shrimp. He also held two different sauces, one in each hand, serving her by the side.


    While indulging in her food, Lily''s beady eyes darted around the room in search of any mouse holes. But to her dismay, she found none. A hint of frustration crossed her face. She wasn''t here just for food. She was hoping she could run into another fellow mouse.


    Suddenly, Lily swallowed the mouthful of food in her mouth andined, " I can''t eat with you staring at me. I don''t like people watching me while I eat. Go wait outside!"


    "Alright, I''ll wait for you outside," Lylejay said and ced down both sauces before leaving the room.


    As soon as she heard the sound of the door closing, Lily hurriedly plucked some of her fur and arranged it on the table to spell out a few simple words of distress.


    She then carefully lifted the te and ced it over the fur to cover the makeshift message. Once the waiter cleared the tester, he would definitely be able to see it.


    "I''m done!" Lily called out toward the door when she was done with her preparations.Hearing Lily''s call, Lylejay entered the room again. He sat down and scooped the shrimp shells and leftover shrimp pieces from Lily''s te, stuffing them into his mouth. Then he picked up the te and together with all the fur underneath, he brushed them all into his mouth as well.


    "God, since you''re full, let''s go," Lylejay said as he tucked Lily, whose tears had welled up in her eyes, into his sleeve and exited the private room.


    Back on the bustling streets, Lily''s mind was racing with ideas on how she should escape. Just then, she spotted a mouse perched on a bald head. Her eyes lit up with hope¡ªit was one of the mice she had sent out to assist the other exploration ships!


    Just as Lily was about to shout, Lylejay''s hand reached out swiftly and covered her mouth. No matter how hard Lily bit down on his flesh with her tiny front teeth, his grip remained unyielding.


    Lylejay bowed his head to avoid a patrol squad and then darted to the back of a brothel before finally releasing his hand over Lily''s mouth. "I''ve told You that these attempts are useless. Stop wasting Your energy."


    "Hmph!" Lily let out a snort and retorted angrily, "Don''t be so smug about it! Mr. Charles will definitelye to rescue me!"


    "Charles?" Lylejay''s brows slightly furrowed. "Do You really think he cares about You as I do? You''re nothing but a tool to him."


    "No! He likes me! We even kissed! He genuinely cares about me! You''re nothing like Charles! You just see me as a vessel for the Light God!"


    Lylejay gently shook his head. "No, the Light God resides within You. Your body was also created by the Light God. You are the Light God!"


    "I''m <em>not</em> the Light God!! I''m Lily! Stop being delusional! Your Light God is dead!" Lily''s young but determined voice rang out in the alley. Lylejay''s expression faltered momentarily, but he quicklyposed himself.


    "No! You <em>are</em> the Light God! The Light God can''t die! Your radiance will shine upon us again!" Lylejay dered fervently.


    Before Lily could say another word, he hastily left the alley. This time, his pace was quick, almost as if he were trying to escape something.


    Upon seeing the airport that was built next to the massive hole, realization finally dawned on Lily that they were in the Colossal Hole Fortress. They were truly about to descend to the Subterranean Sea.


    Security was incredibly tight here and every passenger boarding an airship had to undergo identity verification, multiple checks even. Not only were their identity documents printed with their photos, but they even had to go through arge steam-powered machine to verify their authenticity,


    Seeing the extensive security measures from afar, Lylejay felt a hint of apprehension. This was indeed a difficult situation. Not everything could be resolved by sheer force.


    An example would be his current situation. If he tried to break through by overpowering the guards, the guards wouldn''t be able to stop him, but it would definitely alert those down below. The moment he arrivedat the ind beneath, the entire ind would have been turned into a trap waiting for him.


    Just as Lylejay was pondering how to get back down to the Subterranean Sea, he suddenly noticed an airship emerging from the colossal hole andnding on the spacious airport. A man disembarked and was immediately surrounded by a crowd.


    Though the man had put on some weight, Lily still recognized him instantly. He was James, the former chief engineer of the Narwhale.


    "Hmm¡­ It seems like this young man holds quite a high position here. In that case, him it shall be," Lylejay muttered before he silently began to follow James.


    "What are you nning to do? What are you going to do to him?" Staring at Lylejay''s gaze, Lily could sense something off, and panic began to stir within her.


    "Nothing much, just finding a way to get down there," Lylejay''s words only heightened Lily''s concern.


    "I''m telling you! Don''t you dare hurt James!! He''s Mr. Charles'' subordinate!"


    However, Lily''s words only served to quicken Lylejay''s pace instead of slowing him.


    "Oh, isn''t that even better?" Lylejay said with a chuckle.


    "You¡­ don''t hurt him! He''s my friend too! He''s my best friend! I''m begging you!" Lily sounded as though she was about to burst into tears the next moment.


    "Please! Let him go! As long as you don''t harm him, I''ll do whatever you say, alright? I won''t run away anymore. I''ll stay by your side obediently." Lily begged in desperation.


    Only then did Lylejay finally slow down in his steps¡­


    "Alright, there is more than one way to return to the Subterranean Sea. I''ll find another way. But please keep Your word and stay by my side without causing trouble."


    "Okay¡­" Lily''s mouse ears drooped slightly, and a bitter expression crossed her furry face.


    Lylejay turned to look at the giant hole in the distance. There were indeed many ways down, and the best course of action was to find one that caused the least disruption.


    Since he had yet to establish his own forces again and was just a lone individual, it was best not to provoke Charles¡¯ forces.


    Just then, a tall Haikor walked toward him. As soon as he brushed past Lylejay, a ck backpack fell from his sleeve andnded right at Lylejay¡¯s feet.


    Lylejay picked up the bag and looked at it, his eyes filled with curiosity. He then lifted his gaze to stare at the tall Haikor''s retreating figure.


    "Hmm? Where did thate from? You weren''t holding that before." Lily asked in confusion upon returning to her senses.


    Bringing the backpack to a secluded corner, Lylejay then unzipped it to find a shriveled human skin and several red papers.


    He remembered seeing these papers. Those boarding the airships were holding onto these. With these, he could now descend from the surface world to the Subterranean Sea.

 Chapter 710: Power

    Looking at the items that the "kind-hearted" Haikor had left for him in the backpack, Lylejay pondered for just a brief moment before he headed for the nearest public restroom.


    When he emerged from the restroom, his appearance hadpletely changed. In the ce of a twelve-year-old boy was a youth who looked to be in histe teens. His face wasn''t the only thing that had changed, even his height had increased.


    With his new look, Lylejay''s dilemma was easily resolved. No matter how tight security might be, it wouldn''t be able to stop him any longer. Even the wanted notices issued by the Explorers Association were now useless; after all, his face had changedpletely.


    As he caressed his own new facial features, Lylejay thought about the Haikor who had thrown him the human skin mask. The corners of his lips curved up into a faint smile.


    "I see¡­ so that''s how it is, huh? Those guys are only pretending to cooperate. Who knows what their true motives are." Lylejay paused with a chuckle. "But whatever they are, Charles is going to have a tough time ahead."


    "What are you talking about? Where are all those things from?" Lily asked, clearly puzzled by the series of events.


    Lylejay didn''t answer her; he merely carried Lily along and walked toward the distant airship.


    With his new outward appearance and the perfect boarding documents, Lylejay easily boarded the airship.


    In the cabin, Lylejay smiled at Lily, who looked clearly despondent. "It will take a while to travel from the surface to the Subterranean Sea. Let''s upy ourselves with something else in the meantime."


    "Like what?" Lily asked nonchntly, her ears drooping in dejection. She felt that escape was a faraway dream now.


    With a slight lift of his hand, a radiant, milky-white light emanated from Lylejay''s palm to coalesce into a small orb of light.


    "An immense power lies within You; but it''s wasted if You don''t use it. I''m going to teach You how to use it," Lylejay said.


    Lily''s ears perked up immediately as a surge of excitement coursed through her.


    A thought shed through her mind. <em>If I learn how to harness the power within me, I could defeat him and escape!</em>


    Filled with newfound hope of escaping, Lily suddenly felt full of energy and expressed her eagerness to learn.


    "First, close Your eyes and feel the power within You," Lylejay instructed.


    Lily promptly closed her eyes and tried to follow but after several seconds, she still felt nothing.


    "Don''t be anxious, my God. Concentrate and follow the flow of my power," Lylejaymented. His finger then lit up and began to glow like a small light bulb. He then gently pressed the tip of his finger against Lily''s chest.


    When the light faded from Lylejay''s fingertip, Lily began to glow. Initially, it was just a faint shimmer. But as the seconds ticked by, she glowed with a brighter and brighter intensity until she resembled a dazzling miniature sun.


    The blinding radiance caused tears to stream down Lylejay''s face. He slowly fell on his knees and silently prayed toward Lily in his heart. <em>Oh god, You are my everything. I cannot bear to live without You for even a single moment. Please,e back soon!</em>


    "And then?" Lily asked as she opened an eye to take a peek. However, that action caused the light to vanish instantly.


    "No rush, take Your time. We still have plenty of time to spare. This power has many uses and is quiteplex to master. But don''t worry about it; it''s Your own power after all."


    Wiping away his tears, Lylejay rose to his feet. For the next few hours, he continued to patiently teach Lily.


    He felt nostalgic about their current situation. He felt as though he had returned to a hundred years ago just that their roles had been reversed. Back then, it was the Light God teaching him, but now, he was teaching the Light God.


    At the start, Lily struggled to use the warm energy within her. She either used too much effort or too little. But gradually, she began to master the technique.


    It reminded her of the time when her father had taught her how to swim. Initially, she was iling in panic, but eventually, she learned to use the right amount of pressure and the correct angle to move her arms.


    "Ahhhh! I can fly! Look! I can really fly!" Lily shouted excitedly as she floated in mid-air while glowing like a bright light bulb.


    "This is just the basics, but the basics are also usually the most practical. You can move a bit faster now. Don''t worry about getting hurt; I''ll protect you," Lylejay assured her.


    At first, Lily moved slowly, but soon, as she gained confidence, she began to pick up speed. Before long, she was leaving behind afterimages as she became a shooting star zooming across the room.


    The moment she felt that she had reached her speed limit, Lily abruptly veered toward a nearby window. <em>Now is the time to escape!</em>


    However, much to her dismay, she didn''t hear the sound of shattering ss. Instead, she found herself being enveloped in another glow that slowed her down and gently brought her back to Lylejay''s waiting hands.


    "Be careful," Lylejay said with a smile, as if unaware of her escape attempt.


    Just then, a subtle light started encroaching the darkness beyond the windows. They had finally arrived at the Subterranean Sea.


    Annarles Ind was still as bustling as ever. But now, it was dotted with numerous towering ck turrets. Staring at those thick cannon barrels, no one would even think about doubting their destructive power.


    However, those weapons were destined to be useless as their intended target had already passed by unnoticed.


    <em>Charles'' technological prowess has really grown significantly. Such strength surpasses even the Albion Isles during their prime time. I must stay vignt. </em>Lylejay thought as he regarded the massive weapons of destruction with caution.


    "Hey! This ain''t no tourist spot! Move! Quick!" shouted a Hope Ind navy officer standing next to one of the giant cannons.


    Lylejay smiled and acknowledged the order before turning to head toward the docks.


    Meanwhile, Lily''s eyes darted around to scan her surroundings. When she saw Margaret walking by them, her heart couldn''t help but race with anxiety.


    However, there was nothing she could do now. Holding such emotions, she and Lylejay arrived at the docks of Annarles Ind.


    There were many ships departing, especially cargo ships. They arrived fully loaded and left empty.


    "Captain, are you taking passengers?" Lylejay politely directed the question to the captain of a mid-sized cargo ship that already had a few passengers on board.


    "Young man, where are you heading?" The old captain took a puff from his pipe and scratched his shiny scalp.


    "I''m heading to the Eastern Seas."


    "That''s pretty far! My ship isn''t going that far. Are you alright if I drop you off at Redwood Ind?"


    "Sure. How much will it be?"


    "Ah, forget the money. Just get on board. As if money can buy you stuff these days."


    "Thank you so much, M¡­mister," Lylejay slowly boarded the ship.


    The cargo ship waited for another half an hour or so and another few more passengers got on board. Just as it was about to set sail and the gangnk was being lifted, a woman wrapped in ck bandages stepped onto it.


    She was carrying a cat in her arms.

 Chapter 711: Return

    When Annarles Ind was submerged by the indescribable color of the Subterranean Sea''s skies, which was neither light nor darkness, Lylejay smiled smugly as he stood on the deck of an airship.


    Contrary to his expectations, he managed toe down easily without alerting anyone.


    It was so smooth that Lylejay sincerely thanked that "kind-hearted" Haikor in his heart. If it hadn''t been for him providing the shriveled human skin to Lylejay, things wouldn''t have been so easy for thetter.


    "Ah, I don''t know what those guys are going to do to Charles. However, it''d be great if both sides end up inflicting severe damage to each other."


    Just then, Lylejay remembered something and raised his right hand. Lily was curled up in his sleeve, and he stared at her before asking, "God, are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?"


    "I''m not hungry!!" Lily sounded displeased. It couldn''t be helped as Lylejay had broken through the blockade, and she found herself bing even farther away from herpanions.


    "Then, do you want to drink some water? You haven''t had fresh water in a while," Lylejay said. He turned around to walk into the cabin but found a woman wrapped all over in ck bandages standing right in front of him.


    "Meow~" The ck cat in the woman''s arms raised its front paws and licked them lightly, and then it jumped to the ground before approaching Lylejay with tiny steps. It seemed very interested in Lily.


    "Who are you?!" Lylejay''s hair stood on end, and his skin cracked open. A radiant sunlight burst out of him, illuminating everything around him.The ck cat''s figure dissipated beneath the powerful sunlight. When the ck cat finally disappeared, a writhing meat obelisk covered in thick, ck tentacles appeared next to the cargo airship.


    The meat obelisk was both towering and thick. It was so tall that it seemed to pierce the rockyer above the Subterranean Sea, while its bottom seemed to pierce the seabed down below.


    The gray seawater underneath churned, and a massive, powerful whirlpool was made with the meat obelisk in the middle of it. One of the thick, ck tentacles around the meat obelisk stretched out and easily suspended the cargo airship.


    Furious murmurs pervaded Lylejay''s mind, and the harsh discordant mixture of murmurs seemed capable of gnawing away at Lylejay''s consciousness and reasoning.


    The others on the deck and in the cabin of the cargo airship grabbed their heads and screamed in agony before falling to the ground. Their skin quickly became iron gray.


    The Pope finally recognized the entity before him! He was the Feaster that the Governor of Albion Isles had summoned by sacrificing an entire ind back then¡ªthe same Feaster that had bestowed upon Its blessings to Swann!


    The ck cat was none other than the Feaster, so the woman holding Him¡­!


    Lylejay trembled inexplicably upon realizing something. The mighty Pope Lylejay of the Divine Light Order actually started trembling despite his plenty of experience fighting Divinities.


    "Quiet." The woman covered in ck bandages expressed Her intent using a special, inexplicable aura rather than sound. Once She had expressed her intent, everything slowly went silent.


    The towering meat obelisk, which was the embodiment of the Feaster, vanished instantly. The ck cat manifested once again. He squatted on the gunwale and started licking His own fur.


    Lylejay had just gone all-out to fight for his life, but he instantly stood ramrod straight and went silent in response to the intent of the woman in ck bandages.


    He desperately wanted to move, but he discovered that his body seemed like it didn''t belong to him. He couldn''t move at all. Soon, the woman covered in ck bandages started walking toward him, and despair filled his eyes.


    The only one in the entire Subterranean Sea capable of treating the Feaster as a pet was Tawil At-Umr¡ªthe outsider from the depths of outer space! She was also part of the scheme to seal the Light God back then!


    Tawil raised her hand, and Lily curled up in the Pope''s sleeve flew in front of Her. "I just wanted to see¡­ what exactly are they doing? I''m very curious. I''ve been observing for a long time, but I still can''t figure it out."


    Lily''s figure began to disintegrate. First, it was her fur, then her flesh, muscles, bones, and blood vessels. Lily''s figure split openyer byyer.


    The Pope''s face turned ashen gray upon seeing Lily''s entrails floating around him. Before he could express the despair and anger in his heart, however, the entrails moved backward as if a tape had been rewound.


    Momentster, Lily was whole once again.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Lily fell to the ground weakly, crying out in pain. Fortunately, she was still alive.


    Upon realizing that neither of the two was reaching out to her, Lily quickly stood up and flew frantically toward Annarles Ind. Lily had no idea what was going to happen next; all she knew was that she was finally free and could finally go home!


    On that day, everyone on Annarles Ind saw a golden mouse streaking across the skies while crying out loud. The anti-aircraft cannons rotated to face the golden mouse. Fortunately, Margaret recognized the golden mouse, and she made the rotating anti-aircraft cannons stop in their tracks.


    "That woman grabbed me; she looked at me, and my body split open before merging back together. Then, she threw me to the ground. I discovered that it was a great opportunity to escape, so I decided to run away.


    "Neither of them did anything to stop me!" Lily eximed.


    Once she was done recounting her experience to Margaret, she noticed that her mouth was a bit dry, so she rushed to the small bowl of coconut juice in front of her and took a big sip of it.


    Margaret frowned, pondering over Lily''s words. From Lily''s words, the towering meat obelisk seemed to be a Divinity of the Subterranean Sea.


    A Divinity had actually sought out the young Pope Lylejay? Why?


    "Where''s Mr. Charles? Does he know that I''m back? I''ve been missing him so much!" Lily eximed with a hint of urgency in her voice.


    "Governor Julio happens to be on Hope Ind. He has been informed, and he''s looking for Charles right now," Margaret replied calmly.


    "Was Mr. Charles heartbroken upon realizing that I got kidnapped? What was his reaction? Did he cry?" Lily asked nervously as she stood up.


    Margaret fell into deep contemtion as she stared at Lily. Lily''s words sounded strange in her ears, and it sounded like Lily''s rtionship with Charles wasn''t a mere subordinate-superior rtionship.


    Just as Margaret was pondering about how to respond to Lily''s words, there was a sh of white light, and both Julio and Charles appeared in the room.


    "Mr. Charles!" Lily eximed. She jumped up in joy and happily pounced on him.


    "Lily! Are you okay? What happened? Did the Pope let you go?" Charles asked nervously while holding her in his hands. His hands didn''t remain idle as he quickly examined her.


    Lily shook her head and told him everything that had happened. Once she was done with her recount, she sat on Charles'' shoulder and opened her two tiny paws to hug Charles'' neck before rubbing her head affectionately against him.


    "Mr. Charles, I really thought I''d never see you again. Every second I spent with him, I was thinking of nothing but you!"


    Charles reached out to Lily with his finger and stroked her soft cheek. "It''s okay; it''s over now."

 Chapter 712: Ascent

    Seeing the hint of gentleness in Charles'' eyes, a twinge of envy stirred within Margaret.


    "Alright, enough with it. How long more do you n tofort your pet? There are more important matters at hand," Julio''s deep voice echoed in the room.


    Charles carefully lifted Lily off his neck and handed her to Sparkle before turning to address Julio.


    "I know who She is. She is Tawil At-Umr, the mistress of the Feaster. The Foundation refers to Her as 005. ording to the intelligence they had sent us, She doesn''t seem to hold any malice toward humans."


    "I don''t need you to remind me of that. My power originates from the Ancient One. The important matter I''m talking about is not about Her but the Pope."


    "The Pope? If 005''s target was him, could he even escape?" Charles asked with a puzzled expression.


    Julio shook his head hard. "No, If the Ancient One weren''t around, the Feaster would take the Pope away. But now that She is around, She will not allow the Feaster to do so."


    Julio added, "To her, we are merely a beautiful and exquisite oil painting. She enjoys spending time admiring and appreciating us. Once in a while, She would add details to the painting, but yanking someone out of the painting would be too crude of a move. That''s not Her style."


    Both Charles and Sparkle regarded Julio with the same look of confusion. "How do you know so much about 005? How did youe to know Her back then? And why did 005 bestow power upon you?"A hint of annoyance surfaced upon Julio''s face at Charles'' series of questions. He lifted his right hand and pointed the index finger at the strange tattoo on Charles'' neck. "It''s none of your business. In the same way, I have never asked you about your connections with the Fhtagn cultists."


    Charles instinctively reached up to touch the tentacle tattoo on his neck; he had almost forgotten of its existence.


    Realizing btedly that his tone of voice could have sounded too harsh, Julio softened his voice slightly and added, "ording to your pet''s description, the Ancient One is probably just curious about your pet. Once Her curiosity is satisfied, She will let the Pope go. That''s why the Pope is still a threat."


    Margaret suddenly interjected, "I feel that we can set aside the issue with the Pope for now. We know well of his intentions and strength. This Ancient One might be a bigger problem than him."


    Julio let out a mockingughter at Margaret''s ignorance. "Women should stay quiet when men are talking. You have no idea what you''re talking about. If She wanted to make a move on us, even the entire human poption wouldn''t be able to stop Her.


    "Also, if She harbors ill intention toward us, why would She help seal the Light God away in the first ce?"


    Before Margaret coulde up with a retort, Charles replied, "Then what do you n to do about the Pope?"


    Julio''s brows furrowed in deep thought. After a few moments, he said, "Since he''s already back here in the Subterranean Sea, then just leave him to me. I have my ways. The Pope without the Divine Light Order is no match for us.


    "Your task is to continue exploring the surface. As long as we can save the Subterranean Sea, everything else is just a trifle matter."


    Seemingly feeling that his previous statement wouldn''t be able to let Charles recognize the weight upon him, Julio added, "You are the strongest explorer, and every action of yours is under scrutiny by everyone. Staying down in the Subterranean Sea for too long would dampen the morale up there."


    A wry smile appeared on Charles'' face. "The strongest explorer? Who came up with that title?"


    "It doesn''t matter who did. Just know that you are now a symbol to all the explorers. As long as you remain steadfast, they have no reason to waver."


    Charles nodded in understanding and turned toward Lily, who had just returned. "You''re right. It''s time for me to head back up."


    Now that the Pope had returned to the Subterranean Sea, the threat of a potential ambush during his surface exploration was no longer there. In addition, Lily had returned; everything seemed to be falling back into ce.


    However, Sparkle clearly had a different opinion. Her voice wasced with sadness and reluctance as she remarked, "Mommy is not going to be happy about your decision."


    "I know," Charles said as he let out a soft sigh. "But some things have to be done."


    With that, he took Lily from Sparkle''s arms and walked toward the door.


    With Sparkle''s help, the crew on respite were quickly rounded up and gathered at the airport of Annarles Ind. They were making preparations to board the airship and head back to the surface.


    When everyone was done with their preparations, Charles had also finished penning his letter. He handed it over to Sparkle and instructed, "Give this to Mommy. Tell her not to tear it up first. She can tear it up once she''s done reading it."


    With that, Charles turned and began walking toward the airship parked in the distance. Before he could even take more than two steps, he noticed another set of footsteps trailing him. The lightness of the steps told him that they didn''t belong to Sparkle.


    "Thank you for everything you''ve done for the Subterranean Sea. Some things can only be done by you," Margaret''s voice sounded from behind Charles.


    "There''s no need to thank me. I live in the Subterranean Sea, too. If the inds are no more, I will not have anywhere to go, either. I''m just saving myself."


    "It''s not the same," Margaret retorted, "You are a noble person. Back then, I thought I had fallen in love with the wrong person, but it turns out that it wasn''t the case at all."


    "Aren''t you working for Anna right now?" Charles asked.


    He turned around to face Margaret standing before him. Reaching out a hand, he brushed aside the bangs covering her face to reveal the scar that ran across her features. He could still see traces of the innocent and carefree girl she once was.


    "No," Margaret replied, taking a step back to allow her hair to fall back into ce to cover her right eye and most of her scar. "I''m working for the Governor of Hope Ind. Whereto is being flooded as well. Saving the Subterranean Sea means saving Whereto."


    Charles lowered his gaze and let out a soft chuckle. He then reached out to grab her right hand. Eyeing the metal bracelet on her wrist, hemented, "Nice bracelet. Did Elizabeth give this to you?"


    "I bought it. It''s a special customized item from the Gunther Family on Elizarles Shores."


    "Wearing something that guards against mind control¡­ Does Anna really not mind?" Charles asked; he knew the effects the bracelet served.


    "She hardlyes by. She''s usually on Hope Ind."


    The moment Margaret''s words left her lips, Charles suddenly extended his arms and pulled her into a warm embrace. Then, Charles swiftly whispered something into her ear, which made Margaret''s cheeks flush a deep red.


    Meanwhile, on thedder of the distant airship, the crew was watching the scene. A satisfied grin crossed Dipp''s face as he extended his webbed hand toward the others.


    "See! I told you guys I know the Captain best! Pay up, fair and square!"


    One by one, packs of cigarettes were pped into his hand. Dipp was overflowing with joy, and it was evident from the radiant smile on his face. It wasn''t that he wascking cigarettes; he simply enjoyed the thrill of winning a bet.


    Just then, a wrinkled hand reached out from the side. "Don''t forget about me! I guessed it right, too."


    Dipp turned toward the voice to see Tobba staring at him while cradling a bunch of mice. "What do you want? You don''t even smoke."


    "Why can''t I get my share?! I guessed right! I get a share of those papers, too! Give me!" Tobba said and lunged at Dipp.


    While the two were engaged in their yful tussle, Charles came on board. The moment his gaze fell upon them, the two went silent.

 Chapter 713: Boundary

    Sparkle and Margaret watched as the massive airship drifted slowly toward the enormous hole in the sky.


    "What kind of person do you think your father is?" Margaret asked Sparkle, who was standing next to her.


    "He''s an unqualified father. He never has time to spend with me..." Sparkle muttered, feeling a bit down as she stared at the disappearing airship.


    "For me, he''s a noble person, and I highly admire him," Margaret said.


    Just then, Anna walked over from the side and smiled disparagingly. "Putting him on such a high pedestal, huh? Of course, you''d speak kindly about anything that is allowing you to benefit from it.


    "He has decided to take advantage of his position to save you guys, but why is it that it''s always us who have to sacrifice ourselves? If it were up to me, I would have transformed Charles into a monster long ago.


    "The sea is vast, so there''s definitely enough space for the three of us to live."


    Margaret looked at Anna in shock. "Just the three of you?"


    Sparkle pondered briefly before adding, "We can add Nene and you, then. Don''t worry, there are many interesting things in the sea. I''ve made many friends there, so we''re not going to feel lonely at all."Anna reached out and took Charles'' letter away from Sparkle''s hand.


    "Enough. Let''s stop the nonsense and go back."


    ***


    Upon receiving theirst explored location from the Foundation, Charles immediately set off for another exploration. Two monthster, they received great news.


    The Foundation announced that they had found the darkness'' boundary on the other side. Now, Charles only had to find the boundary on his side so that they''d be able to deduce the darkness'' anchor point.


    The Foundation went all-out and started looking for the boundary with the denizens of the Subterranean Sea.


    Charles thought that they''d find it quickly, but the months went by in a sh. A yearter, the darkness still seemed to expand infinitely ahead of them, and there was no boundary in sight.


    It had been three years since the sea levels down below had started rising. They had to locate and retrieve the darkness by the end of the year, or every single ind throughout the Subterranean Sea would surely be submerged.


    In other words, mankind would perish.


    The battle-scarred Narwhale sailed slowly through the abyss-like void of the darkness. The prolonged exploration had left the crew battered and bruised¡ªphysically and mentally.


    "Hey, can you really call this food?! What is the meaning of this?!" Dipp mmed his te to the ground and grabbed Cook nck by the neck. Dipp''s bloodshot eyes were filled with malice as he confronted his crewmate.


    However, nck was no longer the same chubby and pushover cook. He stood ramrod straight and eximed, "The supplies that we''ve been receiving downstairs have be extremely bad! What do you expect me to do?


    "Do you really think that this is two years ago? Be grateful that there''s even something for us to eat!"


    "Take a good look! Know what this is? Fish gills! Damned fish gills! Would you eat this damned thing if I shove it down your mouth?!"


    "Enough!" Charles eximed. His expression was grim as he strode into the mess hall. More scars marred his face, which had be gaunt from the grueling, prolonged exploration.


    His unkempt beard spoke volumes about their desperation. His right eye, once home to a spider, gaped emptily¡ªthe spider''s sanctuary had sunk as well.


    nck and Dipp stepped backward at Charles'' words, but resentment still smoldered in their eyes.


    Charles sat down, and a bowl of stew was ced before him. He took a spoonful of the stew, and his brows knitted tightly into a frown. The stew''s unptable taste was undeniable.


    "I''m sorry, Captain¡­" nck muttered, "We''ve really run out of supplies. You know how things are going with the shipments down below¡ª"


    Charles lifted his fork, interrupting nck. He swallowed a mouthful of the stew before gesturing for nck to leave.


    Charles knew that it was nonsense to me the cook here. The provisions that they had been receiving from the Subterranean Sea had been growing increasingly scarce and low quality over the past six months.


    But what choice did those down below have? Charles couldn''t find any fault with them. Since their situation had regressed to such an extent, Charles could only imagine the hardships of the people down below at the moment.


    In fact, Charles was bing more and more anxious about attending the Subterranean Sea Council meetings. Every absent governor in the meeting represented another sunken ind of the Subterranean Sea.


    To make matters worse, the governors looked more and more numb as time ticked by. Charles reckoned that the governors would have broken down long ago if it hadn''t been for the sunk cost facy.


    The crew was bing more and more irritable as well; daily quarrels and curses flying everywhere had be the norm. Charles could still quell them, but how long would his words remain effective?


    He had to allow them to vent out their feelings as well; he couldn''t suppress them too much, or they''d explode like powder kegs.


    <em>Is there another way to save the Subterranean Sea?</em> Charles mused while eating.


    All of a sudden, an eerie quiet pervaded the room.


    Charles looked up and saw the crew frozen in ce, staring out the window.


    <em>Did something influence them?</em> Charles immediately raised his guard up, and his muscles tensed up to prepare for the uing battle. However, Charles froze as well when his eye pped on what the crew was looking at outside the window.


    There was something wrong with the distant darkness.


    It seemed a shade lighter than usual.


    Dipp''s trembling hand rattled his fork against his sharp fangs. He had his own assumption about what was up ahead, but he couldn''t believe it at all.


    <em>HOOONK!!</em> The Narwhale''s piercing steam whistle awakened everyone. They abandoned their meals and raced for the deck like possessed men. The Narwhale picked up the pace by herself as if she could sense the crew''s excitement.


    Under everyone''s gaze, the Narwhale breached the wall of darkness, and everyone found themselves staring at a sky suffused with purple light.


    "We found it! The Subterranean Sea is saved!"


    "<em>Sniff! </em>I really am at my limit..."


    "Father! Do you see this from God Sparkle''s Divine Kingdom?! I found it¡ªI found the boundary!!"


    The crew almost went crazy as their pent-up emotions erupted like a geyser.


    Charles was no exception, and he felt like the heavy boulder on his chest was finally lifted away. He could barely suppress his excitement as his trembling hands reached out for the metal disk in his chest pocket.


    He pressed the button lightly, and Feuerbach''s hologram appeared.


    "Hey! Do you hear me? We have located the boundary! Come here, quick! Track us down using this device!" Charles eximed.


    Feuerbach''s face beamed with ecstasy. His lips moved, but his words dissolved into static. It seemed that this ce was just too far away from Feuerbach''s current location.


    In the end, Feuerbach raised his hand, and aplete map of the darkness appeared before Charles.


    A ck dot was shining in the middle of the map.


    "Let''s go! We''re going to the heart of the darkness, and we''re going to retrieve it there! The Foundation must be on its way there as well!"

 Chapter 714: Floating

    The Narwhale hovered in ce within the deep, dark space, seemingly waiting for something. Charles looked down at the Foundation''smunicator with his brows furrowed.


    He pressed his thumb lightly on it, but Feuerbach didn''t appear, even though he was supposed to appear the moment the button was pressed.


    <em>This shouldn''t be happening. Earlier, we may have been too far from them, which resulted in poor signal reception, but that issue should be resolved with our current position. Howe there''s still no response?</em>


    <em>Did something happen to them? </em>At this thought, a hint of unease arose in Charles'' heart. They were at a critical juncture, so he was hoping that nothing would go wrong.


    The Narwhale was already directly below the center of the darkness. He just had to order the Narwhale to ascend, and they''d stumble upon the darkness. However, Charles was forced to prepare for the worst-case scenario upon realizing that he couldn''t contact the Foundation for some reason.


    "Governor¡­ Charles... Can¡­ you¡­ hear¡­ me? This¡­ is¡­ Captain Icke¡­ of the Maiden''s Love. In response to your order¡­ every single exploration vessel¡­ from the outpost down below¡­ has ascended!" A male voice echoed from the speaker nearby.


    There seemed to be a lot of interference, as there was a ton of static with the voice.


    Charles took two steps out of the bridge and saw a massive pitch-ck airship approaching their portside.


    Two pink hearts stuck together were painted on the airship''s colossal gasbag, and its searchlights vanquished the darkness. Charles deduced that the airship had to be the Maiden''s Love that had just contacted them wirelessly.Charles looked down and saw more airships floating toward them. This was the result of Charles'' order; he had told these people toe up.


    It had been years since the expedition started, so the majority of the surviving explorers at this point were top explorers of the Subterranean Sea. They were like members of the surface world''s elite armed forces, and Charles reckoned that they could handle just about any turn of events.


    <em>Their visit here is a formality at best, and it''d be great if it stays that way,</em> Charles thought. He took out his diary from his chest pocket and flipped to thetest page. He wanted to take advantage of the diary''s prophetic ability and see whether there was any danger above them or not.


    His diary''s special ability had been immensely helpful during their exploration for the past year. Its prophecies were a bit biased¡ªprimarily around Charles¡ªbut it was still useful.


    However, Charles was disappointed to find not even a single new entry. Charles stared at the empty page before him, and his heart abruptly sank. Sometimes, a nk page conveyed a ton of information, and this wasn''t the first time it happened.


    This happened when they stumbled upon 005-3 a year ago, but it happened two more times afterward. Unfortunately, whenever the diary produced a nk page, the trouble was always rted to Divinities.


    "Bandages, don''t let them get too close!" Charles eximed, turning to look at Bandages. "Tell them toe up here in batches. We can''t let all of them be annihted at once!"


    Soon, the 139 remaining exploration ships were divided into four groups. As usual, the Narwhale was in the first group, and she directed the first batch of exploration ships, numbering a total of twenty-three, toward her current location, which was the center of the darkness.


    Charles entered the bridge and grabbed the microphone from Dipp''s hand, saying, "Is everyone on the public channel here? This is Charles. There''s a high possibility of encountering a Divinity-level danger up above. Please be prepared."


    No one responded; the captains simply listened in silence. They wanted nothing but to find and retrieve the darkness. The people of the Subterranean Sea had be fearless, as death had be the norm down below.


    Charles wanted to say a few encouraging words, but in the end, he decided against it and simply assigned tasks to every group. These people no longer needed any encouragement; what they needed was the long-awaited victory.


    "Mr. Charles, are we really going to seed?" Lily asked with a hint of confusion in her eyes as she hopped onto Charles'' arm.


    Charles put the microphone away and stroked Lily''s fur. His eyes were unusually firm as he said, "Yes, we definitely will seed."


    Just like that, the Narwhale rose amidst the tension and anxiety in the cabin.


    They encountered no issues or any abnormalities on the way. There were neither monsters nor floating inds in the darkness, which greatly surprised Charles. They were supposed to have encountered something at their current altitude.


    Generally speaking, they were supposed to encounter more bizarre entities the higher their altitude.


    <em>Maybe the Foundation has already cleared everything out for us? What if they''ve already found the darkness and have started retrieving it? But if that''s the case, howe I haven''t heard anything from them? </em>Charles mused.


    Charles was still suspicious of the Foundation despite everything that the Foundation had done for them so far. However, he just couldn''t find any reason for the Foundation to make a move against them at this critical juncture.


    He had also witnessed the losses that the Foundation had suffered to locate the boundary of the darkness. He had long lost count of the number of fallen aircraft that he had encountered so far.


    <em>Hooonk!</em> A piercing steam whistle abruptly tore through the air. The animated cables on the deck twisted and pointed upward. The Narwhale was warning her crew of iing enemies from up above!


    "Hard to port!" Charles eximed.


    "Hard to port!" the helmsman eximed and frantically turned the steering wheel. The Narwhale rapidly turned right as the tiller was turned to port. The other exploration ships next to the Narwhale mimicked the Narwhale''s evasive maneuver.


    Charles was no longer inside the bridge and was standing on the Narwhale''s massive gasbag. He was frozen in ce, shocked to see an eyeball asrge as an ind falling downward.


    The eyeball was emitting an eerie light, and there were some unidentified tissues behind it, but Charles couldn''t pay attention to anything else aside from its fall.


    The eyeball was so massive that its fall was guaranteed to be dramatic, but the eyeball was falling as if it were a jellyfish. It made no sound at all.


    The eyeball evoked a special feeling in Charles'' heart, and it was a feeling that gradually disappeared as the eyeball vanished from sight. Charles was stupefied just then. The eyeball was from a Divinity! Something had gone wrong above them!


    "Full speed ahead, everyone! Go up as fast as you can!" Charles eximed. The exploration ships responded quickly, floating upward at nk speed.


    At first, the airships weren''t really that fastpared to sea vessels. However, the airships became faster and faster the higher they went up. They were moving so fast that Charles felt like the airships had been taken over by an entity.


    Just then, an idea came to Charles. He took out a pen from his chest pocket and hurled it into the air. The pen rose in the air and took twice as long to fall back down.


    <em>This is it! No one is controlling those airships. Gravity has only gotten weaker!</em>


    The abnormality made Charles even more anxious about what exactly had transpired above. He felt like everything was spiraling out of control.


    Soon, they encountered more things in addition to the colossal eyeball. The second thing they stumbled upon in this ce, where gravity was getting weaker the further up they ventured, was a deceased Feuerbach. It seemed that this Feuerbach had died long ago, as his corpse was covered entirely in a purple color.


    Then, they stumbled upon two more Feuerbachs, followed by damaged fighter jets. They even encountered a massive aerial fortress that was inexplicably split in half. Eventually, everything around them was floating around freely.


    They had gotten so high up that there was almost zero gravity.

 Chapter 715: Reinforcements

    Charles floated horizontally next to the Narwhale, and his gaze was on the sky full of corpses and mechanical debris. Right now, he felt like he was at the bottom of the sea.


    As the airships under Charles''mand moved slowly past what looked like a floating tomb, an invisible tentacle wrapped around a deceased Feuerbach.


    The tentacle dragged the deceased Feuerbach onto the Narwhale''s deck.


    "Linda, how long has this guy been dead? When did he die?" Charles asked. He needed to know what exactly had the Foundation encountered up here. Charles reckoned that this corpse would give him some answers.


    The ship''s doctor, Linda, nodded. She put on a heamp-like light source on her forehead and buried her head into the chest''s corpse to begin the autopsy.


    Soon, Linda gave an unexpected reply. "Captain, this guy is still alive. He''s not dead."


    "Are you sure?" Charles leaned forward and looked down at "Feuerbach," who appearedpletely identical to a corpse.


    "That''s right. His brain is still alive, and his organs are functioning normally," Linda said as she pulled her head out of "Feuerbach''s" chest.


    <em>If his brain is still alive, maybe Anna can extract valuable information from his memories?</em> Charles thought, immediatelying up with another way to extract information.Fortunately, Anna immediately responded to Charles'' call, unlikest time. She still looked displeased, but she obediently followed Charles'' orders.


    Anna''s tentacles reached out for Feuerbach''s head and split the skull. Her tentacles then scooped out "Feuerbach''s" brain through the fissure. Anna decisively shoved the jiggling brain into her mouth, and she carefully chewed on it.


    "I thought you stopped eating people?"


    "I feel like eating people again. What? Don''t like it? Then, why did you call me here?" Anna replied, ring at Charles. Then, she proceeded to ignore Charles and licked the brain fluid that drenched her tentacles.


    All of a sudden, her figure became bloated as she revealed her terrifying true form, startling the nearby crew.


    "Stop messing around. What exactly did he encounter? What''s up there? Answer me. This concerns the fate of the Subterranean Sea, after all," Charles said.


    Anna returned to her gorgeous human form. She looked down at her slender waist with a frown before saying, "Sorry, I can''t help you. This guy''s brain contains nothing but fragmented thoughts. I couldn''t find any useful information at all."


    It wasn''t a great answer; It provided no help for their current situation.


    Charles pondered briefly before ordering an exploration vessel to act as a scout, telling them to ascend first. He told them to maintain constant contact with the Narwhale via radio.


    Charles had decided to do things this way so that everyone wouldn''t fall into danger at the same time if there was truly <em>something </em>up above.


    "You can go back now. Before the situation bes clear, don''t tell those below about what''s happening here," Charles said to Anna.


    Anna sighed helplessly and stroked Charles'' fingertips with her right hand. "Forget it; I''ll stay here and lend you a hand. From the looks of it, there''s probably something incredibly dangerous up there.


    "I''m afraid that you''ll end up dying in vain at this rate."


    "Just go back. The Foundation has already gone up ahead of us. If things had truly gone wrong up above, then your ability to alter memories wouldn''t be of much help up there."


    Although Anna knew that Charles was just concerned about her, she didn''t appreciate his concern at all. "Who do you think you are looking down on? Do you really think that my strength hasn''t improved all this while?


    "I am drastically stronger than you think I am."


    Anna''s gorgeous figure split open just then, and dozens of tentacles covered in ck scales burst out of her. The tentacles squirmed and enveloped the Narwhale''s deck, covering it with their decayed, multicolored hue in an instant.


    The Narwhale''s ascent slowed down gradually as Anna''s tentacles pervaded the deck. The weight of her terrifying figure alone was actually bringing down the Narwhale despite the seemingly low-gravity environment!


    The nearby exploration ships noticed the abrupt turn of events, and they frantically rotated their deck cannons to aim at Anna.


    Before they could fire their deck cannon at Anna, she shrank back into her gorgeous, petite figure, which was a head shorter than Charles.


    Bandages grabbed the microphone and hurriedly exined to the other captains that the scene they had witnessed just now was a mere ident and that the monster they had seen was an ally.


    Bandages told them to return their deck cannon to its original position.


    "So what do you think? My physique alone has already surpassed yours, not to mention the many abilities I''ve acquired recently," Anna said, sounding a bit proud of her achievements.


    Charles wrapped his arm around Anna''s slender waist and lifted her up. She was so light that Charles found it suspicious. "You just brought out so many tentacles, so howe you''re so light? Where are you hiding those things?"


    Anna winked with her right eye at Charles. "Guess. I''ll give you some hints¡ªit''s one of my few secrets, and there''s some sleight of hand involved in it."


    Although a bit surprised by Anna''s unexpected decision to stay on board, Charles still allowed Anna to stay on the ship. Their current situation called for more allies, and the stronger they were, the better.


    "What''s your level of strength? I''m talking about the Subterranean Sea''s power ranking system here. Are you Level 15 like Julio?" Charles asked.


    Anna smiled as she nced at the flickering "Inexistence" around Charles.


    "It depends. To be honest, the Subterranean Sea''s power ranking system is too general. I have obtained quite a few abilities, and I''ve be strong enough to easily erase Julio whenever I want to do so."


    "<em>Hmph!</em> Don''t you think you''re going a bit too far with your bragging?" Julio asked. He was standing on the gunwale, and his sharp eyes looked daggers at the two.


    "I immediately set off as soon as I received your message. Fortunately, your daughter helped me save quite some time. She helped me catch up to you," Julio said, jumping down the gunwale.


    "Of course, I''m here as well." A feminine voice echoed just then.


    Everyone turned and found a sweet-scented crimson bat in midair. The crimson bat promptly transformed into a young woman, who immediately smiled at Charles with her scarlet eyes fixed on him as well.


    The young woman was none other than Lilith, the Vampire Mother of Dark Crystal Ind.


    Several dozen figures were standing behind Lilith, and they all made their way onto the Narwhale''s deck through their own unique methods.


    "We''re approaching the end, so I brought with me every single expert that I know would be helpful here. As for the situation down below, I''m sure you don''t need me to tell you that," Julio whispered to Charles upon walking up to thetter.


    Charles swept his gaze across everyone and noticed something amiss.


    "Where are the Gods of the Haikor Tribe? Where are they?"


    When it came to raw power, those reclusive monsters could definitely be relied on, so howe they were absent at such a critical juncture?


    "Who can say for sure whether those ''gods'' wille here or not? Anyway, we''re not afraid of them taking advantage of the situation to ambush our inds down below. There''s nothing left in the Subterranean Sea that is worth stealing anyway."


    Charles opened his mouth and was about to respond when the seemingly perpetual darkness around them vanished!


    The darkness reappeared as fast as it vanished, but the brief change brought about a drastic change in everyone''s expressions. Regardless of whether it was good or bad, something big had definitely happened to the darkness up above.


    "Bandages! Tell everyone in the turbine room to overload the turbines! Don''t worry about the gravity! We need speed! The faster we go, the better!! Don''t think about the debris above us as well! I''ll handle all of them by myself!"

 Chapter 716: Triakis Octahedron

    Everyone''s anxiety level rose up rapidly along with the Narwhale. Any mechanical debris or corpses in the way were pushed away by Charles'' tentacles.


    Soon, everyone heard noises from up above. The noises were faint at first, but they grew louder and louder as time ticked by.


    Eventually, Charles and the others found themselves staring at the bottom of an aerial space carrier, which was sorge that it almost blotted out the sky by itself.


    It was the Foundation''s colossal aerial vessel, and this wasn''t Charles'' first time seeing it. Feuerbach had once used it to approach them and reveal the Foundation''s decision to enter preliminary cooperation with Charles.


    There were constant explosions from up above; something was clearly preventing the Foundation from proceeding with retrieving the darkness.


    The Narwhale moved at breakneck speeds and reached the intense battlefield up above through the gap between two motherships. Amidst the mes of varying sizes, Charles finally pped his eye on the Foundation''s enemy.


    Their enemy was a bizarre-looking and massive triakis octahedron. It hovered steadily in the darkness as if it were a mountain. Its surface was lumpy and uneven, reminiscent of a toad, but it was covered in gray whiskers as well.


    Overall, it was difficult to deduce whether it was a living entity or something else.


    The triakis octahedron was surrounded by the carcass of other colossal entities, including two pink eyes, which definitely belonged to a Divinity. These carcasses looked like bones that a vulture had piled up beside its nest.The Foundation''s arsenal was ineffective against it.


    The bullets and artillery shells they fired all exploded before they could even approach the entity. Evenser weapons weren''t spared, as they were immediately refracted upon being fired.


    To make matters worse, the triakis octahedron merely hovered in midair without doing anything except for defending itself.


    Charles was shocked. He had imagined many scenarios, but he had never imagined this, even in his wildest dreams. He stood dumbstruck, seemingly confused about what he was supposed to do at this point.


    The cogs in Charles''s mind turned, and he whipped out the Foundation''smunicator. He pressed the button, and Feuerbach''s hologram appeared instantly. Finally, themunicator was working once more.


    Feuerbach''s expression was solemn, and he was so busy that he couldn''t even nce at Charles. Judging from the wall of texts and numbers shing across Feuerbach''s pupils, Charles deduced that he was busy calcting something.


    "My goodness, Captain! What took you so long? We''re going crazy here! Do you have any special relics? Try using them on that thing. It might be effective against it," Feuerbach said.


    "What are you guys doing? I thought we''d be able to find the darkness here. Why is that thing here, and why are you fighting it?" Charles asked.


    Feuerbach sounded exasperated as he replied, "Do you really think that I wanted to do this?! As soon as we got your message, we immediately sent people to rush over here!


    "However, we discovered that the darkness of the Subterranean Sea was actually swallowed by that damned thing! We must retrieve it as soon as possible! Our efforts throughout the years will go down the drain once it haspletely devoured the darkness!!"


    There was a <em>beep</em>, and Feuerbach disappeared.


    The Foundation was finally convinced that conventional weapons were ineffective against it, and their attacks came to a halt.


    Soon, fighter jets took off from the colossal aerial vessel, and they all made a beeline for the bizarre-looking triakis octahedron. They seemed to be dragging "packages" that were writhing nonstop.


    The fighter jets neither fired nor ejected anything to attack the entity. Instead, they crashed into the colossal triakis octahedron with those "packages" in tow.


    A thunderous boom reverberated throughout the darkness, and a towering congration illuminated everything nearby.


    Momentster, crimson veins spread all over the triakis octahedron. It seemed that the "packages" were special flesh weapons that the Foundation had developed.


    Anna''s face showed a hint of excitement at the sight. She grabbed Charles'' hand and said, "Gao Zhiming, it looks like we''ll have to y a Divinity if we want to retrieve the darkness.


    "When should we make our move? We should be able to absorb the power of that entity."


    Charles stared intently at the bizarre-looking triakis octahedron above them. "No rush. If you know the enemy and know yourself, in a hundred battles, you will never be in peril. Let''s observe it for now and see what kind of special ability that entity has up its sleeve.


    "However, it shouldn''t be a Divinity. I can''t sense the aura of a Divinity from it."


    "But it is a Divinity ording to the Subterranean Sea''s standards. Do you see those carcasses around it? I''m sure they''ve been fighting for control over the darkness as well, but that entity ended up defeating them all," Anna replied.


    Just then, metallic scraping noises pervaded the air. The crimson veins all over the triakis octahedron withered like leaves in the proverbial blink of an eye.


    Then, a Foundation mothership inexplicably appeared below another mothership. When the two motherships collided with each other, the two were torn apart, and what remained of them floated in all directions as space debris.


    It seemed that the Foundation had gotten on the triakis octahedron''s nerves because it finally made its move. The darkness around it condensed into a pitch-ck sphere, which wrapped around it like a shield.


    Then, the triakis octahedron vibrated rapidly until a bizarre tornado was made.


    Anything that made contact with the winds from the tornado instantly disintegrated into nothingness.


    The Foundation''s mighty aerial fleet retreated in the face of such a powerful attack. They had the numbers advantage, but they couldn''t just throw their lives away when they could simply retreat from the oing attack.


    Just then, the nearby spacetime distorted, creating a pitch-ck hole that seemed to lead into the abyss.


    Momentster, something emerged from the pitch-ck hole.


    It was a grotesque, twisted worm, spanning about ten meters long. Its body wasposed of two colors. Half of it was ink ck, and the other half was transparent, resembling a blend of ss and obsidian. The colors twisted and intertwined with each other.


    Charles immediately recognized the twisted worm. It was one of the Gods of the Haikor tribe, Paiper.


    What came out next was also a familiar figure to Charles, as it was none other than Pogro, who had settled in the Colossal Hole Fortress and had been low-key until now.


    Pogro resembled an old, hairless dog with dense, drooping whiskers along its long snout, and its figure was riddled with squirming lumps of flesh.


    It was curled up like an old man as well, and there were clusters of something indescribable moving beneath its loose skin. They were emitting a faint green glow, and they seemed like pustules, which made Pogro appear rather bloated.


    However, Charles wasn''t that surprised to see these two monsters.


    What surprised him was the third creature that came out of the pitch-ck hole in spacetime.


    It was a humanoid monster as tall as a high-rise building. It was in a half-squat. Its forelimbs were riddled with pitch-ck holes of varying sizes, and its fingers were thin and long.


    Its face looked like melting wax, and it had three ck eyes. A few thin tentacle-like green strands of flesh were dangling beneath its head, while its hind limbs were also covered in jet-ck holes of varying sizes. However, they were twisted, seemingly broken.


    Memories from a few years ago resurfaced in Charles'' mind as soon as he saw the humanoid monster. He had seen a statue of it before!


    At the time, the shop owner told him that the monster''s name was Pede, and He was their first god¡ªthe beginning of everything.


    However, Charles quickly noticed a contradiction here. The shop owner at the time had told him that Pede had died a long time ago!


    Before Charles could unravel the contradiction, Pede streaked across the sky, leaving behind a trail of afterimages as He made a beeline for the distant triakis octahedron. As soon as contact was made, Pede easily tore apart a huge chunk of the pitch-ck sphere around the triakis octahedron!

 Chapter 717: Breakthrough

    Hovering before the colossal triakis octahedron, Pede''s figure appeared as insignificant as a mouse before an elephant. From Charles'' perspective, however, he was watching an absurd scene of a mouse challenging an lephant in a fight.


    The massive triakis octahedron trembled slightly in the darkness. Despite being capable of easily destroying the Foundation''s aerial fleet earlier, its offensive ripples had no effect on Pede.


    Pede raised his malformed hands riddled with pitch-ck holes and swung them at the pitch-ck sphere that surrounded the triakis octahedron. Cracks instantly appeared on the shield.


    On the surface, it seemed that Pede had gained the upper hand in their first sh.


    However, Julio''s features twisted into a scowl as he watched the scene. "These trash should be thrown into the sea to feed the fish! They had such overwhelming power all along but had never brought it up even once! They''ve been sitting in the back and watching us risk our lives on the surface world! They''ve been hoarding their secrets while merely watching as the world ends!"


    Anna let out a cold sneer as she folded her arms across her chest. "Be grateful, won''t you? At least they isted themselves to the Sea of Mist and never tried to expand outward. With such powerful existences among them, even if all humans in the Subterranean Sea worked together, they wouldn''t stand a chance."


    Anna was right. No forces in the Subterranean Sea could possibly withstand such overwhelming strength. The fact that Pede could sh with the triakis octahedron and still stand His ground indicated that the first God of the Haikor Tribe indeed possessed true strength that could surpass that of a Divinity.


    Given that Pede could give a Divinity a run for His money, He could certainly dominate the entire seascape if He wanted to do so.


    However, for some unknown reason, the Haikor Tribe had confined themselves within the Sea of Mist, which was undoubtedly a blessing in disguise for all humans in the Subterranean Sea.Just then, a sound of tearing fabric resonated through the air. Pede had torn away arge part of the pitch-ck sphere to reveal the triakis octahedron''s earlier bizarre form.


    At the same time, the massive ck hole that Pede hade from to join the battlefield lit up. An iridescent, conical structure that was asrge as the Eiffel Tower emerged from its depths. Surrounded by floating glyphs, the structure dragged a series of afterimages as it spiraled toward the triakis octahedron.


    It seemed like Pede had allies on the other side of the ck hole, and they were providing assistance by sending some kind of special weapon.


    When the triakis octahedron collided with the newly introduced object, the entire battlefield trembled violently. Like ripples on a water''s surface when it was disturbed, everything within the space stretched and contracted swiftly.


    In the next moment, everything returned to normal once again. The only thing that had been affected was the triakis octahedron hovering in the sky. A spacetime fissure had left its mark on the surface of the triakis octahedron. The conical structure retracted swiftly, causing a chunk of the triakis octahedron''s outer shell to be torn off to reveal the swirling fog of chaos within.


    When Charles saw the cannons of the Foundation''s aircraft carrier pivoting toward the exposed core, a sense of understanding washed over him. Instantly, he teleported back into the bridge, grabbed the microphone, and shouted, "All units! Aim at the exposed core! Fire!"


    Now that the Haikor''s God hadpromised the outer shell of their enemy, this was the opportune moment to strike. The Foundation had clearly anticipated this scenario as well.


    Within a second, all the exploration ships present opened fire. The roar of cannons filled the air and bombarded everyone''s ears. In a low-gravity environment, the residue shockwaves shook small loose objects in the cabins into disarray.


    With a grim expression, Charles returned to the deck and watched on as projectiles streaked across the sky like meteors, hurtling toward the triakis octahedron.


    <em>Bzzzzt!</em>


    A blinding beam of light made Charles squint instinctively. It was aser beam fired by the Foundation''s mothership next to him. Not just one, but at least four extremely bright beams were fired at the target. The Foundation had started its bombardment.


    The dazzling light beams reminded Charles of theser weapons that were attached to the bottom of Ronker.


    Formidable weapons that were capable of slicing through an entire ind easily were now being unleashed freely as if they were easy toe by.


    Despite the overwhelming offensive, however, Charles and his allies failed to prate the triakis octahedron''s core. Its physical resilience was certainly unparalleled in the entire Subterranean Sea.


    The relentless, high-intensity assault continued on for a full fifteen minutes. Only when Pede raised His deformed right hand riddled with pitch-ck holes did the offensive gradually cease.


    As clouds of sulfuric smoke faded away, the triakis octahedron was still hovering in mid-air without any new hints of damage. In fact, even its previously stripped outer shell was restored.


    <em>The attacks had no effect? Even after tearing away its shell and attacking its inner core directly, it still didn''t work. </em>Charles thought, his heart sinking into despair.


    Just then, Paiper''s intertwined ck-and-transparent figure writhed and twisted as it swam up to Charles. Parting its grotesque mouthpiece slightly, it said, "Charles, Pede alone cannot destroy this creature. Its existence is extremely unique. We need tobine the strength of everyone present!"


    "It can''t? You guys have already encountered this thing before?" Charles asked as he looked up at the spiraling ring of sharp teeth in front of him.


    With a crackling sound, a holographic projection of Feuerbach suddenly popped up in front of Charles.


    A cascade of data poured down like a waterfall all around Feuerbach. Feuerbach''s face was growing with more anxiety with each passing second as he furiously typed away at the keyboard before him.


    "Based on the information we''ve just gathered, we''ve calcted a possible solution," Feuerbach said. "Since we can''t break through from the outside, we need to attack from within. This is the only way for us to extract the darkness from within it!"


    As soon as Feuerbach finished his statement, Paiper quickly chimed in, "In a moment, I''ll instruct Taylor on the other side of the portal to initiate another attack. This time, I need you guys to enter its body and retrieve the darkness from its digestive organs."


    Before Charles could say a single word, Anna pped his chest slightly to stop him from talking. With her brows furrowed, she looked at Feuerbach and Paiper.


    "Oh, since when did you two get so chummy, and without including us? Completing each other''s thoughts now, are we? Are you plotting to set up my man again? He''s just a regr human; there''s no need to keep tricking him, right?"


    <em>Boom!</em>


    With a loud explosion, a red hue lit up the sky as the aircraft carrier to the right of the Narwhale instantly blew apart.


    The triakis octahedron''s counterattack hadmenced. Seeing that its attacks were ineffective on Pede, it had turned its focus to the surrounding aerial fleet. In an instant, bright res of light lit up the space. The defense of the Foundation''s fleet was insignificant against the sheer size and power of the triakis octahedron.


    A burning fighter jet spiraled like a dart toward the Narwhale.


    Anna lifted her right hand; her slender pale forearm instantly transformed into a gigantic tentacle, its diameter measuring three meters. With an effortless flick, she swatted the oing jet away.


    The new round of battle was starting to cause interference in Feuerbach''smunication. His holographic projection flickered, but fortunately, his voice remained audible.


    "Who''s trying to trick him? Do you think we have time for that at this time? Also, this isn''t a solo mission for him! The council has passed the order. I, along with two doctors and a mobile task force, will be participating in this operation!"

 Chapter 718: The Past

    Seemingly desperate to convey the gravity of the situation to Charles, Feuerbach anxiously added, "Captain! When the target''s body was ruptured earlier, our instruments detected that the darkness energy within it was decreasing! If we dy any further, it willpletely consume the darkness!"


    Hovering beside, the giant ck-ss intertwined worm expressed agreement to Feuerbach''s n. "Pogro and I will go with you. This concerns all of us, and we have no ns to back down."


    Just then, the triakis octahedron was starting to close the gap between them. Dipp hurriedly maneuvered the Narwhale into a descent to avoid a potential collision.


    When the Narwhale had descended to hover beneath a massive aircraft carrier and was out of harm''s way, Charles quickly conferred with Julio.


    After that, with a grim expression, Charles responded to Feuerbach, "I agree with your n. When do we start?"


    Charles had zero trust in the Foundation, but there were things that took precedence over anything. At such a critical juncture, retrieving the soon-to-vanish darkness was of the utmost priority.


    Suddenly, another booming explosion from above made everyone flinch involuntarily. The giant aerial vessel overhead had split in two.


    The writhing colossal worm next to the Narwhale seemed to have received some message. Its mouthpiece rotated slightly, and it spoke, "Now!"


    The moment Paiper''s word fell, the deformed Pede lunged at the triakis octahedron once again and tore away the newly regenerated dark sphere surrounding the creature. At the same time, the pitch-ck hole beside it lit up with a white light once again.Without a hint of hesitation, Charles instructed, "Full speed! Charge!"


    Covered by a hail of cannon fire, the Narwhale, carrying everyone, charged toward the triakis octahedron


    As the distance between them and their target gradually narrowed, Charles cast a brief nce at Anna and reached into his chest pocket for his journal.


    However, Anna had anticipated his move and swiftly snatched the journal away.


    "I''m not going back. Don''t think of making me go back," Anna said in a firm tone.


    "It''s dangerous in there," Charles remarked.


    Anna stood on her tiptoes and lightly pecked Charles'' lips before giving him a yful wink.


    "I know. Since you didn''t want toe down, I decided toe up. But remember, this is thest time I''m going to let you have your way. There''s no more next time."


    A pang of emotions hit Charles as he stared into Anna''s determined eyes. "Alright. This is thest time, I promise."


    Like before, the massive iridescent, conical structure crashed into the triakis octahedron once again, creating the same bizarre sense of spatial distortion. Being at a closer distance this time, Charles could feel it more acutely.


    He felt as though his body had turned into a piece of y and could be freely stretched andpressed. The sensation felt real because he could even touch his elongated, deformed skull. The conical weapon seemed capable of distorting reality itself, and he couldn''t help but wonder how the Haikors had evene up with it.


    When a section of the triakis octahedron''s outer shell vanished again, the Narwhale plunged through the fissure. They were apanied by the twisted worm and Pogro.


    As for the Foundation, they had dispatched two quad-wing jet fighters, and Feuerbach was aboard one of them.


    As the group entered the triakis octahedron and into the swirling mist of chaos, Charles noticed that the deformed Pede was seemingly considering the idea of infiltrating the triakis octahedron as well.


    But just then, the gray mist of chaos engulfed them and obscured everything around them. Charles had no idea if Pede had entered the breach.


    An eerie silence surrounded them. The only thing they could hear was their own rapid breathing.


    At the very edge of the group, Pogro''s tendrils around its mouth twitched as if it had detected something in the darkness. The quad-wing jet fighters immediately pivoted their engines to point downwards as they hovered beside the Narwhale.


    Feuerbach emerged from one of the jets andnded on the Narwhale''s deck. A row of mobile task force members d in their signature ck suits stood at attention behind him.


    "We are inside now; what''s next?" Charles asked.


    "Time is tight; I''ll keep it short. Inyman terms, the moment we entered this space, our bodies entered a temporal rift. This ce is extremely dangerous and vast. So, everyone needs to follow my orders here."


    "Temporal rift? Why would there be something like that in a creature''s body?" Anna scanned her surroundings with her brows knitted tightly together.


    Feuerbach took a nce at her. "Think of it like a snail''s shell. This ce is the creature''s shell, its source of food and energy. Except, it''s the opposite for this creature.


    Feuerbach then turned his gaze toward Charles. "Your shadow is here. We need to locate your shadow through you. Once we find your shadow, we''ll be able to find the darkness."


    That was the entirety of the Foundation''s n and also the reason why they needed Charles for this operation.


    "Cut the exnation; let''s move." Charles wanted to get out of this strange ce as soon as possible.


    With a simple gesture from Feuerbach, a mobile task force member stepped forward and ced a helmet with strange engravings over Charles'' head.


    Upon wearing it, Charles felt nothing; it felt just like another ordinary motorcycle helmet.


    The moment the helmet was ced over Charles'' head, blue data and ripples manifested and surrounded Feuerbach. Feuerbach''s fingers danced over an invisible keyboard, making swift work like ying a piano.


    Nearby, Paiper was inserting its tail into the chaotic fog, seemingly using its own way to make new findings.


    "Any discovery?" Julio asked.


    Paiper shook its head and didn''t speak a single word. A sneer of disdain crossed Julio''s face. He removed a ring from his pinky and tossed it into the mist.


    While it remained unknown if any of the others'' methods worked, Feuerbach''s approach was the first to yield results. The blue data in the air congealed to form an arrow that pointed southward with a note indicating that Charles'' shadow was thirty kilometers away.


    "Move out!"


    Under Feuerbach''smand, the unusual alliance stepped into the swirling mist of chaos.


    The steel cables from the Narwhale had been secured to the jet while they were waiting for a direction. The sudden boost of speed caused everyone to jerk backward as soon as they set off.


    The intense thrust from the quad-wing jets propelled them swiftly into a chaotic space. The vast area was filled with scattered debris, reminiscent of a dense asteroid belt.


    The guiding arrow in the air abruptly shifted direction and pointed to the right. Everyone''s gazes turned over to see that a young man had suddenly appeared on a floating rock to their right.


    The young man''s lips were curled up into a vibrant smile. His eyes scanned the newly arrived visitors beforending on Anna, who was lost in thought.


    "An Asian, huh? Seems like I didn''t end up too far off this time. Hello, miss, can you understand Chinese? Could you tell me where is this? Have you seen a ce with sunlight?" the young man asked.


    Anna looked at the young man before turning toward Charles. She then eximed in astonishment, "Oh my! What a transformation! You were this handsome in the past?"


    The young man was none other than Charles from the past. To be exact, it was Charles'' shadow with his memories of the past surface world.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    So... Paiper and Pogro are the doctors? And the Foundation has been hiding behind the Haikors? 0_0</blockquote>

 Chapter 719: Darkness

    "Miss, have we met before? Did you alsoe here from another world? Where exactly are we now?" The boy showed apparent confusion at Anna''s earlier words.


    Anna let out a soft chuckle, and the corners of her lips curved up into a teasing smile. She sashayed toward the young man and said, "Don''t just stand there on the rock. Come down here to big sister, and let me give you a proper hug."


    Scanning Anna''s alluring figure, a thought seemed to have crossed the young man''s mind. His cheeks flushed a crimson red as he quickly averted his gaze, and the panic in his eyes was unmistakable as he said, "N-no, it''s alright. I''m fine staying up here."


    Anna turned her to Charles, and her smile returned to a yful one. "He''s so much cuter than you. Maybe we should part ways. Compared to you, I now want to spend my life with him more."


    rmed, Charles stared at the young man standing on the floating rock. d in denim jeans and a blue jacket, Charles was certain that that was his exact outfit when he had first arrived at the Subterranean Sea over a decade ago! This boy was a younger version of himself, the past Charles!


    Clearly, the younger Charles didn''t realize that the man before him was his future self.


    After all, the changes in appearance were too significant.


    Charles then noticed that the blue digital arrow beside him was pointing directly at the younger Charles. He immediately understood that the young man was his shadow.


    His shadow had taken away all of Charles'' past memories, which was why the younger man believed that he had just arrived in this world.At this moment, realization seemed to have dawned on Feuerbach as well. He shouted at Charles, "Captain! Focus on asking the important questions! We''re still inside the enemy! We need to find the darkness asap and get out of here."


    With his brows tightly knitted together, Charles approached his shadow. He carefully chose his words before asking, "Are you here alone?"


    "Yeah¡­ It''s just me. It''s so annoying not to see a single person in sight. What kind of crappy transmigration is this? Even Robinson Crusoe had Friday as hispanion," the younger Charlesined in frustration.


    "Then have you seen anything like a mass of darkness here?" Charles followed up with another question.


    Since the younger Charles seemed clueless and innocent, it was better for him to try to extract some information first. He knew that his younger self was rather naive.


    A hint of confusion surfaced on the younger Charles'' face. "Darkness? It has always been dark around here."


    The younger Charles contemted for a brief moment before he cautiously asked, "Erm¡­ can you get me out of here? I''ve been stuck in this godforsaken ce for years. I don''t care about anything else; I just want to see humans, anyone at all."


    As Anna tranted the younger Charles'' words, everyone present could feel their heart sinking. Even though they had found Charles'' shadow through Charles, they were still unable to locate the darkness.


    Both Julio and the Gods from the Haikor tribe immediately started to use their own detection methods to search for the darkness. They were determined to find it with their own means.


    "Don''t worry; we have a backup n!" Feuerbach eximed.


    Anna shot Feuerbach a disdainful look. "You bunch have lived this long and still haven''t learned anything, huh? You''re a disgrace to the Foundation. What makes you think you''re worthy of being <em>the </em>Foundation?"


    With that, Anna pulled out Charles'' navigational journal. She flipped through the pages and stopped on the secondst page.


    "Sparkle," Anna called out. "This ce is sealed pretty well; you shouldn''t be able to sense that terrifying aura. Come help Mommy and Daddy find something."


    While the others were busy utilizing their various abilities, Charles continued conversing with his younger self. Given that his shadow had been living here for so many years, there was probably no one else more knowledgeable than him about this area.


    "Uncle, I swear I haven''t seen any darkness. I don''t even know what to do with it. Why would I hide something like that?" the younger Charles said with a look of distraught.


    Then, he added, "This barren space doesn''t even have a spot for me to settle down. If it hadn''t been for the fact that I don''t need food or water to survive for some reason, I would have starved or died from dehydration long ago."


    The younger Charles then nced at Anna''s impressive figure, a hint of nervousness flickering across his eyes. "By the way, Uncle, is that beautifuldy your wife?"


    Upon receiving Charles'' affirmation, a hint of sadness crossed the young Charles'' youthful face. However, he quicklyposed himself and feigned nonchnce.


    "Oh, it''s nothing. I was just asking. After all, only the three of us here speak Chinese. Uncles, since we are both transmigrators, let''s look out for each other in this new, foreign world," the younger Charles proposed.


    Charles extended his right hand toward the young man. With aplicated expression, he replied, "Come over here first. We can figure out your situationter."


    Perhaps due to the influence of 002, his shadow had taken on his younger appearance. But regardless of the current circumstances, Charles had to put his personal matters aside first. However, it seemed like this issue with his shadow wouldn''t be resolved that easily.


    "Thanks," the younger Charles said as he grabbed Charles'' hand and jumped onto the deck of the Narwhale. As soon as hended, he looked curiously at Charles'' feet.


    "<em>Huh?</em>" the younger Charles expressed confusion. "Uncle, why don''t you have a shad¡ª"


    Before he couldplete his sentence, he stiffened, and terror suffused his face. His form began to dissolve rapidly and melt into a pool of ck liquid before it turned into Charles'' shadow and attached itself to Charles'' feet.


    The moment Charles'' shadow reconnected with Charles, a torrent of memories surged into his mind. The tidal wave of memories included those memories that had vanished along with his shadow, as well as his shadow''s years of memories while living within this triakis octahedron.


    The memories and consciousness of Charles and his shadow fused into one in an instant.


    "ARGH!" A look of agony marred Charles'' face as he clutched his head and fell to one knee. The sheer volume of memories infiltrating his brain was close to overwhelming his consciousness.


    When Sparkle and Anna finally managed to help Charles up from the ground, he waspletely drenched in sweat.


    Just then, Charles'' eyes suddenly shot open, and he shouted with all his might, "Wait! I know where the darkness is!"


    Everyone immediately gathered, and their eyes transfixed on Charles.


    "Daddy, are you really alright?" Sparkle looked concerned as she gently patted Charles'' back.


    "I''m fine," Charles reassured her before he continued with his exnation. "I''ve regained my previous lost memories. My shadow lied earlier. He has seen the darkness, but it was his first meeting with us, so he was cautious and didn''t want to divulge anything."


    Charles then turned toward Feuerbach and said. "Forget about the backup n; just do as I say! We head north! The darkness is resting there. We need to move quickly!"


    Feuerbach was stunned for a moment before he quickly pressed down on a button on hismunication headset and spoke a few rushed words into the microphone.


    Momentster, the jets began to elerate and pulled the Narwhale ahead at full speed.


    In no time, the group had arrived at the location that Charles stated.


    However, all that surrounded them was still the swirling mists of chaos; there was nothing else in sight. Everyone turned their questioning gazes toward Charles.


    In response, Charles stepped forward and stopped at the bow. His expression was tinged withplexity as he softly called out, "Friday! There''s no need to hide. I''m Gao Zhiming! We mean no harm!"


    At first, nothing happened.


    But soon, the surrounding darkness began to coalesce and bulge outward, forming a massive, featureless face made of shadows.


    The face was massive and stretched beyond any visible boundaries.


    Meanwhile, the swirling mists of chaos seemed to be the face''s body.

 Chapter 720: Bodies

    "Gao...?" A slow, dull voice that sent ripples in the surroundings echoed in everyone''s ears. Under 002''s influence, even the darkness had gained consciousness.


    Charles looked up at it with an anxious look. He nodded repeatedly, and he sounded like he was coaxing a child as he said, "Yes, that''s right, it''s me. I''m Gao Zhiming, and I''ve been living with you. Come here. Make yourself a bit smaller, and I''ll take you home with me."


    The darkness stared nkly at Charles, and anger slowly suffused its face. "Gao... is dead?! You... killed... Gao!!"


    The surrounding environment underwent a drastic change beneath the darkness'' fury. The swirling mists of chaos churned and rolled like boiling water.


    rm bells rang in Charles'' mind, and his intuition was telling him that he was in extreme danger. In response, Charles hurriedly shook his head and eximed, "Gao is okay! He''s my past self, and we''ve simply be one!


    "Friday! Have you already forgotten how I gave you your name and how I taught you how to think? We''re each other''s only friends!


    "Do you remember it now? And it was just yesterday when we were telling each other about what we were going to do after getting out of here! You said you wanted to see what the sun looks like, and I promised to take you out!"


    Fortunately, Charles'' sincere words seemed to be effective.


    The swirling mists of chaos calmed down.Anna touched the back of Charles'' hand and whispered, "It''s working! Keep talking to it!"


    "You also promised me that once we''re out of here, you''ll help me find my way back home. We promised each other! Friday, I really am Gao Zhiming!!" Charles eximed, attempting to persuade the darkness.


    The darkness'' face vaded away just then, and the swirling mists of chaos condensed in front of Charles. The surroundings brightened as a ck sphere that seemed to be darker than ck itself appeared before Charles.


    The sphere was so dark that it couldn''t reflect any light. At first nce, it looked like a ck disk rather than a sphere.


    A long pitch-ck tendril sprouted from the ck sphere and wrapped around Charles'' wrist like a big ring.


    Everyone sighed in relief at the sight. They had mobilized so many people, but the issue was ultimately resolved by Charles on his own, which was a bit anticlimactic.


    Regardless, the fact that the darkness was found was what mattered the most.


    "Paiper! Tell your people to crack open this octahedron. We''re leaving," Charles said. The darkness was found and retrieved, so it was time for them to leave.


    The giant ck-ss twisted worm nodded and replied, "Give me a moment to contact Pede outside."


    Charles nced at the ck sphere that had shrunk to the size of a before turning to Feuerbach and asking, "Once the darkness returns to the Subterranean Sea, what''s going to happen to its consciousness?"


    Feuerbach looked at Charles and shook his head slightly without saying anything.


    Charles felt a piercing pain in his heart at Feuerbach''s wordless response. Clearly, the existence of the intelligent darkness that had apanied him in this dark ce for several years would be threatened.


    Charles couldn''t help but feel pain for it; it was inevitable, as they were each other''s only friends in this pitch-ck world.


    "What''s up with that look? Wait, Charles, you''re going to cry?" Anna asked, her voice carrying a hint of teasing.


    Charles blinked his slightly red eyes and replied, "Stop the nonsense and keep an eye on our surroundings. I don''t think this octahedron is going to just give up and hand its prized possession over to us that easily."


    Charles'' words had just fallen when a rift appeared nearby. A torrent of purple light rushed in from the outside. The triakis octahedron was cracked open once again!


    "Let''s go!" Charles eximed.


    A powerful force pulled everyone away at the same time as the jet fighters dragged everyone outside. Just as they were about to break through and exit the triakis octahedron, a thunderous boom echoed, followed by a tremor.


    Everything went dark once again, and they were still trapped.


    The swirling mists of chaos had thinned out and were beginning to fade away. Soon, a colossal corpse exuding a powerful, oppressive presence appeared above everyone.


    When Linda saw the bodies that made up the colossal corpse, she copsed to the ground, and her eyes became filled with fear.


    The bodies belonged to the roughly ten million followers of the Divine Light Order, who had disappeared with the Light God!


    The scars hidden deep in Linda''s heart were torn open as soon as she saw her brothers and sisters.


    The colossal corpse exuded an incredibly oppressive air, instilling terror in everyone''s hearts. It was inevitable, as it wasposed of ten million bodies with limbs twisted into unimaginable angles and faces distorted in extreme pain and despair.


    To make matters worse, these bodies were still alive¡ªthey were still moving!


    The triakis octahedron had not only stolen the darkness from the Light God but had also stolen the corpse made from the bodies of the Divine Light Order''s followers!


    "Hehe," Anna smirked as she stared at the colossal chunk of meat. "Now, I''m finally in for some real work."


    Anna''s words had just fallen when the colossal chunk of meat in midair trembled, and the bodies up above descended toward everyone like rain.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A deafening noise echoed as Anna revealed her true form. More than ten ck tentacles mmed on the deck, propelling Anna into the air. With a slight tilt of her three monstrous heads, the Inexistence swirling perpetually around Charles flew up.


    The Inexistence resembled liquid white bones, and it moved like a white bolt of lightning, rapidly weaving through the bodies. Every single body that it touched melted away into nothingness, disappearingpletely from existence.


    The others sprang into action just then.


    Governor Julio gestured, and everyone''s shadows manifested before jumping into the air to tear off the heads of the plummeting bodies.


    The bloated old dog, Pogro, raised its head slightly. The squirming pustules on its bloated figure abruptly vanished before reappearing on the bodies in midair, recing their heads with something grotesque.


    Once the pustules had reced the heads of the bodies, the bodies turned against their own kind, attacking the others with their twisted limbs. The pustules spread among the bodies like a gue, climbing slowly toward the colossal chunk of meat up above.


    Even Lily took control of the deck cannons, firing nonstop at the falling bodies.


    Unfortunately, the bodies were still getting closer and closer to the Narwhale, as there were just too many of them to fend off.


    "Captain!" Feuerbach eximed, his voiceced with urgency as he said, "Can you persuade the darkness to help us here? There are too many of them! We can''t get out of here until they''re gone!"


    Charles nced at the darkness, which had shrunk into a ball and was staying put. He then shook his head and said, "No, it''s be too weak."


    Before Feuerbach could say more, Charles added, "I''ll do it instead."


    With that, he took out a ck spike and gripped it tightly in his left hand. Then, he shed open his right palm and clenched the wound before crouching down to carve peculiar cuneiform lines on the ground.


    Soon, a human-shaped array was made. The return of Charles'' shadow meant the return of his identity as Edikth''s Chosen One. When the array was ready, Charles patted the pitch-ck ring around his wrist.


    Charles revealed a determined look and stepped to the left, allowing his shadow to align perfectly with the crimson runes behind him.


    Momentster, Charles'' figure swelled and distorted unnaturally.

 Chapter 721: Subterranean Sea

    Charles'' body began to swell uncontrobly; his bones snapped and regenerated, bing bigger than before.


    Deformed organs, limbs like crab ws, bubble-like ck spheres, and triangle-shaped eyes simr to that of a fish sprouted all over Charles.


    His lone eye swiftly mirrored the gazes of the other eyes on his body, bing cold and emotionless.


    The next moment, Charles'' swollen and grotesque body vanished from the deck and reappeared atop the gasbags of the Narwhale.


    The countless eyes on his body shot open collectively. Every body in sight¡ªtheir scattered heads, limbs, and organs¡ªvanished from the scene, only to reappear in other ces where they were not meant to be.


    Some bizarre configurations would be a head being lodged in someone else''s abdomen while that body''s head had mysteriously vanished and was attached to another body''s neck.


    Seeing that his captain had made a move, Dipp, at the helm, instinctively turned the wheel and altered the Narwhale''s course. Instead of a downward plunge, she was now ascending. Their counterattack had started.


    Charles ascended as the falling corpses rained down on the Narwhale. As both sides closed the gap, dismembered bodies and blood filled the sky, creating a macabre rain of gore.


    Drenched in blood, Charles'' deformed and swollen body was still undergoing its nightmarish transformation.The bodies raining down on them still numbered plenty. Suddenly, all the writhing organs on his body froze.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    With a sudden explosion, Charles'' deformed body exploded. Simultaneously, the colossal chunk of meat in the air exploded into pieces as well to reveal a shattered, smaller triakis octahedron hidden within it all along.


    As soon as the smaller triakis octahedron shattered into pieces, the bodies of the Divine Light Order followers ceased all movement.


    Charles'' various organs scattered across the sky swiftly writhed and swam back, reforming his form atop the airbag.


    A swollen, deformed monster drenched in blood amid the cascading waterfalls of disfigured bodies struck a chord of horror in everyone who witnessed it.


    Julio''s eyes widened with evident shock. He realized he could no longer fathom Charles'' true power. "Damn it! Just who is this Charles?! Which entity''s power is he using?!"


    Seeing her father''s new appearance, Sparkle appeared rather thrilled. She was about to rush toward Charles but was held back by one of Anna''s tentacles.


    "Don''t go! He looks very unstable!"


    Just then, a burst of purple light illuminated the area next to them. The shell of the octahedron had been cracked open once again.


    No one had any intent of missing this opportunity. The jet fighters and everyone aboard surged toward the purple glow.


    The moment they emerged from the insides of the octahedron, the blinding purple light caused everyone to squint involuntarily. Now that the darkness had dissipated, everything was once again bathed in the purple glow of 002.


    The sight that greeted him was also drastically different from before. All of the Foundation space carriers had exploded, leaving only a dense field of floating debris in the air.


    In the center of the sea of metal debris was the massive triakis octahedron and Pede. While the triakis octahedron maintained the same appearance as before, Pede was only left with half of His body. From the looks of the battlefield, it was clear that the triakis octahedron had won.


    Standing on the deck of the Narwhale, Julio turned toward Feuerbach and said, "We''ve retrieved the darkness! Let''s get out of this wretched ce and return to the Subterranean Sea!"


    However, Feuerbach shook his head, and a bitter smile crept onto his face. "If we leave now, that thing will follow us too. It''s too terrifying if that thing appears in the Subterranean Sea. We have to destroy it!"


    "Destroy it?! Are you kidding me! How are we supposed to kill something like this?!" Julio''s voice almost cracked in disbelief.


    Anyway, their thoughts didn''t matter because the triakis octahedron clearly didn''t intend to let any of them leave. Its massive form began to churn with malice intent and surge toward the Narwhale.


    Meanwhile, Charles stood motionless atop the Narwhale''s gasbags as though he didn''t see the impending threat.


    Suddenly, Sparkle appeared before him. She reached out a tentacle, wanting to grab him and pull him to safety, only to find her tentacle passing right through Charles'' figure.


    "Daddy! We need to leave now!" Sparkle''s voice was choked with tears, but Charles remained still in his spot.


    Without warning, his body''s mutation began to speed up, with grotesque and repulsive organs appearing in session. Finally, a massive yellow eye pushed the other organs out of its path and emerged from Charles'' body.


    The moment the yellow eye emerged, Charles'' flesh began to dissolve at an rming rate. It was as though he had to pay a hefty price in exchange for summoning the eye.


    Seeing the situation, Sparkle didn''t hesitate for even a fraction of a second. She revealed her original form and leaped onto Charles, merging her form with his. With the addition of Sparkle, the massive yellow eye instantly grew to three times its size.


    When the yellow eye was summoned, everyone whoid their eyes on it copsed in agony. Their bodies also started to mutate just like Charles''.


    Gradually, everyone''s appearance was diverging from human forms.


    Of course, the triakis octahedron in front of the Narwhale wasn''t spared. Quivering cysts sprouted all over the gray tendrils that were facing Charles. When those cysts burst, the foul fluids within sprayed out, triggering even more severe mutations.


    At the same time, the dark sphere beside the Narwhale suddenly exploded, and everything was engulfed in darkness once more. A colossal human face appeared, stretching across the entire sky. This time, there was truly no boundary to the darkness.


    The darkness started to corrode the triakis octahedron, stalling it from approaching Charles. As time ticked by, the once imprable shell of the octahedron began to turn into bloodied flesh.


    When the triakis octahedron finally turned into aplete lump of flesh, a bright light illuminated the nearby ck hole once again. The iridescent cone, surrounded by glyphs, shot out from the portal and embedded itself deep into the octahedron''s body.


    Under everyone''s relentless assault, the octahedron finally halted in its trajectory. Its form slowly turned rigid before it eventually melted away and dissolved like snow.


    Following the demise of the octahedron, silence took over the chaotic battlefield. The gigantic yellow eye swiftly withered away. A thoroughly exhausted Charles could be seen back in his human form and copsed on one of Sparkle''s tentacles.


    Just then, Pede''s battered form moved toward the darkness. Grabbing the dark tentacle that connected Charles and the darkness, He turned and flew toward the portal.


    Anna seemed ready to intervene, but Feuerbach stood in her way, blocking her advance. He then said something to her.


    Together with the darkness, Charles was pulled into the ck hole. Emerging from the other side, they appeared above seawater. Judging from the thick fog that surrounded them, they seemed to have arrived in the Sea of Mist of the Southern Seas.


    The moment the darkness arrived at the Subterranean Sea, the bright surroundings quickly dimmed.


    Charles shifted his gaze downward. Upon seeing the rapidly receding seawater, his lips curved upward into a relieved smile. The water levels were decreasing; the Subterranean Sea was saved.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    You know what they say about this novel and its author. I ain''t trusting this "happy" ending.</blockquote>

 Chapter 722: Captured

    As the darkness swiftly returned to its original ce, the sea reverted to an inky green color that was almost close to ck. It was a color Charles found familiar as his long years in the Subterranean Sea had made him long forgotten the azure waters. In his mind, the ocean now felt right in its inky green, almost ck hue.


    Just then, a sudden thought entered Charles'' mind. He turned his gaze toward the dark sphere. As shadowy wisps of darkness seeped out of the massive ck sphere, the orb was also gradually shrinking.


    Staring at the ball of darkness before him, Charles felt like a boulder was weighing down his chest, and he felt suffocated.


    The orb had been his only friend in the triakis octahedron. Their friendship was genuine, pure, and untainted by any ulterior motives.


    Yet, this friend of his was fading away, and the perpetrator was him, who had brought it down here.


    "Friday," Charles softly called out. "This is your home. Wee home."


    However, the darkness showed no response. It continued to hover in mid-air and continuously diminished in size. Perhaps the moment it returned to the Subterranean Sea, its consciousness that had been created under the influence of 002 disappeared.


    Feeling utterly powerless, Charles was pulled along by the dark tentacle on his wrist. He could only silently watch as the orb shrank slowly. The sorrow and grief he was feeling felt as though he was attending a dear friend''s funeral.


    He had thought that everything was now all over. The Subterranean Sea was saved; the apocalypse had ended.But just when the orb of darkness shrank to half its size, the inky ck sea below Charles started churning. It wasn''t just a small area of the sea that was boiling, but the entire ocean surface was roiling. It was as though something massive was about to emerge from under the depths.


    Apanied by a series of sshing noises, gigantic tentacles, each as thick as towers and their suckers glowing an eerie light, shot up from the churning waters. They wrapped themselves around the dark orb and pulled it into the ocean''s depths.


    Anxiety raced through Charles, but he was too weak after the battle with the triakis octahedron; there was no way he could fight now.


    A sudden thought struck Charles, and he turned toward the massive form of Pede next to him. With strengthparable to that of a Divinity, He could fend off whatever was beneath the water.


    No matter how loud Charles shouted, however, Pede merely cast a cold nce at Charles with His three massive eyes. Then, under Charles'' gaze, He released his grip on the darkness!


    Without Pede''s restraint, both the darkness and Charles were dragged by the tentacles and plunged into the waters at a terrifying speed.


    A loud ssh resonated through the air when Charles crashed into the waters. Falling from such a great height, it felt as though he had collided with a concrete floor.


    The waters were boiling, but the temperature was freezing cold and chilled Charles to the bones, causing him to involuntarily open his eyes wide.


    Thest thing Charles saw was a grand city slowly rising from the depths of the sea. Before he could do anything, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head, and his consciousness faded.


    After an unknown amount of time, Charles felt like he was in a hazy dream.


    He saw the faces of people he knew and didn''t know. Their heads grew extremelyrge and crowded the entire sky. With twisted expressions, they were screaming at him in an endless cacophony.


    Charles had no idea what the dream meant but when he grudgingly came around, he no longer had the luxury of time to ponder over his dream. He found himself hanging upside down against a pristine white wall.


    Confused, he scanned his surroundings. The room was the size of a ssroom, and aside from himself, there was nothing else in the room. Not only were the walls white, but the ceiling and even the floor were snow white.


    The memories from before he fainted slowly turned clear, and Charles'' face darkened with realization. The situation was now painfully clear¡ªthe demi-gods of the Haikors had never intended to return the darkness to its rightful ce.


    They had long acquired a way to survive underwater. They had only joined the operation to im the darkness of the Subterranean Sea for themselves!


    This was terrible news as the Haikors had a trump card¡ªPede, whose power could rival that of a Divinity.


    They harbored hostility toward humans, and the Subterranean Sea was too weak to retaliate against them.


    Suddenly, an even scarier thought entered Charles'' mind. <em>If they took away the darkness, does that mean that the receded waters would start rising again?</em>


    While Charles was consumed by his thoughts, the door suddenly slid open with a <em>whoosh!</em>


    A Deep Dweller entered the room and used its white fish eyes to look down on Charles with a cold gaze.


    "How are you feeling now?"


    Charles looked at the green scales on the creature, and a cold sneer yed on his lips.


    "It seems like the demi-gods have been in cahoots with the Fhtagn Covenant since a long time ago."


    The Deep Dweller remained expressionless to Charles'' mocking taunt. It continued to ask a series of questions.


    "Do you feel like your body is recovering?"


    "How are you feeling?"


    "Are you hungry? What would you like for dinner?"


    Charles didn''t want to entertain any of the trivial questions that the Deep Dweller threw at him.


    "Call Paiper over. I need to have a word with him."


    "Sorry, he''s very busy now and won''t be able to meet you right now. I''lle back in three hours to check on you," the Deep Dweller answered. It then turned and left the room.


    Charles clenched his fists in frustration. His muscles tensed up as he struggled against his restraints, but he realized all his efforts were futile. His body felt like a ma and was stuck firmly to the wall.


    However, Charles was never one to give up easily. He closed his eyes, his mind racing to find a way to escape. If there was one thing he''d learned from enduring countless hardships, it was to never give up, no matter how dire the situation was.


    Half an hourter, Charles'' eyes suddenly shot wide open, aze with newfound resolve. His figure suddenly disappeared from the wall and reappeared just right beyond the wall.


    The moment he escaped from his confines, he had already entered his invisible state. ncing around, he found himself in a wide hallway that was seemingly part of some building.


    Charles pushed off against his feet. Using the ability of his boots, he inverted himself and hung upside down from the ceiling. His eyes swiftly darted from left to right before he continued to use his fused relic''s power to continuously teleport upward.


    It didn''t matter where this was or what scheme the bunch of demi-gods were plotting; he just needed to escape from this ce!


    With each trigger of the relic''s power, the pain in Charles'' abdomen intensified a notch. When an intense, sharp pain caused his features to twist in agony, he knew he had to stop.


    He had to rest. If his stomach were to rupture again at this time, it would spell serious troubles.


    Clutching his abdomen, Charles crouched on the ceiling and waited for his body to recover. While waiting, his thoughts drifted to the others, and he wondered if they had also been captured.


    Thinking back on the situation, the Haikors'' stronger force had followed him back to the Sea of Mist. In that case, Anna, Sparkle, and the rest had to be rtively unharmed.


    This thought offered Charles a small amount offort. He then took a moment to survey the room he was in. The air was thick with the briny scent of the sea, while the floor was nketed with ayer of dark green seaweed.

 Chapter 723: Belief

    Charles found himself in what appeared to be a workshop inside a factory.


    A massive amount of seaweed was being rapidly blended into a paste by a machine that looked like an amalgamation of flesh and machinery. The paste was then transported to the next room via a conveyor belt.


    <em>What do they need so much seaweed for? Am I inside one of the Haikor''s food factories?</em> A flicker of doubt crossed Charles'' mind.


    Still hanging upside down, Charles noticed the pain in his stomach slowly subsiding. He pondered briefly over his next move before deciding to move to the next room.


    The next room was full of strange andplex-looking machines. The machines spewed steam as they mixed the seaweed paste with some kind of white liquid.


    Charles walked down the workshop and watched as the seaweed passed through one processing stage after another to produce green paperboard sheets the size of a table.


    Charles watched as bone dies struck patterns of waves and ships on the surface of the green paperboard, and his pupils constricted to needlepoints upon recognizing the patterns.


    The green paperboard sheets were Echo bills!


    The Echo bills that were circting throughout the entire Subterranean Sea were being made here!Before Charles could recover from the shock, the hairs on the back of his head stood on end. Someone''s gaze hadnded on him.


    <em>Oh no, they''ve found me! </em>Charles reacted quickly, and his figure phased out of the mint. After rapidly phasing through several more walls, he suddenly found himself engulfed in cold seawater.


    Charles had no time to rejoice in his narrow escape. He swung his arms frantically to swim to the surface as soon as possible. However, Charles'' expression became extremely ugly as soon as he saw what was above him.


    There was another grand inverted city above him. It also didn''t seem like he could swim his way to the surface.


    However, Charles didn''t have the luxury to ponder over his situation. The gaze ahd returned, and it stuck to him as if it were his shadow. Whatever was staring at him, they could see through his invisibility.


    In other words, Charles had to keep moving, or he would get captured once again.


    Charles'' figure shed a few times as he disappeared into an inverted square building.


    "<em>Cough, cough...</em>" Charles coughed violently as he leaned against a ck stone tablet. The fresh blood gushing out of his mouth reminded him that his stomach would be in danger if he continued using the teleportation relic.


    Fortunately, it seemed that Lady Luck was on Charles'' side. The building seemed deste, as if it had been a long time since someone had stepped in here.


    The gaze that stuck to him like glue had disappeared as well as if it were refusing toe in here.


    Charles leanedpletely on the stone tablet behind him while gasping for breath. After a short rest, Charles rubbed his hand gently on the stone tablet behind him and noticed something amiss.


    Gasping for air, he turned around and saw something engraved on the glossy ck stone tablet.


    <em>e^i¦Ð+1=0...e^ix=cosx+is...</em>


    "What... what is this?" The text engraved on the stone tablet seemed to be a spell that froze Charles in ce.


    "A magical incantation? Are these ancient words from thenguage of the gods?" Charles muttered his guesses as he ran his hand across the stone tablet. For some reason, the mysterious text made him feel a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    Just then, Charles abruptly looked up and saw a spider the size of a small house crawling down a pitch-ck spider web.


    Spiders were supposed to have bulging silk sacs on their back, but this spider had a mountain of trembling brains in a variety of colors and shapes, and they were all wrapped in spider silk.


    It wasn''t Charles'' first time seeing the spider before him. He had fought one together with T from the Foundation, and they barely managed to kill it after they went all out and sustained severe injuries that put them on the verge of death.


    Even worse, the spider at the time was severely injured, but the giant spider before Charles was intact, without any injuries. The sight inundated Charles'' heart with despair.


    "Wrong. This is mathematics." A middle-aged woman''s voice echoed from the giant spider''s mouth.


    "What?" Charles asked unknowingly. The sight before him was so surreal that he felt like he was in a dream.


    The giant spider descended before Charles and stared at the engraving on the stone tablet with its dozens of scarlet eyes. "I said this is mathematics, the four fundamental forces of the universe.


    "Have you heard of them? They govern not just atoms but the entire universe, and I want to gain an understanding of them.


    "What do you think? Is the power of the gods really impossible to understand? I don''t think so. Even if they are unobservable and impossible to detect, it doesn''t mean that they can''t be understood."


    "Thews of the universe are interconnected. I believe that we will have a fundamental understanding of the gods the moment we gain an understanding of the four fundamental forces of the universe."


    The giant spider turned its dozens of scarlet eyes at Charles, and as its horrifying head moved closer to him, he saw dozens of his own reflections in the giant spider''s scarlet eyeballs.


    "I believe that humans should wield their own power rather than borrow the gods'' unknown power. Mathematics will always be our weapon. It will not go out of control, nor will it betray us. It will always be on our side."


    "''We''? Are you talking about yourself along with humanity?" Charles stared at the giant spider. The giant spider''s words were so absurd that Charles felt likeughing. He suppressed the urge tough and asked, "Who are you?"


    "I already told you back then, Charles. I''m T6. I''m a member of the Foundation''s GK Council, and I mostly do theoretical research."


    The giant spider''s words enlightened Charles at once, and the puzzle pieces in his head finally fell into ce.


    From "Feuerbach''s" appearance to Paiper''s arrival to reinforce them at the opportune moment in the center of the darkness¡­


    From the tacit understanding between the gods of the Haikor Tribe and the Foundation against the triakis octahedron to the human-like mannerisms and speech patterns of Paiper and Pogro¡­


    Moreover, Charles had just stumbled upon a banknote printing facility producing Echo bills.


    The puzzle pieces fell into ce, and Charles realized something just then. The Foundation had never been hidden; it had been right under everyone''s nose all along!


    "What is Paiper''s code name in the GK Council?" Charles asked.


    "E4."


    "What about Pogro, who has been monitoring our movements at the Colossal Hole Fortress?"


    "O5."


    "What about Pede, who seems to be even stronger than a Divinity?"


    "V3."


    They had bizarre appearances that couldn''t be further from what a human being was supposed to look like, yet they were all members of the GK Council!


    The gods of the Haikor Tribe were members of the Foundation!


    Charles looked down at the ground and smiled. "Impressive. You guys surely are tough. To think that you guys had ended up surviving that disaster a thousand years ago."


    T6''s reply was a bitte, and she spoke in a heavy voice, saying, "No, you''re wrong. Every single Foundation member at the time was killed except for the seven members who had fused to form the Light God.


    "On that day, the sleeping 003 opened His eyes, and no one could withstand it. The Foundation was annihted at the time."


    T6 seemed to have seen through Charles'' thoughts, so she added, "We''re not the original members of the Foundation. In fact, we''re the Foundation''s experimental subjects."


    T6''s voice sounded a bit self-deprecating as she continued, "Isn''t it hrious? Back then, we were just their tools¡­ theirb rats for their experiments, but we somehow ended up bing them.


    "But Charles, you have to understand that someone has to step up amidst the predicament. Humans are mere ants before them, but we must always strive for survival against them.


    "The Foundation was never a group of people. It was always a belief¡ªthe belief that one must save one''s own species at the cost of everything else.


    "And inheritors of that belief is the Foundation¡­"

 Chapter 724: Plan Three

    Charles'' expression wasplex as he stared at T6 in front of him. T6''s lofty ideals of abandoning everything to save one''s own species had left him deeply shocked.


    However, Charles found it to be quite absurd, considering their current appearance and what they had done so far. Their actions so far werepletely contradictory to their words.


    "You guys have been insisting that all of you are striving for mankind''s survival, so howe you guys hadn''t provided any help to the denizens of the Subterranean Sea when the death light was still around and was killing so many people at once?


    "And our painstaking efforts to find and retrieve the darkness has finally borne fruit; the darkness has finally returned to the Subterranean Sea, so why did you guys take it away?"


    Charles'' words left T6 silent for a long time.


    T6''s two fangs shimmering with green venom trembled slightly as she said, "I''m sure you know that the Foundation does not belong to only one person. Everyone has their own point of view and opinion when ites to saving mankind.


    "But as I said, I mostly do theoretical research. I don''t have much say in the Foundation. When everyone started voting on whether to proceed with n Three or not, I voted against proceeding with it.


    "Unfortunately, the minority will always have to follow the will of the majority."


    "n Three? What are you talking about?" Charles asked. For some reason, he felt uneasy upon hearing the words "n Three.""You guys know too much. The current batch of humans in the Subterranean Sea has not only made its way to the surface world but has learned of the Foundation''s existence as well.


    "Too many people have be aware of the Foundation''s existence that it has be impossible to cover up our existence. Even worse, the current batch of humans has developed way too quickly under your lead.


    "Human curiosity is endless. Once this crisis has passed, I''m sure that you humans will hit a technological bottleneck in just a hundred years at most, just like the previous Foundation. Then, humans will give birth to an intense curiosity about the power of the gods."


    "Afterward, humans will do their best to understand them and make use of them, just like what the previous Foundation had done with Divine Blood."


    "The power of the gods is taboo. The previous generation of the Foundation is a cautionary tale of what''s going to happen if one were to mess with a taboo. We don''t want all of humanity to suffer that horrible ending, so we have no choice but to initiate n Three."


    Hearing that, Charles finally understood what "n Three" meant. His feelings toward the Foundation changed instantly, and his voice trembled as he said, "So¡­ you guys want to kill all the humans throughout the Subterranean Sea?"


    "The Foundation did not want this to happen, either. We''ve been doing our best to make sure that the Subterranean Sea''s technology will remain at a certain level."


    "We destroyed the Albion Isles as soon as we noticed signs of their technology surpassing a certain level. As for your Hope Ind, we wanted to sink it, too, but the darkness'' disappearance disrupted our ns.


    "First of all, we didn''t expect that the Pope would seed in shattering the Light God''s restraints. Secondly, your sudden appearance in the Subterranean Sea caught us all off guard. You''re a variable¡ªa very special one at that," T6 exined.


    Charles felt a shiver down his spine, and the cold shiver pervaded him to the core.


    They were talking about a n to exterminate all of humanity here, but T6 could actually talk about it in such a casual manner?


    "This is your so-called ''for mankind''s sake''?! You just told me about how the Foundation''s belief is to save one''s own species at the cost of everything else, so this is the meaning of all that talk? To save humanity is to exterminate them?


    "I think you guys have been living for such a long time that you guys think of yourselves as gods now, am I right?!"


    Charles found their hearts to be as ugly and as evil-looking as their distorted appearances.


    "You don''t have to worry about mankind. We have enough incubators with embryos. Once the Subterranean Sea has returned to its previous calm, the next batch of humans will appear and live in the new era.


    "They''ll safely proceed to live generation after generation under our care and guidance. It is a cycle that will continue as long as there are no longer any variables like you."


    T6''s words enraged Charles, and he red at the giant spider before him before roaring, "This is the Foundation''s belief?! The belief of abandoning everything else to save humanity?! Are you guys really working for mankind''s sake, or are you working just for the concept of ''mankind''?"


    T6 took half a step backward in the face of Charles'' fierce questioning. "Sorry, I''m a science student. I don''t really want to talk about philosophical questions. For such questions, you should go and seek O5.


    "And as I said, I voted against proceeding with the n. They''re the ones who voted in favor of it."


    Charles wanted to say something when his expression abruptly changed. He suppressed his tumultuous emotions and looked around calmly.


    A colossal ck-ss writhing worm was drilling through the ck stone tablet next to him. The writhing worm was none other than Paiper, a member of the Foundation''s GK Council with the code name E4.


    Charles heard a familiar voice outside. The familiar voice belonged to Pede, a powerful existence who seemed to be stronger than a Divinity. Charles realized just then that there was no way he could escape their encirclement.


    He was strong, but he was no match for Pede.


    "Did you contact them?" Charles asked, staring at T6 in front of him. Despite knowing that any attempts of escape were futile, he still wanted to obtain more information while he could do so.


    "We''ve prepared two things against you, an unforeseen variable. We did our preparations many years ago, and one of them is Feuerbach," Paiper said as T6 remained silent. "Thest one is your high boots..."


    Charles looked down at his high boots, which allowed him to tread all kinds of surfaces. It was an extremely practical and inconspicuous pair of boots. He had saved the life of an Apostle a few years ago, and the Haikor King had invited him to the Sea of Mist, where he received this pair of boots as a gift.


    Paiper''s words revealed that there was something wrong with the practical gift that he had received from the Haikor King.


    Charles bent down and took off the boots before throwing them right in front of T6. "So you''ve been tracking my every single move using these boots?"


    Paiper approached Charles, and Its hideous mouthpiece rotated slightly as it spoke. "No, this is not just a tracker. In fact, it''s an execution device. Once the switch is pressed, trace amounts of drugs will infiltrate your bloodstream until you die."


    Just then, fine spider ck spider silk descended and wrapped around Charles, who put up no resistance.


    "Charles, don''t thank us for not pressing that switch all this while because we pressed that switch the moment the centralputer determined that your threat level was too high. We witnessed early symptoms of poisoning, which affected your rationality and state of mind, but you didn''t die for some reason."


    Paiper''s words made Charles think about many different things, but he remained rational and didn''t ask any questions.


    The deformed, writhing worm rolled Charles up before saying, "Charles, you are a very special variable, and we must study you."


    Just as Paiper was rolling away Charles, who was wrapped in ck spider silk, T6''s voice echoed in Charles'' mind. <em>"Charles, don''t worry about it; they don''t mean you any harm. As I said, you''re very special. Just do your best and perform well. Actually, the GK Council had once considered absorbing you into the Foundation."</em>


    Charles'' heart trembled at T6''s remark, and he suddenly felt like he had found a way out of their current predicament. <em>"If I join the Foundation, can I stop n Three?"</em>


    <em>"No, n Three cannot be terminated once initiated. I know what you''re trying to do, but I''m sorry¡­ I think you''re going to be the only survivor in the uing catastrophe."</em>


    Anna, Sparkle, Lily, Bandages, Dipp¡ªthe faces of his friends and beloved ones shed through Charles'' mind, and a glimmer of determination appeared in his eyes.


    He would neverpromise. His wife, daughter, crew, and his lover¡ªthey would all be eliminated under n Three. He had already lost his original family, and he absolutely couldn''t lose his new family here in the Subterranean Sea.


    However, Charles knew that escape was impossible at this point. Since they wanted to absorb him into the Foundation, then he could take advantage of that to turn the tables against them.


    Perhaps it was his one and only chance.


    T6 inwardly sighed as she stared at Charles being dragged away by Paiper. Soon, she walked up to the ck stone tablet and raised her ws to carve something on the stone tablet.


    Math forms pervaded the stone tablet in the proverbial blink of an eye. After a while, T6 retracted her spider legs, which were as thick as telephone poles, and sat down quietly while staring at the stone tablet in front of her.


    T6 fell into deep contemtion, and the mountain of brains on her back started trembling. The trembling of her brains became more and more violent as time ticked by, and as the tremors reached a crescendo, a pinkish brain exploded with a <em>pop!</em>


    White and gray brain matter sttered everywhere, but T6 didn''t even react. She seemed to have gotten used to it long ago, and she remained unmoving amidst the violent tremors, clearly immersed in the vastness of mathematics.

 Chapter 725: Anna

    Meanwhile, on the surface world¡­


    A train belched thick, ck smoke as it traversed across the acrid desert region. Seated within one of its cabins, Anna twirled a lock of her hair around her finger.


    A faint smile yed on her lips as she looked at Feuerbach seated opposite her. With a soft yet steely voice, she asked, "Where did they take Charles? Why hasn''t he returned yet?"


    "How would I know?" Feuerbach said with a nonchnt shrug. "You should ask those tall guys from the Haikor Tribe. I''m not exactly familiar with them."


    "Not exactly familiar with them? Oh really?" Anna smirked. "Why do I find that hard to believe?"


    Tired of the charade, Anna decided to cease the conversation and directly used her power to browse through Feuerbach''s memories. Soon, images and thoughts shed before her.


    Anna rapidly sifted through all the information but found nothing of value. Most of his memories were trivial and filled with mundane details. If it were the old Anna, she would be fooled by this, but the current Anna was different.


    As she willed her power deeper into his thoughts, her keen senses noticed that there was something unnatural about Feuerbach''s memories; there were traces of them being forcefully stitched together, like unmatching pieces of a puzzle.


    Feuerbach''s memory had clearly been tampered with."Ma''am, don''t worry. Now that the darkness has returned to the Subterranean Sea, everything will be fine soon. The captain is probably having a celebratory banquet with those giants in the Sea of Mist," Feuerbach tried to reassure Anna.


    Anna let out a cold chuckle. "Though I have no idea where my man is now, I doubt he would be at a celebratory banquet. He hates those kinds of social gatherings."


    With that, Anna lifted her hand slightly, and Feuerbach instantly copsed unconscious onto the table. A few tentacles, covered in ck scales, emerged from her abdomen and bound him tightly.


    The smile on Anna''s visage vanished as she stood up and walked toward another carriage.


    The rhythmic clicking of her high heels echoed down the aisle.


    "So what did that man say? Where is Charles now?" Julio asked without looking up. He heard Anna approaching, but his focus remained on the chess game he was ying with Bandages.


    Now that the crisis had passed, even the usual menace in Julio''s expression had softened, and he looked more amicable than before.


    Anna offered no response. Instead, her slender, delicate neck extended unnaturally to peer out of the window.


    Outside, the vast desert stretched endlessly under the purple light. A bustling city, the destination stop of the moving train they were on, was slowlying into view.


    It was the Colossal Hole Fortress. Anti-aircraft guns that were initially installed to catch the Pope were firing into the air in celebration.


    Everyone was rejoicing and celebrating the return of the darkness. They had won; they survived the catastrophe. Even from this distance, Anna could feel the city''s exuberance and joy.


    However, the celebratory noises sounded extremely annoying in Anna''s ears. She couldn''t care less about the fate of the humans in the Subterranean Sea. She was only concerned about Charles'' safety.


    "Don''t worry. Those guys won''t dare to harm Charles. I''ll put some pressure on the monsters in the Sea of Mist," Julio said as Anna retracted her neck.


    Ann turned to look at Julio, a glint of mockery flickering across her eyes. "Oh, really? How impressive. I''m sure they''ll be trembling in fear the moment you speak."


    Hearing Anna''s sarcastic words, Julio''s brows knitted together tightly as his face turned a shade darker.


    "Young one, as an elder, I feel that I need to share a bit of wisdom. When someone offers you goodwill, you can either ept it or turn it down. If you choose to challenge them instead, your path ahead will only turn narrower."


    Anna''s expression turned icy as she settled down into a corner of the carriage. She pulled out Charles'' phone and began to scroll through it mindlessly.


    Fiddling with a chess piece made from coral, Julio made a hinting gesture toward Bandages. The bandaged figure before him nodded silently before leaving for the next carriage.


    "Now that Charles is not around, Hope Ind is in your care," Julio began. "Though this crisis has passed, we still need to remain vignt for the next crisis. I have no intention of dissolving the Subterranean Sea Alliance we''ve painstakingly formed."


    "You are scared," Annamented as she yed Tetris on the phone. "You''re afraid of the immense power those demi-gods of the Haikors possess."


    "Yes, I''m scared. But aren''t you? If they decide to act, we''re nothing in front of them. To survive, we must remain united!" Julio answered honestly.


    Seeing no reaction from Anna, Julio added, "If Charles were here, he''d agree with my suggestion."


    Anna lifted her gaze from the phone screen to look at Julio. "You have taken the Pope, Charles'' enemy, under your wing. Don''t think I don''t know what you''re up to. Are you really on our side?"


    Despite Anna calling him out on his secret, Julio remained calm. "I didn''t take him under my wing. It''s called imprisonment! I locked him up, so he couldn''te up here and interfere at a critical juncture."


    Just then, the train began slowing down. Soon, they''d reach the Colossal Hole Fortress.


    Anna lifted her head slightly, and Feuerbach, bound tightly in tentacles, rolled over from the adjacent cabin to her side.


    "I don''t see any need to work with you," Annamented in an icy tone. "Don''t forget. I''m just a monster living in the Subterranean Sea. Moreover, my strength has caught up to yours."


    "What?!" Julio was taken aback. Before he couldpose himself, he realized that he, too, was wrapped in the same slimy, constricting tentacles.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    With a sudden, forceful jolt, Julio''s body tensed up, and the tentacles binding him snapped apart, scattering in all directions.


    The force of the explosion stretched the entire cabin into a circr shape. The bottom of the carriage rubbed against the tracks constantly, sending sparks flying everywhere.


    "Impossible! How did your strength increase so quickly?!" Julio eximed.


    A sheen of cold sweat formed on Julio''s back from apparent fear. If those tentacles had been something else, something more lethal¡­


    Meanwhile, Anna ignored Julio''s growing panic.


    Grabbing Feuerbach, she leaped out of the window and remarked, "That''s all there is to the strongest among the humans. You''re not worthy of teaming up with me. Even if I were to find an ally, it would be someone far stronger."


    As she entered the crowd of people celebrating in jubilee, Anna''s icy demeanor made her seem utterly out of ce. However, it seemed like no one around her was bothered. They seemed like they couldn''t even see her.


    By altering everyone''s memories, Anna was capable of achieving a state of permanent invisibility.


    Walking through the throngs of celebrating people, her mind reyed the recent battle with the triakis octahedron. The scenes reyed themselves again and again, and with each rey, her face would twist further into a grimace of deep humiliation. She had worked so hard, using all the methods at her disposal to be even stronger, but it was useless against that entity! Even though she had surpassed the strongest among the humans, she was still too weak.


    Compared to a Divinity, she couldn''t even match up to a single finger of the triakis octahedron. Seeing the triakis octahedron''s formidable power ignited an intense desire within her to grow even stronger.


    Sometimes, Anna felt envious of her own daughter. Her daughter didn''t even have to lift a finger. Sparkle just had to wait, and she''d be even stronger.


    "I refuse to be a mere insect for others to crush! Never!"

 Chapter 726: Returning Home

    Standing on the deck, Lily cast her gaze the skies, and her furry face clouded with worry as she watched herpanions caught in an animated discussion.


    "I dare bet my head on it! They''re definitely hostile toward the Captain! We need to mobilize the entire Hope Ind''s navy and charge into the Sea of Mist!" Dipp shouted, his voiceced with fury.


    "The crisis has just ended and you should be well aware of the current precarious state of the Subterranean Sea. Yet you are thinking of starting a war now? Do you want to see Hope Ind crumblepletely?" another crew member retorted.


    "So what? Compared to the captain, does any of that matter? If we''re suffering, they shouldn''t be having it easy too!" Dipp countered.


    "Enough, both of you! The gods of the Haikors are our allies. Perhaps they inadvertently took the captain away along with the darkness."


    "I agree," another crew member interjected. "Perhaps the captain ran into some unexpected issues. Give it some time and he might juste back on his own, like how he did that time in the past."


    "Stop thinking so kindly of them! If they had good intentions, howe they aren''t responding to any of our telegrams?"


    "Because telegrams don''t exist in the Sea of Mist! They don''t use them, you smart genius!"


    Caught up in a heated argument, the crew members'' faces were flushed from irritation.Clearly, their opinions deviated about what had happened to Charles. Now, they were unsure if the Haikor''s gods had taken him away intentionally or identally, especially considering that the darkness had anchored itself to Charles via the ck ring around Charles'' wrist at that time.


    To be honest, some of the crew still had a rather good impression of the Haikors'' gods. Despite the fearsome appearance of the tribe''s gods, the gods had proven themselves in the recent battle. Even their followers, the Haikor giants, had also given their all in the early phase of exploration, and many had even sacrificed their lives.


    In a way, the Haikors and their gods could be consideredrades with the humans of the Subterranean Sea.


    It was hard to believe that the gods harbored ulterior motives, especially since the darkness of the Subterranean Sea had indeed returned.


    "Erm¡­ Maybe we should ask Monster Sister about this?" Lily''s soft voice interrupted the argument.


    Everyone''s gazes turned onto the golden mouse, and she continued, "Since Monster Sister is Mr. Charles'' wife, she''s probably thinking about this as well."


    "Sigh, Lil'' Lily, it''s moreplicated than that," Dipp remarked, reaching out a hand to pat Lily''s head, but thetter deftly dodged it.


    <em>Tap, tap, tap!</em>


    Bandagesrapped his fingers lightly on the ship''s railing before pointing toward the distant horizon where the silhouette of Hope Ind wasing into view.


    "We¡­are¡­ home¡­ Go home¡­ first¡­. I''ll¡­ speak to¡­ Anna¡­ about the¡­ captain''s situation¡­"


    Without the captain around, themand had shifted to the first mate. A single statement from Bandages had effectively ended the debate. The crew began packing their belongings and preparing to disembark.


    Charles'' disappearance was far from overshadowing everyone''s excitement of returning home.


    As the Narwhale pulled into the harbor, the sight of their families standing on the muddy docks stirred a wave of emotions through the crew.


    Some were so eager to reunite that they couldn''t even wait for thedder. They jumped overboard into the water and swam to shore.


    Cries of joy filled the dock. Elena''s eyes were filled with tears as she spotted a young man in the distance slowly unwrapping the bandages over his body. He was her eldest son, Weister.


    Weister put on a smile as he approached his family members. He noted that his younger siblings had grown taller, and his mother who had visibly aged. "Mom¡­ I kept¡­ my promise¡­ I''m¡­ back¡­"


    From afar, Lily watched Weister embrace his family, a hint of envy crossed her eyes.


    Everyone had someone waiting for them¡ªexpected for her. In the past, she could still stay by Charles'' side, but now, even Charles had disappeared.


    Leading the mice that had survived the ordeal, Lily quietly walked along the edge of the dock.


    "Lily, are you upset?" Tobba, who also had no one waiting for him, asked cheerfully.


    He was holding a pile of empty cans he had pilfered from the kitchen while everyone else rushed to the deck.


    "No, I''m fine," Lily replied. As soon as her words fell, a family of three ran past her. One of them was the Lily of this world.


    This world''s Lily had fully matured, her beauty drawing the attention of everyone around her. Despite being d in a simple canvas work outfit, it couldn''t shadow her charm.


    Laughing and chatting, the family of three headed toward the distant docks. From their conversation, it seemed like they had a rtive who worked on the surface, and they were here to receive him.


    Seeing the happy family of three, Lily''s feigned indifference crumbled. She covered her face with her tiny paws and burst into tears.


    At Lily''s outburst, Tobba crouched down and ced the cans he was holding onto the muddy ground. He gently patted her head, trying tofort her.


    After a few moments of crying, Lily''s tears subsided, and a look of resolve returned to her eyes. "It doesn''t matter even if I can''t change back into a human. It doesn''t matter, even if they hate the way I look now! I can''t wait any longer! I want my mom and dad here! Yes! I''m going to bring them over to this world!"


    Lily then turned around and issued new instructions to the mice behind her. Shemanded them to gather all surviving mice on Hope Ind. She was going to form an expedition fleet immediately to fetch her family from the parallel world to this world.


    Now that the darkness had returned, there was nothing left to worry about.


    In times of disaster, mice always fared better than humans. Soon, arge group of mice swarmed onto a ship. Under Lily''s order, they set out toward V12 Containment Site.


    As she watched the ship fade into the horizon, Lily''s eyes glimmered with hope. Her heart raced with excitement as she started to imagine the moment in the future when she''d finally reunite with her family.


    "I wouldn''t do that if I were you," a crisp voice sounded from behind Lily.


    Lily turned around to see a fully grown Sparkle. Wearing a white dress, she looked as graceful as a white lotus.


    "You are¡­ Sparkle? You grow so fast!" Lily eximed in surprise.


    Sparkle had no idea what to say as she stared at Lily. The mouse''s thoughts were jumping around too fast for her toprehend.


    "My father once told me about you. How long has it been since you left home?" Sparkle asked.


    Lily pondered for a moment before answering with a hint of hesitation, "About ten years, I think?"


    "If I''m not mistaken," Sparkle began. "Your parents have likely given birth to another child to take your ce. If you truly care about their well-being, it''d be best not to disrupt their lives.


    "Bringing someone from another parallel world to ours isn''t a great idea. Perhaps they might be overjoyed at first, thrilled that their daughter, who they thought was dead, is still alive. But they''ll eventually find it hard to live here.


    "Because in this world, another version of them lives here. They will find it hard to fit into everything in this world. In exchange for gaining a daughter, who has be a mouse, they''d lose everything."


    Lily''s ears drooped, and aplicated expression marring her face as she sank into a dilemma. "But¡­ I really miss them so much¡­"

 Chapter 727: Memories

    Sparkle stretched her hand out gently, and her fingers transformed into tentacles that wrapped around Lily, who was on the ground.


    "I''m familiar with that feeling, but it''s a feeling that has be more and more unfamiliar to me as my mind matures.


    "Perhaps your immature mind is the reason you''ve been struggling with that feeling for so many years. I think you should address your childishness first before thinking about your parents."


    No one would like to be told that they were childish, and Lily was no exception.


    "But what can I do?! I also don''t know why I''m like this! I don''t want to stay a child forever; I want to mature, too! Also, you''re not much older than me! What gives you the right to say that I''m childish and immature?!" Lily retorted.


    Sparkle sighed lightly and said, "Come with me to my ce. I''ll try to see if I can help you. Our circumstances are both special, after all."


    Sparkle''s selflessness made Lily feel a bit embarrassed. She looked and sounded awkward as she said, "Sorry, I went overboard just now."


    However, Sparkle didn''t mind at all. A white light shed, and the two found themselves standing before a house in a residential area. They were on top of the World''s Crown, which Sparkle had replicated perfectly.


    Amidst the vast swaths of dpidated buildings, Sparkle''s house was particrly eye-catching."Want something to drink?" Sparkle asked, cing Lily on a table.


    "Coconut juice."


    Sparkle''s figure became slightly transparent before returning to normal in the blink of an eye. Her hand was empty just moments ago, but now, she was holding an opened coconut.


    "Drink up."


    Lily was a bit hesitant in the face of the opened coconut. When she saw the teeth marks on the coconut, she couldn''t help but remark, "<em>Um... </em>I think someone was eating that just now¡­"


    "You''re a mouse, but you''re pickier than humans. It seems that you''ve never experienced true hunger. Nene and the others are never picky."


    Sparkle flipped her palm, and a newly opened coconut appeared in her hand. She then handed it over to Lily.


    Lily promptly stuck her furry head into the coconut to take a sip of the juice before looking up at Sparkle and asking, "How can you help me be more mature?"


    Lily longed to see her family, but her desire to be more mature took precedence over her longing. Lily didn''t want to stay as a child for the rest of her life.


    "You have to master the power inside of you. Your power is from the Light God, and I''m sure that once you''ve mastered it, you will be able to shatter the restraints that have been suppressing the maturity of your mind."


    "Mmhm! Okay, so what should I do?" Lily asked, sounding curious.


    "All right. I want you to ept the power inside you. Don''t reject it. Close your eyes and feel it. Once you can feel it, try to make it spread throughout your entire body."


    When Lily closed her eyes, the right half of Sparkle''s figure melted, and more than a dozen tentacles riddled with green eyeballs sprang up, staring intently at Lily.


    A radiant sunlight burst out of the mouse, and Lily started floating in midair.


    However, the radiant sunlight seemed to be under corrosion, and it dimmed gradually until it scattered into seven colors. The seven colors seemed to be under corrosion as well, which made them look like a decayed rainbow.


    Lily frowned in pain and began struggling instinctively against the corrosion.


    "Focus. I''m guiding the power inside you. Memorize this feeling. Now, I want you to gather that power while imagining it in the form of a spear."


    The golden, radiant light from Lily slowly converged at one point, bing more and more concentrated as time went on. Eventually, the radiant light transformed into a dark rainbow spear.


    Sparkle''s tentacles retracted just then, and the dark spear instantly shed its abyss-like color, transforming into a dazzling spear.


    "It''s shaking a lot! I can''t control it!" Lily eximed anxiously with her eyes closed.


    "If you can''t control it anymore, then throw it away!"


    Lily''s eyes snapped open just then, and the dazzling spear in front of her flew away. It sted a hole in the wall before vanishing into the distant horizon. Lily was left breathing in ragged pants from the exertion; the attempt had thoroughly exhausted her.


    "Let''s take a break and train againter. Your control over your mind is too weak, and you struggle to output even the smallest amount of energy.


    "It seems that I must acquire some of the Western Seas'' best meditation books; then, make you read and apply them before you can improve," Sparkle said. She was clearly dissatisfied with Lily''s performance.


    "Thank you, but¡­ why are you helping me so much? The two of us never really yed with each other before," Lily asked, casting a curious gaze at Sparkle.


    "There''s no particr reason. I just find you interesting, that''s all," Sparkle replied, choosing to hide the truth from Lily. Truth be told, Sparkle had been feeling a bit restless these days. She felt that there was something amiss with her father''s disappearance.


    She wanted to go to the Sea of Mist, but Anna stopped her. When she asked her mother about what exactly had happened to her father, Anna refused to tell her anything about it.


    There was little Sparkle could do, as she couldn''t visit the Sea of Mist. One of the few things she could do was be even stronger, but her power level seemed to increase along with her age.


    In other words, she was guaranteed to be stronger with the passage of time, but there was a drawback¡ªshe couldn''t actively be stronger.


    Sparkle had decided to help Lily because she believed that Lily could be as strong as the Pope, at the very least, if given enough time and guidance. Most importantly, she was Charles'' crew member and was very loyal to him.


    ***


    Charles was sitting calmly on a stool, eating the bowl of minced pork rice before him using a pair of chopsticks. The Foundation knew many things about him, and it included even his favorite food.


    "I''m full." Charles wiped his mouth clean with a napkin before turning to the woman next to him and asking, "Where are we going next?"


    Upon realizing that they wanted to absorb him into the Foundation, Charles concluded that the best course of action was to behave in a normal way.


    "We''re going this way; please follow me. We''re going to scan your memories."


    Charles'' heart sank at the reply. Since they wanted to absorb him into the Foundation, it wasn''t strange for them to conduct a memory scan.


    "Alright," Charles replied and followed closely behind the woman. The difference in strength between him and the Foundation was too great, so he had no choice but to take things one step at a time.


    There was a clean and spacious corridor outside the room. The minimalist style of the corridor was indeed very Foundation-esque.


    Soon, Charles was sent to a room that seemed to have been made entirely out of flesh. The leather sofa felt as warm as someone''s body as Charles sat on it and stared calmly at the mirror in front of him.


    He was certain that there were people observing him from behind the mirror.


    "Go ahead and scan him. I really want to know how he appeared in the Subterranean Sea. Logically speaking, it should have been impossible for him to be in the Subterranean Sea," Paiper said.


    As soon as its words fell, waves that were invisible to ordinary people rippled from all four sides of the room and converged on Charles'' head.


    Meanwhile, a few long needles connected to optical fibers were forcefully inserted into Paiper''s deformed worm head by some people wearing whiteb coats.


    Paiper''s figure twitched, and all of Charles'' memories shed across its mind. It browsed the memories for a while before eximing in disbelief, "My goodness, what''s going on with this guy''s memories? Why are there traces of alteration in every single memory of his?


    "<em>Hmm? </em>Why is there a hidden memory here? Who did this?" Paiper discovered a hidden memory in the deepest recesses of Charles'' sea of consciousness. The sight piqued Paiper''s curiosity, and it couldn''t help but open the isted memory.


    The moment Paiper opened the isted memory, it instantly learned that the memory contained a very unique existence¡ªthe Inexistence.


    Upon sensing that it had been perceived, the Inexistence that had been orbiting Charles raised its skeleton head and gazed right at Paiper behind the ss.


    <em>ng!</em>


    The long needles connected to Paiper fell helplessly to the ground with a loud ng.


    The colossal twisted worm had vanished from the monitoring room.

 Chapter 728: Meme

    Charles'' ears twitched slightly, his lone eye darting toward the mirror embedded in the fleshy wall beside him. Themotion on the other side seemed to be huge.


    "When will the examination be over?" Charles tentatively asked the mirror, but there was no response.


    Despite sensing that something might have happened to the Foundation staff on the other side, Charles didn''t dare to make any reckless move. In such uncertain circumstances, escaping without a n would only make matters worse.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, Paiper''s twisted worm body once again emerged from within the structure. A few long needles connected to optical fibers were forcefully inserted into Paiper''s deformed worm head by some people wearing whiteb coats.


    Paiper''s figure twitched, and all of Charles'' memories shed across its mind. It browsed the memories for a while before eximing in disbelief, "My goodness, what''s going on with this guy''s memories? Why are there traces of alteration in every single memory of his?


    "<em>Hmm? </em>Why is there a hidden memory here? Who did this?" Paiper discovered a hidden memory in the deepest recesses of Charles'' sea of consciousness. The sight piqued Paiper''s curiosity, and it couldn''t help but open the isted memory.


    <em>ng!</em>


    The long needles connected to Paiper fell helplessly to the ground with a loud ng.


    The colossal twisted worm had vanished from the monitoring room.Time ticked by slowly. Not long after, Paiper''s twisted worm body emerged from within the wall. A few long needles connected to optical fibers were forcefully inserted into Paiper''s deformed worm head by some people wearing whiteb coats.


    The same sequence of events repeated again and again. It was as though the upants in the room were trapped in an endless time loop, repeating the same actions over and over again.


    At the fifth repetition, just when Paiper instructed the researchers to insert the long needles into his brain, a tall, skinny figure with two raven heads appeared and broke the loop.


    Both his dark beaks parted, and a deep voice sounded in the room. "E4, what''s going on? Why is the centralputer sounding an rm? What are you doing?"


    "rm? I wasn''t doing anything. I was just checking Target 3''s memories," Paiper answered. It was at that moment that realization dawned upon it.


    "This is bad! That guy''s memories contain a memetic infection! We''ve been tricked!"


    With a swift motion of its ck-ss twisted worm tail, Paiper swiped across the floating screen and activated the safe mode.


    The room Charles was in rapidly descended to eventually stop in a multifunctional prison equipped with various defenses.


    Despite all the precautions, Paiper didn''t dare to let its guard down. It quickly embedded a crystal clear ne into its worm body.


    Only when Paiper could finally feel the crystal''s protective properties taking effect, did it finally let out a sigh of relief.


    Though the crystal ne couldn''t stop a memetic infection, it could provide early warnings; at least, they wouldn''t be caught off guard.


    Turning to its colleague beside it, the figure with two raven heads, Paiper remarked, "I''ve told you that absorbing people like him poses a significant threat to the Foundation. Luckily, we discovered this memetic infection early this time. If this infection were to spread out, it could have caused immense damage to the entire Foundation.


    "If we can''t even observe his memories, who knows if he''s a good or bad addition to the Foundation!" Paiper concluded.


    The two-headed raven figure calmly observed Charles through the screen and watched thetter ncing around warily. He contemted for a moment before saying, "He''s a very unique variable. O5 believes that he is of significant research value. Don''t think so poorly of him; that might just be one of his own defensive methods.


    "Let''s go talk to him. Perhaps we might be able to get an answer out of him directly. To be honest, his approach to dealing with things is rather simr to ours, and I really like that about him."


    Meanwhile, Charles was growing restless from the prolonged waiting in the room. Earlier, he had attempted to teleport himself out of the room with the embedded relic in him, but the strange fleshy walls around him seemed to block any methods of teleportation.


    Just as Charles was pondering over the purpose of his containment, Charles saw Paiper''s worm body prating through the metal wall and into the room. Behind it was a humanoid creature with two raven heads.


    "Is it over now? Seriously, you guys are surely slow," Charlesmented, pressing his hands on the armrests of the flesh-formed sofa and pushing himself to stand.


    His attention was first drawn to the tall figure who towered over four meters. His slender form was d in a ck trench coat. Clearly, he appeared to also be a member of the Foundation.


    "Charles, can you exin the origin of the memetic infection in your memories?" Paiper broke the silence.


    "Memetic infection? What is that?" A look of genuine surprise crossed Charles'' face; he had no idea what was this thing they had just used him of.


    "Stop ying dumb! Because of your infection, I''ve died at least five times already!" Paiper''s voice wasced with evident anger.


    Charles was taken aback. He couldn''t focus on how he had managed to harm them. He was more shocked by the fact that Paiper had died so many times but was somehow still hovering before him. The Foundation clearly had some serious tricks up its sleeves.


    <em>What is there in my memories? Why can it kill Paiper? Could it be a trap set by Anna?</em> A series of spections entered Charles'' mind.


    Charles contemted rapidly before he decided to feign surprise. "You actually managed to discover it? Alright, let''s exchange information then. Tell me how you are still alive after dying so many times, and I''ll tell you what''s hidden in my memories."


    Naturally, Charles had no idea what was actually in his mind, but that wasn''t going to stop him from trying to gather as much intel as possible.


    "Alright, we ept the terms. Actually, most members of the GK Council haveprehensive backups stored in the centralputer. The backup epasses everything from consciousness to abilities to their physical form.


    "When something happens to that person, it will trigger the activation of the cellr printing technology to print them out again. Each member is a valuable asset, and losing any of them would be a significant blow to the Foundation," the raven-headed figure answered.


    The revtion had Charles stunned with mouth agape. The answer was actually cloning. He had thought that they had used it solely on soldiers like Feuerbach to bolster the ranks.


    He had clearly underestimated its usage. Cloning was actually a fundamental part of the Foundation''s operations and was utilized from the highest chain ofmand down to the bottom!


    "Wait, doesn''t that mean that the resurrected individual isn''t the same as the one who died? So, didn''t you still die?" Charles asked.


    The two raven heads nodded in unison. "You''re absolutely right. That''s indeed the case."


    He then continued, "I know what you''re thinking. But it doesn''t concern us if we are clones or not. All of us¡ªour memories, experiences, and bodies¡ªexist for the Foundation. Saving humanity requires sacrifices, and that includes sacrificing ourselves."


    Charles went silent for a long moment as he processed the logic behind those words. Even though they were his enemies, he couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of respect for them.


    They were a bunch of pure individuals willing to give everything for their ideals, dedicated to sacrificing everything for a greater cause.

 Chapter 729: Roping In

    "Even Pede can be cloned?" Charles immediately asked a key question.


    "His appearance and consciousness can be cloned, but not his abilities. His poweres from both 007 and 014. The stronger the god, the more difficult it is to replicate their power. Their power is unique, after all."


    The other party''s words made Charles feel both happy and sad.


    He was happy that the Foundation couldn''t have an army of clones capable of wielding a Divinity''s power, and he was sad that humans still couldn''t make use of the power of Divinities like how they had been using fire and bullets.


    "Since you''re an important member of the Foundation, what''s stopping you from making a few clones of yourself? If you do that, one person can effectively do the job of several people." Charles pointed out.


    "And how can you say for sure that we aren''t already doing that?" Paiper asked.


    Charles was stunned speechless.


    "All right, we''re done here. Now, it''s your turn to speak. Tell me, what exactly is the deal with your memories? What''s in your head?" Paiper asked.


    Charles swept his gaze across Paiper and the humanoid creature with two raven heads. He chuckled and replied calmly, "Honestly, I¡­ don''t know. I also don''t know what''s in my head."Charles made sure to speak in a way that would annoy just about anyone, but before Paiper could respond, the raven-headed figure lifted his hand, which resembled a corpse''s hand, to stop Paiper from speaking.


    Then, he wordlessly turned around and left the room.


    Paiper followed closely behind him.


    Charles was puzzled by their reaction. He had broken his promise, but they didn''t punish him nor say any offensive words to him.


    As Paiper and the raven-headed figure walked away, thetter said, "Since he doesn''t want tomunicate with us, then let it be. We don''t have to force him. We''ll discover the truth by other means."


    With that, the two exited theb and had the clones take over to perform a spectral scan on Charles. However, the number of clones working on the spectral scan decreased when they scanned Charles at a particr emission wavelength.


    That wavelength had allowed them to perceive the Inexistence that was orbiting Charles perpetually.


    At first, they had no idea that the clones had been infected by a memetic infection, but upon realizing that they were running out of personnel in theboratory, they instantly realized that a memetic infection had spread, causing the inexplicable disappearance of the clones.


    "What the hell is wrong with this guy? Isn''t the memetic infection in his memories? Why are there issues with his appearance, too?!" Pogro eximed, sounding a bit exasperated.


    "Hurry up and turn off the screen, or we''ll end up getting cloned again," Paiper remarked.


    With that, the hologram screen in front of them vanished into thin air.


    "There''s a reason I opposed the idea of allowing him into the Foundation.


    "There''s too much random nonsense to handle in that guy. He''s a ticking time bomb. Allowing him to join us without figuring him out is like hanging the Sword of Damocles over our heads.


    "No one can say for sure when it''ll fall and chop our heads off."


    The raven-headed figure shook his head and said, "The main issue isn''t him, but his wife, his child, and 007''s mouse, which is loyal to him.


    "We''re not exactly in a great situation, and initiating n Three will consume a ton of time and effort on our side. It''d be great if we could bring them over to our side through Charles.


    "Without them, we''re not going to face that fierce of a resistance. Moreover, his daughter, Sparkle, isn''t really that easy to capture, so it''ll be good if shees here of her own volition."


    "So what are we going to do now? n Three is about to start, and we don''t have the luxury of time to take it slow."


    "There''s a way. As I said before, Charles will join us the moment he understands our purpose and the fact that we''re on the same side as him."


    ***


    Charles opened his groggy eye and nced at the clock on the wall.


    It was already eight in the morning. He put on the coat draped over the stool next to him and walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth.


    When he was done washing up, breakfast was already delivered to his door.


    Today''s breakfast consisted of soy milk and fried dough sticks.


    The familiar dishes were pieces of information as well, and they told Charles that the Foundation knew him very well¡ªpossibly even better than he knew himself.


    Charles picked up the tray and ced it on his table. As he ate, he sorted the pieces of information that he had obtained so far, looking for any way to turn the tables around in his favor.


    The less time he had, the slower he had to take this. Otherwise, they''d be suspicious of his actions. Fortunately, they seemed unable to pry open his memories, which was the only good news amidst the plethora of bad news so far.


    <em>Knock, knock, knock.</em>


    Charles heard knocking on his door, prompting him to turn toward the door.


    The door opened, revealing a raven-headed figure. "Charles, let''s talk."


    Charles frowned slightly, pondering over the raven-headed figure''s goal for visiting him.


    "Sure,e in," Charles replied.


    "Haha, if I squeeze myself into your room, I''m afraid you''ll have nowhere to sleep tonight. Let''s go out for a walk. It''s been a while since you arrived at Site 6, but you''ve yet to take a good look around. Let''s go out, and I''ll show you around."


    Charles pondered briefly over it before walking out the door. He then walked down the spacious corridor with the raven-headed figure.


    "Let me introduce myself first. My code name is K9, but you can also call me by my name, Richard."


    Charles instantly turned to stare at the raven-headed figure. However, he soon rxed upon realizing that it was just a coincidence and that the raven-headed figure couldn''t possibly be Charles'' alter ego, who had died long ago.


    "Don''t be so tense. I decided to visit you as an individual, and I want to talk to you as an individual."


    "Sure, let''s talk. Pick a topic," Charles replied. He believed that the raven-headed figure had a reason for visiting him today, but he also had a reason for epting the offer to go out for a stroll.


    He wanted to obtain as many pieces of information as possible. Ultimately, his goals were to escape, tell everyone about this ce, and join forces with everyone to save his family and home.


    "I really liked your decision to use the mages of the Western Seas as human bombs. Most people aren''t as resolute as you. If it hadn''t been for your decision, our exploration of the surface world wouldn''t have proceeded at such breakneck speeds.


    "Actually, what we''re doing here is the same as what you''ve done at the time. I can feel the will of the Foundation inside you."


    Charles sized up the four-meter-tall raven-headed humanoid monster before asking, "So you''re trying to rope me in? I can consider it."


    "Don''t pretend like you want to join us. I know, and I can feel that you still harbor hostility toward us. But it''s fine, you''ll understand after hearing me out. Anyway, let me ask you a question¡­


    "What do you think of the humans throughout the Subterranean Sea? Do you think they''re <em>real </em>humans?"


    Charles made a sidelong nce at the two-headed raven figure. "What do you mean?"


    "What I''m trying to ask is this¡ªwould real humans be afraid of sunlight? Sunlight nurtures and supports life, so howe humans are afraid of it?


    "Strictly speaking, you''re the only<em> normal</em> human being throughout the Subterranean Sea."


    Charles smiled at that and replied, "So that''s the reason you can''t care less about their lives? That''s it? Just because the Subterranean Sea has contaminated them?


    "Let me tell you a little secret. They didn''t really limatize to life in the Subterranean Sea, nor were they contaminated by anything. They''re the product of our gic project."


    "Eight hundred years ago, we performed a gene transfer between vampires and humans. That''s why sunlight has be deadly to the humans of the Subterranean Sea, while vampires can somehow digest human food."


    "Why?" Charles stared at the raven-headed figure with aplex expression. "Why did you do that?"


    "To protect mankind."<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    I have been holding it in for so long (since the earlier chapters when there were discussions about it) about why the humans in the Subterranean Sea are afraid of the sunlight. It''s now finally revealed!</blockquote>

 Chapter 730: Appearance

    "To protect mankind? They''re all that''s left of humans on the entire. Are you sure guys are really protecting them?" Charles strongly disagreed with the attitude of the person in front of him.


    "I''m telling you that they''re not<em> real </em>humans. From their genes to their chromosomes, everything in them has been modified. At most, they can be considered a subspecies of human beings.


    "The best course of action to take against them is to clear them out while they''re at their weakest and then rece them with <em>real</em> human beings.


    "And I''m sure you know that they''re developing far too quickly at the moment. It''s only a matter of time until they embark on the same path as the previous Foundation.


    "The tiny sacrifices that we''re going to make for today are all for the sake of the bigger picture. The deaths of these subhumans are for mankind''s brighter future. I''m sure you understand my point."


    The corners of Charles'' mouth curled up slightly at K9''s words.


    "Why do you think I''d understand your point? What does mankind''s brighter future have to do with me? I greatly admire your selflessness and persistence when ites to your ideals, but I''m just an ordinary person; my goals aren''t that lofty."


    K9''s two raven heads revealed astonishment. "<em>Oh?</em> That didn''t seem to be the case when you were out there looking for the darkness."


    "No, no, no, you seem to have misunderstood something here. I went all out to locate the darkness because if the sea levels were allowed to rise continuously, everyone I care about in the Subterranean Sea would die."I''m talking about my family, my crew, and myself.


    "In the end, everything I did was for the sake of saving myself in the face of a disaster. My wife always says that I''m a selfish person, and I couldn''t retort at all. She''s right. I''m selfish¡ªvery selfish. I only care about the people I care about."


    Charles spread his hands and shrugged. "From what you said, any disaster that mankind will have to face is probably going to happen at least a hundred yearster.


    "I''m probably dead by old age by then, so why should I care? Why would I care about a flood when I''m already dead?"


    Charles didn''t really care whether K9 would believe his statement or not, he simply wanted to speak what he had to say.


    "What if I bring over the people you care about here?" K9 suggested.


    Charles merely smiled at the suggestion. In a sense, the Foundation could be considered "good people," but as far as Charles knew, they hadn''t done anything beneficial to humans.


    Charles could still remember how they had schemed against him to obtain Sparkle, so he couldn''t guarantee how they would treat Sparkle and Anna if he allowed them to bring those two over here.


    "Do you really not care about the extinction of our own species? Do you really not feel anything¡ªeven a biological instinct¡ªto do anything for humanity upon learning of its impending extinction?"


    K9''s words made Charles recall the despair he felt upon discovering that the Light God''s radiance was illuminating the entire Subterranean Sea. The extreme sorrow that welled up in his heart at the time was due to the realization that his own species could soon be extinct.


    Charles raised his two hands and stared at them with aplex expression.


    "Humanity? Can I still be considered human?" Charles asked aloud before turning to the raven-headed humanoid monster next to him. "How about you? Can you still be considered human?"


    K9 was about to respond, but the two had walked up in front of a towering elevator shaft. K9 came to a halt and stared at Charles. "I want to show you something, and I''m sure you''ll know the answer to that question."


    The air in the elevator was oppressive, but fortunately, the elevator doors soon opened. The familiar sea breeze struck Charles'' face, invigorating him. They had returned to the sea''s surface.


    Charles unknowingly looked around and was shocked to see a colossal humanoid figure suspended in midair. The colossal humanoid figure was a corpse the size of a small city. It was a bizarre sight to see the colossal corpse seemingly sticking out of the rockyer up above.


    The sight was so bizarre that it made Charles feel like he was witnessing a glitch in reality. The corpse''s twisted limbs were riddled with pitch-ck holes in a variety of sizes, and its face, which resembled melting wax, featured three ck eyes.


    The corpse''s bizarre appearance was familiar to Charles, and he instantly identified it to be Pede. However, the Pede he had recently encountered wasn''t even as big as the fingernail of the Pede before him.


    Just then, Charles recalled the words of Elizabeth''s grandfather. There was a Divinity''s corpse in the innermost inds of the Sea of Mist, and the gods of the Haikor Tribe was apparently devouring that corpse.


    "It''s a surprise to see that you''re not affected by this sight. This is really unexpected. I assume that certain parts of your mind have been strengthened?"


    Charles couldn''t care less about K9''s assumption. He looked up at the corpse and asked, "What is that?"


    "He''s A2, Dr. Pede. He attempted to assimte the power of the gods that the Foundation had painstakingly collected, and he seeded, bing a YESOD12 Divinity.


    "But as you can see, he couldn''t control that unimaginable power. To ensure that a brand-new Divinity wouldn''t awaken inside of him, he took his own life. His legacy remains here, and we''ve contained it for him," K9 replied.


    Just as K9''s words fell, Paiper suddenly appeared up above, swallowingrge mouthfuls of the colossal corpse''s flesh and blood.


    "He became a powerful entity in the process of assimtion, but the final stages made him lose his sanity. Despite that, he still didn''t forget the lofty beliefs of the Foundation, which is to save one''s own species at the cost of everything else.


    "Knowing his determination to save mankind, can you truly say that he isn''t a part of it? That he isn''t human?" K9''s gaze was full of respect as he stared at the corpse of his deceased colleague.


    Charles had no idea what to say in response to K9''s words. However, he truly didn''t want to stay around them, as staying with them was making him feel as if his ideological beliefs were inferior to their beliefs.


    Charles would rather confront viins in the traditional sense rather than fight the Foundation. After all, he knew that the result would be less than ideal, regardless of the oue.


    "Charles, I can feel your heart wavering slightly. You can take your time thinking about it. You should ponder carefully about what you think is the ''best'' choice.


    "Once you''ve figured out the answer, the Foundation will open its doors to you. We shall wee you into our ranks by then," K9 said. For the first time, K9 had made a request to Charles.


    "By then, we will tell you a secret¡ªa secret that will leave you with no regrets. In the meantime, you will be given A3-level clearance. In other words, you''ll have ess to the entire Site 6, and you can do whatever you wish with the exception of leaving. You can say that we''re allowing you to be familiar with your workce in advance."


    The raven-headed K9 hadn''t lied to Charles. He was no longer locked up in a cell and could move around freely.


    Charles decided to spend some time wandering around the clean but deste city, but he made sure to return to his cell before dinner.


    Tonight''s dinner was braised pork, and Charles was engrossed in the raven-headed K9''s words as he ate dinner. Hisst remaining eye shone in a determined light.


    K9''s words sounded grandiose and lofty, but they wanted to bury everyone throughout the entire Subterranean Sea to achieve their goals.


    Anna, Sparkle, Bandages, Dipp, James, Lily, Elizabeth, and Margaret¡ªone face after another shed in Charles'' mind. For them, he wouldn''t mind bing humanity''s sinner by disrupting the Foundation''s goals!!


    <em>"Is that so? I think it will be quite difficult to aplish that with your strength, though."</em>


    Words suddenly echoed in Charles'' mind. When he looked up, he found a woman covered in ck bandages and shrouded by a ck robe. Charles could swear that there wasn''t any woman in front of him just a mere second ago, but the woman in front of him was familiar to him!


    The woman wrapped in ck bandages was none other than 005, and she had appeared in his dreams years ago!

 Chapter 731: Wish

    Charles was about to stand up when 005 tilted Her head slightly; instantly, the nervousness and disbelief in his heart inexplicably vanished. Then, they were reced by curiosity.


    <em>"Why are you here?" </em>Charles said, then turned to look at the surveince camera in the corner of the wall. The Foundation had no reaction to 005''s arrival.


    <em>"Out of a simple emotion¡ªcuriosity. Do you really think that you can deal with the Foundation? Their strength far exceeds your imagination."</em> 005 wasn''t using her mouth to speak; her voice echoed directly in Charles'' mind.


    The cogs in Charles'' mind turned as he desperately recalled every single piece of information that he had about 005 in an effort to guess the reason behind her visit. Charles also couldn''t help but think that this might be his chance to escape.


    <em>"I heard you don''t hold any malice toward humans and have a good impression of us. Dealing with the Foundation is going to be </em>very<em> difficult, so did you¡­e here to help me?" </em>Charles asked hesitantly.


    <em>"This is a battle between humans. If I were to help you, wouldn''t that be unfair to the other humans?" </em>005 replied. Then, she added, <em>"I can''t intervene, but it doesn''t mean that I can''t ce a bet. How about this? If you achieve victory against the Foundation, I''ll grant you two conditional wishes."</em>


    <em>Conditional wishes? What exactly does this Divinity want to do? </em>Charles furrowed his brows, trying to guess the other party''s motive, but it was impossible for him to make any deductions because hecked the information to do so.


    <em>"Don''t overthink it. I''m an outsider. I''m not that involved with the local gods here. I''m just a curious spectator of this chess game, and I know better than to meddle."</em>


    With that, 005 abruptly disappeared, leaving Charles all alone. Having been interrupted by 005''s sudden visit, Charles no longer had any appetite. He couldn''t stop thinking about the reason behind 005''s sudden visit.It was also his first timemunicating with a Divinity, and his gut was telling him that 005''s reason for her sudden visit was moreplex than it appeared.


    ***


    Nene drank a mouthful of the fish soup. She was all smiles and was in a great mood, overall. Her mood was great because her mother was in a great mood, while her mother was in a great mood because the darkness had finally returned.


    "Eat quickly, or you''ll bete for school. You''re already old, so why is it that I still have to wake you up?" Donna grumbled while brushing her daughter''s hair with ab.


    Nene''s head would tilt back slightly with each brush. Donna''s head then tied her smooth hair up, but it was so tight that Nene grumbled, "Mommy, this is too tight for me. Let me just do it myself."


    "I''ll do it, so just eat quickly," Donna said, gently pushing her daughter''s hand away before asking, "Do you want to bete on the first day of school?"


    "Mommy, it''s fine. Yesterday was the final day of celebrating the return of the darkness. Everyone went crazyst night. I even saw Teacher Jennie getting dead drunk. I''m sure she won''t be able to teach us today," Nene said in an attempt to justify herself waking upte today.


    "Let''s go, let''s go. It''s almost time. Just put that bread in your pocket and eat it when you get to school," Donna said. She then picked up her daughter as if she were carrying a sack and rushed out of the door.


    Upon opening the front door, Donna was greeted by a messy road.


    Last night''s celebration had left a mess in its wake, but the inders were all smiles. They didn''t mind the mess and were even greeting their neighbors enthusiastically while cleaning up the streets.


    The survivors of the recent world-ending crisis truly cherished the hard-earned peace. It seemed that everyone on the ind had agreed to set aside their differences, bing extremely friendly to each other.


    Donna hopped on her bicycle, responding to her neighbors'' greetings while pedaling as hard as she could. Donna pedaled desperately, and her efforts paid off, as they reached the school before the school bell could ring.


    The deste school was lively once more; the older students, who were sent to work in the factories, were allowed to attend school once more.


    When Nene stepped into the ssroom, she found it to be a mess. The students were animatedly discussing the awards ceremony held just a few days ago. It couldn''t be helped, as it was their first time witnessing so many people in one ce.


    "As I said, my dad was up there, too! He''s a hero who decided to serve on the surface! He''s a train driver! You haven''t seen a train, right? A train is way cooler than a ship!"


    The words of a chubby boy with brown hair drew exmations from everyone around here. However, Nene didn''t really like the chubby boy. Before the sses were postponed, the chubby boy always liked to bully her by tugging at her hair in the middle of ss.


    The chubby boy''s expression became smug at the gasps of amazement around him; it seemed that the reactions of the people nearby had greatly satisfied the little boy''s vanity.


    "My dad got an iron medal from the Governor''s Mansion! And he was also rewarded with a five hundred square meter plot ofnd on another ind!"


    Nene hated the smug look on the chubby boy''s face, so she couldn''t help but remark, "What''s so great about that? Michiel''s uncle is a crew member of an exploration ship! He''s way cooler than your daddy."


    Nene''s words were like a lightning bolt from out of nowhere, prompting everyone to turn toward a skinny boy with messy hair. The skinny little boy was sporting round sses and was sitting at a corner desk.


    There was a <em>swoosh</em>, and his ssmates surrounded him in the proverbial blink of an eye.


    "Michiel, is your uncle really a crew member of an exploration ship?! Is he as awesome as those people in the movies?"


    "Yeah, Michiel, did your uncle ever defeat any monsters on the surface? Like those legendary man-eating monsters!"


    "Michiel, what stories did you hear from your uncle? Can you tell us his stories, too?!"


    Michiel seemed incredibly nervous in the face of his ssmates'' questions. He had always been invisible at school and had never received so much attention until now.


    "I don''t know. Uncle has been drinking at home ever since he came back. Whenever he gets drunk, he cries and shouts like he''s crazy. Mommy and Daddy actually took him to see a doctor today."


    The look of anticipation on the children''s faces was reced by doubt in the face of Michiel''s honest reply. Michiel''s depiction of his uncle waspletely different from the explorers depicted in those famous movies and books.


    The chubby brown-haired boy walked over and squeezed between Nene and Michiel. Then, he made sure to seem dignified before yelling, "Liar! Your uncle must''ve been a fake explorer! If he''s a real explorer, then let me ask you¡ªwhat are the rewards that your uncle received at the awards ceremony?"


    "H-h-he received a small ind and a gold medal."


    Everyone gasped in awe and disbelief at Michiel''s reply. However, the chubby boy felt he had been outdone, and his face turned red in anger. "No way! How can your uncle possibly receive an ind?!"


    Michiel became anxious at the chubby boy''s words. He truly didn''t want everyone to treat him as a liar. "I wasn''t lying! He really received an ind! There are only three survivors on their ship¡ªthe captain, the second mate, and him, so they decided to equally split an ind among themselves!


    "And my uncle also told me that there are plenty of ownerless inds out there, so it''s not surprising for the Esteemed Governor to give away an ind in the Southern Seas."


    The chubby boy and Michiel ended up arguing with each other, but their argument quickly came to an end when someone leaning by the window eximed, "Go back to your seats! Teacher Jennie ising!"


    Everyone rushed back to their seats, and the noisy ssroom gradually became silent.


    Just as the silence became deafening, a female teacher with messy hair and an agonized look staggered into the ssroom with a hand on her head. "ss, ss¡­ turn to page fifty-three. Today, we''re going to talk about the heroes who decided to explore the surface."


    "Teacher, we''ve already discussed this page!"


    "Really? We''ve already discussed this page? <em>Hmm...</em> wait, my head is hazy. Give me a moment..." Jennie trailed off. Then, she slumped over the podium to sober up, but she eventually started snoring and only woke up when her ss was over.


    When the school bell rang to signal the end of the final ss in the afternoon, the students immediately dispersed, going home in groups of three to five.


    The moment Nene stepped out of the school gate, she saw Sparkle standing by the street. Her appearance made everyone do a double take, and some even wept and knelt down before her.


    Sparkle ignored the crying people and teleported to Nene''s side.


    "Where''s your coat?" Sparkle asked.


    "It''s on Teacher Jennie. I was afraid she''d catch a cold by sleeping with her stomach exposed. Anyway, did youe here to y with me, Sparkle?"

 Chapter 732: Explorer

    Sparkle gently patted the head of Nene, who was two heads shorter than her, and replied, "I guess you can say that. I''m in a bad mood, so I came here to y with you."


    "That''s great! The teachers didn''t assign any homework to us tonight. Where are we going to y?" Nene said happily, her hands grabbing the other party''s hand.


    Just then, a group of boys walked past them, and the boys were arguing fiercely, debating whether Michiel''s uncle was really an explorer or not.


    A flushed Michiel gesticted, defending himself anxiously. He then told everyone that they''d know the truth as soon as they reached his home.


    Sparkle nced at Nene and saw a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes. Sparkle blinked and held Nene''s hand, following closely behind the group of boys. "It''s okay. If you want to follow them, then go ahead.


    "We''re friends, so you don''t have to amodate me every time. And friends should amodate each other equally."


    Nene grinned happily at Sparkle and eximed, "Thank you, Sparkle. You really are my best friend!"


    Sparkle instantly saw through Nene''s thoughts, and her thoughts were exactly the same as her words. Paired with her innocent and delighted smile, Sparkle couldn''t help but sigh at the sight.


    Nene hadn''t changed at all. Instead, Sparkle discovered that she was the one who had changed greatly. She could no longer interact with her good friend like before, as the difference between the two of them had be so massive that she could instantly see through her good friend''s thoughts and deduce her reaction.Sparkle didn''t attract the attention of the group of students. When the children saw Nene and Sparkle holding hands, they assumed that Sparkle was Nene''s family member.


    Sparkle''s beautiful appearance didn''t attract their attention as well. In fact, they seemed unconcerned about such a superficial trait and were more focused on arguing about whether Michiel''s uncle was really an explorer or not.


    The boys'' attitude wasn''t strange at all, but it was almost guaranteed that they''d regret their attitude today in the distant future.


    The group of students walked down many streets and alleys until they finally found themselves in an exquisite vi. When their feetnded on the smooth floor of the house, everyone went silent as if they had agreed to do so beforehand.


    Clearly, the environment was unfamiliar to some of the students, and it was proven by the look of hesitation on their faces. Michiel had never told them that his home was at the heart of the ind.


    "Come on, my uncle''s room is here. It''s already sote, so he should be back by now," Michiel said. He ran up ahead, looking pretty excited as he led the way for his ssmates.


    The children were a bit uneasy, but they still walked up the stairs and soon found themselves standing at a door on the second floor of the vi.


    Michiel was about to knock on the door when he discovered that the door was ajar. A creaking noise echoed as the door opened, revealing a bald, burly man sitting among a pile of liquor bottles.


    The bald, burly man cast his lifeless gaze at the children standing behind the door.


    "Uncle us, my ssmates are here to see you. They didn''t believe me when I told them that you''re an explorer. Can you tell them that you''re a real explorer?" Michiel asked.


    However, he didn''t get any response from his uncle.


    us chugged a half-empty bottle of liquor and stared at Sparkle with bloodshot eyes. He was one of the surviving explorers of the surface world. which meant that he was quite powerful. Otherwise, he couldn''t have survived the surface world expeditions.


    us'' prowess and keen intuition were telling him that an exceptionally beautiful girl standing among a group of children was just too abnormal of a sight.


    As he moved the bottle of liquor away from his mouth, the murky brown liquor flowed down his dirty beard and drenched his protruding belly.


    "Michiel, go ask your mom if dinner is ready," he said.


    "Don''t mind me here. I have no ill intentions. I just want to¡ª"


    <em>Bang!</em>


    A deafening gunshot echoed, interrupting Sparkle mid-sentence. us had whipped out a flintlock pistol with an abnormallyrge barrel from behind him and instantly pulled the trigger.


    A bullet engraved with ck runes shot out from the barrel. The bullet seemed to carry with it a swirling ck mist as it struck Sparkle''s head before exiting her nape. However, Sparkle sustained no wounds whatsoever.


    Realizing that his weapon was ineffective against Sparkle, us'' expression turned fierce, and he jumped into the air. He bit a gold tooth in his mouth, and his towering figure was instantly covered in green scales. His legs merged, bing a tail as he transformed into a half-human, half-snake monster.


    us swung his tail, sending his nephew flying away to safety before sending a flurry of attacks at Sparkle.


    Unfortunately, his frenzied attacks couldn''t inflict any damage on Sparkle, but his attacks were enough to terrify the children, making them huddle on the floor, screaming for dear life.


    Sparkle didn''t dodge any of us'' attacks, allowing thetter''s limbs to pass through her figure.


    Sparkle was pondering if she should take Nene somewhere else for her to calm down when Dipp drifted into the room in his blue mist form, shouting, "This is Hope Ind''s District 3! Who fired that gun just now?! You better freeze if you don''t want to die!"


    us immediately retreated into a corner of the room, and his forked tongue flicked in a blur of up and down as he cast a wary gaze at Sparkle with his yellow split pupils.


    us opened his mouth, which resembled a snake''s mouth, and spat a yarn doll with buttons for eyes. The yarn doll''s sewn mouth curled up slightly as it smiled quietly at Sparkle.


    "<em>Huh? </em>Sparkle? Why are you here?" Dipp asked. He was surprised to see Sparkle in front of him. Then, he asked another question, and he quickly learned about what had just transpired.


    "I heard a gunshot and thought that something serious was going on. Turns out it was just a misunderstanding. Hey, man. You went too far here. She''s the Governor''s daughter. If you hurt her, the captain will personally skin you alive."


    Since someone from Hope Ind''s Police Department was familiar with Sparkle, us calmed down. He became downtrodden once again as he picked up the yarn doll and walked into his room.


    "By the way, Sparkle, do you have any news from the captain? Has he contacted you through your diary yet?" Dipp asked, sounding a bit anxious as he stood with his hands akimbo while staring at Sparkle.


    Sparkle quietly shook her head.


    Dipp revealed a trace of disappointment on his face, and he sounded annoyed as he said, "Where did the captain go? Howe we haven''t heard from him at all? Could it be that we have to wait another three years for him toe back?


    "I have no idea what''s going on with that guy, Bandages, as well. He told me that he would make contact with your mother, but we still haven''t heard from him at all. He really is irresponsible."


    Just then, an eyeless green head peeked into the vi. Dipp approached the green head and said, "Norton, you don''t have toe in here. It was just a misunderstanding caused by Sparkle."


    Sparkle looked around the messy vi. She pondered briefly over something before pulling Nene with her toward us'' room.


    "Didn''t you want to know his story as an explorer? Go ahead and ask him now."


    Nene saw her crying ssmates at the door and became hesitant to approach us'' room. "It''s fine. I think we should just go home."


    "What do you mean, ''it''s fine.''? We''re already here, so we might as well proceed with our n. Half-measures are a bad habit to have, you know?" Sparkle said before pushing Nene toward us.


    "<em>Um... um...</em> Hello, Michiel''s uncle. I''m Michiel''s ssmate. My ssmates and I came here because we''re curious about you. Are you really an explorer?" Nene asked cautiously while surreptitiously ncing at the yarn doll next to us.


    The lower part of the yarn doll''s body was soaked in alcohol.


    us chugged the remaining liquor in the bottle of alcohol in his hands before throwing it away. His eyes reflected pain as he nced at Sparkle before turning to look at Nene, saying, "You''re here to ask me that question? Isn''t Charles an explorer as well? He''s the strongest explorer out there, so you should go and ask him instead."

 Chapter 733: Toys

    "My father never told me about those things, and I''m not very curious either," Sparkle said calmly with her arms crossed.


    us chuckled and nodded in approval. "Yeah, I guess you can''t really tell that kind of story to your family. Since he''s not going to tell you, I''m going to tell you what exactly did we have to face up there, then. I''ll tell you my story."


    He put the palm of his maimed right hand over a bottle of liquor and looked at the ceiling, seemingly trying to recall something. Momentster, his listless eyes glimmered, and then he began his recount.


    "The surface world is dangerous¡ªextremely dangerous. There are more bizarre creatures on the surface than in the sea, and they are far more dangerous than the bizarre creatures in the sea.


    "There''s a high chance that an explorer won''t make it back alive during an expedition. When we first started losing crew members, we''d still grieve over them, but our hearts grew number and number as the casualties increased until our hearts wentpletely numb.


    "Haaa¡­ I was always waiting for the day when it''d be my turn, and I always thought that the next casualty would be me. To be honest, I''m not afraid of death at all. I was even looking forward to the day I die¡ªlooking forward to reuniting with everyone in another world."


    us revealed an agonized look as he added, "But even after the entire ship''s crew was reced several times, I was still alive. Howe I was still alive? When I was obviously prepared to die?"


    Tears flowed down us'' eyes just then; he hugged the bottle of liquor in his hands and roared, "Every single one of them had a reason to survive! So why am I the one who survived?!"


    Nene, whose eyes had reddened slightly, seemed terrified by us'' roar; she unconsciously leaned against Sparkle.us wiped away the tears and snot on his face.


    Then, he tilted his head and took a big swig of the liquor in his hands before continuing, "George, the First Mate, was the most optimistic person on our ship. His wife had just given birth, and he''d show off photos of his son to us every day!"


    "Noah, the Second Engineer, would always tell me his retirement n whenever he got the chance. And he told me that he wanted to make up for all the time he owed his grandson!"


    "Jayoch, the ship''s doctor, is a bookworm, and he''s read more books than any of usbined. He''s always willing to help any illiterate crew member who wants to pen a letter for their loved ones.


    "Jayoch told me that he wanted to be a governor. He wanted to prove to his father that he hadn''t made the wrong choice back then!"


    "Leo, one of our ordinary sailors, had told me repeatedly that he absolutely had to survive. He had to live, or other men would take advantage of his woman; his woman is entitled to his deathpensation, after all.


    "To ensure his survival, he bravely bought four life-saving relics despite their serious side effects."


    us spoke earnestly about every deceased crew member on his ship; his expression gradually returned to his previous calm. Once he was done talking about his fellow crew members, he smiled bitterly and pointed at himself.


    "And finally, there''s me, the Boatswain of the Maiden''s Love. I''m the only crew member with no one to worry about, but I somehow managed to outlive them all. If possible, I''m more than willing to trade ces with any of them."


    The room was silent, and the children had stopped crying at some point.


    Just then, a young woman rushed down the corridor to reach us'' door. She looked panicked as she stared at her brother and asked, "us, why did I see so many crying children running out of our house? And how did Michiel knock out a tooth? What on earth did you do to them?"


    Seeing the young woman''s anxious face, us put down the bottle of liquor and stood up.


    He reeked of alcohol as he staggered to the young woman, and he sounded emotional as he said, "Thank you for taking care of me since my return, my beloved sister. I''m leaving now. I''m heading out to sea once again."


    The young woman became even more anxious. "Why would you go out to sea again?! You already have an ind! What are you going to explore out there?! You ought to just stay on your ind!"


    us smiled bitterly. He lowered his head and leaned on the young woman''s shoulder, saying, "I already talked to the Explorers Association about what I want to do with that ind, and I''ve decided to leave it to you. It''s all yours.


    "You deserve that ind for raising me up.


    "When I first boarded an exploration ship, I always thought that I''d be happy upon obtaining my very own ind, but I guess reality isn''t that kind."


    Sparkle blinked and said, "The Governor''s Mansion has issued a decree prohibiting the Explorers Association from issuing any exploration missions. Our top priority is to revitalize the existing inds rather than discover and explore new inds."


    us turned to look at Sparkle and replied, "I know, thank you. Say hello to your father for me, and thank him for me¡ªthank him for saving the Subterranean Sea."


    With that, us turned, humming a sea shanty as he walked toward the door.


    "We own the ocean, and we are strong¡­ where next will our jolly ship go¡­


    "Yo-ho¡­ Yo-ho¡­ turn the helm, raise the sails¡­


    "Some have perished, some still aboard, but even more are sailing some more¡­


    Sparkle walked out of Michiel''s house with Nene. The gazes of the two wereplicated as they stared at us'' disappearing silhouette. Despite the young woman''s pleas, us appeared to be determined as he walked with steady steps toward the docks.


    Once the two distant figures could no longer be seen, Nene sounded uneasy as she remarked, "Explorers aren''t like what''s written in the books. Michiel''s uncle looks like he''s in a lot of pain."


    "He''s not afraid of death; he''s afraid of living," Sparkle said, sounding a bit emotional.


    Nene pondered briefly before looking up at Sparkle. "Sparkle, is your daddy just like him?"


    "Mother told me that there was this time when he was even crazier than Michiel''s uncle, but he eventually got through it. I''m fine as long as he gets through it. Hopefully, that man just now will ovee his challenges, too."


    "I see..." Nene muttered. Upon discovering that the explorers depicted as heroes in those textbooks had actually gone through such harrowing experiences, Nene felt like her worldview had undergone an earth-shattering change.


    There were times when she''d have this burning desire to be an explorer and hero like them, but now, she no longer wanted to be one. From us'' recount, it seemed painful to be one.


    On their way back home, Sparkle noticed that Nene looked a bit sad, so she decided to take her somewhere else to rx and have fun.


    "Don''t take it to heart. They have nothing to do with you. Anyway, let''s go. I''ll take you somewhere to see my new toy."


    "New toy? I thought you said that you said that you''ve grown up and that you no longer like to y with toys?"


    "This one is different."


    Sparkle grabbed Nene''s hand, and the scenery peeled away. The two instantly found themselves on top of the World''s Crown, but they weren''t in one of the replicated houses. Instead, they were on a building''s rooftop.


    Arge, circr tank, resembling a fish tank, was on the empty rooftop. The tank was made from crude iron, and it was massive¡ªmore than ten meters in width and length.


    The circr tank contained tiny hills made out of stones and forests made out of mushrooms.


    Upon closer look, one would see tiny people the size of a finger living in the circr tank, making it appear like a miniature world.


    Sparkle picked Nene up and flew over the tank, passing over it slowly. The tiny people inside were chatting, sleeping, and singing. Some were even dancing around a bonfire.


    Nene found them to be extremely interesting.


    "Sparkle, how do you have so many tiny people? Where did you get them from? It''s fun just looking at them!" Nene eximed in awe.


    "I found their ind, and I captured some of them to bring over here. Anyway, watch closely," Sparkle''s fingers disappeared into thin air. When her fingers returned, a wriggling ck mouse was in their grasp.


    When Sparkle hurled the mouse into the tank, amotion immediately erupted inside. The tiny people took out all kinds of homemade weapons and began surrounding the intruder.


    The ck mouse moved, sweeping the tiny people off their feet.


    Sparkle smiled in satisfaction at the sight. "They''re interesting, right? It''s really hard to find something interesting these days. Also, I''m a god in their eyes."


    The next second, arge tabby cat was ced inside the tank.


    Rather than chasing after the ck mouse, the tabby cat bared its ws at the tiny people and chased after them. It took only a few moments for the tabby cat to capture a tiny person.


    Just as the tabby cat was about to bite the tiny person that it had captured, Sparkle waved her hand, and the tabby cat disappeared along with the ck mouse.


    Sparkle then shed her disguise, and the tiny people instantly noticed her. Everyone in the tank knelt down on the ground and kowtowed nonstop toward Sparkle.


    "Look at them, aren''t they interesting?"

 Chapter 734: Power

    "<em>Um...</em> can we catch them and dress them up in nice clothes?" Nene asked eagerly, her gaze was transfixed on the tiny people down below.


    "Do whatever you want, as long as it''s going to make you happy," Sparkle said, putting Nene inside the circr tank. She reached out into the air, and a small pile of doll clothes appeared in her grasp.


    Sparkle''s eyes shed in a doting light as she stared at Nene, who immediately got busy changing the tiny people''s clothes. She felt like Nene wasn''t just her friend but a younger sister as well. Perhaps soon, Nene would be like her daughter and then like her granddaughter.


    Regardless, Sparkle''s mood would always improve around Nene.


    Time spent for leisure was always fleeting, and two hours went by in a sh. Just as Sparkle was about to send Nene home, she sensed something, and her figure disappeared into thin air.


    When she reappeared, she found herself at the entrance of the deepest level of Hope Ind''s Relic Research Institute. This was Anna''s secret base. Except for the people under her control and Sparkle, no one else knew of its existence.


    Pushing open the door, Sparkle saw a huge tentacled monster covered in ck scales. The tentacled monster was thrashed wildly while standing in a magic circle made out of what looked like a confused mixture of machinery and runes.


    The colossal tentacled monster was none other than Anna in her true form.


    A huge chunk of her ck scales was peeled off while towering mechanical arms carrying steel wires rapidly shuttled through her figure in an effort to stitch a massive blood-red eye in her.The forceful stitching looked extremely painful, and Anna screamed wildly to vent some of the pain. Her screams were so loud that the mice and the people operating the machinery fainted from the shockwaves.


    The mice rushed to operate the remaining mechanical arms to try and restrain Anna, but their efforts weren''t that effective. Anna''s strength could no longer be controlled by mere steel.


    Sparkle staring wordlessly at the scene noticed the anomaly and quickly reverted to her true form. She then extended her tentacles and wrapped them around her mother, restraining thetter.


    Thanks to Sparkle''s help, the grafting process went swimmingly, and the massive blood-red eye was finally grafted onto Anna.


    Anna''s appearance had be even more hideous and terrifying.


    She looked like a deformed starfish covered in ck scales, with tentacles sprouting all over her, and the grafted blood-red eye that was almost the size of a house and covered in blood vessels didn''t make her adorable at all.


    Anna stretched her figure, and her tentacles pervaded the magic circle around her.


    The ck-robed mages from the Western Sea were already prepared, and they immediately started chanting an incantation. The pitch of the incantation was extremely high, making the air tremble.


    The mages began crying tears of blood as their voices grew louder, but the bloody tears didn''t fall to the ground. Instead, the tears defied gravity and flew up to form an eye that fused into their foreheads.


    Then, clusters of indescribable writhing lumps covered in hair, distorted noses, eyes, and lips seeped out of the mages. When the mages'' chanting reached a crescendo, a deafening silence instantly nketed the ce.


    The frequency of their chanting had exceeded the human hearing range, but they were still chanting. Their mouths fluttered open, and they seemed agitated as they continued to chant their incantation.


    The critical juncture was here.


    Anna''s figure trembled violently, and the blood vessels around the massive blood-red eye spread all over Anna like vines.


    <em>Pop!</em>


    The indescribable writhing lumps of flesh and hair burst open without warning, and Anna''s trembling abruptly came to a halt as well.


    The grafted blood-red eye that had been dead for ages began showing signs of life. Soon, a huge cross-shaped pupil appeared in the middle of the eye.


    The massive blood-red eye opened slightly, and everyone on Hope Ind felt like something had gripped their hearts tight! Many people grabbed their heads and fell to the ground, writhing in pain.


    They could hear a frantic scream in their head, and the screaming plunged them into the depths of despair. Fortunately, the inexplicable sensation vanished as quickly as it appeared.


    Anna closed the grafted blood-red eye, and the inexplicable sensation disappeared.


    Anna stood up slowly, and her yellow cross-shaped pupils reflected delight. She had failed a few times, but she had finally seeded. She had sessfully grafted a Divinity''s body part onto herself!


    She could feel her power rising and exceeding the limits of mankind. She could feel her power approaching the territory of a Divinity.


    "Mommy, I don''t think this is good. It''s not that easy to control the power of the Divinities. And you barely avoided rejection even with the help of the All-Seeing Eye. I''m worried about your sanity," Sparkle said, expressing her concerns to her mother.


    Anna''s colossal form contracted. She managed to shrink herself by half when she suddenly got stuck. A hodgepodge of human flesh and tentacles covered in ck scales had fused together to create a horrifying monster.


    Anna repeated the process several times before barely managing to return to her gorgeous human form.


    "Yes, I know," Anna said, grinning exaggeratedly, "Actually, my mind is under torture around the clock. It''s like there''s arge group of lunatics inside me, and they are constantly expressing their crazed thoughts and words to me.


    "However, your mother is an expert at manipting minds, and I can definitely handle this trivial matter."


    Sparkle''s expression wasplex as she stared at her mother. "Tell me honestly, something bad happened to Daddy, right?"


    Otherwise, Anna wouldn''t have taken such a massive risk.


    If Anna wanted to absorb the power of Divinity, she could definitely take it slow like what she had been doing all this while.


    Anna had reassured her, but Sparkle was convinced that the method Anna had employed to forcefully increase her strength came with great risks.


    The smiling Anna walked up to her daughter and patted thetter''s head. "My people have made contact with the Haikors, but when ites to Charles, the Haikors seemed hesitant and only said that they''d give us a response as soon as possible."


    "So Daddy is okay?" Sparkle asked, sounding a bit surprised.


    "No, their response tells me that Charles is in a bad spot right now. The Haikors'' hesitation means that they are wary about making any decisions, especially in matters involving Charles.


    "I think the false gods of the Haikors are nning on doing something to Charles. I think the Foundation is involved as well," Anna replied. Then, she waved her hand, and everyone nearby except for Sparkle retreated like a tide.


    "My dear daughter, your father really is in high demand. Everyone wants to take him away for themselves."


    Unlike Anna, Sparkle''s mood plummeted upon hearing that Charles could be in danger. "Then, what can I do? Can I just infiltrate their ce and bring Daddy back here?"


    "Don''t worry; I don''t think they''re going to kill your father. In the meantime, we should consolidate our power. Once we''ve determined that it''s possible, we should take them down in one fell swoop.


    "They have a Divinity''s corpse as well. Even throughout the Subterranean Sea, a Divinity''s corpse is extremely rare," Anna remarked, her eyes showing deep interest.


    "But... they look so strong. I can''t say that I have a hundred percent confidence in dealing with them," Sparkle said. For the first time ever, a look of grievance painted Sparkle''s face.


    Just then, Sparkle came up with an idea and walked a few steps closer to her mother. "How about we gather the governors of the Subterranean Sea and work with them to save Daddy?"


    However, Anna shook her head in disapproval at Sparkle''s suggestion.


    "No, there''s no need to contact them."

 Chapter 735: Conversation

    "Why?" Sparkle asked.


    "Because humans are too weak," Anna answered. "Do you really think they''ll mobilize their dwindling navy forces just to rescue Charles? All that talk about heroism is mere lip service.


    "People will only band together when they are pressured by an imminent apocalypse, forcing them to unite for a single cause.


    "Once that intense pressure weighing on them is gone, they will start plotting for themselves to reap the most benefits. Didn''t you see how those explorers nearly started another war over the unattended inds?


    "If they can show their true colors over such little bit of personal gain, do you expect them to unite to save Charles? Dream on. Relying on others is a fool''s errand; it''s better to rely on yourself, my dear daughter."


    The memory of their battle with the triakis octahedron surfaced in Sparkle''s mind, causing her delicate eyebrows to knit together in concern.


    "Just the two of us?" Sparkle questioned. "I don''t think we''re enough. Lately, I''ve been teaching Lily how to harness the power in her, but her progress is very slow. She''s only at Level 6 at best; her control over her power is really bad."


    "Don''t worry. We''ll find a way to rescue your father. They may be powerful, but we''re notcking in means to retaliate," Anna replied in a calm tone. "Let''s go. I''ll bring you to go meet an old friend."


    A hint of curiosity stirred within Sparkle, and she followed after Anna. They soon arrived at a heavily guarded cell, surrounded by multipleyers of security.Entering the cell, Sparkle came face to face with Swann, who was pinned to the wall with several long spears.


    "<em>Hmm¡­</em> this guy can be roughly considered one," Anna remarked as she eyed Swann. "As long as we return his massive mechanical construct to him, he could still be of some use."


    Sparkle stared at the giant infant head that was half mechanical and half flesh. Distrust filled her eyes as shemented, "I don''t trust him. If we restore his power, I highly suspect that he will turn against us next."


    A smile yed on Anna''s lips as she approached Swann. "Why would he? As long as we settle on thepensation, I believe our Governor Swann here will be a reasonable man."


    "I want the Pope dead!" Swann''s eyes suddenly snapped open. Both his eyes, one mechanical and one natural, burned with intense hatred.


    "Of course. That can be arranged. I''ve already started negotiations with Julio and n to get the Pope over here. Just wait patiently," Anna assured Swann before turning to leave with Sparkle.


    "Mommy, you don''t actually n to let him kill the Pope that easily, do you?" Sparkle spected about her mother''s actual n.


    "Of course not. Though the Light God is dead and the Pope''s power will only get weaker with time, he still has his uses. We can use the little mouse to manipte the Pope and then use the Pope to manipte Swann. With that, the two of them will have to be of service to us," Anna said, revealing her n readily.


    "However, we need to handle this carefully. Both of them aren''t easy targets to deal with."


    Sparkle raised a hand and started counting with her fingers. "So our final assembled team consists of me, you, the Pope, and Swann with his Ronker?


    "If those creatures'' actual strength is only what they have disyed before, them forcing them to hand Daddy over shouldn''t be a problem."


    "Not to worry," Anna said with an air of confidence. "Even if they''re stronger than that, I have a few aces up my sleeve too."


    Anna''s words stirred a new wave of curiosity in Sparkle. She contemted carefully for a moment if she had indeed covered all bases. At the end of it, she couldn''t pinpoint what she might have overlooked.


    "What is it?" Sparkle asked.


    "Have you forgotten my current identity? I''m the governor of Hope Ind, and I have several inds under my authority. I have three inds¡ªSkywater Ind, Hope Ind, and Annarles Ind¡ªunder my direct control.


    "On top of that, we have countless other vassal inds in the Southern Seas, like the Coral Archipgo, Whereto, Elizarles Shores, Ebony Mist Ind, and so on and so forth."


    Sparkle''s visage expressed deeper confusion at Anna''s response. "Mommy, didn''t you just say that humans'' power is useless?"


    Anna nodded. "Of course I did. But I wasn''t referring to their military strength. They serve another purpose."


    "What purpose?"


    Anna cast a nce toward Swann''s cell, and with an icy tone, she said, "Do you remember how he used the people on the Albion Isles? I''ll use those inds just as he did."


    "Wouldn''t Daddy be upset if you do that?"


    "When was he happy to begin with? If he''s going to be upset, so be it. Besides, I''m doing it to rescue him. That''s thest resort for us to turn the tides if the odds of the battles don''t end up tilting toward us."


    ***


    Charles calmly strolled around Site 6, his pace neither too quick nor too slow. As he passed by clones, he''d even greet them with a nod. He seemed to be getting increasingly familiar with the facility.


    Apart from the few high-security areas, Charles had explored almost every corner of Site 6. He couldn''t help but acknowledge that the Foundation''s technology had indeed reached a terribly advanced level.


    In the ecological garden, nts grew at an astonishing rate that was visible to the naked eye.


    In the fully automated industrial park, there was not a single human in sight. The park itself was rapidly producing various items and was even capable of 3D printing organic beings.


    Even the mental needs of the clones were easily satisfied with a plethora of virtual games at their disposal.


    As for the weapons facility, Charles'' clearance was too low for him to ess it. However, from what he had seen so far, the Foundation had clearly not disyed its full strength in the previous battle with the triakis octahedron.


    During the battle, the portal in the form of a ck hole had remained open on the battlefield. In other words, even if the Foundation was alone against the triakis octahedron, the Foundation would have sent wave after wave of reinforcements.


    Charles realized that his chances of resisting the Foundation were significantly lower than he previously thought.


    Just as Charles was about to head back to his living quarters, a massive figure appeared in front of him and blocked his path.


    It was the T6''s swollen spider form.


    "Don''t rush me," Charles said, looking up at the dozen crimson eyes staring at him. "Joining the Foundation is an important matter, and I need time to think it over."


    "I''m not here to rush you to make a decision. In fact, it''s against the GK Council''s regtions for members to interfere with other members'' work.


    "And your recruitment doesn''t fall under my scope of work. My task is to search for that one possibility among all impossibilities in the vast expanse of knowledge."


    Charles nodded in understanding. His tone softened as if he was having a casual conversation with a neighbor. "So, how''s your mathematical research going?"


    "How is that mathematical research? It should be¡ª" T6 paused and let out a soft sigh. "Never mind, there''s no point in exining things that you won''t end up using. To put it simply, progress is not going well; eleven of my backup brains have gone mad, and nine have self-destructed."


    T6 then turned sideways to allow Charles a glimpse of the pile of brains on her back.


    "I see¡­" Charles thought for a moment before he asked, "Would it be convenient for you to tell me if the Foundation has any other ns apart from n Three?


    "They can''t just possibly rece the entire human poption of the Subterranean Sea and then watch the new batch of humans live their lives as usual, right?"


    Since the Foundation''s mission was to save humanity, then they surely had more than one strategy than n Three.


    Judging from the numerous research facilities on the inds, it was highly likely that the Foundation would kickstart multiple studies simultaneously whenever they wanted to research something for maximum efficiency.


    "Some old ns have been scrapped, and some new ones have been approved. There are also several that are already in progress. We''re exploring every possible solution," T6 answered.


    "I tend to be rather straightforward, so please don''t take offense," T6 said, "A variable like you is a particrly valuable test subject for Dr. Spyro. He''s stationed at Site 3 and has been submitting daily requests to meet you. However, K9 has turned down all his requests.


    "K9 believes that rather than being an experimental subject, you would be more suited to be a member of the Foundation."

 Chapter 736: Modification

    Hearing T6''s words, Charles let out a low chuckle. "Experimental subject, huh? I suppose I should feel honored. After all, not everyone is favored by the Foundation. Is that considered a threat?"


    T6 stepped forward slightly and brought her massive, terrifying spider head closer to Charles.


    "I''m rather straightforward, and I usually just say what is on my mind. Charles, we''ve fought together before, and I may not be a soldier, but we can still be consideredrades. I really don''t want to see you ending up as an experimental subject.


    "Do you understand the consequences if I were to agree to join the Foundation?" Charles retorted. "My wife, my child, and my friends, myrades who had gone through life and death with me¡­ Every single one of them will be wiped out once your n is initialized!


    "If they cease to exist in this world, are the other humans even worth protecting?" Charles'' voice was calm, and his gaze resolute.


    By this point, T6 understood Charles'' stance. "Perhaps K9 was wrong. You are still different from us. Anyway, there isn''t much time left. They wouldn''t allow a potential threat to exist when n Three is initialized."


    "I know. There''s no need for you to remind me. I figured as much." Charles wasn''t the least bit surprised by the Foundation''s follow-up actions. If he were in the Foundation''s position, he would do the exact same.


    T6 moved her eight spider limbs and scaled the wall up to the ceiling, preparing to make her exit.


    "You still have a chance to reconsider. Three dayster, K9 will visit you onest time. That will be your final chance to make a decision. If you insist on your current decision, I''ll respect it."Also, don''t be so hasty to try to escape. The Foundation''s strength far surpasses yours. If needed, I will intervene as well, though I really don''t want to. However, the existence of the Foundation takes precedence over everything, you and me included."


    Charles watched as T6''s swollen body, with a pile of brains on her back, gradually moved toward the distance. Just as she was about to turn the corner, Charles suddenly broke the silence.


    "You im that everything the Foundation does is for humanity. Then have you guys ever considered that sometimes, life can carve a path for itself?"


    T6 didn''t respond and continued on her way without saying a single word.


    The corners of Charles''s lips curved upward into a slight smirk. He then turned and headed back to his quarters.


    Since negotiations had broken down, there was no point for him to continue waiting and stalling for time. He couldn''t afford to dy any longer.


    At the same time, however, Charles was well aware that the Foundation had umted immense power, as they had existed for centuries.


    Even if he were to unite the entire Subterranean Sea to fight the Foundation, they wouldn''t stand a chance. It was a gamble with slim odds of sess.


    However, he had no choice. Even if it would cost him his life, he had to resist till the very end. The safety of Anna, Sparkle, and all of his loved ones mattered more than his own life.


    <em>No matter what, I have to escape before anything else. I need to at least get some information out of this ce. </em>Charles'' eyes narrowed into slits as he surveyed the pristine surroundings.


    Making use of his time here, he had memorized every detail of all the areas he could ess. He had only one chance. If they captured him again, that would be the end of him.


    For the next few days, Charles remained confided in his room and no longer ventured out. He buried himself in drawing on a canvas.


    Three dayster, at exactly noon, K9 came knocking on his door again, just as T6 had said.


    "Come in; the door''s not locked," Charles called out.


    The door remained closed, but K9''s tall, slender figure phased through the wall. He looked at Charles, who was engrossed in his drawing.


    K9''s four raven eyes nced at the scattered drawings on the floor. They were all abstract pieces with random interconnected lines to form the outline of creatures that were impossible to exist.


    Apart from the random lines, there were also patternless inclusions of tentacles and bones.


    "What do you think of my artworks? Someone once told me that a true artist shouldn''t be judged by how urately they draw. I''m trying to push the limits of my artistic skills," Charles said without looking up.


    K9 ignored Charles'' question and went straight to the point. "Let''s not beat around the bush; you know why I''m here. But before you make any decisions, there''s something I want you to see first. You can decide after that."


    Without moving, a three-dimensional projection of a lump of writhing ck tentacles appeared before Charles.


    "What is that?" Charles asked, but his hand continued to draw without pausing for even a moment.


    "Your brain," K9 answered.


    Charles'' hand halted abruptly. His brows furrowed as he slowly got to his feet. He approached the projection and examined it closely.


    The several tentacles intertwined to form a semi-oval shape. At a nce, it did resemble the shape of a brain.


    K9 moved toward the projection and extended two ck bird ws from beneath his voluminous trench coat. With a gentle pull on opposite sides, the projection zoomed in to magnify the lump of tentacles to about a meter in size.


    It was then that Charles realized the subtle pinkish hues that were exposed between the gaps of the writhing tentacles. The lump of tentacles did indeed resemble a brain.


    "Due to the memetic infection in your memories, we aren''t able to ascertain the internal state of your brain. But judging from its appearance, your situation appears quite problematic," K9 exined.


    "I know about these things. They belong to my wife. You aren''t here today to act as my primary care doctor, are you? Everyone''s time is precious, so just get straight to the point."


    K9 seemed surprised by Charles'' reaction. "Could it be that you have no idea what these parasite-like things are?"


    With another wave of his slender ck w, the tentacles on the projection turned translucent to reveal a brain riddled with holes.


    "It''s terrifying, isn''t it?" K9 asked.


    "And so?" Charles replied in a nonchnt tone, not even bothering to raise an eyebrow. He sat back down and resumed his drawing.


    "If you have no idea, then let me tell you. This means that that wife of yours has turned you into a puppet. She can modify your memories any time, anywhere she wishes."


    "I don''t believe she would do that," Charles countered. "I know what she would do and what she wouldn''t do."


    Charles didn''t care if this was the Foundation''s attempt to sow discord or something else. He was not going to believe a single word. Anna was a monster indeed, but no monster would go through the trouble of bearing their puppet a child just to control them.


    "Your wife is 1193-1-3. They are a group of terrifying project entities, creatures driven purely by their instincts," K9 stated.


    "Their formed consciousness is merely a byproduct created by them to achieve certain means. Don''t be too distracted by what can be seen by the naked eye; focus on the core issue.


    "Think about it carefully: Hasn''t your wife''s power been growing stronger and stronger? And doesn''t she draw power from your strength as well?


    "The most terrifying part of this is that your wife is likely not aware of her actions, too. Though her instincts are powerful, everything she does, whether intentionally or not, is driven by her physical needs.


    "She is also very unique. We''ve captured other 1193-1-3 entities, but none are like her."


    Charles had stopped drawing at some point, and his brows were pressed together, seemingly deep in thought.


    K9 noticed that and said, "Think about it; do you really think that such a being should continue to exist? When she bes powerful to a certain extent, the consequences could be unimaginable."

 Chapter 737: Plan

    "If left unchecked, perhaps she might lead other 1193-1-3 entities to upy the entire Subterranean Sea. Fortunately, n Three is about to be initialized. It doesn''t matter how many of her kind are among the humans out there; they will all be taken down in one fell swoop.


    "Charles, a huge chunk of your memories are fake; they were created by that 1193-1-3, and they''re not worth cherishing at all.


    "We can find a way to remove those tentacles through surgery, and perhaps the memetic infection in your memories will disappear once those tentacles are removed.


    "Humanity above all else. Join the Foundation and do your best for mankind''s sake!!" K9 urged.


    At this point, Charles was breathing in ragged pants. He gnashed his teeth and grabbed his head with both hands before exerting enough force to seemingly crush his skull.


    Charles'' expression distorted fiercely as he growled, "My memories are fake?! All of my memories are fake?!"


    Charles then put his hands down and stared at K9 with fury in his eyes.


    "I ept your invitation! I''ll join the Foundation!" Charles eximed.


    The raven-headed K9 stared into Charles'' eyes for a few seconds before shaking his head in disappointment. "Although we can''t peek into your memories, we still have other ways to know whether you''re telling the truth or not."You shouldn''t lie to me. I can see that you''re still not ready to join the Foundation."


    With that, K9 turned and left Charles'' room.


    Left all alone, Charles'' fierce expression vanished, bing exceptionally indifferent. The raven-headed K9 was right; he was lying. He was just pretending to join the Foundation, as he wanted to shatter them from the inside.


    Unfortunately, it seemed that they were wary of him from the very beginning.


    Charles didn''t know how much of K9''s words were true and how much of them were false, but one thing was certain¡ªall of his memories weren''t fake.


    Anna could only modify memories; she couldn''t modify reality itself. They had been together for so many years, so if all of Charles'' memories were truly altered and fake, loopholes were bound to appear.


    Moreover, Anna had never really been a fan of Charles'' exploration work out at sea, so if Anna had truly altered all of his memories, recing them with fake ones, he would have obediently stayed on an ind long ago.


    <em>Boom! </em>


    A deafening noise echoed just then as the tightly shut door was kicked open. A small team of people d in ckbat uniforms poured in from the outside with electronic handcuffs and shackles in their hands.


    "Number Three! Get down on the ground and hands behind your head!" Renault roared, trying to intimidate Charles. However, the truth was that he was incredibly nervous. From the files that he had read, Charles wasn''t that easy to handle.


    "That''s fast. And ''Number Three''? So you guys have decided to immediately treat me as an experimental subject after your efforts to persuade me have failed?" Charles pointed out.


    However, Renault couldn''t care less about Charles'' words. His hands, which resembled machinery, parted quickly, revealing a spiral-shaped ck-and-white painting.


    Renault reached into the painting, and a colossal hand the size of a house burst out of the wall next to him, making a beeline for Charles.


    Charles remained unmoving, and the sight made Renault think that the former had decided to surrender.


    Just as he was about to rx, however, the abstract lines on the ground suddenly writhed, and the scattered drawings on the floor pieced together to create what looked like a human silhouette made out of tadpole-like runes in a variety of sizes.


    It turned out that Charles wasn''t bored enough to create multiple artworks while he was in hostile territory. He knew that he was being monitored at all times, but Charles also knew that he had to make some preparations for his escape.


    In the end, Charles decided to break down the human-shaped array into what looked like tiny, inscrutable doodles to avoid suspicion.


    Renault''s heart tightened as the human-shaped silhouette moved to merge with Charles'' shadow. It was then that he remembered that the experimental subject before him was a god''s Chosen One. And the subject was about to invoke the power of a god!


    "Lights off!" Renault roared, and the room was instantly plunged into darkness.


    Without light, there wouldn''t be any shadows, and the subject wouldn''t be able to call on the power of his god¡ªor so he thought.


    Unfortunately, the absence of light was no obstacle to Charles.


    <em>Crackle!</em>


    Two radiant white lightning arcs manifested and collided in midair, creating a bright explosion. The bright explosion allowed Charles'' shadow to align perfectly with the human-shaped silhouette.


    The room was plunged into darkness once again, and a deafening silence descended upon it. There weren''t any noises, but Renault could hear his breathing bing louder and louder.


    His team members were in a simr state as him.


    Renault gulped hard, swallowing a mouthful of his own saliva. Just as he was about to turn on thermal vision, his temples throbbed. His brain had instinctively stopped him from highlighting the heat signature of the subject before him.


    Renault gnashed his teeth and took a moment to steel his heart before turning on thermal vision. Almost immediately, his determined face distorted in extreme panic.


    "Control room, reinforcements! We need reinforcements¡ª" Renault''s words abruptly came to a halt.


    A swollen and grotesque-looking Charles covered in a variety of deformed appendages rushed out of the room and pervaded the corridor. The next moment, his figure became intangible, seemingly trying to teleport away.


    When his figure became tangible once again, he discovered that he had only moved about ten meters from his original location. Clearly, something was suppressing his power here.


    However, Charles had no time to ponder over what was suppressing his power; he had to get moving, and he moved quickly; his figure flickered as he approached the distant elevator.


    Along the way, he saw utter chaos¡ªthe clones were running for their lives, and the members of the special task force were running toward him with a variety of weapons in hand. An rm was ring throughout the site as well.


    Before Charles could teleport his way into the elevator shaft, K9 and O5 appeared at the end of the distant corridor.


    Charles ignored them and teleported into the elevator shaft before teleporting his way up.


    Despite being suppressed, Charles was still moving at breakneck speed, and he soon found himself on the sea''s surface.


    Charles didn''t even nce at the corpse in midair as he frantically jumped into the ink-ck seawater. Then, he frantically swam in a northerly direction.


    He had just covered roughly ten kilometers when the temperature around him dropped abruptly. The ink-ck seawater quickly condensed into ice, rapidly sealing Charles into a block of ice.


    Realizing that something was wrong, Charles'' swollen figure teleported to the sea''s surface, but as soon as he appeared outside, a brown spiral translucent spear descended, piercing him.


    Charles'' figure exploded, and his flesh scattered everywhere. However, he wasn''t dead. Instead, the lumps of flesh that made up Charles teleported frantically in all directions in an effort to escape.


    Unfortunately, it was toote. The towering Pedended on the frozen sea surface, and more than a dozen clones of GK Council members jumped off him to chase after the scattered lumps of flesh.


    And just like that, it was all over¡­


    O5 spat silver silk as thin as osier twigs, and they wrapped tightly around Charles'' lumps of flesh.


    "Did you really think that you can escape us? Since we were willing to let you out, of course, we have the confidence to capture you and bring you back with us. You''re a Chosen One, but we''re far more proficient at using the power of the gods than you," K9 said to Charles.


    Charles had returned to his original form at some point, and he appeared extremely weak. He didn''t even respond and simply closed his eyes, allowing them to carry him away.


    Charles was soon locked up in the maximum security prison of Site 6 and was even deprived of control over his own body.


    Meanwhile, a deformed monster that appeared to be a cross between a fish and a frog was fleeing rapidly in the deep sea. It seemed to have been terrified by something.


    There was a gash on it, and the wound was constantly oozing ck blood.


    After about thirty minutes into its frantic escape, it suddenly came to a halt. Sparkle had inexplicably appeared in front of it, and she reached into the gash to dig out a folded piece of paper.

 Chapter 738: Letter

    "So you got this from a creature in the Sea of Mist?" Anna asked as she fiddled with the palm-sized piece of paper with her delicate fingers.


    Lying on the white couch in her office, she twirled the damp paper, and it became drier and drier with each spin until the blurry texts were revealed.


    "Yes," Sparkle answered affirmatively. "One side of it is a portrait of me, and the other side is a message from Daddy. He secretly stuffed this note into a fish''s body and scared it out of the Foundation''s territory.


    "The Foundation''s territory is really strange; it seems capable of blocking my awareness. Otherwise, I would have felt it immediately when Daddy was drawing this portrait."


    Anna''s eyes narrowed into slits as she scrutinized the text written on the paper. The font size was excruciatingly small since Charles had cramped everything he had been through into this tiny sheet of paper.


    The Foundation''s rtionship with the Haikors, the Foundation''s n Three to annihte the world, and his current predicament¡ªall of them were detailed in the tiny piece of paper.


    "Previously, it was merely my own guess that the Foundation is located somewhere in the Southern Seas, but it would have never crossed my mind that they were those gods of the Haikor Tribe. Truly hiding in in sight, huh?" Anna muttered to herself.


    "Mommy, how''s Daddy doing?" Sparkle asked as she ran to her mother''s side and tried to peer over at the paper and its contents. When Sparkle found the note, she had immediately brought it back to her mother and didn''t even get to read it herself.


    "Not good, in fact, rather bad. Now that his escape attempt has failed, they definitely won''t recruit him into the Foundation anymore. They''ll likely use him as an experimental subject," Anna replied."Then what are we waiting for?! We need to go save him!" Anxiety suffused Sparkle''s face.


    "Don''t worry. They won''t kill Charles off that easily. As a Chosen One, he''s an invaluable experimental subject. Moreover, he is the Chosen One of Edikth, and Edikth is a Divinity shrouded in mystery. There''s little information about Him, not just in the records of the humans but also among other creatures in the Subterranean Sea," Anna reassured her daughter.


    "The Foundation didn''t realize Charles'' diversionary tactic, and this might be an opportunity for us. We need to think carefully about how we can exploit this," Anna added, her pupils dting as she seemed to have recalled something from the past.


    Sparkle''s brows slightly furrowed. Her expression was clearly one of dilemma as shemented, "But Daddy is suffering¡­ We can''t just do nothing, can we?"


    Anna let out a soft sigh and turned her gaze onto Sparkle. She reached out a hand and gently stroked her daughter''s hair.


    Although her daughter''s strength was growing by the day, her mind was still that of a young girl¡ªimpulsive, reckless, and without consideration of the consequences.


    "We need to think long-term, my dear daughter," Anna began. "What happens after we rescue Charles? What''s the next step? Your father mentioned in his note that the Foundation''s power is far beyond what we imagined it to be.


    "Maybe the few of us are enough to stealthily break your father out of jail. But don''t forget, the Foundation''s ultimate n is to wipe out the entire human poption in the Subterranean Sea and restart it.


    "We would be exposing ourselves the moment we break Charles out of his cell. We shouldn''t do that unless we canpletely annihte the Foundation, as they will surely retaliate and initiate their offensive."


    Sparkle''s brows were knitted together as she looked at her mother. She hesitated for a brief moment before saying, "Mommy, you can''t really be thinking of¡ª"


    A hint of annoyance crossed Anna''s face as she rose to her feet. "We have no other choice now. Their power far surpasses ours. To win, we have to sacrifice the humans in exchange for power. That''s the only card we have on our hands now.


    "Besides, we don''t haveplete intelligence over the enemy''s strength. It remains unknown if we can actually defeat the Foundation after sacrificing all the inds."


    Despite her self-depreciation, Anna''s mind was already running toe up with a n.


    With a mere thought from her end, the door to the room swung open, and Leonardo, Hope Ind''s Minister of Administration, entered with a respectful bow.


    "Mistress, you summoned me?"


    "Put up an announcement that the Governor''s Mansion is nning to construct a city rail system. Wait for a few days before using the construction as a cover to start drawing the sacrificial array over the entire Hope Ind."


    "As you wish, my mistress," Leonardo bowed and retreated slowly outside.


    Just as Leonardo stood upright and turned to leave, a revolver barrel appeared from outside the doorway, pressing against his forehead and forcing him back into the room.


    The hand holding the revolver was wrapped in bandages¡ªit belonged to the first mate of the Narwhale, and standing behind him were the other crew members of the ship.


    "Who allowed you in here? Don''t you know this is the Governor''s Mansion?" Anna rebuked in an icy manner, her expression turning cold.


    Bandages casually tossed the weapon aside and turned to face Anna.


    "We¡­ heard¡­ everything¡­ you said¡­"


    The moment those words fell, a heavy atmosphere of tension weighed down on the room. The rtionship between both sides had never been particrly good. They had only maintained superficial peace with each other due to Charles'' presence maintaining the equilibrium.


    But now that Charles was no longer around and Anna''stest n had been exposed, the fragile truce between Anna and Charles'' oldrades waspletely shattered.


    "You have been spying on me? You think you are capable?" Anna''s slender, alluring form began to crumble, and ck tentacles emerged from its cracks and danced wildly in the air.


    The yellow, cross-shaped pupil on her suddenly opened wide and stared at them. Instantly, the bands on the right wrists of Bandages and the others were triggered and emitted a bright glow.


    The bracelets had repelled Anna''s mind control. Evidently, the Narwhale''s crew members hade well prepared.


    "We didn''t want to," Dipp said, toying with the ck spike in his hand. "But we have no choice when you are keeping everything a secret. Don''t forget, we have a share of this ind as well. We <em>will not</em> let anyone offer our home as a sacrificial tribute!"


    Seeing his formerrades standing firm in their stance against Anna, A look of relief crossed James'' face as he stood among the crew. It was better for the threat to be exposed directly than to keep it hidden.


    Ever since Anna had arrived on the ind, he had been waiting in silence for this day. Now, the day had finally arrived where the ticking time bomb on Hope Ind could be deactivated.


    "And you think you guys are capable of stopping me? If I want to, I can take your lives anytime, anywhere," Anna threatened, her voiceced with menace.


    Anna''s form suddenly swelled, her bloated and writhing form expanded to instantly fill up the spacious hall.


    When the giant eye grafted onto her was revealed just a sliver, a look of agony surfaced on everyone''s faces. At the same time, Anna unleashed her auditory hallucinations, forcing everyone present to partake in her torment.


    "If they can''t stop you, then what about me?" A deep voice echoed from behind the crowd. It was Julio as he emerged from behind the towering figure of James.


    Following behind him was a blond boy. It was the Pope, and he was cradling a sullen-looking Lily in his hands.


    "I shouldn''t involve myself in your previous affairs, but I''ve been asked to intervene, so count me in on this," Julio dered.

 Chapter 739: Alliance

    With the addition of Julio and the Pope, the bnce of power between the humans and Anna seemed to even out a little.


    Feeling the tension in the room subtly escting with each passing second, Sparkle felt a throbbing headache at the situation before her. She stepped forward and ced herself in between Anna and the crew members of the Narwhale.


    "Daddy is still in the hands of the Foundation. Do you guys really think this is the best time to sh with each other? Maybe we can wait for him toe back and resolve this conflict," Sparkle suggested.


    "Wait for him toe back? Wait for him to y peacemaker? No, thank you. I don''t like dragging things out," Anna replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm.


    The crew of the Narwhale said nothing to rebut Anna''s statement. They agreed wholeheartedly with Anna''s opinion on this matter.


    Their captain was clearly under the control of this monster, who intended to sacrifice the entire ind. It was the best course of action to try to get rid of this trouble now.


    Seeing that her mother had no intention of de-escting the imminent fight, Sparkle swiftly turned to the Narwhale crew members and said, "Daddy has been captured by the Foundation! The Foundation is also nning to wipe out the entire Subterranean Sea! Mommy is only thinking of sacrificing the inds in order to save all of you."


    This time, Sparkle''s words seemed to have an effect on the crew. Bandages turned his gaze onto her and asked, "What¡­ do you¡­ mean¡­ by that?"


    Under some persuasion from Sparkle, both sides reluctantly sat down and started a conversation."So, that''s the entirety of the situation," Sparkle concluded. She was seated at the center of a long table and facing both parties seated on her left and right, respectively. "Mommy isn''t sacrificing everyone on the ind to increase her own strength. She is doing it in order to save Daddy."


    Silence pervaded the room; the crew members were stunned speechless. So, they had just finally managed to retrieve the darkness after going through so much hardship, and now the Foundation wanted to annihte all of humanity in the Subterranean Sea?


    What was with this bad luck of theirs for them to always get caught in the worst possible situations?


    "Even if what you''re saying is really true, there''s no need to sacrifice our own ind. Can''t you just use another ind?" Dipp protested, feeling aggrieved about the situation.


    "Do you think the other inds will willingly sacrifice themselves for us? Or which ind do you think has as many people as Hope Ind?" Anna asked as she folded her hands over her chest with an indifferent expression.


    Truth to be told, she was merely putting on an act earlier. She didn''t n to fight with them to the death.


    "Also," Anna continued. "Don''t expect that you can be of any help against the Foundation. In a conflict of that scale, apart from being sacrificial pawns in exchange for blessings from the Divinities, there''s nothing you guys can do."


    A long silence followed Anna''s words. Eventually, Bandages broke the silence and said, "Let me¡­ see¡­ the letter¡­ the captain¡­ left behind¡­"


    While Bandages scrutinized the contents of the letter, Anna cast a nce toward Julio with a meaningful look on her face.


    "You seem so awfully invested in the affairs of Hope Ind. No wonder you kept stalling for time when I asked you to hand over the Pope¡ªI see you have other uses for him."


    "I had a feeling that Charles'' disappearance isn''t so simple. It''s better to make preparations sooner thanter when ites to certain things. And It seems like my instincts were right," Julio replied in a low, husky tone.


    Anna let out a soft chuckle.


    "You better keep your ulterior motives to yourself. Regardless if Charles returns or not, Hope Ind will never be yours, and you''ll never be able to take it," Anna said, her tone a mix of taunting and warning. She then turned her gaze onto Bandages. "Stop staring at it. Even if you stare at it for eternity, not even an extra character will appear.


    "This is the only way unless you can find a way to fight the Foundation. If you are just going to say that the death of so many is not worth it, I will just lose all respect for you."


    Bandages shifted his gaze from the small sheet of paper to Anna''s face. "I¡­ agree¡­ with your¡­ n¡­"


    The crew widened their eyes in surprise. Bandages'' words took them by surprise; he had actually agreed to it.


    "But¡­ We need to¡­ rescue¡­ the captain first¡­ and he can¡­ make the¡­ decision¡­"


    Hearing Bandages'' dyed words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    "And even if we do proceed with the sacrifice, you shouldn''t be the one gaining all that power," Dipp added immediately.


    "Hmph." Anna scoffed. "You guys are really an annoying bunch. I truly wish for all of you to disappear," Anna replied, her feigned smile growing unnervingly radiant to reveal her menacing pearly white teeth.


    <em>Thud.</em>


    Sparkle suddenly ced her hand on her mother''s arm.


    Anna took a nce at her daughter before swatting thetter''s hand away. "There are surely to be the Foundation''s spies on the ind. If we really want to rescue Charles, the fewer people who know of our n, the better it will be for us. Also, we need to devise a solid rescue n."


    "Sorry to interrupt but I don''t really care what you want to do next. I just need to settle on the terms for my assistance in this battle," the Pope interjected. "First of all, I must be allowed to stay close to Lily. Secondly, if we defeat the Foundation, I want a portion of their Divinity''s corpse and all the data in their centralputer."


    Clearly, everyone had their own agenda in this matter.


    Anna and Bandages exchanged nces before nodding in unison. "Sure."


    Right now, they needed the Pope''s strength. As long as his requests were reasonable, they would try their best to amodate.


    "I don''t trust any of you. I want to perform a sacrificial ritual and sign a contract with a Divinity as an arbiter."


    <em>Bang!</em>


    James suddenly stood up, his chair tumbling over. With bloodshot eyes, his voice wasced with anger as he questioned, "Enough with it! The Foundation''s target is the entire Subterranean Sea!"


    James evidently couldn''t ept the thought of sacrificing everyone on the ind, and his emotions were close to spiraling out of control.


    The Pope merely looked at James with a calm gaze. In a nonchnt tone, he asked, "Do you really think that I care?"


    "Fine, I ept your terms, but you better be worth the value," Anna answered, looking at the Pope''s youthful face.


    "Don''t you worry, child. I''ve dealt with the Foundation much longer than you have. Back when I was trying to break the seal over the Light God, I, along with the Divine Light Order, made significant efforts against them. By the way, out of curiosity, are these all the people we have above Level 15?"


    Sparkle pondered for a moment before answering, "I''ve sent Swann back onto Ronker and am currently helping him with the repairs. Once Ronker is fully restored, he should be Level 15 as well. He''s a Chosen One, after all."


    A hint of surprise shed across the Pope''s eyes as he looked at Sparkle. "I''ve heard of you. They say you''re Charles'' daughter and even stronger than him. Maybe we can find a time to test out each other''s powers."


    <em>Tap. Tap. Tap.</em>


    Anna drummed her fingers against the tabletop to draw everyone''s attention back onto her. "I''ll be themand for this operation, and I don''t want anyone else trying to snatch with me over this."


    While Anna and the others started preparations for Operation Save Charles, the man in question was tightly bound and was being wheeled into a surgical room.


    "Mr. Big Guy, it''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I''m Dr. Spyro, your lead surgeon for today, and these people are my assistants," a bald man bowed respectfully toward Charles. The group of younger people behind him followed suit.


    Doctor Spyro was dressed in a whiteb coat, which didn''tpletely cover his iron-gray skin that didn''t look human¡ªno, rather, he didn''t look like any of the usual clones Charles had seen so far.


    Seeing the entire setup, a sense of unease stirred within Charles.


    "Is the Foundation nning to dissect me?"

 Chapter 740: Surgery

    "Dissect you? No, no, no," Doctor Spyro assured. "The surgery this time is primarily to collect various cellr samples from your organs."


    Doctor Spyro then raised his hands, allowing his assistants to help him put on his gloves. Charles instinctively tried to will the power within him to move, but neither the abilities of his fused relics nor his own power responded to him.


    With his multipleyers of gloves worn properly, Doctor Spyro pointed to a spot on Charles'' nape. Charles couldn''t see what it was, but he could feel a foreign entity within himself.


    "We''ve already severed all the connections to your power, so you won''t be able to manipte any of them. I know it''s an unpleasant feeling, but it''s necessary for the surgery to proceed quietly without any disruptions."


    With that, Doctor Spyro then glided a sharp scalpel along Charles'' skin but was unable to leave even a minor scratch. Evidently, the stone gifted by Margaret was still working.


    Unfortunately, this physical resistance didn''tst long. A scanning device passed over Charles''s body, and the ck stone in his palm was quickly detected.


    Covered in blood, the stone was pried out of his palm, and Charles'' extraordinary defenses instantly weakened significantly.


    Layer afteryer, Charles'' skin was being peeled back until his chest cavityy exposed to the sterilized, antiseptic air.


    Observing the expression on Charles'' face throughout the procedure, a hint of surprise crossed Doctor Spyro''s countenance. He hadn''t administered any anesthesia, but Charles had remained silent throughout without uttering even a single sound."Your body is surely special; you''re not even bleeding much," Doctor Spyromented as he gently prodded Charles'' crystallized heart with the scalpel.


    Charles'' breathing grew rapid. He wasn''t made from iron; his tolerance toward pain had merely been honed through years of exploration.


    "Are you a clone of the Foundation, too? Why don''t you tell me your story? I know that doctors usually like to chat with their patients during surgeries," Charles said in a calm tone.


    Doctor Spyro was quick to catch Charles'' intention. "Still trying to gather intelligence at this point, huh? Stop wasting your energy. Your fate was sealed the moment you refused to join us."


    Recalling the note that he had stuffed inside the sea creature, the corners of Charles'' lips slightly curled upward. He chuckled inwardly as he thought, <em>Heh, don''t be too sure about that. Anna should probably be aware of my situation here now.</em>


    The Foundation was formidable, but they weren''t invincible. While in captivity, Charles had been spending his every waking hour thinking of ways to fight back. Now, he had finally gotten some ideas.


    All he needed to do was to endure¡ªendure until the others were here to rescue him.


    The next moment, Charles felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. His lips slightly parted as he instinctively took a deep breath.


    His trembling gaze lowered slightly to see a sharp-edged ss tube¡ªits diameter about the side of a thumb¡ªin Doctor Spyro''s hand. Doctor Spyro was driving it deep into his organ.


    A smile appeared on Doctor Spyro''s face, and his forehead creased with wrinkles as he said, "It hurts now, doesn''t it? Do you know that the pain from your organs is quite different from the pain from your skin?"


    With that, Doctor Spyro gently pulled the ss tube with both hands. A soft pop echoed in the room, and the tube was removed. A small cylindrical piece of flesh was within the tube.


    "This bit is from your liver. Here''s a little bit of medical knowledge for you¡ªas long as you are in good health and well nourished, your liver can regenerate even if a portion is removed."


    Doctor Spyro carefully ced the ss tube on a metal tray one of his assistants were holding before pulling out a new ss tube.


    "Alright, let me test you now. This time, I''m taking a chunk of your lung. If the liver can regenerate, do you think the lung can?" Doctor Spyro asked. Simultaneously, he drove the ss tube into Charles'' lung directly.


    Charles clenched his teeth hard, his eyes turning bloodshot as he stared at Doctor Spyro''s face. "I don''t think it can regenerate."


    "Congrattions! You''re correct! After a lobe of the lung is removed, it can''t regenerate. The owner can only rely on the remaining lobes to breathe.


    "Under normal circumstances, only about half of the lung capacity is actively used, so losing one lobe won''t drastically affect your ability to breathe.


    "See? Isn''t it great being my test subject aspared to the other doctors? At least you get to learn some medical knowledge," Doctor Spyro said with a smile.


    One of the nurses beside him couldn''t hold herself back and let out a soft chuckle. Herughter seemed contagious and soon, the entireb was filled withughter. Everyone was basking in the joyous atmosphere in the room, apart from the test subject lying on the table¡ªCharles.


    Ever so cheerful, Doctor Spyro continued with his work without any rest. His hands moved skillfully over Charles'' organs while his mouth rambled on. His topics moved from the stitching technique used in removing part of Charles'' stomach to the taste of the food in their cafeteria earlier.


    Just as a debate started between him and the nurse on which of their deceased test subjects had the strongest body, Doctor Spyro''s hand finally stopped moving. The sampling waspleted.


    The assistants proceeded to stitch his wounds, and Charles watched as a blood-stained thread weaved through his organs. He felt like a ragdoll that was torn apart and was now being patched up.


    Charles'' chest cavity was a mess¡ªnone of his organs were intact. Despite almost fainting into unconsciousness from the excruciating pain coursing through him, Charles didn''t feel much hatred toward the Foundation.


    Rather than focusing on the pain he was experiencing, he was focused on thinking of a way to defeat these people. Otherwise, his wife and daughter would have to go through what he had just gone through!


    And that was his primary concern!


    After his chest was sewn up, Doctor Spyro left with his entourage, leaving Charles all alone in the room and on the operation table.


    However, it didn''t take long before amotion echoed from the door. An Apostle, with disjointed limbs and its entire form emitting an eerie glow, crawled into the room.


    Soon, another one entered, and then another¡­ Eventually, they covered the entire ceiling, and they peered downward at the operation table with their eyeless heads.


    <em>Creak.</em>


    The door swung open again and a bloated and swollen "human" entered the room.


    Although it looked like an extremely obese human, it didn''t have a head. Its blobs of fats were tightly bound by barbed wire. From a distance, the figure resembled a giant, wobbling gas tank as it walked in.


    As the folds of fat on its stomach began to quiver, a woman''s voice rang out in the room.


    With a hint of allure in its voice, it said, "Hello, I''m N8, or you can call me Doctor Ilena. You seem to be in good spirits, so let''s proceed with our next surgery, shall we?"


    Charles let out a bitter, soundlessugh, "Do I have a choice to reject? What''s the next surgery about?"


    "I''ve been told that you have a memetic infection in your brain. Coincidentally, I also have something inside of me that is beyond humanprehension, and I can control it to some extent. So we will be doing an interaction experiment."

 Chapter 741: Chance

    Charles fell into contemtion as he stared at the Foundation Member, whom he was meeting for the first time. Momentster, he asked, "Does that mean that you''re going to open up my skull? That must be very risky."


    "Correct. It is a bit wasteful, but we have no choice. We don''t have the luxury of time, as n Three has already started," Ilena replied.


    The information Ilena had just revealed was so shocking that Charles seemed to have forgotten that he was in danger. "What did you just say? n Three has already started? The n to exterminate all humans of the Subterranean Sea has already begun?!"


    "Mmhm, n Three was officially started just an hour ago," Ilena replied.


    Just then, an Apostle hanging upside down from the ceiling jumped down. It opened its protruding sucker and gently engulfed Charles'' head as if it were a wet, fleshy shower cap.


    It rotated gently, instantly shaving off Charles'' ck hair. Then, it spat Charles'' hair before engulfing his head once more and rotating once again.


    Charles'' scalp instantly went numb; he couldn''t see it, but he could feel it¡ªhis scalp was no longer there.


    Ilena''s bloated figure swayed gently as it moved behind Charles and used an unknown tool to cut his skull open.


    Charles suppressed the worries in his heart and tried his best to pretend that he was calm before asking, "What exactly is n Three?"However, he received no response even as the unknown tool ceased its whirring behind him.


    Before Charles could open his mouth to ask once more, Ilena''s alluring voice echoed behind him. "Eww! What are these things in your brain?! They''re so disgusting!!"


    Hearing that, Charles hurriedly asked, "It should be okay to satisfy the curiosity of a dying man, right?"


    He still hadn''t given up on obtaining as many pieces of information as he could while he could still do so.


    "Don''t bother asking and just shut up. From what I can see here, I don''t even want to talk to you," Ilena replied.


    Then, Charles felt like something was being inserted into his brain and was stirring it all up. The next second, Charles'' thinking became exceptionally slow, and he felt like something had squeezed its way into his memories. The feeling that it gave him was beyond humanprehension.


    Just then, strange scenes appeared in Charles'' mind. He seemed to be standing in a hazy and monochrome world. Anna was staring at him from behind what looked like a mirror.


    <em>What is that ce? </em>As soon as the thought came to his mind, he saw a ghastly white figure flickering around him.


    He snapped back to reality just then, only to find that everything around him was disappearing, including Ilena and the Apostles on the ceiling.


    Charles'' eyes shed in a bewildered light. "This is weird¡­ where did N8 and the Apostles go? Why did they leave me here alone?"


    Charles wasn''t the only one bewildered, as even the incredibly intelligent AI, which the Foundation had created to keep tabs on everyone on behalf of an actual human, was bewildered as well as it stared at the operating room through the surveince cameras.


    Momentster, several lines of text appeared on the AI''s three-dimensional screen.


    [Initiating search: Operating Room 2-1, Target: N8, Result: Search failed.]


    [Initiating search: Operating Room 2-1, Target: N8, Result: Search failed.]


    [Initiating search: Operating Room 2-1, Target: N8, Result: Search failed.]


    [Validating video feed prior to timestamp 12:13:33, Target: N8, Result: Video feed missing.]


    [Validating video feed prior to timestamp 12:13:33, Target: N8, Result: Video feed missing.]


    [Alert. Alert. Deviations detected in the current situation. Initiating self-diagnosis tests and deductions.]


    [Deduction 1: AI PD91''s databank was hacked, video files were deleted, and AI PD91''s logic model was modified. Possibility: 2%.]


    [Deduction 2: Project 9354 within N8 has run rampant, causing a temporal shift from the current timeline. Possibility 13%.]


    [Deduction 3: A reality distortion urred when Project 9354 within N8 made contact with Project 3-1 inside Test Subject 3. Possibility 81%.]


    [Data transmission initiated¡­]


    [Transmitting experimental data to the centralputer¡­]


    [Transmission paused. Project 9354 has been detected. Project 9354''s current location oveps with Subject 3. Assessment: Coupling detected between Project 9354 and Project 3-1 within Test Subject 3.]


    [Alert. Alert. Project coupling detected. Initiating Level 1 rm throughout Site 6.]


    [Alert. Alert. Project coupling detected. Initiating Level 1 rm throughout Site 6.]


    Before Charles could figure out what was going on, a dark red started shing throughout the entire operating room. A few pipes then burst out of the walls, and a viscous, cement-like liquid was poured into the room.


    Charles had no idea what exactly had happened, but he knew that he couldn''t just sit idly by and wait for his demise. He trembled desperately like an aspen tree in an effort to break free.


    However, his limbs were bound too tightly for him to make any significant movements.


    Seeing that the cement-like liquid was about to submerge the operating table, Charles gnashed his teeth and twisted forcefully. A grotesque tearing noise echoed, and Charles'' prosthetic limb was left abandoned on the operating table.


    Without the prosthetic limb, Charles'' range of motion had increased. He turned and stretched his neck. Then, he used his tongue to drag the prosthetic limb over, and he used his teeth to pull out a ck spike hidden in the prosthetic limb.


    By the time he had cut off his restraints using the ck spike, the viscous, cement-like liquid had already submerged his head. Charles gnashed his teeth and reached out to his nape to remove what was embedded in his nape.


    Finally, Charles'' special abilities and power were no longer under suppression.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A deafening explosion echoed as the wall next to him was sted open. Panting heavily, Charles used his tentacles to carry him outside the operating room. The fresh wounds that had been painstakingly sutured had split open, bringing him much pain.


    The same viscous, cement-like murky water had submerged the corridors outside, and it seemed that the Foundation wanted to seal the entire site using that bizarre, viscous liquid.


    The rm ring throughout the site and N8''s words earlier about how n Three had already started told Charles that he could no longer stay here and endure until he was rescued.


    He gripped the ck spike tightly and swung it repeatedly until a human-shaped array was drawn on the ceiling.


    Charles allowed his shadow to align perfectly with the crimson array on the ceiling, and his figure immediately became bloated. Charles had clearly gotten better at using this special ability of his.


    Knowing that this would be his final chance at escaping, Charles used the ck spike in his hand to draw a portrait of Sparkle on one of his swollen tentacles.


    Then, there was a sh of white light as he rushed down the corridor. Charles ignored the task force members and the clones frantically running around and focused on teleporting his way upward.


    He was moving without any regard for stealth, so he reckoned that the Foundation would soon notice him.


    As expected, T6 was already hanging upside down on the rockyer up above.


    T6 immediately chased after Charles as soon as thetter emerged from Site 6.


    However, as Charles moved farther and farther away from Site 6, the distance he could cross using his teleport ability was getting farther and farther away as well.


    T6 couldn''t keep up with him at all.


    Just then, N8''s bloated and swollen figure suddenly appeared above the sea surface, standing in Charles'' way. "Where did the memetic infection inside my previous clone go? Is it inside you?"


    Charles didn''t bother replying and simply braced himself to collide with her.


    Just as he was about to collide with N8, however, the sea surface abruptly swelled, and Pede''s towering figure burst out of the seawater like the legendary Poseidon.


    Pede raised his massive palm and swung it toward Charles. The air itself was torn apart by the pitch-ck miniature spacetime rifts that manifested around Pede''s hand.


    Before the gaze of the three massive ck eyes, Charles turned sharply; he dared not pause for even a moment as he frantically teleported in another direction.


    Unfortunately, the strange feeling of suppression had returned, and Charles found that his teleportation ability was suppressed significantly. It seemed that Pede himself was the source of the strange suppression.


    "n Three has started, and you''ve rejected our request. You cannot escape," the two-headed raven figure said calmly as he hovered in midair.


    Meanwhile, Charles, who had transformed into a massive lump of flesh covered in deformed organs and crab-like appendages, clearly had no intentions of replying to the two-headed raven figure.


    There was a sh of white light, and Charles'' deformed, swollen figure teleported a few times upward before reappearing in front of the raven-headed figure.


    Then, Charles'' bloated figure parted and engulfed the raven-headed figure.


    Almost at the same time, the hundred-meter-tall Pede reacted and swung his hands upward. The force of gravity nearby reversed instantly, and the entire sea beneath them carried with it an unstoppable force as it surged toward Charles.


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    A massive tidal wave struck the rockyer like a hammer, and the rockyer shifted forcefully upon being struck by millions of tons of water.


    Meanwhile, Charles was about to teleport out of the roaring seawater when the gravity returned to normal. The seawater above the dome immediately plummeted toward the dry seafloor down below.


    As the Foundation''s most powerful member, Pede''s power was infinitely close to that of a real Divinity. This battle was between a Divinity''s Chosen One and one of the Haikor''s demigods.


    Charles had barely managed to stabilize himself in midair, but he could already hear the air screeching just ahead of him. He looked up and saw a hand riddled with pitch-ck holes.


    The hand belonged to none other than Pede.


    Just as the hand was about to p Charles into a bloody mist, a white light shed, and his figure disappeared.


    Almost at the same time, the back of Pede''s massive hand suddenly burst open, and Charles'' swollen figure reappeared inside Pede''s hand. He had teleported himself into Pede''s flesh.


    However, Pede''s flesh and blood, which had been gouged out by the intruder, didn''t fall to the ground. They stuck close to Charles as if they were sentient beings.


    With his teleportation ability suppressed, Charles was at a great disadvantage. To make matters worse, his flesh and Pede''s scorched flesh seemed to be hungry for each other as they immediately started corroding each other upon contact.


    Just then, Pede''s palm riddled with holes opened slightly, and a chunk of flesh the size of a cargo vessel separated cleanly from Pede''s palm before floating over to Charles.


    Charles soon found himself overrun with Pede''s scorched flesh, which frantically corroded his own, red flesh. In no time, Charles was suppressed.


    When Charles'' red flesh becamepletely ck, a deafening silence descended.


    The lump of flesh, which was supposed to be Charles himself, shifted and transformed into a palm. Then, it floated slowly toward Pede''s wrist stump as if telling everyone that it was all over.


    But just as the pitch-ck palm riddled with holes was about to make contact with Pede''s wrist stump, a bright yellow eye abruptly opened in the palm, and it stared at Pede''s three colossal ck eyes.


    It was the Eye of Edikth.


    In the proverbial blink of an eye, flesh and tentacles manifested on Pede''s three colossal ck eyes, and it began to proliferate profusely. Soon, Pede''s massive head was covered in flesh that didn''t belong to him.


    It seemed that things had taken a turn for the better, and the scales of victory were finally tilting toward Charles.


    Pede raised his other hand to p the eye on his palm, but his arms were quickly overrun by flesh that didn''t belong to him.

 Chapter 742: Rescue

    The flesh growing on Pede''s figure proliferated profusely until it was about to engulf himpletely.


    When it seemed like Charles was about to win the fight, the Foundation finally made another move. Pede wasn''t the only weapon they sent.


    The air howled as a long spiral spear that was as thick as a telephone pole streaked across the battlefield at breakneck speed. The spiral spear was spinning profusely as it struck the colossal Eye of Edikth from behind, piercing it and Charles before exiting through the eye''s pupil.


    Then, arge ck woven by T6 descended, nketing Charles.


    The colossal eyeball made out of Charles started crumbling, and the flesh proliferating profusely across Pede came to an abrupt halt.


    Pede''s right hand had deformed to the point that it looked more like a ball of flesh rather than a hand, but the injuries seemed insignificant to Pede, who raised it and swung it toward Charles.


    At the critical juncture, a radiant white light erupted in front of Pede, standing in Pede''s way to Charles. When the radiant white light vanished, Sparkle''s writhing tentacled form was revealed.


    Charles'' rescue team was finally here.


    Despite the obstacle, Pede''s pitch-ck palm didn''t stop and struck Sparkle''s colossal form. However, Sparkle didn''t burst into a bloody mist; instead, she coiled herself around Pede''s massive palm and engulfed it.Sparkle''s appearance on the battlefield hadn''t terrified the Foundation members; they were pleasantly surprised instead. They had long been coveting the special being called "Sparkle."


    Unfortunately, Sparkle was extremely slippery, so their few capture attempts had all ended in failure. The reason they left Charles in Site 6 was to lure Sparkle into infiltrating the site, so they were pleasantly surprised to see her here.


    <em>Hooonk!</em>


    A piercing steam whistle fleeted across the battlefield. Momentster, a neat and orderly armada broke through the Sea of Mist''syer of mist and made a beeline for the battlefield.


    The armada was filled with the Foundation''s clones, and their presence tilted the scales of victory toward the Foundation, but Charles, who had returned to his original form, wasn''t scared at all.


    He saw something on the other side, and the sight brought him hope.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A dazzling whiteser beam shot out from the mist, hitting Pede in the chest.


    The air was instantly filled with the nauseating smell of burning pig hair. After a brief deadlock, theser pierced Pede''s chest and disappeared into the mist behind him.


    Momentster, two colossal hydraulic-powered steel legs staggered out of the Sea of Mist and plunged heavily into the sea like two pile drivers.


    A creaking sound pervaded the air, and the long-unseen metal construct Ronker finally entered the battlefield.


    Ronker towered roughly three kilometers in length, which meant that it was as huge as an ind. The colossal vertical pupil in the center of the metal construct''s ventral side told everyone it had be Swann''s body once again.


    While everyone was distracted, Sparkle engulfed Charles and streaked across the sea surface, teleporting her way to Ronker.


    However, it turned out that the Foundation had been keeping an eye on Sparkle, allowing them to react quickly to her actions. The rockyer above the dome split open, and a massive steel wall the size of a mountain plummeted toward the two.


    The massive steel wall isted both Sparkle and Charles from Ronker. Ronker reacted quickly as well, and it activated itsser to cut open a gap in the steel wall.


    However, T6 was already on the move, and she charged at Sparkle while spitting out ck spider silk toward thetter.


    When Charles saw what was going on from within the embrace of Sparkle''s tentacles, he hurriedly shouted, "Don''t bother with them! Even if you kill them, the Foundation will just make another clone of them!"


    Charles didn''t want to bother with the Foundation members, but thetter clearly thought otherwise as the ink-ck seawater parted, revealing a rusty submarine.


    The submarine burst out of the water with its bloody maw open, ready to devour both Charles and Sparkle.


    "God said: Stop!" A dazzling pir of light descended and struck the submarine. A low sound reminiscent of a bell''s knell reverberated across the battlefield, and the submarine was forced to a halt.


    A secondter, its hull cracked open, and it fell into the icy waters.


    Meanwhile, the massive steel wall was beginning to melt under the constant assault of Ronker''s powerfulser. The molten steel fell into the sea, revealing a hole in the massive steel wall.


    A deformed and bloated tentacled monster floated over to Sparkle and Charles through the hole in the massive steel wall.


    Although there was an eye grafted onto the tentacled monster, Charles still recognized with just a nce that the tentacled monster was none other than Anna.


    The massive blood-red eye opened slightly and nced at T6. The giant spider was instantly reduced into a puddle of water that fell to the water with a <em>plop </em>before sinking powerlessly into the depths of the cold sea.


    T6 was still alive, but her body had transformed into liquid from solid.


    With the cover of both Sparkle and Anna, Charles safely arrived in the pulsating control room of Ronker, which appeared to be made out of flesh and gears. Then, the colossal steel construct raised its towering legs and started moving.


    More and more warships and submarines swarmed Ronker, but the steel construct had no ns of staying passive. Under its control, the mechanical creatures in the ink-ck seawater began staging a counterattack.


    They weren''t safe yet, but Charles was finally free.


    Anna''s colossal form contracted, and she repeated the same process several times with difficulty before managing to revert to her human form. Anna''s expression wasplex as she opened her arms and hugged the exhausted Charles.


    Her embrace became tighter and tighter by the second.


    "Okay, stop, we''re not safe yet!" Charles eximed, patting Anna on the back. He sighed in relief; he could feel her concern for him, and he felt really great knowing that someone cared about him.


    Anna let go of Charles and examined him from top to bottom. Then, she sounded confused as she asked, "Where did your scalp and skull go?"


    "They were peeled off. Anyway, they''re not important, so let''s talk about themter. How is the Subterranean Sea? Did anything abnormal happen? I just heard that the Foundation''s n to destroy the world has already begun!"


    "Really?" Anna appeared to be confused as she said, "Nothing abnormal has happened so far¡ªno, there wasn''t anything abnormal going on before Sparkle teleported us over here."


    Charles frowned, thinking about how exactly the Foundation was going to proceed with their n Three. If the Foundation''s goal was to exterminate all humans in the Subterranean Sea, then their n would have caused widespread chaos by now.


    The fact that the Subterranean Sea was still calm was very strange in Charles'' eyes.


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    An earth-shattering explosion echoed as one of Ronker''s towering pir-like legs was blown away. Ronker tilted significantly, and the movement dragged Charles back to reality.


    Charles turned and looked around. The sea surface covered in smoke was full of people, but they were all clones produced by the Foundation. Charles couldn''t actually see any Foundation member among them.


    The Foundation members were now missing, except for T6, who had plunged into the depths of the ocean. Charles found it odd. <em>Where did they go?</em>


    Just then, there was a sh of white light, and the Pope in neat white clothesnded slowly next to Charles.


    There was a golden mouse in his hand.


    "Lily?" Charles reached out to grab her, but the Pope moved his hand away.


    "Hehe, you can''t do that, Charles. You have to keep your word. Since I decided toe here and help you, God belongs to me now."


    "Help me? What on earth are you talking about?" Charles asked. Then, he turned to look at Anna standing next to him.

 Chapter 743: Pede

    Lily lifted her head with a worried expression and exined, "Mr. Charles, it was the only way to get this guy to help you."


    The Pope revealed a smug smile and said, "Child, the process was unexpectedly smoother than I expected, but that''s none of my business. You still have to pay the price that you have to pay. I promised to defeat the Foundation and rescue you."


    Seeing Charles'' grim expression, Anna crossed her arms in front of her chest. She looked quite annoyed as she said, "Hey, hey, what''s up with that look? You''re not ming me, are you? We''re talking about the Foundation here.


    "Of course, I have to go all-out against them. This mouse in exchange for the Pope''s help is a great deal."


    Looking at Lily in the Pope''s hands, Charles'' mood instantly took a turn for the worse. He stared at the Pope''s childlike face and said, "She''s my crew member, and I will definitely get her back."


    The Pope shook his head, and his eyes were filled with a fanatical light as he gazed at Lily''s furry nape.


    "God never belongs to anyone. God is God. If you want to serve Him devoutly like me and assist Himpletely in His return, then as the Pope of the Divine Light Order, I''m delighted to have you onboard."


    The Pope saw Charles'' eyes glimmering in a peculiar light, and he became a bit worried that Charles would do something extreme, so he hurriedly said, "Don''t even think about going back on your word. God Fhtagn is the arbiter of the contract between me and Anna.


    "Before you act, think about the consequences of viting that kind of contract."Charles remained quiet. He desperately wanted to retrieve Lily, but he knew that he had more important matters at hand. He was still in the Sea of Mist, and they were still under the Foundation''s threat.


    The Foundation had to be dealt with, or everyone would die, including Lily.


    "Lily, wait for me and don''t worry. Trust me."


    Lily''s drooping ears perked up slightly. "<em>Mmhm! </em>I''m not worried at all! I''ll wait."


    Afterforting his gunner, Charles turned to look at his daughter, whose figure was teleporting across the air, "Sparkle! Can you teleport Ronker and us back together? We need to return to Hope Ind as soon as possible."


    There was a sh of white light, and Sparkle instantly appeared in front of him.


    Sparkle''s clear and melodious voice sounded exhausted as it echoed from her tentacled figure. "I''ll try, but this guy is really big and heavy. It actually took me quite some effort to bring him here."


    With that, Sparkle''s tentacles spread out andtched onto Ronker''s back, and then a white light enveloped everyone.


    When the white light dissipated, Charles looked around but did not find the scenery of the eternally sunny Hope Ind. They were still surrounded by mist, which meant that they were still in the Sea of Mist.


    "Daddy, something''s wrong. My teleport isn''t working. Is it because I got too exhausted teleporting him here?" Sparkle asked, sounding confused.


    Just then, a towering silhouette appeared in the mist.


    The moment it stepped out of the mist, Charles'' pupils constricted.


    The silhouette belonged to none other than Pede. He was missing a hand and had arge hole in his chest due to Ronker''s powerfulser; he was still standing steadily in the deep waters, and his three giant ck eyes were transfixed on Ronker.


    "Hmph, I knew that things wouldn''t go so swimmingly. And he sure is a tough guy," the Pope said before carefully tucking Lily away to safety.


    "Don''t worry, he''s not that strong. He shouldn''t be our match as long as we join forces," Anna said, and her gorgeous figure instantly swelled.


    Every single figure aboard Ronker cast a wary gaze at the approaching Pede.


    Just as another battle was about to start, a colossal ck silhouette appeared in the mist next to Pede. When the silhouette walked out of the mist and was revealed, everyone inhaled sharply.


    The silhouette was another Pede, but it had zero injuries.


    The Foundation could make an army made out of clones, and they could clone even the GK Council members as well. In other words, it wasn''t strange that they could clone even Pede.


    As time ticked by, more and more ck silhouettes walked out of the mist.


    Soon, there were seven Pedes before everyone''s disbelieving gazes, and the sight instantly filled their hearts with despair.


    Pede was the most powerful member of the Foundation, but it turned out that even Pede''s strength could be replicated. Perhaps this was the Foundation''s true strength, and if that were the case, then the current Foundation was no weaker than the Divinities of the Subterranean Sea.


    "Swann, hurry up and run! We''re no match for them!" the Pope roared with a grim face.


    A creaking noise pervaded the air as the colossal Ronker raised its pir-like legs to start moving, but everyone was appalled¡ªRonker wasn''t moving away from the seven Pedes. It was running toward the seven Pedes with everyone on its back!


    "Stop right there! Are you crazy?! Retreat!!" Charles yelled, stomping on the blood vessels all over the floor.


    The brass horns on Ronker trembled, delivering Swann''s smug voice into the ears of everyone in the Sea of Mist. "<em>Hahaha!!! </em>Eat shit, you bastards! Do you really think that you can order me around? Who do you think you are?!


    "All of you are going to die with me today! This is what you owe the Albion Isles!!"


    It finally became clear that Swann''s goal had never been the same as everyone else from the very beginning. Swann''s raison d''etre was revenge, and it was a fact that finally became painfully clear to everyone.


    Swann hadn''t made any moves earlier, as he didn''t have the confidence to do so.


    However, he had simply been pretending that he was working with them, so as soon as he saw that the Foundation''s strength was far greater than everyone''s strengthbined, he immediately revealed his true colors.


    Charles'' figure morphed as he transformed into a giant bat monster. Carrying Anna on his back, he flew frantically in the opposite direction.


    Sparkle and the Pope followed closely behind him.


    Unfortunately, Swann clearly had a different idea.


    Ronker''sser began to glow, and Charles felt his hair stand on end. He instinctively retracted his wings and dove straight down. The next second, a dazzlingser beam shot past him and pierced the rockyer above the dome.


    However, Swann wasn''t over just yet. The whirring of helicopter propellers echoed as grotesque-looking helicopters made from flesh and blood ascended from within Ronker to chase after Charles.


    Sparkle turned and teleported into Ronker''s control room. She wanted to drag Swann out of Ronker.


    The grotesque-looking helicopters were no threat to Charles and the others, but Swann couldn''t care less. He just wanted them to buy some time for the Pedes to catch up.


    Soon, Sparkle burst out of Ronker with Swann''s battered figure wrapped around her tentacles. She looked up and saw the unmanned helicopters crashing into each other. Unfortunately, Swann''s gambit had paid off in spades¡ªthe seven Pedes had already caught up to them.


    There were seven Pedes before them, which meant that they were facing seven demigods. Charles and the others didn''t need to make any moves, as they were bound to lose.


    "As I said, you cannot escape. The Foundation is far more powerful than you can ever imagine," the raven-headed figure said calmly while standing on the shoulder of one of the seven Pedes.

 Chapter 744: Sun

    Seven Pedes, each towering a hundred meters tall, stood on the ink-green seawater, surrounding Charles and the others in midair.


    Their pitch-ck eyes reminiscent of the abyss exuded a suffocating pressure that was so heavy that it felt tangible.


    The aircraft carriers of the Foundation passed by their feet, apanied by the Foundation''s clone fleet.


    The Foundation''s reinforcements were here.


    Charles'' brows were furrowed as he stared at the raven-headed figure standing on one of the Pedes'' shoulders.


    "So not a single word from your mouth was true?! Everything you told me was actually a lie?! Pede is so powerful, but you can actually clone him!"


    The two raven heads jutting out of the trench coat shook at the same time. "The Foundation has many secrets. If our secrets were known to outsiders with ulterior motives, the consequences could be catastrophic.


    "With that, it''s not strange for us to knowingly release fake information to mislead others. I did that because I was deeply concerned about you, and I was right. In the end, you refused to join the Foundation, so you don''t deserve to know the Foundation''s secrets."


    As soon as the raven-headed figure''s words fell, the seven Pedes raised their hands and pped the sea. The sea surged upward, and a wave that was so high that it reached the rockyer above the dome was made. As the towering wave of seawater curled and rolled, both heaven and earth seemed to change colors. The towering wave of seawater pushed the aircraft carriers and warships in Charles'' direction.


    The pitch-ck barrels of their weapons were then pointed at Charles and the others before unleashing a salvo of shells.


    They were in such dire straits that Charles knew he had to make a move as soon as possible. His mind started racing, thinking of many ways to escape certain doom.


    After a brief second that seemed to havested an eternity, Charles forcefully pped his wings and charged at the oing wall of water.


    "Charge at the injured Pede!" Charles roared. The weakest of the seven Pedes was surely the Pede with a hole in his chest. The injured Pede was their only hope of breaking through the encirclement!


    It wasn''t the best choice, but it was the best choice Charles could make in just a second. Moreover, their situation called for speed rather than logic.


    In response to Charles'' decision, everyone made a beeline for the injured Pede.


    Sparkle and the Pope flew ahead of Charles, defending him from the oing bombardment.


    Soon, they arrived in front of the injured Pede, but before they could do anything, the seawater beneath them split open, revealing a Pede. The howling waves of the seawater apanied him as he rushed at Charles and his group.


    Anna immediately jumped down off Charles'' back and revealed her true form.


    "You go first! I''ll be there soon!!" Anna eximed.


    Charles obviously wouldn''t let her do that. With a p of his wings, he flew toward the rockyer above the dome. His n was to draw a magic array on the rock to draw upon Edikth''s power.


    A mortal''s strength was useless here; he had to borrow a Divinity''s power.


    <em>Bzzt!</em>


    A dazzlingser appeared just a few inches before Charles. Theser hade from an aircraft carrier. Charles wanted to dodge, but it was already toote!


    Just as theser was about to engulf Charles, a gentle burst of sunlight manifested in front of Charles, protecting him from theser capable of slicing open even an entire ind.


    The gentle burst of sunlight hade from the Pope, who was wrapped in sunlight. Fissures were all over the Pope''s skin, and sunlight reminiscent of midsummer noon was leaking out of the fissures in his skin.


    The brief moment of distraction had allowed the Pedes to tighten their encirclement around Charles and the others.


    The Pope swept his gaze across the chaotic battlefield and turned to Charles. "Our breakthrough point is gone. We are going to die."


    "We can''t give up! We must resist and give it our all as long there''s a sliver of hope! You can''t give up, either!" Charles eximed. The Pope seemed like he was ready to give up, so Charles hurriedly tried to convince him to keep fighting. "Just think about it; what do you think the Foundation will do to Lily?!"


    With that, the Pope slowly took Lily out of his arms. He bent his head toward his chest and used his forehead to rub against Lily''s furry head. His gaze was extremely gentle as he said, "God, please answer my call. You''re here, are you?


    "To free You from Your predicament, Your servant Lylejay needs to borrow Your strength."


    Five secondster, there was still no response. Two towering Pedes had already walked up to them, but there were still no changes in Lily.


    Lylejay''s eyes revealed bewilderment, but he quickly suppressed it. Momentster, a smile blossomed on his young face. "It must be because You''re still too injured.


    "That must be the reason You can''t respond to my call, God. But it''s okay; I have my own ways. I''ll return Your power to You immediately once I am done."


    Lylejay opened his mouth wide and bit down on Lily''s back.


    Golden blood flowed out of Lily and merged with him.


    Lily cried out in pain, but Lylejay didn''t stop.


    The sunlight within him grew brighter and brighter as Lily''s golden blood merged with him. The power within Lily''s golden blood was so powerful that mortal flesh couldn''t withstand it at all.


    Lylejay''s body began to copse, but there was neither blood nor flesh beneath his skin peeled off¡ªthere was only an extremely radiant sunlight.


    Meanwhile, one of the two nearby Pedes raised his palm and swung it toward the Pope.


    The palm carried with it the force of a towering mountain as it flew toward them, but as soon as the Pope''s sunlight illuminated Pede''s three-fingered hand, a radiant white me erupted and engulfed the hand.


    The white mes were extinguished momentster, but Pede''s hand had disappeared along with the white mes.


    Meanwhile, Lylejay''s body was still crumbling, and his jaw fell off his face as he stared at the mouse in his hand with a loving gaze. "God, I want nothing but to apany You forever. Why is such a simple wish so hard to fulfill?


    "God, I really can''t¡­ bear to part with You."


    Lylejay''s body burst open just then before exploding into a radiant sunlight that vanquished the darkness of the Subterranean Sea.


    And just like that, a newborn sun rose over the Subterranean Sea¡­


    Deafening noises echoed consecutively from the rockyer up above as colossal steel walls as huge as mountains descended toward the sun in an effort to cover it.


    However, it was futile.


    The steel walls melted in midair before they could get remotely close to the newborn sun. The temperature rose sharply, and the seawater directly below the sun was starting to boil from the heat.


    Charles couldn''t resist the sunlight at all; his figure was immediately set aze by the radiant sun, and he plunged into the seawater as a ball of fire.


    The icy waters instantly cooled down both Charles and his brain.


    When the battered Charles swam up to the surface, he saw that a denseyer of seven-colored sunlight had enveloped everything. The multicolored sunlight was so dense that it seemed tangible.


    The seven Pedes turned and made a beeline for the sun in midair, but their figures riddled with pitch-ck holes erupted into a mighty congration before they could even approach it.


    To make matters worse, white strands of what appeared to be sr res writhed out of the sun and flew toward the oing Pedes.


    The Light God''s power was incredible. This was just a weak manifestation of the Light God''s power, but the Pedes weren''t true gods. They weren''t the sun''s match at all.


    Just as the Pedes were about to be defeated, the sunlight suddenly dimmed.


    Charles looked up and saw a towering wall that seemed to be made of extreme darkness. The wall was so dark that light couldn''t reflect off of it. The sunlight dispersed as the ck wall encroached on its territory.


    The ck wall was none other than the darkness of the Subterranean Sea!


    Everyone was stupefied to learn that the Foundation had somehow managed to take control of the darkness of the Subterranean Sea in such a short period of time!


    Lylejay, whose figure seemed to have be sunlight itself, also saw the ck wall, and he didn''t hesitate to wrap the trembling Lily in a gentle band of sunlight before sending her over to Charles.


    Lily''s fur was no longer golden and had returned to its previous white color.


    Charles reached out to catch Lily, and Lylejay''s calm voice echoed in his ears. "Charles, take my God and leave. I can''t hold on much longer. Take her with you and leave. This is really funny. I actually ended up saving you."


    The dazzling sunlight was growing brighter and brighter by the second.


    Charles gnashed his teeth and roared, "Sparkle! Take me and your mother away from here!!"


    The tentacles in midair fell and wrapped around Charles'' waist. They also reached out to wrap around Anna''s waist before dragging both Charles and Anna into the distance.


    As they moved farther and farther away from the seven Pedes, the restraint on Sparkle''s teleportation ability became looser and looser, allowing her to teleport much farther after each teleport.


    The brightness of the sunlight behind them reached a crescendo, illuminating the entire Sea of Mist. A deafening explosion echoed soon afterward, and a powerful shockwave swept across them from behind.


    The shockwave was so strong that it even flipped Sparkle several times in midair.


    Charles poked his head out of Sparkle''s tentacles and looked behind him. The seemingly perpetual mist around the Sea of Mist had dissipatedpletely; it was vanquished by the radiant sunlight. The seawater beneath them receded rapidly, revealing various fish and aquatic monsters on the dry seabed.


    The distant sunlight was so blinding, so scorching, and so... fleeting.

 Chapter 745: The Third Way

    It was unknown what method the Foundation had used, but they managed to quickly bring down the sun that Lylejay had made.


    Without the sun, the pervading radiant sunlight dimmed, and the seawater surged to fill in the seawater that had evaporated beneath the scorching sun. Soon, the darkness returned, and it seemed like nothing had changed at all.


    Tears slid from Lily''s eyes down to her furry face. She was crying. Lily kept wiping away the tears on her face with her tiny paws, but the tears just wouldn''t stop.


    "Mr. Charles, why am I crying? I''m not sad at all," Lily said, pouting.


    Charles'' expression wasplex as he gently stroked Lily''s fur.


    Lylejay was dead.


    Lylejay had killed eighty percent of the Subterranean Sea''s inhabitants. Charles was supposed to be celebrating the death of such a wicked individual, but he couldn''t feel any joy at all. In fact, he even found it to be a pity.


    They had been both enemies and allies, so Charles hadplicated feelings about Lylejay''s death. Especially when Lylejay had sacrificed himself for other people, which led to his demise.


    "Sparkle, let''s go¡ªlet''s go home." There was a sh of white light, and everyone disappeared into thin air.


    Roughly three minutes after Charles'' departure, T6 soon arrived at where Charles wasst detected. She was hanging upside down from the rockyer above the dome, and she was apanied by a raven-headed figure standing on Pede''s shoulder.


    "They actually managed to escape. The other Council members will surely mock us for this," T6 said. Her mandibles, which were dripping with venom, quivered as she spoke.


    "It can''t be said that they managed to escape. The Subterranean Sea is only so big, and n Three has already started. They have nowhere to go.


    "The oue has already been determined. For the sake of mankind, every variable must be eliminated," The raven-headed figure said. He seemed unaffected by Charles'' escape.


    "With our current strength, no one can stop us, especially little Charles. Even if he gathers all the humans in the Subterranean Sea, it won''t make much difference. Our army is endless."


    "We should be more worried about the gods of the Subterranean Sea rather than worry about Charles. Ushering in a new era in the Subterranean Sea is a monumental event, and I''m worried about the possibility that the gods here will react negatively toward it. We have to be careful," the raven-headed figure said.


    T6''s spider legs turned, and she started walking away to where she hade from. Momentster, she spoke in a voice tinged with a hint of regret. "I knew Charles would make this choice, but it truly is a pity. He would have been a big help to our research if he had chosen to join the Foundation."


    "Charles only cares about a few certain individuals rather than his entire species, and he''s not willing to go all-out for mankind. If the current batch of humans are allowed to develop any further, they will eventually walk down the same path as the previous generation of the Foundation.


    "Does he really not understand that?" the raven-headed figure said.


    "Perhaps the people who are about to be eliminated are important to him. A long time ago, I once felt the same as him¡­ back when my husband was still alive," T6 said, and a trace of longing flickered in her dozens of crimson spider eyes.


    "It no longer matters. It''s over. The current batch of humans in the Subterranean Sea will be eliminated, including Charles. The centralputer already has aplete grasp of his abilities, and he doesn''t have anything that can pose a threat to n Three," the raven-headed figure replied.


    ***


    The reception hall inside the Governor''s Mansion of Hope Ind was spotless as always. A maid was in the middle of cleaning the hall when she was briefly blinded by a sudden sh of white light.


    The white light disappeared as quickly as it appeared, and the maid was stupefied to find three monsters right in front of her. The next moment, she screamed in terror; her piercing scream instantly pervaded the reception hall.


    Anna''s eyes revealed a hint of irritation at the piercing scream, and she raised her tentacle riddled with ck scales before swinging it toward the screaming maid.


    The air screeched as the tentacle made a beeline for the maid''s head, but several invisible tentacles sprang up from the ground, deflecting Anna''s tentacle.


    Charles emerged from the embrace of Sparkle''s tentacles and walked up to the stupefied and terrified maid. "Go find Linda and tell her that my brain is exposed to air. I need her to stitch this wound up."


    The terrified maid stood in a daze as if she were a frozen statue.


    Charles patiently repeated himself. He had to repeat himself three times before the maid finally responded and ran out of the door with a palm covering her mouth to stop herself from screaming.


    Charles looked at Anna behind him and saw that she had yet to revert to her human form. The massive octopus monster seemed frozen in ce as Charles asked, "Did you really have to kill someone over such a small matter?"


    However, Anna ignored Charles and cast her huge yellow cross-shaped pupils at Swann. Sparkle had torn Swann away from Ronker, so he had reverted to his previous look, which was basically just a big-headed doll.


    "How dare you stab us in the back! Just you wait! I''m going to torture you until you start begging me for the mercy of death!" Anna growled.


    However, Swann wasn''t afraid at all. He sprawled out on the ground and held his belly whileughing maniacally. "Hahahaha! The Pope is dead! He''s dead! Hahahaha!"


    A tentacle struck Swann, sending him into the wall.


    Anna then turned to Charles and said, "You''re the one who should stop worrying about trivial matters. Did you not see the strength that the Foundation has just shown to us?


    "If we resist them by ourselves, we''re all going to die for sure! Even Sparkle couldn''t do much against them!"


    Charles walked over to the nearby table and picked up the vase on it. He removed the flowers and chugged the water inside the vase. The intense heat earlier had made him incredibly thirsty.


    A dull thud echoed as Charles mmed the vase on the table. He then wiped his mouth clean and said in a low voice, "We can definitely find a way to fight them."


    Despite saying that, Charles had no confidence at all.


    The strength that the Foundation had shown them earlier was just too incredible. The disparity in strength between them was too great.


    They were even strong enough to defeat Lylejay, who had briefly be the incarnation of the Light God.


    To make matters worse, there was a possibility that the Foundation possessed more than just seven Pedes. Since they could make seven clones, who could say for sure that they couldn''t make more than just seven?


    Perhaps they had an entire army of Pedes.


    Just then, Anna''s figure contracted, and she struggled a bit, but she eventually returned to her gorgeous figure. Afterward, she walked up to Charles and leaned gently against his back before saying, "Actually, I have a way, but I''m not sure whether you want to use it or not."


    Charles quickly turned around and stared straight at Anna. "What way?"


    Anna''s scarlet, soft lips gently leaned forward as she muttered, "We can sacrifice humans to the Divinities. If... we sacrifice every single human being on every single ind throughout the Northern Seas, we''ll surely obtain a power equivalent to a Divinity. I''m sure we''d have a chance of beating them by then."


    Charles'' eyes widened, and his pupils shrank to pinpoints. A few secondster, he gulped a mouthful of his own saliva and muttered, "Just like what Swann had done to his ind?"


    "That''s right, just like what Swann had done to his ind. Of course, we don''t necessarily have to dedicate the sacrifice to the Feaster. We should be able to find another Divinity out there."


    "No! Do you have any idea how many people are living throughout the Northern Seas?! If we''re going to sacrifice them all, then I should have just joined the Foundation!" Charles eximed, firmly rejecting the suggestion.


    A trace of helplessness suffused Anna''s face, but she knew that he wouldn''t agree to her suggestion.


    "Then, you decide. If we don''t make any sacrifices, then the Foundation is going to murder everyone. I''m willing to die and go down with you, but what about your Sparkle? What about your other lovers?" Anna asked.


    "The issue here is that your suggestion isn''t even a guarantee. Are you sure that sacrificing the entire human poption of the Northern Seas is enough for us to defeat the Foundation? And can you say for sure that there are no side effects with obtaining that kind of power through a sacrificial ritual?"


    "We''re in an extremely dire situation, and you''re still worried about something like that? Come up with a way, then. Except for a sacrificial ritual, what else can we do against the Foundation?"


    Charles went silent and pursed his lips. Anna was right. They were indeed in an extremely dire situation.


    "If we''re going to perform the sacrificial ritual, then we have to do it as soon as possible. The Foundation might notice what we''re trying to do if we dillydally. I''ve had people draw the sacrificial array on Hope Ind under the guise of repairing the suspended monorail."


    Charles remained silent. Momentster, he raised his right foot and walked out to the sunny balcony of his room in the Governor''s Mansion. He swept his gaze across the lively and peaceful Hope Ind.


    The inders were busy with their own lives,pletely unaware of their imminent doom.


    <em>Is there really no other way? </em>Charles mused as he stood quietly on the balcony. He stood on the balcony for a long time as if he had forgotten the passage of time.


    Soon, Linda arrived, but Anna stood in her way. Knowing that Charles was in the middle of making the most difficult decision of his life, Anna didn''t want him to be disturbed at all.


    Time ticked by ruthlessly, and the hole in the canopy above Hope Ind was eventually blocked, allowing darkness to embrace Hope Ind.


    Anna walked up to Charles'' side with her arms crossed. "Decide. If we want to stop the Foundation, then we need to be stronger than them. Strength is everything."


    Charles'' pupils were quivering; he seemed to be in the middle of wrestling against himself in an internal conflict, but soon, his eyes slowly became filled with light.


    "No, we don''t necessarily have to do a sacrificial ritual. There''s a third way that we can take!"

 Chapter 746: Black Wall

    Governor Julio sat sideways on his massive white marble chair inside a magnificent hall located somewhere in the middle of Cat Ind. He was listening quietly to his subordinate, who was in the middle of his report.


    "ording to our spies, Governor Charles of Hope Ind has safely returned to his ind, but Lylejay has gone missing. From their expressions, our spies presume that Lylejay has most likely died in action."


    Julio sighed with his brows tightly furrowed. The news was like adding fuel to a raging me. Julio wasn''t even sure whether he could defeat Pope Lylejay, but thetter had actually perished at the hands of the Foundation.


    In other words, the Foundation was far stronger than Julio had ever imagined.


    "Contact Charles via telegram. We must convene a council meeting and discuss our next steps in the face of this crisis," Julio said.


    "Governor, we''ve already tried to contact him, but the staffers of Hope Ind''s Telegraph Bureau told me that Governor Charles is not on the ind at the moment."


    "What? He''s actually not on his ind at a time like this? Where did he go?" Julio asked. He was taken aback by Charles'' sudden departure.


    "I''m not sure, Lord Governor. They didn''t tell us. And it''s not just Governor Charles, Governor Anna is absent as well. Hope Ind''s current affairs are currently being managed by Admiral Weister of Hope Ind''s Navy."


    "I really can''t stand those two bastards! How could they not share any information before disappearing? Do they not have any idea that they are governors as well?"Annoyed, Julio stood up and started walking out of the hall. "Never mind them for now. I want you to start a Subterranean Sea Council meeting using my name. This issue has to be prioritized before anything else."


    "Understood, Lord Governor."


    Julio''s leather boots stepping on the smooth ground left crisp footsteps that echoed throughout the spacious hall. Just as he was about to reach the hall''s entrance, where multiple personnel stood guard, he abruptly came to a halt.


    The strategist following closely behind him looked up and saw that Governor Julio seemed to have fallen into deep contemtion.


    "Send a fast ship to the Sea of Mist. Tell them to move at the fastest speed possible and deliver my message to the Foundation. I want to know whether there''s any room for negotiation or not. If possible, we are willing to stand on the side of the victors," Julio said.


    Julio had been pondering over his next move amidst the ongoing crisis. This crisis was vastly different from the previous one. The rising sea levels were a natural disaster, but this one was a man-made disaster.


    The fact that it was man-made made Julio think that perhaps there was some room for negotiation. If Julio wanted to ensure the safety of his own ind, then Julio ought to stand on the side of the other Governors.


    However, Julio seemed to be thinking that even selling out the others could be done as long as the other party would keep their word.


    After passing down his orders, Julio walked out of the hall and looked down on his territory from up above. Whenever he was in a bad mood, he''d always look at his own domain just like this.


    Upon hearing the name "Cat Ind," one would assume that the ind was an ind of cats, but in reality, there weren''t that many cats on the ind. It was called "Cat Ind" due to the fact that the ind''s shape resembled a cat at first.


    Rather than cats, Cat Ind was full of many different bizarre insects.


    There were fleas capable of burrowing into a human''s skin toy eggs, and there were also white threadworms that could live and propagate throughout one''s blood vessels, killing its host through ischemia if left untreated.


    There were deadly insects throughout the ind, but there were also useful insects throughout the ind such as the colossal sand-digging worms useful fornd remation; the purple snails with shells that could be crushed to create dyes; the pitch-ck leeches that were tasty when deep-fried; and the male-enhancement powder made out of crushed flies.


    The male-enhancement powder was particrly popr among the upper-ss men of the Subterranean Sea.


    The insects on Cat Ind and their special products created special industrial chains that allowed Cat Ind to flourish through the taxes that these special industries were generating for the ind.


    Cat Ind had experienced two major cmities so far, but the ind was still bustling with activity. The light from electricmps, gasmps, and candles illuminated the entire ind.


    Julio was sweeping his gaze slowly across his domain when he suddenly sensed something. He turned and saw what looked like a wall of darkness approaching them slowly from the Sea of Mist.


    The wall was ck, but it was different from the perpetual darkness of the Subterranean Sea. It was something cker than any ck that Julio had ever seen before. It was like the manifestation of extreme darkness.


    The ck wall was moving slowly, but it was moving nonstop. Soon, it devoured a distant lighthouse and some fishing boats floating on the sea.


    <em>Boom! Boom! Boom!</em>


    Dazzling fireworks blossomed in midair. Cat Ind''s Navy fleet docked at the pier acknowledged the threat, and the entire ind was plunged into a state of emergency.


    Unfortunately, shells, mines, and even the swimming fish were helpless against the ck wall. Soon, the wall of darkness arrived on the ind. Every single thing that it had devoured never managed toe out.


    The inders of Cat Ind were living their peaceful daily lives just a few seconds ago, but they were immediately stricken with panic upon recognizing the danger of the encroaching ck wall.


    They cried and screamed before proceeding to trample each other to run as fast as possible to the pier. Their goal was to seize ships for themselves and leave the ind as soon as possible.


    "What the hell is that thing?!" Julio''s brows were knitted tightly as he kicked off of the ground with both feet, jumping high into the air. He shuttled quickly between the inds and arrived at the edge of the ck wall in the blink of an eye.


    Julio extended a finger and touched it carefully, but the ck wall sucked him in.


    And just like that, Julio was never seen again.


    Meanwhile, the encroachment of the ck wall on Cat Ind continued, and it soon devoured half of the ind.


    Among the panicking crowd of inders was a pregnant woman holding her belly up while running for her life.


    The pregnant woman suddenly came to a screeching halt amidst the chaos, and her bulging belly abruptly exploded into a bloody mist.


    The next moment, Julio covered in blood and flesh stepped out of the bloody mist. He seemed to have emerged from the pregnant woman''s belly.


    He waspletely naked, but he couldn''t care less as he looked up at the ck wall in front of him. The ck wall was gradually closing in, devouring everything in its way.


    His eyes became filled with fear upon being reminded of what he had seen beyond the ck wall.


    He had never felt so fragile. He was the strongest human being throughout the Subterranean Sea, but his strength was useless against the ck wall.


    This was his first time experiencing despair since he became the strongest throughout the Subterranean Sea.


    The ck wall was familiar to Julio. He could swear that he had seen the ck wall before¡ªhe had seen it on the surface world. He was very certain that the ck wall was made out of the darkness of the Subterranean Sea.


    Julio turned around and nced at the panic-stricken inders. Julio gnashed his teeth and hopped with both feet. It was just a hop, but it propelled him to the tallest building throughout the entire ind¡ªCat Ind''s clock tower.


    With a hand on therge brass bell next to him, Julio red at the towering ck wall obscuring the horizon and roared, "What on earth do you want from us?!"


    He received no response from whatever was beyond the ck wall. The ck wall ruthlessly continued its encroachment. It was moving slowly¡ªoh so slowly that it seemed like it wanted to take its time devouring the entire Subterranean Sea.


    The ck wall engulfed Julio once again. Then, the screaming crowd was devoured and finally, the entire harbor district vanished beyond the ck wall.


    And just like that, silence reigned supreme over the ind.


    The ck wall''s appearance was so sudden that news of its appearance only spread throughout the entire Subterranean Sea through telegram by the afternoon of the next day.


    A solemn air nketed the entire Subterranean Sea. It hadn''t been that long since the world-ending crisis involving the rising sea levels was resolved, but they were plunged into another world-ending crisis once again.


    The Subterranean Sea Council meeting was convened at the first opportunity, and every single governor attended the meeting.


    However, Charles and Julio¡ªthe spearheads of the previous campaign to save the Subterranean Sea were missing.


    The only spearheads present in the meeting were Jenny, the representative of the Western Seas, and President Jax of the Explorers Association.


    The missing Charles and Julio added to the nervousness of the governors, but just as they were about to start murmuring to each other, an unexpected figure appeared in their midst.


    The figure was none other than Octett, one of the elders of the Fhtagn Covenant''s twelve-member council. It had been a long time since Octett wasst seen, so everyone was taken aback by his presence.


    Octett''s mucus-covered transparent scalp, writhing tentacles, and drenched red robe were enough to make just about anyone ufortable after just one nce at him.


    As if gargling thick phlegm, Octett''s voice echoed in everyone''s ears.


    "Where are Charles and Julio?"

 Chapter 747: Solution

    Silence nketed the room at the sudden appearance of the bishop of the Fhtagn Covenant. Hostility suffused the gaze of every governor present as they red at the octopus-headed figure standing before them.


    Octett''s slit eyes, which resembled that of an octopus, glinted with a hint of disdain.


    "Call Charles out to see me."


    d in her pristine white robes, Jenny stepped forward with a look of apprehension.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Isn''t this a Subterranean Sea Council meeting? I''m attending today as the ruler of the Eastern Seas," Octett replied. However, his words caught everyone by surprise.


    A scornful chuckle emerged from within the crowds. It was from Elizabeth as she continued, "Why? Is your almighty lord, Fhtagn Sawito, also powerless against that colossal wall that swallows everything?"


    A chorus of mockingughter echoed through the room. After the previous incident, the Fhtagn Covenant hadpletely be the enemy of every other governor.


    "You are stillughing? Can you evenugh at our current predicament? The Foundation is trying to kill all of us this time! Not even a single individual will be spared!" Octett roared, his voiceced with anger.Suddenly, a young governor with a missing chin vanished from the room. His ind was the next closest to Cat Ind.


    The brutal reality pulled everyone back to the present. With an imminent, greater crisis before them, they decided to momentarily set aside any old grudges.


    "I''m asking one more time: Where is Charles? To make that massive wall stop, I need to find him!" Octett demanded in a low and menacing voice.


    Anxious whispers broke out in the room once more as fear and anger flickered across the governors'' faces.


    "A bunch of trash!" Octett spat out an insult before turning to leave.


    Just then, Feuerbach''s figure appeared in the center of the room. cing one hand over his chest, he bowed deeply to everyone.


    "Humans, good morning, afternoon, or evening to you," Feuerbach greeted with a smirk. "I''m Feuerbach, a spokesperson for the Foundation. If you have no idea what the Foundation is, all you need to know is that the ck wall is our creation."


    Pandemonium fell upon the meeting room. They were shocked by the revtion that the ck wall was actually the work of the Foundation and they had actually sent someone to stand right before them.


    "How dare you ughter the followers of the Great One! You will be cursed!" Octett hissed, his eyes filled with malice as he red at Feuerbach.


    A wide grin spread across Feuerbach''s face, and he turned toward Octett. "ording to our intelligence, 003 isn''t even aware of your existence. You bunch are nothing but pitiful creatures affected by 003''s radiation. By the way, I have a piece of good news for you¡ªwe''ve developed a cure for the D4 memetic infection.


    "But I have another piece of bad news for you. Even if there''s a cure, you won''t be able to use it because you are all about to die! Hahahahah!" Feuerbach said, bursting into mockingughter.


    With her brows furrowed, Jenny ced her slender, pale hand over her chest in an attempt to suppress her rising anxiety.


    "What do you want?" Jenny asked. "Perhaps we can sit down and negotiate. Enough people had died in the Subterranean Sea."


    Feuerbach shook his head. "No, we don''t want anything from you. We just want all of you to be gone. And don''t count on Charles. He''s of no use against the absolute strength of the Foundation.


    "I have great respect for the captain, though. He had indeed caused us quite a bit of problems before, but now, whatever he''s going to do is not going to make any difference.


    "The Foundation has existed in the Subterranean Sea for a thousand years; that little ounce of strength he gained in the past decade is insignificant inparison."


    As soon as Feuerbach finished his deration, one of the governors suddenly fell to his knees and crawled toward Feuerbach. Prostrating before Feuerbach, the governor pleaded with a trembling voice, "My lord, I submit to you and the Foundation! Please spare me! If you hate Charles, I can help you kill him!"


    Unfortunately, the governor''s submissive stance did nothing to gain Feuerbach''s pity. Instead, Feuerbach recoiled in disgust and took a couple of steps back, cing distance between himself and the governor. "Argh. You''re so revolting."


    Steadying himself in a new spot, Feuerbach reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He cleared his throat before he started reading the text on the paper.


    "The GK Council extends its highest respects to the seventy-five million and six hundred and fifty thousand people of the Subterranean Sea. We are deeply apologetic, but for the sake of all humanity, we carry a heavy heart as we deliver this message.


    "Your sacrifice is noble, and your sacrifice is filled with¡ª"


    "Enough! They don''t need to sacrifice anything!" A furious roar abruptly cut off Feuerbach''s "thank you letter."


    Feuerbach lifted his gaze from the paper, and his eyes locked onto the figure of Charles, who had suddenly appeared.


    "Ah, Captain," Feuerbach called out in a friendly tone. "You''re finally here. I was starting to think that you wouldn''t show up."


    "Stop n Three now," Charles demanded as he stared directly into Feuerbach''s eyes.


    A metallic blue glint flickered across Feuerbach''s eyes, and his voice changed.


    The voice, a blend of male and female tones andced with an electronic distortion, responded, "<em>Hohoho¡­ </em>Charles. I have no idea where this blind confidence of yours ising from. Honestly, your personality is rather unpleasant.


    "Do you really think your escape from Site 6 means anything? No. It means absolutely nothing. You know nothing of the Foundation''s strength. In our eyes, you''re nothing more than a flea that is jumping around meaninglessly."


    Charles calmly stared at Feuerbach''s face. "You call yourself the Foundation, but I don''t think you are worthy of that name. You scattered humans across the inds of the Subterranean Sea, rearing them like livestock.


    "If something doesn''t go your way, you then wipe all of them out and start afresh with a new batch of humans. I don''t believe that this is all for the greater good of humanity.


    "You are all too arrogant. How are you different from any of those Divinities in the Subterranean Sea? Not only have you turned into monsters on the outside, but even your minds have be twisted, too."


    In the face of Charles'' usations, one of the figures controlling Feuerbach became evidently enraged as they retorted, "Ignorant! Foolish! You know nothing! You have allowed your petty personal feelings to impede your decisions for the greater good.


    "In the face of humanity''s destiny, all of that means nothing!"


    After the sudden outburst, Feuerbach''s expression returned to his usual calmness as if someone else had taken over control.


    "Charles, there''s no point in this meaningless debate. Just resign yourself to your fate. Without absolute power, you are nothing."


    However, Charles merely let out a soft chuckle. "Oh well, I don''t see it that way. After so many years of exploration, I''ve gained more than just strength; I''ve also gained a lot of knowledge."


    Feuerbach''s brow arched slightly at Charles'' remark. His instincts were telling him that something was amiss. Charles didn''t sound like he was out of options.


    "What are you up to?" Feuerbach asked.


    The smile on Charles'' face grew increasingly radiant as he said, "I''ve brought themunicator you gave me with me. Wanna make a guess where I am right now?"


    With that, the sand that formed Charles'' silhouette copsed into a pile on the ground.


    Meanwhile, the Council members were seated in a high-tech, circr control room located in Site 4.


    O5 Pogro turned to one of the Foundation staffers manning theputer andmanded, "Find him! Where is he right now?!"


    For some unknown reason, Pogro felt uneasy.


    The staffer''s ten fingers split into hundreds of tentacles and rapidly danced across the virtual keyboard. The 3D projection hovering in midair zoomed in and out before finally locking onto a single, pulsing red dot.


    "Dr. Pogro! Target located! He''s in the Dark Abyssal Trench!"


    The Dark Abyssal Trench was where Fhtagn was sealed. The hearts of the GK Council members skipped a beat upon hearing about Charles'' current location.


    The same single entered their minds at the same time¡ª<em>what is that lunatic up to?</em>

 Chapter 748: Summon

    "Forcefully turn on themunicator in Charles'' hand! We need to know what he is up to!" O5 Pogro hurriedly instructed his subordinate.


    Though a terrifying suspicion had stemmed in his mind, he desperately hoped it was just a mere wild spection. The thought of it being a reality was too horrifying to consider.


    However, Pogro''s trembling tendrils around his mouth betrayed his inner emotions.


    With a <em>beep,</em> the holographic screen flickered to life, depicting a bizarre, green-hued city before the GK Council members.


    The city''s buildings seemed to be constructed entirely of green stones toorge to havee from Earth. Majestic statues, towering monoliths, and ornate stone reliefs filled thendscape.


    The instant O5 Pogro saw these structures, a deathly white colored his face. His worst suspicions had turned into reality!


    The edifices at the bottom of the Dark Abyssal Trench were distorted at a dimensional level and defiedprehension, making anyone feel nauseous just by looking at them. The stones themselves also appeared convex at first nce, but they would appear to be concave at second nce.


    The edges of the stones seemed bizarre and distorted as well, and the confused mixture of distortion seemed to conceal sinister intent and agitation. The bizarre city seemed endless, stretching endlessly into the distant darkness.


    At the heart of the city was a hovering, massive concentric circle array that spanned across an entire za. At each of the four corners stood four different individuals:Charles, the Chosen One of Edikth.


    Swann, the Chosen One of the Feaster.


    Lily, who had inherited the power of the Light God.


    And Anna, who had consumed a portion of Hypnos¡­


    They were the new keys to unlock the seal and the only ones capable of breaking the seal on Fhtagn.


    In the center of the concentric circle array hovered a figure made of light. The figure was only visible to Charles and marked the location of the seal.


    From the surrounding chaotic waters, men with eyes sealed by wax manifested and slowly encircled the four individuals. With their foreheads pressed against the ground, bubbles frothed from their mouths as they muttered thementations from the <em>New Testament</em> of the Light God.


    These men couldn''t drown; in Fhtagn''s domain, the concept of death was nonexistent.


    As the chanting grew louder, the strange inscriptions on the concentric circles began to levitate and soar toward the glowing humanoid figure in the center.


    A bright sh of light illuminated the giant green sculptures, the majestic statues, and the intricate stone reliefs, bathing them in a white hue.


    At that moment, the entire trench zed white-hot. The glowing humanoid figure in the center of the array suddenly moved. It turned into a beam of light and plunged directly into the bizarre, sickly green city beneath.


    In an instant, the entire city transformed into a giant painting. The edges slowly rolled outward to reveal the space behind it. Beyond the rolled-up canvas was an abyss of absolute darkness. Within it, a hazy figure stirred, though it was barely visible.


    The figure was a deformed giant. Its body was adorned with countless eyeball-studded tentacles. Although it seemed incredulously unbelievable, the same message popped into everyone''s mind: this giant was bigger than anything possible.


    Although they called it a giant, it would be more urate to describe it as a monster that appeared human. Its head was crowned with numerous tentacles, while its body was coated in a green, scaly, gtinous substance. It had massive ws for its feet and a pair of narrow wings extended from its back.


    Meanwhile, its bloated, corpulent form was pulsating, oozing with an unknown slimy liquid.


    The giant was in deep slumber.


    And with each inhale and exhale, the surrounding time and space were forcefully ripped apart before rapidly mending themselves again. The slumbering giant was none other than God Fhtagn!


    The moment Fhtagn''s image appeared on the projection screen, everyone in the Foundation''s control room clutched their heads and screamed in agony. In an instant, pandemonium erupted. Some suddenly stopped moving amidst their scream, dropping dead from sheer terror.


    Hovering in a corner of the concentric circles array, Charles slowly turned around to look at the metalmunicator that was tumbling along with the currents.


    "Someone once said that the power of the Divinities can''t be harnessed, but I don''t think so. Perhaps we may not fully understand what they are, but it''s clear enough that you can''t handle them.


    "I''m saying this once again. Stop n Three immediately!" Charles demanded. "Otherwise, every one of us will die along with this entire world!"


    The third way Charles had thought of was a desperatest measure of using Fhtagn to intimidate the Foundation. It was a risky move but might also be their only shot at survival. The Foundation had figured out ways to deal with the other Divinities, but clearly, they didn''t have any methods at their disposal to deal with Fhtagn.


    Unlike the other Divinities roaming the Subterranean Sea, Fhtagn was the <em>real </em>deal.


    Silence descended upon the GK Council members as they stared at the scene before them. However, they had no intention of backing off so easily.


    T6''s terrifying, spider-like head was projected through themunicator.


    "Charles, I must say that your action has taken us by surprise. But that''s as far as how things will go. Fhtagn isn''t so easily awakened. Your mere mortal body won''t even be able to get close to it. Don''t even think that you can trick us."


    As T6 spoke, another member was simultaneously ordering the Foundation''s strongest mobile task force to head to the Dark Abyssal Trench at the fastest speed possible.


    Charles turned his gaze onto Fhtagn Sawito. Half of its massive body was shrouded in the endless darkness while the other half was revealed. In the brief time that had passed, a significant change had urred in its appearance.


    Fhtagn''s body slowly twisted as though a mass of malevolent flesh was merging with it. The narrow wings on its back had mysteriously disappeared.


    "Can''t be awakened?" A smile yed on Charles'' lips as he raised his hand slightly. From the side, a pitch-ck submarine approached them.


    The hearts of the GK Council members pounded wildly against their chests. They felt as though their hearts would burst out of their chests at any moment now as two rapidly spinning torpedoes were fired from the submarine.


    The torpedoes streaked across the water and rushed toward Fhtagn.


    But just as the torpedoes neared Fhagn, they were shattered into pieces. It was only then did the Foundation members let out a collective sigh of relief.


    However, there wasn''t a trace of disappointment on Charles'' face. Small bubbles escaped from his lips and floated toward the surface.


    "Are you thinking that my threat has failed? Don''t be too sure. For this moment, I have carefullybed through my old navigational logs.


    "You know, you better take this as a lesson and be more careful next time about clearing up all your random experiment data left behind in those ruins.


    "Otherwise, someone might just use that data against you one day. Do you remember how thest panel of Foundation members extracted the Divine Blood to create the Light God?"


    The hatch to the nearby submarine opened, and a young girl d in a Gothic dress, swam out. It was 134, and following closely behind her was a gray, misty figure with a bone flute and a green centipede-like creature.


    134 had always been fearless, but the moment she saw her surroundings, her face was suffused with evident terror.


    Charles nodded subtly at her; she hesitated only for a brief moment before deciding to follow through with his earlier instructions.


    The gray misty figure brought the bone flute to its lips and started ying while the green centipede revealed silver threads between its limbs and started plucking them. Following this, the adorable 134 sped her hands behind her back and began to sing.


    134''s voice was sweet and pleasant to the ears. Coupled with the flute music of the gray misty figure and the plucking of the green centipede''s strings, life was instilled into the song. Every listener could feel the unique emotions embedded within the melody.


    The song sang about the joy of new life and an innocent curiosity toward the world. As soon as the melody echoed through the abyss, Fhtagn''s breathing suddenly halted in the infinite darkness.


    The next second, an indescribable terror washed over everyone in the Subterranean Sea. Their hearts pounded hard against their chests, their pupils dted, and their breathing quickened.


    It was as though some unseen entity was corroding their wills. The strange murmurings that could only be heard by seasoned sailors were now echoing in everyone''s mind.


    However, the whispers were no longer hazy or difficult to understand. They had be crystal clear, and anyone who focused could grasp the meaning behind them.


    For Charles, the murmuring had an even greater influence on him as the tentacle tattoo on his neck began moving.


    ck tentacles extended from Charles'' neck and spread across him. With each passing second, they grew longer and thicker as they thrashed wildly like living shadows dancing across his skin.

 Chapter 749: Deterrent

    In the face of such an abnormality, Charles'' expression twisted fiercely, and he reached out into his scalpless head, gripping the pinkish brain within. In an instant, his mouth fluttered open; it seemed to have escaped Charles'' control as it mechanically repeated the murmurs inside his mind over and over again.


    The special ability of his crystallized heart allowed him to barely tolerate the indescribable sensation. However, he was still trembling like an aspen tree as he directed his gaze at Fhtagn in the dark.


    Shockingly, Fhtagn''s deformed giant eyes were ajar, though only a narrow slit!


    "Enough! Stop! We surrender!" A panic-filled voice echoed from themunicator.


    Charles forcefully raised his hand, and 134''s singing voice, which was steadily climbing in frequency, disappeared at once.


    Everyone was unwittingly transfixed on Fhtagn.


    None of them dared to breathe until the giant fell into slumber once again. With each inhale and exhale, the surrounding time and space were forcefully torn apart before rapidly mending once again.


    A significant change urred in Fhtagn''s appearance¡ªthe slumbering giant obtained feminine features all over its terrifying and grotesque figure.


    Almost at the same time, everyone dropped to the ground, gasping for air. They were in extreme depths, so they felt extremely exhausted, even though they practically hadn''t done anything.Anna ran over and helped Charles up. "Charles! We won!!"


    When Anna left the concentric circles array, the giant painting that had been rolled up slowly unrolled again, returning to its previous appearance¡ªa bizarre, green-hued city in the Dark Abyssal Trench.


    The exhausted Charles smiled at Anna in front of him and nodded. "I told you, didn''t I? There''s a third way. All of us have survived."


    "Charles, n Three has been terminated, but do you really think that you''ve won? You''ve betrayed mankind, and if humanity were to be extinct in the future, then you''re the culprit behind it!


    "You''re leading mankind into an endless abyss!"


    Charles had no idea who had spoken, but there were no longer any voicesing from the metal disk. Charles smiled at the metal disk, but he didn''t say anything in the end.


    Soon, Sparkle teleported everyone back to Hope Ind, and they immediately received news about how the ck wall had disappeared and that everything that was devoured by the ck wall had returned.


    The Subterranean Sea was safe once again.


    Charles was utterly exhausted, so he had no idea what happened afterward. His mental strength was several times higher than ordinary people''s, and his crystallized heart also granted him immunity to any mental contamination, but standing too close to Fhtagn still almost shattered his sanity and sea of consciousness.


    On the same night, he had a dream. He was falling endlessly in the dream. When he finally opened his eyes, he found himself wrapped in an exceptionally soft nket that seemed to be made of silk.


    "You''re finally awake? Hungry? The food is ready. Get up and eat." Anna''s voice echoed from behind him.


    Charles sat up and found both his daughter and wife tidying up his hair. He was about to open his mouth to speak, but Anna beat him to the chase, saying, "I know. The Foundation won''t give up so easily, and we must be prepared for their next actions.


    "We''re also ready to appease 134 because we will be limiting their movements from now on. We can''t let the Foundation find them, after all.


    "The personnel at the Relic Research Institute are speeding up their respective research as well. We''ll do our best to improve the Subterranean Sea''s technology as soon as possible. Our technological level has to beparable to the Foundation before our deterrent is no longer effective against them.


    Anna''s words had told Charles everything he wanted to know. He opened his mouth, but he couldn''t add anything. The silent Charles then noticed the hair in Anna''s hands.


    <em>Hair? I don''t even have a scalp, so howe I have hair? </em>Charles immediately stood up and turned to the full-length mirror next to him.


    The ck hair that had disappeared along with his scalp had returned, but it wasn''t real hair. It was a bunch of writhing tentacles riddled with ck scales.


    The tentacles were thick, and it wouldn''t take many of them to cover Charles'' entire head.


    At a nce, the writhing tentacles looked like dreadlocks.


    "How is it? Looks good, right? Sparkle wanted to use her hair, but we figured it was best not to do that because her tentacles are green.


    "I''m sure men wouldn''t want anything green on their heads," Anna said. [1]Then, her hands reached out from behind Charles before wrapping around him.


    Charles raised his hand and found that he could no longer touch his brain directly, but his scalp hadn''t returned. Instead, ayer of intertwined tentacles had reced his scalp. Clearly, Anna''s tentacles had reced both his scalp and hair.


    "Are these useful?" Charles tugged at the tentacles on his head as he stood before the full-length mirror.


    "Useful? How can hair be useful? It looks good on you, and it''s better than going out there with your brain exposed to the air," Anna said. Her soft and slender figure then slid in front of Charles. She looked up at him with a smile. "Everything is over. It''s finally peaceful again. You don''t have to run around anymore."


    Charles looked into Anna''s eyes, and he sounded a bit emotional as he said, "I don''t think so. There''s still much to be done."


    "Why are you such a killjoy? Since the search for the darkness, you haven''t stopped to rest at all. You should rest for a bit, at the very least," Anna said. Her slender fingers gently stroked Charles'' firm chest.


    Charles was quiet as he embraced Anna''s waist and kissed her gently.


    Soon, their breathing grew heavy.


    Just as Charles was about to proceed to the next step, he noticed something amiss. He remembered something just then and turned to look behind him to find his daughter staring at them with rapt attention.


    "<em>Ahem~ Uh..</em>. Sparkle, don''t you have other things to do? Don''t you need to go see your good friend?" Charles asked, blurting out ame excuse to send Sparkle on her way out.


    "No, she''s in school right now. I don''t want to disturb her," Sparkle said calmly, feigning ignorance of her father''s underlying message.


    The cogs in Charles'' mind turned as he tried toe up with ways to send the third wheel rolling away.


    And that was when Anna pointed at the door. "Out."


    "<em>Oh.</em>" Sparkle disappeared in a sh.


    Anna''s beautiful face immediately leaned closer to Charles, allowing thetter to catch a whiff of an enticing fragrance that was sure to agitate anyone.


    After an unknown amount of time, Anna and Charles cuddled in the bed, breathing heavily as they stared at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling.


    Charles wrapped an arm around Anna''s smooth shoulders and kissed her silky hair. "The Foundation is behaving right now, but how long do you think that willst?"


    "I think they''re going to behave for a long time. Have you heard of nuclear deterrence? We might be in the best-case scenario."


    "<em>Haha,</em> it''d be great if that were the case. I''m sure the Foundation will do many things behind the scenes. To awaken Fhtagn, four sacrificial offerings and the three keys are necessary.


    "They just have to take away one of the keys or sacrificial offerings, and our nuclear deterrence is gone just like that," Charles remarked.


    "They''ll do their thing, and we''ll do ours. We already know the location of their base. The Subterranean Sea is vast; they can''t possibly control the entire Subterranean Sea. We can definitely take our time infiltrating their ranks."


    Charles agreed. The Foundation was powerful, but it was no longer like an invincible god, as its goal and existence were already out in the open.


    Anna twirled her hair with her finger, seemingly thinking of something. A few momentster, she asked, "By the way, did the Foundation do something to your brain?"


    "<em>Hm?</em> Did they nt something dangerous in my brain?" Charles had just rxed, but Anna''s words immediately made him feel wary. "I remember that someone called N8 had done something to my brain."


    "I''m not sure if they nted something dangerous in your brain," Anna shook her head and exined, "But there''s something extra in your memories, and it feels very dangerous to me.


    "It seems to be capable of devouring a sea of consciousness. Now I''m actually afraid of going through your memories."


    Charles was surprised to hear that.


    This was his first time hearing such words from Anna despite them being together for so many years.


    "At the time, N8 told me that there was a memetic infection in my memories. She happened to have a simr memetic infection, and she wanted to do some kind of experiment using our memetic infections.


    "I don''t know whether her experiment had seeded or not, but I don''t feel anything abnormal," Charles said. He raised his head to touch the tentacles on his head.


    "A memetic infection..." Anna in Charles'' arms seemed to fall into deep contemtion.


    All of a sudden, she remembered something and sat up abruptly. She took a closer look at Charles and found that the Inexistence that had been orbiting Charles was nowhere to be seen!


    "How interesting. The Foundation actually managed to clean that thing up?" Anna muttered to herself, looking very surprised.


    "What''s wrong? What are you looking at?" Charles was confused by Anna''s strange behavior.


    "It''s nothing. Anyway, halftime is over," Anna said and swung her leg over Charles, straddling him.


    1. There''s a Chinese ng where wearing green on your head means your partner is cheating on you. ?

 Chapter 750: Weister

    There were no movements whatsoever from the Foundation in the days that followed. It seemed that they had truly conceded. The entire Subterranean Sea was calm and peaceful; there weren''t any strange events at all.


    It seemed like the storm had passed, and there was only going to be clear, blue skies from now on.


    However, both the Foundation and those in the know were aware that the enmity between the two sides would eventually have to be resolved. With that day in mind, both sides began making their own moves.


    ***


    The First Mate of the Narwhale awakened from a chaotic dream. He dreamed that he was in the arms of a crying blonde woman in a ponytail. The blonde-haired woman spoke nothing and simply cried.


    Bandages had long gotten used to such chaotic scenes, and they''d asionally appear in his dreams and hallucinations.


    He knew the chaotic scenes were from his memories in the distant past, but the scenes were too jumbled and numerous for him to piece together that it felt like he had severalpletely different sets of memories.


    Weister quietly crawled out of bed and walked to the desk. He uncapped his pen, writing down everything he had seen from the dream he just had. He had to write it down as quickly as possible, or he''d forget it.


    After sketching the woman''s appearance, Weister rapidly flipped through the other pages of his diary; he also picked up a few pieces of skin with phrases tattooed on them. The skin belonged to him; he had removed them quite some time ago and had them tanned because of the tattooed texts.Weister proceeded topare the clues, attempting to link them together. If he could sessfully piece together one segment of memory, perhaps he could understand some parts of his memories.


    However, he eventually gave up. It was just too difficult.


    Weister stood up and grabbed the bandages on the table. He was about to wrap them around him, but his hands came to an abrupt halt. He had returned to Hope Ind, so he didn''t have to do this anymore.


    Weister quietly put on the signature green uniform of mail carriers throughout Hope Ind. Then, he walked out of his bedroom.


    "Weister, you''re up?" Elena''s voice echoed from the kitchen. She had instantly recognized Weister''s footsteps. "I''m still making breakfast, so wait for a while."


    Weister turned and saw his younger sister reading a newspaper on the sofa in the luxuriously decorated hall. However, his younger brother was nowhere to be seen.


    "Where...is he? Is he still¡­ asleep?" Weister asked, pulling out a chair at the dining table and sitting down upright.


    Weister''s family had no maids nor butlers, which was incredibly rare for a household like theirs. Fortunately, their mother was in good health, and she had no issues preparing meals for her three children and cleaning the house.


    "He went out with someonest night, and he still hadn''te back. It''s a <em>girl~! </em>Don''t tell Mom, all right? Mark told me to keep it a secret." Weister''s sister, Lucy''s voice echoed from behind the newspaper.


    Weister frowned slightly and remarked, "Too...early."


    "It''s not too early at all. Mark is already fourteen. I even have some pregnant ssmates, and they stille to school despite havingrge bellies," Lucy said.


    Just then, Elena walked out of the kitchen with their breakfast in hand.


    Lucy quickly put down the newspaper and went over to help her.


    Breakfast was notvish, but it was much better than what Weister had on the Narwhale. At the very least, there was no shortage of fresh seafood on Hope Ind.


    Weister picked up a spoon and scooped up the ck gtinous food in the bowl. As he chewed on the gtinous food, he was suddenly reminded that he had seen it before out at sea.


    It was a dish made from a certain jellyfish. More specifically, it was made from a thinyer of their ck membrane. The dish wasn''t thatmon, as it was hard to collect enough of the thin membrane to make a dish from it.


    However, if one had enough of it, they could create a pudding with it or transform it into a stew dish. Regardless of what dish was made from it, it was guaranteed to be very delicious.


    Weister swallowed the mouthful of food, and then he stabbed the fragrant grilled fish on the table using a fork.


    The crispy exterior and tender interior of the fresh grilled fish were sublime. It would be an insult to evenpare it to canned and pickled fish.


    Weister also believed that fresh food all had a special vor to them.


    Having made quick work of his breakfast, Weister stared at his mother chewing her food next to him. A hint of tenderness suffused his indifferent face. He really liked this warm feeling¡ªthe warm feeling brought upon by being with his family.


    Elena noticed her eldest son''s gaze. She looked up and smiled. "Are you done handling the big issues out there?"


    Weister shook his head. "No¡­ but¡­ the captain¡­ has taken over."


    "Oh, that''s good then. We''ve experienced so many crises in such a short period of time that I think our luck will finally turn for the better," Elena remarked.


    However, the young girl next to her didn''t think so. She picked up the newspaper and pointed at an article, saying dramatically, "How can our luck turn for the better? Can you really say that after looking at this?


    "Look, many people have gone mad since that strange incident where everyone was suddenly hit by a wave of extreme pain. They''ve all be fanatics of Fhtagn. The recently opened mental hospitals can''t even amodate them all."


    Weister looked at the photo in the center of the newspaper. In a basement sttered with blood and used for human sacrifice, Hope Ind police in ck uniforms were dragging some corpses out.


    "<em>Mmhm¡­</em> the Captain¡­ expected¡­ a small problem..."


    "You call this ''a small problem''? Do you not know that the outbreak of lunatics isn''t contained to just one ind? Every single ind with inhabitants is at risk of fanatics spawning on them!" Lucy eximed.


    Weister proceeded to ignore his sister. Compared to the previous crises, a few more lunatics to handle really was a small problem.


    Weister wiped his mouth clean with a napkin and was about to stand up when the door opened with a creak. Mark, now a teenager, carefully poked his head in from the outside.


    "You still have the nerve toe back?! Tell me! Where exactly did you gost night?" Elena roared as she shot up from her seat. She rolled up her sleeves and grabbed the broom from the corner of the hall before charging at her youngest son.


    And with that, a wild chase between a mother and her youngest son began.


    The hall instantly became chaotic, but Weister was calm. It wasn''t like he didn''t care, but he simply didn''t have the luxury of time to pay attention to them, as he had to go to work.


    He had to leave now, or he would bete.


    Weister walked out of the door and swung his leg over his bicycle to straddle it, but before he could leave, he saw his younger sister following him out of the chaotic hall.


    "Something¡­ wrong?"


    Lucy looked a bit bashful as she said coyly, "Well, I have a friend who''s <em>very </em>fascinated with the Governor. She thinks that he''s amazing! Can you get me something that the Governor has used before?"


    Weister looked straight at his sister, who was already starting to grow taller.


    "This...friend of yours...is it actually...yourself?" Weister asked doubtfully.


    However, it seemed that Weister had struck the nail on the head, as Lucy''s face instantly flushed red. She clenched her fists and pounded on Weister''s chest a few times, saying "Are you going to help me or not?!"


    "No¡­ he''s very dangerous¡­ I can help¡­ with anything but this¡­ stay away from him," Weister warned. He then pedaled away without waiting for his sister''s reply.


    Weister was willing to trade his life in exchange for Charles'' life, but Weister would never let Charles be his brother-inw. If his sister were to end up marrying Charles, she''d surely live a life of hurt¡ªboth physically and mentally.


    Lucy was just an ordinary person, after all.


    Weister only wanted Lucy to live a safe and sound life under his protection.


    After arriving at the post office and picking up today''s letters, Weister proceeded to start his job for the day. The tires of his bicycle spun round and round, carrying him through the streets and alleys of Hope Ind.

 Chapter 751: Crew

    If one were to ignore the fact that there were Divinities in the deep sea with power capable of instilling despair in the hearts of just anyone, then one could definitely say that the Subterranean Sea was in the middle of its best era so far.


    The recent two consecutive world-ending crises had killed a considerable number of people throughout the Subterranean Seas. However, their deaths meant morend and opportunities for the surviving people.


    A new age of discovery began throughout the Subterranean Sea, and there were opportunities everywhere for everyone lucky enough to stumble upon it.


    Hope Ind''s poption had gone down considerably; quite a few ambitious people had left with their ships to fulfill their dreams. A huge chunk of them would surely die, but some would surely seed.


    As for the ck wall that had almost annihted all mankind, the denizens of the Subterranean Sea seemed like they didn''t really care about it. However, this was all because of the governors'' tacit decision to control the spread of information.


    They believed that there was no need to let the people below know about the Foundation''s n to exterminate all of humanity. Besides adding to their worries, it was a meaningless endeavor.


    Weister had just delivered his final letter for the day to an olddy on a street somewhere in the harbor district, and he was getting ready to head home.


    The drastic development ofmunications technology in Hope Ind had already affected the postal system on the ind. There were fewer and fewer letters to deliver at the post office.


    With no more letters to deliver, Weister proceeded to perform his duties as the Admiral of Hope Ind''s Navy. He wasn''t exactly picky about his job, so he had no issues with the drastic change in duties from being a mail carrier to an admiral."First Mate! <em>Huff¡­ </em>First Mate! <em>Puff¡­ </em>Wait¡­ for me!" Abored voice echoed from behind him. He turned and saw Cook nck running toward him with two sacks on his shoulders.


    Cook nck had just emerged from the nearby fish market. His face was flushed, and he was sweating profusely.


    As soon as Cook nck''s weight was transferred onto the bicycle, the bicycle let out a metallic wail as one of its wheels immediately deformed from round to oval.


    "Give me a ride. I saw fresh goods being unloaded from the fishing boats, and I identally bought too much of them. This is at least fifty kilograms," nck said.


    Bandages pedaled down the street with great difficulty.


    "Are they¡­ for your¡­ restaurant?"


    "No, I''m going to eat them myself. Exploring the surface was too exhausting. I mean, just look at me. I''ve gotten thinner, right? I''m going to reward myself properly," nck said, rubbing his round double chin.


    "You''re not¡­ thinner¡­ at all¡­" Weister pedaled with all his might.


    nck waved his steel prosthetic right leg and chuckled. "The weight must be because of this leg. It really is too heavy."


    Weister didn''t reply and simply continued on pedaling with his head down. Soon, they arrived at nck''s restaurant. nck finally got off the back seat, but the deformed wheel didn''t return to its original shape.


    nck waved the sacks in his hands and eagerly invited Weister into his restaurant. "Want to have a drink in the backyard? It''s very quiet there."


    Weister pondered briefly over it before nodding. He then parked his bicycle and followed nck inside.


    nck hadn''t lied. His backyard was indeed <em>very </em>quiet. There wasn''t anything else in the backyard except for two trees, a table, and an open kitchen.


    <em>Crunch, crunch, crunch¡­</em>


    Dipp was gnawing on a spider crabrger than his face. When the hard shell was finally devoid of meat, he finally threw the crab onto the messy table.


    Dipp burped in satisfaction and started picking his teeth. "Now, this is what I call food. What were you even making when you were on the ship? It tasted worse than shit."


    "How is your nose so sharp? You immediately rushed over here as soon as I was done cooking. And you ate like a ton¡­ Did you not have breakfast?" the gloomy-looking nck asked. He sat up and walked toward the open kitchen.


    "You know my wife''s previous job, right? Asking her to kill is fine, but asking her to cook? Might as well kill her. We usually eat out. Today, we got too busy catching lunatics, so we forgot to eat," Dipp said. Then, he took out a cigarette and enjoyed it.


    Dipp was d in a ck police uniform with buttons, but he didn''t even bother buttoning it up. He wore it in a <em>very</em> casual way, with his chest exposed for everyone to see.


    Dipp exhaled, and then his right hand covered in green scales transformed into a blue mist. The blue mist carried a pack of cigarettes to Weister and shook it lightly before thetter.


    Weister shook his head, saying that he wasn''t a smoker.


    "I passed by the Governor''s Mansion earlier and saw the captain in the middle of a Subterranean Sea Council meeting. I reckon they''re talking about how to deal with the Foundation," Dipp said, retracting his hand and putting away the cigarette pack into his own pocket.


    "It''s not¡­ that¡­ easy..." Weister poured himself a ss of alcohol and tilted his head backward, chugging it down.


    "Of course, it''s not that easy. By the way, First Mate, do you have any idea about the way that the captain used to make the Foundation concede? I asked him about it, but he didn''t tell me.


    "The Foundation is too strong, but they conceded so easily. I think there''s something fishy going on."


    Charles wasn''t exactly willing to let many people know about something that involved the Divinities. After all, it was a special topic that would make things safer for everyone involved if only a few people were in the know.


    Weister was one of the individuals who were in the know, and it was exactly because he knew about it that he wouldn''t reveal anything about it. "Don''t ask¡­ don''t listen¡­ don''t think¡­"


    "I''m not asking questions simply because I''m curious." Dipp appeared slightly aggrieved as he said, "I want to help. Even the captain is hiding it from me."


    "You¡­ can''t help¡­ none of us can¡­ help..."


    nck, who was busy in the kitchen, was astonished to hear that. He sounded a bit unconvinced as he retorted, "''None of us can help''? I can definitely help. It doesn''t matter what they''re doing; they still need to eat at the end of the day."


    "Wait¡­ we wait¡­ the captain¡­ is the only one¡­ who can¡­mand¡­ the ship¡­" Weister muttered.


    Dipp raised his arm holding the cigarette and stretchedzily. "Alright then. I''ll take a good rest until then. By the way, did you guys hire maids and butlers for your household? How are they doing?"


    Both nck and Weister shook their heads.


    "I''m not used to having strangers walking around in my home," nck replied.


    "Yeah, me too," Dipp said, nodding in approval. "Everyone has maids and servants except for us, so Aliya thinks that we will not be able to fit in the upper-ss social circle of Hope Ind unless we hire some.


    "Personally? I think social circles are a load of bullshit. It hasn''t even been that long since the seawater receded, and they''re already showing off their wealth again? Damn it. I really want to shoot them all.


    "But Conor managed to get along with them. We are all sailors, but I just have no idea how he managed to fit in with them back then," Dipp said, his expression bing a bit gloomy. He was reminded of thete red-headed Second Mate and the deceased crew members of the Narwhale.


    Their rtionship was pretty good on the Narwhale. During brief respites from danger, they''d often stay cooped up in their cabins, cking off by ying cards.


    Back then, they were living from day to day, as they knew that they could die at any time. Despite the extreme danger, however, Dipp could say that he was truly happy at the time.


    "You don''t need to fit in those so-called social circles. You have your own social circle. Throughout Hope Ind, no circle is sturdier than ours." Second Mate Nico, with heavy eye shadow, walked over with coquettish steps.


    "You guys are drinking without inviting me? That''s not very kind of you guys. Are you afraid that I''ll get you drunk just to bed you? Don''t worry about it; you guys look messed up. I''m not interested in any of you at all."


    "Don''t say that, Second Mate," Dipp said, waving his hand. "I just arrived here."


    Nico snatched Weister''s cup and tilted his slender neck before chugging the drink down.


    Weister raised his hand, and green vines rushed out of his hand, rapidly morphing into a wooden chair. "Sit."


    Dipp looked around and saw a mouse in the corner. "Hey! Everyone''s here, so can you call the others toe over here as well? Let''s all drink together! And bring Lily along, too!"

 Chapter 752: Lily

    "You guys go¡­ I won''t go..." Lily said to the mischief of mice before her.


    Lily''s ears were drooping as she stood on her own grave.


    Without Lily, the mischief of mice wouldn''t go anywhere. They huddled together, quietly staring at their king.


    Every strand of Lily''s fur glistened beneath the sunlight. The tips of her white fur were once again being eroded by a golden hue. It was probably only a matter of time before she became a golden mouse once again.


    A new mound of earth the size of a fist was next to Lily''s grave, and there was a crooked de of grass sticking out of it.


    It was Pope Lylejay''s grave, and Lily had built it personally.


    The grave was tiny, and it looked like she had just piled a bunch of mud for fun.


    Lily herself had no idea why she had even bothered to do something like this, but she did.


    Lylejay looked like a lovely blond boy on the surface, but he was actually a hundred-and-thirty-year-old fanatic of the Light God. He was an extreme fanatic who had murdered countless people for the sake of the Light God, but he was finally dead. It was a very ironic death where he had ended up dying to save others.


    Feeling a bit down, Lily walked up to the tiny grave and stared nkly at it.


    Tears soon unwittingly flowed down her eyes.


    "Why am I crying again? I clearly don''t want to cry."


    Lily wiped her tears away with her tiny paws and turned around, walking out of the cemetery. "Doctor Grandpa, I''m leaving now. I''ll see you again next time."


    The tears flowing down Lily''s face finally stopped when she walked out of the cemetery, which was being illuminated by the sun. She walked back home while looking around at the giants minding their own business.


    The people of Hope Ind had long gotten used to therge mischief of colorful mice. Except for a few children pointing at Lily, everyone was minding their own business.


    Although apanied by arge mischief of mice, Lily''s figure appeared a bit deste for some reason. Her attention wasn''t on the scenery of Hope Ind but on her own thoughts.


    "The mice I sent out back then must be nearing the V12 Containment Site by now, right?" Lily muttered to herself, but then her expression suddenly became conflicted. She was just reminded of Sparkle''s words.


    Sparkle had told her that bringing her parents from a parallel world to this world wasn''t a great idea and that she''d be hurting them just to assuage her longing.


    "I still have some time to recall the mice from their journey, but¡­ I really miss them so much..."


    Amidst the hodgepodge of emotions and an internal conflict, Lily unknowingly arrived at the entrance of the Governor''s Mansion. Under the watchful eyes of the gun-toting guards, Lily stepped beyond the gates of the Governor''s Mansion.


    Lily soon arrived in a spacious hall, and a ck cat jumped down from a wooden table on the side. The cat rushed toward Lily and licked her with its rough tongue.


    The cat was none other than ckie, one of the two kittens that Lily had decided to raise. Except for mealtimes, when it would visit the kitchen and meow at the chef, ckie was always wandering around the Governor''s Mansion.


    It could be said that ckie was living the best life throughout Hope Ind. It had a ce to eat and live for free. It could do whatever it wanted to do, and it could go wherever it desired.


    Even the life of Hope Ind''s Governor couldn''tpare to ckie. After all, ckie was a cat, so it didn''t have to think about handling ind affairs and how to handle any threats to the Subterranean Sea.


    "ckie, you''re living the best life ever. You don''t have to think about any issues at all. Why am I a mouse? It would be nice if I were a cat; at the very least, I''d definitely be bigger than I am now," Lily said, stroking ckie''s chin.


    ckie sprawled out next to Lily and purred while rubbing its head against hers.


    Just as Lily was having a great time ying with the cat, she saw Anna d in a tight silk dress walking down the corridor next to her.


    Lily immediately stopped whatever she was doing and dove straight into ckie''s fur. She cast a vignt eye at Anna while hiding inside ckie''s fur.


    The corners of Anna''s mouth curled up slightly in a faint smile. She didn''t even nce at Lily as she walked straight out of the mansion.


    It was only when Anna disappeared at the end of the corridor did Lily let out a sigh of relief.


    "Monster Sister has be so scary now. Can Mr. Charles really stand being around her all day?" Lily muttered to herself, and then her eyes lit up afterward. "I know! Maybe I should talk to Mr. Charles about this conundrum? Perhaps he has a great solution to offer!"


    The white mouse climbed onto the ck cat''s back and instructed it to make a beeline for Charles'' study.


    It took no time for Lily to find Charles. Thetter was sitting with his arms crossed in front of his chest, and his eyes were closed tightly. He seemed to be pondering over something.


    "Mr. Charles? Are you free right now?" Lily asked, poking half of her head into the room through the ajar door.


    Charles opened his eye, and a tinge of tenderness fleeted across his eye upon seeing Lily. "Is something wrong?"


    A mischief of colorful mice helped Lily up the table, and Lily quickly climbed up Charles'' outstretched right hand.


    "Mr. Charles, isn''t the crisis over now? Why do you still look unhappy?" Lily asked, sounding curious.


    "Over? It''s far from over," Charles said. He didn''t want to discuss such an extremely serious topic with Lily, so he closed his palm and stroked Lily''s figure with one hand before asking, "Why did youe here?"


    Lily leaned against Charles'' fingers and told him her dilemma about her parents.


    Lily''s words reminded Charles of the V12 Containment Site that was holding an entirely different world in containment. Charles was also reminded of the parallel-world version of himself inside DE1344.


    "It is true that it''s a bad idea to bring your parents from that world into this world. They don''t belong to this world, after all," Charles advised.


    "But¡­ I''m really missing them so much¡­ If I hadn''t visited my parents of this world, I would have forgotten what they looked like," Lily said coyly.


    Charles put Lily down on the table in front of him and said, "Then, let me offer you another solution. Just go back there once everything is over."


    Lily stared nkly at the huge face in front of her, and herrge eyes welled up with tears. She sounded aggrieved as she asked, "Mr. Charles, do you not want me anymore? Am I useless now?"


    Charles gently lifted Lily off the table and held her in his arms. He stroked her gently and said, "Of course, you''re not useless. I understand your feelings, as I''ve lost my home, too.


    "It''s been a long time since then, but I can still remember its warmth. Your home is on that side, and you can definitely go back home."


    Lily spread her forelimbs open and herself onto Charles. The tears dripping down her furry cheek stained Charles'' clothes as she said, "B-but¡­ I can''t bear to part with you, either."


    Charles felt a pang in his heart. He lowered his head and kissed Lily''s head.


    "Everything will be fine. Leave everything to me, and don''t worry about it."


    "Mmhm." Lily nestled in his embrace and looked up.


    "Mr. Charles, do you still remember what I looked like when I was still human?"


    Charles instantly recalled the appearance of a little girl whose appearance was reminiscent of a green apple. "Mmhm."

 Chapter 753: Family

    "Did you find me pretty then?" Lily asked.


    "Yes."


    "Then do you still remember our promise?" Lily''s eyes lit up with hope.


    However, Charles fell silent. Of course, the memory was crystal clear in his mind, but he didn''t want to touch on this topic.


    A frown appeared on Lily''s face. "Mr. Charles, you are not just pacifying me like how you would a child, are you?"


    "No, of course not." Charles quickly averted his gaze to not meet hers.


    "Great!" A smile yed on Lily''s lips as she nestled closer into his embrace. Suddenly, a thought entered her mind and she lifted her head to look at Charles again.


    "It will be troublesome if you forget. Let''s write it down and make it official."


    Just before Charles could say a word, Dipp staggered in through the nearby window. Landing on his feet, he swayed unsteadily as he held a wine ss in his hand. Clearly, he was drunk."Captain! Lily!" Dipp hollered. "You''re both here! Perfect, I don''t need to look further. Come on! Let''s go drink at Fatty''s ce! Everyone''s there!" Dipp slurred as he rushed toward Charles, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him toward the balcony.


    Seeing that her n was suddenly disrupted, annoyance suffused Lily''s furry face. She red at Dipp but thetter pretended not to notice it.


    Upon arriving at Cook nck''s home, Charles realized that nearly all of his crew members, both new and old, were present. Even the former cook, Frey and Grace were there too.


    With half of her face scarred, the young girl sat quietly to one side as she sipped the juice from the coconut through a straw.


    Somehow, while Dipp was gone to pick up Charles and Lily, the others had set up a bonfire on the ground. Currently, the golden-brown fish that were being roasted over the mes were sizzling and popping as they cooked.


    At Charles'' arrival, the crew raised their bottles and sses in unison and greeted him with cheerful shouts.


    The lively atmosphere was contagious. Charles allowed himself to let go of everything on his mind as he epted a bottle of hard liquor from James and started chugging it.


    A figure in a ck leather coat enthusiastically slung an arm around Charles''s shoulders. Instantly, the strong scent of blood hit Charles'' nostrils.


    There were only a handful of vampires aboard the Narwhale. Charles couldn''t even be bothered to identify who it was. Instead, he led the individual toward the table piled high with food.


    The boisterousughter, crackling of the bonfire, the clinking of sses, and the sound of people enjoying their meals filled the small courtyard.


    The crew were happy and it had been a long time since they felt so. And it was the same for Charles too.


    It was only untilte in the night before the liveliness in the small courtyard came to a silence.


    Charles woke up amidst the remnants of the now-extinguished bonfire. Rubbing his dry, lone eye, he looked around.


    Everyone was sprawled out on the ground, with Norton''s green centipede form being the most noticeable presence.


    Seeing hispanions'' drunk and disheveled state, Charles smiled to himself. He gently pulled out his leg from Dipp''s embrace, got up and made his way back toward the Governor''s Mansion.


    Just as he stepped out of the small courtyard, he saw that Weister was already seated outside with a burnt-out cigarette held between his fingers.


    Putting Lily into his coat pocket, Charles sat down beside Weister.


    "You were waiting for me?"


    Weister shook his head. "The Foundation¡­ What are we¡­ going to do¡­?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know," Charles answered as he stared at the gray wall in front of them.


    Charles then continued, "This standoff probably won''tst for long. The Foundation will make their move again soon. They''re powerful, even stronger than those normal Divinities. I honestly don''t know how to defeat them. This difficult problem seems impossible to solve."


    Weister nodded silently. "Yeah¡­ They''re¡­ too strong¡­ If there''s¡­ anything you need¡­ us to do¡­ just say¡­ the word."


    Charles gave Weister a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Don''t worry. I won''t let them wipe out the Subterranean Sea. We''ve survived so many hardships already; we can''t fall here.


    "Think about those that we drank withst night. They''re good people. They shouldn''t be ruthlessly killed by the Foundation."


    "Sorry¡­ that we¡­ can''t be¡­ of much help¡­ in this¡­"


    Charles shook his head in disagreement. "Just keep an eye on Hope Ind for me. That''s more important than anything else."


    Weister pondered for a brief moment before he decided to say what was on his mind. "Anna¡­ she''s a hidden risk¡­"


    The faint smile on Charles'' face gradually faded. "Don''t worry. I''ll deal with it."


    As the sounds of the other crew members stirring and waking up from their drunken stupor reached Charles and Weister, the former stood up and walked off.


    As soon as he returned to the Governor''s Mansion, he was surprised to find two unexpected visitors¡ªMargaret and 134. Both of them were seated on the sofa and seemed to have been waiting for him.


    "What brings you here? Is something wrong?" Charles asked, directing the question at 134.


    "Charles, I''m pretty important to you now, right? So, it shouldn''t be too much if I ask for a little more when ites to mypensation, right?" 134 asked, shing her sharp, pointy teeth with a grin. Unlike her usual attire, she was dressed in a princess gown today.


    "What do you want?" Charles asked as he sat down on the couch opposite them.


    "177! I want 177!" 134 made a rather unusual request.


    "Tobba? Why?" Charles asked with a puzzled expression.


    "You don''t have to care about the reason. Just hand him over to me. Not like a lunatic like him will be of much use to you anyway," 134 replied with feigned nonchnce.


    "Tell me your real reason, or I won''t be able to hand Tobba over to you," Charles demanded.


    A hint of irritation crossed 134''s face. "If you don''t give me Tobba! Don''t me me for turning and working with the Foundation!"


    A mocking chuckle escaped Charles'' lips. "You would work with the Foundation? Really?"


    If there were a contest to determine who hated the Foundation the most in the entire Subterranean Sea, 134 would likely rank at the top of the list. As a human relic subjected to the Foundation''s torture for thirty over years, her hatred for the Foundation was beyond measure.


    134 gripped the hem of her dress tightly with her small, pale hands. She clenched down hard on her teeth as if she was holding back something.


    Margaret ced a hand on 134''s shoulder, pacifying her before turning to Charles and exined, "She just misses Tobba. She''s worried that Tobba would be bullied here, so she wants to take him back.


    "She didn''t want to tell you because she doesn''t want you to think she''s childish."


    Charles turned toward the corner of the room and instructed, "Go fetch Tobba."


    With a swift <em>woosh</em>, several mice darted out of the reception hall.


    It didn''t take long before Tobba was carried in by a mischief of mice. He had a seashell stuffed in his mouth as he held an empty liquor bottle in his right hand. He was present for the previous night''s drinking as well.


    Seeing 177 whom she hadn''t seen in a long time, 134 immediately stood up from the sofa. Upon realizing that 177 was not the least bit harmed, the anxiety on her visage quickly shifted to annoyance.


    With a slight lift of her hand, Tobba levitated into the air before he was harshly flung onto the ss coffee table in front of 134.


    "Ah! My nose!!" The pain jolted Tobba up from his stupor; he curled up like a shrimp as he winced in agony.


    "Get up! You''reing with me!" 134 barked in a harsh tone before turning on her heel and heading for the door.


    Still dazed and confused, Tobba stood up on the coffee table. Just as he was about to ask Charles what was going on, his body suddenly levitated into the air and followed after 134.


    With both living relics gone, only Margaret and Charles were left in the room. An awkward silence descended as their eyes met.

 Chapter 754: Heir

    "You''re on friendlier terms with 134 and the other living relics. Please help me to keep a close eye on them. Looking at the current situation, they''re extremely important to us at this point," Charles said in a solemn tone.


    Margaret''s gaze drifted away from Charles'' head of writhing ck tentacles as she nodded. "I understand. Anna had told me about this. That will be the core mission of Whereto."


    Focusing her eyes back on Charles'' face, Margaret realized that the former was staring at her.


    "And what about you?" Charles asked. "How have you beentely?"


    "Thanks to the trade diversion from Hope Ind, Whereto has developed rapidly. As the Governor of Whereto, I''m doing well," Margaret replied in a calm tone. She then added, "But to restore the Cavendish family to its former glory, it can''t be achieved by my sole effort. If something happens to me, the entire bloodline will be gone. So, I need to get into a political marriage. As a woman, I need to bear an heir."


    "NO!" Charles shot up immediately; his reaction was fierce as if she had touched a raw nerve.


    With her fringe covering one eye, Margaret looked downward at the ground to avoid Charles'' intense stare.


    "Governor, things that had happened in the past should stay in the past. After all, most marriages aren''t based on love," Margaretmented. She then stood up and walked out of the room. She could vaguely hear Charles saying something behind her, but she didn''t want to hear a single word he was saying.


    She hastened her steps down the corridor and turned the corner. Leaning against the wall, a pained expression crept onto her face. "I finally said it¡­" she whispered to herself.


    She couldn''t afford to let herself waste any more time. Even if she were to continue waiting, nothing would change. The Cavendish family needed to branch out and grow, and as the sole descendant left, Margaret knew she had to do this.


    Initially, Margaret had thought that she would be able to move on once she had made her decision known to Charles, but clearly, it was simpler said than done.


    Ever since she voiced her decision to Charles, her mood swings had been intense. She became increasingly irritable with frequent outbursts. She had long stopped usingfort fruits, but it had found its way back to her vanity table.


    Despite that, Margaret insisted on continuing with her n, sticking to the timeline and steps that she hadid out. Now, she had already begun the process of selecting a husband.


    The current Subterranean Sea was in an unstable state, filled with both opportunities and dangers. However, that didn''t mean there was ack of promising candidates among the new governors.


    A photo of a sullen-looking young man was ced before Margaret. The sullen-looking young man was a captain who had explored the surface world, and he was known for his decisive nature and ambitious personality. His ind also had an abundant amount of resources. On top of that, it was just slightly over a hundred nautical miles from Whereto.


    Being located in the Northern Seas, the status of the Cavendish family was exactly what this new governor desperately needed.


    Social circles would inevitably exist where people were gathered, and governors had to join in those circles. If the two of them ended up getting married, then the new governor would gain the Cavendish family¡¯s connections.


    Although it would be just a marriage of convenience, the Cavendish family could provide ample benefits to the new governor, too. In addition, Whereto also needed the power and resources of the new governor.


    <em>If there''s no better option, then he will do!</em> Margaret thought. Her bloodshot eyes stared intently at the photograph on the table.


    Gina, her head attendant, wasbing Margaret''s hair. Looking at the photo, Gina hesitated for a moment before asking, "Miss, doesn''t this young man look a little like the past Mr. Charles?"


    Deep in thought about the various pros and cons of the marriage candidate, Margaret suddenly froze. With a trembling hand, she picked up the photograph. The young man in the picture began to blur and ovep with the figure in her mind¡ªa man she couldn''t forget. He really did resemble Charles.


    Even though she had forced herself to choose another man, she had unknowingly and subconsciously selected a recement. She still couldn''t forget Charles.


    Margaret grabbed the opposite edges of the photograph and tore it apart, shredding it into pieces. Suddenly, a sense of defeat overwhelmed her as she slid down against the wall to the floor.


    "Am I crazy?! What''s so special about him? Why must it always have to be him?!"


    Just then, footsteps echoed from outside the room. Recognizing that they didn''t belong to anyone from the Governor''s Mansion, Margaret quickly stood up, and with a swift wipe on her face, she reverted to her cold,posed self.


    Upon opening the door, Margaret came face to face with a bald woman. The woman had a white inverted triangle painted on her forehead.


    She was Linda, the ship doctor of the Narwhale, and in her arms was a boy, who looked no more than a few years old.


    "This is?" Margaret asked, appearing visibly confused.


    Without a word, Linda thrust the child into Margaret''s arms before exining, "Your brother Jack''s illegitimate son. As his sister, are you not aware of his promiscuous lifestyle?"


    The sudden news struck Margaret like a bolt from the blue. She froze in ce, stunned. She couldn''t process the information to formte any response.


    With a hint of impatience in her voice, Linda continued, "The captain instructed us to do this. Now that you have this child, you no longer have to get married, right? If you don''t want to, then don''t force yourself."


    "Is this¡­ Is this really true?" Margaret asked, her voice trembling as she held the child tightly in her arms. For a moment, she felt like she was holding her deceased brother once again¡ªthe carefree yet deeply responsible brother whom she had lost.


    "Of course. In fact, your brother had three illegitimate children, but two of them died during the death light crisis. The Hope Ind Navy''s intelligence division took a long time to find this one."


    Linda then gave Margaret a once-over before she added, "I''ve heard about your rtionship with the captain. And my advice is that you shouldn''t bother looking for another man. Knowing the captain, they probably wouldn''t live long enough to marry you.


    "Then again, I wouldn''t suggest you to be with the captain either. Being his woman means that you wouldn''t live long enough as well. Honestly, that human-eating monster is the mostpatible one for him."


    With that, Linda turned and walked away; she was just a messenger anyway.


    ***


    Within the Governor''s Mansion on Hope Ind, Charles was seated in his chair as he spoke to the sand figures in front of him. He was in the midst of a Subterranean Sea Council meeting.


    The attendees were few: Jenny, the representative of the Western Seas; Jax, the president of the Explorers Association; and Julio, the Governor of Cat Ind.


    Charles hadn''t invited the other governors as he was certain that there were spies for the Foundation among the others.


    Since the meeting agenda was to discuss how to deal with the Foundation, the fewer people involved, the better. Moreover, the others wouldn''t be of much help in this matter anyway.


    "My ships are currently monitoring the Sea of Mist," Julio reported slowly with a dark expression. "There''s nothing unusual in the surrounding waters, but every single scout we sent into the Sea of Mist has never returned. So, as of now, we don''t know the exact situation of the Foundation''s circumstances or their next move."


    Of course, Charles wasn''t surprised by the news. If the Foundation was going to make a move, they would ensure that they are fully prepared.


    They were undoubtedly scheming something at the moment.


    Compared to the Foundation''s reaction, Charles was more curious about where Julio had been all this time. He had assumed that the man was dead.


    Being with allies, Charles didn''t bother to beat around the bush and voiced his questions directly.


    "My entire ind was swallowed up. Do you think I would be able to contact any of you while that was happening?" Julio answered.


    Jenny had a solemn expression as she followed up with another question, "After the ck wall receded, was everyone really fine on the ind?"

 Chapter 755: Contemplation

    Julio shook his head slowly and said, "They ''returned,'' but when I found them, they were neatly arranged in metal boxes. The Foundation wanted to transport them away through those boxes."


    Everyone present frowned simultaneously, pondering why the Foundation would do such a thing.


    "I can only think of one reason why the Foundation wants to collect humans. They want to use them as experimental subjects," Charles concluded.


    "We''re not sitting here to think about such trivial matters. We''re here to brainstorm on how we can defeat the Foundation. Do you have any ideas for that?"


    The room instantly fell silent. It was a difficult question to answer.


    The Foundation had already made their might known to all. If Charles hadn''t thought of using Fhtagn as a deterrent, they definitely wouldn''t be here to talk about how to deal with the Foundation.


    The gap in strength between the Foundation and them was too great.


    If the denizens of the Subterranean Sea, who had just experienced two consecutive world-ending crises, were like an infant wielding a wooden sword, then the Foundation was like an adult man with an assault rifle in hand.


    The difference was too big.As time ticked by, Charles was starting to feel irritated. Everyone present still couldn''t offer a decent solution. Charles tapped on the table with his steel fingers to attract everyone''s attention.


    "Let''s call it a day. First of all, let''s deal with the currency overhaul that we talked about before. We must ensure that the Foundation can no longer influence the Subterranean Sea''s economy.


    "As for any ideas on dealing with the Foundation, tell your advisors to think about it and offer suggestions. I hope we find a reasonable solution to this issue.


    "I''m sure all of you are aware that we''re like a leaking showerheadpared to the steel showerhead that is the Foundation."


    Having said that, Charles stood up, rubbing his sore neck.


    But before he could walk away, someone unexpected appeared in front of everyone.


    The unexpected figure was covered in a wet and damp red robe. There were writhing tentacles all over his chin, and his mucus-covered octopus head looked disgusting as it undted gently.


    A figure with such a bizarre appearance could only belong to the zealots of Fhtagn, and the figure before them was none other than Elder Octett of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    "Mr. Charles, I liked the solution that you came up with at the time. Actually, we wanted to do the same, but you beat us to it," Octett said.


    It was apliment, but Charles didn''t want to hear it. Especially when it was from Octett, who seemed to be perpetually gargling thick phlegm. Every single word from his throat sounded unpleasant due to his jarring voice.


    "Why are you even here? Considering our current situation, you guys aren''t stupid enough to wage war on us right now, are you?" Charles asked. His biting words seemed as sharp as knives.


    Octett''s octopus-like eyes with horizontal pupils narrowed as he replied, "Hehe, of course, we''re not going to do something like that. We''re also nning on attending the future Subterranean Sea Council meetings. Before the Foundation, our little conflicts don''t amount to much."


    "<em>Hmph!</em>"


    The others present sneered at Octett''s words. Who knew if Octett and the others would stab them in the back when the Foundation finally made a move?


    "Rest assured, everyone. I can swear to the exalted Great One that we absolutely will not take action against any of you before the Foundation is eliminated."


    Charles sighed lightly, feeling a bit fed up.


    He was toozy to y any games with the Fhtagn Covenant.


    Their rtionship had already gone way past beyond the point of no return, and they were simply holding back for the golden opportunity to stab the other in the back. Even if their rtionship improved from now on, how far could their rtionship really go?


    "All right, do you have any solution? If you don''t have any, then you can go back."


    The tentacles on Octett''s chin swayed left and right as he shook his head. "No, we don''t have a good solution, either. Actually, I''m here to make a deal with you."


    "A deal? What do you want? Do you want the others to lift the trade embargo on your territory in the Eastern Seas?" Julio asked hesitantly.


    "No, no, no. The Eastern Sea is huge, and we are surely capable of surviving on our own. I want to negotiate another deal with you all. I''m talking about those who had heard the call of the Great One. There must be many such people on your inds, right? I want you to let them go where they are supposed to go."


    Charles'' brows knitted tightly as soon as he heard Octett''s words. He knew that Octett was talking about the lunatics locked up in the mental hospitals of their inds.


    Fhtagn hadn''t awakened and had merely stopped snoring for a few seconds, but the humans throughout the Subterranean Sea were so severely affected by it that it was hard for Charles to even imagine what world-ending crisis would ur by awakening Him.


    "Why do you want those lunatics?" Charles asked. He was starting to be a bit suspicious of Octett''s motives.


    "No, they''re not lunatics. They''re our kin. We can pay a million Echoes per person," Octett replied.


    However, Charles had already lost interest in the so-called deal. It didn''t matter what the Fhtagn Covenant wanted to do with those lunatics; he had no intention of selling his residents to them.


    Charles walked past the suspended pile of sand and went out on the sunny balcony. He swept his gaze across the lively streets in the distance and fell into deep contemtion.


    The towering ck wall that was so tall it blotted out the horizon, the seven Pedes standing tall on the sea surface, and the GK Council''s formidable cellr printing technology that granted them immortality.


    They had yet to find a decent way to deal with the Foundation, but Charles was already feeling drained at the thought of finding countermeasures against their powerful enemy''s terrifying cards.


    While he was in deep contemtion, two small hands reached out from the side and wrapped around Charles'' arm. The hands belonged to none other than Sparkle. She tilted her head and rested it on Charles'' shoulder.


    "Daddy, don''t worry. Wait until I''ve grown a bit more¡­ just a bit more¡­" Sparkle muttered.


    Charles reached out and rubbed Sparkle''s head. "Are you still helping your mother?"


    "I guess you can say that. Mommy is talking to Dawn One right now. She wants to know just how exactly Dawn One was made through its memories?"


    "She wants to know just how Dawn One was made through its memories? How would that process be in Dawn One''s memories? Is your mother okay?" Charles asked.


    "Well, Dawn One''s consciousness was born from a living human being. I think her goal is to extract the memories of that human being, who had essentially be Dawn One." Sparkle replied.


    <em>That would be memories from a too-distant past. It seems that Anna has gotten much strongerst time I checked,</em> Charles thought.


    Sparkle looked at the side of Charles'' face, which was covered in tattoos that had encroached on his face from his neck. "Daddy, what happened to your mind? Howe we can no longer read your thoughts?"


    "I have no idea, but N8''s memetic infection should be the reason behind it. Your mother has already examined me, and she found no abnormalities in my personality, character, and memories.


    "Our te is already full, and since it''s not causing any problems, I think we should just pretend that it doesn''t exist for now," Charles replied.


    The sea breeze carrying the scent of the ocean blew across them, gently lifting Sparkle''s hair. Sparkle tucked her hair behind her ear, and several young boys surreptitiously staring at them from afar were instantly stunned.


    Sparkle was like a fairy in their eyes.


    Charles'' steel finger tapped on the balcony''s railing, and his invisible tentacles gently turned the heads of those young boys, forcing them to turn to look elsewhere.


    Charles raised his prosthetic limb, and the grappling hook that he hadn''t used for a long time popped out of his palm.


    He aimed it at the awning above him and fired. The chain then retracted, pulling Charles onto the roof.


    The sea breeze had been blowing seeds and dust onto the roof. He could already see weeds on the bare roof, but Charles didn''t bother cleaning them up as he sprawled out with his back on the weeds.


    Charles stared at the hole in the canopy above Hope Ind, which allowed the sunlight outside to illuminate the ind.


    In the face of the quandaries deep inside his mind, Charles unwittingly fell asleep.

 Chapter 756: Anna

    When Charles opened his eyes again, he found that it was already noon the next day. He was on the bed, and there was a small table beside him. A familiar yet unfamiliar meal of soy milk and fried dough sticks was on the small table.


    Charles'' heart was filled with warmth at the sight. This meal could have onlye from Anna, as she was the only one who knew how to make them. It felt really wonderful to have a family who knew him well in this bizarre world.


    The soy milk was fresh and sweet, and the fried dough sticks were crispy. Charles ate to his heart''s content. Once he was done, he got out of bed, and his figure immediately tensed up. There was something behind the bedroom door.


    Charles'' keen ears allowed him to hear any minute movement around him, but he couldn''t hear any footsteps behind the door. Just as Charles fell into contemtion, he spotted something white through a crack in the door.


    It was a white envelope, and ity quietly on the red carpet.


    Invisible tentacles reminiscent of seaweeds sprang up from the ground and pushed the white envelope over to him. The tentacles opened it carefully and found no text inside; there were only some color photos.


    However, the color photos contained disturbing images. The first photo revealed headless people stitched together in a string and were sewn onto a piece of machinery. Thick tubes from the machinery were connected to every single orifice of the headless people.


    Anna''s figure was captured in some of the photos, and she personally handled some of the machinery covered in gore.


    Charles examined the photos one by one, and his expression remained unchanged. However, he froze as soon as his eye pped on thest remaining photo. It was still a photo depicting a gruesome scene, but there was a familiar figure depicted in it.


    The photo showed Sparkle in her true form, and quite a few of her tentacles were brutally ripped off of her.


    Shockingly, the perpetrator was Anna, and she stuffed Sparkle''s bloody tentacles into a machine next to her. She seemed to be extracting something from Sparkle''s tentacles.


    A radiant white light shed, and the photos in Charles'' hand were set aze. He quietly watched as the photos were charred before being reduced to ashes.


    <em>So the Foundation has finally made its move. I didn''t expect them to make a move so soon. What are these photos? Are they trying to drive a wedge between me and Anna? They''re underestimating me a bit too much than they should.</em> Charles thought.


    He then walked up to the door and pushed it open.


    Charles was convinced that the matter was over, but he received more photos the next day as well as the day after that.


    The photos weren''t just growing more and more numerous, but the depicted scenes were bing more and more gruesome as well.


    On the fourth day, Charles waited patiently for the letters and finally caught the elusive courier. It was an invisible ghost capable of phasing through walls.


    "Everything in those photos is true! If you don''t believe me, then go and see it for yourself! I''m not lying to you! I didn''t want to deliver those photos, either, but I had no choice! They forced me to do so!" the pale blue figure said in a panic.


    Charles stared at the pale blue figure and smiled coldly.


    "You know what? I''ve always been wondering about one thing."


    "What?"


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A massive tentacle swept across the room, creating a huge hole in the wall. The dazzling sunlight outside pervaded the room in the blink of an eye, illuminating the pale-blue ghost before it could even react.


    The pale blue ghost disappeared so fast that it couldn''t make a sound.


    "Charles! Are you crazy?! Why are you tearing down the house in broad daylight?!" Anna eximed, sounding annoyed. She rushed toward themotion as soon as she heard it.


    "The Foundation has sent assassins to attack me. Hope Ind needs to be on high alert at all times. Otherwise, we''ll be like a sieve¡ªriddled with holes that they can easily exploit toe and go as they please."


    Charles hooked his finger, and the envelope that the pale blue ghost was carrying earlier was quietly tucked into his sleeve.


    "I know, I know. They''re really annoying. Don''t let them steal anything from us," Anna said. She looked quite annoyed as she brushed past Charles and walked toward the bedroom.


    "I''m not going back home for dinner today, so no need to wait for me," Charles said. He turned around and headed for the big hole in the wall. He had just taken a few steps forward when numerous eyes abruptly manifested on Anna''s back.


    The eyes quivered and blinked rapidly, capturing the envelope hidden in Charles'' sleeve and the photos inside of it.


    Having been through many life-and-death situations, there was no way such an intense gaze could escape his notice, but he didn''t look back at Anna.


    Charles spent the day wandering outside.


    He had no idea what he was doing, but he eventually spent the rest of the day deep in his own thoughts on someone''s roof.


    When the hole in the canopy above Hope Ind was blocked, allowing night to fall on Hope Ind, Charles jumped down the roof and started walking toward the Governor''s Mansion.


    "Charles, look at these guys. They''re passing nonsensical decrees; what a joke," Anna said. She was lying on the bed, and she looked dumbfounded as she stared at the documents in her hand.


    Charles turned and peeked at the document in Anna''s hand.


    It contained a report about how a new governor in the Western Seas had passed a decree, stating that all women on his ind were his women, and he could y with any woman he fancied¡ªanytime, anywhere.


    The next report stated that a governor had passed down a decree that made sleeping with someone else''s woman punishable by death.


    The criminal''sher region would be cut off and fed to sharks, and then they''d get stabbed in the wound by a red-hot dagger.


    "They were just desperate people back then, but they were suddenly given an ind as a reward. How could a bunch of desperate people know how to manage an ind?


    "If they don''t umte enough firepower to deter others, they''d surely be dethroned once the three-year protection period is over.


    "Yeah, this is indeed an issue. Tomorrow, I''ll talk to the Explorers Association about collecting books on management. We''ll copy them in bulk, and then we''ll send them to the brand-new governors.


    "Considering our current situation, it''s best to avoid killing others when possible."


    Anna lightly bumped Charles'' shoulder and replied, "Why do you say that? Aren''t you managing Hope Ind pretty well, even though you''re not exactly knowledgeable when ites to management?"


    Charles was silent for a few moments before replying, "All credit belongs to Bandages. I once spent three years as a lunatic, and I never got to manage the ind at the time. Since then, he''s been the one managing the ind''s affairs."


    "I see, but I think the inders are quite free. I''m sure they''ll be frantic as soon as they learn the fact that an extremely powerful organization is constantly thinking of annihting us. Hey, what do you think about lifting the gag order and bing transparent with the public?"


    "It''s no use telling them," Charles said, shaking his head. "They can''t be of any help against the Foundation. I think quite a few people will even be traitors, hoping that the Foundation will spare them."


    Anna looked at Charles'' wrinkled brows and reached out with her finger to smoothen them out. "What are you so worried about at this time of the day? Do you not know what the word ''work-life bnce'' means?


    "Don''t keep thinking about our situation all the time. You have to cut yourself some ck, too, or you will inevitably crumble down beneath the weight of your own thoughts."


    Charles raised his hand and grabbed Anna''s finger. Then, he kissed it before saying, "I want to cut myself some ck, too, but I just can''t do it. We''re walking a tightrope. If we lose focus for even a moment, we''ll fall into the abyss.


    "It''ll be toote for regrets by then."


    Anna sighed softly and leaned gently against Charles'' chest, closing her eyes. "Let''s sleep. We have to sleep well, or we won''t even have the energy to think of any solutions."


    "I''m not sleepy. I spent the entire afternoon sleeping on a roof."


    Anna''s eyes shot wide open upon hearing that, and she instantly perked up. "Oh? You''re not sleepy? Then, let''s¡ª"


    "Why are you so raring to go at it all the time?" Charles asked, turning his back to Anna. "Hurry up and go to sleep. It''s already one in the morning."

 Chapter 757: Solution

    Seeing that Charles had turned around to only show her his back, Anna yfully punched him on the back. With a teasing chuckle, she said, "Stop stalling and get it up. This is part of your duty as a husband."


    However, Charles remained silent as though he had truly fallen asleep.


    The silence went on for a long while¡ªlong enough for Charles to assume that the matter had passed over. But suddenly, he heard a soft, sweet voice from behind him.


    "Gao Zhiming, how about we try something new? What do you think of my new look?"


    Confused and puzzled, Charles sat up and turned to where Anna was sitting. Instead, he found a teenage girl with her cheeks flushed as she sat there shyly hugging a corner of the nket.


    He tried to sift through his hazy memories and soon recognized her to be the school beauty from his high school days. He even had a secret crush on her before.


    "Not your type? Has your taste changed? How about this?" Anna''s appearance then transformed into his sultry, alluring English teacher who was attached to their school for her internship.


    Charles firmly grabbed the woman''s shoulder, and with a solemn expression, he demanded, "Stop! I don''t want anything else. I just want Anna!"


    Anna stopped in the middle of a transformation, her face stuck awkwardly between two sets of features, creating a bizarre, unsettling appearance.A momentter, her features gradually returned to her original form. Her bright eyes locked gazes with Charles and the other things reflected in his lone eye.


    Suddenly, Anna''s voluptuous figure split open to reveal her monstrous form. Her deformed body and writhing tentacles instantly filled up the entire bedroom. Her massive yellow cross-shaped pupil, which wasrger than an average human, bore into Charles.


    "What about this? What about this Anna?!"


    Charles stared calmly into the pupil for a few seconds before he gently pulled one of the nearby tentacles into his embrace andy down once more.


    "Let''s sleep," hemented before closing his eye.


    The lights were extinguished, and the tentacle Charles held in his embrace gradually transformed back into Anna''s familiar form. Sleep evaded the couple as theyy silently on the bed.


    Charles tightened his embrace around Anna, pulling her closer to his chest. His voice was barely a whisper as he said, "When everything is over and it''s finally safe, let''s leave Hope Ind to Bandages. We then can go somewhere else where no one can find us and retire there."


    Anna''s voice wasced with disdain. "Retire? You can go ahead by yourself. I''m not going anywhere. Which ind in the Subterranean Sea is truly safe? As long as you have power, you''ll be safe anywhere."


    "You think the Foundation is powerful enough? Howe even they are nothing when up against Fhtagn?"


    "Then we kill Fhtagn and take His power for ourselves!" Anna dered in a determined tone. She didn''t seem like she was joking.


    Her words made Charles recall the grim fate of the previous Foundation that had tried to steal Fhtagn''s power. He let out a soft sigh,menting, "That''ll get all of us killed."


    "<em>Oh?</em> The mighty fearless Captain then is now afraid of death? I don''t remember you saying such things when you were doing your explorations," Anna jabbed, her voice dripping with mockery.


    "I''m not afraid of dying, but I''m afraid of losing you. The more we get involved with that thing, the more dangerous it gets. Just stop," Charles replied.


    An air of heavy silence descended upon the room. After a few tense seconds, Anna suddenly sat up. She grabbed Charles'' face and stared intensely into his single eye.


    "Do you really think I''m doing all that for myself? In this wretched ce, the winner takes it all. There''s no second option! If we want our technology to catch up with the Foundation''s, we have to pay the price¡ªeven if it means sacrificing everything for it!"


    By this point in their conversation, it was almost clear to both parties what they were talking about.


    Charles'' voice remained calm. "If¡ªI''m saying if¡ªIf there are no more threats, what kind of life do you want to live? Or is this all there is to your existence?"


    Anna caught the underlying implication in Charles'' words. A trace of fury crossed her visage. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying that I''m still subconsciously under control of the Dioite? Let me tell you, there''s no such thing! This is who I am! I <em>am</em> her! I am <em>not</em> human; I <em>am</em> a monster!"


    "Just stop. Let me handle everything¡ªbe it gaining power or anything else. Just leave it all of me," Charles said, his gaze unwavering as he looked into Anna''s eyes.


    "And what if I refuse? There are things that will not be convenient for you to do, or you''re simply unwilling to do. Let me do those things in your stead!" Anna retorted. She then wriggled out of Charles'' embrace and moved to the other side of the bed.


    The two slept back facing each other, but insomnia got the better of them.


    On that night, both of them had so many thoughts running through their minds that they only finally drifted off to sleep in the wee hours of the morning.


    When Charles finally woke up, he found Anna to be in a deep slumber in a curled up position and pressing tightly against his back.


    Charles turned over and quietly observed her delicate features on her petite face. He then leaned in and nted a gentle kiss on her lips.


    A few minutester, he got up from bed, dressed up, and left the bedroom.


    Anna covered her eyes with a pale arm before shezily rolled over in bed. A soft sigh, filled withplicated emotions, echoed through the room.


    The Subterranean Sea Council convened once again. Charles looked at the four faces in front of him, and in a somber tone, he said, "The Foundation has already made a move on me."


    "What did they do?" Jaxmented as he adjusted his monocle. "Have they sent troops to attack Hope Ind? ording to my intel, nothing like that has happened."


    A trace of menace flickered across Charles'' countenance when he recalled the Foundation''s actions. "To avoid provoking me, they wouldn''t resort to such a direct confrontation. However, there are also plenty of ways to frustrate someone without using force. And these incidents will only increase with time, so we must strike back!"


    Charles knew clearly that God Fhtagn was his final and only trump card. However, he couldn''t afford to y it recklessly. To resist the Foundation, he needed to gather more cards.


    "After these few days of brainstorming, have any of you found a solution?" Charles asked, scanning the faces of those present.


    However, he was only met with silence. Be it Julio, Jax or Jenny, they didn''t have any solutions to offer. Just as Charles'' gazended on Octett, he found the octopus-like figure returning him a faint smile.


    "Why are you smiling? Do you have a solution?" Charles'' question drew everyone''s attention to Octett.


    "I didn''t before, but your recent actions, Governor Charles, have allowed our Lord''s blessings to be spread across a vast area in the Subterranean Sea. And now, there''s a way.


    "His blessings have been bestowed upon us, and that includes the Sea of Mist. A member of the Haikor Tribe has converted to our faith and managed to escape from within."


    Charles slightly furrowed his brows. "Can you get straight to the point? I don''t have time for you to beat around the bush."


    "Simple," Octett began. "ording to that defector, he''s not the only one in the Sea of Mist who has converted to be a follower of our Lord Fhtagn. There are others, and they possibly even include people within the Foundation itself. We can use those people to create havoc and also steal intelligence from within the Foundation.


    "With their presence, at least we''re no longerpletely blind to what''s happening within the Foundation.


    "Your inds probably have some of these converted believers, too. You should be well aware of how they conceal their faith in our Lord, so it''s not easy to find them. I dare say with certainty that there are some within the Foundation as well."


    "What a load of bullshit," Julio interjected, his tone as sharp as knives. "Just say that you want to use the newly converted lunatics inside the Foundation to stir up trouble."

 Chapter 758: Women

    "Lunatics? Those are our fellow brothers and sisters who have been called upon by our Lord, you ignorant fool!" Octett snapped back, his voice brimming with indignation.


    Before their argument could escte further, Jax interjected, "I have a question, though. The Haikor Tribe doesn''t form the coreponent of the Foundation. To the Foundation, those giants are merely test subjects who worship them as gods.


    "They likely wouldn''t even know the location of the Foundation''s strongholds. I doubt they will be of much help."


    Octett seemed to have been poked in a sore spot, as he grew defensive and countered, "But it''s still a n, isn''t it? If you think it won''t work, do you have a better one?"


    "The location of the Foundation strongholds huh¡­" Charles muttered to himself as he stroked his chin thoughtfully, and his eyes narrowed slightly.


    When he had escaped with Sparkle back then, neither of them had paid any attention to their exact location. He also had no idea where Site 6 was located on the map nor how to reach it.


    The Sea of Mist was simply too vast.


    "I say we send this defector back and have him lie low on the ind while secretly searching for others like him. Given time, an opportunity will arise," Octett suggested.


    Although it was a slow approach, it was still undoubtedly a n. And having a n was better than none. If the meeting had ended there, it would have been considered to be a modestly productive one. However, Charles suddenly called out, "Wait!"


    Everyone had been preparing to leave, but they came to a halt.


    "Perhaps I might know someone who knows the way," Charles said, causing hints of surprise to cross the gazes of the others.


    "You know? How?" Julio asked.


    "The recent Haikor giant was not the only one who had managed from the Sea of Mist. One of them knows the exact location of the Foundation," Charles exined.


    "And it just so happens that I know of one who does. Hopefully, his mind is clear enough to remember the way. Thest time I saw him, he was bedridden."


    With that, Charles then passed by the four sand figures and headed toward the door. "That''s all for today. Wait for my update."


    ***


    Elizarles Shores was once a barren ruin, but the ind was now covered with buildings of varying heights. The underground Project Interaction Laboratory had also been converted into a new Governor''s Mansion.


    However, Charles didn''t head to the Governor''s Mansion. ording to Elizabeth''s wife, who harbored evident hostility toward him, Elizabeth wasn''t at the mansion.


    Despite being on Elizarles Shores, Charles'' identity as the governor of Hope Ind still carried weight.


    Soon, Charles found Elizabeth. She was cornering a young woman with a ponytail against a wall.


    The inders walking past seemed unfazed. They went on about their business as if this were a daily urrence. Only a few curious children peeked out from their hiding spots, watching with wide eyes.


    "Sweetie, where are you going?" A charming smile was stered on Elizabeth''s visage as she towered over the brown-haired woman.


    "Governor, please let me go. I really don''t like women," the young woman pleaded in a trembling voice.


    "Oh, don''t be so certain about it," Elizabeth countered with a soft chuckle. She lifted the woman''s chin with an index finger. "How would you know if you haven''t tried it? I used to think I didn''t like men either, but after I gave it a shot¡­<em>Ahh~</em> That feeling was heavenly."


    The scent of Elizabeth''s perfume overwhelmed the young woman''s senses. Elizabeth''s presence was so overwhelming that the young woman was on the verge of tears.


    "Don''t cry, darling. I''m just courting you. You can say no anytime you want," Elizabeth consoled as she wrapped a hand around the brte''s slender waist. She lifted the brte effortlessly as a doll, turned around, and gently ced her back down on the ground.


    The woman bolted away like a frightened deer. Her heart was pounding wildly against her chest. Just as she reached the corner, she hesitated and turned around to steal a nce at Elizabeth.


    "Sweetie, no matter how long it takes, I''ll wait for you. I''ll love only you, forever," Elizabeth called out and blew the brte a flying kiss.


    The young woman immediately sprinted away in panic.


    Having witnessed the scene unfold, Charles stepped out from behind Elizabeth with his arms crossed over his chest. "Isn''t your love a little too¡­ excessive?"


    Elizabeth sharply turned around. Instantly, she had Charles pinned against the wall. Pressing her body against his, she purred into his ear, "I don''t think so."


    Three minutester, Elizabeth''s cheeks were flushed as she dragged Charles toward a nearby inn.


    "Wait, hold on. I came here for a serious matter." Charles had to use all his strength to hold back Elizabeth, who towered over two meters.


    Elizabeth yfully flipped her gleaming white locks and practically draped herself over Charles.


    "Do you have any idea how long it''s been since west met?" Elizabethined, her voice taking on a soft, almost sultry tone. "Do you know how much I''ve missed you? And you want to talk about serious matters the moment we meet?"


    Thinking back to the young brte who had just escaped earlier, Charles couldn''t help but let out a chuckle. "I didn''t exactly get the impression that you¡¯ve been missing me all that much."


    A hint of mischief shed across Elizabeth''s eyes. She leaned in and nibbled on Charles'' ear. "Then let me show you how much I''ve missed you!"


    "Wait," Charles interrupted. "I''m actually here to see your grandfather. He''s still alive, isn''t he?"


    Charles'' words were like a cold bucket of water poured over Elizabeth, instantly dousing her fiery passion. She blinked in surprise, saying, "He''s still alive, but why are you looking for him?"


    Linking her arm through Charles, Elizabeth led him toward a car parked nearby. On their way to the Governor''s Mansion, Charles exined his reason for the visit.


    "When your grandfather was younger, he witnessed the floating corpse of a Divinity. Though he may not know what it was at that time, I do. That was the true form of Pede," Charles exined.


    "He has been to that location and knows the exact coordinates of the Foundation''s Site 6," Charles concluded as they stepped out of the car.


    "No problem. We must certainly help if it''s to fight against the Foundation," Elizabeth replied with a nod. They linked arms as they approached the grand entrance of the Governor''s Mansion.


    The moment the two of them walked through the doors, they were immediately swarmed by a crowd of women. The overwhelming scent of their perfume assaulted Charles'' nostrils and made him feel dizzy.


    The array of stunning women was in every style imaginable¡ªlong hair, short hair, cute, sexy.


    "This is more than the nine I saw previously. How many women do you have now?" Charles asked, his brows furrowed as he pinched his nose to block out the overwhelming scent of perfume.


    "I don''t know; I didn''t count. Probably around thirty or forty? Somee, some go," Elizabeth replied in a casual tone as she led Charles toward her grandfather''s bedroom.


    "Aren''t you worried the inders might revolt against you for taking so many women?"


    Elizabeth regarded the tentacles on Charles'' head with curiosity and even gave one a light tug with her finger.


    "Why would they? I didn''t force any of those women. If they want to leave, I won''t stop them either. I''ll even send them off with expensive gifts." With a smirk, Elizabeth continued withh er reasoning, "Think about it. I collect taxes from the inders, and then through these lovely girls, I return the money to them.


    "It''s a perfectly bnced economic cycle. Compared to those stingy governors who never give anything back, where else can you find a governor as generous as me?"


    Elizabeth''s twisted logic had Charles at a loss of words.


    As they chatted, a sexy woman d in a ck silk gown and a sweet-looking younger woman in a white chiffon dress approached them.


    "Governor," they greeted, gracefully crossing their legs and curtsying to Elizabeth with respect.


    Elizabeth leaned down and gave each of them a gentle peck on the lips. "Go on ahead; I have some business to take care of. I''ll find you girlster."

 Chapter 759: Sea of Mist

    Elizabeth''s grandfather was living in a room in the underground Governor''s Mansion. He towered over three meters tall, so every single piece of furniture in the room was customized for him.


    The old man was sitting on a sofa over four meters high and was leaning forward to watch a television that was three timesrger than a regr television.


    Elizabeth''s grandfather was engrossed in the drama on the television. He was so engrossed in it that he didn''t even notice Charles and Elizabeth walking up to him.


    "Grandfather, Charles is here to see you," Elizabeth said, patting the half-meter-wide, wrinkled hand of the white-haired old giant.


    The white-haired old giant slowly took off his half-rim sses and looked at the two people next to him.


    Upon seeing his granddaughter, a kind smile blossomed on his face, which was covered with age spots. "Ah, did youe to see me, Little Liz? Wait, what did you just say?"


    Elizabeth cupped her hands in front of her mouth and yelled loudly, "I said! Charles is here to see you! He has questions for you! Where are the new ears I bought for you?! Why aren''t you wearing them?!"


    "I heard you, so keep your voice down. I''m not deaf yet!" the old man reached out, groping around the table next to him.


    Elizabeth took advantage of the opportunity to turn to Charles beside her. She sounded helpless as she said, "His hearing has worsened. I found a way to restore his hearing, but he doesn''t really like using it.""He''s still doing great," Charles said, nodding. "After all these years, your grandfather is still so tough and healthy. Not many people in the Subterranean Sea can live as long as him."


    While the two were chatting, Elizabeth''s grandfather took out a ck insect resembling a centipede from a jar. Judging from its blood-red fangs, the ck centipede-like insect didn''t seem kind.


    The old man tilted his head, and his trembling hand stuffed the centipede-like insect into his ear canal.


    The insect made its way deep into his ear, and the old man couldn''t help but gasp in pain. After a while, the pain ceased, and the old man sat up straight, staring at Charles.


    "Mr. Charles, please go ahead and tell me if there''s anything you need my help with. If these old bones of mine can still be useful to you, then I will definitely help you."


    Charles looked at him in surprise. "You know that I''m here to ask for your help?"


    The old giant smiled kindly and chuckled. "The Governor of Hope Ind wouldn''te here and visit a dying old man for something unimportant. How can I help you?"


    With that, Charles didn''t stand on ceremony and said, "I still remember your story about how you saw a Divinity''s corpse suspended in midair in the innermost inds of the Haikor Tribe. Do you still remember the route you took back then to reach that ce?"


    The old man was silent for a long time, seemingly pondering over something.


    "Can you tell me why you need that information, Governor?"


    Charles stared wordlessly at the old man instead of replying.


    However, the old man wasn''t angry in the face of Charles'' silence. He sighed helplessly and said, "I haven''t left the house many times these years due to my declining health, but I can still sense that some big events have happened outside."


    "You want to deal with our gods? That is suicide. The strength of our gods is far greater than you can even imagine."


    "Believe me, I know far more about your gods than you do. If you want to help me, just tell me what you know," Charles said. He didn''t want to talk too much to the old giant. He wanted to keep thetter in the dark, as he was already old.


    Sensing that the air had gotten a bit tense, Elizabeth walked up to her grandfather and whispered something into his ears.


    "All right, I understand. Then, I''ll listen to Liz. After all, wasn''t it you who gave her this ind? If it hadn''t been for you, I wouldn''t have been able to enjoy what I''ve been enjoying right now. Anyway, bring a table over here."


    Soon, a table was brought in front of the old man. A thick gray cloth was on the table, and Charles was familiar with it as a captain of his own exploration vessel. It was a cloth that was used specifically for drawing nautical charts.


    The old man single-handedly picked up the almost two-meter-long ruler on the table and then he immediately started drawing on the cloth.


    The old man''s eyes were sharp as a hawk, and his aged hands were no longer trembling. The old man, whose body was like an empty shell, looked energetic as if his soul was restored anew.


    Thintitude and longitude lines divided the gray cloth into small squares. As inds were drawn one by one, Charles couldn''t help but be amazed by the old man''s exquisite skill at drawing nautical charts.


    Charles presumed that the old man had lived off the sea when he was young. Living off the sea was extremely dangerous, so the fact that he hadn''t died prematurely was a testament to his abilities.


    Once the inds were drawn, the old man worked on the routes.


    The old man remained focused throughout the ordeal, but it seemed that such meticulous work was still a bit too much for an old man with stiff joints. When he was finished, he threw down the pen and slumped on the sofa, panting heavily.


    Charles propped his hands on the table, looking down at the huge nautical chart.


    The nautical chart depicted the entire Sea of Mist.


    The Sea of Mist was in an oval shape.


    Charles'' eyes darted around the map, and he discovered that the Shattered Heart Isles¡ªa region of the Sea of Mist that he had once visited¡ªwas marked on the map as well, along with other nearby inds of varying sizes.


    The old man highlighted a route drawn in an arc. The route started from the Shattered Heart Isles, jumping between several inds before arriving in the innermost inds of the Sea of Mist.


    There was a massive void in the Sea of Mist, which was in contrast to the numerous inds that the old man had drawn on the outskirts of the Sea of Mist.


    "That''s where I saw the Divinity''s corpse back then. I don''t know what you want to do, but if you want to live a long life, you shouldn''t go and seek your own death there," the old man said. He stood up with the support of his granddaughter.


    "As for how many inds are part of the so-called innermost inds, I don''t know the answer to that question. We don''t ask the gods for information; we wait until we are told what we need to know."


    Charles looked at the void in the middle of the nautical chart. He pondered for a moment before picking up the pen beside him and writing "SITE 6" at the end of the route.


    "You still remember it? Your memory is amazing," Charlesmented.


    The old man''s eyes were filled withplex emotions, and he sounded emotional as he said, "I once lived there, so I made Liz promise me that she would scatter my ashes throughout the Sea of Mist upon my death."


    Charles reached out to roll up the map, but the old man blocked him.


    "Wait, I still have something to tell you. Look at these inds," the old man said. He lifted a wrinkled finger and pointed it at the nautical chart. "Here, here, and here¡ªthese eight inds of the Haikor tribe are all on the outskirts of the Sea of Mist.


    "Every single contact with the outside world happens on these inds, and unfortunately, we''re not the only ones beyond this periphery. You must be careful about the others.


    The old man''s aged finger made a circle on the nautical chart. "The inds that do not belong to the Haikor tribe belong to uncontacted tribes, and they¡­ they''re terrifying."


    Charles was surprised, and he couldn''t help but ask, "Do you have any more information about them?"


    Charles instantly assumed that those so-called "uncontacted tribes" were human experimental subjects of the Foundation.


    "No," the old man replied, shaking his head. "In fact, I only heard about their existence from the elders of the tribe when I was still a child. They''re not human beings, and they are exceptionally powerful.


    "The only reason they''re still uncontacted and isted is that our gods have been suppressing them all this while. All credit belongs to the gods for their impressive work of suppressing them so far."

 Chapter 760: Elizabeth

    "If you go there, remember to never go near those inds. It''s best if you avoid traversing the sea around them," the old man advised.


    However, Charles didn''t really think that the old man''s additional information was important. After all, those Haikors, who have defected, would have no reason to approach those inds.


    The old man then told Charles more about the Sea of Mist.


    Charles learned a lot about the Foundation''s territory through Elizabeth''s grandfather. From the old man''s words, Charles became convinced that the Haikor Tribe was like a smokescreen that the Foundation had unleashed to obscure the truth from everyone, or it could also be said that they were a front.


    If one wanted to keep a secret, then one ought to go about it in ax but measured way. If one wanted to hide a tree, one ought to hide it in a forest. One could then make the others believe that there wasn''t anything special in the forest.


    The Haikor Tribe had been living throughout the eight inds on the fringes of the Sea of Mist. They had lived there long enough that whenever people were talking about the Sea of Mist, they''d always talk about a group of entric giants worshiping bizarre-looking monsters as gods.


    Anyone wouldn''t think that the inds deep inside the Sea of Mist actually housed an organization as powerful as the Divinities of the Subterranean Sea, and they would also definitely not think that such an organization had been nurturing, guiding, and observing them like guinea pigs.


    Charles was like that back then. He had been to the Sea of Mist, but he never once thought that the New Foundation''s headquarters was somewhere within it.


    Once the old man was done talking, Charles nodded and rolled up the nautical chart before turning around to leave. He had achieved his goal, and he reckoned that the Fhtagn Covenant''s spy n would go smoother and faster, all thanks to the information that he had obtained today.


    The old man looked at his departing figure and pried away his granddaughter''s hand. "Go, Liz. No matter what he wants to do, provide him with as much help as possible. We''re all in the same boat now, after all."


    Elizabeth looked at her grandfather with aplex gaze. She nodded slightly before following closely behind Charles. She saw Charles standing outside while talking to his daughter Sparkle.


    "Thank your grandfather for me. Anyway, I''m done here, so I''m leaving first," Charles said calmly, and he ced his prosthetic hand on his daughter''s shoulder.


    Elizabeth was immediately anxious, and she hurriedly said, "Are you really that busy? Can''t you spare even a bit of time for a meal? Are you just going to leave after obtaining what you want? What are me and my grandfather in your eyes? Your tools?"


    Noticing Charles'' hesitation, Elizabeth rushed over and pulled him toward the Governor''s Mansion.


    "Sparkle, pick your up father tomorrow! He has something to do today!!" Elizabeth eximed.


    In the end, Charles stayed to spend some quality time with Elizabeth. It had truly been quite a while since theyst saw each other, and it was all due to the fact that Charles had to go to the surface world to look for the darkness.


    "Try this. This is a specialty of Elizarles Shores. You won''t be able to find this anywhere else," Elizabeth said, pushing a wooden tray across the water of the circr pool made out of white marble.


    The wooden tray floated over to Charles, who was inside the pool as well. The wooden tray carried a te containing what looked like fried chicken nuggets, but the "nuggets" were scorched ck rather than golden in color.


    At first nce, it seemed like the "nuggets" were fried just a bit longer than expected.


    "When I was just exploring this ind, I didn''t really find anything special except for that thing capable of animating just about anything," Charles remarked.


    He then picked up one of the "nuggets" and chewed on it. His eye reflected a hint of surprise after just a few bites. The "nuggets" were tender inside while crispy on the outside.


    It was also incredibly juicy; it was unlike any other dish he had tasted throughout the Subterranean Sea.


    "How is it? Don''t you regret saying that you''re going to leave so soon?" Elizabeth asked with a hint of pride on her face.


    "What meat is this?" Charles said. He picked up another piece and chucked it into his mouth.


    "Beef, but it''s not your ordinary beef. It''s animated beef tenderloin."


    "Take two pieces of animated beef, sprinkle them with some seasoning, and then force them to move nonstop. Once their movement reaches a crescendo, immediately put a thinyer of ice between them and dredge them before frying them in some oil."


    Charles'' chin, which had stopped chewing to listen to Elizabeth, started moving once again. "I''m really surprised to learn that you guys have been using its ability to animate in cooking. You guys are amazing."


    "When I first arrived on the ind, I thought it was just a headache, but now, that chunk of meat might just be a treasure," Elizabeth said. She swirled the brown liquid in her ss before tilting her head back and chugging it down.


    Just then, the bathroom door was pushed open, and eight young girls wearing clothes that were so thin they resembled gauze walked into the bathroom. They entered the pool and knelt next to the two, massaging them gently.


    The girls'' hands were incredibly soft, and their massage was superb. Charles felt sofortable sitting in the hot water of the pool while being massaged by the girls that he felt like he was sprawled out in a cloud.


    Charles swallowed the fried beef in his mouth and looked up at the bright ceiling.


    "You sure know how to enjoy yourself," he remarked.


    Elizabeth nced at him and replied, "This is nothing. And you can enjoy this as well whenever you want to do so. You''re a governor, after all."


    Charles revealed a self-deprecating smile, saying, "Looks like I still need to give you guys a bit of pressure, otherwise, it''s going to be too unfair."


    "What did you say?" Elizabeth asked, sounding confused.


    Charles wordlessly shook his head. He waved his hand, dismissing the girls around him.


    "Don''t like them? Want to change to a different batch of women? You can''t touch my wives, but you can do as you wish with these women," Elizabeth said as she leaned on Charles.


    Charles bent over slightly before standing up straight. The steaming hot water slid down his skin covered in burn marks, stab wounds, and holes of varying sizes. His sturdy muscles were pronounced, but they were covered in scars as well.


    His body was strong enough to withstand bullets, but unfortunately, there were too many creatures stronger than mere bullets throughout the Subterranean Sea.


    "I have to go. It''s bad to be toofortable in our current situation," Charles remarked.


    "Wait, I have something to give you," Elizabeth said. She lifted the rose eye mask covering her eye, and a ck and red spider crawled out from behind the eye mask beforending on the back of her hand.


    "Charles, you must treat them well. The rising sea levels had caused the extinction of this species of spider, and unfortunately, I don''t have that many of them left here," Elizabeth remarked.


    Charles stared at the ck and red spider and pondered briefly over something before reaching out to it and stuffing it into his empty eye socket.


    From now on, Charles no longer had to to live with just one eye.


    "Thanks," he said.


    Elizabeth''s gaze held a hint of reluctance as she stared at Charles'' departing figure. "Come and see me whenever you have time. I can''t help but keep missing you whenever you''re not around!"


    Charlesughed boisterously and replied, "How could you have enough time to even miss me when you have dozens of women to handle? I don''t even think that I''m in the top ten of your harem.


    "Anyway, go back home and wait for the announcement. The Explorers Association should announce something soon."


    "Harem? What''s a harem?"


    In the end, Charles left Elizarles Shores without telling Elizabeth the meaning of the word "harem."<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Anyone wanna enlighten Elizabeth? XD</blockquote>

 Chapter 761: Conference

    A half-dead spidery in the center of a square-shaped magic formation inside the Governor''s Mansion on Hope Ind.


    Anna was holding a tiny piece of Charles'' flesh and a tiny fragment of his soul. She was in a daze, seemingly contemting something.


    "Hurry up and do it. What are you looking at?" Charles urged.


    Anna snapped out of her thoughts and stuffed both the flesh and the hazy blue-colored wisp in her hand into her mouth. She tasted them briefly before spitting them at the spider.


    "Your soul looks really strange now. It doesn''t look appetizing at all."


    "Do you still remember the time we spent in another perspective fighting those sea otters? You devoured quite a few people at the time, and your soul became really¡­ fragrant.


    "However, your soul has changed drastically after your return from the Foundation. I presume it''s rted to what once belonged to N8 but had disappeared into your body."


    Charles'' head was starting to ache as he stared at Anna, looking slightly exasperated. Although Anna no longer had to eat people for sustenance, some notions in her head had yet to change.


    "Hurry up. Julio is urging us again," Charles said.Anna raised her slender and delicate finger, and the spider in theplex magic formation hovered in midair. "Leave this issue to me. I refuse to believe that I''m not unparalleled in that domain."


    A few secondster, Charles'' vision split into two. He had one eye in his eye socket, while his other eye was on the spider''s back.


    The ck and red spider propelled itself onto the table with a swift kick. Then, it crawled up Charles and up his clothes until it reached his face. The spider promptly retracted its eight legs and stuffed itself into Charles'' eye socket.


    Charles blinked a few times in an effort to adapt to the massive change in his vision. Once he was done, he turned and walked out the door. "Alright, do as you see fit. If it''s not a major issue, then ignore it for now."


    The others were already feeling a bit impatient by the time Charles arrived in his office.


    "Governor Charles, who would have thought that besides being paranoid, self-righteous, and extremely selfish, you''re also tardy?" Octett mocked.


    Charles simply ignored Octett and revealed the information that he had just obtained. When the nautical chart wasid out in front of everyone, they stared intently at it and swept their gazes across it.


    "I don''t think there''s any need for everyone to talk about such a trivial matter. Anyway, the defector whom I had mentioned during the previous conference has arrived in the Divinity''s Land, so we¡ªthe Fhtagn Covenant¡ªwill handle the next steps," Octett said.


    He stared deeply at the massive nautical chart before his sand figure crumbled to the ground.


    Staring at the scattering sand, Charles thought, <em>They can be considered to be our very first card in this game. I hope those lunatics can be a bit useful.</em>


    Of course, Charles wasn''t expecting a lot from them, but he believed that they could attack the Foundation to make them stay quiet for just a bit longer.


    The Fhtagn Covenant''s members were all lunatics, but technically, they were only branded as lunatics due to the vast difference in their mindset and the mindset of ordinary people. The members of the Fhtagn Covenant were still capable of logical and critical thinking.


    "You have to be careful around. The Foundation has finally made a move against me," Julio said with furrowed brows.


    "What happened, old friend? Howe you haven''t said anything at all until now?" Jax asked.


    "My favorite son tried to persuade me to surrender. There''s no evidence to prove that the Foundation was behind that, but I know that they''re the mastermind behind it!" Julio eximed in a trembling voice that carried suppressed anger.


    Jax was surprised. "Was it Frye?"


    "Yes, it''s that traitorous piece of trash. I killed him and threw him into the sea," Julio said. Despite killing his own son, Julio had spoken so calmly and casually that anyone would think that he had merely crushed a bug rather than killed his own child.


    Overall, it was bad news. The attack on Julio meant that the Foundation had begun to take action. Moreover, they were no longer attacking in a tant way like before and had changed their approach.


    Their surreptitious attacks meant that even if Charles knew that the Foundation was behind the attacks, it wouldn''t be appropriate for him to threaten them using Fhtagn.


    It was like two countries sending spies to each other. Those two countries wouldn''t use a nuclear bomb to annihte each other''s spies once found, would they?


    Charles pondered for a brief second before saying, "I have an idea here that I want to discuss with you guys."


    "Governor Charles, please feel free to speak."


    "I want to abolish the Governor System," Charles said, coughing lightly. His words were soft, but they echoed like a thunderous boom in everyone''s minds.


    "Can you say that again? Can you tell us what you want to do?" Jax was extremely shocked by Charles'' proposal. It was so shocking that he couldn''t believe his ears.


    "I want to abolish the Governor System," Charles repeated. "The issue of transportation and long-distancemunication has led the people to settle on the many inds throughout the Subterranean Sea.


    "However, things are different now. The suspension railway attached to the rockyer up above has already matured. The inds throughout the Subterranean Sea are essentially connected to each other through the suspended transport system. In other words, those inds could bebined to form arger territory."


    "Just like those three inds that belong to you right now?"


    Elizabeth''s extravagance had left Charles pondering over the actions of the governors these days. The humans of the Subterranean Sea were scattered too thin for theirbined might to matter in the grand scheme of things.


    In addition, not every Governor was a good manager; the inds that they had obtained all became their private ygrounds.


    However, Charles was not pursuing a mere annexation here. He wanted to thoroughly reform the political system of the Subterranean Sea.


    "Governor Charles, are you aware of the consequences of doing that? What you''re trying to do is equivalent to offending all the Governors!" Jenny eximed, looking indescribably ugly at the idea.


    The joys of being a governor were something that ordinary people couldn''t even imagine, much lessprehend. Naturally, no one would be willing to give up such a cushy position.


    "I know, but that''s exactly why I made this suggestion. The majority of the brand-new governors have unstable foundations. Now is the best opportunity to make a move. As long as we join hands, we can definitely take down any of the governors out there."


    Charles believed that it was better for them to upy those inds rather than reveal the threat of the Foundation and hope that the governors would voluntarily help them.


    Charles'' words had just decided the life and death of many people. After all, it was inevitable for those people to resist and rebel if Charles were to attempt to shatter their vested interest.


    Everyone silently pondered, and Julio shattered the ice. "Too many things are involved here. I need some time to think about it."


    "How are we supposed to explore new inds in the future without the Governor System?" Jax chimed in, "Without governors, there will be no explorers. Without the temptation of high profits, no one will willingly risk their lives."


    Their words alone were enough for Charles to deduce their stance.


    "It was just a suggestion, and we can talk about it together. If we''re going to do it, then peaceful negotiation is a must. We''ll have to be brainstorming ideas on how to deal with the Foundation for quite a while, after all, so let''s stay kind and work hard together."


    "Shouldn''t we include the Fhtagn Covenant in this discussion?" Jenny asked with some hesitation."


    "No need," Charles said, shaking his head. "Every single ind in the Eastern Seas is probably under the Fhtagn Covenant''s control by now. They''ve already aplished their goal, and once we''ve eliminated the Foundation, they will be our next target."

 Chapter 762: Infiltration

    They talked about a few more topics before the conference finally came to an end.


    Sitting on the sofa, Charles rubbed his artificial eye with his hand.


    He reached out and pulled the spider out. Then, he watched it spin in his palm.


    Elizabeth towered more than two meters tall, so Charles wasn''t sure whether this eyeball was custom-made for her. All he knew was that it felt unbearably tight when he stuffed it into his eye socket.


    He found it strange to stare at his own two eyeballs but from a different point of view. He stared intently at his eyeball in an effort to dispel the incongruity when Sparkle suddenly appeared beside his desk.


    "Daddy, what are you doing?" Sparkle asked. She reached out and grabbed the spider in Charles'' palm. Then, she poked it gently with her finger.


    Staring at the spider waving its fangs and ws around, a fun idea suddenly popped up in Sparkle''s mind. She seemed proud of her fun idea as she instantly disappeared from Charles'' sight.


    Sparkle returned to the top of the World''s Crown, and she hurled therge spider into the miniature world inside arge, circr tank. A smile tugged at Sparkle''s lips as she stared at the flustered tiny people inside the tank.


    She propped her elbow on the tank, observing the unfolding stories within the miniature world. For Sparkle, the stories here were much more interesting than the ys and dramas on TV.Those ys and dramas were fake; they were all done to entertain an audience and were not as exciting as the stories here, which Sparkle believed were genuine.


    The spider allowed Charles to see what her daughter was doing, and he chuckled helplessly at the sight. His daughter really knew how to have fun.


    In the end, Charles decided to have fun as well. Under his control, the spider parted its jaw and waved its ws, charging through the miniature city. The houses built from leaves and stones copsed promptly, and the crowd scattered and fled in the face of the spider.


    "Sigh, Daddy, you''re not that good at acting. You should approach this from the perspective of a monster. Think about what it wants to do. Is it hunting? Is it acting in self-defense, or does it simply find its surroundings too noisy?" Sparkle asked, tapping the spider''s head with her finger.


    The spider used its forelimbs to scribble some Chinese characters on the floor.


    "Tell me how I should act."


    Charles was happy to interact with his daughter. He was absent for the majority of her childhood, and Charles was desperate to make up for her.


    Sparkle gave Charles some orders, and thetter immediately moved, scattering white spider silk everywhere. Just as he was about to wrap the tiny people with his silk and perform the climax of the act, he abruptly came to a halt.


    "Sparkle, something''s not right. Where are you right now?"


    "I''m on the World''s Crown."


    "Isn''t that nearly a thousand nautical miles away from Hope Ind?


    "Howe I can stillmunicate with you through this spider?"


    Sparkle pinched the spider and appeared in front of Charles with a puzzled face. "What''s going on? Should I bring Mommy here to take a look?"


    Charles stared at the spider, contemting something. Eventually, his single eye shot wide open, and he rushed to pick up the phone on the table.


    "Hello! Have those magese over here! I need to contact the Fhtagn Covenant as soon as possible!"


    Soon, Octett''s figure manifested amidst a pile of fine sand. He gazed at Charles, staring at thetter with his horizontal pupils. "You better have something important to talk to me about."


    "I want to participate in your spy n as well. I will go to the Sea of Mist together with that defector!" Charles eximed in a hurry.


    Octett furrowed his brows. "Do you not have any idea that if the Foundation ends up capturing you, it means the end of us all? If you want to throw your life away, go ahead and do it. I don''t care, but you cannot drag us down with you."


    "Of course, I''m not actually going to go there and join. Sparkle, send my eye to him."


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Sparkle vanished as soon as Charles'' words fell. Momentster, another pile of fine sand condensed into Sparkle''s figure, and she handed over the eyeball to Octett, who was standing next to her.


    "I can control that spider, and I''m going to join that defector using this method," Charles exined. It seemed like he was no longer bothered as to why he could still control the spider from such a vast distance away.


    Charles believed that with the spider in hand, he could go to the Sea of Mist together with that defector.


    What exactly was the Foundation doing now, and how many Fhtagn zealots were made in the Sea of Mist? Charles became very curious about the answer to that question.


    Of course, he could just ask, and the others would answer him.


    However, Charles still believed that witnessing something with his own eyes was far better than just hearing it from others.


    Octett looked down at the spider and then stared deeply at Charles.


    In the end, Octett replied, "Since you insist, then fine."


    ***


    A skeletal ship that screamed "Haikor Tribe" was docked in the port of the Divinity''s Land.


    Octett, hovering in midair, looked up at the thin giant before him and said, "I''m afraid that I cannot bestow any of the Great One''s blessings upon you, as they will definitely notice it.


    "However, fear not, for He is always watching over those who believe in Him from the depths of the sea. If you manage toe back here, I will personally hold an initiation ceremony for you! I''ll let you feel the might of the Great One!"


    Shindy was thrilled, and he nodded frantically. "Please rest assured, elder! I will surelyplete my mission!"


    Octett fell into contemtion just then. After a while, his mouth fluttered open, seemingly struggling to say, "If¡­ I mean, if¡­ If something unexpected happens, you should go ahead and listen to Charles''mands."


    Octett didn''t want to admit it, but the enemy they hated to the bone was much more reliable than the young man.


    The sess rate of their mission would increase if Charles was allowed to take control of the overall situation. Their mission was of grave importance, and Octett was willing to set aside his grievances for now.


    "Understood!" Shindy eximed. He then solemnly performed a salute that members of the Fhtagn Covenant often used. Then, he turned and boarded the skeletal ship next to him.


    He grabbed the bright white whalebone in the ship and stared at the group of believers behind him. "Brothers, don''t worry about me!! I will definitely defeat those false gods! All glory belongs to the Great One!!"


    Octett nced at Sparkle, who was watching the show on the side. "Send him over, but just on the outskirts of the Sea of Mist. Don''t get too close to avoid, or they''ll find you."


    Sparkle didn''t even bother to look at Octett and immediately disappeared along with Shindy''s skeletal ship.


    "<em>Hmph!</em>" Octett harrumphed, clearly dissatisfied with Sparkle''s behavior.


    "Elder, Charles'' strength is rapidly increasing, and we must be prepared to fight him. Once we''ve destroyed the Foundation, he must die next," A red-robed octopus-like monster said in a low voice.


    "You didn''t have to remind me of something so clear and obvious. Besides, we have our own ns," Octett said. He then dove straight into the deep water beside him.


    Meanwhile, Shindy was already on the outskirts of the Sea of Mist. He couldn''t sail the ship by himself and could only maneuver the dozen or so red "earthworms" that were pulling the ship beneath the surface to head somewhere safe.


    It seemed that the Haikor Tribe''s security had tightened to the limits. Before Shindy could even approach the waters near the Shattered Heart Isles, three turtleshell ships emerged from the mist and surrounded him quietly.


    Soon, several Haikors with massive spears and crossbows boarded the ship.


    After a quick nce around the shop, they forced Shindy to the ground. It didn''t take long before Shindy found himself tied up on the deck. A dozen giants towering at least three meters tall were staring at him as if they were tigers eyeing their prey.


    A ship with only one living person was very unusual.


    Shindy was from the same tribe as them, but it seemed that they couldn''t trust himpletely.


    Shindy revealed a mournful face as he proceeded to nervously recount his scripted backstory. Apparently, their ship was attacked by a leviathan whale, and he was the only survivor of the attack.


    He had lost his way, so he ended up wandering aimlessly out at sea to look for a way home.


    The Haikors talked to each other for a while until some of them moved closer to Shindy and stripped him naked. They then proceeded to examine him from inside and out.


    Upon discovering that Shindy was indeed their tribesman rather than a fake entity created by something in the deep sea, the Haikors finally sighed in relief.


    However, they still couldn''t trust Shindypletely. In the end, the skeletal ship was impounded, and Shindy was locked up in a damp prison cell.


    From time to time, someone would open the window and peek inside.


    Soon, it waste at night, and a deafening silence descended upon the ship. Shindy was sleeping peacefully beneath his nket when his eyes snapped open just then.


    Momentster, several long legs crawled out of his right eye. The spider was under Charles'' control. To avoid garnering any suspicions that would warrant an inspection, Charles had told Shindy to gouge out one of his eyes and squeeze Charles'' eye inside of thetter''s eye socket.


    As for the eyeball''s color, it wasn''t really that big of a deal in the Subterranean Sea.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Charles, did you just make someone gouge an eyeball out for you??? ><</blockquote>

 Chapter 763: Shattered Heart Isles

    Naturally, living in a damp, dark cell was far fromfortable. After just a few days, Shindy had turned gaunt and haggard from the experience.


    Not only did sleep evade him, he had to deal with the horrible food, too. Every so often, his fellow tribesmen would also drag him out to interrogate him about all sorts of things.


    Thankfully, Shindy was well prepared. He had a set of well-rehearsed answers to all their questions.


    As per his earlier recount, their ship had been attacked by a massive leviathan whale that spanned over several hundred meters long. Most of the crew, including the ship''s doctor, died during the attack, while the other survivors also sumbed to their wounds on their journey back due to theck of treatment.


    When he was asked about the whereabouts of the corpses, Shindy imed that the captain had instructed with hisst dying breath to bury the bodies at sea to prevent the risk of disease from rotting corpses.


    Though Shindy''s interrogators showed no visible responses to his answers, Charles was well-experienced in this. Observing with the spider eye, he immediately deduced that they had no way of validating the authenticity of Shindy''s story.


    Everyone else was gone and the incident had urred far out at sea with no witness. The truth depended solely on Shindy''s words.


    Death wasmon at sea; in fact, it was epted to be amon urrence and hardly aroused any suspicion.


    <em>Creak!</em>The heavy wooden door, damp from umted moisture, slowly swung open.


    Through the spider eye in Shindy''s eye socket, Charles watched as a tall, middle-aged giant stood at the entrance of the cell. His expression looked agitated as he seemed to recognize Shindy.


    "Father," Shindy called out as he struggled to his feet, aplex expression crossing his face.


    Shindy''s father ran into the cell and pulled Shindy into a tight embrace. His voice trembled with emotions as he muttered, "As long you are alive¡­ that''s all that matters¡­"


    While the father and son were feeling relief in their reunion, a towering Haikor giant dressed in a green uniform entered the cell. Noticing the ck crossbow strapped to his waist, Charles quickly deduced that this man was likely aw enforcement officer among the Haikor tribe.


    "Hank, look carefully. Are you sure this is your son?" the officer asked, his gaze shimmering with a hint of hostility.


    Hank released Shindy before turning to the officer and nodding firmly. "Yes! I''m certain he''s my son. There''s no mistake!"


    The officer regarded Shindy with suspicion for several more seconds before waving his hand dismissively. "Let''s move out. The smell''s so nasty here. We''ll continue this discussion at the customs."


    Following Shindy out of the cell, Charles realized that the ship had already docked on Shattered Heart Isles. Shindy had only been held in the ship this entire time due to the authorities'' distrust toward him.


    Upon arriving at the customs office, despite having been through countless rounds of interrogations, Shindy was subjected to yet another round of intense questioning. Fortunately, he didn''t slip up and remained consistent throughout the interrogation. After leaving a drop of blood as a backup to his statement, he and his father, Hank, were finally allowed to leave.


    "An entire crew being wiped out is no small matter. You''d better stay home for the time being ande over whenever we summon you," the officer warned in a stern tone. "Hey! I''m talking to you! Do you hear me?"


    Shindy shrunk into himself and nodded meekly; his feigned demeanor was exactly like that of an ordinary, timid young man.


    Once they left the building, both Shindy and his father let out a collective sigh of relief.


    "Alright, let''s put the past behind us," Hank said in a gentle tone. "I hope you remember this lesson and no more going out to sea for work, ever again."


    "Yes, I know."


    Hank couldn''t help but feel surprised by his son''s reply. This was nothing like his rebellious son at all. It seemed that his son''s close brush with death had finally forced him to grow a little more mature.


    As the father and son headed home, Charles began to observe the surroundings. Despite the Haikor tribe being nominally part of the Foundation''swork, there was hardly any trace of advanced technology on the ind.


    The streets were lit by whale oilmps, the residential buildings were built from fish bones and mud, and their main mode of transportation was still horse-drawn carts. Charles couldn''t help but admit that the Foundation''s n to use the Haikor tribe as a cover was a clever one.


    Shindy''s home was small, and the furniture within was basic and crudely made. However, they had whatever was necessary for daily living. The only difference was the material these furniture were made from. Aspared to metal, the Haikors clearly favored whale bones.


    The moment Shindy stepped into the house, his mother, who wasrger than him by a full size, rushed over and pulled him into a tight embrace as tears streamed down her face. Soon, another round of heartfelt chatter began.


    Once their emotional reunion was over, steaming dishes were ced onto the table. The two parents watched with teary eyes as their son gobbled up the food like he hadn''t eaten in days.


    "Shindy, do you still remember? Five years ago today, the Apostle brought you to our house. Under His witness, we signed a contract and became a family," Hank said, his voice tinged with nostalgia.


    Shindy tilted his head back, gulping down therge bowl of soup made from red fish scales. Swallowing everything in his mouth, he ced the empty bowl back onto the table and nodded. "Yes, I remember that day."


    "It seems like everything was decided by the gods. They must have felt that you were not meant to die," Hank said and suddenly rose to his feet. He walked over to the small shrine in the corner and carefully wiped down a red coral statue with a cloth.


    Charles eyed the statue¡ªa swollen old dog with tentacle-like appendages around the mouth. Charles instantly recognized it to be Dr. O5 from the Foundation.


    It seemed that among the Haikor tribe, there were also various branches when it came to the worship of the fake gods, and Shindy''s household wworshiped O5.


    However, Shindy had already converted, bing a Fhtagnist, so the scene before him felt like a tant desecration of his one and true God. The real God was almighty and powerful, unlike these mortal, fake gods.


    Just as Shindy wanted to voice out his grievances, Charles gently nipped at his eye socket with his spider mandibles to remind him to stay in character and not stir any unnecessary trouble.


    "Shindy, why aren''t you eating? Are you craving for something else? I can go buy it for you now," Shindy''s mother offered.


    Shindy merely shook his head and shed his mother a smile before continuing to eat onerge mouthful after another.


    As night befell, with only one eye remaining, Shindy looked respectfully at Charles'' spider nibbling on some fish.


    "Governor, this food is indeed a bit in. I''ll have my mother go to the fish market tomorrow to buy something fresh," Shindy remarked.


    Charles maneuvered the spider, allowing its white silk threads to glide across the floor.


    "Stop wasting time on meaningless things," Charles wrote. "Let''s get down to business. We''re in the enemy''s outpost. Caution is key."


    Shindy moved to the window and carefully pulled back the curtain to reveal a slit. He observed his parents, who were sleeping outside, before returning to Charles.


    "I know; the heretics are everywhere out there," Shindy whispered. "Tomorrow, I''ll go gather intelligence. All for God Fhtagn!"


    Charles wordlessly stared at Shindy for a few seconds, his spider eyes narrowing. However, he decided he was toozy to say anything and silently retreated back into Shindy''s eye socket.


    He had almost forgotten that Shindy was a Fhtagn fanatic. There was no need for him to interact too much with a zealot; he just needed to make use of Shindy.


    The next morning, Shindy was eager to go out, but Charles stopped him. It was just too suspicious for him to go out the moment he returned home, and especially so if he were to loiter around a ce that held the Fhtagn lunatics captive.

 Chapter 764: Gavin

    Time was essential to ease the Haikor''s suspicions toward Shindy. The Foundation hadn''t paid that much attention to Shindy, but Charles felt that it was better to y safe.


    After all, it wouldn''t be that easy to find another Haikor defector from the Sea of Mist.


    So Shindy stayed at home for half a month. He stayed cooped up in his home that his parents were starting to worry if he had fallen ill from the ordeal.


    Fortunately, Shindy finally left the house the following day.


    Shattered Heart Isles was a scattered archipgo where boats were more practical than carts. Shindy acquired a small boat and started working as a transporter between the various inds. Of course, the idea was naturally suggested by Charles.


    The purpose wasn''t to earn money. This work allowed Shindy to roam freely between the inds without arousing suspicion.


    As a small boat operator who ferried passengers around, chatting them up to build a friendly rapport and solicit regrs was a routine urrence as well, hence providing the perfect cover for him.


    During one of their wanderings, Charles passed by the home of that jellyfish prophet who had once helped him.


    However, he wasn''t sure whether the jellyfish prophet was affiliated with the Foundation or not. So he dared not reach out casually"Miss, we''ve arrived at Heart''s End. Be careful when disembarking; the boat might wobble a little," Shindy reminded with a polite smile.


    Draped in colorful robes, the woman towering over three meters tall held her head high as she stepped off the boat. She walked gracefully down the slick steps and onto Heart''s End¡ªthe smallest ind at the lowest end of the Shattered Heart Isles.


    With a gentle tug of the reins, a giant, python-like earthworm writhed in the water and pulled the boat along the edge of the ind as Shindy navigated to his next destination.


    Shindy''s movements seemed as if he was in search of his next passenger. However, his voice was barely audible as he whispered, "Governor, look at that building on our upper left. From the information I''ve gathered, that''s where they are holding all Fhtagnists on Shattered Heart Isles."


    As the boat drifted closer to the building, a massive gate made of giant bones came into view.


    Shindy slipped into the boat''s cabin, his voice a mix of agitation and urgency as he pleaded to the eyeball in his hand. "Governor, our brothers and sisters are inside. We need to find a way to get them out."


    Charles pondered for a brief moment before he replied, "Don''t make any rash movement. Try to find somewhere discreet and drop me off; I''ll scout the area. Pick me up at the same ce tomorrow."


    Compared to Shindy''s towering three-meter stature, Charles, in his spider form, would have a much easier time slipping in unnoticed.


    Shindyplied immediately. Just as a portly man insisted on taking a ride on his boat, he created a distraction by stopping the man from boarding. Meanwhile, Charles'' eight spider legs moved swiftly, propelling him into the shadows of a nearby building.


    Without electronic lights, the dim light provided by the oilmps on the ind could hardly illuminate the entire ce. The darkness worked in Charles'' favor, as it gave him ample cover to sneak around.


    After making a swift circuit of the area to assess the situation, Charles controlled the spider to climb up a wall and slipped into the second floor of the building.


    A Haikor girl who was passing by rubbed her eyes in confusion. She turned to her mother, and in a puzzled tone, she asked, "Am I seeing things? I thought I just saw an eyeball scurrying across the wall."


    Her mother cast a nce at the eerie building and instantly recalled the people imprisoned within. A shiver ran down her spine; she grabbed her daughter''s hand and hastened her pace away from the ce.


    Jumping down from the window, Charles scurried at his fastest possible speed to hide under a nearby bed. He stayed perfectly still as he waited, remaining in the same spot until deep into the night.


    When it was finally night, he emerged from his hiding spot to survey the surroundings. Looking around, he found himself in what appeared to be a storage space.


    Judging by the thickyer of dust that coated everything, the room had been long forgotten and unused for quite some time.


    Charles swiftly squeezed through the gap on the top of the door. He crept along the edges of the ceiling in search of the area where the lunatics were being held.


    It wasn''t that hard to locate the area he wanted in this building. After all, the ce wasn''t that big, and the walls even conveniently disyed signs to indicate the purpose of each room.


    The flickering torches in the basement barely provided enough illumination for the area. Countless hands dangled limply from the bars of their cells, and Charles felt as though he had descended into the depths of hell when he saw the shadowy figures within whose heads were bowed in despair.


    Jist then, an arm shot out from one of the cells with lightning speed. It grabbed Charles'' spider eye and tried to shove it into their filthy, gaping mouth!


    Charles reacted instinctively and sank his venomous fangs into the grimy hand. The attacker released Charles with a howl of agony, and Charles quickly scurried up the wall to the safety of the ceiling.


    Back in the Governor''s Mansion on Hope Ind, Charles'' breathing increased rapidly. He didn''t expect that to happen. Catching a spider was one thing, but trying to eat it immediately upon seeing it? That was unexpected for him.


    "Fuck! Where did it go?! A spider that big; imagine the juices!" the prisoner cursed.


    His outburst ignited the rage of the others in the cell. They began shouting and cursing at each other for disturbing their rest.


    As Charles watched the chaotic scene below, he found himself in a bit of a predicament. Though his spider form was ideal for stealth infiltration, it made revealing his identity a challenging task. And if he didn''t make himself known, these lunatics would only continue to see him as nothing more than an insect.


    Charles continued to crawl within the shadows as he scanned each and every face, seemingly looking for someone.


    Judging from their disheveled appearances, it was clear that the king of Shattered Heart Isles had no intention of treating these madmen. They were being imprisoned here like dangerous criminals rather than patients.


    Suddenly, Charles stopped in his tracks. He noticed one figure standing out from the rest. He wasn''t a Haikor, but a human. The human was a bald young man with octopus tentacles tattooed across his face.


    Hunched over, the man was frantically scrawling something on the wall with his bloodied fingers. His dark circles hung low under his eyes, and his eyes were bloodshot. It seemed like he hadn''t slept for days.


    However, he didn''t seem to look exhausted. Instead, there was a feverish intensity in his actions as he continued to draw on the wall with relentless energy. The entire wall was covered in blood-red scribbles. There was a crude depiction of Fhtagn in the middle with poems and praises to the god scribbled haphazardly around the image.


    Thebination of the blood-red scribblings and the flickering mes from the torches further amplified the unsettling eeriness in the building.


    Charles recognized the man. Even though many years had passed, the bald head and the distinctive tattoos were unmistakable. He had met this man a long time ago when thetter was just a boy.


    With his face suffused with manic excitement, Gavin stared at his masterpiece on the wall. He felt as though the image of God Fhtagn hade alive. His Lord was acknowledging his devotion and his unwavering faith.


    All of a sudden, a small spider with a single eye on its back crawled across the face of God Fhtagn, instantly shattering Gavin''s hallucination.


    Due to theck of sleep over a prolonged period of time, Gavin''s emotions were on a knife''s edge, and the sudden intrusion filled him with a blinding rage.


    Clenching down on his jaw so tightly that his gums began to bleed, traces of murderous intent filled his gaze. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a jagged stone, ready to crush the spider that had dared defile his sacred artwork.


    Just as he raised his hand high up and was about to bring the stone down, he came to a screeching halt. He watched as the spider weaved something with its white silk and formed words before his eyes.


    "Gavin, do you remember that person who let you touch the tattoo on his neck?"


    The moment those words entered Gavin''s gaze, the stone slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor with a dull thud. Tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his cheeks uncontrobly.


    "Are you the one who bears the Lord''s mark? You haven''t forgotten me!" Gavin asked, his voice trembling with tumultuous emotions.

 Chapter 765: Followers

    In the dimly lit prison cell, a single strand of spider silk unraveled from Charles'' tail. Upside down, the spider dangled from the silk and descended slowly to Gavin''s eye level.


    "It''s been a long while, Gavin," Charles greeted briefly.


    His simple words sent Gavin into a near frenzy of excitement that he almost fainted from his overwhelming emotions. Like an overjoyed child, Gavin jumped up and down, causing a flush of red to rapidly cross his face.


    "It''s you! It''s really <em>YOU!</em>"


    "Quiet! Don''t wake the others!"


    At Charles''mand, Gavin immediately stopped. He tried to suppress his excited breathing as his words tumbled out in a rushed, jumbled mess.


    "Sir, you are like the guiding tower of light, my beacon! Without you, there would be no Gavin of today! You are my pir of strength, pushing me forward! I''ve always revered you!


    "After so many years of effort, I can now finally hear the voice of the Great One in my mind! I''ve been following in your footsteps!"


    However, Charles had no interest in discussing with Gavin his progression of faith with Fhtagn; that wasn''t why he was here."Gavin, let''s talk about thatter. Right now, I need to reach the depths of the Sea of Mist. You''ve been here for a long while now; do you know of any ways?"


    Gavin paused for a moment but quickly refocused and allowed his mind to race for solutions.


    "To the depths of the Sea of Mist¡­" Gavin muttered to himself.


    Charles nced around at the towering Haikors held captive in the other cells and asked, "Or perhaps one of them might have a way?"


    A hint of disdain flickered across Gavin''s eyes. "What would those ignorant fools know? They''re just passive recipients who had heard the Great One''s call. My work in this Sea of Mist is far more extensive than theirs."


    After pondering for a few more moments, Gavin suddenly raised his head. A solemn expression suffused his face as he said, "Sir, I may have been captured, but my younger brother still runs free. Go look for him. He''s at 93 District 15, Heart''s Crown."


    Then Gavin presented a ring to Charles with both hands. "Please take this with you. He''ll recognize it immediately and do everything in his power to assist you. All of my people are under hismand now."


    Charles nodded in affirmation. He epted the ring with his spider head before turning and crawling up the ceiling.


    The next day, as per their agreement, Shindy arrived on his boat to pick Charles up and ferry him away from the small ind toward Heart''s Crown.


    Heart''s Crown was one of the many smaller inds within the Shattered Heart Isles and was easy to locate.


    93 District 15 was a candy shop. Although the Haikors didn''t have children, the innate love of sweetness was universal among living beings. As such, the small shop was bustling with business and packed with people.


    Most of the sweets offered in the shop were malt sugar blocks made from ck rye. Due to the Haikors'' towering stature, even their candies were massive in size with each weighing about a pound each.


    If a human were to eat it, they would struggle to fit one in their mouths.


    As soon as Charles entered the shop, he saw a gray-haired young man assisting a three-meter-tall Haikor woman. The two of them were attending to customers warmly.


    Surrounded by towering giants, the young man appeared petite, though he was far from that. He stood roughly two meters, after all.


    Charles'' instincts told him that the young man was Gavin''s younger brother.


    When theyst met, the boy was just a scrawny, introverted child, too fearful even to ept the bread offered to him. After many years, however, he had transformed into a capable and confident man.


    Under Charles'' direction, Shindy approached the young man and showed thetter the ring.


    The moment the young manid his eyes on the ring, his expression shifted for a split second. He nced around quickly before his face returned to its previous warm demeanor.


    "Ah, dear sir, the order you ced with us is at the back. Please, follow me. Honey, I''ll be right back."


    The three-meter-tall Haikor woman muttered a lowint but didn''t raise her voice. It was clear who held authority in this household.


    Standing on tip toes, the young man wrapped his arms around the massive four-meter-tall door handle and twisted it to the right. He grabbed a nearby oilmp and led Shindy down a spiraling staircase.


    When they arrived at the bottom, Charles found himself in a room that was the size of a ssroom. It was packed with various goods¡ªmostly sugar and tools for making different kinds of candy.


    The young man walked to the corner and lightly pressed his hand against a certain spot on the wall.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    A hidden door slid open to reveal a narrow tunnel.


    The tunnel grew increasingly narrower the deeper they walked into it. Eventually, Shindy had to shuffle sideways like a crab due to his towering frame.


    "Where did you get that ring?" the young man asked without turning back. His previous warm voice now carried a hint of hostility.


    Before Shindy could say a word, a sharp de suddenly descended from above and halted inches from his throat. It was a trap!


    Several figures descended, their hands gripping onto ropes as they held sharp des between their teeth. They had Shindypletely encircled. Under the wavering illumination of the flickering light from the oilmp, Charles could see glimpses of the tentacle tattoos on their faces. They were all Fhtagnists.


    "You''d better think carefully before answering! Or you can stay here for good!" the young man warned as he slowly turned around with themp in hand. The swaying glow of the me illuminated only half his face while the other half was veiled in darkness.


    "Governor, this isn''t the same as what you told me," Shindy stammered, his voice trembling due to his current predicament.


    Without hesitation, Charles crawled out of Shindy''s eye socket and used his spider thread to reveal his identity to the young man.


    As soon as he realized that the spider before him was none other than the person who had once given him bread and the one with the Divine Mark, the young man''s reaction mirrored his brother''s. Utter shock and awe struck him like a lightning bolt.


    Kevin knew that only he and his brother knew of the events of that day. He had never shared the details with anyone else. The fact that this spider could recount those details meant that what it imed was true.


    "Assistant Priest Kevin, do you recognize this eye? Who is it?" The Fhtagnists let go of their ropes andnded before swiftly gathering around the young man.


    Most of them were humans. Judging from their patched and worn clothes, it was evident that they held low status on Shattered Heart Isles.


    The moment they were told that the eyeball in front of them belonged to someone who had the Divine Mark, they fell to their knees and bowed with reverence toward Shindy¡ªor rather, Charles, perched atop Shindy''s shoulder.


    Their eyes gleamed with a mix of devotion and fanaticism. They seemed to have assumed that Charles held significant status in the Fhtagn Covenant.


    Soon, Charles and Shindy were escorted into a spacious underground chamber. As soon as Charles leaped onto the table, the followers swarmed around him like a hive.


    "Sir, has the Divinity''s Land finally learned of our existence? I knew it! A follower of the Great One would surely be able to feel a fellow brethren. they wouldn''t abandon their brothers and sisters here in the Sea of Mist."


    "What instructions do the elders have for us? We''re ready to assist at any time or even be spies here. Together with our fellow believers, we can take control of this heretic-infested ind! We''ll then offer every living being on this ind to our great Lord and Savior, Fhtagn Sawito!"


    "Rest assured, we''ve mapped out the Shattered Heart Isles'' navy positions and patrol routes. Once we seize control of the Haikor king and those clergy, the ind will be ours!"

 Chapter 766: Death

    At the sight of his followers crowding around the spider, Kevin, Gavin''s younger brother, mmed his hand on the table. His voice was tinged with anger as he roared, "Enough! Do you think we are in the fish market at the docks? Quiet!"


    Despite being the youngest in the room, it seemed like Kevin clearly held the most authority. The zealots surrounding Charles quickly took a step back, but their eager yet reverent gazes remained fixated on Charles.


    Observing their fervent expressions, realization finally dawned upon Charles. These people were the result of Gavin''s recruitment over the years.


    Though the Foundation didn''t directly govern the Haikor territories, it was considered quite a significant feat for Gavin and Kevin to have been able to find so many Fhtagnists on Shattered Heart Isles. After all, the inds were still under the Foundation''s influence.


    The current ce Charles was in was unmistakably a church¡ªa church of Fhtagn.


    Casting a nce at the coral statue of Fhtagn nearby, Charles spected that Octett probably wasn''t even aware that there was a hidden stronghold beneath the ind.


    "Sir, wh-what do you think of this ce? Is there anything that needs to be changed? We just arranged everything based on our humble understanding. If there''s anything that displeases you, please let me know, and I''ll fix it immediately," Kevin said nervously as he watched the spider taking in its surroundings.


    Naturally, Charles wouldn''t have any real knowledge of how a Fhtagn church ought to be set up. He merely gave a vague nod of approval.


    The moment Charles expressed his approval, the room erupted into smiles; they felt as though all their efforts had finally been validated.As he watched the joyous faces in front of him, Charles couldn''t help but find his situation amusing. He hadn''t expected that there woulde a day when he''d end up using an identity like this.


    However, his identity proved to be advantageous, as it meant that he now had several useful allies in this ce.


    "I have something that requires everyone''s assistance," Charles dered. His words sent a visible rm through the gathered Fhtagnists. Their hands shot up into the air as they fought to volunteer their services, each one desperate that someone else might be picked over them.


    "I need to board a ship that heads to the deepest part of the Sea of Mist¡ªor even better, to hijack one. Do you have any ways? I only need a boat; I have the necessary maps."


    The eager expressions immediately morphed into solemn faces. Judging from their change in attitude, Charles was certain that this was no simple task.


    "What''s wrong? Is it a difficult task?" Charles asked.


    "It''s possible," Kevin said after pondering for a moment. "The false gods of the Haikors live in the depths of the Sea of Mist. Under typical circumstances, only the clergy are allowed to send ships to the inner inds of the Sea of Mist to deliver supplies after receiving an oracle from those false gods."


    "Without an oracle, any ship heading toward the inner inds of the Sea of Mist would be highly conspicuous, and it would be impossible to avoid detection. If you want to go there, you must be on an official ship¡ªthere''s no sneaking in," Kevin concluded.


    "The clergy, <em>huh?</em>" Charles was instantly reminded of those Haikors he had encountered. They were draped in colorful stripes of cloth. Stripped of their religious trappings, these individuals were essentially the Foundation¡¯s liaisons with the outside world. Whenever something was needed from the outside, they would rely on the Haikor tribe to gather it. The issue now lied with how to infiltrate such a group. He was no longer the powerful Charles. His only strength was limited, as he was in the form of a tiny spider.


    Kevin stared at the spider which remained motionless ever since his reply. His face hardened with determination as he dered, "Sir, please give us some time! This is the first task given to us by the Covenant, and we willplete it no matter what! All for the Great One! All for Fhtagn Sawito!


    Charles watched Kevin''s zealous expression for a few seconds before he nodded. The spider''s sinister head bobbed slightly as it wrote with its silk thread. "All for God Fhtagn."


    Back at the Governor''s Mansion, Charles rubbed his slightly aching neck and stood up from his chair. He walked out onto the sunlit balcony and scanned the bustling, peaceful streets of Hope Ind below.


    After Shindy returned home with the spider eye, Charles could finally move around and rx his body a little. Sitting in one ce all day controlling the spider had left his legs feeling numb.


    Watching the inders hustle about their daily lives on the distant streets, Charles felt a profound sense of detachment. He felt like he wasn''t living in the same world as those people.


    He slowly picked up the round ss bottle from the table beside him and took a deep swig.


    Before he could take a mouthful, the brown liquid inside the bottle began to bubble and turn ck.


    An octopus''s horizontal eye soon appeared within the bottle.


    "Charles, how''s the progress?" It was Octett.


    "We''ve run into a tricky situation and am thinking of how to resolve it," Charles answered as he casually ced the bottle on the balcony railing. "Don''t rush me; that''s not going to help anything. If you have the ability, then take the entire Fhtagn Covenant with you into the Sea of Mist and mess with the Foundation directly."


    "Remember, let me know as soon as there is any progress. We''re working on another n to deal with the Foundation. Let''s see if we can coordinate."


    "What n?" Charles asked. He was genuinely curious about what n could the Fhtagn Covenante up with to stir trouble for the Foundation.


    "That''s not something you need to know now. Just focus on your task." With that, Octett''s eye faded from within the bottle.


    Charles merely shrugged. He picked up the bottle, tilted his head back and took arge mouthful.


    He had barely swallowed when he heard a set of familiar footsteps behind him. He instantly recognized them.


    "Why are you back? Didn''t 134 take you back to Whereto?" Charles asked without even turning back to look. After all, the sound of Tobba''s footsteps was too distinctive to mistake.


    Cradling a handful of colorful mice in his arms, Tobba walked up toward Charles. He regarded Charles with the same look of curiosity as when they had met for the first time.


    Charles turned toward Tobba, unsure if thetter was now prophetic or was just insane. He pondered for a moment before asking, "What do you think of our current situation? What will be our future? Will we defeat the Foundation, or will they wipe us out?"


    Tobba shook his head in puzzlement. "Did you have breakfast this morning?"


    "<em>Huh?</em>" Charles was clearly baffled by Tobba''s nonsensical response.


    <em>Could this be some kind of riddle? A metaphor? </em>Charles wondered to himself as he tried to find some meaning to the question.


    However, Tobba''s next words shattered all of his thoughts. "Do you have any leftovers from breakfast? I''m starving; I want to eat."


    Charles let out a weary sigh. He felt that if he were to try to follow Tobba''s line of thought for a prolonged period of time, he could end up as mad as Tobba himself.


    "Go to the kitchen and find something to eat," Charles replied. "If you don''t know where it is, ask the mice in your hands."


    "Okay." Tobba turned to leave. But just as he reached the doorway, he stopped abruptly in his tracks.


    Tobba''s hair shimmered white under the bright electric lights. He contemted for a moment before saying, "Yesterday, someone from outside challenged me to a game of rock-paper-scissors. Four out of three rounds to win, and I won."


    "I see. Great to know. It''s always better to win than to lose," Charles replied absentmindedly, swirling the liquor in his ss. He wasn''t really paying attention to Tobba''s words.


    Tobba thought for a few more moments before he added in a matter-of-factly way, "There''s one more thing¡ªI''m going to die soon."

 Chapter 767: Ship

    Chapter 767: Ship


    Charles'' hand trembled, and he almost dropped the wine bottle in his hand to the floor. He rushed to Tobba''s side and nervously asked, "What did you just say? Don''t fool around when ites to something like that.


    "Will it be just you, or will all mankind die with you?"


    Tobba''s brows were tightly furrowed, and he looked quite troubled as he said, "<em>Hmm...</em> I don''t know. I only saw the moment of my own death."


    "Talk properly to me, Tobba. Don''t speak in riddles. This is really important to me!" Charles eximed. He grabbed the arms of the old man in front of him and lifted him up, making his feet dangle in the air.


    Just as Charles thought that Tobba wouldn''t say anything, Tobba''s pure and child-like eyes abruptly changed. He seemed to have transformed into an adult as he said, "It has nothing to do with you. I''m just announcing my death in advance.


    "Let me make it clear, my grave has to be next to Lily''s grave. The color of the tombstone should be pure yellow, and there has to be nothing written on it. On the day of my burial, I want to be my own chief mourner."


    Charles'' heart was inundated by a wave of joy. He had only seen this kind of Tobba in another perspective. "You''vee to your senses? What can you see in the future? Is the Foundation still there, or is it gone?"


    "How can I see that when the myriad of futures are now stacked on top of each other? There are a myriad of futures, but there''s one thing I am sure of¡ªthe Foundation will always exist."


    As soon as Tobba finished speaking, Charles'' body instantly tensed up. He felt a powerful danger approaching!Just then, two triangr rifts quietly appeared on the white wallpapered wall next to them. Tobba had attracted the attention of the perspective police!


    Charles had dealt with them before, and their bizarre attacks, along with the fact that they were immortal, made them troublesome enemies to handle.


    When Charles thought that a fierce battle was going to unfold, his expectation was betrayed, and the room remained peaceful.


    Charles turned to Tobba just then and found thetter staring at him with a silly smile tugging at his lips. Clearly, the "real" Tobba had left.


    He let go of Tobba, and thetter hopped toward the kitchen with some terrified mice in his arms.


    Charles felt conflicted as he stared at Tobba''s cheerful back profile.


    Was he really going to die? Was he going to lose another crew member?


    Tobba''s words had shaken him so much that he couldn''t continue drinking. He carefully pondered over the information that Tobba had conveyed to him. He even called Anna and Sparkle over to talk about them.


    Tobba had provided very little information. He said that the Foundation would always exist, but he didn''t really say anything about which side would win¡ªwere the winners the Foundation or them?


    Charles found Tobba''s words to be contradictory. His words about how the Foundation would always exist wouldn''t hold true if the Foundation ended up losing the fight, but it was <em>possible</em>.


    They could choose to coexist peacefully with everyone, after all.


    Charles and the others thought hard and long about it, but no matter how hard they thought about it, they couldn''t make any conclusions apart from the conclusion that Tobba was going to die soon.


    Before they could extrapte more information from Tobba''s words, Charles heard news from the Shattered Heart Isles, which was thousands of miles away from Hope Ind.


    Charles soon synchronized with the spider and found himself in the same underground church as earlier, and the first thing he saw was Kevin with a live fish in his hands.


    Kevin presented the live fish, which was only as big as his index finger, to the spider eye, and a fawning look suffused his face as he said, "Sir, this is a fresh yellow-scaled fish, and it''s the most delicious deep-sea fish in the Southern Seas!


    "We heard that you haven''t been eating well recently, so we specially went out to sea to catch this fish for you."


    Charles nced at Shindy sitting upright beside him. He made the spider eye inject its digestive fluids into the fish, and then he turned to Kevin, asking, "Have you found a solution to what we had discussed before?"


    "Yes, sir!" Kevin nodded excitedly. "We discovered that a ship is setting sail tomorrow to deliver goods to one of the inner inds in the Sea of Mist!"


    Kevin pointed at Shindy next to him and said, "I''ve bribed the boatswain to let this brother of ourse aboard as a sailor on his ship. Fortunately, this brother of ours is a Haikor, and they are less wary of their own people.


    "If he were human, this arrangement would be impossible."


    "Do you know the ship''s destination?" Charles asked. Then, he briefly returned to his own body to take out arge nautical chart. He wanted to know just how far was the destination from SITE 6.


    "<em>Um... </em>we can''t really ask that kind of question. The Haikors rarely talk about the happenings inside the Sea of Mist," Kevin asked, revealing a trace of embarrassment on his face.


    "It''s fine. Just get us on the ship and leave the rest to us," Charles said.


    "Mmhm!" Kevin nodded vigorously. "Those false gods can only hope to threaten the Great One! The day of His awakening is the day of their reckoning!"


    Charles stared at Kevin and nodded. "If you two can handle it, I want you and your brother to cause some trouble for the Haikors using the Fhtagnists in the prison upon our departure."


    Amotion in one of their inds could definitely distract the Foundation.


    "Understood! We will do it even if it costs us everything!" the Fhtagnists present stood up straight with eyes filled with a fanatical light.


    They all thought that Charles¡ªa big shot in the Fhtagn Covenant¡ªhad just given them an order. They all believed that seeding in this task meant being bestowed upon the grace of an initiation ceremony, which would transform them into true servants of the Great One!


    Soon, it was the morning of the next day.


    Shindy made a beeline for the docks, as he had already prepared everythingst night. Kevin had sent over a shark skin that would serve as his identification, and he gripped it tightly as he strode over to a turtleshell ship in the distance.


    The work of a sailor was more or less the same¡ªscrubbing the deck clean, doing odd jobs, and doing maintenance on the ropes¡ªShindy had done these before, so he had no issues with them.


    The bribed boatswain revealed a satisfied look upon seeing that Shindy didn''t need to be taught.


    A thirty-centimeter-long palm patted Shindy''s shoulder. The hand belonged to the boatswain. Shindy turned and saw the boatswain''s face, whose most prominent feature was his ball-like beard.


    "You''re pretty good, kid. Follow me for a few more trips after this, and you''ll be convinced by how much easier it is to sail the straits leading to the inner indspared to the sea outside. Consider yourself lucky to be here."


    Shindy straightened his back at Charles'' signal and asked, "Boss, how many days are we going to be out here? We shouldn''t be out for too long, no? I want to go back early if possible.


    "If my mother finds out that I''m out here sailing again, then she will definitely scold me to death."


    The boatswain picked his nose and flicked the booger to the floor that Shindy had just mopped clean. "If we don''t encounter huge waves and are able to maintain this speed, then the trip there should take us twenty days.


    "In other words, the entire trip will take forty days toplete, so your mother will definitely find out that you''re out at sea again."


    "We''re not going to keep turning, are we? I don''t get seasick, but I feel like throwing up whenever a ship is turning."


    "Don''t worry, we aren''t turning. The destination is just straight ahead. Anyway, keep working hard out here," the boatswain said. He patted Shindy''s shoulder once again before turning around to leave.


    Meanwhile, in the Governor''s Mansion of Hope Ind, Charles took out arge nautical chart and ced it on the table. He quickly drew the ship''s current route based on its current speed and heading.


    For a veteran captain like Charles, anticipating the route of a ship based on its speed and heading was a piece of cake. Of course, a few more details were necessary, but as long as the details were there, he''d have no issues deducing a ship''s destination.


    Upon seeing that the ship''s destination was six hundred nautical miles away from SITE 6, which he had marked on the map, Charles knew that he had to take control of the ship before it reached its destination.

 Chapter 768: Forest

    Chapter 768: Forest


    Dark purple tree trunks extended upward from beneath the ink-green seawater, intertwining above the ship. A turtleshell ship the size of half a ser field slowly sailed through the forest of purple trees.


    The turtle shell covered in moss opened slowly, and several Haikor sailors nervously looked at the eerie scene around them. It was deathly silent. Aside from the sound of waves, there were no other noises.


    "Boss, have you been here before? Will we really reach our destination by going through this ce? I can''t see any creatures in the water. Maybe there''s something dangerous inside?" Shindy asked. He looked quite fearful as he stared at the boatswain next to him.


    "This is the territory of our gods. What are you so worried about? This route opened just a month ago, so it''s quite new, but this is my third time using this route, and there hasn''t been any danger. This ce isn''t dangerous at all."


    The boatswain''s eyes revealed a hint of contempt for Shindy.


    Shindy was diligent and hardworking, but he was quite timid. He was always asking about this and that out of fear. The boatswain decided to kick Shindy out of the ship upon their return.


    What was he doing sailing when he was so timid? The boatswain found it so absurd that he couldn''t quite believe Shindy''s decision to even go out at sea.


    <em>A new route? Are they delivering goods to a new location rather than the usual? </em>Charles thought.


    "Stop looking around. What''s there to see around here? You guys go to the hold and bring the goods up to the deck. We''ll be arriving soon."At the boatswain''s words, Shindy followed the other sailors to the cargo hold.


    As soon as they reached the cargo hold, Charles finally saw the "goods." They were a group of terrified humans. They were crammed into cages, looking disheveled and filthy. The majority of them were adults, with no elderly or children. It seemed that this batch of "goods" had been carefully selected.


    Charles had no idea what the Foundation was going to do with these outsiders, but he was certain about one thing¡ªthese people had a horrible end ahead of them.


    Amidst the shouts and wailing of the terrified people, five-meter-long poles were inserted into the cage from up above. Shindy squatted down, ced the pole on his shoulder, and carried the cage toward the hatch with another Haikor.


    There were many "goods" in the cargo hold. The sailors carried cages nonstop for thirty minutes before they finally managed to move all the "goods" on the deck up above.


    As soon as they finished their work, their destination finally appeared in their eyes.


    Their destination was an ind woven from purple tree trunks.


    The deep purple trunks not only covered the sea surface but also created a giant circr that surrounded the entire ind. The forest of purple that Charles and the others had seen not too long ago had obviouslye from here.


    The forest-like ind didn''t have any natural light; the shing red dots on the bathed the entire ind with a hazy, flickering red glow.


    Charles had seen those red dots on the surface world. The majority of them were ced on the highest point of tall buildings, and they were being used as navigational lights to prevent airnes from crashing into buildings at night.


    The ship docked slowly at a pier woven from ck tree trunks. As soon as the ship came to a halt, the crew instantly became tense, including the boatswain.


    Elizabeth''s grandfather had told Charles that the Foundation had never really told the Haikor Tribe the purpose of these inds. Thus, the inner inds became synonymous with the words "mysterious" and "dangerous" for the Haikors.


    Draped in colorful stripes of cloth, a priest slowly walked out of the ship and walked down the pier toward a small alley under the watchful gazes of the crew.


    Several hourster, the priest had yet to return. Just as the others were getting a bit impatient, the priest finally returned, saying, "The gods have learned of our arrival. Put the goods on the pier, and we can go back."


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at that. Everyone present, including the captain, began moving the "goods." They didn''t want to stay here for even a moment longer.


    The entire crew was mobilized, so they made quick work of the job.


    In no time, the "goods" were finally on the pier.


    Soon, the vines on the ground writhed and wrapped around the cages. Then, the vines dragged the cages away amidst the terrified screams of the humans within them.


    "Weigh anchor! We''re going back!" the captainmanded.


    Everyone on the ship immediately rushed to their own posts.


    The huge turtleshell ship had just barely left the pier when the cook''s terrified voice echoed throughout the cabin, astonishing the crew. "Boss! Bad news! Our fresh water has been contaminated!"


    Fresh water was of vital importance on a ship.


    People would die of thirst after just three days without water, and even the giant Haikors were no exception.


    Of course, the contamination of the fresh water was Shindy''s handiwork in response to Charles'' instruction.


    They weren''t going to let this ship return so easily, and they would never go back until they had achieved their goal.


    The bald captain gathered the crew on the deck of the turtleshell ship and swept his gaze across them with an uncertain look. The people before him had spent many days and nights sailing with him, so his gaze eventuallynded on the new sailors.


    The captain''s gaze swept over the faces of Shindy and the other new sailors. "You better not be thinking that you''re going to be fine by hiding among us. Force my hand, and I''ll throw all of you into the sea, the innocent be damned!"


    The new sailors were terrified. They immediatelypeted with each other, expressing their loyalty to the captain. They all imed that they weren''t a traitor.


    Shindy was the most earnest among the new sailors.


    However, the captain knew that they had to prioritize fresh water before anything else. Without fresh water, they would all die even if they managed to find the traitor and kill them.


    The captain snorted coldly at the new sailors. Then, he turned and walked toward the priest. "Priest, is there fresh water on this ind of the gods? Can you ask them for some fresh water on our behalf?"


    The priest seemed to have been put between a rock and a hard ce, and it showed on his face, but he eventually nodded and said, "All right, I''ll go and ask for some fresh water. Come with me."


    The captain nodded and was about to go follow the priest when he stopped and looked at the new sailors.


    "Wait, I want to bring them along, too," the captain said. The remaining crew members then attracted his attention, and he added, "No, I want everyone toe with us."


    The captain was afraid that there was more than one traitor among them. If he were to leave some of the crew on the ship and his ship ended up missing upon his return from obtaining some fresh water, the joke would be on him.


    The entire crew disembarked and followed the priest with anxious looks as they headed into the depths of the purple forest.


    The path wasn''t that difficult, but everyone''s breathing became lighter and lighter as they walked deeper into the forest. They were all afraid of disturbing some existence.


    Finally, they stopped in front of a living wall.


    The priest crouched and revealed a purple leaf in his hand.


    A small pure white flower looking like a lotus was behind the purple leaf, and it was a beautiful flower.


    Just as everyone was entranced by the white flower, it suddenly moved, retracting its stem and opening its bud. The bud then made a beeline for the priest''s right eye, attaching itself to it.


    Everyone was startled by the sudden turn of events, but the priest remained calm.


    Soon, the flower retracted, and its pure white color faded away. It eventually became a sky-blue flower.


    The priest sounded deeply respectful as he said, "Sir Attendant of the Gods, our ship''s fresh water has been contaminated. May we ask for some fresh water from the ind?"

 Chapter 769: Inside

    Chapter 769: Inside


    The tiny sky-blue flower remained unmoving even after a few seconds, but the living wall behind it abruptly opened.


    Vines, shrubs, flowers, and grass¡ªa vibrant forest path appeared before everyone.


    "Let''s go. Sir Attendant of the Gods has invited us inside," the priest said. He stepped forward and walked beyond the living wall. The others quickly followed suit.


    Charles looked around while pondering how to achieve his goal.


    He still had no idea the reason behind this ind''s existence, so he could only act ording to what was going to happen next.


    From what he knew about the Foundation, however, Charles was convinced that this ind wasn''t made for them to y house on it. There had to be dangerous beings on this ind, and they could be his helpers.


    A perfectly circr pond was at the end of the forest path. The water wasn''t deep, barely reaching their ankles. The priest led them to the middle of the pond and waited patiently.


    One of the crew members bent down, scooped up some water from the pond with his hands, and drank it.


    "Boss!" the crew member eximed in surprise, "This isn''t seawater. It''s drinkable!"The captain was a bit exasperated as he red at his crew member. He felt like his crew had just embarrassed him before the gods. "So what if it''s drinkable?! Stand up straight!"


    Just then, it started raining in the forest, drenching everyone down below.


    The rain soon disappeared, and gusts of wind blew across them.


    Charles instantly realized what was happening. They had just been disinfected, and the fact that they were disinfected meant that they had to be going to an important location.


    The group moved forward, and Charles'' deduction was proven in just a few steps.


    The living wall next to them abruptly cracked open, and two people wearing ck hazmat suits walked toward them. They waved their right hands, which were wearing rubber gloves, signaling them to follow suit.


    The crew was uneasy, but they had no choice and could only follow the two figures in ck.


    Everything beyond the living wall was covered in wood, but the greenery looked attractive and deliberatepared to the haphazard growth of the forest outside.


    The minimalistic architectural style of the interior told Charles that he was definitely inside one of the Foundation''s buildings. It was a familiar environment to Charles, but the Haikors were terrified by the unfamiliar surroundings.


    "Sir Attendant of the Gods, <em>um...</em> we just need a little fresh water. After getting the water, we''ll leave immediately," the captain said, sounding uneasy.


    "It''s not that simple." Due to the hazmat suit, the voice of the figure sounded a bit muffled. "You must be interrogated before you can leave. Not a single detail can be overlooked. There''s a new project here, and the protocols are strict."


    "Sir Attendant of the Gods, we really¡ª"


    "Just call me Smith," the other figure wearing a ck hazmat suit said, "We work in different departments, but we''re still colleagues in the end. Don''t be so formal toward me.


    "And don''t make things difficult for me, too. I can''t intervene with the decisions here. As I said, there is a strict protocol that must be followed. It''s like a program, and once it is triggered, it has to be executed at all costs. No one can intervene."


    While the bald captain was talking to the figures d in a ck hazmat suit, Charles took advantage of that opportunity to take a good look around. He had seen a simr facilityyout¡ªtheyout of Laboratory 2 and Laboratory 3.


    If theyout of this facility was consistent with theyouts of both Laboratory 2 and Laboratory 3, then there had to be a containment floor downstairs.


    From Charles'' experience, every single project that had to be contained on a separate ind spelled trouble, so something dangerous had to be under containment down there.


    Regardless, he had to confirm his suspicions first.


    Charles gently bit Shindy''s eye socket with his fangs.


    Shindy nodded in tacit understanding and took out a fake eye from his sleeve. The moment he scratched his forehead, Charles jumped out of the eye socket. Shindy then pushed the fake eye into his eye socket while Charles hid in his palm.


    When Shindy put his hand down, Charles crawled into his clothes, crawled down his leg, and finally to the floor. Charles scaled the walls and eventually scuttled upside down across the ceiling.


    He headed toward the stairs and took advantage of the terrain to hide in an effort to avoid being spotted by any patrolling sentries or surveince cameras.


    Fortunately, the facility''s internal security seemed weaker than it appeared on the outside, as Charles had yet to see any patrolling sentries.


    Charles descended and saw offices belonging to the many different departments of the Foundation. Upon reaching the second floor underground, Charles came to a halt upon catching a glimpse of his own head.


    He turned and confirmed through a window that he was not hallucinating. A projection of his own head was actually floating above a desk in a room.


    <em>What is the Foundation nning to do to me? </em>Charles thought. He looked around carefully and saw that there was someone inside the room. The other party had their back turned toward Charles, seemingly engrossed in writing something. At the sight, Charles decisively made his move. He crawled into the room through the window and rushed toward the desk.


    Uponnding on the keyboard being projected on the desk, the projection of Charles'' head disappeared, and a line of text appeared¡ª"Charles'' Psychological Profile."


    Charles lifted his spider legs and flipped the file open, only to be stupefied by the following discovery. The file contained a ton of information about him, and they were extremely detailed.


    The Foundation seemed to be attempting to extrapte Charles'' mental, emotional, and behavioral characteristics from his personality, living environment, upation, and upbringing.


    For some reason, the Foundation couldn''t extract information from Charles'' brain, so they had no choice but to use Charles'' environment as pieces of information to make deductions about the kind of individual thetter was.


    Basking in the sunlight of sunny Hope Ind, Charles broke out into a cold sweat upon seeing the conclusions that the researchers had reached. They were far too urate!


    The Foundation had urately deduced his desires and thoughts!


    All of a sudden, the door next to him was pushed open. Charles hurriedly crawled behind the table. Just as he stabilized himself, a pair of legs wrapped in ck stockings appeared before him. "<em>Huh?</em> 2854, did you touch my stuff?"


    "Who would touch your stuff? Your research has already been uploaded to the centralputer. If I want to see what you''re researching, I can just download it myself and read it then."


    Charles'' heart tightened at the response.


    The realization that every single member of the Foundation could see his inner self made Charles feel as if he had been stripped naked and shoved toward a spotlight for everyone to gawk at.


    It wasn''t a great feeling at all.


    Unfortunately, things were only going to get worse, as the fact that the Foundation could make aplete profile of him meant that they could do the same for Julio, Jax, Jenny, and even those lunatics of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    Once the Foundation became capable of predicting all of their moves, it wouldn''t matter even if they had a trump card to turn the tables around, they''d still inevitably lose!


    The Foundation would be capable of manipting them into doing their bidding in surreptitious ways. Eventually, they''d be able to initialize n Three once again.


    Fortunately, Charles had discovered what they had been doing behind the scenes all this while. It wasn''t toote for him to ruin their ns. The information he had just obtained alone was enough for Charles to feel that this operation was worthwhile. His efforts had really paid off in spades.


    When themotion died down, Charles crawled down the table and slipped out of the room through a gap in the wall. He had just squeezed himself out of the room and had yet to even catch his breath when he froze upon recalling something.


    <em>Didn''t they just say that the research has been uploaded to the centralputer? If I can somehow ess their centralputer, doesn''t that mean I''ll find more top-secret information?</em>


    With that in mind, Charles was no longer in a hurry to find the contained project.


    If he could find the information that he needed here, then why would he even go to SITE 6? Charles searched the floors room by room, looking for unattendedputers.


    Upon finding an unattended virtualputer, Charles immediately took advantage of that opportunity to use it. In no time, a search bar appeared in front of Charles, but he froze upon seeing it.


    He had too many things to search for that he had no idea what to search for first.


    Charles hesitated for a while before eventually jumping a few times on the virtual keyboard.


    Just like that, the digits, "001", appeared in the search bar.

 Chapter 770: 001

    Chapter 770: 001


    <em>Project ID: 001</em>


    <em>Project Name: Genesis of Chaos</em>


    <em>Project Containment Procedure: </em><strong><em>001 cannot be contained. There is absolutely only one Project 001.</em></strong>


    <em>Description: 001 is not a physical entity. It is a part of a period of history a thousand years ago. A miserable period of history for us humans. May all members of the Foundation take this period in history as a lesson.</em>


    <em>Statement: Interview logs of T2419, a survivor of Civilization''s Fall.</em>


    <em>Reporter Smith: "Hello, Major T2419. You are one of the few survivors of that disaster. As someone from that old era, can you tell us how it happened?"</em>


    <em>T2419: "Why ask me? I''m not very good at expressing myself. You should ask Wild Wolf. He''s a good speaker."</em>


    <em>Reporter Smith: "Yourrade, Lieutenant Colonel Haka, passed away on the 29th ofst month at New World City Central Hospital. Have you forgotten it?"</em>


    <em>T2419: "Really? Sorry, I''ve gotten a bit too old. The elderly be quite dull when ites to the passage of time. That disaster happened a long time ago, so I need some time to think about it carefully.."</em><em>Ten minutester¡­</em>


    <em>T2419: "I remember it was the summer of 2034. I was just an elementary school student at the time. I identally came into contact with a cookie tin depicting a clown in its packaging. The tin was alive.</em>


    <em>"To make a long story short, the tin was a dangerous project. The clown was capable of killing people. It killed my family, and I had to cut off my tongue as well. Since then, I could onlymunicate with others through writing.</em>


    <em>"The predecessor to the Foundation¡ªthe Anomaly Surveince Society¡ªeventually took me in. I had a wonderful time there, and I met my beloved there as well. We had two lovely daughters.</em>


    <em>"At first, I thought that would be my life. I thought my life would be an endless cycle of finding projects to contain or destroy. I thought I''d continue being the police of the Earth''s dark side till the day I die.</em>


    <em>"One day, however, everything changed. The number of projects on the surface world began to increase exponentially. Anything could be a project. When I say anything, I mean </em>everything,<em> including the graffiti on walls and even the sunlight. My two daughters also..."</em>


    <em>Reporter Smith: "Please ept my condolences. It wasn''t your fault."</em>


    <em>T2419: "I digress. In the end, we could no longer hide the existence of projects. We had no choice but to announce their existence to the public through the United Nations.</em>


    <em>"And just like that, the era of madness began. Humans began using the projects primitively just like how humans used fire upon first discovering it. They used the projects tomit crimes or uphold justice. The dangerous projects were popr; the more dangerous, the more popr.</em>


    <em>"It was truly a crazy era. There was even this one project that instantly reduced the poption of Africa by half. In the end, it was only through the joint efforts of several nuclear powers that the project was contained."</em>


    <em>Reporter Smith: "That does sound crazy. What were you doing at that time?"</em>


    <em>T2419: "My routine didn''t really change. I was still doing my job of locating projects and either containing or destroying them. The only difference was that we no longer paid attention to projects with low risks. Our priority is to track and contain projects capable of destroying the world, and then we go down from there.</em>


    <em>"My work in the Foundation was tiring but fulfilling. We were also slowly adapting to them the more contact we made with them.</em>


    <em>"Humans are highly adaptable creatures. Despite the world poption of 7.6 billion people getting reduced by nearly half, the order was eventually restored, and the world enjoyed its previous peace once again.</em>


    <em>"There were many precedents of it, so I knew that we would eventually take control of the projects'' power and use them to our own species'' advantage so that we''d all be even stronger.</em>


    <em>"However, all of that ended when They came."</em>


    <em>Reporter Smith: "Who are They?"</em>


    <em>T2419: "They''re the gods under 002''s lead. We don''t know what They look like because those who had observed Them through telescopes, without exception, had either died or gone mad.</em>


    <em>"We know almost nothing about Them. Except for the fact that we are aware of Their slow approach to Earth, the only thing we knew for sure was that every single project on Earth hade from Them.</em>


    <em>"The news of Their existence was leaked, and the countries on the surface world began copsing one after another. Laws, order, and human civilization began to disappear. Sounds of revelry were everywhere as everyone decided to enjoy their final moments. </em>


    <em>"It seemed that humanity was about to meet its end back then."</em>


    <em>Reporter Smith: "But it seems that humanity didn''t meet its end back then. At the very least, a group of human beings did not perish in that cmity."</em>


    <em>T2419: "You''re right. Just as They entered the sr system, the Foundation discovered that there was a vast space below the Earth. It was enough space for mankind to live in. We had no idea what was down there, but it was a way out for the desperate humans.</em>


    <em>"The people of the surface world split into two factions. One faction began frantically building spaceships, while the other side made preparations to migrate to the Subterranean Sea to prepare.</em>


    <em>"You all know what happened afterward, so I don''t think I need to say it here. Humans had decided to abandon the surface world to live in the Subterranean Sea. They surrendered the surface world to Them.</em>


    <em>"Shortly after arriving in the Subterranean Sea, we discovered 003. The simrities that we found between 003, 002, and Them told us that They had most likelye here for Him¡ª003. We humans were just unlucky coteral damage.</em>


    <em>"The fate of the humans who decided to stay on the surface world and those who decided to seek refuge in space using spaceships are unknown to us, but I hope that they ended up surviving.</em>


    <em>"I''m going to die soon. I''ve lived long enough. I often dream of mywn in my backyard whenever I sleep these days. I''m missing my home. It''d be nice to see it again, even if it''s just a nce.</em>


    <em>"I''m afraid that''s impossible. Every exit to the surface world has been sealed. The GK Council is also going to alter the memories of the Foundation members."</em>


    <em>"Haaa¡­ A dying old man like me can''t possibly do anything about it, so let''s leave it at that. People like you who were born in the Subterranean Sea would never understand my feelings."</em>


    <em>June 1, 2112, 15:29; interview over.</em>


    Charles stared nkly at the three-dimensional file bobbing up and down in midair. This was 001? That was the whole truth? So the Divinities from the depths of outer space were the reason behind the Earth''s cmity a long time ago?


    Charles'' mind buzzed, and he felt like he had been struck by lightning. While he was trying his best to digest the stupefying information, he noticed that there were still more pages in the file.


    Charles'' spider''s thin legs swiped on the table, flipping the file to the second page.


    <em>Project ID: 001</em>


    <em>Project Name: The Subterranean Sea</em>


    <em>Project Containment Procedure: </em><strong><em>The 001 species cannot be contained. There is absolutely only one Project 001.</em></strong>


    <em>Description: 001 is not a physical entity. It is a spherical, annr space in the depths of the Earth. We cannot ascertain its origin at the moment, but it is most likely rted to the gods.</em>


    <em>Statement: The surface world is a special and very unstable region. Its time, space, dimensions, and the many different things on it are all unstable.</em>


    <em>The Subterranean Sea has a different time and dimensionspared to the surface world. </em>


    <em>The direction of time, space, and dimensions in both ces are moving in the exact opposite way; the rate of dtion is different as well.</em>


    <em>A day spent here is ten years reversed on the surface world.</em>


    <em>If calctions are made ording to the passage of time in the Subterranean Sea since our arrival here until now, the surface world should no longer exist. However, it exists paradoxically, and special "existences" have appeared on the surface world as well. "Existences" that we cannot understand at the moment.</em>


    <em>"After a prolonged period of observation and probing, we decided to call it 001."</em>

 Chapter 771: Charles

    Chapter 771: Charles


    Chapter 771. Charles


    <em>"We do not have much information about 001, but we paid a huge price and discovered a few things.</em>


    <em>First of all, we discovered Itsposition. We suspect that It''s ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö</em>


    <em>"Secondly, ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö</em>


    <em>"¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö"</em>


    Charles was upset to see a series of ck boxes obscuring the words, but he quickly forgot that he was upset upon realizing that there was a problem¡ªthere was a big problem here.


    001 was apparently part of a period in history a thousand years ago when the gods destroyed the surface world, but the entire thing suddenly became the Subterranean Sea.


    The difference between the two was so massive that it wouldn''t make sense for them to be the same thing. One file said that 001 was apparently a god from outer space, while another file said that 001 was a part of Earth''s distant past.


    Which one of the files depicted the truth?The cogs in Charles'' mind turned rapidly; he skimmed through the files and something inmon between the two 001s.


    <em>Project Containment Procedure: </em><strong><em>001 cannot be contained. There is absolutely only one Project 001.</em></strong>


    The line didn''t really stand out to Charles at first, but upon realizing that something was amiss with the two 001s, the line suddenly became incredibly important.


    The line "there is absolutely only one Project 001" meant that one of the 001s was fake and the file had been tampered with. No, perhaps there were more 001s in the database of the centralputer, and the real 001 was hidden among them!


    With that in mind, Charles'' spider legs moved, typing in some words into the search bar. Sure enough, there were other files containing the keyword "001."


    He clicked on one of the files, wanting to read it, but the words "Insufficient Authority Level" written in the characters of the Subterranean Sea popped up in midair, bobbing up and down.


    Among the projects that the Foundation had recorded so far, 001 was a project of the highest rank, so it wasn''t strange that one needed a high enough clearance to ess any information rted to it.


    The fact that he couldn''t ess other files containing 001 was strange when he could ess the Subterranean Sea and Genesis of Chaos¡ªboth with the Project ID of 001.


    Charles couldn''t help but feel like everyone was deliberately given ess to those two files as if they were meant to be seen by every Foundation personnel.


    <em>Insufficient authority level? That means those with higher clearance levels can ess more files containing 001, right?</em> Charles pondered. The next moment, tentacles sprouted out of the spider eye, and they swept across the virtual keyboard.


    Charles typed in "002, "003" up to "100," but his search yielded the same result¡ªhe didn''t have high enough clearance to view the files containing the keywords of his search.


    The results were disappointing, but Charles'' assumption was substantiated. He was right. Everyone was indeed given ess to both the Subterranean Sea and Genesis of Chaos. In other words, there was definitely something wrong with these two 001s.


    Charles took a moment topose himself and decided to memorize every single word recorded in those files to verify themter.


    Regardless of which of these 001s was the real 001, they were long gone and wouldn''t affect the ongoing situation.


    Moreover, they just had to defeat the Foundation, and he could make thetter spit out as much information as he wanted about 001.


    <em>Step!</em>


    A crisp footstep echoed from outside the window, and Charles was instantly nervous upon hearing it. He shrank and hid in a corner, but the ajar door remained unmoving even after a few secondster.


    With that, he jumped onto the virtual keyboard once again. He had to pick up the pace because he was running out of time. Charles immediately looked for more information rted to their current operation.


    First of all, he pulled up the entire map of this ind named V14.


    A few rooms on the bottommost floor of the facility were marked clearly with a skull and crossbones symbol. Charles was instantly invigorated upon seeing them. He had guessed correctly; the facility was containing something dangerous!


    A containment breach was bound to cause a massivemotion, and the task forces inside this facility would be forced to make a move. By then, Charles would have an easier time doing whatever he wanted from behind the scenes.


    Perhaps he could find aputer of a personnel with a high clearance level.


    With that thought in mind, Charles crawled out of the room and sped across a corner of the ceiling toward the containment floor marked on the map. The most dangerous part of Charles'' journey to the containment floor was the elevator trip.


    The elevator was made out of wood, and an extremely bright flower was blooming in one corner of the elevator.


    Charles had no idea why there was a flower inside an elevator; he didn''t know whether it was there for surveince purposes or something else, but his instincts were telling him that he couldn''t underestimate the blooming flower.


    He couldn''t let the flower establish a line of sight on him, so he had no choice but to think about another way to use the elevator. In the end, he clung beneath a personnel''s briefcase to avoid getting scanned by the blooming flower.


    Charles moved here and there until he finally arrived at the containment floor.


    As expected, the security throughout the containment was much stricter. Many different flowers and pitch-ck thorny vines were everywhere; there was also an armed and dangerous mobile task force.


    They were this facility''s defense against a containment breach.


    The security was so tight that there was no way Charles'' weak spider form could slip in. However, Charles had a solution to this issue. He shot out white silk and rapidly drew a massive eyeball covered in an indescribable lump of tentacles.


    The tentacled monster was none other than Sparkle, and Charles had just drawn a portrait of her on the ceiling.


    Charles cast a nervous gaze at Sparkle sitting next to him inside the Governor''s Mansion of Hope Ind.


    "Can you feel the portrait that I drew? Can you go over there?"


    "Mmhm. I can feel it," Sparkle said, nodding. "I''ll go over now and whisk away the doors of those containers."


    "Wait," Charles immediately pulled her back. "Don''t go there yourself. Just send one of your tentacles over there to do the job. It''s the Foundation''s territory, after all, so we must be prepared for everything."


    Charles had always viewed the Foundation in a bad light, and he''d always assume the worst when it came to dealing with them.


    Sparkle nodded. Her eyes with longshes blinked, and she said, "Done."


    Charles immediately switched to the spider''s eyes and saw that the massive gates separating each project container from another had vanished. It looked like a train had run across every single container, obliterating their doors.


    The doors to each project container had inexplicably disappeared as well.


    The next moment, a fat hand with ck fingers reached out from inside one of the project containers. Charles saw that and immediately got ready to leave.


    "Daddy, wait!" Sparkle eximed.


    Charles was stunned. The projects had breached containment, so what were they waiting for? Their death?


    Just then, Sparkle''s portrait on the ceiling came to life. The eyeballs all over Sparkle emitted a fluorescent green light.


    More and more creatures crawled out of the containers, and they all had bizarre appearances. Some looked like rotting flesh stacked on top of each other to form a pyramid, while some had feminine features but with lizard-like eyes and engorged tumors on their backs.


    Regardless of their appearances, they were staring straight at Sparkle.


    Sparkle was staring at them as well, creating a strange, iprehensible scene.


    When a deformed figure with half of Charles'' face crawled out of a distant container, a terrifying idea popped up in Charles'' head. He disregarded the threat that the deformed creatures posed and rushed into the containment floor.


    Charles soon found an office on the same floor. He charged into the office and found a tablet that contained the information he had been looking for¡ªthe information that would prove the truth of his mere assumption.


    <em>Project 96121: Sparkle Replication Program¡ªExploring the Possibility of Integrating Charles'' Genes with Other Projects.</em>


    Shockingly, the grotesque and bizarre-looking monsters outside were his children.


    The entire ind was built by the Foundation to study Charles! The Foundation had not only been studying Charles as a person but had also been studying his genes as well.

 Chapter 772: Children?

    Chapter 772: Children?


    <em>Project 96121: Sparkle Replication Program¡ªExploring the Possibility of Integrating Charles¡¯ Genes with Other Projects.</em>


    <em>Preface:</em>


    <em>"Colleagues, I''m C7 from the Technical Services Department. I believe you all know about Charles'' daughter, Sparkle. You should have all flipped through her file until it''s all worn out.</em>


    <em>"To be honest, when that mutated 1189-1, Anna was urgently looking for ways tobine monsters and humans in the Subterranean Sea; I was the one who gave the order to contact her through the Haikors of the Foreign Affairs Department.</em>


    <em>"We used molecr embryology to ultimately produce 96121. In other words, Sparkle can be said to be my brainchild. Charles and Anna are my petri dishes.</em>


    <em>"At first, I didn''t really ce that much importance on this matter. I simply treated it as a normal interaction experiment. But now, I''m sure all of you have seen the immense potential within 96121.</em>


    <em>"The Project Bio-Splicing Technology of Dr. Hanks from the Department of Science has indeed allowed the Foundation to make tremendous progress in its overall development, but don''t me me for being too straightforward when I say this¡ªhe is moving in the wrong direction. </em>


    <em>"His technology has great limitations, and he cannot ovee those limitations no matter how hard he tries."</em>


    <em>"I''m sure some people in the Foundation do not agree with me, but I have the same belief as Dr. T6. We can make use of the projects born from 002''s radiation for as long as we want, but they will never belong to us. They belong to someone else.</em><em>"I believe that we, humans, should make use of our own strength."</em>


    <em>"Mankind''s power isn''t just mathematics. We also have a high capacity for adaptive evolution."</em>


    <em>"We started from the earliest chordates¡ªHaikouichthys, Psarolepis, Ichthyostega, Archaeothyris, Ianthodon, Thrinaxodon, and Purgatorius. Then, Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, and finally Homo sapiens.</em>


    <em>"However, human evolution has yet to end. Even now, we are still evolving.</em>


    <em>"There is a massive potential in the evolution of humans, and how do humans evolve? Through reproduction. Only through reproduction can we, humans, evolve.</em>


    <em>"For this program, we need more test subjects to produce new projects, and we need them to reproduce to produce more mutant subspecies."</em>


    <em>"I have a feeling that this program will lead humanity to the light! My team and I are confident in cultivating a human species that is not fearful of any project!</em>


    <em>"We, humans, are the overlords of Earth, so we must trample everything under our feet, including the gods!"</em>


    <em>Keyword Search: Formative evaluation; summative assessment; assessment system; Biochemistry¡­</em>


    Charles turned around slowly, and he stared nkly at the grotesque monsters just outside the office. Every single one of them had his genes inside of him; they were technically his children.


    All of a sudden, he remembered the day when the Foundation had sent him to the operating table. Back then, they hadn''t just torn apart a huge chunk of his skull and his entire scalp; they had also extracted some tissues and flesh from him.


    Clearly, the Foundation had used what they had extracted from him on that day to create these monsters. Fury flooded Charles'' heart upon recalling the truth that he had just discovered. He was so angry that he felt like going mad.


    Back on Hope Ind, Charles gnashed his teeth until his teeth seemed to be teetering on the edge of breaking beneath the pressure. He lifted his prosthetic right hand and mmed it on the wooden table in front of him, shattering it to pieces.


    Charles'' reaction was not exaggerated at all. Anyone would react the same upon discovering that someone was using their genes to breed with monsters, producing vile abominations as a result.


    To make matters worse, the Foundation was even making those abominations mate with each other.


    The abominations before him were technically his children; the realization rendered Charles unable to make up his mind on how he was going to face those monsters.


    Just as he became engrossed in his own thoughts, the wooden doors that led to the exit opened slowly, and multiple squadrons of the facility''s mobile task force charged into the containment floor with weapons in hand.


    Their arrival wasn''t strange; it would have been stranger if the Foundation had yet to notice the containment breach.


    The arrival of the mobile task force attracted the attention of Charles'' children. They opened their bizarre-looking mouths and roared before charging at the members of the mobile task force.


    The mobile task force had a huge variety of relics at their disposal, but they were still utterly useless against Charles'' children.


    The grotesque monsters charged at the mobile task force members like a deluge; they swarmed the elevator, shattering it into pieces in the proverbial blink of an eye. There were so many of them in the elevator shaft that it appeared to have expanded to twice its size.


    The elevator shaft was covered in thorns, but they couldn''t deter the grotesque monsters at all.


    Soon, the sound of gunfire and explosions echoed all over the ind as the ind devolved into chaos.


    Clearly, the staffers of this facility had never imagined that the contained experimental subjects would breach containment at the same time.


    After all, the containment floor was the most heavily guarded ce throughout the facility; the chances of a containment breach were slim, let alone the containment breach of all experimental subjects.


    Charles'' n could be considered to be a resounding sess, but he was far from happy. Charles'' expression wasplex as he turned to a monster next to him that didn''t run rampant along with the other monsters.


    The monster resembled a snake, but it wasn''t covered in scales. Instead, it was covered in ayer of what looked like charcoal. The snake-like monster moved, revealing two charred human corpses embedded in its belly.


    The snake-like monster seemed calm, and it seemed to possess a certain level of intelligence. It didn''t rush out blindly, like its brothers and sisters.


    Charles pondered for a while before moving the spider toward the snake-like monster. However, the snake-like monster''s reaction was beyond Charles'' expectations. It coiled up and opened its rotten-looking mouth to spit a viscous liquid that resembled tar toward Charles.


    Sparkle pulled the spider away, allowing it to dodge the snake-like monster''s attack. Upon seeing Sparkle, the snake-like monster immediately froze before quietly prostrating on the ground.


    "Shouldn''t we leave now, Dad?" Sparkle asked.


    However, Charles had no intention of leaving just like that. Together with Sparkle, he proceeded to do some tests on the snake-like fellow before them.


    After a few tests, Charles'' mood improved. He had just discovered that these monsters didn''t find him particrly familiar, unlike how Sparkle felt during their first encounter. Rather than familiarity, these monsters seemed to be instinctively wary of him.


    It was true that they had their own special ability, but they were still far inferior to Sparkle.


    In other words, C7''s program had failed¡ªhe failed to replicate Sparkle and had instead produced these befuddled abominations.


    Charles brought with him a portrait of Sparkle drawn using spider silk as he crawled across the ceiling. His destination was where he hadst seen the Haikors.


    There was chaos underground. The members of the mobile task force were in the middle of a fierce battle against the experimental subjects.


    Charles'' children truly looked bizarre, but they had a variety of special abilities. Invisibility was just one of their basic abilities, and some of them were even capable of exuding the maddening aura of a god, forcing the Foundation members to retreat one after another.


    Since Charles himself didn''t have those special abilities, they had to have inherited them from their mothers.


    "Dad, what are you going to do with them? Are you going to save my brothers and sisters?" Sparkle asked.


    Hesitation appeared in Charles'' eyes, but his gaze soon became determined. "We are not going to do anything about them. We''re going to let them fend for themselves here. I don''t acknowledge them as my children. They''re just a group of mad, deformed abominations."


    "Oh..." Sparkle''s hundreds of fluorescent green eyes looked down at the same time. She seemed to have fallen into her own thoughts, pondering over something.

 Chapter 773: Island

    Chapter 773: Ind


    In the midst of the chaos, Charles finally located where the Haikors were being held. It was a prison cell, but there was arge hole in the wall of the cell, and Charles could hear screamsing from inside.


    Charles crawled in through the massive hole and found a bloated, ghastly white woman moving slowly toward the Haikors inside.


    The four-meter-tall ghastly woman still had a human form, but she wasn''t much betterpared to the other monsters. Something beneath her skin had stretched it taut, and the red veins all over her resembled creeper vines.


    She hadrge and elongated eyes; her head was thicker than her waist, and it swayed from side to side as she moved forward. To make matters worse, anything that came within one meter of her would abruptly stiffen and freeze like a frozen statue.


    From their skin that had rapidly turned deathly gray from healthy white, Charles presumed that they were deceased.


    However, it seemed that Shindy was lucky enough. Shindy was in a corner of the room with his back against the wall. He was so scared that he had pissed his pants, but he was still alive.


    All of a sudden, the wall behind Shindy disappeared, and he fell backward,nding outside the cell. When Shindy stood up and hurriedly retreated, Sparkle returned the wall, sealing the cell once again.


    Charles climbed onto Shindy''s face, dug out the fake eye from his eye socket, and crawled into thetter''s empty eye socket. "Run! We have to return to the pier and leave the ind before they realize what''s going on here!"


    Although confused, Shindy instinctively followed Charles'' orders and made a beeline for the pier using the same path that they had taken to enter this facility.To Shindy''s shock, the monsters weren''t attacking him, and he moved swimmingly toward his destination. Unbeknownst to him, a tentacled monster woven from spider silk was following him along the ceiling.


    When Shindy and Charles arrived at the pond where they were disinfected, they found that the entire ind was in chaos; it wasn''t just the facility. The vibrant forest of purple was demolished by the monsters, and the entire ind seemed to be in the middle of a copse.


    "Sparkle, retract your power. I''m sure the Foundation knows about the chaos here by now. Soon, they''ll send their people over here. If you stay here, they might detect your presence, and the n will fail by then," Charles said solemnly to Sparkle sitting next to him in the Governor''s Mansion.


    "They can''te here that fast, can they? How about I stay here for a bit longer? I''m worried that my brothers and sisters will tear that tall guy into pieces," Sparkle replied.


    "This ind is huge, and the outside isn''t as dangerous as inside the facility. Hurry up and leave! I can''t let you risk your life here; you''re far more important than this guy!" Charles insisted.


    Sparkle could only nod. "All right, then."


    Unbeknownst to the father and daughter pair, Anna had appeared at the door of the room at some point. Anna was leaning against the door frame with her shoulder and was taking bites of a green apple in her hand.


    "Gao Zhiming, can you tell me more about what Sparkle just said? What did she mean by ''brothers and sisters''?" Anna asked.


    However, Charles didn''t have the luxury of time to answer her questions. His nerves were stretched taut, and he felt like an arrow nocked against the bowstring as he focused all of his attention on moving the spider.


    He looked around frantically, helping the panic-stricken Shindy avoid any risks.


    The deafening sound of gunfire, the cracking of vine whips, the buzzing noises ofser weapons, and the whirring ofbat drones¡ªthe loud and harsh discordant mixture of these sounds created an ear-piercing melody that reverberated throughout the inds.


    Amidst the cacophony of noises, Shindy got closer and closer to the pier. His identity as a Haikor yed a massive role in the ongoing crisis, as the people of the Foundation considered him a friendly unit and didn''t attack him. In fact, they even provided him with cover as he retreated toward the pier.


    When the chaos reached a crescendo, a violent tremor ran across the ground. The tremor was so violent that it threw Shindy to the ground. The earth-shattering shaking continued as the ind made out of nts underwent a shocking change.


    The bushes, tree trunks, vines, and every single nt that was a part of the ind came alive. They took to the sky and rushed toward the experimental subjects.


    The shing red dots across the ind''s giant circr lit up brightly, illuminating the entire ind. The experimental subjects hiding in the dark were exposed, and they had nowhere to hide.


    The experimental subjects were strong, but the Foundation disyed strength that seemed capable of sundering even the heavens themselves.


    The experimental subjects were quickly suppressed except for a few experimental subjects lucky enough to escape early. It wasn''t really a strange sight¡ªthe Foundation had long figured out their special abilities, after all.


    It turned out that the nts throughout the ind all belonged to just one entity. Clearly, the Foundation was prepared to handle a containment breach of any scale.


    The massive deep purple tree trunks all over the ind intertwined above the ind, forming a towering human upper body. The towering figure raised his right hand and pointed at the distant Shindy. "Bring him over! There''s definitely something wrong with that Haikor from the external department."


    The nearby members of a mobile task force converged on the dumbfounded Shindy''s location.


    Soon, arge-framed man with a crew cut wearing thebat uniform of a task force dragged Shindy toward the towering figure made out of nts.


    Shindy''s head was drooping, and his arms were hanging limply at his side, but therge-framed man didn''t seem to have noticed that yet as he threw the former to the ground.


    Shindy copsed in a heap, and therge-framed man finally noticed that something was amiss. He rushed toward Shindy''s side and grabbed his head by the hair.


    Therge-framed man was stunned. Shindy''s face had turned ashen gray, and he was missing an eyeball.


    Therge-framed man looked up at the towering figure. "Dr. C7! This guy is already dead!"


    Several trumpet flowers instantly bloomed from the surrounding ground, facing Shindy''s direction.


    "What happened to his eyeball? There''s something wrong with his eyeball! Level 3 rm¡ªlockdown is now in force throughout the entire ind!


    "No one is allowed to leave the ind until that eyeball is found!" A thunderous voice echoed from above.


    The booming voice had just reverberated throughout the ind when the vines and tree trunks around the ind rapidly intertwined with each other to create giant walls covered in flowers.


    The colossal walls separated the entire ind from the outside world.


    Therge-framed man pointed at the corpse before him and asked, "Doctor! What should we do with this corpse?"


    "<em>Hmph! </em>It doesn''t matter even if he''s dead; send his corpse back to SITE 2, Captain Deya! Dr. Defia can pry out more information from a dead man''s mouth than from a living man''s mouth."


    "Understood! Mobile Task Force: Behemoth, assemble! Take the target away! We''re going to the airport!" therge-framed man shouted, waving his hand.


    The nearby members of the Behemoth Mobile Task Force emerged from the crowd and picked up Shindy''s corpse before leaving with their captain.


    While the members of the other mobile task forces frantically searched the ind for Shindy''s missing eyeball, the Behemoth Mobile Task Force boarded a jet-propelled airship.


    They climbed out of the giant purple and headed for SITE 2.


    Captain Deya pressed down on the bleeding wound in his stomach as he walked into the infirmary. He took off his clothes, which were drenched in his own blood and turned to the task force''s doctor, saying, "Get out of here. I can handle this."


    "Captain, howe you still like doing everything yourself without asking for help? At this rate, I''ll be freeloading off everyone here. I''m just a doctor, after all," the task force''s doctor grumbled.


    When Deya red at him, however, he immediately rushed out of the infirmary, even closing the door behind him.


    Left all alone, Deya didn''t proceed to treat his wound. He looked around briefly before locking the door, which the task force''s doctor had closed out of consideration for Deya''s privacy.


    Upon confirming that it was safe, Captain Deya reached into his right eye socket and pried out the eyeball inside of it.

 Chapter 774: Deya

    Chapter 774: Deya


    Charles'' situation was so helpless that even he himself didn''t expect that he''d somehow manage to escape. Someone had brought him onto an airship, allowing him to escape the ind covered in purple trees.


    The Foundation''s encirclement was practically airtight, so no one expected that Charles could escape. Of course, Charles himself didn''t expect that he''d escape the encirclement as well.


    The eyeball spider turned around to orient itself before casting the eye on its back to therge-framed man sporting a crew cut standing before it. "You''ve been influenced by Fhtagn? You''ve be one of Fhtagn''s followers."


    Therge-framed man had personally disposed of Shindy before gouging out one of his eyes and stuffing the eyeball spider into his empty eye socket.


    Charles had witnessed the entire thing, and he had been pondering about the reason behind it since then. In the end, Charles reached only one conclusion¡ªtherge-framed man had be one of Fhtagn''s followers.


    Deya shook his head slightly. He took out a medical kit, and while taking out medical tape to dress his wounds, he replied, "I wouldn''t say ''influenced.'' I personally prefer to call it ''special enlightenment''."


    Far away on Hope Ind, the corners of Charles'' mouth curled up into a sneer. <em>What special enlightenment? </em>In the end, he was just another lunatic under Fhtagn''s influence.


    However, Charles needed as many lunatics like Deya as possible. The enemy of his enemy was his friend. These lunatics were his allies as long as they were against the Foundation.


    "You''re Charles, right? Am I right?" Deya calmly said, "Your file in the database said that you''ve lost one eye and have been using a spider as an eye for quite a while now."The spider''s thin legs quivered, and silk rushed out of the spider''s abdomen soon afterward. The silk formed texts on the ground, which said, "That''s right. I''m Charles. What you did was tantamount to a betrayal; are you on our side now?"


    "No, I didn''t betray the Foundation!" Deya shook his head, his voice low and deep as he said, "I just feel that their methods are problematic! Very problematic!"


    "The moment you lifted Fhtagn''s seal to threaten the Foundation, I felt Fhtagn''s power, and it was a power that humans simply cannot resist. It was then that I realized that God Fhtagn wasn''t spreading the so-called D4 memetic infection.


    "God Fhtagn''s followers aren''t mad¡ªthey had simply caught a glimpse of the corner of the iceberg that is God Fhtagn and were lucky enough to survive it."


    "Once you feel that power!" Deya eximed. His voice was bing increasingly louder and agitated as he added, "You will instantly realize that the Foundation has been clinging to the delusion of resisting God Fhtagn."


    "We are nothing before Him! If humanity wants a sliver of a chance at survival on the day of His awakening, then there is nothing we can do but be His followers!!" Deya shouted. His face flushed red, and the wounds that had just been sealed by skin glue split open.


    The blood seeping out of the wound drenched his clothes once again.


    Charles stared calmly at Deya and eventually nodded. "Mmhm, you''re right. I agree a hundred percent. Anyway, let''s talk about thatter. We should talk about how you can be an insider who will give us intelligence and be a headache for the Foundation."


    Deya appeared to be a rational individual, but he could only be considered a rational lunatic at most. An ordinary person like Charles need not waste time arguing with a lunatic.


    Charles'' words brought Deya back to reality. He regained hisposure in the blink of an eye, returning to his previous cold and detached demeanor as the Captain of Mobile Task Force: Behemoth.


    "This airship is fast, so I''ll keep it brief. The two of us alone can''t do much within the Foundation. We need to find more allies.


    "There are quite a few people who have been enlightened within the Foundation. Of course, the Internal Security Department has filtered and purged many of them, but there are still some who managed to go into hiding like me.


    "We need to gather them so that we can help you from all sides."


    "There are other followers of Fhtagn in the Foundation? What positions do they hold?" Charles asked.


    "I''m not sure about the others, but Dr. A2 was definitely enlightened as well. They''re a member of the GK Council, and it doesn''t seem like the other higher-ups want to eliminate them. It feels like they''re going to do some experiments on the enlightened Dr. A2."


    Charles perked up at the news that Deya had shared with him. The Foundation was extremely powerful, and it would be exceedingly difficult to inflict damage on them from the outside. It would be great if Charles could somehow erode them from the inside, and Deya''s words had just given him hope at doing that.


    They were stuck in a deadlock with the Foundation, but a way out of the deadlock had suddenly appeared before Charles. The denizens of the Subterranean Sea finally had more cards to y against the Foundation!


    "They''re a member of the GK Council? Does that mean Dr. A2''s clearance is high enough to peruse all of the Foundation''s secrets?" Charles asked.


    Deya nodded. "Bing a member of the GK Council means that you automatically have the highest level of clearance."


    Charles immediately clenched his fists.


    He had to make contact with Dr. A2!


    There was no doubt that Dr. A2 knew some of the Foundation''s weaknesses, so they had to take advantage of this golden opportunity.


    Whether they could turn the tables on the Foundation or not, it all depended on Charles'' sess or failure at taking advantage of this opportunity!


    Just then, the pitch-ck windows suddenly brightened up.


    Deya walked up to the window and said, "We''ve arrived at SITE 2. A2 happens to be imprisoned here."


    Charles propelled himself off of the table using his spider legs. Hended on the window but was confused to find nothing on the sea covered in white mist.


    Deya pointed upward with his finger. "SITE 2 isn''t on the sea surface, nor under the sea. It''s above us."


    Charles followed his finger and saw a prosperous modern city built on the overhead rockyer. Flying vehicles of all sizes shuttled constantly between the skyscrapers throughout the city, and objects resembling small belts were suspended between the upside-down city and the sea surface.


    "Hold on tight," Deya said, reaching up to grab the handrail. Before Charles could understand what he was talking about, the jet-propelled airship elerated in an instant, making a beeline for the rockyer above the dome.


    The next second, the gravity of the entire ship was reversed¡ªup became down, and down became up. Deya released the handrail and stood on what was the ceiling just a few moments ago.


    Upon exiting the aircraft, Charles made the spider look up. A vast ink-green ocean was hanging upside down above him, and he couldn''t help but marvel at the sight.


    He knew the Foundation''s technology was extremely advanced, but he never imagined that they were capable of controlling even gravity, which was one of the four fundamental forces of nature.


    "Don''t get distracted. This is SITE 2, and the centralputer is here as well. We''re dead as soon as our covers are blown," Deya warned.


    Charles really wanted to say that even if his cover was blown, he''d lose an eye at most rather than die, but he had no way of saying that right now.


    "Mobile Task Force: Behemoth, assemble!" Captain Deya eximed. The members of Mobile Task Force: Behemoth quickly disembarked the airship and stood neatly in a row.


    Momentster, several spherical drones with neither wings nor rotor des flew over to the group. The spherical drones scanned Shindy''s contorted corpse on the stretcher before carrying it away.


    Immediately afterward, a gentle voice echoed through their earpieces. "Mobile Task Force: Behemoth. You have sessfullypleted your mission. 29,000 points have been deposited into your ounts. You are now dismissed. New missions will be issued in two days."


    The members of Mobile Task Force: Behemoth sighed in relief at the same time upon hearing the voice.


    Although they were still in the middle of SITE 2''s vast airport, they began removing their heavy weapons and equipment, which included conventional hot weapons and some relics.


    Deya chatted briefly with his subordinates, and he politely declined their invitations for a drink. Clutching his wound, Deya headed to his residence.

 Chapter 775: A2

    Chapter 775: A2


    The clean white door opened, and an average-sized studio apartment was revealed before Charles. Deya walked into the apartment and tapped something on the wall.


    "Alright, the house is set to offline mode. You cane out now."


    Charles jumped out of Deya''s eye socket. "Where is A2 being held? Do you have any way to contact them?"


    Deya pressed on his wounds with his hand.


    "Give me a moment," he said before heading toward the bathroom on the side. The bathtub was swiftly filled with a transparent liquid that resembled fresh water, and a blue holographic light pervaded the water.


    [Healing mode activated.]


    Deya removed his shirt andy down in the bathtub, submerging his wounds in the transparent liquid. Momentster, his injuries healed at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    This wasn''t the power of a healing-type relic but the power of science. The sight before Charles was so incongruous that he fell into a daze. He found it hard to imagine that Deya was actually living in the same ce as the denizens of the Subterranean Sea.


    Deya scooped up water from the bathtub with his hands and washed his face vigorously. Then, he looked at Charles standing outside and said, "Dr. A2 is most likely being held in Restricted Zone 19. Unfortunately, there''s no reason for me to go there, given my clearance level.""First of all, tell me where Restricted Zone 19 is."


    Deya wasted no words and simply lifted his finger. He swiped gently in the air, and a holographic projection of the upside-down city appeared before them.


    A certain area was marked with a shing red light.


    Deya poked the virtual map and drew a winding line inside of it. "The closest I can get to Restricted Zone 19 is Second Street. The remaining two kilometers until Restricted Zone 19 will all be up to you."


    "Can''t A2 receive information from the outside? Wouldn''t it be more convenient for them toe out and meet us?" Charles asked.


    Deya was taken aback. "That should be possible. I heard A2 isn''t being detained."


    Charles stared at the winding line in the air, seemingly engrossed in his own thoughts.


    All of a sudden, a violent shaking pulled Charles'' attention back to Hope Ind.


    Sparkle had grabbed his shoulders and was shaking him vigorously.


    "What? Is something wrong?" Charles asked.


    Sparkle stepped aside, revealing the sand figures of the Subterranean Sea Council members. Their expressions were solemn as they stared at Charles.


    "Charles, I learned from your daughter that you seem to have discovered something about the Foundation. Can you share it with us?" asked Jax while adjusting his monocle.


    Charles swept his gaze across the others and saw their fiery gazes. Clearly, they were also interested in the news that Charles had with him.


    Charles decided to tell them his discovery. Once he was done recounting, he said, "This isn''t the time for us to talk about it. Contacting A2 is more important than anything right now. This might be our only chance to turn the tables."


    Everyone fell into contemtion. Now, they all shared Charles'' conundrum.


    Eventually, the ice was shattered by Elder Octett of the Fhtagn Covenant. "If A2 has truly be a follower of Fhtagn, then I think I have a way of contacting them."


    Charles looked at him. "What do you n to do?"


    "Do you still remember how the Deep Dwellers attempted to corrupt your boatswain? We can take advantage of the power of dreams and let them talk to A2 in their dreams," Octett suggested.


    "But there is a prerequisite before it can be done; Governor Charles, you need to throw one of our covenant''s sacred relics near that so-called restricted zone. The power of our Lord will then spread throughout the Sea of Mist through that relic."


    Charles stared at Octett for a long time before finally nodding. "Let''s try it."


    The next day, Deya was d in a trench coat as he walked down slowly on SITE 2''s Second Street. Second Street was a rather livelymercial street with a massive number of people going to and fro. Many of the people were clones, so they had identical appearances and were distinguished by the cards on their chests.


    When Deya turned a corner, he lowered his head slightly, allowing the hat on his head to obscure his eyes. Momentster, a spider crawled out of his sleeve.


    Charles followed the n and quickly crawled along the wall. There were drones and automation machines everywhere, making Charles feel extremely nervous.


    Charles tried his best to make the spider reach the periphery of Restricted Zone 19 through the cover of the shadows cast by the nearby buildings, but its peculiar appearance still ended up attracting attention.


    Two drones rushed toward the eyeball spider, and a redsernded on its figure.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    Before the drones flying side-by-side could do anything, a bullet pierced both of them at once. They fell to the ground instantly, leaving behind a trail of ck smoke in the air.


    The bullet had definitelye from Deya; this was Deya''s handiwork.


    The immediate crisis was averted, but Charles'' situation was bing increasingly dire. In no time, drones glowing with red light rushed to the scene like a flock of birds blotting out the sky.


    There were so many of them that Charles could barely see the ocean up above.


    At this point, Charles no longer cared about the drones. He moved at top speed, making a beeline for the restricted zone.


    The drones that had just arrived spotted the eyeball spider through thermal imaging, and they locked onto Charles'' figure before charging at him at breakneck speed.


    Charles ignored them and continued his mad dash toward his destination until he stumbled upon a towering gray wall.


    Charles came to a screeching halt and eximed, "We''re here!"


    The eyeball spider spat white silk threads that quickly drew Sparkle''s portrait on the wall. Charles'' dire situation and desperation allowed him to make a breakthrough as an artist as he drew Sparkle in a mere five seconds.


    As soon as the portrait wasplete, a golden short staff wrapped with golden tentacles appeared before him. The instant it touched the ground, an imperceptible dark wave that humans couldn''t perceive burst out of it.


    Everyone nearby trembled involuntarily upon getting hit by the dark wave.


    The next second, a sizzling noise echoed, and an extremely bright white light streaked across the air, hitting the eyeball spider.


    Charles instantly lost connection to the spider.


    However, Charles had a contingency n, and it was finallying into y. When the countdown of the bomb inside the eyeball spider''s stomach reached zero, the eyeball spider exploded into a cloud of mist.


    At the same time, a sharp pain radiated from Charles'' eye socket. It felt as if someone had stabbed his eye with a needle. Ignoring the pain, Charles stood up with a hand over his eye socket before turning to Octett in front of him.


    "How is it?" Charles asked.


    The grotesque octopus-headed monster nodded.


    Charles sighed in relief at the sight. "So it wasn''t in vain..."


    Just then, Anna extended her hand and handed over another ck and red spider to Charles.


    "Don''t move. I need another fragment of your soul to bind to this new spider."


    "Where did you even get this?"


    "Where else can I even get this? Of course, I stole it from that giantess of yours. In fact, I have her entire inventory of this kind of spider now," Anna said. She then quickly bound the new spider to Charles.


    Having obtained another eye, Charles asked Sparkle to teleport the spider to Deya''s apartment.


    Charles knew that there was a high chance that the spider wouldn''t be able toe back to him, so he decided to prepare a contingency n.


    As soon as he appeared in Deya''s apartment, the loud noises outside attracted his attention. Of course, he was the perpetrator behind themotion. Charles presumed that SITE 2 had to be under high alert for a moment.


    Fortunately, his mission was alreadyplete, and all he had to do was wait until night.


    Soon, night fell, but Charles was a bit too excited to sleep and had to rely on Linda''s medicine to sleep.


    Amidst a sea of chaos, Charles saw A2. She seemed to be a woman in her thirties, and she was sporting round-frame sses that made her look like an ordinary schoolteacher.


    "Hello, I''m A2. The fact that you''re here to meet me at a time like this means that you must be on the side of the Subterranean Sea''s humans, isn''t that right?" A2 smiled and extended her right hand to Charles.


    Charles shook hands with her using his steel prosthetic hand. "I must admit¡ªI''m quite surprised by your appearance. I thought the GK Council no longer has anyone who looks just like an ordinary person. Anyway, name''s Charles."

 Chapter 776: Weakness

    Chapter 776: Weakness


    In response to Charles'' teasing, A2 pushed up the bridge of her sses with her middle finger and revealed a meaningful smile.


    "In our eyes, transforming one''s body beyond recognition depends entirely on whether there is a need for it or not¡ªit''s done not for the sake of altering one''s looks but for the sake of a greater good.


    "I assume the same applies to you, Mr. Charles. I believe you didn''t make yourself look neither human nor a monster out of boredom, did you?"


    Charles'' current appearance was reflected in A2''s sses.


    Charles'' head was covered with intertwining tentacles riddled with ck scales, and Fhtagn''s Divine Mark had crawled up from his neck to his face. His face was also covered in scars of a variety of sizes.


    In other words, he didn''t look much better than the other GK Council members.


    A2''s riposte that was neither offensive nor defensive told Charles that the former wasn''t as weak as her appearance showed, but Charles didn''t really find it strange.


    As a GK Council member, there was no way A2 could be weak or an ordinary person.


    A2''s status as a GK Council member was a good thing for Charles, as the former was on his side. Her high status meant that she was a valuable weapon against the Foundation.Charles chuckled and let go of A2''s hand. "Let''s talk business. As a core member of the Foundation, you must know a lot about them, right? In your opinion, what weaknesses does the Foundation have? I''m talking about fatal weaknesses."


    A2 sized up Charles for a long time before saying, "It can be said that the Foundation has no weakness whatsoever. Any weakness had long been fixed through hundreds of millions of simtions using the centralputer.


    "As for me, the moment I was imprisoned in the restricted zone, I''m sure the centralputer had generated a clone of myself with memories from three months ago to handle the work that I left behind."


    "I don''t think so," Charles replied with his arms crossed in front of his chest, "If you guys had zero weaknesses, would you have canceled n Three?" Charles replied, crossing his arms.


    The light in A2''s eyes beyond the round-frame sses dimmed, and her clear voice softened to a whisper. "Yes, the gods. We can harness power equivalent to a YESOD6 God[1], but¡­


    "But it''s a different story for HOD-level Gods like 003. The Light God, the Eye of Truth, the Giant Bird of Suffering, and the Feaster are nothing before 003.


    "The gods¡­ the Foundation has been wrestling with them for thousands of years now. We''ve tried many things in an attempt to make humanity surpass the power of the gods, but¡­


    "But when I really felt His power¡­ I realized just how ridiculous our efforts have been and just how wrong we were all this while. It turned out that it is simply impossible to conquer the gods."


    A2 looked up and stared at Charles. "You managed to intimidate the Foundation, but it doesn''t mean much. You were ying with fire at the time. Don''t forget the fate of the Foundation''s previous generation. The day of Fhtagn''s awakening is the day of our extinction."


    The unmistakable implication within A2''s words took Charles by surprise. A2''s words weren''t something a true Fhtagn follower would say. After all, a true follower of Fhtagn would want Him to awaken.


    "Of course, I want to witness His awakening, but this isn''t the best time for it. The sacrificial rituals of those lunatics arepletely useless. Fhtagn can''t receive them at all. We must perform sacrifices in a scientific way!


    "We have to let the great Fhtagn ept our offerings and feel our wholehearted loyalty to Him, or we will not have even the slightest chance of surviving the day of His awakening."


    "What damned scientific sacrificial ritual are you talking about? Do you really think that the words ''scientific'' and ''sacrifice'' mesh well with each other?" Charles asked. He couldn''t help but stare in astonishment at A2.


    His mind couldn''tprehend A2''s train of thought. Then, he realized that the minds of those under Fhtagn''s influence would all give birth to their own unique but bizarre logic.


    A2 looked to be the most rational member of the Foundation, so Charles assumed that Fhtagn''s influence wouldn''t have such a tight grip on her, but it turned out that A2 had simply been hiding her fanatic side behind a cool and intellectual facade.


    "Why wouldn''t they mesh well with each other? Science is not asplicated as you think. As the name implies, it''s a study of many different disciplines, so I don''t believe that everything can be defined by a single value, a single perspective, or a single definition.


    "Philosophy can''t do it, science can''t do it, and even T6 mathematics can''t do it. In other words, science can''t exin everything, but it is highly efficient, which is very helpful to us.


    "We can create an orderly system of knowledge that allows for testable exnations and hypotheses about objective phenomena, including sacrificial rituals. That way, sacrificial rituals will eventually be systematized and formted."


    Charles'' head started hurting in the face of A2''s words. He then discovered that he had unknowingly lost control of the conversation, allowing A2 to speak a bunch of nonsense to him. A2 was so eloquent that he almost forgot why he was even here.


    "Enough!" Charles interrupted, taking back control of the conversation. "I don''t want to listen to those. Just give me a direct answer¡ªwhat are the weaknesses of the Foundation? Give me an answer, and I''ll judge it myself!"


    A2 pushed up the bridge of her sses with her middle finger again. "The centralputer in SITE 2 is the Foundation''s biggest weakness. It operates all the database work and operates the cellr printing of the Foundation members.


    "Once destroyed, every single clone that dies from then on will truly be dead. It is impossible to make more clones by then. The copse of the centralputer means that the other sites of the Foundation will be isted from each other.


    "Every single device in the Foundation''swork, including physical bodies, will shut down. Unfortunately, this is impossible. The centralputer is absolutely secure in every sense of the word, and nearly half of the Foundation''s firepower is here.


    "In addition, the centralputer itself is the brain of a god, and it is as powerful as a BINAH3 God."


    "The brain of a god?!" Charles was greatly shocked. "Whose brain is it?"


    "You''vee across Him. I''m talking about Dr. Pede''s corpse suspended above SITE 6. The centralputer is his brain. Upon his death, we pulled his brain out, and we''ve been using it as aputer since then.


    "It has the power to distort reality within a certain distance around it. Even an atomic bomb can transform into a cotton candy once it''s close enough to it. If you want to resist its ability to perform reality distortions, then you need to use the power of the gods."


    <em>The power of the gods?</em> Charles stared deeply at A2 before falling into contemtion. As far as he could remember, even though the power of the gods was rare, they had some of it. Of course, they didn''t have much of it.


    The information that A2 had revealed was highly valuable, but it also put a ton of weight on Charles'' shoulders. His assumption was correct. The Foundation was far stronger than it seemed. In fact, they had shown only a fraction of their true power.


    If Charles hadn''t decided oning over here, he wouldn''t have known that the Foundation was actually hiding so many cards up their sleeves.


    The Foundation''s control over information was truly airtight.


    Charles made a mental note of everything he had heard so far before turning to A2, asking, "Then, what exactly was n Three? Was that ck wall rted to the darkness of the Subterranean Sea?"


    The Foundation had used that ck wall to annihte the humans of the Subterranean Sea, and it would be great if they could somehow use that ck wall against the Foundation. It sounded difficult, but could it be more difficult than destroying the brain of a god under the Foundation''s impregnable protection?


    1. Previously tranted as YESOD-level Divinity rather than God ?

 Chapter 777: Open Card

    Chapter 777: Open Card


    "Indeed, it''s a new type of weapon we''ve developed. We coined it the Reboot Device and it''s currently housed at SITE 5 now," A2 exined.


    "Half of the materials that formed the Reboot Device came from the Darkness itself. We''re currently studying itsposition. The matter is incredibly unique. Initially, we suspected it to be dark matter, but that wasn''t the case.


    "Truth to be told, we are also curious as to how the Light God was able to bring the Darkness away. Our research department is working overtime to speed up the research progress."


    Unknown to herself, A2 started to drift off-topic. However, Charles was quick to redirect her back to the point at hand.


    "Never mind that first. Just give me the location of SITE 5 and the exact spot where the Reboot Device is being kept."


    After acquiring more critical information from A2, Charles ended the dream connection with A2.


    As soon as he woke up from his dream, Charles immediately convened the Subterranean Sea Council meeting. Despite an intense debate between the leaders of the Subterranean Sea for a long time, no definitive solution was reached.


    After all, the Foundation had survived in the Subterranean Sea for over a thousand years. Its stable foundation wouldn''t be destroyed so easily. Any solutions that they could cook up at this point, the centralputer would have thought of it long ago.


    Seated back at his sturdy new office desk, Charles'' mind raced toe up with a strategy. Although he had a new card on hand, he knew that he was still at a severe disadvantage when up against the Foundation.If the enemy had overwhelming power, even revealing one''s hand would not be the least bit terrifying.


    Just then, Sparkle manifested in the room and approached Charles with a bunch of bananas in her hand.


    "Dad, your stomach''s been acting up. Bananas are good for digestion."


    "Thanks. Did you just pick them from the ind''s banana grove?" Charles asked, taking one from the bunch.


    Sparkles leaned on the desk and propped her chin up on both hands. She looked at Charles and answered, "Yeah, I originally got them for Mom, but she said she wasn''t hungry, so I brought them to you instead."


    "What''s your mom doing right now?" Charles asked.


    "She''s helping you brainstorm for a solution. She has connected a bunch of human brains together to try to figure out a strategy for you."


    Charles felt warm inside. Anna was always thinking of him in his shoes, and he felt truly blessed to have such a considerate wife.


    "Dad, why not send me there?" Sparkle suggested. "I feel like my power has grown significantly recently. And considering our forces here, I''m the only one who can actually make a difference."


    However, Charles shook his head firmly and rejected without hesitation. "Absolutely not! Remember one thing, everything we''re doing right now is based on the assumption that A2 is on our side. But what if she''s not? What if she''s just a bait that the Foundation threw out?"


    "<em>Huh?</em> If you suspect her, why are you trusting what she says?"


    Charles gently reached out a hand and patted Sparkle on the head, saying, "Sometimes, there''s no conflict with remaining suspicious of someone you''re working with. You can work with someone while still questioning their motives. But remember, the only reason the Foundation isn''ting after us full force is that we have something that keeps them at bay.


    "We can pay any price to annihte the Foundation. But the only exceptions are the four sacrifices needed to open the door, and you, the one who can take us there. As long as all of these are in ce, that''s our strongest backup, and we can overturn the entire game.


    "Anything that will weaken this deterrent, be it intentional or unintentional, I treat it as part of the Foundation''s scheme."


    Sparkle slowly rolled over and looked up at Charles. "You sure thought a lot about that."


    Charles sighed softly in response. "It''s not by choice. I was never this meticulous in the past, so I ended up getting burned a few times. I guess that''s what they mean by learning from experience."


    For the next few nights, Charles dived into the details with A2 as they discussed and analyzed the defenses of SITE 2 and SITE 5.


    No matter how he looked at it, however, neither location seemed easy to break through. The defenses were formidable on both sides with each site being guarded by five Pedes.


    After spending so much time, Charles felt like the information he had learned seemed useless; he felt like he was back to square one.


    A groggy Charles woke up from his sleep. His head throbbed from all the overthinking, and he felt overwhelmed as well.


    At some point unknown to him, Linda had entered his room and was sitting quietly beside his bed. She reached over to the table to take the nearly empty bottle of pills and ced it into her side pouch.


    "You need to stop taking these," Linda began. "Though they can enhance your mental capacity by multiple fold, they will also put a huge strain on your mind. You need to rest."


    Charles stared at Linda''s side profile and allowed his thoughts to wander. In his dazed state, her delicate features began to blur with the memory of the old ship doctor''s grotesque face.


    "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you need me to help you rx through physical means?"


    Charles swiftly shifted his gaze away. "Don''t joke about things like that. It wouldn''t be fair to your husband, Audric."


    "He knows; he doesn''t care. Just like I don''t care if he finds other women outside. We''re just a married couple. If we feelfortable, we stay together; if we don''t, then we part ways," Linda exined in a matter-of-fact tone. She then switched on her heamp and leaned forward, unceremoniously sticking her head inside Charles body to perform her examination.


    After Linda left, Charles was left alone in the room. He pondered for a brief moment before he moved toward the nearby cab and pulled out a bottle of whiskey.


    He then leaped off the balcony and hopped across the rooftops of varying heights until he reached the cemetery. It didn''t take him long before he arrived at Dr. Hermann''s grave.


    A small flower wreath rested upon the heavy b of stone. Judging by its size, it was most probably ced there by Lily.


    Charles twisted the bottle cap off and poured some whiskey over the grave, watching as the amber liquid soaked into the stone.


    "Old man, you know, I really envy you at times," Charles started. "You got to live till ny-seven without any lingering attachment. You even managed to fulfill your lifelong dream before dying. Isn''t that what life''s all about?"


    Charles let out a sigh. "My home of the past is gone now, and I''vee to see Hope Ind as my new home. I just want to live out my days here peacefully. But why is something so simple so damn hard?"


    Staring at the gravestone in front of him, Charles continued to rant. The old ship doctor was like a wise old friend, listening quietly without giving any response.


    Suddenly, the clear, crisp ring of a bicycle bell sounded behind Charles, pulling him out of his thoughts. He turned around to find his first mate, Bandages. Bandages was riding toward him on his bike; he had a bunch of flowers strapped to the back.


    "No letters to deliver today?" Charles asked as Bandages ced the flowers in front of the ship doctor''s grave.


    "There''s no mail¡­ The post office¡­ has shut down¡­ Now¡­ private telegraph machines¡­ are on sale¡­each costs only¡­ three thousand Cori¡­" Bandages replied.


    The unexpected news took Charles by surprise.


    As he was trying to digest this information, a young man happened to walk past the cemetery. He was carrying a gearden mechanical contraption on his back that had ck smoke billowing out of it. The young man was also awkwardly tapping away at a brass keyboard attached to the device.


    With the technology advancing rapidly on Hope Ind, the telegraph machine that was only avable in the telegraph offices had shrunk in size. Now that they were portable, people only needed to fuel up the machines before they left their houses to easilymunicate with others on distant inds miles away.


    However, a bitter taste filled Charles mouth as he looked at the portable telegraph machine andpared it to the futuristic cityscape of SITE 2. It seemed to be a dauntingly long way until Hope Ind could ever match the Foundation''s level of technology.


    "What¡­are you¡­ worrying about now? Tell us¡­ we can¡­ help¡­ share the burden¡­" Bandages said in his usual slow tone.

 Chapter 778: Tobba

    Chapter 778: Tobba


    Charles hadn''t informed his crew members of the recent events. The first reason was that he didn''t want to burden them with worry, and the second was that there wasn''t much they could do to help a situation of this magnitude.


    Charles pondered for a few moments before giving Bandages a pat on his shoulder. With a hint of mncholy in his voice, he said, "Don''t worry too much about it and stay on the ind. If possible, just live out a peaceful life like a normal person with your family."


    Confusion suffused Bandages'' eyes. His voice lowered a notch as he replied, "But¡­ I''m immortal¡­ When my family all grows old and dies¡­ when should I¡­ go then?


    "Maybe¡­I''ll lose¡­ my memory again¡­and start wandering once more¡­as I search¡­ for my memories¡­"


    Aplex mix of emotions crossed Charles'' face as he regarded Bandages. He didn''t have an answer to thetter''s question.


    Even after such a long while, Bandages still hadn''te close to finding an answer to the origin of his immortality or his fragmented memories.


    Considering that they might never set sail again, it was highly possible that those secrets would remain buried forever.


    Suddenly, Bandages lifted his gaze, a firm determination shing across his eyes. Staring straight into Charles'' eyes, he said, "If that timees¡­ and you''re still around¡­ please¡­ kill me."


    As someone who had spent countless days and nights with Bandages, he immediately understood where Bandages wasing from. Bandages didn''t want to be someone else again. He wanted to end this curse of immortality.


    Despite being momentarily taken aback at the request, Charles swiftlyposed himself and nodded with a soft smile. "Alright, it''s a deal. When that timees, I''ll see you off."


    Bandages'' usually stoic face broke into a rare, genuine smile. "Thank you¡­"


    That day, the two of them sat by the old ship doctor''s grave, and talked about many things as they shared thest half bottle of liquor. They reminisced about old times, and Bandages even ended up speaking much faster than usual.


    When there wasn''t a single drop of alcohol left in the bottle, both men were a bit tipsy. Charles draped an arm over Bandages'' shoulder. As they chuckled about their days aboard the Narwhale, they stumbled their way out of the cemetery.


    "If we ever get to enjoy peace, we should gather more often. We can''t let our bonds weaken just because we''re not on the ship anymore."


    "Yeah¡­ Sounds good!"


    Just as both men reached the gate, Tobba, with his white beard, approached them with a shovel over his shoulder.


    Tobba greeted both of them warmly before running over to the plot next to Lily''s grave. He then started digging with his shovel.


    "What are you doing?" Charles asked, puzzled.


    "I''m digging my grave ahead of time," Tobba replied with a grin as he threw another shovelful of dirt aside. "I don''t want anyone else snatching this prime spot. Hehe. Lucky me that I die early."


    Tobba let out a hearty chuckle as though he had made a great bargain and continued digging.


    On the other end, Charles was speechless at Tobba''s morbid humor. He turned to leave, but just as he exited the cemetery gate, he halted in his tracks.


    Charles looked back at Tobba, who was happily digging his own grave, and a thought entered his mind. Soon enough, Charles'' intense gaze attracted Tobba''s attention. The old man wiped the beading sweat on his forehead and shed Charles a silly grin.


    "Tobba, do you remember that ability of yours to transverse perspective?" Charles called out. "Does that mean you can affect the current reality from the perspective you are in?"


    Tobba ignored Charles'' question. He merely picked up his shovel and continued digging. However, Charles knew that the real Tobba was definitely listening.


    Charles dashed forward and grabbed the old man by his petite frame, lifting thetter into the air. With a tense expression, he questioned, "If you''re a prophet, you must know about the centralputer of the Foundation, right? Can you reach its destination from the perspective you are in?"


    Charles had visited the other perspective and knew that the situation there was vastly different from their current reality. Now that he was to think about it, he realized how hard it was to put that strange, surreal ce into words.


    But no matter how bizarre that ce was, finding a way through that perspective seemed to be a better solution than trying to storm the centralputer head-on in his current world.


    "Heh¡­ heh heh," Tobba merely let out a series of soft chuckles and offered no other response.


    "I know you can hear me, so stop with your silly chuckles!" Charles called out as he shook Tobba, causing the old man¡¯s bald head to bobble back and forth.


    Letting out a hup from the forceful shaking, Tobba raised his index finger and pointed at the freshly dug hole beside them. "What do you think of this grave? Pretty nice, huh?"


    Charles'' brows knitted deeply together. He alternated his gaze between the hole and Tobba several times. With a hint of hesitation in his voice, he asked, "Are you trying to tell me¡­ if you go there, you''ll die? Did you foresee your death at SITE 2?"


    Tobba didn''t answer Charles'' question. Instead, he wriggled out of Charles¡¯ grip, picked up his shovel, and resumed his digging.


    By this point, Charles was no longer in a rush to leave. He stood by Tobba''s side and watched intently. He knew the "real" Tobba would surely leave him a clue through some subtle means.


    Indeed, he noticed it soon enough¡ªthe rhythm of the shovel. It was irregr, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. Something was off.


    After sifting through his memories, a realization dawned upon Charles. It was a secretnguage conveyed through steam whistles, a form ofmunication used between ships at sea.


    One long, one short, then another long and short. That signaled an agreement with the other party''s request.


    A surge of hope and joy rose in Charles'' heart. There was a chance, after all! Tobba could attack the Foundation''s centralputer from an alternate perspective!


    However, Charles'' joy was short-lived as his gaze fell back on the hole Tobba had been digging. A myriad of emotions reced his earlier tion. Tobba seemed to have known all along that he wouldn''t be able to return, which was why he was preparing his own grave.


    For the sake of toppling the Foundation, sacrifices were inevitable. But at the thought that Tobba would really die, Charles felt as though there was a huge boulder weighing down on his chest.


    However, it was hard to justify if he were to pass up such a crucial opportunity.


    "Thank you," Charles eventually found the words to say. "That''s the only thing I can say now. Do you have anyst wish you''d like me to fulfill for you?"


    Tobba didn''t even acknowledge Charles'' words. He gleefully tossed his shovel aside and sprinted toward the cemetery gate, shouting, "I''m going to find Lily and bring her over to have a look! I want her toment on my grave!"


    As Charles watched Tobba''s retreating figure, a sudden sense of unease hit Charles. He felt like he needed a more in-depth conversation with Tobba.


    "Sparkle!" Charles called out.


    In an instant, Sparkle whisked both Charles and Tobba away across the wide oceans. The second before, they were still on Hope Ind, but now, they were on Cat Ind.


    Charles had no idea if this method could keep those perspective police at bay, but all he could hope for was more time to talk to Tobba.


    As their surroundings continued to shift, Tobba''s usual mad demeanor gave way to a more clear-minded persona.


    "Charles, do what you want to do. This is the ending I saw, and it''s also my final destination. You don''t owe me anything."


    Time was of the essence, and seeing Tobba''s resolute stance, Charles decided not to waste any more time. "What''s your n? Can you really reach the centralputer from your perspective?"


    A sly smile appeared on Tobba''s face. "It''s not about what I should do, but what <em>you</em> should do. This time, you areing with me."


    "Me? I can''t!" Charles retorted. Regardless of what was the n Tobba had in mind, Charles'' life was not his own now. His survival was tied to the fate of the entire Subterranean Sea.


    "Don''t worry; you won''t die. I''m just an old man with no weapons, so if I go alone, I won''t be able to do anything to the centralputer. I need help and that is why you have toe with me."

 Chapter 779: Solution

    Chapter 779: Solution


    Tobba found it difficult to describe the centralputer from his perspective, but apparently, this wasn''t strange at all. ording to him, the world could be viewed from many different perspectives, and the human realm was just a part of those perspectives.


    If one were staring at a certain object in a certain ce, the object would be something else entirely upon entering another perspective, even without moving from one''s current location.


    In reality, Hope Ind was an ind, but it was arge flying creature made out of white clouds in the perspective where Tobba was located.


    ording to Tobba, it was possible to attack the centralputer¡ªwhich he named "Big Tree"¡ªfrom his current perspective.


    This was made possible not because he could affect the current reality from the perspective he was in¡ªit was possible because the gods were too "heavy," and reality alone couldn''t withstand their weight, so their bodies would overflow into the other perspectives.


    The bodies of the gods would upy more perspectives the more powerful they were. Tobba even said that he had seen a god whose body was upying all forty-three perspectives. He couldn''t see it clearly, as he had to flee for his life.


    The centralputer was the brain of a god. It was the reason behind its extreme power, but it was also its biggest weakness.


    If the centralputer was attacked from another perspective, it wouldn''t die, but it would be a lunatic like Tobba.


    Charles'' conversation with Tobba was cut short because the invisible perspective police would soon catch up to him. Before the two parted, Tobba handed Charles a paper rabbit made from a newspaper and told him to pull his right middle finger once the grave was done.Once Charles was inside Tobba''s current perspective, Sparkle could then teleport Tobba''s actual person to SITE 2. Charles asked Tobba about what he had to prepare for the uing attack, but Tobba told him that he need not prepare anything¡ªhis messed-up brain was apparently a weapon in itself.


    "Can we even trust that Tobba? What if that lunatic is a spy of the Foundation," Anna said with a hint of worry on her delicate face upon learning about the uing attack.


    Charles was reminded of the time he had spent with Tobba over the past few years. He was reminded of everything¡ªfrom Skywater Ind until now. Finally, Charles nodded and said, "He''s the Navigator of the Narwhale. I trust him."


    There was one thing Charles hadn''t mentioned. It was impossible to "kill" someone in another perspective. Even if the Foundation ended up ambushing him in the perspective where the so-called "Big Tree" was located. He''d simply be a madman like Tobba in the worst-case scenario; he wouldn''t die at all.


    Moreover, he had the fleshly body of Edikth''s Chosen One, and even if he ended up bing a lunatic, they could still use him to lift <em>that</em> seal. In other words, the deterrent would remain even in the worst-case scenario.


    His family and his crew on the ind would be safe.


    Meanwhile, Pede only had one brain. The centralputer couldn''t be replicated, and once it was no longer functional, the Foundation would weaken greatly. Even if they couldn''t destroy the Foundation outright, thetter was bound to be severely weakened, narrowing the gap between both sides.


    With that thought in mind, Charles was convinced that it was a risk worth taking.


    "The Foundation will surely be plunged into chaos once the centralputer suddenly bes nonfunctional. If I don''t make it back, I need you to step forward as the Governor of Hope Ind, gather all our forces, and then take advantage of the chaos to ambush the Foundation.


    "It''s best to rescue the Foundation members under Fhtagn''s influence. With those traitors'' help, the Foundation would be much easier to handle."


    Anna was stunned by Charles'' determined words.


    Then, she walked over to him, wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck. She sat on hisp, crossed one leg over the other and gently said, "Why did you sound like you were leaving yourst words just now?


    "It seems that I have to make something clear to you¡ªif you end up dying, this ce will no longer matter to me. If I end up doing something <em>different </em>by then, you better not me me for it."


    Charles put a hand on her waist before carrying her in a princess carry toward the sunny balcony. The two of them swept their gaze across the bustling Hope Ind. "Look at them."


    Hope Ind''s First Street¡ªa strip ofnd that led all the way to the harbor district from the Governor''s Mansion¡ªwas jam-packed with people as usual. Amidst the crowd, the two saw Gunner Lily sitting in the palm of Weapon Grace. The two were happily strolling alongside Second Mate Nico.


    A green centipede-like creature was hanging upside down from Hope Ind''s canopy. The creature was none other than Norton, and he was using his internal sonar to monitor the entire ind.


    The former cook of the Narwhale, Frey, was sitting in the back of a convertible with two beauties, one in each arm. His big belly quivered as he boasted about his awe-inspiring encounters as an explorer.


    There were also the inders living on Hope Ind. They didn''t notice the governor''s gaze and were living their own ordinary lives in peace.


    "Everything before you was hard-won. Wouldn''t it be a shame if the Foundation were topletely erase all of these?"


    Anna revealed a contemptuous expression as she said, "If you think it''s a shame, then let them fight for themselves. Why do you have to risk your life every time? What? Do you think you''re Spider-Man or something? ''With great poweres great responsibility''?"


    Charles looked down and rubbed his nose against Anna''s high nose. "It must be done. In addition to the people before us, there''s you and Sparkle as well. And that is why failure is not an option; we simply can''t afford it."


    Just then, Charles was suddenly reminded of his "children" on that ind. There would be no limits to how many interaction experiments the Foundation could do using Hope Ind''s poption.


    Charles also didn''t even dare to imagine what they''d do if either Anna or Sparklended in their hands.


    Anna sighed softly. She looked up, revealing her fair neck as she kissed Charles on the lips.


    "Go. I already know that I can''t stop you. I will do everything I can to support you from behind the scenes. I just want you to remember one thing¡ªif you end up dying, other men will end up ying with your wife, and they might beat Sparkle up, too."


    Charles chuckled at that. He patted Anna''s back and said, "I don''t think I have to worry about that. I''m afraid there are only a few people capable of doing that throughout the Subterranean Sea."


    The progress on Tobba''s grave was slow, as he insisted on mixing the cement and creating the tombstone himself.


    Charles decided to take advantage of the wait time to learn more about the Foundation through A2 and brainstorm ns to gnaw away at the Foundation with the others through the Subterranean Sea Council meetings.


    Amidst the same sea of chaos, Charles and A2 saw each other again.


    "Have you found a way to deal with the centralputer? Don''t deny it yet. You''ve been asking me questions about the locations of the Pedes, so it''s not that hard to deduce what you''re trying to do.


    "The Pedes are one of the Foundation''s strongest weapons. n Three is up there as well. If the Pedes and the centralputer somehow vanished, then the Foundation can be considered dead by then," A2 calmly asked.


    Charles smiled and said nothing. He only wanted the information in A2''s mind. It was true that he was indeed cooking up something behind the scenes, but he believed it''d be better if only a few people were privy to it.


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t tell me. Based on the questions you''ve asked me so far, I already have a gist of what you''re trying to do. Anyway, let''s talk about something else, then. How about the Fhtagn Covenant? I heard that you''re nursing a grudge against the Fhtagn Covenant. Is it true?"

 Chapter 780: The Third 001

    Chapter 780: The Third 001


    "I also dislike those foolish false believers. Once I''m out, we should work together and rece them," A2 added.


    Charles chuckled coldly to himself. Was she trying to create another organization that believed in God Fhtagn? It seemed that Fhtagn''s followers hated heretics more than the nonbelievers. The Foundation was still standing, but A2 was already brainstorming ways to sabotage the Covenant.


    "I don''t want to talk about that right now. Let''s talk about it once the Foundation has actually copsed."


    A2 nodded knowingly and replied, "Sure. I''lle and find you when the timees, then. And I hope you won''t forget this one fact¡ªGod Fhtagn will always have believers so long as He exists."


    "Those guys have a blood feud with you, but I don''t have anything against you. If we''re going to talk about vested interests, then you''ll profit more by supporting me in establishing the ''true'' Fhtagn Covenant," A2 said.


    Then, she closed her eyes and got ready to leave.


    "Wait!" Charles eximed.


    A2 opened her eyes again and stared at Charles.


    "Since you''re a member of the GK Council, then you should know a lot about 001, right? If 003 is God Fhtagn slumbering in the deep sea and 002 is the monster above the surface world. How about 001? Just what is it?"This burning question had been burning a hole in Charles'' heart for quite some time now. What exactly was 001? Was it an existence even more powerful than 002 and 003?


    Charles then added that he had already read two documents talking about two 001s. Upon hearing that, A2''s mouth fluttered open as she calmly talked about another 001¡ªthe third 001.


    <em>Project ID: 001</em>


    <em>Project Name: A Terrible Conjecture</em>


    <em>Project Containment Procedure: </em><strong><em>001 cannot be contained. There is absolutely only one Project 001.</em></strong>


    <em>Description: 001 is not a physical entity. It is a conjecture that the centralputer formed after nonstop simtions of over a hundred years. It is a terrible conjecture.</em>


    <em>Statement: We, humans, are the sole overlords of Earth, and we are opportunistic omnivores.</em>


    <em>We have shown outstanding ingenuity in extraction, production, processing, and food preservation. We are also the only species capable of making fire and manipting it. Other animals absolutely cannot do something like this.</em>


    <em>But do you really think that''s a coincidence? No, there aren''t that many coincidences in the world. The vast difference between us and other animals didn''t appear naturally.</em>


    <em>The inferences I''ve drawn from my research told me that there''s a ny-five percent chance that the gods gave birth to humanity as mere toys to have fun with.</em>


    <em>Our birth may have just been a casual creation of one of them. Perhaps They are next to us, silently observing us. They observe our rise and fall, savoring the ups and downs of human civilization, just like a painter looking at their own work.</em>


    <em>And I have discovered evidence that whenever humanity is stuck in a bottleneck, They wille out to push us forward before disappearing at once. This is definitely not a coincidence. They truly exist!</em>


    <em>Humans are nothing before Them; we are merely Their toys. Let''s hope that we are fun enough for Them to keep, as the day They get bored of watching us y is our doomsday.</em>


    <em>I know that this is a depressing truth, but we simply cannot do anything about it. </em>


    <em>Moreover, it''s a despair-inducing truth that we must hide at all costs. If the god who created us for fun notices our existence, then there is a high chance that They might no longer want to watch us y and might throw us away.</em>


    <em>Remarks: 001 requires the highest clearance avable to peruse. Unauthorized ess to this information is punishable by summary execution.</em>


    Charles''s expression was gloomy as he listened to A2''s words. His brows then furrowed tightly as he stared at A2, who was staring calmly at him.


    "So this is the real 001? The previous ones were all fake?" Charles asked. He was suddenly reminded of his daughter''s miniature toy, which was like a miniature world. He was also reminded of 005, who''de and go as she pleased without exuding an oppressive aura like the other gods.


    "Which 001 do you think is real? No, which 001 do you hope is real?" A2 asked calmly.


    "Don''t y riddles with me. I don''t want to make any guesses. I just want to know which one is the truth among them," Charles said, sounding solemn.


    However, A2 wasn''t intimidated at all. She spoke slowly and steadily as she replied, "In addition to these three, there are fourteen other 001s, each requiring different clearance levels to peruse. However, none of them are 001¡ªno, it could be said that they''re all 001.


    "The real 001 is described in a highly ssified document that has to be hidden at all costs. No one is allowed to see it, but it exists among the numerous 001s. The files depicting the other 001s are fragments of the real 001.


    "If you want to know the real 001, then you''ll have to peruse every single 001 file and piece together clues from them. Otherwise, you''ll never know which among them is the real 001. In fact, even the GK Council can''t answer that question.


    Charles pondered over A2''s words for a long time. Finally, he nodded and turned around to leave.


    "You don''t want to ask about the other 001s? I can tell you more," A2 said.


    However, Charles didn''t stop as he replied, "I''m toozy to guess. I also don''t want to make any guesses. Why would I let myself be led by the nose by the Foundation in exchange for something that has nothing to do with me?


    "If you want to speak in riddles, then go ahead and look for someone else to talk with. I guess you can use that as a smokescreen to confuse other people."


    With that, Charles finally left, and the entire dreamscape copsed.


    Once the preparations were ready, Tobba''s grave was finally ready as well. Charles watched as Tobba took amemorative photo of himself in front of his tomb with a shovel in his hand.


    Charles walked over and grabbed Tobba''s finger. As soon as he tugged at the finger, the world around him spun. When he came to his senses, he found a young-looking Tobba riding a paper rabbit next to him.


    Tobba''s handsome face looked a bit impatient as he said, "What were you dilly-dallying for? Why are you so slow? You could have sent some people to help me build the tomb."


    Charles pushed off the ground with one hand and somersaulted in the air beforending directly behind Tobba. Then, he looked up and swept his gaze across the bizarre surroundings.


    They were in a world covered in a white mist. The white mist was so thick that he couldn''t see the ground and the sky. The white mist was also clearly different from ordinary mist, as it was churning at breakneck speeds.


    Tobba''s paper rabbit was asrge as a horse, and it hopped a few times to bring them out of the mist. Once they broke out of the mist, Charles finally saw the white mist''s true identity.


    It was a whale¡ªa shapeless whale made out of mist. Its tail fin swayed gently as it traversed this world of mist.


    "Charles, when will Sparkle teleport me to SITE 2? I''m really short on time," Tobba said, ncing at the watch that he had drawn on his right hand.


    "She''s going to teleport you soon. I told her to teleport you there exactly one minute after I be a lunatic," Charles said. He looked down to stare at the abyss down below.


    Charles seemed to fall into contemtion at the baffling sight. Eventually, he looked up and wasn''t surprised to find that the ocean was actually above them.


    Exactly one minute after Charles arrived in this perspective, Sparkle made a move, whisking them away. The two felt as if they were being forcefully pulled away to somewhere as the scenery before them peeled away.


    Before they knew it, they found themselves standing before a giant well.


    It was a unique well, as rather than bricks, the walls of the well seemed to depict a cityscape. It looked like an entire city had been ttened, rolled into a cylinder, and then thrust into the ground. The walls of the well were packed with buildings tilted at a ny-degree angle.


    After a brief moment of contemtion, Charles reached into his clothes and pulled out the paper rabbit that Tobba had given him earlier. The rabbit grew bigger, and Charles eventually hopped onto his own paper rabbit.


    "Let''s go! To the bottom of the well! The centralputer is extremely heavy! I can feel its tugging even though we''re here!" Tobba eximed.


    Charles lightly kicked with both feet, and the paper rabbit took to the air, jumping into the well.


    Meanwhile, in Hope Ind''s cemetery, Anna and Sparkle stared at Charles jumping around in circles before them. Charles had be a lunatic. He was riding a paper rabbit the size of half a palm and was hopping in circles with it.


    <em>Click, click, click!</em>


    Anna looked pleased as she snapped pictures of Charles'' unseemly actions.


    With her hands wrapped around Anna''s neck, Sparkle craned her neck to watch as well. She thennded on the ground, wanting to walk over to take a look out of curiosity, but Anna pushed her away, saying, "We''re not ying around here, so just get moving. You''re our entire transport team. Without you, our remaining weapons won''t get to the Sea of Mist."

 Chapter 781: Brain

    Chapter 781: Brain


    The paper rabbit covered a considerable distance with each hop, allowing Charles and Tobba to reach the center of the city on the well in no time.


    Tobba and Charles revealed solemn looks as they looked down at the strange city. The buildings were extremely bizarre, and they were leaning haphazardly as if they were exhausted from standing up.


    They all looked like they might copse at any moment.


    Charles also spotted some creatures living in the city. They were like ants as they shuttled around the city, but Charles was too far away from them to identify them.


    However, one thing was for sure¡ªthe creatures were not humans.


    "You''re staring at ''them.'' ''They'' are the indigenous creatures of the ''Big Tree,'' and ''they'' survive by absorbing trace amounts of the power of the gods, which is exactly why ''they'' settled here," Tobba exined to Charles.


    Charles turned, staring into the depths of the well. There was only a sea of chaos, with no sign of the centralputer whatsoever. "How much longer until we get there? We''ve been in here for at least half an hour now."


    "We''re almost there. We''re close, so let me tell you what you need to do. Once we get there, you have to crack open your head, scoop out your brain, and throw it like a grenade. That''s all," Tobba said casually.


    "What?" However, Charles was so stupefied that he felt like he had misheard. "Can you say that again?"Tobba raised his hand, ncing at the watch that he had drawn on his right hand before nonchntly replying, "Why are you panicking? This isn''t reality. We''re in another perspective, so you''re not going to die here. You should be more afraid of getting erased and reced."


    Charles recalled his previous bizarre experience in another perspective. He stared deeply at Tobba before grabbing the paper rabbit made out of newspaper and making it hop into the depths of the city down below.


    "I''ve been wanting to ask you this, but what''s exactly in my brain? Why can it be used as a weapon against the centralputer? As far as I know, there''s nothing in my head except for Anna''s tentacles," Charles said.


    "Captain," said Tobba, staring deeply at Charles. "You''ve been through a lot in the Subterranean Sea, and you''ve experienced a few things that you''ve forgotten, but it doesn''t mean that they no longer exist.


    "On the contrary, their connection to you has be even deeper than before. Before, they could stay outside, but the Foundation''s meddling had allowed them to stay inside you."


    Charles looked down at his chest, puzzled. "What are you talking about? Howe you''re still a lunatic, even in this perspective?"


    "<em>Pfft!</em>" Tobba burst outughing at that as his figure swayed back and forth on the hopping rabbit. "It''s nothing. I don''t know what I''m saying either. If I had to say something good about being a lunatic, then it''s the fact that one can be carefree."


    The two chitchatted for a good while until something emerged from the deepest recess of the well. Charles and Tobba soon pped their eyes on the figure amidst the sea of chaos, and Charles was particrly surprised upon seeing it.


    The centralputer wasn''t a brain in this perspective. It was a human-shaped silhouette. If Charles had to describe it, then he''d say that he was staring at someone''s back.


    However, the truth was that they were staring at the Foundation''s centralputer¡ªthe brain of thete God Pede. Its appearance was even more bizarre than Charles had imagined.


    "Are you really sure that''s the centralputer?" Charles swept his gaze across the surroundings and found it deste. It was great that there were no traps nor fortifications from the Foundation here, but things were going too swimmingly that Charles actually felt uneasy.


    "Ah¡­ why are you being so indecisive? Hurry up and throw your brain over there. They wouldn''t have anticipated that we''ll be making our move in an alternative perspective," Tobba said. He was standing on the back of his paper rabbit and was tugging at its long ears.


    Charles stared at Tobba in front of him, and scenes of their previous interactions shed in his mind.


    In the end, he raised his hand and grabbed the tentacles serving as his hair. Then, he shoved his hands into his skull through his nape. He twisted his fingers and sliced.


    Momentster, Charles pulled out a clump of what looked like rotten tofu riddled with holes out of his skull. The holes in his brain were evidently made by Anna''s tentacles.


    Tobba was right. Despite losing his brain, Charles felt fine; he couldn''t feel anything strange except for the fact that his head felt lighter and breezier.


    He tossed his brain into the air with one hand, seemingly ying with it. The next moment, the muscles on Charles'' arm bulged, and he used all of his strength to throw his brain at the distant silhouette.


    Charles'' brain resembled a white meteor in the starry sky as it left behind a trail of cerebrospinal fluid and brain matter while making a beeline for the silhouette in the distance.


    Staring at his brain disappearing into the distance, Charles turned to Tobba and said in a low voice, "I hope the grave you dug isn''t for me."


    Tobba broke out into a smile when the brain disappeared into the distance. Then, he chuckled before bursting out into a peal of uproariousughter while looking so smug.


    Tobba''s expression immediately returned to normal upon seeing Charles'' indifferent face. He sounded greatly surprised as he asked, "<em>Huh? </em>I''mughing like a bad guy here, so why are you not reacting at all? Do you have a contingency n or something?"


    "A bad guy? That''s a rather broad term. Are you saying that you''re a bad guy?"


    Tobba stretched his feet before taking a seat on his paper rabbit. He sounded regretful as he replied, "Of course, I''m not a bad guy. Why would I be? I said that because I wanted you to rx; I was just joking around."


    "Aren''t you hundreds of years old?" Charles asked, sighing helplessly, "Can you stop being so childish? Just look at our current situation; do you really think that this is the time for jokes?"


    "How long do you n on living? Let me tell you something¡ªthe longer you live, the happier you should be. Otherwise, your life would bepletely meaningless. Living a life like Bandages'' is aplete waste of a life!" Tobba retorted.


    The two proceeded to argue as the "meteor" in the distance merged into the distant silhouette. As soon as the "meteor" struck the distant silhouette, it began to squirm and tremble.


    Charles instantly became wary as he stared at the distant silhouette from afar.


    All of a sudden, Charles was shocked to find that he had ess to a special sensory organ capable of perceiving information in a bizarre three-point perspective.


    He could see his other body, and it was inside a massive pool. The pool was full of water, and there was a colossal brain soaking in it. The brain''s deeply folded cerebral cortex was riddled with blood vessels.


    The massive pool was surrounded by a myriad of tiny optical fibers resembling long needles, and all of them were connected to the brain soaking in the pool. The other end of the optical fibers was connected to a variety of strange devices made out of machinery, flesh, and even nts.


    The Foundation''s clones were working diligently on those devices.


    A vast amount of knowledge entered Charles'' mind in the blink of an eye. He realized just then that he was staring at the centralputer. He also instantly knew the purpose of those bizarre machines and the serial numbers of every single clone here.


    The centralputer''s vast amount of data and its powerful will had allowed it to almost instantly assimte Charles. He felt like everything was utterly insignificant before the centralputer.


    Just as he was about to lose track of whether he was Charles or the centralputer, the bloody water in the pool began boiling. The blood vessels covering the deeply folded cerebral cortex ruptured one by one.


    A thunderous explosion echoed, and the massive pool was shattered, allowing the white brain matter of the colossal brain to submerge everything around it.

 Chapter 782: A2

    Chapter 782: A2


    When Charles came to his senses again, he found himself in the Governor''s Mansion on sunny Hope Ind. A group of people was staring anxiously at him.


    "What exactly happened over there?" Anna asked with her hands on her hips.


    Charles hurriedly peered into SITE 2 through his eyeball spider and discovered that SITE 2 had actually lost power. Charles was ecstatic at the sight; their n had actually seeded.


    However, Charles'' heart was abruptly gripped by anxiety. The Foundation was so powerful, so would they really go down so easily? Charles'' keen instincts honed by his years of exploration out at sea told him that it couldn''t be that easy.


    With that in mind, Charles controlled the eyeball spider and made it hop onto Deya''s shoulder.


    "Let''s go out and find out the Foundation''s state right now."


    Deya pointed at Tobba sitting on the floor. "What about him?"


    "Ignore him. Let him stay here for now."


    The eyeball of the spider rotated, looking outside through the nearby window. As expected, it was pitch-ck outside.


    Upon walking out of the streets, Captain Deya immediately tried to contact his team members. He pressed on his earpiece a few times before turning to the eyeball spider on his shoulder.


    "There is zero power. I can''t contact the others, too. How did you do this?"


    All of a sudden, there was a <em>whoosh</em>, and Charles looked up to see a towering ck shadow streaking across the sky. The ck shadow was none other than Pede.


    "Don''t ask so many questions. Let''s just go to Restricted Zone 19, where A2 is being detained," Charles replied. Their enemy was the Foundation, and there was no such thing as being <em>too </em>careful against them. He had to ensure that they''d only be exposed to the minimum amount of risk.


    Deya nodded with a solemn expression. He pulled on the cor of his trench coat and walked past the other clones standing in ce. The clones nearby were bewildered; they had no idea what was going on.


    Soon, they arrived at their destination. Amidst the dim lights scattered throughout the zone, they saw members of a mobile task force cordoning off Restricted Zone 19.


    "Do you want to go in? I can sneak in now," Deya said. He opened his trench coat, revealing some digits on his chest.


    "Without any power, I''m sure things have be quite chaotic inside. Go in and take a look. We have to find a way to rescue A2!"


    "Mmhm." Deya grabbed Charles and tucked him into his eye socket. Then, he started walking toward the wall of people in the distance.


    Deya was the Captain of Mobile Task Force: Behemoth, and his identity was pretty useful amidst the chaos. He was quickly recruited as one of Restricted Zone 19''s temporary guards.


    The surroundings were so dark that no one noticed the fact that Deya was missing one of his eyes, even though both of his eyes were intact just a few moments ago.


    Charles had learned about A2''s location through thetter himself. He crawled along the ceiling and made a beeline for his destination.


    However, he soon stumbled upon a thick wall that looked to be a full meter thick.


    Clearly, the Foundation was never the type to fool around in an emergency. They were ruthless enough to seal everything inside the facility; there was no way a physical entity could get into the deeper regions of the facility without the Foundation''s permission.


    Charles wanted Sparkle to teleport Linda over here, as Linda''s special abilities¡ªher stomach acid and her ability to phase through objects¡ªwere useful when dealing with fortifications against physical entities.


    With that in mind, Charles immediately started drawing a portrait of Sparkle using spider silk. Before he couldplete the drawing, however, the steel wall in the distance rose up slowly, and A2''s figure walked out from beyond the steel wall.


    A pair of sharp eyes were behind A2''s round-frame sses, and it was proven by how she immediately noticed Charles on the ceiling. "Charles, we''ve stumbled upon a rare opportunity! Come with me! We must take control of SITE 2!"


    Charles promptly jumped onto A2''s shoulder.


    A2 put away the light source in her hand and felt her way along the wall to their destination. Fortunately, A2 was familiar with the facility. Soon, she found an air duct and forced it open.


    A2 squeezed herself through the ducts until shended on a busy street.


    A2 then made her way into a nearby building.


    After many twists and turns, they soon found themselves inside a dark room full of suspended screens. The room was also filled with peculiar devices that Charles couldn''t understand at all.


    "Don''t rush. The Foundation has a contingency n in the event of an attack on the centralputer. The reason they didn''t immediately restore power is that they want to know whether the attacker is a deep sea god of the Subterranean Sea or something else," A2 said, taking off her clothes.


    Charles saw that A2''s slender figure was covered in what looked like physical ports. Crisp, clicking noises echoed in the room as A2 plugged the cables from underneath the screens into her ports.


    A2''s slim figure was clearly moreplex than it appeared. In fact, she seemed to be made entirely of metal. Of course, Charles couldn''t say for sure whether she was a robot or had simply reced parts of her body with metal imnts.


    However, Charles was leaning more toward thetter. The idea of a robot getting influenced by an evil god like Fhtagn just sounded extremely absurd to Charles.


    "There are plenty of beings more powerful than us in the Subterranean Sea. There''s a reason we''ve been hiding, and we''ve been hiding on purpose. If hiding is impossible, then we don''t mind ying dead as well. It can be effective, after all."


    "We only have thirty seconds remaining. Once the red alert is lifted, the centralputer''s backup will immediately connect to thework. The backup is at its most vulnerable state while it''s assimting data from the Foundation. We have to exploit that brief weakness to tamper with its logic model," A2 said.


    Charle remained calm as he observed A2''s every single move. "Are you sure you can handle it?"


    A tinge of confidence suffused A2''s face. "Of course. The backup was made by me and my team. With the backup in hand, the Foundation will effectively be under my control!"


    A2''s words had yet to finish echoing throughout the room when everything around them suddenly lit up¡ªthe Foundation had finally restored power to SITE 2!


    The suspended screens shed, and a waterfall of green texts appeared before them. A2 standing stiffly with cables protruding out of her began convulsing right before Charles.


    Time ticked by just like that, and Charles suddenly noticed a burning smell.


    Something was burning¡­


    Sparks flew from A2, and she revealed a look of anxiety and pain. "Damn it! My clone is standing in my way!! Just a bit more! Just a <em>bit</em> more! Charles! I don''t care what you''re going to do! Just go and attract their attention!"


    "Hurry up and go! This is ourst chance!" A2 screamed.


    Charles spat thin, spider silk from his abdomen and started drawing a portrait of his daughter on the floor. His n was to teleport his true body outside and attract everyone''s attention.


    Just as the drawing was about to bepleted, Charles suddenly stopped and stared calmly at A2, whose convulsions were bing more and more violent with each passing second.


    "The centralputer has already been destroyed. I''m satisfied with just that. I''m the kind of person who likes to quit while I''m ahead, so I think I''m just going to stop here."


    A2 cast a disbelieving gaze at the spider not too far away from her. Her voice was trembling as she said, "Do you even know what you''re saying?! You''re going to get us all killed!!"


    "Actually, you''re the only one who''s going to die. I''m just going to lose an eyeball," Charles said, writing his message on the table using his spider silk.


    The next second, A2''s figure ceased convulsing. The tiny room around them rapidly peeled away. The walls around them fell outward, and Charles was inundated by a dazzling white light.


    The outside world had changed. Charles found himself in apletely sealed space with three towering Pedes looming over him. To make matters worse, high-tech weapons of a variety of sizes were pointed directly at him.


    Charles looked around and found a ss wall not too far away. He saw the familiar faces of the GK Council members beyond the ss wall, and all of them were staring quietly at him.


    It turned out that everything was just a trap¡ªa trap that the GK Council had created for Charles. If Charles had truly teleported his true body over here, he would have fallen into their trap.


    Without him, the Subterranean Sea''s deterrence would disappear.


    "How did you see through it? There were no ws at all." The voice of the raven-headed K9 echoed.


    "Actually, I didn''t see through it. I just felt like it was too risky." The eyeball spider wrote on the floor. "The difference between us is stark¡ªyou guys can afford to lose many times to me, but you just have to beat me once, and it''s all over for us."

 Chapter 783: 177 Tobba

    Chapter 783: 177 Tobba


    <strong><em>Inside a giant oval-shaped type-9 Containment Chamber in SITE 2¡­</em></strong>


    Charles swept his gaze across K9, T6, O5, and the other GK Council members in the distance. He was ready to destroy his eyeball spider at any time, but he decided to extract some information before retreating. "So Tobba is your spy as well? You guys almost fooled me. That was great."


    K9''s four eyes stared at Charles in the distance. His jet-ck raven beaks opened as he said, "Tobba? Are you saying that 177 had attacked the centralputer with you? How did you guys do it?"


    Charles'' brows furrowed slightly. This wasn''t quite what he had thought. If this was all a plot by the Foundation, then Tobba had to have been involved. Perhaps the Foundation still wanted to feign ignorance?


    Just as Charles was pondering over the answer to his burning question, the door on the white wall next to him was pushed open.


    Tobba had pushed the door open, and he promptly walked in, saying, "Don''t overthink it. That birdhead right there is trying to deceive you; you should''ve seen their faces. When the centralputer exploded, they were so scared that I bet they almost pissed themselves."


    Tobba smiled and nodded at everyone. He looked just like a tourist inside a tourist attraction.


    "Charles, didn''t I tell you that your brain has be a weapon with immense power? It''s really incredible. The centralputer is partially paralyzed right now, but we need more than just that," Tobba said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a rusty bicycle bell that he had picked up from somewhere.


    "What are you going to do?" The GK Council members noticed that something was amiss and immediately became alert. They were familiar with 177. The database records told them that 177 had a bizarre ability of foresight, but he was still in the body of an ordinary human being. In other words, he wasn''t a threat to the Foundation.


    Tobba seemed to have read their thoughts as he chuckled and said, "Hehehe, don''t underestimate me, all right? I''m still a project, after all."


    Tobba put his right hand on his bald head before triggering the bicycle bell.


    <em>Ring, ring, ring!</em>


    The sound produced by the bicycle bell pervaded the vast, empty chamber.


    "Hey~ Come out, everyone! I''m here! Come here, quick~" Tobba eximed, deliberately drawing out his voice as if he were calling for his chickens.


    It wasn''t a threatening gesture at all, but when Tobba''s words fell, everyone felt their scalps go numb. rm bells started ringing in their heads, and they felt like something bad was about to happen.


    K9 raised his right talon and spun it. Immediately afterward, several jet-ck shadows rushed out of the steel floor. They emerged from the floor like flying fish, and they made a beeline for Tobba.


    Charles'' heart was instantly gripped by nervousness at the sight. His spider body was too weak to withstand any attack. Tobba''s survival now depended on whether his foresight ability could help him read the trajectory of the attack or not.


    However, Charles reeled in shock when the smiling Tobba simply stood quietly without making any attempts to dodge.


    A grotesque noise echoed as the jet-ck shadows pierced Tobba. His figure stiffened instantly, and streaks of blood covered him almost immediately afterward. His blood soon dyed his clothes in a crimson hue.


    "Tobba!" Charles'' true body on sunny Hope Ind abruptly stood up, and his scream startled everyone.


    The optimistic and child-like light in Tobba''s eyes dimmed. His lips, which were rapidly losing their color, fluttered open as he said, "Captain Charles, do you know that life bes meaningless once you''ve lived long enough? Goodbye.


    "Oh, and remember to eat breakfast even when you''re busy. That way, you won''t be hungry in the morning."


    And just like that, Tobba''s figure disintegrated as if he were a building that had been demolished. The attack had dismembered Tobba into more than a dozen pieces that scattered to the floor, dyeing it in a sticky crimson hue.


    The rusty bicycle bell fell to the ground and rolled a few times before finallynding in the pool of blood. It quivered a few times beforeing to a stop.


    Charles was beyond shocked.


    Tobba was no more.


    He could foresee the future, but he died just like that?


    All of a sudden, the grave that Tobba had dug for himself on Hope Ind popped up in Charles'' mind for no reason.


    <em>Ring, ring, ring!</em>


    The bicycle bell on the floor suddenly started ringing on its own. It rang nonstop, and its ringing grew more frantic and piercing with each passing second.


    One of the towering Pedes raised his right hand, which was riddled with pitch-ck holes, to grab the bicycle bell. Then, he squeezed his hand, crushing the rusty bicycle bell.


    When the rusty bicycle bell was shattered, everyone looked up at the ceiling riddled with lights.


    At some point, the steel ceiling had caved inward. There was a massive dent in it that resembled an equteral triangle, and the creaking of the metal up above proved to everyone that it was under immense stress.


    BOOM!


    A thunderous noise echoed as more than half of the elliptical ceiling caved inward at once. To make matters worse, more and more triangr dents were appearing in the ceiling, and they were also popping up at a rate that was getting faster every second.


    The special steel that the Foundation had used to build the facility seemed to be no different from a piece of paper in the face of what was up above.


    "Quick! Initialize n DIO-3! We cannot lose SITE 2!"


    The members of the GK Council didn''t seem to have any ns of surrendering, but before they could do anything, the ceiling finally copsed.


    The invisible monsters up above brought down the steel ceiling and carried with them the force of a mountain as they charged at everyone down below.


    Charles had no idea what happened afterward, as his eyeball spider had already crawled out through the door that Tobba had opened for him. As soon as the bicycle bell started ringing by itself, Charles realized that "they" had been sessfully lured over by Tobba.


    Charles knew back then that he had to run away now, or he was doomed along with everyone else in that chamber.


    Rumbling and creaking noises pervaded the air as the containment chamber that the Foundation wanted to use to imprison Charles began to copse. Fortunately, the eyeball spider was both agile and tiny, allowing Charles to escape before the facility copsedpletely.


    Charles stood up straight and looked around. The city had fallen into chaos. The clones were running around with bewildered looks. They tried to connect to their devices, but they couldn''t establish a connection with the Foundation''swork.


    Charles was very certain that Tobba had attracted not just two perspective police this time¡ªjust two couldn''t possibly tear down the entire SITE 2.


    Just then, every single clone nearby found themselves weightless. The next moment, they let out horrified screams as they plummeted rapidly toward the sea above their heads.


    Charles immediately thrust his eight spider legs into the ground, and he barely managed to resist gravity. However, his resistancested only for a brief moment, as even the ground began falling toward the sea surface.


    Charles and the perspective police''s attacks proved to be too much for SITE 2 to bear, and it could no longer defy gravity to stay suspended.


    In the end, the upside-down city of the Foundation plunged into the sea at breakneck speeds. It was the final scene that Charles saw through the eyeball spider before it perished along with SITE 2.


    A sharp, needle-like pain radiated from Charles'' empty eye socket, but Charles was too excited to care about the pain. The fall of SITE 2 was an opportunity¡ªa great opportunity to deal with the Foundation once and for all!


    He had to seize this opportunity!

 Chapter 784: Opportunity

    Chapter 784: Opportunity


    "Anna! Proceed with the n now! The Foundation''s sites are now helpless and isted from each other! This is a golden opportunity for us to attack!"


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Sparkle instantly disappeared in front of Charles. Her figure shed across many different ces throughout the Subterranean Sea as she teleported the naval forces of the four seas to the Sea of Mist.


    There were seven sites in total, and four of them had no Pedes stationed to protect them. As expected, they were the first sites to suffer the fierce bombardment of the Subterranean Sea''s navies.


    The sites counterattacked, but they were quickly overwhelmed and overrun. Five Pedes were dispatched to suppress the attackers, but by the time they arrived, the sites were devoid of people, and the enemies had left long ago.


    The Pedes of the Foundation had a power equivalent to a demigod, so Charles knew that they were too weak to defeat them. Since they couldn''t win, they decided to engage in gueri tactics.


    Sparkle''s specialty was extreme mobility, and they decided to take advantage of that, avoiding any head-on confrontation against the enemy.


    A massive floating ind hovered over SITE 5 on the pitch-ck sea surface. Gun barrels of a variety of sizes protruding from the floating ind were pointed at SITE 5 directly below them.


    The next moment, a torrential rain of shells struck the fortress down below.The floating ind was once upied by 1189-1 on the surface world, but it belonged to Anna now.


    A smile tugged at the corner of Anna''s lips as she looked down at the battlefield shrouded in smoke and mes. Her gorgeous figure leaned slightly to the right, bumping into Charles'' shoulder.


    "Hey, Gao Zhiming, howe you don''t look surprised at all? I just brought this big guy down from the surface world. Isn''t that shocking?


    "Tell me honestly¡ªdid you send your own people to hide among mine to monitor me? That is really annoying," Anna remarked.


    Anna''s coquettish behavior made a shiver run down Charles'' spine, but he managed to ignore it. He looked down at SITE 5 with a solemn expression.


    A semi-transparent shield had appeared on the pitch-ck sea surface, protecting the submerged main ind.


    As expected, the Foundation''s defenses were formidable¡ªso formidable that things were no longer going as swimmingly as before. The semi-transparent shield seemed impervious to hot weapons. It remained unscathed despite the long bombardment.


    Unfortunately, Charlescked time. Those Pedes were definitely making a beeline for their location right now.


    "Hurry up and reveal your cards, Anna. We don''t have any time to waste here," Charles said with a hint of anxiety in his voice.


    "You even know that?" A glint of surprise shed in Anna''s eyes. "Now I no longer feel like I''m mysterious..."


    Upon seeing that Anna seemed like she wasn''t willing to make a move, Charles raised his hand, and invisible tentacles burst out of the bottom of the giant floating ind.


    They intertwined with each other and forcefully pried open the ind through the many fissures on its bottom. In no time, the floating ind was cracked open, and ck boxes of many different sizes plummeted toward SITE 5''s shield.


    The high fall shattered the boxes upon impact, and one of them contained a giant translucent leech.


    Charles instantly recognized the leech. It was one of the projects being contained inside Laboratory Three; the ind was particrly memorable to him, as it was the ind where he first met Lily.


    The giant leech nced at the falling boxes before looking down at the shield down below. It twisted its pudgy figure and dove straight into SITE 5''s shield, seemingly trying to drill a hole into it.


    Another box cracked open. A monster resembling a giant starfish crashed onto SITE 5''s shield. Charles instantly recognized the monster as well. It was the same kind of monster as Anna¡ªmonsters capable of altering memories from that certain ind.


    The monster morphed into Feuerbach''s appearance and started shouting while standing on the shield.


    Strange creatures emerged one after another from the boxes falling onto SITE''s shield, and they were all bizarre monsters that Charles had encountered over his years of exploration throughout the Subterranean Sea. Ironically, these dangerous creatures had be Charles'' bullets against the Foundation.


    When it came to technology, the Foundation was much more advanced than them, but when it came to dealing with these bizarre creatures, the Foundation was most likely worse at itpared to the people of the Subterranean Sea.


    "You''re really ruthless. You even put your own kind down there," Charles said, ncing at Anna beside him.


    "Well, my n calls for the sacrifice of at least three inds to obtain enough power to handle the Foundation," Anna shrugged, saying, "Since you don''t want to sacrifice humans, then I had no choice but to sacrifice my own kind, but it''s fine. I''m not really close to them, anyway."


    While the two were talking, SITE 5''s shield down below was cracked open by something among the creatures in the boxes. The seawater instantly poured in, and the creatures writhing on the shield plummeted toward SITE 5 as soon as the shield disappeared.


    In the blink of an eye, pandemonium erupted throughout SITE 5. The ships sailed over the submerged ind and dropped bombs into the tumultuous waves. In no time, SITE 5 was no more.


    "Dad, where should we go next?" Sparkle asked. Her head was tilted as she stared at the map of the Sea of Mist in her hands.


    "We''re going to SITE 6, where I was once imprisoned," Charles replied.


    A hint of surprise appeared on Sparkle''s delicate face. "Aren''t there Pedes protecting that ce? Are you sure we''re going there?"


    "Yeah. The weapon that they used to initialize n Three is there. It''s a new type of weapon that the Foundation had developed using the darkness of the Subterranean Sea. We can''t let the Foundation make a desperate move," Charles said, analyzing their current situation in a rational way.


    The Foundation still had one card in hand, and it was a card that would allow them to turn the tables if they were allowed to y it. If Charles wanted to feel at ease, he had to tear that card apart.


    "Wait, send all the ships below to the remaining sites. Tell them to pretend like they''re going to attack those sites so that the Foundation will have no choice but to send reinforcements.


    "The Foundation''s forces have to be spread thin. And it''s not like the navy is going to be helpful against the Pedes," Anna said, pointing at the rows of ships in the distance.


    The massive fleet down below wasposed of Julio''s Invincible Fleet, the magical fleet of the Western Seas, Hope Ind''s Navy fleet, and the seaweed-covered shipwrecks of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    In the face of the Foundation''s world-ending threat, the Subterranean Sea went all out. The fleet of ships of many different sizes was so massive that they seemed to span the entire sea region.


    Charles remained silent in response to Anna''s words. Second Mate Nico nced at him before turning to the phone next to him and passing down Anna''s orders to the ships down below.


    As the ships disappeared one by one to follow theirtest orders, Charles opened his prosthetic palm, and a ck spike stuck out of it. He pierced the tip of his finger and crouched down to draw a magic array with his own blood.


    He was drawing the magic array needed to draw upon Edikth''s power. Charles had long be ustomed to drawing the array, and he was also bing more and more ustomed to drawing upon Edikth''s power inside of him.


    Only the gods could deal with the gods¡­ He had to go all out as well.


    Halfway through his drawing, Charles heard the crisp footsteps of Anna''s high heelsing up behind him. A fragrant scent wafted over to his nose, and he felt Anna on his back.


    Charles could feel her worry. After all, he was preparing to face the Pedes by himself. Moreover, the Pope was no more, so no one was going to self-destruct to save him.


    The decisive battle was nigh.


    "It''s okay. I''m not going to die. Just look at me. I''m still alive and well despite what I''ve been through," Charles said.


    Anna chuckled and said, "Since you''ve put it that way, I guess I should just cheer my man on. Anyway, once we''ve defeated the Foundation and assimted their legacy, the entire Subterranean Sea will truly be under our control."


    The two chitchatted for a while until Charles was done drawing the human-shaped magic array. Charles stood up with Anna still on his back and cast aplex gaze at the human-shaped magic array.


    "You know what? I actually don''t want to use this power. This power makes me feel like I''m not Charles¡ªit makes me feel like I''m a stranger," Charles remarked.


    "I''m barely keeping in control, and it''s all thanks to that one time we devoured souls in another perspective. This power doesn''t really belong to me, so I have no idea what harm it will bring me if I were to use it too much," Charles added.


    Anna wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck and looked down at the magic array on the floor. "Then, you should go ahead and learn more about it. Master it, and assimte it. By then, it will truly belong to you."


    Charles'' ear felt a bit itchy when Anna''s hot breath blew past his ear.


    "Maybe I can do that, but not now," Charles replied. With that, he put Anna down on the floor and allowed his shadow to align perfectly with the human-shaped magic array on the floor.


    Momentster, Charles'' figure swelled and distorted rapidly. Deformed appendages and tentacles burst out of him, and more than a hundred eyes on Charles'' figure shot open collectively to look around rapidly.


    Second Mate Nico busy talking to someone on the phone copsed to the floor at once while clutching his head in pain.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    There was a sh of white light as Charles disappeared into thin air.


    Upon seeing that Charles was no longer around, Lily sparkling in a golden light flew over to Anna from the side. She looked eager and excited as she eximed, "Monster Sister! Let''s go! Let''s go and help Mr. Charles!"


    "I''m only going to say this once¡ªyou''re most likely going to end up dying out there. If you die this time, it''s going to be permanent. There isn''t another Light God to resurrect you," Anna said, staring calmly at Lily.


    Lily''s furry face revealed a trace of fear, but her expression quickly became determined once again. "It''s okay~ I can definitely do it. Since the power of the Light God is inside me, then it''s only right for me to help at a time like this!"<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    That death g :/</blockquote>

 Chapter 785: Plan Three

    Chapter 785: n Three


    SITE 6''s control center was still manually operated by humans. The room was filled with the rapid tter of keycaps as the fingers of the staff had transformed into tentacles and were tapping furiously on projection keyboards.


    Being assigned to oversee the site, T6 was suspended upside down from the ceiling as she surveyed the chaotic scene beneath. Once in a while, her spider legs would twitch, her anxiety and nervousness unmistakable.


    Suddenly, a massive, ck-ss segmented worm phased in through the nearby wall. Paiper''srge, spinning maw gleamed menacingly as it looked at the giant spider.


    "I just returned from SITE 2," Paiper said. "The ce haspletely submerged. Thest transmission we received wasn¡¯t fabricated¡ªsomething happened to the centralputer. We''ve also lost contact with the clones stationed at other sites."


    "Impossible! We''ve thoroughly analyzed everything the Subterranean Sea humans possess. With their current strength, there''s no way they could have pulled that off!" A2 eximed in disbelief.


    T6 went silent. The gears in her mind spun for a moment before she said, "If they are incapable of it, then someone or something else managed to do it. Charles must have made use of something else that we didn''t expect. But we can''t dwell on that now. We need to reinitiate n Three immediately."


    Meanwhile, beneath them, O5 Pogro, with its bloated canine form, moved toward them. Its mouth, riddled with tentacles, parted to speak, but before it could say anything, one of the screens in the room red with a sudden, urgent red light.


    "Dr. Pogro! The enemy is directly above us!" a Foundation staff member shouted in panic.


    T6, Paiper, and O5 exchanged knowing nces before Paiper swiftly coiled its ck-and-white segmented body around the other two. Enveloping them in its massive form, it phased through the solid walls and emerged into the open area outside of SITE 6.A majestic, massive floating ind hovered next to the corpse of the once-Divinity, Pede. A tentacled monster stood out on the ind. The tentacled monster was covered in ck scales, and there was a massive blood-red eye grafted onto the middle of its body.


    Above the tentacled monster was another monstrous creature. She was a tangled mass of green tentacles that glowed with an eerie green light. Each of the green eyes that bore a chilling, cross-shaped pupil on the tentacles squirmed in their positions.


    T6 instantly recognized them to be Anna and Sparkle. Just as she wondered where Charles was hiding, a sudden sh of white light blinded her vision. The next moment, T6''s menacing spider-like head, bristling with dozens of blood-red eyes, tilted awkwardly and plummeted to the ground.


    Alongside T6''s brain, half of Paiper''s segmented worm body was severed as well. Their injuries were the results of Charles'' ambush. As the members of the GK Council formed the highest echelons of the Foundation, Charles had to take them out first.


    However, being a member of the GK Council meant that they were far from easy to deal with. T6''s decapitated body twitched and the grotesque cluster of brains bound to its spider abdomen by spider web came alive immediately. Roots sprouted out of them as they desperately wriggled in their spots, trying to escape in different directions.


    Meanwhile, the remaining half of Paiper began to vanish and burrowed swiftly into the ground.


    No longer looking like his human self, Charles was just about to pursue his targets when a massive hand, asrge as a house and riddled with holes of varying sizes, tore through the metallic wall beneath him and seized him.


    Charles triggered his teleport ability to leave but realized something amiss. He hadn''t gotten as far as he thought he would. The massive hand belonged to Pede and its powers suppressed Charles''s teleportation ability.


    The gigantic hand brutally squeezed Charles, causing his bloated body to burst apart in a grotesque disy of fleshy fireworks. Bits of decaying flesh and blood oozed out from the holes in Pede''s hand, and dripped downward.


    However, the current Charles couldn''t be easily defeated. The massive hand from SITE 6 started trembling. Wherever Charles'' blood and flesh touched, twisted limbs began sprouting like mushrooms. The phenomena spread rapidly like a que and was heading toward Pede''s elbow.


    Suddenly, a beastly roar sounded from SITE 6 down below. The deep roar of fury came from Pede, but it wasn''t the Pede that had engaged Charles; it was another Pede.


    A deafening screech echoed through the air and a massive, spiraling spike emerged from the nearby waters. Etched with strange, ancient glyphs, the spike swung toward the grotesque mass that was Charles.


    The moment the tip of the spike came into contact with Charles, his minced flesh, along with Pede''s impacted arm, swiftly withered away like nts deprived of water.


    At this crucial moment, Sparkle appeared with a burst of white light before Pede and hurled herself directly into the limb riddled with holes.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    In an instant, a section of Pede''s limb that was holding onto the spike was devoured by Sparkle. Upon losing its grip, the towering spike plunged helplessly into the inky dark waters below.


    The underside of the floating ind opened up and countless containment boxes tumbled down toward SITE 6 below. Standing on the ind, Anna straightened up. Turning toward another Pede that had emerged from SITE 6, she opened her grafted eye.


    Julio was standing on the floating ind as ewll, and he observed the chaos unfolding before him. A resolute look shed across his eyes as he prepared to leap down into the battle below.


    However, before he could jump, the waters beneath suddenly reversed and swirled upward like a tidal wave. It caught the floating ind in its grasp and hurled it toward the rocky dome overhead.


    Instantly, pandemonium erupted. The deafening roar of the ocean, the thunderous explosions, and the primal screams filled the air, signaling an all-out war between the Foundation and the humans of the Subterranean Sea.


    Amidst the chaos, Charles controlled his mass of decaying flesh to seep through the cracks of SITE 6 and headed toward the elevator shaft he had visited once before.


    Charles hadn''t forgotten his purpose of being here¡ªto destroy the Foundation''s final trump card.


    Twisted limbs extended out of the mass of blood-red, decaying flesh. Anchoring itself to the walls, Charles rapidly ascended.


    Some of the mobile task forces in SITE 6 swiftly responded. They swarmed in with an array of high-tech weapons, determined to stop him.


    With Edikth''s power in his hands, however, Charles made quick work of the mobile task forces; they were nothing more than a fleeting nuisance to him.


    One after another, Charles tore through the protective barrier of each level and eventually arrived at the eighty-first floor. A strange sensation suddenly struck him, and he rapidly changed course. With a few quick teleportations, he arrived at a space that was roughly the size of a football field.


    Despite the vast area, it was far from empty. Every inch of the floor was utilized with thick, transparent fiber-optic cables snaking around an array of bizarre machinery.


    Strictly speaking, they were not actually machinery. There were clearly unmistakable traces of nt life, animalistic features, and even echoes of souls on these contraptions. Their different forms melded together and pulsated rhythmically with a dim, dark purple light.


    The fiber cables interconnected these strange devices and converged at the center where a colossal, transparent heart dominated the space.


    With each beat of the transparent heart, a ck substance would surge from the right ventricle to the left, and then back again, creating an unending cycle.


    Charles was certain¡ªthe ck substance was the darkness of the Subterranean Sea. That heart could wipe out the entire human poption of the Subterranean Sea. It was the core of the Foundation''s n Three!

 Chapter 786: Corpse

    Chapter 786: Corpse


    The minced flesh began to meld together, barely forming the rough appearance of Charles'' previous form. He was just about to teleport to the side when Paiper''s remaining half of its intact body emerged from the nearby wall.


    Paiper wasn''t alone; K9, the humanoid figure with two raven heads, O5, the bloated old dog, and the reassembled, yet still grotesquely disfigured, T6 were with it.


    There were also others who apanied the four of them. Their appearances varied but were still equally bizarre. However, from their positions, it appeared that each of them was a member of the GK Council.


    These figures were supposed to be at SITE 2, but they were standing in front of Charles for some reason. It didn''t take long for Charles to realize that they were clones created by the Foundation rather than the same group he had interacted with at SITE 2.


    The Foundation truly made sure that none of its resources was ever wasted. They hadn''t created just one copy of the GK Council members¡ªall of these figures before Charles were clones.


    Staring at the deformed Charles from a distance, the GK Council members knew there was no longer any need for negotiation. Now that things had escted to this stage, it was a fight to the death.


    With a whir, A2''s mechanical hand split open. Several ck wires extended from within and quickly coiled around the cables on the floor.


    "Initiate n Three!" A2manded. The next moment, the massive heart in the center began to beat furiously.


    As the heart began to pulsate faster and faster, the surrounding lights dimmed dramatically. Traces of ck wisps emerged from the heart, slowly forming a ck veil that spread outward.The moment the ck veil upied the space within the room, it became the ck wall¡ªthe weapon that devoured everything in its path.


    The massive wall rapidly consumed everything in its way¡ªthe various machinery and even the GK Council members. And with a deliberate slowness, it steadily advanced toward Charles.


    Charles knew that if he were to let the ck Wall escape from this space, it would soon consume and annihte the entire Subterranean Sea.


    Without hesitation, Charles teleported himself straight into the colossal wall.


    Absolute and overwhelming darkness greeted him. There was nothing apart from an inky dark expanse beyond the ck wall. Charles repeatedly teleported deeper and deeper. Yet no matter how deep he went, it seemed like he could never reach the end.


    This was extremely strange. By all normal and logical calctions, he should have already teleported out of SITE 6 itself.


    Suddenly, there was a <em>whoosh</em>, and unseen forces in the darkness tore away pieces of Charles'' flesh.


    This was only the beginning. The unseen forces in the shadows attacked more frequently and continuously stripped away Charles'' flesh with every attack.


    All of a sudden, Charles stopped moving. He ceased teleporting and stood still, allowing his remaining flesh to swirl and twist, eventually condensing into a single, massive yellow eye.


    The moment the yellow eye opened wide, a brilliant yellow beam shot out and pierced into the darkness. The entire darkened space seemed to be on the verge of copse.


    O5 Pogro slithered its grotesquely bloated canine form along the ground toward Charles, but before it could cover half the distance, its deformed body began to fall apart.


    Invasive masses of flesh that weren''t its own sprouted all over Pogro. In less than a minute, Pogro was reduced to a writhing, nauseating heap of flesh and gore.


    Just then, two gigantic shadows entered the dark space¡ªit was the Pedes. The Pedes outside had entered the space beyond the wall.


    The two towering demigods, one on each side, charged at Charles. Due to Charles'' influence, grotesque masses of flesh continuously sprouted across their bodies. However, an attack of this level was far from capable of stopping them.


    Just as Charles was about to receive a direct hit from the double demigods, a soft warm light suddenly pierced through the darkness. It was a gentle and soothing sunlight.


    With each passing second, the light grew brighter; its brilliance eventually tore apart the oppressive dark space. The previous extreme darkness waspletely reced by blinding sunlight.


    Charles lifted his massive eye to look upward, and the entire SITE 6 split open. Above him, he saw a radiant sun hanging suspended in the air. It was Dawn One that they had found in Newbound City.


    Meanwhile, the tiny Lily was floating in the heart of Dawn One. The light radiating from her transformed the sunlight from Dawn One into a spectrum of shimmering colors.


    "Mr. Charles! I''m here to help you!" Lily''s soft and hazy voice apanied the warm golden light and reached Charles.


    Empowered by Lily''s sunlight, Charles blinked forward and materialized before the pulsating heart.


    As the sharp sound of shattering ss echoed through the air, the heart abruptly ceased beating. The darkness within it slowly seeped out and coalesced into a dense ck sphere.


    "Gao¡­?" A chaotic, distorted voice emanated from the ckness. The ck sphere trembled slightly before it suddenly dissolved, melting away like a snowman under the summer sun.


    On the surface world, the darkness seemed to have dimmed further. The darkness that the Light God had brought away with Him was now returning to where it belonged.


    Ignoring the darkness'' call, Charles turned his twisted form toward the GK Council members. His hundreds of triangr, misshapen eyes red at them.


    "You have no idea what you have just done! You monster!" K9 shouted in fury; his two sharp beaks wide open, and his voice was trembling with rage.


    Charles paid no attention to K9''s screeches of fury. His attention was drawn to the increasingly blinding sunlight in the sky above. There was something amiss about the light.


    Now that their n had seeded, it was time to retreat.


    "Sparkle, take Lily, and get everyone out of here."


    As soon as the two Pedes heard Charles'' words, they took to the sky. Their intention was clear¡ªthey wanted to prevent Sparkle from taking everyone away.


    However, Charles swiftly intercepted them. There was no need for him to defeat them. He just needed to hold them off and stall for enough time for Sparkle and the rest to escape.


    That was his n, but just as he was struggling to keep the two Pedes in check, the surroundings suddenly darkened.


    Charles initially thought it was because Sparkle had teleported Lily away, but he soon realized that this wasn''t the case.


    He moved one of the deformed eyes on his body to look upward and saw a massive figure standing in the path of the sunlight. It was no one else but the corpse of thete god, Pede, that had been hovering in the air. Against all reason, the dead god hade back to life!


    Despite losing his brain and most of his flesh and bones, the sheer size and presence of his body remained overwhelming. He loomed over the battlefield, his massive shoulders nearly touching the overhead dome. His oppressive aura was like a mountain poised to crush everything beneath it.


    Without warning, a sh of light illuminated the scene, and a translucent, three-eyed skull materialized above the resurrected god''s body.


    When God Pede bent His colossal frame forward, Charles felt an immense weight, like thousands of pascals of pressure, pressing down on him.


    The translucent, fanged maw of the three-eyed skull slowly parted and said, "If you think that you can eliminate me just from a physical level, you are gravely mistaken. As a HOD6 god, my existence is not confined to a mere physical form."


    Realization dawned upon Charles in that instant as he stared at the colossal entity before him. The translucent skull was the centralputer, and it had survived SITE 2''s destruction!


    "Dad! Let me help you!" Sparkle shouted as her form seamlessly merged with Charles'' own, causing his writhing mass of flesh to expand rapidly.


    God Pede''s translucent three eyes looked downward at the ever-growing Charles. He then raised his right hand, that was only bones now, and swung it at Charles.


    Luminescent green tentacles writhed and pulsed as a massive eye¡ªthe Eye of Edikth¡ªopened slowly.


    At the same time, the sun in the sky burned even brighter as Anna''s grafted eye snapped open as well.

 Chapter 787: Last Spark

    Chapter 787: Last Spark


    As the various energies intertwined, it seemed to have synthesized some sort of reaction. The surroundings started to warp and shift.


    The inky ck seawater solidified intond. The bodies of the fleeing clones rapidly shrunk, and the various items on them began to transform into nt-like structures.


    Meanwhile, Charles, the centralputer, Sparkle, and Lily''s forms began to merge under the blinding illumination. Their memories began to intertwine as their powers started to bleed into each other.


    As the phenomenon reached its climax, a voice entered the ears of everyone.


    "Iak¡­Sat¡­Hath¡­"


    It was the first time Charles heard this peculiar chant, and he had no idea what it meant.


    However, the centralputer had clearly recognized it, and that knowledge was transferred to the others through their shared consciousness.


    "This is bad! 004 has been drawn over by the overflowing energy! Immediately initiate the Last Spark protocol at all sites!"


    Charles had no idea what 004 was, but he knew that anything ranked at the 4th position was bound to be a force to reckon with.With a thought, Charles utilized his and Sparkle''sbined power. Apart from his shared consciousness with the centralputer, Sparkle and Lily were forcefully ejected from thework and teleported far out of the Sea of Mist.


    The whispering chant in his ears grew louder and more insistent with each passing second. Charles could feel it deep within his being. Every cell, every organ was starting to tremble; anything that could produce sound was involuntarily joining the chant.


    Charles prepared to make his exit as well, but the centralputer had no intention of letting him go just like that. Without the assistance of the others, Charles was at a clear disadvantage in this standoff.


    When he had finally broken free from the centralputer''s control after a hard-fought struggle, he realized that he could no longer teleport out of the ce on his own.


    Charles'' deformed body of mangled flesh rapidly contracted, and he gradually returned to his human form.


    "NAFL''FTHAGN!!!" A sudden call burst forth within Charles'' ears. The force of it was so intense that blood began to trickle from his eyes, ears, and nose.


    A proliferating intent seemed to be trying to seize control of his mind. In a moment of desperation, Charles activated the power of his crystalized heart. With that, he managed to regain some semnce of control. At the very least, he could stand again.


    Charles looked around and saw that the remaining GK Council members had scrambled onto the centralputer, preparing to make their escape,


    However, in the same way that Charles couldn''t escape, neither could they. Before the massive form of God Pede could make a single movement, his entire body began to break apart and copse under the overwhelming presence of 004.


    In the face of 004, God Pede''s battered and brittle shell was nothing more than a fleeting nuisance.


    The GK Council members and the translucent skull once againnded not far from where Charles stood.


    "It''s toote," the centralputer dered, its voice filled with solemnity. "004 has entered the Sea of Mist, and there''s no way of escape for us. Not us, nor anyone else at the other sites. We are facing a VE apocalypse scenario."


    <em>Am I going to die with all of them? </em>The thought entered Charles'' mind. Strangely, he found no fear despite knowing his imminent death.


    Faced with the impending doom, K9, the most rational of them all, was the first to break down. He dropped to his knees, his sharp ws clenched into fists as he pounded the ground. Crying in despair, he shouted, "I can''t ept this! We prepared so many contingency ns! Yet, they are all useless in the face of 004!"


    Staring at that sight, Charles let out a low chuckle and it instantly attracted the attention of everyone. In an instant, K9 appeared in front of him. K9 tightened his talon around Charles'' throat and lifted thetter up. His voice was seething with fury as he spat, "This is all because of you! You have no idea what you''ve done!"


    "What did I do?" Charles met K9''s gaze with an unwavering stare. "I did everything I needed to survive. You tried to kill me, and yet I''m not allowed to retaliate?"


    T6 slowly approached the two of them. Her dozen spider eyesnded on Charles, and she said, "Charles, but you didn''t survive in the end, did you? You''re going to face the same demise as us."


    Charles raised his right hand to wipe the flesh blood from the corner of his mouth. The corner of his lips lifted into a sneer. "It doesn''t matter. At least after you guys are gone, my loved one, my daughter, and my crew are all safe."


    Strangely, at that thought, Charles felt an unexined sense of peace filling up his entire being. The burden that had been weighing down on his chest seemed to have been lifted.


    T6 shook her head slightly. "Safe? Do you really believe they will be safe? 004 could wipe us out easily. The other gods of single-digit ranking can achieve the same feat. There''s no safety in this Subterranean Sea.


    "Without the Foundation, humanity has lost its only chance of survival against these gods. The future of mankind is bleak."


    As the eerie chanting in his ears began to increase in volume, the smile on Charles'' face began to fade. A momentter, however, the smile returned to his face.


    "I probably won''t live long enough for that to happen," Charles replied. "Also, it''s better than letting you experiment on my family."


    In a rage, K9 threw Charles to the ground brutally before turning to rejoin his fellow council members. It seemed that the centralputer had an important announcement to make.


    Lying on the uneven surface of the exposed fiber optics cables, Charles didn''t bother to get up. He lifted his gaze toward the overhead remnants of SITE 6. The entire underwater stronghold had been torn apart, and the violent tremors were growing stronger, causing debris to rain down from all sides.


    His sharp hearing managed to pick up fragments of the conversation between the GK Council members.


    "Everyone, there might still be onest chance where we can turn the tide around," the centralputer said. "I can sacrifice my power to send one person out¡ªa person who can rebuild the Foundation."


    <em>Just one? I guess one person shouldn''t be hard to deal with. Anna will be able to handle them easily. </em>A hint of worry crossed Charles'' mind, but it was swiftly reced by a sense of peace,


    The GK Council members continued their heated discussion over who was the most suitable candidate for the final gambit.


    However, Charles was no longer interested in listening. As the chanting in his ears grew louder, it drowned out everything else. shbacks of his experience in the Subterranean Sea started ying in his mind.


    As each scene shed before his mind, he remembered the moments of joy, anger, sorrow, andughter etched with each memory. A calm smile spread across Charles'' face as he allowed himself to indulge in his past memories.


    <em>Logically, if I were to die now, wouldn''t I transmigrate back home? Maybe when I open my eyes againter, I''ll find myself lying on my bed in my little single-room apartment. </em>Charles thought to himself, ignoring everything around him as he quietly awaited his fate.


    When he opened his eyes, however, he noticed that the monsters of the GK Council had encircled him. All of them hadplex expressions on their faces as they gazed down at him.


    "Why? You can''t wait to send me off first? Why waste your effort? We can all go together and have each other aspany on the River of Styx. I mean, if there <em>really </em>is a River of Styx," Charles said casually, crossing one leg over the other. He ced his hands behind his head and closed his eyes once more.


    The translucent skull that was the centralputer hovered above him and shook its head slightly. "No, we''ve calcted the probabilities. No matter who we send out, the chances of sess are too low. So, we''ve decided to send you out."


    Charles almost thought he had misheard. "What?! I just destroyed the Foundation, and now you are nning to give me that only chance of survival?"


    "We do hate you, but the Foundation''s principle has always been for the greater good of humanity. Personal feuds are insignificant before the greater goal.


    "We''ve done a thorough analysis of your psyche. We know you''ll ept it. The torch passed down from the previous generation of the Foundation is now in our hands, and as we face our end, it''s time for someone new to carry it forward."

 Chapter 788: The Foundation

    Chapter 788: The Foundation


    A2, a humanoid robot with mechanical parts¡­


    T6, a spider-like creature the size of a small house with a mountain of brains wrapped in spider silk on her back¡­


    K9, a humanoid figure towering at four meters with two raven heads and draped in a trench coat¡­


    O5, an old dog hovering in mid-air with numerous growths shifting and squirming constantly on its body¡­


    N8, a bloated, portly humanoid tightly bound with iron wires¡­


    V3, or rather Pede, the two massive beings riddled with holes of varying sizes and had three giant eyes each¡­


    Lastly, there was the massive, translucent skull¡ªthe centralputer¡ªhovering in midair.


    There were also other figures behind them, and every single one of them had a unique, bizarre appearance. Undoubtedly, they were members of the GK Council.


    Charles stared nkly at them. His mind began to race as he tried to decipher their decision. Why were they so intent on giving him this final chance of survival? Was this some sort of scheme? <em>Did they perhaps nt some sort of virus in me? </em>


    The centralputer''s indifferent words interrupted Charles'' thoughts. "Charles, you''ve won. No matter what forces you''ve made use of, you still emerge victorious.


    "Perhaps the path we envisioned all along had been wrong. Perhaps, under your leadership, humanity will be able to forge a new and different path."


    Though Charles wasn''t afraid of death, it was better news that he didn''t have to die. He pondered for a brief moment before he parted his lips. With feigned sincerity, he said, "Alright, if you get me out of here, I''m willing to take over the torch."


    As soon as Charles'' words fell, K9''s four raven eyes narrowed as he stepped forward. After a moment, K9 turned to the centralputer and dered, "He''s lying!


    "Judging from his micro-expressions and bodynguage, he''s only saying this to make use of us to get out! He''s just a selfish piece of trash! Anyone would be a better choice than him!"


    Evidently, unless Charles genuinely agreed with the Foundation''s principles from the bottom of his heart, K9 could easily discern the truth behind his words.


    T6 moved closer toward Charles. Staring at him with her dozen blood-red eyes, she implored, "We are all about to die, my friend. Please ept thisst request of us before our deaths."


    Despite having fought alongside T6 before, his expression swiftly shifted as he replied, "Since you''ve figured it out, there''s no point in pretending then. You''re wrong. I''m not as noble as you are. You kept saying we are the same type of people, but the truth is, we''re not."


    A hint of sorrow underlined T6''s voice as she continued her persuasion. "Charles, we truly are the same type of people. What you did on the surface previously is no different from what we''ve done. You have to carry on and take over the Foundation."


    "How many times do I have to say it? No, I won''t do it!" Charles roared, his voiceced with annoyance and frustration. He wasn''t sure if his emotions were from T6''s insistence or the steadily increasing volume of the chanting in his ears.


    The centralputer floated toward him, and in a calm and unwavering tone, it dered, "No, you will."


    "The hell I will!" Charles shouted; his rage was instantly ignited by the centralputer''s cold certainty.


    Fury zed in his eyes as he raised a finger and pointed at the centralputer.


    "Do you really think you''ve got everything calcted? Even now, in this current predicament, you still believe you are the gods of the Subterranean Sea? Bullshit! Do you think a simple psyche analysis can predict every decision I''ll make? I''m a human, not a machine! Have you forgotten the feud between us?


    "You might have forgotten, but I will never forget it! You kidnapped me and dissected me!


    "You targeted my daughter, my wife, my crew! You used my genes to create an ind full of abominations! And you wanted to wipe out the entire Subterranean Sea! I remember every single one of those things you have done!


    "And now you think saving one life¡ªmy life¡ªis enough to wipe the te clean? Dream on! I don''t agree with anything you''ve done! Let me make this clear. Even if I were to die, I would never strike any sort of deal with the Foundation! Never!"


    Meanwhile, their surroundings were starting to copse. Even the flesh on their bodies began to wither and crumble. 004 was close.


    However, the centralputer remained silent in the face of Charles'' usations. As its translucent body began to gradually dissolve, Charles found himself being lifted up into the air.


    "This isn''t a deal; it''s the absolute truth. You will do it, regardless of whether you agree or not," the centralputer stated calmly.


    The fire inside Charles burned fiercer the calmer the centralputer sounded. His boiling rage seemed to consume his entire being. He was extremely abhorred by the centralputer''s sheer arrogance and its assumption of knowing his own thoughts.


    "I will not!"


    However, the centralputer said nothing else; its translucent body began to emit a soft, ethereal glow.


    A purely mechanical tone sounded, "Energy dposition initiated. Self-authorizationplete. All energy directed to (+)¡ª2¡ªRY transmission tunnel. Target: one male human. Destination: Shattered Heart Isles. AI Omega, signing off."


    With those finalmands, the centralputer''s translucent form dissolvedpletely. The next moment, a nearby wall melted away to reveal a ck hole. A fierce, howling wind erupted from within, and the hole opened into a shimmering, ethereal gray space.


    Suspended in the air, Charles struggled violently to no avail. He shouted in agitation, his voice a raw cry of defiance, but his words were blown away by the relentless wind. Helplessly, his body swiftly floated toward the ck hole.


    The GK Council''s final glimpse of Charles was his face contorted in fury, seemingly shouting as he lifted his half-flesh, half-metal prosthetic arm and defiantly pointed them a middle finger before vanishing into the vortex.


    K9''s two raven heads twitched sharply before he exhaled a breath of frustration. "Even until the very end, his attitude remained unchanged."


    T6 walked up toward him and ced a massive spider leg on K9''s shoulder as aforting gesture. "No. On the contrary, I believe that such an extreme reaction indicates a higher possibility of doing it.


    "Besides, we''ve done all we could. Even if he chooses not to take up the torch, we can still rest in peace knowing that we did our part."


    Just then, the ground beneath them trembled violently. Every living being aside from the GK Council members exploded in a gruesome spray of flesh and blood. The very fabric of space and time around them began to tremble violently; their bodies also started to disintegrate.


    The members of the GK Council all lifted their gazes upward at the gaping hole in SITE 6''s roof. The opening had been covered with ayer of sinister, slithering scales. The scales undted ominously as the entire structure of SITE 6 began to blur and fade from reality.


    It was 004. Under Its influence, the GK Council members felt their memories and wills being rapidly overwhelmed. A primal fear that transcended even the fear of death gripped their hearts. Before such an overwhelming god, any resistance would be utterly futile.


    T6 summoned every ounce of strength in her to stand up. The brains encased in spider silk on her back began to burst one after another, and azure fluid began to seep out of her dozen red spider eyes.


    Her vision was gone, but T6 turned her eyes defiantly at 004 above them. As her venomous mandibles trembled, her usual calm voice wasced with intense emotion for the first time. A human''s cry, filled with unyielding determination, sounded from the spider.


    "We fight in the dark so people can live in the light! We fight to protect mankind from anomalous entities!"


    "They say our experiments are cruel and inhumane, but our endeavors are necessary for mankind''s survival!"

 Chapter 789: Shrouded Seascape

    Chapter 789: Shrouded Seascape


    When T6 yelled out the Foundation''s oath of enlistment, the remaining GK Council members forced their crumbling figures to look up at the gaping hole in the ceiling with ayer of writhing, sinister scales.


    Then, their vocal organs quivered as they shouted at the top of their lungs along with T6. In the face of such a powerful god, every effort was futile, but it didn''t mean that they couldn''t disy their steadfast beliefs to the being before them.


    Every single one of them felt like they had returned to the day when they made the oath of enlistment at the same time¡ªback when they still had human forms.


    "Our beautiful emotions are the foundation of our sublime faith! We must press on to protect them! We are humanity''sst line of defense against anomalous entities! We must win this war, not just for our sake but for the sake of humanity as well!!"


    "I! T6!"


    "I! K9!"


    "I! V3!"


    "I! A2!"


    "I! O5!""I! D4!"


    "I! C7!"


    "I! N8!"


    "We solemnly swear that we will be absolutely loyal to the Foundation and humanity! We will obey orders, remain disciplined, and be tight-lipped! We secure! We contain! We protect! For mankind''s sake!!!"


    The GK Council members used all their might to roar out the final word of their oath, and their figures finally crumbled beneath the influence of the sinister scales.


    The echoes that had yet to finish echoing in the air were the only evidence of their existence.


    The majority of the inds that formed the Haikor''s Shattered Heart Isles had sunk, and only a few of them remained. One of them was an ind on the periphery of the Sea of Mist.


    A tilting wall suddenly melted, and Charles'' heavily injured figure fell out from within the wall.


    Thanks to 004''s influence, the centralputer''s teleport became extremely unstable. As a result, more than half of Charles'' skin was peeled off, his right hand was twisted into a knot, and his face had cracked open.


    He looked horrible, but he was still alive.


    It had been just a few seconds since Charles fell out of the wall when Sparkle appeared next to him with a white sh of light.


    Tears welled up in Sparkle''s eyes upon seeing that Charles was still alive. She opened her arms wide and threw herself into Charles'' embrace.


    With a choked voice full of grievances, Sparkle said. "Dad, you scared me to death!!"


    Charles stood up quickly with the help of Sparkle. He felt extreme pain all over him, but the pain couldn''t distract him, even in the slightest. He turned to look in the direction of SITE 6 and froze.


    The white mist on the distant sea was dissipating gradually, and the Subterranean Sea''s signature darkness was encroaching upon the territory, enveloping it thoroughly.


    Charles'' torn mouth was dripping with blood, but he ignored the pain and roared, "You bunch of lunatics! Do you really think you''re so great just because you''re dead!! I''m telling you here right now that I¡ª Gao Zhiming¡ªwill never be the next generation of the Foundation! Never!


    "Don''t even think that I''ll follow your bullshit sublime faith! You got the wrong person! I''m just selfish, and I will always be selfish!!"


    "Dad, stop it. You''re seriously injured right now," Sparkle extended her fair hand to press on Charles'' wound, and her flesh and blood went straight for Charles'' wounds, bing flesh that repaired her father''s wounds and filled in the holes.


    Sparkle extended a few tentacles to wrap around Charles'' bent right foot. Just as Sparkle was about to force it back into ce, her delicate face abruptly became extremely solemn.


    The next moment, Sparkle''s slender figure swelled instantly, and hundreds of tentacles burst out of her. The tentacles immediately wrapped around Charles to protect him from what was toe and to teleport him away.


    However, Sparkle was stupefied to find that her ability to teleport seemed to no longer exist.


    A woman covered in ck bandages and shrouded by a ck robe emerged from the ruins of a temple next to them. The woman wrapped in ck bandages was carrying a cat in her arms as she slowly approached them.


    <em>"Don''t be in such a hurry to leave. I still have a few words to say to your father."</em>


    Before Sparkle could do anything, the severely injured Charles staggered out of her tentacles. The woman wrapped in ck bandages couldn''t possibly be someone else but 005.


    <em>"I have to say, they were a group of people worthy of respect. They managed to reach the limits of what humanity can achieve,"</em> 005 said, sounding emotional as she looked in the direction of SITE 6.


    Charles stared deeply at the god before him, but he had no ns of chitchatting with her. After a brief moment of pondering, he decided to go straight to the point, asking, "Why did youe here?"


    005 didn''t bother chitchatting as well as she replied,<em> "The Foundation has fulfilled its duty, and you should ept thest spark that they left behind."</em>


    A hint of mockery appeared on Charles'' face. "Duty? So, the Foundation has decided to try and annihte mankind to fulfill that duty? My apologies, but I''m not that ambitious. The previous generation and the current generation of the Foundation are no more, and I have no ns of bing the third generation."


    005 shook her head and said,<em> "Let me tell you a secret¡ªthis is a secret that the Foundation has been protecting with everything they had. I''m sure your opinion will change once you''ve heard of it."</em>


    "Speak. I''m listening," Charles said, pushing away Sparkle''s hand, which was reaching out to him. He used his fingers to gesture at her to leave, but Sparkle stubbornly refused to leave by herself.


    <em>"Your world hasn''t been destroyed. It still exists."</em>


    005''s one sentence made Charles feel like he was struck by lightning in broad daylight. His mind went nk, and he staggered as the memories buried in the deepest recesses of his memories surfaced at once.


    The school he once attended, his sister back at home, his loving parents, and the world he had been searching for with all his might¡­ they still existed?


    005 walked up to Charles. She raised her right hand, which was wrapped in ck bandages, and ced it horizontally in front of Charles.<em> "You were looking in the wrong direction when you were searching for the surface world.</em>


    <em>"Who told you that the surface world must be above the sea?"</em>


    005 then flipped her hand, showing the back of her palm to Charles.


    <em>"Why can''t the ''real'' surface world be below the water?"</em>


    Charles nced at the pitch-ck seawater next to him and then at the rockyer up above his head. A thousand thoughts instantly flooded his mind.


    <em>The surface world is down below? If that''s the case, then this shrouded seascape is upside down! In other words, the so-called surface world above us wasn''t the surface world at all! 002 isn''t in the surface world''s atmosphere, either! It''s actually in the Earth''s core!!</em>


    The shocking information shattered Charles'' worldview. He never would have thought that the closest he had ever been to the surface world was when he was at the bottom of the Dark Abyssal Trench where God Fhtagn was sealed!


    Charles'' breathing quickened, and he eventually started breathing in ragged pants. In response to his tumultuous emotions, he felt like his crystallized heart was quivering as if it wanted to beat again.


    Sparkle bit her lip and tugged at her father''s hand. Then, she cast a wary gaze at 005.


    "No, something''s not right. You must be lying to me! Otherwise, why would the Light God mistake the Earth''s core for the surface world? He has the power of God Fhtagn inside of Him, so there''s no way He could have failed to differentiate between the two!"


    "Under normal circumstances, that is true. The Light God can easily distinguish between the two, but think about it¡ªthink carefully about what He said before His death."


    Charles emptied his mind and focused on recalling the moment when the Light God perished. The Light God''s final words soon echoed in his ears.


    <em>"They deceived me! They deceived all of us!"</em>


    "How did He mistake the Earth''s core as the surface world, you ask?" 005''s voice echoed in Charles'' ears. "Simple. It was all because He was deceived."

 Chapter 790: 005

    Chapter 790: 005


    Charles stood next to Sparkle on the ruins of an ind part of the Shattered Heart Isles. His remaining eye was wide open, and he stared agape at the woman wrapped in ck bandages standing in front of him.


    The Light God''s words at the time finally had an exnation. His n was to take His followers with Him to seek refuge in outer space, but He was deceived. The Light God crawled into the hole and fell straight into 002, ultimately meeting such a fate.


    Charles gulped and asked, "Who deceived Him? Was it you?"


    However, 005 immediately denied Charles'' assumption. "No, as I said before, I am but a spectator. I do not interfere. If you want an answer to your question, then think about it¡ªwho are the ones doing everything they can to protect mankind?"


    Sparkle, Charles, and 005 simultaneously turned to stare in the direction where SITE 6 once stood. The madmen of the Foundation were definitely capable of deceiving even a god.


    "The Foundation? They actually managed to deceive the Light God?"


    The corner of 005''s mouth, which was covered in ck bandages, curled up into an enigmatic smile. "The culprit was the Foundation, but not this batch. It was the previous batch."


    "The previous batch?" Charles had trouble wrapping his mind around it. In the end, he retorted, "But the previous generation of the GK Council had fused to form the Light God!"


    "That''s right."<em></em>005 nodded slightly.<em></em>"The first batch of the Foundation from the surface world had no intention of leaving the Subterranean Sea."Just then, 005 raised her hand, and ck debris emerged from the seawater, merging into severalrge ck stone tablets.


    There were some words engraved on the ck stone tablet. "Written here are records of the second-generation Foundation about their predecessors. Read them for yourself."


    Charles was familiar with the ck stone tablets, and it didn''t take him a long time to remember that T6 was using glossy ck stone tablets to write her mathematical forms.


    <em>"My dear colleagues, the fifteen years of research by our intelligence agency and myself have finally paid off in spades. We have finally uncovered the secret of what exactly happened to the previous generation of the Foundation.</em>


    <em>"It turns out that they had been lying all this while; they had been deceiving everyone. They had falsely imed to the low-ranking personnel of the Foundation that they just had to serve for a certain number of years, and they would be able to retire and return to the surface world.</em>


    <em>"However, the execution point discovered in SITE 4, which is located in the Core (see Appendix 1), told us that their ims were all fake. Every single retiree was scammed and was mercilessly killed."</em>


    Charles recalled the crematorium disguised as an airne inside the Foundation''s SITE 4 up above the Core and the vast in covered in ashes outside the facility.


    <em>"The key decision-makers of the Foundation''s first generation had employed the use of something unknown to distort the memories of everyone in the Subterranean Sea, including themselves. </em>


    <em>"I have enough reason to believe that the "something unknown" is rted to 1189-1. The discarded hard drive discovered in Sea Region: 104-431 (see Appendix 2) proves that they had made contact.</em>


    <em>"The intelligence we collected from the ruins of V9 told us that they''ve fabricated a brand-new history for themselves.</em>


    <em>"They started believing that the Core is the surface world. They believed that 002 above the Core is a god from outer space that was responsible for the destruction of the Earth up above. </em>


    <em>"They believed that they were humanity''sst hope, and they believed that they had to find a way to defeat 002."</em>


    <em>"ording to the information discovered through the sea otters (see Appendix 3), they changed their goal upon getting convinced that it was impossible for mere humans to defeat 002 or even 003. </em>


    <em>The previous generation of the Foundation had decided to take the remaining humans with them and leave Earth, which was no longer suitable for human life. Reaching news and creating a new home for humanity became their new goal."</em>


    <em>"Based on the analysis above, I personally suggest that there is no need to execute the Pope of the Divine Light Order, Lylejay. His goal is doomed to fail. Even if the Light God manages to shatter His restraints, He''ll end up going into the Earth''s core and get close to 002, which would eventually bring about His demise."</em>


    <em>"Do you guys still remember how scientists discovered bosons? It was through a collision! The collision between the Light God and 002 will allow us to collect first-hand data on a battle between gods, which will be immensely helpful in our analysis of the power of the gods."</em>


    <em>"As for K9''s concerns about the impact on the surface world, I personally believe that it is a bunch of nonsense. The Light God''s power is only a few thousandths of 003''s power. He is about to face 002, equivalent in power to 003, so I believe that this is a very safe experiment. Signed: Site-8 Research Department T6-1.</em>


    "So¡­ the GK Council members that had fused to form the Light God were the ones who deceived the Light God?" Charles muttered, staring at the ck stone tablets before him in awe of having just discovered an unbelievable truth.


    "The Light God may have doubted others, but He''d never doubt Himself. In the end, He was deceived by the seven people who had fused to create Him."


    005 raised her right foot wrapped in bandages and stepped into the seawater. "The first generation Foundation was aware of just how extremely fragile the humans on the surface world were.


    "They knew that the humans there could not possibly withstand any invasion of whatever is in the Subterranean Sea. Thus, they vowed not to let anything from the Subterranean Sea reach the surface world, including themselves.


    "So they modified their own memories and made themselves believe that the surface world had beenpletely destroyed. They made it their duty to restore the glory of mankind. To protect their colleagues on the surface, they did not hesitate to deceive even themselves, but they went a bit too far with it."


    005 went silent, but Charles had been there, so she no longer had to tell him explicitly. The second-generation Foundation''s prediction went true; the Light God fell straight into 002''s embrace and ultimately perished in both body and soul.


    005 walked over to Charles while stroking the ck cat in her arms with one hand.


    "Both generations of the Foundation have done everything in their own way to protect the seven billion people on the surface world. Now, it''s your turn to do what they have done. What choice are you going to make, Charles?


    "Are you going to let the fire of the Foundation die out?" 005 asked while walking in a circle around Charles.


    Charles'' mouth fluttered open to speak, but he immediately froze. He had no idea what to say. He remained in a daze for a long time until he finally looked up to stare at 005 walking around him.


    "Why are you so interested in this? Does this have something to do with you?" Charles asked.


    "Of course, it does. It has something to do with the bet between us. Remember what I said back in the Foundation''s prison? I said that if you achieve victory against the Foundation, I''ll grant you two wishes¡ªtwo formidable wishes for a price."


    005 stroked the ck cat''s head, and the cat opened Its mouth, spitting out two white balls the size of ping pong balls. The two white balls floated over to Charles and hovered in front of him.


    "Two wishes. Say it, and I''ll fulfill it if I can. For example, I can make you be even stronger than the previous Foundation, or¡­ I can send you back to your original world."


    <em>Return to my original world? I can go back to those simple days?</em> Charles unconsciously clenched his fist, but Sparkle''s tiny hand in his palm made him rx.


    Charles didn''t answer outright. Instead, he carefully sized up the unique god before him, asking, "Why are you doing this?"

 Chapter 791: Understanding

    Chapter 791: Understanding


    Every cell in Charles screamed caution as his gaze was locked on the woman in front of him, who was wrapped in ck bandages.


    Though 005 hadn''t shown any hint of aggression or hostility, andmunication seemed possible, Charles had zero trust toward her. He had dealt with enough Divinities to know that epting their blessings was far from easy. Every single time, a heavy price needed to be paid in blood and suffering.


    <em>"Oh, it''s nothing. I just find humans fascinating," </em>005 said in a casual tone. <em>"You lie, you fight, you love, you move, you dance. It''s interesting. I like humans. Sometimes, I would think how nice it would be if I were your creator."</em>


    Charles'' brows furrowed deeper at 005''s words.


    "You mean like, as in liking a pet?" Charles asked.


    "No. To be precise, it''s more like how a grandmother feels toward her grandchild," 005 replied. "So, about those two wishes¡ªdo you want them or not?"


    Silence hung in the air. The only sound that could be heard was the rhythm of the ocean crashing against the rocky cliffs of the ind. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as Charles remained indecisive.


    Eventually, 005''s form began to slowly fade before Charles. <em>"It seems like you''re not decided yet. That''s fine. I''lle look for you again when you''re ready."</em>


    The moment 005 disappeared, Sparkle grabbed Charles and teleported them both back to Hope Ind without sparing a single moment of hesitation.As soon as they arrived at Hope Ind, Charles barely had time to register his surroundings when a blur of movement lunged at it. Anna, her face streaked with tears, threw herself into his arms and held him in a tight embrace


    Around them, the rest of the crew watched and with overwhelming emotions, they erupted into cheers as they gathered around Charles. Their captain had returned.


    Through it all, Charles looked around in a daze. He could see their joyous faces and their mouths moving as they said things¡ªbut he heard nothing. His mind could only rey the words that 005 had said.


    ***


    Now that the Foundation was gone, the colossal mountain looming over the existence of the humans in the Subterranean Sea had finally crumbled. A new era for the humans in the Subterranean Sea had finally arrived.


    Everyone was aze with excitement as they celebrated on the streets. Yet, none of that seemed to reach Charles.


    He sat alone in a training room in the basement of the Governor''s Mansion, his eye fixed on the cold floor. He seemed to want to peer through the ground and look at the other side¡ªthe world that he once belonged to.


    The door to the basement swung open without a sound and a small figure slipped in. Lily had specially dyed her fur ck for an uing event. Staring at Charles'' slumped form, traces of uncertainty and hesitation appeared on her furry face.


    "Mr. Charles?" Lily called out softly, her voiceced with concern.


    After what felt like an eternity, Charles extended his scarred right hand toward Lily. A smile of relief crossed Lily''s face and she eagerly jumped onto his open palm, curling up and nuzzling against the rough, calloused skin.


    Charles pulled his hand back into hisp and gently stroked Lily''s soft fur.


    Lily nestled closer and nuzzled against Charles'' chest for a moment before tilting her head up and asking with a hint of curiosity, "Mr. Charles, why do you keep staring at the ground? I thought you always loved looking at the sky."


    "Did I?"


    Lily''s furry ears bobbed along as she nodded eagerly "Yes, you did! You used to like to lie in the sunlight and quietly look at the overhead rocks."


    Charles continued stroking the fur on Lily''s back. His voice was barely a whisper as he asked, "Is that so?"


    Seemingly having sensed Charles'' down mood, Lily spread her tiny paws and clung to his chest, attempting to give him a warm hug. However, due to her petite mouse form, she looked more like an old dried-out rodent hanging from a branch across Charles'' chest.


    Just then, a ck, scaly tentacle snaked in from the side, curled itself around Lily, and yanked her away from Charles'' chest. Without any pleasantries, Lily was gently tossed out of the room, and the door mmed shut behind her.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    Hearing the familiar sound of heels behind him, Charles didn''t bother turning around and merely answered, "I realized I finally understand a lot of things now. I think I finally understand why they did what they did."


    "What things? Are you talking about the Foundation?" Anna asked, her arms folded across her chest as she stood behind Charles and looked down at thetter''s hunched figure.


    "I understand why the Foundation wanted to eliminate the rapidly advancing technology of the humans in the Subterranean Sea," Charles began. "It wasn''t just to wipe out these human subspecies to make space for the pureblooded humans. They were afraid that as our technology advanced, we would eventually discover the real surface and threaten the real humans living there.


    "I understand why the Foundation intentionally added vampire genes into the DNA of the Subterranean Sea humans, making them vulnerable to sunlight. I understand why they went out of their way to create an entirely new Subterranean Seanguage instead of using any existing ones from the surface.


    "Those guys had done a thorough preparation to make sure that nothing from the Subterranean Sea can ever get to the surface. That includes the humans from the Subterranean Sea, and even themselves," Charles concluded, his voice grim with a weight of understanding.


    "And so? Are you telling me that you are going to be the third-generation Foundation and take over the duty to save all of humanity?" Anna asked, her voiceced with evident sarcasm.


    The words of the centralputer echoed in Charles'' mind.


    <em>"You will. This isn''t a deal; it''s the absolute truth."</em>


    "No," Charles muttered with a firm resolve. "I won''t. I am <em>not</em> the Foundation."


    The sound of heels clicked against the floor as Anna walked to stand in front of him. Charles'' gaze slowly traveled up from the slender, pale legs in front of him and eventuallynded on Anna''s emotionless yet delicate visage.


    "So if you are not going to be the Foundation, then what are you nning to do? Are you nning to return to the surface through 005? And then abandon Sparkle and me in this ce?"


    Anna''s words struck a chord deep within him. His long-buried yearning for the life he once had¡ªhis family, his old ssmates, his mundane yet simple life¡ªwas dug up once again.


    It was as though a forgotten voice deep inside him was screaming to return to his previous world. He had enough of living in this wretched ce!


    However, his short-lived joy from that imagination quickly evaporated when he looked down at his own deformed and battered form and also at the face of his wife.


    Charles'' expression froze. Reality hit him like a tidal wave. Through the passage of time, he was no longer the same person who had lived on the surface. His body, his will, had been assimted by this dark and bizarre seascape. He was tied to its currents, no longer able to return to his original world.


    Charles reached out a hand toward Anna, wanting her to help him up to his feet. However, Anna continued to stand there with her arms folded; she clearly had no intention of lifting a finger to help.


    Charles let out a helpless sigh as he leaned his body forward and struggled to rise to his feet. cing a hand on Anna''s slender shoulder, his voice was filled with fatigue as he said, "Forget it. I''m tired. I don''t want to bother anymore. Also, I still don''t trust that 005. She definitely has other motives."


    A fleeting smile crossed Anna''s visage. She gave Charles'' wound a light, teasing p. "No, this is an opportunity. Maybe, we can acquire more power from 005."


    "I''ll pass. It''s best to stay far away from those Divinities and their games. Anyway, why are you looking for me?"


    Anna pointed at her long ck gown and said, "Tobba''s funeral is about to start. Your crazy crew member made a significant contribution. Are you nning to miss it?"


    "Why are we still here then? Let''s go now." With Anna supporting him, Charles limped out of the dimly lit basement.

 Chapter 792: A Different Funeral

    Chapter 792: A Different Funeral


    The crew of the Narwhale had already gathered at the cemetery on Hope Ind. All of them were dressed in somber dark clothes as they stood quietly before the open grave. A coffiny within; anotherrade had left them.


    The coffin belonged to Tobba, though his body wasn''t in there. His remains, alongside SITE 2, had been swallowed by the inky ck sea.


    Inside the coffin was a set of Tobba''s old clothes and an assortment of odd trinkets¡ªthat seemed like trash to everyone else¡ªhe had collected.


    A faint sound caught Dipp''s attention. He turned toward the entrance and called out, "Captain, you''re here!"


    The other crew members turned their heads toward the entrance. Charles, dressedpletely in ck and supported by Anna, slowly approached them.


    Charles'' gaze swept over each familiar face before settling on the expressionless face of his first mate.


    "Let me preside over the ceremony," Charles said.


    Bandages, also dressed in ck, nodded in silence before handing the prayer scroll in his hands to Charles.


    Charles gently pushed Anna''s hand away and limped toward the coffin.He positioned himself at the head of the grave and was just about to speak when a sharp, furious, female voice interrupted.


    "Scram! You''re the one who got 177 killed! You have no right to preside over his funeral!"


    The voice belonged to 134. Tears were streaming down her young face as she entered the cemetery while clutching a small stone box to her chest. Following behind her was the portly "King" in a wheelchair and the green centipede with a long tail.


    Charles didn''t want to cause a scene, not here, not now. Holding the prayer scroll between two fingers, he sent it twirling through the air toward 134.


    The next moment, "King''s" skin cracked open and a deformed insect burst forth and leaped onto the prayer scroll in the air, tearing it into shreds. Bits of paper fluttered down like broken leaves in the wind.


    "This is Tobba''s funeral," Charles said in a low voice. "If you want to throw a tantrum, pick a more appropriate time and ce!"


    Even though Charles hadn''t raised his volume, 134 didn''t dare to not listen and heed his words. Charles was no longer the same Charles who had infiltrated Sottom to steal maps a couple of years ago. Now, their roles had long been reversed with Charles wielding more strength than her.


    134''s lips parted, but eventually, she closed them again without saying a word. She silently walked toward the coffin, stood on tiptoes, and ced the stone box gently atop the coffin.


    She then opened the box and ced a hand in to press a button. The item within emitted a green glow¡ªit was an old tablet that belonged to the previous generation of the Foundation.


    134 tapped a few more times on the surface and to Charles¡¯ surprise, an all-too-familiar face appeared on the screen.


    "Hey, folks! How''s everyone doing? It''s been several days now. Do you miss me already?" A younger version of Tobba appeared on the screen. His wild, brown curls bounced as he animatedly waved at the screen and made silly faces.


    "Come on, Lil'' Mith, don''t cry! Everyone, show me your smiles!"


    Astonished, Lily flew toward the screen, wanting to check if it was actually Tobba. But just as she neared, Tobba pulled out a terrifying mask in a swift motion and stered it on his face.


    Lily screeched and retreated in terror as Tobba''sughter echoed from the tablet. He pulled his mask off and waved his hands wildly in delight that his prank had seeded.


    Charles stepped forward. A tentacle reached out to pick up the squarish tablet and pulled it closer toward himself. His gaze lingered on Tobba''s face as he hesitantly asked, "This is¡­"


    "I told you previously, didn''t I? I want to preside over my own funeral! Eh! Come on, what kind of wedding¡ªor rather, funeral¡ªdoesn''t have music? Go find some lively and cheerful music for me! I don''t want anything else! Get Red Romance from the dockside bar!"


    "Which year are you in?" Charles asked. Judging from Tobba''s young and vibrant appearance, he guessed that this recording had been prepared a long time ago.


    "Don''t rush me. Hold on, let me show you something cool!" Tobba said with a cheeky grin.


    The camera jostled as Tuba quickened his pace. He then pointed the camera at the back of a man smoking and yfully tapped him on the shoulder.


    "Weister! Come say hi to my friends!"


    Weister turned around and the moment he recognized Tobba, fear clouded his face.


    "Command center! 177 has broken containment again!" Weister shouted into his walkie-talkie.


    Tobba looked into the camera and let out a peal of loud and carefreeughter before the captured scene started shaking violently. Tobba seemed to be running from the Foundation''s containment.


    Charles'' eyes widened upon seeing the man. He was certain that it was Weister, a younger version of his first mate who got lost in time and space. After all, the recording that Tobba was taking was from the early days of the first generation Foundation which existed a thousand years before.


    As the camera finally steadied, Charles was about to ask more questions when a breathless Tobba interrupted. "Hurry! Go now!"


    "Huh? Where? And for?" Charles'' brows knitted together as a tense expression painted his countenance.


    <em>p! p! p!</em>


    The camera jolted again as Tobba enthusiastically pped his hands.


    "Captain, do you have dementia? Did you forget what I just told you earlier? Go get Red Romance here!"


    Charles was speechless. But as per the deceased''s own request for his funeral, Charles eventually agreed to Tobba''s series of demands.


    Soon, a plush red carpet wasid out on the obsidian floor of the cemetery. Tables were brought in and piled high with food, wine, and cigarettes that anyone could take at their discretion.


    Charles grabbed a bottle of wine and took a heart swig as he nced over to look at the so-called Red Romance.


    Red Romance was a group thatprised four voluptuous women. Scantily d, they stood atop Tobba''s coffin as they sang risque tunes with sexually explicit lyrics while swaying their bodies seductively to the beat.


    Charles wasn''t shocked in the slightest. After all, he had spent plenty of time in the dockside bars during his earlier days in the Subterranean Sea. Singers there were usually this brazen. In fact, there would even be those who were willing to pay extra for "private concerts" after they were done with their performance slot.


    Tobba''s demands had dramatically shifted the once somber and serious mood of the funeral to bing downright festive. The grief in everyone was almostpletely washed away and by the end, the atmosphere seemed to have grown a little too lively for a funeral.


    "Oh yeah, Kasha! Shake those hips a little more! Yeah! That''s it! That''s what I''m talking about!" Tobba''s face on the screen was flushed with excitement as he danced along with Red Romance.


    "Honestly, this isn''t too bad," Dipp remarked as he sidled up to Charles with a square ss of whiskey in his hand. "If I die, I want to do this for my funeral too."


    Charles raised the bottle in his hand and filled Dipp''s ss to the brim. "Deep Dwellers are immortal. I''m afraid that day will nevere."


    Dipp shrugged. "It''s okay; I have it all thought out. Once my wife dies, I will just kill myself too. No way am I sticking around like the first mate." Clearly, Dipp was rather calm about death, even if he was talking about his own.


    Charles clinked his bottle against the rim of Dipp''s ss before turning to look at Tobba on the screen. Tobba was still partying and in high spirits.


    "Sure. When that timees, pick a spot here too. The more, the merrier," Charles remarked.


    Just then, Tobba''s voice boomed from the tablet once more. However, he wasn''t talking to Charles; his instructions were directed at the live band.


    "Louder! I need louder music! Give me the wildest music ever!"


    The conductor instinctively nced toward Charles as a gesture of seeking approval. Upon seeing Charles nod slightly, he immediately signaled his fellow musicians before he took a deep breath. Then, he pressed his trumpet to his lips, and a high-energy, fast-paced tune exploded into the air and reverberated through the cemetery.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Tobba??</blockquote>

 Chapter 793: Tobba

    Chapter 793: Tobba


    "Guys! Don''t just drink! Let''s all dance together as well! If you don''t know how to dance, then follow my lead and the rhythm! First, you''ve got to put your right hand on your shoulder, and then..."


    The cemetery became livelier and livelier under Tobba''s lead; the excitement reached a crescendo when Tobba invited arge group of children passing by toe in to eat and drink as much as they wanted.


    The funeral full of buffoonery and horseysted until morning.


    Tobba within the screen was sweating profusely from the exertion, and he was sitting on the ground. Sweeping his gaze across the mess in the cemetery, Tobbaughed boisterously. "<em>Hahaha!</em> Awesome! That was great!"


    Everyone smiled at the sight, excluding 134, who walked over and sat on Tobba''s coffin. She ced the tablet on her legs and quietly stroked Tobba''s face with her hands.


    A gentle light shed in Tobba''s eyes upon seeing the little girl whom he would meet in the distant future. "Little Mith, don''t cry. Things are going to get better for you."


    Things would have been fine if he hadn''t said anything, but Tobba just had to say something, reducing 134 to a tear-stricken mess.


    134 hugged the tablet and wailed. The gray shadow, the chubby man seated in a wheelchair, and a green, centipede-like creature quietly gathered around 134 to give her a hug.


    Charles stared quietly at the scene while sitting on the old ship doctor''s tombstone. At this moment, they weren''t the "Kings" of Sottom but family members depending on each other for life.Tobba coaxed 134 for a long time until she finally bit her lip and raised her hand slightly. Tobba''s coffin beside her took to the air andnded gently in the grave.


    The three monsters walked over to the grave and grabbed a handful of the soil, sprinkling it all over the coffin down below. They repeated that over and over again until a tiny mound of soil appeared before everyone.


    <em>p, p, p!</em>


    Tobba pped and eximed, "Great! The funeral is over, and it was perfect! If not for the fact that they are closing in on me and are about to capture me, I''d have you guys dig up the coffin, so we can hold the funeral again."


    Since the funeral was over, the crew members bade goodbye to Tobba one by one and left the cemetery withplicated emotions in their hearts. Tobba seemed like he was still alive, but the Tobba before them was just a recording he had left behind a thousand years ago.


    The real Tobba was dead, and the dead would nevere back to life.


    "<em>Heh,</em> that madman." Anna shook her head with a helpless look on her face. "It''s over, so I''m going back now. I''m still busy over there."


    "What have you been up to these days?" Charles asked, staring at Anna''s retreating figure.


    "The Fhtagn Covenant immediately severed all contact with us after the Foundation''s demise. What else could I have been doing these days except for ensuring that those cultists aren''t going to blindside us?


    "You''re like a hands-off boss, so I have no choice but to do it myself," Anna said before finally walking out of the cemetery.


    Upon Anna''s departure, 134 turned to Charles, looking awkward. The next moment, she hurled the tablet toward Charles'' chest and turned around to leave with the other Kings of Sottom.


    "Captain, Little Mith, Gomma, and Medeas, I''ll leave them in your care. I''m not asking you to do anything specifically. I just don''t want you to settle your old scores with them."


    "All right." Charles nodded. "As long as they stay put, I won''t make things difficult for them."


    "Thank you, Captain!" Tobba eximed. He ced one hand on his shoulder and saluted Charles.


    Charles'' gaze becameplex as he stared at Tobba in front of him. "Since you know that all these were going to happen in the future, why did you not do anything to change any of them?"


    Tobba smiled bitterly and replied, "Captain, let''s not talk about those gods for now. Have you heard of Schr?dinger''s cat?"


    Charles was caught off guard by Tobba''s question. He pondered over it for a long time before realizing that he had indeed heard of the term when he was still a student long ago. "I''ve heard of it, but I don''t really remember it anymore."


    "Schr?dinger''s cat is a thought experiment that extraptes quantum behavior in the microscopic world to the macroscopic domain."


    "The formtion is like this¡ªa cat and a small amount of radioactive source is ced in a sealed box. There is a fifty percent chance that the radioactive source might decay, releasing toxic gas to kill the cat. However, there''s also a fifty percent chance that the radioactive source might not decay, allowing the cat to survive."


    "Once the box is closed and sealed, the system enters a condition of indeterminacy; the cat then exists in a superposition state; that is, the cat is both alive and dead."


    Tobba''s words forced Charles'' memories as a student to surface from the deepest recesses of his mind.


    "Why are you telling me this?" Charles asked.


    "You think that just because I can foresee the future, surely I can change it, right? Actually, that is not the case at all. The future is mutable, and I guess you can say it''s like Schr?dinger''s cat. The future that I can see is in a superposition state. I''m staring at a myriad of futures superimposed on each other.


    "Once the choice that affects a certain future is made, the future ceases to exist in a superposition state and copses into its own, unique line. That is why I can''t change the future, as doing so will only make it deviate further and further away from the ''choice'' that will affect it.


    "In other words, making the right choice is more important than changing the future itself."


    Charles'' head throbbed in pain as he listened to Tobba''s words that sounded familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. His invisible tentacles pushed against the tombstone, helping him down to the ground.


    "You could have just said that you can''t casually change the future. Why speak so much? Except for taking care of 134, do you have anything else to entrust to me? I''ll do my best to help you."


    Tobba was already dead and wouldn''t be able to do anything by himself. Thus, Charles wanted to help Tobba as much as he could as long as he was capable of doing it.


    The young man on the screen shook his head and said, "Captain, I have no more unfinished business, but you do. You can no longer run away from it. It''s time for you to make a decision."


    "What?"


    "I''m talking about the two wishes that 005 gave you. The choice is yours to make, and it''s a choice that will determine the direction of the future," Tobba said.


    Charles went silent, seemingly falling into deep contemtion. After a while, he replied, "I don''t trust 005, and I don''t want her wishes at all. Nothing good has evere out of dealing with a god."


    "Captain, you really have to understand that Tawil, as a god, has no reason to deceive you at all. If She really wants to harm us, then there would be no reason for Her to go about it in such aplicated way.


    "Anyway, Her wishes are harmless, so go ahead and make those wishes with peace of mind."


    For some unknown reason, Charles had faith in Tobba''s words. His keen instincts were telling him that Tobba wasn''t lying to him.


    "Two wishes¡­ Haha." Charles chuckled. "Tobba, you know what? I really want to live out the rest of my days in peace and quiet. I no longer want to experience so many hardships. I''m just an ordinary person, after all."


    "No, you''re not just an ordinary person," Tobba said, shaking his head. "You are Edikth''s Chosen One. Chosen ones are never ordinary, just like me."


    "Then, give me some advice. What should I do here?" Charles asked, kicking the ball back to Tobba.


    For the first time all this while, Tobba''s expression became solemn as he replied, "The first-generation Foundation did not hesitate to deceive and ughter their colleagues to conceal the secrets about the surface world, while the second-generation Foundation had done everything they could to protect it.


    "And now, the secret is yours to handle¡­"


    "What? You want me to be the third-generation Foundation?"


    "The choice is yours. I can''t make that choice, and I will not tell you what choice to make," Tobba replied, throwing the ball back at Charles.


    Charles looked down and stared quietly at the ground. "Tobba, can you tell me what the surface world is like right now? Has it changed? If so, how much has it changed since I found myself here?"


    "It hasn''t changed at all. It''s still the familiar world where you once lived in."


    Charles'' heart trembled slightly at Tobba''s words. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his diary. The diary opened, and a family portrait appeared in front of Charles. It was a portrait of his family and home back on the surface world.


    "Really? There are no changes at all?"


    "Of course, there are some changes due to the passing of time, but it''s not a big deal at all."

 Chapter 794: Choice

    Chapter 794: Choice


    The surface world was still the same¡ªit was still the world he had lived in for more than a decade. Tobba and 005 had spoken of the same truth to Charles.


    Charles realized just then that what he had once tried his best to find was just down below.


    The surface world was like heavenpared to the Subterranean Sea, where danger lurked everywhere, and humans were in danger of going extinct at any given moment.


    Tobba stared at the family portrait in Charles'' hand. "You don''t want to ept the Foundation''sst spark. Is it because you''ve always wanted to go home?"


    "Home?" Charles chuckled and put away the family portrait in his hand. "That side is my home, but the Subterranean Sea has be my home as well. Which do you think is my real home?"


    "The surface world and the Subterranean Sea are actually just separated by an ocean. Technically, both ces are in the same ce. The Foundation is gone, which means the surface world is no longer being protected against the Subterranean Sea. The peace of the surface world will inevitably shatter."


    Charles limped out of the cemetery with the tablet in his hands.


    "How long can a person live in a lifetime? I just have to make sure that nothing will happen to the surface world during my lifetime. What happens to the surface world after I die is none of my business.


    "Sometimes I wonder, how much of a role did the Foundation really y? Those lunatics have been working hard for so long, but perhaps they were just working in vain."If the slumbering God Fhtagn awakens, or if 002 emerges from within the Core, does the existence of the Foundation really matter at all?" Charles asked.


    Tobba reached to scratch his curly hair. "Charles, you know what? An idea that you are resisting might be what represents your heart''s desire. I personally suggest that you ept the Foundation''sst spark."


    Charles frowned. The next moment, he raised the tablet in his hand and hurled it to the ground.


    "005! The Foundation! And even you! Why are you guys forcing me to be the third-generation Foundation?! What do you stand to gain from manipting my life!!" Charles roared. Veins bulged all over his forehead as he added, "The fate of the two generations of the Foundation is a hard enough lesson!


    "I don''t want to end up like them! Is it wrong for me to live my own life in my own way?!"


    The tablet''s screen cracked, splitting Tobba''s face into two. "Of course, you can choose not to take it, but you will have to face the consequences of doing that.


    "Believe me, you definitely wouldn''t want to see that kind of future. All of those seven futures are bad endings."


    Tobba''s words had just finished echoing in the air when the screen shook violently. Charles then heard other voices. "I caught 177! <em>AH! </em>My hand! He actually bit me!"


    "Contact themand center! 177 is hiding in the ducts above Area C on the -14th floor! Call in some reinforcements!"


    A dazzling array of light sources shed behind Tobba.


    Tobba bobbing up and down as he crawled in the ducts appeared on the screen once again. "I don''t have much time left. I just have onest thing to say¡ªto protect the surface world, the Light God refused to reveal the secret even though He became aware of it right before his death!"


    Arge descended toward Tobba''s face right as he spat the final syble of his sentence. The covered Tobba''s face and dragged him down the ducts.


    The video ended there¡­


    Charles tapped on the screen, and the video yed once again. However, the Tobba on the screen could no longer interact with Charles and was now repeating his dialogue.


    The end of Tobba''s funeral seemed to represent the end of a tumultuous era.


    Having ovee a series of world-ending threats¡ªSwann, the Pope, the disappearance of the darkness, and the Foundation¡ªthe Subterranean Sea seemed to have entered an era of peace.


    Hope Ind developed rapidly, and more fixed tracks were affixed to the rockyer above the dome, allowing more monorails to be suspended up above. There were so many of them that they looked like tentacles from down below.


    With the advancement of transportation technology, Hope Ind''s export industry boomed, and items that could only be found on Hope Ind began spreading throughout the entire Northern Seas and the other sea regions through the transoceanic railway and voyages.


    Hope Ind''s innovation in transportation became a hot topic of discussion throughout the Subterranean Sea, and merchant ships visited the Northern Seas in droves to purchase blueprints and the rights to use Hope Ind technology.


    The slumbering economy of the Subterranean Sea slowly came back to life, all thanks to trade and technology. Everyone was profiting from the reviving economy.


    In addition, there were more inds than people throughout the Subterranean Sea, so the prices ofnd plummeted greatly, allowing everyone to buy a home of their own. It was cruel and cold, but the demise of roughly eighty percent of the Subterranean Sea''s poption allowed the survivors to live an affluent life.


    No one had pushed for it, nor anyone had announced it, but arge number of people throughout the Subterranean Sea attributed their current good days to the efforts of Charles, effectively pushing his prestige to new heights.


    Charles'' prestige gave birth to fans enthusiastic enough to ride on ships to visit Hope Ind and see the world-renowned hero with their own two eyes.


    Unfortunately, they were destined to be disappointed. Hope Ind had announced that the governor was seriously injured and needed to recuperate in seclusion for a whole year. Thus, he couldn''t entertain any visitors.


    However, those familiar with Charles knew that the announcement was just an excuse. Given enough human blood, Charles could recover as long as he was still breathing. He''d recover from even the most serious injury in just a week.


    They believed that there was another reason behind Charles'' seclusion in the Governor''s Mansion. However, none of them knew the reason. In fact, none of them knew Charles'' thoughts, including even Anna.


    "Hey, what have you been thinking abouttely? You''ve been holing up in this basement all day long," Anna said, curling up slightly on the bed as she leaned on Charles'' scarred chest.


    "I''ve been thinking a lot about our future," Charles said with closed eyes.


    Anna recalled something just then and frowned. Then, she stretched her fair thin arms and wrapped them around Charles'' neck in a hug.


    "You can think about anything you want to think, but don''t even think about abandoning us¡ªyour wife and daughter¡ªhere in the Subterranean Sea by wishing to return to the surface world," Anna remarked.


    "You have a monstrous body, the mind of a lunatic, and the hands of a murderer. I don''t even know how many people have died at your hands. You can''t possibly adapt to life on the surface world, as you are no longer the same as them," Anna added.


    <em>Smack!</em>


    Charles pped her hard before stroking her gently. "What are you talking about? Calm down, will you? I''m not leaving. I''m just thinking about how I can make good use of the two wishes that 005 has granted to me.


    "Since I can''t avoid it, I might as well face it."


    Anna immediately perked up. Then, she sat up straight and said, "Power! The power of the gods!"


    "Then what? What''s going to happen once I''ve be as strong as a god?" Charles asked. He opened his eyes and stared straight into Anna''s eyes.


    "Of course, you can do whatever you want by then! With the earth-shattering power of a god, we can even return to the surface world!" Anna replied.


    "I don''t think it''s that easy to reach the surface world from the Subterranean Sea. Otherwise, the surface world would have been plunged into chaos long ago."


    "Then find a way! A god can always find a way. Anyway, if I had a choice, I wouldn''t stay in the Subterranean Sea. Living here is suffocating, as our survival depends entirely on the mood of those beings!" Anna remarked.


    The purple 002, the sealed 003, and 004 that had annihted the second-generation Foundation shed through Charles'' mind upon hearing Anna''s words.

 Chapter 795: Wish

    Chapter 795: Wish


    "Yes, the Subterranean Sea is too dangerous, and we are no different from ants in their eyes. The reason we''re still safe is that they can''t be bothered to make a move just yet. Otherwise, we would have been annihted long ago and without being able to resist at that."


    Anna lowered her head and gave Charles'' lips a gentle bite. "That''s right. This cursed ce is not suitable for human life at all! You agree with me, right?"


    Charles didn''t say anything as he imagined two gods covered in tentacles bursting out of the sea surface to kickstart the apocalypse. Charles closed his eye once more and wrapped his arms around Anna''s slender waist.


    "Let''s sleep. I''ll think over it carefully."


    A hint of irritation shed in Anna''s eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.


    Momentster, a tentacle emerged from Anna''s beautiful hair. It flicked the light switch, turning off the bedroom lights.


    Just as the tiny tentacle was about to return to Anna''s hair, Charles pinched it between his fingers and said, "Withdraw the navy that you sent out to the Sea of Mist. Let''s postpone the exploration of the Sea of Mist.


    "It''s not that easy to take away the Foundation''s legacy. If 004 is still there, we might go extinct," Charles said.


    Anna didn''t respond. She simply turned around and turned her smooth, fair back toward Charles.When Charles opened his eye again, he found that Anna was no longer in his arms. Clearly, Anna had gone out early in the morning to deal with some affairs rted to Hope Ind.


    There were many things happening all over the ind these days. Charles hadn''t been going out, but he could hear the loud voices on the streets.


    Charles lifted the nkets and stood up to get dressed. As soon as he pushed open the door, he saw four maids standing outside with a table ofvish breakfast prepared just for him.


    Based on how every single dish was still piping hot, Charles presumed that they had calcted the time he''d wake up to ensure that he''d get to eat freshly made food for breakfast.


    "What is this? What''s it made of?" Charles asked. A round pastry that looked like granite was in his hand, and he promptly stuffed it into his mouth before he could receive any answer.


    It was soft, tender, and was surprisingly tasty as well.


    "Governor, this is ck cod tenders. It''s a breakfast dish that Chef Cher had created just for you," a maid said, introducing one of the dishes.


    Charles chewed on it for a while before swallowing it. He then looked at the maid in front of him, who appeared to be around eighteen years old, and asked, "If you could make just one wish, what would you wish for?"


    The maid was stunned. Clearly, she didn''t expect such a question from Charles, but she quickly fell into deep contemtion, pondering over the reason Charles had posed such a question.


    The maid looked up and saw Charles staring hard at her. The sight seemed to have made her realize something, and excitement suffused her face as she eximed, "My wish is to be the governor''s woman!"


    Hearing that, Charles stood up and patted her on the shoulder. As he walked past her and headed toward the exit, he said, "You''d better forget about that wish if you want to live a long life."


    Charles had taken just a few steps outside the Governor''s Mansion when he spotted Dipp in his blue mist form floating around the rooftop. The fishman seemed to be inspecting the entire ind from the lofty vantage point of the Governor''s Mansion.


    Dipp''s ability was proving useful for reconnaissance, and the members of Hope Ind Police Department''s District 3 were following in his footsteps, fusing with a variety of relics.


    An anchor hook shot out of Charles'' prosthetic arm, and he scaled the rooftop easily to stand in front of Dipp.


    "Dipp, if you could make a wish, what would you wish for?" Charles asked the fishman before him.


    Dipp''s heart skipped a beat and pounded wildly against his chest in the face of Charles'' question. He couldn''t help but be nervous as he fell into deep contemtion. After a while, he finally managed to say what was on his mind.


    Charles thought that Dipp''s wish would be to be human once again, so he was caught off guard by Dipp''s reply.


    "Captain, I-I heard about how some governors have invited painters to paint a family tree for themselves. C-can you include me in that family tree?"


    A family tree represented members of a family in a conventional tree structure, and Dipp''s request to be a part of Charles'' family tree could only mean one thing.


    Charles stared deeply at Dipp and saw thetter smiling at him with his razor-sharp teeth revealed unabashedly.


    Charles smiled lightly and replied, "Sure. I''ve never done anything like that, but I can draw one if you want me to draw one."


    "Really?! Can it be done today?!" Dipp eximed, looking delighted and thrilled.


    It seemed that a family tree was of great significance to him.


    Charles returned to the Governor''s Mansion and quickly located the drawing board that had been doing nothing but collect dust all this while.


    Charles quickly got to work and the portraits of Charles and Anna soon appeared at the very bottom of the drawing board. Then, he drew a tree trunk growing out from the top of them.


    As the paintbrush grazed the drawing board, the tree trunk sprouted more and more branches. One of the branches depicted Sparkle, and another branch depicted Dipp and his wine-red-haired wife Aliya.


    Under Dipp''s name, Charles wrote down his own surname that he hardly used¡ªReed. Once he was done, Dipp''s full name was now "Dipp Reed."


    When Dipp received the family tree, tears flowed down his eyes as if they were broken faucets. Clearly, the drawing really meant a lot to him.


    Just then, Dipp charged at Charles and hugged him tightly while crying like a child.


    Stroking Dipp''s fin, Charles asked, "Is this really your wish? Isn''t it so easy?"


    "Yes, this is my wish." Dipp nodded repeatedly. "I''ve been wanting to be a part of your family since you picked me up on the streets, but I''ve always been afraid that you wouldn''t want me to be your family."


    While the two were talking, Sparkle''s portrait in the drawing moved slightly, and Sparkle emerged from her portrait momentster.


    "Sparkle, Dipp is your brother from now on," Charles said, staring at Sparkle.


    Sparkle seemed dumbfounded as she sized up Dipp from top to bottom.


    "Sure, whatever you say¡ªwhatever makes you happy."


    With that, Sparkle turned around to leave, but Charles grabbed her wrist.


    "Stay here for a bit, Sparkle. I have a question¡ªif you could make a wish, what would you wish for?" Charles asked.


    Rather than responding, the young girl waved her hand lightly, and the two instantly found themselves in a building on top of the World''s Crown.


    There was a short but vast circr tank nearby, and Sparkle walked up to it, stretching out her tentacles to poke the tiny people inside before asking, "Are you asking me that because of the wishes that you got from 005?


    "If I were you, I''d make the same wish as Mommy. What we need the most is absolute power."


    Charles walked up next to Sparkle and looked down at the tiny people inside the tank. "No, don''t think too much into it. It''s just a simple question. If you could make a wish, what would you wish for?"


    Sparkle''s green cross-shaped pupils glimmered as she pondered over the question.


    "I want to go back into Mommy''s belly."


    "Oh, is that so¡ªh<em>uh?!</em>"


    "I''m convinced that if I actuallye out of her belly and grow slower, preferably at the same growth rate as ordinary children, I wouldn''t be in this quandary today. I''m learning many things, but I''m bing less and less happy the more I learn.


    "I want nothing but to enjoy a normal childhood."


    Charles didn''t expect Sparkle to make such a wish.


    It seemed that growing up too fast was a bad thing in her eyes.


    "Forget it. I was just talking randomly. I''ve grown up, anyway, so there''s no point in talking about that at this point. You shouldn''t waste your wishes on such a trivial matter.


    "And you shouldn''t ask others what they''d wish for, Dad. Everyone will eventually have to face the harsh reality after all, so bing a god is the best wish to make based on our current situation.


    "By bing a god, you''ll be powerful enough to establish a hegemony throughout the Subterranean Sea. You will attain eternal life as well."


    Charles reached out to pat Sparkle''s head and replied, "There surely is more to bing a god than what meets the eye."

 Chapter 796: Everyones Wish

    Chapter 796: Everyone''s Wish


    Feeling her father''s hand on her head, Sparkle said ndly, "Dad, I went to the bottom of the sea yesterday."


    Charles was silent, but Sparkle could hear her father''s breathing quicken slightly.


    "Since 005 said that the world where you once lived is down below, I got curious and went down to take a look. I was thinking that perhaps I could just teleport you there, but I dared not go too deep in the end.


    "Fhtagn''s aura ended up standing in my way, just like how 002''s aura in the Core had stopped me from exploring any further up above. The deeper I went down, the more panic-stricken I became."


    Charles gulped and said, "Don''t go down to the surface world by yourself. The journey there is extremely dangerous, and you might end up dying. After all, there has to be a reason why the deep sea gods of the Subterranean Sea had yet to go there."


    "I know, I know," Sparkle said with furrowed brows. "I just wanted to help you."


    "Thank you, but remember to tell me before you do anything next time," Charles said.


    Sparkle raised her right hand and knocked her father''s hand off her head. "I''m not a child anymore."


    "How are you not a child anymore? You just turned four this year," Charles said, patting Sparkle''s head again.Sparkle pouted, but she didn''t retort at all. Momentster, two tentacles stretched out from behind Sparkle, dragging two sofas from afar to behind the two of them.


    "Let''s sit down and watch them," Sparkle said.


    With that, the two sat on the sofa, quietly observing the joys and sorrows of the tiny people within the tank.


    ***


    "Captain? You called me to ask about what I would wish for if I could make a wish? I''m not afraid of you getting angry at me. My wish is to eliminate Hope Ind''sst remaining threat, Anna," James sporting a beer belly said to Charles.


    In contrast to James'' solemn expression, Charles seemed leisurely as he raised the raw oyster in his hand and drizzled lemon juice on it. Charles then sipped on the oyster, and a vor explosion pervaded his mouth immediately afterward.


    While chewing on the oyster, Charles shook the empty shell in his hand at James, telling him to sit down and eat together with him.


    "Thank you, but I''m not hungry," James replied.


    Charles reached out and patted James'' belly, saying, "Mmhm, you do need to lose weight. Get some more exercise, and don''t stay in your office all day. Can''t you see this big belly of yours?"


    James became a bit anxious in the face of Charles'' nonchnt attitude. "Captain, she''d restrain herself a bit while you''re on the ind, but it doesn''t mean that she''s no longer dangerous! She''s always been a hidden threat to the ind!"


    "I know, but I didn''t call you here for that. I''m here to ask about what you would wish for personally," Charles exined calmly.


    James let out a deep sigh and sat down next to his captain. "Captain, do you still remember our miserable days back on S.S. Mouse?"


    "Our good days didn''te naturally to us. We earned these good days with our lives. I''m afraid we wouldn''t be able to go back on the ship and earn these good days again if something were to happen with Hope Ind."


    Charles chewed on another oyster and swallowed it before replying, "It''s all about perspective, my chief engineer. You''re not looking at the big picture at all. What we''re dealing with right now is way beyond this tiny Hope Ind, so don''t worry about Anna. I''ll handle it."


    James couldn''t help but feel helpless upon seeing the squirming pitch-ck tentacles on Charles'' head. "All right, Captain. I''ll listen to you. If you can, please stay on the ind for now; we need to maintain the current stability for the foreseeable future."


    Charles smiled and proceeded to deal with the food on the table. "The kid who was just in the car¡­ she''s your daughter, isn''t she? I had no idea that she''s already so big¡­"


    The corners of James'' eyes curved with happiness as he broke out into a smile at the mention of his daughter. "Yes, she''s my daughter. Time really flies. When she was just born, she was only the size of my hand. Now, she can already run around and call me Daddy."


    "Yeah, my daughter has grown up a lot, too," Charles said, nodding in agreement. "I still remember the first time we met. Back then, she couldn''t even speak properly, but now, she can even argue with me."


    The two fathers chatted with delight upon finding a topic they could rte to.


    "Captain, I still remember this one time when I was doing my routine tasks on S.S. Mouse. I identally fell into the water at the time, and there were two sharks swimming next to me.


    "You didn''t hesitate to jump into the open sea just to save me," James said, shaking the ss in his hand. His face was flushed, as he was feeling a bit tipsy.


    "I had been on other ships before bing a crew of S.S. Mouse, and I can swear that no captain will do what you did for me back then. On that day, I swore to follow you forever! I swore to go wherever you go."


    Charles huped and shook his head. "I''m not as good as you think. I was poor at the time, and I saved you simply because I wanted to minimize losses."


    "No way!" James shook his head vigorously. "I was your crew for seven years, and it was enough time for me to know that you''re the type to hide your emotions and sometimes even outright deny them, but I know what kind of man you are!


    "You are the best captain throughout the Subterranean Sea!"


    The smile tugging at Charles'' lips faded away slowly.


    Soon, lunch was over, and James had to go back to work. James had contributed greatly to Hope Ind''s rapid development, and he had no time to rest to handle the influx of incidents throughout the lively and bustling Hope Ind.


    James walked up to the car and turned around to stare at Charles standing on the steps just right in front of a restaurant. "Captain, I can see that there''s something on your mind, but no matter what you do, don''t forget that I''m still here as your chief engineer!


    "I will always be here to support you!"


    Charles stood quietly and watched as James'' car disappeared into the distance. When the car could no longer be seen, Charles finally walked down the bustling street.


    He sought the other crew members and asked them about what they would wish for if they could make a wish. They all had their own unique, and even bizarre wishes, but the majority of them weren''t that difficult to fulfill.


    Walking out of Linda''s residence, Charles saw a limping figure wearing a ck dress in the distance.


    "Grace?"


    The silhouette quivered slightly and turned around slowly in response to Charles'' words. He was correct; the limping figure in a ck dress was Grace.


    There was a stack of books in her arms, and her hair was deliberately let down to cover half of her face that resembled shattered ss.


    "Captain," the young woman said, bowing slightly to Charles in a somewhat hesitant manner.


    "What have you been doing on Hope Ind these days?" Charles asked.


    "I am now working for Lady Anna¡­ just like I told you¡­"


    "Have you gotten used to life on Hope Ind yet?"


    "Mmhm, my life here is so much better than my life in my mentor''s tower. I have a lot of money to spend, too. "I actually bought the entire library, so these books are all mine now," Grace replied. Her signature radiant smile¡ªwhich had vanished since she suffered her injuries¡ªhad reappeared.


    Rather than radiant, however, her smile appeared quite hideous due to her bizarre face injury. In addition, Grace seemed to have deliberately worn a maxi dress for fear of scaring other people with the bizarre fissures all over her figure.


    "You deserve this, so let me ask you a question¡ªif you could make one wishe true, what would you wish for?" Charles asked.

 Chapter 797: Meeting 005 Again

    Chapter 797: Meeting 005 Again


    Grace was stunned, not expecting the captain to ask such a question. She pondered briefly over it and said, "I wish these peaceful days wouldst forever. I really like our peaceful lives at the moment. Everyone is very happy, and there''s no more fighting at sea. Atst, there are no more massacres."


    Charles reached out and caressed Grace''s fissured face. "I thought you wanted to be healed. Tell me honestly, do you hate me for essentially forcing you to be a bomb?"


    "No, not at all." Grace shook her head in denial. "If what I did was immensely helpful to everyone, then I have no regrets! Besides..."


    Grace paused, a hint of bitterness in her smile as she continued, "No boys really liked me back in the Western Seas, so being a bit uglier doesn''t matter."


    Charles stared deeply at the naive young woman before him. Clearly, she wasn''t exactly confident about herself. "You''re a crew of the Narwhale, so be more confident, will you? Pick any man on the ind, and we''ll help you get him."


    Grace''s face instantly flushed red, looking very shy. She was still a young woman, after all.


    "Captain, I still have something to do, so I''m leaving first," Grace said. She then turned around and fled in a hurry.


    "Wait! You''re good friends with Lily, aren''t you? Do you know where she is right now? I''ve been around the ind, but I haven''t been able to see her," Charles asked.


    Grace, with her books in her arms, turned around and pointed at the canopy of Hope Ind, where warm sunlight from the outside was poured in steadily to illuminate Hope Ind."Lily has been spending quite a lot of time up there recently. She said she made a new friend above," Grace replied.


    Newbound City above Hope Ind was still arid and hot. The ruins up above were being cleared, and new buildings were being constructed. Some of those buildings were already in use, and people wearing ck rubber suits all saluted Charles.


    The altar that the Divine Light Order used to perform sacrificial rituals was still there, and Charles found Lily giggling on top of the altar.


    "Mr. Charles! You''re here!" Lily eximed. She flew over and stood on Charles'' shoulder, nuzzling him affectionately.


    Charles looked up at Dawn One and asked, "Is that your new friend?"


    "Yes! It''s really fun to talk to! We''re good friends now," Lily replied.


    The massive, dazzling ring overhead said, "Mortal. What business do you have with the great Light God?"


    Charles grabbed Lily and walked away.


    "Don''t interact with this thing too much, or you''ll pick up bad habits," Charles said.


    "Mr. Charles, why did youe here? Were you worried about me because I haven''t been home for a while now?" the smiling Lily asked as she snuggled in Charles'' palm.


    Charles put down Lily and stared deeply at the shining mouse, asking, "Do you want to be human once again?"


    Lily''s wish had always been to be human once again, and there was no doubt that she still had the same wish.


    Lily''s ears instantly perked up, and her pea-sized eyes became full of excitement, but she quickly suppressed it.


    "I do want to be human once again, but if it means putting you in danger once again, then forget it, Mr. Charles. Besides, I''ve already gotten used to being a mouse."


    Charles was moved. He stroked Lily''s smooth fur and said, "Let''s go. Let''s head down."


    "Mr. Charles, I recalled the exploration ship that I sent out to look for my parents. Sparkle was right. Maybe I shouldn''t be so selfish. I love my parents, so I should be the one to make sacrifices for them rather than the other way around.


    "It''s better for everyone if I don''t show up, so I''m not going back."


    Lily looked up at Charles with a hint of bitterness in her eyes.


    "Mr. Charles, since I can''t go back, can I stay by your side forever? I want to stay by your side just like this. You definitely need a pet, right?" Lily asked.


    Charles picked up Lily and kissed her furry head. "Lily, you''re not a pet. You never were a pet."


    The two chitchatted until they reached the rift that connected Newbound City to the Subterranean Sea. From up above, Hope Ind looked so tiny that it was like a toy.


    "Let''s go home," Charles said and lightly kicked off the ground. He took to the air with Lily in his hands before plummeting directly into Hope Ind.


    On that same night, Charles lying in bed suddenly opened his eye. He nced at the sleeping Anna, who was hugging his arm. He detached his arm and stood up to leave the bedroom.


    As soon as he left the bedroom, Anna opened her eyes.


    Charles'' destination was the canopy of Hope Ind. No one had been cleaning the ce, so it had be what looked like a grasnd. He bent down and began drawing a special array made out of concentric circles.


    It was the array that Swann had used to summon the Feaster on the Albion Isles.


    The array immediately shone as soon as Charles walked into it.


    "Tell your master that I''ve made up my mind," Charles said.


    The next second, a voice echoed directly in Charles'' mind.


    <em>"Hmm, it seems that you''ve made up your mind."</em>


    Charles turned around and saw 005.


    <em>"As I said, these two wishes are formidable, but there is a small price to pay for them. You haven''t forgotten that, have you?" </em>005 asked.


    Charles nodded quietly.


    With a cat in her arms, 005 walked slowly around Charles.


    <em>"You also have to know the limitations of the wishes. First of all, you can''t make the same wish twice, and you can''t wish for something beyond my abilities.</em>


    <em>"For example, if you wish to be stronger than God Fhtagn, then I can only merge you with Fhtagn."</em>


    "What''s that ''small price''?" Charles asked. He had been worried about the so-called "small price." 005 had specifically said that it was "small," but Charles believed that it couldn''t possibly be small from the point of view of mortals.


    <em>"Simple. I just need you to find everything that you''ve lost."</em>


    005 raised her right hand and pointed at Charles'' severed arm, his missing eye, and finally at his head.


    <em>"I want you to find whatever you''ve lost in the Subterranean Sea. It doesn''t matter whether they''ve rotted, withered, or have be something else. I need them all."</em>


    Charles was caught off guard. He couldn''t have expected Her to make such a request. "Why?"


    <em>"No reason. I just want them. Pay that small price, and I can fulfill your wishes, even if you want to return to the surface world or establish a new Foundation."</em>


    Charles fell silent and began pondering over everyone''s wishes as he bathed in sunlight. Half an hourter, he folded his thumb and pinky into his palm and raised three fingers at 005. "Three wishes. I''ll exchange everything I''ve lost for three wishes."


    "<em>Hiss!</em>" The ck cat in 005''s arms stood up, and its fur stood erect as it hissed at Charles. It seemed to be furious at Charles'' tant disrespect of its master.


    The sight of a cat threatening a human was a bit absurd, but Charles knew that the cat before him was just an illusion. The real Feaster couldn''t be a cat.


    A hand wrapped in ck bandages gently stroked the raised fur on the Feaster''s back.


    <em>"You''re actually bargaining with me. This is really interesting."</em>

 Chapter 798: What Has Been Lost

    Chapter 798: What Has Been Lost


    Charles stared calmly at 005 in front of him. "I don''t care about your goal. Since you''ve chosen me specifically, there must be something about me that''s worth giving one more wish for. One more wish isn''t too much, is it?"


    Although he had made a deal with 005, Charles still didn''t trust her. However, he had already decided to go through with the deal, so why not squeeze as much value out of it as possible?


    005 came to a halt. She looked at Charles and pondered briefly over Charles'' words before replying, <em>"Sure. You have one more wish now. So Charles, have you already decided on your three wishes?"</em>


    Charles didn''t answer 005''s question. His single eye stared intently at her bandaged face. "Didn''t you say you''re a spectator? As a spectator, you should just sit down and watch."


    The outline of a smile appeared on 005''s bandaged face. <em>"This can be considered to be interference, so I''ve technically be a participant now rather than just a spectator. But fine, I can afford to wait for this bit of time."</em>


    005 then raised her hand, and three white balls emitting a soft light appeared in her palm. <em>"I await your good news. Bring me everything you''ve lost, and these three are yours."</em>


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A gust of wind blew across the grassy canopy, and 005''s figure vanished before Charles could even realize it. As soon as he discovered that 005 was no longer standing before him, the canopy was forced open, and Anna emerged from it.


    "You''re so amazing!" Anna eximed. She opened her arms wide and pounced on Charles. "Three wishes are just enough for the three of us!!"Somehow, Charles wasn''t surprised to find that Anna had been eavesdropping. He hugged her, turned around, and walked toward the hole in the canopy.


    "Since you were eavesdropping, did you not hear what she said? We can''t make the same wish twice," Charles asked.


    "It''s fine! We can just change the wording, and I bet it''s going to work!!" Anna eximed. She wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck and inundated his face with kisses.


    Upon returning to the Governor''s Mansion, Charles still couldn''t call it a day and sleep, as the excited Anna kept him up until morning.


    When the holes in the canopy over Hope Ind were uncovered, allowing sunlight to illuminate Hope Ind once again, Charles could finally rest. He sat in his office with a pen in his hand and an empty page of his diary on the desk before him.


    All of a sudden, Charles'' fingers moved slightly, and words written with the Subterranean Sea''s script appeared on the white paper.


    Skull and scalp, stomach, heart, left arm, eye, ear. These were what he had lost in the Subterranean Sea. He had to retrieve them and give them to 005 in exchange for those three wishes.


    A creaking noise echoed just then as the door to the office opened, revealing Linda''s figure. Linda d in a ck robe walked into the office with a ss jar in her arms. "Captain, I brought what you asked for."


    Charles took it from her hands, but he saw nothing but a cloudy liquid inside the jar. He couldn''t see anything else inside of it.


    "I don''t see it. Are you sure a part of my stomach is in here?" Charles asked.


    Linda nodded and reached into the jar with her right hand. She tugged lightly, and a piece of rotten, whitish flesh appeared in her palm.


    "This is a part of your stomach. I decided to keep it to study the reason behind why I had to cut this out of your stomach. Just in case I had to do that surgery again," Linda replied.


    Linda showed all sides of the rotten flesh to Charles before stuffing it back into the ss jar.


    "<em>Hmm...</em>" Charles held the ss jar and examined it for a few seconds. He then picked up the pen on the desk and crossed out the word "stomach." With that, only five words were left on the page.


    Charles tapped on the word "heart" with the pen and looked up at Linda before him, asking, "Can I get my heart back?"


    Linda nced at the words that Charles had written on the diary page and asked back, "Captain, do you want to get back all the body parts that you''ve lost? Why?"


    "Now isn''t the time to ask questions. Take a look at my heart first. I need it to return to its original condition," Charles said.


    005 had specifically requested everything he had lost, so Charles presumed that it included his crystalized heart.


    Linda took out a heamp and put it on her forehead. She then raised both hands and shoved them into Charles'' body. After ensuring that she had a solid grip on his ribs, Linda stuck her head into Charles'' chest.


    Since sound waves could travel through flesh, Charles could still hear Linda''s muffled voice, even though her head was inside his chest.


    "Captain, I''m about to do a small test. It might hurt a bit, so please bear with it until I''m done."


    "Mmhm, go ahead."


    Charles'' words had just fallen, but he immediately felt Linda tugging at his heart.


    It wasn''t exactly painful, but the sensation was extremely ufortable.


    Charles gnashed his teeth. The bizarre sensation was bing stronger and stronger until it became both ufortable and painful. Eventually, Charles felt like there were two knives slicing at the blood vessels around his heart.


    The bizarre sensationsted for a while, and Charles concluded that someone literally grabbing one''s heart couldn''t feel great at all.


    Linda tormented Charles for fifteen minutes before finally pulling herself out of his chest. She took off her gloves and said, "Captain, that special relic haspletely fused with your heart. The blood vessels around your heart are in the process of crystallizing as well.


    "Despite your strong regenerative abilities, forcibly removing that relic is still going to be quite dangerous. I also need some time to consult the books on how to perform that kind of surgery."


    "Go ahead. Let me know once you''ve found a way to do it," Charles said. He picked up the pen and drew a circle over the word "heart."


    Charles believed that the heart wasn''t that big of an issue. If worsees to worst, he could just rece it. It wasn''t difficult to rece one''s heart with the Subterranean Sea''s current level of technology.


    Of course, the priority was still to extract his crystallized heart and get rid of the relic around it.


    Linda took onest nce at Charles'' diary before her figure melted into the floor to the hall down below.


    The stomach and heart were considered resolved, so Charles decided to focus on the remaining four¡ªskull and scalp, left arm, eye, and ear.


    Charles'' skull and scalp were inside SITE 6, but they still had no idea whether 004 had left the site or not. Thus, Charles decided to postpone the quest for it until the site was deemed safe to visit.


    His left arm was left inside Hypnos'' fingerprints. Unfortunately, locating a Divinity in the Subterranean Sea was incredibly difficult.


    If Charles wanted to track down Hypnos, he''d have to rely on the entire Subterranean Sea by issuing a bounty for Hypnos'' location.


    Charles decided to postpone the search for his left arm and skull and scalp, which meant that his priority was to look for his eye and ear. He had lost his eye on the Ropelings'' ind, while his ear¡­ was devoured by that green, centipede-likepanion of 134.


    Just then, 005''s words echoed in Charles'' mind: "<em>I want you to find whatever you''ve lost in the Subterranean Sea. It doesn''t matter whether they''ve rotted, withered, or have be something else. I need them all."</em>


    With that in mind, Charles picked up the telephone next to him and dialed a few numbers.


    Soon, a cold female voice echoed from the other end of the line.


    ¡ª Do you need anything, Governor Charles?"


    "Margaret, is 134 there? Give her the telephone."


    There was a moment of silence before 134''s disgusted voice echoed.


    ¡ª You''re so annoying!!! What do you want?!


    Charles didn''t bother wasting time and immediately said, "Yourpanion¡­ that green centipede with a long tail is there, isn''t it? Can you ask about where it went to defecate after eating my ear back then?"

 Chapter 799: Start

    Chapter 799: Start


    "What?" Clearly, 134 couldn''t understand what Charles was getting at. The question came out of nowhere and didn''t make any sense to her.


    When Charles reiterated himself, 134 couldn''t help but burst into a fit of uncontrobleughter.


    "Charles! Don''t tell me you are actually nning to smear that shit onto your ears!"


    Charles'' voice went cold by a notch. "I have no time for your jokes. I''ve promised Tobba that I won''t make things difficult for you, but if you are going to deliberately get in my way, then don''t me me!"


    Despite her defiant tone and attitude, 134 eventually gave in and gave Charles the answer he wanted. After all, as much as she didn''t want to admit it, Charles could easily just off her with a single word.


    134 exined that shortly after their surprise attack on Charles, the green centipede had emptied its stomach in that deste, gray wastnd.


    Being of his position, Charles didn''t need to personally take care of a trivial task like finding shit on the Core. With a quick call, the army stationed at the Colossal Hole Fortress on the Core was prepared to embark on their mission.


    The fountain pen''s tip drew a circle around the word "ear," and Charles'' eye finally settled on the final word on the paper¡ªeye.


    A vivid memory of the colorful ind surface in Charles'' mind. He remembered the ropelings, and Linda had even saved an abandoned baby from them.The Foundation''s facilityplex was located in the middle of the ind and right in the center of it housed a group of creatures whose colors exceeded the human visual spectrum. And these creatures would kill anything that could even visually perceive their existence.


    Back then, Charles had identally stumbled upon an old research record and his vision was unintentionally enhanced. His visual spectrum expanded far beyond the norm and caught the attention of those creatures.


    To survive, he had no choice then but to gouge out both his eyes. The remnants of those eyeballs were likely still on the ind¡ªif they hadn''t been devoured by rats.


    Though it would be difficult for him to personally retrieve his eyes, it didn''t mean that he couldn''t send someone else to carry out the job.


    Soon, the closed door swung open once more, and Norton, controlling his green centipede form, scuttled along the walls into the room and perched on the ceiling.


    His razor-sharp mandibles clicked against each other as he loomed above Charles, seemingly sending a greeting.


    Having no eyes but yet gifted with an extraordinary sense of perception, Norton was the perfect candidate for the job of retrieving Charles'' eyeballs.


    "Alright, let''s start from you then," Charles muttered, tapping his pen against the word "eye". He then flipped through the pages of his diary until he reached the page that had a portrait of Sparkle.


    "Sparkle,e over for a moment. I''ll need you to teleport me to an ind," Charles said as he unrolled the map charted by the Narwhale on the table.


    In an instant, Sparkle appeared with a burst of white light. Dressed in a white sundress, she sat on the edge of the tabletop, her pale legs dangling yfully as she swayed them.


    "You''re asking for help again, huh? In that case, free one day to help me in return."


    Charles tucked his journal into his coat and chuckled. "Sure, my sweet girl, whatever you want."


    The next moment, all three upants in the room vanished without a trace.


    ***


    <strong>Hope Ind''s school.</strong>


    Nene sat in her seat, her brows furrowed in confusion as she watched Teacher Jennie stumble through her lesson at the front of the ssroom.


    Molly, her deskmate, stealthily tugged on Nene''s sleeve and whispered in a soft volume, "Nene, it looks like Teacher Jennie is not familiar with the new teaching material too."


    Nene nced down to look at the sprawled-open new textbook on her desk. She wasn''t surprised that Teacher Jennie was struggling with it¡ªthe knowledge within was just too strange and unfamiliar. They were far moreplex than anything they had learned before.


    She remembered seeing the notice in the town square that it was the Governor himself who ordered the change in the learning materials. He had mentioned that the old curriculum contained too little useful knowledge, and the students wouldn''t be able to make any practical use of that knowledge nor be useful after they graduate.


    Nene didn''t really get what the Governor meant by those words, but since this was his order, she would just do her best to learn these new concepts.


    <em>Ring~~~~</em>


    The moment the bell rang to signal the end of ss, Jennie exhaled in obvious relief. She tossed the chalk aside and darted out of the ssroom faster than any of her students.


    "Teacher Jennie! You haven''t assigned any homework!" a bespectacled boy sitting in the front row called out. The moment his words fell, everyone in the ss turned to re at him with traces of fury in their eyes.


    When Nene and her ssmates exited the school gates, they all wore the same frustrated and bitter expressions. Eventually, homework was assigned, and that meant that their time to y after returning home had been cut short.


    As they gathered at the school''s entrance while waiting for the tram, they all muttered theirints at the bespectacled boy. If not for there being other teachers standing nearby and waiting for the tram as well, it was highly likely that the bespectacled boy might be beaten up by now.


    However, the bespectacled boy felt that he didn''t do anything wrong. He clenched his right fist as a determined gaze shed across his eyes behind the sses. "You don''t understand! We may be young, but it''s our duty to help our esteemed Governor build a better Hope Ind. What''s wrong with a little hard work?"


    His deration not only drew the attention of students from other sses but also the teachers nearby.


    Just as the bespectacled boy continued to debate with his fellow ssmates, a few trams pulled up to the school entrance. The students rushed to board in a frenzy, and by the time the bespectacled boy realized what was happening, the tram was already filled; he had to wait for the next batch.


    Loaded with students, the trams glided smoothly along the newly built tracks that fanned out like petals from the heart of the ind to its various districts.


    One of the teachers on the tram, holding onto a handlebar, shed a warm smile toward a colleague, saying, "The Governor really had this all thought out. He knew how inconvenient it was for students living far away toe to school, so he had the tracksid across the entire ind. In the past, I had to ride my bike for over an hour just to get to ss. Now, it''s no longer this tiring."


    Her colleague nodded in agreement. "Indeed! And the trams are free too! They don''t get benefits like this on the other inds. Even if the trams are built, not everyone could afford to take them."


    As they chatted, their conversation caught the attention of an elderly man sitting nearby. Puffing on a pipe while reading a newspaper, he chimed in, "The trams are good and all, but the nning department is surely run by a bunch of idiots. Look at how the tracks twist and turn all over the ce. What a waste of steel, and it makes the journey extremely inefficient."


    Another passenger scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Quit that trash talking. You are all just words. If you''re so smart, why don''t you design something better?"


    The man''s belittlingment had the old man furiously folding his newspaper. He red at the passenger and retorted, "You think I can''t do it? If I were in charge, the tram system on Hope Ind would be hundreds, no, thousands of times better than it is now!"


    Being on board the same tram carriage, Nene watched the intense conversation with great interest. She didn''t understand much of what the adults were saying, but she enjoyed listening to them bicker.


    In fact, she was so engrossed in the drama that she almost missed her stop.


    After bidding goodbye to her friends, Nene hopped off the tram. She hummed a cheerful tune as she skipped down the street toward her house. Even after all this time, everything still felt like a dream to her. Life was so good that it almost didn''t seem real.


    She could attend school, her mother had a stable job, no one could hurt them anymore, and they never went hungry.


    Sometimes she would find herself wondering if their lives should be a little worse so that their current happiness couldst a bit longer.


    The moment Nene reached her house, she noticed that the front door was ajar and there was a bicycle parked outside.


    <em>We have a guest? Who is it? </em>Curiosity stirred within Nene as she carefully walked toward the door.

 Chapter 800: Donna

    Chapter 800: Donna


    "Donna, have a look at these photos. They may not be the most handsome, but listen to me: looks and money are secondary when ites to looking for a partner. Personality is of the utmost importance. I mean, look at this one; he never raises a hand against women."


    "I¡­ I just don''t feel that I''m ready yet. Now that I can survive on my own on this ind, I just want to live a peaceful life with my daughter and watch her grow up. If there''s suddenly another new person in the house, Nene might be afraid of him."


    Hearing Donna''s voice from the living room, Nene felt warmth stirring in her chest. Her mother was so considerate of her and always put her first in everything she did.


    The visitor, Madam Villy, let out a sigh. "I told you about the governor''s neww earlier, didn''t I? Any inder who gets married will get a marriage bonus of 300,000 Echo! That''s free money right there!"


    "Madam Villy, I think you''re mistaken. The Echo currency has been discontinued."


    "Oh, right! My bad." Madam Villy let out a sheepishughter and continued, "This old brain of mine. Let me rephrase: a marriage bonus of 300,000 Cori! That''s a lot of¡ª"


    Before Madam Villy couldplete her sentence, Donna interrupted her. Her stance was firm as she said, "I''m making enough at the factory to support both myself and my daughter. Thank you, but please, leave. Nene will be home from school any time now, and I have other things to take care of."


    Hearing that the visitor was going to leave, Nene nced around nervously. She then darted toward a nearby trash bin and ducked behind it while peeking out an eye to watch her front door.


    She waited for her mother to send the thin woman out of the house and watched her close the door. When the thin woman finally disappeared out of sight on her bike, Nene finally emerged from her hiding spot and hurried toward the front door.With a soft knock on the door, she called out, "Mommy, I''m home!"


    The maroon-colored door swung open, and Donna greeted Nene with a warm smile. Nene dashed in and threw herself into her mother''s open arms.


    "You seem extra happy today. Did something good happen at school?" Donna asked as she gently patted Nene''s head.


    Nene let out a giggle as a radiant smile spread across her face. "Yes! Something great happened!"


    "Go and start on your homework first. Dinner will be ready soon," Donna said, smoothing Nene''s hair affectionately.


    Dinner was soon ready; though it wasn''tvish, there was fish and vegetables too. Now that the crisis had passed, the ind''s resource shortages were slowly easing, and life for the inders was gradually returning to normal.


    After all, they no longer had to ration food for them to be sent to the surface, and food restrictions had long since been lifted.


    After dinner, Nene settled down and continued with her homework. When it came to her school assignments, Donna couldn''t offer much help. She had secretly peeked into Nene''s textbooks before and the advanced concepts within were all too foreign to her. It even made her feel a little inferior.


    Carrying a te of sliced pineapple, Donna quietly ced it on Nene''s desk, under the soft glow of the tablemp.


    "Nene, I need to go out for a bit. Keep an eye on the house while I''m gone, okay?"


    A flicker of curiosity crossed Nene''s visage. She wanted to ask where her mother was going, but she eventually nodded earnestly, "Okay! I''ll wait for you to return."


    Donna then stepped out of the house. Her destination was the docks. Despite the strictws implemented on Hope Ind, that ce remained a dangerous area to wander after dark.


    The invention of the Subterra Railways had diminished the importance of the docks. Those who once relied on the ships for their livelihood were slowly losing their source of ie.


    After all, the Subterra Railways, which traveled along the hanging tracks on the overhead rock terrains, offered a safer alternative to dealing with the strange and bizarre creatures that lurked in the waters.


    The present circumstances had cast a heavy air of oppression over the docks as a sense of unease hung in the air like a thick fog.


    Groups of burly men huddled together in small circles as they puffed on cigarettes and yed cards. At the same time, their disgruntledints about the uing construction of a fourth railway above filled the air and eventually traveled into Donna''s ears.


    "Sigh, how could the Governor do this? No shipsing in means no business for us. We''ve got so many mouths to feed."


    "Yeah¡­ Why don''t we band together and make a request to the Governor''s Mansion to let us handle the cargo for the trains?"


    "Do you even know how to operate a train? The train drivers now are people who have operated trains on the surface. It will be a while before they even look at any one of us."


    "Or why don''t we go to another ind? I heard that there''s a lot of work on other inds."


    "You can go if you want to. Is there any ind better than Hope Ind? Unless I get to be the Governor, I''m never leaving Hope Ind."


    As Donna''s footsteps approached, their chatter fell silent. Their hostile gazes turned toward her as they watched her every move.


    The same thought entered their heads¡ªrough skin, wrinkles on a weathered face, and the swollen knuckles of her hands calloused from years of farmbor. Clearly, Donna''s appearance didn''t pique their interest.


    Despite feeling anxious from the stares from all around her, Donna pressed on. She hastened her steps and ventured deeper into the harbor district.


    The docks were far from safe, and that was the reason why it was a breeding ground forwlessness and also home to those who had no legal status on Hope Ind. Many of these outcasts and drifters had strange and unique abilities and Donna happened to know one such person.


    After navigating through the twisting and winding alleys for a good two minutes, Donna finally stopped in front of a ck tent. Aside from a fishbone wind chime hanging near the entrance, there were no signs or decorations to indicate the tent''s purpose.


    Her colleague''s words from a few days ago echoed in her ears.


    <em>"It''s true! I''m not lying! That thing is so powerful and canmunicate with the dead! You just need to pay a fee, and they''ll let you speak with anyone who''s dead!"</em>


    Donna gritted her teeth and lifted the tent p to step in. She really wanted to speak with her deceased husband, to pour out her heart and share the years of pain and struggle since he''d been gone.


    The tent was pitch-ck with not even a sliver of light.


    "Hello? Is anyone here?" Donna called out cautiously.


    Suddenly, a glowing white skeleton emerged from the darkness. Its jaw opened and closed with a chilling tter as an eerie voice sounded, "Seeker of the past, speak the name of the one you seek."


    Donna''s legs were trembling so badly that they nearly gave out beneath her. She was almost tempted to flee instantly, but her overwhelming longing for her husband managed to suppress her fear.


    "Hakaar Lee Hart. Can you summon his spirit from the sea?" Donna answered with a shaky breath.


    "State the age at which he died."


    "37. He was 37 when he went to sea, and he never came back."


    After a few more simple questions, the skeleton slowly bowed its head. A few secondster, it raised its head again, but this time the voice that emerged wasn''t its own¡ªit was the voice of a middle-aged man.


    "Who is it? Who''s looking for me?"


    The moment Donna heard the voice, tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over. Ovee with emotion, she rushed toward the skeleton, but a barrier in the shadows stopped her from getting too close.


    As a woman raising her daughter alone in this subterranean sea, life had been challenging and tough for Donna. No matter how big the challenges she faced, she had never once shed a tear. She couldn''t afford to cry as her daughter depended on her and she had to be strong.


    But now that she saw her deceased husband in front of her, Donna suddenly felt like she had someone to lean on. She gripped the barrier between her and the glowing skeleton and broke down into tears.


    The tears came like a flood, carrying with them the weight of all the pain, frustration, and loneliness she had buried deep inside over the years.


    "This voice¡­is so familiar. Why are you crying so much? Do you¡­ know me?" The skeleton asked with a hint of confusion in its voice.

 Chapter 801: Communication With Spirits

    Chapter 801: Communication With Spirits


    When Donna saw that the spirit of her husband had truly manifested in front of her, she hastily wiped the tears and snot from her face. Overwhelmed with emotions, she shouted, "Hakaar! You bastard! I''m Donna, your wife!


    "How many times have I told you! Don''t go out to sea! Don''t go out there! Why did you not listen to me! Do you know how much hardships Nene and I have to endure after you are gone? I was so desperate and out of options. To survive, I even took her with me to the World''s Crown!" Donna''s voice trembled with fury and grief.


    "The World''s Crown! Once you step foot there, you could, at most, live for ten more years! But I had no choice! I had no money! I tried to prostitute myself at the docks, but I couldn''t even get any customers! Because I''m too old and too ugly!


    Donna''s voice broke as she continued between sobs," Do you know how much it pained my heart when Nene tugged on my shirt hem and softly told me she was hungry? Where were you then? Where was her father then!"


    Donna ranted and poured out all her grievances at the glowing skeleton for more than ten minutes before her voice gradually softened. The anger in her tone gave way to sadness as she continued to output everything they had endured.


    "It doesn''t matter anymore¡­ Even without you, we still survived! Nene is doing well now. The governor of this ind is a good man. Education is free and Nene managed to learn so many things. She will have a great life and she''ll never have to go to sea like you did.


    "Also, we have a house of our own on this ind now. We are citizens of this ind. Life is all great now, and the only thing missing is you. If only you were still here¡­"


    After Donna poured her heart out for another half an hour, the skeleton suddenly straightened its posture. The middle-aged man''s voice was gone and reced with its previous eerie tone, "Seeker, your husband has returned to the world of the dead."


    Donna hurriedly dug into her pocket and pulled out every single piece of crumpled bill within. "Please, I beg you. Summon him again. I still have so many things that I want to tell him!""The dead can only be summoned once a year," the skeleton replied. "Come back this time next year. You may leave the money and go."


    Without waiting for Donna''s response, the glowing skeleton faded into the darkness and disappearedpletely.


    Donna stood rooted in her spot as she stared at the darkness before her. Her eyes were tinged with frustration and helplessness as she reluctantly ced the money on the ground and turned to leave.


    Soon after she exited the tent, the dim glow of an oilmp illuminated the tent''s interior. Several figures crawled out from among the piles of debris and reached toward the pile of money on the floor. All of their faces were painted with glow-in-the-dark markings.


    Holding up the bills that had Charles'' face printed on them, a bald man excitedly waved it at a scrawny figure beside him. "Boss, the people on Hope Ind are really loaded! That''s 2000 cori! I should''ve listened to you long ago if I''d known it was this easy to make money."


    A smug smile surfaced on the countenance of the skinny man with a thin mustache. He reached out two fingers and deftly plucked the bills from the bald man''s hand. "When I ground down those glowing pearls into powder earlier, all of you were fighting to stop me. Now, look at the results. Sure, glowing pearls are expensive but sow, and you will reap."


    The other three men eagerly nodded in agreement as they excitedly showered their leader with more ttery.


    "Boss, why didn''t you push that woman to give up all her money? She owns a house on Hope Ind, and you know that it''s impossible to buy property here now, no matter how rich you might be," one of the henchmen, a rat-faced man, asked.


    The mustached man shot him a displeased re. "Are you dumb or what? Do you really think there''s now enforcement on Hope Ind?


    "We can only prolong our business if we keep it low-key and do things slow and steady. Small, harmless scams are easy to get away with. Even if someone realizes that they were conned, they won''t bother reporting it. And even if by the off chance that they do report us, we can always bribe our way out with a bit of money.


    "But if we were to do things your way, we would only be able to get away with it once or twice before the police catch wind. I''ve studied thews here. Anything over a certain amount, they''ll hang us!"


    A heavy silence nketed the room. Judging from the henchmen''s uneasy nces and fearful expressions, they were clearly deterred.


    "No way¡­ just scamming some cash would get us hanged? On other inds, we just need to pay off the governor with everything we had made and they''ll let us go, no?"


    The mustached man flicked a finger against the bill with Charles'' face on it. "Who knows the logic behind thews that the Hope Ind''s Governor has passed? Also, those central inders wouldn''t care about our survival. That punk, Charles, used to mingle around the docks but look at him now¡ªhe doesn''t give a shit about us."


    A broad-shouldered man holding an oilntern cut in, "Boss, how can you say that about Sir Charles? He''s our hero. If he hadn''t saved the entire Subterranean Sea, we would have been dead by now."


    A disdainful sneer appeared on the mustached man''s face. "Is he trying to save us? No. He''s trying to save himself! Remember when we were under martialw? They forced us into those factories and didbor work for over a year. We don''t owe him a damn thing. Now shut up and kill the light. Let''s see if we can con a few more suckers tonight."


    As soon as his words fell, footsteps echoed outside the tent. The four men exchanged nces, and instantly, the faint oilmp was snuffed out, allowing darkness to engulf the ce once more.


    The tent p was pulled back once again, and the bald man, who had been hidden behind a ck cloth, leaped out in his usual theatrical disy. With a wave of his limbs, the glow from the crushed night-pearl powder on his skin formed the eerie silhouette of a skeleton.


    "Seeker of the past, speak the name of the one you seek."


    "Kevin¡­My¡­ father¡­"


    <em>Why does this man speak so slowly? He sounds just like that idiot from Redwood Ind. Is he an idiot too? </em>The bald man thought to himself as he nced toward his leader for confirmation to continue.


    Upon getting approval to proceed as nned, the bald man continued his performance. He popped a handful of glowing fish eggs into his mouth and his voice deepened into a low tone.


    "Weister, my son. Is it really you?"


    A heavy silence followed. The bald man grew nervous as there was no response from their new customer. This wasn''t how the exchange usually went.


    Finally, their customer spoke. "Father¡­ I want to avenge you¡­ But Charles¡­ has promised¡­ Tobba¡­that we won''t¡­ go after the¡­ Kings of Sottom¡­Please¡­ tell me¡­ what should¡­ I do now?"


    Hearing the response, the conmen found themselves frozen in a thick, uneasy silence. <em>Charles? Kings of Sottom? </em>Something about this customer felt dangerously off.


    The bald man gulped nervously and continued, "My son, there''s no need to put that to heart. What is your job right now? Are you earning enough to take care of the family?"


    "I''m¡­serving¡­ as the Admiral¡­ of Hope Ind¡­ I''m in charge¡­ of the entire Hope Ind¡­ navy."


    A strange rattling sound echoed through the tent. In the darkness, Bandages lifted his head and realized that the skeletal figure''s teeth were ttering together uncontrobly.


    "Father?" Bandages called out.


    Meanwhile in the shadows, beaded cold sweat covered the mustached man''s forehead. He frantically gestured at the bald man to keep the charade going. If they were exposed now, it would be game over for all of them.


    This wasn''t just any customer; he was the Admiral of Hope Ind! The second most powerful man in the entire Northern Seas¡ªsecond only to the Governor himself!

 Chapter 802: Speculation

    Chapter 802: Spection


    Sensing the hastened breathing of the man who imed to be the Admiral of Hope Ind in the darkness, the bald man pretending to be the skeleton couldn''t hide the tremor in his voice.


    "Uh¡­ M-my child, go back. You don''t need to think about avenging me. I''m happy enough to see that all of you are living well. I¡­ I have to go now. The time''s up."


    As soon as the bald man''s words fell, two other men lifted a ck cloth to cover him and his glow-in-the-dark markings.


    Instantly, darkness engulfed the interior of the tent.


    The conmen held their breath as they silently prayed for theirtest customer to leave as soon as possible. Now that they had stumbled upon an influential figure just like that, money was no longer on their minds. All they wanted to do was to hop on the next boat and flee far away.


    In the pitch-ck darkness, Bandages remained silent for a moment before he fished out a stack of bills and ced it on the ground beside him.


    He then turned to exit the tent. Just as he lifted the tent p letting the light illuminate half of his handsome face, he suddenly stopped.


    "Tell me¡­ What method¡­ did you use¡­ tomunicate with¡­the dead?" Bandages asked in an eerily calm tone.


    "ording to¡­ a close friend''s¡­ personal experience..he said that the¡­souls of those who perish at sea¡­ all belong to¡­ Fhtagn¡­ Retrieving a soul¡­ from Him¡­ is extremely difficult."The mustached man swallowed his saliva with much difficulty. He didn''t have an answer to the question. They were just a bunch of conmen and nothing more.


    Bandages seemed to intend to stay where he was until he got an answer. Seeing that, a firm resolve crossed the mustache man''s face. He moved behind the bald man and frantically drew something on thetter''s back.


    Getting the order from his leader, the bald man, still covered in glowing pearl dust, emerged from behind the ck cloth. He waved his arms dramatically as he proimed, "I am the Chosen One of the great God Sparkle! In the entire seascape, only She has the power to reim the souls of the dead from Fhtagn! Mortal! Do not delve into knowledge beyond your reach!"


    At the bald man''stest promation, a wave of relief washed over the remaining conmen. Their leader was a genius indeed foring up with such an exnation.


    However, their joy was short-lived as the ground beneath them began to tremble violently. A colossal tree trunk burst from the earth; its twisting branches extended and lifted the entire tent into the air.


    Amidst the conmen''s cries and howls of fear, the tent was then shredded apart by the growing branches, and everything previously shrouded in darkness was exposed under the bright sunlight.


    Now quaking in fear, the mustached man and his henchmen abandoned any thought of continuing their charade. Like a dam bursting, they confessed everything to Bandages, who was standing on one of the massive tree branches.


    "Sir, we''ve only arrived on Hope Ind for a week! All the money we scammed is all in that yellow box over there. Please let us go! We''ll never do this again."


    Bandages'' silence stirred a sense of unease among the conmen.


    Clinging onto a tree branch, the bald man frantically wiped the luminous pearl powder from his face and agitatedly tried to justify his actions. "It was all Johnson''s idea! I have nothing to do with this! Sir, if you want to pin the me on someone, me him!"


    Seizing the opportunity, the other henchmen were quick to follow suit. Each of them echoed the same sentiment and pushed the me onto the mustached man.


    Johnson trembled in rage at the betrayal, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent as he red at his treacherouspanions.


    Just then, the massive tree branches beneath them slowly began to wither.


    The once vibrant green trunk shriveled and darkened and gradually lowered everyone gently back to the ground.


    Bandages regarded the conmen with a conflicted expression. "If only¡­ if only you really could¡­ I think¡­ I''m starting to¡­ understand now¡­ why the captain¡­ did what he did¡­"


    With that, Bandages turned and walked away without saying another word.


    The four conmen were left behind in their original spots, and they exchanged confused nces, not fully understanding the situation.


    It took more than a full minute before the bald man lifted his right hand to p himself half across the face. Feeling the sting, he turned to Johnson and eximed in excitement, "Boss! This is great! He didn''t punish us at all!"


    However, before he could truly rejoice, Johnson mmed his fist into the bald man''s right eye. "You fucking traitor! How dare you sell me out like that! I''m going to kill you!"


    ***


    Meanwhile, on the Ropelings'' ind, Charles stood in the middle of the multicolored forest. His gaze was filled with anticipation and unease as he looked toward the distant structures.


    Norton had already ventured into theplex to look for his eyes. He had given Norton precise directions and instructions. Logically, everything should go ording to n.


    Yet despite all that, Charles couldn''t bepletely at ease until Norton emerged from the buildings.


    "Daddy, have you decided on your wish?" Sparkle asked. She was seated atop a colorful stone nearby and was swinging her legs idly.


    Charles remained silent for a couple of moments before he answered with apparent uncertainty, "I guess so."


    "Oh? Then can you tell me what it is first?" Sparkled continued, her curiosity piqued.


    "Nope. But you can make a guess. Who knows? You might just get it right," Charles replied.


    "Hmm¡­" Sparkle''s brows furrowed as she pondered over what kind of wish her father would make.


    "How about wishing for both Mommy and you to be gods?" Sparkle suggested. "Humans have short lifespans. If both of you be gods, we could be together forever like a real family."


    "Gods¡­" Charles let out a soft sigh. "My dear girl, wishing to be a god isn''t hard. But knowing your mother''s personality, what do you think she would do next once she bes a god?"


    Sparkle didn''t even have to spare a moment to think. She immediately answered, "Of course, she would keep pushing herself to be even stronger until she bes the most powerful god out there. She has always been really strong-headed."


    "Mmhmm. And if she bes the strongest god, she will inevitably have to face those <em>things</em>. And when that timees, what are the chances of her winning aspared to the Foundation?


    "I''m not afraid of those gods; I''m just stating a fact. The Light God is powerful, isn''t He? But ording to the records of the Foundation, this man-made god only possesses a fraction of Fhtagn''s strength¡ªa thousandth at best. Anna''s odds of winning are too low; she could die."


    Charles'' words triggered Sparkle''s memory. She clearly remembered the fear she felt and the instinctive recoil of her physical body as she tried to go close to the surface. A bitter expression surfaced on her visage but she didn''t retort Charles. Deep down, she knew he was right.


    "Then how about we go to the surface? Don''t you have three wishes? We could all leave the Subterranean Sea together," Sparkle said.


    Charles shook his head. "It''s not that simple. 005 said that the three wishes have to be different. And also, if Anna really made it to the surface, the surface might be done for."


    Charles wasn''t merely saying it out of pure spection. He knew exactly what Anna''s ability to alter memories was capable of. If she were to go to the surface with that kind of power, coupled with her personality, she would surely create havoc on the surface.


    As much as Charles hated to admit it, Anna was, after all, a monster. A man-eating monster.


    His family, along with over seven billion other humans, was still living on the surface. Charles couldn''t risk that happening. He wanted to reduce the impact the Subterranean Sea had on the surface.


    As their technology developed, humanity in the Subterranean Sea was on a slow march toward extinction.


    If the people on the surface ever learned about the Subterranean Sea and everything that happened beneath, their fates would be tied to the doomed fate of the humans in the Subterranean Sea. That was something Charles never ever wanted to see.

 Chapter 803: Lighthouse

    Chapter 803: Lighthouse


    "Then, what do you n to wish for?" Sparkle asked, turning her gaze onto Charles. "If you don''t help Mommy to be a god, she''s probably going to throw a <em>real </em>huge fit."


    Charles walked over and gently patted Sparkle on the head. "Don''t worry about that. Daddy will handle everything."


    "Really?" Sparkle''s eyes narrowed with a hint of doubt. "Mommy said you''re really unreliable and honestly, I think the same as well."


    Charles stared at his daughter and was at a loss for words. Weren''t daughters supposed to be closer to their dads? Why was his child different from others?


    "Don''t listen to your mom. Stick with me more often from now on," Charles remarked.


    Sparkle lowered her gaze to look at the dirt on the ground as she muttered under her breath, "Where were you earlier? My rebellious phase is already over now. Isn''t it a littlete to start acting all fatherly now?"


    Just then, a noise echoed from the distant Foundation''s buildingplex. Norton controlled his green centipede form and crawled out from between the gaps of the moss-covered ss doors. His body bore a few scratches while four of his hands were carrying two stone tiles.


    "What''s the matter? Was there trouble inside?" Charles asked in concern as he hurried over to meet Norton.


    Norton took the notebook and pen on his back and quickly scribbled on it before holding it up for Charles to see."Nothing serious, Captain. Just some small issues with the things the Foundation had locked up. Are those your eyes on the tiles?"


    Charles received the stone tiles from Norton and examined them closely. Each of them had a round stain with a long trail of dried blood after them. They were, indeed, his eyes.


    Perhaps due to the exposure to the environment and decay, the dried, shriveled remains of Charles'' eyes had been reduced to two gray, desated spots and were barely recognizable.


    "Sclera, lens, vitreous body¡­ yeah, these are my eyes. Sparkle, let''s go back!" Charles said.


    With a burst of white light, the three of them vanished from the colorful forest.


    Back on Hope Ind, Linda delicately sliced against the tile with a razor-thin scalpel and carefully separated the shriveled remains of the eyes before submerging them into a pale yellow preservative solution.


    Charles pulled out his journal and drew a satisfied line through the word "eyes." His search for his eyes had been much easier than he had anticipated.


    Indeed, no matter how dangerous something was, once you understood its pattern, they could be managed.


    "Linda, how''s your research with the hearting along? Any progress?" Charles nced out from his journal and looked over at Linda, who wasbeling thetest specimen jar.


    "It hasn''t been that long yet. Please give me some time," Linda responded. She then ced the jar on the shelf next to another jar that contained Charles'' stomach.


    Charles dragged his pen over the remaining organs in the journal. He was considering his next target, but thest two organs posed significant challenges.


    For his long-severed arm, he would have to wait for the explorers to locate the elusive Divinity while his skull fragment was still buried deep within SITE 6. That area was still unreachable for the time being and Charles had to wait for the right moment, but waiting wasn''t something he liked.


    Just then, a slender white hand suddenly appeared before his eye, blocking his vision. It was Sparkle''s hand.


    "You promised me, remember?" Sparkle asked.


    Charles lifted his gaze to look at his daughter. With a firm determination, he closed his journal. "Alright, let''s go."


    A rare smile surfaced on Sparkle''s visage. She sped Charles'' right hand with both of hers and tugged him eagerly toward the door.


    As soon as they left, only Linda and Norton were left in the room. Linda adjusted the slightly crooked specimen jars and was just about to sink into the floorboards to leave when Norton reached out a green arm to intercept her.


    He hurriedly scribbled something on his notepad and held it out toward Linda.


    "Doctor, I need psychology therapy. I can feel changes happening within me. I''m starting to not see them as my kind."


    A myriad of emotions surfaced on Linda''s face as she regarded Norton''s eyeless, green face. "I''ve been expecting this day for a while. Follow me, I''ll see what I can do."


    Meanwhile, Sparkle and Charles were no longer on Hope Ind and were now walking along an unfamiliar street.


    Stepping on the uneven cobblestones beneath their feet, Charles scanned his surroundings with curiosity as his gaze darted from one sharply peaked rooftop to the next.


    The ind they were on was strange. Every building had a spiked roof, Tightly packed together in rows, and the entirendscape gave the appearance of a hedgehog''s back. From above them, beams of white light from nearby lighthouses frequently swept across the darkened skies.


    The inders, regardless of men or women, were d in long, flowing robes. With an oilmp in hand, their voices were hushed even when they conversed with theirpanions, and every one of them kept their heads down.


    "Where are we? This is not the Northern Seas, is it?" Charles asked Sparkle.


    Walking ahead of Charles, Sparkle sped her hands behind her back, spun around and began walking backward. A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she said, "How are you so sure that we aren''t in the Northern Seas?"


    "Don''t forget that I used to run cargo ships before bing an explorer. I''ve sailed around the Northern Seas and none of the inds look like this."


    By this point, Charles'' keen senses had already picked up the gazes of others lingering on him. However, he wasn''t really bothered. With his current strength, he was more than capable of seeing them as insignificant existences.


    "Bingo!" Sparkle hopped up onto Charles'' back and wrapped her slender arms around his neck. "We''re on an ind in the Western Seas. I bet you''ve never been here before."


    "And here I was thinking why I haven''t seen any mechanical things around here. So this is one of those trickster inds. Why did you bring me here?"


    "I love traveling alone to inds I''ve never visited to meet people I''ve never seen and try new food," Sparkle said. She lifted her gaze and watched the lighthouse beams swing across the sky, her head swaying gently with Charles'' steady pace.


    "I never knew my precious daughter had such a love for adventure," Charles remarked.


    Sparkle immediately gave Charles a yful job on his shoulder and countered, "Of course, you never knew. I mean, you''re such a responsible father, right? No other dad in the entire Subterranean Sea is as responsible and attentive as you are."


    Charles couldn''t help but let out a hollow chuckle at the evident sarcasm in Sparkle''s words. "You sound just like your mother when you talk like that."


    As soon as the words left his mouth, the smile on his countenance faded as he lowered his volume to a whisper, saying, "Alright, let''s go somewhere quieter and get rid of the tails following us. They are increasing now."


    Charles hastened his steps and followed the fishy scent of the sea toward the docks.


    The moment Charles quickened his pace, the figures tailing them discarded all attempts at subtlety. Draped in ck robes, they moved openly onto the crowded street and followed after Charles.


    The ind, known as Lighthouse Ind, wasn''t huge. Soon enough, Charles reached the harbor district. Apart from the stench of urine mingled with the salty tang of the sea and the lingering odor of fish that greeted him, numerous lighthouses dotting the horizon came into view.


    Every ind had a lighthouse, but on this ind, there were far more than any practical reason would warrant. Perhaps, it was also due to these excessive towers that the ind had earned its name.


    Charles retracted his lingering gaze on the lighthouses in the distance and brought Sparkle into a narrow, dimly lit alleyway. They had hardly taken a couple of steps when the way forward was blocked by a group of figures


    "Are you thinking that my daughter''s so beautiful that you n to snatch her up right off the street? Pretty bold of you to do that so openly. Seems like thew around here is ratherx," Charles said in a calm voice.


    One by one, the figures removed their hoods to reveal green heads. Though they looked humanoid in shape, their heads were covered in green scales, and their eyes were slitted like that of snakes and glowed with a menacing amber light.


    From beneath their cloaks, spiked tails slithered and swayed. Whatever these things were, they certainly weren''t human.

 Chapter 804: Lighthouse Island

    Chapter 804: Lighthouse Ind


    The humanoid figures produced an unsettling hissing noise as their scarlet, forked tongues flicked in and out of their green lips.


    For a moment, Charles couldn''t quite decide if they were more like snakes or lizards.


    Sparkle took a step forward, but Charles gently pulled her back and said, "Not so quick. Let''s see what they have to say first."


    "Outsiders," one of the Serpentites red at Charles with pure hostility in his eyes. "You don''t belong on this ind. Before you try to cause any trouble, you''d better remember whose territory this is."


    Judging from his tone and the fact that he had the nerve to speak out first, he was most likely the leader of the Serpentites.


    However, his words struck Charles as odd. It didn''t sound like the words of a viin or that of a mindless man-eating monster.


    "Whose territory is this? Thest I checked, this was human territory," Charles replied, a cold glint shing across his eye as he regarded the group before him.


    It would have been better if Charles had kept his words to himself because his response clearly triggered the Serpentites off.


    Fury suffused their faces as they hissed in unison and pulled out dark, greenish daggers dripping with a strange, viscous liquid. Their lips parted to reveal rows of sharp teeth. The next moment, their figures blurred with speed and left behind a series of afterimages as they charged at Charles.Charles turned toward Sparkle and asked, "Did I say something wrong? I didn''t think so."


    In that fraction of a second, one of the Serpentites had already leaped into the air, its de only barely thirty centimeters away from Charles'' face.


    A vicious grin spread across the Serpentite''s hideous visage. He thought his attack had seeded. However, before his dagger could make contact, a blinding light burst out and illuminated the entire alley.


    Transparent tentacles, crackling with electricity, emerged from the ground and danced relentlessly. Arcs of electricity jumped between the Serpentites, leaping from one to another.


    When the light gradually dimmed and disappeared, the alley was left strewn with dozens of charred bodies. The pungent smell of burning flesh and the acrid stench of urine filled the air, mingling with the damp, filth-strewn ground.


    "Let''s go. This ind is rather interesting. We should explore it more," Charles remarked as he led Sparkle past the smoldering corpses of the Serpentites.


    Charles wasn''t really bothered about the origins of these creatures. After all, this wasn''t his ind. Once Sparkle was done having her fun here, everything here was none of his concern.


    As soon as Charles and Sparkle disappeared from sight, a pair of glowing eyes lit up in the nearby filthy sewer. Their gaze was filled with confusion and unease.


    "Charles? What is the governor of Hope Ind doing on my ind? What does he want? This won''t do. I must report it to Mr. Pitt immediately!"


    Returning back to the bustling streets, Charles and Sparkle strolled leisurely through the vibrant, foreign marketce. This time, there was no longer anyone tailing them.


    <em>Crunch!</em>


    Sparkle took a hearty bit of the thin, crispy pastry in her hands. The pastry had been pressed down to be extremely thin and oversized, there were also strips of meat in between theyers. Judging from the color, it seemed to be fish meat.


    "Dad, do you want to try? It''s actually pretty good," Sparkle said as she extended the snack toward Charles.


    Charles merely shook his head. Compared to the food, he was more interested in his daughter''s ability to taste food. "You can taste food now? I remember Anna once told me that you couldn''t before."


    Sparkle took another big bite and as she chewed, she said, "Yeah, I couldn''t before, but I''ve learned how to simte it now."


    "The ability to taste is just about creating a tongue that could taste vors. I''ve been getting stronger over time, and my ability to learn has been growing, too," Sparkle said in a casual tone.


    Charles gazed thoughtfully at Sparkle. She was barely five years old, and yet, it was hard to fathom how much power she would have decadester.


    If there were no limits to her growth, wouldn''t that mean that Sparkle could be one of the new gods of the Subterranean Sea? Perhaps with her protection, the humans in the Subterranean Sea could escape from the endless death loop.


    It was a slim chance, but Charles couldn''t help but hope that it was true.


    "<em>Hmm?</em> What''s wrong?" Sparkle tilted her head and stared at her father.


    "Nothing," Charles said. He then turned to the vendor, a man holding tworge iron tes and toasting the t pastry. "What kind of meat is in this?"


    A hint of pride flickered across the elderly man''s countenance as he replied, "Ah, you are not from around here, are you? The meat in the shark meat pie is, of course, shark meat."


    "Doesn''t shark meat usually have a really strong ammonia smell?" Charles asked. He reached out his prosthetic hand and took a bite of the t pastry. To his surprise, there wasn''t any unpleasant smell, and the meat tasted more like cod.


    "Ah, sir, just from those words, I''m very certain that you are not a local. My family has been making these fish pies since my grandfather''s time. Even the great mages know about us. We have a secret family recipe that removes the ammonia smell from shark meat."


    "The great mages huh? So you are not one of the mages?" Charles asked, clearly clueless about the social system and sses in the Western Seas.


    "Of course not! If I had the magical affinity, I wouldn''t be stuck doing this lowly Halidar work," the old man grumbled. "I would have joined one of the mage families and been living a great life in the heart of the ind by now."


    A flicker of disdain crossed Charles'' mind. <em>Those old fogeys in the Western Seas are still clinging to their outdated rules. Don''t they realize the world outside is changing drastically? No wonder people from the other sea regions call them extremely conservative.</em>


    Charles was about to leave with Sparkle when the elderly man stopped him in his tracks with a radiant smile. "Sir, your wife is truly beautiful. Surely, you wouldn''t try to run without paying in front of her, would you?"


    Charles paused. He realized he had forgotten to pay, but it was rathermon. After all, it had been a while since he hadst needed to use any form of currency.


    He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few bills, and handed them to the vendor.


    The vendor''s face darkened as he nced at Charles'' face on the bill and then at Charles himself. "Sir, are you toying with me?"


    Switching to a firm stance, the vendor stretched out his right palm and said, "Ten Echo, sir. Thank you for your support."


    Charles turned toward Sparkle, expecting her to help him out of the situation. However, Sparkle continued to munch on her crispy, t pastry as she watched him while stifling a giggle.


    Although Charles could easily walk away without paying, he couldn''t afford to lose his dignity and reputation over a mere ten Echo. It was just too embarrassing. Even he had limits to how low he''d stoop.


    Charles pondered for a moment before reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out his old pocket watch. The once shiny pocket watch was now dull, with some chipped spots from wear and tear. He ced it into the vendor''s outstretched hand and said, "You are still using Echo? Didn''t the governors across the entire seascape agree to collectively abolish them? Did the notice not reach here, or does the Western Seasck the means to mint new currency?"


    However, the vendor didn''t answer Charles'' question. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at the worn pocket watch. His hand even began to tremble ever so slightly.


    "Why? Is this not worth ten Echo in the Western Seas?"


    The vendor swiftly tucked the pocket watch into his own pocket before nodding vigorously. "It''s worth it! It''s more than worth it! This is something someone of my ss could never dream of owning!"


    With that, he rushed back to his stall and moved around frantically to prepare more of the crispy shark meat pies. Momentster, he returned with a beaming smile and presented over a dozen steaming pies to Sparkle.

 Chapter 805: Opera

    Chapter 805: Opera


    "Sparkle, where in the Western Seas is this Lighthouse Ind?" Charles asked. The father and daughter pair were walking down the bustling streets again.


    "I think it''s in the middle of the sea region," Sparkle replied while munching on the thin, crispy pastry in her hands.


    <em>In stark contrast to Hope Ind''s rapid development, the Western Seas'' development has been really slow. Are they really nning on staying conservative forever until they be an outlier?</em>


    <em>I really have to talk to the representative of the Western Seas in the next Subterranean Sea Council meeting.</em> Charles mused. The Western Seas had always been slow when it came to epting and taking advantage of new technologies, especially whenpared to Charles'' Northern Seas and Julio''s Eastern Seas.


    The Western Seas were so slow that they were like a whole new world whenpared to the rest of the sea regions.


    "You''re with me, aren''t you? Can''t you pay a bit more attention to what we''re doing?" Sparkle asked, frowning slightly. She was clearly dissatisfied by Charles'' distracted look.


    Just then, Charles stopped with Sparkle in the middle of the busy street and looked around. "I don''t think it''s good for us to just wander around aimlessly like this. We should go and find a local who knows the way."


    "Where can we find someone like that?"


    "Don''t we know someone from the Western Seas? She''s on Hope Ind right now."<em>Swoosh!</em>


    There was a sh of white light, and Grace appeared before Charles.


    Grace was holding a book, and she looked bewildered as she looked around.


    "Want some?" Sparkle asked, offering the crisp pastry in her hand to Grace.


    "Captain, are we¡­ in Lighthouse Ind?" Grace looked around with a stupefied look.


    "You''re familiar with this ce? That''s great. Give me and Daddy a tour of this ce. What''s so special about this ind?" Sparkle asked, staring at the young woman before her.


    Grace''s face changed slightly at the confirmation. She looked reluctant at the idea, but she knew that she had no choice but to oblige. "All right. This way, Captain. Let''s go and find a coach first."


    The father and daughter exchanged a puzzled nce before following closely behind Grace. Having a local guide while sightseeing was truly great. It took them no time to find a coach, and they slowly headed toward the heart of the ind.


    There were no horses on Lighthouse Ind, so the coach was being pulled by six burly men. The burly men were biting on what looked like a horse''s bit, and they dragged the coach forward as the coachman''s whip crackled above them.


    Charles soon learned from Grace that the Western Seas had a caste system, dividing people into different social sses ording to their jobs.


    Of course, the mage families were at the top of the caste system, and those with enough talent to barely be assistants to the mages were second only to the mages. Then, there were themoners, but evenmoners had their own social stratification.


    The burly men pulling Charles'' coach were coach pullers, and they were at the bottom of themoners'' social stratification. They had no human rights at all and were considered as nothing but tools.


    The treatment that an individual could enjoy varied depending on which ss category they belonged to. For example, a lower ss individual could be incredibly rich throughout the Western Seas, but without magical affinity, they would never be able to ascend to a higher caste.


    The pie vendor was an example of a lower ss individual. Someone in his ss wasn''t allowed to purchase a pocket watch, much less own one. If the pie vendor wanted to escape his ss, he''d need an extraordinary magical affinity.


    Whenever amoner with stunning magical affinity was discovered, they''d be sent to the Magic Tower to study. Upon graduation, they''d be allowed to marry someone of the mage ss, which would relieve them of theirmoner status.


    Charles immediately realized that Grace was amoner with magical affinity.


    No wonder she didn''t want to go back to the Western Seas. The Western Seas was just too backward, even whenpared to Charles and Julio''s authoritarian rule or to the theocracy of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    "What''s up with that look when we''re visiting your hometown? Do you have any enemies here? Want me to help deal with them?" Charles asked Grace, who looked downtrodden.


    "No, no, no. I used to live here, soing back here has just reminded me of the past," Grace remarked. Her expression wasplex as she stared at the pointed roofs beyond the coach window.


    "<em>Oh.</em>" Charles nodded. "Where are we going?"


    "We''re going to Peter''s Opera House located in the heart of the ind. It''s the best opera house in the entire Subterranean Sea. The actors there are all mages."


    Charles immediately understood why Peter''s Opera House was the best opera house in the entire Subterranean Sea. The majority of opera houses would use props for their performances, while Peter''s Opera House opted for the real deal.


    When the surroundings became brighter and crowded with more coaches, Charles realized that they had entered the ind''s central district.


    Soon, they found themselves before the ornately designed Peter''s Opera House surrounded by magic orbs.


    A group of men and women in formal attire got off the nearby coaches and walked into the opera house.


    There were also people wearing mage robes, and their arrogant demeanors told Charles that they were the mages working here.


    The disfigured Grace and Charles'' barely human appearance stood out among the crowd. Fortunately, Sparkle''s outstanding appearance had made up for their grotesque looks, or they wouldn''t have been allowed entry.


    It seemed that Grace wasn''t lying when she said that Peter''s Opera House was the best in the entire Subterranean Sea. The waves on the stage looked just like the real thing, and the sailboat on stage was swaying left and right with the waves.


    Unfortunately, Charles had never really liked this form of entertainment, and he began to feel a bit bored as he watched them sing a bizarre melody.


    In the end, Charles chose to close his eye to sort out his thoughts, but the startled gasps of the people nearby forced him to open his eye.


    Up ahead, the sailboat on stage had been split in two, and a monstrous jet-ck fish covered in eyes was riding the waves, roaring madly at the sailboat.


    <em>Something''s wrong. This fishy smell¡­ that monster is real! And it hasn''t been that long since it was pulled out of the sea.</em> Charles unconsciously sat up straight at the sight.


    Before the audience could react, the protagonist with white powder on his face raised his wand and fought the monstrous fish.


    Bright mes manifested, illuminating the faces of the audience members.


    Seeing the rxed look of the protagonist, Charles rxed as well and thought, <em>the people of the Western Seas truly know how to have fun. They''re even daring enough to put something like that to work on the stage. Are they not afraid of something going wrong?</em>


    Meanwhile, the show went on, and it soon reached a crescendo. In the grand finale, the protagonist killed the monstrous fish andnded on the sailboat. Then, he pulled the heroine out of the water and onto the sailboat.


    The lights all over the opera house came to light. When Charles thought that it was all over, the carcass of the monstrous fish suddenly split open, and a spray of liquid struck the protagonist in the face.


    A sizzling noise echoed afterward, and the protagonist screamed in agony. Then, before everyone''s eyes, the protagonist''s figure was corroded into a pile of rotten flesh.


    Everyone present was silent, and they stared dumbfounded at the protagonist, who was eventually reduced to a pool of blood.


    Just then, the heroine crawled toward the puddle of blood and sang in a beautiful voice while crying her heart out.


    The curtain fell amidst her singing, signaling the end of the show.


    An intense round of apuse pervaded the opera house. Some of the audience members even stood up with excitement in their eyes, animatedly discussing the show with theirpanions.


    It couldn''t be helped. The show was just too wonderful.

 Chapter 806: Mark

    Chapter 806: Mark


    Charles and his group seemed out of ce amidst the tumultuous apuse that sounded like ocean waves.


    The one-eyed captain then turned to his young female crew. "Was that part of the script, or was it an improvisation of the heroine because something had gone wrong?"


    Before the dumbfounded Grace could respond, a chubby woman in a long dress and spider silk gloves stepped up. She covered her mouth with her fan and curiously sized up Charles, who was wearing his Captain''s uniform.


    "That''s why this opera house is so good~! No one can say for sure whether what they had seen was the real deal or a mere part of a script. And the more curious you be, the less you''ll know," the chubby woman answered Charles'' inquiry.


    Charles seemed to ponder over the chubby woman''s response before nodding and standing up. "Let''s go. The show''s over, so we should go out now."


    "It''s not over yet. That was just the first show. The next shows are definitely even more amazing than the first one," the chubby woman said.


    Her words had just fallen when the curtain up ahead was lifted once again.


    A ck umbre the size of a small house was on the stage. A dozen corpses were hanging upside down beneath the umbre''s canopy, and they were rotating along with the umbre.


    A narrator with a deep voice began describing the scenario. Charles looked at his daughter next to him and asked, "Want to keep watching?"


    "Mmhm, it''s pretty interesting. Let''s watch them all before leaving," Sparkle said with her eyes fixed on the stage.


    Since his daughter had already made up her mind, Charles sat back down and calmly watched the performance on stage.


    The performance was all about religion, depicting faith in the All-Seeing Eye.


    As the show went on, Charles learned that the All-Seeing Eye wasn''t a god of the Subterranean Sea. ording to the people of the Western Seas, the All-Seeing Eye was in everyone''s be. In other words, it was everyone''s third eye.


    Back when It was still alive, everyone was a part of It. On the day It died, the humans of ancient times obtained their own consciousness.


    The word "All-Seeing" wasn''t a title. It was the literal essence of Its existence. It was the embodiment of all knowledge. Everything that was once part of the passage of time was from the All-Seeing Eye. The endless knowledge avable for humans to learn was the legacy of the All-Seeing Eye.


    Humans couldn''t see the "true" eye. It could only be seen in illusions and dreams, and if one wanted to obtain knowledge from it, one had to pay a price.


    The faith in the All-Seeing Eye seemed to be a local belief in the Western Seas, and it was proven by how everyone, including Grace, pressed their palms together and put them in front of their be at the end of the show.


    <em>The faith in the All-Seeing Eye has to be an indigenous religion in the Subterranean Sea. And I have no idea how it came to be, </em>Charles thought with his arms crossed.


    In the middle of the third show, Charles felt a gaze from behind him. The gaze held no malice, but it was a piercing gaze transfixed on the back of his head.


    Charles didn''t react to the gaze. He had no ns of attacking others as long as he was not attacked first. After all, he was here to have fun with his daughter.


    The apuse in the opera house became louder and louder after each show, eventually reaching a crescendo at the climax of the fourth show.


    The delighted and excited audience stood up and offered their sincere congrattions to the actors who managed to "survive" the shows.


    Amidst the thunderous round of apuse, Charles felt the owner of the gaze approaching him from behind.


    "Governor Charles?"


    Charles turned and saw a middle-aged man with a shrewd light in his eyes. The middle-aged man''s high boots and shiny, curly hair made him stand out from the crowd.


    The middle-aged man''s confident smile and his spotless, bright white formal attire made him look even superior to Charles.


    "This ind is yours?" Charles asked. He patted Sparkle''s head, signaling that they had to get ready to leave.


    "My name is Mark Chelston. Just call me Mark. Wee to my ind, savior of the Subterranean Sea," Mark said, extending his right hand toward Charles.


    Grace''s eyes lit up at Mark''s words, and she looked like she had questions she badly wanted answers from Mark.


    Charles extended his cold prosthetic hand, shaking Mark''s hand. For some reason, Charles disliked Mark as soon as he saw thetter''s confident demeanor.


    "Governor Charles, the show has ended. What do you think about visiting my Governor''s Mansion?" Mark asked, withdrawing his hand.


    "Sure," Charles replied. He then led Sparkle and Grace out of the opera house.


    The opera house wasn''t that far from the Governor''s Mansion, so it took them no time to reach it. After alighting from the human-powered coach, a mansion with walls so white that it seemed to be glowing by itself appeared before everyone.


    The corridors of the Governor''s Mansion were so clean that they resembled ss, and row after row of maids and servants bowed in unison toward them as they walked down the corridors.


    Mark made use of his superb conversational skills to try and figure out the reason behind Charles'' visit. Charles responded readily, saying that he was here as a tourist, but Mark obviously didn''t believe the former.


    Mark enthusiastically introduced Charles to the bizarre inds of the Western Seas and expressed that if he were here as a tourist, he had to visit those ces to see what the Western Seas had to offer.


    Charles noticed that Mark was stalling for time, but Sparkle was listening with relish to him, so he didn''t bother pointing it out.


    The two were talking about the same topic, but they both had different thoughts in mind.


    Meanwhile, Grace sitting nearby seemed a bit hesitant about something. When Mark finally stopped talking to sip on his drink, Grace stood up and said, "Governor Mark, can I ask you a question?"


    Mark subconsciously looked at Charles, but thetter remained silent. Mark smiled at the disfigured young woman and replied, "Ask away. You''re a guest of my Lighthouse Ind, lovelydy, and as the host, I have the duty to fulfill my guest''s request."


    However, Grace''s question caught him off guard. "Has the culprit of the tragedy under the Dolphin Bridge in the ind''s eastern district been found?"


    Mark''s gaze surreptitiously alternated between Grace and Charles. He wanted to know whether Grace''s question was actually Charles'' question or not. Actually, the young woman''s question wasn''t important.


    What mattered was Charles'' satisfaction; Mark had to ensure that Charles would be satisfied before leaving Lighthouse Ind. As the Overlord of the Northern Seas, Charles could easily decide the fate of an entire ind, after all.


    Mark pondered over it for a few seconds before responding with a smile. "I remember that tragedy, but it happened a long time ago. If you don''t mind, may I ask how you know about that tragedy from fifteen years ago?"


    Grace bit her lower lip, and her eyes reddened as she replied. "My parents were one of the casualties of that tragedy. I know that there haven''t been any clues since forever and that finding the culprit is extremely unlikely, but¡­ I just want to ask, just in case¡­"


    "I''m sorry, Miss," Mark said with a regretful face. "I''ve poured in a ton of manpower to find the culprit behind that tragedy, and all we came up with is that the culprit is most likely bandits moving from ind to ind. We''ve put wanted posters everywhere, but we still have no clues even today."

 Chapter 807: Return

    Chapter 807: Return


    Upon seeing Grace''s downtrodden look, Mark hurriedly said in a gentle tone of voice, "I''m sorry for your loss. May the knowledge of your parents be recorded by the All-Seeing Eye."


    Just then, the ring on Mark''s right pinky finger glimmered a red light that disappeared in the next second.


    Sparkle walked up to Charles and whispered, "He''s lying. They were killed by the Serpentites that he had sent after them."


    Charles stared at Mark and found it absurd how the mastermind behind the tragedy wasforting the bereaved family member of one of his victims. He nced at Grace and decided to help her with her issue.


    Grace was her crew, after all, and she was his captain, so who would stand up for her if not him? Moreover, Charles truly owed Grace a lot after what she had done for him back in the Core.


    "Governor Mark, may I ask you something?" Charles chimed in. He didn''t wait for Mark''s reply as he continued, "I was ambushed by a group of monsters when I arrived here. Their heads and bodies were covered in green scales; they had spiked and forked tongues as well. How much do you know about them?"


    Mark seemed stupefied by the revtion as he eximed, "They ambushed you, too?! It seems those bastards have gotten tired of living and are now seeking their own demise. To think they''re daring enough to ambush you, Governor Charles!


    "Those bastards have to meet a miserable end for what they''ve done."


    In stark contrast to Mark''s agitated response, Charles remained calm and stared ndly at Mark. "You did not answer my question. What exactly are they?""Serpentites! They''re a bunch of Serpentites!"


    Mark leaned in close to Charles, and his expression was grave as he exined, "Those monsters are capable of disguising as humans, and they''ve been doing that to hide on the major inds in this sea region.


    "They''d look for targets to kill, and then they''d use their shapeshifting ability to rece their victims.


    "Governor Charles, I''m sure you haven''t heard of them because you''re in the Northern Seas, but those monsters have always been a big headache in the Western Seas. They kill quite a few people every year, and there are even entire inds filled with nothing but their kind!"


    "Is that so?" Charles replied. He nced at Grace, who was still in the throes of grief, and enunciated each word slowly as he said, "Can you tell me why those monsters obey yourmands, then? And why did you order them to kill my crew''s parents?"


    Mark and Grace''s hearts trembled slightly at Charles'' remark.


    Mark reacted first by shaking his head vigorously and firmly denying the usation. "How can I do that, Governor Charles?! How could I possiblymand them?! They''re monsters!!"


    "Oh, really?" Charles'' muscles bulged, and he pounced on Mark like a cheetah. Mark stepped backward to retreat, but invisible tentacles sprang up from the ground and bound him tightly.


    The ck spike in Charles'' hand shed open Mark''s cheek, and he shoved his fingers into the wound, prying it open to reveal green scales underneath.


    Shockingly, Mark was a Serpentite as well!


    The green scales were enough to prove Mark''s identity, and Charles summoned more tentacles to wrap around Mark just in case.


    As soon as Charles made another move, however, he found himself surrounded by a group of mages in robes. The mages'' expressions were stern as they pointed their wands of varying sizes at Charles.


    More and more people were charging into the room from the outside. After all, an assassination attempt on a governor was no small matter.


    "Governor Charles, please let go of Mark. Regardless of whether he''s a Serpentite or not, this is an issue that the Western Seas has to resolve on its own," a white-bearded old man said.


    Grace was shocked to see the white-bearded old man. "Mentor!"


    Things were getting chaotic, but Charles remained steadfast. He raised his hand, and a ck spike shot out of his steel palm, stopping just one centimeter before Mark''s snake-like eye. "Talk. What exactly happened to Grace''s parents?"


    The mages were furious. Charles didn''t spare them even a nce, and they all felt insulted. Unfortunately, Charles was the Governor of Hope Ind. Even though they felt insulted, they did not dare to act rashly.


    If anything were to happen to Charles on their ind, Hope Ind''s formidable navy would descend upon them, leveling the entire ind.


    Mark seemed to have realized that the mages couldn''t really do anything to save him, so he decisively answered Charles'' question, saying, "Avery is the mastermind behind it!


    "Grace''s parents were from a pure-blood family, so he made us ambush them in exchange for allowing us to live on this ind!"


    "Who is Avery?" Charles looked around, sweeping his gaze across the mages around him.


    "That''s him! That old man who just spoke to you. The entire Lighthouse Ind belongs to his mage family! And I''m just working as their proxy!"


    Grace looked at her mentor and staggered backward in disbelief. "Mentor, is it true? Did you really kill my parents?"


    "Of course not! He''s lying! Can''t you see that he''s already been reced by a Serpentite?! Grace, help me persuade Governor Charles to hand him over to me. We might be able to extract the whereabouts of the real Mark from his mouth!"


    Just then, Sparkle stepped up. It seemed like she thought that the situation wasn''t exciting enough, as she decided to fan the mes, saying, "I don''t think so. My mommy''s genes gave me the ability to read minds, and I can clearly hear you grumbling about Grace.


    "You''re grumbling about how she managed toe back alive when you sent her out to die."


    Grace broke down immediately, and tears slid down the folds of Grace''s scarred cheeks. Her clenched fists were quivering ever so slightly, and the lips on her anguished face parted to let out a soundless wail.


    The mentor who had taught her everything she knew about magic had turned out to be her parents'' murderer!


    Avery did not bother exining anything to Grace. He knew that the crux of the matter was Charles rather than his apprentice.


    Thus, the old man looked at Charles with a solemn face and said, "Governor Charles, this is a private matter between me and my apprentice. Why don''t you leave first and let me and my apprentice settle this issue privately?


    "I''ll make sure that you''ll be satisfied with the oue."


    "Forget it. I don''t want a headache in the future," Charles replied. With a will on his end, seven tentacles crackling with white electric arcs sprang up from the ground, blooming like a flower as they made a beeline for Avery.


    The old man sensed something amiss and chanted an inscrutable incantation before waving his wand to cast a spell that made him appear transparent. Then, he waved his hand again, casting a spell that allowed him to take to the skies, evading Charles'' tentacles on the ground.


    The old man chanted another incantation, but before he could finish his chanting, a tentacle sprang up from his face and thrust itself into his throat.


    Clicking noises echoed afterward as Charles'' anchor hook rushed out of his prosthetic palm and pierced the old man''s chest.


    A red flower bloomed in midair.


    The anchor hook was retracted, and Avery''s corpsended in front of Grace.


    Charles then walked up to Mark and swung his hand at thetter''s neck.


    A head covered in green scales fell to the ground with a dull thud and rolled away.


    The two corpses on the floor rendered the hall as silent as a graveyard, and the people nearby red at Charles with fury in their eyes.


    "What? Want to fight me?" Charles remarked lightly, but none dared to answer him. After all, he was the hero and savior of the Subterranean Sea as well as the Overlord of the Northern Seas. In other words, they couldn''t afford to offend him.


    "You''re wee," Charles said to the dumbfounded Grace. He then turned to look at Sparkle and said, "Let''s go. We''ve had enough fun, so we should return now."


    The scenery around Charles rapidly peeled away, and they were back in Hope Ind in just mere two seconds.


    Sparkle stood in front of Charles with her hands behind her back. She seemed amused as she stared at him and said, "See. Isn''t overwhelming power incredibly useful? If we weren''t overwhelmingly strong for them, we would have had a difficult time back there."


    Charles was taken aback by his daughter''s words. He pondered briefly over Sparkle''s words and nodded. "You''re right. Overwhelming power can indeed resolve many problems, but this isn''t the same as what your mommy wants."

 Chapter 808: Whereto

    Chapter 808: Whereto


    "What do you mean it''s not the same as Mommy wants? I think it''s the same thing," Sparkle replied.


    "Because overwhelming power and the power that 005''s wish will grant are not the same at all," Charles patiently exined, "Overwhelming power may not necessarily lead to our doom, but the power that 005''s wish will grant is different.


    "If your mother obtains the power of a god through Her, she''ll definitely provoke God Fhtagn and bring about our doom."


    "Oh? So you have no ns of making a wish for me to be a god?" A gentle voice rang out from behind Charles.


    Charles closed his eye helplessly and sighed.


    Sparkle sized up her parents for a few seconds before she grabbed Grace''s hand and vanished on the spot.


    Charles turned around and cast aplex gaze at Anna''s wless face.


    "Are you going to be mad at me if I don''t do that?" Charles asked.


    Anna smiled. She walked up to Charles and rested her cheek on his chest. "I''m not going to be angry. I''m just very confused. You clearly have the power to wish for whatever you want, so why are you still hesitating?"Don''t you want to be a god? Don''t you want to attain eternal life and the power to easily destroy everything?"


    "Of course, I want those, but with great poweres a great price in exchange for that power. Take Bandages, Tobba, and Dipp for example. They basically have eternal life, but can you really say for sure that they are happy?


    "In addition, I don''t think this matter is that simple. To be honest, I still have no idea what 005 is trying to do here, and she seems to be guiding me toward somewhere.


    "I''m convinced that she has her own goals to achieve. She''s not the genie in <em>ddin,</em> and we''re not living a fairy tale here, after all."


    Anna leaning on Charles straightened up and stared calmly into his eye. "It''s fine. Let me do it. If there is a price to pay for the wish, then let me pay for it first."


    Charles was touched by Anna''s remark. "You could die."


    "I''m not afraid of dying. I''m more afraid of bing an ant that others can easily trample beneath their feet!" Anna said fiercely with a solemn light in her eyes. Her gentle demeanor vanished in an instant.


    "The Subterranean Sea has always been a world where the strong reigns. The weak are bound to get trampled beneath the feet of the strong! And I will never let the strong trample on me for as long as I''m still alive! I absolutely will never let anyone dominate me! It doesn''t matter who they are!"


    Anna''s domineering words reverberated throughout the room, and the fierce light in her eyes seemed to illuminate the entire room as well.


    Charles stared calmly at his wife. He was not surprised by her words at all, as he had long figured out the kind of person his wife was.


    Realizing that the air had gotten a bit tense, Charles jokingly said, "That''s a lie. Last night, didn''t I dominate¨C"


    Anna grabbed Charles'' head with both hands and kissed him, interrupting his sentence. When their lips parted, Anna''s gaze toward Charles was full of tenderness as she said, "Except you."


    Charles was moved as he gazed at Anna in front of him. He opened his arms wide and gently embraced Anna''s petite figure. "Don''t worry. No matter what happens, I''ll be there to handle it."


    "<em>Tsk, </em>you''ve always been unreliable, you scumbag. I think it''s better if I relied on myself than rely on you," Anna remarked. A faint smile tugged at her lips as she took in a huge lungful of Charles'' familiar scent.


    ***


    Margaret snapped back to reality just then. Recalling everything in her daydream just now, she squeezed her legs together, and her cheeks gradually suffused with crimson.


    However, her reveriested for only a few seconds before Margaret cast aside her useless emotions once again. She let go of the pen in her hand and picked up the report on the table.


    A tinge of satisfaction shed in Margaret''s eyes as she stared at the rising curves on the report. The recovery act promulgated by the Administrative Department was finally showing some results.


    Whereto''s poption and economy were recovering rapidly. Every single industry on the ind was flourishing all thanks to Hope Ind''s advanced technology and the tariff exemption on Whereto.


    However, Margaret knew that all these weren''t Charles''pensation for her. She knew that Charles was trying to support the entire Northern Seas, or perhaps even the entire Subterranean Sea.


    After handling some matters, Margaret looked up at the clock on the wall and saw that it was lunchtime. She then stood up and walked out of her office inside the Governor''s Mansion.


    With a fork in hand and a knife in the other, Margaret elegantly cut off a piece of rare steak in the brightly lit reception hall of the Governor''s Mansion room. She then parted her blood-red lips and stuffed the bloody piece of meat into her mouth.


    The Kings of Sottom were dining with her. Unlike Charles, Margaret didn''t address them with their ID numbers.


    Having gone through torture at the hands of the Foundation, the Kings of Sottom abhorred those numbers. They disliked others referring to them with those numbers when they all had proper names.


    "Mith, Gomma, Medeas, Japheth¡­ there''s something I want to discuss with you all."


    Margaret''s words attracted the attention of the sharp-toothed little girl, the human-shaped gray shadow, the chubby man in a wheelchair, and the green centipede-like creature with a long tail.


    "Whereto''s navy has recovered significantly, and it can now defend the ind against attacks with the help of the cannons on the docks. In other words, there is no longer any reason for Sottom to stay docked at Whereto."


    "What? Are you nning on driving us out now that you''re riding on Charles'' coattails? Are we useless in your eyes now?" Mith''s young face turned cold.


    "That''s not what I meant."


    "There''s no need to pretend that you want to take us in. The Subterranean Sea is massive; do you really think that there''s no ce for us pirates?" 134 said, but her expression betrayed her words.


    Perhaps back then, they were just supporting each other¡ªscratching each other''s backs, but it had been quite a while since then, and they, including the pirates on Sottom, had long gotten used to the life on Whereto.


    The expansion of the suspended railways on the rockyer up above was making livelihood harder for both dock workers and pirates.


    To make matters worse, the governors of the Northern Seas were cracking down on pirates with the help of Hope Ind.


    In other words, the number of pirates out there was rapidly decreasing.


    The crackdown was still ongoing as well, so if Sottom were to go out there and stir up trouble, Hope Ind''s navy would definitely make quick work of the ship-cum-ind.


    Margaret shook her head and stared at Mith. "The Ebony Mist Ind. It''s the ind closest to Whereto, and I just bought it back. I want you to go there and be the ind''s deputy governor."


    Mith''s eyes widened to the size of saucers. The implied meaning in Margaret''s words was unmistakable. The woman before her was trying to give them their own ind.


    They had their own ind long ago¡ªSkywater Ind, but the Divine Light Order had robbed it from them. It had been a long time since then, and they were about to have their own ind once again.


    "Of course, I''m going to dispatch experienced administrators to assist you with managing the ind. The people on that ind aren''t pirates, so the techniques you used to manage Skywater Ind are not going to work at all."


    Mith''s expression wasplicated as she stared at the woman before her.


    "Why?"


    "It''s simply because we''re allies. We''ve experienced and ovee many hardships together. Did you really think that I''ll drive you away after all we''ve been through?" Margaret asked. At this moment, even the scars on her face seemed to soften as she faced Mith with a gentle look.

 Chapter 809: Heart

    Chapter 809: Heart


    Mith didn''t respond to Margaret''s mushy words. Instead, she looked down and ate her food. When lunch ended, the Kings of Sottom walked out of the door, and a faint "thank you" reached Margaret''s ears.


    The Governor of Whereto revealed a faint smile. Mith''s demeanor gave Margaret the impression that she was like a pufferfish covered in thorns, ready to repel and injure those daring enough to approach her.


    However, Margaret''s interactions with Mith had made it clear to the former that thetter''s demeanor was a result of the deep scars in her heart. The truth was that a gentle and kind individual was hiding behind her thorns.


    In the end, she was just a six-year-old little girl.


    From the information she had gathered from the pirates of Sottom, the strength of the Kings of Sottom wasn''t the only reason they had been able to run rampant out at sea. There was another reason behind it¡ªTobba.


    Mith and the other Kings of Sottom weren''t strong enough to rule Sottom. It could be said that the deceased lunatic was the true "King" of Sottom. He was a lunatic, but whenever Sottom found itself standing before a major crisis, he''d be there to resolve it.


    Fortunately, Tobba was dead. Margaret believed that she''d eventually have ess to everything that Sottom had to offer as long as she invested a bit of sincerity and patience. This was a worthwhile endeavor.


    Once Sottom was under her control, Whereto''s military might would increase drastically.


    Just as Margaret was thinking about the details of her n, a letter floated into the reception hall through the window next to her. The letter hovered in the air before her. Margaret cast an indifferent gaze at the letter before pinching it with two fingers.


    "Go downstairs," she said to the empty air. She opened the letter and found that it contained information about Hope Ind''s new decrees. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Margaret had to admit that Anna was better than her in this regard.


    Margaret read each line carefully, and she stopped on the bottommost line.


    The Narwhale''s doctor was looking for a way to rece Charles'' heart.


    "There''s something wrong with Charles'' heart?! Is it serious?" Margaret muttered to herself, feeling a bit nervous for some reason.


    The next moment, a self-deprecating smile tugged at her lips. Charles was no longer a mere captain exploring the seas. She reckoned that Charles wouldn''t need her help at all.


    He was the Overlord of the Northern Seas, so Margaret was convinced that he''d soon find a way to rece his heart.


    That was what Margaret thought, but she kept ncing at the piece of paper on the table despite having a te of food before her.


    Margaret was pushing around the remaining few pieces of meat on the te without eating them. Unbeknownst to her, her seemingly insignificant actions perfectly reflected her mood.


    Just then, Margaret gnashed her teeth and stood up. She went straight into her office and took out a portrait of Sparkle from the bottom drawer.


    Margaret called out softly, and Sparkle wearing a white dress appeared before her.


    "Are you looking for my dad or my mom? Or maybe you called me here to ask about how their rtionship is going right now? I think they''re doing very well, and you definitely don''t have a chance," Sparkle said bluntly.


    Margaret cast a dumbfounded gaze at the girl suspended in midair before her.


    Sparkle had changed so much from thest time they met that Margaret had no idea what to say.


    "What''s so shocking about this?" Sparkle said, circling around Margaret. "We all grow up. I just grow a bit faster than others. If you don''t have anything to say, then I''m going back now."


    Margaret snapped back to reality and asked, "Is there something wrong with Governor Charles'' heart? Is it an old illness of his?"


    Sparkle hesitated for a few seconds, but she ultimately decided not to tell the truth to the woman in front of her. "I guess so. Why? Do you have any solution to offer?"


    "I don''t, but I know people who might be able to help. I remember fighting a Navy officer of the Albion Isles, and his entire body seemed to be made from steel prosthetics, including his heart.


    "I think a mechanical heart will help Charles, so you should go and seek out the people of the Albion Isles," Margaret replied.


    Sparkle nodded and said, "I thank you on behalf of my father for your help. I will tell him that you provided me with that information."


    With that, Sparkle turned around to leave, but Margaret hurriedly called out. "Wait! Don''t tell him! Tell him that you discovered it by chance."


    Sparkle carefully sized up the woman with a diagonal scar across her face and her right eye covered by her hair. "All right. I absolutely won''t reveal a single thing to my father. Don''t worry; I''m the best when ites to keeping secrets."


    "What? Margaret told you that?" Charles asked, staring at his daughter in surprise.


    "Mmhm. And she specifically asked me not to tell you about it. Looks like she still can''t forget you, Daddy."


    Charles'' brows furrowed in thought. He then looked up at Sparkle and said, "Go and thank her for me. The information she divulged is really helpful to me."


    "I''m not going, and didn''t I just say that I''ll keep it a secret? Wouldn''t it be awkward if I were to go there and thank her on your behalf? Besides, isn''t that a telephone? Hope Ind and Whereto have long been connected to each other, so you can just call her," Sparkle replied and vanished into thin air.


    Looking at the brass telephone on the table, Charles fell into deep contemtion. A secondter, he picked up the telephone. After dialing a certain number, he heard ringing on the other side, but no one answered.


    Charles dialed three times before putting down the telephone. Margaret didn''t want to get too involved with him, and Charles wanted to respect her decision. He decided to simply thank her in person the next time they met.


    Clearing his mind of distracting thoughts, Charles focused on the information that Margaret had just divulged to him¡ªthe Albion Isles could create artificial hearts. In hindsight, it made sense. If they could rece virtually their entire body with steel prosthetics, then it made sense for the heart to be receable as well.


    Soon, Linda and the person in charge of the prostheticspany on Hope Ind appeared before Charles. He was a middle-aged man wearing a monocle and a top hat. He bowed respectfully to Charles and said, "You called, Esteemed Governor? Are you experiencing any issues with your prosthetics?"


    Charles went straight to the point, wasting no words.


    "Hmm... a prosthetic heart. I did hear that our parentpany can make those, but the technology to do so is a core technology of the Albion Isles. It was also for the exclusive use of the Albion Isles'' Navy and was not reallymercialized.


    "The Albion Isles and its navy are no more. Our parentpany was also destroyed along with the Albion Isles. The technology to create prosthetic hearts can be considered lost. But if you''re willing to provide the funding, then I''m willing to start from scratch for your¡ª"


    "Who said the technology to make one is considered lost?" Charles interrupted, raising his prosthetic hand. "The Albion Isles is right there. The ind is gone, but what was on the ind is still there."


    A nautical chart was unfurled, and the Albion Isles¡ªmarked as a ck dot¡ªwas marked on the chart.


    "Governor¡­ It isn''t a very safe ce, is it? The ind was sacrificed to a Divinity, after all," the middle-aged man replied, looking quite uneasy.

 Chapter 810: Albion Isles

    Chapter 810: Albion Isles


    <em>HOOONK! </em>


    The Narwhale''s piercing steam whistle sounded excited. She seemed thrilled at the fact that she was about to set sail once again. The Narwhale wasn''t alone on the docks; there were several fully equipped warships next to her.


    Soldiers in light blue uniforms boarded the ships one by one via thedders. Charles alone was not enough to find the lost technology concerning the creation of prosthetic hearts. After all, the Albion Isles were massive.


    The fleet carried manybat engineers and machines to sweep the ruins of the Albion Isles and locate their target.


    The crew of the Narwhale turned up, and they all had a spring in their steps as they approached the Narwhale.


    Just as they were about to board, Charles appeared and stopped them. "This expedition has nothing to do with you guys. Go back and keep doing whatever you were doing yesterday."


    Dipp''s smile faded, and he hurriedly eximed, "But we''re always together for expeditions, Captain!"


    The others didn''t speak, but their expressions made it clear that they shared Dipp''s sentiment.


    Charles stood on the dock with his hands on his hips, and his gaze swept across his crew members as he exined, "We''re just going to the Albion Isles just to obtain some information, that''s all. It''s an easy expedition, and there''s no need for all of you toe along.""Go back, all of you. We no longer have to risk our lives out at sea, and all of you can retire for good. Live your best life in retirement. I''m going out at sea for my own personal affair."


    Sitting on Linda''s bald head, Lily looked a bit aggrieved. She hugged her tail and said, "Then, I definitely have to go with you, Mr. Charles. When it''s about locating something, mice are much better than humans."


    "Did you not hear what I said? All of you, go back!!" Charles eximed coldly.


    The crew members looked at their captain withplicated expressions. Charles'' words didn''t sound like what he''d say as their captain. If it hadn''t been for Sparkle standing nearby, they would have thought that the Charles before them was Anna in disguise.


    "Are the captain''s orders no longer absolute? I said leave, so leave! Leave right now!!"


    The crew had no choice but to leave withplicated feelings. Logically, they ought to be happy that they no longer had to risk their lives at sea. However, not one of them had a smile tugging at their lips.


    Linda embraced the sobbing Lily and stroked her gently. "Don''t worry. During his next physical exam, I''ll examine his consciousness and see if his thoughts have been changed by Anna or if he''s gone crazy again.


    "If it''s thetter, then I can only say that getting along with a lunatic is really exhausting."


    "Perhaps the real reason is that¡­ we simply are useless on board¡­" Dipp muttered, looking especially dejected.


    Cook nck seemed a bit aggrieved upon hearing that. "What do you mean, ''useless''? If we''re useless, then does that mean I''m useless, too? People always need to eat. Are the cooks on the navy better at me when ites to cooking?"


    "Forget it. The captain has passed down his order, and we have to obey it. Fortunately, the first mate is still by his side. We can just ask him about what had transpired upon his return," Second Mate Nico said, casting his eyes, which had heavy eyeshadow, at Bandages, who was walking next to Charles.


    Weister covered in bandages once again turned to Charles and said, "Everyone... is here... we can set sail at any time..."


    The tentacles on Charles'' head swayed as the salty sea breeze swept past them. Charles stared at the crowd in front of him for a while before turning to look at his first mate. "How''s life on the ind? No problems at home, I assume?"


    "Mmhm..." Bandages nodded.


    "You''ve been doing a great job holding down the fort on Hope Ind. I really am at ease with you managing the ind''s affairs. I feel like you''re the Governor of Hope Ind instead of me," Charles joked.


    "There''s also... Anna..." Bandages replied in a low voice.


    Charles shook his head and retorted, "I used to think that way, but her methods and ideas are too extreme. If I were to leave Hope Ind in her hands, the inders would suffer.


    "If I had to choose a sessor, I''d choose you. You''re more suitable for the rolepared to her. Under your leadership, everyone on the ind would live afortable life."


    The brows beneath the bandages furrowed as Bandages turned to his captain. "Are you¡­ leaving?"


    Charles chuckled and punched Bandages on the shoulder. "Don''t be nervous. I was just saying. Where can I even go in the Subterranean Sea? All right, let''s get on board, my admiral."


    With that, Charles led Bandages toward the fleet. Once the preparations were done, Sparkle jumped around the fleet, teleporting every single ship of the fleet one by one to their destination.


    Before the people on board could understand what was going on, they suddenly found themselves out at sea. They were on the periphery of where the Albion Isles was once located.


    The new recruits on board were particrly shocked by the miracle, and some even prostrated on the ground, worshiping Sparkle in midair.


    Charles had no time to pay any attention to them. His brows were furrowed as he swept his gaze across the scenery before him.


    The bright searchlights of the fleet vanquished the darkness, revealing what remained of the Albion Isles. The inds that once housed millions of people had scattered into underwater reefs and islets of debris that surfaced intermittently.


    "Advance!" Charles eximed, ordering the fleet.


    A deafening silence nketed the region, and everyone felt like they were sailing into a graveyard. The atmosphere became more and more oppressive as time ticked by until everyone eventually held their breath.


    With a ssh, several tiny submarines hit the water and submerged. They swam ahead to scout for everyone else.


    Observing the wretched state of the once-prosperous Albion Isles, Charles couldn''t help but feel doubtful about his chances of obtaining any information rted to prosthetic hearts. <em>The ind''s all scattered. Can we really find the records about the prosthetic hearts? No, does it even exist at this point?</em>


    A few white-haired old men were standing beside him. They were the shipwrights whom Charles had brought out of Albion Isles back then. The white-haired old men failed to control themselves upon pping their eyes on their homnd.


    The tears flowing down their wrinkled faces dripped onto the ship''s deck. They pointed agitatedly at everything familiar in the water, discussing what those pieces of debris used to look like.


    "Now isn''t the time to cry. Where''s the Navy headquarters of the Albion Isles? We need to start on that side," Charles asked, looking at them.


    Under the guidance of the white-haired old men, the entire fleet turned and approached the destination that most likely contained the blueprints for prosthetic hearts.


    "Sparkle, keep an eye out for anything dangerous. If you ever find anything dangerous, then sound the rm," Charles said to his daughter sitting on the gunwale.


    Sparkle''s bare feet were dangling over the pitch-ck sea surface. She wasn''t nervous at all. In fact, she looked a bit bored. "Mommy and I came here a few years ago, and we found no dangers at all. What danger might be out here?"


    "Better safe than sorry. It never hurts to be a bit more careful in a ce like this. And don''t you think it''s a bit strange? Howe we haven''t seen even a single corpse so far?" Charles pointed out.


    The islets illuminated by searchlights carried around a variety of objects¡ªbuilding debris, rusted mechanical parts, and even tilted utility poles. However, they still had yet to find any corpses.

 Chapter 811: Old Friend

    Chapter 811: Old Friend


    Sparkle made a sidelong nce at her father. "Isn''t that normal? There are so many things in the sea that eat meat. Even if there are millions of corpses, I''m sure they can devour them all if given enough time."


    "But what about the bones?" Charles pointed out. "Albion Isles had more than ten million people, so howe we have yet to see even a single bone?"


    Charles had be much stronger than when the Albion Isles were sacrificed, but he still didn''t feel at ease.


    "Maybe they''re all good children who aren''t picky eaters, so they ate the bones, too? Human bones are quite nutritious, you know?" Sparkle replied. Compared to her tense father, she seemed indifferent to what was going on.


    Sparkle''s strength grew along with her age, and the number of beings capable of threatening her in the Subterranean Sea had been growing fewer and fewer as she grew older.


    Charles did not bother retorting to Sparkle''s nonsense. He cast a meaningful gaze at Bandages, signaling at him to ensure that the fleet was ready to respond against any attacks.


    The fleet advanced slowly and eventually arrived at their destination¡ªthe Navy headquarters of the Albion Isles. The warships shone their searchlights on the sea surface, ensuring that the area up ahead was as bright as day.


    The building had copsed; half of it was sticking out of the water, while the rest was submerged. They weren''t too deep, just about three meters below water. If one looked at them from up above, one could easily mistake them for green-colored tombs.


    Bandages picked up a ck walkie-talkie and whispered a few words into it. The next moment, the ships began to drop their anchor one by one. The Hope Ind Navy lowered tiny boats and began to make their action.The fleet split into two groups¡ªone went to the seabed, while the other went straight for the ind.


    The sound of horns, whistles, and the rumbling of engines vanquished the deafening silence. The navy troops carefully identified everything inside the Albion Isles'' Navy headquarters. The navy troops were here to find the blueprints for prosthetic hearts and a difference engine.


    The reward of a two-rank promotion in exchange for finding the blueprints for prosthetic hearts was sufficient motivation for everyone. A scene reminiscent of a construction site soon appeared before Charles beneath the searchlights.


    "Daddy, it''s time to eat. Are you not hungry?" Sparkle asked. She took an apple out of her belly and offered it to Charles.


    "You eat. I''m not hungry," Charles replied. When the perimeter was finally secured, Charles took out his diary from his chest pocket and opened it.


    Charles felt his shoulder sink slightly. His daughter was sitting on his shoulder and was staring curiously at the text written in the diary.


    "Edikth... Fhtagn... Tawil. Why did you write the name of these gods, Dad?" A fair and slender hand reached over and gently pushed Charles'' hand away. "Wait, you''re analyzing them?"


    "If our goal is to obtain the power of the gods, then we have to know as much as we can about gods," Charles replied.


    Sweeping his gaze across what he had written down, Charles couldn''t help but be reminded of the Subterranean Sea''s deep sea gods. For some reason, he felt like he could hear those jarring whispers again.


    "Except for 005 Tawil, howe the other gods have yet to make any formal interaction with the humans here? Are humans really of no use to them at all?" Charles asked. "Will we be like them upon bing a god? Must we abandon humanity to be a god?"


    Sparkle looked down at her hand, her brows tightly knitted in thought. "I don''t know. Maybe I''ll know when I grow up a bit more."


    The father and daughter both fell into deep thought as they stared at the former''s notes.


    Time ticked by slowly, and the navy troops hauled many things out from the naval base. Unfortunately, Charles couldn''t find what he wanted among them.


    At ten in the evening on the same day, the navy troops rotated shifts.


    Charles got ready to rest as well. The sound of waves crashing against the hull and the slight rocking of the ship quickly put Charles to sleep. He had to admit that he was more used to life at sea rather than life onnd.


    On that night, Charles had several dreams. One of them was about how Anna became an existence that one couldn''t stare at directly. Upon bing a god, Anna walked up to the sealed God Fhtagn paying no attention to Charles'' screams.


    As soon as Fhtagn opened His eyes, Charles was startled awake.


    Rubbing his throbbing head, Charles looked at Sparkle beside him. Sparkle was holding a book and was flipping through it.


    Sparkle''s facial features had vanished and had been reced by countless eyes with cross-shaped pupils. With the help of her countless sensory organs, Sparkle''s reading speed was unbelievably fast, averaging only two seconds per page.


    "Did you have a nightmare? Was it rted to me?" Sparkle asked. Her mouth popped up on her shoulder.


    Charles shook his head. He lifted the nket and walked out of his quarters, making a beeline for his restroom.


    Upon washing up, Charles walked up to a porthole and looked outside. It was still bright with so many people working busily outside.


    "Looks like finding the blueprints is going to be a bit troublesome. I don''t even know if we can find it," Charles muttered to himself while walking down the corridor to his quarters.


    He had just taken a few steps forward when a figure suddenly appeared at the far end of the corridor. The figure''s uniform told Charles that he was one of the navy troops.


    However, the figure''s head was drooping in front of his chest, and he was standing quietly at the end of the corridor, making the entire corridor feel a bit eerie.


    All of a sudden, the figure made a move. The navy troop''s figure swayed left and right as he staggered toward Charles.


    "What''s wrong with that guy?" Charles opened his prosthetic hand, and an anchor hook popped out of his steel palm. He opened his palm toward the oing figure when his keen ears heard snoring from the figure.


    The approaching navy troop was asleep.


    <em>Is he sleepwalking? </em>Just as the thought popped up in Charles'' mind, the navy troop stopped moving. He then raised both hands and began gesturing using g semaphore.


    "Leave, danger, leave, danger¡­" The sleeping navy troop gestured nonstop, repeating the same two signals.


    Charles'' brows furrowed. The navy troop before him was definitely not sleepwalking.


    "Who are you? Who sent you here?" Charles asked. Hundreds of invisible tentacles filled up the corridor in the blink of an eye, surrounding the sleeping navy troop.


    In response to Charles'' inquiry, the sleeping navy troop began to undress. Soon, his pale chest appeared in front of Charles, and a pitch-ck tattoo depicting a figure in agony.


    The figure''s limbs were knotted like braids while needles and thread riddled the figure''s body aside from its mouth, which was wide open in agony.


    Charles instantly recognized the tattoo. It was one of the projects that the first-generation Foundation had contained in that underwater city. There was even a short time when it was attached to Charles.


    Charles retracted his tentacles and walked up to the tattoo, asking, "How did you get here?"


    Back then, the tattoo and Charles had made a deal, and both sides ultimately parted with satisfaction. Moreover, the tattoo was friends with Tobba, which meant that it could be considered an ally.


    Charles'' words seemed to have awakened the navy troop. He looked down at his hands and saw that they were moving on their own, gesticting frantically using g semaphore.


    "Go-Governor, what''s happening to my body?" the navy troop asked, looking at Charles with both bewilderment and rm.


    However, Charles couldn''t pay any attention to him. He was transfixed on the meaning behind the g semaphores. "


    <em>Underwater. Creatures. Many. Coming¡­ </em>Charles'' train of thought stopped there as his figure vanished from the corridor. He teleported directly onto the deck of the Narwhale and shouted at Bandages, "First Mate! Tell everyone to return to their ships! We''re getting out of here! Now!"


    In the end, Charles chose to believe in the tattoo.


    Bandages did not ask any questions upon hearing the graveness in Charles'' voice and immediately sounded the retreat. Unfortunately, they were still a bit toote.


    A nted, rotten utility pole sticking out of the seawater on the starboard side of the ship quivered slightly and stood up from the icy cold ocean water.

 Chapter 812: Utility Poles

    Chapter 812: Utility Poles


    A rotten utility pole stood up slowly from the cold sea surface, but it turned out that there wasn''t just one. When the utility pole stood up, it tugged at the wires of the other submerged utility poles, and they all stood up one after another.


    These utility poles were bipedal skeletal creatures with mummified skin that had taken on a color simr to rusted metal. Their limbs were disproportionately long and thin, and their arms, which were as long as their legs, ended in a pair of huge, bony hands.


    Their figures were riddled with barnacles and coral. Clearly, they had been underwater for a very long time. There were hundreds of these utility pole creatures, but some of them had speakers covered in ayer of patina instead of transformers and streetlights.


    There were even some with chimneys for a head.


    These bizarre humanoid creatures stood quietly as they surrounded Hope Ind''s fleet. Eventually, an unsettling gray mist covered the cold sea surface.


    Charles'' shoulder sank slightly as Sparkle teleported onto the deck.


    "What are those things? Should I teleport all of you now? Daddy?"


    Charles turned and saw that the naval base, which resembled a construction site now, was nketed in ayer of absolute silence.


    Charles opened his mouth to speak, but he stopped. He was nervous earlier, but his nervousness was assuaged when creatures resembling utility poles showed up.The most terrifying thing in the Subterranean Sea was the unknown.


    Charles believed that none of these creatures were a threat, especially when Sparkle and him were here. It didn''t matter whether they were the ghosts of the Albion Isles or creatures from the deep sea.


    Charles'' gaze swept across the navy troops. He raised his hand slightly and eximed, "Keep working, and I''ll stand right here! I really want to see what these things can do to us."


    The governor himself had decided to oversee the operations, so the navy swiftlyplied.


    The naval mines wereid down, and the pitch-ck barrels of deck cannons were pointed at the utility pole creatures. Soon, the rumbling of machinery disturbed the silence of the Albion Isles'' Navy headquarters once again.


    The navy troops stood beneath the searchlights, while the utility pole creatures stood quietly in the darkness, which formed a stark contrast. It was like both darkness and light had arrived to face each other.


    This standoffsted for about half an hour until a vague and chaotic voice pervaded the air. Eventually, the voice became intelligible, and it said, "Fifteen. Delete. Unset. Tariff. Seven."


    Charles grabbed the telescope and peered into the with his single eye. His night vision allowed him to clearly see the quivering speakers. The nonsensical voices wereing from them.


    "Sparkle, provoke them a bit," Charles said.


    Sparkle''s figure sitting on Charles'' shoulder swelled instantly, and an indescribable cluster of eyeballs appeared above the fleet. As soon as Sparkle revealed her true form, the utility pole creatures began to sway left and right, making them look like tall grasses sticking out of the sea.


    Unfortunately, they weren''t the only ones affected by Sparkle''s true form. The people nearby revealed pained expressions. Some of them even grabbed their heads and knelt on the ground, screaming loudly to assuage their fear.


    Charles looked up at his daughter and asked, "We''re on the same side, aren''t we? Can you make it so that our side is less affected by your true form? Which side are you helping?"


    The indescribable cluster of eyeballs dissipated as if it were a mere afterimage.


    "It''s not like I can control it." Sparkle appeared behind Charles with an innocent expression. "They''re just too weak. I haven''t even done anything yet."


    Charles sighed inwardly. Sparkle had grown powerful enough that ordinary humans could no longer withstand the presence of her true form.


    "How about I send you back first, Dad? I''ll clear these things out first, and then I''ll bring you back here once I''m done," Sparkle suggested.


    Charles fell into deep contemtion. Before he could make any decision, the utility pole creatures suddenly moved, and they all charged at Hope Ind''s fleet along with the nonsensical phrasesing from the rusted speakers.


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    Explosions echoed incessantly as the deck cannons spat fire. The fleet began showcasing the power of its new weapons.


    Huge columns of water shot into the sky one after another, submerging the utility pole creatures, the speaker heads, and the chimney heads.


    The noises generated by the rising and falling waves also suppressed the nonsensical phrasesing from the speaker heads.


    The volley firested for almost three minutes, and the sea surface that had been bombarded to the point of boiling eventually cooled down.


    When peace returned to the sea surface once again, Charles was astonished to find that the bizarre creatures had inexplicably vanished.


    "Bandages!" Charles shouted at his first mate standing behind the ss protecting the bridge. His brows were furrowed tightly as he ordered, "Go and ask the engineering team about how much longer it''ll take for them to dig! Those creatures can''t be that easy to deal with; I''m sure they''ll return soon!"


    Bandages picked up the ck walkie-talkie next to him and spoke into it. He then turned to Charles and used g semaphore to inform thetter that the team needed at least three hours of continuous work to empty the cepletely.


    Charles nodded and turned to the pitch-ck sea surface. He made a few guesses in his mind. <em>Are they the ghosts of the Albion Isles? It shouldn''t be the case. Swann had sacrificed them to the Feaster, after all.</em>


    Before Charles could make a decent guess, the ship began tilting¡ªsomething was lifting the ship!


    "So those guys aren''t done yet, huh?!" Charles took two quick steps forward before kicking off the gunwale and making a beeline for the hull downward. It took no time for Charles to see what was down below.


    It was a massive shipwreck. The shipwreck had lifted the Narwhale with its smokestack and bridge. Unfortunately, the shipwreck couldn''t possibly be just an ordinary shipwreck, and its appearance alone was enough to prove that.


    After all, there had never been a ship that had a hull riddled with eyes. In addition, amorphous organs covered in blood were all over the rusty hull, and it was also covered with what looked like dark purple veins.


    When Charlesid eyes on the shipwreck, the shipwreckid eyes on Charles as well.


    The seawater churned as the deck cannons of the shipwreck turned slowly and pointed their barrels¡ªwhich were covered in flesh¡ªat Charles.


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    A shell made out of flesh and steel flew toward Charles. The shell moved so fast that the air whistled as it streaked by, and by the time Charles finally made a move, the shell was already close enough for him to see the half-melted human face on the shell''s surface.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Charles disappeared instantly, and he reappeared on the bizarre shipwreck.


    Charles bent down and put both palms on the floor. A crackling noise echoed afterward as radiant white electric arcs manifested, illuminating everything around Charles.


    The seawater became so hot beneath Charles'' electric attack that it seemed to be boiling. Soon, the smell of burnt flesh pervaded the air. Charles'' attack was so strong that the flesh and blood covering the shipwreck was getting charred.


    Eventually, the shipwreck could no longer support the weight of the ship above it, and a metallic creaking noise echoed as the steel giant of a ship above the shipwreck forced it back into the water.


    The drenched Charles returned to the deck of his ship and was astonished to find pandemonium. He looked around and saw humanoid creatures that seemed to be made from a mixture of flesh and machinery.


    The humanoid creatures seemed inexhaustible as they charged nonstop at the fleet. At this moment, the quiet Albion Isles seemed toe alive as the bizarre creatures frantically attacked Charles and his fleet.

 Chapter 813: Turn of Events

    Chapter 813: Turn of Events


    The rotten state of these things told Charles that they once belonged to the Albion Isles, and they were animated through an unknown method.


    Under the incessant bombardment of the fleet, they all sank back into the sea, but there seemed to be an inexhaustible supply of them beneath the sea surface as more of them popped up and charged at the fleet.


    A discordant mixture of explosions, crashing waves, and nonsensical phrases pervaded the surroundings. Despite the chaos, however, they were obviously still in control, and it was proven by how Sparkle was still sitting on the gunwale, reading a book with a bored face.


    Wiping away the seawater on his face and flicking it onto the deck, Charles turned to Sparkle and said, "Keep an eye out. If the situation gets out of hand, send them back first."


    Sparkle wordlessly nodded. She was clearly engrossed in her book. At first, it seemed that nothing else was going to happen, but everyone was soon proven wrong.


    Filthy, pitch-ck bubbles suddenly emerged from the seawater on the starboard side of the ship.


    A mechanical castle sewn together using a variety of machinery emerged from the filthy bubbles. The mechanical castle was colossal, seemingly the size of a hill, and there were cannons jutting out of the castle windows.


    As soon as they emerged from the ocean, the cannons immediately spat fire at the fleet.


    The mechanical castle was just the first of many toe as more ships that seemed to be made of flesh and machinery burst out of the water and began to fire a salvo at the fleet, putting everyone''s lives at risk.To make matters worse, the shells of the artillery contained either those bizarre monsters or humanoids made of machinery.


    Regardless of whether they crashed into the water or onto the deck of the ships, these monsters, which were seemingly made of both flesh and machinery, swung their deformed limbs to attack Hope Ind''s navy.


    The sailors whipped out their weapons and fired incessantly at the monsters to no avail. Their bullets couldn''t pierce the skin of these monsters and simply bounced off of them.


    One of the sailors onboard one of the ships found himself in a dire situation. The monster before him was about to pounce on him when a sharp anchor hook shot out from the side, piercing the monster.


    Charles looked into the telescope and saw a familiar face atop the mechanical castle. The face belonged to none other than the Governor of the Albion Isles, Swann.


    However, the sight of him here did not make sense. Swann was one of the keys needed to unseal God Fhtagn, so Anna had imprisoned him in the most heavily guarded cell on Hope Ind.


    There was no way he could be here.


    Upon closer inspection, Charles realized that the Swann before him wasn''t the Feaster''s Chosen One, and it all made sense.


    The Governor of Albion Isles had split himself into two back then, and his other half served as a decoy. As far as Charles could remember, the decoy was killed by the Pope, and his corpse sank into the depths of the sea along with the entire Albion Isles.


    Charles had no idea how he was alive, but it was clear that he had be the leader of the bizarre monsters.


    Sparkle looked up from her book when she felt Charles patting her head.


    "I''ll go and handle that side. You keep an eye on everything here," Charles said. As soon as his words fell, ck fur grew all over him, and sharp fangs grew in his mouth.


    His muscles also writhed beneath his skin as he transformed into a horrifying bat monster. Charles kicked off of the deck with his backward-bending legs, and he spread his fleshy wings open, making a beeline for the distant Swann.


    Charles'' flight made him the target of aerial attacks, but they all missed as Charles'' figure disappeared in midair.


    Sparkle cupped her chin with her hand, wordlessly observing the chaos in the distance.


    "<em>Sigh, </em>how boring," she remarked. Just then, her eyes lit up. Her figure disappeared from the gunwale and reappeared in midair as she turned toward the starboard side of the ship.


    Beneath the waters, a pair of blood-red eyes had appeared at some unknown point in time, and it seemed to have been quietly watching the fight since then.


    "Where is that thing from? I''ve never seen anything like that at the bottom of the sea. It doesn''t have <em>that </em>aura. I don''t think it''s a god."


    The pair of blood-red eyes seemed to have sensed Sparkle''s gaze. A few tentacles with suckers extended from the water, and they bent slightly, seemingly beckoning to her before disappearing into the deep sea.


    A glimmer of curiosity shed in Sparkle''s eyes. She had seen some things in the waters, but this was the first entity to greet her.


    Sparkle turned to the distant chaos and seemed to fall into deep contemtion. In the end, she removed her right eye and tossed it onto the deck down below before her figure vanished in a sh of white light.


    Sparkle rushed toward the blood-red eyes in the depths.


    Meanwhile, Charles had already approached the mechanical castle where Swann was located. Swann''s other half seemed to be embedded in the castle, and it was located not too far away below him.


    The invisible Charles rapidly reverted to his human form as he raised the ck spike in his hand and thrust forward, piercing Swann''s head. The ck spike was incredibly sharp, and it pierced Swann''s heart all the way from the crown of his head.


    Both of Swann''s eyes¡ªa half-rotten natural eye and a half-rusted metal eye¡ªturned to Charles at the same time.


    Looking into Swann''s eyes, a hint of doubt arose in Charles''s heart. Swann''s eyes were cold, devoid of any emotion. It was so indifferent that Charles felt like he was staring into the eyes of a puppet rather than a living being.


    <em>There''s something wrong here! Why is there not even a hint of hatred in his eyes while he''s staring at me?! The one controlling this body isn''t Swann! There''s someone else controlling this guy!</em>


    Just then, the seawater down below darkened, bing as ck as ink. At the same time, familiar yet unfamiliar whisperings echoed in the depths of Charles'' mind.


    The whisperings were so loud and so clear that Charles could even make out a few words from it.


    Charles gnashed his teeth and resisted fiercely against the whisperings in his mind when several afterimages rushed out of the ink-ck sea water and charged at him.


    Charles vanished as he teleported a short distance away to dodge the attacks of the afterimages, but it seemed that they had anticipated Charles'' actions. A beam of golden light darted out from the side, rushing toward his waist.


    Charles lowered his prosthetic arm, and his steel arm collided with the opponent''s weapon with a ng. Sparks flew, and Charles revealed agony on his face. At the same time, he finally saw the faces of his attackers.


    They were covered in mucus all over; they had octopus-like eyes with horizontal pupils and more than a dozen tentacles on their chin. It turned out that Charles'' attackers were the elders of the Fhtagn Covenant!


    Just then, Charles felt a sharp pain radiating from his neck.


    A weapon made of pure gold had buried itself into his neck, digging into it.


    This was an ambush, and the ambushers were the twelve elders of the Fhtagn Covenant''s council. It couldn''t be helped. Charles was bing more and more powerful by the day, and they were bing increasingly afraid of him.


    To make matters worse, Hope Ind was bing more powerful along with him to the extent that they could no longer afford to underestimate the ind''s firepower. If they waited any longer, the gap between them would only widen.


    They had unanimously decided to go all out and eliminate the major threat known as Charles! Otherwise, they''d suffer the same horrible fate as the mighty Foundation.


    Charles let out a guttural growl, and bright white electric arcs burst out of him in an attempt to force the elders around him to retreat.


    Instead of retreating, however, the octopus monsters d in ck robes braved Charles'' electric attack and charged at him. Clearly, they were willing to risk severe injuries just to kill Charles.


    Charles'' daughter had a powerparable to a Divinity, so they had to seize the brief opportunity to kill Charles before she came back to her senses!


    "Long live the Great One!"


    "Long live the Great One!"


    "Long live the Great One!"


    They removed their ck robes, revealing their hideous and terrifying octopus-like forms. Determination zed fiercely in their eyes as they pressed closer to Charles.

 Chapter 814: Fhtagn Covenant

    Chapter 814: Fhtagn Covenant


    The elders of the Fhtagn Covenant possessed strength far surpassing Charles'' imagination, especially when they had ambushed thetter.


    The elders'' voices sounded as if they were gargling thick phlegm, and a revolting stench began to permeate Charles'' figure. His skin and clothes decayed slowly. To make matters worse, every aspect of him was weakening.


    The ink-like sea water surged, enveloping the plummeting Charles. The ink-like waters waved something resembling ck seaweed, and it seemed that it wanted to devour Charlespletely.


    These bizarre attacks, coupled with the weapons of pure gold making a beeline for Charles from all directions, pushed him to the brink of doom.


    Charles instinctively activated the special ability of his crystallized heart, silencing the cacophony of whispers in his head. The ravings in his head originated from a god, so his crystallized heart was effective against it.


    Immediately afterward, Charles left the encirclement using his teleport relic. He sessfully teleported away, but the octopus monsters clung to him like glue.


    In fact, two elders were teleported away with Charles due to their close proximity to him. When they reappeared somewhere, the elder in front of Charles raised his golden short staff and thrust it toward Charles'' chest with all his might.


    However, Charles'' steel palm caught it in midair.


    Meanwhile, the weapon lodged in his neck was still digging into his bone. Clearly, the elder wanted to sever Charles'' head from his spine. The remaining elders were rapidly approaching, and Charles'' situation hadn''t improved at all, even though he managed to teleport away. It was only a matter of time before he was surrounded once again.


    Left with no choice, Charles plunged into the icy cold seawater. Amidst the swirling bubbles, the grotesque faces of the two elders before Charles revealed a faint smile.


    The sea was their domain.


    However, their smiles went stiff when they saw the dazzling white light emanating from Charles. It seemed that they had forgotten how seawater was a good conductor of electricity.


    The white light was so blinding that it seemed to illuminate the entire ink-ck sea region. Charles went all-out, sparing nothing as he unleashed everything inside of him. The electricity surging out of him like a deluge was so strong that the seawater around him started boiling.


    Eventually, the white electric arcs faded, and the seawater ceased boiling. The twelve elders suspended in the water discovered that Charles had once again vanished from under their noses.


    Upon realizing that his electricity was too weak to kill them, Charles decided to use it as a smokescreen to escape the encirclement. The enemies had ambushed him, so there was no need for Charles to confront them head-on.


    Charles used his teleport relic and invisibility relic to sneak into the towering mechanical castle, which contained a deste city of machinery.


    The severe pain radiating from Charles'' stomach made his journey down a pipe covered in sticky grime and a nauseating miasma extremely difficult. However, he did not stop and moved forward with difficulty while clutching his stomach.


    Upon exiting the pipe, Charles looked around, searching for something that would help him break through his predicament. Charles knew that fleeing wouldn''t resolve the issue. Those elders were strong, so it would only be a matter of time before they found him if he were to simply flee.


    Just then, something caught Charles'' eye. It was a gearwheel about two meters wide. It wasrge enough to be a drawing board for the human-shaped magic array that would allow him to tap into Edikth''s power inside of him.


    Thetent power within him was extremely strong¡ªstrong enough to resolve this ongoing crisis. However, the activation condition was a bit too stringent, which meant that it couldn''t be relied on against an ambush.


    Given enough time, however, Charles could turn the tables around.


    A ck spike emerged from the palm of his prosthetic hand, and he hurriedly drew on the gearwheel covered in brass pipes. The ck spike was sharp enough to cut through steel as if it were mud, so Charles had no issues drawing the array.


    Right as the array was about to bepleted, Charles'' nape went numb, and he instinctively lowered his head. Almost immediately afterward, a chainsaw covered in patina swept across his head, burying itself into the gearwheel.


    Charles raised his right foot andshed out. A distinct noise echoed as the enemy flew backward upon receiving his kick.


    Charles turned and saw that his attacker was a humanoid figure with a face made out of gearwheels. From the distinct noise and tough feedback, Charles became certain that the humanoid figure''s body beneath their clothes was made of metal.


    Charles was familiar with the humanoid figure. He had seen them alongside Swann, as they were his elite guards. They were people whose entire bodies had been converted into steel prosthetics, and it seemed that they had emerged from the depths along with their governor.


    Before the humanoid figure couldunch another attack, Charles charged at it first. He had to eliminate them immediately, as anymotion would attract the attention of anything nearby.


    The steel humanoid figure was exceptionally agile. They raised the de in their hand and thrust it toward Charles with all their might.


    Charles raised his prosthetic arm and received the thrust using the hole in his palm, which was supposed to be used for storing objects rather than to take attacks.


    Upon neutralizing his enemy''s attack, his invisible tentacles sprang up and engulfed the steel humanoid figure in response to Charles'' will.


    Soon, the jarring creaking of metal pervaded the air.


    Just as the steel humanoid figure was about to be quartered, Charles stopped his tentacles.


    The tentacles covering the steel humanoid figure''s chest receded like a tide, and Charles walked up to it. He thrust his hands into its chest and pried it open. Soon, a trembling, iron-gray heart was in his palm.


    It resembled a heart in appearance, but the rivets all over it and the mes inside of it told Charles that this "heart" was more like an oil furnace.


    <em>This thing might help me resolve the issue with my heart, but I can''t think about that right now. I''m still in danger.</em> Charles stuffed the iron-gray heart into his pocket and looked around before continuing his drawing.


    The human-shaped magic array necessary to tap into Edikth''s power rapidly took shape. Soon, Charles was left with the final few strokes when the entire gearwheel began to crumble, and cold seawater poured in from the outside.


    When Charles found himself amidst the frigid seawater once again, the elders had already surrounded him. They swam quietly, staring indifferently at Charles, who was chanting a vowel-only incantation in a hoarse voice.


    Charles paid no attention to them and continued with his chanting. When a clear feminine voice entered his ears, a faint smile immediately suffused his lips.


    His reinforcement was here. He never really had to make a move against the elders of the Fhtagn Covenant. He just had to wait for Sparkle''s inevitable return.


    "What do you think you''re doing to my father?"


    The voice belonged to none other than Sparkle. The white dress she was sporting seemed to make her figure glow amidst the ink-ck seawater. Her green, glowing eyeballs with cross-shaped pupils gazed at the octopus monsters before her.


    "I asked you a question!" Sparkle eximed, and her figure abruptly swelled, transforming into a colossal tentacled monster. Sparkle''s overwhelmingly powerful aura instantly engulfed everyone.

 Chapter 815: Infinity

    Chapter 815: Infinity


    Despite bearing the brunt of Sparkle''s formidable power, there wasn''t a single hint of fear in the eyes of the elders. Instead, their horizontal, octopus-like pupils glimmered with firm determination.


    "shaggo¡­th¡­fhayak¡­lloig¡­ilyaa¡­"


    The bizarre chanting resonated once again, but it wasn''ting from the lips of the elders this time around.


    Brows knitted together, Charles and Sparkle turned their eyes downward. In the inky dark expanse beneath them, innumerable ck specks glowed eerily, forming a massive concentric circle array that stretched across the ocean floor like a sprawling ind.


    Charles focused his night vision and realized that those ck dots were not just random specks. They were actually swarms of deformed and twisted Deep Dwellers. And the chanting hade from their lips.


    He had no idea how many Deep Dwellers there were beneath the waters but one thing was certain: they were countless. Perhaps every single one of the Deep Dwellers in the entire seascape had gathered.


    As the chanting intensified in volume, every Deep Dweller raised a jagged de and plunged it into their own chests. Their sickly green blood flowed out and rapidly stained the water into a toxic hue that engulfed the entire concentric circle array.


    Their move signaled the start of the sacrificial ceremony. The next moment, the twelve elders raised their solid gold weapons high. Their mouths moved in unison to chant an incantation as they slit open their own stomachs.


    When it came to the power of the Fhtagn Covenant''s sacrificial array, it was always proportional to the magnitude of its tributes. This time, apart from the massive throngs of the Deep Dwellers being offered, the twelve elders themselves were also part of the sacrifice. Something was very wrong.Sparkle realized it instantly and instantly teleported before her father. Her tentacles wrapped protectively around him, and she was about to whisk them both away from the scene.


    However, before she could make a move, an overwhelming shockwave erupted from the depths of the blood-stained waters.


    Every living creature in the sea¡ªwhether it was fish or the corpses of the elders¡ªwas blown apart by the force. Had it not been for Sparkle''s protective tentacles, Charles would have mirrored the same fate.


    Sparkle was about to teleport away when she suddenly froze once more. Charles knew why as he felt the same sensation. A tangible and suffocating gaze pierced through the waters, dyed murky green with blood, andnded on them.


    It wasn''t any ordinary gaze. It didn''t merely stare at their outer forms. Rather, it pierced straight into the depths of their souls. A creeping realization gripped Charles. He knew that no matter where he ran, the owner of the gaze would follow him. He had been marked.


    "Sparkle, I need a favor¡­" Before Charles couldplete his sentence, Sparkle''s tentacles thinned into tight, rope-like strands and rapidly formed intricate, humanoid runes across his back.


    Mutation took over Charles'' body as Edikth''s power started to course through him. Yet, Sparkle didn''t let Charles go. Instead, she merged her own form into Charles'' mutation.


    She had already discovered earlier during their battle with the Triakis Octahedron on the Core that her blood and flesh could amplify her father''s strength. They were father and daughter, and hence, their flesh resonated as one.


    Now, at this critical moment, they had to pool every ounce of their power to deal with the threat before them.


    Charles'' grotesquely swollen body intertwined with Sparkle''s tentacles adorned with glowing, luminous eyes. Gradually, their forms melded into a single mass of flesh that consisted of eyes, skulls, tentacles, and limbs.


    Regardless of how deformed the eyes looked or who they belonged to¡ªCharles or Sparkle¡ªall the eyes were now fixated on the green, swirling, bloody water beneath. Something was emerging from the depths.


    The thing summoned by the Fhtagn Covenant at such a hefty cost was not physical nor tangible. Charles and Sparkle could only detect its presence through the trembling currents of the ocean.


    "¡­mglw''nafh fht¡­n-ngah cf''ayak¡­vulgtm¡­vugg''n."


    The eerie chanting from the waters didn''t fade away with the sacrificial deaths of the Deep Dwellers. Instead, the volume intensified and vibrated in harmony with every creature within the waters.


    It was impossible to find words to describe the entity that emerged. It was indefinable. If one were forced to exin the presence for humanprehension, the entity beneath the water was like a mass of noise, a collection of frequencies, a cacophony that sounded like the most beautiful music ever heard somewhere.


    Right. That was it. At this point, Charles finally began to understand the sound. The entity before him was a singer! It was using its vast range of frequencies to sing praises of a greater and higher existence!


    It was singing praises of God Fhtagn! This being was one of Fhtagn''s vassal gods! No, that wasn''t right! It wasn''t a vassal god! It''s a devout follower of Fhtagn! Fhtagn''s power was so formidable that even the other Divinities in the Subterranean Sea had been affected by it!


    It was just human ignorance and theirck of understanding of the Divinities''nguage that made them mistake the being to be one of Fhtagn''s vassal gods. However, Fhtagn didn''t care about anyone, and that included all humans and also all other Divinities across the Subterranean Sea!


    Meanwhile, far away on Whereto, 134 was hosting an afternoon tea party with her dolls.


    The moment the Divinity appeared from the depths, the color drained from her youthful face in an instant. Overpowering fear suffused her gaze.


    A song resonated in the air. That song was the source of all her misery, the melody that haunted her!


    The next moment, her mouth parted. and involuntarily, an exquisitely beautiful song flowed from her lips.


    Yet, unlike her previous songs, her voice didn''t animate the things around her. The notes seemed to take on a life of their own as they rushed toward the depths of the ocean.


    134 wasn''t the only one affected. All across the Subterranean Sea, other simr beings began to y their own music.


    Each music was different, but together, they pierced into the oceans and traveled along the currents, converging beneath Albion Isles.


    Suddenly, without any warning, Charles'' body exploded. The moment he had heard the song, it meant that the very essence of the singer had burrowed into his ears.


    The pieces of flesh in the surroundings didn''t gather and reform. Instead, they flickered as they moved toward the "Singer" lurking beneath the waters.


    Their collision sent ripples through the sea and unleashed a colossal tsunami.


    Under Bandages''mand, the Hope Ind''s fleet struggled to stay afloat. Bandages had never encountered a tidal wave this huge. But the threat extended beyond the tsunami; dazed, blissful expressions began to appear on the faces of the sailors.


    A quick nudge was enough to snap them back to reality, but only for a brief moment before the haunting song would enchant them again.


    This was terribly amiss. Bandages knew they had to leave immediately, but Charles had yet to return.


    He watched helplessly as yet another cruiser was overturned by the violent waves. He gritted his teeth, and with a grim resolve, hemanded the fleet to retreat beyond the borders of the Albion Isles.


    However, even their path of retreat proved to be challenging. Even though their ships were the finest Hope Ind had to offer, they lost yet another warship before they safely evacuated from the radius of the powerful tsunami.


    "Retreat¡­ Leave a ship for me¡­ I''ll wait for him¡­" Bandages said in a low voice as he stared at the raging waters in the distance.


    Without the governor, the admiral held the highest authority. Soon enough, the fleet followed Banadages'' orders and steered along the long-abandoned trade route toward the nearest ind, Coral Archipgo.


    Only one ship remained on the dark waters. Bandages stood at the bow, and waited silently for the return of his captain. That was the only thing he could do now.


    Time ticked past. Periodically, Bandages would send out a speedboat to scout the Albion Isles'' waters. Yet, none of the boats ever returned.


    He thought that the situation would prolong for a long while, but soon enough, he noticed something slithering out of the overhead rockyer.


    It was a vividly colored serpent. Its head meet Its tail to form an infinite loop, like the symbol ¡Þ.


    If the previous generation of the Foundation were still around, they would have recognized the scales immediately. Those iridescent scales belonged to 004.

 Chapter 816: 004

    Chapter 816: 004


    The vivid, almost sinisterly colored serpent slithered slowly out of the overhead rocky terrain. At the same time, the Albion Isles was hit with a ravaging storm as It descended steadily toward the ind.


    Bandages had no idea what the creature was. However, seeing that Its massive form stretched up to a hundred kilometers, dwarfing two inds, he knew that It was far from friendly.


    <em>Thud! Thud!</em>


    The sudden strange sound behind Bandages caused him to spin around quickly. He realized that the sailors who had been standing on the deck moments ago had vanished. In their ces were babies.


    Clearly, the infants swaddled in the sailors'' navy uniforms were not even fully developed. Their bodies were crimson and raw,cking proper skin. Even their facial features were iplete.


    Tears of blood flowed out of their lidless eyes and streamed down their cheeks. Their cracked mouths parted in silent cries as a bone-chilling, ghostly wail echoed in the air.


    The cabin door beside Bandages abruptly swung open, and several elderly men tumbled out onto the deck. Judging from their attire, it was evident that they were the ship''s cook and assistant cook.


    However, their faces and bodies were marred with liver spots, and their wrinkled skin hung loosely from their frames. Their faces were gaunt without a hint of fat, and they looked as though a thin sheet of parchment was draped over their skull.


    The elderly men approached Bandages like walking corpses. Their mouths hung open in terror as their teeth fell from their decayed gums. In barely audible, rasping voices, they croaked, "Admiral¡­ Sa-save us¡­"Looking at them, Bandages instinctively raised his nce toward the bridge. There, he watched as an infant struggled to stand up. With a captain''s hat on his head, the infant clung desperately to the ship''s wheel, attempting to turn the helm.


    But soon, the infant''s movements came to a halt. Its small, fragile body began to shrink into itself until it copsed into a pool of blood that stained the ship''s wheel.


    Apanied by a harsh, metallic screech, the entire ship began to jerk. Parts of it were decaying rapidly and rotting away before Bandages'' eyes. Yet, other sections began to turn impossibly new, as if freshly built. In fact, it could be said that apart from Bandages, everything around him was either aging or reverse aging.


    A grim expression appeared on Bandages'' face as he watched his surroundings. Something stirred in the back of his mind; a long-buried memory seemed to have been triggered and was resurfacing.


    Suddenly, Bandages'' eyes widened. He sprinted to the ship''s railing, his pupils dting as he stared intently at the distant silhouette of the Albion Isles.


    He remembered!


    Everything was caused by the serpent! The very fabric of time around It was warped and unstable! Anything within Its vicinity would be subjected to the twisted time dimension!


    In a long-forgotten distant past, he had seen this serpent before! It was a Divinity, and one far more powerful than any average Divinity!


    Now, the only memory that he could recall was that this very serpent had devoured the god he once worshiped.


    Without hesitation, Bandages pushed off against his feet and jumped overboard, plunging into the dark waters below.


    Green seaweed sprouted from his body to propel him faster toward the seabed. He had to warn his captain immediately. They had to leave as soon as possible. If the serpent came any closer, none of them would survive!


    Lacking Charles'' night vision, Bandages could only rely on his grown seaweed to sense his surroundings. In the pitch ck depths of the water, it was an extremely dangerous move, but he couldn''t care about the involved risks now.


    Gradually, he could sense the remnants of wreckage¡ªdecaying machinery intertwined with pulsating, grotesque flesh.


    He seemed to have arrived at the battlefield, but he didn''t sense Charles'' presence. A heavy sense of dread settled in his chest.


    Just then, a massive writhing mass of flesh appeared within Bandages'' perception. Before he could react, his vision blurred, and he was back on the ship. The scene peeled away again, and the next moment, he realized they were beside a lighthouse on Hope Ind.


    Bandages barely cared about the ship captain''s bisected body hanging limply from the lighthouse. He rushed toward the massive mass of flesh. That was <em>his </em>captain.


    Just as Bandages were about to reach Charles, he suddenly froze. Twisted limbs, misshapen facial features, and a shrunken skull began to sprout from his flesh. His physical body had been influenced by Charles'' mutated form.


    Bandages gritted down on his teeth, and several gnarled vines shot out of his body. With their help, Bandages struggled toward Charles, finally reaching thetter. He pped his hand firmly against the pulsing flesh.


    The massive, pulsing flesh that wasrger than a warship expanded slightly before quickly shrinking. Within moments, it retracted to leave only Charles and Sparkle in ce.


    Charles looked as if he would copse any moment as he staggered to his feet with Sparkle''s support. His panic had yet to pass as his breaths remained ragged. Fortunately, before the battle, he had anticipated that 004 might be drawn over and had prepared himself for it. Now, it seemed that his prediction had been spot on.


    "Bandages, you alright?" Charles called out toward his first mate.


    Bandages'' horns swayed slightly as he shook his head in response.


    Seeing that her father''s body was on the verge of breaking down, Sparkle immediately teleported Linda over.


    The moment Lindaid her eyes on Charles, she didn''t waste time asking questions. She poured medicine down his throat while using a stapler-like device to quickly stitch up his gaping wounds.


    "I''m fine. Just give me some human blood," Charles rasped before pointing toward Bandages, who was writhing on the ground nearby. "Go check on Bandages. He''s got all sorts of things growing on him."


    By now, Bandages resembled some grotesque, malformed creature. His body was swollen with tumors, and his once-human skin was now covered in a chaotic mix of tentacles, scales, and feathers.


    Truth be told, it wasn''t exactly Charles'' formidable power that had resulted in Bandages'' current state. Instead, it was Sparkle''s growing power. With her amplifying Charles'' influence, ordinary humans couldn''te near Charles without suffering the effects.


    Under Linda''s swift treatment, both Charles and Bandage were stabilized, though only temporarily. Only then did she have the time to deal with the other crew members¡ªthe wailing infants and elderly men¡ªscattered across the ruined ships.


    Meanwhile, Hope Ind''s navy fleet had arrived fully equipped. At the forefront stood Anna and her delicate visage was etched with worry.


    After hearing the recount from Sparkle, murderous intent shed across Anna''s face.


    "Those Fhtagnists are courting death! They''re finished!" Anna growled.


    Wincing from the pain, Charles slowly bent down to sit on the ground.


    "I initially thought that after the previous crisis, they would at least lie low for a while. I never expected them to take a gamble at this point in time. They are probably terrified that as Hope Ind''s technology advances, the longer they wait, the less likely they could ever win the battle."


    Charles then lifted his gaze to look at the tenmodores approaching him. "Ready the entire navy. I''ll be calling a Subterranean Sea Council shortly. The Eastern Seas must bepletely liberated."


    Though this was a golden age of development and war was thest thing needed, the Fhtagn Covenant had made their move tounch an ambush. He was left with no choice; the cult had to be eradicated at all costs.


    Hearing their governor''smand, the tenmodores exchanged nces. War was imminent and it was a massive one. This was not just a conflict between inds but a full-scale war between entire sea regions.

 Chapter 817: Heart

    Chapter 817: Heart


    Anna squatted down next to Charles, who was sitting on the ground. She cast a gentle gaze at him and said, "Don''t worry, leave this to me. You go do your thing. What you''re doing right now is far more important than cleaning up those monsters."


    Charles swallowed a mouthful of his own rust-tasting saliva before nodding. "All right, but be careful."


    The twelve elders and the Deep Dwellers had been sacrificed, so Fhtagn Covenant''s overall strength was bound to plummet drastically. Anna could definitely eliminate the weakened Fhtagn Covenant.


    Anna''s eyes revealed a hint of heartache as she stared at the man in front of her whose entire body was covered in scars. She pressed her hand on his chest, which was covered in rivets and sutures.


    "Charles, you can''t keep involving your human body in affairs concerning the gods. Your human body is too fragile before them. At this rate, your body will crumble. Why don''t I look for a new body for you?"


    Charles reached into his pocket and took out the iron-gray mechanical heart. "Forget it. Even if my body is weak, at least it''s still my own body. Besides, I promised 005 that any part of me that I''d end up losing would belong to her.


    "I don''t have any idea what she''s nning on doing with my body parts, but I have no ns of giving her more body parts than what she had asked for."


    Disappointment shed across Anna''s face, but she remained silent. Just like that, she helped Charles up with Sparkle and headed toward Hope Ind.


    There were many casualties and unexpected events during this expedition, but Charles'' goal was still achieved.The basement of Hope Ind''s Governor''s Mansion was supposed to be Charles'' training grounds, but it was now filled with a pool of blood.


    The pungent smell of blood permeating the room made Linda gulp involuntarily as her eyes shimmed in a faint crimson light.


    The mages waiting nearby seemed a bit nervous. They saw the vampire fangs protruding from Linda''s mouth.


    In the end, Linda failed to withstand the urge and walked to the edge of the pool. She crouched down to scoop a handful of the fresh blood inside when apletely naked Charles emerged from the pool.


    The viscous blood from the pool cascaded down his form, and the sight of the pristine Charles told everyone that he hadpletely recovered from his injuries.


    A maid nearby dared not meet Charles'' eye as she extended a towel toward him. Charles epted the towel and wiped away the blood on him. He sprawled out on the operating table without bothering to put on any clothes.


    "I''vepletely recovered from my injuries, so let''s begin."


    Linda stopped drinking blood and stood up. She turned to look at the ss box on the table beside her. A heart made out of metal was suspended in a yellowish-brown liquid that resembled engine oil.


    "The technology of the Albion Isles was truly special. I wonder how they managed to replicate such a unique organ."


    "They''re dead, so no use being curious about that. Hurry up and get to work," Charles urged.


    The mages from a certain prostheticspany on Hope Ind began drawing the necessary magic arrays around the operating table.


    Linda reached out into the ss box and fished the mechanical heart out of the box. She filled one of the heart''s arteries with some unknown liquid before walking toward Charles.


    Thanks to Linda''s special ability, the surgery was not bloody at all, and Charles'' heart was reced without having to cut into his skin. However, the surgery was far from over. The heart hadn''t been activated yet.


    Bottles full of blue souls were opened by the mages, and the mages chanted an inscrutable incantation that sucked in the wailing souls into the magic array beneath the operating table.


    The ordealsted for about five minutes until Charles flew violently into the air before falling back down.


    As the mechanical heart began pumping blood throughout him, Charles'' pale and bluish face eventually returned to its previous color.


    Charles put a hand on his chest and found no difference whatsoever. However, he seemed unable to ept the fact that his entire heart had just been reced with a new one, and the new heart was beating inside his chest right now.


    "Captain, here''s your previous heart. Do you want us to take the relic out of it?" Linda asked, holding up a crystallized heart that looked like a work of art.


    Charles reached out and grabbed it before saying, "No, let''s just leave it like this. The relic will making sure that it won''t decay."


    005 had specifically mentioned that she wanted everything that he had lost, regardless of their condition.


    After getting dressed, Charles took the crystallized heart to his office.


    He then put it in a ss jar and ced it next to his eyes.


    Charles swept his gaze across his organs on the shelf and fell into contemtion.


    After a while, he walked to a table nearby and picked up the telephone. He then dialed the Colossal Hole Fortress''s number.


    "Hello? It''s me. Have you found what I asked you to find? Sure, sure. Just leave it there. I''ll send someone to pick it up right away."


    When the call ended, a hint of joy glimmered in Charles'' one eye. It seemed that happiness truly came in pairs. The ear that was devoured by one of the Kings of Sottom was finally located!


    There was a sh of white light as Sparkle appeared in front of Charles. She was frowning with an iron bucket in her hand. There was a puddle of what looked like brown patties inside the bucket¡ªthe green centipede-like monster''s excrement.


    Charles'' ear was somewhere inside them.


    Charles poked around the brown patties with his steel finger and eventually found a piece of cartge that didn''t get digested. However, Charles wasn''t entirely sure whether it was a part of his ear or not.


    After all, who''d know for sure what that monster had eaten before devouring Charles'' ear?


    Regardless, Charles fished it out and ced it into a ss jar next to his stomach.


    His heart, stomach, eyes, and ear had been located and retrieved.


    Charles swept his gaze across the organs and thought, <em>I''ve collected four, so there are only two left. I just have to find thest two, and I can make my wishe true. By then¡ª</em>


    "Dad," Sparkle said, picking up the jar containing Charles'' heart and shaking it gently. "What''s your next target? Your skull and scalp or your left arm?"


    After a few seconds of contemtion, Charles replied, "The next target is the skull and scalp in SITE 6. 004 went to the Albion Isles, so the foundation''s site should be safe by now.


    "However, I want you to send a few recon-type submarines just in case."


    Sparkle nodded. Instead of leaving, however, she stared at her father and smiled.


    "What''s wrong?" Charles asked.


    Sparkle took out a tiny box and handed it over to him.


    "Is this for me?" Charles epted it and opened it right away to find a quartz watch that resembled a mechanical watch.


    The watch''s color theme was blue and ck. The dial was surrounded by a white stainless steel casing, which emphasized the blue and ck colors of the watch. In its entirety, the watch gave off a calm feel.


    There were four blue buttons on both sides of the watch, and one could use them to adjust the watch. The strap was delicate, smooth, andfortable to the touch.


    Sparkle took out the watch from the inside the box and put it on Charles'' wrist.


    "I remember how you gave your pocket watch to that vendor to pay for those pastries on Lighthouse Ind, so I thought you must be finding it inconvenient to check the time without a pocket watch.


    "Mommy had taken your phone away as well, so I decided to buy this watch as a gift for you. What do you think about it, Daddy? Do you like it?"

 Chapter 818: Communication

    Chapter 818: Communication


    "Thank you." Looking at the gift that his daughter had bought for him on his wrist, Charles'' heart swelled with emotion. A warm and fuzzy feeling filled his heart, and it was an unprecedented sensation for him.


    Sparkle smiled slightly. "Daddy, Mommy has been waiting for your gift all this while. She hasn''t said anything because she wants you to bring it up first."


    "What gift?" Charles looked at her in surprise.


    "You didn''t forget it, did you? The diamond ring! You promised her that you''d get her a diamond ring. You couldn''t have forgotten it, could you?" Sparkle asked with a face full of astonishment.


    "No, I still remember it. How could I forget something so important?" Charles asked, ncing at his crystallized heart.


    Sparkle felt helpless. She did not need to read Charles'' mind to deduce that Charles had definitely forgotten it.


    "Actually, I know that Mommy and you still have some issues that are unresolved, but Mommy doesn''t really need much. She just wants to know your stance."


    Charles looked down at the watch on his wrist. After pondering for a few seconds, he raised his hand and patted Sparkle''s head. "Don''t overthink it. Your mother and I are doing great. There are no issues between us."


    Worry suffused Sparkle''s face. She knew that Charles'' words were a bunch of nonsense, but she didn''t expose him.


    Sparkle grabbed Charles'' steel fingers with both hands and shook them gently. She sounded concerned as she said, "Daddy, I know that you''ve never been good at expressing yourself, but it is simply impossible for others to know your feelings unless you state them explicitly. Moreover, trivial issues can easily be resolved through propermunication."


    Sparkle had decided to take this opportunity to resolve the grudge that both Charles and Anna had been nursing against each other but were difficult for anyone else to notice.


    It seemed that Sparkle was aware of the fact that Charles knew about what Anna had been doing behind his back, and he simply hadn''t brought it up.


    Clearly, the growing Sparkle was starting to grow concerned about her family, but she had never really taken any sides. She hadmunicated with both her father and mother.


    Sparkle could still remember telling her mother how Charles was hinting at her to dial it back a bit, but her mother hadn''t done any of that at all.


    Charles nodded and patted Sparkle''s shoulder. "Don''t worry. I''ll handle it. Anyway, I really like your gift."


    Realizing that there was a chance, Sparkle was relieved. "Mmhm, as long as you like it. Now that your issue with the heart has been solved, you should be free tonight, right? Why don''t we call Mommy and have dinner together tonight?"


    "Sure, you decide."


    Sparkle nodded, and she disappeared into thin air with a sh of light.


    Left all alone, Charles raised his hand to look at the watch again and recalled Sparkle''s words. After a while, he chuckled lightly to himself and walked out with a spring in his step.


    As soon as he emerged from his office, Charles saw his steward with Lily''s ck cat in his arms. It seemed that his steward had been waiting outside for quite a while now.


    "Esteemed Governor, please forgive me, but I''ve gotten too old. My strength and energy are no longer enough to manage the Governor''s Mansion," Steward Charlie said solemnly, looking a bit haggard.


    There were rumors outside about the Governor of Hope Ind.


    Apparently, the Governor of Hope Ind was capricious, paranoid, and a madman, but as someone who had been quietly working inside the Governor''s Mansion, Steward Charlie begged to differ.


    Governor Charles was never tyrannical toward the servants and maids in the mansion.


    If one had to use a word to describe Charles'' attitude, then it would be the word "indifference."


    Governor Charles was always too busy. He was always looking at the bigger picture and couldn''t care less about such trivial matters. As a result, it would be more urate for them to say that they were serving the Governor''s Mansion with seventy-two rooms rather than the governor himself.


    The Governor''s Mansion was aid-back workce. If Steward Charlie hadn''t felt like his body could no longer withstand the burden of working here, he wouldn''t have retired.


    Charles cast a surprised gaze at the old man.


    "Do you have a recement ready?" he asked.


    "Yes. Steward Mark will take over tomorrow," Steward Charlie replied.


    Charles nced at the ck cat in Steward Charlie''s arms and nodded before walking toward the door.


    "Where are you going, Esteemed Governor? If you want to go somewhere, then I rmend telling the driver. He''s always waiting for instructions in the garage," Charlie said as he struggled to keep up with Charles'' swift pace.


    "You don''t have to follow me. I''m just going out for a stroll."


    Of course, Charles wasn''t going outside to <em>just</em> take a walk. He wanted to visit his first mate, Bandages and check on thetter''s injuries.


    In no time, Charles found himself in the intensive care unit of Hope Ind''s Savitto Hospital. Bandages looked no different from usual, except that the bandages around him looked a bit fresh.


    A young man was sitting next to Bandages, and he was busy peeling an apple with a knife. The young man was none other than Bandages'' younger brother.


    Upon seeing Charles, Bandages struggled to sit up, but the former hurriedly stopped him. "Don''t move. Your injuries are too serious for you to make any moves right now."


    "No¡­ I''m... healed... Mother is just making me... stay here longer..." Bandages replied, sounding helpless.


    "Captain... is something the matter? Bandages asked.


    Charles nodded and took out his diary. He flipped it open and got ready to write down the details in Bandages'' ount.


    "I heard from Linda that you saw 004. Is it true? And she also said that you recovered some of your memories about it? Apparently, it wasn''t your first time seeing that thing."


    Bandages nodded quietly and began his recount.


    Once Bandages was finished with his recount, Charles looked down at his diary and frowned.


    <em>Project Number: 004 </em>


    <em>Project Name: (TBC) </em>


    <em>Project Danger Level: Divinity.</em>


    <em>Description: A bizarre serpent with its head and tail intertwined; its ever-changing scales are incredibly vibrant in color and would change as time passed. </em>


    <em>ording to the ounts of Bandages and what happened to the crew, it is capable of twisting time and phasing through any wall within a fifty-kilometer radius. </em>


    <em>For now, its exact level of strength cannot be determined, but judging from the Foundation''s fate, it must be stronger than ordinary Divinities. Bandages also told me that 004 is capable of devouring other Divinities. </em>


    <em>Unfortunately, it is currently impossible to know whether it''s one of Its special abilities or if it''s amon trait among other Divinities.</em>


    "Captain... what are you¡­ writing down...?" Bandages cast a curious gaze at the iprehensible squarish characters in Charles'' diary.


    "Nothing. They''re not that important," Charles replied. He then put the diary away, stuffing it into his chest pocket.


    There was no need for Bandages to know why he was writing down information about a Divinity, so he decided to change the subject.


    "Do you still have that notebook? Remember to jot down those memories; it''ll be troublesome if you end up forgetting them."


    "I jotted them down. Apparently¡­ I used to be... a high priest of... the Giant Bird of Suffering..." Bandages tapped the drawer of the bedside table beside him.


    "Wow, I really am in awe of what you''ve experienced. It feels like you''ve explored every nook and cranny of the Subterranean Sea," Charles joked. He had long gotten used to the changes in Bandages'' background.


    If Bandages were to say that he had once visited the surface world, Charles wouldn''t be surprised by that revtion at all.


    Charles sat next to the bed and chatted with Bandages for a while longer.


    Eventually, he had to leave, so he stood up and covered Bandages with a nket before walking toward the door. "Rest well. I''m leaving now. When you have time,e and look for me at the Governor''s Mansion for a drink."


    Bandages'' gaze on Charles'' departing figure seemed pensive. It appeared like he had many burning questions in his mind but had ultimately decided not to ask anything instead.


    "Brother, the Governor saw that you''re bedridden. Does that mean he''s not going to make you work anymore?"


    Bandages epted the peeled apple and nodded. "He¡­ probably won''t... make me go out at sea anymore... He must be nning... to let us stay safely on the ind, and¡­ he probably no longer wants to take any risks..."


    "Really?" The young man perked up.


    "That should be... the case¡­ I''ve been with him for a long time... I once thought I knew him well... but now I... don''t know... what he actually wants... to do..." Bandages replied, and his eyes revealed a hint of confusion.


    He understood Charles'' reasoning behind his decision to hide a few things from him, but there was one thing he couldn''t quite figure out.


    Back then, Charles was a man of purpose. He had made quite a few crazy goals for himself, but he had always been straightforward, tackling them with determination, but this time was different.


    Bandages could feel Charles'' hesitation. Charles seemed to be hesitating, and it was probably because his goals were changing rapidly.


    "Isn''t it great that you no longer have to take any risks out there? When you and the Governor were working so hard up above, Mother and I were always worried about you.


    "We were really afraid that a mailman would knock on the door and deliver a ck letter to us one day. Recently, life has been getting better, so I think we should just live a great life on this ind."


    Bandages nodded wordlessly. He then opened his mouth and took a bite of the peeled apple. After chewing on it a few times, he swallowed and turned to look at his younger brother. "It''s really sweet."

 Chapter 819: Mobilization

    Chapter 819: Mobilization


    Nene carefully closed her workbook. She then closed her eyes and stretched her arms high above her head, letting out a long yawn. "Ah~! Finally done! That was so tough, my brain hurts."


    After neatly arranging her workbook and pencil case into her school bag, Nene pondered for a brief moment before she walked over to therge, bulky monitor and gently pressed a square button on the front.


    A soft <em>beep</em> resonated through the room as the screen flickered to life, emitting a hissing static as the disy brightened. However, Nene didn''t insert a videotape into the yer. She reached for a brass key and inserted it into a small hole on the right side of the television, giving it a few turns.


    Soon, the snowy static peeled away to reveal a new imagery on the screen. It was thetest show, and in Nene''s understanding, it was like a never-ending tape that could y from morning until night without pause.


    The screen now shed scenes from the various ind docks. Naval officers of their respective inds were bidding tearful goodbyes to their families before running toward the warships lined up along the piers.


    A somber and emotional voiceover apanied the footage. "Everyone! Let us honor our brave warriors! May they return home early and victorious!


    "How dare the vile Fhtagn Covenant ambush the hero who had saved the Subterranean Sea¡ªour great Governor Charles! This injustice will not be tolerated! After a fair vote by the Subterranean Sea Council attended by all incumbent governors, a unanimous decision had been reached: The Eastern Seas shall be fully liberated!"


    Watching the scenes ying on the screen, a troubled expression crossed Nene''s face. Though she didn''t fully understand the words that the narrator had said, she knew what the images meant.


    "Ah¡­ are we going to war again?"War meant death. And unlike most of her ssmates, Nene already experienced and understood the terrifying reality of death.


    Nene didn''t enjoy watching what was being broadcast on the television now, but she had no choice. Hope Ind had only one TV channel, and if she didn''t watch this, there was nothing else to watch.


    After thirty minutes of mobilization news and another half hour of a documentary on the life of Admiral Weister, it was finally the broadcast time for Nene''s favorite program.


    It was a storytelling show where the host was a man with a shark head. Speaking in an exaggerated tone, he would tell amusing tales that every child on the ind loved. Everyone called him "Mr. Shark."


    As Mr. Shark narrated the story for the day, Nene was soon captivated andpletely engrossed in it. It was so much so that she didn''t even notice the sound of her mother''s room door unlocking. She only realized that her mother was back when thetter stood next to her.


    "Mom, I have alreadypleted my homework," Nene quickly exined as she sat up straight on the couch.


    Looking rather weary and pale, Donna nodded. "Okay, that''s good. Did you see my bag? I am heading to work."


    Nene nced at the screen once more before turning to look at her mother''s back. With a hint of hesitation, she walked over to Donna and asked softly, "Mom¡­ did you go to the dock today?"


    Donna''s expression slightly twisted with frustration as she stomped her foot hard andmented. "How could the tent disappear just like that? Do I really have to wait until next year?"


    Donna had taken out all her savings over the years in the hopes of being able to have just onest conversation with her deceased husband, even if it was only for five minutes. Yet, she could no longer find the tent with the glowing skeletal figure.


    Noticing her mother''s unstable emotions, Nene rushed to her side and gently hugged her.


    Donna''s breath hitched at Nene''s touch. She tried her best effort to hold her emotions in, but her tears broke forth like a dam and began to stream down her cheeks once more.


    "I just wanted to tell your dad that I don''t hate him. I want to apologize to him. I shouldn''t have yelled at him. I just wanted him to see how much you''ve grown."


    A trace of confusion shed across Nene''s eyes. Truth be told, she had little memories of her father. It was hard for her to feel any strong emotions about someone who had been dead before she could remember things clearly.


    As Neneforted her mother, a few small heads peeked around the doorway. Her ssmates had arrived.


    Donna had also noticed them as well. She quickly turned around to backface them and wiped the tears from her face. She then turned to Nene, saying, "Go y with your friends, sweetie. But remember to not stay out toote ande back early."


    The moment Nene stepped out of her front door, she spotted her desk mate, Molly, the chubby boy, and the skinny boy, Gaia.


    Ever since Michiel brought them to meet his uncle, who was a former explorer, and proved that he hadn''t been lying, the rest of the ss had quickly warmed up to him despite his quiet, reserved nature.


    The world of children wasn''t soplicated. Somehow, despite their vastly different personalities, the four of them had formed their own clique.


    "Nene, is that pretty sister of yours at home?" Michiel asked softly as he tried to sneak a nce into the house.


    "No, why are you looking for her?" Nene replied. She knew he was referring to Sparkle. Whenever someone asked about Sparkle, she had always answered that the former was her elder sister.


    A faint blush crept onto Michiel''s cheeks. He stammered, trying to find the words to say but to no avail.


    "Hey! Stop chatting! Hurry up, or we''ll bete!" the chubby boy eximed as he waved his arms excitedly in the air to get the others to hurry.


    "Where are we going?" Nene followed them with a trace of hesitation.


    "Of course, we are heading to the docks! There are so many ships there right now! I heard that there are floating airships, too!" The chubby boy was evidently excited due to his curiosity about all novelty things.


    Nene halted in her tracks. "The docks¡­ my mom doesn''t let me go there."


    The chubby boy turned around and ran toward Nene. Grabbing her by the arm, he tugged her along toward the streets. "What are you afraid of? Michiel and his family live in the dock area, and he goes to school every day. Nothing ever happens to him."


    "Yeah, yeah! Come on! If we miss it this time, we might never get to see it again!" Michiel chimed in.


    Under her friends'' persuasion, Nene eventually gave in and followed them to run toward the docks. When they arrived, Nene realized that she had been worrying for nothing.


    They weren''t the only ones here to watch the navy mobilization. The entire harbor district was packed with people. Not only were the main streets filled to the brim, but the side streets and alleys were also overflowing with onlookers.


    Ships, dozens or maybe even hundreds of them, lined the piers. The faces of the dockborers beamed with pride as they worked tirelessly to load Hope Ind''s naval ships with ammunition and supplies. Finally, they had jobs again.


    "Michiel, is your uncle going on this expedition to fight the cult?" Nene asked.


    Michiel wasn''t sure how to respond. "I have no idea. Maybe? Ever since my uncle left, he hadn''t contacted us. My mom had been so worried."


    Just as everyone''s gazes were fixated on the mobilization unfolding before them, the chubby boy suddenly pointed his pudgy finger toward the dark horizon.


    "Look! Over there! What is that?"


    All the heads in his vicinity turned in unison. The next moment, their mouths fell open in astonishment. Floating in the sky was a massive ind. The blinking directional lights on it flickered like the bloodthirsty eyes of a monster.


    A ripple of unease and panic descended upon the onlookers crowded at the docks. But before the fear could sink in, a nearby loudspeaker crackled to life to let them know that the ind was nothing to worry about. It was the Governor''s airborne warship. Only then did the crowd''s anxiety melt away.


    Everyone craned their necks to observe the colossal, imposing, floating ind that was nearly asrge as Hope Ind itself.


    The air buzzed with excitement and spection.


    "By the grace of Goddess Sparkle! When did the governor acquire such a powerful weapon? With that thing, the Fhtagnists don''t stand the slightest chance!"


    "Of course! Those monsters worshiping the evil god in the sea are no match for our Hope Ind''s navy! They are done for!"

 Chapter 820: Transaction

    Chapter 820: Transaction


    The adults'' conversation flew over Nene and her friends'' heads. They didn''t understand what the adults were saying. After all, matters of war and strategy felt distant and abstract at their current age. Compared to those, they were more interested in something else.


    Squeezing through the crowd, four men in clown costumes and their faces hidden behind masks were pushing a cart over. They looked rather out of ce and ridiculous. Waving the brightly colored jellies in their hands, they peddle their goods to the onlookers.


    Jellies made from fish scales were lined behind the ss of the pushcart. Shimmering with vibrant colors, bits of fruits had been added to the jellies to make them irresistibly appealing to children.


    "How much is one?" Nene asked as she fished out a coin that had Charles'' face stamped on it from her pocket.


    "It''s cheap! Only ten Cori!" one of the clowns answered.


    Hearing the price, a bitter expression flickered across Nene''s face as she reluctantly put the coin back in her pocket. It was far too expensive. Though the new currency, Cori, was worth more than the old echo coins, ten Cori could easily buy three fish in the harbor district.


    Though her mother earned a decent sry at the factory, Nene''s past experience had ingrained a sense of thrift in her. There was no way she would spend on such overpriced treats.


    Seeing the hesitation on Nene''s face, the skinny boy next to her reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of crumpled bills. "Don''t worry! Let me treat you guys! My mom gives me quite a bit of allowance daily!"


    The bills exchanged hands, and soon, Nene and her three friends each had a small bowl of colorful jellies in their hands. With a smile gracing their lips, they admired the magnificent warships as they indulged in their treats.The jellies sold quickly and it didn''t take long for the clowns to empty theirrge metal container of jellies. But clearly, they hade prepared. Not long after, they reappeared with more jellies.


    Business continued to boom. The four vendors worked so hard that their clown costumes were soaked through with sweat. They didn''t even have the time to change their outfits.


    When they had finally sold out all the jellies they prepared, they pushed their cart to a secluded corner of an alley.


    The metal box was opened to reveal coins and bills filled to the brim, causing the clowns tough heartily.


    "Boss! You''re so amazing! I''ve never seen this much money in my life!" One of the bald clowns eximed in excitement.


    "Stop shouting! Hurry up and start counting. I want to know how much we made," the leader snapped back.


    As the four men removed their masks, their identities came to light. They were the four men who had used glow-in-the-dark materials to scam people in their tent.


    "Boss! A total of 39,020 Cori! We''re rich!"


    A hint of satisfaction shed across Johnson''s face. This was way more profitable than the scamming business they did previously. The jelly was made from fish scales scraped off the market floor. As for the fruit, they bought half-rotten produce, cutting off the bad parts and using the rest to make it look fresh.


    With such tight control over their costs, the nearly forty thousand Cori they earned was practically pure profit.


    However, therge amount of money they earned wasn''t the most important thing. The main takeaway was that Johnson had sensed an opportunity from the news. A war was imminent.


    When a war started, the navy would be mobilized. Crowds would then gather at the docks to watch. The more people there were, the more money there was to be made.


    "Boss, when you said you wanted to sell those trash at 10 Cori per serving, I thought you had lost your mind! But we actually sold out!" The bald man looked at Johnson, his eyes filled with admiration.


    Johnson pulled out a sleek ck top hat and ced it on his head. Adjusting the brim with a smug smile, he said, "What did I tell you guys earlier? People on Hope Ind have money. Later, we''ll deposit the cash in the bank. After that, let''s celebrate and treat ourselves to a feast for all our hard work over the past few days!"


    "Oh yeah!" the other three cheered.


    Brimming with joy, the four of them began to change out of their ridiculous clown costumes and into casual clothes. Soon enough, they were seated in avish restaurant on the third floor, near a window with a perfect view of the bustling streets below.


    One of Johnson''s henchmen with a square jaw leaned in and asked softly, "Boss, I heard that the owner of this restaurant used to be Governor Charles'' chef. If we are dining here, does that mean we get the same VIP treatment as the governor?"


    Johnson regarded his underlings with a hint of disdain. "Keep dreaming. Do you know the nickname everyone has for Charles'' exploration ship?


    "The ''Money Ship''! Anyone who has worked on that ship is guaranteed to return rich. You think a wealthy central inder is going to cook for you personally?"


    The square-jawed man scratched the back of his head and let out an awkward chuckle, saying, "Yeah, you''re right¡­"


    "Still, it''s not all about getting rich. They could even lose their lives! I''ve heard that the crew on that ship has died and been reced more than once," the bald man chimed in as he tied a white napkin around his neck


    "Hell, even if they''re dead, they died rich! As long as I can be rich, I''m willing to die for it! I have had enough of being poor!"


    "Stop whining. Here are your shares. Hold it well," Johnson said as he tossed three thick envelopes onto the empty tes in front of his men.


    His henchmen eagerly opened the envelopes in anticipation. But upon counting the money inside, they turned crestfallen.


    "Boss, why do we only get 2,500 Cori each? We''ve been working so diligently day in and day out¡­"


    Johnson''s face hardened as he let out a snort. "Thinking that it''s too little? I haven''t forgotten how you guys sold me out to the Hope Ind Admiral previously! If it weren''t for my generosity, you wouldn¡¯t be seeing a single Cori!"


    The moment Johnson mentioned their betrayal, they hurriedly stashed the money away. Putting a smile of ttery on their faces, they shook their heads and apologized profusely.


    Watching their feigned pledges of loyalty and pitiful expressions, Johnson sighed inwardly. Truth be told, he didn''t want to rely on these useless fools, but the issue was that he was on Hope Ind. Here, he was nothing but an outsider. Without them, he had no underlings to use.


    Hiring locals on Hope Ind came with high risks. Trusting someone from another ind too quickly could get him sold before he even realized what had happened. Johnson would never allow himself to make such a mistake.


    While they conversed, steaming tes of food soon arrived at the table.


    Having worked all day without a meal, the men immediately dug in and devoured the dishes like starved beasts.


    As they ate, they marveled and discussed the vors, remarking that the food was better than anything they had never tasted before and was as expected from a cook who had served the Governor himself.


    On top of the sumptuous food, being seated on the third floor came with its perks. Not only did they enjoy the luxury of fine dining, but they could also gaze out at the bustling ocean just beyond the ss, where the docks were alive with activity.


    Just as Johnson raised his ss of brandy and swirled it lightly before tipping his head back to take a sip, his eyesnded on a young woman who had just stepped out of the stairway.


    Her hair was a soft shade of xen blonde. With a faint smile gracing her lips, she walked across the wooden tiles on the third floor. Her enchanting presence made everything around her feel dull inparison.


    She wasn''t alone. Following her was a couple and a small boy who had just learned how to walk. The boy clutched a well-worn shark plush, its fur fraying at the edges.


    The waitress clearly recognized the family as she greeted them warmly before guiding them to an empty table. She removed the "reserved" sign on the table and pulled out a chair with a smile.


    "Miss Lily, please have a seat."


    "Thank you," Lily sat down and began cing her order. She was indeed Lily, but she was the human version of Lily on Hope Ind rather than the Narwhale''s gunner.

 Chapter 821: Fear

    Chapter 821: Fear


    "Boss, look at those legs. <em>Tsk, tsk, </em>and that waist¡­ the women on Hope Ind really are beautiful." The bald man''s neck stretched out long. His eyes were fixed on the young woman, and he looked like he was about to start drooling.


    The family in the distance cast their gazes on them, prompting Johnson to pick up the soup spoon in the broth and smack it into the bald man''s face. "Pull yourself together! We''re not in a brothel in the harbor district!"


    That family were residents of Hope Ind, while they were outsiders. If they were to cause trouble here, the police would obviously side with Hope Ind''s residents.


    "That''s all. Thank you," Lily said and returned the menu back to the waitress. She then turned to look at the warships in the distance. Her eyes were filled with longing as she gazed at those ships.


    "Lily, stop looking at them. I still haven''t heard your thoughts about the matter I mentioned to you a few days ago. What do you think?" Doctor Oliver sporting a small mustache, asked his daughter.


    Lily''s face instantly turned sour. "Daddy, give me a break, please? I really have no ns of getting married for now."


    "Daughter, I''m not asking you to get married right away. You can think of it as getting to know each other. What if it works out? He''s a lieutenantmander in the navy."


    "Is being a lieutenantmander really that impressive?" Lily questioned. Then, she turned to her younger brother and made faces at him.


    Lily''s mother next to her revealed a hint of helplessness. She reached out to hold her daughter''s hand and patted it before patiently exining, "Sweetie, Hope Ind has many upper-ss social circles, but members of the Navy will always be a part of the upper ss. If you marry him, our family will be able to squeeze into Hope Ind''s high society.""If you really want to squeeze into Hope Ind''s high society, how about you just make me marry the Governor of Hope Ind? Wouldn''t that be better?"


    Oliver shook his head and chimed in, "The Governor''s position is too high. People of our status cannot hope topare to him. Besides, the Governor is already married."


    "Wait, did you actually consider marrying me to him?!" Lily asked, eyes widening in surprise.


    "I don''t think you should worry too much about it," Lily''s mother said, "I''ve had a few interactions with that young man, and he''s an excellent young man. If his personality and appearance don''t meet my standards, do you really think I can stomach allowing him to get in touch with you?"


    In the face of her mother''s earnest persuasion, Lily rested her chin on her hand, looking a bit listless as she nodded and replied, "Alright then. I''ll go and meet him, then."


    Just then, something shattered from the side. Lily instinctively looked over and saw a bald man standing up in shock, staring out of the window next to him. "Boss, did you see that?! Those ships have just disappeared into thin air!"


    The others on the third floor turned toward the distant docks and were surprised to find that the docked ships had truly disappeared.


    "So what? If the ships are no longer there, then they must have sailed away."


    "No, boss, that''s impossible! The bigger the ship, the harder it is to turn it around. How can such massive ships just turn around and leave? And they disappeared so quickly as well!"


    Realizing that they had attracted the attention of the other customers, Johnson frowned and pulled the bald man down back to his seat. He also wanted to know what had happened, but he did not have to ask any questions.


    The people nearby would soon tell him the answer to his burning question.


    Johnson''s attentionnded on the family of the beautiful young woman nearby. Judging from their decent clothes, they had to be a wealthy family from the central district. Perhaps they might give him the answer to his burning question.


    "Lily, don''t sit like that. Sit properly. Do you really think that it''s appropriate for ady to kneel on a chair just to look at the docks?"


    Lily sat up properly and stared at her father before saying, "Dad, I heard some people saying that the navy fleet was teleported back to the ind from their previous expedition by Goddess Sparkle. I think She''s the reason behind the ships'' disappearance just now.


    Lily''s mother shook her head lightly, signaling at her to remain silent. Goddess Sparkle had amassed quite a few followers on Hope Ind, and if Her believers were to find out that they were talking about Her, they''d surely get in trouble.


    "I also heard them say that Goddess Sparkle calls the Governor ''Daddy.'' Daddy, what do you think? Is it true? Since Goddess Sparkle is a Divinity, what would you call the father of a Divinity?"


    Oliver''s brows were knitted tightly as he shook his head and replied, "You should not believe in those rumors, and we shouldn''t casually discuss the Governor. I met the Governor a long time ago, and he''s a human being."


    "But so many ships disappeared in an instant! Who else can do something like that except for a Divinity?!" Lily eximed, sounding thrilled as if she had just discovered something taboo.


    Oliver remained silent, but the truth was that he had long heard about the rumors that had been circting throughout Hope Ind for quite a while now, and he actually believed them. Those rumors were the reason he wanted his daughter to be a part of Hope Ind''s upper echelons.


    Meanwhile, Johnson next to them had heard everything they said, and a tinge of fear shed in his eyes. The Governor of Hope Ind was a Divinity? That had to be a lie, right?


    He instinctively believed that it had to be a lie, but the inexplicable disappearance of the warships in the docks left him with no choice but to believe it.


    Johnson lost all of his appetite and couldn''t continue with his meal. His mind was upied with many different thoughts about the idea that Governor Charles of Hope Ind could be a Divinity.


    The idea made him feel extremely nervous, and his previous calm andposed demeanor was nowhere to be found.


    There was something Johnson hadn''t told his henchmen, and it was the fact that he had survived an encounter with a Divinity. His survival was an incredibly rare feat, even throughout the Subterranean Sea, but it did not make the ordeal less terrifying.


    Johnson was aware¡ªpainfully aware of just how terrifying Divinities were.


    "Let''s go! We''re going to the docks!" Johnson eximed with pale lips, and his eyes were filled with a deep sense of fear as he rushed to the docks.


    Johnson rushed down the bustling Second Street, and he only had one thought in mind¡ªleave Hope Ind. Regardless of whether the rumor was true or not, he had to leave Hope Ind as soon as possible!


    A piercing car horn echoed, interrupting Johnson''s train of thought. He looked up and saw a pure white limousine with gold rims driving toward them. The car looked like something that even the rich couldn''t easily afford.


    The people nearby took off their hats and bowed to the car. The sight startled Johnson, and his expression turned grim.


    Just then, a little girl Nene walked past him.


    "Little girl," Johnson called out to her. "Can you tell me whose car is that?"


    Nene turned to look at Johnson and replied, "That''s the Governor''s car."


    Johnson felt a shiver down his spine at the oing car, and scenes that were buried in the deepest recesses of his mind shed before him, throwing him into a panic.


    When the car finally drove past him, Johnson could not hold on any longer and copsed to the ground. He curled up into a ball and quivered in fear, refusing to even look up.


    Johnson''s mouth was wide open, and his saliva dripped down freely from his lips. He was so terrified that he looked like he was about to die from fear.


    Johnson''s henchmen were terrified upon seeing their boss'' reaction, and they cast a horrified gaze at the distant car.


    Just then, Nene added, "But Sparkle said that her father doesn''t really like riding in a car. I think the Governor isn''t in that car."

 Chapter 822: Worlds Crown

    Chapter 822: World''s Crown


    "Maya! Quick! Give me your hand!" Gauss eximed anxiously at his wife, who was trying to climb up the clifftop.


    Maya quivered, and fear was evident on her face as she pushed her feet into the holes in the cliff to climb up the clifftop.


    "Maybe we should just forget it. It''s too high up here. It''s too dangerous."


    "Stop the nonsense and give me your hand!" Gauss shouted, sounding impatient.


    Maya raised her hand and swung it toward Gauss'' palm. Gauss'' filthy palm then caught Maya''s palm in midair and pulled her up in one fell swoop. The two breathed in ragged pants as they hugged each other while standing on the clifftop.


    They had finally escaped; they were finally free.


    It took them a long while to calm their agitated hearts. Once they were calm enough, they looked down at the ring-shaped world in astonishment.


    The two stewed in their awe, astonished by the fact that they actually managed to escape with their lives.


    Just then, a golden light shone on them from above, and a mouse glowing with the same golden light descended in front of them.Gauss trembled all over upon seeing the giant mouse more than twice his size. He raised a trembling hand and pulled his wife behind him before whipping out a stone knife from his waist. The stone knife was polished to the extreme that it glimmered beneath the golden light.


    Lily looked down at the tiny people before her and raised her tiny paw to her mouth, shushing at them. "<em>Shh! </em>Sparkle isn''t here, but stay quiet. She mustn''t find out that I''ve taken you away."


    With that, Lily swooped to snatch them before flying toward the window on the side.


    Gauss and Maya were soon out of the window, and the ruins of the World''s Crown appeared before them. In their eyes, Lily included, the ruins were towering mountains.


    Lily flew at a low altitude, and just as she flew over a "mountain," Gauss made his move.


    He raised the stone knife in his hand and thrust it fiercely into Lily''s tiny paw.


    "<em>Ah!</em>" Lily eximed in pain and unconsciously let go of Gauss and Maya.


    Gauss plummeted toward a "mountain," and he hugged his wife in midair to ensure that he''d take the brunt of the impact.


    Upon impact with the ground, Gauss rolled to break his fall before standing up immediately and running down the "mountain."


    "Ah! Don''t go that way! This mushroom is extremely high! Come here, and I''ll bring you down myself. Trust me! I''m a good mouse!" Lily dove toward them like an airne.


    Unfortunately, Gauss didn''t believe the giant mouse''s words. His goals were to evade the golden mouse''s chase and get on a boat to leave this ind with his wife.


    Gauss was sweating profusely from the exertion. Just as he felt like he was about to run out of stamina, he spotted a hole and decided to seek refuge in it. He grabbed his wife and was about to jump into the hole when the ground trembled violently, kicking up a pungent cloud of dust.


    Gauss was swept off his feet, and he fell to the ground while holding his wife as tightly as he could in his arm. When themotion seemed to have ceased, Gauss looked up, and his jaw fell to the ground. A colossal figure was before him.


    The colossal figure was so massive that it blotted out both the sun and the sky.


    The colossal figure appeared to be an elongated and deformed infant.


    Before Gauss could do anything, the colossal infant''s toothless mouth opened wide, and it started crying. Then, it made a beeline for Gauss while scattering its milky-red tears everywhere.


    The colossal infant generated so much tears that it seemed to drown Gauss and his wife, but before they were overwhelmed by the tears, a colossal tentacle riddled with glowing eyeballs stretched out from above and rolled them up.


    Lily stared at Sparkle, who was looking down at the two tiny people that she had captured with her tentacles, and hesitantly said, "Sparkle, why don''t you let them go? They''re really pitiful living in that ce."


    "Pitiful? I don''t think they''re pitiful. They have plenty of food and drink inside, and there''s no danger to their lives. How can you say that they''re pitiful?" Sparkle asked. Then, a white light shed repeatedly, along with dull thuds; it seemed like a heavy object would hit the ground every time there was a sh of white light.


    Before Lily couldprehend what was going on, monsters in a variety of sizes and shapes were revealed before her. Despite the differences in size and body shape, they all looked like the deformed infant from earlier.


    As soon as theynded on the ground, they dispersed and used the debris nearby to hide their grotesque forms.


    Sparkle started counting their numbers, and that was when Lily snapped back to reality and flew toward Sparkle''s shoulder.


    "What... what are they...?" Lily asked, her astonishment evident on her furry face.


    "They''re my brothers and sisters. The Foundation is no more, but more than half of them are still alive, which is truly a surprise. I guess 004 didn''t take them seriously."


    "<em>Oooh¡ªhuh?</em>"


    Sparkle looked at the monsters down below with pity in her eyes. "I saw them killing each other on the ind and felt a bit sorry for them, so I decided to bring them over here.


    "I''m their elder sister, but I can''t do much for them. The only thing that I can do for them is to ensure that they won''t be forced to devour each other for survival."


    "Brothers and sisters? Does that mean that they''re Charles''..." The tiny mouse''s mouth opened wide, revealing her tiny front teeth.


    Sparkle noticed Lily''s shock and decided to exin the whole story to her.


    Lily finally understood what was going on, and she muttered, "So that''s what happened. The Foundation is so awful. And Mr. Charles is so pitiful..."


    "Don''t feel too sorry for them. They are your targets for yourbat training. Having strength is not enough; you also need to know how to use it in many different scenarios."


    "If I be even stronger, will Mr. Charles let me stay on the ship rather than drive me away if he ever wants to do something again?" Lily asked. Her gaze wasplicated as she stared at the deformed monsters down below.


    "It all depends on the level of strength you''ll achieve. If Daddy ends up finding himself in trouble in the future, then it means his enemies are extremely dangerous. Right now, you are too weak to help him."


    Lily clenched her tiny paws. A surge of gentle sunlight swept out of her figure, vanquishing the darkness. "Mmhm! I''ll do my best, then. I will not be a burden!"


    "You got this," Sparkle said, grabbing Lily and tossing her toward the deformed monsters. "I can heal them, so you can injure and cripple them. However, you must not kill them."


    Lily was about to respond when three shadowy figures shot out from the ruins and charged at her before she couldnd.


    A muffled thud echoed as Lily was sent flying into a wall. The wall cracked open, and a cloud of dust enveloped Lily.


    When the dusty Lily floated out of the cloud of dust, she found out that she had been surrounded by the deformed monsters.


    These deformed monsters would devour each other when no one else was around, but against an outsider, they''d unite by virtue of their blood ties and bare their teeth against theirmon enemy.


    Lily pouted, looking aggrieved. She blinked her reddened eyes and muttered, "I''m not afraid of pain. I can withstand this. I can help Mr. Charles."


    Sparkle looked at the chaos down below and began instructing Lily from up above.


    "You have to hold back. If ten percent of strength is enough, then don''t use twenty percent. The more cards you have up your sleeves, the higher your chances of winning."


    "Too slow! Faster! Remember¡ªyou can''t always rely on the power inside you."


    Lily improved by leaps and bounds under Sparkle''s guidance. This was due to both Lily''s hard work and the fact that they were using the Divine Light Order''s techniques for using the Light God''s radiant light, of which they found in the ruins of the Divine Light Order.


    The gentle sunlight radiating from Lily''s figure was sometimes strong and sometimes weak as it illuminated the sky above the World''s Crown. The warm sunlightsted for quite a while, only dimming at midnight.


    The exhausted Lily sprawled out in Sparkle''s palm. Her golden fur no longer appeared as radiant as hours ago, and Lily herself was breathing roughly; her chest heaved up and down rapidly out of exhaustion.


    "Your potential is massive, Lily. Your strength depends entirely on how much control you have over the power within you. It''s going to take a while, but you might be the new Light God once you have full control over the power within you."

 Chapter 823: Penultimate

    Chapter 823: Penultimate


    Lily sat up abruptly, and her voice was filled with excitement as she said, "Does that mean that if I be strong enough, I''ll eventually be able to be human again?"


    "Probably. I''m not too sure about what happens after bing a god, but the Light God managed to revive you, so it shouldn''t be that difficult for you to take on another form."


    Sparkle''s words seemed to imbue Lily''s exhausted figure with energy. She struggled to stand up on Sparkle''s palm. Then, she made her way to the tip of Sparkle''s thumb before jumping toward the ruins down below.


    Sparkle reached out and caught her. "Let''s call it a day. You may not be tired, but my siblings are tired. Later, I''ll catch a whale to nourish them."


    With a sh of white light, Lily found herself in the Governor''s Mansion of Hope Ind. It was alreadyte at night, so the Governor''s Mansion was extremely quiet. In the darkness, Lily walked down the soft carpet toward her room.


    "<em>Ah¡­ </em>it hurts." Lily rubbed her belly with her tiny paws.


    Just then, a pair of green eyes appeared in the darkness.


    Lily sensed it and turned around but was met with a pink cat tongue licking her face. The pink cat tongue belonged to none other than ckie, Lily''s pet. After giving Lily a few licks, ckie crouched down and tilted its head, rubbing its face against the former''s furry figure.


    "ckie, I have no time to y with you tonight. I''m so tired. I just want to sleep now," Lily said. Even her voice sounded exhausted."<em>Meow~</em>" The cat seemed to understand Lily''s words. It gently picked up Lily by her nape and walked quietly down the corridor.


    When they passed by Charles'' bedroom door, Lily made the cat stop. She pressed herself against the door and listened carefully for a while before crawling through the "mouse hole" next to the door.


    Lily climbed onto the bed and looked at the sleeping Charles. She squatted there quietly, and her eyes the size of mung beans were filled with deep affection.


    "Mr. Charles, don''t worry. I''m not going to be useless. I''ll definitely be able to help you in the future," Lily said. She tiptoed to the pillow beside Charles and pushed it a few times, creating a tiny dent in the soft pillow. She then curled up inside and hugged her tiny tail.


    The exhausted Lily quickly fell asleep.


    Upon noticing that she was already asleep, Charles opened his eye. He was already awake as soon as Lily walked past the door of his bedroom. His years of experience out at sea had made him unable to let his guard down even in his own home.


    A hint of tenderness flitted across Charles'' lone eye as he stared at Lily sleeping next to him. He pulled up the nket gently and covered her with it.


    The warm nket prompted Lily to scoot over to it. Then, her front teeth the size of rice grains were revealed as she opened her mouth and started talking in her sleep. "Mr. Charles, I''m useful... don''t abandon me... I have no home anymore... I have nothing but you..."


    Charles looked at Lily and fell into deep contemtion. Eventually, he took out his diary from his clothes next to him and flipped to the farthest page with content; the page had a fewrge characters written on it that said, "Wish List."


    There were many lines written below the title, but they had been crossed out.


    Charles took out a pen and wrote down a new wish¡ªMake Lily human again.


    ***


    The holes in the canopy above Hope Ind were opened once again, allowing the radiant sunlight outside to illuminate the ind, signaling the start of a new day.


    The inders of Hope Ind began their work for the new day, and so did the Governor of Hope Ind.


    Charles was sitting in his armchair, gently twirling Lily''s little ears with his fingers while frowning and listening to the reports from the crew of the recon-type submarines that he had sent to investigate SITE 6.


    "Currently, the perpetual mist in the Sea of Mist has dissipated. The inds marked on the map you gave us have all been explored. We''ve confirmed the destruction of the Foundation, and there is nothing that can pose a threat to us in the Sea of Mist.


    "We also did not find any traces of 004. Every single crew that joined us in the expedition had gone through psychological tests, and we did not find any abnormalities in them.


    "We discovered clones of the Foundation members on the Shattered Isles. Their ages are abnormal, and we suspect that they have been subjected to 004''s influence."


    Charles'' brows were knitted as he pondered over the report while ying with Lily''s soft fur with his hand. Eventually, he turned to Lily and said, "Go out and y for now."


    Lily looked up at him and nodded with a smile before turning around and walking out of the room.


    As soon as Lily left, the air in the room cooled down. Charles tapped on the table with his steel fingers while in deep thought. In the end, he turned to Bandages and said, "Bandages, go and find a group of people to deal with those clones.


    "Those clones must be eliminated, or they''ll be a big headache in the future."


    The Foundation had indeed saved his life, but it didn''t mean that Charles would forget about the fact that the feud between himself and the Foundation ran deep.


    If those clones were to create the next generation of the Foundation, the humans of the Subterranean Sea would suffer once more.


    Bandage sitting on the sofa next to him shook his head, which was a pretty rare sight. "No soldiers... left... Anna¡­ took... them all¡­ to suppress... the Fhtagn¡­ Covenant..."


    "Then visit our police department and borrow some personnel. It''s best to borrow those who have assimted a relic. You can also look for the explorers who explored the surface world with us. Even a ragtag bunch is enough to eliminate those clones; what matters is that they are useful."


    Bandages nodded wordlessly. He then stood up and walked out of the door.


    Charles asked for some more information about the Sea of Mist and frowned as he swept his gaze across the jars on the cab next to him. He wasn''t just going to retrieve his skull and scalp in the Sea of Mist.


    He also had to think about retrieving everything that the Foundation had left behind.


    The secrets and technologies of the Foundation would definitely affect the vested interests of many people. If even a portion of those were acquired by others, the peaceful Subterranean Sea would most likely be chaotic once again.


    Fortunately, Charles had a great opportunity before him. The attention of the entire Subterranean Sea was on the Eastern Seas, so this was the perfect time for him to clean up the Sea of Mist.


    Charles sat up straight and stared at the detailed nautical chart before him.


    He then fell into deep contemtion as he began nning the voyage.


    Just then, a tentacle swept past his face, seemingly trying to catch his attention, but he didn''t even look up as he asked, "You''re back already? Aren''t you on the front lines? How''s the battle going?"


    Anna raised her hips slightly and sat on the detailed nautical chart. "I got Sparkle to send me back. I heard you were going to the Foundation''s territory, so I came back here to take a look."


    "Everything else doesn''t really matter, but you must take away that Divinity''s corpse! The Foundation had so many Pedes; they must have created them using the flesh and blood of that corpse. In other words, that corpse is a priceless treasure."


    Charles looked up at Anna''s beautiful face and asked, "Do you really think that 004 will leave something like that for us to take? From the information we''ve gathered about It so far, It seems to have the habit of devouring other gods."


    "You can''t speak in absolutes. What if It doesn''t eat dead gods? Anyway, remember to leave the good stuff for me, and how about we make it a deal?" Anna asked. She then flipped her hand, revealing a familiar spider eye.

 Chapter 824: Preparations

    Chapter 824: Preparations


    "And why are you always opposing me? Are you really on my side? I also told you that I''m just going to take a look. And what if 004 doesn''t like to eat dead gods?" Anna grumbled.


    Charles looked at his wife and sighed softly, "If that corpse is still there, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to devour It yourself?"


    "Of course, It can''t be devoured directly. That''s a Divinity''s Corpse we''re talking about here!


    "Since the Foundation managed to make use of It in more ways than one, then we should be able to find techniques on how to do the same in their ruins. We can just follow in their footsteps. We can use It the same way they were using it.


    "Don''t worry, I''m more thorough than you when ites to safety. Nothing will go wrong. I don''t want to die, either." Anna wrapped her arms around Charles'' neck and stared at him with a smile.


    "Take it slow. If I managed to absorb Pede''s corpse and be a god myself, then you''ll be able to save one of your three wishes."


    Charles put his hands on Anna''s shoulders and looked closely into her eyes. "Anna, trust me. What you''re about to do is really dangerous. Bing a god may not necessarily be a good thing.


    "It''s highly likely to be an eternal curse. Can you wait? Wait until I''ve figured out what exactly gods are before making a choice."


    A hint of disdain appeared on Anna''s face as she replied, "Alright, alright, let''s just talk about it when we get there. I don''t want to argue with you over something that hasn''t even happened yet. Let''s go and see if that thing is still there."Anna took out a spider eye and said, "Here, why haven''t you put one on yet? Are you waiting for me to urge you to wear one? Is it fun to see only in one eye?"


    Charles sighed helplessly. Anna was changing the subject. She didn''t want him to warn her about anything.


    "I probably might not need it anymore, so I have no ns of putting that on. It''s also troublesome to feed the spider every few days, and I can see fine with just one eye."


    "What about your looks? Have you never considered that at all? You look terrible with just one eye," Anna said. She stretched two fingers into Charles'' sunken eye socket and pulled it gently before stuffing the spider eye into it. "See? You already look much better. Anyway, I''m leaving. Inform me once you find Pede''s corpse."


    Anna snapped her fingers, and her gorgeous figure disappeared with a sh of white light.


    As Anna''s fragrance dissipated slowly from the room, Charles fell into deep contemtion. After a while, he took out the pen tucked in his chest pocket and opened his diary, writing a line on the wish list.


    A dull thud echoed as Charles closed the diary. He then picked up the nautical chart on the table and started walking toward the door.


    The news of the governor setting sail again spread throughout Hope Ind. The inders spected if the ongoing battle in the Eastern Seas was a bit more difficult than the governor had expected or if there were other crises to handle.


    Charles couldn''t care less about the inders'' opinions. His authoritarian rule meant that he could issue orders whenever he wanted, and he did not need to exin his orders to anyone.


    Fortunately, Hope Ind''s public offices and ministries had long gotten used to Charles'' antics, and they moved quickly, resolving the logistical issues that would hamper Charles'' expedition.


    Meanwhile, the crew members of the Narwhale were getting a bit restless; they were looking forward to joining Charles'' uing expedition, as they weren''t allowed to join the previous one.


    Soon, envelopes with the seal of the Governor''s Mansion were delivered to their mailboxes, but the news contained within the letter erased any thoughts of joining the expedition.


    The letter only had one sentence that said, "Stay put."


    A listless Dipp was sitting on a leather sofa inside avishly decorated hall. There was an envelope in his hand, and the letter contained more words than everyone else had received.


    <em>Kid, you better not sneak onto the ship. Otherwise, you better not me me for erasing you from the family tree.</em>


    Dipp revealed a helpless look as he cast his gaze at his wife, who was cleaning the barrel of a gun. "This is unfair. If they really want to use people from District 3, I should be one of those people. Why are you going there in my stead?"


    Aliya flipped her hair with a quick jerk of her head, and her wine-red hair draped on her back, revealing the scorpion tattoo on her fair neck. "You haven''t figured it out yet? The Governor doesn''t want you to go out at sea anymore. In other words, you can just retire and live peacefully on the ind."


    "<em>Haaa¡­ </em>I''ve gotten so used to sailing that I feel so ufortable not doing anything at all," Dipp remarked, scratching the gills on his neck.


    Once her weapon was clean, Aliya holstered it gently into her thigh holster and walked up to Dipp. "It''s going to be the same even if I go there in your stead. It''s actually much better because I can take advantage of this opportunity to make preparations for the future."


    "What future?" Dipp asked, staring at his wife with a puzzled expression.


    "Of course, I''m talking about the Governor''s sessor. Think about it, you''re the only male heir of the Reed family. If the Governor somehow dies or gets involved in a serious ident, then you''ll be the next governor of Hope Ind.


    "The entire Northern Sea will be ours by then.


    "I used to think that you were just a reckless, immature boy. I didn''t expect you to make that kind of move. You really surprised me. It seems that the Governor''s weakness is still his family."


    "What are you talking about?!" Dipp was furious. "You better not say such things again, or I''m really going to get mad. The captain can''t die, and he can''t get involved in a serious ident, either!"


    Aliya revealed a smug look and replied, "Who can say that for sure? I remember you told me that thete ship doctor of your ship had to use some potent medicine to save the Governor''s life.


    "Due to their side effects, he can only live up to the age of forty at most. You''ve been by his side for the longest time among the crew, so tell me¡ªhow old is he now?"


    Dipp froze, feeling like he was suddenly standing inside an icy cavern. The next moment, his figure dispersed into a blue mist that rushed outside, making a beeline for the harbor district.


    Aliya picked up the bag containing her relics and walked outside. When she arrived at the docks, she saw her husband talking to the Governor of Hope Ind with an anxious face.


    In stark contrast, the Governor remained calm. The sight of that allowed Aliya to reach two conclusions¡ªthe Governor had already found a solution to that issue, and the other was that he had alreadye to terms with it.


    "Enough, say no more. Your task is to go back home and do your job," Charles said, staring at his boatswain with furrowed brows.


    "Nothing is more important than life, Captain! Quick! Tell everyone toe here, so we can brainstorm a solution to this problem! You must not die, Captain!"


    Charles didn''t bother to argue with Dipp. He waved his hand, and eight invisible tentacles sprang up from the ground. They wrapped around Dipp before throwing him toward a distant roof.


    "That kid is getting worried for nothing. If I really had to wait for his reminder, I''m afraid I wouldn''t even have enough time to prepare a coffin for myself," Charles joked, turning to Bandages next to him.


    "The issue¡­ with your body... has been... resolved?" Bandages asked, sounding surprised. The truth was that he had actually never seen Charles handle that issue at all.

 Chapter 825: Iceberg

    Chapter 825: Iceberg


    "<em>Hahaha!</em>" Charlesughed boisterously upon hearing his first mate''s question. It was rare to see himugh like this. "Are you talking about what Doctor said about how I wouldn''t live past forty? He lied. Otherwise, he would have been more frantic than me. I mean, just think about his fiery temper."


    "Really¡­?" Bandages seemed a bit unconvinced.


    Charles seemed to have thought of something, and his smile faded. He sounded a bit emotional as he said, "Do you still remember the secret that he tried to say on his deathbed?"


    "I only found out after Linda examined me the other day. The so-called secret that would make me resent him was probably the fact that he lied when he said that I wouldn''t live past forty. He was actually just trying to scare me.


    "If he were still alive today, he''d be a hundred years old now. He''s so old, but he actually pulled off such a childish joke. I guess they weren''t lying when they said that the older a person gets, the more childish they be."


    Bandages'' lips curled up into a faint, stiff smile upon recalling that scene. "Hahaha¡­ hahaha¡­ it is... actually funny..."


    Charles turned to look in the direction of Laesto''s grave and said, "He was such a good doctor that I''m convinced he knew when he was going to die. However, he did not tell me that and remained silent until the end.


    "He timed it well, and he seeded at using his own death as a prank. Of course, I don''t know if he cut himself off on purpose or if it was an ident. Either way, that was such a brilliant prank.


    "Once I find myself on my deathbed one day, I''m going to pull the same prank. I''m going to make someone feel like dying to know the answer.""What''s wrong?" Charles asked upon sensing his first mate''s stern gaze.


    "You... very much¡­ feel like someone..."


    "Who?"


    "Yourte persona¡­ Richard..."


    Charles'' smile faded. He looked at the distant sea and nodded gently. "Actually, Richard was just me¡ªan extremely cheerful version of me. Let me tell you a secret¡ªon the surface world, my personality was exactly the same as Richard''s."


    The atmosphere between the two became a bit somber.


    "Forget it. Let''s not talk about what happened so long ago. Anyway, the people are here, but where are the ships?" Charles asked.


    Just as Bandages was about to answer, a massive, strange-looking ind appeared before the docks. It was an artificial ind made out of scrapped ships. Once home to notorious pirates, it was none other than Sottom.


    "Hope Ind... has run out of warships... so... we talked to¡­ the Governor of Whereto... and recruited... her Sottom¡­ for this¡­ expedition," Bandages replied.


    Looking at the rows of cannons protruding from Sottom, Charles nodded and replied, "Alright, that thing is massive. Gather everyone and prepare to board.


    "By the way, Bandages, we''re not going to do anythingplicated, so you don''t have toe along this time."


    Bandages turned to stare at his captain. In the end, he said nothing and merely nodded before turning around and walking into Hope Ind''s Second Street, which led directly to the central district.


    For some reason, Bandages'' disappearing figure looked a bit dejected in Charles'' eyes.


    "Daddy, what are you looking at?" Sparkle asked, walking up to Charles. She had just teleported Sottom to Hope Ind.


    "Nothing." Charles shook his head, "Let''s get on board."


    The two of them soon found themselves inside 134''s former residence. The pirates operating Sottom stood neatly in a row with eyes full of fear. They lowered their heads, not daring to meet Charles'' gaze.


    Charles could still remember how these pirates had fired their guns and hurled explosives at him during his previous visit to Sottom to acquire a nautical chart.


    In stark contrast to what had transpired long ago, the pirates before him had be meek and quiet.


    Once the people outside had boarded Sottom, there was a sh of white light, and the massive artificial ind vanished from Hope Ind''s docks.


    When the pirates of Sottom came to their senses, they found that the ring sunlight had disappeared. They were once again shrouded in the perpetual darkness of the Subterranean Sea.


    Moreover, the air was cold¡ªcold enough that white mist emerged from Charles'' mouth as he ordered, "There''s something odd with the temperature. Switch on every single searchlight!"


    Momentster, more than ten beams of light pierced the darkness, and a massive iceberg covered in white snow was revealed before everyone.


    Charles cast a dumbfounded gaze at the iceberg. He had never seen an iceberg back when he was still being held captive in SITE 6. He took out the nautical chart and nced at it before turning to look at his daughter next to him. "Sparkle, are you sure this is SITE 6? Is this really the ce that I told you about?"


    "Yeah, that''s right. We''re here. As for why it became like this, I''m not too sure. Maybe a containment breach happened inside the site or something," Sparkle replied.


    Charles passed down the order to circle the massive iceberg, and a colossal corpse suspended in midair soon came into view. The sight of it meant that they were definitely in SITE 6.


    The people on Sottom clutched their heads in pain upon pping their eyes on the distant corpse of a Divinity. In response, Charles hurriedly sounded the retreat.


    Charles'' brows were furrowed in contemtion. It didn''t matter where the iceberg hade from; they wouldn''t be able to progress unless the iceberg was cleared.


    There was a ssh as Charles jumped into the icy cold sea. The scene down below made Charles'' frown be even tighter. The iceberg wasn''t floating freely in water and was actually connected to the seabed down below.


    Unfortunately, it had also engulfed SITE 6, which was an underwater site. In other words, they''d still have to clear the iceberg if they wanted to ess it from down below.


    Charles emerged from the sea,pletely drenched.


    "Dad, I found one solution to this," Sparkle said, waving her index finger. "Give me a moment."


    Before Charles could ask anything, Sparkle turned and ordered everyone to retreat from the deck and enter the cabin down below. Sparkle''s orders told Charles everything he needed to know, and he easily deduced Sparkle''s solution.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    There was a sh of white light, and a massive, ring halo appeared above the colossal iceberg. It was none other than Dawn One, which had been hanging above Hope Ind.


    Charles'' eyes narrowed. He looked at it through a monoscope and saw Lily floating in the middle of the massive inverted triangle within the ring halo.


    "Mr. Charles!" Lily eximed. Her figure emitting a golden light carved a gold streak of light as she flew across the sky like a shooting star, crashing into Charles'' chest.


    "You can take full control of Dawn One?" Charles asked, holding Lily in his hand.


    "Mmhm, I can. The lighting from this friend of mine feels reallyfortable for me. It''s like the same light from inside of me, which is why I can borrow its power," Lily replied.


    Charles muttered a few words to Lily before thetter flew up and returned to the massive inverted triangle in the sky.


    Once Sottom had moved to a safe enough distance, Lily closed her eyes and focused on the warm sunlight around her.


    Dawn One trembled slightly and descended slowly onto the iceberg. Its circr figure became extremely dazzling. The light from it became so radiant that just closing one''s eyes wasn''t enough¡ªone had to turn one''s back to it.


    Beneath the scorching and radiant sunlight, blocks of ice the size of cars slid off the iceberg and crashed into the boiling seawater down below.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    That reveal... I don''t how how I should feel about it. But at the same time, why does it feel like that''s not the actual truth???</blockquote>

 Chapter 826: Aliya

    Chapter 826: Aliya


    The iceberg began to melt beneath the scorching sunlight. The chunks of floating ice in the sea started to turn thin and brittle. Soon after, they shattered upon impact with the waves and merged with the sea once more.


    The radiant sunlight not only melted the iceberg but vanquished the darkness as well, which allowed everyone to take a clear look at what was beneath the ink-green seawater.


    Regardless of what was beneath the foul-smelling, dirty, and turbid seawater, they were all forced to retreat along with the darkness.


    The radiant sun rays that were deadly to the humans of the Subterranean Sea were not deadly to them, but they had been living their entire lives in the pitch-ck darkness of the sea, so they were averse to the piercing sunlight.


    The lightsted for a long time. Even Charles, who had formidable defense power, felt like his skin could no longer withstand the scorching heat. Fortunately, the light dimmed before he had to take countermeasures against the heat.


    Charles squinted and took a closer look at the iceberg. More than half of the colossal iceberg had been melted, and the ruins of the Foundation''s site were finally before him.


    The rising steam made SITE 6 appear distorted to the eye, and the surging waves added only to the mystical scene, making Charles feel as if he were staring at a magicalnd.


    "Sparkle, send Dawn One back to Hope Ind. The inders are probably panicking by now with the sudden disappearance of the sunlight," Charles said to his daughter.


    "But the iceberg hasn''t meltedpletely. Why don''t we let Lily roast it some more?""No need," Charles said, shaking his head. "What I''m looking for is still inside. I''m afraid they''ll sustain some damage if we continue any further."


    With that, Dawn One shining brightly like the noon sun, disappeared instantly, and the darkness that had been driven away by the sunlight enveloped everything once again.


    The people on board Sottom walked out of the cabin and looked around. Upon confirming that the source of the radiant sunlight was no longer around, they all sighed in relief.


    In the past, the darkness was dangerous, but now it was the other way around.


    When the heat around the distant iceberg was no longer scorching, the colossal Sottom slowly approached SITE 6.


    Everything in SITE 6 was wet, and there were some structures wrapped in melting but solid ice. However, the environment didn''t hinder Charles from sending people to search for his skull and scalp.


    SITE 6 became totally unrecognizable due to the ice and the scorching heat. Fortunately, Charles had been here before. He looked around and barely recognized the elevator shaft that had shattered into several sections.


    The shaft was filled with solid ice, but Hope Ind''s engineering team could make quick work of such an obstacle.


    The people brought over bright spotlights and allowed the engineering team to work on the shaft. They sted the shaft with powerful explosives and started working on clearing the area of ice.


    Staring at the crowd going to and fro, Charles turned to Sparkle beside him and said, "Go around and take a look. Themotion earlier was big, so I''m worried that we might have attracted something."


    "Mmhm, if there is anything like that, I''ll drive them away myself," Sparkle said, and her figure disappeared from the spot.


    The engineering team worked fast. Soon, the elevator shaft was cleared of any ice.


    The recruited explorers then began their descent into the shaft with headlights around their heads.


    Charles had onlye here for his skull and scalp, and he had no need for anything else except for those. Charles believed that the Foundation wouldn''t possibly store his skull and scalp in a highly fortified location.


    Time passed by quickly, and a map of SITE 6 soon before Charles.


    It was made bypiling the reports from the explorer teams. The entire SITE 6 didn''t look that much different from when he was held captive here. However, there were debris and fractures everywhere, making the search more difficult.


    SITE 6''s condition was so bad that if it hadn''t been for the ice, it would have copsed long ago.


    Charles was sitting on a wet, raised iron te, and was munching on some dry biscuits when a table of steaming, sumptuous lunch was respectfully pushed over by two cooks toward Charles.


    There were a rotisserie chicken stuffed with fruits and nuts, a variety of seafood drizzled with some kind of sauce, and a foie gras pie surrounded by a thick mushroom gravy.


    A nce was enough to tell that these dishes had taken a lot of effort to make.


    "Did you take my order as a puff of wind passing by your ears? I ordered a simple lunch. Is this your definition of ''simple''?" Charles asked, sweeping his gaze across the two cooks.


    The two cooks couldn''t help but tremble in their spots at Charles'' words.


    Crisp footsteps echoed just then as a figure with wine-red hair walked up to Charles. The figure was none other than Dipp''s wife, Aliya.


    "I asked them to make these for you, Governor. If it made you angry, then I apologize," Aliya exined.


    Charles nced at the scorpion tattoo on her neck and turned to the brightly lit elevator shaft in the distance.


    "Governor, I heard you''ve acknowledged Dipp as a member of your Reed family. Should I change the way I address you?" Aliya asked with a smile.


    Charles stuffed thest bit of the dry biscuit in his hand into his mouth and replied, "Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. You''re doing pretty well in District 3, so just keep doing a good job.


    "You shouldn''t intervene in matters where you''re not good at. I know you''re smart, and I''m sure you also know my bottom line. If you cross that line, then don''t me me for not showing any mercy."


    "Yes," Aliya nodded. "You''re right. I''m here to do my job as well."


    "Speaking of my job, then I have a question for you, Governor. You have a myriad of mice monitoring the entire ind for you, which means that you must be aware of every single secret throughout the ind.


    "Have you noticed that the thoughts and memories of many inders have been altered?" Aliya asked. Then, she took out a folded piece of paper from her pocket and handed it over to Charles. "This is a list made by District 3, and it contains the names of people whose memories seemed to have been altered.


    "People from the Navy, the Administrative Department, and even people in the military are on that list. We found traces of memory alteration even among the members of District 3, which is under mymand."


    Aliya went silent after that.


    She believed that Governor Charles would understand what she was trying to say.


    Charles reached out two fingers and epted the piece of paper.


    There was a snapping sound as a lightning arc sparked and reduced the paper into ashes that fell slowly toward the wet ground.


    Aliya nced at the ashes on the ground and added, "District 3 has also noticed a massive increase in the number of missing persons throughout the Northern Seas."


    "The culprits behind it are skilled and meticulous, leaving no clues for us to track down. We suspect that it''s the work of a syndicate."


    "Is that so? What does that have to do with me? Do you expect me to give any advice on that?" Charles asked.


    "When Governor Anna went out with the fleet, our people bypassed the Minister of Administration Leonardo and delivered our findings to your desk. It appears that you did not receive it."


    Aliya wasn''t stating it explicitly, but the implied meaning behind her words was unmistakable.


    "Governor, forgive your subordinate for being nosy, but Hope Ind belongs to the Reed Family, after all, so we must protect it. Even in the entire Subterranean Sea, there isn''t another ind as rich and as bountiful as Hope Ind, so we must protect it from those with ulterior motives and ensure that it will not be stolen away from us."


    Charles stared deeply at the woman before him and said, "You''re not a pirate anymore. Curb that aggressive demeanor of yours. Dipp cannot be the governor. He''s not cut out for it, and that kid may not even want to be the governor."

 Chapter 827: Information

    Chapter 827: Information


    Aliya''s beautiful brows furrowed upon hearing Charles'' response. Her expression turned to that of reluctance as she muttered, "But¡ª"


    Before she could finish, however, Charles stood up and walked toward the elevator shaft in the distance.


    "Sparkle, I''ll go down and take a look. You keep an eye on the things up here. If anything happens, contact me through the diary," Charles said.


    d in a white dress, Sparkle nodded gently andnded next to Aliya.


    When Sparkle saw thevish spread of food before her, her eyes lit up. She opened her mouth and devoured the food, including the tes and even the bones.


    The members of the engineering team offered a headlight to Charles, but he declined the offer and went straight to the elevator shaft.


    Charles looked down and saw a ropedder that led all the way to the bottom of the shaft, but instead of using thedder, he kicked off of the ground lightly and jumped straight down.


    The hoistway doors on each floor had been forced open, and Charles could see dim light down the corridors. The lights were from the exploration teams that had gone down earlier.


    They were all busy searching for Charles'' skull and scalp. Everyone was focused on the task at hand. It couldn''t be helped, as Charles had offered tempting rewards that no one could resist.Charles had offered mary rewards and also some things that money couldn''t buy.


    A freefall was always faster than a controlled descent, so Charles quickly caught up to the exploration teams that had gone ahead of him. He could already hear explosions nearby. Those explosions were made by the engineering team in their attempts to break through the ice.


    The air became colder and colder the deeper he went, and when Charles finally arrived at the furthest hoistway door that the engineering team had cleared, the temperatures had gotten so low that every debris in the corridor was frozen solid.


    Charles was in one of the Foundation sites, but he felt like he was in a cial cavern somewhere in Antarctica. The solid ice was both a bad and a good thing.


    If the other ces in SITE 6 were frozen solid like this as well, then it''d be safe to assume that there weren''t any enemies throughout SITE 6. It was only a matter of time before Charles'' skull was found.


    The explorers in the distance approached Charles. "Governor."


    "What''s going on? No issues so far, right?" Charles asked.


    "No issues so far. If there''s an issue, then it has to be this ice. It''s too tough, and there is so much ice that it''s taking us quite a while just to clear a path."


    Charles willed, and his invincible tentacles sprang up. They moved around quickly and avoided the explorers as they mmed into the ice. The tough ice seemed weak before Charles'' tentacles as he peeled them off the walls and ceiling.


    Charles stumbled upon a table in the distance and walked up to it. He took out the rough map of SITE 6 and took out a pen from his chest pocket before drawing a circle on the map.


    Charles then turned to the explorers behind him and said, "Leave this ce to me. Go and tell the people sting in the shaft that they should prioritize the floor that I marked on this map."


    The marked floor was the floor where Charles was dissected, so there was a high chance that his skull and scalp were on that floor.


    "Understood."


    The explorers left the floor, leaving Charles by himself.


    Once the explorers were out of sight, Charles turned and walked toward the big table in the distance. It wasn''t his first time seeing the table. It looked just like an ordinary table, but it was actually aputer.


    The only reason it looked like a table was that there was no power throughout the site. Fortunately, Charles had plenty of electricity at his disposal. He groped around the table and soon found the charging cable.


    He cut open the charging cable with a chainsaw and a tentacle with a steady stream of electricity coursing through it wrapped around the charging cable. In just a few seconds, theputer came to life.


    A hologram popped up, and it was a hologram of a familiar logo featuring three arrows pointing inward. The logo rotated a few times before a three-dimensional user interface was projected above the table.


    Charles'' fingers danced across the table, and it took him no time to ess the Foundation''s database. The content disyed on the screen was still the same content on the day of the Foundation''s demise. The sight made Charles feel like the Foundation''s destruction happened a lifetime ago.


    Charles pondered briefly over what he ought to type in.


    Eventually, he typed in the word "god" using the Subterranean Sea''snguage.


    <em>"Gods are the real threat to mankind. We can stop or even make use of other existences, but gods are different. Gods are mysterious unobservable beings, and we don''t know much about them even now. At the moment, all we know is that the gods harbor a powerful energy within them.</em>


    <em>"Sadly, we cannot observe them properly nor conduct any experiments on them, and it is all because gods cannot be contained and are extremely dangerous. Most importantly, every time we attempt to observe them, we are brought under their influence through those special whisperings.</em>


    <em>(Link to the analysis and attempts to decipher thenguage of the gods: ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€)</em>


    <em>"If no attempts to iste oneself from the source of the whispers are made, the whispers will slowly affect your mind; you''ll be irritable, suspicious, paranoid, depressed, and finally, you will go crazy.</em>


    <em>"On the contrary, the day you''ve be resilient enough to face a god, or as soon as you begin toprehend their words, then it means that you''re in a more dangerous situation. It means that they have influenced youpletely.</em>


    <em>"We are unaware of how they are doing it, but we''ve confirmed that they are using a method that cannot be perceived by human beings.</em>


    <em>"Moreover, each god has their own unique abilities, and it is simply impossible for us to know the connections between them or if some of them are rted by blood.</em>


    <em>"Our knowledge about them is a confused assortment of pieces of information in no particr order. In conclusion, we know very little about gods, and the saddest thing is that we can''t observe them for an extended period of time.</em>


    <em>"It is highly likely that the more we know about them, the more they know about us as well. There is an extremely serious consequence to that, and this isn''t a mere assumption. The DS-level scenario caused by Dr. ¨€¨€¨€ must serve as a lesson."</em>


    Charles stared at the information before him for a long time. Then, he fell into deep contemtion and emerged from it momentster. His fingers danced lightly across the projected keyboard, adding the words "bing a" to the search bar.


    "<em>Bing a god? What a brazen idea you have there, my friend. I don''t know who you are, but I wanted to know the answer to that question as well. Unfortunately, it is definitely impossible.</em>


    <em>"The previous generation''s Experiment Dawn and Dr. Pede''s sacrifice has told us that bing a god isn''t the easiest way for humans to attain eternal life. In fact, it is not even a feasible method.</em>


    <em>"Bing a god or borrowing the power of a god¡­ none of them are a good choice. Doing either of those two means abandoning one''s humanity. You will no longer be human by then.</em>


    <em>"Your perception, your consciousness, and every aspect of you will cease to be human. If a human being bes a god, do they still count as a human being?</em>


    <em>"To put it simply, can the meager brain cells of human beings truly control so much power? Pour a bowl of wine into the sea, and the sea will still be the sea. Do it the other way around, and the wine is no longer considered wine.</em>


    <em>"By then, are you truly controlling that boundless energy, or is the boundless energy controlling you? In the end, we know too little about them; we know too little about the gods.</em>

 Chapter 828: Database

    Chapter 828: Database


    In the damp, cold darkness of the room, Charles stared at the information on theputer screen and sank into a deep silence. Not only did the Foundation''s data fail to answer his questions, it even deepened his doubts about bing a god.


    It seemed that the idea of bing a god was far from being a good option. Merely acquiring divine power was likely the path to destruction as well.


    At this thought, Charles became more cautious about the wishes 005 promised to grant him. Recklessly attaining power that didn''t belong to oneself was a highly risky gamble and would definitely be apanied by disaster. He could not afford to forget the lesson learned from Experiment Dawn carried out by the first generation of the Foundation.


    Yet at the same time, Charles also understood that if he wanted to solidify his position in the Subterranean Sea, he needed formidable power equivalent to that of a god. There had to be a trade off.


    Charles pondered for a long moment before he opened his journal again. Stroke by stroke, he wrote down his final wish. Finally, he had decided on his three wishes.


    Staring at the three wishes jotted down on the page before him, Charles'' gaze was calm and unreadable. Perhaps these three wishes wouldn''t be able to solve all his problems but they were the best he coulde up with after much meticulous deliberation.


    "Good or bad, this shall be it," Charles muttered to himself, his voice with a hint of calmness. He didn''t want to hesitate any longer; he had spent far too long hesitating over this.


    After settling the wishes, Charles didn''t leave immediately. He stayed and looked up again at the holographic interface before him. After a moment of thought, his fingers danced across the keyboard again.


    This time, Charles attempted to search for more useful intel from the Foundation''s database. Yet, the returned results were far from ideal.Theputer was filled with mostly useless data. Everything Charles needed to know had already been known, and the others that he didn''t couldn''t be found in theputer either.


    Charles lingered in the cold, damp room for two hours. When he looked away from theputer screen and at the new watch on his wrist, he decided to search for onest item. His fingers moved quickly over the keyboard and he typed the search term: 001.


    Within seconds, a series of neatly arranged files rapidly appeared on the screen.


    Without hesitating for even a single second, Charles clicked on the first file. A new window appeared and apletely new, unseen document about 001 opened up before his eyes.


    <em>Project ID: 001</em>


    <em>Project Name: Genesis of Chaos</em>


    <em>Project Containment:</em><strong><em> 001 cannot be contained. There is absolutely only one Project 001.</em></strong>


    <em>Description: 001 is thebination of two single-digit projects. It was first mentioned in the ramblings of Dr. L3, who had already gonepletely mad.</em>


    <em>It represents an extremely terrifying possibility. We initially wanted to dismiss this as the delusional ramblings of a madman. However, Dr. L3 managed to convince every member of the GK Council with his unsettlingly precise set of data.</em>


    <em>Note: At the time of record, Dr. L3 is in a severe state of mental deterioration. Any grammatical or linguistic errors in his statements are faithfully recorded.</em>


    <em>Statement: We... we were wrong... all of us, wrong! Every single assumption, every thought, it''s all wrong! We always thought¡ªno, we knew 003 and 002 were separate, independent, but no, it''s a mistake, a mistake!</em>


    <em>Yes, yes, from what we can see, what we think we see¡ªone''s this purple-glowing thing up on the surface, and the other is... this thing, this monster in the deep, down there in the sea, but... but... listen to me!</em>


    <em>We, our human senses¡ªthey''re broken, useless! We cannot see, we can''t perceive the gods, not like they really are! They''re not... they''re NOT WHAT WE THINK!</em>


    <em>003 and 002...the radiation, the data, look at the data! (see Appendix 1) It''s in the data! I was wrong, we were wrong! They''re one, they''re not isted! They''re connected, they''re one thing!</em>


    <em>Imagine 001 as a snake... YES! A snake! 003 is its head, and 002 is... is its tail!</em>


    <em>NO! NO! NO, THAT''S WRONG! It''s worse, it''s far worse! We''re thinking too small¡­ too small! 001 isn''t a snake, it''s... it''s a hand! YES! A hand! The purple glow on the surface is only... only the pinky finger! The thumb, the Great One! And, and between them, between the fingers is us, Earth. We are trapped between THEM!</em>


    <em>We... we don''t even know what 001 is! They call me crazy, but LOOK AT THE DATA! I am NOT crazy!</em>


    <em>We have to tell everyone! Everyone has to know! Not to worship¡ª no, no, no, it doesn''t want that, it doesn''t need our worship, no! What we need is to... to get AWAY! To get FAR AWAY! We have to leave! Escape! This, this ticking bomb!</em>


    Charles'' brows furrowed as he scanned through the information on the screen. Yet another new 001.


    He quickly recalled the intel the Foundation had once told him¡ªevery 001 document was true, but only a portion of each spoke the truth.


    One would need to sift out the authentic portion from every single 001 document, piece them together to get the full intel of 001.


    Fragments of the different 001 files shed through Charles'' mind. The perhaps-true-perhaps-false information shed and merged.


    Several different conjectures revolved in Charles'' mind, but he couldn''t discern which was the real deal. Or worse, maybe none of them were real.


    As his thoughts spiraled, the tentacles wrapped around his head tightened ever so slightly, sending a dull pressure through his skull.


    "Fuck this!" Charles cursed in frustration. "Forget it! What does 001 have anything to do with me? Why the fuck am I so concerned over it? My only goal is to find my scalp and skull."


    With that, Charles turned away from the screen, ready to leave the room.


    Just then, the soft scraping of boots on ice resonated in the room. Charles turned his head sharply toward the remnants of ice on the right wall.


    Though the sensation vanished as soon as it appeared, Charles'' heightened senses had caught it for that mere fraction of a second: something was watching him.


    <em>Thud. Thud. Thud.</em>


    Charles slowly walked toward the source; the translucent ice sheet before him grewrger with each step.


    The triangr sheet of ice was about half his height, its apex connected to the ceiling above.


    A hint of confusion rose in Charles'' eye as he stared at the ice before him. <em>I thought I had cleared the ice from the surrounding walls earlier with my tentacles? How did this patch form again?</em>


    Charles pondered on his next move for a brief moment before he raised his steel prosthetic arm and hooked it around the edge of the ice. With a gentle tug, the ice cracked and splintered. The sheet of ice on the wall, along with the icicles on the ceiling, fell away with gravity and crashed onto the ground.


    As the ice shattered, a circr mirror about the size of a human head was exposed before Charles. Due to the darkness in the room, Charles'' reflection couldn''t be reflected in the mirror. The mirror only showed a deep ckness.


    Recalling the earlier gaze that vanished rapidly, Charles became more wary of the mirror before him.


    <em>Is that one of the Foundation''s relics?</em> Charles thought to himself.


    He circled around the room cautiously but found the idea to be rather unlikely. No matter how he looked at it, the ce he was in looked more like an office than a containment cell for a relic.


    Moreover, even if the Foundation were to truly contain a relic, they would never just hang it so simple and open on a wall without any security protocols.


    Charles couldn''t figure out what the mirror was or why it was here. And since he couldn''t discern it, the safest route was to not touch it. With that thought in mind, he kept his eye on the mirror and took a series of slow, measured steps back until he was out of the room.


    The moment Charles was out of sight, the temperature in the dark room plummeted. First, a fineyer of frost spread across the floor, followed by a creeping thin sheet of ice. Then, a chilling cold began to enveloped everything in the room.

 Chapter 829: Fissures

    Chapter 829: Fissures


    Charles arrived at the bottom of the elevator shaft. The moment he arrived at the noisy, chaotic space, a young man with a nose ring called out to him from the nearby elevator entrance.


    Holding a jar filled with a brown, murky liquid in his hands, the young man raised it up to Charles. "Esteemed Governor, I was just about to go look for you. Could this be what you are looking for?"


    Charles'' attention sharpened as he quickly reached out and took the jar from the young man.


    He shook it gently and managed to catch glimpses of a half-round skull submerged in the brown liquid that was flecked with bits of ice. Charles pried open the wax-sealed lid.


    Before the young man could even ask how they should confirm its authenticity, he watched in shock as the Governor of Hope Ind plunged his metal hand into the jar. The man wiped it down slightly before cing it directly on his head.


    Charles closed his eyes as he tried to focus on the sensations. After a moment, his face was painted with disappointment as he took the skull off. "No, it''s toorge. This isn''t mine. Where did you find this?"


    The young man was taken aback for a split second. He then quickly gathered himself and led Charles toward a sloping path in the distance.


    After walking for several minutes along the uneven slope, they arrived at a dpidated specimen room.


    The room was filled with jars and containers, though they were either shattered or frozen solid. Within the specimen room, several men were carefully cleaning and sorting through the remaining intact specimens. The room looked exactly like the kind of ce one might store a skull."There''s no need to be so cautious," Charles instructed. "It''s fine even if the skull is broken. All that matters is finding it."


    005 had only requested him to retrieve everything he had lost. She hadn''t specified that they needed to be intact. It wouldn''t matter even if his skull was broken into pieces; he just needed to find it.


    Transparent tentacles shot up from the ground and thrashed wildly at the surroundings encased in ice. ss shards and chunks of ice scattered through the air as the room was cleared with brutal efficiency.


    Despite the chaotic and violent method, the search progressed quickly. It didn''t take long before the entire specimen room had been cleared of ice.


    The group meticulously inspected each jar, but unfortunately, Charles'' skull wasn''t among them. However, he found something far more intriguing. He found other parts of his body.


    Charles crouched before the few jars lined up in front of him. The several chunks of flesh within the jars were encased in ayer of frost.


    Those were samples of his organs, harvested by the Foundation''s sadistic doctor after they had captured him.


    Charles couldn''t recognize most of the samples, but he could definitely recognize thatrge chunk of his liver. After all, he vividly remembered watching it being removed from his body.


    After that, the Foundation had even taken these organs, mixed them with other things, and created countless monstrosities on that forsaken nt ind.


    Charles immediately ordered the nearby explorers to bring the samples along. Since 005 had asked for him to retrieve everything he had lost, these body parts should be included in the list too.


    To make transportation more convenient, the fragmented organ pieces were all transferred into a single jar. With a gentle shake, the chunks of flesh bobbed in the preservation liquid. If one didn''t know better, they would have thought the jar was just frozen meat stew.


    With the jar in hand, Charles returned to the elevator shaft. He took a look at the map of SITE 6 and calcted his current position. He approached the demolition crew that was still sting through the iceyers within the shaft.


    "How much longer until we reach the bottommost floor?" Charles asked.


    The man''s lips were a deep shade of purple due to the bone-chilling cold. His lips trembled as he shouted, "Governor! Because of the confined space and the increasingly thick ice the deeper we go, we can''t urately assess the situation below and are unable to give an exact time!"


    "It doesn''t have to be exact. Just an estimation will do."


    "If we work in shifts for 24 hours non stop, and there are no otherplications, we''ll need at least ten days!"


    A hint of irritation shed across Charles'' countenance. The lengthy timeline was getting on his nerves, but he didn''t push for the demolition team to go faster. If it took longer, so be it.


    Cradling the jar in his arms, Charles stepped onto the ropedder and began his climb upward.


    The young explorer from earlier didn''t follow Charles. He chose to remain below with the demolition crew and helped to transport the broken ice into the specimen room they had just cleared.


    The descent was quick, but climbing back up was slower. After about five minutes of steady ascent, Charles found himself back at the entrance where he had previously essed theputer.


    A faint cold mist was still blowing out of the entrance. After a brief moment of hesitation, Charles jumped in and pulled out a ck spike from his prosthetic arm, intending to scratch a warning on the wall.


    Just as he was about to finish scribbling his warning, he nced inside instinctively. Suspicion was stirring within him.


    The mirror on the wall was once again coated in a thickyer of frost, and theputer he had used not long ago was simrly encased in ice.


    <em>Could that mirror be the source of the entire SITE 6 being encased in ice?</em> Charles thought. At the same time, warning bells began to ring in his head as he approached the mirror with heightened caution.


    As the sound of shattering ss echoed through the cold air, chunks of ice fell from the wall, and the ck mirror revealed itself before Charles once again.


    Charles thought for a moment before he reached into his eye socket to pluck out the spider. With a flick, he tossed it onto the surface of the mirror. The hairy legs of the spider skittered across the ss, scraping the surface as it glided.


    When the same peculiar sensation appeared again, something clicked in Charles'' mind. Bright electric arcs crackled in the air, briefly illuminating the dark room. Yet, despite the new light source, the mirror remained pitch ck.


    It was not a mirror!


    Charles hurried forward; he raised his steel arm and smashed the surface. With a loud crack, shards flew in all directions, and the ck surface fractured into spiderwebs of fissures.


    <em>This isn''t a mirror! It''s a round opening covered in ice! All the ice in this room is spreading out of this hole!</em>


    Just then, Charles felt that unsettling sensation of being watched once more. The source of that feeling was unmistakable now. It came from the ckness behind the icy round hole. Something was in there watching him from the frozen abyss.


    Charles quickly pried away more of the shattered ice. Deep in the frozen darkness, he could make out several white, curved fissures.


    At first nce, the fissures looked like nothing more than cracks in the ice. But as Charles focused his gaze, he could see that the marks vaguely resembled the outline of a person.


    And the sensation of being watched came from those very cracks.


    Whatever it was, since it could observe him, then they were definitely intelligent.


    The moment Charles realized their existence, a wave of unease washed over him. Previously, he had thought that the entire SITE 6 was safe since it had been fully encased in ice. No external threats would be able to enter.


    But what if something could move within the ice?


    Charles bolted toward the elevator shaft as fast as his legs would carry him. He shouted both upward and downward. "Everyone! Evacuate this ce immediately! Now!"


    A piercing warning rm from Sottom sted through the air. People began to fill the elevator shaft as they scrambled frantically up the ropedders toward the exit.


    In the face of an unknown being, an overwhelming unease was gnawing at Charles'' heart. That feeling even intensified when he returned to the icy opening and saw that the cracks¡ªthose human-shaped fissures deep within the ice¡ªhad vanished.


    "Ahhhhhhh!"


    A sudden, blood-curdling scream pierced the air from somewhere above. Charles snapped his head upward just in time to see a man wearing a heamp plummeting toward the bottom of the shaft.


    An invisible tentacle extended and caught the man mid-fall, pulling him to safety. When Charles returned to the elevator entrance, a cold shiver ran down his spine. The very same humanoid fissures he had seen earlier were now etched across the ice surrounding the elevator entrance.


    They were everywhere!

 Chapter 830: SITE 6

    Chapter 830: SITE 6


    The humanoid fissures began to spider across the icy walls. As their bodies started splitting open ever so slightly, a bone-chilling wind, visible to the eye, seeped out and spread through the elevator shaft.


    The temperature plummeted to a deadly cold within a mere few seconds.


    The icy gust brushed against one of the workers wearing a mining helmet. His body instantly turned an eerie shade of indigo; his strength was sapped out of him, and he limply plummeted down the shaft.


    When his body passed by the young explorer, the boy instinctively reached out to grab him, only to hear a sickening crack. A frozen arm broke off and remained in his grip while the rest of the man''s body continued its fall toward the depths below.


    Horror gripped the onlookers as they let out gasps of despair. It was evident that even the slightest touch of that freezing air meant death.


    As he watched the icy chill creep closer to those still climbing the ropedders, Charles rushed into the elevator shaft.


    His gaze snapped upward, and in an instant, transparent tentacles sparked with electric arcs sprouted from the walls like seagrass swaying in the wind.


    Some of the tentacles froze instantly. But more tentacles rose and thrashed wildly, striking the humanoid fissures on the ice.


    Theyers of ice shattered like ss, and their perilous situation was eased."Attack the ice!" Charles shouted. "Those things can only exist within the ice! Without ice, they have no ground to stand on!"


    The explorers didn''t need to be told twice and started their retaliation against the unknown entities.


    In an instant, the elevator shaft descended into mayhem. Humanoid fissures encased in shattered ice fragments and frozen corpses continuously rained down from above.


    Clearly, both sides suffered losses. Yet, it was evident that Charles and his group were gaining the upper hand. They just had to make it out of the elevator shaft, and the entire ind would be in peril.


    Charles knew it. Those things knew it too. They wouldn''t let this happen without a fight.


    Just as Charles steadily scaled the ropedder with the jar of organs in his arm, a sudden uproar erupted from above.


    "This is bad! The exit''s shrinking! They''re trying to trap us in here!"


    Anxiety struck Charles. He wanted to move faster, but thedder was already packed with people above him, blocking the way.


    With no other options, his leg muscles tensed up, and he kicked off hard against the wall.


    He soared through the air momentarily before his steel prosthetic arm shot out and clung to the opposite wall.


    He then triggered the teleportation ability of the relic within him. Sticking close to the wall, Charles repeatedly vanished and reappeared, each time moving closer to the top of the shaft.


    Just as the familiar pain hit his stomach once again, he was finally close to the upper end of the elevator shaft. However, the exit that should have been there was gone. In its ce was ayer of ice that grew thicker by the second.


    <em>Do you really think this can stop me? </em>Charles'' figure began to mutate, and within moments, a massive bat monster filled the narrow confines of the shaft.


    From below, the beams of several miners'' heamps cut through the darkness to illuminate Charles'' mutated form. Under everyone''s gazes, the monstrous bat opened its grotesque maw to let out a deafening screech.


    The sharp-pitched soundwave echoed through the tight space causing everyone below to clutch their ears in agony. At the same time, the ice sealing the exit began to crack and splinter. It didn''t take long for the frozen barrier to crumble and the exit to reappear once again.


    Charles not only saw the exit, but also the fissure creatures amongst the icy dust. They ovepped with each other, their forms like cryptic characters that moved within the solid ice.


    He braced himself for a hard fight, but the moment he saw the glow of green, cross-shaped pupils at the exit, he knew it was over.


    Those eyes belonged to his daughter. The young girl, whose appearance resembled that of a fabled elf, stood at the exit.


    With a gentle tap of her bare, delicate feet, she gracefully leaped into the elevator shaft.


    Her dress, white like snow, red as a mass of green, liquid-filled tentacles exploded outward to fill up the entire shaft.


    Be it the chilling ice, or the humanoid fissures, they were rapidly engulfed by Sparkle''s tentacles. Of course, Charles and the remaining survivors who hadn''t managed to escape were being swallowed as well.


    When Charles focused again, he realized that he was back on Sottom. Or, to put it more urately, Sparkle transported the entire elevator shaft of SITE6 onto Sottom.


    The twisted white metal shaft nowy sprawled across the artificial ind. Combined with the melting ice that pooled around it, it resembled the discarded intestine of some unknown creature.


    Aliya led the others into a rescue operation and rapidly helped those inside the shaft out.


    Sparkle extended her right hand to support her father, who had reverted to his human form. With hints of reproach in her voice, she rebuked, "Didn''t we agree that you''d call me if things got dangerous? Why didn''t you call for me earlier?"


    Drenched from melted ice water, Charles gently shook off her arm. "Who knew what those things were? What if they hurt you too? Besides, the situation earlier wasn''t that dangerous enough yet."


    Charles'' gaze then drifted to the distant SITE 6, which was illuminated by the harsh re of Sottom''s searchlights. The areas that had been melted by Lily were now slowly freezing over again as a thinyer of frost started encroaching on them. On top of that, the cold was spreading in all directions. Those things weren''t giving up.


    With a burst of white light, Sparkle''s figure vanished and reappeared almost immediately. Arge block of ice appeared before them and there were twoplete humanoid fissures encased within.


    Sparkle raised her hand to touch the ice. Charles tried to stop her, but Sparkle''s fingers merely phased through his arm and touched the cracks on the ice.


    "Dad, these things are really strange. They don''t have a physical form," Sparkle remarked.


    "What''s so strange about that? The Subterranean Sea is full of things without physical forms. I wonder why they are so intent on upying this site. Is there something special about it? Is it some kind of sacred ground for them?" Charles replied as he stared at the distant site with a furrowed brow while his mind raced with strategies to deal with the creatures.


    Sparkle shook her head. She pried a piece of ice from the block and casually nibbled on it. "No, that''s not it. They''re not ghosts or spirits. Actually, they''re the opposite of us."


    "What do you mean? Did you figure out what they are?" Charles asked.


    "Mhm¡­" Sparkle pursed her lips before continuing, "When I say they don''t have a physical form, I mean¡­ how should I put it? They are like bubbles in seawater; they are fissures between solids."


    Charles raised an eyebrow. "You mean, they are the fissures themselves? What kind of fissures possess intelligence? They even have the power to freeze everything around them."


    "I''m not too sure about that. I didn''t get that information from tasting them," Sparkle replied with a nonchnt shrug.


    Charles stared at the distant SITE 6 for a few more moments before he turned to the side and shouted, "Aliya! Ry my orders: Sottom''s cannons to full power. Obliterate the site!"


    If those things existed by clinging to solid matter, there was a straightforward solution to dealing with them. They only had to destroy the solid foundation they existed on, and those creatures that relied on the ice would vanish along with it.


    "Daddy, do you need me to go?" Sparkle''s delicate face lit up with eagerness.

 Chapter 831: Solution

    Chapter 831: Solution


    "Just stay here," Charles immediately rejected the suggestion. "We''re humans. If we can take care of something using tools, there''s no need for us to risk our lives."


    Sparkle had grown incredibly strong, but it was still better to be safe than sorry. What if something inside could harm his daughter? Even if it couldn''t kill her and could only harm just one of her tentacles, it still wouldn''t be worth it.


    The Governor of Hope Ind''smand quickly spread throughout Sottom. Soon, several massive cannons jutted out of Sottom''s hull. These cannons were Sottom''s original cannons, but the shells that were being loaded into the cannons were Hope Ind''stest andrgest shells.


    The threaded silver shells were so heavy that it took four people to load them into the cannons.


    <em>Boom! Boom! Boom! </em>


    Once the shells were loaded, the cannons were fired, and deafening explosions reverberated throughout Sottom. SITE 6 was instantly engulfed in mes. No spot was spared, as everything on the surface of the site received a baptism of fire and mes.


    It took no time for SITE 6 to be on the same level as the sea surface, and the bombingsted for a full thirty minutes. They only stopped when Sottom''s cannons showed signs of overheating.


    However, Charles'' wasn''t done yet. He whispered into the ck walkie-talkie, and three airships with a logo of a ck skull on their air bag took off from Sottom. The airships were dragging a spherical object the size of a house toward SITE 6.


    Under everyone''s gaze, the airship soon arrived above the elevator shaft. Gray smoke billowed out of the airships as they let go of the sphere, allowing it to fall straight into the pitch-ck elevator shaft down below.Charles'' expression was solemn at the sight. He raised his hand, and Sottom moved backward, slowly but steadily retreating from the ind.


    Two minutester, the ind remained silent. However, just as everyone thought that nothing was going to happen, their ears abruptly started buzzing.


    Before they could realize what was going on, an extremely powerful shockwave swept toward them from SITE 6.


    The shock wave was so powerful that many people on Sottom were thrown to the floor. They had retreated quite a distance away from SITE 6, but some of them still ended up getting injured by the shock wave.


    The Foundation''s SITE 6 evidently could not withstand such a powerful attack. The waves churned as the site copsed, and it sank slowly to the bottom of the sea.


    A deathly silence hung over Sottom at the distant turbid whirlpool beneath the searchlights. Many people surreptitiously nced at Charles with a hint of fear in their eyes.


    They weren''t afraid of relics, cold weapons, and hot weapons, but a power capable of sinking an entire ind was a different story altogether.


    Inds were everything in the Subterranean Sea, and Governor Charles had just sunk an entire ind before their eyes.


    One of the ship captains on Sottom couldn''t help but tremble. He was actually a chess piece¡ªJulio''s hidden chess piece. His job was to monitor and report the Northern Seas'' current affairs to Julio.


    However, the unbelievable sight that he had just witnessed made him change his mind. He decided to abandon his identity as a spy and live his life as one of Hope Ind''s ship captains. He believed that bing an enemy of such a powerful existence was a foolish decision that would surely lead to his death!


    Charles couldn''t care less about the thoughts of the many people on Sottom. He cast a satisfied gaze at the distant whirlpool. SITE 6''s destruction had to be a major blow to those humanoid fissures.


    "Aliya, send a submarine over there and give me a sitrep."


    Soon, the submarine returned and confirmed Charles'' theory. SITE 6 had be an underwater ruin, and the seawater was slowly melting away the ice. They also reported finding no traces of those humanoid fissures.


    Charles had achieved his goal of eliminating those humanoid fissures, but the fact that the site was now underwater added ayer ofplexity to the expedition.


    Earlier, they just had to explore a building on an ind, but now, they had to dive into the water and look for his skull inside the ruins on an underwater ind.


    Fortunately, they no longer faced any dangers. The divers in heavy diving suits and connected to long oxygen tubes began clearing the ruins of SITE 6 beneath the water.


    The site clearing was slow and dull, but Charles wasn''t in a hurry. If it was going to take a while, then so be it. Upon seeing that they were no longer in danger, Sparkle left to visit her mother.


    "And that''s it. Daddy wears a diving suit every day, and he stays more time underwater than onnd," Sparkle recounted to Anna inside a simple room.


    Anna was noting something down with a pen, and her hand stopped upon hearing Sparkle''s words. "Okay. It''s fine for him to take as much time as he needs. It''s not something precious for him to be so desperate to retrieve it, so he doesn''t have to be in such a hurry to find those broken bones."


    Sparkle walked up to Anna and gently massaged Anna''s shoulders. "Mom, how are things going here? Do you need my help?"


    Anna reached out with her right hand and patted Sparkle''s hand gently. "Don''t worry. The Fhtagn Covenant can no longer do anything explosive. What they did previously was their attempts at ast stand. Anyway, do you like seafood? The Eastern Seas has a ton of seafood for you to eat."


    The wall before them suddenly cracked open, and a brightly lit ind was revealed down below.


    The ind was the Iron Statue Ind in the Eastern Seas. The waters around the ind were full of floating corpses and burning ships. A deformed ck octopus was sprawled out beneath the massive iron statue.


    The octopus was massive, spanning at least several kilometers long. The octopus'' barbed suckers and the bizarre inscriptions on its slimy figure told every onlooker the power it possessed.


    Unfortunately, it was dead, and it perished a long time ago. The stench of decay emanating from the octopus permeated the ind, and the ink oozing from its figure gave the surrounding waters a pitch-ck hue.


    "It doesn''t look fresh," Sparkle said, shaking her head.


    "You''re such a picky eater. But it''s fine. You can live without eating, anyway," Anna replied.


    Sparkle pointed at the ships docked at the pier down below. "What are they doing?"


    "They''re in the middle of taking over this ind. As I said, our goal is to eliminate the Fhtagn Covenant. We''re in the Northern Seas, so we don''t need the resources and the inds of the Eastern Seas.


    "And do you really think that these bastards would be as diligent as they are now if it weren''t for the rewards I offered?"


    "Doesn''t that mean we''re losing out on this?" Sparkle asked, and her face revealed a tinge of regret.


    "We''re losing out? No way my n will result in us losing out. I told them that the inds are theirs, but the prisoners of the Fhtagn Covenant belong to me."


    "I really thought that the Eastern Seas would have a sparse poption. The sun''s baptism had killed many of them, after all, but guess what? The Fhtagn Covenant''s policies that urged the people to reproduce resulted in a poption boom. I think there are around twenty million people in the Eastern Seas."


    Sparkle blinked and stared calmly at her mother''s side profile. "Mommy, Hope Ind has no shortage of people."


    "I know. I have no ns of transporting these people to Hope Ind. I''m nning on using them here," Anna said casually, but the air in the room instantly became frigid.


    Anna only had one way to make use of the Subterranean Sea''s people.


    "Anyway, your daddy has really be quite arrogant," Anna said mockingly, "Does he really think that I can''t make do without him? That is not true at all. I have my own ways to achieve my goal."


    Sparkle''s brows furrowed as she fell into deep contemtion.


    "Why don''t we ask Daddy about what he thinks of your n first?"


    "Think about your father''s personality and ask yourself this¡ªwill he agree with what I''m about to do?


    "No."


    "There you have it. Since he''s not going to agree, why bother asking about what he thinks? Wouldn''t I be asking for trouble if I were to consult with him about this?"


    Anna looked down at the crowd on the ind that appeared to be smaller than ants. She was a god in the eyes of Fhtagn Covenant''s prisoners.


    "Ah, right. I forgot to ask you earlier. Is Pede''s corpse still there?"


    Sparkle swept her gaze across the prisoners down below and shook her head gently in response to her mother''s question. "The corpse isn''t there anymore."


    "Ah¡­ What a shame. I thought I could scrounge a free meal."

 Chapter 832: Retrieving the Skull

    Chapter 832: Retrieving the Skull


    d in a diving suit weighing over ny kilograms, Charles treaded the icy cold waters while staring at the divers clearing the underwater ruins of SITE 6.


    Smoke billowed out of the ships as they converged directly above SITE 6. They dropped their anchors and began using cranes to lift heavy debris and garbage out of SITE 6.


    It had been a full month since SITE 6 sank to the bottom of the sea. The humanoid fissures were never seen again, but Charles'' skull was still missing. Fortunately, Sottom was massive, so there were no major issues with supplies.


    <em>Did they take away my skull when they vanished? I don''t think so. It''s just an ordinary bone. What would they even do with my skull?</em> Charles thought, staring at SITE 6 through its thick ss.


    Just then, the searchlight that the members of the expedition team were using tomunicate with each other shed a few times, and arge concrete structure was dragged out of the ruins by three ship anchors.


    When the swirling silt settled down, Charles saw a huge pitch-ck mass being dragged out of the ruins as well.


    <em>That color... and that shape... </em>Charles'' heart quickened at the sight. He swung his heavy legs and charged forward as fast as he could, disregarding the silt that he was kicking up.


    When Charles was close enough, he saw that the huge pitch-ck solidified mass had wrapped around a hodgepodge of everything, including corpses, furniture, tablets, and damaged drones.


    Charles became more and more excited as he stared at it. The next moment, he propped himself up with both hands, and his invisible tentacles sprang up from down below.Under everyone''s gaze, Governor Charles lifted the massive pitch-ck mass by himself.


    The nearby divers rushed to his side to help with anchors in their hands. Soon, therge pitch-ck mass spanning hundreds of meters in size was hauled up onto Sottom''s deck.


    "Remove this ck coating, and clean whatever is inside," Charles ordered.


    The people on Sottom gathered around the pitch-ck mass and used sharp tools to crack it open.


    Charles was familiar with the pitch-ck mass. He was in the middle of a so-called "interaction experiment" when the Foundation''s rms rang, and a viscous, cement-like liquid was poured into the room. The viscous, cement-like liquid submerged everything in that room, including his skull.


    The viscous, cement-like liquid had solidified into a substance harder than steel, so everyone was having a hard time cracking it open with just their tools.


    Fortunately, the explorers had plenty of relics at their disposal, and they had assault-type relics as well. Soon, the objects inside were dragged out. The corpses of the attendant of the gods, ss doors, and the operating table where Charles'' skull was cut open.


    Eventually, Charles'' heart skipped a beat. A semicircr object with ck hair was dragged out of the pitch-ck mass.


    The object was shriveled and tiny, looking like a child''s cap, but Charles instantly identified it as his skull. He even picked it up and put it on his head, which matched perfectly.


    A jar full of preservative liquid specially prepared by Linda was then brought out from the ship. Charles smiled in satisfaction when he saw his shriveled scalp stretching out slowly in the jar.


    The second tost organ was found. Now, there was only one left. He just needed to find his left arm, and he''d be able to make use of his three wishes from 005.


    Sottom''s low horn pervaded the sea region. The lighthouse ships and salvage ships made their way to Sottom upon hearing the horn, as the horn signaled to everyone that their mission on SITE 6 wasplete and that they had to return to begin their next task¡ªthe purging of the Foundation members'' clones.


    Sparkle returned as well and got ready to teleport Sottom to another ind. The young girl''s expression was a bitplicated as she stared at her father, who was staring at the two jars of organs beneath the deskmp.


    "How are things on your mom''s side?" Charles asked without looking up.


    "It''s going fine."


    Charles sensed his daughter''splicated emotions through her voice. He looked up and stared at her.


    "What''s wrong? Did the Fhtagn Covenant have another trump card that ended upplicating things there?


    "That can''t be the case. Every armed force in the Subterranean Sea has joined forces to corner them, so there is no way any of their cards can turn the tables around unless they can truly make use of Fhtagn''s power. Unfortunately for them, Fhtagn isn''t going to pay them any attention," Charles remarked.


    Sparkle revealed a hesitant look. She looked like she wanted to say something but was hesitating to do so.


    Charles put down the jar in his hand and walked up to the young girl.


    "Tell me, what exactly is going on?" Charles asked, staring straight at Sparkle.


    Sparkle remained silent and stewed in her own hesitation.


    Just then, there was knocking on the cabin door next to them.


    "Governor, are you avable right now? There''s a situation outside."


    "Since you don''t want to say it, then forget it. I can deduce from your face alone that Anna isn''t in any danger. I''ll just ask her when shees back," Charles said, patting Sparkle''s head lightly before walking toward the door.


    Charles'' steel hand gripped the door handle and turned it hard.


    Aliya''s stern face appeared before Charles, and her voice was equally stern as she said, "Captain, the salvage team has discovered something bizarre in the underwater ruins."


    "Something bizarre? Are they talking about those humanoid fissures encased in ice? It doesn''t matter even if they''re back. We''re about to leave, and we''re not going back here anymore."


    "I don''t know how to describe it," Aliya said, shaking her head. "It''s best if you go there and check it personally."


    Charles was a bit surprised. Everything valuable had already been fished out; was there really something else of significance in the ruins of SITE 6?


    Charles put on his heavy diving suit with an oxygen tank and dove into the icy cold water with a <em>ssh</em>. Sparkle followed her father toward SITE 6, and they discovered an icyyer beneath the messy ruins.


    "Governor, take a closer look at what''s inside the icyyer," Aliya said, her voice echoing from the speaker inside Charles'' diving suit.


    The father and daughter pair slowly made their way to the icyyer. The bright searchlights from up above pierced the transparent iceyer, exposing everything inside.


    The icyyer contained only frozen equipment and a variety of items. There weren''t any monsters at all. The objects entombed by the ice seemed like they''d forever be encased in ice.


    It was a normal sight, but Charles found it to be a bit jarring.


    However, he couldn''t say what was jarring about the sight.


    "Governor, there''s more here, too," Aliya said, swimming downward.


    Sparkle moved nonstop, whisking away the debris, allowing Charles to dig deeper and deeper into the icyyer. The upperyer of ice that encased SITE 6 had been blown up, but the icyyer beneath SITE 6 remained untouched and was still covered in a thick sheet of ice.


    Charles constantly looked around while swimming downward. At first, he couldn''t see anything other than broken objects and debris, but as he swam deeper and deeper, he found fewer and fewer debris and broken objects.

 Chapter 833: Acquaintance

    Chapter 833: Acquaintance


    Charles soon made his way to the bottom, and his expression became solemn when he turned to the right. A neat-looking modern bedroom was to the right amidst the ice.


    The simple ceiling, the wallpaper depicting a forest, and the smooth bed sheets told Charles that things were far moreplicated than he initially assumed.


    <em>I previously thought those humanoid fissures had frozen this ce because the Foundation was hiding something they needed to hide, but it seems that I''m wrong; they froze the entire SITE 6 to repair it surreptitiously!</em>


    Without a doubt, this was bad news. The deep sea monsters of the Subterranean Sea couldn''t possibly do something asplex as these, so the ones doing the repairs were definitely the Foundation''s maintenance workers!


    It seemed that the reconstruction was ongoing. In other words, the Foundation was still around; they hadn''t been annihted! The existence of the Foundation''s previous generation was a great danger to both Charles and the Subterranean Sea.


    If they were allowed to rise from the ashes, the Subterranean Sea would be utterly doomed!


    "Blow this up for me!" Charlesmanded. Hundreds of divers rushed down, dragging powerful bombs with them.


    They carved out holes in the eye and shoved explosives in them before igniting those explosives. In no time, the final stretch of SITE 6 was blown up into two sections, apanied by the churning of the icy cold seawater.


    Charles couldn''t even be bothered to wait for the silt to settle as he rushed forward and saw a cavern the size of a football field amidst a densework of pipes strewn across the seafloor. The traces left in the cavern told Charles that something or perhaps someone inside had made a frantic escape!


    Aliya possessed excellent investigative skills, and she moved quickly to the traces, examining them carefully. "Governor, the silt covering these traces tells me that these traces are at least a month old."


    Charles'' expression became stern upon hearing the report. Then, his legs moved swiftly, propelling him upward. If what was inside the cavern had already escaped a month ago, there was no way they could catch up to it now.


    They had to think of another way to iste it.


    Soon, Sottom was whisked away, and it teleported toward ind after ind throughout the Sea of Mist. They captured the clones of the Foundation members, who had miraculously survived the ordeal on that day and had settled in the nearby inds.


    The clones of the Foundation members had a wide age range¡ªfrom infants unable to walk to elderly people with canes. To make matters worse, there was something strange with their minds.


    However, Charles knew that their minds were normal for people under 004''s influence. He couldn''t really care less whether they were lunatics or not; they just had to have a functioning brain.


    Anna wasn''t around, so Sparkle was responsible for scanning their brains for any useful information. To Charles'' disappointment, however, the clones knew nothing about the Foundation''s contingency n.


    There was a high chance that these clones simply didn''t have a high enough clearance to know about the Foundation''s secret contingency n.


    <em>Bang, bang, bang!</em>


    Gunshots rang out, and a row of clones fell to the ground. Rather than fear, the remaining clones showed only grief and fury at the sight, and they cursed nonstop at Charles.


    When the clones'' cursing ceased, the smell of blood, gunpowder, and the salty sea breeze in the air created a repulsive stench. A staffer from Hope Ind Customs couldn''t withstand the stench and vomited right there and then.


    The staffer''s colleague nced nervously in Charles'' direction before hurriedly helping his colleague lest he incur the governor''s displeasure.


    Charles took a deep breath with his brows knitted tightly. The leads had run dry. It was unknown what had escaped nor where they had decided to seek refuge. How were they supposed to find them at this point?


    Ignoring them was not an option. They were talking about the Foundation here rather than some random indigenous organization in the Subterranean Sea. If the Foundation were allowed to grow, the humans of the Subterranean Sea would surely face another catastrophe in just ten years.


    The Foundation''s level of technology made Charles feel very certain about his assumption.


    "Do you want me to look for them in the sea? I''ve gotten quite fast at that," Sparkle asked.


    Charles was a bit tempted, but he still shook his head and said, "Forget it. The seafloor is vastly different from the surface. Who knows what''s in those unexplored depths? If you end up bumping into other gods, things are going to be troublesome."


    A trace of dissatisfaction appeared on Sparkle''s face as she replied, "Aren''t you underestimating your daughter a bit too much here? You won''t let me do this or that. Since you''re not going to let me do anything anyway, then you bettere up with a solution yourself."


    Charles covered his head with his hand, and his thoughts were inscrutable as he stared at the explorers throwing the corpses of the Foundation members'' clones into the cold seawater.


    "Dad, just let me go and do it. The gods of the Subterranean Sea can''t hurt me at all, and there is no enmity between us. Why would they want to harm me? There''s no other solution than this."


    "Dad, are you listening to me?" Sparkle asked, raising her fingers and waving them in front of Charles.


    And that was when Sparkle saw her father''s eyes light up. "I just remembered having an acquaintance in the Southern Seas. It might have an idea where they went, but I don''t know if that acquaintance of mine is still alive."


    Sparkle put a hand on Charles, and the two teleported away. They teleported several times until they arrived at what remained of the Shattered Heart Isles.


    The surviving Haikors were repairing their boats and praying to their god, T6.


    Charles didn''t bother disturbing them, as he hade here for someone else.


    Charles dove into the seawater and found the ruins of the Prophet''s temple. Hisst visit here was to rid himself of the Divinities Curse through the jellyfish prophet''s information.


    In no time, Charles found a tilted ck hole that once housed the pool where the Prophet resided. As soon as he entered the hole, he was plunged into darkness.


    Charles'' excellent night vision allowed him to see even in the darkest of ces, but there was something amiss with this ce. He couldn''t see anything at all.


    "Prophet? Are you still alive? I''m here to ask you something," Charles asked, staring at the seemingly boundless darkness in front of him.


    There was no response. Just as Charles thought that this would be a wasted trip, a translucent purple jellyfish the size of a finger appeared before him with a <em>pop.</em>


    <em>"Ah, Charles, or should I say, the Esteemed Governor of Hope Ind? Time is truly often useful for humans. Anyway, why did youe here?"</em>


    Charles was delighted to hear that unique, ethereal voice in his head. After all, it only meant one thing¡ªthe Prophet was still alive.


    "Since you''re called a prophet, you must know everything that''s happening in the Southern Seas, right?"


    Just then, more jellyfish blooms manifested, and they orbited Charles. "Know everything? I can''t say that. There are some things that are ever-changing, and I don''t dare im that I know them."


    "I''m not here to y riddles with you. I just want to know one thing¡ªthe location of the Foundation''s remnants. I need to know where they are."


    The circling jellyfish blooms stopped. <em>"The Foundation? What''s that?"</em>


    "Don''t give me that nonsense. The gods of the Haikor Tribe are members of the Foundation. You''ve been in the same sea region with them all this while, and you dare say to me that you are unaware of them?"


    "<em>Ah, </em>you mean Paiper and the others? I''m familiar with them. Not only am I familiar with them, but I''m their friend as well. Sometimes, they''d even invite me to their home as a guest.


    "<em>Sigh, </em>it is unfortunate, but they provoked Destiny. I tried to persuade them not to do it, but they wouldn''t listen at all."


    "Destiny? Is that 004''s name?" Charles asked, immediatelytching onto a certain keyword in the Prophet''s response.

 Chapter 834: Whale

    Chapter 834: Whale


    Hearing Charles'' words, the colorful jellyfish blooms rotated slowly around him and said, <em>"That''s right, that''s Their name. I don''t have eyes, but I can sense Their existence. They are powerful and fickle.</em>


    <em>"Even I can only perceive a small part of Them."</em>


    Staring at therge group of jellyfish blooms before him, Charles fell into deep contemtion and asked, "When there''s time, let''s have a good chat about that so-called ''Destiny,'' but that''s not the answer I''m seeking from you.


    "I''ll reiterate¡ªwhere are the remnants of the Foundation? Where are those who escaped SITE 6?"


    <em>"I know where they are,"</em> the Prophet immediately answered, <em>"but why should I tell you?"</em>


    The jellyfish blooms gathered together to form a human head, and its gaze stared calmly at Charles.


    Charles had expected the Prophet to say something along the lines of that. He could still remember how Anna had paid a certain price before getting the Prophet to tell him how he could cleanse himself of the Divinity''s Curse.


    "How do you usually strike a deal with others? Tell me what you need, and I''ll meet them as long as you help me get rid of the Foundation once and for all."


    After a long silence, the Prophet spoke again, <em>"The disappearance of the Sea of Mist''s mist is facilitating the spread of something, and it can threaten me. I need a new Sea of Mist to hide in. Can you do that for me?"</em>Charles was astonished. He had thought of many possible demands from the Prophet, but he truly hadn''t thought of this one. It seemed that the Foundation''s mist was a bit moreplicated than what it appeared on the surface.


    "For now, we can''t assimte the Foundation''s technology and knowledge. Tell me where they are first, and I''ll do as you wish once we''ve thoroughly assimted the Foundation''s technology and knowledge."


    The massive human head made out of jellyfish shook slightly.<em> "When making deals with any existence, I always collect my reward first, and the same goes for any of my deals with the so-called Foundation.</em>


    <em>"Since you can''t do what I want you to do, then please leave. I''ll find a way to do it myself."</em>


    Charles hesitated. He couldn''t reproduce the Foundation''s mysterious mist, but he didn''t want to give up so easily. After all, it was clear that the Prophet had the information that he needed badly.


    "How about we change the conditions? What else do you need aside from that? To be honest, I''m quite the authority in the human world out there."


    The Prophet revealed a look of disdain in response to Charles'' words. <em>"The human world? It seems that humans truly are ignorant and arrogant, regardless of where they are. </em>


    <em>"The sea is farrger than you can ever imagine. The human world upies only a minuscule part of it. Moreover, quite a few of you were killed by that death light."</em>


    "Just tell me whether you can do it or not. Anyway, let me make it clear to you that the enmity between the Foundation and mankind has gone past the point of no return. If you have ns on working with them, then don''t me us for being ruthless."


    The Prophet was quiet for a long time as if it hadn''t heard Charles'' words. In the end, it spoke again, saying,<em> "All right, I''ll tell you their location, but it''s not for free. You''ll owe me a favor. When I need your help someday, you must help me."</em>


    "Deal. Tell me where they are now." The specifics could be discussedter on, as Charles'' priority was the Foundation''s true annihtion. The Foundation was too powerful for Charles to sleep peacefully at night, especially when he knew that they still existed somewhere in the vast Subterranean Sea.


    <em>"Very well. I told you where they are, so leave now."</em> The Prophet''s words had just fallen when the colorful jellyfish blooms rushed up to Charles and enveloped him.


    Charles'' eyes snapped wide open amidst the cold seawater. The next second, he noticed that his throat was strangely ufortable. He looked down quickly and saw a tentacle inside his mouth. The tentacle was connected to his lungs and was supplying him with oxygen underwater.


    The green gtinous eyes all over the tentacle told Charles that it belonged to Sparkle.


    Charles resisted the nauseating feeling and swam toward the surface with the tentacle. As soon as he climbed out of the water, Charles immediately vomited the tentacle out of his throat.


    When he looked up, he saw an arrow pointing in the southeast.


    "How was it? Did you find what you were looking for? Do you want me to find it for you instead?" Sparkle asked, gently patting Charles'' back.


    Charles raised his right hand and pointed in the southeast. "Let''s go! Over there!"


    Just like that, the two arrived on Sottom, and the colossal Sottom itself teleported several times across the massive Sea of Mist. When Charles saw that the arrow was pointing downward, he realized that they had finally found the location of the Foundation''s remnants.


    Since it was better to err on the side of caution, Charles ordered Lily to bring Dawn One over here. Dawn One descended slowly into the seawater, revealing the entire ocean underneath.


    An ice crystal whale the size of an average ind was on the seafloor, and the humanoid fissure monsters were there as well, moving about busily between the blocks of ice.


    The majority of the whale was made out of blocks of ice, but the whale''s belly contained a small city constructed from metal and concrete. The sight alone was enough for Charles to know that they were in one of the Foundation''s underwater sites.


    There were quite a few submarines around the whale, and the marks on the submarine were enough for Charles to be convinced that they were part of the Foundation''s old inventory.


    They were all here to protect the Foundation''sst spark.


    Unfortunately, when Charles pped his eyes on the submarines, the submarines saw him as well. Torpedoes were fired in short order; they all missed, but the submarines were far from done.


    They were equipped with powerfulser beams, and they all began their assault.


    If today''s Charles were the past Charles, he would immediately run away at the sight of such a formidable submarine fleet. However, Charles had changed greatly, and he had be even more powerful as well.


    In fact, he didn''t even have to make a move. The torpedoes exploded one after another beneath the scorching light of Dawn One.


    Upon seeing that their attack was ineffective, the colossal underwater beast swung its tail fin in an attempt to escape, but Sparkle''s figure vanished. There was another sh of radiant light, and the whale''s tail fin suddenly became missing.


    Freezing air that had taken on a blue hue gushed out of the stump, and it was so cold that it seemed like the whale wanted to condense a new tail made out of ice. Unfortunately, Sparkle was around, so its dreams could only remain as that¡ªdreams.


    The people on Sottom dropped naval mines into the seafloor, and the sight finally forced the remnants of the Foundation to make a move; there was no way they could withstand such a bombardment, so they had to do something here.


    Just then, a hatch in one of the submarines was pushed open, and a boy wearing an adult man''s shirt crawled out of it. The boy waved his hands in Charles'' direction.


    Charles wasn''t familiar with the boy, but the green hair on his head and the way he was moving freely in the water as if it were his domain made it easy for Charles to guess that the boy was Feuerbach''s clone.


    Sparkle brought over the boy, who looked to be around three years old, in front of Charles. The boy put one hand on his chest and bowed to Charles, who was d in a thick diving suit. "Long time no see, Captain."


    The familiar tone of voice immediately confirmed Charles'' assumption. The boy was indeed Feuerbach¡ªthe former Second Mate of the Narwhale.


    "You''re still alive?"

 Chapter 835: Judgement

    Chapter 835: Judgement


    Feuerbach''s childish face revealed a brilliant smile to Charles. "Yeah. I actually didn''t expect to survive SITE 2''s fall into the sea. I guess you can say that I got lucky."


    Charles stared at the ice crystal whale through the thick ss and saw that it was being surrounded by naval mines in the distance. "Why did youe out here? Don''t tell me that you''re here to plead for mercy?"


    Feuerbach was silent for a while, and then he seemed to have been reminded of something as the brilliant smile tugging at his lips dimmed briefly. However, the same smile bloomed on his lips again.


    "Captain, you won. The centralputer is gone, and the Foundation is no longer your match. Do you really need to annihte us at this point?"


    Charles swam over to Feuerbach, who wasn''t even a meter tall, and he looked down at Feuerbach like a towering giant, staring deeply at thetter.


    Feuerbach had always been the light of the party in the Narwhale. He''d often spot him hugging one of his red sharks in the sea whileughing foolishly. He''d often y cards with the others in the cabin and cheat his way to victory.


    "What do you think?" Charles asked.


    Feuerbach''s brilliant smile faded. "With your personality, you''re definitely going to annihte us. But why? Why stand in the Foundation''s way? The Foundation''s ns are always for the sake of mankind.


    "I''m sure you know what I''m talking about. Without the Foundation''s suppression, what do you think will be the fate of the Subterranean Sea''s humans? Without the Foundation''s protection, what do you think will happen to the billions of people on the surface world? "Do you want to see the end of the world? Is that what you want to see?


    "Wasn''t your family on the surface world the reason you once sought out the Land of Light? Do you not care about their survival at all?"


    Charles grabbed Feuerbach by the cor and red fiercely at thetter, saying, "Stop talking nonsense! I''m going to believe only my own eyes, and what I saw was you people wanting to kill my crew and my wife! I also witnessed your ns to annihte all mankind in the Subterranean Sea!


    "So what if you saved my life? Let me tell you this one thing¡ªI don''t care about my life at all, and I will never appreciate your so-called kindness to me! And why are you trying to make yourselves sound so lofty when you are nothing before the gods?! What''s the point of what you guys have done?!"


    Feuerbach stared deeply at Charles'' face beyond the thick ss of his diving suit and calmly said, "I know¡­ I know that we are incredibly weak before the gods, but just because we''re weak doesn''t mean we''re going to be cowardly.


    "What else are we supposed to do, then? Are you saying we should be like those Fhtagnists and plead for mercy from those unknown gods? Should we beg Them to let us go?"


    "Captain, I really want to know whether that''s what you really think or not. Has the long time you spent in the Subterranean Sea instilled you with such fear of the gods that you don''t even dare to resist them? Are you really willing to let Them do as they please with you?"


    Charles was quiet.


    Feuerbach took in Charles'' silence and added, "Captain, I know¡ªno, we all know that you''re not willing. You''re not even afraid of death, so there''s no way you''re afraid of the gods.


    "Don''t you want to resist Them? Are you willing to live under the threat of instant annihtion if one of those gods ever woke up in a bad mood one day?"


    "Our fleshly bodies can perish, but mankind''s unbreakable spirit of resistance has to be passed on to somebody. If everyone refuses to inherit that spirit, then humanity will truly be finished."


    Charles felt touched by Feuerbach''s words, but he quickly came to his senses. He clenched his hand tightly, and Feuerbach started having a hard time breathing.


    "What brand-new trick are you trying to pull here? Trying to manipte me through my emotions? They''re already dead, but it seems that those guys still managed to set up a trap for me. Anyway, are you finally done talking?


    "If so, then you can be on your way!" Charles eximed.


    Feuerbach''s face was flushed as he struggled against Charles'' grip to try and breathe. A radiant smile tugged at his lips upon hearing Charles'' words, and he said, "Captain, it was a pleasure to know you. If it weren''t for the difference in our positions, I would be happy to be your friend."


    "Captain, your second mate salutes you." Feuerbach took out a pistol from his oversized clothes. Rather than shooting Charles, he aimed the gun at his temple and pulled the trigger.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    The seawater was instantly stained red by blood, and it wrapped around Feuerbach. The corpse of the little boy swayed gently with the seawater.


    Feuerbach was no more.


    Charles caught a glimpse of many things unsaid in his deceased eyes, prompting him to look away.


    When Charles let go of Feuerbach''s hand, thetter''s corpse sank slowly toward the seafloor, swaying gently along with the current.


    Charles then cast his gaze at the distant whale and said, "Clean up the remnants of the Foundation."


    As soon as Charles gave his order, the naval mines around the whale exploded one by one, culminating in a violent explosion that engulfed every single inch of the colossal whale, which was more than ten kilometers long.


    The iceyer of the whale was torn apart, and the humanoid fissure monsters living inside the iceyer frantically tried to repair it. Unfortunately, the gusts of cold air they unleashed were to no avail.


    The iceyer melted rapidly beneath the scorching heat of Dawn One in the air, and the humanoid fissure monsters used every single way they could think of to protect the Foundation site inside the whale, but it was destined to be in vain.


    When the final block of ice disappeared, the humanoid fissure monsters melted away into the seawater.


    The explosions kicked up a massive cloud of silt, obscuring the ice crystal whale from everyone''s sight. Eventually, it settled down, and Charles quietly led his subordinates toward the site.


    As expected, the Foundation had set up manyyers of protection, but they were not enough before Charles. Any resistance was futile in the face of absolute strength.


    The hatches were torn open one after another, and the Foundation site was quickly upied by the expedition team.


    The Foundation could now be considered thoroughly defeated, but not even a hint of joy was spotted on Charles'' visage.


    Knowing that the Foundation had decided to use this site as its final sanctuary, he believed that there had to be a way to revive the Foundation inside this site. With that in mind, Charles decided to be extremely careful and meticulous.


    A loud noise echoed as a steel door was kicked open by Charles. He saw rows of sacs that seemed to have been made out of flesh and blood beyond the steel door, and every single one of the sacs was at least two square meters in size.


    The sign next to the door told Charles that he had just stumbled upon the grow room¡ªthe room where the Foundation nurtured its clones under controlled conditions.


    However, there was something wrong with the color of the meat sacs. Instead of the natural color of flesh and blood, they looked gray¡ªlike the color of death.


    Charles'' anchor hook shot out, piercing one of the meat sacs. A turbid liquid gushed out, and a corpse was dragged out of the sac.


    It was the corpse of an old man. The old man was curled up like a baby, and there was an umbilical cord attached to his navel.


    Charles opened the meat sacs one by one. He seemed to be looking for something, as he didn''t stop and pulled out deceased clones one after another.


    Eventually, he found what he was looking for on the wall at the furthest end of the room. It was the clones of the GK Council members. Their appearance had always been bizarre, but their clones looked even more bizarre.


    T6''s spider form was shriveled, and she was covered with only a thinyer of skin.


    K9 had five raven heads of different sizes instead of two, and they were stuck together as if they were glued to each other.


    Charles wasn''t sure whether it was because of 004''s influence, but the GK Council''s contingency n had failed. Their deceased clones hung motionless on the wall, and it seemed like they''d stay motionless forever.


    Charles stared quietly at the GK Council members. For some reason, he found their fates to be quite absurd. It turned out that Feuerbach and the humanoid fissure monsters had been protecting what 004 had killed long ago.


    What were they actually protecting for them to be so desperate about it?


    The GK Council members were dead, but Charles felt like they were alive as he stood amidst the turbid blood and corpses of the deceased clones. They hung quietly, like eight judges trying to pass judgement on Charles as if they had won.


    Charles felt inexplicably irritated at the strange sensation.


    They were dead, so he was the winner here!


    The ck spike burst out of Charles'' steel hand. Then, he kicked off of the ground with both feet and shed out, chopping off T6''s head.


    He wasn''t done yet. Charles swung the ck spike, and the grotesque noise of flesh getting torn pervaded the room. Charles frantically tore apart the corpses of the GK Council members.


    When Charles finally stopped, the GK Council members were already piles of flesh on the bloody ground.


    Covered in blood, Charles looked no different from them.

 Chapter 836: Dreamland

    Chapter 836: Dreand


    The Foundation''s backup and restore n had failed, but Charles''s affairs in the Southern Seas were far from over.


    The Foundation''s nautical charts were proving handy.


    The colossal ship-cum-ind Sottom was like Death''s steed as it jumped across the Sea of Mist. At each stop, warships from Sottom would descend into the sea and surround the Foundation''s site like a pack of sharks.


    Valuable technological data, intact mechanical equipment, and useful resources from these sites were confiscated. Of course, the sites contained not only good things but bad things as well¡ªthe deformed clones of Foundation members.


    Like Feuerbach, many clones survived 004''s influence. They all appeared weak, but they had to be eliminated now lest they reared their ugly headster on.


    The clones could barely move their weakened figures, but they all seemed determined to counterattack using the fighter jets of the Foundation. Unfortunately, they were quickly disposed of by Charles'' men.


    Clearing the entire Sea of Mist of the Foundation''s clones would take a considerable amount of time, but Charles was not in a hurry. His arm was under the fingernail of a god, and there hadn''t been any traces of that god, so the best thing that he could do was wait.


    A Foundation site was in the middle of being cleared out of clones in the dim seawater. Sottom was docked next to the ind, allowing the expedition team to carry out their job of eliminating the clones and looting the Foundation site.


    Charles wasn''t on the site. He was their leader, so his subordinates were the ones handling the real work. Besides, it was already evening, and he needed to rest. He was a governor rather than a ship captain, so there was no need for him to stay upte. The patrol duties that he usually did on board the Narwhale were carried out by his subordinates.


    134''s residence was smack right in the middle of the ship-cum-ind Sottom, and Charles had decided to take it as his temporary residence. At this moment, Charles was sleeping inside 134''s simple-looking bedroom.


    He was taking deep and steady breaths; clearly, he was fast asleep.


    In the corridor outside, Anna d in a purple dress was walking barefoot on the soft carpet, skipping her way toward Charles'' bedroom.


    Clearly, she was in a great mood, and it was evidenced by the fact that she was humming a tune with a bright face. Sometimes, she''d even burst out into a chuckle for no apparent reason.


    Anna stopped in front of Charles'' bedroom. Rather than opening the door, she raised her hand, and the wall¡ªadorned with a peel-and-stick wallpaper¡ªsplit open as if it were a curtain.


    Anna slipped in gracefully, and the wall closed up again as if it had never inexplicably split open in the first ce.


    Charles'' eyes moved rapidly as if he was going to wake up at any moment now. At the sight, Anna stepped forward and cupped Charles'' face with her fair hands.


    In an instant, Charles'' tense figure settled down.


    "It''s been so many days since we saw each other, my man. Did you miss me?" Anna asked, gently pressing her face against Charles'' face.


    Charles'' arms unconsciously wrapped around Anna, but he was still in his dreand.


    "Why are you still asleep?" Anna asked, sounding a bit surprised. "What sweet dream are you having right now?"


    The corners of Anna''s mouth curled up slightly, and her gorgeous figure split open.


    A tentacle riddled with the same ck scales extended from inside Anna and intertwined with the tentacles on Charles'' head.


    A connection was made, but it was severed the next moment.


    The tentacles riddled with ck scales had vanished into thin air as well.


    Anna frowned, and her voice tinged with a hint of defiance as she said, "I''ve be so much stronger, so I don''t believe that I can''t handle what''s inside your head!"


    The tentacles intertwined once again, and Anna''s eyes lit up. She was inside Charles'' sea of consciousness.


    Charles'' sea of consciousness was in the form of a chaotic red sea. Anna looked around and saw an inmed sac filled with mucus. It had upied the core of Charles'' sea of consciousness.


    Anna was familiar with it. It had inexplicably appeared when the "Inexistence" within Charles had disappeared, and it had taken root in the core of Charles'' sea of consciousness, where Charles'' consciousness and memories were located.


    Its location was the reason Anna hadn''t been able to read Charles'' thoughts.


    Even Anna couldn''t quite understand it. She had personally asked Charles about it, and she had also secretly perused the Foundation''s files. Still, she hadn''t been able to figure out what exactly was the inmed sac filled with mucus.


    However, one thing was for sure¡ªthe inmed sac contained the power of "Inexistence," and it was extremely dangerous.


    Having suffered a setbackst time, Anna dared not approach it rashly. After several probing attempts, Anna finally found a way to infiltrate it.


    She took to the sky and hovered in Charles'' sea of consciousness. Raising her hand gently, a part of her head split open, allowing some of the content inside to float over to the sac.


    A gray substance that resembled mist moved slowly toward the sac. Upon sensing the gray substance, the sac cracked open and moved to try and wrap itself around the gray substance.


    Just as the sac was engrossed in wrapping itself around the gray substance, Anna moved quickly and dove into the sac. The sac reacted rapidly and tried to stop her, but it was toote.


    Anna was already inside it.


    Rather than a grotesque scene, Anna was greeted by a white, hazy world of mist.


    She was inside Charles'' sea of consciousness. Anna looked around briefly before bending her knees and jumping into the air, diving into the mist down below. The mist churned, and in just a brief three seconds, they condensed into a television, sofa, and dining table made out of ss.


    The mist had transformed into Charles'' former home.


    The white mist also condensed into his family members¡ªhis sister, his parents, and of course, a teenager Gao Zhiming. The teenager Gao Zhiming looked so innocent, and it was a side of Charles that Anna had never seen before.


    The family were having breakfast, and the two siblings were arguing over who''d eat the slightly burnt fried egg.


    "My dear brother, did you know that eating a burnt egg can increase your chance of getting cancer? With that in mind, just let me have it."


    "Don''t bother trying that nonsense with me. I let you have the eggst week, so this egg is mine today!"


    Their mother was drinking porridge on the side, and she looked like she was having a headache as she chimed in, "You two are already so old now, so why are you acting like children?


    "Are you two going to get sick if you don''t argue about anything or something? There are still more eggs on the te, and aren''t they the same egg?"


    "No, they''re not the same! This egg is a <em>bit more </em>burnt, so it tastes better!"


    Eventually, the farce concluded with the fried egg getting split in half. It was a hearty breakfast overall, and once they were done, the two picked up their things and walked toward the door.


    The two siblings were no longer arguing; they were busy looking down at the phone in their hands. Soon, they exited their residential block, but they were still quiet. Despite the silence, however, the two continued on following each other.


    The white mist condensed more sights as they proceeded down the street, while the residential block behind the two siblings transformed into a white mist.


    Anna circled around the periphery of the scene, staring quietly at the handsome young man inside of it. Anna looked amused as if she were watching a y.


    Gao Zhiming and Gao Suling soon made their way to the bus stop, and they patiently waited for the bus while ying with their phones.


    Just then, a student living nearby approached them.


    The student was a freckle-faced bespectacled young man, and he punched Gao Zhiming on the shoulder, eximing, "Damn it, Old Gao! You actually stood me up, you punk! I waited for you all night at the inte cafe so that we could y games together, but you never showed up."


    Gao Zhiming put down the phone in his hand and replied, "What the hell are you talking about? Didn''t I text you? I told you that I''m going to be busy in the evening. Did you not receive my text?"


    "Receive, my ass! Did you forget that the teacher confiscated my phone two days ago? I still don''t know what to do about that."

 Chapter 837: Past

    The bus stop became livelier and livelier as more and more day students joined the waiting crowd. When the bus for Route 13 pulled in, the students charged forward, scrambling for the empty seats.


    There were more people than seats, so others had to stand on the bus.


    "Old Gao, let me have the seat, all right? I pulled an all-nighterst night. I''m feeling weak and dizzy. <em>Cough, cough, cough!</em>"


    "Want to sit? Call me Daddy, then. <em>Hehehe. Ah,</em> shit, you actually dare to sit on myp, you punk!"


    While the two were busy fighting each other for a seat, the bus slowly came to a halt. The bus doors opened, and a few more students got on the bus. One of the students was a young woman with long, straight, ck hair, and she had a face that caught Anna by surprise. The young woman looked exactly like Anna.


    Pushing his best friend off hisp, Gao Zhiming shot up his seat and offered, "Jiajia,e sit here."


    Upon sensing everyone''s gaze on her, the young woman looked down shyly and proceeded to sit in Gao Zhiming''s seat.


    The bespectacled young man next to Gao Zhiming raised his thumb and made a throat-slitting gesture at Gao Zhiming, but thetter ignored him.


    Just like that, the bus went on its way again. Gao Zhiming held onto one of the bus'' grab handles, and he was like a knight protecting a princess as he quietly shielded the young woman next to him, ensuring that others wouldn''t bump into her.Zhao Jiajia tucked her hair behind her ears, and then she took out white in-ear headphones from her bag. She put one of the speakers in her own ear and tapped the other on the back of Gao Zhiming''s hand.


    Anna revealed an aunt-like smile at the heartwarming scene and remarked, "Oh, this young couple''s such a nice sight. I have to say¡ªit''s a wonderful memory, even though I fabricated it myself."


    The bus eventually stopped at the school gates, and the students rushed out like a deluge. Their goal was to arrive in their ssroom before the school bell rang.


    It seemed that the dreand couldn''t process arge chunk of Charles'' memories, as the dream immediately cut to the next scene, which was at the end of the ss.


    The sight made Anna mutter to herself, "This guy doesn''t seem to have any single pleasant memories about studying. I guess he isn''t the studious type of person."


    Gao Zhiming and his ssmates walked shoulder to shoulder toward the bus stop outside the school. A chubby young man with a face covered in e looked up at the starry sky between the towering buildings. "<em>Ah, </em>it really is exhausting to be a high school student. I wish I could go back to elementary school."


    "Exhausting, my ass! The teachers have already given up on you. How are you even exhausted?"


    The chubby young man red at the bespectacled young man in dissatisfaction. "Do you really think I''m having fun spending so much time every day in a spot where it''s difficult to even turn around? That ce is worse than jail!"


    "I don''t want to go back to elementary school," Gao Zhiming chimed in. There was a look of longing in his eyes as he added, "I want to grow up quickly, get through high school, go to college, and live in a ce where my family can''t reach me."


    "Have you seen those reels about the lives of college students online? They''re living such colorful lives! Damn it, I feel like our lives are worse than the lives of ves in ancient times."


    The four students proceeded to envision their own futures using the topic that Gao Zhiming had brought up.


    The freckled-face chubby young man clenched his fists tightly and said with determination, "My dad said that he''ll give me aptop once I''m a college student. I''m going to learn programming and be a hacker."


    "I want to start dating! I want to lose my virginity!"


    "I don''t have such unrealistic dreams. I don''t want to do anything. I just want to be able to sleep eight hours every day! I <em>want </em>to sleep!"


    Upon hearing his ssmates'' thoughts, Gao Zhiming fell into deep contemtion before finally saying, "I don''t know what I want to do in the future, but I feel like I can do many things. I guess I want to do whatever I want. I like that feeling of freedom."


    "I know what you want to do," the bespectacled young man next to him revealed a lewd smile and remarked, "I''m not sure about anything else, but I know one thing for sure¡ªyou definitely want to get a room in a love motel with Zhao Jiajia."


    "Fuck off," Gao Zhiming retorted. His face was a bit flushed as he kicked the bespectacled young man''s leg.


    The group fooled around until they reached a supermarket. The four of them went into the supermarket and opened the refrigerator, taking out their own beverages to drink.


    The others chose <em>Coke, Sprite,</em> and <em>Wong Lo Kat,</em> but the chubby young man with a face covered in e picked up a can of beer.


    "Great choice, Fatty. Trying to act cool by drinking alcohol now?"


    The chubby young man pulled the tab and took a big gulp of the beer, frowning slightly before quickly swallowing it down. "<em>Ah, </em>I''m with a bunch of little brats who don''t even know how to drink."


    "It''s just beer, so what''s the big deal? You''re already acting all high and mighty just because you drank beer? I''ll have you know that I could already y drinking games with my dad when I was just six years old!" the bespectacled young man eximed. He snatched the can of beer and forced himself to take a big swig of it.


    The beer was passed around, and it eventually reached Gao Zhiming''s hands. He tilted his head back and took a big swig as well, and his face instantly scrunched up like a steamed bun.


    The others pointed at him andughed out loud upon seeing his wrinkled face.


    "What are you guysughing at? What''s so good about this stuff? It''s bitter and astringent. I wouldn''t drink this even if you paid me to drink it," Gao Zhiming remarked.


    The chubby young man snatched it back and took another big swig. Then, he put on a profound air as he remarked, "It''s all because you haven''t grown up yet, you brat. You''ll understand it once you''ve grown older."


    Charles was stunned at the chubby young man''s words. He seemed to have recalled something as everything around him copsed. The streets, the vehicles, and even his ssmates began to peel away.


    A table with a bottle of hard liquor appeared in front of Charles.


    The table was familiar, and Charles realized that he was inside the Captain''s Quarters of the Narwhale.


    The noises unique to the modern era had vanished and had been reced by the crashing of ocean waves against the ship''s hull, and the bright street lights had contracted rapidly until they transformed into a swaying oilmp.


    The young Gao Zhiming aged rapidly, and scar after scar manifested across his face. Amorphous organs sprouted all over him, and the cursed whisperings of the gods began to echo from the outside world.


    Charles was about to wake up.


    However, Anna sitting next to him didn''t want him to wake up just like this.


    If Charles were to wake up now, he''d wake up from a nightmare.


    Anna waved her hand, and the surroundings peeled away. Charles found himself inside his former home once again, and he enjoyed the tranquility of his past and the warmth of his family.


    Anna stood quietly on the side and watched as Charles went to an inte cafe with his family, fought his sister over random things, and celebrated the New Year with his family.


    In the end, Charles finally opened his eyes and emerged from his dreand. He looked down and saw Anna quietly nestled in his arms with her fair cheek pressing against his chest.


    Recalling the beautiful dream just now, Charles lowered his head and kissed her lips. "Thank you. I was about to forget what those moments felt like."


    Anna opened her eyes and looked at Charles in surprise. "You knew I was controlling your dreams? How did you know? Were there any ws?"


    "My dreams have only been nightmares since I found myself in the Subterranean Sea, and this dream was just wonderful¡ªtoo wonderful to be a <em>real</em> dream."


    Anna stared deeply at Charles and said, "Do you miss your family on the surface world? Do you want to go back to the surface world? Let''s use that wish to be gods, and then the two of us will find a way to go back there.


    "I''ll go with you to the surface."

 Chapter 838: Torn

    "Can bing a god truly allow us to go to the surface world? If that were the case, the surface would have been in chaos back when I was still in school. There must be something blocking the way between the Subterranean Sea and the surface world," Charles said, gently pulling his wife into his embrace.


    Anna''s brows furrowed. "<em>Ah, </em>why are you so torn about this? Do you want to go back or not? What''s the use of hesitating so much?"


    "If you want to do something, set a goal for it, and then put in your all for it."


    The wonderful scenes from Charles'' recent dream shed in his mind. Then, he muttered, "It''s been so many years, and I was convinced that I no longer crave it, but it seems that I can only deceive others, not myself.


    "Ever since my memories returned, their appearances have be nothing but a blur, and I''ve forgotten their names, but I''ve been missing them."


    Longing suffused Charles'' face as he added, "I really want to see them again. I truly want to put everything down and return to their side to live a simple and carefree life¡ªlike the life I led as a student back then."


    "That is my home¡­ that ce was where I grew up. That civilized ce without these bizarre dangers¡­ that is the Land of Light in our hearts.


    "I know that I''m tied up to way too many things in the Subterranean Sea, and I know that I can no longer live that kind of life with what I''ve be. My ghastly appearance alone is going to scare them away, so I can''t go back.


    "Despite that, my heart can''t help but keep longing to go back."A hint of helplessness appeared on Anna''s face upon hearing Charles'' words. In the end, she said, "Then sort your feelings out, and tell me your final answer. Anyway, are you hungry? What do you want for breakfast? I''ll make it for you."


    Charles sat up straight, carrying Anna with just one hand. He ced her on the sofa next to him and said, "Don''t bother about breakfast. I have no appetite. Since you''re here, let''s talk business instead. How''s the war going on in the Eastern Seas?"


    Hearing that, Anna''s eyes lit up as she remarked, "Our gains are huge. We surrounded them twice and attacked them twice; the Fhtagn Covenant''s fleet is almost annihted, and we''re only fighting their remnants at this point.


    "We''re upying their territories ind by ind.


    "The Subterranean Sea fleet is slowly making its way into the Divinity''s Land. Once we''ve upied their headquarters, the Fhtagn Covenant willpletely disappear in the face of the Subterranean Sea."


    Charles wasn''t surprised at all by Anna''s words. He had predicted this oue, and it madeplete sense. The series of major incidents had left the Fhtagn Covenant greatly weakened, so this oue made perfect sense.


    "Don''t let your guard down; those lunatics might make a desperate move. The Fhtagn Covenant''s sacrificial rituals are very troublesome to deal with.


    "Once they''ve determined that they''d either live or die, they''d most likely sacrifice all of their remaining people to make a gamble and attempt to drag you guys down with them."


    The incident on Albion Isles made Charles realize that even though God Fhtagn Himself hadn''t been responding to them, other beings that believed in God Fhtagn would respond to their call.


    In the face of Charles'' warning, Anna remained confident as she said, "It''s fine, it''s fine. Do you really think that I won''t reach the same conclusion as you did?


    "I absolutely won''t let them sacrifice even a single person, so don''t worry about me here. How are things on your end?"


    Charles walked up to the wooden table and looked down at the reports strewn across it. "The Foundation has left behind many things, and there are too many of them to clean up in a short period of time. I''ll have to leave some people in the Sea of Mist to finish the clean-up operation."


    Charles turned to look at his wife with a calm gaze. "By the way, the Divinity''s corpse suspended above SITE 6 is missing. I suspect it was taken away by 004."


    Just then, Charles'' and Anna''s gaze met in midair, and they seemed to have seen something in each other''s eyes, which prompted them to quickly look away.


    Anna looked down and stroked her t abdomen, saying, "I know. Sparkle has already told me."


    Charles was stunned.


    "What''s up with that look? You think your dear daughter won''t tattle on you?" Anna stretched out her fair barefoot and lightly kicked Charles'' knee.


    Charles snapped back to reality and shook his head. "No, I mean, she didn''t say that she already told you, so I thought you didn''t know. Anyway, let''s not talk about that anymore. Upon your return, tell Jax to issue a top-tiermission throughout the Subterranean Sea in my name¡ªthe task is to search for the Divinity who has my arm.


    "That''s all I need to retrieve to obtain those three wishes from 005."


    Anna nodded lightly and replied, "All right. I''m also going to help you with that. Sometimes, one has to rely on other <em>creatures </em>to find things that humans can''t find."


    "If you''re talking about the Prophet, then you don''t have to go there," Charles replied, "I asked it, and it said that it couldn''t find it."


    "Are you kidding me?" Anna asked, rolling her eyes at Charles. "My informationwork is far bigger than you can ever imagine."


    Charles raised his hand and stroked Anna''s delicate face. "Thank you."


    The corners of Anna''s mouth curled up slightly, and her figure floated slowly as her exquisite face slowly drew close to Charles. "My dear, there are some things that can''t be expressed through words alone.


    "You need to show it through your actions, too."


    In response, Charles gave Anna a gentle hug, and then his mouth opened slightly in astonishment as Anna whispered something into his ear.


    Charles red at Anna, whose amused eyes had narrowed into slits. Eventually, he smacked her back and walked toward the bed on the side.


    ***


    Dipp was standing on the top floor of the tallest building on Hope Ind. He was yawning with a spray bottle filled with seawater in his hand. He was in the middle of moistening his scales.


    <em>"Ah, this is so boring. Why aren''t there a lot more people who don''t cherish their lives?"</em>


    Dipp nodded in agreement at the voice in his head. <em>"Ipletely agree. And it''s best if they''re a bit stronger; it''s no fun if they''re weak."</em>


    <em>"It''s pointless even if they''re stronger. Nowadays, we can''t kill those we catch; we have to send them to court to be sentenced there. Who came up with such a troublesome process?"</em>


    Just then, another voice echoed in Dipp''s mind. <em>"It was more fun when the ind was just founded. Back then, there were nows. Whoever I said was guilty was guilty. Whoever I wanted dead would never wake up again."</em>


    <em>"The crime rate was so low back then, even though there were nows. That goes to show thatws are useless."</em>


    While Dipp was busy chatting with the two personas in his head, an orange firework suddenly blossomed in the skies¡ªsoutheast of Hope Ind.


    Orange meant a request for reinforcement from the police department, so Dipp instantly perked up at the sight of it. Then, he transformed into a cloud of mist that rushed toward the orange firework.

 Chapter 839: Distancing Himself

    Upon reaching the location of the fireworks, Dipp spotted a massive crater in the middle of the road. Surrounding it were four overturned cars and a ck-uniformed police officer sprawled on the ground, his right arm profusely bleeding.


    "Sir! The robber fled into Flea Alley!" The officer shouted immediately upon noticing Dipp''s arrival.


    Dipp swiftly changed course and darted into the alley. It didn''t take him long before he saw the suspect in front of a flower vendor''s stall.


    The suspect was a woman who stood barely over 1.4 meters tall. She lifted an entire car above her head and seemed prepared to hurl it at the police officers surrounding her.


    "What rights do you have to arrest me! Your Governor owes me this! I yed a part in saving the Subterranean Sea too! Why do I need to be subjected to restrictions!" The woman screamed in fury.


    "I assimte the relic into myself with the intent to die for the Subterranean Sea! I even have a badge at home to prove my deeds! But now, you are treating me like a potential criminal!"


    Just as Dipp was about to descend, a blur of green streaked past him and tackled the woman. In a split second, the creature used its centipede-like arm to subdue her and pin her down.


    A nearby officer immediately rushed forward with a syringe in his hand. He plunged the needle into the woman''s arm and injected the dark liquid within.


    The woman''s wild, furious eyes drooped, and she soon slumped into unconsciousness.Dipp watched on as the officers bound the woman tightly with ropes before they finally took her away. Scratching the back of his neck, he turned to the green centipede creature and said, "Norton, you sure act quick, huh."


    The green centipede cked its two rows of sharp white teeth, seemingly in response to Dipp''s remark.


    "By the way, what''ve you been up totely? I haven''t seen you around in a while," Dipp asked, raising his chin toward Norton.


    Norton pulled out a small board from his back and rapidly scribbled across it. "Nothing much. Been using Linda''s treatment for my illness."


    "Treatment? You''re sick? Seems like Linda has really inherited the old ship doctor''s skills, huh? She can even treat the illness of a monster like you," Dipp replied.


    Norton didn''t seem too keen on continuing the conversation here. He pointed toward his home and then rapidly scurried off in that direction.


    Dipp followed Norton and soon arrived at thetter''s garage-like room. The sight within took him aback. There was a pink cradle in the middle of the room, and a small babyy fast asleep within it.


    Norton crawled over with his centipede body. Gently gripping the side of the cradle with a centipede arm, he softly rocked it and, with another arm, wrote, "Linda said this is my medicine."


    Dipp''s eyes widened in shock. "Medicine? You will be cured if you eat the baby? Eating a live human doesn''t seem like a great idea¡­ Why don''t you go find a stillborn at the hospital?"


    At Dipp''s words, Norton''s head snapped up. He grabbed his board and furiously scribbled away, his frustration evident in the harsh, jagged lines.


    "Are you insane! Eat a baby?! Did you not bring your brains out with you today? I''m taking care of the baby! Linda wants me to care for the baby to stay in touch with my humanity! That''s the treatment!"


    "Ohhh, I see¡­" Dipp shed a sheepish smile. "That makes more sense. You could''ve exined earlier. You didn''t say what kind of illness you were down with and just pointed to a baby, saying that it''s your medicine. You can''t me me for getting the wrong idea."


    Dipp let out an awkward chuckle before he continued, "Are you nning to keep this child permanently? By the way, is it a boy or girl?"


    Dipp then reached out to gently stroke the baby''s face, andmented, "So soft¡­ softer than my wife''s skin."


    Feeling the cold touch of Dipp''s scaly fingers, the baby instinctively furrowed his brows and shook his head before opening his eyes. The moment heid eyes on the two monstrous faces looming over the cradle, he let out a loud wail of terror.


    Norton shed his board scribbled with a curse word at Dipp before he hurriedly scooped the baby up in all eight of his green arms. However, his clumsy movements evidently showed that he wasn''t used to handling a baby.


    Dipp also rushed over to help but it only served to intensify the baby''s cries.


    The baby''s ear-piercing sobs resonated in the room. The two men awkwardly tried to soothe the baby to no avail. In the end, they were left with no choice and Dipp pulled out his phone and called for external support.


    However, it wasn''t as if everyone had experience in taking care of a baby. After calling every single crew member from the Narwhale, he finally got hold of someone who imed that he knew how to pacify a crying baby.


    The alluring second mate, Nico, gently took the tear-streaked baby into his arms and ced the baby''s lips against his t chest. The crying ceased almost immediately and was reced by the soft sounds of the baby suckling.


    Nico''s lipstick-d lips slightly parted as he said, "So, where did this little guye from? I''m pretty sure he''s not from either of you."


    Dipp offered a quick summary of the situation before he marveled in a surprised tone, "Second mate, I always thought you just looked like a woman, but I never expected you to know how to do something like this. You just need to give birth to a kid, and you would be no different from a real woman!"


    Nico ignored Dipp''sment and directly said, "Drop that nonsense. How''s Charles doing? Sitting around Hope Ind is getting boring. I want to borrow some men from him and take back the Coral Archipgo. It''s been too long since I stopped being a Governor. I kinda miss that feeling."


    "I''ve no idea. Usually, it''s the first mate who''s in contact with the Captain. I asked him and he didn''t say anything. Bandages has also been glued to Jamestely. Who knows what they''re talking about?


    Letting out a sigh, Dipp continued, "Ever since we returned, something felt off. Everyone is split up and busy with their own things. Just the other day, I called everyone toe for drinks but not even half of them showed up."


    A gloomy expression settled upon the trio''s faces. Holding the baby, Nico sat down on the bed and sighed softly. "It''s normal. No exploration ship stays out at sea forever. Sooner orter, we all have to makendfall."


    "But the captain clearly still has business to deal with! Why won''t he let us go on board? If he thinks we''re not strong enough, he can just tell us directly! We can find ways to get stronger," Dipp countered.


    With a flick of his right hand, a swirl of mist shot out from his palm and hit the painting on the wall. The painting that depicted a ship instantly froze over, encased in a solidyer of an unknown white substance.


    Norton climbed toward the wall and ran his hand across the painting. He then scribbled a word onto his notepad: Wax.


    Nico raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You absorbed another relic? That is very risky. Besides, it isn''t because we are weak that the Captain chose not to bring us along. He''s distancing himself from us on purpose."


    "Distancing himself?"


    "Mmhmm. Distancing himself. I''m rather sensitive to emotions, so I can tell that he''s trying to pull away from us. It feels like he''s preparing for something."


    A sense of unease shed across Dipp''s face. "What could it be that he needed to distance himself for?"


    "Who knows," Nico replied with a shrug. "Probably only Charles himself would know. Hopefully, it''s something good. Ever since he defeated the Foundation, I could feel that his mood has been a little¡­ strange."


    "Then it should be enough for him to distance himself from you guys, but why me? I''m his family!" Dippined in frustration.


    As soon as Dipp''s words fell, his phone rang. He picked it up and after listening for a brief moment, his face lit up with joy.


    "Lily said that the captain is back! And he is asking us to gather!"

 Chapter 840: Mass

    <em>Crash!</em>


    The roaring waves smashed violently against the docks of Divinity''s Land. Strangely, it was an extraordinary ce located on the seabed yet untouched by the surrounding waters.


    As the base of the Fhtagn Covenant, Divinity''s Land seemed to be protected by some divine force as the currents surrounding it remained mysteriously calm for centuries.


    However, things had changed now. The surrounding waters started stirring; the currents seemed enraged by the events unfolding on the ind.


    <em>Drip!</em>


    A single drop of dark corpse fluid slowly fell from above andnded on the face of an elderly man marked with an octopus tattoo.


    He slowly lifted his yellowed eyes toward the towering steel cross looming over the crowd. A decayed humanoid octopus creature was being hung on it. Its wide, decaying eyes with horizontal pupils were filled with defiance.


    The more one''s appearance resembled that of God Fhtagn, the more God Fhtagn would shower more favoritism upon them. In the covenant, those who had undergone the anointment ritual held significant status.


    Yet, all these once-revered figures were being hung like ragged dolls on the crosses.The old man''s gaze slowly shifted to the right as more and more crosses came into sight. The entire Divinity''s Land had turned into a forest of death; the trees were made of steel and rotting flesh.


    Clusters of humans huddled together beneath the "branches" and "leaves" of this forest. Their faces were painted with despair; their clothes were tattered, and their bodies frail and emaciated. Many of them even bore wounds of varying severity.


    Crammed shoulder to shoulder, these people filled up every inch of the entire Divinity''s Land. Yet, despite the ind being overrun, more inders were still being herded in.


    At the docks, men were cracking their whips, driving yet more people from neighboring inds onto the already overcrowdednd.


    The old men knew where all these neers came from. They were inders from other parts of the Eastern Seas. Their appearance on Divinity''s Land meant that the heretics hadpletely conquered the sacrednd of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    The old man''s previously expressionless face gave way to new emotions. Trembling, he copsed onto the ground and let out a despaired, hollow wail.


    Beside him, a man whose limbs had been brokeny motionless. But upon hearing the old man''s cries, he opened his mouth and began to recite the prayer of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    "May the blood of the Great One cleanse me of all my sins. I ept Fhtagn Sawito as my lord and savior. I pray that You grant me the faith to seek and trust in You¡­"


    The man''s voice was weak and barely audible due to the pain coursing through his body. However, the others around him soon picked up his words and started to echo the same prayer.


    Men''s voices, women''s voices, the soft, trembling voices of children, and the cracked, broken tones of the elderly all joined in. Their prayers mixed with the crashing of the waves, and for a moment, it breathed a semnce of life back into the dead, deste Divinity''s Land.


    Just as they were engrossed in their devout prayers, a massive airborne ind slowly descended from the sky with an overwhelming presence.


    The prayers of the Fhtagnists grew louder instead of softer. It was as if they believed that their fervent prayers could somehow repel the approaching force. However, it was all futile resistance.


    "MASS BEGINS!" A sharp voice pierced through the air and sliced through the chorus of prayers.


    <em>Fwoosh! Fwoosh!</em>


    Instantly, every corpse hanging on the metal crosses ignited in mes. The stench of decay was swiftly reced by the acrid smell of burning flesh.


    The fire was no ordinary me. Unlike normal mes, it cast no shadows as it burned. Instead, the pirs of mes were filled with noxious plumes of greenish, coppery smoke andced with sulfur and death. No matter how fiercely the mes burned, they provided no warmth. The only palpable sensation in the air was the stifling presence of death and rot.


    The bodies hanging from the crosses didn''t burn for long before their charred remains crumbled and fell onto the crowd below, allowing the remnant mes to leap from the dead to the living.


    Panicked screams filled the air as the people''s hair and skin were set aze. They tried desperately to flee, but with the ind being jam-packed with people, escape was impossible.


    In mere minutes, the mes roared fiercer as they were now fueled by fresh bodies. Soon enough, towering pirs of green fire could be seen across the ind.


    Just then, a creature with ck, scaly tentacles descended slowly from the floating ind above and hovered above the heart of Divinity''s Land.


    Some of the scales on its tentacles began to peel away. The raw bloody wounds slightly parted to emit a voice¡ªwords twisted in a way that stirred a primal revulsion in anyone who heard them.


    <em>Qomer Taytay£¬ Qomer Taytay¡­ </em>


    <em>Ama hina kaychu¡­. Yanapaykuway,</em>


    <em>intiqa¡­ pakakuchian?a</em>


    <em>Munay Ma¡­ qt''aiki, </em>


    <em>Kachay¡­ Cuerpo Rumi!</em>


    At first, the creature was the only one chanting. But as its tentacles extended outward in the air, those reciting the prayers of God Fhtagn sumbed to its influence. Their terrified gazes dulled as their lips began to mirror the creature''s sickening chant in unison.


    Those on the ind who were wise enough caught onto the situation immediately. This was a sacrificial rite! And whoever the sacrifice was intended for, it wasn''t their God Fhtagn.


    They turned to flee, trying to rush toward the surrounding dark waters. They would rather drown themselves than be sacrificed to some other gods.


    Unfortunately, the chant was like an infectious gue. It didn''t take long before the creature''s hideous chant rapidly spread to infect everyone''s mouth. Every inder could only stay in their spots like puppets on strings and chant in monotone.


    As the chanting intensified, the green pirs of fire on the ind began to grow taller with each passing second. The mes leaped and stretched to connect with one another until they formed a grotesque flower of green me that bloomed on Divinity''s Land.


    The next moment, the green fire surged upward to engulf the entire ind in mes. The mes burned through the people''s skin, charred their flesh, and seared their bones. The only thing it failed to do was to take away their lives.


    Millions of skeletons danced madly within the green inferno. Their bony hands drummed against their rib cages in a frenzied rhythm. At the same time, their white jaws ttered open, but no one knew if it was inughter or eternal screams.


    Something was climbing out of the sea and onto the ind, but they couldn''t see it. Only the dark, hollow trails left in the green mes gave evidence of its identity. It was a creature walking with a single foot.


    "MASS COMPLETE!" A sharp, silver whistle rang out from the floating ind above.


    Instantly, the green inferno coiled upward and wrapped around the tentacled creature hovering in the air. Like a living thing, the mes rapidly drilled into its body.


    The mes roared as they burned the blood and flesh of the creature''s tentacles. Agonized screams rang out from the wounds, intensifying with each passing second and echoing through the surrounding darkness.


    The next day, on the sunny-lit Hope Ind, Charles sat alone in his dark office in the Governor''s Mansion. With his head buried in his hands, his eyes were squeezed shut.


    A stack of photographs was on the mahogany desk to his left. But Charles didn''t look at them; he seemed to be bracing himself for something.


    The door creaked open, and Anna entered gracefully with a radiant smile on her face.


    "I heard from Sparkle that you are looking for me. We haven''t been apart that long, and you''re missing me already?" Anna asked.


    However, Charles offered no response. He remained seated with his eyes still closed.


    "Hey, what''s going on? I''m talking to you," Anna said as she reached out a hand toward Charles'' face. However, her hand stopped abruptly just when she was inches from Charles'' face.


    Charles had opened his eyes and was staring at her. His gaze was cold and detached with an unfamiliar iciness, as though he was looking at a stranger. His prosthetic arm grabbed the pile of photos next to him and flung it at Anna.


    Anna crouched down and picked up the nearest one. It was a photo of Divinity''s Land being engulfed in mes.

 Chapter 841: Outburst

    Chapter 841: Outburst


    "Is this true? Have you been sacrificing the humans in the Eastern Seas to gain power? I heard that two million people died justst night!"


    Anna showed a hint of dissatisfaction on her face as she retorted, "Charles, aren''t you going a bit too far? You''re actually monitoring me?"


    "Answer my question!" Charles roared.


    "Yes, that''s right," Anna openly admitted it, saying, "Yes, that''s right. I did perform some sacrifices. You won''t let me sacrifice the people of Hope Ind, and you aren''t going to let me sacrifice the people on other inds, either? And have you already forgotten that they''re all Fhtagn cultists?"


    Charles stood up without realizing it, and his voice rose an octave as he said, "Those under Fhtagn''s influence in the Subterranean Sea are always a minority, and the majority of those people whom you sacrificed were deceived and coerced into bing cultists¡ªthey were coerced by the Fhtagn Covenant!


    "They were just ordinary people!"


    "Goodness, howe you''re being such a hypocrite? Since when did you care about other people, Charles? You''re unwilling to help me, so I decided to acquire what I want in my own way," Anna retorted.


    Noticing that the air had gotten quite tense, Charles took a few deep breaths, and his voice softened as he asked, "You still want to be a god? Has bing a god be more important to you than anything?"


    "That''s right. In the Subterranean Sea, power is everything. If you don''t sacrifice others first, they''ll eventually sacrifice you when the timees.""You''re wrong," Charles said, shaking his head firmly. "Bing a god in the Subterranean Sea will not guarantee your safety. In fact, stepping into that realm might expose you to more danger.


    "We can obtain power and knowledge from 005, but bing a god might be a fate worse than death. The risk is too high."


    "I''m not wrong. You''re the one who''s wrong. In fact, I''ve already touched upon a part of that threshold," Anna retorted. She lifted the photo in her hand, and it contracted, transforming into a deformed, writhing monster.


    Anna had be capable of giving life to inanimate objects; an ability to bestow upon life, which was an ability exclusive only to gods, seemed to have be a part of Anna''s repertoire.


    Charles grabbed the deformed, writhing monster and crushed it with one hand. He gnashed his teeth and stared into the eyes of the woman before him. "Anna, you have to stop. I''m begging you.


    "It''s only a matter of time until something goes wrong; think about the fate of the first-generation Foundation!"


    "I''m not going to stop. We can talk about other things, but I''m not going topromise when ites to something like this. I don''t want to stay as an ant that others can trample on whenever they wish!" Anna remained adamant.


    Charles sat down dejectedly and muttered, "Anna, I never wanted to go this far."


    "<em>Pfft!</em>" Anna burst outughing. She propped herself up on the table with both hands and looked at the man in front of her. "What? Are you going to make a move against me? Sorry, but I''m just a <em>bit </em>stronger than you."


    "I''m suspending every single research work throughout Hope Ind and Newbound City. I''m revoking your authority as the Governor of Hope Ind as well as your authority tomand the Hope Ind Navy.


    "I will take over your role in the ongoing affairs in the Eastern Seas. I''m not going to allow you to sacrifice even a single person anymore."


    "Oh my, I''m so scared~ Too bad you don''t call the shots anymore. I''ve inserted my people in the key political units on Hope Ind. It''s not going to be that easy for you to clean up things," Anna said, and a hint ofcency suffused her face.


    Charles raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The curtains on the side opened, revealing a camera. "What you just said has been broadcast to the entire ind, and my people have already done a sweep of Hope Ind''s political units."


    The next moment, three figures made out of sand walked out from the adjacent room¡ªJulio, Jenny, and Jax.


    "Charles, haven''t I told you long ago to resolve this issue as soon as possible? You refused to listen to me, and look what happened now," Julio said in a low voice.


    Julio, Jenny, and Jax cast vignt gazes at Anna. With the three of them serving as witnesses, it wouldn''t be that easy for Anna to take over Hope Ind.


    "You were actually suspicious of me?" Anna asked with a quiver in her voice as she retreated half a step in disbelief.


    "Anna, I''ve been deceived so many times, and I don''t want to be deceived again. I gave you many opportunities as well, but you kept walking further and further down that path. As I said, I never wanted to go this far," Charles exined, looking a bit agonized.


    "I noticed upon our meeting on that ind that your desire for power is incredibly strong. I sometimes wonder if that desire is born from your ambitious personality or if it is born from the instinct of that body of yours," Charles added.


    "You bastard! Who do you think I have been doing that for?! Do you really think I''ve been doing all that for myself?!" Anna''s gorgeous figure cracked open, and a colossal tentacled monster pervaded the entire room.


    Charles kicked the carpet under his feet, revealing a human-shaped magic array.


    The cannons in the distant harbor turned and aimed at the Governor''s Mansion in the middle of the ind.


    Just as it seemed like a fierce battle was going to unfold, Sparkle appeared between the two sides. Tears slid down her face as she bit her lower lip, ncing at the two people on her nks.


    "What exactly are you doing¡­ must you really do this?"


    The atmosphere had gotten so tense that it seemed like it was about to erupt anytime, but it had frozen over instantly upon Sparkle''s arrival. This was Charles'' first time seeing his daughter cry.


    Anna''s swollen figure covered in green mes shrank slowly into her gorgeous, petite form. Charles'' brows were furrowed tightly as he walked up to Sparkle and hugged her gently. He patted her back with one hand tofort her.


    Anna walked over and looked at Charles with a cold gaze. "<em>Hehehe... </em>Fine, it''s great that you''ve decided to make things clear. Since you don''t want me to stay here, then I''m not going to stay."


    "We''re monsters, and there''s not even a trace of humanity inside of us. Stay here and go do your own thing, then. Sparkle, let''s go. Do you really think that I care about this tiny ind of yours?"


    Anna turned around to leave. Sparkle wanted to break free, but Charles was holding her in a tight embrace.


    "What? You want to stay with him? Do you really think that wastrel cares about you? There was even a time when he wanted to exchange you for some benefits from the Foundation!"


    Sparkle''s figure vanished from Charles'' arms, and she reappeared between the two. Sparkle''s expression was pained as she stared alternatingly between her mother and her father. In the end, she came to Anna''s side.


    "Good¡­ you really are my good daughter," Anna said. Then, she reached into her own abdomen and pulled out a wriggling tentacle.


    "Gao Zhiming, do you see this?!" Anna eximed, waving the wriggling tentacle before Charles. She then hurled it at the ground and stomped it with her foot, staining the carpet crimson. "Those were the fabricated memories between us!"


    "I must''ve been out of my mind. Why was I bothering myself with a lunatic for so many years? Howe I''ve been so amodating to you? Even transforming into a human just to amodate you?"


    Anna''s figure split open once again, and her swollen, deformed figure soon pervaded the Governor''s Mansion. Tentacles covered in ck scales stretched out through the windows, and Anna''s tentacles swept across the mansion, destroying itpletely.


    Having revealed her true form, Anna nced at her daughter beside her and said, "We don''t need to hide. <em>We</em> are monsters."


    Sparkle''s figure split open, and her figure transformed into a floating fortress of tentacles. Anna wrapped her tentacles around her daughter and rushed out of Hope Ind in broad daylight.


    Everyone was horrified to see grotesque and terrifying monsters streaking across the air above Hope Ind.


    Charles watched nkly as the two distant monsters disappeared into the dark horizon over the pitch-ck sea.


    A few minutester, the crew members of the Narwhale rushed forward. Among them, James seemed particrly excited as he eximed, "Captain! We did it! The biggest threat to Hope Ind is gone!"

 Chapter 842: Conclusion

    Chapter 842: Conclusion


    Charles'' face remained nk in the face of James'' words. He walked to the copsed wall next to him and quietly pushed it aside. Then, he bent over and picked up the jars containing his organs.


    The smiles tugging at the crew members'' faces faded at the sight. Clearly, their captain didn''t share the same sentiment as them.


    Bandages took Lily off his shoulder and ced her on the ground. He then nudged her gently with his finger.


    Lily flew in front of Charles; her ears were drooping as she asked softly, "Mr. Charles, are you reluctant to part with that monster sister?"


    Charles shook his head and looked down at the jar in his hand. It had cracked open, so he turned to his ship''s doctor and said, "Linda, get me some more jars and preservative liquid. This jar is broken."


    Linda nodded and whispered a few words into the ear of her husband, Audric. She then walked into a wall and phased through it. Just as half of her body had phased through the tilted wall, Linda turned to look at Charles and said, "Captain, you must understand that your feelings for her are fake¡ªthey were fabricated.


    "And you saw her annihte the memories between you two. Now, you''re nothing but food in her eyes. I don''t think I even have to tell you about what she had done on the ind. The truth is that she''s been using your feelings to be stronger."


    "No, you''re wrong," Charles immediately refuted Linda''s words, replying, "She did not delete her memories between us. If she had done that, then I would have lost all of my memories about her as well. She was just pretending earlier."


    The crew members exchanged nces. The well-dressed James sporting a beer belly stepped forward and said, "Captain, I know you''re upset right now, but you should pull yourself together.


    "The biggest threat to Hope Ind is gone, but we can''t say for sure whether we''ve truly rounded up all of her people on the ind. Moreover, our Navy fleet is still in the Eastern Seas! We have to bring them back as soon as possible."


    Charles sighed and turned to look at James. "Talk to Bandages on how to handle that. To be honest, I''m not really good at it,"


    With that, Charles left with broken jars in his arms.


    Lily hovering in midair nced at the crew before chasing after Charles.


    A group of people stood in the ruins of the Governor''s Mansion, and the atmosphere was oddly calm, which was drastically different from what they had imagined.


    "Ahem~" Julio coughed lightly, shattering the ice. "We''re outsiders, and we do not want to get involved in this private affair of Hope Ind. However, that monster is gone, so don''t you think we should talk about the distribution ofnd that the Fhtagn Covenant has once upied?


    "If your governor doesn''t step up, then who''s going to talk to us?"


    "When the Captain... is absent... the First Mate will take over..." Bandages said, stepping out from the crowd.


    Anna had left Hope Ind with great fanfare, sweeping across the entire ind in her colossal, terrifying true form. Those unlucky enough to p their eyes on Anna''s true form in broad daylight suffered; those with weak minds even lost their minds.


    The number of lunatics on Hope Ind increased sharply in just one day.


    On the afternoon of the same day, the media outlets on Hope Ind published their spections about the terrifying sight. The inders were panicking, worried that they were about to face another doomsday scenario.


    However, the Governor of Hope Ind soon issued a decree. All news rted to the incident was taken down from all media outlets, and an official statement from the Governor''s Mansion was released.


    Apparently, a deep sea monster had decided to ambush the Esteemed Governor, but the valiant Governor Charles sent those terrifying monsters packing with his monstrous strength.


    The majority of the inders didn''t believe the official statement at all, and quite a few people on the ind also became aware of Anna''s true identity through certain channels.


    However, it didn''t matter whether they believed it or not. The Governor''s Mansion had already released an official statement, so those wanting to keep living on Hope Ind had to keep their mouths shut.


    Minister of Administration Leonardo was inside one of the cells of Hope Inds prison. There were deep, dark circles beneath his eyes as he stared straight at James before him, asking, "Where''s my Mistress? What have you done to her?"


    James looked at his colleague with pity. "You''ve got to snap out of it, man! Your memories have been altered by her, and she''s not your mistress¡ªshe has never been your mistress at all!"


    "No way this is real! Don''t even think about lying to me! Do you really think that capturing me is going to do anything? I <em>absolutely </em>will not betray her!" Leonardo roared, smashing the table in front of him with his arms wrapped in chains.


    "Have you already forgotten who you are? You''re a swindler¡ªa swindler who even attempted to take over Hope Ind!


    "You''re not even loyal to the captain, so can you really believe yourself by dering that you are absolutely loyal to Anna? Look here; this is the evidence that we''ve collected so far. Take a good look at them.


    Photos and documents were then thrown in front of Leonardo.


    "No, this isn''t real! These are all fake! You''re lying to me!!" Leonardo became more agitated upon seeing the evidence.


    James could only turn around and leave in disappointment.


    Anna''s memory alteration had be far stronger than he had imagined.


    Back when they were still on that ind, those affected by her memory alteration could recover upon being made aware of the contradictions in reality. However, Leonardo was still adamant about being loyal to Anna despite showing him concrete evidence of the fact that Anna had altered his memories.


    Leonardo was not alone; many other people had been influenced by Anna, and they were howling in disbelief in their cells. James nced at them and felt a bit relieved as he muttered to himself, "It''s a good thing we drove Anna away. The consequences would have been unimaginable otherwise."


    Just then, Linda emerged from the wall next to him. "She wasn''t driven away. She left on her own. Her strength is far greater than we had imagined. If Anna had fallen out with the captain and had decided to attack us, things wouldn''t have ended so peacefully."


    James took out a cigarette from his pocket and ced it between his lips. "I guess so. Anyway, her ability is really terrifying. If she were allowed to stay on the ind, we wouldn''t be able to sleep soundly at all."


    "Wait," James noticed something and turned to look at Linda. "What are you doing in the prison?"


    "I''m here to conduct some experiments. I''m trying to see if cutting off a portion of their memories will return them to normal."


    "Is that effective?"


    "It is. The memories altered by Anna are restored to their original states, but the patients will experience side effects such as limb paralysis and violent tempers. I need more experimental subjects to perform more controlled experiments."


    "Just what exactly are you trying to do by doing that? Are you trying to save them or harm them?


    "Anyway, just give me some time. I contacted the Isle of Whereto. The mages of the Gunther Family excel at altering memories as well. I''ll have theme and see if they can find a way to restore those people to normal," James said.


    "All right. Where''s the captain? Is he stewing in his own thoughts on the canopy?"


    "No, he''s in the Captain''s Quarters of the Narwhale. Don''t go looking for him for now. Let him stay alone for a while. He''s been through so many hardships and has ovee them. I believe he''ll ovee this one as well."


    The incident concluded just like that; the ind was purged, and Hope Ind was under Charles'' control once more.


    As for Anna and Sparkle, no one knew where they went. The only thing they knew was that the floating ind anchored above the Divinity''s Land had disappeared upon their departure.


    The strict control of public opinion allowed the inders to forget about the incident. Everyone''s attention turned to the brand-new channel avable for everyone with a television to watch.


    They lost all interest in the incident so quickly that Anna''s departure seemed to be just a trivial matter.

 Chapter 843: Visit

    Chapter 843: Visit


    A train hanging from the rockyer above the dome was speeding toward Hope Ind. The window of the second car was open, and the salty, damp sea breeze blew across Margaret''s hair covering her face, revealing her hideous scar.


    Margaret''s maid Gina was sitting next to her.


    Gina turned to look at her mistress and said, "Mistress, I really don''t understand. Why do you have to personally escort those mages of Elizarles Shores?"


    Margaret was looking out into the darkness, and she seemed to not have heard Gina''s words. It was only when Gina asked for the third time that she finally reacted and said, "Mind your own business. There are some matters you shouldn''t ask too much about."


    A hint of doubt appeared on Gina''s face. Today''s Margaret was a bit different from the usual Margaret. Even the scar across her face seemed to have softened just a bit.


    Margaret kept her eyes on the darkness outside, but the darkness was soon vanquished by the light, and the world outside started to brighten up.


    At first, there was only a dim red color on the horizon, but it eventually turned into a pale yellow hue, then a bright yellow, and finally, they saw rays of sunlight descending onto the canopy of Hope Ind.


    The diamond-shaped ind followed a vibrant green color scheme rather than the usual dark color scheme on the other inds, and it was all thanks to the crops nted all over the ind as well as the bright green grass on the roofs of the buildings.


    The green leaves of the trees seemed to glow as well beneath the powerful sunlight. Hope Ind was truly like a glowing jade in the darkness.Face after face crowded to the train window, gazing in fascination at the miracle of the Subterranean Sea. Many people had heard of Hope Ind, but upon seeing the ind in person, they realized just howcking and crude were the words that those rumors had used to describe Hope Ind.


    "It isn''t as big as Whereto, but it''s really bright here. I feel so much better seeing such a bright ce, and the temperature here is also a bit higher than in other ces. If only Whereto were like this¡­" Gina muttered enviously.


    Gina was transfixed on Hope Ind, staring at it in awe.


    Just then, Margaret reached out and closed the window before pulling down the ck curtain to block out the view.


    "Mistress, what was that?"


    "Sunlight is nice to look at, but don''t forget that it''s deadly. There has never been a shortage of fools killed by the sunlight upon getting ensnared by it."


    The windows on the train were pulled down, and the train continued on its journey, speeding like a colossal snake toward the elevator tower in the heart of Hope Ind.


    The squeaks and squeals in the interior of the elevator tower were generated by the friction between the chains and the pulleys as it carried Margaret and her group to the bottom floor.


    When the elevator doors opened, Bandages d in a suit appeared before Margaret and her group. Bandages wasn''t alone; he was apanied by a group of people as well.


    "Allies¡­ wee... to... Hope Ind..."


    Margaret looked around and frowned slightly. "Is the visit of the Governor of Whereto not enough to warrant the Governor of Hope Ind''s presence?"


    "Something happened... it''s not convenient¡­ for the captain¡­ to show up¡­"


    Margaret snorted coldly and turned slightly. A hooded old man with a white beard stepped forward, and Margaret introduced him. "He''s the mage that you need from Elizarles Shores."


    The Patriarch of the Gunther family looked at the man wrapped in bandages with his cloudy eyes. "Where are those with altered memories? Let me take a look at them first. Wait, let me make something clear first.


    "I can give it a try, but I can''t guarantee my sess."


    One of the wardens of Hope Ind''s prison stepped forward and saluted. "This way, please."


    He then led the Patriarch of the Gunther family to the nearby car.


    Meanwhile, Bandages took out a few pieces of paper and handed them to Margaret. "This is how... to identify... symptoms of memory alteration... see if... your ind¡­ has any of them..."


    Margaret''s gaze wasplex as she stared at the pieces of paper. Gina stepped forward and reached out with her hands to ept the pieces of paper.


    "So it''s true? Anna really left?" Margaret asked.


    Bandages nced at her before turning around and walking toward his own car.


    "The captain... is on the ship..."


    Soon, Margaret found herself walking down the streets of Hope Ind by herself.


    The streets and scenery of Hope Ind werepletely differentpared to Whereto. The buildings here were much taller than Whereto''s buildings, which varied between two stories or three stories.


    Hope Ind even had supertall buildings that reached the canopy up above.


    The buildings all over Hope Ind made the ind appear crowded, but the inders didn''t seem to mind it.


    Compared to the people on other inds, the skin of the inders on Hope Ind was noticeably darker. Margaret wasn''t sure whether it was an illusion or not, but for some reason, she felt that the inders on Hope Ind were much happierpared to the inders on her ind.


    Her maid Gina had told her that Hope Ind''s brightness was making her feel much better, but Margaret believed that the reason behind the inders'' happiness was that they hadn''t suffered beneath the death light at all.


    If Hope Ind had lost eighty to ny percent of its poption, Margaret believed that they would have found it hard to be happy, even though they were living in such a bright ce.


    Just then, Margaret walked past a restaurant and saw that the diners were staring at a so-called television.


    The tiny box somehow had people dancing inside of it, and Margaret couldn''t help but sigh at Hope Ind''s technology. Margaret reckoned that even the former Albion Isles could no longerpete with Hope Ind in that department.


    Margaret walked slowly down Second Street, making a beeline for the harbor district at a leisurely pace that allowed her to observe the sceneries of Hope Ind.


    Three hourster, Margaret finally found herself standing in front of the Narwhale.


    The ship of the Governor of Hope Ind was docked all alone inside a private dock of the Navy. There was no one standing guard outside, so the ship was truly by herself here.


    Margaret stomped and took to the air,nding on the gunwale in one swift motion. She had memorized the Narwhale''syout. After all, she had spent quite some time living in the Narwhale back when she got kidnapped.


    In no time, Margaret arrived in front of the Captain''s Quarters, which still looked familiar to her. She reached out to knock on the door but stopped just a few inches away from it.


    A hesitant look suffused her face as she stood quietly before the door.


    Just then, a creaking noise pervaded the corridor as the door to the Captain''s Quarters abruptly opened by itself. The lights inside were off, so it was pitch ck.


    "What is it?" Charles'' exhausted voice echoed from inside.


    Margaret bit her lower lip and charged straight in. She fumbled for the oilmp and lit it. The swaying candlelight illuminated the room and Charles, who was sprawled out on the bed and was drinking a bottle of liquor.


    Charles'' chin was unshaven, and his eyes were bloodshot.


    Margaret also saw paintings stacked haphazardly on the drawing board and strewn across the floor next to the bed.


    "Sorry, I can see in the dark, so I keep on assuming that others can see in the dark, too."


    Margaret walked over and squatted down. Then, she picked up the paintings on the floor. The paintings depicted many bizarre things, but the majority of them were portraits of Anna.


    "A woman''s departure is actually enough to reduce you to a decadent fool? You don''t seem like the Governor Charles that I''m familiar with," Margaret said, cing the thick stack of paintings on the table.


    The corners of Charles'' mouth curled up into a smile. "I don''t want to talk about my family affairs with outsiders. What brings you here? If you want to talk about anything concerning the ind, then go and look for Bandages."


    A tinge of hesitation flitted across Margaret''s eyes at Charles'' words, but she gnashed her teeth and roused a wave of determination from inside her. Then, she stood up straight and walked up to Charles.


    "Anna is gone, so you''re alone again. This time, I''m not going to let you run away, and I''m not going to wait anymore!" Margaret dered.

 Chapter 844: Margaret

    Chapter 844: Margaret


    "What?" Charles asked. Margaret''s words just now were so shocking that he thought he had misheard her. He put down the bottle of liquor that he had just brought to his mouth.


    Having spoken her heart, Margaret no longer hesitated and took another step forward. She stared directly at Charles and said, "Charles, I know you know my feelings. I love you. I want you to be my husband."


    Hearing that, Charles chuckled and said, "You''re really direct this time."


    "Some opportunities are too precious to let go. One must seize every opportunity avable as soon as possible," Margaret said. Her eyes contained only her desire to achieve her goal, devoid of the shyness of a demure young girl.


    Margaret leaned in and spread her arms to hug Charles, but just as her fair, clean fingers were about to make contact with Charles, she felt something invisible freezing her in ce.


    "Forget it. We could have talked about it before, but not now," Charles said. He wrapped Margaret with his invisible tentacles and pushed her back to the door.


    Margaret''s face revealed a strong unwillingness to yield. "Why? Is it because of the scar on my face?"


    Margaret brushed her hair aside, revealing her hideous scar.


    "No," Charles said, shaking his head. "You''ve seen Anna''s true form. If I could stomach even her true form, do you really think I''m the type to care about appearances? If so, then you''re wrong. I don''t really care about appearances.""Then, what''s wrong?" Margaret asked.


    The Adam''s apple halfway up Charles'' neck bobbed up and down as he took a big swig of the bottle of liquor in his hand. In no time, the bottle of liquor was half empty.


    Margaret reached to her thigh holster, and the bottle of liquor in Charles'' hand shattered, scattering ss and the liquor all over Charles'' face.


    "Give me a proper reason, or you won''t be able to get rid of me at all! I''m no longer a little girl," Margaret warned.


    Charles wiped away the liquor on his face and sighed. "Because I''m going to be extremely busy soon. I have no time to waste on something like that."


    Margaret clenched her fists, and her voice conveyed her tumultuous emotions as she eximed, "Just what exactly are you going to do soon? The death light is no more, the Fhtagn Covenant will soon be annihted, and you''ve already destroyed the so-called Foundation.


    "You''ve also be the Overlord of the Northern Seas! Just what exactly are you going to do next?!"


    Charles didn''t respond to Margaret''s questions. His gaze was transfixed on the organs soaked in preservative fluid on the table across from him.


    Margaret looked down slowly, and a teardrop fell from between her hair, disappearing into the slightly moldy floor. There was a slight tremor in her voice as she stammered, "You don''t have to spend too much energy on me. I just want to be by your side. Charles, I-I really miss you..."


    Charles sprawled out on the bed once more before turning his back on Margaret. He sounded a bit weary as he said, "Go back and be satisfied with your position as the governor. You should focus on assisting the heir of the Cavendish family. What I''m about to do next has nothing to do with you, and there is no reason for you to get involved."


    Margaret gnashed his teeth at Charles'' words. She looked up, revealing her bloodshot eyes. "No, I''m not going to give up this time! I absolutely won''t give up!"


    With that, Margaret turned around and walked down the corridor outside. When she left, the oilmp went out again, and Charles was once again plunged into darkness.


    However, the darkness was soon vanquished by Lily''s golden fur as the tiny mouse cautiously flew her way into the quarters.


    Lily saw her captain curled up on the bed with both hands on his head. Lily''s heart inexplicably ached at the sight, and she immediately tossed aside the gossipy questions she wanted to ask him.


    Lily flew toward Charles, and shended on his head. Then, she grabbed Charles'' earlobe and spoke softly into his ear, "Mr. Charles, are you okay? Are you in a bad mood? Why don''t we go out and y? I heard there are roller coasters for adults in the newly opened amusement park in the southern part of the ind."


    "I''m fine. Just go out, and leave me alone for now. I need some time to figure things out," Charles replied. He was still curled on the bed despite Lily''s arrival; he didn''t make even the slightest movement.


    "Are you missing Monster Sister? Then let''s find a way to bring her back here. I''ll help as long as it''ll make you happy, Mr. Charles," Lily asked.


    "No, you don''t have to find her. She must never return to Hope Ind. Her desire for power has made her too obsessed with it. If she''s allowed to return, she''ll definitely harm the people on the ind."


    "Then¡ª" Lily started.


    However, Charles quickly interrupted her, "Be obedient, Lily, all right? Go and y somewhere else. I want to be alone for now."


    Lily''s ears drooped. In the end, she rubbed her furry cheek on Charles'' face and flew out of the quarters.


    Left all alone, Charles sat up on the bed. After a while, he walked up to the drawing board and started painting once again.


    The paintbrush moved unceasingly across the canvas, and soon, the figures of his family members on the surface world, his ssmates, and his friends appeared on the canvas. School buildings also filled the background until Charles'' school was eventually recreated on the canvas.


    Charles also painted every single person he could still remember on the surface world, along with sceneries relevant to them. Eventually, Charles'' listless eyes became filled with vigor once again.


    Just as Charles was about to run out of paint, he finallypleted his final painting. It depicted the back profile of someone jumping onto a passenger ship with a sling bag.


    The figure was a young man, and his face had to be full of excitement for the uing trip that was going tost for a few days.


    "How nice. I really want to go back to those times," Charles muttered to himself. He reached out and stroked the wet canvas; he didn''t care even though he was smudging his own work.


    <em>"So you''ve decided to escape? Your wish is to abandon everything in the Subterranean Sea and return to the surface by yourself? Fine, but that''s only one wish. What are your two remaining wishes?"</em>


    Charles looked up and saw 005 standing at the door. His cold gaze instantly returned as he replied, "No rush. I''m still missing one."


    <em>"I''m not in a rush. I''ll take the others away first. Take your time looking for the remaining one." </em>


    The ck cat in 005''s arms jumped onto the table where the jars containing Charles'' organs were located. The ck cat pushed the jars, and they swayed a few times before falling to the ground.


    Just as the jars were about to hit the ground, they changed directions and flew to Charles. Clearly, Charles had wrapped the jars with his invisible tentacles before dragging them toward him.


    "Since you''re not in a rush, then wait until I find the remaining one. I''ll give them all to you at once."


    005 stared quietly at Charles for a few seconds before her figure started fading away slowly.<em></em>"Fine. <em>The truth is I''m quite easygoing, especially when ites to creatures I''ve grown fond of."</em>


    Upon seeing that 005 was leaving, Charles quickly made up his mind and stepped forward, saying, "Please wait a moment. I have a concern about the wishes."


    005''s fading figure solidified once again.<em> "What?"</em>


    "Tobba said the surface world hasn''t changed at all, but can you let me confirm it myself? I want to see what the surface world looks like right now," Charles replied.

 Chapter 845: Puppet

    Chapter 845: Puppet


    Charles'' words had just barely left his lips when his surroundings swiftly peeled away. When he finally came to his senses, he realized that the environment was extremely bright. The sudden change from the previous darkness made Charles squint his eyes in difort.


    <em>Bright?!</em>


    Charles instinctively snapped his head upward. There, shining dazzlingly in the sky, was the zing sun. <em>The </em>sun. He was on the surface world! The real surface world!


    Overwhelmed with excitement, Charles tried topose himself and suppressed his emotions. Only when he had steadied himself did he realize that he wasn''t in his human form. He was somehow in the body of a bird, or to be exact, a white seagull. And he was perched on the mast of a ship.


    Looking down, he took in the ocean waters that stretched out alongside a vast sandy beach. People dressed in beachwear were scattered across the sand and sun tanning. Judging from their appearances, he was certain that he wasn''t in China.


    With some awkwardness, Charles pped hisrge wings. His physical instincts were still intact, and he quickly lifted off and soared toward the sky before gliding toward the shore.


    He flew over the roads marked with traffic signs and watched as the cars came and went. He observed kids on skateboards with headphones in their ears. Every detail of the surface world would send a new wave of excitement coursing through Charles and taking over his slightly calm emotions.


    Everything on the surface was so peaceful. There were no strange creatures walking on the ground. Neither were there bizarre celestial bodies in the sky. All of these were evidence that nothing unusual had happened on the surface.


    Charles was also certain that he was undoubtedly in a seaside city. Though he couldn''t make sense of the text on the signs, he could recognize a few of the gs that were draped across the buildings. They belonged to nations from across the globe. This was indeed the surface world he hade from and not some strange parallel dimension.His heart even skipped a beat when he spotted a person walking by, and the man''s cor had a small tag that read, "MADE IN CHINA."


    Charles soared through the sky, allowing himself to relish in the sensation of the wind brushing past his face. In this brief moment, it felt as though everything he had endured in the Subterranean Sea was just a distant dream.


    Just as he glided past a man holding a smartphone, his scenery abruptly shifted. He had returned to his cold and dark Captain''s Quarters. 005 was already gone.


    Lying on the ground, Charles was silent for a few seconds before a joyful smile spread across his face. Despite the short time¡ªno more than a fleeting minute¡ªhe had on the surface, there were no words for him to describe how great it felt, how great it was to be back at home.


    His long-buried yearning stirred once again. Now, he desperately wanted to return home. He wanted to leave this wretched ce filled with danger and despair and return to the world of civilization. That ce was a paradisepared to the Subterranean Sea.


    But just as Charles stood up, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the nearby mirror. The ck hair on his head had been reced with writhing tentacles. His left eye was now a spider eye, with a ck sclera and red iris. Scars marred his face, and the tentacle tattoo had unknowingly extended from his neck and up to his cheek.


    Compared to the young man on his canvas, he was now undoubtedly a monster. A hint of hesitation crossed Charles'' heart, but it was quickly pushed aside and reced with a firm resolve.


    He took out his diary and flipped it open to the page where he jotted down his wishes. Crossing out one of the three original wishes, he penned a new wish at the bottom of the list.


    ***


    Nene stood atop a rooftop in the harbor district with her friends and gazed toward the harbor. Compared to before, she had grown significantly taller.


    "How much longer do we have to wait? Why are they not back yet? I''m so tired from standing," Nene grumbled as she wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. She had been standing here the entire day.


    "I heard from my dad that that was what the TV reported. They said that the Hope Ind Navy would be returning this morning," the chubby boy dered confidently.


    Just as Nene wanted to ask more questions, silhouettes of warships started to emerge from the dark horizon. Instantly, a wave of excited cheers erupted from the crowd gathered at the docks.


    After more than half a year at sea, their loved ones were finally returning home.


    "All praises to Goddess Sparkle! My husband is finallying back!" a woman dropped to her knees and cried in tears of joy.


    A hint of dejection flickered across Nene''s visage. Over the past six months, Sparkle had not visited her even once. It was as though she had suddenly vanished entirely.


    <em>Sparkle must be busy with something. She will definitelye look for me again once she has time. We made a pinky promise that we would be best friends forever.</em> Nene reassured herself internally.


    As the fleet docked, the Hope Ind Navy had changed into crisp new uniforms. They disembarked from their ships with eagerness as they scanned the crowd to search for their family members.


    At that moment, Leonardo cleared his throat. Standing atop a car, he spoke into the microphone connected to a loudspeaker.


    "Fellow inders, after six months and twenty-five days of battle, our brave soldiers have triumphed over the evil Fhtagn cult! All the praises and cheers for our heroes!"


    Meanwhile, James stood on the rooftop of a nearby building. He nodded in approval as he watched Leonardo, who had returned to his normal self.


    "That guy is still as pretentious¡­ but at least he has recovered now¡­" Jamesmented.


    "Don''t celebrate too soon," the old mage next to James replied. "The concoction that Madam Linda and I came up with can only suppress his memories. He has to take it daily without fail, or those memories will resurface."


    A hint of disappointment crossed James'' face. "Is there no permanent solution?"


    "Of course there is. You just need to kill the monster that altered his memories, and all the false memories will disappear instantly. But I think even your esteemed Governor wouldn''t be able to achieve this feat."


    Anna''s visage surfaced in James'' mind, and his expression darkened as he nodded in agreement.


    "That''s indeed a tough challenge. But this will do for now. Please share the form with me as soon as possible. I''ll discuss with the Ministry of Engineering to open a new facility dedicated to producing these concoctions."


    Just as Elder Gunther was about to respond, his expression suddenly turned grim as his eyes stared fixated on the coastline. The once-calm sea was now bubbling as though something was lurking beneath the surface.


    Of course, he was not the only one who had noticed the anomaly. The District 3 officers stationed in secrecy near the docks spotted it too.


    <em>Beeeeeeep!</em>


    A sharp whistle pierced the air as a burst of blood-red powder fireworks exploded in the sky.


    The inders crowded at the docks could no longer care about the heartwarming reunion. Chaos erupted as people began retreating in panic. As citizens of Hope Ind, they all knew what the red fireworks meant.


    Fortunately, there were several police officers among the crowd. Under their guidance and evacuation orders, a stampede was avoided.


    When more than half of the crowd at the docks had evacuated, something stumbled out of the bubbling waters onto the shore.


    Initially, James thought it was a human, but he soon realized that it was anything but human. It was a towering, metallic puppet with its body mostly covered in thick sea mud.


    Typically, the puppets used in performances were small and no bigger than the size of a hand. However, this one stood at a towering height of four meters. Its limbs and torso were caked with mud and rust, and its head was only half intact, giving it a grotesque, otherworldly appearance.


    "Target at 90 yards! Prepare to fire!"


    Several cannons built atop the high towers overlooking the docks, each with barrels asrge as a man''s head, swiveled in unison to aim at the strange figure.


    Just as gunners adjusted their aim for wind speed, the strange puppet swayed slightly and started to speak.


    Its voice grated like the sound of two rusty iron sheets scraping against each other and was rather unpleasant to the ears.


    "Your¡­ mas¡­ter¡­seeks¡­the¡­ Great One¡­ We know¡­ where¡­ We¡­ trade."

 Chapter 846: Trade

    Chapter 846: Trade


    <em>Bang!</em>


    The car door mmed shut as Charles, apanied by James, strode in big steps toward the docks.


    "I''m not sure what that thing is, but it doesn''t look like it''s man-made. It specifically asked for you, and it seems like it wants to strike some sort of deal," James exined to his captain with a grim expression.


    "I don''t know how it knows of your request but through our brief and roughmunication, it knows that you are looking for a certain Divinity."


    Charles'' eyes narrowed slightly upon the mention of this critical piece of information, and his pace hastened. When they arrived at the docks, the area had been cleared. Only the towering metallic puppet was left standing on the beach and surrounded by cannons and rifles aimed squarely at it.


    "I heard you want to make a trade with me," Charles said to the half-headed puppet.


    "Yes¡­We know¡­you¡­ seek."


    The puppet''s rusted joints creaked as it shifted, the dry sea mud king off its body and crumbling onto the sand. Despite the disjointed words, Charles could decipher the puppet''s meaning.


    "You know what I seek? What is the name of the Divinity I''m searching for?" Charles asked."Hyp¡­nos."


    Charles'' heart skipped a beat. That was indeed the Divinity he was searching for.


    "James." Charles turned to the chubby man and instructed, "Tell the others to stand back. I need to have a proper talk with this thing."


    The sound of boots crunching through sand quickly faded as James led the others away. It didn''t take long before Charles and the massive metallic puppet were left all alone on the beach.


    Though the personnel had retreated, the cannons on the warships and artillery tforms remained fixed on the creature. They were ready to fire at any moment if it dared to make a move on their governor.


    "Where is Hypnos now?" Charles asked directly.


    At this point, he didn''t care what sort of creature or species he was dealing with. There were too many strange existences in the Subterranean Sea¡ªtoo many for him to keep track of. His only goal now was to fulfill his side of the deal with 005 as quickly as possible.


    "Trade. Terms. Need," the puppet stated three proper words in a cold and mechanical voice.


    Though the puppet seemed to struggle with the Subterranean Sea''snguage, Charles understood what it meant.


    "A fair trade. What do you need?"


    "Habitable ind. Non-attack. Habitable ind."


    <em>An ind? </em>A hint of hesitation flickered across Charles'' face. It was a significant cost, and he had limited inds in his possession. Trading one away was a steep price and he seemed to be on the losing end of this deal.


    But upon weighing the pros and cons, he soon decided to agree to the puppet''s demands. After all,pared to retrieving the final item he had lost in the Subterranean Sea, the ind was a small sacrifice.


    "Alright, I agree to the terms. Now tell me, where is Hypnos?"


    "The puppet''s rusty body swayed slightly before it rasped out a single word, "Underwater."


    Realization dawned on Charles at that moment. Now he knew why despite mobilizing the full force of all humans across the Subterranean Sea, there were still no hints of Hypnos'' whereabouts for months.


    Hypnos had retreated deep into the sea.


    "Chief Engineer! Bring me a map!" Charles shouted toward James, who was waiting in the distance.


    Soon enough, a detailed map of the Subterranean Sea was spread out before the puppet.


    "Where is Hypnos?" Charles asked. "Show me his location."


    The puppet stumbled as it moved toward the map. Extending a rusted finger, it pointed in the direction of the map. However, it wasn''t pointing at any marked region on the chart.


    Instead, its rusted finger went past the map''s edge and stabbed into the sandy ground beside it, creating a small hole.


    "An uncharted region?" Charles'' brows furrowed together.


    Due to the overwhelming number of deaths in recent years, the surviving humans in the Subterranean Sea now lived in rtivefort. Even the Explorers Association had ceased issuing exploration missions.


    However, that didn''t mean that the Subterranean Sea had been fully explored. No one knew the true boundaries of the Subterranean Sea or if there were even any boundaries.


    It seemed as though vast, seemingly endless unexplored regionsy beyond the known human-upied waters. And no one had ever ventured that far into those ces.


    Charles eyed the distance between the marked hole in the sand and Hope Ind. It was <em>really</em> far. If they were to travel by ship, it would take them at least two months to reach the location.


    And the estimated duration hadn''t taken into ount any potential dangers that lurked in the uncharted waters. If there were any unforeseenplications along the way, more time would be needed.


    Charles pondered for a brief moment before he lifted his gaze back to the towering metal puppet. Pointing at the small hole it had made in the sand, he asked, "You live out there?"


    The puppet shook its head slightly and responded, "Trade. Payment."


    "Alright." Charles turned to James and instructed," James, go find Julio. The Eastern Seas had just been cleared out so there must still be a few habitable inds under his jurisdiction. Buy one in my name."


    Though habitable inds were valuable, Hope Ind had more than enough wealth to afford one. Moreover, not all inds were of equal worth. With the current market, purchasing an ind with no resources or special traits wouldn''t be an issue.


    Charles turned his gaze back to the metallic puppet and said, "Wait on the ind for now. When we''ve secured the purchase, you can send someone over to im it. You can do whatever you want with it. Live there or whatever, it''s your choice."


    There was a reason why Charles had agreed to the trade so readily. He had his own considerations.


    No matter what this creature was, if they settled on the ind, any ns to ambush or deceive him would need careful reconsideration. If this was a trap, they would have to think twice before making their move.


    "Great. Fast. Tradeplete. Together. We arrive. Then. Payment," the towering metal puppet rasped before lifting its massive feet and retreating backward, step by step, into the depths of the sea.


    As its metallic head disappeared beneath the waters, Lily flew over andnded on Charles'' shoulder. She tilted her head to the side and asked in curiosity, "Mr. Charles, is it saying that it will being with us? Is it going to be our navigator?"


    Charles nodded slightly and gently patted Lily on the head before striding toward the docks.


    "Not us. Just me. Be a good girl and stay on the ind. There''s finally a lead now. Once I find thisst missing piece, everything will be over."


    "Mr. Charles, what are you talking about?"


    "Nothing. Just wait patiently. When that timees, everyone''s wishes will be fulfilled."


    ***


    James groggily opened his eyes. Throwing off the nket, he began to remove his pajamas and reached for his work uniform.


    Just as he was struggling to button each button over his round belly, the bedroom door creaked open. From the corner of his eyes, James spotted an innocent gaze peeking in through the gap.


    Despite having retired from an exploration ship for a long time now, the former explorer had yet to lose his keen sense of awareness. He definitely detected the opening of a door.


    "My dear girl, are you looking for Daddy?" James turned around upon buttoning the final button, his gaze softening as he looked toward his daughter standing outside the door.


    A cheerful little girl who looked no older than seven or eight pushed the door open and bounced into the room with light steps. Her red, leather shoes lifted off the ground as she jumped with her arms outstretched and threw herself onto James'' belly.


    "Daddy~"


    "Ahhh¡­" James let out a warm chuckle, his eyes brimming with love and affection. He slid his hands under her tiny arms and lifted her into the air, spinning her around in circles. The sound of the young girl''s delightedugher immediately filled the cozy bedroom.


    After a few yful spins, James held her in his arms and nted a kiss on her cheek. "Alright, let''s go and grab breakfast. We don''t wanna bete for school."

 Chapter 847: Conversation

    Chapter 847: Conversation


    James was just about to head out of the room when he felt his daughter tugging at his shirt cor.


    His daughter, Nini, looked up at him with her eyes glimmering with hope. "Daddy, can I ask for something?"


    "What is it, sweetheart? Just tell me. Whatever my little star wants, Daddy can make it happen!" James said with a warm smile.


    "Can you give me two coins? If that''s too much, even just one will do."


    James blinked in surprise. Why would his daughter suddenly ask for money from him? As his little girl, she was nevercking anything.


    "I want to buy some food from the food stalls at the school entrance. The things they sell smell so yummy."


    "My dear girl, those things aren''t very clean. They might upset your stomach," James replied with a concerned look.


    A pleading expression immediately appeared on Nini''s face as she said, "But why do Emma and the rest get to eat it? They didn''t get sick."


    Seeing Nini''s puppy-dog expression, James'' heart meltedpletely. "Alright, how about this? I''ll drive you to school, and whatever you want to eat, I''ll buy it for you."Nini squealed with joy and showered James'' face with kisses.


    Cradling Nini in his arms, James was grinning from ear to ear as he carried her into the living room, where breakfast had already been prepared.


    After setting Nini down on the stool, James picked up his fork and knife, but the moment he saw the food on his te, he froze.


    "What¡­ is this?"


    "The white core and flowers from a banana tree, plus some unripe mangoes. You are getting too heavy, and you need to lose some weight. This is the most suitable food for you," James'' wife, Mosa, said.


    A hint of resignation crossed James'' face. "I mean, fine that I can''t eat meat or drink alcohol, but how am I supposed to eat <em>this? </em>Shouldn''t the mangoes at least be ripe?"


    "No," Mosa replied firmly. "Madam Linda said that there''s too much sugar in ripened fruits. You will gain even more weight eating those. This is the best for you."


    In the household of Hope Ind''s Police Chief, it was never the man who had the final say. With a look of resignation, James stabbed a piece of the white banana core with his fork. He sliced it into smaller chunks with the knife before stuffing a piece into his mouth.


    As he chewed down on the white core, James felt like he was gnawing on a crispy, vorless candle. Apart from being slightly more watery than bananas, it had absolutely no taste.


    After much struggle, he swallowed the final scratchy bit down. For a moment, he felt like he had returned to S.S. Mouse, where he had to chew on hardened ck rye bread for meals.


    "Are you close to Linda? I didn''t know you two were friends," Jamesmented as he cut into another piece of banana flower and grimaced as he forced it into his mouth.


    Mosa shook her head, saying, "We''re not friends. Just a few days ago, I saw her on the streets. She mentioned that your health has been declining because you have been sitting in your office and didn''t move much. She also said you need to lose weight and exercise more.


    She paused for a moment, a look of hesitation crossing her face before she continued, "Actually, I was nning to drop by her ce yesterday to thank her for her reminder with a small gift. But when I was at her door, I smelled this strong, overwhelming scent of blood. So I didn''t go in."


    James quickly shoved the rest of the food on the te into his mouth. He picked up the cup of water next to him and washed the contents down with arge gulp.


    "Since you''re not close friends, then don''t bother to visit her. I''ll pass along your gratitude," James remarked.


    Mosa let out a sigh of relief at her husband''s words. "Good. To be honest, Linda feels like a knife. I feel uneasy just standing near her."


    "A knife? Why would you think so? Linda seems perfectly normal to me," James replied as he rubbed the top of his daughter''s head affectionately.


    "Normal?" Mosa reiterated with a raised eyebrow. "I feel that everyone from that ship of yours is a little¡­ strange."


    James'' brows slightly furrowed. "Those people are myrades who went through life and death with me. Don''t forget who helped us when we got into trouble before."


    "I know, I know," Mosa quickly justified. "I don''t have anything against them. I''m just worried. People outside don''t say it outright, but there''s a lot of gossip and rumors going around about your crew. I''ve overheard others'' conversations about how that giant monster that flew overhead recently across the ind is actually the governor''s missing wife!"


    "Let them say whatever they want. The captain has mice all over the ind, and he''s definitely aware of what people are saying. Since he chose not to take any action, then it means he doesn''t care."


    Mosa looked at her husband with a face of concern and asked, "James¡­ is the governor leaving on another expedition again?"


    "Yeah¡­ He''s setting off tomorrow. I saw him hauling up the Narwhale''s anchor earlier. They''ll probably start loading supplies onto the ship today."


    "Where''s he headed this time?" Mosa''s voice carried a hint of worry. "It''s not another war again, is it?"


    "Since when are you so curious about things? Don''t ask too much about things that don''t concern you, especially when it''s the captain''s matters," James responded, his toneced with evident annoyance.


    "Alright, I won''t ask anymore. It''s just¡­ life is finally getting better, and I just hope nothing happens again. Thest time the sea levels rose, we were all really terrified."


    James'' expression softened. He hesitated for a brief moment before he said, "I don''t know what the captain is nning to do, but he has his own ns. Whatever it is, I''ll support him. If it wasn''t for him sacrificing his arm to pull me out of that ind, I wouldn''t be here today."


    As Nini finished thest bit of food on her te, James gently took her hand and helped her hop off the chair.


    "Alright, we''re leaving now. See you tonight," James bade his wife goodbye and led Nini to the door.


    Compared to the scheduled tram routes, traveling by car was undoubtedly much more convenient. Soon enough, they had arrived at the school gates.


    Pushing the door open, James stepped out of the car and watched with a smile as his daughter, holding two coins, excitedly ran toward a street vendor. The pure joy on her face reminded him how easily children could find happiness in the simplest of things.


    "Daddy! Try this! It''s so delicious!" Nini returned with a small cup of steaming shellfish soup in her hands.


    James bent down and opened his mouth to take a bite of the small shell his daughter offered. The tiny piece of meat within the shell smoothly slid down his throat.


    "It''s indeed tasty. Hurry up and finish it. School''s about to start for the day."


    Back in thefort of the car''s leather seat, James quietly watched Nini finish the cup of soup. Just then, he noticed a man stepping off the tram across the street.


    Despite having the stature of an adult, the man had a childlike innocence in his eyes. James immediately realized who he was. The Captain had rescued the man from some ind, and he had heard that Linda had adopted him.


    As soon as he was reminded of the Narwhale''s doctor, James spotted Linda herself stepping off the tram right behind the man.


    Gently patting Nini on the head, James exited the car and approached Linda. "Here to drop off your ward?"


    The bald-headed Linda nodded. "His school''s on the way today, so I thought I should drop him off."


    "I remember he was already schooling when Lily died. Has he still not graduated?" James asked as he nced at the man, Salin.


    Carrying a backpack, Salin shifted uneasily and shrunk back to stand behind Linda.


    "I''m not sure what he can do if he leaves school. Since he enjoys school life, I n to let him stay in school for as long as he likes," Linda replied.


    James picked up the wary gaze in Salin''s eyes and said, "That doesn''t seem like a good idea."

 Chapter 848: Companions

    Chapter 848: Companions


    Linda reached out a hand and dusted a bit of dust off her adopted son''s shoulder.


    "What''s so bad about it? If he leaves school, he''ll probably starve out there. Better to just keep him under my care. I mean, what can you really expect from someone raised by ind natives?"


    "But¡ª" Before James couldplete his sentence, Linda cut him off.


    "No buts. This is my family business, and you shouldn''t meddle in it. Besides, ss is about to start. You should hurry up and send your daughter to ss."


    James nced at his watch and realized that it was as per Linda''s words: Nini was close to beingte. He quickly helped Nini out of the car and walked her toward the school gates.


    As he watched Nini and the tall figure of Salin walking through the entrance, a warm smile surfaced on James'' countenance. "I still remember how she looked when she was born. To think that in a blink of an eye, she''s already grown so much."


    Clearly, Linda wasn''t interested in this conversation topic. She deftly changed the subject, asking, "Where are you headed after this?"


    "Where else? Off to the Police Bureau, of course. Don''t you have work? I heard that you''ve been tasked to take over some of Anna''s work."


    "Work can wait. I think you should stop by the Governor''s Mansion and check on Captain first."A hint of concern flickered across James'' face. "Check on him? Did something happen to Captain?"


    "You are closer to him than I do. It''s probably better for you to ask him what his ns are. Some of his recent actions have been rather¡­ troubling," Linda replied in a calm tone.


    The conversation James had with his wife earlier in the morning shed past his mind. Decided, he replied, "Alright, I''ll go see him. Actually, you should find the First Mate for this. Bandages has always been the closest to Captain."


    "I''ll notify him as well," Linda said. With that, she swiftly turned around and walked toward the passing tram. With her ability, she phased right through the walls effortlessly and boarded the tram.


    James raised his head, his gazending on the hazy outline of the Governor''s Mansion in the distance.


    "Icke, drive the car here," James instructed.


    "Where are we going, Chief?"


    "To the Governor''s Mansion."


    <em>Screech!</em>


    The rolling tires came to a stop outside the grand Governor''s Mansion. James stepped out and closed the door behind him before he strode toward the heavily guarded gates.


    Led by the butler to the backyard, he soon spotted his captain, Charles. Charles was hunched slightly as he tossed papers into a small fire. Meanwhile, Lily was radiating a golden hue as she circled around Charles slowly.


    "Mr. Charles! Big guy''s here!" Lily called out upon spotting James.


    The hunched figure slowly turned around.


    "What brings you here?" Charles asked.


    James approached in big strides and stopping in front of Charles, he lifted a bottle of liquor with a grin. "You''re setting sail tomorrow. I specially came by to send you off properly."


    "Sit," Charles said as he gestured toward the space beside him. As soon as the words left his mouth, a table and chairs floated gracefully through the nearby window andnded softly in front of them.


    The amber liquid swirled in the transparent sses before the sses clinked together with a crisp sound.


    James took a small sip before his gaze drifted curiously toward the fire. "Captain, what are you burning?"


    "Nothing much. Back then when I was still on explorations, I left a few letters under my bed¡ªjust in case I die an unexpected death. But now that the days of exploration are behind me, they don''t serve any purpose anymore," Charles replied, his eyes fixed on the bubbles on the interior walls of his wine ss.


    Lily swooped over, trying to get a sip of the liquor but Charles caught her gently before she could do so.


    James took another small sip from his ss before he looked up and stared at Charles with a serious gaze. "So, you''re still nning to go without Bandages and the others this time?"


    "Yes." Charles'' response was firm and decisive. "I''m going back to the ce where I lost my arm. You know as well that it''s a part of a Divinity''s body. There''s no reason to let them be at risk in this expedition."


    "But Captain, they''re your crew," James justified. "Fighting and exploring by your side is their duty. Though none of them said it aloud, they feel like you''ve been distancing yourself from them."


    Seeing Charles'' silence, James took it as a signal to press on. "Captain, what is your goal this time? Can you tell us? As your subordinate, I know I shouldn''t question your decisions, buttely, your actions have been... odd."


    Charles raised his ss and gently tapped it against James''. "First of all, James. You are not my subordinate. You''re my friend, mypanion."


    Charles'' words stirred deep emotions within James. They took him back to reminisce about their old days aboard the Narwhale where they risked their lives at sea to make a living.


    "And also," Charles continued. "Do you remember when I asked you about your wish?" You told me that Anna was a threat to Hope Ind. Well, that threat has been dealt with."


    "So you are nning to¡ª"


    "I''m nning to arrive at an answer that will satisfy everyone," Charles said. He set his ss down on the table and gently held Lily in his hand, stroking her furry back.


    He then continued, "Anna has indeed crossed the line. If it were just me, I wouldn''t mind. No matter what she did, I''d follow her to the end. But Hope Ind is different. Hope Ind has all of you to consider.


    "All of you have been by my side through it all. You''re mypanions, my friends. Enough lives have been lost on the Narwhale. I don''t want any more unnecessary deaths."


    James sat in silence as he tried to digest Charles'' words. He had never heard his captain speak in such a manner before. In fact, during their explorations, Charles had always maintained a strict,manding demeanor to keep his crew in line and maintain his authority.


    "All these years, we''ve spent more time aboard that ship than we ever have onnd," Charles said, his gaze dropping to the smooth, polished floor beneath him. "You all are like family to me.


    "So many have died along the way. My heart hurts¡­ every single time. But for the sake of finding the Land of Light, for the sake of saving the Subterranean Sea, for the sake of defeating the Foundation, we had no choice but to endure and push forward.


    "But things are different now," Charles concluded. "There''s no longer any threat forcing us to move. All of you can live out your lives without being constantly at risk of danger. And I''m really grateful for that. All our years of hardship and struggle haven''t been in vain."


    It was rare for Charles to share so much of his internal thoughts, and the weight of his words filled the silence as the two men sat there, quietly holding their drinks.


    Just then, a familiar voice from behind them broke the silence. "Then¡­what about you¡­"


    Bandages, apanied by the other crew members of the Narwhale behind him, appeared from the back entrance of the Governor''s Mansion.


    He approached Charles and said, "We''re all¡­ satisfied now¡­ But what¡­ about you? As the captain¡­ of the Narwhale¡­ have you¡­ gotten¡­ what you want?"


    Charles took a deep breath before he let out a deep sigh. His gaze remained fixated on the ground.


    Suddenly, Dipp dropped to one knee next to Charles. His webbed hand reached out to clutch Charles'' arm. "Captain! Let us go with you this time! Whatever it is that you n to do, let us help! We know that it''s dangerous but death doesn''t scare us!"

 Chapter 849: Departure

    After a moment of hesitation, Dipp eximed, "Father. We understand your concern for us, but we all have the same feelings for you! If you hadn''t picked me up from the streets back then, I would have starved to death!


    "I''m willing to give everything for your goals!"


    Charles'' pupils constricted slightly as he stared at the fishman before him.


    This was the first time Dipp had addressed him as "Father."


    The other crew members gathered around, forming a circle with Charles in the middle of it.


    Charles swept his gaze across them, staring at their familiar eyes.


    "Mr. Charles, Dipp is right. You helped me find my hope, and you revived me. Allow me to help you; I''m a bit confident in my prowess," said one of the crew members.


    "I rarely say thank you, but you saved me when the Sacred Acolyte wanted to use me as cannon fodder. I still owe you that favor from back then," someone else chimed in.


    "Captain, I was just a blind painter on Dark Crystal Ind, but you gave me a new life. Now, I''ve gotten myself a beloved one, and I can see the world once again. This is all because of your grace," a third crew member said."That''s right, Captain. The life we are living on Hope Ind right now is a life that you have bestowed upon us. No matter what you want to do, we''re going to help you," another added.


    Once all the crew members had spoken one by one, Bandages stepped forward and patted Charles'' shoulder lightly. He didn''t say anything, but Charles understood what he wanted to say.


    Charles felt a sour sensation in his nose. Anna and Sparkle had left, but he wasn''t alone. It was true that the Subterranean Sea had assimted him, but it had given him other things¡ªthings that could rival what he had on the surface world.


    Just then, the bonfire before them burned out, leaving behind nothing but ashes.


    Charles stared at the ashes for a while before saying in a low voice, "Get ready. The Narwhale is going to set sail at eight-thirty tomorrow morning."


    Everyone was instantly delighted.


    "Understood, Captain!"


    ***


    The World''s Crown was supposed to be a lone ind for many nautical miles, but it was no longer alone. A new ind had appeared next to it. The new ind seemed to be connected to the World''s Crown, and both inds formed an "8" if one viewed it from up above.


    The new ind was Anna''s floating ind.


    The bustling docks of the World''s Crown were dead silent, and the rye grass in the fields had all withered. There wasn''t any light on the ind, so the entire ind was pitch-ck.


    The creatures living on the ind had no need for any light, so the absence of light didn''t matter much, but the darkness had added to the eeriness of the ind. In addition, one could asionally hear strange noisesing from the darkness.


    Just then, there was a sh of white light, and a two-hundred-meter-long Leviathan Whale manifested in midair before crashnding in the middle of the World''s Crown.


    A secondter, the sound of flesh being torn apart echoed from the darkness. A young delicate girl wearing a white dress was sitting on the whale''s head, and she observed everything happening down below with relish.


    "There''s no reason to fight over it, big-headed sisters. There''s plenty of meat to eat, enough for you guys to eat your fill," Sparkle called out softly to those down below.


    No one had paid any attention to her, but Sparkle didn''t mind it at all as she continued speaking, addressing the bizarre, deformed monsters down below as "little brothers" and "sisters."


    Just then, someone made a hole in the whale''s stomach, and a half-rotten corpse covered in ck mucus slid out from the inside. Charles'' offspring swarmed over and made quick work of it.


    Once dinnertime was over, Sparkle stretched and stood up before disappearing into thin air.


    Sparkle reappeared inside the floating ind next to the World''s Crown. This ind was once inhabited by those green centipede-like monsters, but Anna had transformed it into a human city.


    There were humans living in the city, and their eyes were filled with a zealous light as they stared at the tentacled monster above the city. Clearly, they thought of the tentacled monster as their god.


    These people were the inders of the World''s Crown, but they were now Anna''s people.


    Anna revealed a dissatisfied look upon seeing Sparkle in her human form. "Why did you transform into a human? This form is aplete waste of time! Go back to your true form!"


    A hint of helplessness appeared on Sparkle''s face as she replied, "You were the one who told me to transform into a human form, and you suddenly want me to stop transforming into one? Can you give me some time to get used to that form first?"


    "Go back to your true form!" Anna eximed, sounding unprecedentedly stern.


    The young girl''s figure rapidly swelled, and a giant tentacled monster covered in green, gtinous eyes appeared in the young girl''s ce. The nearby crowd all fell to their knees in worship.


    "Yes, that''s right. You did great, my good daughter. Humans are an ignorant, foolish, and selfish species! It''s aplete waste of time to spend any energy on them!" Anna eximed. Her tentacles swept across the people down below, and she chucked a few passersby into her mouth.


    "Ignorant, foolish, and selfish? Why do I feel like you''re trying to describe Daddy?" Sparkle asked.


    "Don''t talk about him in front of me! You know how much I''ve sacrificed for him, but what about him?! You saw how he treated me! I''ve always been the one giving andpromising, but he ended up bing wary of me!"


    "Just what exactly does he take me for, an idiot?!" Anna roared. "He''s an extremely selfish piece of garbage! He even went as far as to drive me away just to ensure that I wouldn''t be able to take advantage of those three wishes!"


    Anna''s tentacles mmed into the ground, creating massive holes in them, and Anna''s roar made the inders cover their ears and reveal pained looks. Their hair and flesh even deformed beneath the roar.


    "Since he has decided to treat me as a monster, then I''m going to be myself again! I''ll make that wastrel pay the price for crossing me!"


    "I think Daddy still cares about you; he just can''t quite express it. Actually, if you just¡ª" Sparkle paused, choosing not toplete her sentence upon realizing that her mother was truly furious. Any persuasion attempt at this point was only going to be counterproductive, so Sparkle decided to try again after some time.


    A tentacle covered in ck scales reached out to her, and Sparkle floated over toward it. Two tentacles with two different colors intertwined with each other, and Anna pulled over Sparkle to hug her tightly. "Child, you''re all I have left now. You''re not going to abandon your mother, are you?"


    "No, I''m not."


    "Great! Let''s grow stronger together, then. Let''s do our best and be gods together!"


    A hint of worry surfaced in Sparkle''s heart at the remark, but she didn''t show it on the outside. Charles was right. Anna''s desire for power had be an obsession.


    Sparkle knew that she had to find a way to protect her mother. In fact, this was the reason Sparkle had chosen to stand on Anna''s side.


    "You really are my good, dear daughter. All right. Teleport this entire ind to the Sea of Mist," Anna said.


    Sparkle was puzzled. "Why are we going there? Are we going to that Foundation site?"


    "That''s right, we''re indeed going there. The Foundation is no more, but its legacy is all there to take, including that corpse of a <em>real </em>god!"


    Sparkle''s heart sank at Anna''s words.


    "Sparkle, I know. I know that Charles had forced you to lie to me. It''s fine. You don''t have to listen to him anymore."


    "Just think about it¡­ that''s the corpse of a <em>real</em> god! We''ll progress much faster than sacrificing human lives by using that corpse. Once I''ve devoured that corpse, I''ll surely be a new god of the Subterranean Sea!"

 Chapter 850: Report

    <em>Today is the 24th day since we entered this uncharted region. Apart from a storm six days ago that swept away an exploration ship, the remaining ten exploration ships are operating normally.</em>


    <em>We are getting closer and closer to our destination. Sailing an uncharted region is always nerve-wracking, but most of the crew managed to adapt. </em>


    <em>When Dipp was patrolling around the ships earlier, he reported seeing an abandoned city on the seabed. There are indeed other unknown natives in this uncharted region. The puppet that has decided to apany us must be one of them.</em>


    <em>These natives are probably creatures that have evolved by themselves in the bizarre environment of this seascape. From the messages we received via telegraph, they are indeed trading information for ces to live in. </em>


    <em>The possibility of this being a trap is very low, but we still have to be wary.</em>


    <em>It''s been such a long time since I embarked on this quest, and now, only onest item remains. I just have to retrieve my left arm, and I''ll be able to obtain those three wishes from 005.</em>


    <em>I don''t trust 005, but I trust Tobba. He implied that I have to make a choice, or we''ll find ourselves in a bad future. His predictions would alwayse true, so I chose to make a deal with 005.</em>


    <em>Such is life¡ªeverything is never perfect. More often than not, it''s about choosing the not-so-bad choice between two bad choices.</em>


    Just then, there was a knock on the door, interrupting Charles'' journal writing. "The door isn''t locked. Come in."


    A creaking sound echoed as the first mate covered in bandages appeared in front of Charles.


    "You... were looking for me...?"


    "Yes, I wanted to ask you a favor, Bandages. I remember you can do tattoos, right?" Charles asked, closing the diary in his hands.


    Bandages revealed a peculiar expression upon hearing Charles'' words. Of course, he could do tattoos, and he was a great tattoo artist. He had personally tattooed fragments of his own memories all over himself.


    As far as he knew, however, his captain wasn''t a fan of tattoos.


    "Activating the power of Edikth inside me by drawing that array every time is too troublesome and slow, so what if we tattoo the array on me? Wouldn''t that make things more convenient?" Charles said.


    He had been pondering over this idea over the past few days. Knowing that he would be in extreme danger by attempting to retrieve his left arm from inside the body of a god, Charles knew that he had to make preparations in advance.


    After some thought, Bandages nodded slowly. "Hmm... it might work..."


    "That''s great. Let''s give it a try, then. And don''t actuallyplete the array. Leave some missing parts for me to draw to activate the array," Charles said, taking off his clothes and gouging out some ck stones from his palm.


    Bandages didn''t leave the room to get his tools. Instead, he raised his hand, and a thorn emerged from his fingertips.


    Charles had a bottle of ink on his desk, and he had been using it to replenish the ink of his fountain pen. Bandages walked up to the desk and dipped the thorn sticking out of his fingertip into the ink.


    Then, Bandages proceeded to tattoo the array on Charles'' scarred back. The tattoo covered all of Charles'' back, so Bandages had to spend the entire night and until mid-morning toplete the tattoo.


    "The wrist here... is missing a stroke... you can use a pen... to draw and activate it... Try it..." Bandages said thoughtfully.


    Charles walked up to the mirror with his upper body bare and stared at the tattoo from the side. His entire back was covered with strange inscriptions, and it looked like he was wearing a thin blue armor on his back.


    Charles picked up the fountain pen on the desk and carefully drew the missing stroke on his wrist. Before Charles couldplete the array, he could already feel that peculiar sensation filling up his heart, and his figure began to swell as well.


    Charles quickly erased that line, and he was instantly delighted. It was working!


    "Captain¡­ better be careful¡­ about using an unknown¡­ power," Bandages reminded.


    The two of them had talked about why Edikth had chosen Charles, but they couldn''t brainstorm any clues at all. However, they believed that there was a catch with this power. It was from a god, after all.


    While putting on his clothes, Charles answered, "I know. I''m trying not to use this power as often, too, but I have to use it when necessary."


    Charles turned to Bandages and added, "You spent the entire night drawing this tattoo on me, so go back to your cabin and rest. I''ll cover your shift today."


    Bandages didn''t bother standing on ceremony. He nodded and turned around to leave.


    When Charles arrived at the bridge, he saw Second Mate Nico sitting on a chair with his feet on the instrument panel. Nico was absent-mindedly filing his polished nails with a nail file.


    Meanwhile, the one manning the helm was Sailor Norton.


    "Have we run out of helmsmen that you actually allowed a blind monster man the helm? Are you out of your mind? And put your feet down!" Charles eximed.


    He walked over to the wall and cross-checked the navigation logs.


    "Captain, don''t worry. We''re not alone here, so if we end up deviating from the route, the other ships are surely going to tell us.


    "Plus, although Norton has lost his eyes, his ears are still working, and they are very keen. Am I right, Norton?" Second Mate Nico asked. Of course, he still obliged and put his high boots down on the floor.


    "Cut the nonsense and start the handover. Bandages is on a break today, so I''m taking over his shift."


    Nico stood up and stretchedzily; a hint of mischief shed behind his long eyshes as he asked, "Captain, what was the first mate doing in your room all nightst night? Could it be that you two¡ª"


    "Watch your attitude! We''re on the ship, so you better take things seriously! And I have no time for your jokes!" Charles said sternly.


    Charles'' tone of voice made the flippant Nico restrain himself and begin the handover. When the handover wasplete, Charles finally became aware of the Narwhale''s current location and the fact that they''d reach their destination today.


    "ording to a report from six hours ago, the three submarines ahead of us have already started their exploration. We expect to receive more reports soon," Nico said, pointing at themunicator next to him.


    Nico''s words had just fallen when a male voice apanied by a lot of static noise echoed from the speakers of themunicator.


    "Eleven o''clock report, Maiden''s Love is operating normally."


    "Eleven o''clock report, Scorpion''s Tail is operating normally."


    "Eleven o''clock report, the Wilson is operating normally."


    Once the other ten ships had finished reporting on time, Charles picked up the ck microphone and said, "Eleven o''clock report, the Narwhale is operating normally."


    The recent improvements in the Subterranean Sea''s information andmunication technologies allowed ships to contact each other quickly and more easily.


    If anything were to happen to a ship, the nearby ships would immediately know their status. In other words, exploration had gotten just a bit safer in the seascape.


    "This is Charles contacting First Mate Seth; report your findings in thest three hours," Charles said. Seth was the first mate of the submarine at the very front of the group, which had decided to dive into the sea to act as a scout.


    "It is ten past nine in the morning. We''ve reached the coordinates on the nautical chart, and we''vemenced a dive."


    "It is nine thirty-one in the morning. We''ve reached the seabed, and we''ve turned on our searchlight. We''ve begun searching for the target."


    "It is ten neen in the morning. Our sonar has detected an anomaly on the starboard side of the vessel. Three minutes after detecting the anomaly, our vessel started shaking violently."


    "It is ten twenty in the morning. The tremors have stopped. We did a scan on the vessel using the periscope, and we discovered three rows of neatly arranged dents on our submarine''s hull. Regardless, we decided to continue our exploration."


    "Eleven o''clock report, no findings. Reportple¡ªOh my Goddess! What is that above us?!"


    Amotion suddenly erupted from the other side of the line, and the powerful gushing of seawater echoed from the speaker soon afterward.

 Chapter 851: Island

    First Mate Seth''s words made everyone listening instantly tense up. They clearly suffered an ident. Charles put the ck microphone to his mouth and anxiously shouted, "First Mate Seth! Report! Respond if you can hear me!"


    However, no more noises could be heard from the speaker. First Mate Seth had gone radio silent. With furrowed brows, Charles grabbed the nautical chart to check their positions.


    "Malfoy and Scorpion''s Tail, you two are the closest to them. Change course and go to the rescue! The other ships will head there immediately as well!"


    After hearing two acknowledgements, Charles turned to the brassmunication pipe that led to the turbine room and shouted, "Chief Engineer! Maximum speed! We must get there immediately!"


    "Copy that, Captain!" Audric''s voice echoed from the pipe.


    A low whirring reverberated throughout the Narwhale as she began to elerate. The rest of the crew prepared for a battle to break out at any moment without waiting for any orders from Charles.


    Time ticked by slowly, and the atmosphere on the ship grew heavy. Fortunately, the crew was in a stable mood. Casualties were inevitable when it came to exploration, and they clearly had long gotten used to such casualties.


    After two hours of non-stop moving, they finally arrived at thest known position of First Mate Seth''s vessel. As a ship-cum-submarine, the vessel was like one big lump of iron; the vessel was modified for diving, after all.


    Upon arriving at the seafloor that resembled a canyon, Charles was greeted by a region full of metal debris rather than a massive lump of iron. It seemed that First Mate Seth''s vessel had been torn apart like paper.The two ships that had arrived before Charles were moving around, sweeping the seafloor with their searchlights in an attempt to look for any survivors. However, Charles knew that their effort was bound to be futile.


    They were so deep that if an ordinary human being were to expose themselves to the crushing water pressure, they''d die instantly.


    Charles'' brows were knitted tightly as he pondered over their next course of action. After a while, Charles went to the aft deck and brought the puppet with him to the foredeck. He pointed at the scene outside the reinforced ss and asked, "You''ve been here before, right? Tell me what''s behind this."


    The half-headed puppet looked up, and its rusty eyeballs rotated stiffly to gaze at the debris outside. "Lion..."


    "What?" Charles almost thought that he had misheard the puppet or it had expressed itself incorrectly. How could there be a lion in the sea?


    The puppet moved closer to the ss and sluggishly said, "Almost... there. I go out..."


    Charles instantly understood what the puppet was trying to do.


    The puppet was going to lead the way for them.


    Charles stared deeply at the puppet for a while before waving his hand, allowing Dipp to lead it into the dpression chamber. There were dangers lurking up ahead, but they had alreadye this far; they couldn''t give up halfway.


    "Dipp, send our coordinates to the other captains and tell them to gather here!" Charles ordered. It was impossible to perfectly counter an unknown danger, so the best course of action was to stick together and fight together.


    The puppet towering over four meters tall was sent into the deep sea. Contrary to its sluggish movements onnd. It was incredibly agile in the water. Blue creatures that resembled sea anemones had grown out of its joints, allowing the puppet to swim as effortlessly as a fish in the deep sea.


    A few hourster, the other exploration ships arrived one after another. With the Narwhale and the puppet at the helm, they moved in a line, quietly streaking across the deep sea.


    Soon, they covered a distance of more than fifty nautical miles. If it hadn''t been for thepass and the other equipment telling them that they had been traveling northward, Charles would have thought that the puppet was making them move in circles in the pitch-ck deep sea.


    Just as they were about to breach sixty nautical miles of distance traveled, the puppet suddenly came to a halt. The next second, the sonar generated a pulse of sound¡ªsomething colossal was above them.


    The huge searchlights on the eleven exploration ships rose upward, and everyone saw an ind suspended in the water. The ind was massive; there was a cloud of mist above it and a huge dark red tube beneath it.


    There was no mistaking it¡ªthe ind was their destination!


    The exploration ships surrounded it carefully, and divers with oxygen tanks began approaching the ind up above.


    Charles didn''t go with them. He decided to stay in the Narwhale to oversee the entire operation. Bandages, Dipp, and the crew members of the other exploration ships swam up to the ind.


    The people who had been chosen to swim up to the ind were not chosen randomly. They were selected carefully, and thebination of their abilities would ensure that the exploration waspleted as soon as possible.


    There were also reasons as to why Bandages and Dipp had to go.


    As a Deep Dweller, Dipp was incredibly useful in the deep sea, while Bandages couldn''t get affected by the ind at all, which meant that he would not get trapped in the walls. In other words, he could keep providing support to the others from the outside.


    Charles'' heart was in his throat as he watched them swim into the colossal ind.


    They had been here before, so they knew that the ind was capable of pulling people into its walls and trapping them inside. However, the ind was a god''s torso, so no one could say for sure whether there would be any otherplications or not.


    Time seemed to slow to a snail''s pace, and everyone waited anxiously on the deck of their ship. Eventually, the group returned from their exploration.


    Dipp''s green scales on his abdomen had been torn off, and blood was seeping out of the wound. When there was no longer any water in the dpression chamber, Charles walked into the chamber.


    "How did you get that injury?" Charles asked with a solemn face.


    "One of the creatures trapped inside did this to me," Dipp said, shaking his head to shake off the dizziness. "Humans aren''t the only ones trapped inside, but that does not matter. Captain, we haven''t been to this ind. I searched all over, but I couldn''t find your left arm."


    "What?!"


    "Really, I made multiple rounds around the ind, but I still couldn''t find it. At first, I thought it was simply because I wasn''t looking around as meticulously as I should have been, but then I remembered that Bandages had scribbled some words on the walls to guide us out of the ind.


    "However, I couldn''t find any of those words on the ind. I''m sure this ind wasn''t the same ind we visited back then," Dipp exined.


    Charles nced at Bandages, and thetter nodded in agreement.


    Charles fell into deep contemtion. He then remembered that dozens of inds sank along with that ind at the time. In other words, there were many inds simr to that one, and Charles had to find the ind where he had lost his arm among them.


    The others stared quietly at Charles, waiting for his order. As the captain, he had the highest authority among anyone here.


    After a long time, Charles finally looked up and said, "Pass my order down to the other ships. Spread out and advance along the tube below the ind."


    "Captain," Dipp chimed in, "What''s below that tube is..."


    "I know. Just do as I say. If we want to find the other inds, we need to track down the source."


    Just like that, the ship-cum-submarines on the seafloor began moving. They stayed close to the dark red tube connected to the bottom of the colossal ind as they sailed away into the distant darkness.

 Chapter 852: Divinity

    Everyone was unwittingly transfixed on the sonar on their instrument panels. In the seemingly endless stretch of uncharted waters, the sonar was the only equipment that could help them detect any anomaly outside.


    Under Charles'' orders, the searchlights of the eleven submarines were turned off, and even the curtains were drawn.


    Charles was aware of what was at the end of the dark red tube, and he also knew the consequences of pping one''s eyes on it. One''s vision was a handicap in a situation like this.


    The first mate, the second mate, the captain, and the helmsman were all in the bridge of the Narwhale. None of them spoke, and except for the noises of the instruments, only their breathing could be heard in the bridge.


    The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. Even Nico, who had a penchant for making dirty jokes, had no interest in making such jokes at the moment.


    "Six in the evening report, Maiden''s Love is operating normally."


    "Six in the evening report, Scorpion''s Tail is operating normally."


    The reports echoing from the speaker eased the oppressive air. Before the others could finish reporting, however, a tremor suddenly ran across everyone. Then, bizarre and eerie murmurs echoed in everyone''s minds.


    Charles rushed to the sonar''s screen and stared at it with a solemn expression. The sonar hadn''t detected anything yet, but he knew that they were getting close to that Divinity."All ships! Assume a long snake formation with a gap of three kilometers between each ship! Report every three minutes! And keep reporting even if anything happens!" Charles ordered.


    The ships immediately obliged. By getting into this formation, the ships could easily make any major maneuver, even if the ship ahead of them had already been noticed by a Divinity.


    The murmurs began affecting the mental state of the crew. Everyone''s faces were twisted in fear and horror. They all drank Linda''s special concoction, but their mental state didn''t improve much.


    In stark contrast to them, Charles was unaffected. Since he had devoured those souls from another perspective, his resistance to such mental contamination had improved vastly.


    Charles wasn''t the only one unaffected, as there was someone else unaffected by the mental contamination¡ªLily. The tiny mouse was curled up in Charles'' neck and was holding onto his cor with her tiny paws while peering out cautiously.


    As time ticked by, the murmurs in everyone''s head grew louder and louder. In the end, the whispering got so loud that it transformed into a maddening shriek.


    The fear and panic that it inflicted on the crew gnawed away at their sanity. There was no doubt that they were getting close to that Divinity, but the sonar was still quiet, making Charles feel a bit annoyed. They still hadn''t detected that Divinity.


    Just then, a gunshot echoed from the speaker, startling everyone.


    Charles picked up the ck microphone and asked, "What''s going on?!"


    "M-my helmsman couldn''t withstand the pressure any longer and shot himself," a female voice echoed from the other side of the line. She sounded like she was in pain as she added, "Governor, is it really okay for us to keep going down like this? If what you said is true, then below us¡­"


    "There''s a Divinity below us!" the female voice eximed in extreme panic.


    The air in the other ships seemed to freeze over as soon as her words fell. The female captain''s extreme panic seemed to be contagious, and it spread like wildfire to everyone else.


    Those capable enough to be an exploration ship''s captain had definitely heard of a Divinity before, but captains who had encountered a Divinity were incredibly rare, as they all died before they could tell the tale.


    There was even a legend circting among the captains¡ªIf one were still lucky enough to move upon encountering a Divinity, then it''d be best to pull out one''s gun and shoot oneself in the head. If one were to stubbornly cling to life, then one could suffer a fate worse than death.


    Sensing that the others were starting to waver under the threat of a Divinity, Charles sternly replied, "Didn''t I make this clear to you guys before we even started? You know what you signed up for. Weren''t you quite arrogant when we just set sail? Now you want to back out? Where did that arrogance go?"


    "But¡ª"


    "No buts! You''ve made your bed, now lie in it. Have you already forgotten my position in the seascape? You better think about the consequences before deserting us!" Charles warned.


    He had no choice but to do this, as the other exploration ships would surely flee if he couldn''t keep the female ship captain in check.


    They were about to do something incredibly dangerous, and they needed a group to scout ahead of them. If Charles were to allow them to leave, no one was going to scout for the Narwhale. In other words, the crew of the Narwhale would be forced to jump into the danger blind.


    Charles didn''t really think that there was anything wrong with his words, especially when he had spoken to protect his family.


    Except for the ragged breathing on the other end of the line, no other noises could be heard. Clearly, they were weighing the pros and cons.


    Of course, Charles understood that intimidation wouldn''t be enough to convince these captains. He had to offer a carrot after giving them the stick.


    "I''ve encountered that Divinity before, and I''m still alive and well. What''s the point of being an explorer if you''re afraid of death? Let me dere this now¡ªthose who are still alive after this are going to receive a square mile ofnd on Hope Ind in addition to the remuneration that I had promised you all!" Charles dered.


    The fearful hearts of the captains burned with passion upon hearing Charles'' words. They were all aware of just how scarcend had gotten on Hope Ind, so a square mile ofnd on Hope Ind¡­ it could probably be exchanged for an entire ind.


    The morale of the crew began rising, and the submarines in the deep sea started moving once more. They were still afraid, and some of them had even killed themselves, but the rest didn''t want to run away.


    Time seemed to havee to a grinding halt, making a second feel like an eternity. Just as Charles was starting to feel dizzy, good news echoed from the speaker, "Governor! The sonar has detected a massive object up ahead!"


    "Turn off your engines and turn off all interior lights! No one is allowed to speak, too!" Charles roared.


    Everyone immediately did as they were told. The lumps of iron floated like coffins in the waters, and everyone''s heart pounded wildly against their chest as they awaited their fate.


    Ten, fifteen, and twenty minutester, they were still unmoving. Some of them got so nervous that they unknowingly bit their lips to the point of drawing blood.


    Fortunately, the Governor of Hope Ind''s next order finally arrived. "Good, great job. Scorpion''s Tail, you''re the farthest. Start your engines at the lowest setting possible, and then, I want you to circle around a massive dot on your sonar.


    "Your goal is to find another tube simr to what we''ve been following so far."


    Charles'' deduction was correct. His multiple encounters with Divinities had allowed him to make a deduction¡ªhumans were nothing in the eyes of Divinities; humans were so worthless in Their eyes that they were not even worth a nce.


    With that in mind, Charles deduced that they would be able to move under the noses of Divinities for as long as they moved as slowly as possible.


    However, it was like dancing on a knife''s edge. The slightest mistake meant drowning in the icy, pitch-ck depths of the sea. Surely Charles was the only one daring enough to attempt something like this in the Subterranean Sea.


    Soon, good news was heard from the Scorpion''s Tail¡ªthey had discovered another dark red tube. Everyone on the other ships heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing the report, and they began approaching the Scorpion''s Tail.

 Chapter 853: Abnormal

    The cursed whisperings weakened as they followed the Scorpion''s Tail away from the dark red tube. Soon, they found another ind. Bandages observed the ind for a while and eventually told everyone that the ind before them was not their destination.


    However, it was undoubtedly a good start.


    Having obtained the coordinates of two inds as well as the rough location of the Divinity before them, the search had gotten a bit more convenient for them. It took them no time to find more inds.


    The inds varied in size and appearance, but theplex maze in the heart of those inds was identical to each other. Regardless, searching through the inds remained aborious task.


    Fortunately, Charles was not alone. With the help of the crew of the other exploration vessels, the group managed to search the ind at a much faster rate than if Charles were alone with his crew.


    Three days into their search, they saw a ray of piercing sunlight in the seemingly endless pitch-ck sea. Charles'' heart quickened at the sight of it. The sunlight was from a Mirrorbox, and it was Bandages'' signal to say that they had finally found their destination.


    The exploration team set off once again, and Charles decided to personally go and retrieve his left arm.


    d in a diving suit weighing over ny kilograms, Charles walked into the dpression chamber, which was soon flooded with the icy-cold seawater. He nodded at the crew members outside the ss before bending down and turning the red valve on the ground.


    Of course, Charles was not alone. Veteran explorers from other ships wereing with him, while the Narwhale chose to send Lily, Dipp, and Bandages alongside him.Dipp was the most agile out of everyone in the water, so he grabbed the others with his webbed hands and swam toward the distant ind in the depths. They were descending, so there was no mist, allowing Charles to clearly see the maze.


    Theplex maze capable of trapping anyone inside its walls looked peculiar from above. Rather than a maze, it would be more urate to say that it was a star chart.


    Charles wanted to take a closer look at it, but they had already entered the maze.


    "Don''t go in, Bandages; just keep a close eye from outside. If anything happens, contact me by writing on the wall," Charles said.


    Bandages nodded wordlessly.


    Charles turned around and walked into the maze. There wasn''t supposed to be any mist around, but they saw mist upon walking into the maze.


    Charles'' arm was within the walls, which meant that he had to enter the walls. In order to simte the events from years ago, Charles specifically asked Bandages to stand far away so that he could disappear at any time.


    "Mr. Charles, will you get to make those three wishes after obtaining your arm here? What wishes do you n to make?" Lily asked. As usual, she was standing on Charles'' shoulder.


    Charles nced at her and asked, "Who told you that?"


    "Sparkle told me. She always tells me that I''m childish, but I think we''re friends now," Lily said, revealing a sweet smile.


    Charles was stunned. "Sparkle is still in contact with you?"


    Lily nodded vigorously, replying, "Yes, Sparkle is still teaching me how to use the power inside me, but she said that she can''t see you for now. Apparently, Monster Sister is going to be very unhappy if she finds out that you two are seeing each other privately. She said she''lle find you once her mother has calmed down."


    Complex emotions welled up in Charles'' heart. His daughter''s mental age was growing too fast, and she had actually begun to be considerate of them.


    Charles suddenly wanted his daughter''s growth to slow down just a little bit.


    While Charles was thinking about Sparkle, he suddenly noticed something amiss.


    It was too quiet!


    Charles abruptly turned around and was shocked to find out that there was no one behind him! Charles instantly became wary. The entire script had deviated from how it was supposed to go¡ªsomething had gone wrong somewhere!


    Just then, a right hand wearing a diving glove stretched out from the mist behind Charles and reached out to pat his right shoulder.


    With a will on Charles'' end, the ck spike capable of cutting through steel as if it were mud sprang up from his prosthetic palm. Charles'' right arm moved, and he thrust the ck spike forward the individual behind him.


    However, the ck spike came to a screeching halt before it could pierce the individual''s chest.


    "Bandages? Howe you''re here?"


    The individual behind him was the Narwhale''s first mate, Bandages. His head, wrapped in bandages, could be seen behind the ss of his diving suit.


    "That is¡­ my line¡­ why did you not go in?"


    Back then, they were all trapped in the walls except for Bandages. Their n was to make the same scenario happen, but the situation had changed. Like Bandages, Charles wasn''t locked in the walls as well.


    There was something wrong here, and it finally became clear to the current Charles that there were some abnormal changes in his bodypared to the Charles of a few years ago.


    Those changes made it so that the walls on this ind could no longer confine him. Charles pondered briefly over it and realized that there were indeed a few changes to him, such as Edikth''s activated power, the tattoo on his neck, and Lily.


    Charles believed that either of these three was the reason behind his immunity to this ind''s bizarre ability. Charles was sure of his assumption, but he couldn''t be bothered to identify which of them had granted him immunity to this ind.


    He had more important things to do right now, after all.


    Looking around, Charles rushed to a wall on the side and observed it carefully.


    Since they were outside, Dipp and the others had to be inside the walls.


    It took them a few minutes, but Charles and Bandages eventually found some graffiti of people on the walls. Judging from their diving suits, these figures definitely represented Dipp and the others.


    Charles saw the vaporized Dipp darting around in the air inside the wall, obviously looking for him. He must have thought that Charles had disappeared.


    Charles quickly extended his finger and began writing in front of him.


    <em>".enif m''I.nwod C !ppiD"</em>


    "Great! It''s great that you''re okay, Captain!"


    "Calm down. Do you still remember the exit we took out of this ce? Go to that ce, find my arm there, and then use that exit to get out."


    Charles saw the graffiti of Dipp nodding at him before moving in a direction with the others.


    The three-dimensional Charles could see any changes happening to the two-dimensional Dipp and the others. Under the guidance of both Bandages and Charles, the two-dimensional Dipp and the others made quick work of the monsters inside the wall and advanced speedily toward the exit.


    In addition, the current Dipp was no longer the same Dipp at the time. The monsters inside the walls were no match for Dipp and the others, so they progressed swimmingly toward their destination.


    In just twenty minutes, Dipp and his group were already at their destination.


    There were tormented creatures near the exit, and the Torments were there to feed on their suffering.


    Dipp and his group started discussing how to deal with the monsters.


    Meanwhile, Charles leaning against the wall quivered abruptly. A violent tremor ran across him, and his face twisted into agonized pain.


    <em>"Sh''yos!! hf!! mh''naus! u!"</em>


    The indescribable whisperings of the deep sea instantly pervaded his mind.


    Sensing something, Charles looked up and saw a massive blood-red eye blotting out everything up above. A Divinity from the deep sea was gazing at Charles!

 Chapter 854: Hypnos

    The blood-red eye the size of a house had no pupil. Charles had seen it before; it was the same eyeball that Anna had grafted onto herself.


    The colossal blood-red eye moved upward, bing what looked like a red moon in the pitch-ck ocean. Its departure wasn''t good news for Charles, as the Divinity''s gaze was still on him.


    To make matters worse, there was more than one eye. Blood-red eyelids opened in the darkness, and the sky above the maze was instantly pervaded with densely packed blood-red eyeballs.


    Charles suppressed his chaotic emotions and calmed himself down. He couldn''t panic here. Having ovee many life-and-death situations, Charles knew that the fastest way to die in a situation like this was to panic.


    <em>What should I do? I must think of a way to get out of here. </em>Many different ideas popped up in Charles'' mind. Since the Divinity up above had yet to make a move against him, Charles decided to take a gamble.


    Charles took a deep breath and stared at the eyeballs up above.


    "Hypnos! I''m Edikth''s Chosen One! Let''s talk!" Charles shouted with all his mind. His voice couldn''t travel far due to the seawater, but he was confident that Hypnos had heard his voice.


    Communication was a weapon that mankind could utilize, and Charles knew that very well. However, Hypnos remained unmoving despite Charles'' words.


    Meanwhile, Charles himself was starting to hallucinate beneath the immense pressure on his shoulders.The blood-red eyeballs popped out of the darkness and changed into a variety of colors that ordinary humans could never imagine. The colors intertwined with each other, giving birth to an offspring.


    An extreme headache struck Charles. He closed his eyes and shook his head vigorously, trying to shake off the hallucinations, but it had no effect. The hallucinations even became more and more bizarre.


    Opening his palm, a ck spike jutted out of Charles'' steel palm. He gritted his teeth and raised his hand before plunging the ck spike into his own abdomen.


    He gripped the end of the ck spike as tightly as he could and stirred it, eliciting a grotesque noise toe out of his abdomen. The pain that reverberated throughout his flesh was so agonizing that Charles almost cked out from it.


    Charles had no idea how many times he had sliced his intestines, but it was an effective move. The extreme pain vanquished the bizarre hallucinations.


    Taking a deep breath, Charles shouted hysterically toward the sky, "A thousand years ago! Your father and Edikth sealed the Light God together! Logically, we should be allies! Is it really appropriate for you to make a move against me?!"


    Hypnos remained unmoving.


    Meanwhile, Dipp and the others finally made some progress inside the walls.


    "Captain, look at this! We found your arm. Don''t worry about us; we''reing out right away!"


    The words written in the Subterranean Sea''s script on the wall made Charles'' heart leap up to his throat, and he hurriedly responded, "No! Until I give the permission, no one is allowed toe out!"


    He was suffering so much beneath Hypnos'' gaze, so if the others were toe out and be subjected to the same gaze as him¡­ Charles reckoned that they''d die as soon as Hypnos gazed upon them.


    Just then, Charles recalled something and turned to look at Bandages standing next to him. A tree trunk was sticking out of the thick ss capable of withstanding the sea depths, and a giant tree was growing wildly inside the diving suit.


    The bizarre inscriptions on Bandages'' back had appeared all over the leaves and branches of the giant tree. A nce was enough for Charles to see that Bandages was in bad condition. The power that he had assimted was going berserk beneath Hypnos'' gaze, so he was in grave danger.


    Bandages had to leave Hypnos'' influence and stay as far away as possible from thetter.


    Charles nced at Hypnos and found that the Divinity was still unmoving. In no time, Charles made up his mind. He retracted his hands and reached into his chest pocket inside the diving suit. Charles grabbed his fountain pen and drew the missing stroke on his wrist.


    This time, Charles believed that he wouldn''t be pushed into a corner. During his previous encounter with Hypnos, the Pope had assisted him using Ronker, and thetter managed to take away one of Hypnos'' eyes.


    In other words, Hypnos wasn''t so strong that Charles could only despair at the sight of the former. It seemed that there was a power ranking even among Divinities.


    Charles'' figure inside the heavy diving suit began to swell. Cracks appeared all over the tempered ss, and it shattered the next second. Before the seawater could flood in, three deformed tentacles stretched out from inside the diving suit.


    After a while, Charles covered in various amorphous organs emerged from the diving suit. The bizarre eyes all over him red at Hypnos, and then his figure vanished with a sh of white light.


    Charles didn''t teleport far, just five kilometers away. With the help of his eyes, which numbered more than a hundred, Charles finally managed to see Hypnos'' full appearance.


    Hypnos'' figure hidden in the darkness of the deep sea was exceptionallyrge, and what Charles had ever seen before was just the tip of the iceberg. He roughly estimated Hypnos'' body to be at least hundreds of kilometers long.


    Hypnos was a shriveled gray sphere bound by chains that seemed to be made out of some kind of ck crystal, and his blood-red eyeballs were all over him.


    There weren''t only blood-red eyeballs on Hypnos'' surface, but there were a huge variety of objects as well, such as an oval-shaped building, a Pede missing half of its body, and a shipwreck broken into two pieces.


    The majority of the creatures on the surface of Hypnos'' body were dead, but some of them were alive, and they were writhing as they wailed in agony.


    Sensing Charles'' gaze, the eyeballs on Hypnos'' back opened one by one. This time, Hypnos had decided to make a move. Two dark red tubes sticking out of its colossal figure began moving, dragging with it two colossal inds before swinging them toward Charles.


    The inds were massive, which meant that they weren''t exactly that fast as they flew toward Charles. Charles ought to have no issues dodging them, and Charles believed that to be the case as he decided to teleport away.


    A white light shed as Charles disappeared into thin air, but a faint white light burst out of Hypnos'' figure as well at the same time. Shockingly, Charles'' destination was altered, and he found himself reappearing right in front of the two inds instead of somewhere far away.


    The inds weighing tens of millions of tons crashed heavily into Charles from both sides, shattering his deformed figure.


    Charles'' writhing flesh twisted and reassembled themselves, eventually transforming into a massive bright yellow eye.


    It was the Eye of Edikth, and it opened without any warning.


    The nearby inds careening toward Charles slowed down and began growing flesh that didn''t belong to them. They even grew their own brains, allowing them to break free from Hypnos'' control.


    Just as Charles was about to turn the tables, a cloud of darkness seemed to fall out of the nearby inds, and they swam speedily toward Charles. The Eye of Edikth''s ability to animate anything was ineffective against the neers.


    The eight eyes on Charles'' right side contracted, allowing him to take a closer look at the neers. In an instant, he recognized them as Torments¡ªinsects that resembled centipedes with spider legs.


    Those pitch-ck, palm-sized insects had actually crawled out of the walls, but they became as thin as a sheet of paper in the three-dimensional world. Unfortunately, three-dimensional attacks had little effect on them, as they were two-dimensional creatures from inside that wall.


    The Torments intertwined with each other, transforming into a pitch-ck tornado that swept toward Charles. The two-dimensional monsters moved quickly, arriving before Charles in just three seconds.

 Chapter 855: Plane

    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    There was a sh of light, and Sparkle''s tentacled figure appeared between the two. Before Charles could react, Sparkle''s gtinous green eyeballs shed, and the pitch-ck tornado before Charles disappeared instantly.


    Sparkle''s tentacles moved aside, revealing a blood-red eye. The blood-red eye was familiar to Charles as it was the same eye that Anna had grafted onto herself.


    "Return what''s ours to us, and what''s yours will be returned to you!" Sparkle''s clear, melodious voice reverberated throughout the icy cold seawater.


    Charles realized his daughter''s n. She wanted to use the eyeball that the Pope had stolen back then to make a deal with Hypnos.


    Hypnos'' attacks hade to a halt as soon as Sparkle appeared before it. Its blood-red eyeballs stared alternatingly between Sparkle and Charles, seemingly observing something.


    <em>Has it been intimidated? Sparkle has intimidated it enough to stop attacking us? </em>Charles thought.


    Just then, blood-red blood vessels pervaded all of Hypnos'' eyes, and a violent tremor ran across its colossal figure, sending waves across the seabed. In the blink of an eye, an apocalyptic scene appeared in the depths.


    Hypnos'' colossal figure abruptly split in half, and those two halves carried with them the momentum of a mountain as they rushed toward Charles and Sparkle. It turned out that Charles was mistaken¡ªSparkle hadn''t intimidated the entity; she had provoked it!Sparkle retracted the eyeball into her tentacled figure, and then her figure contracted, leaning against Charles. The flesh and blood of the father and daughter pair merged in tacit understanding.


    Since talking it out wasn''t going to work, then it was time to fight!


    In the face of Hypnos'' fierce attack, white shes of light inundated Charles. Sparkle wanted to teleport away to dodge the oing attack, but when the white light dimmed, the father and daughter pair found that they hadn''t moved at all.


    Clearly, Sparkle''s teleportation ability was being suppressed by something. At this point, they no longer had enough time to dodge. Hypnos'' colossal and monstrous mouth swallowed them whole.


    The colossal mouth closed slowly, but then a tunnel about a dozen meters wide appeared in the roof of Hypnos'' mouth. Charles and Sparkle gouged out a tunnel using their tentacles and escaped as fast as they could from Hypnos'' mouth.


    Charles and Sparkle''s ability to teleport was under suppression, but it seemed that it only applied to themselves. They could still teleport objects. Sparkle could teleport away anything she was touching, including flesh and blood, so it wasn''t that easy for Hypnos to devour them.


    Unfortunately, Hypnos seemed to have an insatiable desire for their flesh and blood, and the massive movements that it was making made it obvious to the father and daughter pair that Hypnos wasn''t going to give up so easily.


    The properties of the nearby seawater were changing, transforming into a substance that resembled oil. The pair had no idea what Hypnos was doing, but it had been doing it for quite a while now, so it was definitely something troublesome.


    Charles knew that this couldn''t go on. He had to do something. The reason he was so passive was that Hypnos had somehow suppressed his ability to teleport himself. If they couldn''t find a way to remove that suppression, they would have to retreat.


    Charles believed that Hypnos wasn''t the culprit behind the suppression, and that was when he was reminded of Pede''s corpse on Hypnos'' colossal figure. Pede could suppress his ability, and he was certain that Hypnos had obtained the ability to suppress his teleport through Pede''s corpse.


    There was a high chance that Charles'' assumption was true, and it was worth giving a try as well. Having merged with each other, the father and daughter pair had their thoughts connected, so Sparkle learned of Charles'' idea as soon as he came up with it.


    Their swollen figure covered in fluorescent green eyeballs and amorphous organs swam rapidly, streaking across the seawater as they made a beeline for Pede''s remains.


    A luminescent green tentacle smacked Pede''s corpse, which was riddled with holes, and it disappeared into thin air. Before the two could rejoice, however, every single eye on Charles'' swollen figure abruptly constricted to needlepoints.


    There was something else beneath Pede''s corpse, and it was something familiar. It was someone with writhing tentacles and deformed limbs all over him; their lower body was wide, but their upper body was thin.


    The figure''s face was covered in deformed, bulbous eyes and holes of varying sizes, which made himpletely unrecognizable, but Charles instantly recognized him.


    The figure was none other than himself¡ªit was another Charles.


    Just then, Charles realized that Pede''s special ability could only limit the distance he could travel through his teleport, not suppress itpletely. It turned out that the one who had beenpletely suppressing his teleportation ability was none other than himself!


    "Think about thatter; let''s pull him out first!"


    Fluorescent tentacles struck the Charles embedded in Hypnos'' colossal form.


    As soon as the tentacles made contact with the Charles embedded in Hypnos, Sparkle activated her special ability to teleport him away, but Sparkle''s ever-reliable ability was actually ineffective on the other Charles.


    "It''s no use. I was never its match, and you are not its match, either. Soe and join us here." A familiar voice echoed in Charles'' ear; it was familiar because it was his own voice.


    Charles'' myriad eyes all over Hypnos opened slowly, and his writhing tentacles pierced the embedded Charles, devouring thetter. The devouring was slow¡ªvery slow, as the embedded Charles was resisting as well.


    "Go to hell, you bastard!" Charles cursed his depraved self. "You''re not Charles at all! Where did the steadfast heart that you developed after years of exploration go? You actually allowed yourself to be a monster''s ve?!"


    "Charles?" The same familiar voice rang out again. "My name is Gao Zhiming. You think I did not resist at all? I did, but it was all in vain. When my crew died, my heart died with them, and I felt that perhaps it was best for me to do nothing."


    Charles'' figure sprouted quite a few mouths that resembled a wolf''s mouth, and they frantically tore apart the embedded Charles'' flesh. At the same time, Charlesunched a psychological attack on the embedded Charles.


    "The crew died, and you gave up just like that?! What about your Anna?! Did you give up on your wife, too, you coward?!"


    "You mean that man-eating monster? She''s not my wife. She was just using me. She killed too many people, so I killed her myself. I''m human, after all, and the things she was doing were bing more and more abominable, so there was no other way. By the way, who are you?"


    "Ah~! I know who you are! It seems that Hypnos has decided to go to another ne again while I was sleeping. No wonder I encountered another one of myself. It seems that the Charles of this ne is doing very well¡ªdespair hasn''t crushed him yet!


    "Now that I think about it, this is really unfair. Why?! Why am I the most unlucky one?! Why do I have to face that despair!" The familiar voice became venomous and full of malice. There was obviously something wrong with the embedded Charles.


    Just then, a pitch-ck storm began to rage. The Torments had reappeared, and they tore apart Charles with their sharp figures.


    Quite a few of them were being teleported away, but it was impossible to keep every single one of them at bay. Fortunately, Charles'' regenerative ability was strong enough to heal him as soon as he sustained injuries.


    At a nce, it would appear as though the two were locked in a stalemate, but Charles'' regenerative ability was clearly getting weaker and weaker as he suffered more injuries.


    Just then, Sparkle chimed in. "Come on, Daddy! Help us, Daddy. The daddy in my heart isn''t like this!"


    The embedded Charles from another ne froze, allowing Charles to devour his flesh and blood at a much faster rate.


    The next moment, his voice sounded extremely dejected and lost as he muttered, "Sparkle, Daddy is sorry. Daddy really didn''t mean to do it."


    "You also have a Sparkle over there? What did you do to her?"


    "I-I devoured her..."

 Chapter 856: Devoured

    "I-I devoured her¡­"


    Charles was stupefied. Could it be that the Charles in front of him was just an illusion created by Hypnos? There was no way the individual before him was real; otherwise, how could he devour his own daughter?


    Even if the other party was another version of himself from another ne, there was no way he could do such a thing.


    "I had no choice. The Foundation was too strong, and Hope Ind had ended up sinking. I needed enough strength to fight them. Sparkle''s flesh, blood, and special abilities are all of the same origin as ours. We can devour her without any losses."


    Turbid droplets of liquid were squeezed out of the embedded Charles'' roughly over a hundred eyes. He had a grotesque, bizarre appearance, but Charles could see that he was in extreme agony right now.


    Charles'' heart became filled with fury. His swollen, deformed figure split open, and he pounced on the embedded Charles, frantically devouring the other party''s flesh and blood. "You piece of trash! How could you devour even your own daughter?! Are you still human?!"


    If a third party were here, they''d witness a wrestle between two nauseating balls of flesh.


    The two-dimensional Torments rushed forward, drilling into the merged monstrosity between Charles and Sparkle. The scene quickly descended into chaos.


    A toothless mouth appeared on one of the balls of flesh, and it roared, "You''re calling me trash?! Then, what are you?! Do you really think that you''d do better than me if you were in my position?!"You can never imagine just how delectable Sparkle''s flesh is!"


    The embedded Charles'' voice no longer sounded ashamed and helpless. He now sounded furious, as if he had gone mad, or perhaps he had long be mad. It was unclear whether his madness was due to staying next to Hypnos for an extended period of time or if he had be mad way before that.


    Just then, the embedded Charles exploded into a bloody mist. Then, the embedded Charles'' flesh, blood, and organs were instantly connected to each other by the pulsating blood vessels all over Hypnos.


    Momentster, the flesh, blood, and organs converged at one point, transforming into a lump of malformed flesh. The two balls of flesh intertwined with each other once again, but then the ck crystal chains all over Hypnos made a move.


    They wriggled like venomous snakes and wrapped around the balls of flesh. The chains began to burrow into their figures, attempting to drag them into Hypnos'' flesh.


    Charles suddenly found himself in extreme danger.


    "Sparkle! My delicious Sparkle!! I finally caught you!" the embedded Charles roared, sounding madder and madder by the second. Some of the flesh in the ball of flesh began to wither like nts; the flesh hade from Sparkle.


    All of a sudden, a huge chunk of deformed flesh merged together, kneading into a massive bright yellow Eye of Edikth. The next moment, however, another eye appeared right next to the Eye of Edikth.


    The appearance of both eyes made the confused mixture of flesh and blood resemble a human head. However, the resemnce was fleeting, as the entire head began to deform rapidly under the influence of the Eye of Edikth.


    Bones and flesh split, scattered and branched out like tree branches. The nearby spacetime became a bit unstable as spacetime rifts flickered intermittently around them.


    The situation couldn''t get any more chaotic, but before it could erupt, a beam of gentle sunlight emerged from the cracks in Charles'' flesh. It was the power of the Light God and Lily''s power.


    "Mr. Charles, I''m here to help you!"


    Beneath the gentle sunlight, the massive lump of flesh instantly stopped sprouting more flesh and blood. Lily''s power wasn''t that strong, but it was thest straw that broke the camel''s back.


    Two tentacles burst out of the massive lump of flesh and enveloped the glowing Lily. The tentacles belonged to Sparkle, and her tentacles were instantly imbued with the power of the Light God within Lily.


    The Charles from another ne could have attacked Lily, but for some reason, he didn''t do so. His multiple mouths twisted and roared like a lunatic, "W-w-what is that?! A mouse?!"


    Charles, Sparkle, and Lily worked together to gnaw away at the flesh and blood of the Charles from another ne. Eventually, theypletely devoured him. As soon as the Charles from another ne was no more, Charles noticed his own flesh and blood improving by leaps and bounds.


    The improvement covered everything¡ªthe power of Edikth within him and his control over that power had improved, which undoubtedly gave him a massive power boost.


    The two Eye of Edikth on the deformed ball of flesh were under his control as well, and he no longer found it difficult to manifest the eye, unlike before.


    Charles was greatly satisfied and overjoyed; he had no idea why he was so happy, but he weed the feeling of delight.


    The disappearance of the Charles from another ne meant that Charles'' special ability of teleportation was no longer under suppression. With a sh of white light, Charles'' figure disappeared from Hypnos'' colossal form.


    The return of Charles'' teleportation ability tipped the scales of victory in his favor.


    Hypnos'' figure was exceptionallyrge, but its attacks were of little use before enhanced and improved Charles.


    The objects on Hypnos'' colossal form were teleported away one by one, and more than half of the tubes connected to the inds branching out of its figure were torn off.


    The eyes all over Charles were bloodshot, and the bulging veins beneath his distorted skin began to throb like a heart.


    Back then, he couldn''t even stare at the Divinity before him for an extended period of time, but now, he was about to kill that Divinity.


    Hypnos was weakpared to the other Divinities, but he was still a Divinity. The fact that he was about to murder such a powerful existence suffused Charles with emotions too wonderful to describe.


    Charles suddenly understood why Anna was so obsessed with power.


    Hypnos'' colossal form was disappearing chunk after chunk beneath Charles'' relentless attacks.


    Just then, spacetime rifts manifested all around Charles, and a myriad of gazes shot out of the fissures, sending a shiver down Charles'' spine as they allnded on him.


    A spacetime rift appeared next to Charles, and the densely packed blood-red eyes beyond the rift opened abruptly, ring at him. The blood-red eyes were clearly threatening by ring at him, but that was all they did¡ªre at him.


    Hypnos was severely injured, and it would take Charles no time to dispose of him.


    However, Charles immediately stopped his offensive as soon as he saw the densely packed blood-red eyes.


    The blood-red eyes belonged to Hypnos¡ªa Hypnos from another ne. He could indeed kill the Hypnos before him, but there was no guarantee that the Hypnos from other nes wouldn''te here and retaliate.


    The chaos had kicked up a ton of silt from the seabed, lowering visibility to zero, but both Charles and Hypnos could clearly see each other.


    The cogs in Charles'' six brains¡ªfour of which had spawned beneath the influence of Edikth¡ªturned rapidly, and Charles immediately came up with the most optimal solution.


    Charles'' body split open, and the blood-red eyeball that Sparkle had brought over popped out of Charles'' figure.


    Charles'' will pervaded the seawater as he said, <em>"Give me what I own, and I''ll return to you what you own."</em>


    The severely injured Hypnos remained unmoving on the devastated seabed. After a few seconds, a bubble popped out of its wound and floated toward Charles.

 Chapter 857: Compromise

    Chapter 857: Compromise


    Dipp and the others who had plunged into the gap between Hypnos'' nails finally returned. However, they looked pale and were clutching their heads while gnashing their teeth in agony. They looked like they had just awakened from a nightmare, but at least they were still alive.


    Dipp''s webbed right hand was holding a skeletal hand, and it was the goal of this expedition.


    Charles tossed the blood-red eye toward Hypnos. The blood-red eye fell on the seabed and rolled a few times before regaining its luster. Blood vessels sprouted from it, and it swam like a tadpole toward Hypnos before drilling into its colossal figure.


    Having recovered one of its eyeballs, the eyes all over Hypnos closed slowly. After a few seconds, its exceptionally massive figure melted like foam into the seawater and eventually vanished from Charles'' line of sight.


    ***


    Eleven exploration ships abruptly appeared in the waters near Hope Ind, startling the Hope Ind Navy. Upon seeing that the ships were all from Hope Ind, the members of the Navy heaved sighs of relief.


    They still couldn''t get quite used to the Governor''s magical ability, and it would always startle them without fail. The inders in the harbor district were even convinced that the esteemed Governor was a god.


    The customs police arrived and cordoned off the bustling harbor district; the explorers of the eleven exploration ships disembarked and were escorted away in a low-key manner.


    They had spent quite some time under the influence of a Divinity, and the experience had left them with varying degrees of psychological injury. If left untreated, they''d spend the rest of their lives in an asylum.No one asked, and no one dared to ask where they were going, and it was all because of the governor''s gag order.


    Meanwhile, the Governor of Hope Ind didn''t disembark the Narwhale. He stayed on the ship with the other crew members.


    Cook nck was the only one who returned to the ind to purchase some fresh food, and of course, he returned promptly once he was done with his groceries.


    The tables and chairs in the mess hall of the Narwhale were carried out onto the deck. To ensure that the rolling of the ship wouldn''t send them tumbling across the hall, they were all nailed to the cabin, so it took the sailors quite a while to remove them from the mess hall.


    Every crew member was present, and they wereughing as they took off their sweaty clothes and jumped into the seawater to wash themselves thoroughly.


    After cleaning up, they changed into their newest clothes. They had no idea why they were still out at sea when they were so close to the docks, but the captain''s orders were absolute, so they simply obeyed his orders.


    Meanwhile, the Captain of the Narwhale was in the Captain''s Quarters with his daughter Sparkle. There was a fountain pen in his hand as he wrote down every single detail that he had uncovered about Hypnos.


    <em>"The words of the Charles whom I had absorbed have allowed me to extrapte that Hypnos is capable of traversing nes. I''m not sure whether it is atent ability of all gods or if it is an ability exclusive to Hypnos."</em>


    <em>"The Hypnos from other nes are willing to help each other out, and it is very likely that they are aware of each other''s existence. I dare say that if I had killed that Hypnos, the Hypnos from other nes would havee out of those rifts.</em>


    <em>"However, there are questions that confound me even to this day¡ªwhy did Hypnos attack me and Sparkle? Howe it was still unwilling to talk to me, even though it was on the brink of dying at my hands? And what exactly are the gods?"</em>


    <em>"Thebined efforts of myself, Sparkle, and Lily have allowed us to defeat it, but we still know too little about the gods."</em>


    Sparkle sat in front of the desk and propped her chin with her elbows on the desk as she stared at her father writing everything that had transpired down. "Daddy, can I tell Mommy about everything that had happened?"


    Charles put the fountain pen back into the case. "Mmhm. By the way, thank you for bringing that eyeball. You saved us both from a tricky situation. If it hadn''t been for your help, things would have gotten quite troublesome by now."


    Sparkle smiled lightly and said, "Yeah, but Mommy was the one who allowed me to bring that eyeball over. I''m convinced that you''re still in Mommy''s heart. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have sent me over with the eyeball without any hesitation."


    Charles froze and shook his head slightly. "No, I know her far too well to know that Anna wouldn''t give up Hypnos'' eyeball so easily. Anyway, you were the one who brought the eyeball over, so I''m grateful for you. Don''t shift my gratitude for you onto her."


    "But¡ª" Sparkle wanted to say something.


    "Enough." Charles stopped her and said, "Let''s not talk about her. Now that I''ve retrieved everything that I''ve lost in the Subterranean Sea, I finally have the right to make those three wishes from 005."


    "I''ll tell you the three wishes I n to make, so you''ll be mentally prepared," Charles said, ncing at the jar containing a white hand bone soaked in preservative liquid.


    "Nice," Sparkle''s eyes lit up. "I''ve always been curious about the wishes you''re nning on making. How do you feel, Daddy? Are you excited to make those wishes?"


    Unfortunately, Charles didn''t look excited at all. He revealed a weary smile and brought his mouth close to Sparkle''s ear, whispering softly into her ear.


    Charles whispered for quite a while; his words containing shocking andplex information made Sparkle reveal a look of joy and shock. In the end, however, Sparkle''s eyes reddened.


    Once he was done, Charles sat upright, and his steel fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk.


    Just then, Sparkle stood up abruptly and grabbed Charles'' right hand with both hands.


    Sparkle stared anxiously at him and shouted, "No! Dad, how can you make such a wish?! Can you give me some time? Once I''ve be strong enough, I should be able to¡ª"


    Charles shook his head, interrupting his daughter. He stared calmly at Sparkle before him and said, "Sparkle, you''re all grown up now, and I''m sure you know the stakes that are involved here.


    "It''s a wish for the greater good, and it is the optimal solution. I''m also making that wish to protect you. I absolutely can''t let myself be like that Charles from another ne. And I almost forgot¡ªmake sure not to tell your mother about this."


    Sparkle revealed a conflicted look, and she was so shocked that she btedly realized that Charles was patting her head. Charles proceeded to calmly exin to his daughter the reason for his wish.


    Half an hourter, Sparkle finally calmed down, but she still looked sad.


    Charles hugged Sparkle and patted her back gently, saying, "I know you can''t ept it, but apromise is necessary sometimes. I really hope you''ll understand your father."


    Charles could feel Sparkle''s tears drenching his clothes. Sparkle was crying, and she was crying hard. She hadn''t said anything, but Charles understood that his daughter had agreed with his n.


    "Captain!" Dipp''s voice echoed from outside the door. "The cook says that dinner is ready."


    "Come, spend myst day on the Narwhale with me," Charles said, letting go of Sparkle in his arms and walking toward the door.


    Charles grabbed the doorknob and twisted it open when Sparkle''s voice came from behind him. "Daddy, look, your shadow¡ªyour shadow has grownrger."


    Charles frowned and turned to look at Sparkle. "What?"


    "Daddy, I''m not seeing things. Your shadow has really grownrger and darker."


    Charles took the oilmp and walked to the mirror to gaze at his shadow in the mirror. Indeed, Sparkle wasn''t jesting; his shadow had be so dark andrge that it appeared bizarre.


    Charles immediately thought of the Charles from another ne, whom he had just devoured. It seemed that the power of Edikth from within that Charles had been transferred over to him.


    However, this wasn''t a good thing at all. After all, the power belonged to Edikth rather than to him. Fortunately, he had a way to resolve this issue.


    "It''s fine. Let''s go," Charles said. He put down the oilmp and led his daughter toward the hectic deck of the Narwhale.

 Chapter 858: Decommissioned

    Chapter 858: Dmissioned


    Two hourster, the deck of the Narwhale was in a mess, looking like a storm had passed through it. Empty liquor bottles and tes were strewn across the messy tables.


    The drunk crew members huddled together, allowing the first mate to tattoo a miniature Narwhale somewhere on their bodies. Both veteran and new crew members of the Narwhale were present, joining in the fun.


    Every single crew member received a miniature Narwhale of varying sizes in different ces. It was unknown why the first mate drew it that way, but it definitely had something to do with the fact that he was so drunk that he could barely recognize the people before him.


    Everyone was happy, and they had the right to be happy. After all, those who had encountered a Divinity and made it back alive in the Subterranean Sea were extremely rare.


    In the face of the Divinities of the Subterranean Sea, they felt like they no longer had to flee powerlessly; for the first time ever, they managed to resist a Divinity, and their drunk selves felt like they could take on a Divinity or two.


    "By the way, Captain, what exactly happened back there?" Dipp asked. He was sprawled out on the deck, dead drunk.


    Hearing this, the other crew members looked over. They were curious as well. It was a fact that they managed to survive an encounter with a Divinity, but no one knew what exactly had urred except for their captain.


    Charles tore open thest half-meter-long ck lobster in front of him. He dipped the greenish meat inside in a dip made out of lemon and water before stuffing it into his mouth. He chewed on it a few times before turning to his crew.


    "What''s past is past. Try not to think about those beings. Otherwise, they might end up <em>noticing</em> you."A shiver went down everyone''s spine, and they all sobered up. Indeed, the Divinities were so bizarre that everything they did was beyond human imagination.


    Realizing that the atmosphere was starting to be a bit odd, Charles raised his ss and tapped it on the table. He lifted it over his head and said, "Come on, everyone. Let''s not think about such things. Cheers!"


    The crew members erupted into cheers.


    Charles'' gaze swept over their faces one by one, and finally, his gazended on his first mate, Bandages.


    "Weister, is everything fine at home?" Charles asked, his voice filled with a rare tinge of tenderness.


    The eyes beneath the white bandages stared at Charles. "Hmm... it''s not bad..."


    "From now on, you no longer have to sail out to sea. Take good care of your family, and¡­ thank you for helping me manage the ind''s affairs."


    Bandages looked at his captain in surprise. Their rtionship was deep enough that both of them were willing to risk their lives for each other, but this was the first time Bandages had heard such words from his captain.


    "You''re a better governor than me. Really, it seems like managing an entire indes naturally to you. I actually feel like you were once a governor but you simply forgot it.


    "However, it''s a good thing, and you should make good use of it in the future."


    Charles turned to someone else, James. "Big Guy, thank you for staying with me all those years back then. To be honest, if it hadn''t been for your support, I wouldn''t have been able to sail for so long.


    "And thank you for your efforts on the ind over these years. I know you have quite a troublesome job, but if it hadn''t been for you, the ind''s many industries wouldn''t have been so stable."


    "<em>Huh?</em>" James fell into a daze. He was so shocked that he even began to specte that perhaps Charles had been reced by a bizarre creature from the sea. At this moment, Charles was speaking in apletely different waypared to his usual paranoid self.


    "Nico, before we set sail, I had someone buy the entire Coral Archipgo for you. You should go back there and resume your post as a governor."


    "Dipp, I''ve always seen you as family. I''m sorry I couldn''t find a way to turn Deep Dwellers back into a human being. Fortunately, everything that you want is on the ind, and you also have a wife who loves you a lot. I believe you''ll live a great life on the ind."


    "<em>Huh?</em>" Dipp sat up, feeling something amiss.


    "Linda and Audric, you two are vampires, so the light of Dawn One is fatal to both of you. If you get carried away, you can end up dying. Don''t sail anymore, either. I suggest you live your life on Dark Crystal Ind. Of course, this is just a suggestion. The choice is still up to you."


    "Norton, don''t stop your treatment of maintaining your humanity. You''re human, not a monster. I''ve passed down orders to Hope Ind''s intelligence department to search for a way to turn you back into a human being. Once they find a solution, they''ll notify you as soon as possible."


    "nck. You''re just an ordinary person, but you''ve been immensely helpful to us as the cook of the Narwhale¡­"


    Charles went on to speak to the crew members one by one. Everyone put down the ss in their hands and stared at their captain with bewildered looks.


    There was definitely something wrong here. Their captain''s words were ominous, sounding like they were hisst words. Everyone couldn''t help but feel that something big was about to happen.


    <em>ng, ng, ng!</em>


    A nging noise echoed as Charles tapped his steel finger on the hard tabletop.


    Everyone held their breath as they stared transfixed on Charles.


    "All right, I''m sure everyone here is done eating, so I want to take this opportunity to announce something to everyone. The Narwhale is officially dmissioned from today onward."


    "Captain!"


    "Why?!"


    "No, this can''t be, Esteemed Governor!"


    "Mr. Charles, we can still help you!"


    The crew members were instantly agitated.


    Charles raised his right hand, and themotion died down.


    With aplex expression, Charles swept his gaze across the faces of his crew members. "You said that you''re going to help me on this expedition, and the expedition is over. We''ve aplished our mission, and the Narwhale will no longer sail from today onward."


    <em>Hooonk!</em>


    The Narwhale''s steam whistle sounded, and a puff of ck smoke burst out of the Narwhale''s smokestack.


    Just then, the attentive Bandages noticed something wrong. He didn''t find it strange that the Narwhale was dmissioned, but Charles'' tone of voice suggested more than just that.


    "Wait, no¡­ you''re going to... leave... Hope Ind...? Where¡­ are you¡­ going?"


    Charles smiled wordlessly. He stood up and walked up to Bandages. He patted his first mate''s shoulder and said, "This ind is our home. ording to our old rules, the first mate will take over in the captain''s absence. Bandages, protect our home for me."


    With that, Charles reached out and grabbed Lily, who looked extremely worried, before walking up to Sparkle. He didn''t even wait for everyone''s reaction.


    "Goodbye, everyone. I am truly fortunate to have met you all in this crazy and despair-filled world, but we will never meet again. Farewell, my family."


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Charles'' figure vanished with a sh of white light, and he reappeared in his luxurious bedroom inside the Governor''s Mansion.


    Charles stood frozen, looking around the ce where he had spent so many years. He suddenly felt a bit reluctant to leave.


    A few secondster, Charles opened the bottom drawer of his desk and took something out from the inside before putting it into his pocket.


    Then, he stood up and took his left hand bone from Sparkle''s arms before walking toward the other jars nearby.


    Skull and scalp, a chunk of his stomach, eye, heart, ear, and a jar full of organ specimens that he had obtained from the ruins of the Foundation¡ªthese were what Charles had lost in the seascape.

 Chapter 859: Wish

    The organs wereid out in a line on the ground. It was a spectacr and bizarre scene at the same time, especially since they were once within Charles.


    As Charles stared at the jars before him, the memories of when he lost them shed through his mind. Finally, he took a deep breath and bent down to draw the summoning array for the Feaster using the ck spike jutting out of his steel palm.


    When thest stroke was drawn, he heard movement behind him.


    <em>"You found them? That''s great."</em>


    With a ck cat in hand, 005 phased through Charles'' figure and arrived before the jars. Charles felt like he could see 005''s face revealing a satisfied expression beneath the ck bandages.


    005 swept her gaze across the jars and said, "This isn''t the right quantity. You''re missing one more thing."


    Charles'' brows immediately furrowed. He hadn''t expected this to happen. "What? I''m missing one thing? What''s missing?"


    "You should ask yourself, not me. I''m afraid our deal will not proceed without that onest thing," 005 replied, and her figure became illusory.


    Charles looked down and carefully examined every organ on his body. However, he couldn''t find anything missing. He believed that he had already gathered everything that he had lost. Charles reached out to his head just to check whether his skull and scalp had magically healed, but he froze upon making contact with the writhing tentacles on his head.


    After a brief moment of thinking, Charles turned to Sparkle and said, "Call your Mommy over."


    Charles had just discovered what 005 was talking about.


    Sparkle nodded, and a massive, terrifying tentacled monster appeared in the wall next to them, copsing it with a deafening explosion. The startled maids shrieked in terror before running away in a hurry.


    Anna had arrived in her true form, but she looked a bit differentpared to thest time Charles had seen her. It looked as if some parasites had burrowed under the skin that was supposed to be covered in ck scales.


    Charles could also see bumps of varying sizes writhing constantly underneath her skin. Moreover, eerie pitch-ck holes were all over her tentacles as well, and Charles was familiar with those tentacles, as he had seen them in Pede''s corpse.


    When the huge yellow eyeball with a cross-shaped pupil saw Charles, the tentacled monster contracted. It throbbed like a heart, contracting and expanding a few times before Anna finally managed to return to her human form.


    Anna''s human form was still as sexy as ever, but there was clearly something wrong with her. Her eye sockets, which were supposed to contain her clear, bright eyes, were filled with writhing tentacles instead.


    To make matters worse, the pitch-ck holes in Anna''s true form appeared all over her human form as well.


    A nce was enough for Charles to deduce that Anna was trying to control her fleshly body, but she couldn''t control it for some reason.


    "What''s wrong with you? What exactly did you absorb?!" Charles asked sternly.


    Anna grinned exaggeratedly and said, "You really thought you could deceive me by hiding Pede''s corpse? Stop being so arrogant! Now, I''m one step closer to bing a true god!"


    Charles could feel that something was wrong with Anna''s mental state. Anna''s demeanor and overall attitude were vastly different from the Anna whom he was familiar with.


    Charles wanted to say something, but he held himself back. He took a deep breath and looked at his wife, asking, "Did you extract some memories from my brain?"


    Upon discovering that he wasn''t missing anything else, Charles knew that there could only be one thing missing from him.


    Anna''s grin became even more exaggerated, verifying Charles'' assumption. It seemed that Anna had altered and extracted some of his memories. "Give them back to me. I need those memories to get these three wishes."


    Anna coughed, and the tentacles in her eye sockets retracted, leaving two pitch-ck holes in their ce. The pitch-ck holes stared at Charles, and her voice carried a hint of teasing as she said, "So the Governor of Hope Ind is actually begging for something from me?


    "Are you saying that you won''t get those three wishes unless I return your memories today?"


    Sparkle couldn''t take it anymore and chimed in. "Mommy! Hurry up and give Daddy''s memories back! Now''s not the time to joke around."


    "You shut up!" Anna red at Sparkle and then looked at Charles again. "Want your memories back? Simple. Since you have three wishes, it won''t be too much for you to trade your memories for just one wish, right?"


    Charles'' brows knitted, and he fell into deep contemtion. After a while, he nodded and said, "All right, we have a deal. Hurry up and return those memories to me."


    Anna was astonished by Charles'' straightforward and forthwith attitude, but the next second, her entire body split open, and a shrill voice reverberated in Charles'' mind.


    "HAHAHA! Do you see this?! I no longer need your charity. I can get whatever I want without relying on anyone!!"


    "You''re going crazy¡ªyour desire for power is driving you mad. You better give up that power inside you before it''s toote," Charles said in a low voice.


    "What do you know?! I know much more than you about how to absorb a god''s power! I can make quick work of this tiny issue! We are living in a world where the strong prey on the weak; without enough strength, you are nothing here!


    "Without power, you are a mere ant in the eyes of certain beings!"


    Just then, Charles noticed something and nced at 005.


    005''s figure had be so hazy that it seemed like she''d disappear any second now. There was no time to waste. Charles extended his right hand toward Anna and said, "Stop the nonsense and give me those memories."


    A tentacle fell from Anna''s hair; it writhed and twisted on the ground.


    Charles was about to pick it up, but Anna kicked it toward 005. "Want to know what memories I had modified and extracted from your brain? Fat chance. You''ll never know for the rest of your life."


    005 raised her hands, and the jars on the ground flew up, orbiting her a few times before disappearing into thin air. Then, three white balls the size of ping-pong balls manifested before her.


    Anna''s eyes became heated as soon as she saw the three white balls. The three white balls represented three wishes, and they could make everythinge true using those three white balls.


    "These three balls are yours. Tell them your wish, and twenty secondster, your wish wille true as long as they''re still in your hands. Don''t forget that you can''t make the same wish twice. You wouldn''t want to know the consequences of doing that," 005 said before disappearing into thin air.


    Charles reached out and picked up one of the white balls in the air. After staring at it for a while, he nced at Lily, who was standing on his shoulder.


    Lily seemed to have realized what wish Charles was about to make, and she hurriedly said, "Mr. Charles, actually I¡ª"


    "Make Lily human again," Charles whispered, interrupting the little mouse.


    The white ball in his hand turned red.


    Twenty seconds wasn''t a long time at all. Soon, a white light engulfed Lily. When the white light disappeared, a naked, young girl appeared behind Charles.


    Startled and embarrassed, Lily hugged herself and crouched down. Having been a mouse for more than a decade, Lily was obviously unfamiliar with a human body, and her movements were still reminiscent of a mouse.


    Lily was at a loss for words, and she had no idea what to do. Before she could try to do anything, however, a warm coat was wrapped around her. It was Charles'' uniform as the Captain of the Narwhale.

 Chapter 860: Wish!

    "Mr. Charles..." Lily looked up. Her long eyshes quivered slightly as she cast an aggrieved gaze at her captain. She was human once again, and she had been longing for this for a long time now.


    She was supposed to be happy, but Charles'' decision was making her feel extremely uneasy.


    The smiling Charles helped Lily up. Then, he stroked her head and said, "Lily, you were always worried that your parents from that parallel world would be terrified of you, but now, you''re human again. You can go back to their side now.


    "You and your mice friends have been extremely helpful to me over the years. To be honest, it was really too much of me to ask you to go on expeditions with me when you''re still so young.


    "I could have let you leave the ship, but I didn''t do it. This is what I owe you.


    "Fortunately, I''ve already aplished my goal of going on expeditions, and I can finally repay the favor I owe you. The ship that is going to take you home is ready, and you can board it any time you wish."


    Lily blinked. Then, she opened her arms wide and threw herself into Charles'' broad arms. Her youthful voice sounded aggrieved as she eximed, "Mr. Charles, I won''t go back! I''ll go wherever you go!"


    Anna jeered at the sight. "What a waste! Do you not have any idea just how valuable that wish was? And you actually used it on a mouse? Is that little mouse worthy of such a wish?"


    Charles didn''t even nce at Anna. He whispered words offort into Lily''s ears before pushing her away gently and saying, "Lily, be obedient, all right? Go back to your world and live the life you''ve been longing for."This is an order from your captain."


    With that, Charles reached out and grabbed the second white ball.


    When his steel prosthetic hand touched the ball, everyone present cast their gazes on Charles. Their hearts were in their throats, wondering what wish Charles would make.


    Charles took a deep breath and slowly said, "I want to return to the surface world with an ordinary human body. I want to go back to the world I once lived in."


    There was a <em>pop</em>, and the white ball turned red.


    Everyone''s pupils constricted; they were clearly taken aback to hear Charles making that wish.


    The door next to Charles was flung open, and Bandages rushed in. Bandages'' expression was extremelyplex as he stared at his captain, with whom he had ovee many life-and-death situations.


    Bandages'' assumption was correct.


    Charles was leaving, and they would never see each other again.


    Bandages wanted to say something, but his thoughts wouldn''te out of his mouth. In the end, he spoke with much difficulty, "Congrattions... on¡­ going home..."


    In stark contrast to Bandages'' reaction, Anna reacted violently. Her gorgeous figure, which she was barely maintaining, split open, and a terrifying tentacled monster manifested.


    Towering over more than a dozen meters tall, Anna raised her tentacles to swing them at Charles, but Sparkle wasn''t going to let that happen. She morphed into her true form and jumped in between her mother and father.


    "You coward!! You actually want to abandon everything and return to the surface?! Am I nothing to you?! Is Sparkle nothing to you?!" Anna roared, her voice filled with thick, killing intent.


    However, Charles seemed like he couldn''t hear Anna''s words as he reached out to grab the final white ball. He held it up in front of Anna and said, "Time is running out. Make your wish."


    Anna''s yellow eyeball with a cross-shaped pupil red at Charles, bing bloodshot as the blood vessels across it burst open one after another. "My wish¡­! My wish is to be a true god!! Just you wait, Charles!!"


    The white ball in Charles'' hand turned red.


    Gao Zhiming then reached into his left pocket and took out a red box. He looked down at it before opening the red box and cing the red ball inside of it. Then, he hurled it at Anna.


    Eight tentacles covered in mucus rushed out of Anna and wrapped around the red box.


    The red box was tiny, and Anna opened it to see a glowing red ball and a ring with an inset ck diamond the size of a quail egg.


    Anna was supposed to pay attention to the red ball, but the diamond ring was like a ma to her gaze, holding her attention captive. She was suddenly reminded of the conversations they had about diamond rings.


    <em>"Jerk. A good man would have reced the spider here with a huge diamond ring¡­"</em>


    <em>"It''s a sense of ritual for a reason. Do you even know what sense of ritual means?"</em>


    <em>"All right. I won''t forget what I said and that diamond ring. I''ll give you one once everything is over¡­"</em>


    <em>"Tsk, forget it. With that memory of yours, you''ll probably forget it the next day."</em>


    Gao Zhiming standing next to Anna looked down at the red ball in his hand, which was bing increasingly brighter as the seconds went by. In the end, he stepped forward, and the calm andposed facade that he had been forcibly maintaining all this while began to copse.


    Gao Zhiming gnashed his teeth and stared at the tentacled monster before him with a gaze full of reluctance. There was a tremor in his voice as he said, "Goodbye, Anna."


    The next second, the light from the red ball pervaded the room.


    ***


    It waste at night, and a police car was patrolling the bustling Nanjing Street. The two police officers inside the police car were listening to some music on the radio while looking around the street.


    "Zhou Tao, look at that kid." An old police officer holding the steering wheel pointed at a figure wearing a tattered white vest in the distance. The figure was sneaking around, looking quite suspicious.


    "That kid''s name is Li Long. He''s a repeat thief in our jurisdiction, but that''s not the only thing that he does; he''s a scammer and a con artist as well. He''s been in and out of prison quite a few times now, but he still refuses to change his ways.


    "You''re new to our station, so you should memorize his face. If anything happens in the future, and he''s nearby, pay special attention to him."


    Zhou Tao nced at the thin back profile of the old police officer and nodded. "Got it, Uncle Liu."


    Just then, a woman''s voice interrupted the music on the radio. "Dispatch to nearby officers; we''ve received an emergency call stating that someone is drowning at the Baita River Estuary."


    "Roger that. I''m going right away," Liu Jianguo replied. He changed gears with his right hand and stepped on the elerator.


    As the police car rushed toward the destination, Liu Jianguo couldn''t help but remark, "I bet it''s some young couple arguing with each other again. These youngsters really have nothing to do these days, huh?


    "Life has gotten so great for us now, but they don''t cherish it at all. When I was still young, I didn''t have the luxury to even think about such minor issues."


    When they arrived at the scene, they were weed by a huge crowd. There were even some cars that had stopped on the roadside to join in the crowd and observe.


    "Everyone, step back. Don''t crowd around here. They need some fresh air," Liu Jianguo said, leading Zhou Tao through the crowd.


    A kind-hearted aunt was crouched next to someone drenched in the cold river water, and her eyes were full of heartache as she used her towel to dry thetter''s head.


    Liu Jianguo calmed down at the sight. The supposed-to-be-drowning individual had already been rescued, and they were conscious as well, so Liu Jianguo believed that there wouldn''t be any issues. Of course, he still knelt on one knee and began his routine questioning.


    "You''re so young; why waste your life by jumping into that river? Are you in pain anywhere? The ambnce will be here soon. Do you know the phone numbers of any of your rtives?"


    The towel fell, and Liu Jianguo was instantly stunned.


    "What a beautiful woman..." Liu Jianguo muttered.


    Tears were sliding down Anna''s face, and it seemed like she couldn''t hear Liu Jianguo''s words at all, as she was unwittingly transfixed on the ring box in her hand.


    "Gao Zhiming! You bastard!!!" Anna roared hysterically.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    I didn''t expect that twist.</blockquote>

 Chapter 861: Letter

    Liu Jianguo unscrewed the cap of his tea bottle. A faint smell of wolfberries rose with the steam as he took a small sip. His gaze remained fixated on the young woman who was being consoled by the female officer in the distance.


    She was the same woman who was saved from the river earlier. Having been a police officer for so many years, Liu Jianguo had met his fair share of people, but he had never seen a woman quite as beautiful as this one.


    She seemed to be a high school student at first nce, definitely not older than seventeen or eighteen. However, her looks were far from that of an ordinary high school student.


    Her eyes were crystal clear, her eyebrows arched delicately like the curve of a willow, and her longshes fluttered softly with each blink. Her porcin fair skin had a fair pink hue, while her thin lips looked alluring, like that of rose petals.


    Paired with her morous figure, her appearance drew the attention of everyone in the station¡ªwhether they hade to file a report or were staff here.


    Liu Jianguo couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. Perhaps this was what the younger generation meant by someone having the face of an angel and the figure of a devil.


    "Uncle Liu, I checked our database. There''s no record of anyone named Gao Zhiming. He might not be from our city," Zhou Tao said with a hint of confusion on his visage.


    Liu Jianguo tightened the lid on his tea bottle and turned toward his junior and also team partner. "To be honest, I''d like to meet this guy myself. How trashy must a guy be to let down such a beautiful girl."


    "Yeah¡­ She looks so pitiful," Zhou Tao said, allowing his eyes to drift toward the young woman. A pang of pain flickered through his gaze, and without realizing it, his feet started to inch toward her.Seeing his expression, Liu Jianguo gave him a light p on the shoulder. "Hey, maintain your image. Don''t forget what uniform you''re wearing."


    Just then, the female officer who had been speaking with the young woman rose to her feet and approached Liu Jianguo and Zhou Tao.


    "She says her name is Anna."


    "An English name? How are we supposed to track that? Did you manage to get her real name?"


    "She didn''t say. Apart from her name, she wouldn''t give any other useful information. I''ve tried all sorts of ways to try to get more intel from her, but nothing works. It seems like she hasn''t fully recovered from her heartbreak," the female officer replied.


    Liu Jianguo pondered for a moment before saying, "By the way, when I brought her in, I saw that she was holding a red box. What''s in there? That could be a clue."


    The female officer shook her head. "No idea. She wouldn''t let me see it. She''s not a suspect, after all. And judging from her appearance, she seems like a high school student. I can''t possibly just snatch it from her. It wouldn''t be nice if I made her cry."


    "Argh. It should''ve been just a simple case, but it''s gettingplicated now. It''s impossible that no one noticed a beautiful girl like her trying to jump off the bridge. Once she calms down a bit, take her fingerprints as a precaution."


    The station was filled with a cacophony of noises¡ªmurmurs of people chatting, the rapid clicking of keyboards, the steady ck of shoes hitting the polished floor.


    The sounds surrounded Anna from all sides. However, she found them both familiar yet foreign. She had memories of this ce, but she had never belonged here.


    The constant assault of noise only further intensified Anna''s extremely foul mood. She wanted to revert to her true form and wipe out every single individual contributing to the noise, to silence them all and regain her peace.


    Yet, she could not do so. Because she was no longer that man-eating monster in the Subterranean Sea. Now, she was just a fragile, helpless girl.


    Anna ced the disposable cup of tea down on the table and reached into her pocket to take out the wedding ring.


    It was a truly stunning diamond ring, dazzling with brilliance, rity, and light. An array of pristine white diamonds encircled the center stone¡ªa massive ck diamond that was two hundred carats. Be it in the Subterranean Sea or the surface world, a jewel of such quality would be worth a fortune.


    Aplicated expression marred Anna''s countenance as she stared at the ring. Slowly, she lifted it and slid it onto her ring finger. However, she immediately felt something odd and ufortable.


    She removed the ring and ran her fingers along the inside of the band. Indeed, there was something lodged within. A small, concealed roll of paper was hidden in the ring''s inner curve.


    Anna carefully unrolled the piece of paper to find a letter. A letter from Charles.


    <em>Dear Anna,</em>


    <em>If you are reading this letter, that means you''ve made it to the surface world. You probably hate me now, don''t you? But this is the best solution I cane up with after thinking for so many days.</em>


    <em>You must surely be thinking that I will wish to return to the surface, right? I wanted to. I really miss my old home. But I can''t go; they''re watching me.</em>


    <em>I''m Edikth''s Chosen One, and I also bear the mark of Fhtagn. Most importantly, 005 has appeared. I believe all of this can''t be just pure coincidence.</em>


    <em>No matter what their ns might be, if I were to return to the surface, I would only bring the catastrophe of the Subterranean Sea along with me. I cannot allow that to happen.</em>


    <em>Both the Subterranean Sea and the surface world have my family members, including my crew and you too. I want to protect all of you. And also, I''m not ready to give up just yet.</em>


    <em>Why? Why must we cower in the shadows of the gods? Why must we humans live like ants afraid of being crushed? The Light God, the Foundation, every single event I had encountered in the Subterranean Sea has only fueled the defiance in my heart. So, I want to try.</em>


    <em>Are you surprised? Surprised that I would agree with your viewpoint? Yes, I actually always did. I just didn''t agree that you should be the one to do this. It''s too dangerous.</em>


    <em>Especially during theter days. You became more and more extreme, and obsessed. You even sacrificed two million people in exchange for more power. I had a premonition then that if you were to stay in the Subterranean Sea any longer, it would lead to a disaster. Perhaps, there mighte a day when we would fight each other.</em>


    <em>What are gods? None of us know the answer to that. When we gain the formidable power of a god, are we the ones controlling the power or are they controlling us through the power? Or worse, what if we be apletely alien existence?</em>


    <em>It''s a huge gamble. We have no idea what the oue will be. The stakes are too high and I couldn''t let you do it, so I''m doing it.</em>


    <em>You used to say you never wanted to be the ant at the mercy of others. Now that you''re back on the surface world, no one can threaten you anymore. I''m sorry that I am showing my love in such a twisted way. But there''s no choice; I mean, you chose me.</em>


    <em>I know that you''ll still hate me after knowing everything. I ept that. So live peacefully up there, free from everything. Don''t think about the Subterranean Sea anymore. I''ll handle everything down here.</em>


    <em>And if, by some miracle, I seed, our family will reunite again, my dearest love.</em>


    <em>Charles Reed</em>


    Anna''s hands trembled as she clutched the letter before her. She read the letter again and again, her eyes scanning every single character. Slowly, she raised the letter to her mouth.


    The taste of squid ink was unpleasant, but Anna chewed on the letter with all her strength, a cold, vengeful glint suffusing her eyes.


    With a loud gulp, she swallowed the pieces of paper in her mouth.


    "Live peacefully on the surface?" Anna muttered under her breath. "Dream on! You think you can make me give up by stripping away all my power? Never!"


    Anna stood up and turned to one of the nearby officers, asking, "Excuse me, may I know where''s the restroom?"


    "Oh, it''s just down the corridor on the left."


    With a faint smile on her lips, Anna thanked the officer before walking toward the corridor. The ck diamond ring on her ring finger gleamed like a dark star under the corridor lights.

 Chapter 862: Li Long

    A sultry summer night. The bustling streets were filled with people enjoying their evening strolls after dinner. Currently, their eyes couldn''t help but to be captivated by a stunning, alluring woman as she walked past them.


    Some whispered among themselves, trying to figure out if she was a celebrity. Some even went as far as to pull out their flip phones and secretly snap photos of her.


    Anna''s perfected arched brows furrowed slightly. This wasn''t good; she was attracting far too much attention.


    The next moment, she grabbed the towel around her neck¡ªthe one that a kind older woman had given her to dry her hair¡ªand quickly wrapped it around her beautiful face. She hastened her steps and weaved through the crowd.


    Blending into the crowd, Anna swiftly moved from the lively main street into a narrow alley. Now that she was away from the humans, she slowed down. Her mind started to race as she tried to figure out her next steps to get herself out of her current predicament.


    Indeed, the surface world was safe. Yet, it was extremely foreign to her.


    If she wanted to find a way back to the Subterranean Sea, she would need to adapt and find stability here first. And that meant, a legal identity was her utmost priority. Fortunately, she possessed memories of this world that would y a crucial role in allowing her to blend in.


    A loud sizzling sound resonated in the air the moment the squid tentacles hit the grill. As the tentacles with suction cups curled and twisted from the mes, the smell of cooked meat permeated the air, eventually drifting past Anna''s nose.


    She had just escaped from the police station and she couldn''t help but salivate at the delicious smell in the air. Her stomach tightened in hunger as she walked over to an empty table and sat down.Though she still drew attention since it was rare to see someone covering their faces with a towel, it was still an improvement from before.


    Soon enough, Anna''s orders of barbecued skewers arrived. Pulling a corner of the towel slightly away from her face, Anna picked up a stick and took her first bite to replenish the nutrients she needed.


    The oil on themb was still sizzling due to the residual heat from the grill. Coupled with the generously sprinkled cumin and chili powder, it tasted pretty good.


    Anna had barely taken a few bites when a figure slid into the seat across from her.


    "Hey, gorgeous. You won''t mind if I join you, right?"


    Anna lifted her gaze from the tter of skewers to the man opposite her. He looked scrawny and his face was dotted with pimples. The dragon tattoo that spanned across his ribcage made him appear rather unfriendly.


    Seeing no response from Anna, thes scrawny man continued his self introduction with a greasy smile.


    "My name''s Li Long. I frequent this area a lot, but why haven''t I seen you around before? Are you new here for vacation? You know, it''s dangerous for someone as pretty as you to be wandering around here alone."


    Li Long had his own methodology for dealing with women. It was a simple and straightforward approach: shameless persistence. He didn''t care about their background; he just wanted to try his luck.


    It was almost instinctual for a lowly gangster like him. And, truth be told, he had gotten lucky a few times in the past.


    "Have you been to the estuary below the Baita River? That spot''s really majestic when the tidees in. Really! I''m not exaggerating! It''s way better than that overhyped Qiantang River¡­"


    Li Long babbled on and on but suddenly came to an abrupt halt when the woman in front of him stopped munching on her food. She looked up at him with evident irritation in her eyes.


    "Scram. Even if I was gangraped, you wouldn''t make the cut!"


    "Pft!"


    Around them, several people nearly choked on their beer, some even spitting a mouthful out in shock. Clearly, they couldn''t believe that they had just heard these crude words from a seemingly delicate young woman.


    Immediately after, bursts of mockingughter erupted and they were all directed at Li Long. Li Long''s face flushed with embarrassment, but as a seasoned lowlife, he ignored his pride and decided to adopt a different approach.


    "Oh my dear, those words sting my heart," Li Long said with a feigned pained expression. "I wasn''t trying to offend you. To be honest, I''m just a pitiful guy. I grew up without my parents, lived on scraps from my neighbors, and I''m all alone and lonely at night. I''m just looking for someone to talk to¡­"


    Just as Li Long continued with his made-up sob story, he failed to notice the way Anna''s eyes started to gleam with a sudden interest.


    "Pay the bill and take me to your ce to have a look," Anna said, cutting Li Long''s story off.


    Li Long blinked in disbelief. He thought he had misheard her. But when he realized that she meant exactly what she said, he felt a wave of excitement surging through him.


    Would it be dangerous to bring a stranger to his ce? Those thoughts never crossed his mind. What kind of threat could a girl like her pose? If anyone should be worried about being in a precarious situation, it was her and not him.


    Quickly tossing a few bills on the table, Li Long stood up and Anna followed him.


    They navigated through the twisting and turning alleys until they arrived at a crowded slum area. After a few more turns, she stopped in front of a run-down house.


    The rusted padlock unlocked with a creak and Li Long pushed open the gate to a cramped yard.


    Old, peeling furniture cluttered the inside of the house, and the interior design reminded one of a time long past. The air smelled stale, and dust coated everything, giving the impression that whoever lived here didn''t care much for cleanliness.


    "Here it is, babe. This is my ce. Pretty big, right? Sure, it''s a bit worn but don''t let that fool you. I''ve got a buddy who told me that this entire area''s set for demolition. When that happens¡ª"


    Li Long''s voice stopped abruptly as he felt a weird sensation; something hard was pressed against his lower back.


    He turned his head stiffly and his gaze locked onto the source of his pain. Pressed against his back were three iron skewers¡ªsharp, greasy, and still reeking of grilled meat. The ends were twisted together into a makeshift brass knuckle. He was certain that the skewers were from the street vendor they had juste from.


    "Hey, babe¡­What are you doing? Do I look like a bad guy or something?"


    Anna''s right hand shot upward and gripped Li Long''s tongue inside his mouth with brutal precision. The next moment, her left hand plunged the skewers deep into his lower back.


    Li Long''s eyes bulged to a size wider than that of a goldfish''s. He couldn''t process the illogical scene before him. How could this be happening? How could she dare stab him? This was a society ofw and order! People wouldn''t get away with murder! And he hadn''t even done anything to deserve this!


    But before Li Long could make sense of anything, a series of thuds echoed as the skewers plunged into his side again and again.


    "Mmff! Mmmff!" Li Long''s muffled cries rang out as he struggled to escape. However, his strength soon ran out. By the time he copsed to the floor, his waist was a torn mess of shredded flesh, and blood oozed out of his gory wounds to pool at his feet.


    "No! I don''t want to die! I''m sorry! I''m really sorry!" Li Long whimpered, his face covered with tears and snot. The fear of death gripped him. His legs scraped desperately against the ground as he tried to retreat and drag himself away from the young woman.


    By this point, his heart was overwhelmed by extreme terror. He had no idea who this woman was, but he was clear of one thing: he had messed with the wrong person. No ordinary person could kill with such cold precision, without even a blink of hesitation.


    Anna''s face remained cold and indifferent as she took a step forward, her left hand still holding onto the bloodied skewer.


    "Rx," she said without a hint of emotion. "I know human anatomy very well. I deliberately avoid any vital organs. After all, if you died, you would be useless."


    A chill crawled down Li Long''s spine. Before he could ask how she nned to use him, he watched the woman crouched down beside him. Her delicate finger dipped into his pool of warm blood and she began to smear it across the cold cement floor.


    The cement floor was rapidly stained a deep crimson by the blood seeping out of Li Long. It didn''t take long before arge concentric circle was drawn around him, with intricate and unfamiliar symbols filling the space between.

 Chapter 863: Selling

    "<em>Gulp!</em>" Li Long, holding his wound, swallowed hard. He felt that something was off. The situation seemed to be developing in a direction he couldn''t have imagined, even in his wildest dreams.


    Once the array was drawn, Anna checked it carefully. Then, she tossed aside the makeshift brass knuckles and began chanting a sacrificial incantation in a low voice.


    The terrified Li Long moved away slightly, wanting to leave therge concentric circle. He had no idea what was going on, but he could feel that it wasn''t anything good.


    However, his movement immediately caught Anna''s attention.


    Anna stopped chanting and grabbed the ss ashtray beside her. Then, she smashed it fiercely into Li Long''s head.


    With a muffled thud, Li Long copsed onto the floor with his head bleeding. It was unknown whether he was alive or dead.


    Anna proceeded to treat Li Long''s injury to ensure that he wouldn''t lose too much blood and die. Once the treatment was done, Anna began chanting the sacrificial incantation again.


    The clock on the wall ticked away, and as the minutes went by, Anna''s chanting got louder and louder until her voice reverberated throughout the entire room.


    Anna chanted for hours, but even though the sky outside had brightened and the blood on the ground had congealed into scabs, she still received no response whatsoever."Howe there is no response at all?" Anna''s face turned ugly. She had specifically chosen the sacrificial ritual for God Fhtagn, the strongest god in the Subterranean Sea, so she was surprised by the silence.


    Anna believed that there was something preventing the influence of the gods in the Subterranean Sea from reaching the surface world. Clearly, there was something protecting the peace of the surface world.


    Otherwise, Anna would have received a response.


    <em>Is it really all over just like this? Do I really have no choice but to be trapped in this fragile human body for the rest of my life?</em> Anna revealed a defiant look. <em>No, this might just be because there aren''t enough sacrifices. I need to try it again but with more people.</em>


    With that in mind, Anna turned her gaze to Li Long in the middle of the array. She knew that this wasn''t the time to look for sacrifices. Before anything else, she had to establish a foothold for herself first.


    Hourster, Li Long woke up in a daze and found himself inside his doghouse of a house. The wounds on his lower back and forehead had been stitched up, but his delightsted only for half a second as he noticed a metal cor around his neck.


    It was a dog cor often used for veryrge dogs.


    The sound of the bedroom door being opened made Li Long shudder. The lunatic who had almost killed himst night walked out of the bedroom.


    She was no longer wearing the dress that she had wornst night and had changed into a in sports outfit along with a cotton mask covering her face.


    Anna was giving off apletely different air fromst night, but Li Long couldn''t care less about those details. He only cared about the knife that was as long as his forearm in Anna''s hand.


    "I was wrong, I was wrong, okay? Miss, I truly made a mistake by not recognizing the person you are. A big shot like you wouldn''t bother with a small fry like me, right? Right? Let me go, okay?" Li Long pleaded, sounding like he was about to cry.


    "Sit up straight," Anna said coldly.


    Li Long immediatelyplied. He was convinced that the woman before him was a lunatic, and it was proven by her bizarre actionsst night. Li Long was afraid that he''d end up triggering one of her episodes.


    If that were to happen, he''d be done for.


    Anna looked around with an expression of utter disdain. Then, she turned to Li Long in front of her and said, "You''re a piece of trash¡ªa waste of space and oxygen."


    "Yes, yes, yes, you''re absolutely right. I''m a piece of trash. I''m just a battery thief. I don''t own this house; I rent this, and I only have three thousand yuan in savings. I really have nothing," Li Long said, nodding in a hurry.


    Anna leaned over to Li Long and tapped his cheek with the de of the knife. Then, her eyes narrowed slightly as she said, "I have an opportunity for you to turn your life around here, and it depends on whether you can take it or not."


    Li Long grumbled bitterly in his heart.<em> Just when is this going to end? She doesn''t care aboutw and order at all. Howe such a dangerous lunatic is allowed to run free rather than locked up and under observation around the clock?</em>


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A cold light shed, and a gash was drawn on Li Long''s right cheek.


    "You''d better pay attention when I speak. This knife in my hand doesn''t have any eyes," Anna warned.


    Li Long shuddered and stared at Anna without daring to blink.


    "You''re not seriously injured, soe with meter. I need your help selling something."


    "Sure, sure! Just say it! Say it, and I''ll sell whatever you want me to sell!"


    Anna reached into her pocket and took out a tiny white diamond. She had pried it off from her wedding ring. "You know where the nearest andrgest jewelry store is, right?"


    Anna needed to obtain as much money as possible in the fastest way possible, and she was going to use that money to obtain a legal identity. An undocumented individual like her was always in danger, after all.


    The corner of Li Long''s mouth twitched upon seeing the tiny diamond. What was he supposed to say at this point? He couldn''t say, "that cute little ss shard of yours is so unique," right?


    "All right, I''ll do what you say," Li Long replied. His n was to go to a crowded ce, which would ensure that the lunatic wouldn''t act up, and then he''d find an opportunity to call the police!


    Soon, the cor on Li Long was removed, and he was given new clothes to wear. In no time, the two walked out of the run-down house.


    Anna was supporting Li Long as they walked slowly out of the house, and they looked very intimate, but that couldn''t be further from the truth.


    The hard object pressed against Li Long''s made him dare not to act rashly. There was something that he had never forgotten and would probably never forget¡ªthe woman walking next to him was a lunatic, and she had a knife.


    "Wee, how may I help you two?" a round-faced saleswoman said. The saleswoman was wearing a qipao, and she greeted the two with a smile as they entered the luxurious jewelry store.


    Li Long''s face was pale, and he put on a forced smile as he stared at the enthusiastic saleswoman in front of him. "Do you buy diamonds?"


    "Did you purchase it here? Do you still have the receipt?"


    "No, I didn''t purchase it here. Can you still take it?" Li Long asked. He was trying his best to signal to the saleswoman that there was something amiss, but the saleswoman clearly had no idea what he was trying to say.


    "If you didn''t purchase it from us, then I''m afraid¡ª"


    "Xiao Tao," someone said from the side. The three turned to find the store manager wearing a suit walking over toward them. "Let me handle this, so just go and pour some tea for these two customers."


    Li Long was about to speak when the store manager patted his shoulder in aforting manner. The store manager cast a look of understanding at him and said, "Don''t worry about it. I understand, I understand."


    A grim-faced man and a quiet woman hade to his jewelry store, and the man immediately asked if the store would buy diamonds. The store manager instantly saw through what was going on, and he decided to handle these two customers.


    They were the easiest customers to handle in the jewelry business, and customers like them often wouldn''t bother bargaining, so it was easy to make a lot of profit off of them.


    Meanwhile, the baffled Li Long still had no idea what the store manager was talking about when he was ushered to sit on the sofa.


    "If you two don''t mind, then can I take a look at it first? How many carats is it? And where did you buy it?" the store manager asked.


    A glimmer of hope appeared in Li Long''s heart.


    The store manager would surely find out that the diamond was mere ss, and the lunatic would most likely go on a rampage by then. It would be great if she went on a rampage, as the store manager would definitely call the police.


    By then, he would be saved from the clutches of this lunatic!


    The store manager was shocked when Anna took out the piece of diamond that she wanted to sell from her pocket. <em>My goodness, their marriage is doomed. What kind of quarrel did they have for it to end up in her tearing off the diamond inset?</em>

 Chapter 864: Li Long

    A crisp sound echoed as the diamond was ced under the microscope.


    The store manager squinted one eye and leaned in to examine it carefully.


    Li Long''s heart pounded wildly against his chest at the sight.


    <em>That''s just ss! It''s fake! This woman is a lunatic! Hurry up and call the police! </em>He screamed frantically in his mind.


    A few minutester, the store manager ced the diamond that Anna had given to him on a tray and handed it solemnly to her with both hands.


    "Can you two tell me where you bought this one-carat diamond? Its quality is really high, but the diamond cutting technique used on this diamond is really weird. Truly a waste of nature''s creation," the store manager said.


    "W-w-what?!" Li Long''s pupils quivered. "That''s actually real?!"


    Li Long had eximed with such force that his voice sounded a bit hoarse. He knew where the one-carat diamond hade from. Last night, he saw Anna wearing a diamond ring inset with a massive ck diamond.


    The diamond was just toorge for it to be real, so Li Long didn''t pay attention to it at the time. In fact, a normal person would never think that such a massive ck diamond was real.If the one-carat diamond was real, then the center stone¡ªa ck diamond the size of a quail egg¡ªhad to be real, wouldn''t it? Li Long''s mind buzzed at the thought of it alone.


    The woman next to him couldn''t possibly be a lunatic. No lunatic would carry such a valuable item on them.


    "<em>Hmm? </em>You weren''t the one who bought the ring where this diamond came from?" the store manager asked, casting a doubtful look at Li Long.


    "I bought this diamond from the source itself¡ªfrom Africa," Anna hurriedly said, "Are you going to buy it or not? If not, I''ll go check out some other ces."


    Anna pulled Li Long and turned around to leave.


    "I''ll buy it! Of course, I''ll buy it. But Miss, you have to understand that diamonds can depreciate quickly upon purchase. Plus, I need to cut it again, so the amount that I can offer you is¡­" the store manager said, trailing off.


    "Just tell me how much money you''re going to offer for it. I have urgent matters to attend to at home," Anna said, pretending to appear impatient.


    "All right, since you''re being so straightforward, I won''t beat around the bush, then. I''ll give you the highest price that I can offer for this. A hundred eighty thousand yuan. What do you think of it?" the store manager said, quoting a price.


    "Deal, but I want it in cash. Hurry up."


    Anna''s request for cash put the store manager in a difficult position. The majority of people these days used bank transfers for suchrge transactions.


    However, he wasted no time and tried his best to gather the amount. A diamond of such quality was rare, and he''d profit a lot by obtaining it for only a hundred eighty thousand yuan.


    Of course, the store manager took advantage of the downtime to appraise the diamond several more times, ensuring that he wouldn''t get fooled by a great imitation.


    "Manager, we''ve got to be careful of them," the security guard standing at the door whispered, "They''re weird, and that woman is particrly strange. The way she looks at people is creepy."


    However, the store manager didn''t seem too worried about it. "Don''t worry. I''m sure they didn''t acquire that diamond by robbing someone or stealing it from somewhere.


    "Our domestic jewelry industry doesn''t really use such a bizarre cutting technique, and even if they want to steal diamonds, there''s no way they can get away with it. I''m sure this diamond is truly from overseas."


    In no time, the cash was gathered. Anna ced the eighteen stacks of red bills into a gift bag and left the jewelry store with Li Long.


    Li Long had yet to recover even upon returning home. He felt like he was dreaming. The diamond in the hands of the woman whom he regarded as a lunatic was actually real. Just who exactly was she?


    A dull thud echoed as five stacks of bills were thrown onto the table. Li Long recovered instantly, and his eyes lit up at the sight. "I-is this for me?"


    Anna sized up Li Long and said, "That''s not even a lot of money, and you''re already happy? I had no idea that you''re so easily satisfied."


    Li Long shoved his face into the bills amounting to fifty thousand yuan and took a deep breath, taking in the smell of money. He was a battery thief, and a battery could only be sold for two hundred yuan.


    How many car batteries would he have to steal to get this much money?


    "Just start working for me, and you''ll have as much money as you want in the future."


    "Yes! From now on, you''re my boss! I''ll do whatever you tell me to do!" Li Long eximed, instantly looking up from the bills in his hands. Anna''s generosity had made Li Long gaze at her in a brand-new light. <em>She''s not a lunatic; she''s my benefactor!</em>


    What about the fact that Anna had stabbed himst night and her mysterious background? Li Long had long thrown it to the back of his mind; he couldn''t care less about those details as long as there was money for him to earn!


    Money was everything in today''s society. Many people were working themselves to death, allowing themselves to be exploited by their bosses to earn just a measly three thousand yuan a month.


    However, he managed to earn fifty thousand by just walking around.


    It was the easiest money of Li Long''s life.


    If he could keep earning such arge amount of money, he''d even eat his own feces, not to mention let himself get stabbed!


    Anna inwardly sneered at Li Long''s obsequious demeanor. Sometimes, there wasn''t much difference between dogs and human beings, and with the right technique, Anna could still take control of them even without her special abilities.


    The man before him was a piece of trash, but Anna wasn''t exactly that strong at the moment. Fortunately, she had found a way to ensure that he wouldn''t bite her back. Moreover, his legal identity was immensely helpful to her.


    "Get up, and clean this damned ce of yours. A dung beetle''s home is cleaner than this ce."


    "Yes, yes, yes! I''ll clean up right away!" Li Long eximed. He ignored his wounds, which were bleeding once again, and hugged his fifty thousand in delight. He rushed to the corner of the room and picked up the broom.


    A hundred eighty thousand yuan was a massive sum in Li Long''s eyes, but it was far from enough for Anna''s n. In the next few days, they visited the nearby cities and sold more than ten diamonds.


    By the time Anna''s savings reached two million, the array of pristine white diamonds around the center stone of the wedding ring that Charles had given to her was already missing a huge chunk.


    The first thing that Anna purchased was a legal identity, and Li Long came in handy. He was useless, but he hadn''t lied when he said that he knew quite a few people from many different walks of life.


    It turned out that even thieves had their own circle of friends.


    However, even <em>Qin Hui</em> had three friends, so it wasn''t really strange that Li Long had some friends.


    Half a monthter, they moved to a new residence.


    It was night, and Anna wearing slippers inside a high-end apartment was sitting in front of aputer. The mouse in her hand moved nonstop as she was busy searching for something on the Inte.


    <em>There are no traces of relics and the Foundation online, but I can''t say that I''m safe. I can''t let my guard down. If they truly exist, then they are most likely hiding from everyone''s eyes.</em>


    <em>They definitely exist. They were in the Subterranean Sea, so they''re definitely here as well. I have to be on guard. They''ll be a threat to me eventually, so I must umte enough power before that happens.</em>


    <em>What I have to do next is to confirm whether there is something preventing the gods of the Subterranean Sea from exerting any influence on the surface world. If my assumption is correct, then I''ll have to find another way.</em>


    <em>Fortunately, this isn''t a fool''s errand. Charles has taken away my power, but he couldn''t take away my memories. My mind contains a huge variety of the Subterranean Sea''s taboo rituals. </em>


    <em>I can just try them one by one until something sticks.</em>


    Just as Anna was getting engrossed in her thoughts, the anti-theft lock on the door was unlocked, and Li Long¡ªfinally dressed like a human being¡ªwalked in with a smile and a box in his hand.


    "Boss, your package has arrived. I was passing by, so I brought it up for you. Did you buy this from <em>Daobao</em>?"

 Chapter 865: The Offerings

    Anna picked up the dagger on the table and cut open the package. She removed the white foam, revealing a ck gun with a silencer.


    Li Long''s face changed instantly upon seeing the firearm. "Boss, w-w-where did you get that? That thing is trouble; that''s three years in prison if you get caught with it!"


    Anna looked up at the skinny guy and asked, "Did you find the people I asked for?"


    Li Long''s face fell. "Eight people from out of town, and they have to be on the fringes of society. They''re too difficult to find. What do you want to do with them, anyway? Why don''t we just go and find some migrant workers?"


    Anna stared deeply at Li Long and said, "We don''t need eight people, then. Seven will do. You count as one."


    Li Long''s heart quivered at Anna''s words. What was she talking about? Howe a shiver went down his spine?


    "We can find eight people. We can definitely find eight people. Boss, let me take you to someone; he will definitely be able to find a way," Li Long said.


    "Let''s go, then," Anna said, tucking the gun behind her.


    "Boss, why don''t we leave that thing here? We live in a society governed byws, and even those in the underworld don''t dare to use something like that," Li Long persuaded. He really couldn''t figure out Anna''s train of thought at all. Her behavior and actions didn''t seem like someone living in modern society. Based on her appearance alone, she ought to be in school, but her ruthlessness and way of doing things were unlike those of ordinary students.


    In the face of Li Long''s persuasion, Anna merely red coldly at him.


    Li Long dared not say anything more upon seeing that re, and he turned around, obediently leading the way.


    Upon reaching the first floor, Li Long headed to the garage and drove out the car that they had just purchased.


    Anna sitting in the backseat of the car suddenly asked, "Did you get the passport that I asked you to acquire for me?"


    "It''s done. I know many people. It''s not an issue as long as there''s enough money," Li Long replied, sounding boastful. Then, he seemed to have noticed something amiss and cautiously asked, "Boss, are you nning on leaving the country after this?"


    "You can stay here. I''m not going to force you. Trash like you are a dime a dozen abroad," Anna replied.


    Li Long gnashed his teeth. Life and death were a matter of fate, and wealth and glory were up to the heavens up above.


    In the end, Li Long decided to take a gamble.


    If he refused to follow Anna, he''d inevitably run out of money and would have to go back to his old ways, after all.


    The brand-new car carrying the two stopped at a lively bar. When Li Long walked into the bar, the patrons called out at him. It seemed that he had been frequenting the bar as the words, "Brother Li, Brother Li," echoed constantly.


    Li Long felt even prouder of himself upon seeing everyone''s smiling faces. Not too long ago, they wouldn''t even acknowledge his existence, but now, they were all calling him "Brother Li."


    Li Long realized that he had taken a liking to the feeling of being ttered, and the realization made him even more determined to stick to the lunatic.


    "Boss, this ce sells drugs, and we can find some addicts through this ce. Those addicts are worse than demons. The majority of them have either ruined or harmed their family for the sake of obtaining more drugs. Their families think that they''re all dead, so they definitely meet your requirements," Li Long exined.


    Anna revealed a look of understanding. This could work. No one would bother reporting the disappearance of such people, which would give Anna enough time to retreat.


    "You''re here again, Brother Li? Want a drink? It''s on me. And this is...?" the bartender in a suit cast a surprised gaze at Anna, who was wearing a mask.


    "She''s my rtive, my rtive. Buddy, I''m actually here to ask you something," Li Long said. He leaned close to the bartender and whispered something into thetter''s ear.


    "No, no, that''s against the rules. The higher-ups definitely won''t agree."


    "Oh,e on. Can you stop being so inflexible? I haven''t even mentioned the price, and you''re already rejecting it. Don''t worry. You''ll get your share in the end," Li Long persuaded.


    The lighting in the bar was a bit dim, and there were many people around, so the air felt stuffy. Anna pulled her mask aside to get some fresh air before putting it back on.


    Anna had done it quickly, but a nce was enough for her to be a target.


    "Hey, Miss Beautiful. You have such pretty eyes. They remind me of a certain someone. Do you know who?" a handsome blond man said. He had on a crooked smile as he sat down next to Anna with a ss of liquor. He had moved casually but in a way that would make Anna see the shield-shaped luxury car key on his waist.


    "Fuck, who the hell are you? You want to die or something? Go and pick up girls somewhere else!" Li Long scolded with an impatient look.


    The bartender''s face changed at Li Long''s remark. He pulled Li Long aside and whispered, "Watch your mouth, man. He has a special identity, and you¡­ can''t afford to offend him."


    "Was that your friend? His mouth was really foul. Don''t you find it disgusting to hang out with such a rude person?" the handsome blond man asked.


    Anna looked a bit annoyed. Her gorgeous figure and pretty face were proving to be mas for trouble in this ce, and she couldn''t help but consider ruining her appearance to stay out of trouble.


    "Did youe to Makau to buy some drugs? I have some of the good stuff at my ce. If you want, we can have some fun together."


    Atst, Anna turned to the blond man and asked, "You use it, too?"


    "That got your attention? How refreshing. Anyway, this country is just a tad bit too sensitive when ites to these things when certain drugs have even been legalized abroad. Anyway, let''s start over; my name is Charles."


    Anna''s hand instantly balled into a fist, and she stared deeply at the man before her. To be honest, the man in front of her was handsome, but Anna wanted nothing more than to put the barrel of her gun to his forehead and blow his smug face to pieces!


    "Your name is Charles?!"


    "What? Wait, have we met each other in Ennd? But I don''t remember meeting you at all¡­" the blond man muttered.


    Anna pulled down her mask, revealing a faint smile. "I <em>do </em>use that stuff. It''s just that I like to use it with many other people."


    The blond man revealed a look of understanding at Anna''s remark. Anna was exactly his type, so he found it a pity that such a top-tier beauty had turned out to be both an addict and an escort.


    "We have some ice at my ce, and we''re scheduled to gather tonight for some fun. Admission for women is free, so how about youe with us? The more the merrier," the blond man offered.


    Having learned that Anna was both an addict and an escort, the blond man became much more straightforward, and he could no longer be bothered to hide his lust.


    Anna nodded and asked, "I want my friend toe with us, too. Is that okay?"


    The blond man nced at Li Long with disdain, but he nodded reluctantly and said, "Sure, sure."


    The blond man then put his fingers in his mouth and whistled toward the booth in the corner. Several men and women then walked out of the booth.


    "Boss, I don''t think this is a great idea. We shouldn''t go," Li Long said. He seemed particrly anxious, but Anna didn''t listen to him at all.


    Soon, luxury cars drove out of the bar''s parking lot, heading toward the suburbs.


    Anna''s fluttered in the wind as she sat in the back of a convertible.


    "<em>Hehe,</em> your house is really far out," Anna said, briefly touching her waist.


    "We''re not going to my house. My family owns several buildings in the Beiping District. There aren''t that many people there, and there aren''t going to be any checkpoints, so it''s pretty safe," the blond man replied. He steered with one hand and took out a lighter to light the cigarette at the corner of his mouth.


    "Is that so? That''s good, then. It''s great as long as it''s safe. You really are thoughtful."

 Chapter 866: Sacrifice

    The ck tires of the convertible coolly drew an arc on the ground as it came to a halt in front of what looked like a deste vi with several other cars. In no time, more than ten well-dressed men and women got out of the cars.


    Rows of residential buildings were just across from the vi but not a single window was lit. It seemed like they had found themselves in a ghost town.


    "Stop looking around. Don''t worry. I swear that no one is going to learn of what''s going to happen here," the blond man named Charles said. He walked up to Anna and sniffed her neck.


    Anna didn''t dodge, but she turned slightly to count the number of people around her with her fingers. "Thirteen. Feels like there are a bit too many people."


    A chubby man with a jade ring on his thumb walked over with a smile, saying, "The more, the merrier. Taking ice is more fun when there are many people to share it with."


    Anna swept her gaze across the people before her. Then, she reached out and took off her mask. In an instant, the eyes of all mennded on her, and they didn''t bother hiding their lust.


    "Wow, where did you find this top-tier beauty, Young Master Wang?!"


    The blond man''s mouth curled up slightly into a smug smile.


    "Let me make things clear before anything else. I''m the one who found her, so I''m going first."Anna smiled and gestured toward the vi up ahead. "Let''s go. It''s almost two in the morning, and I can hardly wait."


    "<em>Haha,</em> what a straightforward girl! All right, let''s go!"


    The group walked up to the vi and opened its doors. They were greeted by a luxurious interior upon walking into the vi, and they wasted no time, pulling out many different hidden paraphernalia and contraband all around the vi.


    Obviously, they''d oftene here to y.


    Soon, a foul smell pervaded the room.


    <em>Click!</em>


    Anna locked the door with a quick twist of her fingers, and no one noticed her locking the door except for the attentive Li Long.


    "Boss... I really think we should just leave. I''m not sure what you want to do, but let''s just find someone else to work with. We really can''t afford to offend any of¡ª"


    Li Long couldn''t continue with his sentence as the woman before him had whipped out a gun. "Everyone, let''s pause for a minute. I''d like to ask you all for a favor."


    Everyone turned and was stunned to see Anna pointing a gun at them. Then, they cast their gazes on the blond man. "Young Master Wang, what''s wrong with your escort? What is she talking about?"


    The blond man was puzzled as well. Howe an escort whom he had coincidentally stumbled upon at a random bar actually owned a gun and was now pointing it at them?


    The blond man couldn''t quite snap back to reality, but someone else beat him to the chase. It was the chubby man with a jade ring on his thumb. He looked amiable earlier, but his face was now distorted fiercely.


    "You dare point a gun at me, you fucking bitch?! You think I''m scared? Do you have any idea what my family does?!"


    <em>Bang! </em>


    The chubby man''s head exploded into a bloody mist, scattering brain matter everywhere. Momentster, a dull thud echoed as the fat man''s body copsed heavily on the ground.


    Everyone present was terrified. They were so terrified that they even forgot to breathe. Clearly, none of them had ever entertained the idea that the woman before them would actually fire the gun in her hands!


    A pool of blood soon covered the pristine, smooth floor, and terrified shrieks soon filled the room as they came to their senses at the gruesome sight.


    A few more gunshots rang out; those who attempted to flee were shot in the legs, causing them to stumble and fall to the ground. Anna''s petite figure made her look quite weak, but everyone''s heart filled with fear at the mere sight of her.


    They huddled together, trembling nonstop.


    They were just a bunch of second-generation pleasure seekers, so they had never seen such a grisly sight. The civilization ofw and order that humans had built for thousands of years no longer existed in this room and had been reced by thew of the jungle.


    Anna walked up to them and pressed the muzzle of her gun against the blond man''s head. She sounded agitated as she said, "Your name is Charles?! How dare you call yourself Charles!"


    "M-m-my name is Wang Sheng! I''m not Charles!"


    <em>Bang! </em>


    A deafening gunshot echoed. Anna had moved the gun slightly to the left, sting Wang Sheng''s ear to pieces. Wang Sheng survived, but he fell to the ground and writhed in pain while clutching his ear.


    Anna lowered her gun and walked around the huddled group. Her voice wasn''t loud, but everyone heard her clearly as she said,


    "Listen up, I have some drawings here, and I need you to use this fatty''s blood to draw them on the ground for me."


    The so-called "drawings" Anna was referring to were, of course, the sacrificial array. The size of the sacrificial array varied depending on the number of offerings, and she was toozy to draw the massive array needed to sacrifice these people.


    Upon seeing the blood-red drawings, everyone in the group looked at each other with unease evident in their eyes. No one could figure out what Anna wanted to do by making them draw such bizarre patterns.


    A woman whose makeup was smeared from her tears raised her trembling right hand. The next second, a gunshot echoed, and several of her fingers were severed instantly.


    "Did I say that you can ask me questions? Either draw or die."


    Just then, Li Long squatted down in front of the group and whispered, "Just hurry up and draw. My boss kills without batting an eye."


    They nced at Anna and saw her raising the gun in her hand. The sight invigorated the group, and they dragged their injured legs to move. Upon smearing their hands with blood, they began drawing on the ground.


    The inscribed symbols necessary for the sacrificial array were extremelyplex, but the group drew with extreme precision, proving that humans truly had unlimited potential to unlock in the face of death.


    In no time, a pentagram with crooked points was drawn on the smooth floor, and there was a half-open eye in the middle of the star.


    Wang Sheng was one of the people drawing the array, and he noticed that Li Long appeared to be sane, unlike Anna. He snuck over and whispered urgently, "Friend, do me a favor, will you? Ensure my safety, and I''ll give you anything you want. Wang Jianshe is my father."


    Li Long revealed a bitter smile. "I really can''t help you. I''m being coerced, too."


    "Then, can you tell me what she wants? Talk to her and ask her what she wants. I''ll give her whatever she wants as long as she spares me," Wang Sheng urged.


    "I don''t even know the answer to that question, so I advise you to just stop thinking about random things and pick up the pace. She might spare you once you''re done," Li Long replied.


    Li Long was busy cooking up his own schemes, and he couldn''t be bothered to do anything that wouldn''t be profitable for him.


    While Li Long was engrossed in his own thoughts, Anna suddenly stood up, causing everyone on the floor to lower their heads.


    They heard Anna walking somewhere, and the footsteps stopped just in front of the chubby man''s corpse. They surreptitiously looked up and saw Anna using the dagger in her hand to cut open the chubby man''s chest. Then, she forced aside a few ribs before reaching into the chubby man''s chest with her right hand.


    "Keep drawing," Anna said ndly. It was just two words, but everyone resumed drawing as if they were on steroids, including Li Long.


    None of them dared to speak even one word, and they no longer had any thoughts of escaping, either. The scene unfolding before them had shattered their mental states, and the faint chewing noises were like whipsshing at them, forcing them to keep drawing.

 Chapter 867: The Awakening

    As the grotesque sounds of chewing ceased, Anna tossed the remaining mangled artery on the floor. She wiped the corners of her mouth, and with a hint of disdain on her visage, she muttered, "What a terrible taste. Life on the surface is surely great. Even the blood vessels are clogged with fat."


    The blood stained Anna''s lips with a crimson hue as though she was wearing lipstick, adding a touch of eerie, seductive allure to her.


    With twelve people hunched over and drawing on the floor, the sacrificial ritual circle waspleted in no time. Anna did an inspection and adjusted a few details before she instructed everyone to stand in the circle.


    "What is this? What are you doing?" The blond-haired man, Wang Sheng, muttered in a trembling voice. The bizarre array made him ufortable and he felt something terribly amiss. However, he dared not run.


    Li Long grabbed Wang Sheng and pulled him into the array.


    "Don''t worry. I''ve done this before. Nothing bad happened. Come on in. I''ll join you guys," Li Long reassured.


    Anna took a nce at Li Long but remained quiet. The next moment, she unsheathed a dagger and shed her palm open. Pressing her wound against the drawn array on the ground, she began chanting.


    The alien incantation without any audible consonant resonated through the room, nketing the hall with an air of eeriness.


    Wang Sheng''s heart raced and pounded hard against his ribcage. It wasn''t just from fear; he felt as though he was about to trigger some forbidden taboo."It''s fine, really," Li Long continued to reassure everyone. "Once Boss is done with her chanting, we''ll be able to get out. Just rx, alright?"


    Seconds dragged into minutes, and minutes turned into hours. The faint light of dawn began to creep in through the gaps in the curtain, but nothing had happened. Everyone began to rx slightly. Some of them watched Anna, still focused on her chanting, but their hearts were already slowly filling with hope.


    <em>I need to put my phone on silent and quickly call my dad! </em>Wang Sheng thought.


    Just as the group exchanged anxious nces, a strange, almost mosquito-like buzzing entered their ears.


    They weren''t the only ones who heard it. Anna heard the same. A smile yed on her lips, and her chanting grew louder and more fervent.


    As the murmurs intensified, everyone trembled involuntarily. Their knees buckled, and one by one, they copsed within the glowing sacrificial circle.


    The blood-drawn patterns on the ground began to lift off the ground, emitting a malevolent light. The shadows of the sacrifices rose along with the sacrificial array. Like a viscous liquid, they merged into each other and eventually formed a writhing octopus tentacle.


    The dark tentacle grew and wrapped itself around all the sacrifices. Instantly, the same vision infiltrated everyone''s mind. It was an impossibly grotesque creature; the creature barged its way into their brains, altering their perception and digging deep into their emotions.


    As the tentacle tightened its grip around the group, the more evident the despair became on their faces. Suddenly, the tentacle lifted them off the ground and tried to pull them toward the ground.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Everyone fell to the floor like ragdolls, and the sacrificial array in the air exploded, causing the blood to stter onto the walls and floor. Dazed and disoriented, the sacrifices sat up, clutching their heads in confusion and pain.


    Anna ceased her chanting; she knew that her sacrificial ritual had failed once again. Her face darkened with apparent frustration and rage. There was clearly a response from her ritual, but something had gone wrong during the final step.


    To make matters worse, it would still be futile even if she were to offer more offerings.


    <em>Sacrifices are not working. I''ll need to find another way. </em>Anna thought. A bitter expression surfaced on her face as she sat up straight.


    "What was that? What was that earlier?" Wang Sheng practically crawled over to Anna. His earlier fear could no longer be seen in his eyes. Instead, it has been reced with an overflowing desire.


    All his life, Wang Sheng had gotten everything he wanted. He had even thought that he already possessed everything life had to offer. In fact, he was starting to get bored of life and decided to seek thrills from depravity just to feel alive.


    However, the sight he had just witnessed moments ago shattered everything he believed in. He had beenpletely convinced, and he seemed to have found a renewed purpose in life. He wanted that mysterious power¡ªthat bizarre yet supernatural power!


    Anna noticed the burning intensity in Wang Sheng''s gaze. She temporarily dropped her n of killing all of them. It seemed like the ring that Charles had left her with wasn''t the only card she had on hand. The Subterranean Sea had left her with more cards than she had realized.


    "How interesting. Are you not afraid of me?" Anna asked as she aimed the gun at Wang Sheng''s forehead.


    "Please believe me! It''s far more worth keeping me alive than killing me! No matter what you want to do, I can assist you! Like today''s event, for example¡ªI can even bring you three hundred people if you need them!"


    A glint of appreciation flickered across Anna''s eyes. The man before her sure appealed to her liking.


    "Sure," Anna said as she lowered the gun. "I look forward to seeing what you''re capable of. I''m never stingy when ites to rewarding my useful subordinates. A reward like immortality, for example."


    If anyone else had made such a preposterous im, Wang Sheng would have scoffed and brushed them off as a lunatic. After what he had just witnessed, however, he became certain that Anna could indeed offer what she had just said.


    Just then, Anna noticed tat the sky outside growing brighter. She walked over to the window and drew the curtains. Gazing out into the horizon, she watched as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the darkness.


    Anna stood still and watched the sunrise before her in silence. The warm light gradually bathed her alluring figure in its glow.


    "How beautiful," Anna whispered.


    ***


    The Subterranean Sea''s Hope Ind remained as lively as ever and was bustling with activities. Its exclusive fruit trade, coupled with its strategic position in the Northern Seas, made it one of the wealthiest and most stable ces in the region.


    While the inders carried on with their daily routines, a sense of unease was spreading among the upper echelons of Hope Ind. Their governor had gone missing. It wasn''t entirely unusual for Hope Ind''s governor to disappear for periods of time every now and then. Perhaps he could have gone on an exploration expedition, but the duration of his absence this time had stretched for far too long. Moreover, his ship, the Narwhale, had never left the docks.


    Spections ran wild, and some tried to exploit this opportunity to consolidate or expand their influence. However, not everyone on Hope Ind was interested in ying political games.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    Dipp''s webbed right hand mmed down onto the table. He shot up from his teeth and spat through gritted teeth, "This is impossible! Captain is not the type to run away! He would never abandon us!"


    Seated at the head of the long table, Bandages spoke in his usual slow manner of speech, "How many¡­ times¡­ do I have to¡­ repeat myself? I saw it¡­with my own eyes¡­He¡­ has returned home¡­"


    "Something must have gone wrong somewhere!" Dipp countered. "Captain is not that type of person! If he''s really returning home, he''d have said it clearly to us in person!"


    Sensing the tension in the room, James stepped in, trying to ease the mood. "Dipp, let it go. You know that for the past decade, Captain has always been searching for a way to return home. Think of all the sacrifices he had made just to go home. Now that he''s finally home, we should be happy for him."


    Dipp clenched his sharp teeth. He pondered for a brief moment before he whipped his head toward the corner of the room.


    "Lily, you were there too. What did you see?"


    All eyes in the room turned toward the young woman.

 Chapter 868: Controversy

    Feeling everyone''s gazes, Lily hesitantly parted her lips and answered, "I don''t know. Mr. Charles did wish to return home back then. Since he had made that wish, then now he must be¡­"


    Lily''s words trailed off as the reality of the situation hit her. The thought that Charles had truly returned to where he belonged overwhelmed her with sorrow. She could no longer hold herself back as tears welled up in her eyes. She buried her face in her arms on the table and burst out in sobs.


    Seated next to Lily, Linda gently patted the former on the back while offering quiet words offort.


    However, Lily''s sobs had only served to deepen the somber mood in the room. Sadness painted the faces of everyone present.


    Every one of them had survived life-threatening dangers together aboard the Narwhale. In many ways, the bond they shared with Charles was closer than family. But Charles'' sudden departure without any possibility of seeing him again almost felt eerily simr to death.


    It would be a lie if they were to say that they were not the least bit affected. Most just weren''t as outspoken as Dipp to express their emotions so openly.


    "Disperse¡­" Bandages announced. He stood up and walked toward the door of the Governor''s Mansion. His actions had clearly expressed his opinions¡ªhe was against Dipp''s resolution of using Hope Ind''s resources to search for Charles.


    When Charles had said to dmission the Narwhale previously, Bandages had long suspected that this day woulde. Now that Charles had already left, then there was no use to cling onto him and chase after him.


    However, he understood Dipp''s struggle to ept the present reality. After all, he had spent so many years as one of Charles'' closest and most loyal crewmates. But he, Bandages, as the next chain ofmand over Hope Ind, had to consider many more aspects than their personal attachment to the captain.Charles''s departure had shaken both Hope Ind and those outside. And the utmost priority now was to maintain stability and order.


    With the first mate leaving the room, the others stood up and followed suit. Eventually, Dipp was the only one left in the room.


    None of them agreed with Dipp''s proposition. There was no evidence to support his theory, and it felt like a reckless decision to set sail and risk everything over a mere hunch.


    Each of them had their own lives now, and they couldn''t afford to forsake everything to apany Dipp on a meaningless expedition.


    As he watched their back views disappearing from sight, Dipp clenched down hard on his jaw.


    "Fine! If you guys won''t go, I''ll go alone! Don''t forget who gave you this good life you''re enjoying now!" He shouted before storming out of the Governor''s Mansion.


    The moment Dipp reached home, he rushed into his bedroom and started packing his belongings.


    Just as he finished tossing his clothes and his weathered journal into a suitcase and was about to zip up his bag, the door swung open. His wife, Aliya, entered the room and remarked, "Linda told me that you''re nning to set sail."


    Dipp scratched the gills on his neck with apparent frustration. "Don''t waste your breath trying to persuade me out of it. I''m going, no matter what!"


    Aliya gently flicked her fiery red hair back as she stepped into the room. "I''m not here to stop you. But, Dipp, you need a n. Since you believe that Charles is still out there, then where do you n to begin looking?"


    Dipp''s movements slowed down upon hearing Aliya''s question. His hand hovered over his luggage as the frustration and anger on his face were gradually being reced by uncertainty and confusion. She was right. If Charles hadn''t left, where could he possibly be now, and why hadn''t he reached out to them?


    Aliya gently tugged Dipp to sit beside her on the edge of the bed.


    "Dipp," Aliya called out in a gently yet firm voice. "Whatever choice Charles made, that is his own decision. No one forced him. Even if you find him, what then? What can you do?"


    Dipp''s head drooped, the fins on his scalp ttening against the scales on his body. He sat in silence for a long while before he finally spoke, "Aliya, I''m not like the others. Captain''s like the only family I''ve ever had. We had always been together for over ten years. He means more to me than anyone could understand."


    "I know, I know. But Dipp, even children grow up and leave their parents. That''s the same for you too. You can''t stay by his side forever."


    Dipp clutched his head with both hands, a pained expression appearing on his face. "I wasn''t thinking of staying by his side forever! I just want to know where he is and if he''s okay! I¡­I''m worried about him. Really.


    "If he had just clearly stated where he was going when he left, I would never think of going to find him!"


    Aliya gently wrapped her arms around her husband and offered words of constion. "He went home, didn''t he? Back to where he truly belongs."


    "No!" Dipp shook his head, his gaze filled with certainty. "I''m sure he didn''t. If he was really going home, he would have told me! Ever since Captain destroyed the Foundation, I have seen him always thinking about something. Something is weighing on his mind. I still remember what he was like back then when he wanted to go home so badly. But now, that look¡­that isn''t right!"


    Dipp lifted his head and turned toward Aliya with a solemn gaze. "What if he had encountered some danger? What if he has been captured like what happened before? If no one is helping him, then he only has me to rely on!"


    "You''re giving yourself too much credit. Charles is even stronger than Julio now. If there''s something he can''t deal with, do you think you can possibly handle it? And don''t forget that monster daughter of his. With her ability to teleport at will, it would be a piece of cake for her to save her father if she wants to easily."


    Dipp''s eyes lit up with a spark of hope. "That''s right! I can go and find Sparkle! She definitely knows where her father is!"


    "Alright. If it''s true to your words, Sparkle does know where Charles is, then do you know where to find her? Do you even know where she usually stays?"


    The hope in Dipp''s eyes swiftly dimmed again. Indeed, they hardly interacted with Sparkle to know anything. He only knew that she was the Captain''s daughter and possessed incredible powers. But beyond that, none of them really knew much about her.


    <em>Who knows Sparkle and who might be in contact with her? </em>Dipp sat in silence as he racked his brain over the question.


    Meanwhile, in the heart of Hope Ind, in a cozy little vi with azure blue walls, Lily was quietly sobbing while Grace and Linda sat on either side of her to offer whatfort they could.


    "Lily, don''t cry anymore," Grace said as she gently ced a cup of hot tea in front of the young woman. Seated on the right side of Lily, she wrapped her arms around the girl and continued, "You''ve been crying every day. Your eyes are already so swollen and red."


    Strictly speaking, this was Grace''s home and Lily was just staying here temporarily. Though she had lived in the Governor''s Mansion before, she hadn''t returned there even once ever since Charles''s departure.


    There were so many rooms in that ce and yet she was the only one staying there. She was afraid; even with the countless swarms of mice to apany her, she was still scared.


    Under theforting words of both Linda and Grace, Lily''s tears finally began to subside. With her voice still choked with emotions, she asked, "Mr. Charles left without even telling me. Does that mean he never really cared about me?"


    "Of course not."


    "Yeah, that''s just how he is."


    Both Grace and Linda answered at the same time but gave twopletely opposing answers.


    Grace shot Linda a look. "Miss Linda, don''t be like this. If Charles really didn''t care about Lily, why would he help her be a human again?"


    Linda didn''t answer Grace''s question. Instead, she turned her gaze onto Lily and asked, "He has gone back to where he belongs. Then what about you?"

 Chapter 869: New Captain

    Lily had no answer to this question. Though she had returned to her human form and could return home, the thought of going through with it terrified her.


    She felt that the moment she agreed to it and gave it a definite time frame, the countdown would begin for her remaining time in this world.


    "Stop hesitating about it. Nothing stays the same forever," Linda stated, cutting off Lily''s thoughts. "Charles'' opinion is clear. He wants you to return to your world. There''s no point in you staying around and waiting any longer."


    Feeling that she had said enough, Linda stood up and headed toward the door.


    Reading the dilemma on Lily''s face, Grace said, "No rush. Take your time. No one is pressuring you to make a decision now."


    As Lily''s good friend, Lily had confided everything to Grace long ago.


    "I understand what Mr. Charles wants. He wants me to go back to where Ie from. But¡­ has he really forgotten about our promise? He said that when I turned back to human, he would¡­


    "But then he just up and left!" Lilyined, her toneced with a hint of hurt and bitterness. She felt that she had been abandoned.


    Grace continued tofort Lily gently, and soon Lily''s mood gradually turned for the better. By the time they realized, it was already dark outside.They had a long, rxing soak in the bathtub before climbing into bed. Cuddling the ck cat in her arms, Lily turned to her right and looked at Grace, who was reading a book.


    "Grace, do you think Charles really likes me?"


    "I guess so. I mean, besides his daughter, you are probably the closest person to him," Grace answered as she gestured with her scarred right hand to turn the pages of the book hovering in mid-air.


    "I thought so too. We even kissed back then," Lily remarked as she slowly closed her eyes.


    Grace turned her gaze from the book to Lily''s sweet and innocent face. She raised her hand slightly, and the crystal chandelier above them dimmed until the room was bathed in soft shadows.


    "Goodnight, Lily."


    "Goodnight, Grace."


    As the minutes ticked by, only the gentle rhythm of their breathing could be heard in the room. Lily drifted deeper into sleep, and the ck cat in her arms slipped out from under the fragrant nkets and gracefully leaped toward the nearby window.


    Lily mumbled a few inaudible words in her sleep and wrapped her arms around Grace''s arm, snuggling closer to the older girl.


    Just as the minute needle struck midnight, the peaceful silence of the night was abruptly shattered. The bedroom door flew open with a loud bang, instantly jolting Grace out of her sleep.


    Grace instinctively muttered a spell; a fireball the size of a wash basin formed in the air and flew toward the door.


    "Hey! What are you doing! It''s me!" The lights flickered on, and the blue mist reverted to Dipp''s fishman form.


    "What''s the problem? It''s the middle of the night. Can''t you wait till tomorrow morning?" Grace grumbled as she lightly pulled the nkets over herself and Lily.


    "I''m not here for you! I''m here to find Lily." Dipp rushed over to Lily''s side and shook her awake.


    Lily groggily blinked herself awake and stared at Dipp with droopy eyes.


    "Lily, you often meet up with the Captain''s daughter, right? Do you know where she is now?" Dipp asked.


    "Huh? Are you asking about Sparkle? She used to stay at the World''s Crown, but I don''t know if she''s still there. I tried to reach her with her portrait before, but she didn''t respond."


    "World''s Crown¡­World''s Crown¡­" Dipp muttered to himself as he dashed out of the bedroom.


    As soon as Dipp was out of sight, the drowsy Lily flopped back onto her pillow and drifted back into a deep slumber.


    The next morning, while Lily was enjoying her breakfast, Grace recounted the events from the night before.


    "Really? Dipp came to find mest night? Why don''t I remember any of that?" Lily asked with a hint of surprise in her tone, her face full of disbelief.


    "You probably thought you were dreaming. I was startled too. He just burst in out of nowhere and didn''t even bother knocking," Grace replied.


    Chewing on her spoon, Lily pondered for a moment before she asked, "Do you think¡­what Dipp said could be true? Could it be that Mr. Charles hasn''t really gone back at all?"


    "I wouldn''t know about that. You were the only one there when he made his wishes," Grace replied before spooning a mouthful of milk-soaked dried bananas into her mouth. "Why aren''t you eating? What''s on your mind?"


    Lily put her spoon down and rested her chin on her wrist.


    "Say¡­ why has Sparkle been ignoring me? Could what Dipp said be true? That Mr. Charles is still in the Subterranean Sea? But he clearly made his wish¡­"


    Lily then stood up abruptly. "I''m done. I''ll go to the docks to take a look."


    She then rushed toward the door. A soft glow gradually enveloped her, and her small frame lifted into the air as she flew toward the docks.


    Arriving at the docks, Lily was surprised to see dockworkers loading supplies onto a ship. Among them, Dipp stood nearby and was addressing a group of people.


    "Dipp, where are you going?" Lily asked as she descended from the sky.


    "Where else? To the World''s Crown to look for the Captain''s daughter, of course! If the Captain is really on the surface world, she would know for sure!" Dipp''s eyes glimmered with determination; his demeanor was a stark contrast to his anxious state the day before.


    "This is the crew I gathered. What do you think? They are all seasoned sailors. We''ve got a first mate, second mate, chief engineer, and deckhands, all ounted for!"


    Lily studied the crew assembled before her, and a firm determination gradually suffused her face.


    "I''m going too," Lily dered. "I want to ask Sparkle why she has been ignoring me. Plus, she probably knows more about what''s going on with Mr. Charles more than anyone else."


    Deep down, Lily felt that the chances of Dipp''s words being true were slim, but she clung to that sliver of hope. What if it was true? Unbeknownst to her, she was creating another new excuse for her to stay in this world; she found it hard to leave this world behind.


    Dipp was surprised that Lily decided to join them, but of course, he weed the idea. "Perfect! Now, we have a gunner as well. Remember to bring as many of your mice as you can. If we run into any trouble at sea, they mighte in handy."


    "Captain, it''s probably not the best idea to take a woman on board," the seasoned first mate interjected.


    Dipp let out a boomingugh. "She''s not just any woman. Don''t worry. With her on the ship, we''ll be fine."


    Suddenly the sound of rapid, determined footsteps echoed behind them. Everyone turned around to see the interim governor, Bandages, approaching them with arge entourage in tow.


    "Why?" Dipp asked as he tilted his chin defiantly toward Bandages. "You are not joining, and yet you are still here to try to stop me from sailing?"


    Bandages scanned the hastily assembled crew andmented, "They¡­ won''t do¡­ Their origins are¡­ not clear¡­Hope Ind''s¡­ navy¡­ has men¡­"


    The moment Bandagespleted his sentence, the synchronized sound of boots stomping against the ground echoed through the air. A dozen men stepped forward and saluted Dipp.


    Their disciplined movements and the resolute gaze in their eyes made it evident that they were elite soldiers fresh off the warships of Hope Ind. With their experience, they would be more than enough to assist Dipp inmanding the Narwhale.


    Dipp stood in stunned silence for a brief moment before a broad grin broke across his face. He stepped forward and punched Bandage lightly on the shoulder.


    "Bandages! I knew you''d lend me a helping hand!"


    Bandages swayed slightly from the hit but quickly steadied himself. "Captain said¡­ he''d kill me¡­ himself¡­Maybe¡­ you can¡­ try to¡­ find him."


    "Don''t worry! Leave it to me. Let''s go!" Dipp replied before leading the crew toward the Narwhale''s deck.


    A piercing wail from the ship''s whistle cut through the air.


    As the sailorsbored over the heavy winches, the anchor began to rise from the depths. One by one, the thick ropes securing the ship to the dock were untied by Bandage himself.


    With all the knots undone, the Narwhale left the docks once again.


    Standing on the deck of the Narwhale, Dipp watched as the dock gradually shrank until it faded into the horizon. He took a deep breath, allowing the salty sea air to fill his lungs.


    "Narwhale! Set sail!"

 Chapter 870: Worlds Crown

    The Narwhale sailed steadily along the well-charted maritime route toward the World''s Crown.


    As a renowned agricultural ind in the Northern Seas, the trade routes between the World''s Crown and the other inds within the region had been traversed countless times by merchant ships. As such, Dipp and his crew encountered no danger along the way.


    Dipp had now imed the captain''s quarters that had once belonged to Charles. However, he wasn''t the only one in the room. His wife, Aliya, was here as well.


    The Narwhale had left Hope Ind not for long before Aliya caught up with him. She didn''t stop Dipp from embarking on a risky expedition at sea, but she had one condition for that¡ªshe had to go with him.


    In the captain''s quarters, the two were huddled around an old brass typewriter they had found under the bed. They spected the purpose of it but even after fiddling with it for a while, they still couldn''t figure out its true function.


    Frustrated and helpless, they could only seek Lily''s help. As someone who had spent years beside the Captain, she would surely know the ability of the typewriter.


    After a brief exnation from Lily, Dipp finally learned that the dusty brass typewriter was, in fact, a relic capable of reading and printing out one''s innermost thoughts.


    "What a waste to have this thing sitting here and gathering dust all this time. When we get back, we should take this back to District 3. It would be a huge help in interrogations," Aliyamented and tapped the machine lightly. The mechanical keys ttered away on their own ord, and the words she had just spoken were typed out as they were on a fresh sheet of paper.


    "Does District 3 not have any relics for interrogations? I remember that the Hope Ind Police Department has its own relic vault," Dipp asked with a hint of surprise in his voice."Of course we do, but nothing as practical as this. Have you realized? There don''t seem to be any side effects with this one. The other relics aren''t as safe to use as this."


    A look of dilemma appeared on Dipp''s face. "Let''s forget about it. This still belongs to the Captain, after all. What if hees back and needs it?"


    Aliya let out a scoff as a hint of disdain crossed her visage. "If this thing really mattered to him, do you think he would just casually toss it under the bed? He probably doesn''t even remember that this relic exists."


    Dipp couldn''t be bothered to argue with his wife. Instead, he bent down and carefully pushed the typewriter back under the bed.


    "We should be reaching soon, right?" Dipp asked in an attempt to change the topic.


    "Yes, we are. Instead of worrying about that typewriter, you should consider the potential threats we might face once we reach the World''s Crown," Aliya replied as she sat before the desk and crossed her legs casually before picking up a document on the table.


    "Threats?" Dipp asked with a raised eyebrow. He found her words strange. "What dangers could there be on the World''s Crown? Sparkle is the captain''s daughter. Are you afraid that she''d do something to harm us?"


    Aliya shook her head slowly before tossing the file in her hand across the table. "Read for yourself. Things have been off on the ind recently. ording to our intel, a new religion has picked up on the World''s Crown."


    "So what? There are so many religions out there at sea." Dipp himself didn''t find this fact any surprising.


    "This one is different. Ever since the inders adopted this new faith, they''ve refused to interact with outsiders. Even traders who went there to procure food had been restricted from stepping foot on the ind. Also, allmunication, be it radio, telegraph, everything, has been severed.


    "I dare say, if they didn''t have to rely on trading, they probably would have even stopped selling their ck rye grass."


    Dipp nced at the document in his hand again but there wasn''t a single trace of worry on his face. "What''s there to worry about? As long as they''re still humans, there''s nothing to be afraid of."


    The abrupt, deep, resonant sound of the ship''s whistle jolted both Dipp and Aliya out of their thoughts. At the same time, they quickly leaned out of the cabin window, and the hazy silhouette of an ind emerged from the fog and into their sight.


    There were lights on the docks, but they appeared dim, as though shrouded by a thinyer of mist. It wasn''t that the World''s Crown had weaker lighting aspared to other inds. Rather, it''s because that gigantic mushroom at the heart of the ind was spreading its spores into the air again.


    The dusty spores enveloped themps in a gray haze, causing the current scene they were seeing.


    As the Narwhale inched closer toward the docks, figures began to gather at the pier. Their faces were obscured by cloth masks, and their necks were tightly wrapped with scarves. In the spore-filled air, every inch of their exposed skin was covered in fabric.


    Amidst the swaying spores in the air, these inders gathered at the pier without making a single sound, making them look like specters from afar.


    Despite boasting earlier that he wasn''t bothered by whatever would happen on the ind, Dipp couldn''t help but feel a knot tighten in his chest as he took in the unsettling scene before him.


    Suddenly, a gruff, annoyed voice barked out of the docks'' loudspeaker. "Port 3! Ship at Port 3! Where are you from? Can''t you see it''s the rainy season? No deliveries during spore rains! Get to customs immediately to file your mooring paperwork! Cover up properly if you don''t want mushrooms growing out of your skin!


    The eerie silence from earlier waspletely shattered by the man''s voice. The other crew members aboard the ship exchanged nervousughs, teasing each other for being spooked by nothing more than their own imaginations.


    Upon arriving at the customs office and seeing the ordinary human faces beneath the masks. Seeing that all the staff were normal humans and also his entire crew with him, Dipp let out a long breath of relief.


    Presently, everything seemed normal. The World''s Crown was still under human control. As long as humans were in charge, things could be negotiated. After all, in the entire Northern Seas, no one dared to offend Hope Ind.


    Dipp was right about that as well. The moment he revealed his identity, he noticed the subtle shift in expression of the officials before him. A few even scurried away, probably to inform a higher up.


    Soon enough, Dipp and Aliya were treated like honored guests and escorted into a finely furnished waiting room.


    They didn''t have to wait for long before a man with a full beard and dressed in a sleek ck silk robe rushed into the room.


    With an anxious expression, the man greeted, "Wee, wee! What brings such esteemed guests from Hope Ind to the World''s Crown?"


    "You are¡­?" Dipp asked in confusion as the man enthusiastically grabbed his right hand and shook it.


    "Oh, pardon me for not introducing myself sooner. I am Smith, the Governor of the World''s Crown. Of course, my little humble ind is nothingpared to the great Hope Ind that is blessed by the gods. Our poption is low, so calling me a governor might be a stretch."


    Smith was overly enthusiastic and showered Dipp with pleasantries before he moved on to the real reason for the visit. Picking up the brightly colored tea made from the ind''s signature mushrooms, Smith took a sip before asking the next question.


    "So what brings the both of you to my little ind? As an ind that exports food, surely you didn''te all this way to purchase ck rye, did you?"


    Dipp was just about to answer when Aliya gently ced a hand on his arm to stop him. She knew her husband''s straightforward nature, and it was better if she handled the conversation with Governor Smith.


    "Governor Smith, we''re here to find someone," Aliya answered in a calm and measured voice.


    A curious glint flickered across Smith''s eyes. "Oh? You are looking for someone? Not a problem. Just let me know who you''re looking for, and I''ll help you find them. It shouldn''t be hard to find them since it''s a small ind and most of us know each other. Ever since the death light, the poption has dwindled. With the sudden rise of new inds, fewer and fewer people are willing to settle on the World''s Crown."


    "We''re looking for someone who stays above the Crown. As someone living below it, you should know who I''m talking about."


    The moment those words left her lips, both Dipp and Aliya ced their full attention on Smith''s face. Regardless if he answered truthfully or not, there were certain subtle expressions that couldn''t be easily masked.

 Chapter 871: Island

    However, Smith''s expression remained unchanging in the face of Aliya''s question.


    "Someone staying above the Crown? There''s no one up there anymore. Everything up there was devastated when the Crown copsed, and every single noble on that day all died at the same time."


    "How can there be no one up there?" Dipp looked a bit anxious as he said, "There should still be a building there, and Sparkle goes there so often that it can even be called herir!"


    Governor Smith of the World''s Crown revealed a helpless look. He had repeatedly stated that there was no one staying above the Crown. If there were people there, they''d inevitably have to use lights to navigate the seascape''s darkness, and there was no way they would have missed those lights.


    Smith was genuinely cooperative, but when Dipp asked to inspect the ce personally, Smith refused, stating that they wouldn''t allow anyone to go deeper into the World''s Crown, as it was the rainy season.


    When the couple returned to the Narwhale, they looked at each other wordlessly.


    Dipp''s n to find out Charles'' whereabouts from Sparkle had just started, and they already had to face an obstacle at the very first step of the n. If they couldn''t find Sparkle, then they wouldn''t be able to find their captain.


    After a long time, Dipp asked, "Do you believe him?"


    Aliya pinched her earring lightly and shook her head. "His facial expressions and mannerisms were normal, but I could feel something amiss. It felt like he was just acting in front of us.Dipp stood up with determination in his eyes and said, "I knew that we couldn''t trust anyone out here. Since they don''t want to tell us the truth, then I''ll go and find the truth myself."


    "What are you nning on doing? This is someone else''s ind, you know that, right?" Aliya asked, staring at her husband with wide eyes.


    "What am I supposed to do? Of course, I''ll go out there and gather more information. If they aren''t going to tell me what I need, are they really going to stop me from looking for it?"


    The majority of human beings were fast asleep at three o''clock in the morning, and that was when Dipp made his move. A cloud of blue mist floated out of the Narwhale''s porthole and drifted toward the Crown. The blue mist was apanied by more than a hundred mice chasing after it.


    Upon reaching the docks, the mice dispersed into the dark corners of the streets; their goal was to observe the inders around them


    Meanwhile, Dipp made a beeline for the Crown, and he was extremely careful, afraid that the inders would discover him. To his surprise, no one stopped him even after he stepped foot on the colossal mushroom cap.


    What appeared before Dipp was a scene of devastation. Except for the ruins, there were only massive whale bones and a lone building in the distance.


    "There''s no mistaking it." A voice echoed behind Dipp just then. "Sparkle once brought me here."


    Dipp jerked around with the ck spike in hand, and he heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing the individual behind him. "Lily, you startled me. Why are you even following me?"


    Lily was giving off a shimmering glow as she floated over to Dipp''s side and stood still. "I want to know how Sparkle is doing right now."


    "All right, then stick to me. And curb that light; I''m afraid we''ll end up in trouble if the people down below see that light of yours," Dipp said. Then, he flew toward the one and only building in the distance with Lily following closely behind him.


    They flew in through the window, and their faces dimmed at the sight. The so-called Sparkle''s residence was covered in ayer of dust, and it looked like it had been a long time since someone lived here.


    "It seems Sparkle left a long time ago, but¡­ where did she go...?" Lily wondered and bit her lips.


    Dipp was unwilling to give up just like this. He searched the building meticulously, but he found nothing.


    "What do we do? She''s not here," Lily asked.


    Dipp''s face was grim as he replied, "Let''s go back first and see if your mice have discovered anything."


    Despite saying that, Dipp knew that he was just consoling himself. The inders of the World''s Crown hadn''t lied to him, so it was highly unlikely that the mice could find any clues about Sparkle from them.


    Dipp and Lily''s dejected figures walked out of the building, and they took to the sky, drifting toward the base of the World''s Crown.


    Halfway down, however, Dipp suddenly pulled Lily closer to him and pointed. "Do you see that? What is that?!"


    Lily followed Dipp''s finger and saw only darkness. Momentster, she squinted and saw an outline of something in the dark. "Is that... an ind?"


    "That''s right! There''s an ind right next to the World''s Crown! There are no lights on the ind, so I somehow managed to overlook it while we were out at sea! The World''s Crown have always been a lone ind, and there have never been any inds next to it at all!


    "I knew it! I knew there was something wrong here!"


    If the Governor of the World''s Crown had been lying to them all this while, then there was a high chance that he had also lied when he imed that he had no idea of Sparkle''s whereabouts.


    As for why they couldn''t allow Dipp to venture up to the Crown; Dipp believed that it was all because they didn''t want him to discover the adjacent ind. The ind had to do something with Sparkle''s departure.


    "Dipp, I saw a light over there, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. I think there are some people living on that ind."


    "Yeah, let''s go! We''re not done here yet!"


    Upon going down, Lily eagerly sent out even more of her mice friends in an effort to uncover the secrets hidden on the neighboring ind.


    Meanwhile, Dipp didn''t act rashly and stayed at the docks of the World''s Crown for an entire week. A week was enough time for the mice to gather enough information.


    <em>Squeak, squeak, squeeeak! </em>


    Lily listened to the mice''s reports with her brows knitting and rxing from time to time. The remaining crew members could only watch silently from the side, as they couldn''t speak mouse.


    Soon, the mice stopped squeaking, and everyone cast a nervous gaze on Lily.


    "They said that every single inder on this ind has a set of pure white clothes in their home. A symbolposed of three oveid triangles is on the back of those clothes, and they assume that it''s a religious symbol.


    "Every Wednesday, the inders would gather and go to that new ind. Unfortunately, the path to that ind is heavily guarded, so they couldn''t sneak in at all.


    "They also mentioned something about a ritual, but they used vocabry that was tooplicated for the mice to understand, so they had no idea what those inders were talking about."


    "That''s it!" Dipp pped and stood up. "I must go to that ind and see what''s going on with it"


    "If you want to enter that ind, then I suggest going in a disguise. We just need to find someone who is going to that ind next Wednesday and steal their clothes. You can then use those clothes as part of your disguise," Aliya said, thinking of a way that would allow Dipp to enter the ind.


    "Let''s do that. Lily, tell your mice to find someone suitable for my disguise. The next time they gather, I''ll disguise myself and go in to take a look!" Dipp said.


    It was too simple of a n, but no one objected to it.


    While they were waiting for the mice''s return, the Governor of the World''s Crown visited them frequently, asking about when they would leave.


    Obviously, the Narwhale had been staying here for too long, making Smith feel suspicious of their intentions. Moreover, the number of people sneaking around was increasing; they believed that Smith had sent them to monitor their actions.


    To ay their suspicions, the Narwhale decided to set sail before Wednesday. On Wednesday night, Dipp plunged into the sea and swam his way to the World''s Crown.


    When he emerged from the sea and stepped into the streets of the World''s Crown, his scaly figure was already draped in a white robe. Dipp lowered his head and followed the crowd to make his way toward the adjacent ind.


    Upon entering the ind, Dipp looked around and noticed that the scenery had changed drastically. There were crude, eerie red drawings all over the nearby trees and even the ground.


    The drawings wereplex, and it wasn''t something that ordinary people would easily understand.


    In fact, none of the inders knew what the drawings were trying to depict, but one thing was for sure¡ªthey loved the eerie drawings; they loved the drawings to the extent that they had decided to hang them everywhere.


    For some reason, the trail ahead of Dipp, which was covered in the same, eerie patterns, made him feel like he was walking down the intestines of something unknown.


    Soon, the trail turned a corner, and Dipp found himself standing before a heavily guarded manhole cover. He followed the others down the spiral staircase beneath the manhole cover, and he stumbled upon red walls that felt familiar.


    There was no mistaking it¡ªhe had been here before!


    Dipp pondered briefly over it and realized that he was on that floating ind! He was in the habitat of those green, centipede-like creatures that were capable of swapping bodies back in the Core!

 Chapter 872: City

    With a torch in hand, Dipp quietly walked through the semicircr tunnel along with the other white-robed inders of the World''s Crown. No other noises could be heard except the sound of their footsteps reverberating throughout the tunnel.


    As they ventured farther and farther, the surroundings began changing. The once smooth, red walls were now marred with pits and cracks; there were also scorched marks, bullet holes, and other signs of battle.


    There were attempts at repairs, but they were clearly insufficient.


    Dipp''s hands clenched tightly as memories of this ce flooded his mind. These signs of battle were undoubtedly from their encounter with that giant spider, and their existence here confirmed Dipp''s suspicions¡ªthis was that same ind.


    Dipp could still vividly recall how this floating ind hade to their aid during the fight against the Foundation. This floating ind belonged to Hope Ind, so how audacious were these cultists to im it as their own?!


    Dipp silently vowed that regardless of whether he found any clues about Sparkle or not, he''d report this finding to Bandages and urge him to send the Navy to reim the ind.


    Lost in thought, Dipp almost didn''t notice the light growing brighter up ahead, which opened up to a vast, circr hall.


    The architectural style was strange, and theyout was even more peculiar. There were buildings of varying heights clinging to the walls and ceilings.


    Dipp saw white-robed inders flitting among the structures, and it became clear that whatever this ce once was, it now belonged to these inders.When Dipp''s group entered, the city''s inhabitants showed their respect with a peculiar hand gesture¡ªa hand on their chest and the web of their thumb facing inward.


    "The great God is slumbering. We must tread carefully to avoid rousing Him," the leader whispered, setting down his torch gently and tiptoeing forward.


    The others followed suit in the same manner as him.


    <em>"God? Are they worshiping Sparkle here?"</em> Dipp mused, <em>"I''ve heard rumors about how the inders of Hope Ind are worshiping the captain''s daughter as a god. If she hade here to be their god, it would exin why she left her ce."</em>


    However, another voice in his mind retorted, <em>"That''s unlikely. If Lil'' Sis really wanted to have her own religion, she would have established it long ago. She''s strong enough to do that, after all. I don''t think these people are worshiping her."</em>


    Regardless of how absurd his theories were, Dipp was resolved to see the truth for himself. Mimicking the other believers, he set down his torch gently and made the same gestures as them.


    The city was vast, and it took them nearly an hour of walking before they reached their destination, which was hidden among the crowded houses of the city.


    Their destination was an extremely bizarre-looking temple. Its ck, nted walls looked as if they''d copse at any moment. The roof and the cloth that served as the temple''s walls were adorned with the same crude, eerie drawings from earlier.


    The round temple gate led to a pitch-ck interior, which was imprable even with Dipp''s night vision.


    A circr tformy outside the temple, and it was their destination.


    "Kneel with me and receive God''s blessing," the leader dered, his voice trembling with emotion as he prostrated before the tform.


    Dipp followed the others andy himself t on the ground. Soon, there were prostrated figures all over the circr tform.


    "Lights out!"


    The lights winked out one by one, plunging the surroundings into darkness. Dipp sensed something emerge from the temple, and a strange sucking noise resounded, sounding like someone was sucking on some jelly.


    <em>"There''s something wrong here. This god definitely isn''t Sparkle!" </em>Dipp lifted his sleeve slightly, revealing the tip of a ck spike.


    The sucking noise grew louder. Soon, it arrived directly above Dipp, and it carried with it a stench simr to rotting corpses. Dipp hadn''t expected things to go this way. He hade here to uncover the inders'' secrets, not be a sacrifice.


    <em>"It doesn''t matter what these guys are worshiping; I have to escape and find any clues about Sparkle and Captain!"</em>


    As soon as Dipp felt something pressing against his nape, his figure dissolved into a blue mist that dispersed along the ground. His white robes deted as he made his escape, taking advantage of the darkness to avoid getting noticed.


    Dipp wafted over to a triangr house attached to the ceiling, and his figure solidified into flesh once more. Peering down, he finally pped his eyes on the god that these inders were worshiping, or at least a part of it.


    A tube as thick as an arm was sticking out from inside the temple, and its wrinkled surface was reminiscent of an elephant''s trunk; the only difference was that the "tube" was translucent, and there was a bizarre, funnel-like sucker at the end of the "tube."


    The sucker skillfully cut open the inders'' robes andtched onto their skin. The next moment, something from the inders'' bodies flowed through the tube and disappeared into the dark temple.


    "What in the world is that thing?" Dipp muttered with furrowed brows.


    The sucker worked quickly, and it took no time for it to feed on everyone present.


    Once it was done, it rotated and retracted into the temple.


    When the lights came back on, Dipp was shocked to see that those who had been fed upon were still alive. They turned to each other and excitedly showed off the marks on their figures.


    Upon seeing an abandoned white robe, the inders revealed envious looks, believing that its owner had been chosen by their god.


    Dipp observed them for a while before transforming into a cloud of blue mist and descending from the triangr house. The true nature of the so-called "god" was irrelevant to him; his goal was to find any leads on Sparkle''s whereabouts.


    Dipp had been doing his best when it came to his studies, but he could still only be considered semi-literate, which meant that he''d found it difficult to read even newspapers.


    However, Dipp''s long tenure in Hope Ind''s District 3 had taught him many things, and it included many interrogation techniques.


    Dipp circled the city a few times in his mist form until he found a particrly luxurious house and slipped into it.


    "<em>Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!!</em>" A man struggled desperately with his eyes widened in terror at the sight of the grotesque-looking fishman before him.


    Raising the ck spike in his hand, Dipp waved it in front of the man''s face. He opened his mouth, baring razor-sharp teeth, and warned, "You''d best answer my questions honestly. Otherwise, you might meet a horrible end."

 Chapter 873: God

    The man''s pants were wet. He clearly wasn''t one of those fanatics, as Dipp''s words had frightened him enough to make him wet himself.


    "Great. We''re off to an excellent start. Now, tell me what you know about the Crown," Dipp asked, removing the sock stuffed in the man''s mouth.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about! Those wealthy people above the Crown are all dead!"


    "Wrong answer," Dipp said, revealing a ruthless smile. Then, with a flick of his hand, the ck spike between one of the man''s fingernails tore apart the man''s nail, leaving behind a bloody mess.


    Dipp knew that when it came to interrogating criminals, one had to make them spill the truth as quickly as possible. There was no need to chop off their feet or hands, as weaker pains often create more psychological pressure on the criminal.


    "There are people living on top of that big mushroom, and you''re telling me that you people down here have no idea about it? I don''t believe it. I''ve been poor, too, so I know that the gold buried in the ruins up above is enough to make people take risks. Despite that, you''re telling me that you know nothing?"


    The ck spike moved, and it slowly but firmly inserted itself beneath the nail of the man''s index finger.


    "No, no, nooo! I really don''t know anything¡ª<em>AAAAHH!</em>"


    "I-I really don''t know anything. We''ve never even been up there. We don''t even dare to think about going up there, so please¡­ please spare me," the man begged while staring at the bloody ck spike in Dipp''s hand. His eyes were filled with deep fear, and he started quivering like an aspen tree.Of course, Dipp didn''t immediately believe the man''s words, so he employed many different methods to make the man speak, but thetter''s story remained consistent.


    An hourter, Dipp stood up and stared at the bloody man before him with a disappointed look. One person was not enough. If he wanted urate information, he had to interrogate more people.


    Before leaving, there was something Dipp had to confirm.


    "Where did your gode from?" Dipp asked.


    The man was too afraid to speak, but his gaze unconsciously drifted to a book on the table with a cover that said, "Advent."


    "We are the chosen ones, and we must have our own god. There must be a reason why He hasn''t appeared yet. We don''t know what He is or what He does, but we haven''t been abandoned. We are simply for Him.


    "We waited until God finally descended among us. We found Him, but our god still needs to grow, and we need to help Him grow. Only this way can our souls be saved."


    The nonsensical rambling left Dipp perplexed. "You lunatics really are funny. I can''t believe you guys are worshiping a monster, calling it a god."


    With that, Dipp pushed open the door and walked out. As soon as the door opened, however, a deafening gunshot rang out, and a bullet pierced Dipp''s head.


    Fortunately, Dipp reacted in time, transforming into his mist form. The blue mist then transformed into a vortex that surged into Dipp''s wound, healing it in the blink of an eye.


    Although uninjured, Dipp''s expression turned grim. "Fuck! They found me!"


    More gunshots rang out, followed by dull thuds as the bullets struck the walls of the house. Clearly, Dipp had been surrounded by the enemies.


    Dipp pondered briefly over what to do next before rushing into the bathroom and transforming into his mist form. Then, he burrowed into the coin-sized drain.


    He was beyond enemy lines, so he couldn''t fight them for now.


    Right as Dipp was about to disappear into the drain, the windows shattered, and a violent explosion pervaded the room.


    Dipp reacted in an instant, condensing a shield that appeared to be made out of wax using his newly acquired special ability. Dipp had reacted in time, but the explosion was so fierce that it left him seriously injured despite his mist form.


    The enemies were clearly prepared, and they rushed into the house before the smoke could dissipate. They immediately attacked Dipp upon spotting him, and just like that, the city was plunged into chaos.


    Dipp had the upper hand in terms of strength, but he was outnumbered. Every single individual in the city was converging on his location, and their eyes were filled with a zealous light.


    Dipp was starting to lose ground as he sustained more and more injuries.


    Just as it seemed like Dipp would have to call this city his grave, Lily flew toward him while giving off a radiant but gentle sunlight.


    Beneath the gentle sunlight, the believers copsed with smiles tugging at their lips. Regardless of their beliefs, sunlight was deadly to the humans of the Subterranean Sea.


    The others sought cover, avoiding the sunlight, and their retreat resolved Dipp''s predicament.


    "Hurry, hurry!" Lily urged anxiously.


    Dipp transformed into mist again and floated away with Lily. Before they could get far, however, a translucent tentacle with a bizarre, funnel-like sucker shot out from afar. It moved so fast that it left afterimages in mid-air, and it wrapped around Dipp before the two could react.


    The razor-sharp teeth within the sucker flipped, and a powerful suction force sucked in more than half of Dipp''s mist form.


    At the critical juncture, Dipp ced the ck spike across his chest, and the tentacle was split into two upon making contact with the ck spike.


    Unfortunately, their situation didn''t improve at all, as more tentacles with the same bizarre funnel-like suckers flew toward them from all directions.


    At the same time, a thunderous roar echoed from the depths of the temple that Dipp had visited earlier. The next moment, more than ten tentacles writhed and pounced on both Dipp and Lily.


    Dipp and Lily nimbly dodged the tentacles, but the tentacles didn''t retract and charge at the two. Instead, the suckers pierced the ground, and their razor-sharp teeth opened, hooking them firmly to the ground.


    The tentacles stretched taut, and then they trembled violently. Rumbling noises echoed afterward as the houses in the distance copsed one after another, kicking up a cloud of dust.


    Dipp and Lily turned toward themotion and found a colossal creature being dragged out of the distant cloud of dust.


    The creature appeared to be a giant ck egg riddled with countless eyes, and it was perched atop its numerous fleshless and segmented legs.


    Distorted gaping maws with equally distorted teeth appeared intermittently around it, but the maws were just one of its oundish forms.


    When the giant ck egg turned, Dipp and Lily found two more creatures embedded in it, and they appeared more bizarre than the ck egg itself.


    One of the creatures resembled some kind of a sea monster, as it had a myriad of tentacles with funnel-like suckers all over its face and crab-like ws for hands.


    Evidently, the tentacles with those bizarre, funnel-like suckers hade from it.


    The other resembled a giant slug but with three eyestalks, and it had a translucent body pervaded by peculiar-looking insects.


    There was no mistaking it; Dipp was staring at the god of these inders.


    Their god had made Its move!


    Dipp couldn''t care less about their god''s bizarre appearance; he only knew that they had to run now, or it would be toote for them to escape.


    With that in mind, Dipp turned and frantically flew away, but he came to a grinding halt. Lily wasn''t with him. He turned and saw Lily standing motionless in the distance.


    "Lily! Come here! Let''s run!" Dipp shouted anxiously.


    "I''ve seen these guys before, and I know them," Lily said, staring at the colossal ck egg, which was still in the middle of turning around.


    "What are you talking about? Actually, can we go out first before talking about it?"


    Lily raised her finger to shush Dipp before exining, "Those are Mr. Charles'' children, and there are three of them, but they''ve be one¡ªthey''ve merged with each other."


    As soon as Lily''s words fell, the eyes all over the ck egg turned to look at her.

 Chapter 874: Routine

    Time itself seemed to freeze when the monster''s gaze fell on Lily.


    Dipp''s eyes were wide as saucers as he stared alternatingly between Lily and the monster.


    "That thing is the captain''s child? You''ve got to be kidding me!" Dipp eximed. He was so shocked that he ended up shouting.


    Dipp''s voice seemed to have triggered the monster, as the colossal three-in-one monster''s figure trembled violently. It iled around, swinging its appendages, and it roared as it charged at Lily.


    Just as the several-story-tall bizarre-looking monster was about to crash into Lily, Lily''s shining figure floated up, avoiding the monster.


    However, the monster wasn''t done yet, as its translucent tentacles with funnel-like suckers swept toward Lily.


    "Stay away!" Lily eximed, and the sunlight radiating from her condensed into golden spears.


    The golden spears streaked through the air, pinning those tentacles in the blink of an eye. A thunderous roar echoed once again, and veins bulged all over the monster''s wrinkled skin. The monster shook its head and opened its gaping maws, revealing distorted razor-sharp teeth before charging at Lily.


    However, Lily seemed to be extremely familiar with their attack patterns, and she seemed to have alreadye up with a way to deal with them. Lily lifted her slender, fair hands, and the oing maws froze in mid-air before returning toward the monster at an even faster speed.Lily had gotten quite proficient with manipting the power inside of her, so it wasn''t that easy to deal with her. The two sides exchanged multiple moves in an instant. The nearby houses copsed and caught fire.


    Despite the intense fight, Dipp didn''t retreat by himself. He was inside one of the buildings attached to a nearby cliff, quietly observing the chaos down below.


    Regardless of whether the monster was truly made of Charles'' children or not, he had to help Lily deal with it.


    However, Dipp was soon left dumbfounded by Lily''s strength, especially when she uprooted a four-story building and smashed it into the monster.


    "When did she be so powerful? I thought Captain only made her human again? Did he make her even more powerful as well?" Dipp muttered to himself.


    When he saw the monster struggling to crawl out beneath the rubble, Dipp jumped down the window. Kicking hard against the wall with both feet, Dipp decisively charged at the monster.


    A pitch-ck shadow swept across Dipp from the side, but it only dispersed some of Dipp''s mist. It didn''t stop Dipp''s attack at all. In just two seconds, Dipp in his mist form passed throughyers of obstacles and jumped onto the neck of one of the monster''s heads.


    Raising the ck spike in his hand, which was sharp enough to pierce even iron, Dipp didn''t hesitate and thrust the ck spike toward the neck below him. He gave it a fierce twist, and the neck, which was as tall as the average person, wascerated until only ayer of skin remained.


    Dipp thought that he had severely injured the monster, but the head, which seemed like it would fall to the ground at any moment now, suddenly roared and writhed. A grotesque noise echoed immediately afterward as the head detached itself from the monster, leaving behind a trail of gore and disintegrated organs.


    "What the fuck is that! I did so much damage, and it didn''t die?!" Upon seeing that even decapitation wouldn''t kill the monster, Dipp wisely retreated.


    For some reason, the hybrid monster showed no intentions of chasing after the retreating Dipp. Instead, the hybrid monster''s heads looked up at the empty sky at the same time.


    Lily had just conjured a miniature sun over her palm, but she noticed the monster''s strange actions. Momentster, the radiant sun hovering above her palm dimmed rapidly before vanishing.


    "Lily, attack from the right, and I''ll attack this thing from the left! Let''s see if even grenades can''t blow this thing''s head to smithereens," Dipp said, pulling out a grenade from his waist. He was panting because he had just rushed toward Lily.


    "No, don''t attack. Look at that," Lily said, her voice carrying a hint of joy.


    Dipp turned and was surprised to find that the monster was no longer struggling to pull itself out of the rubble. All of its heads were staring at the empty sky with a hint of longing in their eyes.


    "What are they... doing?" Dipp asked.


    "They''re waiting for Sparkle! When I used to train with Mr. Charles'' children, Sparkle would always heal their wounds whenever they were injured. They must be thinking that Sparkle wille here to heal them again, just like old times."


    Lily chuckled in delight. These monsters had taken on much more bizarre appearances, but they could still recognize her. This only meant one thing¡ªtheir consciousness remained undistorted despite their distorted fleshly bodies.


    Upon realizing that, Lily cast an affectionate gaze at them.


    "I finally know why they attacked me frantically as soon as they saw me. They must have thought that by fighting me and getting injured, Sparkle will appear to heal them again."


    Just then, Lily recalled something and looked at Dipp on the ground. She sounded anxious as she asked, "Do you have a portrait of Sparkle with you?"


    Of course, Dipp didn''t have one, but there was a portrait of Sparkle in the Captain''s Quarters. As a painter, Charles had a hobby of painting portraits of people from the Subterranean Sea and the surface world.


    With that in mind, Dipp made a beeline for the Narwhale. It took him no time to return, and Lily immediately snatched the portrait from his hand and held it high up toward the colossal monster.


    "Hey, look! Are you also looking for her?"


    Seeing Sparkle''s portrait, the monster struggled out of the rubble, and it kicked up a cloud of dust as it pounced toward Lily.


    Dipp broke out into a cold sweat for Lily at the sight, but fortunately, it was just a false rm. The monster stopped in front of the portrait. It extended one of its tentacles and wrapped it gently around the portrait.


    "Are you looking for Sparkle? I''m looking for her, too! Shall we look for her together?" Lily asked cautiously. Her hands were behind her back as she floated toward the monster.


    The monster responded, but it was in the form of low-frequency vibrations thatsted for two seconds. They had no idea what it was trying to say, but they could say for sure that no human would understand the monster''s words.


    Lily revealed an awkward look, unsure of what to do.


    Just then, Dipp''s face lit up. "I think I know how we can understand their thoughts!"


    With that, Dipp charged toward the exit. Before long, Lily saw him running back with an old brass typewriter. Lily''s eyes lit up at the sight of it. She remembered that it was a relic capable of reading and printing out one''s innermost thoughts.


    "We can''t understand what they''re saying, but what if we can just listen to their thoughts directly?!" Dipp said excitedly. He could feel it¡ªhe could feel that this expedition was not going to be for nothing.


    "Is this really going to work?" Lily was doubtful.


    "I have no idea, but it won''t hurt to try it out first. Stand back. Protect me just in case they decide to ambush me," Dipp said, walking up to the hybrid monster with the brass typewriter in his arms.


    Dipp put down the brass typewriter on the ground before the hybrid monster. He cautiously took three steps backward, and that was when a clicking sound echoed.


    The Soul Printer was working!

 Chapter 875: Search

    "I¡­ear¡­none¡­you¡­write¡­ground¡­"


    "Shaike! Shshsy¡­."


    "!@#$^&*()_+"


    Three different records were printed on the white sheet of paper. Regardless of whether this truly reflected the thoughts of the three different heads, Dipp and Lily quickly ced their full attention on the first line that they could still somewhat try to decipher.


    "Lily, is it asking us to write what we want to say on the ground?" Dipp asked, his voiceced with confusion.


    "Hmm¡­Let me try." Lily took a brief nce at her surroundings before extending her index finger. A soft glow emanated from the tip, and she carefully wrote a message in the dirt nearby.


    <em>Do you know where is Sparkle? I''m looking for her. Sparkle is the one who catches the whales and feeds them to you.</em>


    As soon as Lily finished writing her final stroke, a pair of massive, teal-colored hands with jagged teeth on their palms reached out and scooped up the dirt she had written on. The creature brought the soil to its mouth and began to chew softly. Soon, the Soul Printer started clicking away rhythmically as a fresh piece of paper emerged.


    <em>She¡­left¡­urgent¡­took¡­others¡­remain¡­us¡­</em>"She left in a hurry? She took the others with her but left you behind?" Lily responded immediately but realized that the creature couldn''t hear her. She quickly rewrote her response in the dirt.


    <em>Yes¡­beside her¡­presence¡­ fear¡­terror¡­familiar¡­ we¡­ hide¡­ deep¡­</em>


    As soon as Lily and Dipp read thetest message, their eyes glimmered with a trace of hope. Who could be the presence next to Sparkle? It would definitely be Charles!


    <em>Was it a man with a lot of scars on his face? Oh, and is his hair made of tentacles? He has a mechanical left arm, while his right eye is a red spider.</em>


    Unable to control her excitement, Lily''s finger trembled as she wrote in the dirt.


    <em>Fear¡­ despair¡­ afraid¡­ we¡­ ran¡­ we¡­ underwater¡­still¡­ feel¡­</em>


    As though reminded of that memory itself, the creature''s enormous body began to shudder with dread.


    Lily''s heart sank at the answer. That description didn''t match Charles at all. Though he had many scars, it wasn''t enough to instill such overwhelming fear.


    "Lily, stop asking those questions. Just directly ask where Sparkle went. This guy might look big, but its brain sure doesn''t match its size," Dipp urged with apparent anxiety.


    Lily nodded and followed through with Dipp''s instructions. However, they got an unexpected reply.


    <em>Fear¡­ North¡­ Presence¡­</em>


    "North¡­ North¡­" Dipp muttered as a mental image of a nautical chart covering the entire Subterranean Sea appeared in his mind. "That''s strange. There''s nothing in the north except for a few unexplored inds that have been marked dangerous. Why would Sparkle go there? If it''s further north, that''s Skywater Ind.


    "If even this creature felt some kind of terrifying presence, the inders must have realized as well. Unless Sparkle is currently somewhere between Skywater Ind and the World''s Crown," Dipp concluded.


    <em>Find¡­ her¡­ Desire¡­ our¡­</em>


    The massive monster raised the portrait of Sparkle once more.


    Lily gave an affirmative nod. "Yes! We''ll definitely find Sparkle! I''ll make sure you''re reunited with her. Then we can all y together again."


    Now, it seemed that their objective had been achieved. With a general direction to follow, at least they only had to follow through with it.


    Just then, a new question popped into Lily''s mind. She wrote on the dirt once again.


    <em>Erm¡­ Why are your bodies fused together? Were you affected by something? I remember you were separate before.</em>


    The three-in-one monster lifted one of its tentacles with suckers and darted toward the nearby ruins. It coiled itself around a human corpse draped in a white robe before dragging it out.


    <em>Them¡­ food¡­ suffer¡­they¡­ imprison¡­</em>


    "Huh?" Lily and Dipp gasped in surprise as they stared at the corpse in front of them. So it seemed that this monster had fused into such a grotesque form because of those cultists?


    For a moment, they sank into a state of confusion, unable to grasp the rationality of the situation.


    "So¡­ it''s actually not the god that enved its followers. Rather, it''s the people of the World''s Crown who deliberately imprisoned this creature here and forcefully worshiped it as their god?" Dipp spected.


    "But why would they do that?" Lily countered, a pang of pain hitting her as she looked at the hybrid monster before her.


    Before she could make sense of the situation, her thoughts were interrupted by amotion at the entrance of the city. Rows of heavily armed soldiers from the World''s Crown were pushing armored vehicles and marching toward them.


    At the forefront of the army was Governor Smith. Clearly, he had mobilized the entire force of the World''s Crown to deal with the intruders.


    The buildings on the walls crumbled as dark barrels of cannon protruded from within. In an instant, the entire city transformed into a trap, a deadly pocket formation. Every cannon was aimed at Dipp, Lily, and the creature they had once worshiped as their god.


    Governor Smith still wore his amicable smile and spoke in an all-too-enthusiastic tone. However, his words sent a chill down Dipp''s spine.


    "I''m sorry. So terribly sorry. I tried everything, but I couldn''t stop you guys from finding this ce. Now that you''ve seen it, I''m afraid that I can''t let you guys leave."


    "Is this how you treat your god?" Dipp asked as he eyed his surroundings with caution.


    Out of his expectation, Smith''s expression twisted into one of disgust. The priests behind him mirrored the same expression as well.


    "No. That thing is not our god. From the moment you defeated it, it''s no longer our god. We thought we''d already found our god, but it seems that we have found the wrong one. Our god would never lose to trash like you."


    The moment Smith''s words fell, the sound of metal clinking filled the air as the cannons were readied. Clearly, Smith came prepared.


    Amid such a barrage of firepower, even Lily wasn''t confident she could protect everyone from the assault.


    "Stick close to me," Lily whispered as she wiped the sweat on her palm onto her skirt.


    Just as Smith raised his hand and was about to give the signal to fire, a woman''s voice rang out from behind him.


    "I think you guys need to hear this."


    Dipp''s wife, Aliya, emerged from the crowd, her back weighed down by a smoking, steam-powered contraption that hissed with every step.


    "Perfect. I was still thinking I had to spend time to find you, and yet, here you are, delivering yourself right to me. So has your ship been docked?"


    Despite the apparent threat in Smith''s voice, Aliya seemedpletely unfazed. She pulled out a key-like device and inserted it into the machinery strapped to her back.


    After twisting it twice, a click sounded, and the voice of Bandages, who was far away on Hope Ind, sounded from the contraption.


    "I already know¡­ what has happened¡­Here¡­ as the Governor of Hope Ind¡­I dere that¡­ if even a single hair¡­ on my people''s heads¡­ is harmed¡­ Hope Ind''s navy¡­ willpletely erase¡­ World''s Crown¡­ from the map¡­ All of you¡­ shall die."


    Bandages'' messages followed his usual style of speech¡ªslow, calm, and with pauses. However, his powerful deration had certainly caused everyone to feel that the temperature around them seemed to have plummeted.


    For a few seconds, no one moved. Smith''s face contorted in frustration. His jaw was clenched so tightly that he felt like his teeth might crack. But eventually, he turned around and led his subordinates back through the red tunnel behind them.

 Chapter 876: Faith

    Governor Smith of the World''s Crown stood rigid with his muscles all tensed up. The humiliation weighed down upon him, but he dared not show even the slightest sign of dissatisfaction.


    He knew well that the threats from Hope Ind were not just idle words. They truly had the power to turn those words into reality. After all, Hope Ind''s influence now far exceeded even that of the Albion Isles in its former days of glory.


    They didn''t even need to unleash their navy; they only had to say a single word to sever all trade ties between the World''s Crown and other inds. Without trade, an ind was as good as dead.


    "Did I¡­ say you¡­ could leave?" Bandages'' voice sounded from the contraption again, causing Smith to freeze in his spot.


    He had already given in once, so another show of submission meant little now. He closed his eyes hard for a brief moment before opening them wide again. Forcing a stered smile on his face, he turned around. The ever-so friendly governor of the World''s Crown had returned.


    "Please let me know what you need. As a fellow ind of the Northern Seas, we are dly at your service," Smith said in a painfully humble tone as he bowed his head low in submission toward themunication device in Aliya''s hands.


    Having already been fully briefed on the situation by Dipp, Bandages asked, "Why¡­do you¡­worship¡­ this thing? Who¡­ made you¡­ do it?"


    Smith was clearly reluctant to answer. He hesitated for a moment but he realized he had no cards on hand to not answer. "No one forced us. It is our tradition. We must find our great god and serve Him wholeheartedly. We are willing to pay any price to fulfill this goal."


    "Stop spouting nonsense," Aliya cut Smith off in a sharp tone. "The World''s Crown ain''t some newly discovered ind. I even raided this very dock when I was still a pirate back then. Why have I never heard of any tradition like this?"Smith didn''t even bother to spare a nce at Aliya. His eyes remained fixated on themunication device.


    Apanied by a buzzing sound, Bandages'' voice came through once again. "What does¡­ your god¡­ look like? What''s¡­ the name?"


    "I don''t know." Smith''s blunt and unexpected reply caught everyone off guard


    "You don''t know? Are you trying to tell us that you don''t even know what the god you worship looks like?" Dipp regarded Smith with a hint of disbelief. If not for thetter''s perfectly normal mannerisms, he would have thought that the man had gonepletely bonkers.


    "Yes. We don''t know what She looks like or even Her name. However, every clue and trace on both inds indicates that we had once worshiped Her. It''s just that She had disappeared now, but the records stated that we were living the best times of our lives when we were worshiping Her.


    "That''s why we''re determined to find Her again. Only by bringing back our God can we find true fulfillment in our lives," Smith concluded.


    Dipp''s brows furrowed together slightly as something came to mind. "Wait, Bandages, doesn''t that strange description remind you of¡ª"


    "Quiet," Bandages cut Dipp off immediately. He was uninterested in the specifics of the god they worshiped. Scarcity wasmon in the Subterranean Sea, yet strange and bizarre cults thrived with abundance.


    "You can¡­ leave now¡­ As for your offense¡­ toward my friends¡­ it will be reflected¡­ in the trade orders¡­ for the next quarter¡­. And this ind¡­ is a property¡­ of Hope Ind¡­ I will send my men¡­ to take over."


    Smith didn''t dare to disy the slightest hint of protest. cing his right hand over his chest, he bowed respectfully to themunication device before retreating with the rest of the inders.


    Soon enough, only Dipp, Lily and Aliya were left in the empty city.


    With the confrontation finally settled, Dipp''s excitement was palpable as he rushed toward Aliya. His full attention was on the smokingmunication device as he reported, "Bandages! What did I tell you! I''ve found a clue about the Captain!"


    With that, his words tumbled out in a rush of enthusiasm as he tried to ry everything that he had learned from the hybrid creature.


    "But¡­ that doesn''t¡­ mean anything¡­ It''s just¡­ a lead to¡­ Sparkles'' whereabouts¡­" Bandages'' voice remained steady and unhurried.


    Dip was clearly unimpressed by Bandages'' calm response. "How can you say that it doesn''t mean anything! Once we find Sparkle, we''ll definitely find the Captain! You don''t believe me? How about we make a bet then!"


    Bandages didn''t want to prolong the conversation topic. He gave his next instructions, "You should all¡­ leave the ind¡­ as soon as possible¡­ It''s still¡­ not safe there¡­"


    "Fine, fine, fine. If you don''t believe me, forget it. Wait till I find the Captain and let''s see what you have to say then!" Dipp huffed out before striding ahead with Aliya.


    "Hey! Wait! What about it? Are we just going to leave it here?" Lily called out, making Dipp turn around to stare at the massive hybrid creature behind her.


    Dipp pondered for a moment before a trace of dilemma appeared on his face. "Are you really sure this thing is the Captain''s offspring?"


    "I don''t believe it either, but that was what Sparkle told me. I don''t think she''d lie about something like that." Lily reached out a hand trying to pet the creature before stopping short. She was still a little apprehensive.


    Dipp clenched his jaw in a firm determination. "If it''s the Captain''s offspring, then we can''t just leave it here. It''s too dangerous. Let''s get it aboard the ship first and we can figure out where to take itter."


    When they returned to the docks, clouds of gray spores were still tumbling and swirling in the air. The inders, with their heads and hands wrapped in cloth, stood like silent statues as they watched Dipp and his group pass by.


    Even when their eyesnded upon the towering monster behind Lily, their expressions remained eerily vacant.


    Without any furtherplications, the group made it back onto the deck. Just as Dipp ordered for the crew to prepare for departure, Bandages'' voice came through themunication device once more.


    "I''ll send another fleet¡­to meet up with you¡­ Use them¡­ to search for¡­ Sparkle¡­"


    Dipp was stunned for a brief moment before a smile of gratitude surfaced upon his lips. "Thanks! Now that''s the first mate I know! Let''s grab a drink when I''m back!"


    "Let''s hope¡­ You need to understand¡­ we have rich ind''s resources¡­ but¡­we can''t afford to splurge them¡­ again¡­ and again¡­ this will be the¡­st time¡­"


    "Don''t worry! I''ll find the Captain and bring him back!" Dipp dered, his voice filled with conviction.


    Thick ck smoke billowed out of the smokestacks of the Narwhale as she slowly pulled away from the spore-riddled dock and headed into the vast darkness of the sea.


    ***


    Amercial ne slowly taxied to a stop on the airport runway. As the door opened, Anna, wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat and dark sunsses, stepped off the aircraft. Following her were Wang Sheng and Li Long.


    Behind them, a group of others followed and alighted from the aircraft. They were the men and women who had been partying with Wang Sheng previously. Some of them had joined voluntarily, while some were terrified of what Anna might do to them if they didn''te along and were half-forced to board the ne.


    Regardless of their reasons were, they were all here now.


    "Wang Sheng, how much cash can you gather from your family ounts?" Anna asked as she descended the stairs.


    "Erm¡­ that''s hard to say. It depends on how quickly my father catches one. If I may ask¡­ Why do you need so much cash?"

 Chapter 877: The Old Ways

    Chapter 877: The Old Ways


    When the exit doors opened, Anna''s lips curled into a faint smile as she gazed upon the bustling crowd in the main hall. "What do you think are we going to do here? We''re going to do something big. You must remember that the faster I progress on my end, the faster you''ll obtain that god-like power."


    Wang Sheng''s expression shifted slightly before he clenched his teeth with determination. "All right! I''ll get right on it."


    Wang Sheng felt that this investment of his would yield far greater returns than any of his father''s business ventures so far.


    "Don''t be too hasty. First, we need a secluded enough location, and then we''ll need enough people."


    The group rented a few cars and headed toward the city center of this nation. A cloud of dust was kicked up before them as their cars rolled down the streets; the roads were riddled with potholes, so the cars would bounce from time to time.


    Clearly, the roads weren''t being maintained often. The situation didn''t improve much as they approached the city center. In fact, there were many homeless people outside moving stiffly as if they were in a trance.


    The entire city was like a giant zombie; it was still moving, but it was lifeless.


    Anna revealed a satisfied smile. She liked this atmosphere, and it was the country that she had chosen as well. Things would be really convenient for her here.


    "Do you see those people? They have no faith in their hearts, and there''s no difference between living and dying in their eyes. However, people like them are the most useful for me."Wang Sheng pondered briefly over Anna''s words before saying, "We need a temporary ce to stay."


    "Don''t worry. Even the worst countries have wealthy people. We can take our time choosing a location."


    Just then, Li Long noticed something outside. There was a woman holding a child, and she was coaxing the child while the man before her was counting money. "Look at that. What are they doing?"


    "It''s just selling a child. I heard that there''s a growing industry for that here. How should I say it?<em> Hm,</em> selling children is asmon as snorting coke and smoking here," Wang Sheng replied.


    The ridiculous sight outside made Li Long feel as if his worldview was being challenged in real time. He couldn''t believe that there was still such a ce in the world.


    "I didn''t know there were so many poor people abroad. Were they lying when they said that foreigners are entitled to some money even if they''re unemployed?" Li Long asked.


    Anna stretchedzily and said, "I like this kind of ce. Only souls that have experienced hardship will know what they truly need."


    A blood-red magic array was drawn on the floor of a basement somewhere, and men and women were sprawled out in the middle of the array. The majority of them were caucasian; only a few of them were natives of this country.


    Regardless of their identity, their eyes were filled with extreme fear, and some had even wet themselves.


    Anna, who stood at the edge of the array, raised her right hand slowly. Without even ncing at their unsightly state, she walked up the stairs guarded by guards d in all ck.


    When she stepped out of the dim basement, the dazzling sunlight outside made her instinctively squint. She had been here for a while, but she still couldn''t quite get used to that star in the sky.


    Anna heard footsteps on her side, but she didn''t even turn as she said, "Wang Sheng, go and pick out the useful ones down there. Use the religious incantation that I gave you."


    "Understood," Wang Sheng said, nodding. Then, he strode into the basement.


    Soon, his sonorous voice echoed from the basement.


    The prepared Li Long stepped forward and respectfully presented her with a white coat using both hands.


    Li Long quickly realized that he had made the right bet by following Anna overseas. With the help of one tiny diamond after another and Wang Sheng''s help, they gained a firm foothold in this unfamiliar ce.


    The stacks of US dors in Li Long''s hands made his hands go numb, and it made him feel like he could finally have whatever he wanted to obtain.


    It was a beautiful life, but an existential crisis struck Li Long upon realizing that more and more talents were gathering around Anna.


    Annacked nothing when it came to subordinates, and he was just an ignorant and uneducated small-time thief. He had to prove that he wasn''t a useless waste, or he might get kicked out of the group.


    He had a murder case hanging over his head back in his home country. If he were kicked out of the group, he''d have no way to go but into the abyss.


    Li Long''s thoughts were visible all over his face, and Anna saw through his thoughts at a single nce. Of course, she didn''t say anything about it. She knew that people with a penchant for wearing their hearts on their sleeves could be useful in certain circumstances.


    Anna''s high heels clicked as she walked slowly through the massive vi. She was no longer wearing a mask and had be more confident in revealing her exquisite features.


    The men around her dared not have even the slightest lustful thought at the sight of her. Their gaze toward her was filled with nothing but respect, and it was all because the woman before them was the only High Priestess capable ofmunicating with God Fhtagn.


    The majority of the people on the surface world weren''t exactly religious, and they only cared about money most of the time. When the unimaginable happened before their eyes, however, they were the quickest people to fall for it.


    The desires of the humans in the Subterranean Sea and the desires of the humans on the surface world were simr. Anna was an expert when it came to taking advantage of those desires.


    Sweeping her gaze at them, Anna muttered to herself, "Sure enough, no matter how many times I try, the old ways are still the best. <em>Hehe, </em>things are surely going to get interesting if I end up reviving the annihted Fhtagn Covenant."


    Despite that, Anna didn''t really care whether the surface world was plunged into chaos or not. If she weren''t afraid of attracting the attention of the Foundation, she would be much bolder than now.


    Just as Anna was about to stroll into the garden, an officedy holding a tablet rushed out from the vi behind her. "High Priestess! Someone has bought your 240-carat ck diamond at the highest price that you''ve listed online!"


    Anna raised her right hand and looked at the diamond ring on her ring finger. All the tiny diamonds on it had been pried off, leaving only the center stone. If one wanted to do something, one needed money to do it, and Anna''s cause was no exception.


    Of course, she could have her followers make donations, but it would be too slow, and they didn''t have that much money to donate.


    Thest remaining diamond was carefully removed and ced in a safe to be transported. The ring on Anna''s hand now had nothing but its skeletal frame. The tinum ring looked quite unsightly, as it had holes of varying sizes.


    Anna held up the empty ring and examined it carefully. Then, she turned to Li Long next to her and asked, "Is it pretty?"


    Li Long didn''t even look at it and immediately nodded. "It''s pretty! It''s pretty! Everything looks good on you!"


    Anna chuckled and put the finger back on her fair, slender finger.


    "High Priestess, didn''t Wang Sheng cash out several tens of millions of dors? Why did you decide to sell that?"


    "What I''m about to buy costs more than that."


    "What kind of item is so expensive? That''s way too expensive."


    "I''m going to buy a ship¡ªan ocean liner."

 Chapter 878: Mountain

    Chapter 878: Mountain


    <em>Today is the 42nd day since I set out from the World''s Crown. I used the information that we gathered from that monster to create an approximate destination. The next step is using the ship ¡ð¡ð to do the search.</em>


    <em>Fortunately, we finally met up with the people whom Bandages had sent out a few days ago, greatly increasing the speed of our exploration. In addition to the troops of the Hope Ind Navy, the others also came along upon hearing of the news¡ªNorton, Linda, Audric, ¡ð¡ð, Nico, nck, and Grace.</em>


    <em>There''s no need to even say that they all miss the captain, but their arrival here makes me feel a bit afraid. What if the captain has truly returned to the surface? What am I going to do if he''s no longer here?</em>


    <em>No, I can''t think like this. The captain couldn''t have run away.</em>


    With that, Dipp put down his pen, and he felt a little mncholic as he looked at the diary. He had learned to write the majority of the Subterranean Sea''s characters through constant cramming; his penmanship was really ugly.


    He picked up the pen again with his webbed hand, intending to refine it a bit, but he ended up putting it back down. "No one else is going to read it, anyway. So what if it''s ugly?"


    Closing the diary with both hands, Dipp turned and walked toward the door to proceed with the daily ship inspection.


    The fuel tank, the fresh water tank, the engine room, etc. After inspecting onepartment after another, Dipp finally made his way to the bridge.


    "<em>Ah~</em> Captain Dipp. I see that you''re still as punctual as ever," Nico said, leaning back in his chair with his boots on the instrument panel. He was busy filing his nails with a nail file.Dipp ignored Nico and checked the navigation logs on the wall.


    "Don''t worry, it''s fine. The Narwhale is equipped with a state-of-the-art positioning system from the Relic Research Institute. We no longer have to record the route and speed every hour like we always do."


    "It''s better to be safe than sorry. A machine is great, but it''s not as reliable as a person when ites to meticulousness. By the way, Second Mate, there''s one thing I find very strange. Why did youe here?"


    "Why can''t Ie here? Is it because I joinedte, so I''m not one of the Narwhale''s crew?" Nico asked, putting down the small nail file.


    "But you''ve never been enthusiastic when ites to something like this. Shouldn''t you be trying to establish your dominance on that Coral Archipgo of yours?" Dipp asked. Then, a guess flitted across his mind. "Could it be that you like the captain?"


    "<em>Huh? </em>Of course not," Nico replied instantly. A few secondster, he added, "Our captain''s personality is like a pufferfish; he''s full of spines, and it''s too much for me to withstand it."


    Before Dipp could say anything, Nico suddenly stood up and raised his right hand. He pointed at the ss in front of him and eximed. "Look! What is that?!"


    Dipp whipped around and saw something white beneath the searchlight.


    "That''s..." Dipp trailed off. It was too far away to confirm its identity, and the only thing they knew about it was that it was white. Nico was no longer as nonchnt and casual as he was earlier. He picked up the ck microphone next to him and solemnly notified the other ships to be on alert.


    They dared not approach what had just suddenly appeared at sea, but they needed more information as well, so Audric was sent out in his bat form. Audric took to the sky and began his reconnaissance using sonar.


    Nico and Dipp took advantage of the downtime to flip through the nautical chart that the Explorers Association had sent over to them.


    "This sea region was explored by someone ten years ago. ording to the records at the time, what''s in front of us didn''t exist back then. Do you think it has something to do with Sparkle?" Dipp said, his voice tinged with excitement.


    "Who can say for sure what''s going on in the depths? It''s normal for things to suddenly appear or disappear. Let''s wait for Audric toe back. We have to know what exactly that thing is."


    For some reason, Nico felt uneasy as he stared at the white substance of unknownposition in the distance. The unknown was the scariest out at sea.


    Soon, Audric quickly returned and revealed a surprising piece of information.


    "Dipp, that thing is a skeleton!"


    "A skeleton? A skeleton of what?"


    "I''m not too sure, either, but it''s huge¡ªat least as big as two Hope Inds!"


    Everyone present was stunned. A creaturerger than two Hope Inds. Could that being even be considered a creature at that point? Since there was a carcass before them, wouldn''t that mean that there were living creatures this colossal out there?


    Everyone stared at Dipp. He was the captain, so it was up to him to decide whether to approach or stay away.


    Dipp felt immense pressure beneath everyone''s gazes, and he finally understood what it felt like to be a captain. No one knew what was on that skeleton or if it would be dangerous to approach it.


    A wrong decision could easily cost the lives of the crew members.


    When Charles was still around, he was the decision-maker, and Dipp only had to follow his orders. Today, he finally got a taste of the dilemma that Charles always faced as the Captain of the Narwhale.


    "Why don''t we mark this ce first? We''ll send an exploration ship over here once we''re back home," Dipp said.


    Everyone sighed in relief. To be honest, the massive carcass before them made them tremble in fear of what could be out there.


    The Narwhale''s smokestack belched out thick, ck smoke as it moved slowly away from the enormous carcass. As the ship got farther and farther away, the carcass slowly disappeared from everyone''s line of sight.


    Before everyone could return to their cabins, however, a massive wave suddenly swept across everyone. The rogue wave caught everyone off guard, and those who couldn''t find anything to grab were swept away by the waves.


    "Dive! We must dive to the bottom to avoid the oing storm!" The cables were pulled, and the iron tes around the Narwhale closed slowly. The bast tanks were then flooded, and the Narwhale sank rapidly toward the seafloor.


    As soon as they were submerged, themotion vanished into thin air. The sailors, drenched in seawater, all copsed to the floor, gasping for breath. What had just happened was too scary; the waves were too quick and strong.


    However, their relief didn''tst long as panicked voices echoed from the bridge''s speaker. "Go up! There''s something in the sea¡ª"


    The voice was cut off, and it sent a chill down the shiver of everyone''s spine. Before Dipp could make any move, the ships on one side turned on all of their searchlights.


    Through the thick, pressure-resistant ss, Dipp and the others saw something absolutely massive in the pitch-ck depths. It was a pitch-ck mountain with flesh and blood for walls rather than rocks.


    Momentster, the mountain came to life and heaved, generating a vacuum that sucked the nearby ships toward it.

 Chapter 879: Sparkle

    The submarines tumbled, and everyone on the deck tumbled as well, including those that weren''t bolted to the floor.


    "Did we stumble upon a Divinity?" someone asked out loud, and their words echoed loudly in everyone''s minds. Then, fear began to pervade their hearts.


    Dipp gnashed his teeth as he clung to the smokestack. Then, he shouted with difficulty, "No! That''s not a Divinity! Remember that carcass we saw earlier? That''s it, but this thing is alive!"


    However, Dipp''s words didn''t assuage their fear and worries at all. Regardless of whether it was a Divinity or a sea creaturerger than an ind, there was no way they could fight against something like that.


    Just then, a shrill noise echoed from the Narwhale''s hull. Something had scratched her, and it had torn apart a hole in her hull, making the ship take in water!


    There wasn''t much they could do; they had no choice but to resurface. The huge steel tes were retracted, and Dipp instinctively looked up. With his excellent night vision, he spotted a horrifying but bizarre and bloated figure above him.


    Dipp couldn''t quite describe it; he had no idea what words he could use to describe that thing, but there was one thing for sure¡ªcrushing Dipp and the others to death was as easy as drinking water for it.


    However, what made Dipp''s hands, feet, and skin feel cold and mmy was the fact that its "head," which was so high up that it almost touched the rockyer overhead, was turning slowly toward them.


    Hope Ind''s recent inventions and technological breakthroughs had led Dipp to think that they had obtained a foothold in the vast seascape, but the creature before him gave him a grim reminder¡ªhumans weren''t the protagonists of the Subterranean Sea.Dipp was not afraid of death, but he was afraid that his impulsiveness would lead to the vain deaths of other people.


    It took only a moment for Dipp to make a decision. With determination, he looked up at the creature up above. He had decided to use his special ability and stall some time for the others to escape.


    Just as he was about to be mist, however, the bizarre creature''s movements abruptly came to a halt.


    "Go away." A soft feminine voice sounded in Dipp''s ears. He turned slightly and saw a gorgeous woman. The woman looked to be in herte twenties, and she had silky smooth hair that reached her hips. She had a beauty spot beneath the corner of one of her eyes, and her figure wrapped in a thin dress was charming.


    She was like a perfectly ripe peach.


    Dipp wasn''t particrly drawn to her exceptional features; he was unwittingly transfixed on her eyes. The woman had a pair of luminous green eyes with cross-shaped pupils, and Dipp could swear that he had only seen those features on one person.


    Luminous green eyes with cross-shaped pupils were the signature features of the captain''s daughter¡ªSparkle! However, the Sparkle whom Dipp was familiar with was a young girl; she wasn''t a woman in herte twenties.


    "Go away," Sparkle said, looking up at the creature that seemed colossal enough to pervade both heaven and the earth. The next second, the seawater surged, and the colossal creature in the darkness sank into the boundless sea.


    With the colossal creature gone, the sea region returned to its previous calm, but except for the rapid breathing of the surviving crew members and the rumbling of the engines, there was a deafening silence hanging over the air.


    The crew members had no idea what had just happened, but they knew that they had survived the encounter.


    Sparkle raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. There was a sh of light as dozens of drenched people appeared on the deck. They were the crew members who had fallen into the sea amidst the chaos earlier.


    After a few seconds of stunned silence, Linda finally made a move and hurriedly led the sailors on deck to help those who were unfortunate enough to fall off the ship.


    While Linda was busy scooping out the seawater from their lungs with her hands, Sparkle turned to Dipp and asked, "Why are you here? This isn''t the best ce to be. A group of big fish like the one just now have migrated here from somewhere else."


    Upon realizing that the gorgeous woman before him was indeed Sparkle, Dipp rushed toward her and attempted to grab her hand, yet he grabbed nothing but empty air.


    Sparkle had evaded his hands, which were covered in fish scales, but he didn''t mind it as he asked, "Where is the captain? Do you know where he went? You know where he is, right?!"


    There was a tremor in Dipp''s voice. He was afraid of hearing a negative answer.


    Sparkle stared calmly at the Deep Dweller before her and replied, "You should go back home. He''s not in the condition to receive visitors, and he doesn''t want to see you, too."


    Everyone present looked over as soon as Sparkle''s words fell, and their gazes became heated. Sparkle''s words had confirmed that Charles had stayed¡ªhe hadn''t abandoned the Subterranean Sea for the surface world!


    "Sparkle, is that true?" Lily with slightly reddened eyes was the first one to rush toward Sparkle as she hurriedly asked, "So Mr. Charles really didn''t leave us?! Then howe he hasn''te back yet? I''ve been¡­ I''ve been missing him a lot."


    At first, Sparkle didn''t want to answer, but she couldn''t withstand Lily''s yearning gaze. "Daddy wasted a precious wish to turn you back into a human being. You should cherish that wish and return to your own ne. You don''t belong here."


    "Please! Let me see Mr. Charles onest time! I''ll leave after seeing him onest time! Just onest time."


    The others crowded around as well, and their eyes were filled with the same longing as Lily''s.


    Second Mate Nico was the third person to speak up, asking, "Since he did not return to his own world, why not return to Hope Ind? And why did he decide to keep us in the dark?"


    A hint of irritation appeared on Sparkle''s beautiful face; she seemed annoyed by their questions as she replied, "What''s the point of telling you people? This is not something you can get involved in. Go back¡­ go back to your ind and live your peaceful lives."


    A white light pervaded Sparkle''s figure, and it seemed that she was about to teleport away.


    "Go!" Dipp eximed. He rushed forward, looking agitated as he shouted, "You can leave us here, but someday we''ll eventually find him! Until we''ve confirmed that he''s safe, we are never going to give up!"


    The white light vanished, and Sparkle stared deeply at the people before her. She really wanted to delete their memories of Charles, as it would be really inconvenient if they kept on tracking down their traces.


    Unfortunately, Sparkle couldn''t really do that.


    Lily stepped up and grabbed Sparkle''s hand. Then, she stared with a sincere gaze at Sparkle, saying, "Sparkle, please. Help us. I just want to see him onest time. Please."


    Beneath Lily''s fervent and sincere gaze, Sparkle sighed helplessly and replied, "I''ve been telling you to go back for your own good, but you won''t listen to me. You will definitely regret this."


    With that being said, Sparkle raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. It was just a snap of her fingers, but the scenery around everyone peeled away. The next moment, they were astounded to see a pitch-ck ind on the port side of their ships.


    The searchlights were turned on, allowing everyone to see a cluster of mountains in the middle of the ind. The ind''s vegetation looked bizarre, with its nts growing in strange shapes. They seemed to be nts, but they looked more like the ws and teeth of monsters.


    "Where is this? Why are you guys on this strange ind?" Dipp asked hesitantly.


    Sparkle remained silent. Then, she noticed a hybrid creature running out from the Narwhale''s stern. She raised her hand and clenched it; the massive hybrid creature was then suspended in mid-air.


    Sparkle tugged lightly at it, and the hybrid creature was split into three creatures in no time. Sparkle then hurled them into the nearby forest. The arrival of the three colossal creatures caused amotion in the forest.


    "Let''s go. This way," Sparkle said. She then took to the air and flew toward the forest next to them.


    At this point, they were already feeling impatient. After leaving some crew members on the ship, the Narwhale''s crew went ashore one after another, following behind Sparkle.


    The forest had no trails, but Sparkle was making one in real-time, allowing Dipp and the others to traverse the forest. There were curious gazes from the forest, but the gazes assuaged their worries rather than strike fear in their hearts.


    "Sparkle, did you bring all those children to this ind?" Lily asked.


    However, Sparkle remained silent and simply moved forward. The ind was massive, and it seemed to be several timesrger than Hope Ind. They walked in the forest for more than an hour before they finally arrived at their destination.


    Their destination was a house built in the architectural style of the Subterranean Sea and the surface world. Thebination wasn''t exactly strange per se, but it was a jarring sight.


    "Daddy, your crew members havee to find you. You''d better do a good job exining what''s going on to them, or they''re not going to give up," Sparkle said as she opened the door and walked into the house.


    The others eagerly stepped forward, but Second Mate Nico raised his hand, stopping them.


    There was a hint of hesitation on Nico''s face as he said, "I feel like something''s not quite right. You guys be on your guard once we''re inside. Maybe this Sparkle and the captain in this house are something else in disguise.


    "There''s no shortage of bizarre creatures at sea, after all."


    Dipp was stunned, but he immediately snapped back to his senses and retorted, "No way they can be something else. Did you not see her wield Sparkle''s special ability earlier? Is there really anyone capable of teleporting ten ships except for Sparkle?"


    With that, Dipp took the lead and walked into the house.


    The remaining crew members followed closely behind him.


    Dipp instantly saw his captain as soon as he walked into the house. Charles'' appearance hadn''t changed at all, and he was leaning against the sofa with his eyes closed, seemingly in the middle of resting.

 Chapter 880: Charles

    Charles was quietly leaning on the leather sofa beneath the gentle light of the cozy living room. The crew of the Narwhale stood frozen at the doorway; time seemed to havee to a halt for them as they stared at their captain.


    The crew was at a loss for words at the sight, but someone was clearly just a tad bit impatient than them.


    "<em>AHHH! </em>Mr. Charles!" Lily eximed excitedly. She opened her arms and pounced on Charles, bouncing up and down on hisp.


    Charles was forced to open his eyes, and a trace of confusion appeared in his eyes when he saw a young woman on hisp. He stared nkly at the young woman for a while before he opened his mouth slowly and muttered, "Lily... Lily?"


    "It''s me! It''s me!" Lily pressed her head against Charles'' chest. Then, she nuzzled up against Charles'' neck. Clearly, Lily had yet to adjust to the fact that she was human once again, and it was all thanks to the many years she spent as a mouse.


    Charles swept his gaze across his crew members, who had walked up to him in a daze.


    "You guys¡­ How did you find this ce?" Charles asked.


    "I sent them over here. They insisted on seeing you. They were afraid that you were in danger, and I felt like they won''t stop looking for you unless they''ve confirmed that you''re safe," Sparkle exined as she sat next to Charles.


    Dipp''s face was full of delight as he said, "Captain, you disappeared so suddenly without leaving any instructions behind. We were really worried that something had happened to you.""Did I not leave any instructions? But I remember doing something like that," Charles said, scratching his head in confusion.


    Dipp''s heart sank at the sight. The captain in front of him was acting really strange, and he couldn''t help but be reminded of Nico''s words earlier.


    Dipp surreptitiously raised his guard as he cautiously asked, "Captain, are you really okay?"


    "I''m fine. What could be wrong with me? I feel great, actually," Charles said with a smile.


    "As you can see, my dad is safe. There''s nothing wrong with him, so all of you should go back home. You won''t be able to help him, anyway, if he really is in trouble," Sparkle said.


    She reached out to Lily and pried her off Charles. Then, she helped Charles up the sofa. Charles was an agile and healthy man thest time they saw him, but now, he was like a hundred-year-old man.


    Even with Sparkle''s support, his legs remained wobbly, and he no longer emanated that domineering and sharp air. Charles didn''t look great at all.


    The sight made the crew members feel heartbroken, and they had no idea what happened to him.


    Sparkle assisted Charles, helping him sit at the head of the long table in the dining room. Charles then swept his gaze across his crew members and said, "Stay here for a bit. I''m sure all of you have been drifting at sea for a long time, so you must be tired of eating canned food by now.


    "Sparkle, go get some food for everyone. Let''s treat them to a good meal."


    "Mr. Charles, w-what happened to you? How did you be like this?" Lily asked with a heartbroken expression as she tugged at Charles'' sleeve.


    "Nothing happened. I''m fine. I''m just having a little trouble adjusting. Don''t worry about me. I''m really fine," Charles replied.


    "Don''t just stand around. Come sit here. We''ve known each other for so long. Are you really going to stand on ceremony with me?" Charles asked.


    "Mr. Charles!" Lily grabbed Charles'' arm, and she looked frantic as she said, "Since you''re fine, can we go home now? Let''s go back to Hope Ind. Don''t stay here by yourself. Didn''t you say we were your family? We''ll all be by your side."


    The smile on Charles'' lips stiffened. "I''m sorry, I can''t go back. I''m dealing with some trouble right now."


    "Captain, what exactly had happened on that day? Why did you disappear all of a sudden?" Dipp asked again.


    "What happened..." Charles muttered to himself, and his eyes glimmered in a pensive light as he recalled what happened as soon as the red light engulfed him.


    "She granted me the strength to ept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things that I can change; and the wisdom to differentiate between the two."


    Charles'' ambiguous words sounded like a bunch of nonsense to everyone present.


    "This has nothing to do with you, and you only need to know that I''m fine. I''m sure you guys have struggled a lot just to get here, so let''s not talk about the past. Come here and take a seat with me."


    Everyone still had puzzled looks, but they all sat down before the long table.


    In spite of everything, they were just crew members¡ªthey had no right to pry into the captain''s private affairs.


    Once everyone had settled into their seats, exquisite dishes appeared on the table, one after another. When all the food wasid out, Sparkle appeared next to Charles. She picked up a knife and fork and started serving Charles.


    The atmosphere was a bit strange, but everyone proceeded with their dinner. Dipp looked down at the steak before him and was about to use his hands to tear it into bite-sized chunks when he recalled something and stopped. "Captain, do you still remember that cargo ship you manned before the Narwhale?"


    "Hm? Ah, you mean S. S. Mouse? I still remember it. What about it?" Charles asked, sounding confused.


    "Nothing. It''s just that I found the ship and purchased it. It spent several years with us, after all," Dipp replied. He then asked a few more probing questions, but Charles answered them urately.


    Lily noticed Dipp''s probing, and she felt a bit unhappy by Dipp''s doubts. She ran up to Charles'' side and hugged his arm.


    "There''s no mistaking it. He''s Mr. Charles. He smells exactly the same as the Mr. Charles whom I''m familiar with. Besides, Sparkle is by his side, so what is there to worry about?" Lily asked.


    "It''s fine," Charles replied, "It is imperative to be cautious about everything at sea. He''s doing a good job as a captain; he''s just a bit too blunt. Next time you probe someone, you better be more discreet about it."


    "I-It''s not that I don''t trust you, Captain. I just¡ª"


    "I understand, so say no more," Charles interrupted. It seemed like he didn''t want to hear Dipp''s exnation as he added, "Since you''re done with your probing, let''s enjoy this dinner."


    Charles chatted with the crew about the bizarre encounters they had at sea over the years, and the strange atmosphere hanging above the dining room dissipated gradually. Charles'' urate recount had also proven his identity.


    The crew no longer sat stiffly and were now moving ording to their own ingrained habits. In the end, they had a very satisfying dinner meal. This was their first meal upon aplishing their mission, after all.


    Under the influence of alcohol, Dipp blurted out what he wanted to say all this while, "Captain, leave this godforsaken ce, will you? Come back home with us. We''ve all been waiting for you toe home."


    "That''s right, Mr. Charles!" Lily nodded in agreement, and her face was slightly flushed as she asked, "Have you forgotten our promise?"


    Charles'' gaze swept over their faces one by one, and he sounded emotional as he said, "Guys, I''ll say it again. I want to go back, too, but I can''t go back for now. There are some things that must be done by someone."

 Chapter 881: Wife

    Charles'' gaze swept over the faces of his crew. "If you guys still recognize me as your captain, then return to Hope Ind after this meal. Don''t tell anyone that you managed to find me, and don''te looking for me again."


    Dipp felt anxious and relieved at the same time at Charles'' remarks. At the very least, Charles was not in danger. Dipp was fine as long as Charles was fine.


    "No! Since you''re here, I want to stay here, too!" Lily eximed. She was the first one to express her disagreement.


    Charles ruffled her hair and looked at her with gentle eyes. "Lily, be good. Everything must go back on track."


    "I told you I''m not a child anymore! Why are you messing with my head again?!" Lily eximed and pped Charles'' hand away. Then, she plopped down in her seat with a pout.


    The atmosphere became a bit heavy then.


    Charles chuckled dryly and proceeded to chat with the other crew members, asking them about their ns for the future. The captain had already given his orders, so the crew said no more.


    Time flew by as they talked, and when Sparkle teleported away the leftovers on the table, the crew knew that it was time to part ways.


    "I''m not leaving! I''m staying here!" Lily eximed, hugging a table leg. She seemed very determined to stay here, but everyone knew that it wouldn''t make any difference. Sparkle could easily send her away along with the table.Charles ignored her outburst and turned to the others, saying, "By the way, I need you guys to do me a favor."


    The dejected Dipp immediately sat up straight and eximed, "What is it?! Tell me! What do you need me to do? I will definitely do it!"


    "Calm down. It''s not something serious. I just want you to answer a question for me," Charles asked.


    The crew members revealed bewildered looks, wondering what question the captain was about to ask them.


    "<em>Um,</em> do you guys remember Anna?" Charles asked an unexpected question.


    The crew members looked at each other and asked back, "Who''s Anna?"


    Charles nodded. He raised his hand, and a paper appeared in his hand.


    There was a portrait of Anna''s exquisite face on the piece of paper.


    Looking at the drawing, his eyes showed a hint of confusion.


    "My diary told me that she''s my wife and that Sparkle is her daughter, but¡­" Charles trailed off, and his eyes reflected a hint of confusion as he stared at the portrait. Then, he sounded bewildered as he continued. "I know her name, I know what she looks like, and I also know that she should be my wife.


    "However, all of my memories about her have disappeared. I... forgot her."


    Hearing that, the crew members dug deep into their own memories in an effort to find a woman named Anna, but they couldn''t remember having met such a woman in their entire life.


    "As far as I can remember, the only woman by your side seems to be that giantess named Elizabeth."


    "Mr. Charles, are you sure she even exists? How can memories suddenly disappear without us noticing it until now?"


    "Wait," Linda said upon suddenly noticing a contradictory fact. "When did Sparkle even appear? She is Charles'' daughter, right? Who is her mother, then?"


    Linda''s remark was like a bomb that exploded in the midst of everyone. They instantly realized that there was something wrong with their memories.


    As far as they could remember, Sparkle seemed to have suddenly appeared by the captain''s side, and they had no doubts, nor did they question Charles when he referred to Sparkle as his daughter.


    There was something wrong here.


    "Does that woman Anna really exist? How did she disappear?"


    "Were our memories altered? Isn''t this simr to what we experienced on that ind?"


    Charles revealed a helpless look at his crew''s theories and debates. What they were doing wasn''t helpful in his search for Anna.


    "Forget it, forget it. If we can''t find her, then so be it. It''s gettingte. You should all go back. If fate allows it, we''ll meet each other again," Charles said. Then, Sparkle assisted him toward the leather sofa.


    Sparkle revealed aplicated look as she stared at her father''s side profile. It seemed like she wanted to say something, but she didn''t say anything in the end.


    At this point, the crew members knew that they had no choice but to leave, even though they were truly reluctant to do so. Fortunately, their expedition hadn''t ended up in vain. Charles hadn''t left the Subterranean Sea, so they would certainly meet each other again in the future.


    They saluted Charles with solemn looks and turned around to leave, but someone among them had a different idea.


    Second Mate Nico pointed at the mechanical watch on Charles'' wrist and said, "Captain, look at the time. It''s already midnight, and it will take us more than an hour to return.


    "It took us forty days of voyage to find this ind of yours, so we''re <em>really</em> exhausted. We''ve finallye ashore after so many days, so can you at least let us stay here for the night?"


    Before Charles could reply, Second Mate Nico added, "Captain, even if you don''t care about us, I''m sure you care about Lily, right?"


    Charles stared at Nico for a few seconds before nodding. "All right. This ind is mine, and it''s very safe. You can stay here for a few nights if you want, but we will eventually have to part ways. I believe you guys should keep moving forward."


    With that, Sparkle led them to their own rooms. The rooms had amenities such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, and towels. Before leaving everyone to their own devices, Sparkle told them that they were free to walk around the house, but they couldn''t go outside without her.


    "Dipp, there aren''t enough rooms. What do you think about sharing a room with me tonight?" Second Mate Nico asked.


    Dipp instantly shuddered at the thought of sharing a room with Nico. He was about to refuse, but he felt Nico''s finger rapidly tapping his shoulder in a certain rhythm.


    "Fine, but I''ll have to let you know that Aliya sleeps in the same bed with me at night. You will never get to do anything," Dipp said. He pretended to close the door, but Nico lunged forward and squeezed himself into Dipp''s room.


    Once the doors were closed, Nico''s face instantly became grim. "I have a bad feeling in this ce. I think that captain is fake."


    "What nonsense are you talking about? I already probed him, and there''s no mistaking it. He''s the captain; Sparkle is even right next to him."


    Nico shook his head vigorously and retorted, "How do you exin the drastic change in the captain''s personality? Don''t you think there''s something really fishy about that?


    "And what I''m really worried about is Sparkle. Howe she suddenly appeared in our memories? And our memories of her background are full of contradictions. Is she really the captain''s daughter? We must find a way to know for sure."


    "I don''t think that''s a good idea. What if he''s real?" Dipp asked.


    "Wouldn''t that be great? If he''s real, then there is no way the two of us can do any harm to him. Besides, I don''t believe he''s going to get angry at us over such a small matter."

 Chapter 882: Conversation

    Dipp couldn''t help but waver upon hearing Nico''s remark. He had already probed Charles, and his probing had told him that the Charles from earlier was definitely the same Charles they had spent years with at sea.


    However, what if he was wrong?


    It wouldn''t hurt to probe Charles again, and Charles would probably be happy if his crew were a bit more doubtful about him.


    Dipp was convinced that it would be the case, and he also believed that there was no reason for them not to do something that would result in a win-win oue for both sides.


    "But how are we going to do that? We can''t just run over and make a move right there and then. Regardless of whether he''s real or fake, we can''t just do that directly," Dipp said, staring deeply at Nico.


    Before Nico could reply, faint footsteps sounded outside the door. Nico shushed Dipp with his finger, and then he tiptoed toward the nearby window.


    They saw Lily walking in a hurry down the corridor that led toward the main hall on the first floor. When Lily disappeared at the end of the corridor, Nico revealed a charming smile. "She''s our chance. With her around, it''ll be much easier for us to do our thing."


    Wearing fuzzy slippers, Lily walked down the spiral staircase and arrived on the first floor. Even with the bright lighting, the first floor looked deste with the absence of people.


    Lily sped her hands and raised them to her chest as she looked around with a bewildered face. "Where does Mr. Charles sleep at night?"The house was not exactlyrge, and it had a foreignyout in Lily''s eyes. She proceeded to check the rooms on the first floor and found that there was no bedroom on the first floor. The house wasn''t that big, but Lily couldn''t find Charles for some reason.


    It was a bewildering experience.


    "Mr. Charles? Are you here? Sparkle? Where are you?" Lily''s voice reverberated throughout the living room but no one responded to her.


    "Maybe they''re living somewhere else in this forest?" Lily muttered to herself. With that idea in mind, Lily walked through the deserted hall and approached the mahogany wood door.


    Lily extended her fair hand and grabbed the doorknob. She gave it a gentle twist before pushing it quietly. Soon, the doors were opened, revealing the outside world to Lily.


    Lily found two streetmps, but they weren''t that bright and could barely illuminate an area of around five meters before the door. Everything beyond five meters was shrouded in darkness as if they had be one with the dark forest.


    Just then, Lily felt gazes observing her from the pitch-ck forest. She knew the owners of those gazes. They were Mr. Charles'' children, and perhaps they knew where he had gone.


    The young woman bit her lip with her white teeth and stared at the darkness before her, asking, "<em>Um, </em>do you know where I can find Mr. Charles?"


    What was lurking in the darkness didn''t respond, but a few secondster, a damaged smiling mask floated in the darkness. The dirty, damaged mask wasn''t emitting any light, but Lily could see it clearly.


    Lily couldn''t care less about the mask''s identity. "Do you know where I can find Mr. Charles?"


    The smiling mask swayed left and right before turning around and floating into the depths of the forest.


    "I have something to discuss with Mr. Charles, and I don''t have time to y any games with you," Lily said. She then stepped on the stairs and descended it, following closely behind the smiling mask.


    Lily wasn''t afraid of Charles'' children. After all, she had been using them as sparring partners during her training at the World''s Crown.


    At first, there was nothing unusual, but as soon as Lily stepped out of the streetmps'' light, the lurkers in the darkness made their move. They intertwined with each other and engulfed Lily as if they had gone mad.


    Lily immediately felt her flesh and will being torn apart at the same time. It was an extremely ufortable and agonizing sensation.


    "What are you doing?! Stop it!" Lily eximed in pain, and a wave of golden light burst out of her, sweeping outward in all directions.


    The light vanquished the darkness, revealing the true appearance of the lurkers.


    Lily''s pupils constricted to needle points. Charles'' children had changed drastically. They always looked terrifying, but they had be even more terrifying and bizarre.


    Their skin had be rotten and wrinkled; their limbs were deformed and covered in proliferating organs. Their backs were even covered in pustules that were oozing pus.


    The scene terrified Lily to the extreme, and the children showed no signs of stopping their onught as they red at Lily with eyes full of malice and madness.


    Golden spears were sticking out of them, but they couldn''t be stopped.


    They truly wanted to tear Lily apart.


    "<em>Cough, cough.</em>" Two soft coughs echoed, and the surroundings suddenly became silent. When Lily came back to her senses, she discovered that the children had disappeared without a trace. The dark forest became deste once again.


    "Lily, why are you out here when it''s sote? Are you not sleepy at all?" A tired voice sounded behind Lily. She quickly turned around and found Charles, whom she had been looking for standing at the door.


    The terrified Lily threw herself into Charles'' arms and stammered, "T-they weren''t like that back then, Mr. Charles. W-what happened to them?"


    Charles hugged Lily and staggered toward the sofa. "It''s okay, it''s okay. Don''t worry. They''re just¡ªUm... they''re still adapting to this new environment. Don''t worry about them. They aren''t going to die so easily."


    Charles plopped down on the brown leather sofa. He sounded helpless as he said, "Ha¡­ I actually didn''t want to keep them around, but Sparkle insisted on bringing them over, saying that their presence here would make the ind feel lively.


    "My daughter has grown up, but I still want to indulge her when ites to trivial affairs that are not going to affect anything. By the way, you still haven''t told me what you were doing out there instead of sleeping."


    Instead of answering, Lily closed her eyes and felt Charles'' heartbeat. She truly liked this feeling. She really felt like staying in Charles'' arms forever.


    Charles didn''t disturb her and simply stroked her silky hair.


    As always, Lily smelled like green apples.


    After an unknown amount of time, Lily sat up straight and looked into Charles'' eyes. "Mr. Charles, do you still remember our promise?"


    "Of course, I do remember it. However, I am no longer who you think I am, Lily. And you are also no longer the same Lily as back then. You should live the life you''ve been longing to live for so long¡ªyou should live a quiet and happy life."


    Lily instantly pouted, looking disgruntled as she eximed, "You''re such a big liar, Mr. Charles! You don''t know how to keep your word at all! How can you do this to me?!"


    "I''m not going to make any excuses," Charles said, revealing a faint smile. "To be honest, I''ve made many mistakes, and going back on my promise is the lightest out of them."


    Upon realizing that Charles was seriously going back on his word, Lily pleaded, "Mr. Charles, can you just let me stay here? I don''t want anything at all. I just want to stay by your side."

 Chapter 883: God

    "I know that you''re hiding from us, and I''m really afraid that I''ll never see you again once we leave this ce," Lily said, looking aggrieved.


    Charles was silent for a long time. Then, he revealed a look of helplessness as he replied, "Lily, you shouldn''t stay by my side. Back then, you could stay for as long as you wanted, but not anymore. Some things have changed."


    "Why can''t I stay by your side? Is it because I''m human now? If so, then I can be a mouse again!" Lily eximed, sounding agitated.


    Just as Lily''s words fell, a figure flew swiftly behind Charles. There was a sh of cold light, and a cut appeared on Charles'' face. Dark red blood seeped out of the wound, but Charles didn''t make any moves in response.


    However, his brows were furrowed, and he began emanating the same domineering and sharp air of which the crew members thought had disappeared.


    "Are you done making a scene?" Charles asked in a low voice.


    The shadowy figure condensed on the right side of the sofa, and it was none other than Dipp. When he saw the wound on Charles'' face, he eximed in delight, "I knew it! He''s the real captain! You said he was fake, Second Mate!"


    Upon seeing Charles'' cold face, Dipp suddenly felt nervous. "Captain, this was all the Second Mate''s idea. I was just executing it."


    "You lot are grown-ups, so why are you guys acting like children? Hurry up and go back to sleep! If you don''t want to sleep, then get lost!" Charles scolded. Instead of getting scared and worried, Dipp revealed a gleeful face. This was the captain he was familiar with.


    Just as Dipp was happily walking upstairs, Nico came down from the second floor.


    He greeted Charles with a smile and told Charles that it was Dipp''s idea.


    However, it seemed that Charles couldn''t care less about what the two were trying to do. He stood up and pulled Lily to a quiet ce.


    As soon as Charles turned his back toward Nico, thetter''s face turned cold. He swiped at his holster on his waist, and a silver handgun inscribed with strange patterns appeared in his hand.


    He aimed the gun and immediately fired a shot at Charles'' nape. A deafening gunshot reverberated, and a bullet inscribed with bizarre patterns and drenched in a pitch-ck liquid flew quickly toward Charles.


    Just as the bullet was about to pierce Charles'' head, he turned around and raised his hand, blocking the bullet with his steel prosthetic arm.


    When Charles put his hand down, the people before him were stunned. The noise that had echoed upon impact with the steel arm wasn''t the sound of metal shing against metal.


    Lily''s pupils quivered as she stared at Charles standing next to her. Charles'' prosthetic was made out of steel, but the bullet had gouged a hole dripping with blood.


    The sight did not make any sense at all. How could a steel arm bleed?


    "W-w-what''s going on?" Dipp had rushed downstairs and was stunned by the scene. The scene was so surreal that he felt like he was dreaming.


    "What else do you think is going on? The captain before us is fake!" Nico yelled. He raised his gun with both hands and aimed at Charles'' vital points.


    Lily retreated three steps in shock, and she suddenly felt a bit nauseous at the fact that she had been in the arms of a monster.


    "Lily, let me exin," Charles said, walking toward her.


    Before he could take a step, a wave of radiant sunlight erupted from the young woman. It transformed into a spear and pierced him, pinning him to the wall.


    Gunshots erupted one after another as Nico fired his gun. His bullets instantly gouged holes in Charles'' figure, making it appear as though red flowers had blossomed all over his temple, chest, and the joints of his limbs.


    "I''ll call down the others!" Dipp''s figure transformed into a blue mist that floated toward the second floor.


    Charles'' wounds were supposed to be fatal, but for some reason, he still managed to look up. His hair, which was made out of writhing tentacles, had been torn apart by the bullets, revealing an empty skull underneath.


    "He''s still alive!" Nico eximed. His expression went solemn as he loaded special bullets into his gun. Then, he fired rapidly at Charles. Charles'' figure looked like a bloody mess, but miraculously, he could still move.


    Amotion erupted at the staircase. The sleeping crew members upstairs went down and were stupefied to witness the unfolding scene.


    Upon seeing the fear in Lily''s eyes, Charles'' lips, which were barely hanging on to his face, parted into a calm smile. "Maybe this is for the better."


    As soon as his words fell, the surroundings started changing. The chandelier, the dining table, the carpet, and the walls. Everything began to squirm as they took on the appearance of flesh.


    The entire house had transformed to resemble the stomach of a monster.


    "Get out! We have to leave! NOW!" Dipp roared, issuing the best possiblemand.


    Linda spat hard, instantly corroding the wooden door and the flesh walls.


    However, they fell into despair as soon as they stepped outside. The two streetmps at the door had transformed into two eyeballs; the ground and the forest outside were squirming.


    The signature darkness of the Subterranean Sea was changing as well, transforming into walls of flesh.


    To make matters worse, iprehensible whispers were ringing in their ears, and the whispers resembled the cursed whisperings at sea.


    "Remember my wish back then? I didn''t wish to go back; I wished to obtain the power of a Divinity, as I became privy to the fact that some things must be done by someone."


    The house made out of flesh took to the sky. When the roof and the walls of the flesh house copsed, everyone finally saw the entire ind.


    The ind was alive.


    The vegetation, the trees, and even the ground had transformed into amorphous organs covered with eyes of a variety of sizes, and they all moved at the same time, staring at the crew suspended in the air.


    Among the sea of flesh and amorphous organs, Charles'' children screamed in horror. Then, the organs and appendages sticking out of them began mutating once again.


    "I''ve be a Divinity of the Subterranean Sea. I''ve be immensely powerful, but I also ended up losing quite a few important things."


    Everyone present grabbed their heads and revealed agonized looks as they fell to the ground in despair. The influence of a god was too much for them to bear, even though Charles bore no malice toward them.


    However, there was one exception¡ªLily. The gentle sunlight around her seemed to have rendered her impervious to a god''s influence.


    Lily backed away in disbelief, looking at everything around her in horror. It turned out that the Charles earlier was just His mouth; His entire body was this ind, which wasrger than Hope Ind!


    "Lily, do you finally understand why I can''t let you stay here? Some things have changed, irreversibly at that."


    "Why? Why did things be like this?!" Lily shouted in pain, looking at the unrecognizable Charles.


    "It''s because I want to give it a try. This poweres at a great price, but this allows me to protect the things I can protect, including you."


    Just then, the faces of the crew members started bleeding.


    They couldn''t withstand being in such close proximity to a god.


    "Tell them not toe looking for me anymore. What''s about to happen next has nothing to do with them. As the Captain of the Narwhale, this is my final order¡ªlive well every day."


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    There was a sh of white light, and the Narwhale''s crew vanished on the spot.

 Chapter 884: Parting

    Lily woke up in a daze. She looked around and realized that she was inside one of the Narwhale''s cabins.


    Pulling open the curtains and looking outside, she saw sunny Hope Ind in the distance. They were back, and the waves were gently pushing the ship toward Hope Ind.


    Just then, scenes shed in Lily''s mind¡ªthe bizarre, living ind, the unrecognizable Charles, and his parting words to her.


    Lily revealed a look of anguish, and tears slid down her face. Their bond, which they had built over the years, seemed to have shattered on that ind, and she felt a sense of foreboding that told her that she might never see Mr. Charles again.


    When Lily pped her eyes on Hope Ind, Hope Ind''s observation tower spotted the Narwhale as well. In response, the navy was mobilized, and they slowly surrounded the ship armed with relics and a variety of weapons.


    Bandages was extremely nervous upon seeing the Narwhale. He thought that they had gotten into some kind of ident out at sea.


    Upon boarding the ship, Bandages rushed into the cabin with some navy troops, and they were surprised to find the crew covering their heads with agonized expressions while desperately trying to stand up.


    The crew members were sent back to Hope Ind. Soon, they all gathered in the Governor''s Mansion of Hope Ind, including the crew who hadn''t joined the expedition.


    Everyone present sat before a long table.Dipp proceeded with his recount, telling everyone about what they had encountered on that bizarre ind.


    "So... the captain didn''t... go back to his world...?" Bandages asked.


    "Yeah, he didn''t go back to his world," Dipp replied with a wry smile. "He became a Divinity of the seascape. No wonder he said that we can no longer get involved in his affairs."


    The other crew members nodded. Indeed, mere mortals had no business getting involved in a Divinity''s affairs.


    "But what exactly does the captain want to do? Why did he do that?" James asked with a solemn expression. He found it really hard to imagine that the captain he was familiar with would make that choice.


    James didn''t even know if that ind, which wasrger than Hope Ind, could still be considered their captain. The answer eluded James, and the others could not answer him as well.


    The only thing they knew was that their recent encounter with Charles would probably be thest time they''d ever see him. After all, Charles had embarked on apletely different path from them.


    Bandages raised his five fingers and tapped them lightly on the table. "The captain... told us not to... contact him anymore... there must be... reasons¡­ behind that¡­ order.


    "No matter what... he wants to do... that''s... his own... choice... What we can do¡­ for him is¡­ to avoid¡­ causing trouble¡­ We''ve spent¡­ many years... sailing¡­ everyone... take a good... rest..."


    The crew members nced at each other. Then, they pushed back their chairs and walked outside. The first mate was right. They no longer had a reason to set sail.


    The crew members left one by one, leaving only Dipp, Lily, and Bandages.


    Dipp suddenly stood up, and a forced smile suffused his scaled face. "Actually... I''m happy. The captain is fine. It''s great. Really great. Now I can rest assured."


    With that, Dipp turned around and walked toward the main door of the Governor''s Mansion.


    Just as he was about to walk out, he turned around and became emotional as he shouted, "I really thought he thinks of me as his family, so why?! Why did he not tell me anything before making such a rash decision?!"


    Lily and Bandages didn''t respond. Bandages stared straight ahead while Lily kept her head down.


    Eventually, Dipp calmed down and strode out of the Governor''s Mansion, leaving Lily and Bandages alone in the mansion.


    The silent Lily finally looked up, and she stared at the first mate in front of her. The next moment, she sounded like she was holding back her tears as she said, "Mr. Bandages, can you please give me a ship? I want to go home."


    She was already on Hope Ind, so he wouldn''t need a ship to go back to her home. Clearly, she was referring to her home in another ne.


    However, Bandages didn''t immediately agree to her request. "Are you... going to¡­e back...?"


    Lily shook her head; the tears welling up in her eyes dripped down her cheeks.


    "Stay... here... Everyone is here... The captain... is gone... But we''ll... take care of... you..."


    "Thank you, but I''m not a child. I don''t need to be taken care of. Staying here is just going to remind me of the past," Lily replied with her head hanging low.


    Bandages seemed to have realized that something had happened, as he didn''t persuade her any further and simply nodded quietly.


    Lily stood up and gave Bandages a gentle hug. Then, she turned and walked outside, leaving Bandages alone left in the Governor''s Mansion of Hope Ind.


    Bandages sat down and froze, bing as motionless as a statue. Charles'' announcement of dmissioning the Narwhale at the time did not count, but this was a different story. The Narwhale was now truly dmissioned.


    After an unknown amount of time, Bandages stood up in the empty conference hall. He stood ramrod straight and faced the empty chairs before him.


    "Weister, Position:... First Mate. Duty: To assist the Captain in organizing work ns¡­ and responsible forpiling¡­ the cargo loading schedule. Helmsman covering the¡­ 01200 to 2400 shift!"


    Only a few people were aware of Lily''s departure, as she knew that she was emotionally weak and was afraid of getting persuaded to stay on Hope Ind.


    The only people seeing her off were Linda, Nico, and Grace¡ªtwo girls and an honorary girl. These three were pretty close with Lily and would often hang out together whenever they were off duty.


    "Lil'' Lily, can you just stay? I''m almost fifty years old, and it''s honestly not that easy to make a close friend who doesn''t mind the age difference," Nico said, staring at the young woman before him with a regretful gaze.


    "I''m sorry, but I really have to go back. Perhaps I should have left a long time ago. This day has been postponed for such a long time as well. Don''t worry; I''ll have the mice deliver letters to you from time to time."


    Just then, Grace rushed over and hugged Lily. Grace did not cry even when Charles ordered her to be a human bomb, but tears were now flowing down her cheeks, falling along the fissures all over her face.


    "Lily, you''re my best and only friend. I will never forget you!"


    Lily''s eyes reddened. "Mmhm, you''re my best friend, too! Don''t worry about your scars and your injury. There must be a way to fix them."


    Linda walked over just then. She reached into the pocket of her white coat and took out a red potion in a bottle that was only as big as her index finger. There was a string around the neck of the bottle.


    "Take it," Linda said.


    "What is this?" Lily asked, wiping away her tears before epting the bottle.


    "It''s a little parting gift. If you start missing us, drink it. It will take you to the deepest recesses of your memories."


    "Thank you," Lily responded. Then, she tied the string around her neck, and the tiny bottle of red potion swayed back and forth before her chest.

 Chapter 885: Divinity

    Just as Lily finished her farewells with her threepanions, a swarm of mice scurried out from the countless shadowy corners of the dock.


    Their fur was still a vibrant array of color but they had started to wear hastily stitched together fabric as their clothes.


    "Everyone, I''m so sorry, but I can''t take you guys with me. I''m not from this world, but you are. Stay here and be good, alright?"


    Hearing Lily''s words, the mice gathered around her and squeaked continuously, and their voices were filled with apparent desperation.


    "Don''t be like this. You didn''t do anything wrong. It''s my fault. I''m your leader but I''ve been too reckless before and never thought about what''s best for you.


    "If you need anything from now on, go find Bandages. He''ll help you. But remember, no bad behavior alright! We are good mice, aren''t we?"


    After bidding her final goodbye to the mice, Lily finally dragged her suitcase behind her and stepped onto the passenger ship''s deck.


    Standing at the dock, those who hade to send her off raised their hands and waved frantically.


    Lily raised her right hand as well, and she waved until the ship entered the distant darkness.When the ship disappeared from sight, Linda let out a wistful sigh. She turned to Nico standing next to her, saying, "Charles meant a lot to Lily. He''s probably more than just someone she relied on."


    "You''re not wrong," Nico replied as a hint of envy flickered across his gaze. "But I think this is for the best. Lily deserves a beautiful life, not one where she has to spend it with someone like Captain."


    Grace lifted her head to look at Nico and chimed in, "Perhaps Captain had the same thought and that''s why he didn''t want Lily to be on the ind. He still cares for her."


    Linda took a brief nce at Grace before turning to Nico once more. "What are your ns now?"


    Nico pulled out a long, white cigarette with a filtered tip from his coat and ced it between his lips.


    "Ah, what else can I do? Of course, I''m heading back to my Coral Archipgo. Those husbands of mine aren''t exactly the best rulers. I certainly don''t want the ind that I''ve painstakingly explored to fall apart under their management. What about you?"


    Linda thought for a brief moment before she replied, "I didn''t have time before, but now that things have finally calmed down, I''m nning to get pregnant."


    Nico was taken aback. "I thought vampires reproduced by biting people. You can have a child the normal way humans do?"


    "In normal circumstances, of course not. But that doesn''t mean that I can''t perform a few experimental procedures on myself," Linda said, her hand gently resting on her abdomen.


    ***


    The gentle crashing of waves against the shoreline was the only sound reverberating throughout the ind.


    The ind showed no trace of the bloody horrors it once held.


    Back inside the house where Dipp and the others had been in, the brown leather couch slowly rose from the center of the room. Following which, Charles'' figure gradually materialized as well.


    He sat on the couch with his eyes closed, his appearance simr to any ordinary man taking a break.


    Just then, with a sh of white light, Sparkle''s alluring figure appeared before him.


    She bent her legs slightly and settled into the seat next to Charles on the couch.


    "How''s everything?" Charles asked with his eyes still closed.


    "Nothing much. They''ve all safely arrived at Hope Ind. Judging from their attitude, I doubt they''ll bother you again."


    "That''s great then," Charles said. He opened his eyes, but there was only empty darkness within his eye sockets. Just like before, the current Charles was just an empty shell.


    "Dad, it seems like they don''t understand how much you''ve sacrificed for them," Sparkle remarked.


    Charles slightly shook his head. "It doesn''t matter. I never intended for them to understand. Sparkle, do you know what they look like in my eyes now?"


    "<em>Hmm?</em>" Sparkle tilted her head in curiosity.


    "All barriers and obstructions have ceased to exist before my eyes. Their entire being has been exposed to me. I can see every single bone, their organs, even down to the marrow within their skeletons. I can see blood coursing through their heart chambers with the valves of their heart opening and closing. Even when I look at Lily, I can clearly see the intricate structure of her eyeball.


    "In a single moment, I can perceive so much information¡ªthousands of times more than that of a human. The overwhelming information overload allows me to predict their every move. They have no secrets in front of me."


    Charles paused briefly before he continued, "Now, I finally know why the gods avoided interacting with humans. Humans are just too simple, be it their physical structure or their thought processes. In fact, I even find it rather inefficient to bemunicating with you through vocal vibrations."


    Sparkle slightly raised a brow. "Dad¡­ do you realize that the way you talk is a little¡­ off? You sound kind of cold."


    Charles nodded in agreement. With evident calmness and eptance on his face, he admitted, "It''s a given. The information that I am constantly receiving every single second is forcing me to evolve. And it''s not just on the physical level; but my mind and character is being affected as well.


    "Thus, the human part of me is fading away. I''m trying my best to slow down the process, but it''s not working well.


    "I''m losing my humanity, which is why my time is limited. I need to aplish certain things before the final remnants of my humanity vanish. I''m not sure if I''ll even still be ''me'' once the final vestiges of my humanity is gone."


    Sparkle moved closer and rested her head gently on Charles'' shoulder.


    "Dad, is this kind of sacrifice really worth it?" Sparkle asked softly.


    "It is. Of course it is. I don''t agree with the Foundation''s methods, but I agree with their perspective. Some things in the Subterranean Sea are too dangerous. And there''s no pattern or order to these threats for both the surface world and the Subterranean Sea. Existencees like us can easily wipe out everything with a single thought. For the sake of my family in the Subterranean Sea and the surface world, I have to create some kind of safeguard."


    "And what if you fail?" Sparkle asked another question.


    "If I fail? Then so be it. I''ve already made peace with that," Charles said with a calm expression. "Some things you just have to try, or you''ll never be satisfied."


    "Actually, from the moment I epted 005''s wish, I have prepared myself for the worst. I gambled everything on the one possible oue," Charles admitted, "Fortunately, I won the gamble. That''s why I can still continue on."


    "What are you nning to do next?" Sparkle asked once again, her gaze never leaving her father.


    "I''ll continue to evolve. Fortunately, the path ahead isn''t hard. The Foundation has already paved it for me."


    With that, the ground beneath them split open, revealing a grotesque fissure of pulsating flesh. Apanied by squirming and writhing tentacles, a deep abyss soon stretched out beneath them.


    At the very bottom of the bloodied-flesh canyony a bizarre corpse riddled with ck holes. It was the corpse of the fallen god, Pede.


    Countless mouths manifested around it, and it gnawed feverishly at the corpse.


    Charles was doing the exact same thing as Anna.


    At the same time, eerie howls reverberated in the forest beyond outside; it was as though they had been affected by the appearance of Pede.


    "Why are we even keeping them around?" Charles asked with a frustrated sigh. "Why don''t we send them away? They''re bing a nuisance."


    "It''s more lively with them around. Else, it would be just too lonely with the two of us here," Sparkle replied, her gaze still fixated on Pede''s corpse as it was being devoured.

 Chapter 886: Wang Jianshe

    In a dimly lit basement, Anna was struggling to scribble down variousplex, forbidden incantations and spell arrays.


    She was having a hard time drawing each stroke, her hand pausing every so often as she pondered over the intricate details before continuing. She was attempting to record down everything she had once learned about in the Subterranean Sea.


    It was a dangerous and risky move aspared to simply storing them in her mind, but she had no other choice.


    The knowledge stored in her head was fading away as time went on; it was a feeling that she had never experienced before.


    When she was still a Dioite in the Subterranean Sea, no matter how much information was crammed into her brain, she could always recall something with perfect uracy and rity whenever she wanted it.


    The word "forget" wasn''t even in her vocabry.


    When the wish hade true, however, Anna became human both inside and out.


    Humans didn''t possess a wless memory. Once their mind became full of useless memories, their brains would choose to forget the not-so-important ones.


    For Anna, it was an agony beyond description. It felt as though she once had four fully functioning limbs, but her arms were suddenly chopped off. The change was making her feel utterly vulnerable.<em>ck.</em>


    The pen slipped from her fingers andnded on the paper with a soft thud. Anna pressed her hands against her temples as she massaged her head which was throbbing from the strain of recalling her memories.


    After a few moments, Anna''s gaze drifted to the photo frame on the table. It was supposed to be a family portrait that consisted of three people, but only the mother and child remained while the spot where the father was supposed to be was empty.


    Anna reached out to take the picture frame into her hands. Brushing her slender fingers over the face of Sparkle in the photo, a trace of longing flickered across her eyes. It was a longing that only a mother could feel.


    "Sparkle¡­" Anna called out softly. "You always used to know when someone was drawing your portrait. If only you could send this now. Mommy misses you."


    A sharp ringing of the basement doorbell interrupted Anna''s thoughts. She swiftly rose from her seat, gathered the papers scattered on the table, and carefully sorted them into various folders before cing them in the steel safe that towered over her. Thest item that she ced into the safe was the family portrait.


    Upon making sure that everything had been put away, Anna hurried to the door. The monitor on the wall lit up to show Wang Sheng''s face.


    "What is it? Didn''t I say not to disturb me for five hours?" Anna''s voice wasced with annoyance as it crackled through the inte.


    "I''m so sorry for disturbing you, High Priestess. But there''s something really important that I need to report to you."


    <em>Click. Click. Click.</em>


    The heavy locks disengaged, and the steel door swung open to reveal Anna.


    "What is it?" Anna asked in a cold voice.


    "<em>Uh¡­</em> My father wants to speak to you."


    "Your father? Didn''t you say you have cut all ties with your family?"


    Wang Sheng lowered his head as a trace of disdain shed across his countenance. "I didn''t want this either. But he has spent a lot of money to find me; I can''t hide."


    Anna brushed past him and headed toward the distant elevator.


    Wang Sheng quickly turned and scrambled after her.


    The elevator doors slid open, and Anna stepped into a prayer room. The interior decor and furnishings were deliberate, dominated by motifs of waves and also a dark hue.


    If Charles were here, he would have immediately recognized it¡ªthis was the set up of the Fhtagn Covenant.


    Since she was going to establish a new religion, it was much easier and more efficient to use a temte. Anna only had to strip away the irrelevant doctrines, keep what was useful, and add stuff ording to her needs.


    Anna walked down the spacious hallway and eventually entered a chapel filled with kneeling worshippers. Their eyes were aze with a mixture of fervor and fear as they prostrated before the statue of Fhtagn in the middle of the room while chanting the prayer that Anna had taught them.


    For any religion, this wasn''t arge congregation. Every religion aimed to expand, but Anna wasn''t interested in rapid expansion and strictly controlled their follower count.


    First of all, this was to keep herself under the radar and avoid gaining attention. Another aspect that Anna had considered was that the fewer people they had, the easier it was for them to relocate.


    If a sacrificial ritual happened to wipe all the believers out, she could easily move to a new ce and restart the recruitment process all over again.


    As Anna continued toward the reception hall, the chanting grew softer. Aside from a few security guards and a woman in professional attire, the room was empty.


    Anna''s attention immediately turned to theptop on the table. Without a single word, she walked over and looked at the screen.


    On the LCD screen was a man with deeply etched lines on his face. Seeing that his features bore a resemnce to Wang Sheng, he was obviously Wang Sheng''s father.


    "Hello, I''m Wang Jianshe, Wang Sheng''s father. Let''s get straight to the point. What do you want in exchange for returning my son?" Wang Jianshe asked, his voice was deep with a steely determination.


    Anna let out a soft chuckle and turned toward Wang Sheng, standing next to her.


    "What do you think?" Anna asked.


    "I''m not going back. I will follow you all the way," Wang Sheng replied without hesitation.


    Wang Sheng had his own ns. Now, he was considered a core figure in this growing religion. In fact, he could even be called Anna''s right-hand man. If there were rewards to reap in the future, he would undoubtedly be the first in line.


    Going back now meant throwing away all the efforts he had invested earlier and the progress he had made. As the son of a businessman, he instinctively calcted his sunken cost.


    Hearing his son''s defiant voice beyond the screen, Wang Jianshe''s brows furrowed into a deep crease. "His opinion is not important. Just tell me how much money you want for you to let him go."


    "Mr. Wang, it seems like you see me as some kind of kidnapper holding your son for ransom?" Anna calmly met the man''s gaze on the screen. "I have never restricted your son''s freedom. It''s him who chose to stay here."


    Wang Jianshe leaned forward; his eyes remained fixated on the woman on the screen.


    A cold glint flickered across his gaze, and he took on a harsher stance as he said, "Do you really think I don''t know what''s going on?! He''s beenpletely brainwashed by your superstitious stuff! Let me tell you! Back then, I fought till my current heights with a mere machete and a truck!


    "If anything happens to him, I''ll make sure you pay with your life!"


    Anna remained silent, seemingly waiting for something.


    Just as per her expectations, after berating her with harsh words, Wang Jianshe''s tone softened, and he said, "I can forget about the money that you''ve tricked out of him before. Just send him back safe and unharmed, and we can let this end."


    Wang Sheng couldn''t hold himself back any longer. He shifted theptop and angled the camera so that his father could see his face.


    "You don''t understand anything! All you ever talk about is money, money, money! You''re just a ve to money! You can''t evenprehend the world I''ve been exposed to!"


    After shouting his frustrations, Wang Sheng mmed theptop shut. A firm determination glimmered in his eyes as he turned toward Anna. "High Priestess, don''t worry. I''ll handle my father. He won''t interfere with your ns."


    Anna rested her chin on her hand as she entered a deep thought before asking, "How old is your father?"

 Chapter 887: 8

    Wang Sheng was stunned. He was caught off guard by Anna''s question, but a secondter, he understood what Anna was trying to say.


    "You want to absorb him into the church? I''m afraid that''s impossible. He''s a stubborn old-timer. Once he''s made up his mind about something, even nine oxen can''t pull him away from his decision."


    Anna truly had that idea. Wang Jianshe clearly cared a lot about Wang Sheng, so why not take a big gamble? Once Wang Jianshe was absorbed into the church, the church would no longer have any financial issues.


    However, it was clear that Wang Jianshe didn''t want anything to do with her, so Anna had to ponder over how she''d handle the former.


    "You shouldn''t antagonize your father. When you have time, call him and maintain your rtionship with him. Make him understand that we''re not kidnappers. Do as I say, and I''ll definitely give you what you need."


    Since Wang Sheng''s father truly cared about him, then Anna could exploit that by making the former maintain a great rtionship with his father.


    Just then, the officedy who had been silently observing from the sidelines raised her hand and looked at her watch. "High Priestess, today''s ritual is about to begin."


    Anna nodded and walked toward the door. "Come on, nothing is more important than the ritual."


    Anna led them to the interior of the church. The long benches had all been moved to the side, revealing arge clearing. The believers were eagerly awaiting the opportunity to connect with their god.This ritual was different from the previous ones. The inscriptions and the shapes on the array had changed drastically. Moreover, the material used to draw the array was no longer fresh blood but gasoline.


    Anna didn''t bother exining anything to them and simply ordered them to proceed with the ritual. As the High Priestess, Anna knew that she just had to maintain a mysterious, inscrutable persona, and these believers would fill in the missing details for her.


    Anna blew hard on the silver whistle, and the mass officially started. Her strange-sounding voice reverberated throughout the church, and the temperature inside the church climbed up slowly.


    Everyone present became more and more agitated as time went on, and they all looked as if there was a fire burning in their hearts. Their frenzied statested for a long time, and just as Anna''s voice became hoarse, there was finally a change.


    The gasoline on the ground was set aze; the me and the pitch-ck smoke churned before taking on a green hue. It wasn''t an ordinary green hue; it was a green that one would find inside rotten, pus-filled pustules.


    To make matters worse, a nauseating stench had permeated the air.


    Anna revealed a hopeful look at the sight, and her voice became louder and louder. As time ticked by, the green mes grewrger andrger until they almost engulfed the array.


    The green mes reflected on the faces of everyone present made them look iparably eerie, and their delighted but exaggerated smiles only added to the terrifying scene.


    If a third party were here, they''d think they were in hell.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Just then, the green me''s tongue swayed violently, and it suddenly made a beeline for a thin man. The lick of me moved as if it were a living creature, and it drilled into the thin man''s ajar mouth before incinerating him from the inside.


    It all happened in the blink of an eye. Before the others could react, the thin man had already been reduced to a pile of ashes on the ground that seemed to be flickering in a dim green light.


    It was just the beginning, but it was the end as well. Upon devouring the thin man, the green mes dissipated, and the temperature in the church went down in an instant.


    The panting Anna stared at the pile of ashes, looking dumbfounded.


    "Is this a sess?" Anna asked herself. She looked down at herself but couldn''t feel nor see any reaction.


    Returning to her residence, Anna carefully examined her own body. She knew that sacrificing two million people was enough for her to be a demigod, but she had no idea whether sacrificing just one person was enough for her to obtain a god''s blessing or not.


    Regardless, it was a good start. She wasn''t in a hurry, and she had a clear sight of her goal, so she could take it slowly but surely.


    "High Priestess, I''ve written down the names of our church''s personnel on theputer," the officedy from earlier said respectfully.


    Anna clicked the mouse, and a neat file appeared in front of her. Detailed information about the people of their church was on the file, including but not limited to their aliases, upations, rtionships, and personalities.


    "Well done, Assistant Priest Li. I''m very satisfied with your work," Anna said, nodding at Assistant Priest Li.


    "Well, it''s my job," Li Lu replied, revealing a polite smile. Then, she seemed to have thought of something as a hint of hesitation appeared on her face.


    "Any questions? Ask away."


    With that, Li Lu hesitantly asked, "Why was it different from before, High Priestess? What is the meaning of those mysterious mes?"


    In the face of Li Lu''s specific question, Anna recited the ambiguous words that she had prepared beforehand. "Green represents anger. The one who was consumed by the divine fire was not loyal to God at all. He deceived God in his heart, so God took him away."


    "Oh, I see¡­" Li Lu nodded repeatedly with a solemn face. She seemed to be carving Anna''s words in her heart.


    "Don''t worry about it," Anna said, "God is merciful. Persist, and He will cure your brain tumor."


    Anna had taken a liking to Li Lu, as she was meticulous at her work, and she could do many things. In other words, she was the perfect tool.


    Li Lu smiled wryly. She reached out and took off the curly wig on her head, revealing a bald head with a hideous suture line.


    "The doctor said that I can live for six months at most. I don''t know if I can wait until that day," Li Lu replied.


    Anna still had other things to do, so she couldn''t be bothered to create a specific reply for Li Lu and simply deceived her using boilerte phrases in the name of God.


    Li Lu smiled upon hearing Anna''s boilerte phrases, and she seemed to have found hope to live on from thetter''s words.


    "I''m busy, so you can go out now," Anna said while staring at theputer screen.


    "Okay!" Li Lu put her wig back on and turned around to leave. She had just taken a few steps when she suddenly frowned and held her stomach with her hand. She picked up her pace and rushed to her room.


    The room was just a few square meters in size, and Li Lu made a beeline for the bathroom. As soon as Li Lu walked into the tiny room, the look of difort and anxiety on her face vanished instantly.


    Li Lu sat down on the toilet and twisted a tiny button on her watch before shoving it inside her ear. "I request the Field Service Department to expedite the capture of the target. The target''s recent ritual has caused the death of an individual.


    "I''m afraid that the situation will go out of control on the next ritual, resulting in more casualties!"


    "8, this is out of your scope." A clear voice sounded in her ear. "The decision to make that move is up to the other departments. Your mission is to monitor the target''s every move and report everything that happens to the Intelligence Analysis Team."


    Li Lu became anxious upon hearing the reply, but she went silent and began her detailed recount of the recent ritual.


    "I managed to capture the entire array. A car will go out to procure supplies for the church tomorrow. I''ll throw the memory card into the fuel tank, so just find a way to retrieve it."


    "You''re doing great, 8. This target of ours is special, and she''s not just a simple cult leader. We suspect that she has aplices. If we act rashly, we''ll end up scaring them away. By then, we''ll find it difficult to capture her in the future."


    "I understand."


    "Go, and be careful out there. Remember to tell us the next time they n to recruit more people, and I''ll send other people to assist you in your work."

 Chapter 888: Roy

    In a subway station filled with the stench of urine, there were quite a few people in tattered clothes waiting in a daze for the old train that had been running for more than sixty years.


    The old train ought to have been scrapped long ago, but they had no choice. Since the economic crisis, infrastructure had basically bid farewell to repairs, and it was good enough as long as it could still be used.


    The people coughing constantly failed to notice two men standing at the edge of the pitch-ck tunnel whispering to each other in English.


    The first one to speak was an old man with gray hair. "The ship that the target has purchased will soon enter Uther Wharf. It''s a second-hand ocean liner, and ording to 8''s report, it is highly likely that the target will gather some people and transfer them to that ship."


    "Once they''re on a ship, they will be off the grid. Isted spaces such as ships are perfect for brainwashing people, which is why we decided to send you as reinforcement.


    "At the moment, her next step is unclear, but it is certain that she is going to make a big move."


    A bearded vagrant with a ruddy nose was the one listening to the gray-haired old man. He opened the file in his hand and asked in a low voice, "Who is 8, and what is her position in the cult?"


    "To avoid getting caught in one fell swoop, I can''t disclose that information. Your mission does not ovep with hers, so there''s no need for you to know."


    "Does she know about me?""No, she is not aware of your presence."


    "Great. I don''t want some unprofessional people dragging me down in this mission, but before we proceed, I need to ask you something," the vagrant said. Then, he scratched his neck, covered in jet-ck grime, before staring at the old man before him and asking, "You promised me that myst mission would be to infiltrate the Order of Maxwellism, so howe there''s another mission?


    "I''m sure you know that I submitted my retirement application two years ago."


    The gray-haired old man gently patted the vagrant on the shoulder and replied, "Roy, the capable are always in demand. You''re an expert in this domain, and you''re second to none when ites to gathering intelligence, even among so many people in the organization.


    "I promise you; this is really thest time. The reward for this mission has already been transferred to your card in advance."


    "This is not about money. I''ve had enough of being an underground rat. I just want to go to the surface and see the sun again. Every time I see your face, I can''t help but wonder whether I''m still a member of the IMF or not.


    "In fact, I don''t even know where the headquarters is located right now!"


    Just then, the rusty train pulled into the station. The flickering light from within the train cars illuminated Roy''s weathered face.


    "Roy, I''m sure you knew prior to joining us that <em>shadows</em> like you can onlymunicate with us through a single point of contact."


    Roy stuffed the file into his bosom, and his voice was thick with sarcasm as he remarked, "A single point of contact, huh? I''m afraid I''ll truly be one of the homeless people here if you drop dead one day."


    "Don''t worry about that; you will always be one of us. Anyway, the higher-ups have authorized the mobilization of a Level C Controble Anomaly to assist you in this mission.


    "It''s already inside your tent. If I end up dropping dead one day, they''ll definitelye looking for you to recover that anomaly as long as it''s still in your possession."


    Roy looked particrly surprised by the news. "They''ve authorized the mobilization of a controble anomaly? This mission is <em>that</em> serious in the headquarters'' eyes? I''m sure you already know, but I didn''t even have to use a controble anomaly when I went to infiltrate the Shattered God."


    "Yes, the cult that you are about to face is different from all the other organizations you''vee into contact with throughout your career. No matter how great the harm they inflicted, we have records of how they inflicted them.


    "However, your mission target is different. It was like she was created out of thin air; there were no traces of her at all. Moreover, her magical arrays showed no reaction when the Research Department replicated them.


    "Your mission is to make use of that anomaly to find the target''s origin, the organization behind her, and her aplices," the gray-haired old man said.


    Roy nodded with a solemn face. Then, he turned around and walked into the train door that was about to close.


    Through the ss windows covered in boogers and grime, Roy saw the old man surreptitiously gesturing at him to be careful.


    The train was old, but it was barely managing toplete its task.


    Roy walked out of the dpidated subway station and walked along the garbage-filled street. Soon, he found himself at a homeless camp. The rows of ramshackle tents pitched by the roadside looked particrly unsightly.


    It took no time for Roy to find his tent, and he crawled straight into it.


    There was a square ck box on a thin and torn cotton nket. Roy seemed a little nervous at the sight of it. He had been with the IMF for so long, but he had only seen a few anomalies. To make matters worse, they had given him permission to make use of a Level C Controble Anomaly.


    Roy took a moment topose himself before reaching out toward the box. Upon opening the outer packaging, a fist-sized wooden tapir appeared in front of Roy, and there was a piece of paper next to it.


    <em>Anomaly Name: 301¡ªDream Stealer </em>


    <em>Anomaly Level: Level C </em>


    <em>Anomaly Description: Dream Stealer is a wooden sculpture carved from a parasol tree. Dream Stealer should only be used by those with Level A2 mental training, and it allows one to peek into the dreams of other people. </em>


    <em>It can also be used to modify the dreams of those with weak wills, influencing their decisions without leaving any traces.</em>


    <em>Like other anomalies, Dream Stealer has special negative effects. Even having gone through Level A2 mental training, if one were to use it to influence others, one would also be influenced by the dreams of one''s target. The duration of the influence varies on the strength of the target''s will and spirit.</em>


    <em>Frequent use of this anomaly will slowly and invisibly transform one into a patchwork of those whose dreams one had snooped on.</em>


    <em>One notable event was XXX. Upon using the Dream Stealer for a staggering one hundred twenty-five times in Mission 9-14, her sexual orientation,nguage, memories, and personality changedpletely, and the changes were all spliced from her targets.</em>


    Roy cast a surprised look at the wooden tapir in his hand. The side effects were terrifying, but he had to admit that the anomaly was extremely useful for agents like him.


    "Make good use of it, 5. Its range of influence is fifty meters, which should be enough for you to peek into the target''s dreams." A deep voice echoed from outside the tent, and Roy''s scalp went numb upon hearing it.


    Roy quickly unzipped the tent and poked his head out but found nothing amiss. He saw nothing but drunkards, vagrants, and filth. It was like the words that had echoed in his ears just a few moments ago were just an illusion.


    However, Roy knew that it couldn''t be an illusion. The organization was definitely keeping an eye on him now. Roy surmised that his life was probably not as important as the anomaly in his hand.


    However, it made sense. The majority of anomalies were uncontroble, after all, and controble anomalies like Dream Stealer, which was also incredibly useful, were just too rare.<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    That seems like the Foundation on the surface.</blockquote>

 Chapter 889: Newcomers

    Roy carefully observed the anomaly for a while before taking out a file from his bosom and reading it meticulously. He had to get ready for the uing mission.


    "The target is a cult leader, so I must appear desperate and helpless. I have to be eager to listen to her words. I have to appear like I''ve tried everything else, but it was useless, so I decided to believe in them as ast resort," Roy muttered to himself.


    Kneeling in his tent, Roy spent a long time pondering over his new persona. In the end, he ced a broken mirror in front of him and muttered in a somber voice, "I am a veteran soldier, and years of nonstop fighting have left me with severe PTSD.


    "I ended up killing my own child during one of my episodes. I did not receive a prison sentence due to my illness, but the non-punishment felt worse than getting punished. I killed my own daughter. I''m¡­ a monster.


    "Since then, I''ve been trapped in an endless cycle of pain and self-me. My guilt toward my daughter has led me to always carry her favorite wooden toy with me."


    Roy''s demeanor and eyes began changing; his breathing grew rapid as well as he continued. "By chance, I heard about a new religion iming that anyone who bes one of them can have their wishes granted.


    "I didn''t believe it at first, but when I saw a cancer patient returning home with a rosyplexion, hope was ignited within me. Maybe it''s true? Maybe they can bring my daughter back to life?


    "I have nothing left to lose, so why not give it a try?"


    "I must hurry. If I don''t go now, it''ll be toote! Mia! I''m willing to do anything to bring you back!" Roy abruptly stood up. He looked agitated as he ripped apart his tent and rushed toward the subway station at full speed.Roy''s demeanor and expression became increasingly refined as he ran. He took out thest of his money to pay for the fare, and he managed to make his way to a remote suburb before nightfall.


    Roy found that he wasn''t alone at a certain vi''s gates.


    A cursory nce told him that there were nearly a hundred people before him. Their clothes varied, and they were both rich and poor, but they all shared the same somewhat doubtful expressions.


    There were police officers standing nearby, maintaining order with their batons in hand.


    "There are so many people here, so are they really going to choose me? I heard they''re extremely strict when ites to selecting members," Roy said, feeling a bit worried.


    Soon, the ck steel gate leading to the vi was pushed open, and an Asian man walked out of the gate. "Tonight, we have gathered to..."


    Roy listened intently, and he soon learned from the man''s words that joining the church wasn''t so easy. There was a selection process before one could be a part of the church.


    ck booklets were distributed to each person, and they all contained legends about a certain deity. They had to read the booklet devoutly and worship the god withinpletely.


    Once they were done reading the entire booklet, the selection would begin, and it was going to be extremely dangerous. Those daring enough to show disrespect to God Fhtagn would be devoured by His divine mes.


    Of course, the choice to stay was theirs to make.


    They could leave at any time, but once they were in the presence of the Great One''s divine mes, there would be no turning back.


    Upon hearing Wang Sheng''s words, the crowd erupted into murmurs. Soon, some people turned around and left. Roy''s heart leaped with joy at the sight. "Great! fewerpetitors."


    As for the so-called divine mes, Roy couldn''t care less about it. He was not afraid of even death as long as his daughter woulde back to life, so why would he be afraid of a mere me?


    If the divine me wasn''t just a prop but a real, divine me, it would be great. It meant that the church''s god truly existed, and his daughter could truly be resurrected!


    More than thirty people left, and the rest entered the vi under Wang Sheng''s lead. The interior of the vi was oppressive, and Roy saw ck-robed figures brushing a brown liquid on the floor.


    Roy sniffed and immediately recognized it as gasoline. As he waited, he caught a glimpse of a bizarre-looking statue in the distance, and he couldn''t help but feel a bit anxious at the sight of it.


    Meanwhile, Anna was in the basement of the vi, and she was frowning as she stared at the sacrificial logs before her.


    "Why are the sacrificial rituals to the Primordial Fire so unstable? Sometimes they work, sometimes they don''t..." Anna muttered, "There aren''t any changes, so¡­ could the issue be the timing? That''s possible. I''ll consider it for the next test."


    Just as Anna was about to be engrossed in reviewing the sessful rituals, Li Long''s subservient voice echoed from the door. "High Priestess, the new batch of people has arrived."


    Anna stood up at Li Long''s remark. She collected the documents on the table and donned a dark red robe before heading for the door. Upon arriving at the church, she found that the array had already been drawn by the followers, and they had done a meticulous job at it.


    Anna swept her gaze across the people before her and turned to Wang Sheng, whispering a few words into his ear.


    Wang Sheng stepped forward and separated the elderly leaning on canes and those with severe illnesses from the main group. They were about to go out at sea soon, which meant that they needed both offerings and sailors.


    Those useless couldn''t be allowed to join them, and Anna was well past the point of epting garbage at this point.


    Those who had been eliminated sprawled out on the ground and cried out, refusing to leave. Wang Sheng had no choice but to have someone drag them away.


    The rest held their breaths, afraid that they would get eliminated. The doubtful ones in the crowd felt their worries assuaged by the scene. The church''s strict recruitment process had proven that they werepletely different from other religions that were willing to ept any Tom, Dick, or Harry.


    Anna''s disjointed incantations soon reverberated throughout the church, signaling the start of the sacrificial ritual. When the mes in the array turned green, Roy instinctively thought that phosphorus had been added to the fire.


    The next moment, however, Roy''s assumption was proven incorrect when the mes engulfed someone and reduced them to a pile of ashes in the proverbial blink of an eye.


    Regardless of what was added to the fire, there was no way it could reduce an entire human being to ashes in the blink of an eye.


    Was their god actually real? Roy''s heart began to pound wildly against his chest. He finally had hope of resurrecting his daughter!


    The sacrificial ritual was a sess. Two people among the crowd were sacrificed, and together with those who had been sacrificed in previous rituals, they numbered twenty.


    Anna ended the ritual and was about to leave when she copsed to the floor with a dull thud.


    The nearby followers were stupefied to see Anna convulsing on the floor, and they rushed toward her to help her up.


    As soon as they touched Anna, however, a searing pain was transmitted to them, forcing them to let go of her.


    Smoke wafted out of Anna''s figure, and her clothes were set aze.


    The same mes from earlier, which had a green tinge that resembled putrescence, pervaded Anna''s blood vessels, swiftly spreading throughout her.

 Chapter 890: Flames

    Witnessing Anna''s copse, Li Long''s stoic demeanor vanished, and his expression was full of terror as he instinctively turned to Wang Sheng. "Bro, w-what do we do?"


    However, Wang Sheng had no idea what to do as well. Wang Sheng''s expression shifted between gloominess and uncertainty at the sight of Anna covered in a cloud of smoke on the floor.


    Wang Sheng''s thoughts were inscrutable to everyone else except for himself.


    "She must have gotten into an ident with that ritual. Perhaps she only has a superficial grasp on some forbidden knowledge. Since she turned out this way, can she really deliver her promises to me?" Wang Sheng muttered to himself.


    As the pungent cloud of white smoke grew thicker, the followers retreated in fear.


    Bizarre-looking mes had just manifested on the high priestess'' figure. From what was announced earlier, those disloyal to God would be devoured by His divine mes. Could it be that she was¡­


    Everyone present gathered around, each harboring their own thoughts.


    They weren''t particrly anxious about Anna''s safety; they were only worried about who would help them contact the Great One if the high priestess had truly gotten herself into an ident.


    The most anxious among them was Roy.If something were to go wrong, who would save his daughter?


    Just as everyone created their own assumptions, a shaky voice echoed from within the cloud of white smoke. "Bring me some clothes."


    Everyone present trembled.


    Li Lu moved first, removing her ck robe and throwing it into the cloud of white smoke. The sizzling noises disappeared, and the pungent cloud of white smoke dissipated slowly.


    Anna d in a ck robe and gasping for breath emerged from within the smoke.


    She looked extremely pale, but she was unscathed. Her exposed, fair legs attracted the gazes of all the men present. Anna surveyed the surroundings, taking in everyone''s expressions. She chuckled coldly and raised her right hand.


    Five green licks of me appeared one by one at the tip of her fingers. "God has bestowed upon me a special ability, and He has dered me as His Chosen One as a reward for my devotion to Him."


    With that, Anna waved her hand, and the five licks of me fell onto the gasoline on the ground. The green putrid tinge spread out, and the flickering green light reflected in Anna''s eyes.


    In the eyes of everyone present, she was like a phoenix that had just been reborn from the ashes. They could hardly believe that the woman before them could actually manifest and manipte mes; they weren''t ordinary mes as well.


    It was a scene that one could only see in movies, but it had manifested in reality.


    Their doubts vanished in an instant upon witnessing the awe-inspiring sight. At this moment, there was only one thought in their mind¡ªif the god of this church could bestow such an ability upon the high priestess, He could surely bestow it upon them as well!


    There was truly a god out there! The sense of unity among the followers of Anna''s religion reached unprecedented heights.


    Just then, Anna waved her hand, and the green mes returned to her fingertips before disappearing as if they had never manifested in the first ce. After sweeping an arrogant gaze across the others, she turned around and walked away.


    Li Lu, acting as her secretary, was about to follow Anna, but thetter stopped her.


    Anna then ordered Li Lu to take advantage of the followers'' high morale to kickstart the next phase of the n. Li Lu then proceeded to gather everyone and teach them seamanship.


    Resonant footsteps reverberated as Anna walked down the basement on her bare feet. A few beeps echoed, and the heavy iron door opened slowly. As soon as Anna walked into the room, she staggered and copsed to the ground, breathing in ragged pants.


    The ufortable sensation was still there. The tingling and stabbing pain pierced even her bones, making her feel like dying. Clearly, the sacrificial ritual was pointing to a god that was unlike Fhtagn¡ªa god that demanded more than just offerings in exchange for His blessing.


    Anna trembled as she pulled back her sleeve, revealing the inner side of her right arm. It was the same arm that she had used to control those mes. The flesh on her arm had taken on the same putrid hue as those mes, but her arm was also covered in blisters and was actually rotting as well.


    The scorched and fist-sized dark green wounds were intertwined with bizarre green licks of me.


    Inside the pitch-ck basement, Anna''s arm was like a green candle, dimly illuminating everything around her.


    Anna''s delicate face beneath the green light reflected grit as she gnashed her teeth to withstand both the pain and the iprehensible, maddening roars that had been guing her from the very beginning of her endeavor.


    Anna was in no rush to turn on the lights and simply waited quietly for the roars to disappear. Charles had experienced something like this, and from his experience, Anna knew that the torment wouldn''tst that long.


    Two hourster, the voices in her ears became faint enough for her to ignore them. She finally stood up and turned on the lights.


    Soon, a naked Annay in a white bathtub, washing away the fatigue and cold sweat. She raised her right arm and observed it, including everything extra in her arm. The tingling and stabbing pain had weakened drastically since then.


    With a will on Anna''s end, green mes appeared at her fingertips. She flicked them lightly at the nearby mirror, and the standing mirror was reduced to ashes in just a mere second.


    ss was made by melting a mixture of natural materials at high temperatures, but the bizarre green mes actually managed to reduce it to mere ashes upon contact.


    One could only imagine the consequences if these mes made contact with human flesh. Recalling the terrifying ordeal, Anna muttered to herself, "It''s effective, but I can''t keep doing that ritual. I am no longer a Dioite; I''m a mere human being now. My mind and fleshly body are far too fragile to withstand such sacrifices in the long term.


    "If I were to ept too many blessings from the Primordial Fire, my body would definitely copse."


    However, Anna had no regrets about the condition of her arm. She no longer felt as uneasy as before, and it was all thanks to that special ability. Power reigned supreme everywhere in the world. Without power, she was like a piece of meat on a chopping board, and she''d be at the mercy of others.


    Anna closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of the water gliding over her skin as she began to n her next steps.


    Anna had never been to a ce like the surface world, and the difference between her personality and Charles'' personality led to her making vastly different choicespared to thetter if he were in her shoes.


    Anna''s top priority was to establish a stable foothold here. If she couldn''t even stand firm on her own feet here, searching for the Subterranean Sea would be meaningless.


    Sacrificial rituals were not feasible for the long term; she had to find other ways to be even stronger.


    The Subterranean Sea had quite a few forbidden knowledge, and they all shed through Anna''s mind. Unfortunately, they weren''t that easy to make use of. After all, the materials and relicsmonly seen in the Subterranean Sea were virtually impossible to find on the surface world.


    Anna needed something that was avable in both the Subterranean Sea and the surface world, and it had to be capable of affecting the human body. Something like that was incredibly rare, so Anna had to carefully ponder over her next steps.

 Chapter 891: Ship

    Lost in thought, Anna''s fair arm dropped limply as she fell asleep. The earlier struggle with maddening roars had left her mentally exhausted. In her dreams, whatever she saw made her lips curve slightly upward into a charming smile.


    Outside, Wang Sheng had just finished his speech to the new recruits. Under his guidance, everyone uniformly removed their clothing, and they gave up all of their electronic devices.


    Everyone was then informed of the church''s code of conduct and their uing duties, which included a variety of chores.


    Wang Sheng''s words didn''t cause any waves among the new recruits. The miraculous scene earlier had convinced them thoroughly. If even the false religions around the world had quite a few followers, how could a <em>real</em> religion with a real god not have any followers?


    Roy was included in the crowd. After taking another shower, the grime all over him was nowhere to be seen, and he had shaved all of his facial hair as well. His musty clothes were reced with brand-new ones.


    The biggest change was in his demeanor. If before his eyes had shown only despair, now they held extreme yearning. Roy seemed to have been reborn.


    He followed Elder Wang Sheng''s guidance and ate a full meal before retiring to the dormitory to conserve his energy for tomorrow''s dedication.


    It waste at night, and moonlight streamed through the window, hitting the small mirror in Roy''s hand. Roy was staring at himself in the mirror, and he was muttering something to himself. Soon, Roy''s overall demeanor changed.


    There was a reason Roy was the top agent of the organization. In addition to his wide range of skills, Roy was also capable of hypnotizing himself.Once he was in character, he couldpletely merge with his fabricated persona, and it was a change that even lie detectors couldn''t detect. This special ability of his was the reason he managed to infiltrate so many dangerous organizations throughout his career.


    Roy thought that his years of experience had shown him everything, but reflecting on today''s events still left him bewildered.


    Regardless of their doctrines, Roy had categorized the leaders of the organizations he had infiltrated so far into three categories¡ªsmart people wielding Anomalies as weapons, twisted psychopathsmitting cruel and unusual acts under the guise of religion, and fools worshiping Anomalies as gods.


    Whatever they believed was merely a means to an end. There were no gods in this world, and the so-called gods were born from poor acting of frauds and con artists.


    However, today''s events actually made Roy feel like his worldview was being challenged. He tried to rationalize what he had seen, thinking of it as a magic trick and a part of a script.


    Unfortunately, the burn on his palm made him feel uncertain about the truth.


    When Anna had copsed earlier, he rushed forward before anyone else. As soon as his hand made contact with her skin¡ªa pain several times worse than a burn¡ªwas transmitted to him.


    It was so painful that it almost shattered his hypnosis.


    Roy had suffered burn injuries before, and it was a sensation that could not be faked so easily.


    Could it be that the woman named Anna has a controble Anomaly? Roy considered this possibility, but it seemed unlikely. After all, the bizarre array earlier that filtered those disloyal to god had shown the same green mes as Anna.


    Moreover, that bizarre circle was drawn by the other believers. Could all of them have a controble Anomaly and the same Anomaly as Anna at that? Moreover, there were also those iprehensible murmurs in his ears during the ritual.


    Roy finally understood why the headquarters had decided to lend him a Level C Controble Anomaly. It was all because this mission was unlike any other mission he had gone through before.


    The road was dangerous ahead, but Roy revealed a confident smile as he sprawled out on the bed. The certain dangers in the future hadn''t subdued him at all but had instead stoked hispetitive spirit.


    "Let''s go. Let this final performance be my closing act," Roy muttered to himself. Then, he looked at the mirror in his hand and closed his eyes.


    ***


    "All of you are reserve helmsmen, so you have to understand that steering a ship isn''t exactly like driving a car. Cars have brakes, but ships don''t," an old captain said to the ck-d believers before him, "Regardless of what''s ahead of you, the ocean''s current will keep pushing the ship forward."


    "If you''re in a car and you somehow get into an ident, other people can rescue you, or you can save yourself as well. You''re on solid ground, after all. However, it''s not that easy when ites to idents out at sea.


    "Imagine this¡ªthere''s nothing around you, but your ship is sinking. What can you do? Nothing. You can''t do anything other than wait for your demise. So you need to be extremely observant while working on a ship. You need to pay attention to the details; attention to detail, attention to detail, and more attention to detail.


    "Helsmen cannot make any mistakes, especially on the open sea. Any error can easily snowball into casualties. You''ve heard of <em>the Titanic</em>, right? Don''t let your ship be the second <em>Titanic</em>.


    "Ah, one more thing¡ªif you do encounter an iceberg, remember not to turn the helm; just hit it straight, and the ship probably won''t sink."


    Roy was sitting in the front row, and his expression was solemn. It looked like he was trying to show everyone that he was doing his best to perform duties for the Fhtagn Covenant.


    "Wait, there''s another important point that all of you must remember¡ªout at sea, the captain''s words are absolute. Humans are like social animals¡ªlike wolves, and in an enclosed space like a ship, there must be an alpha among the wolves.


    "Never challenge the captain''s authority out at sea. And the captain must maintain control of the ship at all times, or the ship will definitely fall into chaos.


    "In an enclosed space out at sea, every single emotion¡ªwhether good or bad¡ªis contagious. Trust me, you don''t want to see the horrors that are bound to transpire on a ship without any rules orws," the old captain said. Then, he shuddered as if he had recalled something.


    Just as he was about to start the ss, the door opened, and Li Long walked into the room.


    "Our new ship has arrived at the port. The High Priestess wants you to train these guys on the ship," Li Long said.


    With that, the old captain and the others were guided to several cars and brought to the docks. It took them two hours to reach the port, and they were dumbfounded to see a massive ocean liner upon arriving at the busy port.


    The ocean liner towered about fourteen stories from the waterline. Roy and the others looked like mice as they looked up at the massive ship.


    "You''re kidding, right? This is such a massive ship, and they''re making you sail this thing? Are they trying to die here? Please tell me you''ve decided to hire some professionals here," the old captain said.


    His brows were furrowed tightly. Clearly, he didn''t believe that his students¡ªwho had just begun learning the rudiments of seamanship and navigation¡ªcould sail an ocean liner.

 Chapter 892: Others

    The footsteps of thendlubbers learning to sail reverberated as they stepped onto the ocean liner''s deck. They cast excited gazes at the enormous vessel, and it couldn''t be helped¡ªit was their first time on a ship, after all.


    The foredeck of therge ocean liner was roughly half the size of a football field. The cabins of the ocean liner stood four stories high, and the ship''s bridge was curved, making it appear like the colossal eye of the ship.


    Everyone could barely contain their excitement at the thought that the High Priestess was going to let them sail such a magnificent vessel.


    Their tutor, an old ship captain, came along as well. His face revealed indifference, but his gleaming eyes betrayed him. His eyes were filled with adoration as he sized up the ship.


    Everyone had something they genuinely loved; some loved guns, some loved fishing, but Roger undoubtedly liked ships and everything rted to it


    "Young man, let me ask you something¡ªare you really going to let this motley riffraff sail this ship? That''s so dangerous that it''s practically suicide. If you really want to go out to sea, I strongly rmend you find a qualified crew."


    Roger took a moment to clear his throat before saying, "How about this? I recently met a group of sailors. They''re old, but they''re <em>very </em>experienced, and they''ll work for half their rate in the market. You''ll save a ton of money by hiring them.


    "And I''m not exaggerating when I said ''a ton.'' I''m not sure if you know, but if you want to employ a qualified captain for an ocean liner of this size, you''ll have to pay them an amount not less than a hundred thousand dors annually.


    "And that''s just the minimum you have to fork out¡­""Sir, I''m sorry, but I have no authority when ites to making any decisions here," Roy said, shaking his head. "I suggest you discuss that with Priest Wang Sheng."


    "<em>Ah, </em>right, my mistake. Well, then, let''s continue. Everyone, follow me. We''ll take a tour around the ship first and familiarize ourselves with her," Roger said. He looked pretty eager to explore as he led everyone toward the nearby stairs.


    Roger introduced everyone to the ship''s facilities and machinery as they walked around the ship. If one wanted to be a good sailor, one had to receive systematic training, but Anna clearly had no time to waste on that.


    Three dayster, the trainees were sent to another ship to undergo anti-seasickness training. It was like hell. Everyone felt like they were constantly suffering from a high fever, dizziness, and general weakness.


    It wasn''t just Roy and his group of new recruits. Anna had also ordered everyone in the Fhtagn Covenant to undergo the same training as them. It was a miserable ordeal, but the scene when Anna received the blessing of a god was still fresh in everyone''s mind, so none of them uttered anyint.


    The ship was massive, and there was no way that the devotees alone could handle it, so Anna started recruiting people to serve as sailors for when they set sail.


    Meanwhile, Wang Sheng received a visitor inside a seemingly empty suburban church. The visitor was none other than Roger. "I''m sorry, Mr. Roger. Though your proposal is tempting, we don''t need to hire other captains for the time being."


    "You''re not hiring other captains? Are you really going to rely on those rookies who can''t even stop vomiting over the railings?" Roger asked with widened eyes.


    "Don''t worry about them. We have our own way of doing this."


    "We''re talking about the open ocean here! The ocean isn''t a child''s yground. If something goes wrong, everyone on board will definitely die!" Roger eximed, sounding agitated.


    In the face of Wang Sheng''s calm expression, Roger was bewildered. He truly couldn''t understand what these people were thinking. They were doing things in a way that was unlike ordinary people. At first, he thought that these foreigners had simplye here to spread the gospel of their religion.


    However, he quickly realized that he was wrong. These people living in the suburbs werepletely different from the devotees of other religions. They kept to themselves, appearing particrly mysterious. They were unlike the others.


    When they visited him, Roger thought that he was about to deal with a troublesome bunch, but surprisingly, they only wanted him to train sailors. They even offered a substantial payment in exchange for his services.


    epting the offer that he could not refuse, Roger visited their territory and found the people from their church to be quite polite and serious. They seemed like an amiable and agreeable religious group.


    Thus, Roger didn''t want these good but ignorant people to go out to sea and die.


    "If you want to be on that ship, then you can juste with us. Join us in our covenant," Wang Sheng said, offering apromise.


    "I''m an atheist, so I don''t believe in any gods out there! If you''re not going to agree with my suggestion, then forget it!" Roger said, storming off in a huff.


    The training went on, and the team that would sail the ocean liner into the open sea was slowly taking shape. Meanwhile, Wang Sheng¡ªserving as Anna''s mouthpiece¡ªhad be so busy that he barely had any time to eat, let alone worry about his blond hair.


    The newly grown ck hair on his head made his blond hair stand out, giving him an odd hairstyle featuring blond hair with some ck strands of hair interweaving the blond hair.


    Wang Sheng was eating a cup of instant noodles inside his messy room. His eyes reflected the digits and texts on the distant LCD monitors. The cogs in his mind were turning rapidly as he thought about his next course of action.


    "<em>Master~! You have a call~</em>" A young voice abruptly reverberated in the room, and it wasing from a phone lying in a pile of what looked like white powder.


    Forcefully swallowing the noodles in his mouth, Wang Sheng picked up the phone and tapped on it. When he saw the number on the screen, his face turned ugly, as if he had swallowed a fly. The number belonged to none other than his father.


    He almost threw the phone away, but he forced himself to calm down upon recalling Anna''s words.


    "Hello? Who is this?" Wang Sheng barely managed to squeeze these words out of his throat amidst his ugly grimace.


    "It''s me." Wang Jianshe''s deep voice echoed from the phone. "The people I recruited from Cuba will reach you soon. Get ready to leave."


    Wang Sheng nearly exploded with fury upon hearing that. His fingers trembled, and he almost crushed the phone as he asked through gritted teeth. "<em>You''re </em>making decisions for me again?! You''ve been doing that since I was young. Have you ever asked me for my own opinion before making any decisions for me?"


    "Is this the time to talk about that? That woman is dangerous! Do you want to die out there, huh?!"


    "So what if I die out here? At least, it was a choice I made myself! Mind your own business, and go make your own money! Don''t you have a ton of bitches around you? Can''t you make another son with any of them?


    "Why are you so obsessed with me?!"


    "What can you even do without me, you worthless piece of garbage?! How are you going to face your mother if you keep doing this?"


    "You actually don''t feel disgusted with yourself by mentioning her? Do you really think that I don''t know how she died? I was young back then, yes, but I wasn''t stupid!"


    The air between the father and son instantly became thick with hostility. Just then, some voices in the background reverberated from Wang Jianshe''s end.


    "Mr. Wang¡­. you shouldn''t¡­. say that. It''s¡­. counterproductive. You should..."

 Chapter 893: Setting Sail

    "What the fuck?! Who''s there?!" Wang Sheng eximed into the phone.


    Wang Jianshe didn''t answer his question and remained silent for a while. When he spoke once again, his voice sounded unusually calm and mellow as he said, "She didn''t do anything to you, did she? Are you injured?"


    His sudden change in attitude left Wang Sheng confused. He had the urge to end the call unterally, but he didn''t do that in the end.


    Touching the bullet hole in his ear, Wang Sheng replied, "No, I''m one of the leaders here. No one can do anything to me here."


    "That''s great. And what do you do every day?"


    "I manage the members of our congregation and handle a variety of misceneous tasks. Actually, managing a religion is not much different from managing apany. You''re surprised, aren''t you? The things you forced me to learn are finally proving useful to me."


    Upon realizing that the air between them was no longer thick with hostility, Wang Sheng attempted to change his father''s mind.


    "Stop it with that holier-than-thou attitude, all right? If it weren''t for the fact that you were lucky enough to catch the trend, your business empire wouldn''t be here today. You just got lucky; that''s all. It has nothing to do with your abilities.


    "What I''m doing right now is the same as what you''ve done. I''m here to catch the next trend and invest in it. I''m sure you won''t understand it today, but you''ll eventually understand once I stand before you as a sessful man.""Getting involved in a cult is an investment in your eyes? I don''t see anything positive in getting involved in a cult," Wang Jianshe retorted.


    "Just because you haven''t experienced something does not mean that it doesn''t happen. And there are things that you will never understand until you''ve experienced it first-hand," Wang Sheng said.


    Then, he recounted the time when Anna received a god''s blessing.


    "Do you understand what that means?" Wang Sheng appeared agitated as he added, "That''s not something that can be bought with any amount of money! And it''s not something that an ordinary person like you will understand!"


    "So what if that nonsense is real? Hasn''t humanity invented methrowers or even lighters many years ago? And is that even feasible as a weapon? Is it faster than a gun?"


    "Old codger, are you really ignorant to the near-infinite possibilities of what I said, or are you just pretending to be ignorant? This is just the beginning. That green me has proven that she hasn''t lied!


    "And she has promised me immortality! Now, tell me, are you really not tempted? Even at the slightest?" Wang Sheng asked.


    However, the other end of the line went silent, and no more noises could be heard.


    "Hello? Are you still there? If not, then I''m hanging up. Tomorrow''s the ship''s trial voyage, so I need to be there early," Wang Sheng said. He then checked the phone and saw that the call was still ongoing.


    Several secondster, Wang Jianshe''s voice echoed. "Why don''t we make a bet? If she can help you quit your drug addiction, I''ll believe her words, and I will help you with your investment.


    "Since she can grant even immortality, then it should be easy for her to make you quit that stuff, right?"


    There was radio silence from both sides, and no noises could be heard except for their breathing. Five minutester, Wang Sheng ended the call without responding to Wang Jianshe''s proposal.


    Wang Sheng''s thoughts were inscrutable as he stared quietly at the white powder next to him.


    The next day, the trial voyage was a sess.


    Soon, it was time for them to set sail, as the Fhtagn Covenant''s assets had all been moved onto the ship. The ocean liner could amodate roughly three thousand people, so it had more than enough space for the entire congregation.


    Roger finally got his wish to be the ship''s captain, as Anna had appointed him directly to his position.


    Anna truly couldn''t let a group of novices man an ocean liner that would soon traverse the open sea and recruited his crew as well. There were no more issues with the sailing and navigation, but the devotees thought differently.


    "High Priestess, why did we let them on board? They''re not members of our congregation. Won''t this make things inconvenient for uster?" Li Lu asked Anna with her head lowered.


    Anna was wearing a dark red robe, and her lips curved slightly upward as she stared at the grinning old captain in the distance. Roger was busy with the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and he was all smiles at the thought of manning the helm of such a magnificent ship.


    "He''s not going to have many choices out at sea," Anna replied.


    Once everything was ready, Roger, dressed in new clothes, walked up to Anna. He was polite and formal before his employer. "High Priestess, what''s the name of this ship?"


    Anna examined the massive ship and pondered briefly for a few seconds before replying, "Narwhale."


    Before her words could finish echoing through the air, the cover on the ship''s hull was pulled away, revealing the characters that said, "Narwhale."


    "Excellent! A fine name for a fine ship! Like a true narwhale, may she sail freely and keep moving forward across the vast ocean!" Roger dered.


    He had never thought that he''d have another chance to set sail. Having obtained the opportunity to man the Narwhale, Roger no longer had any regrets; his life was nowplete.


    Meanwhile, Wang Sheng seemed unaffected by Roger''s excitement. He seemed to have noticed something important and asked, "High Priestess, where are we going?"


    "We''re going to the Indian Ocean," Anna replied. Then, she turned around and walked into the cabin without offering any exnations.


    Everyone present was puzzled by the choice of destination, and they had no idea why Anna had chosen an entire ocean as their destination rather than a city or a port.


    "Old Roger, what''s in the Indian Ocean? They''re not going fishing there with this fine ship, are they?" Leonard asked. He was Roger''s friend and was a former first mate of another vessel.


    Roger was bewildered as well, but he was employed as a captain, and he resolved toplete the task that his employer had assigned to him. As the captain, there was only one thing he had to do. "Let''s stop the nonsense and get to work!"


    As the Narwhale''s first helmsman, Roy was feeling quite nervous as he gripped the steering wheel and waited for the captain and his men to n their route.


    He had just learned their destination, and he stared at his own reflection in the ss, falling into contemtion. The Indian Ocean? It would take a considerable amount of time to cross such a massive ocean.


    In other words, Roy had many opportunities to make a move.


    It had been a while since he infiltrated the congregation, and it was about time he made a move. His expression and demeanor were gradually changing as he stared at his own reflection in the ss.


    The ship''s horn sounded, and the massive Narwhale left the wharf slowly, heading toward the open sea that stretched out like a blue carpet before everyone.


    The fact that he became the first helmsman of the Narwhale meant that he was pretty talented. Truth be told, it was indeed the case, as Roy learned the fastest and performed the best among his peers.


    People like Roy would always be the favorite students of teachers, and Captain Roger had be pretty fond of Roy as well.


    "See this? This is the AIS. I''m sure I already told you what it does."


    "Yes, AIS stands for Automatic identification system. The helmsman must prioritize the AIS and ensure that it stays on at all times. The AIS enhances the vessel''s collision avoidance systems, strengthens the radar''s ARPA, supplements the ship traffic management system, and streamlines the ship reporting systems."


    "Correct." Roger nodded in approval. "It''s like we''re always connected to the Inte, and the other vessels are always aware of our position. It''s all thanks to the AIS. It will save many lives in case of an ident at sea, so it must be turned on at all times, do you understand?"


    "Understood!" Roy eximed.


    "Roy, I''ve been curious for quite a while now. Have you served in the military? I noticed that your habits are strikingly simr to soldiers," Roger asked.


    "Yes, I served in Iraq," Roy replied. Then, his expression immediately darkened as if he had recalled something unpleasant.


    Just as the old captain was about to say something, the door to the bridge was flung open, and several people in ck robes rushed into the bridge. They turned off the AIS and removed it from the instrument panel.

 Chapter 894: Dream

    Roy gripped the helm, his eyes anxiously watching the ajar door to the bridge. The old captain had been gone for quite a while now, and he was arguing with the ck-d devotees.


    Howe he hadn''t returned yet? Were they fighting?


    Roy nced behind him and saw the white-haired first mate and the second mate speaking in hushed tones. Their apparent cautiousness made the atmosphere in the bridge even more solemn.


    Just then, the door burst open, and Captain Roger of the Narwhale stormed into the bridge.


    "Old buddy, how did it go? Did you manage to convince those amateurs to reactivate the AIS?" the first mate asked.


    "Does my face look like I seeded? <em>Hmph!</em> They im that it''s their rule, and we just have to follow it. Those people are insane! I''ve been sailing for so many years, but I''ve never heard of such an outrageous demand. If I had known that they''d do something like this, I wouldn''t have agreed even for ten times the pay!"


    The AIS had just been developed in the 1990s, which was just a short time ago, but it had drastically reduced the number of maritime idents and navigational errors.


    In other words, no sailor would sail without the AIS, but Roger had just encountered people who didn''t want to use it.


    "What do we do? How about we report them to the coast guard? It is mandatory for ships over five hundred tons to have AIS installed and turned on at all times.""You actually want to report your employer?" Roger red sarcastically at the speaker. "How clever of you. That head of yours sure is full of brilliant ideas. I think the president should step down and let you take over."


    "Well, we have to find a way."


    Roger ran his hand over the gleaming instrument panel, and his eyes were full of reluctance as he said, "What else can we do here? We''ll just sail like this for now. It should be fine. We just have to be a bit more cautious and work a bit harder.


    "After some time, I''ll try and convince them again."


    Roger was an old captain who had seen enough of the world, and his heart had long been tempered enough not to falter in a trivial matter like this. Compared to what he had seen out at sea, a ship with no AIS was indeed a trivial matter.


    Roger wasn''t angry at the fact that they wanted the AIS disabled. He was furious at the fact that they had challenged his authority at sea. Just then, he recalled something and turned to the wall clock. Then, he looked at Roy at the helm.


    "It''s already sote, so why are you still on duty?" he asked Roy.


    "They came earlier to take over, but I''m feeling fine, so I told them just to take over the next shift."


    "What nonsense is that? Are you really that eager to show off? Listen, everything that happens on a ship must adhere to the protocols. The resting and working hours of helmsmen must be consistent.


    An exhausted helmsman must not man the helm!"


    "Go and call over the next helmsman! If this happens again, I''m docking your pay!" Roger warned.


    Roy reluctantly left the bridge. He liked the feeling of manning the helm, as he felt like everyone''s fate was in his hands. He liked the thought that he was contributing greatly to the Fhtagn Covenant, as it was making him feel like he was someone important.


    Roy believed that the greater his contributions, the greater the chances that the congregation would resurrect his daughter. Descending the steel staircase, Roy pondered over his performance at work while heading to his sleeping quarters.


    The massive ocean liner could amodate many people, and it was big enough for a Fhtagnist to have their own private room. Roy soon reached his own residence; it was just a five-square-meter cabin. Small, but it was his own private domicile.


    Over the next few days, Roy performed his duties diligently, and he was punctual at every single prayer session. He also participated in everything. He was somitted that if he were to im to be the second most dedicated person aboard, no one would dare to im first.


    <em>Hooonk!</em>


    The Narwhale''s horn flitted across the clear skies as she cut through the tumultuous waves of the open sea.


    Roy was seated in a chair bolted to the deck, and his expression was solemn as he read a book about marine navigation. He was reading a section of the book that contained information about a first mate''s duties.


    Clearly, Roy was not satisfied with just being a helmsman. He wanted to contribute more to the congregation. Roy became engrossed in his reading, and he continued reading until well into the night when everyone except the night crew had fallen asleep.


    Upon reaching the final page of the book, Roy found himself staring at a certain mirror. Roy''s expression and demeanor in the mirror changed gradually as his true self emerged.


    It had been quite a while since he joined the congregation, and he was finally going to make his move tonight.


    An agent absolutely had to refrain from making any movement upon having just infiltrated an organization. A new recruit would be under scrutiny, so it was the most dangerous time to make any moves.


    Fortunately, Roy had been in the congregation long enough for him to believe that any scrutinizing eyes had already left him. Roy''s years of experience were also telling him that tonight was the perfect time to make a move.


    He pulled the small wooden sculpture glued to the table before him and pocketed it. Then, he began nning his next course of action.


    After an unknown amount of time, Roy finally left his room, and he walked in his pre-nned route with unhurried, calm steps. He had already created a map that would lead to Anna''s quarters, and he had already memorized the patrol patterns of the night crew.


    With all of those variables in mind, Roy came to a conclusion¡ªnow was the time.


    Undetected, Roy arrived at a storage room located three decks diagonally below Anna''s domicile. This particr storage room was just within the range of the controble anomaly''s influence, so this was the perfect ce to use it.


    Of course, Roy had prepared a contingency n in case someone stumbled upon him here while he was in the middle of his mission. Roy opened one of the storage room''s cabs and retrieved a bottle of alcohol from it.


    He opened it and poured some of the brown liquid into the bottle cap before taking a small sip of the liquor. His face revealed satisfaction, and then he continued taking sips as his right hand slipped into his pocket.


    "Hm, how do I perform the Level A2 mental training again?" Roy pondered briefly over it before focusing entirely on his right hand. Eventually, he was consumed by darkness, and he seemed to have be a floating eye.


    He looked around and saw colorful clouds of mist. Roy was sure that each of the mists represented someone''s dream. Recalling his n, Roy located Anna''s dream and went straight into the mist.


    When Roy came to his senses, he found himself in what seemed to be a cabin inside an old, derelict ship. The flickering lights were dim, and he could hear rats scurrying across the floor.


    "Where am I?" Roy instinctively wondered. A dream was usually constructed of someone''s past experiences, but the swaying, the dim wallmps, and the extremely basic furnishings told Roy that he wasn''t inside a modern ship.

 Chapter 895: Turn of Events

    It was a strange and bizarre dream, but Roy didn''t immediately go looking for Anna. He looked around his cabin and found a porthole. He pushed it open and peered outside.


    The outside world seemed to describe the word "chaos" perfectly. It was pitch-ck, and there seemed to be something within the abyss-like darkness that made Roy instinctively look away from it.


    For some reason, he couldn''t stare at it directly.


    "Where am I? And why is it so dark here? If it''s night, there ought to be stars in the sky, so where are they? Are they missing because they''re not part of Anna''s dreams?" Roy pondered over his questions for a few seconds before setting them aside.


    He had no time to think over anything at the moment, as he had a limited amount of time to gather as much information about Anna as possible.


    Roy carefully approached a door and pulled it open gently. He immediately froze upon seeing what was outside. There was an indescribable cluster of fluorescent green tentacles riddled with green eyeballs inside a room the size of a ssroom.


    However, Roy was more horrified by the monster''s behaviorpared to its appearance. The horrifying monster was actually using its tentacles to stack wooden toys on top of each other.


    Roy backed away slowly and closed the door as gently as possible. He was beyond pallid, and his mind struggled to process what he had just witnessed.


    "Is the anomaly they gave me really controble? Wait, what if it''s out of control now?" Roy reached the only conclusion that could exin the sight he had just seen. Everyone''s dreams were made out of their past experiences, so howe there was a monster in Anna''s dreams?"Could that thing actually be real?" Roy shivered at the thought of it alone. No way. There was no way that monster existed in reality. Perhaps the monster was a manifestation of some trauma Anna had experienced some time ago.


    Roy knew that his exnation was forced, but he had no choice but to believe it and calm himself down. It didn''t matter whether the sight he had witnessed was real or not, as he just had to report it to the headquarters upon his return tond.


    Roy turned and soon found another door. He approached it slowly and carefully opened just a crack in the door, but his pupils immediately constricted to needle points.


    The room beyond the wall was massive, but it was filled with nothing but a mountain of human corpses.


    The confident and calm Roy quivered like an aspen tree as he closed the door with trembling hands. He turned to the final door in the distance, and fear crept into his heart. The urge to leave immediately pervaded his mind.


    He wasn''t inside an ordinary human''s dream. Roy felt like he had fallen into someone''s trap.


    The confidence that he had just moments ago had vanishedpletely. He had invaded someone''s dream, so he was supposed to be in control of this dreamscape, but now, he felt like he had stepped into a horror movie.


    Anna''s dream was far too bizarrepared to the dreams of ordinary people. To make matters worse, Roy had yet to find Anna herself.


    However, Roy didn''t leave. His spirit as a professional drove him forward. This was going to be his final mission, and he wanted his record to remain pristine at the very end.


    "Find Anna and deduce her motives through her behavior inside her dream. For now, I''m not going to alter her dream to obtain more information. I''ll just do that next time."


    Having made up his mind, Roy stood up and gathered his courage to move forward. He walked up to the final door, but he didn''t even push it open. He put his right eye over the keyhole to peek inside.


    A tentacle covered in ck scales slid past the keyhole, and the sight of it sent a shiver down Roy''s spine. When the obstructing tentacle finally moved away, Roy pped his eye on an eerie scene.


    The ocean was on the other side of the door, and two horrifying-looking monsters were entangled with each other in the ink-green seawater.


    One of the monsters seemed to be an octopus covered in ck scales with a massive blood-red eye grafted onto its body. The mere sight of it made Roy quiver in fear.


    The other monster was a wriggling clump of flesh made out of deformed organs, bizarre-looking appendages, and writhing mechanical parts. The two monsters were wrapped around each other in a fight.


    Their monstrous maws gaped, and they tore at each other''s flesh with their razor-sharp teeth.


    Roy''s mind couldn''t quite process the sight before him, and before he could even begin toprehend it, the monsters turned and attempted to engulf the other with their maws.


    Their teeth shattered, and blood sttered in the air. One of the two monsters seemed to have emerged victorious as it tore off the maw of the other monster and devoured it in one fell swoop.


    "W-w-what are these?! W-w-where''s Anna? Where''s the dreamer? Where''s Anna? Could it be..." Roy trailed off, and he began trembling uncontrobly.


    Just then, the two monsters came to an abrupt halt. One of them turned, and their bright yellow eye with a cross-shaped pupil red fiercely at Roy through the keyhole!


    "This is bad! She noticed me!"


    The dreamscape copsed in an instant. When Roy came to his senses, he found himself back in the storage room.


    Having no time to think, Roy grabbed the bottle in his hand and ran toward his domicile, but before he could even get there, an rm reverberated, startling everyone from their sleep.


    "The High Priestess has ordered everyone to assemble on the foredeck!"


    Thirty minutester, everyone on the Narwhale gathered on the foredeck, and they stared at the woman before them with confusion and trepidation.


    The majority of them were wondering about the reason behind the sudden order to assemble, but neither Wang Sheng nor anyone else dared to speak. They could clearly see that the High Priestess was in an extremely bad mood.


    Anna''s chest rose and fell as she breathed in ragged pants. She was so furious that she felt like a fire had engulfed her heart. Right now, all she wanted to do was to find the person daring enough to invade her dream and tear them to pieces!


    Anna had lost her special abilities and had be a mere human, but as a former Dioite, she had enough experience to tell if someone had invaded her dream. In addition, there was no way that terrified gaze belonged to her dream.


    In other words, there was a traitor on her ship, and she had to find them, regardless of their employer. Having burned that gaze into her mind, Anna walked among the crowd and scanned the faces of each individual.


    Anna got closer and closer to Roy as she examined the crown. When her gaze swept across Roy''s slightly lowered head, she paused in her steps and said, "Raise your head."


    Roy was instantly nervous upon hearing that. After a brief yet seemingly endless one second, Roy raised his head, and his eyes showed no other emotions except for a pleading that bordered on begging.


    "High Priestess, can you resurrect my daughter first? If you bring her back to life, I''m willing to give you everything¡ªeverything that I have! T-there''s only one thing I want to say to her.


    "I want to tell her that I was wrong and that I was sick. I should have gone to the hospital and worked with the doctors for my treatment. If it weren''t for my stubbornness, she would still be alive today!"


    Anna stared at Roy''s desperate face and revealed an exaggerated grin. "That was a very convincing act; you almost had me fooled."

 Chapter 896: Traitor

    Roy revealed a look of surprise upon hearing Anna''s words.


    "High Priestess, what do you mean?" Roy asked, sounding respectful.


    Anna didn''t bother exining. She gestured with her chin, tilting it slightly, and a group of people on standby nearby rushed forward, forcing Roy down to the floor.


    "High Priestess, w-w-what''s going on?! I haven''t done anything¡­!" Roy stammered with a face that showed extreme terror.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A putrid green me manifested over Anna''s palm. As she brought it closer to Roy''s face, thetter struggled violently against the people around him.


    "W-w-wait, stop! What are you doing?!"


    The old captain still arranging his clothes upon being summoned from out of nowhere rushed over to Roy with several of his personally recruited crew members following behind him.


    He froze upon seeing the green me over Anna''s palm, but he quickly regained hisposure and said, "I''m the captain of this ship! I don''t care what you''re trying to do here, but you have to stop now!"Anna''s right hand moved slightly, and the green me moved an inch to the right.


    The fabric of Roy''s clothes on his abdomen was singed, and his face contorted in agony as he screamed.


    "Stop it! Do you not hear me?!" the old captain roared. He raised his right hand, whipping out his pistol and aiming it at Anna. The crew members behind him made the same move.


    Upon seeing that someone was threatening the life of their precious High Priestess, the devotees rushed forward to stand in front of Anna.


    A tense air hung above everyone as the situation came to a standstill.


    The devotees had no weapons, except for Li Long, who pulled out a dagger from his pocket, but they had the numerical advantage. If things were to go violent, Roger''s side would definitely lose.


    Roger was aware of that as well, but he hadn''t whipped out his gun tomit suicide. His goal was to secure an escape route. "Give me a lifeboat. I''m done working with you!"


    These people were just pretending to be kind and amiable; they were actually cultists! Roger could still turn a blind eye to the fact that they had the AIS removed, but this one was different¡­ they were trying to kill someone!


    Only God knew what they were going to do next, and Roger had no ns of sticking around to find out.


    "Captain, you and your men can just return to your quarters. This is a private affair of our congregation. Since you don''t wish to be one of us, then you''d better not get involved," Li Lu warned from the side.


    "Not get involved? If I don''t get involved, who can say for sure that I won''t be next?"


    "<em>Heh,</em> do you really think that you can leave this ship alive?" Anna remarked.


    The devotees stepped forward in unison.


    However, the veteran captain Roger remainedpletely calm in the face of Anna''s threat. "We''re in international waters. There is no way you can sail this ship without me and my crew. Kill us all, and all of you are going to die as well."


    "Don''t be so sure of yourself. It''s just sailing a ship¡ªI actually have that knowledge in my memories. Plus, I can just turn on the AIS and contact the coast guard using the satellite phone."


    "No way you''re going to do that. A ship full of cultists¡­ you''re obviously not out here just to party. You''re definitely nning on doing something illegal, and if you''re willing to be rescued in the first ce, you wouldn''t have had the AIS disabled when we set sail," Roger replied.


    "<em>Haaa,</em> you''re really boring. I hate boring people the most," Anna remarked.


    Just as she was about to make a move, Roy rushed forward and stood between them. He turned to Roger and said, "Captain, can you let me handle this issue myself? There must be some kind of misunderstanding here, so please just go back to your quarters."


    Then, Roy turned to Anna and anxiously asked, "High Priestess, can you tell me why? Why do you want to kill me?"


    Anna''s gaze moved slowly from the old captain to Roy.


    Roy lookedpletely innocent; he was just like any other devotee.


    Annapared Roy''s eye with the eye that she had seen in her dream. Actually, Anna was not a hundred percent certain that the eye belonged to Roy. She''d only seen one eye, after all.


    However, Anna believed that just a bit of doubt was enough for her to make a move. In addition, she wasn''t really a Mary Sue, so there was no need for her to worry about harming an innocent individual.


    "You''re still keeping this act up? Fine, since you''re so devoted to your act, then prove your innocence through your death. It''s better that way. The misunderstanding between Captain Roger and me won''t escte as well."


    Roy''s pupils constricted into needle points at Anna''s suggestion, and his voice quavered as he replied, "But High Priestess... I can''t die yet. My daughter hasn''t been saved yet. I have to bring her back to life.


    "It''s my life''s mission, and I mustplete it."


    "Sure. I''ll resurrect your daughter even if you''re already dead. Do <em>it </em>now," Anna said, leaving Roy with no way out.


    "Go ahead. There are so many witnesses here, so would I really go back on my word?"


    The old captain saw Roy''s hesitation, and his beard trembled as he was about to say something. Before he could open his mouth to speak, however, Roy made up his mind.


    Roy pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and held it out to Anna with trembling hands. The piece of paper contained the portrait of a young girl.


    "High Priestess, this is what my daughter looks like," Roy sounded extremely reluctant as he said, "Her name is Stewart[1]. I won''t be here to witness her resurrection, so please make sure you resurrect the right person."


    Anna epted the paper, and Roy looked as if he had finally aplished his final task in life. He grabbed the dagger in Li Long''s hand and aimed it at his own chest.


    "Please send her to my ex-wife''s home. Her phone number, and her address are still in my phone."


    The young girl in the drawing was adorable, and an innocent smile tugged at her lips. The sight of her made Anna remember her own daughter¡ªSparkle.


    Roy pressed the dagger into his chest, and his blood instantly stained his shirt. He had to be in agony, but he showed no pain. Instead, a relieved smile suffused his lips.


    "My dear daughter, you have a sinful father. I died inside a long time ago. If my death will allow me to atone for my sins, then it would be¡­ great."


    Roy''s sincere smile caught Anna''s attention¡ªthe paternal love in his smile was so pure and sincere. As a mother herself, Anna could tell that the emotion in Roy''s eyes was absolutely genuine.


    Roy pressed harder with his hand, and his face instantly went pallid as a copious amount of blood sttered onto the deck.


    Just as Roy was about to drive the dagger into his heart, Anna crumpled the paper in her hand and threw it at his feet. "Enough, you''ve proven your innocence. Doctor,e here and treat him."


    1. I''m sure you''ve seen Roy shouting the word Mia in Chapter 889, but it seems Roy settled on Stewart as the final name of his daughter ?

 Chapter 897: Search

    At Anna''smand, the doctors among the devotees rushed forward. They lifted Roy onto a stretcher bed and hoisted him toward the surgery room on the ship.


    The metallic tang of blood still permeated the air as Anna swept her eyes over the remaining followers. Roy had yet to clear himself of the suspicion but the chances of him being the traitor had lowered significantly.


    Since he wasn''t the traitor, then the spy had to be among those who remained on the deck. The thought of some unknown spy lurking on her own ship with the ability to spy on her innermost thoughts set Anna''s nerves on edge.


    No matter who nted this agent, she had to root that person out as soon as possible.


    "My fellow brethren! Just moments ago, someone tried to dismantle the ranks of God''s servants. That snake is among us, and we must find him. From this moment, everyone must surrender allmunication devices. Until we find the traitor, no one is allowed contact with the outside world!"


    Though the followers felt slightly ufortable about surrendering their electronic devices, the authority of Anna''s words prevailed. They slowly fished out their electronic devices and ced them on the table before Anna.


    As soon as all of them had surrendered their devices, they, alongside Anna, turned their gazes toward Captain Roger, who was standing stiffly by the side.


    "Why are you all staring at me? I already said¡ªI''m out!" The old captain maintained his firm stance.


    Faced with Roger''s unwavering determination, Anna chose not to confront him head-on. After all, the man still had his uses."Captain Roger," Anna said in a softened tone. "Please don''t let what happened earlier get to you. Someone tried to attack us, and we''re just taking measures to defend ourselves. There''s someone on this ship bent on causing trouble, and what we did was a means of trying to identify the person."


    "As if I''ll buy your lies! Just let me and my crew leave!" Roger spat in a firm voice. His heart was steeled. He wanted to leave. The recent events had shattered any remaining trust he might''ve had for those aboard this ship.


    Anna knew all too well that emotions were merely just tools. In negotiations, she wielded them with precision.


    Clearly realizing that Captain Roger was not one to take on any hard approaches, she had already eased the intensity of her gaze.


    "There''s no need to be so absolute, Captain Roger. You''ve been a captain for years and have extensive experience. With a role like yours, I''d think that life shouldn''t have to be so frugal¡­ Are you facing some troubles at home?"


    Anna''s keen observation had allowed her to notice the old captain''s well-worn shirt. Seeing the subtle shift in Roger''s expression, Anna shed a slight smile, knowing that she had hit the hammer on the nail.


    "Perhaps, I can help you with that. But of course¡­ that''s only if you help him first.


    "Let''s just say¡­what just happened earlier had never happened. We are still employer and employees."


    Roger eyed the followers surrounding him, and what happened earlier resurfaced in his mind. He gestured for his crew to regroup and slowly stepped back.


    "Hold on for a moment," Roger said. "Let us discuss among ourselves first."


    As Wang Sheng watched Roger retreat, he leaned close to Anna and whispered, "High Priestess, they can''t be trusted."


    Anna let out a soft chuckle. "If they can''t be trusted, can all of you be trusted? This is all about needs. I don''t need their trust. I only need them to be useful."


    Anna paused for a moment before she continued, "Let''s forget about them for now. No matter what those old fogeys do, even if they were to all jump ship, the potential damage they would cause us is minimal. The real threat is the spy hiding among us. That''s the biggest trouble.


    "If that spy brings down the entire church, everything you''re hoping for will be down the drain as well."


    Wang Sheng felt his stomach tighten as potential despair hung over him. He felt like his future was slipping into the danger zone.


    "Understood! I''ll make sure we find him!"


    "I''m not leaving this to you. I''ll handle it personally." Anna then pulled out a list of names¡ªfervent believers among the followers.


    Since the spy wouldn''te forward, they''d be rooting them out, piece by piece.


    The rest of the night passed in silence. By the time the sun rose, peace had returned to the Narwhale once again. However, everyone knew the momentary peace was fragile. Until the spy was found, there would be no real safety.


    There weren''t many fanatical believers; they numbered only twenty. But these twenty swore absolute loyalty to Anna.


    Like encroaching tentacles, they slowly spread out on the ship and silently sought a trace of that person who had tried to peek into Anna''s dreams.


    The ship continued her advance toward the Indian Ocean. Everything was normal on board, at least for the time being.


    In a dimly lit cabin, Roy slowly opened his eyes and silently stared at the ceiling fan turningzily above him.


    He was alive. He had actually survived that life-threatening crisis. When Anna had singled him out, he thought it was all over there and then.


    In that helpless moment, he could only take a desperate gamble. And somehow¡­ he''d won.


    Now, as hey on his bed and recalled the sequence of events, a lingering question wed at him. Why had Anna let him live?


    From the intel he had gathered over the past few days, he was certain about one thing: Anna was a mercilessly decisive woman.


    Forgoing the fact that he was actually a traitor, under those circumstances, even if there was the slightest doubt that he was the spy, he should have been dead. She wouldn''t have cared even if he was not guilty.


    So everything didn''t add up. What was the variable that made her let him off the hook?


    Roy began to mentally retrace her every move. Since he couldn''t use the Controble Anomaly to snub around her dreams anymore, he would have to look for useful intel by analyzing her actions.


    He started to rey the fragments from that tense moment before he passed out from blood loss. Suddenly, he noticed that piece of paper¡ªthe one that mentioned his "daughter."


    <em>Why did she let me off? Does she have a daughter too?</em>


    The more Roy thought about it, the more likely it seemed to be the case. Perhaps, at that moment, Anna had resonated with the story he had fabricated.


    That was her emotional weakness and he had to remember it, just so he could exploit it in the future.


    And as Roy thought of Anna, memories from the dream flooded back to him. No matter what it was in that dream, he could no longer use that Controble Anomaly any longer.


    Unlike the average ordinary person, Anna could clearly sense it when there was something amiss in her dreams. Yet, Roy had no idea if that was Anna''s innate ability or some skill she had acquired along the way.


    "What other options are there?" Roy muttered to himself, his brows furrowing. "Now that I''m on her cklist¡­ It''ll be even harder for me to make a move."


    Just as his mind ran with new ns, muffled voices rose inmotion outside the medical room.


    Not long after, he struggled to lift his head just as a doctor walked into the room. Roy recognized him immediately. He was the same doctor who had been changing his dressings these past few days. They had also exchanged a few friendly words in passing.


    "Doctor, what''s happening outside? Why is it so noisy?"


    "Great news, Roy! You''d be delighted to hear about this! Your name has been cleared!" the doctor said, his face beaming with excitement.


    "What?! How?"


    "The spy who has caught the High Priestess'' attention has been singled out!"


    Roy couldn''tprehend the situation. He had been the one who caught her attention. How could they have found someone else?


    As confusion clouded his mind, he couldn''t sit still any longer. He struggled to lift his neck and asked, "Doctor, can I go there and take a look?"


    "Look at your current state. Forget it. Get some rest first, save it for when you''ve recovered."


    "But I really want to see it with my own eyes," Roy countered as he clenched his jaws. "I want to see which bastard caused me to end up in this state."

 Chapter 898: Traitor

    Slumped in a wheelchair and with IV bags dangling on the moveable metal frame beside, Roy was being pushed to the deck by the doctor.


    Despite the doctor''s repetitive persuasion for him toy back in bed and rest or the warnings of the risk of infection and tearing his stitches, Roy remained unswayed.


    The moment he got wind that the traitor was caught, a sense of unease gnawed at his heart.


    His handler''s words came to mind¡ªthere was a fellow agent within the cult.


    <em>Has Anna caught this other agent?</em>


    The weather was great today, and the deck reflected the bright sun''s radiant rays. However, the sight that greeted Roy was far from great.


    A bloodied womany helplessly at Anna''s feet.


    "I never would have guessed that the eye in that dream actually belongs to you," Anna sneered. "Truth be told, I even suspected Wang Sheng, but I''ve never suspected you."


    Hearing the voice from above her, Li Lu''s crumpled form shifted. Trembling, she raised her head, and with evident fear in her eyes, she looked at Anna.Tears of grievance welled up in her eyes and were threatening to spill as she said, "High Priestess, I don''t understand¡­ It''s not me! I swear!"


    <em>Isn''t that the Asian woman who has always been by Anna''s side? Could she be my fellow colleague? </em>Roy''s mind raced with spections.


    "Still denying it, huh?" Anna then stepped forward to rip off the silver watch from Li Lu''s wrist. Everyone''s attention was instantly drawn to that silver watch that was now in Anna''s hand.


    Using her nail, Anna pried open the back of the watch to reveal a miniaturemunication board.


    With a twist of her fingers, she nudged a tiny dial, and the faint crackling of a hidden radio frequency sounded. This was amunication device disguised as an ordinary quartz watch.


    "Quite a fancy watch you''ve got here, with such an <em>interesting</em> feature. Care to exin what these extra features do for you?" Anna questioned.


    Li Lu''s face went pallid. She knew it was all over now. With such irrefutable evidence ced before her, nothing she said would be of any use.


    Anna slowly crouched down next to Li Lu. Her eyes glinted with an icy hostility as she stared at the caught traitor.


    "Now, talk," Anna said, her voiceced with menace. "Who sent you here, and just how did you manage to sneak into my dreams?


    "You''d better think carefully before you answer. Because your answer will determine your¡­. quality of life moving forward. Yes, quality of life."


    Li Lu closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes once more, the fear and distress in her gaze was gone. Instead, they had been reced with an unnerving calmness. She raised her head to meet Anna''s gaze.


    She dropped her voice full of grievances earlier and took on an eerilyposed tone, "I have a question. How did you find out? From your actions before, you didn''t seem to suspect me at all. This situation shouldn''t have ever happened."


    Anna was clearly curious about it herself. She turned to the smug figure of Li Long, who was standing a few steps away.


    "Li Long. Care to enlighten us? How did you happen to catch her contacting someone while she was supposedly taking a bathroom break?


    A crimson red crawled upon Li Long''s face as he feigned an embarrassed cough. "Well¡­ You know how long I''ve been cooped up on this ship, and I have my needs¡­ But High Priestess! If it weren''t for me, we wouldn''t have found the traitor, right?"


    Silence hung in the air for a few moments before realization dawned upon the crowd and they shot Li Long disgusted looks. Though they were all on the same side, it didn''t stop them from judging Li Long''s disdainful behavior. Even Wang Sheng shot him a look of disapproval.


    "Argh! Li Long, you''re even worse than a fly! What a pervert. To think you''re that thirsty enough to spy on a woman shitting."


    Li Long''s feathers were ruffled at the remark, and he immediately countered, "Hey! Fucking watch your mouth! I thought she was taking a shower, alright! I don''t have such weird kinks.


    "Just because the High Priestess put you in charge doesn''t make you the best. You didn''t find the traitor, but I managed to; that''s capability! And you? Just a junkie!"


    Before Wang Sheng could retort, Anna''s calm voice swiftly ended their argument.


    "My apologies for the unpleasant disy," Anna said and turned her gaze back to Li Lu. "Now, let''s go back to our previous topic. Who sent you here?"


    Hearing the question, Roy, who had been watching silently at the edge of the crowd, tensed up. His entire future and the difficulty of the mission ahead depended on what Li Lu would say next.


    Li Lu lowered her head and remained silent. It was clear that she was not going to reveal a single word.


    "Not willing to say anything, huh?" Anna muttered to herself, a smile of malice ying upon her lips. "I''m really sorry then. I''m really desperate to know just which organization dared send you here. If you won''t answer willingly, I''ll just have to use¡­ other methods."


    Long, sharp needles were wedged into the tender spaces beneath Li Lu''s toenails. Then, Anna raised a foot and stomped down hard on the exposed ends, forcing the needles through to the other side.


    Li Lu trembled involuntarily from the agony. Yet, she endured the torture and refused to say a single word.


    "You''d better start talking," Anna warned. "This is just a mere appetizer and can hardly count as a warm-up back in my homnd. Back there, life is just amodity, and those in power often think of many interesting and strange ways to intimidate the masses. I promise that you''re not going to enjoy the local specialties from where Ie from."


    Seeing Li Lu''s bloodied toes, Li Long couldn''t bear to watch anymore and turned his back. He could only mutter in a soft voice audible to himself, "Such a waste¡­ truly a waste."


    "FBI? Anti-cult task force? Or are you¡­ with the Foundation?" At thest word, Anna stared intently at Li Lu''s face, watching for the faintest reaction.


    Ever since Anna arrived on the surface, she had been on constant vignce against an organization simr to the Foundation. If anyone were to pose a true threat to her ns, it would be them.


    However, Anna was fated to be disappointed. Regardless of what she said, Li Lu''s face remained expressionless. It was as if Anna wasn''t talking about her at all.


    Silence hung heavy over the deck, with Li Lu''s asional pained gasps breaking the tension on board.


    Seeing Li Lu''s firm resolve, Anna''s gaze turned cold. She turned toward Li Long and nodded.


    Li Long dashed through the cabin doors and rushed to the galley where he rummaged through the drawers for a few more choice tools to aid Anna in her questioning.


    Anna picked up a sharp boning knife. She stuck out her crimson tongue and gently flicked it along the knife''s edge.


    "Such smooth skin¡­ Young and tender¡­ you''re probably delicious. Since you won''t talk, let''s have a little meal while we chat."


    Hearing Anna''s words, the color drained off the faces of Wang Sheng and those who hade with him. Some distant memory was triggered, and they couldn''t help but clutch their mouths to suppress dry heaves.


    With a sickening squelch, the knife pierced through the flesh but expertly avoided major veins as it traced the line of muscle along Li Lu''s calf.


    "Mad woman! You''re a mad woman!" Li Lu screamed through the pain. For the first time ever, real fear shed across her eyes.

 Chapter 899: Lily

    Despite being an agent and having been professionally trained in interrogation and resistant to fear, the sight before Li Lu scared her to the bone. Watching Anna casually slice off a strip of her calf muscle, stuff it into her mouth, and chew it as if it were ordinary food pushed her past the edge.


    On the sidelines, the first mate who had been watching the scene could hold it in no longer. He was just about to stand up when old Captain Roger stopped him. "Hold on. Don''t make any moves yet. I think things aren''t that simple."


    "You want me to continue waiting? Can''t you see she''s eating her?!"


    "And what do you want me to do about it? Don''t forget our situation! Do you really think we are in charge of this ship?" Roger said with a darkened face.


    "No matter who they are, we need to find a way to save ourselves first. Once we''re out, we''ll figure out the other matters."


    Roger knew right now that he couldn''t afford for the rtionship between them and Anna to be strained even further. If he were to really step on Anna''s tail, they would probably all end up dead on this ship.


    While Roger and his crew were in a tense whispered argument, the interrogation was still continuing. The doctor who had been pushing Roy''s wheelchair was now trembling as he carefully stitched together Li Lu''s freshly carved wound with a fine gut thread.


    Meanwhile, Anna calmly slit another cut on Li Lu''s right arm and drew out a second strip of muscle.


    "I guess¡­ it has indeed changed. I can''t taste anything anymore¡­ Maybe cooking it would help? Or should I add some soy sauce?" Anna muttered to herself.Due to the blood loss, Li Lu''s face was drained of color and pallid. Yet, in her weakened state, she remained defiant, unwilling to give in.


    "Whatever you are, no matter how many you have with you, we will find you. You can''t escape. Victory will always be ours!"


    "Oh? Those words do sound a lot like something the Foundation would say¡­Seems like it really might be them," Anna concluded as she pulled the blood-stained boning knife out of Li Lu''s wound and stood up.


    Suddenly, Anna forced the de forward into Li Lu''s mouth, cracking a few teeth along the way.


    Under Li Lu''s horrified gaze, Anna carefully dug into her jaw, hooking a small, pliable capsule wedged against a back mr.


    As Anna stared at the familiar suicide pill, a glint of realization flickered across her gaze. She had gotten the answer she wanted.


    "High Priestess, why don''t you hand her over to me? I have ways to make her spill everything," Li Long suggested eagerly. His gaze then turned onto Li Lu with undisguised lust.


    Anna shot him a disdainful re. "Don''t think I don''t know what sick things go through that dirty mind of yours. If you ever bring up things like these again, I''ll castrate you without hesitation."


    Li Long stumbled back in fear; he knew Anna didn''t speak empty words.


    "Take her somewhere secure and lock her up. Treat her and make sure she doesn''t die. I still have use for her," Anna instructed before she turned to leave without sparing Li Long a single nce.


    As she passed by Roy, she gave the man in the wheelchair a cold look before she continued into the ship''s cabins.


    ***


    Lily slowly opened her eyes and stared at the bright yellow ceiling above her. For a moment, she couldn''t register where she was.


    "Oh, right. I''m back. Back to where I belong¡­" Lily muttered to herself as memories from before flooded her mind.


    Setting off on the prepared vessel, Lily was sent back to V12 Containment Point. She walked through that empty corridor and finally crossed over to her own world once more.


    Upon emerging from the building, Lily took out apass and took flight in the direction of her home. However, with the vast sea distance, it was impossible to reach Hope Ind in a single flight.


    Guided by her map, Lily had decided to take a brief respite and touched down on the Coral Archipgo.


    Tossing off the covers, she slipped her small feet into her shoes and headed to the washroom to freshen herself up.


    The inn appeared rather new, with the washroom walls being lined with pristine white tiles. It was surprisingly polished for a dockside inn.


    Perhaps in the entire Subterranean Sea, this might be the only inn in the harbor district with such refined decoration. This was the exact same inn that Anna had gifted Charles, only for thetter to sell it offter to fund his expedition for the Land of Light.


    After washing up, Lily returned to her room, and breakfast arrived soon after. She took her tray with her and opened the bedside window. As she feasted on her hot food, she took in the lively view of the docks outside.


    The crowd in the harbor district seemed eternally the sameborers, merchants, fishmongers¡ªyet they changed with each passing moment


    As Lily watched them, she felt like she was gazing at a living, breathing painting.


    Soon, Lily''s gaze drifted onto a young girl who had just emerged from a clothing shop. As the girl d in a new second-hand dress twirled in joy, Lily looked down at her own outfit.


    She pondered for a moment, and a thought flitted across her mind. <em>I''m finally going home. Should I get a new dress too?</em>


    <em>But¡­this was the same dress I wore when I fell into the sea. If I change into a new outfit, will Mommy and Daddy still recognize me?</em>


    Just as Lily was stuck in a dilemma over her outfit, her eyes suddenly lit up when she saw a sleek golden car sped into view. She had caught a glimpse of a familiar face in the back window. It was Second Mate Nico with his distinctive makeup look.


    "I could ask Mr. Nico! He''s the expert when ites to fashion!"


    With a light push of her feet, Lily floated out of the window and glided over to the moving car.


    Just as an excited Lily flew alongside Nico, she had barely spoken a single word when a cold gun barrel was pressed against her temple.


    It was Nico''s signature weapon, a silver pistol with intricate engravings. Gripping the weapon in his hand, Nico turned to meet Lily''s gaze. His gaze was clearly filled with wariness as he stared at Lily, who had appeared out of nowhere.


    Seeing the unfamiliar look in Nico''s gaze, the light in Lily''s eyes dimmed. She had made a mistake. The Nico in front of her wasn''t the same Nico who had been her close friend and confidant. This Nico belonged to this world and didn''t know her at all.


    "Little girl, it''s best not to pull frightening stunts like these. My gun could go off by ident," Nico said, reholstering his gun. "Also, flying is forbidden on this ind. But since you''re cute, I''ll let it slide this time."


    With that, Nico''s car sped up and left Lily behind.


    By this point, Lily''s spirits had dampened, and the thought of new clothes no longer interested her. She headed back to the inn, gathered her things, checked out, and set off on the final leg of her journey.


    Enveloped in a warm, soft, golden glow, Lily glided across the sky like aet. Her dazzling color was too eye-catching in the darkness, but she didn''t run into any dangers. After all, her speed was now incredibly fast¡ªfar beyond anything she''d managed before. Those creatures in the darkness didn''t stand a chance of catching her.


    Especially with constant practice, Lily could now harness the energy inside her with ease.


    As she followed the rails in the air, Lily finally arrived above Hope Ind. She took an aerial view of the ind glistening like an emerald oasis under the sunlight. Her parents resided here.


    "Daddy, Mommy, I''m back!" Tears glistened in her eyes as she gathered every ounce of courage within her and dove toward the ind below.

 Chapter 900: Parents

    Traces of evident unease filled Lily''s eyes as she stood at a corner of Hope Ind. Her fingers were trembling as she nervously nibbled on one of her fingernails. It was an old habit that she had picked up during her time as a mouse. Whenever she felt nervous and anxious, she always wanted to chew on something.


    Just around the corner was her home¡ªa ce she had dreamed of returning to countless times.


    All these years, Lily had imagined this moment again and again and asked herself how she would feel when it happened.


    She thought about the various emotions she would feel, but she had never imagined that when it actually happened, she would be feeling fear.


    It felt like the ce around the corner wasn''t her home but rather a dark whirlpool in the deep sea, threatening to devour her.


    She tried to keep her fear in check. She lifted her small booted foot, trying to gather her courage to take a step forward, only to shrink back almost immediately.


    <em>What if Daddy and Mommy forgot me?</em>


    <em>What if they think I''m some bad person trying to con them?</em>


    <em>What if something terrible had happened to them when I wasn''t around?</em>The more her mind raced, the more tangled her feelings became.


    Her hesitation drew the attention of many passersby on the street, though, of course, her adorable face was a significant part of the reason.


    "Are you alright, beautiful miss? You seem to be in some trouble. Do you need our assistance?" A man''s voice broke Lily out of her thoughts. She looked at him and saw that he was d in a ck uniform.


    As her gazended on the police badge over his chest, her eyes widened. "Sir Officer, may I ask you a question?"


    "Of course, of course. I''d be happy to help," the office replied in a warm tone. Undoubtedly, one''s appearance had its advantages. If it weren''t for Lily''s cute and endearing face, he certainly wouldn''t have been this amodating.


    "That doctor just around the corner¡­do you know that family? I am¡­ a rtive from another ind. I just want to make sure I''m at the right ce."


    "Oh, do you mean Doctor Oliver? Really? You''re his rtive? Well, then, you''re quite lucky."


    "Yes, yes! His name is Oliver!" Lily''s expression brightened up, and a faint blush even spread across her cheeks.


    "We haven''t been in touch since he left the Coral Archipgo. Can you tell me how he''s doing? Is everything alright with them?"


    "The Coral Archipgo, huh? Well, then, there''s no mistake; you''re definitely his rtive. Dr. Oliver did move here from the Coral Archipgo," the officer replied.


    "I suppose you know what happened since then, right? Do you know why I say you''re lucky? Because Dr. Oliver himself has earned himself a reputation of being a lucky man."


    The mention of something amusing seemed to spark extra enthusiasm in the officer.


    "Gold would mysteriously appear in his house all the time. I''ve heard that thergest piece was as big as a fist. I mean, with luck like that, who wouldn''t call him lucky?


    "Someonemented that he has been blessed by the Goddess of Fate in the Eastern Seas. Why couldn''t I get that sort of luck, huh?"


    A hint of disappointment flickered across Lily''s eyes. This wasn''t what she was hoping to hear; she knew perfectly well where that "luck" came from.


    When Lily had first discovered that there was a portal between V12 Containment Point and her own world, she had specially sent over a small crew of mice to help her parents.


    Over time, she had sent several more waves of her mice. These mice were the true source of her parents'' "luck". They were also the reason why her parents had the means to buy a house on Hope Ind.


    "I''m not trying to ask about that," Lily replied in a soft voice. "I just¡­ I just wanted to ask if they had ever mentioned a daughter, their eldest daughter. And do they¡­ still miss her?"


    "Eldest daughter?" Confusion clouded the officer''s gaze. "I''ve never heard Mr. Oliver mentions that he has an older daughter."


    "Why would he not¡ª" Lily wanted to start a debate when a sudden thump from a dropped basket made her spin around.


    Just as she turned around, Lily saw that a pineapple had rolled from a fallen, woven basket and stopped at her feet. She looked up to see that the basket belonged to a woman with streaks of white in her hair.


    The woman looked young and likely in her forties. However, the white strands of her hair contrasted sharply with her youthful appearance.


    Her whitened hair had a story behind it. A long time ago, a devastating life event had turned much of her hair gray overnight.


    "Lily?" the woman called out in a trembling voice.


    Her words broke Lily''sst ounce of resolve. Tears streamed down her face as she threw her arms open and ran toward the woman.


    "Mommy! I miss you so much!" Lily cried out.


    The woman held Lily as though she was the most precious treasure in the world. She barely dared to use any strength, in fear that if she held her daughter too tightly, her long-lost daughter might shatter like a bubble and disappear forever.


    Their tearful reunion drew curious nces from passersby on the street, but the two of them were too overwhelmed by their current emotions to be paying any attention to others.


    After hugging Lily for what felt like an eternity¡ªthough it was only ten minutes¡ªthe woman finally pulled herself together. Her eyes were red and swollen as she held her daughter''s hand tightly. She hurried home in hastened steps, not even sparing a second nce at the groceries scattered on the ground.


    A quick phone callter, Dr. Oliver, who was in the middle of his shift, dropped everything and dashed home at record speed.


    The moment he saw Lily standing in front of him, he raised a trembling fist and punched his own face, much to the rm and cries of his wife and daughter. He needed the pain to convince himself that he wasn''t dreaming. Then, like a child, he copsed to the floor and started bawling.


    The anguish he had felt when his daughter fell into the sea was now met with an equal measure of joy. His happiness couldn''t be contained in a smile¡ªit was too vast, spilling out in the form of raw, unabashed tears.


    After the whirlwind of emotions, Lily was finally in the house. Her parents shared a few whispers before her mother led her to the bathroom and started to meticulously check her thoroughly.


    They only finally rxed when they confirmed that their daughter hadn''t met any physical harm. They could now fully bask in the joy of their family''s reunion.


    "Lily, all these years¡­ where have you been? Do you know how panicked I was the day you suddenly disappeared? I med myself every day, asking why I hadn''t been more careful. Why didn''t I keep you by my side every moment?" The woman spoke softly as she held Lily''s head in her arms.


    All these years that Lily had gone missing, her mother had lived under the weight of self-me. Now that Lily was here before her again, she could finally release her years of self-reproach.


    Lily hesitated for a brief moment before she asked in a soft whisper, "Mommy¡­ can I ask you something? If¡­ I had turned into a mouse; would you still have epted me?"


    "What kind of question is that?" Lily''s mother gently cupped Lily''s face and gave a reassuring smile. "You''re my daughter. No matter what you became, you would still be my daughter."


    It was only then that Lily realized all the fears she had carried for so long had been unnecessary. She should havee back sooner.¡¡¡¡<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    And 900 chapters milestone! The novel''s about to end soon!</blockquote>

 Chapter 901: A Wish Come True

    Oliver smiled as he watched his wife and daughter talking nearby. Then, he said gently, "Dear, our daughter must be starving from her long journey back home. Go and make lunch for us; let''s eat together."


    Olivia nodded and wiped her tears away before rushing toward the kitchen.


    As soon as his wife was out of sight, Oliver could no longer contain his longing. He sat down next to Lily and opened his trembling arms. "Mom''s gone now, soe here, Sweetie. Let Daddy give you a hug."


    Lily smiled sweetly and threw herself into Oliver''s arms. The next moment, Lily felt her father''s arms wrap around her like two big pythons. "Daddy, that''s too strong of a squeeze!"


    Oliver hurriedly let go of Lily. He took a moment topose himself, and a smile rose unbidden to his lips as he stared at Lily before him. "Our little honeybun has grown so big..."


    "Yeah!" Lily jumped and spun joyfully in front of her father. "I''m all grown up now, Daddy!"


    "<em>Haha, </em>you think you''re grown up? I don''t think so. You still seem like a child to me."


    "You meanie, I''m not a child anymore!"


    Oliver wanted to spend more time with his newly returned daughter, but as her father, he had to know the details of her experience."Lily, what exactly happened back then? Why did you suddenly disappear from that ship? Were you swept overboard? And what happened to you afterward?"


    Lily''s face revealed a trace of reminiscence as she gazed at the television in the distance. "So many things happened¡­ I don''t even know where to begin."


    "It''s okay; Daddy''s not in a hurry. Take your time, and tell me when you''re ready," Oliver said. Lily showed no external injuries, but Oliver remained worried about her. No matter what, he had to ensure that he''d receive an answer.


    Lily stayed quiet for a long time before she eventually told her father a story¡ªit was a story straight out of adventure books, and it featured Lily as well as herpanions.


    Lily refrained from telling her father about the deaths of herpanions or any hardships in the middle of the story, and she also changed the names of the Narwhale''s crew. She also altered the setting of their adventure to the distant Western Seas¡ªa ce her parents had never visited in their life.


    Lying was wrong, and Lily was aware of that. However, if her parents were to be aware of what she had been through, they''d be heartbroken and more worried about her.


    Doctor Oliver struggled to make sense of his daughter''s bizarre story. He tried his best to understand it, but he truly couldn''t make heads or tails of it. If Lily weren''t the one sitting before him, he''d treat the story as a bunch of nonsense.


    While Lily was telling her story, many different delicious dishes and fresh fruits wereid out on the dining table. A bowl of milky white fish soup was even ced before Lily.


    "Let''s eat first. These are all your favorites. You must be craving them after being away for so long," Olivia said, looking at her daughter with heartache.


    Lily froze upon seeing the fish soup. She carefully picked up a silver spoon, scooped up some soup, and put it in her mouth.


    Then, she closed her eyes, savoring the distinct vor that she had only been able to taste in her dreams until now. A few secondster, she looked up and grinned sweetly. "Mom''s sweet fish soup is still so delicious."


    "If you like it, eat more. I made all these dishes for you," Olivia hurriedly moved the bowl of fish soup closer to Lily.


    Lily''s heart became filled with warmth as she stared at her parents, whose eyes were on her. She had been dreaming of this scene many times before, and finally, it was no longer just a dream.


    Just then, the door was pushed open from the outside.


    All three people inside the house turned to look at the door.


    A little girl, looking to be about six or seven years old, was standing at the door with a backpack. She looked a bit like Lily, and she sounded childish as she immediately grumbled, "Daddy, why did you note and pick me up today?"


    Lily was taken aback.


    Oliver noticed that, and he stood up immediately to pick up the little girl. Then, he brought her over to the table and said, "Lily, I forgot to tell you, but you have a sister."


    Clearly, there were some differences between the two nes. In the other world, Lily had a younger brother, but here, she had a younger sister.


    The two girls¡ªone big and one small¡ªstared nkly at each other. Eventually, Lily shattered the ice, asking, "Hello, my name is Lily. It''s nice to meet you. I''m your big sister."


    The little girl shrank fearfully into her father''s arms. Lily was nothing more than a stranger to her, after all, but beneath the encouraging eyes of her father, she eventually muttered, "Hello, Lily."


    The entire family smiled at each other upon hearing that.


    The meal went on, and a joyful mood hung in the air above the dining room as the familyughed and talked to each other.


    When Lily opened her eyes one morning, she found herself in her mother''s embrace. A tinge of helplessness suffused her face. Olivia was too scared that she''d lose Lily again, so she had been staying by Lily''s side over the past few days.


    Olivia would even follow Lily and chat with her from outside the toilet.


    Upon seeing that Olivia was still asleep, Lily closed her eyes and smiled. Then, she reached out to give her mother a tight hug. "<em>Ah, </em>it feels so good to be home."


    Lily had no ns of going back to sleep, and she was also busy thinking about other things. Her wish had finallye true, and now, she needed to think about what kind of person she ought to be.


    When she was young, her dream was to be a good doctor like her father and save lives. However, things were different now. In addition, she also had the freedom to choose whatever path she''d take in the future.


    And Lily wanted a new life exclusive to her new identity as a human being¡­


    This was supposed to be an easy choice, but Lily''s brows furrowed the more she thought about it. It turned out the decision was harder to make than she expected, especially when so many options were avable to her.


    By the time they had to eat breakfast, she had yet to find a satisfactory answer.


    When Olivia saw Lily poking at the beans on her te with a fork, she instantly realized that something was troubling her daughter, so she decided to ask her about it.


    "It''s nothing. I''m just thinking about what I should do next," Lily replied honestly.


    "How about helping out at my clinic? I happen to need a nurse. You can learn the trade with me, and you''ll eventually be a doctor," Oliver suggested.


    "No, I don''t want to," Lily said, shaking her head. "I don''t want to be a doctor."


    "Lily, don''t be in such a hurry to refuse. It takes a very long time to be apetent doctor, but it pays off. The ie is quite considerable once you start working out there."


    Unfortunately for Oliver, the many years that Lily had spent as a mouse had led to her losing any interest money. In other words, attracting her with money was a fool''s errand.


    Just then, Lily''s sister, Celia, who was busy scooping some milk into her spoon, chimed in, "Go to school with me, Lily. Teacher told me that people can only be good members of society by going to school."

 Chapter 902: School

    Lily was stunned upon hearing Celia''s words. School? If she went to school, it would certainly be apletely new experience. Before Lily became a mouse, she was being homeschooled by her mother.


    "I thought the schools that Mr. Charles had founded ept only children below fourteen? Am I not too old to go to school?" Lily mused.


    Doctor Oliver sitting nearby swallowed the m in his mouth and said, "That was before. There''s a university that is a level higher than those schools; there''s no age limit there, but only the elites can get into the university.


    "If you''re interested, I can buy a rmendation letter through my connections."


    Lily wasn''t particrly keen on the idea. "What do they teach at a school? I don''t feel like there''s much for me to learn."


    During her years as a mouse, Lily had served as the gunner on the Narwhale. To increase the uracy of her shots, Lily had undergone systematic training with Charles'' help.


    Lily''s interaction with the crew and what she had seen had also allowed her to learn quite a bit of navigation and seamanship.


    Lily believed that a school couldn''t possibly teach her more than what she already knew, and if they had something to teach her, Lily believed that they would be useless, misceneous knowledge.


    Why bother learning something that she would never use anyway?Olivia sitting next to Lily wiped thetter''s mouth clean with a napkin. Then, she reached over with her right hand and gently stroked the back of her daughter''s hand. "Sweetie, why don''t you just go there and take a look? You can make many friends there. At the very least, you won''t feel lonely."


    "But Mommy, I have friends. I have lots of friends! They¡ª" Lily stopped mid-sentence, and her expression became somber as she lowered her head. The tiny bottle hanging in front of her chest swayed slightly as she moved.


    Sensing something amiss with her daughter, Olivia leaned closer and added, "How about I go with you to take a look? The academy is full of good kids, and you''ll surely find new friends there. You must be feeling bored staying home all day."


    Before Lily could reply, she noticed that her sister had finished eating, so she went over and cleaned thetter''s mouth with a napkin before picking her up.


    "No need, Mommy. I''ll apany my sister to school and take a look at the school itself while I''m at it."


    Celia was taken aback, and when she snapped back to reality, her sister had already carried her out of the door.


    "<em>Ah!</em>" Celia eximed, "My backpack! My backpack!"


    Lily grabbed her sister''s backpack and boarded the tram before finally letting out a sigh of relief. What she had done wasn''t anything special, but she was feeling nervous for some reason.


    There were people from all walks of life on the tram; some of them were reading books, some were reading newspapers, and some were either smoking or eating their breakfast.


    Lily felt nervousness going away as she swept her gaze across the people living their own daily lives on Hope Ind. Lily ced her sister on herp and turned to look out the window. Mornings were always the busiest, and everyone on the streets was busy with their own business.


    "Look at that, Lily! There are so many flowers!" Celia eximed. She pressed herself against the window and pointed at the distant street.


    "Yes, there really are lots of flowers. I guess it must be because Hope Ind Landing Day is just half a month away. Everyone must be busy preparing for that major holiday," Lily remarked.


    The distant flowers reminded her of the day theynded on this ind with Charles. Back then, the ind was just one massive forest.


    Lily stared at the buildings outside, and she couldn''t help but marvel at how much the ind had changed since they first arrived here.


    "Lily, how many times have you joined the festivities during the Landing Day? Last year''s Landing Day was so fun! We ate tons of delicious food; the streets were full of people; and I even saw an elephant! It''s an animal with a really long nose!"


    Celia''s eyes immediately lit up. It seemed that she was particrly interested in having fun.


    "The Landing Day?" Lily muttered and pondered over it. However, the scene that popped up in her mind was the Landing Day that she spent with Charles on the Coral Archipgo. It couldn''t be helped. They were always out at sea on the Narwhale during the Hope Ind Landing Day.


    "Maybe I''ll get to enjoy it this year," Lily muttered to herself with a look of anticipation for the holiday.


    Just then, the tram came to a sudden stop.


    Lily snapped back to reality and realized that the tram had pulled up to the school entrance.


    Celia put on her backpack and stood on tiptoe to nt a firm kiss on her sister''s cheek. Then, she turned around and rushed toward the lively school gates.


    Lily grinned sweetly as she stared at her sister''s departing figure. They had only known each other for a few days, but she had already taken a liking to her adorable little sister.


    Lily stood by the roadside and left only when the school bell rang. Having ensured that her sister was on school grounds, Lily put her hands behind her and walked slowly toward another school nearby.


    It was a university, and it featured rows of buildings connected to each other.


    Compared to Celia''s school next door, the University of Hope Ind appeared particrly well-organized and neat. However, the ce appeared to be deste from what Lily could see through the iron fence.


    "Howe there''s no one inside? Is it vacation day today?" Lily muttered. Then, she kicked off of the ground lightly, and she easily cleared the fence,nding gracefully on the other side.


    When Lily walked into one of the buildings and peered into one of the rooms through the windows, she saw what seemed to be a myriad of books and students with their heads bent over those books, clearly busy with their studies.


    The sight made Lily feel like she had stumbled upon a massive library rather than a university. Lily took in the peace and silence as she quietly walked past the neatly arranged bookshelves.


    It was so quiet that Lily couldn''t bear to disturb the silence. She even decided to fly at her minimum altitude just so she wouldn''t inadvertently shatter the silence with her footsteps.


    There were tables around the bookshelves, and the seats were upied by students busy poring over their books. They treated the books with great care, turning the pages as gently as possible. The students were young, and the youngest of them seemed to be around Lily''s age.


    Lily walked up to a bespectacled girl and softly asked, "Hello, are there no teachers here?"


    Upon being awakened from her own world, the bespectacled girl fell into a daze. It took her a moment to notice Lily standing next to her.


    "I''m sorry?"


    Lily repeated her question.


    "Ah, yes," the bespectacled girl finally answered, "We''re going to be the first batch of teachers here once we graduate."


    Lily''s widened eyes at the revtion.


    "It''s not as bad as you think. We have ess to so many books, after all, and the knowledge inside of them isn''t that difficult to grasp," the bespectacled girl remarked, "What''s difficult is learning the things that aren''t recorded in the books."


    Lily appeared confused by the response. She thought over her next words for a while before finally asking, "So what are you going to do with the knowledge that you''ve learned here?"


    "The principal said that Hope Ind''s educational framework is too rudimentary, disorderly, and unbnced.


    "We''re here to absorb the Foundation''s knowledge and create a brand-new educational framework with the help of the Relic Research Institute and the Governor''s Mansion.


    "I''m sure the seascape''s overall technological level will improve over time using that new framework."


    Just then, the bespectacled girl sized Lily up and asked, "Howe you don''t know any of that? Prior to enrollment, I''m sure the principal told you why the Governor built this university."

 Chapter 903: Campus

    "<em>Uh...</em>" Lily smiled awkwardly, unsure about how to respond.


    "Did you sneak in here?" Maya asked.


    A trace of panic flitted across Lily''s eyes upon hearing Maya''s question.


    Maya noticed that and realized that her assumption was correct.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t report you to the guards. You''re actually not the first person to do that, as there are many curious people like you. The truth is that you can just go in here and read anytime you wish as long as you won''t disturb others."


    Lily let out a sigh of relief and whispered, "Thank you. Actually, I came here to learn whether I''d fit in his ce or not."


    Their conversation attracted dissatisfied gazes from around them.


    The bespectacled girl noticed that and pulled Lily outside.


    Lily found herself in the middle of a round garden amidst the interconnected buildings. They sat down on a bench, and the girl introduced herself. "My name is Maya, and I''m from Skywater Ind. What''s your name?""I''m Lily. I used to be from Coral Archipgo, but now, I live on Hope Ind."


    Maya nced at Lily''s round ears and knew that thetter wasn''t born in the Coral Archipgo. People born in the Coral Archipgo usually had concave ears.


    "Nice to meet you, Lily. So which field do you n to study here?"


    Lily chuckled awkwardly, realizing that her mother was mistaken. The people here were saying words that she couldn''t quite understand. If she were to enroll here, she would struggle to make new friends.


    "If you haven''t made a decision yet, there''s no rush. Take your time. Many people are still hesitating like you," Maya remarked.


    Lily recalled her troubles and asked Maya, "<em>Um,</em> do you want to be a teacher here?"


    Maya shook her head, and a tinge of excitement suffused her eyes as she said, "No, I want to join the Relic Research Institute. I heard that they have a lot of profound knowledge there, and they''re calling for the smartest people to do some research for them. I want to be one of their researchers."


    Lily nodded in understanding. Maya had to be talking about the knowledge that the Foundation had handed over to them.


    Charles had entered preliminary cooperation with the Foundation to save the seascape from the rising sea levels, and the Foundation had shared its knowledge with Hope Ind for the sake of that cooperation.


    "It''s great that you already know what to do in the future," Lily said with envy in her voice.


    "Why do you say that? Could it be that you haven''t thought about what you want to do in the future?" Maya asked.


    Hearing that, Lily decided to tell Maya her troubles. Of course, she altered some of the details.


    "In that case, I suggest you start with studying. Through studying, you will learn how to deal with people and address your problems. You will also learn how to resolve issues in a quicker and more convenient way.


    "Learning makes us stronger. Humanity''s current heights did note from out of nowhere; it was the result of our ancestors'' continuous learning.


    "Through learning, we can assimte the treasure trove of knowledge that our ancestors have left behind, and then we can make use of that knowledge to gain a better foothold in this boundless seascape."


    Maya paused to nce at Lily before continuing, "Learning isn''t just about acquiring knowledge; it will also broaden your horizons and develop your mind.


    "If we don''t learn, our perspective on things may be rtively one-sided, and we may draw conclusions too early when resolving issues, which may lead to us missing out on better opportunities."


    Since they met, Maya could keenly feel that Lily''s personality did not quite match her appearance. Lily was giving off the air of a child, and a spoiled child at that.


    If Maya had no idea that the Governor had no children, she would have assumed that Lily was the Governor''s daughter.


    "Once you''ve learned enough, you''ll find what you really want to do. And once you''ve found what you want to do, then work hard on achieving it,"


    Lily finally understood what Maya had been talking about. She pondered carefully over Maya''s words before nodding and saying, "Thank you. I guess I will enroll here as well."


    Perhaps what she would learn from this university would help her know what she wanted to do in the future.


    "It''s not that easy. The entry requirements here are very demanding, and they only ept those who are born with great talents. Are you sure you can enroll here?"


    "Mmhm!" Lily nodded firmly. "Daddy said that he could help me get a rmendation letter."


    Envy flitted across Maya''s eyes. There were truly people living on a whole new level from her, and her assumption was correct. Lily wasn''t the Governor''s daughter, but she was definitely the child of one of Hope Ind''s higher-ups.


    The rmendation letter was just a letter, but it was incredibly difficult to obtain. It had to be known that there were aspiring students on the other inds as well, such as Skywater Ind, Annarles Ind, and the Isle of Whereto. Of course, if one was talented enough, they''d be admitted to the university.


    Graduating from Hope Ind University meant a guaranteed high-paying job, so thepetition was extremely fierce.


    "Maya, thank you for answering my questions."


    Maya shook her head to indicate that it was nothing. "Since you want to enroll here, then let me show you around the campus. See those buildings painted in blue? Those buildings areboratory buildings.


    Upon learning that Lily had a significant family background, Maya decided to be as amiable as possible to Lily and befriend her.


    Lily followed Maya on a tour around the campus, and they even went to the cafeteria for lunch. The two instantly became close, going from strangers to friends.


    It was already afternoon when Lily finally memorized the campus''yout.


    "I have to leave now, Maya. I still have to pick up my sister from school," Lily said, then she hurried toward the gate.


    Just as she was about to walk out, a gorgeous woman beneath a tree caught her attention. The woman was sitting quietly on a bench, staring at a green leaf in her hand.


    It was a picturesque sight, but neither the guards nor the students walking past Lily paid any attention to the gorgeous woman.


    "Sparkle?" Lily muttered carefully upon seeing the woman''s green eyes with cross-shaped pupils.


    The woman raised her fair right hand and waved at Lily.


    "You... know me? I don''t think the Sparkle here knows about me¡­" Lily was confused.


    "Don''t worry; I''m the Sparkle from that ne," the woman replied.


    "Really? That''s great!" Lily eximed. The woman''s voice was extremely familiar to Lily, and she was immediately reassured that she was talking to the right Sparkle. "How is everyone over there? Can you help me deliver letters to them?"


    Helplessness suffused Sparkle''s face as she stared at Lily.


    "Are you not curious about why I''m here?"


    "Why are you here? Did youe here to visit me? Do you need any help?"


    "I <em>was</em> going to ask for your help. Mother said that you have great potential and could be of great help to us, but Father disagreed, saying that he doesn''t want to get you involved in this. He has already made up his mind, so forget about it."


    "Mr. Charles..." Lily muttered with aplex expression.


    "Father is here, so I decided toe here as well to have some fun."


    The massive ind that seemed to be made out of deformed flesh and blood shed in Lily''s mind. Her heart instantly tightened as she asked, "Mr. Charles is here, too?! What is he here for?"

 Chapter 904: Collaborator

    Hearing Lily''s question, Sparkle shook her head. "Forget it. You don''t need to know it. Even if you know, you won''t be of much help. Just stay here and do your own thing."


    With that, a white light suffused Sparkle''s figure.


    Lily had seen that before; a white light would always engulf Sparkle just as she was about to teleport away.


    "Wait!" Lily reached out to grab her, but her hands phased through Sparkle''s figure.


    "Father has wasted a wish for you, so you ought to repay him by not letting his wish be in vain," Sparkle said, and her figure vanished into thin air.


    Lily stared nkly at the empty bench, looking a bit torn and her thoughts inscrutable. When Lily came back to her senses and rushed to pick up her sister, she was told that her crying sister had been picked up by her father.


    Lily felt down as she quietly hurried home. Just as she turned a corner, the cemetery next to her caught her attention. She walked into the cemetery and located the old ship doctor''s tombstone.


    Then, she hugged the tombstone and poured out her concerns. "Grandpa Doctor, did I do something wrong? If I did, what exactly should I do to make it right?


    "Making choices is so hard. I''m really missing the time when I was with Mr. Charles. Back then, I didn''t have to think about anything. I just did whatever he said."Lily ranted for a long time. When she felt that her mood had improved somewhat, she bowed to the tombstone in front of her and said, "Grandpa Doctor, thank you for listening to me.


    "From now on, I''ll always face reality, and I will not run away anymore. Thank you, and I''ll bring you some alcohol on my next visit," Lily said.


    Then, she turned around and left. The next thing on her to-do list was to buy a gift for her sister on the street and apologize to her once she got back home.


    Just then, Lily stopped in her tracks. The number of tombstones seemed a bit off. She raised her finger and pointed at the tombstones one by one. When she counted eighth tombstones, her finger trembled.


    "Audric, Linda, Norton, Conor, Grace..."


    Tears unconsciously slid down Lily''s face.


    This ne was truly different from <em>that</em> ne.


    When Sparkle reappeared, she found herself inside the house built on Charles'' colossal frame. She sprawled out on the bed, hugged a pillow, and took deep breaths. She was always at ease here.


    Charles'' voice echoed from outside the room. Sparkle had no intention of eavesdropping, but she couldn''t help it, as she had gotten too strong.


    "I am Charles, and I am a human being. Perhaps I''ll truly be a god in the end, but I can''t be a god right now. I must use the power inside me to achieve my goal. The chance of achieving it is slim, but I have to try."


    "But is this really going to work?" Charles'' voice suddenly sounded a bit strange. "Why am I even doing this? This is meaningless. They''re just a group of low-level creatures capable of making only random guesses.


    "Their thoughts and their capabilities are visible to me at a mere nce. What''s the difference between them and inanimate objects?


    "Is there a difference between a cup of water and a human being? No, there''s no difference. They''re all the same. No, no, no, don''t overthink it¡ª"


    Charles'' voice came to an abrupt halt. The next moment, the bed beneath Sparkle squirmed, and the ceiling swayed left and right. The house was transforming into a massive lump of flesh and blood.


    Sparkle''s heart tightened at the bizarre sight. With a sh of white light, she instantly teleported to the living room and saw Charles.


    Charles had fused with the sofa, bing a mangled mess of flesh. He was clutching his head in pain.


    "Daddy, are you okay?" Sparkle walked over and hugged him gently.


    After a few seconds, Charles calmed down, and the squirming house returned to normal.


    "I''m fine. This always happens every day, and I had to discard a part of my brain again," Charles said, smiling faintly at Sparkle.


    However, Sparkle was no longer as calm as before. A hint of worry suffused her face, and she felt like the time she could talk with her father like this was running out.


    "Don''t worry, Sparkle. This is my choice, and I am willing to ept the consequences of my choice," Charles said, reaching out to pat Sparkle''s head.


    Since she had already grown up, Sparkle disliked getting patted on the head, but this time, she didn''t avoid Charles'' hand.


    "You went to see Lily?" Charles suddenly asked.


    "How did you know that, Daddy?" Sparkle asked, looking a bit surprised. She had yet to tell him about it.


    "I can see fragments of her skin on you; I can smell her on you; and I can see her afterimage beside you," Charles replied. He stretched his hand out toward Sparkle to try and touch something in the air.


    "Since absorbing Pede''s corpse, I''ve been seeing afterimages around me," Charles said in a light, airy voice. "They seem fake and real at the same time."


    "Given enough time, I feel like I''ll eventually know what they are," Charles added.


    Sparkle had long gotten used to Charles getting engrossed in his own thoughts, and knowing that it was about to happen again, Sparkle said, "She asked me why you came here, but I didn''t tell her."


    Charles emerged from his thoughts at that remark. "Don''t contact her again. The more contact you make with her, the harder it will be for her to forget us. The Narwhale has been dmissioned. The crew ought to live their own lives and leave the rest to me."


    Sparkle stroked the sofa beneath her and found that it felt no different from a real sofa.


    "Can you really do it alone?"


    "It is difficult, so we have to find a way to make it easier," Charles said.


    Just as his words fell, there was knocking on the door.


    Sparkle nced at her father and walked up to the door. She opened it gently and found another Charles.


    It was the Charles of this ne.


    The Charles of this ne looked young, and he looked just like a teenager. He had no missing parts and was also devoid of any scars. However, Charles had seen through the two eyeballs hanging at the door that the fleshly body standing before them was fabricated.


    What was the difference between him and the Charles of this ne? They were about to find out. The Charles of this ne had also received wishes from 005 and had be a god as a result of it.


    "You''re too slow. I''ve been waiting for you for a long time."


    "You''re too anxious. Some things can''t be rushed. And it''s not like we''re on a race against time, unlike before."


    "What do you mean we''re not on a race against time? I''m slowly losing my humanity here, and I don''t know how much time I have left before I transform into a true god. All I know is that we don''t have much time left."


    "What''s the point ofing here for that? How much help could I possibly be to you?"


    "I''m sure you know the answer to that question. You''re also Charles, and you''ve chosen that path as well, after all. You know what''s the goal."

 Chapter 905: Collaboration

    Hearing that, a strong light of unwillingness shed across the teenage Charles'' eyes. "I don''t know what your goal is, but my goal is to never let others trample me again. I''ve had enough of that over these years.


    "I don''t want others controlling my fate, and I hate being treated like an ant.


    "Those pieces of garbage can destroy us all with a mere wave of their hand, but if we don''t raise even the slightest bit of resistance against them, then we''re better off dead."


    Charles felt a bit emotional upon hearing such words from another version of himself. "I hate to say this, but the Foundation is really good at judging people."


    "What? Are you trying to say that you don''t want to do that?" the teenage Charles asked, his eyes revealing a hint of mockery.


    "Of course, I want to do that, but my concerns are far more grounded than that. My first goal is to ensure our survival under their influence.


    "There''s danger everywhere, whether in the Subterranean Sea or on the surface world. However, there are people I care about here, and I want to protect them all."


    "I''m sure you didn''te from that faraway ce just to tell me all this. Tell me your solution. I want to know if we''re thinking about the same thing," the teenage Charles said. He sat in a chair and ced his feet on the table before him.


    Charles had nothing to hide before the teenage Charles."When I assimted Pede''s corpse, I discovered an issue. I''ve be much stronger after that assimtion, but I still have no chance of winning against 004 and 005, let alone against 003 or 002 in the Core. Even bing a true god is not going to work; the gap between us and them is just too big.


    "At the time, I started thinking about other ways. After much thought, I realized that I was not alone. There are many Charleses with the same goal as me."


    This was the solution that Charles had found. Since the other gods could coborate with their counterparts from other nes, why couldn''t he do the same?


    If one God Charles couldn''t aplish anything substantial, what about two?


    What about ten?


    What about ten thousand God Charleses?


    "<em>Hmm...</em>" The teenage Charles narrowed his eyes slightly and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I have a better solution¡ªI devour you now and take over your power. I would then have the power of two Charleses. I think this is a better solution than your request for a coboration."


    Sparkle''s slender legs quivered, and a dazzling white light engulfed them all. She wanted to teleport her father away from this dangerous ce.


    In response, Charles waved his hand, and the white light abruptly bent before falling to the floor as if it were a silk thread.


    "Calm down, my good daughter. He''s just trying to scare us. If he were to devour me, his humanity would disappear instantly. He''d be simr to the deep sea gods of the Subterranean Sea. I don''t think he wants to see that happen."


    The teenage Charles revealed a look of disdain upon seeing that Charles wasn''t intimidated even in the slightest. Then, he asked, "You don''t believe that I can stay human and obtain that immense power at the same time?"


    Charles pulled Sparkle''s hand and sat down.


    He then remarked in a low voice, "You and I both know that''s impossible. Humanity and divinity are inherently contradictory. To be divine, one must abandon one''s humanity."


    Just then, Charles became a bit bewildered as he asked, "I don''t remember being someone the type to joke around. This ne is indeed very different from the ne where I came from. You made me feel like I''m talking to Richard."


    "Stop the nonsense, and let''s talk about business. If we use your solution, then the two of us won''t be enough. We need to find a way to go to the other nes and find more Charleses to coborate with us."


    Hearing that, Charles was silent for a moment before replying, "Yes, that''s right. But before we do that, we need to figure out if an existence like God Fhtagn is unique or if there are as many God Fhtagn as there are nes."


    A deafening silence engulfed the room.


    The Foundation''s logs had described the power of 003, and they had also witnessed it in that trench. God Fhtagn''s awakening alone could easily destroy everything.


    If they made a move against God Fhtagn, and it turned out that there was more than one of Him, the consequences would be imaginable


    "Have you seen that god who managed to devour a Charles? I''m talking about that god with a myriad of blood-red eyes. He''s coborating with his other selves from other nes. I''m thinking that perhaps Fhtagn is doing the same.


    All they knew about Fhtagn was that He was exceptionally powerful¡ªthat was all.


    The teenage Charles seemed a bit troubled. "If we want to deal with Fhtagn, we must learn more about Him. If we want to know more about Him, then I''m afraid we''ll have to follow the Foundation''s old path."


    "What does the Foundation know about Fhtagn? Perhaps we should search those ruins and see whether there''s anything relevant."


    "Don''t bother. I''ve been there, and those guys werepletely useless. Their records were utterly useless. If one were to rely on the mountain, the mountain would fall; if one were to rely on a river, the river would dry up[1]. I guess we can only rely on ourselves at this point."


    The corner of Charles'' mouth curled up slightly. He reached out with his right hand toward the teenage Charles. "All things are difficult at first; no matter what happens, I''m willing to pay the price for it. Are you willing to work with me? If you do, you''re likely to die, or you might suffer a fate more terrifying than death."


    "If I were afraid of death, would I still be Charles?" the teenage Charles asked before pping Charles'' hand.


    Their arms instantly transformed into a lump of flesh and blood, and the bloody tissues on their arms wriggled. The two were exchanging flesh and blood that carried information about themselves, so they were quickly learning everything there was to know about each other.


    "She''s your daughter? What entity gave birth to her? That appearance of hers is quite special," the teenage Charles instantly saw through Sparkle''s disguise, and he could see a cluster of fluorescent green tentacles beneath her gorgeous figure.


    "I''m not sure¡­." Charles'' eyes revealed a hint of confusion as he muttered, "I forgot."


    The teenage Charles wasn''t surprised at all, as missing a chunk of memories was just a trivial matter for them.


    "It''s a good thing that you forgot here. I actually regret marrying my wife. Whether it''s bing a god or failing and dying, both oues are just bad for her."


    "<em>Oh?</em>" Charles was surprised that the teenage Charles actually had a wife.


    "What''s your wife''s name? Is it Anna?" Charles asked, thinking that perhaps he''d find clues about the missing Anna from his memories on this ne.


    "I don''t know any Anna. My wife is Margaret, the Governor of the Isle of Whereto. Wait, did you not marry her on your ne? She''s such a good girl, though."


    "Forget it. Anyway, do you still remember Lily, the little girl who became a mouse? She''s human now, and she''s on your ind. Take good care of her for me in your spare time."


    "No problem, my coborator."


    1. An idiom about how one should always be self-reliant ?

 Chapter 906: Charles

    Charles stared quietly at the V12 Containment Site shrouded in the distinct pitch-ck darkness of the Subterranean Sea. He was back in his own ne.


    From the outside, V12 appeared as an oval-shaped building that had the same color as the ground around it. The previous Foundation had divided the buildings into many floors, and exiting those floors would lead one to another ne.


    In other words, Lily''s world could be considered to be a nar teleporter.


    Charles raised his hands slowly, and the ind beneath him instantly became a sprawling sea of flesh and blood. Tentacles made from bizarre appendages and amorphous organs sprang up from under the ind and swept toward the V12 Containment Site as if it were a tidal wave of gore.


    The tentacles increased in numbers as they approached the V12 Containment Site.


    In no time, the V12 Containment Site was engulfed, but the tentacles weren''t done yet and proliferated across the ground.


    "Daddy, what are you doing?" Sparkle asked, looking a bit puzzled.


    "This thing is useful to me. Since it''s useful, I can''t just let it stay here. I should carry it around."


    Charles raised his hands again, and those tentacles burrowed into the V12 Containment Site, frantically destroying everything that could be destroyed before transforming it into deformed lumps of flesh.When the tentacles had pervaded the deepest recesses of the containment site, Charles soon found himself inside the room that connected this ne to another ne.


    A myriad of eyes were all over the flesh tentacles, and Charles saw through them that there were simr-looking tentacles on the other side. Clearly, the teenage Charles had also decided to move the V12 Containment Site on his end to somewhere else.


    Everything happened quickly, and the V12 Containment Site now looked like a squirming mountain of grotesque flesh.


    Charles'' tentacles retracted, and he pulled the mountain of flesh to himself. Soon, the tentacles vanished, and Charles was now sporting a towering mountain on the eastern side of his colossal form.


    There was supposed to be dense forest on that side, but the tall mountain had reced it.


    Charles was now carrying the V12 Containment Site at all times, so he could go to the other side at any time he wished, but He was not satisfied with something so basic.


    A myriad of amorphous organs that could never be found inside a human body proliferated in an instant within the "mountain." Charles then observed the true nature of the V12 Containment Site using those eyes.


    Having be a god, mastering the ability to traverse nes through the V12 Containment Site''s special ability wasn''t a difficult task for Charles.


    Once he had mastered that ability, he could easily visit other nes to find the other versions of himself. That was Charles'' immediate goal, as he had to gather enough Charleses before thinking about the next step of his n.


    Regardless of the true nature of Fhtagn and the other gods, Charles had already made his move, so there was no turning back. He was prepared for failure, but he was not going to stop trying as long as there was a chance.


    As a god, Charles could easily obtain every information he needed about the other nes from V12, but he didn''t want to do that.


    Nowadays, he sometimes had to discard some of the boundless knowledge that woulde naturally to him to avoid learning too much and elerating the erosion of his humanity.


    As Charles sank slowly into the water, the ink-green waters of the Subterranean Sea rolled violently, churning into a filthy white foam. The seawater submerged the heads of both Charles and Sparkle as they sank into the pitch-ck depths.


    However, neither Sparkle nor Charles had any reaction, as if the seawater around them did not exist.


    "Daddy, I think this is very dangerous as well," Sparkle remarked. A few tiny bubbles escaped from her mouth as she exined, "I went to the Hope Ind on the other side and looked around. There are many differences between that side and our side.


    "Those differences are the reason why you and <em>that </em>Charles over there have fabricated different human forms and have vastly different personalities."


    "That makes sense. He doesn''t have Lily, and he hasn''te into contact with Anna. Of course, we''re not going to be alike. We had different options when ites to making choices, after all," Charles said, raising his right hand.


    Sparkle held Charles'' hand and supported him as they walked toward the seaside vi in the distance.


    "Yes, that''s exactly what I wanted to say. The Charleses from different nes have different experiences, so how can we say for sure that the thoughts and ideas of those Charleses are the same as yours?


    "What if there are some Charleses out there who have been driven to madness by their circumstances and are wishing for the destruction of the surface world or perhaps the death of Earth itself?


    "And that''s not all. Who knows what they''ve experienced and what they''ve be? What are we going to do at that point? Won''t things get worse by then?"


    "I know what you''re trying to say, but we can''t say that all apples are bad just because you found one apple with a worm inside of it."


    There were more reasons behind Charles'' haste, and he did not disclose it to Sparkle. It was the fact that he no longer had time. His humanity was eroding at a rate faster than he had imagined.


    In as little as five years, his humanity could erodepletely, transforming him into a true god.


    Once he was a true god, all of his emotions would be unnecessary features in his memories. He''d no longer regard Sparkle as his daughter but as a separate, independent creature.


    Charles had no intentions of letting Sparkle know about that, as he knew that thetter would be extremely worried about him.


    Charles had considered making Sparkle leave his side, but he realized that Sparkle''s one and only home was by his side. Where could he send her to?


    "Daddy, don''t worry too much about it. My childhood phase is ending, and I''m about to be an adult. I know it, and I can feel it. My strength is increasing at a rate faster than ever. I will be able to help you soon."


    Charles turned to stare at Sparkle''s nearly perfect face, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. Regardless of what was going to happen to Sparkle once she became an adult, Charles had already made up his mind¡ªhe would send Sparkle away by then.


    He could give up everything for his goal because it was his own goal. Sparkle was uninvolved; she was free, and there was no need for her to make any sacrifices for his goal. If mankind ended up going extinct, Sparkle was strong enough to survive by herself.


    Sparkle assisted Charles all the way into his room. Upon arriving in the room, Charles immediately sprawled out on the sofa and fused with it. Charles'' eyes soon became nk, and even the school of fish swimming into the room through the window didn''t attract Charles'' attention.


    Charles had just temporarily abandoned his human "organ," and his attention was now entirely on the towering mountain of flesh.


    Sparkle sat next to Charles and stared quietly at him, seemingly reminiscing about something.


    After a while, she opened her arms and squeezed herself into Charles'' arms. Then, sheid her head down on Charles'' chest and mused, "If Mother were here, she''d persuade you to stop, wouldn''t she?


    "I know her enough to tell that she''d definitely do that. I wonder how she''s doing on the surface world. Is she doing well?


    "Don''t worry, Mom. I''ll try my best to keep up with Father. If he deviates, I''ll go all-out and pull him back on track."


    Every single memory rted to Anna had disappeared from everyone''s memories, except for Sparkle''s memories. She could still remember that fierce mother of hers and everything about her, including the bond and emotions that they shared.


    The reason she hadn''t told Charles anything about it was that she didn''t want him to feel sad. As their daughter, she was keenly aware of how painful was the fact that they would never see each other again.


    Moreover, Charles himself had made the decision to send Anna away to the surface world, and it was toote to alter that decision. Since it could no longer be changed, it was better for him not to know about it


    At the very least, he wouldn''t suffer that anguish.


    Just then, a violent tremor ran across Charles'' figure, and light returned to his dull, nk eyes. He raised his steel hand and stroked Sparkle''s waist-length hair. "Sparkle, this is strange, but there''s a ship looking for me on the sea surface."

 Chapter 907: Divinity

    With a thick pipe clenched between his lips, Captain Karp gripped the ship''s mooring rope with one hand. His brows were furrowed as he stared into the slightly restless dark waters illuminated by the searchlights.


    Despite not catching sight of anything, his years of experience at sea had honed his instincts. Every fiber of his being was telling him that something was about to happen. It was the instincts of a weathered old sea captain.


    The Explorers Associations had ceased offering mission rewards or post exploration quests, so most explorers had long abandoned their trade and switched to another field.


    Now, opportunities were aplenty in the Subterranean Sea. Why risk one''s life at sea when safer ventures await onnd? Only stubborn souls like Karp insisted on the ways of the old and stuck to their trade.


    Yet, at this current moment, Karp was slightly regretful of his sudden impulsive itch to seek out the new, uncharted ind that had reportedly emerged.


    He had already sold off his ship and was nning to retire on Hope Ind. But here he was, out at sea again after being enabled by the excited words of others. When would he ever learn to rein in his rash tendencies?


    "Cap, what''s going on out there?" A bald head poked out from the bridge and asked Karp.


    Karp turned to look at his helmsman. "Are you sure we''re still on course? Something feels off."


    "There''s definitely no mistake. We''re right on course. I just checked the reading five minutes ago," the helmsman replied in a firm tone."If we are on course, then where are the navigational markers?" Karp questioned as he stared at the ck expanse ahead.


    The bald helmsman waited for a few seconds before he raised his right hand and pointed directly toward the front of the ship. "Cap, look, isn''t that a marker?"


    Karp squinted his eyes and followed the direction of his helmsman''s finger. Indeed, a faint, wavering glow had appeared on the dark horizon and was swaying with the currents.


    "Speed up and get us closer," Karpmanded. "Check the numbers on that buoy and see if we''ve veered off course."


    As a belch of thick, ck smoke ejected from the smokestack, the aged exploration vessel began to pick up speed.


    As the distance between them and the light narrowed, the restless waves seemed to gradually calm down before returning to normal tranquility. The change in their surroundings had certainly helped Karp''s heart settle somewhat.


    But just as they were about to reach the buoy, there was a sudden thud and the light vanished. Instantly, darkness enveloped them.


    At the same time, it became eerily quiet, so quiet as though the ocean itself were holding its breath. Even the waters were still like a smooth piece of ss, devoid of even the smallest ripple.


    "Damn it! We''re in trouble!" Karp immediately removed his shirt to reveal the intricate tattoos that covered his chest and back.


    The clustered tattooed snake heads brimmed with malevolent energy; they were even slowly slithering and moving across his skin. Some of the gray tails even extended out of his flesh and suspended in the air.


    As one of the few who had managed to survive in the Core, Karp was far from just any average captain. He had every protective and offensive power he could get his hands on.


    His eyes darted around to scan his surroundings, trying to find the source that caused this strange disturbance.


    Suddenly, a faint sound reached his ears. It was a low-frequency murmur; it sounded like an entire crowd was softly chanting in the distance. He strained to catch the words, but no matter how he tried, he couldn''t understand anything.


    Beads of sweat started to form on Karp''s forehead as his face darkened. He knew he had stumbled upon some dreadful and powerful existence.


    Suddenly, a sshing sound broke the silence; the sound came from the darkness to the ship''s starboard.


    Karp whipped his head around. Despite the pitch-ck darkness, he could feel the presence of a massive, faint silhouette lurking in the shadows. He was certain that the murmurs in his ears came from that existence.


    Before Karp could shout any order, the ship''s cylindrical searchlight swiveled upward. The bright beam of light swept across a giant figure in the darkness.


    In that instant, Karp and his crew saw what was lurking in the shadows. His eyesnded on the various bizarre limbs and organs on the creature!


    Each limb was grotesquely twisted into sharp, angr forms. And despite their twisted forms, they were still writhing as if trying to grasp for something.


    They even saw the eyes embedded in the creature''s flesh. Compared to their unnervinglyrge, malformed sockets, each pupil appeared strikingly small. The irises weren''t themonly seen ck or blue; instead, they were a chilling, evil white.


    The eyes werepletely devoid of emotions. They seemed to belong to that of a Divinity, staring down from a higher ne and judging every creation with cold disdain.


    "It''s¡­ it''s a Divinity!" Karp''s sanity was shattered in an instant. The whispers in his ears suddenly amplified as something insidious seemed to be quickly burrowing into him and was swiftly corrupting his soul.


    Just as Karp was teetering on the brink of madness, a sudden snap resonated in the air, and all the lights on the ship exploded into fragments. As darkness swallowed the scene, every person on board passed out.


    In the darkness, the bloated figure slowly shrank and descended. Charles'' form emerged from the amalgamation of organs and limbs, and he stood silently on the ship''s deck with Sparkle by his side.


    Sparkle looked down at the unconscious crew; their faces still contorted in expressions of extreme terror. She shook her head andmented, "Daddy, they''re just normal humans?"


    "Why would normal humans look for me? Aside from Dipp and the others, no one else should know my location."


    However, the question didn''t gue Charles for long. He soon arrived at the captain''s quarters and found the leather-bound logbook sealed with a brass lock.


    With a simple gesture, the brass lock melted away, and the journal''s contents were revealed to Charles.


    "The job request from the Governor of Whereto was too tempting to turn down. I''ve made more than enough money for myself, but it''s not enough for my grandson. Besides, I just need to find an ind. I don''t need to set foot on it. There''s no reason to reject a job as simple as this.


    "Hicks epted the job request as well! If he can take it, why can''t I? He''s older than me by five years. I''m not that old yet!"


    Charles slowly lowered the logbook as he muttered, "The Governor of Whereto¡­ Margaret? She''s looking for me? How did she even know where to find me?"


    "Do you want me to make sure she quiets down? I can help her forget a few things," Sparkle asked.


    <em>"I don''t know any Anna. My wife is Margaret. She''s such a good girl, though." </em>The words of Charles from another ne surfaced in his mind.


    Memories of Margaret began to return to Charles'' mind. All of a sudden, a longing crept into his heart; he wanted to see her. "Yeah¡­ Margaret was really great¡­ Whye I could not see it back then?"


    Charles then turned to Sparkle and said, "Sparkle, can you go to Whereto and check if she''s at the Governor''s Mansion right now?"


    Sparkle instantly vanished, only to reappear just a fraction of a secondter.


    "She''s not on Whereto. She''s aboard a ship at sea," Sparkle reported.


    "Well, that makes things easier. Let''s go pay her a visit then."


    With that, Charles tossed the journal aside. A writhing, fleshy tentacle tore through the ceiling, coiling around Charles and Sparkle.

 Chapter 908: Setting Foot on the Island

    Sottom¡ªa patchwork vessel cobbled together from an array of shipwrecks¡ªmoved slowly across the pitch-ck waters.


    At the highest point of this fortress, inside the hulking shell of a beached battleship, Margaret poured over a mountain of documents spread across her massive oak desk.


    Whereto being thergest ind in the Northern Seas, was and with boundless potential. The world economy was stabilizing, so more and more people were flocking to Whereto.


    The death light had wiped out nearly eighty percent of the Subterranean Sea''s poption, which meant morend and fewer people.


    With nock of job opportunities and resources no longer a daily struggle, a baby boommenced. Cries of newborns could be heard everywhere on Whereto, and it was a lively sight to see.


    However, the burst of life came with both opportunities and looming challenges. As the Governor of Whereto, she couldn''t afford consider only the present.


    She had to anticipate the future¡ªto n for the children''s adulthood as well as the society they would inherit.


    "The Foundation''s technology that Hope Ind possesses is a crucialponent for the future," Margaret muttered to herself. "We have to strengthen our ties with them. Since their influence is unstoppable, we should ride with the tide."


    Back then, the Foundation''s advanced technology was made avable to everyone. However, Wheretocked the professionals and the technical expertise to make meaningful use of that information.Perhaps apart from Hope Ind, only the Albion Isles had capability to harness such knowledge in the Subterranean Sea, but the Albion Isles was no more.


    Just as Margaret was deep in thought with her gaze fixed on the graphs and charts in her hands, a sudden cacophony of voices outside interrupted her. She even caught a hint of fear in the noises.


    The door swung open, and her maid, Jenny, stepped in. Her eyes were wide with evident fear as she reported, "Governor, an ind has suddenly appeared on our route!"


    "An ind?" Margaret didn''t dare to jump to any conclusions. After all, anything was within the realm of possibility in the Subterranean Sea.


    Upon arriving at the small garden on the deck, she was surprised by the sight before her. Indeed, right ahead of Sottom was a massive, circr ind draped in thick forest, its silhouette shifting between light and darkness under Sottom''s sweeping beams.


    Just as Margaret''s mind was racing to calcte the untapped potential and the immense value a habitable ind could bring to the Cavendish Family, she suddenly saw a woman floating toward her from that mysterious ind.


    "Daddy wants to see you," the woman said with her brows slightly furrowed. She was d in a tight red dress, and the fabric clung to her every curve, highlighting her sensual figure.


    "You are¡­ Sparkle?" Margaret''s eyes widened in shock as she stared at the alluring woman in front of her. If not for the signature neon green cross-shaped pupils, there was no way she could register that the woman in front of her was the child she once knew.


    However, Sparkle didn''t seem to have any intentions of clearing Margaret''s doubts. She merely lifted a pale finger and pointed at the ind.


    "Go on," Sparkle said. "Aren''t you looking for him?"


    Margaret raised a hand to stop her invisible guards from closing in. With a hint of caution in her voice, she said, "Wait. I can''t be sure that you''re Sparkle. Answer me first. Who were your father''s crew members?"


    "Go to the ship; he''s waiting there," Sparkle crudely injected themand into Margaret''s mind, forcing thetter to carry out hermand.


    Margaret''s expression shifted to one of anxiety as she gripped the ship''s railing and vaulted down to the roof below.


    Sparkle settled down on the edge of a circr flower bed and watched silently as Margaret disappeared into the darkness.


    For a moment, she couldn''t help but admire her father. Despite wielding the power to manipte memories and behaviors at will, he still insisted on his old mindset, treating these fragile humans as equals.


    Just then, Sparkle was reminded of her old friend, Nene. It had been a long while since theyst met.


    "Maybe I should take this chance to visit her? I kinda miss her," Sparkle mused. Then, with a burst of white light, she vanished from the garden.


    Meanwhile, Margaret skimmed across the water''s surface, her feet barely making ripples as she raced toward the ind. As she closed the distance between her and the ind, her heart raced faster. Old memories and emotions that had long been buried surged back to the forefront of her mind.


    She walked along the narrow forest trail, and it didn''t take her too long before she arrived in front of a simple, unassuming residence.


    The front door swung open without a sound, and Margaret stepped inside without a hint of hesitation.


    The moment she entered the room, Charles, seated casually on the sofa, sensed a subtle irregrity in her thoughts. With a simple wave of his hand, he effortlessly dispelled the forcedmand Sparkle had injected into Margaret.


    "Don''t me Sparkle," Charles shed a faint smile at Marget, whose long hair concealed most of her face. "Despite her appearance, she''s only six this year.


    "Anyway, I heard you''re looking for me, Margaret. Is there something you need? I''ll probably be quite busy soon, so now''s the time to settle it if there''s anything."


    The moment Sparkle''s influence was dispelled, suspicion bloomed in Margaret. The moment Charles addressed her by name, however, every doubt in her heart vanished into thin air.


    Staring at the man in front of her, Margaret wanted to say something but yet she found herself grappling with a torrent of emotions. All of a sudden, she didn''t know where to start.


    After a long silence, Margaret finally decided on her words. "How¡­ How have you beentely?"


    Letting out a soft chuckle, Charles answered, "Not bad."


    The carpet beneath Margaret''s feet began to move, with its lines writhing like the ge of a single-celled organism, swiftly dragging her toward Charles.


    "Have a seat," Charles offered casually. A nearby stool sprouted legs and walked over to her side. The bizarre sight sent a chill down Margaret''s spine, but she didn''t question it. Instead, she silently sat down on the animated stool.


    Despite saying nothing, herposed movements conveyed something unmistakable.


    "You do know something, don''t you?" Charles asked gently.


    Margaret nodded wordlessly. Her fingers clenched the back of the stool so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. She had questioned Weister, the current governor of Hope Ind, and he hadn''t hidden the truth from her.


    "I''m doing well," Charles continued, as though catching up with an old friend. "I don''t have to sleep or eat anymore. With fewer desires, I also have fewer worries. Then again, as a human, too few worries might not be so great.


    "In fact, I wanted to see you to say goodbye. I''m afraid this will be thest time we meet."


    Just then, Margaret sprang to her feet. Stepping on the table with her high boots, she lunged forward at Charles like a cheetah.


    In a heartbeat, her knees were on either side of Charles as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck before pressing her lips fiercely against his.

 Chapter 909: Goodbye

    Faced with Margaret''s heartbreaking outburst, Charles wanted to say a few words offort, but Margaret raised her clenched fists and mmed them into Charles'' head.


    Margaret gnashed her teeth and swung her fists. Each of her punches was heavier than thest, as if she was trying to vent all of her grievances at once.


    "What''s wrong with me?! Why can''t you choose me?!" Margaret eximed in a voice filled with endless grievance.


    Margaret''s strength was astonishingly great, and Charles'' head eventually caved in from the former''s punches. However, Charles'' head quickly returned to normal when a pir made out of flesh sprouted from the sofa and entered his head.


    "The thing is, I''m confused, too. It''s not a bad idea to have a partner here, so howe I didn''t look for one?" Charles asked, looking a bit dazed as his thoughts began to drift away.


    As far as Charles could remember, Bandages had brought Margaret onto the ship as a ve to serve as a sacrificial offering. At the time, Margaret''s pure eyes were full of fear and unease; the sight of her would make anyone find her pitiful.


    When Charles finally returned to Hope Ind after spending three years as a lunatic, Margaret stared at him with aggrieved, disbelieving eyes upon realizing that Charles couldn''t recognize her grace toward him.


    Margaret had also shown him her determined and furious side with her gaze back when she visited Hope Ind to borrow a fleet in an effort to reim the Isle of Whereto.


    Finally, in the Core up above, Margaret became a double agent and hid her feelings for Charles in the deepest recesses of her heart to ensure that thetter wouldn''t get blindsided.Charles browsed through his memories containing Margaret as if he were watching a movie. Strange emotions welled up in his heart when he saw how many things she had done for him, including the sacrifices she made for him.


    At this moment, Charles keenly felt that his humanity had yet topletely fade away. He could still feel Margaret''s feelings for him.


    Margaret was also experiencing a whirlwind of emotions as she stared at the man in her arms. Finally, she raised her trembling right hand to his face and caressed it gently before whispering, "Charles, I''ve been waiting far too long. I don''t want to wait anymore."


    Charles snapped out of his thoughts, and his eyes widened slightly.


    "I''ve already be like this, but you still want to be with me?"


    "I don''t care. I like you."


    "This might really be ourst meeting. Perhaps we might not see each other again."


    "It doesn''t matter! I''ve always been running away, and I don''t want to run away anymore. The result doesn''t matter; I''m willing to face it. And I want to be with you, even if it''s just for a day!" Margaret eximed, looking particrly agitated.


    Charles thought carefully about it, but he found no reason to refuse.


    It wouldn''t be bad to enjoy a bit of love before his humanity was no more. He stared at Margaret for a while before opening his arms and embracing her.


    As soon as they touched each other, a surge of happiness welled up in Margaret''s heart, and her icy cold facade, which was capable of keeping people a thousand miles away, faded instantly, reced by a hint of blush suffusing her cheeks.


    Margaret felt like she was a young woman in love again, and she reached out hurriedly, hugging Charles tightly.


    Charles'' figure no longer felt cold in her arms, but this was not an illusion. It was happening out of her sight, but blood and flesh were being pumped into Charles from inside the sofa, turning him "human."


    Charles lowered his head and kissed her again.


    As the two kissed passionately, Margaret''s breathing quickened, and her hands began to wander around Charles'' figure.


    "Close your eyes."


    Margaret immediatelyplied, and the floor cracked open, revealing a hole covered in flesh and blood. The two rolling on the sofa were immediately engulfed by the fissure, obfuscating them from any prying eyes.


    An unknown amount of timeter, Margaret snuggled up to Charles. She had taken on a pinkish hue, and she felt both weakened and numb.


    Right now, Margaret did not feel like doing anything, but she wished that time would stop for her so that she could stay in Charles'' arms forever.


    "Do you have any wishes? I can try and fulfill them for you. From a human perspective, I''m probably omnipotent," Charles remarked.


    Margaret looked up at him in surprise. "Can you bring my family back to life?"


    The atmosphere became a bit awkward.


    "No." Charles shook his head. "It''s been too long, and the souls of those who died at sea all belong to Fhtagn. I can''t find their souls at all. If their souls were still around, I''d be able to do that." ?


    Margaret stretched like a house cat. "So you''re not as powerful as I had imagined."


    "Haha, but I can still do quite a few useful things. For example, I can restore your body to its prime, and I can also make you immortal."


    Charles froze and then shook his head. "Nevermind. Immortality is a curse for human beings, and it is better for you to remain mortal."


    With that, he stretched out a finger and ced it on Margaret''s scar. He applied a bit of force, and red flesh with a granr texture grew rapidly within her scar. The hideous scar marring Margaret''s face healed at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Just as Charles was about topletely erase the scar, Margaret reached out and grabbed his finger.


    Margaret brushed aside the hair covering her face and asked, "Do you hate this face?"


    "I don''t hate it." Charles shook his head. "But as a girl, don''t you want to look prettier if possible?"


    "Didn''t you say that we might not see each other again? If we''re never going to see each other again, then let''s just maintain the status quo. I''m afraid I won''t be able to control those under me if I end up bing too pretty."


    For both Charles and Margaret, appearances had be the trivialest of trivials.


    "I feel like you''ll regret that decision," Charles said, sighing softly.


    "Are you talking about my face?" Margaret''s finger slid down her scar.


    "No," Charles said, kissing her gently. "I''m talking about your decision to choose me today."


    "No," Margaret''s eyes became firm. "I won''t regret it, my love."


    "I''m not sure if you know, but I''ve been waiting a long, long time for this day, so even if it''s just for today¡­" Margaret trailed off. She flipped over and pounced on Charles. The next moment, the room was plunged into darkness once again.


    The next morning, the Navy troops on Sottom were so anxious that they were getting ready to invade the ind to save their governor. Fortunately, before they could do anything drastic, their governor walked out of the ind.


    Margaret stepped lightly on the sea surface and walked her way back to Sottom with a sweet smile of delight tugging at her face.


    Meanwhile, her subordinates were like ants on a hot pan; they surrounded her with anxious looks, asking why she had stayed a full day on the strange ind.


    However, Margaret said nothing and merely ordered them to set sail. Following her orders, the massive ship-cum-ind rotated slowly, and it started heading toward its intended destination.


    Standing in the tallest building on Sottom, Margaret stared at the disappearing ind in the distance with a smile. Momentster, tears slid down her face andnded noiselessly on the ground.


    "Goodbye, Mr. Charles."

 Chapter 910: Interrogation

    A giant cruise liner was moving across the azure sea. Its destination was none other than the Indian Ocean. The massive white ship resembled a moving mountain out at sea, and it was Anna''s Narwhale.


    d in pajamas, Roy strolled on the deck, smiling at every crew member he encountered. There was a popr saying about how one would not p a smiling face, and it seemed to be true as the devotees returned Roy''s goodwill in kind.


    The traitor had been found, so everyone was no longer suspicious of Roy. With that, he became a formal devotee of the Fhtagn Covenant. Roy walked slowly along the deck, taking in everything that happened to him so far on the ship.


    The devotees were now very amiable and all smiles. Whenever someone was having difficulties, they''d all lend that individual a helping hand. They were all polite and respectful to each other.


    At a cursory nce, it seemed like the ship was a utopia, but Roy was aware of the truth. He knew that this was all a fake¡ªa disguise.


    The strange atmosphere all over the ship was the result of that woman''s brainwashing. Anna was obviously skilled when it came to manipting the minds of people.


    A lie told a thousand times would be the truth, and it was particrly true on a ship where there was nowhere else to go.


    At first, the people on the ship were reluctantly obeying her orders due to their own selfish desires, but now, the majority of them truly regarded Fhtagn as their god.


    The congregation prior to this expedition was just a loose organization that Anna had hastily pieced together. Roy thought that it was still the case, but his mind changed when he saw people fighting fiercely over the assistant priest position.It was then that Roy realized that the congregation had truly be a religion. In other words, even if Anna weren''t around, the religion centered on Fhtagn would never disappear.


    <em>It''s still too early to tell the headquarters to close the. Their actions are still within the scope of what cults often do. I still need to take a deeper dive and extract more information</em>, Roy mused to himself. He knew that there had to be a reason behind why Anna had chosen the Indian Ocean as their destination.


    There had to be a goal behind it, and Roy''s mission was to uncover her motive, secrets, and goals. Unfortunately, it was proving to be a difficult task. He managed to infiltrate her dreams using a Controble Anomaly, but he found no clues and almost lost his life.


    The disturbance had also led to his working to a standstill, and even now, he was still waiting for the golden opportunity to make another move.


    "Why does she want to go to the Indian Ocean? Does she have anypanions there, or perhaps her base is there?" Roy asked himself.


    He tried to make a deduction based on Anna''s previous actions, but he couldn''t make any decent deductions at all. It made sense, as Anna hade out of nowhere and started bewitching others into believing her words using her bizarre, magical arrays.


    Roy thought hard and long about her goal for this expedition, but he still couldn''t find an answer to his question.


    <em>It''s really difficult, but I like this kind of challenge.</em> Roy''s heart began to beat faster against his chest. He was the type of person to seek out challenges to ovee throughout his life. In other words, he was a challenger.


    The bizarre scene he had witnessed inside Anna''s dream told Roy that there was definitely something amiss with the former. It was likely that she was more dangerous than even a Level A Uncontroble Anomaly.


    "Brother Roy, the High Priestess is calling for you." A voice echoed from behind.


    Roy turned around and bowed slightly. "All right, thank you for notifying me, brother."


    With that, he turned and walked toward the cabin. His eyes shimmered in a hint of excitement as if he was looking forward to the task that the High Priestess would bestow upon him.


    Roy couldn''t wait to contribute to the congregation.


    "How''s your injury?" Anna asked with her left hand propping up her cheek. She was sitting in her armchair and was staring coldly at Roy, who was standing respectfully before her.


    "It''s great. It''s almost healed. I think I can be useful now, so if you need me to do anything, please tell me," Roy said, sounding excited as he patted his chest.


    Anna carefully sized up the man before her. Roy''s behavior and bodynguage were consistent and normal. The traitor had already been found, so Roy was supposed to be no longer suspicious in her eyes.


    However, the paranoid Anna still had no trust in Roy. To be precise, Anna didn''t trust anyone on the ship. In her eyes, these people were mere tools to achieve her goals.


    "Have you heard of the woman that we locked up?" Anna asked.


    "Yes, and she''s the traitor who tried to destabilize our divine congregation. It does not matter who sent her here; she deserves to die!" Roy said fiercely with a zealous light in his eyes. ??


    "Great. The Great One needs more devout believers like you. His chances of awakening increases, the more devout believers are out there," Anna remarked.


    Anna had no ns of awakening Fhtagn, but she was willing to do her own business beneath the slogan of awakening Him.


    It would be problematic if the entrance of the Subterranean Sea was discovered, but Anna was not worried about that at all. The people of the Subterranean Sea would surely do something about it.


    "I have something I want you to do," Anna said, enunciating her words clearly.


    "Please tell me!" Roy eximed, standing up straight.


    Anna flicked her hand and a bunch of keys that looked like hexagonal wrenches were thrown at Roy''s chest.


    "These are the keys down there. From now on, you''re responsible for everything rted to that woman," Anna exined, "She''s very tight-lipped. We tried everything, but we couldn''t pry her mouth open at all. How about you give it a try? If you can make her talk, you''ll have earned a great merit for yourself."


    Roy looked at the keys in his hand in astonishment. This was a bit unexpected. He had just been cleared of suspicion as a traitor, and now, he was being sent to interrogate and supervise the real traitor.


    Roy snapped back to reality and stuffed the keys into his pocket. "Rest assured. I will do everything that I can."


    With that, Roy turned around and walked out the door.


    After a while, Li Long came in with a cup of tea in hand.


    Anna sipped it and immediately hurled it at the ground. She red at Li Long with a hint of disgust and asked, "What''s the point of having you here when you''re so useless? You can''t even brew a decent cup of tea."


    "I''m useful," Li Long retorted, looking aggrieved. "I''m the one who found the traitor."


    Anna revealed an impatient look, and she couldn''t be bothered to reply as she turned around, walking toward the monitoring room next door. Li Long had been reiterating the fact that he caught the traitor dozens of times over these past few days. He was desperate, afraid that Anna would forget him.


    "Get out and clean the deck with the sailors!" Anna said sternly.


    There were CCTV cameras all over the ship, allowing Anna to monitor the crucial areas of the ship. Of course, this included the room where Li Lu was being imprisoned.


    Anna''s decision to let Roy supervise and interrogate Li Lu wasn''t a spur-of-the-moment decision. She wanted to see whether there were going to be any changes by making these two peoplee into contact with each other.


    It was a two-way test¡ªboth for Li Lu and Roy.

 Chapter 911: Contact

    Roy''s face was ice cold as he opened the door to the cell. As soon as he walked in, he saw a woman in the corner of the room. She was covered in wounds, seemingly on herst legs.


    Li Lu''s face and body were covered in bruises and bloodstains. She had no clothes to cover herself, so she was shivering violently from the cold.


    She once had beautiful curly hair, but a big chunk of her hair had been torn off her scalp, leaving behind multiple bald spots. Her remaining hair was matted with grime and dry blood as it covered her face, which had be unrecognizable.


    Roy stood motionless as he looked down at the woman before him. He couldn''t help but muse,<em> Is she really 8? I can''t say for sure. If she''s 8, how can I extract useful intelligence from her?</em>


    The surveince camera blinking with a red light made Roy wary of standing still for too long, as it would attract unwanted attention.


    Roy grabbed a whip soaking in seawater and struck Li Lu with all his might. Eachsh left another wound on Li Lu, and the seawater made the wounds sting with extreme pain, making her convulse.


    "I''m sorry," Roy said as heshed out with the whip. "I don''t want to do this either, but for my daughter''s sake, I have to abandon everything, includingpassion!"


    The semiconscious Li Lu was awakened by theshing, and she curled up, wrapping her arms around herself while trembling in pain.


    "Just speak. There''s no point in hiding anything. Only by abandoning darkness for light can you find salvation on the day of His awakening," Roy remarked.Despite Li Lu''s miserable state, her eyes remained remarkably calm. Her eyes shifted downward, noticing a sharp knife beside the branding iron on her right.


    This ce had tools that she could use to fight back or end her life if necessary to protect her secrets. However, suicide was ast resort. In addition, the ongoing torture session was childish to Li Lu, who had received professional training.


    Li Lu''s n was to wait and see. She was nning on waiting if she''d meet a horrible fate before the headquarters could rescue her.


    "Are you going to talk or not?! TALK! Who sent you here?!" Roy roared, and hisshing became fiercer upon receiving no response. He switched from a mere whip to chains, and soon, Li Lu was bleeding profusely from her head.


    "Wang Sheng, send someone to keep an eye on the door to D24," Anna said into the microphone inside the monitoring room. She had painstakingly captured the traitor, and Anna had no ns of letting Roy kill her.


    Roy looked down coldly at the woman on the ground. Her head was swollen, making her skull resemble a bloody gourd. At the gruesome sight, Roy finally put down the chains in his hands.


    He stood in a daze for a while before crouching down and stroking her calf gently.


    His hand gradually moved upward, and his breathing grew heavy as if he were a bull in heat.


    "Are you going to talk or not?" Roy asked.


    Li Lu seemed to have realized what was going to happen to her, but she offered no resistance and merely closed her eyes.


    Roy gently lifted her wounded figure.


    Li Lu tensed up immediately at the movement, but she didn''t tense up because she was afraid. It was all because she could feel Roy tapping his finger on her at a certain rhythm.


    <em>The secret code! He''s from the organization, too! </em>Before Li Lu could process the revtion, Roy tore off her clothes and threw himself on top of her.


    The squirming figures on the monitor made Anna reveal a look of disgust.


    "Unbelievable. He can still think about something like that despite what he just did? It seems that this Roy is only righteous on the surface; his mind is actually full of filthy thoughts," Anna remarked. ??


    Unbeknownst to her, the two were frantically exchanging information.


    <em>"Hello, colleague, I''m 2.</em>


    <em>"You''ve been by Anna''s side for a long time¡ªdo you know what she ns to do in the Indian Ocean?"</em>


    <em>"No idea. She is a mystery. Do you have pills? I can''t end my own life right now."</em>


    <em>"There''s a kill pill behind my upper mr; take it. I don''t need it for now. There''s also an anesthetic pill behind my upper left mr. It will help you with the pain."</em>


    <em>"Thank you; that is incredibly useful for me. I''m not afraid of torture, but she might be capable of hypnosis to extract information from me. Her abilities are very strange and bizarre."</em>


    <em>"You''re wee. Colleagues ought to help each other."</em>


    The chaossted for a long while before Roy copsed to the floor, breathing heavily. He took a moment to rest before standing up and looking down at Li Lu, who was sprawled out like a torn rag doll after his wanton abuse.


    "The torture is only going to get worse if you insist on staying silent. You better think this through," Roy said. He walked out and mmed the door shut behind him without waiting for Li Lu''s response.


    Regardless of whether Anna had noticed anything or not, Roymunicated with 8, exchanging information with her during the interrogations. The interrogationssted for a month until Roy was ordered to bring Li Lu to the deck.


    Roy was confused, but he swiftlyplied.


    Arriving at the deck, he found Anna surrounded by a crowd of devotees.


    Anna took out a golden dagger and dismembered a male corpse. She then used the corpse''s bones, organs, and flesh to draw something on the ground. It was a gruesome sight, and the air became thick with the smell of blood.


    <em>What is she going to do now? </em>Roy thought.


    Soon, a grisly array made out of human organs, bones, and flesh was drawn on the ground. Two Fhtagnists walked up to Li Lu and dragged her away from Roy. They then propped her up in the middle of the array.


    ck candles were lit around the array, and for some reason, their mes were pitch-ck as well.


    Three red-robed Fhtagn priests prostrated in a triangle outside the array, and their arms were spread wide open, seemingly attempting to embrace the array made out of flesh and blood.


    Anna stood at the outeryer of the array and began chanting an inscrutable incantation.


    <em>"Stell¡­bsn¡­Nilgh¡­ri¡­"</em>


    <em>"Wk¡­hmr¡­nythlloigor¡­ Sk''shgn." </em>


    The chanting grew louder, and in addition to the chanting voices of the priests and Anna, there were also strange voices as well as intermittent eerie noises.


    The ck candle mes surged, igniting the bones and entrails on the ground. The array transformed into a sea of ck mes, scorching Li Lu in the middle of the array.


    Li Lu seemed capable of withstanding any form of torture out there, but she seemed unable to withstand this pain. Her face distorted into a horrible grimace, and she let loose heart-wrenching howls.


    Before long, Li Lu was covered in mes, and she rolled around inside the array.


    The mes emanated a horrifying aura that instilled a primal fear in everyone, and everyone retreated involuntarily in the face of it. Those with weaker constitutions rushed to the railings and began vomiting over the sea.


    Roy gnashed his teeth briefly at the miserable sight of his colleague.


    He truly wanted to kill these crazy cultists but knew that he couldn''t make any move right now. He also knew that as a shadow, he had to strictly control his emotions.


    The mes burned fiercely, and a cloud of ck smoke began to rise from Li Lu. She seemed to have be a ball of burning stic as ck smoke billowed out of her nonstop.

 Chapter 912: Pregnancy

    As the ritual proceeded, everyone unconsciously put a hand on their forehead.


    They all seemed to be in pain except for Anna. Something was drilling into their minds, and it was unlike the inscrutable whispers; something more violent was making its way into their heads.


    "<em>Ah!!! </em>My head! My head hurts!!!" The watching followers retreated fearfully, and some with weaker will simply ran away.


    The ck mes extinguished just then, and the terrifying aura that had permeated the air above everyone vanished into nothingness. Everything returned to normal in an instant.


    The naked Li Lu slowly stood up from within the array, looking nkly at her surroundings.


    Anna stared at Li Lu with some anticipation. The ritual involved an array that Fhtagnists would draw to summon Fhtagn''s will. When Charles'' crew members went mad, the Fhtagnists used the same ritual and array to cure the crew members'' madness as part of the deal.


    Dipp''s madness was cured, but it had a side effect¡ªthe target would be a Fhtagnist, and they''d dedicate their entire life to serving Fhtagn. If Anna were to borrow the Foundation''s naming conventions, the side effect was a D4 memetic infection.


    Those infected would worship Fhtagn unconditionally, and their purpose in life would be to awaken Him.


    However, Anna''s goal was to infect Li Lu with the D4 meme. Since Li Lu managed to infiltrate deep into their congregation, there was no guarantee that there weren''t any other intruders.If everyone except her was subjected to the same ritual, the congregation would be imprable. It would be impossible for outsiders to infiltrate their ranks.


    Fortunately, the ritual was not that difficult to perform. However, there was one problem¡ªwas the ritual going to work on the surface world? They had tried the same ritual several times before, but it all ended in failure.


    Li Lu''s ritual was the furthest they had gotten in their previous attempts.


    "How do you feel? What are you thinking about right now?" Anna asked Li Lu with interest.


    Li Lu covered in wounds turned to look at Anna. Her pupils were quivering as she slowly said, "High Priestess, I... I feel different."


    Anna''s heart leaped with joy, and she rushed toward her, asking, "Tell me, what do you feel? Do you feel like worshiping a higher being?"


    Li Lu shook her head in confusion. Just as everyone focused their attention on her lips, waiting to hear what she''d say, her muscles suddenly tensed up, and she lunged at Anna like a leopard.


    Li Lu''s movements were surprisingly agile for someone who seemed to be incapable of fighting. Her right foot kicked off of the ground, and she lunged at Anna with her right elbow raised. She swung it fiercely toward Anna''s neck.


    "Die, you foul bitch!" Li Lu roared. She had done a great job concealing her skills, so everyone was caught off guard by the revtion that the seemingly gentle officedy was actually a skilled fighter.


    A mere nce at the oing attack was enough for everyone to tell that it had enough force to kill Anna. Everyone was truly surprised by her actions, including Roy.


    It was toote for Anna to dodge, and she made a split-second decision to raise her right arm. She barely managed to raise her shoulder and defend her neck from the attack.


    A grotesque cracking noise echoed; the attack was so powerful that the thin Anna was sent flying away. The ck-robed devotees instinctively reached out to catch the airborne Anna.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    A deafening gunshot echoed, and a flower of blood bloomed on Li Lu''s right chest.


    She was a skilled fighter, but there was no way her skill could make up for the difference between flesh and firearms. In an instant, multiple guns were pointed at her, sealing all of her escape routes.


    Li Lu would surely die in the face of so many guns, but Anna decided to spare her life once again.


    "Don''t kill her; I still have some use for her," she said as she emerged from the worried crowd. Her right shoulder was drooping. Clearly, the bones inside had broken from the attack.


    Li Lu dared not move in the face of so many gun barrels, but she red at Anna with undisguised fury and hatred. Anna shook her head in disappointment. <em>This is bad. She isn''t under Fhtagn''s influence at all. </em>


    <em>The ritual has failed again. I think I should just attempt that ritual again once when we reach the Indian Ocean.</em>


    "One day, I''ll pay you back double for this suffering!" Li Lu snarled. She then sprawled out on the ground, clutching her bleeding wound.


    Anna ignored her threat and ordered the nearby devotees. "Tell the doctor to stop her bleeding. Make sure that she won''t bleed to death."


    The devotees rushed forward, restraining Li Lu at the joints and carrying her away.


    "High Priestess, are you okay?" Roy asked, sounding worried as he stared at Anna''s broken right arm. He wasn''t the only one trying to use this chance to be closer to the High Priestess, so Anna was soon surrounded by a crowd of people.


    Anna felt inexplicably disgusted at the fawning faces before her. She held her arm and turned toward the side door that led to the church.


    The High Priestess'' injuries could not be taken lightly, so the ship''s best doctors followed her. They administered painkillers and splinted her arm.


    "High Priestess, please rest and focus on recovering for the next four months. If possible, it''s best not to do anything at all," one of the ship doctors said as he secured Anna''s arm using white bandages.


    However, Anna''s thoughts were elsewhere; she was busy thinking about her next course of action. <em>I''m in an unfavorable situation. Li Lu has been professionally trained, and an organization capable of training someone like her can''t be taken lightly.</em>


    <em>There is no signal out here, so I''m safe right now, but this ship will eventually have to dock. I''ve caught their attention, and they''re not going to let me go that easily. I must resolve this issue before it spirals out of control.</em>


    <em>The key to making any real progress here is that traitor, but how can I make her talk?</em>


    The ship doctor smiled awkwardly in the face of Anna''s silence. Momentster, he picked up his equipment and retreated quietly with his assistant.


    Left all alone in the dimly lit room, Anna frowned deeply, pondering over the answer to her predicament. Before she could fall into deep contemtion, however, the door was pushed open from the outside.


    Li Long walked in, and his wretched face reflected surprise.


    "Stand back; the smell of sweat on you makes me feel sick. So why did youe here? Did anything happen?"


    Li Long hurriedly stepped back before saying, "High Priestess, the doctor treating that woman has discovered something unexpected. He doesn''t know how to proceed, so he sent me here to consult you."


    "Something unexpected? What is it?"


    "That woman is pregnant!"

 Chapter 913: Indian Ocean

    Anna froze upon hearing the news. Li Lu actually got pregnant. However, she soon came to an understanding as her mind immediately connected the dots. She knew who the father was. She then turned to look at Li Long, hinting at him to continue his report.


    Receiving her gaze, Li Long added, "She has only just gotten pregnant, but because of the gunshot wound, there''s a high risk of miscarriage. How do you wish to proceed, High Priestess?"


    "A child, huh?" Something seemed to spark in Anna''s mind as the corners of her lips curved upward to form a faint, unreadable smile.


    "That''s great news. Go tell the ship doctors that no matter what, they must make sure the child survives."


    "Understood!" Li Long nodded eagerly before hurrying off toward the cabin door.


    "How convenient¡­" Anna muttered as a new idea emerged in her head. "Here I was thinking how to get her to talk, and a solution drops right onto myp."


    ording to the High Priestess'' orders, Li Lu was soon given the best medical care aboard the Narwhale. As soon as the bullet was safely removed, she was transferred to a pristinely clean care ward.


    Not only have her living conditions improved, but her meals had also gotten a drastic upgrade. Li Lu even noticed a bowl of fresh fruit sd on her dinner tray.


    On an ocean liner that was sailing thousands of kilometers away from the maind, fresh fruit was a rare luxury that wasn''t easily avable to anyone. The sudden privileged treatment made Li Lu feel doubtful. Just what had happened when she was under anesthesia?Initially, Li Lu was confused by the change in treatment, but as the days passed and the morning sickness from the first trimester set in, realization finally dawned upon her. She was pregnant.


    "Don''t stay cooped up in your room all day," Anna advised as she sat on the edge of Li Lu''s bed and reached out a hand to gently caress Li Lu''s t stomach. "You should head out to the deck and get more sunshine and exercise, especially at a time like this."


    If not for the wary followers surrounding them armed with electric batons and loaded anesthesia syringes, and the heavy chains binding Li Lu to the bed, the scene would have been a heartwarming one.


    As Li Lu felt Anna''s soft fingertips brushing against her skin, every hair on her body stood on end. She felt as though the very next second, Anna would directly slice open her belly, dig out the unformed bloody fetus, and devour it right there and then.


    "Do you think you can use this child to threaten me? Stop dreaming. Do you really think I''d care about the product of a rape?" Li Lu spat out.


    "Well. I think you will," Anna countered. "A mother''s love is instinctive, and you won''t be different from others.


    "I''m a woman, too, and I''ve been pregnant before. As I feel that little life inside me grows day by day, it''s impossible not to get attached.


    "Back then, I went through so much pain and struggle to give birth to her. The moment I saw her tiny, adorable face, I felt that it had all been worth it. I even wanted to hold her forever and protect her from all harm."


    While Anna recounted her story, she seemed to be lost in memory as a faint smile surfaced on her visage.


    Standing at a distance, a thought crossed Roy''s mind. He silently filed away this crucial new piece of information in his head¡ª<em>Anna had once been pregnant and had a child.</em>


    Yet the next moment, his curiosity was piqued. Just what kind of man would marry such a dangerous madwoman? Would he not be afraid that she would kill him in his sleep in the middle of the night?


    Anna leaned in, her tone smooth yet coaxing. "Li Lu, believe me, this isn''t something I want to do. Stubbornness won''t do either of us any good. So how about this: tell me who sent you and why they''re after me, and I''ll let you and your child walk free. Sounds fair?"


    Up till now, Anna knew nothing about the organization behind Li Lu, and theck of knowledge put her at a disadvantage. If she didn''t know who the enemy was or their numbers, how could she even possibly devise a strategy?


    One way or another, she had to make sure Li Lu started talking.


    Despite Anna''s tempting offer, Li Lu''s mind was as sharp as usual.


    "No, you won''t," Li Lu replied in a cold tone. "The moment I talk and lose my worth, I''ll only end up as fish food or a sacrificial offering."


    Anna shook her head and stared into Li Lu''s defiant eyes. "I keep my word. If you choose not to leave, the Fhtagn Covenant has its doors open for you as well.


    "No matter who you guys are, you were the ones who infiltrated my life with ulterior motives first. I don''t think I''ve done anything wrong in this situation. If our roles were reversed and I fell into your hands, I doubt my fate would have been any better, right?"


    Hearing Anna''s words, Li Lu couldn''t even bother to argue. She simply closed her eyes and leaned back against the white hospital bed.


    Without any reaction from Li Lu, Anna pressed on, "No matter who you guys are, truth be told, we haven''t had any direct conflict yet. Perhaps, we coulde to a win-win situation." ??


    Anna held up the watch that Li Lu once used as hermunication device and suggested, "Here''s the watch you used tomunicate with your handler. How about you call them and let me have a chat with them?"


    Li Lu remained unmoving; shey still like a cadaver in a morgue.


    Seeing Li Lu''s resolve, Anna patted the back of Li Lu''s hand and stood up. "I''lle back again after some time. Perhaps, you might change your mind when your baby''s a bit bigger.


    "If I were you, between my child and the organization, I''d choose my child without a hint of hesitation."


    Anna held her splinted arm and turned to leave the room. The armed followers trailed after her, and thest to leave was Roy.


    "The High Priestess has never talked like that to anyone. You are the first. Come to our side, Li Lu¡­ Also for the sake of¡­ our child."


    At the mention of the child, a myriad of emotions flickered across Roy''s face.


    This time, Li Lu finally moved. Her eyes snapped open, and she turned toward Roy. With unmistakable disdain and disgust, she snapped, "Get lost!"


    For a moment, their gazes locked, and Li Lu seemed to realize that Roy was trying to pass a message to her.


    Their interlocked gazested for a mere second before they both turned away. Li Lu slumped back onto the bed while Roy turned and left the room.


    Left alone in the room, Li Lu stroked her abdomen tenderly as she ran her tongue over the poison capsule still tucked behind her mr. The act brought a small sense of calm to her otherwise irritable mood.


    As the days passed by, Li Lu''s belly began to swell noticeably. After using the ship''s advanced medical equipment, the baby was confirmed to be a boy.


    Meanwhile, Anna had visited Li Lu during the earlier days of her pregnancy. But when she realized that Li Lu was still unwilling to cooperate, her visits became less frequent.


    After all, she had something more important at hand; after sailing for such a long time, they were about to arrive at the Indian Ocean.


    A dark-skinned corpse was rapidly disassembled; his organs and parts were carefully arranged on the deck to form a new ritual circle.


    The man hadn''t been a part of their crew but a pirate who had tried to raid their ship. Pirates still existing in this day and age seemed absurd, but reality often disregarded logic, and here they were.


    Sitting on the deck, Anna felt the salty sea breeze as it toyed with her bangs, making them sway along with the wind. She quietly stared at the expanse of deep, endless blue ahead of her.


    "So this is the Indian Ocean¡­" Anna muttered to herself.


    On the surface world, the Indian Ocean was nothing more than the name of a vast, ordinary sea. However, on the other side of the world, in the Subterranean Sea, it was the area where God Fhtagny in slumber.


    Her purpose of heading to the Indian Ocean was to get closer to Fhtagn and increase the chances of a sessful sacrifice.


    This location on the surface world was the closest she could reach to being near God Fhtagn.


    In fact, this critical piece of information was something she had learned frombing through Charles'' memories from before. Specifically, it was from that very memory when he first learned that Fhtagn was 003.


    Anna leaned over the railing to look into the azure waters. She seemed to see something, but at the same time, it seemed like there was nothing at all.

 Chapter 914: Midnight

    Devoid of light pollution at sea, the seemingly boundless starry sky was visible to everyone. The sea breeze swept across the dark skies overhead, but there was not a single cloud in sight.


    The stunning array of stars glimmered like scattered diamonds across the ck canvas.


    The moon, thergest sphere visible from Earth, hung like a silver searchlight in the middle of the sky. Its silvery sheen bathing everything in the waters below, including the Narwhale in its glow.


    On the deck, the Fhtagnists were d in ck robes as they gathered in a circle around a group of terrified pirates, whose faces were painted with expressions of pure dread.


    "Followers of Fhtagn!" Anna''s voice rang out in the air, and her blood-red cloak billowed around her as she stood at the ship''s bow. Facing the crowd, she raised her golden dagger into the air. "Last night, the Great One delivered a divine message to me!"


    Due to her action, her sleeve had fallen back to reveal the gruesome, sickly green wound on her right arm. Looking simr to a burn scar, it showed no signs of healing despite the passing days. In fact, it was now riddled with swollen, oozing blisters and looked ghastly.


    However, the scar was sacred in the eyes of the followers. It represented the blessing of Fhtagn and also His authority in the form of Anna.


    "Tonight! He will bestow His blessings upon all of us. Those chosen will earn His attention, and when they pass from this world, their spirits will not fade into oblivion. They shall be granted entrance into Fhtagn''s divine kingdom!" Anna proimed.


    "And this is only the beginning!" Anna''s words continued. "If we remain steadfast, our Almighty God Fhtagn will hear your desires and make theme to pass!"The promise ignited the souls of those present as a wave of fervent cries erupted from the crowd as they lifted their weapons high.


    Under the feverish influence, everyone seemed to have entered a state of collective unconsciousness, like a herd of sheep mindlessly following their shepherd.


    "Now, let the ceremony begin!" Anna dered as she lowered her golden dagger and pointed it directly at the group of pirates bound tightly at the center of the deck.


    Sensing the amiss atmosphere, the captured pirates thrashed against their restraints. One of them desperately shouted, "Waxaan!! Kaa baryayaa, runtii waxaan ogahay inay¡ª"


    The pirate''snguage was foreign to everyone aboard. However, his fear was evident from the raw panic and pleading in his tone.


    <em>Schlunk, schlunk.</em>


    The sickening sound of flesh being pierced echoed across the deck, and the deck rapidly descended into silence.


    When the agonizing screams finally ceased, the devotees followed Anna''s precise instructions and began to arrange the severed parts of the bodies across the blood-slicked nks of the deck.


    Holding a femur and carefully cing it atop a heart, Roy couldn''t help but let his thoughts run.


    <em>I remember this ritual. But this time, it''s bigger and more refined.</em>


    <em>No matter what''s the purpose of this ritual, it''s definitely not some divine message as per her ims. She had certainly used this ritual on Li Lu before.</em>


    Anna''s lips parted, and the previous alien, jarringnguage filled the air. Eight followers prostrated themselves around the circle; their arms outstretched as if embracing some unseen force.


    Under the envious gazes of the crowd, the first batch of chosen devotees stepped forward and moved into the heart of the circle.


    The scene that had once unfolded with Li Lu was now being repeated on them. As Anna''s voice reached a crescendo, a sudden unnerving, viscous aura slithered up from the depths of the ocean. ??


    Everyone present felt it. Instinctpelled them to drop to their knees and press their foreheads desperately to the bloodstained deck.


    This ritual was unlike any that the High Priestess had performed before. For the first time, they could feel the sheer magnitude of their god''s power and how insignificant humans were in His presence.


    A strange, collective sense of auditory and visual hallucinations swept over the congregation. They could feel the Great One standing beside the ship, watching them with cold indifference.


    Even Anna herself shivered uncontrobly at the sensation. However, her heart was also pumping with joy. She had made the right choice to sail into the Indian Ocean. The location had a great influence on the ritual''s effectiveness.


    Just as suddenly as it came, the suffocating presence dissipated. Everyone on the deck gradually lifted their heads and turned to look at the dozen people in the heart of the ritual circle.


    <em>Clink.</em>


    Anna raised the sacred Fhtagn pendants high above her head. One by one, she handed them out, her eyes glittering with anticipation for what was to follow.


    Suddenly, in unison, those who received the pendants fell to their knees. Holding the silver pendant in their hands, they showered them with fervent kisses.


    "My God, I''m willing to sacrifice my all for You!"


    "Praise to the Great One! The Great One is omnipotent! All shall wither and fade, but the Great One shall persist!


    "Oh God, we beseech You to save Your people! Our bodies are so feeble and weak!


    Seeing the pure, untainted fervor in their wild eyes, a smile yed upon Anna''s lips. Her goal had been achieved. Belief in Fhtagn equated to belief in Her¡ªFhtagn''s human representative. By this simple equation, she would soonmand a horde of fervent followers, a force of unshakeable loyalty.


    Anna crouched down beside a young male follower and patted his shoulder. "For God Fhtagn, speak now. Reveal the deepest secret you''ve kept buried in your heart."


    Holding the silver pendant in his hands, the young man froze for a split moment. Shame flushed his face as he said, "High Priestess, actually, I''ve been dishonoring you in my thoughts every single night. I''m a sinner, and I deserve death."


    Instead of anger, Anna nodded in satisfaction. The problem of the hidden traitor among her ranks had practically solved itself.


    Once someone had devoted their entire soul to God Fhtagn and sees Him as their only purpose in life, any prior allegiance could be cast aside without hesitation.


    One after another, Anna gave the samemand to each believer. Every single one of them divulged the secret that they kept in their hearts.


    Some opportunists among them even wept as they confessed that their previous faith was a disguise.


    They had long harbored thoughts of escape when they realized they had joined a cult that demanded human sacrifice, but they stayed out of fear and the fact that there were no escape routes.


    "There''s no need to apologize to me, my brothers and sisters. You now bear the mark of Fhtagn. The Great One has forgiven you."


    While Anna continued to speak to those devotees, Roy remained on his knees in the crowd; his mind swirled with shock and disbelief.


    It was only now that he realized how foolish the IMF had been to send only himself and Agent 8 for this infiltration mission.


    The headquarters had made a grave mistake in their assessment of Anna.


    She was definitely not just a cult leader who performed all sorts of rituals and sacrifices. She was like a deadly virus that had infiltrated human society, and if they, the white blood cells meant to protect humanity, didn''t act soon, the consequences would be catastrophic.


    Everything coulde crashing down.


    Roy made a firm decision in his heart. His mission to observe and record her activities would cease from this very second. Gathering intelligence about her or finding her origins and motives was now meaningless.


    Be it the terrifying aura that she had summoned moments ago or these people spilling their most personal confessions without hesitation, they were all indications that Anna was a deadly threat that was no less dangerous than an Alpha-ss Uncontroble Anomaly.


    His new mission was clear¡ªhe had to get this information to the headquarters. The IMF needed to deploy its most elite task force to eliminate her.

 Chapter 915: Island

    "Wang Sheng, bring Li Lu up here. The Great One says that she needs to be blessed."


    Anna no longer needed to wait until Li Lu''s child was born, as she now had an alternative in the form of that ritual.


    Roy standing nearby felt like he had been thrown into an icy cavern.


    <em>This is bad! If Li Lu gets brainwashed, my identity will be exposed!</em>


    Roy desperately searched for ways to resolve this crisis, but he realized that his options were limited.


    "But we''re out of sacrifices, High Priestess. If we want to perform that ritual again, we will have to use our brothers and sisters," Wang Sheng said thoughtfully while bowing.


    "Is that so?" Anna raised her head and looked around. Everywhere her gaze fell, the people there would lower their heads. They were willing to ept the ritual, but that didn''t mean that they wanted to be sacrificial offerings.


    In addition, it would be too suspicious for her to suddenly announce that volunteers would instantly enter Fhtagn''s divine kingdom.


    Moreover, there weren''t that many of them yet, and each and every one of them was useful. Anna had no ns of exhausting their manpower. She had nurtured these people for a long time, so it would be a waste to abandon them so easily."Then forget it. We''ll discuss itter. The Great One didn''t specify when to perform the ritual. We can just conduct it sometimeter," Anna remarked.


    Roy immediately felt like he was floating on cloud nine. He was safe¡ªfor now.


    However, the close shave had strengthened his resolve. He had to send a report as soon as possible. There was no time for him to waste, as he was already on borrowed time.


    Everyone sighed in relief at Anna''s deration, and except for those on duty, they went back to their quarters to sleep.


    However, Anna had no ns of sleeping just yet. Upon returning to her office, Anna pulled out a map of the Indian Ocean andid it down before her. Her finger moved slowly across it; she seemed to be searching for something.


    Since she had already confirmed that the ritual was working within the Indian Ocean, it was about time for her to expand the congregation. In addition, she needed to find supply points for sacrificial offerings.


    Anna''s finger moved around the map until it eventuallynded on an archipgo.


    She turned on herputer and began searching for more information about it.


    <em>The Comoros is an archipgic country in the western Indian Ocean, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel and off Africa''s east coast. It is situated about six hundred kilometers west of Madagascar and east of Mozambique. It has a total poption of 797,000.</em>


    <em>It consists of four major inds¡ªGrande Comore, Anjouan, Moh¨¦li, and Mayotte¡ªplus several smaller inds. The Comoro Inds are a group of volcanic inds. It is mostly mountainous with rugged terrain and forests. It has a tropical rainforest climate, so it is hot and humid all year round...</em>


    Anna nodded with satisfaction at the information disyed on theputer screen. "<em>Hmm, </em>it''s a good ce to establish a foothold. It''s also remote enough for my needs.


    "Even if something major happens in such a small and poor ind nation, I don''t think thatmotion is going to make waves internationally."


    Having made up her mind, Anna ordered the captain to change course toward their new destination. The change in course couldn''t be hidden from Roy, and he had already deduced what they were nning on doing.


    He had to move fast and as soon as possible.


    However, they were in an enclosed iron box, and there was no way he couldmunicate with the outside world. Under these circumstances, it would be difficult to make any move, so Roy had no choice but to wait and observe.


    The Narwhale made her way to an ind sprawling in coconut trees.


    <em>Hooonk!</em>


    The Narwhale''s horn startled birds into fleeing, and it also awakened the people on the ind from their slumber.


    Through her red sunsses, Anna saw inders pointing at theirrge ship. The inders had brown skin; they resembled Indians in appearance, but they were shorter. The majority of them were wearing short sleeves and sandals.


    The Narwhale was sorge that there wasn''t any docking site big enough to amodate the Narwhale. At the same time, it was proof of just how remote the ind was.


    Although remote, the ind was not isted from the outside world.


    They learned a lot from the Inte, perhaps a bit too much, even.


    "Miss Beautiful, you''ve chosen the perfect ce to sightsee. Tourism is our main industry, and we have everything that you might need. While enjoying the tropical ind, you''ll also be able to indulge in other forms of entertainment," a short-statured tour guide said, smiling at Anna and herrge group.


    He could not care less about their background; he only knew that their pockets had to be full of US dors. Themission that he''d earn by securing an entire ship''s worth of customers would be equivalent to several years of hard work.


    "Is it fine for us to dock there?" Anna asked, pointing at the distant Narwhale with her red, nail-polished finger.


    "<em>Ah! </em>That might be a bit difficult; that ce is a bit too close to the ind. If the customs finds out, there will be fines. But if you choose to work with ourpany, we''ll definitely help you resolve any issues."


    Anna smiled at the short man''s shrewd face. Then, she said, "I''m a bit hungry. What local specialties do you have here?"


    "No problem, please follow me! I''ll take you to the ind''s most luxurious hotel. Our ind''s cocanth is a delicacy that you can only taste here.


    "The customer is king, and it is our mission to satisfy our customers! Let''s eat first, and then we''ll talk more about the detailster."


    The short man led Anna and her group into an enormous sailboat-shaped hotel built by the sea. Her outstanding beauty attracted many nces, but unlike when she had just arrived on the surface world, no one dared to cause any trouble.


    The short man introduced the menu to the group before tactfully withdrawing. He knew that he''d end up annoying them if he were to stay any longer.


    Anna saw many other people in the hotel¡ªpeople of different nationalities. It seemed that the tour guide was not lying. The ind''s main industry was indeed tourism, but perhaps all they had left was tourism.


    "Wang Sheng, have the people been sent out?" Anna asked softly after taking a sip of soda water.


    "Rest assured, they''ve been sent out. Soon, the ind''s coastal defenseyout will be in our grasp," Wang Sheng replied.


    Roy stepped forward from among the crowd with a clenched fist. "High Priestess, I''m familiar with a ce like this. An ind as tiny as this might as well have no coastal defense. As long as we have enough manpower, taking over it would be easy.


    "If we''re going to make a move, we should be more concerned about the cell phones of the other tourists here."


    Anna nced at the tourists taking photos with their phones.


    "I''ll locate all the radio towers on the ind and cut off allmunications to the outside world!" Roy added. Then, he turned around and walked toward the distant elevators.


    Anna crossed her legs and took another sip of the soda water in her hands as Roy''s figure disappeared into the elevator. Soon, her charming eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of coldness as she said, "Send some people to follow him."

 Chapter 916: Execute

    "So you''re saying that if the price is right, the thousands of people that your ship can amodate will all stay on our ind?" Sika asked. He was the highest authority in the Comoros, and he was seated across from Anna.


    He was a dark-skinned man of short stature. He was so small that even Anna was a head taller than him.


    Anna sitting sideways smiled and raised her wine ss to Sika.


    "It''s not going to be just this once. If things go smoothly, I can make this ce a regr stop for my around-the-world ocean liner. Once that happens, you''ll have to renovate your pier."


    Sika couldn''t contain his excitement upon hearing that. If the deal went through, it''d be like having a goose capable ofying golden eggs! He couldn''t even imagine just how much foreign money and how many jobs the deal would bring to the ind.


    Sika never doubted Anna''s words. The fact that she owned a massive cruise liner was enough proof of her capabilities. Sika couldn''t imagine that someone like her might y a joke on him.


    "Please rest assured, our ind has been in the tourism business for many years now. We''ll definitely provide you with the best service possible, and I hereby dere that from now on¡ªall excursions availed by your passengers are tax-free!"


    If an uninitiated third party were here, they''d say that Sika was being too subservient in exchange for such modest profits. However, the inders of the Comoros were all too aware of just how important tourism was to them.


    Tourism was their only industry, after all.There was a myriad of tropical inds suitable for tourism, but people all over the world only knew the Maldives and Hawaii. To make matters worse, their number of tourists had been steadily decreasing year on year.


    They had to seize this opportunity, or they''d have to live the life of their ancestors¡ªsail out for fish and barter goods for a livelihood.


    To be honest, Sika was having a hard time managing the poor inds. He was genuinely envious of wealthy people like Anna.


    "I can feel your sincerity, Mr. Sika, and I''ll think about this carefully." Anna raised her ss to Sika''s ss. A light clinking sound echoed, and Anna downed the blood-red liquid in the ss.


    The two discussed the details of their cooperation for a while.


    Sika even offered to personally guide Anna around the ind''s attractions. Of course, Anna politely declined, but she promised to take him up on the offer tomorrow.


    In the end, Sika left the hotel with a satisfied look, and he left just as Anna''s spies returned to thetter''s side.


    "High Priestess, Roy didn''t do anything suspicious. He was genuinely helping you check the ind''s radio stations, broadcast towers, and base stations."


    However, Anna inwardly snorted in response to the report. The spies whom she had sent out to secretly follow Roy were the first ones to receive Fhtagn''s blessing, so they were core members of the congregation.


    In other words, there was no way they would lie. However, Anna remained vignt about Roy. She was at a critical moment, and she couldn''t afford to be careless. Any variable could lead to aplete loss.


    At the moment, Anna was extremely vulnerable against that unknown organization, and all she could do against them was be careful, be careful, and be even more careful.


    Anna pondered briefly over her next course of action before looking up to Wang Sheng, saying, "Pass down an order in my name¡ªeveryone from the ship must move in groups.


    "It is a serious offense to visit the ind alone, and I don''t want anyone to use any of the ind''smunication facilities."


    Unfortunately, this was a band-aid solution. If there were really more moles among them, this solution wouldn''t stop them. However, a band-aid solution was enough for now.


    Regardless of whether there were more moles among them, any issue would be resolved once the people on board had received Fhtagn''s blessing.


    When night fell, Anna and her group returned to the Narwhale by boat. To retain his valued guests, Sika was extremely hospitable, sending many fresh fish for them to consume.


    On that night, the devotees enjoyed a sumptuous dinner.


    Everyone enjoyed the food, and their faces showed delight as they savored everything, including Roy.


    On the outside, Roy appeared to be enjoying his lobster, but his heart was burning with anxiety. As a highly professional agent, Roy was extremely good at counter-surveince; he had immediately noticed that he was being followed earlier, so he decided to avoid trouble by staying put.


    However, he couldn''t be happy about it at all. No matter how good he was at pretending, it was clear that Anna had no ns of believing in him. Considering his predicament, contacting the IMF was harder than swimming the seven seas.


    <em>What do I do? Time is running out. Once that woman takes over the entire ind, its poption will quickly be fuel for her expansion. Things are going to be irreversible by then, </em>Roy thought while chewing on his lobster.


    Just then, a cigarette appeared before him.


    "Want a smoke?"


    Startled, Roy looked up and saw that the hand belonged to the old captain, Roger.


    "Thanks," Roy said. He swallowed the food in his mouth and epted the cigarette.


    "Let me ask you something, young man. Since this ship has reached its destination, isn''t it about time we leave?" Roger asked. He took out a filtered cigarette, tore off the filter, and pulled out the yellow tobo inside.


    Then, he stuffed it into his pipe and stared at Roy, waiting for thetter''s answer.


    Roy couldn''t answer the old captain''s question and could only reveal an awkward smile.


    "<em>Huff~</em>" A puff of white smoke emerged from Roger''s mouth. "I should have known it before I epted that deal. I should have known that it''s going to be hard to get off once we''re on board.


    "s, we''re all in the same boat now. And don''t even think that I don''t know what you people are doing on the deck at night."


    Hearing that, Roy moved ording to his fabricated persona, asking, "Captain, why don''t you join us? The great Fhtagn can fulfill all your wishes."


    Roger stared deeply at the man before him. Then, he gripped his pipe strongly and turned around to leave. "You can try and try, but you''re dreaming if you can make me be a part of your shitty cult. <em>Hmph!</em>"


    Roger left without looking back.


    Roy sat down to continue his dinner but froze after a few bites.


    <em>Dreaming? </em>He recalled something just then, and his eyes lit up. However, he didn''t do anything and simply proceeded with his meal like the other believers around him.


    Once dinner was over, Roy returned to his quarters and picked up the palm-sized wooden sculpture on the table. He stroked it gently, seemingly ruminating over something.


    The next day, Anna woke up feeling groggy. She felt something amiss. She touched her forehead with the back of her hand and discovered that she was having a fever.

 Chapter 917: Abnormality

    <em>Are you kidding me?! The human body is actually so fragile?!</em> A Dioite''s regeneration power was astonishing; they could survive a bullet to the head, so it could be said that Anna had never experienced any mdies until now.


    <em>Why did it have to be now of all times? I was nning on exploring the entire ind with that short guy today! </em>Anna hated having her ns interrupted. She gnashed her teeth and tried to stand up, only to feel the world spinning. In the end, she was forced to sit back down.


    It seemed that it was a severe fever rather than just a regr one. Left with no choice, Anna ordered the ship''s doctor toe and treat her.


    For apetent doctor, a minor ailment like a fever wouldn''t be a problem, but as the saying went, "sicknesses like andslide, but goes slowly like spinning silk." Clearly, recovery was impossible today.


    Anna started coughing as the vertigo subsided. It seemed that her appointment with Sika would have to be postponed.


    "High Priestess, you need to rest. I''ll prescribe you some medication to help you sleep," the bald ship doctor said thoughtfully.


    "I understand. You may leave," Anna replied. After taking the medicine, Anna covered herself with a nket and closed her eyes while coughing lightly.


    Left all alone in the spacious cabin, Anna curled up in the corner of the bed and tried to sleep. Anna''s chest would heave violently from time to time, and her coughs would reverberate throughout the room.


    Thirty minutester, Anna felt thirsty, but she was too weak to even get out of bed. She instinctively reached out toward the bedside table, but upon bringing the cup to her lips, she realized that it was empty.Her longing for the Subterranean Sea grew stronger just then, and a wave of loneliness swept across her heart.


    "<em>Cough, cough, cough! </em>Are you happy with this, Charles? Is this what you wanted? <em>Cough, cough, cough!</em>" Anna muttered weakly to herself with her eyes closed. "You''ve always been so self-righteous. You think that what''s heaven for you must be heaven for everyone as well, but you''re wrong¡­


    "I''m a monster¡ªa man-eating monster! And you can never change that fact. It will never change even though I now have a human body!" Anna''s voice pervaded the cabin, and her cries sounded like a confession and a cry of defiance at the same time. "Just you wait¡ªwait and watch as I turn your idea of a heavenly paradise into a nightmarish hellscape!


    "<em>Cough, cough, cough!</em> I really can''t wait to see your face by then."


    The medication she had consumed earlier began to take effect, and Anna eventually fell asleep.


    When Anna opened her eyes again, it was already the evening of the next day. A middle-aged man sporting a mustache had awakened her from her slumber.


    The middle-aged man was one of the followers on the ship, and his identity was proven by the silver pendant hanging in front of his chest.


    "Esteemed High Priestess, someone has attempted to sneak onto the ind. We stopped them and found something peculiar on them¡­"


    The many hours of rest made Anna feel much better. She switched into work mode upon hearing the middle-aged man''s words and asked, "There''s another traitor? Bring them here; let me see them."


    In no time, a group of followers dragged in a tightly bound man.


    Anna couldn''t hide her surprise upon seeing the man. He was none other than Li Long, and he had been with Anna even before the congregation was formed. Li Long was tied up with ropes, and he was crying while struggling against his restraints.


    Upon seeing Anna, Li Long immediately pleaded, "I-I-I didn''t do it! It wasn''t me! You know me, right? I have nowhere else to go! How can I possibly betray you?!"


    Anna ignored him at first and turned to the others. "What did he do?"


    "Early this morning, he tried to surreptitiously travel to that distant ind by himself. That''s not all¡ªwe found a pen on him, but the pen is just a ruse. There''s a note hidden in the pen''s barrel."


    Anna epted the piece of paper and found a string of numbers written on it.


    "This isn''t mine! This <em>really </em>isn''t mine!" Li Long shouted, and his face turned green. He was aware of the horrible fate that a traitor would face.


    It was only now did he realize just how terrifying a cult could be. He had been enjoying a good life so far, so he truly didn''t expect that his good life could be subverted so easily, and now, he was afraid that he was going to die.


    Anna carefully examined the note. The random numbers made no sense. It was clearly a secret code. After staring at it for a while, Anna looked down at Li Long, asking, "What do these numbers mean?" R?


    "I really don''t know anything! If I were really a traitor, would I be in such a lowly position?" Li Long replied. He was so desperate that he looked like he was about to cry.


    "If you don''t know anything, then how did this thing end up on you? What were you nning to do with it on the ind?" Anna asked.


    Li Long stammered his way to make some kind of an excuse, but he truly couldn''t exin how he had gotten ahold of the pen. The only exnation he offered was that he was in a trance and had no idea what he was doing until he was caught.


    The exnation sounded like a bunch of nonsense, so Anna had him taken away.


    "High Priestess, we''re not executing him?" asked one of the zealous believers. He looked quite disappointed to know that Li Long was going to live.


    Anna shook her head while staring at the closed door. "Do you really think that he''s a traitor? No, he was just being used. No organization out there would want someone as useless as him."


    "Then why did you have him locked up?"


    "It''s a trick called ''luring a snake out of its hole.'' The fact that they chose to act now, not earlier orter, proves that something must have forced them to make a move.


    "We''re going to pretend that we''ve fallen for their bait; in their eyes, we believe that Li Long is another traitor. This way, they will lower their guard, and we can look for any traces of them behind the scenes."


    "Hahaha, the fact that they can put someone in a trance and make them do something¡ªthey definitely have something interesting on them," Anna remarked, looking a bit excited.


    Two dayster, Anna''s fever was no more. She spent the day touring the ind with Sika under the pretense that they were inspecting the ind''s facilities and amenities.


    At night, Anna returned to the ship. As for the imprisoned Li Long, he seemed to have been forgotten, and even Anna didn''t mention him again.


    Everything seemed to have returned to normal with Li Long''s imprisonment.


    It was like Li Long was truly the traitor that had been hiding among them.


    However, the peace didn''tst long.


    On the third day after Li Long''s arrest, someone else made a strange move.


    Anna brought Sika on a tour of the Narwhale when a Fhtagn follower raised his gun and fired a shot in their way. The gunshot gave Sika quite a shock, and the rtionship between the two sides instantly became cold.


    On the same day, Wang Sheng, who had been serving as Anna''s right-hand man for the longest time now, suddenly jumped into the sea. Fortunately, there were many people around, and he was rescued before he could drown.


    Anna was impervious to the Anomaly''s influence, but the others were not.

 Chapter 918: Making a Move

    "What happened to you? Why did you suddenly jump into the sea?" Anna asked with furrowed brows, addressing the drenched Wang Sheng on the deck.


    "I don''t know. I don''t know why I jumped. I just looked at the sea and felt this inexplicable urge to jump," Wang Sheng said in a terrified tone of voice. He was clearly shaken by his involuntary suicide attempt.


    With a slight wave of Anna''s finger, two people rushed forward and began patting down Wang Sheng. In no time, they found a soaked piece of paper with a series of numbers on it.


    It was the same secret code that they found on Li Long not too long ago.


    "High Priestess, I''m not a traitor! I have no idea where that came from!" Wang Sheng eximed, frantically trying to prove his innocence to Anna.


    Of course, Anna knew he wasn''t a traitor. She was already aware that the enemy was attacking every useful person on her side.


    <em>They haven''t left yet. They''re still on the ship. I have no idea what they''re doing, but they''re definitely trying to get these pieces of paper to the ind, </em>Anna concluded to herself while staring at the wet paper.


    This was good news for Anna. Wherever they were hiding, their actions suggested that they hadn''t been able to contact their organization.


    However, Anna knew that she couldn''t let this drag on any longer. A long, drawn-out encounter was disadvantageous for her. The enemy was hidden while she was exposed, so she had no way of counterattacking.Anna emerged from her train of thought and turned around. Looking at the gazes on her, she dered, "Everyone, assemble on deck! Bring up all the weapons that we have on the ship."


    With that, box after box of firearms was brought out and distributed to everyone.


    Anna''s n was already underway, and they now had a clear understanding of the ind''syout, so it was time for them to make a move.


    "Tomorrow, I''ll invite that skinny guy aboard and have him receive God''s blessing. The ind is basically ours once he bes one of us!


    "If anything goes wrong, we''ll proceed with n B¡ªcapture the radio towers and sever the ind''s connection to the outside world," Anna dered.


    To ensure that the inders wouldn''t see them toting guns, everyone practiced their guns on the ship. Roy was among those who were busy preparing for tomorrow''s events.


    Roy held the gun firmly and fired repeatedly at the target on the wall. He was extremely urate with his bullets hitting bull''s-eye multiple times.


    "I used to be in the military, so this is child''s y for me," Roy exined with a smile to Wang Sheng and the others, who were taken aback by Roy''s uracy with a gun.


    "That''s awesome! Come,e,e. Teach us your secrets, will you? How are you so urate with it?"


    In the face of the Fhtagn followers, Roy didn''t hold back. He stayed in character and enthusiastically shared his experience with firearms. He taught them hands-on, and everyone''s uracy had improved significantly byte night. At the very least, they could finally hit their targets.


    The intermittent gunfire finally vanished as everyone called it a day and headed to their quarters one after another. They needed a good rest for the sake of tomorrow''s n.


    Roy and Wang Sheng happened to be heading the same way, so they were walking together toward their sleeping quarters.


    "Honestly, I might not be able to sleep tonight. We''re about to do something big, so I''m feeling really nervous. I''ll definitely need a smoke before we start tomorrow," Wang Sheng rambled to Roy.


    "Don''t worry; we''ll definitely seed," Roy said, patting Wang Sheng''s shoulder to reassure thetter. His words weren''t just a bunch of nonsense to soothe Wang Sheng. Objectively speaking, Anna had a high chance of taking over the ind nation tomorrow.


    The ind nation had a poption of more than seven hundred thousand people, and the idea of around a thousand people attempting to take over it sounded imusible, but it was not far-fetched at all. ??


    More often than not, the ruling parties of small nations reached their current heights through oundish maneuvers, and there was even a case when a hundred people with guns on bicycles somehow managed to take over an entire country.


    Moreover, Anna''s people weren''t just ordinary people¡ªthey were fanatical cultists. Anna also had a special ability to conjure mes, so it would be easy for her to take over the ind unless something went wrong.


    That was why Roy was so anxious¡ªhe was so anxious that he was struggling to maintain his self-hypnosis and stay in character.


    Once Anna had upied the ind, her next move would be to use the inders as sacrificial offerings to make those aboard receive the so-called "blessing." Roy would definitely be among the first batch to receive such a "blessing."


    Those who had gone through the blessing ceremony would unconditionally worship the God Fhtagn, and they''d show absolute loyalty to God Fhtagn''s representative, Anna.


    Roy believed that he''d instantly be brainwashed like the others as soon as he received the "blessing." If that happened, then he would have no other choice but to end himself.


    The door to Roy''s quarters closed with a <em>click,</em> and his eyes instantly grew determined. If he wanted to avoid that fate and save those poor inders, tonight was his only chance to make a move.


    However, there was just one problem¡ªhow was he going to interfere? His previous attempts had proven that trying to get a message out through the people on the ship was impossible. He needed to find another way.


    <em>What should I do? How can I get a message to headquarters when I can''tmunicate with the outside world? </em>Roy thought with furrowed brows.


    The only thing he could rely on was the controble Anomaly in his hands. It could manipte someone''s behavior through their dreams, but it hadn''t been very useful, as everyone had been staying on board. Plus, it could only affect one person at a time.


    Roy made a cup of coffee for himself and fell into deep contemtion while staring at the swirling ck liquid inside the cup.


    But even after his coffee had gonepletely cold, Roy had yet toe up with any solution. The clock''s minute hand turned and turned¡ªhe was running out of time.


    Roy became more and more anxious as dawn drew closer. When the hour hand finally pointed at three, a certain person''s face popped up in his mind. It was the face of the Narwhale''s captain, Roger. If anyone on the ship had the power to change things, it would be the captain.


    He could manipte the old captain''s behavior and make him run the ship at full speed toward the beach, grounding it there. By then, someone on the ind would surely record a video of the grounded ship and upload it to UTube.


    The headquarters knew that he was on this ship, so they''d surely send someone to him upon seeing the grounded Narwhale.


    Time was ticking by fast, and Roy had no time to waste. He had to move now, as the early risers would surely awaken from their slumber once the hour hand struck four.


    Roy closed his eyes and took a deep breath while standing behind the door to his sleeping quarters. Momentster, he grabbed the door handle and turned it hard before slipping into the dim corridor outside.

 Chapter 919: Discovery

    Roy had already memorized the Narwhale''syout, so it took him no time to arrive within fifty meters of the old captain''s quarters. Taking another deep breath, he gripped the wooden sculpture tightly in his hand.


    Finding the old captain''s seascape was easy, and he slipped in smoothly with no issues whatsoever. Upon entering, Roy found himself on a bustling summer beach packed with people. There were no signs of Captain Roger just yet.


    <em>The captain''s dream is pretty lively. Who would have thought that someone so stubborn on the outside was actually a party animal inside?</em> Roy thought. He walked barefoot on the sand, beginning his search.


    To alter the subconscious behavior of his target, the first step was to find the target before anyone else.


    The beach was crowded with men and women in swimwear. Roy was bing increasingly anxious as he scoured the beach for his target. He had been walking for quite a while now, but he had yet to see the old captain.


    The time outside was not frozen. He had to find the old captain before dawn, or there would be issues.


    Just then, a red ball rolled to his feet, and a little girl from afar eximed, "Mister! Can you pass me the ball?"


    <em>Her behavior is normal, not erratic at all. That little girl must be important to the captain. Who is she? Howe the captain has never mentioned her? </em>Roy thought. He then picked up the ball and walked toward her.


    "Hello, have you seen an old man with a white beard with a cigarette between his lips?" Roy asked, handing over the ball to her.The little girl blinked and pointed at arge red parasol nearby.


    "Thanks." Roy returned the ball and turned toward the parasol.


    Beneath the umbre, the old captain was wearing nothing but swim trunks, and he was talking to a one-eyed man.


    <em>Perfect! There''s still time! </em>Roy walked quickly toward the old captain.


    Captain Roger seemed to have heard footsteps behind him as he turned around slowly to face Roy.


    The delighted Roy immediately froze upon seeing the old captain''s true face. A wave of coldness engulfed him in an instant. The old man had no facial features except for just one massive eye¡ªa massive eye with a yellow cross-shaped pupil!


    The eye blinked, and a hoarse female voice echoed from the captain''s pot belly.


    "So it''s you! I finally found you!"


    As soon as the voice fell, the scenery around Roy changed rapidly. The sunny skies darkened, and the crowd on the beach melted into piles of ck mud.  ?


    The captain''s body cracked like a ceramic pot, and writhing tentacles riddled with ck scales burst out of him.


    Soon, a tentacled monster as tall as a skyscraper stood before Roy, and the massive yellow eyeball on its torso was staring at him yfully.


    Roy was familiar with the titanic monster behind him¡ªhe had seen it once in Anna''s dream! Roy was struck by a realization just then. He had been too arrogant.


    Anna had seen through every little idea that hade to his mind, and she had even decided to sleep in Roger''s quarters to catch him red-handed!


    "You''re good. You know how to act. I never had any idea that you''re a mole until now," Anna said.


    With his cover blown, Roy gave up any ideas of using subterfuge. He faced the huge tentacled monster and said, "Everything inside a dream is made from the dreamer''s perspective. Since you''re a deformed, tentacled monster here, then that must be your true form. In other words, you''re not human at all!


    "I''m afraid a human body is nothing more than just clothes to you."


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A massive tentacle plunged into the sand next to Roy.


    "Hahaha, you guessed it right. However, you won''t be able to make any reports to your colleagues," Anna remarked.


    "What exactly are you? Where did youe from?" Roy asked. He still wanted to understand the monster who had bested him, even though he knew that he was soon going to die.


    "You''re still asking me questions at this point? Don''t worry; I''m not like those TV show viins who ramble on and on before making their move."


    As soon as Anna''s words fell, Roy''s eyes shot wide open. The seascape had vanished, and he was back in the bathroom where he had been hiding. Clearly, Anna had awakened.


    Upon realizing that he was in grave danger, his muscles tensed up, and he rushed out of the bathroom at full speed.


    Before he could run far, Anna''s stern voice echoed throughout the ship''s speakers.


    "Everyone, get up! By my authority as the High Priestess, I order you to capture Roy! God has just revealed to me that he''s a traitor!"


    The crew had been sleeping lightly due to the tension in the air, so they instantly emerged from their dwellings in response to Anna''s announcement.


    Roy was skilled and had even brought his gun just in case, but it was impossible to escape from so many people in an enclosed space. After shooting three people, the crowd overwhelmed him, pinning him to the ground.


    Just then, crisp, resonant footsteps echoed from up ahead.


    Roy looked up slightly and saw a pair of thin high heels and pale feet.


    Anna raised one foot and stepped on Roy''s head. The sharp top piece of her heel pressed on Roy''s temple. When she applied a bit of pressure, the top piece broke Roy''s skin, drawing out blood from the wound.


    "Are you not going to say anything, Mr. Agent? Would you prefer to confess, or would you like to do it upon receiving God''s blessing?" Anna asked.


    At this moment, Roy regretted giving all his poison to 8, as he couldn''tmit suicide without them.


    "Thank you. The fact that I managed to catch you before our big move has put me at ease. Otherwise, I''d always feel worried about the fact that there''s a hidden time bomb right next to me."


    With his face pressed against the cold floor, Roy gnashed his teeth and shouted, "You''re not going to seed! I don''t care what you are, but this ce belongs to us¡ªhumans!


    "You must be dreaming if you think that you can destroy our world! You won''t be able to do anything to our world! We will protect our home!"


    "<em>Hmph,</em> that sounds like the Foundation. Unfortunately for you, I''ve encountered your organization before, but they''re all dead now."


    Anna lowered her foot and turned to Wang Sheng, saying, "Break his limbs and tie him up before locking him up. I don''t want to worry about him while we''re taking over the ind."


    Anna would eventually kill Roy, but not now, as she still needed to learn more about the organization behind him.


    Since everyone was already awake, Anna told them to get ready instead of letting them sleep some more.


    Just as they were lowering boats to send the first group of attackers on the ind, the whirring of helicopter rotors pervaded the sky. However, there wasn''t just one helicopter; there were dozens of them outside.


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    A sonic boom tore through the air, making everyone crouch and cover their head instinctively. The sonic boom hade from the supersonic aircraft flying low above them.

 Chapter 920: IMF

    It was three in the morning, right before dawn. The crew cast bewildered gazes at the sky; they could hear noises outside, but they couldn''t see anything at all.


    As the noises grew louder and louder, everyone started panicking. They instinctively turned to look at Anna, their pir of strength.


    Anna was deeply shocked at themotion up above. How had they found them when Roy hadn''t managed to send any messages?


    The AIS and other vessel positioning systems had all been turned off. They couldn''t have found them via satellite, as the ocean was extremely vast. If their technology were that advanced, they wouldn''t lose so many nes at sea every year.


    The timing was perfect as well; they arrived right as she was about to make her move.


    Anna was extremely frustrated at the thought that her preparations were going to waste. She had yet to make her return to the Subterranean Sea, so she couldn''t die here prematurely!


    Just then, blinding light beams shot down from above andnded on the deck.


    Momentster, a booming voice echoed from what seemed to be loudspeakers.


    "We''re from the United Nations Peacekeeping Force! You''re under suspicion of drug trafficking using this vessel! Stop now and allow us to inspect your vessel!"It seemed like their words were targeted at the inders rather than at Anna.


    Looking at the searchlights, Anna''s delicate face showed a hint of mockery. "A peacekeeping force? Do they really think that this is my first time on Earth?"


    Amidst the ring warnings, it became clear to everyone that Anna''s armed followers were clearly no match for the modern armed force above them.


    Anna''s ns were now in ruins, but she had no time for regrets. Before anything else, she had to avoid getting captured.


    The cogs in Anna''s mind turned rapidly. Then, she turned around and rushed toward the steps that led to the ship''s bridge.


    "Everyone goes inside! Prepare your weapons and follow my instructions through the speakers!"


    Soon, the massive cruise liner started turning, and it was clearly heading toward the distant beach.


    "This is your first warning! Stop immediately and allow us to inspect your vessel!"


    A booming voice echoed from the loudspeakers, but Anna''s eyes were transfixed on the beach, ignoring the warning. Staying on the ship meant death. They had to reach the ind and use the crowd as well as themotion to escape.


    Everyone else on the ship could be abandoned. Anna just had to escape by herself, and she would have no issues starting over from scratch.


    Just then, a rain of bullets pelted the bridge, shattering its windows.


    Anna ducked down and gnashed her teeth with her hand gripping the bottom of the helm. Do these people really think that they can make me submit when even Charles couldn''t make me submit?! ?


    <em>Swoosh! Boom!</em>


    A missile struck the water, creating a massive wave near the Narwhale''s bow.


    The ship rocked violently amidst the wave, but the attacks weren''t over just yet.


    More missiles followed, and the rocking became increasingly violent. The closest missile grazed the ship before hitting the water. "This is your final warning! Stop immediately, or we will sink your vessel!"


    Anna was delighted rather than furious upon hearing that. The fact that they dared not attack her directly meant that they wanted her alive! Anna grabbed the microphone on the nearby instrument panel and shouted, "Maximum power! Push it to the absolute limit! It''s okay even if the engines end up broken!"


    Large ships were slow due to their immense weight, so Anna''s Narwhale couldn''t match the speed of Charles'' Narwhale, but throwing all caution to the wind and disregarding any damages was a different story.


    The Narwhale''s low and piercing horn tore through the air. She sounded like a giant roaring at the aircraft up above before charging its way toward the distant beach.


    Missiles were still falling all around the ship, and one of the missiles even struck the deck, copsing more than half of it. However, the missiles never targeted the bridge.


    Soon, the helicopters drew closer, and ropes descended from above as figures in ckbat gear rappelled onto the ship. The followers hiding in the cabins emerged en masse. They raised their guns to fight back, and the air was soon filled with gunshots.


    However, professionals would always win against amateurs. The hastily assembled motley crew was no match against the attackers. Soon, a squadron with emblems depicting a phoenix on their shoulders stormed the bridge.


    Li Long was standing at the helm, and he had peed himself out of fear.


    However, Anna was nowhere to be seen.


    The squad leader touched his earpiece and reported, "The target has vanished from the bridge."


    "She must still be on board." A woman''s voice echoed from the earpiece, "Continue the search and remember to use tranquilizers. We need her alive."


    Before the squad leader could respond, he was flung toward the ssless window by a sudden, violent impact. The Narwhale had run aground.


    The remaining followers in ck robes poured out of the cabins, rushing toward the gangways. Those too impatient took advantage of the broken windows and jumped straight into the sea.


    They were struck by tranquilizer darts, but it was difficult to stop a thousand people with just a tranquilizer. To make matters worse, they couldn''t use lethal, explosive weapons, so more than half of the followers made it to shore.


    Anna was among them, and she knew that reaching the ind was her only chance to escape.


    The crowd rushed past the beach and ran down the roads. Just as Anna was about to reach the buildings with the crowd, she felt a sharp pain radiating from her waist. She turned and saw a ck-robed follower. The follower had plunged a syringe into her waist.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Green mes burst out of Anna''s hands as she reached out for the attacker, but they were surprisingly agile; they easily dodged her attack by stepping backward in the blink of an eye.


    However, the rapid movement disturbed the attacker''s clothing; the hood fell, revealing the face of none other than Captain Roger!


    "So you were a mole all this while!" Anna remarked.


    Roger nodded calmly at Anna. "We''re short-staffed, but the IMF wouldn''t send just two people to deal with a dangerous individual like you."


    Anna''s consciousness dimmed as the tranquilizer began to overwhelm her. Thest scene she saw before losing consciousness was the blinding beams of light from the helicopters up above.


    After an unknown time, Anna woke up groggily. She looked around and found herself on a bed with nothing but a desk with aputer monitor in the distance.


    Everything around her was white¡ªthe wallpaper, the bedsheets, and even the handcuffs on her wrists. Anna also found herself wearing an electronic cor, and she assumed that the cor was in ce to control her.


    Anna didn''t get up and simplyy there, staring at the light up above.


    There was no mistaking it¡ªshe had been captured.

 Chapter 921: Conversation

    Anna thought that she''d be furious and frustrated at her current situation, so she was surprised to discover that her predicament seemed unable to affect her that much.


    <em>Was I too aggressive? If I had been more discreet, disguising myself as a denizen from the start, could I have avoided their attention? </em>Anna thought. She began reviewing everything, seeking the reasons for her failure for her next attempt.


    Anna pondered for a long time, but she eventually stopped. Her spections were pointless without a thorough understanding of the so-called IMF. Anna didn''t even have any idea when they noticed her. Was it when she crossed over from the Subterranean Sea? Or was it when she first left the country?


    How aware were they when it came to relics? Were they aware of the Subterranean Sea''s existence? They had nted three moles among her people, and that was all Anna knew about them. She knew nothing else.


    There was a chance that they had a way of detecting denizens of the Subterranean Sea as soon as they appeared on the surface.


    <em>They even have their own armed force, so this IMF must be a massive organization. First of all, I need to know whether their principles are simr to the Foundation''s principles or not.</em>


    While Anna was deep in her contemtion, theputer screen on the desk lit up with a <em>beep.</em>


    Looking up, Anna saw an Asian woman on the screen. She looked amiable and friendly. The woman was a bit fat, and her cheeks were chubby like a baby''s. She was also wearing round-framed sses.


    Overall, she resembled an elementary school teacher."Hello, my name is Stewart. Did you have a good sleep? Are you hungry?" As soon as her words fell, a gap in the wall opened, and a steaming bowl of what looked like beef stew was pushed into the room.


    "ording to 2 and 8''s reports, you''re very casual when ites to food. For you, any food is fine as long as it fills your stomach, but that''s not good. You won''t be able to maintain that nice figure without proper nutrition."


    Anna sat up, but she didn''t move. She merely stared coldly at the woman, waiting for thetter to speak about the reason behind her visit.


    Stewart smiled faintly and said, "We mean no harm, <em>really.</em> First of all, you must understand that your actions were wrong. Your actions were against humanity. Human sacrifice is absolutely forbidden here."


    Anna''s eyes revealed a tinge of mockery, but she remained silent and watched Stewart''s "performance."


    "Agent 2 said that you admitted to being a monster in your seascape, but I''m aware that there are many people out there who refer to themselves as monsters.


    "At the same time, I''m also aware of the possibility that their words are probably influenced by a psychological disorder or perhaps hallucinations from excessive drug use. Regardless, we can help you¡ªwe can help you be normal again.


    "First of all, you need to tell us where you learned all these," Stewart said. She picked up some papers off-screen and showed them to Anna. The pieces of paper depicted the sacrificial arrays that Anna had used before.


    "Where did these thingse from? Where does your heritagee from? Howe we can''t replicate these?" Stewart asked.


    Hearing that, Anna finally spoke. "Didn''t you just say that my actions were against humanity? The rituals require sacrifices, so what would you call your attempts to replicate them? Is it not against humanity?"


    Anna realized that she had a bargaining chip in hand, and it was the fact that they wanted the knowledge that she possessed.


    Fortunately, Anna had decided to burn everything she had written down. In other words, what they wanted could only be extracted from her head.


    The bargaining chip in Anna''s hand was a chip that she couldn''t give up, as they''d definitely kill her once she was no longer useful.


    "Since you''re so eager to have a conversation with me, why don''t you tell me who you really are first? I want to know who bested me," Anna said.


    Stewart smiled slightly. Anna noticed her ncing upward and realized that she was clearly waiting for approval from someone off-screen.


    "IMF¡ªthat is the name of our organization. I''m sure you''re aware that there are certain ''items'' capable of posing both physical and psychological danger to just about anyone. Those items can influence the entire world by impacting the personal beliefs of people and disrupting their daily lives. ?


    "Our job is to control and contain those anomalous items while making sure that the world will not learn of our existence."


    <em>There are relics on the surface world?</em> Anna immediately grasped the key point in Stewart''s words.


    "You have to understand that if those Anomalies were not contained, civilization would vanish in no time. After all, there are some powerful Anomalies capable of destroying human civilization.


    "There are some Anomalies in our ranks, and we are working together to achieve our great vision." Stewart paused briefly. She stared deeply at Anna before saying, "You could be one of us."


    "There is a solution to your predicament. If you tell us everything, we''re willing to recruit you into the organization. Of course, you must tell us your identity and background before anything else.


    "We need to know everything to make a proper evaluation."


    Anna fell silent once again. They had spoken in a roundabout way, but their goal was Anna''s one and only bargaining chip.


    Noticing Anna''s reluctance to speak, Stewart didn''t insist and said, "You can think it over. We''re not in a rush. Eat first, and we''ll talk moreter."


    The monitor darkened just then, but Anna''s eyes remained glued on the screen. It was clear that she had to change her priorities. Finding the entrance to the Subterranean Sea entrance could wait; she had to escape first from this wretched ce.


    And just like that, Anna spent an unknown amount of time confined in the tiny room with no colors other than white. Stewart would asionally appear to talk to her.


    Their topic of conversation did not always involve serious matters. Sometimes, Stewart would visit her andin about the food in the cafeteria; she''d also share some gossip acting as if she were Anna''s friend.


    However, Anna understood that it was all pretense and that this was just the beginning. Once they were convinced that the easy way wasn''t going to work, they''d definitely go about it the hard way.


    Of course, Anna was learning many things through their conversations. At the very least, she learned that she was being held in a containment site.


    Stewart wasn''t saying anything about her organization, but based on the Subterranean Sea''s Foundation, Anna became certain that this containment site contained other relics apart from herself.


    After all, using an entire containment site to contain just one relic was impractical, except for when the relic in question was extremely dangerous.


    Unbeknownst to Anna, detailed information about herself and an analysis of her psyche had already been transmitted to the IMF''s Adjudication Department.


    The Adjudication Department was using supeputers and precedents to evaluate Anna, a humanoid Anomaly. Once the evaluation was done, the IMF could then proceed to recruit, interrogate, or eliminate the humanoid Anomaly.

 Chapter 922: 315

    <em>Anomaly Name: High Priestess </em>


    <em>Anomaly ID: 315 </em>


    <em>Anomaly ss: Keter</em>


    <em>Special Containment Procedures: The Anomaly is temporarily confined in a 15x15 titanium alloy bedroom, wearing a Level 5 restraint cor.</em>


    <em>Mobile Task Force Omicron-19 ("Lightning and Thunder") and Mobile Task Force Omicron-24 ("Phoenix") are stationed on standby at both sides of the bedroom.</em>


    <em>The individuals under the influence must be contained and monitored; ss C amnestics must be administered to every witness, and all rted media must be destroyed.</em>


    <em>Every 315-1 instance must be held in humanoid containment chambers. Due to their special nature, all 315-1 instances must receive continuous positive psychological intervention from psychiatrists. Director Dav must be notified prior to any experiments on any 315-1 instances.</em>


    <em>Description: 315 appears as an attractive Asian adult female. However, ording to Agent 2''s statement, 315''s appearance may be a disguise, with her true form likely being a giant cephalopod monster.</em>


    <em>The psychological evaluation has increased the veracity of Agent 2''s statement. 315cks the empathy of human beings or the ability to sympathize. 315 also disys extremely self-centered behavior and antisocial tendencies.</em><em>She focuses solely on her objectives. In her eyes, even the 315-1 instances born under her influence are merely tools to be used and discarded.</em>


    <em>315 approaches humans and maniptes them through speech. 315 uses Ritual 74 to intimidate them and force them into submission. The individuals affected by Ritual 74 have developed symptoms of panic and obsessivepulsive disorders, iming to hear the voice of their god.</em>


    <em>315 has isted those individuals and taught them religious doctrine simr to the religion of the indigenous Quechua people but with an organizational structure, various rituals, and the 315-1 conversion ritual.</em>


    <em>315 refers to this religion as the Fhtagn Covenant. However, the organization''s existence cannot be verified.</em>


    <em>Ordinary human beings affected by the 315-1 Conversion Ritual are transformed into 315-1 instances.</em>


    <em>Agents 8, 2, and 3''s testimonies: </em>


    <em>315-1 instances show no physical changes but exhibit varying degrees of cognitive dissonance. They''ve abandoned their previous lives, epting the God Fhtagn as their sole god, and they view 315 as His representative. </em>


    <em>They follow her unconditionally in the quest to create more 315-1 instances.</em>


    <em>Without any intervention, 315-1 instances would eventually upy the entire Earth. Hence, 315 has been ssified as Keter.</em>


    <em>When left all alone, 315 talks to herself. The vocabry resembles nearly extinct Quechua but with apletely different grammar.</em>


    <em>Addendum: 315 possesses multiple sacrificial rituals; she likely has a unique lineage.</em>


    Based on Anomaly 149''s hypothesis, the Anomaly that has been the closest to her; there is a high chance that there are other Anomalies out there simr to 315. To ensure no simr crisis, any relevant information must be extracted from 315. §²?


    <em>Agent 2''s im about 315''s true form being a giant cephalopod requires careful verification. His im has yet to be substantiated. The physical examinations also show that 315 ispletely human.</em>


    <em>Due to 315''s refusal to cooperate, we''ve decided to focus on the 315-1 instances until the pending interrogation request is approved.</em>


    <em>Interview log of a 315-1 instance:</em>


    <em><Begin Log> </em>


    <em> 00:04: "No, the High Priestess didn''t deceive me! You ignorant people are the ones deceiving me! You have no idea how powerful He is!"</em>


    <em>00:12: "Stop pretending. Once you understand everything, they''ll treat you like they treated me! This is the truth!!"</em>


    <em>00:25: "If we persevere, there''s hope. The Great One has noticed me as well. Even in death, I''ll be resurrected in His divine kingdom!"</em>


    <em>00:30: "If you have seen what I saw, you''d do the same."</em>


    <em>00:32: "Shut up. I won''t betray the High Priestess! If you dare harm her, you''re all going to die!"</em>


    <em>00:35: "You son of a bitch! How dare you insult my great god?! I''ll beat you senseless, and then I''ll tear open your veins with my hands! I WILL RIP YOU TO PIECES!!"</em>


    <em>00:38: "I WILL kill you. I WILL end you. I will. I will!!! Someday! I swear!!"</em>


    <em><End Log></em>


    <em>Footnote: The Quechua people are an indigenous group of people in South America; they were the founders of the brilliant ancient Incan civilization.</em>


    ***


    Li Lu was in her hospital bed, quietly reading Anna''s file. Soon, she began crying softly; tears rolled down her face and onto the paper in her hands. Li Lu covered her mouth, but the whimpers from her throat were bing louder and louder.


    The psychological torment that she had to withstand on that ship was too great; she was constantly worried and afraid that Anna would literally tear apart the child from her womb.


    In the end, she was still a human being, and she was a woman capable of feeling emotions such as fear.


    The reason it hadn''t seemed that way was all thanks to her professional training, allowing her to hide her emotions through a facade of indifference.


    Now that she was left all alone, she could finally shatter the hard shell that she had enveloped herself with.


    At the very least, it had all been worth it. The heartless madwoman whose goal seemed to be the destruction of the world had finally been captured.


    <em>Knock, knock, knock!</em>


    Just then, there was knocking on the door, startling Li Lu. She wiped away her tears and snot before cing the file on the bedside table.


    "Come in," she said.


    The door was pushed open, revealing Roy dressed neatly with a bouquet of white flowers in hand.


    Li Lu''s control over her emotions and facial features was extremely high, but Roy still noticed her slightly red eyes. However, he said nothing and simply walked over to ce the flowers in an empty vase.


    "Feeling better?" he asked eventually.


    Li Lu nodded as if she weren''t crying just a few moments ago. "Yes, I''m already recovering from the torture injuries. It''s nothing serious."


    "And the child?"


    The atmosphere in the room instantly became awkward.


    Roy wanted to punch himself in the face. Wasn''t he usually smart? Howe he was so tactless today?


    Li Lu reached under her nket and stroked her swelling belly. A tinge of tenderness suffused her eyes as she muttered, "I want to keep it."


    Roy was truly caught off guard when he got the news of Li Lu''s pregnancy. He didn''t expect to be a father after going on just a single mission.


    "It''s fine; this has nothing to do with you. I know that everything you did on the ship was for the sake of the mission. I want to keep his child because I want to have my own child," Li Lu remarked.


    She could feel the little one inside her growing day by day, and the child''s growth had changed Li Lu''s mindset. The child inside her was her child, and she was nurturing her little one in her womb.


    Li Lu couldn''t bring herself to sentence her child to death. She found such thoughts to be too selfish, and she couldn''t stomach such a decision.


    Roy nervously swallowed mouthfuls of his own saliva before asking, "Can I feel it?"


    "I said that this has nothing to do with you. You can leave now," Li Lu said. Then, she turned around, turning her back toward Roy.

 Chapter 923: Li Lu and Roy

    "What do you mean this has nothing to do with me? This has <em>everything</em> to do with me! It''s my child!" Roy said with measured conviction as he stood before her again.


    He had just wrapped up his final mission, but aplication had arisen during the process. His emotions were in a tailspin. Despite his frustration, however, Roy couldn''t just pretend that nothing had happened and walk away.


    This was his responsibility as a man; he had to take responsibility for what he had done regardless of the circumstances.


    "I''ve alreadypleted the request to be transferred out of active duty," Roy said, "If you''re willing, I''ll stay by your side and be the father this child needs."


    Li Lu felt a sudden tug on her heart as she lifted her head to look at the man before her. This was the first time they had faced each other after putting away their personas and disguises.


    Roy still looked like the same Roy she knew, but the fervor in his eyes was gone and had been reced by a steady resolve.


    "This isn''t some pretend game. It''s a lifetimemitment. Also, you''re thinking too highly of yourself; I have high standards when ites to a partner," Li Lu expressed her refusal in a gentle tone.


    "How about we just give it three months?" Roy countered, "We''ll try for three months and start with dating. If you decide that it''s not working out after the three months, I''ll leave."


    Li Lu let out a sigh as she leaned back against her pillow. "This line of work isn''t exactly the cleanest. You could find someone better."Roy reached out to grab Li Lu''s hands under the nket, only to feel the sticky dampness of her earlier tears and snot.


    Despite being a seasoned agent, Li Lu still felt a flicker of embarrassment under her current situation.


    However, Roy merely pulled a few tissues from his pocket and carefully wiped away the lingering traces before he held her hands again.


    "I know. I''m not exactly the cleanest myself."


    Being from the same field, Li Lu could tell that Roy was speaking the truth. Besides, there was no room nor reason for lies of this kind.


    She looked down at her cleaned hands, and then she nced at her rounded belly. She lowered her gaze and said in a soft voice," Alright, let''s try. I guess there''s no harm trying."


    A smile surfaced on Roy''s visage as he stretched out his arms and gently pulled Li Lu into his embrace, savoring the stillness of the moment.


    As veteran shadow agents who need to deal with people from all walks of life, both of them had already grown ustomed to the darker sides of humanity. Love, in its profoundest sense, was beyond their belief.


    Instead, they had found something softer in each other¡ªa faint sense of kinship and trust. The sensation was infinitely precious to them, who had grown ustomed to deception. The sensation was so precious that they both felt an intense urge to protect it.


    After a long quiet embrace, they released each other. Roy then sat down next to Li Lu and started to cut the fruits for her.


    As they began to converse in an attempt to know each other better, they maximized every conversation skill they had learned¡ªmanaging the pace, seamlessly shifting the conversation, and reading each other''s expressions and moods with precision.


    Rather than holding a conversation, it was more precise to say that it was a sparring match of words. However, this didn''t hinder their bonds from deepening.


    As they talked, Roy''s gaze drifted to a file resting on the bedside table. He picked it up and flipped through its pages thoughtfully.


    Li Lu''s smile faded as she asked, "How do you think the higher-ups will deal with that madwoman?"


    Roy immediately understood her concern and snapped the file shut. "Don''t worry. Her existence is too dangerous and risky. There''s no way the organization would let her stick around. There are too many unpredictable variables.


    "Once they have figured out her origins, HQ will definitely eliminate her," Roy concluded, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.


    Although Anna had been captured, Roy couldn''t get rid of the unease in him every time her unsettling abilities came to mind.


    If the IMF hadn''t noticed her and she was allowed to roam free to spread the so-called Fhtagn Covenant, the consequences would have been disastrous.


    Li Lu picked up an orange slice and chewed on it. With a hint of hesitation, she asked, "Say, do you think that the God Fhtagn she keeps mentioning actually exists?" R?


    Memories of what he had glimpsed in Anna''s dream flooded Roy''s mind.


    Then, he recalled the crushing presence that had nketed the air during thetter''s ritual. The word "impossible" teetered on his lips, but he couldn''t quite bring himself to say it.


    "Don''t worry." Roy gently ced his hand over Li Lu''s and gave thetter a reassuring pat. "So what if it does exist? IMF has contained or eliminated hundreds of powerful anomalies with all sorts of abilities. That would just be considered one more."


    With that, Roy seemed to want to shift away from the heavy topics. He stood up and extended his right hand to Li Lu.


    "It''s not good to stay cooped up in a room all day. How about we take a walk? Honestly, this is my first timeing back to HQ."


    Li Lu took his hand and slipped her feet into her slippers. As she walked toward the door, she said, "This isn''t HQ. There''s no way they''d build the HQ in Antarctica. This is SITE 24; HQ doesn''t handle Anomaly containment."


    After confirming their schedule at the front desk, the two headed for the hospital exit. Before they left, the nurse had made a special reminder that they were to keep their phones on standby at all times.


    Outside the hospital, a massive, transparent ss dome curved over them. They looked up to see the perpetual night of Antarctica gleaming with green auroras, shifting like silken waves in the sky.


    "SITE 24 is built in the middle of an uninhabited Antarctic zone," Li Lu exined as if giving a guided tour while gently cradling her abdomen. "There isn''t a single trace of human life within a radius of five hundred miles. It''s also minus seventy-one degrees here most of the year.


    "Every anomaly contained in this site goes through a careful and meticulous selection process. Even if they ever break out of containment, they still have nowhere to go."


    "Have you been here before? I thought <em>shadows</em> weren''t supposed to know the existence of these sites?" Roy asked.


    "My handler came to visit me yesterday and filled me in," Li Lu replied.


    There was another implication in her words. Now that they knew of this site''s location, if they ever had to go undercover again, they would have to ept a full memory wipe.


    However, that hardly mattered anymore since theirtest mission was likely theirst.


    Within the ss dome, the facility of SITE 24 resembled a small, bustling city. Crowds moved purposefully along the streets as people filed in and out of various rooms.


    There was a distinct military air in the way they held themselves, straight-backed and purposeful. Amid this disciplined flurry, Roy and Li Lu stood out as the only ones at leisure.


    "Actually, I''m wondering why they sent us here. Now that 315 has been contained, our mission should technically be over," Roy muttered as he watched the steady flow of people.


    "It''s not that simple. None of us can leave until 315 starts talking." A booming voice sounded from behind them.


    The two turned around and spotted old Captain Roger. d in a ck trench coat, he strode toward them.


    Though they didn''t know each other before this, the old caption''s move had saved their lives. A sense of camaraderie sparked within them, and they both moved to greet him.


    ncing at the couple before him, Roger, as a man with years of experience, seemed to have understood something. However, he said nothing of it and continued with the conversation.


    "From what I''ve heard, the mysterious researchb seemed to have decoded some parts of those sacrificial rituals tied to 315. Whatever they found has alerted those above."

 Chapter 924: Lets Talk

    "Those above? Are you referring to <em>them?</em>" Li Lu''s voice wasced with astonishment upon hearing the news.


    Although she was an IMF agent who had been sent out on undercover missions for an extended period of time, she had, of course, heard of those whomanded and supervised this vast international organization.


    These individuals were the highest authorities within the IMF. They had the highest clearance level and could ess the organization''s most ssified files of all anomalies. No one knew their genders, numbers, or identities.


    And by no one, that included those within the organization and even the enemies they were fighting against. These individuals were simply referred to as "those above."


    Each of them held some of the IMF''s most dangerous secrets. Collectively, they held every single secret of the IMF.


    Most IMF personnel would go their entire careers without even seeing them. In fact, those outside the IMF had never heard of them or didn''t think that they actually existed.


    They used numbered designations, but no one knew how many people shared a single number. Perhaps a dozen or just one person had one unique number.


    Li Lu had never heard rumors that they would rotate their number identifier periodically; that was likely an arrangement that could be a random practice or a strict protocol.


    They would even frequently use body doubles and other security measures. However, all these stories could just be all made up."Are you sure? Are those stuff from 315 that significant to actually get the attention of those above?" Roy''s face mirrored Li Lu''s shock.


    Roger let out a cold snort. "Who can ever say what''s real or not when ites to matters from those above? At least, that''s what I''ve been hearing. As for its genuineness, one thing is clear¡ªthat madwoman definitely possesses something that the organization values. She''s not like a typical anomaly.


    "For one, negotiation is possible. And secondly, those things from her are clearly structured."


    Memories seemed to surface in Li Lu''s mind, and a hint of hatred filled her gaze. Her voice grew stern as she said, "I still think that she''s an extremely dangerous existence. We should have terminated her the moment we captured her. Every second she''s alive dishonors the memory of those who died because of her."


    Roger shook his head. "It''s not that simple. We discover new anomalies every year. If we start destroying them blindly without studying their origins and understanding their systems, when will this never-ending game of eliminatione to an end?


    "Recklessly executing anomalies is irrational and could even possibly backfire to cause fatal consequences. Have you forgotten about 511? We spent so much time and effort before we managed to contain that disaster."


    Hearing Roger''s words, the hatred in Li Lu''s eyes swiftly faded away as she apologized, "You''re right. I''ve let my emotions get the best of me."


    "There''s no need to apologize to me. I''m not your superior. Rest well. We probably won''t be here much longer anyway. The specialists will likely arrive soon to handle 315."


    Giving the two a slight nod of acknowledgment, Roger turned and started to walk away.


    Just then, Roy, who had been supporting Li Lu, spoke, "We''ve all been through life and death together. Since fate has brought us to the same ce, how about grabbing a meal together? My treat."


    However, it was clear that Roger didn''t share the same sentiments as he didn''t even stop walking.


    "For shadow operatives like us, it''s usually better to keep our distance. Friendships don¡¯t tend to end well for people like us."


    "My transfer has been approved," Roy replied. "I won''t be a shadow soon."


    However, his follow-up reply didn''t slow the elderly man''s step. "It''s still a no. I have some matters to attend to in the afternoon. Maybe another time."


    Li Lu and Roy watched as the old man walked toward the elevator and pulled out a ck keycard before stepping in.


    Both of them knew exactly where the elevator was headed. All anomalies were held in the containment cells down below, and Roger was going there.


    "I keep having this feeling that he isn''t just some ordinary shadow agent," Li Lu muttered to herself.


    "Let''s not concern ourselves with that. We''re off the clock. Are you hungry? Let''s go grab something to eat."


    "Okay."


    Soon, the two arrived in the spacious canteen and dug into their meals. Due to the remote location of the facility, fresh vegetables were a luxury they had to do without; they were all frozen. However, the seafood was impressively fresh.


    Roy cut into his fish with his fork and knife before lifting his gaze to stare at Li Lu using her chopsticks to pop a shrimp into her mouth.


    "What''s your n after this? I mean, your n after the baby is born. What do you want to do after that?"


    "After the baby''s born, I''ll continue with my current role."


    Li Lu''s reply caught Roy by surprise. He hadn''t expected that answer.


    "Why? Why don''t you transfer out with me? There are plenty of other jobs we could do in other ces."


    He had barelypleted his sentence when he saw Li Lu raise her gaze to meet his. He quickly set down his knife and fork and raised his hands in a yful surrender.


    "Okay, okay. It''s your choice, and I don''t have the right to interfere. When you''re out on missions, feel at ease to leave the kid to me."


    Li Lu''s gaze softened. She reached out with her chopsticks, picked up a bit of the peeled shrimp, and ced it on Roy''s te.


    After finishing their meal, they left the cafeteria and headed back toward the hospital. They had hoped to stroll around a bit longer, but the hospital had already called and urged them to return.


    Just as they approached the entrance, something unusual caught their eye against the distant auroras. It was an iing passenger ne.


    It was just a ne, so they didn''t think much of it and continued their way in. However, Roy had requested for Li Lu to be transferred to a ward with a window view. The moment they settled in, they heard something strange from outside.


    Several off-road vehicles were towing a massive three-meter-long container from the direction of the airport toward the facility''srge circr elevator.


    Rather than calling it a container, it looked more like a coffin. Its outline was vaguely humanoid, and the crimson triangr emblem on its surface was a clear indication that it was an anomaly of some sort.


    <em>Did they bring in another new one for containment? </em>Roy wondered to himself.


    ***


    Annay calmly on the floor and did some simple stretching. Being confined in a room for an extended period of time without any exercise caused her to grow weaker as the days passed.


    She needed to keep herself in peak form to increase her chances of a future escape.


    She knew well that she was no longer the demigod she once was. Even if this human form she had was frail and useless, she had no choice but to rely on it now.


    <em>Beep!</em>


    The screen beside her flickered to life. Stewart''s familiar face and signature smile appeared on it as per the usual time.


    "Anna, working out again, I see? Are you free today? I would need a favor from you."


    Anna ignored Stewart and continued her routine without even sparing a nce at the screen.


    "My two colleagues would like a word with you."


    Stewart''s words made Anna nced over, and her gaze sharpened. "Do you mean to say that they''re here for a negotiation?"


    "No, of course not. Just a casual conversation," Stewart answered, waving her hands.

 Chapter 925: Negation

    Anna knew that if the woman before her were to make ten statements, she could only trust about three out of those ten statements, but she still agreed to Stewart''s request. After all, she could also probe them while they were probing her.


    Anna just had to ensure that her responses would never go below her bottom line, and conversations like this would only serve to further her understanding of the organization, which would increase her chances of escape.


    "Don''t bother pretending. Who is it today? Is it that psychologist from yesterday again?"


    "No, they''re my other colleagues."


    The screen flickered, showing two middle-aged men sitting at a table.


    As this was their first meeting, Anna took note of their appearances. However, the two were the epitome of ordinary, without any distinguishing features. One of them was wearing half-frame sses while the other was unbespectacled, and the two looked so simr that others would believe that they were twins.


    "Hello. Nice meeting you. Your name is Anna, right? My name is Carlo," the bespectacled middle-aged man said.


    "Hello, my name is Lucius," said the unbespectacled middle-aged man. His voice sounded hoarse as if his throat was injured.


    Anna stared calmly at the two while standing before the desk. Evidently, she was curious about why exactly they wanted to talk to her.


    The men exchanged nces. After a while, Carlo said, "Anna, I don''t like beating around the bush, so let''s get to the point. What do you want? And what is your goal?


    "We know you''re different from those affected by your rituals. You don''t seem particrly devoted to God Fhtagn. You''re the High Priestess, but you don''t even join the daily prayers on your ship.


    "I know that from both Wang Sheng and Li Long, the first two people to have made contact with you.


    "Since you''re clearly not a devotee of that god, then you must have other motives. Tell us what you need, and maybe we can help you. Who knows? This might be a win-win situation for both of us.


    "We understand that you don''t trust us, but you have to know that we''re not going to let you out unless you start talking. This site is also built in a pr region, and there are no people within a radius of five hundred miles.


    "In other words, even the world outside can be considered a prison. In addition, this ce contains Anomalies far more powerful than you. The fact that they haven''t been able to escape means that you cannot escape as well."


    Anna quietly memorized that piece of information. It turned out that her assumption was correct. There were other relics being contained here. If she wanted to escape, she had to make use of them somehow.


    Carlo spoke no more, awaiting Anna''s response.


    To his surprise, Anna was rather quick in her reply, saying, "How about this? I answer one question for each question you answer for me. What do you think? It''s fair, isn''t it?"


    Anna stared into Carlo''s eyes, and her lips curled up slightly into a smirk.


    Carlo was pleased to hear that. Anna''s suggestion meant that she was starting to open up, and it was a good starting point.


    Beforeing here, Carlo heard that 315 was difficult to handle, so he was pleasantly surprised to learn that 315 was far more cooperative than he had expected.


    Although pleased, Carlo''s expression remained unchanged. He couldn''t be too eager here, or Anna would take advantage of that eagerness.


    "Please give me a moment; I have to consult with the higher-ups," Carlo said, and the screen briefly went dark.


    "We agree with your suggestion. Ladies first," Carlo said, gesturing with his open palm to Anna.


    Anna already had a question in mind, so she replied quickly, asking, "You said that this ce contains Anomalies that are far more powerful than me. Can you tell me which among them is the most powerful?"


    The brows of the two men furrowed slightly. Anna''s question was like an open-ended threat.


    "We can''t tell you that. Please ask another question. Besides, an Anomaly cannot be described with the word ''powerful'' alone."


    "Oh, what''s this? You''re refusing to answer my very first question? There''s nothing to discuss, then. I can''t feel your sincerity at all."


    "Miss Anna, I can''t feel your sincerity, either. If you want to work with us, then be honest. And remember, you''re under containment. We also have other methods to extract information from you in addition to a conversation like this."


    The bare threat made the atmosphere a bit tense.


    Just as Anna was about to say something, the silent Lucius finally spoke, saying, "All right, I''ll tell you."


    Even Anna was surprised to hear that. She truly did not expect that they would be willing to tell her such a piece of valuable information that surely required a high clearance level to peruse.


    "A special Anomaly is being contained in the deepest level of this site. If we talk about the harm that it can bring, that Anomaly is probably the strongest here."


    "What is it called? And what does it look like?"


    Lucius shook his head. "It''s indescribable. And I''m not using that word as an adjective; it is literally <em>indescribable</em>."


    "We can''t use any noun or adjectives to name or describe it. We can only define it by what it is not. In other words, we can only use negation."


    "Negation? How does that even work?" Anna asked, bing curious. She had seen plenty of relics in the Subterranean Sea, but she had never heard of such a bizarre relic.


    "Let me give you an example¡ªamong the primary colors, it''s not red, and it''s not green as well. You can probably use that information to deduce its color, but it''s not that easy to create aplete picture of it.


    "It''s not pure; it''s not clean.


    "It''s not heavy; it''s not dead; it''s not happy; it''s not fond of humans.


    "It''s not square; it''s not round; it''s not an organism; it''s not a nt. It can''t generate friction with any objects.


    "It does not possess wisdom, but it''s not stupid."


    Anna paused at Lucius'' words. It was indeed a <em>special </em>Anomaly.


    "It''s no wonder you decided to answer me. You said a lot, but you basically said nothing."


    "No, I said a lot, but you have to deduce the truth by yourself."


    Anna didn''t argue. Instead, she asked, "So what is its special ability? How can it bring harm?"


    "One question for another. That''s your second question, and now, it''s my turn. Where are you from?"


    Anna''s pupils constricted slightly, but she smirked again. She had just realized that it would be fine even if she divulged some information.


    "I''m from the Subterranean Sea. It is an inverted ocean beneath the earth. You guys should look for that ce. There are many good things there, and I think you''ll like that ce."


    "Nonsense. The pressure of the Earth''s outer core reaches 1.36 million atmospheres. A subterranean world cannot possibly exist underground beneath that much pressure!" Carlo retorted.


    "Have you been there? How can you say that it doesn''t exist?" Anna asked.

 Chapter 926: Conversation

    "Why do you think it doesn''t exist?" Anna asked, tilting her head slightly while staring at the middle-aged man on the screen. "Have you been to the Subterranean Sea?"


    "You don''t have to go there to know that it doesn''t exist! A simple form is enough to prove it! But I guess someone who has never learned elementary school physics will have no idea just what conditions are necessary for the creation of such arge space!"


    "<em>Tsk,</em> I can smell your arrogance through the screen, human. Do you really think that humans are the masters of the Earth? Do you really think that you''ve seen everything there is to see?" Anna asked.


    "Human?!" Carlo calmed down instantly upon hearing that. Anna had just implicitly admitted that she was not a human being.


    Recalling Agent 2''s words in Anna''s files, Carlo felt a shiver down his spine as he stared at the woman on the screen. The possibility that she was indeed a giant cephalopod monster had just increased significantly.


    Lucius patted his colleague''s back, and then he leaned forward, saying, "Alright, we''ll trust you. Assuming that this Subterranean Sea exists, how did you reach the surface? Are there others like you in that world?"


    Anna raised her right hand, wagging two fingers at Lucious. "That''s two extra questions. I''ve answered your previous one, so it''s my turn to ask. How many Anomalies are being contained here?"


    The answer earlier had told Anna that the most dangerous Anomaly in this site seemed to be capable of cognition distortion. In other words, if Anna were to ask about its special abilities, they''d most likely answer her in an evasive way.


    The "Indescribable" Anomaly seemed difficult to work with, so Anna decided to focus on the weaker Anomalies."<em>Ahem.</em>" Lucius coughed softly, and his voice sounded hoarse as he replied, "31.3 Anomalies in total. Now, can you tell us how you reached the surface?"


    The two men noticed that Anna''s gaze drifted slightly upward, and they immediately jotted down Anna''s behavior.


    "My husband sent me up here," Anna said, her gaze drifting subconsciously upward. She seemed to be in the midst of recalling old memories. "At first, I thought he''d abandon everything ande up here, but he threw me here instead."


    "Your husband? Is he one of your kind?"


    Anna shook her head slightly. "No, he''s like you; he''s an ordinary human."


    Lucius found that absurd. Someone out there actually loved a woman who was clearly against humanity? Was he not afraid of getting his head chopped off in his sleep?


    "Did you disguise yourself as human to marry him?" Lucius asked, setting a trap. If Anna responded positively, it would prove that she wasn''t human at all.


    "No, of course not," Anna said, shaking her head. "He knew exactly what I looked like, but he did not care. He does not care about appearances at all."


    Lucius and Carlo exchanged looks. Appearances weren''t exactly important here. If Anna was telling the truth, just what kind of person could bring himself to sleep with a giant tentacled monster?


    A few extremely disturbing and R-rated images popped up in Lucius'' mind, but he suppressed them quickly and forcibly. After taking a moment topose himself, Lucius asked, "Since you have a husband, then let''s talk about him.


    "How did you guys meet?"


    "It was a chance encounter. He visited our home one day, and my family weed him and his group. Now that I think about it, he was really cute back then. <em>Ah,</em> if I could go back in time, I''d definitely grab him by the chin and pry open his skull with my teeth. I''d drag out his brain and then devour it to be one with him.


    "If I had just done that back then, we wouldn''t have had so many fightster down the road. We would have been very happy together."


    Carlo held his cheek, looking like he was suffering from a toothache.


    Carlo seriously doubted whether Anna truly understood the meaning of the word "husband" or not. She could have mistaken the word "husband" to be synonymous with the words "food," "ve," or something else entirely.


    "Ah, right, here''s a secret¡ªa certain group of people has left behind their technology and knowledge in the Subterranean Sea. That group was capable of creating just about anything, including an unlimited energy source."


    Carlo and Lucius exchanged looks once again. They pondered over Anna''s words, evaluating the veracity of her ims.


    "Believe me when I say that you''ll definitely go down in history by finding the Subterranean Sea and helping the people here assimte that technology," Anna said.


    Her words were tempting, as this was her attempt to make use of them in finding the Subterranean Sea. The chances of sess were low, but there was a chance, so why not try it?


    "Sure, I''ll keep that in mind. Now, back to your husband. Earlier, you said that you thought he''d abandon everything ande here. Does that mean that he cane here?"


    Instead of answering, Anna wagged her finger at them. "As per our agreement, I can ask you as many questions as you asked me. No cheating, so it''s my turn to ask now."


    Lucius felt ufortable at the fact that the flow of the conversation was interrupted, but he knew that he had to maintain this rxed air, as Anna had finally agreed to talk to them.


    "Fine, ask away. We''ll tell you anything as long as we have ess to it."


    "<em>Hmm...</em> let me think." Anna gently held her chin, unconsciously looking toward the right wall.


    "First question, who is my neighbor on the right? Are they friendly?"


    Lucius'' hoarse voice echoed. "She''s 4105, and she''s a humanoid Anomaly like you."


    "<em>Oh?</em> Does that mean she canmunicate? What''s her special ability?"


    "She can ''disappear'' into solid matter and emerge through anything solid that is connected to that solid matter. That alone isn''t dangerous, but she''s extremely hostile to humans. She also has a penchant for assembling toys made from human flesh, and she prefers children as victims."


    Anna stared intently at Lucius. "Is that true? Why does it sound like you''re making that up."


    "Feel free to think that I''m lying to you; I also can''t confirm whether you''re lying to me or not. In terms of credibility, however, I''m definitely more credible than you."


    "Haha, sure, I believe you. Does this 4105 have a normal human body? Can she be hurt and killed?"


    "Yes, just like you," Lucius replied.


    Just then, Carlo suddenly touched his earpiece before tapping his colleague''s shoulder.


    "We''re done talking for today," Lucius said, "Let''s stop here and continue our ''deal''ter. And one more thing¡­ what I told you earlier is still valid.


    "Tell us your goal, and we''ll try our best to help you achieve it. In exchange, tell us everything you know. It''s a win-win situation for both of us."

 Chapter 927: 451

    The screen went ck with a <em>click</em>.


    Anna closed her eyes and recalled the encounter. She looked for any subtle changes in the two men''s expressions. Their words could be false, but facial expressions rarely lie.


    Meanwhile, Carlo and Lucius were doing the same thing. They were reviewing the recorded footage along with their other colleagues. They carefully analyzed the authenticity of the information that Anna had divulged.


    Dozens of people discussed the findings, and the discussionsstedte into the night. Those with dissenting opinions stated that the discussion would continue tomorrow.


    "You don''t actually believe what she said, do you? The so-called Subterranean Sea is just a bunch of nonsense. It''s too absurd to exist," Carlo said to Lucius walking next to him.


    The two had decided to call it a day and were walking toward their quarters.


    "Think about the things we have locked up beneath our feet, Carlo. Is there anything more absurd than them? If they exist, why can''t the Subterranean Sea exist?" Lucius asked back.


    "That''s apletely different story. Anomalies are anomalies because we still don''t understand how they work. Just like when humanity first discovered fire, we''ll eventually be able to figure those anomalies out just like we did with fire.


    "However, the Subterranean Sea is a different story. It''s impossible to have such arge space underground, and even if there were such arge space, it''d be absolutely impossible for life to ever exist in it!"If I''m going to believe that, then I might as well believe that tonight, Newton will crawl out of his grave and kneel in a church to confess to a priest!"


    "Calm down, man. Assume boldly, and verify things carefully. Once we are authorized to use 451, we''ll know whether her words are true or false," Lucius said, patting his colleague''s shoulder.


    In the days that followed, the two men would talk to Anna from time to time, asking all sorts of strange questions. They even asked her about whether the water from the Subterranean Sea was hot to the touch upon boiling it.


    They were obviously curious about the atmospheric pressure on the Subterranean Sea. It was clear that they were beginning to be curious about it.


    To ensure that they''d remain curious about the Subterranean Sea, Anna answered truthfully. Of course, it wasn''t like Anna was on the losing end of the deal. The exchange of information allowed Anna to have a certain understanding of this site.


    This site¡ªor this prison in Anna''s eyes was built in a pr region, and it was a rectangr structure. It was a ramrod-straight skyscraper piercing the pr ice that had existed undisturbed for tens of thousands of years.


    Anna also learned more about her nearby "neighbors."


    Most of them were humanoid Anomalies with bizarre special abilities, but they were useless. If Anna''s "neighbors" could be used to cause chaos, then they wouldn''t have told her about them.


    It wasn''t that hard of a conclusion to reach, as there were only two answers¡ªeither they were feeding her false information, or they were not afraid of the possibility that she could breach containment.


    If Anna wanted to make use of this information, she''d have to verify whether it was real or not before anything else.


    Just then, the titanium alloy door to Anna''s room was flung open, and a group of fully armed, burly men rushed in. They raised their guns, aiming them at Anna. "315! Pleasee with us!"


    They said "please," but their stern tone of voice was not selling it.


    Anna quietly stood up and walked toward the door under their watchful eyes. As soon as she stepped outside, heavy handcuffs and shackles were put on her. They were practically pinning Anna as they walked toward somewhere.


    The corridor was clean, and Anna assumed that they had either sent everyone away or the corridor was always devoid of any other people except for thebat team members.


    The restraints and thebat team next to Anna were useless in her eyes, as she could easily use her corrosive green mes to make quick work of them. However, she made no attempts to escape. The electronic cor around her neck was a threat, and it was the only thing restraining her from making any moves.


    If she were to make any unusual movements, the anesthetic and poison inside the cor would be instantly injected into her.


    "Where are we going?" Anna asked, but no one answered her question.


    Soon, Anna was brought to an all-white room by the armed men. Carlo and Lucius, who had talked to her many times before, seemed to have been waiting for her.


    For the first time in what felt like years, Anna was finally face to face with a living human being, but her heart sank slightly; she was feeling a bit uneasy for some reason.


    No one said a word. Anna was then tied to a chain, and a translucent liquid was injected into her forearm. Anna''s muscles rxed instantly, and she went limp in the chair.


    <em>They''re not going to kill me until they''ve extracted everything they want from me, so what are they trying to do here? </em>Anna thought.


    Just then, thebat team from earlier pushed a ck rectangr box towering over three meters tall into the all-white room.


    An emblem depicting three arrows pointing inward was on the box, and Anna instantly realized that she was staring at the IMF''s emblem.


    For some reason, the markings elsewhere were white, but the ck box was marked in red, and there were a few numbers in the lower right corner of the red marking that said, "451."


    A deafening silence reigned over the all-white room. After ncing at Anna, Carlo and Lucius left with the others, leaving Anna and the ck wooden box by themselves.


    The light went out with a <em>click.</em> Without night vision, Anna could see nothing but darkness. Momentster, there was another sudden <em>click </em>as the wooden box opened amidst the darkness.


    <em>Tap, tap, tap.</em>


    Anna heard strange noises in the darkness.


    "Who''s there?" Anna asked into the darkness, but there was no response.


    However, the strange noises were getting closer and closer.


    Anna willed, and a corrosive green me manifested next to her hand. The mes illuminated her surroundings as well as what was on the ground in front of her.


    It was a hazy humanoid figure that only had an upper body. It was clearly not human, as both of its hands were twisted into what looked like long tentacles. Its upper body seemed to be made of severely decayed organic materials, including animal intestines, limbs, eyeballs, and deformed hooves.


    Thick and sticky rotten water was dripping from the humanoid figure, and it seemed that the strange noises wereing from the disgusting, diseased water.


    The bizarre entity seemed to have its own unique quirks as well as there were small beads, bracelets, and nes all over its decaying figure. It even had hazy and indescribable tattoos.


    The bizarre entity seemed unfazed by Anna''s green mes. It used its tentacles to prop itself on the ground and walk leisurely toward Anna.


    Anna had seen more bizarre entities than this one in the Subterranean Sea, so she wasn''t scared at all. She even wanted tomunicate with it. "Can you hear me, honey? You look really handsome."


    "Let me guess; you must have the ability to read memories. Am I right? So they''ve decided to extract the information that they need directly from my mind?


    "I''m not trying to scare you here, but you''d better be careful. My experience has told me that haphazardly perusing the memories of others can sometimes bring about disastrous consequences."

 Chapter 928: Berserk

    The bizarre entity gave no response whatsoever to Anna''s words and continued its leisurely approach. It used its grotesque tentacles to prop itself on the ground and looked over Anna.


    The disgusting, diseased water dripping off its figurended on Anna''s face. The liquid seemed intangible, seemingly phasing through Anna''s skin and muscles before sliding down her spine and dripping onto the ground.


    Anna willed, and the corrosive green me next to her instantly grewrger, engulfing the bizarre entity.


    For the first time ever, however, the corrosive green me that was capable of incinerating everything failed to serve its purpose. It phased through the bizarre entity''s chest.


    Clearly, the bizarre entity was not a physical entity; perhaps it was just a projection of its true body.


    Unfortunately for Anna, the bizarre entity''s advance remained unthwarted, and upon seeing that the entity''s grotesque figure was about to make contact with her, Anna manipted the corrosive green me to scorch her restraints.


    The restraints were instantly reduced to ashes, freeing Anna, but she still couldn''t move an inch. The anesthetic''s effect had yet to fade. She couldn''t move a single finger and could only watch helplessly as the bizarre entity made contact with her.


    Finally, the bizarre entity touched her. It phased through Anna, and its bizarre-looking head ovepped with Anna''s head. Anna trembled involuntarily, and her limbs lost their natural color at a speed visible to the naked eye.


    The scene was captured by the surveince cameras, and it was projected onto therge screen in the adjacent monitoring room. Carlo, Lucius, and other IMF members held their breaths, watching nervously."What do you think? Will 451 be effective on 315?" Carlo asked, sounding uneasy. He was pacing back and forth before the wall-sized screen.


    "It''s definitely going to be effective. 451 is not an ordinary entity. It''s a Level B Anomaly. The organization paid a heavy price to bring it under control. 451 will certainly be able to find what we want from 315''s mind."


    Meanwhile, Anna saw a peculiar scene. The bizarre entity had dragged her out of her chair, but when she looked back, she found another Anna in the chair behind her.


    The Anna in the chair lookednguid with dted pupils as if she were dying. The bizarre entity was still in front of her, and it seemed to be emitting a divine light.


    The next moment, 451''s chest burst open, and more than ten slender and pitch-ck hands rushed out of the hole. They grabbed Anna''s figure and tore off a huge chunk of her body before retracting into 451''s chest.


    As soon as a chunk of her soul was ripped off of her, Anna felt extreme pain akin to being cut by thousands of knives. Her soul body screamed in pain, and its humanoid form began to copse, transforming into a Dioite with writhing tentacles


    "You will pay for what you have done today!" Anna roared at the bizarre entity.


    Before she could speak any further, she was dragged into her physical body.


    The people in the monitoring room stared intently at the scene.


    Carlo picked up the pager next to him and said, "Absorptionplete. Thebat team is ready to retrieve 451. Wait! Don''t go in yet! Something''s wrong with 451!"


    451 seemed to have seen something terrifying from Anna''s soul, as it was trembling like an aspen tree.


    Its grotesque figure shrank, and whimpering echoed from the windpipes all over it. It hugged its head with its massive tentacles and cast a fearful gaze at Anna while retreating unconsciously.


    Everyone could see that it was afraid.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    451 mmed its tentacles into the ground and retreated in a hurry.


    No one expected that they''d witness such a peculiar scene, and they could not help but think about what the bizarre entity had seen in 315''s memories.


    Abat team was sent into the room, and the wooden box containing 451 was quickly pushed into the adjacent monitoring room.


    Carlo took out a yellowed piece of parchment. Using the nearby trantion device, he wrote a line of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs on the piece of paper. He then slid the paper into the box through a tiny gap at the bottom of the box.


    "What did you see?"


    After an agonizing few seconds of waiting, the paper slid back out, and there was a line of neatly written Egyptian hieroglyphs on it.


    "I saw God."


    "God? Is it talking about God Fhtagn?" Everyone''s hearts sank at the thought of it alone. They had perused the doctrines of the Fhtagn Covenant, and if God Fhtagn truly existed, then it would be the worst-case scenario.


    Carlo wrote more words on the yellowed piece of parchment to ask for more details from 451.


    However, 451''s replies became truly bizarre just then¡ªall of its repliescked any adjectives. It seemed that it couldn''t find any suitable adjectives to describe what it had seen in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.


    Looking away from his colleague, who was busy attempting to extract more information from 451, Lucius frowned upon seeing 315''s lowered head. Although separated by a screen, Lucius could still feel her fury.


    "What exactly are you?" Lucius muttered, looking at Anna''s back.


    He was truly convinced that by bringing in 451 and conducting an Anomaly Interaction Experiment, they''d learn everything there was to know about her.


    However, the oue was truly out of their expectations.


    At first, Lucius found it absurd that the headquarters had ssified her as "Keter." He felt that "Keter" was too high of a threat level to assign to Anna, but it turned out that the joke was on him; the headquarters hadn''t made any mistakes.


    "Captain Lomonosov, take 315 back to the containment chamber."


    A man towering nearly two meters tall with a gun in hand nodded at Lucius'' words. He was the captain of abat team, so he asked no questions and stood ramrod straight, saluting Lucius before walking toward the automatic door with his subordinates.


    Meanwhile, Carlo was still busy in his attempts to extract more information from 451. He looked at the parchment in his hand and kneaded his forehead in frustration. The text written on the parchment had be intelligible, and even their advanced trantion device could no longer understand it.


    Left with no choice, Carlo quickly came up with another solution in his final attempt. "From now on, stop writing and use drawings instead. Draw the appearance of the god in 315''s memories and show it to me."


    A new piece of yellowed parchment was slid into the gap in the box.


    Carlo waited anxiously for the response.


    A few secondster, the wooden box cracked open slightly, and Carlo hurried over at the sight of it.


    When Carlo reached the wooden box, the crack abruptly widened, and the entire wooden box was lifted before crashing into Carlo''s figure. The impact sent Carlo flying across the room.


    A massive tentacle that seemed to be made out of fleshshed out from the wooden box. The tentacle swept past someone''s head, and their pupils dted instantly; their knees went weak, and they copsed to the floor, never to stand up again.


    Momentster, 451''s massive and terrifying figure crawled out of the wooden box, and it pounced unhesitantly toward the crowd of people in the room.


    In the blink of an eye, the room was filled with blood and gore.


    "451 is going berserk in Monitoring Room 14 on the 8th Floor! Close all the istion walls on Floors 7, 8, and 9!"

 Chapter 929: Tricks

    Half-meter-thick istion walls descended, dividing all the cells in the site into tiny squares, ensuring that the Anomalies in each cell were isted from each other.


    In the blink of an eye, Anna, who was being escorted to her room, and thebat team escorting her were boxed in by the istion walls.


    Anna looked up to find flickering blood-red lights on the ceiling. Anna leaning in her chair dragged the corner of her lips into an exaggerated smile, saying, "Hehe, I told you, didn''t I? Haphazardly perusing the memories of others can sometimes bring about disastrous consequences."


    "Shut up!" A group of burly men surrounded Anna, and they red at her as if they were tigers eyeing prey. Naturally, they all pointed their guns at her.


    The flickering red lightssted for half an hour; throughout the ordeal, the walls around them even trembled slightly. To Anna''s disappointment, however, no Anomaly shattered the walls of their cell and breached containment.


    When the lights on the ceiling turned white again, Anna was transported to her room and isted once more.


    Unable to move, Anna could only stare at the ceiling as if she were a puppet. Her cid expression ensured that her thoughts remained indecipherable to anyone staring at her.


    Half a dayter, the anesthetic wore off, and Anna could finally move, but she could only move half of her body. The other half was stillpletely paralyzed.


    And just like that, Anna remained imprisoned in her room. It was unknown if it was due to the incident with 451, but Carlo and Lucius never showed up again.Anna received a wide variety of visitors every day, and they all either attempted to deceive her or interrogate her. The IMF members then noticed something peculiar about 315.


    315 had be more withdrawn and quiet, but sometimes, she''d be agitated and cry her heart out. She''d be cooperative when it came to answering questions, but the majority of her answers weren''t true.


    Her food preference had also changed drastically since the 451 incident. Before that incident, she''d eat whatever was given to her, but recently, she had been requesting specific dishes.


    As the months ticked by, Anna still showed no signs of improvement whatsoever, and her paralyzed half had begun to atrophy due to the prolonged immobility. As a result, Anna''s figure became frightening to behold¡ªhalf of her body was still gorgeous, but the other half was frighteningly emaciated.


    As her confinement grew longer and longer, Anna spoke less and less. In the end, she refused tomunicate with the IMF members altogether.


    Today was another day, and Anna was wheeled into another room. However, the individual behind the door wasn''t one of the IMF''s staffers but someone else. The figure was tall, towering almost two meters.


    However, the figure''s tall was so thin that one could mistakenly think that perhaps there was nothing but a skeleton beneath the clothes.


    The figure''s wrists and neck were wrapped tightly in green cloth as if the figure didn''t want anyone to catch even a glimpse of what was underneath.


    There was a yellow mask hanging on where the face was supposed to be. The smiley face on the mask seemed to represent joy, but it appeared eerie and bizarre due to its thin, towering, extremely thin stature.


    The electric cor around its neck made it clear to Anna that the figure was one of the contained Anomalies in this site.


    "Hello, Anna. I''m 940, but I prefer to be called Happy," 940 said, sitting across from Anna.


    Happy took in Anna''s indifferent face and added, "I know you''re in pain, and I know that you''re angry, but the truth is, everyone cares about you."


    Hearing that, Anna finally spoke, and her wordsced with thick sarcasm as she replied, "Really? They tore off a part of my soul and made me like this. And you say that they care about me?


    "Let me guess; those guys have finally decided to mobilize their dogs to persuade me into surrender. Do they want me to be a dog, too?"


    The round, yellow smiley face shook. "I''m not a dog. I''m a contractual employee of the IMF. I''ve been working for the IMF for eighty years now, and I can guarantee that the IMF never vites its contracts and contractual obligations. ?


    "In other words, if you agree to their requests and sign a contract with them, they will absolutely never go back on their word."


    Anna tilted her head to the right and asked, "You''ve it sound so tempting, so howe the old man next door has yet to sign any contract with you?"


    "That''s different. 681 is a madman. His thought process ispletely different from normal people, but you are obviously not like him. Your thoughts are logical and cohesive. I believe that you''ll definitely join us as soon as you understand our great cause.


    "Actually, I''m aware that there are individuals unable to differentiate between right and wrong due to various reasons, and they treat killing as mundane as eating and drinking. However, I believe that they can be controble¡ªthey can be harmless once we''ve corrected their mistakes."


    "Which floor of this site are you being contained?" Anna asked.


    "I have my own dormitory. I live at the very top, just like my colleagues."


    "Colleagues? Are your colleagues also wearing dog cors like you? Stop deluding yourself; you''re nothing but their tamed dog!"


    Anna used her right arm to prop herself up and look down at the big smiley face before her. "Contracts and agreements are only going to work if both sides are equal in strength.


    "Otherwise, contracts are just pieces of paper that can be discarded at any time in the eyes of those people. With just a flick of their fingers, the poison in your cor will take your life!


    "They''re acting as both the referees and athletes. Are you really that dumb, or are you just pretending to be dumb? As soon as I hand over what they need from me, I''m afraid they''re going to kill me on the spot!"


    940 was infuriated by Anna''s tirade, and his voice became a bit solemn as he said, "Is there any meaning to dragging this out? Let me tell you this straight¡ª451 isn''t the only method that they can use to interrogate you.


    "You have to make a choice soon, or they''ll turn to theirst resort. 451 went berserk because of you, so they raised your threat level to the next ss. By then, you won''t just be paralyzed."


    Despite 940''s lengthy words, Anna ignored them all and simply said, "Goodbye, I won''t see you off. Tell them that I still want salt-grilled pork chops today. Remember to grill them with sea salt; I don''t eat rock salt."


    940 stood up and left, but when Anna was wheeled into her room, forget about salt-grilled pork chops; she was given only a tiny little cup of fresh water.


    The IMF had finally ripped off their masks, but Anna had seen through all these. They had already said everything, including pretty words and threats, so it was about time they resorted to using some tricks.


    The next morning, the lights on the ceiling shone red.


    Having lived here for so long, the sight was no longer strange in Anna''s eyes.


    Containment breaches would happen from time to time, but the IMF would always make quick work of it. Clearly, they had prepared many countermeasures against a huge variety of anomalies.


    Pulling away her nket, Anna supported her half-paralyzed figure and moved toward her breakfast with great difficulty. Heavy dark circles were beneath her eyes, and she looked extremely haggard.


    Recently, they had been waking her up with a piercing rm every thirty minutes during the nights. Needless to say, Anna was in an extremely sleep-deprived state, leaving her dazed during the day.


    They had also lowered the temperature of her room, and with only one nket in hand, the chilling cold would always awaken Anna every night.


    With great difficulty, Anna finally made it to her door but found only two potatoes and a bowl of frozen water.


    Anna''s mental state became worse and worse due to theck of sleep, the low temperature, and the hunger, but she knew that this was just the beginning. There was no way the IMF only had these cliched tricks up their sleeves.

 Chapter 930: Torment

    "<em>Cough! Cough! Cough!</em>" Anna coughed violently. Her face was a deathlike pallor, and her lips were twitching as she coughed.


    She was curled up in the corner of her cell and was trembling violently. Her vision was blurry, and her only movable hand clutched the clothes on her chest.


    Heart palpitations, chest tightness, headache, hunger, insomnia, and coldness¡ªthese torments were piling up, torturing Anna both physically and mentally.


    Anna instantly saw through what was going on. They hadced her food with drugs and were trying to destroy her will through that.


    This was not unexpected at all. Anna knew that they''d inevitably use the "stick" once they had fed her all the "carrots."


    "315, stop resisting and submit to us. Tell us everything you know, and you will no longer be tormented. Otherwise, this is just the beginning of your torment." A cold voice echoed from the wall.


    Anna used all her strength to lift her head and sneer at the wall before lying down once again. Just then, her breathing becameborious and rapid; her pale face turned red as well.


    It seemed that the IMF had lowered the oxygen level in her room.


    A few minutester, Anna fainted from theck of oxygen. The oxygen level was then returned to normal, and Anna woke up shortly. However, the oxygen level was lowered as soon as she woke up.The torment was repeated several times, and Anna was so exhausted by the ordeal that she didn''t have the strength to move even an inch. She sprawled out on the ground, gasping for air.


    Just then, voices echoed from the wall once again. "Anomaly 315, I repeat¡ªstop resisting, and you will no longer be tormented. Otherwise, this is just the beginning of your torment."


    "<em>Hehe¡­ Hiehiehie!</em>" Anna sprawled out on the floor cackled with all her might. Her mouth fluttered open as if she wanted to say something, but she said nothing in the end.


    Upon seeing that Anna had no ns ofying down her banner of resistance, the IMF proceeded with a new round of torment. The IMF was a meticulous organization, so their methods of torture were meticulous as well. They tortured and tormented Anna in the most scientific way, allowing her to receive the greatest pain while ensuring that she would not suffer any permanent damage.


    Time ticked by slowly amidst the unceasing around-the-clock torture. At this point, Anna was barely given any food, so she was now suffering from the effects of severe malnutrition in addition to the torture.


    Once her body had consumed any little fat on her figure, her body began consuming her muscles for energy.


    Anna''s gorgeous and alluring figure became emaciated and withered. Her smooth hair became dry and white. Despite that, Anna remained steadfast, with no signs of yielding whatsoever.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    Carlo, with a new scar on his nose, mmed his pen into the table and remarked, "Her willpower is extremely strong! Howe her lips are still tightly sealed despite all this?"


    Carlo was sitting in the monitoring room, which was a spacious room full of surveince equipment. There were IMF staffers d in their uniforms inside the room, and they were busy inside with their own tasks.


    Ms. Stewart was standing next to therge screen with a cup of coffee in hand. She stirred the sugar cube in her coffee and cast a smug look at Carlo before saying, "What did I say? I told you that you need to be careful about using the ''stick.''


    "It''s supposed to be ourst resort. Now that you''ve resorted to the ''stick,'' we''ll have to obtain what we need, as it''s already toote for regrets.


    "And let me make things clear¡ªyou two are the ones who applied for the authorization to interrogate her, and you two are also the ones who brought 451 here.


    "In other words, the higher-ups can''t me me for anything, as I have nothing to do with all these."


    Carlo felt disgusted while staring at the ugly face of the woman before him. This woman was still thinking of how to push the me even at this point instead ofing up with solutions.


    The quiet Lucius stepped forward, but his eyes were fixed on Anna as he said, "It''s been so long. We can''t drag this out any. We''re going to apply for the authorization to use 131."


    It had been quite a while since Anna was contained, but they had yet to obtain any significant results. Lucius was starting to feel uneasy as well; he had a sense of foreboding that something would go wrong if they were to wait any further.


    Carlo and Stewart were stunned to hear Lucius'' proposal.


    Stewart was about to take a sip of her coffee, but she put it down upon hearing Lucius'' words.


    "Have you not seen what happened to 451? And you still want her to interact with other Anomalies? I don''t agree with that suggestion, and don''t forget that this is my territory. I''m responsible for 315, and you two are just outsiders!"


    "We are under the direct jurisdiction of the Anomaly Department, so you have no right to veto our suggestion. Please leave now, Director Stewart! If you are dissatisfied, you can go ahead and write aint about us," Carlo said harshly.


    Stewart''s face became ashen, and she mmed her cup of coffee on the table, spilling some of it before saying. "Great! I will make sure that Dr. Mark will hear every single word that you said to me!"


    Stewart turned on her heel and stomped away. When the sound of Stewart''s heels disappearedpletely, Carlo turned to his colleague. He looked a bit worried as he said, "Do we really have to go that far?"


    Lucius did not speak. He walked to theputer beside him and typed away.


    Lines of text appeared on the application that he had just opened.


    <em><[user is found] User Unknown, Wee.></em>


    <em> <Wee to C-75 terminal V2.13. Locating Security Clearance holder''s coordinates...> </em>


    <em><Located. Found Level 4 Security Clearance.> </em>


    <em>


    </em>


    <em> <Security Clearance confirmed =%"*]"[@#- Correct> </em>


    <em><Application to use 131 has been epted. Pending verification from the Anomaly Department...></em>


    Looking at the lines on the screen, Carlo''s expression was gloomy as he said, "What if 131 also goes out of control like 451?"


    Lucius exhaled slowly and replied, "Then, we''ll have no choice but to make Midnight intervene."


    "Is that really necessary? I mean, is she really worth Midnight''s intervention? We only have two uses left when ites to Midnight. I really think that we should just keep her contained and find a way to make her speakter. You ought to know when to give up temporarily; don''t be stubborn."


    "No, I''m not being stubborn here," Lucius said, shaking his head. "315 is not just an ordinary Anomaly. She''s far more valuable than you imagine. Those sacrificial rituals aren''t just conversion rituals to make more followers.


    "The Mysticism Department has already deciphered part of her sacrificial rituals, and apparently, they''re extremely valuable as research materials."


    "Oh? What did they decipher from it?"


    "They didn''t tell me; my security clearance is too low."


    Even though there were no answers, Carlo knew that those sacrificial rituals were extremely valuable. Otherwise, the higher-ups wouldn''t have prevented ess to them, who had Level 4 Security Clearance.


    The conversation ended, and the monitoring room fell silent. They turned to therge screen and observed Anna with the other staffers in the room.


    Just then, the screen darkened, and the lights on the ceiling turned red once again. Containment breaches were nothing new to everyone present, and they quietly waited for it to end.


    When the lights on the ceiling turned white again, they immediately resumed their work.


    However, Carlo felt a shiver down his spine as soon as therge screen in the monitoring room came back to life.


    "Where''s 315? Where did she go?!" Carlo eximed.


    Anna was supposed to be in her cell, but her cell had bepletely empty.


    "How did she escape when she''s paralyzed?! Quick! Track down her cor!"

 Chapter 931: Absorption

    "Stop tracking the cor! Look at the right wall!" The surveince camera turned, and they saw that the titanium alloy wall on the right side of the cell had been burned through, leaving a pitch-ck hole.


    Scattered green mes could be seen on the edges of the hole; clearly, the hole was made by 351''s special ability.


    "Oh no! 681''s cell is on the other side of the wall! What the hell is that woman trying to do?! Quick! Switch to the camera in 681''s cell!"


    The monitors flickered, but they saw nothing but static. The camera inside 681''s cell had obviously been destroyed.


    "Sound the rm! Lock down all floors and deploy all thebat teams!"


    While the IMF members were moving around anxiously as if they were ants on a hot pan, Anna was using her corrosive green mes to burn holes in the walls as she slowly made her way to her destination.


    She was staggering, but she was not paralyzed at all. In fact, the paralyzed half of her body had recovered two months ago. She had only been pretending that she had yet to recover for the sake of lowering their guard.


    Just then, Anna stumbled forward, and she almost fell to the ground. Although she could move, she was still too weak. Moreover, she was really hungry.


    Anna opened her mouth, revealing gums that had swollen from malnutrition. She bit down fiercely into her own forearm, and she tore at it frantically, sttering blood onto the ground.Anna devoured her pronator teres muscle, consuming even her own blood. It tasted delicious to the famished Anna, and it was the heartiest meal she had ever eaten in the past few months.


    Having received something to digest, her stomach stopped hurting, and she became slightly energized. There was intense pain radiating from her forearm, but the silver lining was that it dominated every other unpleasant sensation.


    However, Anna knew that this feeling was fleeting. She had to find a way to escape while she could still move.


    Steel walls were falling from the air to block her way, but they were of no use in the face of Anna''s green mes of rot. Instead of the obstacles in her path, Anna was worried about the beeping cor around her neck.


    The cor was definitely injecting an anesthetic drug into her, and she had to find a way to counteract it before it was toote.


    Just then, a steel wall plummeted toward Anna.


    Anna reacted quickly and raised her bloody left arm at a certain angle toward where the steel wall wouldnd.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    A crisp and grotesque noise echoed as Anna''s arm was crushed and split into two sections. However, Anna had raised her arm at the perfect angle, ensuring that the steel wall would sever her arm in a way that would transform it into a sharp weapon.


    Anna bit her lips bloody to withstand the extreme pain as she forcefully propped herself up on the ground. The flesh trapped at the bottom of the wall was then forcibly torn off, sttering shards of bone and blood onto the ground.


    Anna raised her hand and burned a hole in another wall. This time, Anna found herself in a room identical to her room.


    Theyout of this room was exactly the same as theyout of Anna''s room, but this room was much more disgusting than Anna''s room. Human blood and feces were smeared everywhere on the walls and the floor.  ??


    The nauseating miasma was so thick that anyone would find it hard to breathe in here.


    After destroying the surveince camera, Anna turned her gaze to one of the filthy corners of the room. There was an old man curled up there, and his appearance was not any cleaner than this room. There were even green flies crawling over his dry, matted hair.


    The old man was none other than 681. The IMF members had told Anna that he was capable of phasing through walls and manipting puppets made out of flesh and blood.


    "681, I''m your neighbor! There''s no time, so we have to move now! We must release the others to escape from here!"


    The old man stood up slowly, and the flies all over him dispersed with a <em>buzz</em>.


    "Escape?" The old man looked at Anna''s miserable figure, and then he nced at the flickering red lights up above. The next moment, 681''s indifferent face shifted into delight. Clearly, he seemed to have understood what was going on.


    Without hesitation, he made his way toward the hole in the room.


    "Wait! We still need to make a n," Anna said, and she reached out to grab 681''s filthy arm.


    As soon as their arms touched, Anna''s green mes of rot climbed up 681''s sleeve, stupefying him. He reacted quickly, and his figure began to tremble at a high frequency, but his special ability was useless against the mes that hade from the Primordial Fire.


    681''s figure was still being reduced to ashes.


    "You¡­!" 681 stared at Anna in disbelief. He truly didn''t expect that Anna would attack him upon making a hole in his cell. Thest thing he saw before the green mes engulfed his skull was Anna''s joyful smile.


    Just as the mes were about to reduce 681 to a pile of ashes, Anna took to the air like a cheetah, pouncing on 681 and disemboweling him using her sharpened bone that was sticking out of her arm.


    The pitch-ck Origin Essence¡ªexclusive only to relics¡ªwas about to be devoured by the green me, but Anna hurriedly scooped it out just in time with her intact hand. Then, she fished out the sea salt hidden in her underwear and hurriedly drew the relic fusion array on the filthy ground.


    This was all the salt Anna had umted from demanding salt-grilled pork chops. It had taken her many days to umte enough salt just for today. By the time Anna was done drawing, 681''s Origin Essence had already shrunk by half.


    There was no time to waste. Anna raised her sharpened bone and disemboweled herself. Then, she pressed the Origin Essence on her pancreas.


    The sea salt on the ground turned pitch-ck, and an agonized look took over Anna''s delicate face as her figure began to tremble at a high frequency.


    It was not an ordinary tremor, as it looked like multiple Annas were ovepping in one ce. As Anna trembled violently, her skin cracked open, sttering blood into the air.


    Momentster, Anna''s electronic cor phased through her neck and was thrown into the wall.


    At the same time, abat team finally reached Anna''s location. They raised the rifles in their hands and fired at Anna.


    However, a bizarre scene soon unfolded. No matter the kind and number of bullets they fired at Anna, they all phased through her and struck the wall behind her instead.


    "This is bad! 315 has absorbed the special ability of another Anomaly! She absorbed 681! Send in Thunderstorm!"


    Just as thebat team captain''s words fell, a ball of corrosive green me manifested and flew toward him. Thebat team members dodged and poked their heads out of cover immediately afterward, but 315 had already disappeared, leaving behind a circr, burnt hole on the ground.


    Thebat team captain stared at the big hole with a grim expression. He then pressed on his earpiece and said, "Director Carlo, the ¦Á alloy that can restrain 681 is like a piece of paper to 315. This is going to be troublesome."


    "Mmhm, I understand. Initiate the final n."


    Anna darted through the site like a fish in water. She seemed to have thrown all caution to the wind as she broke the containment of every Anomaly around her.


    The site''s countermeasures were basically non-existent in the face of Anna. Those capable of blocking her brand-new ability couldn''t stop her corrosive mes, while those capable of blocking her corrosive me couldn''t block her new ability.


    The higher-ups of this pr region site became even more anxious upon realizing that 315 was capable of absorbing more than just one Anomaly and that she was growing even stronger upon each absorption.


    The entire site¡ªfull of contained Anomalies¡ªhad be nothing more than a treasure trove for Anna.

 Chapter 932: Anna

    "Hurry, hurry, hurry up! Everyone follow me! Surveince shows that 315 is attempting to release 350 on Level -13! We must subdue her before she causes more trouble!"


    Abat team was rappelling down the holes that Anna had created on the floor.


    "She has absorbed 681''s ability. Ordinary physical attacks are no longer effective on her. Coyote, remember to use 214 to counter her new ability when the timees.


    "No one is allowed to get to her. The target can summon a highly corrosive me. Touch it once, and you will die.


    "Rece all grenades with anesthetic smoke bombs. 315 must be taken alive."


    Upon hearing that, a female team member looked at her team captain in surprise. "The highest threat level has been raised, Captain Li, but we''re still not allowed to use lethal weapons?"


    "Stop spouting nonsense, and just focus on your job! We''re soldiers, and we just obey orders!" Li Biao said. He didn''t tell his team members, but he was aware of the reason the higher-ups had ordered non-lethal measures against 315.


    315 was actually capable of absorbing Anomalies despite having apletely human body. The other party actually had a way of absorbing anomalies into the human body, and it was a fact that infinitely increased 315''s true value.


    If the IMF somehow managed to obtain the method to absorb Anomalies from 315, the world would surely change in no time. Li Biao couldn''t even imagine the earth-shattering changes that would happen all over the world if human beings obtained mastery of the Anomalies'' special abilities. The military, scientific, and medical fields would definitely change the most.


    There was a reason why Anomalies were dangerous to society, and it was the fact that they were extremely unstable. Except for a small number of Controble Anomalies, the majority of Anomalies were both dangerous and irrational.


    The IMF had to spend a vast amount of resources and manpower to contain those Anomalies, but a method to get rid of them without any apparent side effects had just appeared, no wonder the higher-ups were tempted.


    He was just the captain of the most basicbat team, but even he was delighted and excited at the infinite possibilities of such a method.


    Just then, they touched solid ground. A short member among the more than a dozen team members pressed his hand against the steel wall beside him. He then tapped on the metal keyboard on his arm.


    Every light source on the floor of Level -15 flickered briefly before turning off. The members of thebat team then turned on the thermal and night vision features of their helmets.


    Li Biao waved downward with his left open palm, and then he pointed his middle finger to the ground, wriggling it gently to signal. "Formation A; move quietly."


    Their boots were clearly made for professionals, as they made no sound while walking through the pitch-ck corridor. Everyone gripped their weapons and hunched their necks as they cautiously moved forward.


    After about five minutes, a team member on Li Biao''s left raised his left hand before making a series of hand signals. "Captain, 419 spotted. It''s swimming on the ceiling at 3 o''clock."


    "Ignore it as long as it doesn''t hinder us. Our mission priority is to contain 315. Turn left up ahead. Area 2 has been examined by ''Phoenix.''


    "Everyone, we''re picking the pace up. We can''t let it go down any further. I''m sure all of you are aware of what''s on the bottommost floor and the consequences if it breaches containment."


    Everyone''s heartbeat increased upon receiving their captain''s orders, but they quickly obliged and picked up the pace.


    The corridor was bing narrower and narrower as they moved. Just as they were about to turn a corner, Li Biao suddenly raised his hand and clenched his fist.


    Everyone instantly stopped, and they quickly understood why they had to stop.


    There were faint noises from around the corner. There wasn''t supposed to be anyone else here, so howe there were noises in this pitch-ck corridor?


    Li Biao cautiously peeked out from the corner, and his pupils instantly constricted to needle points. He saw a thin, fragile-looking woman whose face was covered in her own dry, whitened hair.


    One of the woman''s arms waspletely severed up to her elbow, exposing her white, sharpened bone to the air. She had applied a tourniquet to the wound, but it seemed that her wound hadn''t been given a chance to stop bleeding.


    The woman looked absolutely famish. She was hunched over a corpse and was tearing at it as if she were a zombie. Sticky blood slid down her chin and dripped onto her clothes, soaking her bosom.


    Li Biao had seen many gruesome scenes as the leader of abat team, but the scene unfolding before him still left him reeling. He had read 315''s file, and it said that the target was a beautiful woman, but the woman before him was anything but.


    Two secondster, Li Biao snapped back to reality and recalled his mission. He took out a gas cylinder from his waist and opened it. A colorless and odorless gas pervaded the air.


    It was an attack that anyone would find difficult to detect, and by the time it was detected, it would be toote by then.


    However, their expectations were betrayed. While they were waiting patiently for Anna to fall to the ground, the wall next to them parted like a curtain, and an individual wearing a red suit and a hideous clown mask rushed out.


    <em>Swoosh! </em>


    A King of Spades face card flew out and swept past a team member''s neck. The next moment, the team member''s head rolled to the ground.


    Li Biao and the others could no longer hide after the ambush. They opened fire to fight back, and the deafening gunshots shattered the silence of the pitch-ck corridor.


    Upon hearing the distantmotion, Anna stopped to wipe her mouth clean. She had yet to eat her fill, but she knew that she could no longer stay here.


    Anna picked up the corpse before her and reassembled it into something else. In no time, two tattered dolls spliced from made flesh and parts of a sofa wobbled toward themotion in the distance.


    This was Anna''s new ability, and it allowed her to splice things together to "create" life. The dolls were not strong, but they could barely act as rearguards.


    Anna knew that she absolutely couldn''t let herself be hampered at this point.


    Who could say for sure how many people were chasing after her at the moment?


    However, she was also aware that it would be unrealistic to escape by herself. If she wanted to escape from this site, then she had to breach the containment of as many Anomalies as possible¡ªan enemy of an enemy was a friend, after all.


    Anna''s figure trembled at a high frequency once again, and she sank into the floor.


    As soon as shended on Level -16, Anna turned and rushed toward an iron-sealed door next to her. Green mes manifested and burned a hole in the almost two-meter-thick door.


    Anna walked into the cell and saw a towering woman with no facial features except for arge, exaggerated mouth. The tall woman was tied to a bed and was d in a thick straitjacket.


    "Go! Get out! Escape! Cause as much chaos as you can!" Anna untied the straitjacket and shed at the bandages wrapped around the tall woman.


    Eight pale spider legs sprang out of the straitjacket, and they all lifted the tall woman off of the ground.


    As Anna released more and more Anomalies, the usually quiet and deste Level -16 became increasingly chaotic. Thebat team making a beeline for Anna had no choice but to face the Anomalies in their way.


    "No, this isn''t enough! More chaos!" Anna''s figure melted into the floor, and shended on Level -17.

 Chapter 933: Bottommost Level

    Anna actually wanted to find the "Indescribable" that Carlo and Lucius had mentioned.


    ording to them, it was the most dangerous Anomaly contained in the entire site. If she could release it, it would further amplify the ongoing chaos.


    The more chaotic things became, the better her chances of escape. Of course, if the situation permitted, it would be to her advantage to absorb the ability of the "Indescribable."


    Apart from 681, Anna had already absorbed the powers of two other Anomalies; those two powers could be seen at a nce.


    Unlike the Foundation of the Subterranean Sea, which often ced the ssified files within the cell of the contained relic, the Foundation on the surface world had no such habit.


    Without ess to the Anomaly''s information, she was severely restricted even when she had the ability to absorb their powers.


    She certainly wanted to absorb powers to strengthen herself, but she had to be cautious. Without knowing the true nature of their abilities, she dared not fuse with too many of them.


    Another door melted away under her corrosive mes. This time, the cell contained a massive amber block; it was asrge as a small house.


    "Well, well. Look who we have here. A woman? I like women. Hello, my girlfriend." A faint, distorted voice echoed from the amber block.<em>It can speak? </em>Anna was taken by surprise. After encountering and releasing so many Anomalies, this was the first that seemed capable ofmunication.


    Most of the time, the Anomalies didn''t talk at all. Some didn''t even hesitate to attack her on sight. It was logical, after all; if they had been capable ofmunicating, they wouldn''t have been contained.


    "It''s a madhouse outside right now. If you want to escape, now is your best chance," Anna said to the amber block.


    "Escape? Why would I want to escape? Where could I escape to? Why don''t you stay here like me? I would like to enjoy a chat with you."


    A shadowy figure began to take form within the massive amber block. Judging from the vague and strange outline, Anna was certain that it was definitely not human.


    Anna''s brows furrowed together. She felt that conversing with this amber block was a waste of time. She turned on her heel, ready to leave.


    However, just as she was about to exit the cell, she halted in her steps. She turned back again and fixed her gaze on the shimmering amber block.


    "Do you know where the most dangerous anomalies in this site are being held?"


    "Ah¡­" the shadow stirred and continued without hiding any information. "You are asking about them? They are just four more levels down. Further down three levels, you''ll find ayer of ice¡ªten meters thick. It''s a decoy meant to trick people into thinking they''ve reached the bottommost level. However, the bottommost level is actually beneath thatyer of ice.


    Anna scrutinized the amber block and the shadowy figure within. She was somewhat doubtful. Why was it so open to sharing? If it was so cooperative, wouldn''t the IMF have exploited it to make it work for them?


    She turned back toward the exit, but before she could take another step, an agonizing pain exploded in her chest. She looked down to see a razor-sharp bone spike pierced through her chest.


    Anna''s eyes widened in shock as she lifted her gaze to see a bloodied woman with wild, disheveled hair standing before her.


    When she saw those eyes brimming with madness, realization dawned upon her. The woman was herself.


    With a <em>shkrrk</em>, the spike was ripped out, and Anna crumpled to the ground, clutching her chest as blood seeped through her fingers.


    Her body began to dissolve and eventually melted into a viscous, golden liquid on the floor.


    Upon killing "Anna", Anna retracted her bone spike. With a sharp and wary gaze fixated on the amber, she rapidly backed away.


    "Don''t go," the voice from the amber called out. "It''s so rare to see anyone willing to talk to me. Let''s chat a little while more."


    Now Anna finally knew why the IMF had locked this thing away. Nothing contained in this facility was ever harmless, and this Anomaly was no exception.  ??


    Although she had almost been deceived by that amber block, she decided to selectively trust the information that it had given to her. After all, it was better than wandering aimlessly.


    The ground beneath her rapidly melted away under her corrosive mes, and she continued her descent.


    Just as she reached the second to the bottommostyer, she spotted a clown in a garish, brightly colored suit standing in the middle of the corridor.


    <em>p, p, p!</em>


    The clown''s apuse echoed through the vast space as it watched Anna descend from the ceiling, seemingly apuding her for her ability to reach this floor.


    "Stop following me. Escape while you can!" Anna snapped, her brows furrowed as she looked at the clown before her.


    The clown was an Anomaly she had released from Level -11 earlier. Unlike the others, it hadn''t run rampant or attacked her. Instead, it was trailed her quietly and would asionally appear beside her.


    Removing its top hat, the clown reached inside with a white-gloved hand. The next moment, it pulled out a bouquet of fresh chrysanthemum and extended it toward Anna.


    Anna resisted the urge to roll her eyes and continued to focus on burning away the nextyer of flooring.


    When the concrete finally melted away, a solid expanse of thick ice came into view. This further deepened her trust in the amber block''s words.


    Meanwhile, the clown twirled around Anna in a graceful pirouette, the hem of its suit ring as if it were performing a macabre ballet. Then with a sudden halt, it thrust a hand forward to present Anna with a perfectly cut ruby.


    It pointed first at the gleaming ruby in its hand and then at the empty ring on Anna''s finger.


    "If you''ve got nothing better to do, go and open every containment cell on this level and let every Anomaly out! I''m not in the mood for your nonsense!" Anna snapped, her toneced with frustration.


    The clown nodded in affirmation before producing a crimson cloth from its sleeve. It draped the cloth over its head with an exaggerated flourish, and in an instant, its upright figure vanished.


    The moment the clown disappeared, several towering robots emerged from around the corner. Their bulky forms dominated the entire hallway.


    Anna''s figure vibrated at a speed imperceptible to the human eye as she phased through the floor and dove directly into theyer of dense ice beneath her.


    The ice was immensely thick, but it was useless in Anna''s path. She phased through it without even breaking a sweat.


    Upon reaching the bottommost level, Anna immediately felt that something was terribly off about this ce. It was just too quiet


    Unlike the cold metal walls of the upper floors, the surfaces here were covered in wrinkled, sound-absorbing paper-like material.


    The area wasn''t vast and had only three doors in total. Anna''s gaze settled on thergest of the three.


    Arge "43" was marked on the door.


    <em>So the the "Indescribable" is behind that door, </em>Anna thought to herself.


    "Alright, let me see just what you are that is not square nor round."


    Anna then raised her right hand and snapped her fingers with a casual grace. A burst of corrosive green mes erupted in the shape of a circr portal as ittched onto the door and continuously burned away.


    But whatever substance that door was made of, Anna had never encountered it before. It seemed to be resistant to everything. Even her potent corrosive mes that could burn through everything were being slowed down to a frustrating crawl.


    Despite the agonizingly slow burning, theck of interference allowed the three-meter-tall ming portal to sear through the unknown material finally.


    The blinding light from outside flooded the containment cell.


    Anna immediately sank partially into the floor, her sharp eyes scanning the room through the newly created opening, but she realized that it was empty.


    There was nothing.


    "What¡­ is this?"


    Halting her descent, Anna pondered for a moment before she conjured a sphere of corrosive mes and hurled it into the room. The fireball made a round within but encountered nothing.


    Halting her descent, Anna pondered for a moment before she conjured a sphere of corrosive mes and hurled it into the room. The fireball made a round within but encountered nothing.


    Halting her descent, Anna pondered for a moment before she conjured a sphere of corrosive mes and hurled it into the room. The fireball made a round within but encountered nothing.


    Halting her descent, Anna pondered for a moment before she conjured a sphere of corrosive mes and hurled it into the room. The fireball made a round within but encountered nothing.

 Chapter 934: Hand

    Halting her descent, Anna pondered for a moment before she conjured a sphere of corrosive mes and hurled it into the room. The fireball made a round within but encountered nothing.


    Immediately afterward, everything reversed as if it were a tape being rewound.


    The corrosive mes moved along its previous trajectory and returned to Anna before vanishing into thin air.


    Anna, who had sunk partially into the floor, resurfaced. The thick door of the containment cell that had melted beneath the corrosive mes healed and closed once more.


    And just like that, a new cycle began.


    Halting her descent, Anna pondered for a moment before she conjured a sphere of corrosive mes and hurled it into the room. The fireball made a round within but encountered nothing.


    Anna repeated her movements without making a sound as if she had be a mime. Everything in the cell seemed to be in the middle of a loop, and it seemed like the loop would continue until the end of time.


    After a brief yet lengthy ten minutes, the situation finally changed. Anna, whose figure had been partially sinking and resurfacing, finally sankpletely.


    Her eyes remained above the surface, and Anna gazed at the distant, empty containment cell in puzzlement, thinking to herself, <em>This shouldn''t be empty. Did I miss something?</em>An organization as immense as the IMF wouldn''t construct an empty building a kilometer underground for no reason at all. She couldn''t help but suspect that Lucius had lied to her.


    "Should I open the remaining two doors?" Anna contemted but found it incredibly risky. However, she knew that her options were extremely limited.


    This site was located in a pr region. To escape, she''d need a tool that would allow her to take flight. In addition, she had to plunge the entire site into chaos, or she wouldn''t get far, even if she somehow managed to escape.


    After all, there wasn''t a single living person within a five-hundred-kilometer radius of the site.


    A soft noise generated by leather shoes hitting the ground echoed, and the clown in a neat red suit appeared before Anna in a burst of colorful paper confetti. It was now wearing a tall top hat with brightly colored purple sequins.


    The clown removed its hat and bowed to Anna with utmost elegance, revealing a void behind its mask. Its clothes contained nothing behind, making it seem as if it were floating in the air. The clown had no fleshly body, or perhaps the clothing and mask were his true form.


    "Speak. What''s going on up above?" Anna asked.


    The clown put its hat back on and shrugged, seemingly helpless. Its gloved right hand flipped, producing a magic cloth decorated with star patterns. The clown draped the magic cloth over Anna, and thetter magically found herself back on Level -16.


    When Anna raised her hand, she inhaled sharply at the sight before her.


    The scene unfolding before her was beyond her imagination.


    The small hole she had made with her corrosive mes had expanded into a massive opening. The seven floors up above had copsed, creating a massive hole.


    Debris, corpses, and bizarre Anomalies were suspended in midair as if gravity had ceased to exist for them.


    The wails, roars, the crackling of electricity, and the forceful, rapid noises from the shattered waterpipesbined together to create a harsh discordant mixture of noises.


    "Did... did you do all this?" Anna asked incredulously.


    The clown hastily raised its finger and waved it gently.


    The scenery transformed, and the chaos instantly returned to normal; the hole that Anna had opened with her corrosive mes had vanished without a trace.


    The cacophony had disappeared in an instant, and time seemed to have turned back before everything became chaotic.


    The clown walked up to Anna with a ying card that said, "You did this?"


    "<em>Shhh¡­</em> Quiet," Anna mouthed to the hideous clown mask.


    The abnormal phenomenon reminded Anna of when she opened that door on the bottommost level only to find nothing behind it. Anna finally realized that the door she opened had contained something. She simply couldn''t perceive it.


    Lucius'' words about how they could only use negation to describe the Anomaly on the bottommost level popped up in Anna''s mind.


    <em>"It''s not pure; it''s not clean.</em>


    <em>"It''s not heavy; it''s not dead; it''s not happy; it''s not fond of humans.</em>


    <em>"It''s not square; it''s not round; it''s not an organism; it''s not a nt. It can''t generate friction with any objects.</em>


    <em>"It does not possess wisdom, but it''s not stupid."</em>


    The most dangerous Anomaly in the entire site had truly been released by Anna.


    Now, Anna was in a dilemma. She had unleashed that Anomaly to deal with the IMF, but she had no idea what it was, and its abilities were unknown to it as well. How could she make use of it to escape?


    <em>Rumble!</em>


    Rumbling noises suddenly echoed from a distant corner.


    Anna signaled at the clown, and her figure vibrated before melting into the adjacent wall.


    The clown erased itself with the magic cloth just as a robot resembling a tank emerged from the distant corner.


    The floor was evidently being supervised by robots. The massive robot was moving slowly, and the equipment on its head scanned the floor from all angles, ensuring no blind spots whatsoever.


    However, the fact that it failed to detect Anna meant that itcked the ability to scan the walls.


    When the robot turned a corner, Anna poked her head out from the wall. She had noticed something amiss. She had caused such a massivemotion, so howe the IMF had only dispatched robots for routine patrols?


    This was out of script; weren''t they supposed to mobilize all of theirbat teams to attack and contain her along with the other Anomalies? The bizarre situation made Anna think of the entity she had just released.


    Anna furrowed her brows in contemtion. She approached the clown and reached for its neck, but her arm phased underneath the mask, grasping nothing.


    Realizing that the clown had no neck, Anna could only give up.


    She lowered her voice to the minimum and whispered, "I don''t care why you approached me, but we''re in the same boat until we''re out of here. Let''s work together to get out of here. We''ll discuss what happens once we''re out."


    The clown''s previous actions had told Anna that it was trustworthy.


    Anna was in a strange situation that demanded allies rather than enemies, and the potential ally was an Anomaly that seemed to have good intentions. With that in mind, Anna knew that she had to seize this opportunity to enlist the clown''s help.


    The clown nodded cheerfully. It took the hat from its head and ced it on Anna''s severed hand.


    <em>Pop!</em>


    A crisp sound reminiscent of firecrackers echoed, and the hat was removed.


    Anna''s severed hand was reattached in an instant. Before Anna could rejoice, however, she noticed the wrinkles and calluses on her brand-new hand.


    "This isn''t my hand. Where did you get this hand from?

 Chapter 935: See

    Upon hearing Anna''s words, the clown shrugged and ced the hat back on its head.


    The wound was connected to a brand-new hand, so there were no more wounds, which meant there was no risk of excessive blood loss. However, it also meant that Anna had her one and only weapon¡ªher very own bone.


    Noticing Anna''s troubled look, the clown crossed its hands, and a tiny flying knife used for popping balloons in the circus appeared in its hand.


    It then ced the tiny flying knife into the hat, causing it to triple in size, transforming into a dagger.


    "It''s fine as long as it''s usable. Follow me. We must climb up the floors. That thing must have affected something, so this could be our only chance to escape," Anna said, and she wasted no more time. Her figure vibrated at a speed imperceptible to the human eye before jumping to the floor up above.


    Level -15, Level -14, and Level -13. The sights Anna witnessed on each floor made her heart sink. Everything seemed to have turned back in time, returning to their conditions prior to Anna''s escape.


    The bizarre phenomenon affected not only the objects she had destroyed but the people as well. Just a few moments ago, the man that Anna had consumed to satisfy her hunger had somehowe back to life and had run past her.


    <em>His heart is in my stomach right now, so how did hee back to life?! But if I hadn''t eaten him, howe I''m still full? </em>Anna thought. She then burrowed into a containment cell on the right and saw the faceless woman from earlier. She was still in a straitjacket and could not move at all.


    <em>If she''s back, then doesn''t that mean¡­ </em>Anna''s heart thumped wildly against her chest. She rapidly shuttled through the walls and finally arrived at Level -8, where her containment cell was located.Upon entering the monitoring room, she was stunned to find her own figure on the massive screen in the room.


    Anna was covering her nose with an agonized look, and her face was flushed red from the exertion of holding her breath. Despite her suffering, she still showed no intention of yielding to the IMF.


    Anna was familiar with that scene, as it had happened an hour ago!


    Anna instantly realized what had transpired. She was still unsure about the abilities of the Anomaly on the bottommost level, but one thing was for sure¡ªit was capable of traversing time and space.


    Upon breaching containment, it traveled back in time to an hour ago, bringing Anna and the clown with it.


    Staring at the incongruous scene before her, Anna suddenly thought of a n.


    Since there was another Anna suffering in this timeline, didn''t that mean she was free? No one was aware of her presence, so she could take advantage of that and leave without leaving a trace.


    Anna disregarded what was going on and continued her ascent. If she wanted to leave, now was the best opportunity to do so. Her other self down below would surely cause amotion soon, and it would be the perfect time for her to seize an aircraft.


    Anna reached Level -3 without any issues, but she could not continue her ascent.


    The massive hole from earlier had reappeared above her head, and it covered every floor up above. Everything around it had disintegrated, and there were a variety of objects floating endlessly in the middle of the hole.


    Compared to what she had encountered earlier, the living beings inside this massive hole seemed unaware of what was happening to them. They were doing whatever they were doing repetitively.


    Li Lu, clutching herrge belly, walked through a door and emerged from another. Then, she did that again and again.


    Abat team member opened his mouth and spat a mouthful of coffee back into his cup. Heughed heartily for a few moments before drinking his coffee again and spitting it out to continue the same routine.


    It wasn''t just the staffers of this site. People wearing goggles and thick cold-resistant clothing were walking upside down against the frigid world outside right before the gazes of Anna and the clown.


    "<em>Roar!</em>" A pr bear stood up and roared. It collided with Roy, and the distance between the two widened in an instant.


    "What in the world... is this...?" Anna realized that she had misunderstood that Anomaly''s abilities. Its ability was definitely not as simple as traversing time and space; it was something far stranger and bizarre than that.


    If asked to describe what the Anomaly was, however, Anna wouldn''t be able to provide an answer. She could only guess that she was witnessing an interweaving of events from both the future and the past.


    While Anna was thinking about how to navigate the bizarre scene before her and reach the airport, her eyes pped on a rotting turtle with colorful crystals attached to its shell. It was crawling slowly below the hole.


    It would sometimes nce at the cavity up above with a terrified gaze before frantically crawling toward a dark corner.


    <em>That turtle can see it? </em>Anna''s heart was filled with joy. She rushed toward the turtle, sticking as close as possible to the ground in her approach.


    The corrosive mes scorched the turtle, forcing it to retract its limbs and take cover in its shell. The turtle''sck of resistance allowed Anna to absorb it as easily as taking candy from a baby.


    She disemboweled the turtle using the dagger in her hand, and the turtle''s pitch-ck Origin Essence was taken out of the shell. Anna drew the array on the ground using sea salt.


    Colorful crystals sprouted all over Anna. Immediately afterward, around eight interconnected pupils squeezed into Anna''s right eye.


    Anna''s eyelids adorned with longshes blinked gently, and she found that the world around her had transformed into their own independent colors. The air had transformed into their own independent colors, and the same went for the light.


    Until now, Anna had no idea that the world was actually so colorful. However, Anna could still remember the reason she absorbed the turtle. She looked up and stared at everything up above.


    Amidst the chaos, Anna finally saw the "Indescribable."


    It was a dark yellow object covering an area equivalent to four football fields. If one were forced to make aparison, one would most likely say that it resembled a series of nested bubbles.


    However, Anna couldn''t discern which bubble was inside and which was outside. It was a logic-defying scene, and it made Anna feel as if she were staring at an optical illusion.


    Of course, she knew that she was not under any illusion. She was staring at something real, and it was right before her.


    The enormous bubbles wandered in the air; their transparent, dark yellow figures devoured everything in their path. Whenever it devoured an object or even a fraction of the space before it, a temporal disturbance would be made.


    Once the bubbles had departed, those left behind would always decrease or increase for some reason. Anna recalled something just then. She grabbed the pile of ashes left behind by the turtle and tossed it toward the hole.


    The ashes coalesced in the air and were immediately subjected to the influence of the bubbles. Green mes manifested, and the turtle was revived. The next second, the turtle was engulfed by corrosive green mes, bing a pile of ashes once again.

 Chapter 936: Disaster

    <em>What is even that? </em>Anna thought while looking up at the sky. <em>How did the Foundation of the surface world manage to contain such a bizarre entity? If even that thing can be contained, does that mean that the Foundation of the Subterranean Sea has given them knowledge that is exclusive to them?</em>


    If the Foundations from both sides had connections in the distant past, then it''d be possible for them to contain that bizarre entity by joining hands. After all, the technology of the Subterranean Sea''s Foundation was near the limits of what a human could do.


    Anna had many thoughts while gazing at the peculiar scene in the sky.


    Just then, the nested bubbles changed. It rotated and ascended. As it moved away, everything around it slowly returned to normal. The ground was restored, the flowing fresh water returned to the pipes, and the chaos was subdued.


    Just when it seemed that everything was going to return to normal, a bright meteor in the night sky made Anna''s heart sink slightly. The meteor grew brighter and brighter as it got closer and closer.


    Even an idiot could guess that the meteor hade to deal with the bubbles.


    "Clown, something''sing. Hurry up and hide!" Anna melted into the nearby wall.


    Regardless of whether the meteor was the IMF''s countermeasure or something else, Anna was sure to profit by allowing both sides toe into conflict.


    The meteor was fast. Just as the bubbles made contact with the ss dome above the site, the meteor collided with it. The sky was instantly pervaded by a dazzling red light. The red light vanquished the darkness, breaking the six-month-long pr nights.


    rms red throughout the site, and istion walls descended, sealing off the site. The IMF staffers would be blind if the massive disturbance were to go unnoticed.


    Anna immediately recalled that this rm was what had allowed her to escape in the first ce, and it was triggered by themotion in the sky.


    Anna squinted her eyes with difficulty and looked up, but the extremely bright light made it impossible for her to see what exactly had happened. Anna still had no idea whether this was a good thing or a bad thing for her.


    As the bubbles ascended, the destroyed ground closed up. Everything down below was isted from the bizarre phenomenon in the sky. Everything returned to normal, and the people inside the bubble seemed to have been released.


    Many individuals rushed into the elevators, descending into the lower levels in droves. They were thebat teams sent to contain the Anomalies that 315 had released.


    Looking at them walking past her, Anna recalled the torment she had to endure.


    <em>Want to catch me? Sure, let''s see if you guys can still catch me once I''ve made things even more chaotic here! I''m having a difficult time, so there''s no way you guys are going to have it easy! </em>Anna snorted coldly.


    Having made up her mind, Anna''s figure rapidly descended and entered the containment cells of the Anomalies on the upper floors. Then, she proceeded to repeat what she had done down below. §²


    The site personnel felt overwhelmed as Past Anna and Present Anna proceeded to release the Anomalies from their containment. To make matters worse, the clown would asionally appear and stir up some trouble as well.


    They had probably never imagined that something like this would happen to a pr site one day.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A violent tremor ran across the floor beneath Anna''s feet while she was busy making a hole in the ceiling using her corrosive mes. An explosion had urred on an unknown floor down below.


    The site personnel hadpletely lost control over the floor where Anna was located. There were Anomalies every where, and they were roaming around, doing whatever they pleased.


    The site had be a powder keg with a lit fuse, and there was an impending explosion. To make matters worse, there were bizarre entities over the sky. It coil be said that humans were no longer in control over this IMF site.


    Just then, abat team member was torn in half by two Anomalies. Anna nodded with satisfaction at the sight. The overwhelming hatred in her heart was slightly assuaged.


    Anna made holes in the ceiling and moved two floors until she saw the pregnant Li Lu being supported by Roy and a few other IMF members. They were in a hurry to move somewhere safe.


    "Hurry, 315 has breached containment, and she has even demonstrated the ability to absorb Anomalies. Nowhere in this site is safe, and you two need to be transferred out first," Roger said while leading the way for the couple.


    "I told you before that that woman is going to be a disaster! We should have just disposed of her the moment we caught her!" Li Lu eximed. She was particrly irritable at the emergency.


    Roy suppressed his unease and said, "Actually, this is better. We can finally leave this ce, and our child can be born in a safer location. As for 315, we don''t need to worry about her. The organization will handle her."


    They entered an elevator while talking to each other.


    "Leave?" Anna caught an important keyword in their conversation. She beckoned at something behind her before catching up to the group.


    This was a good opportunity to escape. If the airport were destroyed by the Anomalies, it''d be impossible to leave.


    Anna had no ns of getting stuck in this uninhabited pr region and joining a battle royale against those Anomalies.


    Upon arriving at the airport, the red light in the sky made everything clear to everyone¡ªthey were truly in an emergency. They cast curious gazes at the sky while the armedbat team members waved at them in a hurry.


    They were puzzled about what was happening in the sky, but as members of the IMF, Li Lu and the others knew what to ask and what not to ask.


    Li Lu had just stepped onto the airstair when Roy let go of her hand.


    "You..." Li Lu muttered.


    "He''s not qualified, and I have to stay here, too," Roger said in a low voice, "You go first. I''ll contact you once things have settled down here.


    There were quite a few nes that could surely transport many people, but there was no way the IMF would do that. If they evacuated everyone, what would happen to this site and the berserk Anomalies?


    <em>Boom! </em>


    A deafening explosion echoed. Li Lu knew that Roger''s words were just a nice way of putting things. If they couldn''t stabilize the chaos here, everyone would die here.


    "Remember, you must stay alive! The child must have a father," Li Lu said calmly before walking up the airstair.


    Li Lu and some passengers boarded the ne with the others, and the aircraft soon began taxiing on the runway. The ne, illuminated red by the light in the sky, picked up speed and took to the sky.


    As the ne got farther and farther away from the site, Anna''s face emerged from beneath the aircraft''s wing. She stared at the distant red light intertwined with the nested bubbles.


    The sudden turn of events had allowed her to escape, but she still felt disgruntled at the fact that she couldn''t witness the deaths of the people who had tortured her at the site.

 Chapter 937: A Visitor from the Subterranean Sea

    Anna genuinely wished to ughter all those bastards, but she understood that she was too weak. Once she was strong enough, she swore to carry out her revenge.


    The ne moved swiftly, and the distant red light seemed like it was going to disappear at any second now.


    The next moment, however, Anna saw something emerge from the red light, and it was flying in their direction. It was the dark yellow nested bubbles! Anna''s heart raced upon seeing that the nested bubbles were making a beeline for the ne.


    If they were engulfed by those bubbles, things would be troublesome!


    With that, Anna melted into the wing and moved toward the cockpit. After a few seconds, Anna''s hand emerged from the instrument panel and grabbed the wheel, turning it forcefully.


    The aircraft plunged downward, evading the bubbles.


    Anna thought that this would be enough, but the red light in the distance caught up with the nested bubbles, forcing them to immediately change their trajectory and engulf the ne.


    However, the time reversal that Anna had anticipated didn''t ur. Instead, the bubbles contracted rapidly and flew into the cabin.


    Among everyone present, only Anna could see the bubbles, and she chased them into the cabin. Due to the abrupt rapid descent, the cabin was in utter chaos. There were fallen oxygen masks everywhere, and the passengers had collided with each other, causing injuries.


    Anna chased after the Anomaly, and she saw it disappear into a woman''s figure.


    The woman was none other than Li Lu. Li Lu''s consciousness was blurry, and her water had broken, soaking the seat. She was clearly going into prematurebor.


    Before Anna could make any move, the red light outside the cabin red brightly.


    The red light that was chasing after the nested bubbles had finally caught up. The passengers were all IMF personnel, but the bizarre scene still made them hold their breaths. They dared not move as well.


    The red light from outside shone on their terrified faces as they stood frozen like stone statues.


    A brief yet lengthy five secondster, the entity within the red light departed upon failing to find its target.


    The moment the red light left, Anna focused all her attention on Li Lu''s belly. The nested bubbles had entered Li Lu''s womb. Clearly, there was something extraordinary with the child in her womb.


    <em>Bang! </em>


    A deafening gunshot rang out, but the bullet phased through Anna''s vibrating head and pierced the face of a woman standing next to her.


    "It''s 315! She''s on the ne!" someone eximed.


    Anna chuckled coldly upon hearing the terrified voices of the passengers.


    She kicked off with one leg and spun around, charging at the person with a gun. She swung her dagger and sliced open the throat of the attacker.


    The people on this ne were no ordinary people, so they wouldn''t sit and wait for their deaths. Chaos erupted in an instant; those able-bodied worked together to attack Anna. ??


    Unfortunately, they were clearly no match for Anna and the clown.


    Soon, Anna hijacked the aircraft, and the clown took over as the pilot.


    The passengers and their ugly, terrified expressions didn''t affect Anna''s next move. She took out the dagger that the clown had given to her and walked up to Li Lu, who still seemed to be half-unconscious.


    "What are you going to do?!" an old man rebuked. It seemed like he could see through what Anna was going to do, and he couldn''t help but stand up to try and defend Li Lu.


    Judging by his clothes, he seemed to be a researcher.


    "What am I going to do? Of course, I''m going to do what you''ve all done to me. I''m sure you old foxes know what I''m talking about, so don''t talk nonsense, okay?"


    The bubbles had clearly entered Li Lu, and they had most likely settled within the child in her womb. Could she perhaps absorb that Anomaly once it had a physical form?


    Just as Anna was about to slice open Li Lu''s bulging abdomen, the half-unconscious Li Lu woke up and grabbed the de with her hand.


    Li Lu seemed to be the epitome of indifference, but she revealed a pleading look in front of Anna. Tears were even sliding down her face as she said, "Please, it''s just an unborn child! Spare it, please. You''re a mother, too. You know what I''m feeling."


    Anna''s heart, which she believed had be as hard as steel upon her arrival on the surface world, seemed to tremble upon hearing Li Lu''s words.


    <em>What is this feeling? Why am I feeling this way? Is it because of my human body?</em>


    However, Anna immediately pushed those thoughts aside. How could she let herself be affected by her emotions?


    "Don''t worry, I won''t cut you open. I''m here to deliver your baby. Your water has broken, so your child is going to die if it doesn''t get out soon," Anna said.


    Just as her words fell, a pair of tiny hands emerged beneath Li Lu''s bloody skirt.


    The hands were too tiny, resembling the hands of a baby monkey. This was normal, as the child in Li Lu''s womb was premature.


    <em>It came out on its own? </em>Anna was shocked.


    Li Lu groaned in pain, and an imprint of an infant''s head appeared on her round belly. Momentster, the outline of a baby''s face appeared on Li Lu''s abdomen, and the baby seemed to be staring at Anna.


    Anna hesitated at the sight. Would she be in danger if she made contact with the infant that had clearly been engulfed by those bubbles? Before Anna could make any decision, there was a <em>plop</em>, and Li Lu''s belly deted.


    The centa carrying the squirming baby fell to the floor.


    Anna instantly became wary as she carefully opened the centa with the dagger in her hand. The premature infant was very small, appearing to weigh less than four pounds. Some parts of its skin even seemed to be transparent.


    It wasn''t crying, but it was coughing incessantly, seemingly trying to expel the amniotic fluid in its lungs.


    "My child!" Li Lu eximed and held the baby in her arms.


    However, the infant seemed displeased by its mother''s embrace. It turned nimbly and wriggled out of her arms. After crawling on the ground, it stood up shakily.


    And a red premature infant actually stood up just like that...


    The baby''s eyes were still closed, but it clenched its fists and raised them above its head. Then, it opened its toothless mouth and cried out, "Great, I''m finally born!"


    Not only was Anna stunned; everyone present was stunned¡ªno, they stared in horror at the iprehensible scene before them. A newborn premature infant had just spoken right before their eyes.


    The infant rubbed its eyes and opened them. Then, its gaze settled on Anna. Its eyes were extremely beautiful, resembling pure amber. "Hello there. Nice to meet you."


    "Why do you look so familiar to me? Have you met me in the past or in the future?"


    Anna retreated a few steps in silence. "What are you?"


    "Me? I''m human, of course. <em>Ah, </em>right, you can also call me by my name. Yes, a person should have a name. <em>Hmm... </em>I''ve decided! My name shall be Tobba!"


    Anna felt like an explosion had gone off in her head as soon as she heard the infant''s words, and she was instantly reminded of that certain, carefree old man; the old man had died at the hands of the Foundation, and they held his absurd funeral on Hope Ind.


    <em>If this infant is Tobba¡­ doesn''t that mean there''s something wrong with the timeline?</em><blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    What in the fucking world 0_0</blockquote>

 Chapter 938: Conjecture

    Anna half-squatted before the infant before her. The standing premature infant was still covered in amniotic fluid. Thirty minutes ago, Anna was so shocked that she had no idea what to do. Now that the shock had passed, it was time for her to do something about the figure before her.


    Tobba was dead, but he came back to life as a newborn. There was obviously something wrong here.


    Reflecting on what Tobba had gone through and what he was capable of doing, Anna felt a sense of foreboding. However, it was not strange at all. If there were someone else with the same experience as her, they''d feel the same as Anna.


    The Tobba of the distant past was working for the first-generation Foundation, and Tobba had just reappeared before her. What was the meaning of that? Could it be that what was happening right now was the distant past of the Subterranean Sea?


    "<em>Um, </em>I''m a bit hungry. If you don''t mind, I''ll go have some breakfast first, and then we can continue our chat," Tobba said. He then wobbled over to the pale-faced Li Lu.


    Anna grabbed his sticky arm and lifted him like a rag doll.


    "Don''t try to pull that on me. What''s going on here?!" Anna asked in themonnguage of the Subterranean Sea.


    Tobba seamlessly replied in the samenguage, but he had no teeth, so he was slurring his words. "How would I¡­ know¡­. what''s going on? I was just born¡­. I''m not¡­ even a day old yet. Isn''t it¡­ a bit too much¡­ for you¡­ to interrogate me¡­ right away?"


    Tobba looked down and grabbed the umbilical cord swinging from his belly. He then expertly tied it into a knot."You''ve been by Charles'' side since you met him on Skywater Ind, and you''ve been influencing his choices. This must be your scheme, right? What exactly is your goal?!"


    "Oh, Anna¡­ I really¡­ don''t know¡­ what you''re talking about. Why don''t you tell me¡­ what happened? Let''s talk about it¡­ together," The hairless Tobba said, sounding helpless.


    Li Lu, weakened by childbirth, was worried and terrified at the sight. Her newborn child not only could walk and talk, but he seemed to be familiar with 315 as well!


    Li Lu felt like she was dreaming, and she truly hoped that she''d soon wake up from this dream and find herself back at the site.


    Just then, abat team member crawled over and helped Li Lu. He helped Li Lu over to a cleaner spot, as thetter was sitting in a puddle of amniotic fluid.


    "Don''t provoke 315. Right now, we stall for time. The organization will definitely find us," thebat team member said. He wanted to do something, but he had been disarmed, so he could only stay silent.


    Meanwhile, Tobba''s face lit up with realization upon hearing ANna''s words.


    "So that''s what happened¡­ I have no idea that I''m going to be such an amazing person once I''ve grown up I''m suddenly looking forward to growing up."


    "Do you really know nothing?" Anna cast a suspicious gaze at Tobba. She observed his expression, observing the subtle changes on his face. No one could say for sure whether the words of someone with foresight and the ability to traverse all perspectives were true or not.


    Tobba put his index finger in his mouth and sucked on it. Tilting his head, he replied, "Well, I can''t say that I don''t know anything. I''ve been seeing scenes in my head, and you''re in them. As for thenguage, I don''t know why, but I just know how to speak it."


    "You say I can foresee everything, but you''re not talking about the current me. If I had been capable of foreseeing everything, I would have already escaped to another dimension to avoid that oue."


    Anna''s brows furrowed tightly.


    Tobba saw that and added, "Besides, you shouldn''t be suspicious of me. You should suspect 005. She''s sent you up here."


    Just then, Tobba''s gaze drifted downward and settled on Anna''s chest. He gulped instinctively at the sight.


    Anna''s hand loosened, and Tobba fell, hitting the ground with a <em>st, </em>eliciting shocked cries from the nearby hostages.


    "I was just born! What''s wrong with wanting to drink milk? It''s my right, and it''s what I deserve!" Tobba eximed. He rubbed his waist and stood up shakily.


    Anna used her foot to nudge the infant toward Li Lu. Then, she paced back and forth with furrowed brows, contemting everything that had happened today.


    Anna''s mind was in chaos. She could feel that the uing choices that she''d have to make would have a significant impact on everything. The tiniest choice could lead to apletely different oue.


    Regardless of whether Tobba''s words were true or false, Tobba''s existence as an infant here spoke volumes.


    There was a gap of over a thousand years from the fall of the first-generation Foundation to Charles'' arrival in the Subterranean Sea. Could it be that she had to wait a thousand years before returning to the so-called true Subterranean Sea?


    Tobba opened his arms and wobbled toward Li Lu. The newborn child looked ugly due to his wrinkled skin, and coupled with his bizarre actions as soon as he was born, everyone looked at him as if he were a man-eating monster, except for Li Lu.


    Li Lu''s heart was filled with joy to see her child wobbling over toward her.


    The infant was bizarre and full of mysteries, but he was still her child.


    "Good baby, Mommy''s here. Don''t be scared." Li Lu picked up Tobba and held him in her arms as gently as possible.


    Tobba buried his head in her embrace and nuzzled against her.


    He finally went quiet upon getting his first meal in life.


    Someone handed over a tissue, and Li Lu wiped away the filth and amniotic fluid all over the child. Li Lu tore down a curtain and swaddled the infant. Once she was done, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Li Lu caressed Tobba''s bright red cheeks, and her eyes were filled with boundless maternal love. "Don''t worry, baby. Mommy will do everything to protect you."


    Tobba busy drinking milk opened his eyes and grinned at his mother.


    Li Lu''s heart practically melted at the sight. She couldn''t help but kiss Tobba''s little head covered innugo. Li Lu seemed to have forgotten the presence of an extremely dangerous Anomaly, and her eyes were focused solely on her child.


    Li Lu held Tobba and rocked him gently, humming a melody that she had memorized during prenatal sses.


    The peaceful scenested for half an hour, and it ended when Tobba was finally full.


    "It''s a bit sour, but thank you," Tobba said. He struggled out of Li Lu''s arms, but Li Lu was clearly unwilling to let him go.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not leaving. I''ll just chat with her. She''s a future friend."


    Tobba patted Li Lu''s face with his tiny hands.


    After much persuasion, Li Lu reluctantly put Tobba. Wrapped in a curtain, Tobba looked like a doll as he wobbled over to Anna.


    "Have you thought of anything yet? While I was eating, I came up with a conjecture based on what you told me," Tobba said, looking up at the "giant" in front of him.

 Chapter 939: Goal

    Chapter 939: Goal


    Anna snapped back to reality and waited patiently for Tobba''s conjecture.


    Tobba opened his mouth to speak, but he vomited a mouthful of milk onto Anna''s foot.


    Anna''s eye twitched at the sticky feeling between her toes. Still, she suppressed her extreme displeasure and crouched down to pat Tobba on the back.


    When Tobba finally burped, Anna grabbed him and ced him on a nearby armchair.


    "Speak," Anna said.


    "Have you taken care of children? You''re pretty good at burping a baby."


    "I learned it while I was still pregnant with Sparkle, but I never got to use it because Sparkle doesn''t really eat anything at the time. Anyway, don''t change the subject. Hurry up and talk."


    Tobba sat up straight and deliberated on his words for a few seconds before saying, "As I said, I came up with a conjecture based on what you told me, but first of all, can you still remember the year when Charles arrived in the Subterranean Sea?"


    Anna scoured her memories, but confusion suffused her face in no time. She could only remember that Charles had a younger sister and that there were four of them in the family. She could also remember the rough location of his neighborhood.


    As for unimportant details, such as the year when Charles had found himself in the Subterranean Sea, her human brain had long forgotten them.


    "I forgot, but why are you asking that?"


    Tobba raised his hands and interlocked his fingers. He started tapping them on each other before saying, "Just think about it. The gravity in the Subterranean Sea is opposite to that of the surface world.


    "Perhaps the flow of time in the Subterranean Sea ispletely opposite to that of the surface world as well."


    "The moment Charles was thrown into the Subterranean Sea, the time on both sides started moving in opposite directions. For every second you spend here, the Subterranean Sea regresses by one second."


    "Of course, time itself is rtive. You could say that for every second they experience, we regress by one second. It''s the same either way."


    "How is that possible? That''s¡­ how... can that be¡­" Anna stammered. Tobba''s words had just reminded her of something. Fragmented scenes resurfaced from the deepest recesses of her brain, and she finally noticed the incongruity.


    Upon her arrival here, the passers-by were taking photos with flip phones, and Wang Sheng had a keypad phone. However, Charles had brought with him a first-generation smartphone into the Subterranean Sea.


    <em>There''s something wrong with the timeline! The people here are still using keypad phones; there are still no smartphones in the world! </em>Anna''s heart thumped wildly against her chest.


    If Tobba''s conjecture was true, it meant that Gao Zhiming was still a student! He had yet to find himself in the Subterranean Sea! In other words, Anna just had to find Gao Zhiming, and she''d be able to return to the Subterranean Sea together with him!


    "Why do you look so agitated? Was my conjecture helpful or anything?" Tobba asked.


    Anna calmed down upon hearing that, and she cast a wary gaze at Tobba, wondering whether her reaction was Tobba''s goal or not. What was Tobba''s goal for telling her that information?


    "Why are you looking at me like that? Have you not seen a child before?" Tobba asked. A glimmer of puzzlement flickered in hisrge eyes.


    Anna suppressed her doubts. She still had to verify whether Tobba''s conjecture was true or not, and it could be verified by visiting the neighborhood where Gao Zhiming lived.


    This was a better approach than her previous one, and it was more covert as well. She would most likely avoid attracting the IMF''s attention.


    Anna''s goal had always remained unchanged¡ªto return to the Subterranean Sea. Returning to the Subterranean Sea together with Gao Zhiming was also a way to achieve that goal.


    Anna nced at Tobba and walked into the cockpit. She stared at the clown inside and said, "Find a way to leave Antarctica. Our next destination is Asia!"


    <em>Snap!</em>


    The clown snapped its fingers covered in a white glove. It then picked up a book and studied it intently.


    <em>Hehe, if Gao Zhiming is still here, it''ll be truly wonderful.</em> Anna''s eyes turned cold as she stared at the green aurora outside the window.


    ***


    The graceful Sparkle was standing quietly at the tram station on Hope Ind; she was quietly observing the cars passing by on the road.


    Hope Ind was bing increasingly prosperous. Cars were originally exclusive to the higher-ups of Hope Ind or those rich enough to afford them, but they had be affordable for everyone on the ind, resulting in congested roads.


    This was due to the ind''s prosperity and the Governor of Hope Ind''s industrial revolution. The assembly lines in the factories had boosted production, drastically bringing down the price of anything mechanical.


    The lower prices boosted consumption, and practically anyone on the street carried with them tiny mechanical gadgets. Some had smaller versions of fuel-powered phones, while some had radios powered by battery prototypes.


    Hope Ind''s technological advancement was speedy, so items were quickly rendered obsolete. The first to exit the stage were bulky mechanical gadgets and some machinery.


    Propellers, gears, pistons, and bearings were constantly being miniaturized, and it was all thanks to the power of Hope Ind''s technology.


    Hope Ind was surrounded by airships, cars, trams, and ships. The Subterra Railways were above it as well. Wherever one looked, one would see something mechanical.


    The scene unfolding before Sparkle made her feel like she was staring at an animated oil painting.


    While Sparkle was observing Hope Ind, the men on the ind were observing her as well. The fluorescent green cross-shaped pupils beneath her longshes were so clear and bright; they were like captivating traps.


    Sparkle''s rose-red silk miniskirt perfectly entuated her wless figure. She also had a slender waist and a fair, long neck. Her curves were extremely attractive as well¡ªa mere nce was enough for anyone to feel captivated.


    Sparkle''s slender and fair legs beneath her skirt looked so delicate that it seemed impossible to take one''s eyes off of them.


    She was the perfect woman. Many people secretly took out their cameras with a miniature smokestack to take pictures of Sparkle. They all wanted to immortalize the perfect woman before them and appreciate herter.


    However, their efforts were bound to be futile. Once they developed the photos, they''d find nothing on them. No one could capture Sparkle''s figure unless they had her consent.


    The abnormality attracted the attention of Hope Ind''s District 3, but they had no idea what to do about the woman who had once appeared next to the Governor.


    Ten minutester, Dipp walked slowly to Sparkle''s side with his hands in his pockets. He stood next to Sparkle and quietly observed the street before them.


    Dipp looked troubled as he scratched the gills on his neck. He wanted to start a conversation, but he could not find a topic.


    Finally, Dipp took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He lit one for himself first and turned the cigarette pack to Sparkle, asking, "Wanna smoke?"


    Sparkle''s longshes blinked, but she offered no reply and simply gazed at the street before her. She was staring at vehicles shuttling back and forth amidst the busy street.


    Having started a conversation, Dipp found it easy to ask what he wanted to know, as he simply had to change the topic. With that in mind, Dipp asked, "How is the Captain doing? Is he doing well?"


    Sparkle''s eyes moved slightly. "He''s doing fine."


    "That''s great. By the way, do you have any business here today? The First Mate and the others know that you''re back, and they''re all waiting to hear from me."


    Dipp had be a part of Charles'' family tree, so he was Sparkle''s brother. In other words, Dipp was the best person to ask Sparkle some questions. Lily would actually be more suitable for this task than Dipp, but she was no longer around.

 Chapter 940: Friend

    Chapter 940: Friend


    Sparkle''s reply came btedly, "I''ve been feeling a bit tiredtely. I came here for a change of scenery."


    "Oh, is that so? Then, do what you''ve got to do. If you don''t have a ce to stay tonight, you can stay at the Governor''s Mansion. It''s empty."


    With that, Dipp turned around and left. After walking just a few steps, however, he turned on his heel and asked in a concerned voice, "Is the Captain really okay?"


    For some reason, Sparkle found the fishman to be quite annoying. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and Dipp vanished into thin air,nding in the sea just outside Hope Ind.


    Having driven away the noisy fly, Sparkle could finally enjoy a rare moment of peace. No one knew what Sparkle was doing at the station, but no one dared to ask her any questions; they were afraid of disturbing the rare beauty.


    It wasn''t just the men; even some women passing by stared straight at her. In the end, the road got so congested that a traffic constable had toe and ease the traffic.


    Dipp had already swam out of the sea and informed the others not to disturb Sparkle, so no one asked thetter to leave, despite the traffic that she was causing.


    Just then, a resonant school bell rang, signaling the end of sses. Arge group of children rushed out of the school gate, and the traffic finally eased somewhat as the parents brought their children back home.


    Sparkle turned and looked toward the students inside the school just next to the tram station. Sparkle''s gaze prated the walls and the crowds, ultimately falling upon Nene, who had to stay behind to clean the ssroom.After a while, Nene ran out of the school,ughing and ying with her ssmates. Sparkle floated over to her and smiled at her long-time friend.


    "<em>Ah!</em>" Nene eximed upon seeing the woman''s cross-shaped pupils. Her mouth was wide agape as she added, "You''ve grown so big, Sparkle!"


    Nene then pounced on Sparkle; she wrapped her arms around Sparkle''s fair legs and jumped up and down in excitement. Her good friend had finallye to see her, and she hadn''t forgotten her, after all!


    Sparkle bent down and picked Nene up gently before walking into the distance.


    Nene was particrly excited to see her friend whom she hadn''t seen for a long time now. As if to prove her excitement, she chattered nonstop, "Sparkle, you know the subjects in school are really <em>hard</em>¡ªunimaginably hard.


    "I had no idea that the world isplex, but if you had told me about all this back then, I wouldn''t have believed you.


    "The subjects are difficult, but I''m still studying hard. And it''s because of the school''s ranking system; there are rewards given for bing one of the top students! They give out so many interesting toys, and I have to get one.


    "Ah, right, you probably don''t know since it''s been a while since youst returned, but there''s a new, interesting school on Skywater Ind. It''s a boys'' school that teaches boys how to shoot guns!" Nene eximed.


    Then, she realized that Sparkle hadn''t said a word since they met, and she seemed a bit absent-minded as well. Nene reached out and held Sparkle''s soft, delicate fingers, cautiously asking, "What''s wrong, Sparkle? Are you not happy to see me?"


    "I''m happy," Sparkle said. She put Nene on a nearby bench and sat down beside her.


    Coming back to her senses, Nene reached into her school bag. She rummaged through it to find a round candy wrapped in red paper.


    She handed it over to Sparkle and said, "Want to eat? This candy is so delicious, but it''s too expensive. Mom only gives me one piece a day, but I can''t bear to eat it."


    Sparkle raised her hand, pushing it back.


    Nene took out another piece of the same candy from her school bag, and her big eyes curved into crescents as she grinned. "I still have more! This is one from yesterday. I saved it just in case you came over; it would be a shame if you couldn''t eat such a delicious candy."


    Sparkle''s heart warmed up at the sight. She nodded gently, opened the wrapper, and put the candy into her mouth. A rich, milky fragrance instantly pervaded her mouth.


    It was a typical candy with nuts inside. The innermost core was made of roasted nuts with ayer of sweet cream; the outermostyer was wrapped in delicious coconut shavings.


    It would be strange if it weren''t expensive based on its ingredients alone.


    "It''s a new candy from Harry Bears! How is it? Delicious, right?" Nene asked with her cheeks puffed up like a little squirrel. Her eyes sparkled with the light of anticipation as she stared at Sparkle.


    Sparkle nodded quietly.


    Nene smiled sweetly at that and eximed, "No matter how unhappy you are, eating candy will surely make you happy!"


    Sparkle chewed the candy in her mouth while smoothing Nene''s slightly messy hair.


    The sea breeze in the distance blew across Sparkle''s silky hair, making it sway slightly. This scene was so beautiful that it even made Nene stare at her in a daze.


    "Sparkle, you''re so pretty," Nene remarked.


    Sparkle looked down at Nene and suddenly lowered her head to kiss her on the cheek.


    Nene''s face turned slightly red, and she covered her face shyly before giggling.


    "Why are youughing?" Sparkle asked. Then, she swallowed the candy in her mouth.


    Nene was feeling shy, but she snapped back to reality at the question. "I''mughing because I''m happy. It''s been a while since I saw my best friend, so I''m happy to see her again."


    The two sat on the bench and chatted.


    After a while, the two found themselves staring at the fields of the World''s Crown.


    "Sparkle, what have you been doing these days? You look like you''re working very hard."


    "I''m helping my daddy. My job is to periodically sever chunks of Daddy''s brain to ensure that he won''t absorb too much knowledge and inadvertently lose his humanity."


    "That sounds like a strange job."


    "It''s nothing strange. It''s no different from cutting meat, albeit just a bit bigger than usual. My second job is to stay by his side as his family and remind him of his true identity. I have to keep reminding him that he is a human being.


    "Actually, I think my second job is better at ensuring that he''ll stay human."


    "<em>Oh..</em>." Nene muttered, looking puzzled. She had a hard time understanding what Sparkle was talking about.


    "I want to save him. I want to find a way to save his humanity. I''ve already lost Mommy, and I don''t want to lose myst remaining family," Sparkle said.


    At that, Sparkle''s calm facade seemed to crack open.


    "Where did your mommy go?" Nene''s voice was a bit cautious.


    A trace of heartache shed in Sparkle''s eyes upon hearing that. "She left for a ce very, <em>very </em>far away. She''s probably noting back."


    "Did she go out to sea? My daddy also went out to sea and never came back."


    "Something like that. Anyway, I finally understand my mother''s feelings at the time. If I were strong enough, would Daddy be forced to make such a choice?"


    Upon hearing that, Nene clenched her fists to cheer on her good friend. "Fighting¡ªkeep fighting. Everything is going to be fine. You''re the best, Sparkle, so everything is going to be fine!"


    Sparkle smiled at Nene''s adorable face.

 Chapter 941: Changes

    Nene''s innocent and adorable face reminded Sparkle of the time she spent at the World''s Crown. Back then, she had boundless curiosity toward everything.


    Lacking the ability to empathize, she couldn''t feel any sadness or distress. Thanks to her mother and Nene, however, Sparkle learned a lot, and she eventually adopted the thought process of a normal human being.


    However, Sparkle believed that it wasn''t a good thing. She wished she could be like her father and discard certain things from her mind. There was a reason behind the saying, "Ignorance is bliss," after all.


    Noticing Sparkle''s peculiar expression, Nene leaned over and wrapped her arms around Sparkle''s waist. "Sparkle, are you still not happy? Not even candy can cheer you up?"


    Sparkle reached out and took Nene into her bosom, allowing thetter to lie in her arms as if she were a doll. Thinking of her father, who was losing his humanity, and her mother, whom she''d never see again, Sparkle sighed at length.


    "I feel so much better after talking to you. Don''t worry; I won''t give in so easily. I''m Anna and Charles'' daughter, after all," Sparkle said, and determination filled her eyes.


    "Mmhm! You''ve always been the best, Sparkle. You can do it!" Nene eximed, sitting up excitedly. Clearly, she had more faith in Sparkle than Sparkle had in herself. In Nene''s eyes, Sparkle was an omnipotent goddess.


    Just then, amotion echoed from above. A pair of eyes sprouted on top of Sparkle''s head, allowing her to see what was hanging upside down from the awning.


    Sparkle saw a green creature resembling a centipede; its wriggling limbs were moving frantically to shake off the pursuing police officers streaking across the air."He''s one of Father''s crew. His name is¡­ Norton, right?" Sparkle stared at the green, centipede-like creature, curious about what was happening. They no longer had any reason to go out at sea, so they were supposed to be living peaceful lives at the moment. Had something gone wrong?


    A bespectacled woman on the ground raised her hands, and the awning above her suddenly bulged and flexed, sending Norton hurtling toward the ground. Just as he was about to hit the ground, Norton''s slender figure curled up into a ball, allowing him to absorb the impact.


    He stood up in the blink of an eye and was about to run, but he stopped. The police officers of District 3 had already surrounded him. In the face of the encirclement, Norton opened his hideous maw and roared loudly.


    His trembling figure looked agitated.


    Just as Norton was about to attack, someone d in a ck glossy suit walked over and eximed, "Norton, calm down! Are you really going to turn on your own people?"


    It was a feminine voice, and Sparkle instantly recognized that voice. It hade from Linda, the ship doctor of the Narwhale.


    Norton went silent and sprawled out on the ground. He was breathing heavily as he stretched out a slender, dark green finger and wrote words on the ground. "I really can''t take it anymore. I really can''t stand this kind of life.


    "Let me go¡­ just let me leave this ind.


    "Your medicine is useless. This body of mine is eroding my will constantly, and I''m bing more and more like a monster. Hurry up and take that baby away. I''m afraid of hurting her once I lose control."


    Linda walked over to Norton and helped the green monster up the ground. "If the medicine that you''ve been taking hasn''t been working, then we''ll look for another way. Why are you even running away?!"


    "No, no, no¡­" Norton shook his head frantically. "There''s no other way now. You weren''t lying when you told the captain that anything within a monster will eventually be that monster!


    "The thoughts of such creature will change gradually and imperceptibly. In the end, it will no longer view humans as its own kind. And it''s particrly annoying to hear those guys talking behind my back. ??


    "Damn it, don''t they know that I have keen ears?! Why can''t they keep their voices down?!" Norton''s eight hands clenched into fists, and he pounded the ground in a frenzy.


    <em>Smack!</em>


    Linda fiercely pped Norton across the face. The crisp noise generated by the p as well as the impact stunned Norton in an instant, forcing him to stop.


    "Are you not ashamed? You''re actually having a mental breakdown just because someone is talking behind your back?! And you call yourself a crew of the Narwhale? You''re my patient, and I will take responsibility for you until the end!"


    Linda then dragged Norton away as if he were a dead dog.


    Sparkle''s gaze became pensive at the sight.


    "Sparkle, what happened over there?" Nene asked. Her vision was not as keen as Sparkle''s, so she had no idea what had transpired.


    "It''s nothing serious. By the way, do you need any help? I can assist you."


    "No, I''m doing fine right now," Nene said, shaking her head. "But I''d like it if you could visit me more often."


    Sparkle smiled faintly at that, but she made no promises. The two continued their chat, but Sparkle noticed that something had changed drasticallypared to their previous encounters.


    Sparkle could easily deduce what Nene was going to say even before thetter could open her mouth. Of course, it wasn''t exactly strange, as Sparkle had already grown up, which meant her thought process was no longer as shallow as Nene''s.


    Sparkle realized just then that she had subconsciously sought out Nene to have a taste of what she was like in the past. Unfortunately, the past was in the past, and it was impossible to go back to those times.


    Soon, the two had to part ways. Sparkle apanied Nene to a corner not too far away from thetter''s home.


    Realizing that she could no longer keep Sparkle around her, Nene let go of Sparkle''s fingers one by one with much reluctance on her visage. "Sparkle, don''t forget me, okay? We''re going to be best friends forever!"


    Sparkle nodded slightly. Then, she watched as Nene walked into her home while looking back at Sparkle every three steps.


    Donna opened the door and proceeded to scold her daughter foring home sote.


    The sight reassured Sparkle, and she then teleported back home. Upon arriving at her familiar home, Sparkle was reminded of Nene''s reluctant face. She suddenly had the urge to give her good friend a gift to make up for her unfulfilled promise.


    A sh of white light burst out of Sparkle, and she appeared in the living room down below.


    Sparkle turned to the sofa and saw her father sitting motionless on the sofa. His appearance had not changed at all¡ªhe had just one arm; his face was covered in scars, and he was still wearing his captain''s uniform.


    His face still looked as fierce as ever as well, but his eyes had changed. The spider eye could no longer be seen, and two pitch-ck voids were within Charles'' eye sockets.


    Sparkle instantly realized that Charles was not within the fleshly body before her and that he was busy with something else. Naturally, Sparkle knew how to attract her father''s attention.


    Sparkle walked over and hugged that empty shell gently before saying, "Daddy, I want to ask you for a favor."


    The next moment, two eyeballs filled the fleshly body''s eye sockets. "What is it?"


    "Can you create a human being? I mean, can you create one directly?"


    Charles looked at his daughter while pondering over the request. After a while, the wall beside them squirmed, and then it spat out everything that made up a human being.


    The tentacles kneaded the ingredients, and they rapidly took on the shape of a middle-aged man. The middle-aged man had perfect hair, skin, and facial features, but the perfect human being instantly copsed as soon as he took a step forward.

 Chapter 942: Man

    Under the watchful gazes of Sparkle and Charles, the middle-aged man before them cracked open from the top, and bright red blood burst out of the cracked skull along with brain matter.


    The middle-aged man''s blood vessels disintegrated. A few secondster, all that remained before them was a writhing clump of flesh and blood.


    Charles raised his right hand, and tentacles burst out of the wall, piercing the flesh. Soon, the clump of flesh rapidly reformed into the same middle-aged man.


    It didn''t disintegrate as soon as it started walking, but its eyes resembled a dead fish''s.


    "Simple appearances or basic reactions are rtively easy; they''re likeputer programs.


    "But if you want him to possess his own soul, his own self-awareness and thoughts, that is an extremelyplex matter."


    "So it''s impossible?" Sparkle asked, looking at the man with some regret.


    "It''s possible," Charles said, shaking his head. "I need approximately fifty-one hours absorbing nothing but information in that field. Once I''m done, it shouldn''t be an issue.


    "However, the creation of living beings is a taboo knowledge that is very intricate and deep. My current mental ability cannot handle the task. "To proceed, I''d have to release my limiter and raise my mental ability to the same level as higher-dimensional entities," Charles said in a light, airy voice.


    Sparkle instantly understood what her father was trying to say.


    Charles was already struggling to discard the knowledge that had beening to him naturally to erode his humanity, so how could he take the initiative to ept such knowledge?


    epting more knowledge meant cutting down his remaining time as a human being.


    "Sparkle, actually, if you want to find a father for Nene, then there''s no need for us to go through so much trouble. It doesn''t seem like her father is dead. We just need to find him and bring him back."


    Sparkle''s eyes widened, and she looked at her father in surprise.


    She hadn''t told him anything about her visit to Nene, so how did he know about it?


    "Of course, I know. The afterimages next to you are telling me where you went," Charles said. He raised his hand, tracing something in the air next to Sparkle. I can see faint threads connected to Nene. Those threads, although faint, are intact."


    Sparkle''s delicate brows furrowed slightly. She grabbed Charles'' hands and gave them a light squeeze. "What are you talking about, Daddy?"


    She could notprehend Charles'' words.


    "It''s fine even if you don''t understand. Just know that your friend''s father isn''t dead. We only need to find him and bring him back," Charles said, smiling stiffly at his daughter.


    "Really? Where is he? Let''s go find him!" Sparkle eximed. She was unusually concerned when it came to her one and only good friend.


    A white light engulfed the living room. When the white light vanished, the two could no longer be seen.


    When they stopped moving, they found themselves above an ind in the Eastern Seas. It was a square-shaped ind, unlike other t inds. There was basically no t ground on the ind, as it was covered in mountains.


    It was like an entire mountain range had been crammed into one single ind.


    "Nene''s father is here?" Sparkle asked curiously.


    Charles didn''t reply and simply descended with Sparkle.


    The inders of this ind mostly lived in the valleys of the ind, while the wealthy inders had their houses built on the summits and slopes. The vastly different living environment of the inders gave rise to the ind''s unique culturalndscape.


    The enormous wind turbines between the mountains provided clean energy for those living up above.


    The wealthy had ess to brightly lit cable cars that led directly to the docks, allowing them to enjoy the great scenery of the ind without ever stepping foot on the filthynd down below.


    Perhaps due to the ample shade provided by the towering mountains, the ind had many people. It seemed that not many of them had perished from the death light.


    Unfortunately, there were many people and little space, so life wasn''t exactlyfortable for the inders living in the valleys between the mountainspared to those living up above.


    The valleys were narrow, so they were particrly crowded. To make matters worse, the inders up above would throw their filth and garbage into the valleys down below, further worsening egregiously unsanitary conditions and the thick, foul miasma.


    Even more tragic was that many were forced to make a living in the filth. As soon as Sparkle touched the ground, she looked up and saw quite a few people bending over the dirty, fly-infested garbage.


    They were d in torn clothes and were rummaging through the garbage for something. Charles'' boots had just touched the ground when he immediately walked eastward on the narrow streets.


    "He''s this way. The threads are getting thicker."


    Sparkle''s outstanding appearance instantly attracted everyone''s attention, but whether out of inferiority or for some other reason, no one dared to speak to her.


    They only dared to steal nces at her.


    "What are they looking for in the garbage? Is Nene''s father one of them?" Sparkle asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice.


    "They''re looking for anything useful, like food and feces," Charles replied as his steps came to a halt before a narrow doorway.


    A house built on the foot of a mountain was standing before them. It was a tiny house¡ªit was so tiny that it seemed like it could only amodate a few people, and they''d have to lie down, to boot.


    The dirty roof and walls proved that the house had been standing here for a long time, and there was a crooked sign hanging above the narrow doorway that said, "Helmsman Canned Meat Company."


    Just as Charles was about to lift the door curtain and walk into the house, two burly men with tattoos on their necks and shoulders appeared from out of nowhere.


    "You got a death wish or something? Don''t you know whose turf this is?"


    Once they saw Sparkle''s impable appearance, a malicious smile suffused their lips. They reached for the oily tools hanging at their waists, but their attitudes abruptly changed. They bowed and pulled open the greasy door curtain.


    "Pleasee in! The ground is slippery, so be careful."


    The sight left the distant onlookers stunned. They couldn''t have imagined such an oue, even in their wildest dreams. Could the man and that woman be the children of Boss Quark?


    Charles wasn''t the least bit surprised by Sparkle''s decision to instantly alter the thoughts of the two men, and he strode in without any hesitation.


    The interior was not as small as it appeared from the outside. It was a spacious tunnel that led deep into the mountain. Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, a vast expanse appeared before their eyes.


    There were several caverns in the vast expanse, and each cavern was the size of a football field. The caverns were divided into smaller sections by fences, and the fences contained bloated pigs.


    There was no mistaking it; they had stumbled upon a massive pig farm.


    However, the workers here looked a bit different from ordinary people. Their movements were slow, and their heads the size of a basketball barely had any hair.


    The workers were pushing carts containing barrels of an unknown substance that smelled particrly foul upon mixing with the smell of pig manure in the air.


    The contents of the barrels were soon revealed¡ªhuman feces, fish entrails discarded at the docks, and just about anything edible in the garbage were within the barrels.


    The workers used irondles to scoop them all up before dumping them into the pig troughs.


    "Feeding pigs with human feces, and then making people eat those pigs. The people on this ind sure are eco-friendly, all right," Charles remarked sarcastically before approaching a man pushing a cart in the distance.

 Chapter 943: Human

    The man was an old man with gray hair matted into clumps and bloodshot eyes. The foul juices from the barrels hadpletely soaked through his tattered clothes, so he had the same stench as the filthy contents of the barrels.


    The most eye-catching feature of the old man was his head, which was significantlyrger than his slender frame, making him appear like arge-headed doll.


    "Is he really Nene''s father? Daddy, are you sure about this?" Sparkle asked. She found it hard to believe that the old man was Nene''s father. Nene was so young, so how could her father be an old man?


    "He has been working day and night in a ce like this for quite some time now, so it''s already a miracle that he''s still alive. It''s not strange that he looks a bit older than expected," Charles said. He had just finished his words when a tall, thin, old man swaggered over with a crowd behind him.


    The tall, thin, old man red at Charles, but his fierce expression vanished as soon as he reached Charles. With reverence in his gaze, he looked down and knelt on one knee.


    "What''s happened to this guy''s brain?" Charles asked.


    Despite being questioned by a stranger, the tall, thin, old man answered with no reservations, revealing everything he knew. "Lord, the blood sac worms have already devoured almost his entire brain. We have to use those worms to ensure that ves like him would not run away.


    "We stripped them of everything except for their instincts to work, which we ingrained in them using the whip. My father identally discovered those worms while exploring an ind, and they became the secret to our family''s wealth.


    "These ves are the reason our pork is the cheapest out there. If it hadn''t been for our cheap prices, our canned products wouldn''t have be ubiquitous in the seascape."Charles was not interested in how the sac worms made their way into the brains of these people. He wanted nothing but to resolve this matter right away and get back to his own business.


    "Is there any way to cure them?"


    "Sorry, there''s no way at all. He is no longer capable of independent thoughts."


    Charles stayed silent. The next moment, invisible tentacles sprang up, wrapping around the old man. The front end of one of the tentacles split open, revealing rows of sharp teeth.


    The teeth cracked open the old man''s scalp, which had be almost transparent due to the parasites beneath it. In an instant, the writhing white worms were exposed to the air.


    The old man''s brain had transformed into what looked like a yellowed, rotten piece of tofu. From its appearance alone, one could tell that the old man''s brain was no longer functioning.


    "Except for the brain stem, everything else has been devoured by these worms," Charles said. His tentacles moved <em>gently</em>, peeling away the piece of "rotten tofu."


    Sparkle reached out to take it, and she examined it carefully. "It''s such a mess inside. His fragmented memories are all jumbled together; it''s like a dpidated ruin."


    The condition of Nene''s father evoked a keen sense of regret in Sparkle. There was no way she could bring him home, as Nene would surely be more heartbroken if she were to see him in such a state.


    "Don''t lose heart. Let me think about it. I''m sure there''s still a way to restore him to full health, and it is certainly easier and more straightforward than conjuring a copy of him out of thin air," Charles muttered.


    A few secondster, Charles looked up, and a man standing next to him lowered his head, presenting it to Charles.


    Charles proceeded to peel the man''s brain before turning to look at his daughter and saying, "Come here and help me. Help me clear out everything inside. This container has to be clean."


    Sparkle hurriedlyplied, organizing and repairing the fragmented memories in Nene''s father''s brain before transferring them over to this brand-new brain.


    The thin ck tentacles on Charles'' head wriggled, crawling across the brain. A momentter, they bulged as if they had just grown muscles from out of nowhere.


    Charles connected the brand-new brain to the old man''s brain stem, and the ck tentacles spread throughout the old man''s body through his blood vessels.


    Sparkle saw that and understood what her father was trying to do. She went over in a hurry and assisted him. The father and daughter pooled together their efforts on one task, creating a heartwarming scene.


    It was like a father and daughter pair were working together toplete thetter''s school handicraft projects. Thanks to their joint effort, the brain transnt seeded, and the old man''s fragmented memories were restored.


    Some of those memories were the old man''s original memories, but the majority of them were fabricated based on Donna''s recollections.


    Within a residentialmunity somewhere on Hope Ind, Donna was softly humming along with the music from the television.


    "What''s wrong, Nene? Why are you so quiet today? Did you get scolded by the teacher at school?" Donna asked.


    The dejected-looking Nene sitting on the sofa sat up straight and smiled for her mother''s sake. "No, I''m doing well with my studies, so the teacher loves me."


    "Then, what''s wrong? Why do I feel like you''re different todaypared to yesterday? Was dinner not delicious today?"


    Just then, there was knocking on the door.


    It had been a long time since Donna left the World''s Crown, so she had already adapted to the safe life on Hope Ind. In other words, knocking on the door at night could no longer make her feel nervous.


    "Nene, open the door and see who''s there."


    "Okay," the little girl replied, walking to the door in her slippers. She grabbed the doorknob and turned it gently.


    The bright light from inside the house illuminated the visitor''s face¡ªthe face of an old man who looked to be at least seventy years old.


    Hunched over, the old man''s lips were trembling slightly, and his yellowed eyes were filled with hot tears.


    "Nene, who is it?"


    Nene seemed a bit shy in the face of a stranger. She leaned against the door and turned toward the kitchen, shouting, "It''s an old man! I haven''t seen him before, and he''s not one of our neighbors."


    Donna walked over in puzzlement, but she froze as if she had been struck by lightning as soon as she saw the visitor''s face.


    "I''m so sorry, Donna. I''m sorry¡­ foring back homete," the old man said. His hoarse, quavering voice was filled with indescribable emotions.


    Donnapletely lost herposure at that. She pounced on him and cried while pounding his shoulders with her hands.


    Nene was terrified by the sight. "Mom, w-who is he?!"


    "He... he''s your father!"


    Nene was startled, and she unconsciously retreated half a step backward. The word "father" was a word she rarely heard in this household, so she was at a loss for what to do


    When her aged father with a bed of white hair extended his right hand toward her, however, the corners of Nene''s mouth curved down, and she rushed forward, crying her heart out with her parents.


    Unbeknownst to them, a certain father and daughter pair were sitting on a bench outside, quietly listening to their joyful sobs beneath a dim street light.


    "Thank you, Daddy."


    "Don''t mention it. There''s no need for thanks between family."


    Sparkle tilted her head slightly and rested it on Charles'' shoulder as she silently watched the heartwarming scene in the distance.


    Thirty minutester, the distant door was finally closed. Sparkle turned to Charles and asked, "Daddy, nothing''s going to go wrong, right?"


    On the surface, it appeared like they had repaired the old man''s brain, but what they had done was create a parasitic monster that they had inserted into the fleshly body of Nene''s father to think for thetter.


    Strictly speaking, that fleshly body was being controlled not by its original owner but by that tentacled brain monster.


    "Don''t worry; an individual''s conduct and behavior depends entirely on their environment. As long as he has a human body, a human thought process, and he''s living among humans, he''ll ultimately be human despite his true nature."


    Upon hearing that, Sparkle''s heart trembled slightly, and she almost blurted out her thoughts. <em>Is that why you put Mommy in a human body and sent her to the surface world? Is that your goal?</em>

 Chapter 944: Alliance

    In the end, Sparkle chose not to voice out the words that rose unbidden to her lips. She wrapped her arms around Charles'' arm and stared quietly at the lights within Nene''s home through the windows.


    Hearing the joyful voices inside, Sparkle''s eyes narrowed slightly. She leaned her head on Charles and hugged him a bit tighter.


    Sensing the pressure on his arm, Charles asked, "Sparkle, are you hiding something from me?"


    Hiding anything from Charles had be an extremely difficult task, as he no longer relied on any organs to receive information. He could easily extrapte seventy percent of any secrets he wanted to know.


    With that in mind, Sparkle''s heart skipped a beat. Just as she was hesitating about whether to speak her heart or not, Charles beat her to the chase, saying, "If you don''t want to say it, then you don''t have to. I was just asking."


    Sparkle hesitated for a while before ultimately deciding to stay quiet.


    After all, Charles had already made his own decision. Sparkle was keenly aware that her daddy loved her mommy <em>a lot</em>. If her daddy were to be aware of what her mommy had gone through, the former would surely be more miserable.


    He would never attempt to bring her back for the sake of his goal. Nothing had really changed yet, so telling him anything about her mommy would only make her daddy feel needlessly worried.


    "I''m sorry, Daddy. I''ll tell you at the right time," Sparkle replied, burying her head into Charles, feeling a bit guilty.Charles reached out and stroked her silky hair that reached all the way to her waist. "It''s okay; it''s nothing serious. Anyway, we''re done with our business here, so it''s about time we go back."


    The street light above their heads flickered, and the people on the bench vanished as soon as it stopped flickering.


    Having returned to their residence, Charles let go of his daughter. There was a hint of fatigue in his voice as he said, "Sparkle, go out there and help your daddy for a bit. My body fleshly body has instinctively learned quite a few things while we were out.


    "It''s funny, but I really have to say that being a fast learner isn''t necessarily a good thing."


    Sparkle asked no questions whatsoever and simply nodded before disappearing into thin air. Her figure flickered a few times before she arrived at a low-lying area of the ind.


    Eerie, glowing eyes could be seen within the surrounding forest. Those eyes belonged to Sparkle''s brothers and sisters. They had be even more unrecognizable than before under Charles'' influence.


    "Go away, and stop looking. You''ll be uglier and uglier the more you stare at it," Sparkle remarked.


    The glowing eyes in the forest vanished, and the surroundings fell silent.


    Sparkle looked around for a while. Upon confirming that there was truly no one around, she raised her right foot and tapped the ground with her toes.


    A thirty-square-meter patch ofnd was teleported away, revealing what looked like brains covered in a murky, viscous liquid beneath the earth.


    Obviously, these brains were not ordinary brains of human beings. There was an odd odor to them, and they had a bizarre shape. Most importantly, these brains seemed to be connected to each other. ?


    The pitch-ck cortical folds of these brains were trembling incessantly, and the raw emotions emanating from within them seemed to be trying to assimte everything around them.


    Charles'' brain seemed to have obtained the ability to reproduce, as it was constantly encroaching on everything around them with each breath that Charles would take.


    Sparkle bit her lip lightly and jumped in. Every single bizarre-looking brain that made contact with her disappeared into thin air. In just a few seconds, the crowded cavity had been emptied; it now resembled a huge pit made of flesh and blood.


    "Thank you. My mind feels much clearer now," Charles'' voice echoed came the bloody pit.


    "You''re wee," Sparkle said. She lifted her skirt and spun lightly. Then, her figure then vanished into thin air.


    Sparkle reappeared on a deste ind; the brains she had teleported away earlier were all squirming in the middle of the ind.


    It hadn''t been that long since they were teleported away, but the bizarre-looking brains had be even more bizarre; they sprouted fleshy feet that resembled a belly and were instinctively crawling in Charles'' direction.


    At this rate, it wouldn''t be long before they grew their own consciousness.


    Of course, Sparkle couldn''t let that happen. She walked up to them and bent down, revealing her razor-sharp teeth. She scooped them up and bit down on them, making a tiny hole amidst the cortical folds.


    Then, Sparkle closed her eyes and sucked gently. The contents of the bizarre-looking brain were sucked into her stomach. And Sparkle devoured them cleanly, sparing not even their skin and the viscous liquid around them.


    Sparkle ate and ate, but her figure remained slender; there was no change to her appearance at all.


    After consuming everything, Sparkle belched. Her figure rapidly split open, but she shrank immediately afterward.


    Sparkle could feel herself growing even stronger, and the sensation was starkly different from her natural growth. Sparkle believed that it had to be because of the power of a Divinity that she had absorbed from Charles.


    It had been a while since Sparkle discovered that her father''s flesh and blood were connected to her own. The two could even seamlessly connect to each other''s bodies.


    Thest time she tried it, she discovered that whatever her father had discarded was boosting her strength, so Sparkle made sure to devour them whenever they were avable.


    Sparkle wanted to close the gap in strength between her father and her. Of course, it''d be great if she ended up bing even stronger than him. It was a trivial wishpared to her daddy''s lofty goals, but Sparkle was satisfied with it.


    She just wanted her father to live, and she did not want him to be a stranger to her in the end. Once it seemed that Charles was about to cross the point of no return, Sparkle would make her move and attempt to save her father.


    ***


    Somehow, there was a long table within a strange space where nes intersect.


    More than a dozen Charleses were sitting in front of the table; every single Charles had their own unique demeanor and appearance, but they had one thing inmon at the moment¡ªthey were all waiting for someone.


    Just then, a hole made of flesh and blood manifested on the ground next to them.


    Another Charles crawled out from the bloody hole.


    "Sit down, quick. We''ve been waiting for you."


    "What''s going on? Why are youte?"


    Charles pulled out a chair and sat at the head of the table. "Sorry, my daughter asked me to do a small favor for her today."


    After taking a moment to even his breathing, Charles looked up and swept his gaze across the faces that looked exactly like him. He was also staring at the terrifying truth beneath the mere illusions before him.


    "Time is precious for us right now, so I''ll go straight to the point. From now on, we''re going to convene our meetings in this ce. More of us can be addedter, but we dozen or so are the founding members of this cross-nar alliance."


    "Since all of you have decided toe here, then I''m sure all of you are aware that we have just onemon goal¡ªfor the sake of our families and our crew¡ªfor the sake of humanity on the surface world and the Subterranean Sea¡ª"


    "For the sake of my ass! They all have nothing to do with us!" a bearded Charles eximed. He held his head high, and his contemptuous gaze seemed to be looking down on everything.


    "I don''t care why you''re here. I''ve worked my ass off to be a god, so howe there are still beings out there capable of treating me as if I were a mere ant? I''m frustrated¡­ I''m so frustrated I can''t take it anymore!


    "I''ve paid the price; I''ve sacrificed so much, so howe I''m still not the strongest god out there? I want to stand at the absolute peak of everything!


    "I want to be stronger than the Light God. I want to be stronger than 005, and I want to be even stronger than God Fhtagn!"

 Chapter 945: Contact

    Charles stared at Bearded Charles for a few seconds before nodding. "All right, that can also be considered a goal. But the next time you express your opinion, you should wait until I''m done speaking."


    With that, he continued. "Before we can deal with the elder gods, we need to know everything there is to know about them, including the kind of existence they are and the reason behind their existence.


    "By knowing ourselves and our enemies, we need not fear the result of a hundred battles."


    "Spare us the fancy proverbs, will you?" someone remarked sarcastically from the corner of the long table. "Hurry up and get to the point. We''re all busy here."


    Charles raised his right index finger to his face. "A scout¡ªwe need a scout that will allow us to learn more about 003 and His current condition. This is an extremely dangerous and difficult task, so the scout among us will be decided by drawing lots.


    The air grew heavy at that remark. Eventually, they epted Charles'' suggestion.


    They''d most likely die, but they no longer feared Death. Three bone dice were thrown onto the table, and everyone took turns rolling them. These Charleses had a simr level of strength, so it was impossible for them to cheat.


    While they were busy rolling, someone suddenly stood up. It was a listless-looking Charles. His voice seemed to carry endless fatigue as he said, "Let me do it. I really can''t hold on any longer."


    Charles didn''t ask about what Listless Charles had been holding on to, and he was also grateful for the volunteer, as they no longer had to draw lots to decide the scout.No one objected, so Listless Charles stood up and leaned over the table. His fleshly body melted rapidly, transforming into a pool of blood that glimmered like a mirror on the table.


    Charles saw an ind within the bloody mirror. The ind was none other than Hope Ind, but it was deste; it no longer housed any living people. Deep tremors reverberated across the earth, and in just a few seconds, Hope Ind actually stood up, hovering above the sea surface.


    A deformed mass of flesh and bloodrger than the ind itself appeared before everyone present. They instantly realized that the deformed mass was the Listless Charles'' true form.


    The deformed mass changed gradually, sprouting human features such as grotesque-looking hands and reverse-jointed legs. The legs stepped heavily onto the sea surface, generating towering waves.


    At this point, the deformed mass looked like a giant turtle with a colossal shell on its back. Listless Charles had actually assimted Hope Ind and was carrying it on his back.


    Hundreds of eyestalks sprouted in the middle of Listless Charles'' grotesque head, and they cast onest look at the rift up above where Hope Ind was supposed to be before plunging into the depths of the sea.


    The scenery in the bloody mirror peeled away, and Listless Charles reached the Dark Abyssal Trench in the blink of an eye. The key made of light was still there, suspended in the middle of the bizarre, green city.


    Soon, the seal was lifted, and the 003''s slumbering figure appeared before everyone. The Charleses felt their breathing quickening at the sight. They were looking at a mere projection in the mirror, but the sight still left them reeling.


    "I''m going now. If I end up dying here, don''t let my sacrifice go to waste."


    In the next second, dozens of colossal ws spanning tens of kilometers swiped across the water, swimming toward the distant figure. Just like that, Listless Charles swam into Fhtagn''s domain with Hope Ind on his back.


    Just then, everyone heard chaotic murmurs in their ears. The murmurs stemmed from Fhtagn. Previously, the murmurs sounded meaningless, as if they only served to corrode their wills.


    However, they could now understand it. The murmurs were in anguage of profound knowledge, and the moment they understood it, they were inundated by a myriad of taboo knowledge.


    In the blink of an eye, the rate at which they were losing their humanity increased drastically, but the Charleses reacted quickly, instantly removing their sensory organs.


    Listless Charles continued moving, and he was like a toy car in front of Fhtagn''s towering figure that spanned dozens of kilometers in width. Listless Charles'' deformed figure was melting slowly as he approached Fhtagn.


    "God Fhtagn has no physical form, but I am not sure, as my sensory organs have already been annihted."


    "He''s too strong. I''m just standing next to him, but it feels like he''s assimting my mind. In terms of sheer strength, we''re no match for him at all. If we want to deal with him, we can only go about it in a roundabout way.


    "This is bad. I have to leave. I have to leave now, or it''s going to be toote.


    "I... can''t... do it¡­ anymore¡­ the voices¡­ I can''t block them out at all. They''re vibrations from the primordial source of matter." These words appeared in the bloody mirror. "Wait, what''s that?"  ?


    Listless Charles in the projection abruptly came to a halt, and he seemed to be listening intently to something.


    "So that''s how it is. It turns out that we''re all mistaken. I''ve finally the truth." As soon as this line of text appeared in the bloody mirror, Listless Charles exploded, and his proliferating flesh instantly engulfed Hope Ind on his back. In no time, he transformed into a grotesque, tentacled monster.


    Listless Charles was no longer human; he had be a new god.


    The projection in the bloody mirror disappeared as it went out of control. The table moved quickly and devoured the squirming mirror.


    Meanwhile, the alliance members were silent.


    Charles let out a faint sigh. Fhtagn''s power had exceeded their imaginations. Listless Charles was as strong as them, but he couldn''t even escape Fhtagn''s influence, even though he had done nothing but approach Fhtagn.


    An existence like God Fhtagn couldn''t be fought with just overwhelming numbers alone.


    What were they supposed to do now? The Charleses descended into their own thoughts, pondering the same question.


    Listless Charles'' horrible fate had dealt a major blow to their confidence. Before God Fhtagn, they might as well be considered mortals.


    "Let''s go and ask 005. She''s one of the elder gods, so she probably has a way," someone spoke, but none of them knew which of the Charleses hade up with this idea.


    It wasn''t exactly a great idea, but they had no choice.


    Recalling his daughter Sparkle, Charles looked up and suggested, "We have to find allies in the Subterranean Sea. We might not be the only ones who want to do something like this. It''s likely that the other gods have been wanting to do this.


    "Find them and make them join our cause or assist us somehow."


    Just like that, their first operation was over with one casualty. Despite the casualty, they still knew nothing about Fhtagn. They had no idea what kind of existence He was; whether He was intelligent or not, and the reason He hade to Earth.


    If they couldn''t even deal with God Fhtagn, then there was no need to talk about 002 high above the Core. Even 005 had suffered a setback against it, so if they were to go there and confront it, they''d be sending themselves to their deaths.


    The meeting was adjourned, and Charles returned to the living room of his residence. He pondered over a solution for a while before he drew an array on the floor before him.


    It was a summoning array for the Feaster.


    When the Feaster appeared, Charles instantly saw through the cat''s true form¡ªan obelisk of flesh that was so tall that it seemed to pierce the rockyer up above, while its bottom seemed to pierce the seabed down below.


    "Call your master over here," Charles said.


    The cat arched its back and bared its sharp fangs at Charles.


    "I said, call your master over here!" Charles eximed, and the surroundings instantly exerted pressure on the Feaster.


    After much hesitation, the Feaster ultimately chose not to make a move against Charles. Three secondster, the cat was picked up by 005, who was still wrapped in ck bandages from head to toe.


    005''s appearance had not changed at all, but Charles had changed drasticallypared to their previous meeting, and the drastic changes to him allowed him to see more than the shell before him.


    It turned out that 005 was not a single individual; she was a collective of many different things.

 Chapter 946: Flowers

    The spacious living room where Charles and 005 were standing was transforming; the wall murals and the exquisite furniture around them squirmed, revealing a dark red hue that resembled flesh.


    Eventually, everything became flesh, and eyes in a variety of sizes and shapes appeared in the flesh. Every single eye was staring intently at 005 covered in ck bandages.


    The eyes opened wider, allowing Charles to take in more information. The flesh walls throbbed, bing something that resembled a heart to provide nourishment to Charles'' eyes.


    It wasn''t Charles'' first time seeing 005, but human eyes were too inferior to see through her true appearance, so Charles had only seen what she looked like on the surface.


    This time, however, was different¡ªhe could see more and deeper than just the surface. The ck bandages riddled with bizarre inscriptions were merely a facade¡ªa facade to conceal the tiny spheres that resembled snowkes behind the bandages.


    The snowkes were interconnected, and they were vibrating at a certain frequency. The trembling of each "snowke" would affect the surrounding snowkes, making them tremble as well, and thus reflecting 005''s movements.


    Just like how the human body wasposed of cells, these "snowkes" were like cells that made up 005. Unlike the human body''s cells, however, these "snowkes" had their own independent consciousness.


    Charles could sense emotions from them, and emotions could onlye from those with independent consciousness.


    However, it turned out that Charles had barely scratched the surface. There were more things to be discovered beneath the pitch-ck, intelligent "snowkes." It was a spacepletely different from the surface; here, matter was meaningless.Every single snowke housed living beings, and Charles even heard their screams, which seemed to be their way ofmunicating with each other. Each snowke was a country or even a.


    005 was a massive gxy epassing theses, and she was moving slowly but steadily.


    However, it turned out that even the creatures living on the snowkes had something more than what met the eye.


    Charles could see something within them, but just as he was to take a deeper dive, the part of his brain responsible for warnings forcibly interrupted his observation.


    The knowledge that he was inadvertently assimting during his observation had taken away a huge chunk of his humanity. If he were to continue observing 005, he''d be reborn as a new god in just three minutes.


    The eyes all over the flesh walls closed at once, and the rm bells ringing in Charles'' head disappeared at the same time.


    Of course, 005 was aware that Charles was observing her, but she couldn''t care less about it.


    "How does it feel to be a god?" she asked.


    Everything around them was slowly returning to normal. The walls and furniture no longer appeared to be made of dark red flesh. Charles opened his eyes calmly and stared at 005 using his human sensory organs.  ?


    As expected, human eyes were far too inferior to "see" 005.


    "It doesn''t feel great. I feel like I''m driving a car with no breaks. I can only elerate and speed toward a predestined end."


    005 stroked the ck cat in her arms and remarked, "Humans are inherently inferior. It is not strange that a human''s pitiful consciousness and mental ability cannot withstand that kind of power.


    "Since you''re not willing to abandon your humanity, then it is only natural for you to pay the price to keep it."


    005''s words were clear and logical. Regardless, Charles still found it hard to imagine that 005 had never been a separate entity but was a collective of what seemed like an entire gxy.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Just then, Sparkle appeared behind Charles, and she quietly stared at the two.


    Charles nced at his daughter and spoke, "Let''s talk about something else. I want to talk to you about something."


    "I''m listening."


    "A thousand years ago, you and some other gods had sealed God Fhtagn. I have to deal with him, so I guess it can be said that we''re on the same boat, so¡­" Charles trailed off.


    005 wordlessly stared at Charles, waiting for him to continue.


    "Can you tell me what exactly happened back then? Can you also tell me the method you used to God Fhtagn as well as how long it''s going tost," Charles continued.


    If it were impossible to deal with God Fhtagn, then sealing him seemed to be worth it. Charles and the other Charleses were running out of time. He had to do his best within the limited time avable to them.


    "Indeed, we sealed Him, but we sealed him to iste the outside world from Him, not the other way around. For example, in mosquito-infested ces, humans tend to use mosquito curtains before going to sleep to ensure that they won''t get bitten by bloodsucking mosquitoes."


    "It is a powerful seal for other beings, but in the eyes of God Fhtagn, it is merely to keep those bloodsucking mosquitoes out. A mosquito has never seeded in awakening Him, but what about Him?


    "If He truly wants to awaken, then no one can stop Him, including that seal."


    Charles''s heart sank at that remark. Those words weren''t what he wanted to hear from 005.


    "Are you really telling the truth? Why did you change your story from before? Just what are you hiding from me, and why are you hiding things from me?" Charles asked.


    The corners of 005''s bandaged mouth curled up slightly into a smile as she replied, "You think too highly of yourself, Charles. I''m not hiding anything from you, and I have no reason to do so.


    "I granted you three wishes simply out of curiosity¡ªI wanted to know if you''ll stay firm in your choice even after consummating those wishes.


    "If you really want to know what happened a thousand years ago, then you should ask the others instead of me. I wasn''t the only one present at the time."


    Charles was reminded of the eyes he had seen upon arriving in the Subterranean Sea, but he chose not to believe her immediately.


    "Then, why have you been collecting those body parts? I knew you had ulterior motives, but I decided to ept the risk anyway. Now that things havee to this, I think you should juste clean."


    If it were merely out of curiosity, there''d be no need for 005 to go to such lengths just to obtain them. Charles believed that 005 was definitely hiding something.


    "Charles, those are just mementos, and I have more of them¡ªmore than you think. Unfortunately, it''s not as deep as you think.


    "You''ve chosen your own path, and it is up to you how you''re going to walk it. It is not necessary for you to ask questions. You''re afraid of getting caught in someone else''s scheme, but you seek guidance from others.


    "Don''t you think that''s contradictory?"


    "And I believe you should know that my eyes aren''t only on you. I have my eyes on many people out there. Humanity is just a flower garden with many different flowers, and you''re just one of the more bizarre flowers.


    "A blooming flower is in its most beautiful state, but it is the closest to withering as well. Once a flower has bloomedpletely, it is time to move on and appreciate other flowers.


    "It''s about time I tend to the other flowers. Goodbye."


    Charles felt a bit anxious upon seeing that 005 was about to leave. Unwilling to give up, Charles asked, "I thought you hold no malice toward humans? If that''s the case, then why won''t you answer such a simple question?"


    "I do hold no malice toward humans, but I''m talking about humanity as a whole, not individuals. And strictly speaking, you are no longer considered a human."

 Chapter 947: Continuation

    "This is thest time. From today on, the Feaster will no longer entertain your summons." With those final words, 005''s body faded away gradually before finally vanishing into thin air.


    Charles remained seated on the sofa. Silently, his mind reyed every detail of his conversation with 005 and every piece of information he had obtained from her presence.


    First and foremost, he had confirmed one thing¡ªfinding a way to preserve his humanity through 005 was impossible.


    For one, 005''s current form was pieced together. Charles couldn''t exactly split himself into thousands of fragments like her. Secondly, it remained questionable if 005 even had any hints of humanity.


    Three hourster, Charleses sat around the long table and started their debate and exchange of information from their respective encounters with 005.


    Unfortunately, both Charles and the other Charleses couldn''t glean anything from the 005 in their nes.


    The only consensus they could reach was that 005 was not a unique existence. There were many versions of her.


    An awkward air of silence descended upon the room. They wanted to achieve their goal, but they couldn''t find any clear path forward.


    "Maybe, we might not need to preserve our humanity after all," a blind Charles suggested. "Perhaps abandoning our humanitypletely could help us to achieve our objective more efficiently."No can do," another Charles responded. "Beforeing here, I specially visited a ne where its Charles had be a <em>true </em>god. He haspletely forgotten that he was ever Charles, attacking me on sight.


    "If that is what you want to be, then pretend that I never said anything."


    A heavy silence descended on the room, and the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. Each Charles furrowed their brow. The same question swirled in their minds¡ª<em>what should we do next?</em>


    "If 005 is a dead end, what about the other gods?" Charles asked. He lifted his gaze and scanned the faces of the different versions of himself.


    Seeing that he had gained their attention, he added, "We need to gather every force that we can. If we cannot seed on our own, we can seek allies. In the entire Subterranean Sea, there must be some gods with strong opinions against Fhtagn."


    One of the Charleses scoffed. "Those lunatics? I''m doubtful if they''re even capable of coherent thinking. What use is there to seek them? Who else apart from us and 005 is capable of humanlike reasoning?


    "And don''t forget. When we were exploring the sea during our earlier days, we made enemies out of nearly every one of these so-called gods. Are you suggesting that we seek them to have another bout?"


    Charles''s heart stirred as he spoke again. "No. Not them. Don''t forget who chose us."


    <em>Edikth. </em>The name instantly popped up in each and every Charles'' mind.


    Multiple Charleses began to offer their intelligence.


    "Before I became a god, I had Hope Ind''s intelligencework dig for information about Him, but they brought back no leads."


    "Edikth is elusive and mysterious. His believers, be it humans or other beings, are extremely rare."


    "Exactly," Charles replied. "Since 005 is unable to provide us with more information, then what about Him? It might also be His doing that we ended up here in the Subterranean Sea.


    "Since we are His Chosen One, then shouldn''t He show up now that His chosen one has be a god?


    "More importantly, since He is an elder god from the same generation as 005, perhaps He knows how to deal with Fhtagn. We might be able to get more information from Him."


    One by one, the Charleses nodded in agreement. This could actually work.


    With that in mind, they decided on their next goal.


    "Everyone, find Edikth," Charles dered.


    ***


    Onboard a whitemercial ne, Li Lu gazed lovingly at the tiny bundle cradled in her arms. Compared to the wrinkly, premature baby with stickynugo and covered in amniotic fluid she had first held, the current Tobba looked much better.


    His chubby face flushed a rosy hue, and his cheeks glowed like ripe apples. His arms were plump and pale like segments of fresh lotus root. Li Lu''s heart swelled with more and more affection the longer she stared at her son.


    "Baby, are you hungry? Do you want to eat?" Li Lu asked in a tender voice.


    With his eyes still shut, Tobba responded with a couple of soft grunts and smacked his tiny lips before nuzzling against her. Burrowing his head toward her armpit, he muttered, "Not now."


    With much reluctance, Li Lu turned her gaze away from Tobba''s face and nced toward her right¡ªat the woman sitting next to the window seat.


    She was none other than Anna, the High Priestess with the Anomaly ID 315. Her oversized sunsses covered her eyes, giving the impression that she waspletely asleep. However, Li Lu was painfully aware that her chance of escape was zero.


    <em>Now that we''re back in our country, what are her ns here? Don''t tell me that she ns to recreate the same chaos domestically? </em>Li Lu''s mind raced. <em>But the IMF has local branches here too. If she tries to do any of that, she''ll get caught for sure.</em>


    Just as Li Lu''s thoughts spiraled, she suddenly felt a faint jolt under her seat. The ne''s tires had touched the ground.


    As the aircraft slowly taxied to a halt, everyone on the ne began their preparations to disembark.


    Abruptly, Anna unbuckled her seatbelt and closed the gap between her and Li Lu. She reached down to stroke Tobba''s smooth, bald head and said, "You''re thinking of using this moment when we get off the ne to contact your colleagues, aren''t you?"


    Li Lu''s heart skipped a beat, but she kept her poker face and offered no response.


    "You''d better think twice. After all, your child isn''t just any ordinary infant. If something like him gets found out by the IMF, I wonder what would happen to him¡­" Anna deliberately dragged out her words. "Have you ever considered that he would have to endure everything that I went through?"


    Anna''s final remark struck Li Lu like a paralyzing dart. A crack appeared in her impassive expression. Realizing that her son could get implicated, she could no longer maintain herposure.


    "Oh dear," Anna eximed with feigned sympathy. "Those passengers that I let off the ne will probably report your son''s anomalous status to the IMF. They must''ve caught wind of it by now."


    Fury suffused Li Lu''s eyes, and her gaze was as sharp as daggers as she red at Anna. The puzzle pieces finally clicked into ce. No wonder a woman as ruthless and blood-soaked as Anna had decided to spare the passengers on the ne and let all of them go.


    It wasn''t kindness but pure, calcted benevolence!


    Upon seeing the rift in Li Lu''sposure, Anna''s smile became even more radiant. She leaned down and flicked a finger into Tobba''s soft, bald head.


    "Rx¡­I won''t do anything to your son. As long as you help me achieve my goal, both you and your son can walk away safely. Besides¡­ Tobba and I could be considered old acquaintances."


    They disembarked the ne, and during the series of procedures that followed, Li Lu was exceptionally quiet. Not only did she make no sudden gestures or attempts to alert anyone, but she even kept her head lowered to obscure her face as they passed through airport security.


    Watching the scene, Anna knew that her threat had worked. However, she couldn''t let Tobba go just yet. Tobba was still valuable to her.


    Holding forged documents, the two women exited the airport. They followed the signs and headed toward the taxi stand.


    Anna only had one motive for returning to China¡ªto find Charles, and she didn''t want to waste even a single second.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    The heavy car door was mmed shut.


    The portly taxi driver twisted around in his seat and asked, "Where to,dies?"


    "The train station," Anna replied curtly. Her voice was muffled slightly by the mask. She was also wearing sunsses that obscured her face.


    With a flick of the meter and a press on the clutch, the taxi driver prepared to set off. Like most taxi drivers, he shared amon hobby¡ªstriking up awkward small talk with passengers.


    "So, Miss, are you heading home to visit family? Howe your baby is so tiny? Is it a newborn?


    "And where''s the father? How irresponsible for him to let you handle a baby all alone. Good thing you''ve got your friend here to help out. This is a time when a woman really needs to be taken care of, you know?


    "Sigh, my wife didn''t take care of herself during her postpartum recovery, and now, she''s suffering from chronic pain. She can''t stand for too long every time she cooks because her back will start acting up."


    Upon realizing that the two women were ignoring him, the driver''s enthusiasm waned, and he went quiet. However, his silence didn''tst long.


    "Oh, have you heard? Beijing won the Olympic bid!"

 Chapter 948: Home

    Li Lu was still in the middle of her postpartum recovery, so the consecutive car and train rides left her extremely exhausted. Fortunately, they found a hotel that didn''t require any identification cards to check in.


    "Can you let my mom rest for a while? She has just given birth, and I''m just a baby as well," Tobba grumbled.


    Anna couldn''t be bothered to pay any attention to Tobba.


    She bent down to open her suitcase, revealing a man''s suit and a clown mask. She took out the clothes and the clown mask. She tossed them aside, and the suit puffed up, transforming into a masked clown.


    "You''re in someone''s arms all day, so how can you even get tired? And we''re already here, soe with me in a bit."


    Upon hearing that, Tobba sat up straight in his swaddling clothes. His eyes were wide open as he eximed, "We''re already here?!"


    Anna mmed the suitcase shut with both hands. "Charles must be living in a neighborhood not far away from the sea. Otherwise, it wouldn''t make sense for him to go out at sea and fall into the waters."


    "Do I really have to go?" Tobba asked, "I need my afternoon nap. Do you not know that babies must get twelve hours of uninterrupted sleep every day? Otherwise, their development will be affected."


    Anna strode over and snatched Tobba directly from Li Lu''s arms. "Stop the nonsense ande with me."


    Li Lu reached out to snatch her son back, but her hands were stopped dead in their tracks by a line of magic streamers. Obviously, it was the clown''s doing.


    "Mask, keep an eye on her until my return," Anna remarked.


    The clown raised his right hand d in a pristine white glove and made an "OK" gesture to Anna.


    Anna held Tobba in her arms and walked slowly down the street as if she were an ordinary mother. While rocking the baby in her arms, Anna observed the neighborhood around her.


    Anna wasn''t just familiar with this neighborhood¡ªshe was extremely familiar with it. She had created an identical neighborhood atop the World''s Crown in an attempt to stop Charles from risking his life out at sea.


    Of course, her efforts were in vain. Now that she thought about it, she realized just how foolish she had been. She had done so much for him, and how had he repaid her in the end?


    Anna was filled with a hodgepodge of emotions at the scenery before her.


    "Youngdy, are you looking for someone?" the elderly guard of the neighborhood asked, looking up from his booth to stare at Anna with his pair of reading sses.


    Anna turned to look at the distant building and replied, "I just gave birth, so I came here to visit my parents'' home."


    Upon hearing that, the elderly man shrank back and said, "Oh, thene here and write your name down. What are your parents'' names, and what''s their unit number?"


    The elderly guard took out the logbook and a pen, but he received no response from the woman, so he looked up to find no one.


    "Huh? What''s going on here? Where did she go?"


    The woman who had just been standing right in front of him had inexplicably disappeared.


    Meanwhile, the woman had already disappeared into the neighborhood. She looked up and stared quietly at the fifth floor of a residential building before eventually walking up the stairs.


    As Anna climbed the steps one by one, Tobba in her arms seemed to have sensed something. "How do you feel? Are you nervous now? Are you <em>really </em>nervous? Have you ever thought about what you''re going to do upon seeing him for the first time?


    "I feel like there''s something wrong with your attitude whenever he''s mentioned, but he''s just a child at the moment, so you''re not going to torture him, are you?"


    Instead of replying, Anna shoved her finger into Tobba''s mouth, silencing him in an instant.


    Flyers advertising a variety of services were all over the walls, and the sight of them reminded Anna of Charles'' memories rted to this stairwell. He was born here, and he grew up here. Everything here was a part of his memories.


    Anna felt like she could hear the boisterousughter of Gao Zhiming and his sister ying together in this stairwell.


    She could even see a young Charles running down the stairwell, and his clothes were changing constantly¡ªfrom children''s clothes, brand-new clothes for the New Year, the old-fashioned blue-and-white P.E uniform of his elementary school to his sports uniform that got dirty from ying ser.


    Anna also saw Charles d in fatigues for his military training in middle school; there was also another blue-and-white P.E uniform, and then she saw him d in a school uniform that got torn because he stood up for his sister.


    Eventually, Anna saw Charles d in his high school uniform and casual clothes to y with his ssmates; she even saw Charles sporting a unique hairstyle to challenge the rules of his school.


    Anna had forgotten these scenes long ago, but the familiar environment provided the impetus for Anna to remember all of them. In the end, she could finally recall everything that Charles had experienced here.


    Anna''s heart trembled slightly at the familiar scenery, and she felt like her heart was connected to Charles'' heart.


    She finally understood why he was so determined and desperate to return home. Compared to life in the Subterranean Sea, life in this quaint neighborhood was like living in paradise.


    Upon recalling what Charles had done to her, however, Anna''s heart was engulfed in fury¡ªfury so towering that it threatened to engulf her at once.


    Meanwhile, Tobba was gnawing on Anna''s finger with his toothless gums and was mumbling something indecipherable.


    Anna pulled her finger out and smacked his face lightly.


    Tobba instantly became obedient.


    Anna took her sweet time on her journey to the fifth floor, but regardless of her speed, she''d eventually reach her destination.


    Soon, Anna was standing in front of a red locked door on the fifth floor. She was standing right in front of Charles''s home¡ªthe home he had always been yearning to return to all the time.


    Taking a deep breath, Anna reached out and pressed on the doorbell.


    <em>Ding-dong!</em>


    The doorbell rang, but no one answered the door.


    Anna frowned slightly and rang the doorbell again. Still, no one opened the door.


    "Today isn''t a holiday, nor is there a festival out there. Where did the family of four go?" Anna muttered to herself.


    Just as she was about to force her way in, an elderly voice echoed from the stairwell behind her. "Who are you looking for? Why are you ringing our doorbell?"


    Anna turned and saw an olddy carrying a vegetable basket. The olddy had a stern face¡ªthe kind of face that one would never call "amiable."


    Was she Charles'' maternal or paternal grandmother? Anna tried to recall anything about the olddy, but she hadn''t really paid much attention to Charles'' rtives.


    "Hello, I''m looking for a boy named Gao Zhiming. Is he home?"


    "Gao Zhiming? I don''t know him! You''ve got the wrong ce!" the olddy eximed. She held the stair railing and walked up to Anna. Then, she took out a key from her waist and got ready to open the door.


    "<em>Waaah! Wah! Wah! Ungeee!</em>" Tobba wailed at the top of his lungs from out of nowhere; he was wailing so loud that his face was turning red.


    The olddy had just inserted the key into the keyhole, and she paused upon hearing Tobba''s cries.


    "Can''t you see that your child is crying from hunger?" the olddy remarked, sounding displeased, "What kind of mother doesn''t feed her child right away? Hurry up and feed him!"


    A murderous glint shed in Anna''s eyes, but she suppressed it and replied, "I just fed him, so It''s fine. Anyway, can I ask whether this apartment belongs to you, or are you renting it from someone else?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 949: Target

    There was a <em>click</em>, and the red locked door was unlocked by the olddy. "What kind of question is that? Of course, this is my apartment. I saved up the money to buy this myself."


    Just then, Tobba''s cries grew louder. His performance was so realistic that there was even beaded sweat forming on his forehead.


    "Hey, hey, hey, what''s wrong with you, girl? Is he even your child? He''s crying so much, so why are you notforting him at all?" the olddy chided. She didn''t even wait for Anna''s reply before reaching out and taking Tobba away from her.


    The olddy hummed an unknown luby while rocking the baby. Her tightly knitted brows rxed as Tobba''s cries softened in her arms.


    When Tobba finally stopped crying, the olddy walked slowly into her apartment. "You said you just fed him, but he''s clearly hungry. Young people nowadays truly are useless; they don''t even know how to take care of their children.


    "Do you have baby form with you? I have hot water here."


    Anna followed the olddy into the apartment, and the apartment''s interior astonished her. The apartment was clearly different from the brightly lit and tidy home in Charles'' memories.


    The old-fashioned decorations and rustic clothes hanging on the balcony rack told Anna that this was indeed the olddy''s home.


    Anna keenly felt that something was amiss. ording to Tobba''s conjecture, Charles was supposed to be living here, as he had yet to fall into the Subterranean Sea.However, there was a huge discrepancy between the reality and Tobba''s conjecture. There was only one exnation for this¡ªthere was something wrong with either the reality before Anna or Tobba''s conjecture.


    "When did you buy this apartment? Was there really no child living here named Gao Zhiming? He''s a member of a family of four," Anna asked urgently.


    "My goodness, what''s wrong with you? I told you he''s not here, and he really is not here! And did I not tell you that I bought this apartment with my own money? I bought this using the money that I saved up for my retirement, and no one else has lived here except for me!"


    The olddy froze just then and added, "Are you sure you''re not in the wrong building, girl? Why don''t you go ask around in the other buildings?"


    Anna knew that she couldn''t be mistaken, as she had lived in the neighborhood that she had replicated atop the World''s Crown for a long time. She could be mistaken when it came to the other details, but she definitely couldn''t be mistaken when it came to Charles'' home itself.


    Anna did not bother replying. She reached out, snatched Tobba from the olddy''s arms, and turned around before rushing out the door. Instead of going downstairs, Anna went straight to the rooftop.


    Then, she held Tobba''s leg with one hand and dangled him off the edge of the building, eximing, "What kind of nonsense were you spouting?! What the hell is going on? You better give me a satisfactory exnation or else¡­!"


    "You''re putting me on the spot here. What exnation can I even offer you? And my conjecture was based on what you said to me," Tobba replied. He seemed unafraid, and he iled around as if he were swimming.


    "What are you hiding from me?! Why did you approach me? Why are you doing this? And where is the real Charles?" Anna asked.


    "I''m really not hiding anything from you. Back then, I had the ability of foresight, but I''m just a newborn right now. How would I know the answer to your questions?


    "And my conjecture is definitely correct. Your man is using a smartphone, but people around the world are still using dumb phones. Think about it; can I even lie to you? Can iron-d facts deceive you?"


    "What about him? Where is he right now?" Anna asked.


    Just then, the window to the adjacent apartment was pushed open. A disheveled woman screamed in terror upon seeing a baby dangling off of the edge of the building.


    Anna frowned, realizing that she had attracted attention to herself. She pulled Tobba up by the leg and descended the building.


    Two hourster, Anna finally returned to the hotel with Tobba, and she was carrying something else in her hand. It was a very heavyptop, and Anna had purchased it from aputer store.


    "Baby, are you okay?" Li Lu rushed to pick up Tobba, whom Anna had casually thrown onto the sofa. Li Lu held him carefully in her arms and stared at him with worried eyes.


    "<em>Haaa, </em>let''s not talk about it. I''m just unlucky." Tobba turned and burrowed into her mother''s bosom.


    Anna had to wait for more than a minute before theputer booted into Windows XP. Once theputer had booted up, Anna opened the browser and searched the Inte for the information that she needed to know.


    More specifically, Anna wanted to know when that neighborhood was constructed, the name of the city where it was constructed, and when the neighborhood was turned over.


    Anna browsed through the Inte for a while before falling into deep contemtion. Everything was correct¡ªthe name of the neighborhood, the city, and even the address of the specific building in the neighborhood was urate.


    Everything was there except for Charles and his family.


    <em>How am I going to go back without Gao Zhiming? </em>


    Just as Anna was pondering over the issue, Tobba wobbled over to her and remarked, "So my conjecture is correct, isn''t it?


    "Since I''m correct, then you must be wrong. Think about it. Are you sure you''re remembering it right? You know that you''re human now, right? It''s not strange for you to misremember things."


    Anna emerged from her train of thought and cast an unhappy gaze at Tobba. "I have the entire memory chain, so how can I misremember anything? Charles definitely lived in that neighborhood ording to his memories."


    Tobba shrugged helplessly and asked, "Then figure out your next steps by yourself. I have no idea what to do at this point."


    Anna crossed her arms in front of her chest and leaned back into her seat. In no time, she fell into contemtion, and the cogs in her mind turned as she tried toe up with a way to move forward.


    At first, Anna thought that she was sufficiently familiar with this world, but things had always developed in ways beyond her expectations. If Gao Zhiming didn''t exist here, then was she trapped somewhere that wasn''t the former''s world?


    <em>Am I in a parallel world? Did I get transported to the parallel world of the surface world? Was it 005? But why would she do that to me? What are her motives? </em>


    Anna sat quietly before making up her mind the next morning. <em>Gao Zhiming has to be here; he couldn''t have just disappeared. He has to exist here, and I must find him so that I can return to the Subterranean Sea.</em>


    Tobba was holding the remote control of the TV with a big back, and his gaze was transfixed on it until he turned to Anna and asked, "What are you going to do next?"


    Anna''s eyes narrowed into slits. "I need a helper. I need someone capable ofunching a nationwide search for Charles."


    Li Lu had been dozing off on the side, but she perked up the moment she heard that. "Are you going to lure people into joining your cult again?! No way¡ªyou absolutely can''t do that!


    "The IMF''s influence is deeper than you think. If you do that, they''ll find you in no time."


    Anna cast a contemptuous gaze at Li Lu. "<em>Hmph, </em>do you really think that I''m as stupid as you? I''ve already set my eyes on a target, and he''s the right person for the job."


    ***


    A gloomy middle-aged man was in the middle of a phone call inside the Chairman''s Office of Wang Construction Group. "How can there be no clues at all?! It''s such a big ship! It can''t just disappear into thin air!


    "Double the rewards and keep searching for him! It doesn''t matter whether he''s alive or dead; I just want to see my son!"


    The middle-aged man had deeply etched lines on his face, and his features bore a resemnce to Wang Sheng. Obviously, he was Wang Sheng''s father. The sudden loss of contact with his son had been making him feel very uneasy, thus his gloomy face.

 Chapter 950: Deal

    Wang Jianshe sat dejectedly in his office. He looked exhausted as he raised his right hand and massaged the bridge of his nose.


    After many years of struggle, Wang Jianshe learned that money was capable of resolving any issues. In other words, money was everything.


    However, Wang Jianshe had just discovered that money could be worthless and useless.


    Wang Jianshe had always been angry at Wang Sheng for what thetter had been doing with his life. Wang Sheng could be considered to be a real scumbag, and he had vited just about anyw out there.


    It was like he existed only to waste food and oxygen.


    Wang Jianshe sighed deeply. Regardless of how useless Wang Sheng was, he was still Wang Jianshe''s only son between his deceased wife. Wang Jianshe''s gaze shifted down, and he stared at the slightly faded photo on the desk.


    It showed a young woman cradling her belly with a face beaming with delight.


    "Hun, I sometimes wonder if he wouldn''t turn out this way if you were still here," Wang Jianshe muttered. Staring at the photo, he began reminiscing about the past when an aged hand covered with age spots grabbed the picture frame.


    "Is she your wife? I have to say, her fashion sense is a bit unsophisticated," Anna said mockingly as she leaned back in the swivel chair with her legs crossed.Wang Jianshe''s pupils constricted upon seeing the cult leader he had spoken with before. The next moment, his right hand quietly pressed a button beneath his desk.


    "Don''t bother. I''ve already cut the line. Besides, do you really think that the trash in yourpany''s security department can deal with me?" Anna asked, smiling faintly while staring at the middle-aged man in front of her.


    She then leaned slightly forward and ced the picture frame back in its original position.


    "Rx. Anyway, you''re worried about Wang Sheng, right? Don''t worry. I can tell you that he''s alive, and he''s living a great life right now."


    Wang Jianshe maintained a poker face. In the face of a cult leader capable of killing without batting an eyelid, his tone of voice was neither servile nor overbearing as he asked, "Where is he?"


    "If you want to see him, then I need you to do something for me. Do what I want you to do, and Wang Sheng will go back to you," Anna replied. This nation had a poption of over a billion people, so finding a specific family of four was more difficult than ascending the heavens for Anna, who was surely wanted by the IMF.


    Thus, Anna decided to visit Wang Sheng''s father, as his ability and connections could be helpful to her.


    Wang Jianshe''s brows furrowed. After ten seconds of contemtion, he said, "I can consider that, but I have to talk to him first before anything else."


    "That won''t work. It''s a bit inconvenient to talk to him at the moment."


    "What do you mean, ''inconvenient''? If you''re not going to let me talk to Wang Sheng, then how can I be sure that you haven''t already executed him?"


    Wang Jianshe was clearly a tough nut to crack, and he fought to control the conversation.


    "Do you see the calligraphy behind me? ''Since ancient times, those who farm and study are ashamed to speak of trade; yet the world''s fairness lies in sixteen taels. Once the North and South are added up, blessings of fortune, prosperity, and longevity are bestowed.'' I''m a sessful businessman. Regardless of what you want me to do, you can''t just pay me peanuts.


    "Pay you peanuts? We''re talking about your son here."


    "No, we''re not talking about my son here. You''re just using my son as a card to make me move ording to your whims. Unless you let me talk to him face-to-face, I''m not going to believe that Wang Sheng is in your hands."


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A corrosive green me manifested on Anna''s left side, and it cast a sickly green light on her face. The fireball shed, and the desk in front of them was engulfed in mes.


    Anna stood up and walked through the green mes to stand in front of Wang Jianshe. With one hand gripping a de, she thrust it into the back of Wang Jianshe''s chair, right next to his neck.


    A cold voice echoed in Wang Jianshe''s ear. "You either do me this favor, or I''ll kill you today. What do you think? Am I still paying you peanuts?"


    Wang Jianshe''s expression turned ugly.


    He tried to remain stubborn, but he looked as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him upon seeing Anna''s eyes. Her calm and indifferent eyes resembled a cidke, and the sight sent a shiver down Wang Jianshe''s spine.


    The words that had risen unbidden to Wang Jianshe''s lips could no longer be spoken. He had a sense of foreboding that Anna would cut open his throat as soon as he spoke any word about refusing Anna''s suggestion.


    "Not anymore. So what do you want me to do for you?"


    Anna hurled several pieces of paper at his face. "Find these three people for me. I want to know where they are right now."


    The pictures depicted a sketch of Charles'' face as a child and a juvenile. There were also sketches depicting the faces of Charles'' parents.


    However, Anna did not draw Charles'' sister. After all, if the flow of time in the Subterranean Sea waspletely opposite to that of the surface world, then she couldn''t be older than the newborn Tobba.


    Wang Jianshe wordlessly stared at the pictures.


    Having dished out the stick, Anna knew that it was time to dish out a carrot.


    "Find them, and I''ll give you more than just returning Wang Sheng to you. When ites to sniffing out opportunities, I think your son is better than you."


    "How can I contact you once I''ve found them?" Wang Jianshe asked. He wisely lowered his head upon recognizing that the situation was unfavorable for him.


    "My newly registered phone number is on the back of those pieces of paper. You better not be thinking about doing anything else, and don''t even bother about running away. You have no idea what you''re dealing with," Anna said.


    With that, her figure vibrated at a speed imperceptible to the human eye, and she sank into the floor before Wang Jianshe.


    Wang Jianshe was stupefied by the sight.


    A few secondster, he walked over to where Anna had been standing not too long ago and pressed on the floor. His stupefaction was exacerbated when he discovered that the floor hadn''t been tampered with.


    Back in the hotel, Tobba was sitting on a bowl of Master Kong instant noodles, looking like the bronze sculpture "The Thinker" as he stared at the chessboard in front of him. He was ying chess with the clown, and thetter seemed to be feeling impatient as it was shuffling cards in its hands.


    "Don''t rush me. The more you rush me, the slower I''m going to y," Tobba muttered in dissatisfaction.


    Just then, there was movement at the door, and Anna walked into the room while vibrating at high speeds.


    The clown turned to look at Anna.


    Tobba saw that and quietly leaned forward to steal some chess pieces on the side, but the clown''s hat decorated with violet star patterns fell from the sky andnded on the former.


    "Mask,e to my room," Anna said.


    The clown nodded and picked up its hat, releasing Tobba. It put the hat on its head and walked into the adjacent room.


    Anna''s room had nothing in it except for the basic furnishings.


    Upon seeing the clown mask emerge from beneath the bed, Anna rolled up her sleeves and asked, "What''s wrong with this hand that you gave to me? Why is it rotting?"


    A dark brown liquid was incessantly oozing out of the arm that the clown had conjured with its magic. The sight alone was enough for anyone to deduce that the arm was rotting.


    Anna didn''t really think that losing the hand was a big deal, but the rotting piece of flesh was actually infecting other parts of her body, causing them to rot as well.


    Anna had wrapped rubber bands around the upper end of her forearm to prevent any blood loss from the rotting arm.


    Just then, Anna took out a dagger and cut open a wound just an inch above the decaying arm.

 Chapter 951: Sorting Things Out

    The entire process of severing her own arm was far from easy. After all, human limbs had nerves. Though Anna had a high tolerance for pain and could endure the ordeal, it didn''t mean that she enjoyed it.


    When she had finally severed the rotting limb, droplets of sweat had beaded on her forehead. The entire table was also soaked with her blood.


    The clown approached Anna, and with its entire body, it gestured an apology.


    Anna reached for the cup on the table and took a sip before shaking her head.


    "I''m not ming you," she said. "I should''ve guessed. It''s impossible for you to have an ability like limb regeneration. This makeshift arm was just a temporary measure.


    "Anyway, I called you over here not to talk about this arm but about us."


    The clown adjusted its tailored suit and then silently made a theatrical gesture of attentiveness, signaling Anna to continue.


    "I think you should know this even if I don''t spell it out. You know what life is like being contained by the IMF. I''m sure you hated that kind of life.


    "Since we are both Anomalies, that puts us in the same boat, so we should stick together to make sure that they can''t drag us back in."The clown''s porcin mask nodded fervently. Freedom was a universal desire as long as one had intelligence.


    "Don''t worry," Anny added, "This life of running and hiding won''tst for long. What I once had is beyond anything you could imagine, and when I reim it, this entire situation will be overturned.


    "I don''t care how the other Anomalies want to live. But when that dayes, as long as I want to, Anomalies shall roam freely on the surface.


    "My man said Ick the ruthlessness of humanity, but I do have emotions¡ªsome of them, at least. If you stand by me during hard times and help me achieve my goals, I won''t forget your efforts," Anna concluded in a steady tone.


    Anna was starting to extend olive branches. Even though the clown would likely stick around without her saying all these, she believed voicing her thoughts openly was beneficial for both of them.


    The clown paused for a few seconds before it adjusted thepels of its perfectly tailored suit and dropped into a single-knee bow.


    "As long as you understand where I''ming from," Anna said. "There''s no need for these theatrics. Now, head out and keep an eye on those two. They''re important to me¡ªespecially the woman. She''s not the type to sit quietly and ept her fate and will definitely try her luck."


    The clown nodded in silence. It then reached for the brim of its oversized top hat, grasped it firmly, and pulled it downward. The hat expanded and consumed its entire form; the next moment, the clown vanished.


    Left all alone, Anna remained seated in her chair. She closed her eyes as she mentally calcted her avable resources. As a fellow fugitive, the clown mask was basically a trustable ally and could be considered a valuable helper.


    Then, there was Tobba. Though Anna wasn''t entirely certain how much of what he said was true, his experiences with Charles back when they were in the Subterranean Sea suggested that Tobba was dependable¡ªmost of the time.


    Even if he harbored ulterior motives, they were still allies against the IMF.


    Apart from those two, she still had the Fhtagnists. Unfortunately, she had no idea where the IMF had imprisoned them, which meant that they were not avable for her use.


    Humans aside, the only remaining resources she had at her disposal were the Anomalies she had absorbed into her body.


    The first one was the Anomaly that made her vibrate at a high frequency, allowing her to phase through solid matter.


    This ability she had absorbed at the pr containment site had vastly improved her chances of escape. Moreover, it surely had untapped potential. The more she used it, the closer she was to discovering its hidden applications.


    In addition, she acquired the ability to construct grotesque flesh puppets. The spliced creatures could assist her in both menial tasks andbat.


    However, the ability had a significant drawback. Not only did it require a substantial amount of raw material, the flesh puppets were far from inconspicuous. Worse yet, this ability was already known to the IMF.


    The effectiveness of any ability was in its secrecy. If one of her grotesque creations were ever caught on camera, it would be the same as putting up a neon sign telling the IMF exactly where to find her.


    Aside from the two abilities, Anna had also absorbed a third one. Her eyes dropped to her severed limb.


    Under her gaze, iridescent crystals began to emerge from the stump and sealed the still-bleeding blood vessels with unnatural precision.


    Following which, from the right side of her head, seven or eight new pupils began to force their way out of her eye socket, crowding her original eye until there was almost no sclera left visible.


    The air before her began to shift and transform into a kaleidoscope of vibrant hues. Her vision had expanded to reveal a world beyond the spectrum of an ordinary human; each element andpound in the air now manifested as distinct shades in her eyes.


    This strange visual enhancement allowed her to perceive things invisible to ordinary humans¡ªsuch as the strange bubbly Anomaly she had seen back at the containment site.


    However, that was all there was to it. She knew nothing else about the third ability. Though it sounded like a joke, Anna had indeed assimted with an ability that she couldn''t fully understand.


    She had no idea what those strange crystals embedded in her body were truly capable of. Apart from her enhanced visual spectrum to detect Anomalies like those interlocked bubbles, she couldn''t find any other usage for it.


    Of course, the IMF surely had the detailed information about this Anomaly, but they certainly weren''t about to share it with her.


    This was the full extent of the anomalies Anna had absorbed so far.


    They had also reminded Anna of one thing¡ªif she wanted to assimte another Anomaly next time, she had to understand its capabilities first.


    If she were to identally absorb two conflicting powers or one with severe side effects, the consequences would be catastrophic.


    <em>Knock, knock. </em>


    Anna''s thoughts were interrupted by knocking on the door.


    "Come in, the door''s not locked," Anna called outzily as she pulled down her sleeve to hide her severed arm. With a practiced flick, she tossed the decayed hand lying on the desk into a nearby trash bin.


    The door swung open to reveal Li Lu standing at the doorway with a grim expression.


    "Where did you go earlier?" Li Lu asked in a demanding tone.


    Anna let out a cold snort. "Remember your ce. You''re a prisoner."


    Li Lu drew in a deep breath as she tried to restrain her emotions. "I don''t care what you''re up to. Just stop leaving this ce unless necessary. The IMF is definitely scouring the world for you. If they find you, they''ll find all of us!


    "Moreover, you destroyed an entire pr containment site. They''ve probably elevated your threat level to the highest. Once they track you down, they''ll surely send their most elitebat team to take you out!"


    Hearing this, Anna''s interest was piqued. "Do you know the members of the IMF''s most elitebat team? Any names? How do they measure up to me in terms of strength?"


    Li Lu shook her head slowly. "I have no idea. My clearance level isn''t high enough. However, all these years, the IMF has been gathering and containing all kinds of Anomalies that are far more powerful than you."


    "If they have the means to deal with those things, they have the means to deal with you, too. No matter how good you''re at manipting people, you''re still flesh and blood.


    "A bullet can kill you just like anyone else.


    "The only option we have now is to stay hidden. Wey low until their attention on us has shifted elsewhere. The IMF has bigger priorities to juggle than just us.


    "Once we be less of a priority, things will be easier from there," Li Lu concluded.


    <em>The most elitebat team of the IMF, huh¡­ </em>Anna''s mind raced with thoughts.

 Chapter 952: Acquaintance

    After several seconds, Anna nodded at Li Lu.


    "Thank you," Anna said. "That information is quite helpful. I''ll take it into consideration. However, I must admit that I''m rather surprised that you''d voluntarily offer intel without any interrogation. It seems like you''ve finally realized that we''re on the same side."


    Anna''s words seemed to have struck a raw nerve. Li Lu''s jaw tightened, and her mrs grinding against each other as memories of past torture in the hands of Anna flooded her mind. Her scars also began to throb with phantom pain.


    If it were just her, she would put her life on the line and risk everything she could for even the slimmest chance to bring this woman down. However, her circumstances were different now¡ªshe now had a son.


    Once a woman became a mother, her child''s life would be more precious than her own. A mother''s primal instinct was to protect her offspring. At least, as of now, Li Lu couldn''t resist Anna at all.


    Li Lu took in a deep breath and turned, ready to leave.


    "Aren''t you curious about your child?" Anna called out. "Why he could speak as soon as he was born? Or why he couldmunicate with me in anguage no ordinary human could understand?"


    Anna''s words hung in the air like a spell that paralyzed Li Lu in her tracks.


    "Don''t you want to ask me anything?" Anna''s lips curled into a faint smile. She rose from her seat and took a step toward Li Lu, but thetter took a step in retreat. "I''ve been waiting for you to ask," Anna said, taking yet another step forward. "Are you scared? What are you afraid of? Sometimes, there''s no use being afraid of something; you just have to face it."


    Every step Anna took forward made Li Lu instinctively retreat.


    Just as Anna''s lips parted to say her next words, Li Lu could take no more. She turned on her heel and fled down the hallway in panic.


    Leaning heavily against her own room door, Li Lu clutched her chest as she struggled to breathe. Even in the face of death, she had never flinched. But just earlier, she felt fear coursing through her for the very first time.


    She was afraid that that madwoman would tell her truths more terrifying than death itself¡ªtruths that would risk her child being taken away from her.


    After taking a few moments to calm her emotions, Li Lu drew in a deep breath before she slowly twisted the door handle.


    The sight that greeted her was her son, Tobba, standing on the table with a chessboard held high above his head. His tiny face was scrunched in fury as he wobbly walked back and forth on the table.


    "<em>AHHHHH!</em>" Tobba roared as he mmed the chessboard before the clown. "You must''ve cheated! How can you possibly win every single game!"


    The clown leaned back against its chair. Crossing one leg over the other, it shrugged nonchntly.


    "How dare you deny it! You dishonest fellow! I''m never ying with you again!" Tobba cried out.


    Li Lu hurried forward and reached out with both hands to scoop up her son. Carefully sliding her hands under his armpits, she pulled him close to her chest.


    "Baby, be a good boy and listen to Mommy. Your body has yet to develop enough for you to start walking. Let''s wait until you grow a little more, okay?"


    Tobba squirmed in defiance as his face puffed with frustration. "Don''t hold me! I''m going to check his clothes! He definitely cheated!"


    "Baby!" Li Lu cried out, and her voice cracked due to the sharp increase in pitch. Tears flowed uncontrobly down her cheeks. In an almost pleading tone, she whispered, "Please, Mommy''s begging you. Can you just do things that babies are supposed to do?"


    The moment Li Lu''s tearsnded on Tobba''s cheeks, he gradually stilled in her arms. After a while, he looked up at her and muttered, "I''m hungry."


    Li Lu turned her back to the clown and adjusted her clothes.


    Her heart melted as she watched Tobba nestling against her and how his tiny mouth moved rhythmically as he nursed. She lowered her head and pressed her forehead against his velvety scalp.


    "My child, don''t worry. Mommy will give her all to protect you. As long as I''m here, no one can hurt you," Li Lu whispered.


    Hearing her words, Tobba''s forehead slightly creased. He then burrowed deeper into her arms.


    The days flew by, and Anna settled down temporarily in this coastal city.


    From her observations, Wang Jianshe was indeed searching for leads on Charles and his family. As of now, he showed no other signs of hostility.


    With the IMF still hot on her heels, Anna couldn''t afford to recruit new followers openly. Her options were maddeningly limited.


    She also attempted to look for organizations that were against the IMF. However, without ess to special channels, her search yielded no results¡ªat least, nothing avable on the inte.


    One morning, at 7 A.M., Anna walked silently down the streets with Tobba in her arms. Wearing a mask paired with sunsses, she was mentally mapping out the city''syout.


    Once the IMF agents had tracked them down, her early preparation would increase her chances of escaping. If she were to wait till then to identify her escape routes, it''d be toote.


    Tobba let out a yawn and grumbled groggily, "It''s so early in the morning. Why are we running around on the streets this early?"


    Tobba rubbed his eyes with his tiny fists, and his dissatisfaction was evident in his pouting expression.


    "I''m afraid you''d be too bored being cooped up in the room all day. Even babies need to get some fresh air and sun. It''s good for your health."


    Of course, that was just Anna''s convenient excuse. She only had one primary reason for bringing Tobba out¡ªhe was her early warning system.


    Since he could predict the future, Anna reasoned that keeping him by her side could prove useful in case of any impending danger.


    Just then, Anna felt Tobba''s tiny body stiffen in her arms. A frail little finger poked out from under his nket and pointed to the right.


    "Hey! Look over there!"


    Anna''s senses heightened; she immediately turned to where Tobba was pointing, and her sharp gaze locked onto¡­ a baby supply store. Behind the transparent ss windows stood rows of neatly stacked infant form tins in a variety of colorful packaging.


    "See that red can over there? I saw its ad on TV, and they said it''s delicious! Go buy me two cans!"


    The corners of Anna''s eyes twitched with evident annoyance. Without saying a word, she turned around to leave.


    "Quickly get it for me! I''m telling you, my stomach''s been a little offtely. And I''m not wearing a diaper right now! If you don''t get me that form, I''ll make sure you''ll get a handful of poop."


    For a split second, Anna seriously considered just dropping Tobba on the pavement and returning home by herself.


    She wondered whether it was due to Tobba''s physical form, but when it came to non-serious times, his personality often reverted to that of a spoiled brat, always spur-of-the-moment and demanding.


    In order to avoid a full, blown-out tantrum, Anna eventually gave in and stepped into the store. Momentster, she emerged with a bag containing a tin of high-end form.


    Form tins weren''t cheap, but fortunately, Anna had robbed the ne passengers of all their cash before alighting and had enough to cover such expenses.


    "<em>Ehehehehe!</em>" Tobba chuckled gleefully as he clung to the tin with all four of his tiny limbs.


    Anna was just about to continue her way forward when she spotted a vehicle pulling up along the left-hand side of the road. Her muscles tensed up as thoughts raced through her mind.


    <em>What''s going on? Members of the IMF? Or some vendetta from those I''ve taken down before? Didn''t Wang Jianshe say he had taken care of everything? Besides, I shouldn''t have any enemies left in this country.</em>


    The sleek ck sedan slowed to a stop. The door swung open, and an unexpected figure stepped out.


    It was Zhou Tao, the young police officer who had interrogated her on her very first day after arriving on the surface. He was dressed casually in in clothes and was driving amercial car. Clearly, he wasn''t on duty.

 Chapter 953: Charles

    The woman before him was d as if she were an undercover agent, and Zhou Tao almost saluted her, but then he remembered that he was off duty and put his hand down.


    "Hello, if you don''t mind, can you please pull down your mask?"


    "I mind," Anna said. Then, she turned around to leave, but Zhou Tao followed her.


    "I remember your voice. Is that you? Your name¡­ isn''t it Anna? You suddenly went missing; just where did you go?"


    Since Zhou Tao had already seen through her disguise, Anna took off the mask on her face and asked, "Officer Zhou, is there anything wrong?"


    "So it really is you! Miss, just where did you go? Uncle Liu and I were really worried about you," Zhou Tao said, smiling with relief upon confirming that the woman before him was the same young woman at the time.


    When he noticed Tobba in Anna''s arms and her severed arm tucked into her sleeve, the smile on Zhou Tao''s froze. It had only been a year, but it seemed like Anna had been to hell and back.


    "That baby is..." Zhou Tao trailed off.


    Of course, Anna knew what Zhou Tao was thinking. Her eyes suddenly became filled with warmth as she gently rocked Tobba in her arms. "My son. Isn''t he cute?"Zhou Tao felt immensely regretful at the sight. He felt like he was looking at a perfect work of art that had been sshed with mud.


    "What about his father?" Zhou Tao probed.


    Anna chose not to answer that question. "Officer Zhou, I don''t think I have to disclose to you my personal affairs, do I?"


    Anna was feeling a bit disgruntled. Zhou Tao noticed that and patiently replied, "Miss, I sincerely want to help you. Having a child is monumental, and you''re too young. At your age, you ought to be studying in school."


    Upon saying that, Zhou Tao couldn''t help but me himself. If he had kept an eye on her at the time, perhaps her bright future wouldn''t have been ruined.


    Zhou Tao didn''t wait for Anna''s reply before asking, "Have you had breakfast yet? There''s a nice ce to have breakfast nearby. The food there is delicious.


    "I know people your age hate being lectured, but I promise you this¡ªI''m not going to bother you again once we''re done eating. So what do you think?"


    Anna sized him up with furrowed brows. Eventually, she nodded. She was afraid that if she were to refuse his proposal, he''d start investigating her in private. The IMF had to be tracking her down at the moment.


    Anna knew that she couldn''t behave as she did before and deal with those who were annoying to her.


    Zhou Tao brought Anna to a roadside stall two streets away.


    The two sat down, and two steaming bowls of fish noodle soup were served to them. The milky white broth was topped with pale yellow noodles garnished with vibrant green vegetables and slightly burnt poached eggs.


    The milky white soup emanated a delicious aroma capable of making anyone''s mouth water.


    "Try it. This restaurant has been open for thirty years now, and the fish noodle soup here is simply unbeatable. Anyone living in this city surely has gotten a taste of this stall''s signature dish."


    Anna briefly scanned Charles'' memories and found that he had never eaten this fish noodle soup. However, Anna had no idea whether it was because her human brain had forgotten or Charles simply didn''t like eating noodles.


    Zhou Tao ate a few bites before noticing that the woman in front of him hadn''t even touched her chopsticks.


    "Officer Zhou, if you have something to say to me, then go ahead. I still have something to do."


    "Well¡­ does your family know? I mean, about your child."


    "They''re dead."


    Zhou Tao instantly understood what was going on. It was no wonder she gave birth to a child at such a young age. Zhou Tao believed that if her family were still around, Anna wouldn''t go through such hardships.


    Zhou Tao was afraid of triggering the rebellious nature of teenagers within Anna, so he spoke in a gentle voice, asking, "Can you tell me who the father is? Is he around your age, or is he much older than you?"


    If Anna were deceived, Zhou Tao would step forward to seek some child support orpensation for her from the child''s father.


    "Hm, my husband is much older than me. He''s a madman blind in one eye. As soon as my child was born, he disappeared into thin air," Anna replied.


    Zhou Tao felt immensely sorry for Anna. A scumbag actually managed to defile an angel? God was truly unfair, as toads often manage to eat swan meat nowadays.


    Zhou Tao proceeded to ask a few more probing questions, and Anna casually brushed them off.


    Upon seeing the empty bowl before him, Zhou Tao knew that it was about time for him to leave. Anna also seemed like she didn''t want to talk to him, so he''d definitely do nothing but annoy her if he were to insist on staying any longer.


    He was a police officer, so he knew that there were issues that couldn''t be resolved by thew. Moreover, they weren''t exactly close; they were just acquaintances, not even friends.


    Zhou Tao approached the female stall owner by the stove and asked her for a pen and paper. "Miss, this is my phone number. If you encounter any difficulties, please feel free to contact me."


    With that, Zhou Tao paid the bill and left.


    "Are you not going to eat? If you''re not going to eat, then feed me. These noodles smell so good," Tobba remarked. He had been pretending to be a baby all this while, so he was feeling restless.


    Anna had never been picky about food. In her eyes, consuming food was just a way to replenish one''s energy.


    Anna started feeling a bit hungry as she stared at the bowl of fish noodle soup in front of her. In the end, she took a light sip of the broth and was instantly taken aback.


    The warm and delicious broth had inundated her mouth in an instant.


    It was a delicious dish.


    Anna picked up the chopsticks and proceeded with her meal. She made quick work of the bowl and smacked her lips. Then, she turned to the steaming iron pot on the stove and shouted, "Boss, give me another bowl!"


    Anna proceeded to follow Zhou Tao in the next few days. Upon seeing for herself that Zhou Tao wasn''t doing anything suspicious, Anna finally felt at ease. They changed residences several times while Anna was observing Zhou Tao.


    Their peaceful yet nerve-wracking lifested for a month until it was broken by a phone call from Wang Jianshe.


    "Come here. We''ve found the people you''re looking for."


    Theputer in Wang Jianshe''s spacious office disyed the faces of the people whom Anna wanted to find. Wang Jianshe and his people managed to find several people who looked simr to Charles'' family.


    They secretly filmed those people as they went about their daily lives, and Wang Jianshe presented those videos to Anna.


    Anna set aside Charles'' parents and focused on the "Charles" that Wang Jianshe had found for her. He truly looked identical to Charles when thetter was still young.


    Wang Jianshe had found a total of three "Charles." They were all elementary school students, and Anna saw how they went about their school life through the videos that Wang Jianshe''s people had recorded of them.


    Anna clicked on the mouse, reying those videos over and over again. Thirty minutester, she shook her head slightly at Wang Jianshe and said, "No, these three people aren''t him."


    They looked extremely simr to Charles, but the finer details, like personality and ent, were off. If one were to take a closer look, one would notice subtle differences in their appearances.


    In other words, none of these three children were Charles.


    Just then, Anna recalled Zhou Tao, and her heart trembled as she asked, "Have you looked into the household registration database and the database of the public security system?"


    "My connections far exceed your imagination. We searched there, and we even looked through ces that are difficult tob through," Wang Jianshe replied. Then, he added in a low voice, "I''m not really interested, but I''ve put so much effort into the search, yet we still can''t find him, so let me ask you this¡­


    "Are you sure he even exists in the first ce?"

 Chapter 954: Lily

    "Am I sure if he even exists in the first ce?" Anna retorted, "If I believe he exists, then he exists. He must be out there somewhere, so keep searching for him."


    "Ms. Anna, I''m already doing the best that I can. I''ve asked my people to treat the search as if we were looking for children to rescue from the hands of human traffickers. We''ve been looking all over the ce, including the newspapers and the Inte.


    "Do you know what people are saying about me because of this search that Iunched? They''re saying that I''m making such a big fuss about that child, as that child is my illegitimate son!"


    Anna crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, looking coldly at Wang Jianshe. "Keep searching for him. Once you find him, you''ll be with your son again."


    Wang Jianshe''s face turned extremely ugly. "I can keep searching, but you have to provide more details. I have nothing to work with but a sketch, so how am I supposed to keep looking?"


    Instead of responding, Anna put on a mask, and her figure vibrated at a speed imperceptible to the human eye as she melted into the floor.


    "Keep looking for him."


    "Wait! Hold on!" Wang Jianshe eximed, raising his hand.


    Anna looked up at Wang Jianshe with half her body stuck in the floor.Wang Jianshe''s face was ugly; he scratched his graying hair with apparent frustration before asking, "Are you sure that he exists?"


    "Of course, I''m sure of that. Do you really think that I''m bored enough to y with you by making you find someone who doesn''t exist?" Anna asked.


    Wang Jianshe steeled his heart, and he seemed to have made a decision as he said, "You know I''m just a businessman. If we were in ancient times, I''d have the lowest social statuspared to schrs, farmers, and artisans."


    "What exactly are you trying to say?" Anna asked, frowning slightly.


    "I''m saying that I have some connections with <em>certain people</em>. Do you understand what I''m trying to say? If you demonstrate your power in front of <em>those people</em>, they will definitely help you."


    "No, that is not going to happen!" Anna firmly refused. The most important reason she sought out Wang Jianshe was that he was just a businessman.


    Anna instantly saw through Wang Jianshe''s suggestion, and she believed that it was a wise decision, but things were going to be more and more dangerous for her the higher she went up in the echelons.


    It was unknown whether the IMF had close ties with all the nations throughout the world. Moreover, if Wang Jianshe were to get some high-level people involved, there''d be no telling whether one of them was from the IMF or not.


    "Keep looking for him even if it means going bankrupt. Everything is going to be fine once you find him. If you can''t find him for me, then¡­ find your own son yourself," Anna dered.


    On the way home, Anna''s head was slightly lowered as she pondered over Wang Jianshe''s words.


    <em>Could it be that Charles actually doesn''t exist here?</em> Anna thought, and her eyes glimmered in confusion. Her determined words earlier were just an act that she had put on to convince Wang Jianshe into continuing the search for Charles.


    The truth was that even Anna herself was not sure whether Charles existed here or not. The time period, the environment, and the city all matched, but Charles and his family were missing.


    Anna had no idea what was going on. There were too many variables, such as Tobba''s conjecture and the wishes from 005. However, Anna''s confusionsted only for a few seconds as her eyes became determined once again.


    Perhaps she had been transported into another ne, or she could have unknowingly gotten involved in someone''s schemes. Regardless of the truth, Anna had to go back to the Subterranean Sea and reim her true power. ?


    ***


    Lily in a skirt was sitting inside a library at Hope Ind University. There was an old, dusty book in her hands.


    A pen extended from the side and tapped on the book.


    "Look, there are two boys stealing nces at you on our right."


    The pen came from Maya. She was the one who introduced the university to Lily upon thetter''s first visit. It had been quite a while since then, so the two were friends now.


    Lily immersed in her book snapped back to reality. She looked up instinctively and saw two boys hurriedly using the books in their hands to cover their faces.


    "Maya, stop messing around," Lily said, sounding dissatisfied. Then, she continued reading the book in her hands.


    "Stop reading. It''s lunch now," Maya said.


    Lily looked up at the wall clock and found it was indeed twelve o''clock. She grabbed her small bag and followed her friend out of the library. Lily attracted many gazes as she walked down the campus trail; her looks were just too outstanding.


    In addition, she had a sweet and lovely demeanor, garnering her the favor of the university''s male poption. In a nutshell, she was the campus belle¡ªthe dream lover of the majority of the male students.


    Lily had been here for a while now, but she still couldn''t get used to that feeling. It was unknown whether it was due to her life as a mouse, but their gazes were making her feel ufortable.


    "You don''t like these two, and you didn''t like those people the other day. What exactly is your type?" Maya asked jokingly.


    "I don''t know, but I don''t like them. Mr. Bandages has allowed them to study here for free, but they waste their time on that kind of thing. <em>Hmph! </em>They''re problem students!" Lily replied.


    She was truly dissatisfied with them, as she felt like the resources that they were wasting here wereing out of her own pocket.


    "You can''t me them. You''re just too beautiful." Maya chuckled, holding Lily''s arm. "Anyway, I noticed that you changed a lot, Lily. Back then, you were like a ten-year-old child. Now, I can see that you''ve grown up a bit."


    "I was just too naive back then," Lily didn''t deny Maya''s words. "I took things at face value at the time."


    Lily couldn''t help but feel embarrassed upon being reminded of her childish antics. She justified her actions at the time by saying that her mental age was frozen at ten years old upon bing a mouse.


    Soon, the two arrived at the cafeteria. They went in and got their trays. Food was free for the students of Hope Ind University. After all, this university was Hope Ind''s primary source of talent.


    The Governor''s Mansion had dedicated a ton of funds to the university, so spending a bit more money to foot the meals of the students wasn''t really a big deal.


    Maya and Lily sat down at the corner of a dining table with their trays.


    "Back then, there was someone who''d help me with everything. I had no reason to think or worry about anything, as I knew that he''de through and resolve any issues, regardless of how troublesome they were," Lily remarked.


    Maya''s face shifted slightly, showing a bit of envy. As a child from a poor family, Maya''s eyes were opened to the harsh reality of the world a bit too early than those from rich families.


    "Lily, have you ever thought about what type of person you want to marry in the future? If the governor were looking for marriage partners, I believe you''d be qualified to marry the governor."


    Lily seemed to have thought of something just then, and her face turned slightly red as she replied, "I never really thought about that. For now, I just want to learn and keep learning.


    "You were right. Knowledge broadens your horizons and develops your mind. I really need some more development, so I need to make up for it by taking some more lessons. Yes, I feel like I haven''t really grown up yet."


    "<em>Ah,</em> it must be good to be a child from a rich family. Even your reason for studying sounds so refined," Maya quipped.


    Lily bumped her shoulder gently and said, "Hurry up and eat. We have to eat fast, or we''ll run out of good seats in the library."


    Lily used her fork to roll up the noodles on her te. Just as she brought the noodles to her mouth, someone tapped the table in front of her.

 Chapter 955: Strangers

    It was a hand with webbed fingers, sharp nails, and green scales.


    When Maya saw the visitor''s face, he stood up and nervously greeted, "Good afternoon, Chief Dipp!"


    Dipp''s status in Hope Ind was high, as he was a crew member who had once followed the Governor of Hope Ind through multiple life-and-death situations.


    Maya knew that Dipp could determine her fate with just one word. He was truly a big shot.


    "Dipp, is something wrong?" Lily put down her fork and smiled sweetly at the fishman. The figure in front of her wasn''t someone she knew, but Dipp''s familiar face resembling a fish always made her feel like she was back in her own ne.


    "<em>Ahem,</em> the First Mate is looking for you," Dipp replied stiffly and turned around to leave.


    "He''s looking for me? Why? Hey, Dipp! Don''t leave!" Lily eximed, but Dipp didn''t even turn around to answer her.


    Meanwhile, Bandages was sitting before a mountain of documents on a desk somewhere within the Governor''s Mansion. Truth be told, Bandages was struggling. More and more troublesome issues would appear as time went on, and it was like there wasn''t any end to them.


    Moreover, the construction of the Subterra Railways, which was supposed to cover the entire seascape, had been halted. As the tracks expanded from Hope Ind, something would always destroy them.ording to the collected intelligence, it was a deliberate attack; it seemed that something wasn''t a fan of the Subterra Railways.


    Hope Ind''s District 3 had already sent people to deal with it, but they still had to wait until the issue was resolved before they could continue with the Subterra Railways.


    The witness ounts written on the documents reminded Bandages of what Charles had stumbled upon before¡ªthose mantises living above the rockyer. If the attackers were them, it''d be expensive to expand the Subterra Railways.


    "I''m here, Mr. Bandages of this ne~ May Ie in?" Lily asked yfully as she stuck her head into the room through the door.


    "Sit..." Bandages pointed at the wooden chair in front of the desk.


    Lily sat down with her legs closed and looked around curiously at the Governor''s Mansion of another ne. After a while, she reached the conclusion that there was basically no difference between the two.


    "I know... you. You''re¡­ that white mouse¡­ At¡­ the¡­ time¡­ the Captain... has specifically¡­ instructed... us to take care of your... parents..."


    "Mmhm! Thank you! It really doesn''t matter which ne you guys are from; you guys will always be good people!" Lily eximed.


    As soon as her words fell, eight thorny vines quickly grew out of the wooden chair she was sitting on and wrapped around her like pythons. There was a sh of golden light, and the vines shattered into pieces.


    Then, the floor and therge wooden desk bulged as nts drilled out from inside them and rushed toward Lily.


    "Mr. First Mate, what is going on here?!" Lily eximed, staring at the bandaged man in front of her in a panic. Only Bandages had the special ability to control nts inside this room.


    Before Lily could do anything else, a clump of blue mist floated over from behind her and engulfed her head, cutting off her breathing. Then, a huge palm broke through the ground from below, reaching out toward Lily''s heart.


    Dipp and Bandages weren''t just the only attackers. The top experts on the ind had been mobilized to make a move toward her.


    There were so many powerful attacks that Lily could no longer afford to hold back. She screamed, and everyone around her was sted away.


    "What are you guys doing?! I haven''t done anything wrong!"


    Tears welled up in Lily''s eyes. She was crying not because of her wounds but because her friends had ambushed her. Yes, she treated them as friends, even though they all belonged to different nes. ?


    Bandages nodded from the sidelines upon seeing Lily''s retaliation.


    He waved his hand, and everyone else retreated, leaving Bandages and Lily alone inside the messy office.


    "I¡­ was.. right... There is¡­ something¡­ wrong¡­ with you."


    "Mr. Bandages! I''m not an enemy! I''m a good person! Why are you treating me like this?!"


    Bandages shook his head slightly and said, "The Captain''s... decree says¡­ that those with¡­ special abilities on Hope... Ind... have to be... assessed... and registered..."


    "Okay, so you just want me to register? I''m willing to register!" Lily said, standing up agitatedly.


    "No... The decree¡­ is for ordinary... Explorers... it''s not¡­ for you."


    "Your strength... far exceeds... the range... that I can ept... As... the acting governor... I''m asking you to leave the ind," Bandages added.


    "What? You want me to leave? Why? I''m a good person! I''m serious!"


    Of course, Bandages had been investigating Lily for a long time now, and he had long discovered the true personality of the woman who was once a mouse. It was unfortunate, but Bandages had to ensure the safety of Hope Ind, and he had to be absolutely rational when it came to everything that could disturb its peace.


    The woman who had just returned from another ne was just too powerful. She was so powerful that she could easily level the Hope Ind. Someone as dangerous as her was like a ticking time bomb, and Bandages had to deal with her as soon as possible.


    The captain had also handed over the ind to him, and Bandages'' job was to ensure that the ind would not be destroyed on his watch.


    "But my home is here! Why can''t I live here?" Lily retorted with a pout.


    "Look... at your purchase contract... The fine print... says that buyers only have¡­nd use rights¡­"


    On that day, Lily pleaded her case for quite a while, but Bandages remainedpletely unmoved in the face of Lily''s pitiful pleas. Bandages had even gone as far as to threaten her, telling her not to bother forcing them to ept her here through a disy of strength, as Bandages'' backing was even more powerful than her.


    It was then that Lily finally understood these people weren''t her friends, even though they looked exactly simr to each other. In their eyes, she was just a stranger, and they were just strangers to her, too.


    The people with whom she had built a friendship through oveing multiple life-and-death crises were in another ne.


    Lily had no idea how she made her way back home, but the holes in the canopy above Hope Ind were already covered by the time she got back home.


    Oliver and Oliva were terrified to see their daughter in a daze, and they hurriedly asked her what was wrong.


    Lily hugged a pillow tightly and covered her face as she recounted today''s events to her parents. Oliver breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that. Earlier, he was convinced that his daughter was being bullied.


    "It''s okay. If they''re not going to let us live here, then we''re moving out. We''ll go to another ind. Don''t worry, Daddy is rich now. We can buy a house anywhere we want," Oliverforted Lily.


    "Then where should we go?" Lily asked with her voice choked with sobs.


    Oliver looked at the map of the seascape for a long time. Eventually, he raised his head and turned to his daughter, asking, "How about we go back to our hometown? I mean, the Coral Archipgo."


    "Is that really okay? Daddy, Have I troubled you?"


    Oliver stroked Lily''s head and said, "This isn''t troublesome at all. It doesn''t matter where we go; we''re going to be fine as long as you can live a happy life there."


    Since Lily was asked to move out of the ind, then she had to move as soon as possible. In just five short days, Lily and her family, along with their belongings, boarded a passenger ship out of Hope Ind.


    The family''s journey took a while, but they eventually reached their destination.


    With smiles tugging at their lips, the family stepped onto the ind made of coral, and they were surprised to see the Governor of the Coral Archipgo receiving them personally.


    "My apologies, dear, but this ind does not wee you as well," Nico said lightly while lounging in the arms of two handsome men.

 Chapter 956: Thank You

    Lily stared at Nico in front of her in disbelief. Back on the Narwhale, Second Mate Nico had the best rtionship with her among the crew. Even though he was Nico from another ne, Lily was still stupefied to know that he''d push her this far.


    Nico had always been a caring older sister figure to her, after all.


    However, bing the governor of an ind was no mean feat, and it was a position that demanded a certain level of ruthlessness¡ªruthlessness that Nico had never shown to Lily from another ne.


    Just because Nico hadn''t shown it, however, did not mean that he was not ruthless.


    Dr. Oliver was holding a suitcase in one hand and had been observing from the sidelines, but he couldn''t take it anymore and said, "But Governor! We still have our house here! We haven''t sold it yet."


    Nico stretchedzily and moved away from the handsome men''s arms. "I know, so I''ll pay you ten times the price you bought it. You can take the money with you and buy houses on the other inds."


    As if afraid that Lily and her parents would refuse to leave, Nico hurriedly added, "Don''t worry too much about it. Only Hope Ind''s allies are aware of your great power. The governors of the other inds are unaware of it.


    "Hide well and don''t expose your identity; I believe they won''t trouble you if you do that. If worsees to worst, you can just go to the other sea regions. Some of the inds there have be quite empty, you see."


    In response to Nico''s words, Lily quietly pouted. She clenched her fists tightly, her face flushed red, and her nostrils red. However, Nico was not at all worried at the sight. He had long prepared for Lily''s arrival, so he surreptitiously signaled at the others.


    Momentster, shrill horns sounded from the docks. The ring horns hade from Hope Ind''s state-of-the-art warships, and the ships'' fire-control system immediately locked onto Lily and her family.


    "I''m really sorry, dear. I don''t want to do this either, but as the governor of this ind, I have to be responsible for my inders."


    Feeling aggrieved, Lily''s lips trembled slightly, and she looked like she wanted to say something. However, she said nothing in the end. She grabbed the suitcase beside her and walked toward the passenger ship behind her.


    Lily wanted to say something, but she was afraid that tears would roll down her face as soon as she opened her mouth to speak. Back on the passenger ship, Lilyy weakly on the bed with her head tucked into her chest. She was curled up into a ball, looking just like when she was still a mouse in Charles'' palm.


    Lily truly felt like she had been abandoned by everything.


    It was like the world had be extremely cold to her, and only the vial hanging in front of her chest provided her with warmth.


    Just then, a warm hand reached out and patted Lily on the shoulder. "It''s okay, sweetie. If worsees to worst, we''ll just go to the other inds. They''re all the same inds anyway."


    "But those inds aren''t our home¡­" Lily muttered. She then turned to look at her mother and asked, "Mommy, did I do something wrong?"


    "Of course not. My darling daughter couldn''t have done something wrong. They''re the ones doing something wrong here. You''re not at fault at all, so you don''t have to worry about anything."


    However, Lily didn''t feel much better in the face of her mother''s constion. She still felt like she had made the wrong choice again. Perhaps she ought to consider all things before making a decision next time.


    Perhaps her studies hadn''t taught her much about the world.


    At this moment, Lily dearly missed her friends¡ªthose friends of hers with whom she had ovee many life-and-death situations. She wanted to go to them and pour out all her grievances.


    The urge became stronger and stronger until Lily couldn''t hold it back anymore. She levitated and reached out to the porthole next to her. "Mommy, I''m going out for a walk. I''ll be back soon!" ?


    A powerful wave of energy burst out of Lily and engulfed her. The radiant golden light around her was so bright that she looked almost transparent within the light.


    She sped across the seascape like a meteor and made a beeline for the V12 Containment Site, where she could travel between nes. Lily moved at breakneck speeds. She wielded the energy within her with all her might, shattering even sound as she zeroed in on her destination.


    When she arrived at her destination, however, she was stunned. The oval-shaped building had disappeared. Lily had been holding back her tears, but the devastating sight finally pushed her off the edge.


    Tears fell from her eyes, and she cried her heart out. Her sobs weren''t loud, but her sobs were heartbreaking. The disappearance of the V12 Containment Site meant that she''d never be able to go back.


    She''d never see her friends again.


    It also meant that Lily could never go back on her decision to stay here. Standing on the vast but empty ind, Lily cried in despair. Her tears dripped down her cheeks and soaked the soil down below.


    Time ticked by, and Lily finally cried until she was utterly exhausted. However, she had no intentions of going back to her parents for now. Just like when she was still a mouse, she sprawled out on the ground and fell asleep.


    For some reason, Lily slept exceptionally well. It had been a long time since she had such a good sleep. The half-conscious Lily turned over and hugged the fluffy rabbit next to her. She buried her cheeks into it and gently nuzzled it.


    <em>Wait, why is this rabbit here? Aren''t I on a deserted ind? Howe this rabbit is here? </em>Lily''s eyes snapped wide open, and she was instantly awake. A wave of gentle sunlight engulfed her, protecting her from any attacks.


    Lily looked around immediately and was stunned. She was supposed to be on a deserted ind, but she was now on a bed in a bedroom.


    The bedroom had a green apple theme; there wasn''t much furniture inside, but it was a clean and decent room. There was an ornate pink chandelier, a simple but practical mahogany cab, and a small but spacious bookcase.


    Lily was familiar with this ce. It was her bedroom on Hope Ind. However, they had already sold every single piece of furniture here at bargain prices, as they had to move out as soon as possible.


    "What is going on?" Lily hugged the rabbit in her arms and walked up the window.


    Just as she opened the window, the holes in the canopy above Hope Ind were opened, allowing sunlight toe in and illuminate the ind.


    The nted sun rays and the familiar sea breeze from the distant pier all told Lily that she was on Hope Ind. When her hair fluttered in the wind, Lily realized that she had returned¡ªshe was back home.


    There was knocking on the door, and Olivia''s voice echoed from outside the room.


    "Lily, didn''t you say yesterday that you''re going to school early today? Breakfast is ready. If you don''t wake up soon, you''re going to bete."


    From Olivia''s tone of voice, it was clear that she had lost her memories of the recent past.


    <em>What''s going on? Didn''t Bandages and the others drive us away? Why are we still here? Wait, am I dreaming? </em>Lily''s mind was in a mess.


    Just then, her gazended on a piece of paper on the table. A crude Narwhale was drawn on the piece of paper, and there was a paragraph on it that said, "Lily, the issue has been resolved. You can keep staying here and live in peace. I''ve be really insensitive when ites to managing my time, so I''m sorry for beingte."


    Lily read the paragraph a few times before she burst out into a sweet smile. She raised her right hand and looked at the small tattoo on the inside of her right thumb.


    The tattoo depicted a tiny Narwhale, and Bandages had tattooed it on her on the day they parted from each other. Bandages was drunk at the time, so the tattoo was crooked and ugly.


    Lily''s eyes curved into crescents as she nced at the tattoo on her hand and the drawing of the Narwhale on the piece of paper.


    However, tears soon fell from her eyes; she had just realized that even if she was in another ne, Mr. Charles would stille and help her whenever she was in trouble.


    Lily''s drenched eyshes fluttered, and her voice quavered as she said, "I''m really missing you, Mr. Charles."

 Chapter 957: Cooking Noodles

    Anna was eating lunch with the others in the dim basement of a house somewhere on the surface world. This was her new base. To ensure that the IMF wouldn''t find her, Anna frequently changed residences.


    Li Lu quietly ate her delivered fish noodle soup, and her eyes never left the table where Tobba was punching the air with a feeding bottle in his hands.


    Tobba looked like a mighty hero as he mmed his feeding bottle on the table and eximed, "This stuff is just terrible! This isn''t milk! The powder practically tastes like flour! The ads are lying to us!"


    "Shut up! If you don''t want to eat that, then get lost," Anna chided impatiently. She was truly fed up with Tobba.


    Tobba''s mouth was tiny, but it was full of energy, capable of talking from morning to night. To make matters worse, Anna had to stay close to him. Truth be told, Sparkle was a curious child as well, but she wasn''t as troublesome as Tobba.


    Li Lu hurriedly put down her chopsticks and reached out to her child. "If you don''t like it, then don''t eat it, Baby. Here,e to Mommy."


    However, Tobba ignored her and picked up his feeding bottle. He took another sip of the milk and whined, "How much longer do we have to hide, Anna? I''m bored out of my mind watching the same stuff on TV over and over again.


    "I want to go out and y."


    "<em>Hmph, </em>if you can use your special ability to evade the IMF''s pursuit, then we could go out as many times as you want. Can''t do that? Then, stay put," Anna replied. She made quick work of her noodles and opened herptop.Tobba stuck out his tongue and rolled his eyes at Anna. He repeated her words in a mocking tone of voice before turning around and leaping into Li Lu''s embrace.


    With a few quick clicks, theputer screen turned ck as Anna entered a weird page depicting ces all over the world that had been experiencing bizarre phenomena.


    Anna hadn''t been idle while waiting for Wang Jianshe''s news. She had been searching for ways to fight the IMF. A long, drawn-out battle was not an option here, and she had to seize the initiative against them.


    The enemy of an enemy was a friend.


    Perhaps starting with the IMF''s enemies was a good choice, but there hadn''t been much progress so far. However, it was not strange at all. If they were easy to find, they would have been like a sieve in the IMF''s eyes, easy to infiltrate and destroy.


    Just then, Anna remembered something and turned to look at Li Lu next to her.


    "Do you know any organizations that are enemies of the IMF?"


    Li Lu was busy feeding her child, and she shook her head in response to Anna''s query. "The organizations I once infiltrated have already been dealt with by the IMF. You won''t get much from me."


    "Really?" Anna suddenly smiled.


    Li Lu reluctantly said, "I know what you want to do, but I advise against it. If the IMF is a cat, then those organizations are rats at best. The IMF isparable to a first-world country in strength. Those organizations couldn''t hold a candle to them.


    "What we can do and what we must do is hide¡ªwe''re going to hide until they get distracted."


    "I don''t think so. If there are enough rats, they can surely kill a cat," Anna replied. Then, her gaze returned to the screen before her.


    <em>Ring, ring, ring!</em>


    Just then, Anna''s phone rang. She picked it up and saw Wang Jianshe''s name on the screen. Holding the phone to her ear, she immediately heard an exciting piece of news from the other end of the line. ??


    "Come here, quick! We found him!" Wang Jianshe eximed, and his aged voice carried a hint of excitement that added to the credibility of the message.


    After a few false rms, however, Anna wasn''t too excited anymore. She merely said that she''d be there soon.


    If it hadn''t been for Wang Jianshe''s inquiries, she wouldn''t have known that Charles'' face was somon in this country. Moreover, Anna was also caught off guard by the number of people with simr faces worldwide.


    Anna sat in front of the vanity table and began applying makeup to her face. After applyingyer afteryer of foundation, her appearance remained alluring, but she no longer looked like Anna.


    Zhou Tao''s approach was a lesson for Anna, and she had been looking for ways to disguise herself since then. Compared to a mask and sunsses, makeup was better and more convenient.


    Perfect makeup was an excellent disguise. With the help of navy blue, formfitting polo neck and long pants that entuated her waist and hips, Anna became someone else entirely.


    When the disguised Anna arrived at Wang Jianshe''s office, she saw thetter pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back.


    "Found another one? Let''s see him," Anna asked. She sat sideways on the chair, remaining calm and unperturbed. It seemed that she was already prepared for this one to be another false rm as well.


    Wang Jianshe nodded solemnly and turned the monitor around before ying the footage. The footage was rather dim, and it seemed that the footage was made during dusk. The camera was also shaking violently.


    A few sharp joltster, a square metal trash bin appeared in the frame. The shaking eased, and the camera was then pointed inside the bin. There wasn''t much garbage inside as if it had just been emptied.


    The trash was sparse, but the filthy walls and the nauseating pitch-ck water that had pooled at the bottom of the bin told Anna that it was truly a garbage bin.


    Despite the filthy environment, someone was actually inside the bin. Judging by the size of the figure, it was a little boy. The little boy''s yellowing hair indicated that he was malnourished.


    The little boy had no idea that he was being filmed, and he was engrossed entirely in his own business¡ªcooking noodles.


    The three bricks were stacked like the character "Æ·." Arge ceramic teapot was ced atop the bricks. The teapot''s chipped paint made it clear that it was scavenged by the little boy.


    The boy took out a transparent stic lighter from the pocket of his baggy, ckened pants. He shook it hard and lit a thin piece of stic before stuffing it beneath the teapot. He then moved quickly and stuffed more mmable garbage underneath the teapot.


    Acrid ck smoke wafted out, and the tap water inside the teapot soon started boiling. As soon as it did, the boy took out a red packet of instant noodles from his arms.


    The boy opened the packet and added the noodles, the sauce, the vegetable packet, and the seasoning packet into the teapot. Each step was done with utmost care as if he weren''t cooking a packet of instant noodles but crafting a masterpiece.


    Once the noodles were cooked, the boy couldn''t wait for it to cool down. He took out a pair of filthy chopsticks and ate with relish. Clearly, he was starving. The boy winched as soon as the noodles entered his mouth. As expected, it was too hot, but the boy dared not spit them out. He tilted his head backward, covered his mouth with his hand, and exhaled loudly to cool the noodles down as soon as possible.


    When the boy tilted his head backward, he saw the camera. The camera also caught the boy''s face. His face was no cleaner than the rest of him, but his eyes were so pure¡ªlike two pieces of ck jade.


    The boy seemed delighted to see the camera, and he revealed an innocent smile.


    "Hey, you''re filming me with that, aren''t you? Am I going to be on TV?"


    The boy''s joyful, innocent smile formed a stark contrast with the filthy surroundings.


    Anna''s breathing quickened upon seeing that little face. The boy didn''t actually look like the previous Charles candidates, but those eyes¡­ she recognized those eyes¡ªthose eyes unmistakably belonged to her husband, Charles!

 Chapter 958: Threat

    Anna jolted up at the sight, and her eyes were glued to the screen.


    The little boy on the screen was undoubtedly Charles.


    The footage was still ying, and the camera shook slightly as the person recording the video asked, "Boy, why are you cooking noodles in a trash bin?"


    Charles used his hand holding the chopsticks to wipe some grime off his face before replying, "If I cook noodles outside, they''ll reach into the pot with their chopsticks and eat my noodles. I''ll still be hungry by then."


    "Who are they?"


    "People just like me, but they''re older. I''m the youngest among them."


    "Why are you wandering the streets? Where''s your family?"


    The smile on Charles'' face faded, but it reappeared just a secondter. His smile was still as innocent and as bright as ever as he calmly replied, "Haha, they''re all dead."


    The footage ended there, and the rey icon appeared over Charles'' face.Anna suppressed the excitement bubbling in her heart and gazed at Wang Jianshe''s aged face. "Where is he? Tell me where he is!"


    Wang Jianshe tapped on the screen, deleting the footage without answering Anna''s query.


    "Are you deaf?! Where exactly is that boy?!" Anna eximed even louder.


    Wang Jianshe crossed his arms on the table, staring indifferently at Anna. "The pay you offered was fair enough, but now that I found that child, I think the deal was a bit unfair."


    Just then, groups of people in ck uniforms rushed in. There was something bulging from their chests, and the atmosphere grew heavy the moment they rushed into the office.


    Anna chuckled coldly and asked, "You really think those toys can handle me? Did your son not tell you before that I''m not just an ordinary person?"


    Anna snapped her fingers, and an eerie green me manifested, orbiting her.


    The faces of the fully armed people behind her instantly turned ugly at the sight. Wang Jianshe had already told them what they were up against, but there was still a difference between reality and stories.


    "No, I don''t think these are enough to deal with you," Wang Jianshe said, shaking his head. "Ordinary firearms likely won''t work against you, but I know that you''re human, and humans are bound to have weaknesses.


    "My people found that you''ve been frequently changing residences, and you''d always disguise yourself every time you go out. It''s like you''re hiding from someone or something." R¨¢?


    Anna''s brows furrowed, and she gnashed her teeth. Wang Jianshe''s statement was a clear, naked threat.


    "This room is under surveince. I managed to help you find someone among over a billion people here, so I can definitely reveal your existence to those one billion people.


    "If ites to that, I believe the people chasing after you will catch up to you in no time."


    Anna raised her severed arm, which she had been hiding beneath her sleeves, and pointed it at Wang Jianshe. With <em>swish, </em>a crystal spike burst out of the stump of Anna''s arm, and she pressed it against Wang Jianshe''s neck.


    "How dare you threaten me, you lowly piece of trash?! Do you really think you''re worthy of bing my opponent?!"


    The instant she made her move, clicking noises filled the air as the men lifted the safeties off their weapons. Pitch-ck gun barrels were then pointed at Anna''s head from behind as the tension in the room reached its peak.


    However, Wang Jianshe remained unyielding. He stood his ground and stared firmly at Anna, saying, "You can kill me, but that kid will die as well, and the people who are after you will soon track you down.


    "And don''t even try to tempt me with immortality and whatnot. I don''t want anything. Right now, I just want my son back!


    "I know you''re powerful, and you have special abilities that ordinary people don''t have. I don''t want to offend you, but the great efforts I''ve spent searching for your target should be enough sincerity on my end.


    "Our deal still stands. Bring Wang Sheng back to me, and I''ll tell you where that child is."


    Two hourster, Anna''s face was pale as she returned to her residence.


    When Tobba learned heard what had happened, he sounded surprised as he asked, "So our next goal is to Wang Sheng and rescue him in exchange for Charles'' location?"


    However, Anna seemed like she had no ns of proceeding with the deal. A hint of malice flickered across her face as she remarked, "He''s dreaming if he thinks he can threaten me into doing something!"


    Of course, Anna''s decision wasn''t just because she was unwilling to exchange Wang Sheng for Charles. She had simply weighed the pros and cons.


    The first option was to look for Wang Sheng. It was fine, but Anna had no idea which site he was located; the second option was to handle the threat of a mere business tycoon. Anyone with eyes could see which was easier to do.


    Moreover, she had just destroyed one of the IMF''s sites. It''d be too dangerous for her to go out there and attack one of their other sites.


    "Mask, get ready. Later at night, we''re going to Wang Jianshe''s home and look for Charles'' location," Anna said. She took off her coat and changed into a ck, formfitting outfit that seemed appropriate forbat.


    However, the clown suddenly walked up to Anna. It waved its hands, and a chain of connected ying cards appeared on his arms and shoulders. There were numbers on the cards, and they clearly had some connection with each other.


    "What does this mean?" Anna asked.


    Tobba stepped forward, looking a bit smug about his ability tomunicate with any Anomaly.


    "You don''t you get it? Let me tell you then. It says that it knows where Wang Sheng is being held. Site 66 contains only people who were once under the influence of an Anomaly. Its defenses aren''t as great as sites that contain Anomalies.


    "It also says that if you make a move against Wang Jianshe and he decides to burn the bridges in response, Charles will be in danger. You need to be more careful about your next move."


    Anna stopped dead in her tracks upon hearing that. Charles'' delighted and innocent smiling face abruptly popped up in her mind. She was confident that Wang Jianshe''s threat was just an empty threat, but who could say for sure?


    If that scumbag died, Anna wasn''t going to be sad. However, how was she going to return to the Subterranean Sea without him?


    Tobba slid down the table leg with the agility of a monkey and walked up to Anna''s side. He patted her knee with his tiny hand and said, "Anna, this is just my opinion, but you already made a deal with him, so you might as wellplete it."


    Anna stood in ce, weighing the pros and cons of both decisions. A terrifying light flickered intermittently in her eyes. "I really can''t withstand receiving a threat from an ordinary human being. No human has ever dared to threaten me until now."


    The clown shook its arms again, and a new set of ying cards circled its top hat.


    "It says that you can just wait after the deal is done. Once you find Charles, you can just kill him by then."

 Chapter 959: Anomaly

    Upon hearing Tobba''s words, Li Lu paled in fright and rushed over to cover her son''s mouth before bringing him into her bosom.


    Anna paused at Tobba''s interpretation of the clown''s words.


    "That''s a pretty good idea," Anna remarked, nodding.


    "Are you crazy?! Do you not have any idea that the IMF is looking for you right now? I''m sure you know that so why are you trying to provoke them now?!" Li Lu asked. She clearly didn''t want Anna to raid an IMF site, as it would certainly lead to many deaths.


    "It doesn''t matter what I do. The IMF will never let me go, so what''s the big deal with attacking one of their sites?"


    Having made up her mind, Anna called the clown over to ask about the location and the defenses of the site containing humans affected by Anomalies.


    Anna learned from the clown that the site was somewhere in the Sahara Desert, and its defenses could not bepared to the IMF''s pr site, where they had breached containment and escaped.


    However, it made sense. Those merely under the influence of Anomalies weren''t as dangerous as the Anomalies themselves, after all. Anna felt a bit better. She was relieved to learn that the strength of both sides was about even.


    ***An exhausted Wang Jianshe got out of his car and entered his eerily quiet vi.


    Wearing slippers, he walked into the walk-in refrigerator and reached for some ice cubes. Clinking noises echoed as ice cubes were thrown into a ss. An amber liquid was then poured over the ice.


    A few secondster, Wang Jianshe grabbed the cold ss and down the liquor.


    Wang Jianshe had a lot of money, so he could easily transform this vi into a lively dwelling, but he had never been fond of anything like that. If his residence was lively, he wanted it to be natural rather than fabricated.


    Wang Jianshe lounged on the sofa and looked up at the news projected on the wall. Not even three secondster, Wang Jianshe''s eyelids drooped, and the motion-sensing lights dimmed gradually.


    Just as Wang Jianshe was about to fall asleep, the ss in his hand slipped toward the carpet. Just as it was about to fall to the floor, a thin, pale hand caught it in midair.


    The ss was raised and then tipped over Wang Jianshe''s face.


    The cold liquornded directly on Wang Jianshe''s face, and his eyes widened in an instant.


    He instantly saw Anna standing right in front of him, and his fatigue vanished like a bubble being popped.


    "You can kill me, but you won''t get what you want. If I die, that boy is going to die, too! I''ve already arranged it, so you cannot stop it!" Wang Jianshe eximed.


    Anna bent down to ce the empty ss on the ss coffee table. She then took a few steps to sit on a wide sofa nearby. Crossing her legs, she stared at Wang Jianshe and asked, "What? You want to die that badly?" £Ò?


    "Since you''re not here to silence me, does that mean you''ve already found Wang Sheng?" Wang Jianshe asked, propping himself up. He nced at the doorway in confusion.


    "Hahaha, do you really think it''s that easy? I can help you find Wang Sheng, but you must provide me with some support."


    "Sure!" Wang Jianshe readily agreed. He could do anything as long as it would save his son.


    "First of all, you have to smuggle us out of this country. No one must find out, of course."


    "No problem. Need any helpers? I can provide you with some people," Wang Jianshe replied. He didn''t bother asking why she needed to leave the country to find Wang Sheng when he was apparently in her hands not too long ago.


    Wang Jianshe was long aware that Anna had lied to him at the time.


    "No need." Anna shook her head slightly. "Once you''ve smuggled us out, you have to provide me with a few things. You can just give them to me once we arrive at our destination."


    It seemed that Anna''s dealings with the shadow agents of the IMF had left Anna reeling from PTSD. She couldn''t trust anyone else, except for when the individual shared amon goal with her.


    "Okay, just tell me what you need. I''ll give them all to you, and at the highest quality at that!" Wang Jianshe added. Since there was hope of seeing his son again, he was ready to agree with Anna''s conditions.


    Anna stared at the empty ceiling for a while before standing up and heading for the door. "Tell your people to get ready. We''re leaving tonight. I don''t want to wait a second longer."


    A lotus pond and a Chinese pavilion were behind Wang Jianshe''s vi. It was a tranquil and rxing sight; it appeared particrly picturesque as well beneath the radiant moonlight.


    Anna walked into the Chinese pavilion in the middle of the pond and gazed at the full moon. Knowing that she would soon meet the surface world''s Charles, Anna took deep breaths to calm her tumultuous emotions.


    However, there was one burning question in her mind.


    <em>Howe Charles'' living environment is different from his memories?</em>


    In Charles'' memories, he was clearly living a happy life with his family, yet the surface world''s Charles had to reside in a filthy trash bin.


    The stark contrast was so shocking that there had to be something amiss here.


    <em>Was I mistaken? Maybe that child isn''t Charles? </em>Anna pondered with furrowed brows, but she immediately shook her head. She could be mistaken with other things, but there was no way she''d mistake her husband for someone else. After all, they had spent so many years by each other''s side in the Subterranean Sea.


    Wang Jianshe was starting to make phone calls in his vi. Anna heard that, and her figure vibrated at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye as she phased through the wall up ahead.


    She had doubts, but she could just deal with themter. She''d surely find out what was going on as soon as they met each other.


    In any case, Charles was definitely going to fall into the Subterranean Sea. Anna just had to make good use of that fact, and she''d be able to return to the seascape.


    With Wang Jianshe''s help, Anna, Li Lu, Tobba, and the clown easily exited the country. Without leaving even a false identity behind, the IMF couldn''t possibly track them down.


    They flew in a private small passenger ne over northern Africa, and they advanced steadily toward the Sahara Desert.


    The items that Anna had asked Wang Jianshe to prepare were inside tworge bags lying quietly in the luggagepartment of the ne.


    Meanwhile, Tobba was running up and down the aisle with two toy nes in hand.


    "Why do I have toe here? And why does my son have toe, too? He''s just a baby!" Li Lu remarked, sounding dissatisfied.


    Anna took off her eye mask and looked at her, replying, "You are pretty skilled, so you can be helpful to me. As for your son, he''s useful as well.


    "Don''t worry. If you go all-out into helping me, then there won''t be any mishaps. The clown''s previous host was once contained in that site, so it''s familiar with the ce.


    "Anyway, once this is all over, your efforts are counted as your pledge of allegiance to me. <em>Hahaha, </em>you won''t be a captive any longer by then; you''ll truly be one of us."


    Li Lu was not happy to hear that at all. She frowned deeply, and her thoughts were inscrutable.


    Just then, a flight attendant walked over. She shed her white teeth at Anna and said, "Ma''am, we''ll arrive at the Mauritania Airport in thirty minutes."


    Anna turned to look out the window and saw a vast expanse of gold. The sand dunes glimmered like mountains of gold beneath the intense sunlight.


    <em>What a beautiful sight. I''m sure the Subterranean Sea doesn''t have such gorgeous scenery. </em>Anna thought. She couldn''t help but sigh in awe at the sight.


    In stark contrast, the countries within the Sahara Desert weren''t awe-inspiring at all. In fact, the capital city of Mauritania looked like a dpidated fourth-tier city from up above.

 Chapter 960: 66

    The desert wind was noisy at night, and there wasn''t anything else around except for the glittering stars up above. Amidst the howling winds, a lone off-road vehicle carved deep tire tracks into the sand dunes as it made its way southward, pressing onward to its destination.


    There were whirlwinds across the desert, and the golden sand rose up high into the air as if it were smoke rising from the ground. The sand pelted the vehicle and the faces of its passengers.


    Despite the scarf covering his face, Tobba still ended up coughing sand. He nced at the clown next to him and asked, "Hey, are you sure it''s okay for us to just drive in just like this? I''m afraid we''re heading straight into an ambush.


    "What? There''s no real danger since we still haven''t reached the outskirts of the site? You''d better not be mistaken. I don''t want to be a guinea pig. I''m still a baby, you know that, right?"


    "Shut up!" Anna hissed. Her eyes were constantly scanning their surroundings, looking for any signs of trouble.


    Tobba stuck his tongue out and went silent.


    A deafening silence descended upon the vehicle, but it did notst long.


    Roughly half an hourter, a sliver of white appeared in the dim horizon.


    It was daybreak.When the sun appeared on the horizon, the frigid temperatures that demanded the use of down jackets rapidly rose.


    By nine in the morning, the desert heat was already sweltering. The golden sand had be hot enough to fry an egg, and the thermometer outside told everyone that it was forty-five degrees Celsius outside.


    There was no way they could continue their journey under these conditions.


    The people in the car could withstand it, but the vehicle''s tires couldn''t endure such harsh conditions.


    The car was parked in a valley between the dunes. A tent with the same color as the sand was pitched, protecting Anna, the others, and the vehicle from the scorching sun.


    Of course, they couldn''t light a fire here, so their meals were simplepressed biscuits and mineral water. Anna picked up a biscuit and took a bite. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and then she quietly cursed the barely edible biscuits.


    In the end, Anna took arge bite of the biscuit and sat cross-legged on the nket. While chewing away at the biscuit, she studied the mapsid out before her.


    There were two maps¡ªonerge and one small. Therge map was an overall map of the Sahara Desert, while the smaller map was the floor n of Site 66.


    The two maps were made by the clown, and the details were courtesy of its previous host, who somehow managed to escape Site 66.


    The map of the Sahara Desert was not particrly interesting. Wang Jianshe had clearly marked the helpful coordinates as well as the best routes and the distance that one had to cross by using a specific route.


    The key to this operation was the small map.


    Just like the pr site, Site 66 was an underground site made to contain humans affected by Anomalies as well as their instances. It resembled an inverted triangle in shape, and its floor n wasn''t that different from the pr site.


    The uppermost floor was dedicated to the staffers; it contained their dwellings as well as lounges and more amenities.


    Those under the influence of an Anomaly were contained beneath the uppermost floor, and those affected more seriously than the others were contained on the deeper floors.


    <em>If it''s possible, I''m going to use my special ability to phase through walls to get Wang Sheng out. If that doesn''t work, then we''ll go big, just like before. We''ll release all the troublemakers.</em>


    Their main objective was to find and rescue Wang Sheng to trade him for Charles.


    However, Anna had another goal that she hadn''t voiced out to anyone.


    If the people inside Site 66 were all under the influence of an Anomaly, wouldn''t that mean that some of them were members of organizations that were against the IMF?


    If that was the case, then she wouldn''t need to fight alone after this.


    In addition, standing against the entire IMF by herself wasn''t exactly a great idea.


    Anna believed that there were other forces out there capable of facing the IMF. After all, even the Foundation in the Subterranean Sea was just one of the most powerful organizations throughout the seascape.


    <em>The enemy of my enemy is my friend. </em>She could surely work with them.


    With that in mind, Anna looked at Li Lu. "You mentioned that some of the cults you infiltrated were worshiping Anomalies as gods? Is it true?"


    Li Lu was busy breastfeeding her child, and she did not even look up as she nodded. "That''s right, but they''re too weak. They were just rats that couldn''t afford to show themselves to the light.


    "They couldn''t stand a chance against the IMF''s powerful Mobile Task Forces."


    "Haha, if they''re that weak, why is the IMF spending money to cultivate people like you?" Anna asked. She then walked up to Li Lu and tucked thetter''s hair behind her ear.


    Anna pressed her lips to Li Lu''s ear and whispered, "And you''d best watch your attitude. Don''t forget which side you''re on now."


    A bead of sweat slid down Li Lu''s face, and Anna smiled faintly at the sight. She grabbed the bottle of mineral water in Li Lu''s hand and tilted her head back to down it in one swig.


    The sun in the sky was still scorching, but Anna and the others were already trying to sleep. The clown didn''t need any sleep to function, so it was tasked with the job of keeping watch.


    When the fireball in the sky finally disappeared into the west, Anna awakened from her sleep. She wrapped herself in thick clothing, and the group set out once more.


    The group continued on their journey, sleeping during the day and traveling in the middle of the night. On the fifth day of their journey, they finally reached the outskirts of Site 66.


    The clown warned the group about the traps up ahead, but Anna wasn''t particrly concerned about those traps. She moved beneath the golden sand and swam like a mermaid, pushing aside the mines and the sensors.


    There was a stretch of road between them and Site 66, but Anna had no intentions of using that road. It''d be far too conspicuous.


    Soon, it was 3 A.M., and it was the best time to infiltrate the site.


    Anna got out of the car, and the swaddled Tobba was hanging from her waist. She took off the clown mask and put it into her pocket. Then, she turned to Li Lu behind her and said, "Watch the car. Wait for us to return."


    "How can a baby be useful to you over there? Why don''t you just leave him here? How about you take me instead of him?" Li Lu suggested.


    Even a child could deduce that the operation to find and rescue Wang Sheng was extremely dangerous, and Li Lu didn''t want her son to be subjected to such risks.


    Instead of replying right away, Anna walked up to the vehicle''s trunk and pulled out tworge suitcases. The suitcases were packed to the brim with withered corpses. These corpses were what she had demanded from Wang Jianshe.


    Anna crouched down and began piecing them together. "Your son is going to be very useful to me. He doesn''t remember anything right now, but his future self certainly knows what''s ahead of us. He can surely provide me with some help."


    Tugging at the skin, bones, and entrails, Anna pieced the body parts into four humanoid figures.


    The shambling figures with exposed bones and organs stood up. They grabbed the firearms at the bottom of the suitcases and loaded bullets into them. Then, they stuffed their putrid bodies with magazines and grenades.


    Unless deployed in droves, these things weren''t exactly helpful in fights, as they were only slightly stronger than the average male adult. However, Anna had no one else around her except for Li Lu and Tobba, and she needed cannon fodders, so she had no choice but to do this.


    "Anna, can you make me a doll when we get back home? I''m sure they''re going to look cute if I cover them with cartoon toy covers," Tobba said.


    Anna ignored Tobba''s nonsense and moved forward slowly with the spliced corpses. They crawled and moved slowly but surely in the darkness. They crawled for several kilometers until they reached the summit of a sand dune.


    From the crest of the sand dune, Anna finally saw Site 66.

 Chapter 961: People

    Site 66 looked like a small town situated in the desert, but the towering walls and the electrified barbed wires around the "town" said otherwise.


    Bright searchlights swept across the sandy ground, and there were surveince cameras everywhere, allowing the IMF staffers to see from all angles without any blind spots. Fortunately, they were useless against Anna.


    After ordering the spliced flesh creatures to wait, Anna''s figure sank into the golden sand.


    Anna easily evaded every countermeasure that the IMF had in ce against invaders, and she soon made her way to Site 66''s Level -1.


    Just as the clown had described, Level -1 looked like a hospital, and there were many people d in blue uniforms.


    The people d in blue uniforms were busy treating patients d in blue-and-white hospital gowns. Their treatment method varied from simple medication, electroshock therapy to hypnosis.


    If it weren''t for the presence of heavily armedbat teams, this ce could pass for a legitimate hospital. Finding Wang Sheng wouldn''t be difficult, as Anna only had to ask the "locals."


    However, the people who were behaving normally and chatting amiably with the IMF staffers weren''t an option for Anna. There was a high chance that they''d inform the doctors of Anna''s presence.


    Anna''s phased through the floor and descended. Level -2 was noticeably more deserted than Level -1.If the floor above was a regr hospital, then this floor was probably a mental hospital. The floor was divided into different areas through iron bars. Theughter and chatter on Level -1 weren''t here.


    Instead, an oppressive atmosphere was in the air. Anna looked around for a few seconds before approaching a room on her right. The room was a padded cell, and a man in a straightjacket was in the corner of the room.


    He was leaning on the wall in the corner of the padded cell and was mming his head into the wall.


    Anna reached out to the wall and glided inside of it until she was behind the man.


    "Tell me where the followers of Fhtagn are located, and I can help you out of your restraints," Anna''s voice clung to the wall and was transmitted to the man''s ears at a volume simr to a mosquito''s droning.


    The man spoke, but his answer was unrted to the question. "They say I ate my two-month-old daughter, but that''s impossible! I don''t even have a wife!"


    <em>What is this madman trying to say?</em> Anna mused.


    The bearded man eximed, "They say they found my wife''s bones in my excrement, but that''s a lie! Yes! They''re all lying! They''re all trying to harm me!"


    Anna nced at the pendant hanging from his chest and saw a family picture on the pendant. With that, she said nothing and retreated to find someone else.


    The man''s voice pervaded the thick walls as he screamed hysterically, "IT''S THAT KNIFE! THAT RUSTY RED KNIFE!"


    The next person wasn''t restrained, but instead of replying to Anna''s query, he held up his right hand, which had a smiley face drawn on it and spun in ce.


    After going around in circles, Anna realized that this floor was actually a mental hospital. The people inside each padded cell were grappling with their own mental issues. ???


    Anna couldn''t even find someone capable of holding a normal conversion; they had been heavily influenced by the Anomalies they once held, so how could Anna find any information about Wang Sheng from them?


    Just as Anna was about to trigger the rms, she finally found people capable of holding a conversation.


    They were seven albino boys. Dressed in white, they were sitting in a circle and were holding each other''s hands. They resembled a group of adorable little angels. As soon as Anna approached their room, they turned to the wall at the same time. Their eyes seemed capable of piercing the wall to see Anna inside of it.


    Before Anna could speak, the children beat her to the chase. They spoke and fell silent at the same time as if all seven of them shared a single soul.


    "<em>Ah, </em>you''re looking for them. I know them. They''re being held in the intensive care unit on the lowest floor. They''re different from the people on this floor. They''re very dangerous, and they believe in something incredibly dangerous.


    "You should be careful around them."


    <em>Hm? How did they know my thoughts? </em>Anna thought.


    The seven albino children opened their mouths in unison.


    "I''m not doing it on purpose, but I''m assimting your feelings. For example, I can sense your urgency, and your urgency is infecting me as well.


    "If possible, I hope you''ll rescue us. There are too many emotions around here, and we''ve gotten tired of adapting."


    Before Anna could ask anything, the speaker in the upper left corner of the padded cell crackled to life. "<em>Ahem! </em>Howard, who are you talking to?"


    The children instantly closed their eyes and mouths. They sat cross-legged and became immovable like stone statues.


    Anna observed them carefully for a while before proceeding toward the bottommost level.


    Upon reaching Level -29, however, something unexpected urred. Anna''s special ability to phase through walls was ineffective against the ceiling and the walls of Level -30.


    It seemed that the IMF had anticipated that someone could infiltrate the site by phasing through walls, so they had decided to build the lowest floor using a material that would not allow the use of such an ability.


    Anna was between the ceiling of Level -30 and the floor of Level -29. She crouched down on one knee and pressed her hand against the ceiling of Level -30.


    The material used to build Level -30 would surely be unable to withstand her corrosive mes, but she''d surely be exposed if she were to melt away the floor.


    Anna took a moment to ponder over her next course of action. Eventually, she returned to the floor up above. She looked around the floor until she finally found the restroom that had no surveince cameras.


    Anna waited patiently in the walls of the restroom for a target toe in.


    After a while, a middle-aged woman in a blue uniform and with a small metal case in hand walked into Anna''s line of sight. The middle-aged woman then entered the cramped stall and removed her skirt. Just as she was about to relieve herself, Anna reached out and pulled her into the wall.


    Soon, Anna emerged from the restroom wearing the IMF''s blue uniform. As for the middle-aged woman, she hadpletely merged with the wall, so her corpse would never be discovered.


    ording to the floor n that she had memorized, Anna made her way toward the elevator with a small metal case carrying Tobba in hand.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    The elevator doors opened, and a man walked into it along with Anna.


    As the elevator descended, the man cast a surprised gaze at the metal case in Anna''s hand.


    "Is that a specimen for Project Medusa? Did Dr. Harley say anything about when the testing phase willmence?"


    Anna acted as if she couldn''t hear the man, and she didn''t even nce in his direction.


    "Come on, don''t be so tight-lipped. We''re colleagues, and that project is public knowledge, anyway."


    Anna remained silent.


    Meanwhile, the elevator finally passed through theyer of special material that disrupted her phasing ability. Anna opened the elevator doors and walked out.


    As soon as she walked out, zapping and buzzing noises pervaded her ears. The sound resembled an electric current, and each sound was apanied by agonized screams.


    Anna followed the noises and saw a clearing half the size of a ser field.


    Those who had been converted into Fhtagnists via the conversion ritual were all inside the clearing, and there was an unfinished array on the ground. There were people in orange clothes sitting quietly in the middle of the array.

 Chapter 962: Believers

    <em>They''re using the Fhtagnists to draw the sacrificial array that I used back then, </em>Anna thought. She could clearly see what they were doing through the clear ss.


    Carrying the small metal case containing Tobba, she circled the circr clearing and quietly observed everything inside.


    After a brief scan, Anna finally saw her mission objective¡ªWang Sheng. Wang Sheng''s head was hanging low in front of his chest, and his eyes were filled with a reluctant gaze as he stared at Li Long.


    Li Long was twitching incessantly on the ground. His face was flushed red, and his veins were bulging as he grabbed the metal cor around his neck and struggled desperately against it.


    A high-voltage electric current was being administered to him through the metal cor, and the voltage was so high that he lost control of his dder.


    This punishmentsted for five seconds. Once it was over, Li Long was left quivering on the ground, panting heavily from the punishment. Momentster, a stern male voice echoed from the speaker nearby. "5127! Stand up!"


    Li Long desperately attempted to stand to his feet. It became clear that failing to do as instructed would likely result in more severe punishment.


    He had just been electrocuted, but Li Long dared not disobey. He forced his trembling body to stand up and walked toward the array to continue with his work.


    Despite having located her target, Anna didn''t act rashly. It was too bright, and there were surveince cameras all around her. It''d be too risky to go in and grab Wang Sheng."Tobba, do you have anything to say? Have you seen any future scenes or anything like that?" Anna asked, looking down at the case in her hand.


    A young, muffled voice echoed from inside the case. "I haven''t seen anything like that, but I know that I''m going to die of suffocation if you don''t let me out soon."


    Tobba had to be let out, or he would die in the metal case. While Anna was busy thinking of solutions, she ended up attracting the attention of security.


    A tall man in a ck uniform walked up to her. "Excuse me, Ma''am. Can you please show me your ID card? And which department are you from?"


    The clothes that Anna had "borrowed" had a so-called "ID card" attached to them, but she absolutely couldn''t show it to the tall man, as the photo on it lookedpletely different from her current face.


    "Okay, give me a moment," Anna replied with a gentle smile. She reached into her clothing and casually asked, "How''s the experiment going? Any new developments?"


    The security personnel shook his head and extended his right hand to receive Anna''s ID card. "I''m only responsible for the security here. I have no authority to inquire about anything else. If your clearance is high enough, you can submit a request to Dr. Luvlyn."


    A few secondster, Anna''s hand was still rummaging through her clothes.


    The security personnel seemed to have noticed something amiss just then as he frowned and raised the walkie-talkie in his right hand to his mouth.


    "<em>Ah, </em>I found it," Anna eximed before the security personnel could say anything into the walkie-talkie. Then, she smiled and apologized, "I''m sorry I often misce things."


    She pulled out something from her clothes, but instead of an ID card, it was a hideous clown mask. Before the tall man could even understand what was going on, Anna had already shoved the mask to his face.


    A crisp noise echoed as the walkie-talkie fell to the ground. The man grabbed the mask on his face and struggled violently against it."<em>Mmph! Mmmph! MMMPH!!!</em>"


    However, his strugglested only for a few seconds. He lowered his hands slowly and bent down to pick up the ck walkie-talkie.


    Anna''s face turned cold. She patted the man''s shoulder and said, "We can''t stay here for too long. Go create some chaos out there. In the meantime, I''ll take Wang Sheng out of here. Meet me at the elevator; I''ll leave an opening for you to run."


    The man wearing the clown mask nodded silently and walked down the curved corridor. He ced the walkie-talkie at his waist and flipped his hand, revealing two ying cards depicting the King and the Queen between his index and middle fingers. ?


    Anna turned and walked leisurely toward Wang Sheng.


    Wang Sheng was supporting Li Long, who was bending over to draw the array using flesh and blood. Anna recognized the array. It was the sacrificial array for the Primordial Fire.


    However, the IMF was making multiple mistakes. In addition to the array being perfect, one''s emotions when chanting the incantation were important as well.


    Unless the IMF corrected that, they''d never seed in their attempts to replicate the ritual.


    Anna couldn''t help but frown as she looked around. She couldn''t see any attempts to replicate the relic fusion ritual. Logically, the IMF had to be interested in a ritual that would allow human bodies to absorb an Anomaly''s special ability.


    Why weren''t they conducting any experiments based on that?


    Before Anna could figure out the answer, a violent explosion sounded behind her.


    The clown had finally made its move.


    "Everyone, follow me! Quick!" Rapid footsteps reverberated, andbat teams emerged from out of nowhere to respond to themotion with weapons in hand.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    There was another explosion, and the lights on the ceiling flickered as the site''s power supply became unstable. It seemed that the clown had somehow inflicted some damage on the site''s electric distribution lines.


    Everyone''s attention was on themotion, so Anna decided to take advantage of that opportunity to make her move. She pressed one hand on the wall and created a hole in it using her corrosive, green mes.


    A U-shaped tunnel was made, and it was connected to the circr central za.


    Just then, the Fhtagnists craned their necks, staring at the distantmotion. They were so engrossed in themotion that they failed to notice Anna standing right behind them.


    Before Wang Sheng could figure out what was happening, a hand grabbed him from behind and pulled him into the U-shaped tunnel.


    Wang Sheng turned and was instantly agitated upon seeing Anna. He was so agitated that he looked like he was going to cry anytime soon. "High Priestess! So you finally came to save us!"


    Wang Sheng had almost fallen into despair at the thought that he''d spent the rest of his days here. He truly didn''t expect that the High Priestess woulde here and save him.


    "<em>Shh! </em>Quiet! For now, I can only save you," Anna replied. Rescuing so many people at once would draw too much attention; it''d be impossible for them to slip away unnoticed.


    Wang Sheng was ted, but his smile quickly faded.


    "No, I can''t leave, High Priestess. This thing on my neck is constantly tracking me down. If I walk too far from where I''m supposed to be, it''ll inject anesthesia into me."


    Instead of replying, Anna reached toward his neck. Wang Sheng stepped backward with a hint of fear in his face. "It''s not going to work! This thing will inject poison into my carotid artery if you attempt to destroy it by force!"


    "Rx. I''ve worn one, too, and I know it better than you." Anna put her hand on the cor, and her figure vibrated at high speeds. The metal cor on Wang Sheng''s neck vibrated along with her, and it eventually phased through his neck before falling to the ground with a loud <em>ng</em>.


    "Let''s go! We''ve got to go fast!" Anna eximed, pulling him toward the stairwell.


    Anna''s destination wasn''t far, so they arrived there in no time.


    When the elevator doors opened with a <em>ding,</em> Wang Sheng instantly felt as if he had fallen into a thousand-year-old icy cavern. The spacious elevator was packed to the brim with fully armed Mobile Task Force members d in ck uniforms.

 Chapter 963: Escaped?

    Just as Wang Sheng thought that he was doomed, the Mobile Task Force members nced at Anna, and without a word, they ran past the two, making a beeline for the ongoingmotion.


    It turned out that Anna had whipped out a pistol and was pressing it against Wang Sheng''s waist. From their eyes, Anna was an IMF staffer escorting a prisoner.


    If this were any other time, they would have asked questions, but there was a more pressing situation in the distance, so they had no time to spare for anything else.


    Wang Sheng seemed eager to say something in the elevator, but he dared not say something in the face of Anna''s stern re. Fortunately, Anna had no need to deceive them for so long, as she only had to keep up the facade until they were out of the elevator.


    When the elevator door opened, Anna immediately walked out. When the elevator doors closed once more, Anna pressed her hand on the wall, and her green corrosive mes burned a hole in it.


    She then grabbed Wang Sheng and phased into the nearby wall.


    Instead of leaving immediately, Anna bid her time, seemingly waiting for something. Just then, a figure beneath the hole emerged from a venttion duct and rushed along the wall toward the opening.


    It was the clown. Its right arm was broken, and a bleeding gunshot wound was in its abdomen.


    Arge group of Mobile Task Force members were behind it. One of them had a physique that resembled a spider, and he ran fast, leaving afterimages behind him.Mike looked at the enemy''s back with a hint of disdain in his eyes. It was already severely injured, so how dare it keep on running away from them? It was really underestimating them.


    Just as Mike was about to thrust the bay toward the clown, the clown abruptly turned around and presented its chest to the bay.


    Mike was stunned. The clown took advantage of that and put his clown mask on Mike''s face. With the mask on, Mike propped his limbs on the ground and crawled out of the corroded hole like a real spider.


    "Command Center! Target has switched hosts and is headed to Level -29. Raise the Level 2 alert!"


    The relentless pursuit of the Mobile Task Force members allowed them to reach a dead Mike on Level -29 in just three minutes. Unfortunately, the mask had long vanished by then.


    The mask was on Wang Sheng''s face. He quietly followed Anna as they ascended through the walls. Just as Anna was about to reach the surface, the spliced flesh creatures lurking in the soil finally came into y.


    They crawled out of the golden sand and fearlessly staggered their way toward Site 66. They were a fearsome force as they had hot weapons in their arms. Even worse, they were impervious to bullets.


    However, incendiary attacks were extremely effective against them, and one of them was torn apart upon getting hit by a grenadeuncher. Despite their clear weakness, they still achieved the effect that Anna wanted to achieve.


    Anna took advantage of the chaos to escape with Wang Sheng from the other side of themotion.


    After a mad dash to the car, Anna jumped in and started it. The masked Wang Sheng leaped to the rear of the vehicle. He then took out a magician''s cloth from his sleeve and hurled it to the ground behind them.


    The purple magician''s clothnded on the ground, and the tire tracks of their vehicle disappeared.


    The car moved at full speed ahead across the desert. Just as they exited the site''s periphery, whirring helicopters echoed from the distant sky. The IMF members were actually catching up to them. ?


    "I told you that it wasn''t going to work! There''s no way the IMF will let you fool them so easily!" Li Lu eximed fiercely with Tobba in her arms.


    "Shut up!" Anna gripped the steering wheel with one hand and gnashed her teeth. She pushed the elerator to its limits, and their vehicle charged straight into the sand dune up ahead.


    Anna''s figure and the vehicle vibrated at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.


    The off-road vehicle shot into the sand dune as if it were a rocket. Upon melting into the sand dune, Anna forced the car''s nose downward, driving it as if it were a submarine.


    This was Anna''s first time phasing through solid with so much baggage at once. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and Anna was no exception. She had to pay a price for using her special ability.


    Soon, she could feel her brain swelling from the exertion. However, there was no way she was going to give up. If the helicopters and nes above them were to end up discovering them, they''d be sitting ducks for the IMF.


    If the IMF ended up surrounding them, they wouldn''t be able to escape.


    Thus, Anna endured the mental strain and persevered for thirty minutes before finally driving the car out of the sand. However, the prolonged use of the special ability inevitably weakened its effects, so they were covered in sand all over.


    The masked Wang Sheng opened his mouth, spitting out some sand from his mouth. He then grabbed the steering wheel from Anna''s hands. Although they had evaded the IMF''s pursuit, Anna dared not stop within their territory.


    They decided to take turns driving across the entire desert. They moved so fast that they crossed the entire desert in just five days, arriving at what looked like a region with a semi-desert biome.


    Upon confirming their current position via GPS, they changed directions. Instead of heading in the direction of the airport where they previouslynded, Anna decided to head for the country next door.


    Wang Jianshe had already prepared everything for them, so they''d definitely receive support from him.


    Since the crisis had been resolved, Anna''s taut nerves finally rxed, but the ramifications of using her special ability for an extended period of time and on such a scale finally descended upon Anna like a waterfall.


    In an instant, she felt a splitting headache, and she quivered like an aspen tree.


    She desperately needed to rest, so after taking a few painkillers, Anna sprawled out amidst the jumble of misceneous items in the trunk.


    The moment sheid herself down, she instantly fell asleep, and she found herself in the middle of a bizarre dream.


    She was located in what appeared to be a vast, boundless sea. It was a dreamlike and surreal scenery. She felt as if she were sprawled out on an azure ocean, and the gentle waves of the ocean were rocking her to sleep.


    The starry sky was above the sea, and the glittering stars up above seemed to gather to form a vague face. It was a familiar face, but Anna just couldn''t remember him.


    "Long time no see, Anna. How have you been?" the face asked.


    As soon as the voice entered her ears, Anna instantly remembered the owner of that face. It had to be Charles'' face, as the voice just now unmistakably belonged to him.


    Anna was utterly furious. She looked up at the starry face and cursed, "How dare you ask me how I''ve been, you piece of trash?! Don''t you know what you''ve done to me?!


    "If I had known that you''d treat me like that after all I''ve done for you, I would have just eaten you whole, skin and all, back then!"


    The string of curses astounded the starry face. It seemed that it hadn''t expected Anna''s reaction. Unfortunately, the subtle hint of surprise on its face was its folly, as Anna instantly realized that something was off about the Charles before her.


    Charles had offered a variety of responses to her invectives, including getting angry and arguing back. However, Charles had never reacted that way, and Anna believed that he would never react that way as well.


    In other words, there was an invader¡ªsomeone had invaded her dream.


    Anna stood up from the water and red coldly at the massive starry face.


    "Who are you?" she asked.


    "You already noticed? As expected of 315, who has single-handedly upended an entire site."


    As soon as the starry face''s words fell, everything around Anna faded away.


    The starry sky vanished, and the seawater receded. When the surroundings finally peeled away, Anna found herself standing on the bottommost level of Site 66, where Wang Sheng was being held captive.

 Chapter 964: Luvlyn

    Anna looked around and found herself standing in the middle of the clearing where Wang Sheng and the others were working. However, the clearing was deserted, with no one else around her.


    "Who are you?" Anna asked. Her voice echoed loudly in the spacious, empty clearing. Her question was directed to the invader who had taken on Charles'' face.


    The smooth floor bulged, and it transformed into what looked like a humanoid ceramic doll.


    "You can call me Dr. Luvlyn. I don''t really want to be at odds like you, so let''s have a good chat, shall we? As long as you''re willing to cooperate with us, everything that you''ve done so far can be water under the bridge."


    It was a soft feminine voice, seeminglying from a kind and amiable woman.


    Anna looked around and remembered having experienced something simr to this. It seemed that someone had truly invaded her dream. However, it wasn''t just an intrusion; the invader had also altered her dreamscape.


    Anna stared at the faceless humanoid figure and fell into deep contemtion. In the end, she crossed her arms in front of her chest and asked, "Tell me more about what you mean by ''cooperation''."


    "Tell me where you came from, where you learned those things, and... who is this Charles?"


    "I''ve said it before. I''m from the Subterranean Sea. It is an inverted ocean beneath the earth. I already told your people about it, but they refused to believe me," Anna said. Then, she gnashed her teeth and lunged at the ss wall.The floor undted, attempting to restrain Anna. Having made up her mind, Anna kicked off hard from the writhing ground and charged at the ss wall like a cheetah.


    Instead of smashing the ss with her hands, she used her head instead. She was once capable of manipting other''s dreams, so she keenly knew how to escape her predicament.


    She just had to concentrate and ovep her consciousness with her senses. Then, she had to treat this dream as the real world before harming herself.


    The act of self-harm could trigger the instincts of her sleeping fleshly body, which would lead to her awakening. The moment Anna''s head made contact with the ss, the rigid ss became extremely soft as if it were silk.


    A head-shaped indent appeared on the ss wall. The ss moved like water, engulfing Anna.


    The faceless figure floated over to the struggling Anna.


    "No, you''re mistaken. We believe you."


    Anna was startled. "What?"


    "The idea of a subterranean sea sounds absurd, but based on the bizarre rituals you''ve conducted so far and your strange behaviors, there''s a high chance that you''re telling the truth."


    Anna stopped struggling and stared at the faceless figure in front of her with some surprise. "Since you believe me, shouldn''t you focus on finding the Subterranean Sea? Whye to me? ??


    "I''ll have to thank you if you somehow end up finding it. Hehe."


    The smooth, faceless countenance came closer to Anna''s face, and Luvlyn gazed at thetter through ayer of ss. "So the question is¡ªwhere is the entrance to the Subterranean Sea?"


    Anna''s heart sank, and her wariness skyrocketed to the skies.


    If they were to learn about Charles'' true value¡­


    Luvlyn moved her faceless countenance away, her body circling around Anna like a jellyfish.


    "The deepest humanity has ever dug into the ground was a projectunched by the former Soviet Union in the early 1950s. Competing with the United States, they hired dozens of the world''s top scientists in a n to drill a hole from the Earth''s surface to the core.


    "It was an absurd project that only happened due to the Cold War."


    "Do you know how deep they managed to dig? 12,262 meters. Temperatures in that depth are several hundred degrees Celsius, and the pressure was so high that even solids acted like liquids.


    "Despite that, they couldn''t pierce through the Earth''s lithosphere.


    "We can boldly assume that the Subterranean Sea¡ªa massive inverted ocean beneath the earth¡ªexists, but we have to verify the facts carefully.


    "In the absence of finding physical evidence, it''s just an assumption. Do you understand what I''m talking about? So where is the entrance? Evidence is necessary, as it is going to prove everything."


    Upon realizing that there was no way she could escape her own dreamscape, Anna calmed down and changed her strategy. After pondering for a moment, she said, "To be honest, our rtionship wouldn''t be so constrained if your people were as easy to talk to as you.


    "As for the entrance to the Subterranean Sea, I don''t know. If I were aware of its location, I wouldn''t be here today. However, I can work with you; we can search for the entrance together."


    The ss around Anna fell to the ground as if it were her clothes.


    Anna was free once more.


    Momentster, the scenery transformed into a kaleidoscope before Anna found herself inside a cozy lounge. Luvlyn reclined on a plush sofa and said, "Sit. Let''s have a good chat about that."


    Anna nced at the murals on the walls and bent down to sit on the sofa. "Sure, we can talk, but can you answer my question first? Are you part of the so-called strongest Mobile Task Force of the IMF? Is this an ambush for me?"


    "No," Luvlyn said, shaking her head gently. "I work at Site 66, and my job is to use some special techniques to heal those poor people.


    "As for why you''re here, you can just say that it''s an ident. Anyway, I''ve already answered your question, so it''s your turn to answer mine. What''s your identity in the Subterranean Sea? How powerful are you?"


    "What other identity can I have?" Anna chuckled. "I''m just an ordinary governor of an ind."


    "<em>Oh?</em> The reports written about you said that even though you look human, you do not possess the heart of a human at all. There are even records of you consuming human flesh," Luvlyn asked.


    "That''s a misconception. The Subterranean Sea and the surface world are two different worlds, so their moral principles and societal norms arepletely different from each other."


    "Do you expect people to maintain a clean and noble soul when they''ve spent their entire lives making a living in the pitch-ck and bizarre sea of the Subterranean Sea?


    "If one were to get lost at sea, one would have to consume one''s own crew to live. It is not as umon as you think in the Subterranean Sea.


    "Believe me, an extremely domineering and ruthless captain with no empathy is far more reliable in the Subterranean Sea than a kind-hearted, righteous captain," Anna replied.


    "What about the monster in your dream that Agent 2 has discovered? What do you have to say about that?"


    "<em>Ah, </em>that? It was a monster I encountered while exploring the sea. We had a rtionship that went beyond friendship, so that monster has a deep ce in my heart."

 Chapter 965: Cover-up

    Chapter 965: Cover-up


    Luvlyn froze upon hearing Anna''s shocking response. She was finding it difficult to digest the information that Anna had just divulged.


    Taking advantage of Luvlyn''s daze, Anna ced her right hand behind her back.


    "<em>Um,</em> I need to confirm it again. Are you not lying when you said that your rtionship with that thing goes beyond friendship?" Luvlyn asked in disbelief. She had seen a drawing of that monster in one of the submitted files.


    What kind of person would like something like that? A lunatic?


    "Is it really that hard to understand? You know, there''s a particr custom among the sailors of the Subterranean Sea''s Southern Seas. Before leaving for the sea, they''d bring in an ewe and keep it in the ship''s hold.


    "The ewe isn''t just emergency food; it is there to meet the physiological needs of the crew as well. What difference is there between beasts, monsters, and humans? Does that really matter? When the lights are off, it''s just a hole with two bs of flesh."


    Luvlyn ced a hand on her chest. Her face had no features, but her bodynguage indicated her extreme shock. "Ugh! Goodness, that''s so disgusting. That is such a nightmarish ce."


    "Disgusting? Actually, it''s not that bad. Wait until I tell you about the customs on Volcano Ind. They bring seals into the ship and¡ª"


    "Stop, stop, stop!" Luvlyn hurriedly interrupted, sounding a bit flustered. "Ms. Anna, our time is precious, so please don''t waste it talking about such things.""Sure." Anna nodded. "Let''s talk about what you mentioned earlier. How about we talk about it face-to-face? Let me leave first, and I''ll go visit you once I''m awake."


    The air in the room suddenly became tense.


    Clearly, Anna''s lies and nonsense were all for this moment. Anna had no trust in the IMF at all, and she only had one goal¡ªto escape from this dreamscape.


    "I have something else in mind. How about you tell us the location of yourpanions and let us bring them back to Site 66? That should be enough sincerity on your end."


    Luvlyn waved her hand, and Anna''s surroundings became hazy.


    Anna felt like she was in the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep.


    "You can speak now. Your friends can hear you."


    "All right, we can do that," Anna said, nodding with a smile. Taking a deep breath, she roared, "Mask, shock my hypothmus, and wake me up! I''m trapped in a dream!"


    As soon as Anna''s words fell, the hazy sensation vanished. Clearly, Luvlyn had cut off her connection with the mask.


    The cozy surroundings faded away as well, and Luvlyn''s figure darkened. "Ms. Anna, you''re making things very difficult for me. We really want to work with you."


    "Work with me?" Anna sneered. "Both sides can only work together if they are equal. Plus, I can''t sense any sincerity from your side."


    Just then, Anna felt her brain swell and shrink. Her figure was destabilizing. It seemed that the mask had finally made its move.


    However, Luvlyn wasn''t going to let Anna leave so easily. She raised her hands, and soft clouds descended from the ceiling, enveloping Anna to stabilize her. Anna''s form that was copsing wasing together again.


    Anna immediately realized that this was her final chance to escape, and she had to take advantage of this opportunity to leave. She opened the hand behind her back, and the relic that Charles frequently used appeared in her grasp.


    A dreamscape was a three-dimensional canvas upon which one could paint whatever they wanted, and it woulde to life.


    The relic in Anna''s hand activated, and her figure was whisked away, appearing outside the fading room. It turned out that she hadn''t moved at all. She was still in the lowest level of Site 66.


    However, Anna no longer hesitated and charged straight into the ceiling. As soon as she collided with the ceiling, it softened and enveloped Anna.


    Luvlyn had reacted quickly to Anna''s escape attempt.


    However, a white light burst out of Anna''s figure, and she reappeared on a nearby wall.


    "Wake up!" Anna roared and smashed her head into the wall. Red blood flowed down Anna''s long hair, and Anna was struck by an excruciating pain radiating from her head.


    Anna''s eyes widened in disbelief. She managed to hit her head on a wall, so howe she was still awake? It turned out that her assumption was incorrect. It wasn''t that easy to leave this dreamscape!


    "Ms. Anna, did you really think that you can escape from me so easily? It seems that you''ve underestimated me. I''m a master when ites to manipting dreams," Luvlyn said, arriving behind Anna.


    Her figure erged slowly, and her faceless but bizarre figure became even more profound.


    It was like she was the abyss personified.


    However, Anna refused to give up just like that. She activated the relic in her hand again, and she was teleported into a cell behind her.


    To avoid capture, Anna teleported nonstop. The upants of each cell were surprised to see Anna appearing before them from out of nowhere.


    <em>What''s going on? The clown has clearly shocked me, and I also managed to hit my head hard enough to awaken myself, so why am I still here? </em>The fleeing Anna was in disbelief.


    Anna was an expert at manipting dreams, so she was aware of the ins and outs when it came to the dreamscape. Of course, she also knew how to escape her own dreamscape.


    One would always reign supreme over their own dreams, so Anna was truly caught off guard by the development. Anna racked her brain but could onlye up with one answer¡ªLuvlyn''s mastery over dreams was higher than Anna''s when she was still a demigod.


    The consecutive use of the relic in such a short period of time brought about a powerful wave of side effects. One of them was a stabbing pain in the stomach, and Anna could feel it keenly.


    Anna took a moment to rest in a cell, but the ceiling parted, revealing Luvlyn''s featureless face. "Found you. Escape is futile."


    Anna''s figure vanished once again, and many different thoughts popped up in her mind as the cogs in her brain went into overdrive in an effort toe up with a solution to her predicament.


    If she''s really more powerful than when I was still a demigod, then I have no chance of winning against her! Just then, Anna noticed something.


    <em>Wait, there''s something wrong here.</em>


    <em>The IMF and a demigod? Does the surface world really have such a powerful existence? </em>Anna mmed on the brakes and stopped dead in her tracks. She had finally found the contradiction!


    If Luvlyn were truly a demigod, why would she stop her from hitting that wall earlier? Since smashing her head into the wall couldn''t free her from the dream, there had to be another reason behind Luvlyn''s actions.


    Smashing her head into the wall had brought her nothing but pain¡­


    Just then, the giant, featureless face appeared from the ceiling once again.


    Anna stared alternatingly between the face and the teleportation relic in her hand, and that was when she realized something¡ªLuvlyn hadn''t stopped Anna because she was afraid that Anna would wake up.


    It was all because Luvlyn was afraid that Anna would notice that she wasn''t in a dream!

 Chapter 966: God

    Chapter 966: God


    If that were the case, wouldn''t that mean that this was reality? As soon as Anna thought of that, she raised her right hand, which had been reduced to skin and bones by her corrosive mes.


    She pointed the palm of her right hand at the faceless giant.


    The next second, the corrosive mes stuck to the other party''s palm and spread upward, eventually engulfing the faceless giant. Just as Anna thought that her attack was effective, another Luvlyn appeared next to the faceless giant.


    <em>Is this really a dream? </em>Anna''s mind was having trouble processing the sight before her. If this were reality, what about the relic in her hand? And how did Luvlyn somehow drag her away from that vehicle?


    If this was a dream, howe she could still use the power of the Primordial Fire?


    Anna was convinced that she was at the intersection between reality and dream, where thews of both sides were miraculously active.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A giant palm mmed down, smashing into Anna. The next second, the vibrating Anna burst out of the back of the palm. Green mes then erupted, enveloping the hand.


    Before the third Luvlyn could emerge from the ceiling, the trembling Anna melted into the adjacent wall. These questions could be answeredter. Right now, Anna had to find a way to escape this predicament!Luvlyn''s special ability was truly bizarre, but she wasn''t a god; she wasn''t even a demigod. In other words, Anna certainly had a chance against her.


    Luvlyn phased passed through the ceiling and walls, moving swiftly throughout Site 66. She moved nonstop, parting ceiling after ceiling in search of Anna.


    Site 66 teetered on the brink of copse as Luvlyn made holes in the floors in search of her target.


    "Anna, surrender. Keep resisting, and you''re going to have a hard timeter on."


    It took Luvlyn ten minutes to find Anna in a containment chamber along with the Fhtagnists. They were prostrating on the ground with Anna, seemingly working on something.


    Luvlyn raised her right hand again, and her colossal figure transformed into specks of starlight. Then, her soft voice resounded throughout Site 66. "Ms. Anna, your resistance is futile. First of all, you have to understand that this is not your dream; it''s my dream; I am God here."


    Just as Luvlyn''s hands were about to grab Anna, thetter raised her head, and a smile suffused her delicate face. She had suddenly found a breakthrough, and the clue was in Luvlyn''s words.


    "God? You ignoramus. Let me show you what a true god is like," Anna replied.


    The Fhtagnists on the ground stood up, revealing a bizarre array drawn with blood on the ground. The array contained concentric circles with an inverted triangle inside of them, and the spaces between the circles were filled with cuneiform lines of varying sizes.


    "Iilth¡­ vwah! uhn''agth fhssh za!!"


    The incantation sounded like a rapid tongue-twister, but Anna disyed extreme fluency in it. As she chanted, the coagted blood on the floor started to liquefy.


    Since this was Luvlyn''s dream, what was the harm of summoning terrifying entities inside of it?


    A peculiar aura began to emanate from the array. Luvlyn noticed that, and she panicked, shouting, "What are you doing?! Stop it! NOW!!"


    The chanting grew louder and louder, and a crisp noise echoed as Anna''s emaciated figure bent at an impossible angle. Her mouth spewed iprehensible and bizarre words, and she chanted while grinning as widely as she could until the corners of her mouth were torn open.


    It seemed that she had fallen into a reverie.


    Maddening enraged roars resounded in Luvlyn''s ears, and her colossal form actually began disintegrating. She tried to use her power over her dream to stop Anna, but it was like there was ayer of instion around Anna.


    Luvlyn could not stop her at all.


    "KYTH ag''xig yyg''far IIQAATH ONGG!!!"


    Anna''s chanting reached a crescendo, and the terrifying aura emanating from her destabilized everything. The ground cracked, and the containment chamber copsed.


    An irrepressible fear rose rise in Luvlyn''s heart¡ªan extremely horrifying entity had appeared in her dream. Her dream was about to be a terrifying nightmare!


    Luvlyn attempted to retreat, and Site 66 started copsing upon her retreat.


    However, Luvlyn soon discovered in horror that her dream had already been contaminated. Something was taking over her power! The dreamscape was being eroded, and eyeballs made of flesh and blood appeared all over the ce.


    A mere nce at them intensified the maddening roars in Luvlyn''s ears.


    "P-please stop!! I surrender! <em>AAAAH!</em> I''ll be your prisoner! I can even hand over this power! Just please make that thing leave my dream!" Luvlyn eximed and sobbed helplessly.


    However, her pleading was bound to be in vain.


    Anna couldn''t stop what was going on, even if she wanted to stop it.


    Three secondster, the crimson lights vanished, plunging everything into darkness.


    Anna and the Fhtagnists copsed in a pool of blood with their chests heaving violently. As expected, the summoning ritual failed. Anna and the Fhtagnists serving as sacrifices were still alive, which was within Anna''s expectations.


    Anna had done enough tests to know that the sacrificial rituals could only elicit noises, except for the sacrificial ritual to Fhtagn, which could elicit a faint response.


    Anna''s throat felt hot. The frantic chanting seemed to have injured her throat, as every swallow of her own saliva made her feel like she was swallowing a mouthful of iron shards.


    There were still some murmurs in Anna''s ears. She had no idea whether they''d disappear with time, but it was all worth it. The ritual had failed, but the intended effect had been achieved.


    Regardless of whether Luvlyn had simply left or had gone crazy, Anna couldn''t care less. What mattered was that she could no longer influence Anna.


    "High Priestess, are you okay?" the Fhtagnists asked, ignoring the pain coursing through them. They surrounded Anna and helped her up.


    Everything had returned to normal; the copsed containment chamber had been restored. It seemed like they were just perfectly replicated in Luvlyn''s dream.


    Li Long stared at Anna, looking like he was about to cry.


    Anna reached out to his neck and tore off his metal cor.


    "Save your tears forter. Pull yourself together for now. We still have to get out of here!" Anna said. The IMF had already noticed her, so hiding was meaningless.


    In other words, Anna just had to prioritize leaving this ce as soon as possible.


    The green mes corroded the metal gate of the containment chamber. She led the Fhtagnists outside the chamber, and she proceeded to breach the containment of the prisoners on each floor, plunging Site 66 into chaos.


    A huge variety of entric and bizarre individuals rushed out of their containment chambers. The vast majority of them clearly had a few screws loose, but Anna noticed ten special individuals among them.


    They were a group of men and women, and they were moving as if they were trained soldiers in the face of Site 66''sbat teams.


    Shockingly, they actually bested some of thebat team members and stole some weapons for themselves.


    "For the Shattered God!" they roared, charging forward.


    The man at the helm noticed Anna''s gaze. He nodded slightly at Anna before rushing toward the hail of bullets.

 Chapter 967: Hazard

    shing red lights pervaded Site 66, and towering steel tes descended, isting the containment chambers from each other. However, these countermeasures were ineffective against Anna''s corrosive mes.


    The clown was right. Site 66''s defenses were not as good as the pr site. In fact, Anna felt that escaping was a tad bit too easy, but perhaps this wasn''t strange.


    After all, the pr site contained Anomalies, while the other contained humans affected by Anomalies.


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    Site 66''s oil tanks on the surface burst into mes, and a mushroom cloud appeared before the weary faces of Anna and the Fhtagnists. There was chaos on the surface, and there were nonstop explosions and gunshots.


    There were even helicopters still circling overhead.


    Anna had no intention of staying amidst the chaos. Fortunately, the ongoing chaos was enough distraction for her to escape safely.


    "Seize the cars! Let''s go to the garage!" Anna eximed. However, it seemed that she wasn''t the only one who thought that way, as more than ten off-road vehicles rushed into the pitch-ck desert, fleeing Site 66 as fast as possible.


    The wind blew across Anna''s bangs as she sat in the passenger seat of an off-road vehicle. She turned to look at Site 66 and saw that it had been engulfed in mes.Everything that had transpired seemed like a dream, but fortunately, she managed to escape with her life.


    "High Priestess, where are we going?" Li Long asked, still shaken.


    Anna looked up at the Big Dipper and replied, "We''re going to meet up with Wang Sheng."


    The elerator was pressed to its limits, and the car sped through the desert. They encountered some minor issues, such as dehydration due to theck of fresh water, but Anna easily resolved it by finding water underground.


    The dusty and utterly exhausted group had a hearty meal as soon as they reentered civilization. Once their hunger had faded away, Anna finally led them to the rendezvous point.


    The small hotel with its signature red walls was the rendezvous point that Wang Jianshe had mentioned to her, and it was just right in front of Anna. For some reason, Anna felt uneasy.


    She had no idea whether Wang Sheng and the others were still there or not. In addition, it''d be troublesome to bring these Fhtagnists back to their home country.


    Anna observed the hotel with her face covered in a ck veil like the local women. Once she had seen enough, she nodded slightly and led the Fhtagnists behind her into the hotel.


    "Bonjour, puis-je vous aider?" the male attendant wearing a red hat asked, smiling at Anna with his white teeth out in the open.


    "Le soleil sort de mer," Anna replied with the code phrase before leading the group up the stairs.


    Rows of guest rooms appeared before Anna''s group, but she ignored them and walked on the exotic striped carpet and made a beeline for the deepest guest room.


    Tobba''s grumbling echoed from the innermost guest room, and Anna rxed instantly upon hearing that.


    Fortunately, they were still here and hadn''t left her behind.


    Anna proceeded to knock on the door.


    "Who''s there?" Tobba asked.


    "It''s me. Hurry up and open the door," Anna said, removing her veil.


    Anna waited quietly, but the door remained closed even after a few seconds had passed.


    <em>What''s going on?</em> Anna reached for the doorknob.


    <em>Shwik!</em>


    A sharp de pierced the wooden door, nailing Anna''s hand to the doorknob.


    The next second, another de pierced the wooden door, and it made a beeline for Anna''s head. Just as the de was about to pierce Anna''s head, her figure vibrated at incredible speeds, allowing her to phase through the fatal blow.


    Then, she retreated a few steps, distancing herself from the wooden door. She waved her hand, summoning a clump of corrosive green mes to reduce the wooden door to ashes.


    When the door became a pile of ashes, Anna finally saw her attacker.


    It was the clown.


    d in a ck suit, the clown raised its two daggers, which were stained with Anna''s blood, and prepared to defend itself against the oing attack.


    Instead of an attack, the clown received a scolding.


    "Have you gone mad?! Why are you attacking me?!" Anna eximed. She raised her hand, stopping the Fhtagnists who were about to attack the clown with their guns.


    A tense air hung above everyone.


    Just then, Tobba poked his tiny head out from the left and nced at the ashes on the ground. The wooden door had been reduced to ashes by Anna''s signature corrosive mes. Tobba then turned to the clown beside him and said, "You know, I don''t think she''s an impostor. I think she''s the only one around here with this kind of special ability."


    The clown pondered briefly before lowering its daggers. However, it remained cautious and refrained from sheathing them.


    "What happened after I left? Why are you so nervous?" Anna asked, leading the group into the room.


    "Come and see for yourself. I don''t know how to exin it," Tobba said. He turned around and led Anna and the others into the bedroom.


    Anna parted the door curtain and stopped dead in her tracks. There was someone on the bed, but it was none other than herself!


    There was another Anna with a face identical to hers on the bed.


    Tobba sat on a tiny stool next to the bed and exined, "I don''t know if you remember, but you said that you wanted to take a nap, but you never woke up.


    "You shouted at the clown to shock your hypothmus, but you remained asleep. In the end, we eventually made our way to this rendezvous point. Just as we were thinking about splitting up and going our separate ways, you knocked on the door."


    Tobba cast a curious look at Anna. "<em>Um,</em> you''re Anna, aren''t you? Or are you something else pretending to be her?"


    Anna walked over to the sleeping Anna and examined her carefully. In the end, she discovered that the sleeping Anna was indeed her human body. The biggest proof of it was her severed arm and her arm affected by the corrosive mes.


    Anything else could be faked, but there was no way the corrosive mes from the Primordial Fire could be fabricated. With that in mind, there was no mistaking it¡ªthe sleeping Anna was real.


    <em>If she''s real, then am I... </em>Anna''s pupils constricted. She looked down and examined herself. However, the inspection only led to more questions rather than answers.


    She had everything that the sleeping Anna had, including the severed arm and the corrosive mes. In other words, she was real as well.


    <em>Is it because of her dream? Had she imagined an Anna into existence?</em> Anna pondered with furrowed brows.


    When she thought more about it, it became highly unlikely.


    That was an ability that perhaps only a god would possess. Anna''s fight with Luvlyn had told her that thetter wasn''t even a demigod, so how could she possibly imagine an entire human being into existence?


    <em>Wait, a god? </em>Anna suddenly remembered the ritual earlier.


    Now that she thought about it, Anna discovered that her memories of the ritual had already be hazy for some reason. She proceeded to recount everything to Tobba.


    Tobba propped his chin with his hands and asked, "Who were you summoning with that ritual?"


    Anna was in deep contemtion, and she snapped back to reality upon hearing Tobba''s words. She turned to stare at Tobba and replied, "Edikth. That was the only array dedicated to Edikth throughout the Subterranean Sea."

 Chapter 968: Harvest

    Tobba''s eyes showed deep confusion. "Edikth? Who''s that?"


    Anna ignored him. She had no time to exin. It was better to think of a solution to this dilemma rather than spend time exining the Divinity named Edikth to Tobba.


    Anna crouched and pressed her ear on the chest of the sleeping Anna. She could feel a steady heartbeat inside. Her fleshly body was alive.


    A sharp crystal spike pierced her fleshly body. Blood flowed out of the wound, but her fleshly body showed no reaction as if she were in a vegetative state.


    "Why did you not attempt to summon something else?" Tobba asked. He had been chattering incessantly and was simply being ignored by Anna.


    Anna red at Tobba in annoyance. "I just wanted to borrow the presence of a god from the Subterranean Sea to scare my opponent away. And I had no time to choose at all, so I simply picked the most convenient one."


    "Oh? Is that so? Does Edikth have the ability to transform dreams into reality?"


    "I don''t know. Even in the Subterranean Sea, Edikth is the most mysterious entity. I actually obtained that sacrificial ritual through a deal with a creature living in the Dark Abyssal Trench. Anyway, stop asking questions."


    Anna calmed herself down and examined the fleshly body in front of her. She inspected it inside and out, confirming that the fleshly body before her was indeed her fleshly body.Recalling Luvlyn''s special ability and the fact that her fleshly body had always been with Tobba and the others, an assumption formed in Anna''s mind. Luvlyn had to have used an Anomaly or something else to drag Anna''s sleeping self to Site 66 in order to interrogate or torture her.


    It was supposed to be temporary, but Edikth''s aura had influenced Luvlyn''s dreamscape, transforming parts of it into reality.


    Anna''s assumption was evidenced by how she now had two bodies¡ªher original, fleshly body and her current fleshly body that Luvlyn had imagined into existence.


    Staring at her fleshly body, Anna was at a loss for what to do next.


    Under normal circumstances, Anna would have deemed the fleshly body useless and would have no qualms about destroying it. However, there was a slim chance that her imagined fleshly body was ephemeral.


    What would she do if her imagined fleshly body disappeared and she had no fleshly body to return to? She''d most likely die in an instant by then. Anna couldn''t afford to take any risks. Luvlyn and Edikth''s abilities were both unknown to her, after all.


    No one knew what fruits their fusion could bear except for transforming dreams into reality.


    <em>Wait a second, transforming dreams into reality? </em>Anna noticed something just then. She noticed that she had forgotten something. It was important, but she could not remember it for some reason.


    With furrowed brows, Anna paced back and forth. She couldn''t help but hate the limitations of her human brain.


    It took Anna thirty minutes of pacing back and forth before she finally remembered what she had forgotten. She immediately reached into her pocket, and a glimmer of joy appeared in her eyes as soon as she felt a small, hard object inside.


    Pulling out her hand, a crystal-clear die appeared between Anna''s fingers. This was the relic that she had imagined in her dream. It was Charles'' teleportation die.


    Anna tossed the die into the air before gripping it tightly in her palm. Anna willed it, and her figure instantly reappeared in the adjacent room.


    <em>Hehe, not bad at all. This is such an unexpected harvest. I had no idea that Edikth is actually capable of materializing relics.</em>


    Anna''s delightsted only a few seconds as a wave of nausea struck her, making her feel like vomiting the contents of her stomach. It seemed that the relic had been materialized perfectly, including the side effects.


    <em>Anyway, it''s better to have it than not. I can either keep it or fuse with it. Any of those two choices are great,</em> Anna thought. She then ced the crystal-clear die in her pocket and walked toward the wooden door.


    Anna had somehow obtained a relic, but she still had issues that had yet to be resolved. Her extra fleshly body was an example; Anna pondered for quite a while before she finally made up her mind.


    She had decided to bring it with her. If there were any issues rted to her fleshly body, then she''d have no issues resolving it. Having made up her mind, Anna looked up and swept her gaze across the people in the room.


    Li Lu, Wang Sheng, Tobba, the clown, Li Long, and the dozen or so Fhtagnists were all staring at her. Finally, her gaze settled on Wang Sheng. "Let''s go. We can''t stay here for too long. We''ll go back home first."


    There were some hups, but the mission objective had been secured, so it was time for Anna to receive her reward.


    Inside the cabin of a passenger ne flying at an altitude of five thousand meters, Tobba was watching a movie next to Li Long.


    Tobba''s iling legs struck Li Long, awakening him from his slumber. Li Long rubbed his eyes and looked out the window to the right. When he saw the familiar skyscrapers down below, Li Long''s eyes welled up with tears.


    Everything that had happened to him over the past year was so surreal that it did not feel real at all. During his confinement, Li Long truly thought that he''d die in that prison.


    He had never imagined that he''d one day make it out of that prison alive.


    While Li Long was deep in his own thoughts, he craned his neck to look around. Then, he stepped over Tobba''s legs and walked up to Wang Sheng, who was resting with an eye mask.


    "Hey, Old Wang! Wake up," Li Long said.


    Wang Sheng felt someone poking his shoulder. He pulled away the eye mask and looked at Li Long.


    "You still remember the promise that you made to me when we were still in that prison, right? You said that as soon as we''re out of that prison, you''d find me a stable job with a monthly sry of twenty thousand yuan in yourpany."


    Wang Sheng looked down on the sleazy Li Long. They never really had any interactions, but their imprisonment allowed them to nurture a friendship. In other words, the two could barely be considered friends.


    "You really don''t n to follow the High Priestess anymore? And what can you even do to earn a job with that sry?"


    Li Long surreptitiously nced at Anna''s seat before muttering, "I really can''t do it anymore. It doesn''t matter even if you think of me as a coward. It''s true; I really am a coward."


    When Li Long was just a small-time thief, he was convinced that he hadtched onto a capable individual, but his decision almost lost him his life.


    Li Long had been a good-for-nothing for more than thirty years, but it hadn''t been that long since he learned a certain lesson¡ªone ought to know one''s ce.


    Li Long acknowledged that he was nothing more than just a small-time thief, so there was no need for him to get involved with the veterans capable of killing without batting an eyelid.


    Of course, it wasn''t like he was worthy to join their games.


    Li Long had already made up his mind. Uponnding, he would resign and live a satisfactory but low-key life.


    The imprisonment had truly frightened and traumatized Li Long, and he came to learn that US dors and beautiful women were nothing in the face of Death itself.


    "Are you sure about that? The organization that we had ended up offending seems to be a huge international organization. Are you not afraid that they''lle after you once you''re no longer on our side?"


    Li Long paled at Wang Sheng''s remark. Momentster, however, a forced smile tugged at the lips of his pale face. "They''re going to deal with <em>you,</em> not me. They''re not going to care about a small fry like me. Yeah, they won''t care about me at all."

 Chapter 969: Address

    Hearing Li Long''s response, Wang Sheng shifted slightly and turned his back to the former.


    With a hint of disdain, he said, "Whatever. I''ve seen through your true colors now. You are just greedy and spineless. You jump at opportunities when they look easy but shrink away the moment things get tough. No wonder the High Priestess sees no value in you."


    "Don''t change the subject," Li Long refused to back down. "Your family business is huge; it''s not hard for you to find me a job. Don''t forget who looked after you when you were suffering from drug withdrawal symptoms back in the desert! HEY! Don''t y dead, do you hear what I''m saying! You promised me back then!"


    A wave of bitterness rose in Wang Sheng''s chest. His mind wasn''t on Li Long''s request but the fact that he was about to see his father soon.


    <em>He must surely be fuming mad now. </em>Wang Sheng thought. Forget about getting Li Long a job, he might even be grounded at home for the next few years. It was as if he''d just escaped one prison, only to step into another.


    <em>Am I really useless without him? Am I truly nothing without that old fogey? </em>The thought gnawed at Wang Sheng, filling him with a heavy sense of defeat.


    The ne''s tires screeched against the runway and gradually came to a stop. They had arrived at their destination.


    Following Wang Jianshe''s arrangements, they bypassed the customs entirely and boarded a sky-blue bus waiting outside the terminal.


    Since the group was able to skip security, the firearms the Fhtagnists had raided from Site 66 were brought onto the bus as well.As the bus trundled away from the bustling airport and into increasingly deste terrain, the Fhtagnists couldn''t help but reach into their clothes and ced their fingers on the cold metal triggers.


    "Rx," Anna softly spoke, her voice cutting through the palpable tension hanging in the air. As she rolled the crystal-clear die in her fingers, she continued, "He''s not going to pull anything."


    The men and women wearing Fhtagn''s silver pendants over their chests nodded in unison. In one fluid motion, they drew their hands from the bulging folds of their clothes.


    Themand of the High Priestess was everything to them. Only by listening to her orders could they revive their God Fhtagn.


    Seated nearby, Wang Sheng clenched his teeth. With a mix of desperation and resolve, he pleaded, "High Priestess, please let me stay by your side. Compared to them, I''m far more useful!"


    Even up till now, he couldn''t understand why Anna insisted on sending him back without any good reasons. She''d offered no exnation and only told him to ask his father after he went back.


    The Fhtagnists exchanged nces and scoffed in unison upon hearing Wang Sheng belittle them.


    "Kiddo, who do you think you''re looking down on? Look at that frail, drug-riddled body of yours, what makes you think you''re better than us?"


    "You haven''t even been acknowledged by the Great One. What right do you have to say that?" another spat.


    Anna turned to look at Wang Sheng, her eyes studying the appearance of the young man. The golden dye in his hair had faded to faint streaks at the tips, and the hardship of Site 66 had left his cheeks hollow and his body thinner.


    Yet,pared to their first meeting, his eyes were more clear than before.


    "Didn''t you say that you would follow my orders unconditionally?" Anna tossed out the question casually as she slipped the translucent die into the pocket of a discarded coat nearby.


    "Yes!" Wang Sheng responded immediately.


    "Good. Then listen to me and return to your father. If I ever need you, I''ll go find you."


    "But¡ª"


    "No buts." Anna cut Wang Sheng off sharply. "I don''t have the time to deal with you. Look¡ªwe''ve arrived."


    Wang Sheng lifted his gaze and looked out through the front windshield of the bus. He could see his father standing right in front of their vehicle, his face ashen with fury as he leaned heavily on a cane.


    Wang Jianshe hade alone without any guards. Behind him was just a single car. He seemed to have realized by now that no matter how much he prepared, it would be meaningless before someone like Anna. So, he might as well save himself some time and effort.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    The bus door hissed shut. Gripping Wang Sheng by the shoulder, Anna nudged him forward as her entourage of Fhtagnists trailed behind her.


    When the distance between Wang Sheng and Wang Jianshe closed to ten meters, Anna gave Wang Sheng a firm shove on his back.


    Wang Sheng stumbled forward before he nced back at thepanions he had fought and suffered alongside with a hint of reluctance on his face. He then slowly turned around and dragged his feet forward to his father.


    Each step felt as though it carried the weight of a thousand regrets and was agonizing. But even the slowest journey had its end.


    <em>Smack! </em>


    A p rang out as Wang Jianshe''s handnded on Wang Sheng''s face, the stinging imprint blooming red-hot across his right cheek.


    <em>Smack! </em>


    Another followed immediately and Wang Sheng''s left cheek swelled as well.


    Trembling with fury, Wang Jianshe raised his cane and brought it crashing down on Wang Sheng.


    The strikes fell hard and fast. Wang Sheng hunched down with his arms raised protectively over his head, but it was useless. It didn''t take long before he was bruised and bleeding.


    "You idiot!" Wang Jianshe roared as he kicked Wang Sheng, sending thetter sprawling onto the ground. He raised his cane once again and without another vicious swing, he continued, "You actually fell from some cult''s nonsense! If they told you to eat shit, would you do it too?!


    "Do you really think you''re that important to her? Why do you think she''s willing to save you? You''re nothing but a pawn¡ªa disposable pawn she''ll throw away the moment you''re no longer useful! What were you thinking?!"


    "Answer me!" Wang Jianshe raised the cane again, poised to strike. "Have you turned mute! How did I end up with trash for a son?!"


    Meanwhile, Anna wasn''t in a hurry. She stood by the side with the others and watched the scene before her like an amused audience at a theater. Nearby, Tobba was muttering something to the clown.


    The cane swung relentlessly, reducing Wang Sheng to a battered, bleeding mess. His head throbbed and bruises blossomed across his body. Yet, he clenched down tight on his jaw, refusing to let out a single sound of protest. He had decided to go by his usual response in this well-rehearsed ybook.


    <em>Huff¡­Huff¡­</em>


    Clearly, Wang Jianshe hadn''t engaged in such physical activities in years. Sweat trickled down his temples as he stood with one hand on his hip; his breaths were ragged and his shoulders heaving.


    Once his breathing had steadied, he grabbed Wang Sheng by an already bruised ear and yanked him upright. With surprising strength, he shoved his son toward the waiting car. "Get in! And don''t you dare think about leaving the house again!"


    As soon as the car door mmed shut, the engine roared to life and the vehicle sped away.


    Anna finally broke the silence in a calm voice, "Your son''s back. Now, where''s what I asked for?"


    Taking out a crisp white handkerchief from his pocket, Wang Jianshe dabbed away the sweat on his brow as she walked toward Anna.


    He pulled out a handphone and the dark screen lit up after a brief dy, disying a single address.


    It wasn''t a residential location, but a set of coordinates for a railway track. Charles wasn''t far after all¡ªhe was in this very city.


    "The person you''re looking for is living here together with some homeless folk," Wang Jianshe exined. "We couldn''t track him down before because the boy doesn''t officially exist. He''s off the grid, no records, no ID. Aplete ghost."


    Anna took the phone and scanned the coordinates,mitting them to memory. A faint smile tugged at her lips as her gaze flicked up to meet Wang Jianshe''s eyes.


    Despite having wlessly delicate features, the smile that spread across Anna''s face was anything butforting. Looking at her smile, Wang Jianshe felt a cold shiver run down his spine.


    Slowly, Anna raised her right hand, where the eerie green of the corrosive mes were licking faintly along her forearm. Instantly, everyone''s attention was drawn to Anna''s next move.


    Seemingly knowing what Anna nned to do, Wang Jianshe''s breathing hitched. However, his eyes betrayed no fear.


    <em>So, this is it? She''s going to silence me? Good thing I made preparations. If Wang Sheng learns this woman killed me, maybe he''ll finally grow up?</em>


    But instead of unleashing the roiling mes, Anna merely ced it lightly on Wang Jianshe''s shoulder and gave him an assuring pat. With an almost sympathetic undertone, she said, "Having a son like him must be exhausting. I can understand your frustration."


    With that, Anna then turned on her heel and led the others onto the waiting bus. Her action left Wang Jianshe frozen in his spot, his thoughts tangling with confusion and disbelief.


    As she stepped onto the bus steps, Anna turned back to Wang Jianshe and held up the phone in her hand. "Don''t think this is over. If the location turns out to be fake, you''ll learn what it means to lie to me."


    The driver was unceremoniously hauled out of the bus and the clown had taken over the steering wheel. The engine roared to life, and the bus began its steady journey toward the coordinates on the handphone''s screen.

 Chapter 970: Doggo

    "Anna, you''re nervous," Tobba remarked. His merely sixty centimeters petite stature tilted his head up to observe the young woman, who sat with her chin propped on one hand.


    Anna offered no words. Instead, she grabbed the milk bottle by the side and unceremoniously shoved it into his mouth before ignoring him totally.


    Her gaze remained on the passing scenery shing by outside the window in a blur. As for her thoughts, only she herself knew what she was thinking about.


    The bus slowed to a halt in front of a bustling market where there was a constant stream of vegetable vendors and deliverymen.


    Anna stood up and made her way to the door; the rest of the passengers instinctively moved to follow.


    "Stay put," Anna instructed, "I''ll go alone."


    With that, she stepped off the bus.


    The ground in the market was far from clean, and it didn''t take long before Anna''s shoes picked up specks of dirt and residue.


    However, she didn''t care and strode purposefully deeper into the market. Passing through a small, nondescript door at the back of the vegetable section, Anna arrived at the back of the market.A rusted train track stretched out, and a green freight train ttered past, its steady rhythm echoing in the open air. As thest carriage disappeared down the line, a cluster of people hovered near a garbage pile came into Anna''s sight.


    Their ages ranged from young to old. Their toes poking through worn-out canvas shoes, their ill-fitting, tattered clothes marked by grimy, ckened cors¡ªall unmistakable signs of their identity: a group of homeless drifters.


    A battered aluminum pot sat at the center of their makeshift gathering as their nicotine-stained fingers alternated between fishing for scraps and clutching cigarette butts.


    As Anna approached, their rough voices entered her ears.


    "Obviously, the scud missiles are more powerful! Even if a submarine hides underwater, a scud missile is all it takes to blow it apart!"


    Despite it being a rather ridiculous topic, the bunch of homeless drifters took on a serious stance in their debate.


    As Anna closed the gap between them, the discussion among the group faded into a hushed whisper. Their gazes scrutinized the striking woman in immacte attire as they continued to pass whispers among themselves.


    Anna studied their faces, moving from one face to another with deliberate purpose. Just then, a man in his twenties holding a pair of chopsticks in his hand stood up abruptly.


    "Who are you looking for?" He unconsciously averted his gaze as soon as he met Anna''s eyes. His fingers fidgeted nervously, wiping the chopsticks on his threadbare pant leg.


    Standing before Anna with delicate features and dressed elegantly¡ªthe young man harbored not even a single hint of lust. Rather, he only felt difort from the inside out.


    Anna was like a wless mirror, reflecting his current reality, the arrogance he had disyed just moments ago, his debate on national affairs with false bravado, and reducing it to dust.


    As a man, the mere act of her standing there, doing nothing, felt like a profound humiliation.


    Anna didn''t acknowledge his question. She merely stepped past him without so much as offering him another nce. Her eyes scanned the dirt-streaked faces of the younger boys huddled nearby.


    After a meticulous sweep, she straightened. Her search came up empty¡ªnone of these grime-covered faces belonged to Charles.


    Anna turned around at the young man frozen in his spot. She pulled out an old photo of a young Charles and showed it to him.


    "Do you know this person?" she asked.


    The group of homeless drifters immediately gathered around, and the photo was being passed around for a careful examination.


    "That''s Doggo, right?" Someone spoke up. "Are you looking for him? He went out to scavenge scrap. Probably won''t be back until tonight."


    "How are you rted to him? Do you have money?" Another chimed in.


    "Doggo''s my little brother. I take care of him all the time."


    "Why don''t you sit around here and wait for a while. He''ll be back soon," another added.


    As Anna continued with follow up questions about Charles, the group of homeless drifters appeared rather eager to offer her the information she wanted. To them, exchanging words with Anna felt like basking in the glow of something extraordinary. ?


    After getting confirmation that Charles was indeed here, she gave a slight nod and turned to leave without another word.


    She retraced her steps toward the bustling market. The moment she was out of sight from the homeless drifters, her figure vibrated at high frequency as she slipped into the ground and moved toward where the homeless had gathered.


    Now that she was gone, the voices above her had shifted. The topic of conversation had turned to Anna. The older ones had even begun making crude jokes about her.


    Anna merely closed her eyes and waited in silence while listening to every word above.


    The seconds ticked by. Anna had never felt that time was passing so painfully slow as though each second was an eternity.


    Just then, a bright voice broke through the chatter. "What are you all talking about? I got three buns. Anyone want one?"


    Anna''s eyes snapped open.


    Meanwhile, Doggo was clearly taken back by the sudden surge of enthusiasm from his ragtag group ofpanions.


    "Don''t all crowd around me! I''ve only got three buns. And I managed to pick up a few dozen stic bottles. That''s all!"


    Amid the jostling, Doggo caught sight of a young woman dressed in a pristine white dress in the distance. For a fleeting moment, he thought he might be staring at a goddess. She was just too beautiful.


    Anna moved toward the young boy who looked no more than seven or eight years old. Her eyes trembled slightly as she scrutinized the features of the boy before her.


    After being apart for all this time, Charles finally appeared before her once more. However, he wasn''t the same paranoid captain from the Subterranean Sea.


    This Charles on the surface was too frail and scrawny. He looked like a bean sprout about to snap under the weight of the world.


    He wore an ill-fitting pair of tattered sandals and a patched-up coat, with stuffing spilling from the seams, hung over his thin frame. His hair was a tangled mess and grime streaked across his face. However, his eyes shone bright with rity.


    Charles seemed to have been beaten as his right eye was swollen. But even that couldn''t hide the purity of his gaze¡ªa pure gaze that did not exist on the Charles whom she met back in the Subterranean Sea.


    The moment Anna trulyid eyes on the young boy, she finally got the confirmation she truly needed. This was Charles, her Charles. And in that instant, the anger and resentment she had harbored for so long began to gradually dissolve.


    Anna knelt slowly as she stretched out her arms and pulled him into an embrace. His frail body was all bones and little flesh. He was far too light, so light that it tugged painfully at her heartstrings.


    "Let me go," Charles muttered as he squirmed against her hold.


    "I''m dirty. If I ruin your clothes, I can''t pay for them," he added, overwhelmed with anxiety and panic.


    The more he struggled, the tighter Anna held him. She could feel tears threatening to spill from her eyes.


    Her voice cracked as she whispered, "Gao Zhiming¡­ how did ite to this¡­ this is¡­so pitiful¡­"


    Charles had given his all in the Subterranean Sea to find his way back home. However, his home never existed. He had no family, no parents, no ties to this surface world. All the battles he fought, all the sacrifices he made in the name of love and belonging¡ªthey had all been for nothing.


    Anna carried Charles back to the bus. Throughout the ride, she had refused to let him down, her grip on him was tight until they arrived at their hideout.


    Upon reaching their hideout, Anna immediately led him to the bathroom and carefully washed away theyers of grime that clung to his small body. As she dried him off, her eyes scanned the moles on his skin.


    There was no doubt; he was Charles. Those moles were hidden in ces that only she would know and remember as clear as day.


    Taking a soft, white towel, Anna gently dried Charles'' hair. For the first time, her usual thorny demeanor gave way to an unexpected tenderness and affection in her eyes.


    With the dirt and grime scrubbed away, Charles looked remarkably more adorable.


    Charles warily scanned the interior decor. His small frame was rigid, his nerves evident in the way his fingers fidgeted against his knees.


    But before his anxiety could take root, the aroma of freshly cooked food demanded his attention. He hadn''t eaten a single bite all day and his eyes were now locked onto the food that had just been brought into the room¡ªtwo steaming bowls of fish noodle soup.


    "Eat," Anna said softly as she slid a bowl toward him.


    The rich, savory smell of the broth made Charles involuntarily swallow his saliva. However, he didn''t dig into his bowl immediately. He waited for Anna to pick up her chopsticks and take a bite before he reached for his own.

 Chapter 971: Gao Zhiming

    The broth was rich and savory while the noodles were perfectly chewy. For Charles, this bowl of fish noodle soup was a feast that he had never got to indulge in.


    All his years as a beggar, his only criterion for food was the ability to satiate his hunger. Now, this delectable meal made him feel as though he might identally swallow his own tongue in his eagerness.


    Carefully tucking her side bangs behind her ear, Anna picked up her chopsticks and started eating quietly. They sat facing each other, and they appeared to be a pair of siblings.


    Charles was evidently famished. Within moments, he slurped up nearly all the noodles from his soup.


    Seeing that, Anna pushed hers closer to him and the two bowls clinked softly in the quiet room. Without saying a word, she picked up some of her noodles with her chopsticks and ced them into Charles'' bowl.


    Charles was clearly taken aback by Anna''s actions. He stared at her with wide eyes. The next moment, tears flowed down his cheeks.


    He jumped off his chair and threw himself into Anna''s arms.


    "Why are you so kind to me?" Charles asked in a trembling voice. "Please don''t be this nice to me. I''m scared¡­ I''m scared that you''ll send me back after all this."


    Anna reached out a hand to gently cup Charles'' tear-streaked face. Her voice was filled with tenderness as she assured him, "Finish up your food. The noodles will get soggy if you wait too long to eat them."Charles finished the remaining bowl of noodles in quiet satisfaction. When he was done with his meal, the bowl was spotless; it was so clean that it didn''t seem to need washing.


    Just then, there was a knock on the door. Anna opened it to find Li Lu standing at the doorway with Tobba in one arm and several child clothing sets in the other.


    "I found these at the market. See if he can fit into any of them," Li Lu said as she leaned slightly to the side to catch a glimpse of Charles who was still seated at the table and diligently licking the edge of his bowl.


    <em>This madwoman has been acting really strange after she took the boy in. Even her usual harsh features have softened. Just who is this child?</em> Li Lu thought to herself.


    Charles swiftly tried on the sets of clothes Li Lu had brought and eventually settled on an outfit that fit him best. Cleaned and dressed, he no longer looked like a street beggar.


    If it weren''t for the hollowed cheeks hinting at years of hardship, he''d pass as any ordinary child.


    Tobba slid out of Li Lu''s arms and down along her pants. He walked up to Charles and scrutinized him for a few moments. Then, like a seasoned smoker taking a puff, he took an exaggerated sip from his milk bottle, ced a hand on his hip before striking a confident pose.


    "So, you''re Charles, huh? Gotta say, you look pretty in. Not even close to being as handsome as me."


    Abruptly, Anna appeared behind Tobba. Her face was cold with indifference as she instructed, "Get out."


    Tobba took another dramatic sip from his bottle and pivoted on his heel. "Sure thing."


    Li Lu scooped up her son and closed the door behind them. With that, only Anna and Charles were left alone in the room.


    Now that the misceneous things had been dealt with, it was time to get to the actual issue at hand.


    Anna knelt down on one knee to match Charles'' eye level. In a calm tone, she asked, "Where''s your family?"


    Charles shook his head, replying, "I don''t know. Gramps said he found me by the roadside. He was nning to have me take care of him when he got old.


    "After that, he died and his rtives took his house away. I had nowhere to stay so I ran away. Then, I ended up with Big Dragon and the others on the streets."


    A hint of reluctance flickered across Anna''s visage. She refused to believe that this was the truth. She dug into her pocket and fished out a well-worn drawing of a family of four and held it out to him.


    However, Charles clearly didn''t recognize any of them.


    "Do you have a name?" Anna asked.


    "Yes, Gramps gave me a name¡ªGao Zhiming. He even taught me how to write it. I can write my name!" Charles¡ªor rather, Gao Zhiming¡ªsaid with a hint of pride lighting up his face.


    Hearing the long-not-mentioned name, Anna let out a deep sigh.


    "Big Dragon and Little Sichuan call me Doggo," Gao Zhiming added. "They say most dogs don''t bite me because they probably see me as their kind. That''s where the name came from."


    Anna reached out a hand and gently ran it through his overgrown hair that reached past his ears. Her mind started racing.


    Could she change Charles'' fate? Perhaps then he would no longer go to the Subterranean Sea and endlessly repeat those futile actions?


    "Get some sleep." Anna eventually broke the silence. "Your hair is too long. Tomorrow, we''ll go get it cut."


    On that night, Gao Zhiming slept in the same bed as Anna. After salvaging the whole day, he was supposed to be exhausted but sleep evaded him.


    Every single event that happened today felt like a dream to him. A nice-smelling woman had bathed him, fed him, and even bought him new clothes.


    If this were a dream, he wished the dream wouldst a little longer.


    "Why? You can''t sleep?" Anna asked softly. Her eyes were wide open as she stared at the ceiling above her.


    Gao Zhiming hesitated for a long moment before he eventually bit down on his lower lip and blurted out, "D-Did you adopt me? Can I call you Mom?"


    "No!" Anna''s sudden sharp tone startled him.


    "My name''s Zhao Jiajia," Anna added. "From now on, just call me Zhao Jiajia. Now go to sleep. If not, I''ll send you straight back where I found you!"


    Gao Zhiming felt threatened by that, and he immediately mped his eyes shut. He dared not to make any other movement. He was afraid that she''d go through with her threat.


    When Anna heard Gao Zhiming''s breathing softened into the steady rhythm of sleep, she reached out and pulled the boy into her arms.


    On that night, Anna''s mind churned with thoughts and ns. Shey awake for hours and only managed to fall asleep when it was nearly dawn. Though she fell asleepte, that was the best and most peaceful sleep she ever had since arriving on the surface world.


    When she finally woke up the next day, she realized that Charles, who was supposed to be in her arms, was no longer there.


    Her gaze drifted into the distance, and she caught sight of the boy struggling with a mop. He was clumsily dragging it across the floor.


    Gao Zhiming was clearly trying very hard to prevent himself from being sent back to where he hade from.


    At the moment, he was easily satisfied. His concept of happiness was simple¡ªas long as every day could be like yesterday.


    Anna''s gaze lingered on Gao Zhiming''s back as she started to make future ns. No matter what Gao Zhiming had gone through before, she knew that he''d eventually descend into the Subterranean Sea.


    If that future him had a loving family in his memories, it meant that she had to craft that experience for him.


    Even if she couldn''t give him a real family, she would at least have to fabricate a memory in his head.


    When Charles had descended into the Subterranean Sea, he had no memories of her at all. That meant that she would need to erase herselfpletely from his memories before he descended into the Subterranean Sea.


    If only she still had her previous monster form and abilities, this memory alteration would''ve been easy and could be done with just a will on her end.


    But now? Everything had be so much moreplicated.


    She wondered if the surface world had relics that were capable of memory maniption.


    The IMF was undoubtedly the organization that hoarded the most relics on the surface world. However, she had barely escaped their clutches thest time. If she were to poke the ho''s nest again, that''d be as good as suicide.


    Fortunately, Gao Zhiming was still young, and she still had enough time to figure things out.


    <em>Knock, knock, knock!</em>


    A rhythmic knock at the door interrupted Anna''s thoughts.


    "The door''s not locked," Anna said as she lifted the nkets and reached for her clothes.


    Just as she tugged a short skirt into ce, the door creaked open, and the clown entered the room.


    Holding a trayden with steaming breakfast, the clown tilted its head slightly to the side as itid eyes on Gao Zhiming. Then, it began circling the boy.

 Chapter 972: Relationship

    Gao Zhiming was undoubtedly terrified to see someone wearing a gray clown mask orbiting him. With the mop in his hands, he instinctively inched closer to Anna, feeling at ease only after catching a whiff of her pleasant, faint fragrance.


    The clown extended its right hand wearing a white glove and pointed at the frightened Gao Zhiming, seemingly seeking confirmation from Anna.


    "He is our very important key¡ªa key to the ce where the IMF doesn''t exist," Anna remarked. She reached out with her index finger, coiling a lock of Gao Zhiming''s hair around her finger.


    The clown nodded in understanding. It tipped its hat toward Gao Zhiming and stretched out its right hand in an attempt to express its goodwill to thetter.


    Faced with such a bizarre man, however, Gao Zhiming hesitated for a while, and he ultimately dared not extend his hand.


    "Give them the food to eat. I''ll take him out to get his hair cut," Anna said. She then grabbed Gao Zhiming''s hand and walked away.


    The boy''s hand was smooth and pleasant to the touch, but Anna knew that the hand would eventually be severed.


    Anna pushed open the door, but her steps came to a halt upon being reminded of something. She looked back at the masked figure and asked, "Where is my other body? That thing is important, and it must be safeguarded."


    The clown grabbed its mask and peeled it off gently. To Anna''s surprise, her own face was actually behind the mask. The clown had taken control of that body. No wonder the clown''s chest seemed a bit bigger today.The clown put on the mask again and pulled out a card with a question mark written on its back.


    "All right," Anna said, "You can take control of it for now. Use it as your body for the time being."


    Anna had to admit that she felt a bit strange to know that an anomalous mask was manipting her fleshly body, but she felt relieved rather than worried.


    After all, it was better to let the clown take over it than to let her own fleshly body rot as a bedridden vegetable. At the very least, there was no longer any need to assign someone to take care of it.


    There was a <em>click,</em> and the door was shut. The clown set down the trayden with steaming breakfast in its hands and danced over to the mirror with ballet-like steps.


    The clown peeled off its mask and studied it intently for a while. Then, with both hands raised, it danced gracefully before the tall, full-length mirror.


    "Your hair is so long, boy. It must''ve been a while since you had a haircut. That''s not good. If your hair grows any longer than this, you''ll look like a girl," the barber teased.


    Gao Zhiming could see the barber''s face in the mirror, but his attention wasn''t on him at all. Every few seconds, he''d sneak a nce at Anna, who was reading a newspaper on the sofa. He was afraid that she''d suddenly run away.


    "Is she your sister? You have such a pretty sister. Girls her age usually don''t bring their little brothers to get haircuts. Your sister''s hairstyle is crude. I think it could use some perming," the barber with a shamate hairstyle turned to look at Anna. §²


    "Miss, would you like to sign up for a membership with us? I''ll give you a twenty percent discount, how about that?" the barber asked.


    Anna''s gaze shifted from the newspaper to the barber. A faint smile tugged at her lips as she said, "We''re in a hurry, so please just be quick."


    "Of course, of course." The barber secretly rejoiced. <em>She smiled at me. Could she be interested in me? Maybe I can ask for her QQ when she payster.</em>


    With a few snips of the scissors, Gao Zhiming''s shaggy hair was trimmed into a neat, clean cut; he was getting further and further away from what a street urchin would look like.


    After his haircut, he carefully shuffled over to Anna. He gripped his hands nervously; he wanted to sit next to her, but he dared not do so of his own volition.


    Just then, a warm hand reached out and grabbed his hand.


    Gao Zhiming was instantly overwhelmed by happiness. He was so ted that he was almost bouncing with joy as they walked out of the streets.


    "Is this what it feels like to have a mother?" Gao Zhiming muttered to himself.


    He had never experienced anything like this until now and had only heard about it from Steamed Bun. He couldn''t imagine what it felt like despite hearing about it, so he had never really dreamed about it as well.


    However, he finally knew what it felt like, and it felt¡­ wonderful.


    Gao Zhiming tilted his head up slightly, gazing intently at the face above him as if he wanted to etch it deep into his heart. Although he had known the big sister before him for less than a day, she was already the closest person to his heart.


    No one had ever shown him such care until now, and she smelled great as well. He really liked her, and he wanted to stay by her side forever.


    "Boss, one more basket!"


    "Where''s the vinegar?"


    "Miss, how much for one of these fried dough sticks?"


    There was a lively breakfast stall on their left. There were small wooden stools around it, and they were upied by students and office workers.


    The aroma wafting out from the steamers elicited an involuntary growl from Gao Zhiming''s stomach. It seemed that he had already digestedst night''s bowl of noodles.


    Anna heard it and pulled Gao Zhiming over to an empty seat.


    "Order whatever you want to eat," she said.


    Soon, steaming hot soup dumplings and porridge were served to the two. Gone were the days of constant hunger, but Gao Zhiming still couldn''t quite believe it, so he regarded the food with an almost religious reverence.


    Perhaps out of habit, but he ate voraciously, wolfing down his food.


    Sitting across from him, Anna stared at the boy before her with eyes full ofplex emotions. As she reminisced about her time in the Subterranean Sea and the rtionship between her and Gao Zhiming, her right hand unconsciously reached out and caressed the boy''s cheek.


    Gao Zhiming was immersed in his eating, frantically swallowing mouthful after mouthful. Upon sensing Anna''s touch, however, he instantly grew a bit tense. He carefully pushed half a steamer of dumplings to Anna.


    "Big Sis, do you want some?" he asked.


    Anna shook her head slightly and sighed softly. <em>You scumbag, I have a belly full of things I want to say to you, but you don''t know anything right now, so what am I supposed to do?</em>


    She had imagined countless times what she would say on their next encounter, but words just wouldn''te out of her mouth as she stared at the boy before her.


    Anna harboredplicated feelings toward the boy, and she couldn''t help but feel like spilling everything to the boy before her.


    However, she knew there was no point in telling the boy, as he knew absolutely nothing about the two of them.


    More importantly, Anna was feeling extremely conflicted. She had no idea what role she was supposed to assume when interacting with him.


    Was she supposed to take on the role of a lover? Or a mother? Both roles felt terribly awkward for her. In addition, Gao Zhiming was growing a bit too dependent on her, which was a dangerous sign, as his memories couldn''t contain any interactions between the two of them.


    The cogs in Anna''s mind turned, and she began formting a n to make someone else take her ce as his guardian to avoid futureplications.


    <em>If I have to do this, then I have to do it as soon as possible.</em>


    "Try this soup dumpling, Big Sis! It''s so delicious!" A soup dumpling pinched between a pair of chopsticks was delivered before Anna.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 973: Companion

    Chapter 973: Companion


    Gao Zhiming grinned with delight, and his eyes were filled with the joy of having someone to share his food with. Anna gazed at the innocent and adorable smiling face before her, and the cogs in her mind came to a halt.


    Sending him away was the most rational choice, but her heart softened upon seeing his adorable face. She truly wanted to keep the adorable boy by her side.


    This was rare. Anna had killed countless people without a single instance of her heart going soft, but her heart actually grew soft at the sight of the boy before her.


    Anna opened her mouth slightly and ate the steamed dumpling. When she bit down gently, the broth that smelled of crabs instantly filled her mouth.


    The meat filling was fresh and delicious, and it had an exquisite taste. Gao Zhiming was right¡ªthe soup dumplings were indeed quite tasty. No wonder business was so good.


    Another soup dumpling was presented to her, and Anna shook her head gently at the sight of it. "I''m done. Just hurry up and eat. We''ll go back once you''re done."


    "Oh," Gao Zhiming muttered before stuffing the soup dumpling into his mouth.


    His face reflected pure bliss as he chewed.


    After finishing breakfast, Gao Zhiming held Anna''s hand and skipped on the colorful paving stones. For him, there was no greater joy than being able to eat his fill.When Anna pushed open the door to her residence, she saw the Fhtagnists gathered in a circle in the living room. Their solemn expressions made the supposedly cozy living room feel quite eerie instead.


    The Fhtagnists pressed their silver pendants to their bes, muttering prayers in low voices. Their prayerscked consonants, making them difficult to understand.


    However, Anna could tell that they were clumsily imitating the whispers in their ears.


    Upon seeing the High Priestess, the praying Fhtagnists stood up one by one and approached her with reverent expressions.


    The first to speak was a bespectacled man. He appeared gentle, but his words couldn''t be further from gentle as he said, "High Priestess, we''re all ready to capture some sacrifices! It''s been so many days since thest one. We''ve been dying the ritual for quite some time now.


    "If we don''t make up for the dy, the Great One will me us."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "No rituals for now. We''re at a critical juncture. Killing people is too risky, and our location might get exposed."


    "Then, can we start proselytizing?" the Fhtagnist asked, "We must let more people know of the Great One''s might. Actually, can I contact my family and ask them to join us?"


    Religion, by nature, was expansionist. A religion could not be considered a religion if its followers weren''t actively seeking to convert people into their own faith.


    Anna frowned, and there was a hint of displeasure in her voice as she asked, "Do you want to get locked up again? The IMF is still searching for us. Doing as you say is tantamount to painting a target on ourselves. It''s like saying that we''re <em>here</em>."


    Anna let go of Gao Zhiming''s hand and walked toward her bedroom.


    "Follow me," she said, sounding irritated.


    The Fhtagnists followed Anna, leaving Gao Zhiming alone.


    Gao Zhiming looked uneasy as he nced at the others in the living room.


    Just then, Tobba, wearing only a pair of shorts, walked over to the boy. He circled Gao Zhiming while clicking his tongue in amazement.


    "Great, not bad at all. Gotta say you look invigorated after just a haircut. Qualified to be my sidekick."


    Gao Zhiming cast a curious gaze at Tobba. He had already met Tobba yesterday, but he still couldn''t quite wrap his head around the bizarre fact that an infant could talk and walk. It was truly bizarre.


    "Name''s Tobba. From now on, you''ll roll with me, got it? I''m your boss."


    Gao Zhiming pouted, looking disgruntled. He was obviously older than Tobba, so how could thetter be his boss?


    "What''s up with that look? You''re looking down on me, aren''t you? Well, let me tell you something¡ªI''m the big boss here. With just one word from me, Anna will send you back where you came from."


    Gao Zhiming was only eight years old, but he clearly wasn''t that easy to fool. "You''re lying. Big Sis isn''t afraid of you at all. She even told you to get lostst night."


    "Oh, you''re talking back to me? See thatdy over there? She''s one of my people. I just need to say the word, and she''ll throw you out," Tobba said, speaking with conviction as he pointed at Li Lu on the sofa.


    Gao Zhiming was clearly still unwilling to ept the arrangement, but he wisely closed his mouth when he saw Li Lu ncing over at them.


    Tobba nodded with satisfaction at the sight. Then, he leaned in and sniffed at Gao Zhiming''s clothes. "You''ve had breakfast?"


    "<em>Mmhmm.</em> I ate soup dumplings."


    "Soup dumplings? They do taste really good. Too bad I don''t have any teeth right now. Can''t eat them yet," Tobba remarked with a face full of regret.


    "Come with me. I''ll introduce you to some folks," Tobba said. He put his hands behind his back and walked toward the clown.


    "Well, let me introduce you to this guy. His name is Joseph. As you can see, he''s a clown, but he''s ourpanion as well. He''s a very important fighter. Of course, he''s one of my sidekicks as well."


    The clown ying chess by itself looked up and nodded at Gao Zhiming. It flipped its hand covered with a white glove, and a stic toy car appeared on its palm.


    Gao Zhiming''s eyes widened at the sight. "Wow, that was great! Is he a magician?"


    "Mmhmm, you could say that. He can make people disappear, too."


    Tobba snatched the toy car and led Gao Zhiming to Li Lu.


    "She''s one of my people, so be polite. Call her ''Auntie.''"


    "Hello, Auntie," Gao Zhiming said, bowing nervously to Li Lu.


    "Hello," Li Lu replied, staring curiously at the boy before her. She truly couldn''t understand why that madwoman had sought this boy out and was treating him so well, too.


    When the madwoman gently lifted the boy into the car back then, Li Lu was almost convinced that 315 was an ordinary human being capable of feeling emotions.


    "Do you have any special abilities? Like breathing fire or any special ability at all?" Li Lu asked, sounding curious.


    Tobba answered his mother''s question, saying, "Come on, that is such a dumb question. No wonder they say¡ª''once pregnant, three years stupid[1].'' If he had any special ability, would he be scavenging food from the garbage on the streets?"


    "I don''t scavenge food from the garbage on the streets. We collect trash to sell for money to buy food." Gao Zhiming corrected softly.


    "Same thing, same thing." Tobba waved his hand dismissively and led Gao Zhiming to Li Long.


    "He''s¡­ Wait, what''s your name again?" Tobba asked, looking perplexed.


    Li Long revealed a strained smile. He wasn''t really curious about Gao Zhiming. He was in a daze, with his mind fully upied by thoughts of leaving this ce.


    He truly wanted to leave, but Wang Sheng''s promised job had yet to arrive, so he dared not leave. If he were to leave, how would he sustain himself? Was he supposed to feed on air?


    If he left now and Wang Sheng returned with his promised job, the joke would be on him. After all, Wang Sheng had promised him a stable job with a monthly sry of twenty thousand yuan.


    Just then, Tobba pped his hands as if he had been struck by a realization. "<em>Oh, </em>I remember you now. He''s called Li Long. He''s... Wait, what do you do again?"


    "Lil'' Tobba, why don''t you go y somewhere else? I''m busy right now."


    "How impudent! ''Lil'' Tobba''? Really? Who do you think you''re talking to? Based on what Anna had told me, I''ve been in this joint way earlier than you, so show some respect, will you?!"


    1. the original saying is Ò»ÔÐɵÈýÄê basically, baby brain or momnesia ?

 Chapter 974: Plan

    Chapter 974: n


    After Tobba''s introduction, Gao Zhiming finally got to know everyone here and could register their faces to their names.


    Although they were all undoubtedly strange, Gao Zhiming epted these peculiar people without much hesitation. Perhaps because he was still young, but he didn''t overthink the situation.


    The primary reason, which Gao Zhiming himself hadn''t even realized, was that these people were with Anna. Subconsciously, he had decided that anyone close to his "sister" was naturally a good person.


    "Once those craziese out from the room, I''ll introduce you to them one by one," Tobba said with his hands on his hips and chest puffed out. With a confident smirk on his face, he continued, "They are all my subordinates. Anyway, just listen to what I say, and you''re all set!"


    Gao Zhiming didn''t readily agree to Tobba''s statement. Instead, his gaze swept over Tobba''s head and scanned the room. After a while, he asked with a hint of hesitation in his voice, "<em>Erm¡­</em> Tobba, can I ask a question? What exactly do Big Sis and the rest of you do?"


    "Do? What do you mean by what we do?" Tobba was confused.


    "I mean, what do you guys do in exchange for money? You know, like there are doctors, astronauts, drivers and so on. Back when I was on the streets, I had to pick up aluminum cans and sell them for money," Gao Zhiming answered.


    "Uh¡­ what do we do¡­" The question stumped Tobba. He had no idea how he should sum up their group''s existence into a simple job.


    "Erm¡­strictly speaking, back at the IMF site, our job title would probably be something along the lines of ''anomaly research staff.'' But at the moment, we''re more like¡­ on the run," Tobba eventually came up with an answer. "What does that mean? So all of you are scientists?"


    "Uh¡­ let''s just go with that. Our job was to assist the researchers with their work," Tobba concluded.


    As the two chatted, the tightly closed bedroom door suddenly swung open.


    Gao Zhiming''s face lit up with joy as he jumped out of his seat and bolted toward Anna.


    "Big Sis!" Gao Zhiming called out and threw himself into her arms. Burying himself into her embrace, he took in theforting scent that lingered on her.


    Compared to Anna''s usual stoic expression, the Fhtagnists behind her wore noticeably dejected looks. Whatever Anna had told them inside the room clearly hadn''t been good news.


    <em>p, p, p!</em>


    Anna lightly tapped her own forearm with her right hand. Everyone''s attention immediately turned to her.


    "Let me brief everyone on our next steps," Anna started. "Sanjess, take your men and track down a group of people. They are critical in the next step of our n."


    Anna bent down to pull a stack of files from a nearby drawer. The documents were the information that Wang Jianshe had gathered for her before. Inside were the profiles of individuals who looked strikingly simr to Gao Zhiming''s "parents." These people were vital in the next phase of their n, which involved Gao Zhiming.


    "Find them and investigate them thoroughly. I want to know everything about them¡ªfrom their lives to their family background," Anna instructed, extending the stack of files and cing them in the hands of Sanjess, the leader of the group.


    Anna wasn''t sure if there were any powerful memory-altering relics on the surface. Until she knew for certain, the only thing she could do now was to recreate Gao Zhiming''s life events as he once remembered them.


    Altering memories was far easier than fabricating them from scratch. At least, on Gao Zhiming''s old smartphone, there were indeed real photos of his so-called "family."


    "We promise to fulfill the mission given to us," the Fhtagnists said in a collective voice. They stood in a single file with determined expressions as each ced a hand over the silver Fhtagn pendants hanging around their necks.


    Having gone through the ritual, they held absolute loyalty to the representative of their God Fhtagn.


    "We''re not safe here," Anna said, her voice edged with urgency. "The IMF could track us down at any moment. We need to seek a more secure hideout. At the same time, we need someone to keep an eye on our surroundings constantly. We need to catch the IMF agents before they can infiltrate our ranks.


    "Ideally, it would be best if we could catch one alive. That way, we can find out just how much intel the IMF has on us currently."


    Tobba extended his hands to his sides and shrugged with exaggerated helplessness. His infant face bore a speechless look as she said, "That sure sounds easy. But how do you n to catch those agents? If it were that easy, Agent 2 and the others wouldn''t have infiltrated the group back then."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I can''t do it, but someone else can," Anna said, her eyes turning toward Li Lu, who was watching by the side. "It shouldn''t be too hard to track down those old colleagues of yours, right?"


    Indeed, among the group, Li Lu was the most suitable candidate for the job. Having once been an IMF''s shadow agent, she had the skills to counter-track the others.


    "I don''t¡ª" Li Lu instinctively wanted to refuse. Before she couldplete her sentence, her gazended on her son, Tobba.


    <em>If the IMF really finds us, then what will happen to Tobba?</em>


    The thought of secretly running back to the IMF with Tobba had crossed Li Lu''s mind at least once. She tried very hard to convince herself that the organization would protect both her and Tobba.


    However, there was this gnawing doubt. What if things turned out ording to 315''s words? She dared not take that risk.


    "Great. It''s settled, then. Go out and buy surveince equipment in the afternoon. The technology out there isn''t as great as the IMF, so make sure to get the higher quality ones." Anna directly decided for Li Lu.


    Li Lu remained silent for a long moment as she grappled with an internal strife. Eventually, she gave in and voiced no objections.


    Observing the look of hesitation on his mother''s face, Tobba walked over to her and patted her calf with a small hand. His voice wasced with confidence as he said, "Don''t worry. I''ve got this."


    Li Lu''s heart slowly filled with peace as her gaze settled on Tobba''s bright and innocent face. She bent down and scooped him up into her arms, brushing her nose against his tiny one in an affectionate gesture.


    "High Priestess, then¡­ What about me?" Li Long suddenly stepped forward. His anxiety was evident as he feigned a pleading grin at Anna.


    Anna turned her gaze to Li Long, and her expression was unreadable as her eyes traveled up and down. When she had no other manpower, Li Long still had some use, but she no longer had any shortage of hands, so there wasn''t much he could contribute.


    "You''re fired," Anna said in a matter-of-factly manner.


    "What?" Li Long froze in his spot. He wasn''t sure of his own feelings. He was caught between two emotions¡ªrelief and sorrow.


    He was relieved because he finally had an out, but he felt sorrowful because, despite all the effort he had put in for such an extended period of time, he was still nothing more than deadweight to the group.


    "When we were on the ne, weren''t you telling Wang Sheng that you wanted to leave? Well, now you can," Anna replied.


    Li Long nced at the door and then back at the others in the room. Then, he revealed a fawning smile.


    "Boss, I don''t have a single penny on me. Can you at least spare me a little for public transport?" Li Long asked in a sheepish tone, his manner of addressing Anna had reverted to the old one.


    "Sure." Anna reached into her pocket and pulled out a few bills and some loose change before directly cing them into his hand.


    Li Long stared at the meager sum in his palm. He had gone through so much hardship, and yet his returns amounted to only this. With a soft sigh, he tucked the money into his pocket and turned to walk toward the door.


    Anna''s gaze followed Li Long''s hunched figure. Just as he was about to reach the door, she turned toward the clown and raised an eyebrow in a silentmand. Immediately after, she raised her right hand and drew a line across her throat.


    The clown nodded in understanding. With a flick of its gloved wrist, a knife appeared between its thumb and forefinger; the dagger glimmered coldly beneath the lights.


    The subtle but chilling exchange didn''t escape Gao Zhiming''s notice. However, he was undoubtedly confused and couldn''t process what was going on.


    The others clearly saw the exchange before Anna and the clown, but they all had a rather bad impression of Li Long, so none of them moved or said a single word to save the man from his impending doom.


    Meanwhile, a faint smirk spread across Li Lu''s face.


    <em>Serves him right. If it hadn''t been for that disgusting man spying on me in the bathroom, my cover wouldn''t have been blown. If it hadn''t been for him, everything afterward wouldn''t have happened.</em><blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    Hi guys, sorry for the missing chapters for the past few days. Personal stuff caught up with me so I have been behind schedule in trantion. I will try my best to catch up as soon as possible so please do bear with me in the meantime. Thank you for all the support all these while! Just less than 200 or so chapters till the finish line!</blockquote>

 Chapter 975: Arrangement

    Just as Li Long was about to turn the doorknob and leave, he suddenly gnashed his teeth and spun around, saying, "Boss, why don''t I just stay?"


    Now that it was time for him to leave, Li Long suddenly found himself reluctant to do so. If the organization ended up bing prosperouster on, he''d have contributed to its prosperity to some extent.


    Besides, it wouldn''t be toote to leave upon securing the job that Wang Sheng had promised him. In other words, he''d lose out a lot if he were to leave now.


    Everyone''s gaze fell on Anna''s face, and they waited for her nextmand.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "<em>Oh?</em>" Anna smiled, but her eyes were cold as she asked, "What can you do for us? You''re not really useful."


    "I may not be good at fighting, but I can be useful in other ways. For example, I can clean, and I can cook. That''s right; there are some kids to handle here, and I can take care of them whenever you''re busy."


    Seemingly amused by Li Long''s words, Anna chuckled lightly and reached out to pat Gao Zhiming''s head beside her. "Alright, from now on, you''ll be in charge of backend logistics."


    Li Long''s expression changed, and he nodded repeatedly. He had never done any job rted to backend logistics, but he knew that it was the most profitable job in an organization. He had indeed made the right choice to stay here.


    Since Anna had already issued her orders, it was time for everyone to start moving. They left one by one, including Anna, as she had her own affairs to attend to."Big Sis, where are we going?" Gao Zhiming asked, sounding uneasy. He was walking down the street with Anna, and he was sporting a brand-new backpack.


    Anna had changed her makeup, so she looked a bit different from usual. She pointed at a huge clock between the distant buildings and said, "Do you see that? That''s the school you''ll be attending soon."


    There was another sentence Anna refrained from saying. <em>You were once a student of that school, but who knows whether that fact is going to be useful or not? I should just ignore those memories for now and see what''s going to happen.</em>


    In addition, Gao Zhiming couldn''t really stick to her every day, especially when she had to deal with some issues, like earlier''s issue as an example.


    "School?" Gao Zhiming seemed bewildered. Little Sichuan had gone to school, and based on Little Sichuan''s words, school wasn''t a good thing.


    The power of money resolved every single issue, including the fact that Gao Zhiming was transferring in the middle of the semester and the fact that he had never been to school.


    By noon on the same day, Gao Zhiming had be a second-grade student, shedding his identity as a street urchin. He received brand-new textbooks, which the principal personally ced in his backpack.


    Apanied by the homeroom teacher, Anna slowly walked past the ssroom window. Through the ss, she saw Gao Zhiming''s ssmates and identified them through her memories.


    Her memories were starting to blur, but she could still roughly recognize them.


    "Let him sit next to that little girl. She looks well-behaved, and she should be able to help my brother study."


    "Mmhm, okay. But as a teacher, I must remind you that your brother may not be able to keep up with the ss. He has never been to school, after all. I suggest transferring him to first grade. It''ll be less stressful for him that way."


    Anna shook her head. Then, she pushed away Gao Zhiming, who was clinging to her. "No need, let him go in. It''s better for him to be with kids his age."


    Anna made Gao Zhiming promise her one thing¡ªhe had to hide the mask in his backpack and not tell anyone else of its existence.


    Gao Zhiming looked back at Anna every three steps as he walked into the ssroom.


    The little girl sitting next to Gao Zhiming looked at Anna with curiosity. She had just changed seats ording to the homeroom teacher''s instructions.


    "Is that your mom at the door? Your mom is so pretty," she asked.


    "She''s my sister, not my mom."


    "Hello, my name is Miaomiao."


    "I''m Gao Zhiming."


    This was their first meeting, but they were just children, after all. They were unlike adults, so it took them no time to start ying with each other.


    Gao Zhiming realized that Little Sichuan had lied¡ªschool was a good ce. After school, he went home by himself. As soon as he got home, the mask rolled out of his backpack by itself.


    After what had transpired earlier in the morning, Gao Zhiming was already ustomed to the bizarre scene. He put down his backpack and searched the whole house for Anna.


    Upon finding her, he hugged her thighs with both hands and talked excitedly about what had happened at school. He was so happy that he talked nonstop; he was still talking eventer into the night.


    It was clear that hepletely regarded Anna as someone closest to his heart.


    "Enough. Wash up and go to bed," Anna said, patting his head gently.


    Just then, the smiling Gao Zhiming froze upon recalling something. "I can''t sleep yet. I still have homework."


    "Then, do it," Anna said as she held Gao Zhiming on herp.


    "But I don''t know how to do it¡­ I can''t read the characters in the book..." Gao Zhiming muttered in a low voice that resembled a mosquito''s droning.


    Five minutester, a dazed Li Long was holding Gao Zhiming''s workbook in his hands. He stared at Gao Zhiming in front of him andmpooned, "Why do I have to do this?"


    Tobba¡ªan avid fan of watching from the sidelines and fanning the mes¡ªwalked over with a grin. "This is part of backend logistics, too. Anyway, it''s time you step up and show your worth, so hurry up and do it."


    Li Long looked at the tightly closed bedroom door and sighed. Then, he started teaching the little boy.


    Gao Zhiming had never received any education, so Li Long''s task was bound to be incredibly difficult. To make matters worse, he could not lose his temper. After all, the little boy was much more important to Anna than him.


    Late at night, specifically after 10 p.m., Gao Zhiming was finally done with his homework. Technically, Li Long had done it for him.


    Gao Zhiming fell asleep as soon as his headnded on the pillow, but Anna was still busy. The monitor screen in Anna''s hands was reflected in her eyes, and the screen changed constantly as she clicked on the mouse.


    Her goal had changed. She was no longer searching for the entrance to the Subterranean Sea. Instead, she decided to wait for Charles to grow up and enter the Subterranean Sea with him.


    However, she needed funds to raise him. There were also more than ten people to feed and shelter, not including Gao Zhiming''s tuition fees. The money that she had obtained from hijacking that ne would soon be exhausted, and she needed to find a way to receive a steady stream of money before she ran out of it.


    Obtaining money wasn''t really a problem for Anna; the issue was obtaining money without causing any trouble. It was a task so trivial that there was no need to do something risky that could alert the IMF to her location.


    Just then, Anna recalled something and looked down at her diamond ring. It looked empty; clearly, she couldn''t do the same thing that she had done when she had just arrived in the surface world.


    While she was staring absentmindedly at the ring, she noticed some movement from the window. Anna nced at the sleeping Gao Zhiming and frowned. Then, she stood up quietly and walked toward the window.


    Anna swiftly opened the curtains, revealing Tobba holding a shlight beneath his chin. He jumped up at Anna with a scream, but he ended up getting frightened instead of the other way around.


    The tip of Anna''s pen was just five centimeters away from his eye!


    "<em>Ah!</em>" Tobba was so scared that his face turned pale. Then, he retreated frantically.


    Anna threw the pen onto the table. Her face was cold, and her fists were clenched as she looked down at Tobba, asking, "Do you want a beating?"


    Realizing that Anna was not joking, Tobba hurriedly eximed, "Wait, wait, wait! I didn''te here to scare you by pretending to be a ghost. I''m here to tell you something! My mom has discovered someone staking us out!"

 Chapter 976: Invest

    A small gap was opened in the ck curtains.


    Anna used the binocrs that Li Lu had purchased to look down on the streets.


    It was a cold night, so there were only a few people around. However, there were two ck cars parked in the southeast corner of the building, and there was a faint red glow inside. It seemed that the upant was smoking.


    "I noticed them when I was surveying the surroundings today. I don''t know exactly when they arrived," Li Lu reported to Anna in a low voice.


    "Did you see their faces? Are they your colleagues?" Anna asked, putting down the binocrs.


    "Shadows can onlymunicate with HQ through a single point of contact, and they are trained entirely by that point of contact. It is impossible to identify the shadows through their faces. However, I''m sure they weren''t sent here by HQ.


    "I also don''t think they''re shadows. If they were shadows, they wouldn''t be so sloppy at following their target."


    <em>If they''re not from the IMF, then who''s interested in me?</em>


    Anna pondered over it for a few seconds before saying, "Mask, go over there and take a look. If they''re just ordinary people, then bring them over here."The clown snapped its fingers, and its figure squeezed out of the window as if it were made out of putty. Then, it silently made its way toward the car.


    The glowing red dot in the car flickered a few times before disappearingpletely. Momentster, there was knocking on the door. When the door was opened, the clown''s figure appeared, and it was carrying a tattooed burly man on its shoulders.


    The bulge at the back of the burly man''s waist told everyone that he was carrying a firearm.


    Once he was bound, a knife was ruthlessly stabbed into his right thigh. The burly man attempted to scream, but a towel immediately stifled it.


    "Who sent you?" Anna asked casually while slowly twisting the knife in her right hand.


    The towel was removed, and the man, with snot and tears all over his face, spilled everything like a broken dam.


    "It was Boss Wang! Boss Wang told us toe here! <em>Ah!</em> Don''t¡­! Don''t twist it, <em>aaargh!</em> My leg!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Boss Wang? Which Boss Wang?"


    "Wang Jianshe! <em>Aargh! </em>I really just came here to earn some money!" the burly man eximed.


    Anna frowned slightly at the revtion. She reached out and patted the burly man down, eventually finding a flip phone. Opening the list of contacts, a numberbeled "Boss Wang" appeared before Anna.


    Anna held the phone''s screen in front of the burly man and asked, "Is this the one?"


    The burly man nodded frantically in response.


    Anna immediately called the number.


    "Hello? How are things going there?" Wang Jianshe asked, sounding a bit tired.


    "Hello there, Boss Wang. It hasn''t been long since we parted ways, but you''re already missing me?" Anna asked softly into the phone.


    The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds before Wang Jianshe shattered it. The cat was out of the bag, so there was no point in feigning ignorance.


    "There are some things I want to discuss with you face to face. Come to my house," Wang Jianshe said.


    "Haha, you''re the one seeking me out, so you shoulde to my ce instead. And you''d better think carefully on your way here¡ªthink about how you''re going to exin to me why you sent people to monitor me. I despise ingrates the most."


    Anna did not bother waiting for Wang Jianshe''s reply and immediately ended the call.


    On that day, no one slept except for Gao Zhiming; they all waited for Wang Jianshe. At 3 a.m., the doorbell finally rang. The locked door was opened, and Wang Jianshe''s figure was revealed. His expression was solemn as he stood by himself at the entrance.


    Ignoring everyone''s vignt gazes, he walked up to Anna and looked her straight in the eye. "I learned some things from that brat. You actually haven''t lied to me before. I was too hasty."


    Anna smiled at him. "So what?"


    "So you and Wang Sheng had ended up offending a powerful organization? Are they going to look for Wang Sheng?" Wang Jianshe asked, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. His son was still in trouble.


    "Maybe," Anna replied, lookingpletely nonchnt. She wasn''t running a shop here, so there were no warranties nor after-sales service.


    "If you feel like you got the short end of the stick in this deal, then there''s nothing I can do. The deal is done, and what''s done is done."


    Wang Jianshe wasn''t angry to hear that as he replied, "I''m not here to kick up a fuss. I just want to ask one question: the so-called immortality that you promised¡­ is it true?"


    "<em>Oh?</em>" Anna was a bit surprised to hear that. "So you want to join our congregation to be immortal?"


    "No, I have no ns of doing that. I n to invest," Wang Jianshe remarked. He was already involved, so avoiding the issue wasn''t going to solve it. Since there was a problem, he was nning on facing it head-on to analyze and resolve it.


    "Invest?" The others in the room couldn''t wrap their heads around it. They had truly never thought about it before.


    "That so-called IMF is hunting you down, and I''m sure it''s difficult to keep hiding from them. My investment can help you solve that problem. I have money, and you happen to have something money can''t buy.


    "I scratch your back; you scratch mine. It''s a win-win."


    When looking for a business partner, Wang Jianshe knew that character was paramount. Upon hearing of Anna''s kindness toward Gao Zhiming, Wang Jianshe judged that Anna wasn''t a murderous madwoman; hence, it was worth a try.


    They stood to gain more by directly working with Anna rather than joining the mysterious, secretive organization against her. At the very least, Anna hadn''t screwed him over in their previous deal.


    And the fact that she managed to rescue his son from a prison somewhere in a vast desert was enough proof of her prowess.


    "An investment. Interesting. Alright, I agree. Come back here another day with Wang Sheng, then," Anna remarked. She was tempted. Wang Jianshe''s investment would be a huge help. The man himself wasn''t useful, but his money was, and very much so.


    Wang Jianshe''s face, which had been as steady as a mountain, changed abruptly. "That is not happening! It seems that I have to make one thing clear here. This is a private partnership between you and me. Wang Sheng will not be involved."


    Wang Jianshe was confident that he could profit from working with her and could extricate himself from her in a crisis. However, his son was a different story. Wang Sheng was too dumb. If he got involved, he''d be nothing but a pawn.


    "<em>Oh?</em> Alright then. Since you''ve be one of us, then I have something I''d like you to help me with," Anna said. She bit the empty ring on her slender finger and pulled it out gently.


    Then, she opened her right palm, presenting the empty diamond ring to Wang Jianshe. "I sold the diamonds on this ring. I want you to find them and fill this ring up with those diamonds."


    "Is there anything special about this ring?" Wang Jianshe asked. He epted the ring and stared solemnly at it.


    "Mmhm, it''s very useful. It''s an important weapon. With it, we''ll be much safer."


    Wang Jianshe nodded slightly at that and put the ring into his pocket. "I understand. It''s toote today, so I''ll prepare a safer residence for you tomorrow. We also need to discuss the specifics going forward."

 Chapter 977: Cat Island

    On the vast expanse of Cat Ind, Julio leisurely strolled down Footbug Avenue. As he walked, he silently took in the tightly packed rows of shops lining the street.


    The electric lights from the storefronts illuminated the entire road, leaving not even a spot in the darkness. The whole street was packed, apanied by a cacophony of sounds that filled the air. Pushing and shoveling, the inders went about with their activities.


    A massive longhorn beetle lumbered past him, its sturdy backden with bundles of goods.


    Seeing the sacks loaded with edible centipedes on the longhorn beetle, Julio reached out and tapped the beetle''s hardened shell.


    The corners of his lips curled up into a satisfied smile. The damage caused by the death light years ago was finally subsiding and Cat Ind had now returned to half of its vitality of its prime. The once silent streets were now bustling with life again.


    Julio couldn''t help but feel pride welling up in him at the foresight of his decisions.


    Back when the governors were deciding how to split the Fhtagn''snd and resources in the Eastern Seas, he had chosen not to fight with the others over those assets. Instead, he made the bold move to absorb the disced poption that Anna had discarded into Cat Ind.


    True, the inds in the Eastern Seas were rich in resources, but they were far deep in the region. Even if he were to send his own son to be a proxy governor, his son would eventually have his own thoughts about the ind and that would inevitably lead to rebellion.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Instead of taking that risk, it would be a wiser decision to grab a surviving poption, rebuild Cat Ind''s workforce and mirror Hope Ind''s industrialization. To Julio, the future didn''t hinge on the number of inds or the amount of resources. The core of tomorrow was the advancement of technology.


    As Julio continued his stroll, his eyes wandered onto a young man standing outside a paint shop. He had a peculiar mechanical contraption on his back and was choosing purple snails.


    Julio instantly recognized that the young man was from Hope Ind. It was a distinctive trait on them due to an ongoing trend on Hope Ind. They would adorn themselves with mechanical trinkets, using them as essories. The more advanced the design, the better.


    With his finger d in fingerless gloves, the young man rummaged through the snail crate. He swiftly picked out a handful of snails and casually tossed them into a nearby turtle-shell basin.


    The shopkeeper raised a hefty iron mallet and brought it down in one smooth, deliberate motion. The snails in the turtle-shell basin sttered into a deep purple paste. He then scooped the substance into an iron tin and handed it over to the young man.


    The snails were one of Cat Ind''s most coveted exports. The purple hue was the purest purple that ever existed. A single gram of this pigment was worth as much as gold, earning it the nickname "Gold Purple" among the seafarers who sought it.


    "Hey, friend, since you''vee all this way, would you like some shallow algae green too?" the shopkeeper asked with a radiant smile on his face. He held up a plump, emerald-green caterpir roughly the size of a forearm and gently squeezed it to reveal the creature''s bright green innards.


    "No need. We''ve already figured out how to synthesize this color back on Hope Ind. Once we manage to synthesize gold purple, I wouldn''t have toe to Cat Ind for supplies again."


    The young man then added, "Oh my Sparkle Goddess, there''re so many bugs on this ind. Justst night, a hand-sized monstrosity crawled into my boot while I was sleeping.


    "And don''t even get me started on those parasitic vermin that would burrow into the skin. Honestly, out of all of the Subterranean Sea, Hope Ind is still the best."


    Julio''s brow furrowed slightly and his face darkened. He let out a cold scoff before turning sharply and headed toward the elevatednd where his residence was located.


    As much as he hated to admit it, the young man''s words were right. When it came to technology, Cat Indgged woefully behind Hope Ind.


    He had to leverage Cat Ind''s superior poption numbers and start to build academies and also a relic research institute. Only then could he close the gap with Hope Ind and hopefully, eventually overtake them in this technological race.


    His boots thudded heavily against the roof as he ascended the path to the high teau. With onest nce over his shoulder, he surveyed the vibrant glow of Cat Ind''s bustling streets beneath the pitch-ck dome of night.


    Julio turned and walked toward his massive pce.


    In the vast expanse of the stone pce, Julio''s footsteps echoed along the hallways. The maids and guards respectfully bowed as he walked past them and headed into his private chambers of the rear pce.


    Back in his hundred-square-meter bedroom, Julio was all alone. He approached the right wall and gripped one of the murals with practiced ease. He turned it to reveal a two-meter-tall stone statue hidden behind the wall.


    It was a humanoid statue and the womanly figure was wrapped in ck bandages. A motionless cat lied in her arms. It was a statue of 005.


    Julio knelt on one knee before the stone statue and began to murmur a low prayer, his voice barely audible.


    "Do you truly believe in her? Because it doesn''t seem like she will respond to your prayers," a soft female voice suddenly broke the silence.


    Every single fibre of muscle in Julio tensed up. Cracks splintered across the walls and floor as shards of stone flew toward the source of the voice.


    A faint chime of ringing bells sounded and shadows erupted from every corner, surging toward the intruder as well.


    Julio held nothing back against an enemy who had stumbled on his secret. He activated the ability of every single relic he had assimted to annihte the intruder.


    Yet, the surroundings fell into a silence almost within a second. The walls and floors repaired themselves, the fragments returning to where they belonged. Even the swirling shadows had vanished.


    Julio froze in shock. Neither the assimted relics or his abilities that he had acquired through other means had any response. Someone had entirely severed the connection between him and his powers.


    "Don''t be so rash as to act," Sparklemented as she walked out of the shadows. Her eyes glimmered with a hint of curiosity as her gaze roved over the murals on the walls.


    "You are¡­ Charles'' daughter?" Julio was in disbelief as he stared at Sparkles'' trademark fluorescent green, cross-shaped pupils.


    Sparkle''s strength was too terrifying. Even he, a Level 15 powerhouse in the Subterranean Sea, couldn''t even move a single inch in her presence.


    As the image of a young Sparkle, who barely reached his thigh, shed through his mind, Julio couldn''t help but feel a profound sense of helplessness welling up in him.


    Sparkle turned her gaze back onto Julio. "I don''t want to fight. I just came here to chat. I don''t have many people I know, and even fewer whom I sharemon topics with."


    Despite the absurd reason, Julio found himself nodding in agreement. After all, what other choice did he have?


    Soon, the various signature specialties of Cat Ind were brought to the table to amodate the mysterious woman.


    "Where''s your father now?" Julio asked, his voiceced with bitterness as he poured Sparkle a cup of liquor.


    Sparkle picked up the cup and was about to take a sip when she saw the squirming, little winged insects within. She ced the cup down without taking a sip and answered, "He''s gone. Don''t worry; he''s not going to return to im your territory. Dad''s now considering far more significant matters."


    Julio offered no response and the silence stretched into a thick and awkward tension that nketed the room.


    All along, he had always been in a high position of power and he found himself unable tomunicate with the woman in front of him.


    Taking arge gulp from his cup, Julio studied Sparkle''s delicate face. He hesitated for a brief moment before asking, "Are you troubled by something?"


    Sparkle instinctively shook her head, but then nodded slightly.


    "Do you have anything that troubles you?" Sparkle suddenly returned the question to Julio, catching thetter off guard.


    "Yes. I can''t find a suitable sessor. All of them are really useless. Sometimes, I wonder how they will survive once I pass on."


    Julio then lifted the cup to his lips, tilted his head back and took another sip. Regardless of Sparkle''s motive, he decided to sound her out through some small talk first.


    "My father used to love drinking as well. Whenever he was troubled, he''d drink until he passed out. But he doesn''t drink anymore. Alcohol no longer has any effects on him."


    Staring at the formidable woman before him, Juliomented in a low voice, "Charles¡­he must be incredibly strong now."


    "Yes. Very. His strengthpared to mine is simr to my strengthpared to yours."

 Chapter 978: Sparkle

    Sparkle''s words hung in the air, creating a quiet tension that hung in the room. Julio sat in silence for a prolonged moment before hemented, "So¡­ what method did he use to be a Divinity?"


    "Hmm¡­ It''s a very unique method. Don''t ask. It''s not something you can replicate," Sparkle answered.


    A bitter chuckle escaped Julio''s lips. "Wonderful. Now I have one more thing to worry about."


    "This is not something you need to worry about. Rather, it''s a worry for other existences. Beings like my father are no longer tethered to this world. He no longer interacts with the human world."


    "Then what about you?" Julio turned his gaze onto Sparkle. "Why do you still interact with humans?"


    Sparkle was slightly taken aback. Aplexbination of emotions marred her face as she replied, "It''s the same for me, actually. I don''t have much time left to interact with you humans. That''s why I want to make the most of it while I can. Leave more memories like this. After all, there won''t be another chance for conversations like this in the near future."


    Julio let out a dryugh and took anotherrge gulp from his cup.


    "You have yet to answer me." Sparkle''s gaze drifted toward the giant stone statue wrapped in ck bandages. "Why do you believe in 005? I remember that she only answers the prayers of those she takes an interest in. Ordinary prayers are not going to get any response."


    A faint tinge of nostalgia surfaced on Julio''s countenance. "I know¡­ But I wanted to try. What if it actually worked?"Looking back, it felt all like a dream. I have no idea why she wanted to help me¡ªa poor boy who digs worms out of the dirt for a living. Just like that, I became the strongest human in the Subterranean Sea.


    "Though¡­ Thinking about it now, perhaps what was valuable and precious to me probably meant nothing in her eyes. To her, I am probably just a toy."


    As the night deepened, the two people who seemed unlikely to share a conversation continued talking and even enjoyed each other''spany deep into the night.


    By the time thest bottle of wine was emptied, Julio was noticeably tipsy.


    cing the empty bottle on the table with a thud, he stood up, swaying slightly. "It''s been a long while since I was able to say what I wanted. Even when my own son talks to me, there is always a hidden agenda. If you ever have time in the future, we can talk more. You said your time is running short, and so is mine."


    Sparkle looked at Julio for a brief moment before nodding. "Sure. I find it more interesting talking with you than chatting with Nene. At least you can keep up with my thoughts."


    With that, a bright sh of light illuminated the room and Sparkle vanished from her spot.


    The tipsy smile gradually faded from Julio''s visage. He turned toward the towering statue of 005. A sharp, focused gaze returned to his eyes as he took a step closer and inhaled a deep breath.


    The next moment, the statue shattered into a rain of rubble.


    ***


    Sparkle''s next stop was Hope Ind. Standing on the bustling, vibrant streets, she quietly observed a family of three from a distance.


    Nene was one of the members of the family of three. Dressed in a red maxi dress, the young girl skipped along the street, holding her father''s hand in one and her mother''s in the other. She looked happy, judging by her joyousughter.


    Thanks to Sparkle''s intervention, Nene now had everything she didn''t have before. Compared to her past self back on the World''s Crown, Nene''s current life was undoubtedly immeasurably brighter and infinitely more fulfilling.


    Sparkle made no move to approach the family of three because she didn''t want to disturb this tranquil, perfect scene. Letting things remain as they were felt right.


    "Daddy! Can I buy a piece of shrimp cracker?" Nene''s chirpy voice sounded.


    "Of course. You can have as many as you want."


    "I''ll get three! One for each of us!"


    Watching the scene in the distance, a hint of emotion flickered across Sparkle''s eyes¡ªenvy.


    When Sparkle was still a child, she had always dreamed that some day, her parents would act like a normal couple, and they would take her out to y like a normal family would.  ?


    But back then, Charles was always at sea, so it was impossible for her dreams to turn into reality.


    After waiting for a long time for her father to finally cease going out to sea, she had already outgrown those innocent, yearning days.


    Just as Sparkle prepared to leave, a sharp scream from a woman echoed from a distant corner. The cacophony of crashing crates and tumbling goods followed the scream, each instance louder than the previous as the chaos seemed to be approaching.


    Chaos rippled through the street like a shockwave.


    Nene''s parents immediately sensed the danger. Tightening their grip on their daughter''s hand, they swiftly darted into a nearby alley.


    But before they could reach the alley safely, a massive, green, humanoid centipede burst through the panicking crowd and charged straight at them.


    Behind the green creature were the officers from District 3 in pursuit. A massive shot from above, but the monster evaded it with ease.


    As it made a beeline for Nene and her family, Sparkle instinctively raised her right hand. But before the monster could make contact or Sparkle could subdue it, a swirling blue mist erupted from a nearby window and engulfed the creature.


    A semi-translucent wax began to condense from the mist and swiftly wrapped around the green centipede.


    The green centipede struggled relentlessly, but all its effort proved futile. When all the wax hadpletely hardened, the monster was turned into a wax statue and immobilized.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A hazy head quickly materialized from within the blue mist. It was Dipp. He shouted at the creature, "Norton! What in the world are you doing!"


    Yet, Norton merely parted his maws and responded with a guttural, enraged snarl. It then lunged forward, attempting to tear apart the mist in a single bite.


    Soon enough, the officers from District 3 arrived and encircled the immobilized monster. From one of the vehicles, the ship''s doctor, Linda, alighted with a grim expression.


    She approached the restrained green centipede and began to run a full examination on it.


    The old crew of the Narwhale¡ªDipp, Audric, Bandages, nck, and a couple of others¡ªgathered around. Their faces were tinged with worry and concern as they watched Linda carry out the examination.


    After what felt like an eternity, Linda stepped back and shook her head slightly. "There''s no turning back. He''spletely gone. His mind has beenpletely enved by his monstrous form.


    "I can attempt an intervention, but the chances of sess are slim¡ªvery slim," Linda concluded.


    A collective sigh rippled through the group. Although Norton had long disyed signs of descent into bestial madness, when the tragic transformation actually unfolded before them, it was still no easier to bear.


    A sedative was injected into Norton. Slowly, his violent thrashing and roars ceased as he slipped into unconsciousness. Several cars moved in to haul his massive, monstrous form toward the treatment center.


    Having reverted to his human form, Dipp seethed with frustration. His webbed hand balled into a fist, and he delivered a hard punch to Noden''s green, wax-coated neck.


    "Fuck this shit!" Dipp growled. "This is ridiculous! We haven''t been out to sea to explore for ages, and yet we are even losing one of us on our own damn ind!"


    <em>Can Dad help him? He''s a crewmate, after all. </em>Sparkle pondered on the question for a brief moment. Then with a thought, her surroundings rapidly warped and she found herself back home.


    Throwing herself into the arms of Charles'' human shell, Sparkle leaned in close and whispered everything she had witnessed into his ear.


    A few secondster, a pair of eyes emerged within the pitch-ck void of Charles'' eye sockets. Charles had returned.


    "Is that so? Norton still became a monster?"


    He lifted his metallic prosthetic hand and gently caressed Sparkle''s smooth hair. His tone carried a hint of hollow, unsettling resonance, saying, "But tell me¡­ Why should I save him?"


    Sparkle felt her heart sink. "Dad¡­ He''s your crewmate. Don''t you care deeply about them?"


    Charles'' gaze settled on the wall mural across the room. However, his attention seemed fixated on something further away, both in time and space.


    "Sparkle," Charles began. "Don''t you see that it''s meaningless? There''s no difference between me saving him or not. In the near future, he''s still going to die.


    "I''ve suddenlye to the realization that my old ways of thinking areughable. Why do I need to save the humans on the surface or in the Subterranean Sea? Whether they live or die¡­ what has that got to do with me?"

 Chapter 979: Daddy

    Sparkle couldn''t help but grab Charles'' right hand upon hearing that. However, his right hand covered in scars felt like the hand of a dead man¡ªit was ice cold, devoid of warmth.


    Facing his daughter, Charles added, "I tend to overthink and focus too rigidly on the trivial details. The most essential aspects of humanity are their thoughts and existence.


    "After all, humans are the central observers of the rtionship between themselves and the world. They are conscious social beings, and there is a constant mental and physical conflict between their activities and their existence itself.


    "One shouldn''t disturb the rtionship between humans and the world around them. Existences like me should particrly avoid such an endeavor."


    "Daddy, Daddy, calm down. You''re thinking too much and are oveplicating it," Sparkle said, patting his hand anxiously.


    However, Charles paid her no heed and spoke even faster, saying, "With that in mind, a certain question arises¡ªwhich is more primordial? Is it thought? Existence? Is it consciousness, or is it matter? In other words, which of them came first?


    "I believe this question is more important than the childish and lowly desire to save humanity.


    "Was the world born from thoughts or consciousness? Or has it always existed on its own? Is the essence and foundation of the world rooted in consciousness or in matter?"


    Realizing that Charles was ignoring her, Sparkle gnashed her teeth and teleported away. The scenery outside had changed drastically. There were bloody and deformed amorphous organs everywhere, and they all undted like a tidal wave.Among the "waves," Sparkle saw something else¡ªan obese, pale-skinned woman whose wet hair stuck closely to her pale scalp. Her five eyes were filled with terror as she raised her blood-red hooves and cried out to Sparkle for help.


    The woman was Sparkle''s younger sister, and more than half of her figure had sunk into the sea of flesh and blood. Charles was in the middle of devouring everything on the ind.


    "No! Daddy will be a god at this rate! I have to stop him!" Sparkle''s gorgeous figure swelled, and a massive cluster of tentacles spanning hundreds of meters appeared in midair.


    The indescribable cluster of tentacles was Sparkle''s true form. She had grown noticeablyrger than before. If there were a third party here, they''d see the abnormal visual distortions around her bizarre figure.


    Sparkle''s enormous form descended, melting into the flesh ocean like a droplet of water. Sparkle grew anxious as she swam in the flesh ocean. Her father''s brain was nowhere to be found, even though it was supposed to stay here, and she had no idea where it went.


    The brain''s disappearance was dangerous. Every second counted, and Sparkle had to devour the excess parts of Charles'' brain as soon as possible, or he''d truly be a true god!


    With that thought in mind, Sparkle steeled herself. Her massive tentacled figure then exploded. The tentacles, dotted with green fluorescent eyeballs, swam through the ind like sea serpents, searching for the missing brain.


    Sparkle knew that this was dangerous. If she were even the slightest bit careless, she would be devoured by her own father. However, Sparkle couldn''t care less. In her eyes, her father''s life was far more important than her own!


    The amorphous organs and flesh all over Charles undted rapidly, bing faster and faster as time ticked by. They were proliferating on their own as well, increasingly rapidly in numbers.


    Fortunately, they remained unmoving as Sparkle''s tentacles swam through them; they seemed to be treating her as one of their own.


    After a few minutes of exploration, Sparkle finally found her father''s brain in the lower left corner of the flesh ocean.


    Unfortunately, the outlook was grim. The massive brain was growing quickly and was attempting to detach from Charles'' flesh. It seemed to be in the middle of transforming into an existence that even Sparkle could not discern or fathom.


    Sparkle''s green tentacles spread in all directions and swarmed over. Like a hot knife going through butter, they burrowed in and out of the brain. Sparkle''s fluorescent green eyeballs were missing, reced by a cavity that frantically devoured Charles'' brain.


    Sparkle''s strength increased exponentially as she devoured more and more parts of Charles'' brain. However, Sparkle couldn''t care less at this point. She had only one goal¡ªto save her father.


    The ordeal persisted for five whole days until the brain, riddled with holes, finally stopped expanding and went silent.


    No, I can''t forget my motives! I absolutely can''t forget why I decided to be a god in the first ce! They''re my family, and they''re the same species as me! ?


    An agonized look marred Charles'' face as he convulsed on the sofa.


    There was a sh of white light, and Sparkle appeared beside him. She spread her arms and embraced Charles, humming the soothing luby that Anna would often hum for him.


    Amidst the luby, Charles hugged Sparkle tighter and tighter until her gorgeous figure practically melted into his fleshly body. His sanity was recovering, and his eyes grew increasingly clearer as the seconds ticked by.


    When Charles came to his senses, the ind finally went silent. Recalling everything that had just happened, Charles broke out into a cold sweat. It seemed that he had be extremely close to bing a god again.


    <em>Is my time getting shorter and shorter? Can I trulyplete my goals before I truly be a god? </em>Charles felt his chances of sess had dropped once again. He wasn''t afraid of death, but he was afraid of <em>it</em>.


    He let go of Sparkle and pulled her out of his chest.


    Charles was struck by a wave of lingering fear upon getting reminded of what had just transpired. If he had lost control, Sparkle would have been in danger.


    "Sparkle, I don''t know how much longer I can endure. The day I be a god, remember to stay far, far away from me," Charles warned.


    Sparkle opened her arms and hugged Charles tightly, nuzzling her fair cheek against his old captain''s uniform.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Daddy, don''t worry. Nothing will happen to you as long as I''m here."


    "Thank you." Charles'' heart felt warm. He wrapped his arms around his daughter once more. Only during moments like this did he truly feel like a human being.


    After basking in the heartwarming air between himself and his daughter, Charles let go of Sparkle and cast a gentle gaze at her. "Sparkle, I''m serious. Listen to me; I''m pursuing my own goals here, and they have nothing to do with you.


    "You don''t have to give everything up to follow me."


    Sparkle''s eyes reddened. "Daddy, you''re all I have now. If you be a god, then I can only follow you."


    Charles'' expression wasplex as he stared at her. "No, you have more than just me. You still have your mother. You know where she is, right?"


    "You knew it, Daddy?" Sparkle was stunned. "I''m sorry; I shouldn''t have lied to you."


    Charles smiled calmly and exined, "I saw something from your afterimages, and I''m not going to scold you or anything. If something ends up happening to me, then go to your mother."


    Sparkle''s lips quivered slightly, but she ultimately nodded with difficulty.


    Charles raised his hands, cupping his daughter''s exquisite face, saying, "Our Sparkle is so beautiful. I''m sure you take after your mother."


    Before Sparkle could answer, Charles abruptly pulled his daughter''s fair face to his own. His trembling hands gently brushed the corners of Sparkle''s eyes, and he sounded shocked as he muttered, "My dear daughter¡­ w-what were those?"


    Sparkle raised her hands, cing them on the back of Charles'' hands. She soundedposed as she replied, "They''re wrinkles, Daddy."

 Chapter 980: Shattered

    Gao Zhiming looked up at the ckboard, struggling to understand the iprehensible knowledgeing out of the teacher''s fluttering mouth. In the end, he began nodding off.


    The girl sitting next to him, Miaomiao, nudged him gently with her elbow.


    The drowsy Gao Zhiming immediately sat up straight.


    <em>Ring!</em>


    The bell rang just in time, allowing Gao Zhiming to breathe a sigh of relief.


    He had survived yet another difficult day at school.


    At first, he thought Little Sichuan had lied to him, but he finally realized that school was indeed difficult and torturous. He had never been to school before, so he couldn''t recognize the characters on the ckboard.


    Actually, in his eyes, they weren''t words but tiny people with tiny arms and legs.


    "What''s the point of learning all this stuff? Why does Big Sister want me to go to school? Even Little Sichuan never went to school," Gao Zhimingmpooned as he dejectedly packed his things."It''s because we need to work when we grow up. We need to go to school to learn things that we need to do work. Haven''t you thought about what you want to be when you grow up? As for me, I want to be a scientist."


    The little girl sitting next to Gao Zhiming reached over to help him stuff his items into his backpack. The little girl herself was sporting a small backpack.


    "<em>Hm, </em>what do I want to be when I grow up?" Gao Zhiming had no idea what to say. "I don''t know, but I''m fine as long as I''m with Big Sister."


    "<em>Hmph!</em>" The little girl stomped and withdrew her hand. She then turned around and left in a huff.


    Staring at her retreating figure, Gao Zhiming scratched his head in confusion. He put on his backpack and left the ssroom. Wandering aimlessly on the streets, he observed the adults walking to and fro with their own business.


    <em>What do I want to be when I grow up? Has everyone else figured out what they want to be?</em> He had been homeless until recently, so he had never really thought about the future. Finding food to eat for the day was already difficult, after all.


    For some reason, Gao Zhiming was reminded of the adults, who were scavengers and homeless like himself, and he suddenly felt afraid. He was afraid of bing like them when he grew up.


    <em>I''ll go back and ask Big Sister. Whatever she wants me to do, I''ll do it!</em>


    Instead of heading for their previous residence, Gao Zhiming ran into a gatedmunity. It was an ordinary, average-sized gatedmunity; there wasn''t anything special about it, but the neighborhood was exceptionally quiet.


    It was a residential district named Longxiang, and it was the gatedmunity that Anna had found in Charles'' memories. Anna had decided to purchase a home inside one of the residential buildings in themunity.


    Drenched in sweat, Gao Zhiming looked up at the window of their new home before walking up the stairwell.


    He had no idea why Anna had decided to move here, but he had no intentions of asking any questions. In Gao Zhiming''s eyes, his big sister was always right. He just had to follow his sister''s arrangements.


    Taking out the key hanging around his neck, he thrust it into the doorknob and turned it, opening the door. The cozy furnishing inside was revealed before him, and they looked exactly the same as what Anna had seen in Charles'' memories.


    Gao Zhiming liked the home, as he had his own private room. It was small, but he jumped for joy, bouncing up and down for a long time upon moving into his very own room.


    After throwing his backpack onto the bed, Gao Zhiming rushed to the kitchen and walked up to Li Lu, who was busy making some food for them to eat.


    "Auntie, where did Big Sister go?" Gao Zhiming asked.


    Li Lu was tasting the food to ensure that it wouldn''t have too much salt for her son''s sake. Upon hearing Gao Zhiming''s query, she did not even raise her head as she answered, "She went out."


    Gao Zhiming drew closer, propping his hands on the edge of the stove.


    "Where did she go?" he asked.


    Just then, arge handnded on his head. It was Li Long''s hand. "Don''t ask. Just hurry up and do your homework. I''ll help you, or you''ll have to go to bed at eleven again."


    "<em>Ha¡­</em>" Li Long sighed dejectedly. "This task feels more like an entire job rather than just a task. Wang Sheng, where are you?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Gao Zhiming looked a bit despondent as he looked at Li Long and asked, "Will Big Sistere back tonight? I want to sleep with her tonight."


    The corner of Li Long''s eye twitched slightly upon hearing that. Only this kid could say something so offensive. If anyone else were daring enough to say that, their corpse would sink into the depths of the ocean by daybreak.


    Gao Zhiming really was too young to know better; he waspletely unaware of Anna''s terrifying side.


    "Stop the questions and just do your homework. Afterward, you still have to make up for the lessons you''ve fallen behind on. You''re eight years old, but you can''t even write your own name. Are you not embarrassed at all?"


    ***


    In his quiet office, Wang Jianshe stared solemnly at Anna busy fiddling with the ck diamond ring on her thumb.


    "I need an exnation!" Wang Jianshe demanded sternly. Anna had said that the diamond ring was a very useful tool, so he had gone to extreme lengths just to find it.


    However, it was clear that Anna had lied to him. It was just an ordinary diamond ring. He had been bamboozled!


    Anna''s casual words had made him spend several hundred million yuan!


    "An exnation? What exnation? Don''t you have money? What''s wrong with you helping me buy it back? This ring is <em>very </em>important to me," Anna said. Her gaze was transfixed on the ring as she fiddled with it.


    "If that ring were truly important, you would never sell it! If you keep on ying with me like this, I will have to seriously reconsider our rtionship."


    Anna put away the ck diamond ring and propped her chin with her wrist. Then, she stared at Wang Jianshe with a smile.


    "Oh my, are you really mad at me? It''s not that big of a deal. Old people truly are inflexible."


    "Not a big deal?! Do you know how much manpower and resources it cost me to repurchase a ck diamond of more than two hundred carats? Do you think my money grows on trees?!" Wang Jianshe was enraged.


    "Alright, alright, stop kicking up a fuss over such a trivial matter. When we make it big in the future, I''ll let you obtain things far more important than money, like immortality or any other special abilities."


    Wang Jianshe''s chest suddenly felt tight, and he found it hard to breathe. He had always been the one making grandiose promises to others, and he never thought he''d one day be on the receiving end of such promises.


    Wang Jianshe raised his trembling index finger and was about to point it at Anna to rebuke her when the phone on the desk rang, interrupting the expletives that were already at the tip of his tongue.


    "Hello? It''s me. Who is this? <em>Mm?</em> Wait, what?"


    Wang Jianshe seemed to have heard something terrible. He trembled slightly as he handed the phone over to Anna.


    Anna''s heart sank slightly at the sight. However, she still put the phone to her ear, and then a bizarre voice reverberated from the other end of the line. It sounded like the other party was chewing on crushed ss.


    ¡ª The dogs of the IMF caught the scent of the traces you left behind when purchasing that ck diamond. They followed your traces, but don''t worry, we''ve already resolved that minor issue. It''s our reward in exchange for releasing our brothers when you were at Site 66.


    "I saved many people at Site 66. Who are your brothers?" Anna asked.


    ¡ª We are the fortunate ones favored by the Shattered God. We want to talk to you about the IMF.


    "You people are followers of the Shattered God? Anyway, since you know my location, then you should just visit me," Anna replied. Then, she stood up and walked toward the window, peering down at the cars that looked like matchboxes.


    ¡ª If this were any other time, we''de and find you. Our god wants to meet you in person, but it is not convenient for Him to move at this moment."


    <em>The Shattered God¡­ </em>Anna pondered over the name. The other party had used the word "god" to refer to the subject of their faith, but there obviously weren''t any gods on the surface world. Otherwise, this ce wouldn''t be so peaceful.


    They were probably worshiping a different entity¡ªmost likely an intelligent Anomaly rather than a <em>real</em> god.


    "Haha, interesting. I''m suddenly feeling a bit curious about what your god looks like. This better not be a disappointment."

 Chapter 981: Aisha

    A brand-new car rolled across a rusty iron te on the ground as it entered an abandoned steel mill.


    Anna and the others looked out the window with a gaze full of vignce and curiosity. The followers of the Shattered God had told them over the phone that this was their rendezvous point.


    After looking around for a while, Anna turned to Tobba next to her.


    "Is it dangerous outside?"


    Tobba put down the baby bottle in his mouth and answered innocently, "You ask me, but who should I ask?"


    Anna stared doubtfully at Tobba when she suddenly had an idea. Rather than using him as a danger detector that had been useless so far, wouldn''t it be better to tie him around her and use him as a bulletproof vest?


    After all, Tobba was going to live a thousand more years. In other words, he wasn''t going to die, regardless of the ordeal.


    Sensing Anna''s odd gaze, Tobba hurriedly stood up and climbed up the car window. Then, he looked around in an exaggerated manner. "Hmm¡­ Ah, yes, there aren''t any dangers at all! ording to my calctions, this ce is safe.


    "You can be at peace."The car came to a halt amidst Tobba''s repeated assurance. The road up ahead was overgrown with weeds towering over a meter tall, making it impossible for the car to proceed.


    The sound of car doors being opened echoed as Anna and her subordinates got out of the car. Thest person to exit the vehicle was Wang Jianshe with a bed of gray hair.


    He looked around at the empty, abandoned mill. His expression remained unchanging, but the hint of nervousness in his eyes betrayed his facade ofposure.


    This was his first timeing into contact with other bizarre organizations apart from Anna''s congregation.


    "Old man, it''s dangerous here. You shouldn''t havee along. If you end up dying, how am I supposed to get your funds?" Anna teased.


    Wang Jianshe snorted coldly and retorted, "I''m a shareholder, and I think it''s better for me to be present at the negotiation table to prevent you from makingpletely useless decisions like with that ck diamond."


    "Hey, we''re just worried about you," Tobba chimed in, "Since you''re such an ingrate, then forget it. If you end up dying, we can still get money from Wang Sheng, anyway."


    Their barbed exchange had barely begun when it ended abruptly because someone walked out from the towering weeds.


    Anna''s vignce eased upon seeing the individual. She was familiar with the neer. The neer was a woman whom she had met once during the operation to rescue Wang Sheng at Site 66.


    She was a follower of the Shattered God.


    Anna couldn''t be mistaken, as she could still vividly remember the beauty mark at the corner of the woman''s right eye.


    Today, she was no longer wearing the hospital gown from Site 66 and was wearing a neat camouge uniform. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she looked exceptionally sharp overall.


    The woman gave a crisp military salute, and then she stepped forward to shake Anna''s right hand. "My name is Aisha, and I''m an apprentice cleric of the Holy Church. It''s my great honor to wee Miss Anna."


    "A cleric?" Anna''s gaze swept across Aisha''s chest covered in medals and the holster at her waist.


    Aisha was also d in military attire, which couldn''t be further from clerical apparel.


    A question mark popped up in Anna''s mind at the incongruous sight.


    "My clothes do not speak of my position. I wear this solely because it''s convenient forbat. Our church does not care about something as superficial as exterior appearances.


    "Anyway, please follow me. The great Shattered God has been waiting for you for quite a while now."


    With that, Aisha turned and walked into the towering weeds.


    Anna raised her hand and snapped her fingers. As soon as the crisp noise pervaded the air, the others apanying her followed her into the tall weeds.


    The deeper they went, the more dpidated the nearby buildings became, but it wasn''t a scary sight.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    There were vines and moss crawling all over the walls of the buildings, along with verdant tree branches sticking out of the roof. There was no mistaking it; nature was slowly but surely reiming the abandoned factory.


    Surprisingly, the abandoned buildings nearby weren''t uninhabited. The perceptive clown secretly told Anna that there were people hiding within the buildings. Of course, it was normal. It would have been strange if they had no guards.


    "What happened to all the people on the site? Did they manage to escape? What happened after I left?" Anna asked Aisha.


    "<em>Mmhm, </em>they all managed to escape, but the majority of them ended up getting captured once again. Without any vehicle to ride, they couldn''t get that far in the desert."


    At that, Aisha turned to look at Anna, revealing a kind smile. "This is also thanks to you. If you hadn''t disabled Site 66''s countermeasures, it wouldn''t have been so convenient for us to escape."


    "<em>Ah,</em> it was nothing," Anna answered casually, but she immediately noticed something off. "Wait, what countermeasures are you talking about?"


    "The countermeasures that the IMF had in ce to ensure that we won''t be able to escape. Site 66 had several contingency ns ready based on the threat level to ensure that none of us could escape, but they all remained unactivated."


    "My colleagues have been wondering how you did it, Miss Anna. We were shocked that you actually managed to disable all those," Aisha added.


    Anna''s heart quivered in shock. She was convinced that Site 66''s defenses were simply shabby, but to think that she was actually mistaken.


    "That wasn''t me, but there were so many of you at the time¡­ Could it be that some other organization had decided to take advantage of that chaos to set their people free as well?"


    "<em>Huh?</em>" Aisha went agape in surprise. "It wasn''t you, Miss Anna? That''s weird. Perhaps our god knows what had transpired. I''ll go and ask itter."


    It seemed that the other party wasn''t feigning ignorance, but Anna still decided to change the topic, asking, "Your god has always been here?"


    "Yes, that''s right. It''s always been here because it''s not convenient for it to move at the moment."


    "It''s not convenient for it to move? Does that mean it''s been here prior to the events in Site 66?"


    "<em>Mmhm,</em> that''s right."


    Anna instantly became a bit nervous, and she started looking around, saying, "Are you guys crazy? You managed to escape from that site with great difficulty, and you didn''t even bother changing your hiding ce?!


    "Do you really think that woman capable of invading someone''s dreams is not going to do some other work for the IMF in addition to being those prisoner''s shrink? How can you say for sure that this ce is still hidden from the IMF?!"


    At this point, Anna felt like the woman leading the way in front of her was one of the IMF''s shadow agents.


    Anna''s words went unanswered for a long time. When her gazended on Aisha once again, she found thetter staring at her with confusion all over her face.


    "<em>Um... </em>Dreams? Shrink? I don''t understand. Can you exin it a bit to me, Miss Anna?"


    "You don''t understand? I''m talking about Doctor Luvlyn! She can drag people from their sleep into her dreamscape. Hadn''t she been providing you with treatment against the Shattered God''s influence?"


    "I think you''re mistaken here, Miss Anna," Aisha said, shaking her head. "When we were at Site 66, we''ve never met that individual. And if I may speak frankly, the IMF isn''t <em>that </em>kind. They treated us as nothing but test subjects and have never provided us with the so-called ''treatment'' you''ve mentioned."

 Chapter 982: Shattered God

    "How is that even possible?!" Anna eximed. She turned to the absolutely loyal Fhtagnists and proceeded to ask them about Luvlyn.


    Everyone unanimously shook their heads at her, and a certain idea popped up in Anna''s mind. She realized just then that the woman who had imed to be a psychologist was fake.


    Site 66 had no one like her, and perhaps even her name was just an alias.


    Upon recalling the questions she had asked at the time, Luvlyn''s identity and motives became apparent to Anna.


    She wasn''t from the IMF. She was from another organization, and she had somehow found Anna''s whereabouts and had ambushed her.


    This was bad news for Anna, as it meant having another enemy on the surface world.


    "Hmph! I must be quite the hotmodity¡­ to think that so many people are interested in me," Anna muttered to herself. The only thing she could be thankful for was that Luvlyn probably couldn''t report to her superiors.


    Her chances of survival weren''t that high, after all.


    "Were you saying something, Miss Anna?" Aisha asked, leaning over to Anna."It''s nothing. Let''s keep moving. Time is of the essence," Anna said. She stepped over the weeds and continued walking forward. Regardless of Luvlyn''s affiliation, there was no way she could have left Site 66 unscathed.


    Realizing that there was another organization keeping tabs on her, Anna resolved to be extra careful in the future.


    Anna thought that the so-called Shattered God was just somewhere in the forest, but the environment slowly transformed the farther they walked. The nts withered, bing yellow in color, and the smell of engine oil hung in the air.


    <em>ng, ng, ng!</em>


    The thunderous nging of machine presses echoed from afar. After a few minutes, arge factory appeared before everyone. The noises wereing from the factory, so it was undoubtedly still in operation.


    The vegetation around the massive factory was dead, and armed soldiers surrounded it. There were several snipers on the roof, peering through their scopes as they scanned the perimeter.


    There were also heavy weapons around the factory. Judging by their absurd numbers and the shine on them, Anna was convinced that the factory was manufacturing those weapons.


    "Are you sure we''re dealing with a cult here rather than some warlord? These weapons are enough to wage a small-scale war," Wang Jianshe asked. His eyes twitched as he swept his gaze across the mountain of automatic rifles ahead of them.


    "Before we go in, remember to just watch and listen; don''t talk," Anna remarked. Her expression was grim as she observed the factory.


    Aisha showed her credentials to the guard riding a tank at the factory gates. She was then allowed entry, and she led everyone into the factory.


    Upon entering the factory, Anna discovered that she was correct. There were assembly lines producing ammunition and firearms nonstop. The followers of the Shattered Good stood at the end of the assembly lines, collecting the end product.


    It was like they were preparing for a major battle.


    "Come on in; God is waiting for you. He''s at the very back," Aisha said, leading the others along the assembly lines.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The massive factory was a huge steel mazeposed of machinery and some more assembly lines. It hadn''t even been that long since they entered the factory, but they were already feeling dizzy.


    However, Anna knew that she was getting closer to the target, as the surrounding temperatures were rising steadily the farther they walked into the factory.


    After the seventeenth right turn, Anna finally saw the so-called "Shattered God."


    It was a bunch of exposed bronze steam machinery. The densely packed gears, pistons, and steam pipes were more reminiscent of the style of the Albion Isles in the Subterranean Sea rather than of the modern world.


    A burning me hovered in the middle of the machinery, and it gleamed fiercely like the sun. The heat billowing out of the machinery made Anna''s hair curl slightly.


    The door to it was constantly opening and closing, generating incessant nging noises. Clearly, every single piece of machinery in the factory was connected to this bronze steam machinery the size of a hill, and it seemed to be powering the entire factory as well.


    Just then, Aisha took out a piece of paper and approached it. She tiptoed and hurled the piece of paper into the mes.


    Every single piece of machinery in the factory came to an abrupt halt, but in the next second, they moved once again and emitted piercing noises that were even more jarring than earlier.


    The items on the nearby assembly lines changed. The firearms and ammunition vanished, reced byplex mechanical parts. Aisha gathered those mechanical parts and pieced them together before hanging them in front of the furnace.


    Just like that, a hollow, iplete bronze doll was revealed before Anna.


    The constant opening and closing of the furnace door cast intermittent shadows on the doll''s face.


    Soon, the furnace door was closed, but the bronze doll remained unmoving. A few momentster, the furnace door opened once again, and its eyes¡ªmade out of bronze gears¡ªstared straight at the group of people in front of it.


    Wang Jianshe was startled. He had lived for so long and had mentally prepared himself for what was toe, but he still ended up getting startled. It couldn''t be helped, as he had never encountered such a bizarre entity.


    "Just watch and listen; don''t talk," Anna warned. She then walked up to the humanoid bronze doll.


    The bronze doll was terrifying, but Anna''s heart didn''t waver in the slightest at the sight of it. She was from the Subterranean Sea, after all. There were too many terrifying and far more bizarre things in the Subterranean Sea.


    Even Anna herself used to be scarier than the bronze doll.


    "Are you nning to y a staring contest with me? Don''t you have anything to say, great Shattered God?" Anna asked the humanoid bronze doll.


    When the bronze doll opened its mouth, jarring noises reverberated from it, simr to the noises of an old tape recorder.


    "I sense that you are in great trouble. Perhaps we can cooperate and get what we need."


    "So, a deal? Another deal." Anna nced at Wang Jianshe. The news of Luvlyn''s nonexistence was far more shocking than this. Anna also couldn''t care less about what exactly the bronze doll was before her.


    All she cared about was that it had decided to invite her here, and there had to be a reason behind that invitation.


    Wang Jianshe could only provide financial support, but Anna needed the help of someone with tangible strength.


    "First of all, I need something capable of altering memories, preferably a controble Anomaly, but other things are eptable as well.


    "Secondly, I need to know how you''ve been evading the IMF. I need your experience and support when ites to that."


    "Finally, I need powerful Anomalies, at least ten of them. Can you meet these three conditions of mine?"


    A controble Anomaly capable of altering memories was for Gao Zhiming, and a way to evade the IMF was to ensure Gao Zhiming''s life wouldn''t be disturbed until he fell into the Subterranean Sea.


    As for the powerful Anomalies, Anna needed them to be even stronger. There was a limit to how many Anomalies she could absorb, but she could give the rest to her followers.


    Since there was clearly more than just one organization at y here, Anna knew that she had to be stronger as soon as possible. If she were too weak, she''d die before that fateful day.


    The Shattered God was surprisingly straightforward as it replied, "We can help. Your conditions are very difficult, but they are doable. However, deals are done with equivalent exchange in mind. If you want us to fulfill those three conditions of yours, then you need to help us with an endeavor of equal value."


    "Speak. I''ve been waiting for you to say that."


    "I need you to help me raid the IMF''s headquarters. A piece of myself is sealed there," the bronze doll replied.


    Anna stared deeply at the bronze doll for a good while. Finally, she shook her head and replied, "It''s too dangerous. I''m not going to go there and die."

 Chapter 983: New Bargaining Chip

    "I need you to help me raid the IMF''s headquarters. A piece of myself is sealed there."


    "That''s too dangerous. I''m not going to go there and die."


    The heavy furnace door opened and closed, illuminating and darkening the faces of Anna and her group. The jarring voice from earlier echoed from the bronze doll once more.


    "Those words shouldn''te from the mouth of the famous 315, who had easily taken down two IMF sites. Not many figures have been able to cause them so much trouble since their inception, after all."


    It seemed that Anna''s reputation had far exceeded her actual strength.


    "Spare me the goading. What do you think I am? A child? I''m aware of the limits of my own strength. Your request is just absurd. Why don''t you ask me to snatch the moon for you while you''re at it?"


    Anna had benefited a lot from the two recent near-death experiences, but she had also paid a massive price for her sess. At the pr site, she not only suffered immensely but had also lost an arm.


    The incursion into the IMF''s desert site resulted in Anna obtaining an additional fleshly body. There weren''t any issues with it so far, but it was a ticking time bomb with an unknown timer; no one knew when it would explode.


    Moreover, Anna had to have incurred not a small amount of enmity from the IMF after those two incursions. Anna despised the IMF, but she knew that she ought to conceal that hatred, as she was too weak to consummate it. In the meantime, she could not let her emotions influence her decisions.


    The IMF''s headquarters. Even a child could tell that it was going to be an extremely dangerous ce. If she were to go there, she''d face certain death.


    She had been extremely lucky so far and had seeded in bringing down two IMF sites, even though the odds were stacked against her. However, an assault on the IMF''s headquarters would be akin to stirring up a ho''s nest.


    The IMF would surely ssify her as an extremely dangerous Anomaly, specifically an Anomaly capable of threatening humanity as a whole. Once she was ssified as such, they''d undoubtedly put aside every task at hand and use every means possible to deal with her.


    Anna had no ns of making an enemy out of the entire world just yet.


    "Don''t you want us to satisfy your conditions?" the iplete bronze doll asked.


    Anna looked at the iplete bronze doll and shook her head slightly. "Of course, I want you to satisfy my conditions, but none of those are more important than my life except for my daughter."


    "So you have no ns to work with us, Miss Anna? What a shame. Really."


    The nearby machinery roared to life again. Scrap metals were transported and transformed into shiny and brand-new mechanical parts.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Wang Jianshe was a bit nervous as he stared at the conveyor belts and the nearby machinery. His intuition as a businessman was telling him that the other party was getting angry.


    Realizing that the negotiations with the Shattered God were about to break down, Anna decided to salvage it. After all, they could surely meet her conditions.


    <em>It''s a good thing I have more than just one bargaining chip. There''s no need for me to risk my life for this deal. I''m not like that madman, Charles.</em>


    Anna stepped forward with her ck high heels. She walked up to the bronze doll and pushed her charming face closer to thetter, whispering, "Life here must be difficult, right? These things are powerful against other humans, but they''re useless against the IMF. They have Anomalies to wield, after all.


    "I happen to have a method that will allow you to increase your strength rapidly. Perhaps you''ll eventually grow strong enough to infiltrate the IMF''s HQ by yourself using that method of mine.


    "I''m not going to ask for more in exchange. I just want you to meet those three conditions."


    The gears in the bronze doll''s eyes turned to Anna. "I don''t think you have anything that can help me except for your special abilities."


    Anna revealed a charming smile. "What if I told you that I have a way to let humans absorb the special ability of Anomalies?"


    The entire factory stopped working as soon as Anna''s words fell. A few secondster, the machinery roared to life once again.


    The bronze doll nodded in understanding. "Now I finally know why the IMF had decided to send so many dogs to chase you. You are much more harmful to human society than me."


    "You tter me. With that method of mine, you won''t have to hide in the future any longer. You can even confront the IMF if you wish," Anna said. There was another motive behind Anna''s decision. The IMF had been chasing after her to obtain her method that allowed humans to absorb an Anomaly''s special ability.


    If that method became widespread, they would likely have little time for her.


    "Let me think about it. Hm, if this deal goes through, then we''ll be fighting them to the death, and you''ll reap the profits from behind the scenes. Is that right?" the Shattered God said, urately pointing out Anna''s other motive.


    "If you don''t want this deal, then forget it. There must be other people out there that are willing to ept this deal. I believe you''re not the only organization eager for that method," Anna said. She turned around and left with her group.


    The conveyor belt on the left ran violently, and the scrap iron on it flew toward Anna, blocking her path.


    "You won''t be able to find them. The other organizations are hiding deeper than you think to ensure that no dogs from the IMF can infiltrate their ranks," the bronze doll remarked.


    Li Lu''s face was ugly as she held Tobba. Whenever the bronze doll referred to the IMF agents with the word "dog," her face would be uglier.


    "State your conditions again," the bronze doll said.


    Anna revealed a faint smug smile at that. The Shattered God had decided to yield.


    "I need something capable of altering memories, preferably a controble Anomaly, but other things are eptable as well. I also need powerful Anomalies, at least ten of them.


    "As for how you''ve been evading the IMF, you don''t have to tell me about it." Anna looked up at the dpidated roof and added, "You don''t seem to have any good ways to avoid their eyes."


    "We do have a way to avoid their eyes. At the very least, avoiding the IMF''s mad dogs isn''t an issue at all."


    "Oh? What is it?" Anna was curious. They actually had a way to escape the eyes of the IMF''s shadows.


    Anna had already been stabbed in the back by 8 and 2¡ªthe IMF''s shadows. They were just ordinary people, but if even one of them were allowed entry to an organization, the IMF''s main force would eventually descend on that organization.


    "Since they can send moles in our way, we can do the same as well. We have someone holding a high position at the IMF. He is privy to the locations and missions of the IMF''s wild dogs.


    "Wang Jianshe''s abnormal desire to obtain that ck diamond made the IMF suspect that his actions might be rted to you. Our mole was the one who had dealt with the dogs that they had sent over to investigate.


    "If we''re going to work together, then I''m willing to share with you the intel we have about the IMF''s movements from our mole.


    "We can help you resolve small issues as well, but you''re on your own when ites to big issues."


    <em>No wonder they have been around for long; they sure have their way of dealing with the IMF, </em>Anna thought. She could also sense a threat in the bronze doll''s words.


    The bronze doll had stated that they would share information about the IMF with Anna, but thetter knew that it wasn''t as sweet as it sounded. After all, the service would certainly end as soon as their rtionship soured.


    Perhaps the bronze doll might even use their mole in the IMF to set a trap for her.


    Anna trusted no one, so how could she trust a mere mechanical Anomaly with average intelligence? To ensure that she wouldn''t get sold out, she had to be always vignt.

 Chapter 984: Deal

    "This map contains the location of the IMF''s kennels as well as the activity hotspots of their stray dogs. If you don''t want to attract the IMF''s attention, you''d best avoid those areas."


    A map made out of thick iron emerged from the furnace and moved along the conveyor belt toward Anna. Anna grabbed the map and swept her gaze across the locations marked with screws. Then, she tossed the map to a Fhtagnist behind her.


    "Thanks. Now, there are only two conditions that are yet to be met. Once you''ve handled those two, I will tell you how to perform the absorption," Anna said, feeling slightly pleased. Tonight''s excursion was not in vain.


    Gao Zhiming would finally be safe for now. The IMF was no longer an immediate threat.


    "Anomalies capable of altering memories are rare, especially Controble ones. Fortunately, I know who has one. They owe me a favor, so the Anomaly that you''ve requested will soon be delivered to you.


    "As for the ten powerful Anomalies, I''ll need some time to prepare them. Unlike the IMF, we don''t contain those things for no reason."


    "<em>Ah,</em> right," Anna quickly added, "Those Anomalies must have physical forms. I don''t want any Anomalies that can''t be touched."


    To absorb an Anomaly, it had to be destroyed first. If it couldn''t be destroyed, then it couldn''t be absorbed.


    "Then, I''ll need more time to prepare," the Shattered God said, nodding. "Go back and wait for my call."Was the dealplete? The others clearly hadn''t processed it yet, and they were still surprised by just how easygoing the other party was, as well as the fact that things had gone so smoothly.


    The majority of those who had decided to follow Anna had expected a fierce battle to break out. At the very least, there was supposed to be a vicious argument.


    Unlike them, Anna knew that the deal was only made possible by her proven prowess. She had upended two IMF sites, after all. If it weren''t for her strength as a deterrence, the Shattered God would do what the IMF had done. They would imprison her and use every method possible to force information out of her.


    "Pleasure doing business," The bronze doll extended its bronze hand toward Anna.


    When Anna grabbed its hand, a sizzling noise echoed immediately. The bronze doll was scorching hot, at least several hundred degrees Celsius. Despite the intense pain, Anna''s expression remained unchanged as she returned the handshake.


    The bronze doll had held nothing back, sharing information that Anna needed at the moment. In return for the gesture of goodwill, Anna decided to improve their rtionship.


    "Ah, I almost forgot. This location must already be on the radar of another organization. You''d better change locations just in case," Anna remarked. Then, she told the bronze doll about Luvlyn, who had pretended to be an IMF staffer.


    "I understand, but please rest assured. We''re not that easy to handle. And it doesn''t matter even if they end up destroying the entire factory."


    "What do you mean? Are you not afraid that the IMF wille here and dismantle you?"


    "Do you know why I''m called the Shattered God? That is not my original name, and I am just a fragment. There are many others like me. They can''t possibly clean us all up." ?


    Anna examined the massive machinery before her. "I''m suddenly curious. What will happen if your fragments are put together?"


    The entire factory came to a halt once again. Then, the bronze puppet''s gear eyes turned slowly, settling on the woman in front of it. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Some matters are better kept private, Miss Anna. Have I asked you for the reason behind those conditions of yours? No, right?"


    Anna smiled gently and retracted her seared hand. "You''re right. I''ll wait for your good news back at home, then."


    ***


    It was alreadyte at night, but Anna still couldn''t sleep as she sprawled out on the bed d in her undergarments. She was in Gao Zhiming''s tiny room, and she had squeezed in on the bed, sprawled out next to him.


    Anna stroked her ck diamond ring with her slender fingers, and her gaze was transfixed on the boy in her arms.


    Gao Zhiming was just eight years old, but Anna could already see traces of that man on him. For some reason, that man''s scarred and one-eyed face ovepped with Gao Zhiming''s face as she stared at thetter.


    Anna turned instinctively, moving her mouth toward his lips, but she moved back and kissed him on the cheek instead.


    The eight-year-old child''s face was so nice, so soft, and so adorable. However,plex emotions rose unbidden in Anna''s heart upon being reminded of what Gao Zhiming would eventually do to her in the future.


    Upon feeling an itch on his face, Gao Zhiming shifted downward in his sleep, rubbing his face against Anna''s chest before eventually nuzzling up against her.


    Anna sighed and embraced him.<em> He must have truly grown up without a mother figure. His habits haven''t changed at all despite bing an adult.</em>


    Charles had some odd habits, and Anna noticed them when they were still together in the Subterranean Sea. She had brushed them off at the time, but she ought to have known better, as they were actually foreshadowed.


    While holding the young Charles in her arms, Anna couldn''t help but think of the Charles in the Subterranean Sea. "How is he doing nowadays? If he has epted my wish on my stead, then does that mean he''s already a god?"


    "That''s not it. Knowing how he does things, he must be dead by now. <em>Haha, </em>that scumbag deserves it."


    "Big Sister? Who are you talking to?" A drowsy Gao Zhiming asked, raising his head from Anna''s bosom.


    Anna pushed his head back down and said, "Sleep."


    Just like that, Gao Zhiming drifted back to dreand amidst a bed of clouds while taking in the sweet scent lingering in the air.


    <em>Charles'' status does not matter. It doesn''t matter whether he''s still alive or has already died. What''s important is Sparkle; I wonder how she''s doing. She won''t do anything foolish like what Charles did, will she?</em>


    <em>Probably not. If I''m destined to go back to the Subterranean Sea with Gao Zhiming, then my past self should have saved Sparkle right now.</em>


    Anna stewed in her own thoughts for quite a while until she stood up. Troubled and unable to sleep, Anna decided to silence her thoughts by taking a bath with her other fleshly body.


    Anna''s right hand gripped a bar of soap, and she moved it across the smooth back of her other fleshly body. The unconscious fleshly body was leaning against Anna due to the effects of gravity, which made the scrubbing quite difficult.


    With great difficulty, Anna was finally done scrubbing her other fleshly body, and she proceeded to carry it toward the bathtub.


    Soon, two bare, gorgeous figures were resting against each other in the white bathtub. Anna closed her eyes and quietly enjoyed the moment of peace. She had recently taken up the habit of taking baths.


    Humans had to rx from time to time, and baths were a convenient and quick method to do so. Moreover, it also allowed her to clean her other fleshly body, which meant dealing with two birds using just one stone.


    At first, Anna thought that the pile of scrap metal in that factory would contact her in no time, but she received no news even by the time Gao Zhiming had learned to write.


    When Gao Zhiming had mastered three-digit addition and subtraction, they finally paid her a visit. It was at an ordinary noon, and the two were in the middle of their lunch.


    Anna peeled a boiled egg and put it in Gao Zhiming''s mouth, who was sitting on herp. Then, she looked up at the bronze doll on the television and asked, "So how is it? Is it done?"

 Chapter 985: Three OClock

    In response to Anna''s question, the Shattered God on the television said, "I''ve found the memory-altering Anomaly that you need."


    Anna stretched out her hand toward Gao Zhiming and pulled him closer to herself. "Good. Send someone to deliver it here. I need it now."


    "We certainly want to do so, but it is in the hands of others. We''ll need some time to obtain it," the bronze doll replied.


    Anna was a bit annoyed as she replied, "We''ve had no contact for such a long time, and that''s the news you have for me? It seems like I have grossly overestimated you."


    Anna thought that their strength would at least match that of a Governor in the Subterranean Sea, but it seemed they couldn''t evenpare to some of the strong explorers back there.


    "I don''t understand why you think that your request is so easy to aplish. Controble Anomalies are already rare, let alone powerful ones that can alter memories. What are Anomalies in your eyes? Can they be found on the streets?"


    Anna wanted to say that Anomalies could indeed be found on the streets of the Subterranean Sea, but she thought that it would be pointless, so she refrained from doing so.


    "If you''re here to deliver that news, then you''re done. You can leave," Anna said, her voice carrying a hint of disdain.


    The bronze doll on the television screen didn''t disappear. Instead, it spoke once again, saying, "It''s going to take us some time to obtain that kind of Anomaly, but we''ve fulfilled your other condition. They''ll arrive at your city''s port tomorrow morning.""Are you talking about the ten Anomalies? You''ve collected them so quickly?" Tobba asked in surprise, spitting out his pacifier.


    "If their threat level doesn''t matter, Anomalies aren''t that difficult to collect. As for how powerful they are, that''s for you to judge¡ªthey''re all difficult to handle, anyway."


    With that, the bronze doll revealed a detailed map on the television screen. "Tomorrow morning at three o''clock, the container will be unloaded on Pier Two. The serial number is 59041."


    The clown took out a camera and proceeded to take pictures of the map. Once it was done, the screen went ck and white smoke drifted from the big-bottomed television.


    "I finally got something to do. I was about to get sick from boredom." Anna stood up, epting a ck coat presented with both hands by a Fhtagnist.


    Ten Anomalies each with an unknown special ability weren''t that special back in the Subterranean Sea, but they were quite a significant force on the surface world.


    At the very least, Anna could easily escape a pinch simr to what had happened on that ship with the help of those Anomalies.


    As for whether absorbing those Anomalies would harm the human body or not, Anna wasn''t concerned about that at all. After all, she wouldn''t be the one absorbing them. As long as they could be absorbed, they were good enough.


    "Why are you leaving so early? They said three o''clock in the morning," Tobba said. He was sitting on the dining table as he looked up at the woman putting on her coat.


    "You''d better think hard about how you can be useful to me. If you keep being useless, I might have to throw you out soon," Anna remarked.


    Tobba seemed a bit anxious upon hearing that as he retorted, "How can you say that I''m useless! When you were dealing with that iron lump at the time, hadn''t I used my special ability to let you know that there was no danger?


    "Had anything happened afterward? Nothing happened, right?"


    Anna was rendered speechless as she stared at Tobba. In the end, she turned around to leave with the Fhtagnist.


    "Goodbye, Big Sister!" Gao Zhiming eximed. Smiling, he raised his hand holding a pair of chopsticks and waved it at Anna.


    Just then, the quiet Li Lu stood up and said, "Anna, I have to tell you that the so-called Shattered God isn''t as agreeable as you think. My clearance is too low to know anything significant about them, but I know that those who''ve dealt with them have never had a good oue."


    Anna merely nced at Li Lu before opening the door and walking away.


    The car door was mmed shut, and the driver looked up at Anna in the rearview mirror, asking, "High Priestess, where are we going?"


    "Have you brought them over here?" Anna asked a seemingly unrted question.


    The Fhtagnist nodded slightly and replied, "Yes, we''ve arranged jobs for them with the help of the Wang Construction Group. They''re all concentrated in this city, and they are ready to be brought in at any time."


    "Let''s go take a look," Anna said. She pulled a pair of sunsses from her bag and put them on.


    The ck car wound through many turns before finally stopping next to an office building. The Fhtagnist pointed at someone. Anna followed his finger and saw her target.


    The Fhtagnist was pointing at a slightly chubby middle-aged man. His fingers flew rapidly across the keyboard as he focused on his work. Clearly, he was taking his job seriously. He cherished the job, as it was a high-paying position that he had somehow stumbled upon just as he became unemployed out of the blue.


    Annapared him with Charles'' father and noticed that except for a few differences, particrly in their body shape, the two looked identical to each other.


    The middle-aged man was going to be Charles'' designated father, and Charles'' "mother" was nearby as well. There was also a simr pair living on the other side of the city.


    Anna had prepared the two pairs of designated father and mother for Gao Zhiming. Once the memory-altering Anomaly had arrived, Anna was going to alter their memories to perfectly replicate Gao Zhiming''s life on the surface world.


    Anna had been nning on taking it slow, but she had realized that the child was growing increasingly attached to her.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    To make matters worse, her own feelings for him were deepening as well; she felt a tinge of reluctance at the idea of erasing their memories together.


    Anna hated this feeling, and she felt like she couldn''t no longer dy it. The longer she waited, the more difficult it would be to correct any mistakes. Moreover, if the Shattered God''s Anomaly proved useless, they''d need some time to find something else.


    Anna put her fingers together and pushed her sunsses back up her nose.


    "Let''s go see the other pair," she said.


    Upon checking the two pairs, Anna began her preparations for what was toeter in the night. Worried that something might go wrong, Anna had decided to make sufficient preparations.


    Fortunately, her concerns had proved to be unnecessary. They had no issues retrieving the ten Anomalies, both in solid and liquid form, from the container on the pier.


    The bizarre special abilities of these ten Anomalies varied greatly. The Shattered God hadn''t provided any detailed exnations about their special abilities, unlike what the IMF would do, but it was fine, as Anna wasn''t going to use them herself.


    Inside a sealed warehouse, Anna conducted the fusion ritual and proceeded to fuse the ten Anomalies into the Fhtagnists.


    One person died on the spot while someone else disappeared with a miserable howl, but the relic fusion ritual had seeded perfectly with the remaining eight Fhtagnists.


    However, the words "seeded perfectly" weren''t exactly apropos.


    A blonde and blue-eyed Fhtagnist standing before Anna had absorbed an Anomaly in the form of a sculpture depicting a ck demon with a grotesque face.


    Upon taking in the Anomaly''s Origin Essence, the blonde and blue-eyed Fhtagnist stood motionless in the sea salt that had been reduced to a pile of ashes. She was frozen, seemingly bing a sculpture herself as well.

 Chapter 986: Anomaly

    Inside the sealed warehouse, the Fhtagnist with limbs twisted into spirals circled around the woman who seemed to have be a sculpture herself.


    He examined her for a while before sticking out his tongue, which had curled up like arge bubble gum, and saying, "High Priestess, it seems that there''s ayer of hard bone beneath her skin, and it ispletely restricting her movement."


    "<em>Hmm... </em>Let me see..." Anna walked over and found that although she couldn''t move at all, fear and nervousness were still visible in her eyes. She was still alive.


    Anna looked down at the file provided by the Shattered God and found the Anomaly that the woman before her had absorbed.


    The demon sculpture that she had absorbed was an art piece in a museum, but it wouldn''t stop running aroundte at night. Bizarrely enough, it would cease all movement whenever it was in line of sight.


    <em>It ceases all movement when in line of sight? Why does that sound a bit familiar? </em>Anna walked up to the power switch and pulled it down.


    Anna turned the lights on again, and she saw that the woman''s appearance had begun to change. Just a few moments ago, she was standing like a sculpture, but now, she was bent over, looking down at her own body.


    As the lights flickered on and off, the woman moved rapidly frame by frame as if she were a flip book. Anna experimented for a while and concluded that she wasn''t just moving in the dark. To be precise, she was teleporting in the dark.


    Without line of sight, the woman could instantly appear in front of someone and snap their neck using her hands, which had be as hard as steel."Well, it''s not bad. Thanks to all of you; those who are thinking of doing something to us will now have to think twice," Anna said, sweeping a satisfied gaze across the eight Fhtagnists kneeling before her.


    "Everything is for Fhtagn! Long live the Great One!" the eight people shouted at once, casting a determined gaze at Anna.


    The blonde, blue-eyed woman was not the only one who had obtained such a bizarre special ability. The others'' special ability was as bizarre as hers.


    One of them could transform into liquid form, while someone else could be weightless and fly. There was also someone with a stomach full of maggots that wouldn''t stop squirming out of their navel. There was also someone capable of manipting the emotions of other people.


    The Anomaly that they had absorbed had be something like an additional organ. Unlike Anna, it was their first time wielding an ability, so they had to learn to cooperate with theirpanions.


    The fusion ritual took quite a while toplete, and by the time everything was over, it was already five in the morning. Anna no longer wanted to go back to sleep, so she decided to help them adapt to their special ability.


    The eight Fhtagnists were thrilled. Hadn''t they abandoned everything for this?


    They believed that they could no longer be considered human beings. In their eyes, they had transcended humanity.


    Needless to say, the remaining Fhtagnists who weren''t lucky enough to be chosen were full of envy toward them.


    The adjustment period forced them to stay awake for another night. Finally, on the third day after they left for the fusion ritual, they could no longer hold on and fell asleep, including Anna.


    Anna was shaken awake by Tobba. When Anna''s bloodshot eyes shot wide open, Tobba was so startled that he staggered backward in fear.


    "I didn''t wake you up to tease you. I woke you up because that doll is calling," Tobba said.


    Anna picked up the phone, and the Shattered God''s jarring voice echoed from it. "Have you received my gift?"


    "<em>Mmhmm.</em>" Anna looked up at Tobba and pointed at the door.


    Tobba wanted to watch the show, but he obediently walked out of the bedroom.


    "That''s good, but there was an unexpected issue with your final condition. If possible, I need you to provide us with some assistance."


    Anna slightly furrowed her brows. However, she wasn''t really surprised to hear that. After all, she had already discovered that the other party wasn''t exactly reliable. "You know we have a deal, right?"


    "Of course, I know. That''s why I said, ''If it''s possible.'' However, I''ve already satisfied two of your three conditions, so is it really too much for us to ask for assistance with your final condition?


    "You can choose not to help us. I''m not going to force you. It''s just that it''ll take us a bit longer to obtain the memory-altering Anomaly that you''ve requested." ?


    Anna''s heart trembled upon recalling the long wait before the Shattered God had contacted her again after their visit to that factory. She had been waiting for so long that she truly no longer wanted to wait any longer.


    "Tell me, then. Where exactly is the Anomaly that I want?"


    "It''s in the hands of a group of lunatics. Their abilities are quite bizarre, and I can''t deal with them without attracting the attention of the IMF."


    "Are they another cult? What do they believe in?" Anna asked, pacing back and forth in the room with the phone.


    "They are not a cult. They''re an ancient tribe in South America."


    "Can''t you negotiate with them? Do we really have to fight?"


    "They are an istionist group of people that rarelymunicate with the outside world. If we want to obtain the Anomaly in their hands, violence is the only way to do so.


    "We can work together and take what we need. If you feel like you are getting the short end of the stick, then don''t worry. You will be doing us a favor by providing us with your assistance."


    "We take what we need? Why do I feel like you''re using me as a gun-for-hire?" Anna asked, immediately understanding the crux of the matter.


    "Miss Anna, I''m sure you know that I paid a huge price to satisfy your other conditions. Besides, we''re not going to make a move for my own sake here."


    "<em>Sigh.</em> Tell me more about their level of strength, then. How strong are they?" Anna asked.


    "They''re not that strong. The only reason they''re still out there is that they''re great at hiding. However, we can easily deal with them by working together."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Anna couldn''t say for sure whether the Shattered God''s words were true or false, so she could only make a decision based on what she had gone through. In the end, Anna decided to agree and provide them with assistance.


    Gao Zhiming''s parents had already been prepared, and the boy was bing more and more dependent on her, after all.


    Not yet getting their hands on the method to fuse with an Anomaly, it was highly unlikely that the Shattered God would make a move against her.


    Moreover, the Shattered God had already satisfied her two other conditions, so there was a low chance that the former would stab her in the back. After all, the pile of scrap metal had no need to go back on its word when they only had to satisfy Anna''s final condition before the ball could finally get rolling.


    "Set a time for us to meet, then. And I have to make things clear first¡ªwe will simply provide you with cover. Your people will be the vanguards," Anna said. With that, she ended the call and closed the flip phone with a <em>click</em>.


    Three dayster, Anna d in a white dress and a pair of sunsses rode a bus along with the Fhtagnists. Their destination was a certain tourist spot¡ªa valley with excellent scenery.


    The blue skies and lush greenery added only to the valley''s beauty. It was such a beautiful ce that one would never expect that it was housing an organization dealing with Anomalies.


    The bus turned a corner, and the road ahead opened up. A small but lovely resort appeared before Anna. Lush greenery surrounded the old, sloped stone roof cottages, and there was ivy all over the roofs and walls.


    The towering buildings, castles, and even small churches were made out of stone, allowing them to blend perfectly with nature.


    Anna was now standing before her destination. More specifically, her destination¡ªthe so-called Blind Sisterhood¡ªwas in the lush mountains behind the resort.


    Anna and the Fhtagnists mingled with a group of tourists and got off the bus.


    Shutter noises echoed everywhere, and the excited murmurs of the tourists in many differentnguages created a cacophony of noises that pervaded the air. To avoid standing out, Anna and the others made the same moves as the tourists.


    As Anna feigned took photos, she began observing the people in the small mountain vige. Perhaps it was for the sake of the tourists, but the people here were dressed simply, and there were kind smiles tugging at their lips.

 Chapter 987: Mountain Village

    The tour guide doubled as an interpreter, leading Anna and the others into a rustic hotel made out of stone and wood.


    The interior of the hotel room was simple, but it was clean. The hotel owner and the receptionists were exceptionally enthusiastic to the point that it was bizarre.


    When Anna wanted to change her footwear, an eight-year-old boy knelt down to help her change shoes. The tour guide told Anna that the locals simply wanted the tourists to be as leisurely as possible, but Anna saw concealed fear in the child''s eyes.


    Anna sat on a reclining chair on the balcony of one of the rustic hotel rooms. She was enjoying the sunshine while talking to the Shattered God on the phone. "You people sure are interesting. I actually didn''t expect that you guys are dabbling in the tourism industry despite being on the IMF''s radar.


    "I guess even the most ndestine organization still needs money to spend."


    "What do they look in your eyes? Do they look like ordinary people? If that weren''t the case, the IMF wouldn''t have so much trouble against the Blind Sisterhood."


    "<em>Oh?</em> What do they do? Are they doing human sacrifices or what?" Anna asked, and her eyes behind the pair of sunsses looked around the people nearby.


    It was then that she discovered something strange¡ªthe people living around here hardly blinked.


    "Don''t immediately assume that everyone is as evil as you. Anyway, my people still need some time to prepare. We''ll take action a littleter at night as nned."The Shattered God ended the call, but Anna didn''t put down the phone. She clicked a few buttons on the phone as if she were ying a JAVA game. Of course, Anna was just pretending.


    Using her pair of sunsses as a barrier, Anna''s eyes swept across the lush green mountain peak in the distance. The mountain was covered in greenery, so she could not see anything at all.


    ording to the Shattered God, the members of the so-called Blind Sisterhood were among them, and they had an Anomaly capable of altering memories.


    As time ticked by, the sun in the sky gradually moved west. Anna saw a curly-haired, chubby man stretching on the balcony opposite her, and the sight of him told her that the Fhtagnists were ready.


    The golden hues of the sunset coated the small mountain vige and the distant peaks of the nearby mountains with ayer of gold, creating a picturesque sight.


    The tourists came out of their rooms to take pictures.


    To avoid standing out, Anna also picked up a camera.


    "Um... <em>Frun!</em> Can you please help me <em>ta en bild?</em>[1] Thank you!" a young woman looking to be around the same age as Anna requested, stammering in both English and Swedish as she shook the camera in her hand at Anna.


    Anna looked down at the young woman and stared at the small freckles on the tip of the shorter woman''s nose. Anna nodded with a smile and took the camera to take pictures for her.


    In the face of such beautiful scenery, the young woman took many photos, excitedly posing in many different positions. The golden hue of dusk added to the look of delight on her face.


    Anna noticed something amiss while she was busy taking pictures. There was someone hiding in the crowd, and they were keeping tabs on her.


    By pretending to be taking pictures from many different angles, Anna managed to take a good look at the individual keeping tabs on her. It was an old woman d in a ck nun''s habit.


    "<em>Tack s? mycket</em>!" the young woman eximed, giving Anna a tight hug before skipping away with her camera in hand.


    As soon as the young woman was out of sight, the old nun gave up on hiding and walked right up to Anna. She kissed the ck wooden inverted cross in her hand, and she sounded exhausted as she said, "Servant of the Unseen, the white cat is eating your footprints."


    Anna took off her sunsses and cast a confused look at the old nun.


    "Are you talking to me?"


    The old nun nodded silently. "The Red Moon has died, and the Scorching Sun ispletely gone. They are destined not to be resurrected."


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t quite understand what you''re saying. Can you exin it to me?"


    Anna''s countenance remained gentle and baffled, but her guard had already skyrocketed through the roof. Is this old woman from the Blind Sisterhood? My cover is already blown? ?


    The old nun looked at Anna and shook her head with regret. Then, she slowly turned around and walked into the crowd.


    Anna raised her right hand and tapped the frame of her sunsses with two fingers. A Fhtagnist in the crowd blended with the surrounding colors like a chameleon and followed the old woman.


    Once the sun hadpletely sunk below the mountain range, the Fhtagnist returned and reported that the old nun had returned to the one and only church in the mountain vige. They also reported that there wasn''t anything strange with the old nun.


    Anna truly had no idea what the old nun''s words meant.


    It was already night, but the tourist vige remained bustling and lively. There were tourists busy having a barbeque by the huge bonfire. The vigers were as enthusiastic as ever, and their attitude toward Anna hadn''t changed a bit.


    However, the old nun''s cryptic words made Anna feel a bit uneasy. She couldn''t help but feel like they had already set a trap for her. Anna picked up the phone and looked at the time.


    It was already nine o''clock in the evening, and there were still four hours left before the scheduled time.


    Anna looked up at the distant mountain peak that hadpletely melted into the darkness and told the Fhtagnists to stay alert while holding their positions.


    Regardless of whether her cover was already blown or not, they were already here, and they had no intentions of retreating until they had aplished their objective.


    The Shattered God''s people were the vanguards, and she was only going to assist them, so if anything unexpected ended up happeningter on, she could always break away at any time.


    Time ticked by, and soon, it was eleven o''clock. The lively tourist vige had be quiet, and the tourists slowly returned to their rooms in groups of twos and threes.


    Anan took off her high heels and exchanged them for the slippers that a little boy had extended over to her. Upon wearing the slippers, Anna walked into her room.


    "Darkness is destined to be driven away by sunlight, but s, it can only be driven away."


    Hearing the young voice, Anna felt a shiver run down her spine. She whipped around and saw the little boy kneeling on the ground. Anna''s high heels were in his hands, and he was in the middle of putting them on the shoe rack.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Did you just speak?" Anna asked, sounding doubtful.


    The little boy simply looked down at the floor.


    In the end, Anna remained silent and walked into her room. Anna''s calm face instantly became exceptionally solemn as soon as she walked into her room. She leaned toward the window and looked around outside.


    The old nun''s words could be dismissed as the mere ravings of a senile old woman, but the little boy had clearly spoken simr cryptic words as the old nun.


    There was definitely something wrong here, and Anna could not ignore it. She also felt like she was being watched. The enemy was hidden while she was exposed, so she was at a great disadvantage.


    "How much longer do we have to wait for your people? I think they''ve noticed us," Anna said, calling the Shattered God.


    "Please have more confidence in yourself. You are extremely powerful, and they are definitely not as difficult to deal with as the IMF. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been forced to hide here." A jarring voice sounding simr to a tape recorder echoed from the phone.


    "Stop ttering me. I only agreed to support you. If you''re going to use me as bait, then you''ve made the wrong decision. Anyway, you better pick up the pace, or I''m going to leave with my people."


    1. Maam, can you please help me take a picture? ?

 Chapter 988: Anomaly

    "Think about it again, Miss Anna. For whom am I doing this? What I''ve been doing is all for the sake of satisfying your condition. Do you really expect me to build an entire aircraft without enough steel?"


    Before the Shattered God could continue speaking, Anna ended the call. Then, she melted into the walls and began to investigate the potential lurkers.


    Anna had no idea if the enemies'' concealment ability was just extremely powerful, but she found no lurkers despite searching almost the entire vige from beneath the ground.


    Time ticked by, and it would soon be time for them to make a move. At quarter to one in the morning, Anna returned to her room to make the final preparations for their n that wouldmence in fifteen minutes.


    Upon changing into a neat, tight-fitting outfit, Anna stared quietly at her phone.


    When there were only three minutes left before the scheduled time, Anna finally noticed movement outside. She looked down and found that the sleeping tourists were all walking on the street.


    Their eyes were closed tightly, and they staggered in their steps as they followed the vigers walking slowly into the pitch-ck woods with torches in hand. The young woman who had asked Anna to take photos for her earlier in the day was among them.


    It waste at night, so the streets were supposed to be empty. Beneath the pure white moonlight, however, the group of people walking slowly down the street like zombiesposed an eerie scene.


    However, Anna was relieved to see the sight. They had finally made a move. An unknown enemy was far scarier than a powerful enemy, after all.Just then, a man''s voice echoed from the door. "When sand can no longer help you, perhaps you should try stones instead."


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A grotesque green fireball phased through the wall and flew toward where the voice hade from.


    Anna rushed out of the walls and emerged into the corridor. A middle-aged man was on the receiving end of the corrosive fireball. As the mes reduced him to ashes, he let out nary a scream of pain and merely stared at Anna with a smile.


    Before Anna could figure out what was going on, she saw a pair of twin sisters standing at the far end of the corridor. The two little girls held a patched teddy bear with each hand.


    "Green causes your body to decay; perhaps you could try the path above. You should know that above the Spider Door is the Peacock Door," the two little girls said at the same time.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Instead of attacking immediately, Anna chuckled softly and said, "It seems that my disguise still needs quite a bit of improvement. All right, let''s talk.


    "I''m not asking for much. I heard you have an Anomaly capable of altering memories. Give it to me, and I''ll leave immediately."


    Neither side had shed blood, so Anna believed that there was still room for negotiations.


    "Of course, I can buy it as well. Either way is fine. You decide," Anna added.


    The little girls slowly shook their heads. "The Red Moon has deceived you; its purpose, like that of the Great Stag, is extremely dark and selfish."


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    A deafening explosion reverberated, and the tremors were so violent that Anna found it difficult to maintain her bnce.


    Anna rushed out of the hotel and saw a shell flying over her head with a <em>whoosh </em>andnding on the mountain peak. Towering mes erupted upon impact, vanquishing the darkness.


    <em>Whiiir!</em>


    The sound of propellers pervaded the air as tandem-rotor helicopters rushed over from a distance. A hail of bullets descended, tearing apart everything human in the entire tourist vige.


    The Shattered God''s people had finally made a move.


    The bow was drawn, and the arrow had to be released.


    "Everyone,e here!" Anna eximed. Then, amidst the cacophony of explosions around them, she charged into the distance with the Fhtagnists running next to her.


    The clown''s ck top hat engulfed Anna''s severed arm. When it pulled back, a chubby arm was revealed, starting from the stump.


    "They''ll attack every other position. We just have to handle everything on the left side!"


    The Shattered God had already figured out the terrain. Clearly, they had spent more than just a day or two investigating the ce.


    When Anna and the others arrived at the foot of the mountain, they discovered that the mountain was on fire. The surrounding temperatures had soared, and the thick smoke had drastically reduced the visibility.


    "Move slowly and follow the map. Don''t engage with them. Our mission is to contain them in one ce," Anna exined their task to the Fhtagnist.


    They nodded and walked slowly along the route marked on the map. They looked around vigntly, wary of any ambushes.


    They had been walking for quite a while now, but Anna still could not find the so-called Blind Sisterhood. Instead, there was chaos all over the ce, as the tourists¡ªwho had been walking in a daze¡ªwere now running around crying and screaming.


    The freckled young woman covered in dirt spotted Anna leading a group of people up the mountain. The sight invigorated her instantly, and she rushed over to Anna as if she were family.


    "<em>Waaaah! M?nga d?da! M?nga d?da!</em>[1]" the freckled young woman eximed with tears dripping down her face.


    However, the amiable Anna earlier in the day was exceptionally cold. She did not spare her even a nce, and she kept walking up with her head down. The high-schooler Olivia was terrified by their demeanor, but she decided to follow them, as she believed she had no other choice.


    "High Priestess, she''s still following us. Do you need me to help get rid of her?"


    Anna nced at the helpless and terrified young woman. "Don''t waste your time and attention on anything else. The enemy could ambush us at any time."


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A bullet flew past them, and arge number of women d in a ck nun habit appeared at the turn up ahead. The women seemed to be on drugs as they made a mad dash toward Anna with their weapons in hand.


    Anna''s figure vibrated at a high frequency, and she disappeared into the ground in the blink of an eye. Green fireballs made out of her corrosive mes appeared where she once stood, and they made a beeline for the distant enemies.


    Anna controlled the corrosive fireballs underground, which made them impossible to extinguish. Of course, they could still be extinguished, but they would have to attack Anna to do that.


    Unfortunately for them, Anna was underground.


    Meanwhile, the Fhtagnists rushed forward and ughtered everything before them while shouting their loyalty to God Fhtagn.


    Deafening gunshots, the grotesque noise of flesh being torn apart, and miserable howls intertwined in midair to create a harsh, discordant mixture of noises that only added to the chaos on the battlefield.


    Unfortunately, the enemies were no match for Anna and the Fhtagnists. The Fhtagnists were particrly powerful, as they had just obtained their very own special ability.


    Olivia''s eyes widened to the maximum at the brutal sight before her. Tears welled up in her eyes, and everything that she had learned about the world from textbooks was being distorted in the face of the scene before her.


    Upon seeing someone being torn in half right in the middle, Olivia couldn''t hold it in any longer and bent over, vomiting the barbeque she had eaten for dinner.


    The noises soon faded, and Anna emerged from the ground just as the Fhtagnists were cleaning up the battlefield.


    Anna kicked a bloody rifle on the ground, and her face showed a hint of mockery at the sight. <em>For an anomalous organization, they sure are reliant on firearms. Do all of them carry firearms to shoot at each other instead of Anomalies?</em>


    Just then, Anna''s face changed drastically. She squatted down and observed the rifle with both hands. Her heart sank as she stared at the rifle. The rifle was brand-new, and she had definitely seen one of it before.


    She had seen one in the Shattered God''s factory, which meant that the Shattered God had manufactured the rifle in her hands.


    All of a sudden, an idea popped up in Anna''s mind, and it prompted her to stand up and rush toward one of the corpses.


    Upon reaching the nearest corpse, Anna was stunned to see the corpse''s attire changing from a ck nun habit to the camouge uniform worn by the Shattered God''s believers.


    1. Many people died! Many people died! ?


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 Chapter 989: The Moth

    As soon as Anna approached the nearest corpse, their transformation became quicker and more pronounced. In the end, the corpses on the ground transformed into the corpses of the soldiers they had seen at the factory at the time.


    Some of their faces were even familiar, as they were people they had a few conversations with back then.


    They were followers of the Shattered God. Anna and her group had been deceived¡ªthey were supposed to berades, but they had been tricked into killing each other.


    "High Priestess, this is..."


    Anna stood up slowly and said, "The next time we encounter enemies, don''t attack them immediately. They seem to have the special ability to confound us. It seems that the so-called Blind Sisterhood isn''t as useless as that pile of scrap metal had imed."


    Anna nced at the freckled young woman, who was still vomiting, before leading the others forward. They were on high alert. The encounter just now was so bizarre that they were convinced that the next waves of enemies would consist of theirrades.


    It seemed that the enemy could only change appearances and couldn''tpel those under the effects of its special ability to fighting styles. The next time they encountered enemies with firearms, they''d question them first before fighting.


    However, Anna was surprised to encounter no one as they made their way to their destination. It was like everything had been cleared out.


    The smell of gunpowder and mes in the air was getting stronger, and it told Anna that the followers of the Shattered God were still attacking their targets. In no time, the mountain would surely erupt into mes.However, Anna remained calm despite that possibility. She believed that the other party ought to be the ones feeling desperate at this point.


    Just when Anna thought that they would reach their destination without any issues, a ck and white spotted moth flew past her face. More moths appeared, and it was like the smokeing from the forest was driving them away.


    The fluorescent powder on the moths'' wings scattered everywhere, making the forest appear as if it were in the middle of a blizzard. Those within the "blizzard" had to squint because visibility was decreasing rapidly.


    <em>Something''s wrong with these moths! </em>As soon as the thought crossed Anna''s mind, green corrosive mes manifested around her, igniting the powder floating in the air.


    The powder was reduced to ash, but their conditions didn''t improve. The sky full of powder became a sky full of ashes, making everyone cough. Their eyes also stung, making it difficult for them to open their eyes.


    Just then, several shadowy figures emerged from the forest. Their hands were sped in front of their chests, and they slowly made their way toward Anna.


    Anna extended her right hand, and she was given a bundle of spider silk. Anna wrapped it around her face, and the burning sensation in her throat and nose disappeared instantly.


    Anna looked up and saw the faces of the shadowy figures through the semi-translucent spider silk.


    They were all women, and they all looked to be around seventeen or eighteen. Despite being d in an old nun''s habits, their beauty still stood out.


    "Do not be afraid, Lunasia. The Moth needs our sacrifice, and it is important¡ªfar more important than ourselves," a nun said. Then, she solemnly extended a pendant with an inverted cross toward Anna.


    They spoke in a bizarrenguage, but Anna could surprisingly understand it.


    Anna''s face showed a hint of resistance, but she ultimately epted it. As soon as the cross touched her hand, a jet-ck fissure split open from the middle of the cross, and then two ck and white spotted moths emerged from within it.


    The moths circled around Anna several times before settling on Lunasia''s eyes.


    She closed her eyes, letting the moths rest beneath her eyelids.


    The act of closing one''s eyes would render anyone unable to perceive their surroundings, but Lunasia could sense everyone around her. Although she couldn''t see, she could feel their presence.


    Moreover, she was connected to everyone else''s senses¡ªthey had essentially be one. Lunasia''s scenery changed, and even her sense of touch was influenced, as she could feel herself getting whisked away somewhere.


    Lunasia looked up and saw the Moth beyond the <em>Mansus</em>, the wailing Lionsmith, and the crumbling Red Moon.


    Lunasia instantly understood their connection with each other as well as her very own ideals.


    The Moth was weak, and it needed rest¡ªIt could not endure further torment.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    <em>Kill them? Why am I having these thoughts? Why do I have to kill myself?</em>


    Lunasia lowered her head and followed herself, advancing slowly through the darkness.


    Their surroundings transformed as they continued forward. ck roses bloomed and withered around them, and the giant Wheel was starting to turn; the darkness around them had also transformed into an indescribable multitude of hues.


    The copes of her own self around her multiplied rapidly, and as they merged with each other, the surrounding colors grew increasingly vibrant. At this moment, Lunasia was filled with genuine joy; it was a delight originating from not just one person but from a collective.


    As soon as the delight rose to a crescendo, Lunasia opened her eyes and found herself in a small cave illuminated by torches. There were injured people everywhere on the ground.


    Lunasia felt her heart shatter upon seeing the injured figures on the ground. She crouched down to tend to them alongside a freckled young woman.


    "You have to hold on, Madam Amanda! The Moth has yet to ept your child!" Lunasia eximed with heart-wrenching anguish as she gripped the hand that had been burned until it was devoid of any skin.


    Amanda moved her head. The skin all over her face had fused together, transforming into an indescribable lump of flesh. Amanda''s eyes, which had been scorched whitended on Lunasia.


    "Lunasia, I-I can''t go on. Live on for me. The Moth must return to the Green Door," Amanda said, and her hand went limp in Lunasia''s grasp.


    An indescribable grief pervaded Lunasia''s chest, and the grief spread to everyone present in an instant. Soon, their synchronized sobbing echoed throughout the small cave.


    They were grief-stricken and anguished, but they could not afford the luxury to wallow in it because their enemies were approaching.


    <em>BOOM! </em>


    A deafening explosion echoed, and a violent tremor ran across the small cave. The next moment, huge rocks started falling from above, crashing onto the ground and people.


    A copse was imminent, but these people still had to get to the Silver Lake! Lunasia wasted no time and hoisted an individual who had lost their legs onto her shoulder. Then, she pressed deeper into the cave.


    The explosions grew increasingly distant and were soon reced by the sound of flowing water. Lunasia was delighted¡ªthe Silver Lake was close.


    After a few minutes of walking, the space up ahead opened up as a massive underground cavern appeared before them. The entire cave was full of water, and moths of varying sizes hovered over the water''s surface.


    There was no mistaking it¡ªLunasia was staring at Silver Lake. Theke''s water was so clear that she could see the eyeless fish swimming down below.


    Lunasia stepped on the white pebbles and carried the injured individual toward a perfectly circr clearing in the middle of theke.


    There was a group of people sitting in the clearing¡ªchildren with albinism. The children were d in white clothes, and their hair was white. Their pupils were white as well, and even their eyshes were white.


    A green willow branch was stuck to their heads, and like Anna, their eyes had been reced by moths. Without exchanging any words, everyone moved in unison¡ªmoving to the rhythm of the moths'' movements.

 Chapter 990: Summoning

    The explosions outside sent ripples across the cidke''s surface. Lunasia anxiously made her way to the circr stone clearing in the middle of theke while carrying an injured individual on her shoulder.


    Her anxiety spread to everyone present, and the albino children turned to look at her in unison.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    They gathered around and cast regretful gazes at the injured individual in Lunasia''s arms. As they stroked the wounded individual''s face, moths descended and engulfed the individual.


    When the wounded individual revealed a satisfied smile, the moths stopped moving, and a stream of information entered Lunasia''s mind. The individual''s memories and consciousness were divided into many pieces, and they entered everyone''s minds before being reborn in everyone''s thoughts.


    Lunasia instantly knew everything there was to know about the wounded individual as well as the "moths," which seemed to be seeking a way home. In the blink of an eye, Lunasia obtained a lot of information.


    The moths were devoid of any physical form, and they were supposed to be sealed within a certain painting depicting a forest.


    Upon leaving the painting, however, they immediately existed in everyone''s minds as if they were worker ants in a colony. At this moment, Lunasia had also be a "moth."


    She became aware of their abilities and their grudge against the Shattered God. The enmity spanned many years, and it already existed before the IMF was founded.


    When Lunasia came to her senses, the albino children looked at her. "The Red Moon''s iron and mes are gnawing away at our Wood, but more frightening still is there are more. You ought to use your de, not your heart."They all stood up in unison, retreating toward a distant cave. "Wield your de and block their path. We shall repeat again among the stars."


    Lunasia raised her right hand and stared at the green mes scorching her forearm. When her eyes grew determined, the green mes erupted, sweeping toward the albino children before her.


    Everyone present was astonished. The moths in the air tried to block the attack, but they were toote. The moths and a few albino children were reduced to ashes.


    The ck and white spotted moths scattered their fluorescent powder, creating a scenery straight out of a dreamscape. However, this couldn''t be further from a dreamscape as they divided rapidly and swept toward Anna like a tidal wave.


    However, they found nothing as soon as they arrived. Anna had melted into the ground down below. Secondster, she emerged from a distant wall with a smile tugging at her lips.


    "No!" Anna''s face distorted in terror. "You can''t! Lunasia would never betray the Moth!"


    Anna screamed, seemingly wrestling control over herself. Finally, she threw her head back, and then her head dropped limply in front of her chest. Momentster, she reached up to pluck and crush the two moths beneath her eyelids.


    Beneath the gazes of the moths and the children with albinism, Anna looked up, revealing a faint smile of satisfaction. "Altering my memories, distorting my cognition? Who gave you the courage to do that to me?


    "I''ve already been ying with people''s hearts before you were even born."


    The albino children were astonished to realize that their connection with Anna had been severed¡ªthis was unprecedented.


    Three green fireballs appeared in the air above Anna, and they grewrger as they spun rapidly. The pale green light reflected on theke''s surface and the moths''pound eyes. The tides of the battle had changed in an instant.


    However, Anna had decided not to act. There were still explosions outside, and she wasn''t in a hurry. Moreover, she remembered that they had a collective consciousness.


    Anna just had to stop them until the followers of the Shattered God were here, and her task wasplete.


    "I''ve been wondering about the location of the memory-altering Anomaly that is in your hands, but it turns out that you guys are the Anomaly itself," Anna remarked. "Let''s talk, Moth. Why do you call the Shattered God ''Red Moon''?


    "And from the fragmented scenes I saw earlier, it seemed like you two are mortal enemies."


    The moths immediately saw through Anna''s attempt to buy time. People under their influence rushed out from the adjacent stone cave, attacking Anna with weapons in hand. There were even Fhtagnists among them.


    However, Anna had aplete grasp of the Fhtagnists, so they weren''t her match at all. She also spared no quarter despite facing her own people. Screams quickly echoed throughout the cavern as a Fhtagnist was reduced to ashes.


    The moths couldn''t retreat in the face of Anna''s blockade. They could only remain trapped in the middle of theke. Their strongest ability was the ability to take over one''s consciousness, but it was useless against Anna.


    <em>BOOM! </em>


    A deafening explosion echoed, and a fissure appeared on the ground, spreading across an entire wall. Towering stctites as high as an adult human being fell into theke, disturbing its peace.


    Time was running out, and the moths'' situation grew even more precarious. Left with no other options, they decided to change their tactics.


    Those under their control ceased their attacks on Anna. Then, they opened their mouths and spoke in unison along with the albino children. "Red Moon is cunning and fickle. It is better for you to make a deal with me than work with it."


    Anna''s quivering head emerged from the water. She swept her gaze across the moths in the air and said, "By capturing all of you, I will still get what I want, and it''s safer that way as well."


    Earlier, they could have worked together, but they were already fighting to the death, so Anna believed that there was no longer any room for negotiations.


    "You were once connected to me. If we don''t let you obtain what you need, then you''ll get nothing at all. Let us go, and we can do many things for you."


    Anna was quiet, pretending like she had fallen into contemtion to buy some more time.


    Just then, the crowd pointed at the ck diamond ring on Anna''s finger.


    "I can feel it. That thing is a relic of a deceased, and your feelings for him run deep. We canmunicate with the dead. In exchange for letting us leave, I can summon him and let you talk to him."


    Anna froze before bursting out into a peal ofughter. Sheughed so hard that she felt like tears woulde out of her eyes. "You have the potential to be aedian. You actually made meugh."


    "You don''t believe us?" The albino children tilted their heads in unison. "We are one with Winter, and our special ability is tomunicate with the dead."


    "<em>Oh?</em> Is that so? Summon him, then," Anna said. She removed the ring and threw it toward the clearing in the middle of theke. "I''m the one who brought the Shattered God''s people here.


    "If you manage to summon him, then I will definitely make them let you go."


    <em>There''s nothing else to do, anyway, so I might as well entertain them to buy time.</em>


    "I can sense your sincerity from your shadow. It''s a deal," they replied at once.


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 Chapter 991: Charles

    The moths moved quickly beneath Anna''s watchful gaze. Hundreds of children with albinism walked slowly into the water, leaving only their heads above the surface.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The moths followed closely behind them, and the entireke was soon covered in a ck-and-white hue.


    The fluttering wings of the moths sounded nothing special at first, but it eventually became a bizarre low-frequency melody.


    Theke churned, and the spots on the moths'' wings seemed toe alive, arranging themselves into circr patterns filled with nothing but densely packed clusters of pitch-ck holes.


    It was a scalp-tingling sight.


    The bizarre patterns formed by the spotted moths rotated slowly, and theke seemed to lose its natural color as it took on a ck-and-white color.


    Perhaps the summoning was mentally exhausting, but the moths let go of those under their control. Faced with such a bizarre scene that words alone could not describe, they fled in terror into the adjacent cave, wanting to escape this ce.


    However, they were driven back shortly afterward, as the followers of the Shattered God had already entered the adjacent cave.


    Amidst all this, Anna acted like a spectator, and she even wondered which were the true forms of the Moth¡ªwas it the moths or the children?Faint footsteps echoed from the adjacent cave, and theke became cid once again. Just as Anna was about to mock them for their futile efforts, a six-meter-long, half-rotted, and severed arm was reflected on theke''s surface.


    The severed arm existed only on theke''s surface. It also looked like a thin sheet of paper, but it was undeniably the real deal. A massive yellow pupil appeared on the palm of the severed limb.


    It blinked and looked at the shocked woman by theke.


    "Anna, is that you?"


    Anna''s long eyshes trembled slightly upon hearing that familiar voice. As soon as she blinked, tears fell from her eyes. It had been a long time since she heard that voice. She was about to step forward, but she stopped herself.


    Anna looked down. A few secondster, she looked up, and her gaze had grown more determined than ever. "I must say this is a convincing act, but you can''t deceive me. You can''t possibly summon Him."


    However, the moths offered no response to Anna''s doubt. The albino children were trembling violently in theke, and their faces revealed extreme agony.


    Their heads quivered like aspen trees, and they seemed to be trying to cancel the summoning. Unfortunately, the situation was now beyond their control.


    "Anna, what are you talking about?" Charles asked, his voice sounded hoarse and tired.


    A whirlpool formed in theke, and the moths above the surface of the water and the eyeless fishes down below rapidly gathered, merging with each other to transform into a six-meter-tall flesh tentacle. The tentacle seemed to be alive, as there were deformed amorphous organs rapidly proliferating on it.


    Just then, an aura so oppressive that it was palpable descended upon everyone present and engulfed them.


    <em>tter, tter</em>, <em>tter.</em>


    The sound of chattering teeth echoed throughout the cavern. In the face of an entity far beyond theirprehension, the tourists copsed to the ground. The freckled Olivia was among them, and extreme terror marred her face as she stared at the writhing flesh tentacle.


    Having been overwhelmed by fear, Olivia opened her mouth to scream and grabbed her head with both hands as she curled up into a ball in a corner.


    It wasn''t just the tourists. Even the Fhtagnists quaked as they stood before Anna.


    Just then, arge group of soldiers in camouge carrying firearms rushed into the cavern from the adjacent cave. They were apanied by some figures d in ck robes.


    There were so many of them that they crowded the cavern, and they were all wounded; their fight against the Blind Sisterhood had to have been quite intense. As soon as they walked into the cavern, however, they instantly came to a halt, freezing as if they were statues.


    An elder of the Shattered God d inbat gear was trembling like a leaf as he took out his phone, allowing the Shattered God¡ªthousands of kilometers away¡ªto see everything through the phone''s camera.


    "What is that thing? What did the Moth summon? Test it with an attack before going all out. No matter what, the Moth must die today."


    "Understood!" Although afraid, they dared not disobey their god''s orders. They moved quickly, pointing their powerful weapons at the albino children trapped in the summoning ritual.


    Sensing the danger, the giant flesh tentacle trembled, and the dim cavern instantly brightened.


    The mountain had been split into two, allowing moonlight to pervade theke. Of course, it wasn''t just the mountain¡ªthe followers of the Shattered God had been split into two as well.


    In the proverbial blink of an eye, hundreds of people were quietly torn into two, and they wordlessly fell to the ground. They perished without being able to let out even a scream.


    The blood from the corpses dripped into theke, ultimately dyeing theke in a crimson hue.


    The survivors were stupefied. The wary and frightened Fhtagnists revealed eyes full of fervor as they fell to their knees in unison and roared, "Long Live the Great One!"


    "Anna, it''s been so long. I really missed you." A voiceced with affection echoed from the dozens of mouths on the tentacle.


    Anna walked through the crowd and stepped onto the crimsonke. Theke was supposed to be liquid, but it acted like a red carpet for Anna as she walked slowly toward the flesh tentacle.


    Upon reaching the giant flesh tentacle, Anna went berserk. She punched and kicked the fleshly tentacle as if her life depended on it for the sake of venting her dissatisfaction.


    "You selfish bastard!! You''ve always only thought about yourself! Have you ever thought of me before making any decisions?! I changed many things about myself for your sake, and what reward did I get in return?!


    "The reward was getting thrown to this damned surface!"


    Just then, two palms grew from the tentacle, and they extended to embrace the hysterical Anna. "I''m sorry, my love."


    Anna broke free and pounced on the tentacle before biting it viciously as if she were a leopardess. However, it seemed that biting was not enough to assuage her fury, as she even used her corrosive mes to scorch Charles'' flesh.


    However, the green mes only managed to burn the firstyer of the flesh tentacle before extinguishing. It was useless against Charles.


    The part of the flesh tentacle that Anna was biting furiously transformed into a mouth, and it moved closer to kiss her. Anna struggled, but multiple appendages burst out of the flesh tentacle, wrapping her in an embrace.


    Anna''s fierce struggles gradually mellowed out. In the end, she embraced the giant flesh tentacle and began biting its appendages.


    The others were beyond stupefied at the scene, and the cogs in their heads seemed to havee to a halt as they felt like their worldview was copsing right before their eyes.


    After a while, Anna got tired and spat out the bloody tongue in her mouth. She red fiercely at the flesh tentacle and eximed, "Now bring me back!"


    The eight mouths on the flesh tentacle opened at once. "I''m sorry, Anna, but I can''t do that. First of all, you''re far safer on the surface world than in the Subterranean Sea, and I want to keep you out of danger''s reach."


    "Secondly andstly, I''m on the surface world as well."


    "Bullshit! You''re on the surface world? Then howe I haven''t seen you yet?"

 Chapter 992: Tree

    Upon hearing Anna''s words, the giant flesh tentacle writhed, and more eyes emerged from within it. The eyes were filled with intense curiosity as they looked around.


    The eyes then turned toward the bright round moon in the sky, and they narrowed as they stared at it.


    "Yes, that''s exactly what I find strange. The surface world where I am from doesn''t have anything like this. This is problematic."


    "Goodness¡­" Anna muttered, looking quite irritated as she paced back and forth on theke surface while kneading her forehead. "Just what exactly have you been doing? You''ve yet to lose that recklessness of yours after all this time?"


    Charles didn''t answer. The giant flesh tentacle grew, and eyestalks emerged from beneath the flesh, rising upward. The grotesque flesh tentacle transformed until it eventually became a hideous giant tree made out of flesh and blood.


    To make the sight even more bizarre, deformed appendages with eyestalks were growing out of the tree''s trunk, making it appear particrly healthy if it weren''t for the fact that it appeared to be made out of flesh and blood.


    "I''m talking to you! Do you hear?!" Anna eximed sternly.


    The eyestalks froze and descended to look at her on the ground. "Sorry, I got distracted. I''m listening now."


    "I don''t care where you are right now; I want you to bring me back NOW! I don''t want to stay in this damned ce for even a second longer! I''ve had enough of this fragile human body."Anna''s anxious voice echoed throughout the blood-redke, sending ripples in all directions.


    Grotesque cracking noises simr to bones shattering at once echoed as the massive tree swayed slowly. "Sorry, Anna, but you can''te back here. I''ve seen fragmented scenes of the future. If youe back here, you will meet fate an extremely tragic fate. I don''t want you to suffer that fate."


    Anna''s face distorted fiercely. She opened her mouth, seemingly to curse and vent her frustration, but in the end, she only let out a soft sigh, saying, "You told me that you don''t want others to decide your fate, but aren''t you doing the same thing to me right now?"


    Charles'' eyestalks were staring at the starry sky and the earth at the same time. "Those matters can wait, my love. First of all, we need to understand what''s really going on here. Your concerns are trivialpared to this one."


    "<em>Ah!</em>" Charles'' eyes widened as an epiphany struck him. "I finally understood. Time on the surface world and time in the Subterranean Sea flows in opposite directions. We''re both at the other end of the line, but you''re in the past.


    "The gap between us is a thousand years. It seems humanity''s fate has already been decided."


    Charles instantly understood what was going on by merely observing the surface world.


    Anna adjusted her mindset and softly said, "A thousand yearster, some disaster will happen here, forcing the IMF to flee to the Subterranean Sea to be the first-generation Foundation.


    "I assume that''s what''s going to happen, but what does that have to do with us? You''re thinking too far ahead."


    The giant tree swayed again, generating cracking noises. "No, that''s not the case at all. This is rted to both of us, and it is rted to everything in the world."


    Anna frowned, feeling that Charles wasn''t exactly mentally stable at the moment.


    "How is it rted to both of us? Exin," Anna asked.


    Charles'' tone of voice began to sound inquisitive as he replied, "I''m not sure. I just have this feeling. Give me a moment; I need to see more before I can give you any exnation."


    The eyestalks attached to the giant tree rose once again, and they were transfixed on the round moon hanging in the sky. For some reason, the tree started bending and withering; its eyeballs caved in, withering like flowers.


    Once the eyeballs had disappearedpletely, the huge moon in the sky changed color, and it eventually transformed into an eyeball with a yellow pupil.


    The moon-sized eyeball turned to look at Earth. The moon-sized eye opened, and as soon as it did, it saw every piece of knowledge on Earth and assimted it at the very same moment.


    Then, the mouths on the giant tree opened. "I see. Ipletely understand it now. So that''s what this is all about."


    As soon as Charles'' words fell, the "branches" of the tree split open, and the tree bloomed with extremely brilliant and dazzling "flowers." At this moment, Charles seemed to have transformed into a different kind of existence.


    Every human being on Earth looked up at the sky, and their breathing quickened as their hearts pounded wildly against their chest.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Their sanity decreased rapidly, and extreme panic began to seize everyone''s hearts. As they stared at the eyeball in the sky, they felt like the apocalypse was nigh.


    There weren''t many beings capable of stopping what was about to happen, but fortunately, Anna was one of them. "Hey, Charles! Calm down! Are you nning on destroying Earth? I have to remind you that your past self is still here!"


    Anna''s words had yet to finish echoing in the air when time itself came to a halt before rewinding rapidly. The "flowers" on the tree closed and retracted into the flesh tree; the shriveled and withered eyeballs were restored, and the bright moon was restored to normal.


    Time rewound to three minutes ago when the massive eyeball in the sky had yet to appear, thus leaving no one with any memory of having ever seen it.


    Just then, the albino children who had summoned Charles couldn''t take it anymore. Their bodies split open gradually, and their internal organs mixed with their flesh plunged into the blood-redke before gathering beneath the tree.


    The tree began to disintegrate as well, melting rapidly like a candle.


    Realizing that Charles was about to leave, Anna became anxious. "Charles, bring me back. It doesn''t matter where you are right now; you must bring me back!"


    "Anna, I''m sorry. I know your feelings for me are genuine, but I can''t bring you back. There''s nothing here¡ªhope is fleeting; only deathly silence is eternal," Charles replied. For some reason, his voice was gradually losing its warmth.


    The burning mes in Anna''s heart erupted into a congration upon being rejected once again. "Who do you think you are?! Do you really think that I want to go back to get together with you? I want to go back for my daughter, my Sparkle!"


    The tree instantly fell silent. The appendages and thin eyestalks growing on it drooped as they quietly melted away. The air seemed to be a bit downtrodden.


    The faint sorrow emanating from the giant tree was transmitted to everyone, and Anna''s heart skipped a beat upon sensing that. Then, she seemed to havee to a horrible conclusion as her lips quivered ever so slightly.


    Anna''s trembling lips parted, and she sounded like she was pleading as she asked, "You know that you''re her father, right? Charles? How is Sparkle doing?"


    There was a loud <em>crack</em>, and the melting tree copsed, creating waves in the blood-redke.


    Anna''s breathing became increasingly rapid. Then, she lunged forward, jumping onto the giant tree. She thrust her hands into the melting flesh tree and dug around before pulling out an eye the size of a human head.


    Anna held that eyeball in front of her face and roared, "Answer me, you useless waste of space! Where is our daughter?!!"


    The yellow eyeball melted likeva that dripped slowly into theke.


    "Anna... I''m sorry..."

 Chapter 993: Time

    Back in the Subterranean Sea, Sparkle sat outside the main door. She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms tightly around them. With a dejected look, she silently watched the vibrant forest outside the house.


    A sudden screeching sound of snapping trees broke the silence as a grotesque creature that towered several stories high emerged from the dense foliage.


    At first nce, it seemed to resemble a massive, distorted wolf. However, it didn''t have a single strand of hair on it and was, instead, covered in a thickyer of crimson membrane. Within the translucent membrane, streaks of purple, thread-like organisms slithered and writhed.


    The giant wolf parted its cracked jaws and continuously devoured the fallen branches on the ground. When the branches were done, it moved on to tearing chunks of grass from the earth, and when the grass was depleted, it began to consume the soil itself.


    With every bite it took, its barely wolf-like form began to wrap into a stranger monstrosity. If previously, it was just the product of two wolves fused together. Now, judging from the number of limbs, it resembled the amalgamation of six wolves, fused and contorted into a single monstrous entity.


    Sparkle recognized it; it was one of her younger brothers. She hadn''t seen it for days, but it seemed to have managed to find its own food source¡ªdevouring the flesh and blood of their father.


    Meanwhile, their father, Charles, was indifferent to the loss of his physical remnants. He was more focused on other concerns.


    As she watched her sibling''s gradual transformation, a hint of grief flickered through Sparkle''s eyes. She shifted and leaned most of her slender frame against the khaki-colored door.


    With a trace of pleading in her voice, she implored, "Dad¡­please, let me in."Yet, in the face of his own daughter''s pleas, the door remained tightly shut.


    A bright, white light enveloped Sparkle''s body; her figure began to turn translucent as she tried to enter the room with her own powers.


    However, when Charles was determined not to let her in, there was no way she would be able to barge in. After all, their powers shared the same origin, and any attempt at teleportation was futile.


    The white glow around Sparkle flickered a couple of times before fading entirely. Sparkle still remained stranded where she was. Frustrated, she reached up and touched the faint wrinkles on her face.


    "Dad¡­" she began. "The physical changes on me have nothing to do with helping you. It has always been like this."


    Her eyes dimmed as she continued, "I don''t even know what I''ll turn into when I fully grow up¡­"


    Charles'' weary voice emerged from behind the closed door.


    "Sweetheart, go find your mother. I shouldn''t have dragged you into this chaos in the first ce."


    A pained look masked Sparke''s visage as she closed her eyes in anguish. "Dad! <em>You</em> were the one who sent Mom to the surface; do you not remember? How am I supposed to go to her?


    "The other gods of the Subterranean Sea can''t even leave this ce. How am I supposed to go find her?!"


    "Did I¡­ send her to the surface myself? I must have loved her very much then, did I? What was I thinking back then? Why didn''t I send you up with her?


    "Wait. No. You can''t go up there. The surface world would be thrown into chaos if you went up. You belong to the Subterranean Sea! Now hurry up and leave!" ????????¨§?


    Sparkle clenched her right hand and thumped on the door with a balled fist. With a trembling voice, she pressed on, "Dad! You''re all I have left! I don''t have much time either."


    The moment those words left her lips, the door slowly creaked open, and Charles'' backview came into sight.


    "If you want to stay, you must promise me one thing. Otherwise, I will send you away and you''ll never find me again."


    Sparkle seemed to have guessed Charles'' following words, and she started her argument. "Dad, have you forgotten that my body has always grown at this pace? I''ve been aging faster than the rest since the moment I was born. Perhaps, from the very start, I only have less than ten years to live."


    "Promise me," Charles said with a slight tilt of his head.


    Sparkle''s head drooped in defeat. "Alright, I promise."


    "If the same situation from before happens again, never ever risk your safety to wake me. Leave this ce and go as far away as you can," Charles stated.


    Sparkle hesitated for a moment before eventually giving a reluctant nod


    When Charles turned to face her, she couldn''t hold herself back any longer. Tears streamed down her face as she threw herself into his arms.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Charles held Sparkle''s face in his hands. As his eyes fell on the faint lines that marred her otherwise youthful skin, he felt a pang of hurt in his heart.


    His fingers gradually moved downward and reached Sparkle''s fair neck. Like tendrils, they probed under her skin as he attempted to analyze Sparkle''s body and seek a usible solution to halt the seemingly inevitable changes.


    But Sparkle was not the least bit concerned about the changes. "Dad, don''t be like this. I''m not human, and I''ve never feared death. I''ve had this premonition for a long while that when I reach the end of my lifespan, perhaps that''s the moment that I will transform into who I was truly meant to be."


    With a faint smile, she continued, "You know¡­ When I was born, if Mom hadn''t raised me as though I were human, I might''ve finished the transformation long ago.


    "Mom taught me many things. I''ve also learned much from humans. But it''s only now that I realize¡­ I was never a human.


    "There''s no meaning to emting humans¡ªtheir appearance, theirnguage, their rules. It''s like a human trying to learn thenguage of ants and live among them. Maybe, my current form is unnatural."


    Charles tightened his embrace and nted a gentle kiss on Sparkle''s forehead.


    "My pitiful child¡­"


    A soft smile graced Sparkle''s delicate face. "I''m not pitiful. Even if it had been a mistake, as a human, I felt many special emotions I would''ve never experienced otherwise. Things like the love you and Mother gave me. And I like it."


    Charles led Sparkle to the leather sofa and sank into his seat. The flesh on his back swiftly fused seamlessly with the supple leather.


    A trace of confusion clouded his eyes as he asked, "Sparkle, is your mother really on the surface now?"


    "Mmhmm," Sparkle nodded as she curled herself into hisp. "You sent her there yourself. You probably made that decision after she sacrificed two million lives for power."


    "So many people died?" Charles muttered to himself before asking Sparkle, "Her name¡­ What was it again?"


    "Anna, but most of the time, you called her Zhao Jiajia."


    "Is that so¡­" Charles then slowly raised his hands, and the next moment, a folded sheet of paper materialized between his fingers. It was a sketch tucked away in the pages of his diary.


    It was a portrait of a stunningly beautiful woman. Charles himself hadn''t drawn this portrait, but he had long forgotten who had drawn it.


    However, he was certain that he had harbored deep feelings for her, or he would''ve never kept her sketch in his diary. The woman was surely Anna¡ªhis wife.


    His rough fingers traced the lines of the portrait. Staring at the picture of the stranger whom he shared not even a single frame of memory with, he said, "Anna, how are you doing? How''s life on the surface? Don''t worry about anything down here. I''ll handle them all. Just¡­ live in peace."


    Watching the scene before her, a hint of envy flickered across Sparkle''s eyes. Back when she was younger, there was this fleeting moment where she had dreamed of experiencing love like this.


    But before she could explore what love felt like, she had already outgrown that stage.


    Just then, Charles'' brow suddenly furrowed and his face darkened. He slowly rose to his feet.


    "Dad, what''s wrong?"


    "Something''s amiss. I don''t know what it is, but just now, it seems like something important has happened."

 Chapter 994: Sensation

    "Dad, what''s wrong?" Sparkle asked with a hint of concern on her visage upon noticing her father''s unusual reaction.


    "I don''t know how I should describe this feeling to you. Something feels wrong." Charles moved the window and pushed it open. His brows furrowed as his gaze locked onto the endless ck expanse of water beyond.


    Suddenly, he heard a voice that belonged to him entered his ears. It wasced with extreme urgency and seriousness.


    "All of you,e to my ne. A very critical situation has happened."


    Hearing the summon of his other self from an alternative ne, Charles gently pushed Sparkle out of his embrace. "Stay here first. I need to leave for a bit. Someone''s looking for me. It has been bad news for so many years, so hopefully, it will be good news this time."


    Entering the room that was only restricted to himself, his well-worn boots clicked against the floorboards in a steady rhythm. Upon reaching the end of the hallway, a section of the smooth wall slid open to reveal a hidden stairway caked with ayer of dust.


    It was the staircase of V12 Containment Site. Everything on the site, including the corpses with gold teeth strewn across the floor from years ago, had been left untouched. No changes had been made.


    Charles silently climbed to the seventh floor¡ªthe floor that allowed him to move into another ce.


    This was the gateway to parallel nes, and going through this hallway would allow him to reach other nes.However, now, this entire site hadpletely integrated into his being like another organ.


    Dimensional nes, parallel worlds, frequencies, melodies¡ªthey were all different names for roughly the same concept. The fundamental essence of all matter was just energy.


    The reality in which energy existed in varying frequencies of vibration was merely an intricateyering of multiple dimensions, all coexisting in aplex, ovepping symphony.


    Through deeper understanding, the current Charles hadpletely mastered the secrets of these special vibrational melodies. He could now easily traverse freely between parallel nes. His expertise in the knowledge of ne dimensions was now nothing short of masterful.


    If he wished, he could weaponize the gap between two parallel worlds to easily slice through any physical matter.


    However, his growing power was a double-edged sword. The more knowledge he mastered meant the closer he was to godhood and the lesser time he had to keep his humanity.


    Knowledge was power, but at the same time, it was a curse.


    It was a huge sacrifice but some things couldn''t be avoided. For example, he had to pay the price for mastery of nes and dimensions.


    Charles entered the room and took a step into the space that connected him to the other parallel nes.


    Due to the gravity of the situation at this time, Charles came as hisplete self and was not just a mere human avatar like before.


    The visual reality of it manifested in the form of a ferocious beast devouring itself; a massive, fleshy ind copsed inward before eventually disappearing from view.


    When Charles emerged from another ne, he found himself in the deep sea. A rusted submarine rode the current and silently drifted past him.


    Apart from himself and the Charles of the current ne he was on, the other Charleses from every other ne answered the same call.


    In the crushing pressure of the lightless depths, several identical human figures floated in the water, presenting a rather bizarre scene.


    Every single one of them had their brows furrowed as they exchanged tense whispers about the strange sensation that they felt earlier.


    "It wasn''t just me. Where did that feelinge from? What does it mean? I hope I was mistaken, but I can sense that something terrible happened."


    Seeing that everyone had arrived, Charles turned toward the one who belonged to this ne and asked, "What happened? Did you find something?"


    Current ne Charles raised his metallic left hand and pointed downward into the pitch-ck abyss. It was only then that the others realized that they were above the Dark Abyssal Trench where Fhtagn was sealed.


    "The moment I felt that sensation, I started to track the source. Eventually, I was led here. I don''t know if the two are connected, but anything that involves Fhtagn is never trivial."


    In unison, the Charleses descended toward the abyss. The seal broke effortlessly in an instant, and the sprawling, strange green metropolis appeared before their eyes.


    The structures in the city slowly peeled back like a colossal curtain to reveal the amorphous, shifting figure lying in the distant, absolute dark. Fhtagn, the strongest god in all of the Subterranean Sea, came into view.


    With each inhale and exhale of Fhtagn, an alien sound seemed to w at the sanity of any who heard it. Fortunately, Charles was no longer the same Charles from his earlier days. These whispers held no more effect on him.


    Fhtagn remained the same¡ªstill in slumber. However, one detail stood out so much that Charles could feel terror tickling at his scalp.


    Fhtagn''s left hand with webbed ws.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Fhtagn''s hand, like the rest of himself, was always shifting between various amalgamations of forms and colors. But no matter how it shifted, his hand was open. Yet now, it was clenched tightly into a fist.


    Charles had no doubts about his memory when it came to Fhtagn''s sleeping posture. When the Pope freed the Light God from the depths, the image had seared itself into Charles'' mind so deeply that it was impossible to forget.


    "I''m confused. Wait here. I need to go back and confirm something," a bald-headed Charles said without any context and his form vanished into thin air.


    The other Charleses were taken aback for a split second. The next moment, as if linked by some unseen thread, each of them disappeared in rapid session and retreated to their respective nes.


    The massive ind that was Charles'' physical form flickered rapidly across the dark Subterranean Sea as it moved with urgency. Consumed by anxiety, he teleported with such haste that he couldn''t even pay much attention to the vessels on the ocean''s surface.


    A few secondster, he reached the Dark Abyssal Trench of his own ne. He tore open the seal and saw the same scene he had seen in the other ne. The fingers of Fhtagn''s left hand were curled inward at the same eerie angle to form a closed fist.


    One by one, the Charleses that left returned to the ne they had gathered earlier, their faces dark with the weight of what they''d each witnessed as they shared their ounts.


    "This may be a bad sign. But at the very least, it confirms one thing: all versions of Fhtagn are unified across all nes. He is a being that transcends all nes¡ªa singr existence."


    Charles lifted his gaze to look at his somewhat flippant counterpart with a solemn expression. "That doesn''t help us much right now. The real question we need to consider is why Fhtagn''s hand is curled up and what its significance is."


    "The rest of you can discuss first. I need to reseal Fhtagn, or his aura will influence the other humans in the Subterranean Sea."


    The green city groaned as flesh and blood pulled it back together, hiding it beneath its original disguise once again. The whispers in their ears slowly diminished.


    At the same time, the Charleses exchanged nces before speaking in unison.


    "I don''t know what the rest of you think, but I feel that we''re running out of time. That feeling wasn''t just a warning. Fhtagn is waking up."

 Chapter 995: Future

    The moment the words left the Charleses'' mouths, the ominous feeling within them began to copse and condensed. The faint sensation earlier transformed into somewhat fragmented, visceral glimpses of a potential future and swiftly tore through their minds.


    Floating in the deep waters, Charles raised his gaze upward to look at the dark ocean''s surface. The images of unknown origin began to project onto this inky ck expanse.


    Gaping holes emerged on the rocky strata overhead, each one glowing with a violet light¡ªthe signature hue of 002.


    Massive whirlpools erupted and covered the entire ocean''s surface. Like cascading funnels, they pulled the waters of the Subterranean Sea downward toward the surface world.


    Amidst the chaos, a colossal, hundred-mile-wide tentacle radiated a purple hue as it extended from the Core, pierced through the rocky barriers to reach the Subterranean Sea. It then mmed into the ocean waters before extending even further to breach through the ocean floor and reach the surface world.


    The three realms¡ªthe Core, the Subterranean Sea, the surface world¡ªbecame interconnected in this cataclysmic instance.


    Their wildly different physicalws collided with extreme ferocity. Everything was crumbling. Gravity faltered. Thews of the world werepletely disrupted.


    When Charles snapped back to the present from that projected future, his heart pounded erratically in his chest. His emotions manifested physically in the form of tremors on his fleshy ind. The earth turned, trees toppled, and his countless offspring cried in terror.


    He wasn''t alone in this ordeal. The other Charleses experienced the same projected future. They exchanged gazes with each other. Yet for a very long time, no one had any words.The images had been all too vivid, so vivid that Charles couldn''t differentiate if it was reality itself.


    Those fragments seemed more than glimpses of mere probabilities but rather snapshots of the inevitable future.


    A deep sense of dread and despair descended upon the Charleses. If those visions were truly glimpses of the future, then what was the point of anything they did now?


    Even if they are gods, if the future was already set in stone, all their efforts would amount to nothing. The apocalypse was inevitable, and the only thing left for them to do was to wait for it to unfold.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Eventually, Charles broke the heavy silence and voiced the doubt in his mind.


    "Everyone, hold up. Shouldn''t we first figure out where those visions came from? Why did they suddenly appear in our minds?"


    He couldn''t understand how those images manifested or who delivered those into his mind.


    The other Charleses echoed the same doubt. When he was still just a mere human, Charles believed that his human frailty was the root of his ignorance to many things in existence. But after bing a god, he realized just how much he still didn''t know.


    Just then, a mocking smile surfaced on the countenance of a Charles whose face was covered with grotesque burn scars.


    "Hah. How interesting. So the future has been decided all along."


    He turned his gaze toward Charles. His expression gradually distorted with disdain as his human form began to tremble.


    "All those pointless things that you made us do before¡­ They are all useless! Even as gods, we are still nothing but insignificant specks in front of <em>them!</em> We are just a bunch of clowns!


    "Everything we''ve done, all our preparations¡ªthey all amount to nothing before <em>them!</em> Even up till now, we''re still not gods! They''re the true gods!"


    His human form began to gradually crumble and as though triggering a chain reaction, one by one, the others began to undergo the same horrifying transformation. Bloodied tentacles erupted and extended in all directions.


    Charles tensed up as he watched the scene before him. He wasn''t afraid that he would be attacked. Rather, he was more worried that this particr Charles would lose control of his emotions and attain godhood on the spot. Right now, every single one of them present was like a ticking time bomb, primed to detonate at any moment.


    He didn''t want to give up; he refused to. Regardless of what destiny had in store for them, he had to continue moving forward.


    "No. 24! Calm down! Listen to me!" Charles'' voice rang out. "What if this vision is false? What if something is trying to shake our resolve?


    "We''ve sacrificed so much! Are we really going to throw it all away over this sudden message?


    "Don''t be easily swayed by unnecessary things!"


    Current ne Charles pointed at the seal over Fhtagn and chimed in, "Disregarding the authenticity of the vision, one thing is certain: Fhtagn has stirred."


    "And so what? Have we ever feared it? If, after everything we''ve gone through, we''re still afraid of Fhtagn, then what''s the point of us even being here?"


    Charles'' voice continued to echo in the lightless Dark Abyssal Trench, "From the moment we be gods, there''s already no return.


    "There''s only two foreseeable paths before us: attain godhoodpletely or death. And honestly, there''s no difference between those two.


    "Think of our daughters, and also Lillies and the others. Think of our families living a peaceful life on the surface world. And if that''s not enough¡ªthink of every human being on the surface world and the Subterranean Sea. We must keep moving forward, until the day we can no longer move.


    "If death can''t scare us, what is there left to fear? Gather that unyielding resolve we had when we first threw everything on the line!"


    Perhaps Charles'' rallying cry had struck a chord in his counterparts. Their monstrous transformations slowly ceased and the trembling figures began to regain their human forms.


    Silence nketed the scene for a while before a low voice sounded. "You called us all together. So, what''s next? If those visions are true, we''re not just fighting Fhtagn. We''re up against the Core''s 002 as well."


    "We''re not afraid of death, but we fear a meaningless, futile effort," another Charles added.


    The other Charleses turned to face Charles.


    Charles scanned the faces of his counterparts. A determined expression marred his visage as he said, "We keep going. Even if there''s only a 0.001% chance of sess, we need to continue on. That is the purpose of our existence."


    "If those visions are true, then we''re not entirely without hope. After all, the Light God has already shown us an example.


    "We can still initiate the backup n 4. We gather thest sparks of humanity from across the Subterranean Sea and the surface world, and we escape Earth."


    The idea of interster travel was all too risky. No one could guarantee they would be able to find a suitable habitable. There was too much uncertainty in this n.


    But even so, it was better than waiting around for their demise.


    A glimmer of hope lit up in the eyes of everyone present. Even if it was just a temporary stop-gap solution, it had helped to significantly clear the previously oppressive atmosphere of despair by arge extent.


    "What about the seal to the surface world? To initiate n 4, we need to first reach the surface world. If the other gods can''t get out there, it probably won''t be an easy feat for us as well," one of them asked. He had realized the critical issue in this n.


    Charles turned to the speaker and replied, "Then we find a way. If there''s no way, we''ll carve one. Our existence is for this very purpose.


    "And everyone, remember, don''t put all your eggs in one basket. We need more manpower. All backup ns from n 1 to n 6 can be initialized.


    "We have to hold on, everyone! We just need to find one way before wepletely be gods. Just one way is all we need to win!"

 Chapter 996: Lily

    Back in Hope Ind University, located in the heart of the ind, Lily was seated in the library, quietly poring over an array of textbooks and notes.


    Her long hair flowed down her back, the sides neatly pinned back with a pearl barrette.


    She was dressed in a simple beige knit sweater paired with a light-colored skirt. Despite the simple outfit, it highlighted her natural grace and poise.


    Maya, her best friend and ssmate, sat next to her. She had been a tremendous help to Lily all these while. It was all thanks to her that Lily could now hold her own in her studies.


    After being in school for such a long while, Lily had not only matured a lot in knowledge, but also in maturity.


    Sometimes, when she reflected on her younger self, it suddenly dawned on her how naive and impulsive she had been back then. Her thoughts were too simplistic and childlike. She had never thought in the shoes of others.


    But now, she was apletely different person from a year ago. Her innocent features had given way to a serene andposed demeanor.


    Of course, Lily weed this change and was happy to embrace it. After all, this was the reason why she had attended the academy¡ªto grow, to mature.


    To avoid drawing attention to her outstanding looks so as to focus on her studies, Lily had even taken to wearing a lightyer of makeup in the hopes that it would make her appear more ordinary.However, her efforts seemed to be in vain as admirers still flocked to her. Male ssmates often vied for her attention with the allowance given by the Governor.


    Bu, Lily regarded them with open disdain. How could they squander their money on frivolous pursuits rather than dedicating themselves to their studies?


    Just as Lily was engrossed in her textbook, Maya nudged her lightly with an elbow. She looked up to see Maya pointing with her pen at the mechanical clock mounted on the library wall.


    It was dinner time, time for them to leave the library.


    Lily nodded in acknowledgement and began to pack her belongings. cing the books and pens on the table into satchel slung over the back of her chair, the two girls then left the library.


    As soon as they left the library, their arms interlocked as they started chatting about only girls their age might find interesting.


    Studying was stressful and this was their way of relieving the pressure weighing upon their shoulders


    Just as they approached the school cafeteria, Lily pulled Maya back by the arm gently and proposed, "Let''s go out to eat instead? How about the Red w Bistro? You helped me so much with my thesis defensest week. I owe you a proper treat."


    Actually, it was just a mere justification that Lily cooked up. She knew her friend well enough. If she hadn''t said so, Maya, thrifty by nature, wouldn''t agree to eat out.


    Moreover, Lily had even picked a modest restaurant to ensure Maya wouldn''t feel ufortable.


    Though she could have easily taken her friend to a more extravagant restaurant, or even one of those upscale, private dining establishments frequented by Hope Ind''s elite, she hadn''t suggested so.


    She was aware that bnce was the key to any rtionship. If one party were to give too much into a friendship, it could upset the natural equilibrium.


    Friendships needed to be maintained as well.


    "Sure!" Maya readily epted Lily''s offer. "I would splurge there every now and then as well. Their salted lobster meatballs noodles are really delicious!"


    The two girls hopped on the tram and left the ind''s central district. They journeyed toward the ind''s outer edge and eventually arrived at a small, timeworn bistro tucked into a quiet corner near the harbor.


    A massive crab w sign hung above the shop''s entrance. It was a little family-run restaurant. The father worked in the kitchen, the son waited tables, and the mother handled supplies.


    Despite the simplicity, the food was vorful and valuable for its affordable price point. As such, business thrived despite its tucked-away location.


    Now that the ind''s supply chains had fully restored, even a small eatery like this offered a wide variety of dishes.


    Lily and Maya ced their orders before they sat back and slurped on their sweet, creamy banana drinks, chatting away happily as they waited.


    As it often did with girls, the topic naturally shifted to boys. A sly grin yed on Lily''s lips as she leaned in and asked, "So, what''s going on between you and Ike? I heard that he''s your boyfriend now."


    Without a single hint of embarrassment, Maya shrugged lightly and admitted. "Yeah, we came to know each other during the Governor''s birthday. He''s okay, plus the Navy''s already got him lined up for a strategic post.


    "There probably won''t be any wars in the near future so being in the Navy is a stable job. The pay''s good and he gets decent vacation leave. He is even qualified to get allocated a house. Though it''s just a studio apartment, at least I won''t need to worry about rent after leaving the academy."


    "Ugh, Maya!" Lily groaned upon hearing Maya''s practical assessment of Ike. Disappointment painted her face as she said, "You clearly know that''s not what I want to know."


    "Then what do you want to know?" Maya asked with an arched eyebrow.


    "I want the juicy details of your love life! Has he done any romantic gesture for you? What did he do to win you over?"


    Maya took another sip from her straw before she answered, "There''s no romance. I''m not even into his looks. He even picks his nose. I''m dating him purely out of practicality. After all, I''m not exactly the prettiest girl out there. I think I''ve grabbed a rather good one for myself."


    She lifted her gaze to meet Lily''s and continued, "Don''t look at me like that. Honestly, he doesn''t feel much for me either. He tried pursuing you previously. He only chose me after he did a logical assessment and realized he didn''t stand a chance with you.


    "I like logical people; they''re predictable and controble," Maya concluded.


    "Uh¡­" Lily was at a loss for words.


    Noticing the awkward atmosphere, Maya quickly changed the topic.


    "Anyway, it''s nothing, Lily. You are so pretty that if I were a guy, I would like you too. But seriously though, you have so many suitors but you haven''t given anyone a chance. What kind of guys do you like?"


    A hint of helplessness flickered across Lily''s face. This question had be a constant topic of conversation between them. "Dear Miss Maya, can''t we talk about something else? Why are we back onto this again? The world is full of things more important than love, you know."


    The corners of Maya''s eyes twitched in amusement. "Isn''t this exactly the age when we talk about things like love? What? Are you going to wait till you''re twenty before thinking about this? By then, we''ll be working and who would have time for romance? Besides, wasn''t it <em>you</em> who brought up this topic in the first ce?"


    Lily let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. "I haven''t given it much thought. Also, for the record, all those boys are too immature."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Immature?" Maya''s eyes widened in surprise, "So you like the older, more mature types? But you didn''t agree when Dr. Mn tried to ask you out for a meal."


    "Argh, I''m not talking about maturity in terms of age. I''m talking about the way they think. Their minds are so empty. They have no ambitions, and no depth to their souls. Their only vision for the future is limited to a better job and a bigger house."


    Just then, their food had arrived. As soon as the waiter set down the tes in front of them, Lily grabbed her metal fork and knife and started eating quickly.


    Her cheeks puffed up as she chewed to resemble a tiny hamster. Even though she had changed much, some of her rodent habits from the past still lingered and she required even more time to fully adjust.


    Maya stabbed her fork into the round brown noodles on her te, twirling them into a neat bundle before popping them into her mouth.


    "Ambition? Lily, have you been reading too many novels? Those stories are fake, made up by people to earn money."


    Lily shed a smile at her friend but said nothing in response.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 997: The Mundane

    Noting Lily''s smile coupled with her silence, Maya let out a wistful sigh. "I don''t know what kind of guy you like, but I know for sure that he''s definitely a lucky one."


    Her eyes then drifted to the brown vial hanging from Lily''s neck. "You''re always wearing that. Is it a gift from a special him?"


    Lily''s pale fingers curled around the bottle and held it tightly to her chest. With a hint of longing in her eyes, she answered, "No, it''s a gift from a female friend."


    The vial had been a parting gift from Linda. She said that it contained a potion Lily could drink whenever she missed them. But now, there wasn''t much left within the bottle.


    "A female friend?" Maya reiterated. Her voice then went a notch higher and attracted the attention of several nearby diners. "So you''re like Governor Elizabeth? You like women too?!"


    "What nonsense are you spouting! I''m going to ignore you if you continue this," Lily retorted. Her cheeks were tainted with a soft pink hue as she bowed her head down and focused on finishing the food on her te. @@novelbin@@


    "Alright, alright. I''ll stop. Do you want to catch a movie together tonight? I heard that the Blue Whale Theater has a new production."


    Lily considered the proposition for a brief moment before shaking her head. "Better not. My mom will worry if I get home toote. Why don''t you go with your boyfriend?"


    Picking up the white napkin, Maya wiped her mouth with a corner before she answered, "He''s the one pursuing me, so I don''t see any need to waste money to keep our rtionship going. If you''re not going, then I''ll head home as well and study. Graduation is around the corner anyway."After finishing the desserts served by the waiter, the two girls exited the Red w Bistro. At a circr intersection, they bade farewell to each other and headed their separate ways.


    Standing at a bustling crossroad, Lily intertwined her fingers and stretched her arms high above her head. She then slowly wandered down the street and quietly took in the ever-evolving sights of Hope Ind.


    As she strolled, she eventually arrived at a crowded alley. Both sides of the road were lined with makeshift stalls, their strange wares sprawled across the ground in an eclectic disy.


    The narrow strip of road left in the center was packed with people eagerly browsing and bartering for goods, leaving barely any room to navigate.


    This was ckfoot Alley, thergest flea market on Hope Ind.


    Initially, this was just a small marketce where inders gathered to sell their unwanted secondhand items. Over time, it had since grown into a chaotic bazaar filled with all manner of strange and unusual goods.


    There had been many stories about this ce, including one where a buyer stumbled upon a priceless treasure and struck it rich overnight.


    However, those with a keen eye for the trade knew better. The marketce was mostly filled with counterfeit junk, specially catered to ensnare dreamers and fools. It even led to the rise of an entire industry that created these sham goods behind the scenes.


    "Looking for a relic? Living relics, certified genuine! Straight from the Colossal Hole Fortress itself!"


    "This weapon was once wielded by the Governor of Hope Ind! Sir, if you don''t buy it now, you''ll regret it forever!"


    "No, 4,000 is way too low! This is an underwater treasure map from the Explorers Association. There aren''t even any explorers these days, so items like this are only going to go up in value. It''s an investment, sir. It''s as good as earning more money daily once you bring it home!"


    The cacophony of noises in the surroundings barely bothered Lily. Whenever she set foot in ckfoot Alley, she felt a deep sense of peace settling over her.


    This was the very same ce Charles had taken her to before her death. The ce where they had their first date.


    With her hands sped behind her back, Lily walked ever so slowly as she quietly enjoyed the afternoon that seemed to almost mirror the one from years ago.


    With each step, memories came to her mind. Walking these familiar streets always brought a strange wish to her heart.


    How great would it be if she could return to that particr afternoon? Even if she knew that she would die the following day.


    Despite her slow pace, she was closing the gap with the run-down wall in the distance. Eventually, she reached the wall that marked the end of the path.


    Gathering her emotions together, Lily swiftly spun on her heel. Her steps grew lighter as she briskly walked home.


    "Mommy, I''m back!" Lily announced as she pushed open the door.


    "Wee home, dear," Olivia greeted with a smile as she approached her daughter for a quick cheek-to-cheek greeting.


    Lily''s younger sister weed Lily by hugging her lower limb. Lily scooped the little girl up effortlessly and twirled her in a joyful circle before cing thetter down. She then sprinted up the wooden stairs to her room.


    Lily had styled her room to exude a cozy and inviting ambiance. Sitting at her desk, she lifted her right hand and gently extended her index finger.


    A small, radiant sun emerged from the crack beneath her fingernail. Using its light, Lily began to review the knowledge she had learned in school earlier in the day.


    Truth to be told, Lily wasn''t particrly gifted when it came to academics. However, years of dangerous exploration had instilled in her something that made up for this shoring: a firm resolve.


    If she couldn''t grasp something on the first try, she would try a second time. If she still couldn''t the second time, then she would try the third. She believed that through perseverance, she would eventually understand it.


    Finals were just around the corner and Lily had confidence that she would attain an impressive result.


    The little sun shone brightly untilte into the night before finally extinguishing.


    The next morning, Lily descended the wooden staircase in her pajamas to join her family for breakfast.


    Today''s breakfast was toast with crispy bacon and the signature bananas of Hope Ind. The family of four enjoyed their meal as they chatted about thetest happenings on the ind.


    Aside from holidays, this morning routine was one of the few moments Lily could share with her family each day. Having experienced the loss of such moments before, she now cherished them deeply.


    Dr. Oliver picked up his cup of freshly brewed coffee and took a sip before turning his attention to his eldest daughter. "Lily, I heard from one of my patients that the academy''s graduation ising up soon."


    "Yeah," Lily confirmed with a nod. Pausing to swallow her mouthful of food, she then continued, "It''s in two weeks. After the exams, we''ll officially graduate."


    "There are still exams? But the knowledge you''re studying isn''t something anyone''s been taught before, is it? Who''s setting the questions?"


    "They''re dividing us into two groups, and we''ll be creating the exam questions for each other."


    Dr. Oliver nodded in understanding. "Time sure flies. A blink of an eye, and you''re close to graduating already. What did you learn over such a long period of studying?"


    "Oh, I learned so many things! Things from many different fields too! Maybe due to my past experience calcting trajectories, I''ve really grown to love math. Daddy, you wouldn''t believe it, but everything in the world can be expressed through mathematics!


    "However, the most meaningful thing I''ve gained is learning to connect with people my age. It has helped me to normalize my thinking. I feel that that''s my biggest takeaway."


    Dr. Oliver exchanged gazes with his wife before he asked another question. "Lily, have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"


    The energy and excitement from Lily seemed to cease instantly as she froze in her spot. She blinked, clearly unsure how she should respond.


    Seated next to Lily, Olivia reached up and gently held the former''s hand in her. With a tender gaze, she said, "Take your time, sweetheart. Whatever path you choose, we''ll support your decision."

 Chapter 998: Graduation

    As Lily slowly walked along the path to school, her mind lingered on her father''s words from earlier: <em>What do you want to do in the future?</em>


    Her initial purpose in enrolling in the academy was to seek the answer to this very question. Yet, even with graduation just around the corner, she still didn''t have a single hint of direction.


    <em>What do I want to do in the future¡­ Be like Maya, find a stable job, and live a peaceful life? Or should I follow what Mommy did, marry an ordinary man, and have kids of my own?</em>


    The mere thought of such a future made Lily shake her head vigorously. That was definitely <em>not</em> the life she wanted.


    <em>Should I use my powers to protect Hope Ind? Be everyone''s guardian? But the seas are calm now. The biggestmotions are just minor disputes between the ind governors. The Explorers Association can easily mediate those situations. There''s no ce for me¡­</em>


    As her mind raced with various thoughts, she soon arrived at the academy gates without realizing it. She hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.


    The knowledge that she had gained in the academy was useless when it came to finding her life''s purpose. She had to seek the answer using other methods.


    As such, she headed straight to the library, hoping to find an answer. Hope Ind''s library had almost a copy of every published book in the Subterranean Sea. Save for a few prohibited texts; nearly every single title could be found.


    She firmly believed that there would surely be one book that could resolve her dilemma.Lily spent a long time in the library that very day. She skipped meals and poured through book after book. But none of them provided the rity she sought.


    Perched on adder high above the ground, Lily scanned the thick tomes in search of her next book when she heard a confused voice from beneath her.


    "Lily? What are you doing here? I''ve been looking for you all morning."


    Lily nced down to see a familiar face staring up at her in surprise. It was her friend, Maya.


    "Oh, nothing much. Just trying to figure out my future," Lily answered as she slid down thedder. She then began to share her problem with Maya.


    "In the past, I never gave this question much thought. Mr. Charles invited me onto his ship and made every decision for me along the way. Even up till the very end, it was he who made the decision to turn me back into a human.


    "I didn''t have to think about anything. All I had to do was follow.


    "For close to ten years, my only goal was returning to my parents'' side. And now that I''m here, I realize there''s no one guiding me anymore. I don''t know what to do next.


    "Simply put, I don''t know what the purpose of my existence is. Maya¡­I feel really lost," Lily concluded with a hint of bitterness marring her visage.


    If Lily was still her past self, perhaps the future she wanted would be to simply live happily ever after with her parents, enjoy delicious food and wear beautiful clothes every day.


    However, she was no longer the same Lily who had a simplistic mindset.


    Gaining knowledge had reshaped her way of thinking. She was no longer immature and was pushed to grow up and realize that relying on her parents would not work out.


    Yet, even after all this time, she still hadn''t found the answers she sought.


    Even though Maya couldn''t understand some of the details Lily mentioned, such as turning back into a human, she could still get the general gist of her best friend''s dilemma.


    "So, that''s what it''s like to be rich? You''re beautiful and wealthy, yet you still feel like life has no purpose? Honestly, I''d trade ces with you in a heartbeat so you could see just how fulfilling a poor person''s life can be," Maya said with a teasing smile.


    Lily rolled her eyes in Maya''s direction before tugging thetter toward the library doors. "Can''t you help me figure it out? Aren''t you my best friend?"


    "As your best friend, I need to remind you that graduation is right around the corner. Your only goal and purpose now is to pass the finals."


    Realization dawned upon Lily as her chest tightened. "Yeah, there''s still finals. That''s the most important thing right now. Let''s go! We need to start revision right away!"


    The two girls had barely taken a few steps when Lily felt the faintest shift of movement behind her. She nced back to see a hunched old man shuffling past with a heavy stack of books.


    Lily recognized him¡ªhe was Sarthe, the library''s caretaker. His scarred forehead left a distinct impression on Lily.


    "What''s wrong?" Maya asked, her arm linked with Lily''s.@@novelbin@@


    Lily shook her head in response. "Nothing¡­must''ve been my imagination."


    With that, they left the library together.


    The old man stopped at the table where Lily had been sitting moments ago and picked up the book she''d been reading¡ª<em>How to Find Your Life''s Purpose.</em>


    He looked at the title and lifted his head to look toward the door where Lily had disappeared. He then climbed a nearbydder and returned the book to its ce among the shelves.


    As graduation loomed closer and closer, Lily seemed to have found a temporary purpose. Passing the finals became her sole goal, leaving her no room to ponder over some existential crisis.


    As finals week approached, every student was tense with the academic pressure on their shoulders. Everyone knew the weight of being part of the first graduating ss.


    If they sessfully graduated, the Governor had promised a bright future ahead of them.


    But on the other end, if they failed to pass the finals, it would leave an indelible mark¡ªa stain on their records that would shadow their future prospects. No one wanted to carry that burden.


    Soon enough, the nerve-wracking days of testing were finally over. After the public peer grading of each others'' papers, the results were finally out.


    When Lily and Maya discovered that they had both passed, they threw their arms around each other in relief and joy.


    Hearing the students'' cheers of jubilee, the officials from Hope Ind''s Ministry of Education mirrored the same delight on their faces.


    The Governor''s investment in this program had finally started reaping its rewards. Once these graduates entered the workforce, Hope Ind''s technological advancements would undoubtedly leap forward to new heights.


    That very evening, the academy hosted a farewell banquet. The year-long grueling study and pressure finally released its grip on the students.


    Fueled by the effects of alcohol, the dining hall transformed into a chaotic festival. Laughter and cheers filled the air, with some students embracing and even kissing in their excitement.


    However, Lily didn''t join the celebration. Instead, she returned to the library once more. Her gaze was filled with longing as she looked at the seats she''d upied so often and those books that she had spent countless hours pouring over.


    She would be graduating soon, and she might probably never visit this ce again. All of a sudden, a sense of longing rose within her.


    "Child, are you feeling lost now?" an aged, gravelly voice sounded from behind Lily.


    Startled, Lily whirled around to see that it was the library''s old caretaker, Mr. Sarthe.


    Lily bent her knees slightly and dipped into a graceful curtsy. "Mr. Sarthe, why aren''t you at the banquet?"


    "That''s the young folks'' territory. I''d like to keep my bones intact for a while longer," the old man said with an amicable smile as he moved to stand next to Lily.


    Tapping the scar running across his forehead, he asked, "Do you know what this is?"


    Lily regarded the grotesque scar with curiosity before she answered, "Mr. Sarthe, was that from any injury?"


    Sarthe shook his head. "No, child. There used to be a white inverted triangle here."


    Lily''s eyes instantly widened in shock. "You were a follower of the Light God?"


    She had always thought that Linda was thest remaining believer and had never expected there to be another remnant.


    "Used to," Sarthe admitted as he eased himself into a nearby chair. He continued to recount the past and said, "Do you know how lost I felt when I learned that the god I believed in had died?


    "I even thought about ending my life to follow Him. However, thanks to a friend, I didn''t seed. But I descended into a deep confusion. I was lost, just like you are now."

 Chapter 999: The Last Remaining

    "I felt like everything had be meaningless. I had no motivation to do anything, and I was just living day by day, responding to my body''s needs to survive," Sarthe said, looking serene as he calmly talked about the past. "But I eventually found other things I want to achieve in life.


    "I affirmed my beliefs, and I''ve been wanting to live since then."


    "How did you do it?" Lily asked curiously.


    "Child, whenever you feel lost, find a quiet ce to be alone. Eliminate all distractions, think about what your heart wants, and then follow it.


    "When the Light God died, the other religions started maliciously disparaging Him and distorting His image. They even describe Him as an evil god with a penchant for collecting human lives through sacrifices, like Fhtagn.


    "When I saw them doing that, I found my purpose in life.


    "I''m too old, and I probably won''t live much longer, but I can''t tolerate my former God being ndered like that, so I decided to write¡ªI''m going to write down the history of the dead Divine Light Order to let people know that it once existed in the seascape."


    Just then, Sarthe looked a bit emotional as he said, "The <em>New Testament </em>stated that the Light God was kind and great. He had mercy on us mortals, and he was nning on sending us to the Land of Light, where there is no death nor despair.


    "I don''t care what others say, but I firmly believe that what He said was true; the noble Light God would never stoop to lying."Lily was instantly moved by Sarthe''s words, and she was reminded of that warm, glowing orb that had resurrected her back then.


    "Yes! The Light God never lies!" Lily nodded vigorously in agreement. Having been resurrected by the Light God, Lily would always be full of gratitude toward thetter, and that gratitude would never fade regardless of anyone''s nder.


    Sarthe''s eyes lit up at Lily''s response. He nodded approvingly at her and said, "Thank you, child. Nowadays, few people are willing to listen to an old man''s ramblings. Anyway, let me give you a book."


    Sarthe turned around and rummaged through the pile of books. Eventually, he turned toward Lily and handed her a book with a pure ck cover and a white inverted triangle drawn on its cover.


    "This is the <em>New Testament. </em>It contains an interpretation of the Light God''s revtions. I hope it can help you make choices in the future."


    Lily epted it, but she looked hesitant as she asked, "Can I really take this away? I remember the library doesn''t allow students to borrow books."


    "Don''t worry, child. I have certain privileges as a librarian."


    Lily no longer hesitated upon hearing that. She held the book close and bowed toward the old man. "Thank you, sir. Your words have inspired me."


    With that, Lily left the library with the<em> New Testament</em> in hand.


    Sarthe revealed a satisfied smile, looking very happy as he stared at Lily''s disappearing figure.


    "Hey, Sarthe, didn''t I tell you not to do something like that?" a voice asked.


    Sarthe turned around and saw his colleague, who hade to take over the shift.


    "I simply provided help to a student who needed a helping hand. What''s wrong with that?" Sarthe asked.


    "You''re no longer a believer of the Light God, so why did you rmend that book? Aren''t you afraid that the dean will catch you and fire you one day?"


    Sarthe took out the keys from his pocket and ced them on the nearby desk. He then sped his hands behind his back and walked toward the exit. "That''s none of your concern. I''ll pay for that book with my sry."


    Having clocked out of work, Sarthe walked out of the school gates and saw students walking in pairs just beyond the gate. A hint of envy shed in his somewhat cloudy eyes. He also had a wonderful life when he was still young.


    "<em>Ah, </em>it''s really good to be young." Sarthe sighed and boarded the tram to head home.


    Half an hourter, Sarthe was finally standing in front of his home in the port district. He took out his key and opened the door, and he sounded slightly boastful as he said, "Sariah, I did a good deed today! I helped a lost and confused student.@@novelbin@@


    "I think I did well, so I''m going to reward myself with a cigarette."


    Sarthe went inside, and then he used his right thumbnail to pry off the scar on his forehead, revealing a white inverted triangle underneath.


    Taking off his shoes and putting on soft slippers, Sarthe walked over to one of the two sofas and sat down. Then, he faced the next sofa and said, "If today were back then, I would convince her to join the church, but now, I can only imagine it.


    "I hope she can find enlightenment in the Light God''s revtions."


    Sarthe smiled and reached out to touch a hand made out of fabric on the armrest of the sofa next to him.


    There wasn''t a human being sitting on the sofa. Instead, it was a life-sized doll; the portrait of an old woman was on the face of the doll, and there was a white inverted triangle on her forehead.


    "As I said, I''m going to reward myself with one cigarette. Don''t worry, I opened the window earlier," Sarthe said, winking at the rag doll. He then took out a cigarette from the cigarette case on the coffee table in front of him.


    He held the cigarette to his nose and took a deep whiff before excitedly igniting it.


    A puff of white smoke soon enveloped him. He then picked up a copy of <em>the New Testament </em>and began reading it again. The <em>New Testament</em> contained the esteemed Pope''s interpretation of the Light God''s revtions.


    Sarthe had already memorized it thirty years ago, but he still found it to be a meaningful read.


    <em>Thy soul, thy flesh, and thy bones belong to the Great One, the ancient ruler who reih over all things with His omnipotent power.</em>


    <em>His throne is established upon the waters; yet now its location remah a mystery, serving as a test unto thee, that it may be revealed who among you is superior in their endeavors.</em>


    <em>The Light God is merciful. Upon the day of His advent, He will bestow upon His brethren life evesting and shall guide them unto the Land of Light, where joy and tranquility persist through the eons.</em>


    Sarthe felt like he had gone back in time to a few decades ago. At the time, he was sprawled out on the streets, starving, and a fragrant piece of holy bread had saved him.


    Sarthe felt as if he had returned to that brightly lit Divine Light Grand Cathedral. The familiar hymns echoed in his ears once more, and he could see his friends, his family, and his beloved¡ªeverything seemed toe back to him at this moment.


    When the cigarette burned out, the exquisite and ethereal singing in his ears gradually faded, and he found himself in the cold room of his residence with tears in his eyes.


    Clutching the <em>New Testament, </em>he said in a near sob, "O great Light God! You imed to be omnipotent. You have perished, but¡­ You would resurrect one day, right?"


    After a while, Sarthe stood up and walked to his desk. There, he continued with his writing.


    As the nib of Sarthe''s pen ran across the paper, words written in a forthwith manner painted the paper. Sarthe recorded how he¡ªonce a starving and lonelymb¡ªobtained hundreds and thousands of brothers and sisters upon joining the Divine Light Order.


    He wrote about how the Divine Light Order gave him work, food, and had even assigned him a beloved.


    Those ignorant always talked about how the Light God''s blessing was brutal with a low survival rate, but they had never mentioned that the believers of the Light God were the purest people out there due to the fact that they could never lie.


    Everyone had the same sentiments and thoughts. There were neither grudges nor internal strife within the church, and everyone was working toward the same goal.


    They could not lie, so marriages between brethren were extremely stable, with few cases of infidelity and divorce. Moreover, the Light God''s blessing eliminated the believers'' fears entirely against Divinities or bizarre entities; they were basically immune to the cursed whisperings in the vast chaotic sea.


    Sarthe had found his life''s purpose¡ªhe would vindicate his religion as thest remaining Light God believer!

 Chapter 1000: True Self

    In a cozy bedroom, Lily wearing a pair of white socks was sitting cross-legged on her bed. The Divine Light Order''s <em>New Testament</em> was in her hand. The texts written on the pages of the book sounded cryptic and almost indecipherable, but Lily managed to understand them, albeit with some difficulty.


    This was her first time learning about the Divine Light Order of her own volition. In addition to the information she had obtained from Mr. Charles, an image of the deceased Light God was gradually bing clear in her head.


    Lily leaned backward and fell on the bed. Just like that, she sprawled out on the bed and stared at the light fixture on the ceiling.


    A few secondster, she gently raised her right hand, and strands of sunlight filtered through the gaps between her fingernails, converging in midair to form a dazzling miniature sun.


    Lily grabbed the miniature sun with one hand, and the tips of her hair as well as her clothes began to emit a soft, gentle glow, making her appear sacred.


    Lilyzily rolled on the bed andid down on her stomach. She tilted her head slightly and stared at the light in her hand.


    "Why did you leave this powerful energy inside me? It''s useless to me. A god''s power must be incredibly rare; why did you leave it to me without hesitation?" Lily muttered to herself.


    The miniature sun dissipated, and Lily directly buried her head into the pillow. Her legs swung back and forth as she closed her eyes and shouted, "<em>Aaaah!</em> This isn''t helpful at all! I still haven''t found my life''s purpose!"


    Momentster, A faint glow emanated from Lily as she levitated before flying out of the window like a shooting star. She skimmed through the roofs as she made a beeline for the cemetery.Cemeteries were eerie ces that would make just about anyone feel ufortable, but Lily was an exception.


    Lily was at peace as she stared at the tombstones of the people who had died on the Narwhale. She felt like they weren''t dead at all; it was like they were right beside her.


    Lily sat on the old ship doctor''s tombstone with her legs together, enjoying the breeze blowing past her cheeks. This wasn''t exactly helpful with her predicament, but it made her feel a bit better.


    The empty cemetery was quiet, and while looking around at the tombstones, Lily suddenly remembered the old librarian''s words. She closed her eyes and eliminated all distractions. Soon, her agitation was assuaged.


    When the world around her fell silent, Lily decided to follow the old librarian''s advice and follow her heart, but even after waiting for a long time, she couldn''t feel anything at all.


    "No, it''s not working," Lily remarked, sounding dejected. When she opened her eyes, however, she saw a young man standing in front of her. He looked much younger, but Lily immediately recognized him as Mr. Charles.


    "Mr. Charles!" Lily eximed and flew toward him excitedly, but halfway through, she came to a screeching halt. The young man''s expression was off; he looked extremely cold and bereft of any other emotions.


    Evidently, the young man was not her Charles; he was the Charles of this ne.


    "It''d be best if you don''te to this ce. These people aren''t yourrades. Yourrades'' graves are on the other side. What you''re doing is tantamount to carving a mark on the boat to find a sword[1]," the young Charles said.


    With that, he walked up to the old ship doctor''s tombstone and took out a bottle of brandy before pouring it onto the tombstone.@@novelbin@@


    Lily felt very ufortable upon hearing the young Charles'' words. Instead of replying, she turned around to go home, but she immediately stopped before she could even take a step forward.


    "<em>Um,</em> can you tell me how Mr. Charles from the other side is doing?"


    "He''s dealing with something troublesome, but so what? He just has to handle it, and if it cannot be handled, then we''ll simply die together," the young Charles replied. Then, his figure became illusory before eventually disappearing.


    Lily pursed her lips. She turned around and left without saying a word. After climbing onto her bed, Lily closed her eyes and forced herself to fall asleep, but the more she wanted to sleep, the farther her dreand became.


    Just as Lily reached the transitional state between sleep and wakefulness, she heard footsteps echoing just outside the window. The footsteps came from passing students who were just returning home from a celebration party.


    "What do you n to do in the future?"


    "I''ve already applied for a job at the Colossal Hole Fortress branch of the Relic Research Institute."


    "You want a job that far from home? Are you sure your family is willing to part with you?"


    "I''m not a child anymore, man. And I can''t just stay by my family''s side forever."


    Just then, Lily recalled Sarthe''s words. For the first time ever, she ignored every conflict inside her head and faced her heart¡ªshe had finally decided to face her true self.


    The memories of the time she spent adventuring with the others, the things Charles had done for her prior to her death, and how he had knelt in front of those sculptures, asking them to save her¡ªthey all shed in her head.


    At this moment, Lily finally knew what she wanted to do¡ªshe had discovered her life''s purpose. This time, what she was about to do was a decision made of her own volition rather than something others had decided for her to do.


    Lily wanted nothing but to go back. She wanted to go back to Mr. Charles'' side and help him using the power of the Light God within her. The power inside of her was from a god; perhaps she was destined never to live a mortal''s life, after all.


    Lily''s eyes snapped open. She quietly opened her drawer and took out an exquisite little box. A piece of paper with a line of words written by Charles was inside the box.


    After reading it again and again, Lily turned around and went downstairs. She walked up to the door of her parents'' bedroom and gently knocked on it.


    The sleepy Dr. Oliver and his wife opened the door only to find their daughter staring at them with tear-filled eyes.


    "What''s wrong, Lily?"


    "Daddy, Mommy, your daughter has important things to do¡ªfar more important than staying here. I''m sorry," Lily announced, with a trembling voice. She had always felt that she had to apany her family forever, as she had finally managed toe back home after so many years.


    However, she was mistaken. She had simply been treating her wish to have a normal childhood as her life''s purpose, forgetting the fact that everyone would have to leave their parents to spread their wings one day.


    Oliver and his wife looked at each other. Then, they opened their arms and hugged her.


    "My daughter, you haven''t said it until now, but we knew that you haven''t been able to forget that ce, so we respect your choice."


    Lily was reduced to tears upon hearing that. She hugged them back with both hands and cried nonstop.


    On that night, Lily''s parents barely slept as they all got busy preparing for their eldest daughter''s long journey. When the first ray of sunlight descended, it was time for them to say goodbye.


    "This bottle contains your favorite sweet fish soup. I also packed lobster crisps and dried bananas for you to eat on the way."


    "Your wallet has some loose change, and the rest of your money is in the Albion Bank. You can take a look at it in the passbook, but make sure to take it out only when needed."


    "There are four sets of clothes in the suitcase. Two sets of thick clothes and two sets of thin clothes. I put some gold jewelry between the thick clothes. They''re your emergency money, so sell if your wallet gets stolen."


    Tears welled up in Lily''s bloodshot eyes in the face of her mother''s patient reminders.


    Dr. Oliver stroked Lily''s head, and he looked quite reluctant as he said, "Stop crying now, okay? If you start missing us, you can juste back and visit us. Your room will always be avable for you."


    Lily nodded firmly. Then, she kissed the faces of her family before pushing open the door with her suitcase in tow.


    "Goodbye, sis! Come back soon!" Lily''s sister waved vigorously at Lily.


    The tears that Lily had been holding back finally burst out of her eyelids. She ran back and hugged her family tightly. Then, she turned around and rushed out of the door with her suitcase behind her.


    1. Basically stuck in the old ways of thinking and not adapting to the times ?<blockquote>


    Cosyjuhye''s Thoughts


    We hit 1000!! 153 chapters to go! Thank you for staying with me up till here. See you at the finish line!</blockquote>

 Chapter 1001: Return

    The ck bus slowly exited the highway and proceeded along the national road toward the coastal city up ahead. Anna and her group were inside the bus; they were about to go back home after the entire ordeal.


    The Fhtagnists uttered no words, making the air feel a bit oppressive. They were zealous fanatics, but they knew how to read the room. They could clearly see that the High Priestess was in a terrible mood. Shattering the silence was tantamount to asking for trouble.


    A blonde, blue-eyed Fhtagnist opened herptop and searched for famous jewelry shops nearby. The blonde, blue-eyed woman was none other than Hilda, and she was one of the first Fhtagnists of Anna''s congregation.


    The reason she was searching for jewelry shops was that she wanted to melt down the pendant hanging in front of her chest and reshape it into a new statuette of God Fhtagn¡ªthat beautiful, magnificent, and dazzling flesh tree.


    It was the first time she had witnessed the awe-inspiring appearance of the Great One. Recalling that scene alone made her quiver in a "brain orgasm." Hilda''s belief in God Fhtagn heightened by several folds, and she wanted the Great One to be in her life forever.


    Hilda quietly closed theptop and turned to look at Anna''s pale hand. Anna was resting with her eyes closed, and as Hilda stared at the former, her eyes became filled with extreme jealousy.


    When He appeared, only the High Priestess managed to speak to Him. What was even more hateful was that she actually managed to touch the divine fleshly body of the Great One!


    It was understandable, as the High Priestess had always been the only one capable ofmuning with God. Hilda knew that it wasn''t right for her to feel jealous, but she simply couldn''t stop herself from feeling jealous.


    These days, she had been dreaming of recing the High Priestess on that fateful day and talking to the Great One herself. Hilda imagined herself being embraced by the great God''s divine body, just as He had embraced the High Priestess.In the end, He would bestow upon her eternal life and His divine grace.


    <em>It''s that hand! That''s the hand that touched the Great One! </em>Hilda eximed inwardly, and her eyes carried a hint of fear mixed with extreme greed as she reached out to grab Anna''s hand.


    She stuck her tongue out and gave it a quick lick, seemingly trying to absorb the "remnants" left by the Great One into her frail, mortal body.


    <em>Smack! </em>


    A crisp noise echoed as Anna pped Hilda''s face hard. Hilda''s face mmed into the sturdy bus window before bouncing right away, and before she could react, a ball of green corrosive mes manifested just three centimeters away from her face.


    Her dazed face quickly sobered up beneath the haunting green mes.


    Hilda fearfully knelt on the ground and apologized profusely.


    Although Anna was disgusted, she didn''t kill the Fhtagnist. After all, she only had so many people at her disposal, and one less person meant one more person to nurture, which was costly and time-consuming.


    Hilda was promptly relocated to thest row on the bus, but she showed no signs of learning her lesson. She cast a deep gaze at Anna''s seat before looking down at the screen of herptop.


    <em>Even if it meant death, I''d be more than willing to touch God''s divine frame. That way, I could be with Him forever. </em>


    The bus stopped at the entrance of Longxiang Gated Community.


    Anna then led the others toward Gao Zhiming''s home.


    Wang Jianshe immediately heard about Anna''s return, and he immediately called her. However, Anna ignored the ringing phone and rushed up the stairs all the way to the door of their home.


    The door was opened, and Gao Zhiming was instantly overjoyed to see that Anna had returned. He threw herself at her and hugged her.@@novelbin@@


    "Big Sis, you''re back! I missed you so much!"


    However, Anna offered no response. She raised her left hand, which had taken on a viceous hue, and pushed him away before walking toward her own bedroom.


    Gao Zhiming was very aggrieved. He looked at the others, but they were silent, offering no exnations at all. Their attitude toward Gao Zhiming depended entirely on Anna''s attitude toward the boy.


    Just then, Tobba sitting on the table with a bowl of pork porridge in front of him looked up at Gao Zhiming and said, "Don''t worry, just give her some time. There are a few days in a month when women are in a bad mood."


    Scooping a spoonful of pork porridge into her son''s mouth, Li Lu looked at the others'' faces and noted their strange looks. "What''s going on? Did their n fail?"


    Before 315''s departure, she hadn''t told Li Lu about what they were going to do, but from their faces, Li Lu could see that their trip hadn''t gone well.


    Anna''s phone rang nonstop, reverberating throughout her bedroom, making her feel even more irritated. Despite that, Anna didn''t pick up the phone. She sprawled out on the bed and held a piece of paper in her hand.


    The piece of paper depicted Anna and Sparkle''s faces. Anna ran her fingers over Sparkle''s face, and Charles'' words before he left on that night echoed in her mind.


    <em>"Anna, I''m sorry..."</em>


    Anna suddenly found herself out of breath. She gnashed her teeth, and her eyes became filled with extreme hatred. She had never asked that trash to do anything for her, and she didn''t even care about his phndering, but to think that he couldn''t even protect his own daughter!


    Just then, the door was pushed open.


    Gao Zhiming cautiously walked in. "Big Sis, have you had breakfast? Aunt Li Lu made some pork porridge."


    Anna slowly turned to look at Gao Zhiming, whose face somewhat resembled Charles''.


    Anna lunged at her and grabbed Gao Zhiming''s neck, squeezing it strongly before lifting him into the air.


    "You can''t even protect Sparkle, you good-for-nothing trash! Why are you even alive?! She''s your daughter, but can you even call yourself her father?! You might as well die! "


    Gao Zhiming struggled frantically, iling his legs in midair as Anna squeezed his neck. His throat seized in an effort to breathe, but it was futile; his throat could only make rattling noises.


    Gao Zhiming looked down at Anna and saw her ferocious, distorted face. He couldn''t believe the sight before him. Big Sister had always been very kind to him, but now, she was trying to kill him. The sudden, stark contrast left him reeling.


    Soon, Gao Zhiming''s face turned purple, and his eyes rolled upward. Anna saw that and finally let go of him. She then grabbed him by the cor and threw him out the door.


    "Lock him up! I don''t want to see him again!" Anna roared, and the door was mmed shut.


    Anna was breathing heavily as she held the piece of paper close to her heart. Her eyes then glimmered with determination as she dered, "Sparkle, don''t worry. He''s unreliable, but I''m not. I''ll be back there! Wait for my return!


    "I will save you, even if I have to change the future!"


    Anna took a moment to calm herself. Once her tumultuous emotions had been assuaged, she finally heard the piercing ringinging from the phone next to her. She picked it up and answered the call.


    "As one of the investors, don''t you think I have the right to know the progress of the n? Tell me. I need to know," Wang Jianshe said, his deep voice carrying a hint of impatience.


    "What progress?" Anna asked, carefully putting away the piece of paper.


    "I''m talking about what you told me at the time. You said that once you''ve aplished it, all we have to do is wait, and the win-win result that we''ve been expecting wille true!"


    "Something went wrong; the n ended up failing."

 Chapter 1002: Phone Call

    Despite being in the middle of a phone call, Anna pulled out a dagger and began cutting into the left arm that had already taken on a viceous color.


    The arm conjured by the clown could only be used briefly. Once the time was up, it would die and decay. By then, it would have to be amputated to ensure that the healthy tissues nearby wouldn''t be affected by its decay.


    "It failed? Are you saying that all the time we spent was for nothing?


    "I''ve always considered working with you as a high-risk, high-reward endeavor. I''ve invested more money in you than in real estate, but so far, I haven''t seen any results that would justify my investment."


    "You''re already ying in the big leagues, so howe you''re so impatient? And do you even know the meaning of the word ''preparation''?"


    Sensing the change in Wang Jianshe''s mood on the other end of the line, Anna continued to reassure him, saying, "Don''t worry, the trip wasn''t for nothing. Soon, I''ll show you the justification that you need."


    Wang Jianshe''s mood seemed to improve upon hearing that. "I hope so. Let''s meet sometime soon."


    "I''lle to yourpany tomorrow afternoon," Anna said and ended the call without waiting for Wang Jianshe''s reply. Her left arm was severed. She plugged the blood vessels of the arm with colorful crystals before tossing it right into the garbage can.


    Anna picked up her phone again with her bloody hand. She scrolled through her contacts and dialed the Shattered God''s number.A few secondster, the phone was picked up. However, there were no voices from the other end of the line.


    "Hello? Are you there?" Anna asked.


    After a while, a voice finally echoed. "<em>Mmhm...</em>"@@novelbin@@


    Anna was surprised to hear that voice. For some reason, the Shattered God was unusually "cautious" today.


    "Those moths capable of altering memories are all dead, everyst one of them; their deaths don''t mean that our deal isplete. Our deal is still ongoing, and I need another way to alter someone''s memories."


    "All right, no problem, I''ll send people to handle your request right away. But given the magnitude of what had happened, the IMF must have made their move; my people also suffered heavy casualties, so please give me some time!"


    Anna was taken aback once again. The Shattered God had never been this amodating, but she didn''t question it.


    "You''ve lost so many people, so I assume you only have a skeleton crew at this point. How about this? I''ll give you the conversion ritual ahead of schedule so you can be a bit stronger.


    "However, you must know that the ritual doesn''t have a hundred percent sess rate," Anna said. This was her way of maintaining a good rtionship with the Shattered God. She found them to be useful, especially since they cost nothing for her to use.


    "Thank you," the Shattered God replied, but he didn''t sound excited at all. It was like Anna had bestowed upon him a piece of clothing rather than a ritual that could change the world.


    "I think we''re prettypatible as coborators. I have many more useful things that I can exchange with you, so we should work again in the future," Anna added.


    "Mmhm, sure, sure, can I hang up now? I''m in the middle of something right now."


    Anna frowned at the Shattered God''s unusual behavior. "Are you really okay? You sound different from before."


    Meanwhile, the Shattered God was suffering in silence. He couldn''t admit that he''d been frightened by what she had summoned and was afraid to offend her.


    On that fateful day, the towering flesh tree that he saw through the video call was etched deeply in his memories. Anna''s indescribable power filled him with profound fear, and he could feel it deep in his brass bones¡ªhe wouldn''t be a match for that tree, even if he found and assembled all his fragments.


    "No, it''s nothing. I''m just dealing with some impurities in my fuel," the Shattered God said, making up an excuse to hide his fear.


    "All right, send some people over here, and I''ll hand over the conversion ritual to them," Anna said, closing her flip phone.


    ***


    Somewhere in South America, there was a mountain resort surrounded by yellow barricade tape. The resort was empty, as every single living individual had been taken away for questioning.


    People in white PPE coverall suits were all over a devastated mountain, and they were busy taking photos. Based on the logo with three arrows pointing inward on their chests, these people were clearly members of the IMF.


    The person in charge of these people was Ilov, and he was from the IMF Investigation Department. He was stroking his thick beard while listening to his subordinates'' report inside the cave that had been cut cleanly by something.


    "We''ve analyzed the deceased''s equipment and found that they were crafted by the Shattered God; ID 549. The deceased are all 549 instances¡ª549-1s under the 549''s influence.


    "ording to the statements that we''ve gathered from those affected by the incident in that resort two kilometers away, this cave must be the habitat of the Moth; ID 452.


    "There''s a well-established enmity between 549 and 452, so we''ve determined for now that the incident was a result of a war between the two Anomalies."


    Ilov put down his hand and tilted his head backward. He squinted and stared at the mountain that had been cut cleanly in half.


    "I don''t think it''s <em>that </em>simple. Both 549 and 452 are very active Anomalies, and I faced them before," Ilov remarked, "the Shattered God has a special ability to craft any mechanical weapon, while the Moth''s special ability affects the mind. Neither of them can split a mountain into two.


    "<em>Something else </em>must have happened on that night."


    "Leader, the members of the Shattered God''s congregation were also cut in half. Maybe the Moth has found outside help?"


    "Haha, don''t be too hasty when making a conclusion. First of all, we need to find the Moth''s vessel. The corpses of 549 instances are here, so the corpses of 452 instances¡ª452-1s¡ªmust be here as well.


    "The Moth can''t exist on its own in reality, so it will return to its vessel once cornered," Ilov said.


    Everyone turned to the nearbyke at the same time.


    Theke''s waters were supposed to be crystal clear, but it had taken on a more sinister and repugnant hue. To make matters worse, a thinyer of brownish meat paste was floating on the surface of the dark, bloodyke.


    Theke had be a pot of meat soup¡ªa horrifically nauseating pot of dposing meat soup.


    The strong stench of decay permeated the air; dense swarms of green-headed flies were everywhere in the cave, and crows and vultures also circled overhead.


    Ilov stepped onto the white stones to reach the clearing in the middle of theke. The clearing was also covered with the sameyer of indescribable meat, and squelching noises echoed from Ilov''s boots as he walked around the clearing.


    The environment was awful and disgusting, but this wasn''t Ilov''s first day working at the IMF. He had seen even more disgusting scenes than the scene before him.


    Just then, he noticed something and dropped to one knee. He shoved his hand into the meat paste and felt around for something. A few momentster, he pulled out his hand and stared at the strand of white hair between his fingers.


    "Now we know what happened to the Blind Sisterhood."


    Ilov stood up and turned to his subordinates by theke, saying, "Tell HQ that 452 has most likely been eliminated and tell them to raise the threat level of this mission as well.


    "Pass down the message that all this meat has to be collected as well. They''re pieces of evidence, and we might know why they ended up like this by analyzing this thing."


    The IMF was a massive organization with robust manpower, so it took them no time to clean up the battlefield. Using the footprints and the shell casings on the ground, they quickly made a rough deduction of how the incident had unfolded.

 Chapter 1003: Clues

    Ilov''s expression remained unchanging as he listened to his subordinate''s report within the putrid cave.


    "The Intelligence Analysis Team has reconstructed the general sequence of events using the clues that we have gathered so far. It all started with the 549-1sunching a surprise attack on this mountain using their array of aircraft.


    "After reducing the number of enemies, 549 sent an army of its instances to attack 452''s habitat. Judging from the specific nature of their injuries, both sides wanted a quick resolution to avoid drawing our attention.


    "Based on the autopsy done on the corpses of 549-1 instances, the force that had split the entire mountain into two came from 452''s side. The cross-section was analyzed, and it was deduced that the entire process took less than a second.


    "As for why 452 had perished and became a pile of rotting meat, the Intelligence Analysis Team spectes that it might be a bacsh of what 452 had done. 452 must have realized that victory was nowhere in sight, so it made an extreme sacrifice to drag 549 down with them."


    "No," Ilov said, shaking his head vigorously. "That night wasn''t 452 and 549''s first encounter with each other. They are definitely aware of each other''s capabilities. In addition, 549 wasn''t even here; why would they make such an extreme sacrifice against mere 549-1s?


    "Our records also show that 452''s special abilities are all in the mental domain. Even if 452 had some trump card, it couldn''t possibly be strong enough to split an entire mountain into two."


    Ilov had dealt with 452 many times before. Strictly speaking, 452 was not a particrly powerful Anomaly. The IMF hadn''t been able to contain them, as they were unusually good at escaping.


    452 was an Anomaly with no physical form, and it also lived within one''s consciousness. In other words, a single 452 instance was enough for 452 to gather enough people to parasitize."Everything changed when the instances of 452 and 549 finally made contact. I''m sure this cave must be key¡ªsend two more teams over here and tell them that even an ordinary pebble inside has to be tagged as evidence," Ilov said.


    "Yes, sir!" his subordinate replied and turned around to leave.


    "Wait," Ilov called out and asked, "How are things with the witnesses?"@@novelbin@@


    "It will take time. There are many of them, and they''ve be mentally unstable. I presume they must have developed PTSD upon getting caught in the crossfire between 452 and 549. The medical team has yet to obtain any valuable intelligence from them."


    "How long do we have to wait? Have we already submitted an application for the authorization to use a Controble Anomaly to examine the witnesses? We''re in a pinch here, and we need those Anomalies as soon as possible. Why is HQ not responding at all?"


    "We applied long ago, but HQ''s response is the same asst time¡ªyou''re not the only one in a pinch, and the others need the Controble Anomalies more than you."


    What could Ilov say to that? He could only wave his hand dismissively and let his subordinate leave. Of course, Ilov himself had to stay to manage and lead the IMF staffers here.


    The cave remained bustling throughout the day, and work never stopped even as the elevated spotlights were turned on to provide light for the night.


    Ilov stood by the foulke, staring at the huge water pumps at work. Theke water mixed with rotting meat paste was being siphoned into water tanks. Soon, they would be flown away for examination.


    To figure out exactly what had happened here, Ilov had decided to pack up the entireke.


    Ilov stayed by theke until 3 a.m. when he finally decided to catch some sleep. He believed that the rest of the night would remain uneventful, so he went back to his car and wrapped himself up in his coat before lying down in the car.


    It took no time for the disciplined and trained Ilov to fall asleep. At first, everything was normal, and he rapidly recovered his energy in his sleep, but then something changed¡ªIlov was dreaming.


    "Where am I?" Ilov muttered in a daze. He suddenly found himself in an extremely dark forest covered with gray mist that made visibility practically zero.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Ilov lifted his feet and walked forward. The forest was surrounded by knee-deep and ice-cold seawater. The water was so cold that it made his feet tremble.


    Soon, Ilov was shivering. When he could no longer feel his own warmth, his emotions spiraled down uncontrobly¡ªsadness, despair, fear, and more negative emotions began to pervade his mind as he trudged through the cold seawater.


    Despite the cold and his tumultuous emotions, Ilov couldn''t stop moving at all. After an unknown amount of time, Ilov saw the outline of something between the tree branches up ahead.


    Gritting his teeth, Ilov pushed aside the branches in front of him, and he saw it.


    He saw a towering tree that seemed to be made out of flesh and blood. At that moment, Ilov was engulfed by its power which was as boundless and as vast as the starry skies. Before such power, he was nothing; mankind was nothing.


    The next second, negative emotions that were so overwhelming that they seemed almost palpable came crashing down on Ilov like a tidal wave. Just as Ilov was about to be engulfed by the tidal wave, he was shaken awake.


    "Leader, there''s new information at the field hospital!" a brown-haired young man eximed excitedly as he shook his superior awake.


    Ilov was stunned. When he recalled his dream, his pupils constricted to needle points.


    "Are the others sleeping? Where are they? Have they reported any nightmares?" Ilove questioned.


    The experienced Ilov immediately became wary, realizing the possibility that perhaps his earlier dream was an <em>oneirohazard</em>[1]<em>, </em>which had to be addressed as soon as possible.


    Seeing his superior''s tense face, the young man dared not dy and quickly rushed out of the tent to lead Ilov toward the tent where an IMF staffer on night watch was staying.


    When Ilov came out of the tent, his nervousness transformed into confusion. <em>Strange, the others didn''t have that kind of nightmare. Was it just me?</em>


    Ilov dared not jump to conclusions when it came to a potential oneirohazard, and he nned to sleep somewhere else next time.


    "Why did you wake me up again?" Ilov asked, looking down at his watch to find that it was only 5 A.M. In other words, he had only been asleep for two hours.


    "They found some new clues at the field hospital, and they want you toe over and see it for yourself," the brown-haired young man replied.


    "Let''s go, then," Ilov replied.


    The two soon reached the field hospital in the rear. Every ward was surrounded by thick curtains, and the hospital was also busy treating and interrogating the traumatized tourists.


    A military doctor led Ilov to a certain ward housing a freckled young woman curled up on the hospital bed.


    The freckled young woman looked haggard. Her eyes were sunken, and her hair was messy; she was a shadow of her former cheerful self. She had be quite timid, and her gaze darted around the ward, clearly avoiding the gazes of the neers.


    "Her name is Olivia, and she''s an art student from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She''s one of the tourists who got caught up in this incident," the military doctor introduced the patient''s information.


    "Get to the point¡ªwhat clues does she have to offer for us?"


    The military doctor said nothing. Instead, he took out a pile of scattered lego blocks from the drawer and brought them to her. The military stood before Olivia, who was shrinking back in fear, and gently said in Greek, "Olivia, ¦Å¦Ð¦Á¦Í¦Á¦Ë?¦Â¦Å¦Ó¦Å¦Ð¦Ñ¦É¦Í."[2]


    1. An anomalous hazard that urs in dreams. ?


    2. Olivia, repeat what you did before. ?

 Chapter 1004: Jackal

    The young woman remained unmoving. It was only when the military doctor persuaded her several times that she extended her shaky hands and built something using the lego blocks.


    Ilov was aware of what the military doctor was doing. This was sandtray therapy, and it was an internationally famous therapy method widely used in psychotherapy and psychoeducation.


    Since verbalmunication was unnecessary, it allowed the patients, who often couldn''t express their feelings and thoughts in words, to project their subconscious by creating something in the sand tray.


    It was particrly useful formunicating with nonverbal patients.


    While the freckled young woman was busy connecting the blocks, Ilov noticed the expensive camera on the bedside table. He walked over to it and the memory card slot only to find it empty. Ilov thoughtfully put the camera down.


    "Mr. Ilov, please take a look," the military doctor remarked.


    Ilov turned around and found that the freckled young woman had assembled a long column using dark red and red blocks. However, she wasn''t done yet and was still adding more blocks on top of the ones underneath.


    When branches appeared on top of the column, Ilov instantly recognized what she was building¡ªshe was constructing that towering flesh tree from his dream!


    Agitated, Ilov rushed forward and grabbed the freckled young woman by the shoulders. He then started shaking her as he asked, "You saw that tree?! Where did you see it?! When?!""Mr. Ilov, please calm down! She''s suffering from aphasia and cannot answer your questions verbally for the time being," the military doctor eximed.


    Olivia grabbed her head in pain, and blood dripped down her nostrils.


    Ilov saw that and released her. <em>She saw </em>that <em>tree? That tree actually exists?</em>


    Ilov trembled upon recalling the overwhelming power of the flesh tree in his dream. The blood vessels on his temples pounded against his head like giant hammers, and his breathing became irregr to the point of making him feel suffocated.


    Ilov used all his strength to pull his phone out of his pocket. Then, he dialed the first number in his contacts list.


    "Hello? Jackal, what is it?" A tired feminine voice echoed from the other end of the line.


    With veins bulging on his forehead, Ilov shouted, "Incident 422 is absolutely not as simple as a war between Level B Anomalies! Tell HQ that the threat level of his incident has reached the maximum level!


    "This is capable of ending the world itself! Tell the higher-ups, NOW! The safety of mankind is at stake here!"


    Ilov''s desperate voice had frightened not only the woman on the other end of the line but everyone else nearby as well. A deafening silence instantly descended.


    After exactly three seconds, the woman replied, "Do you even know what you''re saying, Jackal? Do you understand the ramifications of your words?"


    "I''m your senior in the IMF! Of course, I know the ramifications! NOW! Tell them now!" Ilov roared. Then, his face became extremely pale as he ended the call and turned to his subordinate. "Raj, tell everyone at the scene that they have to leave as quickly as possible!


    "Everyone within fifty kilometers of ground zero is to evacuate!"


    "Leader, why¡ª"


    "Go!"


    "Y-yes, sir!"


    The silence of daybreak at 5 a.m. was shattered by the panicked footsteps of the IMF staffers and the roaring of the car engines as they rushed out of the mountain to evacuate.


    They had no idea why they had to evacuate, but it was an order from a superior, so they wasted no time and immediately obeyed.


    Standing outside the cordon, Ilov bit his fingernails hard, and his eyes weren''t blinking as he stared at the devastated mountain in the distance. The immense mental pressure made him feel like he was going crazy.


    If the flesh tree from his dream existed and was truly <em>that </em>powerful, then humanity was about to face a trial that would decide its existence.


    At this moment, Ilov felt like the distant mountain had be the stump of that towering flesh tree. He felt like if it wanted to do so, it could tear the earth apart and emerge from the stump.


    "No, I can''t take this anymore. I have to do something here. Raj, I''m going in for a look. I''ll keep in touch by phone."


    Ilov got into an off-road vehicle and shifted to top gear. He was like a firefighter charging into an inferno without any hesitation as he made a beeline for Incident 422''s ground zero in the distance.


    The devastated cave remained devastated. There were no changes at all, and there wasn''t anything inside except for the equipment and items that the IMF had brought in with them.


    However, in Ilov''s eyes, the cid and serene cave was dangerous. The towering flesh tree could emerge from anywhere within it. Ilov remained extremely wary as he searched every inch of the cave for any traces of that flesh tree.


    The freckled young woman saw the towering flesh tree as well, and it was enough proof that it existed. It wasn''t just a product of Ilov''s nightmare.


    The sun rose slowly on the horizon, and the sunlight shooting down from above illuminated the cave, pervading it with its warmth, but Ilov felt no warmth at all.


    In fact, he felt like the world around him had be even darker.


    Ilov crawled on the ground, scouring every inch ofnd. For humanity''s sake, he had to disregard even his own safety. Ilov spent the next two days searching for any clues. He dared not let the staffers get involved. Those neers had no experience dealing with something as dangerous as this.


    The sun rose once more, signaling the third day of Ilov''s search. He had thoroughly checked every inch ofnd in the cave except for theke.


    With a <em>ssh, </em>Ilov jumped into theke that had truly be a rotting meat soup.


    This time, he finally discovered something.


    He inadvertently pushed aside the meat paste that had rotted into a green flulent clump of rot, and the sun raysnded just right, allowing Ilov to see something floating in the waters.


    It looked like a tree branch¡ªit was a branch made of flesh and blood. For some reason, Ilov knew at first nce that this tree branch was from that towering flesh tree.


    Ilov''s heart was beating wildly against his chest. Many days of hard work had finally paid off in spades; his hard work was all for the sake of this moment. HQ could probably find a way to face that towering flesh tree by examining its branch.


    Regardless of its strength, any Anomaly could be defeated as long as it was observable! Ilov truly believed in that. He took off his coat and lifted the branch from underneath in an effort to lift it out of the water.


    However, something unexpected happened just then. The tree branch¡ªwhich was actually a tentacle¡ªphased through the coat and remained in ce.


    The water dripping from the coat made the "tree branch" sway. It seemed that the "tree branch" wasn''t a physical object but a reflection in the water.


    Ilov anxiously looked left and right. Then, he found a one-meter-square clear stic box. Ilov carried the box and jumped back into theke. He then submerged it and carefully lifted it to contain the reflection in the water.


    Ilov had no idea if it was going to work, but he had no other choice.


    "Jackal! What are you doing?!" someone shouted anxiously.@@novelbin@@


    Ilov looked up to find someone standing by theke. He had no idea when she got here, but he was relieved to see the face of his long-time colleague.


    "Why did youe here by yourself? Quick, call in some people from the Anomaly Containment Team! This thing is probably going to be difficult to contain."


    "There''s an Anomaly? Where?"


    "Are you blind? It''s right here! It''s inside this box, and it looks like a tree branch that is made out of flesh and blood!"


    The woman by theke cast aplex gaze at her colleague.


    Ilov''s bloodshot gaze was filled with this bizarre obsession, and his face was extremely haggard. His upper body was exposed, and it seemed like he had been soaking in the rotting meat soup for quite a while now because he looked more like a ravenous monster than a human being.


    "But there''s nothing in the box, Jackal¡­ Are you... really okay?"

 Chapter 1005: Old Friend

    Ilov inside an istion ward was d in clean clothes and was staring quietly at the "tree branch" lying quietly in a box filled with water. @@novelbin@@


    The tree branch that looked as if it was made out of flesh and blood had grown significantlyrger. It was now as thick as a forearm.


    He had somehow managed to retrieve the "tree branch," but he couldn''t allow it to be exposed to air. It had to be contained and treated as an Anomaly of the highest threat level.


    Ilov looked around and began pounding on the white wall to his right. "Raven, I know you''re out there! Tell the Anomaly Containment Team toe here quickly! I''m not joking with you!"


    A short-haired woman with sharp features stood with her arms crossed on the other side of the wall. She was staring at the colleague with whom she had ovee many life-and-death situations through the one-way ss.


    There was no mistaking it¡ªJackal''s mind had been contaminated. However, they had no idea what exactly had contaminated his mind and why he was seeing something on the water inside the clear box.


    "Jackal, if you can still understand me, then listen to me and just rest. Be obedient and rest. Don''t worry about anything else; just focus on recovering."


    Ilov was furious upon hearing those words from the nearby speaker. "What do you mean, ''rest''?! I''m not sick! I started out as a medic myself, so do you really think I won''t know whether I''m ill or not? You have no idea how serious this is!"


    Ilov carried the clear box containing the flesh branch and ran toward the wall. He tilted it slightly to show it to his colleague. "See? It''s right here, but it has no physical form! It''s like a reflection on the water!"But even though it''s just like a reflection, I''ve found a way to touch it! You can make contact with it using your own reflection in the water!"


    With that, Ilov held out one hand above the surface of the water. As he moved it slowly, the reflection of his hand on the water moved slowly as well until it eventually made contact with the flesh branch.


    The flesh branch moved slightly, eliciting an exmation from Ilov. "See?! It moved! I''m not imagining things here! It really exists!"


    Silia behind the mirror rubbed her aching head. Ilov''s bizarre actions weren''t convicting at all.


    "Jackal, we''ve had people examine it, and it''s just a box full of rotting water. There''s nothing in it at all."


    Realizing that they still couldn''t believe him, Ilov became anxious. He scratched his head frantically and eximed, "That''s because our technology isn''t advanced enough to detect this thing!


    "This isn''t the only evidence! Interrogate the patients in the field hospital, and you will know that many people have seen this thing. I have a feeling that we''ll find bigger clues about this thing inside their minds!


    "And let me warn you that this thing''s power is unimaginable! I saw it in my dream! I don''t know where it is right now, but if it bes hostile toward us, we won''t be able to fight back at all!"


    "Jackal, you''re on leave now. Rest well, and don''t think too much about anything. Leave everything else to us. Your room is equipped with many monitoring devices, so any Anomaly that will attempt to influence you will not escape our detection."


    With that, Silia turned and left the monitoring room to write her incident report.


    Jackal''s outbursts had rmed many people, after all.


    "Hey, where are you going?!" Ilov roared. His voice pervaded the corridors as Silia walked away. "Come here quick! Look! It moved! It''s still alive! It MOVED!"


    However, Silia didn''t even look back as she walked out the door.


    ***


    Somewhere in the pitch-ck depths of the Subterranean Sea was a clump of flesh the size of an ind. The flesh ind writhed as it sank slowly toward the seafloor.


    The flesh ind was Charles, and he was testing whether he could reach the surface world. The possibility was low, but who could be certain without trying?


    Charles dove deeper and deeper. At some point, white shes of light engulfed him as he began teleporting in rapid session.


    Soon, Charles felt that he had reached the deepest point of the ocean, but when he emerged, he was stunned to find an ocean. However, it took him no time to realize where he was¡ªhe was in the Divinity''s Land within the Eastern Seas.


    He had started drilling down in the Western Seas, but he somehow found himself in the Eastern Seas. There was clearly something wrong here. It seemed that something was interfering with his perception.


    Charles moved not a single inch before diving into the seabed, but instead of emerging in the Western Seas. He found himself on a continent. Based on the rockyer overhead, he was still within the Subterranean Sea.


    Clearly, the Subterranean Sea had continents as well.


    The traces on the ground told Charles that the continent was habitable, and perhaps there could be humans living here. The human Charles would have been overjoyed at this discovery, as this was a continent that would never sink.


    However, the current Charles couldn''t care less; all he cared about was what exactly was capable of interfering with his perception, especially when he could practically be considered a god.


    Actually, Charles could instantly know the answer to his question. He simply had to unlock the constraints on his mind and ept every knowledge around him. In less than a blink of an eye, he would learn what was happening beneath the seabed.


    Unfortunately, it meant instantly bing a god.


    Knowledge¡ªonce considered priceless¡ªhad be akin to a curse for Charles.


    After a few moments of pondering, a white light engulfed Charles, and he vanished into thin air.


    Inside the Governor''s Mansion on sunny Hope Ind, Bandages was sitting in front of his desk, reviewing many different documents.


    He had be Hope Ind''s de facto ruler, so he was the decision-maker of Hope Ind''s government departments.


    Bandages was skilled at managing. He was even more skilled at it than Charles. As for when and where he had obtained his management skills, he had decided not to think about it.


    At this point, Bandages had already grown ustomed to his nine-to-five job, and the fishy smell that had been clinging to him from spending years at sea had long disappeared.


    While he was signing his name on the papers, someone knocked on the door.


    "Come in," Bandages replied without looking up.


    The door was opened, and Bandages immediately stood up in excitement upon seeing the visitor.


    "Captain!" he eximed.


    "Captain? It''s been a long time since anyone called me that. I''m actually missing it," Charles said, smiling warmly as he walked toward his old friend.


    Bandages walked over and hugged him tightly for a while before finally letting go.


    "I walked around the ind, and¡­ everything looked great. You''re definitely better at being the Governor than me." Charles smiled.


    "Captain, you¡­ are you okay?" Bandages asked. He sized up his captain from top to bottom, but he couldn''t find any changes. It was like Charles hadn''t changed at all.


    "Am I okay? <em>Haha,</em> how should I say this? Hm, I suppose you can say that I''m dying," Charles replied calmly but in a self-deprecating tone of voice.


    Bandages was stunned.


    "I''ll... go call everyone... over," he said before rushing toward the window.


    Before he could reach the window, the walls on both sides of the window shut tight like two pieces of flesh, crushing the window into nothingness.


    "Don''t call them over. I''m sure they''re going to cry and kick up a fuss, which is undoubtedly going to be troublesome. In addition, I don''t think it''s a good idea for them to know the reason behind my visit."

 Chapter 1006: Tattoo

    Charles raised his finger and thrust it toward Bandages'' forehead. Upon impact, a steady stream of information pervaded Bandages'' mind.


    "I''ve seen the future. And as you can see, once the surface world, the Subterranean Sea, and the Core be interconnected, the apocalypse will begin. The apocalypse will destroy everything."


    Perhaps because he saw many grand scenes at once, but Bandages'' reaction wasn''t as dramatic as Charles had expected. He simply looked at his captain with determined eyes. "So... what do you¡­ want me¡­ to do?"


    "I''m searching for the exit to the surface world. Once I find it, I want you to make use of the Foundation''s technology to leave Earth and find others to live on.


    "If I can''t find it, then we will proceed to the second n. Once the surface world and the Subterranean Sea are connected to each other, you''ll take that chance to escape. This n''s sess rate is not high, but at least it''s an option."


    To ensure that Bandages would understand the importance of that opportunity, Charles patiently exined everything to the former.


    "We can''t... build... spaceships."


    "The Foundation definitely has high-tech knowledge enough for you to build one."


    "Yes... but we don''t have¡­ enough time," Bandages said. Then, the wooden bookcase on the right quickly withered and rejuvenated before flowering and bearing fruit.The fruit contained a file detailing Bandages'' n to develop Hope Ind. It also had a roadmap of what Hope Ind would eventually achieve in theing years under normal circumstances.


    After scanning through the file, Charles shook his head firmly. ording to Bandages'' n, it would take two hundred years for Hope Ind to enter the Space Age.


    Two hundred years was just too long of a time, and by the time Hope Ind entered the Space Age, it would be far toote for them to escape to space.


    "Two hundred years is too long; we don''t have that much time. How long would it take for Hope Ind to digest everything that the Foundation had left behind?"


    Bandages remained rational as he replied, "We need¡­ people for¡­ technological advancement¡­ the academy''s first batch of graduates... has just... graduated, so two hundred years... is... the most¡­ optimistic¡­ time frame."


    "So it''s no good? It''s fine, I have a n. Find some people for me, and they must be <em>absolutely </em>loyal to you," Charles replied.


    First Mate Bandages executed Captain Charles'' orders without any hesitation. He made some calls and quickly screened suitable people from Hope Ind''s navy and the Relic Research Institute.


    Charles didn''t need many people¡ªfifty people were enough.


    The fifty peopleposed of both men and women were taken aback by the summons. They looked around curiously upon their arrival. They remained calm upon seeing Bandages, but they became excited to the point of swooning at the sight of Charles.


    Hope Ind Governor Charles was also known as the savior of the Subterranean Sea. There was no way they wouldn''t know Charles when his face was all over the textbooks at school.


    There were many theories about Charles'' disappearance. Some said he died amidst Hope Ind''s political power struggles, while some said that he had decided to return to his life of endless exploration at sea.@@novelbin@@


    Regardless, everyone thought that Charles would never appear again. After all, it had been a long time since he wasst seen.


    However, the legendary figure himself was actually standing before them today.


    Some of them rolled up their sleeves andpared their tattoos to the real Charles. Clearly, quite a few people idolized Charles.


    Bandages leaned over slightly and whispered, "They''re... absolutely loyal. They were trained¡­ to be¡­ deathsworn soldiers."


    Charles nodded in satisfaction. He raised his hand, and a radiant sh of light erupted, whisking everyone to Charles'' ind.


    Before the fifty people couldprehend the scenery before them, flesh tentacles drilled out of the ground and pierced their napes, lifting them into the air.


    Everyone screamed in pain, and their skulls were swelling from what was growing inside of it. Soon, their skulls were stretched to the point of bing almost transparent, transforming them into dolls with big heads.


    However, the ordeal wasn''t over yet.


    Once their heads had grown to their limits, they drooped, bing longer and longer. Their brains, wrapped in a thinyer of scalp, curved downward under the effects of gravity until their brains were pressing against their backs.


    In the end, their heads became sorge that they had to carry them on their backs.


    Their swollen heads left no room for their eyes, so their eyes bulged out of their eye sockets, making them appear quite terrifying.


    Once everything was done, they were slowly lowered to the ground. They exchanged nces and were in disbelief at their bizarre appearances.


    However, some of them quickly discovered something special about their new fleshly bodies.


    They found that their train of thought had not only be extremely fast, but their intelligence had greatly increased as well. In other words, learning andprehending any knowledge had be as easy as taking candy from a baby.


    Someone looked at Charles with awe in their eyes before dropping down to one knee.


    Charles nodded with satisfaction at his masterpiece. Then, he turned to Bandages and said, "With their help, it shouldn''t be that hard to digest the knowledge that the Foundation had left behind. You will eventually be able to create the tools you need to leave Earth.


    "It''d be great if there were more people, but a spaceship is bound to have limited space. Everyone can''t be taken away, so an optimization is necessary."


    "You''re... so¡­ strong¡­ why... not just...take us¡­ away?" Bandages asked, offering another solution.


    Charles chuckled softly and patted Bandages'' shoulder. "Honestly, the reason I visited you is for the sake of a contingency n. I''m afraid I will eventually die or lose control, but the truth is¡ªI''m practically a god at this point.


    "I''m not even sure whether I''ll live to see another day."


    Bandages'' indifferent face finally changed, looking a bit dejected. "If you... die... then what will happen... to our deal? There will¡­ be no one... to kill... me¡­ by then."


    "Then, you ought to find someone else by then," Charles said. Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out two pieces of paper. He opened them before Bandages, revealing drawings depicting certain figures.


    One piece of paper depicted the faces of Charles'' sister and his parents, while the other depicted Anna''s face.


    The two drawings reminded Charles of the fragmented memories he had of the surface world, and he couldn''t help but smile as he reminisced.


    His humanity was still eroding away, making him feel frantic, but recalling his family would never fail to cate his tumultuous heart.


    "They''re my family. The maps and the addresses are on the back. If you manage to escape the Subterranean Sea, please bring them along with you to space," Charles said. Then, he stuffed the two drawings into Bandages'' hands.


    "Of course, if you really can''t afford to do it, then don''t worry about it. Just take some people from Hope Ind and focus on rushing out of Earth."


    "Alright." Bandages nodded. He quietly listened while leaning against the mountain next to him. In the end, he took out a needle to carve everything into his own skin.

 Chapter 1007: Check Up

    As Charles watched Bandages expertly work the tattoo needle across his arm, the corners of his lips lifted into a yful smirk. With a hint of teasing in his voice, he asked, "What''s this? Are you afraid that you''ll forget?"


    Bandages nodded as the tattoo needle made swift work across his skin. "It''s a habit¡­It''s better¡­ to ink something¡­ so important¡­ in ce¡­I''ve forgotten¡­ so many things¡­ that had happened¡­in the past."


    Charles pondered for a brief moment before turning to his first mate with a proposition. "Why don''t I try to help you recover all of those lost memories? It''s well within my current powers."


    Charles paused for a couple of seconds before continuing with a slight hesitation in his tone. "I see so many shadows on you¡ªechoes of your past and even those of the future."


    The tattoo needle stilled in ce. Only Bandages himself could truly understand the underlying implication and significance of Charles'' offer.


    As a human cursed with immortality, Bandages was clearly aware of the gaps in his memory. He only knew of his distant past and his present; the thousands of years in between were like gaping voids.


    However, he remembered fragments of those years. He remembered his experience exploring the fingernail crack of a Divinity, and being a governor of a vanished ind. Yet, he did not have an inkling of the hows and the whys.


    If he were to regain all those lost memories, he would no longer be just a wandering shadow of a man lost to time. The decision held great weight and significance.


    Bandages deliberated for a long moment before finally shaking his head. "Forget it¡­I''m afraid that¡­the vast amount¡­ of memories¡­ will change me¡­ into¡­ someone else¡­."Besides¡­ I like¡­ my current¡­ life¡­My family¡­ is waiting for me¡­ to return home¡­"


    Charles nodded in agreement. "Indeed¡­When a person''s memory is crammed with too much information, it can easily change who they are. Just look at me."


    Bandages nced up at Charles briefly before lowering his head and resuming his steady tattoo work. "If you¡­ need¡­ help¡­ with anything else¡­ just say so¡­. Actually¡­ everyone is waiting¡­ for your return¡­ The Narwhale¡­ is still docked¡­ at the pier¡­."


    Bandages'' words stirred something deep in Charles'' heart as faces of his crew¡ªthose who had faced life and death alongside him¡ªshed past in his head.


    Boatswain: Dipp.


    Chief Engineer: James.


    Lookout: Audric.


    Ship''s Doctor: Linda.


    First Mate: Bandages.


    Second Mate: Nico.


    Cook: nck.


    Sailor: Norton.


    But Charles also remembered that this wasn''t his entire crew. There were countless more. Throughout his many years of exploration, those who died were enough to fill two ships'' worth of graves.


    Considering the current state of things, if he were to drag his crew back into the situation, the best oue would probably be more graves dotting the cemetery of Hope Ind.


    The stark difference between himself and the others had widened all too much.


    "This is different from explorations at sea. First mate¡­ There''s nothing you all can help me with now."@@novelbin@@


    Clearly, Bandages disagreed with the remark. He pointed at the half-finished tattoo on his body and asked, "Who¡­ said so? Aren''t I¡­ helping you¡­ right now¡­ with this¡­?"


    Charles suddenly found himself at a loss for words to retort. Eventually, he could only tug at his facial muscles to force out a heartyugh. "Fine, fine. You win. You can go ahead and let them know. Have everyone brainstorm a solution together.


    "But, let''s skip the reunion. I might just disappear one day, and the others will all end up heartbroken again."


    "Oh, speaking of graves," Charles added. "You reminded me. When you go back, set up a tombstone for me, too. Make it far away from Tobba''s."


    Bandages nodded firmly, his hand not ceasing movement as the tattoo needle continued to pierce his skin.


    "Alright then. I''ll go and prepare the other contingency ns. Contact me at any time if something urgent pops up," Charles instructed before casually removing his right ear and pressing it onto Bandages'' hand.


    Several tentacles, slick with translucent mucus, writhed out of the open end of the ear. They swiftly tore into Bandages'' skin and burrowed into ce, making a home on the back of Bandages'' hand just like that.


    "The future¡­is already¡­predestined¡­What¡­ are you¡­ nning¡­ to do?"


    Charles took a brief nce at Bandages and lowered his gaze toward the ground. A wry smile tugged at his lips as he said, "I have to try regardless, no? Otherwise, I''ll never be satisfied. If possible, who would fucking want to be oppressed by something else all their life?"


    Bandages nodded in silence. He then rolled up his sleeve before pointing his index finger at the Narwhale tattoo on his forearm. "I''ll help you!"


    Charles turned his gaze toward the fifty individuals before him with engorged heads before replying, "Thanks, Brother. I''ll leave you in charge of this contingency n. Even if we can''t save the others, getting just you out of this would already be worth it."


    With a burst of white light, Bandages, along with the fifty individuals, was transported back to Hope Ind.


    In a split second, the previously empty hall in the Governor''s Mansion was packed to the brim.


    Among the fifty modified individuals, a man stepped forward. He offered Bandages a respectful bow, saying, "Governor, from the snippets of the conversation I''ve overheard between you and Mr. Charles, I''ve deduced the n. If it''s eptable, may we start on our work immediately?"


    Bandages turned to face the fifty determined gazes before leading them toward the Relic Research Institute, where all the technology left behind by the Foundation was securely stored.


    Back in the forest, a myriad of emotions clouded Sparkle''s visage as she asked, "Daddy, when that timees, do you think they''ll seed?"


    "Probably not. That''s why it''s called a contingency n. But even if the odds are slim, what if it seeds?"


    Charles turned to look at Sparkle before he continued, "When that time arrives, and if you''re still around, promise me that you''ll help them and also leave with them."


    Sparkle shook her head. "I''m not leaving. Besides, I don''t have much time left. If possible, I only wish to be by your side during the final moments of my transformation."


    Charles clearly didn''t want to hear those words. "Don''t talk like everything has already been set in stone. Until the final minute, no one knows if we might be able to find other solutions."


    "Daddy, this is fate. There are no other solutions," Sparkle replied; her tone seemed exceptionally calm about her final days.


    Charles refused to ept it as it was. "Stay right there. Don''t move. Let me have a proper look."


    He gently tapped Sparkle''s head, and her alluring form instantly expanded. A massive ball of tentacles covered in green luminous eyeballs took her ce.


    From the ground, thousands of bloodied limbs rose as they slithered along the writhing mass of tentacles. They burrowed deep into its core and eventually formed a seething, steaming orb of flesh.


    Charles nned to use this brief moment to analyze Sparkle''s body and see if he could find a way to slow her elerated growth.


    As a father, he refused to ept his daughter''s grim destiny. If there was even the slightest chance, he wanted to alter her tragic ending.


    If Sparkle were just a mere human, Charles'' current powers could easily grant her eternal youth. However, Sparkle was his daughter and was different from any ordinary human.


    The gigantic ball of flesh suddenly ruptured, scattering Sparkle''s tentacles in every direction.


    More limbs emerged from the ground and coiled around every single tentacle as they inspected every single inch, in and out.

 Chapter 1008: Contradiction

    Time ticked by. Unknowingly, Charles'' brows creased deeper and deeper as he reconstructed Sparkle''s anatomical structure in his mind.


    The anatomical data of a demigod was a treasure trove of important knowledge, and Charles was absorbing the vast amount of information at an rming rate. It didn''t take long before his brain entered another phase of uncontroble proliferation.


    With her sharp senses, Sparkle picked up on her father''s condition immediately. Worry stirred within her, and she shouted, "Daddy! That''s enough! You''re elerating your ascension to godhood!!"


    A burst of white light enveloped every scattered tentacle in a desperate attempt to teleport away. Unfortunately, Sparkle and Charles'' powers belonged to the same origin, and Charles had a deeper mastery of those powers than Sparkle. Escaping from him was no easy task.


    "If losing control means reverting you to normal in exchange, then at least let me fulfill my duty as a father. Also, I''m not that weak, am I?" The moment Charles finished speaking, his entire form began to tremble violently.


    Sparkle could only watch as the situation grew tenser with each passing second, and soon, the space around them tore open to create space-time rifts. Without hesitation, Sparkle used her tentacles and tossed all the blood and flesh around her into the opened yet unknown dimensions.


    The next moment, all the tentacles gathered and retracted, eventually forming Sparkle''s human form.


    Sparkle stormed toward Charles. Her tone was agitated as she shouted, "Daddy! Why do you always like making decisions for others? Can you for once, even ask how they feel before you act! I really hate this so much! Please stop it!"


    Charles froze in ce and didn''t make another movement. This was the first time in Sparkle''s entire life that she lost her temper with him.He extended his arms and pulled Sparkle into an embrace. Running a hand down her soft, long hair, his voice was tinged with a hint of helplessness.


    "But Sparkle¡­ If things continue on as they are, you''ll be a god. I don''t want that to be your fate."


    Sparkle calmed the storm of emotions roiling inside her before resting her head against Charles''s chest.


    "Daddy," she softly called out. "That''s my destiny. My lifespan is always meant to be this short. I''vee to terms with it, and I''m ready for that day when it arrives.


    "Besides, I have told you this before. Maybe this human personality and will of mine have been a mistake all along. When I ascend, all of those errors will be corrected. I''m not sad about it. In fact, I''m curious to know what I''ll be."


    Sparkle gently pushed Charles away and lifted her gaze to look at her father''s scarred face. The corners of her lips lifted into a faint smile, and she continued, "Your daughter''s all grown up now. I can take care of myself. Go and do what you need to do. I have things that I care about too."


    The moment thest word left Sparkle''s lips, her form vanished right before Charles.


    Instinctively, Charles reacted, and thousands of eyes sprouted across the ind in an instant, searching for any trace of Sparkle. Within a second, he was certain that his daughter had left the ind altogether.


    A wistful expression surfaced upon Charles'' countenance. His lips parted as if wanting to say something, but eventually, they closed again without any words. He then turned and made his way back into the house.


    Sinking back into the brown leather sofa and merging himself into it, Charles stared at the crystal chandelier above as his mind reyed every single thing that had happened earlier.


    Charles couldn''t tell if Sparkle was speaking her true feelings or if they were meant to be a white lie tofort him. But he knew one thing for sure: he had made a mistake.


    He had once believed that he had figured out how he should get along with Sparkle. But now, it seemed that as she grew older, her personality was changing as fast as she aged.


    "Maybe¡­if her mother was still around, things wouldn''t have turned out like this," Charles muttered and let out a heavy sigh


    Now that Sparkle had left, Charles had other important things to work on. There was no more time to waste


    The blood-red carpet on the ground swiftly creased and folded to form a summoning circle. It was the spell circle to summon the Feaster.


    "The contingency n involving Bandages is already in motion. It''s time to carry out the next one," Charles muttered to himself.


    The second contingency n was to seek 005 and try to form an alliance with her to save humanity.


    In desperate times like these, Charles was willing to try any solution that had even a faint glimmer of hope. Perhaps one of those solutions could be the key to human survival.


    Though 005 had once said that she would never intervene again, circumstances had changed dramatically since then.


    Since she was amiable toward humans, then ording to logic, she would lend a helping hand in the face of theing catastrophe.


    However, when Charles tried to activate the summoning circle, he found the ancient glyphs motionless. There was no response.


    The Feaster seemed uninterested in answering Charles'' call, but Charles wasn''t one to take no for an answer.


    He knelt down and pressed his palm firmly on the summoning circle. A surge of psychic energy erupted out of him and forced its way into the spell circle in a reverse direction to challenge the Feaster''s pride.@@novelbin@@


    If the Feaster still chose to ignore such a tant taunt, it wouldn''t be worthy of being called a Divinity in the Subterranean Sea.


    Swiftly, dark clouds gathered above Charles and they were apanied by the roar of thunder and shes of lightning. Rain poured down in torrents as a cylindrical figure stuck its head out from the depths of the clouds.


    It was the Feaster, and it seemed to be clearly displeased.


    Charles spoke, "Bring your mistress here. I have something important to discuss with her."


    <em>"You''re so incredibly rude."</em>


    The message entered Charles'' head. It was not from the Feaster but rather from 005 who emerged from the wall. As usual, she was wrapped from head to toe in ck bandages.


    "My apologies, I didn''t want to do this. But it''s a critical situation," Charles replied.


    <em>"Yeah, I know. I''ve seen everything from your memories," </em>005 said. At the same time, a cat leaped out from the void andnded gracefully in her arms.


    Charles carefully chose his words for a couple of seconds before he decided to go with a direct approach.


    "You''ve said that you like humans. Now that both the surface world and the Subterranean Sea are up against a major crisis, are you really not nning to do anything about it?"


    <em>"Do something? What makes you think I have the right to stop what''sing?" </em>005 asked. <em>"Since humanity is meant to be annihted, so be it. That''s their fate. There''s nothing we can do about it."</em>


    "You im to like humans! Is this what you mean by like?" Charles pressed on; he refused to give up on this opportunity.


    <em>"Of course. They are such an amusing species that I''d hate to see them all vanish. That''s why I''ve been collecting pieces of them to create my very own."</em>


    "Wait!" Charles called out. He suddenly caught something important from her words. "Those organs that you took from me before¡­ Was that all for this? Did you already know this was going to happen back then?"


    Covered in ck bandages, 005''s face betrayed none of her emotions as she continued to stroke the Feaster''s back gently.


    <em>"It wasn''t just you," </em>005 began. <em>"I''ve told you. Over the years, I''ve encountered many beautiful flowers in the human world. When I find one that I like, I would collect a piece of it. For example, the flower before you was a girl named Julio.</em>


    <em>"Of course. I never forced them. I used your species'' own methods to resolve these matters. Negotiation and exchange. Every human has something they desire, and I simply offer them what they wanted.</em>


    <em>"So far, there has been no human who rejected me. In fact, some even worship me as their god just to have the chance to strike a deal with me again."</em>

 Chapter 1009: Another Deal

    005''s words contained too much information, leaving Charles overwhelmed. It turned out that she had known from the very beginning that this moment would happen and had purposely collected what she called "flowers" before their inevitable annihtion.


    <em>"Time has no meaning to us. Is predicting the future really difficult? You can do it yourself, too. It''s just a matter of how far ahead."</em>


    "I can do that?" Charles recalled the apocalyptic scene that had inexplicably appeared in his mind.


    Upon careful consideration, Charles realized that 005 wasn''t lying. He had been seeing afterimages on every person all this while, and they were afterimages of both the past and the future.


    He had even used those afterimages to help his daughter''s friend Nene find her father. Moreover, he was seeing more and more afterimages the closer he got to bing a true god.


    "So you knew long ago that I would seek you out?"


    005 did not nod or shake her head. Instead, she replied, <em>"Of course. You''ve never fully embraced that power, so you can''t master this ability. If you want to obtain the same perspective as me, then you must thoroughly embrace that power."</em>


    "Embrace?" Charles muttered. Just then, the sensory organs that had been removed all over Charles regenerated rapidly and began assimting every knowledge nearby.


    However, Charles quickly put an end to his suicidal behavior. Perhaps bing a god would grant him the ability to foresee everything, but he would likely no longer be himself by then.The organs growing like trees all over Charles'' massive figure withered at the same time. 005 saw that and remarked, <em>"Since you don''t want to ept that power, you shouldn''t have made that wish in the first ce.</em>


    <em>"Either be a god or stay human. You cannot have your cake and eat it, too."</em>


    Realizing that the topic of conversation was veering off course, Charles promptly steered it back in line by saying, "I''ve made my own decision. Let''s go back to our previous topic. Despite knowing humanity''s inevitable annihtion, are you really not going to intervene at all?"


    005 shook her head slightly.


    <em>"First of all, I already have my own humans, so there is no reason for me to intervene. Secondly, I can''t stop it. I am but a mere tiny fragment of my true self. I''m too weak at the moment."</em>


    "You know what will happen in the future, right? Are you not nning on protecting yourself at all? If 003 and 002 end up awakening, you won''t be able to escape unscathed by then," Charles said, attempting to persuade her from a different angle.


    <em>"Why should I protect myself? My true self isn''t here. I''m not important. And stop disturbing the Feaster from now on. I''m usually quite reasonable, but it doesn''t mean that I don''t have a temper."</em>


    005''s figure became illusory. Clearly, she was about to leave.


    Despite knowing that his contingency n was on the verge of failing, Charles still refused to give up. If Charles wanted formidable allies in the Subterranean Sea, then 005 <em>had</em> to be one of them.


    "Since you''ve been talking about striking a fair deal, how about we make another deal? I need a wish. What do you need from me in exchange for one?"


    005 stood in ce, pondering over it for a moment. Then, she raised her right hand slightly, and a wriggling tentacle covered in ck scales appeared in her grasp.


    <em>"Did you know? This tentacle contains a portion of your memories. In exchange for those three wishes, I had you trade this way with me."</em>


    Charles found the tentacle to be strangely familiar, but he had no idea why. "So... what do you want?"


    005 shook her head slightly. <em>"The most desperate moment in your life, your sweet love, and your unforgettable yearning¡ªGive me all three of those, and I can grant you an extra wish.</em>


    <em>"I must tell you again that I''m weak and can only grant your wish as long as it is within my capabilities."</em>


    Charles understood the implicit meaning behind her words. Through a wish, 005 could help him unconditionally, but only once. The limitations were clear, but it was still better than nothing.


    Fortunately, his decision to summon 005 hadn''t been in vain.


    <em>"So? Are you willing to make a deal with me?"</em> 005 asked again.


    Charles nodded.<em></em>"Yes, let''s do it. But give me a moment to think about which of the three I should start with."


    <em>"I''m not in a hurry. Take your time," </em>005 remarked. Her legs bent slightly, and shey sideways in midair as if there were an invisible swing in the air.


    Charles whose back was stuck to a sofa gazed at 005 before him.


    A deafening silence descended upon the room.


    Charles pondered over it for a long time. He had been through many desperate moments in the Subterranean Sea, and he had to think carefully about which of them made him feel the most desperate.


    Charles thought over 005''s words for a long time before carving out the seven words "the most desperate moment in my life" on the table in front of him using his finger.


    "It took me eight whole years to find that nautical chart from Sottom, and I spent another two years locating Hope Ind. As soon as that dazzling ray of sunlight bursting from the rift in the skynded on me, I felt like every hardship I had experienced so far at the time had been worth it.


    "Back then, I was filled with hope, and I felt like I would no longer be as miserable as I was. I thought I''d soon lead a new life, but I was mistaken."


    Charles'' eyes froze in ce, and he did not even blink as he added, "Do you know what the peak of desperation looks like? If you want to see it for yourself, then give a ray of hope to someone at the bottom of an abyss. Then, grab their hands and force them to crush that ray of hope with their own hands.


    "It took me quite a while, but I eventually managed to reach whaty above the ray of sunlight. However, what appeared before me wasn''t the huge, dazzling sun on the surface world but Dawn One¡ªthe first-generation Foundation''s animated nuclear fusion reactor.


    "It wasn''t the surface I reached¡ªit was the ruins of a city that the Foundation had built. At that moment, I felt like reality itself had made a fool out of me. The efforts I had made over an entire decade to find the surface world had ultimately amounted to absolutely nothing."


    It had been such a long time since then, and a huge chunk of his humanity had faded away, but Charles still felt the same emotions he felt as he reminisced about that fateful day.


    "That was the most desperate moment in my life."


    005 raised her right hand, which had been stroking the Feaster, and patted thetter lightly to apud Charles.<em> "Not bad. I really liked it. So what''s next?"</em>@@novelbin@@


    Charles raised his finger and carved "my unforgettable yearning" below the words "the most desperate moment in my life" on the table. Then, he tilted his head to look at the sky and began to reminisce again.


    "My unforgettable yearning has always been my family¡ªmy parents and my sister. They were the motivation behind my determination to return to the surface world back then, and they''re also the reason why I want to save the surface world.


    "Did you know? My dad really likes to be funny, so he loves telling jokes, but his jokes aren''t funny at all. Every time he makes a joke, my sister and I will alwaysugh at him, mocking him for his awful jokes."

 Chapter 1010: Stories

    "However, he was a good and responsible father. Whenever we made mistakes, he would never resort to crude corporal punishment like my ssmates'' fathers.


    "Instead, he would bring himself down to our level and exin our mistake to us. He would tell us why it was a mistake in the first ce, and then he would tell us what to do so that we wouldn''t repeat the same mistake.


    "Most adults are very concerned about their reputation, and I am not an exception to that. However, my dad is different. When I was just five years old, I remember asking my father about why our family was too poor to afford meat while my ssmates could eat meat every day.


    "At the time, he sounded apologetic as he said, ''Zhiming, I''m sorry. It''s all Daddy''s fault, but I''m going to work very hard to earn lots of money so that my good son can eat meat every day.''


    "Don''t you think he''s a great father? I''m theplete opposite to him. I''m neither a good nor a responsible father. I have no idea why I didn''t inherit my dad''s trait as a good father."


    005 listened quietly, showing no intentions to express her opinion.


    "My mother was a traditional middle-aged woman. She liked to gossip with the neighbors, and she enjoyed studying recipes. She also loved pulling us out of bed by our ears using her cold hands, even during weekends, which was when my sister and I had spare time.


    "She loved us unconditionally, and her love for us was sincere, although she often shows it in the most subtle of ways. An example of it was this one time when I was too young to have my own money that I could use to buy some KFC.


    "Back then, every foreign food was extremely expensive, but she secretly saved up some money, and when it was enough for us to eat KFC, she brought us out and bought me and my sister two burgers to eat."She ate nothing and simply stared at us with a satisfied face. Eventually, life became generous to us, and we discovered that she actually liked eating KFC all this while.


    "Her love for us was subtle, but I always knew that if we ever encountered any major issues, she''d step forward to lend us a hand."


    "And my sister¡ªmy beloved younger sister." Charles chuckled silently to himself before saying, "When we were still very young, we would sleep in the same bed, but her sleeping posture was simply egregious. She''d upy the majority of the bed, squeezing me into the wall."


    "When we grew a bit older, she''d often bully me and make me cry. We fought over everything¡ªfood, toys, and even about who would get to lie down in Mom''s arms.


    "Believe it or not, but the first sentence I learned was ''Sister is a meanie.''


    "We''ve been fighting since we were young, and we''ve never been willing to give in to the other, but family is still family, after all, so whenever I get into fights at school, she''d rush over to help me without hesitation with her bag slung over one shoulder.


    "Once we''re back home, we''d work together to make up lies for Mom to believe in.


    "Whenever she''s sad and is crying, I''ll always go and tease her until she''s furious because I know that once she''s angry enough to hit me, she must no longer be upset."


    "The two of us are always fighting and bickering. I guess you can say that we dislike each other. However, it was precisely because of our squabbles that our home was so lively."


    "My family is like that, and they are my unforgettable yearning.


    "If it hadn''t been for them, I wouldn''t have had such a perfect childhood. My life as a teenager wouldn''t have been as great as well. They are the reason why I wanted to return to the surface world.


    "I''ve never really talked about them with other people; I''ve only ever talked about them with you," Charles remarked.


    005, listening intently in silence, finally nodded. <em>"And thest one¡ªyour sweet love."</em>


    The three words for "my sweet love" were carved below the words "my unforgettable yearning." The three sentences were neatly arranged on the table in their own row.


    "Love..." Charles pondered over the word that sounded wronging out of his mouth. "Perhaps I had a sweet love with Sparkle''s mother, but I had already forgotten about her. Fortunately, I have other women in the Subterranean Sea."


    Charles fell into deep contemtion as he reminisced about the distant past.


    "The first time I met Margaret was on the deck of the Narwhale. At the time, she was a ve. When I learned that she was a governor''s daughter, the first thing that came to my mind was to use her to ckmail that governor.


    "Now that I think about it, I really was a straight shooter. She likes me. I don''t know when it started, and I also don''t know the reason why she likes someone like me, who has a penchant for throwing caution to the wind.


    "Afterward, we never met each other until I became lunatic. She found me in a pile of garbage, and she nursed me until I recovered. She even helped me contact my crew.


    "There are some gaps in my memories. I forgot what exactly had happened at the time. I can''t remember anything other than the fact that it''s missing from my memories.


    "Anyway, it was only when I discovered the things she had done for me behind the scenes that I realized what I had lost. I tried to make it up to her, but I think I already had a wife at the time, and she had also changed drastically.


    "In the end, we parted ways.@@novelbin@@


    "Many things happened in between, and she eventually sought me out when I was already like this. I could no longer be with her, but we both found closure."


    <em>"That won''t do,</em>" 005 chimed in.


    Charles looked over at her and asked, "What?"


    "I asked for a sweet love, but that isn''t sweet at all. It tastes <em>very </em>bitter."


    Charles was at a loss for words on what to do next. Truth be told, he wasn''t exactly a veteran when it came to love. Elizabeth wouldn''t work. She loved him, but she also loved the beauties in her harem.


    The love between them wasn''t sweet at all.


    "Are you sure I even have a sweet love at all? I feel like I already told you everything that I''ve been through," Charles asked.


    005 shook her head. <em>"Those three are unnecessary. If even one is missing, then our deal is void."</em>


    Charles found himself between a rock and a hard ce just then. He racked his brain for a long time before finally finding something.


    "I remember Lily was on the verge of death at the time, and to fulfill her dying wish, I pretended to be her boyfriend. I went shopping with her, I dined with her, and we ended up kissing in the end." Charles paused, thinking that 005 would say that this short memory fragment was uneptable, but he was mistaken.


    <em>"Mmhm, I can taste it. That''s a good love. It''s definitely sweet," </em>005 said. Then, she started stroking the little cat in her arms.


    The Feaster opened its mouth and spat out a white ball.


    005 caught the white ball and said, <em>"Speak your wish to it once you''re ready."</em>


    005 floated over and ced the white ball on the table in front of Charles.


    Charles flicked his hand, and the white ball instantly arrived in his palm. He revealed a gratified smile as he stared at the white ball. The white ball in his hand was equivalent to a contingency n.


    005''s hand wrapped in ck bandages swiped across the table, and the three rows of sentences carved on it vanished into thin air. The next second, the three stories that Charles had just told her began to disappear rapidly.


    It wasn''t just a simple deletion; it was aplete erasure.


    Charles wasn''t surprised by the sight. A wish from 005 couldn''t be obtained by simply telling her stories. There had to be something more than what met the eye, and 005 had "seized" those three stories from Charles in exchange for a wish.

 Chapter 1011: Protect

    <em>The most desperate moment in my life¡­ </em>


    <em>My unforgettable yearning¡­ </em>


    <em>My sweet love¡­</em>


    As soon as these three lines of text were erased, the relevant memories in Charles'' mind disappeared as well. He could feel his tumultuous emotions fading as he examined the white ball in his hand.


    "I''m suddenly curious. Did you seize my memories, or did you seize the stories themselves?" Charles asked.


    005 opened her hand, feeding the lines of text in her palm to the Feaster in her arms.


    <em>"For the current you, is there any difference between the two?"</em>


    "<em>Haha.</em>" Charles chuckled softly with indifference, "Indeed, there''s no difference at all. I''m about to die, anyway. Instead of letting them disappear with me, I might as well trade it with you."


    005''s figure was bing more and more illusory. Clearly, she was about to leave."Don''t be in such a hurry to leave. I think I still have quite a few things that I can trade with you," Charles said. He believed that one wish was simply not enough. Since he had already made a deal with 005, he might as well make a few more deals.


    Having cast all caution to the wind, Charles no longer cared about anything.


    Upon hearing that, 005''s figure solidified once again, and her eyes wrapped in ck bandages looked at Charles once more. <em>"There''s not much left for me to take from you, but there is one thing I''m truly interested in. Your daughter Sparkle."</em>


    "No! Don''t even think about it! Sparkle is absolutely off-limits!" Charles eximed, rejecting it firmly. His heart had be an abyss-like void of nothingness, but as a father, he would always protect his daughter.


    <em>"What a pity. She is a very special specimen at the moment,"</em> 005 said, vanishing on the spot and leaving Charles all alone in the spacious room.


    Charles stood frozen for a few seconds before raising the white orb in his hand and contacting the other Charleses from the many different nes.


    "Not bad. We have one more choice. How are things on your end?"


    "<em>Mmhm,</em> great. I''ll be right over." Charles detached himself from the sofa and disappeared, appearing at the Dark Abyssal Trench of another ne.


    Sweeping his gaze across the many different versions of himself of varying ages and d in various attires, Charles asked, "Howe you guys are in such a sorry state?"


    "It''s nothing serious. A Charles who had became a Fhtagnist ambushed us. However, we managed to deal with him quite easily," said a Charles whose eyes were wrapped in white bandages.


    Charles knew that this would happen eventually. As a result of making their own choices, these Charleses had their own unique personalities, so it wasn''t shocking that one of them ended up bing a Fhtagnist.


    "Let''s not waste time here. We don''t have time to spare, so let''s go," Charles said. Then, he began exchanging ideas with the Charleses.


    In the face of the impending apocalypse, each Charles made their own contingency ns and had chosen to implement them in their respective nes.


    Then, they weeded out the useless ns and shared the effective ones with each other.


    While they were busy perceiving and assimting each other''s thoughts, they suddenly raised their heads and looked up at the same time. Then, they vanished and arrived at the Core, which was once overflowing with 002''s purple light.


    The purple light was still there, but it was flickering for some reason. Then, an iprehensible aura drifted down from above, and when it swept across the Charleses, their appendages quivered like aspen trees.


    It wasn''t just 003¡ªthere was something wrong with 002 as well.


    Just then, agonized wails erupted from the Colossal Hole Fortress below the Charleses. Under the influence of the iprehensible aura, the troops stationed within the fortress mutated into bizarre, crazed creatures.


    "This is bad! Everyone, return to your respective nes and close the entrance to the Core! We can''t let this aura affect the Subterranean Sea!" Charles roared. Then, he returned to his own ne and teleported to the massive metal door that the Divine Light Order had opened to reach the Core.


    He wasted no time and started pushing it upward using three tentacles spanning dozens of kilometers in size.


    <em>Rumble!</em>


    A violent tremor ran through the rockyer as the metal door¡ªas big as an ind itself¡ªsettled on the rockyer overhead.


    Immediately afterward, Charles looked down at Annarles Ind with his thousands of eyes and saw the inders writhing on the ground while clutching their heads in pain.


    Evidently, they were suffering under his presence.


    Charles'' gazended on a woman carrying an infant. Shockingly, the infant in her arms was covered in feathers and had sprouted a dark-brown beak. The terrifying sight told Charles that the metal door couldn''tpletely suppress the auraing from up above.


    After just a brief fraction of a second, Charles came up with a solution.


    In the blink of an eye, Charles'' figure vanished from the rockyer overhead. Just as the inders staggered to their feet, they were shocked to find that the seawater around them was moving rapidly.


    "No! The sea isn''t moving at all. It''s our ind that''s moving!!"


    The inders were terrified, but the rapidly moving ind eventually came to a stop. Charles had moved Annarles Ind to a different location, far from the entrance to the Core.


    Unfortunately, this wasn''t enough. 002''s aura was still leaking out of the Core. They had to find a way to suppress it as soon as possible, or the humans in the Subterranean Sea would end up mutating into bizarre creatures.


    Charles'' fleshly body¡ªas big as an ind¡ªsettled on where Annarles Ind had once been¡ªright below the entrance to the Core.


    Then, a column of flesh made from deformed appendages and amorphous organs rose from the middle of the ind, pressing against the colossal metal door like a load-bearing pir.


    Charles'' flesh proliferated across the pir before eventually engulfing the metal door. Once every nook and cranny was covered with Charles'' flesh, the distinct, indescribable, and iprehensible aura finally vanished.


    Charles was like a plug, preventing 002''s influence from reaching the Subterranean Sea.


    ***


    Gao Zhiming was sweeping the floor with a broom while stealing nces at Anna''s bedroom. He had no idea as to why Anna suddenly became furious at him, but he wanted to assuage her fury through hard work.


    He really missed his kind and benevolent big sister.


    "Come on, what''s the point of going to all this trouble? If I were you, I''d rush in and confront her about what''s going on," said Tobba. He was having lunch in his mother''s arms.@@novelbin@@


    Gao Zhiming looked at Tobba and muttered, "I can''t..."


    "<em>Tsk!</em> What''s there to be afraid of? Let me do it for you, then," Tobba remarked. Then, he confidently jumped onto the table and was about to run toward Anna''s door but was ruthlessly dragged away by Li Lu.


    Just then, the door opened with a <em>creak.</em> Anna dressed in an exquisite white dress walked out of her bedroom. She nced at the struggling Tobba in his mother''s arms and then at Charles, who lowered his head and focused on sweeping once again.


    Anna said nothing as she walked toward the door.


    A car was prepared at the entrance of the gatedmunity. Anna sat in the back seat and signaled at the Fhtagnist holding the steering wheel. "Go to the Wang Construction Group''s headquarters."


    Thanks to the Shattered God''s mole in the IMF, Anna felt much safer. At the very least, there was no need for her to worry about getting discovered by the IMF scouts.


    With some free time in hand, Anna decided to do some maintenance on her rtionship with her allies.

 Chapter 1012: Anomaly

    Realizing that there hadn''t been any returns on his massive investment, Wang Jianshe''s attitude had been growing worse and worse.


    Wang Jianshe was a capitalist with a considerable influence on the surface world, and Anna wasn''t willing to give up on him just yet. Things would be much more convenient for her with Wang Jianshe handling some matters for her.


    The car stopped in front of a skyscraper that seemed to pierce the azure skies up above. The building was none other than the headquarters of the Wang Construction Group.


    When Anna arrived at Wang Jianshe''s office, she was surprised to find that he wasn''t alone.


    Four middle-aged men around his age were leisurely sipping tea in the chairs next to him.


    They were d in simple, in-looking clothes, but the designer watches on their wrist and the jade rings on their fingers told Anna that they were pretty wealthy.


    The men brazenly appraised Anna''s fair, long legs and started whispering among themselves.


    "What? Do you want me to kill these people and throw them into the sea?" Anna asked. Her words made the men cough out the tea in their mouths. The room was instantly filled with their coughing.


    Wang Jianshe''s face darkened as he sat behind therge desk. "Aren''t you a woman at the very least? Can you not speak so harshly?" Wang Jianshe asked.


    Anna sat down across from him and nonchntly said, "I think only dead people should hear our conversation."


    "These are my brothers who took on the world with me to establish thispany. Of course, they''re my business partners as well. The recent unusual cash flows in thepany made them think that I was being scammed," Wang Jianshe said.


    "<em>Heh, </em>they took on the world with you? By ''world,'' are you talking about the criminal world? It sounds like you made your fortune through mindless thuggery," Anna sneered, examining the men in her peripheral vision.


    One of the four men, a pot-bellied man, stood up. He sounded dissatisfied as he said, "Miss, how old do you think you are? Do you really think that doing business now is the same as doing business back then?


    "Let me tell you this¡ªback then, everything was a mess. The daring ones survived while the timid ones starved. To put it bluntly, we brothers risked our lives to build thispany!"


    Anna turned to look at the pot-bellied man.


    Wang Jianshe saw that and hurriedly tried to smooth things over. "Alright, Jinzhong, don''t brag about our past."


    Wang Jianshe had known Anna long enough to know that thetter disliked nonsense and preferred a direct and straightforward approach.


    "I think we can let them be privy to some things. Don''t worry; they''re absolutely trustworthy. We have all risked our lives for each other, after all," Wang Jianshe added.


    Anna ignored the middle-aged men and took out a knife from her handbag. "I got this from the Moth. This is useless in my hands, but it mighte in handy for you."


    "Is that an Anomaly?" Wang Jianshe asked, and her heart began to beat wildly against his chest. He had long be aware of the existence of Anomalies, and he knew that they were beyondmon sense, transcending reality.


    Despite being aware of their existence, he still felt very nervous staring at an Anomaly before him.


    <em>I wonder what special ability it has¡­</em> Wang Jianshe carefully picked it up. Before he could ask any questions, someone next to him spoke up.


    It was the pot-bellied man, and his face was filled with resentment as he eximed, "I knew it! You''re a scammer! I saw that kind of trick in Hong Kong a long time ago. All those so-called Feng Shui masters and Qi Gong masters aren''t real! They''re just going to swindle away our money!


    "Do you really think that all rich people are fools?!"


    Anna sighed lightly, looking stunned, before saying, "Can you shut up? You have no say here."


    Zhou Jinzhong was furious, and he became even more certain that Anna was a scammer. He pointed his chubby finger at Anna''s head and roared, "Any of your tricks are not going to work on me! The money you swindled from Boss¡­ I want you to spit them all out¡­ down to the veryst cent!


    "You''re in our territory, and I have connections everywhere. If you dare to y any tricks, you won''t even know that you''re already dead!"


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    A ball of green corrosive mes appeared over Anna''s palm. The buzzing fly was making her feel annoyed.


    "<em>Hahaha,</em> what? You''re showing off your supernatural abilities now? I''m telling you, that''s an outdated trick~ I''ve seen plenty of those in the 80s, and they can only fool those who are dumbasses."


    The fats on Zhou Jinzhong''s face jiggled as heughed mockingly. He even reached out with his finger to poke at the green me.


    Zhou Jinzhong was unaware of it, but Wang Jianshe had learned from his son that Anna''s green mes were extremely powerful. He rushed over in a panic to stop Zhou Jinzhong from seeking his own death.


    After appeasing his brothers, Wang Jianshe turned around and gently asked, "Can you show them something to convince them?"


    Anna stood up and snatched the red knife from Wang Jianshe''s hand. Then, she rushed to the chubby man and thrust the red knife into thetter''s neck. With a forceful sh, Zhou Jinzhong''s chubby face fell to the ground.@@novelbin@@


    No one present had expected Anna to do something as outrageous as decapitating Zhou Jinzhong. Everyone was stunned, and a deafening silence descended upon the office.


    Soon, the silence was shattered by a shrill cry that sounded as if a pig were being ughtered.


    "<em>AAAAAH! </em>My head! My head! MY HEAD!" the head on the ground screamed miserably while the headless body next to it stood frozen in ce, iling its arms and legs.


    Everyone except for Wang Jianshe was terrified. Their faces distorted in fear as they frantically ran away from their decapitated brother. They couldn''t be med for their reaction. After all, the sight was just beyondmon sense.


    Anna turned to Wang Jianshe and exined, "If you slice up someone with this thing, this will keep their organs functioning. As long as the severed parts can be reattached, you can keep chopping and chopping."


    Anna picked up the head on the ground and proceeded to peel off the head''s facial features. Then, she cut the head into several slices as if it were a watermelon.


    Afterward, Anna haphazardly pieced together the severed parts to create a tiny monster made from just one human head.


    Anna stared at the three terrified men. When she stepped forward, they screamed and rushed toward the door, but unfortunately for them, the door was locked as soon as Anna entered the office.


    "This is all it takes to scare you all? <em>Tsk,</em> if you were thrown into the Subterranean Sea, you wouldn''tst even a day," Anna said. Then, she casually hurled the red knife toward Wang Jianshe''s shoulder.


    Anna walked toward the table and poured herself a cup of <em>Tieguanyin.</em> Upon taking a sip, she was pleasantly surprised by the taste. Although the tea was slightly bitter, it coated her tongue with a sweet aftertaste.


    "Stop scaring them, all right? How do we assemble him?" Wang Jianshe asked, holding his brother''s head with a troubled look.


    "Just put every piece where it belongs, but make it quick. If he''s not reassembled within thirty minutes, he''ll stay that way forever," Anna replied.


    With much difficulty, they managed to reassemble Zhou Jinzhong''s head to normal. His facial features were pasted back on, but his mouth still looked a bit crooked.


    The four men''s attitude toward Anna changed drastically. They lowered their heads and stood cautiously around her as if they were walking on eggshells.

 Chapter 1013: Altering

    Anna sitting with her legs crossed picked up the teacup before her and took a sip.


    Then, she swept her gaze across the wrinkled faces of the men before her.


    The mindset of the middle-aged man changed drastically upon witnessing for themselves that the young woman wasn''t a fraudster at all. From the previous disdain and hostility, they now regarded her with ttery and respect.


    Anna''s actions earlier had told them that she wasn''t a woman they could afford to offend.


    "Don''t get too excited now. That has some side effects," Anna said, pointing at the red knife in Wang Jianshe''s hand.


    "Side effects? What are they?"


    "That''s the problem. That isn''t mine, so I don''t know its side effects, but you can slowly figure them out," Anna replied.


    The Moth was dead, so it was impossible to know the specific details of the red knife. Even if the Moth were still alive, it wouldn''t tell Anna, who had murdered practically its entire family.


    It was precisely because the red knife posed unknown risks that Anna had decided to give it to Wang Jianshe.Despite knowing that there were unknown side effects to using the red knife, Wang Jianshe and the others didn''t want to let it go. After all, this was their first time being able to wield a supernatural power.


    What they could only see on TV and in movie theaters had actually happened before them. Today''s events shattered their worldview, and it would probably take a long time for them to digest what they had witnessed.


    Anna''s fair fingers gently ced the purple y teacup on the table.


    "That little toy is nothing. As long as you help me achieve my goals, you can be immortal. I might even give you a better reward than that," Anna remarked. She knew that the men in front of her were just ordinary people, but they were too influential to let go of.


    The middle-aged men''s eyes lit up.


    "Really? Are you serious? We can be immortal?"


    "How is that even possible? No¡ªI misspoke. What are your goals?"


    "Don''t worry! We will definitelyplete any task that you have for us."


    Everyone was afraid of death, and the ultimate desire engraved in the genes of human beings was none other than the desire for immortality. It was particrly tempting for those past their prime.


    Realizing that they had gotten so close to her almost to the point of clinging to her, Anna frowned. Then, her figure vibrated rapidly as she melted into the sofa and emerged from the other side of it.


    "This is all for today. I''m leaving now. If there''s anything, call me. You''re all smart people, so I believe you know what to do and what not to do. You better not make things difficult for me," Anna warned.


    With that, her figure melted into the wall under everyone''s gaze.


    The four men watched as Anna melted into the wall. Then, they cast their excited gazes at Wang Jianshe.


    "Boss Wang, how did you somehow stumble upon such a powerful figure? You should have introduced her to us a long time ago!"


    "Exactly. Aren''t we brothers willing to risk our lives for each other? So why have you been hiding her from us until now?"@@novelbin@@


    "Alright, shut up, all of you." Wang Jianshe walked to his desk and pulled open the bottom drawer. Then, he carefully ced the red knife into the safe inside the drawer.


    Wang Jianshe stood up and turned to his brothers with a solemn face.


    "I''m telling you guys¡ªthis is the new wave."


    "Do you still remember how we made our fortune? Back then, we could make some money through our hard work, but now, we can obtain things that even money can never buy if we simply worked hard!"


    The four nodded vigorously, looking giddy with excitement.


    At this moment, they truly felt like they had returned to the day when they walked out of the vige with checkered stic bags over their shoulders to take some risks and make some money outside.


    ***


    Anna was sitting calmly in the back seat of the car and was quietly observing the bustling city through the tinted ss. Her impassive expression left no room for any deduction about her thoughts. Only Anna herself knew what she was thinking.


    Just then, a bicycle overtook the car. A family of three was sitting on the bicycle. The father was holding the handlebars and was pedaling away, while the mother was sitting in the back seat with their daughter in her arms.


    The daughter seemed oblivious to the world around her; she was engrossed in her candied hawthorn.


    Thanks to the ss separating the interior of the car from the outside world, Anna couldn''t hear their conversation, but she could see the radiant smiles tugging at their lips. The daughter said something that made the couple burst intoughter.


    As she stared at the family, Anna couldn''t help but reminisce about many things in the Subterranean Sea.


    Just then, Anna''s phone rang, interrupting her train of thought. She picked it up and saw that the Shattered God was calling her.


    "Hello?" Anna asked.


    "We have a lead on a memory-altering Anomaly."


    "<em>Oh?</em>" Anna sat up straight. Everything was ready, and the memory-altering Anomaly was the only thing missing.


    Once Gao Zhiming''s memories were altered, Anna would just have to wait for him to grow up.


    "What kind of Anomaly is it? A living Anomaly like the Moth is too risky to handle."


    "It''s just an object. Don''t worry; it''s safe to handle. I went to great lengths to find it, but there''s one thing that I find embarrassing to admit¡ªyou need to go and retrieve it yourself once again."


    Anna rolled her eyes. "As far as I can remember, the retrieval isn''t part of our deal."


    Sensing Anna''s dissatisfaction, the Shattered God patiently said, "My apologies. I lost so many people due to that incident."


    "Did I not give you the fusion ritual? With that ritual, the people you have left must have be significantly stronger." Anna pointed out.


    "Ms. Anna, have you forgotten that we gave all of our powerful Anomalies to you? Where am I supposed to find usable Anomalies in such a short period of time?" the Shattered God retorted.


    "Don''t worry; there''s no need for you to fight or deceive them. I''ve already talked to them, so you only need to go and make the trade," the Shattered God added.


    "In that case, can''t you just go there yourself?"


    "No, they''re¡­ not so easy to deal with. If you don''t bring enough people with you, they devour you and the goods. I''m not sure if you know, but your reputation is far more useful than you think.


    "As long as you''re there, they won''t dare to y any tricks."


    It seemed that in the face of the looming crisis in the form of the IMF, the organizations hidden in the shadows had be even warier of each other instead of sticking together andbining their forces against the IMF.


    "Send the address and all relevant information to my email. I''ll check it when I get back home," Anna said, flipping the phone shut with one hand.


    Soon, Anna was back home. Upon opening her email, she discovered that the memory-altering Anomaly was a melody called "<em>Satyrbelle''s Seduction.</em>" By ying the melody with any instrument, one could manipte minds.


    Unfortunately, the melody''s side effect was as impactful as its effect. If one were to y the melody, they would be addicted to it. In other words, it was an extremely addictive melody.


    Those addicted to it would go to great lengths to find any instruments to y "<em>Satyrbelle''s Seduction.</em>" It was all for the sake of ensuring that the dangerous and bizarre melody would forever exist.


    However, the interesting part was that the trade would happen in the Amazon rainforest. Anna couldn''t help but wonder what kind of organization was hiding somewhere in that world-renowned primeval forest.


    The deal was already confirmed, so Anna told the others to get ready to go abroad with her.


    Even though the Shattered God''s mole was constantly giving them information about the movements of the IMF''s scouts, Anna still decided to leave the clown by Gao Zhiming''s side just in case.

 Chapter 1014: Primitive

    To avoid attracting attention, Anna joined a tour group filled with young people and newlyweds on their honeymoon. They boarded a small ship and entered the tropical rainforest.


    Tourist attractions had long been developed and were avable for tourists to enjoy, but Anna''s destination was certainly not one of those tourist attractions.


    On that same night, Anna led the others away from the tour group and ventured into the deep forest, following the map provided by the Shattered God. Despite having a map, the journey remained difficult.


    They walked for several days, leaving everyone utterly exhausted.


    The rainforest was humid and hot. Every moment inside the forest made them feel as if they were inside a sauna, not to mention the leeches on the tree leaves, as well as the biting insects everywhere.


    "Set up camp," Annamanded, and the Fhtagnists made use of their abilities to clear out arge clearing.


    They burned the soil on the ground, killing all the insects hiding within it.


    Once every insect was killed, Anna finallyy down in the tent. Of course, Anna could ignore the insects in the forest using her ability to phase through just about anything, but some of them didn''t have the same special ability as hers.


    Tobba''s face was covered with several insect bites as he crawled into Anna''s tent. He looked sorrowful as he asked, "Why did you bring me to this damned ce? Look at how many times I got bitten so far¡­"Wiping away the sweat from her forehead with a towel, Anna remarked, "Your special ability shines in a harsh environment, and it is about time for you to showcase your abilities. Warn me if there''s anything dangerous."


    "But¡ª<em>Aaah!</em> I''m just a child! I ought to be enjoying a wonderful time as a child," Tobba eximed and hugged Anna''s calf. However, Anna kicked him away.@@novelbin@@


    Tobba sat up from the ground, stomping his feet in resentment. "Why are you doing this to me? I''m not a tool, you know?"


    Just then, Anna''s gaze swept across Tobba.


    "At the very least," Tobba said, stepping backward and scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "You should pay me a sry, right? I can''t work for you for free."


    "Why do you even need money?" Anna asked. She opened her phone and found that there was no signal at all, but this didn''te as a surprise to her.


    "How about for my kindergarten tuition fees?" Tobba asked. Then, he chattered away for a long time. However, Anna ignored himpletely, so he gave up and walked toward his mother''s tent.


    The next morning at daybreak, the half-asleep Anna woke up in an instant. She could see someone staring at her tent from outside. Her figure phased through the sleeping bag, and she tracked down the owner of the gaze underground.


    Soon, she saw several people in camouge uniforms with firearms in their hands. The group was standing among the trees, and their faces remained motionless even though insects were making a buffet out of them.


    Their equipment looked very familiar; Clearly, they were the Shattered God''s people.


    Just as Anna was wondering about the reason behind their visit, her phone suddenly rang. Anna picked it up and heard a voice from the other end of the line.


    ¡ª Hello, my people are outside your tent. Come out now.


    With that, a crisis was averted. The Fhtagnists and the Shattered God''s followers met in the humid rainforest.


    It seemed that the Shattered God hadn''t lied. They had to have suffered heavy casualties from the previous incident, as only five people hade to meet them¡ªa poor line-uppared to the previous one.


    The Fhtagnists in the camp began to pack up the tents, preparing to set off.


    "How far is my current location from the rendezvous point? Did they specifically choose such a remote location, or do they actually live here?" Anna asked on the phone. Although there was no signal in this ce, the Shattered God could stillmunicate with her, which was pretty amazing.


    "Take a look around. They actually camest night."


    "They camest night?" Anna looked around in confusion but found nothing other than the lush vegetation. There weren''t even any traces at all. The next second, however, the trees suddenly started moving.


    "No, the trees aren''t moving. Those people are moving."


    People covered in moss and tree bark were walking toward the clearing. Their camouge was stunningly realistic, and if it weren''t for their eyes, she would think that those trees hade to life and hade out of the forest.


    Soon, a row of people stood before Anna. A man with green leaves on his head removed his camouge. His dark skin was covered with bizarre patterns carved into his skin with what looked like green ink. His attire was extremely primitive as well, as he had used just a few hemp to cover the vital parts of his frame.


    Their appearance alone told Anna that she was staring at a group of barbarians. Anna found it hard to imagine that they had the Anomaly she desired to obtain.


    The man at the helm pointed to the west and led his people back into the forest without another word.


    "Let''s go. Everyone, keep up," Anna remarked and chased after the group of barbarians. While running, Anna turned to Tobba, who was in Li Lu''s arms, asking, "They must have been here all day, yet you didn''t sense anything?"


    "They showed no hostility to us, so I didn''t think it was necessary to tell you. Don''t worry, I''ll definitely notify you immediately if there''s any threat to us around here," Tobba replied.


    At that, Anna couldn''t help but wonder whether Tobba could do anything else aside from irritating her.


    The group of barbarians traversed the forest as if they were walking on t ground. They led Anna and the others beneath several dozenrge trees.


    The trees were massive, and it''d take more than a few people to wrap their arms around it. The trees were covered with woodendders, and there were tree houses on the branches. Clearly, they lived here.


    <em>Tap, tap, tap!</em>


    The man at the helm picked up two bamboo ts and tapped them gently into each other. One by one, heads popped out from the tree houses. The agile barbarians either climbed down or hung upside down the tree branches to surround Anna and her group from all directions.


    Their weapons were primitive as well, as they used mostly stone axes and wooden bows.


    A man towering nearly two meters tall seemed to be their leader. With white hair and a stern face, he appeared to be holding what looked like a ck obsidian spear as he walked through the crowd to arrive before Anna.


    One of the men in camouge took out a phone from his pocket and dialed the Shattered God''s number. Then, he respectfully extended it toward the towering man.


    A shrill noise reminiscent of static noises echoed from the phone.


    To Anna''s surprise, the towering man seemed to have understood the message behind those static noises. He snatched the phone and gestured for them to follow him.


    Soon, everyone arrived at a wooden stump the size of a washbasin.


    Anna and the towering man, who appeared to be the chieftain of this group of barbarians, stood on opposite sides of the wooden stump. Just like that, the deal was now ongoing.


    "Can they understand me, or do you need your god to trante for me?" Anna asked the Shattered God''s follower standing next to her.


    Before the Shattered God follower could answer, a purple and moldy piece of paper was ced on the stump before being pushed toward Anna. The piece of paper seemed to be the Anomaly that she had been looking for.


    "<em>Oh?</em> You''re letting me inspect the goods first?"


    Anna reached out to take it, but as soon as her fingers touched the paper, it came to life and ran up her arm before sticking to her face. Then, spiked chains burst out from beneath the stump and wrapped around Anna''s slender waist.


    Anna instinctively responded by attempting to phase through the chains using her special ability, but she was shocked to find that the chains were actually suppressing her power.


    Before Anna could do anything else, the towering man raised the ck obsidian spear with both hands and thrust it toward Anna''s chest. The spear pierced Anna''s chest, and her hot blood sttered into the air.


    The towering man turned slightly, allowing Anna to catch a glimpse of a <em>special </em>tattoo on his shoulder. The tattoo was an emblem featuring three arrows pointing inward to a skull, and Anna found it extremely familiar.


    Anna instantly discovered their identity. The group of barbarians was actually a mobile task force from the IMF!

 Chapter 1015: Ambush

    When the towering barbarian chieftain made his move, the others around him drew their weapons, attacking Anna and her group. They also pointed the barrels of their guns at the Shattered God''s followers.


    As soon as they let their arrows loose and pulled the triggers of their guns, a pir of green, corrosive mes engulfed Anna. The bullets and arrows were instantly reduced to ashes.


    The next second, the green mes erupted like a tidal wave, reducing the ashes to nothingness before rushing toward the enemies around Anna like a deluge.


    However, these barbarians seemed to be aware of the immense power that Anna''s green, corrosive mes held. They retreated, moving like agile monkeys to avoid the me.


    The Fhtagnists gathered around Anna, protecting her from all directions. One of the Fhtagnists even hugged Anna tightly, hiding her from the enemies'' line of sight.


    "Throw the smoke grenades! Unleash the sculpture!" At Anna''smand, the Fhtagnists hurled grenades one after another. A ck smoke instantly shrouded them from their enemies.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    The grotesque noise of a spine being snapped into two echoed loudly from within the veil of the smoke. The Fhtagnist, who had assimted the power of a demon sculpture, was killing with wild abandon under the cover of the thick smoke.


    The Fhtagnists lucky enough to obtain their own special ability had obtained mastery over those special abilities, all thanks to Anna''s help. They had also developed their unique fighting style that allowed them to make full use of those abilities.The thick, ck smoke was spreading slowly but surely. The towering barbarian chieftain untied a wooden flute from his waist and sounded it. The nearby trees began trembling, and the trees seemed to havee to life.


    The massive leaves on the trees quivered, kicking up gusts of wind that rapidly dispersed the ck smoke. In no time, the people in the smoke were left with no cover at all.


    <em>Swoosh! </em>


    Before the Fhtagnists could do anything, a rain of arrows took to the sky and descended upon them. If nothing was done, they''d surely be riddled with holes.


    Just then, a bald Fhtagnist thrust his hands into the ground. Then, he roared, and the ground before him was forcibly lifted, bing a wall that blocked the oing arrows.


    Amidst the sshing of rock and dust, a redser dotnded on the wall, and it pierced the wall. The wall then copsed, revealing the bald Fhtagnist with a hole in his forehead. The exit wound on the back of his head told everyone that a bullet had taken his life.


    Four kilometers away, a sniper chewing some gum drew a line on the tree trunk next to him using a still-hot shell casing. The badge on his shoulder depicted an emblem with three ck arrows pointing inward at a red eye.


    The IMF had mobilized more than just one mobile task force!


    "Go! Hurry up and leave! We must get the High Priestess out of here!!"


    The devout and loyal Fhtagnists showed no fear despite knowing that there was a sniper with their sights aimed at them. Their faces were resolute as they surrounded Anna with the intention of defending her from any attack at the expense of their own injuries or death.


    They led Anna behind a tree trunk in order to hide from the sniper''s line of sight, but it was a bad idea.


    A dozen emerald-green venomous snakes were thrown onto them from above.


    The group was plunged into chaos, and a Fhtagnist had his head bitten by one of the venomous snakes. Before anything could be done, his face turned ck, and he fell to the ground, never to rise again.


    They looked up, trying to attack the attacker from above, but they saw no one.


    Just then, a dagger covered in patina emerged from one of the bushes nearby. A hand covered in the same bushes had thrust the dagger toward Hilda, piercing her leg before severing the tendons within in one swift motion.


    The members of the IMF''s mobile task forces were figures to be reckoned with, and unfortunately for Anna, they were everywhere in this forest. They attacked relentlessly and with so many variations that the Fhtagnists struggled to adapt.


    Their numbers rapidly decreased as they retreated, but before they could even walk a hundred meters away, only three of them were remaining.


    With their backs against arge tree, the three looked around. There was no one else around them, but they knew that the sight before them was a mere illusion¡ªthey had already been surrounded with no way out.


    "Brothers, it was my honor to fight alongside you. For mortals, death is the end, but it is just the beginning for us. The great Fhtagn has remembered us. As soon as we leave our mortal, fleshly body, we will¡ª"


    <em>Bang!</em>


    A red dotnded on their foreheads, and a deafening gunshot echoed afterward, interrupting the speech of one of the Fhtagnists. They copsed to the ground with holes leaking blood in their heads.


    The tall Fhtagnist¡ªthe speaker just now¡ªalso copsed and fell face down on the ground.


    Having neutralized all hostile units, the barbarians gathered and used their spears to carefully turn over the figure in the tall Fhtagnist''s arms. However, the figure was Li Lu rather than Anna.


    Li Lu was bound tightly by the tall Fhtagnists'' limbs twisted into spirals. She was struggling fiercely against her restraints, but she couldn''t escape at all.


    Meanwhile, Anna was holding a crystal-clear die in her hand. She would have been dead by now had it not been for the die in her hand. The crystal-clear die was an imagined replica of Charles'' relic, and it allowed her to escape the IMF''s encirclement.


    The Fhtagnists had bought her ample time to teleport several times by pretending like they were still protecting her.


    Anna was not alone. Tobba was mped under her armpit. She had decided to bring Tobba, as his special ability could be useful in this dire situation.


    Anna teleported rapidly across the humid rainforest. Eventually, her stomach churned, and her face reflected agonizing pain.


    However, she knew that she couldn''t stop. There were already helicopters sweeping across the air, and their strong winds battered the leaves into a mess.


    The barbarians, covered in leaves and tree bark, began an orderly search of the perimeter. Although the deste rainforest often saw no more than a handful of visitors annually, it became a battlefield today¡ªall for the sake of one individual: Anna.


    Anna staggered and fell to her knees in a dense thicket. A deep crimson liquid flowed out of her mouth. She was suffering from the side effect of overusing the crystal-clear die. However, there was a bigger problem guing her at the moment¡ªthe ck obsidian spear sticking out of her chest.


    The edges of the mangled wound leaked dark red blood, staining her clothes red.


    "Sister, don''t die, okay? What am I going to do if you end up dying here? I''m afraid I''ll be the next meal of some beast in this wilderness," Tobba remarked. He was so anxious that he looked like he was about to cry. He wanted to help Anna up, but he was just a baby, so he couldn''t help her at all.


    The IMF had captured Anna before and had even held her prisoner for quite a while. Since there was history between them, the IMF would surely not let her live the next time around. Furthermore, the resources they had invested in this ambush made it clear to Anna that they were out for her blood.@@novelbin@@


    <em>No, I can''t die here! I have to go back! Sparkle is still waiting for me¡­ she''s waiting for me to save her!</em>


    Anna gripped the spear in her chest to stabilize herself before forcing herself to move. After walking just a few steps, however, she fell to the ground with a face distorted in pain.


    An extreme searing pain was spreading from her chest, reverberating throughout her entire body. She felt extremely weak; the wound was fatal. She only had minutes left to live, barring any unexpected miracle.


    Anna truly had no idea how to treat this kind of injury. She could easily remove the long spear using her phasing ability, but she would bleed out and die in just a few seconds after doing that.


    Just then, Anna''s phone started ringing. She picked her phone up and saw that the Shattered God was calling her.

 Chapter 1016: Death

    Anna''s eyes shed with extreme hatred as she looked down at the phone in her hand. She pressed the green icon, and the low-resolution screen of the phone flickered before revealing the figure of a bronze doll.


    "Ms. Anna, you''re actually still alive? This is truly beyond my expectations. I can''t believe you managed to survive the joint attack of Sigma-66 ''Wilderness Hunters'' and Tau-2 ''Red Eye.''"


    The answer was finally revealed¡ªthe Shattered God had betrayed Anna. This was all a trap made by both the Shattered God and the IMF to eliminate Anna.


    Anna wanted nothing more than to tear the Shattered God apart, but she couldn''t reveal her inner feelings just yet, as she still wanted to use the Shattered God to escape her dire predicament.


    "That fusion ritual is nothing. Work with me, and you''ll have more than just that!" Anna said.


    "Sorry, I can''t work with you. I simply have no choice at this point," the Shattered God said, tly refusing Anna''s offer.


    "What exactly did the IMF give you? What good will this bring for you? You have no idea just how severe the mistake you''ve made by doing this to me!"


    The Shattered God lowered its head, and its voice grew increasingly somber as it replied, "It brings nothing good for me. The IMF hasn''t given me anything in exchange as well. After this, they might even capture me, but it had to be done."


    "Are you insane?! Why have you done something that won''t bring anything good for you?!" Anna eximed. Then, a sharp pain erupted from her heart, forcing her to cough up a mouthful of blood.The bronze doll was quiet for a long while. Then, deep fear filled its eyes as it eximed, "Because I''m scared!"


    "What?" Anna muttered weakly in disbelief.


    "You summoned that thing! You summoned an existence that was too strong to even gaze upon! It was so mighty that even if I end up gathering all my fragments, I''ll still be no match for it!" the Shattered God eximed in a quavering voice.


    The rivets and screws all over its figures began falling off as it crumbled, seemingly to reflect its tumultuous state of mind.


    "That being is far more terrifying than the IMF! I can scarcely imagine what fate would befall me if you somehow managed to summon that existence to Earth! And if there''s a god in this world, then it can only be me, the Shattered God!!"


    The answer was so absurd that Anna couldn''t help but roar, "You sold me out for such a childish reason?! Shouldn''t you have at least probed me a little before making such a drastic decision?"


    "And that fool would nevere to the surface world! If he wanted toe here, then he would have done so a long time ago!" Anna eximed, squeezing out the final vestiges of her strength.


    The Shattered God wordlessly looked at the weakened Anna. Clearly, it did not believe her at all.


    Just then, the bushes and the thickets nearby were pushed aside as the spear-wielding barbarians cautiously walked up to Anna.


    Immediately afterward, fourser beams pierced the dense foliage,nding on the vital areas all over Anna. The distant whirring of the helicopters became louder and louder as the IMF rapidly closed in on Anna''s location.


    Evidently, their swift arrival was due in no small part to the Shattered God. "Sorry, I gave them your coordinates. Actually, I don''t think it matters at this point. Your fate has already been sealed."


    Anna could feel the searing pain disappearing, and she found herself bing increasingly sleepy as the seconds went by.


    <em>This is bad¡­ </em>Anna struggled to open her eyes and look at the Shattered God on the screen of her phone. "Is my home also being attacked as we speak?"


    "That''s right," someone else said instead of the Shattered God. A rope descended from above, and a bespectacled man in a whiteb coat rappelled down on one hand,nding lightly in front of Anna.


    "We''ve sent two mobile task forces to round up your people there. I''m not sure if that little boy is anything special, but we''re going to take him away and study him thoroughly to find out," the bespectacled man said.


    "<em>Hahaha¡­</em> is that so? Then¡­ you''d better¡­ be careful. He''s more dangerous¡­ than me..." the deathly pale Anna stammered.


    "Thanks for the warning. We will be careful, 315," the bespectacled man replied. A smug look suffused his face as he looked down at the dying Anna.


    "Has plunging two sites into chaos made you let your guard down? Did you really think you could challenge the entire IMF by yourself after doing that? So, how does it feel to be dying to your folly?


    "The IMF''s strength far exceeds what you''ve seen. Under our watch, no one and nothing can threaten mankind."


    Anna''s vision was swimming at this point, but her heart was filled with a strong unwillingness to die like this. She still had so much unfinished business. She had imagined dying at some point, but she had never imagined dying like this.


    Anna''s hand holding the phone dropped powerlessly, and she tapped Tobba''s calf with her finger. She could no longer speak, but her gaze was enough for Tobba to know what she wanted him to do.


    However, Tobba appeared exceptionally innocent amidst the IMF''s encirclement. "Hey, hey, hey, why are you looking at me? What do you want me to do here? I''m just a baby. What <em>can </em>I even do?"


    Seeing that Anna was still staring at him, Tobba sighed helplessly and replied, "All right, all right, I''ll try my best. I can''t guarantee that it''ll work, though."


    With that, Tobba coughed lightly and looked up, smiling at the bespectacled man.


    "Sir, how about we have a little chat? Actually, 315 is pretty easy to talk to. How about we all sit down and talk this over? Is that okay?


    "Really, this is all just a misunderstanding. Her goal isn''t to annihte mankind. She just wants to return to where she came from."


    Tobba rubbed his hands together, revealing a fawning grin. "How about this? Save her life, and I''ll make her tell you everything that she knows. How''s that? She knows <em>many</em> things."@@novelbin@@


    Unfortunately, Tobba was given a polished leather shoe as a reward for his incessant chatter. The bespectacled man kicked Tobba away. Thetter rolled twice on the ground before stopping.


    It was unknown whether he was still alive or not.


    The bespectacled man''s expression turned to one of disgust as he swept his gaze across Anna and Tobba. "What right do things like you have to talk to us? Tools like you will always be tools. Humans are the sole masters of Earth!"


    With that, he stepped up to Anna and squatted down on one knee before reaching out to the ck obsidian spear in thetter''s chest.


    "Sole... masters? <em>Hehe¡­</em>" Anna moved her facial muscles with great difficulty to sneer at the bespectacled man.


    The bespectacled man raised his arm and looked at his watch. "The time is 14:32:47, Anomaly 315 is hereby executed."


    As soon as he uttered the final syble of his sentence, the bespectacled man yanked the spear out of Anna''s chest, which had pierced her beating heart.


    Anna''s eyes widened, and she inhaled sharply as green mes erupted from the ground, engulfing the bespectacled man. The bespectacled man''s face distorted in terror, but he couldn''t even scream before he crumbled into a pile of ashes.


    Anna used the final vestiges of her strength to re at the members of the IMF''s mobile task forces.


    "Since you''re afraid that I might one day summon Him. Are you not afraid that killing me would force Him toe to the surface world?" Anna asked. Then, she went limp and copsed to the ground with her pupils dted.


    Anna was dead, but everyone present spoke not a word, afraid that her warning woulde true.


    One minuteter, two minutester, and three minutester¡­


    The members of the IMF''s mobile task forces finally sighed in relief when nothing happened even after three minutes since Anna''s death.


    A doctor walked over and confirmed that 315 was truly dead before they stuffed her ice-cold body into a body bag.

 Chapter 1017: Interrogation

    Anna''s eyes were open, and she was staring without blinking at the bright white LED lights on the ceiling. She stared at the lights for a long time. A tiny speck of dust slowly drifted onto her cornea, but she remained moving.


    Just then, a pair of cold, rubber-gloved hands reached out, gently cradling Anna''s head. They detached her from her body and soaked it in formalin.


    The pair of cold hands emerged from the pungent liquid and carefully picked up the scalpel next to them. "Assistant, start recording."


    The other person in the morgue rapidly tapped on a tablet and said, "The time is 16:21:29. The dissection of 315 begins now."


    The medical examiners wearing masks and d in white coats bowed deeply to the headless corpse before them.


    "Name: Anna; ID number: 315; Age: 17; Sex: Female; Cause of Death: Acute massive hemorrhage caused by a rupture in the heart''s left ventricle."@@novelbin@@


    "First task: Observe and analyze the subject''s trunk muscles through systematic dissection¡ªno abnormal lesions, no infections, and no abnormal proliferative tissues were found."


    "Second task: Observe and analyze the subject''s bones and joints¡ªno abnormal lesions, no infections, and no abnormal proliferative tissues were found."


    "Third task: Observe and analyze the subject''s limb muscles through systematic dissection¡ªno abnormal lesions, no infections, and no abnormal proliferative tissues were found.."Anna''s body was slowly unwrapped like a delicate gift amidst the medical examiners'' technical jargon. Every part of her body was thoroughly dissected and analyzed.


    The dissection was live-streamed, and the IMF''s top brass were all watching. It was clear that the IMF had ced tremendous importance on 315. One could even say that everything rted to 315 was a top-priority matter.


    When 315 had just appeared, they thought that she was just an Anomaly possessing Anna''s body with a special ability to manipte people''s minds.


    Even when it was revealed that 315 had a way to fuse an Anomaly with a human being, they merely raised her threat level to B+. After all, they had to deal with many Anomalies all over the world.


    Among those Anomalies, 315 was not particrly outstanding, even bordering on mediocre, but they were wrong, <em>utterly </em>wrong.


    315''s threat far exceeded their imaginations. She could actually summon an entity capable of destroying the Earth.


    Through the ounts of both the Shattered God and the severely mentally contaminated "Jackal," they came to learn about <em>that</em> entity; it was an entity that could easily wipe out all life on Earth.


    Upon hearing of it, the IMF immediately raised 315''s threat level to the highest level. A state of emergency was dered, and every single department worked together for just one objective¡ªeliminate 315.


    Fortunately, there were no twists and turns. 315 was killed during their first wave of attacks. Of course, this wasn''t beyond their expectations. 315 was powerful, but she was just one individual; she couldn''t possibly stand against an organization that had been ensuring mankind''s safety from behind the scenes for a long time.


    315 was dead, but the matter was far from over. In fact, they were left with more questions.


    A man in a gray-striped suit was sipping his coffee while listening to the report of a mobile task force''s captain.


    Once the report was done, he gently ced the coffee cup on the table with a somewhat dissatisfied look. "You do know how important your mission is, don''t you? Despite that, you actually let that boy escape? He''s just an ordinary eight-year-old boy."


    The soldier wearing ck sunsses was standing at attention as he impassively replied, "Dr. Nightwatch, my men didn''t find any traces of that boy in the target''s residence. The only thing we saw was that clown mask, and it fled frantically upon seeing us.


    "Of course, we contained it quite easily despite its formidable might."


    "<em>Hmph!</em> Captain Cannan, you really know how to make yourself look good. You''re Alpha-4''s captain, so I really don''t know why you''re even bragging about capturing an Anomaly that has already been contained once," Doctor Nightwatch said with a tinge of sarcasm.


    "I''m telling you this¡ªthat boy is the key. He''s close to 315, and he might be the next 315!" Doctor Nightwatch eximed.


    Cannan remained unyielding as he retorted, "I understand the importance of your concern, but I must request a re-examination of the gathered intelligence.


    "We''ve inspected everything in the city¡ªevery car, every train, and even the flights leading up to the mission have all been scrutinized with no results so far. I have reasonable grounds to doubt if that boy even exists."


    Nightwatch revealed a frosty smile and took out a phone from his pocket. He tossed it over to Cannan and said, "You tell them yourself, then. See if they''ll believe your nonsense."


    Upon hearing the voice on the phone, Canaan immediately stood at attention and listened without a word. In the end, he looked a bit disgruntled as he lobbed the phone back at Nightwatch and walked away.


    "<em>Hmph,</em> the grunts must take care of the grunt work," Nightwatch remarked. He downed his coffee and walked toward the door on the left.


    A massive prison with pitifully little natural light was just outside the door on the left, and the cells used to hold prisoners were so small that they were more like glorified coffins.


    The military barracks next door could be seen through the windows. The patrolling soldiers with guns in hand proved the threat level of the figures imprisoned here.


    Instead of heading for the prison, Nightwatch made a beeline for the interrogation room. Standing before the one-way ss, Nightwatch crossed his arms and looked at the person inside¡ªLi Lu.


    Li Lu was once part of the IMF, but unfortunately, she betrayed the organization.


    "I''ve already told you everything I know. Now, where is my baby? I want to see him," the haggard Li Lu dressed in red prison garb said to the person interrogating her.


    A woman nced at the lie detector device with a faint smile and spoke into the microphone. "Don''t worry. As long as you cooperate with us, you''ll eventually see your child. I''m sure you know the rules as a former IMF agent."


    "I''ve already told you everything that I know! What more do you want me to say? What <em>exactly</em> do you want me to say? I just want to see Tobba once! Just once!" Li Lu eximed. The consecutive interrogations over the past few days had left her feeling quite irritated and fed up.


    Li Lu hadn''t seen Tobba again since their excursion to that rainforest. She knew that the IMF had definitely interrogated her fellow passengers on that ne, and they had to have learned of Tobba''s special qualities.


    Li Lu didn''t even dare to imagine what kind of torture her child was going through at the moment.


    Nightwatch walked up to the control panel and spoke into the microphone. "Tell her that the more information she provides about that little boy named Gao Zhiming, the easier everything will be for her. That boy is the only one on the run, after all.


    The man sitting across from Li Lu adjusted his earpiece and asked, "How much do you know about that little boy called Gao Zhiming?"


    At that, the hysterical Li Lu calmed down and sat back down. "I know very little about him. All I know is that that Anna brought him back home one day."

 Chapter 1018: Meal

    Chapter 1018: Meal


    "What was their rtionship like? 315 and that child," the man said, repeating Nightwatch''s question.


    After contemting for a moment, Li Lu slowly said, "At first, Anna treated him very well. She would even give him a bath and watch him eat. She treated him in a way that can be called excessive, even for a biological son.


    "That''s when I realized that the madwoman is actually capable of empathy.


    "When she returned from abroad, however, Anna''s attitude toward him did aplete hundred and eighty degrees. She even choked the boy until his neck turned blue. Back then, it was like she <em>really </em>wanted to kill him."


    Staring at Li Lu seemingly lost in her own thoughts, Nightwatch pondered for a moment before asking other questions.


    "Stop asking me about their rtionship because I really don''t know! I was basically a hostage there, so why would that madwoman tell me anything?!" Li Lu cried out, looking somewhat frenzied.


    She appeared to be losing control of her emotions, but this was actually an act on Li Lu''s end to conceal something. It was true that the rtionship between Anna and that boy was unknown to her, but her child Tobba was definitely privy to it.


    For some reason, that madwoman would discuss everything with her son; she didn''t treat him as an outsider at all. To make matters worse, her child had kept all of those details a secret.


    He was so serious about keeping those pieces of information a secret that he wasn''t willing to divulge them to everyone, including even his own mother.Li Lu even felt a bit jealous of Tobba''s rtionship with Anna. Tobba''s attitude toward his own mother had always been perfunctory. Of course, Li Lu could never say anything about that. Otherwise, her child would be in even more danger.


    "Since you lived with them under the same roof, have you ever seen 315 teaching that child any <em>special </em>knowledge?"


    Li Lu froze, feeling that perhaps this question was the point of today''s interrogation.


    "No, never. Anna never taught him any <em>special</em> knowledge or anything like that. She didn''t even introduce herself to that child and only made him call her ''Big Sister,'' but I really don''t know why she did that."@@novelbin@@


    Although Li Lu was a captive, Nightwatch felt much more at ease upon hearing her words. He took out his phone and made a call.


    "There aren''t any results on this side either. I personally think that we can lower his threat level and just let the <em>shadows </em>look for him. Based on the intelligence that we''ve gathered thus far, that child didn''t even know how to write when 315 brought him back home.


    "I''m afraid there won''t be much to gain even if we find him.


    "<em>Mmhm, mmhmm, </em>I know what you''re worried about. But don''t you think that we should be more worried about the possibility of whether Anomalies like 315 might appear instead of worrying about that child bing the next 315?"


    Nightwatch''s worries weren''t unfounded, as there was already a precedent. There was this time when they executed a certain Anomaly, but two Anomalies simr to the executed Anomaly ended up popping up somewhere.


    Those two Anomalies gave the IMF a big headache, and since then, the IMF had been refraining from summarily eliminating Anomalies. If 315 hadn''t been so destructive, then they wouldn''t have resorted to eliminating her outright.


    "And hey, old pal, shouldn''t our top priority be finding out what exactly 315 had summoned?" Nightwatch said. The speaker on the other end of the line fell silent.


    Nightwatch''s remark seemed to be as heavy and as oppressive as a towering mountain, as it made the person on the other end of the line feel like they were suffocating.


    After a while, the person on the other end of the line spoke once again.


    ¡ªMmhm, got it. You go deal with the Feathered Serpent in Africa. There are professionals handling the aftermath of this incident, so don''t worry about it."


    With that, Nightwatch ended the call. As he turned around and walked toward the door, he said, "Send that woman back to her cell. Remember to keep asking the same questions every few days to see if there are any contradictions in her story."


    "Wait!" Li Lu''s voice echoed from the speakers. "I''ve answered your questions, so you''re going to let me see my son, right?"


    "Please just let me see him <em>once!</em> Just once, please! I''m begging you. I really miss him.


    "Why?! I already told you everything I know! Why won''t you believe me?!"


    ***


    There were quite a few people out for an evening stroll down a bustling night market. Considering the foot traffic, it wasn''t strange that there were many food stalls lining up the streets.


    A disheveled boy was standing on his toes in the corner of the street, rummaging through a smelly dumpster with his hands. In no time, he fished out a watermelon rind.


    Eyeing the tiny bit of red on the rind, the boy ravenously bit into it. When the sweet juice entered his belly, the boy felt a bit of his hunger going away. He had yet to eat today, so he was incredibly hungry.


    The juice from the watermelon rind had washed off some of the grime on his face. The boy noticed it and hurriedly smeared his face with his ckened hands.


    The masked uncle had told Gao Zhiming that bad people were looking for him, and he was also told never to let those people find him.


    It was true. Many people had been searching for him over the past few days.


    Gao Zhiming could have never imagined that his experience as a homeless vagrant woulde in handy one day. He had memorized which shortcuts he could use to escape as well as the good ces to hide.


    Through those shortcuts and alleyways, Gao Zhiming managed to avoid being found.


    Returning to his formerpanions would allow him to live much morefortably than now, but he was afraid that those bad people were lurking around that ce, thus he dared not go back there.


    In fact, he was so scared of being found that he had been minimizing his time spent searching for food to avoid any attention to himself.


    After looking left and right, Gao Zhiming ced his hands on the greasy edge of the dumpster and leaped in before closing the lid. There were rats in the dumpster, but Gao Zhiming didn''t mind them at all.


    Rats were good, as wherever rats went, there would be food.


    Gao Zhiming''s actions hadn''t gone unnoticed by the people nearby. The boy could feel the heat, so he hurriedly climbed out with arge ck trash bag slung over his shoulder before dashing into the adjacent dark alleyway.


    He opened the ck trash bag and peeked into it using the dim moonlight. The trash bag seemed to contain a hodgepodge of everything¡ªchicken bones, broken skewers, oyster shells, an unknown soup in a foil container, snot-covered tissues, and even a half-empty can of c.


    Gao Zhiming took out a stic bag from his coat and put everything that looked edible into it.


    Soon, Gao Zhiming was thrilled to find some cold mutton chunks among the trash. Of course, the mutton had be quite rank, but he didn''t mind it at all. He gave one of the chunks a quick lick and shoved everything into the bag upon discovering they hadn''t spoiled yet.


    Gao Zhiming spent a long time sorting the trash, but he barely found anything to eat. He gazed longingly at the distant dumpsters, but he dared not go again. Gao Zhiming hugged his stic bag full of food and left in a hurry.


    Gao Zhiming left the lively street and darted nimbly between the buildings. Thirty minutester, he arrived at a sparsely popted unfinished building. He looked left and right, ensuring that no one was around before running inside with the stic bag in hand.


    Jogging all the way to the top floor, Gao Zhiming breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that the pile of garbage in the bare, empty room hadn''t been disturbed by anyone. He knelt on the ground and pushed aside the pile of junk, revealing Anna''s face.


    The boy was staring at Anna''s other fleshly body.

 Chapter 1020: Incident

    "<em>Ptoeeey!</em>" The skinny young man spat a wad of yellow phlegm onto the ground. "Damn it! I told you a beggar must be living here, man. Just look at how much garbage is in here! We''re so damned unlucky!"


    Gao Zhiming didn''t even nce at the two. He hurriedly ran to the pile of garbage with their breakfast in his arms. Seeing that no one had disturbed the pile of trash, he breathed a deep sigh of relief. They had yet to discover his big sister.


    "Hey, little beggar,e here. I want to ask you something."


    Gao Zhiming dared not let his guard down upon hearing the arrogant voice. He put down the food and ran over to the skinny young man.


    "Let me ask you something. Except for you, no one elsees to this ce, right?" the devious-looking skinny young man asked Gao Zhiming while taking a puff on his cigarette.


    "No, no one elsees here except for me," Gao Zhiming answered truthfully. He simply wanted to satisfy their demands so they would leave as soon as possible.


    Hearing Gao Zhiming''s words, the two young men nced at each other and nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, then, take your junk and scram. We brothers need to use this ce."


    Gao Zhiming instantly became anxious. His big sister was here, so he couldn''t do that. "<em>Um, </em>what do you want this ce for? There''s nothing in here."


    <em>Smack!</em>The skinny young man pped Gao Zhiming across the face, causing one side of his cheek to immediately swell up.


    "You little shit, what the fuck does that matter to you? You looking for a beating? Hurry up and get the hell out of here!"


    Gao Zhiming held his cheek, looking aggrieved while holding back his tears. He nced at the distant pile of garbage and asked, "Can youe back tomorrow, then? I''ll move out right away today."


    "What did you just say, you little bastard?" the squatting skinny young man stood up and started rolling up his sleeves. "I dare you to repeat what you just said."


    The chubby young man beside him reached out to stop him. "Come on, man, how old are you to still get worked up at a kid? This little beggar just can''t bear to part with his junk. It''s easy to make him leave."


    The chubby young man reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter depicting a naked woman on its surface. He then started walking toward the pile of garbage.


    The sight made all the blood in Gao Zhiming''s body go to his head. He hesitated not even a second, dashing in front of the garbage pile at top speed. Then, he raised his arms, blocking the way.


    The chubby young man looked at Gao Zhiming before him in some surprise. He hadn''t expected the boy to care so much about a pile of garbage when they were clearly things that couldn''t be sold for money.


    "Okay, okay, I won''t burn them. We''ll just leave, all right? Don''t get all worked up," the chubby young man put away the lighter and turned around to leave. ??£Î???¦¥??


    "But I really want to see what you''re trying to hide from us," the chubby young man said and rushed to the pile of garbage before kicking it hard.


    Gao Zhiming had just let his guard down when the pile of trash covering Anna was kicked away.


    The chubby young was instantly stunned upon seeing Anna.


    "Damn, there really is something hidden in the garbage?" The skinny young man walked over with a cigarette between his teeth, and he saw Gao Zhiming nervously propping Anna up.


    The two young men sized Anna up before turning to each other.


    "Why''s this gorgeous chick not moving? She''s still alive, isn''t she?"


    "Her chest is moving. She must be alive."


    "Then, why is she asleep? Is she one of those people in a vegetative state? Like those people they show on TV? Hehe, doesn''t that mean that we can do whatever we want with her?"


    "Not just that. We can even sell her afterward. I mean, just look at her face. She''s so pretty. I''m sure those baldies wille every day even if we ask them for fifty every round."


    "<em>Mmhm,</em> that''s a pretty good idea. Coincidentally, no one reallyes here, so I don''t think anyone''s going to find out. Haha, let me have a go at her first."


    Gao Zhiming had no idea what they were talking about, but he could sense their malice. Thus, he stood in front of Anna and raised his arms to protect her.


    Having finished their discussion, the chubby young man took out his wallet and took out a few red bills, calmly saying, "Hey, boy, take this money and go buy yourself something to eat. We''ll help you take care of that woman."


    "I don''t want your money! Go away! Don''t you dare touch my sister!"


    <em>Smack!</em>


    The skinny young man pped Gao Zhiming, making him stagger.


    "Why are you even doing that nonsense?" the skinny young man said to the chubby young man. "We can just beat him up until he runs away."@@novelbin@@


    The skinny young man walked up to Gao Zhiming and looked down at thetter from above while slowly raising his palm.


    "Are you going to leave or not?"


    "I''m not leaving!"


    <em>Smack!</em>


    "Are you going to leave?"


    "I''m not leaving!"


    <em>Smack!</em>


    "Are you going to leave or not?"


    "Not leaving!"


    <em>Smack!</em>


    The powerful ps made Gao Zhiming''s head swell. He felt dizzy and lightheaded. He couldn''t even stand straight at this point, but he remained unyielding.


    The skinny young man couldn''t take it anymore and started punching and kicking Gao Zhiming. In no time, Gao Zhiming''s body swelled up like his head.


    Since the skinny young man was upied with Gao Zhiming, the chubby young man squatted next to Anna and sized her up. After a while, he raised his hand and was about to stick it beneath Anna''s clothes.


    "What are you doing?! Stay away from my sister!" Gao Zhiming roared, interrupting the chubby young man. He was about to charge over as well, but the skinny young man blocked his way.


    The skinny young man raised his leg to kick Gao Zhiming, but he felt a sharp pain in his calf instead of a soft feedback from hitting thetter.


    Shockingly, Gao Zhiming was holding a juggling knife in both hands, and he had viciously thrust the knife into the man''s leg.


    The skinny young man shrieked as crimson blood gushed out of his wound. The chubby young man heard that and rushed over to him.


    Gao Zhiming went around them and stood in front of Anna.


    "Fuck, fuck, fuck! Kill that little bastard for me, Big Dragon! Kill him!" the skinny young man roared while pressing on his wound.


    The chubby young man looked at Gao Zhiming and found the boy staring at them with determined eyes while gripping a juggling knife in both hands. After a few moments of hesitation, the chubby young man picked up the skinny young man and headed for the stairwell.


    As soon as the duo left, the battered Gao Zhiming finally couldn''t hold on any longer. He copsed on top of Anna and passed out. When he woke up again, it was already night. He had been awakened by hunger again, and his entire body was screaming at him.


    In fact, he was so swollen that he looked like he had gained some pounds.


    Gao Zhiming endured the pain and scooted over to the stic bag to stuff a cold steamed bun into his mouth. He chewed on it desperately and swallowed big mouthfuls of the bun.


    Gao Zhiming nced at the motionless Anna as he ate.


    This ce was no longer safe. He had to get his big sister away from here. Having devoured three steamed buns, Gao Zhiming recovered some of his strength. He ced Anna in a sack and dragged her toward the stairwell.


    Gao Zhiming was so weak that dragging Anna from the top floor to the first floor was an impossible task, but he dared not stop. Those people wanted to do bad things to his big sister, and he had to protect her from them!


    Whenever he got too tired, he would rest for a bit; whenever he felt like he could keep going, he would continue dragging Anna down to the first floor.


    Just like that, Gao Zhiming went down floor by floor. By the time he brought Anna to the fourth floor, it was alreadyte at night.


    Just then, the rumbling of motorcycle engines echoed from outside, and they were getting closer and closer to the building. Gao Zhiming''s heart skipped a beat upon hearing that. He hurried to the ssless window and looked down.


    Several motorcycles with their high beams turned on had just stopped in the vacant lot before the unfinished building, and Gao Zhiming watched as the riders got off their motorcycles.

 Chapter 1023: Conversation

    "As I said, the Subterranean Sea is full of hopelessness and despair. However, you''re destined to go there. We''ll follow the n and modify all of your memories prior to your arrival in that hellish ce. This is your destiny."


    A spoonful of rice covered with a rich gravy was stuffed into Gao Zhiming''s mouth.


    A fair, slender hand was holding the spoon. Needless to say, it was Anna''s hand.


    Having decided to confess, Anna divulged everything to her husband, who was just eight years old.


    "Does that mean I''ll forget you, Big Sister?" Gao Zhiming asked. He gripped the hem of the nket as hey on the hospital bed while staring at Anna with worried eyes.


    "You''ll have to go down there in eight years at most. You''ll have to go down so the Diois Tribe''s special ability can reconstruct me. By then, we will meet each other again.


    "If you don''t go down, then I will cease to exist. Our daughter Sparkle will cease to exist as well."


    Upon hearing that his future self would meet his big sister, Gao Zhiming finally felt at ease.


    "And our enemy is the IMF¡ªthey are our mortal enemy," Anna spat coldly. Upon plunging two IMF sites into chaos, Anna began underestimating the IMF. In addition, the fact that the Shattered God somehow had a mole among their ranks made them appear even weaker in Anna''s eyes.Thus, she never really took the surface world''s foundation seriously.


    However, Anna was still too weak to resist the fury of an entire organization. Had it not been for her extra fleshly body, she would have actually died.


    "They''re the ones chasing Uncle Mask? But why are they after us? Will they let us go if we talk nicely to them?" Gao Zhiming asked.


    Anna shoved a spoonful of rice into Gao Zhiming''s mouth. "Stop dreaming. They''ve gone crazy upon making the assumption that I summoned that scumbag."


    The IMF''s t was to do everything for mankind''s sake. In other words, if they learned that Anna¡ªcapable of summoning an existence strong enough to destroy the world¡ªwas actually still alive, they would definitely put everything aside to deal with her.


    Fortunately, Anna was safe¡ªfor now.


    After all, they had taken her other fleshly body, so they were definitely convinced that she was dead.


    Regardless, Anna knew that if she wanted to wait peacefully until Gao Zhiming was back in the Subterranean Sea, she would have to ensure that they would remain hidden from the IMF''s eyes. To do that, she had to be even stronger.


    Anna also knew that she had to deal with them, or they would keep hounding her.


    If she wanted to live peacefully with Gao Zhiming, then the only thing she could do was to keep bing even stronger and eventually defeat them!


    With that thought in mind, Anna pinched Gao Zhiming''s cheeks and sneered, "<em>Heh, </em>you gave up everything just to protect them, and what did you get in return? They actually view you as a world-destroying monster!


    "Is this what you wanted, you self-righteous fool?!"


    "I''m not a fool..." Gao Zhiming retorted, looking gloomy.


    Anna sighed, knowing that whatever she would say to him would eventually be erased in the future. In other words, talking about such matters with Gao Zhiming was meaningless.@@novelbin@@


    "Forget it; let''s not talk about it anymore. Eat. You have to recover as soon as possible. This ce isn''t exactly safe."


    Gao Zhiming chewed on his food while thinking about his big sister''s words. After hesitating for a few moments, he raised both hands to grab Anna''s soft hand before saying, "Don''t worry, Big Sister. I''m going to help you no matter what! I can be strong, too!" ?¨¤????¨§?


    Anna leaned over, and her fragrance struck Gao Zhiming on the face, making the boy feel flustered.


    At the adorable sight, Anna couldn''t help but mutter, "Gao Zhiming is actually so cute, so how did you end up looking like a monster despite being human in the future?"


    Anna gave Gao Zhiming a light peck on the cheek before feeding him.


    "The adults shall deal with the adult things; a child like you should just stay put."


    However, Gao Zhiming shook his head wrapped in white gauze."I''m weak right now, but I can be very strong! Can you give me those green mes on your hand, Big Sister? I''ll be really strong with those mes!"


    Anna raised her right hand and looked down at the wound covered by a faintyer of green mes. The arm was constantly screaming at her in pain, but she had long gotten used to it.


    "It''s going to be really painful."


    "I''m not afraid of pain!" Gao Zhiming eximed, clenching his fists. Then, in an effort to express his resolve and determination to help his big sister, he yanked out the IV lines on the back of his hands.


    For some reason, Anna was starting to like the stubborn little boy as she stared at his determined face. "Alright."


    "Really?!" Gao Zhiming''s eyes lit up, "No take backsies, Big Sister!"


    "<em>Mmhm, </em>I believe you need to be a bit stronger just in case the recent incident happens again. You''ll also have a chance at survival if the IMF ends up hunting you down."


    With that, Anna looked at the wound on her arm again. "You have no experience when ites to manipting your sea of consciousness, so you won''t be able to wield the Primordial Fire. However, there are other things that you can use."


    "That''s great!" Gao Zhiming eximed. He was so excited that he jumped up from the bed. He had always been hoping to be useful to his big sister. Moreover, Gao Zhiming found this to be way more interesting than going to school.


    <em>Mm, show me the fearless spirit that you had in the Subterranean Sea, Gao Zhiming. I also want to see just how Captain Charles dominate and upended the surface world.</em>


    After pacifying the excited Gao Zhiming, Anna proceeded to feed him the rest of his meal. The boy''s injuries were so severe that he immediately dozed off upon finishing his meal.


    Anna nced at the boy on the bed before opening theptop on the table and browsing a few news portals in an attempt to deduce the IMF''s movements from any clues online.


    Anna knew that she held the advantage. After all, she was hidden while the enemy was out in the open. She hoped that her corpse would deceive them for a long time, at least until she waspletely out of trouble.


    The IMF knew not to leave any traces online, so Anna obtained no clues whatsoever. This was to be expected, as the IMF''s goal had always been to remain hidden from the public eye.


    After a few moments of contemtion, Anna recalled someone. Then, she typed in the words "Wang Construction Group" into the browser''s address bar.


    There was no need for her to guess the Clown, Tobba, and the Fhtagnists'' fates, so she was more curious about Wang Jianshe''s fate.


    However, Anna was taken aback by the search results. Wang Jianshe''spany hadn''t suffered at all. In fact, it was even flourishing.


    "<em>Hm?</em> What''s going on here?" Anna saw Wang Jianshe in a grand ribbon-cutting ceremony held just today, and his beaming face told her that he wasn''t acting at all. "No, I can''t contact him for the time being. I can''t be certain that the IMF doesn''t have any shadows by his side."

 Chapter 1024: Old Haunt

    Chapter 1024: Old Haunt


    Anna was definitely in a disadvantageous position. The prowess that she had painstakingly umted over many months had been wiped out in one fell swoop.


    She no longer had anyone else except for the soon-to-be nine-year-old Gao Zhiming. She managed to escape by faking her death and removing herself from the IMF''s hit list, but the IMF had shadows everywhere.


    Anna knew that it was only a matter of time until they learned that she had somehowe back to life.


    She had to be strong enough before then, or she would be pushed into a dead-end once again. At this point, both sides had long rushed past the point of no return, so there would no longer be anypromises.


    There was no way Anna would resort to seeking outside help again. If even someone like the Shattered God¡ªthe IMF''s nemesis¡ªcould stab her in the back, then she could trust no one in this world.


    Anna''s fingers danced rapidly across the keyboard as she opened a map of the world. Her gazended on the waters of the Indian Ocean. If she wanted to bring others under Fhtagn''s influence, then she had to return to these waters.


    Anna''s eyes narrowed, and many things went through her head as she stared at the vast expanse of blue. The only ones she could trust on the surface were the Fhtagnists. They were the most honest individuals in her eyes, and they would always obey her.


    Having learned about the IMF''s existence, Anna wouldn''t repeat the same mistake of sailing over to the Indian Ocean in a grandiose manner to hold the conversion ritual.


    Anna believed that this was probably her one and only chance to turn the tables. Upon recruiting some people, Anna nned on sorting them out over and over again, and she couldn''t recruit as many people as before; the more people on her side, the greater the risk of getting discovered by the IMF.


    ***


    A beam of white light was shuttling across the lightless the Subterranean Sea. The streak of white light was none other than Lily, and her goal was to return to <em>that </em>ne.


    Lily had been flying for a very long time, and she was utterly exhausted.


    Upon deciding that she would return to <em>that</em> ne, Lily immediately set off from Hope Ind. However, she btedly realized that the ind where the V12 Containment Site was located had somehow disappeared.


    Lily instantly deduced that it was most likely the handiwork of this ne''s Mr. Charles. She had to seek this ne''s Mr. Charles to return to <em>that </em>ne. Thus, Lily had been scouring the Subterranean Sea for any news about a "living" ind.


    Unfortunately, the task was easier said than done. Lily had been searching for quite a while now without any luck. Clearly, Charles didn''t want others to know his location.


    The long search left Lily physically and mentally exhausted. She was powerful, but she wasn''tpletely safe. In fact, no one could im to bepletely safe from the dangers of the vast seascape.


    Yesterday, a brief encounter with a Divinity gave Lily a grim reminder of the fact that she could be in danger despite her power.


    The Divinity was in the form of a volcano¡ªa colossal volcano hanging upside-down from the rockyer overhead. Despite being a massivendform, it was wriggling like a giant spider.


    The volcano''s crater spat green mes that fell like rain onto the sea. The green mes were so hot that they boiled the seawater upon impact, killing all marine life nearby.


    As far as Lily was concerned, she was extremely far away from the Divinity, but she was absolutely certain that those green mes were staring at her.@@novelbin@@


    Soon, Lily spotted an ind that resembled an egg, and the sight of it made Lily rx instantly. She suppressed the lighting from her figure and descended slowly onto the ind.


    Lily swept her gaze across the Gothic-style buildings as well as the bats flying overhead as if they were flocks of birds.


    Lily soon realized that she had been here with Mr. Charles nearly ten years ago.


    This was the ind of those vampires¡ªDark Crystal Ind. Back then, Mr. Charles had discovered clues about the surface world on this ind.


    The current Lily was worlds apart from the former Lily. She shrugged off the unfriendly gazes and walked away. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than to have a good meal and get a good night''s sleep.


    The restaurants on Dark Crystal Ind served human food.


    Lily sat in front of a table and ate with relish. Her meal for today consisted of the ind''s specialty dishes¡ªgrilled blood sausage and ck waffles.


    While eating, Lily discovered that she wasn''t the only human in the restaurant. A group of people emanating the scent of the sea were eating and chatting among themselves.


    "Go back to the ship immediately after buying a few bottles of booze. We''re going to drink those booze on the ship, so you fuckers better not wander around this ind," a captain with half of his face covered in tattoos said to his subordinates.


    "Are you kidding me, Captain? We''ve been at sea for over a month; can''t you let us have a bit of fun now that we''ve docked?"


    "You guys want to die here? Do you not have any idea what kind of ce this is? Have you forgotten what I said before we docked here? Those aren''t just empty words."


    "I know, but didn''t they say that we''ve reconciled with these vampires after they helped us explore the surface world?"


    "Fuck! You actually believe the official announcement of the big shots? Anyway, don''t forget that we''re on their turf. We''re also food in their eyes. I mean, just think about it¡ªwould you coexist peacefully with a delicious piece of toasted bread?


    "There are so many of those bastards even in the harbor district upied by humans, and do you really think that those vampires will strictly abide by the agreement like good people? If you dare stay out for the night, then don''t bothering back.


    "And don''t expect me to look for you, either!"


    The grave words of their captain made the crew members go silent. Eventually, they all nodded, expressing that they understood and would obey the captain''s instructions.


    Lily couldn''t help but feel a sense of camaraderie toward them. Back then, she and Charles were like them, and they were on a ship full of crew members whom she treated like family.


    However, Lily soon realized that they were different from her former self. These people were human traffickers, and they specialized in selling people to Dark Crystal Ind. Of course, there was no need to mention why Dark Crystal Ind was purchasing human beings from these traffickers.


    Lily was stupefied to learn that the governor of the ind had authorized the deal, making it a legitimate business transaction.


    The Subterranean Sea had a myriad of inds. Due to the unique personalities of their governors, thews of each ind varied, and each had its own share of bizarrews. Naturally, there were inds where very was legal.


    As the group left, Lily quietly memorized their route. If possible, she would make a move and save the poor people they had captured.


    First things first, she needed a good rest. She was so exhausted from the frantic flying over the past few days that she felt like she would copse at any moment now.


    While Lily was observing those around her, she had no idea that she was being observed as well. A tall man was gazing greedily at Lily''s fair neck through a blood-red goblet.


    Lily used some of the gold and jewelry that her mother had given to her to get a room at an inn. After making sure that the door and the windows were locked, Lily sprawled out on the bed and began pondering about how she would exin her decision to Mr. Charles.


    Eventually, she unknowingly drifted to dreand. A few minutester, the supposedly locked door was quietly opened, and the tall man from earlier in the restaurant walked in with elegant steps and a goblet in hand.


    A wicked smile tugged at the tall man''s lips upon seeing the sleeping young woman on the bed. He ced down the goblet on the bedside table and reached out to embrace the young woman.


    The next second, an agonized scream tore through the air, rousing Lily from her sleep.


    The half-asleep Lily looked around and found that the room was covered in a thinyer of gray dust for some reason. "<em>Huh?</em> Howe it''s suddenly dirty in here?"

 Chapter 1025: Dark Crystal Island

    Chapter 1025: Dark Crystal Ind


    Lily had a terrible sleep that night. Every now and then, she''d be jolted awake by noises outside. Moreover, the room was swarming with mosquitoes.


    She swept away the dust on the floor and the bed again and again, but no matter how much she swept, she would wake up to see ayer of dust again.


    It baffled her how a small inn room could be this filthy.


    Having gone on many expeditions with Charles and staying in the inns on each of the countless inds they had been on, she could confidently say this was the worst one yet.


    Enraged, Lily stormed to the reception to file aint, but she couldn''t find a single staff member at the front desk.


    With no channel to vent her frustrations, Lily''s expression turned gloomier. Of course, she didn''t think too much about it. She had rested enough, and it was time to leave.


    Before she went, there was one thing she hadn''t forgotten¡ªthe ve traders she met the night before.


    Lily could easily track those people down. Soon enough, she found their ship. A mid-sized cargo vessel with two towering smokestacks was quietly parked at the port and gently rocked with the dark waves.


    Without much thought, Lily dashed toward the vessel. Facing the crew armed with guns and relics, a blinding white light burst forth from her body to illuminate every inch of the ship.She overpowered the crew easily and entered the ship. With her powers, she removed every obstacle in her path until she reached the ship''s lowest hold.


    With another sh of white light, the heavy rust-covered iron lock rapidly melted away and fell to the ground with a dull thud.


    In the suffocating, badly ventted hold, Lily finally saw the ves that had been transported to Dark Crystal Ind. There was a mix of men and women, and most of them shared the same condition. After months of grueling confinement at sea, they looked like they were barely clinging to life.


    A hint of sorrow flickered across Lily''s eyes. Golden light spilled from her form and manifested into the shape of a spear. The spear then flew forward and effortlessly tore through the steel bars of the cage.


    The deafening sound of metal tearing attracted the attention of the captives. Lily had anticipated that they would rush forward to express their gratitude, but that never happened. Instead, a deep confusion settled in their gazes.


    "Who are you? You are not the captain. Why did you tear the door down?" one of the captives asked.


    "Obviously, I''m here to rescue you," Lily answered, taken aback by their reactions. "Aren''t you all ves captured and sold here?"


    "Of course not!" another answered sharply. "We voluntarily sold ourselves to Utopia. We even agreed to split the money with the traders. We get forty, they get sixty!"


    "What?" Lily froze at the answer. For a moment, she wondered if these people were under the mind control of some monster like Anna. How could they even say something like that? Could anyone sane voluntarily sell themselves?


    "Don''t butt into others'' business!" another snapped in frustration. "We''ve lost over ten lives just to get this far. If you cause any further dy, what if they think we''re not worth the trouble and they don''t want us in Utopia anymore!"


    "Exactly! I sold my house beforeing here! Hurry and leave! We don''t need your rescue!"


    "I''ve had enough of the outside world! I only want to be in Utopia!"


    From their scattered, angry, and fragmentedints, Lily finally understood what was going on. In the heart of Dark Crystal Ind, the Blood n had built a town specially for humans and had named it Utopia.


    In Utopia, humans didn''t need to work. Their safety was assured, and their quality of life was guaranteed as well. The only cost of living in this seemingly perfect haven was the requirement of regr blood donations.


    Lily''s brows furrowed as realization dawned upon her. "Why would you choose to live like livestock? Life outside should be much better than before, no?"


    However, Lily''s question only managed to ignite their fury.


    "Who do you think you are? I just don''t want to work! Now get lost!"


    "Exactly! Do you even know how much debt I''m in?"


    "The advanced machines from Hope Ind stole my job! Where else can I go if not for Utopia?"


    "You don''t get to judge our choices unless you''ve been through our pain!"


    The captives'' voices rose in anger. A few even picked up the broken iron rods on the ground and pointed the sharp, jagged ends at Lily.


    A trace of pain shed past Lily''s face, but she quickly masked it. Without speaking another word, she turned around, lowered her head, and climbed the stairs leading out of the hold.


    The older Lily grew, the more she realized that the world had changed. Or perhaps the world had always been this way, and she had simply been blind until now. There was no absolute good or evil. The clear, distinctive line between ck and white was blurring to blend into gray.


    Perhaps the world was always meant to be chaotic, with everyone struggling to fulfill their own goals. In a way, it could be said that a person could be both a hero and a viin, depending on whose perspective it was.@@novelbin@@


    "Forget it," Lily muttered to herself. "I should mind my own business and find Mr. Charles."


    With this thought in mind, Lily stepped onto the deck and was ready to take flight and leave Dark Crystal Ind.


    But before she could soar into the air, she realized she was surrounded. The sky above her was filled with an endless swarm of ck bats, stopping her from leaving.


    Apanied by an eerie, rhythmic flutter of membranous wings, the bats swirled together and eventually took the shape of a man with a sinister beauty etched into his features.


    "How bold of you, little girl. To think that you dare to step onto our ind and attack our guests. You must be quite confident in your abilities," the man remarked.


    Feeling rather down from her earlier interactions with the human, Lily had no intention of conversing with the man.


    "Get out of the way. I''m leaving," Lily said in a tired voice.


    "No, no. That won''t do," the man replied with a low chuckle. "Naughty girls need to pay the price. I do hope you''re still a pure little girl. Only then would your blood be truly delicious."


    The next moment, the countless bats that covered the sky in an endless shroud opened their crimson eyes in collective unison. Together, they surged toward Lily like a massive, oppressive red carpet.


    Despite the grand, ominous assault, Lily was hardly fazed. If anything, she only found them annoyingly disturbing.


    Lily''s gaze remained fixated on the wooden nks of the deck beneath her feet as she raised her right index fingerzily above her head. The next moment, a miniature sun, norger than a ping-pong ball, ignited at her fingertip.


    "<em>AHHHHHHHH!</em>"


    A screech tore through the dark sky as the bats disintegrated into ash in a single second.


    Under the howling sea breeze, the ashes swirled wildly in the air like a dust storm.


    However, what happened next was beyond Lily''s expectations. As the brilliant light of her miniature sun illuminated the gothic, shadowden expanse of Dark Crystal Ind, a series of screeches began to echo.


    White steam hissed from the skin of the vampires hidden in the dark corners and recesses of the ind. Shrieks of agony and pain filled the air as their hands wed at their blistering faces.


    It was a hellish vision of the apocalypse as their cries seemed never to cease.


    Clearly, the power coursing through Lily''s body was far too overwhelming for these creatures to handle.


    "Enough!" A voice roared from the tallest tower in the distance. An ominous shadow poured outward and eventually swallowed the entire ind into darkness once more, effectively cutting off the light from Lily.


    A pair of blood-red eyes appeared from within the darkness. Staring at Lily, they were filled with an almost palpable killing intent.


    "What have the Blood n done to you that you would want to kill us so mercilessly?!"


    It was evidently a female voice, and it belonged to none other than Lilith, the Mother of all vampires.


    As Lilith spoke, more eyes appeared from within the shadows¡ªdozens upon dozens of them. In the face of an existence that could threaten the existence of the entire ind, every Duke and Duchess had crawled out of their graves.


    However, Lily remained defiant. She had not an ounce of fear as she lifted her head and shouted, "I did nothing wrong! They attacked me first!"


    It was a ratherical sight. On one side was a fuming teenage girl, and on the other, a massive shadow with hundreds of glowing red eyes.


    Yet, despite their outward appearance, Lilith was hesitant and didn''t dare to make a move easily. In her thousand years of existence, this was the first time she had encountered a being with powers that uniquely countered her kind.

 Chapter 1026: Lilith

    Despite the incessant murmurs of advice from her descendants around her, Lilith refrained from making a move. There were many ways to resolve a problem, and violence, as far as she was concerned, ought to always be thest resort.


    With that in mind, she decided to make the girl retreat with a different approach.


    "Little girl," Lilith called out. "You need to be clear of one thing before you make another move. Dark Crystal Ind is not an isted ind. In fact, we have a strong partnership with the famous Hope Ind.


    "One out of every four ships that depart from here heads directly to Hope Ind. Perhaps you might want to think twice about angering their governor and the consequences of it."


    Every living soul in the Subterranean Sea knew well of the might of Hope Ind. However, Lilith had clearly miscalcted the person she was talking to.


    Hearing Lilith''s words, Lily arched an eyebrow with a confused look. "Stop lying. There''s no trade rtionship between Mr. Charles and you."


    Lilith felt a wave of relief wash over her at the mention of Charles'' name.


    <em>She knows Charles. That makes things much easier.</em>


    The dark, inky shadow nketing Dark Crystal Ind didn''t retreat. But from within their depths, Lilith emerged with her alluring form d in a dangerously revealing gown. In her hand, she held a dark red crystal, so dark that it was nearly ck."Actually, we do," Lilith exined. "Dark Crystal Ind earned its name for a reason. High-quality crystals like this are abundant here.


    "The Industrial Revolution drives demand for materials, and having a reliable crystal supply chain is essential," Lilith said as she extended the crystal toward Lily.


    Lily epted the crystal, feeling the cool, smooth surface on her palm. She toyed with it for a moment longer before handing it back to Lilith.


    The two began to exchange words, and the tension between them began to dissipate. Truth be told, there was no deep grudge between them. Rather, it could be considered to be a series of misunderstandings.


    With a hint of guilt in her tone, Lily exined, "Actually, they really did attack me first. Also, I had no idea those little energy orbs would cause such a huge reaction from everyone. I''m really sorry about that."


    Lilith could sense the evident sincerity in Lily''s words. The corners of her lips curled into a gracious smile as she said, "It''s fine. I''m sure they were the ones who were senseless and provoked you first."


    After all, gaining a potential ally was always better than making an enemy¡ªespecially if the other person was probably more powerful.


    The fact that some of her descendants had died didn''t affect Lily in the slightest bit. To Lilith, everyone on Dark Crystal Ind could be considered a descendant of hers. Vampires died every day, and she couldn''t simply mourn for each and every one of them, even if she was their Mother.


    Unable to bear the awkward silence, Lily shifted her weight ufortably before saying, "If there''s nothing else, I''ll take my leave first. I''m really sorry for all the trouble I caused earlier."


    Just as Lily expressed her intention to leave, Lilith had a different idea. With a warm and inviting smile, Lilith said, "Wait. Since you know Charles, you are my friend as well. As the owner of this ind, would I have the honor to invite you to visit my castle?"


    As soon as Lilith''s words left her lips, the dark, ominous shadow behind her began to part. Several pale-skinned men and women stood in a row on each side of the dock. Their faces were somber yet dignified as they weed the guest of their mistress.


    Elsewhere on the ind, the other members of the Blood n emerged from their rooms. They nursed their injuries as they red at the perpetrator of it all. However, none of them dared to make a move.


    "Erm¡­" Lily was clearly reluctant to ept the invitation. Yet, she was really bad at expressing refusals, especially not when the other party had gone to lengths to show such grandiosity. ???£Î?????


    Taking the hesitation as consent, Lilith smiled faintly as she turned around and gestured for Lily to follow her. "Come along, it''s rare for someone to get a chance to freely explore all of Dark Crystal Ind. You know, many parts of the ind are off-limits to outsiders."


    "By the way," Lilith probed. "How did youe to know Governor Charles?"@@novelbin@@


    Lily immediately caught on¡ªLilith was fishing for information.


    "I am one of his crew members. But the Charles I know is from another ne," Lily replied truthfully. She didn''t see the need to hide it; if anything, Lilith might even be able to provide some useful leads about the whereabouts of Charles in their current ne.


    After hearing the detailed response from Lily, Lilith couldn''t help but marvel at the strange nature of the Subterranean Sea. Even after living over a thousand years, there were still things that could surprise her.


    By this point of their conversation, the two had reached the inner district of Dark Crystal Ind. Tall, slender buildings dominated the area, their sharp spires stretching toward the sky. The architecture, with its cold, muted tones, added to the distinctly gothic atmosphere.


    Walking amidst the structures, Lily felt as though she were treading across the back of a spiked stone porcupine.


    "My apologies," Lily replied. "Though I''ve lived for almost a thousand years, I''ve spent most of that time confined to this ind. It''s far too dangerous outside, after all.


    "As for the ind that allows you to traverse nes, I don''t recall ever hearing anything remotely close to it."


    However, Lily wasn''t one to give up so easily.


    "What about a moving ind?" Lily asked. "One covered in trees and has a small house on it. Have any of your descendants reported encountering something like that?"


    Lilith pondered for a moment as her eyes narrowed in thought. "<em>Hmm¡­</em> There are plenty of moving inds in the waters around the area. I''m not too sure which one you are referring to. Do you have any other details?"


    Lily parted her lips, about to provide more details, but eventually stopped herself just before those words left her mouth. Even if she told Lilith that the ind was Charles himself, it would prove useless.


    If Charles didn''t want anyone to recognize him, then no one would be able to, no matter what.


    "Forget it, it''s nothing," Lily muttered in disappointment. She raised her head, her gazending on the hollow spires of the distant castle.


    "Do you mind telling me where the power inside youes from? In my thousand years of life, I''ve seen and encountered much on both the surface world and in this Subterranean Sea.


    "Aside from the death light back then, I''ve never encountered such overwhelming power. It''s like¡­ like the power of the actual sun."


    Lily herself wanted to know the answer to this question as well.


    "Honestly, my poweres from the Light God, but I have no idea why He gave it to me."


    Lilith circled around Lily slowly before she stopped and asked. "May I¡­ touch you?"


    "Sure."


    With Lily''s permission, Lilith extended her hand, allowing her slender index finger to gently press on Lily''s smooth cheek.


    A sharp sizzle erupted as though the flesh had been thrown into a pot of hot oil. ck smoke rose from Lilith''s fingertip as the acrid scent of burning skin filled the air.


    Clearly, the power within Lily was hurting Lilith. Yet, Lilith didn''t withdraw. Instead, she pressed her entire hand firmly against Lily''s face.


    Feeling this familiar pain coursing through her, Lilith''s breathing quickened. As if caught in some intoxicating euphoria, her cheeks flushed a rosy hue, and her knees wobbled beneath her, threatening to give out.


    "You sure you don''t want to let go? You don''t seem okay," Lily asked with a confused expression.


    However, Lilith shook her head repeatedly as she continued to subject herself to the pain from this energy.


    Her sharp fangs bit down hard on her bottom lip as she endured the pain and said, "Ah¡­ this pain¡­ It reminds me of those days on the surface world. Those special days¡­"


    Suddenly, Lilith lunged forward and pounced on Lily. Her entire body trembled uncontrobly, and her skin began to cken and crack to reveal stark white bone beneath.


    Yet, despite her severe injuries, Lilith refused to let go.


    "Have you ever been to the surface?" Lily asked, her voiceced with a hint of curiosity. Charles came from the surface, and she had always wondered what it was like.


    "The surface¡­is unique. For you humans, it could be considered a wonderful ce. But it''s been so long¡­I don''t remember much.


    "What left the deepest impression was the time I was a captive of the Foundation. They locked me away, tortured me, tortured all of us¡­


    "They even experimented on me and my kind. Back then, they weren''t even called the Foundation¡­ I can''t even remember their original name then. But it wasn''t what they go by now."

 Chapter 1027: Lilith

    Lilith embraced Lily for a long time. By the time she let go, she had suffered burns that almost rendered her unrecognizable.


    The instant she let go of Lily, her injuries healed rapidly; what was fatal to ordinary vampires didn''t leave even a scar on her.


    The two continued their walk amidst the bizarre structures andndforms of Dark Crystal Ind. Lily took her time observing the unique terrain and architecture around her.


    It had been a long time since Lilith felt this familiar pain, and it reminded her of what she had experienced in the distant past. Her mouth fluttered open as she shared those stories with Lily.


    "The Foundation treated us as outcasts in the chaotic modern era. They suppressed us incessantly and made sure that even living was a struggle for us. Of course, vampires weren''t the only ones being treated that way.


    "Everyone led difficult lives at the time."


    Lily had no idea why she had to listen to the ramblings of the thousand-year-old granny beside her, but the manners that her mother had taught her made her ask softly, "Is the Foundation on the surface world really that powerful?


    "Did you not fight back at all?"


    The Mother grabbed Lily''s hand with her right hand which had nails painted in red polish. Disregarding the pain, she interlocked her fingers with Lily''s and led thetter down the street."We fought back, but it was futile, child. I even heard that many years ago, there was this living relic called 315. They threw the Foundation into utter chaos to the point that the Foundation was almost forced into dissolution."


    The Mother''s expression gradually dimmed as she said, "But so what? In the end, the Foundation executed 315, and the execution was broadcast live.


    "It was only when I arrived in the Subterranean Sea that I realized that we were destined to lose this war. The Foundation isn''t the biggest issue¡ªit''s the billions of humans behind them. If you imagine humanity as a collective, then the Foundation is the manifestation of that collective''s will."


    "The entire human society is the source of the Foundation''s immense power. The Foundation will always exist so long as there are human beings. Even if the Foundation is destroyed, it will certainly be reborn, just with a different name.


    "As long as humans remain the overlords of the surface world, we will never be able to turn the tables against them."


    Lily looked down at the hand intertwined with hers and saw that it had been reduced to nothing but bones. She reached out to pat Lilith''s shoulder lightly, seemingly in an effort to console thetter.


    A sizzling noise echoed as Lilith''s shoulder split open upon contact, forming a bloody wound in the shape of a handprint.


    Just then, Lilith''s steps became light and quick. She tapped the ground with her toes and began dancing gracefully amidst the apaniment of the sizzling noises emanating from her flesh.


    "There''s no sun to restrain us here, and humans aren''t the overlords as well. I''m living a great life here. Although unimaginable happens more often than not here, I still like it here."


    As Lily stared at Lilith, who was from the surface world, she was reminded of her captain¡ªCharles. Despite being in the same situation, the two had contrasting opinions about their predicament.


    "When you''ve just arrived here from the surface world, have you ever thought about going back? Your family is still up there, after all," Lily asked.


    "Go back? Why would I go back? Child, we vampires have our own unique means of reproduction. Although they all call me Mother, I''m sure you know that we increase our numbers through vampiric conversion.


    "In other words, our familial bonds are far weaker than you can imagine. And when ites to forced conversions, parricide is an extremelymon result. In addition, we were being hunted down by the Foundation, so there was simply no way for us to live peacefully at the time.


    "Back then, because of the sun, we didn''t daree out during the day. We could only emerge at night, living worse than rats. Moreover¡­" Lilith trailed off.


    Lily''s curiosity was piqued. "Moreover what?"


    "Forget it; let''s not talk about it anymore. It''s all in the distant past. I''m not even sure if my guess is right, but who could say for sure? Anyway, walking like this is too slow, so let''s fly instead.


    "Anyway, are you hungry? How about dining at my ce?" Lilith asked. Then, she wrapped an arm around Lily''s slender waist and flew forward. Soon, a pitch-ck castle that was bigger at the top and smaller at the bottom appeared before them. ????§à??¨ºs


    The tightly shut gates opened slowly amidst a creaking sound, and a blood-red carpet rolled out before Lily as if it were the castle''s red tongue.


    "Wee to my abode, child. I know the interior is a bit simple, but please make yourself at home," Lilith remarked. The castle appeared gloomy from the outside, but the interior actually looked pretty cozy and bright. The chandeliers suspended in midair illuminated the entire castle.


    The grand hall was made of white marble and had red curtains, shimmering iid floors, and elegant cabs between the red columns. The majority of the cabs contained either gold, silver, and ssware.


    Lily looked up and saw a mural drawn using a bizarre technique and colors. The mural depicted the Mother and her children devouring the corpse of a colossal and grotesque blood-red sea monster.


    Lily''s delicate brows as she stopped right before entering the hall. For some reason, she felt that the castle was dangerous.


    However, it seemed that Lilith was aware of Lily''s concerns. She hurled a corded telephone that appeared to be made entirely of gold toward Lily.


    "The Governor of Hope Ind is looking for you," Lily said.


    Lily appeared a bit doubtful as she epted it. However, the speech mannerisms and the familiar voice on the other end of the line told Lily that she was indeed speaking to Bandages. More specifically, this ne''s Bandages.


    "Mmhm, I left. Yes, I''m on Dark Crystal Ind right now. I''m not doing anything. I''m just here to rest, but the ind''s owner insists on having me as a guest.


    "Mmhm... If possible, I may go back to live there. Alright, I''ll report to Hope Ind Customs if I end up going back there. By the way, First Mate, do you know where this side''s Mr. Charles went? <em>Oh, </em>okay. Goodbye."


    Once the call was over, Lilith epted the telephone and hurled it into the air. A few bats darted out from the red curtains and flew away with the telephone in tow.


    "Surely you can rest assured now? I''m not one of those monsters that attack indiscriminately out at sea. Hurting you will do us no good as well," Lilith said, pulling Lily to sit at the dining table.


    "Would you like a Bloody Mary?"


    The dark red liquid in a crystal wine bottle was poured into a goblet.


    Lily shook her head. "Thank you, but I don''t drink."


    "Actually, this isn''t alcohol, but fine, you can enjoy the appetizer first," Lilith said. She picked up the goblet and took a light sip of the dark red liquid within.


    A te with a beautiful array of food in tiny portions was ced before Lily. An enticing gold caviar surrounded the dish. Lily felt a bit hungry at the tempting sight, but she knew better than to stuff her stomach with suspicious food.


    Lilith wasn''t angry, even though Lily refrained from touching her food. She lightly swirled the goblet in her hand and chatted with Lily about a variety of topics in an effort to make thetter feel less nervous around her.


    They talked about the plot of a famous stage y as well as some rumors circting about Charles. After the appetizer was the soup, and it was followed by the main course. However, Lily didn''t touch any of the food, allowing the fragrant and delicious-looking food to slip away from her.


    When Lilith felt that it was about time, she said, "Tell me your story, child. I love hearing the stories of other people, and I feel that you have a fantastic story to tell."


    Lilith appeared to be leisurely talking and dining with Lily, but the truth was that every action she had done so far was all for the sake of obtaining more information from Lily.@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 1028: Abnormality

    Lilith gazed at the lovely girl through the dark red liquid in her goblet. A charming smile suffused her alluring face as she remarked, "<em>Hehe,</em> you''re so pretty. When you were on Charles'' ship, did you two¡­"


    "No, nothing happened!" Lily eximed with her face flushed red. "I was still a mouse back then!"


    Lily then told Lilith about how she ended up bing a mouse.


    "Really? How interesting. That reminds me of a talking fish I saw two hundred years ago. I thought it was another new trick that a sea monster was using to deceive people into bing its food.


    "After hearing what you said, I feel like that fish had the same experience as you."


    "Really? Did you ask the fish how it became that way?" Lily asked. She still had no clue about what had actually happened to her, so perhaps she could learn more about it from Lilith''s ount.


    "No, I grilled the fish. It tasted pretty good." Lilith replied.


    Lily was at a loss for words.


    "Actually, there''s no need for you to ask that kind of question. There are many bizarre phenomena in this vast seascape, and they happen more often than you think. People bing other things isn''t as umon as you think it is.""You became a mouse upon falling into the sea. If that''s all that happened to you, then I think you were quite lucky."


    The implication behind Lilith''s words was unmistakable. The moremon fate of falling into the sea was death or even torment from which death offered no escape.


    At this point, the final dessert was served. Lily felt that it was about time and said, "Thank you for amodating me today. I have to leave now. Mr. Charles is in trouble, and I need to go help him."


    With that, Lily stood up and started walking toward the exit. After a few steps, however, she stopped and stared at the Blood n''s Mother sitting before the dining table.


    "Can you tell me if you''ve made any deductions about the surface world? The surface world is very important to Mr. Charles, and any information rted to it mighte in handy."


    It turned out that both Lilith and Lily were probing each other.


    "It is unclear whether the surface world still exists or not, but I suspect that the world above the Colossal Hole Fortress isn''t the <em>real </em>surface world at all," Lilith said.


    In contrast to her shocking statement, Lilith sounded calm andposed.


    "Huh?" Lily''s eyes widened in astonishment. "Why do you say that?"


    Lilith put her goblet on the dining table and sighed softly. "Let me tell you a secret¡ªI''ve been telling my children outside that someone has invited me toe here, but the truth is¡­ the Foundation captured me and brought me here."@@novelbin@@


    "I know," Lily said, nodding. "Mr. Charles and I have been to the ind where you were imprisoned."


    Lilith''s eyes darted as she reminisced about the distant past.


    "I was imprisoned in a containment site, so I had no way of hearing any news from the outside world, but there were some things that I could still sense. One of them was the strong tremors reverberating across the ground."


    "A few years before the Foundation brought us here, earthquakes urred so frequently that there was no way it could have been normal. I also learned that despite capturing dozens of Blood n members, they brought with them only two vampires¡ªa male and a female vampire, which is truly strange.


    "When I finally managed to escape, I discovered that aside from the members of the Blood n, they also took quite a number of human beings as well as animals from a huge variety of species.


    "The Foundation has always been a cautious and meticulous organization. Given their nature, would they really resort to a rushed,rge-scale relocation instead of a systematic and gradual exploration of such a massive, unknown region? R?¦Á???¦¥?


    "Anyway, have you heard about Noah''s Ark in the <em>Bible?</em>" Lilith asked.


    As a native of the Subterranean Sea, Lily had never heard of the <em>Bible</em>.


    "Noah''s Ark was a huge ship built by Noah ording to God''s instructions. It was made so that Noah and his family, as well as all the world''s animals, could survive a catastrophe caused by God''s divine punishment.


    "Don''t you think that the Foundation''s actions are very simr to Noah''s Ark?"


    "When I founded Dark Crystal Ind five hundred years ago, I sent people out to look for the exit to the surface world, but they found nothing. The Foundation had destroyed all the exits to the surface world.


    "It was like they were afraid of something. Don''t you think that sounds fishy?


    "With that in mind, this is my conjecture¡ªthe Foundation was forced to flee the surface world by an extremely terrifying disaster. In other words, the surface world most likely doesn''t exist anymore."


    "<em>Huh?</em> No, that''s wrong. Mr. Charles has fallen into this ce from the surface world, and he told me many things about the surface world, so it definitely still exists," Lily said, pointing out a contradiction.


    Charles had clearly fallen into the Subterranean Sea from the surface world more than a decade ago. If the surface world had ceased to exist a long time ago, where was Charles from then?


    The contradiction made Lily doubt every single wording out of Lilith''s mouth.


    Was Lilith lying to her?


    "I see. That is indeed weird. My conjecture says that the surface world no longer exists, but yet he still ended up falling here," Lilith remarked. Then, she frowned and fell into deep contemtion for a while.


    Eventually, Lilith waved her hand dismissively and said, "Maybe I misremembered it. Anyway, just go ahead and treat my conjecture as an interesting story. It''s been a thousand years, so my memories are a bit hazy."


    Lily nodded and said, "Thank you for amodating me today, but I really have to leave now."


    She pulled the straps of the backpack in front of her chest and bowed slightly toward Lilith.


    "Child, I''ve grown fond of you, and I hope you''ll visit me often," Lilith said. This time, she didn''t try to make Lily stay. Lilith had spent half a day probing for information, but there wasn''t much valuable information.


    Still, she would have to make a detailed report to Governor Weister of Hope Ind. The child didn''t seem as simple as she appeared after all.


    "Are you sure you don''t want to eat something? Our ind''s ck pudding is really good, and it''s actually a specialty food from my home country on the surface world, Irnd," Lilith said, pointing at the untouched dessert on the table.


    Lily pondered over it before nodding and walking toward the dining table. She picked up a spoon and scooped a spoonful of the dessert. She squinted as soon as the dessertnded in her mouth.


    "It''s so sweet and delicious," she remarked.


    With that, Lily ced another spoonful of pudding into her mouth, but her expression suddenly changed. It wasn''t just her; Lilith''s face became solemn as well.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    The two instantly arrived on the balcony, and their gaze was fixed on the northwest.


    "Something ising down from there!" Lilith eximed, and her eyes trembled in panic. Her keen senses had allowed her to sense the slow descent of a distinct, iprehensible aura.


    The aura disappeared a few secondster, but Lilith had no ns of ignoring it.


    "Nautical chart! Compass!"


    Thousands of bats appeared out of nowhere, and they carried a nautical chart and apass to Lilith.


    After finding her bearings, Lilith used her sharp nails to draw a straight line on the nautical chart. The line started from Dark Crystal Ind and stopped on a certain ind.


    "The Colossal Hole Fortress is above this ind! Did something happen on the surface world?"

 Chapter 1029: Meeting

    After detecting something amiss at the Colossal Hole Fortress, which was a territory of Hope Ind, Lilith decided to contact Hope Ind, but surprisingly, Bandages'' response was strange.


    "No, nothing happened¡­ at the Colossal Hole Fortress... everything is normal..."


    Lilith ended the call with furrowed brows. "Everything is normal? Hmph, who do they think I am? A two-hundred-year-old child? How could everything be normal after such amotion?"


    Lilith had been on the surface world to help locate and retrieve the darkness for the sake of stopping the rising sea levels. In other words, she was familiar with that ce¡ªa ce shrouded in purple light that could transform anything into relics.


    Considering what existed up there, Lilith believed that any incident up there had to be taken seriously. After pondering for a while, Lilith turned to the empty hall and said, "Send someone to take a look up there. I need to know what exactly had happened over there."


    Arge swarm of bats rushed out from under the red curtains and flew out of the window toward the distant, oppressive horizon of the dark seascape.


    While the Mother was busy instructing her children, Lily was standing on the balcony, casting a worried gaze in the direction where the indescribable aura hade from.


    <em>If there''s something going on here, then the same thing must be happening on that ne. Was this what Mr. Charles had mentioned to me before?</em>


    With that in mind, Lily couldn''t wait any longer. After hastily bidding farewell to Lilith, she took to the skies and headed in that direction. A cocoon of gentle sunlight enveloped her as she flew like a meteor streaking across the sky.To reach the Colossal Hole Fortress as quickly as possible, Lily didn''t take the safe route that the Explorers Association had mapped out years ago. Instead, she flew in a straight line, passing through uncharted regions.


    Lily''s tant crossing of such regions attracted covetous gazes from beneath the dark waters.


    Just then, a translucent tentacle riddled with ck rings stretched out from the pitch-ck abyss andshed out at Lily in the air. However, Lily managed to dodge it by a hair''s breadth.@@novelbin@@


    Truth be told, Lily couldn''t care less about these creatures. She was extremely anxious, and the only thought she had in mind was to reach the Colossal Hole Fortress as soon as possible.


    The indescribable aura earlier reminded her of the aura she felt when she first arrived at the Dark Abyssal Trench with Mr. Charles¡ªFhtagn''s aura. There were some differences between the two, but there were clear simrities as well.


    Since she was flying at top speed, Lily soon saw a beam of light sweeping across the dark sea surface. The beam of light wasing from a lighthouse. Annarles Ind was just up ahead.


    Lily came to a halt and hovered in the air above the ind. She opened her palm, revealing a miniature sun that she hurled upward. To her surprise, however, the colossal door that was supposed to be above Annarles Ind had disappeared.


    In fact, there wasn''t anything above Lily except for the generic rockyer overhead. Lily descended on the ind below. She looked around and discovered that she hadn''t made a mistake¡ªshe was indeed on Annarles Ind.


    But where was the colossal hole leading to the surface world?


    How could it suddenly disappear?


    Just then, Lily noticed that the inders looked terrified while staring at the dark sea.


    "What exactly happened just now? Why did our ind suddenly move several kilometers to the right?"


    "May the Giant Bird of Suffering bless us. Could it be that our ind is going to sink? That shouldn''t be the case, right? I mean, isn''t this a newly discovered ind?" ?§¡N??¨§??


    "Uncle Charlie, let''s go to the docks! Let''s go to Auntie''s house on Hope Ind!"


    "We can''t leave! Customs has requisitioned all the boats, and the whole ind is under martialw!"


    The remarks of the worried inders told Lily what had happened. With aplex face, Lily looked to the left, where the ind was supposed to be. There wasn''t any light there; it was as dark as the rest of the seascape, but Lily inexplicably felt that there was something in the darkness.


    Lily took a deep breath and rose into the air again. Then, she flew in that direction.


    Lily dared not fly too fast; she was extremely cautious and vignt.


    About a minuteter, she heard some noises in the darkness. She raised her right hand in response, and a dazzling ray of sunlight pierced the darkness, vanquishing it.


    The light revealed a column of flesh covered with bulging blood vessels, bizarre-looking tentacles, deformed appendages, and amorphous organs.


    The column of flesh was extremely tall; its tip seemed to have fused with the rockyer up above, while its other end seemed to have pierced the seabed down below. It was pressing against the rockyer as if it were a load-bearing pir supporting both heaven and earth.


    An aura so oppressive that it was palpable was emanating from the pir.


    Although his appearance had changed beyond recognition, Lily instantly recognized that the pir before him was Mr. Charles¡ªthe Mr. Charles of this ne.


    Charles also recognized her, and thousands of eyes proliferated across the grotesque flesh pir in an instant, all staring straight at her. "What are you doing here?"


    Charles still had some impression of the little girl capable of wielding a tiny bit of the Light God''s might.


    "Mr. Charles, what exactly happened? Why did I feel a Divinity''s aura from here?"


    The thousands of eyes closed and were quickly overwhelmed by the amorphous organs proliferating across the flesh pir.


    Realizing that she was being ignored, Lily patiently asked once again, "Were you the one who moved that ind with the nar teleporting portal?


    "Mr. Charles, can you let me return to that ne? I need to go help him!"


    "Get lost!" A terrifying and oppressive aura rushed out of the flesh pir. "I''m already feeling annoyed, and I don''t have the time to talk to you at all!


    "And who do you think you are? You have no idea what we''re about to face! A little mouse like you can''t possibly help him or me!"


    The terrifying and oppressive aura swept across Lily, eroding her mind and assimting her will.


    Lily gnashed her teeth and enveloped herself with the power within her in an effort to resist the oppressive aura.


    "I can help! I''m strong! And I''m wielding the Light God''s power!"


    <em>Rumble!</em>


    Three massive tentacles stretched out from the water down below and wrapped around Lily. The next moment, everything about Lily appeared in Charles'' mind, and he could also see those afterimages around her.


    "No, you can''t help. You have just a spark of the Light God''s power inside you; you can''t wield even one percent of His power. At most, you''re just a bit more powerful than an ordinary human being."


    "You''re not at my level. You cannot understand what it means to be a Divinity, and you have no idea just how weak humans are."


    The tentacles loosened before pushing Lily away. Lily looked wronged as she stared at Charles in front of her. She could easily upend an entire ind, but she was still nothing in his eyes.


    "Does that mean you''ll let me help if I be a being like the Light God?"


    "<em>Hahaha,</em> how brazen. Fine, you might be a bit useful if you reach the same level as the Light God. Unfortunately, there isn''t enough time. The fragmented scenes in my mind have be a bit clearer, and¡­ I hope you haven''t forgotten the ultimate fate of the Light God."

 Chapter 1030: Sunlight

    "I''m not afraid of death! I''ve experienced it once, and it wasn''t a particrly terrible experience," Lily shouted with determination. Sheid her innermost thoughts bare to the Charles of this ne.


    "And some things are far more important than death. Mr. Charles had sacrificed so much to help fulfill my wish back then. Now that he needs my help, I''m not going to let him bear all this by himself!


    "And I''ve never forgotten who I am!"


    "<em>Oh? </em>Who are you?" The thousands of eyes across the flesh pir opened at once and stared intently at Lily.


    "I''m the gunner of the Narwhale! My duties are to load and aim the deck guns as well as to use the ship''s weapons to clear every obstacle in the Captain''s way!" Lily''s firm and melodious voice pervaded the air.


    Charles remained silent for a long time. Even though he had long lost the majority of his humanity and even though Lily had never been on his ship, he still felt a tinge of closeness toward the young woman upon hearing the mention of the Narwhale.


    "All right, let''s make a deal. Once you''re as strong as the Light God, I''ll let you return to that ne, and I''ll let you participate as well."


    "Okay! It''s a deal!" Lily nodded vigorously, looking excited. "Can you tell me what''s wrong? I want to be mentally prepared for it."


    "You don''t need to know about it for now. Just know that this is far greater than any cmities so far. Once we''ve addressed this cmity, however, then we won''t have to worry about anything in the future."Just then, eight flesh tentacles rose from the water and wrapped around Lily.


    "My main body is right here. Once you''ve done your end of the deal, then you cane here anytime you wish. However, you must move fast. We''re running out of time. If you''re too slow, then you won''t be of much help."


    An unknown amount of timeter, Lily opened her eyes and found herself at the docks of Hope Ind. She sat in a daze for a long time before she realized that the Mr. Charles of this ne had sent her back to Hope Ind.


    Recalling their conversation, Lily clenched her fists and cheered herself on. <em>Lily, you can do it! Even without anyone to rely on or anyone to give you any ideas, you can do this! You can do this by yourself!</em>


    "Miss, can you please not block the driveway? The forklift needs to pass through." A voice from behind interrupted Lily''s thoughts.


    Lily stood up and walked to the side with an apologetic face, making way for the mechanical vehicle behind her. The mechanical vehicle''s chimney was constantly belching out ck smoke.


    Lily''s gaze lingered on the forklift for a while before sweeping across the docks. It was peaceful here; Hope Ind wasn''t affected at all.


    The workers operating the forklifts to unload cargo, the fishing boats unloading fish, the staffers of merchant ships soliciting passengers, the vendors on the streets, and even the pickpockets mingling in the crowd¡ªeveryone was working hard for the sake of their own lives.


    However, Lily knew that this beautiful and peaceful scene was only possible because someone was holding up the fort somewhere unknown to these people.


    Although the Charles of this ne hadn''t said much, his true body was acting like a plug to the surface world. The terrifying and oppressive auraing from the surface world meant that something huge had to have happened up there.


    The incident had forced Charles to use his own flesh to ensure that the aura of whatever was upstairs wouldn''t affect the seascape. Lily had no idea if this incident was simr to the disappearance of the darkness, where the rising sea levels threatened to annihte humanity, but Charles'' tone of voice told her that this was a serious cmity.


    Lily''s determination to return to that ne grew even stronger. She ced her right hand on her chest, sensing the warm power within her. Lily willed it, and the warm power circted rapidly throughout her. The warm energy moved ording to the method that the Pope had passed on to her.


    The power felt warm, but it was extremely strong. ording to the power ranking system of the seascape, this power was easily beyond Level 15. Unfortunately, it wasn''t even close to the power that Mr. Charles demanded.


    <em>The Light God¡­</em> Lily reminisced about the sensation she felt upon her death. At the time, she felt like she was soaking in a warm, boundless ocean. She had her limbs curled, and she was hugging her tail as she slept quietly.


    Finally, when she was resurrected, she saw a giant sun radiating a heat that felt oh-so-cozy. She could still remember the Pope''s pure and joyful smile on His shoulder back then.


    <em>If I want to be the Light God, what should I do next? Don''t rush it, Lily. My actions must be calcted. I must think it through before doing anything, </em>Lily thought.


    Lily stood on the docks and pondered over the matter for a long time. In the end, she was struck by a streak of insight. She could still remember making an ally out of Dawn One against the Foundation. ?§¡??????


    Back then, she had be several fold stronger by borrowing its power.


    With that in mind, Lily looked up at the warm sunlight shining down from the canopy covering Hope Ind.


    A hint of hesitation appeared in Lily''s eyes, but her gaze quickly became firm. With a light tap of her small feet, the nimble Lily flew toward the hole in the canopy.


    Lily swiftly passed through the hole and entered the crevice in the rockyer up above. Soon, the radiant figure of Dawn One appeared before her. Dawn One''s main body appeared to be white blocks assembled into an inverted triangle.


    The metal blocks themselves seemed to possess a powerful maic force, binding the power with the same origin as the Light God''s power as one massive halo that revolved around it.


    This huge halo before Lily had been providing Hope Ind with its warmth and vitality.


    Lily floated over toward Dawn One, and the animated nuclear fusion reactor immediately reacted to her presence. "Mortal, why do you not bend your knees before the presence of the great Light God?"


    Lily was good friends with that ne''s Dawn One, but this was her first meeting with the Dawn One here. Lily was aware of Dawn One''s background. After all, she had been Charles''panion for a long time.


    Dawn One''s sunlight shone on Lily; her skin and hair shone beneath its warm sunlight.


    Lily felt guilty as she floated before it. "I''m sorry, Dawn One, but to be the Light God, I will need your power."


    The disappearance of Dawn One would surely deal a huge blow to Hope Ind.


    The inders could still live without sunlight, but if Mr. Charles failed upon receiving no help, perhaps none of them would survive.


    "You need my power? I''m afraid that''s not possible, Miss Beautiful. My power will only destroy you."


    Lily had no intention of exining anything. She reached out with her right hand and made contact with the dazzling halo hovering around Dawn One. This time, Lily wasn''t going to borrow Dawn One''s power; she was going to absorb it.


    As soon as they made contact with each other, Lily''s figure erupted into a dazzling, extremely bright explosion. Lily and Dawn One resonated with each other, and it was like two suns had suddenly manifested.@@novelbin@@


    Lily''s clothes were reduced to ashes. Her fair skin began to turn bright gold, and every strand of her beautiful hair shimmered with a bright white color. She was going through a metamorphosis; she was attempting to break free from her human flesh to be a pure elemental life form.

 Chapter 1031: Dawn

    Lily''s skin grew whiter and whiter as she absorbed the special energy from within Dawn One. In no time, the dazzling sunlight overflowed, piercing her skin and pervading the air outside.


    Sensing the rapid decline of its power, Dawn One panicked. At first, it thought that the human before it was speaking in jest. It couldn''t be helped. After all, a mere human being making contact with its resplendent figure would meet only one fate¡ªa horrible fate of being reduced to ashes.


    However, it turned out that the joke was on itself. Lily seemed to be capable of absorbing and assimting the power within it.


    As an animated nuclear fusion reactor, its main body was the dazzling golden halo. Once Lily had absorbed all of it, Dawn One would truly die.


    Faced with the possibility of suffering a true death, Dawn One wanted to resist, but it couldn''t do anything at all. Since it was an infinite energy source, the Foundation had ced numerous restrictions on it as soon as it was born.


    It couldn''t even move, let alone resist. If it were capable of moving, it wouldn''t have stayed in the ruins of Newbound City for a thousand years.


    Since it couldn''t resist physically, Dawn One attempted to seek a chance of survival through words, shouting, "Wait! You can''t do this! What''s inside me will not be helpful to you at all! I mean,e on, just look at yourself!


    "You''re about to explode!"


    Lily gnashed her teeth and shook her head. Golden tears slid from the corners of her eyes and fell down her agonized face. "I''m really sorry! I know this is wrong, but I have to do this to be the Light God!"I''m sorry, but I''m doing this to protect everyone! There''s a threat to everyone''s lives out there!"


    Dawn One''s figure flickered as if it were a light on the verge of snuffing out, and its voice grew frantic as it eximed, "No, this isn''t it! If you want to be the Light God, then you have to repeat Experiment K392!"


    "Experiment K392?"


    "Don''t you want to be the Light God? Experiment K392 was the name of the experiment that Dr. K9 used to create the Light God back then! If you want to be the Light God, then you shouldn''t absorb my power! You have to repeat Experiment K392!"


    Lily''s eyes widened as she slowly retracted her hand from Dawn One''s halo. The light from Dawn One had dimmed considerably, and the halo around it had gotten tinier as well.


    Lily stared deeply at Dawn One and realized that the Light God''s power felt different from Dawn One''s. With that in mind, Lily became convinced that Dawn One wasn''t lying to her.


    In other words, she still wouldn''t reach the same level as the Light God, even if she managed to absorb itpletely. The gap between the two entities was just too huge.


    "Can you tell me where Experiment K392 was conducted?"


    Dawn One seemed a bit scared of Lily as its words carried a hint of ttery. "My apologies, but I have no idea. I''ve been here since I was made. In fact, I don''t even know what the sea looks like.


    "However, the Subterranean Sea is vast, so someone out there definitely knows about where Experiment K392 was conducted. Someone of your knowledge and wisdom will surely find out soon."


    Lily glimmering with a golden light fell into deep contemtion. Momentster, the face of the King of Sottom, 134, appeared in her mind. 134 was that little girl with sharp, pointy teeth.


    <em>Mr. Charles once told me that she was one of the important catalysts to the birth of the Light God. If there are people out there who know where and how the Light God was made, then as a witness, she must be one of them!</em>


    Lily kissed Dawn One''s dazzling halo, and then she flew toward the distant crevice like a meteor. "Thank you for the reminder! That was really helpful! I''m going to look for her now!"


    Upon Lily''s departure, the cavern dimmed considerably, and the temperature dropped significantly as well.


    Dawn One truly felt lucky and thankful for its wit that allowed it to escape certain death. While it was reveling in its sess, it noticed an individual wrapped in bandages walking over toward it from a distance.


    It was familiar with the bandaged figure. The bandaged figure was the ruler of the ind down below, and he had been using the sunlight from its body to grow food and be even stronger as a ruler.


    "Didn''t you say I was the lifeblood of your ind? And the most valuable treasure of the Subterranean Sea? Didn''t you say that you''ve prepared a huge variety of defenses for my safety?" Dawn One roared at Bandages. Its booming voice pervaded every inch of the cavern. "Just what exactly was that little girl earlier?!


    "She almost killed me, but I saw not even any traces of your so-called defenses!"@@novelbin@@


    The expressionless Bandages came to the sacrificial altar to the Light God. He squinted as he looked up at Dawn One in the air. "I don''t think¡­ she''s going to be¡­ useful..." ???????¨¨??


    "What?" Dawn One asked, sounding confused. Bandages'' answer didn''t make sense at all. "What are you talking about?"


    "She''s too young... and too weak¡­pared¡­ to you."


    Dawn One remained confused, but when it saw a young boy appear next to Bandages, it finally realized that Bandages wasn''t talking to it.


    The young Charles of this ne waved his hand lightly, and a flesh membrane appeared in front of him. The flesh membrane depicted Lily''s figure, who had just flown out of Newbound City.


    Charles sighed softly and remarked, "It doesn''t matter whether she''s going to be useful or not. Let''s just go ahead and try. If she really bes the Light God, then she will be a great help to us.


    "And when ites to contingency ns, the more is always the better. Besides, we haven''t paid any price for her help, have we?"


    Bandages turned to look at his captain. "That little mouse¡­ seems to be very important to <em>that</em> Mr. Charles¡­ Remember... when we were wary¡­ of that little mouse? <em>He</em> specifically¡­ came here¡­ to resolve the misunderstanding.


    "I think¡­ he doesn''t want the little mouse... to get involved... you doing this... might be bad."


    "What''s bad about this? At this point, there''s no time to consider such trivial matters. Feelings are useless, and they must be discarded. I''ve even put my life on the line, so do you really think I''ll care about the lives of other people?


    "Besides, this is her own choice. I did nothing to influence her. If something goes wrong, he can''t me it on me."


    Bandages silently nodded.


    "Hey! What are you guys talking about? Did you not hear what I said? Can you not see that the energy inside me has mostly been taken away?! My weakened sunlight means that the crops on your ind will all have reduced yields!"


    Charles looked up and red at Dawn One. "Quiet!"


    A violent tremor ran across Dawn One suspended in midair, and it fellpletely silent.


    Charles'' main body wasn''t here, but he could easily deal with Dawn One even without his main body.


    "Captain... did you see what happened up above? What was¡­ the source of that special aura?"


    "No. 002 is up there, so it''s too dangerous for me to go there. However, I''ve sent some of my sons and daughters to the Colossal Hole Fortress, so I believe we''ll have some news soon."

 Chapter 1032: Training

    Gao Zhiming stood up, and Anna removed the bandages around him. Although some of the wounds had be light scars, the wounds themselves were more or less healed.


    Anna wasn''t exactly concerned about any scars or shallow wounds, as children healed faster than adults. The issue was the injury close to Gao Zhiming''s lumbar. It was close to the spine, so if the wound was handled poorly, Gao Zhiming could be paraplegic.


    If a paraplegic Charles fell into the Subterranean Sea, it would be so absurd that it wouldn''t be funny at all.


    "How''s the wound on your waist?"


    Gao Zhiming twisted his waist and walked a few steps before smiling. "It''s a bit sore, but it''s no longer painful. Much better than before."


    Anna finally rxed. "Alright, put on your clothes. We''re leaving."


    Gao Zhiming obediently put on his clothes before asking, "Where are we going, Big Sis?"


    "This ce is too close to our previous home, so we''re going abroad. We''ll find a remote ce to hide for a while there, and there are some matters I need to handle as well."


    Things seemed calm, but Anna dared not bet on it. The shadows from the IMF had left a deep impression on her. Those people could assume any identity, and it was incredibly difficult to find any of them.The two walked out and hurried to the nearest airport.


    Walking past an electronics store, Anna saw Wang Jianshe looking smug on the news. It seemed that he had made a breakthrough in his career.


    <em>Has that old man been reced by someone else from the IMF, or has he beenpletely brainwashed by them?</em> Anna thought. She was surprised that Wang Jianshe had remained unscathed. After all, he was her financial backer.


    Regardless of what had happened, Anna had no intention of approaching him in the meantime. Perhaps the connection between them could be useful in the future, but for now, Anna was going to stay away from him.


    Anna and Gao Zhiming took a taxi to the airport.


    Identification cards were needed if one wanted to take a flight. As undocumented individuals, Anna and Gao Zhiming couldn''t buy any flight tickets at all.


    However, Anna remained unfazed. She carried her husband on her shoulder and snuck into the airport through the basement. Sneaking in everywhere was a piece of cake for Anna.


    After exiting the airport abroad, Anna walked into an elevator. Using her clothes as a cover, her vibrating hand met no resistance whatsoever as it phased through the clothes and the flesh of the ck man in front of her.


    In one swift motion, Anna obtained a wallet containing a thick wad of cash.


    With a capital in hand, life in a foreign country became much easier for Anna and Gao Zhiming.


    Anna found a peacefulkeside town somewhere in a small Eastern European country to settle down with Gao Zhiming. The town was small; there was ake in front, and the woods were behind it.


    It was a quaint and peaceful town, so it satisfied all of Anna''s requirements.


    The town had only a few outsiders, so the news about the arrival of any outsiders would instantly spread throughout the nce. In other words, Anna would be somewhat protected against the IMF''s shadows.


    The young and innocent Gao Zhiming didn''t think too much about the move. He was fine with going anywhere as long as he was with his big sister.


    Gao Zhiming put his hands on the window, eagerly watching the fish in the distantke. "Big Sis, look! There''s so much fish! They''re so fat, too! They must be tasty when grilled."


    The expressionless Anna walked over, closed the window, and pulled down the curtains. The room with ake view and great lighting instantly became quite dim. ??????¨¨£Ó


    Anna stood in front of Gao Zhiming and took off her clothes.


    "W-what are you doing, Big Sis?" Gao Zhiming asked, blushing.


    Wearing only underwear, Anna took out a dagger knife from her purse and stuffed it into Gao Zhiming''s hand.


    "Hold it properly," she said. Then, she took a few steps backward and put one hand on her hip. "If you want to kill someone, where should you stab them?"


    "<em>Uh,</em> what?" Gao Zhiming was in a daze.


    "Didn''t you say that you wanted to help me? To help me, you at least need to learn how to kill," Anna said. She decided to train Gao Zhiming while nothing was happening. After all, once things became chaotic, there wouldn''t be any time for her to teach him anything.


    "If you want to kill someone, where should you stab them?" Anna asked again.


    "<em>Um...</em> the neck? The heart?" Gao Zhiming muttered, firmly holding the dagger.


    "Is that so? Stab me then."


    Gao Zhiming seemed a bit hesitant, but Anna scolded him, forcing him to grit his teeth and charge forward with the dagger in hand.


    Before he could get close, however, Anna stopped him in his tracks. "Too slow. You weren''t like this when you killed that guy. Bring out the demeanor you had back then.


    "And did you notice it? The heart and the neck are vital points, but your opponent is aware of that as well. In other words, it''s not going to be easy for you to stab your opponent in the heart and the neck.


    "There are some parts of the human body that don''t look like you can cause any substantial injuries by attacking someone there, but prating injuries on those parts are actually often lethal."


    Anna took out a sheet of paper and unfolded it in front of Gao Zhiming.


    The image being depicted on the piece of paper looked rough, but it was enough.


    "These are the major blood vessels in the human body. Memorize it. It''lle in handy in the future."


    Gao Zhiming epted it with some hesitation. Then, he sounded confused as he asked, "Why am I studying this, Big Sis? I thought you''d give me some superpowers to use."


    "There isn''t that much variation when ites to killing. Even if you end up obtaining Anomalies and other modern weapons, you''ll still use them on the human body.


    "In other words, it is imperative that you learn more about the weaknesses of the human body."


    Gao Zhiming went silent at that and could only cast a sad look at the diagram.


    Blood vessels were just the beginning; Gao Zhiming also learned about the bones, muscles, and joints in the human body. @@novelbin@@


    Gao Zhiming''s understanding of the human body became deeper and deeper with Anna''s help. He learned which bones were the easiest to break and the angle at which they had to be broken for the injury to prove fatal.


    "Big Sis, shouldn''t I develop my strength? Why do I have to look at these things?" Gao Zhiming asked, feeling tortured by the diagrams in front of him.


    It was already their third week in this small town, and their neighbors had long gotten used to the weird Asian siblings.


    "First of all, I don''t know how to develop your strength. Secondly, you''re only nine years old. You can train as hard as you can, but there''s a limit to how much strength you''ll obtain.


    "And remember, your young body is your most powerful weapon. No one would imagine that a nine-year-old child was actually capable of killing neatly and quickly. You can take advantage of that preconception to ambush anyone."


    Anna was wearing an apron around her waist, and she was busy cooking pasta in the kitchen. There were no Chinese supermarkets here, so they could only eat whatever was avable for sale.


    Gao Zhiming had spent quite some time as a vagrant with no food source other than what was in a dumpster, so he wasn''t picky with his food at all. He ate the pasta in tomato sauce with relish.


    The cogs in his brain were turning furiously, so he had to eat as much food as he could to replenish his energy.


    Anna rested her chin on the back of her hand and cast a gaze full of affection at her husband. She reached out and stroked his cheek with her hand, "Study hard. Soon, I''ll grab someone out there for you to practice on."

 Chapter 1033: Neighbor

    The thick stench of blood permeated the air in the dense forest. @@novelbin@@


    <em>sh.</em>


    <em>Rip.</em>


    The wet, sickening sound of flesh being sliced apart continuously echoed through the trees.


    Panting heavily, Gao Zhiming raised the bloodied dagger in his hand. He gritted his teeth and charged forward. Cold, congealed blood sttered across his youthful nine-year-old face.


    By this point, he was overwhelmed with exhaustion. The high-intensity, relentless swinging of the dagger burned his arms muscles; they throbbed with an aching pain.


    Gao Zhiming took a nce at Anna standing nearby. Swallowing every bit ofint he might have, he steeled himself and, once again, plunged the dagger into the calf carcass suspended from the tree branch.


    Driving the de deep into the calf was anything but easy. The cow''s hide was thick, and having been dead for a long while, its flesh had turned extremely stiff. Its sinewy tendons also contributed to the resistance.


    Every single time, Gao Zhiming had to muster every ounce of strength within him to be able to drive the de all the way in. "Don''t rely on brute force," Anna instructed. "Try to aim for the gaps between muscle groups. Remember the sensation of slicing a de through flesh. You need to get used to it as soon as possible.


    "That street thug who offered you his neck from before? Enemies as stupid as him are few and rare."


    "Understood!" Gao Zhiming nodded. He tightened his grip on the dagger and pressed on with the training session, his sweat mixing with the blood staining his skin.


    Anna leaned against the trunk of a tree with a huge canopy and watched Gao Zhiming silently from a distance.


    She hadn''t voiced her opinions directly in front of her husband, but deep down, she had to admit thatpared to his struggles with studying, he was undeniably gifted in this field.


    Despite his short period of training, he had already acquired rudimentarybat power. If he were to make a move now, there was a high chance that he could sessfully assassinate an unsuspecting adult.


    However, the most important matter was that Gao Zhiming had seen blood. He had taken that crucial step of negating the fear of killing a human.


    When it came to killing one''s own kind, there was an undeniable difference between those who had never taken their first kill and those who had already crossed that line.


    Just as Anna was contemting the next phase of Gao Zhiming''s training, a rustling sound came from the nearby woods.


    She rapidly turned around to see an old man emerge from between the trees. His face was flushed, evidently sunburned, and he had a fishing rod slung over his shoulder.


    The moment Anna and Gao Zhiming came into sight, the old man''s attention went straight to Gao Zhiming. He stared at the bloodied dagger in the young boy''s hand before his gazended on the mutted cow carcass hanging from the tree.


    His eyes widened in shock.


    Anna''s sleeve twitched ever so slightly, and in an instant, the throwing knife that the Mask had given to Gao Zhiming appeared in her hand.


    She recognized that face. He was a town resident, and she had seen him when she and Gao Zhiming first moved in.


    However, the old man didn''t seem to sense the killing intent radiating from Anna. His eyes lit up with excitement after his initial shock. He took a step forward and circled Zhiming as he eximed in admiration, "Uh, Chinese kung fu? Nice!"


    With that, he fished out his phone and quickly scrolled through his gallery before clicking on a snippet from an old Shaw Brothers martial arts film from the 1980s. He held the screen up to Anna with an eager expression and bombarded her with even more questions.


    Anna blinked. She realized that the old man hadpletely misinterpreted the situation. She let out a quiet sigh of relief and stealthily kept the throwing knife.


    Since he wasn''t a threat, she began to exchange small talk with him. Soon, she learned that his name was Mark Rook, and he was, technically, a neighbor of sorts. ????????s


    Before retirement, he had worked as a chef, but now that he had retired, his time only revolved around two things: fishing and watching movies. Of course, he was particrly fond of martial arts films, and as such, he was fascinated by what he had just witnessed.


    "So, are the moves in those films real? How is it done? This kid, he''s training moves from Shaolin, right?" The old man asked, his expression evident with curiosity. "Oh, if there are any Eastern cultural taboos about this, feel free not to answer."


    Anna had intended to brush Mark off with a few vague answers, but thetter was particrly enthusiastic and passionate about Chinese kung fu. He talked non-stop with overflowing passion, like a fan meeting their idol.


    By the end of their conversation, Mark even warmly invited Anna and Gao Zhiming to visit his home.


    Not wanting to appear overly out of the ordinary, Anna agreed to the invitation. After all, it was impossible topletely iste herself uponing to a new ce. Moreover, building a good rtionship with her neighbors could help her to blend in better with the town.


    Mark''s house was near¡ªjust a few hundred meters away from Anna''s. There was no one at home apart from his wife, an elderly woman with an amicable smile.


    The all-wooden structure gave off a rustic charm. The interior was also decorated with a touch of familial warmth. There weren''t many electronics aside from a single television.


    As soon as they entered the house, Mark put aside all sense of formality. He eagerly pulled out disc after disc¡ªall featuring various martial arts stars¡ªand showcased them to Anna with childlike excitement.


    It was clear that Mark had a bright, in fact, almost boyish personality, even though he was already 73 years old this year.


    "I''m so sorry. Is he too annoying?" the elderly woman asked with a gentle smile as she ced a steaming apple pie on the table. "He has always been like this."


    Taking off her thick oven mitts, she turned to her husband and said, "Mark, enough talking. This is the first time Anna is visiting us; show some restraint, will you? They''re still kids and probably even younger than our grandchildren."


    Everyone took their seats at the table and began to indulge in the meal prepared by Mrs. Rook. It was a sumptuous spread with roast chicken, spaghetti with sliced sausage, rich mushroom soup, and freshly baked apple pie. There was even a ss of homebrewed wine for each of the three adults present.


    Just as Mark was about to start another conversation, he suddenly felt his wife, Mary, discreetly step on his foot.


    Confused, he cast a nce at Mary before following her gaze to look at Anna. It was then that he noticed¡ªAnna''s left arm was missing.


    His pupils shrank as a heavy stone weighed down on his chest. He had seen injuries like this before in the martial art films.


    <em>My god¡­ She''s so young yet¡­Did they travel all the way from Asia to our town because they were expelled from their sect?</em>


    Everything suddenly clicked into ce. Mark finally found the reason for Anna and Gao Zhiming''s reserved attitude.


    <em>Ah, I see. Damn it. I should''ve realized earlier. Every time I talked to her, I was unknowingly rubbing salt into their wounds.</em>


    Mark''s newfound discovery erased all his excitement in an instant. Without his lively chatter, an ufortable silence hung over the table.


    "Mr. Mark, about what happened in the forest, can you keep it a secret for us?" Anna asked, breaking the silence.


    "Of course, of course!" Mark agreed readily before casting a brief nce at his collection of martial arts DVDs. His face turned slightly red before he straightened up with newfound confidence.


    "I consider myself quite knowledgeable about certain aspects of Eastern culture. Don''t worry. Your <em>shimen</em> won''te here to find trouble with you. Is that how you pronounce the word for ''sect''?"


    Anna''s brows furrowed slightly. "<em>Shimen?</em> Sect?"


    She had no idea what the old man was talking about. But regardless, it seemed like the problem had resolved itself in a special way.


    Out of a natural fondness for children, Mary turned her gentle gaze toward Gao Zhiming, who was devouring the food on his te.


    "Child, do you like watching TV?" Mary asked. "You can eat while you watch. There''s no need to be so formal. My granddaughter does the same thing whenever shees home for summer break."


    Gao Zhiming, who had dropped out of school after only attending a year, couldn''t understand a single English word that Mary spoke. With a nk expression on his face, he turned to Anna with a pleading gaze.


    However, Anna didn''t notice his gaze. She was too engaged in her conversation with Mark, trying to understand the town''s brief history and also learn the names of its residents.


    "Oh, child, there''s no need to be so rigid. Just treat this ce like home," Mary chuckled as she put on her reading sses and picked up the remote.


    The television screen flickered to life, and Mary flipped through the channels in search of one of the cartoon channels for Gao Zhiming.


    While Mary was browsing through the channels, Anna tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and took another bite of her pasta. She looked up just then and took a casual nce at the screen.


    Then she froze.

 Chapter 1034: Olivia

    It was the briefest nce, but it caught Anna''s full attention. A reporter was standing in front of a school with a microphone in hand, conducting an interview.


    However, it wasn''t the reporter who caught Anna''s attention. Instead, it was the familiar face she spotted in the background¡ªa girl walking through the school''s main entrance.


    She was an adorable girl with freckles; she was Olivia. She had been there the day Charles was summoned.


    She should''ve lost her mind from that encounter, yet now, just like Wang Jianshe, she appeared perfectly normal.


    <em>Wang Jianshe is too dangerous for me to approach now. But Olivia should be much safer. Perhaps I can figure out why Wang Jianshe is how he is now if I can get to her.</em>


    Anna''s thoughts continued to race.


    <em>The IMF wouldn''t possibly waste too many resources monitoring her. She is just one of the many ordinary people who lost their minds that day.</em>@@novelbin@@


    The television screen flickered once more, and the interview broadcast was reced with a familiar cartoon¡ªTom smashing a massive iron hammer on a scrambling Jerry.


    Anna resumed her movement and continued eating. Lowering her voice, she spoke in Mandarin, "Hurry and eat. Once we''re done, we''re heading to Greece. We''ve got things to deal with.""Okay!" Gao Zhiming replied as he stabbed his fork into a piece of chicken before shoving it into his mouth and chewing vigorously.


    After a brief farewell with the Rooks, Anna set off that very day with Gao Zhiming by her side.


    ***


    <strong>Greece.</strong>


    Inside an upscale academy, Olivia was chatting andughing with her friends as they strolled down the hallway. Her smile was radiant with joy as she animatedly shared stories about her recent vacation.


    "I swear! That beach was absolutely gorgeous! The view was stunning, and the prices there were cheap! It''s the best vacation spot for students like us!"


    The three girls turned the corner and headed toward the restroom.


    "Also, you know what? There are all sorts of gorgeous, sparkling green gemstones buried in the sand!"


    "Wait? Seriously! Does that mean you are rich now?"


    Olivia let out a heartyughter. "Just kidding! They weren''t actually emeralds¡ªjust bits of broken ss from discarded alcohol bottles. They looked like polished gems after years of being smoothed out by the waves.


    "I mean, they''re just ss, but they were <em>sooooo</em> pretty!"


    Walking into one of the cubicles, an excited Olivia continued talking.


    "Oh, did you girls see my Twitter? I uploaded so many pretty photos!"


    Done with her business, she flushed the toilet before moving over to the sink.


    "Next time, let''s all go together! It''s really amazing to be able to see new ces, new people, and have new experiences."


    As the cool water ran over her hands, Olivia started to sense something amiss. There had been no response from her friends ever since she entered the cubicle. Not even a single word. She had been talking to herself. ??????¦Â¨§?


    "Sia? Sariah?" Olivia called out as she lifted her head in confusion.


    Her gazended on therge mirror above the sink, and she took in the reflection. The restroom stalls behind her stood eerily silent. There was not a single sound apart from the running water of the sink.


    "Girls, don''t think of pranking me with something like this. I''m not falling for it," Olivia said in an attempt to shake off her unease.


    With hesitant steps, she approached one of the cubicles and gently pushed the door. The door swung inward without any resistance.


    Olivia''s eyes widened in shock as she saw Sariah lying on the floor and unconscious.


    "Sariah!" Olivia dashed in and dropped to her knees before pulling Sariah into her arms. "Wake up! What happened?"


    With a trembling hand, Olivia fumbled for her phone and quickly dialed 112.


    <em>Thunk!</em>


    A throwing knife descended from above and pierced through the phone''s screen. The device instantly cked out.


    The next moment, Olivia felt her surroundings dimmed. She sharply turned her head upward to see a pair of pale hands reaching down from the ceiling.


    She barely had time to process what she saw or scream when the hands grabbed her head and yanked her upward.


    She struggled and kicked wildly, trying to escape. But as a petite high school girl, her strength couldn''tpete.


    Helplessly, Olivia was dragged through the ceiling and into the storage room on the second floor.


    A voice drifted through the air.


    "It''s been a long while. Tell me, dear Olivia, do you still remember the stranger who took your photo that day?"


    The freckled girl staggered to her feet. Her heart was still pounding from the ordeal as she turned around to see the speaker.


    The moment Olivia saw Anna, she froze. Like a key unlocking a sealed door, Anna''s face shattered the mental lock on her memory.


    All the buried memories came flooding back.


    A monstrous tree of flesh, its twisted branches formed from mangled organs, crawled out from the depths of her mind. The suffocating terror it exuded was gradually gnawing away at her sanity.


    The joy that was evident on her face just a few minutes ago was fading away and slowly being reced by agony. Her once vibrant and lively form began to hunch over, trying to shrink into itself.


    "T-tree! Tree! AHHHH!" Olivia screamed and copsed to the floor. She clutched her head with both hands and continued screaming hysterically. Tears and snot dripped freely onto the floor.


    "Hmm?" Anna watched the freckled girl in front of her with an eyebrow raised. She had expected that she would need to employ some ways to recover the girl''s memories.


    <em>To think that she would recognize me the moment she sees me¡­</em>


    "Look into my eyes," Annamanded.


    "AHHHHH!" Olivia let out another bout of piercing screams.


    Like a terrified stray dog, she scrambled backward until her trembling body was pressed into the farthest corner of the room. She then pulled her limbs in and buried her face into her chest.


    Anna nodded to herself, saying, "Hmm, now this seems more normal."


    Compared to the artificial disguise IMF had forced onto Olivia, the girl''s current state of terror was far more genuine and put Anna at ease.


    Anna approached Olivia and knelt down on one knee. cing a hand on the young girl''s quivering shoulder, she leaned in and softly spoke into the girl''s ear.


    "What did they do to you?" Anna questioned. "What did you go through there? Tell me everything."


    With her mind on the verge of breaking down, Olivia offered no response. Instead, she violently mmed her head against the wall. Again and again, she desperately tried to self-harm to avoid facing Anna.


    Anna instantly understood that Olivia was in a full-blown trauma response. If she didn''t stabilize the girl soon, she would never be able to get the answers she needed.


    Anna reached out and caught Olivia''s head before it could m into the wall again. She then pulled the girl into her embrace and wrapped her arms tightly around thetter.


    She gently rocked Olivia like a motherforting a frightened child.


    "Don''t be afraid. I won''t hurt you. The tree in your mind won''t hurt you either."


    She drew from her past experiences as a Dioite, attempting to stabilize Olivia''s shattered mind through pure psychological reassurance.


    Fortunately, it worked. After half an hour, Olivia''s violent tremors finally subsided. Though she didn''t return to her previous chirpy self, at least she was capable ofmunication.


    "Tell me. After you left the resort, what happened? What did they do to you?" Anna asked.


    Olivia didn''t dare to look up at Anna''s face. Her voice trembled as she answered, "Th-they¡­ asked me a lot¡­ of questions. I couldn''t¡­ answer them. I used¡­ LEGO¡­ to build¡­ <em>that</em> thing¡­ to show them."


    In her current state, Olivia couldn''t even bring herself to mention the tree.


    Anna narrowed her eyes in surprise. Under normal circumstances, memories tied to such intense emotions were difficult to alter. Even if they had been tampered with, the effect wouldn''tst for long.


    More importantly, this was a memory of Charles. And Charles was already a God.


    Yet, the IMF managed to alter a memory with a God''s appearance.


    <em>They really do have some powerful tools at their disposal.</em>


    Judging from Olivia''s current condition, Anna''s suspicion had been confirmed. Wang Jianshe hadn''t been reced.


    His memory had merely been rewritten. The current him hadpletely forgotten his deal with her.


    "Continue. Don''t stop. What else did they make you do?"


    "They¡­ They made me meet a madman," Olivia answered. Her voice was steadier now that she wasn''t talking about <em>the tree.</em>


    "A madman? What madman? Have I seen him before?"


    "I don''t know. He was scruffy¡­ with a thick, unkempt beard. He held this giant water tank in his hands and refused to let go. He kept saying that the tree branch from <em>the tree</em> is in the water¡­"

 Chapter 1035: Turning Point

    Chapter 1035: Turning Point


    "The tree''s branch?"


    Anna''s pupils contracted ever so slightly upon hearing Olivia''s response. The grotesque, flesh-woven tree¡ªthe physical manifestation of Charles¡ªsurfaced in her mind.


    Anna had been the reason for Charles'' appearance. She witnessed every moment of him, right up to the second he left. She even watched the makeshift massive tree of flesh rapidly dissolving away into a pool of crimson.


    If Charles had intended to leave something before, be it a branch or anything, she should have been the one to receive it.


    Not someone else.


    <em>Is that bastard hiding something from me? What the hell is he up to now? </em>Anna''s brows furrowed in thought. She paced in agitation as her thoughts continued to spiral.


    <em>Wasn''t he addicted to ying savior and risking his life down in the Subterranean Sea to hunt down Fhtagn? The surface world is calm, with no war or chaos. Why would he need to leave anything behind?</em>


    <em>If I was the intended receiver, then it makes even less sense. I died once already, and he didn''t even do anything then.</em>


    Suddenly, Anna halted in her path. Turning on her heel, she gazed downward at Olivia, who was still curled up against the wall and trembling."Tell me in detail. Describe the tentacle in the water tank. Are you certain that it''s from that giant tree? Or could it be something else?" Anna asked in a firm tone.


    Olivia''s head remained down. Her voice was but a mere, trembling whisper as she spoke in a broken mix of English and Greek.


    "I-I-I don''t know. I never saw the branch."


    "What? You didn''t see it?"


    "They told me to take a look. But there was <em>nothing</em> in the tank! But that madman kept iming that there was a branch there. He was the only one who could see it."


    <em>A madman''s delusion? </em>Anna thought to herself. She could have dismissed it as that, but her instincts told her that things weren''t that simple.


    "What was his name?"


    "Jackal," Olivia answered. "I heard the others calling him by this name." The more questions she answered, the more her voice began to steady.


    "That madman kept repeating that the tree branch was very, very dangerous. He said it had to be contained as soon as possible.


    "They even made me talk to him. During our conversation, he told me that he used to be one of those people.


    "He also said he wasn''t crazy. That in his dream, he could feel how powerful the tree was. And that all of humanity is nothingpared to it. The tree is there; it never disappeared. If it wanted to, it could easily wipe out all humans in an instant," Olivia concluded.


    Anna had originallye to Olivia to find out how IMF managed to brainwash the witnesses. But now, it seemed that the so-called tree branch had be a far more important issue.


    At this, Anna turned her gaze back onto Olivia and asked, "Do you remember where they held you?"


    The freckled girl pondered for a long moment before she nodded slightly. "They altered those memories, but now that I remembered about the tree, those rted memories had returned as well. I can roughly remember the location."


    "Great." Anna reached down and helped Olivia to her feet. She then wrapped an arm around the freckled girl''s shoulders and led her toward the door.


    "Let''s go. This ce isn''t safe to talk. We need to find a safer ce and continue our chat."


    Upon arriving at the temporary residence where Anna and Gao Zhiming were staying, Anna immediately made a beeline for herptop and ced it in front of Olivia.


    She then instructed the freckled girl to indicate the ce where she was locked up on the map.


    Therge digital map was rapidly zoomed in and out a few times before arge, ordinary-looking city came into view.


    With evident unease, Olivia exined, "They blindfolded me when they transferred me out. But I think it should be somewhere in this city."


    Never had Anna anticipated that the IMF would set up a base inside a city. Perhaps, it could be because the organization often dealt with people they imed were "treatable patients."


    With her gaze locked onto the map on the screen, Anna''s mind raced as she strategized her next move.


    Firstly, she had to go there. That much was certain.


    If the branch was just the delusion of a madman, then it was fine. But <em>if</em> the branch was real, she had to figure out exactly what the hell Charles was up to.


    Also, she hadn''t forgotten that Charles had be a God now. If she could establish contact with him through that tree branch that he left behind, all her problems would be resolved easily. She could perhaps even convince him to help her get back to the Subterranean Sea.


    As for whether that bastard would help her or not, that was a problem forter.


    On top of that, Anna hadn''t forgotten that in that IMF''s base, there was an Anomaly that could alter memories.


    With that item, the IMF had managed to rewrite Olivia''s terrifying experience into an amazing vacation by the beach.


    In the same way, that item could also alter Gao Zhiming''s memories to match what they were when he first arrived at the Subterranean Sea.


    Having decided on the n, Anna turned toward the freckled girl, who was still visibly nervous and tense.


    "Thank you for your cooperation. Your answers have been very helpful to me," Anna began. "Now, it''s time to talk about <em>our</em> situation. I mean¡­ You''ve seen my face."


    Fear crept onto Olivia''s face. Despite her young age, she could still understand the unspoken threat in Anna''s words.


    If she gave the wrong answer, she might just die on the spot.


    A delicate handnded on her shoulder and a chill ran down her spine.


    Anna leaned into Olivia''s ear and softly whispered, "Aren''t you afraid? Afraid of that tree? Do you still remember how it appeared?"


    Anna lifted her hand, gently running the ck diamond ring on her finger across the freckles on Olivia''s cheek. "Your memories have returned. If you were to leave now, your nightmare would follow you. And if my guess is right, your mental state will break down very soon.


    "Since ancient times, whenever humans faced unexinable disasters like gues or death, they would personify the situation and create some higher being to worship. They hoped that through offerings and devotion, they could let their terror stand on their side.


    "You could do the same. You just need to switch a perspective. Rather than living in constant fear and drowning in uncertainty, you can choose to embrace the fear," Anna said in a soothing and persuasive tone.


    "This is humanity''s oldest tradition, after all."


    "Think about it," Anna added after a moment to let the words sink in. "That tree is so terrifyingly powerful. But, what if, He''s on your side¡­ then He''s not so terrifying anymore, is it?@@novelbin@@


    Olivia continued to shiver as she lifted her head ever so slightly. Her gaze darted away to avoid meeting Anna''s gaze.


    "Do you know Him? Does He have a name?" Olivia asked.


    "His name is Fhtagn. He exists. As long as you help me, He will not harm you. In fact¡­ He might even grant you some special benefits."


    Sickly green corrosive mes flickered to life and surrounded Anna, bathing her face in an eerie hue of green.


    "But¡­ There''s nothing much I can help you with. I''m just a student," Olivia replied, her voice tinged with hesitancy.


    Anna gently ran a hand across Olivia''s cheek. "No¡­ You''re more useful than you think. In fact, this face of yours is very valuable to me.


    "Of course, you can refuse," Anna added casually. "But that tree doesn''t take rejection well. You''d better think of the consequences before saying no."


    It was a simple and direct psychological maniption, but yet it worked just as it always did. After all, Olivia was just a young, naive, highschooler.


    As the memory of the tree resurfaced in her mind once again, Olivia started trembling all over again. Raw terror gripped her heart, squeezing it ever so tightly that she felt like she could hardly breathe.


    The psychological stress weighed down on her chest until finally, she could take it no longer.


    With a sharp intake of breath, Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and let out the fear in a desperate exhale, forcing the pressure out of her lungs the only way she knew how.


    "Alright! I''ll help you! I''ll help the great Fhtagn!"

 Chapter 1036: Discovery

    Chapter 1036: Discovery


    As soon as the words came out of Olivia''s mouth, she felt as if a knot in her heart was untied, and she was no longer as fearful as before.


    She was still afraid, but at the very least, she was no longer afraid of getting her mind crushed by that tree.


    The freckled Olivia realized that Anna''s words madeplete sense. Since the tree was so strong, why bother fighting Him?


    Beaded sweat covered Olivia''s face, and she was breathing in ragged pants as she stood before Anna.


    A smile rose unbidden to Anna''s lips. The sight told her that she had just obtained another cannon fodder. She reached out and moved theptop over to search for tickets to her destination.


    "Call the school and exin to them. Tell them that you won''t have time toe to ss for a while."


    Olivia nodded in a daze and took out her phone to do as instructed.


    While Anna''s fingers were dancing across the keyboard with her fingers, she turned to Olivia and asked, "By the way, what did the IMF use to modify your memories? Was it a living or an inanimate Anomaly?"


    It was imperative that Anna asked Olivia about what Anomaly had altered her memories as well as the specifics of how it was done. This way, she would be able to do the sameter."It was a mirror. It was about three meters tall, and it was made of pure copper; there were intricate patterns all over it," Olivia said. She looked up with her phone in hand and struggled to recall the ordeal. "When I looked in the mirror, what I had experienced appeared in it, and then I saw¡­ little fairies?


    "I have no idea how to describe them, but anyway, they looked strange and had equally strange abilities.


    "They used their hands to pull at the colors of my memories before altering them into other things. They grabbed the yellow hue of the human corpses in my memories and turned them into a beach by the sea.


    "They kneaded the green of the forest into tiny lumps and scattered them into the sand on the beach. Then, they grabbed the moonlight and stacked them on top of each other until the moonlight became a bright sun in the sky."


    Anna''s fingers stopped as she tried hard to imagine the scene that Olivia had just described. Unfortunately, she couldn''t quite imagine it. "Haha, that''s an interesting Anomaly, but the memories altered by it are a bit too unstable.


    "Its work can actually be undone with just a bit of stimtion."


    "I don''t think so," Olivia said, shaking her head. "They used that mirror to alter the memories of many people."


    "<em>Oh?</em> Then, why are you different from them?" Anna asked and pondered over it.


    Olivia thought long and hard about it as well, but she had no idea what to say. In the end, she lowered her head and focused on her phone.


    Anna''s destination was a city built on a in. Judging from the medieval castles around the city, it had to have been a highly sought-after city during ancient times.


    Thanks to the castles, the city weed many tourists. Anna, Gao Zhiming, and Olivia were among the tourists today. Their clothing allowed them to blend in, and Anna even used her excellent makeup skills to give herself a brand-new look.


    Anna also transformed her hair into a brown, wavy one to avoid attracting the attention of the IMF''s shadows. @@novelbin@@


    Gao Zhiming''s eyes were full of awe as he stared at the ancient castle that was covered with Boston ivy ahead of him. Gao Zhiming was a sensible and obedient child, but a child was still a child, after all. The fact that he could visit so many unique ces made him the happiest of the three.


    In contrast, the freckled young woman standing next to him clearly looked nervous. She was nervously looking around, but even she had no idea why she was doing that.


    The mirthful and innocent Olivia from before was no more. She had long been reced by a paranoid and mentally disturbed young woman.


    Anna tapped Olivia''s hand with the camera in her hand. "Calm down. Don''t stand out."


    Olivia forced out a smile and walked away while holding Gao Zhiming''s hand.


    "Anna, are we just going to keep traveling like this? And what do I need to do?" Olivia asked.


    "You just need to stay put for now. The time to use you has yet toe," Anna replied while staring at the tall buildings in the distance. There were things she wanted in this city, but she knew that she couldn''t rush in recklessly.


    Having dealt with the IMF many times before, Anna was no stranger to them.


    On the outside, they didn''t seem to be formidable; their individual members weren''t exactly that strong. In fact, the captain of their strongest Mobile Task Force wasn''t as strong as Charles when he was still the Captain of the Narwhale.


    However, they were an organization¡ªa collective. Their sluggish and weak responses at the time were only because too many incidents required their attention back then. After all, their work covered the entire world.


    The IMF''s overall strength was terrifying, and once they had decided to eliminate a target, their target would most likely not live to kick up another fuss; they would suffer the same fate as Anna.


    <em>Since the IMF believes that I''m dead, then I absolutely cannot let them see me again. Otherwise, they will definitely hunt me down. Before anything else, I should locate the site first. I''ll know whether infiltrating it is doable or not once I''ve seen their defenses.</em>


    Soon, it waste at night. While the others were asleep, Anna went out and began searching the entire city for the IMF''s site. She started her search by investigating the suspicious locations she had marked on the map.


    The city wasrge, but under the guise of tourism, Anna had already eliminated some of the marked locations during the day. Tonight, she just had to go to the ces that were <em>inconvenient</em> to visit during the day.


    In the first few days, Anna obtained no clues at all. The majority of the ces she searched were factories and private clubs.


    On the fourth day, she finally discovered something. A region in the southeast corner of the city was almost invisible on the official map. Earlier, Anna tried to take photos of the area using sightseeing as an excuse, but the tour guide stopped her.


    When Anna asked for the reason behind it, the tour guide haphazardly changed the subject. It was suspicious, so Anna assumed that the region was most likely part of an IMF site.


    On that same night, Anna found herself standing before a factory building. She looked inside through the window and saw drug dealers packing drugs.


    Anna was instantly disappointed by the sight, but this was nothing out of the ordinary. These drug dealers were like the IMF, they also needed a hidden ce to conduct their affairs.


    The speechless Anna turned around and walked toward a nearby hotel. When she was halfway there, she heard a scream from behind the walls.


    "<em>Hm?</em>" Anna stopped and pondered over it briefly before walking in the direction of the scream. Soon, Anna saw a woman copsed on the ground in a small alley.


    The woman''s fis stockings and heavy makeup told Anna that she was most likely a prostitute. The woman was sprawled out on the ground, and her eyes helplessly looked at the sky.


    There were two men looming over her. At first, Anna thought that the two men were trying to vite the woman, but the thick, rusty scent in the air changed her mind.


    Anna''s face was solemn as she quietly walked to the side. Soon, the clouds parted, allowing the gentle moonlight to descend and illuminate the two men looming over the woman.


    Their pale white skin¡ªresembling their counterparts in the seascape¡ªand their elongated canine teeth proved their identity.

 Chapter 1037: Blood Clan

    Chapter 1037: Blood n


    "Vampires?" Looking at the two men feeding in the alley, Anna was reminded of the Blood n crew members on Charles'' ship¡ªChief Engineer Audric and Ship Doctor Linda.


    Anna thought that she would be surprised to see vampires on the surface world, but her heart wasn''t shaken even in the slightest at all. It wasn''t exactly strange, as Anna had looked through Charles'' memories before.


    The members of the Blood n in the Subterranean Sea originated from a female vampire progenitor, Lilith, and she had descended into the seascape along with the first-generation Foundation.


    Since Lilith was originally from the surface world, it wasn''t strange that there were vampires on the surface world.


    A distinct hissing noise filled the air. Anna was extremely familiar with the human body, so she instantly deduced that the prostitute''s veins would soon run out of blood, as evidenced by the hissing noises. In other words, the two vampires would soon be done with their meal.


    Anna stared deeply at the two vampires and was then reminded of the Foundation site that she had been looking for in this city.


    An idea popped up in her mind. Since these vampires were daring enough to kill people in this city, they had to be aware of the IMF''s coverage of the city.


    Otherwise, the IMF''s mobile task forces would have dealt with them long ago.


    The two vampires tossed the shriveled corpse to the ground. Then, they took out a used syringe and injected the contents into the prostitute before transforming into bats and leaving. They had sessfully made it look like the woman had died from a drug overdose.


    Having made up her mind, Anna chased after them while maintaining a certain distance away. The two vampires flew as bats while Anna ran after them. It was exhausting, but the two vampires weren''t too fast, so she quickly caught up.


    The chasested more than ten minutes and ended when the two batsnded on a manhole. The bats dove swiftly into the manhole, which spun twice before rapidly falling back into ce.


    <em>So they''re living underground? </em>Anna looked at that ordinary manhole. Since there were vampires in the sewers beneath the manhole, Anna couldn''t just walk over and show herself to them.


    Regardless of whether there were IMF moles among the Blood n members, it would be too dangerous for her to venture deep behind their lines without any preparations or ns.


    In addition, if even one of them was aware of 315''s appearance, it would only be a matter of hours before the IMF discovered the fact that she was still alive.


    <em>I need to find a way that will let me meet and talk to them without them finding out my true identity.</em> Anna pondered for quite a while inside a wall before the corners of her lips curled up slightly. She had juste up with a great way.


    The fast-asleep Gao Zhiming was shaken awake by Anna. He rubbed his groggy eyes and yawned.


    "What''s wrong, Big Sis?" Gao Zhiming asked before shifting to the right side of the big bed, giving Anna some space to lie down.


    "Wake up. I need your help with something," Anna said. Then, she picked up Gao Zhiming and jumped out the window.


    The cold winds outside sted Gao Zhiming awake. "Where are we going, Big Sis?"


    Instead of replying, Anna took out several rolls of ck tape and began changing Gao Zhiming''s appearance. She first stuffed more than ten ping pong balls around Gao Zhiming''s neck, and then she wrapped them withyers of ck tape.


    Gao Zhiming soon transformed into a tiny mummy wrapped entirely in ck tape; the bulging "tumors" on his neck made his bizarre appearance look even more bizarre.


    Gao Zhiming cast a confused gaze at Anna using his one and only exposed eye.


    Anna saw that and exined, "I''m about to meet with some friends, but it''s not convenient for me to show myself, so I need you to act as my mouthpiece."


    Hearing that, Gao Zhiming pointed at his taped-up mouth, seemingly saying that there was no way he could be a mouthpiece when he couldn''t speak at all.


    "You don''t have to talk. I just need you to stand and pretend like you''re the one talking," Anna said.


    Gao Zhiming nodded quietly at the exnation.


    Anna smiled and gave Gao Zhiming''s taped-up mouth a light peck before picking him up and walking toward the manhole from earlier.


    Gao Zhiming lifted open the manhole with great difficulty, revealing a pitch-ck abyss that seemed to extend indefinitely. Sensing his big sister tapping the soles of his feet from within the ground, Gao Zhiming''s nervous heart was assuaged slightly, and he slowly climbed his way down using thedder.@@novelbin@@


    The underground sewers were massive; the main tunnel was at least five meters wide, while there were sizable ess tunnels that branched out from the main tunnel.


    The conspicuous glow-in-the-dark graffiti on both sides of the tunnel served as Gao Zhiming''s guiding lines. The graffiti consisted of cartoon bats as well as colorful swear words, and there were so many of them that they seemed to pervade every inch of the walls.


    Gao Zhiming slowly walked forward while covered in bandages from head to toe, and Anna followed closely behind him from within the ground beneath him. Gao Zhiming was now her body double, and Anna came up with this way after much pondering.


    Since she couldn''t show herself, then why would she do that?


    Even if the IMF had moles among the Blood n members, how could a child with a deformed neck wrapped entirely in ck tape possibly be connected to the extremely dangerous but dead 315?


    In addition, it wasn''t exactly strange for another bizarre entity to appear when there were so many anomalous organizations on the surface world. Anna realized that it was a great way, and if it worked well, then she''d use it for the long term.


    Gao Zhiming''s footsteps sounded conspicuous and loud within the deste and deathly silent sewers; Gao Zhiming was walking in a way that made it seem like he was afraid that no one would hear him walking.


    Soon, two shadows quietly appeared behind him. Their crimson eyes stood out amidst the pitch-ck tunnel.


    "I need to speak with your leader." A soft female voice echoed from the cell phone behind Gao Zhiming''s bandages. The two Blood n members were stunned. The bizarre-looking child before them actually had a feminine voice.


    The two vampires looked at each other. Momentster, one of them stepped forward and bared his fangs at Gao Zhiming.


    Gao Zhiming''s pupils shrank to their smallest in fear, but before he could instinctively step backward, mes suddenly erupted from beneath the vampire''s feet, engulfing him in an instant.


    The sight was, of course, the result of Anna''s handiwork. She had to send a lick of corrosive mes into the bottom of her target''s foot, and she could engulf them with those mes without anyone noticing it.


    The remaining Blood n member was shocked, and his pale face revealed panic.


    "I need to speak with your leader." Anna repeated. Finally, her words were effective. The vampire nodded slightly and turned around to lead the way for Gao Zhiming.


    They stuck to the left until a huge hole in the wall appeared.


    Gao Zhiming walked into the hole and found a three-story vi painted ck. The marks around the top of the vi told Anna that part of the vi was above ground.


    Upon walking before the vi, Gao Zhiming saw a group of people with faces as pale as the Blood n member in front of him. It seemed that they had heard the news and had gathered to "wee" him.


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